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| Calif. Town Shaken by Terrorism Arrests |
| Thursday, June 09, 2005 |
For nearly a century, Pakistanis have been a part of this farming town. Today, they account for about 2,500 of Lodi's more than 62,000 residents. Pakistan's Independence Day - Aug. 14 - is celebrated just like the Fourth of July. So it's no wonder that a terrorism investigation leading to the arrests of a father and son has shaken Lodi to its core.
Keith Slotter, head of the FBI's central California office, alleges several people committed to al-Qaida have been operating in and around the tranquil wine-growing region just south of Sacramento.
"We don't want the new slogan to be, 'Come to Lodi and taste our wines and meet our terrorists,'" said Mayor John Beckman, describing Pakistani-Americans as "a very vibrant, healthy part of the community."
Authorities say Hamid Hayat, 22, returned last year after training in an al-Qaida terrorist camp and planned to attack hospitals and supermarkets in the United States. His father, Umer Hayat, is alleged to have paid for his son's training at a clandestine Pakistani camp. Both are charged with lying to investigators.
Three local Muslims, including two imams, also have been detained on immigration violations.
Umer Hayat, 47, sold treats to children from his battered ice cream van and his son found work packing cherries grown in surrounding orchards. Neighbors said the father was always friendly, laughing and talking with the children who bought his treats. Both men are U.S. citizens. |
posted by Jay Are @ 11:05:00 AM   |
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