(CLEVELAND, OH, 2/5/07) – Representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Cleveland Chapter met recently with C. Frank Figliuzzi, the new Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland district office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other top officials from the Bureau’s civil rights and anti-terrorism divisions.

The meeting covered a range of issues including preventing hate crimes, overcoming barriers to reporting hate crimes and color-of-law civil rights violations, formulation of a crisis-response communications protocol, and establishing community leadership meetings, town hall forums and other trust-building measures.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 32 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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.

CONTACT: Julia A. Shearson, 216.830.2247 or 216.440.2247, E-Mail: jshearson@cair.com; Isam Zaiem, 216.337.7928, E-Mail: isamz@sbcglobal.net

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