Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

Report: U.S. Muslim terrorism was practically nil in 2012

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Muslim-American Terrorism reportTry as al-Qaida might to encourage them, American Muslims still aren’t committing acts of terrorism. Only 14 people out of a population of millions were indicted for their involvement in violent terrorist plots in 2012, a decline from 2011’s 21. The plots themselves hit the single digits last year.

So much for a widespread stereotype. According to data tracked by the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security in North Carolina and released Friday (.PDF), there were nine terrorist plots involving American Muslims in 2012. Only one of them, the attempted bombing of a Social Security office in Arizona, actually led to any violence. There were no casualties in that or any other incident. And the Triangle study tracksindictments, not convictions.

Terrorist incidents from American Muslims is on the decline for the third straight year. After an uptick in 2009, there were 18 plots in 2011 involving 21 U.S. Muslims. And it’s not just violent plots: Fewer Muslim-Americans are getting indicted for money laundering, material support for terrorism, and lying to investigators. There were 27 people indicted on those terror-support charges in 2010, eight in 2011 and six in 2012.

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Muslims feel targeted after Philadelphia school kidnapping

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Muslim community in Philadelphia held a meeting venting frustrations over people committing crimes dressed in traditional Muslim garb.

“We have a right to wear a face veil if we choose to, that’s our right, our God-given right,” said Alia Walker.

Muslim women in West Philadelphia are becoming increasingly fearful.

This as the pressure mounts for the capture of the woman dressed in Muslim garb and her accomplice, who kidnapped a 5-year-old girl from her classroom and brutally assaulted her.

“Right now, a lot of the Muslim sisters are saying, ‘People are walking around looking at them cross-eyed.’ They haven’t done anything wrong,” said Rep. Ron Waters.

At a standing room only meeting to discuss the matter, Muslims expressed outrage that it’s happening again and again.

Criminals have been committing crimes disguised as Muslim women – robbing banks, stores and now kidnapping. Violent crimes they fear put Muslim women in danger.

“We consider anyone dressing up like a Muslim woman perpetrating a hate crime,” said Iman Asim Abdul Rashid.

WPVI Philadelphia, 2 February 2013

US radio show host: ‘The Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated our government – it’s called Barack Obama’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Mark LevinOn his radio show last night, Mark Levin went offon President Obama’s decision to send F-16 planes and tanks to assist President Mohamed Morsi’s Egyptian government, calling the president a Muslim Brotherhood “sympathizer.”

“What the hell’s happening? Now we back the Muslim Brotherhood?” Levin said of the administration’s decision to aid Morsi.

The conservative radio host defended his “dear friends” Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Louie Gohmert (R-TX) over their concerns that the administration has been “infiltrated” by the Muslim Brotherhood.

“[They] ask questions about the Muslim Brotherhood’s infiltration of our own government, and they’re treated like pariahs,” an agitated Levin shouted. “Well, the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated our government – it’s called Barack Obama! No, he’s not a formal member; he’s a sympathizer. There, I said it! Prove otherwise.”

Mediaite, 1 February 2013

Hijab for a day: Non-Muslim women who try the headscarf

Posted on by Bob Pitt

BBC News reports on World Hijab Day.

Update:  Mad Maryam Namazie offers her thoughts on the subject: “Today is World Hijab Day! What next? Maybe we can all try to mutilate our daughters on World Mutilation Day or marry off our girls on World Child Marriages Day? How about a day when our male guardians can track our whereabouts to make sure we aren’t leaving the country.”

BNP campaign fails: Oswestry’s first Muslim centre gets go-ahead

Posted on by Bob Pitt
Shropshire Patriot Islamic conquest of Oswestry

An example of British National Party propaganda against the centre

Controversial plans for Oswestry’s first Muslim centre have been given the go-ahead. It will be sited in a 19th century former Presbyterian church.

The bid to change the church in Oswald Road, into a Muslim prayer centre sparked more than 70 objections and led to the town being targeted in a leafleting campaign by the British National Party.

But more than 40 people wrote in support of the bid by Oswestry Muslim Society and permission was given by Shropshire Council planning officers under delegated powers.

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FBI asked to investigate agents who allegedly intimidated Somali man

Posted on by Bob Pitt

MINNEAPOLIS — An advocacy group for Muslims in Minnesota has asked the FBI to investigate claims that some of its agents repeatedly tried to intimidate a Somali man.

Lori Saroya, executive director of the Minnesota chapter for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the Somali accuser alleges that two FBI agents tried several times to enlist him as an undercover informant. When the man refused their offers, the agents allegedly threatened the man, Saroya said.

“They told him if he didn’t work for them, if he did not become an informant, that the agents would delay his immigration – his immigration papers,” Saroya said. “They told him they would spread a picture of him all over the community. And after they did that, everyone in the community would be scared to talk to him.”

An FBI spokesman said the agency’s Minneapolis branch is investigating the claim.

Minnesota Public Radio, 30 January 2013

See also “CAIR-MN welcomes FBI probe of alleged abuses by agents”, CAIR press release, 30 January 2013

Catholic event cancels talk by anti-Islam hatemonger

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Spencer, Carroll, Geller and Lennon in StockholmThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester rescinded an invitation Wednesday to Robert Spencer, a Catholic whose work depicts Islam as an inherently violent religion, to speak at its annual Catholic Men’s Conference in March.

The invitation was withdrawn after Muslims in Massachusetts expressed concerns to the diocese about the appearance of Spencer, scheduled to be a featured speaker at the DCU Center on March 16.

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Anti-Muslim attacks: Telling MAMA is not going to solve the problem

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“I think I can safely speak for the majority of the community when I say that the government is guilty of double standards and an inability to tackle the issue appropriately. On the one hand we have politicians frequently scapegoating Muslims when they need to distract the public from their own failures, and on the other they think we should be grateful for the fact that they have provided us with a helpline to monitor the consequences of their actions.”

Sofia Ahmed responds to Sayeeda Warsi’s speech at the Tell MAMA dinner last week.

Huffington Post, 31 January 2013