Could Cellphone Alerts Used to Search for New York Bombing Suspect Open Door for Attacks on Muslims?

Some New York City residents are concerned over the use of a "WANTED" alert message for the bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami that was distributed automatically to millions of phones across the area Monday morning. It may be the first time in the United States that the nationwide Wireless Emergency Alerts system was used to transform residents into participants in a region-wide manhunt. It sparked widespread concerns that people, particularly Muslims and people of color, who were not Rahami could be mistaken for him and targeted. This comes as hate crimes against the Muslim community have surged nationwide, including in New York City, where just last week a Scottish tourist wearing traditional Muslim religious clothing was set on fire in the middle of 5th Avenue in broad daylight. "It really opens the door, potentially, to acts of vigilantism and to hate crimes," says lawyer Ramzi Kassem. "I was really alarmed that the authorities went ahead with this unprecedented move without really knowing what the consequences might be for individuals other than the person they were after."