A Muslim student who told police he was beaten in Lot 59 on Sept. 13 was thought to have been attacked again in a library Wednesday, but he later admitted to police that both reports were lies.
A custodian Wednesday afternoon found political science junior Ahmad Saad Nasim in a second floor Hayden Library restroom stall with a plastic bag over his head, the word “Die” written on his forehead and chest and a wad of paper with a racial slur shoved in his mouth.
Two weeks earlier, Nasim told police two suspects had kicked and punched him in a parking lot while threatening to kill him.
“It was a complete shock,” Nasim told the State Press after the first incident.
Nasim offered police no motive for the false reports and declined to comment Sunday.
ASU spokesman Keith Jennings said Nasim was conscious when he was found Wednesday.
“It was obvious that he was trying to make it seem like someone did it,” Jennings said. “This may be a situation where he was looking for attention.”
Police became suspicious because Nasim was found in a bathroom stall that had been locked from the inside.
The case has been referred to the County Attorney’s Office for review, but ASU police said they would not file any charges.
Jennings said he doesn’t think it would be in the University’s “best interests” to press charges, although the reported attacks may have caused fear among international students.
About 50 international students have withdrawn from ASU since the Sept. 11 attacks, including a Muslim woman on Sept. 27 who said she felt threatened.
Adding to the fears were two incidents involving ASU students. On Sept. 25, an Indian student was attacked on campus by three assailants who reportedly yelled “Die, Muslim, die,” while kicking and punching him. On Sept. 22, an Iranian student’s car was set on fire, although police are unsure if his ethnicity played a role.
“I don’t think this (the false reports) helped the atmosphere on campus,” Jennings said. “It probably scared a lot of people that didn’t need to be scared.”
ASU police Lt. Sutton said the incident in the library was not immediately reported to the press because details of the case were “sensitive.”
Police did not inform Jennings until late Friday night, more than two days after the false report was made, he said.
“I think it was because they were trying to finish the investigation and talk to the kid some more,” he said.
Reach Lauren Carney at
lauren_carney@hotmail.com.
