ARLINGTON: A major US Muslim civil rights group said it had moved an annual banquet scheduled for Saturday to an undisclosed location after a Virginia hotel cancelled the event because of threats.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the Marriott Crystal Gateway hotel in Arlington, Virginia, which has hosted its gathering for more than 10 years, told the group it had received threats.

“Anonymous callers have threatened to plant bombs in the hotel’s parking garage, kill specific hotel staff in their homes, and storm the hotel in a repeat of the Jan 6 attack on the US Capitol if the events moved forward,” CAIR said Thursday night.

Marriott did not confirm specific threats.

“After careful consideration, we have determined that we are unable to move forward with an event planned for this weekend due to significant risks to the safety of event attendees, guests and associates,” a spokesperson for the Crystal Gateway Marriott said in a statement.

The move comes as Justice Department authorities are monitoring an increase in reported threats against Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities in the United States.

Two pro-Israel advocacy groups urged members to call on Marriott to cancel the CAIR gathering, including the Endowment for Middle East Truth and the Zionist Organisation of America (ZOA).

“Please join ZOA in calling Marriott to demand that they cancel this dangerous CAIR event,” the ZOA said in an “action alert” on Thursday.

CAIR said it would proceed with the banquet on Saturday at an alternative, secured location.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2023