Virginia Family Receives Death-Threat Because of Religion: SALDEF Calls Upon FBI and Local Officials to Investigate Hate Incident (3/2/12, Washington, DC)— This past Tuesday, February 28, 2012, a Sikh American family from Sterling, Virginia received a letter containing death threats addressed to ‘Turban Family’. The text of the letter was as follows: “Our People in the neighborhood have been closely watching your activities and figured out you are a close associate of a secret Taliban movement on the US Soil. We ask you to leave the country as soon as possible otherwise one of our people is going to shoot you dead. Don’t attempt to relocate somewhere else in America as people are closely monitoring your day to day activities.“ This family has been the target of previous hate crimes. In 2003, while living in Gaithersburg, Maryland their home was vandalized with graffiti and they received two threatening letters. In 2005, after moving to Leesburg, Virginia, they received two more death threats via mail. The FBI apprehended a suspect in the 2005 case. SALDEF has been in contact with the FBI and local law enforcement and urges them to fully investigate this incident as a hate crime. “The death threat that this family received runs counter to the American ideals of freedom of religion, tolerance, and acceptance. Incidents like these are constant reminders of the challenges that Sikh Americans face as a result of their unique identity. Unfortunately, Sikh Americans often face acts of discrimination, violence, and harassment due to ignorance,” said SALDEF Associate Executive Director, Jasjit Singh. “We call upon local and federal law enforcement agencies to classify this incident as a hate crime and bring the perpetrators to justice to show that acts of hate and threats of violence are not tolerated in our society.” —END—
