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McLean: The director of a Saudi-funded Islamic school in northern Virginia accused of promoting religious intolerance has been convicted of failing to report suspected child abuse.
Abdalla Al Shabnan, director of the Islamic Saudi Academy, was fined $500 (Dh1,835) yesterday after admitting that he failed to inform authorities about a suspected sexual abuse of a five-year-old girl who attended the school's campus in Fairfax, just south of Washington, DC.
As part of a plea bargain, prosecutors dropped an obstruction of justice charge, which could have carried up to a year in jail. A trial had been scheduled for August 1.
The charges against Al Shabnan provided fuel to the school's critics, who say it teaches an intolerant brand of Islam in line with the Wahhabist form of the religion.
According to court papers, the girl made comments that led her teacher to suspect the girl's father might be sexually abusing her.
The teacher and school principal filed a report to Al Shabnan, but he did not believe the girl. He advised the girl's parents to put her into counselling, according to police.
State law requires school authorities to report alleged child abuse within 72 hours of learning of the allegation.
Complaint deleted
Police also said in court papers that Al Shabnan, 52, had a report of the girl's complaint deleted from a school computer.
Al Shabnan and school officials did not return phone calls seeking comment Wednesday, nor did Al Shabnan's attorney, Robert Whitestone.
School officials have countered allegations of intolerance by saying they modified textbooks and religious courses to delete intolerant material.
However, a federal commission issued a report last month stating that even the academy's revised textbooks contain numerous hateful passages.
One passage said it is permissible for Muslims to kill adulterers and converts from Islam, other passages state that "the Jews conspired against Islam and its people" and that Muslims are permitted to take the lives and property of those deemed "polytheists."
Fairfax County officials have said it's up to the State Department to decide if the school can continue running.
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