CAIR-California: Don't Talk to the Police

"1. Do not speak with an FBI agent without a lawyer and don't let them inside your home unless they show you a search warrant signed by a judge."

 

 

 

Once again the Council on American Islamic Relations is advising the Muslim community to shut the door when the police come calling. Here is an email being sent out by CAIR California (Los Angeles):

 

 

ReplyTo: CAIR-LA

 

Subject: ALERT: Reports of FBI Visits Prompt Reminder of Legal Rights

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ALERT: Reports of FBI Visits Prompt Reminder of Legal Rights (Anaheim, Calif. - 10/23/13) -- The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) said today that it has been receiving an increasing number of reports of FBI agents visiting and interviewing Southern California Muslims. The rise in reports comes on the heels of what appears to be a typical case of FBI entrapment in Orange County. On October 11, a 24-year-old Garden Grove man was arrested at a Santa Ana bus station and charged with making a false statement on a passport and attempting to provide material support to Al-Qaida. An FBI agent posed as a recruiter for the extremist group and provided the man named Sinh Vinh Ngo Nguyen with a passport under a false name; the agent also escorted Nguyen to the bus station that would take him to Mexico, from where he planned to fly out to Pakistan. The U.S. district judge expressed skepticism about some of the evidence supporting the charges in court on Monday. SEE: Prosecutor: American Planned to Aid Al-Qaeda (Associated Press) Considering the recent increase in FBI visits reported to our office, it is important that Muslims understand their rights when visited by law enforcement at their home or workplace. It's as easy as 1-2-3: 1. Do not speak with an FBI agent without a lawyer and don't let them inside your home unless they show you a search warrant signed by a judge. 2. If they visit you, ask them to give you their business card. Take the card and tell them that your lawyer will contact them. 3. Call CAIR-LA Civil Rights Department at 714.776.1177 or email at cairlacivilrights@cair.com and we will give you a lawyer who will represent you free of charge. Read "Know your rights" by CAIR for more information. American Muslims strongly support law enforcement and the protection of our national security. As Americans, we also value the civil rights of every individual. All Americans have the constitutional right of due process and to be politically active. If you know of any criminal activity taking place in your community, it is both your religious and civic duty to immediately report such activity to local and federal law enforcement agencies. [Please note: This above is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Should you have any questions about the material herein or about a specific case, please consult with your attorney.] ### ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fousesquawk comment: It should be noted that if the police are investigating individuals and come to their house, those people do have rights including the right to remain silent and have an attorney present. In many cases, the police are trying to enlist the support of the community. While ordinary people also have the right to shut the door on police in those instances, for CAIR to advise people to not speak to the police or let them into the house without a search warrant is highly suspicious. The fact is that CAIR for years has been trying to discourage Muslims in the US from speaking to the police, FBI or other agencies. It was demonstrated dramatically when CAIR-SF director Zahra Billoo put out the below poster a couple of years ago: Of course, when the poster aroused a furor, CAIR sheepishly took it down. Yet, here we are again with the same type of message. This is an example of why we don't trust CAIR.