US Muslim cleric calls for security policy review

DEARBORN, Mich, Apr 25: A leading US Muslim cleric called on the Bush administration to review security policies that he said unfairly targeted Muslim Americans and soured their relations with the government.

Yesterday Imam Hassan al-Qazwini, spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of America, located in Dearborn, also said he hoped ongoing talks between senior government officials and US Muslim leaders would go beyond what he called ''photo opportunities'' to tackle vital issues, such as visa regulations, domestic spying and civil liberties.

He said the policies that result in unfair treatment cover domestic wiretapping, civil rights, immigration and the Patriot Act, the post-Sept. 11 security legislation.

''I really hope that the American government and the current administration -- that occasionally took a hard line in dealing with the dignity of the Muslim community -- would review its policies and would have a more friendly approach to the Muslim community,'' the Shi'ite cleric told Reuters in an interview.

''Why do we always have to be in the position of someone who is viewed with a suspicious eye?'' Qazwini said.

Qazwini, an Iraqi-born US citizen who holds regular talks with officials in Washington, said ''extremists'' existed in the Muslim community, but were a small fraction of US Muslims. He said these US-based extremists espouse radical views but do not advocate violence and do not represent the mainstream.

Estimates of the number of Muslim Americans range between three and seven million. The Detroit area, which includes Dearborn, is home to one of the United States' largest Muslim communities.

''We are sick and tired of the fact that we always need to prove our loyalty to this country simply because others have committed attacks against this country,'' said Qazwini, who leads one of the largest US mosques.

Qazwini said the Bush administration had worked very hard in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks to support US Muslims and help mitigate any backlash.

SINGLED OUT But he said news of domestic wiretapping, civil rights transgressions, immigration crackdowns and unexplained bans on some Muslim scholars visiting the United States made Muslim Americans feel targets of post-September 11 racism.

Many US Muslims say they feel singled out by law enforcement since the 2001 attacks, and unnerved by reports such as a US News and World Report article saying US officials had secretly monitored radiation levels at Muslim sites including mosques and private homes.

US officials deny they are unfairly targeting Muslim Americans, and note that community leaders have better access to top US officials than ever before.

Qazwini praised recent government efforts to launch a ''permanent dialogue'' between Muslim leaders and officials, who have so far included the US public diplomacy chief Karen Hughes, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and members of the National Security Council.

But he said, ''We Muslims are looking for substantial meetings where we can achieve results, not photo opportunities where we meet with the officials, they take pictures, they hug us, sometimes we are served dinner or breakfast, and then nothing happens.''

Reuters