Breaking: Imams’ Lawyer Receives Second Death Threat
Friday, July 13, 2007 at 12:02 pm
- 10 Comments
For the second time in a few months, the attorney for the six Muslim imams who were removed from a plane last year at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport has received a death threat sent from Minnesota.
Among other threats, the party responsible for the letter warns the attorney that they “can use [rocket propelled grenade] rounds on [his] vehicle, sniper rounds, shaped explosives or even non-traceable colorless and tasteless food additives.”
Speaking from his New York office, lawyer Omar Mohammedi said, “This is a terrorist threat and should be treated as such.”
Unlike the first threat, which was sent by a party calling itself “American Jihad,” this one was sent by an anonymous party, Mohammedi said.
What’s particularly disturbing about the second threat, Mohammedi noted, is that it shows precision and intent to harm. The writer makes reference to a recent order by a federal judge who turned down Mohammedi’s request to limit public access to the case.
Two weeks ago, Judge Ann Montgomery wrote to Mohammedi that “it’s regrettable that anonymous individuals have threatened violence,” but assured him that the federal courthouse in Minneapolis will be secured by guards.
The letter, postmarked July 7, seems to address the judge’s statement.
“Who cares if the Federal courthouse is secure (which it really is not),” the letter read. “At a time of our choosing we will find you. And we will visit each and every one of your plaintiffs whom we have heard speak. They have been ranked in order of importance as targets. . .And finally let’s not forget about the families at home while you and your plaintiffs are away. . .women and children are fair game. . .you will be spared from an anonymous death.”
Five of Mohammedi’s clients live in Arizona and the sixth lives in California.
“As disturbing as the threats sound, it wouldn’t prevent me from doing the right thing,” Mohammedi said.
In a statement, the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the threat.
“Death threats targeting individuals merely for exercising their legal rights are acts of terror, whether the threats are made overseas or right here at home,” said CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper. “We call on law enforcement authorities in Minnesota and New York to work with the FBI to make sure that these threats are not carried out.”
The FBI was notified on both cases and it is investigating, according to Mohammedi.
“I hope they are caught and brought to justice,” he said of the perpetrators.
10 Comments
Comment posted July 13, 2007 @ 3:11 pm
Call them “sicko’s” Here’s where I drop the ball.
Those “sicko’s” who were writing up psuedo death threat letters from their basement are just pathetic.
Now I’m totally against suing average Joes for reporting suspecious activity, but I don’t like scaring folks up.
Comment posted July 13, 2007 @ 3:51 pm
I agree, Nora Those who object to non-violent activities like lawsuits are much like those who object to the American way of life by suicide bombings.
It would be good to discover the source of these messages.
Comment posted July 16, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
If any, sure. Sourcing, please? If the threats actually happened, they’re despicable at best, and clearly criminal in nature.
The article, though, claims that there actually was a letter, rather than that (as I would guess is the case; it’s impossible to tell from the story) somebody claims that there was a letter.
I would hope that this isn’t simply a regurgitation of last Friday’s CAIR press release at http://www.cair.com/… with the addition of a recap of the previous story and a quick quote from , but hope is not always fulfilled.
Strangely, upon brief examination, it appears that none of the text quoted from the supposed (and possibly extant) letter differs in any respect — longer, shorter, words taken out or added in — from the putative quotations from the putative letter in the CAIR press release, save for the substitution of “let’s” for “lets (sic)” and the removal of a single set of ellipses.
From the Minnesota Monitor’s Code of Ethics:
* Ensure the accuracy of all information, regardless of where it comes from. Review facts and stories….
* Identify sources when possible. The public must be able to know how reliable sources are.
The source of the several CAIR comments is properly identified. The source of the putative quotes is not.
Comment posted July 17, 2007 @ 10:12 am
Half done is well started… … and the source for the quotes from the letter? Was it the CAIR PR, did he get them directly from the lawyer, or was he given a copy of the letter?
Comment posted July 13, 2007 @ 10:11 am
Call them “sicko's” Here's where I drop the ball.
Those “sicko's” who were writing up psuedo death threat letters from their basement are just pathetic.
Now I'm totally against suing average Joes for reporting suspecious activity, but I don't like scaring folks up.
Comment posted July 13, 2007 @ 10:51 am
I agree, Nora Those who object to non-violent activities like lawsuits are much like those who object to the American way of life by suicide bombings.
It would be good to discover the source of these messages.
Comment posted July 16, 2007 @ 9:12 am
If any, sure. Sourcing, please? If the threats actually happened, they're despicable at best, and clearly criminal in nature.
The article, though, claims that there actually was a letter, rather than that (as I would guess is the case; it's impossible to tell from the story) somebody claims that there was a letter.
I would hope that this isn't simply a regurgitation of last Friday's CAIR press release at http://www.cair.com/… with the addition of a recap of the previous story and a quick quote from , but hope is not always fulfilled.
Strangely, upon brief examination, it appears that none of the text quoted from the supposed (and possibly extant) letter differs in any respect — longer, shorter, words taken out or added in — from the putative quotations from the putative letter in the CAIR press release, save for the substitution of “let's” for “lets (sic)” and the removal of a single set of ellipses.
From the Minnesota Monitor's Code of Ethics:
* Ensure the accuracy of all information, regardless of where it comes from. Review facts and stories….* Identify sources when possible. The public must be able to know how reliable sources are.
The source of the several CAIR comments is properly identified. The source of the putative quotes is not.
Comment posted July 17, 2007 @ 5:12 am
Half done is well started… … and the source for the quotes from the letter? Was it the CAIR PR, did he get them directly from the lawyer, or was he given a copy of the letter?
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