Pretend ‘mosque’ in Illinois used for emergency drill
-
- May
- 8
Muslim advocacy groups are not that happy that an emergency preparedness drill in Irving, Ill., targeted a pretend mosque.
A community facility was renamed “Irving mosque” for the day.
According to the local paper, the pretend mosque was supposed to be “the home-base for a radical, heavily armed group with suspected terrorist ties.”
There were “explosions” and “casualties,” “hostages” and “suspects killed.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations says that the exercise sends the wrong message.
Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR’s Chicago chapter, said in a statement:
The use of a fake ‘mosque’ in this type of drill sends the wrong message to law enforcement officials who may now view mainstream institutions, such as Islamic houses of worship, as potential security threats. Officials must be trained in dealing with hostage-taking and responding to chemical, biological or bomb attacks. We are only questioning the wisdom of linking the American Muslim community and its institutions to such incidents.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, May 8th, 2008 at 9:55 am by Gary Stern.
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The world of religion, we don't have to tell you, is vast. The purpose of this blog is for Stern to note, flag and comment on some of the more interesting religious developments on the scene – weighty and quirky, somber and laughable, far away and just down the road. He won't interpret Scripture, take sides in conflicts or judge anyone. But he will take advantage of the journalist's license to observe.
