VIDEO: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Addresses Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes, Undercover FBI Operations, at Annual Dinner

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke to more than 300 American Muslim community leaders about efforts by the Department of Justice to take on anti-Muslim hate crimes, as well as controversial tactics FBI agents have recently employed in undercover operations in the community on December 10 at Muslim Advocates first annual dinner at the Westin Hotel in Millbrae, California.

Watch Parts 1 & 2 of the full video of the Attorney Generals' remarks.

Read a transcript of the Attorney General's remarks.

Ms. Farhana Khera, Executive Director, Muslim Advocates, provided the following introductory remarks to the Attorney General:

"I have the honor and privilege of introducing our keynote speaker, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder."

"I first met the Attorney General in the summer of 2009 at an iftar hosted by President Obama at the White House. I was seated next to him during dinner and had the opportunity to discuss civil rights challenges facing the Muslim community, including surveillance of mosques and the new FBI surveillance guidelines that had been issued in December 2008, shortly before he came into office."

"This year, at the invitation of Congressman Keith Ellison, I had another opportunity to meet the Attorney General and discuss civil rights concerns, such as racial and religious profiling by law enforcement and the impact of U.S. government prosecutions of charities on well-intentioned charitable giving. I appreciated his sincerity and openness to a continued dialogue and input on these critically important issues."

"In particular, I was pleased to hear the Attorney General express his commitment to reviewing and revising the federal guidance banning racial profiling. This Guidance was issued in 2003 during the last administration and fails to ban religious profiling and contains a national security exception that basically renders the ban moot and useless."

"More recently, in September, on the eve of the planned Qur'an burning in Florida and in the aftermath of the attempted murder of a Muslim cab driver in NYC, and arson and other attacks on mosques throughout the country, Muslim Advocates requested an emergency meeting with the Attorney General. Along with our colleagues at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, The Interfaith Alliance, and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, and other faith leaders, we met with the Attorney General and senior Department officials and urged the Department to take a strong stand against religious bigotry and intolerance."

"I was so moved by the Attorney General's passion and personal resolve. I urged him to speak publicly beyond the private meeting, and I was so glad when he accepted this invitation to address you, the community, and our friends and supporters, this evening."

"We invited him to tell you about the important strides being made by the Department and in particular the stepped up enforcement of our nation's civil rights laws under this administration."

"There are times when Muslim Advocates is seeking the full and robust implementation of the laws of our country, and other times we're seeking reform of those laws and policies that go too far and infringe on fundamental rights and freedoms. There is no doubt in my mind that through active engagement with legal advocates for the Muslim community, federal law enforcement can work more effectively to carry out its vital responsibility of protecting our safety while preserving the rights of all Americans regardless of their faith."

"I sincerely hope the Attorney General's participation this evening is the continuation of a much-needed, constructive and productive dialogue with a community that is increasingly feeling isolated and marginalized because of a whole range of polices and actions."

"Without further ado, I introduce you to the Attorney General of the United States, Eric Holder."

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