Entertainment & Arts
25 January 2015
Last updated at 07:21 ET
Bradley Cooper has been nominated for best actor at the Oscars for his role in American Sniper
Their film is based on US soldier Chris Kyle's service in Iraq from 2003-09.
The ADC said a "majority of the violent threats we have seen over the past few days are result of how Arab and Muslims are depicted in American Sniper".
The organisation, which describes itself as the largest Arab civil rights organisation in the US, said it had collected "hundreds of violent messages targeting Arab and Muslim Americans from movie-goers", mainly from Facebook and Twitter.
The letter asked Eastwood and Cooper to speak out against such messages "in an effort to reduce the hateful rhetoric".
"Your visibility, influence, and connection to the film would be a tremendous force in drawing attention to and lessening the serious dangers facing the respective communities," ADC president Samer Khalaf wrote.
Jack Horner, a spokesman for the Warner Bros film studio, which
released the film, told the Reuters news agency that the company
"denounces any violent, anti-Muslim rhetoric, including that which has
been attributed to viewers" of the film.
He added: "Hate and bigotry have no place in the important dialogue that this picture has generated about the veteran experience."
Spokespeople for Eastwood and Cooper had no immediate response to requests for comment, Reuters news agency reported.
American Sniper has been a major hit in North America, exceeding box office predictions by taking $90m (£59m) in its opening weekend - a record for a January release. It also has six Oscar nominations.
Film controversy But it has caused controversy. Some have hailed its portrayal of Kyle as a war hero, but others have criticised it for glorifying violence and for Kyle's attitude towards his victims.
Kyle, a Navy Seal, served four tours of duty in Iraq and killed more than 160 people, making him the most deadly sniper in American history.
The film is based on his book, also titled American Sniper, in which he claimed to have no regrets and referred to those he killed as "savages".
Kyle was killed in February 2013 on a firing range in his home state of Texas.
by Biodun Iginla, BBC News, New York
Bradley Cooper has been nominated for best actor at the Oscars for his role in American Sniper
The
release of the film American Sniper has led to an increase in threats
against Muslims in the US, according to an Arab-American civil rights
group.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has written to director Clint Eastwood and star Bradley Cooper.Their film is based on US soldier Chris Kyle's service in Iraq from 2003-09.
The ADC said a "majority of the violent threats we have seen over the past few days are result of how Arab and Muslims are depicted in American Sniper".
The organisation, which describes itself as the largest Arab civil rights organisation in the US, said it had collected "hundreds of violent messages targeting Arab and Muslim Americans from movie-goers", mainly from Facebook and Twitter.
The letter asked Eastwood and Cooper to speak out against such messages "in an effort to reduce the hateful rhetoric".
"Your visibility, influence, and connection to the film would be a tremendous force in drawing attention to and lessening the serious dangers facing the respective communities," ADC president Samer Khalaf wrote.
Bradley Cooper plays Navy Seal Chris Kyle (Courtesy Warner Bros)
He added: "Hate and bigotry have no place in the important dialogue that this picture has generated about the veteran experience."
Spokespeople for Eastwood and Cooper had no immediate response to requests for comment, Reuters news agency reported.
American Sniper has been a major hit in North America, exceeding box office predictions by taking $90m (£59m) in its opening weekend - a record for a January release. It also has six Oscar nominations.
Film controversy But it has caused controversy. Some have hailed its portrayal of Kyle as a war hero, but others have criticised it for glorifying violence and for Kyle's attitude towards his victims.
Kyle, a Navy Seal, served four tours of duty in Iraq and killed more than 160 people, making him the most deadly sniper in American history.
The film is based on his book, also titled American Sniper, in which he claimed to have no regrets and referred to those he killed as "savages".
Kyle was killed in February 2013 on a firing range in his home state of Texas.
Director Clint Eastwood said he was "sympathetic to veterans"
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From other news sites
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The Independent Clint Eastwood's American Sniper film has 'caused rise in anti-Muslim threats' 6 hrs ago
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Japan Times Arab-American group says 'American Sniper' film spurs threats against Muslims 12 hrs ago
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Haaretz U.S. Arabs, Muslims concerned 'American Sniper' provokes violent threats, hateful language 21 hrs ago
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Reuters UK UPDATE 1-Group says 'American Sniper' film spurs threats against Muslims 21 hrs ago
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Telegraph American Sniper blamed for hundreds of threats against American Muslims 29 hrs ago
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