CAIR urges US to repudiate growing Islamophobia in society

WASHINGTON - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has urged the United States to repudiate growing Islamophobia in the American society, following an attack on a Muslim man in Florida.

According to police, the alleged attacker stabbed the victim in the neck during a discussion on religion, reportedly after the victim said he was a Muslim.

A police report of the incident quoted the alleged assailant, who was charged with the aggravated assault, as saying that “Muslims are the root of the problem.”

“Elected officials in Florida and nationwide must begin to address the rising level of Islamophobia in our society that can lead to violent incidents or acts of discrimination targeting ordinary Muslims,” The Nation quoted Ramzy Kili�, CAIR’s Communications Director in Tampa, as saying in a statement.

CAIR had recently called for hate crime probes of incidents such as vandalism at a Missouri mosque, said Kili�, adding that CAIR’s San Antonio chapter was challenging the refusal of a private school association in Texas to admit an Islamic school.

A number of states are currently seeking to enact legislation that would stigmatise Islam and marginalize American Muslims, the report said.

Islamophobia refers to unfounded fear of and hostility towards Islam, which lead to discriminations against Muslims, exclusion of Muslims from mainstream political or social process, stereotyping, the presumption of guilt by association, and finally hate crimes. (ANI)