Officials warn against committing hate crimes

Jace Radke

Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2001 | 9:10 a.m.

Between 15 and 20 reports of a show of hatred against Arab or East Indian people have been reported in Las Vegas since terrorists attacks in New York and Washington last week, Sheriff Jerry Keller said Monday.

He called on residents not to add to the last week's tragedy by committing hate crimes against Arabs.

"The events have mostly taken the form of phone calls and anonymous threats at our mosques," Keller told the media at the George Federal Building. "There has been some cat-calling, and we take each incident very seriously."

Keller said that every bomb threat, argument and threat has to be investigated by detectives, pulling officers away from other work, including helping to identify terrorists possibly involved in last week's attack.

Keller made his remarks at the briefing organized by Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., who said she brought Keller and representatives from Nellis Air Force Base, the U.S. Marshal Service, McCarran International Airport and other agencies together to update Southern Nevadans on public safety.

Berkley agreed with Keller saying that Southern Nevadans need to reach out to the Islamic community.

"It is vitally important to separate those who committed these violent, heinous acts from the Arab-Americans who are our friends, neighbors and fellow citizens," Berkley said.