CALIF. TOWN HALL MEETING TO ADDRESS TARGETING OF MUSLIMS

Coalition of civil rights, interfaith and community groups to focus on DHS

tactics

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(LOS ANGELES, CA, 12/15/04) On Monday, December 20, a coalition* of

community, interfaith and civil rights organizations will host an emergency

town hall meeting to discuss what they say is the unfair targeting of

Muslims by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

WHAT: Town Hall Meeting on Selective Targeting of Muslims

WHEN: Monday, December 20, 2004, 6 p.m.

WHERE: Holiday Inn Select, 14299 Firestone Blvd., La Mirada, CA

CONTACT: Sabiha Khan at CAIR-LA, 714-776-1847 or 714-390-0334, E-Mail:

socal@cair.com

Invited speakers will include representatives of DHS, Immigration and

Customs Enforcement (ICE), FBI, and Department of Justice (DOJ), as well as

local attorneys and family members of immigration detainees. Hundreds of

community members are expected to attend.

Over the last few months, several Muslim religious leaders in California

have been detained on minor immigration infractions and have been denied

bail. Recent cases include the detentions of Imam Wagdy Ghoneim (Islamic

Institute of Orange County in Anaheim), Abdul Jabbar Hamdan (West Coast

Islamic Society in Anaheim) and Abdel Malik (Islamic Center of Irvine).

According to their attorneys, these individuals have been in the country

legally and have filed all necessary documents to maintain their status.

Dozens of complaints of harassment have also been filed by American Muslim

travelers. The incidents include being unable to remove their names from

the 'No Fly List,' repeated stops and interrogations at airports, exclusion

from entry to the United States, and revocation of visas for no stated

reason. Islamic leaders and activists prevented from entering this country

include Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) and Swiss professor Dr.

Tariq Ramadan.

"While we are all in full support of securing our nation and its borders,

we believe the selective application of the law only reinforces the

widespread perception that government officials are targeting Islam and

Muslims," said Sabiha Khan, communications director for the Council on

American-Islamic Relations in Southern California (CAIR-LA).

- END -

* Southern California Civil Rights Coalition (CRC): Council on

American-Islamic Relations - Southern California (CAIR-LA), Islamic Shura

Council of Southern California, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Free

Imam Wagdy Committee (FIWC), Airman Halabi Justice Committee (AHJC),

National Lawyers Guild (NLG), League of United Latin American Citizens

(LULAC) - Orange County Chapter, Los Amigos of Orange County, Coalition for

Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), South Asian Network (SAN)