Former Sharon imam Muhammed Masood is likely flying out of New York tonight and back to Pakistan. He's expected to land in Islamabad sometime tomorrow evening. What sort of reception will he receive there? Will the Pakistani papers cover this return of one of their own?
"Tonight’s Pakistan Airlines flight from John F. Kennedy Airport in New
York City to Islamabad will bring an end to a case that has lasted
almost two years, first in immigration court and then with a criminal
case for the same visa fraud charges."
A handful of local papers covered the story, let's start with the Boston Globe:
"....today, under an agreement with federal immigration authorities, the
50-year-old former imam of the 1,500-member Islamic Center of New
England promised to leave the country Friday night and return to his
native Pakistan to avoid being arrested and held in jail for months
until he is deported."
"... 'This is a very disturbing case to our office,'' he (Masood's attorney Zalkind) told Judge
Douglas P. Woodlock as Masood sat silently next to Zalkind during a
brief sentencing hearing. 'His family has been living in the country
for 20 years. He is totally petrified of going back to Pakistan.' ...''I don't know what you want me to do,'' the judge said. 'The defendant was convicted of a crime.' ''
Thanks for reminder, Judge. US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan echoes that, saying that "this individual lied to immigration
officials a number of times over a number of years."
From the Patriot Ledger, where reporter Lane Lambert (perfect reporter's name!) gets an exclusive interview with Masood:
"...the former spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of New England’s
Sharon mosque said he’s worried about returning to Pakistan at a time
when violence there is escalating and political tensions are high."
"Imam Masood was detained by federal immigration agents for visa
violations in November 2006. The government arrested him on criminal
visa fraud charges in August 2007, and has since pursued immigration
and criminal cases for the same violations."
"The imam pleaded guilty to five fraud charges in February, setting the stage for his deportation."
The Patriot Ledger page has lots of excellent links about this story. Lambert has followed this case far more than any other reporter, and he's covered lots of angles. Kudos to Lambert and the Patriot Ledger for their coverage.
Scroll down here for my previous postings on Masood and his brother-in-law Abdul Hannan, who were both arrested in November 2006. Kudos to our Immigration and Customs Enforcement folks and our US Attorneys.
From the Pakistani paper Daily Times:
"Imam Muhammad Masood, brother of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, founder of the
banned Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, was ordered deported by a Boston,
Massachusetts court on Thursday on an immigration violation charge."
"Under
an agreement with federal immigration authorities, the former imam of
the 1,500-member Islamic Centre of New England agreed to voluntarily
leave the United States on Friday night and return to Pakistan rather
than be deported by the authorities which would have taken months, a
period he would have spent in jail."
Recent Comments