LOS ANGELES – In an effort to
calm the fears of worshipers, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern
California today filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking answers from
the FBI about suspected monitoring of religious institutions.
The ACLU of
Southern California filed the request on behalf of the Council on American
Islamic Relations, the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California and area
mosques, and six leaders in the Muslim community. The government has so far
refused to explain repeated news reports describing FBI surveillance of mosques
and numerous personal accounts from worshipers who were questioned about their
faith at home and at work.
"We are people of faith and our mosques are
peaceful and tolerant places of worship," said Shakeel Syed, executive director
of the Islamic Shura Council. "But people are being scared away from worship
because of reports that mosques and those who pray at them are being monitored.
People are afraid that practicing their religion or even visiting a mosque will
make them a suspect of the government."
The government has 60 days to respond
to this request, which seeks information pertaining to whether area mosques and
community leaders are being monitored and if so, why, according to Ranjana
Natarajan, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Southern California.
"We firmly
believe that mosques are peaceful places of worship and we will continue to meet
with law enforcement officials and cooperate in legitimate law enforcement
investigations," said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR. "However, it
is our right to expect transparency from our government."
The ACLU has filed
FOIA requests in 20 states on behalf of more than 150 organizations and
individuals including advocates for the environment, animal rights, labor,
religion, Native American rights, fair trade, grassroots politics, peace, social
justice, nuclear disarmament, human rights and civil liberties. So far the
government has released documents that reveal monitoring and infiltration by the
FBI and local law enforcement that targets political, environmental, anti-war
and faith-based groups around the country.
For more information
about the ACLU's efforts to end illegal spying, go to www.aclu.org/spyfiles