NY's Rep. King says he will hold hearings on Islamic radicalization; critics fear witch hunt

Source: Los Angeles Times
 By Associated Press    19 Dec 2010


Rep. Peter King  (R-NY)

  NEW YORK (AP) — The incoming head of the House Committee on Homeland Security says he will hold hearings on what he calls the "radicalization" of some American Muslims.

Rep. Peter King, a Republican from Long Island, said Sunday that law-enforcement officials around the country have told him they receive little cooperation from Muslims.

But a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations said he fears King's hearings will become an "anti-Muslim witch hunt." Ibrahim Hooper said several recent terrorist plots have been foiled because members of the Muslim community did cooperate with law enforcement.

King said in an opinion piece in Sunday's Newsday that he will do all he can to "drive the public debate" on Islamic radicalization.