SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 11 (UPI) -- The FBI gave no explanation for putting a GPS tracker on a California Muslim's car but asked for it back, he said.
Yasir Afifi, 20, of Santa Clara told the San Jose Mercury News he found the tracker on his car Oct. 3. He said the FBI later came calling and asked him to return the device.
Afifi said he has done nothing wrong and the FBI has no reason to watch him.
Afifi said when he took his car in for an oil change he saw "a wire hanging out." Then he noticed "a black, glimmering device."
The mechanic ripped it out. Afifi left with the device.
On Tuesday, a roommate told him, "There are two suspicious people standing right by your car," Afifi said.
One of them showed him his FBI badge, and asked if he knew why the officers were there.
Afifi said he replied, "Yes."
He said the agent then said: "All right, where's the device you found under your hood?"
Then, Afifi said, "He goes, 'Yeah, we put it there.' "
Afifi was targeted because of his extensive ties to the Middle East, which include supporting two brothers who live in Egypt and making frequent overseas trips. His father was a well-known Islamic-American community leader who died last year in Egypt.