One of the imams who denounced Massachusetts State Treasurer Tim Cahill as a "bigot" for his charge that Governor Deval Patrick was pandering to Muslims has been unveiled* as a master of the fine art of taqiyya on the evidence of previous remarks he made in March to members of a local mosque.


May 28, 2010 6:08 pm US
Eastern Muslim Leader Raises Eyebrows At Brighton Mosque
Kathy Curran BRIGHTON (WBZ)

Local Muslim leaders are taking gubernatorial challenger Tim Cahill to task over his criticism of a meeting last weekend between Gov. Deval Patrick and hundreds of Muslims. But WBZ's Kathy Curran reports that meeting included a Boston imam whose own words have raised some eyebrows.

Muslim leaders, with Christians and Jews by their side, gathered at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury on Thursday and lashed out at Cahill for his statement accusing Patrick of playing politics with terrorism by meeting with Muslim Americans at this mosque last weekend.

"His remarks were anti-democratic, anti-American, divisive and wounding," said Bilal Kaleem, a spokesman for the Muslim American Society of Boston.

[...]

Imam Abdullah Faaruuq, leader of the Mosque for the Praising of Allah who was at the meeting with the governor last week and also at Thursday's rally, was bothered by Cahill's statements.

"He wasn't talking about Muslims," Faaruuq said. "We're not terrorists. I'm not one. I was born in Boston city hospital. I have a deep and abiding concern for this country I live in."

Faaruuq said he denounces terrorism, but some people are concerned about comments the imam made at the Yusuf Mosque in Brighton in March.

He called for action and asked the Muslims gathered for his sermon to "grab onto the shovel, grab onto the gun and the sword. Don't be afraid to step out into this world and do your job."

The imam also asked for support of Aafia Siddiqui and Tarek Mehanna.

Siddiqui is the MIT graduate convicted of attempted murder for firing on American law enforcement officials in Afghanistan.

Mehanna of Sudbury was arrested on federal terrorism charges.

In an interview, Curran asked Faaruuq if his sermon sends a message that he is supporting terrorism because he supports Siddiqui and Mehanna.

"No, because I don't think they did anything to harm America," Faaruuq said. "I mean America [is] nothing but good. There are some people who have been radicalized who do crazy things, but they don't represent Muslims."

The leaders gathered at the press conference in Roxbury Thursday said they stand against terrorism and any acts of violence, and denounce politics of fear and exclusion.

They asked for an apology from Cahill.

But Cahill defended his criticism of the governor.

"My statement was not an attack on the Muslim community," Cahill said. "We have to keep our state safe from terrorism and we have to do that inside the Muslim community and outside the Muslim community and I don't think the governor's done that. I'm not a bigot. I'm not racist. But I do think we have to address the real problems we face."

* intentional