Man Threatens Colorado Mosques By Phone, Talks To CBS4
By Tom Mustin
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - Worshippers are still stunned after a hate-filled phone call to the Rocky Mountain Islamic Center in Lakewood.
"As soon as I picked up the phone, he said your Allah is an f- word pig," Farid Amin told CBS4's Tom Mustin.
Monday night, an angry man called the center and spewed several minutes of profanity-laced threats.
"'You guys will pay for what happened in Manchester and London.' That was very alarming to us," said Ayman Amin the center's Iman, or spiritual leader.
Amin called Lakewood police, who arrived on the scene and promised protection. Police say the man also called mosques in Boulder, Golden, Northglenn and Denver.
Amin still had the man's call back number -- a number with a Colorado Springs prefix. CBS4 called the number.
After several curse words, the man identified himself and allowed CBS4 to record him.
"Sounds like you're not very sorry for what you did," said Mustin. "I'm not. Not all. Haha..Why would I be?" said the caller. "I didn't do nothing wrong. I didn't kill little girls."
The caller blamed Muslims for the terrorist attacks in England. He encouraged authorities to come after him.
"The FBI is looking into this and they're trying to find you," said Mustin.
"They are. They actually came to my house because you (expletives) don't know how to handle terrorism," he said.
The man says he's protected by free speech.
"What is your message?" asked Mustin, "What would you like to say to us?"
The man answered, "since you condone the attacks, (expletive) you. You're a piece of (expletive)."
Hama says terrorists have nothing to do with 1.7 billion peaceful Muslims worldwide.
"They represent nothing of Islam," he said. "It makes us angry, It makes us sad that our religion is being used this way."
He says and his worshippers will not be silenced by hate.
"We do not want to live in fear."
CBS4 is not identifying the caller because he has not been charged with a crime. Lakewood police say they will provide protection through June, which is the holy week of Ramadan.
The mosque has also hired extra security.
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.
