CAIR-NJ Seeks Federal Charges for Bias Attack on 'Muslim' Cabbie

CAIR: Did 'Saturday Night Live' Cross the Line with 'Django' Parody?
"Such misrepresentation of what Jesus, peace be upon him, stands for is extremely offensive to Muslims and to all those who believe in his message," CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR-NJ Seeks Federal Charges for Bias Attack on 'Muslim' Cabbie

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 2/28/13) ­- The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today called for federal hate crime charges to be brought against a man charged yesterday with bias intimidation, harassment and robbery for allegedly demanding to know if a cabbie was Muslim, calling him a terrorist, punching him, and knocking off his turban.
The victim told police that the alleged attacker repeatedly asked him if he was Muslim. He reportedly said he was not, but later said he was a Muslim in order to end the conversation. After the cabbie said he was Muslim, the alleged attacker reportedly said, "You're a f--- terrorist."
SEE: Man Charged with Bias Intimidation, Robbery of Cabbie (Jersey Journal)
"We urge federal law enforcement authorities to file hate crime charges in this case, in addition to those already filed against the alleged attacker," said CAIR-NJ Civil Rights Director Khurrum Ali. "Ethnic and religious violence should be treated with greater seriousness, as it adds insult to injury and reflects a hateful motive that must not be tolerated."
Ali noted that two New Jersey white supremacists are facing hate crime charges for allegedly attacking several men of Egyptian descent in 2011. One of the alleged attackers wrote on a website: "(W)e went to hunt down some sand n**gers, it was me and my other bro on like 6 or eight and we whooped them."
SEE: "(W)e Went to Hunt Down Some Sand N**Gers" (Philadelphia Inquirer)
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

- END -

CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Civil Rights Director Khurrum Ali, 908-668-5900, kali@cair.com; CAIR-NJ Chair Nadia Kahf, 973-901-1618, nkahf@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com