Are Muslims Safe? Mosque Prepares For 'Potentially Deadly Crisis’ With Active Shooter Training

The Islamic-American community was on high alert following the election of President Donald Trump and a surge in hate crimes against Muslims since November last year. At least 35 reported incidents targeted Islamic centers in Florida, New York, Texas, Arizona, Maryland and Georgia, among other states, since the beginning of the year, according to Dr. Zainab Chaudry, outreach manager at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Under Dr. Chaudry's leadership, the Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization will lead an "active-shooter community training" event Sunday at the Masjid An-Nur Foundation, a local Maryland mosque.

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"We're encouraging mosque leaders to conduct a security assessment of their properties so they’re not caught off guard in a potentially deadly crisis situation," Dr. Chaudry told International Business Times in a phone interview Friday. "The training serves as a proactive measure to help local Muslims and mosque leaders prepare for any event in this political climate."

CAIR said the idea of hosting an active-shooter community training session came when a white French-Canadian man killed six people and wounded 19 others after unloading at the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec City in Canada.

Despite a spike in violence against Muslims, the organization says the Islamic-American community shouldn't stay away from mosques. Instead, Dr. Chaudry said it should fight to preserve its safety and security when visiting houses of worship.

"Houses of worship are traditionally places where people go to find their sanctuaries, they’re typically off limits from violence," she said. "But it’s important for Muslims now more than ever to push back against the rising hatred that spurs attacks against their community. When we stay away from our mosques, we're letting the terrorists, the bigots, the fear-mongering win. We can't allow that to happen."