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Miami imams accused of funding terrorists: Hate and redemption

Comments (0) By Lisa Rab Thursday, Feb 2 2012
...continued from page 1

Born in Pakistan and raised in Canada, Wahid is now thoroughly American. He roots for the Dallas Cowboys. And he was working as a public defender in Miami when the twin towers fell. Wahid began representing immigrants detained for questioning in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

When he opened a private practice in 2004, he started taking cases other lawyers might shun. He defended the man who was convicted of plotting to bomb New York City's Herald Square subway station in 2004, as well as Boca Raton doctor Rafiq Sabir, who was convicted of conspiring to treat wounded Al-Qaeda militants. He also recently represented Rais Bhuiyan, a convenience store clerk in Texas who tried to prevent the execution of the man who shot him in the face after 9/11.

Ikram Khan attended his father's mosque in Miami the day Hafiz Khan was arrested.
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/MCT/Newscom
Ikram Khan attended his father's mosque in Miami the day Hafiz Khan was arrested.

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In 2006, Wahid founded a nonprofit group called Emerge USA to empower Muslim, Indian, Pakistani, and Arab-American people through voter registration, political polling, and a leadership training program for young adults. By getting more of Florida's 120,000 registered Muslim voters involved in politics, Wahid hopes participants will stop being alienated and vilified. "Public perception drives public policy," he says.

He believes terrorism cases are, in many ways, the civil rights battles of his generation. While outsiders might paint his clients as criminals, he says people such as the Khans are being prosecuted for giving money to groups the U.S. government doesn't like. "I think these things are not so black-and-white... I think innocent people get caught up in the politics."

Sometimes his work on terrorism cases means Wahid gets threatening emails and letters. But he insists such backlash doesn't get under his skin. "I tend not to really focus on those."

He adds that 95 percent of his cases have nothing to do with terrorism. In 2006, he defended the Miami man known as the "Shenandoah rapist," who was accused of a string of sexual assaults and convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl. In that case, he says, no one blamed him for doing his job.

"I think people are more accepting of me representing a serial rapist than they are of me representing an imam [accused of] giving support to the Taliban," Wahid says.

But sometimes a clash between his work and personal life is inescapable. Last year, he landed on the federal "selectee" list — a terrorist watch list. How does he handle that kind of stigma? "It tells me that the system is broken," he says.

It will be at least nine months before the Khans go to trial. Wahid expects to battle with prosecutors over the accuracy of their translations, because much of their evidence rests on phone calls in which Hafiz Khan was speaking his native Pashto. Meanwhile, both sides are still debating what items — particularly information gathered via wiretapping — should be allowed as evidence.

Wahid knows there is pressure to resolve this case. Hundreds of Muslims in South Florida will be invested in the outcome. Because the Khans are religious leaders, their fate is inextricably linked to that of their followers. "[This case] will have far more of an impact on the Muslim community as a whole than some other cases we've dealt with," Wahid says.

On a quiet Thursday afternoon, a small group of elderly men leaves the Margate mosque after saying their prayers. A white-bearded man stops to praise imam Izhar Khan.

He doesn't believe Izhar was supporting terrorists. "He liked to help poor people. We like him. He's very educated, nice," says the man, who declined to give his name.

The man is gentle and soft-spoken, smiling and patting the arm of the reporter questioning him. But there is sadness in his weathered face.

"We miss him very much," he says. "Only God knows best... I hope they come home one day — him and his father."

New Times Broward-Palm Beach staff writer Matthew Hendley contributed to this article.

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Paul Felix Schott
Paul Felix Schott

Miss led Afghans has threatened to kill and take measures against Christians sounds like bullying bad boys. That their Mother and Father never showed them right from wrong. All the good on Earth want peace not war. If you cannot have your way you are going to hurt someone this sounds like a mad man to most of the world.

If someone really cares for them give them a Bible with red letter print. That is a red letter edition words that were spoken by are Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With a Pray for them maybe they will be saved, and not go to hell.

Remember for over a Thousand years you have taken you life at risk from the wicked for carrying a Bible.They have burned the Bible in public many times they have cut off the head of anyone carrying one many a times. They have bombed many a Christian Church, Killing many.

The Persecution of Christiana in the Middle East has gone on for over two thousand years.

The Leaders of many Christian groups have criticizes Muslim leaders and Leaders of governments for failing to intervene after series of deadly attacks on Christians and their Churches in many countries around the World, each Christmas. Killing at least 35 Christmas day Church, Nigerian 2011. Killing over 20 New Year's Eve mass Egypt 2011. 50 killed Christians at a Catholic Cathedral Baghdad 2010. Over 200 injured Imbaba region by Cairo 2011. The list goes on and on and has for many years now.

How many Muslim Churches have been attacked or bombed while they are in there church by Christians ? Answer 0

The World wants Peace not more wars.

If you think the wicked want peace read this then go look at some of their web sites!There is a video on official Hamas TV that calls for Allah to all kill Jews, Christians, Communists and any of their supporters they can find. This video asks Allah to "count them and kill them to the last one, and don't leave even one."

Hamas TV . You will have Air mail incoming very soon. It is Very Sad you do not want peace and ask for WAR.

May our Lord Jesus Christ and GOD the Father that is in Heaven,Guide and Watch over us.

In this time of TRIBULATION, Strengthen your Faith, and encourageall to Pray for their souls. The strong in the word of our Lord will NowHelp the World and be the disciples of our Lord's Word.

United We Will Always Stand ThatIn GOD We TrustTrue Patriots

The Lord's Little HelperPaul Felix Schott

Beware of c.a.i.r....
Beware of c.a.i.r....

It's quite interesting to note that author, Lisa Rab's Miami New Times version of this story(propaganda) leaves out parts of the original version which showed up in the Broward-Palm Beach New Times. The part she edited out cites how an islamic youth group who is taught by Abdur Rahman Al-Ghani, talks about the failures of the American style of government and one of the youths, advocates religion-based government. "islamic law is perfect," the youth says...This whole story is a propaganda piece and Lisa "the shill" Rab is their dhimmie, who whether ignorant or complicit, tries to sell the "islamic way" to the gullible sheeple in the South Florida reading audience. Shame on you Lisa, you are a subversive who sells out her country...

Amper3xcel
Amper3xcel

You'd be surprised to learn how many bloodthirsty dictators were (and still are) "nice, educated, and highly prized people".. Islam is nothing but deadly form of brain cancer..

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Jsdikrl

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michael wind
michael wind

there is a mosque in private house in surfside fl33154 walking distance from the shul of bal harbour,in surfside,walking distance from young israel temple in surfside,walking distance fro a cuban church,and walking distance from a church by the sea ,walking distance from a corrupt town hall its a HOLLY city.

 
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