ICNA Council for Social Justice Condemns Attacks on Muslim Communities in Utah and Pennsylvania

The ICNA Council for Social Justice (CSJ) condemns two targeted acts of violence against Muslim communities during Ramadan and calls for immediate federal hate crime investigations.

On February 23, Imam Shuaib Din of the Utah Islamic Center in West Jordan survived a premeditated shooting when a masked gunman fired eight shots at his vehicle outside his home as he left for evening prayers. He was unharmed. ICNA National President Saad Kazmi stated, “What happened to Imam Shuaib Din is an attack on every Muslim in America who prays, leads, and serves their community openly. We demand full federal accountability.”

On February 22, multiple shots were fired into the Pike County Islamic Center in Westfall Township, Pennsylvania, hours after taraweeh prayers. Four bullets struck the six-month-old mosque. No injuries were reported. While local authorities are investigating, CSJ is urging the DOJ and FBI to pursue charges under federal hate crime statutes.

CSJ Executive Director Dr. Arif Mannan stated, “We are calling on the DOJ and FBI to treat these attacks as federal hate crimes and bring the full force of federal law to bear on those who target houses of worship.”