CLEVELAND Ruling lets imam lead services

Mosque leaders fear violence will erupt.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- A temporary agreement allows an Islamic cleric accused of concealing ties to terrorist groups to conduct prayer services this weekend despite efforts to oust him by leaders of the area's largest mosque.
The agreement, however, does not resolve a rift between Imam Fawaz Mohammed Damrah and leaders of the Islamic Center of Cleveland over whether he should continue to lead while his criminal case proceeds.
Damrah, 41, has pleaded innocent to a charge of obtaining U.S. citizenship by providing false information. He is accused of being linked to several groups, including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and concealing those affiliations when he applied for citizenship.
Dr. Ali Halabi, president of the Islamic Center of Cleveland, said in court papers that violence could erupt at the mosque without swift court intervention. The papers were filed Wednesday, five days after riot police stood guard at the mosque in suburban Parma to keep the peace during weekly prayers.
Attorneys for Damrah and mosque leaders met privately for 31/2 hours Thursday with Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Tim McCormick to hammer out the agreement that allows Damrah to conduct services at the center this afternoon and Sunday, the beginning of the four-day Muslim holiday Feast of Sacrifice.
Damrah is required to limit his sermons to religious content only and to leave the mosque immediately after the services. He is not permitted in any other areas, including his office.
Mosque leaders scheduled a second Sunday service at Cuyahoga Community College and barred Damrah from attending.
McCormick said that if either side breaks the agreement, criminal charges could be filed.
Damrah asked the judge to eventually call for a vote of the mosque's general assembly to determine whether he should remain.
"I have never at any time imposed myself on anybody or any community," Damrah said.
Mosque elder Haider Alawan and Damrah said that some leaders in the mosque were trying to use the indictment as an opportunity to force the imam out.
Halabi said he agreed to the compromise to maintain unity at the mosque.
He denied leaders were trying to force Damrah out, saying he could return when the criminal case is over.
"I don't want to jeopardize the Islamic center because of his indictment," Halabi said.
Courthouse prayer
During a break earlier Thursday, Damrah led 10 supporters in an afternoon prayer in the hallway just outside the courtroom. They removed their shoes, faced east and kneeled on the floor.
"We just prayed to ask God to help us, that truth and justice will prevail in this matter," he said.
Local Arab factions -- inside and outside of the mosque -- have been wrangling over Damrah's presence at the mosque since his indictment Jan. 13.
About 5,000 people are expected to attend prayers during the holiday, which celebrates the prophet Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, to God.
The weekly prayers usually draw between 400 and 500 people, but the service Jan. 23 where riot police stood guard was packed with 600 or 700.
Halabi said in court papers that some of the newcomers pushed and shoved and others physically prevented Halabi from leading the service.
Parma Mayor Dean DePiero said Thursday that police would be at the mosque today and throughout the weekend but that their presence likely would be less than that of a week ago when the SWAT team was deployed.