Press Releases

Muslims join in FOIA request on detainees The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today joined with a coalition of other human rights organizations in filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for information about the hundreds of Muslims and Arabs who have been detained since the terrorist attacks of September 11. These groups say government officials have been reluctant to release information about those being held. The coalition’s letter to the Department of Justice

Transportation secretary meets with American Muslims Representatives of the American Muslim and Arab-American community met today with Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta to discuss a variety of issues related to airline safety and security, including that of racial, ethnic and religious profiling of passengers. Muslim and Arab groups represented at the two-hour meeting included the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the Islamic Institute. Representatives from the Japanese-American and

Muslim Fast of Ramadan Begins November 17 On November 17, 2001, the Muslim community in America and around the world will begin the month-long fast of Ramadan (rom-a-don). Ramadan is the month on the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures from break of dawn to sunset. The fast is performed to learn discipline, self-restraint and generosity, while obeying God’s commandments. Fasting (along with the declaration of faith,

Jewish groups “Phony Fatwa” slammed as publicity stunt The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today condemned a prominent Jewish organization for promoting what it called a “phony fatwa” to boost sales of a new book on Islam for Jews. The Washington-based Islamic advocacy group says the American Jewish Committee (AJC) is claiming a “fatwa,” or Islamic legal ruling, has been issued against the writer of its new book “Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Islam

Muslim Leaders Walk Out of White House Meeting More than 20 Muslim leaders and community representatives today walked out of a White House meeting to protest the exclusion of one of the attendees. During a briefing with Rev. Mark Scott, Associate Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives, Abdallah Al-Arian was approached by a security guard who asked him to leave the premises. No reason was given for his removal from

Muslim Leaders arrested at White House sit-in to protest Sharon visit Leaders of six national American Muslim organizations were arrested in a non-violent “sit-in” outside the White House to protest today’s meeting between President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Those arrested during the act of civil disobedience included the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), as well as representatives from American Muslim Council (AMC), American Muslims for Jerusalem (AMJ), Muslim