RACIST SLURS SPRAYED ON CA MUSLIM’S STOLEN CAR

CAIR asked that incident be probed as possible hate crime

(SACRAMENTO, CA, 8/28/O7) - The Sacramento Valley chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SV) reported today that racist slurs were spray-painted on a car stolen from a California Muslim.

CAIR said the Muslim woman’s late-model car was stolen from the parking lot of a shopping center in Sacramento, Calif., earlier with month. When police found the car days later, the hood and truck were spray-painted with slurs such as “rag head go home.”

The thieves may have either observed the woman’s Islamic headscarf when she parked the car or noticed the Islamic name on the insurance and registration cards.

“Whenever there are overt signs of a bias motive, an incident should be investigated as a possible hate crime,” said CAIR-SV Executive Director Basim Elkarra.

Elkarra discussed the incident in a meeting today with law enforcement officials.

CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 33 offices, chapters and affiliates nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.