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Herald Tribune – July 14, 2007
Islamic activists want FBI to look into arson
and vandalism of Sarasota County home
By LATISHA R. GRAY
SARASOTA COUNTY, FL.,-- Islamic activists are calling on the FBI to investigate a hate crime in which a Bosnian family's home was burned and spray painted with anti-Muslim slurs.
Hasib Sejfovic, 43, walked through what was left of his Avila Avenue home Friday afternoon. He looked at the charred remains of his couch, and the kitchen he recently spent $15,000 remodeling.
Ahmed Bedier, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, followed Sejfovic with a camera, filming the words "Kill all Arabs" that had been spray painted in red on the floor.
"These people aren't even Arab," Bedier said. "They are European. That shows you how smart the people are who did this."
Bedier said it is the worst case of anti-Muslim discrimination he has seen, and he wants to know why it has not received more public attention.
"Where are the elected public officials?" Bedier said. "Why did it take a week for people to find out about this? Why isn't there more outrage?"
Sheriff's detectives and authorities from the state Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the arson and vandalism as a hate crime.
The fire happened on July 6. A neighbor driving by saw the flames and called authorities about 9 p.m.
The Sejfovic family was out of town on vacation and came home to find the inside of their house destroyed and their garage sprayed with anti-Muslim graffiti.
Sejfovic said his family left Bosnia in 2001 for a better life. They did not speak English or know anyone here. Sejfovic works in lawn maintenance, and his wife works at a local grocery store.
Family members say they have had no problems since they moved into their home on Avila Avenue three years ago.
Bedier said the Tampa Chapter of CAIR has seen a spike in the number of reported anti-Muslim complaints. Bedier said his office received 167 complaints in 2006, a 50 percent increase from the previous year. Of those 167 reports, 12 were considered hate crimes, he added.
"In part it does have to do with Sept. 11 and people's fear of Muslims," Bedier said. "But, then in the media you have these pundits and conservative religious leaders who demonize Muslims, when they are just as American as everyone else."…..
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20070714/NEWS/707140330
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