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Arizona Daily Star – April 5, 2007
'Anti-Muslim rhetoric' cited after
vandalism at mosque in UA area
Stephanie Innes
Officials with the Islamic Center of Tucson say a recent rise in "anti-Muslim rhetoric" may have spurred vandalism at the University of Arizona-area mosque.
Tucson Police Department detectives are investigating a Sunday-night break-in at the mosque during which someone smashed the lock on a side door, broke an office window, ransacked the office and wrote "Bush was here" in magic marker across a computer screen. Nothing was stolen, mosque officials said.
Mosque spokesman Muhammad As'ad said officials don't know if Sunday's incident is related to the theft of $1,000 from the mosque two months ago. The money disappeared after funds collected during a Friday service weren't immediately deposited at the bank, As'ad said.
He said it's possible Sunday's break-in was a hate crime.
"There's an increasing obsession with Islam that's been stirred up by a small cadre of people," he said. "The obsession is growing because of events overseas. We deplore the hate speech going on. After all, Muslims, like Christians, are encouraged to love their neighbors."
As'ad said an example of the "anti-Muslim rhetoric" was former CNN reporter Steven Emerson's December lecture at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Though he denied the accusations, local Muslims accused Emerson of being a disingenuous "fear-monger" who carelessly interchanges the words "Muslim" and "terrorist."
Emerson spoke here as part of the UA's Shaol Pozez Memorial Lectureship Series, sponsored by the university's Center for Judaic Studies. The title of his speech was "The Grand Deception: Militant Islam, the Media and the West." Emerson contends that groups representing themselves as mainstream Muslims often have terrorist ties.
As'ad said in addition to the Emerson talk, he's noticed anti-Muslim attitudes on local radio talk shows. He stressed that, in general, the Tucson community has been supportive of the local Muslim community following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, though there have been incidents of name-calling, particularly involving local women wearing head scarves, in which people told them to "go home."
The Arizona Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations wants the FBI to investigate the mosque break-in. FBI officials said they're aware of the incident and are in regular contact with the mosque, but there's no active investigation.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/176940
CAIR Bulletin - April 2, 2007
CAIR condemns vandalism of Chicago synagogue
CHICAGO, IL, April 2, 2007 - The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today condemned vandalism of a Chicago synagogue as "reprehensible."
Derogatory messages were spray-painted on the Ner Tamid Ezra-Habonin Congregation of North Town early Saturday.
"This reprehensible attack on a house of worship should be condemned by Americans of all faiths," said CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab. Rehab called the synagogue's president to express the Muslim community's sympathy and support.
CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 32 chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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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