Stockton mosque receives hate letter

STOCKTON — An anonymous letter threatening the extermination of American Muslims by President-elect Donald Trump was received by the Islamic Center of Stockton on Saturday. It is believed to be a photocopy of the same handwritten letter received by a number of mosques around the country in recent days.

Representatives of the Islamic Center said Monday they intended to report the letter to Stockton police. They already have been in contact with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, that keeps track of such threats and believe the letter is the same one widely reported on during the long Thanksgiving weekend.

It is addressed “To the Children of Satan,” refers to mothers and fathers in insulting ways and proclaims, “Your day of reckoning has arrived.”

It describes Trump as the “new sheriff in town” who is “going to cleanse America and make it shine again. And, he’s going to start with you Muslims. He’s going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews. You Muslims would be wise to pack your bags and get out of Dodge.”

The one-page letter was mailed from Santa Clarita in Southern California last week and was signed “Americans for a Better Way.” Its concluding paragraph stated:

“This is a great time for patriotic Americans. Long live President Trump and God bless the USA.”

The same letter was received by mosques in San Jose, Long Beach and Pomona in California and one in Savannah, Georgia, according to CAIR. According to Los Angeles Police, two mosques in the state’s most populous city also received the letters, and the police there are investigating as a hate incident, but not yet as a hate crime because there was no specific threat.

Nadeem Khan, a spokesman for the Islamic Center of Stockton, brought the letter to the attention of The Record simply in order to make the larger community aware. He said the mosque had no intention of replying to the letter.

“We just want this to get taken care of in a civil manner. We don’t want a negative reaction to this action,” Khan said, noting that he does not take offense at the letter’s message.

Khan, 39, said he continues to feel safe and welcomed in the community.

“Blessingly, we haven’t encountered a hate crime in Stockton,” he said. “Islam is about peace. Islam is not about spreading hatred. We also accept the fact about whoever our president is.

“These actions have been coming in prior to President Trump. We are ready to move forward with a new president. We have to give him a chance.”