Muslim Leader Denies Terrorist Ties

USA’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) has been falsely linked to terrorism because of its association with an alleged al-Qaida-linked operative, according to MSA Adviser Dr. Husam Omar.

Abu Mansour al-Amriki, who’s been indicted by a grand jury in Mobile on terrorism-related charges, was enrolled at USA in 2001 and 2002 under his original name, Omar Hammami. He was the president of MSA in 2001.

He later changed his name to al-Amriki, which translates as “The American.”

In an interview with The Vanguard, Husam Omar, who’s been advising USA’s MSA since 1993, said he knew nothing about al-Amriki outside of his involvement at USA. He showed no signs of possible al-Qaida involvement while he was MSA’s president, Omar said.

“I was extremely disturbed to see a young man who was a decent person when he was here at the University turn into something like this,” he said. “Really, [it was] a shock. I couldn’t believe that this was him.

“He was [at USA] because he wanted to present Islam in the correct context. Whatever happened, happened later – not while he was with us.”

USA’s MSA members don’t condone al-Amriki’s actions, Husam Omar said. Since he didn’t interact with al-Amriki beyond simple MSA leadership and administration discourses and issues, he hadn’t heard anything about al-Amriki since his departure from USA in 2002.

Current USA MSA President Nidal Omar said news of al-Amriki was “disconcerting” to all of the MSA members.

“It’s important to remember that hundreds of students have participated in [USA’s MSA] and have become successful, outstanding citizens,” he said.

“Our mission has always been to increase awareness about the true teachings of Islam, which in themselves condemn all forms of terrorism. Although we don’t have sufficient details about the incident, want to make it clear that the MSA can’t be responsible for the actions of individuals who are no longer associated with our organization.”

Husam Omar said USA’s MSA isn’t affiliated with any other organization, including the MSA National, because its members “value their independence” and aim only to “increase Islamic awareness, remove misconceptions, and promote communication among the various faiths,” its Web site reads.

The MSA’s work is confined to USA’s campus, according to a written statement by Husam Omar.

As for the letter claiming that USA’s MSA is part of a “propaganda organization” with “ties to Islamic terrorism,” Husam Omar denied the claim outright.

Since Mobile’s Muslim community is a transient one, Husam Omar said no Muslims in Mobile know al-Amriki, since he was “never really part of the community.” Like Omar, they are also shocked at the news.

“Muslims have been part of the social fabric of Mobile for decades,” he said. “We’ve been always peaceful, always helpful. We build on trust. We have professionals [such as those] teaching at the University, like myself, and physicians working in the community.

“To try to link the community to the works of this individual … is unfair. We have nothing to hide.”