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Chronology of Islam in America (2006)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
February 2006
Closed-court ruling in Hamas case is assailed
Feb 3: A coalition representing more than 20 Arab-American, legal and civil rights groups in Chicago protested a federal judge's decision to close her courtroom when Israeli agents testify at a hearing next month. Members of the Coalition to Protect Citizens' Rights held a news conference in Chicago to say the decision would foster distrust of the justice system, especially in the Islamic community. "More secrecy ... in administering justice leads to more severe erosion of the civil rights of Americans," said Yaser Tabbara, Chicago executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "We, naturally, are the community that is bearing most of the brunt of the continuous [civil rights] violations." U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve agreed Tuesday to close the courtroom when the agents testify at a March 3 hearing in the case of Muhammad Salah, a Bridgeview man accused of helping to fund Mideast terrorists. The Chicago Tribune and a New York-based civil rights group, Center for Constitutional Rights, filed legal briefs in the case on Monday, opposing closing the courtroom. (Chicago Tribune)
Provocative Danish cartoons: American Muslims reject violent response
Feb 6: American Muslim organizations, while vehemently condemning the recent offending Danish cartoons about the Prophet of Islam (which were later published by other European newspapers in the name of freedom of speech), rejected violence and called for a restraint response. On February 5, the Council on American-Islamic Relations held a news conference in Washington, D.C., to express the U.S. Muslim community's rejection of violence in response to the defamatory caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. The CAIR urged the American Muslim community and American media outlets to continue to show the restraint they have exhibited during this controversy. The American Muslim Alliance (AMA) called on Muslim communities everywhere to recognize the provocation and resist the “trap” set by those who would manipulate Muslims religious sensitivities. It also called on all religious and intellectual organizations to increase their efforts to teach tolerance and mutual respect. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) while condemning the cartoons said that these racist attacks, that do nothing but perpetuate hate and violence against Muslims. The Muslim Public Affairs Council called on American Muslims to demonstrate calm and restraint, following the violence and destruction in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, where protestors set a building housing the Danish Mission on fire and attacked a nearby church. The MPAC also called on Western media to feature American Muslim spokespeople urging calm and restraint in this deteriorating situation. In Toronto, the Canadian Islamic Congress strongly rejected the violent protests against the publication of anti-Islam cartoons in a number of European newspapers. In a statement, the CIC said that "treating people as guilty-by-association is against Islamic teachings. Instead, those journalists -- whether cartoonists, commentators, or editors -- who show no respect for other religions or faiths, should themselves be treated no differently than Holocaust deniers. They should be legally challenged on that basis." (American Muslim Perspective Report)
Protesters at Philadelphia paper ask it to apologize for cartoon
Feb 6: The Philadelphia Inquirer became the first major American newspaper to publish any of the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, prompting a small protest outside the newspaper's offices today.
About two dozen demonstrators, holding signs reading "No to Hate" and "Peaceful Protest for Religious Tolerance," dispersed after about an hour. Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington, said that despite The Inquirer's decision, he had seen restraint on all sides of the issue within the United States. "I think The Inquirer's move was the exception that proves the rule," Mr. Hooper said. On February 5, the Philadelphia Inquirer reprinted the blasphemous cartoons. "This has nothing to do with free speech, its pure sensationalism that reeks of religious disrespect," said Muslim American Society Freedom Executive Director Mahdi Bray. "What the Philadelphia Inquirer has done in irresponsible, provocative and reckless." (American Muslim Perspective Report)
KFI host, clear channel apologize to Muslims
Feb 8: After attracting world-wide attention, Clear Channel talk KFI Los Angeles morning man Bill Handel and Clear Channel have apologized to Muslims for comments Handel made on his Jan. 12 show.
The Southern California office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced that Handel and the station have apologized for mocking the deaths of Muslims on Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Handel has also been reprimanded in writing by the station for his "insensitive remarks." At issue is a parody that Handel did on the same day of the stampede in which 350 people were killed. Handel imitated people screaming and then joked that the Muslims at the pilgrimage should use a helicopter to monitor pilgrimage traffic. (American Muslim Perspective Report)
Islamic Charity with tie to Missouri is under fire
Feb 11: A United Nations committee has recommended stripping privileged status from a Sudanese charity that U.S. officials contend supported terrorism and is linked to a Columbia nonprofit. In two late January meetings, the U.N.’s Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations debated and ultimately recommended the Islamic African Relief Agency’s “special consultative status” be withdrawn. Such status allows the charity, usually called IARA, special access to U.N. facilities and permits it to attend and participate in meetings and serve as a technical expert and adviser. IARA has held special consultative status since 1985. Federal officials have said the Islamic American Relief Agency in Columbia is the U.S. affiliate of IARA. In October 2004, Treasury and FBI agents raided the Missouri group’s office and officially designated it as a terrorism supporter. (The Kansas City Star)
Illinois Paper apologizes after cartoon flap
Feb 14: The editorial staff of the independent daily newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign said that its members were embarrassed by how the decision was made to run controversial Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad last week. "We want to make it clear that while we do not necessarily disagree with the decision to print these cartoons, we disagree with how they were run," read the unsigned editorial in the Daily Illini. The decision to run six of the 12 Danish cartoons in the paper's Feb. 9 edition was made by only two editors--a decision not supported by the full editorial staff, according to the editorial. (Chicago Tribune)
Governor declares Feb. 15 as Muslim Recognition Day in Iowa
Feb 15: In the face of worldwide Muslim outrage at Western media depictions of their most holy prophet, Muslims in Iowa are celebrating their inclusion and acceptance. Gov. Tom Vilsack has declared Feb. 15 as Muslim Recognition Day in Iowa. For the first time, members of four area mosques welcomed Iowans to "join in the making of history and get a taste of what it feels to be a Muslim." That's quite a different environment than was experienced in European countries in recent weeks, where Muslims joined in violent demonstrations in response to the publication of editorial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Muslim leaders here have decried the cartoons and the violence, while saying that they are appreciative of their welcome in Iowa. "Muslims in Iowa and the United States would just handle it in a peaceful way," said Ibrahim Dremali, imam for the Des Moines Islamic Center, 6211 Franklin Ave. "Muslims in Iowa are more interested in teaching people about Islam. Perhaps we are wiser when it comes to such things." (Des Moines Register)
Apologies given after anti-Muslim comments of Idaho State Prayer Breakfast organizer
Feb 15: Anti-Muslim comments by an organizer of the Idaho State Prayer Breakfast forced others in the group to apologize. Dave Baumann told the Idaho Statesman that Islam is a violent religion that espouses killing all Jews and Christians. Jim Flecker, president of the Idaho Prayer Fellowship, which organizes the March Fourth breakfast, apologized to the Muslim community -- and anyone else who was offended by Baumann's comments. Flecker says the spirit of the breakfast is one of peace and unity. (Associated Press)
Muslims launch teaching effort to counter furor over cartoons
Feb 16: In response to the controversy surrounding cartoons lampooning the prophet Muhammad, Muslim officials from Anaheim to Washington launched a nationwide campaign aimed at educating the public about the religious leader. Caricatures of Muhammad appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten last fall and have been reprinted in recent weeks elsewhere in Europe. Their appearance has triggered often-violent protests by Muslims. "The only way we can end this vicious cycle of violence is by understanding each other," said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Southern California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Anaheim. By holding a dozen news conferences throughout the United States and Canada on Tuesday, the council said it hoped to turn a negative incident into a learning opportunity. Islamic leaders said many of the Southland's 70 mosques would hold open houses this month focusing on the life of Islam's prophet. (Los Angeles Times)
District criticized over FBI interview of student
Feb 22: Several civil rights groups criticized the Elk Grove Unified School District for allowing the FBI to question a 16-year-old Palestinian American student last year at school without notifying his parents.The FBI interviewed Munir Rashed at Calvine High School on Sept. 27 after receiving a complaint that he had pictures of suicide bombers on his cell phone and the letters "PLO" on his binder. The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Sacramento Valley, had sent a letter to the district in December, saying that Elk Grove failed to follow its own policy requiring that parents be notified before law enforcement officials interview a student. (Sacramento Bee)
New policy to let Muslim women wear scarves in court
Feb 22: The Pierce County Municipal Court in Tacoma, Washington, is drafting a policy that would let Muslim women wear scarves in court. Presiding Judge Jack Emery said the policy will say no one should be excluded from a courtroom because of attire worn for religious or medical purposes. The court set out to draft the policy after a 37-year-old real estate agent, Mujaahidah Sayfullah, complained that a judge made her leave his courtroom because she would not take off her hijab. Judge David Ladenburg said her head scarf violated court policy prohibiting people from wearing hats in court. Earlier this week, Ladenburg said he never meant to discriminate against Sayfullah. "I offer my sincerest apology for any discomfort, embarrassment or humiliation she may have felt as a result of my request," Ladenburg wrote to the Council on American-Islamic Relations. He also offered to apologize to Sayfullah in person. (Associated Press)
Arab leaders: Lawmakers exploiting ports issue
Feb 23: The furor over handing control of some operations at six U.S. ports to an Arab company has more to do with politics than security, U.S. Arab and Muslim leaders charged. Arab-Americans and Muslims say a mix of bigotry and political opportunism is fueling opposition to the $6.8 billion sale last week of the London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. to Dubai Ports World. P&O runs shipping terminals in Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Miami and New Orleans. "There's an anti-Arab sentiment that is being exploited by members of Congress who see it as an election-year win," said James Zogby, president of the Washington-based Arab American Institute. "You can stoke up a whole lot of fear by saying 'The Arabs are coming.' Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., one of a handful of members of Congress of Lebanese Christian descent, said, "There's no question that if this had been a German company, it would have been unlikely they would have brought up the fact that the 9/11 hijackers trained and were radicalized in Germany." Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the deal represented "normal business practice" in a global economy. "Only when Arabs became involved did we see concerns being raised," he said. "That sends a message ... to the Arab and Muslim world of a double standard, that no Arabs or Muslims need apply." (USA Today/ Baltimore Sun)
Washington rally in support of Danish newspaper
Feb 24: About 150 conservatives, liberals and libertarians gathered peacefully today in front of the Danish Embassy -- at the behest of author Christopher Hitchens -- to support free speech and protest Islamic radicalism. "We are not for profanity or for disrespect, but we are ... without any conditions or any ifs or any buts, for free expression in all times at all places," said Mr. Hitchens, a former Marxist who in recent years has become more conservative and is now one of the most prominent defenders of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Mr. Hitchens proposed the demonstration in a column he wrote about the ongoing violent reaction in Europe and the Middle East to cartoons, published in a Danish newspaper, that mocked the prophet Muhammad and the religion of Islam. Only three major U.S. newspapers -- the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Austin-American Statesman in Texas and the New York Sun -- have reprinted the cartoons. A State Department spokesman called the cartoons "offensive to the beliefs of Muslims" and said that a free press "must be coupled with press responsibility." (Washington Times)
Maryland schools proposal disturbs Muslims
Feb 27: A Baltimore County, MD, school board committee has made recommendations about religious holidays for the school system's calendar, and a leader of the Muslim community said he is disappointed that it didn't suggest closing for two Islamic holy days. One of the recommendations is to allow students to have two "excused absences" from school for religious holidays. But Bash Pharoan, president of the Baltimore County Muslim Council, has been lobbying to close schools on two Islamic holy days since 2004 because the system closes for the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. "The main issue is that the ad hoc committee failed again to recognize that the issue is about equality," he said. "We want equal treatment." (Baltimore Sun)
U.S. Is Settling Detainee's Suit in 9/11 Sweep
Feb 28: The federal government has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by an Egyptian who was among dozens of Muslim men swept up in the New York area after 9/11, held for months in a federal detention center in Brooklyn and deported after being cleared of links to terrorism. The settlement, filed in federal court late yesterday, is the first the government has made in a number of lawsuits charging that noncitizens were abused and their constitutional rights violated in detentions after the terror attacks. It removes one of two plaintiffs from a case in which a federal judge ruled last fall that former Attorney General John Aschroft, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other top government officials must answer questions under oath. Government lawyers filed an appeal of that ruling. In the settlement agreement, which requires approval by a federal judge in Brooklyn, lawyers for the government said that the officials were not admitting any liability or fault. In court papers they have said that the 9/11 attacks created "special factors," including the need to deter future terrorism, that outweighed the plaintiffs' right to sue. (New York Times)
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