From the Left: Paul Rezkalla, David Wood, Negeen Mayel, Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, Tom McMillin and Robert Muise
It’s been a while since I posted about the Dearborn Four. For those who are new to the blog, the Dearborn Four (or Freedom Four) are four Christians missionaries (David Wood, Nabeel Qureshi, Paul Rezkalla, and Negeen Mayel) who were falsely arrested on trumped up charges at an Arabic festival in Dearborn, MI. Dearborn is well known for having one of the largest Arabic/Muslim concentrations in America.
Witnesses Unto Me has posted the Police Report of this incident (I have also posted the same document). In addition to obtaining the report (pages 10-25 on the PDF), they also compiled other relevant documents. Related posts on Witnesses Unto Me include:
City of Dearborn Records Vs. Acts 17 Video Footage
Christian Man and Muslim Woman Lie to Police, Acts 17 Arrests Follow
The 2nd link was posted yesterday (Aug. 9th) and reveals that the man who initially complained to the Police about the Dearborn Four (Roger Williams) lied to the police:
Williams told Witnesses Unto Me that this was his second year at the Arab Festival, however, he told police this was his tenth year.
Amal Alslami, a Muslim and employee of the American Arab Chamber Of Commerce told the police she witnessed this event and affirmed Williams statement. However, the videos do not show Alslami anywhere in sight during the encounter, but she drives up on a golf cart approximately five minutes later, takes pictures of Acts 17, then leaves. Alslami later tells police that she did not witness the incident.
What is worse is that Roger Williams is a Christian (he is a member of Trinity Baptist Church). He disagrees with the ministry philosophy of Acts 17 yet insists that his disagreement is not related to his complaint (and subsequent lies).
Roger believes that Acts 17 misunderstands the very chapter of the Bible they are named for. Roger believes that the example of evangelism in Acts 17 shows a relationship being built before the Gospel is shared. This was the method used by Trinity Baptist Church, they came and served the Arab community by volunteering, built relationships with Arabs, then shared the Gospel with them as opportunities arose. Williams insisted that his difference of opinion on evangelistic methods had nothing to do with his filing a complaint with the police against Acts 17.
It is unclear the impact that this development will have on the case. It is a shameful thing when Christians speak dishonestly (even in seemingly minute details). Lies are lies, and Roger Williams has not served the cause of truth.
Hi Glenn,
Roger lied about much more than this. According to Roger,
(a) He advised us that he didn’t want to be filmed and told us to stop.
(b) We refused to stop filming and instead surrounded him.
(c) He thought he could not leave even though he tried several times.
(d) We continued to pester him and badger him with questions.
(e) He again ordered us to stop filming.
(f) Negeen was filming within hearing distance, but she refused to stop filming even when the rest of us put our cameras down.
(g) Amal Alslami witnessed the incident.
All of these claims are false (as video footage shows). Roger never told us to stop filming him, we never surrounded him, and he was always free to walk away from us. In fact, we only asked him a question because he threatened to “mess with us”! Moreover, Negeen was well beyond hearing distance.
Thanks for the clarification David! I would have a had hard time accepting B, C and D as true, and F seemed like a stretch to begin with on account of the footage from Negeen’s camera. She seemed pretty far back.
What also surprises me is that Roger WIlliams changed the details of his story when he talked to Jason Smathers. Such an obvious blunder is evidence that either the man isn’t playing with a full deck of cards, or that he simply not a very good liar. I’m assuming the latter.