Police Keep Watch Over Area Muslims, Who Hope Bomber is Not One of Their Own

After Wednesday's confusion over whether a suspect had been arrested in Monday's Boston Marathon bombings, the public waited Thursday for officials to release pictures of possible suspects.

While it is still unknown whether those who are responsible for the deadly blasts are Americans or foreigners, Muslims living in the Boston area say they just hope it turns out the bomber is not Muslim.

A column in the Boston Globe today notes area Muslims are worried, and they feel labeled. 

“What will happen to us if they arrest someone and that someone turns out to be a Muslim?” said Imam Talal Eid, a chaplain at Brandeis University, in the column.

For one Malden women, that fear has become a reality.

The woman, a Palestinian, was assaulted  — punched and called a terrorist — while walking near Malden center Wednesday, according to Malden Patch.

“He was screaming 'F___ you Muslims! You are terrorists! I hate you! You are involved in the Boston explosions! F___ you!'” Malden resident Heba Abolaban remembered of the attack. “Oh my lord, I was extremely shocked.”

Abolaban said the man, described as white, in his thirties, and wearing dark sunglasses, kept shouting and walking toward her as she backed away, according to the Malden Patch article. 

Earlier in the week, police in Wayland assured the president of the Islamic Center of Boston on Rte. 20 in that town that police would be visible near the Center this week, according to Wayland Patch. 

"We do increase our presence there, mostly just for the comfort of the people that go there," Wayland Police Chief Robert Irving said in the story. "It reminds me of after 9/11, I did the same thing. I want to make sure they understand we'll be extra vigilant and make sure their people and property are safe."

ICB Wayland President Aijaz Baloch said he appreciated that Irving had reached out to the center, but things had been quiet as of Wednesday evening.

"There are no specific incidents or comments of either kind [positive or negative] but I did have the safety of our centers and members in mind as you only need one crazy person to cause harm," Baloch said. "We can never thank enough to our neighbors and the town of Wayland for all the support we have received over the years."

At Boston's largest mosque, the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury Crossing, police were parked outside earlier this week following the bombings, according to an article on the Huffington Post.

Meanwhile, inside the mosque, sadness was felt at the same level as it is everywhere in Boston, officials said.

"We're Bostonians — we mourn with the city," said Suhaib Webb, who leads the congregation, in the HuffPost article. "We stand in support with the city, with the victims. We're hurt, equally shocked and equally pissed off."

According to an ABC report, Imam Ibrahim Rahim of the Yusuf Mosque on Boston's Chestnut Hill Avenue offered a prayer for the Boston Marathon bombing victims on Monday, then noted, "Dear Lord, God, please whatever this yields, let it not be something that can in anyway be associated with Islam."

So, the Muslim American community waits, for an answer: who is responsible for the bombings?