Threats made about capitol's Muslim Day

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Muslim Day at the Texas Capitol building had beefed up security after event organizers reported threats were made towards various Muslim organizations taking part in the event.

“We have been receiving a lot of death threats,” said Sarwat Husain, the president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

“We had to ask the FBI and local police to give us protection.”

Austin police filed a report about the threats, but the Department of Public Safety is now investigating.

Bare Naked Islam is an anti-Islam website which posted information about the Muslim Day event prompting angry comments from readers who criticized the capitol and the organizations for taking part.

Despite the extra troopers, the Muslim Day program went off without any problems as several speakers made comments on the south steps.

“It doesn’t bother me,” said Islam Mossaad, the imam at the North Austin Muslim Community Center.

“I know the overwhelming majority of people in Texas are people of understanding.”

The Muslim Day program encourages Muslims from across the state to get involved with their state government and promote education about issues facing the state as well as their faith.

“At the end of the day, it is about how can we get everyone in Texas active and concerned, especially Muslims in Texas,” said Mossaad who was born in Arlington, Virginia and moved to Austin when he was 2-years old.