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Streamwood police investigating anti-Muslim flier targeting family

Streamwood police are investigating an offensive, anti-Muslim flier a resident reported finding Oct. 9 on a vehicle outside the family home.

The flier begins with "To the Muslims at (resident's address) Streamwood IL, We want you out, we will continue to mock you and your family ..." It includes what appears to be a screenshot from an ISIS propaganda video and ends by stating "Be reminded that you are hated here."

Deputy Police Chief Ed Valente said the department has launched an investigation, but police so far have no leads on who may be responsible.

"We take all matters similar to this very seriously," he said.

Valente said the resident, who lives with family in a townhouse on the 300 block of Wisteria Drive, has no idea who left the flier. The family, he said, is of Middle Eastern descent, but it is not known if they are Muslim.

They have not experienced similar threats or problems in the past, Valente said.

"We are in contact with federal resources, the FBI, the United States Postal Service and the state police crime lab," he added.

A resident of the home where the flier was left declined to comment Thursday, but said a similar flier was left in the family's mailbox.

The Chicago chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations posted a photo of the flier on their Facebook page Monday. CAIR works to preserve the civil rights of American Muslims.

"It is important to us that we understand the whole situation from firsthand sources and are respectful to any desire for privacy the victims may have," a Facebook posting reads. "After completing our investigation we will determine what actions must be taken to address the situation."

CAIR Communications Coordinator Renner Larson declined to say Thursday whether the organization had spoken with the family targeted by the flier.

"This certainly happens a lot more than is reported," he added.

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