Though a Morton Grove man was arrested, those who attend services at MEC are fearful of similar incidences; leader says services will go on normally with strong police presence.
Though the physical damage is minimal after a Morton Grove man shot at the Muslim Education Center faciity (MEC) Friday night with an air pellet rifle, the damage to the psyche of those who attend services there has been severe.
No one was injured during the incident, which occurred as 500 people were inside the mosque attending Ramadan services.
"In the minds of our people, they are very scared; now when they arrive here they are running into the building as fast as they can, in fear," said Amanadullah Ansari, head of MEC operations.
Ansari said the problems with Conrad, who lives adjacent and east of the MEC, have been ongoing for years.
"This is not the first time we've had problems with him, since we applied for a permit for our school, he has been very vocal against us, he hates us," Ansari said.
Ansari said Conrad also has called police on numerous occasions complaining about attendees parked near his home on the street and noise made from shutting car doors.
In addition to the mosque itself, there also is unease regarding the children attending the school connected to it.
"As a former chairman of the school, I am concerned about the safety of all of the children, including my own daughter who is a student," Rizwan Kadir, a Glenview resident and member of the congregation.
Previous reports stated law enforcement was investigating the incident to determine if the incident was in fact a hate crime. No information was included about that in a press release from Morton Grove Police Sunday.
"The words hate crime are strong words, do I feel that there is hate here, yes," Kadir said.
A bond hearing for Conrad will be held today, and his court date to face the charges against him is tenatively scheduled for Aug. 22.
The incident comes on the heels of a shooting in Oak Creek, WI. where seven people, including the shooter, were killed on Aug. 5.
Law enforcement officials deemed that attack an act of domestic terrorism.
"I am hopeful there will come a day when people who do not understand one another's beliefs can come together," Kadir said.
Ramadan continues through the end of this week, and Ansari said a strong police presence will remain at the mosque during services to protect attendees.
sherwin dubren
12:07 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
I know David from his attendance at Morton Grove village meetings. He gave me no indications that he is a racist. Trying to compare him to the incident in Colorado by a confirmed racist is unjust. The Moslems in that mosque have been trying to buy his house for many years and he is refusing to sell. What exactly prompted him to take this action, I cannot say, but he obviously has had problems with the additional noise
and disruption next door to his house. It is too bad that he felt he was driven to such action and that there were no other recourses for him to pursue. Again, I don't think this was a case of religious persecution, but just a very annoyed neighbor.
BadGer
3:43 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
I don't believe it was a "hate crime." I just wish there could have been a time for all parties to sit down and discuss this, rather than this outcome.
GINGER
3:25 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
It's a shame that anyone has to be subjected to racism but the MEC was built with political interests and not community impact in mind. That location is bad for any house of worship. Try driving by when services are starting or ending, it's a traffic nightmare. The people who live nearby have lost over 50% of the value of their homes. It was supported and approved by people like Jan Schakowsky who do not live nearby.
BadGer
3:41 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
It sounds like you too, have an axe to grind. You say that they have lost 50% house value? I seem to have heard that same line when the first BLACKS moved into a neighborhood, sad to say. Was is supported and approved by whom? The Village?Didn't everyone have a chance to go to a town hall meeting and voice your opinions? Was there a referendum that asked the people if they wanted a mosque being built? Apparently you dislike Jan Schakowsky, too. I'm sorry to say, but she does listen well. Maybe you needed to express your feeling to her personally?
sherwin dubren
5:24 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
There is no excuse for David doing what he did, but I can understand some of the motivation that prompted him to do so. The leaders of this mosque are trying to turn this into a religious hate crime and that is not the case. It is one of one neighbor annoying the hell out of a nearby neighbor.
Also, I think the MG police were too quick to label this incident as 'domestic terrorism'. This could be prejudicial to any subsequent legal action taken against David. There is no reason to put a label on this incident, certainly not by the police.
David had lots of reasons to be upset with this mosque, including their chopping down a bunch of maple trees on the land they appropriated. His being an arborist
makes this obvious. Other things the worshipers at the mosque have done to disturb
David are well known, so it will be of interest to find out David's side of the story.
Thank God I Moved
9:58 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Sherwin I totally agree. David is not a racist. He is a wonderful family man and arborist. David's complaints fell on deaf ears to the village. I am not condoning what the allegations state but we really need to hear David side. The Muslims screaming hate crime and claiming to be the victim is a little premature right now.
Laura Frisch
12:24 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I am so embarrased by the conversation going on here. The shots fired were at Chicago Police officers working as security gaurds, while children were playing only yards away. There is an entire community, our neighbors and friends, who are now in fear of walking into their own house of worship during their holiest days of the year. Please do not tell the public that is reading this that the mosque is in the wrong spot, there is a very large Catholic church only five blocks away, in the same neighborhood, that has the same issues with parking, noise and lack of green space(they, infact, have almost no green space) while the mosque has left an enormous field for our neighborhood children to play in, as well as improving the landscape around the entire property, planting trees and perenial flowering plants througout. My property value has not dropped because of the mosque, I live a block away, and when houses go up for sale they sell quickly, unless they are in disrepair. These arguments are only meant to hide the true story here, there are a few people who are still not happy with having a mosque in this village, well they need to open their eyes. The people who attend this house of worship, are active parts of our community, marching in our 4th of July parade, donating to our food pantries, paying taxes and raising their families here. Open your hearts and your minds, please for the sake of this entire community.
Lizzy T
7:42 am on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Thank you for your comments Laura, I too am embarrased and aghast that people like this Sherwin Dubren seems to be saying that's it is acceptible to use a gun to settle a dispute with a neighbor! Oh my good lord, are we back in the wild west again? Gregg Bakker, thank you for reminding everyone here that freedom of religion was a founding issue of our country. Ms. Cha, thank you for being part of commission that show's some common sense and inclusion. We need more voices like all of yours speaking up so we can be one community of tolerant and law abiding citizens. Like Laura Frisch said, Open your hearts and your minds, please for the sake of this entire community!
sherwin dubren
2:13 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
What I am hearing from the Mosque people is that this is a religious attack. Knowing David, I would be surprised if that were his motives. It is more likely a dispute between neighbors. We have yet to hear David's side of the storey.
As for property values, are those houses emptying out being filled with moslem families who would pay good money to be within walking distance of their mosque?
The only winners here are the real estate people that love these turnovers.
Laura Frisch
7:51 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
We all win when new people want to move into our community. As far as the exodus on my block, all the houses that have been sold in the past, almost decade that we have been here, were because of our dear neighbors passing away, becoming unable to walk the stairs in their homes or retiring to Florida. Unfortunately and strangely, none of those homes have been bought by anyone who attends the mosque, which is in walking distance. I wish more diverse families would move in, it would bring more interesting conversations our block parties!
Again, please open your minds and hearts, how would you feel if this happened to your house of worship, or your own home? From what I have read on Patch, the people attending this Mosque have shown forgiveness, let us show them similar compassion.
Janice Cha
10:26 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Indeed, the people of Morton Grove do support and celebrate the presence of a mosque in our town. At the Village Council meeting last night, members of Morton Grove's Community Relations Commission read a statement to that effect. The full text of the CRC's statement can be read on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/7WondersOfMortonGrove
Gregg Baker
10:13 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I share Laura's concern over the quality of the conversation here.
1. Muslims are not race. Islam is one of the world's oldest religions. If in fact this was a case of discrimination it would be religious, not racial.
2. The application of the "hate crime" statutes are inconsistent at best. Black power groups offer a $10,000 reward for killing of George Zimmerman and that is not a "hate crime." Yet,firing a pellet gun is.
3. Although as some astutely pointed out we have yet to hear the defendants side of the story, if in fact a pellet gun was discharged towards someone, anyone, it is inappropriate, and juvenile at best. Somebody could get their eye shot out. Didn't anyone take the message in "A Christmas Story" seriously?
4. Where is the line on what constitutes the crime? Had the defendant fired a super soaker water rifle would that have evoked the same response?
America was partly founded on the concept of religious tolerance. Yet, American history is littered with religious persecution and intolerance. Just ask the Quakers, the Amish, Jews, and more.
Was this incident driven by religious persecution? It would be hard for Einstein to answer that question, not because he is dead, but because someone's motives are hard to determine and when we hear from the defendant perhaps we will better understand what happened and why.