DEARBORN – An airplane linked to an FBI surveillance program that tracks alleged terrorists, spies and criminals has flown several times over the metro Detroit area, including two flights over Dearborn last weekend.
The news of the surveillance aircraft sparked concerns in the local Arab American community, home to one of the largest concentration of Muslim residents in the country.
The plane is allegedly equipped with high-tech cameras and technology that allows the FBI to track thousands of cellphones. 
Flight data shows that the plane made several mile wide loops above Dearborn on Saturday and Sunday, as well as neighboring cities of Allen Park, Melvindale, Dearborn Heights and Taylor. 
At 5:51 p.m. Saturday, the plane first appeared on radar flying over a neighborhood of $300,000 homes in Harrison Township, north of Metro Parkway in Macomb County.
The plane zigzagged over the community and neighboring Clinton Township before flying south and cutting west across Hamtramck and Detroit.
By 7:32 p.m., the plane was in Dearborn.
During its duration over Dearborn, the aircraft flew about one mile above the ground. It covered  areas that includes several landmarks;  Greenfield Village, Ford Motor Co.’s Dearborn Development Center, Edsel Ford High School and the American Muslim Center on West Outer Drive.
“I actually saw the plane when it was flying over Dearborn,” said one Dearborn resident who wished to remain anonymous. “And I was even telling my brother they are probably spying on us.” 
According to a press release from FBI Detroit Field Office, the 2010 single engine Cessna Skylane is one of several assets the FBI routinely uses in support of lawful, predicated investigations targeting specific individuals, as well to assist local law enforcement agencies. 
Outside of the metro Detroit area, records show that the FBI has flown over 100 flights in 11 states over the last 30 days. 
After reports began circulating that the aircraft had hovered closely over the city of Dearborn, many raised concerns over whether the surveillance was related to possible terrorist threats.
The Arab American News contacted the FBI Detroit office, which stated that it was not aware of any credible threats in Metro Detroit, and the Bureau was not targeting any specific community when it flew the surveillance drone over the weekend.
“The use of aviation assets is strictly regulated and governed through rigorous oversight by DOJ and in full compliance with the Attorney General Guidelines and the FBI’s Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide,” the FBI said in a statement. “The FAA is fully aware and supportive of this practice. Contrary to the suggestion of some recent media reporting, the FBI does not employ aviation assets to conduct mass surveillance nor to target specific communities.”
Local civil rights group quickly issued statements on Wednesday raising concerns that increased surveillance had continued to target Muslim communities.
The Council on American Islamic Relations of Michigan (CAIR-MI) said the FBI had been linked to religious mapping in the past, citing a report from last year that stated Dearborn had more people per capita than any other city in the country on an alleged ‘terrorist watchlist.’ 
“Given conclusive evidence that the FBI has been involved in religious mapping of Muslims in Dearborn, we are concerned the the usage of the spy plane signals an increase in invasive surveillance of the Muslim community,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid. “When privacy rights of minorities come under threat under the vague umbrella of national security, such signals a clear threat to the civil liberties of all in society.”
The Arab-American Civil Rights League (ACRL) also echoed in with their own statements, calling for  the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara McQuade to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
“The right to privacy is a fundamental American value enshrined in the Constitution and protected by the Bill of Right,” ACRL Chairman Nabih Ayad.  “Given the concentration of Arabs and Muslims in and around the Metro-Detroit region, it is no secret that the Government has ramped up law enforcement and intelligence-gathering operations since 9/11. Because of this, Dearborn has become a model for community-law enforcement relations, and what happens first in Dearborn can be expected to happen around the rest of the country in the future.”
The ACRL added that it hopes the local FBI office works with the community and civil rights groups to find a good balance between personal privacy and security. 
“While we absolutely acknowledge the great work that the FBI does in protecting us every day, we also expect the FBI to lead by example in protecting our privacy from unreasonable searches,” Ayad added. “But as we have seen with mass-data collection, surveillance can be used for ulterior and illegal purposes, and the ACRL stands vigilant to protect against such Government abuses.”
The American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee of Michigan (ADC-MI) issued a statement as well, stating that such governmental tactics has embedded mistrust and fear among local law-abiding citizens.
 “The use of government aircraft to conduct profiling of a religious or ethnic community without probable cause is unconstitutional and harmful to the entire Dearborn community,” the ADC-MI said. “By targeting places of worship, these spying programs also disrupt the religious practices of many Arab Americans of Muslim faith who feel they need to avoid places of worship lest they too become labeled or added to a government watch list.”
Federal agents and local community leaders are set to meet at Wednesday at 6 p.m. at The Arab American News office in Dearborn to discuss the circulating reports.