Right-Wing Think Tank Accused of Compiling Secret Database on Muslim Americans
A Philadelphia-based right-wing think tank, the Middle East Forum (MEF), has been accused of secretly compiling a vast database on thousands of Muslim Americans and their associated institutions over approximately two decades. This archive, containing over four million data points, was reportedly built from public records such as tax filings, corporate registrations, property records, names, and social media accounts. The database includes entries for more than 5,500 individuals and 10,600 organizations, including mosques, schools, businesses, and advocacy groups, across 45 countries, with a majority in the United States. Prominent Muslim officials like Representatives Ilhan Omar, Andre Carson, and Rashida Tlaib, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, were cataloged. Non-Muslims connected to Muslim communities, such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, were also included, with Ocasio-Cortez reportedly labeled a 'Fellow Traveler.' MEF disclosed the database only after HuffPost, which had obtai...
