WASHINGTON, 2 July — FBI Director Robert Mueller urged members of the American Muslim Council this weekend to cooperate with the FBI to prevent future terrorist attacks. Speaking as the AMC’s keynote speaker at their 11th annual convention in Alexandria, Va., he called on the AMC’s members to “continue working with us to defeat terror.”
“I appreciate the help and support many in the American Muslim communities have already given us, especially over the past nine months. As we all know, it will be a long and difficult struggle,” Mueller told the AMC attendees.
He spoke of the need for mutual cooperation, which is why, he said, within hours of the attacks, the FBI opened a dialogue with many Muslim and Arab-American organizations.
“This is not the first time we have worked together; but we did come together with a new sense of urgency. We were told of concerns about retaliatory attacks in your communities in the wake of the terrorist hijackings, and we in the FBI promised to do something about it.”
Mueller said he has maintained personal contact with members of the American Muslim community, and asked the 56 FBI field offices to reach out to Muslim Americans in their communities, “to address your concerns, to build relationships, and to ask once again for help.
“As I prepared to talk with you today, I asked our Special Agents in Charge to update me on the steps they had taken,” Mueller said. “Their response was overwhelming. They wrote back with story after story of productive meetings, insights, generosity, and substantive assistance. In all, our field offices attended more than 500 meetings and made some 6,000 personal contacts in Muslim and Arab American communities. They went to mosques, town halls, and media briefings. They held recruiting drives. They invited — and graduated — members of Muslim communities at FBI Citizens’ Academies.”
The FBI director said that many in the American Muslim community have also supported the FBI in very visible ways. “Many leaders have generously sent educational materials to our field offices and to our headquarters. They have taken the time to talk with our agents and support professionals to help them better understand Muslim perspectives and Muslim beliefs. Muslim Americans have cooperated with our interviews and supported our investigations.”
Mueller said another show of support “has been the way Muslim and Arab-Americans responded to our urgent need for translators.”
Following the Sept. 11 attacks he announced that the FBI was seeking Arabic and Farsi language experts. “The response was extraordinary. Within hours, our switchboard was overwhelmed with calls. Those who came forward included doctors, lawyers, engineers, academics — Muslim and Arab-Americans from all walks of life who were willing to quit their jobs, come to work for the FBI, and give something back to their country in the fight against terrorism.”
Some Arabic translators were sent to the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to help interview Al-Qaeda or Taleban suspects detained there, Mueller said.
“Make no mistake about it, our country remains vulnerable to attack,” said Mueller.
“Day after day, intelligence about potential attacks continues to pour in from across the globe, prompting warnings and keeping our nation in a permanent state of alert. Time after time, Al-Qaeda has openly threatened America, saying more attacks are on the way.”
To prevent further terrorism Mueller called on the American Muslims community continued help: “You can help us better understand your communities by telling us about suspicious behavior, as thousands of Americans have done since Sept. 11.”
He asked Muslims to help by working to “overcome the differences that separate us all, the dividing lines of beliefs, and culture that incite terrorism and support for terrorism.
“We also need help educating our agents in dealing with Muslim communities here and around the world. The more culturally fluent our investigators are, the more effective and respectful our investigations will be. For some time, the FBI has incorporated ethics and cultural diversity into new agent training and continuing education programs for all Bureau employees.”
But Mueller’s speech was not without controversy. He noted that some people associated with the group had made previous statements that were interpreted as supportive of terrorism. But added the AMC has moved into the mainstream of American life and that “we must all be in this war together.”
“As I am sure you are aware, my appearance here today has generated some controversy. And while that did not deter me from coming, as with most such matters I believe it is best to address it openly. My reason for being here is simple: to continue our discussion and help build a relationship that I am convinced is beneficial to us all. But I think it is also important to be open and frank about the concerns of those who urged me not to attend,” said Mueller.
Prior to his speech, several vociferous right-wing Jewish groups had criticized Mueller for accepting the invitation to speak at the AMC, and accused the group of supporting Islamic militants in the past. Some conservative US newspapers joined in the protest.
Criticism was aimed at the AMC’s founder, Abdurrahman Alamoudi, for alleged ties with the Palestinian Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups. Alamoudi has strongly denied these ties, and told Arab News the mainstream US media has refused to publish his letters of defense.
