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Imam’s anger over 9/11 ‘slur’
Shelina Begum31/ 5/2004
A MUSLIM cleric plans to sue a Sunday newspaper after it made
claims that his Werneth mosque in Oldham was a recruiting ground
for potential 9/11 terrorists.
The allegations were made by an anonymous Oldham man who told the
Sunday Times that he was approached at the Ross Street Mosque
before being taken to Pakistan for terror training.
But Imam Shafiq ur Rehman denies the claims and fears he could now
become a target for reprisals.
Last year he won a three-year battle against deportation after the
Home Office accused him of links with terrorists.
He said: "I fought off terrorist allegations when the Home Office
tried to deport me and I won.
"If I was a terrorist or had any links with terror organisations I
don't think I would still be in this country.
"The allegations made about the mosque are just untrue but thanks
to the Sunday Times everybody thinks I have links with
Al-Qaeda.
"This is very damaging for my reputation and I plan to sue the
Sunday Times for the story they published. They are ruining the
hard work I have put into the mosque.
"I feel the mosque is being specifically targeted because of the
previous claims against me.
"I have worked hard to build peace and unity through the mosque and
people who come here for prayer have seen this.
"The mosque has never been involved with any activities linked to
terror, if it was I would not be working here."
Mr Rehman spoke out after a father-of-one who worshiped at the
mosque believed he was at the centre of an Al-Qaeda plot to recruit
him as a hijacker for the September 11 attacks.
The 29-year-old told the paper he wanted to remain anonymous for
fear of reprisals claimed he was being taught the necessary
'skills' needed to hijack a Boeing 767 plane.
He said nerves got the better of him at the last minute and he
pulled out of the plot 18 months before two jets crashed into the
World Trade Centre towers, killing in the region of 2,800
people.
The British Muslim said he now firmly believes he was supposed to
be part of what has become one of the most devastating terror
attacks ever witnessed.
He told the Sunday Times: "I felt terrible, I was crying watching
it over and over again. I am sure in my mind that was what I was
supposed to be part of."
The former Oldham Sixth Form College student became heavily
involved with gambling and he ended up with debts reaching £15,000
leaving him desperately trying to get his life back on track.
The unemployed waiter said he began attending the Ross Street
mosque in 1999.
The 29-year-old claimed he was approached in the mosque by a
'bearded man' who had fought in Afghanistan and offered him £5,000
in return for what he referred to as a "job". He accepted the offer
and was sent to Pakistan where he attended an intensive training
school in Lahore where he was able to familiarise himself with the
cockpit of a 767 plane.
Training was also given about how to physically attack someone
along with religious lectures on the situation in
Afghanistan.
"At that time, if they had told me to strap a bomb to my body and
blow myself up, I would have done it as easily as taking a glass of
water to drink," he added.
He returned to Oldham before being handed another £5,000 and then
asked to travel to New York where he was told he would hijack a
plane and fly it into a building.
But on the flight to JFK Airport, he had second thoughts and
decided not to go to the meeting point and instead gave himself up
to Atlantic City police, but detectives didn't believe him and he
was handed over to the FBI.
Several weeks later he returned to Britain and after a day of
questioning, was reunited with his wife.
Just 12 months later, he switched on the television to witness the
terror attacks on September 11, 2001.
The case has now been reopened and questions are being asked as to
whether or not the attacks could have been prevented after all.
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