Local Islamic leaders are asking for increased police protection after at least three California mosques received a letter that threatened Muslims and praised President-Elect Donald Trump.

Over the past several days, Islamic centers in Long Beach, Claremont and San Jose all received the same photocopy of a handwritten letter addressed to “the Children of Satan.” The letter called Muslims “vile,” “filthy” and “evil.” It then stated that Trump – who, during his campaign, proposed making Muslims register and blocking people of faith from entering the country – is going to “cleanse America.”

“He’s going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews,” the letter reads. “You Muslims would be wise to pack your bags and get out of Dodge.”

The letter is signed “Americans for a Better Way.”

It’s the latest in a series of incidents targeting Muslims and other minority groups since the Nov. 8 election.

The threatening letter arrived at the Long Beach Islamic Center on Wednesday, said Tarek Mohamed, the congregation’s chairman.

Mohamed said during a telephone interview that he plans to make a report to local police on Sunday, although he considers the threats to be a matter for the FBI since more than one mosque received hate mail.

“We’re going to report this to the authorities. No doubt,” he said. “This is not a local incident.”

The letter isn’t the first time Mohamed said he’s received a hostile note. But he said he’s concerned about a rise in anti-Muslim incidents following the presidential election.

He said the current climate has members of the Islamic Center feeling miserable, particularly those who were born in the United States to immigrant parents.

“Some of them are starting to question, ‘Is this our country?” Mohamed said.

More than 100 anti-Muslim incidents have occurred across the country over the past few weeks, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, a Washington, D.C.-based civil rights organization. And FBI statistics show a 67 percent jump in incidents against Muslims in 2015.

“This hate campaign targeting California houses of worship must be investigated as an act of religious intimidation, and our state’s leaders should speak out against the growing anti-Muslim bigotry that leads to such incidents,” said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR’s greater Los Angeles area chapter.

The organization called for stepped-up police presence around mosques. It also urged American Muslims and Islamic institutions to take extra security precautions and report any incidents.

CAIR-LA is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR-LA’s Civil Rights Department at 714-776-1847.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7963 or bstaggs@ocregister.comTwitter: @JournoBrooke