Some Muslims believe FBI may be spying in mosques

Muslim-American groups are accusing the FBI of planting moles in mosques across the U.S.

Suspicions amongst Muslims have risen greatly since February, when Craig Monteilh publicly stated the FBI had used him to infiltrate mosques and spy on Muslims in Orange County, California. The FBI has not responded to Monteilh’s story, which leads many Muslims to believe it is true and that he may not be the FBI’s only spy.

Monteilh stated he was offered to attend a terrorist training camp in Yemen or Afghanistan by Ahmadullah Niazi of Irvine. Niazi was charged with misusing a passport, perjury, and other federal crimes last month, and has been accused of being related to a bodyguard for Osama bin Laden.

The American Muslim Task Force on Civil Rights and Elections and the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) has a history of working proactively with the FBI in reducing the risks of radicalism, and are thus concerned at the FBI’s lack of explanation to them and other Muslim leaders on whether this actually happened and if so, why.

While law enforcement agents at the FBI won’t comment specifically on the California case, Robert Heibel, director of the Institute for Intelligence Studies at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa. says “if they had information about someone at a mosque or church being involved with terrorism, they would have an obligation to investigate. Should the FBI give attention to potentially dangerous religious extremists?” Heibel said. “In a case like that, the agents aren’t targeting a religion. They’re targeting a potential lawbreaker.”

Share Button

Sources