Leave it to Lane Lambert of the Patriot Ledger to get the scoop here. Imam Hafiz Muhammed Masood, one of two area imams arrested in religious visa fraud charges last November (2006), apparently was the subject of a Federal Grand Jury this week. From the Patriot Ledger:
"With his visa status already in question, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of New England’s mosque in Sharon may soon be a man without a home. The directors of the Islamic Center have given the Imam Muhammed Masood and his family notice to leave their residence on the grounds of the Sharon mosque."
"Brookline attorney George Garfinkle, representing the board, said last night the Pakistani cleric has been asked to leave ‘‘sometime soon,’’ though not by a specific date. ‘‘The government is leaning on them, and they’re trying to do the right thing legally,’’ Garfinkle said. It’s unclear where the imam and his family would live while he awaits a visa hearing."
"Garfinkle also confirmed that some former Islamic Center board members have been called before a federal grand jury in Boston over the past month in connection with the investigation of Imam Masood’s alleged visa violations. He did not identify who was called. Board president Rashid Noor of Norton declined comment about the grand jury appearances. Imam Masood is expected to have a visa hearing within the next few months. He could be deported at that time."
Lambert provides more details in his article about Imam Masood, with some history of his visa issues. Although the current Islamic Center of New England (ICNE) board staunchly supported Imam Masood when he was arrested in November, it looks like Masood is being cut loose. As B.B. King sang, "It went all right 'til it went all wrong."
You can read about Federal Grand Juries here and here. They are used to gather evidence to determine if a federal crime has been committed.
".... Generally, federal grand juries tend to meet when prosecutors need them to consider proposed indictments or to investigate possible criminal activity.... They decided whether someone should be charged--"indicted"--for committing a crime.... Federal grand juries concentrate on investigating and bringing charges for federal crimes."
It's been fairly quiet around here but clearly the feds have been on the case.
Amd what of Imam Hafiz Hannan, the imam from the Islamic Society of Greater Lowell, who was also arrested last November? Nary a peep on Hassan.
Comments