The nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group is requesting additional police protection for the state’s Islamic community following emailed threats received by the Birmingham Islamic Society and Huntsville Islamic Center.
The Alabama chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Alabama) said the emails, with the subject line “YOUR ONE WARNING, stated in part, (grammatical and spelling errors maintained) “. . .MUZLIMS MEXICANS BLACKS WE WILL HUNTED NATION WIDE UNTIL ARE ARE DEAD OR GONE. . .PLAN TO RUN OR DIE, THIS IS A KINDNESS THAT WE GIVE YOU ALL WARNING, TAKE IT AND GO .”
Both organizations have reported the threats to local law enforcement, Department of Justice office in North Alabama and the FBI.
“We are coordinating with law enforcement authorities to reach out to Muslim community leaders to ensure additional safety measures at this time of increased anti-Muslim bigotry nationwide,” said CAIR-Alabama Executive Director Khaula Hadeed.
Hadeed added, “CAIR-Alabama also condemned the rhetoric that continues to embolden bigotry and Islamophobia leading to threats of terrorism such as these against Muslim, Jewish, African-American, and Latino communities. The Muslim community continues to receive support and cooperation from local law enforcement agencies.”
The Washington-based Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization believes the emailed threats may be part of a mass mailing to mosques nationwide and is urging Islamic institutions to report any such threats to local police and to CAIR online.
“Hate and threats will make us firm in our resolution to fight hate with love. We will take every opportunity to combat fear-mongering and build alliances and coalition that will give voices to all marginalized communities,” said Birmingham Islamic Society President Ashfaq Taufiq.
CAIR has noted a spike in hate rhetoric and bias-motivated incidents targeting American Muslims and other minorities in recent months.
“America is one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for ALL as guaranteed by the constitution we cherish,” said Huntsville Islamic Center President Mateen Muhammad. “We will work together to show the world, by example, how to live and love the diversity we find in this land we call home and defeat the forces of fear and bigotry that are trying to tear us apart. United we are strong.”
