This letter is directed to the person or persons who felt compelled to put up the signs along Plandome Road last Saturday, advising Manhasset residents to not patronize First Class Bagel Shop and to all of the people who read them.

The sign goes on to say that the owners of the shop support the Ayatollah Khomeini and had a photograph of him up in the store that they took down after Sept. 11.

I, too, have seen the photograph that had been displayed in the store. While I realize that many of you may not be aware of things outside of your immediate worlds, the aforementioned photo is NOT the Ayatollah Khomeini, but Baba Shenouda, who is the head of (equal to the Pope) the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Coptic Orthodox Church is part of the family of churches that includes the Armenian, Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches. Coptics, for your information are Christians.

The woman in the store has a cross tattooed onto her wrist. These tattooed crosses are referred to as a "hadji," which symbolizes the fact that she had made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

While I realize that the events of the last month have frightened us all, these mistakes are hurtful and wrong. The symbols that adorned the corners of this sign were decorated with a moon and star which, by the way is a symbol for Turkey, not Iran and has nothing to do with the Ayatollah Khomeini.

So, next time get your story straight and remember to dot all your "i's" and cross all your "t's" before putting up signs on subjects you know nothing about.

Shame on you!

Suzanne A. Froundjian