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“We are concerned that the seizure of American houses of worship could have a chilling effect on the religious freedom of citizens of all faiths,” Hooper said. (Google) |
CAIRO – US government plans to seize four mosques and a skyscraper owned by a non-profit Muslim charity on claims of links to Iran is sending shockwaves across the Muslim minority.
“We are concerned that the seizure of American houses of worship could have a chilling effect on the religious freedom of citizens of all faiths,” Ibrahim Hooper, Communications Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said in a statement obtained by IslamOnline.net Friday, November 13.
“(It) may send a negative message to Muslims worldwide.”
Federal prosecutors filed a lawsuit Thursday to forfeit assets of the Alavi Foundation on claims of links to Iran.
The assets include Islamic centers housing mosques and schools in New York, Maryland, California and Houston and a skyscraper in Manhattan.
Federal prosecutors allege that the Foundation has been illegally funnelling funds to the Iranian government.
They claim that top Iranian officials, including former deputy prime minister Tahmasb Mazaheri and ambassadors to the United Nations, were involved in the foundation's business dealings.
"The Alavi Foundation has effectively been a front for the government of Iran," Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara said.
The seizure of the Muslim worship houses is an unprecedented move in US history due to freedom of religion rights enshrined in the Constitution.
The move comes a week after a deadly shooting by a Muslim army soldier at the Fort Hood military base in Texas, which killed 13 people and wounded 30.
Chilling
US Muslims fear that the mosques seizure would trigger a backlash against the Muslim minority.
"It's a rare move to seize a house of worship,” Basim Elkarra, executive director of Sacramento Valley CAIR chapter, told the Sacramento Bee daily.
“We're concerned about the chilling effect on First Amendment rights.”
The Muslim leader said that the seizure of the worship house comes at a “bad” time.
"American Muslims are concerned about a backlash over the Fort Hood shooting,” he said.
"And millions of Muslims are going to be gathering in Makkah for the pilgrimage and hearing about the government seizing mosques.”
More than three million Muslims will go to hajj, one of the pillars of Islam, this month.
Every able-bodied adult Muslim -- who can financially afford the trip -- must perform hajj once in their lifetime.
Hajj is expected to climax this year on November 26 when the faithful descend the Mount `Arafat.
American Muslims, estimated at between six to seven million, have been in the eye of storm since the 9/11 attacks, having their faith widely stereotyped and their civil rights eroded by anti-terror laws.
"Now our mosques are being seized," said Elkarra.
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