IRVING, Ill., May 8 (UPI) -- A U.S. Islamic group said an emergency drill at a simulated mosque in Irving, Ill., inaccurately stereotyped Islamic mosques as safety risks.
Nearly 30 government agencies took part in last week's drill, during which the village's Continuing Recovery Center was referred to as "Irving Mosque," a "home-base for a radical, heavily armed group with suspected terrorist ties," the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register reported Thursday.
"It really was in poor taste, probably as a result of a lack of cultural prowess on the part of the person who made that choice," said Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations'.
The drill used simulated blasts, hostage situations and nerve gas to train law enforcement officers how to respond to such situations.
Diana Holmes, coordinator of the Montgomery County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency, said she was unaware of the council's criticism, the newspaper reported.
| Additional News Stories | |
NEW YORK, Nov. 12 (UPI) --
U.S. tennis great Andre Agassi bid farewell Wednesday night on "Late Show with David Letterman" to the mullet-style hairpiece he used to wear.
|
|
NEW YORK, Nov. 12 (UPI) --
Crude oil prices fell Thursday on the New York Mercantile Exchange to under $77 per barrel, despite the dollar's trend towards weakness.
|
|