CAIR: DOJ Analyst Claims Muslims Threaten 'Our Values'

Muslim civil rights group calls for 'top to bottom' reform of government training on Islam

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today call for "top to bottom" reform of reportedly biased government training on the topic of Islam.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued that call following new revelations of biased training by a government official –- this time an intelligence analyst with the U.S. Department of Justice -- who claimed Muslim "civilians, juries, lawyers, media, academia and charities" threaten "our values."

Justice Department Official: Muslim 'Juries' Threaten 'Our Values'
http://tinyurl.com/3uo5juo

"This latest revelation of anti-Muslim bias in the training of our nation's security personnel demonstrates the need for top to bottom reform of government training on Islam," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "This process of reform should also include a re-examination of federal funding for biased training at the state and local levels."

He cited DHS funds used to pay for state-level training by "ex-terrorist" Walid Shoebat, who was exposed by CNN as an anti-Islam fraud.

Video: CNN Exposes Walid Shoebat's Terror Training Scam (CAIR)
Part 1 –- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJN00dBhZVk
Part 2 -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Tzz51VYXg  

Hooper said CAIR and the other civil rights groups recently expressed concerns about persistent reports that FBI agents are trained to view mainstream American Muslims with suspicion and to view the faith of Islam itself as the source of terrorism and extremism.

Video: FBI Trainer Says Forget Irrelevant al-Qaida, Target Islam
http://tinyurl.com/3l4um38

CAIR: F.B.I. Chided for Training that was Critical of Islam (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/4x6pqxu  

Video: Wash. State Muslims Ask for Probe of FBI Bias (CAIR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiR7nrAox_4

CAIR-San Diego: Civil Liberties Groups Concerned Over Anti-Muslim Training
http://tinyurl.com/6hsru5m

CAIR sent a letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller calling for swift action to reform the agency's use of anti-Muslim instructors and Islamophobic materials during counterterrorism training.

SEE: CAIR Seeks Swift FBI Action on Revelations of Anti-Muslim Training
http://tinyurl.com/5ujx52u

Following similar revelations in March, the head of the Justice Department's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) said that he "imagined" that a review of how instructors and curriculum are vetted would take place. Seven months later it is unclear if such a review ever occurred.

SEE: Federal Funds For Counterterrorism Training Pay For Anti-Muslim Instructors
http://tinyurl.com/42jjdrj

The Justice Department and the FBI say they are conducting a comprehensive review of all training and reference materials, but Muslim and civil liberties groups question the impact of the review and seek further corrective measures and reforms.

CAIR has in the past called on the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and Congress to provide oversight for apparently widespread anti-Muslim bias in the training of law enforcement, security and military personnel nationwide.

SEE: CAIR Asks Sec. Napolitano to Probe Use of Islamophobic Trainers
http://tinyurl.com/3qgb5uu

Video: CAIR Decries Anti-Muslim Police Trainers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxX5y7zX8RU

Trainers for American military personnel have included Islamophobes such as Robert Spencer, co-founder of Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA). SIOA has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

CAIR: Muslim-Basher Trains U.S. Military Personnel in Kentucky
http://tinyurl.com/3wbjv4z

Active Anti-Muslim Groups
http://www.splcenter.org/node/3502/activegroups

CAIR noted the release of an 80-page report by Political Research Associates (PRA), titled "Manufacturing the Muslim Menace: Private Firms, Public Servants, & the Threat to Rights and Security," which details a systemic failure to regulate content in counterterrorism training.

Manufacturing the Muslim Menace
http://tinyurl.com/4qeretq  

Washington Monthly magazine also published a major investigative article showing similar anti-Islam attitudes by private trainers of law enforcement agencies.

SEE: How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam
http://tinyurl.com/4ajnx3h

A number of recent reports have documented the growth and promotion of Islamophobia nationwide.

CAIR: Same Hate, New Target
http://tinyurl.com/66enzm8  

Center for American Progress: Fear, Inc.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/08/islamophobia.html

Southern Poverty Law Center: Jihad Against Islam
http://tinyurl.com/3qsv2v8

People for the American Way: The Right-Wing Playbook on Anti-Muslim Extremism
http://tinyurl.com/6j9fttw

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 National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: [email protected]; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations