Montclair State University is investigating a bias incident in which someone drew a picture of planes hitting the World Trade Center on the door of a Muslim student group's headquarters, campus officials said today.

The graffiti was found Monday outside the Office of the Muslim Student Association in the student center, said Suzanne Bronski, a campus spokeswoman.

"The university police immediately launched a full investigation, which is continuing, and the university's Bias Response Team was appropriately alerted and has been involved," university officials said in a statement.

NJ.com, 8 February 2013

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The lawyer for a Somerset County Islamic organization believes that the township Planning Board is discriminating against his clients for wanting to build a mosque in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards.

Vincent T. Bisogno, attorney for the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge, said the board increased the parking requirement to 110 spaces despite a zoning ordinance suggesting a house of worship of this size be required to have 50 spaces. "Is it (the ordinance) only for Christians?" Bisogno asked during a board meeting Tuesday night.

Residents, some of whom have formed a group and hired an attorney to oppose the application, believe the mosque would be out of character for the rural and bucolic neighborhood. Some fear the mosque would invite too much traffic to the area.

Bisogno said that increasing the parking requirement at this stage of the process would be inconvenient. If the board can increase the parking requirements from the standards set in the ordinance, "why would anybody build in Bernards Township? That doesn't make sense."

"How do you determine storm-water management until you determine the parking requirements?" he added. "I'm at a loss as to what the parking requirement is here and what do I do in preparing a site plan.

"We want to be treated like every other house of worship. My clients are very concerned about this matter and I have told them many times that I have appeared here before ... and that this board is always fair and equitable. My clients are not convinced of that."

MyCentralJersey.com, 9 January 2013

See also "Attorney for Bernards Islamic Society is 'shocked' by planning board standards", NJ.com, 9 January 2013

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Wakeelah Salaam had been shopping by herself for less than ten minutes at the Bridegwater Commons Mall when a security guard approached her and told her to remove her traditional Muslim face covering.

"He said, 'ma'am, I'm telling you, you cannot wear that mask in here. He came as close to me as though he was going to kiss me, and then he made the hand gesture like he was going to lift it up for me," Salaam said.

Salaam was born in the United States, and was raised Muslim. She has always worn a long dress, or hijab, and a headscarf. But when she was in her mid-20s, she decided to start wearing the niqab, or face covering, that shows only her eyes when she's in public.

She's worn the niqab in court, and even to visit a relative in prison, so Salaam says she was shocked when she was approached twice by the same mall security guard Saturday. She eventually felt so uncomfortable that she called police.

"I felt threatened, like I couldn't walk and shop in the mall without this man asking me to take off my niqab," Salaam added.

After speaking with police, Salaam decided to leave Bridgewater Commons, which she had visited before with no problems. After Eyewitness News got involved, an executive with the company that runs Bridgewater Commons' security called Salaam to say he's sorry.

"We sincerely apologize", said Donald Lantz, "Our security guard has received additional training in cultural diversity. We respect her right to dress according to her religious beliefs and she is welcome in our mall anytime."

Salaam says she appreciates the apology, but next time she needs to go shopping, she will probably choose another mall.

WABC-TV, 21 May 2012

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