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(NewsCore) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday blasted Rep. Peter King’s (R-N.Y.) planned hearings on the threat posed by Islamic radicalization, saying they “demonize law-abiding American Muslims.”

The hearings, set to begin Thursday, have sparked protests from members of the American Muslim community and criticism from lawmakers of both parties.

“I take the threat of terrorism very seriously, and no one is more committed to hunting down terrorists and bringing them to justice, wherever they live, than I am,” Reid said in a statement Tuesday, according to Fox News Channel.

“But I am deeply concerned about these hearings, which demonize law-abiding American Muslims who make important contributions to our society, as I would be about Congressional hearings to investigate Catholics, Jews or people of any other faith based solely on their religion.”

Reid added that it was “vitally important” to have a “collective” conversation about domestic terrorism.