The Muslim Public Affair Council (MPAC) has announced that the Mayor of Los Angeles has involved MPAC, along with other organizations, in the process of choosing the city’s next Chief Of Police. According to the announcement:
While making his decision on the next Chief of Police for the City of Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa last Friday reached out to local Muslim community leaders for their input on his big decision. Prior to the Mayor’s address, Deputy-Chief Michael Downing, spoke to a congregation of 1,000 worshipers after Friday prayers at the Islamic Center of Southern California, asking them for their prayers as the Mayor deliberates on his decision. During the meeting with Muslim leaders, the mayor asked for input on the qualities the community feels are especially significant for the new chief to posses. “As a member of the group of advisors who choose the last Los Angeles Police Chief, William Bratton, I strongly encourage the use of strong criteria — to not only have someone capable of upholding public safety but also to protect the civil liberties of all Angelenos,” said Dr. Maher Hathout, MPAC Senior Advisor. Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati re-enforced that “crisis management skills are of utmost importance. An example of this is the horrendous incident that took place at a synagogue in North Hollywood recently, where had the situation not been handled well, by Chief Downing, issues could have flared out of control. The acting Deputy-Chief reached out to leadership across the city to ensure proper communication. That is the type of leadership we need to have an effective leader to protect and serve Los Angeles.” Over the weekend, the mayor met with over 100 individuals to discuss his decision. The final candidates include Deputy Chief Michel Moore, First Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell and Deputy Chief Charlie Beck.He as also invited MPAC leadership to meet the his pick for the new chief on Tuesday, November 3rd. The Los Angeles City Council is expected to confirm his choice by November 10. L.A.
MPAC was established initially in 1986 as the Political Action Committee of the Islamic Center of Southern California whose key leaders likely had their origins in the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Since that time, MPAC has functioned as the political lobbying arm of the U.S. Brotherhood. MPAC has opposed virtually every count-terror initiative undertaken or proposed by the U.S. government. At times this opposition was said to be on civil-rights grounds but, just as often, MPAC claimed that U.S. counter-terror efforts were aimed at the U.S. Muslim community itself. MPAC has consistently supported and facilitated terrorism by supporting terrorist organizations and, more broadly, constructing an elaborate ideology defending the use of violence by Islamists and Islamist organizations. More than any other U.S. Muslim Brotherhood organization, MPAC has developed extensive relationships with the U.S. government which have included numerous meetings with the Department of Justice and the FBI.