FBI Issues Statement
Denying Surveillance of Muslim Student Groups
Los Angeles, CA: The Muslim Public Affairs
Council June 20 commended the Los Angeles Field Office of
the FBI and Assistant Director Stephen Tidwell for issuing
a statement which clarifies its relationship with the Southern
California Muslim community. The statement comes two weeks
after a news report which quoted an FBI agent as stating
that Muslim student groups on college campuses were the
subject of ongoing surveillance and monitoring.
"The FBI does not monitor student groups at educational
institutions, including Muslim student groups at the University
of California at Irvine (UCI) or the University of Southern
California (USC)," according to the statement. "In
fact, Muslim student groups and the FBI are currently working
together in building a sound and trusting relationship.
In addition to the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) meetings,
the FBI will meet with campus administrators and begin attending
campus forums to address students' issues and concerns."
SEE: FBI Statement in Response to Recent Concerns of the
Muslim Community About Monitoring Muslim Student Groups
(FBI, 6/16/06)
Providing effective outreach and education from the American
Muslim mainstream is crucial in order to develop effective
counter-terrorism policy. MPAC is committed to fostering
a healthy partnership between law enforcement and the Muslim
community in order to help prevent any terrorist incidents
and to diminish any sequent backlash.
"When stories erupt about civil rights, we lose support
for the partnership from the Muslim community," said
Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati. "We will continue
to demand transparency through whatever mechanism, preferably
within the law enforcement, to keep the partnership alive
and to prevent disengagement."
Facilitated by MPAC, the Youth Advisory Committee was established
in April 2006 to bring together Muslim student leaders with
FBI agents in order to build a partnership based on mutual
respect and trust. This open dialogue creates an opportunity
to address community concerns and also educate FBI personnel
about Islam and Muslims.
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