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2 Islamic sites targeted with anti-Muslim posters

The Arizona Republic
Jun. 14, 2006 12:00 AM

Handmade posters carrying anti-Islamic messages were found less than a day
apart at two Valley Islamic locations, prompting the Arizona chapter of
the Council on American-Islamic Relations to seek a hate-crimes
investigation.

During afternoon prayers Sunday, around 5 p.m., members of the Islamic
Community Center of Tempe found a white poster board at the mosque with
messages scrawled in black marker attacking the Prophet Mohammed and
Muslims. The 3- by 2-foot sign was taped to a dumpster facing the mosque
but was not on its property. No damage was found, Sgt. Dan Masters, a
Tempe police spokesman, said in an e-mail.

Members reported the incident to the council and to Tempe police, who took
fingerprints and video surveillance tapes from the mosque.

Nure Elatari, communications director for the council, said she was told
the videos include images of individuals and a vehicle.

Employees at the council found a similar white poster taped to their
office door, 202 E. McDowell Road, at 9 a.m. Monday, Elatari said. The
words, transliterated from Arabic into English spelling, distorted a
common Islamic prayer about Mohammed into an insult, she said.

Phoenix police have assigned the case to the bias crimes unit and have
classified it as a "threat" report, said Detective Tony Morales, Phoenix
police spokesman.



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