Punches Thrown in Minneapolis Mosque: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com
MINNEAPOLIS - A fight at Minnesota’s largest mosque is getting a lot of attention in the Somali community, with many saying it exposes a divide between those who want the mosque to take on a more political role while others want the mosque to stay out of politics altogether.On Monday night, police responded to Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center, the state’s largest and most controversial mosque, after a fight broke out during a religious lecture led by Imam Sheik Abdirahman Omar.The religious leader of the mosque was recently quoted as saying he doesn’t care what happens in Mogadishu, Somalia. Instead, he cares about what’s happening in Minnesota.Multiple sources told FOX 9 News a young man stood up during the lecture and accused mosque leaders of turning their back on Somalia and the terrorist group al-Shabab.According to the police report, he was told to submit his question in writing but instead started swinging, punching out the mosque’s executive director, Hassan Jama, and another man.Officials said the 23-year-old suspect, Liban Haji, later showed up at the third precinct to say he was the one who had been assaulted. Haji has told others he was later questioned by the FBI.The timing of the brawl is interesting because next week, the federal trial will begin for Omer Abdi Mohamed, one of dozen Minnesota Somali’s indicted for allegedly recruiting for the terror group al-Shabab. The trial is expected to shine a light on any role Abubankar played in the alleged recruiting.The latest suicide bombing in Mogadishu has been attributed to Farah Beledi, a one-time volunteer for youth programs at Abubakar. Beledi even spoke at an open house at the Mosque in February 2009 that was prompted by the first Minnesotan suicide bomber, who also once attended Abubakar As-Saddique.Many of the Somali youths indicted or missing on terrorism charges have had connections to the mosque, which has repeatedly denied any role in recruiting young men for jihad.
MINNEAPOLIS - A fight at Minnesota’s largest mosque is getting a lot of attention in the Somali community, with many saying it exposes a divide between those who want the mosque to take on a more political role while others want the mosque to stay out of politics altogether.On Monday night, police responded to Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center, the state’s largest and most controversial mosque, after a fight broke out during a religious lecture led by Imam Sheik Abdirahman Omar.The religious leader of the mosque was recently quoted as saying he doesn’t care what happens in Mogadishu, Somalia. Instead, he cares about what’s happening in Minnesota.Multiple sources told FOX 9 News a young man stood up during the lecture and accused mosque leaders of turning their back on Somalia and the terrorist group al-Shabab.According to the police report, he was told to submit his question in writing but instead started swinging, punching out the mosque’s executive director, Hassan Jama, and another man.Officials said the 23-year-old suspect, Liban Haji, later showed up at the third precinct to say he was the one who had been assaulted. Haji has told others he was later questioned by the FBI.The timing of the brawl is interesting because next week, the federal trial will begin for Omer Abdi Mohamed, one of dozen Minnesota Somali’s indicted for allegedly recruiting for the terror group al-Shabab. The trial is expected to shine a light on any role Abubankar played in the alleged recruiting.The latest suicide bombing in Mogadishu has been attributed to Farah Beledi, a one-time volunteer for youth programs at Abubakar. Beledi even spoke at an open house at the Mosque in February 2009 that was prompted by the first Minnesotan suicide bomber, who also once attended Abubakar As-Saddique.Many of the Somali youths indicted or missing on terrorism charges have had connections to the mosque, which has repeatedly denied any role in recruiting young men for jihad.
FOX 9 News made multiple attempts to contact the mosque, but leaders could not be reached for
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