"New York Arson Attacks are Investigated as Hate Crimes"

Los Angeles authorities have arrested a suspect in a furious spate of arson fires, but New York police are still searching for a suspect in that city's string of arson attacks.

In a period of about two hours Sunday night, four buildings -- all within a mile of each other in the Jamaica area of Queens -- were attacked with bottle-bombs, according to police. Now a fifth attack in nearby Nassau County is being linked to those firebombings, which are under investigation as possible hate crimes.

The attacks occurred at an Islamic center, a home used for Hindu services, a 24-hour grocery store and two private homes. In three of the five attacks, the Molotov cocktails were made in glass Starbucks bottles, police noted. No one was reported injured, but at least one of the attacks led to significant damage in one of the homes The arson outbreak is small compared to the incidents that Los Angeles has experienced in the last week, but New York officials are taking it seriously. New York's Gov. Andrew Cuomoannounced Monday that he'd be asking the state police to follow up on the attacks; the city's Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg condemned them as an anomaly that "stood in stark contrast to the New York City of today that we've built together."

The mayor also said that police were looking into whether there was any connection to the arson fires that occurred across Los Angeles in recent days.

Bloomberg was scheduled Tuesday morning to visit the Al-Khoe Islamic Center, where two small bottle bombs were hurled while about 100 people were inside worshipping.

"We don't know why," the acting imam Maan Al-Sahlani told the New York Daily News. "This is the first time this has happened at this center. ... We cannot accuse any religion or any party of any people. We do  not know what they believe. Hopefully, they will get them soon."

Police released a sketch of a suspect as well as a video showing a man throwing a flaming bottle at a private home that is used as a Hindu place of worship. (NY1 posted the video.) The bottle hit the front window of the house, then bounced onto the pavement, said Bejai Rai, 77, who was having dinner with his family when the incident occurred.

"It sparked but didn't catch a fire," Rai told the Daily News. "We were lucky." 

source - LA Times Blog

DIY firm Lowe's in row over Muslim-American reality TV

The Amen family of Dearborn includes a fiance who is converting from Catholicism

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Home improvement retailer Lowe's is facing criticism after removing advertising from a reality TV show showcasing American Muslims.

The company pulled ads from All-American Muslim after complaints from the Florida Family Association.

The cable TV show portrays the lives of five families in Dearborn, Michigan, a city known for its Muslim and Arab population.

Lowe's issued an apology, but did not say it would re-advertise on the show.

The North Carolina-based company said in a statement it apologised for having "managed to make some people very unhappy".

"It appears that we managed to step into a hotly contested debate with strong views from virtually every angle and perspective," the firm said.

"As a result we did pull our advertising on this program. We believe it is best to respectfully defer to communities, individuals and groups to discuss and consider such issues of importance."

In a statement on its website, the Florida Family Association called All-American Muslim "propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values".

The association asked members to send emails to companies that ran advertisements during the show.

According to the association, adverts from many other firms are no longer appearing during the programme. However, while many firms buy adverts to run at any time, Lowe's said it pulled adverts bought specifically for broadcast during All-American Muslim.

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I'm saddened that any place of business would succumb to bigots and people trying to perpetuate their negative views on an entire community”

Suehaila AmenAll-American Muslim participant

The Learning Channel, which broadcasts the programme, features several reality shows focusing on the everyday lives of subjects viewed by many as controversial or outside the mainstream.

They include a polygamist family in Sister Wives, and the Duggars, a conservative Christian family with 19 children on 19 and Counting.

The channel describes All-American Muslim as "a powerful series that goes inside the rarely-seen world of American Muslims to uncover a unique community struggling to balance faith and nationality in a post 9/11 world".

'Extreme disappointment'

Keith Ellison, one of only two Muslim congressmen, said withdrawing the advertisements was "disappointing".

"The success of All-American Muslim shows how ready the country is to learn about Muslims as Americans," he said in a statement.

"This probably makes hate-mongers uncomfortable - as they should be," Mr Ellison, a Democrat who site in the House of Representatives for a Minnesota district.

Mr Ellison was among those who signed a petition calling on Lowe's and other advertisers to resist calls to step aside from opponents of the show.

Suehaila Amen, whose family is featured on All-American Muslim, told the Detroit News on Sunday she was disappointed by the retailer's decision.

"I'm saddened that any place of business would succumb to bigots and people trying to perpetuate their negative views on an entire community," she said.

Ted Lieu, a Democratic state senator from California, said he was considering calling for a boycott of Lowe's, a pledge already made by Twitter users using the hashtag #boycottlowes.

"The show is about what it's like to be a Muslim in America, and it touches on the discrimination they sometimes face. And that kind of discrimination is exactly what's happening here with Lowe's," Mr Lieu said.

The Michigan director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Dawud Walid, said his group felt "extreme disappointment" but was working on resolving the situation with the help of non-Muslim allies.

"I will be picking up the phone tomorrow to some of our friends and allies to explain the situation to them," Mr Walid said on Sunday.

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Charges Against Men Police Link to Hate Group - News1130

Charges against men police link to hate group - News1130

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Charges against men police link to hate group

One man's accused of setting someone on fire

Dave White Dec 09, 2011 11:17:42 AM

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Police are linking two men from the Lower Mainland to an international organized hate group called 'Blood and Honour,' which is responsible for racially motivated attacks around the world.

The men are accused in crimes against four local victims.

After an horrific attack in February, Detective Constable Terry Wilson with the BC Hate Crime Team says 25-year-old Robertson de Chazal has now been charged with aggravated assault.

"[He allegedly set] a Filipino man on fire. The 25 year old victim fell asleep on a discarded couch near the intersection of Commercial Drive and 5th Avenue in Vancouver," he says. "Mr. de Chazal and two other men were observed by witnesses allegedly lighting the victim on fire. The suspects allegedly fled the scene before arrival. The victim sustained injuries to his arms, face, and neck."

A second man has been arrested in connection with this incident but hasn't yet been charged and therefore can't be identified.

de Chazal is also charged with assaulting a black man in September, 2009, knocking him unconscious

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Shawn MacDonald is accused in assaults dating back to 2008 on a black man, an hispanic man, and an aboriginal woman.

MacDonald and de Chazal have been released on conditions.

Showing off a table covered in flags and t-shirts covered in swastikas, Wilson says it's not illegal to be part of an organized hate group.

"It's not illegal to belong to these groups. It's not illegal to have the paraphernalia you see here," he says. "But if these beliefs motivate you to commit criminal offences, that's when we become involved. When they become criminal offences, that's when we look at the motivation."

He says that motivation through membership can be used against an accused in court to label their offence a hate crime.

"If you belong to an organized hate group in BC we will know about you and if you commit crimes we will come and get you," warns Wilson.

None of the allegations against de Chazal or MacDonald have been proven in court.

Toronto's Dr. Abbee Corb is a global expert in white supremacy and radicalization. She says people should not be surprised these types of attacks happen in Canada.
While she says it's difficult for any expert to track down numbers, Corb points out these types of groups can be found across the country.

She says most hate crimes are committed by individuals with their own beliefs or who often have their beliefs fueled by groups posting material online.

"Hate crimes are very, very under-reported across Canada. People are afraid, at times, to reach out, because the hate crime doesn't just affect the person, it affects the community."

Corb says organized hate groups are very careful and know legal loopholes to make sure they get away with actions supporting their cause.

Meanwhile, Wilson says the local sect of 'Blood and Honour' is not connected to a white supremacist march that was planned but cancelled in Downtown Vancouver earlier this year.
He says there are up to 15 members of the group in this province that police are aware of.
There's another group in B.C. he says his team often investigates but is refusing to name it.

NY Mosque's Sign Smashed on 9/11 Anniversary

"BUFFALO, NY (WIVB) - Was the sign at a mosque on the city's east side intentionally damaged? What makes this incident suspicious is that it happened on Sunday, the 10 year anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 attacks on America.

Police are investigating and have not determined whether it was a was deliberate act, but some residents we talked to believe this was no accident.

Geneva's Auto owner Walter Johnson said, "That was deliberately done and I think it's awful."

A sign outside this a mosque on Genesee Street in Buffalo was wrecked on September 11th, the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers.

Buffalo Police Chaplain Bilal Abdullah said, "I guess it was a 9/11. People maybe looked at it as a way to get back at Muslims in general."

Dorothy Chandler says she saw it happen.

"He was doing about 90 to 100 miles-per-hour. Drove u pon the sidewalk, actually, and crashed into that sign," said Chandler.

Buffalo Police say a truck drove over the lawn in front of the mosque and smashed the sign, which we found in pieces around the parking lot.

Resident Ernest Rainey said, "Everybody has a right to have their own religion."

Rainey lives across the street from the mosque and adjoining school.

"They don't bother anybody. If they do park in front of my house, they don't say nothing to me. They might greet me, if that, and they don't do anything wrong," said Rainey.

Johnson said, "Everyone is not a terrorist. I mean, it's a nice mosque. I know a lot of these guys over here. I do a lot of work on their vehicles. And whoever it is needs to be caught."

The incident, whether intentional or accidental, has some neighbors, like Bruce Austin, quite upset.

Austin said, "I think this is a destruction of property. You know, everyone is not connected with the event that happened on 9/11 and I think it's very unfair."

Police Chaplain Abdullah says there needs to be a better understanding of cultural and religious differences, saying, "I think 9/11 is about bringing things together. Religious organizations together, and that Muslims, people don't look at Muslims as just a big terrorist organization. That's the farthest thing from the truth."

The good news is no one was injured, but it sure has shaken up the immediate neighborhood."

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Video: CAIR Rep Says 9/11 Coloring Book Promotes Anti-Muslim Stereotypes...

The fact that there is a colouring book out there directed to young impressionable children that openly promotes ignorance is shocking to say the least. These open acts of racism and prejudice prove more and more the negative and backwards way that our society is heading. Humanity is sinking and ignorance is rampant, we live in a time where being anything other than a white Christian leads to an automatic dislike and turns you into a stereotype. These attitudes are becoming more and more prevalent where I live and what's worrying is that people seem to think it's OK.



"There's a new coloring book on the market and it doesn't feature cute animals or cartoon characters...it shows the Twin Towers burning and Navy Seals shooting Osama Bin Laden. CAIR-MI Executive Director appears on Dr. Drew's CNN program and says the coloring book promotes anti-Muslim stereotypes. CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, E-mail: dwalid@cair.com"


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Sign the petition to discontinue the nasty colouring book

Two Plead Guilty to Branding of Disabled Navajo Man

By Dennis J. Carroll

Santa Fe, New Mexico | Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:16pm EDT

(Reuters) - Two men pleaded guilty on Thursday to a racially motivated attack on a developmentally disabled Navajo Indian man in which they branded him with a swastika, the U.S. Justice Department said.

A third assailant had already pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy charges related to torturing the 22-year-old man in New Mexico in 2010. The victim's name was not released.

"No one anywhere, but especially in a state like New Mexico that prides itself on its ethnic, racial and cultural diversity, should be victimized because of what he or she happens to be," U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Kenneth J. Gonzales said.

"The young victim in this case was assaulted, branded and scarred because he happens to be a Native American - that simply is inexcusable and criminal."

The three men - Paul Beebe and Jesse Sanford of Farmington, N.M., and William Hatch of Fruitland, N.M., - are the first defendants to be charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

Beebe pleaded guilty to violating the hate crimes act, while Sanford pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate it. Hatch had pleaded guilty in June to the conspiracy charge. There was no immediate word on when the men would be sentenced.

The defendants in this case admitted covering the victim's body with white supremacist and anti-Native American symbols, including shaving a swastika in the back of his head and using markers to write the words "KKK" and "White Power" on his skin, a Justice Department statement said.

Department officials said that during the plea hearing, Beebe and Sanford admitted that Beebe had taken the man to his apartment, which was full of racist paraphernalia.

After the man fell asleep, the trio drew on his body with blue, red and black markers. When he woke up, Beebe branded him with a swastika using a heated wire hanger as the man sat with a towel shoved in his mouth, officials said.

"The defendants further mocked the victim's heritage" by drawing obscene pictures on his back and telling him that they were his "native pride feathers," the statement said.

The men, who recorded the entire incident on cell phones including a recording of them coercing the man into saying he wanted to be branded, were indicted in November 2010 on charges of conspiracy and violating the hate-crime statute.

The statute is named after Shepard, a young gay man murdered in 1998 in Wyoming and Byrd, an African-American man who was decapitated in Texas in 1998 after he was dragged behind a truck by two white supremacists.

"Deplorable, hate-filled incidents like this one have no place in a civilized society," Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas Perez said.

"The Justice Department is committed to using all the tools in our law enforcement arsenal, including the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, to prosecute acts of hate."

(Edited by Karen Brooks and Cynthia Johnston)

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"Muslims Called 'Enemy' at Hearing on Minn. Islamic Center"

"An Islamic Community Center is one step closer to moving into a Plymouth neighborhood, but not everyone in town is happy about it.

A downtown Plymouth post office doesn't use most of the space in their building and it's for sale. So, the Northwest Islamic Community Center made an offer to buy it.

That move brought a rare crowd into the Plymouth Planning Commission meeting Wednesday night.

It's because the Islamic group would like to share the building with the post office, leasing it back for rent, which means prayer services and postal services would be in the same building.

During a public hearing on whether the building should be used for religious purposes, citizens sent strong messages — on both sides.

"Aiding the enemy is treason," said one man opposed to the center.

"Those who are, you know, do not understand the religion, they are a small minority," said a man in favor of the center. "I hope we can reach out to them, and I hope they can come visit us and know us in person."

The Planning Commission gave unanimous approval for a conditional-use permit, which they believe can be used for religious reasons. They called it a win for both the Islamic center and the post office, which needed to sell the space.

The City Council will make the final decision next week."

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Minn. City Gets 'Vile' Hate Mail Over Planned Islamic Center

"Plymouth City Council member, Bob Stein, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that he is disappointed to receive vile, religiously hostile emails from people opposed to the Islamic Center. The Muslim group needs a permit from the city to open the community center and the Plymouth Planning Commission will make its recommendation on approval of that permit Wednesday night."



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