Wednesday, October 29, 2003

Islam and terrorism in Boston? (Part II). The Herald is back with the second half of its piece on the Islamic Society of Boston and its alleged ties to Muslims who support terrorism.

Today's installment draws the circle a little tighter than yesterday's, reporting that Osama M. Kandil, who chairs the society's board of trustees, "is allegedly linked to a network of Muslim companies and charitable groups in Virginia suspected by federal investigators of providing material support to Islamic terrorists."

But the report is frustrating, because it's impossible to know whether Kandil is truly aiding and abetting terrorists, or if he's been caught up in some unfortunate second-hand affiliations.

Kandil himself denies all, and tells the Herald that the mosque and cultural center the society intends to build in Roxbury will promote "the moderate, sophisticated view of Islam."

The smartest comment comes in the sidebar. US Representative Michael Capuano, whose district includes Roxbury and who took part in the groundbreaking for the new mosque, says, "The allegations are pretty serious. I'm going to do my best to learn more. Having said that, the Islamic Society I know is an active, responsible group ... I will not indict a whole group because of a few people."

The Herald has unearthed some important facts. But we need to know a lot more.

Gammons on Grady. You know what you want. You want to know what Peter Gammons thinks of Grady Little's firing, and of what comes next.

Here you go.

Joe Maddon? Well, the Globe's Bob Hohler mentions him today, too. So does the Herald's Michael Silverman.

So it's officially a trend.

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