Charges Against Masood - A Great Many Lies

According to this statement on the news wires from the U.S. Attorney's Office, former Imam Muhammad Masood of Sharon, MA had a problem with telling the truth.  He lied about being an imam in Pakistan for two years, when he lived in Boston.  He lied about living in New Hampshire in order to get a driver's license in that state.  He lied about his family receiving Mass Health benefits.  He lied about being arrested for shoplifting (a charge which was dismissed). 

While the Muslim American Society might consider these "minor civic infractions," most of us do not.  Most people think that repeatedly lying under oath is against the laws of our country, and it's morally wrong.  I bet even Sharon's interfaith supporters are going to have a little heartache over their beloved Imam, who didn't seem to have any problem with "bearing false witness."

"A Sharon man was charged today (7-23-07) in federal court with fraud and misuse of documents required by the immigration laws, and with making false statements."

"United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, Bruce Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) -- New England Field Office and Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) -- New England Field Division announced today that MUHAMMAD MASOOD, age 49, of 74 Chase Drive, Sharon, MA, was   charged in a Criminal Complaint with fraud and misuse of documents required by the immigration laws and with making false statements to Citizenship and Immigration Services."

"A 36-page affidavit filed in support of the application for a Criminal Complaint states, in part, as follows:

"MASOOD lied repeatedly, both orally and in writing, to the Immigration Service concerning facts material to his eligibility to become a Lawful     Permanent Resident ("LPR") of the United States, (commonly referred to as the holder of a "green card"), for which he had applied. As indicated in greater detail [in specific paragraphs elsewhere in the affidavit), in an application for LPR status submitted to the Immigration Service on or about December 18, 2002, in an affidavit submitted in support thereof on January 31, 2005, and in interviews conducted under oath by immigration officials on November 15, 2006, February 13, 2003, and February 7, 2005, MASOOD repeatedly asserted that he had left the United States and returned to Pakistan during the two-year period from 1991 through 1993, as required as a condition of his Exchange Visitor visa. Moreover, he repeatedly asserted that, during that period of time, he had served as an Imam at a mosque in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Whether he had returned to Pakistan was material to the Immigration Service because, if he had not complied with that condition of his Exchange Visitor visa, he would have been ineligible for LPR status."

"Contrary to MASOOD's repeated, sworn assertions, however, multiple pieces of evidence establish that MASOOD, in fact, remained in the United States during that period of time.

"Not only does there exist no record of his exit and reentry to the United States, but evidence establishes that he  remained in Boston University housing, received traffic citations, and was employed in the Boston area, all during that period of time, and in fact was present in Boston for the birth of his seventh child in March of 1992. In a continuing attempt to conceal the fact that he had failed to comply with the Exchange Visitor condition that he return to Pakistan, MASOOD repeatedly told under oath a facially implausible story (with shifting details) of the circumstances under which he claimed to have returned to the United States, all in an effort to explain the absence of any record of his alleged reentry into this country."

"The fact that MASOOD intentionally lied concerning his supposed return to Pakistan in 1991 to 1993 is buttressed by evidence of other material misstatements which he made to government agencies and other entities. For example, in 1999, MASOOD procured a New Hampshire driver's license, listing a New Hampshire address when, in fact, he was not a New Hampshire resident and did not live at the stated address; he, for years, lived in   Boston University housing to which he was not entitled by misrepresenting that he continued to be a student when, in fact, he was no longer a student; in his application for LPR status, he falsely stated that he had never received public assistance when, in fact, his family had applied for and received benefits from the Massachusetts Medicaid program (MassHealth); and in his application for LPR status, he falsely stated that he had never been arrested, cited or charged with breaking any law or ordinance (excluding traffic violations) when, in fact, he had been arrested for shoplifting in Norwood, Massachusetts in 2000."

"If convicted on these charges, MASOOD faces up to 10 years' imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a mandatory special assessment of $100 on each charge."

"The case was investigated by special agents of ICE New England Field Office and the FBI New England Field Division assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aloke Chakravarty and Jeffrey Auerhahn of Sullivan's Anti-Terrorism and National Security Unit."

"The details contained in the complaint affidavit are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."

Again, I give my thanks to the ICE and FBI agents who have been diligently working on this case for years now.  Thank you for your continued efforts to enforce the law in the U.S.

Read the Boston Globe's coverage here, it's a pretty good summary of the issues.  There are some almost comic elements to that article, such as this one:

"The criminal charges follow administrative charges brought by immigration officials last year. That case also drew wide protest from local Muslim leaders, who have accused authorities of ignoring efforts to smooth relations with members of various cultures."

".....Kaleem said the arrest of Masood on criminal charges damages an initiative launched two years ago to bring law enforcement officials and the members of the Muslim, Arab and Sikh communities together. It is called BRIDGES, which stands for Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity."

Well, mercy me, we can't do anything to upset "smooth relations with members of various cultures," now can we??  Pardon my rude language, but BFD on the BRIDGES.  How's about we all obey the laws of this country, inclduing its immigration laws? How about we don't lie under oath? That's really all the "bridges" you need to ensure a good relationship with our law enforcement officials.

The Patriot Ledger's Dennis Tatz ably fills in for Lane Lambert and covers the story here.  The Patriot Ledger provides the most background and context on Imam Masood's "situation."  Check out the "Family in Trouble" entries at the end of the article.

Which reminds me, what's going on with Masood's brother-in-law, Imam Abdul Hannan of the Islamic Society of Greater Lowell?  Hannan was also picked up along with Masood in the November 2006 sweep of Pakistani nationals for religious visa fraud.  But we haven't heard a peep.

Comments

[Sam Adams]

I am interested to hear more of this case and even more about the background of the Mosque in Sharon. Is there any way to find out how it was funded? I would not be surprised to hear that Saudi money is behind it.

[miss kelly]

Actually, it initially was not funded with Saudi money. The ICNE began something like 30-40 years ago by a group of mostly Lebanese Muslims in Quincy. There's a fascinating story here of a local, "native" Islamic organization which has essentially been taken over by Wahabi money and influence. There's lot of info available at this site:
http://www.icnefounderstrust.net/