PRESS RELEASE
Islamic Center of Northeast Florida
2333 St. John’s Bluff Rd S
Jacksonville, FL 32246
ISLAMIC CENTER EXPRESSES RELIEF, LOOKS FORWARD TO BUILDING A POSITIVE JACKSONVILLE
News conference attended by interfaith partners and city leaders
(Jacksonville, FL, May 5, 2011) – On Thursday, May 5, the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida held a news conference at its premises to thank law enforcement officials and express gratitude to all who showed support throughout the ordeal following the bombing of the Islamic Center on May 10, 2010.
The news conference was attended by a number of interfaith partners and city leaders, from amongst them: James Casey, S.A.C, FBI; John Crescimbeni, City Council; Sheriff John Rutherford, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office; Oupa Seane, Intercultural Center for PEACE, UNF; Imam Enrique Rasheed, Jacksonville Masjid of al-Islam; Dr. Kyle Reese, Senior Pastor, Hendricks Ave. Baptist Church; Bishop Wiley & Dr. Jeana Tomlinson, New Covenant Ministries; and Helen Godwin, Interfaith Council of Jacksonville. Spokespersons Ashraf Shaikh and Muhammad Mansoori were in attendance from the ICNEF.
The following statement was made by Imam Joe Bradford this morning:
“The membership and constituents of the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida join all citizens of goodwill in Jacksonville to express their relief that any threat posed by the person suspected in the bombing of the Islamic Center has ceased as well convey their regret that any lives were lost. We commend the efforts of our law enforcement officials, specifically the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. We appreciate the diligence with which they have acted in order to bring this matter to a close. We thank members of our congregation, the broader interfaith community, and all people of conscience who have been steadfast in their support of the Islamic Center throughout this ordeal.”
“Even in the face of great challenges, the fraternal spirit of our city shines through. Jacksonville will always be remembered more for the graciousness of our goodly neighbors than the acts of any one individual. Many times when speaking about faith communities in Jacksonville and across the nation, focus is concentrated on exceptions rather than the norms. Congregations of diverse backgrounds are engaging in dialogue and interacting at many levels; the Islamic Center welcomes our partners in these initiatives here in and around the city and looks forward to continuing in that tradition. Sometime it takes a negative action to draw our attention to do something positive. While we in all faith communities are relieved at the close of this chapter, we are looking forward to applying the positive lessons from this incident to bettering the lives of our community and our city.”
CONTACT: Spokesperson Ashraf Shaikh, 904-415-5799 or Spokesperson Muhammad Mansoori 904-229-6259 or Imam Joe Bradford, 904-357-0480.