Arizona Council on American-Islamic Relations Launches "Operation Safe Haven"

March 21, 2003

Source: The Arizona Republic

https://azcentral.newspapers.com/search/#query=residents+are+bracing+for+a+renewed+wave+of+hate+crimes+against+Muslims+and+other

On March 21, 2003 The Arizona Republic reported that Arizona "residents are bracing for a renewed wave of hate crimes against Muslims and others, like what happened after Sept. 11, 2001, when a Mesa man was killed because he wore a turban... The FBI has warned that the war with Iraq, or another terrorist attack, could trigger such crimes, and local Muslim leaders are cautioning Muslims to avoid being alone in public... This week, the Arizona office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations launched Operation Safe Haven to help protect Muslims by providing a list of locations where people who feel threatened can go. The organization is also assembling a 'friendship force' of people willing to provide security at local mosques and a list of people willing to run errands for people afraid of leaving their homes."