Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Contact
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Arab Radio Podcast intro
    • Radio Baladi Detroit
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Toggle search form
  • US Senator Bernie Sanders
    Sanders: Trump Welcomes War Criminal to White House American Arabs
  • Al-Haq
    War crimes probe urged against two Israeli snipers who intentionally killed civilian women, children Christian & Muslim
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    CAIR Says Israel Turns Gaza into ‘Human Slaughterhouse’ as Killing of Civilians Continues Arab World
  • photo credit author Nehemia Gershuni-Aylho www.NGPhoto.biz and Wikipedia
    Emergency Court Motions to Stop Elbit Drone Parts Shipment via Frankfurt Airport  Activism
  • American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh murdered by Israeli soldiers May 11, 2022
    Documentary names soldier it says killed Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022 American Arabs
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ
    Jordan bans 12 news sites for ‘spreading media poison’ following corruption report Arab World
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech Activism
  • ADC creates emergency fund to defend people who are being punished for expressing views on the American-sanction violence by Israel in the Gaza Strip. Photo courtesy of ADC
    ADC Condemns ADL, Rep. Torres’ Defamation of Dr. Lara Sheehi Activism
  • UN Special Committee on Israeli practices in occupied territories warns of a second Nakba  Arab World
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month Activism
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders American Arabs
  • Stuffed Grape Leaves. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    A recipe on how to make Stuffed Grape Leaves with lamb, ox tail and rice American Arabs
  • Andrew Boutros, interim US Attorney Northern District of Illinois. Photo courtesy of the US Attorney's Office
    Andrew S. Boutros Takes Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois American Arabs
  • Israeli massacres of Palestinian civilians March 18 2025
    Palestinians demand investigation of Israeli war crimes in Gaza Strip Arab World
  • Illinois Muslim Action Day April 9 2025
    Illinois Muslim Action Day Policies at April 9 Statehouse News Conference American Arabs

Right wing militias targeting Mosque and Muslim groups

Posted on August 19, 2015August 20, 2015 By rayhanania 4 Comments on Right wing militias targeting Mosque and Muslim groups
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

An internal FBI memo obtained by Public Intelligence, the independent news research group, reported last May that extremist and armed American militia groups were planning a campaign of violence targeting Muslim groups, including Muslim and Arab institutions such as mosques and schools. The FBI bulletin was released to police agencies weeks prior to a planned anti-Muslim rally in Phoenix

By Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania covering Chicago City Hall (1976-1992)
Ray Hanania
covering Chicago
City Hall
(1976-1992)

An internal FBI memo obtained by Public Intelligence, the independent news research group, reported last May that extremist and armed American militia groups were planning a campaign of violence targeting Muslim and Arab institutions such as mosques and schools.

The FBI bulletin was released to police agencies around the country weeks prior to a planned anti-Muslim rally in front of a Phoenix Mosque that was held on May 29, 2015 and drew more than 250 protestors who denounced the “evils of Islam.”

The unclassified FBI bulletin, obtained by Public Intelligence, begins, “Militia extremists are expanding their target sets to include Muslims and Islamic religious institutions in the United States. This has resulted in increased violent rhetoric and plotting and has the potential to lead, over the long term, to additional harassment of or violence against Muslims by domestic extremists.”

According to the FBI report, the domestic terrorists were contemplating kidnapping Muslim Americans and even beheading them in “retaliation” for violence in the Middle East by Islamic extremists like the Islamic State (Daesh) which has beheaded dozens of prisoners and burned others to death.

The report said that specific militia leaders and groups were targeting Americans who are Muslim as a part of the campaign to fight back against ISIS and other Islamic extremist groups in the Middle East. The primary targets are Mosques, Muslim schools, Muslim community centers, and Muslim organizations.

Click here to view the FBI memo.

FBI Bulletin on domestic militias Targeting Muslims
FBI Bulletin on domestic militias Targeting Muslims

The militias are motivated by anger also at the U.S. Government and President Barack Obama, America’s first African American President, whom the militias assert has been sympathetic to Muslims and Islam.

A poll last February reported that 54 percent of Republicans believe that “deep down,” Obama is a Muslim and that he is pretending to be a Christian. Only 45 percent of Democrats said they believed Obama is a Christian while 10 percent said he is Muslim and the remainder said they didn’t know.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a press release and statement urging leaders of the Muslim community nationwide to “consider instituting additional safety measures for prayers and other activities” following the recent disclosure of the FBI findings.

The 7-page memo targets Muslims across the country but names specific states including Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Montana, New York, North and South Carolina, Utah, and Texas.

The memo reports that the militias were conducting surveillance of Muslim targets.

“This reporting indicates that extremists have often focused on targeting Islamic facilities, such as mosques or community centers, though some have discussed targeting individual Muslims within their community,” Public Intelligence reports.

“In September 2014, a source with ‘good access’ reported to the FBI that ‘militia extremists in Mississippi discussed kidnapping and beheading a Muslim and posting video of the attack to the Internet.’  Likewise, another source reported in early 2015 that the leader of a militia extremist group expressed ‘interest in training members for direct action against ISIS and associated ISIS locations’.”

The bulletin, titled “Militia Extremists Expand Target Sets To Include Muslims” was issued on May 28, 2015 by the FBI Counter Terrorism Division.

Among the extremists footnoted in the report is the extreme rightwing online website WND (formerly WorldNetDaily) which published a report asserting that “Jihadists” were planning to attack American targets. (Click to view.) WND asserted there are 35 Jihadist training camps in the United States.

Public Intelligence describes itself as “an international, collaborative research project aimed at aggregating the collective work of independent researchers around the globe who wish to defend the public’s right to access information. We operate upon a single maxim: equal access to information is a human right. We believe that limits to the average citizen’s ability to access information have created information asymmetries which threaten to destabilize democratic rule around the world. Through the control of information, governments, religions, corporations, and a select group of individuals have been able to manipulate public perception into accepting coercive agendas which are ultimately designed to limit the sovereignty and freedom of populations worldwide.”

Ironically, the FBI concludes, the focus on Muslims in America has diluted the racist agenda targeting other racial and religious groups, and weakening the movements traditional concerns over Second Amendment (right to bear arms, gun possession) rights and activities.

The bulletin also comes int he wake of increasing reports of American businesses declaring themselves “Muslim Free Zones.” Several businesses in Florida, Arizona, Oklahoma and Arkansas have posted signs declaring they will not serve Muslims and that they are “Muslim Free Zones.”

George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin on February 26, 2012, in a Florida gated community, reportedly praised the “Muslim Free Zone” movement and gave one gun shop that bans Muslims a hand painted “Confederate Flag.” The store is helping Zimmerman sell the painting to raise funds for Zimmerman’s legal defense in incidents unrelated to the death of the Black teenager.

newswire info
  • About
  • Latest Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israelisnipers shooting and killing hospital workers in Gaza - December 11, 2023
  • CAIR Condemns Israeli Executions of Wounded, Unarmed Palestinian in West Bank   - December 11, 2023
  • Arab and Muslim American voters face a “simple choice” between Biden’s inhumanity and Trump’s edgy politics - December 9, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
American Arabs, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Editors Picks, Ray Hanania, religion Tags:anti-Arab violence, anti-Muslim terrorism, CAIR, Domestic Terrorism, FBI, Islam, Muslims

Post navigation

Previous Post: Saudi Arabia and Iran: Volatile Political Geography of Oil and Minorities
Next Post: Militant soccer fans claim responsibility for Cairo bombing

Related Posts

  • NBC Journalist Vivian Salama emcees the 20th Annual AAI Gibran Gala. Photo by Jason Dixson Photography. Photo courtesy of the AAI
    AAI’s Gibran Gala honors champions of humanity American Arabs
  • Israeli Spies and YouTube Gift from Vanunu Mordechai Arab World
  • Gaza children memorialize Syrian baby on Turkish beach Arab World
  • Palestinians and Israelis protest the annual Jerusalem Marathon. Photo courtesy of the protestors.
    Dozens of Israelis, Palestinians protest Jerusalem Marathon Arab World
  • Author of racist anti-Palestinian book dies Activism
  • Photo courtesy of Eileen Fleming
    Haaretz publishes Israeli Lie Regarding Commander of USS Liberty Arab World

More Related Articles

AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad American Human Rights Council looks back on 2023 American Arabs
Ahed Tamimi is HOPE in Action in Palestine #FreeAhedTamimi #FreePalestinianKids Arab World
Saudis defend excursion against terrorists in Yemen Arab World
Western Union Signs Amr Diab as Brand Ambassador Arab World
Tunis, Tunisia. Copyright (C) 2014 Abdennour Toumi, All Rights Reserved. Tunisia has hope Arab American group leads delegation to Tunisia American Arabs
BDS protests against Israeli Apartheid in Houston planned Saturday Activism

Comments (4) on “Right wing militias targeting Mosque and Muslim groups”

  1. Franz Kindler says:
    October 15, 2016 at 11:14 pm

    Here’s another red flag event just in time for the next debates. If Hillary and her mouthpieces in the media run out of women to accuse Trump of molesting over 30 years ago, then there’s nothing like having Barrack Hussein Obama trot out the paid crisis actors and the FBI to demonize Trump. The political establishment and their lackeys are really getting desperate with these attempts to manipulate the electorate. Who, but a complete idiot would swallow this nonsense.

    Log in to Reply
    1. Ray Hanania says:
      October 16, 2016 at 12:25 am

      Well, I agree, although I wouldn’t call all of Hillary’s supporters complete idiots. They’re victims of the vicious biased mainstream American news media which lies, cheats and twists facts to suit their political preferences.

      Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Ray Hanania's 4 times a week columns at https://RayHanania.com at Substack

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Photo courtesy of Journalist Abdennour Toumi
    France: Political Compromise vs Political Instability
    August 28, 2024
  • Zakia Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia
    Arabs eat Middle East food like they are making love
    June 27, 2024
  • Zwar lamb kabob and kufta with white and yellow rice
    Zwar ranked the Best Middle East restaurant in Chicagoland suburbs
    June 8, 2024
  • Pictured: Rahm Emanuel, Afghan activist Salman Aftab who was co-chair of the Iftar dinner, and several non-Arab Muslim leaders. Also pictured is Ald. Joe Moore. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania for Arab News
    Comprehensive look at the failings of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
    January 18, 2024
  • NEWSWIRE
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech
    June 1, 2025
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month
    April 29, 2025
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders
    April 27, 2025
  • Mike Ghouse
    Celebration of 500th Interfaith Marriage Ceremony
    February 14, 2025

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • NEWS
  • US Senator Bernie Sanders
    Sanders: Trump Welcomes War Criminal to White House
    July 9, 2025
  • Al-Haq
    War crimes probe urged against two Israeli snipers who intentionally killed civilian women, children
    July 2, 2025
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Faisal Abbas Book Anecdotes
    Book Review: Arab author shares his anecdotes living in the United Kingdom
    October 22, 2024
  • Columnist Ray Hanania at the ADC Convention in Dearborn with the author Susan Abulhawa
    Book Review: Mornings in Jenin bySusan Abulhawa
    September 14, 2024
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Television set and remote. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
    MBC GROUP unveils MBCNOW, its brand-new groundbreaking entertainment service aggregator
    February 24, 2025
  • ArabCon 2024 Gala Program features Dr. Cornel West, Macklemore, and more
    September 6, 2024
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2025 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme