Men deny 'hate crime' at Tempe mosque

"They are trying to make something out of nothing for their own gain." Considering the trumped-up quality of CAIR's hate crimes report, this is eminently plausible.

By Eugene Scott for The Arizona Republic (thanks to Twostellas):

The three men accused of harassing a Muslim imam at a Tempe mosque on Sept. 11 say the incident has been misportrayed as a hate crime.
"We walked inside the mosque. We were curious about what was in there, like any other church," said Brandon Garcia, one of the three men. "We didn't stop to cause any trouble or to be mean to anyone."

Garcia, Michael Estes and Armando Tolosa were near the mosque on a plumbing job when they decided to go in to learn more about Islam, according to their employer, Richard Yeates, owner of a Mesa plumbing company.

Ahmed Al-Shqeirat, the imam, said Estes cursed at him and made derogatory comments about Muslim children passing by.

Because the incident happened on the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Al-Shqeirat and others in the Muslim community have said they consider the incident a hate crime.

Tempe police arrested Estes, 32, on suspicion of disorderly conduct. The other two men were not arrested.

"We basically looked at what the victims told us and we've done an investigation and determined there was a crime committed," said Mike Horn, Tempe police spokesman.

But Garcia and Tolosa said it was Al-Shqeirat who provoked Estes.

Al-Shqeirat said Estes asked him what he was hiding in the mosque. Garcia and Tolosa said Al-Shqueirat's report that Estes asked him what he was hiding in the mosque was untrue. They also said they never made any negative comments about kids.

"We were just asking questions. And (Al-Shqeirat) was fine at first," Tolosa said. "I guess he felt offended."

Al-Shqeirat got more upset as Estes asked more questions, Tolosa said. He said the imam suggested they make an appointment for a tour, which matches the imam's story. Tolosa said they told Al-Shqeirat that they were interested in a tour, but that Al-Shqeirat abruptly asked the men to leave. They complied, he said.

Tolosa and Garcia admit that when Al-Shqeirat began taking pictures of them as they walked out to their company vehicle, Estes cursed at him. Estes' language was in response to them being photographed without permission, they said.

"They are trying to make something out of nothing for their own gain," Yeates said of the imam....

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25 Comments

Elric66 | September 21, 2007 9:00 AM

Being critical of Islam is a hate crime, right Eagle? :-)

is_LAME | September 21, 2007 9:19 AM

Any other religion, the religious head would try to talk to the people asking questions and try to help them learn more. The imam accused them of hiding something. Heh, guess it's learned once you adhere to the death-cult - always, always, always.. play the victim.

ImNoDhimmi | September 21, 2007 9:27 AM

Trying to make something out of nothing for their own gain? Muslims? You have to be kidding....

Beagle | September 21, 2007 9:40 AM

They're covering the planet with Qurans, mosques, and footbaths. If you do the 'wrong' thing with any of them you'll be facing litigation to beheading. It's no coincidence CAIR sends out free Qurans while they try to persecute anyone who drops one.

treehugger | September 21, 2007 9:51 AM

"Hate crimes differ from conventional crime because they are not directed simply at an individual, but are meant to cause fear and intimidation in an entire group or class of people".

Hmmm, I guess that means BUILDING A MOSQUE could be considered a hate crime.

ImNoDhimmi | September 21, 2007 9:54 AM

Also wearing a burka, shouting allahu akbar, praying in arabic, out loud, in public...

Papa Whiskey | September 21, 2007 11:15 AM

It bears noting that Ahmed Al-Shqeirat is one of the notorious "Flying Imams" who staged a
disturbance on a US Airways flight in December and then sued everybody from hell to breakfast, the better to make airlines safe for jihadists on dry runs.

It also bears noting that in the print edition of the Arizona Republic this morning, this story was reduced to a brief inside the B section. Garcia and Tolosa's account of the incident was eliminated, as was Yeates' comment calling the imam's motive into question.

exsgtbrown | September 21, 2007 1:02 PM

.....wanton rape, torture, executions of Christians and Jews and Hindus and Buddists, and Zororastians and Assyrians by Muslims sure sounds like a little hate going on....

Joe Schmoe USA | September 21, 2007 1:23 PM

What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
God help the next Muslim who looks at me crossed eyed. I'll press charges.

Jimmy the Dhimmi | September 21, 2007 2:19 PM

I would be weary of this one if I were CAIR. The accused seem to be of latin-american descent, on account of their names. They are not white people or Jews, but rather, ethnic minorities. Does it help their cause when they pile on members of another "victim class"?

If I were Garcia, Estes, and Tolosa, I would play the race card and say that my clients were discriminated by the Imams based on their race. Lets see how CAIR would handle that one.

ala-sux | September 21, 2007 2:52 PM

Islam is a religion of Peace and Muslims will kill you if to try to deny it .

Mackie | September 21, 2007 4:34 PM

Sorry, but what I extracted from this article demonstrates no crime whatsoever. Was there a threat of anykind projected by estes? or was it just a curse word (no crime there). I just don't see the crime, obviously there has to be more to it.

Even then there would have had to have been a threat given electronically over a phone,radio,E mail, or written to constitute a crime. Of course being arrested for disorderly conduct is a far cry from being charged with a hate crime-- disorderly conduct is at the worst a misdemenanor.

I sure would like to see the police report which should be available at the station in Tempe for the media to read and have access to.

crumbinalfighter | September 22, 2007 1:42 AM

the mosqueteers are at it again. what a cheesy bunch of rodents.

no-ilsam-in-ark | September 22, 2007 1:46 AM

Maybe its bathtub gin and pickled pig's feet they are hiding.

pork4allah | September 22, 2007 9:27 AM

Ya know this could have ended up differently if these Mexican gentlemen knew about the September 18, 2006
incidents to Kill the Pope!

A notorious Muslim extremist told a demonstration in London yesterday that the Pope should face execution.

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/015309.php

MS13 and Arkansas Mexican Hog Farms Unite!

GuitarBob | September 22, 2007 1:06 PM

Jimmy the Dhimmi

That's a good point, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Since it doesn't fit the liberal template of evil whiteman oppressing some member of a victim group, it means that liberal will have to actually think. My bet is that the left will be silient about this one.

Allahfanculo | September 23, 2007 1:20 AM

Because the incident happened on the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Al-Shqeirat and others in the Muslim community have said they consider the incident a hate crime.

Wow.. talk about turnabout-speak..

Allahfanculo | September 23, 2007 1:23 AM

Credit for this goes to someone whom I don't recall right now who posted this elsewhere on this forum but because it's so pertinent it deserved another mention :-)

Ted Kennedy was sighted tanning on a beach in Santa Barbara, Ca.

LOL

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-whale15sep15,1,4125655.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true

Allahfanculo | September 23, 2007 1:26 AM

Garcia, Michael Estes and Armando Tolosa were near the mosque on a plumbing job when they decided to go in to learn more about Islam, according to their employer, Richard Yeates, owner of a Mesa plumbing company.

But.. they're HISPANICS.. so HOW can they POSSIBLY be racists??!!!

Mr. Spock: "ACLU, please explain."

Allahfanculo | September 23, 2007 1:34 AM

A notorious Muslim extremist told a demonstration in London yesterday that the Pope should face execution.

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/015309.php

MS13 and Arkansas Mexican Hog Farms Unite!
Posted by: pork4allah

por4allah.. i sure hope you become a regular here.. you certainly fit right in..

Allahfanculo welcomes you.. as I am sure so do more than a few...

Allahfanculo | September 23, 2007 2:15 AM

Don't count on it, Bob. Liberals aren't as intelligent as you for one. Second, if they do get the implications they'll do *anything* to make people think the opposite.

PS. I wonder if this harsh treatment of [presumably since they could be from other Latin Nations besides Mexico] Mexicans will get coverage in the press below the Border.. oh well.. 'journalists' are all the same.. no matter where they are from..

I am not keeping y hopes up.

Yo espero que el maltratemento de esos hombres Latinos a los manos de este imam musulmano se va hacer cobrado en la prensa de los paisos Latinos.

I am not holding my breath..

IceDragon | September 23, 2007 5:35 AM

One mosque I know of (not saying where) had rashers of bacon and other pork products hidden in the east wall by local builders (Muslims are too lazy to work themselves) so now the Muslims are praying to the pig god! Good innit!

As for the Mosque in question, what is needed is more car parking space in the area, I say turn the mosque into a car park, preferably with the imam inside.

Joe Schmoe USA | September 23, 2007 1:01 PM

Just another report Cair can put on their short list of hate crimes against Muslims.

Soon we will have to cross the street and look down when a Muslim passes.

We must be good dhimmi's and not offend the stupid foke.

A_Nonny_Mouse | September 24, 2007 6:54 PM

Well, of course, the ultimate (and, basically, the ONLY) hate crime is NOT ACCEPTING ISLAM. (All other "hate crimes" follow from this one, you see.)

Their point of view is "Fie on you, evil Infidel, for not accepting Allah and his Glorious Prophet and his noble Quran! For such wanton evil you deserve to be eviscerated, beheaded, hanged, lashed, and stoned (not necessarily in that order) and your children should be taken by us as slaves, to be taught the glory of Islam (submission) by serving our every whim as Allah intended, and PS- your grandchildren will all be brought up Muslim."

I truly believe that this is the ultimate message of Islam. Period.

ezmicter | September 26, 2007 9:12 PM

If Islam is full of hate, then what are you preaching on this site???

FrontPageMag.com

Books by Robert Spencer

The Muslim Brotherhood in America, by Robert Spencer

Islamophobia: Thoughtcrime of the Totalitarian Future

Muslim Persecution of Christians, by Robert Spencer

The Ground Zero Mosque: Second Wave of the 9/11 Attacks

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"The consummate Islam critic and expert." — Bruce Bawer

“Over the years, we have become friends, and I have received his assistance on several pieces of legislation I proposed.”
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