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Home Front: WoT
CAIR Fears Muslim Pilgrims Will Be Singled Out
2005-01-06
(CNSNews.com) - An Islamic advocacy group wants the Bush administration to clarify whether American Muslims participating in this year's Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, will be fingerprinted or singled out for special security measures based on their participation in the annual religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
"Yes, next question, please."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has set up a "Hajji Hotline" and a downloadable incident report form for Muslims who believe their constitutional rights are being violated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, CAIR announced in a press release.

CAIR said it decided to act, after receiving reports that American Muslim citizens had been singled out for security checks and fingerprinting when they attended a recent Islamic conference in Canada. "Several of the Muslim detainees told CAIR they objected strenuously to being fingerprinted, but were informed by CBP (Customs/Border Patrol) representatives that 'you have no rights' and that they would be held until they agreed to the fingerprinting procedure," CAIR said. An agency spokesperson later admitted that the Muslim citizens were fingerprinted because of their participation in the Canadian conference, said CAIR, which is calling for an investigation of that incident.

CAIR said it has repeatedly requested clarification from the Department of Homeland Security and the CBP, but "no clear response has been given as to whether mere participation in Islamic religious activities is now being viewed as 'probable cause' for increased security checks or forced fingerprinting of U.S. citizens."

CAIR's Legal Director Arsalan Iftikhar said he wants answers to the following questions:

1. Under what U.S. law(s) are border and customs agents given broad authority or discretion to fingerprint and detain American citizens with the threat of arrest for noncompliance?

2. If fingerprinting and detention are refused by an American citizen, what are the legal repercussions of such a refusal?

3. Does mere attendance at an Islamic conference constitute sufficient 'probable cause' of a criminal act to justify a detention which could be legally tantamount to an arrest?


CAIR describes its mission as enhancing understanding of Jihad Islam, encouraging seething dialogue, protecting terrorists civil liberties, empowering jihadis American Muslims, and building terrorist coalitions that attack promote justice and mutual understanding.
Posted by:Steve

#21  heh! You mean I passed up on all those opportunities to send back those WAPO offers. Next time I'll respond with heavy cardstock.
Posted by: 2b   2005-01-06 8:16:23 PM  

#20  Shipman: Loved it!

However, the only time I've been impressed by the Arab Street was Arafat's funeral!
Posted by: Maggie   2005-01-06 6:42:30 PM  

#19  I got a prepaid envelope from the NYT so I could send back my request for a subscription. They got a very PASSIONED response from me in a one page letter explaining why I would never read a paper that continues to believe its own bile: "all the news that is fit to print. And they had to pay for the stamp!
Posted by: Maggie   2005-01-06 6:40:22 PM  

#18  You have pressed 4
You are seething

Press 1 for a low simmer
Press 2 for shrieking
Press 3 for shrieking and shooting
Press 4 for out of ammunition
Press # if you are part of the Arab Street
Posted by: Shipman   2005-01-06 5:09:57 PM  

#17  The "Hajji Hotline"?
If "affronted", press "1".
If "profiled", press "2".
If "strenuously objecting", press "3".
If "seething", press "4".
Posted by: tu3031   2005-01-06 4:13:06 PM  

#16  Send them toast.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-01-06 4:03:13 PM  

#15  Perhaps we could offer CIAR our own equivalent.

I beleve shipping fecal matter is against the law - besides it doesn't weigh as much as, for example, iron fillings. Perhaps dried cowpies?

Actually I think kleenex tissues (for their whining) would be approprate.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2005-01-06 2:18:03 PM  

#14  Postage prepaid gets paid when the return mail gets delivered. For example, they'd cadge return mailers from Moral Majority. Fitted with a thin slice of brick or similar heavy material, MM ended up with a substantial postal charge. It's probably illegal, but why not find a similar way to force CAIR to deal with a multiple of not-quite-solid complaints, enough that they have to waste a lot of time sorting out the bad ones.
Posted by: Unagum Elmomoger1856   2005-01-06 2:08:33 PM  

#13  filling them with shaved bricks??? Why?
Posted by: 2b   2005-01-06 2:00:04 PM  

#12  filling them with shaved bricks??? Why?
Posted by: 2b   2005-01-06 2:00:04 PM  

#11  "Don't want to be printed? Fine. Enjoy your stay in Canadia."
Posted by: mojo   2005-01-06 1:56:33 PM  

#10  Try working at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (X10)or the Y12 of K35 sites. You don't just get fingerprinted.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2005-01-06 12:57:06 PM  

#9  I worked for a brokerage firm, I had to be fingerprinted.
Posted by: anonymous2U   2005-01-06 12:41:50 PM  

#8  Might I suggest (under psuedonym from my usual moniker) that we all download dozens and dozens of these complaint forms, and then have a little online party filling them out? I remember at university the lefties taking postage-paid envelopes and filling them with shaved bricks. Perhaps we could offer CIAR our own equivalent.
Posted by: Unagum Elmomoger1856   2005-01-06 12:38:39 PM  

#7  I certainly hope they are!
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2005-01-06 12:18:14 PM  

#6  I had to be fingerprinted to work for the Army. Over 30 years ago! How much you want to bet they are still on file with the FBI? Gee, I feel my civi rights are being violated - I shake with fear that they are going to come after me - how can I sleep at nights?
Posted by: Maggie   2005-01-06 11:32:12 AM  

#5  Yesterday I had a post about the closing of the British Embassy in Yemen due to terror threats, on the very same day that the British Hajj Delagation departed for hajj courtesy of Her Royal Majesty's government.

What's wrong with this picture?
Posted by: Seafarious   2005-01-06 10:38:37 AM  

#4  The moment the have a middle aged, balding, anglo terrorists, I will gladly submit to ANYTHING the CBP deems necessary to national security. Thus far most of the terrorists seem to include a high number of muslims, common sense dictates that we give these people a closer look.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2005-01-06 10:10:27 AM  

#3  Number 2) - Arrest and Questioning.
(need coffee....)
Posted by: CrazyFool   2005-01-06 10:06:15 AM  

#2  CAIR's Legal Director Arsalan Iftikhar said he wants answers to the following questions

oh really...well then I guess we'd like to take a little bit closer look at you too, Mr. Iftikar.
Posted by: 2b   2005-01-06 10:05:47 AM  

#1  Answers:

  1. U.S. Immogration Law. Patriot Act. Comment Sense.

  2. Arrest and questing.

  3. Does a bear shit in the woods? Being part if CAIR is also 'probable cause'.


Amy more stupid questions?

(I only wish they *would* give these answers!)
Posted by: CrazyFool   2005-01-06 10:05:24 AM  

00:00