Muslims Say They're Mistreated


Share |
(Sacramento, CA)
Friday, June 10, 2005

Members of Lodi's Muslim community are upset at what they say is mistreatment by the FBI as they question some Pakistani-Americans.

Basim Elkarra is the Executive Director of the Sacramento Valley chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations. He says the threat of deportation has been held over their heads.

"Some people have been threatened by the F-B-I. We're still documenting this and we're going to file a complaint with the F-B-I."

Elkarra also believes the F-B-I and the media have distorted the charges against Umer and Hamed Hayat, the two men who allegedly lied about terrorist training in Pakistan.

"If you read the affidavit closely it doesn't say there's an actual cell. I mean the only thing he's accused of if giving false statements, but unfortunately some media outlets have blown this out of proportion."

This afternoon, a spokesman for the F-B-I said an agent met with Elkarra just last evening and that Elkarra didn't express complaints about the investigation.