The right-wing US think tank Middle East Forum (MEF) built an extensive archive over nearly two decades containing information on thousands of Muslim Americans and Muslim organizations. The archive contains more than 4 million data points.
The records include people's names, social media accounts and tax information, as well as details about mosques, schools, businesses and other organizations. Individuals and groups viewed as allies of the Muslim community were also included in the database.
MEF to accept applications from researchers
The organization disclosed the archive's existence after being questioned about it. MEF announced that academics, journalists and other researchers could apply for access to the archive.
MEF Executive Director Gregg Roman said the initiative had been scheduled to be disclosed at a later date, but that they welcomed the archive being made public earlier.
Civil rights organizations criticize the archive
Founded in 1994, the controversial MEF describes its mission as defending Western values and highlighting the dangers of movements it defines as “legal Islamism.” Civil rights organizations accuse MEF of contributing to Islamophobia and spreading misinformation about Muslims.
MEF maintains that the data in the archive was compiled from publicly available records. However, the scope of the records has caused concern among civil rights advocates.
Caleb Kieffer of the Southern Poverty Law Center called the archive “very concerning” and said anti-Muslim rhetoric was increasing in the United States. Mobashra Tazamal of Georgetown University's Bridge Initiative warned that the archive could potentially serve as a “target list” for monitoring or intimidating Muslim individuals and organizations.
Archive disclosed amid growing concerns about Islamophobia
The development came at a time when concerns about Islamophobia among Muslim Americans were increasing. Political tensions surrounding President Donald Trump's policies, pressure on pro-Palestinian protesters and statements by some Republican members of Congress were also among the developments fueling those concerns.
MEF, for its part, argued that mapping ideological networks was common among civil society organizations in the United States. The organization said that other groups also maintained similar databases.
