TUCSON, Arizona, 15 August 2003 — The Muslim community in the state of Arizona is seeking answers about the weeks-long detention of a Saudi citizen, a father of five and a linguistics scholar at the University of Arizona.
Muhammad Al-Qudhai’een was taken into federal custody in June.
Since then, Deedra Abboud, of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Phoenix, learned that Al-Qudhai’een is being held as a “material witness” in a federal prison in Virginia, more than 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles) away. A material witness is believed to have knowledge crucial to solving an inquiry or crime.
But that is about all his friends and family have been able to find out. “The whole thing is leaving a bitter taste in everybody’s mouth. He’s a dedicated man who’s dedicated to his community and his family,” said his friend, Samer Alshawwa, who is also the secretary at the Islamic Center of Tucson where Al-Qudhai’een often led prayer and at one time was a member of its board of trustees.
Susan Herskovits, spokeswoman for the FBI office in Phoenix, Arizona, declined to comment on Al-Qudhai’een’s case.
Al-Qudhai’een’s wife, Modhi, has since returned to Saudi Arabia with their children because she had not obtained any information about her husband’s detention, Alshawwa said, adding that the Saudi Embassy in Washington has refused to get involved.
Abboud’s group recently asked Arizona congressman Rep. Raul Grijalva to see if his office can make inquiries about the situation surrounding the man’s detention. Members of Grijalva’s staff confirmed Tuesday that Abboud’s group met with the congressman about the case.
Al-Qudhai’een, a Ph.D candidate who majored in second language acquisition and teaching, completed the spring 2003 semester, but wasn’t enrolled for the fall session, said university spokeswoman Sharon Kha.
