Sikh Members Testify
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Two brothers who lost their mother in the Sikh temple massacre last month, testify in Washington, D.C. on hate crimes. Video by nbc26.com
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A family impacted by the Sikh temple massacre takes their message to Washington, D.C. Two brothers who lost their mother in the shootings at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek last month, spoke in front of a senate committee on hate crimes.
The brothers told senators their mother's story and asked the government for more tracking of extremists.
"Senators, I came here today to the government to ask the government to give my mother the dignity of being a statistic,” Harpreet Saini said. “The FBI does not track hate crimes against Sikhs. My mother and those shot that day will not even count on a federal form. We cannot solve a problem we refuse to recognize."
Pictures of the six Sikh temple victims and wounded police lieutenant Brian Murphy flanked the hearing room at Capitol Hill.
An FBI agent also testified that the agency knew the gunman Wade Page took part in white supremacy activities before the shooting rampage last month.
"He engaged in a lot of hate speech, which is not against the law,” Michael Clancy said, with the FBI. “We did not have an open investigation on him, nor did we have any information he posed a threat to any group, particularly the Sikhs.”
A threat that took Harpreet's mother.
"I still believe in America. The American dream. In my mother's memory, I ask that you stand up for that dream,” Saini said.
A deputy attorney general testified that the requested tracking is now under consideration.
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