CAIR Welcomes DHS Report on Violent Domestic Right-Wing Extremism

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will issue a new intelligence assessment on the threat posed by domestic right-wing violent extremists.

According to CNN, "[T]he report, produced in coordination with the FBI, counts 24 violent sovereign citizen-related attacks across the U.S. since 2010." Sovereign citizens believe that federal, state, and local laws do not apply to them and violent extremists within the movement have targeted law enforcement officers.

In a statement, CAIR said:

"We welcome this new intelligence assessment on the threat posed by domestic right-wing violent extremists. It is the government's responsibility to address all forms of violent extremism - regardless of ideology - and in proportion to the criminal threat posed by those groups.

"We now call on the DHS and FBI to release an intelligence assessment addressing the spike in hate crimes targeting Muslim, Arab, Middle Eastern, Sikh, Hindu, and South Asian communities throughout the United States.

"Without an awareness of the threat posed by all forms of violent extremism, our national security will remain at risk."

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.