HomeWorldUSMuslim community expresses fear after killings of Men in Albuquerque

Muslim community expresses fear after killings of Men in Albuquerque

Muhammad Imtiaz Hussein is afraid step outside his home in Albuquerque to water their plants. Or get books from it car. Or even venture out to his balcony.

“My children won’t let me go outside of my apartment,” said Mr. Hussain, 41, whose younger brother Mohammed Afzaal Hussain, 27, was mortally wounded a week ago on Monday. just in several blocks. He was one of four Muslims men who have recently been killed in in city – three in in past two weeks – and the authorities believe that these deaths are connected and meant for Muslims community.

latest victim, muslim in he is about 20 years old from South Asia, whose name is not released by the police, was killed on Friday just until midnight. Another man, 41-year-old Aftab Hussein, was mortally wounded. on 26 July. Authorities say the killings of all three may be related to November 2021. killing of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62 years old outside a business him and him brother ran.

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The Albuquerque Police, the FBI, and the State Police have contacted public for help in find the killer or killers – on Sunday authorities described vehicle of interest, dark four-door Volkswagen sedan – attacks left Muslims in State of terror.

one member who visited the Islamic Center of New Mexico, same mosque as all four of victims, said he might never return, citing fear of becomes a bait.

Other members temporarily left state to stay with family members in other parts of country to wait out investigation. One man, who immigrated from Iraq, said he felt safer back when he first came to the country in 1980s. Another member, Salem Ansari, said that some who visit the mosque and work night shifts are laid off.

“The situation is getting much worse,” Mr. Ansari said.

Ahmad Assed, President of mosques, said he grew up up in Albuquerque visits Islamic center but never felt isolated as a Muslim in in city. But now, he says, community goes through sorting of controlled panic.

elder Mr. Hussein said he lived well in its surroundings for eight years since moving To United States with his wife and children. His brother Mohammed has arrived in 2017 and both men went to the library at midnight or buy coffee late at night while studying at university of New Mexico like international pupils.

“Now I’m looking outside out the window and think: “Oh, this place where is my brother was killed. Can we move?'” he said.

Mr. Hussein said that initially he hoped to send his brothers body back be buried with family in Pakistan, but numerous gunshot wounds were made his brother beyond recognition, and Mr. Hussain is not want his family To see him. Killer “wanted to finish his – as many as nine yards,” he said.

In general, anti-Muslim hate crimes in The US is on a downward trend. brian levin, professor of criminal justice at California State University San Bernardino and director of school center for the study of Hatred and extremism, said the number of reporting hate crimes against Muslims were lower in 2020 than in Any year after 9/11, although he added that these figures may be distorted because of pandemic restrictions.

But he said hate crimes remain concern: they have grown more than 20 percent in 2021 and increased by another 4.7 percent in in first half of 2022, the center reported. In addition, “mainstream anti-Muslim sentiments” are widespread and manifest during times of national difficulties, according to the research of Professor Levin.

The authorities have said they are refraining from using in term “hate” in stigmatization of crimes until a motive is established.

Just last yearIslamic center faced attempted arson by a woman who police say set three bonfires on mosque playground and one fire in the mosque main input. Not one was wounded and the woman was arrested and charged with arson. The case is pending.

The Islamic Center has instructed its nearly 2,500 members to stay home as far as they can use “buddy system” during the transition out and refrain from “attracting with or campaigning” anyoneMr. Assed said.

He added that he still felt supported by other communities, but this time he also felt a feeling of “hopelessness and despair”.

“I take care of my back and to get in in car. I watch everything that surrounds me,” he said. “You do not know are they watching you from the mosque, are they really watching people going in as well as out of mosque and follow them elsewhere. Sample unknown”.

A little community members expressed disappointment at the lack of of details from the police investigation, but Mr. Assed said he in contact with authorities and understood why they keep any events secret. The authorities did not specify on why they believe the murders are connected, and did not indicate if there were any witnesses.

Mr Hussein said that he wanted federal and state governments to invest as many resources as possible in catching killer.

But until someone is caught, nothing will lessen their fear—or their grief.

“My 5-year-old keeps asking, “Hey, where’s my uncle?” he said. “She will see me crying and say: “What are you, a crybaby? Why are you crying?’ But we can’t tell her. Not yet.”

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Tyler Hromadka
Tyler Hromadka
Tyler is working as the Author at World Weekly News. He has a love for writing and have been writing for a few years now as a free-lancer.

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