Muslim Coalition Raises Concerns About FBI Treatment of Islamic Organizations

Several large Islamic groups announced last week that they are considering ending their cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, saying actions by the government agency had undermined their trust.

The American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections, a coalition in Newark, Calif., said it has worked diligently to foster good relations between Muslims and law-enforcement officials since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But in part because of concerns about the bureau’s treatment of one of its members, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, those efforts may end.

“Recent incidents targeting American Muslims lead us to consider suspending ongoing outreach efforts with the FBI,” the coalition said in a statement.

In response, John Miller, assistant director of the FBI, questioned the coalition’s decision.

“Limiting honest dialogue, especially when complex issues are on the table, is generally not an effective advocacy strategy,” he said in a statement. He encouraged the coalition to continue talking with the agency.

Earlier this year, the FBI announced it had severed partnerships with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, in Washington, and its local offices. Since 2001, the bureau had worked with the council to teach FBI agents about Islam and use it as a liaison to American Muslims.

“What we have sought to limit are any formally constructed partnerships between CAIR and the FBI,” said Mr. Miller. “Our concerns relate to a number of distinct, narrow issues specific to CAIR and its national leadership. We have made CAIR’s national leadership aware of these issues.”

According to news reports, the bureau has said it needed to end the relationship in part because the council was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a trial against the now-defunct Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, a Texas charity.

In November, Holy Land Foundation officials were convicted on federal charges of money laundering, tax fraud, and supporting terrorism.

As an unindicted co-conspirator, the council has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but government prosecutors were able to include testimony about the group as part of the trial.

Several other prominent Muslim nonprofit groups were also named as unindicted co-conspirators, including the Islamic Society of North America and the North American Islamic Trust.

The American Muslim Taskforce said the designation “wrongly implies that those listed are somehow involved in criminal activity.”

“If the FBI does not accord fair and equitable treatment to every American Muslim organization,” it said, including CAIR, ISNA, and NAIT, then “Muslim organizations, mosques, and individuals will have no choice but to consider suspending all outreach activities with FBI offices, agents, and other personnel.”

The group added: “This possible suspension, of course, would in no way affect our unshakable duty to report crimes or threats of violence to our nation.”