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FBI Director: Rise of Islamophobia is a ‘concerning issue’
Arab American News ^ | 04.05.2016 | Samer Hijazi

Posted on 04/13/2016 3:35:44 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo

DETROIT – During a visit to Detroit, FBI Director James Comey said that the rise of Islamophobia has been a concerning issue to the government agency.

“It worries me,” Comey said. "What we tell folks is that if you think something is going on, then tell us. It’s a huge part of our responsibility that we take very seriously–to make sure people aren’t picked on, bullied, harmed, scared or intimidated by virtue of the way they look, where they worship, or how they act.”

This marks Comey’s second visit as the FBI Director to Detroit. He visited the city in April 2014 as part of his efforts to frequent all 56 FBI regional offices. Comey has seven years remaining in his tenure as the FBI Director.

His latest visit to the motor city was led by a busy itinerary that included meeting with community leaders on Tuesday morning. Among them were Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News; Ali Jawed, founder of the LAHC; Chaldean leader Nabby Yono; Sueheila Amen and Dr. Hoda Amine.

Comey addressed numerous questions from the community leaders during the brief gathering. He said Congress is pressuring him to personally guarantee background checks on refugees who are settling in the U.S., an obstacle that he said was difficult.

Siblani raised concerns about local residents being wrongfully placed on terrorist watch lists and having little to no avenues in getting their names removed. Come said he would look into the issue with Homeland Security to find a resolution.

Comey noted that the FBI force lacks diversity, and that one of his priorities for the remainder of his tenure will be to hire minorities to work for the Bureau, in order to accurately reflect the country’s population. He said currently, the FBI's force is 83 percent White.

During a press conference at the FBI Detroit Field Office on Tuesday afternoon, leaders that included U.S. District Attorney Barbra McQuade, Detroit Police Chief James Craig, Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon and FBI Special Agent in Charge of Detroit Division David P. Gelios, were in attendance to signify a unified front between the FBI and local law enforcement.

Comey said he was astonished at the level of communication that has formed between the community and local law enforcement officials. He added that the relationship is a model that needs to be implemented in other regions.

“Their overwhelming message to me actually surprised me,” Comey said of the local leaders he had met earlier in the day. “They said ‘we believe that this area is a model for cooperation across a variety of relationships that are troubled elsewhere in the country.’ One of my hopes is that I can steal whatever that magic potion is that we’ve spread on all these good folks and in law enforcement, and sprinkle it other places across the country.”

Comey said the FBI’s top objective is to combat counter-terrorism, specifically relating to ISIS attempting to recruit lone Americans. The FBI said there are various methods in ISIS’ attempt to appeal to troubled individuals. The first involves swaying them to leave the country. “They come at us through social media in an effort to recruit Americans,” Comey said. “To travel to their so called caliphate to live a life off glory and participate in the final battle between good and evil on god’s side…it resonates with troubled souls in the United States. It has over the last couple of years.”

Comey said another element of ISIS’ operation involves encouraging Americans to carry out deadly attacks in the U.S.

He said this method is also primarily orchestrated through social media–mostly on Twitter.

“It’s the reason we have investigations all over the country,” Comey said. “We try to understand where people are on the path from consuming to acting. That is a very difficult thing for us to try and decipher.”

Comey said the FBI is constantly depending on local and state authorities to help them identify and servile suspected individuals. “It requires us to conduct surveillance of someone, to understand where they are going,” Comey said. “With the help of our state, local and federal partners, we try to keep track of people who may be headed towards a violent destination.”

The FBI Blitz comes 24 hours after the Michigan Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) announced a lawsuit, challenging the FBI’s ‘terrorist watch list.’

CAIR-MI filed the suit on behalf of 18 American Muslims, including a four-year-old child, who were allegedly placed on the list without reason or notice.

Comey briefly addressed the lawsuit, stating that it wouldn’t make sense to inform suspected individuals who are being monitored.

“It’s hard to see how that would work operationally,” Comey said. “Even the biggest critics of our watch list would surely agree that there are some people out there who are really of concern to all of us. So how would it work if we would notify them that ‘we might know you are bad?’”

He added that there should be a system in place that would assist wrongfully suspected individuals in challenging their name being on the list.

“I think the best way for all of us is to find procedures that if someone believes they are being encountered in a way that doesn’t make sense, that they’d have the opportunity to raise that,” Comey said.

Comey said the FBI depends on community members—law enforcement officials, educators, and religious leaders, in helping them identify people who have been radicalized.

“We think our part is to build relationships so we are able to share information,” Comey said. “Having a good enough relationship so that people who don’t want to see violence--alert us when they see something that is concerning.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: islam
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To: Talisker

Some look at that picture and see a reason to fear.

Rational people should see a target rich environment.


41 posted on 04/13/2016 4:55:13 PM PDT by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: Mr. Mojo

I’m just flat out islamonauseous.


42 posted on 04/13/2016 4:55:22 PM PDT by PROCON
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To: Mr. Mojo

Yeah, I guess it isn’t rational to be upset at getting your head lopped off.


43 posted on 04/13/2016 4:55:27 PM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag ( Anything FREELY-GIVEN by the government was TAKEN from someone else.)
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To: Mr. Mojo

Oh, we foolish Americans - Developing a phobia over people who are sworn to kill us and who work hard to do it!

What's wrong with us?

All they need is job training, good jobs and quality live entertainment.

/s


44 posted on 04/13/2016 5:06:54 PM PDT by Iron Munro (Noah: 'When the animals began to pair up by specie and stand in line, I really took notice.')
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To: Mr. Mojo

I’m concerned with Islamophobiaphobia.


45 posted on 04/13/2016 5:07:59 PM PDT by kanawa
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To: castlegreyskull

Islam is religious fascism, bottom line.

We “infidels” are being commanded to play Muslim Roulette in our daily lives with people who are Jekyll/Hyde moment by moment and from whom Sudden Jihad Syndrome can erupt in a deadly instant.

And if we object, we’re condemned as “Islamophobes”.


46 posted on 04/13/2016 5:16:32 PM PDT by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam. Buy ammo.")
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To: Mr. Mojo

Hey
What about the rise of jihad I Islam....

no concerns,
......

I see


47 posted on 04/13/2016 5:20:16 PM PDT by zzwhale
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To: Mr. Mojo

It’s bs like this coming from Comey’s mouth that makes me think he’s bought and paid for and will let Hillary walk.


48 posted on 04/13/2016 5:21:13 PM PDT by Ronald_Magnus
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To: Don Hernando de Las Casas

Better watch it, bud; the FBI may servile you!


49 posted on 04/13/2016 5:22:52 PM PDT by antidisestablishment (If Washington was judged with the same standard as Sodom, it would not exist.)
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To: Mr. Mojo

Exactly. Where I’m from, fear of being blown up or beheaded by crazed zealots is a completely rational fear, and the more attacks they commit, the more everyone recognizes how rational it is.


50 posted on 04/13/2016 5:25:51 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: choctaw man

bttt


51 posted on 04/13/2016 5:28:47 PM PDT by Dante3
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To: Mr. Mojo

I prefer Islamodetestation.


52 posted on 04/13/2016 5:42:46 PM PDT by Old Yeller (Calling Obama a POS is a major insult to S.)
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To: Mr. Mojo

But the beheading, ethnic cleansing and gang rapes don’t make it on the radar


53 posted on 04/13/2016 5:42:50 PM PDT by Crucial (At the heart all leftists is the fear that the truth is bigger than themselves.)
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To: TauntedTiger

The rise of Islam is the concerning issue.


54 posted on 04/13/2016 5:45:52 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: Mr. Mojo

Just one more incompetent government bureaucrat. The problem with this one is that his attitude could cost many American lives. I wonder what his attitude is on Islamic Terrorism. Is that not what he and his forces should be concerned about? What am I missing here?


55 posted on 04/13/2016 5:46:44 PM PDT by CdMGuy
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To: Mr. Mojo

Perhaps if his boss recognized ISLAMIC TERRORISM, we could work on fighting that enemy and reduce this alleged “irrational fear”.

For as long as ISLAMIC TERRORISM remains a problem, fear of Islamists remains RATIONAL!!!


56 posted on 04/13/2016 5:50:39 PM PDT by G Larry (ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS impose SLAVE WAGES on LEGAL Immigrants.)
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To: G Larry
"Comey said the FBI’s top objective is to combat counter-terrorism, . . . "

You're doing it wrong.

57 posted on 04/13/2016 6:13:37 PM PDT by sportutegrl
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To: Mr. Mojo

So, the rise of political Islam is of no concern?


58 posted on 04/13/2016 7:22:33 PM PDT by The_Media_never_lie (Ted Cruz was the man!)
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To: Mr. Mojo

James Comey is living proof that; given a glass navel to peer out of, a man can live with his head up his ass indefinitely.


59 posted on 04/13/2016 8:24:03 PM PDT by Natty Bumppo@frontier.net (We are the dangerous ones, who stand between all we love and a more dangerous world.)
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To: The Spirit Of Allegiance

The head of the FBsI


60 posted on 04/13/2016 10:17:01 PM PDT by JaguarXKE (n1973: Reporters investigate All the President's Men. 2013: Reporters ARE all the President's men d)
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