The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today welcomed the arrest of a man accused of making threats against the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley (ICTV).
SEE: Man Accused of Threatening Mosque, Possessing Illegal Guns Arraigned
According to a statement released by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, on Wednesday, Aug. 26, officers were dispatched to the 31000 block of Nicolas Road, where the mosque is located, regarding a report of criminal threats. The suspect was identified as 61-year-old Louis George White Jr., who was taken into custody on Saturday, Aug. 29, following an investigation, during which officers seized several firearms.
White allegedly sent a letter to ICTV that stated, “I cannot wait for the day to kill every one of you. It cannot come soon enough. F*** you all!” He reportedly initially apologized for sending the letter but later stated to an investigator that “Muslims are evil” and “I can’t do anything now, you took my guns.”
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“We have seen an alarming increase in the number of violent threats targeting mosques, Islamic centers, and the American Muslim community as a whole across the country—and, unfortunately, Southern California has not been immune to this vile hate. The threats sent to ICTV are deeply disturbing and serve as a reminder that the dehumanizing anti-Muslim rhetoric that is running rampant in our country has dangerous real-world consequences.
“Threats of violence against a house of worship and its congregants must always be taken seriously. We welcome the arrest of the suspect and commend the Riverside Sheriff’s Department for their swift response and investigation into this incident.”
According to CAIR’s most recent civil rights report, complaints of anti-Muslim bias and discrimination have continued to rise nationwide, reflecting an ongoing pattern of Islamophobia impacting communities across the country. CAIR also recently documented 17 incidents targeting mosques and Islamic centers nationwide, including multiple in California, from May to July—a 183% increase over the same three-month period last year.
CAIR-LA condemned an anti-Muslim rally that took place outside the Islamic Center of Southern California last month. The organization also recently condemned Islamophobic online smear campaigns targeting the Islamic Center of Irvine and the Islamic Society of Orange County.
CAIR-LA urges mosque leaders to maintain increased awareness and utilize resources to maintain community safety, including CAIR’s “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet, which offers advice on how to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to houses of worship of all faiths. CAIR-LA also published a guide on mosque security, which advises mosque leadership on what to do if their place of worship is targeted by hate.
To report any bias or hate incidents, contact CAIR-LA’s Civil Rights Department at (714) 776-1177 (ext. 2) or click here to file a report.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or [email protected]; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, [email protected]