Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Muslim Student at Arizona State U. Is Charged With Fabricating Report of Hate Crime By DANA MULHAUSER A Muslim college student who had reported that he was physically assaulted after the September 11 terrorist attacks has confessed to inventing the incidents, according to the police. Ahmad Saad Nasim, a junior at Arizona State University, has been indicted by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office on two counts of false reporting. Mr. Nasim had told police officers that he was beaten and pelted with eggs in a university parking lot on September 13 while his attackers, two white men, shouted "Die, Muslim, die!" The report gained wide attention at the time because it was the first hate crime alleged against a Muslim college student in the wake of last month's highjackings. (See an article from The Chronicle, September 17.) The hoax was discovered in late September after police officials began investigating claims of a second hate crime against Mr. Nasim. In the second incident, he was found locked in a bathroom stall with a bag over his head and paper stuffed in his mouth. Hate speech was written on the paper. Police became suspicious because the bathroom stall was locked from the inside. "In the first incident there were some inconsistencies and red flags, but not enough for us to begin investigating," said John R. Sutton, a lieutenant with the campus police department. "But inconsistencies in the second report, plus the unlikelihood of two of these events happening to the same person, raised our suspicions." Under questioning by investigators, Mr. Nasim admitted having made up both incidents, police officials said. Mr. Nasim, while offering no independent explanation for his actions, agreed with a detective's surmise that the hoax was intended to draw sympathy for American Muslims, police officials said. Mr. Nasim could face up to one year in jail, if convicted. He is due in court November 6, when a trial date will be set. Keith Jennings, an Arizona State spokesman, said that he could not comment on whether the university was pursuing disciplinary action against Mr. Nasim. When reached by telephone, Mr. Nasim referred all calls to his lawyer, Phil Hineman. Mr. Hineman was not available for comment. A number of Middle Eastern students left the United States after September 11, some citing the attack on Mr. Nasim as a reason for their departure. Muslim students at Santa Barbara City College, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and New Mexico State University at Las Cruces subsequently reported being the targets of hate crimes. Issues in depth: Background articles on the terrorist attacks and academe Easy-to-print version E-mail this article

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