Meeting With Law-Enforcement Officials

Monday January 12th,2004

Warwick Public Library, Warwick R.I. 02886

 

Delegation of Muslim Leaders:

Imam Farid Ansari (Muslim American Dawah Center)

Imam Abdul-Hameed (Islamic Center of R.I.)

Sis. Ahmedi Abdul-Hameed (Islamic Center of R.I.)

Imam Mohamed Wadeed (Al-Rahman)

Dr. Nasser Zawia (Al-Hoda)

Mr. Wali Bey (Zumratul-Jannah, People of Paradise)

Dr. Muhammad Abdur-Rahman (President, RICMA)

Sis. Jennah Ead (V. President, RICMA)
Delegation of Law-Enforcement:

Craig Moore (U.S. Attorney)

John Enright (Director of Counter Terrorism & Law Enforcement

Lee Vilker (Ass. US Attorney for Anti-Terrorism)

Nick Murphy (FBI Supervisor)

David Riccio (ASAC-ICE Investigations-Immigration & Customs)

Steven Pare (Colonel, RI State Police)

Dean Esserman (Colonel, Providence Chief of Police)

Brendan Doherty (Major, RI State Police)

Stephen Orneros (Major, Pawtucket Police)

Stephen Lynch (Captain, RI State Police)

Geoffrey Peckliam (Lt. S. Kingstown Police)

Tom Lafleur (Lt. N. Smithfield Police)

Bradley Avbin (Lt. N. Smithfield Police)

Steven Reynolds (N. Smithfield Police)

Vin Vespia (S. Kingstown Police)

Steven McCartney (Warwick Police)

Lloyd Monroe (Director, RI Commission on Race and Police)

Yavon Chancy (Governor’s Office)

Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr. (State Commission on Race and Law Enforcement

Meeting started with all attendees presenting themselves, their titles, ad organizations they belong to:

  • Federal Law Enforcement Agencies represented by: FBI,Immigration & Customs Enforcement,

              US Attorney Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council

  • Rhode Island State Police
  • Local Police Departments where Islamic Centers exist: Providence, Pawtucket,South Kingstown,North Smithfield

 

Director of Law enforcement & Counter Terrorism John Enright gave a brief introduction about the purpose of the meeting, which

is similar to the previous meeting (March 19, 03): introduce Muslim leaders and law enforcement to each other, and give Muslim leaders opportunity to raise issues that concern their Muslim community. Then he requested everyone in the Law enforcement delegation

to present his remarks.

Acting Us Attorney Craig Moore gave a brief reminder of the meeting that was held on March 19th 2003. Thanking all attending for this 2nd meeting. He indicated the importance of these meetings and that they should be help more frequently with a larger segment of the Muslim community.

FBI Supervisor Nick Murphy indicated their concern about hate crimes against Muslims. He reinstated that if there are any problems we should contact him.

Immigration and Customs Supervisor, David Riccio explained how they operate.

Superintendent of RI State Police, Steven Pare, indicated their interest in learning more about the Muslim community. He also mentioned that the Hispanic community also raises some of the concerns that Muslims have and that they are attending today’s meeting to hear and listen to these concerns and that we need to communicate on a regular basis.

Everyone in the law enforcement delegation voiced the same remarks: need to learn more about Muslims, hate crimes will not be tolerated, they have to perform their duties in the way they see proper.

Dr. Muhammad Abdur Rahman, president of (RICMA), thanked all present for providing this opportunity for Muslim leaders to meet with Federal and State authorities. He indicated that RICMA is an umbrella organization for the existing Islamic centers in RI and that mainly volunteers run RICMA and these centers. Its activities include Social & Welfare, Educational, Outreach, Civic, and Youth & Sports.

RICMA representatives distributed the “Law Enforcement Officials Guide to the Muslim Community” to each one of the law enforcement and officials present. This guide outlines basic information about Islamic beliefs that are relevant to law enforcement. It also covers issues such as the rights of Muslim law enforcement officers, religiously sensitive techniques for body searches, and proper etiquette for entering Muslim homes, and advice on outreach to the Islamic community (these guides are published by CAIR and were purchased by RICMA, Al-Kareem, Al-Rahman, Al-Hoda, Muslim American Dawa Center, Ar-Razzak).

Providence Police Chief Dean Esserman stated that he thinks these guides are very helpful and would like to order 200 guides.

Dr. Abdur-Rahnman then indicated RICMA’s willingness to provide sensitivity training to law enforcement officials. This offer was welcomed by J. Enright, who indicated that he will take advantage of it in the very near future. Abdur-Rahman then pointed out to the action points from the last meeting (March 19, 03, minutes on the RICMA web site and that some of the issues raised in that meeting were not resolved yet.

Dr. Zawia specified, RICMA’s Civic Director, covered each and every concern that Muslims in our -community have, which included:

      Racial profiling

     

      Singling out the Muslim community from among all others with investigations that some times cause loss of jobs

     

      Visits to Islamic centers by agents without proper procedure or request from the leaders of these centers. He pointed to the event that        took place at Masjid Al-Rahman.

     

        Imam Mohamed Wadeed summarized the events that took place during that visit and subsequent visits to some members of his community at their working places, which may jeopardize their jobs.

        Other members from the Muslim delegation (including: Imam Abdul-Hameed, Zawia, and Abdur-Rahman) voiced their discontent with this way of approaching the Muslim community and that the proper way would be through the leadership of these centers.

        Colonel S. Pare (State Police) said that this was a visit by his men. Steven Pare indicated that is not intentional, they may go to one place and information that was given to them may take them to another place. At no time do they mean to be disrespectful.

        Mr. Moore (US Attorney) indicated that officials use the methods they see proper, including sometimes these unannounced visits to meet with casual members and collect general information.

         

             Bank accounts (especially, Fleet Bank) are being frozen or closed due to investigation by authorities. US Attorney Craig Moore indicated     that the bank makes independent decisions. “They have no way of being able to stop accounts, the process does not work that way” If     an individual feels they are being wronged then they should contact higher authority and it will be investigated on a case by case basis.      Muslim community may contact Craig more and/or John Enright with any situation that may occur.

     

-                      Dr. Zawia stated that in the last meeting there was talk about providing a list of accepted Islamic Charitable Organizations to the Muslim                   community. That list was not provided and that the Muslims community is in the need of it. Deputy Attorney General, Gerald Coyne said                   that the list is always changing, however he will personally e-mail the list to RICMA and/ Or Farid Ansari (Imam of Muslim American                   Dawa Center and RICMA’s Outreach Director), the liaisons between the two groups.

Lloyd Monroe (Director, RI Commission on Race and Police) Indicated that he will visit each department with in the state to talk about how to deal with sensitivity of the Mosques and that Sensitivity training must start.

Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr. (State Commission on Race and Law Enforcement) stated that it is important that we work together in different ways to educate the youth and the public (non-Muslims) .

Mr. Enright indicated that they are looking forward to a much larger meeting with the Muslim community and that it may be opened to the public (non-Muslim) as well.

Both groups indicated that they will follow up with the issues raised and that the channels of communications will be available at all times.