CALIFORNIA, December 22 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - In a large Muslim American convention, which included 1,500 people and was held on Saturday, December 21,22, Muslim leaders and activists denounced the USA Patriot Act passed after the September 11 attacks and dubbed them “the biggest threat to democracy in the United States,” a U.S. newspaper reported Sunday.

The Washington Post reported that the denunciation came “days after vocal protests were held over the detention of hundreds of Middle Eastern immigrants who voluntarily registered with the Immigration and Naturalization Service under new federal guidelines.”

The Muslim Public Affairs Council convention “called on the public to challenge the Patriot Act, which they called an unconstitutional law that violates basic civil liberties,” said the Post.

Speakers at the convention also urged people attending to “demand that the news media provide diverse perspectives on the potential war with Iraq to complement the official government stand,” said the paper.

The Post said that, in his opening remarks to the two-day annual conference, the council board Chairman Omar Ricci said that "the Patriot Act is the biggest attack on democracy in America right now."

The controversial Patriot Act, approved in October 25, 2001, and broadens the authority of law enforcement agencies in the U.S. in dealing with what it deems potential terrorist threats.

The "Patriot Bill", formally known as the Mobilization Against Terrorism Act (MATA), is designed to give the government expanded police and surveillance powers in response to September 11 strikes on the United States. It also allows them to impose stricter immigration and finance bills in order to pre-empt "potential" or alleged terrorists.

After its approval, civil rights leaders expressed their concern that an already threatened American Muslim and Arab community would bear the greatest brunt of the bill, as they did after the passage of the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which came in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing - citing the increasing anti-Muslim and Arab sentiment on the street both before and after the attacks on September 11th.

Despite the fact that it was American dissident Timothy McVeigh who masterminded the deadly attack in Oklahoma, Muslims and Arabs were unequivocally the main victims of the secret evidence clause imbedded in the act, which allowed for the Department of Justice to imprison them, some for over 4 years, without ever charging them with a crime and without disclosing the evidence against them, denying them their constitutionally granted right of due process.

Of the roughly 30 people held on secret evidence, at least 25 were Arab and/or Muslim.

The main points of the bill are as follows:

Surveillance: expands the authority to intercept wire, oral and electronic communications as well as share criminal investigative information, including allowing surveillance to follow a person who uses multiple communication devices or locations.

The bill also would broaden the type of records that law enforcement can obtain from electronic communications service providers, and authorizes courts to use nationwide search warrants for electronic surveillance.

Information sharing: authorizes the disclosure of foreign intelligence information obtained by such interception or by a grand jury to any federal law enforcement, intelligence, national security or immigration agency.

However, the information must meet legal definitions, and those who get the information may not use it outside set limits.

Detention powers: grants the attorney general the authority to hold aliens suspected of terrorist activity for up to seven days (currently limited to 48 hours) before bringing criminal charges or beginning deportation proceedings.

The Bush Administration had originally proposed detention without limit.

Borders: authorizes increased border personnel along the U.S.-Canada border.

Penalties: amends the definition of terrorism to say that an alien who solicits funds or membership or provides material support to a certified terrorist organization can be deported.

Increases civil and criminal penalties for money laundering.

Money laundering: gives the treasury secretary the authority to freeze certain interbank or payable-through accounts and gives U.S. courts "long-arm" jurisdiction over foreign persons committing money laundering offenses in the United States.

The bill would also allow the secretary to require identification of foreign beneficial owners of U.S. bank accounts.