Congressman Peter King Plans To Investigate Muslims

Conservative Long Island Congressman Peter King, fresh off claiming he wants to prosecute the New York Times, says he plans to open an investigation into the “radicalization” of the Muslim community. King, who will head the House Homeland Security Committee, says law enforcement authorities keep telling him there is little cooperation from Muslim leaders in terror investigations.

Told of Mr. King’s plan, Muslim leaders expressed strong opposition, describing the move as a prejudiced act that was akin to racial profiling and that would unfairly cast suspicion on an entire group.

Abed A. Ayoub, the legal director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said Mr. King’s effort ignored that Muslim leaders around the country had been working closely with law enforcement officials since the 2001 terror attacks.

“We are disturbed that this representative who is in a leadership position does not have the understanding and knowledge of what the realities are on the ground,” Mr. Ayoub said, adding that Mr. King’s proposal “has bigoted intentions.”

Think Progress has chronicled how Muslim groups have often foiled terror plots, something of which King is either unaware or willfully ignoring.

Salam al-Marayati, the executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, also expressed deep concern and noted that his group would be holding a convention this weekend at which members would discuss the impact that the Republican takeover of Congress could have on Muslims.

“He basically wants to treat the Muslim-American community as a suspect community,” Mr. Marayati said of Mr. King.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.