Muslims Report a Rash of Hate Crimes in Wake of Terror Attacks

Category: World Affairs Topics: Conflicts And War, United States Of America Views: 1180
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Sept 13 (iviews.com) - As public officials warned the public against blaming Muslims or Islam for the terrorist attacks that rocked the United States on Tuesday, Muslim leaders around the United States reported acts of hate crimes against their communities.

In Irving, Texas, an unknown assailant drove by and shot at a the Islamic Center.  No injuries were reported in that incident.

"No one, alhamdulillah, was hurt, but glass was shattered, along with the feeling of security," reported one local activist.  The incident is under police investigation.

And in San Francisco, the police reported that a red substance labeled as pig's blood was thrown at the doorstep of the Islamic Community Center.

Lt. Morris Tabak told reporters that an unidentified caller phoned the center at 3004 16th St. Wednesday and asked a female staff member if she worked there. When the woman said yes, the caller told her they had left a "message" for Osama bin Laden at the front door, Tabak said.

The incident is now being investigated as a hate crime.

And in Dallas, Texas, the Holy Land Foundation, the largest Muslim charity, reportedly received death threats just hours after the hijacked planes crashed into major US landmarks.  The organization is now under heightened security.

Additionally, A mosque was defiled in Perth, a local Muslim leader said.

The vice-president of the Islamic Council of Western Australia, Ismail Fredericks, said human excrement was daubed inside a fence, on steps and a handrail of the building in suburban Mirrabooka, north of Perth city.

"There were two women there, and I told them I was Australian, but they abused me and said they were going to burn the mosque down," Fredericks told the West Australian newspaper.

He said the incident occurred Wednesday only hours after the Islamic Council had appealed for calm in response to the terrorism.

Organizations such as the Council on American Islamic Relations are keeping record of all the reports and have sent out a safety check list to its members. Dozens of reports of threatening phone calls to Islamic institutions around the United States have already begun to surface.

Meanwhile, US leaders condemned such attacks and urged Americans to remain calm.

 "It should not be seen as something done by Arabs or Islamics," Powell cautioned in an interview with NBC television. "It was done by terrorists and we ought to see it that way, and we ought to rally the entire civilized world against this kind of activity."

And New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani was visibly upset Wednesday as he talked to reporters about the attacks against ethnic minorities in the wake of the hijackings.  The mayor compared such hate crime attacks to the tragic events of Tuesday, and urged New Yorkers to refrain from assaulting any group.  The New York official also said he would be providing resources to help protect potential hate crime targets.

"We want to give protection to those people that might need it," Guiliani said.

In Los Angeles, authorities there took more proactive measures by calling meetings with local Muslim leaders.  The Los Angeles County Sheriff met Wednesday afternoon with activists and convenience store owners and pledged extra security around mosques and Muslim owned businesses.



  Category: World Affairs
  Topics: Conflicts And War, United States Of America
Views: 1180

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