Arrest of US terror suspects in Pak a wake up call for American Muslim - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The arrest of five young American Muslims from Pakistan 's Sargodha region for their alleged involvement in possible terror activities has puzzled the investigators, as none of the five men fit the typical profile of other US nationals who were apprehended earlier on similar charges. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), all the five men, who are in their early 20s, belong to middle-class families and were educated and assimilated, unlike suspects such as David Coleman Headley, who was detained in Chicago for plotting the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The arrests of well-educated Muslims on charges of plotting terror attacks is a cause of serious concern, experts have warned. "This might be most clear wake-up call for the American Muslim community," said Ihsan Bagby, Professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky in Lexington . "These were the kids who should have been clear about what Islam says, but somehow they got a radical message. I'm not sure they got it from their parents or the mosque they attended - so where did they get it from? That's the question the American Muslim community wants an answer to.This may be a real slap in the face.... They thought they were immune to this type of thing," The Christian Science Monitor quoted Bagby, as adding. Investigations have revealed that one of the five men, Ramy Zamzam, 22, is a dental student at Howard University where he received an undergraduate degree this year with a major in biology and chemistry. One of Zamzam's old friends, Zohra Alnoor said she was shocked at the news of her friend's arrest. Although Alnoor failed to describe Zamzam's political beliefs, she referred him as a 'devout'. "He was very devout; he wouldn't date women," Alnoor said. Zamzam's 16-year old neighbour, Peter Max-Jones, called him "very intelligent, very kind, very helpful. Good citizen, all around." "Zamzam's family was very patriotic, very quiet.They're never outside. They're always at home, studying," Jones added.

Arrest of US terror suspects in Pak a wake up call for American Muslims