Philly Mosque Raided
A mosque in Northeast Philadelphia has been raided in a terrorism investigation: Raid at Mosque. (Hat tip: Ann.)
NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA-May 27, 2004 — Federal and local law enforcement officers swooped down on a mosque in Northeast Philadelphia this morning.
The FBI, IRS and INS were all involved in this morning’s raid. The Counter-Terrorism Task Force raided a home and a mosque in Northeast Philadelphia on Wakeling Street.
It happened at the home of 45-year-old Muhammad Gurab and his family. He is an Egyptian national who came to the U.S. 4 years ago and started a mosque.
The man’s wife, Meriem Moumen, tells Action News they were on their way to drop their daughter off at school when the police pulled up behind them with the lights flashing and demanded that the family get out of the car.
She tells Action News that the agents brought them back to their home and the mosque and searched through both buildings. Agents kept asking them where the guns and weapons were, she said, and where they get their money.
Sources tell Action News that the investigation does revolve around possible ties to terrorism, but the U.S. Attorneys Office says they can not yet comment on what happened in Northeast Philadelphia. No charges have been officially filed, but the imam has been taken into custody for questioning about possible terror connections.
Action News has learned there were similar raids in other parts of the city.