Name Fawaz Damrah | Role Imam | |
Fawaz Mohammed Damrah (Arabic: فواز ضمره, Fawwāz Damra) was the imam of the Islamic Center of Parma, the largest mosque in the Cleveland area. He participated in numerous interfaith efforts and taught at Cleveland State University and the local community college. A video made by Steven Emerson was aired on PBS. In one scene, Damrah is shown raising money for Islamic Jihad. He was not rehired in his teaching positions and the Islamic Center leadership called for him to step down, but he refused. The Center split between his supporters and those of its trustees.
Due to the statements made on the video, he was convicted of concealing ties to three groups: Afghan Refugee Services, the Islamic Committee for Palestine, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, all groups the United States government classifies as terrorist organizations, and of lying on his citizenship application. His United States citizenship was revoked and he was deported to the Palestinian West Bank in January 2007.
The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported that Damrah was delivered to Israeli security agents at a West Bank crossing controlled by Israel. On January 26, 2007, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) reported that Damrah had been released from an Israeli prison after three weeks in custody and returned to the West Bank where he was staying with family.