--- description: In wake of reports of potential terror attack on Monday; at least three states were reportedly targeted title: American Muslims Report Being Questioned by FBI Ahead of Election Day image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt39380782286d5a40/6988ad46428a9e292fcd4e7c/gettyimages-175796149.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [2016 Election](/tag/2016-election/) ## 2016 Election Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # American Muslims Report Being Questioned by FBI Ahead of Election Day by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 7, 2016 2:16 PM CUT  The seal of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seen at the J. Edgar Hoover building in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013\. Bloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty Images The seal of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seen at the J. Edgar Hoover building in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013\. Bloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty Images by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 7, 2016 2:16 PM CUT American Muslims were [questioned by federal authorities](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/11/07/fbi-questioned-american-muslims-in-8-states-about-possible-pre-election-terror-says-civil-rights-group/ "undefined") in several states ahead of Election Day, a civil rights organization reports, as authorities reportedly received warnings of a potential terrorist attack. The [Council on American-Islamic Relations](https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational/posts/10154220085922695 "undefined") issued a community alert on Sunday, urging those who have been questioned to be aware of the constitutional rights. “CAIR is urging anyone contacted by a law enforcement agency to consult advice offered in its ‘Know Your Rights and Responsibilities an American Muslim’ pocket guide, which includes a section called ‘Know Your Rights If Law Enforcement Contacts You,'” the advocacy organization wrote on its [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational/posts/10154220085922695 "undefined"). In Oklahoma, Adam Soltani wrote on Facebook that he’d received four reports of the FBI “harassing” Muslims in the state on Saturday. “Please folks, if you missed my alert earlier, please spread the word,” Soltani wrote. “You DO NOT have to talk to the FBI without an attorney present. CAIR Oklahoma will represent you free of charge.” The post came on the heels of several reports that Muslims had been questioned by the FBI in states including Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, California, Washington and Michigan, according to the [Washington _Post_](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/11/07/fbi-questioned-american-muslims-in-8-states-about-possible-pre-election-terror-says-civil-rights-group/ "undefined"). The Dallas [_Morning News_](http://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2016/11/06/fbi-interviewingmuslims-texas-alleged-al-qaeda-terrorthreat-community-leader-says "undefined") reports officials received warning that al-Qaeda may target Texas ahead of Election Day. The North Texas branch of CAIR told the [_Morning News_](http://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2016/11/06/fbi-interviewingmuslims-texas-alleged-al-qaeda-terrorthreat-community-leader-says "undefined") that at least three interviews with Muslim Americans took place over the weekend and there were reports that five additional interviews had also occurred. [_CBS News_](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sources-us-intel-warning-of-possible-al-qaeda-attacks-in-us-monday/ "undefined") reported Friday that New York, Texas and Virginia are all potential targets of an attack on Monday and U.S. authorities were taking the threat seriously. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4560441/american-muslims-fbi-election-day/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4560441/american-muslims-fbi-election-day/"},"headline":"American Muslims Report Being Questioned by FBI Ahead of Election Day","datePublished":"2016-11-07T14:16:37.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T01:39:41.291Z","description":"In the wake of reports of a potential terrorist attack on Monday","url":"https://time.com/4560441/american-muslims-fbi-election-day/","keywords":["2016 Election","2016 Election topic","U.S.","Terrorism"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt39380782286d5a40/6988ad46428a9e292fcd4e7c/gettyimages-175796149.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Maya Rhodan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt39380782286d5a40/6988ad46428a9e292fcd4e7c/gettyimages-175796149.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Headquarters Of The Federal Bureau Of Investigation","caption":"Headquarters Of The Federal Bureau Of Investigation","creditText":"Bloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/2016-election/","name":"2016 Election"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4560441/american-muslims-fbi-election-day/","name":"American Muslims Report Being Questioned by FBI Ahead of Election Day"}}]}] ```