Muslim groups and civil rights activists seek more transparency in US counterterrorism efforts

FILE- In this Feb. 19, 2015, photo, President Barack Obama speaks at the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Summit at the State Department in Washington. Muslim groups and civil rights activists are speaking out for greater transparency in an Obama administration program aimed at countering homegrown terrorism on Thursday, Aug. 6, through coordinated efforts in Boston, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, the three cities where the so-called "Countering Violent Extremism" program is being piloted. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, FIle) (The Associated Press)

Council on American-Islamic Relations-Minnesota Executive Director Jaylani Hussein, center with microphone, speaks to growing Somali community concerns about the proposed government-initiated Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) program during a news conference, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, in Minneapolis. Muslim groups and civil rights activists across the nation are calling for greater transparency in the program by President Barack Obama's administration. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) (The Associated Press)

A group of women listen to Council on American-Islamic Relations-Minnesota Executive Director Jaylani Hussein, speaking about the Somali community concerns about the proposed government-initiated Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) program during a news conference, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, in Minneapolis. Muslim groups and civil rights activists across the nation are calling for greater transparency in the program by President Barack Obama's administration. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) (The Associated Press)

Muslim groups and civil rights activists across the nation are calling for greater transparency in an Obama administration program aimed at countering homegrown terrorism.

The organizers are speaking out Thursday through coordinated efforts in Boston, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, the three cities where the so-called "Countering Violent Extremism" program is being piloted.

The groups include local chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Among their primary concerns is that federal agencies continue to host invitation-only discussions about the program to the exclusion of dissenting groups.

And despite months of planning, opponents say program leaders have still not shared basic information about how these programs will actually work.

In February, the program's organizers in the three cities released "framework" documents sketching out their local objectives.