Sikh American Delegation Meets with FBI Leadership in Nation’s Capital

SALDEF and Sikh community representatives discuss increased partnership Washington D.C., November 8, 2006 – The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights organization, along with representatives from five Washington DC-metro area Gurdwaras (Sikh congregational place of worship) met with Joseph Persichini, Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office (FBI-WFO), and members of his staff to discuss issues of relevance to the local Sikh American community. Some of the issues discussed at the meeting included:

  • The FBI’s efforts to investigate hate crimes against the Sikh American community.
    • Increasing outreach by the FBI to recruit from the Sikh American community
    • Incorporating Sikh American cultural competency and protocol trainings for the newly hired FBI agents.
    • Discussing ways that Sikh American youth can participate in the FBI’s internship program.
    • During the meeting Mr. Persichini committed to increasing outreach to the Sikh American community by increasing recruiting efforts and reiterated his office’s commitment to investigate hate crimes diligently.

“The meeting with the WFO was very productive and is a much needed first step to greater partnership between the FBI-WFO and the Washington, DC-area Sikh American community,” said SALDEF President Mirin Kaur Phool. “Our local community members must increase their outreach to local civic and law enforcement officials to build trust and develop working relationships.” SALDEF thanks Mr. Persichini and his staff for meeting with the members of Sikh American community and their encouraging positive response. SALDEF is also thankful for the participation of the representatives from the Sikh Foundation of Virginia (SFV), National Gurdwara, Guru Nanak Foundation of America (GNFA), Singh Sabha Gurdwara, and the Raj Khalsa Gurdwara.

Security agencies and communities cooperate to protect civil rights, leaders say “Our country is more secure today because law enforcement and America’s Arab, Muslim, Sikh and South Asian communities are working more closely together,” according to Homeland Security’s Daniel W. Sutherland. “We sincerely hope and expect that those relationships will deepen and strengthen as the years progress,” the officer for civil rights and civil liberties at the Department of Homeland Security said, introducing a panel on security enhancement through community involvement at the National Press Club in Washington September 15. Addressing the group, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Wan Kim called the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States ” a seminal event in the nation’s history” and deplored post-9/11 hate crimes against Arab and Sikh Americans. Among the most effective tools to counter such incidents are outreach programs to the Arab and South Asian American community leaders, he said, adding that cooperation with federal, state and local law enforcement officials has enhanced protection of civil rights in their communities and brought criminals to justice. Kim cited the examples of James Herrick, who attempted to burn down a Pakistani restaurant in Salt Lake City; Frank Roque, who gunned down Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh, in a Mesa, Arizona, service station; and an Iowa Marriot hotel that, under false pretences, canceled an agreement to host an American Syrian and Lebanese group’s annual convention. Kim said there was redress in each case: Herrick was sentenced to five years in prison; Roque was sentenced to death; and the Marriot apologized, paid $100,000 in compensation and instituted training for its employees in cultural sensitivity. MORE FEDERAL RESOURCES DEVOTED TO PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS Since 2001, the Department of Justice has investigated more than 700 cases throughout the United States and brought federal charges against 35 defendants, Kim said. Attorneys from Homeland Security’s civil rights division coordinated with state prosecutors in 150 nonfederal prosecutions, “in many cases providing substantial assistance.” Cases of harassment of Muslim students have been investigated. “In New York, currently we are litigating a case involving the right of Muslim and Sikh bus and subway drivers to wear their religious headgear,” he said. Since 9/11, more people have been detailed to track civil rights issues in the Homeland Security and Justice departments. The Department of Justice sponsored more than 250 town hall meetings with American Arabs, Muslims and South Asians around the country to address their concerns, Kim said, adding, “But this is a process, not a destination. There is more work to be done.” New training on cultural issues has been incorporated at the FBI, according to FBI unit chief Brett Hovington. “We are fighting in a totally different environment these days, and the war on terrorism is not going to be won, necessarily, with knocking down doors, but based on building relationships,” he said. TERRORISM, EXTREMISM REPRESENT “CLASH OF THE UNCIVILIZED” Panelist Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center in Virginia spoke of its work “to make sure [the Muslim] community protects itself from being penetrated by extremists and those who might wish harm to our nation and hijack our religion.” A decree, or fatwa, denouncing terrorism was issued at his mosque. Programs for youth “to integrate them into society,” such as the Boy Scouts, are emphasized. Networking with other religious organizations and civil rights groups, instituting a “mosque without walls” open to Muslim and non-Muslim alike, and establishing dialogues with U.S. government agencies are effective approaches to the issues that affect the Muslim community, he said. “There has been a collective decision at the level of the Muslim communities of America to become a part of the solution in the post 9/11 conflict as opposed to a part of the problem,” said Ahmed Younis, national director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. He supported the imam’s view that mosques can ensure community integrity remains intact, that they are not manipulated “to engage in acts of extremism or acts of terrorism.” He said the discourse begins among Muslims themselves, with amplification of Islam’s message against terrorism and extremism, and financial accountability to congregations and transparency about where and how charitable funds are being spent. “We do not subscribe to the proposition that there is a clash of civilizations, we as Muslims subscribe to the proposition that there is a clash of the uncivilized,” Younis said. Manjit Singh, head of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, described the ongoing problems that American Sikhs have experienced, and how Sikh organizations have worked with U.S. security agencies to define culturally sensitive guidelines for airport screening. “One can’t have security without making everyone secure,” he said. “We can’t be discriminatory and say security applies to some and not to others.” To a question about why American Muslims are not drawn to extremism as readily as their European counterparts, Ali offered, “American Muslims are unique. They are very integrated with the community.” Other panel participants were Laila Al-Qatami, communications director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and Dr. Yahya Basha, of Basha Diagnostics P.C. Source: U.S. Department of State judythpiazza@gmail.com

Local FBI and Muslim Leaders Try to Establish Better Ties By Sari Horwitz Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, September 21, 2006; Page A23 Don’t let an FBI investigation be the reason for your first visit to an Arab home, a U.S. Muslim leader told 500 FBI agents gathered at Quantico yesterday, urging them to reach out to Arab communities. “You say ‘FBI’ to the average Yousef out there and they picture a middle-aged white guy talking in their sleeve,” said Nawar Shora of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “Recent immigrants don’t have the comfort level, because in their countries oftentimes the equivalent of the FBI is the secret police.” Shora dispensed his advice to FBI agents from the bureau’s second-largest office, the Washington Field Office, as part of an effort by Muslim community leaders and FBI officials to build a more trusting relationship. Shora and other Muslim leaders met last week over tea and cookies with Joseph Persichini Jr., acting assistant director in charge of the FBI office. The group included representatives from the Council on American Islamic Relations, the Sikh American Legal Defense Education Fund, the Arab America Institute, the Muslim Public Affairs Council and the ADAMS (All Dulles Area Muslim Society) Center. “We need to reach out and develop better contacts in the Shia community in light of the Lebanon-Israel war,” Persichini told the group, gathered around his conference table. The FBI helped create the group, called the Arab, Muslim and Sikh Advisory Council, after Sept. 11, 2001. They meet about every two months to discuss a range of issues, including hate crimes and concerns about the Patriot Act. Persichini said the relationships developed through this committee allow him and Muslim leaders to be in constant touch by phone or electronic message. He said he hopes that inroads into the Muslim community will help the FBI attract much-needed Arab American agents. “We have to recruit better,” he said. When Muslim leaders recently learned that an FBI agent wrote an e-mail insinuating that some area Muslim groups were linked to terrorists, they immediately talked by phone to Persichini and Shora said the controversy was resolved. Two days ago Persichini heard a radio broadcast about a report released by a national Muslim advocacy organization detailing an increase in hate crimes in the Washington area. The report was news to him. “I fired off a BlackBerry message to Arsalan [Iftikhar from the Council on American Islamic Relations],” Persichini said. “I said, ‘Hello? Where did that come from?’ ” While the report raised questions about overzealous arrests and interrogation practices, Iftikhar told Persichini that he had praised the FBI Washington Field Office at a news conference about the report for its efforts in trying to combat hate crimes in the area. Two weeks ago, at a Saturday night family gathering at a mosque, Imam Mohammed Magid of the ADAMS Center presented Persichini and the FBI’s Washington office an award for service to the Muslim community. “We don’t always agree,” said Shora. “But we’ve come a long way. Communication and understanding equals trust.”

Washington, DC, August 15, 2006 — Following the successfully foiled attempted terrorist activity at London’s Heathrow Airport late last week, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) has been in direct contact with federal agencies including the Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure steps are taken to prevent backlash against the Sikh American community. SALDEF would like to commend these agencies for their pro-active efforts in making sure that minority communities are not unfairly targeted. The FBI has also noted that the assistance of members of the Arab American, Muslim and Sikh communities has been vital to the government’s efforts to keep our country safe. “The progressive efforts of federal and local law enforcement are greatly appreciated by the Sikh American community,” stated SALDEF President Mirin Kaur Phool. “Their collective efforts will go a long way in protecting all innocent Americans from being targeted or singled-out because of their appearance or faith.”  SALDEF also urges local law enforcement agencies to coordinate with Sikh American leaders to deter hate crimes. SALDEF is cautioning the Sikh American community to take extra safety measures to safeguard themselves, their property and their local Gurdwara from possible backlash by misguided and racist individuals. Please view a list of precautionary safety tips here. If you or anyone you know becomes the victim of a hate incident, please report it to SALDEF immediately here or at info@saldef.org. SALDEF has relationships with law enforcement agencies across the nation and will ensure that the appropriate agency is notified of the incident and follow-up action is initiated. You can also contact SALDEF toll free at 877-91-SIKHS (1-877-917-4547). 

To help the community better respond to any incident, SALDEF has developed Know What To Do, 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. You can download the Know What To Do guide here.

Sikh Community from New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey encouraged to attend. Washington, DC– The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), in conjunction with the Bridgewater Gurdwara Sahib, the Gurdwara Singh Sabha of Glen Rock, the Gurdwara Sri Dashmesh Darbar Sahib of Port Reading, and the Sri Guru Singh Sabha of Carteret, has invited several government officials to participate in a community forum this Saturday, June 15, 2006.  Members of the Sikh American community from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania are encouraged to attend this event with their children so that they may be informed about their civil rights. The following representatives will be attending the forum: Edward McCaffrey – Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) David Livingston– Somerset County Superintendent; New Jersey Department of Education Phillip Freeman – Office of the New Jersey Attorney General; Division of Civil Rights Mr. Leslie Wiser, Jr. – Special Agent-In-Charge; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Invitations have also been extended to representatives from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Raritan Police Department. DATE: 6/15/2006 TIME: 2:00 – 4:00 PM LOCATION: The “Atrium,” Raritan Valley Community College Route 28 and Lamington Road North Branch, NJ 07047 These forums provide a unique opportunity for Sikh community members to learn about their rights and about protecting their families and our community from hate crimes and harassment. The focus of these forums is to bring to the sangat the individuals who are responsible for litigating egregious cases of religious and national origin discrimination for a meaningful face-to-face interaction. In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of SALDEF/SMART, SALDEF will be organizing similar events across the country.  SALDEF encourages all residents of the Tri-State area to attend. We thank the management and community members of the Bridgewater Gurdwara Sahib, the Gurdwara Singh Sabha, the Gurdwara Sri Dashmesh Darbar Sahib, and the Sri Guru Singh Sabha for supporting and sponsoring this event.

SALDEF to conduct training in response to incident at Statue of Liberty Washington D.C., June 7, 2006 – The National Park Service has apologized to Gurvinderpal Singh and his other Sikh American friends for the inappropriate actions of the security staff at the Statue of Liberty in January 2006. In response to a complaint of harassment and misconduct filed by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the National Park Service (NPS) will be conducting cultural awareness training about Sikhs for their supervisors and staff. In her response to SALDEF’s complaint, NPS Regional Director Mary Bomar apologized “for any mistreatment of Mr. Gurvinderpal Singh and his colleagues”, and indicated how their security policy “does not excuse a disrespectful attitude on the part of our staff.”  Additionally, Director Bomar wrote that, “We demand a high standard for all who work at the Statue of Liberty and the need for sensitivity to different cultural and religious beliefs is paramount. Anything less than a respectful attitude is totally unacceptable.” On January 16, 2006 during a visit to the Statue of Liberty, Mr. Gurvinderpal Singh and eight fellow Sikh Americans were harassed by security personnel for wearing their kirpans – a religious article of faith – and “appearing suspicious”. Upon entering the security gates, the group was initially worried about wearing their kirpans and calmly inquired as to what they should do with their articles of faith. The security guards immediately became hostile and told them they would not be allowed to pass through with their kirpans and told them that the kirpans could not be left in the guard’s possession because they would be confiscated. The group eventually left the security gates to place their kirpans in their vehicle; however, when they came back and attempted to go through the security gates, the nine Sikh Americans were harassed and treated like criminals. According to Gurvinderpal Singh’s account of the incident, “I took off my kirpan, and when I gave it to my friend to put it in the car I felt as if a part of me had died and I felt like breaking down and crying. I was eaten up with guilt.” These nine Sikh Americans were denied the ability to practice their faith freely and openly. Furthermore, the National Park Service security guards became hostile towards the group; treating them with suspicion and as criminals. Feeling humiliated by this treatment, Gurvinderpal Singh contacted SALDEF to address this incident of harassment. In a letter addressed to the National Parks Service Director and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, SALDEF noted that, “[c]onstitutionally, United States citizens have the right to free exercise of religion and any act of discrimination must undergo strict scrutiny.  Though in this time of heightened security, measures can and certainly must be taken to prevent terrorist attacks, such hostile action should not be directed towards innocent people who are cooperative and transparent about their role as tourists.  The Sikh Americans in this case were aboveboard with the information that they were Sikhs and were wearing their articles of faith.  They were obliging in removing their Kirpan, an article of faith, to avoid possible violation of the security system, regardless of the emotional distress that it caused them to do so.” Along with the apology, NPS has agreed to work with US Department of Justice Community Relations Service and SALDEF to conduct separate Sikh cultural awareness trainings for the 100 supervisors in charge of security at other tourist attractions in the New York City/New Jersey area. This is a vital step in the continued protection of the 25 million Sikhs across the world who may visit New York City as tourists. The National Parks Service has undertaken a formal investigation into the incident in question and has said they will take appropriate actions with specific individuals. If you or anyone you know have been the victim of a similar incident or have experienced harassment of some kind, please contact SALDEF immediately so that the Sikh American can continue living without fear. PLEASE distribute this to your family, friends and at the local Gurdwara.

For Immediate Release: March 31, 2006 Tri-State residents encouraged to attend event featuring officials from federal, state and local agencies Washington D.C. – The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and the management of the Tri-State Sikh Cultural Society have invited several federal, state and local officials to participate in a community forum for the Sikh community in the greater tri-state area. The Sikh American community is encouraged to attend this event with their children so that they may be informed about their rights when encountering different federal and state agencies. Confirmed participants include representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Monroeville police Department and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Invitations have also been extended to the United States Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian American Affairs. The purpose of this event is to aid Sikh Americans in learning how to correctly respond to all forms of discrimination, hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents and bullying and harassment of school children. This forum will provide Sikh Americans with the crucial knowledge on appropriate responses and actions to take to protect and exercise their constitutional rights. SALDEF encourages all residents of the greater Tri-state area to attend. We thank the management and community members of the Tri-State Sikh Cultural Society for supporting and co-sponsoring this event. When: Saturday, April 8, 2006 Time: 3 pm – 5 pm Where: Tri-State Cultural Society Bedford 4407 McKenzie Drive Monroeville, PA 15146 For more information about this forum please go click here.

SALDEF Contacts Law Enforcement Officials Demanding Swift and Thorough Action Washington, DC – On December 22, 2005, the members of Guru Angad Darbar Gurdwara (place of congregational worship), located in Bakersfield, CA, awoke to find two pig heads thrown in front of the Gurdwara. Additionally, a week and a half prior to this incident, eggs were thrown at the Gurdwara building as well. These unfortunate incidents are not an uncommon experience for Sikhs across the country. Three days later on Christmas morning, a Sikh American cab driver, Gurpartap Singh of El Sobrante, was fatally shot as he dropped off his fare in Richmond, CA. The tragic shooting of this innocent Sikh is unfortunately not the first incident of its kind in the East Bay. On July 2, 2003 a 23 year old gentleman, Gurpreet Singh, was also murdered as he drove his taxicab. Additionally, on July 5, 2003 another Sikh man, Inderjit Singh was shot at point blank range while picking up a fare in a similar location to the shooting of Gupreet Singh just three days earlier. Following those incidents in 2003, The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), worked with local law enforcement and civic officials to address the concerns of the Sikh community and the cab drivers. On December 30, 2005, SALDEF spoke with Bakersfield Police Chief Bill Rector about the case and received a progress update on the investigation. The Bakersfield PD has taken this case very seriously, and besides having some strong leads in the case, they also are ensuring that they investigate thoroughly to determine a motive. Additionally, SALDEF has contacted the Police Chief, Mayor and City Attorney of Richmond to express our outrage at the incident and to insure that a full investigation is conducted to ensure what if motive of the crime was indeed bias related. These incidents, along with many other violent crimes against Sikhs in the Bay Area, have caused significant distress and increased a sense of concern among the Sikh community in regards to the safety of themselves and their families. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, Sikh Americans have a tremendous increase in hate crimes. FBI statistics show that the number of post-9/11 hate crimes increased three fold from 2001 to 2004. Sikh American Cab drivers and convenience store clerks are particularly vulnerable due to their heightened exposure and high-risk employment. SALDEF offers our condolences to the family of Gurpartap Singh and ask that the entire Sikh American community keep them in your prayers, especially during the holiday season. Additionally, a trust is being set up for Sukhvinder Kaur – Gurpratap Singhs’ widow.  While specifics are not yet available, anyone interested in donating to this fund should contact SALDEF at: info@saldef.org to do so. If you or anyone you know becomes the victim of a hate incident, please report it immediately to SALDEF at: info@saldef.org or by reporting it on our website. SALDEF has strong working relationships with law enforcement agencies across the nation and will ensure that the appropriate agency is notified of the incident. You can also contact SALDEF at 202-393-2700. To help the community better respond to an incident, SALDEF has developed the Know What To Do Guide; a handy pocket guide that details the steps that should be taken in the event of a hate crime, discrimination in the workplace, or racial profiling, and states your rights as an airline passenger. Please print and distribute the pocket guide at your local Gurdwara, as well as to your local community, family and friends. To order the pocket guides from SALDEF, please send an email to: education@saldef.org.

On April 26, over 100 law enforcement officials attended SALDEF’s “Sikhism 101 for Law Enforcement” training in Manchester, CT.  The U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, Kevin O’Connor, delivered the opening remarks before SALDEF National Director Preetmohan Singh conducted the training at Manchester Community College.  In addition to local and state officials, other attendees included representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Transportation Security Administration (airport screeners). The U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service organized the training, which also included presentations from the Anti-Defamation League, a national Jewish civil rights organization, and the Muslim community.  The training is part of SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program which has trained over 6,500 local, state, and federal law enforcement officials about effectively partnering with the Sikh American community to build better relationships and prevent hate crimes.

Washington, DC – Attorney General Alberto Gonzales met with SALDEF National Director Preetmohan Singh and other national civil rights leaders on April 13 to discuss further strengthening the relationship with government agencies and leading national organizations.  Mr. Gonzales, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last month, recognized SALDEF and others’ educational outreach and government relations efforts and expressed an interest in continued collaboration. “We are glad Attorney General Gonzales took the time to meet with us so shortly after he was confirmed,” said Mr. Singh.  “We see this as a continuation of the many collaborative efforts we have engaged in with top government officials to ensure that all Americans are treated respectfully and fairly when they interact with federal agencies.” The meeting’s discussion included updates by and for SALDEF on law enforcement training, travel guidelines, and pending investigations.  The meeting was facilitated by R. Alexander Acosta, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, whose office has coordinated regular federal interagency meetings to address government actions and services. Federal agencies represented at the meeting included component agencies of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), State Department, and others. SALDEF met with former Attorney General John Ashcroft in June 2004 to discuss similar issues.