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NBC25 – March 19, 2007
Maryland mosque vandalized again
Adam Hudson
FREDERICK, MD - A mosque in Frederick has been vandalized three times in the past three weeks, police say.
The latest incident happened over the weekend. Members of the Islamic Society of Frederick found two broken windows and the letters "E-N-G" spray-painted on a building shortly before 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning.
Six windows have been smashed at the mosque since the end of last month. Now police are trying to determine if it's a hate crime.
"Vandalism as a crime is a daily challenge all over the city,” Lt. Thomas Chase tells NBC25. “What is existent here is an effort on our part to determine why - whether it's wanton vandalism or whether it's targeted vandalism."
The Islamic Society is asking the Frederick planning commission to allow them to put a 6-foot-tall chain link fence around the property.
http://www.nbc25.com/content/fulltext/?cid=10990
Times-News – March 10, 2007
Idaho mosque targeted with swastika stickers
REBECCA BOONE
Police are investigating after swastika-emblazoned stickers promoting a neo-Nazi group were plastered on the Islamic Center of Boise, Idaho.
The stickers peeled off easily, leaving no physical damage to the mosque, police spokeswoman Lynn Hightower said. But they left behind an emotional residue, with local Muslims wondering why they were targeted.
"These things don't pop up in Boise very often, but they're a cause for concern, especially when they show up on a mosque," Hightower said.
The stickers were discovered Sunday morning, as children arrived at the mosque for Sunday school, said Furqan Mehmood, the center's education director.
"We were concerned if this was targeted toward our children," said Mehmood.
But after questioning members of the mosque, officials learned the stickers were actually left Saturday afternoon. Somali refugees who came to the mosque to pray that afternoon noticed the stickers but didn't report them because they were unfamiliar with the swastika symbol and assumed they were from a delivery service or other benign source, Mehmood said. . .
During a service at the mosque Friday, Abdul Khaliq Yoonas encouraged the congregation to continue giving back to the Boise community despite facing harassment from others.
"Even in Idaho, as redneck as it gets at least, that's the reputation that it has two years ago a Muslim received the Idaho human rights award," Yoonas said. "Every one of us in our own way can make a contribution. ... You will hear all kinds of stuff about you as Muslims and your faith, but let's not let that affect us. You have to be steadfast in your belief system."
The stickers promoted Combat 18, a loosely organized neo-Nazi group that likely originated in Britain, officials said…..
CAIR ASKS FBI TO PROBE NAZI VANDALISM: The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on the FBI to investigate vandalism at an Idaho mosque as a possible hate crime.
"Americans of all faiths should be concerned whenever a house of worship is targeted by hate," said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "We call on the FBI to add its resources to those of local law enforcement authorities so that the perpetrators of this apparent act of religious intimidation may be brought to justice."
Hooper said there have been a number of similar incidents of vandalism targeting mosques nationwide.
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/03/10/ap-state-id/d8np6gm02.txt
Goldsboro News Argus – March 6, 2007
NC: Council rejects mosque proposal
Andrew Bell
Goldsboro City Council unanimously voted Monday night to not allow the construction of a mosque in the northern part of the city.
All six councilmen and Mayor Al King agreed with the planning commission's recommendation that the building plan was too large for the proposed site off Wayne Memorial Drive and the facility would not provide the required number of parking spaces.
Dr. Waheed Akhtar asked City Council last month to rezone his property on the southeast corner of Best Avenue and Wayne Memorial Drive to allow for the construction of a mosque. Akhtar said the building was necessary because he and other Wayne County Muslims have to travel to Greenville or Raleigh to worship.
The plans called for a 2,050-square-foot facility that would only be open for a few hours on Fridays and Sundays to prevent traffic congestion along Wayne Memorial Drive.
During a public hearing on Feb. 19, some of those opposed to the mosque did cite traffic concerns, but others simply did not want a mosque in their neighborhood.
King said neither he nor the council made their decision based on any personal beliefs.
"No one has anything against a mosque or any religion," he said.
Instead, the planning commission's recommendation focused on the scope of the site plans compared to the amount of available land.
The commission decided during its Feb. 26 meeting that the proposed site is not large enough to support the facility's parking needs. The site plans requested 13 parking spaces, but the city requires 31 spaces for a building of this size.
Also, Wayne Memorial Drive is expected to be widened in the next several years so the road can feed into the proposed U.S. 70 Bypass north of the city. The project would more than double the road's existing right-of-way, which would further limit the amount of land available for construction.
Following a short presentation by Assistant City Planner James Rowe, council unanimously denied the rezoning request.
After the meeting, all of the councilmen agreed that they were not opposed to a mosque, but said that the plans for the structure were not acceptable.
"The size wasn't right, and it didn't fit the neighborhood," Councilman Jackie Warrick said.
Councilman Bob Waller also said the "size was not appropriate," but added that the council would approve the construction of a mosque if it was planned on sufficient land.
Rowe said Akhtar cannot submit another rezoning proposal for another six months. If he does, King said he hopes the new proposal can be approved by the council.
"I hope they find a suitable site. If they do, I believe we will approve it," he said.
http://www.newsargus.com/news/archives/2007/03/06/council_rejects_mosque_proposal/index.shtml
Capital News 9 – February 28, 2007
NY: Plans for mosque approved after five years
Plans for building a new mosque in the Town of Colonie have been on the table for five years.
But finally the town planning board made a decision to approve the 50,000 square foot facility.
The Masjid Al-Hidaya Mosque is set to be built off Route 2 in Latham. The worship center will house the mosque, and eventually a nursery or school, and retail stores.
Developers and builders have been tweaking their plans according to public input for years. Planning board officials said they took the time to get the plan right.
Mosque board of trustee member, Abdulkadir Elmi said, "It's a great accomplishment really, for Muslims in this area to have a place of worship that's decent and that can accommodate our functions and services for the next 50 years or so. Where our kids can be proud of, where they can invite other kids and reciprocate the faith with our Christian and Jewish, and other faiths."
Still some residents said they don't feel their voices were heard and are concerned the Mosque is being built too close to their backyards…..
http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/your_news/capital_region/default.asp?ArID=206172
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