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A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today questioned the legality of recent incidents in which United Parcel Service (UPS) flagged packages containing passports of American Muslims traveling on pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) and turned them over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said 17 Virginia pilgrims missed their flight to Saudi Arabia when UPS failed to deliver the package containing their passports that had been sent to a travel agent in California to receive visas. The package was instead turned over to CBP officials. Only after CBP released the passports and agreed to cover the additional travel costs incurred by the pilgrims were they able to leave for hajj. A UPS spokeswoman told the Washington Post, "We did inform the customer that that particular package had a 'government seizure exception,'" but declined to define the term. CBP would not comment on whether UPS regularly shares packages with the agency. CAIR: Travel Delay for Mecca-Bound N. Va. Muslims (Wash. Post) http://tinyurl.com/2bozzft In another incident, CAIR said UPS flagged packages sent from California containing the passports of Muslims in Minnesota, California and Washington State seeking to go on hajj. The packages were flagged for "add'l security check by gov't or other agency." [UPS Tracking Information] A UPS official reportedly told the shipper of the packages, which were all ultimately delivered to their destinations, that they had been given to CBP. "The American Muslim community needs to know whether packages sent from point to point within our borders are being screened based on the religion of the sender or recipient, and whether or not such packages can be seized and opened by government officials without a warrant," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. Hooper said CAIR is asking any American Muslims who have experienced similar actions by UPS or CBP to file a report with his organization. Some 10,000 American Muslims go on hajj each year. Hajj is one of the "five pillars" of the Islamic faith. [The other pillars include a declaration of faith, daily prayers, offering regular charity, and fasting during the month of Ramadan.] When the main portion of the pilgrimage is completed, Muslims worldwide gather for communal prayers on the first day (November 16) of Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha), the second of the two major Muslim holidays. 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. Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed http://twitter.com/cairnational Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/cairtv - END - CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, or 202-488-8787, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

CAIR Decries 'Slap on Wrist' for Md. Bias Assault on Va. Muslim (WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/17/11) --- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today decried what it called a "slap on the wrist" for a Maryland man who allegedly took part in a bias-motivated assault on a Virginia Muslim limousine driver earlier this year. The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) expressed concern that the Office of the State's Attorney for Prince George's County Maryland today agreed not to prosecute the alleged assailant if he paid the victim $65 in "restitution." CAIR did welcome an indication that the state's attorney will investigate possible hate crime charges for the other individual who allegedly took part in the bias-motivated assault on the Muslim driver. CASE INFORMATION: Case Number: 1E00458949, Tracking No:100001347014 http://tinyurl.com/68h9w69 (Enter the case number in the search function.) "We welcome the prosecutor's sudden willingness to investigate possible hate crime charges in this case, but fail to understand how one of the alleged assailants got off with just a slap on the wrist," said CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas, who met today with prosecutors. The alleged assault occurred shortly after midnight on March 11 when the Muslim limo driver of Moroccan origin reported that he picked up two passengers in Washington, D.C., and was asked to take them to National Harbor. After learning that the driver's name is Mohammed, one of the passengers asked whether he was Muslim. When the driver said he is Muslim, his admission allegedly prompted both passengers to use religious and ethnic slurs and make threats on his life. The passengers reportedly called the Muslim driver a "jihadist" and told him they were going to "f**king murder" him. When the limo arrived at the destination, one of the passengers allegedly punched the driver in the head, knocking him to the ground and fracturing his wrist. Both passengers were subsequently arrested and charged. Under Article 27, 470A (Religious and Ethnic Crimes) of Maryland state law, it is illegal to harass or commit a crime against any person because of their "race, color, religious beliefs or national origin." The statute provides an extra sentencing enhancement for crimes motivated by hate. SEE: Maryland's Response to Hate Crimes http://tinyurl.com/6ahsafy 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. Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed http://twitter.com/cairnational Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/cairtv - END -- CONTACT: CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas, 720-251-0425, E-Mail: gabbas@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com