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EDITOR'S NOTE: The following letter, reprinted in its entirety, was written by UTD electrical engineering sophomore Syed Maaz Shah, who pleaded not guilty Jan. 5 to two federal charges of possessing a firearm while on a non-immigrant visa.
FBI agents arrested Shah Nov. 28 outside his Waterview Park apartment, and later testified he participated in a weapons training camp with three men who were later arrested, two on terrorism charges.
This handwritten letter was sent from Shah to The Mercury in an envelope postmarked Jan. 31. It is addressed to Mercury editor-in-chief Iris Kuo, who reported on his arrest and related hearings. The letter was received Feb. 21.
Shah, 19, is currently jailed without bail in the Federal Detention Center in Houston. His trial begins March 5.
In the name of God the Most Beneficient and Most Merciful.
Dear Iris,
I happened to read your article that you wrote sometime ago relating to my arrest. Interesting article I must say, I am sure UTD was in an upheaval of opinions, mostly negative I fear. Don't worry I am not mad or going to go off ranting on you or anybody, but I thought perhaps I can shed some light from my end, at least so everyone can see a less bais (sic) picture of who I am.
We live in interesting times, where word from a higher authority seems to reign as the truth amoung (sic) the people. For example, president George W. Bush who claimed Iraq had WMD's and so forth. But in the end after the dust has settled we realize the real truth of the matter. That's kind of how my case is.
Isn't it mind boggling that someone can be placed in prison for merely going to a shooting range? That's what was my crime. Just think about it for a moment. Let's say me and you go to a shooting range, like any other normal Texan, mow down a few targets, and the next thing you know I am being arrested because I was on a non-immigrant visa? So where is my 2nd amendment right? Oh wait I don't have it, hmm wonder if I even have the 1st? You see my point, and to be straight forward I was invited by my friends to go camping and have a good time, and thats (sic) what we had.
It's really sad to see these sort of laws which are ridiculous. And you know what, IF I had known it would've been against the law I wouldn't have fired that weapon. I mean for god's sake we live in Texas for crying outloud (sic). If you don't OWN a gun your (sic) not a Texan, forget even posessing (sic) it. I lived in Texas 10+ years of my life; men, woman (sic), even highschoolers (sic) who often went hunting all had guns from all different echelons of society. For different purposes, from hunting to self-defense, from sporting to collecting.
Looking at my record, ask people who actually know me then you get a more accurate picture of who I am. I have never done drugs or had even an ounce of alcohol. I loved working in community service projects when ever (sic) I got the chance. I never had a serious confrontation with anyone since middle school. I never violated the law, except occasional speeding tickets =). I mean thats (sic) me. I speak out against what I believe is wrong and injust (sic), for example the war in Iraq and US (sic) foreign policy for the past half a century (sic). This is all me because that is what my religion teaches me to be, not what the government is portraying me as now.
A lot of things were misconscrewed (sic), for example the passport comment was a joke merely poking fun at the fact I wasn't stopped initially when I entered the US (sic), I mean you would think a person with visas from so many nations would at least raise some flags, but it didn't. (Editor's note: An FBI agent testified Dec. 5 that Shah, at the weapons training camp, held up his passport and asked a person if he wanted to see the passport of a terrorist.) I agree, maybe sour political humor not a lot of people would understand, but frankly put I was making fun at the fact even though billions of dollars were thrown in to maximize security and they missed a simple common sense security procedure that could inhance (sic) safety and pre-caution.
Another comment misunderstood was the one on weak leaders among Muslims, in specific I was speaking of those in Houston. You want to know what the whole conversation was around? Saudi Arabia, that's right I was ranting against those leaders who refuse to acknowledge injust (sic) being done, in specific to Saudi Arabia. Where women can't drive, vote or practically do anything normal. Where people are being thrown in prison and tortured for speaking out against these injustices and a removal of the monarchy and in it's (sic) place a just democracy. Interesting how the fed's (sic) leave all that out.
I could go on, but I don't want to take much of your time. All I am saying is things aren't portrayed as they seem. And generally what is apparrent (sic) isn't the full truth in the matter; a good example is Iraq, oil, death, money, and etc.
Last but not least about my friends, all I can say is that it is a suprise (sic) to me and I cannot believe such accusations unless they are proven and since 1 has already pleaded guilty I really can't believe it. It's kind of like you knew someone for such a long time and you thought you knew them, but you didn't ... Goes to show what I said earlier "nothing is what it seems."
Anyways I wish you the best of luck, if you do pursue a career in journalism remember always the truth and facts no matter what the cost. I too once considered pursuing journalism after being sickened by the media bohemoths (sic) who constantly do lip-service to high authorities. No matter I am not going to bog you with more political discussion, haha, sometimes I lose myself in it.
Sincerely,
Syed Maaz Shah
P.S.: Thanks for taking the opportunity to read my letter, if you have further inquiries please feel free to mail me at the address on the envelope. *Forgive me for my terrible handwriting =). Also, I never did like that picture, hehe.
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