Local Leaders Call For Calm After Raids in Flushing

"We urge our community to remain calm and wait for the results of the ongoing federal investigation before jumping to conclusions," Choe declared. John Choe, co-president of the Mitchell- Linden Civic Association, and Democratic District Leader Martha Flores-Vazquez reacted to Monday's raids on homes in two Flushing neighborhoods by New York City and federal law enforcement agencies with a joint news conference on Tuesday, September 15 at 41-18 Parsons Blvd., the site of one federal raid, to urge calm.

Starting at around 2 a.m. on September 14, federal agents from the Joint Terrorism Task Force detained a number of Flushing residents, including a Bosnian family at 29- 49 137th St. in the Mitchell-Linden neighborhood and an Afghan family at the Parsons Boulevard site near Downtown Flushing. A stream of unmarked cars and an armored vehicle pulled up outside 41-18 Parsons Blvd. and at least 10 agents, wearing FBI flak jackets, and helmeted members of the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorist Task Force stormed the residence and removed several people, neighbors said. High-ranking police sources said the raids were sparked by an ongoing investigation involving a man suspected of having ties to Al Qaeda who arrived in Flushing recently from a trip overseas.

"The raids carried out in Queens are a reminder that eight years after 9/11, New York City remains terrorist target number one." Maloney called law enforcement officials "the best of America and a source of pride..." Sources said 26-year-old Naiv Khan, a food cart vendor who lives at the Parsons Boulevard address, found himself surrounded by federal agents on Monday who searched for, but did not find, bombs or bomb-making equipment or materials at the home.

Khan, who was detained for hours while federal agents questioned him, told reporters when he returned home on Monday that the agents broke down a door to enter his home, seized his computer and hard drive and raided his parents' home nearby.

"The FBI won't find anything on the computer," Khan said. "I don't know what this is about." Khan's roommate, 30-year-old cab driver Amanulla Akvari, was also questioned.

Sources said that nothing "imminent" was about to happen. "The FBI is constantly tracking people who might create problems somewhere down the line," the sources said. "This was a preventative measure." The agents were seeking an acquaintance of Khan's named Najibullah, who moved to a Western state six months ago but came to a mosque in Queens Thursday, September 10 and stayed overnight at Khan's apartment before leaving the city.

According to unconfirmed reports, a Bosnian couple and their two adult children were also taken for questioning after a search warrant was executed on their apartment on 137th Street in Whitestone.

"We urge our community to remain calm and wait for the results of the ongoing federal investigation before jumping to conclusions," Choe declared. "Flushing is a tightly knit community that values tolerance and diversity. Our Muslim neighbors are patriotic Americans; many serve in our armed forces. We cannot allow this incident to divide us. All people of good will must come together during this crisis and oppose any harassment or hate against any ethnic or religious group in our community as a result of [Monday's] raids."

On Monday afternoon, Flores-Vazquez stated: "Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15 is the Democratic Primary Election Day and we encourage all our citizens to come out and vote. We cannot allow any fear or panic that may result from today's raids to deter us from exercising our right to vote. The federal government is conducting a thorough investigation and they have everything under control. One concrete way for Americans to defend our democratic system is to vote and to encourage all our neighbors, family and friends to vote tomorrow."

Congressmember Carolyn Maloney (DQueens/ Manhattan) in a statement noted, "The raids carried out in Queens are a reminder that eight years after 9/11, New York City remains terrorist target number one." Maloney called law enforcement officials "the best of America and a source of pride to all of us for their untiring efforts to protect our city and nation".