CAIR Asks FBI to Probe Hate Vandalism of NY Mosque

Graffiti included 'RIP US Ambassador' and 'The War Will Rise'

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on the FBI to investigate vandalism of a New York mosque as a hate crime.

Suffolk County police are investigating hate graffiti, including "RIP US Ambassador" and "The War Will Rise," spray-painted on the outside wall of the North Bay Shore Masjid Darul Quran mosque. The vandalism is believed to have occurred sometime between September 12th and 13th, in response to the recent killing of America's ambassador to Libya.

SEE: Bias Graffiti Found on North Bay Shore Mosque 
http://tinyurl.com/8dop83k 

CAIR and other American Muslim organizations have condemned the ambassador's killing and have issued appeals for calm to the Muslim world.

Video: CAIR Releases Arabic, Yoruba Appeals on 'Innocence of Muslims' Protests
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ3WPKCwVrI 
CAIR-LA: Muslims Gather to Condemn Violence in Libya
http://tinyurl.com/9k3qtwe 
Video: CAIR-San Diego Joins Interfaith Condemnation of Anti-Islam Film, Violence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP7YHjUNRa0 

"No American house of worship should be targeted by hate because of events overseas and no American should face fear or intimidation because of their faith or ethnicity," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "We urge the FBI to join in the investigation of this apparently bias motivated attack and we ask our nation's leaders to speak out against those who promote or exploit anti-Muslim hate."

He expressed concern about potential backlash from anti-Islam advertisements that are being put up in New York area subway stations by the head of a designated hate group.

Video: CAIR-NY Rep Says New Yorkers Should Repudiate Hate Group's Ads
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVaGh7La7ds 
CAIR: Civil Rights Group Condemns Anti-Muslim New York Subway Ads
http://tinyurl.com/co7psx5 

Hooper noted that earlier this week, CAIR submitted written testimony for a Senate hearing on hate crimes and the threat of domestic extremism.

The hearing was prompted by the national string of violent and deadly attacks targeting Sikhs and American Muslims and their institutions and houses of worship.

The testimony, submitted for the hearing by CAIR and published online, includes information on the rise of "107 anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2009 to 160 in 2010" and the "thirteen days in August, the days immediately after the shocking murders of Sikh worshippers in Wisconsin, [when] there were 8 incidents in which Muslim places of worship were targeted."

SEE: CAIR's Written Testimony to Senate Hearing 
http://tinyurl.com/9om5zmy 
CAIR-WA: FBI Launches Hate Crime Probe of Vandalism Targeting Muslims
http://tinyurl.com/994s33d 

CAIR's testimony also provides a listing of active anti-Muslim groups and individuals in the United States and recommendations on how to put an end to "the full range of threats posed by individual and organized perpetrators of violent hate crimes and criminal acts of domestic extremism."

In advance of the hearing, CAIR issued "Thirteen Days in Ramadan 2012," a preliminary report on a spike in anti-mosque incidents that occurred in late August.

CAIR Report: Thirteen Days in Ramadan 2012
http://www.cair.com/portals/0/pdf/Ramadan2012incidents.pdf

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CONTACT: CAIR-NY Executive Director Muneer Awad, 347-296-7966, E-Mail: [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: [email protected]; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)