EID MUBARAK! =)

Dear colleagues:

A number of recent high-profile incidents underscore the need for attorneys who are able and willing to represent individuals contacted by the FBI or other law enforcement agencies. In response to requests from local Muslim bar associations, Muslim Advocates will be hosting a webinar training to provide attorneys with basic information about representing clients during such interviews and the legal ramifications for individuals who choose to speak with law enforcement officials. As community members often turn to attorneys within the community to seek advice about how to handle interview requests, this training is important for all attorneys, regardless of practice area.

Representing Clients Approached by Law Enforcement Authorities for Questioning

Senior Assistant Public Defender, Shama Farooq*

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

4:00pm EST/1:00pm PST

To register and receive the call-in information for this 1-hour webinar, please contact Munleen Soni, munleen@muslimadvocates.org, by Thursday, December 3, 2009

* A special thank you to Shama Farooq, Senior Assistant Public Defender in Fredericksburg, Virginia who will be conducting the training and answering questions. Prior to joining the Public Defenders’ office, Ms. Farooq served as the Director of Civil Rights for the Maryland & Virginia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations where she advised clients on matters ranging from employment discrimination to racial & religious profiling by state and federal law enforcement. She has testified in hearings before the Maryland and Virginia legislatures on racial profiling by law enforcement, and represented the interests of the local Muslim community in numerous meetings with the FBI, DOJ, and DHS.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Wishing you and your family a very happy and blessed Eid!

Salaams,
Nura

–
Nura Maznavi
Counsel, Program to End Racial & Religious Profiling
Muslim Advocates
315 Montgomery Street, 8th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 675-1495 (phone)
(415) 765-1774 (fax)

I strongly encourage all of you who are licensed and in good standing to get this training done if you do not already have experience. Getting trained, though, is the first step. At the very least, the next step is to volunteer to represent fee sabeelAllah Muslims who might otherwise go into these interviews without an attorney. Your local chapter of the ACLU or CAIR would be glad to refer people to you. So do the right thing and remember that Allah will reward you for the good you do for His sake.

If you cannot attend this webinar, look for opportunities in your area, and keep checking MM for more announcements. Jazak Allah khayr.

I think its high time we Muslims should collectively stand up against this clear cut discrimination. These Europeans have forgotten how we collectively as an ummah drove down the economy of Denmark. I believe we should take a similar stand against Switzerland. Let’s collectively boycott their products, including Swiss watches, cheese etc.

inshAllah I’ll do my part.

The point is clear– they didn’t want any outer projection of Islam or Muslims. Today it is minarets, tomorrow they will outlaw the religion.

If Europe doesn’t derail this Islamophobia train, and continues to try to destroy the culture of its minority Muslim population, it will only fan the flames of xenophobia and create more unrest, eventually culminating in the clash that the right-wingers from both sides want.

Hate to put a damper on an Eid thread but the Swiss are voting on a move to ban new minarets.

Planning on going to see Journey to Mecca at the IMAX theater.

If you’re in the NJ/NY area – check out the liberty Science Center – they’re playing the movie every day at 4:30pm

If you need a review of the film, see this link: http://su.pr/2Hv7zn