Ali Houdroge say Islam is a peaceful religion and says events like Friday’s allege terror plot has given the religion a negative stereotype.
“We have no intentions of hurting anyone or doing anything,” says Houdroge. “We are part of this community.”
Houdroge works at the Islamic Center of Portland and says he was disappointed to hear of Osman’s arrest.
According to federal court documents, Osman wanted to travel overseas to Pakistan to practice violent jihad. In a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court Friday night, prosecutors say Osman wrote an article about preparing for violent jihad.
Mohamad Taha, a spokesman for the Islamic Center says, the violent jihad Osman wanted to practice is not supported by Islam.
"If he would have go back to the Qur'an and read the exact translation of the Qur'an, there is nothing that says that permits the hurting of others,” says Taha.
Taha explains, there are two forms of jihad: the greater jihad, which he says teaches selflessness and the lesser jihad which teaches to protect the home from outsiders.
“The violence part that he was trying to implement has no relationship to the jihad is Islam,” says Taha.
Taha and Houdroge both agree: Osman may have been trying to use the smaller jihad as an excuse to commit violence against Westerns.
"I just don't see how he can justify something like that," says Taha.
His coworker, Houdroge, shared those sentiments and says, “Islamic respects life and human beings. How can Islam encourage harm to innocent people."
Fire at Ore. Islamic center; no injuries
Officials say arson caused a fire at an Oregon Islamic center that was the occasional place of worship for a Somali-born teen who two days ago was arrested on charges of plotting a terror attack in Portland.
The fire broke out Sunday at the Salman Al-Farisi Islamic Center, which is near Oregon State University in Corvallis. No injuries have been reported.
Yosof Wanly, imam at the Salman Al-Farisi Islamic Center, said 80 percent of the center's office was burned, but the worship areas were untouched.
The Islamic center was frequented by Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old held on charges of plotting to carry out a terror attack at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland on Friday.
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