Media Ignore Fact That Man Who Alerted Police To Failed Times Square Bombing Is A Muslim Immigrant

The chief suspect in the case of the failed Times Square car bombing is Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad, who has confessed to the plot. Much of the media has latched onto Shahzad’s Muslim faith and his Pakistani identity, making inflammatory remarks and suggestions about Muslims and Pakistanis:

– CNN contributor and Redstate.com blogger Erick Erickson complained that the words “muslim” and “Islam” are “not mentioned” enough in stories about Shahzad. He wrote, “It really is pathetic that you’re more likely to see the words “racist” and “Republican” together in the newspaper these days than “terrorism” and “Islam.” [5/4/2010]

– Hate radio host Neal Boortz tweeted, “OMG! The Times Square Bomber is a Muslim! Shocker! Who would have believed it?” [5/4/2010]

– The cover of today’s Washington Post-published Express features a black-and-white photo of Shahzad with the sensationalist headline “MADE IN PAKISTAN” [5/5/2010]

Yet one fact being ignored in the American media’s sensationalist narrative about the failed bombing is that the man who was responsible for police finding the bomb was Muslim. The UK’s Times Online reports that Aliou Niasse, a Senagalese Muslim immigrant who works as a photograph vendor on Times Square, was the first to bring the smoking car to the police’s attention:

Aliou Niasse, a street vendor selling framed photographs of New York, said that he was the first to spot the car containing the bomb, which pulled up right in front of his cart on the corner of 45th street and Broadway next to the Marriott hotel.

“I didn’t see the car pull up or notice the driver because I was busy with customers. But when I looked up I saw that smoke appeared to be coming from the car. This would have been around 6.30pm.”

“I thought I should call 911, but my English is not very good and I had no credit left on my phone, so I walked over to Lance, who has the T-shirt stall next to mine, and told him. He said we shouldn’t call 911. Immediately he alerted a police officer near by,” said Mr Niasse, who is originally from Senegal and who has been a vendor in Times Square for about eight years.

As the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights notes, “South Asian, and Muslim communities may yield useful information to those fighting terrorism. Arabs and Arab Americans also offer the government an important source of Arabic speakers and translators. The singling out of Arabs, South Asians, Muslims, and Sikhs for investigation regardless of whether any credible evidence links them to terrorism will simply alienate these individuals and compromise the anti-terrorism effort.”

Reflecting on Niasse’s good samaritanism Muslim-American author Sumbul Ali-Karamali writes, “It’s somewhat consoling to know that the man who first noticed the smoking Nissan Pathfinder and sought help is also Muslim, a Senegalese immigrant. … I grew up Muslim in this country, with Muslim friends and non-Muslim friends, and there was very little difference between the two groups. We were all American.”

Source

I thought this was worth posting and getting some feedback on. Not sure if it makes a difference but naturally media will tweak like they do or avoid certain details. What say ye?

[edit on 5-5-2010 by Crossfate]

mm in the british media he is " labelled " a vietnam veteran , I wonder if this is the same guy? handbag seller?

And CNN is bent on making this Terrorist a Hero as they stress in their coverage "He Hated Bush, He Lost his Job, & His Home was Foreclosed". This poor bloke lost it all because of Bush so he wanted to stick it to them.

On MSNBC, a host is stunned that the terrorist turned out to be a "poor Muslim" when they had intersting theories about a 40y/o white male with links to the Tea Party Movemnent.

www.nydailynews.com...

Don't know, doesn't say anything about "faith"..

I Think the MEDIA is all pissed off because it wasn't a Tea Party person or white militia guy.... go figure?

What the hell is wrong with the media that they would WISH for a homegrown terror attack.

[edit on 5-5-2010 by infolurker]

reply to post by Crossfate


He was also a registered Democrat.

Nothing else to add to that one, expecially after they fervently hoped he was a "tea bagger".

ETA the bomber was, not the person reporting him. Read the person reporting him was a vietnam vet also.

[edit on 5-5-2010 by Libertygal]

reply to post by prionace glauca


Isn't sympathizing with this guy the equivalent of treason?

They are even talking of charging this guy with treason, since he was a US citizen.