09/17/14: Shia-Sunni Imams Meeting
Yesterday, September 17, 2014: Shia-Sunni Imams Meeting
The new special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, Mr. Paul Abbate asked the MMCC (Michigan Muslim Community Council) to meet with Imams Council to hear their concerns about the FBI work. The meeting was held in the ICD.
Imam Mustafa el-Turk, Co-Chair of the council welcomed the guest and introduced the Council members and opened the meeting.
Imam Elahi, Co-Chair also welcomed the guests. He expressed deep unhappiness of the Muslim community about the recent report by NCTC, affiliating the Dearborn community with extremism and terrorism.
Mr. Abbate addressed this concern and stated that the source of that report was not FBI but NCTC and he has done all that he could do to correct that information. He mentioned that Dearborn is a safe city and although he worked through the FBI Headquirter in D.C. to provide right information, still its the duty of Dearborn officials and political leaders is to reach out to the media and do what the U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuad courageously did after that report.
During this meeting, other imams present expressed their opinions about the community issues and challenges.
The FBI director appreciated the opportunity and concluded that they are here to serve everyone in a fair, equal and unbiased way. If there is any case that you consider to be unjust and problematic, he said to send it to him directly and he will promise to follow and correct anything false and unfair.