Government & Politics

Senators alarmed after Afghan refugees walk off military bases by the hundreds Senators worry 'hastily developed' Afghanistan evacuation created 'gaps' in criminal vetting

(Fox) Senate Republicans are demanding answers from the Biden administration amid reports that hundreds of Afghan evacuees are walking off U.S. military bases without completing the resettlement process. In a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of Defense […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Trump is gone, but Muslim federal workers say reforms are still needed Muslim Americans in Public Service has published a set of 12 recommendations to improve working conditions for Muslims in public service.

(Religion News) Muslim federal employees who say they felt discriminated against under President Trump are advocating for new federal policies to prevent workplace bias, with many backing a new initiative from Muslim Americans in Public Service aimed at getting the Biden administration to […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Democrats introduce resolution condemning racism in government 20 years after 9/11 attacks The government 'unfairly profiled and targeted Arab, Muslim, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Sikh communities'

(Fox) A group of four Democratic congresswomen on Friday introduced a resolution condemning racism in the U.S. government and outlining relief for victims of racism 20 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Ilhan Omar [of] […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Rights group condemns anti-Muslim remarks by 9/11 memorial and museum trustee A trustee of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum board has come under fire by a Muslim rights group for comments she made ahead of the terror attack's 20th anniversary.

(New Arab) A US-based Muslim rights group is calling for the removal of a member of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum trustee board following “numerous Islamophobic statements” made during her participation in a webinar marking the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks. Board member […]

Legal

Montgomery County couple sentenced to prison for supporting their relatives’ efforts to join ISIS Shahidul Gaffar and Nabila Khan, of Collegeville, sent $5,600 to relatives in Bangladesh to fund their travel to Syria. But the couple maintained Thursday they did it out of love for family not ISIS.

(Philadelphia Inquirer) A husband and wife from Montgomery County each were ordered Thursday to spend more than a year in federal prison for sending money overseas to help two relatives travel to Syria and join ISIS. Shahidul Gaffar, 40, and Nabila Khan, […]

Crime

Anti-Muslim hate crimes fell during Trump’s last year in office, FBI data shows Lawmakers and rights groups have criticised the findings as fewer local law enforcement agencies participated in data collection

(Middle East Eye) The number of reported hate crimes targeting Muslims in the US fell by more than a third in 2020, according to newly published data by the FBI. According to the federal agency, the number of reported hate crimes against Muslims in […]

Legal

Second Circuit orders tougher sentence for Islamic State supporter A three-judge panel agreed with federal prosecutors that Sinmyah Amera Ceasar’s two-year sentence for supporting the Islamic State terrorist group was too lenient.

(Courthouse News) A federal appeals court vacated the sentence of an Islamic State supporter on Wednesday after federal prosecutors argued she got off too easy. Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, a U.S. citizen also known by her online nom de guerre Umm Nutella — […]

Children & Teens

A young American girl whose mother joined ISIS and died has been rescued, a former US diplomat says Eight-year-old Aminah Mohamad, the daughter of an American woman from Tennessee who joined ISIS in 2014, awaits her fate outside a Syrian detention camp.

(BuzzFeed) An American-born girl who grew up under ISIS control was rescued from a Syrian detention camp last month after the girl’s mother — a US citizen who left the country and in 2014 joined the terrorist organization — and her father […]

Law Enforcement

Lebanese sleeper agent loses challenge to 40-year sentence The Second Circuit on Tuesday upheld the terrorism conviction of man who claimed FBI agents had tricked him into incriminating himself while proffering evidence as a cooperator.

(Courthouse News) A Hezbollah-trained sleeper agent who scouted New York City buildings for possible targets of terrorism failed to secure a reversal of his 40-year prison sentence Tuesday. At oral arguments back in April, attorneys for Lebanon-born Ali Kourani [said he] only […]