Monitoring Desk
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas angered American Muslims on Tuesday with a call to “patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods” in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Brussels.
Arguing that politicians had “tried to deny this enemy exists out of a combination of political correctness and fear,” Mr. Cruz said that Europeans were “seeing what comes of a toxic mix of migrants who have been infiltrated by terrorists and isolated, radical Muslim neighborhoods.”
“We need to immediately halt the flow of refugees from countries with a significant al-Qaida or ISIS presence. We need to empower law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said in a statement condemning terror attacks in Brussels.
Cruz said terrorists target Western culture, noting that the identities of the victims are irrelevant for extremists. “For years, the West has tried to deny this enemy exists out of a combination of political correctness and fear. We can no longer afford either,” he added.
The Republican candidate also blamed migrants, claiming that they might have been infiltrated by terrorists and “isolated, radical Muslim neighborhoods”.
The Republican front-runner, Donald Trump reacted to the explosions that rocked Brussels, describing the scene as a “disaster” and warning that “this is just the beginning.”
Trump, who has made immigration and security issues central to his 2016 presidential bid, discussed the reported suicide attacks in an interview on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends.”
“I will tell you, I’ve been talking about this a long time, and look at Brussels,” Trump said. “Brussels was a beautiful city, a beautiful place with zero crime. And now it’s a disaster city. It’s a total disaster, and we have to be very careful in the United States, we have to be very careful and very vigilant as to who we allow in this country. “
Meanwhile Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Nihad Awad condemned Cruz for targeting American Muslims. Awad, who leads the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, said that all Americans should condemn his anti-Muslim sentiments as they go against the Constitution.
“Ted Cruz’s proposal to monitor American Muslims is unconstitutional, un-American, and it is unbefitting for a statement to come from one of the leading presidential candidates,” he said.
Cruz’ comments show that he is not ready to be president because he lacks the temperament needed to handle a national security crisis, according to Awad.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump made remarks about the Brussels attacks that were also in line with Cruz.
“Frankly, we’re having problems with the Muslims,” Trump told Fox Business Network.
“These attacks are not done by Swedish people. That I can tell you, we have to be smart. We have to look at the mosques and study what’s going on. There is a sick problem going on.”
Both candidates are known for their anti-Muslims sentiments that followed terror attacks in Paris in November.
At the time, Trump demanded the U.S. initiate a ban on all Muslims trying to enter the country.