A series of articles in The Bergen Record describes an ongoing trial where federal authorities are seeking to deport the leader of a Paterson mosque, Mohammad Qatanani, for failing to disclose a criminal conviction in 1993. The basis for the deportation is being questioned by local community groups, rabbis and priests, as well as by the County Sheriffs of both Bergen and Passaic Counties.
Lawyers for the mosque leader say their client was never informed that he had been officially arrested and convicted, while federal authorities contend Qatanani admitted to the conviction in a 2005 interview with the authorities. The interview had been requested by Qatanani to clarify why the processing of his green card was being delayed.
Qatanani was charged and convicted by an Israeli court for assisting Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. The role of Hamas is difficult for many Americans to understand, and many analysts refer to the Irish Republican Army as basis for understanding. Both factions gathered local support by exploiting concerns over land, religion , and political autonomy, and both resorted to targeting innocent civilians. The organizations won support by expanding their influence into charitable organizations which provided humanitarian support to undeserved populations. As previous federal trials have proven, this makes it difficult for Americans to convict in cases where there is not definitive acts of violence by the defendant.
Local leaders in religious, civic, and law enforcement are standing up to federal authorities on behalf of Qatanani and the community at large. Bergen County Sheriff McGuire, a resident of Oakland, and Passaic Sheriff Speziale testified not only to the character of Qatanani , but to the role he played in creating bonds between law enforcement and the Muslim community. Donna Zukowski , in a report for The Newark Metro, covered the important role of local law enforcement in the fight against terrorism, and the apparent disconnect with federal authorities. She quotes Michael Wagers, executive director of the Police Institute at Rutgers-Newark, as describing the federal bureaucracy as an 800 pound gorilla, and emphasizes the importance of local authorities in comparison to individuals studying data off a computer. The article goes on to explain Wagers belief that terrorists on the local level, “…are involved in terrorist acts, just like other criminals are involved in other types of criminal behavior.” And local authorities are in a better position to use their relationships with the community to stay informed about potential threats.
Sheriffs McGuire and Speziale made the case that American security is better served by establishing positive relationships with the Muslim community, and that the deportation of Qatanani is counter-productive to their police work. This approach is not original or unique, and has been a standard talking point at press conferences held by federal authorities. James Carafano of the Heritage Foundation suggests that, “State and local police are far more likely to encounter people bent on committing terrorist acts than are federal officials.” His thoughts are echoed by Bejamin Kuipers of the University of Texas who wrote an incisive piece concerning the war on terror . His analysis is that ordinary people, who trust the police and cooperate with them, are the ones bringing criminals to justice.
Maj. Gen. Jerry D. Humble, a retired U.S. Marine Corps major general who was director of Tennessee’s Office of Homeland Security, spoke specifically to the issues at hand. “The battle will be won on the local level by local law enforcement, emergency workers and citizens…and I believe this war on terrorism will be successful and will be won on the local level.”