(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/28/17) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate a threatening note discovered at a Maryland mosque last night.
Officials with the Islamic Education Society of Maryland in Silver Spring, Md., report to CAIR that they opened the facility’s mailbox and found an envelope containing a note offering an undisclosed sum to anyone "who slaughtered Muslims." The note also reportedly contained a depiction of two individuals with arrows piercing their hearts. (Montgomery County Police Department Report #17010553)
This incident comes as a second wave of hoax bomb threats were called in yesterday to a Maryland Jewish Community Center and a Jewish Day School in Annapolis.
"Many faith communities, including Muslims, are increasingly alarmed by the emboldened hate growing throughout our state," said CAIR Maryland Outreach Manager Dr. Zainab Chaudry. "We urge federal, state and local law enforcement authorities to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into this disturbing incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice."
She noted that a soon-to-be-published CAIR report on Islamophobia in America is expected to show that 2016 was the worst year on record for incidents in which mosques were targets of bias.
CAIR and the American Muslim community have recently expressed solidarity with Jewish, Christian, Native American, African-American, and Sikh communities targeted by acts of hate, threats, violence, vandalism, arson, or bombings.
The Washington-based Muslim civil rights group is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: http://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html
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. [Source: CAIR]
UPDATE: The Muslim Community Center (MCC) in Silver Spring, MD received a similar letter. -- TML
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