WP: Interviews of Muslims to Broaden

[kskiska]

FBI Hopes to Avert A Terrorist Attack

Saturday, July 17, 2004; Page A01

FBI agents have launched a series of interviews of Muslims and Arab Americans in the Washington area and across the country, hoping to glean information that could prevent a major terrorist attack during this election year.

A few dozen voluntary interviews of community leaders, students, businesspeople and others have been conducted so far, according to attorneys and Muslim activists. Authorities said they do not know how many people will be contacted, but the effort is expected to expand significantly in the next week or so.

The new round of questioning is also far more targeted than an earlier program of voluntary interviews with men from Arab and Muslim countries, which followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and was criticized for being ineffective and using profiling.

"This is not a general population. They are identified by intelligence or investigative information," said an FBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with department policy. He added that the questioning did not signify that the people were under investigation themselves.

(snip)

"We were told by the FBI agents that they're concerned there could be a coming threat from people who are recent converts to Islam," said Stacy Tolchin, a San Francisco lawyer who accompanied a Turkish Kurdish immigrant to an interview this week.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56080-2004Jul16.html

[NMDemDist2]

1. ..

"We were told by the FBI agents that they're concerned there could be a coming threat from people who are recent converts to Islam,"

:wtf:

[punpirate]

2. Here we go again.... n/t

[wtmusic]

3. "This is not a general population...just the ones with dark skin

and towels on their heads." :eyes: