Family still hoping loved one is alive; Tulsans rally around injured Muslim man

<br>SPERRY, Okla. (AP) _ Brian Moss would be angry and appalled if his family gave up hope that he would emerge alive from the rubble of the damaged Pentagon, his sister says. <br><br>That's why relatives

Saturday, September 15th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SPERRY, Okla. (AP) _ Brian Moss would be angry and appalled if his family gave up hope that he would emerge alive from the rubble of the damaged Pentagon, his sister says.

That's why relatives of the Navy specialist tenaciously grasp the chance that Moss hasn't died.

``I have all the hope in the world,'' Angie Moss-Howard, one of Moss' sisters, said Friday. ``I know Brian, and I know he would be so mad if he came out and we had given up hope.''

Some 189 Pentagon workers remain unaccounted for, including Moss. Since news broke of Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, the family has gathered at the home of Moss' parents, Billie and Pat Moss, to wait for news.

The Navy four months ago transferred the Sperry High School and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M graduate to Washington where he served in the color guard and then turned his skills toward work as an electronics technician.

The 34-year-old husband and father of two is one of four people with Oklahoma ties who have not been found.

Army Maj. Ron Milam, whose mother lives in Muskogee, also worked in the Pentagon and is missing. Former Edmond resident Wayne T. Davis, who worked on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center's north tower, hasn't been heard from since Tuesday morning, either.

A list from the U.S. Department of Defense listed one of the missing, Spec. Chin Sun Pak, as hailing from Oklahoma, but provided no information the specialist's hometown. Pak also was in the Pentagon at the time of the attack.

The parents of former Oklahoma City resident David Rice confirmed Thursday that their 31-year-old son's body had been found in the ruins of the World Trade Center.

On Friday, Oklahomans joined other Americans and people around the world in moments of silence to remember those killed. About 400 are confirmed dead in both attacks and nearly 5,000 are still missing.

Gov. Frank Keating extended his order for American flags on state property to fly at half-staff. The flags will remain at half-staff until 8 a.m. Sept. 24.

``In this dark and difficult period for our nation, we mourn those who lost their lives and pray for those still suffering,'' Keating said.

Meanwhile, flowers and cards adorn the Tulsa hospital room of a Pakistani man who may have been beaten because of his nationality, his girlfriend said Friday.

Three men assaulted Naveed Alam, 28, late Tuesday at a Tulsa gas station, Police Sgt. Wayne Allen said. Alam believes he was attacked because of his ethnic background and the terrorist acts on the East Coast, Allen said.

``A lot of people are just coming up that we don't know,'' said Dollie Leon, Alam's girlfriend. ``Everytime somebody comes up, we both cry.''

In addition to the flowers, members of church organizations and others have come by to give him cards and pray for him, she said. A Tulsa dentist has even offered his services to Alam, who reportedly lost five lower teeth in the attack. He has no medical insurance, Leon said.

``Hopefully, they will get the people who did this,'' she said.

The Special Investigations Division of the Tulsa Police Department, which probes alleged hate crimes, is looking into the case, Officer Lucky Lamons said.

The FBI also questioned Alam on Friday, although Gary Johnson, a special agent for the FBI, declined to confirm it. Other Muslim groups in Oklahoma have reported harassment in recent days.