CAIR-Chicago

View Original

ABC 7: Law enforcement gets sneak peak of 9/11 mini-series

See Video A two-part, made-for-television movie is set to air next month about the terrorists behind the September 11th attacks and the steps leading up to that day almost five years ago. Tuesday, a conference of law enforcement previewed the movie.

Amid the new gadgets and gear for law enforcement officials, attendees of the Midwest Security and Police Conference also got a special screening of a new mini series about 9/11.

"The Path to 9-11" is a two part series that will air on ABC in September. It is a dramatization based on the 9/11 Commission Report. Tuesday, those in law enforcement reflected on the events of 9/11 and the changes since. Within this law enforcement community there has been a shift in communication and an emphasis on sharing information with on another.

"We have become much more aware of the need to openly share information with state, county, and federal authorities as much as they would us," said Joe Pena, Illinois Chiefs of Police Association.

Chicago's special agent in charge for the FBI says sharing goes beyond law enforcement and requires a better relationship with the community.

"It's not just the police responsibility. It's a local political responsibility to know their communities, understand their communities and be sensitive to the things around the world that may affect them that may not affect the rest of us," said Rob Grant , FBI.

The Council on American Islamic Relations has been involved with some of the community meetings with the FBI. Despite efforts to build relations and educate, the backlash from 9/11 continues to hurt some Muslims in our community.

"We are looking at employment discrimination. We're looking at policies, sometimes that are sanctioned, detentions, deportations," said Ahmed Rehab, Council on American Islamic Relations.

The council, known as CAIR for short, currently represents more than 400 Chicagoans who claims discrimination since 9/11. Heena Musabji became a lawyer after 9/11 and started wearing a hijab head covering.

"To be pointed out and asked why are your people creating this havoc, killing Americans? And I'm like, they're not my people. You are my people," said Heena Musabji, Council on American Islamic Relations.

Musabji used to live in New York and lost three close friends in the World Trade Center attacks. She had hoped more would be learned after 9/11.

No one from CAIR has seen previews of the mini-series, but the group hopes the mini-series, as well as an upcoming feature film about 9/11, will include the Muslim-Americans who were killed in the World Trade Center.

Copyright © 2006 ABCNews