Ilhan Omar home raid, Haines attack: Inside rise in violence on officials

US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has her home raided; Australian MP Helen Haines loses both legs following an attack. Save Share United States Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been forced to move out of her Washington, DC residence because of safety concerns after her home was raided, amid growing threats of violence against politicians. Last week, US federal agentssearchedOmar’s home with what a Justice Department spokesperson described as a “judicially authorised search warrant”, adding that the raid was part of an “ongoing federal criminal investigation”. According to NBC News, which cited one person familiar with the matter, charges against Omar may include conspiracy and making false statements in her immigration paperwork. For years, Somalia-born Omar, who is Muslim, has been the target of right-wing conspiracy theories about herimmigration status, including allegations that he had married her brother. The Minnesota congresswoman has repeatedly denied the allegations as “disgusting lies”. She has drawn the particular ire of US President Donald Trump, who views her as a thorn in his side and has threatened to deport her. Omar came to the US in 1995 at age 12 and was naturalised as a US citizen in 2000. Since January 2019, she has served as a congressional representative for the state of Minnesota. But on Wednesday, she told the US news outlet MS NOW that following the raid on her Washington apartment, she could no longer live there. “Because our address has been public and with the death threats that I deal with, it’s no longer going to be feasible to be in that house and have my kids visiting off and on, having people track them,” she said. The raid on Omar’s home comes as violent attacks on politicians have grown more frequent. She, herself, has been physically assaulted. In January this year, Omar wassprayedwith an unknown substance by an assailant while calling for the abolition of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency at a town hall meeting in Minneapolis. On Monday this week, Australian independent MPHelen Haines, who has championed climate action and advocated for improved working conditions as a lawmaker, was hit by a car outside her electorate office, resulting in the amputation of both of her legs. Australian police said it was a “targeted attack” and warned of growing “online extremism” and recorded a rise in abuse, threats and intimidation targeting lawmakers. The violent attack on Haines was particularly shocking....