Contact:
Mynellies Negrón | (202) 993-7844 | [email protected]
Kenia Guerrero | (202) 938-6511 | [email protected]
Muslim-American Leaders Call for an Investigation of Islamophobic Attacks in New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM – After news broke nationally about a series of murders of four Muslim men in the Albuquerque area over the past nine months, We Are All America (WAAA) stands in solidarity with the victims’ families and Muslim community of New Mexico. WAAA is saddened to hear about the loss of Mohammad Zahir Ahmadi, Aftab Hussein, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, and Naeem Hussain. While these murders have yet to be identified as hate crimes, there is growing concern that these men could have been targeted based on their ethnic and religious backgrounds and have caused fear in the New Mexico Muslim community, especially given increased incidences of white supremacist violence in recent years.
“My heavy heart is with the families of the victims, the Muslim community of Albuquerque, and all Muslims across the United States who are feeling pain and fear at this moment. These killings are a disturbing reminder of the danger hatred and bigotry pose to our community. The victims, their families, and their community deserve justice, and we must continue the work to end Islamophobia and xenophobia,” said Ahmed Gaya, Senior Strategist for Climate and Migration at the National Partnership for New Americans.
“We are devastated to hear about the senseless killings of our Muslim brothers in Albuquerque, and we stand in solidarity with the New Mexico Muslim community. There is no place for Islamophobia and xenophobia, and we hope that justice is served for the loss of innocent lives,” said Nejra Sumic, Field Manager at We Are All America.
We Are All America calls on the Biden administration to take a direct role in responding to these attacks. No person should fear that their religion or ethnic background could put them in grave danger. WAAA demands that the government allocate more federal resources to the local community to prioritize law enforcement’s investigation of the incident and help identify and apprehend the perpetrators of these attacks.
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