[IMC-Boston-Dispatch] Fwd: Mass. Governor Stands by Comments About Wiretapping Mosques As Muslim Groups Demand Apology

[News at JamaicaPlainGazette.com]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "MAS-INFO" <newsviews at masnet.org>
> Date: September 18, 2005 6:27:25 PM EDT
> To: news at jamaicaplaingazette.com
> Subject: Mass. Governor Stands by Comments About Wiretapping  
> Mosques As Muslim Groups Demand Apology
>
>
> In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful
> September 19, 2005
>
> Mass. Governor Stands by Comments About Wiretapping Mosques As  
> Muslim Groups
> Demand Apology
> By Theo Emery
> The Associated Press via ABC News
> Sep 16, 2005
> http://www.masnet.org/masnews.asp?id=2763
>
> BOSTON Sep 16, 2005 - Muslim groups and civil libertarians demanded an
> apology from Gov. Mitt Romney on Friday for his comments about  
> wiretapping
> mosques and monitoring foreign students. But the governor refused,  
> saying he
> was only advocating for improved homeland security.
>
> The groups delivered a letter to Romney that said "your desire to  
> wiretap
> mosques is an affront to the values and principles that make  
> America a great
> country." The groups include the American Civil Liberties Union and  
> various
> mosques and Islamic organizations.
>
> After the letter was delivered, spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said the  
> governor
> would not apologize or retract his comments.
>
> Romney made the remarks Wednesday during a speech in Washington at the
> Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. He referred to the  
> state's
> 120 colleges and universities and speculated about students who are  
> from
> countries that sponsor terrorism, asking "Do we know where they  
> are, are we
> tracking them?"
>
> He also spoke about gathering intelligence at mosques "that may be  
> teaching
> doctrines of hate and terror."
>
> "Are we monitoring that? Are we wiretapping?" he asked. "Are we  
> following
> what's going on? Are we seeing who's coming in, who's coming out?  
> Are we
> eavesdropping, carrying out surveillance on those individuals from  
> places
> that sponsor domestic terror?"
>
> Romney, who is considering a run for president in 2008, said Friday  
> morning
> he wasn't suggesting anything beyond the scope of what's done by  
> the FBI
> today. But some Muslims said that Romney is stereotyping all  
> Muslims as
> terrorists and promoting dangerous policies that erode civil  
> liberties.
>
> Hamza Pelletier, spokesman for the Muslim American Society Freedom
> Foundation, said his group planned to attend all of Romney's public
> appearances until he retracts the statements.
>
> http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1133419&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
>
> -----------------
>
> Abu-Ali Court Hearings Postponed
>
> Court hearings for Ahmed Abu-Ali to be held Monday to Wednesday,  
> September
> 19 to 21 at 9:30 a.m. each day at the U.S. District Court in  
> Alexandria, VA,
> have been postponed until a date to be determined in October.
>
> The Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation will provide details  
> as they
> become available.
>
> ========================================================
> The Freedom Foundation is the public affairs arm of the Muslim  
> American
> Society (MAS), a national grassroots religious, social, and  
> educational
> organization. MAS is America's largest grassroots Muslim  
> organization with
> over 50 chapters nationwide. Learn more at www.masnet.org. Support  
> our work
> at MAS Freedom Foundation. Make A Donation
> (http://www.masnet.org/donate.asp).
> ____________________________________________
>
> MAS Freedom Foundation
> 1050 17th Street NW, Suite 600
> Washington, DC 20036
> Tel.: (202) 496-1288, Fax: (202) 463-0686
> URL: http://www.masnet.org/index_publicaffairs.asp
> Email: info at masfreedomfoundation.org
>
>
>
>
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