May 9, 2008 7:52 am US/Eastern
Germantown Mosque Refuses Suspect's Burial
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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The evening call to prayer echoed across Germantown Avenue as the adhan was called.
CBS
Leaders of a mosque in Germantown said that a Muslim deserves the right to an Islamic burial, but in the case of one man, they are refusing to do so because of the events surrounding his death.
The evening call to prayer echoed across Germantown Avenue. The Germantown Musjid As Sunna An'Na Bawiyyah is a place of worship sacred to Muslims.
So when leaders there said a family friend of Howard Cain, the accused bank robber and killer of Sergeant Liczbinski, asked if the mosque would conduct funeral services for Cain, the answer was a resounding "No."
"We don't condone the activities that occurred last Saturday," Mosque Managing Director Tariq Al-Shabazz said.
Cain was shot and killed by police minutes after authorities allege the 34-year-old used an assault rifle to gun down Sgt. Liczbinski on Saturday.
Defense Attorney Tariq Al-Shabazz is also the managing director of the mosque.
"It's a sin to transgress against someone, to rob them, burglarize them, or steal their money or possessions and it's against Islam to commit murder," Al-Shabazz said.
According to authorities, Cain, an ex-convict, had a lengthy criminal history. But leaders of the mosque in Germantown said Cain's history should not reflect their teachings.
"Just like when someone who may be a Christian commits a crime, it's not from Christianity; it's someone who commits a crime. Islam is a perfect religion. Individuals are not perfect," Al-Shabazz said.
Mosque leaders believed Cain's friend chose the mosque because they are known for conducting a lot of traditional funerals.
As for Cain's family, it is unclear what they plan to do next because efforts to reach them were unsuccessful.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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