By Terri Lynn, SouthFloridaReporter.com, Managing Editor, Nov. 17, 2015 – Ever since the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris this past weekend lots of activities have been taking place around the world. Some are good others are not.
We are not going to pass judgement or inject our own feelings towards any side but feel it is our job to uphold our motto, “News With A Purpose” to keep our readers updated and informed.
On Monday, the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida) issued a press release and thanked the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for its “prompt investigation” of phoned terror threats to mosques in Florida and called for “hate crime charges to be brought against the alleged perpetrator.”
Here is that press release….
CAIR-Florida reported that a voicemail threat was left at the Islamic Center of St. Petersburg early Saturday morning, just hours after the Paris terror attacks, is now being investigated by local police and federal law enforcement authorities. Police have also stepped up protection of the mosque.
The caller said in part: “We are tired of your (expletive) and I (expletive) personally have a militia that is going to come down to your Islamic Society of Pinellas County and firebomb you and shoot whoever is there in the head. I don’t care if they are (expletive) two-years-old or 100.”
CAIR-Florida reports that a similar threat was made to another state mosque, in which the caller threatened deadly attacks on a number of Islamic houses of worship. The caller threatened to “bomb your (expletive) location” and spoke of “shooting people at will.”
“We thank the U.S. Department of Justice for its prompt investigation of these terror threats and urge that hate crime charges be brought against the perpetrator when he is apprehended,” said CAIR-Florida Chief Executive Director Hassan Shibly.
Shibly noted other incidents apparently targeting Muslims in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, including a tweet threatening Michigan Muslims and a suspected arson attack on a Canadian mosque.
He also cited the many condemnations of the Paris attacks by CAIR and by the American Muslim community.
CAIR has recently responded to vandalism and threats targeting mosques in Texas,Kentucky, Virginia, Nebraska, Tennessee, Ohio, New York, and other states.
Those incidents fit a pattern of increased hate-motivated crimes and bias incidents nationwide targeting persons and property associated, or perceived to be associated, with Islam and the American Muslim community.
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.
CAIR Condemns Paris Terror Attacks
SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
CAIR provided a list of the threat coverage to Mosques around the US. You can read the list here and click on any link to see that story. CAIR Video
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