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7 facts concerning allegations
against Imam Jamil Al-Amin
Fact 1 In 1999, Imam Jamil was stopped while driving by Cobb County Police. During the stop, the officers asked Imam Jamil for proof of insurance of the vehicle he was driving. He had a valid driver's license but no insurance. According to the Imam, when he went to open his wallet, an officer spotted a metal badge. The officer was informed by Imam Jamil that the badge was issued to him by the city of White Hall, Alabama when that city's Mayor appointed him to the city's auxiliary police force. At no time did the Imam Jamil represent himself as an Atlanta police officer (Source: Essay of Prof. Natsu Taylor Saito, Georgia State University Law School, 3/20/2000). Fact 2 During the stop, the Cobb County policeman a check on the car Imam Jamil was driving and their records listed the car as stolen. Imam Jamil provided the authorities with a bill of sale for the car, yet the police nevertheless arrested him for receiving stolen property. He was also charged with diving without insurance and impersonating an officer (Source: Prof. Saito, 3/20/00). Fact 3 Imam Jamil attempted to seek legal representation to have these charges dismissed. Wanting to avoid a trial and the attendant publicity, he offered to plead to reduced charges and a sentence of a fine and community service. However, the District Attorney initially insisted on a minimum sentence of two years in prison, never offering a settlement without jail time (Source: Prof. Saito, 3/20/00). Fact 4 Imam Jamil missed a court appearance in January of this year, in connection with these small, non-violent charges. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest. On March 16th, the day in which Muslims from around the world were celebrating one of their two holy days - Eid Al Adha - two police officers came to a store which was owned by Imam Jamil to serve the warrant (Source: Prof. Saito, 3/20/00). Fact 5 Atlanta and Fulton County police wrongly told the media Thursday night that the warrant which the police had sought to serve upon Imam Jamil was for aggravated assault. They now admit that the information they put out was false (Sources: Atlanta Journal Constitution, "Sheriff: Deputies blindsided by attack," 3/18/00; Hype Newswire "Media's Rush to Judgement in the H. Rap Brown - Al-Amin Case," Mar. 2000). Fact 6 The Fulton County Police reported that the "shooter" had been wounded and that they were following a trail of blood. Some reports claimed that the blood was identified as that from Imam Jamil. However, medical officials have now verified that Imam Jamil is not wounded and thus the blood trail could not have come from him (Sources: Atlanta Journal Constitution, "Police doubt bloodstains linked to Al-Amin case," 3/24/00). Fact 7 Imam Jamil stated that this incident was a part of a government conspiracy. This would not be the first. On August 7, 1995, Imam Jamil Al-Amin, while driving his son to school, was arrested in connection with the July shooting of a young man in Atlanta. After the arrest, the police interrogated his seven-year-old son for six hours before notifying someone to pick up the child. The victim initially pointed to Imam Jamil as being his assailant. Later, in a news conference in Washington, D.C., this young man announced that he did not know who wounded him and that the police pressured him into making the identification (Sources: Prof. Saito, 3/20/00; Washington Post, "60's militant arrested in Alabama," 3/21/00, "Al-Amin Calls Slaying Case A 'Government Conspiracy', 3/22/00).
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