Stop hounding the imam

The federal government's effort to deport Imam Mohammad Qatanani was a serious mistake from the start. It would be foolish to compound that mistake by appealing an immigration judge's emphatic rejection of the deportation prosecution.

Unfortunately, an appeal is what the government is considering, even though it would be an injustice for Qatanani, the popular leader of the Islamic Center of Passaic County. It also would be a waste of tax dollars. And it would be an utter waste of time.

U.S. Immigration Judge Alberto Riefkohl took 71 pages to cover all the flaws in the case against the imam. Among them: No reliable records showing Qatanani lied in a green- card application about being detained in Israel in 1993. Conflicting, inconsistent testimony by U.S. government agents. A claim that Qatanani must be a terrorist sympathizer because one of his many brothers-in-law was a Hamas military leader. The case is laughable.

Washington prosecutors, who are running this case for the Department of Homeland Security, have to understand that it destroys their credibility that a number of New Jersey's top law enforcement officials continue to say Qatanani is, and for years has been, a force for religious tolerance and understanding.

Those officials include U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, who called the imam "a man of great good will" Wednesday night at a Ramadan fast-breaking event at Qatanani's mosque before giving Qatanani the traditional cheek-kiss greeting.

The prosecutors should realize that was the kiss of death for their case -- and kiss off any thoughts of an appeal.