CAIR SEEKS DOJ ACTION AFTER TN JUDGE STOPS MOSQUE CONSTRUCTION

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on May 29 called on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect the religious rights of Tennessee Muslims after a judge in that state blocked completion of a mosque that has been targeted by anti-Muslim bigots for the past two years. The judge ruled that proper public notice was not given for the May 2010 meeting that approved the site plan for the Islamic Centre of Murfreesboro, near Murfreesboro, Tenn. He seemed to base his ruling on the fact that anti-Muslim bigots were able to manufacture a controversy over the construction of the mosque, the site of which has been the target of hate vandalism.

“American Muslim constitutional rights should not be diminished merely because anti-Muslim bigots are able to manufacture a controversy about what would otherwise be normal religious activities,” said CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas. “If the Rutherford County Planning Commission does not immediately issue new permits for the mosque, we urge the Department of Justice to intervene in this case to support the religious rights of Tennessee Muslims.”