SOUTH CAROLINA Vandalism Charleston. Vandals broke window of minivan belonging o man of Middle Eastern descent. (Post and Courier, 9/15) TENNESSEE Assaults Memphis. Muslim woman badly beaten on way to worship. (Dallas Morning News, 9/16) Threats Waverly. Two Arab American clinicians received threatening phone calls telling them to "go home and get out of our country"; their daughter in Atlanta also received threatening calls. (ADC, 9/12) TEXAS Assaults Iraqi man shot in leg after struggle with assailant, described as African-American, greeted man in Arabic and then pulled out a gun. Police are investigating as possible hate crime. (MSNBC.Com, 9/26) Houston. Man of Middle Eastern ancestry wounded by gunman. Attacker approached victim as he was getting out of his car, asked for cigarette, then held handgun to victim's head, cursed and accused him of having blown up the country and killing his family and friends. Victim grabbed gun and was shot in left hip. Attacker fled scene on foot. (AP, 9/21) North Texas. Shots were fired at Pakistani home. No one was injured. (MSNBC.Com, 9/24) Fort Worth. While visiting Botanic Gardens, two Ethiopian men were stabbed by white man who apparently approached them and, without saying a word, stabbed each one before fleeing. The two men were hospitalized. (Fort Worth Star Telegram, 9/22) Dallas. Pakistani grocer in shot and killed 9/15. (LA Times, 9/18) Vandalism Austin. Carpet store owned by Palestinian American destroyed by fire. (American Statesman, 9/23) Carrollton. Window at Islamic Center of broken by slingshot. (LA Times, 9/18) Houston. Auto mechanic shop owned by Pakistani torched in early morning fire. No one was injured. Son of owner received threats a few days prior. Federal law enforcement agents and Houston Fire Department arson unit investigating. (Houston Chronicle, 9/17) Austin. Incendiary devices thrown onto roof of Nation of Islam mosque. (ADC, 9/ 17) Irving. Six bullets shattered windows of Islamic Center. (AP Worldstream, 9/13) Denton. Islamic Society fire bombed. (Dallas Morning News, 9/13) Professor of Middle Eastern language and cultures at University of Texas spat on by passerby. (ADC, 9/11) Threats North Texas. Two death threats prompted Pakistani-American to shut down his gas station. (AP, 10/9) Austin. Arab American realtor received phone threats, ordering him to "leave this country or else!" (ADC, 9/13) Harassment San Antonio. Two Muslim girls verbally abused in high school. (ADC, 9/11) Discrimination/Profiling Houston. Palestinian anesthesiologist at Baylor College of Medicine was assisting three physicians during surgery, when one began to complain about Islam and Palestinians. When the anesthesiologist told him he is Palestinian, an argument ensued, and the physician ordered him out of the operating room. Physician's behavior reported to in-charge nurse and hospital vice president by nurse and doctor who were present. (ADC, 9/26) San Antonio. Ashraf Khan, a 32-year-old Pakistani businessman, removed from Delta Airlines flight after the flight crew said they did not feel comfortable with him aboard. (Los Angeles Times, 9/20; St. Petersburg Times, 9/17) Palestinian woman sent home by boss, who said he didn't know if she would be celebrating death of Americans in the office. (ADC, 9/12) Vandalism UTAH Salt Lake City. 31-year-old man doused Pakistani-owned Curry in a Hurry_restaurant with gasoline and ignited it, 9/13. (Associated Press, 9/27; Salt Lake Tribune, 9/13) VIRGINIA Assaults Roanoke. Arab American family suffered series of incidents: mother blocked from entering her apartment by group of young men; fist-sized rocks thrown through twoyear old daughter's open bedroom window; their two cars scratched and dented; mother again prevented from entering and hit with baseball; rocks again thrown through windows almost hitting daughter. (ADC, 9/30) Falls Church. Muslim hit in head with baseball bat near Dar Al Hijra mosque. (ADC, 9/28) Fairfax County. On 9/23, white male pulled to stop light ahead of Middle Eastern person, got out of vehicle and approached Middle Easterner with hammer, yelling, "You guys blew up the Trade Center. You m- f", and spit on victim's hood. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax. On 9/19, teenagers playing basketball harassed; one hit in stomach and face. (Washington Post 9/21; Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Alexandria. Afghan American approached by passerby who asked his ethnicity. When Afghan replied affirmatively, passerby screamed, "I'm going to kill you" before assaulting him. (CBS, 9/16) Falls Church. On 9/14, Afghan American assaulted after verbal altercation in a parking lot. (Washington Post 9/18) Fairfax County. On 9/11, intoxicated man entered Chinese restaurant, punched patron in back of head; yelled at staff about being foreigners, should not be in this country and referred attacks. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. On 9/11, man asked woman where she was from, said 'I'm gonna show you where I'm from', returned with gun, stated he wouldn't be afraid to use it, pointed it at woman and told her to go back to her country. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Vandalism Fairfax County. On 9/30, mailbox smashed; drive-byes yelled 'why are you here; go back to where you came from." (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Springfield. On 9/29, vehicle parked at mall, 'keyed' with "F-- Palestine Terrorists" and strewn with garbage and U.S. postage stamp. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Home of Vietnamese woman and husband of Arab origin and found epithets written in yard. (AA1, 10/10) Fairfax. Large swastika burned into lawn of Middle Eastern family's home. (ADC, 9/28) Fairfax County. On 9/28, vehicle rammed by driver who said 'go back to your country you foreigner." (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. On 9/16, Pakistani-owned store trashed by suspects making statements, "You are terrorists. You support Osama bin Laden. This is our country, not yours." (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. "F- -Arab" scratched on vehicle hood and headlights broken, 9/16. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. Graffiti in boys' restroom at Oakton High School, 9/14: "Towel Heads got 2 Options 1) Go F- Home 2) Hit the Curb." (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Officials at two mosques reported vandalism and threatening calls. (Washington Post, 9/13) 10ld Town Alexandria. Islamic bookstore vandalized. Owner fond two bricks on premises with notes that said, "You come to this country and kill. You must die as well." And "Arab murderers." (Washington Post, 9/13) Fairfax County. On 9/13 student found note, stating "Die you stupid halfPakistani...Burn in Hell Die!" (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. Sign indicating site as future home of Muslim society vandalized and attempt made to set it on fire, 9/14. "F— the Arabs" written on sign. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. “F—- Arabs written on door of home. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. Anti-Arab and anti-Jewish statements spray painted on walking tunnels, 9/13. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. "F- Islam" and "F-- Arabs spray painted on property, 9/12. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Threats Resident reported threatening phone call. Caller first mocked his name, asked to speak with wife, and then said, "You're all going to die." (ADC 10/3) Fairfax County. Madina Afghan Kabob restaurant received threatening phone calls 9/14 warning family to go back to Afghanistan or they would be killed. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Fairfax County. On 9/23, note found on windshield: "Muslim children are hell bound"; on daughter's bike: "Muslims must die!" (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/ 10) Fairfax County. Washington Islamic Academy received letter, 9/18, stating all Muslims should be shot and killed and are evil; on 9/12, received nasty phone calls; people driving by yelling and making obscene gestures. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) James County. Woman arrested for threatening to bomb mosque. Coworker contacted police after woman emailed her “. . .I am making plans to bomb the mosque in Hampton." (Daily Press, 9/13) Hampton. Police investigating phone threat received by Islamic Center and mosque. Male voice threatened "prepare to die." (Daily Press, 9/13) Harassment Fairfax County. Arab female stopped at traffic light 9/22, white male in another vehicle yelled "You are not wanted here you animals! Go blow up another building." (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Charlottesville. Arab American physician verbally assaulted by neighbor. (ADC, 19/17) Sterling. Members of Islamic community arriving at Red Cross Center to donate blood found hallway painted with "Die pigs." And Muslims Burn Forever." (XINHUA, 9/12) Fairfax County. On 9/11, several white males in front of K-Mart asking people to sign petition to support America, displayed banner with anti-Islamic sentiments, shouted at people who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent. (Fairfax County Police Report, 10/10) Manassas. Hate messages left on answering machine of mosque (AP Worldstream, 9/13) Discrimination/Profiling Ashburn. Egyptian American fired from Wal-Mart. Called into office at store and questioned by FBI in early October. Coworkers uncomfortable working with him. FBI and Wal-Mart would not comment. (Newhouse News, 10/17) Woodbridge. Three-year old boy of half-Arab origin dismissed from day care. Mother enrolled him in another center, to receive call from assistant director withdrawing admission after having conversation with former director. Mother alleges decision based on ethnicity; not, as director stated, discipline problem. (ADC, 10/2) Falls Church. Egyptian American and coworker fired from tax revenue office after reporting anti-Arab slur made by their boss to an attorney and city manager. Apparently, after hearing news that suspect connected with 9/11 attacks had been detained, the boss allegedly joked, “Did he have a rag on his head?" In termination letters to the two men, the boss claimed they had "challenged my integrity, impeding my authority to operate this office. Your action is harassment and a breach of trust in our relationship." (ADC, 9/24) Manassas. Although their children often played in front of their homes, neighbors contacted Social Services when Algerian children were seen outside unsupervised. (ADC, 9/24) Dulles. United Airlines flight to London delayed four hours after Saudi pilot sought to fly in cockpit. United pilot refused and returned to gate. Saudi pilot and two other men detained and questioned by FBI and INS for three hours. FBI field office spokesman said 'their story check out. . .they were sent on their way." (Pittsburgh Post Gazette9/21) K-Mart closing manager demoted to hourly-basis employee. Employee suspects demotion because of his national origin and 9/11 attacks; does job well and never been written up. (ADC, 9/17) WASHINGTON Assaults Snohomish. Man indicted by a federal grand jury on hate-crime charges for allegedly pouring gasoline over a man's vehicle and then firing a handgun at two people leaving the Idriss Mosque on 9/13. (Seattle Times, 9/27) SeaTac. Sikh taxi driver assaulted by man he picked up at bar. Suspect asked driver if he was a terrorist. Then he choked the cabby, punched him in the face, pulled out part of his beard and knocked the turban off his head. (MSNBC.Com, 9/15) Seattle. Three white men attacked a Somali woman with a knife 9/16 in a grocery parking lot. (Seattle Times, 9/14) Seattle. 53-year-old man charged with first-degree assault and attempted arson after dousing car at Islamic Idriss Mosque with gasoline. When confronted by car owner, he tried to fire at him, 'squeezing a shot into the ground'. The man then drove his own car into a telephone pole. (Seattle Post Intelligencer, 9/13) Snohomish. Man accused of spitting at Middle Eastern woman picking up her children at elementary school, arrested. (Seattle Times, 9/14) Prison fights broke out over Muslim slurs. (AP Worldstream, 9/13) Seattle. Suspect arrested for suspicion of malicious harassment. Allegedly threatened to burn down mosque and walked into mosque wearing his shoes. When asked to leave, pushed mosque leader in chest. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/11) Vandalism Lynwood. Dar Alarqam Mosque defaced with black paint. The mosque also received a flood of hate calls. (MSNBC.Com 9/24) Tacoma. A small arson fire damaged synagogue Sunday in what police termed a hate crime. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/24); Edmonds. Iranian-owned grocery vandalized. (Seattle Times, 9/18) A Kenmore man is in jail awaiting charges for allegedly pouring gasoline on a Northgate mosque and firing a gun when employees there tried to stop him. (Seattle Times, 9/18) Threats Vancouver. Man arrested after leaving messages on local Islamic school's voice mail; mosques, other schools and cultural centers threatening to blow them up in retaliation for Sept. 11 attacks. (Vancouver Sun, 10/5) Seattle. Man charged with malicious harassment for threatening to burn down mosque. (Seattle Times, 9/18) Seattle. Two men threatened East African home improvement store employee. (AAI, 9/16) Seattle. Man stormed into mosque, threatening to burn it down. (Seattle Times, 9/16) Spokane. Threats made at two gas stations owned by Arab Americans. (The Hotline, 9/13) Seattle. Sign hung from footbridge: "Death to all Palestinians." Sign later removed (Seattle Post Intelligencer, 9/11) Seattle. Police report local mosques received not only abusive calls but also several death threats, including 'we will kill you like sheep'. (Seattle Post Intelligencer, 9/ 11) Taxicab dispatcher received calls threatening company to "tell your Muslim drivers not to drive today", among other threats. (Seattle Times,9/11) Discrimination/Profiling Seattle. 12 year American Airlines employee escorted off AA flight to Dallas with another passenger of Arab origin. They were informed "pilot does not feel safe with you guys on board and we have notified the FBI to come here and question you." Interrogation and background check performed by three Seattle police officers, after which they were permitted to board a later AA flight to Dallas. Apologetic stewardess later informed them that pilot of second flight was asked by FBI agent if he feels comfortable flying with "two Middle Eastern men." (ADC, 9/26) WISCONSIN Threats Beloit. On 9/29, Jordanian man reported that threat to blow up his store if he did not leave the country in 24 hours. Forty-four-year-old man arrested and charged with conveying 'false bomb threat,' making threatening phone call and probation violations. All charges filed as hate crimes. (MSNBC.Com, 10/9) WYOMING Threats Laramie. American-born Muslim woman and her children chased from Wal Mart by angry shoppers yelling for her "to go back to her country." (Associated Press, 9/ 11) Article by Ali Ayub, Washington Post Company, December 3, 2001, Washington, DC WHOSE SACRIFICE? American citizens are willing to sacrifice civil liberties in the fight against terrorism [front page, Nov. 29], but which Americans are doing the sacrificing? Since Sept. 11 the FBI has interviewed me at work and at home because my name is similar not to that of one of the hijackers, but to an individual arrested with suspected links to the terrorists. The FBI has contacted my broker, my neighbors and my friends to learn more about me. I was purchasing an apartment, but when I needed to give my down payment at closing I was informed by my bank that my accounts were frozen. No one informed me nor could anyone help me resolve the problem. Only an angry settlement attorney was able to unfreeze the funds. A month passed, and all seemed normal. Then I found out again that I did not have access to transfer funds from my accounts without government approval. I am a federal employee. I have not been charged with a crime. I do not support terrorism, and I was willing to help the law enforcement agencies. It was my duty as an American to answer all the questions asked of me. But as time goes by and I have to get "clearance" every time I want to make a bank transfer, I feel victimized. Every time I travel and receive the extra security checks because of my name it makes me trust my government less. What scares me even more is that I am an American citizen, and that is why I am not in jail. If I were not a citizen I could be one of the hundreds of detainees, or I could be in sitting in front of a secret military court only because the crime I am guilty of is that my name is Ali Ayub and not Joe Smith. |