Federal officials along with local police have been investigating hate crimes such as burglaries and offensive literature that appear to be directed towards Muslims at Idaho State University in Pocatello, where sectarian strife has recently surfaced over an influx of students from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
In an email sent to faculty and students at Idaho State University last month, Arthur Vailas, university president, said the residences of approximately 50 Middle Eastern students had been vandalized.
“As a result of these crimes, some of our students are seriously considering leaving ISU and Pocatello. … Let us join together to demonstrate to the world that ISU and the city of Pocatello are communities whose 21st century values reflect intellectual and creative endeavors and achievements, care and concern for the individual and appreciation for diversity in all its many forms,” the email stated.
These burglaries took place after reports that 17 vehicles, most belonging to Middle Eastern students, had been vandalized in the last year. More recently, anonymous DVDs carrying hate messages have been left on the windshields of a number of cars on campus.
Scott Marchand, Pocatello police chief, confirmed that his office was in fact investigating the burglaries but denied reports of 50 such cases, saying only two dozen complaints had been registered so far. Describing the reported numbers as being grossly exaggerated, he elucidated over 70 residential burglaries have taken place in the town since the beginning of this year.
Terry Felsman, Pocatello police captain, said while some of these incidents have taken place, there is no evidence that Kuwaiti or Saudi Arabian students are being targeted in the town. As Idaho State University continues to work towards making international students aware of local laws and their rights under those laws, Felsman explained that hate crimes fall under the jurisdiction of the FBI.
According to him, only one such case had been forwarded to the federal agency.
“They ended up sending it back to us and saying it didn’t meet the criteria to be considered a hate crime,” Felsman said.
Wendy Olson, United States attorney for the state of Idaho, said the Justice Department was reviewing all the hate literature that had been circulated on campus.
“We’re looking at this to determine whether there is a potential federal criminal civil rights violation,” Olson said at a meeting with foreign students at Idaho State University.
The Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in Washington, which is in charge of administering government college scholarships to Saudi students, said they could leave the university before the end of this semester if such hate crimes continue to take place and then transfer to a different university during the fall.
Five of the reported burglaries took place on April 8 while students were away, attending Friday prayers at a local mosque.
“It’s very scary,” said Nezar Alnejidi said, a Saudi student.
Alnejidi expressed fear that the burglars in question had somehow managed to acquire the addresses of Muslim students, since only their apartments were targeted within large residential complexes.
Patricia Terrell, university vice president for student affairs, said the entire community had come forward to show support for the targeted students.
“These break-ins are, let’s face it, done by thugs, and they don’t represent the majority of people in this town,” she said.
Roughly 1,200 Middle Eastern students, who constitute about 10 percent of the 11,000-strong student body, have been admitted to the university, as authorities continue to address declining enrollment at the institution. According to The Idaho State Journal, Mayor Brian Blad too met with the students to try and persuade them not to leave the university, confirming estimates that they contribute at least $100 million to the local economy.
Photo Credits: Fusion.net
