Organization Expresses Condolences, Encourages Community to Exercise Caution Washington, DC — Following news reports that Paul M. Johnson, Jr. has been beheaded in the Middle East, the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART) expresses its condolences to the victim’s family. According to news reports, Johnson, the American engineer kidnapped last weekend by militants in Saudi Arabia, was recently beheaded by his captors. The beheading follows a similar incident in Baghdad when Nicholas Berg was also murdered. SMART, along with Arab, Muslim, and South Asian organizations have noticed a spike in hate crimes when similar events have taken place in the past. Therefore, SMART is encouraging the Sikh American community to exercise caution to safeguard themselves, their property and their local Gurdwara. SMART would like to emphasize that this advisory is issued purely as a precautionary measure. We urge everyone to exercise common sense and rely on their own best judgment. Following the beginning of the war in Iraq, SMART issued a similar warning with detailed recommendations. If you or anyone you know becomes the victim of a hate incident, please report it immediately. SMART has relationships with law enforcement agencies across the nation and will ensure that the appropriate agency is notified of the incident. You can also contact SMART toll free at 877-91-SIKHS (1-877-917-4547). To help the community better respond to an incident, SMART has developed a handy pocket guide that details the steps that should be taken in the event of a hate crime, discrimination in the workplace, police profiling, and states your rights as an airline passenger. Please print and distribute the pocket guide at your Gurdwara, to your local community, family and friends.
