Congressman says Muslims help thwart terrorists

Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., was appointed this week to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The panel oversees more than a dozen elements of the federal government’s intelligence activities.(Photo: Michael Conroy, AP)WASHINGTON – Muslims are among the nation's biggest allies in intelligence gathering, said Rep. Andre Carson, the first Muslim member of Congress to be appointed to the House intelligence committee.But law enforcement must build real relationships with the community, and not show up at mosques only when it's expedient, the Indianapolis Democrat said in an interview about his appointment."We want to see relationships where trust can be built and the relationship doesn't feel purely transactional," he said. "I've said time and time again that one of the biggest allies our intelligence has is the Muslim community. They know their communities better than anyone. I just had a meeting with the FBI, and (the National Security Agency) and Justice Department and we were talking about the efforts that the Muslim community have really contributed collectively in terms of thwarting potential attacks that you'll never even hear about in the media."Carson, who was first elected in 2008, was appointed this week to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The panel oversees more than a dozen elements of the federal government's intelligence activities.About three-quarters of the public cite defending the U.S. against terrorism as a top policy priority – the first time in five years that that has ranked as high a priority as strengthening the nation's economy because of the public's diminished focus on economic issues, according to the Pew Research Center's annual policy priorities survey. The recent terrorist attacks in Paris did not result in a major increase in worries about a U.S. attack, but there has been growing concern over Islamic extremism, the center reported Thursday.News reports of Carson's appointment emphasized that Carson – one of only two Muslims in Congress – will be the first to serve on the panel.Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind.But Carson's appointment is an individual commendation, and not a reflection of his religion, said former Rep. Lee Hamilton, who has chaired the committee."The intelligence committee deals with top national security issues and has very good access to highly classified information. You want somebody that can be trusted," Hamilton said. "It's obvious that the Democratic leadership thinks he meets that requirement."In making the announcement, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Carson is the only member of Congress who has worked in a Department of Homeland Security Fusion Center. The centers are a way for federal, state and local law enforcement officials to work together on gathering and understanding threat-related information.Carson, who was an officer with the State Excise Police and worked for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security in the anti-terrorism unit, said he's been "waving the fusion center flag" for years because of the concerns that have been raised about them.A Senate report released in 2012 found that fusion centers haven't produced useful intelligence and have sometimes violated civil liberties.Carson, who helped analyze data at Indiana's fusion center, said they create a place for building trust and intelligence sharing."So I've met with the Department of Homeland Security, I've met with my colleagues in Congress, urging them to keep these centers open," he said.His interest in the law was fueled because he was arrested at 17 after police officers tried to go into a mosque without probable cause, Carson told The Huffington Post last fall.Carson said in a telephone interview Wednesday that serving in Congress and on the intelligence community is significant as it helps show the different faces of Islam at a time when "Islam-aphobia has reached an apex of sorts.""Because we live in a sound-bite society and, as people, we are heavily influenced by images that we see on television, it's important to have a broad array of professionals who happen to be Muslim in different positions," he said.Edgar Hopida, spokesman for the Islamic Society of North America in Plainfield, Ind., said the group is "proud of this great American, former law enforcement officer and member of the Muslim community, on his appointment to such an important committee."Hamilton said he's hopeful Carson will perform the oversight needed of the intelligence community and not, for example, be persuaded as former members were to not have a public dialogue about the government's massive surveillance of mega data until the debate was forced on them by Edward Snowden's NSA leaks."They are very good at co-opting members of the intelligence committee," Hamilton said of intelligence agencies. "I think (Carson) will not be co-opted."Contact Maureen Groppe at mgroppe@gannett.com or @mgroppe on Twitter.Europe anti-terrorism raids lead to dozens of arrestsJan 16, 2015