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America

Muslim Congresswoman experiences increase in death threats

Washington, April 15 

Muslim Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said that in the days since President Donald Trump tweeted about a speech she gave last month, she has experienced an increase in death threats.

"Since the President's tweet Friday evening (April 12), I have experienced an increase in direct threats on my life - many directly referencing or replying to the President's video. I thank the Capitol Police, the FBI, the House Sergeant at Arms, and the Speaker of the House for their attention to these threats," Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, said in a statement released on Sunday evening.

She also alleged that President Trump is encouraging right-wing extremist violence, CNN reported. 

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders denied earlier Sunday the President was trying to incite violence.

In the April 12 tweet, Trump wrote: "We will never forget!" and included video of a speech Omar gave last month in which she said: "For far too long we have lived with the discomfort of being a second-class citizen and, frankly, I'm tired of it, and every single Muslim in this country should be tired of it. 

"CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognised that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to civil liberties."

Omar was speaking last month to a California chapter of CAIR - the Council on American-Islamic Relations. It was actually founded in 1994.

Trump also included in the tweet an edited video of the 9/11 attacks.

In her statement, Omar noted Trump would be visiting her home state on Monday for a rally, reports CNN.

"Violent crimes and other acts of hate by right-wing extremists and white nationalists are on the rise in this country and around the world. We can no longer ignore that they are being encouraged by the occupant of the highest office in the land. 

"Counties that hosted a 2016 Trump rally saw a 226 per cent increase in hate crimes in the months following the rally. And assaults increase when cities host Trump rallies. This is particularly concerning given the president's visit to my home state of Minnesota on Monday."

Following Omar's statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday night that she had spoken with the House Sergeant at Arms about the Congresswoman's safety and that she wanted to make sure a security assessment was being conducted.

"They will continue to monitor and address the threats she faces," Pelosi added.

Earlier this month, federal prosecutors charged a man with threatening to assault and murder Omar.