Muslims outraged at Justice Department

AP Newswire | 16 November | John McFarland, AP Writer

[Roy Tucker]

DALLAS (AP) - Arabs and Muslims expressed outrage Friday at the U.S. Justice Department's plan to interview 5,000 young male foreigners, who are not suspected of any crimes, as part of the terrorism investigation. Civil rights activists say the action constitutes racial profiling.

"Unless the government has credible evidence that all these 5,000 men were involved in terrorism, which is very unlikely, then what Mr. Ashcroft is advocating is racial profiling at its most fundamental level," said Ramzi Dakour, vice president of the Arab American Students Association at the University of Texas at Austin.

Attorney General John Ashcroft announced Tuesday that the Justice Department has distributed a list of 5,000 men it wanted to interview about the Sept. 11 attacks. The list comprises men ages 18 to 33 who entered the United States since Jan. 1, 2000, from certain countries.

The countries represented were linked to the hijackers in the Sept. 11 attacks or were waystations for the terrorist organization, al-Qaida. The department acknowledges the men are likely to be Arab and Muslim, but says the list wasn't based on ethnic origin.

"This is yet another example of the heavy-handedness that's being used without any rhyme or reason," said Sohail Mohammed, an immigration lawyer in New Jersey. He represents several men who were questioned shortly after the attacks and are now jailed on immigration charges.

Mohammed said he would advise people to cooperate with questioners "if there's a good, well-articulated reason other than just a general fishing around."

Earlier interviews seemed to be just that, he said, "Stupid questions like, 'What do you think of American civilization?' and 'Why do you pray five times a day?' If that's what they're going to ask this time, people will say, 'No fishing in this house.' "

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas is distributing hundreds of pamphlets, some in Arabic, explaining civil rights under federal and state law.

The Justice Department interview initiative is "formalized, black-and-white stated policy directing law officers to racially profile," said William Harrell, executive director of the state ACLU.

Hana Saleh, a member of the Muslim Student Association at the University of Texas at Dallas, said students are increasingly concerned about racial profiling.

"You can't just say that because a person is from this part of the world, they will act this way," she said. "People who know us personally would never approve of this. As human beings, we all want freedom."

Najat Elsayed, president of the University of Houston's Council of American-Islamic Relations, said people with no connection to the attacks may feel nervous about talking to investigators for fear a miscommunication could land them in jail.

"We want to help as much as possible, but we haven't done anything wrong and we are legal, productive citizens," she said. "We don't see why we should be subjected just because someone from our race did something."

[Roy Tucker]

We are doing this because we are at war with terrorists who happen to be Arab Muslims who entered our country on the same pretext you did and killed 5,000 people. Get used to it.

[Capitalist Eric]

Civil rights activists say the action constitutes racial profiling.

That's exactly right.

After all, they're NOT citizens, and as we're in a state of war, don't get to enjoy the rights of citizens.

Where should I send the cheese, that goes with the whine....?

[NativeNewYorker]

All these fine, upstanding citizens can move to the muslim nation of their choice, where they and their womenfolk can enjoy the full range of Islamic rights.

[goldstategop]

Amen. Racial profiling is not discrimination. The terrorists were not named Smith or Cohen or Shemimatsu. There are valid grounds to investigate men of Middle Eastern descent to deter future terrorist atrocities. If Muslims are outraged at the U.S Justice Department's policy its time for them to pack their bags and move to where they won't be profiled. All the same this country will take all steps necessary to win the war upon terrorism and that includes tools in our arsenal like racial profiling. Its a new world now.

[hinckley buzzard]

Memo to Hana Soleh, Naja whatever, Mohammed et al: If you are the great Americans you claim to be, how about a cheer for stringing up binLaden and his merry band of dirtbags from the nearest lamp-post? If not, why not? Phoney pack of whores and scoundrels, if you ask me.

[JRadcliffe]

"We are doing this because we are at war with terrorists who happen to be Arab Muslims who entered our country on the same pretext you did and killed 5,000 people. Get used to it."

I did not realize that a formal declaration of war had been made. Did I miss something?

[JRadcliffe]

"There are valid grounds to investigate men of Middle Eastern descent to deter future terrorist atrocities."

Is there valid ground to do this to all the men in Oklahoma and Indiana?

[blam]

All the terrorists who were on board the planes that struck the WTC and the Pentagon were Muslims. That's a profile they created. Tough s#it! (I'd have them in internment camps or something more serious)

[Roy Tucker]

No, you have not missed anything. There has been no formal declaration of war, but Congress has approved Executive Branch action. Viet Nam nor the Gulf War nor Grenada was ever a declared war, so what is your point?

[denydenydeny]

These people are living in the same pre-9/11 dream world that they'd love for us to go back to, a world in which the worst thing you could do to another person is "offend" them.

Memo to identity-politics fetishists: 9/11 reminded us that there are worse things than being offended.

[Roy Tucker]

You know I wouldn't. I would escort them all out of the country unless they were US citizens and let some of them back in after undergoing much more stringent screening processes than we did in the past.

[ken in texas]

I did not realize that a formal declaration of war had been made. Did I miss something?

Probably not... but I sure would like to see our immigration laws enforced. If it takes some interviews to get caught up, is that OK?

[Roy Tucker]

I agree. It doesn't cut the mustard any more. The principal roles of the government are national security and domestic tranquility. Both of these have been threatened by the actions of 9/11. I think the Justice Dept. is fulfilling a legitimate government function here.

[atafak]

Is there valid ground to do this to all the men in Oklahoma and Indiana?

Do you see masses of men from Oklahoma and Indiana raging through the streets screaming "death to America"?

[pray4liberty]

Now hear this: the Justice Department is law enforcement. They are interviewing these men because they might either know something, or know someone involved. If they are smart, they will speak up. This is what police work and investigations are about. To pin this on racial profiling is pathetic and will only serve to encourage more terrorism.

[JIM O]

"Muslims outraged at Justice Department"

I am sill waiting for Muslims outrage over 9/11

[Eaker]

I would kill them now then put them on trial later. Lucky for them that I am not running this war.

Screw them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eaker

[caisson71]

Head'em up, move'em out! You don't mess with Bush.

[nmh]

If they don't like then

GO HOME and STAY THERE!

Keep your evil religion and ways in your own country!

[Howlin]

I am sill waiting for Muslims outrage over 9/11

Me, too!