During a 30-minute interview with Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, reported in today's Free Press, that paper's editorial writer Jeff Garritt asked whether Bing supported an independent investigation into the death of Imam Luqman Abdullah as called for by the Muslim community.
Bing responded: "I think an independent investigation is warranted...I don't know all the details, but I don't think we can just sweep it under the rug."
Luqman was killed by a hail of bullets during an October 28, 2009 FBI raid on a Dearborn warehouse. The FBI has claimed that Luqman refused to surrender and fired a weapon, killing a police dog, before he was gunned down. Detractors say the raid itself was unjustified and that the FBI response to the downed K-9 was overkill. A wide rift exists between the FBI and local Muslim community concerning Abdullah's beliefs. The feds claim he was a radical separatist while supporters maintain he was a generous and respected leader who did not espouse terror.
Muslim organizations have been joined by the Detroit Green Party, the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality and the National Lawyers' Guild in advocating an independent investigation.
The issue of what form such an investigation would take is not a simple one. It is difficult to imagine how all necessary information could be gathered absent involvement of a federal judge with subpoena power, as in a federal lawsuit by Luqman's estate claiming his civil rights were violated, or a federal grand jury. Either action involves procedural and substantive problems too numerous to set forth here, and either would likely be stayed pending the prosecution of Luqman followers named in the complaint that triggered the Dearborn raid.
Adjudication of the existing complaint might take years.
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Comments
A bunch of no-name organizations and the mayor of one of the worst cities in the country worried about a dead terrorist...all doing nothing more than trying to grab their 15 seconds of fame after that loser abdullah was treated properly. If he was so innocent...such a peace loving man, why was he packing heat? The area and the world are better off for him being dead.
The Mayor is thinking of the people, not the government. He rightfully should protect his constinuency before his collegues, Kudos to you Mr Bing for a decision that many Mayors in the past would not have made.
And they craft religions for their own profits. Which is sad!
Tina
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