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The Times podcast: Can the FBI spy on Muslims and not say why?

A hand turns the page of a copy of the Quran
Ali Malik reads the Quran at the Islamic Center of Irvine on Oct. 25 Malik and other members of the Islamic Center of Irvine welcomed Craig Monteihl into their community. In actuality, Monteihl was an informant recruited and paid by the FBI to surveil American Muslims.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
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In 2011, a group of Muslims in Orange County sued the federal government, alleging that the FBI violated the constitutional rights of Muslims by spying on them solely because of their religion. The feds denied the allegations, but they also said they couldn’t disclose why they had spied on this community. To do so, according to the government, would reveal state secrets. Now the lawsuit is before the U.S. Supreme Court, and the feds want it dismissed.

Today, we hear from L.A. Times reporter Suhauna Hussain, who is covering the case. We’ll hear from some of the plaintiffs and Muslim activists. And we’ll also hear from Craig Monteilh, the self-admitted FBI informant in the center of all this.

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Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guest: L.A. Times reporter Suhauna Hussain

More reading:

Supreme Court skeptical of FBI’s claim in monitoring of Orange County Muslims

Column: In Orange County case, the U.S. is hiding behind claims of ‘state secrets’

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From the archives: Man says he was FBI informant

About The Times

“The Times” is made by columnist Gustavo Arellano, senior producers Denise Guerra and Shannon Lin, and producer Melissa Kaplan. Our engineer is Mario Diaz. Our editors are Lauren Raab and Shani O. Hilton. Our theme song was composed by Andrew Eapen.
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