CAIR: Bin Laden Death Leads to Maine Mosque Vandalism

'Osama today, Islam tomorow (sic)' painted on Muslim house of worship

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/2/2011) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Americans of all faiths to remain unified after the killing of Osama bin Laden apparently led to the bias-motivated vandalism of a mosque in Portland, Me.

CAIR also called on state and national law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident as a hate crime.

Portland police are investigating the anti-Islam graffiti, which included "Osama today, Islam tomorow (sic)," "Long live the West" and "Free Cyprus," painted on the exterior of the Maine Muslims Community Center sometime between late Sunday night and this morning.

SEE: Graffiti on Portland Mosque Under Investigation
Portland Mosque Vandalized in Wake of bin Laden Death

"We ask Americans of all faiths to reject intolerance and to send a message of national unity to the rest of the world," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "We urge state law enforcement authorities and the FBI to investigate this incident as a hate crime."

Earlier today at a news conference in Washington, D.C. CAIR and other national Muslim organizations welcomed the announcement of the elimination of Osama bin Laden as a threat to America and the world. CAIR chapters nationwide issued similar statements.

Video: CAIR Rep Discusses Impact of Osama Bin Laden's Death
CAIR-MI: Detroit Religious Leaders Speak Out on Death of bin Laden
Video: CAIR-St. Louis Rep Reacts to Bin Laden Death
CAIR-Tampa: Muslim Group CAIR Calls bin Laden's Death 'Day of Justice'
CAIR-LA in Anaheim Welcomes "Elimination" of Bin Laden
CAIR-MN Expresses Relief Over bin Laden's Death
Video: CAIR-OK Rep Discusses Bin Laden's Death
CAIR-OH Says bin Laden's Death Brings Relief and Hope
CAIR-CT: Muslim Leaders to React to News of Killing of Bin Laden

Those taking part in this morning's news conference included representatives of CAIR, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation (MAS-Freedom), and the Coordinating Council of Muslim Organization in the Washington, D.C., area.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.