Religious Profiling At Giants Stadium?

(New Jersey - WABC, November 2, 2005) (WABC) -- They say they were praying inside Giants Stadium just before the game with the Saints a couple of weeks ago.

Someone saw them, thought it was suspicious, and called the cops who questioned and detained the men.

Now the men are speaking out. Was this a case of religious profiling?

Eyewitness News reporter Nina Pineda at the Meadowlands.

If you see something, say something. And if you see something suspicious, don't keep it to yourself.

These are the motto's we live by now, so you have to ask -- when does being vigilant about suspected terrorism cross the line into religious intolerance?

It was the home opener for the displaced New Orleans Saints -- a packed Monday night game at Giants Stadium.

Seton Hall law student Sami Shaban, his friend Moustaffa Khalifa, and three others say they entered Gate D before heading to their seats, knelt to pray.

Sami: "It was time for prayers so we just moved to the side out of everyone's way and just found a little part and prayed."

Muslims are obliged to bow and pray five times a day, no matter where they are. But alarmed fans thought that was suspicious, they noted stadium security, who notified the F.B.I.

Sami: "They said get up right now and we saw three state troopers at the bottom of the stairs and we knew it was getting serious, so we got up and left."

Both stadium security and the F.B.I. were on high alert that night because the game was one week after the 9/11 anniversary and former President George Bush was in the stands.

George Zoffinger, N.J. Sports and Exposition Authority: "In this case, the F.B.I. & did exactly what they were trained to do."

The F.B.I. says the men were not interrogated, they were interviewed  not because of their background or what they were doing, but where they were doing it.

The area, which has since been sealed off to the public, is near an air intake vent and near a food handling station.

The men say they were simply life-long Big Blue fans, targeted because of their appearance.

Sami: "I'm as American as apple pie."

Mr. Shaban was born in Bellevue and raised in Nutley. He and his friends are not looking for money, they simply contacted the Council on American-Muslim Relations to launch a campaign to foster understanding about their customs.

The stadium says they obviously have to look into how to handle this situation in the future.

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•