Focus on the Laundromat - Pay No Attention to the well financed single Muslim men who operate the Halal Market at the center of the complex where the fire apparently began, assisted by cartons of quick-lighting long-burning charcoal.

The Police and Fire Investigators have only told the media that they are "focusing" on the area of the laundromat and hoping to hear from someone who might have seen the fire began there - although none of the laundromat patrons reported anything suspicious...

Focus on the Laundromat!
Focus on the Laundromat!

Sultan Quick-Starting Long-Lasting Charcoals may have contributed to Hadley Mall Fire

Casablanca Halal Market, owned by Easthampton entrepreneurs Hassan Oulbeid and Mohamed Keffas, appears to have been stockpiling an unknown quantity of Sultan Quick-Starting and Long-Lasting Charcoals.

Accelerants - Casablanca' Halal Market's Facebook page proudly features stacks of this Quick-Lighting Long-Burning charcoal to be used with the pipes and other flammable tobacco products sold there.

Preliminary Fire Investigation - Rt 9 Hadley - 206 Russell St. 01035

The fire was called in at 7:41 PM on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013
Flames were sighted at 206 Russell St. (Rt 9)
Within minutes they had torn through the Casablanca Halal Market and soon destroyed the entire building.

The two most important elements in a fire or arson investigation are (1) the source of the ignition and (2) the fuel which then maintains and feeds the fire.

No official reports have yet been released - determining the location of the ignition is the first step in finding its source.

The Quick Lighting Long Burning Charcoals stacked on the shelves of Casablanca Halal Market might be considered accelerants.  Investigators are trying to determine if they were properly licensed to stockpile and distribute such flammable tobacco products and pipes. 

Local Community shows support for those who lost everything in tragic "Wrath of Allah" fire that destroyed Hadley Rt 9 Mall

The tragic fire that destroyed a Hadley Mall on Sunday evening has brought together the community in a uniquely American way.  A Facebook page is chronicling an outpouring of support for the diverse businesses that were destroyed.

Help the Rt 9 Hadley Fire Victims - Facebook 

According to local media reports, here are some of the small businesses that may have lost everything in the inferno.

The Hadley Mall in happier times. The stores adjacent to Casablanca Halal Market were later occupied by Banh Mi Saigon and Mohawk Tattoo Parlor.

Dogs sniff for accelerants at Casablanca Halal Market for signs of arson in massive fire that destroyed a Hadley mall

Local media has reported that investigators have used trained dogs to sniff for accelerants at the scene of the suspicious fire that destroyed a Hadley mall on Russell St (Rt 9).

Investigators have not released details on whether the dog found any accelerants other than the quick-lighting long-burning charcoals warehoused at Casablanca Halal Market.

Allah Akbar - Halal Fire takes out Hadley Mall -

“We scratched every penny, every dime to build this," said Mohamed Keffas. 

The fire began just after Mohamed Keffas (L) had closed Sunday evening, and he assured Hassan Oulbeid that none of the hookahs, charcoals, or tobacco products that they stockpile were still burning.

Casablanca Halal Market owner Hassan Oulbeid and his accomplice Mohamed Keffas also operate a successful taxi business in Easthampton with Hassan's family, Brahim and Lanhen Oulbeid.

Hooked on Halal in Amherst? We're open for the holy month of Ramadan, so enjoy a halal gyro today.

If you're hooked on Halal you'll be happy to hear that, in celebration of Ramadan and with the blessings of Allah and the nearby Hampshire mosque, the Halal Guys in Amherst will be open during their regular daylight hours.

Stop by on your way to prayers or Friday Jumma at Hampshire mosque and ask about daily specials for mosque and MSA members.

UMass MSA president Noman Khanani and friends enjoyed delicious Ramadan lunchtime halal treats all month long at the Halal cart in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Amherst Select Board - Food Truck Regulations?

Since the appearance of the Halal Cart in Amherst last Fall, local residents and students have been especially concerned about the lack of regulations that apply to such out-of-state, fly-by-night operations.  Amherst Sanitarian Javeria Mir works closely with the Halal Guys to make sure there are no regulations that they need worry about violating.

Muslims in the Valley -

This month Switchboard online magazine is featuring a series of interesting articles by Noor Anwar called "Muslims in the Valley."

Resentment rising in Amherst - mobile Halal food cart avoids burdensome NY regulations

The problem from the Chamber’s point of view is that these food vendors can enter the Amherst marketplace simply by paying a $100 fee to the health department for inspections, securing a state peddler’s permit and getting approval from the Select Board.

No pesky regulations like in NY regarding USDA inspection, hand washing, meat refrigeration, mixing and storage of other food products, explosive canister storage, blocking the sidewalk, hot oil fryers, splattering grills, and knives and meat cleavers just inches from passerbys... and Hampshire mosque's director, Javeria Mir, can make sure they meet all the requirements of the town.

Join Hampshire Mosque in Granby for the first July 4th - Proud to be un-American BBQ

CELEBRATE MOHAMMAD'S SHARIA ON JULY 4TH

Prophet Muhammad has strictly prohibited us from making friends with Jews or Christians or taking part is un-Islamic activities like Independence Day.

July 4, 2012 - Announcing the first annual July 4h PROUD TO BE UN-AMERICAN celebration

Muslims in America are free to celebrate July 4th in their own way.

This year you can join other observant Muslims at the Stony Brook Valley Farm in Granby, which has recently been acquired by the newly formed Elkader Farm Holdings, a sharia compliant LLC registered at 7 San Souci Drive in South Hadley, home of Dr. Bajwa, president of the ISWM.

We will be discussing plans to improve the property and utilize the 40+ acres as a base for Hampshire mosque and our goal of implementing Mohammad's Sharia.

Red Fire Farms and Stony Brook Valley Farm - "the symbiosis runs deep"

100% Sharia certified eggs and halal meats 

proudly distributed by Red Fire Farm - Granby

Red Fire's Ryan and Sarah Voiland - "The symbiosis runs deep" 

A visit to Stony Brook Valley Farm

A visit to Stony Brook Valley Farm

by krystina on June 3, 2012 · Leave a Comment

http://beyondhalal.com/2012/06/a-visit-to-stony-brook-valley-farm/

Western Massachusetts is a different place. So many of the houses have farm stands out front that our friend Kamran [Bajwa], who grew up in the area, told us “in the summer, you never have to go to a grocery store.” Everywhere you look there is food, and people who care about food. 

Bilal [Mirza] also came out of this world, a world where good food is important. As a Harvard undergraduate and a runner, he started to learn more about health and nutrition, and began to really care about what went in his body.