Rezwan Ferdaus Asked to Leave Mosque for Radical Behavior

(NECN: Scot Yount, Boston) - The 26-year-old man arrested earlier this week by the FBI for plotting to bomb the Pentagon and the U.S Capitol had been told to leave this mosque because of his radical behavior.

Rezwan Ferdaus prayed at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood for about six months before he was asked to leave a year ago.

Atif Harden is a spokes person for the mosque.

“He was upset with the fact that this woman was dressed the way she was and he approached her and said something nasty to her”

It was one of several incidents according to Harden who says that Ferdaus was often upset at women and dismissive of the U.S government.

“He was rare. No one has ever in our mosque ever said 'oh yeah these guys (al Qaeda) are wonderful' except him.”

Harding says that ultimately no one is ever really turned away from the mosque because their religion or their beliefs.  However he does say that Ferdaus’ behavior became so difficult that he was told that he would probably be happier somewhere else.

Before and after Friday prayers, many muslims who come here said they were happy that Ferdaus had been asked to leave.

“That’s not what he real muslim’s are.  They are not gonna stand for hate and nastiness and all that, it is not what our religion is about, it is not what any religion is about,” said Abdul Mahmoud.

“They are not welcome here.  The people who are gonna bomb places they are not muslims they are not welcome is muslim mosques,” said Egem Eraslan.

This man, who would only give his first name as Faisal, said that muslims are unfairly targeted.

“He’s a criminal.  Why do they mention the religion?" said the man. "There is a lot of Christians that does a lot bad things and they never mention their religion."

Copyright NECNMIGR - NECN
Contact Us