CAIR-MI Seeks Hate Crime Charges in Assault on Muslim Teens

Alleged assailants say 'f*** Arabs,' pull off hijab, beat brother and sister

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan chapter of
the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) today called for state and
federal hate crime charges against assailants who allegedly attacked members
of a Muslim family in Ann Arbor yesterday.

According to the family, a group of assailants began hitting a 16-year-old
Muslim student of Iraqi heritage who was riding on a school bus. During the
attack, the attackers reportedly shouted "F*** Arabs, they are dirty," pulled
off the girl's Islamic headscarf (hijab), dragged her to a nearby home, and
inflicted injuries that required six stitches on her face. The victim's
brother was also attacked while trying to come to her defense. (Ann Arbor
Police Case #09-7087)

"Because of the slurs reportedly used during this attack, we urge local, state
and national law enforcement authorities to consider hate crime charges for
any perpetrators arrested," said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid.

Walid noted that CAIR called for similar charges in the recent case of two men
who allegedly called a California assault victim "Taliban" and "terrorist"
during the attack.

SEE: Arraignment Put Off for Two Men Accused in Assault on Pleasanton
Cabdriver
http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_13293052

In late August, CAIR reported an apparent bias-motivated attack on Muslims in
New York. The FBI now says it is monitoring that case.

SEE: Feds Monitoring Apparent Bias Case Involving Muslims (NY Newsday)
http://tinyurl.com/longislandassault

CAIR also recently reported that anti-Iranian graffiti was scrawled inside a
Muslim-owned store in Philadelphia that was ransacked by vandals.

SEE: Vandalism at Penn. Business Probed as Hate Crime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLOpCMErNZY
SEE ALSO: Philadelphia Muslim Store Target of Apparent Hate Crime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkyYZ5WXubk

Walid urged American Muslim individuals and institutions to review advice on
security procedures contained in its "Muslim Community Safety Kit."

SEE: CAIR Muslim Community Safety Kit
http://www.cair.com/ActionCenter/CommunityToolKit.aspx

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.

CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, 248-559-2247,
E-Mail: dwalid@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper,
202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications
Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787 or 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

Dawud Walid, CAIR-MI Executive Director, +1-248-842-1418, +1-248-559-2247,
dwalid@cair.com; Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR National Communications Director.
+1-202-488-8787, +1-202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; Amina Rubin, CAIR
Communications Coordinator, +1-202-488-8787, +1-202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com