Muslim Public Affairs Council

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Muslim Public Affairs Council

Muslim Officials Want Answers From FBI Over Data Collection During Outreach Efforts

Ryan J. Reilly | December 1, 2011, 5:45PM

The American Civil Liberties Union charged Thursday that the FBI is using the "guise" of "community outreach" to the Muslim community to "collect and illegally store intelligence information on Americans' political and religious beliefs" in violation of the Privacy Act.

Bureau officials counter that the latest batch of documents obtained by the ACLU through the Freedom of Information Act are just standard internal reports intended to help manage the FBI's resources and make sure agents are following protocol.

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Topics: ACLU, CAIR, FBI, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim-Americans, Muslims

FBI

Muslim Groups Press FBI, DOJ On Anti-Islamic Training

Ryan J. Reilly | September 16, 2011, 11:10AM

FBI Director Robert Mueller

Two Muslim groups that have had generally positive relationships with the federal government have separately written the Justice Department and the FBI asking for investigations of anti-Muslim information used in FBI counterterrorism training.

Salam Al-Marayti, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), wrote FBI Director Robert Mueller asking for an immediate internal investigation and a reassessment of the vetting process of trainers.

Al-Marayti wrote that MPAC was "greatly concerned" about the training materials used by the FBI, which he said employed "highly selective use of quotes and sources from Islamic scripture; and, Dangerously false and reductive presentation of one of the most vibrant and visible faith communities in America."

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Topics: Counterterrorism, DOJ, FBI, Islam, Islamophobia, Justice Department, Muslim Advocates, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim-Americans, Muslims, Terrorism

Sharia

Somebody Defended Sharia In The Capitol Yesterday

Ryan J. Reilly | June 21, 2011, 10:57AM

A woman in a hijab expounded on the benefits of Sharia in the basement of a Capitol office building on Monday, and somehow society has yet to collapse.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) held a hearing on the threat that state-level anti-Sharia bill present to American democracy in a room in the basement of the House Rayburn building at noon.

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Topics: Islamophobia, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslims, Sharia

Muslim Radicalization Hearings

Peter King Hearing Focuses On Whether Peter King Hearing Was A Good Idea

Ryan J. Reilly and Melissa Jeltsen | March 10, 2011, 4:15PM

Constitutions were waved. Tears were shed. Off-color analogies were made. And, of course, Randall Terry, Code Pink and a massive pack of cameras were there for the highly-publicized, intensely debated hearings on the "Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community's Response" held by Rep. Peter King (R-NY) on Thursday.

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Topics: Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim Radicalization Hearings, Muslim-Americans, Muslims, Peter King, Randall Terry

Muslim Public Affairs Council

American Muslims Decry 'Cottage Industry Of Hate' Ahead Of Pete King Hearings

Ryan J. Reilly | March 2, 2011, 3:30PM

Rep. Allen West (R-FL) and Rep. Peter King (R-NY)

Muslim Americans concerned about anti-Islam rhetoric in the United States described a "cottage industry of hate" during a Capitol Hill panel Wednesday a week ahead of Rep. Peter King's hearing on the radicalization of the Muslim community in America.

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Topics: Allen West, Islamophobia, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim-Americans, Muslims, Pamela Geller, Pete King, Renee Elmers

Muslims

Muslim Group: 'Our Heads Aren't In The Sand' On Threat Of Islamic Extremism

Ryan J. Reilly | February 7, 2011, 3:55PM

Suhail Khan

The American Muslim community knows that Islamic extremism is a threat -- and several panelists at a forum hosted by a Muslim-American group on Capitol Hill today said that a community policing approach in partnership with the intelligence community was the best way to counter radicalization.

"Law enforcement can neither go in alone or arrest its way out of this challenge," the Muslim Public Affairs Council's Alejandro J. Beutel said.

"Our heads aren't in the sand, the threat clearly exists," Beutel said. "The threat exists, but it is not a pandemic."

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Topics: Islam, Islamic Terrorism, Islamophobia, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim-Americans, Muslims, Peter King

Muslims

Countering Peter King, Muslim Group Hosts Forum On Cooperating With The Feds

Ryan J. Reilly | February 7, 2011, 8:55AM

Rep. Peter King (R- NY)

As Rep. Peter King (R-NY) gears up this month for controversial hearings on the radicalization of the American Muslim community, a moderate Muslim organization is hosting a forum intended to air a discussion on how Muslim-Americans can work with law enforcement.

Haris Tarin of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) told TPM that while the event isn't specifically tied to King's hearings, his organization believed the briefing would be timely given the national conversation that has been happening about Muslim-Americans and law enforcement.

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Topics: Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim-Americans, Muslims, Peter King

'Ground Zero Mosque'

Muslim Group: Cabbie Slashing A Warning On Anti-Muslim Rhetoric

Ryan J. Reilly | August 25, 2010, 6:29PM

Friends and classmates say Michael Enright, the 21-year-old aspiring filmmaker who was arraigned on a hate crimes charges this afternoon for allegedly slashing a NYC cab driver because he was a Muslim, had a serious drinking problem. But a representative of one of the country's predominant Muslim groups told TPMMuckraker that the incident should serve as a warning to those using inflammatory rhetoric about those who practice Islam.