FBI Investigates Mosque Shooting In Florida
Posted on September 24, 2006
Hat tip: Radio Patriots: via Florida Today:
When 59-year-old Delacie Phillips stepped outside of the mosque at the Islamic Society of Brevard County, he wanted to call some friends and let them know that Ramadan would officially start Saturday. But what happened next was something he didn’t expect – bullets began hitting the walls near him.
Phillips took cover behind a wide concrete pillar, and waited a few moments for the gunfire to stop. He then raced back inside the mosque to call 9-1-1, and warn the more than 300 members inside that someone had shot at the building. There were children playing outside of the mosque on the other side of the building, and Phillips quickly brought them inside.
He was so flustered he forgot he had a cell phone in his hand.
No one was injured by the five shots that struck the building. The Melbourne Police Department searched the undeveloped woods to the south of the mosque, the area where they believe the shots originated from, but don’t have any suspects yet. They searched the area Friday night when the incident happened, and again Saturday morning. The police will be increasing patrols around the mosque for at least the next couple of days, police spokeswoman Jill Frederiksen said.
Given the nature of the incident, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force have been notified and have offered to assist with the investigation.
The suspects, if caught, will face charges of “shooting at or into an occupied structure,” a second-degree felony.
It really isn’t suprising that something like this has happened. Of course we condemn this action. I have no doubt it was acting out from people that have convinced themselves that Islam itself is the enemy. I highly urge the moderate Muslims in America to start speaking up loudly and making Americans understand that it is extremist views of their religion, and not the mainstream that is the enemy.
To those that are guilty of this attack, you are no better than the extremists of Islam. You endangered innocent children and innocent Americans. Your outrageous acts are no different than the ignorant acts of Islamic extremists rioting over the Pope.
Again, it isn’t suprising. The best way to stomp this kind of stuff out is for the mainstream Muslims to start standing up and speaking out loudly against the extremists defining Islam to the majority of Americans.
Andrea Shea King of Radio Patriots is on the same page:
Is there something that should be done by the Muslim community to help the rest of us believe that what takes place in some –no, many — mosques isn’t happening here? Just askin’…
Yes, there is. Start speaking up loudly and distinguishing themselves from the radical interpretations of their religions. Start being a part of the solution and stop sitting in the sidelines feeling helpless.
» Filed Under News, War On Terror
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9 Responses to “FBI Investigates Mosque Shooting In Florida”
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My brother had someone shoot a shot gun shell through the door of his house after he kicked a couple of men off his land for trespassing and damaging his property. It seems we will never get rid of self centered radicals. No one was in the house or just walking out the door at the time.
“I highly urge the moderate Muslims in America to start speaking up loudly and making Americans understand that it is extremist views of their religion, and not the mainstream that is the enemy.”
You can do this too, you know.
Yes, I just did. Didn’t I gfactor?
Sorry Jay, but I think you’re wrong.
The Koran ITSELF IS the source of the ideology that drives “jihad” and its high time we in the West FACE THE FACTS. When read chronologically and in context, the Koran radicalizes the student.
Not only that, but the Koran ITSELF specifically and unequivocally REFUTES the main doctrines of Christianity (e.g. the triune nature of God, deity of Christ, His death, resurrection) and declares us “polytheists” and infidels to be killed unless we convert. That happens every day in some Islamic country the world over. There is nothing “moderate” or “tolerant” about that — just because 80% of what you call “moderates” don’t bother to read and study the Koran any more than most “christians” bother to read the Bible! Most just mindlessly follow the rituals and demands of their religious culture, and go about their daily business.
That’s why there is only ONE purpose in bluntly exposing the truth of Islam, instead of sugarcoating it and lending it an aura of respectability. That purpose is to confront the conscience of each every Muslim with the reality of the content of their religion, and its consequences. They will either reject it and be delivered from its spiritual, emotional and political bondage, or they will embrace it wholeheartedly, as jihadists have, and pursue it to their destruction. Only then can they be decisively and unapologetically DEFEATED. This is the only rational way to achieve PEACE.
I don’t want to really get into this too deeply, but I am not fond of the Koran’s teachings either. But, if there are Muslims out there that do not practice the violent teachings…I can not excuse people for shooting into Mosque and putting children in danger. Perhaps I have worded things wrong, but those who wear the Muslim banner who do not practice the Koran’s violent teachings need to stand up and let it be known.
Of course not. My point was not to condone or excuse violence against anyone. We have laws against that, and they protect Muslims just as they do all of us.
I took exception to your statement “people that have convinced themselves that Islam itself is the enemy” … and then equated THAT VIEW with the assumption that it must lead to violence.
I DO think Islam is the enemy, not only as a Christian, but as an American. The ideological source that drives terrorists is the Koran. But random acts of violence like these are NOT the answer EXCEPT when certain Muslims conduct themselves as an invading military force. Then we MUST deal with it, or suffer the consequences. And that is precisely the situation we face.
I tend to agree with you that Islam at least in the United states is a violent religion since 6% of the jail population is Muslim and .5% of the outside population. That makes them twice as likely as Blacks to end up in jail and Black society has been destroyed by their holding to liberal teaching. The scary thing is that Islam is the fastest growing or close to the fastest growing religion in the United States.
I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, I’m kinda disappointed in that they’re only considering a charge of “shooting at or into an occupied structure.” Does this act not constitute terrorism?
I understand your point: Yes the moderate Muslims can and should do a better job of differentiating themselves from the extremists, but in this particular case the onus is on us, as moderate Westerners, to loudly differentiate ourselves from our extremists. You have done that, and I applaud you, but I would caution you to be careful not to blame the victim.
This reminded me of an exchange from Remember the Titans.
Boone: I will not be intimidated. That’s just the way it is.
Yost: If you want to carry your sinful pride with you to your grave, that’s your business, But when your sins endanger my little girl, it becomes mine.
Boone: My sins? You think my sins
had something to do with what happened last night?
It’s not a perfect analogy, but it seems somewhat relevant.
To correct my earlier comment Islam more than doubled in size between 1990 and 2001 but the non denomination religion increased by over 1000%. Both are under 1% of the population even after their growth.