U.S. seeks to revoke citizenship of Somali-born Muslim cleric

[Machiavelli2]

U.S. seeks to revoke citizenship of Somali-born Muslim cleric.

The federal government says a man considered by Somali immigrants as the most important Muslim cleric does not have the "good moral character" to remain a U.S. citizen.

The U.S. attorney's office wants the citizenship granted to Mohamed Idris Ahmed in 2003 revoked. Prosecutors say he lied on his naturalization application by not mentioning that he had two wives and had travelled outside the United States.

A two-day nonjury trial in Ahmed's case ended last month in federal court in Columbus; attorneys have until May 27 to file briefs with U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.

Somalis in the United States fear for Ahmed's safety if he is deported to Somalia, said Abshir Haji, vice president of Ibnu Taymiyah mosque on Mock Road on the North Side. The mosque is home base for Ahmed.

Radicals hate Ahmed for speaking out against terrorist groups such as Somalia's al-Shabab and for encouraging immigrants to embrace their new homeland, Haji said.


"He gives a lot of sermons nationwide, and the topic he addresses is integration, to be thankful for what we have in this country and to be part of the society here, especially the youths," Haji said.

The Justice Department sued Ahmed in 2012. By not revealing the second wife and 13 trips outside the United States in the five years before becoming a citizen, he demonstrated a lack of "good moral character," prosecutors said.

Ahmed, 38, testified that he has a "legal" wife from a civil marriage living with their children in Kenya and a "religious or cultural" wife and family in Saudi Arabia. He said a U.S. consulate official in Saudi Arabia advised him to bring only the legal wife and children to the United States. Because of that, he believed he did not need to mention the religious marriage.

Ahmed, the father of 11, acknowledged traveling to the Middle East and Africa to visit his families, including to Syria to see a son in college long before the civil war there began. He also travelled to speaking events around the world.

He said he had presented his Somali passport to officials at what was then the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Because no one asked him about the trips stamped, he didn't mention them.

"So you didn't lie?" asked Timothy M. Belsan, a Justice Department attorney from Washington, D.C., who led the prosecution team in Columbus.

Ahmed said he didn't lie, but he acknowledged that the answers on the form are inaccurate. However, he added that "it's accurate according to my understanding."

Translator Khue Truong, who signed Ahmed's application, said she was careful about questioning applicants and having them review the documents before forwarding them to the INS. Ahmed said no one showed him the finished document.

Yvonne Jarrett, a former INS official who reviewed and signed off on Ahmed's application, said records show he did not have a passport with him.

One of Ahmed's attorneys, D. Wesley Newhouse, asked Jarrett why she wouldn't press an applicant who didn't have a passport about travel.

"It's face value," she said. "They're under oath.

"If any applicant tells me they've been out of the country 13 times, to the Middle East and northern Africa, that would definitely raise a red flag," Jarrett said.

Newhouse argued that a backlog of cases in 2003 could have led to overworked employees rushing interviews and misplacing documents.

Ahmed is well-respected at the Islamic Association of North America, according to Executive Director Hassan Jama. The association is based in Minneapolis, Minneapolis, which has the largest population of Somali immigrants in the United States. Columbus is second.

"I don't know the motive of the government," said Jama, who said Ahmed is among the top 10 imams in the country. "What I know is Mr. Ahmed is truthful, not a liar."

He said the suit against Ahmed is another example of the "challenges" Somali leaders face at the hands of the U.S. government.

Citizenship revocations are rare, although government officials could not provide figures. Whether Ahmed is deported would be up to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose officials did not answer requests for interviews .

http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2016/May/1 ... leric.aspx

[X.Playa]

great news.

[DR-YALAXOOW]

big wahabi fat beenlow maxamed idiris should be deported back to bunaniland.

[mahoka]

Kkkkkkk

Back to the desert for him

[Grant]

"vice president of Ibnu Taymiyah mosque"


hummmnnnn...... sounds familiar.

[Machiavelli2]

I know very little about the Sheikh to comment about this issue, but what triggered only this Sheikh to be targeted when there many others who have lied on their applications?

Grant

Though Sheikh Taymiyah is a controversial figure among Muslims, but he is also a respected scholar, is his body of works, ideology and name banned in the U.S? How about radical Christian scholars who have racist and hatred views of "others" and still given the green light for their FOS. How about if this family were 5th generation Jews or Muslims? How will they be dealt with?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ8UjtLr0Z0

To the rest, please cut off the qabiil jargon and enlighten me, why this sheikh's citizenship be revoked? Should any Somali who "lied{ in their application be denied citizenship even if they be your family members?

[Hyperactive]

lool@legal wife and religious wife!! what that even mean!! who ever advised him to say that is crazy.

[Machiavelli2]

lool@legal wife and religious wife!! what that even mean!! who ever advised him to say that is crazy.

Ina Adeer, I think it is lost in translation. Both wives are legal in religious terms but what is meant by legal and religious is he has to declare one as legally binded or valid in the U.S. In America, before you migrate, they will be defined a legal and non-legal spouse. He can only bring the "legally" declared wife. The last one is classified as religious one by the sheikh instead of the illegal one. This is a good article that covers this issue.

Will You Be Denied U.S. Citizenship Based on Polygamy, Bigamy, or Multiple Marriages?

.....Should You Apply to Naturalize If You (or a Partner) Have Practiced Polygamy?

If you practiced polygamy before immigrating to the United States, but neither you nor your spouse(s) have practiced it since becoming a legal permanent resident, your prior history of polygamy should not cause your naturalization application to be denied.

If you have personally practiced polygamy since immigrating to the United States, (even if it was many years ago) you should never apply to naturalize without first consulting with an immigration attorney. Practicing polygamy as a legal resident of the United States will not only likely result in denial of your naturalization application, but it is grounds for deportation.

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/ ... iages.html

Soomaalida qaar ku nool mareeykanka ayaa halkaan ku leh, naag labaad baan soo guursanayaa. Sometimes I doubt if they are honest ama doqommo.

[Hyperactive]

I believe to obey the law of the land or leave it. no buts or ifs. I guess this sheikh playing with words. nothing better than a whole truth and not half truth!!

my self in my interview in Canadian embassy was asked, if I am planning to marry more than one!! I told them not my plan to even marry one but it could happen but I dont have a plan to break the law of the land. I though I will fail the interview .

[X.Playa]

the hyper kid is learning fast even before he landed , that's how u should respect and learn about other people laws. This fat mullah and his tow fat wiveys will be deported back to Puntland , there is no excuse for polygamy its women abuse.

[Hyperactive]

I don't believe it's abuse if all people involved are adult with consent. but also we should respect the law of the land where ever it is or find place that acceptable and legal.

[X.Playa]

utter non sense , marrying tow women is like 1 women having 2 men , would you apply the same logic to 1 woman sharing tow men if the tow men are consenting , since consent seems to be the issue for you.?

[Hyperactive]

no I wouldn't cause that is illegal in my faith and my law of land. simple.

[X.Playa]

so its not about consent after all its about the logic of your faith, but that's not universal , in most of the world polygamy is looked upon for what its , its power over women , men buying women to enjoy , and its power and sexual thing. it has nothing to do with consent.

[Bella18]

U.S. seeks to revoke citizenship of Somali-born Muslim cleric.

The federal government says a man considered by Somali immigrants as the most important Muslim cleric does not have the "good moral character" to remain a U.S. citizen.

The U.S. attorney's office wants the citizenship granted to Mohamed Idris Ahmed in 2003 revoked. Prosecutors say he lied on his naturalization application by not mentioning that he had two wives and had travelled outside the United States.

A two-day nonjury trial in Ahmed's case ended last month in federal court in Columbus; attorneys have until May 27 to file briefs with U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.

Somalis in the United States fear for Ahmed's safety if he is deported to Somalia, said Abshir Haji, vice president of Ibnu Taymiyah mosque on Mock Road on the North Side. The mosque is home base for Ahmed.

Radicals hate Ahmed for speaking out against terrorist groups such as Somalia's al-Shabab and for encouraging immigrants to embrace their new homeland, Haji said.


"He gives a lot of sermons nationwide, and the topic he addresses is integration, to be thankful for what we have in this country and to be part of the society here, especially the youths," Haji said.

The Justice Department sued Ahmed in 2012. By not revealing the second wife and 13 trips outside the United States in the five years before becoming a citizen, he demonstrated a lack of "good moral character," prosecutors said.

Ahmed, 38, testified that he has a "legal" wife from a civil marriage living with their children in Kenya and a "religious or cultural" wife and family in Saudi Arabia. He said a U.S. consulate official in Saudi Arabia advised him to bring only the legal wife and children to the United States. Because of that, he believed he did not need to mention the religious marriage.

Ahmed, the father of 11, acknowledged traveling to the Middle East and Africa to visit his families, including to Syria to see a son in college long before the civil war there began. He also travelled to speaking events around the world.

He said he had presented his Somali passport to officials at what was then the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Because no one asked him about the trips stamped, he didn't mention them.

"So you didn't lie?" asked Timothy M. Belsan, a Justice Department attorney from Washington, D.C., who led the prosecution team in Columbus.

Ahmed said he didn't lie, but he acknowledged that the answers on the form are inaccurate. However, he added that "it's accurate according to my understanding."

Translator Khue Truong, who signed Ahmed's application, said she was careful about questioning applicants and having them review the documents before forwarding them to the INS. Ahmed said no one showed him the finished document.

Yvonne Jarrett, a former INS official who reviewed and signed off on Ahmed's application, said records show he did not have a passport with him.

One of Ahmed's attorneys, D. Wesley Newhouse, asked Jarrett why she wouldn't press an applicant who didn't have a passport about travel.

"It's face value," she said. "They're under oath.

"If any applicant tells me they've been out of the country 13 times, to the Middle East and northern Africa, that would definitely raise a red flag," Jarrett said.

Newhouse argued that a backlog of cases in 2003 could have led to overworked employees rushing interviews and misplacing documents.

Ahmed is well-respected at the Islamic Association of North America, according to Executive Director Hassan Jama. The association is based in Minneapolis, Minneapolis, which has the largest population of Somali immigrants in the United States. Columbus is second.

"I don't know the motive of the government," said Jama, who said Ahmed is among the top 10 imams in the country. "What I know is Mr. Ahmed is truthful, not a liar."

He said the suit against Ahmed is another example of the "challenges" Somali leaders face at the hands of the U.S. government.

Citizenship revocations are rare, although government officials could not provide figures. Whether Ahmed is deported would be up to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose officials did not answer requests for interviews .

http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2016/May/1 ... leric.aspx

38? Taas ba been kale ah.