BY WAYNE PARRY, The Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- With the nation on high terror alert, the FBI is asking New Jersey Muslims to report any suspicious activity, including threats against themselves or mosques or schools, as well as potential terrorist activity.
Continuing a series of outreach efforts it intensified after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the FBI in New Jersey contacted Muslim community leaders in northern New Jersey earlier this week and asked for help in tracking and preventing bias crimes, as well as potential terrorism.
At least six of the Sept. 11 hijackers either lived or spent time in the Paterson area shortly before the attacks.
The request came shortly after the nationwide terror alert was raised to orange, representing a high risk of terror attack. It is the second highest level of alert on the color-coded warning chart.
The upgrade followed warnings that the terrorist organization al-Qaida may be plotting attacks against the United States during the holidays, including New Year’s Eve.
“They said because of the holidays and heightened security, Muslims may become victims of crimes, or if they observe suspicious activity, could you please have members of the community call to report it,” said Sohail Mohammed, a Clifton immigration attorney and an official of the American Muslim Union.
He said FBI agents made it clear they were looking for help not only with potential bias crimes against Muslims, but also with possible criminal activity being plotted by Muslims.
“The individuals who did 9/11 were all strangers to the community, so they asked if anyone shows up at the mosques who act suspiciously or who are not known to the community, that we report it,” Mohammed said.
FBI officials in New Jersey have met regularly with local community leaders, repeatedly promising swift investigation and prosecution of bias incidents, as well as asking for help on preventing terrorism.
The FBI, state police and other law enforcement agencies held a job fair at Paterson’s most influential mosque in 2002, and Mohammed and other community leaders have conducted sensitivity training sessions for FBI officers throughout New Jersey.
The request has been disseminated in mosques, by phone and e-mail. So far, it has been fairly well-received, although there has been nothing of substance to report, either concerning bias incidents or other suspicious activity, community leaders said.
“I don’t think people are making a big deal of it either way,” said Yaser El-Menshawy, chairman of Majlis Ash-Shura of New Jersey, the state’s council of mosques. “We all watch the same media as everyone else, and there has been enough talk of this since 9/11 that people hear it, and go, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ Things are pretty calm.”
John Paige, supervisory special agent in the FBI’s West Paterson office, said the bureau has received useful information from local residents after past outreach efforts. He said his office has been meeting with local Muslim leaders since 1999, well before the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
“The community is helpful as far as things they see that seem unnormal,” he said. “There have been responses. Just because it doesn’t seem to result in something big doesn’t mean it wasn’t useful.”