KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Following threatening calls made to Muslim establishments in Kissimmee, imams met with Osceola County’s sheriff to discuss combating hate crimes.

Imams meet with Osceola sheriff about combating hate crimes

Threatening calls made to Muslim groups in February

Sheriff to community: "We will be there to stand with you"

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Threatening calls were made not only to the American Muslim Leadership Council of Kissimmee but also to the Islamic Center of Osceola County in February. The calls expressed hatred and disdain for the Muslim community.

This month, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jaran Ali Rasanjani Tyrell who detectives say made the threats.

The sheriff’s office said there’s a possibility the individual was personally known to the mosques, but the case is still under investigation.

Muslim leaders in #OsceolaCounty are meeting with law enforcement after receiving threatening voicemails at two mosques earlier this month. How they’re combatting hate crime at 10pm. @MyNews13 #News13Osceola pic.twitter.com/velkUrGjrt — Stephanie Bechara (@BecharaReports) March 17, 2020

For Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Florida Imams Council, this hits close to home.

“There is a heightened level of hate spreading around the world and in this country,” he said.

Musri along with other leaders in the Muslim community met with Sheriff Russ Gibson to learn how faith groups should handle a community threat of this nature.

Gibson said he’s sending captains out to each of the mosques in Osceola to make contact with the Muslim community.

“But I want people to trust their gut. What these folks have is called life experience, and when you have that life experience, you see things through different eyes,” Gibson said. “And when you need us, understand this… We will be there to stand with you.”

Musri thinks that for people to be targeting them because they’re a minority is unacceptable. In the meantime, he is working towards changing the narrative, he told Spectrum News 13.

“We will be patient and we will educate the population about who we are. Our doors are open,” Musri said. “Anyone is welcome to come and visit.”

Tyrell is being charged with aggravated stalking and evidencing prejudice while committing offense.