Event With Former Terrorist Shut Down In Allegan

The Allegan Police Chief said he shut down an event featuring admitted former Muslim terrorist Kamal Saleem because of safety concerns.

The speaker of the event in the Allegan High School Auditorium is Kamal Saleem, a self-described radical Muslim who tells people he initially came to the US to recruit more radicals before he had a drastic change of ideals. 

The event was set up by Allegan County Commissioner Bill Sage who is involved with a group that stresses teaching the constitution in schools.  Information about the event is found on a Tea Party webpage.

Chief Rick Hoyer said Sage asked him if police could be present.  At the Thursday event, Hoyer said Sage was concerned because he was told that Saleem has a $25 million bounty on his head. Later, Hoyer said one of Saleem's armed bodyguards told him that radican Muslims are instructed to kill him on site.

"We couldn't provide protection for everyone in that building," said Hoyer.

Hoyer said there was also basketball, wrestling, and swimming in the school facility.  He said the decision was strictly based on the threat to people in the school.

State Representative Dave Agema (R-Grandville) was present at the event.  Agema said he was surprised to hear that because Saleem has spoken without that kind of interruption at more than 160 locations across the country.

“Kind of ironic that all over the US, this doesn’t happen," said Agema. "But it happens in Allegan Michigan.”

Agema expained that Hoyer told him that he has the authority to do it.

The event resumed a short time later at a nearby bowling alley in Allegan that was not disturbed by police.

Allegan Superintendent Kevin Harness said he did not know Saleem was part of the event when the group booked the space.

“It’s the responsibility of the organization or group renting the space to be in full disclosure of what the event is about," said Harness.