Excerpt:
A national civil rights organization called on U.S. authorities Wednesday to explain their investigation into a leading maker of food for observant Muslims, saying it is troubled by the secrecy surrounding the seizure of the company's bank account and records.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties group, said it is seeking more information about the Oct. 16 raid of the Midamar Corp. and the related investigation. Spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said it was unacceptable for the Cedar Rapids-based company to be crippled by the seizure of operating funds without being charged with a crime or formally told what the government is investigating.
"This is America. If you are raided by the government, you should know why you are raided," he said. "If they have some evidence of wrongdoing, it should be brought out in open court and there should be a right to reply to whatever evidence is brought out."