For Immediate Release

Alberta Arab News
April 7, 2004

Police find allegation of promoting hatred is unsubstantiated

EDMONTON – A month-long investigation by the Edmonton City Police Hate Crime Unit into allegations by the B'nai Brith Canada that Alberta Arab News may be promoting hatred against Jews has concluded without any charges being laid and with the police saying the allegations are unsubstantiated.

On February 19th B'nai Brith Canada issued a press release attacking a series of opinion columns by Alberta Arab News contributing writer Greg Felton, in which he criticized Zionist and Israeli policies. B'nai Brith accused Felton of promoting hate against Jews "under the guise of attacks on Zionism."

"We have not, do not, and will not ever promote hatred of any race, nationality or other groups," said Alberta Arab News publisher Fisal Asiff when the allegations first came to light. Asiff noted his publication cooperated fully with the Edmonton police investigation and said "we were confident all along that there was no sound basis for the allegations, but even so, it's a big relief for us to be officially cleared."

Edmonton Police Hate Crime Bias Coordinator Dave Huggins reported to the Attorney General of Alberta that charges of willfully promoting hatred could not be substantiated and the Attorney General's office concurred with Huggins' findings. "We found no willful promotion in the articles being carried in your publication" Huggins told Alberta Arab News.

"Our staff, including myself, work with Jewish people who are involved in various organizations, such as peace groups, and these people work very hard to help Arabs in need," said Asiff. "These people believed in us when we most needed support and we are grateful to them and to all of our customers. Their encouragement made us more determined than ever not to back down from a powerful organization
like B'nai Brith," said Asiff.

Asiff felt that the B'nai Brith allegations were actually dangerous to his staff and the Arab community in general – and could have sparked violence against them if the allegations had been believed by others. He is still awaiting an apology from B'nai Brith, but admits it may never come.

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For more information, contact Fisal Asiff at 780 913-7851