Hadith: Establishing Justice is Rewarded by God

Canada: Racist Assault on Niagara Falls Muslims

CAIR-CAN Applauds Criminal Hate Charges

CAIR-LA Rep to Join ACLU Panel on the Politics of Fear

CAIR Congratulates Muslim 'Domestic Crusaders' Playwright

CAIR-MI: MSU Profs Release Film on Coverage of FBI Shooting

CAIR-CA: Time for FBI to Stop Spying on American Muslims

CAIR: Calif. Mosque Mole Erodes Trust Between Muslims, FBI

CAIR-LA: Mosque Bans FBI Plant Because of His Extremism

CAIR: Ore. College Drops Islam Course Over Instructor's History

CAIR: College Cancels 'What is Islam?' Class (Video)

NY: Exhibit Shows Islamic World Brimming With Innovation

(NYT) Anti-Islam UK Group Has Neo-Nazi Ties

Israeli Rabbis Move to Forbid Renting Homes to Arabs

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HADITH OF THE DAY: ESTABLISHING JUSTICE IS REWARDED BY GOD - TOP

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "For every day on which the sun rises, there is a (reward) for the one who establishes justice among people."

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Hadith 870

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TWO ASSAULTED AT ISLAMIC CENTRE IN NIAGARA FALLS IN POSSIBLE HATE CRIME - TOP 680News, 12/6/10

Niagara Police are investigating after a possible hate crime occurred at an Islamic Centre in Niagara Falls.

Police say on December 3 two adult males and a male young offender went to the Centre armed with golf clubs.

They proceeded to damage cars in the parking lot and where then confronted by two members of the centre. The members were then assaulted with golf clubs before others intervened and detained the attackers until police arrived. ...

Police say throughout the attack the assailants continually hurled racial slurs at the victims. (More)

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CRIMINAL HATE CHARGES APPLAUDED BY MUSLIM CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP - TOP

(Ottawa, Canada – December 7th, 2010) The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) today commended the decision by investigators to treat the recent assault of two members of the Niagara Falls Muslim community in Ontario as a hate crime.

According to a Niagara Regional Police media release, two adult males and a young male arrived at an Islamic Centre in Niagara Falls armed with golf clubs and proceeded to damage cars in the parking lot. When confronted by members of the Centre, the three men turned their attack on the members, continually hurling racial slurs throughout the attack.

"We are pleased that criminal charges have been brought against the alleged attackers as it sends a clear message that hate incidents will be dealt with firmly," said Ihsaan Gardee, CAIR-CAN Executive Director.

"CAIR-CAN joins all citizens in condemning these attacks but remains confident that they do not represent the views of the broader Niagara community or other Canadians," Gardee added.

"We echo the statements of law enforcement officials in reiterating that hate or bias motivated crimes have an impact extending beyond the physical and emotional trauma suffered by victims. Other members of the victim's racial or religious group and the community as a whole can also be affected.

"We encourage Muslims to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities around their places of worship to the appropriate authorities and to CAIR-CAN."

CAIR-CAN is a national, non-profit, grassroots organization striving to be a leading voice that enriches Canadian society through Muslim civic engagement and the promotion of human rights.

Contact: Ihsaan Gardee, CAIR-CAN Executive Director, 613-254-9704 or 1-866-524-0004

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ACLU PANEL: THE POLITICS OF FEAR AND PERSECUTION: THEN & NOW - TOP ACLU

December 7, 1941 was a defining day in United States history. The days following the attack on Pearl Harbor led to some of our nation's darkest moments, when the U.S. government reacted to the hysteria by violating the Constitutional rights of thousands of Japanese Americans and others in this country. Now, decades later the federal government still struggles to respect the civil liberties of all, rather than returning to government-endorsed discriminatory practices.

The Politics of Fear & Persecution: Then and Now Tuesday, December 7th, 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. Japanese American National Museum 369 East First Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

Space is limited: RSVP requested by Sat., Dec. 4 RSVP

Join the ACLU of Southern California, the Japanese American National Museum, ACLUnext, and JANM Young Professionals Network for an intimate evening of discussion and reflection, featuring Ahilan Arulanantham, ACLU/SC Director of Immigrant Rights & National Security; Hussam Ayloush, Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations; and Mia Yamamoto, a criminal defense attorney who was born in a World War II internment camp.

Topics to be discussed include:

the building of mosques; the use of watch lists in airports; increased government surveillance of the Muslim community; and other issues in both historical & contemporary context.

Prior to the panel discussion, join us for a free meet-and-greet wine reception and free entrance to our No Victory Ever Stays Won: The ACLU's 90 Years of Protecting Liberty anniversary exhibit (see sidebar).

For more information about this panel discussion or the anniversary exhibit, please call (213) 977-5241 or email cwoo@aclu-sc.org.

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CAIR CONGRATULATES MUSLIM PLAYWRIGHT ON LAUNCH OF 'THE DOMESTIC CRUSADERS' BOOK - TOP

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 12/7/2010) -- The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today congratulated American Muslim playwright Wajahat Ali on the official launch of his play "The Domestic Crusaders" in book form. Originally written in Berkeley, Calif., "The Domestic Crusaders" is one of the first major American Muslim plays to be published.

"[The Domestic Crusaders] is brilliant. Moving. Shapely. Clever. Funny. And the cast is amazing!" -- Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize winning author

"The Domestic Crusaders is exactly the sort of theater we need today. The gulf that separates cultures must be bridged and Art is one of our best hopes. I'll be supporting this all the way - please join me and Wajahat in building this bridge!" -- Emma Thompson, Academy Award winning actress and screenwriter

"The Domestic Crusaders" focuses on a day in the life of a modern Muslim Pakistani-American family of six eclectic, unique members, who convene at the family house to celebrate the twenty-first birthday of the youngest child. It has been described as a no-holds-barred depiction of a contemporary Pakistani-American Muslim family.

"Ali's sensitive treatment of the tensions and triumphs of the Muslim American community gives viewers a rare window into this often discussed but seldom heard member of the American mosaic. His debut play is destined to be a social and cultural phenomena." -- Dalia Mogahed, President Obama's Advisor on Faith

The playwright is a Pakistani-American Bay Area native. Ali, who is also an attorney, is a regular contributor at the Huffington Post. He has written on critical issues affecting the American Muslim community, including FBI surveillance. He spoke at the 2009 CAIR-NY Banquet and 2010 CAIR Sacramento Banquet. "The Domestic Crusaders" is his first full-length play.

SEE: Wajahat Ali

The play is being published by McSweeney's, a San Francisco based literary journal, edited by Dave Eggers. McSweeney's is one of the country's best-read and widely-circulated literary journals.

"The publication of The Domestic Crusaders by a mainstream publishing house is a historic milestone for the American Muslim community," said CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo.

CAIR encourages community members to purchase their own copies "The Domestic Crusaders" to commemorate this encouraging development of American Muslim voices in media. Orders can be places online and discounted prices are available for individuals interested in purchasing multiple copies.

SEE: The McSweeney's Store

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-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo, 626-252-0885, E-Mail: zbilloo@cair.com

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MSU PROFESSORS RELEASE DOCUMENTARY CRITICAL OF MEDIA COVERAGE OF FBI SHOOTING IN DEARBORN - TOP J. Patrick Pepper, Press & Guide Newspapers, 12/7/10

DEARBORN -- A documentary on the controversial FBI shooting of Imam Luqman Abdullah at an eastside warehouse last year debuted last week at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

The film was put together by a team of journalism school faculty from Michigan State University, and examines how local media outlets told the story.

Abdullah, the longtime leader of the Masjid al-Haqq mosque in Detroit, was killed in a hail of gunfire in October 2009 after he allegedly shot an FBI dog during a sting operation.

The shooting took place at an FBI-controlled industrial facility on Michigan Avenue and Miller Road.

The film focused on the narrative local media used, which was based on the FBI's portrayal of Abdullah as a radical Muslim bent on creating a separate Islamic state within the United States.

That characterization was in the FBI's complaint against Abdullah and was the most easily accessible source of information when the story first broke. But critics -- and in many ways, the documentary --say that portrayal was slapdash and largely ignored what people who knew Abdullah had to say about it.

Furthermore, the documentary calls into question the veracity of that narrative. There are some seemingly incongruent elements to why Abdullah was being targeted for arrest -- fencing stolen electronics -- and what FBI investigators had to say about him -- "terrorist." ...

The film featured interviews with FBI Detroit Director Andrew Arenas; Dawud Walid, the head of the Council on American Islamic Relations-Michigan; and family members and followers of Abdullah. (More)

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TIME FOR FBI TO STOP SPYING ON AMERICAN MUSLIMS - TOP Elaborate sting operations not only risk entrapment of bogus terrorist suspects, but worse, they wreck vital community trust Wajahat Ali, Guardian, 12/7/10

The recent arrest of the potential Christmas tree bomber is reflective of the FBI's myopic strategy of using glitzy, expensive sting operations and dubious confidential informants to further erode Muslim American relations instead of concentrating on effective partnerships to combat radicalisation. The FBI is promoting the arrest of Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old Somali-born teenager accused of attempting to detonate a car bomb at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, as a triumph of effective law enforcement. Instead, the operation reeks of gratuitous self-adulation, requiring 6 months of time and precious expenditures to "uncover" a dummy terrorist plot wholly scripted and concocted by the FBI in the first place.

Although many argue that this was simply entrapment, evidence does indicate that Mohamud became increasingly radicalised and voluntarily continued with the FBI's fake terror plot. Regardless, CAIR attorney Zahra Billo told me, "The FBI seek out troubled people -- nobody is arguing that some of these individuals aren't deeply troubled -- and then enable and facilitate their aspirations. It is the FBI's job to stop operational terrorists. It is not the FBI's job to enable aspirational terrorists."

Attorney General Eric Holder recently suggested the use of such sting operations were "part of a forward-leaning way" in which law enforcement could proactively find those individuals committed to harming Americans, and a study revealed that 62% of terror prosecutions relied on confidential informants. But recent episodes suggest these tactics are neither "forward-looking", nor effective. Instead, they contribute towards a deepening, polarising wedge between law enforcement officials and some of their most important assets in the war against extremism: Muslim American communities.

Recently, a former FBI confidential informant, Craig Monteilh, humorously codenamed "Oracle", revealed he was paid $177,000 tax-free by the FBI to infiltrate and entrap a southern California Muslim community. The convicted forger, who went by "Farouk al-Aziz", was served with a restraining order by the mosque after he repeatedly pestered attendees with absurd conversations about engaging in violent jihad. (More)

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CAIR: CALIF. MOSQUE MOLE ERODES TRUST BETWEEN MUSLIMS, FBI - TOP Mara Gay, AOL News, 12/6/10

When Farouk al-Aziz allegedly tried to incite members of a California mosque to blow up a mall, they reported him to the FBI, but nothing happened.

Apparently, that's because al-Aziz was actually Craig Monteilh, a paid FBI informant and ex-convict sent to infiltrate the mosque and expose a potential terrorist. But the FBI's attempt to spy on the mosque was exposed instead, in a case that has imperiled relations between the agency and American Muslims.

It has also sparked tough questions from critics who say the FBI's tactics in Muslim communities can sometimes amount to entrapment.

"The question is this: Would these alleged 'plots' have taken place without active FBI involvement?" Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told AOL News today. "And too often we're seeing that they are really manufactured by the FBI and used as a way to draw in people who may not otherwise have chosen to do any kind of action on their own."

In the California case, reported by The Washington Post this weekend, the FBI paid Monteilh -- a convicted forger -- $177,000 over more than a year to help build a terror case against Ahmadullah Sais Niazi, a member of an Irvine mosque. But the case fell apart when Niazi and others in the mosque became so concerned by Monteilh's comments about violent jihad that they reported him to the FBI and even sought a restraining order against him.

"They said Farouk had told them he had access to weapons and that they should blow up a mall," Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations -- Los Angeles, told the Post. "They were convinced this man was a terrorist."

In September, the Justice Department dropped the case against Niazi, who allegedly had been caught on tape by Monteilh agreeing to blow up buildings, according to the Post. And now, to make matters worse for the agency, Monteilh is speaking out publicly about his story, claiming FBI agents taught him how to entrap Muslims and made offensive statements about Islam. (More)

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CAIR-LA: FBI PLANT BANNED BY MOSQUE -- BECAUSE HE WAS TOO EXTREME - TOP Guy Adams, The Independent, 12/7/10

The spying game wasn't all it was cracked up to be for Craig Monteilh, a convicted criminal recruited by the FBI to investigate the march of radical Islam into Southern California. His endless talk of violent "jihad" so alarmed worshippers at the local mosque, that they took out a restraining order against him.

Monteilh spent 15 months pretending to be Farouk al-Aziz, a French Syrian in search of his religious roots. He prayed five times a day at the Islamic Centre in Irvine, Orange County, wearing white robes with a camera hidden in one of its buttons, and carried a set of car keys that contained a secret listening device.

The enthusiastic attempt to catch local Muslims discussing terror campaigns backfired, however, when community leaders went to the police with fears that the suddenly devout young man, who got up to pray at 4am, had become a radical in their midst. (More)

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CAIR: COLLEGE DROPS ISLAM COURSE IN LIGHT OF INSTRUCTOR'S HISTORY - TOP He denies allegations by a civil rights group that he is anti-Muslim Saul Hubbard, The Register-Guard, 12/7/10

Lane Community College has pulled the plug on a noncredit winter course entitled "What is Islam?" after learning about some of the controversial political views of the course's instructor, Eugene resident Barry Sommer.

Sommer has given talks at the Pacifica Forum, a discussion group forced off the University of Oregon campus following a series of presentations that critics said were anti-Semitic. He also leads the local chapter of ACT! for America, a nonprofit organization that describes itself as an issues advocacy group but that opponents describe as an Islamophobic hate group. ...

"Unless the goal of this course is to promote anti-Muslim bigotry, Lane Community College should replace Mr. Sommer with someone who will offer students a balanced and objective analysis of the subject matter," Arsalan Bukhari, executive director of the Washington state chapter of CAIR, said in a letter to Spilde on Friday.

Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR's communications director in Washington, D.C., said Monday that he applauds LCC's decision to cancel Sommer's class.

"He has an apparent history of anti-Muslim bias and he has made numerous misinformed statements about the Islamic faith," he said.

Hooper said some of the posts on Sommer's personal blog -- including an entry in which Sommer describes a proposed constitutional amendment to ban the practice of Islam in the United States as "brilliant, crystal clear and something to seriously consider in the face of Islamic supremacism"-- further illustrates his anti-Muslim agenda. (More)

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CAIR: LCC CANCELS 'WHAT IS ISLAM?' CLASS - TOP By Tom Adams, KVAL News, 12/6/10

EUGENE, Ore. - Barry Sommer lives with his cats in a quiet Glenwood trailer park, a picture of domestic tranquility in stark contrast to the academic firestorm raging over a class he planned to teach winter term.

"I was going to discuss basically all aspects of the history of Islam, from the good, from the bad," Sommer said.

Lane Community College has canceled a class called "What is Islam?" that was going to be offered as a non-credit class next month and be taught by Sommer.

"Barry, I am writing to inform you that your class, What is Islam?", scheduled for winter term has been canceled," Sommer read from the e-mail notice he received on Friday.

Why? Sommer said he wasn't given a reason, but he speculated.

"I believe it was because of pressure from the Council on American-Islamic Relations," he said.

In fact, in a letter to LCC President Mary Spilde, CAIR's Washington state executive director Arsalan Buhkari wrote "unless the goal of this course is to promote anti-Muslim bigotry, Lane Community College should replace Mr. Sommer with someone who will offer students a balanced and objective analysis of the subject matter.

Buhkari told KVAL News on Monday that Sommer is not qualified to teach the course and has connections to a group called "Act for America." CAIR calls "Act for America" an anti-Muslim hate group.

"This person has no known, you know, education in Islam or about Muslims," said Arsalan Buhkari, who is based in Seattle for CAIR, "and he has a very clearly demonstrated biased view of Muslims."(More)

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IN THIS SHOW, AN ISLAMIC WORLD BRIMMING WITH INNOVATION - TOP Clyde Haberman, New York Times, 12/7/10

That flourishing of knowledge is the theme of an exhibition that opened over the weekend at the New York Hall of Science, in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.

The show, called "1001 Inventions" in a distinct bow to "1001 Nights," arrived after successful runs in London and Istanbul. On display are long-ago advances by Islamic thinkers in medicine, optics, mathematics, astronomy, higher education, library science, personal hygiene and even the rudiments of aviation. (More)

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ANTI-ISLAM UK GROUP HAS NEO-NAZI TIES - TOP Secretly recorded footage exposed racist and criminal activity among some supporters of the Welsh Defence League BBC, 12/6/10

An undercover investigation by BBC Wales into a group campaigning against Muslim extremists has found links with neo-Nazi supporters. (More)

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TOP RABBIS MOVE TO FORBID RENTING HOMES TO ARABS, SAY 'RACISM ORIGINATED IN THE TORAH' - TOP By Chaim Levinson, Haaretz, 12/7/10

A number of leading rabbis who signed on to a religious ruling to forbid renting homes to gentiles -- a move particularly aimed against Arabs -- defended their decision on Tuesday with the declaration that the land of Israel belongs to the Jews. (More)