Hate crimes against Arabs near pre-Sept. 11 levelsAssociated Press
FORT WORTH -- The number of reports of hate crimes committed against Arabs and Muslims have nearly returned to pre-Sept. 11 levels in Texas, according to the Department of Public Safety.
Thirteen Arabs were the targets of hate crimes last year, compared with 19 in 2002. Four anti-Islamic crimes were reported in 2003, down from 11 the year before.
Nationally, anti-Islamic hate crimes increased 121 percent last year, according to a report issued by the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington, D.C.
The downward trend in Texas surprised some Arab and Muslim leaders, who said they had feared the fighting in Iraq would incite violence here.
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