CHICAGO TRIBUNE: DEARBORN, Mich. - A planned visit by CIA Director Leon Panetta to a Detroit suburb with one of the nation's largest Arab populations is drawing criticism.
Panetta announced Tuesday he will attend an invitation-only dinner and speech with 150 leaders of the Arab and Muslim communities in Dearborn on Sept. 16.
But Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, tells The Detroit News officials chose "entirely wrong night" because it's the 27th night of Ramadan. He said that's when many devout Muslims and imams spend the entire night worshipping in the mosque.
Imad Hamad, regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Dearborn, said he and other community leaders should take the blame, not the CIA. [Source: Chicago Tribune] Associated Press | Wednesday, September 09, 2009
