CAIR-Houston Conducts Successful Hate Crimes Seminar

(HOUSTON, TX 6/18/07) – CAIR-Houston conducted a successful Hate Crimes Seminar for Muslim community leaders on Saturday June 16th at Shahnai Restaurant. The workshop was conducted by Houston Police Department’s Lieutenant John Silva and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Special Agent Dana Griffin.

The focus of the workshop was to educate community leaders about Hate Crime Law on both the local and federal level, various issues pertaining to hate crime investigations as well as their process. Local Muslim leaders were also educated upon guidelines and reporting procedures of local and federal law enforcement agencies.

“These types of seminars are very important for community leaders. We need to know what law enforcement can do for us and what we can for them,” said Yadollah Hasmand of the Islamic Education center.

“Hate Crimes may not be at the top of the list of issues we face as Muslim Americans in Houston, but they certainly are a very serious issue which we should learn how to properly deal with,” said Director of CAIR-Houston Shariq Abdul Ghani.

This seminar was part of an ongoing effort to educate Muslim community leaders about civil rights issues and a chance to voice their concern to governmental and law enforcement officials.

CONTACT: CAIR-Houston Civil Rights Co-ordinator Iliana Gonzalez at 713-838-CAIR or igonzalez@cairhouston.org.