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Diplomat retires amid furore over racist remarks
A US diplomat has retired from the government amid accusations he said "the only good Arab is a dead Arab" in a voice and electronic mail left with an Arab-American group, the State Department has said.
- Gulf News Report
- Published: 00:22 August 19, 2007
Dubai: A US diplomat has retired from the government amid accusations he said "the only good Arab is a dead Arab" in a voice and electronic mail left with an Arab-American group, the State Department has said.
Patrick Syring - who will be arraigned in the Federal District Court on August 30 - was accused of having made abusive, intimidating and racist comments to employees of the Arab American Institute.
James Zogby, president of the institute, said: "We are pleased with word that the grand jury has returned two indictments. This has been a matter of concern to me and my entire office.
"The Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice has been responsive, and we feel protected. The threats were both intimidating and frightening - and the fact Mr Syring was a 20-year career officer at the Department of State made it of even greater concern."
Indictment
The State Department refused to comment on the legal case against Syring, which was outlined in an indictment filed at a US federal court on Wednesday, but said the diplomat had decided to retire.
Syring is alleged to have made the comments to officials at the Arab American Institute, including James Zogby, when Israel was at war with Hezbollah in July 2006.
"The only good Lebanese is a dead Lebanese. The only good Arab is a dead Arab. Long live the IDF. Death to Lebanon and death to the Arabs," Syring said in a voice mail recorded at the institute on July 17, 2006. IDF stands for Israel Defence Forces - the Israeli military.
He stands accused of violating US law on federally protected rights and of making threatening communications. The voice mails and e-mails were quoted in the indictment.
Syring served as a US diplomat in the Middle East and most recently worked in Human Resources at the State Department.
Sean McCormack, spokesman for the State Department, declined to address the Syring case specifically other than to say he had retired.
Speaking generally, McCormack said such comments were unacceptable to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"Let me just underline for you the seriousness with which the secretary approaches the idea that the State Department should be a workplace that in no way, shape or form tolerates discrimination or hateful language. It's just not condoned or acceptable in this department," he said.
With inputs from Reuters
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