WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's
largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, is calling
on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Thanksgiving Day shooting of a Muslim taxi
driver in Pittsburgh, Penn.,
as a hate crime similar to a growing number of attacks targeting
the nation's Muslim community following the recent terror attacks
in Paris.
CAIR said the 38-year-old driver, who is of Moroccan heritage,
picked up a man early Thursday, and that during the trip, the
passenger reportedly began asking the driver about his background,
including asking whether he was a "Pakistani guy." The
passenger also allegedly asked the driver about the terror group
ISIS and reportedly mocked the Prophet Muhammad.
When the taxi arrived at the man's home, he went into the house
reportedly because he told the driver he forgot his wallet inside.
In a few minutes, the man allegedly emerged from the house carrying
a rifle.
When the Muslim driver saw the weapon, he sped away, only to
hear gunshots, one of which shattered the back window of his taxi
and struck him in the upper back.
The Muslim driver, who remains hospitalized in stable condition,
was able to flag down a passing car and have someone call the
police. The bullet remains lodged in his back.
CAIR has been in contact with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police to
ask that the alleged bias motive for the shooting be investigated.
The FBI has also been made aware of the case.
SEE: Muslim Taxi Driver Shot on Thanksgiving in Hazelwood Calls Attack a Hate
Crime
http://tinyurl.com/gmhbats
"Because of the reported bias statements made by the alleged
shooter, and because of the recent spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes
nationwide in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, we urge the U.S.
Department of Justice to add its resources to the case and to help
bring the perpetrator to justice," said CAIR-Pittsburgh Program
Director Alia Schindler.
"Federal officials need to send a clear message that attacks on
American Muslims, or on any minority group, will not be tolerated
and that the perpetrators will face the full force of the law."
On Friday, CAIR called on state and federal law enforcement
authorities to step up protection for a Kentucky mosque that received an emailed death
threat.
Video: CAIR Calls for Protection of Kentucky Mosque Targeted
by Terror Threat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8OCPvrwr0
That same day, CAIR cited an FBI alert to New York police about an Arizona anti-Islam extremist who is reportedly
traveling to that state to "confront" Muslims.
SEE: FBI Warns NY Police About Anti-Islam Arizona Man Who May
Be Headed to State to Confront Muslim Group (NY Daily News)
http://tinyurl.com/ht4h4r3
Earlier last week, CAIR released an initial report on the
unprecedented backlash and discrimination targeting the nation's
Muslim community since the November
13 terror attacks in Paris.
CAIR notes that it has received more reports about acts of
Islamophobic discrimination, intimidation, threats, and violence
targeting American Muslims (or those perceived to be Muslim) and
Islamic institutions in the past week-and-a-half than during any
other limited period of time since the 9/11 terror attacks.
CAIR attributes this spike in anti-Muslim incidents to the
Paris attacks and to the
mainstreaming of Islamophobia by political candidates and lawmakers
in the run-up to the 2016 general election.
Of particular concern is the extreme anti-Muslim rhetoric and
falsehoods being espoused by leading Republican presidential
candidates Donald Trump and
Ben Carson.
Another contributing factor to this marked rise in Islamophobic
hostility is state governors and lawmakers playing on public fears
and spreading misinformation about the federal government's ability
to screen Syrian refugees being resettled into the United States.
SEE: CAIR Reports Unprecedented Backlash Against American
Muslims After Paris Attacks
http://tinyurl.com/oucxydl
CAIR offers community leaders free copies of its booklet,
"Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety," which was
published in response to past threats to and attacks on American
mosques. The booklet may be requested through CAIR's
website: http://www.cair.com/mosque-safety-guide.html
The Washington-based Muslim
civil rights group is also 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.
Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational
Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List
http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe
Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational
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http://www.youtube.com/cairtv
CONTACT: CAIR-Pittsburgh Program Director Alia Schindler, 412-606-3601,
bschindler@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director
Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726,
ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Nabeelah Naeem, 202-341-4171,
nnaeem@cair.com
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visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cair-asks-doj-to-probe-shooting-of-penn-muslim-taxi-driver-as-post-paris-hate-crime-300185068.html
SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)