An Islamic center in St. Paul, Minn. has written a letter of support to lessen the sentence of a Somalian child rapist. The man abducted the 12-year-old girl from her backyard, bashed her over the head, and transported her in his car, where he raped her before she was able to escape.
Qalinle Dirie, 42, was convicted for raping the girl and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was found guilty by a jury trial of first-degree sexual conduct. After the conviction, the Al-Ihsan Islamic Center submitted letters of support for Dirie.
Judge Burns sentenced Dirie to the least amount of time permissible under Minnesota law: 12 years. Dirie will also have to register as a predatory offender. He is eligible for parole in 2033, four years ahead of the 12 years, and would be on parole for the rest of the term.
Dirie was born in Somalia and grew up in refugee camps in Kenya before coming to the US in 2006. He's been living permanently in Minnesota for over 10 years and sends remittances home to his family in Somalia.
The Al-Ihsan Islamic Center said Dirie has faced "the challenge of starting over in a new culture." They referred to the rape and conviction as "this situation" and said that Ahmed Anshur, the executive director of the center who had signed the letter, had "witnessed his love for his family and kids."
The center said that Dirie "has also been an active volunteer in our mosque, Al-Ihsan Islamic Center, where he regularly visited during Friday prayers, Ramadan, and community events. You’ll often find him helping elders find rides home or staying after to help clean up. His service has never been about recognition — just a quiet commitment to supporting the spaces that hold our community together."
For the Islamic center, that's a good enough reason to support a child rapist.
https://thepostmillennial.com/minnesota-islamic-center-asks-judge-to-go-easy-on-somalian-convicted-child-rapist-due-to-cultural-differences
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