MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
Offices of Missouri's natural resources department have been visited by the FBI as part of the federal investigation into the Columbia-based Islamic organization. Zack Ottenstein reports from Jefferson City.
The departments spokesperson says federal agents interviewed an department economist who, it turns out, is the executive director of the Columbia based Islamic organization.
Mubarak Hamed was hired by the state agency in 2002--- almost three years after his organization had been sanctioned by the State Department.
Natural resources department spokesperson Connie Patterson says job applicants are not screened for voluntary, unpaid positions.
Top officials of Patterson's department were unavailable for comment...Hamed who was said to be on leave, but still employed as the economist for the water resource program.
Capitol police and the FBI refused comment.
hzo
The story about the federal investigation into the Al Qaeda linked group, the Islamic American Relief Agency, has moved to an agency of the Missouri State Government. Zack Ottenstein reports from Jefferson City.
The executive director of the Islamic American Relief Agency turns out to be a high paid employee of the Missouri Natural Resources Department, where he's been working for the last couple of years.
A top spokesperson for the department says the FBI visited the agency earlier this week to interview the employee-- Mubarak Hamed.
But Connie Patterson says she subsequently got some reassuring words:
Other than Patterson, top officials of the Natural Resources Department have been unavailable for comment...as has been the state's Homeland Security Director.
Hamed's job is as an economist analyzing population trends and water supply.
Patterson says in that job, he has access to whatever department information he needs to do his job.
hzo
Two Missouri government officials are taking a no-comment stance about the developing story that the executive director of the Columbia based charity under FBI investigation is a paid state employee.
Mubarak Hamed is listed as the Islamic American Relief Agency's executive director.
He's also an economist for the Natural Resources Department.
Other than the department's spokesperson, the department's top officials from the director on down have been unavailable for comment.
The governor's spokesperson, Mary Still refused comment:
But the FBI also refuses comment...as does the state's capitol police.
The DNR says Hamed remains on the state payroll, but was on leave at the end of the week.