CAIR Issues Safety Advisory After Another Mosque Targeted

News provided by

Council on American-Islamic Relations

Aug 07, 2012, 04:45 ET

Video captures vandal smashing sign outside Rhode Island mosque

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today issued a community safety advisory for American mosques following another incident targeting an Islamic house of worship, this time in Rhode Island.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Muslims in North Smithfield, R.I., have asked for extra police protection after the sign for Masjid Al-Islam was vandalized early Sunday. Surveillance video shows a man smashing the sign with a hammer and then driving away.

SEE: Muslims in Ask for Protection After Sign Vandalized
http://tinyurl.com/8kn55g4

That incident follows yesterday's fire that destroyed a Missouri mosque and the deadly shooting attack Sunday on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.

[MEDIA ADVISORY: CAIR officials will travel to Joplin, Mo., on Wednesday to meet with Muslim leaders and law enforcement officials. They will also take part in an interfaith Ramadan fast-breaking meal (iftar) at a local church on Wednesday evening.]

"We urge Muslim leaders nationwide to take immediate steps to boost security, particularly in the last ten days of the ongoing fast of Ramadan, when religious activities at mosques reach their peak," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.

Awad said recommended security measures, which are based on CAIR's "Muslim Community Safety Kit," include:

  • Reaching out to local law enforcement authorities to request stepped up patrols in the area of a mosque.
  • Meeting with elected officials to discuss safety concerns.
  • Installing video surveillance cameras, alarms and perimeter lighting.
  • Documenting descriptions of suspicious people or vehicles.
  • Backing up important records at an offsite location.
  • Cooperating with local neighborhood watch groups.

SEE: Muslim Community Safety Kit
http://www.cair.com/ActionCenter/CommunityToolKit.aspx

CAIR is also asking local Muslim communities to take actions outlined in its "Guide to Challenging Islamophobia," which offers tips on dealing with anti-Islam rhetoric on the Internet, in the workplace and in schools and universities. The guide also offers advice for challenging anti-Muslim views espoused by public figures.

SEE: CAIR 'Challenging Islamophobia' Pocket Guide
http://tinyurl.com/3k5xvxv

Yesterday, CAIR called for stepped-up police protection at Muslim institutions and other houses of worship nationwide and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever may have caused the Missouri fire.

CAIR: Mosque Arson, Vandalism Not Uncommon (Joplin Globe)
http://tinyurl.com/c8ptff9

CAIR: Mosque in Missouri Burns to the Ground (MSNBC)
http://tinyurl.com/crqemby

Video: CAIR Offers $10K Reward for Info on Mo. Mosque Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irKOwpj7wTk

CAIR: Members of Other Religions Offer Support to Joplin Muslims
http://tinyurl.com/ctoz33o

Video: CAIR-AZ Rep Concerned About Copycat Attacks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrGOG3L6F6w

CNN Video: Missouri Mosque Burnt to the Ground (CAIR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDgHiyUxkB8

Video: CAIR Rep Interviewed on Missouri Mosque Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnADlo7k9WI

Awad noted that CAIR issued a statement expressing the Muslim community's solidarity with Sikhs following the Wisconsin killings.

Video: CAIR Stands with Sikhs After Wis. Shootings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiZ2xe9qt54

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 Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations