Major US Muslim group cancels Virginia banquet over bomb and death threats

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — A national Muslim civil rights group is moving its annual banquet out of a Virginia hotel it says received bomb and death threats that may be linked to the group’s concern for Palestinians caught in the Israel-Hamas war. The Council on American-Islamic Relations says it has canceled plans to hold its 29th annual banquet on Saturday at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington. CAIR says the hotel reported anonymous callers have threatened to plant bombs in the hotel’s parking garage, kill hotel staff at home and storm the hotel. CAIR says the threats came after it updated its banquet programming to focus on Palestinians caught in the Middle Eastern conflict that has killed hundreds of civilians. The group says Arlington police and the FBI are investigating.