possibly a copycat act
**Student reports Quran in campus toilet
**No suspects or leads in incident at Delta College
By Greg KaneRecord Staff Writer
Published Friday, May 20, 2005
STOCKTON – A San Joaquin Delta College student discovered a copy of the Quran in a library toilet Wednesday evening, an incident similar to one described in a now-retracted news report that sparked Muslim protests worldwide last week.
Delta police wouldn’t release the name of the student, whom they say found the Muslim holy book in the toilet of a second-floor men’s bathroom in the library just after 7 p.m. Wednesday. Sgt. Geff Greenwood said the student removed the book from the toilet and placed it on a bathroom shelf before contacting the police.
The scenario mirrors one described in a retracted Newsweek article that led to deadly riots in Afghanistan and protests in other Muslim nations last week. That Newsweek article, citing unidentified sources, claimed interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had flushed a Quran down a toilet to intimidate detainees.
The Quran is the most revered book in Islam. Desecrating it is seen as an offense to Allah.
Word of the discovery spread quickly across the Delta campus Thursday morning. Muslim students said they were more disappointed than angry to learn that someone at school had desecrated the book.
“We have respect for all other religions,” said Ramsey Abboushi, a 19-year-old Muslim student. “We can only hope to get that same respect.”
Sean Khan, 19, is Muslim but doesn’t seriously practice the religion. He still found it upsetting that someone chose to mock another’s beliefs in such a way.
“If it was any religious materials, I’d be equally offended,” Khan said. “It’s just ignorant.”
Wade Heath, an 18-year-old Christian student, said Delta is a culturally diverse campus and was surprised to learn about the discovery early Thursday. Heath is a Lutheran but understands why Muslims would be upset by the incident.
“If it was the Bible flushed down the toilet, I’d be angry,” Heath said. “It’s a total disrespect to somebody’s beliefs.”
Another Muslim student, Ahmed Falol, 19, said he thought it was probably a copycat of the Newsweek incident.
Greenwood said they would still likely pursue hate-crime charges if the person responsible is found.
Police have no suspects or leads. The book came from the library and is being held as evidence. Remaining copies of the Quran have been placed behind the library desk to prevent it from happening again, Greenwood said.
Abboushi said he doubts the person will ever be found.
“There are 20,000 kids that go to this school,” Abboushi said. “They’re not going to stop everyone and ask if they desecrated the Quran.”
