Security Programs Strain Relationship Between US Government, Muslims

Yet recent disclosures of Bush administration domestic surveillance programs have put new strains on those communities' ties with the federal government. "There are several incidents and policies that are unfairly targeting Muslims because of who they are - not because of what they did," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Washington. Awad said the rapport built up with the government since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, "is at its lowest point because of these programs." Federal authorities say their tactics are vital to preventing further attacks. "All investigations conducted by the FBI are based either in intelligence or criminal information," FBI spokesman Rich Kolko said. "We do this in our efforts to prevent or detect an act of terrorism on the country, which is the FBI's No. 1 priority." Security experts say the government has to walk a fine line between protecting against terrorism and respecting people's rights. Community leaders estimate that up to eight million Muslims live in the United States, two-thirds of whom are U.S. citizens. "The 9/11 hijackers were from the Middle East, they were Muslim, they were between 20 and 40 years old," said David Heyman, homeland security director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "Law enforcement can't ignore this - they've got an obligation to protect the public. But they must do so with care." http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=43cbe31b-5737-4e76-8daf-1b33476de825&k=27172 [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on February 26, 2006]

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