FBI Demands for Membership Lists Raises Concerns for Muslim Community

March 14, 2003

Source: The Final Call

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=dac733c5112b36e6ac7271fabaee5c79

On March 14, 2003 The Final Call reported that "according to the Islamic Society of Frederick, Md., FBI agents who recently requested a meeting with their leadership 'mentioned casually' they would be asking for a list of the society’s members... This sent red flags up for the Islamic Society, who immediately informed media outlets, interfaith partners and civil rights groups. Local FBI officials then said they would not press for the list local agents had requested... 'That the FBI is seeking lists of ordinary, law-abiding American Muslims only serves to confirm the Islamic community’s worst fears of religious and ethnic profiling,' said Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Executive Director Nihad Awad... Mr. Awad has called on local Muslim communities to report any FBI demands for membership lists... He added, 'One has to wonder how many mosques have already been intimidated into turning over this kind of information.'"