New FBI outreach sparks wariness in US Arabs, Muslims

By: Mohamed Ali

WASHINGTON: The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a new drive to seek information from Muslim and Arab Americans to help thwart any pre-election attack.

According to the FBI it was working hard to assure Arab and Muslim groups it was not discriminating against them in the renewed quest for information, which began with an FBI circular to field offices last week calling for stepped up outreach, including interviews.

“Unfortunately some of these actions coming from Washington paint us all with a big brush,” said Marwan Kreidie, a leader of the Arab American community in Philadelphia.

He said, “I think (Attorney General John) Ashcroft's actions have been racist. I think they've been very wrong and ineffective. More than that, I think they've been shredding the Constitution.”

Many Arab and Muslim Americans accuse the government of singling them out for questioning, detention and civil rights abuse, and call the latest FBI initiative more of the same.

Some community members say they feel intimidated by the new drive. Others fear they are being strong-armed into snitching on neighbors or revealing political views unrelated to terrorism.

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