CAIR-Chicago to work with appropriate agencies to ensure high standards for qualified trainers on Islam

(CHICAGO, IL, 8/16/2013) — The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today announced that the Lombard Police Department has joined the Elmhurst and Highland Park police departments in cancelling previously scheduled trainings featuring controversial anti-Islam trainer Sam Kharoba.

CAIR-Chicago commended officials in Lombard for their swift action in addressing the Muslim community’s concerns about the police trainings offered by Kharoba, an unqualified notoriously biased expert, and organized by the North East Multi-Regional Training academy (NEMRT). CAIR-Chicago thanked Lombard Village President Keith Giagnorio for his commitment to high standards of training.

CAIR-Chicago also thanked the dozens of callers from the community, as well as partner coalition members from the Jewish, African-American and Latino communities, who expressed outrage at the trainings and support for CAIR’s outreach efforts. CAIR-Chicago additionally expressed appreciation for the role Moon Khan played in bringing the matter to Lombard officials.

Kharoba teaches extremist views about Islam that are inaccurate and biased. Such views were featured in “How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam,” an investigative piece published in Washington Monthly‘s March/April 2011 edition:

• “When I look at the life of Muhammad, I get a very nasty image,” said Kharoba, pausing to look around the auditorium. The audience was silent. “I am talking about a pedophile, a serial killer, a rapist,” Kharoba said. “And that is just to start off with. Anyone who says that Islam is a religion of peace,” he continued, “is either ignorant or flat out lying.”
• “Islam is a highly violent radical religion that mandates that all of the earth must be Muslim.”
• “When you have a Muslim that wears a headband, regardless of color or insignia, basically what that is telling you is ‘I am willing to be a martyr.'”
• http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12081-illinois-police-departments-cancel-events-with-anti-muslim-trainer.html