Prison Converts to terror
September 3, 2010 – 1:16 pmSep. 2, 2010, 4:01 AM New York Post By PATRICK DUNLEAVY Reporting on the terrorism trial now under way in federal district court in Manhattan is focusing on defense attorneys' "entrapment" claim. But to me, the more interesting question is how the four accused were radicalized to the point where they'd even consider plotting to bomb synagogues in The Bronx and shoot down aircraft with missiles. What stands out is the prison connection. All four defendants were former inmates. More important, all three imams at the mosque in Newburgh that the defendants attended after being released from prison had a connection with the prison system. Imams Salahuddin Muhammad, Hamin Rashada and Melody Rashada worked for the Department of Correctional Services. All had been hired by Warith Deen Umar -- who for years headed ministerial services for the New York state prison system. Umar stated in a 2003 Wall Street Journal interview ...