Islamic Society ups security after incidents against Muslims

The Islamic Society of Wichita is hiring its first full-time security employee, something spokesman Hussam Madi said is partly due to a rise in incidents against Muslims.

“We always had a security plan, just like any school, but this is a full-time position that we need, especially with what’s going on in the country,” Madi said.

Madi referred to recent incidents such as the vandalism at an Islamic center in Columbus, Ohio, in February, or when six people were killed and eight wounded when a man opened fire at a mosque in Quebec, Canada, in January.

The Islamic Society has had part-time security personnel but never a full-time security employee. Madi said having someone there would likely give peace of mind to worshipers at the mosque and parents with children at the center’s school.

More recent statistics aren’t available, but hate crimes have increased significantly against Muslims since 9/11, according to FBI hate crime statistics.

Since 2001, incidents against Muslims have remained higher than in the years preceding 9/11.

In 2015, the year with the most recent data available, there were 257 incidents of hate crimes against Muslims, up from 154 in 2014.

This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Islamic Society ups security after incidents against Muslims."