innocent moroccan wrongly accused of being Boston Marathon bombing suspects

[rehabiti]

I am Moroccan.
I do not know why the Moroccans accused in Boston explosions
Why do you judge the Moroccans ? This is an injustice
Moroccans are not a terrorist
Morocco's first Islamic state made ​​in recognition of the United States of America

[uppityperson]

1. Do you mean these? Welcome to DU.

http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/04/87569/boston-bombing-suspects-unknowingly-guilty-until-proven-innocent/

Following Monday’s horrific bombings at the Boston Marathon, Moroccan track coach Yassine Zaimi and Moroccan student and runner Salaheddin Barhoum, 17, were targeted by the FBI because they stood near the bomb site wearing large backpacks. The FBI released photos of the two young men in hopes someone could identify them. The New York Post and other media outlets publicized the photos. Soon after, the men were found innocent but the psychological damage had already been done.

Barhoum learned via his friends and social media that he was a wanted suspect. Meanwhile, the public learned that a department store video revealed two other suspects of similar description – wearing backpacks and baseball caps – but we were not shown the video or photos until much later. Whether the FBI learned its lesson from releasing the earlier photo of the Moroccans is unclear, but the misstep is devastating to these men who were later shown to be innocent.

“I’m going to be scared going to school,” Barhoum told The Huffington Post. “Workwise, my family, everything is going to be scary.” This high school teenager is not much younger than the 19 year-old suspect on the run Friday and was unlucky to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. This teen came of age in the decade following 9/11, in a generation that is familiar with racial, ethnic and religious profiling but also cognizant of the careful language of political correctness used so often to veil what people really think.

There is no nationality, religion, skin color, to who sets bombs. Unfortunately there is a certain type of person who will jump to conclusions and use events to forward their fears and hatreds. After the bombing, many photos were circulated and unfortunately it looks like these guys were in some of them. Many different people were questioned and released.

I do hope that this bombing murder does not lead bigots to act negatively towards people they perceive as "the enemy" who are not in any way.

[rehabiti]

3. yes

yesss

[uppityperson]

6. I do not know if those people's pictures were on DU, or are you talking about the larger USA?

And welcome.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. Although the FBI didn't release the photos

They circulated inside law enforcement, and some idiot leaked them to the New York Post (and/or unknown people on the internet).

[cyberswede]

2. Are you talking about this?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/boston-bombing-rupert-murdoch-defends-443371

But the tabloid's biggest misstep was yet to come: Thursday's edition featured a front-page color photo of two innocent men, one a 17-year-old Moroccan track athlete, under the headline, "Bag Men: Feds seek these two pictured at Boston Marathon." The story was deemed "reckless and appalling" by the Columbia Journalism Review, a sentiment echoed by much of the media world.

The article has nothing to do with this website (democraticunderground.com).

[JI7]

4. he was racially profiled for the same reason the Saudi Guy was

[ohiosmith]

5. A dumbass alerted on this post. The jury voted 6/0 to let it stand.

At Sat Apr 20, 2013, 10:06 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

innocent moroccan wrongly accused of being Boston Marathon bombing suspects
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022725712

REASON FOR ALERT:

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate. (See <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards" target="_blank">Community Standards</a>.)

ALERTER'S COMMENTS:

this is just bizarre.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sat Apr 20, 2013, 10:09 PM, and the Jury voted 0-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: It is bizarre but it doesn't seem like it should be locked to me.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: So,....bizarre should be hidden! Look around GD! Leave it!
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Bizarre or not. I do not think it is hide worthy.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: Despite the ESL problems, the poster is asking a legitimate question about why the US is so quick to blame people of ME heritage of terrorism.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: This should be explained not hidden.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[In_The_Wind]

9. I was part of this jury.

[ohiosmith]

11. Bravo!

[In_The_Wind]

13. And to you as well.

[dballance]

14. Kudos to the Jury for Taking Time to Understand the Legitimate Post

I didn't think the post was bizarre at all. I understood it pretty clearly. It was a very legitimate gripe given that the NY Post put those innocent guys on their cover and practically called them guilty.

[riderinthestorm]

7. Yes, it is an injustice and most of DU agrees.

The publication of their names and photos was a terrible disgrace.

This American apologizes.

The American news media is badly flawed.

Welcome to DU.

[In_The_Wind]

8. I do not judge Moroccans.

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[LisaL]

10. They were suspected mostly because they had large backpacks.

As I recall there was a white middle aged guy with a large bag also deemed suspicious.
And he looked like a college professor, for crying out loud.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

12. Don't worry. No one here is judging you or your country.

The New York Post is a shameful publication.

Welcome to DU.

[fleur-de-lisa]

15. Agreed that such false accusations are unjustified, but . . .

It would greatly help if you would post either links to articles and/or previous DU posts if you are trying to make a case on DU.

[uppityperson]

16. I think they are ESL and posts 1 & 2 have links.

[rehabiti]

18. thx lisa