cair-net Digest of: get.301_400
Topics (messages 301 through 400):
CAIR-NET: U.S. Muslims React to President's Speech on Mideast Plan
301 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Bush's Speech "Fell Short" Say Muslims
302 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Mideast Fires Up Alabama Runoff
303 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Pro-Israel Lobby Buys Alabama House Seat
304 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: A Prison Where Detainees Disappear
305 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: TeamWorks Offers Diversity Training
306 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Supreme Court Closes Terror Hearings
307 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Gujarat's Heritage Smashed/'Israelization' of American
Politics
308 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Calif. Legislature Passes Halal Food Bill
309 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Illinois Sheriff's Deputy Denied Hijab
310 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Islamic Marriage Contract Uphelp in New Jersey
311 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslim Group Condemns Illinois Yarmulke Ban
312 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Contact Info for Cook County Sheriff's Dept.
313 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Benny Hinn - "It's a War Between God and the Devil"
314 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Latino Muslims Build Identity
315 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Illinois Deputy Wins Right to Hijab
316 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: When a Few Tar the Innocent Many
317 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Calif. Governor to Sign Halal Food Bill
318 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: SD Woman Loses Child After Accepting Islam
319 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Fear of Detention Haunts S. Florida Muslims
320 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: SD Custody Battle/Secret Pakistani Detainee Airlift
321 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Greyhound Profiles Muslim Bus Passenger
322 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: O'Reilly Compares Quran to "Mein Kampf"
323 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Six Flags Hijab Policy/Court Denies Access to Lawyer
324 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Civil Liberties Take a Back Seat as Fear Rules
325 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: U.S. to Recruit 1-in-24 Americans as Spies
326 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Beward the Dreaded Head Scarf
327 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: NY Times Says O'Reilly "Spinning" Islam
328 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: U.S. Held 600 for Secret Rulings
329 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: U.S. Muslims Condemn Israeli Expulsion Plan
330 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: U.S. Criticizes Israeli Deportation Proposal
331 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Arabs in U.S. Could be Held, Official Warns
332 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Anti-Muslim Graffiti Found After FBI Search in Mich.
333 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Biden Backs Letting Soldiers Arrest Civilians
334 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Israel Uses U.S. Weapons to Massacre Palestinian Civilians
335 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: U.S. Muslims Call for 9/11/02 "Day of Unity and Prayer"
336 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Court Reunites Muslim Mother and Child
337 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: DC Protest Against Israeli Attack July 24
338 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Airline Pilot Compares Veiled Women to "Whores"
339 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Ashcroft's Terrorism Policies Dismay Conservatives
340 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslim Joins NY Police Union Board/Jail Allows Hijab
341 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Agent Admits Writing Anti-Muslim Graffiti
342 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Immigrant Sweeps Unduly Harsh
343 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: More Muslims Home-School Their Children
344 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Greyhound Again Profiles Muslim Bus Passenger
345 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslim Children in Florida Returned to Parents
346 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Has your life changed since 9/11?
347 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Suspicious Fires at Islamic Sites in Two States
348 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslim Merchants Boycott New York Post
349 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslims Aid Embattled House Member
350 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: U.S. Muslims Feel They Are Targets in War on Terror
351 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Islam Blooms in Genocide's Wake
352 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Franklin Graham Smears Islam Again
353 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Franklin Graham's New Book Defames Islam
354 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: U.S. Defies Judge on Enemy Combatant
355 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Texas Mother May Lose Child After Accepting Islam
356 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: North Carolina Official Says Islam is "Evil"
357 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslims Launch 9/11 "Day of Unity and Prayer" Web Site
358 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Koranic Misreadings
359 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Agent Suspended for Anti-Muslim Slur
360 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Postage Stamp Celebrating Muslim Holiday to be Reissued
361 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: A Kinder, Gentler Koran
362 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Judge Recuses Himself From TX Muslim Custody Case
363 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: How Islam-Bashing Got Cool
364 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Judge Oks UNC Students to Read Quran
365 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Number of Hispanic Muslim Converts Growing
366 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: For Muslims, An Uneasy Anniversary
367 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Help Prevent Deportation of Muslim Family in TX
368 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Majority of U.S. Muslims Suffered Post-9/11 Bias
369 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Chechnya - "We Are The Lost Ones"
370 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Thank Rep. McKinney for Her Support
371 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: VA Muslims to Register Voters at Community Picnic
372 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Secret Court Rebuffs Ashcroft
373 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Plan to Attack Fla. Mosques Linked to Anti-Muslim Rhetoric
374 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Florida Man Planned to Blow Up Mosques
375 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslims Say Mosque Attack Plan Not Taken Seriously
376 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: MAS Joins 9/11 "Day of Unity and Prayer"
377 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: CAIR-FLA Asks For Meeting With Gov. Bush About Terror Plot
378 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Gov. Bush Says Fla. Muslims Have Right to Safety
379 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Fla. Checks Mosques for Safety Risk
380 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: MD Muslim Convicted in Ohio After 9/11 Arrest for "Arab Garb"
381 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: An Invitation to CAIR's Open House During ISNA Convention
382 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: "Slight, Unarmed Woman In Handcuffs" Frightens Ohio Deputies
383 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Islamic Group to Pay for Appeal/Black, Muslim and American
384 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Confronting Anti-American Grievences
385 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: $100 Bail for Men Who Attacked NY Muslims
386 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslim Police Officer in PA Allowed to Attend Jumah
387 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslims Call for Federal Intervention in NY Hate Crime
388 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Vandals Deface Florida Mosque
389 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Report: American Muslims One Year After 9/11
390 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Newspaper Fires Ann Coulter for "Hate"
391 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: CAIR to Launch Major Educational Initiative
392 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslims to Hold 9/11 Vigil at U.S. Capitol
393 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Danish Politicians Refute Daniel Pipes' "Facts"
394 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslim 9/11 Memorial Near "Ground Zero"
395 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Bring Islam to Your Local Library
396 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslim 9/11 Memorials in NY and DC
397 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Getting the Word Out on Islam
398 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslim Supporters Rally Round Oregon Sheikh
399 by: CAIR
CAIR-NET: Muslims Caution Against Unilateral Action on Iraq
400 by: CAIR
---------------------------------
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- MEDIA ADVISORY -
U.S. MUSLIMS REACT TO PRESIDENT'S SPEECH ON MIDEAST PLAN
WHAT: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), along with
other
national Islamic advocacy groups, will hold a news conference this
afternoon in Washington, D.C., to offer the Muslim community's reaction
to
President Bush's speech outlining his plan for peace in the Middle
East.
(The President is scheduled to speak at 3:45 p.m. EDT)
WHEN: Monday, June 24, 5 p.m. (Eastern)
WHERE: CAIR's Capitol Hill Office, 1st Floor, 453 New Jersey Avenue,
S.E.,
Washington, D.C.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-489-5108, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org
-----
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http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BUSH'S SPEECH "FELL SHORT" SAY MUSLIMS
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/24/02) - A prominent national Islamic advocacy
group
today said President Bush's speech outlining his vision for peace in
the
Middle East put too much emphasis on Palestinian concessions and too
little
pressure on Israel to act in accordance with international law.
In a statement reacting to the president's speech, Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
"There were a number of positive aspects to President Bush's proposals
for
peace and stability in the Middle East. These positive initiatives
include
the demand for a freeze on Israeli settlement activity, increased
humanitarian assistance, an end to the Israeli occupation based on U.N.
resolutions, and a call for freedom of movement for ordinary
Palestinians.
We also appreciated the president's recognition of the 'anger and
despair'
brought on by Israel's brutal occupation.
"The speech was a step in the right direction, but it fell short of
offering a clear vision of the ultimate destination. Core issues such
as
the status of Jerusalem and existing Israeli settlements, final borders
and
the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, were not
addressed in a way that offers hope for a just and comprehensive
settlement
to the Middle East conflict. It was the failure to address these vital
issues that brought us to the current impasse.
"The right to freedom should never be conditioned on the whims of a
hostile
party and must not face a veto by any individual, group or government
opposed to peace. It is up to the Palestinians themselves to choose
their
leaders in a free and independent political process. That leadership
should
reflect the hopes and aspirations of all Palestinians.
"Our policies in the Middle East should be based on American national
interests and on universal values of freedom and justice, not on the
political and religious agenda of an influential domestic lobby for a
foreign government."
Awad thanked the president for his statements in praise of Islamic
culture
and its contributions to world civilization. He said those comments
were
particularly significant given the current atmosphere of anti-Muslim
rhetoric.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, E-MAIL: cair@cair-net.org
-----
To SUBSCRIBE to or UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 6/25/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: APPRECIATING WHAT ONE HAS
* URGENT REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE IN SOUTH DAKOTA
* MEDIA REQUEST: MUSLIM EXPERIENCES WITH THE FBI/INS
* INCITEMENT WATCH: KORAN INSPIRES MASS MURDERERS (USA Today)
* INCITEMENT WATCH: ISLAM IS AT WAR WITH THE WEST (Worldnetdaily.com)
* MIDEAST FIRES UP ALABAMA RUNOFF (Washington Times)
- ALABAMA HOUSE RACE IN MIDEAST QUAGMIRE (Atlanta Journal)
* FRAMEWORK FOR PEACE TOUGH ON PALESTINIANS (Washington Post)
- PALESTINIAN ELECTION MAY BACKFIRE ON BUSH - ANNAN (Reuters)
- U.S. JEWS, ARABS DIVIDED OVER BUSH MIDEAST PLAN (Reuters)
* U.S. PROBES POST-9/11 BIAS REPORTS (AP)
* HATE ACTS AGAINST MUSLIMS SUBSIDE (Washington Times)
* FBI BEGINS VISITING LIBRARIES TO MONITOR READING HABITS (AP)
* ISLAM TAKING ROOT IN SOUTHERN MEXICO (Houston Chronicle)
* MUSLIM COMMUNITY REACHES OUT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES (Newsday)
* BABA WAWA'S WHITEWASH (Antiwar.com)
* LOC ROCKEFELLER ISLAMIC FELLOWSHIPS
* PANEL DISCUSSION: AMERICAN-MUSLIM WOMEN - LIFE POST 9/11
* MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING (ABCnews.com)
* MARYLAND: EMERGENCY FUNDRAISING DINNER & AUCTION
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: APPRECIATING WHAT ONE HAS
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once asked members of his
household for some curry (to spice his food). He was told there was no
curry, only vinegar. He asked for it and began eating, saying: "The
best
curry is vinegar, the best curry is vinegar."
Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 737
-----
URGENT REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE IN SOUTH DAKOTA
CAIR is seeking assistance from anyone, particularly lawyers, in South
Dakota who can help a Muslim mother regain custody of her child. The
woman
is in a community with few if any Muslims.
CONTACT: cair@cair-net.org
Include "South Dakota Case" in the subject line.
-----
MEDIA REQUEST: MUSLIM EXPERIENCES WITH THE FBI/INS
I am the founder and former President and editor of Court TV and The
American Lawyer magazine. I am now a columnist for Newsweek and am
doing a
series of columns and a book, to be published next year by Simon &
Schuster, on how America responded to September 11.
As part of that project I am interested in the legal and law
enforcement
issues associated with the government's anti-terrorism efforts. And
because
I want to get both sides of the story I would be interested in
interviewing
anyone who was questioned and/or detained by the FBI or INS following
September 11. Please email me at sb@brillbusiness.com, or call me at
212-332-6301.
Thanks,
Steven Brill
-----
INCITEMENT WATCH: KORAN INSPIRES MASS MURDERERS
ADMIT TERRORISM'S ISLAMIC LINK
By Michael Medved, USA TODAY, 6/24/02
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020624/4217042s.htm
Why does the popular culture -- including the movie industry -- place
such
a powerful premium on downplaying the obvious connection between
international terrorism and fanatical Islam?
...Why is it hateful for a bright teenager to speak the truth about a
religious faith that was first revealed by a brilliant and successful
warrior and has always thrived on violence? As Piers Paul Read,
historian
of the Crusades, recently observed in The Women's Quarterly: "Islam,
from
its inception, had espoused the use of force. Where Jesus had died for
his
beliefs, the Prophet Mohammed had wielded a sword."
Among all major faiths, Islam stands alone in the 21st century for its
frequent imposition of rigid theocratic rule -- as in Saudi Arabia,
Iran,
Pakistan, parts of Nigeria and other nations. All religions
occasionally
produce monstrous killers, but in Islam those monsters receive
encouragement and inspiration from some prominent mainstream leaders,
and
thousands of the faithful openly celebrate the random slaughter of
innocent
civilians...
The politically correct position therefore suggests that it's merely
coincidence that most Islamic societies oppose Western ideals of
liberty
and progress, and it's only an accident that nearly all mass-murdering
conspirators pledged to kill Americans take their inspiration from the
Koran.
SEND POLITE COMMENTS TO letters@usatoday.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.michaelmedved.com/contact.shtml
-----
INCITEMENT WATCH: ISLAM IS AT WAR WITH THE WEST
ARE WE AT WAR WITH ISLAM?
By Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily.com, 6/25/02
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28074
In fact, Islam has been at war with the West, with Christianity, with
Judaism - indeed, with the entire non-Muslim world - ever since the
days of
Muhammad. This struggle, more than any other, has defined history for
the
last 1,200 years...
The beauty of this conflict from Islam's point of view is that the West
can't even identify targets, can't even clearly identify the enemy...
We must understand in the West today - whether we live in the U.S.,
Israel,
the United Kingdom or elsewhere - that Islam reflects a vastly
different
worldview from the one that established western civilization. If we try
to
understand Islam as some sort of extension of monotheistic
Judeo-Christian
philosophy, we will fail to see the truth.
The truth is that western civilization faces perhaps its greatest test
at
the hands of Islam today...
-----
MIDEAST FIRES UP ALABAMA RUNOFF
By Dave Boyer, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, 6/25/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020625-3432652.htm
Today's Democratic congressional runoff in Alabama is pitting black
leaders
against Jewish politicians in an unlikely location for airing out
differences over the war in the Middle East.
"This election is being watched all over the world," said the Rev.
Walter
Fauntroy, a longtime civil rights leader. Mr. Fauntroy and other black
leaders have raised a furious, last-minute defense for Rep. Earl F.
Hilliard, a black who has drawn the ire of Jewish groups by voting
against
pro-Israel resolutions.
The Rev. Al Sharpton was among those campaigning for Mr. Hilliard in
the
final days, telling an audience at a church in Birmingham that the
challenger, black lawyer Artur Davis, is a "Yankee-financed outsider"
Mr. Fauntroy organized campaign appearances for incumbent Hilliard over
the
weekend with about 10 members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC),
actor Danny Glover and Martin Luther King III...
SEE ALSO:
ALABAMA HOUSE RACE IN MIDEAST QUAGMIRE
By Tom Baxter, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 6/25/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/today/news_d381602e438010a2006b.html
Earlier this month, in what has been described as a stormy meeting,
members
of the Congressional Black Caucus complained to the House Democratic
leadership that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee wasn't
doing enough to help Rep. Earl Hilliard fend off a challenge from Artur
Davis, a Birmingham lawyer running for the second time against the
veteran
legislator.
Hilliard's frequent criticism of U.S. policy in the Middle East has put
him
in the spotlight after Sept. 11, and Davis has raised a lot of money
this
year from Jewish contributors nationwide.
Rep. Alcee Hastings, a South Florida Democrat with an interest in
maintaining good black-Jewish relations within the party, warned the
leadership that a victory for Davis could prompt a backlash and damage
support for Israel within the caucus. According to a story in The
Forward,
a Jewish newspaper, the race also has stirred unease among Jewish House
members, who usually have good relations with the Black Caucus...
If the leadership's support for Hilliard has been muted, support for
him
from the caucus and many in the civil rights community has not.
Several African-American House members, including Georgia 2nd District
Rep.
Sanford Bishop --- a Hilliard friend for some 30 years, according to
Bishop's press secretary, Selby McCash --- campaigned with him over the
weekend, as have Martin Luther King III and actor Danny Glover. Rep.
John
Lewis has taped a radio message for him...
-----
FRAMEWORK FOR PEACE TOUGH ON PALESTINIANS
By Glenn Kessler, Washington Post, 6/25/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39027-2002Jun24.html
After months of fits and starts, President Bush yesterday distilled his
Middle East policy to a simple proposition: Peace depends almost
entirely
on the Palestinians. Bush made no mention of an international
conference.
He did not repeat his demand for an immediate withdrawal of Israeli
forces,
which shortly before Bush spoke announced they were headed into Gaza.
In
the plan outlined by the president, virtually any action required of
the
Israelis must be preceded by positive steps taken by the
Palestinians...
But, in other ways, the speech represented a purposeful abandonment of
neutrality by the administration, which now has largely adopted the
stance
of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that Arafat is no longer
relevant to
the peace process, and that security and political reform must precede
negotiations about a Palestinian state...
Indeed, by writing Arafat out of the picture, Bush may have left Arafat
no
incentive to cooperate -- and Bush has yet to explain whom the United
States or Israel would negotiate with in the coming months. Currently,
there is no functioning Palestinian government that can stop the
terrorist
attacks or replace the Israeli army, and there is no leadership that
has
the authority or respect to negotiate with Israel...
SEE ALSO:
PALESTINIAN ELECTION MAY BACKFIRE ON BUSH - ANNAN
By Bill Rigby, Reuters, 6/25/02
UNITED NATIONS - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned on Tuesday
that
President George W. Bush's call for Palestinian elections could
backfire by
producing a more hard-line leadership than was now in charge.
Annan said there were also key gaps in the Bush plan that Washington's
international partners must now help fill in, including what to do
while
awaiting the new Palestinian leadership that Bush has demanded.
"There's been a call for a new Palestinian leadership. What happens
between
now and until a new leadership exists? Do we work with the government
that
we have, or do we create a vacuum?" Annan told reporters as he entered
U.N.
headquarters.
The secretary-general, who has played a key role in Middle East
diplomacy
in recent months, said now was not the best time for Palestinian
elections...
Annan reiterated his view that the choice of Palestinian leaders was
solely
for the Palestinian people to decide. "They elected Arafat," he said.
"They
are planning new elections and let them elect their own leaders..."
U.S. JEWS, ARABS DIVIDED OVER BUSH MIDEAST PLAN
By Atiya Hussain, 6/25/02
NEW YORK, June 25 (Reuters) - American Jews hailed U.S. President
George W.
Bush's new Middle East policy on Tuesday as a road map for peace in the
troubled region. Arab Americans said it was a road to nowhere...
"There's no road map," said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council
on
American-Islamic relations, an advocacy group. "It's a recipe for
continued
instability in the region."
The views reflected the sharply divided opinions of the Arab world and
Israelis after Bush on Monday outlined the eventual creation of a
Palestinian state, but only if Palestinians change their leadership...
-----
U.S. PROBES POST-9/11 BIAS REPORTS
By CHRISTOPHER NEWTON, The Associated Press, 6/25/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department has investigated 350 reports
of
crimes against people of Middle Eastern or South Asian origin since the
Sept. 11 terror attacks, an assistant attorney general said Tuesday.
Prosecutors believe most of the crimes - including alleged threats,
assaults, bombing plots and acts of vandalism - were in retaliation for
the
attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. State and local
authorities have begun prosecuting about 70 crimes, the Justice
Department
said, and federal charges have been brought in 10 cases.
Among the crimes prosecuted was an alleged plot to blow up Rep. Darrell
Issa's district office. Issa, R-Calif., is of Arab descent.
In testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Assistant Attorney
General Ralph Boyd said several federal attorneys have been tasked with
reviewing all new allegations of hate crimes and monitoring ongoing
investigations.
"The incidents have consisted of telephone, Internet, mail and
face-to-face
threats, minor assaults, as well as assaults with dangerous weapons,"
Boyd
said.
Boyd also said the incidents included vandalism and plots to bomb
homes,
businesses and places of worship.
Members of Islamic groups - who have accused the Justice Department of
violating the civil rights of Muslim Americans since Sept. 11 - said
the
government has done a good job of checking on reports of backlash
crimes.
"We have found the government to be extraordinarily cooperative," said
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Washington-based Counsel on
American-Islamic Relations. "They have followed up on crimes we have
reported and they often call us to check on incidents that we put out
information on in our public releases..."
-----
HATE ACTS AGAINST MUSLIMS SUBSIDE
By Guy Taylor, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, 6/25/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20020625-30515452.htm
Local law enforcement officials say the number of hate crimes against
area
Muslims has declined steadily since peaking about a month after
September 11.
Hours after terrorists slammed hijacked airplanes into the Pentagon and
World Trade Center, Alexandria was one of the first cities to report an
anti-Muslim hate crime that police said was likely retaliation for the
attacks...
Representatives of the region's Muslim community say that while
yearlong
statistics show reports of hate crimes near an all-time high, there has
been a significant drop-off since "those initial, very difficult days"
after September 11.
"Things have shifted from threats or shootings at mosques to more
subtle
things, like discrimination at work," said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman
for
the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a D.C.-based Islamic
advocacy group.
Mr. Hooper said the number of anti-Muslim incidents declined
significantly
after Oct. 7, when the United States began its bombing campaign in
Afghanistan.
"I guess the [anti-Muslim] emotions were highest in that first month or
so
[after September 11]," he said.
However, Mr. Hooper said, the number of incidents rises each time the
U.S.
government issues new, "vague terrorist warnings."
"The government should use more discretion with what they announce,
because
the warnings of terrorism increase the level of tension and keep people
on
edge," he said. "We've had incidents right after terrorist warnings
were
announced, where a Muslim family was scoping out a possible school for
their children to attend and they end up getting reported to police as
acting suspicious..."
-----
FBI BEGINS VISITING LIBRARIES TO MONITOR READING HABITS
By Christopher Newton, Associated Press, 6/25/02
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA13VCZU2D.html
WASHINGTON (AP) - The FBI is visiting libraries nationwide and checking
the
reading records of people it suspects of having ties to terrorists or
plotting an attack, library officials say.
The FBI effort, authorized by the antiterrorism law enacted after the
Sept.
11 attacks, is the first broad government check of library records
since
the 1970s when prosecutors reined in the practice for fear of abuses.
A Justice Department official in the civil rights division and FBI
officials declined to comment Monday, except to note that such searches
are
now legal under the Patriot Act that President Bush signed last
October.
Libraries across the nation were reluctant to discuss their dealings
with
the FBI. The same law that makes the searches legal also makes it a
criminal offense for librarians to reveal the details or extent...
Judith Krug, the American Library Association's director for
intellectual
freedom, said the FBI was treading on the rights it is supposed to be
upholding.
"It's unfortunate because these records and this information can be had
with so little reason or explanation," Krug said. "It's super secret
and
anyone who wants to talk about what the FBI did at their library faces
prosecution. That has nothing to do with patriotism..."
Krug tells worried librarians who call that they should keep only the
records they need and should discard records that would reveal which
patron
checked out a book and for how long...
-----
ISLAM TAKING ROOT IN SOUTHERN MEXICO
By Dudley Althaus, Houston Chronicle, 6/25/02
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/world/1465495
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico -- In recent years, Agustin Gomez
Mendez
and other Maya Indians in far southern Mexico have taken yet one more
sharp
turn in a long quest for redemption, deciding that Jesus Christ isn't
their
personal savior after all.
"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger," says Gomez
Mendez, a poor farmer and father of six who converted his family to
Islam
in 1996 under the tutelage of Spanish missionaries.
Over the past few years, about 300 evangelical Christian Maya have
converted to Islam in southernmost Chiapas state, which has been riven
by
spiritual struggles for centuries.
The conversions have left the Muslim Maya's neighbors and academics
mystified. But their missionary guides hope the new Muslims will prove
the
first in a wave of converts in Mexico...
-----
MUSLIM COMMUNITY REACHES OUT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
By Michael Gartland, Newsday, 6/24/02
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-liisla222762011jun24.story
As a congregation of around 400 Muslims knelt for noon prayers Friday
at
the Islamic Center of Long Island, two men stood out. They wore staid,
dark
suits and sat on chairs instead of the floor.
The two, FBI agents Joseph Billy Jr. and Kevin Donovan, watched new
arrivals stand, bend and kneel, and listened as the imam recited the
athaan, the Muslim call to prayers. A clergy liaison from the New York
Police Department, Michael Theogene, also made a brief appearance. They
came at the invitation of Ghazi Khankan, director of Interfaith Affairs
at
the Westbury center, who wants to build a relationship between the
Muslim
community and law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and the New York
City Police Department so negative perceptions of Muslims can be
reduced.
At the same time, he said, he would like to demonstrate that the Muslim
community is an open one and that it is not resistant to the FBI or
police.
[Khankan is also director of CAIR-NY.]
"If we don't know our neighbors that creates a wall of ignorance,"
Khankan
said during a luncheon after the noon sermon he gave. "We must chip
that
wall down so people can get to know each other..."
-----
BABA WAWA'S WHITEWASH
By Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com, 6/24/02
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html
It was eerie to actually see the scene of a story I have written about
on
more than one occasion, to see and hear the people I had only read
about
and, vaguely, imagined. On Friday night, the ABC News program 20/20
broadcast "The White Van," which told the story of 5 young Israeli men
apprehended in New Jersey hours after the World Trade Center was hit...
Much of the ABC report confirms my basic contention, and the contention
of
many others, that there was indeed, as Fox News reporter Carl Cameron
puts
it, a "vast Israeli spy operation" in the US in full operational mode
prior
to 9/11, engaged in watching the pro-Arab support network that operates
in
many major American cities.
What the 20/20 report amounts to is the Israelis' second line of
defense,
which basically boils down to this: well, yeah, they were Israeli
spies,
but they were just here defending Israel's interests and had no
pre-knowledge of 9/11...
The problem with this fallback story is that penetrating or monitoring
New
Jersey Muslims and having foreknowledge of 9/11 are not mutually
exclusive.
Indeed, such surveillance - to the degree it was successful - would
have
increased the likelihood that the Israelis would gain some knowledge of
the
9/11 plot.
If not all the details, at least a strong indication that 9/11 was
bound to
be a special day - one they would celebrate, shamelessly and
carelessly, in
full sight of others, unable to restrain their joy at the sight of the
WTC
emitting a black cloud over Manhattan.
For the FBI, it seems, deciphering anything that isn't completely
spelled
out for them is well nigh impossible. So he wouldn't take the test for
weeks, then took it and failed and then denied working for the Mossad -
in
this country, at any rate. As John Stossel, Barbara Walters' 20/20
colleague, ceaselessly reiterates: "Gimme a break!..."
-----
LOC ROCKEFELLER ISLAMIC FELLOWSHIPS
The Library of Congress has established a program of residential
fellowships for postdoctoral scholars wishing to conduct research in
the
humanities on globalization and Muslim societies, using the resources
of
the Library of Congress.
Two to four scholars each year, funded for periods of not less than
five or
more than ten months duration at the rate of $3,500 per month, will
conduct
original research on the humanistic dimensions of these issues.
Particularly welcome are historical and cross-disciplinary studies of
the
way intellectual issues have arisen in Muslim societies in response to
globalization.
Application deadline: September 15, 2002
Contact: Rockefeller Islamic Fellowships, Office of Scholarly Programs,
Library of Congress LJ 120, 101 Independence Avenue, SE, Washington
D.C.
20540-4860; tel. 202.707.3302; fax 202.707.3595; email
<scholarly@loc.gov>
or visit http://www.loc.gov/loc/islamic/
----------
PANEL DISCUSSION: AMERICAN-MUSLIM WOMEN - LIFE POST 9/11
WHEN: Wednesday, June 26, 7-9:30 p.m.
WHERE: Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington.
The program, which is free and open to the public, will focus on
hearing
the experiences of Muslim women in our community and the impact of 9/11
on
their lives. After panelists speak, audience members will participate
by
learning and practicing listening skills. For details, call
703-228-5984.
The program is part of the "Understanding Islam" series sponsored by
the
library.
Contact: Pamela Garlick, Arlington Library, pgarli@co.arlington.va.us
Rita Jimenez, program facilitator, 202-692-2525
------
MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING
By Andrew Chang, ABCnews.com, 6/25/02
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/muslims020625_money.html
The influence of the Muslim consumer is felt in nearly every nation
around
the globe: multinationals like Pizza Hut have established bases in
Yemen
and Pakistan, while Halal butcher shops, which serve meat that has been
prepared according to the standards of Islamic law, are found
throughout
the world.
The purchasing power of U.S. Muslims alone is $12 billion yearly,
according
to the New York-based Center for American Muslim Research and
Information.
"There are six to eight million Muslims in the United States," Rasheed
Ahmed, with the non-profit Muslim Consumer Group, told ABCNEWS. "There
is a
lot of potential there..."
Experts say Muslim consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the
power
of their pocketbooks, and anti-American sentiment is boosting sales of
not
only Islamic goods, but European and Asian goods.
"The market is very open in the Middle East. People see that they have
the
freedom and choice to choose from a variety of products [from all over
the
world]," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American
Islamic Relations.
Awad said he's heard of European appliances and Japanese cars getting a
boost. Muslims are also choosing to avoid U.S.-made pharmaceuticals.
Hospital and dispensaries run by Palestinian militant group Hezbollah
reportedly even have a complete list of alternative medicines produced
in
Arab, European or other countries...
-----
MARYLAND: EMERGENCY FUNDRAISING DINNER & AUCTION
Fundraising for AL-Huda School
WHERE: Dar-us- Salaam
WHEN: Fri., June 28
AUCTION: 2 PM to 10 PM
DINNER: 7 PM
ADDRESS: 5301 Edgewood Road, College Park, MD 20740
Call: 301-982-2402 or 301-982-9848
Website: www.alhuda.org
Mail: Fundraising Office Al-Huda School, 5301 Edgewood Road, College
Park,
MD 20740
-----
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https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRO-ISRAEL LOBBY BUYS ALABAMA HOUSE SEAT SAY MUSLIMS
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/26/02) A prominent national Islamic advocacy
group is
calling Rep. Earl Hilliard's (D-AL) loss Tuesday in a runoff primary in
Alabama's 7th Congressional District a "defeat for democracy," an
insult to
African-Americans and a victory for pro-Israel extremists. (In the
heavily
Democratic district, the winner of the primary will almost certainly be
elected to the House.)
Hilliard's opponent, Artur Davis, had been heavily backed by
out-of-state
supporters of Israel who opposed the five-term incumbent's criticism of
American policies in the Middle East and his support for Palestinian
rights. In fact, a CAIR analysis of a recent Davis donor list revealed
that
81 percent of his campaign contributions came from outside Alabama,
mostly
from New York. The donations from the pro-Israel lobby began to flow
after
Davis traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with representatives of
AIPAC,
the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee.
The effort to impose a candidate on a majority African-American rural
district in Alabama caused tension between pro-Israel activists and the
Congressional Black Caucus. Many African-American leaders and elected
officials saw the move as a return to the time when outsiders tried to
pick
leaders of their community. (Both Hilliard and Davis are
African-American.)
SEE: "Ala. Rep. Hilliard Ousted in Runoff"
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Primary-Rdp.html
"Mideast fires up Alabama runoff"
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020625-3432652.htm
"Alabama House race in Mideast quagmire"
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/today/news_d381602e438010a2006b.html
"Rep. Hilliard's loss shows that the domestic lobby for a foreign
government is willing to use its considerable financial resources to
force
hand-picked 'leaders' on the African-American community. This is a
defeat
for democracy and civil rights and a victory for those who would
institute
a pro-Israel litmus test for American political candidates," said CAIR
Board Chairman Omar Ahmad. Ahmad added that our nation's voters deserve
representatives who put America first, and are not compromised by
allegiance to special interest groups.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-489-5108, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787, E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 6/26/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSE OF THE DAY: REWARD FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
* INCITEMENT WATCH: ISLAM'S TERRORIST HYMNS
* A PRISON WHERE DETAINEES DISAPPEAR (Village Voice)
* EUROPEAN PRESS COMMENTS ON BUSH'S MIDEAST PROPOSALS
- 'SHARON COULD HAVE WRITTEN SPEECH' (Times)
- I WONDER WHY BUSH DOESN'T LET SHARON RUN HIS PRESS OFFICE
(Independent)
- GEORGE W'S BLOODY FOLLY (Guardian)
* 'AMEN TO THAT' (Antiwar.com)
* JEWISH SETTLERS FEEL BOLSTERED BY BUSH PEACE SCRIPT (Reuters)
* ARAB NATIONS SEE BOYCOTTS OF U.S. PRODUCTS (USA Today)
* HELL FREEZES OVER (MSNBC.com)
* MARYLAND: MUSLIM FAMILY DAY AT SIX FLAGS AMERICA
-----
VERSE OF THE DAY: REWARD FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
"Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to
them
will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure, and We will
bestow
on such their reward according to the best of their actions."
The Holy Quran, Chapter 16, Verse 97
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
FOR THE LATEST CAIR ACTION ALERTS, GO TO:
http://capwiz.com/cair/home/
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
INCITEMENT WATCH: ISLAM'S TERRORIST HYMNS
DO MOSQUES HAVE HYMNS?
By Neal Boortz, 6/24/02
http://www.boortz.com/june24-02.htm
(Scroll down to item.)
Having never been to an Islamic Mosque I wasn't able to answer this
question from a caller last week: Neal. Do Muslims sing hymns in their
services? Well, America s Rude Awakening did a bit of research. I
shaved my
ankles, put on some pumps and a burka and went to a service. Only one
hymn,
if that s what they call it, was sung. I copied down the words under my
robe.
Allah loves the little children, all the children of the world.
Red, and yellow, black, and white.
loaded down with dynamite.
Allah loves the little children of the world.
Catchy.
(NOTE: Neal Boortz is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host
based in
Atlanta.)
ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.)
Contact Neal Boortz's sponsors at:
http://wsbradio.com/ads/boortzsponsors.html
COPY TO: nealznuze@wsbradio.com, pete.spriggs@wsbradio.com,
cair@cair-net.org
-----
A PRISON WHERE DETAINEES DISAPPEAR
Chisun Lee, The Village Voice, 6/26/02
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0226/lee.php
On a bleak block in Sunset Park, under the BQE, looms the Metropolitan
Detention Center (MDC), the high-security federal prison to which
untold
numbers of Arabs and South Asians have been whisked after being nabbed
from
their taxis, mosques, and apartments. More post-September 11 detainees
have
been jailed in county facilities in New Jersey, but critics say MDC
houses
some of the worst constitutional and human rights violations by the
federal
government in these cases.
It is a black hole, they say, where immigrants disappear for months
into
extreme isolation and deprivation, only to come out the other end
accused
of no crime that justifies their jail time. Shakir Baloch was one of
those
who vanished into the MDC "hole"-solitary confinement-for many months,
later winding up at home in Canada, a free and, as far as he can tell,
unmonitored man. Last week he spoke by phone with the Voice about his
incarceration, bolstering the claims of lawyers and advocates who have
filed complaints of cruel conditions and wrangled an ongoing
investigation
of MDC by the U.S. Office of Inspector General...
Perhaps half a dozen of those detained in September or October are
still in
MDC's "hole," advocates say, putting their time in solitary at over
half a
year. Some 20 were transferred this spring into gen-pop. New arrestees
keep
coming. Adem Carroll, an advocate with the Islamic Circle of North
America,
told the Voice about a Pakistani green-card holder who was taken to MDC
last week by FBI agents originally looking for his neighbor.
Meanwhile, according to press reports and advocates, those detained for
many months across the country are being released or deported with
petty
charges or no charge at all. Not one detainee arrested since September
11
has been charged in connection with a terrorism-related crime...
-----
EUROPEAN PRESS COMMENTS ON BUSH'S MIDEAST PROPOSALS
'SHARON COULD HAVE WRITTEN SPEECH'
ROSS DUNN, The TIMES (UK), 6/26/02
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-338309,00.html
LEADING Israeli commentators said yesterday that President Bush's
speech on
the Middle East was so pro-Israel that it might have been written by
Ariel
Sharon.
Nahum Barnea, a columnist for the Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth, said:
"Sharon can demand copyright on the speech - he couldn't have dreamt of
a
more pleasant address."
Hemi Shalev, in the newspaper Ma'ariv, wrote: "One can only imagine
Sharon
watching the speech on TV, and the smile on his face spreading wider
and
wider until he cries with joy when he hears Bush demand Arafat's
political
head on a platter..."
I WONDER WHY BUSH DOESN'T LET SHARON RUN HIS PRESS OFFICE
Robert Fisk, The Independent, 6/26/02
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=309115
Put your flak jackets on, President George Bush has spoken. He wants a
regime change in Palestine, just as he wants a regime change in Iraq.
He
reads the Israeli government press handouts and accurately quotes them
to
his American people...
Why, I wonder, doesn't Mr Bush let Ariel Sharon run the White House
press
bureau? Not only would it be more honest we would at least be hearing
the
voice of Israel at first hand but it would spare the American President
the
ignominy of parroting everything he is told by the Israelis.
All that he offers to the Palestinians is a ghastly mockery of what the
Palestinians are told to do by the Israelis...
Let's go over again that most crucial and most dishonest part of the
Bush
statement.
"When the Palestinian people have new leaders, new institutions and new
security arrangements with their neighbours," he told us, "the United
States of America will support the creation of a Palestinian state,
whose
border and certain aspects of its sovereignty will be provisional until
resolved as part of a final settlement in the Middle East." Let's see
what
this means: when the Palestinians have elected a leader whom the
Israelis
want a condition that could go on to the crack of doom the Americans
will
support a Palestinian state whose very existence will mean nothing
unless
Israel approves what that state wants to do...
GEORGE W'S BLOODY FOLLY
Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian, 6/26/02
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4448474,00.html
That was a fantastic speech. Quite literally, fantastic. George Bush's
address on the Middle East, delivered outside the White House on Monday
evening, consisted, from beginning to end, of fantasy.
It bore so little relation to reality that diplomats around the world
spent
yesterday shaking their heads in disbelief, before sinking into gloom
and
despair. Our own Foreign Office tried gamely to spot the odd nugget of
sense in the Bush text - but, they admitted, it was an uphill struggle.
Israelis committed to a political resolution of the conflict were
heartbroken. Even Shimon Peres, foreign minister in Ariel Sharon's
coalition, reportedly called the speech "a fatal mistake", warning: "A
bloodbath can be expected."
The core of the president's message was that the Palestinians must
embark
on a sweeping process of internal reform before they can even think
about
getting back to the negotiating table. They must transform themselves
into
a democratic market economy, free of corruption and with a separate
judiciary and legislature if they are to be considered eligible for
statehood - which, when it comes, will be merely provisional...
-----
'AMEN TO THAT'
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com, 6/26/02
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html
After months of teeter-tottering between fairness to the Palestinians
and
complete prostration before Israel's amen corner in the US, George W.
Bush
has come down decisively on the side of the latter - and the so-called
war
on terrorism has taken a new and ominous turn...
While everything was asked of the Palestinians, and nothing promised,
the
exact opposite treatment was meted out to the Jewish state. Bush asked
nothing of the Israelis in terms of a timetable: not a single
condition,
demand, or even the faint suggestion that they might dismantle even
some of
the latest "settlements" erected on land recently stolen...
-----
JEWISH SETTLERS FEEL BOLSTERED BY BUSH PEACE SCRIPT
Mark Heinrich, Reuters, 6/26/02
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Jewish settlers in the occupied territories said
Wednesday President Bush's refusal to back a Palestinian state under
its
current leaders was all they could have wished for.
Settlement leaders in the West Bank and Gaza Strip praised the U.S.
president for branding the Palestinian leadership unfit for statehood
and
for rejecting a state for Palestinians unless they adopt Western-style
democracy -- unknown in the Arab world.
"Bush has taken (Israeli) Prime Minister (Ariel) Sharon's line, which
is
our line, that there can be no negotiations or peace with Palestinians
as
long as Yasser Arafat and his corrupt, terrorist regime are on the
scene,"
said Ezra Rosenfeld, spokesman for the Yesha Council of settlers.
"In that respect, Bush said all we could have asked for. You can't
pussyfoot around with terrorists. If there were question marks about
Bush's
position before (regarding peace contacts with Arafat), he's cleared
them
up now..."
Jewish settlers had been rattled by recent Bush statements endorsing an
eventual Palestinian state alongside Israel and his calls for a freeze
in
settlement-building beforehand.
They were relieved when Bush, in a Middle East policy speech Tuesday,
put
the onus on Palestinians to lay the groundwork for peace. He asked
Israel
to withdraw forces from Palestinian towns and stop building settlements
"as
we make progress toward security."
"Bush has given Sharon a green light to do what is needed to ensure
(all)
Israelis can live in security. The Minister of History (God) is
laughing
now," said Shaul Goldstein, mayor of the Etzion settlement bloc in the
West
Bank...
-----
ARAB NATIONS SEE BOYCOTTS OF U.S. PRODUCTS
James Cox, USA TODAY, 6/26/02
http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2002-06-26-arab-boycott.htm
Anti-American activists in the Middle East are gaining ground in their
fitful, 20-month campaign to get Arab consumers to reject U.S. brands.
U.S. businesses operating in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Persian Gulf
countries have been targeted by scores of boycott calls since violence
erupted between Palestinians and Israelis in September 2000.
The boycotts had largely fizzled before getting new life in April.
That's
when millions of Arab consumers, enraged by a six-week Israeli military
offensive in the West Bank, began turning away from U.S.-branded
household
goods, toiletries, cosmetics, fast-food chains, soft drinks, toys,
credit
cards, cigarettes, clothing and cars. The boycott "has arisen again but
in
a worse way," says Mahmoud El Kaissouni, an executive at fast-food
franchisee Americana Foods in Cairo. "This is getting very serious.
Some
chains are experiencing 50% losses (in sales). We're just trying to
survive"
Many Arabs and other Muslims resent the United States for giving
political
and financial support to Israel, which has reoccupied Palestinian land
and
used troops to crush the militants orchestrating a wave of suicide
bombings
and other attacks on Israelis.
Arab activists, religious leaders and student groups -- the organizers
of
most of the grass-roots boycotts -- argue that taxes paid by U.S.
corporations flow to Israel in the form of U.S. foreign aid...
"The penny you spend to buy these products amounts to another (Israeli)
bullet for the body of our brave Palestinian Muslim brothers," says a
leaflet posted at mosques and schools in the United Arab Emirates...
-----
HELL FREEZES OVER
Eric Alterman, MSNBC.com, 6/25/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/752664.asp
(Scroll down to item.)
Eason Jordan, CNN's chief news executive, apologized on behalf of the
network yesterday for giving more attention to the statements of a
suicide
bomber's family than to the parents of one of his victims.
It looks like the Israeli/right-wing Jewish pressure campaign on the
network has already begun to bear immediate fruit. I almost never watch
cable news or pundit television because it gives me a migraine, but I
was
at the gym yesterday and they had the TVs on.
George Bush had just given his Middle East speech, in which he
spinelessly
caved into every one of Ariel Sharon's demands, thereby ensuring
nothing
but more bloodshed and misery for both sides...
CNN's pandering to the Bush/Israeli position is undeniable, and yet
conservatives and Israelis complain that it is somehow not compliant
enough. As always, they are "working the refs" and their strategy is a
complete success. Imagine the outcry if any network ever presented so
one-sided a lineup against Israel and its illegal occupation. We'd be
hearing the alleged "pro-Israel" community complaining about it for
years.
But when the Israelis and their most right-wing supporters rule the
roost,
well, everything's hunky-dory and nobody even notices the egregious
bias in
the presentation.
I suppose it's too much to ask to imagine the CNN might have thought to
consult, um, someone familiar with the history and politics of region
who
could speak to the likelihood of his plan achieving any success
whatever.
Nahhh...
-----
MARYLAND: MUSLIM FAMILY DAY AT SIX FLAGS AMERICA
WHEN: July 13, 2002
WHERE: Six Flags America, Largo, MD
The ticket for Six Flags is half priced, $20 per person and the
facility
opens two hours early by special arrangement. A variety of Halal food
will
be available at the cost of $7 per person.
For further formation, please contact:
Dr. Khalid Masood, Chair Public Relations (301-680-0202) or Mr. Sabir
Rehman, President (301-260-9452)
The Muslim Community Center, Inc.
15200 New Hampshire Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20905
Tel: 301-384-3454
Fax: 301-384-6281
E-mail: mcc@mccmd.org
Website: http://mccmd.org
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 6/27/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSES OF THE DAY: LOVE BETWEEN ENEMIES
* CAIR'S TEAMWORKS OFFERS DIVERSITY TRAINING
* JUDGE STRIKES LAW CITING 'TERRORIST' GROUPS (Washington Times)
* 'ENEMY COMBATANT' ISSUE RISES TO FORE (Boston Globe)
* ACROSS U.S., PEOPLE SAY WHAT FREEDOM MEANS (Knight-Ridder)
* IN ROWS 10 DEEP, BROOKLYN MOURNS A FAMILY OF SEVEN (New York Times)
* IMMIGRANTS' PHOTOS LEAD TO QUESTIONS (Newsday)
* PR. WILLIAM TEACHES TOLERANCE (Washington Post)
* PUBLIC MONEY CAN PAY RELIGIOUS-SCHOOL TUITION, COURT RULES (New York
Times)
* SENATORS GUARD RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS IN THE WORKPLACE (CNSNews.com)
* ANTI-IMMIGRANT 'MOVEMENT' COURTS CONGRESS, RACIST RIGHT (Southern
Poverty
Law Center)
* N.Y. MONEY KEY TO ALA. HOUSE RACE (AP)
- RAMALLAH REFORMS, ALABAMA ELECTION (Ha'aretz)
- AMC OFFICIAL CHALLENGES SMEAR CAMPAIGN (CNN)
* STANDING BY HIS 'MAN OF PEACE' (Washington Post)
- ANSWERS ON AN EMPTY PAGE (Washington Post)
* EUPHEMISMS FOR ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS CONFUSE COVERAGE (FAIR)
-----
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VERSES OF THE DAY: LOVE BETWEEN ENEMIES
"It may be that God will grant love (and friendship) between you and
those
whom ye (now) hold as enemies...God forbids you not, with regard to
those
who fight you not for (your) faith nor drive you out of your homes,
from
dealing kindly and justly with them, for God loveth those who are
just."
The Holy Quran, Chapter 60, Verses 7-8
-----
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CAIR'S TEAMWORKS OFFERS DIVERSITY TRAINING
CAIR's TeamWorks division recently conducted a diversity training
workshop
for the Virginia Association of Human Rights Commissions (VAHRC)
Semi-Annual meeting in Virginia Beach.
Some 50 human rights commissioners from a variety of offices and
enforcement agencies participated in the training. TeamWorks Director
Nancy
Hanaan Serag presented an "Islam: Myths and Stereotypes" seminar,
including
a brief overview of basic Islamic beliefs and practices. Workshop
attendees
also participated in group exercises dealing with issues of prejudice
and
stereotyping.
"Since the horrific attacks of September 11, there has been a thirst
for
knowledge and understanding of the Muslim faith. Now more than ever we
need
to appreciate our nation's religious and cultural diversity," said
Serag.
CAIR's TeamWorks department specializes in training solutions for
today's
diversity issues. TeamWorks offers several programs for a wide range of
environments and needs. For more information contact: Nancy Hanaan
Serag at
202-488-8787, ext. 6052 or nserag@cair-net.org
-----
JUDGE STRIKES LAW CITING 'TERRORIST' GROUPS
Ben Barber, Washington Times, 6/27/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20020627-595079.htm
A U.S. law authorizing the State Department to designate groups as
"terrorist" and which allows those who support them to be prosecuted
has
been declared unconstitutional by a federal judge, throwing U.S.
anti-terrorism strategies into disarray.
A U.S. official who has been dealing with the issue said yesterday
there
will be "serious problems" if the decision stands on appeal...
U.S. District Judge Robert M. Takasugi in Los Angeles ruled against the
Justice Department in the little-noticed decision last week, declaring
the
1996 law "unconstitutional on its face" since it does not allow the
suspect
groups to challenge the terrorist designation...
-----
'ENEMY COMBATANT' ISSUE RISES TO FORE
Wayne Washington, Boston Globe, 6/26/02
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/177/nation/_Enemy_combatant_issue_rises_to_fore%2B.shtml
RICHMOND - The Bush administration pressed forward with its argument
yesterday that "enemy combatants" should not have access to a lawyer
even
if they are American citizens, in a federal case that will have broad
implications for the administration's strategy in the war against
terrorism.
In an unusual telephone conference call with three appellate judges,
Deputy
Solicitor General Paul Clement reiterated the administration's
assertion
that the president alone has the power to make a determination - not
subject to judicial review - that someone is an enemy combatant and
that
such people should not have access to lawyers...
-----
ACROSS U.S., PEOPLE SAY WHAT FREEDOM MEANS
Knight-Ridder/Tribune, 6/27/02
As the nation celebrates its first Independence Day since the terrorist
attacks of Sept. 11, Knight Ridder has asked Americans from various
walks
of life and all across the country what freedom they value most.
Whether immigrant or native, man or woman, young or old, their replies
expressed one overarching theme: freedom of choice...
Katharina Harlow, of Carmel, Calif.
Harlow is a Muslim who volunteers extensively with the local Muslim
community.
"During this era of widespread religiously motivated hatred and the
state
persecution of minority faiths in many places throughout the globe,
those
of us who love America recognize that our country's commitment to
religious
freedom remains one of our most cherished and honorable traditions.
"Let us not forget that in their great wisdom, the framers of the
Constitution wished to prevent the sort of horrific terror that took
place
in Europe during centuries of religious strife during the Crusades, the
Inquisition, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation.
"Their effort to guarantee religious liberty was articulated by the
precise
wording of the First Amendment in 1789: "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise
thereof."
"The Founding Fathers understood that the best way to protect and
preserve
religious freedom was to keep government out of religion and religion
out
of government. Thus, they called for the creation of a "wall of
separation"
between religion and state. Not only was religious liberty the first
expressed freedom, but the right to believe as one chooses and worship
(or
not) as one wishes continues to be a major principle of the
Constitution.
"The motto of the United States, E Pluribus Unum _ 'From Many, One' _
is a
salute to the pluralism and diversity of our nation. Religious bigotry
or
discrimination can rightfully be viewed as an un-American activity. "
-----
IN ROWS 10 DEEP, BROOKLYN MOURNS A FAMILY OF SEVEN
Lydia Polgreen, New York Times, 6/27/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/27/nyregion/27FAMI.html
There were six wooden boxes for the seven members of the Nadeem family.
The
youngest, Zainab, who in life clung to her mother's bosom, as
9-month-old
infants do, shared a simple pine coffin with her in death.
On Coney Island Avenue, in rows ten deep, people who knew the Nadeems
and
hundreds more who did not mourned a man, a woman and their five girls,
all
trapped and engulfed in smoke and flames. The plain wooden boxes
required
by Islamic law seemed out of place in the plush Cadillac hearses that
delivered them to Makki Mosque shortly after noon. Printed on each box
in
blue marker was the name of the person it held and the direction of the
head, so that the family members and friends who lifted them out of the
cars could place the body's right shoulder toward Mecca, as required by
Muslim practice...
-----
IMMIGRANTS' PHOTOS LEAD TO QUESTIONS
Bart Jones, Newsday, 6/27/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lidoc0527.story
Rao Doddapaneni wanted to show friends from his native India the beauty
of
Long Island, so the Huntington resident took them for a ride to see the
wineries of the North Fork last Thursday. They made their way to the
Orient
Point ferry on the tip of the island, a spot the visitors thought so
lovely
they wanted a picture of themselves to take back to their home in
Texas.
As the Indian immigrants snapped away, someone was watching and thought
them suspicious. The person believed that perhaps the group was
terrorists
from the Middle East taking photographs of the ferry in preparation for
an
attack, Suffolk County police said. The person took down the license
plate
of Doddapaneni's Mercedes-Benz and notified authorities. The next day a
Suffolk County Police Department detective showed up at Doddapaneni's
door
to ask questions...
The episode underscores growing tensions among some Arab-Americans,
Muslims
and other minority groups who say the government is trampling on their
constitutional rights and indiscriminately singling them out as
suspects as
it conducts the war on terrorism...
-----
PR. WILLIAM TEACHES TOLERANCE
Christina A. Samuels, Washington Post, 6/27/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52406-2002Jun26.html
The day that children returned to school after Sept. 11, one of Barbara
Staubs's fourth-grade students told her: "I'm Indian. I'm not Arab."
Another one of her students, a child of Arab descent, was out of school
for
a week because his mother was afraid for him.
Staubs, a teacher at Martin Luther King Elementary in Woodbridge,
shared
her stories this week with hundreds of her colleagues at a week-long
multicultural seminar sponsored by Prince William County Schools. She
and
her colleagues had just finished watching "In My Own Skin," a
documentary
that exposed the fear, pride and hopes of five New York women of Arab
descent in the days immediately after the terrorist attacks. Amneh, a
Palestinian and Egyptian woman profiled in the film, said: "Osama bin
Laden
said as long as Palestine is unsafe, Americans won't be safe. I
thought,
oh, man. I'm both Palestinian and an American. I'm never going to be
safe..."
Across the country, educators are rethinking multicultural education
after
the terrorism attacks. In Prince William this year, the seminars
devoted to
civil liberties and Arab issues were packed. And Sept. 11 was one of
the
inspirations for this year's programs, said August Bullock, the
county's
supervisor of multicultural education...
-----
PUBLIC MONEY CAN PAY RELIGIOUS-SCHOOL TUITION, COURT RULES
By DAVID STOUT, New York Times, 6/27/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/27/national/27CND-VOUC.html
WASHINGTON, June 27 - The Supreme Court declared today, in one of its
most
important rulings on education in years, that it can be constitutional
for
public money to underwrite tuition at religious schools.
The justices voted, 5 to 4, to uphold Cleveland's school-voucher
program
and, by extension, similar programs across the country. Such programs
are
valid as long as parents can choose among a range of secular and
religious
schools, the majority said...
-----
SENATORS GUARD RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS IN THE WORKPLACE
Jeff Johnson, CNSNews.com, 6/27/02
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=\Culture\archive\200206\CUL20020627b.html
Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - Aston Beadle says he has wanted to serve
his
fellow man as a law enforcement officer for as long as he can remember.
The
only thing he wanted more was to obey the tenets of his Seventh Day
Adventist religion, which require him not to work on Saturday. That
religious conviction cost Beadle his job not once, but twice...
Experiences such as Beadle's are exactly the situations meant to be
addressed by the Workplace Religious Freedom Act, S. 2572, according to
lead co-sponsor, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).
"Someone should be able to engage in those practices where it does not
place an undue hardship - a sort of standard of reasonableness about a
hardship - on a particular employer," he said.
Kerry says an arbitrary decision such as the one suffered by Beadle is
"unnecessary."
"Not only is it unnecessary," he continued, "it is inappropriate and
unacceptable to the full measure of practice of religion and tolerance
that
makes us who we are as a country..."
-----
ANTI-IMMIGRANT 'MOVEMENT' COURTS CONGRESS, RACIST RIGHT
Southern Poverty Law Center, 6/18/02
http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_hate.jsp?id=561
June 18, 2002 -- A four-month investigation by the Southern Poverty Law
Center's Intelligence Report, conducted in the aftermath of the
September
terrorist attacks, has found that the burgeoning anti-immigration
"movement" in the U.S. is largely the work of one man, John Tanton, and
is
increasingly linked to racist hate groups. At the same time, the report
details how Tanton's network has developed strong influence in
Congress...
-----
N.Y. MONEY KEY TO ALA. HOUSE RACE
JAY REEVES, Associated Press, 6/27/02
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Artur Davis may want to thank New York for his
stunning Democratic runoff victory over five-term Rep. Earl Hilliard in
a
mostly poor Alabama congressional district.
Davis, a 34-year-old attorney, used a flood of donations from out of
state
- especially from New York, where Davis received money linked to his
pro-Israel stance - to finance a campaign that sent the incumbent to
his
first defeat in a 28-year political career.
Davis is expected to win this fall because there is no Republican
nominee
in the heavily Democratic district.
Nearly $189,000 of the $306,482 in individual donations that Davis
received
came from New York. Almost $134,000 of that came from around New York
City,
according to FECInfo, a Web site that tracks political money.
The money helped Davis pay for stinging TV commercials that questioned
Hilliard's ethics and suggested he was a tacit supporter of terrorism
because he visited Libya five years ago...
SEE ALSO:
RAMALLAH REFORMS, ALABAMA ELECTION
By Akiva Eldar, Ha'aretz, 6/27/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=180587
Scroll down to item.
To understand the political background to Bush's speech, it's worth
taking
a look at the Web site of the U.S. Federal Election Commission. Look
for
contributors to Artur Davis, a black lawyer who won the Democratic
primaries in the 7th Congressional District in Alabama on the day of
the
speech. Davis beat his rival, the 60-year-old, five-term Earl Hilliard,
who
is also black, by a 56-44 percent vote.
Here are some of the names from the first pages of the list of his
contributors: there were 10 Cohens from New York and New Jersey, but
before
one gets to the Cohens, there were Abrams, Ackerman, Adler, Amir,
Asher,
Baruch, Basok, Berger, Berman, Bergman, Bernstein and Blumenthal. All
from
the east coast, Chicago and Los Angeles. It's highly unlikely any of
them
have ever visited Alabama, let alone the 7th Congressional District...
What do the Adlers and Bergmans have to do with an unknown lawyer
running
for a Congressional seat from Alabama. Why should Jews from all over
the
United States send hundreds of thousands of dollars to his campaign
coffers, which reached $781,000 - compared to the $85,000 he had in his
coffers the last time he ran, and lost? The answer can be found in the
AIPAC index of pro-Israel congressmen. Hilliard, who once visited
Libya, is
paying for his Congressional seat for a number of votes the Jewish
lobbyists didn't like...The message was clear - this is what happens to
politicians who upset Israel's friends...
AMC OFFICIAL CHALLENGES SMEAR CAMPAIGN
Wolf Blitzer Reports, CNN, 6/26/02
[NOTE: AJC Executive Director David A. Harris wrote in the May 28,
2001,
issue of The Jerusalem Report: "We dare not underestimate the Arab and
Muslim lobbies [in America] or delude ourselves as to their ultimate
objectives. The stakes are too high. The call for action by American
Jewry...is clear."]
WOLF BLITZER: ...Amid all of this, the president and the Bush
Administration are trying to reach out, continuing efforts to win some
support among American Muslims. This campaign will include a meeting
Friday: the FBI director, Robert Mueller, scheduled to address one
organization, the American Muslim Council. That has caused major
controversy, given some of the positions of the American Muslim Council
in
the past. Joining me now to discuss this issue are two guests: Eric
Vickers, he's executive director of the American Muslim Council. And
from
Chicago, David Harris, executive director of American-Jewish Committee.
Thanks to both of you for joining us.
What's wrong, David, with the Bush Administration reaching out to
American
Muslims?
DAVID HARRIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMERICAN-JEWISH COMMITTEE: There is
absolutely nothing wrong with reaching out to Muslims. To the contrary,
the
administration should be reaching out to Muslims. The problem is, with
whom? And our view here, Wolf, is the fact that they've chosen the
wrong
organization, and they're going to make the problem worse, not
better...
BLITZER: All right. Let's get a response from Eric. What do you say
about
that?
ERIC VICKERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMERICAN MUSLIM COUNCIL: Well, there
has
been this continuing process of Mr. Harris and others trying to subvert
the
ability of the 7 million Muslims in this country having a dialogue with
their government. It is entirely appropriate for Director Mueller to
meet
with the Muslim Council.
The American Muslim Council has been in this country since 1990. It is
a
mainstream organization. All these allegations of links to terrorism
are
simply baseless. They are a way for the adversaries to try to obfuscate
the
real issue that's involved, which is the disagreement with the policy
stands that the AMC has taken. And what they have attempted to do is to
sabotage our confidence, to undermine the ability of American citizens
to
meet with their government. And this should be denounced.
The position that Mr. Harris is taking is un-American position.
Americans
have a right to meet with the FBI director, particularly since Muslim
Americans and Middle Easterners are the ones who are being impacted the
most by the policies of the Justice Department. So it's entirely
appropriate for them to meet...
-----
STANDING BY HIS 'MAN OF PEACE'
By Mary McGrory, Washington Post, 6/27/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52365-2002Jun26.html
In his much-touted, long-awaited speech on the Middle East, George W.
Bush
accomplished one thing: He validated the wisdom of his original impulse
to
have nothing to do with the Middle East. His speech demonstrated he has
nothing to contribute.
He sent Palestine to its room for three years; it can come downstairs
to
the grown-ups' table when it has behaved in a democratic manner...
That is, it is to hold an election mandated by George Bush that
produces an
outcome mandated by George Bush, namely, the exit of Yasser Arafat. At
the
same time, the leader of the free world patted Ariel Sharon on the head
and
told him to go on doing whatever works for him.
Bush was being Bush rather than a world statesman. He greatly admires
Sharon, with his tank-like single-mindedness. Sharon refused to work
with
Arafat, who deservedly has few defenders, being treacherous and
mercurial.
Arabs may see Sharon as "the butcher of Beirut," but to Bush, he is "a
man
of peace," Bush's buddy in the war against terrorism....
SEE ALSO:
ANSWERS ON AN EMPTY PAGE
By Richard Cohen, Washington Post, 6/27/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52352-2002Jun26.html
On Capitol Hill they tell the story of the senator who was in the habit
of
not bothering to read staff-written speeches before he delivered them.
One
day the senator grabbed a speech, dashed to his meeting and started
reading. He got down to the bottom of the page where it said, "And now
I'd
like to outline my five principles of foreign policy." He turned the
page
and there, in large type, it said, "You're on your own, hotshot."
I thought that story had to be apocryphal until I heard President
Bush's
speech on the Middle East. It started well, with some richly deserved
denunciations of Palestinian terrorism, and it called for a Palestinian
state sometime down the road, maybe even within three years. Then, in
my
mind, Bush turned the page and found...nothing.
Bush wants Yasser Arafat gone, and he called for new elections. But
what
happens if Arafat, as is likely, is reelected? We don't know. This is
on
the blank page.
Israel now has much of the West Bank under military occupation.
"Freedom of
movement" is a contradiction in terms. There is none. How do you
campaign
for election if you can't go from one town to the next? The answer, it
seems, must be on the blank page...
-----
EUPHEMISMS FOR ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS CONFUSE COVERAGE
Fair, June 26, 2002
http://www.fair.org/press-releases/settlement-euphemisms.html
The Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported last month (5/31/02) that at
the
behest of a Likud party minister, the Israel Broadcasting Authority has
banned its editorial departments from using the terms "settlers" or
"settlements" on radio and TV. According to Ha'aretz, "it is not clear
if
the editors will obey the order," which was seen as an attempt by the
new
IBA director to curry favor with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
What does seem clear is that settlements-- housing built on land
illegally
seized by Israel after the 1967 war-- are such a contentious issue
within
Israel that the Israeli government would like to stop reporters from
even
saying the word.
Nonetheless, the opinion pages of an Israeli paper like Ha'aretz often
show
a franker debate over Israel's aggressive settlement policy than one
can
generally find in mainstream U.S. media. Direct government interference
doesn't seem to have been necessary to convince some major U.S. news
outlets to avoid honest investigation of settlements, and sometimes
even to
avoid the word itself.
This may be partly due to campaigns by pressure groups within the U.S.
Take
the case of Gilo, an Israeli settlement that some pro-settler groups
have
used as a focal point for their campaigns to eliminate the term
"settlements" in favor of "neighborhoods." In September 2001, CNN
changed
its policy on how to characterize Gilo: "We refer to Gilo as 'a Jewish
neighborhood on the outskirts of Jerusalem, built on land occupied by
Israel in 1967.' We don't refer to it as a settlement," said the order
from
CNN headquarters. CNN denies that its decision was a concession to
outside
pressure, but according to veteran Middle East reporter Robert Fisk
(London
Independent, 9/3/01), sources within the network said that the switch
followed "months of internal debate in CNN, which has been constantly
criticized by CNN Watch, honestreporting.com and other pro-Israeli
pressure
groups..."
-----
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-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 6/28/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSES OF THE DAY: GOD LOVES THOSE WHO DO GOOD
* SUPREME COURT CLOSES TERROR HEARINGS (AP)
- EDITORIAL: THE HAMDI CATCH-22 (Washington Post)
- INS AND FBI AGENTS ROUND UP PAKISTANIS (Wall Street Journal)
* DESPITE DEMO, FBI CHIEF SPEAKS TO MUSLIMS (UPI)
- MUSLIMS VISIT NATION'S CAPITAL (AP)
- MUELLER IN JEWISH-MUSLIM CROSSFIRE (Chicago Tribune)
- PRO-ISRAEL CHALLENGER OUSTS VETERAN BLACK ALABAMA POL
(Forward)
* ZIONISM OR COLONIALISM? (Ha'aretz)
* COMMENT: THE MAYOR SHOULD ALLAY IMMIGRANTS' FEARS (Newsday)
* A NEW DISPUTE IN KASHMIR (Washington Post)
* BY THE BOOK (Pioneer Press)
* LETTER: ISLAM IN PRISON (Wall Street Journal)
* SCHOLARS FROM THE MUSLIM WORLD IN WASHINGTON FOR GOODWILL TOUR (U.S.
Newswire)
* "THE SILK ROAD: CONNECTING CULTURES, CREATING TRUST"
-----
VERSES OF THE DAY: GOD LOVES THOSE WHO DO GOOD
"Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden
(paradise) whose width is that of the heavens and of the earth,
prepared
for the righteous - Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity or
in
adversity, who restrain (their) anger and pardon (all) men - for God
loves
those who do good."
The Holy Quran, Chapter 3, Verses 133-134
-----
SUPREME COURT CLOSES TERROR HEARINGS
By Gina Holland, Associated Press, 6/28/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/showcase/sns-scotus.story?coll=chi-news-hed
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court today blocked a judge from opening
immigration hearings for foreign terrorism suspects, granting the Bush
administration's emergency request for a stay.
The administration argued that national security would be threatened if
reporters and others were allowed to attend the hearings.
The high court, without comment, put on hold a judge's ruling that it
is
unconstitutional to impose a blanket policy closing all detention or
deportation hearings that the government calls special-interest cases.
The intervention was the first by the court in a dispute arising from
the
government's response to the terror attacks. It preserves the
government's
effort to secretly detain foreigners swept up in the terrorism
investigation...
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: THE HAMDI CATCH-22
The Washington Post, 6/28/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58707-2002Jun27.html
AT ORAL ARGUMENTS Tuesday in the case of Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, the
government
appeared to soften somewhat its profoundly dangerous position that the
president can unilaterally designate an American citizen as an enemy
combatant and then, with no judicial review, lock that person up
forever.
On the surface, the case of Yaser Esam Hamdi -- a probable American
citizen
who was captured in Afghanistan and is being held without charge by the
military in Virginia -- involves only whether Mr. Hamdi can meet with
an
attorney, as a lower court has ordered. But because of the government's
extreme position in the case before the Richmond-based 4th Circuit
Court of
Appeals, much more is at stake than whether a single Taliban fighter
gets
to talk with a public defender...
If Mr. Hamdi can't meet with a lawyer because he's an enemy combatant,
and
he can't challenge his designation as an enemy combatant without
meeting
with a lawyer, he's stuck -- irrespective of whether or not he's being
lawfully held...
Under the government's standard, an American citizen detained in a
misunderstanding would have no ability to clear things up. Where the
indefinite detention of Americans without charge is at stake, the
courts
cannot adopt standards or procedures that are so deferential they
amount to
rubber-stamping the president's determinations.
INS AND FBI AGENTS ROUND UP PAKISTANIS IN SEVERAL U.S. CITIES
The Wall Street Journal, 6/28/02
WASHINGTON -- Federal law-enforcement authorities have rounded up
Pakistani
citizens in more than 15 U.S. cities as part of a money-laundering
investigation.
Law-enforcement sources said agents with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and the Immigration and Naturalization Service took an
undisclosed number of Pakistani nationals into custody yesterday and
Wednesday. A Justice Department official said no criminal charges had
been
filed against any of the detainees. "We're still trying to determine
what
we have here," the official said.
The official said all of those taken into custody were either employees
or
owners of jewelry kiosks at shopping malls, primarily in the Northeast.
The
kiosks are common in malls throughout the U.S...
"The operation is ongoing and we cannot discuss it further at this
time,"
INS spokesman Russ Bergeron said...
-----
DESPITE DEMO, FBI CHIEF SPEAKS TO MUSLIMS
ANWAR IQBAL, United Press International, 6/28/02
ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 28 - Ignoring protests by a small group of Jewish
demonstrators, FBI Director Robert Mueller spoke Friday at a
controversial
Muslim meeting, assuring U.S. Muslims the bureau was seeking
individuals
and groups involved in terrorism, but was not at war with Islam or
persecuting its adherents.
"In no way is our war against Islam or any religion. It is our
understanding that Islam is a religion of peace," said Mueller,
addressing
the Eleventh Annual Convention of the American Muslim Council.
As soon as he rose to speak, a small group of protestors entered the
hall
carrying signs denouncing his presence as an endorsement of Islamic
terrorism...
Referring to the protestors, Mueller told his audience there were
people
who did not want him to come, but -- while he "understood and
appreciated"
their concerns -- he had ignored them because it is "important to build
up
a friendly relationship with American Muslims to fight terrorism."
SEE ALSO:
MUSLIMS VISIT NATION'S CAPITAL
By Sonya Ross, Associated Press, 6/28/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - Worried that broad new police power to fight
terrorism
will rob them of their civil liberties, Muslim Americans gathered in
the
nation's capital to press Congress for protections and hear firsthand
from
the FBI director.
The American Muslim Council opened its 11th annual meeting on Thursday
with
a daylong lobbying session on Capitol Hill. Clutching red booklets
titled
"How Our Laws Are Made," many of the members seemed determined, if
hesitant, to engage in this ritual of citizenship - most of them for
the
first time...
Participants in this year's conference, whose theme is "American
Muslims:
Part of America," showed the pressures of this age of increased FBI
surveillance. Many shunned media interviews, fearing they might invite
police scrutiny of their activities...
The citizen-lobbyists also got the Islamic perspective on the need for
a
Palestinian state, the tumult between India and Pakistan over Kashmir
and
the failures of the oil-for-food program in Iraq.
"I've never done anything like this before, so I'm out here to watch
and
learn from the people who have the experience," said Zayed Yasin, 22,
of
Scituate, Mass., who found himself at the center of controversy for
using
the term "jihad" in his Harvard University commencement speech...
Yasin planned to talk to the senators from Massachusetts and his
congressman, Democratic Rep. Barney Frank. His primary concern was the
impact of the Patriot Act, signed by President Bush last October, which
broadened law enforcement's ability to search people, monitor them or
detain them in the process of ferreting out would-be terrorists.
Yasin's worries, that the law would be used to trample on the civil
liberties of Muslims, were echoed by many in the room. They whispered
quietly among themselves about what happened in northern Virginia on
March
20 - when 150 federal agents, some in SWAT gear, searched the homes of
Asian, Arab and Muslim Americans, seeking evidence of terrorist ties.
MUELLER IN JEWISH-MUSLIM CROSSFIRE
Frank James, Chicago Tribune, 6/28/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/
WASHINGTON - Poised to speak on Friday to one of the nation's
mainstream
Muslim advocacy groups, FBI Director Robert Mueller has found himself
embroiled in a kind of proxy war between American Muslims and Jews that
echoes tensions in the Mideast.
The most immediate fight is over Mueller's appearance at the American
Muslim Council's convention this week in Alexandria, Va., near the
nation's
capital. Jewish groups, including the Anti-Defamation League and the
Zionist Organization of America, have demanded that Mueller not attend.
Opponents allege the Muslim group has not gone far enough in renouncing
extremist attacks against Israel, some even accusing it of supporting
such
violence. The council's supporters, in turn, accuse their critics of
waging
a smear campaign.
The Mueller dustup is only one of many that have flared up between
American
Arabs and Jews that appeared to escalate with the increasing violence
between Israelis and Palestinians. Earlier this week, a five-term
Alabama
congressman and civil rights leader, Democratic Rep. Earl Hilliard, who
was
perceived as pro-Arab and had Arab-American support, was defeated in
the
primary by lawyer Artur Davis with financial backing from Jewish groups
and
individuals...
But in this contest, Muslim groups say they are at a disadvantage not
only
because of their relative newness to the Washington lobbying scene.
They
have also been hurt by their unwillingness, they say, to use the same
hardball tactics of their opponents...
Muslim and Arab leaders viewed Mueller's refusal to yield to the
pressure
from Jewish groups as a rare victory.
PRO-ISRAEL CHALLENGER OUSTS VETERAN BLACK ALABAMA POL
ELI KINTISCH, FORWARD, 6/28/02
http://www.forward.com/issues/2002/02.06.28/news2.html
WASHINGTON - Bolstered by a million-dollar war chest heavily bankrolled
by
Jewish donors nationwide, a Birmingham attorney this week ousted a
veteran
black congressman known for his pro-Arab sympathies in a primary runoff
tinged with Middle East-style bitterness.
The race served as a proxy fund-raisers' war that observers described
as
the first of its kind, with Jewish and Arab contributors squaring off
in an
Alabama showdown that sparked plenty of bad blood between pro-Israel
advocates and black congressmen...
While the defeat of Hilliard, the first African American elected to
Congress in Alabama, represents a victory for pro-Israel activists over
the
Palestinian lobby, it could harm support for Israel among members of
the
Congressional Black Caucus. Some caucus members voiced distress during
the
campaign over efforts by "outsiders" to unseat one of their number.
Even
though Davis is black, Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings of Florida
reportedly
warned prior to Tuesday's runoff that some of his colleagues in the
caucus
might withhold support for American aid to Israel if "outsiders"
affected
congressional races...
The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a stinging release
about
the Tuesday vote, which effectively handed the seat to Davis because no
Republican is running in the November general election.
"Rep. Hilliard's loss shows that the domestic lobby for a foreign
government is willing to use its considerable financial resources to
force
hand-picked 'leaders' on the African-American community," said CAIR
board
chairman Omar Ahmad in a statement. "This is a defeat for democracy and
civil rights and a victory for those who would institute a pro-Israel
litmus test for American political candidates..."
-----
ZIONISM OR COLONIALISM?
Ze'ev Sternhell, Ha'aretz, 6/28/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=180995&contrassID=2&subContrassID=4&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y&itemNo=180995
It is generally accepted today that at this stage, the declared primary
aim
of Jewish settlement in the territories has already been achieved. As
this
was described by Hanoch Marmari in the heartfelt plea he published here
two
weeks ago (`You are sitting on the key,' Ha'aretz, June 14), it is the
ideological settler who holds the key to our future. And indeed, if
settlement is not ended once and for all by an unequivocal political
decision and in the framework of a comprehensive peace agreement,
Jewish
settlement in the territories is a process that will continue until the
last dunam of land in the West Bank is "redeemed," or until the last of
the
Arabs who refuses to accept the sentence of Jewish overlordship is
thrown
out...
However, the greatest danger inherent in the settlement concept lies
elsewhere. Instead of strengthening and glorifying Zionism, ultimately,
settlement will erode to nothing but its moral basis. If it takes root,
the
settlement argument will end up justifying not only the old accusation
by
Zionism's greatest enemies, but will also undermine the security of the
Israelis themselves in the context of the Jewish national movement...
Indeed, this fanatical nationalism, which is brutal not out of
necessity
but out of deliberate choice and rational decision, is already
beginning to
sprout noxious weeds that arouse disgust. I am referring to the settler
mentality in its latest manifestation in the form of letters that
students
at schools in the territories wrote to fighters in Operation Defensive
Shield. These children did not ask the soldiers to wipe out terror and
strike at the terrorists, but "to kill as many Arabs as possible." One
asked: "For me, kill at least 10"; another made an even simpler
suggestion:
"Ignore the laws and spray them..."
-----
COMMENT: THE MAYOR SHOULD ALLAY IMMIGRANTS' FEARS
Kevin James, Newsday, 6/28/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpjam282765994jun28.story
Kevin James is a supervising fire marshal with the Fire Department of
New
York and director of government relations at CAIR-NY.
Thick smoke was pouring out of a third-floor apartment in Brooklyn last
Sunday afternoon when a neighbor across the street called 911. But by
then
it was too late and a Pakistani immigrant family of seven was trapped
by
the flames and perished in the blaze that started with a cooking fire
on
the second floor. We may never know why so many precious moments were
lost,
but we do know that other mistakes also were made that could have
prevented
the tragedy: A door was left open and there were no smoke detectors in
either apartment.
All too often, New York City's immigrant community has been reluctant
to
call for help when it would do the most good. The climate of fear and
intimidation created in the wake of 9/11 has affected both documented
and
undocumented immigrants. And recent talk of Homeland Security
legislation
broadening the reach of government agencies to gather information has
ratcheted the paranoia up a few notches, making people more distrustful
of
seeking emergency assistance.
A former caseworker at the Arab-American Family Support Center in
Brooklyn
told me about a near tragedy that occurred last October when a Brooklyn
family took their chances on fighting an apartment fire because, as
Arab
Muslims, they were too afraid to call the fire department.
Before another horror occurs, Mayor Michael Bloomberg must sound the
alarm
himself and reassure the city's immigrants that they can safely seek
help
without fear of being arrested or reported to the Immigration and
Naturalization Service. He must establish clear policies to encourage
immigrants in crisis to reach out for help, no matter what their legal
status. These guidelines would include reporting fires, accidents and
other
emergencies; reporting crimes of victimization such as rape, robbery,
domestic violence and child abuse; and obtaining medical services,
particularly for vaccinations and epidemic diseases such as AIDS and
tuberculosis...
The mayor must be especially careful to avoid the perception that the
New
York Police Department is now performing INS duties. Under the Giuliani
administration, the federal courts struck down Executive Order 124,
issued
by Mayor Edward Koch, which prohibited city employees from disclosing
the
legal status of an immigrant seeking city services to federal
authorities.
A new, common sense directive must be issued to the police that is
federally compliant yet minimizes the threat to immigrants in need...
-----
A NEW DISPUTE IN KASHMIR
Many Leery of India's Plan for 'Free and Fair' Legislative Election
John Lancaster, Washington Post, 6/28/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57927-2002Jun27.html
SRINAGAR, India - A senior Indian official here delivered what he
thought
was a reassuring message on Kashmir's future: Come state elections this
fall, promised the chief election commissioner, J.M. Lyngdoh, Indian
soldiers will no longer force people to go to polling places at
gunpoint.
Such is the nature of democratic reform in Kashmir, where the Indian
government has long been accused of rigging elections to thwart
Kashmiri
leaders who favor independence -- or unification with Pakistan -- for
the
disputed Himalayan region.
As international pressure rises for a resolution of the Kashmiri issue,
which recently sparked fears of a nuclear exchange between India and
Pakistan, Indian officials have vowed to hold "free and fair" elections
for
an 87-seat legislative assembly that is seen by many Kashmiris as
illegitimate and corrupt.
Indian officials say the contest will lay the groundwork for
negotiations
with separatist leaders and Pakistan, which has never recognized
India's
absorption of the mostly Muslim state. They also say it will help end
the
civil conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1989.
The
only problem is that few people here seem to believe in elections, at
least
as defined by India.
"Elections don't matter a lot," said Riyaz Baig, 34, from behind the
counter of his small fabric shop, now starved for foreign tourists who
once
paid him hundreds of dollars for a scarf made of fine pashmina wool.
"We
have to see to the root cause."
In Baig's view, and in the view of many other Kashmiris, India's
emphasis
on holding elections is little more than a ploy. India, they say, is
trying
to distract attention from the need to begin serious discussions with
Pakistan aimed at settling the status of Kashmir once and for all.
Many are loath to participate in a process that in their view helps
legitimize Indian rule in Kashmir. They also recall their bitter
experience
in the most recent legislative elections, in 1996, when Indian soldiers
sometimes inspected the forefingers of voting age men and women,
especially
in rural areas, to ensure they had been marked with indelible ink,
indicating they had voted...
-----
BY THE BOOK
Gita Sitaramiah, Pioneer Press, 6/28/02
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/3550122.htm
When Safia Sheckissa Youssouf first came to America, she couldn't find
halal meat, so she prayed at every meal and hoped for the best.
Fifteen years later, things have gotten much easier for Muslims like
Youssouf of St. Paul. Many shops in the Twin Cities specialize in
nonpork,
nonalcoholic cooking staples and meats. "I do most of my shopping
here,"
says Youssouf, 34, one recent afternoon at Farmers Fresh Meats and
Groceries, where the meat is halal -- from animals slaughtered under
Islamic guidelines.
As the population of Muslims in Minnesota has risen to 100,000, in
large
part because of recent immigration from Africa and South Asia, so has
the
number of businesses that cater to them. There are more than a dozen
grocery stores and restaurants in the Twin Cities, including two in St.
Paul that opened in the last year.
Last year, Minnesota became the second state in the country to pass a
law
forbidding false representation of halal products. "When you see the
word
'halal' on a store, the insinuation is that they have Islamicly
slaughtered
meat," says Amin Kader, president of the Islamic Institute in
Maplewood...
-----
LETTER: ISLAM IN PRISON - A RELIGION OF PEACE AND NONVIOLENCE
The Wall Street Journal, 6/28/02
While Chuck Colson may have a first- hand experience of the prison
system
for his incarceration in the Watergate scandal, his knowledge of Islam
is
tainted and guided only by his evangelical aspirations ("Evangelizing
for
Evil in Our Prisons," editorial page, June 24). In one masterful stroke
of
pen he has eliminated all competition to his Prison Fellowship
Ministries.
It is in his best interests that Islam not bee preached in the prisons,
sohe has labeled all Muslim clerics as "radical." I was appalled by his
use
of the Sept. 11 tragedies and the current terrorist threats to further
his
own personal cause.
Islam has been preached in prisons for a long time, but as a religion
of
peace and nonviolence. Inmates are attracted to Islam because of its
message of equality, brotherhood, peace and the continuous struggle for
self-purification by an internal struggle, "jihad," which unfortunately
has
been distorted by people such as Mr. Colson.
In the interest of journalistic integrity, I would strongly encourage
the
Journal to allow Muslim clerics who work in the prison system to write
a
column explaining their work and faith so that your readers can make an
independent opinion of their own instead of taking Mr. Colson's word as
gospel.
Akram Khan, M.D.
Saint Louis
-----
SCHOLARS FROM THE MUSLIM WORLD IN WASHINGTON FOR GOODWILL TOUR
U.S. Newswire, 6/28/02
News Advisory: A delegation of internationally recognized Muslim
leaders,
scholars and jurists representing a cross-section of the Muslim world
is
planning a goodwill tour of the United States under the auspices of the
Muslim World League (MWL). The delegation is headed by Dr. Abdullah
al-Turki, Secretary General of the Muslim World League, and former
minister
of Islamic Affairs in Saudi Arabia.
This delegation will be visiting New York City, Chicago, Washington
D.C.,
and Los Angeles from June 25th thru July 15th, 2002. The objective is
to
meet with and offer briefings to prominent leaders and officials of the
media, interfaith communities, academia, and government, based on
global
perspectives about critical post 9-11 issues pertaining to Muslims and
Islam. The delegation is seeking dialogue and cooperation in a
collaborative initiative toward establishing peace, justice, mutual
tolerance and bridges of understanding across faiths, societies and
civilizations. On Monday, July 8, 2002, the delegation will be holding
a
press conference to discuss their trip, and what they hope to achieve
by it.
WHEN: Monday, July 8th, 10 a.m.
WHERE: National Press Club, 529 14 St. NW, Washington, DC
Members of the delegation include such notables as Dr. Ahmad Abulmagd,
Commissioner for the Dialogue of Civilizations at the Arab League in
Cairo,
Egypt, Kamil al-Shareef, Secretary General of the International Council
for
Islamic Call and Relief, Dr. Muhammad A. Bayyoumi, Professor of
Sociology,
Alexandria University, Egypt, Dr. Mustafa I. Siric, Grand Mufti of the
Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina, Dr. Al-Sheikh Ahmad Lemo, President of
the
Islamic Education Endowment, Abuja, Nigeria, Dr. Salman al-Hasan
al-Nadawi,
president of Muslim Youth Society in India, and Dr. Jamal Badawi,
President
of the Islamic Media Foundation, Halifax, Canada.
-----
FESTIVITIES KICK OFF FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL
Michael Vasquez, Washington Post Staff Writer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49227-2002Jun26.html
Dignitaries such as Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and Sen. Edward
M.
Kennedy (D-Mass.) shared the stage today with a Mongolian throat
singer, a
Badakhshani folk music band from Tajikistan and several other musicians
at
the opening ceremony for the 36th Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival,
entitled "The Silk Road: Connecting Cultures, Creating Trust."
The Smithsonian's most ambitious festival to date, this year's event
showcases the food, music, and culture of the many nations that were
part
of the Silk Road--a storied group of trade routes that connected Asia,
Europe, and all points in between for centuries.
The Silk Road takes over the National Mall from today through Sunday,
and
from July 3 through July 7. Gates open at 11 a.m. each day and special
events, such as concerts, will be held during the evenings. All events
are
free.
SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL
"THE SILK ROAD: CONNECTING CULTURES, CREATING TRUST"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/entertainment/new_features/folklife.html
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 6/30/2002
HEADLINES:
* U.S., ISRAEL DISCUSS JOINT ANTI-TERROR OFFICE (Washington Times)
* CHECHEN REFUGEES DESCRIBE ATROCITIES BY RUSSIAN TROOPS (Washington
Post)
* FBI QUESTIONING ANGERS INDO-AMERICAN LOBBYIST (San Jose Mercury News)
* GUJARAT'S MUSLIM HERITAGE SMASHED IN RIOTS (Guardian)
* SMOKE AND MIRRORS: SAMI AL-ARIAN (Weekly Planet)
* THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (San Francisco Chronicle)
* BOOK REVIEW: WAR WITHOUT END (Washington Post)
* BIAS AGAINST MUSLIMS TARGETED (Washington Post)
* SUDAN'S BASHIR URGES REBELS TO COOPERATE FOR PEACE (Reuters)
-----
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https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
FOR THE LATEST CAIR ACTION ALERTS, GO TO:
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-----
U.S., ISRAEL DISCUSS JOINT ANTI-TERROR OFFICE
By Sean Salai, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, 6/29/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020629-1359928.htm
Brig. Gen. David Tzur and Minister of Interior Security Uzi Landau met
with
U.S. officials Thursday in the hope of creating a new office to fight
terrorism.
The office, to be in Washington, would monitor an almost instantaneous
communications link between the proposed U.S. Department of Homeland
Defense and the Israeli government on matters of homeland security.
Visa
policies, terrorist profiles and virtually all other internal security
data except classified intelligence would be swapped by computer, fax
and
telephone.
"Israel is a laboratory for fighting terror," Mr. Landau said in an
interview with The Washington Times, adding that Sen. Dianne Feinstein,
California Democrat; House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, Texas Republican;
and
Rep. Curt Weldon, Pennsylvania Republican, are "especially receptive"
to
the idea.
Mr. Weldon said yesterday that the office is the centerpiece of broader
legislation he is drafting with the support of Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona
Republican, and Rep. Jane Harman, California Democrat…
"It's bizarre beyond belief," said Ibrahim Hooper of the
Washington-based
Council on American-Islamic Relations. "It would suggest to us an
'Israelization' of American politics.
"What message is sent when our legislators begin tying our national
security to a foreign country engaged in a brutal occupation? Is it
Israel
and America against the rest of the world?" Mr. Hooper asked…
ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.)
Contact the elected officials mentioned above to ask that they not
bring
Israel’s unjust and counter-productive policies to America.
GO TO: http://capwiz.com/cair/dbq/officials/
-----
CHECHEN REFUGEES DESCRIBE ATROCITIES BY RUSSIAN TROOPS
Villagers Tortured, Killed In Assault, Reports Say
Sharon LaFraniere, Washington Post, 6/29/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63823-2002Jun28.html
NAZRAN, Russia -- Kuslum Savnykaevna has no intention of heeding the
Russian government's wish that she abandon the converted car repair
shop
where she and her five children live in Ingushetia and return to their
former home in neighboring Chechnya.
And if she ever had any doubt that they must remain refugees in this
impoverished region in southern Russia, she said, what she witnessed in
the
last month erased it.
In mid-May, Savnykaevna went to visit her parents in Mesker Yurt, a
village
of roughly 2,000 about seven miles east of Grozny, the ruined capital
of
Chechnya, where separatist rebels have been battling the pro-Russian
government. She had not been there long when Russian troops suddenly
surrounded and closed off the village to conduct a zachistka, or
cleansing
operation, that lasted three weeks.
She said she saw some of the victims of the operation after their
relatives
carried them back from a field the soldiers had occupied at the edge of
the
village: a man whose eye was gouged out; another whose fingers were cut
off; a third whose back had been sliced in rows with the sharp edge of
broken glass, then doused with alcohol and set afire, according to his
relatives. Her brothers and nephews were spared, she said, only because
her
family paid the soldiers a $400 bribe not to hurt them.
"I have never imagined such tortures, such cruelty," she said, sitting
at a
small table in the dim room that has housed her family here for nearly
three years. "There were a lot of men who were left only half alive…"
-----
FBI QUESTIONING ANGERS INDO-AMERICAN LOBBYIST
Matthai Chakko Kuruvila, San Jose Mercury News, 6/29/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/news/local/3569872.htm
One of the country's leading Indo-American political lobbyists is
infuriated about an FBI interview this month, which he says tried to
tie
him to India's intelligence service.
Sunil Aghi, an Orange County insurance salesman who has sponsored
dozens of
political fundraisers for Democratic candidates and traveled to India
with
President Clinton in 2000, criticized the June 12 FBI questioning
because
he said it implicitly questioned his patriotism.
"I'm just baffled," said Aghi, who has served on the Electoral College
and
is the founder of the Indo-American Political Foundation. Aghi said he
willingly cooperated but that he believes the FBI unfairly scrutinizes
ethnic minorities in the wake of Sept. 11. "Now we're just going to
muddy
waters by jeopardizing the civil liberties of Americans just because of
the
war on terrorism," Aghi said…
-----
GUJARAT'S MUSLIM HERITAGE SMASHED IN RIOTS
Luke Harding, The Guardian, 6/29/02
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4451027,00.html
Two hundred and thirty unique Islamic monuments, including an exquisite
400-year-old mosque, were destroyed or vandalised during the recent
anti-Muslim riots in the Indian state of Gujarat, according to a local
survey.
Experts say the damage is so extensive that it rivals the better
publicised
destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan or the wrecking of
Tibet's monasteries by the Red Guards.
Several monuments have been reduced to rubble in the course of the
riot, in
which 2,000 people, mainly Muslims, have died. In other disturbances,
Hindu
gangs have smashed delicate mosque screens, thrown bricks at Persian
inscriptions, and set fire to old Korans.
"This has been a systematic attempt to wipe out an entire culture,"
said
Teesta Setalvad of Sapara, a body opposed to communal strife, who
compiled
the list…
-----
SMOKE AND MIRRORS: SAMI AL-ARIAN
ROCHELLE RENFORD, WEEKLY PLANET, June 26-July 2, 2002
http://www.weeklyplanet.com/current/news_feature.html
The Tampa Tribune latest allegations against Sami Al-Arian rely on
unnamed
sources and no documentation.
With tension escalating in the Middle East and U.S. Attorney General
John
Ashcroft rounding up Muslim men by the thousands here at home, it seems
that The Tampa Tribune couldn't resist taking another jab at Tampa's
favorite Palestinian punching bag. Last Sunday the front-page,
above-the-fold headline read: "Israel Ties Al-Arian to Jihad Board."
The
headline was like those phony $10,000 checks car dealers send out to
suck
in customers: sensational and grossly misleading.
While one might expect to read about concrete evidence against Al-Arian
released by the Israeli government, the article actually delivers
unnamed
sources and a tepid admission that Al-Arian may not have broken any
laws.
Tribune reporter Michael Fechter wrote that anonymous "former and
current
senior Israeli intelligence officials" told him that Al-Arian was part
of
the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's "governing council" called Majlis
Shura.
According to the anonymous officials, Al-Arian even traveled to
Damascus
and Tehran for meetings, dropping off a computer to the PIJ's leader on
his
way.
These covert sources aren't exactly sure when the council was formed or
how
many people are on it, but they do know that it offered "advice" to the
terrorist organization. These sources then go on to state that
Al-Arian's
role "was in political ideology and fundraising, not Jihad operations."
In a sidebar, the Tribune explained that they do not usually allow the
use
of unnamed sources. However they thought this story was, "of paramount
importance to the public" so they made an exception. Not to worry
though,
the Tribune carefully weighed their source's credibility so that
readers
don't have to weigh it themselves. (And skeptical readers can't weigh
it
themselves.)
The Tribune assures readers that all of their sources had their stories
straight, and documentation supported the "general framework" of their
allegations. According to Fechter, however, his sources in Israel
refused
to show him documentation. "These were their claims," he said.
He didn't claim to have seen documentation in the article, he said.
But where exactly is the news of "paramount importance" in this
front-page
news story? Al-Arian has been under investigation since 1995 for his
political ideology and his fundraising efforts on behalf of the
Palestinian
cause. Fechter was the reporter who wrote the series of articles on
Al-Arian that started the investigation. Although the articles stirred
up a
lot of smoke, they have never yielded any fire.
"I don't know whether to laugh or to condemn. It's ridiculous,"
Al-Arian
said of the latest Tribune article…
-----
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: 'UNDER GOD' FROM COAST TO COAST
Rick DelVecchio, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/30/02
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/06/30/MN169961.DTL
The debate centers on whether the God of the pledge refers to a
national
moral compass or to a deity, which some people might consider
intrusive…
Helal Omeira, executive director of the Northern California chapter of
the
Council on American-Islamic Relations and son of a Syrian-born father,
said
he isn't bothered by the God element in the pledge.
"That's one of the tenets of Islam," he said. "A lot of stuff is by
intention..I can understand why some people don't like it. It's America
--
diversity of opinion is what makes us great.
"But from a religious perspective, we don't have a problem with it. It
translates to Allah, which is not a big deal.
-----
BOOK REVIEW: WAR WITHOUT END
Reviewed by Thomas W. Lippman, Washington Post, 6/30/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58670-2002Jun27.html
War Without End
Israelis, Palestinians, And the Struggle for a Promised Land
By Anton La Guardia
Thomas Dunne. 408 pp. $ 25.95
La Guardia's analysis will not sit well with admirers of Israel. He
largely
debunks the image of plucky, creative Jews building a productive
society in
a vacuum left by the backward locals. In fact, the signal
accomplishment of
this book is the uncomfortable clarity La Guardia brings to the plight
of
the Palestinians. Anyone who does not understand why the intifada
continues
despite machine-gun fire from the Israelis and righteous rhetoric from
Washington will find the answers here, in abundance.
In the territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war, La Guardia
writes,
"The land was opened up to extensive settlement by Jews, its water
resources were harnessed for Israel's benefit, and its Arab population
exploited as a source of cheap labor. Settlers enjoyed the privileges
of
Israeli civil law while Palestinians around them languished under
military
rule." Worse yet for the Palestinians, they are economically dependent
upon
the people they view as their oppressors, which compounds their rage
every
day. Some Palestinians from the Gaza strip work as farm hands inside
Israel, "picking crops from the lands once owned by their families."
La Guardia argues persuasively that the conflict is intractable because
an
irresistible force -- the ineptly led Palestinians, nurturing
unrealistic
visions of return to ancestral homes -- is hitting an immovable object,
namely a Jewish state so fractured by religious and social divisions
that
it cannot make the decisions it will have to make to achieve peace,
such as
abandoning the West Bank settlements. Since the conquests of 1967, La
Guardia argues, Israel has been corrupted by "the skewed morality of
the
occupier," which it is now unable to shake off. Israel will not respond
to
Palestinian grievances, he says, because it "fears losing the exclusive
Jewish claim to suffering…"
-----
BIAS AGAINST MUSLIMS TARGETED
Protesters Challenge War on Terrorism, Israeli Occupation
Ylan Q. Mui, Washington Post, 6/30/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3030-2002Jun30.html
Tattooed, pierced and in combat boots, David Lavoie said he has seen
his
share of violent protests. At an anti-capitalist march in Pennsylvania,
he
said, a friend standing near him was almost hit with pepper spray by
police. In fact, Lavoie said, he prefers non-permitted protests because
he
believes they're more effective. But yesterday, the Boston County, Pa.,
resident parked himself, his two children and their stroller in the
shade
for a family-friendly protest on the front steps of the FBI building.
Lavoie, his year-old son, Sage, and 4-year-old daughter, Ava, were well
equipped: They brought not only a sign reading "Resistance Is Fertile"
but
also sunscreen and, for lunch, peanut butter, honey and banana
sandwiches.
"I also love bringing the kids and showing them what freedom is like,"
Lavoie said.
Organizers said more than 1,000 attended, although the crowd did not
quite
fill the sidewalk along Pennsylvania Avenue NW outside the J. Edgar
Hoover
Building. The protest covered a variety of issues but was mainly
against
some aspects of the war on terrorism and against U.S. policy in the
Mideast.
The protest and march down Pennsylvania Avenue, meandering past the
Mall
and to Farragut Square, were organized by International ANSWER, an
antiwar,
anti-racism group that has espoused the Palestinian cause. Speakers
with an
array of agendas spoke on such topics as the death penalty, racial
profiling and the USA Patriot Act, which expands the FBI's powers.
For Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Freedom Foundation, these
issues
are one and the same. "When it comes to bigotry, to racial profiling,
it's
just us," he said in his speech at the rally. He added, "As a black
man, as
a Muslim, this is my home. But I don't feel secure…"
-----
SUDAN'S BASHIR URGES REBELS TO COOPERATE FOR PEACE
Reuters, 6/30/02
KHARTOUM, June 30 (Reuters) - Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir
on
Sunday urged rebels to work with the government to forge a peace deal
based
on equal rights for all and respect for different religions in the
war-torn
country.
In a speech marking the 13th anniversary of a coup that brought him to
power, Bashir said he hoped ongoing peace negotiations in Nairobi
between
the government and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA)
would
help end the 19-year-old war in Africa's largest country.
"We hope efforts would be exerted by both sides in the
negotiations...to
achieve tangible progress towards peace and the ending of the war,"
Bashir
said in the speech, broadcast on national television and monitored by
the BBC.
He said the government's position at the Nairobi talks was "based on a
serious search for urgent peace, in the framework of one Sudan, in
which
rights and responsibilities are shared equally and freedoms granted,
and
consultation and resources shared objectively and justly. And one in
which
cultural and religious identities are respected, without causing any
harm…"
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/1/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH/VERSE OF THE DAY: GOOD MANNERS
* CALIF. LEGISLATURE PASSES HALAL FOOD BILL
* GUANTANAMO JUSTICE? (Newsweek)
* PAKISTANIS TELL OF US PRISON HORROR (BBC)
* COMMENT: STATE OUT OF STEP (New York Times)
- STEPHEN SCHWARTZ' CONVERSION TO ISLAM
* THE END OF SOMETHING (New York Times)
* A MILLION PEOPLE UNDER CURFEW (Ha'aretz)
* MODERATE MUSLIMS UNDER SIEGE (New York Times)
* NEW YORK'S ARAB ENCLAVE TRIPS RADAR (Los Angeles Times)
* ALA CONDEMNS DESTRUCTION OF PALESTINIAN LIBRARIES (JTA)
* LATINOS EMBRACING ISLAM (Arizona Republic)
* U.S. BOMBS KILL OR WOUND SCORES AT AFGHAN WEDDING (Reuters)
* LETTERS: EQUAL TIME FOR PALESTINIANS (Washington Times)
-----
HADITH/VERSE OF THE DAY: GOOD MANNERS
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "A believer may achieve
the
status of one who regularly fasts (for religious reasons) during the
day
and spends the night in prayer, through his good manners."
Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 629
"Repel (evil) with what is better. Then will he, between whom and thee
was
hatred, become as it were thy friend and intimate. And no one will be
granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and
self-restraint."
The Holy Quran, Chapter 41, Verse 34 and 35
-----
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CALIF. LEGISLATURE PASSES HALAL FOOD BILL
(ANAHEIM, CA, 7/1/2002) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations,
California (CAIR-CA) today announced passage of the Halal Food Bill (AB
1828) in the California State Legislature. Similar bills have passed in
the
states of New Jersey, Illinois, and Minnesota. (Halal food is that
which
satisfies Islamic guidelines on content and preparation. For example,
Muslims are prohibited from consuming pork products or foods containing
alcohol.)
The bill, which passed both the Assembly and the Senate without
opposition,
will protect Muslim consumers from Halal food fraud. CAIR-CA is urging
members of the Muslim community to contact and thank elected
representatives who supported the bill. The legislation is currently on
Governor Gray Davis' desk for signature. CAIR-CA also encouraging
Muslims
to contact Governor Davis' to ask that he sign the bill.
AB 1828 makes it a misdemeanor to, with the intent to defraud, sell or
expose for sale, "meat, meat products, or any food product that is
falsely
represented as being halal, or as having been prepared according to
Islamic
religious requirements."
SEE:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_1801-1850/ab_1828_cfa_20020604_115444_sen_comm.html
CAIR-CA worked with Assemblyman Bill Campbell (R-71) to draft and
introduce the bill. The legislation was co-authored by Assemblywoman
Aroner
(D-14), Assemblywoman Bates (R-73), Assemblywoman Daucher (R-72),
Assemblyman Harman (R-67), Assemblywoman Leach (R-15), Assamblyman
Maddox
(R-68), Assemblyman Robert Pacheco (R-60), and Senator Dick Ackerman
(R-33)
with strong support from Assemblyman John Campbell (R-70) and
Assemblyman
Longville (D-62). Special thanks go to Dr. Ahmad Sakr and Islamic Food
and
Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) for their technical and scholarly
support.
"The passage of the Halal Food Bill reflects the growing needs of the
Muslim community and provides an example of the importance of our
community's participation in the political process," said Hussam
Ayloush,
CAIR-LA's Executive Director.
"Like every group in America, our participation is the key to have our
issues addressed," added Ayloush.
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Contact Governor Gray Davis to support the signing of AB 1828.
Governor Gray Davis
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633
E-MAIL: governor@governor.ca.gov,
assemblymember.campbell@assembly.ca.gov
COPY TO: CAIR_SCA@cair-california.org
-----
GUANTANAMO JUSTICE?
Roy Gutman, Christopher Dickey and Sami Yousafzai, Newsweek, 7/8/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/774325.asp
Behind the Wires: Nobody in the detention center on the coast of Cuba
has
access to a lawyer. The Geneva Conventions don't apply. Nor does the
U.S.
Constitution. So what happens if someone is stuck there by mistake...?
The Defense Department says answering such questions is not what
Guantanamo
is about. Set up as a curiously high-profile interrogation center in
January this year, it has since become a kind of warehouse for alleged
"enemy combatants" whose information about Al Qaeda, in the best of
cases,
is now out of date. But outsiders' efforts to clarify the status of any
detainee-simply to find out what crime he is supposed to have
committed-run
up against a wall of baffling legalisms. The military's normal penchant
for
Catch-22s is taken to an extreme that borders on the Kafkaesque: the
prisoners are not charged because they're being "interrogated," not
"investigated." The Geneva Conventions do not apply because, by
presidential decree, these men are not "prisoners of war." But the U.S.
Constitution does not protect them because the Pentagon shipped them to
"foreign soil," even if it is a U.S. naval base...
-----
PAKISTANIS TELL OF US PRISON HORROR
Owais Tohid, BBC, 6/29/02
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_2074000/2074857.stm
Some 131 Pakistanis, many who had lived in the US for years, were
deported
and flown home two days ago - most charged by US immigration with
overstaying their welcome and having invalid documents. All were
detained
in the months after the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington
last year. The deportees arrived in Islamabad late on Thursday aboard a
chartered Portuguese airliner, and were allowed to go to their homes.
They
accuse the US of forcibly sending them back following 11 September, and
say
the treatment meted out to them in prisons and in detention was inhuman
and
unjust.
"I was treated as a terrorist. I was psychologically tortured in the
prison," 35-year-old Mufeed Khan told the BBC on Saturday. "I was
shackled
and handcuffed - completely bound - and questioned as if I were an
associate of Osama Bin Laden."
Mr Khan had lived in America for 11 years and ran a small business in
Los
Angeles before his detention in February this year. "For me America was
the
dreamland. I used to think that I was lucky to live in a liberal and
democratic country. But the dreamland became hell for me after 11
September," he says. "Even if I was not carrying valid documents to
stay
there, I did not deserve such treatment.
"I was treated badly because I am a Muslim. "Carrying a Muslim name
should
not be a crime. Not every Muslim is an extremist or a terrorist...."
-----
COMMENT: STATE OUT OF STEP
WILLIAM SAFIRE, New York Times, 7/1/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/01/opinion/01SAFI.html
WASHINGTON -- In a column soon after 9/11 titled "Equal Time for
Hitler?,"
I noted that our taxpayer-supported, government-sponsored Voice of
America
was "balancing" reports of the terrorist outrage by broadcasting
interviews
with Muslim supporters of terror...
Andre de Nesnera was given an award by the American Foreign Service
Association for "constructive dissent" in refusing to follow the
suggestion
from State last September to deny terrorists U.S. airtime. Champagne
corks
popped, Secretary Powell's presence was taken to be an official
apology,
and de Nesnera was hailed by foreign service officers for "the courage
to
challenge the system from within."
Within hours of having been lionized by the accommodationist diplomatic
establishment for having etched his profile in courage, the triumphant
news
director fired a member of his staff named Stephen Schwartz. An excuse
may
be leaked, but I think the real reason is ironic: the former San
Francisco
Chronicle reporter is an outspoken dissenter from the news director's
views.
Schwartz, a contributor to the conservative Weekly Standard, is
critical of
Saudi and Syrian support of terror: in September, Doubleday will
publish
his likely best seller, "The Two Faces of Islam: The House of Saud From
Tradition to Terror." The abrasive reporter, 53, who covered the war in
Bosnia and Kosovo firsthand, was unpopular with deskbound colleagues...
SEE ALSO: STEPHEN SCHWARTZ' CONVERSION TO ISLAM
http://www.naqshbandi.org/events/articles/conversion_schwartz.htm
http://www.naqshbandi.org/events/articles/road_to_islam.htm
-----
THE END OF SOMETHING
Thomas Friedman, New York Times, 6/30/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/30/opinion/30FRIE.html
Recent events in the Middle East leave me wondering whether we're
witnessing not just the end of the Oslo peace process, but the end of
the
whole idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict...
But here's the rub: Even if Mr. Arafat went away, and even if a
majority of
Israelis were ready to give his successor all of the West Bank, Gaza
and
East Jerusalem, the security requirements and limitations on
Palestinian
sovereignty that Israelis would insist upon - in the wake of the total
breakdown in trust over the last year - would probably be so high that
Palestinian leader would be able to accept them.
If that is the case, it means that a negotiated two-state solution is
impossible and Israel is doomed to permanent occupation of the West
Bank
and Gaza. And if that is the case, it means Israel will have to rule
the
West Bank and Gaza permanently, the way South African whites ruled
blacks
under apartheid. Because by 2010, if current demographic patterns hold,
there will be more Palestinians in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza and East
Jerusalem than Jews. And if that is the case, it means an endless
grinding
conflict that poses a mortal danger to Israel...
The only hope for Israel is to get out of the territories - any orderly
way
it can - and minimize its friction with the Arab world as the Arabs go
through a wrenching internal adjustment to modernization. I applaud
President Bush's call for Mr. Arafat to be replaced, in what amounts to
Mr.
Bush's last-ditch attempt to "re-accredit" the Palestinians as a
partner
for a two-state solution with Israel. But it is a travesty that Mr.
Bush
did not act to "re-accredit" Israel, too, as a peace partner for a
two-state solution with the Palestinians by insisting that Israel begin
pulling back from some of its far-flung settlements in Gaza and the
West
Bank. It would help the Palestinians undertake their reforms, and it
would
put Israel in a better position to withdraw unilaterally, if it has to.
Mr. Bush blinked because he didn't want to alienate Jewish voters. Sad.
Because George Bush may be on Israel's side, but history, technology
and
demographics are all against it.
-----
A MILLION PEOPLE UNDER CURFEW
Gideon Levy, Ha'aretz, 7/1/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=181474&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Few if any Israelis can understand what it means to be under full
curfew
for 10 days, incarcerated with the children in a crowded house, usually
without an air conditioner or a computer or games to play, maybe a
barely
functioning television set. But the worst thing is the unnerving
density of
the close quarters.
Even Israeli parents - who as of today have to figure out how to get
through their children's endless summer vacation and are worried about
having to keep them cooped up at home for fear of terrorist attacks -
are
also incapable of grasping how intolerable it is for the Palestinians
to be
imprisoned for days and weeks at a time with the children in their
meagerly
furnished homes, while threatening tanks continually rumble by and
every
sortie outside is liable to end in disaster.
Very few Israelis have experienced curfew and it is very unlikely that
many
of them are spending their time thinking about the fact that within an
hour's drive from their homes nearly a million people - some 800,000 in
the
cities of the West Bank along with the residents of some of the
surrounding
localities - have been locked into their homes for days under severe
conditions...
The collective punishment that we are imposing on a million people is
only
postponing the next wave of attacks slightly, and may even have the
effect
of intensifying it. It is not hard to guess the plans that are being
hatched in the curfew period by those who have been condemned to such a
hard life: One thing we can be sure of is that no one there is planning
to
absorb a further 35 years of occupation without resistance...
-----
MODERATE MUSLIMS UNDER SIEGE
Khaled Abou el Fadl, New York Times, 7/1/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/01/opinion/01FADL.html
I am terrified of you and all people who look like you," the elderly
woman
said. "What can you do to reassure me against people like you?" I was
in
New York City and had just concluded my hourlong lecture on human
rights
and Islam at a law school conference where the subject was tolerance.
She
informed me that she has nightmares about Muslim and Arab-looking
people
like me. The pain of hearing comments like this cannot be described...
Since Sept. 11, moderate American Muslims have been fighting an
exceedingly
difficult battle on many fronts. They have been struggling to deal with
the
proponents of a clash of civilizations, who seem intent on transforming
Islam into the enemy of the West after Communism; with the fanaticism
of
some supporters of Israel, who seem to deal with every manifestation of
Islamic activism as a direct threat to Israel's existence; with fanatic
religious leaders who have unabashedly maligned Islam, even going as
far as
calling the Prophet Muhammad a pedophile; with fellow Muslims who
believe
there is a worldwide conspiracy against Islam and even insist the Sept.
11
attacks were part of an effort to frame Muslims by the Central
Intelligence
Agency and the Mossad; with other Muslims who accuse moderates of being
sellouts to the West and traitors to the Islamic tradition for not
adhering
to Islamic "authenticities..."
In this country, moderate Muslims have had to deal with a presidential
administration that is systematically undermining their civil
liberties.
Most of all, they have been struggling with an ineffective and
self-serving
American Muslim leadership, which has little interest in serving its
constituency - a largely apathetic and politically inactive community
that
is frequently not engaged on the major issues confronting Muslims
today...
-----
NEW YORK'S ARAB ENCLAVE TRIPS RADAR
MAGGIE FARLEY, Los Angeles Times, 7/1/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/la-na-raid1jul01.story
NEW YORK -- On the corner of Atlantic and Court streets in Brooklyn, in
the
time it takes to savor a tall latte at the Starbucks a block away, you
could send cash across the world, buy a black market visa to Yemen or
create a whole new identity.
To New York's joint terrorism task force, it was the perfect setup for
would-be terrorists, the kind of underground network that once may have
supported America's attackers as they prepared their fatal mission of
Sept. 11.
To the hard-working Middle Eastern population here, these services are
simply the dark edge of the necessities of immigrant life, sometimes
abused
but mostly ignored as they try to carry on under a lingering shadow of
suspicion. Days like last Wednesday are designed to make the rest of
the
nation feel safer. Starting at 6 a.m., armed, body armor-clad officers
of
the FBI, Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service
swarmed the neighborhood, knocked down doors and arrested 19 people,
mostly
of Yemeni extraction. Sixteen were accused of money laundering, one was
charged with fraud and two with forging identity documents.
The headlines the next day said that authorities had gotten their men.
But
to this diverse community--not just to the couple whose door was broken
down by mistake at dawn, or the old man who said he had a machine gun
pointed at his head or the women whose husbands disappeared into
detention
months ago--the sense of security that much of America is seeking seems
increasingly elusive.
"It's odd," said Emira Habiby Browne, executive director of the
Arab-American Family Support Center in Brooklyn. "While the rest of the
country seems to slowly forget the impact of Sept. 11, people here feel
more and more under siege..."
-----
LIBRARY GROUP THROWS THE BOOK AT DESTRUCTION OF PALESTINIAN LIBRARIES
By Max Heuer, 6/30/02
www.jta.org
NEW YORK, June 30 (JTA) - The largest association of libraries in the
world
has passed a resolution deploring the destruction of Palestinian
libraries
and cultural resources during Israel's invasion of the West Bank this
spring. The resolution by the council of the American Library
Association,
the organization's governing policy body, was toned down from an
earlier
version. That version, debated at the group's convention earlier this
month
in Atlanta, directly blamed the Israeli government for the destruction.
But
the resolution still is sparking criticism, with the Anti-Defamation
League
calling it "one-sided" and "troubling and wrong..."
The new resolution calls for an international investigation by the
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, a
group
that in previous years has used U.N. funding to rebuild libraries in
war-stricken countries like Kosovo...
-----
LATINOS EMBRACING ISLAM, BUT 'DIRTY BOMB' CASE BRINGS UNWANTED
ATTENTION
Daniel González, Arizona Republic, 6/28/02
http://www.arizonarepublic.com/arizona/articles/0628latinomuslims
Melissa Morales, a Latina born in Puerto Rico, was eating in a local
Mexican restaurant recently when the waiter wanted to know why she
covered
her head in a long black scarf.
"Eres monjita?" the Spanish-speaking waiter asked. Are you a nun?
Her answer caught the waiter by surprise. No, she told him. Not a nun,
a
Muslim. Latinos and Islam may seem like a strange combination to most,
primarily because Catholicism is so deeply embedded in Latino culture.
But
the combination is less unusual, believers point out, in light of the
fact
that beginning in the year 711, Muslims from North Africa occupied
Spain
for more than seven centuries...
-----
RESIDENTS SAY U.S. BOMBS KILL OR WOUND SCORES AT AFGHAN WEDDING
REUTERS, 7/1/02
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-afghan-usa-bombing.html
KABUL (Reuters) - At least 30 members of an Afghan wedding party were
killed and many more wounded when a U.S. plane bombed a village in the
central province of Uruzgan on Monday, Afghan officials and residents
said.
The bombing happened at 1 a.m. Monday in a village in the rugged,
mountainous region 105 miles northeast of the southern city of
Kandahar,
residents said.
They told the local Pashtu service of the BBC at least 120 people had
been
either killed or wounded. A Defense Ministry official said celebrants
were
firing into the air, as is traditional in Pashtun weddings. "There was
no-one to help last night," resident Abdul Saboor told the BBC. "We
managed
to transfer some of the wounded to Kandahar in the morning. Some of the
foreigners' choppers also came to help..."
In Washington, the Pentagon said at least one bomb dropped by Western
warplanes had missed its target in southern Afghanistan on Monday, but
that
it could not confirm claims that members of a wedding party had been
killed.
-----
LETTERS: EQUAL TIME FOR PALESTINIANS
Washington Times, 6/30/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20020630-19955754.htm#5
Archbishop Desmond Tutu's recent words comparing Israel's treatment of
the
Palestinians to the treatment of blacks in apartheid-era South Africa
and
the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany came to mind as I read Cal
Thomas'
continuing verbal terrorism and hateful words toward Palestinians
("Terrorism gets the door," Commentary, June 28).
Let us review some basic facts: Israel has no constitution but a set of
"basic laws." These allow any Jew (including converts to Judaism) to
acquire automatic citizenship while denying it to millions of
Palestinian
refugees regardless of the fact that they were expelled from their
lands.
Land ownership laws and absentee property laws are strictly based on
"Jewishness." Jews can lease state lands while non-Jews may be barred
from
using their own lands under the absentee property laws (even if they
are
"citizens").
Israel is the only country in the world that distinguishes citizenship
from
nationality and considers all Jews, regardless of their citizenship, as
"nationals" of the state and reserves 93 percent of housing and farming
lands for their use. Israel is the only country in the world that
prohibits
any party from running in parliamentary elections if its platform
includes
advocating a pluralistic society (i.e., denying the "Jewish character"
of
the state).
Israel is the fourth strongest military power in the world and has a
stockpile of weapons of mass destruction (including nuclear weapons).
Israel used U.S.-supplied F-16s, Apache helicopters, M-1 tanks and
armored
bulldozers to raze villages. Some 70 percent of Palestinian natives
thus
were rendered refugees.
Israel is able to continue its oppression due to significant U.S. aid,
to
the tune of $10 million dollars per day of our taxes, and a U.S.
diplomatic
shield (a U.S. veto or threat of veto used to support Israel at the
United
Nations). The nonsense about personalities - whether Yasser Arafat or
Ariel
Sharon is to blame for the violence in Palestine - would be truly
laughable
except that children continue to be killed (at a ratio of four
Palestinian
children for every Israeli child) while Israeli apologists continue to
engage in these verbal exercises of blaming anti-American terrorism on
Islam, Arabs and everyone and everything except the real culprit: U.S.
support of Israeli colonization of Palestine.
MAZIN QUMSIYEH
Orange, Conn.
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTION REQUESTED:(As always, be POLITE.)
Send the Cook County Sheriff's Department a polite request that the
Muslim
deputy be offered reasonable religious accommodation.
Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan
Cook County Sheriff's Department
50 West Washington, Suite 704
Chicago, IL 60602
FAX: (312) 603-4420
E-MAIL: sheriff@cookcountysheriff.org
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ILL. SHERIFF'S DEPUTY DENIED RIGHT TO ISLAMIC SCARF
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/2/02) - A national Islamic advocacy group is
calling
on Illinois' Cook County Sheriff's Department to allow a Muslim deputy
to
wear a religiously-mandated headscarf. The Washington-based Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says sheriff's department officials
have
repeatedly denied the deputy's requests for religious accommodation,
claiming it violates uniform guidelines.
SEE: "DEPUTY SEEKS TO WEAR SCARF"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0207020215jul02.story
The woman, a Cook County Deputy Sheriff since 1993, converted to Islam
in
January of this year and began wearing an Islamic headscarf at that
time.
When she went to work wearing a scarf matching her uniform, she was
told to
file a written request for religious accommodation. (The Muslim deputy
provides security at a county courthouse.)
When the deputy did not receive a timely reply to that request, she
asked
if she could wear her scarf pending a decision. That request was
denied.
She now wears her scarf off duty and removes it while at work.
The department's denial of religious accommodation came despite the
fact
that such accommodations have been offered to employees of other
faiths.
According to an EEOC complaint, the department currently allows a
Jewish
uniformed officer to wear a yarmulke, or skullcap.
"An inflexible, and arbitrarily applied policy aimed at uniformity of
appearance is insufficient to override an individual's deeply-help
religious beliefs. America's increasing religious, cultural and ethnic
diversity requires that creative solutions be found to balance the
needs of
employers with the religious rights of employees," said CAIR Civil
Rights
Manager Joshua Salaam.
In a letter to Cook County Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan, CAIR demanded
that
his department: 1) allow the Muslim deputy to wear her Islamic
headscarf
while at work, 2) clarify its policy on religious accommodation, 3)
institute religious sensitivity training for department staff, and 4)
compensate the Muslim employee for the negative financial and emotional
impact resulting from the department's denial of religious
accommodation.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from
discriminating against individuals because of their religious beliefs
or
practices. The act requires employers to reasonably accommodate the
religious practices of an employee, unless to do so would create an
undue
hardship. CAIR publishes a booklet, "An Employer's Guide to Islamic
Religious Practices," designed to prevent these types of incidents.
There are an estimated 400,000 Muslims in the Chicago area.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, E-MAIL: cair@cair-net.org; Ms.
Hodan
Hassan, 202-488-8787, E-MAIL: hhassan@cair-net.org; Joshua Salaam,
202-488-8787, ext. 3226
-----
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To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/2/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: AVOID WHAT IS DOUBTFUL
* C-SPAN: CAIR REP. DISCUSSES MEDIA COVERAGE OF RELIGION
* ISLAMIC MARRIAGE CONTRACT UPHELD IN NEW JERSEY (NJ Law Journal)
* SOUTH ASIANS, ARABS SCOFF AT POST-9/11 'FEEL-GOOD' FACTOR (AFP)
* AFGHAN GOVT PROTESTS ATTACK, INQUIRY LAUNCHED (Reuters)
* ISRAEL BLOCKS ENTRANCE OF PEACE GROUP (MPAC)
- ISRAEL REFUSES ENTRY TO 18 AMERICANS (AP)
* IMPERIALISM IS SUDDENLY FASHIONABLE. JUST ASK THE PALESTINIANS (Time)
* RESTON WOMAN AN ADVOCATE FOR MUSLIMS (Observer)
* 9/11 CITIZENSHIP SURGE (Record)
* SECURITY FEAR CAUSES FLIGHT TO RETURN (Washington Post)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: AVOID WHAT IS DOUBTFUL
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "That which is lawful is
clear, and that which is unlawful is also quite clear. Between these
two is
that which is ambiguous, which most people do not know. One who avoids
the
doubtful safeguards his faith and his honor."
Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 588
-----
C-SPAN: CAIR REP. DISCUSSES MEDIA COVERAGE OF RELIGION
http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/cspan.csp?command=dprogram&record=157530088
Check C-SPAN schedule for re-airings. The panel discussion is currently
(5:15 p.m. Eastern) on C-SPAN 3.
-----
ISLAMIC MARRIAGE CONTRACT UPHELD IN NEW JERSEY
By Jim Edwards, New Jersey Law Journal, 7/2/02
http://www5.law.com/lawcom/displayid.cfm?statename=NJ&docnum=134290&table=news&flag=full
In New Jersey's first substantive decision on Islamic Law, a Passaic
County
judge ruled June 24 that a religious, dowry-style contract signed by
two
Muslims at their marriage is enforceable upon their divorce.
New Jersey Superior Court Judge John Selser enforced the "mahr"
(MAH-her)
that Houida Saadeh and her husband Zuhair Odatalla signed on their
wedding
day, finding that aspects of the religious code were acceptable under
"neutral principles of law." Odatalla v. Odatalla, FM-000366-01...
-----
SOUTH ASIANS, ARABS SCOFF AT POST-9/11 'FEEL-GOOD' FACTOR
GILES HEWITT, Agence France Presse, 7/2/02
NEW YORK - A poll suggesting race relations have improved in New York
since
the September 11 terror attacks has been greeted with a mixture of
disbelief and contempt by the city's South Asian and Arab populations.
The two communities became the targets of violence and racial abuse in
the
immediate aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center, and both
say
they continue to be subjected to systematic institutional and public
persecution.
The poll, published last month in the New York Times, said New Yorkers
had
become more tolerant of different ethnic and racial differences and
were
less likely to overreact to perceived injustices or prejudices.
The Times reported that 53 percent of blacks believe that race
relations in
the city are generally good, compared to 16 percent two years ago. That
view was endorsed by 56 percent of Hispanics and 69 percent of whites.
While the newspaper acknowledged that the "feel-good factor" had a
temporary foundation, South Asians and Arabs insisted that for them it
had
never even existed.
"It has literally been the worst period of repression that I recall
from
living here for the past 25 years," said Monami Maulik, who runs a
non-governmental organization, DRUM, representing both communities.
"The general climate is one of overwhelming tension and fear," Maulik
said,
adding that Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladesh and Arabs were all being
viewed
as potential terrorists.
From discrimination in the workplace to racial profiling by federal
agencies and verbal abuse on the streets, the sense of insecurity is
all-pervasive.
"There is a mass hysteria that has been created whereby you have
individual
citizens and community members who are reporting people who they think
are
suspicious," Maulik said...
-----
AFGHAN GOVT PROTESTS ATTACK, INQUIRY LAUNCHED
Denise Duclaux and Charles Aldinger, Reuters, 7/2/02
BAGRAM, Afghanistan/WASHINGTON, July 2 (Reuters) - The Afghan
government
protested on Tuesday over the reported killing of 40 civilians,
including a
wedding party, by U.S. planes tracking down Taliban militants and urged
the
U.S. military to be more careful in its targeting.
Pentagon officials, however, did not accept blame, saying their
aircraft
believed they were under attack and an investigation was under way.
An Afghan and U.S. team arrived at the site to investigate the reports,
which came as forces scoured the mountainous central province of
Uruzgan
for Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, who was born close to the
bombed
village.
Afghan officials said wedding guests near the village of Deh Rawud were
firing into the air -- a tradition in Pashtun weddings -- when they
were
mistakenly bombed by U.S. forces.
"The number is some 40 people killed, all civilians, and some 100
people
wounded," Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah told a news conference.
"In
one village, there was a wedding party...a whole family of 25 people.
No
single person was left alive. This is the extent of the damage."
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters at the Pentagon the
investigation could take "another day or two to come up with facts that
could be useful."
"There cannot be the use of that kind of firepower and not have
mistakes
and errant weapons exist," he said. "It's going to happen. It always
has
and I'm afraid it always will..."
-----
ISRAEL BLOCKS ENTRANCE OF PEACE GROUP
Muslim Public Affairs Council, 7/2/02
http://www.mpac.org
Following a pattern of blocking humanitarian and peace workers from the
Palestinian territories, Israel has denied an American delegation entry
into the region. The Interfaith Peace Delegation organized by the
Fellowship of Reconciliation and the Muslim Public Affairs Council is
comprised of American Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Quakers who
arrived in
Tel Aviv on July 1st with a mission of peace.
Upon arrival, they were detained and deported except for two of the
delegates who had dual Israeli and American citizenship. The Israeli
government refuses to present the reasons for deportation as they
continually deport international peace and humanitarian workers.
Despite
letters of support from Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Congressman
Sam
Farr (D-CA), the General Counselor of the United States Embassy in Tel
Aviv
remained unhelpful and explained that the U.S. government does not have
the
power to intervene on behalf of American citizens and defers to Israeli
government interests.
The United States government provides extensive diplomatic, military,
and
financial support to Israel but remains powerless in decisions made
about
American citizens in the region. This is the second time in two weeks
that
Israel has deported American Peace Activists traveling to the region.
Israel is denying American Jews, Muslims, and Christians access to
sacred
religious holy sites as well as a first-hand look at the realities of
the
conflict. An investigation into Israeli violations of human rights and
international law must be conducted immediately as the Israeli
government
continuously refuses international monitors and peace workers entrance.
Meanwhile, the United States government must take a more active role in
ensuring that humanitarian and peace workers can do the necessary work
within the region.
SEE ALSO:
ISRAEL REFUSES ENTRY TO 18 AMERICANS
Ramit Plushnick-Masti, Associated Press, 7/2/02
JERUSALEM - Israel barred 18 Americans from entering the country and
put
them on a flight back to the United States on Tuesday as part of a
policy
of refusing entry to foreigners who want to show solidarity with the
Palestinians.
The Americans arrived at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion Airport on Monday with
the
aim of going to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Interior Ministry
spokeswoman Tova Ellison said.
The U.S. group included naturalized citizens born in Pakistan, Egypt
and
Iraq, she said. Two members of the U.S. group were admitted entry
because
they have Israeli citizenship. A British citizen traveling with the
Americans was put on a flight back to Britain...
Early in June, Israel barred a group of 20 U.S. Muslims from entering
the
country. In another case, eight foreigners, among them a Jordanian
journalist and two U.S. citizens, were expelled after troops caught
them in
the Balata refugee camp making a solidarity visit with Palestinians.
-----
IMPERIALISM IS SUDDENLY FASHIONABLE. JUST ASK THE PALESTINIANS
By Michael Elliott, Time, 7/2/02
http://www.time.com/time/columnist/elliott/article/0,9565,269939,00.html
If you're nostalgic for gin slings, parasols and fly whisks, the White
House Rose Garden was the place to be last week. The speech that
President
Bush gave on the Middle East could have been delivered by a colonial
governor. As if the Palestinians were hapless natives, Bush set out the
conditions they had to meet before winning approval from the Great
White
Father.
Imperialism is back in vogue. With global stability threatened by
failed
states (or near states) like Afghanistan and Palestine, the literature
on
international affairs is suddenly ripe with articles whose authors seem
to
be channeling Rudyard Kipling. "A new imperial moment has arrived,"
Sebastian Mallaby, a columnist for the Washington Post, wrote in
Foreign
Affairs this year, "and by virtue of its power, America is bound to
play
the leading role..."
And now comes Bush, setting out, in the way that colonial powers once
did,
the steps the Palestinians must take before the U.S. will recognize a
Palestinian state: find new leaders, write a constitution, establish a
market economy and more. All the President needs is a solar toupee and
a
cut-glass English accent...
Palestinians could be forgiven for thinking that their shortcomings
have
been singled out for harsh treatment. Palestine, said Bush, needs a
"new
constitution" and reform based on "market economics." That's hard to
argue
with, given the shambolic state of the Palestinian Authority, but
Israel
doesn't have a written constitution and for decades had one of the most
socialized economies outside the Soviet bloc. Yet one struggles to
remember
an American President making aid to Israel incumbent on reform of the
labor
laws...
-----
RESTON WOMAN AN ADVOCATE FOR MUSLIMS
By Eden Schneider, Observer, 6/28/02
http://www.observernews.com/stories/current/news/062802/omar.shtml
When the latest edition of Azizah Magazine was released last spring,
the
cover model was not a glamorous femme fatale with glossy hair and
crystal
blue eyes, but a 27-year-old Palestinian-American with bright, black
eyes
and a pale blue headscarf, symbolizing her faith as a Muslim.
Manal Omar, who lives in Reston and who grew up in Northern Virginia
after
her parents emigrated from Palestine, was the fifth cover girl for
Azizah
Magazine, a new international publication designed by and for Muslim
women.
Cover models, chosen as examples of strong, committed women, all wear a
head covering, although they vary by individual taste, culture, and
tradition.
Omar, an economic researcher at the World Bank, said she was honored to
be
profiled in the magazine, but doesn't believe her life or achievements
are
exceptional.
Her interest in locally based advocacy has brought her attention as a
cultural and political liaison for the Northern Virginia Muslim
community
after the September 11 attacks. When Muslim businesses and homes in
Leesburg and Herndon were raided in March of this year, Omar helped
organize a town hall-style meeting to address concerns of safety and
freedoms. A member of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Herndon,
she
has been a panelist for local discussion groups and works to promote
religious, social, and political freedoms in both the immediate area
and
worldwide...
-----
9/11 CITIZENSHIP SURGE
Elizabeth Llorente, The Record (Bergen County, NJ), 7/1/02
http://www.bergen.com/cgi-bin/page.pl?id=4122843
Maria Ospina grew up on pizza, Michael Jackson tunes, and "Karate Kid"
movies. Only 3 when she left Spain more than two decades ago, she
glides
through English, but stumbles over Spanish. Though she has not become a
U.S. citizen, she is used to being treated like a full-fledged
American.
But that changed on Sept. 11. Since then, Ospina, a legal U.S.
resident,
has met icy reactions whenever she mentions her citizenship status.
When
she tried to renew her driver's license in November, she found that the
Division of Motor Vehicles had a new anti-terrorism policy that
required
non-citizens to visit locations where their documents could be
scrutinized
with special care.
"The DMV incident was upsetting. I felt singled out, not wanted in this
country," Ospina says. "I always felt that as long as I followed all
the
laws, respected the country, and paid my taxes, I would be treated
fairly
as a legal resident. Why is that now not enough?"
Immigration experts say some foreigners are becoming citizens out of
fear
that they will fall prey to sweeping new security measures.
Various national regulations adopted after Sept. 11 give authorities
broad
powers to arrest and detain non-citizens, including legal immigrants,
who
are suspected of supporting terrorism. Some laws forbid non-citizens
from
holding jobs - -such as airport baggage screening - -now considered
crucial
to national security.
Following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon,
President
Bush issued an order allowing special military tribunals, instead of
regular courts, to try any non-citizen suspected of aiding terrorists.
The
defendant could be denied access to the evidence against him.
Other laws allow for the indefinite detention and deportation of
non-citizens deemed to be national security risks. And a federal law
passed
last fall barred non-citizens from working as airport screeners.
Sponsors
of the bill argued that the screening would be more reliable if it
involved
only U.S. citizens.
In many states, DMV offices are copying and cross-checking the
identification documents of non-citizens with immigration and Social
Security authorities. Critics of these measures say legal immigrants
have
come to build a life in the United States, and should not be scapegoats
in
anti-terrorism efforts.
"The distinction in the war on terrorism should not be drawn between
and
non-citizens," says Michele Waslin of the National Council of La Raza,
the
nation's largest Latino civil rights group. "The people who carried out
the
Oklahoma City bombing, the mailbox pipebombs, and [planned] a dirty
bomb
were U.S. citizens...
-----
SECURITY FEAR CAUSES FLIGHT TO RETURN
Sara Kehaulani Goo, Washington Post, 7/2/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10758-2002Jul1.html
A United Airlines flight bound for Baltimore-Washington International
Airport turned around midflight Saturday after the airline realized
that
the name of one passenger was on the FBI's "watch list."
About one hour after Flight 249 left San Francisco International
Airport,
the pilot told passengers that the plane was returning to San Francisco
because of an electrical problem, according to a passenger on board.
In fact, the airline realized as the plane was somewhere between Reno
and
Salt Lake City that it failed to scrutinize a passenger named Mohammed
Ahmed, whose name was on the FBI list, according to the Transportation
Security Administration. [CAIR NOTE: "Mohammed Ahmed" is the Muslim
equivalent of "John Smith."]
Once the plane landed safely, the 161 passengers on board were asked to
board another 757. Airline employees and the San Francisco Police
Department took Ahmed aside and, after confirming his identification,
decided he was not the man on the list, according to TSA and airline
officials. He boarded a later flight. Security experts said the case
highlights the federal government's uncoordinated approach to sharing
intelligence and keeping a watch on suspicious persons or terrorists at
the
airport...
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MUSLIM GROUP CONDEMNS ILL. YARMULKE BAN
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/3/02) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) today condemned a decision by Illinois' Cook County Sheriff's
Department to strip police powers from an Orthodox Jewish deputy after
he
refused to remove his yarmulke, or religious skullcap, while on duty.
The Washington-based Islamic advocacy group says it has offered to take
up
the case of the Jewish deputy, who was reassigned to clerical duties
one
day after CAIR offered public support for a Muslim deputy who is being
denied the right to wear an Islamic headscarf. Sheriff's department
officials say both deputies are in violation of uniform guidelines.
SEE: "DEPUTY'S YARMULKE BANNED"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0207030274jul03.story
"It is unconscionable that instead of abiding by the legal requirement
for
reasonable religious accommodation of a Muslim employee, the Cook
County
Sheriff's Department chose to deny the religious rights of a Jewish
deputy.
The fact that the Jewish deputy had been wearing his religious head
covering for two years without a problem indicates this was an
arbitrary
and unjustifiable decision," said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim
Hooper.
"Will the department now bar Catholic deputies from putting ashes on
their
foreheads during Ash Wednesday?" asked Hooper. He said many Muslims
from
across the nation have already contacted the sheriff's department to
express their concerns about the headscarf ban.
The Muslim deputy, a Cook County Deputy Sheriff since 1993, converted
to
Islam in January of this year and began wearing an Islamic headscarf at
that time. When she went to work wearing a scarf matching her uniform,
she
was told to file a written request for religious accommodation. (The
Muslim
deputy, like her Jewish counterpart, provides security at a county
courthouse.) When the deputy did not receive a timely reply to that
request, she asked if she could wear her scarf pending a decision. That
request was denied. She now wears her scarf off duty and removes it
while
at work.
CAIR demanded that the Cook County Sheriff's Department: 1) allow the
Muslim deputy to wear her Islamic headscarf while at work, 2) clarify
its
policy on religious accommodation, 3) institute religious sensitivity
training for department staff, and 4) compensate the Muslim employee
for
the negative financial and emotional impact resulting from the
department's
denial of religious accommodation.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from
discriminating against individuals because of their religious beliefs
or
practices. The act requires employers to reasonably accommodate the
religious practices of an employee, unless to do so would create an
undue
hardship. CAIR publishes a booklet, "An Employer's Guide to Islamic
Religious Practices," designed to prevent these types of incidents.
There
are an estimated 400,000 Muslims in the Chicago area.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, E-MAIL: cair@cair-net.org; Ms.
Hodan
Hassan (Communications Coordinator), 202-488-8787, E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org; Joshua Salaam (Civil Rights Manager),
202-488-8787,
ext. 3226, E-MAIL: jsalaam@cair-net.org
-----
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http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTION REQUESTED:(As always, be POLITE.)
Send the Cook County Sheriff's Department a polite request that
deputies of
all faiths be offered reasonable religious accommodation.
Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan
Cook County Sheriff's Department
50 West Washington, Suite 704
Chicago, IL 60602
TEL: (312) 443-5500
FAX: (312) 603-4420
E-MAIL: sheriff@cookcountysheriff.org
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MUSLIM GROUP CONDEMNS ILL. YARMULKE BAN
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/3/02) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) today condemned a decision by Illinois' Cook County Sheriff's
Department to strip police powers from an Orthodox Jewish deputy after
he
refused to remove his yarmulke, or religious skullcap, while on duty.
The Washington-based Islamic advocacy group says it has offered to take
up
the case of the Jewish deputy, who was reassigned to clerical duties
one
day after CAIR offered public support for a Muslim deputy who is being
denied the right to wear an Islamic headscarf. Sheriff's department
officials say both deputies are in violation of uniform guidelines.
SEE: "DEPUTY'S YARMULKE BANNED"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0207030274jul03.story
"It is unconscionable that instead of abiding by the legal requirement
for
reasonable religious accommodation of a Muslim employee, the Cook
County
Sheriff's Department chose to deny the religious rights of a Jewish
deputy.
The fact that the Jewish deputy had been wearing his religious head
covering for two years without a problem indicates this was an
arbitrary
and unjustifiable decision," said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim
Hooper.
"Will the department now bar Catholic deputies from putting ashes on
their
foreheads during Ash Wednesday?" asked Hooper. He said many Muslims
from
across the nation have already contacted the sheriff's department to
express their concerns about the headscarf ban.
The Muslim deputy, a Cook County Deputy Sheriff since 1993, converted
to
Islam in January of this year and began wearing an Islamic headscarf at
that time. When she went to work wearing a scarf matching her uniform,
she
was told to file a written request for religious accommodation. (The
Muslim
deputy, like her Jewish counterpart, provides security at a county
courthouse.) When the deputy did not receive a timely reply to that
request, she asked if she could wear her scarf pending a decision. That
request was denied. She now wears her scarf off duty and removes it
while
at work.
CAIR demanded that the Cook County Sheriff's Department: 1) allow the
Muslim deputy to wear her Islamic headscarf while at work, 2) clarify
its
policy on religious accommodation, 3) institute religious sensitivity
training for department staff, and 4) compensate the Muslim employee
for
the negative financial and emotional impact resulting from the
department's
denial of religious accommodation.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from
discriminating against individuals because of their religious beliefs
or
practices. The act requires employers to reasonably accommodate the
religious practices of an employee, unless to do so would create an
undue
hardship. CAIR publishes a booklet, "An Employer's Guide to Islamic
Religious Practices," designed to prevent these types of incidents.
There
are an estimated 400,000 Muslims in the Chicago area.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, E-MAIL: cair@cair-net.org; Ms.
Hodan
Hassan (Communications Coordinator), 202-488-8787, E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org; Joshua Salaam (Civil Rights Manager),
202-488-8787,
ext. 3226, E-MAIL: jsalaam@cair-net.org
-----
To SUBSCRIBE to or UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/3/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: THOSE SHELTERED BY GOD
* CAIR-NY VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE DINNER
* INCITEMENT WATCH: "IT'S A WAR BETWEEN GOD AND THE DEVIL"
(Star-Telegram)
* SAN JOSE WOMAN CONVICTED OF HATE CRIME (San Francisco Chronicle)
* IS NATAN SHARANSKY WORKING IN THE WHITE HOUSE SPEECHWRITING OFFICE?
(Washington Post)
* LETTERS: UNCIVILIZED COURSE (Patriot News)
* SMITHSONIAN SHOWS HAMZA PAINTINGS (AP)
* ANTHRAX? THE F.B.I. YAWNS (New York Times)
* TOWNHALL MEETING ON CIVIL RIGHTS AT PA STATE CAPITOL
* AFGHAN PARTY LIKE SLAUGHTER HOUSE AFTER ATTACK (Reuters)
* INDIAN MUSLIMS FEAR FRESH VIOLENCE IN HINDU PROCESSION (Reuters)
* AFT CALLS FOR FAIR TREATMENT AND PROTECTION OF RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH
IN
FLORIDA ACADEMIC FREEDOM CASE (U.S. Newswire)
* MEDICAL HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE IN TURKEY (Doctors Worldwide)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: THOSE SHELTERED BY GOD
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Seven kinds of people
will
be sheltered under the shade of God on the Day of Judgment...They are:
a
just ruler, a young man who passed his youth in the worship and service
of
God...one whose heart is attached to the mosque...two people who love
each
other for the sake of God...a man who is invited to sin...but declines,
saying 'I fear God'...one who spends his charity in secret, without
making
a show...and one who remembers God in solitude so that his eyes
overflow."
Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 376
-----
CAIR-NY VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE DINNER
WHEN: SATURDAY, July 27, 2002 at 6:00 P.M.
WHERE: Muslim American Society Youth Center, 933 Bath Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Tel. 718 232 5905
WHO: CAIR-NY 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 246 New York, New York 10115
TEL: (212) 870-2002, FAX: (212) 870-2020
URL: www.cair-ny.com
E-MAIL: cair-ny@cair-ny.com
For Reservation Mail $50.00 Per Person Check/Money Order to CAIR-NY at
Above Address.
-----
INCITEMENT WATCH: "IT'S A WAR BETWEEN GOD AND THE DEVIL"
HINN FINDS AUDIENCE FOR CRITICISM OF ISLAM
By Darren Barbee and Josh Shaffer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7/3/02
http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/3591373.htm
With a voice like a conquering general, Benny Hinn walked to the edge
of
the stage and proclaimed to thousands of worshippers, "The Muslim
population is going down!"
Cheers erupted like thunder.
The applause grew louder when the celebrated faith healer invited an
Israeli tourism official on stage and offered his support to the
war-torn
country.
"We are on God's side," Hinn said. "This is not a war between Arabs and
Jews. It's a war between God and the devil."
Several area ministers, joining the Grapevine-based Pentecostal on
stage
last week at American Airlines Center in Dallas, clapped and nodded
their
approval. The line between Christians and Muslims, they said later, is
the
difference between good and evil.
Scholars believe their condemnation points to a growing intolerance
among
Christian denominations. They see more of the faithful drifting to
conservative camps, drawn by the easy explanations of a world divided
neatly between friends and foes. And since the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks,
Muslims are increasingly being pushed into the evil category.
"This is all part of a very depressing pattern in right-wing and
evangelical circles," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Dallas
chapter
of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "The demonizing of Islam.
The
actual call for the elimination of Islam. It's disturbing."
The shift to the right among Christians can be traced to the same
political
drift toward conservatism, said Ronald Flowers, a religion professor at
Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.
Those who are drawn to fundamentalism tend to seek an uncomplicated,
old-fashioned world with enemies that can be easily identified, he
said.
"It's a search for certainty in an uncertain world," Flowers said. "The
fact that Muslims and Christians worship the same God seems to escape
these
people..."
-----
SAN JOSE WOMAN CONVICTED OF HATE CRIME
Henry K. Lee, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/2/02
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/07/02/MN167460.DTL
A woman has been convicted of a hate crime for plowing her car into a
man
of Middle Eastern descent, using derogatory slurs, spitting on him,
biting
his hand and kicking him at a San Jose intersection, a prosecutor said
today.
Angel Ann Coley, 28, of San Jose was found guilty Monday by a Santa
Clara
County Superior Court jury for confronting Mohammed Aram, 31, of
Sunnyvale
at First and Julian streets in November.
Coley faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state
prison on charges of a hate crime resulting in injury, misdemeanor
hit-and-run, threats to commit crime resulting in death or great bodily
injury and battery.
"He was really just at the wrong place at the wrong time with someone
with
so much anger," Deputy District Attorney Erin West said today. "He was
scared to death. It was a severe beating. It went on and on."
Coley was found guilty by a seven-man, five-woman jury that deliberated
about 90 minutes over two days, after a daylong trial in San Jose
before
Judge Richard Loftus of Santa Clara County Superior Court...
Helal Omeira, executive director for the Council on American Islamic
Relations' Northern California chapter in Santa Clara, said today that
he
was heartened by the conviction.
"Although the incident is unfortunate, I think that the judicial system
took its course," Omeira said. "She was convicted of something really
heinous."
Omeira said Aram is of Egyptian descent and was three months from
becoming
a U.S. citizen at the time...
-----
IS NATAN SHARANSKY WORKING IN THE WHITE HOUSE SPEECHWRITING OFFICE?
Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 7/2/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11253-2002Jul1.html
Is Natan Sharansky working in the White House speechwriting office?
Sharansky, Israel's housing minister and deputy prime minister, is the
former Soviet dissident and head of a right-wing Russian-immigrant
party.
But by coincidence -- or something more -- the Israeli-Palestinian
peace
plan Sharansky published in the Jerusalem Post on May 3 sounds a lot
like
the peace proposal Bush delivered in the Rose Garden on June 24.
"The time has come for new leadership" for the Palestinians, Sharansky
wrote. "The Palestinians must be encouraged to form an open and free
society that is not burdened by the fear, hatred, and terror that have
been
sown in recent years by Arafat and his leadership."
Here's Bush's version: "Peace requires a new and different Palestinian
leadership so that a Palestinian state can be born. I call on the
Palestinian people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by
terror."
Sharansky wrote that his seven-point plan "cannot happen overnight" and
called for a "three-year transition period."
Bush, in turn, said a final agreement "could be reached within three
years
from now..."
Speechwriting director Michael Gerson did not return a phone call
asking
about the coincidence.
-----
LETTERS: UNCIVILIZED COURSE
Patriot News, 7/3/02
http://www.pennlive.com/letters/patriotnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/102568871868720.xml
President Bush says terrorists hate America for her values and detest
the "civilized" world and want to destroy it.
George W. Bush needs to wipe the sleep from his eyes and recognize that
by
sidling up to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, his "Man of Peace" follows a
course anything but civilized.
The Israeli government has the Palestinian people on the mat with a
tight
hold on the societal jugular. Institutional records in the Palestinian
cities and villages have been destroyed and their offices trashed
and/or
flattened by bulldozers. Their roads for commerce or health services
are
barricaded and closed. Dialysis patients and delivering mothers are
turned
back at check points.
Families huddle in their homes awaiting the American-made bulldozer,
the
American-made helicopter gunship, or the IDF rooftop sniper if they
venture
onto the street or their balcony, Education and employment are not
possible. Water has been diverted to the settlements or the pipes
destroyed. Land is confiscated daily as settlers expand their turf.
President Bush smiles and tells us that he "learns a lot" when Ariel
Sharon
visits the White House. Another TV channel shows congressmen as they
joke
and banter with Sharon over a meal together... Each keeps the other
side's
game going.
The American taxpayers need to get the message behind the rhetoric; our
support for Sharon 's policy is not civilized behavior. The message
implies: "Keep terrorism going." Why?
K. ELAYNE McCLANEN Sandy Springs, Md.
-----
SMITHSONIAN SHOWS HAMZA PAINTINGS
CARL HARTMAN, Associated Press, 7/3/02
http://www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/hamza/
WASHINGTON (AP)- A descendant of Genghis Khan, he was one of India's
greatest conquerors. In later life he tried to found his own religion,
but
as a teen-ager the Emperor Akbar loved the fantastic legends about the
figure of Hamza, the Prophet Muhammad's uncle.
Hamza was an inspiring missionary for Islam. One story tells how a
follower
of his converted two brothers by grabbing an elephant around the belly
and
lifting it into the air.
Hamza and his friends confronted giants, demons, sorcerers, dragons and
the
great sea-monster called a leviathan, usually winning out with
considerable
bloodshed...
The Smithsonian Institution's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery has put on
display
61 of the approximately 200 illustrations that survive, gathered from
museums and private collections in Europe and America. It's the largest
number seen together in recent times, and few have been to the United
States before...
"The Adventures of Hamza" will be at the Sackler through Sept. 29.
Admission is free. Later it will be seen at the Brooklyn Museum of Art,
London's Royal Academy of Arts and the Museum Rietberg in Zurich,
Switzerland.
-----
ANTHRAX? THE F.B.I. YAWNS
Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times, 7/2/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/02/opinion/02KRIS.html
The F.B.I.'s bumbling before 9/11 is water under the bridge. But the
bureau's lackadaisical ineptitude in pursuing the anthrax killer
continues
to threaten America's national security by permitting him to strike
again
or, more likely, to flee to Iran or North Korea.
Almost everyone who has encountered the F.B.I. anthrax investigation is
aghast at the bureau's lethargy. Some in the biodefense community think
they know a likely culprit, whom I'll call Mr. Z. Although the bureau
has
polygraphed Mr. Z, searched his home twice and interviewed him four
times,
it has not placed him under surveillance or asked its outside
handwriting
expert to compare his writing to that on the anthrax letters.
This is part of a larger pattern. Astonishingly, the F.B.I. allowed the
destruction of anthrax stocks at Iowa State University, losing what
might
have been valuable genetic clues. Then it waited until December to open
the
intact anthrax envelope it found. The F.B.I. didn't obtain anthrax
strains
from various labs for comparison until March, and the testing is still
not
complete. The bureau did not systematically polygraph scientists at two
suspect labs, Fort Detrick, Md., and Dugway Proving Ground in Utah,
until a
month ago...
If Mr. Z were an Arab national, he would have been imprisoned long ago.
But
he is a true-blue American with close ties to the U.S. Defense
Department,
the C.I.A. and the American biodefense program...
-----
TOWNHALL MEETING ON CIVIL RIGHTS AT PA STATE CAPITOL
Civil Rights Groups Join to Discuss Public Safety and Civil Liberties
WHAT: Ms. Paula D. Harris, President of the Greater Harrisburg Chapter
of
National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will
moderate a townhall meeting to discuss the myriad of legislation,
justice
department initiatives and media attitudes relating to safety and civil
liberties. The Central PA chapter of Council on American-Islamic
Relations
(CAIR-CPA), the Greater Harrisburg chapter of the American
Civil-Liberties
Union (ACLU) and the Institute for Cultural Partnership (ICP) will
co-sponsor the program. All concerned citizens are being cordially
invited
to attend this public meeting.
Panelists for this program will be representative of the communities
across
Pennsylvania. The Gubernatorial candidates for the Pennsylvania, Mayor
Rendell and Attorney General Fisher are also being invited to
participate
in the meeting.
The town hall meeting will be aired live on Pennsylvania Cable Network
(PCN). Please check local listings for details.
WHEN: Monday, July 15, 2002 - 6:00-7:30 p.m.
WHERE: East Wing Rotunda of Pennsylvania State Capitol Building, Third
and
State Streets, Harrisburg, PA
CONTACT: Ms. Paula D. Harris
Phone: 717.233.2664
Email: paulaharrisusa@netscape.net
Dr. Saleh Malik
Phone: 717.732.3330
Email: drsalehmalik@aol.com
-----
AFGHAN PARTY LIKE SLAUGHTER HOUSE AFTER ATTACK
Denise Duclaux and Saeed Ali Achakzai, Reuters, 7/3/02
BAGRAM/KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - An Afghan wedding party looked like a
slaughter house after being attacked by U.S. warplanes this week,
survivors
said on Wednesday.
"I saw bodies flying like straws," said Haleema, an old woman brought
to
hospital in Kandahar. "I had to jump over six bodies to escape."
U.S. military investigators arrived in the remote village in central
Afghanistan to determine what had happened. Accompanied by two Afghan
government ministers, several tribal elders and an embassy staffer,
they
spent two hours at the site.
Anger over the incident grew among Afghans, a factor which could
complicate
the task of the U.S. military as it tracks down al Qaeda and Taliban
fugitives hiding in the countryside.
The Afghan government says wedding guests near the village of Deh Rawud
were firing into the air -- a tradition at Pashtun weddings -- when
they
were mistakenly bombed by U.S. forces...
"A piece of iron sliced the woman's neck in front of me," said Naseema,
a
15-year-old girl, told Reuters in hospital in the city of Kandahar
where
she had been brought for treatment. "In a split second her head was not
on
her body."
Another woman, who declined to give her name, said: "It was like an
abattoir. There was blood everywhere. There was smoke and dirt all
around,
and people were running helter skelter. It was a doomsday scene."
The bride and groom were thought to have died in the raid, but the
groom
showed up on Wednesday to meet investigators who arrived to look into
the
incident, according to a pool report filed by U.S. forces magazine
Stars
and Stripes.
The groom, identified as Malick, told a reporter that he and his
fiancee
were due to be married the following day, and had been in a different
village when the planes struck.
He said he came back to find 25 members of his family dead, including
his
father and several brothers and sisters...
-----
INDIAN MUSLIMS FEAR FRESH VIOLENCE IN HINDU PROCESSION
By Thomas Kutty Abraham, Reuters, 7/3/02
AHMEDABAD, India, July 3 (Reuters) - A Hindu religious procession in
India's riot-torn western state of Gujarat next week, which is expected
to
draw thousands of devotees, could spark new religious clashes, Muslim
leaders said on Wednesday.
Traditional chariot processions called rath yatras will trundle through
Ahmedabad, Gujarat's largest city, and other parts of the state on July
12,
in an annual ritual to mark the birth of the god Jagannath.
The processions, which pass through predominantly Muslim areas, have in
the
past triggered Hindu-Muslim clashes in Ahmedabad as devotees armed with
swords, tridents and spears atop chariots and trucks shouted
anti-Muslim
slogans.
"If there is another round (of riots), it will be worse than what
happened
after Godhra," said shopkeeper Mohammed Salim. "I am pleading to Allah
daily that the rath yatra goes off peacefully..."
-----
AFT CALLS FOR FAIR TREATMENT AND PROTECTION OF RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH IN
FLORIDA ACADEMIC FREEDOM CASE
U.S. Newswire, 7/3/02
WASHINGTON, July 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The American Federation of
Teachers
sent a letter to University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft
calling on the university to "honor the faculty contract, follow due
process, uphold the right to academic freedom and protect the
constitutional right of free speech." The 1.2 million-member union,
which
represents faculty at USF, has found that "the principles of academic
freedom and due process, encompassed in university policy and the
collective bargaining agreement, are at risk of being violated" in the
case
of Professor Sami Al-Arian, a computer science professor who has been
threatened with firing because of his political views.
Al-Arian is a tenured computer science professor who has been an
activist
in Palestinian causes. He became a controversial figure for statements
he
made during an appearance on the Fox News program The O'Reilly Factor,
following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Claiming
that Al-Arian's presence on campus posed a threat to students and
faculty,
Genshaft placed him on paid leave in February pending a decision on
termination.
The letter to Genshaft stresses that while the AFT has taken strong
positions in support of the State of Israel and the nation's war on
terrorism, the issue goes beyond the politics of the Middle East.
"This is
about the freedom that we enjoy as Americans, the free speech
guaranteed us
in the Constitution, the long tradition of academic freedom on campus
and
the right to due process guaranteed by a union contract," said AFT Vice
President William Scheuerman.
The American Federation of Teachers represents 125,000 college and
university faculty throughout the United States, more than any other
union.
The Florida Education Association and the United Faculty of Florida are
jointly affiliated with both the AFT and the National Education
Association.
------
MEDICAL HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE IN TURKEY
Doctors Worldwide supports the decision of Turkish Human rights
organisations to take Istanbul University Hospital`s administrators to
court over the death of 72 year old Medine Ercan last week.
Hospital administrators at the hospital had denied the seriously ill
lady
life-saving dialysis because they insisted this frail lady reproduce
her
medical card but without a head scarf.
This inhuman act, in direct contravention of the Geneva Declaration
came as
a direct result of a decision made by the University Chancellor only a
few
weeks earlier. The university hospital thus became the sole hospital in
Turkey to deny treatment to any women simply for wearing a head scarf
on
their medical card.
Hospital doctors were forced to turn the lady away, despite her grave
condition, as they feared repercussions from the administration if they
treated her.
Doctors Worldwide also urges the Turkish Government to intervene and
halt
this draconian and ultimately fatal decision made by the University.
Doctors Worldwide (DWW) is a charity dedicated to the provision of
comprehensive medical relief worldwide PO Box 325 Stockport SK4 5YG
United
Kingdom
E-Mail: info@doctorsworldwide.org Website: www.doctorsworldwide.org
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS 7/5/2002
HEADLINES:
* LATINO MUSLIMS BUILD IDENTITY (Chicago Tribune)
* THE VOA FOLLIES (Antiwar.com)
* FOR ARAB-AMERICANS, A 7/4 FOR RECALLING 9/11 (New York Times)
- PASSENGER PROFILING SCRUTINIZED (AP)
- SOME MUSLIMS AVOID JULY 4 EVENTS (AP)
- GO FOURTH AND ENJOY, N.Y. URGED (New York Daily News)
- IT'S OUR FOURTH OF JULY, TOO (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
* LOS ANGELES AIRPORT SHOOTING KILLS 3 (CNN)
- ISRAELIS JUMP THE GUN (Antiwar.com)
* JEWS HIT SHERIFF'S BAN ON YARMULKES (Chicago Tribune)
-----
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-----
LATINO MUSLIMS BUILD IDENTITY
An Islamic conference hopes to give greater voice to a developing group
that lacks a large cultural background or network in the Chicago area
James Janega, Chicago Tribune, 7/5/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0207050024jul05.story
Yolanda Rodriguez considers herself a Muslim first, then Mexican-
American,
but on her regular walks down 18th Street in Chicago, she does not wear
a
hijab, the traditional head covering worn by many Muslim women.
Well known in the Pilsen community as general manager of Radio Arte, a
youth-oriented offshoot of the Mexican Fine Arts Center offering
Spanish-language radio experience, Rodriguez, 33, often finds herself
negotiating between her public persona and her personal faith.
She is comfortable in both worlds, but has chosen not to make her
religious
beliefs stand out. At least, not for now.
That decision is common among Chicago's Latino Muslim population, a
group
consisting of perhaps tens of thousands of Spanish-speaking individuals
who
share Islam, but privately, without an overarching network or broad
cultural background to support them.
Among more established Muslim groups in Chicago and nationwide,
however, a
growing conviction has emerged that this subset of American Islam
deserves
a greater voice. One sign is that issues particular to Latino Muslims
will
headline a series of lectures and presentations at an Islamic Society
of
North America convention beginning in Chicago Friday.
"The phenomenon is so big, but it's not unified. It's not in one place,
they don't know each other," said Sayyid M. Sayeed, secretary general
of
the society. The convention at the Holiday Inn O'Hare in Rosemont will
feature lectures on Islamic literature in Spanish, religious education
for
Latino Muslims, and profiles on Islam within various Latino cultures.
"There may be thousands, but we don't have a sense of them," Sayeed
said.
"This is our way of providing a forum for those of them who are
Muslims--they can come and share and interact and discuss their
problems
and issues…"
More established populations of Latino Muslims in Los Angeles and New
York
City have their own cultural centers and community support groups. In
Chicago, activities are coordinated through informal webs of
individuals.
Entrance into those networks is often gained through personal
introductions, and often by chance meetings. Few know precisely who or
how
many are in the groups, or how exactly to contact them.
Nevertheless, their existence is invaluable to Latino converts, said
Rami
Nashashibi, director of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network on West
63rd
Street. His storefront religious center acts as an informal
clearinghouse,
introducing this teen to that mentor, or this Islamic group to that
neighborhood association or religious printer. People, Latinos
included,
literally walk in off the street...
Also taking notice are established Muslim organizations like the
predominantly African-American Muslim American Society, said Ayesha K.
Mustafaa, editor of the Muslim Journal in Chicago.
Cultural centers affiliated with the society have begun deliberate
efforts
to reach out to the expanding Spanish-speaking populations who live on
the
West and Southwest Sides.
Edmund Arroyo, 27, a school social worker who married an Indian Muslim,
said Hispanic Muslims in America cannot yet draw on a distinct culture
of
their own for comfort.
"People ask, `What's Latino Muslim culture like?' And really, it hasn't
been created yet," Arroyo said. "We're just kind of figuring out what
it
is, exactly, that works..."
-----
THE VOA FOLLIES
'Voice of America' loses a writer and the War Party gains a martyr
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html
The neocons are up in arms one of their own has been fired from his
position as a "journalist" at the Voice of America and may be on his
way to
becoming the Mumia Abu Jamal of the War Party. The cause of Stephen
Schwartz, a writer formerly known as "Comrade Sandalio," has been taken
up
by William Safire and Ronald Radosh. In a column berating the
"accommodationist" US State Department supposedly in control of VOA
whose
news director is under the illusion that he heads up a real
news-gathering
organization, instead of a propaganda arm of the US government Safire
writes:
"An excuse may be leaked, but I think the real reason is ironic: the
former
San Francisco Chronicle reporter is an outspoken dissenter from the
news
director's views. Schwartz, a contributor to the conservative Weekly
Standard, is critical of Saudi and Syrian support of terror."
But it sounds like Safire may be all-too-aware of the real real reason
Schwartz was kicked out…I've known the voluble Schwartz for years. He
used
to be a local "character" here in the Bay Area, whose antics are best
exemplified in a May 6, 1987 story in the San Francisco Examiner:
"When 'New Age Rightist' Stephen Schwartz discovered graffiti calling
him
'the philosophical whore of North Beach,' the former Trotskyite turned
red
with rage. He uncapped his felt-tipped pen and was printing a reply to
the
scurrilous scribblings when he was busted by Mayor Feinstein's
anti-graffiti police squad on a charge of malicious mischief, defacing
the
wall of a Vallejo Street construction site.
"Schwartz...has demanded a trial to exonerate his exercise of free
speech.
"'I was just going to answer that I was not the philosophical whore of
North Beach,' said Schwartz, 37."
Fifteen years later, Schwartz is still defacing public property,
demanding
that we all pay for his "right" to "free speech" this time, by giving
him
free rein to peddle his conspiracy theories that demonize America's
Arab
allies, via the Voice of America. Of course, Schwartz has every right
to
believe that the Saudis are the number one enemy of mankind, and that
we
need to engage in a new cold war with practically the whole of the
Muslim
world except the Sufis, and the Bosnian branch of Islam. But at a time
when
we are trying to enlist the aid of our Arab allies in a war against Al
Qaeda and allied organizations, Schwartz's firing is hardly surprising.
Indeed, it raises the question: "Why was he hired in the first place?”
Although I haven't seen him skulking around North Beach lately, it
seems
Schwartz is still a philosophical whore. Here is someone whose long
march
through the ideologies started out on the far-left fringe of Trotskyism
as
"Comrade Sandalio," he was the leader (and sole member) of the Fomento
Obrero Revolucianario of the United States (FOCUS) and wound up on the
opposite shore, where he became "Suleyman Ahmad," the Jewish convert to
Islam and a self-described "New Age rightist."
No matter what sort of ideological drag he turns up in, however,
Schwartz
always sings essentially the same song. During his travels through the
Balkans, he teamed up with Albanian Catholics, whom he claims were
"threatened by Christian Orthodox imperialism 'Yugoslav,' Macedonian,
Greek." Clinton had barely begun bombing some of the oldest cities in
Europe when Schwartz popped up on Bay Area television cheerleading the
Kosovo war. Now the enemy is Wahabism, instead of Orthodoxy, but it's
the
same old story: the US must conduct a religious war to suit Schwartz's
latest persona whatever that is…
The attempt to turn Schwartz, a.k.a. "Suleyman Ahmad," a.k.a. "Comrade
Sandalio," into some kind of political martyr is bound to backfire as
soon
as the spotlight falls on the alleged "victim…"
-----
FOR ARAB-AMERICANS, A 7/4 FOR RECALLING 9/11
DANNY HAKIM, New York Times, 7/5/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/05/national/05ARAB.html
DEARBORN, Mich., July 4 -- In Ahmad Al Mashkur's native Iraq, which he
left
more than a decade ago, the lavish pyrotechnics do not come out in July
but
in April, to celebrate Saddam Hussein's birthday.
But Mr. Al Mashkur, selling fireworks at a novelty store, said he was
happy
to help celebrate the national holiday here.
“All of my customers are Arabs,” said Mr. Mashkur, 28. “They love this
country.”
Arab-Americans make up 30 percent of Dearborn's roughly 100,000
citizens,
with more than 300,000 in metropolitan Detroit, making it one of the
most
concentrated centers of Arab population in the country.
As elsewhere, Independence Day here this year is more freighted with
meaning than in years past, but it is no less a time for celebration.
“There's obviously a mix of emotions,” said Haaris Ahmad, the executive
director of the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations. “We feel like all other Americans. We love our country.”
“But we have been branded as an other, as either a Muslim or an Arab,
and
that hurts,” Mr. Ahmad added. “The fact that we've been profiled and
targeted, we've been told we should accept that for the sake of the
security of our country, we don't think it's appropriate.”
“July Fourth stands for all those key American principles like liberty,
justice and tolerance,” he said…
SEE ALSO:
PASSENGER PROFILING SCRUTINIZED
JONATHAN D. SALANT, Associated Press, 7/5/02
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - Phillip Christy, waiting to fly from Reagan
National
Airport to Seattle, has been randomly singled out for extra screening a
few
times since Sept. 11. He says it's only fair.
“Random is appropriate,” said Christy, of Fredrick, Md. "It's
unexpected as
to who they might look for.”
That's what Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta says as well,
though
his opposition to considering a person's ethnicity in the interest of
airline security puts him at odds with some members of Congress.
“It is very tempting to take false comfort in the belief that we can
spot
the bad guy based on appearance alone,” Mineta told an Arab-American
group
in Detroit recently. “Some are yielding to that temptation in their
arguments for racial profiling, but false comfort is a luxury we cannot
afford.”
All passengers are screened by a computerized profiling system - which
takes into account travel history, how the tickets were paid for,
whether
the trip was one-way or roundtrip, and other factors that are
classified -
and selects some travelers for additional checks, including luggage
searches…
But Mineta, whose family was interned during World War II because of
their
Japanese ancestry, steadfastly objects to using a person's ethnicity
when
selecting passengers for extra screening…
Mineta is backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argues
that
racial profiling is an inexpensive and ineffective way to provide
airline
security.
“It's both over-inclusive and under-inclusive,” ACLU Legislative
Counsel
Rachel King said. “The overwhelming majority of people who are flying
are
not terrorists, and it's under-inclusive because you're not going to
catch
people who don't fit the profile. We have to develop the best security
we
can and apply it to everybody.”
SOME MUSLIMS AVOID JULY 4 EVENTS
WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press, 7/4/02
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Mohamed El Filali like some other Muslims across
the
nation plans to avoid large public gatherings over the holiday for fear
he'll be mistaken for a terrorist by edgy law enforcement officers or
suspicious citizens.
“As a Muslim, especially during this specific holiday, I have a concern
of
being racially profiled by the police and the federal agents,” said El
Filali, an official with the American Muslim Union based in nearby
Paterson.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, carried out by Islamic
extremists, El Filali's fears are being echoed by Muslims across the
country - particularly in light of nonspecific warnings of possible
attacks
timed to coincide with Independence Day.
The FBI and state and local police plan to have undercover officers at
major July Fourth events - baseball games, parades and fireworks
displays -
with the express purpose of spotting potential terrorists…
Muslims, and particularly Arab-Americans, are deeply concerned about
how
they are perceived this Independence Day, said Ra'id Faraj, a spokesman
for
the Council on Islamic-American Relations of Southern California.
“They don't want to be targets because of their ethnicity or
background,”
he said.
As a result, many plan to simply stay home…
GO FOURTH AND ENJOY, N.Y. URGED
MICHAEL SAUL and BILL HUTCHINSON, New York Daily News, 7/3/02
http://www.nydailynews.com/2002-07-03/News_and_Views/City_Beat/a-156376.asp
New Yorkers and visitors are being urged to act as loud and proud as
ever
when the nation celebrates its 226th birthday tomorrow against a
backdrop
of terrorist threats and pumped-up security.
Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. Pataki told revelers to keep their eyes peeled
for
trouble, but not to allow paranoia to dampen their Independence Day
fun.
"Don't let the terrorists win by making you afraid," Bloomberg said.
But some local Muslims said they plan to skip large public events for
fear
they'll be detained by cops overly eager to thwart terrorists, said
Ghazi
Khankan, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations'
New York chapter.
"Many of these people are American citizens who already have been
harassed
because of their names, their appearance, the way they dress and their
accents," Khankan said.
But Khankan, who was born in Syria and lives in Westbury, L.I., said he
plans to be out celebrating his adopted country's birthday - which also
happens to be his 68th.
"America is my home," he said.
IT'S OUR FOURTH OF JULY, TOO
ARSALAN IFTIKHAR, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 7/4/02
http://www.post-gazette.com
Arsalan Tariq Iftikhar is Midwest communications director for the
Council
on American-Islamic Relations. He attends Washington University School
of
Law in St. Louis.
This country was founded on the blood of immigrants. In pursuit of a
better
life, religious outcasts from England boarded their vessels in search
of a
land where they could freely practice their faith without persecution
from
despotic powers. Over the course of the next two centuries, that
civilization prospered at Plymouth Rock, revolted against a British
tyrant,
shed their brothers' blood in a civil war, unshackled human chattel and
epitomized their message with a torch-bearing woman warmly receiving
huddled masses yearning to be free.
Along with millions of other faiths, Muslims came to this country to
seek a
better life for their families. As we endeavored to a foreign land,
along
we brought the morality and peaceful message of Islam to the shores of
America. In the short course of our history here, one of us designed
the
Sears Tower, two of us became the heavyweight boxing champion of the
world
and two members of President Bush's Cabinet had parents who spoke
Arabic as
their native tongue. We are as ingrained in the social fabric of this
nation as any other person residing within the borders of America.
Some estimates posit that by the year 2050, those who are considered
"minorities" today will constitute the majority of the population. This
trend is directly consistent with the pluralistic nature of our
society. To
those who are racially arrogant and claim that this territory somehow
belongs more to them than to others, I gently remind them that the only
natives of this land reside in decrepit settlements that our government
conveniently "reserved" for them.
As we honor the struggle of those who shouldered the burdens of
granting us
the freedoms that we enjoy today, let us also remember those who
constantly
struggle for the same liberties that we take for granted. As a Muslim,
I am
obligated to stand up for justice, regardless of whether the
perpetrator is
another Muslim, a Jew or a Christian. A tradition of our beloved
Prophet
Mohammed (peace be upon him) is: "You must help your brother when he is
oppressed and when he is the oppressor. If he is the oppressor, it is
your
duty to stop him from oppressing." I am reminded of this sage wisdom
especially on a day of independence and freedom.
As a Muslim and a student of law, I vow to continue to uphold the
teachings
of Islam and the principles upon which this country was founded.
Regardless
of what name you ascribe to the Almighty, all Americans should remember
the
inherent human and divine rights, so that those who do not share our
freedom may one day celebrate the birth of their own free nation.
-----
LOS ANGELES AIRPORT SHOOTING KILLS 3
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/07/04/la.airport.shooting/index.html
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A gunman opened fire Thursday at Los
Angeles International Airport while standing in line at the ticket
counter
of Israel's El Al Airlines, officials said, killing two and wounding
four
others before an airline security officer shot him dead.
Authorities identified the gunman as 41-year-old Hesham Mohamed
Hadayet,
who came to the United States from Egypt in 1992 and had been living in
Irvine, California, for the last two years.
Hadayet was not a U.S. citizen but had a "green card" that allowed him
to
work in the U.S., authorities said. The gunman's identity was obtained
through fingerprints and records on file with the state Department of
Motor
Vehicles, which had issued Hadayet a license to drive a limousine, the
FBI
said.
Hadayet's attack occurred on his birthday. According to his driver's
license, he was born July 4, 1961. Hadayet was married with at least
one
child, authorities said.
"He was armed with a .45-caliber handgun which he used in the shooting,
as
well as a 9 mm handgun which he had on his possession," FBI spokesman
Ron
Iden said. "He also had in his possession what's described as a 6-inch
knife."
Hadayet was also carrying extra ammunition and magazines for the guns,
according to FBI spokesman Matt McLaughlin.
In addition, a car possibly connected to the gunman was found Thursday
evening near the terminal where the shooting took place. An LAPD bomb
squad
examined the vehicle as a precaution, Iden said.
Federal, law enforcement and city officials said it appeared the
shooting
was an isolated incident, with nothing to suggest otherwise.
"There is no indication of any terrorism connection in this matter
right
now, but again we also can't discount that until we know more,"
McLaughlin
told reporters.
Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn added: "It appears this was an isolated
incident." A Bush administration source concurred with that statement,
adding that nothing suggested it was anything other than a criminal
act…
SEE ALSO:
ISRAELIS JUMP THE GUN
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com, 7/5/.02
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/j070402special.html
The news of the shooting at the El Al ticket counter at Los Angeles
International Airport had barely gotten out over the wires before the
Israeli government was already characterizing it as a terrorist action
in
spite of initial reports that the shooter may have been a disgruntled
former employee. This also contradicts the statements of local, state,
and
federal officials, who say there is no evidence that this was a
terrorist
operation. At this moment [Thursday, 7:44 p.m.], Matt Drudge is running
the
following squib:
"Argument between two people that spun out of control; A Mexicana
supervisor had overheard the gunman having a heated argument at the El
Al
counter, apparently involving his documentation. Soon afterward, the
shooting started..."
Terrorism? We don't know yet. But that didn't stop Foreign Minister
Shimon
Peres from vowing that Israel would "track down" the perpetrators. A
statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said Peres "is certain that
Israeli and American security forces will succeed in searching for and
capturing the organizers (of the attack)." The Israeli Transport
Minister
laid responsibility for the attack on "organizations, primarily
extremist
Islamic organizations," that "are planning to hit Israeli targets
outside
(the Jewish state). And an airport is a preferred target."
All this before the assailant, who was killed along with two others in
the
incident, has even been identified.
How do they know it's terrorism?
We don't yet know the motives of the gunman. We don't have enough
information to determine whether this was an isolated shooting, perhaps
the
result of a personal grudge perhaps just the random act of a lone nut
or
a terrorist operation organized by Islamist radicals. But the Israelis
seem
to have already made up their minds.
To call this "jumping the gun" is being charitable: wishful thinking is
more like it and it is positively ghoulish.
-----
JEWS HIT SHERIFF'S BAN ON YARMULKES
Noreen S Ahmed Ullah, Chicago Tribune, 7/4/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/printedition/chi-0207040099jul04.story
The Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday joined the cause of a Cook
County
sheriff's deputy relieved of his police duties for refusing to take off
his
yarmulke.
The Jewish civil rights group sent a letter to the Cook County sheriff
urging it to allow Sgt. Larry Davidson, an Orthodox Jew, to wear the
skullcap and to allow a fellow deputy sheriff who is a Muslim to wear a
religious head scarf.
The sheriff's office maintains that the skullcap and the scarf, which
the
female deputy wanted to tuck inside her shirt collar, are both banned
under
its uniform policy. And it alleges that by granting some exceptions the
office would open itself up to a steady stream of uniform requests.
The Muslim deputy, Crystal Clark, has filed a complaint with the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission.
The two cases have sparked concern in the Muslim and Jewish
communities.
Religious advocacy groups cite state and federal laws, such as the 1st
Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires
employers to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of an
employee.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a national advocacy group
for
Muslims, which sent a letter to the sheriff earlier this week on behalf
of
the Muslim officer, said it hopes to collaborate with the Jewish
community
in resolving the issue.
"We'd even ask the Catholic community to come in on this because what
will
happen with Ash Wednesday, will they say you have to wipe off the ashes
from your forehead?" said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Islamic
group.
"If they don't do that, does that mean the policy is applied
differently
for different faiths, depending whether they are minority or majority
faiths?"
Sheriff's office spokesman Bill Cunningham said ashes on Ash Wednesday
will
be allowed because the uniform policy prohibits only "civilian or
unapproved clothing or equipment."
The office received dozens of e-mails Wednesday from concerned Muslims…
ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.)
Send the Cook County Sheriff's Department a polite request that
deputies of
all faiths be offered reasonable religious accommodation. (Send a
follow-up
note even if you sent one earlier.)
Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan
Cook County Sheriff's Department
50 West Washington, Suite 704
Chicago, IL 60602
TEL: (312) 443-5500
FAX: (312) 603-4420
E-MAIL: sheriff@cookcountysheriff.org
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR GOOD NEWS ALERT #336
ILLINOIS DEPUTY WINS RIGHT TO HIJAB
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/6/02) Alhamdulillah, praise be to God. CAIR today
applauded a decision by Illinois' Cook County Sheriff's Department to
allow
a Muslim and a Jewish deputy to wear religiously-mandated head
coverings
while on the job. That decision came after concerned Muslims from
across
America contacted the sheriff's office to request reasonable religious
accommodation for the two officers.
Last week, CAIR launched a public campaign in support of the Muslim
deputy
who was denied the right to wear an Islamic headscarf at work since
converting to Islam in January of this year. One day after that
campaign
went public, an Orthodox Jewish deputy was stripped of his police
powers
and reassigned to clerical duties after he refused to remove his
yarmulke,
or religious skullcap. The Washington-based Islamic advocacy group
offered
to support his accommodation request along with that of his Muslim
colleague.
SEE: "2 Deputies' Head Coverings OKd"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/printedition/chi-0207060194jul06.story
Both deputies will cover their religious head coverings with a
department-issued cap or hat.
"We applaud the decision to offer accommodation and thank all those who
contacted the sheriff's department to support the religious and legal
rights of the two deputies," said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim
Hooper. "This case demonstrates that issues of religious diversity in
the
workplace can be successfully resolved if there is mutual goodwill and
a
willingness to explore creative solutions," said Hooper.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from
discriminating against individuals because of their religious beliefs
or
practices. The act requires employers to reasonably accommodate the
religious practices of an employee, unless to do so would create an
undue
hardship. CAIR publishes a booklet, "An Employer's Guide to Islamic
Religious Practices," designed to prevent these types of incidents.
There
are an estimated 400,000 Muslims in the Chicago area.
ACTION REQUESTED:
Send a short note of appreciation to the Cook County Sheriff's
Department:
Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan
Cook County Sheriff's Department
50 West Washington, Suite 704
Chicago, IL 60602
TEL: (312) 443-5500
FAX: (312) 603-4420
E-MAIL: sheriff@cookcountysheriff.org
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS 7/6/2002
HEADLINES:
* WHEN A FEW TAR THE INNOCENT MANY (Los Angeles Times)
- ORANGE COUNTY MUSLIMS WARY OF SHOOTING'S EFFECTS (OC
Register)
* THE WEEKLY STANDARD'S HOUSE MUSLIM (Slate Magazine)
* JENIN DEATHS VIDEO IMPLICATES ARMY (BBC)
* ISRAEL IS WORLD'S LAST APARTHEID STATE (Rocky Mountain News)
* CRITICAL BUT NOT RACIST (Washington Post)
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WHEN A FEW TAR THE INNOCENT MANY
Muslims and others from the Mideast fear they'll be viewed as sharing
'collective guilt.'
TERESA WATANABE and PETER HONG, Los Angeles Times, 7/6/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-me-arab6jul06012044.story
Once again, violence broke out this week between an Arab and
Israelis--this
time at Los Angeles International Airport.
Once again, the attack was labeled a "terrorist act"--this time by
Israeli
officials characterizing the way Egyptian-born Hesham Mohamed Hadayat
had
killed two Israelis.
And, once again, the American Muslim community shuddered, heaved a
collective sigh and braced itself for yet another round of public
scrutiny
and suspicion.
"This is a terrible, horrible crime, but any action committed by an
Arab or
Muslim becomes viewed as collective guilt--that's the problem," said
Muzammil Siddiqi of the Islamic Center of Orange County. "People don't
say
he was a crazy person; they say he was a Muslim or Arab terrorist."
Hussam
Ayloush of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Anaheim said no
other religious group has been "put in a position where they have to
prove
their innocence because of the acts of [a] few....
"Before, the definition of terrorism was based on the action, not on
the
ethnicity, of the attacker," Ayloush said. "Now it seems the definition
has
shifted, based on who's doing it. This is outrageous and racist…"
Many Muslims are concerned…that the attack by Hadayat, an Irvine
resident,
will perpetuate the image that the American Islamic community is
harboring
"sleeper terrorist cells."
That argument is gaining wider exposure in books and lectures by such
controversial figures as Steven Emerson, an investigative journalist
who
specializes in terrorism, and Daniel Pipes, editor of the Middle East
Quarterly. The two frequently write and speak on the dangers of radical
Islam, winning praise from some as fearless truth-tellers and
condemnation
from others as irresponsible fear-mongers…
FOR BACKGROUND, SEE:
WHO IS DANIEL PIPES?
http://www.cair-net.org/misc/people/daniel_pipes.html
TERRORISTS UNDER THE BED
"Terrorism expert" Steven Emerson paints a terrifying picture of lethal
Muslim fundamentalists among us in "American Jihad." But he doesn't
know
the difference between Osama bin Laden and Yasser Arafat.
By Eric Boehlert, Salon.com, 3/5/2002
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2002/03/05/emerson/index.html
WHO IS STEVE EMERSON?
http://www.cair-net.org/html/emerson.htm
SEE ALSO:
ORANGE COUNTY MUSLIMS WARY OF SHOOTING'S EFFECTS
Vik Jolly, Orange County Register, 7/6/02
http://www.ocregister.com/news/muslim00706cci.shtml
SANTA ANA, Calif. _ Some Orange County Muslims felt a chilly unease
Friday
in the aftermath of the shooting rampage by an Egyptian-born limousine
driver from Irvine at Los Angeles International Airport.
They feared that a community in which many experienced a backlash and
isolation after Sept. 11 might again become a scapegoat for one man's
actions…
-----
THE WEEKLY STANDARD'S HOUSE MUSLIM
Timothy Noah, Slate Magazine, 7/3/02
http://slate.msn.com/?id=2067735
On July 1, William Safire published a column denouncing the Voice of
America for providing a soapbox to supporters of Islamic terrorism.
Safire
was particularly exercised about the firing of VOA staffer Stephen
Schwartz, which Safire attributed to the fact that Schwartz is an
outspoken
dissenter from the news director's views…
A wrinkle of which Safire was probably unaware, however, is that
Schwartz,
blistering critic though he is of Islamist terrorism, is himself a
convert
to Islam. To Schwartz's mortification, a statement he made about his
conversion has found its way onto the Web and has become the source of
some
shock to his erstwhile neoconservative allies…
SEE ALSO:
THE VOA FOLLIES
'Voice of America' loses a writer and the War Party gains a martyr
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html
The neocons are up in arms one of their own has been fired from his
position as a "journalist" at the Voice of America and may be on his
way to
becoming the Mumia Abu Jamal of the War Party. The cause of Stephen
Schwartz, a writer formerly known as "Comrade Sandalio," has been taken
up
by William Safire and Ronald Radosh…
-----
JENIN DEATHS VIDEO IMPLICATES ARMY (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_2102000/2102081.stm
The BBC has obtained video footage which appears to show an incident in
the
West Bank city of Jenin two weeks ago in which two Palestinian children
were killed by Israeli tank fire…the footage shows a tank firing the
first
of two shells, at close range, at a group of civilians who are running
away…
-----
ISRAEL IS WORLD'S LAST APARTHEID STATE
By Wadi Muhaisen, Rocky Mountain News, 7/5/02
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/news_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_86_1247781,00.html
According to Israeli historian Benny Morris - a harsh critic of Yasser
Arafat - in 1948, the newly created state of Israel succeeded in
demolishing 385 of the 475 indigenous Palestinian towns and villages
that
pre-dated the creation of the Jewish state.
Israel was unable, however, to forcibly expel or kill all the original
inhabitants of historic Palestine, and reluctantly granted those
remaining
a form of "citizenship" (unlike the Palestinians of the West Bank and
Gaza
living under Israeli military occupation for the last 35 years).
Nevertheless, the benefits of Israeli "citizenship" are not applied
equally
and depend exclusively on one factor - one's religion.
Leader of the official opposition in Israel's parliament, Yossi Sarid,
was
quoted in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz on April 23, 2002, commenting
on
Israeli concern over the electoral successes of racist French leader
Jean-Marie Le Pen: "I don't know why people here are so disturbed when
we
see the rise of a right-wing nationalist fascist in France and we
aren't
disturbed when we see it happen in our country.
"The decision, for example, to cancel child allowances for Arabs in our
country is a Le Pen approach; but when we do it it's OK."
Consider unemployment services in the historically Arab city of
Nazareth,
which is experiencing an influx of Jewish immigrants.
At the employment bureau, there are two lines for job seekers - one for
Jews and one for Palestinian Christians and Muslims…
Ironically, Israel's so-called "Law of Return" is what prevents
Palestinian
Christian and Muslim refugees from ever returning to live in their
ancestral homes.
The fact that many of them still hold deeds to their family's homes,
and
were never compensated for their theft, is completely irrelevant under
Israeli law.
These refugees are never allowed to live in the place of their birth
and
the birth of their ancestors for one reason and one reason only - they
are
not Jewish…
For the sake of regional stability and American values, it is time we
use
our financial leverage with Israel to demand an end to its blatantly
racist
apartheid system.
Wadi Muhaisen of Denver is an expert in international and comparative
law,
and served as a legal adviser at the 1993 Oslo peace accords.
-----
CRITICAL BUT NOT RACIST
Washington Post, 7/6/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30749-2002Jul5.html
As an American Jew, I am outraged by Abraham Foxman's irrational
conclusions from the Anti-Defamation League's poll on anti-Semitism in
Europe [op-ed, June 27]. Although attacks on synagogues are undoubtedly
troubling and cause for concern, Foxman's assessments of the trends
associated with these attacks are so contrived as to be utterly
puzzling.
If 45 percent of those Europeans polled think that most Jews have a
strong
loyalty to Israel, they are right -- from an early age, we are taught
that
Israel is a homeland to Jews, and thus most Jews develop a strong
connection to it. This perception being accurate, how is it that those
who
have noticed can be categorized as anti-Semitic?
By the same token, Foxman reports that 62 percent of those polled see
the
outbreak of violence against Jews as a result of anti-Israel sentiment,
not
anti-Jewish feelings. Yes, criticism of Israeli policies is on the
rise.
But how is this tantamount to anti-Semitism? If I criticize the
government
of Zimbabwe, am I somehow a racist?
Many Jews, myself included, are highly critical of Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon's policies, as they feed into an endless cycle of violence that
threatens Jewish and Arab lives. We are long overdue for a serious
intellectual inquiry as to how the president of a leading American
Jewish
organization can falsely equate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism,
or,
as I prefer to more accurately call the phenomenon, anti-Jewish
sentiments.
Our cousins the Arabs are Semitic too.
-- Nicole Dannenberg Sorger
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/8/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: A HEART FREE OF MALICE
* CALIF. GOVERNOR TO SIGN HALAL FOOD BILL
* LOS ANGELES GROUPS FIGHT INCREASE IN BIAS AGAINST ARABS (LA Times)
* ARREST IN ANTI-MUSLIM THREATS (Newsday)
* NAACP CHAIRMAN ASSAILS BUSH (AP)
* U.S. SWEEPS MALL KIOSKS, HUNTING FOR TERROR CLUES (Philadelphia
Inquirer)
* FRIENDS MOURN DEATHS OF VICTIMS IN SHOOTING LAX (AP)
- COMMENTARY: SO HE WAS ARAB - LET'S NOT OVERREACT (LA Times)
* COMMENTARY: WHY DON'T WE LISTEN ANYMORE? (Washington Post)
* EDITORIAL: THE POWER TO IMPRISON (Washington Post)
* PLAN TO BAN ARABS BUYING ISRAELI HOMES CRITICIZED (Reuters)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: A HEART FREE OF MALICE
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said to one of his
companions: "Son, if you are able, keep your heart...free from malice
toward anyone."
Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 59
-----
RESOURCES: AMERICAN MUSLIM WEB SITES
http://www.islamfortoday.com/
http://www.theamericanmuslim.org
-----
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- MEDIA ADVISORY -
CALIF. GOVERNOR TO SIGN HALAL FOOD BILL
WHAT: California's Governor Gray Davis will today sign the Halal Food
Bill
(AB1828) into law at a Los Angeles Islamic center. The bill makes it a
misdemeanor to, with the intent to defraud, sell or expose for sale,
"meat,
meat products, or any food product that is falsely represented as being
halal, or as having been prepared according to Islamic religious
requirements." (Halal food is that which satisfies Islamic guidelines
on
content and preparation. For example, Muslims are prohibited from
consuming
pork products or foods containing alcohol.)
The bill passed unanimously in the California State Legislature.
Similar
bills have passed in New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota.
CAIR-CA worked with Assemblyman Bill Campbell (R-71) to draft and
introduce
the bill. Dr. Ahmad Sakr of the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of
America (IFANCA) provided technical and scholarly assistance.
"The passage of the Halal Food Bill reaffirms California's commitment
to
religious diversity," said Hussam Ayloush, Executive Director of
CAIR-LA.
WHEN: Monday, July 8, 2002, 11:15 a.m. (Pacific)
WHERE: Islamic Center of Southern California, 434 S. Vermont Ave., Los
Angeles,
CA 90020 (CALL 213-382-9200 for directions.)
CONTACT: Sabiha Khan, 714-776-1847 or 714-390-0334 (Cell)
-----
LOS ANGELES GROUPS FIGHT INCREASE IN BIAS AGAINST ARABS
Jocelyn Y. Stewart, Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-discrim8jul08.story
The initial post-Sept. 11 violence against American Arabs and Muslims,
or
people mistaken for them, often took place in public spaces: on the
street,
at a convenience store, near a mosque. But some advocates of these
groups
say a quieter backlash also took place in people's homes--and they
worry
that it may still pose a threat.
It can be a neighbor's hostility, an unwarranted eviction notice or a
wild
accusation. All of these have rattled the sense of community of some
Southern California residents of Arab or South Asian descent. Such
concern
has brought an effort by some local organizations to document the
problems
and try to prevent them...
Incidents like the shooting Thursday at Los Angeles International
Airport
by an Egyptian-born man makes the job of Khan's group more difficult,
he
said. "We're dealing with guilt by association. Any time an incident
like
this happens our alarm bells go off. We go on alert as to what kind of
retribution is going to take place..."
-----
ARREST IN ANTI-MUSLIM THREATS
Theresa Vargas, Newsday, 7/08/2002
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-libias082777315jul08.story
Nassau police yesterday arrested a Franklin Square man who they said
threatened to shoot two Muslim neighbors while yelling racial slurs and
spray-painted anti-Muslim epithets on their property.
The neighbors, two brothers aged 20 and 23 who were born in the United
States and whose parents had emigrated from Pakistan, were outside a
Pathmark supermarket near their home June 20 when John Yang, 25, of 739
Cypress Dr., allegedly approached them with a rifle.
"He pointed at his heart," said the brothers' mother, who asked not to
be
identified for fear of other attacks, relaying the account of her
youngest
son yesterday. "He said, 'I really want to shoot you right now.'
"He said, 'You --, why don't you go back? You people should go back.'"
Police arrested Yang early yesterday and charged him with second-
degree
criminal mischief, second-degree menacing and fourth-degree criminal
possession of a dangerous weapon. He is scheduled to be arraigned in
First
District Court in Hempstead today.
Galgano said they recovered five weapons, including a sawed-off
shotgun,
along with a large amount of ammunition...
-----
NAACP CHAIRMAN ASSAILS BUSH
Associated Press, 7/08/2002
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usbond082777299jul08.story
Houston - NAACP board chairman Julian Bond criticized the Bush
administration yesterday, saying it had failed to enforce civil rights
laws, and he denounced the FBI's use of increased surveillance powers
in
fighting terrorism.
"We have a president who owes his election more to a dynasty than to
democracy," Bond told about 3,000 people at the 93rd annual convention
of
the NAACP...
It was the second straight year Bond has assailed the Bush
administration's
record. Bush addressed the convention as a presidential candidate in
2000,
but has declined invitations from NAACP President Kweisi Mfume for the
past
two years.
Bond particularly attacked Attorney General John Ashcroft, whom he
called
"a cross between" former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and the Rev.
Jerry
Falwell.
As he urged the audience to continue defending affirmative action, Bond
also had harsh words for groups he said were dedicated to overturning
the
gains of the civil rights movement.
He also denounced post-Sept. 11 backlash attacks on people who look
Arab or
Muslim. And, he recalled a previous FBI counterintelligence program he
said
was used to "disrupt the civil rights movement" and "smear Martin
Luther
King Jr."
"The CIA and FBI kept files on me in the 1960s; they may be keeping
files
on me today," Bond said. "Now, under the guise of fighting terrorism,
the
FBI is going back to spying on law-abiding citizens..."
-----
U.S. SWEEPS MALL KIOSKS, HUNTING FOR TERROR CLUES
Matthew P. Blanchard, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/8/02
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/3620970.htm
A nationwide sweep of immigrant-run jewelry stores launched two weeks
ago
by federal investigators appears to be aimed at determining whether
these
commonplace stores - including one in a Philadelphia shopping mall -
are
linked to international terrorism.
In the opening hours of the sweep, witnesses say FBI and INS agents
raided
a jewelry kiosk in the Gallery mall in Center City on June 26, taking a
Pakistani man into custody and questioning his coworkers about illicit
cash, suspicious travel, and the al-Qaeda terror network.
Within 48 hours, agents reportedly swept through more than 65 jewelry
stores in Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Alabama, Georgia and North
Carolina - most belonging to a chain of mall kiosks operating as
Intrigue
Jewelers.
Federal officials confirm only that the Immigration & Naturalization
Service did carry out an "enforcement operation" that day as part of an
ongoing investigation with the FBI.
"I cannot give out any names of any arrests or anything," said INS
spokeswoman Nicole Edwards...
"The entire investigation was focused on Intrigue, and anyone who had
some
prior business or personal relationship with Intrigue," said Neil St.
John
Rambana, a Florida immigration attorney who is representing three
Pakistani
men and a Nepalese woman arrested June 26 in a raid at the Governor's
Square mall in Tallahassee, Fla. "They want to know whether the funds
received from these kiosks were being sent to terrorists.
"I've talked to the INS agents," Rambana said. "I've seen their
paperwork.
It's a fishing expedition. It's 'Let's see what we come up with...'"
-----
FRIENDS MOURN DEATHS OF VICTIMS IN SHOOTING AT LAX
Paul Wilborn, Associated Press, 7/8/02
Friends and relatives gathered on Sunday to mourn the two people killed
in
the July 4 shooting at the El Al ticket counter at Los Angeles
International Airport, which was condemned by some as an act of
terrorism...
Quietly, however, some Southern California Muslims said they fear the
high-profile killing could revive the anti-Arab discrimination felt in
the
aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"We hope that people can make the distinction between one crazy person
and
a whole community of 6 or 7 million people in the United States," said
Sabiha Khan, a spokeswoman for the Council on American Islamic
Relations in
Anaheim.
She praised the FBI for its careful handling of the investigation...
"We are horrified by what happened," Khan said. "We pray for the
victims
and their families because nobody should ever die like that..."
SEE ALSO:
COMMENTARY: SO HE WAS ARAB--LET'S NOT OVERREACT
Dana Parsons, Los Angeles Times, 7/7/02
http://www.latimes.com/editions/orange/la-me-parsons7jul07.story
William Shane was cleaning his garage in Irvine the day after the
Fourth of
July but quite willing to set that aside and tackle the thornier
problem.
We should all be so willing.
I asked him: What does it mean when an Arab American is linked to a
possible terrorist action? And how should we react?
Those questions are on people's minds this weekend after Hesham Mohamed
Hadayet, also of Irvine, was shot to death at LAX after he opened fire
on
an Israeli airlines ticket agent and several other people in line
behind
him, killing two. Although it appears to have been an isolated act by a
troubled man, it's human nature to view the action against a backdrop
of
Mideast politics and the terrorist agenda of Al Qaeda and others.
Moreover, if a such a man can come from as sedate a setting as Irvine,
should we suspect other neighbors with a similar background as well?
That's what I'm asking Shane, the executive director of the county
branch
of the National Conference for Community and Justice. Among other
things,
the organization is trying to bridge the gap between the Muslim and
non-Muslim communities. It has been part of several such efforts
already in
Irvine.
"A couple thoughts come to mind," Shane says. "One definitely comes
under
the category of 'Don't overreact.' Whether we're talking 9/11 or 7/4,
we've
just got to keep things in perspective..."
"American society tends to consider Muslims or Arab Americans "as if
they're all one, they all think in one way," Shane says. "That is
something
we Americans do quite readily. We think of the Muslim community as one,
[when] it's obvious it's no more one than the African American
community or
Jewish or fill-in-the-blank."
Our heads know that people, for all different reasons, react violently
every single day in America. Grievances are a dime a dozen. Angry
husbands
shoot their wives. Angry drivers shoot other drivers. Angry employees
storm
their offices and shoot their bosses.
Our heads know that. In Hadayet's case, will our hearts follow?...
ACTION REQUESTED:
Send a note of appreciation to: dana.parsons@latimes.com
COPY TO: cair_sca@cair-california.org
-----
COMMENTARY: WHY DON'T WE LISTEN ANYMORE?
Clyde Prestowitz, Washington Post, 7/7/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31285-2002Jul6.html
"The way things are going, it will soon be the United States against
the
world."
That comment, by a top political leader in Kuala Lumpur, was just one
of
hundreds of expressions of a new and disturbing alienation from America
that I heard during a recent swing through 14 Asian, European and Latin
American capitals.
What a contrast to the supportive attitudes abroad immediately after
Sept.
11. Then, the sometimes anti-American French journal Le Monde captured
the
world's sentiment with a headline proclaiming: "We are all Americans."
Ten
months later, sympathy for the victims of the terror attacks remains.
But
the American image is increasingly perceived as ugly, and support
abroad
for U.S. policies is plummeting...Of course, anti-Americanism is not
new,
but what I found disturbing after 35 years of visiting these cities was
that foreign leaders who have been longtime friends of the United
States
are the ones voicing dismay...
Americans tend to see Israel as an allied country. The events of Sept.
11
and recent suicide bombings have only strengthened the close American
identification with Israel. But people I met overseas, while condemning
suicide bombings and sympathizing with the Israeli victims, also noted
the
plight of the Palestinians and the fact that they have been under
occupation of questionable legality for nearly 40 years. One newspaper
editor in Singapore even compared the Israeli treatment of the
Palestinians
with U.S. treatment of Native Americans during the settlement of the
American West. Everywhere I went leaders emphasized that calling for an
end
to Palestinian violence without mentioning the Israeli expansion of
settlements is unfair and counterproductive. Yet our friends abroad see
the
United States as unwilling, for domestic political reasons, to oppose
or
pressure Israel.
-----
EDITORIAL: THE POWER TO IMPRISON
By Philip Heymann, Washington Post, 7/7/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30820-2002Jul5.html
The Bush administration is claiming the power to decide alone and in
secret
whether Americans shall be imprisoned indefinitely to protect us
against
terrorism. It's that simple. The president claims the power to detain
citizens as well as illegal immigrants as "combatants" until the war on
terrorism is over. That war, like the war on drugs, is likely to
continue
indefinitely; terrorism in Northern Ireland and Israel have been facts
of
life for 35 years.
A detained person will not have access to a lawyer. The factual basis
for
calling a citizen a combatant on behalf of terrorism will generally be
secret. There will be no judicial review of the grounds for finding
that
the citizen poses a danger of terrorism and often no trial on any
criminal
charges. Our most basic freedom now depends on the good faith of the
administration in power -- the very situation the Founders meant most
clearly to prevent. The United Kingdom, although faced with an
onslaught of
terrorism in Northern Ireland and in England, abandoned use of
preventive
detention without criminal charges in 1975....
-----
PLAN TO BAN ARABS BUYING ISRAELI HOMES CRITICIZED
Reuters, 7/8/02
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli government support for a proposed law
banning
Arab citizens of Israel from buying homes in housing projects on
state-owned land drew fire from the country's attorney-general Monday.
A statement released by Attorney-General Eliyakim Rubinstein's office
said
he "urged ministers not to adopt an unnecessary law that could further
unravel the delicate fabric of Jewish-Arab relations."
Left-wing opposition leader Yossi Sarid released a statement calling
the
decision another in a line that "transforms Israel into a racist state,
perhaps the most racist state of all democratic nations."
The cabinet voted 17-2 Sunday to support a bill proposed by a member of
the
National Religious Party, an ultranationalist partner in the ruling
coalition, to bar Arabs from buying homes in community housing projects
built on state land...
Arabs make up about 20 percent of the population of the Jewish state
and
often complain of entrenched discrimination by state institutions.
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTION REQUESTED:
The Muslim community in South Dakota set up a bank account to help with
the
mother's estimated $2,000 in legal expenses. Donations may be sent to:
The Barakat Fund
c/o Islamic Society of Brookings
804 13th St.
Brookings, SD 57006
E-MAIL: so_dakota_islam@@hotmail.com
Please inform CAIR of any donations sent. E-Mail: cair@cair-net.org
---
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SO. DAKOTA WOMAN LOSES CHILD AFTER ACCEPTING ISLAM
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/9/02) - A national Islamic advocacy group is
raising
the possibility of religious bias in the case of a woman in South
Dakota
whose child was taken away after she accepted Islam.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says the woman's
parents
were granted custody of her five-year-old boy after she converted to
Islam,
married an Egyptian man and planned to travel to Egypt. In an affidavit
filed with the Third Judicial Circuit Court, the woman's father said
she
"has engaged in some bizarre behavior, including wearing Muslim garb
and
declaring herself a Muslim." The affidavit was accompanied by a photo
showing the mother wearing a religiously-mandated Islamic headscarf.
In a recent hearing, the court awarded temporary custody to the Muslim
mother's parents, claiming that she would otherwise travel to Egypt
with
her son. That ruling was made despite the fact that the mother offered
to
give up her passport so that she would be unable to leave the country.
"The inclusion of Islamophobic statements in a court filing raises
concerns
about whether this case will be decided based on the best interests of
the
child, or on the prejudices of those involved in determining who will
ultimately have custody. We ask that relevant authorities monitor the
development of this case to ensure objectivity," said CAIR Civil Rights
Manager Joshua Salaam.
Salaam added that CAIR is dealing with a number of similar cases and he
urged American Muslims to register as foster parents to provide homes
for
Muslim children involved in custody disputes.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, E-MAIL: cair@cair-net.org; Ms.
Hodan
Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294, E-MAIL: hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
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http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/9/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: AVOID CRUELTY AND INJUSTICE
* MEDIA REQUEST: DETAINEE INFO NEEDED
* NY TIMES COMMENTARY ON ANTI-MUSLIM BIGOTRY
* FEAR OF DETENTION HAUNTS SOUTH FLORIDA MUSLIMS (Sun-Sentinel)
- OFFICIALS DEBUNK REPORT OF FLORIDA CELL (UPI)
- BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE TAMPA TRIBUNE (TBCJP)
* HADDAD SEEKS POLITICAL ASYLUM IN U.S. (AP)
* EDITORIAL: STILL NO LAWYERS (Washington Post)
* LEGAL AID FOR MUSLIMS FORMED (Sun-Times)
* RELIGIOUS LEADERS WARN AGAINST ANTI-MUSLIM SENTIMENT IN U.S. (Knight
Ridder)
* A STRANGE KIND OF FREEDOM (Independent)
* RACISM DEBATE FLARES IN ISRAEL (Los Angeles Times)
- ISRAEL ACCUSED OF 'RACIST IDEOLOGY' (Independent)
- 'JEWS-ONLY' LAW SPARKS FIRESTORM (Ha'aretz)
* SHARANSKY'S QUIET ROLE (Newsweek)
* GOVERNOR SIGNS LAW PROTECTING HALAL FOODS (Los Angeles Times)
* LESSONS FROM A MUSLIM MOM (Rosie Magazine)
* PBS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON ISLAM
* FBI HAS EYE ON BUSINESS DATABASES (Chicago Tribune)
* U.S. MAN CHARGED OVER TERROR STATEMENTS (AP)
* CONFERENCE: MUSLIMS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN DIASPORA
* IBN IS DENIED ACCESS TO THE AIRWAVES IN WASHINGTON, DC (IMF)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: AVOID CRUELTY AND INJUSTICE
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Avoid cruelty and
injustice...and guard yourselves against miserliness, for this has
ruined
nations who lived before you."
Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 203
-----
MEDIA REQUEST: DETAINEE INFO NEEDED
Grant McCool is a Reuters reporter in New York who is working on a
feature
about what has become of the "disappeared" Muslim men and their
families
who were detained -- many of them for months without charge or trial --
in
the U.S. government investigation to find culprits of the Sept 11
hijacked
plane attacks.
Please contact Grant McCool (telephone numbers, email and address
below) if
you are a former detainee who is still in the U.S. and you are willing
to
be interviewed for the piece, or if you are a lawyer representing
anyone
who was detained, deported or still detained, or, if you know of
relatives
of detainees who are willing to be interviewed. He wants to report your
experiences and assures interviewees will be treated sensitively and
anonymity will be granted if requested.
CONTACT: Grant McCool
Reuters General News Bureau
19th floor, 3 Times Square
New York, NY 10036
646-223-6282 (direct office phone)
646-223-6289 (fax)
E-MAIL: grant.mccool@reuters.com
-----
NY TIMES COMMENTARY ON ANTI-MUSLIM BIGOTRY
BIGOTRY IN ISLAM -- AND HERE
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF, New York Times, 7/9/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/09/opinion/09KRIS.html
In speaking to Arab friends, I've reproached them for the virulent
anti-Semitism in their societies. But it's a cheap shot for us to scold
Arabs for acquiescing in religious hatred unless we try vigorously to
uproot our own religious bigotry. Since 9/11, appalling hate speech
about
Islam has circulated in the U.S. on talk radio, on the Internet and in
particular among conservative Christian pastors...
"Islam is, quite simply, a religion of war," Paul Weyrich and William
Lind,
two leading American conservatives, write in a new booklet titled "Why
Islam Is a Threat to America and the West." Mr. Lind said of American
Muslims: "They should be encouraged to leave. They are a fifth column
in
this country."
Ann Coulter, the columnist, suggested that "we should invade their
countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."
The Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the Rev. Billy Graham and a prominent
evangelist in his own right, said of Islam: "I believe it's a very evil
and
wicked religion." The Rev. Jerry Vines, past president of the Southern
Baptist Convention, declared that the Prophet Muhammad was "a
demon-obsessed pedophile."
President Bush set an example of tolerance immediately after 9/11, but
lately has been quiet. He should denounce the bigotry, rather than (as
he
did by speaking to the Baptist convention after the "pedophile" slur)
condoning it. If we want Saudi princes to confront their society's
hate-mongers, our own leaders should confront ours.
One problem with this prejudice (as with Osama bin Laden's) is that it
blinds the bigots to any understanding of what they deride. If Islam
were
really just the caricature that it is often reduced to, then how would
it
be so appealing as to become the world's fastest-growing religion?
Islam already has 1.3 billion adherents and is spreading rapidly,
particularly in Africa, partly because it also has admirable qualities
that
anyone who has lived in the Muslim world observes: a profound
egalitarianism and a lack of hierarchy that confer dignity and
self-respect
among believers; greater hospitality than in other societies; an
institutionalized system of charity, zakat, to provide for the poor.
Many
West Africans, for example, see Christianity as corrupt and
hierarchical
and flock to Islam, which they view as democratic and inclusive...
History suggests that focusing on the moral deficiencies of other
peoples
simply underscores our own.
SEND COMMENTS TO: letters@nytimes.com, kristof@nytimes.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
FEAR OF DETENTION HAUNTS SOUTH FLORIDA MUSLIMS
By Tanya Weinberg, Sun-Sentinel, 7/9/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-detain070902.story
When he hears callers on talk radio equate Muslims with terrorists,
Kamalodine Mohammed resists the urge to call up and defend his
community.
"Next thing you know, the feds come knocking at the door and take me
away
from my six kids and throw me in jail," said Mohammed, 41, of
Hollywood.
Like many South Florida Muslims, Trinidad native Mohammed often talks
to
his wife and friends about how to support his family should he, the
breadwinner, be detained. This is no baseless fear, local Muslims and
national civil libertarian groups say.
Since Sept. 11 the Immigration and Naturalization Service has rounded
up
hundreds of Muslims, including an estimated dozens in South Florida, as
part of far-reaching terror investigations. The government says that by
its
latest available tally, on April 23, INS had detained 744 noncitizens
in
connection with Sept. 11. On Monday, an immigration judge closed from
public scrutiny a bond hearing for South Florida's most high-profile
detainee, computer programmer and outspoken Palestinian activist Adham
Hassoun of Sunrise. Judge Neale Foster cited "sensitive information"
related to the case, an INS spokeswoman said.
"That's what they said, but they didn't produce any," said Akhtar
Hussain,
Hassoun's attorney. The hearing was continued to next week after the
government asked for more time...
Lawyers and relatives say the detentions continue, although the pace
has
slowed.
"I would say it was horrible. Now it's bad," Sukkar said.
Hollywood gas station worker Aziz Ahmed provided the sole support for
four
American citizens: his wife and their three small children. In April
the
INS deported him to Pakistan for failing to observe a 1999 voluntary
deportation order. But Ahmed was in the process of legalizing his
status,
and as husband and father to American citizens, should have had no
problem,
says his attorney, Hina Askari...
SEE ALSO:
OFFICIALS DEBUNK REPORT OF FLORIDA CELL
United Press International, 7/5/2002
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=05072002-021747-1791r
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 5 (UPI) -- Local, state and federal officials
have
rushed to refute a statement by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz
that there is an al Qaida cell active in Jacksonville. Officials said
the
statement was a mixture of old information and included the wrong
Florida city.
"We have no credible information that would have us believe or expect
there
is an active al Qaida cell in Jacksonville," Duval County Sheriff Nat
Glover said.
Wolfowitz appeared on NBC's "Today Show" Thursday and said the
terrorist
organization has active cells in many areas.
"They're burrowed into some 60 countries around the world," he said.
"They
have headquarters in Hamburg, Germany, and in Jacksonville, Fla., not
just
in Afghanistan, and it's going to take a long time to root them out."
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Tim Moore called Tom
Ridge, director of homeland security. Moore said he was told Wolfowitz
was
referring to information gathered in the days after the Sept. 11
terrorist
attacks that showed one of the terrorists had trained at a Daytona
Beach,
Fla., flight school.
The White House later agreed with the statements by Glover and Moore.
It
said the administration has no intelligence that al Qaida has a
headquarters in Jacksonville or anywhere else in Florida...
BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE TAMPA TRIBUNE
From the Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace, 7/9/02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tampa - For a long time now, the Tampa Tribune has allowed its
Journalists
to attack members of the Tampa Bay Islamic Community, with no actual
substance to their claims. They have been relying heavily on
unsubstantiated claims from unnamed sources and anonymous foreign
intelligence agents with questionable motives. The standard that is
being
applied in this smear campaign clearly lacks journalistic integrity.
This
incitement against Muslims and Arabs has led to much personal and
communal
suffering and hardship, and their claims have yet to be proven...
A RALLY IS PLANNED FOR FRIDAY, JULY 12TH AT 4 P.M.
NEAR THE TAMPA TRIBUNE BUILDING DOWNTOWN
For more information contact: effeeko85@yahoo.com
-----
HADDAD SEEKS POLITICAL ASYLUM IN U.S.
By Alexandra R. Moses, Associated Press, 7/9/02
DETROIT (AP) - The detained co-founder of an Islamic charity is seeking
political asylum in the United States because he fears he will not be
safe
in his native Lebanon, his attorney said Tuesday.
Rabih Haddad, who appeared in immigration court via a video linkup from
the
Monroe County Jail, has been detained for more than six months on a
visa
violation.
"There is a justifiable fear that he will be persecuted" if he returns
to
his native country, his attorney Ashraf Nubani said outside the Detroit
court. "The United States has cast an aura, unjustifiably, against him
as a
man with links to terrorism."
Haddad, who helped start the Global Relief Foundation, was arrested
Dec. 14
- the same day the charity's suburban Chicago office was raided. The
Ann
Arbor resident is accused of overstaying his visa.
The FBI has said it suspected Global Relief of links to Osama bin
Laden's
al-Qaida terrorist network. The Treasury Department froze its assets.
Neither Haddad nor Global Relief have been charged with terrorist
activity.
Both have denied involvement with terrorists.
Tuesday's hearing was the first public session in the efforts to deport
Haddad. Nubani said he will file paperwork on the asylum request later
in
the day.
"Extend my thanks and my gratitude to all these people who came down,"
Haddad said, referring to supporters who attended the hearing...
-----
EDITORIAL: STILL NO LAWYERS
Washington Post, 7/9/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41793-2002Jul8.html
A YEAR AGO it would have been unthinkable for the American government
to
hold indefinitely U.S. citizens whom it was unprepared to charge with
crimes and not permit those detainees access to lawyers. Today,
however,
Jose Padilla and Yaser Esam Hamdi are both sitting in military brigs,
still
unable to communicate with attorneys or defend themselves in court...
Messrs Hamdi and Padilla are imprisoned on nothing more than the
government's claim that they are enemy combatants. According to the
government, the president alone has the power during wartime to
designate
people, including citizens, as enemy fighters subject to detention
until
the end of hostilities. Courts, in the government's view, have no power
to
review these designations; at most they have the power only to
rubber-stamp
the reasonableness of the president's judgments, using only information
that the government itself supplies. Moreover, the determination of
when a
war begins and ends is the president's to make, too. To make matters
more
Kafkaesque, those he designates as enemy combatants cannot meet with
lawyers, so even if they had a legal forum in which to challenge his
judgment they would have no practical ability to tell their side of the
story.
The result is that they wait -- and wait -- in prison while those
attempting to represent them fight the government in court without
their
input. Any day now, for example, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals may
rule
on whether Mr. Hamdi can meet with a federal public defender. And an
attorney for Mr. Padilla is currently fighting with government lawyers
over
which court should hear his claims and who may assert them on his
behalf.
If they lose, what will prevent detentions of more Americans without
charge, hearing or representation?...
-----
LEGAL AID FOR MUSLIMS FORMED
Cathleen Falsani, Sun-Times, 7/8/02
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-islam08.html
A network of Muslim attorneys across the nation has formed the Muslim
Legal
Defense and Education Fund to give legal representation to the more
than
1,400 Muslims who have been detained by the U.S. government since Sept.
11,
organizers said Sunday.
LaDale George told an audience at the Islamic Society of North
America's
conference that while the fund is in its "infantile stages," it is an
absolute necessity, as Muslim attorneys such as himself "have been
inundated since Sept. 11" by requests for help.
The defense fund now is representing several cases, including a
class-action lawsuit against America Online for what its clients say is
the
carrier's failure to protect the civil rights of people in its Muslim
chat
room, George said.
Lawyers from the Muslim defense fund have also written a letter asking
that
lawyer Alan Dershowitz be censured by his bar association for comments
he
made in an article in the Jerusalem Post. In the March 11 article,
Dershowitz proposed that as a means of stemming the tide of suicide
bombings, the Israeli government institute a policy of bulldozing a
Palestinian village in retaliation after each suicide bombing.
The defense fund also is representing a young Pakistani man from the
New
York area who is being deported for a visa violation after he dropped
off a
roll of film to be developed at a local drugstore. Some of the pictures
were of a visiting friend and were taken in the young man's backyard.
In
the distance was a water-treatment facility. Drugstore employees called
the
FBI, which investigated and found that the Pakistani man was not
plotting
to poison the water supply or planning other nefarious acts, George
said...
"It's that level of intrusion," George said Sunday, that is typical of
the
infractions against Muslim Americans' civil rights.
"When you reach a point of societal hysteria, 'vigilant' means
anything,"
George said, referring to President Bush's charge to American's about
national security..."
-----
RELIGIOUS LEADERS WARN AGAINST ANTI-MUSLIM SENTIMENT IN U.S.
Joyce M. Davis, Knight Ridder, 7/9/02
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthtribune/news/nation/3627198.htm
WASHINGTON - Some of the Muslim world's most powerful religious leaders
were in Washington on Monday to publicly denounce violence in the name
of
Islam and to warn against demonizing Muslims, an estimated 8 million to
10
million of whom live in the United States.
"The events of Sept. 11 have aroused some fear and mistrust between
people
in the Muslim World and the West," said Dr. Abdullah al Turki,
secretary
general of the Muslim World League, a nongovernmental organization
based in
Mecca, Saudi Arabia, that has wide influence in the Islamic world. "We
are
all confronting a world crisis." The decision by this group of
prominent
Muslim scholars to travel to the United States to counter the perceived
anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States is highly unusual and is a
measure of that sense of crisis...
-----
A STRANGE KIND OF FREEDOM
Robert Fisk, Independent, 7/9/02
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=313235
Inside the First Congregational Church of Berkeley, the Californian
audience had been struck silent. Dennis Bernstein, the Jewish host of
KPFA
Radio's Flashpoint current affairs programme, was reading some recent
e-mails that he had received from Israel's supporters in America. Each
one
left the people in the church - Muslims, Jews, Christians - in a state
of
shock. "I hope that you, Barbara Lubin and all other Jewish Marxist
Communist traitors anti-American cop haters will die a violent and
cruel
death just like the victims of suicide bombers in Israel." Lubin is
also
Jewish, the executive director of the Middle East Children's Alliance,
a
one-time committed Zionist but now one of Israel's fiercest critics.
Her
e-mails are even worse...
The most astonishing - and least covered - story is in fact the
alliance of
Israeli lobbyists and Christian Zionist fundamentalists, a coalition
that
began in 1978 with the publication of a Likud plan to encourage
fundamentalist churches to give their support to Israel...
But, of course, a fundamental problem - fundamental in every sense of
the
word - lies behind this strange partnership. As Uri Avnery, the leader
of
Gush Shalom, the most courageous Israeli peace group, pointed out in a
typically ferocious essay last month, there is a darker side to the
alliance. "According to its Christian Zionist theological beliefs, the
Jews
must congregate in Palestine and establish a Jewish state on all its
territory" - an idea that would obviously appeal to Ariel Sharon - "so
as
to make the Second Coming of Jesus Christ possible." But here comes the
bad
bit. As Avnery says, "the evangelists don't like to dwell openly on
what
comes next: before the coming of the Messiah , the Jews must convert to
Christianity. Those who don't will perish in a gigantic holocaust in
the
battle of Armageddon. This is basically an anti-Semitic teaching, but
who
cares, so long as they support Israel?"
-----
RACISM DEBATE FLARES IN ISRAEL
Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 7/9/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-izland9jul09005053.story
JERUSALEM - The government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has endorsed
a
proposed law that would allow Jews to bar Arab citizens of Israel from
purchasing homes or living in many Israeli communities, a move that has
touched off a divisive national debate.
The attempt to legalize "Jews-only" towns was swiftly criticized by
numerous Israeli politicians and human rights groups, who said it was a
discriminatory and racist proposal. Supporters praised the bill for
protecting what they called the essence of Zionism.
The debate goes to the heart of Israel's existential contradiction: How
can
it be both a Jewish state and a democratic state? "Israel is the state
of
the Jewish people," said Cabinet minister Dan Meridor, who opposed the
legislation, "but because it is a Jewish state, it must not practice
against its non-Jewish citizens the kind of discrimination to which
Jews
were subjected in the diaspora..."
Assigning land for Jewish-only housing opens Israel to criticism at a
time
when its reputation in the Arab and Muslim worlds is especially low
because
of Israel's war with the Palestinians, Meridor said...
SEE ALSO:
ISRAEL ACCUSED OF 'RACIST IDEOLOGY' WITH PLAN TO PREVENT ARABS BUYING
HOMES
Eric Silver, Independent (UK), 7/9/02
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=313305
Opposition was growing last night to a plan by Ariel Sharon's
government to
build public-sector housing within Israel exclusively for Jews.
Left-wing
and Arab MPs denounced as "racist" Sunday's cabinet decision to back a
private member's bill barring Arabs from buying homes in "Jewish"
townships, built on state-owned land. Israel has about 1 million Arabs,
nearly 20 per cent of the population.
Shulamit Aloni, a veteran civil rights campaigner and former minister,
said: "If we are not an apartheid state, we are getting much, much
closer
to it." Yossi Sarid, who succeeded her as leader of the Meretz party,
added: "The Israeli Arabs are not guests here. They are citizens with
equal
rights." Azmi Bishara, of the Arab Balad party, said: "Racism has
become an
official ideology of the state of Israel..."
'JEWS-ONLY' LAW SPARKS FIRESTORM
Bradley Burston, Ha'aretz, 7/9/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=184504
A proposed law that would allow Jews to bar Arabs from buying homes in
their communities could expose Israel to a fresh wave of condemnation
recalling the now-rescinded UN resolution equating Zionism and racism,
critics of the bill said Wednesday.
"We are also moving farther and farther away from the founding document
of
the state of Israel," she said, in a reference to the nation's 1948
Declaration of Independence, which pledged "development of the country
for
the benefit of all its residents" and "complete social and political
equality to all its citizens, regardless of religion, race, or
gender..."
-----
SHARANSKY'S QUIET ROLE
Dan Ephron and Tamara Lipper, Newsweek, 7/15/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/777064.asp
July 15 issue - Natan Sharansky, one time Soviet dissident and now an
Israeli cabinet minister, had been hammering at the same themes for
years
in lectures and private meetings with U.S. officials: peace would never
be
possible without democracy. Suddenly something clicked at a conference
of
conservative heavyweights in Beaver Creek, Colo., last month.
Vice President Cheney was there, taking notes. So was Paul Wolfowitz,
the
deputy Defense secretary. The two Americans had been working with
others on
a major Middle East policy speech for the president, and though they
had
both met Sharansky many times before, his address struck a
chord...
-----
GOVERNOR SIGNS LAW PROTECTING HALAL FOODS
Los Angeles Times, 7/9/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-briefs9.3jul09.story
A bill making it a misdemeanor to sell food products falsely labeled as
halal, or sanctioned by Islamic law, was signed into law Monday by Gov.
Gray Davis.
Davis signed AB 1828, by Assemblyman Bill Campbell (R-Villa Park),
during a
news conference at the Islamic Cultural Center in Los Angeles. "Halal
is
the Islamic equivalent to the Jewish kosher, and therefore a sacred
necessity for the Islamic faithful," Davis said.
The law establishes a penalty of as much as 90 days in jail and a $600
fine
for misrepresentation of foods that have not been prepared in
accordance
with Islamic dietary laws.
Halal foods are outlined in the Koran, the Muslim holy book, as the
only
acceptable foods for observant Muslims.
They must be prepared and stored using equipment that has been cleansed
according to Islamic law.
-----
LESSONS FROM A MUSLIM MOM
James Oseland, Rosie Magazine, 7/9/02
http://www.rosiemagazine.com/people/0202_extraordinary.html
Samira Hussein loves giving pop quizzes. "How many of you know what
color
my hair is underneath my hijab?" the volunteer teacher of Islamic
religion
and Arab culture asks the group of sixth graders sitting on the floor
in
front of her at Argyle Middle School in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Guesses
fly through the room: "Black," answers one kid. "Brown," yells another.
"Blue," offers a third.
Samira raises an eyebrow. "I can't tell you," she says. "My hair color
is
my own private business. Only my family knows. You see, hair makes
girls
attractive to boys, and we want girls to be modest. That's one of the
reasons females are required to cover. It certainly makes life easier."
With that, she invites a small group of girls to try on the Middle
Eastern-style clothing she's brought with her. Soon, six
middle-schoolers
in tight jeans have been transformed into exotic Arabs in flowing
tunics.
It's a cute Kodak moment, but the message is clear: Just because the
dressed-up girls look different on the outside, it doesn't mean they
are on
the inside...
"People didn't know much about Islam and Arabic history-they don't know
that Muslims invented algebra and the compass," she says. "So I decided
that education was the best way to handle it."
She asked permission from her children's teachers to come to their
classes
and share her culture and religion. At first school officials were
reluctant, but her contagious optimism-and her persistence-caused any
resistance to melt away.
"I joined everything multicultural, multireligious and multiethnic in
Montgomery County-anything multi, and I was there," she says. "I
learned
that when negative things happen you don't have to bury yourself."
-----
PBS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON ISLAM
NOW With Bill Moyers Airing July 12 on PBS
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-08-2002/0001759556&EDATE=
NOW with Bill Moyers (http://www.pbs.org/now/) airs an evening of
focused
and important conversation on the role of Islam in shaping the politics
of
the Middle East, American perceptions of the beliefs and behavior of
Muslims, and Arab views on the role of America in their region. As
conflict
between Israelis and Palestinians gets increasingly desperate and fear
of
terrorism continues to haunt America, this candid dialogue offers a
compelling range of views and insights about both the complexity of
Islam
and America's relationship with the Arab world.
-----
FBI HAS EYE ON BUSINESS DATABASES
By Frank James, Chicago Tribune, 7/8/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0207080153jul08.story
WASHINGTON -- Many of the nation's businesses have long trolled through
commercial databases hoping to divine which consumers are likeliest to
buy
a particular luxury car or life insurance policy. Now, the FBI hopes to
explore the same information to uncover terrorists before they strike.
Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft recently announced that the Justice Department
was
loosening its guidelines to allow FBI agents to, among other things,
dig
into the vast commercial treasure house of data on consumers' buying
habits, preferences and traits.
Privacy advocates worry the FBI's use of such databases could lead to
intrusions on the privacy of innocent people. Inaccuracies in the
databases
could lead the FBI down blind alleys, they added.
"The problem is any number of innocent events can trigger a suspicion
algorithm," Hufnagle said. Someone who travels on short notice and uses
a
credit card in two cities on the same day, withdraws a large amount of
money from a bank or who moves frequently might draw suspicion even
though
they had legitimate reasons for doing so.
A critique of the Justice Department's new guidelines by the Center for
Democracy and Technology, an advocacy group, said the "FBI will now be
conducting fishing expeditions using the services of the people who
decide
what catalogs to send you or what spam e-mail you will be interested
in..."
-----
U.S. MAN CHARGED OVER TERROR STATEMENTS
Associated Press, 7/9/02
Newark, N.J. - A Somerset man's warning that terrorists were sending
weapons of mass destruction to the United States and Canada aboard two
Liberian ships was a lie designed to curry favour with the FBI,
prosecutors
said Tuesday.
The man, John Habenstein, 31, was charged with making false statements
to
law enforcement. His allegations resulted in a substantial mobilization
of
FBI, U.S. Customs and other authorities, who raided ships in Georgia
and
New Jersey, but found nothing, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie
said...
In a series of discussions with FBI agents, Mr. Habenstein said he had
learned through confidential sources in the Middle East that weapons of
mass destruction were en route to the United States and Canada aboard
two
ships flying under the Liberian flag.
He also provided information about possible dates and locations the
weapons
might be detonated, claiming he received the information from a
high-ranking military official in the United Arab Emirates whom he had
known for years.
The warnings prompted police alerts in both countries.
About a month later, after agents found no evidence to support his
claims,
Mr. Habenstein acknowledged that he had lied about the plot...
-----
CONFERENCE: MUSLIMS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN DIASPORA
WHAT: 4th Annual America's Islamic Heritage Conference
WHEN: Saturday, August 3rd 2002, 10 a.m. -5 p.m.
WHERE: Thurgood Marshall Center/Shaw Heritage Trust, 1816 12th Street
NW
(Between S & T Streets) Washington, D.C.
Invited guests include Dr. Sulayman Nyang, author, Dr. Amina Wadud;
Imam
Yusuf Saleem, Imam Ghaith Kashif, and others. There will be
workshops/panels on America's Islamic history, History of Muslims in
Washington, DC, Genealogy Research, International Cultural Tourism /
Trade
Opportunities. Time Saturday Limited vendor space will be available.
For
more information contact 202 678-6906 or email: amirmuhammad@juno.com
-----
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
IBN-THE VOICE OF AMERICAN MUSLIMS-IS DENIED ACCESS TO THE AIRWAVES IN
WASHINGTON, DC BY THE OWNERS OF WGOP AM 700
(WASHINGTON, DC)-Despite its agreement with the Islamic Media
Foundation
(IMF) permitting IMF affiliate Islamic Broadcasting Network (IBN) to
broadcast programming over WGOP AM 700 (formerly WWTL AM 700), WGOP
licensee Elijah Broadcasting has suddenly discontinued all of IBN's
radio
programming on WGOP without explanation.
IMF, a non-profit organization, and Elijah entered into an agreement on
June 12, 2001, for the year 2002 that permitted IBN to air radio
programming in English on AM 700 Monday thru Friday from 2 PM until
station
sign-off at sunset. The agreement does not expire until December 31,
2002.
On June 18, 2002, Elijah substituted prerecorded music for a one-hour
segment of IBN programming. The following day June 19, 2002, the
station
pre-empted IBN programs from 6 PM till sunset. On June 20, 2002, and
continuing to the present, Elijah has completely preempted all IBN's
radio
programming without any formal explanation. WGOP has replaced IBN's
format
with syndicated talk shows, entertainment programming, and commercial
advertising.
Despite repeated requests for an explanation of WGOP's actions in
ejecting
IBN from the airwaves, no explanation has been provided. IBN has
established itself as the leading provider of Islamic radio
broadcasting to
the Muslim community in the United States. In the meantime, IBN, which
has
constructed studios, built up a staff of 30 people and established a
significant presence in the US Muslim community, finds itself without
an
over-the-air presence in the nation's capital. That presence has been
vital
to IBN's success. Because of the presence it has established in
Washington,
DC, through its programming on AM 700, IBN has been invited by the
White
House and the State Department to attend key diplomatic and religious
events.
IBN continues to press for an explanation, and is evaluating taking
appropriate steps to remedy the harm that has occurred and to restore
operations as soon as possible. IBN regrets that it cannot at this time
estimate when it will return to the air. In the meantime, IBN can be
heard
on the Internet at www.ibn.net from 2 PM to 9 PM.
CONTACT: Mr. Mamdouh Rezeika, IMF Executive Director, at (703) 241-9659
-----
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To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/10/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSE OF THE DAY: PARTNER IN A GOOD CAUSE
* ISLAMIC MOTHER IN CHILD-CUSTODY FIGHT (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
* PREPARING TO TAKE ON HIS CHURCH (New York Times)
- INCITEMENT WATCH: PARTICIPATING WITH PAGANS
(WorldNetDaily.com)
- NOW ONLINE: THE STEALTH CRUSADE (Mother Jones)
* MINOR IMMIGRATION SLIP BECOMES COSTLY (Atlanta Journal)
- N.J. COURT SPURNS APPEAL OF RULING ON DETAINEE SECRECY
(Reuters)
- U.S. DEPORTED 131 PAKISTANIS IN SECRET AIRLIFT (Washington
Post)
- 9/11 TOUGHER ON SOME FOREIGN STUDENTS (Chicago Tribune)
* A MATTER OF FACT (Antiwar.com)
* ISRAEL TARGETS PALESTINIAN MODERATE (Scotsman)
* U.S. CHRISTIANS FIND CAUSE TO AID ISRAEL (San Francisco Chronicle)
* TEXAS SEMINAR: JIHAD VS TERRORISM
* IN SH'ALLAH (Public Perspective)
-----
VERSE OF THE DAY: PARTNER IN A GOOD CAUSE
"Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein,
and
whoever recommends and helps an evil cause shares in its burden."
The Holy Quran, Chapter 4, Verse 85
-----
ISLAMIC MOTHER IN CHILD-CUSTODY FIGHT
HANNAH ALLAM, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 7/10/02
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/3631655.htm
Muslims across the nation are protesting a South Dakota judge's
decision to
remove a 5-year-old boy from his mother's home, saying the custody
ruling
was based on the woman's recent conversion to Islam. The Council on
American-Islamic Relations in Washington, D.C., questioned the decision
in
a news release Tuesday, although the case has been widely discussed on
Twin
Cities Muslim e-mail groups and online forums for about two weeks.
Muslims claim the judge in sparsely populated Moody County showed an
anti-Islamic bias when he granted temporary custody to the boy's
grandparents...
Last week, some Muslim women from Minnesota helped raise money for
29-year-old Sally Barakat's effort to regain custody of her son,
Trevor.
Barakat planned to move with Trevor from Flandreau, S.D. - about five
miles
from the Minnesota border - to Egypt, where her husband lives.
She met the man, Osama, online about two years ago and married him
during a
four-week trip to Egypt. She converted to Islam in February, after
returning to South Dakota.
Barakat's father and stepmother objected to Barakat's plans to move to
Egypt, and filed court papers in which they say she "engaged in some
bizarre behavior, including wearing Muslim garb and declaring herself a
Muslim," according to court papers...
"The inclusion of Islamophobic statements in a court filing raises
concerns
about whether this case will be decided based on the best interests of
the
child, or on the prejudices of those involved," stated the Council on
American-Islamic Relations news release.
On June 20, Moody County Circuit Judge Rodney Steele granted temporary
custody of Trevor to his grandparents, and set a hearing date past
Barakat's planned departure for Egypt.
The judge's order, which included surrendering Trevor's passport, does
not
state reasons for removing the boy from his mother's custody...
"They don't want me to raise my son as a Muslim," Barakat said.
"They've
made that very clear."
At the next hearing, both sides will present arguments to the judge in
hopes of winning permanent custody...
"I want to move to a bigger city, where I'm accepted and understood,"
she
said. "I'm the only Muslim out here."
ACTION REQUESTED:
The Muslim community in South Dakota set up a bank account to help with
the
mother's estimated $2,000 in legal expenses. Donations may be sent to:
The Barakat Fund
c/o Islamic Society of Brookings
804 13th St.
Brookings, SD 57006
E-MAIL: so_dakota_islam@hotmail.com
Please inform CAIR of any donations sent. E-Mail: cair@cair-net.org
-----
PREPARING TO TAKE ON HIS CHURCH
Daniel J. Wakin, New York Times, 7/10/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/10/nyregion/10LUTH.html
His church has judged that the Rev. David H. Benke offended God, the
Bible
and all Christians. It says he "dragged" his faith, a conservative form
of
Lutheranism, to the level of Islam, committed heresy and violated two
of
the Ten Commandments.
His crime was taking part in an interfaith prayer service at Yankee
Stadium
12 days after the destruction of the World Trade Center. His punishment
is
suspension as president of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod, a position equivalent to bishop for the New York
metropolitan area. But Pastor Benke refuses to apologize, as demanded
in
exchange for lifting the suspension, and has appealed the ruling. He
has
retained a Long Island law firm to represent his interests in what
could
become a long, difficult battle within his church, which is based in
St.
Louis. If he loses his appeal, he could be dismissed from the
ministry....
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic
Relations,
an Islamic advocacy group in Washington, called Pastor Baseley's
comment
part of a growing "demonization of Islam and Muslims" that plays into
the
hands of those who would pit the West against Islam...
SEE ALSO:
INCITEMENT WATCH: PARTICIPATING WITH PAGANS
Hal Lindsey, WorldNetDaily.com, 7/10/02
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28223
I harbor no ill will for Rev. Benke. But guess what? Christianity, of
which
the Lutheran Church is a part, says there is only one God. And if there
is
only one God, He can't be Allah, Buddha and a whole bunch of different
Indian gods all at once. The God of the Bible cannot be the god of
Islam.
NOW ONLINE: THE STEALTH CRUSADE
Barry Yeoman, Mother Jones, May/June 2002
http://www.motherjones.com/magazine/MJ02/stealth.html
Inside one Southern university, Christian missionaries are being
trained to
go undercover in the Muslim world and win converts for Jesus. Their
stated
goal: to wipe out Islam...
Outside, CIU's piney campus is quiet. Most of the student body has not
yet
returned from Christmas break. But these students, all evangelical
Christians, have arrived two weeks early for an intensive course on how
to
win converts in Islamic countries. They're learning from the master:
Love
is the international director of Frontiers, the largest Christian group
in
the world that focuses exclusively on proselytizing to Muslims. With
800
missionaries in 50 countries, Frontiers' reach extends from the South
Pacific to North Africa, with every major Islamic region in between...
-----
MINOR IMMIGRATION SLIP BECOMES COSTLY
Mark Bixler, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 7/10/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/wednesday/news_d3b24d95330df05600b9.html
The federal government wants to deport a legal immigrant from the West
Bank
because he failed to promptly report a change of address, an unusual
effort
that highlights the enforcement of minor laws to fight suspicions of
terrorism...
The INS says he broke a law requiring the 17.8 million noncitizens in
the
United States to report address changes within 10 days of moving.
It's a law that even the INS admits it rarely enforces, a sentiment
echoed
by immigration lawyers. "The reality is that nobody is deported on the
basis of that simple a violation," said Jeanne Butterfield, executive
director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "It's
ridiculous..."
On Tuesday, a government lawyer told an immigration judge the INS had
concerns about Abdeljaber's "identity and activities," but did not
elaborate. Abdeljaber's attorney, Charles Kuck of Atlanta, was
furious...
"They couldn't get anything else on this guy. They want to get rid of
him
because he's Palestinian," he said. "Let's focus our attention on
getting
rid of immigrant criminals, but not changing your address? That's
silly..."
SEE ALSO:
N.J. HIGH COURT SPURNS APPEAL OF RULING ON DETAINEE SECRECY
Reuters, 7/10/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46440-2002Jul9.html
NEWARK, July 9 -- New Jersey's highest court today refused to consider
compelling the U.S. government to identify people detained in the state
after the Sept. 11 attacks, handing a victory to the U.S. policy of
keeping
the identities secret.
New Jersey's Supreme Court denied a request by the local chapter of the
ACLU to hear an appeal of the case. A state appellate panel in June
overturned a lower court's ruling that would have forced federal
authorities to release the identities.
The ACLU said it was considering bringing the case before the U.S.
Supreme
Court.
"We are currently considering our options in the matter," New Jersey
ACLU
Executive Director Deborah Jacobs said in a statement. She said the
ACLU
has 90 days to decide whether to appeal.
The U.S. Department of Justice said it was pleased with the New Jersey
Supreme Court's decision.
"The court refused to disturb an important ruling by the state
appellate
court upholding the INS's authority to protect from disclosure
information
that could provide terrorists a road map of...investigations and assist
their efforts to harm Americans," a statement from the Justice
Department
said.
U.S. DEPORTED 131 PAKISTANIS IN SECRET AIRLIFT
Steve Fainaru, Washington Post, 7/10/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46826-2002Jul9.html
NEW YORK - In a highly unusual airlift involving hundreds of U.S.
immigration officers, the Justice Department secretly chartered a
Portuguese jet to deport 131 Pakistani detainees who had been held for
months at INS detention facilities around the country.
A majority of the detainees, a Pakistani official said, had been
arrested
under a Justice Department program to locate and apprehend immigrants
who
have ignored previous deportation orders and who came under scrutiny
after
the Sept. 11 attacks. None of the detainees appeared to have links to
terrorism, U.S. officials said...
Most of the detainees, who were airlifted out of Louisiana on June 26,
boarded the plane quietly and willingly, but about 40 of them were
"extremely unhappy" about being deported, according to Imran Ali, a
Pakistani consular officer. One briefly resisted by lying down on the
tarmac, and another had to be carried onto the plane, he said. Seconds
before the plane was about to taxi, a man whose wife had obtained a
court
order preventing his deportation was removed from the plane.
The flight touched down 20 hours later in an equally dramatic scene,
according to Ali, who helped plan the operation and was aboard. About
50
detainees, now shorn of the loose-fitting handcuffs they had worn
throughout the trip, dropped to their knees in the 120-degree heat and
pressed their foreheads to the broiling tarmac to give thanks to Allah.
"It was very moving. They were thanking God that they were free," said
Ali.
"Most of them were very disappointed to have to leave the United
States.
Many were crying. But after being in detention for eight or nine
months,
they were also happy to be back in Pakistan..."
9/11 TOUGHER ON SOME FOREIGN STUDENTS
Ted Gregory, Chicago Tribune, 7/10/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0207100174jul10.story
About a year ago, Esin Erkal arrived in the U.S. from Turkey as a
foreign
exchange student with worries common to many of the 850 students in her
American Field Service group.
But Sept. 11 complicated things for her and a handful of other Muslim
students in the group. "It was a tough year," said Erkal, 19, who
changed
families in Missouri after her initial host mother referred to Erkal as
"bin Laden." "There were some hard times," she said.
Erkal and the others gathered Tuesday on the campus of Elmhurst
College, a
staging area for American Field Service students before they left for
O'Hare International Airport and home.
For the most part, the students said, they were treated respectfully
after
Sept. 11, although they fielded question after question about Islam.
And they suffered indignities. One student said he was pulled out of
line
at every airport he traveled through and searched thoroughly. Another
said
classmates made fun of his religion...
For all her difficulties, even Erkal said she gained a new respect for
Americans.
"Americans tried to get over the bad things that happened," she said.
They
were deeply saddened by the terrorists' attacks but understood the
importance of getting back to the routine of their lives, a valuable
lesson
for what she said is Turks' penchant for dwelling too much on their
miseries...
-----
A MATTER OF FACT
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com, 7/10/02
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html
The controversy over the fourth of July gunman at LAX, Hashem Mohamed
Hadayet, known as "Ali," is typical of any issue involving Israel.
Since it
advances Israel's interests to maintain that Hadayet was part of a
larger
terrorist operation, a footsoldier in a worldwide Islamofascist
network,
then it must be true. Which is why Israeli government officials jumped
the
gun, as I pointed out in a July 4 piece, and characterized it as an act
of
organized terrorism before Hadayet had even been identified.
James Taranto admits there is no evidence of any organized terrorist
plot,
but avers that hate crimes are "arguably a form of terrorism." Well,
then,
perhaps we ought to take this Los Angeles Times headline - "Deluge of
Hate
Crimes After 9/11 Pours Through System" - a bit more seriously...
But it's interesting how this has developed into an increasingly
acrimonious conflict between US law enforcement officials and the
Israeli
government, summed up in a [UK] Times headline: "Airport killer's
motive
provokes US-Israeli split..."
Based on zero evidence, a man who may have been driven by a personal
grudge
is cast by Dreher as an agent of the International Islamofascist
Conspiracy. Excuse me, but it's entirely possible Hadayet's motive was
non-ideological. The explanation coming from the Egyptians - that
Hadayet's
rage was rooted in his failing finances - at least has some basis in
known
fact. We know his limousine business was failing: what El Al had to do
with
this, if anything, remains to be seen...
At this stage of the game, when what little is known is ambiguous or
contradictory, for Israel's partisans to try to capitalize on the July
4
shootings as part of a vast conspiracy is not only absurd but
unseemly...
-----
ISRAEL TARGETS PALESTINIAN MODERATE
Ben Lynfield, Scotsman, 7/10/02
http://www.news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=743582002
ISRAEL moved against a leading Palestinian moderate yesterday, closing
down
the offices of the university he heads in East Jerusalem, and labelling
him
"the representative of a terrorist organisation".
The targeting of Sari Nusseibeh, an Oxford-educated philosopher who is
the
PLO's commissioner for Jerusalem affairs, comes just weeks after he
spearheaded a petition of academics calling for a halt to Palestinian
suicide bombings inside Israel.
Mr Nusseibeh has also urged Palestinians to drop their insistence on a
return of refugees to places inside Israel, and focus exclusively on
building a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Mr Nusseibeh recently
headed an effort to teach schoolchildren about non-violent protest...
-----
U.S. CHRISTIANS FIND CAUSE TO AID ISRAEL
Evangelicals financing immigrants, settlements
Danielle Haas, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/10/02
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/07/10/MN17001.DTL
Tel Aviv -- The largest contingent of American Jewish immigrants in
years
stepped off the El Al charter flight at Ben Gurion International
Airport on
Tuesday, overjoyed at the chance to begin their new lives in Israel.
Forgotten amid all the excitement was the fact that many of the 371
newcomers had been bankrolled by grants from U.S. evangelical
Christians,
who regard the return of Jews to the Holy Land as part of an
apocalyptic
prophecy foretold in the Bible.
"What I'm seeing is the Scriptures being fulfilled right before our
very
eyes," said Bishop Huey Harris, whose First Pentecostal Tabernacle
Church
in Elkton, Md., raised $2,500 from its congregation to help finance the
American Jews' journey.
"What's next? I'm looking for the church to be raptured, Jesus
returning
for the church...and the Jews would receive him as their Messiah..."
-----
TEXAS SEMINAR: JIHAD VS TERRORISM
WHO: Muslim Public Affairs Council
WHERE: University of Houston Hilton Hotel
WHEN: Friday, July 19, 2002, 7 - 10 PM
Topics include:
"Is This War On Terrorism or War On Islam"
"Civil Liberties & America's Image"
For details, please contact:
Hanna Hawk 713-797-MPAC (6722) or E-Mail: MPACHouston@Yahoo.Com
-----
IN SH'ALLAH
John Zogby, The Public Perspective, July, 2002/August, 2002
After the horrific events of September 11, America's Muslim community
was
introduced publicly for the first time. Not a new group at all,
American
Muslims built their first mosque in 1934 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. And
many of
us became more and more aware of Islam in the African American
community
through figures like Elijah Mohammed, Malcolm X, and Louis Farrakhan.
Today, there are perhaps as many seven million American Muslims (actual
figures are hard to come by), and they are an increasingly visible
presence
in major US cities and at local and national ecumenical services.
In those first days after the terrorist attacks, hundreds of cases of
anti-Muslim and anti-Arab harassment, violence, and discrimination were
reported to the FBI, local police agencies, and other governmental
bodies.
To their credit, President George W. Bush and others such as New York
City
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani called upon their fellow citizens to remember
this
nation's highest principles and to remind all Americans that we were
not at
war against Islam or all Arabs.
As part of an effort to avoid another wave of xenophobia following the
tragedy, Zogby International was commissioned by the Muslims in the
American Public Square (MAPS) at Georgetown University to conduct a
detailed national survey of American Muslims. Our mandate in the
November
8-19 survey of 1,781 respondents was to probe more deeply into the
attitudes, behavior, demographics and lifestyles of this little-known
group
in an effort to shed some light on these fellow Americans.
Who are American Muslims? They are mainly a young group, with
three-quarters (74%) of those surveyed under 50. They also tend to be
highly educated, with nearly three-fifths (58%) telling us they were
college graduates.
American Muslims change the face of this country. Eighty-seven percent
of
the sample were Arab, African, African American or South Asian.
Respondents
included people born in 80 countries, including the US. Sixty-one
percent
of those not born in the US arrived here after 1980, 36% between 1980
and
1989, and 24% from 1990 to the present. Two-fifths (39%) said they
lived in
the eastern United States, half (50%) said they earned more than
$50,000
annually, and seven in ten (69%) were married.
Ethnic politics are a tradition in United States politics and a fixture
in
many of our cities. What makes American Muslims potentially very
interesting is that they seem to represent a swing group, not
particularly
wed to either political party. Forty percent of survey respondents were
Democrats, 23% Republicans, and 28% independents.
What also promises to offer a change in politics is that American
Muslims
tend to vote. Seventy-nine percent of respondents were registered to
vote,
and of those, 85% said they were very likely to. Most not registered
said
it was because they were not citizens (53%), but 71% said they intended
to
become voters...
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR ACTION ALERT #337
ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.)
Contact Greyhound to request that they apologize to the Muslim
passenger,
clarify their policies on discrimination and institute sensitivity
training
for company employees:
CONTACT:
Mr. Craig Lentzsch
Chief Executive Officer
Greyhound Lines, Inc.
15110 North Dallas Parkway 75248
FAX: 972-387-1874
E-MAIL: jbruner@greyhound.com, custserv@greyhound.com,
kplaske@greyhound.com, jbradfi@greyhound.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
---
GREYHOUND PROFILES MUSLIM BUS PASSENGER
Traveler denied right to sit in front seats, kicked off bus
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/11/02) - CAIR is demanding that Greyhound Lines
Inc.
apologize to a Muslim passenger from New York who was kicked off a bus
in
Washington, D.C., apparently because of his faith and ethnicity.
The 29-year-old traveler, an American citizen of Middle Eastern decent,
told CAIR the incident occurred June 29th during a stopover in the
nation's
capital, on a trip from New York City to Richmond, Va.
According to the Muslim passenger, he moved to the front of the bus
during
the stopover because his seat in the back was too cold due to the
location
of the air conditioner. The driver said he could not sit in the empty
front
seats. When he tried to re-board the bus after passengers were taken
off
because of a "problem with the bus," he was prevented from boarding by
Greyhound personnel who said the other passengers did not want to
travel
with him. He says Greyhound employees treated him like an "animal."
Several other Muslims, who spoke to the passenger and to Greyhound
personnel at the time of the incident, support the allegation of
religious
and ethnic profiling. Those other Muslims, who where dropping off
another
passenger at the station and were informed of the man's predicament,
protested his treatment and even blocked passengers from re-boarding
the
original bus until the station manager agreed to put the man on another
vehicle.
When questioned by police who had been called to the scene as to the
nature
of their relationship to the other traveler, the Muslims replied, "He
is
our brother (in faith)." They say the man remained calm throughout his
ordeal.
"It is disturbing to see that the achievements of great civil rights
figures such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. are being rolled
back
in the 21st century. And like Rosa Parks, American Muslims will not
accept
a 'back of the bus' status based on stereotyping and prejudice," said
CAIR
Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. (Rosa Parks helped spark the
modern
civil rights movement after she refused to give up her seat on a
Birmingham, Ala., city bus to a white rider in the 1950s.)
Hooper added that his group believes Greyhound's actions violated the
public accommodation clause of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of
1964.
That clause states: "All persons shall be entitled to the full and
equal
enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages,
and
accommodations of any place of public accommodation...without
discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion,
or
national origin."
Along with the apology, CAIR is demanding that Greyhound clarify its
policy
on ethnic and religious discrimination, institute workplace sensitivity
and
diversity training for company personnel and compensate the profiled
passenger for the emotional distress suffered as a result of the
alleged
discrimination.
CAIR has received more than 200 reports of profiling by airport and
airline
personnel since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/11/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSE OF THE DAY: JESUS, SON OF MARY
* INCITEMENT WATCH: O'REILLY COMPARES QURAN TO "MEIN KAMPF"
- PASTOR FANS FLAME OF BLAME (Detroit Free Press)
* ISLAM CONVERT LOSES CUSTODY OF HER SON (Washington Times)
* BE AWARE: MISSIONARY GUIDE TO CONVERTING MUSLIM WOMEN
* DEADLINE FOR FOREIGN SERVICE EXAM APPROACHING
* ANTI-TERRORISM OFFICE FOR U.S., ISRAEL ON HOLD (Washington Times)
* MUSLIMS FEAR THE WORST IN GUJARAT AS HINDUS PREPARE MARCH (AFP)
- CA LECTURE ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN GUJARAT
* U.S. DEPORTS MOST OF THOSE ARRESTED IN SWEEPS AFTER 9/11 (NY Times)
* ANTHRAX CASE HOMES IN ON UNUSUAL SUSPECT (Christian Science Monitor)
* WOMEN MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN SREBRENICA MASSACRE (Reuters)
-----
VERSE OF THE DAY: JESUS, SON OF MARY
"And in their [the earlier prophets] footsteps We sent Jesus the son of
Mary, confirming the law that had come before him. We sent him the
Gospel,
therein was guidance and light and confirmation of the law that had
come
before him, a guidance and an admonition to those who fear God."
The Holy Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 46
-----
INCITEMENT WATCH: O'REILLY COMPARES QURAN TO "MEIN KAMPF"
THE O'REILLY FACTOR
http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/index.html
July 10, 2002 Wednesday
HEADLINE: Impact Interview With Robert Kirkpatrick
GUESTS: Robert Kirkpatrick
HOST: Bill O'Reilly
O'REILLY: In the "Impact" segment tonight, an unbelievable situation at
the
University of North Carolina. Each incoming freshman this fall will be
required to read a book that explains portions of the Koran. Joining us
now
from Raleigh, North Carolina, is Dr. Robert Kirkpatrick, who selected
the
reading. "The Early, Approaching the Koran, The Early Revelations," is
the
book, I guess, professor.
Boy, you're causing all kinds of trouble down there. This is pretty
controversial, is it? Why'd you choose it?
ROBERT KIRKPATRICK, PH.D., ENGLISH PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH
CAROLINA-CHAPEL HILL: Yes, it is. Well, I think it's the kind of book
that
after 9/11, we need to know more about...
O'REILLY: I'm for academic freedom. I want all the students in
universities
and colleges across the country to be as well versed as possible. But I
don't know what this serves to take a look at our enemy's religion.
See? I
mean, I wouldn't give people a book during World War II on the emperor
is
God in Japan, would you?...
If I were going to UNC in 1941, and you, professor, said, Read "Mein
Kampf," [Hitler's political manifesto] I would have said, Hey,
professor,
with all due respect, shove it. I ain't reading it...
SEND POLITE COMMENTS TO: oreilly@foxnews.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
SEE ALSO:
PASTOR FANS FLAME OF BLAME
David Crumm, Detroit Free Press, 7/11/02
http://www.freep.com/news/religion/god11_20020711.htm
A condemnation of Islam and all other non-Christian faiths by a pastor
in
Dearborn is at the center of a dispute raging within the
2.6-million-member
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
At issue is a complaint filed by the Rev. Joel Baseley, a pastor at
Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Dearborn, against one of his denomination's
top
officials for participating in an interfaith prayer service at Yankee
Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., after the Sept. 11 attacks.
"Instead of keeping God's name sacred and separate from every other
name,
it was made common as it was dragged to the level of Allah," Baseley
wrote
in his complaint against the Rev. David Benke, president of the
church's
east-coast Atlantic District. Baseley's complaint, supported by 17
other
Lutheran pastors, was discussed privately in the Missouri Synod church
for
months, and was revealed publicly only this week as the case against
Benke
neared its conclusion.
Now, the complaint is sparking criticism of Baseley by interfaith
leaders
in metro Detroit.
"These actions and words are out of touch with where contemporary
society
needs to go," said the Rev. Dan Krichbaum, director of the National
Conference for Community and Justice in Detroit...
-----
ISLAM CONVERT LOSES CUSTODY OF HER SON
Sean Salai, Washington Times, 7/11/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/culture/20020711-78692457.htm
A circuit court judge in South Dakota has granted temporary custody and
a
restraining order to the grandparents of a 5-year-old boy who say they
don't want the child's natural mother rearing him as a Muslim in Egypt.
My wife and I are very concerned about Trevor's safety and well-being
as
Trevor's mother has engaged in some bizarre behavior, including wearing
Muslim garb and declaring herself a Muslim," Conrad Rederth, the
grandfather, stated in an affidavit.
Judge Rodney Steele of the 3rd Judicial Circuit ruled in favor of the
plaintiffs on June 20, confiscating Trevor's passport and stating that
"the
only way to protect the child" is to prevent his mother from leaving
the
country with him.
Trevor's mother, Sally Rederth Barakat, 29, married Osama Barakat in
Egypt
on Oct. 2 and converted to Islam in February. The U.S. Embassy
certified
the marriage in advance.
Mrs. Barakat said she couldn't afford adequate legal representation and
that her first attorney "just sat there and didn't do anything" in
court.
"I am planning to move to Sioux Falls in order to get away from my
abusive
family," she stated in her own affidavit. Richard Hill, 56, the boy's
biological father, also signed Mr. Rederth's affidavit. Mrs. Barakat
said
she never saw Mr. Hill after their courtship and that he rarely paid
child
support.
In addition, she filed a June 7 protective order against her father,
who
had been convicted of driving under the influence in South Dakota and
an
unrelated felony in Minnesota. That order was waived in Judge Steele's
ruling.
Mrs. Barakat, who did not know her biological mother, said she never
lived
with her father for more than six months as a child. She was raised by
her
grandmother until age 10. After her grandmother's death, she entered
the
foster care system and was adopted in Michigan by Pam Hoss, now
deceased.
Mrs. Barakat has visitation rights with Trevor until the July 22
hearing.
She said Mr. Rederth has been feeding her son pork, which is forbidden
to
Muslims, smoking around him and buying him firearms in an effort to
spite
her new religion...
ACTION REQUESTED:
The Muslim community in South Dakota set up a bank account to help with
the
mother's estimated $2,000 in legal expenses. Donations may be sent to:
The Barakat Fund
c/o Islamic Society of Brookings
804 13th St.
Brookings, SD 57006
E-MAIL: so_dakota_islam@hotmail.com
Please inform CAIR of any donations sent. E-Mail: cair@cair-net.org
-----
BE AWARE: MISSIONARY GUIDE TO CONVERTING MUSLIM WOMEN
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/muslimwomen.html
The best way to meet Muslim women is to be introduced to them by
someone
else. This way they will trust you more quickly because you are their
friend's friend.
People who might be able to introduce you to Muslims are: former
missionaries in your town, TESOL teachers, international student
offices on
university campuses, campus Christian workers (such as International
Students, Inc., Navigators, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, etc.)...
-----
DEADLINE FOR FOREIGN SERVICE EXAM APPROACHING
Register now for the Fall 2002 Foreign Service Written Exam. Deadlines
for
the September 21 exam are August 13 for U.S. test sites and August 5
for
overseas sites
TO REGISTER GO TO:
https://actrs8.act.org/fswe2002/startframes.html
-----
ANTI-TERRORISM OFFICE FOR U.S., ISRAEL ON HOLD
Sean Salai, Washington Times, 7/11/02
http://washtimes.com/national/20020711-25436392.htm
A proposal for a joint U.S.-Israeli anti-terror office has been delayed
by
Israeli security concerns and by Democratic reluctance to endorse
immediately any part of President Bush's proposed Homeland Security
Department.
A separate panel of lawmakers, the U.S.-Israeli Inter-Parliamentary
Commission on National Security (IPC), failed to convene as expected in
June, delaying movement on the anti-terrorism office and other
cooperation
between the two nations...
-----
MUSLIMS FEAR THE WORST IN INDIA'S GUJARAT AS HINDUS PREPARE MARCH
Praveena Sharma, Agence France Press, 7/11/02
AHMEDABAD, India - Thousands of Muslims have returned to relief camps
in
the riot-hit western Indian state of Gujarat fearing fresh attacks by
Hindu
hardliners during an annual procession Friday.
"We realized that the number of refugees at our camp had shot up only
after
we fell short of food some days back, and when we did a head count the
number had gone up by almost 2,000," said Mohsin Kadri, a coordinator
of
the Shah Aalam camp in Gujarat's commercial capital Ahmedabad.
More than 4,500 people already live in the camp, one of many set up
after
India's worst communal violence in a decade broke out in February.
Devout
Hindus will march for 14 kilometers (eight miles) in tense Ahmedabad on
Friday as part of the Jagallath Yatra, an annual religious procession.
Leading Muslim leaders have called on the government to forbid the
public
ceremony in the current climate. Earlier this month a political
procession
was called off under pressure from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee,
fearing it would shatter Gujarat's relative calm in recent weeks...
SEE ALSO:
CA LECTURE ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN GUJARAT
WHO: Dr. Naijd Hussain
WHEN: Saturday July 13th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
WHERE: Hilton Newark/Fremont, 39900 Balentine Drive, Newark, CA 94560
COST: $10
For more information, please contact Indian Muslim Relief Committee at
(650) 856-0440.
-----
U.S. DEPORTS MOST OF THOSE ARRESTED IN SWEEPS AFTER 9/11
SUSAN SACHS, New York Times, 7/11/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/11/national/11DEPO.html
As legal challenges to its policy of secret detentions advance slowly
through the courts, the government has managed to deport most of the
Sept.
11 detainees at the center of the lawsuits.
Some 1,200 South Asian and Arab men were arrested in sweeps after the
terrorist attacks, and 750 of them were ultimately detained on
immigration
violations, the Justice Department said. As of four weeks ago, when the
latest head count was released, all but 74 had been expelled to their
home
countries or, in a handful of cases, released to resume their lives in
the
United States. The government, citing national security concerns, has
refused to disclose the names of those foreigners it held in detention,
including the vast majority who were never charged with anything other
than
overstaying a visa. It has also banned the public from the deportation
hearings of "special interest detainees" once it has finished
investigating
them.
The secret detentions and secret hearings have been attacked in federal
lawsuits filed by civil liberties groups in Washington, D.C., New
Jersey
and Michigan, and those cases continue to wend their way through the
judicial system...
-----
ANTHRAX CASE HOMES IN ON UNUSUAL SUSPECT
Faye Bowers, Christian Science Monitor, 7/11/02
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0710/p02s01-usju.html
WASHINGTON - The FBI has someone in mind. He is a loner, a science nerd
with access to a sophisticated lab. He has a reason to be peeved, and
he's
familiar with the Trenton, N.J., area. This Unabomber-like person,
officials say, mailed the anthrax-laced letters last fall that resulted
in
five deaths.
Narrowing its nine-month search in the past two weeks, the FBI has
closed
in on two government labs that work with anthrax, and to several
scientists
who have the expertise, the access, and possibly the motive to carry
out
the worst bioweapons attack against this country...
"I have been puzzled by the slow pace," says Jonathan Tucker, director
of
the chemical and biological weapons nonproliferation program at the
Washington-based Monterey Institute. "It is hard to know if it is
because
[the FBI has] never done anything like this before and are on a steep
learning curve, or if it's merely incompetence, or if something more
nefarious is going on within the intelligence community..."
-----
WOMEN MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN SREBRENICA MASSACRE
Nedim Dervisbegovic, Reuters, 7/11/02
SREBRENICA, Bosnia - Women who lost their loved ones in the Srebrenica
massacre gathered Thursday under a hot sun to mark the seventh
anniversary
of the slaughter of up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb
forces.
Around 2,000 mourners -- many of them widows wearing traditional long
Muslim dresses and headscarves -- took part in the memorial service in
a
field near the town, praying for the victims of what is widely
considered
Europe's worst atrocity since World War Two.
Bosnia's highest Islamic cleric Mustafa efendi Ceric led the service,
drawing a comparison between the slaughter synonymous with Bosnia's
1992-95
war and the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, which killed some
3,000
people...
Seven years later, the international community is still reeling over
Srebrenica. Four months ago, the Dutch government resigned over the
role of
its peacekeepers in the U.N.-declared "safe area" who did not stop the
mass
killing taking place.
A symbolic white marble Islamic tombstone was recently erected at the
site
of Thursday's service, and families want 10,000 more -- one for each
victim
they believe perished. Independent estimates put the death toll at up
to
8,000...
The Serbs captured the isolated, crowded and starving enclave on July
11,
1995 and rounded up the Muslim men while the lightly-armed Dutch
peacekeepers stood by helplessly. They had no orders to fight and were
denied air support...
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS 7/12/2002
HEADLINES:
* SIX FLAGS CLARIFIES ISLAMIC HEADSCARF POLICY
- MARYLAND: MUSLIM FAMILY DAY AT SIX FLAGS AMERICA
* BIAS ALLEGED AFTER INCIDENT AT BUS STATION IN D.C. (Washington Post)
* CONDO ACCUSED OF BIAS, REFUSED TO RENT TO SAUDI (Miami Herald)
* US COURT DENIES TALIBAN FIGHTER ACCESS TO LAWYER
- ARE CIVIL LIBERTIES THE REAL VICTIM OF TERRORISM? (Scripps
Howard)
* THE ANTHRAX FILES (New York Times)
* WHY BUSH'S MIDDLE EAST PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN WON'T WORK (Salon.com)
* REPORTERS' GROUP URGES ISRAEL TO FREE JOURNALISTS (Reuters)
- PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST DIES OF WOUNDS IN WEST BANK
-----
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SIX FLAGS CLARIFIES ISLAMIC HEADSCARF POLICY
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/12/02) - Six Flags Inc. has clarified its policy
on
allowing Muslim women to wear headscarves while on amusement parks
rides.
The clarification came after lengthy discussions with the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a national Islamic advocacy group.
CAIR contacted Six Flags after receiving a number of complaints from
Muslim
women who said they were denied access to roller-coaster rides by
employees
of Six Flags New England. The scarves were cited as potential safety
hazards.
According to Six Flags, the clarified policy will allow Muslim women to
wear their religiously-mandated headscarves on all park rides,
providing
they are securely fastened. Company officials assured CAIR that a memo
reflecting this clarification will be circulated to Six Flags parks
nationwide.
“We appreciate Six Flags willingness to accommodate the religious
concerns
of Muslim customers while at the same time maintaining necessary safety
standards,” said CAIR Communications Coordinator Hodan Hassan.
SEE ALSO:
MARYLAND: MUSLIM FAMILY DAY AT SIX FLAGS AMERICA
WHEN: July 13, 2002
WHERE: Six Flags America, Largo, MD
The ticket for Six Flags is half priced, $20 per person and the
facility
opens two hours early by special arrangement.
For further formation, please contact:
Dr. Khalid Masood, Chair Public Relations (301-680-0202) or Mr. Sabir
Rehman, President (301-260-9452)
The Muslim Community Center, Inc.
15200 New Hampshire Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20905
Tel: 301-384-3454
Fax: 301-384-6281
E-mail: mcc@mccmd.org
URL: http://mccmd.org
-----
BIAS ALLEGED AFTER INCIDENT AT BUS STATION IN D.C.
Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post, 7/12/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58462-2002Jul11.html
A passenger of Middle Eastern descent was ordered off a Greyhound bus
last
month at the terminal in the District, prompting a complaint of ethnic
profiling yesterday from a national Islamic group.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is demanding that Greyhound
apologize to Anwar el-Naham, 29, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was
prevented from reboarding a bus in the nation's capital June 29 during
a
trip from New York to Richmond.
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the council, said the incident appeared
to
be part of a wave of ethnic-profiling incidents involving
transportation
companies, especially airlines, since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"On
buses, to my knowledge, this is the first time somebody's been kicked
off,"
he said…
Brown said that the company plans to apologize to el-Naham if he "felt
any
perception of discrimination."
ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.)
Contact Greyhound to request that they apologize to the Muslim
passenger,
clarify their policies on discrimination and institute sensitivity
training
for company employees:
CONTACT:
Mr. Craig Lentzsch
Chief Executive Officer
Greyhound Lines, Inc.
15110 North Dallas Parkway 75248
FAX: 972-387-1874
E-MAIL: jbruner@greyhound.com, custserv@greyhound.com,
kplaske@greyhound.com, jbradfi@greyhound.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
CONDO ACCUSED OF BIAS, REFUSED TO RENT TO SAUDI
ELENA CABRAL, Miami Herald, 7/12/02
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/3646338.htm
A Broward real estate broker has filed a discrimination complaint with
the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development after a Hollywood
Beach
condominium association refused to rent to his 27-year-old Saudi
client.
Realtor Usama El-Abaidy alleges that when he found an apartment in
March at
the Summit Towers, 1201 S. Ocean Dr., for Saad Al-Mothana, who is in
the
U.S. on a student visa, he was told by the condo president that the
board
didn't want "this type of people" in the building.
'I said, 'This type of people are the same type as me,'" said
El-Abaidy,
who was born in Egypt but has lived in the U.S. for more than 20
years…Al-Mothana's complaint to HUD joins a growing list of post-Sept.
11
allegations of discrimination against Muslims and people of Middle
Eastern
descent. Since October HUD has logged at least six other complaints in
Florida in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Jacksonville, Kissimmee, and St.
Petersburg, according to agency figures…
Randall Marshall, legal director for the ACLU of Florida, said condo
associations can only go so far to screen residents.
"We have people who move here from all over the world," Marshall said.
"To single people out because they are Middle Eastern or from any
particular country, I think people are treading on very thin ice."
-----
US COURT DENIES TALIBAN FIGHTER ACCESS TO LAWYER
REUTERS, 7/12/02
NORFOLK, Va, July 12 (Reuters) - A federal appeals court ruled on
Friday
that an American-born Taliban prisoner captured in Afghanistan, Yaser
Esam
Hamdi, could not have access to a lawyer, saying the government had the
right to detain combatants in a time of war.
Chief Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
reversed a federal court's June decision allowing Hamdi to meet with
Public
Defender Frank Dunham.
In his ruling, Wilkinson said the district court had made the decision
"without adequately considering the implications of its actions" and
remanded it back to the court.
"In the face of ongoing hostilities, the district court issued an order
that failed to address the many serious questions raised by Hamdi's
case,"
Wilkinson wrote…
Hamdi, 21, was in captivity in November during a prison uprising by
Taliban
and al Qaeda forces after U.S. forces launched a military campaign in
Afghanistan. He was held with other detainees in Cuba until the
discovery
that he had been born in Louisiana to Saudi Arabian parents.
Hamdi has been declared an enemy combatant and held at a jail in the
Norfolk U.S. naval station since April. The government has determined
he
should continue to be detained in accordance with the laws and customs
of war
Last month the same court ruled the federal public defender and a
private
citizen had no significant prior relationship with Hamdi and therefore
could not file petitions for a writ of habeas corpus as his "next
friend"
arguing he is being held illegally…
Citing the need for judicial review, Wilkinson refused to make a
sweeping
ruling and did not approve a government request to dismiss the case
entirely.
"With no meaningful judicial review, any American citizen alleged to be
an
enemy combatant could be detained indefinitely without charges or
counsel
on the government's say-so," he wrote. "Given the interlocutory nature
of
this appeal, a remand rather than an outright dismissal is
appropriate..."
SEE ALSO:
ARE CIVIL LIBERTIES THE REAL VICTIM OF TERRORISM?
Bill Straub, Scripps Howard, 7/11/02
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_48.shtml
When he signed the USA Patriot Act, President Bush said that the widely
popular measure would "give intelligence and law-enforcement officials
important new tools to fight a present danger.”
With the United States facing "a threat like no other our nation has
ever
faced'' in the wake of 9/11, Bush said the new law would enhance FBI
and
CIA surveillance techniques but also respect "the civil liberties
guaranteed by our Constitution.''
But more than eight months after the Oct. 26 signing ceremony, critics
are
wondering whether that law and other actions are living up to Bush's
promise to preserve civil liberties…
Measures taken by the Bush administration - so far - are not so
dramatic.
But groups and individuals across the political spectrum are raising
concerns that the government is unnecessarily limiting civil liberties
in
the face of outside assault…
-----
THE ANTHRAX FILES
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF, New York Times, 7/12/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/12/opinion/12KRIS.html
When someone expert in bio-warfare mailed anthrax last fall, it may not
have been the first time he had struck.
So while the F.B.I. has been unbelievably lethargic in its
investigation so
far, any year now it will re-examine the package that arrived on April
24,
1997, at the B'nai B'rith headquarters in Washington D.C. The package
contained a petri dish mislabeled "anthracks."
The dish did not contain anthrax. But a Navy lab determined that it was
bacillus cereus, a very close, non-toxic cousin of anthrax used by the
U.S.
Defense Department.
Anybody able to obtain bacillus cereus knew how to spell "anthrax." An
echo
of that deliberate misspelling came last fall when the anthrax letters
suggested taking "penacilin."
The choice of B'nai B'rith probably was meant to suggest Arab
terrorists,
because the building had once been the target of an assault by Muslim
gunmen. In the same way, F.B.I. profilers are convinced that the real
anthrax attacks last year were conducted by an American scientist
trying to
pin the blame on Arabs.
In a column on July 2 I wrote about "Mr. Z," an American bio-defense
insider who intrigues investigators and whose career has been spent in
the
shadowy world of counterterror and intelligence. He denies any
involvement
in the anthrax attacks.
Over the next couple of years, Mr. Z used the B'nai B'rith attack to
underscore the importance of his field and his own status within it.
"Remember B'nai B'rith," he noted at one point. In examples he gave of
how
anthrax attacks might happen, he had a penchant for dropping Arab
names.
The F.B.I. must be on top of the B'nai B'rith episode, right? Well, it
was
told about it months ago. But B'nai B'rith says it hasn't been asked
about
the incident by the F.B.I…
-----
WHY BUSH'S MIDDLE EAST PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN WON'T WORK
Samer Shehata, Salon.com, 7/12/02
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2002/07/12/propaganda/index_np.html
The U.S. State Department has launched a series of multimillion-dollar
programs designed to improve America's image and win the hearts and
minds
of the Arab and Muslim world. But despite the enormous ambitions and
cost,
troubling questions have emerged over whether an elaborate marketing
campaign can be effective in a region where mistrust of the United
States
is nearly universal.
The public diplomacy plan to influence grass-roots opinion in the Arab
and
Muslim world includes not just new cultural and academic exchanges, but
also a Web site focused on Sept. 11 and terrorism, a pamphlet called
the
Network of Terrorism, television commercials aimed at a Muslim
audience, an
Arabic-language FM radio station and even, perhaps, a satellite
television
station for the Arab world…
The overwhelming majority of Arabs and Muslims love freedom and
democracy
as much as we do. The problem is that from their perspective, U.S.
Middle
East policy is guided by neither of these two noble principles.
-----
REPORTERS' GROUP URGES ISRAEL TO FREE JOURNALISTS
Reuters, 7/12/02
JERUSALEM - A U.S.-based reporters' rights organisation has protested
against Israel's continued detention of three Palestinian journalists
and
demanded their immediate release.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a statement issued
late
on Thursday that it was "deeply disturbed" by the failure to release
Reuters cameraman Jussry al-Jamal, Agence France Presse photographer
Hussam
Abu Alan and Kamel Jbeil, a reporter with the Arab newsaper Al-Quds.
"We protest the prolonged detention without charge of these journalists
by
Israeli authorities," said Ann Cooper, executive director of the CPJ,
which
is based in New York. "They should be released immediately."
SEE ALSO:
PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST DIES OF WOUNDS IN WEST BANK
Reuters, 7/12/02
JENIN, West Bank - A Palestinian journalist died of his wounds on
Friday a
day after he was shot by Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Jenin,
hospital officials said.
Imad Abu Zahra, 35, a freelance reporter, was wounded in the thigh. He
lost
a lot of blood and slipped into a coma before being brought to the
hospital, they said.
Said Dahla, a photographer working for the Palestinian news agency
WAFA,
was also wounded in the incident but survived, the hospital officials
said…
Palestinian witnesses said the men were shot as the army reimposed a
curfew. They said boys threw stones at the soldiers and ran away when
military vehicles, including tanks, opened fire. They denied there had
been
an exchange of fire…
Italian freelance photographer Raffaele Ciriello was shot dead by
troops in
the West Bank city of Ramallah in March.
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-489-5108
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS 7/14/2002
HEADLINES:
* A U.S. WATCHDOG FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES (Washington Post)
* CIVIL LIBERTIES TAKE BACK SEAT AS FEAR RULES (San Jose Mercury News)
* CONFLICTING IMAGE OF DETAINEE EMERGES (AP)
* ATLANTA MUSLIMS RECOIL AFTER FEDERAL RAIDS (Atlanta Journal)
* HATE CRIMES SOARED LAST YEAR, REPORT SAYS (Omaha World-Herald)
* 'JIHAD' REALLY MEANS TO STRIVE FOR THE SAKE OF GOD (Columbus
Dispatch)
* SD WOMAN CLAIMS SHE LOST CUSTODY OF CHILD BECAUSE SHE IS MUSLIM (AP)
* DIVIDE WIDENS FOR MUSLIMS, HINDUS IN INDIA (San Francisco Chronicle)
- RISING THREAT OF HINDU EXTREMISM (Boston Globe)
* MUSLIMS REVERE JESUS, BUT AS A PROPHET AND NOT A GOD (Star Tribune)
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A U.S. WATCHDOG FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES
Christopher Edley Jr., Washington Post, 7/14/02
Sunday, July 14, 2002; Page B07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63915-2002Jul12.html
It is becoming increasingly clear that while reorganizing and
mobilizing
for homeland security, we also need to construct a practical means of
addressing wartime threats to civil liberties and civil rights.
The line-drawing between security and liberties carries three distinct
risks:
Officials and judges may draw a line in a place we come to regret. Or
they
may not fully disclose where they have drawn it. Or, finally, wherever
the
line is drawn, government agents may violate it, without our having
much of
a chance to detect, correct and punish the abuses. There are things
Congress can do now to address these risks of failure to disclose and
comply…
First, don't count on the courts. As Chief Justice William Rehnquist
warned
in his prescient 1998 book, wartime courts strain to accommodate
security
imperatives declared by the political branches…
Second, discount the congressional watchdogs for now. Bipartisan
consensus,
plus the volume of concerns, means that oversight will be both
overwhelmed
and deferential.
Finally, don't count on political pressure. A watchful public will not
protest, because the war will be mostly secret, mostly for good reason.
Without transparency, public debate will be ill informed or
nonexistent...
What to do? Within the new agency of homeland security, Congress should
create an independent Office of Rights and Liberties, headed by a
Senate-confirmed director…
-----
CIVIL LIBERTIES TAKE BACK SEAT AS FEAR RULES
Dennis Rockstroh, San Jose Mercury News, 7/13/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/news/columnists/dennis_rockstroh/3656283.htm
OK, how many of you have read the USA Patriot Act of 2001?
I see only one hand, and it doesn't count. It's the person who typed it
up.
The act, a.k.a. Public Law 107-56, is now the law of the land and is
already chipping away at freedoms many of us hold sacred. The Fremont
City
Council, normally loath to take a position on federal issues, is
considering harsh words to ship off to our nation's capital decrying
the
erosion of civil liberties and constitutional rights that have been
exacerbated as a result of hastily adopted federal anti-terrorism laws.
Fremont, as you may know, is the home of thousands of Americans who
once
hailed from South Asia and have been feeling the painful fallout from
the
Sept. 11 attack on the U.S.
Petition for statement
Earlier this month, about 100 Muslim men, women and children implored
the
council to make a statement about civil liberties, the U.S.
Constitution
and the Patriot Act, which gives the feds more authority to question
and
detain people, listen in to phone conversations, read e-mail and follow
us
on the Internet…
We're at war and should expect some curtailment on civil liberties so
that
the government can nail the bad guys.
And I'm all for cutting off the terrorists and shutting them down.
On the other hand, you've got to watch the government like a hawk. It's
led
us into national disaster before. I've been around long enough to know
that
a lot of people will mindlessly follow the government, claiming it is
what
patriots do.
It's not.
Patriots watch the government like a hawk watches a rattlesnake.
Thomas Jefferson told us. "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
And Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who would give up essential liberty
to
purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
The USA Patriot Act of 2001 chips away at constitutional guarantees
against
unreasonable searches and seizures, and against detainment and
incarceration without due process.
-----
CONFLICTING IMAGE OF DETAINEE EMERGES
DEBORAH HASTINGS, Bradenton Herald (Associated Press), 7/14/02
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradentonherald/3658977.htm
His name is Hussein al-Attas. He is 24 years old. Ten months ago, he
was
arrested by federal agents at the mosque where he worshipped.
He has been locked in solitary confinement ever since, his only
companion a
Spanish-speaking prisoner on the other side of the wall, to whom he
speaks
through the air-conditioning vent.
Neither his family in Saudi Arabia, nor his Muslim friends in this
college
town will speak for him. They are afraid, they say, of endangering
themselves. And of making life harder for al-Attas, held by the Justice
Department in downtown Manhattan as a material witness in connection
with
the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
His attorneys, silenced by a federal gag order, defend their client
during
closed hearings and in legal motions filed under seal.
Al-Attas has not been charged with a crime…
Behind the veil of silence, those who know al-Attas say he is a good
and
honest man. Perhaps too naive, perhaps too willing to listen when he
should
have walked away. Speaking on condition of anonymity, saying they fear
retribution from immigration officials, they described his ways as
quiet
and kind, his soul as sensitive and devoted to Islam, his beliefs
unbowed
before the temptations of America…
-----
ATLANTA MUSLIMS RECOIL AFTER FEDERAL RAIDS
MONI BASU, Atlanta Journal, 7/13/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/saturday/news_d3f24cf51683813b008a.html
Recent federal raids of local jewelry stores coupled with reports that
terrorism suspects are under nationwide surveillance has renewed anger
and
fear in Atlanta's Muslim community.
Federal agents are reportedly watching groups of Middle Eastern men
suspected of being part of an al-Qaida ring of 500-to-1,000 operatives
on
U.S. soil. Published reports this week said the surveillance was
ongoing in
Atlanta, Detroit, Seattle and Chicago…
"People are very frightened," said Hasan Kamal, a Muslim from India who
attended Friday prayers at the Al-Farooq Masjid in Midtown. "They are
really scared, even though many of them are American citizens. They
think
their civil rights will be denied."
Khalid Siddiq, a native of Pakistan and director of the mosque, said
most
members are aware of the surveillance.
"We are very conscious of the fact that this is going to be the pattern
from now on," he said...
Some Atlanta area Muslims said Friday they support the Justice
Department's
efforts to snag suspected terrorists. Nevertheless, they are scared of
being profiled. And they don't want federal operations to become a
witch-hunt.
"We want to make sure anyone being questioned or detained that their
due
process rights are respected," said Rashid Naim, a Georgia State
University
professor and spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"We
are in favor of rigorous law enforcement, but law enforcement based
primarily on profiling is a matter of great concern."
Hassan Hodan, a spokeswoman at the council's national office took it a
step
farther.
"It has been: 'Guilty before proven innocent,'" she said.
-----
HATE CRIMES SOARED LAST YEAR, REPORT SAYS
Rick Ruggles, Omaha World-Herald, 7/13/02
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=36&u_sid=446619
The number of hate crimes reported in the state surged last year,
according
to the Nebraska Crime Commission.
The commission's executive director, Allen Curtis, said Friday that he
didn't know how much to make of the increase in reported hate crimes,
which
are up from 18 in 2000 to 51 last year...
Ahmad Ghosheh, president of the Islamic Center of Omaha, said there was
no
doubt that bigotry and hate crimes against Muslims increased after the
terrorist attacks.
"It is sad to say that there are people out there who tend to lump-sum
about one-fifth of the people on earth" because of the terrorist acts,
Ghosheh said.
Locally, he said, women wearing Muslim head scarves have been berated
and
shoved in stores and told to go back where they came from.
That's particularly comical, he said, when the woman has converted to
the
Islamic faith, is white and grew up in Iowa - such as Ghosheh's wife.
The Islamic Center also received some phone calls after Sept. 11 in
which
four-letter words and threats were spewed…
Generally, Ghosheh said, Omahans have been supportive and kind toward
Muslims. Some called after Sept. 11 and volunteered to guard the mosque
while Muslims prayed inside.
The message, he said, is simple.
"We're all God's children, and we all should love each other and should
not
judge each other based on a few people's actions," he said.
-----
'JIHAD' REALLY MEANS TO STRIVE FOR THE SAKE OF GOD
Asma Mobin-Uddin, Columbus Dispatch, 7/12/02
http://www.columbusdispatch.com
Search using the term “Jihad.”
Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin is a pediatrician and serves as vice president of
the
Council on American-Islamic Relations' Ohio Chapter.
Difficulties in communication between Muslim and non-Muslim Americans
are
increased by inaccurate preconceptions, heightened emotions and media
sensationalism. The recent controversy evoked by the word jihad in the
title of a Harvard graduating senior's commencement address exemplified
all
of these.
Zayed Yasin was selected to speak by the Harvard faculty. His address,
initially titled "My American Jihad," focused on shared Muslim and
American
values and discussed the common Muslim understanding of jihad as a
struggle
to do the right thing.
Before the commencement, however, some students who neither had heard
nor
read the speech were offended by the word jihad in its title. They led
a
crusade against the address, insisting that the use of the word implied
support for violence in the name of Islam. Despite faculty reassurances
about the "healing" and "nonconfrontational" nature of the speech,
Harvard's campus erupted in controversy and protest…
I understand why many have such a negative emotional response to the
word
jihad. The terrorists who murdered thousands of innocent people on
Sept. 11
used it to describe their actions. The American media and English
dictionaries often translate this word as "holy war." We sometimes hear
the
claim that it refers to Muslims trying to force conversions to Islam.
It is no wonder that people who seriously and thoughtfully try to
understand the Muslim perspective on this word are surprised when they
uncover its true, original meaning.
In Arabic, the translation of "holy war" is not jihad but harb
muqaddas.
This term never appears in the Quran. The word jihad is derived from
the
Arabic root j-h-d, which means to strive or exert effort. To Muslims,
jihad
means to strive for the sake of God. This striving encompasses both a
person's internal struggle to do the right thing, which Prophet
Muhammad
defined as the "greater jihad," and his or her external struggle to
implement goodness in society.
Jihad can include a struggle on the battlefield, the "lesser jihad,"
but
only in self-defense or to relieve oppression. The Quran warns: "Fight
for
the sake of God those that fight against you, but do not attack them
first.
God does not love the aggressors" (2:190).
Huston Smith, an internationally recognized scholar of religions, wrote
on
Oct. 25 that the concept of war acceptable in Islam "is virtually
identical
with the 'just war' concept in Christian canon law, right down to the
notion that martyrs in both are assured of entering heaven. In both
cases,
the war must be defensive or fought to right a manifest wrong. Chivalry
must be observed and the least possible damage inflicted to secure the
end
in question. And hostilities must cease when the objective is
accomplished.
Retaliation is disallowed."
For Muslims, jihad means striving for good in every aspect of life.
Jihad
is speaking out for the truth, even if it is against one's own
interests.
Jihad is giving to the needy despite fear of poverty. Jihad is working
hard
to gain knowledge and using that knowledge to benefit humanity. Jihad
is
making a stand against those who do wrong in the world, whether they
are
powerful or weak, relatives or strangers, Muslim or non-Muslim. Jihad
is
having the strength not to begin hostilities but, if needed, it is
defending self, family, property or faith…
-----
FLANDREAU WOMAN CLAIMS SHE LOST CUSTODY OF CHILD BECAUSE SHE IS MUSLIM
Aberdeen American News (SD), 7/13/02
http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/3656488.htm
A Flandreau woman says she has temporarily lost custody of her son
because
of anti-Muslim bias.
A Moody County judge decided last month that Sally Barakat's 5-year-old
son, Trevor Rederth, should be placed in the temporary custody of his
grandparents.
Barakat, 29, claims her parents, Conrad and Julie Rederth, only sought
custody of her son because they disapprove of the fact that she married
an
Egyptian man and converted to Islam.
“They're trying to use that against me and I'm hurt by that,” Barakat
said
in an interview.
Barakat said the Rederths have denigrated her religion and have made
racist
comments about her husband's name. Osama Barakat happens to share a
first
name with terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.
Court papers filed by Conrad Rederth say Sally Barakat “has engaged in
some
bizarre behavior, including wearing Muslim garb and declaring herself a
Muslim…”
Circuit Judge Rodney J. Steele agreed in June and granted temporary
custody
of Trevor to the Rederths, pending a hearing scheduled for July 22.
Steele
also ordered Barakat to surrender any passport for Trevor and barred
her
from taking him out of Moody County without the court's permission.
But Anisah David, director of Human Interactions for Religious
Understandings, said the same judge had previously granted a protection
order by Sally Barakat against Conrad Rederth. The Rederths' concerns
that
a Muslim family would be violent toward Barakat and take her child ring
hollow, David said…
The case has captured the attention of Muslim groups around the
country,
many of whom see Steele's decision as a display of anti-Islamic
sentiment.
The Washington, D.C.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations has
been
collecting donations for Barakat's legal defense.
“The mother's volunteered to give up her passport so she couldn't leave
the
country,” said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on
American-Islamic Relations. “Once that's eliminated, what's left? So
that
leaves us with only some kind of anti-Muslim bias…”
ACTION REQUESTED:
The Muslim community in South Dakota set up a bank account to help with
the
mother's estimated $2,000 in legal expenses. Donations may be sent to:
The Barakat Fund
c/o Islamic Society of Brookings
804 13th St.
Brookings, SD 57006
E-MAIL: so_dakota_islam@hotmail.com
Please inform CAIR of any donations sent.
E-Mail: cair@cair-net.org
-----
DIVIDE WIDENS FOR MUSLIMS, HINDUS IN INDIA
CLAUDIA KOLKER, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/13/02
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/front/1493297
AHMEDABAD, India -- Nearly five months after Hindu rioters hammered him
with rocks and torched his house, Shaikh Salim still spends his nights
in a
Muslim graveyard. Hundreds of other Muslims doze around him, stretched
on
tombs or curled next to ancient walls. They swarmed here in February,
chased by Hindu mobs that killed up to 2,000 people. Like many of the
25,000 Muslims in nearby camps, they no longer feel safe around Hindus.
"We
all used to live together," says 20-year-old Salim, shaking his head.
Now
he fears a Hindu mob could swell again.
To many Indians, the persecution of the region's Muslims marks a
watershed
for their society. If the forces fueling this violence prevail, they
warn,
India -- a nuclear power with 1 billion people -- could cast off its
democratic, secular tradition and become a Hindu state. Its mix of
faiths
and social castes could lose even the promise of equality…
SEE ALSO:
RISING THREAT OF HINDU EXTREMISM
H.D.S. Greenway, Boston Globe, 7/12/2002
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/193/oped/Rising_threat_of_Hindu_extremism+.shtml
WHILE THE Western World worries about Islam, the specter of Hindu
nationalism carries the potential of threatening the stability of the
Indian subcontinent and the world beyond. A bit of bad news out of New
Delhi earlier this month was that the hard-line, Pakistan-bashing home
minister, Lal Krishna Advani, had been named the number two man in the
Indian government and a potential successor to the ailing and aging
Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee…
Like their Muslim extremist counterparts, Hindu nationalists seek to
expel
Western secularism from their midst, persecuting non-Hindus, trashing
hotels that celebrate Valentine's Day or Christmas, and demanding that
cities with Islamic names, such as Allahabad, be changed. Other
religions -
and there are more Muslims in India than there are in Pakistan - are
considered offshoots of a basic Hindu entity that should submit to
Hindutva…
The crowning moment of Advani's brand of Hindutva came exactly 10 years
ago
when an ancient mosque believed to have been built on a Hindu site was
torn
down by a howling Hindu mob egged on by BJP leaders including Advani.
Militants shouting “Hindustan is for the Hindus” and “Death to Muslims”
rioted, and more than 1,000 people were slaughtered, most of them
Muslims...
-----
MUSLIMS REVERE JESUS, BUT AS A PROPHET AND NOT A GOD
Martha Sawyer Allen, Star Tribune, 7/13/02
http://www.startribune.com/stories/614/3049723.html
In a biblical story Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I
am?"
Peter replied, "You are the Messiah, the son of the Living God."
For Christians this is the sum and substance of their faith: Jesus was
God
on Earth.
For the world's Muslims Jesus is also beloved, revered, but he's not
God on
Earth. Only God is God.
Muslims in Minnesota and elsewhere are trying to convince their
Christian
neighbors that they hold Jesus and his mother, Mary, in high esteem.
They
revere the Hebrew prophets as well.
"I challenge anyone to find any entry anywhere in the Qur'an that is
less
than tender and respectful to Jesus and Mary," said Zafar Siddiqui,
president of Islamic Resource Group, a corps of Minnesota Muslims that
explains Islam...
Said Siddiqui: "There is a lot of inadvertent misinformation about
Islam,
and we want to give a human face to the 'alien' ideas people are
exposed
to. We don't preach about Islam; we teach. We want to prevent Islam
from
being hijacked by the likes of Osama bin Laden," he said…
Some of the most well known teachings in Islam include:
• Jesus' mother, Mary, was a virgin when the angels told her that God
had
purified her and had chosen her above all women of the universe to give
birth to him.
• The consistent message from Jesus in the Islamic texts is that there
is
one God and that polytheism is wrong.
• Islam teaches that God saved Jesus from death on the cross and took
him
bodily into heaven.
• At the end times, on judgment day, Jesus will return and fight evil,
or
the Antichrist. He will then lead a normal life and die.
• He is an honored prophet and apostle of God, but he is not to be
worshiped as a deity or as the son of God.
"If I say I no longer believe in Jesus, then I'm no longer a Muslim,"
said
Siddiqui.
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/15/2002
HEADLINES:
* U.S. TO RECRUIT 1-IN-24 AMERICANS AS SPIES (Sydney Morning Herald)
- EDITORIAL: WHAT IS OPERATION TIPS? (Washington Post)
* DISPLACED MUSLIMS CHOOSE BETWEEN CAMP OF FLIES AND BURNED-OUT HOME
(AFP)
* IN CHINA'S WEST, ETHNIC STRIFE BECOMES 'TERRORISM' (Washington Post)
* HATE CITED IN SLAYING OF JEWISH FATHER OF 6 (Globe and Mail)
* POLICE THEORIZE THAT A COLLAPSING BUSINESS CAUSED HADAYET TO SNAP
(Contra
Costa Times)
-----
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US PLANNING TO RECRUIT ONE IN 24 AMERICANS AS CITIZEN SPIES
Ritt Goldstein, Sydney Morning Herald, 7/15/02
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/14/1026185141232.html
The Bush Administration aims to recruit millions of United States
citizens
as domestic informants in a program likely to alarm civil liberties
groups.
The Terrorism Information and Prevention System, or TIPS, means the US
will
have a higher percentage of citizen informants than the former East
Germany
through the infamous Stasi secret police. The program would use a
minimum
of 4 per cent of Americans to report "suspicious activity."
Civil liberties groups have already warned that, with the passage
earlier
this year of the Patriot Act, there is potential for abusive,
large-scale
investigations of US citizens.
As with the Patriot Act, TIPS is being pursued as part of the so-called
war
against terrorism. It is a Department of Justice project.
Highlighting the scope of the surveillance network, TIPS volunteers are
being recruited primarily from among those whose work provides access
to
homes, businesses or transport systems. Letter carriers, utility
employees,
truck drivers and train conductors are among those named as targeted
recruits...
Historically, informant systems have been the tools of non-democratic
states. According to a 1992 report by Harvard University's Project on
Justice, the accuracy of informant reports is problematic, with some
informants having embellished the truth, and others suspected of having
fabricated their reports.
Present Justice Department procedures mean that informant reports will
enter databases for future reference and/or action. The information
will
then be broadly available within the department, related agencies and
local
police forces. The targeted individual will remain unaware of the
existence
of the report and of its contents.
The Patriot Act already provides for a person's home to be searched
without
that person being informed that a search was ever performed, or of any
surveillance devices that were implanted...
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: WHAT IS OPERATION TIPS?
Washington Post, 7/14/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63924-2002Jul12.html
THE JUSTICE Department is not saying much about the Terrorism
Information
and Prevention System -- otherwise known as Operation TIPS -- which is
due
to begin as a pilot program later this summer.
Apparently the only public information about the program, in fact, is
on a
government Web site, which describes it as "a nationwide program giving
millions of American truckers, letter carriers, train conductors, ship
captains, utility employees, and others a formal way to report
suspicious
terrorist activity."
Operation TIPS will, in the pilot stage, involve a million workers,
who,
"in the daily course of their work, are in a unique position to serve
as
extra eyes and ears for law enforcement." It will offer them
"training...in
how to look out for suspicious and potentially terrorist-related
activity."
It will also provide "a formal way to report" that activity "through a
single and coordinated toll-free number." This description, which is
essentially all we know about the program, poses more questions than it
answers.
Public vigilance is a good thing, and so is encouraging citizens to
alert
authorities to terrorist activity. It makes sense to educate people who
work at potential targets or at places where lethal cargo may be
smuggled.
But having the government recruit informants among letter carriers and
utility workers -- people who enter the homes of Americans for reasons
unrelated to law enforcement -- is an entirely different matter.
Americans should not be subjecting themselves to law enforcement
scrutiny
merely by having cable lines installed, mail delivered or meters read.
Police cannot routinely enter people's houses without either permission
or
a warrant. They should not be using utility workers to conduct
surveillance
they could not lawfully conduct themselves...
-----
DISPLACED MUSLIMS CHOOSE BETWEEN CAMP OF FLIES AND BURNED-OUT HOME
BEATRICE DEBUT, Agence France Presse, 7/15/02
AHMEDABAD, India, July 15 - Crammed into a rickshaw, their feet lying
on
piles of clothes and cutlery, the Ismail family is finally ending four
months in a makeshift displacement camp -- by returning to a burned-out
home.
Like thousands of other Muslims in the riot-torn western Indian state
of
Gujarat, the Ismail family had been waiting to see how an annual Hindu
march passed off Friday before deciding whether to leave the relative
safety of their decrepit relief camp.
The Jagannath march was seen as a test as to what extent peace had
returned
to Gujarat, where more than 1,000 people -- most of them Muslims --
have
died since February in India's worst communal bloodletting in a decade.
To
the relief of most, the day passed off without major incident as the
Hindus
marched through Gujarat's commercial capital Ahmedabad under the
watchful
eye of 20,000 police.
The Ismail family packed up their meagre possessions on Saturday and
left
the Shah Aalam mosque compound, which has become a camp for thousands
of
the Muslims displaced by the violence.
They returned to a home whose walls are charred black after being
torched
by Hindus at the riots' zenith.
"We will live outside, we will rebuild our house," said Rahisa Ismail,
30.
"We cannot stand any more living here in these conditions," she said of
the
refuse-littered camp buzzing with countless flies.
More than 100,000 Gujaratis, most of them Muslims, have lost their
homes
since February 27, when Hindu mobs launched reprisal attacks after
suspected Muslims torched a train carrying Hindu activists, killing 58
people...
-----
IN CHINA'S WEST, ETHNIC STRIFE BECOMES 'TERRORISM'
Philip P. Pan, Washington Post, 7/15/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4215-2002Jul14.html
KUQA, China - ...The Chinese government has portrayed the clash as part
of
its own war on terrorism, a campaign to crush what it describes as a
violent, organized separatist movement in Xinjiang province. It says
the
separatists are backed by Osama bin Laden and other militants abroad,
and
it has sought help from the United States and other nations to fight
them.
But a more complicated picture of the situation in Xinjiang emerged
during
a government-guided trip through the province, from the capital,
Urumqi, to
five oasis cities on the ancient Silk Road. Although residents reported
scattered incidents of violence, the region seemed beset less by a
coordinated terrorist campaign than by simmering ethnic tensions, made
more
acute by government policies.
In dozens of interviews with residents, it was apparent that
heavy-handed
security tactics and uneven economic development are aggravating
relations
between Xinjiang's 7 million Han, the dominant Chinese ethnic group,
and
its 8 million Uighurs, Turkic-speaking Muslims, many of whom yearn for
independence or at least greater autonomy from Chinese rule...
-----
HATE CITED IN SLAYING OF JEWISH FATHER OF 6
JENNIFER LEWINGTON, Globe and Mail, 7/15/02
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTGAM/20020715/wxhate/Front/homeBN/breakingnews
In a rare Canadian example of what may be a homicide hate crime, a
Jewish
father of six was stabbed to death in Toronto in an apparently
unprovoked
attack early yesterday morning.
Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino said that "we are looking at the
possibility of this being a hate-motivated crime, but I want to
emphasize
this is one possibility."
He described the killing of David Rosenzweig, 48, as a "heinous crime,
a
very cowardly crime." Police said the victim was stabbed in the back
after
coming to the assistance of his son whose car had broken down at 1 a.m.
yesterday, not far from the family home...
According to police, two men and a woman in their early 20s were
involved
in an altercation at King David Pizza on Bathurst Street, south of
Lawrence.
Two young men, one carrying a long knife, entered the restaurant and
verbally provoked the owner and customers, witnesses said.
They left and returned a short time later when the attack on Mr.
Rosenzweig
occurred a few doors away from the restaurant...
Wanted on suspicion of first-degree murder is Christopher Steven
McBride,
20, who is known to police and described as "armed and dangerous..."
Riad Saloojee, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations Canada in Ottawa, denounced the Toronto incident as "a very
horrifying and despicable act."
Since Sept. 11, his organization has received a surge of complaints
from
Muslims and Arabs about hate-tinged incidents.
But with the passage of federal legislation to combat terrorism, Mr.
Saloojee said that more recent complaints centre on "problematic"
tactics
by police in their contacts with Muslim and Arab-born Canadians.
-----
POLICE THEORIZE THAT A COLLAPSING BUSINESS CAUSED HADAYET TO SNAP
Robyn Dixon, Jack Leonard and Rich Connell, Contra Costa Times, 7/15/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/3665052.htm
In interviews with dozens of neighbors, business acquaintances and
family
members in Southern California and Cairo, the emerging consensus is
that
Hadayet was an ordinarily religious man with little appetite for
politics,
who opened fire at the Israeli El Al ticket counter following a
personal
agenda that died with him...
As investigators begin to believe that Hadayet was simply an
overstressed
man who snapped, Hadayet's family refuses to accept any conclusion
beyond
the fact that Hadayet is dead...
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/16/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: DO NOT TURN AWAY THE POOR
* MEDIA REQUEST: MUSLIM POLITICAL CANDIDATES
* PANEL DISCUSSES CIVIL RIGHTS ABUSES (Patriot-News)
* DETAINEE'S BOND HEARING DELAYED (Sun-Sentinel)
* CONJOINED TWINS POSE ETHICAL DILEMMA (AP)
* EDITORIAL: BEWARE THE DREADED HEAD SCARF (Plain Dealer)
- PROTESTERS OBJECT AFTER OFFICIALS DEPRIVE WOMAN OF HEAD
COVERING
- OHIO: IMAM W. DEEN MUHAMMAD TO HOLD OPEN AIR PRAYER SERVICE
* EDITORIAL: DON'T INSULT MUSLIM ALLIES (Star-Tribune)
- EDITORIAL: DEMONIZING ISLAM
* BOSTON COUPLE PLOTTED TO INCITE RACE WAR (New York Times)
- HATE POSTING SURFACES AT FAU (Florida Sun-Sentinel)
* EDITORIAL: SHOCK OF A MURDER (Globe and Mail)
- CANADIAN MUSLIM BECOMES A HERO IN FRANCE (National Post)
* GUJARAT'S RIOT-HIT MUSLIMS GET LITTLE HELP FROM GOVERNMENT (AFP)
* LAWSUIT AGAINST SHARON, POWELL TO BE ANNOUNCED
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: DO NOT TURN AWAY THE POOR
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once told his wife: "Do not
turn
away a poor man...even if all you can give is half a date. If you love
the
poor and bring them near you...God will bring you near Him on the Day
of
Resurrection."
Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1376
-----
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MEDIA REQUEST: MUSLIM POLITICAL CANDIDATES
A major national media outlet is interested in talking to any Muslims
running for public office in the United States. Please e-mail contact
information to: cair@cair-net.org.
-----
PANEL DISCUSSES CIVIL RIGHTS ABUSES
Jan Murphy, Patriot-News, 7/16/02
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/1026811950207330.xml
Making Americans feel safe after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has
given
rise to a disturbing trend of civil rights violations, according to a
panel
of area civil rights organizations.
Racial or ethnic profiling is causing people to be detained for no
specified reason, almost getting them tossed out of their apartments
because of their Middle Eastern descent, inhibiting their chances for
employment, the panelist said.
"It is an issue for all Americans," said Parvez Ahmed, former chairman
of
the Council on American-Islamic Relations [Central-PA].
Repeating a point made several times at a town hall meeting at the
Capitol
last night, Parvez said, "When one American loses their rights or
liberties, all Americans lose."
The meeting was organized by the four civil-rights organizations,
including
the Greater Harrisburg Area Chapter of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, the Council on American-Islamic
Relations
and the Institute for Cultural Partnership...
Afterward, some of those who came said they were heartened by what they
heard.
"It was very encouraging to have a very open discussion so common
people
can get more information and prepare themselves to be better citizens,"
said Saleh Malik of Mechanicsburg, incoming chair of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations...
-----
DETAINEE'S BOND HEARING DELAYED
Jeff Shields and Tanya Weinberg, Sun-Sentinel, 7/16/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-chassoun16jul16.story
Detained Palestinian-American Adham Hassoun was denied a chance at bond
Monday as an immigration judge gave the government more time to gather
evidence into his ties to alleged "dirty-bomber" Jose Padilla.
Hassoun, speaking by phone from Krome Detention Center on Monday, said
he
was disappointed after a bond hearing was delayed a second time at the
government's request. At least 30 co-workers and friends came to the
Immigration and Naturalization Service's Krome Detention Center on
Monday
in support of Hassoun, a computer programmer from Sunrise, only to find
out
that the hearing had been postponed to at least next week.
Debbie Gilliam, one of three of Hassoun's co-workers who showed up
Monday,
said she has become frustrated with the government's handling of her
friend's case. Gilliam had bought chocolate chip cookies for Hassoun,
expecting him to return Monday to his desk at MarCom Technologies in
Sunrise.
"I want our government to investigate terrorism," said Gilliam. "But if
you
have something, do something with it. Don't just hold the man and ruin
his
life..."
Hassoun told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel he hasn't been in touch
with
Padilla since the young convert moved to Egypt in 1998. The INS is
holding
Hassoun for failing to maintain his immigration status while
investigators
check into his relationship with Padilla...
-----
CONJOINED TWINS POSE ETHICAL DILEMMA
Jamie Stengle, Associated Press, 7/16/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Egyptian-Twins.html
As 1-year-old conjoined twins from Egypt gurgle in their crib,
authorities
are faced with a puzzling dilemma: Should one baby be sacrificed at the
expense of the other?
Coming up with an answer has produced debate among doctors, ethicists
and
religious leaders from America to the Middle East. Factors being
evaluated
include their quality of life and the possibility of surgical success
in
separating the twins, who are connected at the crowns of their heads.
"To perform the surgery is to make the judgment that the quality of
life
attached is so poor that it's not worth living to preserve it," said
Richard Burgh, who teaches medical ethics at Rider University in
Lawrenceville, N.J. "That's also an ethical judgment which as a society
we
are loath to make."
Doctors determined earlier this month that separating Mohamed and Ahmed
Ibrahim might be successful, but could result in the deaths of one or
both.
The twins could live indefinitely if nothing is done...
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic
Relations,
a Washington-based Islamic advocacy group, said seeking religious
consultation is important in Islamic society.
"I'm sure it would be taken into account by the family," Hooper said.
"It
would be like your doctor telling you something about medicine. If a
well-respected scholar tells you something about your faith you're
likely
to take it into consideration."
-----
EDITORIAL: BEWARE THE DREADED HEAD SCARF
Cleveland Plain Dealer, 7/14/02
http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/opinion/102655295515340.xml
Security policy ran headlong into religious practice in the Cuyahoga
County
courts last month. It was an avoidable collision. The courts and the
corrections forces who guard the courthouse would do well to see that
none
like it occurs again.
A Muslim woman, Aisha Samad, appearing in a misdemeanor child custody
case,
was prevented for "security reasons" from observing "hijab," the
covering
of the head and upper body that some devout Muslim women practice
whenever
they are outside their homes...
They would not allow Samad to wear even a small cap to symbolically
cover
her hair - an item of apparel that Muslim men in similar circumstances
are
allowed. That's nonsensical - a quick pat-down by a female security
officer
would have been sufficient to meet any legitimate security concerns.
Unlike the recent question of a Muslim woman who wished to be so
photographed for her driver's license, this circumstance had nothing to
do
with establishing her identity. The anti-hijab policy is, at best,
stubbornly ignorant; at worst, sexist and, yes, bigoted. Case law is
replete with rulings supporting accommodation of such unobtrusive
religious
practices. Cuyahoga County need not add to that record.
SEE ALSO:
PROTESTERS OBJECT AFTER OFFICIALS DEPRIVE WOMAN OF HEAD COVERING
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/cuyahoga/1026466296297080.xml
OHIO: IMAM W. DEEN MUHAMMAD TO HOLD OPEN AIR PRAYER SERVICE
WHEN: Friday, July 26, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Luke Easter Park, Kinsman Road at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,
Cleveland, Ohio
CONTACT: 216-283-9027
-----
EDITORIAL: DON'T INSULT MUSLIM ALLIES
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 7/16/02
http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/3055786.html
In declaring war against Al-Qaida last fall, President Bush famously
told
the world, "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
This
battle cry worked when the mission was a military campaign to isolate
Osama
bin Laden and topple the Taliban regime that harbored him. It is not,
however, an adequate motto for ongoing foreign policy. The struggle
against
terrorism has entered a new, sustained phase, and it requires a
formulation
that will win sustained cooperation from the United States' Muslim
allies.
A visit to any of a handful of Islamic countries shows why the United
States cannot simply announce its interests and expect Arab states to
fall
in line.
Saudi Arabia, which supported the United States during the 1991 Gulf
War
and is arguably the most important American business partner in the
Middle
East, views the current U.S. campaign against terrorism as ethnic
profiling
and indiscriminate Arab-bashing. In Egypt, which has provided important
tactical support to Operation Enduring Freedom and has long been a
moderating force in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Bush rhetoric
revives painful memories of colonial swagger...
But some of the Arab skepticism is perfectly legitimate. When Saudis
see
terror suspects held in the United States without trial or access to
lawyers, they wonder if the Constitution applies to Arab-Americans...
When you ask other nations to join you in a struggle, you need to
recognize
their interests too. To leaders in Cairo and Riyadh, these include a
balanced solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the source of
much
Arab unrest and anti-American sentiment today. It also includes a
peaceful
resolution to the standoff with Saddam Hussein; in much of the Middle
East,
the Bush administration's saber-rattling looks like one more assault on
Arab civilians.
The events of Sept. 11 were so frightening and horrific that they
invite a
tough and patriotic response. But careless unilateralism actually plays
into the hands of those who would depict the United States as the
world's
bully. As a Western diplomat in Cairo admonished recently, "When you
divide
the world into friends and enemies, you risk turning friends into
enemies."
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: DEMONIZING ISLAM
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 7/14/02
http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/3055841.html
Late last year, Princeton scholar Bernard Lewis published a book
summarizing the difficulty that Islam has faced in accepting modernity
and
titled it, "What Went Wrong?" Since Sept. 11 that's a question many
people
have asked about a religion which inspired Osama bin Laden's hatred and
has
spawned so much venom toward the West.
But in recent months, American rhetoric against Islam has taken a
poisonous
and ignorant turn. Political conservative Paul Weyrich recently dubbed
Islam "a religion of war." The Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the Rev.
Billy
Graham, has been quoted as saying, "I believe [Islam] is a very evil
and
wicked religion."
These are ugly thoughts -- thoughts that have no place in a nation with
some 6 million Muslim citizens, valued Muslim allies around the world
and a
proud tradition of religious tolerance...
In this conversation, the task of the United States is not to abjure or
isolate Islam, as some social conservatives have urged, but to engage
Muslim societies as they affect American interests. That is, to seek
help
in the battle against terrorism, to argue the benefits of civil
liberties
and civil society, and to demonstrate the merits of economic openness.
The
task of American citizens is to consider Islam with the same honesty
and
sophistication that Muslims have, for centuries, themselves employed.
-----
BOSTON COUPLE PLOTTED BLASTS TO INCITE RACE WAR, PROSECUTOR SAYS
New York Times, 7/16/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/16/national/16PLOT.html
Boston - A Boston couple planned to blow up Jewish and black landmarks
in
the hope of inciting racial warfare, a prosecutor said today in federal
court here.
The two, Leo Felton, 31, and Erica Chase, 22, are being tried together
on
charges of conspiracy, counterfeiting and obstruction of justice. The
couple wanted to destroy the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington,
hoping their actions "would lead to an all-white Aryan nation," an
assistant United States attorney, Theodore Merritt, said in his opening
statement.
Mr. Felton told Thomas Struss, a fellow inmate at a New Jersey prison,
that
he planned to make influential blacks and Jews, including the Rev.
Jesse
Jackson and Steven Spielberg, his targets, Mr. Merritt said...
Mr. Felton and Ms. Chase were arrested on April 19, 2001, while trying
to
pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a local Dunkin' Donuts. The police
searched
their apartment in the North End of Boston and found a "mountain of
evidence," including a "veritable menu" of books on identification
changes
and explosives, as well as newspaper clippings about the New England
Holocaust Memorial, another target, Mr. Merritt said. The police also
seized cartoons drawn by Mr. Felton that depict a white supremacist who
goes to jail and, upon release, plants bombs at Anti-Defamation League
offices and black housing projects...
SEE ALSO:
HATE POSTING SURFACES AT FAU
Nicole Sterghos Brochu, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 7/16/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-phate16jul16.story
The words on the page were too harsh, too "horrible" for Umar Ghuman to
even look at, even though the posting was purporting to represent
Arab-Muslim students like him at Florida Atlantic University. The
document,
determined by university officials to be a hoax intent on inciting
hostilities, said that Islamic students at the school did not want to
mingle with Jewish students or take classes with Jewish teachers.
In what apparently began as an electronic mailing to school officials
and
later was downloaded and posted on campus, the open letter called for
the
FAU administration to enact various procedures that would separate Jews
from Muslims "to help build an atmosphere of peace and tranquility,
devoid
of confrontation and conflict."
It was supposedly sent by FAU's Islamic-Arab Students Defense
Committee, a
group the school has never heard of and is convinced does not exist...
-----
EDITORIAL: SHOCK OF A MURDER
Globe and Mail (Toronto), 7/16/02
http://www.globeandmail.com/comment
Search using the term "Rosenzweig,"
It's hard to imagine a more loathsome act of cowardice than the
unprovoked
murder on Sunday of Orthodox Jew David Rosenzweig, stabbed in the back
outside a north Toronto pizza parlour...
It is unfortunate that some prominent Canadian Jewish leaders have
swiftly
linked Mr. Rosenzweig's murder to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The
slain man is "a victim of the hate culture that has enveloped
Canada...thanks to some of the media...," said B'nai Brith spokesman
Frank
Dimant. For Mr. Dimant's colleague Arieh Rosenblum, criticism of the
Israeli government headed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has led to
"open
season on Jews."
Such a conclusion dispatches the wrong message. Plenty of media
outlets,
including this one, have repeatedly rebuked Israel for its excesses
over
the past 18 months. But we criticize those leaders not for who they are
but
for what they do. It needs restating that the difference is crucial...
SEE ALSO:
CANADIAN MUSLIM BECOMES A HERO IN FRANCE
Bruce Wallace, National Post, 7/16/02
http://www.canada.com/search/site/story.asp?id=3D5F7BF5-11BE-437A-893A-0F9D3BC1B3EC
An Algerian-born Muslim who is now a naturalized Canadian says it is
"ironic and symbolic" that his spontaneous act helped prevent a white
neo-Nazi French national from murdering Jacques Chirac, the French
President.
"When it happened, I did what I did just because it was the right thing
to
do," said Mohamed Chelali, a 45-year-old science teacher from Ocean
Park,
B.C., who was part of a trio of men who grabbed and restrained alleged
gunman Maxime Brunerie on the Champs Élysées on Sunday.
"But after, when I heard about this person, how he had a history of
being a
neo-Nazi, I thought a lot about the symbolism of me, someone who was
once
an immigrant here, intervening to save the President."
Like so many Western European countries, France is in political turmoil
about how to handle a swell of Muslim immigration and the accompanying
social tensions that oxygenate anti-immigrant extremist groups. The
issue
defined France's recent presidential election in which Chirac crushed a
surprising challenge from Jean-Marie Le Pen's National Front and its
anti-foreigner, anti-Muslim message.
Given that so many white French citizens blame their rising crime rate
and
diminished sense of security on Muslims in their midst, Chelali said he
could not help but note the irony of an Algerian Muslim stepping into
the
hero's role.
"We were talking this morning and my dad told me that it was really
symbolic how it happened -- he being Algerian, since some people
consider
us terrorists since Sept. 11," said Chelali's 15-year-old son, Tarik.
-----
LAWSUIT AGAINST SHARON, POWELL TO BE ANNOUNCED
PRESS RELEASE
On Wednesday July 17, 2002 at 12:00 p.m. attorney Stanley L. Cohen will
hold a press conference in conjunction with Solidarity International at
the
National Press Club in Washington D.C. to announce the filing of a law
suit
against, among others, Israel and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon,
President
George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, several
arms manufacturers in the United States and a number of U.S. based
churches and synagogues that have supported settlements in the West
Bank.
The suit on behalf of a class of Palestinian Americans who reside in or
have visited the Occupied Territories charges the defendants with a
series
of individual acts and conspiracies-- some dating as far back as 1982
and
the massacre at Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon--will seek damages and
injunctive relief for, among other things, genocide, crimes against
humanity, war crimes and racketeering. The plaintiffs will include
Palestinian Americans who have been killed, injured, and tortured; who
have
been denied medical treatment; whose businesses and homes have been
destroyed and whose homes and lands have been taken to establish
illegal
settlements in Palestine.
Copies of the complaint and supporting affidavits will be available at
the
press conference.
For further information contact the Law Offices of Stanley Cohen.
212-979-7572
917-544-5471
E-Mail: burnnloot@aol.com
-----
GUJARAT'S RIOT-HIT MUSLIMS GET LITTLE HELP FROM GOVERNMENT
Beatrice Debut, Agence France Presse, 7/16/02
AHMEDABAD, India - Four months after a Hindu mob torched their home in
this
western Indian city's Muslim quarter, the Khan family has yet to
receive
the bulk of the compensation promised by the state.
"We only got 1,000 rupees (20 dollars), enough to buy a couple of
windows,"
said Nasikh Khan, as his wife swept broken glass off the floor.
The attack on the Muslim family's home in February reduced the house to
nothing more than blackened walls and the remains of an iron cupboard.
The
couple has since taken refuge in a mosque in Ahmedabad, the commercial
capital of Gujarat which has recently been torn by India's worst
communal
riots in a decade. The couple came back for a day to their home in the
Naroda Patiya quarter, where 83 people were massacred on February 28.
Since
then, the neighbourhood has stood abandoned...
The Khans want to move back to their home for good. But there is no
running
water and the electricity wiring needs to be repaired. Rebuilding is
impossible without the rest of their compensation, promised by the
government at the beginning of March to people who lost relatives,
homes or
businesses.
But human rights activists charge that the state government, one of the
few
run by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's Hindu nationalist
Bharatiya
Janata Party, has handed out more compensation to Hindu victims than
Muslims.
The government was accused of complicity in the riots, with police
allegedly turning a blind or even sympathetic eye to reprisal attacks
on
Muslims...
According to Kadri, more than 1,000 families have already fled Gujarat.
"The government has finally gotten what it wanted. The Muslims are
leaving."
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/17/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: SAY A PLEASANT WORD
* NY TIMES SAYS O'REILLY "SPINNING" ISLAM
* INCITEMENT WATCH: STEPHEN SCHWARTZ SMEARS U.S. MUSLIM PRESS
- BACKGROUND: WHO IS STEPHEN SCHWARTZ?
- HEAR STEPHEN SCHWARTZ DEFEND JIHAD
* SEATTLE MUSLIM CALLS TERRORISM ALLEGATIONS 'PREPOSTEROUS'
(Post-Intelligencer)
- USDA DROPS CASE AGAINST EMBATTLED SOMALI GROCERS (Seattle
Times)
* EDITORIAL: ASHCROFT VS. AMERICANS (Boston Globe)
- VOLUNTEER-INFORMANT CORPS ELICITS '1984' FEARS (Washington
Times)
- ACLU: OPERATION TIPS BREEDS PEEPING TOMS Kansas City
Channel)
- EX-U.S. OFFICIALS WARN THAT U.S. POLICIES THREATEN
REPRESSION (AP)
- AN AMERICAN STASI (Reason Online)
- ONE MILLION BUSYBODIES (Antiwar.com)
* MORE SEEKING, FEWER GETTING CITIZENSHIP (San Francisco Chronicle)
* GROUP PROTESTS TRIBUNE COVERAGE (The Oracle)
* LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM 40 CHRISTIAN LEADERS (Arab News)
* U.S. TRIES TO WIN OVER MUSLIMS (Gannett News Service)
* PAKI-SLAMMED (Philadelphia City Paper)
* REQUEST FOR POTENTIAL PLAINTIFFS ON AOL CASE
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: SAY A PLEASANT WORD
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "(Each one) of you
should
save himself from the fire by giving even half of a date (in charity).
And
if you do not find a half date, then (you can do it through saying) a
pleasant word (to your brethren).
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Hadith 394
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
-----
NY TIMES SAYS O'REILLY "SPINNING" ISLAM
A CONTEST MORE ABOUT BOMBAST THAN NEWS
Caryn James, New York Times, 7/17/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/17/arts/television/17NOTE.html
If last week was police brutality week on "Connie Chung," it was
Muslims-usurping-America week on "The O'Reilly Factor." On three of his
four shows (a guest host handled Friday), Mr. O'Reilly tried to trump
up
controversy by finding cases in which Islam seemed to intrude on his
idea
of American life. "A California school district wants children to
behave
like Muslims -- wait'll you hear this," he teased before a segment
about a
school that had children role-play to learn about Islam.
On another night, he called it "an unbelievable situation" that a
university reading list included a book about the Koran. "Is it an
indoctrination into the religion?" he asked the professor who assigned
the
book, and called Islam "our enemies' religion." In his self-proclaimed
"no-spin zone," he is spinning furiously all the time...
SEND POLITE COMMENTS TO: oreilly@foxnews.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
INCITEMENT WATCH: STEPHEN SCHWARTZ SMEARS U.S. MUSLIM PRESS
All the Hate That's Fit to Print
America's poison-pen Muslim press
Stephen Schwartz, Weekly Standard, 7/22/02
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/464ijlvz.asp
WHEN THE SHOOTER who chose July 4 to start a gun battle at Los Angeles
airport's El Al ticket counter turned out to be Hesham Mohamed
Hadayet--an
Egyptian native with a "Read Koran" sticker on his apartment door--many
people not unreasonably wondered if he had picked up his hostility to
America and Israel at an extremist mosque. No evidence of Hadayet's
mosque
attendance has been reported. What's gone unremarked is that he could
just
as easily have been incited by the steady diet of violent rhetoric
served
up by the American Muslim community media--periodicals with names like
The
Minaret, Islamic Horizons, the Weekly Mirror International, and the
Muslim
Observer, which toe the anti-American, anti-Israel line of Saudi
Arabia's
Islamofascist Wahhabi sect...
These publications make no attempt to hide their attachments to
international extremist groups...
It's hardly a mystery how an Egyptian limo service operator could end
up as
a gun-toting terrorist at LAX. His native country has long been steeped
in
an extremist and violent political culture. That same culture has
unfortunately taken root in the Islamic "community media" in this
country.
The only mystery is how long it will be before our home-grown
hatemongers
come under closer scrutiny.
Stephen Schwartz is the author of the forthcoming book "The Two Faces
of
Islam: The House of Sa'ud from Tradition to Terror."
BACKGROUND: WHO IS STEPHEN SCHWARTZ?
HEAR STEPHEN SCHWARTZ DEFEND JIHAD
http://www.sunnah.org/audio/khutba/k990402.ram
(Go to 12 minutes 30 seconds into the audio.)
"We Muslims know that Allah permits us to take up the sword. We know
that
Allah permits us to fight the Jihad. That Allah permits us to fight the
Jihad in Allah's way...As it says in the Quran: 'Never say of those who
have died in Allah's way that they are not with us, They are with us
even
though you cannot see them.'"
THE WEEKLY STANDARD'S HOUSE MUSLIM
What William Safire probably didn't know.
Timothy Noah, Slate Magazine, 7/3/02
http://slate.msn.com/?id=2067735
On July 1, William Safire published a column denouncing the Voice of
America for providing a soapbox to supporters of Islamic terrorism.
Safire
was particularly exercised about the firing of VOA staffer Stephen
Schwartz, which Safire attributed to the fact that Schwartz is an
outspoken
dissenter from the news director's views...
A wrinkle of which Safire was probably unaware, however, is that
Schwartz,
blistering critic though he is of Islamist terrorism, is himself a
convert
to Islam. To Schwartz's mortification, a statement he made about his
conversion has found its way onto the Web and has become the source of
some
shock to his erstwhile neoconservative allies...
THE VOA FOLLIES
'Voice of America' loses a writer and the War Party gains a martyr
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/j070502.html
The neocons are up in arms one of their own has been fired from his
position as a "journalist" at the Voice of America and may be on his
way to
becoming the Mumia Abu Jamal of the War Party. The cause of Stephen
Schwartz, a writer formerly known as "Comrade Sandalio," has been taken
up
by William Safire and Ronald Radosh...
No matter what sort of ideological drag he turns up in, however,
Schwartz
always sings essentially the same song. During his travels through the
Balkans, he teamed up with Albanian Catholics, whom he claims were
"threatened by Christian Orthodox imperialism - 'Yugoslav,' Macedonian,
Greek." Clinton had barely begun bombing some of the oldest cities in
Europe when Schwartz popped up on Bay Area television cheerleading the
Kosovo war. Now the enemy is Wahabism, instead of Orthodoxy, but it's
the
same old story: the US must conduct a religious war to suit Schwartz's
latest persona - whatever that is...
The attempt to turn Schwartz, a.k.a. "Suleyman Ahmad," a.k.a. "Comrade
Sandalio," into some kind of political martyr is bound to backfire as
soon
as the spotlight falls on the alleged "victim..."
MY COMING TO ISLAM
Suleyman Ahmad Stephen Schwartz
http://www.naqshbandi.org/events/articles/conversion_schwartz.htm
MY ROAD TO ISLAM
Suleyman Ahmad
http://www.naqshbandi.org/events/articles/road_to_islam.htm
-----
SEATTLE MUSLIM CALLS TERRORISM ALLEGATIONS 'PREPOSTEROUS'
Chris Mcgann and Robert l. Jamieson jr., Seattle Post-Intelligencer,
7/17/02
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/78857_ujaama17.shtml
A Seattle Muslim now under FBI investigation for possible ties to Osama
bin
Laden's terror network says federal authorities and the media never
bothered to contact him or his brother before the allegations were
circulated within government circles or printed in headlines.
Had he been given a chance, Mustafa Ujaama, 34, says he would have
called
the allegations "preposterous."
"I'd never heard of al-Qaida until 9/11," he said, adding that when he
learned that terrorists had acted in the name of Islam, he responded
"that's not Islam."
In his first interview with any news media, Ujaama said he and his
brother,
James, are the victims of a government crackdown on terrorism -- and he
maintains that neither did anything wrong.
In fact, neither has been charged, detained or even interviewed by
federal
agents...
SEE ALSO:
USDA DROPS CASE AGAINST EMBATTLED SOMALI GROCERS
Florangela Davila, Seattle Times, 7/17/02
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134494895_grocer17m.html
Four months after federal agents claimed two Somali markets in
Southeast
Seattle were trafficking in food stamps, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture
has reversed itself, citing a lack of evidence.
In a one-paragraph statement, and without apologizing to the grocers,
John
Heslin, chief of the administrative review branch of the USDA, simply
said
the evidence against the men "was not conclusive."
The grocers, supported by the community, claimed they were the victims
of
racial profiling in the weeks following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The
markets suffered crippling financial losses after they were
disqualified
from accepting food stamps, which 90 percent of their customers used...
-----
EDITORIAL: ASHCROFT VS. AMERICANS
Boston Globe Editorial, 7/17/2002
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/198/editorials/Ashcroft_vs_Americans+.shtml
OPERATION TIPS - the Terrorism Information and Prevention System - is a
scheme that Joseph Stalin would have appreciated. Plans for its pilot
phase, to start in August, have Operation TIPS recruiting a million
letter
carriers, meter readers, cable technicians, and other workers with
access
to private homes as informants to report to the Justice Department any
activities they think suspicious.
This is not an updating of George Orwell's '1984." It is not a satire
on
the paranoid fantasies of right-wing kooks who see black helicopters
swooping across their big sky. It will be a nationwide program run by
Attorney General John Ashcroft's Justice Department. If it is allowed
to
start up and gather steam, it will begin in 10 cities and then expand
everywhere, enrolling millions of Americans to spy on their
neighbors...
If Ashcroft wishes to assess the likely effect of the snooping regime
he is
about to implement, he could ask postal workers from the old days in
Prague
to explain what happens to a society's sense of solidarity when
everybody
on the block assumes that the mailman is telling the secret police that
Comrade X has been reading bourgeois books.
For a bit of the shock therapy Ashcroft and his fellow travelers seem
to
need, they ought to consult some of the citizens in the former East
Germany
who discovered, when looking into their Stasi files, that under the
former
regime they had been spied upon for years by a husband or wife.
Ashcroft's informant corps is a vile idea not merely because it
violates
civil liberties in a narrow legal sense or because it will sabotage
genuine
efforts to prevent terrorism by overloading law enforcement officials
with
irrelevant reports about Americans who have nothing to do with
terrorists.
Operation TIPS should be stopped because it is utterly anti-American.
It
would give Stalin and the KGB a delayed triumph in the Cold War - in
the
name of the Bush administration's war against terrorism.
SEE ALSO:
PLANNED VOLUNTEER-INFORMANT CORPS ELICITS '1984' FEARS
Ellen Sorokin, Washington Times, 7/17/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020716-75882632.htm
As part of the country's war against terrorism, the Bush administration
by
next month wants to recruit a million letter carriers, utility workers
and
others whose jobs allow them access to private homes into a contingent
of
organized government informants.
The Terrorism Information and Prevention System (Operation TIPS), a
national reporting pilot program, is scheduled to start next month in
10
cities, with 1 million informants - or nearly 4 percent of Americans -
initially participating in the program...
Critics say that having Americans act as "domestic informants" is
reminiscent of the infamous Stasi, the new-disbanded communist East
German
secret police service that snooped on dissidents and ordinary East
German
citizens for more than 40 years, compiling a huge catalogue of notes.
Rachel King, an ACLU legislative counsel, said yesterday the
organization
is concerned that law enforcement will use the volunteers, especially
those
whose occupations allow them to enter homes and monitor residents - to
search people's residences, without a warrant. She said that the
organization is also worried that the program will adversely affect the
fight against terrorism by wasting resources on useless tips and that
the
program will encourage vigilantism and racial profiling.
ACLU: OPERATION TIPS BREEDS PEEPING TOMS
Kansas City Channel, 7/17/02
http://www.kmbc.com/sh/news/stories/nat-news-aptv-156172720020716-150738.html
"The administration apparently wants to implement a program that will
turn
local cable or gas or electrical technicians into government-sanctioned
peeping toms," Rachel King, an ACLU legislative counsel, said in a
statement.
The ACLU said it worried that these volunteers would, in effect, be
searching people's homes without a warrant, that resources would be
wasted
on a flood of useless tips and that the program would encourage
vigilantism
and racial profiling...
EX-U.S. OFFICIALS WARN THAT U.S. POLICIES THREATEN REPRESSION
LINDA DEUTSCH, Associated Press, 7/16/02
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/07/16/state2022EDT0216.DTL
(CORONADO, Calif. -- Former Secretary of State Warren Christopher and
former FBI and CIA chief William Webster challenged administration
policies
dealing with terrorism suspects Tuesday, and Christopher warned that
secrecy threatens to lead America down a path to repression.
The former officials spoke to hundreds of judges at the 9th U.S.
Circuit's
annual conference where controversy also swirled around a recent
decision
holding a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional.
In a panel discussion of national security and civil rights,
Christopher
raised the specter of the kind of repression once common in Argentina.
"When I was in the Carter administration, I was in Argentina and I saw
mothers in the streets protesting, asking for the names of those being
held, those who had disappeared," Christopher said.
"We must be very careful in this country of not holding people without
revealing their names. It leads to the 'disappeared,"' he said. "The
names
of people should be revealed so that relatives will know what has
become of
their loved ones. It's a good precaution against having the
'disappeared..."'
AN AMERICAN STASI
Brian Doherty, Reason Online, 7/16/02
http://reason.com/links/links071602.shtml
It's like they aren't even trying to pretend anymore.
Sure, even since the launching of the War on Terrorism, lip service has
been paid to American traditions of civil liberties and freedom. Of
course,
sometimes that lip service to freedom is spookily Orwellian, such as
dubbing President Bush's plan to have every American devote two years
of
their lives in service to the state the "Freedom Corps..."
Making news this week is the latest wrinkle in George Bush's Citizen
Corps
-- a program known as the Terrorism Information and Prevention System,
or
Operation TIPS. (Our allegedly civilian homeland is becoming lousy with
new
"corps" these days.) The East Germans had a more stylish and nakedly
sinister name for the same idea: the formerly feared, and apparently
now
fondly missed, Stasi...
ONE MILLION BUSYBODIES
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com, 7/17/02
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html
The nation's busybodies are going to have a field day; every crackpot
in
the country is going to flock to this program, like flies to fecal
matter,
eager to get in on the fun. Why, just think of the opportunities it
affords
the nation's nutballs: everyone they ever hated (ex-girlfriends,
ex-husbands, ex-friends, and just random victims) will feel their
wrath,
and their power. It's a blank check issued to America's obsessives, who
are
going to do their best to make life miserable for the rest of us...
-----
MORE SEEKING, FEWER GETTING CITIZENSHIP
Tanya Schevitz, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/17/02
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/07/17/MN176533.DTL
When immigration and civil rights attorney Saad Ahmad goes to pray at
his
Santa Clara mosque these days, he is approached by fellow worshipers
seeking advice about becoming U.S. citizens.
"A lot of them are very scared, and a lot of them are afraid to
travel,"
said Ahmad, an attorney with the Ellahie Law Firm of San Jose. "It used
to
be very easy to travel with the green card, and now they worry if they
travel to certain countries, even if they go to Hajj, the Muslim
pilgrimage, they might get stigmatized..."
-----
GROUP PROTESTS TRIBUNE COVERAGE
Chris O'Donnell, The Oracle, 7/15/02
http://www.usforacle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2002/07/15/3d32b51666cf9?in_archive=1
If the "ship them all back" remarks hurt Muslim USF junior Layelle
Saad,
she hid it well.
Instead, Saad, a member of Students for International Peace and
Justice,
continued getting her message across, refusing to let the comments of
an
elderly passerby who interrupted her interview deter her. The coverage
of
Muslim issues in The Tampa Tribune, Saad said, is biased and often a
thinly
disguised attack on Muslim religion, culture and on leaders of the
Muslim
community in Tampa.
"This smear campaign has been going on for seven years, and we're not
going
to sit around and take it anymore," Saad said. "They're defaming our
religion, and it's getting worse every time, so we have to make a
stand."
Saad was among approximately 80 protesters demonstrating against The
Tampa
Tribune's coverage of Muslim issues Friday. The protesters, organized
by
SIPJ, rallied on Parker Street outside the offices of The Tampa Tribune
for
more than an hour, chanting slogans calling for an end to what they
perceive as biased coverage. Many protesters carried placards with
comments
such as "We want journalists, not propagandists" and "The Tampa
Fibune."
Seven police officers maintained a close watch throughout the
demonstration.
Two Tribune journalists in particular were cited by protesters as
having
provoked the demonstration and found themselves the target of many
chants
and placards, Michael Fetcher and columnist Daniel Ruth...
-----
LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM 40 EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN LEADERS
Arab News, 7/17/02
http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=16952
Dear Mr. President,
We write as American evangelical Christians concerned for the
well-being of
all the children of Abraham in the Middle East -- Christian, Jewish and
Muslim. We urge you to employ an even-handed policy toward Israeli and
Palestinian leadership so that this bloody conflict will come to a
speedy
close and both peoples can live without fear and in a spirit of
shalom/salaam.
An even-handed U.S. policy towards Israelis and Palestinians does not
give
a blank check to either side, nor does it bless violence by either
side. An
even-handed policy affirms the valid interests of Israelis and
Palestinians: both states free, economically viable and secure, with
normal
relations between Israel and all its Arab neighbors. We commend your
stated
support for a Palestinian state with 1967 borders, and encourage you to
move boldly forward so that the legitimate aspirations of the
Palestinian
people for their own state may be realized...
Mr. President, the American evangelical community is not a monolithic
bloc
in full and firm support of present Israeli policy. Significant numbers
of
American evangelicals reject the way some have distorted biblical
passages
as their rationale for uncritical support for every policy and action
of
the Israeli government instead of judging all actions - of both
Israelis
and Palestinians - on the basis of biblical standards of justice. The
great
Hebrew prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah, declared in the Old Testament
that
God calls all nations and all people to do justice one to another, and
to
protect the oppressed, the alien, the fatherless and the widow.
Finally, Mr. President, be assured of our prayers for you and your
cabinet
as you lead our nation in this troubled time. May the strength and
peace of
the Lord be with you.
Sincerely,
GO TO THE ARTICLE FOR THE LIST OF SIGNATORIES.
------
U.S. TRIES TO WIN OVER MUSLIMS
Carl Weiser, Gannett News Service, 7/17/02
http://www.detnews.com/2002/nation/0207/15/a04-537687.htm
WASHINGTON -- The public relations war against terrorism is being waged
from Iowa farmer Bob Osborne's barn. That's where a "Good Morning
Egypt"
crew filmed anchorwoman Shereen el Wakeel as she interviewed the
Shellsburg, Iowa, dairy farmer.
"I wanted to address some of the stereotypes we have of Americans from
TV
and movies -- people in fancy clothes, girls in tight pants," she said.
The
portly Osborne glances sheepishly at his well-worn insulated coveralls.
"Don't think I'd fit," he says. Later in the segment, which aired in
May,
Osborne and others argue that Americans are just like everyone else,
and el
Wakeel agrees.
Broadcasts like this, produced through a federally funded exchange
program
involving Arab and American journalists, make up a public diplomacy
effort
that many see as a key in the administration's war on terrorism...
But even supporters of the new effort, which is headed by
Undersecretary of
State Charlotte Beers, say the results so far are not encouraging based
on
private polls, anti-American protests and surveys financed by the State
Department.
"Weak, very weak," is how University of Qatar political science
professor
Louay Bahry described the public diplomacy effort. It is reaching only
the
elite, who tend to support the United States anyway, he said...
-------
PAKI-SLAMMED
Daniel Brook, Philadelphia City Paper, 7/17/02
http://citypaper.net/articles/current/cb.shtml
A black Geo Storm is still parked in front of Shamim Khan's apartment
on
the 2300 block of South Seventh Street. An American flag still flies
above
the passenger-side window. But Khan, who neighbors say owns the Geo,
now
sits in the York County Prison, detained by the Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS), having been picked up by the feds in an
early-morning raid July 3.
Khan was one of seven men detained in the federal action, the latest in
a
series of half a dozen since Sept. 11 that have Pakistani community
leaders
in South Philadelphia complaining that they are being unfairly
targeted...
The FBI's Philadelphia spokeswoman, Linda Vizi, is tight-lipped about
the
July 3 action.
"I have nobody under arrest," Vizi says, consistent with the Justice
Department's post-9/11 policy of detaining people without arresting
them,
thus circumventing the rights of the accused under the Constitution.
"If I
have somebody under arrest, that's public-source information. There's
no
public-source information," which must be made available to the
press...
The INS denies that it is profiling Muslim immigrants. "We do not base
our
investigations on nationality," says Edwards. "Our investigative
priorities
are illegal immigrants suspected in criminal or terrorist activities,
people committing immigration fraud and people working in the country
illegally."
Philadelphia immigration attorney Steven Morley doesn't buy it. Since
Sept.
11, Morley says, "I have seen more Middle Eastern people being detained
for
lesser reasons. I have seen bond amounts ...reach astronomical levels
that,
as far as I'm concerned, defy reason..."
------
REQUEST FOR POTENTIAL PLAINTIFFS ON AOL CASE
Assalaamu Alaikum:
My name is Maaria Mozaffar and I am working with Muslim civil rights
attorney Kamran Memon in Chicago. A very significant case that we are
working on right now is AOL vs Muslim plaintiffs. We have filed a
lawsuit
against AOL for its constant denial of countering complaints of
harassment
and insulting conversations suffered by its Muslim customers. Despite a
number of complaints, AOL has not taken steps to cease the harassing
and
insulting behavior that takes place in its "Koran" and "Belief in
Islam"
chat rooms against Muslims.
We are looking for potential Muslim plaintiffs who may have a claim
against
AOL to join the lawsuit. Please do not underestimate the impact of your
initiative for standing up for Muslim civil rights if you indeed have
been
a victim of harassment while online with AOL. We need you to come
forward.
Please send your name and contact information, your complaints and any
evidence that you have saved of the harassment itself to
aolclassaction@yahoo.com. We will examine your claim and get back to
you
as soon as possible. AOL should be made aware of the large number of
Muslim
customers it has. We sincerely look forward to hearing from you.
Salaam,
Maaria Mozaffar
Law clerk
Kamran Memon
Civil Rights Attorney
CONTACT: aolclassaction@yahoo.com
For further information on AOL lawsuit, visit:
http://www.cair-net.org/downloads/aol.pdf
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/18/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: BEWARE OF SUSPICION AND SPYING
* ACTION ALERT: DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY MUST BE OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE
* U.S. HELD 600 FOR SECRET RULINGS (Detroit Free Press)
- JUDGE: U.S. MUST EXPLAIN DETENTION (AP)
* US DENIES CREATING CIVILIAN SPIES (BBC)
- USPS DECLINES TO JOIN OPERATION TIPS (Knight Ridder)
* USCCR TO HOLD MICH. HEARINGS ON CIVIL RIGHTS CONCERNS AFTER 9/11
* RAIDS SOW FEAR, RESENTMENT IN IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORHOOD (Philadelphia
Inquirer)
* HOLY LAND CHARITY TAKES SEIZURE FIGHT TO COURT (Dallas Morning News)
* SD CHILD CUSTODY CASE ON NPR
* DONAHUE BRINGS BALANCE TO CABLE TV TALK SHOWS
* JEWISH 'AFFAIR' WITH CHRISTIAN RIGHT IS MISGUIDED, SHORTSIGHTED (JTA)
* INTERFAITH ALLIANCE URGES SUPPORT FOR WORKPLACE RIGHTS
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: BEWARE OF SUSPICION AND SPYING
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Beware of suspicion,
for
suspicion may be based on false information. Do not spy on one another,
and
do not try to find out each other's hidden faults."
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 92
-----
ACTION ALERT:
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MUST BE OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE
http://capwiz.com/cair/home/
-----
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-----
U.S. HELD 600 FOR SECRET RULINGS
TAMARA AUDI, Detroit Free Press, 7/18/02
http://www.freep.com/news/mich/secret18_20020718.htm
More than 600 immigrants nationwide have been jailed and subject to
secret
immigration hearings since Sept. 11, according to new Justice
Department
statistics. The numbers, in a department letter written to U.S. Sen.
Carl
Levin, D-Mich., are the first accounting of the magnitude of
closed-door
legal proceedings conducted as part of new, sweeping anti-terrorism
laws,
civil rights advocates said Wednesday.
The numbers, they say, raise questions about how well the government
has
targeted its terrorism probe and whether hundreds of people have been
deported without due process. "I don't think we had any idea that this
number of people had been subjected to closed hearings," said Kary
Moss,
executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Michigan.
She
said she believes most of the people subject to the hearings are facing
deportation. "The implications are very serious. If none of these
people
have been charged with any criminal law violations then John Ashcroft
has
essentially on his own created two systems of justice in this country."
An
official in Attorney General Ashcroft's Justice Department said
Wednesday
that hearings are closed and information about them is limited to
protect
the privacy of detainees and the terrorism investigation...
"It took the Justice Department more than three months to produce a
partial
response to my letter," Levin said this week. But it "raises a number
of
additional questions, including why closed hearings were necessary for
so
many people," Levin said. He said he plans to press the department for
more
answers...
SEE ALSO:
JUDGE: U.S. MUST EXPLAIN DETENTION
SONJA BARISIC, Associated Press, 7/18/02
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A judge Thursday ordered the U.S. government to
explain
within a week why it is holding prisoner an American-born man who was
captured with Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.
The judge also directed the government to spell out with whom the
United
States is fighting its war on terrorism.
Prosecutors have argued that 21-year-old Yaser Esam Hamdi can be held
indefinitely without charges because he is an enemy combatant in that
war.
"Will the war never be over as long as there is any...person that may
feel
they want to attack the United States of America or the citizens of the
United States of America?" U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar asked
during a hearing...
-----
US DENIES CREATING CIVILIAN SPIES
Justin Webb, BBC, 7/18/02
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_2133000/2133029.stm
The American Justice Department has denied that it has plans to turn
millions of US citizens into spies in the war against terrorism. Civil
liberties groups are complaining that a pilot scheme due to begin next
month could lead to government spies prying into all American homes.
Operation TIPS, the Terrorism Information and Prevention System, will,
according to the Justice Department, give millions of American lorry
drivers, postal workers, train guards and gas and electrical engineers
a
way to report suspicious activity.
Starting in 10 cities next month, participating workers will be given a
free phone number and told to call in if they notice anything out of
the
ordinary during their daily routine.
The American Civil Liberties Union is horrified. It says the gas man
will
become a government-sanctioned peeping tom and that the programme will
encourage vigilantism and racism.
In response, the Justice Department is partially backing down. It has
issued a statement saying only public places will be covered by the
scheme.
But TIPS will still go ahead, with its supporters saying it will make
it
more difficult for terrorists to operate undetected, and its opponents
saying it turns America into a nation of spies.
SEE ALSO:
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DECLINES TO JOIN PROGRAM AIMED AT SPOTTING
TERRORISTS.
Cassio Furtado, Knight Ridder, 7/18/02
Jul. 18-WASHINGTON - The U.S. Postal Service declined Wednesday to join
a
Department of Justice program asking workers who are "well-positioned
to
recognize unusual events" to help stop terrorist attacks. The new
initiative, described in the 90-page homeland security strategy that
President Bush introduced Tuesday, also drew resistance from the
American
Civil Liberties Union and from some Arab-Americans.
Called Operation TIPS, for Terrorism Information and Prevention System,
the
program hopes to engage "millions of American workers who, in the daily
course of their work, are in a unique position to see potentially
unusual
or suspicious activity in public places," according to the program's
Web site.
Postal workers, truck drivers, railroad conductors and utility
employees
are among the prospects, according to the Justice Department. But the
Postal Service, after being approached by the White House Office of
Homeland Security, declined to jump in. "It was decided that the Postal
Service and its letter carriers would not be participating in the
program
at this time," the Postal Service said in a statement.
TIPS is scheduled to get under way in late summer or early fall, but
the
750,000-worker Postal Service's rejection, which the Postal Service
disclosed in a statement to reporters, could be a serious blow.
-----
USCCR TO HOLD MICH. HEARINGS ON CIVIL RIGHTS CONCERNS AFTER 9/11
WHAT: The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will hear testimony about
civil
rights concerns after Sept. 11, especially the government's treatment
of
immigrants and Arab Americans. Presentations will be made by civil
rights
activists, lawyers and local residents. The hearings will be open to
the
public.
WHEN: Friday, July 19 - 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Omni Detroit River Place Hotel, 1000 River Place, Detroit
URL: http://www.usccr.gov/
-----
HOLY LAND CHARITY TAKES SEIZURE FIGHT TO COURT
Michelle Mittelstadt, Dallas Morning News, 7/18/02
http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/071802dnnatholyland.339d5.html
WASHINGTON _ Attorneys for a Texas-based Muslim charity accused of
bankrolling international terrorism head into court Thursday to demand
the
return of millions of dollars seized by the U.S. government.
Lawyers for the now-dormant Holy Land Foundation for Relief and
Development, which was headquartered in Richardson, Texas, contend that
the
government's freeze was predicated on the false claim that the
organization
funnels money to the Palestinian terror group Hamas.
"The government has branded Holy Land a terrorist, seized the
foundation's
assets and put its employees out of work on the basis of an
administrative
record that is false in material respects," the organization's lawyers
wrote in a legal filing this month. They insist the charity is solely
dedicated to charitable and humanitarian aid in the Middle East and
elsewhere. Saying Holy Land's constitutional, religious and
administrative
rights were violated, they sued in March, asking a federal judge to
force
the Bush administration to unblock financial assets and return other
property seized in a Dec. 4 raid on its offices in Texas, California,
Illinois and New Jersey. The raids and seizures followed a nearly
nine-year
FBI investigation...
Holy Land contends...that the government overreached by seizing its
assets
"without notice, without a hearing, without a warrant, without probable
cause, without statutory authority and without any rational basis..."
-----
RAIDS SOW FEAR, RESENTMENT IN IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORHOOD
Thomas Ginsberg, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/14/02
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/2002/07/14/news/local/3660920.htm
The day before Independence Day, Assan Ullah awoke at his usual 6 a.m.
and
looked out his window at an increasingly common scene: U.S. agents in
the
street, arresting more of his Pakistani brethren. Splintered hinges and
boot-marked doors remained a week after seven men were seized in the
federal raid, the latest of several that neighbors say are now
familiar,
fearsome events in this South Philadelphia immigrant neighborhood since
Sept. 11.
"If they did something criminal, then they should spend their lives in
jail," Ullah said of his detained neighbors. "But most of these people
aren't doing anything wrong. They're just here trying to work. "Whether
targeting criminals, terrorists or ordinary illegal immigrants, the
sweeps
have sown fear and resentment in this bedraggled stretch of South
Seventh
Street. Ten months after the terror attacks, apprehension may have
eased
for most Americans, but it persists relentlessly for this cluster of a
few
hundred Pakistani Muslims...
-----
SD CHILD CUSTODY CASE ON NPR
Greg Allen, NPR, 7/18/02
http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/me/20020718.me.10.ram
NPR's Greg Allen reports on a child custody case in Flandreau, S.D.,
that
has raised charges of anti-Muslim bias. A state circuit court judge has
removed a 5-year-old from his mother and placed him in his
grandparents'
custody. The mother, Sally Barakat, married an Egyptian man, converted
to
Islam and was planning to take her son to Egypt when the judge
intervened.
Muslim groups have rallied to Barakat's support, but the grandparents
say
they're just trying to safeguard their grandson's Native American
heritage...
[NOTE: There is a hearing on this case on Monday, July 22.]
ACTION REQUESTED:
The Muslim community in South Dakota set up a bank account to help with
the
mother's estimated $2,000 in legal expenses. Donations may be sent to:
The Barakat Fund
c/o Islamic Society of Brookings
804 13th St.
Brookings, SD 57006
E-MAIL: so_dakota_islam@hotmail.com
Please inform CAIR of any donations sent.
E-Mail: cair@cair-net.org
-----
DONAHUE BRINGS BALANCE TO CABLE TV TALK SHOWS
Donahue, MSNBC, 7/16/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/781829.asp
PHIL DONAHUE, HOST: Today President Bush unveiled still another phase
of
his homeland security plan, saying that the United States faces grave
threats of terrorism and are in need of broad measures to fight back.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By acting together to
create a new and single department of homeland security, we'll be
sending
the world a signal that the Congress and the administration will work
together to protect the American people and to win this war on terror.
DONAHUE: Plans are the following: tighter rules for obtaining drivers'
licenses. Facilitate apprehension of potential terrorists, continue
ongoing
investigations and prosecutions. This past October, the controversial
U.S.
patriot act, signed by Bush, was the first step toward averting
terrorism.
Cliff May is from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, he
supports the act and wants lawmakers to use it to detain any
suspected-anybody suspected of terrorist activity. Bill Goodman is here
of
the Center for Constitutional Rights. He thinks the act allows
authorities
who unlawfully abuse thousands of innocent Muslims...
BILL GOODMAN, CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS: Right.
DONAHUE: You get no sympathy in the heartland.
GOODMAN: And what I say to them is that if we allow the Constitution to
be
destroyed-and have no doubt about it, it is being destroyed and
undermined
by the White House and by the Justice Department. If we allow that,
then at
the end of the day, Osama bin Laden has been successful. The horrors of
9/11 have been achieved not only on 9/11, not only with the death of
people
and the destruction of buildings and the destruction of the economy,
but
with the destruction of the Constitution as well. That's what I say...
SEND NOTES OF APPRECIATION TO: Donahue@msnbc.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
JEWISH 'AFFAIR' WITH CHRISTIAN RIGHT IS BOTH MISGUIDED AND SHORTSIGHTED
Arlene Stein, Jewish Telegraph Agency, 7/16/02
http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=11599&intcategoryid=5
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J., July 16 (JTA) - Six years ago, the Anti-Defamation
League issued a scathing report entitled "The Religious Right: The
Assault
on Pluralism and Tolerance in America." But in a stunning reversal in
May,
it ran full-page ads in The New York Times and other publications,
reprinting a strongly pro-Israel opinion piece by former Christian
Coalition chief Ralph Reed.
And last month, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein of the International Fellowship
of
Christians and Jews, joined forces with Reed in "Stand for Israel,"
designed to mobilize 100,000 evangelical churches to raise money and
support for Israel, leading Reed to proclaim that the burgeoning
Jewish-Christian coalition for Israel is today as potent as the
Jewish-black coalition for civil rights was in the 1960s...
Joseph Farah, a Lebanese American who is the co-author with Rush
Limbaugh
of the best-seller "See, I Told You So" edits a daily Web site that
specializes in spinning conspiracy tales about Bill Clinton, Rep.
Barbara
Lee (D-Calif.), and supporters of stem-cell research - whom he likens
to
Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele.
Recently, Farah chastised "radical Muslims" for constructing "an
illegal
prayer tent" from which they taunt worshipers and ridicule the
Christian
beliefs of those who visit Nazareth. But it's not just Nazareth that's
at
stake, he suggests. "The Muslim campaign in Nazareth is part of an
overall
strategy to neutralize or eliminate Christian sites and Christian
believers
from the Middle East."
Farah's pro-Israel stance is motivated by the belief that Christian
sites
are safer in Jewish than in Muslim hands, and by the biblical prophecy
that
Jews, ultimately, will facilitate the return of Christ. It's also
motivated
by a generalized antipathy toward Islam - a sentiment that is shared by
Rabbi Daniel Lapin, president of Toward Tradition, a national alliance
of
Jews and Christians dedicated to "family values and the free market,"
who
recently proclaimed that "conservative Christians are the natural
allies of
the Jewish community."
"It may be attractive," Lapin suggests, "to think of Christians, Jews
and
Muslims as forming one great 'Abrahamic' civilization...but the truth
is
that today we are witnessing two distinct religious civilizations in
conflict: that of the Koran, allied with the believers in no God,
violently
challenging the civilization of the Bible, of Christianity and
Judaism..."
-----
INTERFAITH ALLIANCE URGES SENATE SUPPORT FOR WORKPLACE CIVIL RIGHTS
https://www.interfaithalliance.org
(WASHINGTON - July 17, 2002) Supporters of The Interfaith Alliance are
urged to contact their Senators to encourage their sponsorship of a key
piece of civil rights legislation that will ensure long overdue
workplace
protections for people of faith. S. 2572, the Workplace Religious
Freedom
Act of 2002 (WRFA) was introduced on May 23 by a bipartisan coalition
of
religious liberty supporters including: Senators Clinton, Lieberman,
Brownback, Kerry and Santorum. To date, a total of 13 Senators have
agreed
to cosponsor WRFA,
WRFA protects civil rights in the workplace for religious Americans who
are
sometimes forced to choose between earning a living and violating
deeply
held religious beliefs. WRFA accomplishes this by mandating employers
to
reasonably accommodate an employee`s religious practice or observance
unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer. Similar
to
the Americans with Disabilities Act in implementation, WRFA strikes a
fair
balance between protecting people of faith from religious
discrimination
and ensuring that an undue burden is not imposed on employers.
Activities
covered under WRFA would include the right to observe holy days by
making
up the hours at other times and the right to wear clothing that adheres
to
the individual`s faith tradition.
To send a letter to your Senators today asking them to take an
important
step toward civil rights - and religious liberties - for all, please
visit:
http://ga0.org/campaign/wrfa
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. MUSLIMS CONDEMN ISRAELI EXPULSION PLAN
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/19/02) - A national Islamic advocacy group today
condemned an Israeli plan to forcibly expel relatives of Palestinian
militants and called on President Bush to support international law by
joining that condemnation. Israel today destroyed the homes of two
alleged
militants and detained their relatives for possible expulsion from the
Occupied Territories. (Reuters, 7/19)
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says the Geneva
Convention
prohibits such a move and that any tacit American support for illegal
exile
would further harm America's image and interests in the Muslim world.
CAIR quoted Section 111, Article 49 of the "Geneva Convention Relative
to
the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War," which states:
"Individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of
protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the
Occupying
Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited,
regardless of their motive."
Article 33 of that same convention states: "No protected person may be
punished for any offense he or she has not personally committed."
"This is just one more example of Israel's long-standing disregard for
international laws relating to the protection of civilians under
military
occupation. Successive Israeli governments have lived under the
illusion
that peace and security can only be attained by increasing the
suffering of
the Palestinian people. In fact the opposite is true," said CAIR
Executive
Director Nihad Awad.
"Israeli leaders seem to believe that if they can just kill a few more
Palestinians, destroy a few more homes, build a few more settlements,
imprison a few more fathers and sons, humiliate a few more women and
children, and uproot a few more orchards, all will be well. This
attitude
is the root cause of the current conflict," said Awad.
Awad called on President Bush to issue a strong condemnation of the
Israeli
plan and to end one-sided American support for any policy that Israel
cares
to implement, regardless of its legality or its negative impact on
American
interests.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
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http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/19/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSE OF THE DAY: GOD LOVES THE EQUITABLE
* U.S. CRITICIZES ISRAELI DEPORTATION PROPOSAL
* SECURITY BILL LOSES ID CARD, TIPS (Washington Times)
- TX TOWN HALL MEETING ON RACIAL PROFILING
* RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY SPLIT OVER SEPT. 11 MEMORIAL PLANS (AP)
* HEARING MONDAY FOR SD CUSTODY CASE
* AMID REFORMS, MUSLIMS STILL UNDER FIRE IN FERGANA VALLEY (Christian
Science Monitor)
* WOLFOWITZ HOLDS TURKEY AS MODEL FOR MUSLIM WORLD (M2 Presswire)
* EDITORIAL: WE SHOULDN'T MAKE ARAFAT THE ISSUE (Washington Post)
* RUSSIA'S MUSLIM WOMEN SUE FOR RIGHT TO HEADSCARF IN PASSPORT (AFP)
* WHAT EXACTLY IS TERRORISM? (Pat Buchanan)
* BUSH PLEDGES TO MOVE AHEAD ON PEACE (AP)
-----
VERSE OF THE DAY: GOD LOVES THE EQUITABLE
"God does not forbid you to be kind and equitable to those who have
neither
fought against your faith nor driven you out of your homes. In fact God
loves the equitable."
The Holy Quran, Chapter 60, Verse 8
-----
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-----
U.S. CRITICIZES ISRAELI DEPORTATION PROPOSAL
Reuters, 7/19/02
WASHINGTON, July 19 (Reuters) - The United States on Friday criticized
an
Israeli proposal to deport the families of Palestinian militants and
said
it would not bring security.
"We expect that Israel's actions in its campaign against terror will be
based on information related to an individual's culpability and not on
personal or family relationships," said State Department spokesman
Richard
Boucher.
"We think that taking punitive actions against innocent people will not
solve Israel's security problems and we will be raising that issue with
the
Israelis," he said.
Israel on Friday destroyed the homes of two Palestinian militants and
detained their relatives for possible exile...The Fourth Geneva
Convention
prohibits the deportation of individuals from occupied territory.
-----
SECURITY BILL LOSES ID CARD, TIPS
Ellen Sorokin, Washington Times, 7/19/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020719-90562710.htm
House Majority Leader Dick Armey, in his markup of legislation to
create a
Homeland Security Department, yesterday rejected a national
identification
card and scrapped a program that would use volunteers in domestic
surveillance.
Mr. Armey, chairman of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security,
included language in his markup of the legislation to prohibit the
Justice
Department from initiating the Terrorism Information and Prevention
System,
also called Operation TIPS...
"Mr. Armey believes there are other and better ways to involve citizens
in
the protection of the homeland," said Richard Diamond, the
congressman's
press secretary. "There are traditional ways of pitching in, helping
out,
like becoming a volunteer firefighter."
The 216-page bill, sponsored by Mr. Armey, Texas Republican, also bars
the
creation of national identification cards, despite President Bush's
support
for them. "Authority to design and issue these cards shall remain with
the
states," Mr. Armey said...
SEE ALSO:
TX TOWN HALL MEETING ON RACIAL PROFILING
DALLAS, July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- As issues of racial profiling and
national
security fill the headlines, Asian American journalists from around the
country gather in Dallas to discuss fair coverage of topical issues and
debate the implications of racial profiling for all ethnic minorities.
Since September 11, racial profiling has become a de facto national
security policy as Arabs and South Asians in the United States have
been
sought for questioning and often detained. Is racial profiling
justified in
the interest of protecting the country from terrorists? What
implications
does racial profiling hold for Asian Americans and other ethnic
minorities
and how does it impact civil rights?
Join us for an open discussion with attorneys, scholars, civil
authorities
and community members on Thursday, August 8 from 6-8 p.m.;
International
Ballroom, Lobby Level, Fairmont Hotel.
For more information, visit:
http://www.aaja.org/html/convention-html/convention.html
-----
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY SPLIT OVER SEPT. 11 MEMORIAL PLANS
Associated Press, 7/19/02
HOUSTON - The religious community of Houston's northern suburbs is
divided
over an effort by evangelical Christians to commemorate the tragedy of
Sept. 11, 2001 with a memorial at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
in
The Woodlands.
The event is being advertised as "9/11: One Voice, The Woodlands
Remembers."
Critics accuse the organizers of implicitly stigmatizing the Muslim
community in The Woodlands and of monopolizing the logical venue for a
commemoration that would embrace all faiths. The organizers -- 23
evangelical Christian churches -- could not agree with other faiths to
conduct on a secular commemoration.
Consequently, residents of The Woodlands must choose between competing
Sept. 11 events: an evangelical commemoration at the Pavilion or an
all-faiths event at Bear Branch Sports Park.
"I don't refer to it as one voice, because that's a lie," said Rabbi
James
Brandt of the Congregation Beth Shalom of The Woodlands. "It's only one
voice allowed."
Brandt said he urged the importance of people of all religious
affiliations
coming together for a national day of mourning -- "a day, because of
the
nature of the attack, that we need to stand together as Americans...My
concern is that by its nature it excludes Muslims and sends an implicit
message that 9/11 was a tragedy perpetrated by Muslims against
Christians..."
Aziz Jamaluddin, head of the Muslim congregation in The Woodlands, said
he
and his wife, Joy, also have misgivings about the evangelical
commemoration.
"Most Muslims that know about it are kind of frustrated," Joy
Jamaluddin
told the Chronicle. "If the churches want to have this sort of
commemoration in their own church, we have no problem. To advertise it
as
ecumenical, when it is not, to advertise it as representing the
community,
when it is not, is a little dishonest..."
-----
HEARING MONDAY FOR SD CUSTODY CASE
STATEMENT FROM SD ISLAMIC COMMUNITY ON CHILD CUSTODY CASE
Salaam alaikum wa rahmatullah & Greetings of Peace,
Please make Dua for our young Brother Trevor, and his mother Sally
Barakat.
She is the South Dakota new Shahadah that has been taken to court by
her
father and stepmother in an effort to take away Trevor so that he is
not
raised Muslim.
They go to court this coming Monday in an effort to defend her rights
as a
mother to raise her son in the faith of her choice and in the location
of
her choice.
This story has been followed by National Public Radio, CNN, MSNBC, NBC,
Washington Times, Fox Network, Abu Dhabi satellite TV, and others. But
the
most important group to follow this story is that of the Muslims. We
ask
that all Muslims make dua for our new Sister. She is fighting not only
for
her rights, but also the rights of every new Muslim who is a parent.
She
represents every Muslim parent in America...Please help however you
can.
Salaam alaykum, Sincerely Your Sister in Peace, Sister Anisah David
Bushnell, South Dakota, USA
[NOTE: There is a hearing on this case on Monday, July 22.]
ACTION REQUESTED:
The Muslim community in South Dakota set up a bank account to help with
the
mother's estimated $2,000 in legal expenses. Donations may be sent to:
The Barakat Fund
c/o Islamic Society of Brookings
804 13th St.
Brookings, SD 57006
E-MAIL: so_dakota_islam@hotmail.com
Please inform CAIR of any donations sent.
E-Mail: cair@cair-net.org
Barakat Fund Wiring Information:
Send funds to: <You must use the whole sentence below.>
#073000914 for Further Credit to Brookings Federal Bank #651015363 for
Further Credit to Barakat Fund #2000057993
-----
AMID REFORMS, MUSLIMS STILL UNDER FIRE IN FERGANA VALLEY
Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7/19/02
http://www.christiansciencemonitor.com/2002/0719/p07s01-wosc.html
NAMANGAN, UZBEKISTAN - First came the kidnapping: Muhamadkhon
Najmiddinov
was walking home after prayers at a local mosque in Uzbekistan a few
months
ago, when men jumped out of a passing car, pulled a sack over his head,
and
bundled him off.
Second came the frame: The same day Mr. Najmiddinov disappeared, some
20
Uzbek security officers - many armed with automatic weapons - barged
through the pale blue, wooden latticework gates of their prisoner's
home.
Family witnesses say they planted - and then "found" - 69 bullets that
were
later used as evidence in court, a common practice by police here to
net
suspected Islamic extremists.
Third came the sentence: 14 years behind bars for the father of five,
and
the resulting anger. "Our cases were falsified - God can see that,"
Najmiddinov told his mother, Mubarek Khon, after the sentence was read
out.
She says he was tortured during his interrogation - another routine
practice here - and that she "could feel it in his voice." Najmiddinov
is
currently one of some 6,500 political and religious prisoners behind
bars
here.
"One day," the son told his mother, "there will be justice..."
Uzbekistan has become a critical American ally for the Afghanistan war.
While that link may be yielding some halting human rights progress
here,
critics say that longstanding Uzbek policies are in fact pushing many
moderate Muslims into more extreme positions, and so thwarting US
efforts
to contain extremism across the region...
-----
WOLFOWITZ HOLDS TURKEY AS MODEL FOR MUSLIM WORLD
M2 PRESSWIRE, 7/14/02
Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz Sunday, July 14, 2002
(Interview with NTV news anchor Mithat Bereket in Istanbul)
Bereket: You always mention the increasing importance of Turkey to the
United States, especially after the events of the 11th of September.
Now,
what do you mean exactly, and why do you think the importance of Turkey
has
increased?
Wolfowitz: ...So I think we are in a battle for hearts and minds, if I
could put it that way, in the Muslim world, and I believe a country
like
Turkey that is overwhelmingly Muslim, but is secular and democratic, is
a
very important symbol of what the terrorists are opposed to. And
Turkey's
success can be a very important symbol to a billion Muslims that you
don't
have to go the way of the terrorists, that, in fact, going the way of
the
terrorists brings you death and destruction, while going way of
democratic,
free enterprise, and freedom can bring you real success. So Turkey's
success has got a strategic importance. I have thought that this has
strategic importance for a long time, but September 11th underlines
this...
-----
EDITORIAL: WE SHOULDN'T MAKE ARAFAT THE ISSUE
Chuck Hagel, Washington Post, 7/19/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28797-2002Jul18.html
The most powerful force for the future of the Middle East is the next
generation of Arabs and Muslims. America cannot afford to stand by and
allow these young people to grow up hating us. Nor can Israel.
We are now faced with a unique moment to reach out to this generation
and
build a future with them. That is perhaps the surest thing America can
do
to help provide a secure future for Israel and hope for the Palestinian
people. To do this, the United States must avoid policies that isolate
us
in the world community. We face both opportunity and risk, but there is
no
other option. Young Palestinians need to see their future in a
peaceful,
fully functioning state with economic opportunities and democratic
institutions. If they do not, and instead see violence and destruction
as
the only way forward, the long-term consequences will be great. We
could
lose the next generation of Arab and Muslim youth and the future of the
Middle East to radical politics and anti-Americanism...Palestinian
reformers cannot promote a democratic agenda for change while both the
Israeli military occupation and settlement activity continue.
-----
RUSSIA'S MUSLIM WOMEN SUE FOR RIGHT TO WEAR HEADSCARF IN PASSPORT
Agence France Presse, 7/19/02
A Russian court opened hearings Friday into a suit filed by three
Muslim
women in the central region of Tatarstan who accuse the local
government of
treading on their constitutional rights by barring them from wearing
headscarves in their passport photographs.
The Interfax news agency reported that the unprecedented case opened in
Tatarstan's capital Kazan with opening statements from the plaintiffs
who
cited the Koran in their defense. The defendants, represented by a
local
interior ministry officials, argued that headscarves make it impossible
to
properly identify a woman in her documents.
The next hearing has been set for August 2, Interfax reported from
Kazan.
"We understand perfectly well that we cannot tread on religious
freedoms.
But orders are orders," Galina Fakhrudtinova, in charge of the local
passport agency, was quoted as saying by Izvestia earlier this month.
Some 51 percent of Tatarstan's 3.8 million population are Muslim ethnic
Tatars.
-----
WHAT EXACTLY IS TERRORISM?
Patrick J. Buchanan, 7/17/02
http://www.theamericancause.org/patwhatexactlyprint.htm
...Though President Bush has declared that we are fighting a "war on
terrorism," he has yet to define what terrorism is, or tell us who
exactly
our enemies are. Where in the U.S. military or criminal code is
terrorism
defined?
Traditionally, terrorism has meant the slaughter of innocents for
political
ends. But what was the political end of the atrocity at LAX? To get
Israel
off the West Bank? And if it was terrorism, should such a killer be
transferred to Guantanamo Bay and denied the full protections of the
Bill
of Rights, like the rest?
The assassinations of JFK by a Castroite, of Robert Kennedy by a
Palestinian, of Dr. King and Medgar Evers by racists, of Malcolm X by
black
Muslims, of George Lincoln Rockwell by a fellow Nazi were all
"political"
assassinations. But which ones were "terrorist" acts?
The assassination of Lincoln in John Wilkes Booth's plot to decapitate
the
Union government, to re-ignite the Southern rebellion, seems to qualify
as
terrorism, and the assassins were tried in a military court. But,
again,
they were not hanged for terrorism.
The confusion as to what to call the LAX atrocity stems from a
confusion of
thought in Washington and a failure to follow the U.S. Constitution,
declare war and identify precisely who our enemies are. When Bush says
we
are fighting terrorism, does he mean the IRA, the Basque ETA, the Tamil
Tigers, FARC, Hezbollah?
None of the above. The president is authorized by Congress only to take
down the Taliban and al-Qaida, and any other nation-state that helped
or
harbored the mass murderers of 9-11. Yet, no other nation, not even the
"axis-of-evil" nations, seems to have been involved.
Why not then declare war on al-Qaida? Because that would tie the
president's hands and give legitimacy to al-Qaida. For there are rules
of
war we would then have to observe. And what would we do if al-Qaida
offered
to negotiate an end to their attacks in return for U.S. withdrawal from
Saudi Arabia? Negotiate? We would confront the same problem Ariel
Sharon
has. Because he doesn't want to negotiate with Arafat, he
de-legitimizes
Arafat by calling him a terrorist...
-----
BUSH PLEDGES TO MOVE AHEAD ON PEACE
Barry Schweid, Associated Press, 7/19/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - Apart from their dispute over Yasser Arafat, the Bush
Administration and Arab governments are finding more common ground in
their
approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
President Bush says he will not let terror attacks stop him from
peacemaking, an approach long favored by Arab and European governments.
The administration has previously insisted the highest priority was to
try
to curb terror and that peacemaking depended on ending attacks on
Israel.
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan left the White
House Thursday saying they were encouraged after a 30-minute meeting
with
Bush and an earlier session with Secretary of State Colin Powell.
"Every American official that we met said Israel cannot remain in these
(West Bank and Gaza) territories," said Prince Saud al-Faisal, the
foreign
minister of Saudi Arabia. Arab countries have long demanded recovery of
the
land lost in the 1967 Mideast war.
The prince said at a news conference that Bush ``volunteered he would
use
his influence on the Israelis. "He said the Palestinians were
considering a
cease-fire to try to set the stage for an Israeli withdrawal on the
West Bank.
Bitterly condemning Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Saudi
prince
said he would be "more optimistic if Sharon were not there."
"In Sharon's view, a good Arab is a dead Arab. As Mr. Sharon sees it,
the
only security for Israel is to rely on arms and its relation with the
United States," Saud said...
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/20/2002
HEADLINES:
* CAIR SEEKS POSITIVE STORIES
* ARABS IN U.S. COULD BE HELD, OFFICIAL WARNS (Detroit Free Press)
* NY SYNAGOGUE ATTACKED BY PRO-ISRAEL VANDALS (Journal News)
- I WAS SCHOOLED IN HATE (CommonDreams.org)
* HISTORY CHANNEL AIRS SEGMENT ON PROPHET MUHAMMAD
* SEATTLE COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS DEFEND BROTHERS UNDER INVESTIGATION (AP)
* RELIGIOUS LEADERS' HATE SPEECH CAN'T WIN GOD'S FAVOR (Star-Telegram)
* PROSPECT OF MARRIAGE CAN LEAD AWAY FROM INTERFAITH DATING (Kansas
City Star)
* SUDAN GOVERNMENT, REBELS REACH "UNDERSTANDING" (AFP)
-----
CAIR SEEKS POSITIVE STORIES
There has been so much negative news lately, both in this country and
around the world, that CAIR is asking members of the Muslim community
to
submit positive articles and experiences for distribution.
Examples of possible submissions include articles about achievements by
Muslim youth or local communities, expressions of support from friends
and
colleagues of other faiths or reports of local interfaith activities.
SEND POSITIVE NEWS TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
ARABS IN U.S. COULD BE HELD, OFFICIAL WARNS
Rights unit member foresees detainment
BY NIRAJ WARIKOO, Detroit Free Press, 7/20/02
http://www.freep.com/news/metro/civil20_20020720.htm
A member of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission said in Detroit on Friday
he
could foresee a scenario in which the public would demand internment
camps
for Arab-Americans if Arab terrorists strike again in this country.
If there's a future terrorist attack in America "and they come from the
same ethnic group that attacked the World Trade Center, you can forget
about civil rights," commission member Peter Kirsanow said.
The reason, he said, is that "the public would be less concerned about
any
perceived erosion of civil liberties than they are about protecting
their
own lives."
Kirsanow, who was appointed to the commission last year by President
George
W. Bush, said after the session that he personally doesn't support such
camps and the government would never envision them. He said he was
merely
saying public opinion would so strongly favor the idea that it would be
difficult to prevent. There would be a "groundswell of opinion" for the
detainment, he said.
The remarks came during a raucous commission hearing in Detroit in
which
Kirsanow and another conservative member, Jennifer Braceras, defended
U.S.
antiterrorism efforts after Sept. 11.
A White House spokesman said Friday night that he could not respond
specifically to Kirsanow's comments without seeing a full transcript of
them, but said that the possibility of Arab internment camps has never
been
discussed at the White House…
The seven-member commission, based in Washington, D.C., was at the Omni
Hotel in Detroit for its monthly meeting, and heard testimony from
Arab-American leaders who said the government abused civil rights
following
Sept. 11…
Kirsanow was unmoved, arguing that Arab and Muslim Americans should
accept
the country's new antiterrorism laws and complain less about
infringements
to their civil rights.
If there's another attack by Arabs on U.S. soil, "not too many people
will
be crying in their beer if there are more detentions, more stops, more
profiling," Kirsanow said.
"There will be a groundswell of public opinion to banish civil rights.
So
the best thing we can do to preserve them is by keeping the country
safe…"
Braceras, another Bush appointee, said: "There's no constitutional
right
not to be inconvenienced or even embarrassed…"
-----
NY SYNAGOGUE ATTACKED BY PRO-ISRAEL VANDALS
Neturei Karta synagogue in Monsey vandalized
STEVE LIEBERMAN, Journal News, 7/19/02
http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/071902/19neturei.html
MONSEY A synagogue run by anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews was found
spray-painted yesterday with Stars of David and Hebrew words glorifying
Jerusalem as the Jewish state's eternal capital.
The markings on an outer wall of Yeshiva Beis Yehud and two cars were
found
on Tisha B'Av, during which Jews fast and commemorate the destruction
of
the first temple in Jerusalem.
The synagogue leaders of Neturei Karta called the graffiti a
desecration
and an attempt to intimidate them.
Neturei Karta, which in Hebrew means "Guardians of the Wall" of the
Jerusalem temple, supports dissolving Israel and creating a Palestinian
Arab government.
Neturei Karta, whose members work with Palestinian groups opposed to
Israel, believes that only the coming of the biblical Messiah can bring
about a Jewish homeland.
"They are trying to harass us and stop us from our activism to
dismantle
Israel and Zionism, which has caused so much bloodshed and
anti-Semitism
against the Jewish people," Rabbi Chaim Sofer said...
"We are targeted because we expose the conduct of the Zionist
establishment
against the Torah," Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Freimann said. "We always hold
peaceful demonstrations."
SEE ALSO:
I WAS SCHOOLED IN HATE
Confessions of a Summer-Camp Terror Tot
Jacob Levich, CommonDreams.org, 7/19/02
http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0719-05.htm
But as I watched Zionist spinmeisters drawing ugly conclusions on CNN,
I
couldn't help flashing back to fond memories of dear old Camp Milldale,
where -- to borrow a phrase from the ADL -- I myself was "schooled in
hate"
during the summer of 1967…as a seven-year-old camper, I found myself
manufacturing cardboard daggers and machine guns during arts-and-crafts
period. These were to be used as props for Camp Milldale's
end-of-summer
pageant, which featured a highly stylized re-enactment of episodes from
Israeli history, interspersed with songs from Fiddler on the Roof.
We first-graders were entrusted with recreating 1948. Some of us got to
play Jewish militia; others -- probably not the counselors' favorites
--
had to be Arabs. We took to the stage bristling with toy weapons.
Pint-sized Irgunists raised the Israeli flag, declared independence,
and
were immediately attacked by shrieking hordes of simulated
Palestinians.
After a brief melee, the Arabs all clutched their chests and fell down.
Then everyone stood and sang "Hatikvah." Curtain; wild applause…
-----
HISTORY CHANNEL AIRS SEGMENT ON PROPHET MUHAMMAD
This Week in History: Muhammad
This week in history, we discover: how Muhammad the man became the
prophet
SEE:
http://www.historychannel.com/perl/tv/tvlistings.pl?channel=hist&get=week
Saturday, July 20 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Sunday, July 21 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
The History Channel is also doing a poll on the most influential person
in
the history. Prophets Muhammad, Jesus and Moses are on the list:
http://www.historychannel.com/twih/
-----
SEATTLE COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS DEFEND BROTHERS REPORTEDLY UNDER
INVESTIGATION
GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press, 7/20/02
SEATTLE - Mustafa and James Ujaama are credited by some community
leaders
with helping clean up their drug- and crime-ridden Seattle neighborhood
by
recruiting former gang members and others into the local mosque.
But terrorist ties? Religious and community leaders in Central Area,
the
city's largest black neighborhood, say they don't believe it.
"Both of these cats have had a positive, contributing role in the
African-American community here," said Larry Gossett, a King County
councilman.
News reports in the past few days have said the brothers are being
investigated for their ties to the now-defunct Dar-us-Salaam mosque,
which
is said to be under scrutiny for possible links to Osama bin Laden's
al-Qaida terrorist network. The FBI and prosecutors have refused to
confirm
those reports, and no charges have been brought against the brothers.
The brothers were born James Ernest and Jon Thompson. Their mother,
Peggy
Thompson, worked at a social services agency in the neighborhood and
got
them involved in the community, Gossett said.
"They've been busy for a long time - visiting elected officials, trying
to
raise money ... being proponents of the need to improve employment
conditions," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Terrorists? I don't
think so…"
-----
RELIGIOUS LEADERS' HATE SPEECH CAN'T WIN GOD'S FAVOR
Bob Ray Sanders, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7/17/02
http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/columnists/bob_ray_sanders/3678246.htm
It has become open season on Islam, and some of these self-righteous
folks
have declared war on Allah, the Muslim name for God.
Jerry Vines, the former head of the Southern Baptist Convention, said
last
month that the prophet Muhammad was a "demon-possessed pedophile."
Faith healer Benny Hinn, known for "laying hands" on his followers,
proclaimed during a recent performance _ yes, performance _ in Dallas
that
the "Islam population is going down."
Although I'm not sure what Hinn meant by that statement, reportedly the
packed audience in the American Airlines Center in Dallas cheered.
Islam,
by the way, has about 1 billion followers worldwide and is the
fastest-growing religion in the United States.
Another good Christian has added his voice to this chorus of bigotry.
The Rev. Philip "Flip" Benham, known for conducting crusades against
abortion clinics and homosexuals, has turned his wrath on Islam,
calling it
a "false religion."
These are not the only ones preaching religious hatred.
I heard from an Arlington, Texas, pastor who told me that he, too,
regards
the teachings of Muhammad as false prophecy, although he would never
say so
publicly. My, that was mighty Christian of him, wasn't it?
Frankly, I'm not shocked that Christians don't believe in the teachings
of
the prophets of other religions. All religions have their own prophets
and
tenets. That is what makes them what they are.
It is the unabashed bigotry that bothers me. Preaching divisiveness in
a
"united" country that guarantees religious freedom is appalling.
What saddens me more is that these messengers of intolerance are hardly
challenged by the larger religious community. Perhaps those who have
remained silent on the issue believe that it is best to ignore the
bigots
and pray that they simply fade away. Unfortunately, it doesn't work
that way…
SEND NOTES OF APPRECIATION TO: bobray@star-telegram.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
PROSPECT OF MARRIAGE CAN LEAD AWAY FROM INTERFAITH DATING
HELEN T. GRAY; Kansas City Star, 7/20/02
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/living/religion/3689037.htm
Boys and girls of the Muslim faith do not date, and marriage within the
faith is mandated for women and recommended for men.
Hamed Ghazali, principal of the Islamic School of Greater Kansas City,
said
the school emphasizes no dating and no physical contact between the
sexes,
not even shaking hands.
The Qur'an provides marriage guidelines for Muslims. One passage
states:
"He created for you spouses from yourselves that you might find peace
in
them" (30:21).
Sherita Mohammed, 15, of Kansas City, said she accepts the fact that
she
cannot date.
"If someone asks me out, I tell them in a nice way, 'I can't go out
with
boys, and you can't call me,' " she said. "If they ask why, I say
because I
am a Muslim. When I wear the head covering, usually that's when boys
come
up to me."
Mohammed said she has met some boys she has liked who were not Muslim,
but
she knows she wouldn't be able to marry them.
Many young Muslims meet one another at annual Islamic conventions, such
as
the Muslim America Society convention, said Sherita's father, Imam
Bilal
Mohammed of the Al-Inshirah Islamic Center in Kansas City. Composed
primarily of African-Americans, the convention includes a lot of
seminars
and activities for youth.
"The young people get a chance to interact in public places," he said.
"They are chaperoned heavily by all of us, under our watchful eyes.
Then
they may keep in touch through writing or e-mail..."
-----
SUDAN GOVERNMENT, REBELS REACH "UNDERSTANDING"
Agence France-Presse, 7/20/02
KHARTOUM, July 20 (AFP) - The Sudanese government and rebel Sudan
People's
Liberation Army (SPLA) reached an understanding Saturday on key issues
of
state religion and self-determination for southern Sudan, official
Omdurman
Radio said.
Reporting from the Kenyan capital Nairobi, where talks are taking place
to
try to end Sudan's long-running civil war, the radio quoted an official
of
the government delegation as saying the agreement falls in the
framework of
a united, federal Sudan.
The radio, which gave no other details, said the accord was reached on
the
last day of the round of talks which began June 17 under the auspices
of
the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)…
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ANTI-MUSLIM GRAFFITI FOUND AFTER FBI SEARCH IN MICH.
Islamic advocacy group calls on AG Ashcroft to investigate
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/22/02) - Relatives of a Dearborn, Mich., Muslim
arrested last week while allegedly carrying counterfeit checks say they
found anti-Islamic graffiti scrawled in the man's house following a
search
by the FBI and Secret Service. The man, a Jordanian-American, was
arrested
Wednesday after he arrived in Detroit on a flight from Indonesia.
Relatives told the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a
Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group, they found
the
words "Islam is Evil" and " Christ is King" written on a Muslim prayer
calendar attached to the man's refrigerator. (Contact CAIR to obtain a
copy
of the calendar.) CAIR is calling on Attorney General John Ashcroft to
investigate the incident.
The man's brother said he and his wife were babysitting in the house
last
Thursday when officers of the two agencies came to search the premises.
It
was after being handcuffed, questioned and fingerprinted that family
members say they discovered the slurs.
In a letter to Ashcroft, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad wrote:
"While law enforcement authorities have the right, and even the duty,
to
follow all legitimate leads in the search for those who would cause
harm to
our nation, they do not have the right to insult the religious beliefs
of
those they are questioning.
"American Muslims want to do their part in protecting our nation and
will
offer any information that might be useful in that effort. However,
indications that those questioned will be subject to religious slurs or
bias only serve to impede legitimate investigations.
"This incident is of particular concern to us because it does not
reflect
the professionalism and concern for due process exhibited by the many
FBI
officials and other law enforcement authorities CAIR has been in
dialogue
with on civil liberties issues since the tragic events of September 11,
2001."
Awad recommended the creation of a national civil liberties advisory
panel
that would consult with law enforcement officials to ensure that
citizens'
civil rights are maintained during this time of crisis. There are an
estimated seven million Muslims in America and some 1.2 billion
worldwide.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, E-MAIL: cair@cair-net.org; Ms.
Hodan
Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294, E-MAIL: hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/22/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: SHAME AND WRONGDOING
* POSITIVE NEWS: FESTIVAL BRINGS JEWS, MUSLIMS TOGETHER
* BIDEN BACKS LETTING SOLDIERS ARREST CIVILIANS (Washington Times)
* AG ANNOUNCES TWO NEW MEASURES TO INCREASE THE SECURITY
* EDITORIAL: INFORMANT FEVER (New York Times)
* FIGHTING FOR A MOSQUE (News and Observer)
* KAZAKHS' SEASON OF REPRESSION (Washington Post)
* EDITORIAL: SHARON'S STEALTH PLAN (Washington Post)
- SPREADING THE SECRET (Israeli Insider)
- ISRAEL INFLICTS TERROR ON PALESTINIANS (New Haven Register)
* JAIL TIME FOR HATE CRIME (San Jose Mercury News)
* MAN OPENS FIRES ON HELICOPTER, THINKING OCCUPANTS ARE TERRORISTS (AP)
* BOMB ERRORS MAY HAVE COST 800 CIVILIAN LIVES (Scotsman)
* AMNESTY SAYS INDIA PREVENTING MASSACRE PROBE IN RIOT-TORN GUJARAT
(AFP)
- MILITANTS SEEK MUSLIM-FREE INDIA (Observer)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: SHAME AND WRONGDOING
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Among the sayings of
the
previous prophets...is: 'If you do not feel shame, then do what you
like.'"
Narrated by Bukhari.
This Hadith is recognized as having two possible interpretations:
1. In matters where there is no guidance from revelation, a person may
act
according to his or her conscience. A clear conscience will help
determine
right from wrong.
2. If one does not have a conscience and does not feel shame at
wrongdoing,
there is nothing to prevent him or her from misbehaving.
Summarized from "A Study of Hadith" by Dr. Khalid Mahmood Shaikh,
published
by Iqra International Educational Foundation.
-----
POSITIVE NEWS: FESTIVAL BRINGS JEWS, MUSLIMS TOGETHER
Nicole T. Lesson, Sun-Sentinel, 7/22/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-sjam22jul22.story
Praying in synagogue is a common practice for Trudi DeGrazia of Sunrise
and
Margo Mintzer of Aventura.
But on Sunday, the two Temple Adath Or members, participated in Muslim
prayer for the first time during Festival For Peace at the Darul Uloom
Islamic Institute in Pembroke Pines.
More than 200 adults and children took part in the free event, which
brought Muslims and Jews together to share and enjoy their differences.
"I
wanted to show the Muslims that I wanted to learn about what they do
and be
part of that," said Mintzer, 65. "Whenever I step into a holy place, a
peace comes over me -- whether it's being in my temple, church or
mosque, I
feel at one with God..."
The event was organized by Jews & Muslims & All, or JAM, a post-Sept.
11
brainchild of Moshe David Kamrat of Temple Adath Or in Fort
Lauderdale...
"Our mission was accomplished, and people came on their own," said
Maulana
Shafayat Mohamed, co-founder of JAM. "People said we couldn't get Jews
and
Muslims together, and we have been able to prove that we could."
SEND YOUR POSITIVE ARTICLE OR EXPERIENCE TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
BIDEN BACKS LETTING SOLDIERS ARREST CIVILIANS
Joyce Howard Price, Washington Times, 7/22/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020722-6619304.htm
Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat, yesterday strongly
endorsed
giving soldiers the power to arrest American civilians. Interviewed
yesterday on "Fox News Sunday," Mr. Biden, a member of the Judiciary
Committee, said the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prevents the
military from exercising police powers in this country, should be
re-examined and "has to be amended."
Such a change will happen soon, he said.
However, Tom Ridge, director of the Office of Homeland Security, said
in
several appearances on political talk shows yesterday that the Biden
proposal should be considered but that he thinks it's "very unlikely"
such
a change will be made.
The Biden proposal and the Ridge "knockdown" - not necessarily a
"knockout"
- may have been coordinated and calculated to measure public reaction.
Mr.
Ridge grew more emphatic later in the day in his view that military
authorities should not have such powers of arrest over civilians.
Mr. Biden said that "we're not talking about general police power,
changing
the idea that you would have your local National Guard with arrest
power
like your local policeman." But "it's not very realistic" that, under
the
current law, soldiers with knowledge of weapons of mass destruction,
who
might be checking out the discovery of a terrorist weapon in the United
States, would "not be able to exercise the same power a police officer
would in dealing with that situation..."
But Sen. Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat and chairman of the Armed
Services
Committee, said the Posse Comitatus Act is a "solid law" that "has
served
us well." He said: "We should not assume that we're going to have to
change
it. On the other hand, I don't fear looking at it to see whether or not
our
military can be more helpful than they've been up to now" in providing
training, equipment and other assistance in disaster situations. But
the
military should not be arresting people.
-----
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MONDAY, JULY 22, 2002
(202) 514-2008
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCES TWO NEW MEASURES TO INCREASE THE SECURITY OF
U.S. BORDERS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Attorney General announced two steps to
increase the security of the United States. First, the Attorney General
sent a letter to the Secretary of State on July 12, 2001, requesting
that
he designate nine groups as "terrorist organizations" within the
meaning of
the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. Once a designation is made, aliens who
are
affiliated with these groups will be barred from entering the United
States. Second, the Attorney General announced new measures to ensure
compliance with the existing statutory requirement for noncitizens to
report changes of address to the Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) for enforcement and other purposes.
"Designating these nine groups as terrorist organizations will help
secure
our borders against those who would come to the United States to commit
terrorist acts, or to raise funds to finance terrorist operations,"
said
Attorney General John Ashcroft. "Americans have always welcomed the
freedom-loving people of the world to our shores. But terrorists must
not
be allowed to use our hospitality as a weapon." The Attorney General
added, "By clarifying the existing requirement that noncitizens report
their address to the INS, we are able to increase our ability to locate
quickly an alien if removal proceedings must be initiated."
Under new authorities made available by the USA PATRIOT Act, groups can
be
listed as "terrorist organizations" if they provide "material
support"-including financial support- to further terrorist activity.
Also,
groups that plan, commit, or gather information for terrorist attacks
qualify as "terrorist organizations." As a result of the designations,
law
enforcement will be able to prevent noncitizens with ties to these
groups
from entering the United States. Aliens will be denied entry if they
raise
funds for, or encourage others to join, a "terrorist organization."
The 9 groups to be designated include organizations that have raised
funds
to finance international terrorist networks, as well as groups that
have
carried out terrorist attacks worldwide. The groups formally will be
listed
as "terrorist organizations" when the Secretary of State publishes
notice
of the designation in the Federal Register. This request is the result
of
extensive cooperation between the Justice Department and the State
Department, and the State Department has pledged to move forward with
the
designations expeditiously.
The Attorney General's letter marks the second occasion on which the
Departments of Justice and State have worked together to designate
"terrorist organizations" under the USA PATRIOT Act. On December 7 of
last
year, the Secretary of State listed 39 such groups in response to a
similar
request from the Attorney General.
The new measures relating to noncitizen reporting requirements are also
an
important step to enhance border security. For 50 years, the law has
required aliens to report each change of address to the Attorney
General
within 10 days, and provides penalties for willful
failures. Unfortunately, far too many fail to comply with this
existing
requirement. As a result, the INS does not have current address
information for many noncitizens who have entered the United States -
whether as temporary visitors, as applicants for asylum, or for other
purposes. This impairs the INS's ability to institute immigration
enforcement proceedings against those aliens whom the INS has
determined
should be removed from the United States. Moreover, unless it has a
current
address, INS may be unable to contact some aliens regarding any
benefits
for which they applied.
Accordingly, the Attorney General is publishing a proposed rule to
revise
INS regulations and forms to ensure that noncitizens are fully advised
about the need to provide the INS with their current address, as
required
by law. The new regulations and forms will facilitate the INS's ability
to
keep in contact with an alien who has applied for immigration benefits,
and
make it easier to locate an alien if removal proceedings must be
initiated.
This rule is a further step in the Department's ongoing efforts to
improve
its ability to track noncitizens within the United States and
complements
the comprehensive entry-exit tracking system that Congress mandated be
in
place by 2005.
-----
EDITORIAL: INFORMANT FEVER
New York Times, 7/22/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/22/opinion/22MON2.html
If, starting next month, your neighbors begin showing unexpected
interest
in your travel plans, your cable TV repairman asks what magazines you
subscribe to and the pizza delivery boy starts trying to draw you out
about
your views on the Middle East, it could be that everyone is just
getting a
lot friendlier. But it is more likely that you are being engaged by
some of
the early participants in the Terrorism Information and Prevention
System,
or TIPS.
The Bush administration plans to enlist millions of Americans to spy on
their fellow Americans, and to feed that information into a centralized
database. This ill-considered domestic spying program should be stopped
before it starts...
The Bush administration's post-Sept. 11 anti-terrorism tactics - secret
detentions of suspects, denial of the right to trial and now citizen
spying
- have in common a lack of faith in democratic institutions and a free
society. If TIPS is ever put into effect, the first people who should
be
turned in as a threat to our way of life are the Justice Department
officials who thought up this most un-American of programs.
-----
FIGHTING FOR A MOSQUE
YONAT SHIMRON, News and Observer, 7/20/02
http://newsobserver.com/front/News/story/1568678p-1597725c.html
The mosque at Shaw University could soon become an office space or a
weight
room for the football team, under a plan unveiled by the president of
Shaw
University to a group of students, professors and community activists.
Muslims who worship at the mosque reacted with dismay to the
announcement
and said they planned to fight the move.
At Friday services, Ihsan Bagby, a professor of international relations
at
the school and the mosque's prayer leader, or imam, told some 50
Muslims
assembled that the university no longer welcomes them on campus.
"My feeling is that this is not just a logistical question of space,"
said
Bagby. "It's a deeper problem of certain Christians that do not want to
see
the presence of another religion..."
-----
KAZAKHS' SEASON OF REPRESSION
Robert G. Kaiser, Washington Post, 7/22/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41635-2002Jul21.html
ASTANA, Kazakhstan -- A supreme court justice sentenced a former
government
minister to six years in prison last week and denied him the right to
appeal his conviction. Three days earlier, a former governor of one of
Kazakhstan's biggest regions went on trial; his supporters say he, too,
will be jailed. On July 9, the state security agency opened an
investigation of a journalist and human rights activist suspected of
insulting the honor and dignity of the president, Nursultan Nazarbayev
--
one of many recent harassments of independent journalists.
This is a summer of political tension and repression in Kazakhstan, an
oil-rich republic four times the size of Texas that occupies much of
the
vast steppe south of Siberia. At a time when Kazakhstan's economy is
booming and its relations with the world's great powers, including the
United States, are improving, Nazarbayev has turned against his critics
and
opponents with a harshness that has surprised many Kazakhs and foreign
diplomats here...
-----
EDITORIAL: SHARON'S STEALTH PLAN
Jackson Diehl, Washington Post, 7/22/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41840-2002Jul21.html
Following the same tactics he has employed for a quarter-century,
Sharon
has been asserting in public that he accepts Bush's diplomacy -- and
meanwhile is quietly overseeing a plan of settlement construction
designed
to make any two-state solution impossible. Since Sharon took office
less
than 18 months ago, 44 new settlement sites, including more than 300
units,
have been established in the West Bank -- including nine in the past
three
months...
This Bush administration is right to think that it will never broker an
Israeli-Palestinian peace unless the Palestinians summon the will to
stop
their suicide bombers. But it is just as true that a two-state
settlement
is being undermined, week after week, by Sharon's stealthy excavations.
"Settlements will eventually be an issue," Rice said on the Fox TV
show.
"But I think we have to get the context right here. We need to end the
terror, create a situation where there is better security and no
violence."
By the time that day comes, Sharon's new homes could number in the
thousands.
SEE ALSO:
SPREADING THE SECRET
Gila Svirsky, Israeli Insider, 7/15/02
http://web.israelinsider.com/bin/en.jsp?enPage=ViewsPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Article%5El1236&enZone=Views&enVersion=0&
One of the best-kept secrets in Israel is that most Israelis are fed up
with the occupation, and just want to get out.
According to June's findings by Mina Zemach, Israel's foremost
pollster,
63% of Israelis are in favor of "unilateral withdrawal." In fact, 69%
call
for the evacuation of "all" or "most of" the settlements.
Mina's numbers are corroborated by everybody else: The Peace Index of
Tel-Aviv University's Tami Steinmetz Center found that 65% of Israelis
"are
prepared to evacuate the settlements under a unilateral separation
program".
A poll commissioned by Peace Now a month earlier revealed that 59% of
Israelis support immediate evacuation of most settlements, followed by
a
unilateral withdrawal of the army from the occupied territories...
ISRAEL INFLICTS TERROR ON PALESTINIANS
Eric Levine, New Haven Register, 7/21/02
http://www.newhavenregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4805831&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=7581&rfi=6
I recently experienced firsthand the current "security measures" being
imposed by the Israeli military in the West Bank.
On July 1st, while walking along a dirt road toward the West Bank city
of
Nablus, I was abducted by Israeli soldiers along with another American,
a
Briton and two Palestinians. We were taken to a Palestinian residence
occupied by the Israeli army, confined to an outdoor patio six paces by
six
paces, guarded by an armed soldier and informed repeatedly that we
would be
shot if we attempted to leave. Our passports were taken and our
requests
for telephone calls were denied. The reason for our detention was never
explained.
From our open-air cell, I spent 48 hours witnessing and reflecting on
what
is conveniently called a "war on terror," but is increasingly a "war of
terror" waged on Palestinian civilians.
I saw a ghost town. Nablus' 200,000 residents imprisoned in their homes
by
a strict 24-hour curfew that threatens bullets for those venturing
outside.
By day, armored personnel carriers and tanks patrolled the streets,
firing
sporadically at children in front of their houses playing soccer...
-----
JAIL TIME FOR HATE CRIME
Rodney Foo, San Jose Mercury News, 7/21/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/3706680.htm
A San Jose woman was sentenced to nine months in the Santa Clara County
jail after being convicted of a hate crime in which she attacked a man
of
Middle Eastern descent while shouting slurs during a road rage incident
downtown.
Angel Ann Coley, 28, was also ordered to pay restitution to Mohamed
Aram, a
31-year-old limousine service owner who was kicked, bitten and punched
by
Coley.
The sentence, handed down Friday by Superior Court Judge Richard
Loftus,
appears to be the final chapter in a bizarre case that began in
November
when Coley used her car to ram Aram's vehicle into an intersection...
The jail sentence came three weeks after a Superior Court jury found
Coley
guilty of committing a hate crime resulting in injury, making threats
to
commit death or injury, hit-and-run and battery...
-----
MAN OPENS FIRES ON HELICOPTER, THINKING OCCUPANTS ARE TERRORISTS
Associated Press, 7/20/02
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020720/ap_wo_en_po/us_helicopter_shooting_1
WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia - A man armed with an assault-style rifle opened
fire on a helicopter landing in a residential neighborhood, thinking
the
chopper was carrying terrorists, police said.
Helicopter pilot John S. Sutton landed his helicopter July 13 at the
home
of businessman John Peters to pick him up, police said.
John Chwaszczewski, a construction worker, became alarmed when he saw
the
chopper swoop down over his garage, about a block from Peters' home.
"Maybe I overreacted, but I did feel this was terrorism at its utmost,"
Chwaszczewski said.
Chwaszczewski told police the shooting was "a natural reaction," after
having watched the events of Sept. 11...
-----
BOMB ERRORS MAY HAVE COST 800 CIVILIAN LIVES
The Scotsman, 7/22/02
http://www.news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=786382002
The US aid and advocacy group Global Exchange, based in San Francisco,
claims survey teams sent into Afghan villages have compiled a list of
812
Afghan civilians killed in air strikes.
But more damaging for the public image of the Pentagon may be
yesterday's
report in the New York Times. The newspaper said its survey of 11
locations
put the death toll at up to 400 civilians.
The latest and probably most notorious botched bombing was early this
month. Reports have suggested that gunfire celebrating a wedding in
Oruzgan
Province was misinterpreted by US warplanes and Special Forces troops
as
anti-aircraft fire. US officials have claimed their ground forces
operating
in the area came under repeated fire.
Whatever sparked the US raid, the result was an American AC-130 gunship
spewing fire from the air on four Afghan villages. Local officials
counted
54 fatalities, mainly women and children. The incident brought an
apology
from President George Bush to Hamid Karzai, the man who became Afghan
president with US backing...
-----
AMNESTY SAYS INDIA PREVENTING MASSACRE PROBE IN RIOT-TORN GUJARAT
Agence France Presse, 7/22/02
Rights group Amnesty International said Monday New Delhi had
effectively
refused its delegates access to the western Indian state of Gujarat,
where
they wanted to investigate recent massacres and other human rights
violations.
The Indian government had failed to issue visas by a deadline of July
12 as
agreed with its representatives in London, the group said in a
statement.
"Amnesty International believes that the refusal of the Indian
government
to grant access to the state will only reinforce the concerns that the
government of Gujarat and the state police might have been accomplices
in
... allowing (the violence) to occur and could be now attempting to
cover
up involvement of their officials."
Gujarat witnessed India's worst communal clashes in a decade in
February
when around 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed.
The riots were triggered by a mob -- believed to be Muslim -- torching
a
train carrying Hindu activists at Gujarat's Godhra town on February 27,
which killed 58 people.
The worst of the clashes were brought under control after New Delhi
ordered
troops to take charge of law and order in the state on March 1,
although
sporadic violence continued for some weeks.
Nearly 27,000 people, most of them Muslims, are still living in relief
camps in Ahmedabad.
Indian rights activists have accused the government of complicity in
the
riots, with police allegedly turning a blind or even sympathetic eye to
reprisal attacks on Muslims.
SEE ALSO:
MILITANTS SEEK MUSLIM-FREE INDIA
The Observer, 7/21/02
http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,759129,00.html
At the elegantly simple home of Mahatma Gandhi in Ahmedabad, the
bustling
capital of Gujarat state, a museum eulogises his contribution to the
founding of India. Gandhi's clothes, books, journals and photographs
line
the walls. Outside in the freshly watered gardens the mango trees are
in
full bloom. One journal contains Gandhi's simple denunciation of
violence:
'The science of war leads one to dictatorship. The science of
non-violence
alone can lead one to a pure democracy.'
More than 50 years after his death at the hands of a nationalist
militant,
Gandhi would find India unrecognisable. In the past five months his
home
state has been stunned by religious violence that shows few signs of
fading...
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
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-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ISRAEL USES U.S. WEAPONS TO MASSACRE PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS
Deliberate air attack on civilian building called "state-sponsored
terrorism"
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/23/02) The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) today strongly condemned Israel's use of American
taxpayer-supplied
weapons to massacre at least 11 Palestinians, including women and
children,
in an attack on a residential building in the Gaza Strip.
The latest list of dead released by a nearby hospital included two
babies
ages 18 and 2 months, five children ages 3-5, an 11-year-old and three
adults. Israel used an American-made F-16 fighter plane to launch the
missile that struck the building.
"The blood of these innocent children is on the hands of those in
America's
pro-Israel lobby who use their influence to promote congressional and
administration policies that provide American tax dollars and tacit
support
for such attacks," said CAIR Board Chairman Omar Ahmad. He said the
attack
was a violation of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act.
"Terrorism is defined as the use of violence against civilians to
achieve
political goals. This premeditated attack on a civilian building in the
dead of night is a prime example of state-sponsored terrorism. If our
government fails to condemn this massacre, all the official rhetoric
about
'zero-tolerance' for terrorism will ring hollow around the Muslim
world.
There should be one standard for defining terrorism, not one for Israel
and
one for the rest of the world," said Ahmad.
He added that the recent administration shift away from an even-handed
Middle East policy to one that bows to Israeli dictates was obviously
viewed as a green-light for the attack. Ahmad also called on American
Jewish groups to condemn the attack in the same way that American
Muslim
organizations have condemned other acts of terrorism.
A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan also condemned the
attack, saying: "Israel has the legal and moral responsibility to take
all
measures to avoid the loss of innocent life; it clearly failed to do so
in
using a missile against an apartment building...The secretary-general
calls
on the government of Israel to halt such actions and to conduct itself
in a
manner that is fully consistent with international humanitarian law."
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
AMPCC
American Muslim Political Coordination Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. MUSLIMS CALL FOR 9/11/02 "DAY OF UNITY AND PRAYER"
All faiths urged to open houses of worship for interfaith activities
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/23/02) - A national American Muslim political
council
today announced a "National Day of Unity and Prayer" designed to
coincide
with the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World
Trade
Center and the Pentagon.
The American Muslim Political Coordination Council (AMPCC), made up of
the
nation's four most prominent Muslim political advocacy groups,* called
on
all faith communities to participate in the national observance by
opening
houses of worship on September 11, 2002, for interfaith visits,
prayers,
congregational exchanges, and other activities intended to foster
national
unity and religious tolerance.
A web site will be established to allow local mosques, churches,
synagogues, and other religious institutions to register their
participation in the national event.
A joint AMPCC statement read in part: "It is imperative that all
Americans
come together on the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks to show
that we are united as a nation and to reject efforts by any parties,
whether overseas or within our borders, to divide the United States
along
religious or ethnic lines. The Muslim community is part of this
country,
and we join our fellow citizens in mourning those who were killed or
injured on that fateful day."
AMPCC member groups will help coordinate the American Muslim
community's
participation in the National Day of Unity and Prayer. As part of the
AMPCC
campaign, a step-by-step guide to holding local mosque open houses will
be
distributed to Islamic centers nationwide.
Other religious organizations, such as the National Council of
Churches,
are organizing similar observances.
SEE: http://www.ncccusa.org/interfaith/openhouse-intro.html
American Muslim groups jointly and individually condemned the 9/11
attacks.
An AMPCC statement issued within hours of the incidents stated:
"American
Muslims utterly condemn what are apparently vicious and cowardly acts
of
terrorism against innocent civilians. We join with all Americans in
calling
for the swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators. No
political
cause could ever be assisted by such immoral acts."
- END -
* AMPCC consists of American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslim
Council
(AMC), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and Muslim Public
Affairs Council (MPAC).
CONTACT: AMA - 510-252-9858, http://www.amaweb.org/
AMC - 202-789-2262, http://www.amconline.org/
CAIR - 202-488-8787, http://www.cair-net.org/
MPAC - 213-383-3443, http://www.mpac.org/
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR GOOD NEWS ALERT #338
COURT REUNITES MUSLIM MOTHER AND CHILD
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/23/02) - Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God.) CAIR is
applauding a decision yesterday by a South Dakota judge to return a
five-year-old child to his Muslim mother. As CAIR reported in an Action
Alert earlier this month, the child was taken away after his mother
accepted Islam, married an Egyptian man and planned to travel to Egypt.
In an affidavit filed with the Third Judicial Circuit Court, the
woman's
father said she "has engaged in some bizarre behavior, including
wearing
Muslim garb and declaring herself a Muslim." The affidavit was
accompanied
by a photo showing the mother wearing a religiously-mandated Islamic
headscarf.
After being contacted by the mother, CAIR informed the media and urged
concerned Muslims to send donations to help with legal expenses. The
case
received widespread coverage in this country and overseas.
Circuit Judge Rodney J. Steele ruled Monday that the Muslim mother has
a
constitutional right to raise the boy as she sees fit. The grandfather
testified that he objects to the mother taking her son to Egypt, where
he
said Americans are despised and the boy would be a "third-class
citizen."
"We would like to thank all those who sent donations for the legal
defense
or made du'ah for this Muslim family," said CAIR Executive Director
Nihad
Awad. Awad said this case shows that when the Muslim community takes
positive action, positive results can be achieved (inshallah).
---
MUSLIM FAMILY IN FLORIDA REMAINS SEPARATED
Despite the good news from South Dakota, a similar case in Florida
remains
to be resolved. Eleven Muslim children (ages 3 to 16) were taken into
custody on April 9 after the family house was condemned, and have been
held
in different foster homes since that time.
After learning of the family's desperate financial situation through a
CAIR
alert, Muslims and other people of conscience around America donated
almost
$20,000 to get the family back together in a stable home.
SEE:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/041202/met_9122761.html
Charges of neglect lodged against the parents were dropped in June.
SEE:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061902/met_9703396.html
Using the donations, the family moved into a new home with rent paid
through the first of next year. The father obtained a new job and the
family car has been repaired. A permanent home may become available
through
the assistance of Habitat For Humanity.
Social service agencies and the court-appointed guardian for the
children
all agree they should be sent home. A hearing on this case is scheduled
for
the end of July. CAIR-Florida is working with local authorities to
reunite
the family.
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/23/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: MURDER
* DC PROTEST AGAINST ISRAELI ATTACK
- BUSH JOINS IN CONDEMNATION OF ISRAELI ATTACK (Guardian)
- STANLEY COHEN CALLS SEAN HANNITY "APOLOGIST FOR ISRAEL"
(Fox)
* JUDGE GIVES CUSTODY OF BOY TO MOM (AP)
* RIGHTS GROUP ASKS ASHCROFT TO INVESTIGATE ANTI-ISLAMIC MESSAGE (AP)
- ANTI-ISLAM MESSAGE LEFT DURING SEARCH, FAMILY SAYS
(Washington Post)
* U.S. WANTS CLOSER EYE ON IMMIGRANTS (Knight Ridder)
* US HOUSE VOTES TO BOOST BROADCASTING TO MUSLIM COUNTRIES (AFP)
* MOTEL OWNER SAYS FIRE WAS SET BECAUSE HE IS MUSLIM (AP)
* RUSSIAN FORCES KILLING DOZENS OF CHECHENS EACH MONTH (AFP)
* PALESTINIAN ASKS FOR BAIL AT CLOSED IMMIGRATION HEARING
(Sun-Sentinel)
* U.S. HALTS OVERTURES TO IRAN'S KHATAMI (Washington Post)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: MURDER
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "A time will come when
the
murderer will not know why he has committed murder, and the victim will
not
know why he has been killed."
Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1356
-----
DC PROTEST AGAINST ISRAELI ATTACK
WHEN: Wednesday, July 24, Noon - 1 p.m.
WHERE: IN FRONT OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT (C Street entrance),
Washington, D.C.
SPONSOR: American Muslims for Jerusalem
CONTACT: 202-256-2000 or 202-548-4200
http://www.amjerusalem.org
SEE ALSO:
BUSH JOINS IN CONDEMNATION OF ISRAELI ATTACK
Mark Oliver, Guardian UK, 7/23/02
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,761908,00.html
The US president, George Bush, has joined Britain, the EU, the UN and
Arab
nations in condemning Israel's missile attack against the leader of
Hamas,
as the death toll from the strikes rose to at least 15.
The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, said: "This heavy-handed
action
does not contribute to peace...this message will be conveyed to Israeli
authorities, and the United States regrets the loss of life..."
The Foreign Office said the attack was "unacceptable" and
"counterproductive". Tony Blair's official spokesman called for an end
to
the "cycle of violence which has scarred the region..."
In Washington, Mr Fleischer rejected comparisons between the missile
strike
and American attacks in Afghanistan that have killed hundreds of
civilians.
"It is inaccurate to compare the two, because the United States,
because of
an errant bomb, a mistake in a mission, has occasionally engaged in
military action that very regrettedly included losses of innocent
lives,"
Mr Fleischer said. "This was a deliberate attack on the site, knowing
that
innocents would be lost in the consequences of the attack," he said,
adding
that Bush still remained a strong backer of Israel.
STANLEY COHEN CALLS SEAN HANNITY "APOLOGIST FOR ISRAEL"
Hannity & Colmes, Fox News, 7/23/02
http://www.foxnews.com/hannityandcolmes/index.html
COHEN: Sean, every time Palestinians get killed, you make an excuse for
Israel. Every time.
HANNITY: No. Israel -- you're an apologist for terror.
COHEN: You're an apologist for Israel. They make no mistake. You're
always
saying no matter what Israel does it's OK...Has Israel ever -- has
Israel
ever done anything wrong in your mind?...Do they kill people? Do they
torture people? Do they take land? You're such an apologist for Israel.
HANNITY: You know something? Israel has been the victim of incredible
terrorists...
COHEN: No.
HANNITY: ...since the foundation and formation of...
COHEN: And Palestinians have been the victims of Israeli terrorism for
50
years. And you're always an apologist for them...
-----
JUDGE GIVES CUSTODY OF BOY TO MOM
Bernard Mcghee, Associated Press, 7/23/02
http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/07/22/custody.dispute.ap/index.html
FLANDREAU, S.D. - In a custody case that has attracted the attention of
Muslim groups, a judge has ordered that a 5-year-old boy be returned to
his
mother even if she decides to move to Egypt.
Circuit Judge Rodney J. Steele last month granted temporary custody to
the
woman's father and his new wife. But on Monday he said Sally Barakat
has a
constitutional right to raise the boy as she sees fit. Some Muslim
groups
had said the judge's earlier decision was driven by anti-Islamic bias.
Barakat converted to Islam and said she wanted to live in Egypt with a
man
she had married there.
"I'm thankful to have good news," Barakat, 29, said Monday. "I thank
God
and I thank the judge..."
Barakat has said her father and his spouse denigrated her religion and
made
racist comments about her husband, Osama Barakat, whom she met over the
Internet...
Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Washington-based Council on
American-Islamic Relations, said the judge's decision showed Muslims
could
still have faith in the U.S. legal system.
"That's being tested right now because the Muslim community feels under
siege," Hooper said...
-----
RIGHTS GROUP ASKS ASHCROFT TO INVESTIGATE ANTI-ISLAMIC MESSAGE
Geralda Miller, Associated Press, 7/23/02
DETROIT - An Islamic civil rights and advocacy group is asking Attorney
General John Ashcroft to investigate anti-Islamic writing found in the
home
of a man charged with trying to enter the United States with $12
million in
phony cashier's checks.
After Secret Service and FBI agents searched the home of Omar Shishani
on
Thursday night, his brother, Abdallah Shishani, said he and his wife
found
the words "Islam is Evil" and "Christ is King" written on a Muslim
prayer
calendar attached to the refrigerator...
On Monday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said that it
believed
a federal agent wrote the message, and it asked Ashcroft in a letter to
"investigate this incident and take appropriate actions."
"While law enforcement authorities have the right, and even the duty,
to
follow all legitimate leads in the search for those who would cause
harm to
our nation, they do not have the right to insult the religious beliefs
of
those they are questioning," the letter said...
A call to Bob Cares, the assistant U.S. attorney in charge of the
Detroit
area's terrorism task force, was not immediately returned. But Gina
Balaya,
a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Detroit, said Cares had
been told about the allegation...
Abdallah Shishani said there was no way anyone other than one of the
agents
could have written the message on the calendar with a black marker.
"We check that paper five times a day for praying times," he said.
That night, Abdallah Shishani said he and his wife checked the paper
before
saying the third prayer, Asar, at 5:26 p.m. The agents arrived at their
home around 6 p.m., he said.
Abdallah Shishani said he "would like to see justice" but doubted if
anything would happen to whomever printed the messages.
SEE ALSO:
ANTI-ISLAM MESSAGE LEFT DURING SEARCH, FAMILY SAYS
Robert E. Pierre, Washington Post, 7/23/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47184-2002Jul22.html
DETROIT - Representatives of two Muslim advocacy groups charged today
that
law enforcement agents who last week searched the home of a man being
investigated for connections to terrorism left behind a handwritten
epithet
on a Muslim prayer calendar in his home.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), based in Washington,
called on Attorney General John D. Ashcroft to investigate the matter,
declaring that officers "do not have the right to insult the religious
beliefs of those they are questioning..."
-----
U.S. WANTS CLOSER EYE ON IMMIGRANTS
Frank Davies and Cassio Furtado, Knight Ridder, 7/23/02
http://www.freep.com/news/nw/immi23_20020723.htm
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department announced Monday it intends to use
criminal penalties against immigrants and foreign visitors who fail to
notify the government of a change of address within 10 days.
Attorney General John Ashcroft said the move would help secure U.S.
borders
by making it easier to track noncitizens. The 10-day notice requirement
has
long been on the books but is rarely enforced. "By clarifying the
existing
requirement that noncitizens report their address to the Immigration
and
Naturalization Service, we are able to increase our ability to locate
quickly an alien if removal proceedings must be initiated," Ashcroft
said.
The INS plans to enforce the regulation after a 60-day comment period.
The
action affects all legal permanent residents -- at least 11 million
people,
according to an INS spokeswoman. It also applies to visitors and
students
who stay in the United States more than 30 days..
Immigration advocates denounced the plan as heavy-handed and
unworkable,
saying the INS will not be able to handle the paperwork.
"It's sheer fantasy to think the INS can handle the avalanche of
information under this mandate," said Angela Kelley, deputy director of
the
Washington-based National Immigration Forum. "This initiative is going
to
leave a pervasive feeling in immigrant communities that they're all
under
suspicion..."
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic
Relations,
said he hoped the proposed rule wouldn't target Muslims unfairly. "If
laws
are enforced across the board and without any bias, we have no
problem,"
Hooper said.
-----
US HOUSE VOTES TO BOOST BROADCASTING TO MUSLIM COUNTRIES
Maxim Kniazkov, Agence France Presse, 7/23/02
WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives has voted to boost US
television and radio broadcasts to Muslim countries and to step up
other
public diplomacy measures in hopes of countering rising anti-American
sentiment in that part of the world.
The Freedom Promotion Act of 2002, passed by voice vote Monday,
allocates
135 million dollars in fiscal 2003 -- beginning October 1 -- to expand
television and radio programs beamed by the United States to Islamic
nations of the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
"Much of the popular press overseas, often including the
government-owned
media, daily depict the United States as a force for evil, accusing
this
country of an endless number of malevolent plots against the world,"
complained House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde
in
the course of the debate. "Even as we strike against the network of
terrorists who masterminded the murder of thousands of Americans, our
actions are widely depicted in the Muslim world as a war against
Islam,"
said the Illinois Republican, who is the chief sponsor of the bill...
According to congressional officials, this image problem should be
addressed through an information counteroffensive, which would see the
government-owned Voice of America (VOA) step up its broadcasts on AM
and FM
radio channels and seek broader access to local television stations in
the
Muslim world.
US experts in public diplomacy should also take a more active part in
the
public debate in Muslim countries, the officials said.
The bill, which still has to be approved by the Senate, will convert
the
current part-time Board of Broadcasting Governors into an International
Broadcasting Agency that will have operational control over the VOA and
its
sister services such as Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free
Europe.
The VOA already launched a 24-hour Middle East radio network in late
March.
Under the measure, which the Congressional Budget Office says will cost
nearly 750 million dollars to implement over the next five years,
dozens of
young people from Islamic countries will be able to visit the United
States
and see the American way of life under a summer youth exchange
program...
-----
MOTEL OWNER SAYS FIRE WAS SET BECAUSE HE IS MUSLIM
Associated Press, 7/23/02
HEBER CITY, Utah - A fire that damaged the Alpine Lodge was arson and a
hate crime, said co-owner Mazhar Tabesh.
"We are really scared because we are Muslim - probably the only Muslims
in
area - and we are the target," Tabesh said Monday. "We really fear for
our
safety and so far I haven't seen anyone offering any help."
He said the blaze started at 11:30 p.m. Sunday in a room rented by a
man
who paid cash, showed no identification and was seen leaving with
another
man just after the fire started.
He said he gave the registration papers to police, but the name was
scrawled and hard to read.
"We've been getting threatening calls for about a year. The frequency
of
calls increased after 9-11," Tabesh said. "Basically whoever is calling
us
is telling us to get the hell out of here or they'll take care of
us..."
-----
RUSSIAN FORCES KILLING DOZENS OF CHECHENS EACH MONTH
Dmitry Zaks, Agence France-Presse, 7/23/02
MOSCOW, July 23 (AFP) - The head of a top world rights watchdog on
Tuesday
accused the Russian military of killing up to 80 Chechens a month, many
of
them young males, via abductions and murders. "The process by which
young
Chechen men are being abducted and murdered...is claiming more lives
than
the bombing campaigns of the two wars," said the executive director for
the
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Aaron Rhodes,
"If you look at the evidence from reliable, non-partisan human rights
organizations, between 50 and 80 people are being murdered every
month,"
Rhodes told reporters on his return from a three-day visit to Chechnya
and
neighboring Ingushetia. Rhodes said that given Chechnya's relatively
small
population -- estimated at between 300,000 and 600,000, but impossible
to
verify - - the scale of killing in the republic is almost
unprecedented.
"This violence is on a huge scale in the world context. It is difficult
to
find an analogy to this," he said. "We have a very hard time finding
such
numbers in other historical cases."
Russian troops stormed into the southern republic in October 1999 in a
self-declared anti-terrorist operation after the predominantly Muslim
republic in the turbulent north Caucasus won de facto independence in a
first war, which lasted from 1994-96.
Noting that some rights organization refer to "disappearances," Rhodes
remarked: "Let's call a spade a spade -- (disappearance) means
death..."
And the rights group accused the West of standing idly by while Russia
--
which has emerged as a key ally in the US-led "anti- terror" war --
continues its brutal campaign.
"The West is not conducting itself properly. It must know what is
happening," said the Helsinki group's representative Vladislav
Weisman...
-----
PALESTINIAN ASKS FOR BAIL AT CLOSED IMMIGRATION HEARING
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 7/23/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
A Palestinian man from Sunrise took the witness stand Monday to ask an
immigration judge to set him free on bond. Adham Hassoun's bond hearing
was
continued to Aug. 1 after nearly three hours of motions and testimony
Monday, said Hassoun's lawyer, Akhtar Hussain.
The hearing, at the Immigration and Naturalization Service's Krome
Processing Center, was closed to the public. Hussain is barred from
talking
about the contents of the hearing by a protective order. Hassoun was
arrested June 12 by agents from the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task
Force on immigration charges, but the federal government is more
interested
in his ties to Jose Padilla, the alleged "dirty bomber" who converted
to
Islam in South Florida and was a friend of Hassoun's. Padilla is being
held
in South Carolina as an "enemy combatant," accused of plotting to
detonate
a bomb on U.S. soil that would disperse radioactive material.
Hussain said he would argue that his client is not a flight risk
because of
his ties to the community and therefore should be released pending the
disposition of his charges.
-----
U.S. HALTS OVERTURES TO IRAN'S KHATAMI
Glenn Kessler, Washington Post, 7/23/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47045-2002Jul22.html
The Bush administration has abandoned hopes it can work with President
Mohammad Khatami and his reformist allies in the Iranian government and
is
turning its attention to appealing directly to democracy supporters
among
the Iranian people, administration officials said.
The policy shift, which scuttles a five-year effort in which the United
States tried to explore ways to work with Khatami and encourage a
reform
agenda in Iran, follows an intensive review within the administration
over
whether to adopt a harder line toward a government President Bush has
labeled part of the "axis of evil..."
Bush signaled the change publicly in a strongly worded presidential
statement in which he praised large pro-democracy street demonstrations
in
Iran. The shift cheered foreign policy experts who had urged a tougher
approach toward Tehran and was a setback for the State Department,
which
had spearheaded efforts to engage the Khatami leadership.
But Martin Indyk, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel now at the
Brookings
Institution, said the new approach carried significant risks. "This may
help those we are trying to harm and harm those we are trying to help,"
he
said, because reformers may be tagged as agents of the United States.
"The same principle applies to Iran as the Palestinians," Indyk said.
"We
should be careful about leaving the impression that we intend to
determine
who the leadership will be..."
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR ACTION ALERT #339
AIRLINE PILOT COMPARES VEILED WOMEN TO "SHAMEFUL WHORES"
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/24/02) - CAIR is calling on American Airlines to
investigate whether an anti-Muslim commentary allegedly written by one
of
its pilots is a hoax, and if it is not, to repudiate the Islamophobic
views
expressed in the article.
In a commentary published on the right-wing web site Worldnetdaily.com,
Capt. John Maniscalco wrote that he is "worried" by the presence of
Arab
Muslims in America. He wrote: "I wish when I walked down the streets of
this country that I love, that your color and culture still blended
with
the beautiful human landscape we enjoy in this country. But you don't
blend
in anymore. I notice you, and it worries me."
SEE: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28386
After describing the reasons for his worries about American Muslims,
Maniscalco's commentary degenerates into anti-Muslim bigotry.
He stated: "Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because our women
proudly show their faces in public rather than cover up like a shameful
whore?...Are you here to take our money? Are you here to undermine our
peace and stability? Are you here to destroy us? If so, I want you to
leave. I want you to go back to your desert sandpit where women are
treated
like rats and dogs. I want you to take your religion, your friends, and
your family back to your Islamic extremists, and STAY THERE! We will
never
give in to your influence, your retarded mentality, your twisted,
violent,
intolerant religion."
"If this is indeed a genuine commentary and not just an Internet hoax,
it
is a truly disturbing revelation of bigotry on the part of someone who
is
charged with protecting the lives of a diverse flying public," said
CAIR
Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
"We respect Mr. Maniscalco's First Amendment rights and support his
right
to publish even bigoted views. But American Airlines has a duty to
protect
its reputation by repudiating hate-speech that is written by someone
apparently misusing the company's good name," said Hooper. Hooper added
that any Muslim passenger would be justified in feeling uncomfortable
knowing that Maniscalco would be his or her pilot.
It was an American Airlines pilot who earlier this year removed a
Muslim
Secret Service agent from his flight because of alleged racial and
religious profiling. The airline is one of four carriers being sued by
passengers who claim they weren't allowed to fly because of anti-Arab
prejudice. CAIR's Civil Rights Department reports more complaints about
profiling on American Airlines than on any other carrier.
ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.)
Contact American Airlines to demand that they repudiate the pilot's
bigoted
views and make sure his on-the-job performance does not reflect these
views. Request that the company institute sensitivity training for its
flight crews.
CONTACT:
Mr. Donald J. Carty
Chairman, President and CEO
American Airlines, Inc.
4200 Amon Carter Boulevard
Fort Worth, TX 76155
TEL: 817-963-1234 or 817-967-1577
FAX: 817-967-4162
URL: http://www.aa.com
E-MAIL: tim.doke@aa.com,gus.whitcomb@aa.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
- PLEASE POST, COPY AND DISTRIBUTE -
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/24/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: SAY WHAT IS GOOD OR KEEP QUIET
* POSITIVE NEWS: EMPLOYER PROVIDES SAFE HARBOR
* URGE SHAW UNIVERSITY TO SAVE CAMPUS MOSQUE
* ASHCROFT'S TERRORISM POLICIES DISMAY SOME CONSERVATIVES (New York
Times)
- EDITORIAL: REVERSE COURSE ON TIPS (St. Petersburg Times)
- US MILITARY DOESN'T WANT POLICE POWERS-TOP GENERAL (Reuters)
- SWEEP OF FAITH (Village Voice)
* ISLAMIC COALITION CALLS ON MOSQUES TO MARK SEPT. 11 (Post-Dispatch)
- LEADING US MUSLIM GROUPS URGE 'DAY OF UNITY' (AFP)
* DETROIT FBI PROBES ANTI-MUSLIM GRAFFITI CHARGE (Reuters)
* U.S. TOUTS AID TO RELIGIOUS GROUPS (AP)
* WHEN LIFE'S A RACIST BEACH (Ha'aretz)
- OP-ED: TERRORISM IS A RESULT OF ISRAEL'S DENYING A PEOPLE
ITS
RIGHTS (Dallas Morning News)
* CAIR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OFFERS INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: SAY WHAT IS GOOD OR KEEP QUIET
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Anyone who believes in
God
and the Last Day (of Judgment) should not harm his neighbor. Anyone who
believes in God and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously.
And
anyone who believes in God and the Last Day should say what is good or
keep
quiet."
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 47
-----
POSITIVE NEWS: EMPLOYER PROVIDES SAFE HARBOR
An excerpt from an e-mail received by CAIR:
I am happy to say that post 9-11, I've had a very positive experience
at my
workplace. My employers went to extraordinary measures to guarantee
mine &
my family's security.
I work for an actuarial firm as an IT developer. We're located near the
Sears Tower, and on 9-11 my building was evacuated. The company was
ready
to pay for a cab ride home so I wouldn't be harassed on public
transportation. Instead I opted to take a ride home with a colleague. A
few
days later, the CEO personally called me into his office to make sure I
was
doing well. My boss made clear to me that if I ever felt it was unsafe
for
me or my family, I had the option to work from home. My fellow
colleagues
would regularly ask about my well-being as well as my family's
well-being.
SEND YOUR POSITIVE EXPERIENCE OR STORY TO: cair@cair-net.org
----
URGE SHAW UNIVERSITY TO SAVE CAMPUS MOSQUE
FROM THE SHAW UNIVERSITY MUSLIM COMMUNITY:
Shaw University's President recently announced his decision to close
the
campus mosque due to space constraints. The mosque was built in 1983
and is
used for Friday prayers, daily prayers and Muslim student meetings.
Shaw
University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Please let them know
that
we are upset by this step that comes as campuses nationwide are adding
prayer spaces.
PLEASE ACT NOW!
Action requested:
1.Fax a letter, email or call Shaw University's president. His name is
Dr.
Talbert O. Shaw. Fax number: 919-546-8301. Email:
toshaw@shawu.edu Phone: 919-546-8300. His mailing address is 118 E.
South
St. Raleigh, NC 27601
2.Fax a letter or call the Chair of the University's Board of Trustees.
His name is Willie E. Gary. Fax: 561-220-3343. Phone: 561-283-8260/2.
His
mailing address is 221 E. Osceola St., Stewart, FL. 34994
3. Remember our brothers and sisters at Shaw U. in your du'a
SEE ALSO:
FIGHTING FOR A MOSQUE
Yonat Shimron, News and Observer, 7/20/02
http://newsobserver.com/front/News/story/1568678p-1597725c.html
The mosque at Shaw University could soon become an office space or a
weight
room for the football team, under a plan unveiled by the president of
Shaw
University to a group of students, professors and community
activists...
-----
ASHCROFT'S TERRORISM POLICIES DISMAY SOME CONSERVATIVES
Neil Lewis, New York Times, 7/24/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/24/politics/24ASHC.html
WASHINGTON - Many religious conservatives who were most instrumental in
pressing President Bush to appoint John Ashcroft as attorney general
now
say they have become deeply troubled by his actions as the leading
public
figure in the law enforcement drive against terrorism.
Their dismay comes as several Bush advisers have begun complaining that
Mr.
Ashcroft, with his lifelong politician's fondness for attention, has
projected himself too often and too forcefully. More significantly,
they
say privately that he seems to be overstating the evidence of terrorist
threats.
Most striking, however, is how some conservatives who were Mr.
Ashcroft's
biggest promoters for his cabinet appointment after he lost his
re-election
to the Senate in 2000 have lost enthusiasm. They cite his
anti-terrorist
positions as enhancing the kind of government power that they
instinctively
oppose...
EDITORIAL: REVERSE COURSE ON TIPS
St. Petersburg Times, 7/24/02
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/07/24/Opinion/Reverse_course_on_TIP.shtml
The American public isn't comfortable with the Terrorism Information
and
Prevention System, which is not only an invasion of privacy but also a
futile attempt to make us safer...
Whatever the misunderstanding, the administration's new program of
domestic
snooping is not going over well. In fact, the Terrorism Information and
Prevention System, or TIPS, rolled out for implementation next month,
is
encountering heavy resistance from conservatives, liberals and
middle-of-the-road Americans alike. The Bush people should take the
public
pulse, examine the polls or whatever else they do to measure the level
of
discomfort of the American public, and reverse course on TIPS...
US MILITARY DOESN'T WANT POLICE POWERS-TOP GENERAL
Charles Aldinger, Reuters, 7/24/02
WASHINGTON, July 24 (Reuters) - Despite the specter of new attacks on
the
United States, the U.S. military opposes any move to give civilian
police
powers to the armed forces to protect Americans, a top Army general
said on
Wednesday.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Keane spoke as the government began
to
examine possible changes in an 1878 "posse comitatus" law that forbids
the
military from making arrests and undertaking other law enforcement
duties
except in dire emergencies.
"We don't see any reason to change," the Army's No. two ranking officer
told reporters, adding that the armed forces would continue to operate
in
an unarmed supporting role for civilian agencies such as airport and
border
security.
"I think military leaders have always resisted policing the American
people. We have police forces that are appropriately trained to do
that...
SWEEP OF FAITH
Chisun Lee, Village Voice, 7/24/02
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0230/lee.php
Muhammad Qayyum, portly and gray-haired, bumbled into a Brooklyn
pizza-and-curry joint for an interview last Tuesday, peering through
thick
bifocals that clung to the end of his nose. His absentminded air and
decaying teeth-two were missing from the bottom row-made him seem older
than his 58 years. It was difficult to imagine him as a cog in an
international terrorism machine.
But the Pakistan citizen, recently declared "deportable" for the
noncriminal violation of overstaying his visa, was jailed for seven
months,
while the FBI apparently decided whether he was safe to release on
bond.
Through a translator, he told the Voice of a captivity filled with
tricky
interrogations, secret court hearings, and sheer bewilderment.
Advocates
for the hundreds of South Asian and Arab men imprisoned nationwide
since
September 11 have claimed the vast majority are, like Qayyum, neither
criminal nor especially savvy...
-----
ISLAMIC COALITION CALLS ON MOSQUES TO MARK SEPT. 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 7/24
http://home.post-dispatch.com/channel/pdweb.nsf/TodayWednesday/86256A0E0068FE5086256C000042103A?OpenDocument&PubWrapper=A-section
A coalition of American Islamic groups is calling on mosques across the
country to observe an interfaith "National Day of Unity and Prayer" on
the
anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11.
The American Muslim Political Coordination Council called on the
clerics
who run the estimated 1,209 mosques in the United States to open their
doors to Muslims and non-Muslims, and to have their members take part
in
special services planned for Sept. 11 at local churches and synagogues.
On Tuesday, the chairman of the board of directors of one of the area's
largest Muslim congregations, the Islamic Foundation of Greater St.
Louis,
welcomed the council's announcement. But Syed Ali had yet to consult
with
fellow religious officials to organize an open house for that day. The
foundation is the caretaker of two mosques.
Starting next week, mosques and Islamic centers can sign up for open
houses
via an online registry accessed from Web sites of the council's four
Muslim
organizations: the American Muslim Alliance (www.amaweb.org), the
American
Muslim Council (www.amconline.org), the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (www.cair-net.org) and the Muslim Public Affairs Council
(www.mpac.org).
SEE ALSO:
LEADING US MUSLIM GROUPS URGE 'DAY OF UNITY' TO MARK SEPT 11
ANNIVERSARY
Agence France Presse, 7/23/02
WASHINGTON - A group of leading Muslim organizations in the United
States
called Monday for all Americans to celebrate a day of "unity and
prayer" to
mark the one-year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The American Muslim Political Coordination Council (AMPCC), which
represents the four most prominent Muslim political advocacy groups in
the
country, urged all Americans to commemorate the anniversary with
activities
that foster national unity and religious tolerance. "It is imperative
that
all Americans come together on the first anniversary of the terrorist
attacks to show that we are united as a nation and to reject efforts by
any
parties, whether overseas or within our borders, to divide the United
States along religious or ethnic lines," the council said.
"The Muslim community is part of this country, and we join our fellow
citizens in mourning those who were killed or injured on that fateful
day,"
it said in a statement...
-----
DETROIT FBI PROBES ANTI-MUSLIM GRAFFITI CHARGE
Reuters, 7/23/02
DETROIT - The FBI said on Tuesday that it had opened a preliminary
probe
into charges that federal agents scrawled anti-Muslim graffiti in the
home
of an Arab-American man arrested in Detroit for allegedly possessing
$12
million in phony cashier's checks.
The agency's comments came in response to a statement on Monday from
the
Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based Islamic
advocacy
group, which said agents wrote the words "Islam is Evil" and "Christ is
King" on a Muslim prayer calendar in the home of suspect Omar Shishani.
"We're aware of the allegations," special agent Jennie Emmons of the
FBI's
Detroit field office told Reuters.
"At this stage we're trying to obtain facts to evaluate what's going
on,"
she said...
The Council on American-Islamic Relations said in its statement that
the
scrawled words were discovered Thursday by Shishani's brother and
sister-in-law, after agents from the FBI and U.S. Secret Service
searched
his home...
-----
U.S. TOUTS AID TO RELIGIOUS GROUPS
Greg Toppo, Associated Press, 7/24/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - An Education Department team is quietly traveling the
country helping religious groups compete for more than $1 billion in
federal grants for afterschool and tutoring programs.
The effort to promote one of President Bush's priorities promises to
have
an impact on public schools as early as this fall, even as state
lawmakers
continue debating whether to allow public-school students to use tax
monies
to attend religious schools.
"I meet these armies of compassion and I hear their stories," said John
J.
Porter, who heads the department's Center for Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives. "I hear about the work they're doing in these cities and
in
these troubled areas - it's almost like this huge cry for help is going
up."
The landmark education bill approved by Congress last year funnels
$1.25
billion in federal aid for afterschool programs and millions more for
tutoring services to schools, businesses and "community-based
organizations." As far as Bush is concerned, that includes churches and
other religious organizations, though that's not spelled out in the
law...
-----
WHEN LIFE'S A RACIST BEACH
Joseph Algazy, Ha'aretz, 7/24/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=189639&contrassID=2&subContrassID=5&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y&itemNo=189639
About two weeks ago, on a Friday, Taghrid and Ismat Shbeita, Wafa and
Jihad
Bishara, Ghadir and Ihad Iraqi of Tira, Lubna and Mahmoud Khadija of
Kalansua, and their young children went for an afternoon to the Givat
Olga
beach at Hadera. The Bisharas are both physicians and Ihad Iraqi and
Mahmoud Khadija are attorneys. Ismat Shbeita is a merchant and his wife
Taghrid is a civic activist...
Around ten o'clock, the account goes, a group of some 15 or 20 young
people
in their early twenties suddenly stood over them and demanded to know
if
they were Arabs. When they said yes, the youths instructed them in a
threatening manner to leave the beach. One said: "Get up from here
immediately or it will come to blows..."
Those attacked say that the police arrived late, after the attackers
had
time to disappear. First two police officers arrived on foot, and later
on,
a squad car arrived. According to the group attacked, the police
questioned
them impatiently.
"The police were disingenuous," says Attorney Khadija, "in behaving as
if
they had no idea that for a long time now, Arabs have been unable to
travel
with any safety in many places around the country. From my own
experience,
I can attest that an Arab who has an errand in Netanya at the National
Insurance Institute or an HMO near the open-air market, is cursed and
threatened. People even throw rotten fruits and vegetables at you..."
SEE ALSO:
OP-ED: TERRORISM IS A RESULT OF ISRAEL'S DENYING A PEOPLE ITS RIGHTS
Suad Abu-Amara, Dallas Morning News, 7/22/02
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/viewpoints/stories/072202dnediabuamara.312b5.html
Geraldo Rivera, reporting from the occupied territories, told a Fox
News
announcer that a 3-year-old boy had just been shot in front of his
eyes.
Immediately, the announcer asked whether the boy was wearing military
fatigues.
Once again, a supporter of Israel was going to extremes in an attempt
to
justify the killing of a Palestinian child by Israeli soldiers.
As a Palestinian mother once said, the international press would pay
more
attention to a settler's dog that had been killed in a terrorist attack
than to her dead child.
Maybe it is time to recognize the connection between the ferocious
military
attack being waged on the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupying
army
and what is perceived as Palestinian terrorism.
For me, the occupation and the so-called terrorism are closely related.
Although both are murderous, they differ in that occupation is illegal
while resistance to occupation (which is what the
Palestinian terrorism is all about) is legal and sanctioned by the
United
Nations charter.
While some innocent Israelis may be falling victim to the terrorist
attacks
of individuals, all Palestinians are falling victim to the occupation
of
their land. Needless to say, the number of Palestinian victims exceeds
that
of Israeli victims...
Just like the 200,000 settlers and just like the hundreds of
checkpoints,
the suicide bombers haven't always been there. They emerged from a
certain
historical context.
The occupied Palestinians, desperate to rid themselves of their
oppressors,
have chosen to use violence - against soldiers, settlers and innocent
people. And the Israeli military has responded with the deprivation of
political and human rights and with more and more atrocities.
As Chris Hedges wrote in Harper's magazine, "Yesterday, in this spot,
the
Israelis shot eight young men, six of whom were under the age of 18.
have
never before watched soldiers entice children like mice into a trap and
murder them for sport."
-----
CAIR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OFFERS INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
CAIR-LA is now accepting applications for its Fall 2002 internship
program. The program is designed to empower our community by helping
young Muslims gain skills in public relations, media relations,
research and development, public outreach, government relations, and in
defending civil/legal rights.
Internships will be held at CAIR's office in Anaheim. Candidates must
be pursuing a college degree. Interns will be offered college credit or
financial compensation.
Internships are offered in the following categories:
- Community Outreach & Development
- Government Relations
- Media Relations
- Civil Rights
- Education
Fall internships run from September 9 - November 22. Applications must
be received by August 10.
For an application, please contact the CAIR S. California office.
Email: cair_sca@cair-california.org
Tel: 714.776.1847
Fax: 714.776.8340
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/25/2002
HEADLINES:
* POSITIVE NEWS: SUPPORTIVE COLLEAGUES
* P.B.A. NAMES BLACK OFFICER TO NO. 3 POST (New York Times)
* JAIL POLICY TO ALLOW MUSLIM WOMEN TO WEAR HEAD COVERING (AP)
* MUSLIMS TO FIGHT TO STAY IN CAMPUS MOSQUE (Washington Times)
* BUYING TROUBLE (Village Voice)
* LETTER: ETHNICITY NO WAY TO BASE ENEMIES (Atlanta Journal
Constitution)
* CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING RIGHTS OF
ARAB
AMERICANS AND MUSLIMS (PR Newswire)
* SHARON LAWSUIT EXPANDED
* LA GROUPS TO PROTEST ISRAELI OCCUPATION
-----
POSITIVE NEWS: SUPPORTIVE COLLEAGUES
An excerpt of an e-mail message received by CAIR:
I work at a small weekly newspaper in Northern New Jersey and I have
delayed commenting on my experience here in the last 11 months until
after
I read a comment made by someone who works at a large company. I must
say
Alhamdulillah [praise be to God] for working with the people that I do.
After Sept. 11, without my asking for sympathy or understanding from
anyone, the first good word I received was from my co-workers who asked
if
everything was well.
A fellow reporter here even offered, in all earnestness, to get
groceries
for my hijab wearing-mother and sisters, one of whom who covers, if
they
ever felt unsafe doing so themselves.
Nearly two or three times in subsequent weeks, my editors asked how
family
was dealing with the situation. Subhanallah [glory be to God] my family
was
never harassed…That more than anything made me love my fellow
Americans.
Come to think of it, maybe that shouldn’t be so surprising.
-----
P.B.A. NAMES BLACK OFFICER TO NO. 3 POST
William K. Rashbaum, New York Times, 7/25/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/25/nyregion/25PBA.html
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, which has often played a
divisive
role in the Police Department's sometimes difficult relations with
minority
communities around the city, has for the first time elevated an
African-American officer to the union's five-member governing board.
The officer, Mubarak Abdul-Jabbar, 46, who joined the force in 1983,
will
be elevated to the No. 3 position in the union, succeeding the second
vice
president, John Loud, a respected 61-year-old officer and longtime
delegate
who led a reform movement in the union. The appointment was made by
Patrick
J. Lynch, the president of the 22,800-member union, and it was
announced at
a board meeting on Tuesday, union officials said. Officer Lynch said he
was
appointing Officer Abdul-Jabbar to the post because of his experience
-- 14
years on patrol and nearly 18 years as a union delegate or official…
Officer Abdul-Jabbar, a practicing Muslim, is a tall, trim man with an
easy
smile. He seems as comfortable in the navy blue suit and tie of a union
official as he was in the Transit Police uniform he wore patrolling the
subways in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. After growing up in Harlem
and
the South Bronx, he attended Hunter College for one year. With the help
of
a scholarship, he attended Columbia University for two years, but left
school to work as a clerk in a law firm to support a growing family, he
said. A few years later, he joined the Transit Authority Police and
quickly
became active in the union, he said.
-----
JAIL POLICY TO ALLOW MUSLIM WOMEN TO WEAR HEAD COVERING
Associated Press, 7/25/02
CLEVELAND - A new policy assures that Muslim women in the Cuyahoga
County
Jail will be able to wear head coverings.
A jail-issue hijab will now be provided to any female inmate who
requests
one, jail director Kenneth Kochevar said Wednesday. "Since we allow
head
coverings for male inmates, it only seemed right to do the same for the
women inmates," Kochevar told The Plain Dealer.
The decision was made nearly a month after inmate Aisha Samad
complained
she was not permitted to wear her hijab in court. Corrections officers
also
refused her request to wear a smaller head covering.
Some Muslims, including Samad, believe women should cover their hair in
public and at home in front of those who are not family members.
Jail officials had said they could not allow the hijabs to be worn
because
they could conceal an inmate's identity or be used to hide weapons or
other
items.
Two weeks ago, more than 50 people protested outside the Justice
Center,
accusing county officials of being insensitive to Muslims.
-----
MUSLIMS TO FIGHT TO STAY IN CAMPUS MOSQUE
Sean Salai, Washington Times, 7/25/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020725-34658800.htm
Muslims at a historically black Baptist university are vowing to fight
the
school's plans to convert an on-campus mosque into offices for
professors
displaced by construction of a football weight room.
At a meeting with Raleigh, N.C., business and religious leaders on July
18,
Shaw University President Talbert O. Shaw asked representatives of the
school's Muslim community to find an alternative worship site within
two weeks.
Mr. Shaw said the Jamaa'ah At Taqwa mosque in the school's
International
Studies Center is the only place for the offices. Islamic leaders at
the
private liberal arts school of 2,600 students say they will not make
plans
to vacate the mosque.
"President Shaw told us the mosque no longer serves its original
function,
since the school no longer has any students from the Middle East," said
Ihsan Bagby, professor of international studies and the mosque's imam.
"But
he also said he is under pressure from prominent Baptists on our board
of
trustees who have long wanted to do away with the mosque..."
Mr. Bagby says more than 100 Muslim students from West Africa and the
United States rely on the mosque...
ACTION REQUESTED:
1.Fax a letter, email or call Shaw University's president. His name is
Dr.
Talbert O. Shaw. Fax number: 919-546-8301. Email:
toshaw@shawu.edu Phone: 919-546-8300. His mailing address is 118 E.
South
St. Raleigh, NC 27601
2.Fax a letter or call the Chair of the University's Board of Trustees.
His
name is Willie E. Gary. Fax: 561-220-3343. Phone: 561-283-8260/2. His
mailing address is 221 E. Osceola St., Stewart, FL. 34994
-----
BUYING TROUBLE
Erik Baard, Village Voice, 7/24/02
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0230/baard.php
They thought they were making routine purchasesthe innocent, everyday
pickups of charcoal and hummus, bleach and sandwich bags, that keep the
modern household running. Regulars at a national grocery chain, these
thousands and thousands of shoppers used the store's preferred-customer
cards, in the process putting years of their lives on file. Perhaps
they
expected their records would be used by marketers trying to better
target
consumers. Instead, says the company's privacy consultant, the data was
used by government agents hunting for potential terrorists.
The saga began with a misguided fit of patriotism mere weeks after the
World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks, when a corporate employee
handed
over the recordsalmost literally, the grocery liststo federal
investigators
from three agencies that had never even requested them. In a flash, the
most quotidian of exchanges became fodder for the Patriot Act…
As John Ashcroft's Citizens Corps spy program prepares for its debut
next
month, it seems scores of American companies have already become
willing
snitches. A few months ago, the Privacy Council surveyed executives
from 22
companies in the travel industrynot just airlines but hotels, car
rental
services, and travel agenciesand found that 64 percent of respondents
had
turned over information to investigators and 59 percent had lowered
their
resistance to such demands.
But there's a truly slippery slope here. We live in a nation that for
months has held at least 700 peopleand possibly hundreds
moreincommunicado,
with no more solid connection to terrorism than that they were born in
Middle Eastern countries.
Privacy may seem like a luxury in a nation at war, but that moral
concept
lies at the heart of constitutionally guaranteed liberties...
-----
LETTER: ETHNICITY NO WAY TO BASE ENEMIES
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/25/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/opinion/0702/25letters.html
Regarding the letter asking why Arab profiling doesn't make sense
("What's
puzzling about Arab profiling?" July 23), I offer statistical and
historical reasoning.
There are more than 1 billion Muslims on Earth. If one were to take a
vastly stretched estimate and say that there were 100,000 terrorists
among
these Muslims, you would still find only one terrorist per 10,000
Muslims.
This doesn't even get into the fact that most Arab-Americans are
probably
even less likely to be a possible terrorist.
Historically speaking, the United States approximated this same
profiling
during World War II by jailing Americans of Japanese ancestry. As a
general
rule we now regard this as a large mistake, since the vast majority of
these people were patriotic Americans. The greatest testament on this
that
I can offer is that my father fought and killed Japanese soldiers
during
WWII, yet he was friends before and after the war with
Japanese-Americans.
One must differentiate between enemies and friends --- and ethnicity
will
never tell you that.
JEFF JOSEPH, Smyrna
-----
CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING RIGHTS OF
ARAB
AMERICANS AND MUSLIMS
PR Newswire, 7/24/02
WASHINGTON, July 24 - The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights today
strongly
reiterated its commitment to protecting the rights of Arab Americans
and
Muslims. "Whatever views may have been expressed recently by any member
of
the Commission to the contrary, the agency has been in the forefront of
demonstrating that combating terrorism should never become a war
against
Arab Americans or Muslims, or any group based on religion or national
origin," stated Commission Chairperson Mary Frances Berry.
"Maintaining a secure homeland does not justify discrimination against
Arab
Americans and others today, any more than World War II justified the
internment of innocent Japanese Americans over a half century ago,"
stated
Chairperson Berry. "Although individual Commissioners are entitled to
their
own views, the Commission is charged with the vital mission of serving
as a
vigilant watchdog of the civil rights of all Americans."
Berry noted that the Commission convened its July meeting in Detroit to
learn first hand from its Midwestern State Advisory Committees (SAC)
about
the post 9/11 civil rights problems faced by Arab Americans and Muslims
in
their respective states.The Commission was particularly eager to learn
about developments in the Detroit area, home to the largest Arab
American
community in the United States…
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipartisan fact-
finding agency. Its members include Chairperson Mary Frances Berry,
Vice
Chairperson Cruz Reynoso and Commissioners Jennifer C. Braceras,
Christopher Edley, Jr., Peter Kirsanow, Elsie M. Meeks and Abigail
Thernstrom. Les Jin is Staff Director.
CONTACT: Kimberley Alton of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights,
+1-202-376-7700
-----
SHARON LAWSUIT EXPANDED
PRESS RELEASE FROM STANLEY L. COHEN
PALESTINIAN/AMERICAN LAWSUIT TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE VICTIMS OF
ISRAEL'S LATEST WAR CRIME IN GAZA.
(7/25/02) - Attorney Stanley L. Cohen, lead counsel in a case filed in
United States District Court in Washington, D.C. last week on behalf of
a
group of Palestinian/Americans announced today that the suit will be
expanded to include a number of children who were killed and others who
were injured during Israel's bombing of a civilian neighborhood in Gaza
during the middle of the night earlier this week. In announcing that
the
suit will be enlarged to include additional victims and at least one
new
defendant “the arms manufacturer of the F-16 jet used in the attack-
Cohen
challenged Israel's assertion that the operation was either a mistake
or
isolated. Describing the bombing as an offense to all international law
and
standards of decency, Cohen stated that the latest attack was but
another
deplorable example of Israel's long standing policy of collective
punishment in which it targets all Palestinians for the deeds of a few,
In the lawsuit which was brought last week against some three dozen
defendants including Israel and Prime Minister Sharon, President Bush
and
Secretary of State Powell, several arms manufacturers in the United
States
and a number of U.S. based churches and synagogues that have supported
settlements in the West Bank, the plaintiffs seek damages and
injunctive
relief for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and
racketeering
dating back as far as the massacre at Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon,
through
the current Intifada. The plaintiffs include Palestinian Americans who
have been killed, injured, and tortured; who have been denied medical
treatment; whose businesses and homes have been destroyed and whose
lands
have been taken to establish illegal settlements in Palestine.
In response to Mr. Cohen's argument that the plaintiffs had a well
founded
fear of retaliation at the hands of the IDF if their identities were
made
known, the Court ruled late last week that they could proceed with the
suit
using pseudonyms instead of their real names.
For further information contact the Law Offices of Stanley Cohen.
351 Broadway, Suite 300
New York, N.Y. 10013
(212) 979-7572
Fax (212) 995-5574
E-Mail: burnnloot@aol.com
-----
LA GROUPS TO PROTEST ISRAELI OCCUPATION
CAIR Southern California calls on local Muslims, Christians and all
people
of conscious to join in a protest organized by the Los Angeles Jews for
a
Just Peace. This protest at the Israeli Consulate comes in the
aftermath of
Israel's latest massacre against Palestinians in Gaza in which 16
Palestinians were killed (including 10 children) and 150 were injured.
CAIR-LA applauds the honorable and brave stance taken by the Jewish
group
in support of fairness and justice for the Palestinians. Israel will
end
its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and its violation of
international law only when it knows that it can no longer count on
unconditional U.S. military aid and unquestioning Jewish support.
Americans, of all faith backgrounds, must work together to promote a
just
peace that protects the dignity and rights of all people in that
region.
WHEN: Thursday, July 25, 2002 AT 4:30PM
WHERE: 6380 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles
For more information contact: khesed-ve-din@lycos.com or 323-769-5282
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AGENT ADMITS WRITING ANTI-MUSLIM GRAFFITI
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/25/02) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) today applauded the Justice Department's swift action against a
Secret Service agent who acknowledged responsibility for anti-Muslim
graffiti found scrawled in the home of a Dearborn, Mich., terror
suspect.
Relatives of the Jordanian-American man arrested last week while
allegedly
carrying counterfeit checks told the Washington-based Islamic civil
rights
and advocacy group they found the words "Islam is Evil" and "Christ is
King" written on a Muslim prayer calendar attached to the man's
refrigerator following a search by the Secret Service and the FBI. On
Monday, CAIR wrote a letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft asking
him to
investigate the incident.
"We are pleased that authorities took such swift action in both
investigating this incident and in dealing with the agent involved,"
said
CAIR Communications Coordinator Hodan Hassan. "We hope this sends a
signal
to the law enforcement community that such bigoted behavior will not be
tolerated," said Hassan. She added that this incident highlights the
needs
for religious sensitivity training for agents involved in working with
the
American Muslim and Arab-American communities.
Jeffrey Collins, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan
told
the Associated Press: "This unprofessional conduct by a single agent is
a
gross aberration and a great embarrassment...This act does not
represent
the professional and courageous efforts and the overwhelming ability of
federal agents and local law enforcement officers who continue in
challenging times to do a superb job."
Collins did not identify the agent. After acknowledging his
responsibility,
the agent was flown to Washington to be interviewed by Justice
Department
officials. The agent is on administrative leave while the incident is
reviewed.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/26/2002
HEADLINES:
* POSITIVE NEWS: BOUQUET OF FRIENDSHIP
* AGENT ADMITS ANTI-MUSLIM WRITINGS (AP)
- SECRET SERVICE AGENT MAY BE CHARGED (Detroit Free Press)
- SECRET SERVICE SUSPENDS AGENT FOR ISLAM SLUR (Washington Post)
* SENATORS GRILL ASHCROFT ON TACTICS OF WAR ON TERRORISM (USA Today)
* IMMIGRANT SWEEPS UNDULY HARSH (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
* STATE DEPT. RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT ISRAEL'S USE OF U.S.-MADE ARMS (New
York Times)
* MARATHON DOCUMENTARIES ON PALESTINE
* OUR DEBT TO ISLAM (Guardian)
-----
POSITIVE NEWS: BOUQUET OF FRIENDSHIP
An excerpt of an e-mail message received by CAIR:
I was at a business meeting in Scotland on September 11th, 2001. Once
business meetings were concluded, I spent much of my time glued to the
BBC
and reading The Scotsman. As it became apparent that Muslims were being
implicated in the attack, I wondered what the US would look like once I
returned home. After hectic arrangements to travel back home, I arrived
in
San Jose on September 18th. The first Friday prayer was on September
21st.
Placed prominently at the entrance to the prayer hall was a large
bouquet
of flowers and a card signed by dozens of members of a local, downtown
San
Jose Church. I was deeply touched and appreciated this expression of
kindness that God expects from us all.
-----
AGENT ADMITS ANTI-MUSLIM WRITINGS
Geralda Miller, Associated Press, 7/26/02
DETROIT - A Secret Service agent admitted scrawling "Islam is Evil" and
"Christ is King" on a Muslim prayer calendar while searching the home
of a
man charged with smuggling bogus checks into the United States,
authorities
said.
The incident occurred when agents searched the Dearborn home of Omar
Shishani, who has pleaded innocent to bringing $12 million in forged
cashiers checks on a flight from Indonesia.
"This type of unprofessional behavior by a federal agent will not be
tolerated," Jeffrey Collins, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District
of
Michigan, said Thursday. Shishani's brother, Abdallah, said he and his
wife
found the writing on a prayer calendar attached to the refrigerator.
Abdallah Shishani, 44, and his wife have been staying at the house
since
Omar Shishani's arrest, baby-sitting the man's 8-year-old twins.
Collins would not identify the agent but said he had been a Secret
Service
special agent for about 10 years. The agent was put on leave pending
the
investigation, and officials said he could be fired and face criminal
charges…
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights and advocacy
group, had asked Attorney General John Ashcroft to investigate the
graffiti
incident.
"We are pleased with the Secret Service's quick response in initiating
an
investigation into this matter," spokeswoman Hodan Hassan said. "I
think it
sends a clear signal that such bigotry will not be tolerated."
See ALSO:
SECRET SERVICE AGENT MAY BE CHARGED
Cecil Angel and Jim Schaefer, Detroit Free Press, 7/26/02
http://www.freep.com/news/metro/nchecks26_20020726.htm
A U.S. Secret Service agent may face criminal charges after he admitted
he
scrawled "ISLAM IS EVIL" and "Christ is KING" on an Islamic prayer
calendar
during a raid at a Dearborn house, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said
Thursday.
"This type of unprofessional behavior by a federal agent will not be
tolerated," Collins said at a news conference in Detroit.
Federal officials refused to identify the agent. They would also not
give
his age or say exactly how long he has worked for the agency. They
would
only say that he's been an agent for five to 10 years. He has been
placed
on administrative leave with pay…
SECRET SERVICE SUSPENDS AGENT FOR ISLAM SLUR
Allan Lengel, Washington Post, 7/26/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2987-2002Jul25.html
A U.S. Secret Service agent on a Detroit anti-terror task force has
been
suspended after he admitted scrawling an anti-Islamic epithet on a
Muslim
prayer calendar during a search of a suspect's home last week,
authorities
said yesterday.
Shishani's attorney, Nabih Ayad, said yesterday that the agent's action
had
"undermined the credibility" of the task force and the case against his
client, who is being held without bond...
"It is really disturbing," Ayad said. "What else is this person
thinking of
doing? Is he thinking of sticking something inside the home? Sticking
fake
phone numbers in the home? I couldn't believe someone from the federal
government would do such a thing..."
-----
SENATORS GRILL ASHCROFT ON TACTICS OF WAR ON TERRORISM
Kevin Johnson, USA Today, 7/26/02
http://usatoday.com/news/washington/2002-07-26-ashcroft-terrorism_x.htm
WASHINGTON -- Attorney General John Ashcroft got a frosty reception on
Capitol Hill on Thursday when Democrats and some Republicans sharply
questioned the Justice Department's tactics in pursuing terror
suspects.
Senate Judiciary Committee members took issue with a proposed Justice
program -- dubbed "Operation TIPS" -- that would encourage millions of
postal workers, truckers and others to report suspicious activity they
might notice during their workday.
Although Ashcroft defended the proposal as a way to promote a national
ethic of community service, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., committee
chairman,
suggested the program might encourage a vigilante movement. "We don't
want
to see a 1984, Orwellian-type situation here where neighbors are
reporting
on neighbors," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said. "We want to make sure
that
this involves legitimate reports of real concerns that might involve
some
terrorists activities."
Ashcroft told the senators that raw information provided by citizens
would
not be kept in a database that could be used to damage the reputations
of
innocent people.
Troubled by the detention of immigrants during the federal terrorism
investigation, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., also urged Ashcroft to adopt
a
specific legal standard in cases in which illegal immigrants are held
for
reasons other than potential immigration violations…
-----
IMMIGRANT SWEEPS UNDULY HARSH
Jamal Branford, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 7/26/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/opinion/0702/26immigrant.html
Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the FBI and the Immigration
and
Naturalization Service launched raids in Islamic communities across the
country in an attempt to weed out terrorist cohorts. But nearly 10
months
later, innocent Muslim immigrants are still being subjected to abusive
sweeps that produce no evidence of terrorist activity.
Federal agents recently raided 75 jewelry stores in Florida, Georgia,
Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and California.
Eight of
these raids occurred in Atlanta, where 19 people, many of them
Pakistanis,
were detained. On June 28, agents arrested four Pakistani employees at
an
Intrigue jewelry store in Underground Atlanta. The FBI reported in a
sworn
statement that the agency suspected Florida-based Intrigue Jewelers of
giving some of its revenue to unknown recipients without reporting the
disbursements, suggesting the FBI suspects that money was laundered to
terrorist groups.
But the agency has not revealed probable cause of a terrorist link. And
Teri Simmons, a local immigration attorney, says she has yet to
determine
exactly why these four workers, her clients, have been arrested…
Understandably, the raids and detentions have caused outrage and
concern
among Islamic activist groups, who are uncertain that the detainees'
due
process rights are being respected. "It has been: Guilty before proven
innocent," said Hassan Hodan, spokesperson at the Council on
American-Islamic Relations.
There is no question that national security is of the utmost
importance,
particularly after Sept. 11. But when the Land of the Free detains
immigrants unjustly, the very freedoms that Americans fight to protect
are
threatened. Clearly, the tactics of the FBI and the INS need to be
reined in.
-----
STATE DEPT. RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT ISRAEL'S USE OF U.S.-MADE ARMS
James Dao, New York Times, 7/25/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/25/international/middleeast/25MILI.html
WASHINGTON — A senior State Department official said today that Israel
could face "consequences," including possible sanctions on arms sales,
if
it improperly used American-made weapons during attacks on Palestinian
targets.
Richard A. Boucher, the State Department spokesman, said the United
States
was closely monitoring Israeli actions to ensure they did not violate
the
Arms Export Control Act, which requires that military items sold by the
United States be used solely for "internal security and legitimate self
defense."
"We've made quite clear that we're seriously concerned about some of
the
Israeli tactics, some of the Israeli actions, including targeted
killings
and actions like this that endanger civilians," Mr. Boucher told
reporters
today.
"So we continue to watch and monitor Israeli actions very carefully,
and we
urge Israel to consider consequences of actions such as these."
His remarks were prompted by reports that the Israeli military used an
American-made F-16 fighter jet to drop a laser-guided bomb into a
densely
packed neighborhood in Gaza City on Tuesday, killing a Hamas leader and
14
civilians.
The Bush administration condemned the attack as "heavy handed" and
asserted
that Israel was aware that noncombatants were in the building at the
time...
The law authorizes the government to suspend military aid to countries
that
violate the Arms Export Control Act. In 1982, for instance, the Reagan
administration suspended deliveries of cluster bombs to Israel after
concluding that the military had used them improperly.
Asked today what sorts of consequences Israel might face if it were
found
to have violated the arms control act, Mr. Boucher replied: "I suppose
there are all sorts of potential consequences. The chief issue that
we've
tried to address here is whether an action that harms civilians like
this
is right, whether it's wise, whether it actually brings anybody closer
to
peace."
-----
MARATHON DOCUMENTARIES ON PALESTINE
Press release:
FSTV LAUNCHES ITS OWN FORM OF REALITY TV
What: Mobile-Eyes On… Palestine
When: July 27-28
Where: DISH channel 9415, on community cable affiliates throughout the
country, and on the web at www.freespeech.org.
As the "Reality TV" craze spreads across America, a new genre of
American
adventure is emerging. Free Speech TV (FSTV) is launching its own form
of
reality TV, Mobile Eyes, a monthly series beginning in July with Mobile
Eyes on Palestine. Its inaugural program takes Americans on a world
affairs tour of international politics and delivers dramatic,
thought-provoking television at it’s best.
July’s Mobile Eyes will culminate in 16 hours of fresh programming,
July 27
& 28, examining the reality of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. The
core
of the weekend’s program will be a report from Shannon Service, FSTV
news
director and Andy Dieringer, FSTV cameraman/journalist, dubbed “In a
Prison
Called Palestine.”
For further information, visit www.freespeech.org
-----
OUR DEBT TO ISLAM
Martin Wainwright, Guardian (UK), 7/26/02
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,763422,00.html
Halfway down the old Band of Gold prostitutes' beat in Lumb Lane,
Bradford,
there is an Asian-owned chemist's shop advertising yunani tibb. Few
people
give the two words a second glance, but they are a key to a marvellous
but
scandalously little-known embrace between those uneasy and quarrelsome
neighbours, Islam and the west.
Tibb means "medicine" in Urdu, yunani means "Greek" and the phrase
comes
straight from the centuries when the Muslim world saved the bedrock of
western European culture, the learning of Athens. Without the work of a
500-year succession of Islamic sages, we would have lost the essence of
Aristotle, much of Plato and scores of other ancients. It happened
simply
enough. While the barbar ians smashed and burned in western Europe, the
Arabs and Persians used the libraries of Alexandria and Asia Minor,
translated the scrolls and took them to Baghdad and far beyond. In
distant
Bukhara on the Silk Road to China, a teenager called Abu Ali Ibn Sina
was
engrossed in Aristotle's Metaphysics at the age of 17. The year was
AD997
and the text - central to the subsequent development of philosophy -
had
long been lost and unknown in western Europe…
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/29/2002
HEADLINES:
* POSITIVE NEWS: WOMEN TRANSCENDING BOUNDARIES
* MORE MUSLIMS HOME IN TO EDUCATE CHILDREN (Washington Times)
* TALKING OUT OF SCHOOL (Washington Post)
* IMMIGRANT FAMILY FEELS POST-9/11 RAGE (Los Angeles Times)
* US ACCUSED OF AIRSTRIKE COVER-UP (The Times)
* HINDU DIVISIONS RISE TO SURFACE (Newsday)
* PANEL URGES U.S. TO REVAMP EFFORTS TO PROMOTE IMAGE ABROAD (New York
Times)
* COSTS OF TARGETING CIVILIANS (New York Times)
-----
POSITIVE NEWS: WOMEN TRANSCENDING BOUNDARIES
From an e-mail sent to CAIR:
Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, a group of ten Muslim women and ten
women
of other faiths gathered for interfaith sessions in Syracuse, NY. In
the
last nine months, the group expanded to include more than 120 women
from
diverse backgrounds and faiths.
Women Transcending Boundaries (WTB), as the group is now called, meets
once
a month "to respect and learn about each others various spiritual
beliefs
and common concerns." In addition, WTB is currently funding a school in
northern Pakistan.
SEND YOUR POSITIVE STORIES OR EXPERIENCES TO: hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
MORE MUSLIMS HOME IN TO EDUCATE CHILDREN
Amaris Elliott-Engel, Washington Times, 7/29/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020729-373097.htm
More Muslim Americans are choosing to home-school their children,
making
them one of the fastest growing minority groups within the national
home-schooling movement.
Muslim parents are educating their children on their own for reasons
common
to most home-schooling families: improving academics and controlling
social
interactions.
The value clash between public-school teachings and Islamic beliefs,
combined with the dearth of Muslim schools in many communities, leads
many
of the parents to educate their children independently, proponents of
the
movement say...
Nationally, Christians make up 75 percent of the nearly 2 million
children
who are home-schooled, said Brian Ray, president of the Oregon-based
National Home Education Research Institute. But the proportion of
minority
groups, including Muslims, choosing to home-school is steadily
increasing,
he said...
The religious context for Muslim home-schooling parents is different
than
it is for Christians, but, Mr. Ray said, Muslim parents are like any
others: They want to provide the best possible education for their
children. "The key things being taught to [Muslim] children are
different,
but the thing that is very similar is that parents care very much about
their children," he said...
-----
TALKING OUT OF SCHOOL
Richard Leiby, Washington Post, 7/28/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5693-2002Jul26.html
TAMPA - The supposed terrorist pauses over cheesecake in a French
restaurant, politely denying the latest allegations about his alliance
with
Osama bin Laden.
"It's so absurd," Sami Al-Arian says, shaking his head. "It's just
beyond
imagination."
He speaks in rapid, colloquial English with a Middle Eastern accent.
His
beard is neatly trimmed. He wears stylish glasses. He looks harmless: a
bald, middle-aged academic. Born in Kuwait, a Palestinian by heritage,
Al-Arian has lived in America for 27 years. A computer scientist,
married
with five children, he earns $ 66,000 a year as a tenured professor at
the
University of South Florida.
He is not a U.S. citizen, but wishes he were. He says he loves
democracy,
especially the Constitution, because in no other country -- surely not
in
an Arab land -- would he still be walking the streets, given the
government's keen interest in his activities.
"If I were in Iraq, I would have been shot a long time ago," he notes
with
a wry smile.
Seven years ago, the FBI raided the professor's home and office here,
seeking evidence that he raised money as a frontman for terrorist
groups --
specifically, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas -- that unleashed
suicide bombers against Israelis. A federal grand jury brought no
charges,
but the FBI never closed its investigation...
-----
IMMIGRANT FAMILY FEELS POST-9/11 RAGE
Julie Cart, Los Angeles Times, 7/29/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-heber29jul29.story
HEBER CITY, Utah - Mazhar Tabesh always felt he was not welcome here.
He
had been threatened, his wife was spat at and his family received a
chilly
reception in stores around town. But he never imagined that anyone
would
try to kill him.
The unimaginable happened on a recent Sunday night as Tabesh and his
wife
were preparing for bed. Someone deliberately set fire to the motel
owned by
the Pakistani native. The family escaped without injury but watched
their
future and savings crackle and burn. Tabesh, a U.S. citizen, said he
has
received telephone threats for about a year from an anonymous person
who
warned, "You don't belong here, get out." Authorities are investigating
the
blaze as a possible hate crime.
Tabesh, his wife, Samina, and in-laws are among the few Muslims in this
dominantly Mormon area. Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the
World
Trade Center and the Pentagon, people of South Asian and Middle Eastern
descent across the country have been targets of verbal attacks and
worse,
like what struck this quiet town of 7,300 recently...
-----
US ACCUSED OF AIRSTRIKE COVER-UP
Dumeetha Luthra, The Times (London), 7/29/02
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-368297,00.html
Kabul - American forces may have breached human rights and then removed
evidence after the so-called wedding party airstrike that killed more
than
50 Afghan civilians this month, according to a draft United Nations
report
seen by The Times.
A preliminary UN investigation has found no corroboration of American
claims that its aircraft were fired on from the ground, and says there
were
discrepancies in US accounts of what happened.
If the findings are upheld by a second, more detailed, UN
investigation,
they will cause huge embarrassment to the Pentagon. UN sources said
that
the findings pointed to an American cover-up, and suggested that
American
investigators were dragging their feet hoping that the issue would
pass.
The attack took place early on July 1 as American forces hunted pockets
of
Taleban and al-Qaeda resistance. A US helicopter gunship opened fire on
targets around the village of Kakarak, and the casualties included 25
members of one family at a wedding party...
A UN source said that the report was produced by a team of "experienced
and
reputable UN people, who have been in the region a while and know it
well".
It states that there was clear evidence that human rights violations
had
taken place and that coalition forces had arrived on the scene very
quickly
after the airstrikes and "cleaned the area", removing evidence of
"shrapnel, bullets and traces of blood". Women on the scene had their
hands
tied behind their backs...
-----
HINDU DIVISIONS RISE TO SURFACE
Arun Venugopal, Newsday, 7/29/02
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-nyhind292802785jul29.story
Tensions among Hindus have broken into the open in Queens, coming to a
head
at a protest outside a prominent Flushing temple where about 50
protesters
decried the appearance of a right-wing Indian activist.
Sadhvi Ritambara of New Delhi - well-known in India for calling for the
notorious 1992 destruction of a Muslim mosque in Ayodhya, in the state
of
Uttar Pradesh - arrived in New York Thursday, her first stop on a
five-week
tour of the United States and Great Britain.
Organizers of a reception for Ritambara, held Friday night at the Hindu
Temple Society of North America, said the focus was on her social work
in
India, including an orphanage and a home for battered women.
Still, protesters - who held signs bearing images of charred bodies and
messages such as "Real Hindus Don't Support Genocide" and "No Money for
Terrorists" - charged that the conservative activist's real cause was
to
foment anti-Muslim sentiment and raise money. "Sadhvi Ritambara is a
prime
mover of the ethnic hate speech that goes on in India," said Hanna
Lessinger, an anthropologist at Barnard College who has done research
in
India. "She preaches hatred against Muslims. She preaches violence."
Critics say events such as Friday's reception are actually disguised
fund-raising opportunities, with money being funneled to militants
fomenting violence such as that touched off in February in the Indian
state
of Gujarat...
Increasingly, Hindus in America have joined the conservative Hindu
cause.
Cultural organizations such as the American chapter of the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad, or World Hindu Council, contend that India's constitution is
littered with double standards against the Hindu population.
-----
PANEL URGES U.S. TO REVAMP EFFORTS TO PROMOTE IMAGE ABROAD
James Dao, New York Times, 7/29/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/29/international/29INFO.html
WASHINGTON, July 28 -- The United States is doing a poor job of
countering
growing anti-American sentiment overseas and must revamp the way it
promotes its foreign policies abroad, the Council on Foreign Relations
contends. In a report to be released this week, the council asserts
that
many countries, in particular predominantly Islamic ones, see the
United
States as ''arrogant, self-indulgent, hypocritical, inattentive and
unwilling or unable to engage in cross-cultural dialogue.''
Such a rising tide of resentment may undermine the Bush
administration's
efforts to fight terrorism and become an obstacle if the United States
decides to invade Iraq, the report says.
"The war on terror has made this whole situation far more urgent,"
Peter G.
Peterson, an investment banker and chairman of the Council on Foreign
Relations, said in an interview. "If we're going to fight that war
effectively we'll need the cooperation of a lot of countries."
The report was written by a 35-member panel that included news
executives,
former diplomats and scholars of the Middle East. It recommends a
sweeping
overhaul of an array of exchange and broadcast programs intended to
promote
cross-cultural understanding and to sell America's policies abroad...
-----
COSTS OF TARGETING CIVILIANS
CALEB CARR, New York Times, 7/27/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/27/opinion/27CARR.html
The Israeli government's decision to launch an assassination raid on
the
Gaza City residence of Sheikh Salah Shehada, leader of the military arm
of
the Palestinian group Hamas, brought immediate and widespread
condemnation
not only from Muslims but from Western leaders (including the Bush
administration) and even elements of the Israeli government.
The reason was not Mr. Shehada's death - he was a senior participant in
suicide attacks against Israel - but the fact that the Israeli military
and
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon understood that the attack in a densely
populated neighborhood, at night, would result in many civilian deaths.
The
raid was nonetheless ordered - and the world received its clearest
demonstration yet that the Israeli government is prepared to knowingly
inflict substantial civilian casualties in its response to Palestinian
suicide attacks.
But the Israeli strike in Gaza has proved terribly self-defeating. The
Sharon government is more diplomatically isolated than ever, and Hamas
and
Islamic Jihad, two Palestinian groups widely reported to have been
considering a trial cessation of attacks against civilians, now say
they
will step up their assaults. Should more suicide attacks take place,
however, they will in turn further undermine the Palestinian cause...
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
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In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR ACTION ALERT #340
GREYHOUND AGAIN PROFILES MUSLIM BUS PASSENGER
Pa. traveler removed from bus in Ohio after driver notes Muslim name
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/30/02) - CAIR is calling for a meeting with
Greyhound
Lines Inc. following what it says is the second case of anti-Muslim
profiling within a month.
The latest incident involved a Muslim passenger from Pennsylvania who
told
CAIR he was removed from a Greyhound bus early Sunday during a stopover
in
Cincinnati, Ohio, after the driver made note of his obviously Muslim
name.
(The man's last name is "Muhammad.")
The 40-year-old African-American passenger, who was traveling with his
wife
from Philadelphia to Nashville, says he moved to one of the front seats
of
the bus during the stopover, but was told he could not sit directly
behind
the driver. (The Muslim passenger, who is on disability because of
injuries
resulting from an industrial accident, wished to sit in the front seat
to
stretch out because of pain in his knees. The man's wife wore Islamic
attire.) He was given permission to move to the front seat across the
isle.
The driver then began taking tickets from the passengers, beginning in
the
back of the bus. When he reached the Muslim passenger, he allegedly
looked
at the Islamic name on the ticket, said it out loud, and then told the
passenger he had to move again. (No other passenger names were
verbalized.)
When questioned as to why he was being asked to move for the second
time,
the driver brought a supervisor who told the passenger all the front
seats
were reserved for handicapped travelers. The Muslim passenger informed
the
supervisor that he is handicapped, but agreed nonetheless to move to
his
original seat.
At that point, the driver left the bus and summoned a police officer
who
told the Muslim passenger he would have to leave the bus because of an
"altercation" with the driver. As the passenger was leaving the bus,
the
driver allegedly threw his ticket on the floor. The passenger was then
forced to wait three hours for a second bus.
In a similar incident on June 29, a Muslim passenger from New York was
kicked off a bus in Washington, D.C., apparently because of his faith
and
ethnicity. He was told that other passengers did not want to travel
with him.
"There appears to be a systemic problem with Greyhound and its
treatment of
Muslim passengers. The company needs to meet with American Muslim
representatives to address this issue in a manner that will allow
Muslim
travelers to feel comfortable riding on its buses," said CAIR
Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. He also suggested a
company-wide
audit of policies and training designed to prevent such incidents from
occurring in the future.
Hooper added that his group believes Greyhound's actions violated the
public accommodation clause of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of
1964.
That clause states:
"All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the
goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations
of
any place of public accommodation...without discrimination or
segregation
on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin."
CAIR has received more than 200 reports of profiling by airport and
airline
personnel since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.)
Contact Greyhound to request that top management meet with CAIR to
discuss
discrimination by company employees against Muslim passengers.
CONTACT:
Mr. Craig Lentzsch
Chief Executive Officer
Greyhound Lines, Inc.
15110 North Dallas Parkway
Dallas, TX, 75248
FAX: 972-387-1874
E-MAIL: jbruner@greyhound.com, custserv@greyhound.com,
kplaske@greyhound.com, jbradfi@greyhound.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR GOOD NEWS ALERT 341
MUSLIM CHILDREN IN FLORIDA RETURNED TO PARENTS
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/30/2002) - Alhamdulillah (praise be to God), CAIR
is
applauding a decision by child welfare authorities in Florida to return
11
Muslim children to their parents after an absence of more than three
months. The children (ages 3 to 17) were taken into custody on April 9
when
the family home was condemned, and had been held in different foster
homes
since that time. They were returned to their parents following a court
hearing today in Jacksonville, Fla.
After learning of the family's desperate financial situation through a
CAIR
alert, Muslims and other people of conscience around America donated
almost
$20,000 to get the family back together in a stable home.
SEE:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/041202/met_9122761.html
Using the donations, the family moved into a new home with rent paid
through the first of next year. The father obtained a new job and the
family car was repaired. Charges of neglect lodged against the parents
were
dropped in June.
SEE:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061902/met_9703396.html
"We thank all those who assisted this family, whether through their
donations or their prayers," said CAIR Board Chairman Omar Ahmad. Ahmad
said CAIR's office in Florida was instrumental in helping resolve the
case.
He added that CAIR is dealing with a number of similar custody cases.
-----
UPDATE: AIRLINE SAYS INVESTIGATION OF PILOT COMMENTARY CONTINUES
American Airlines tells CAIR that an anti-Muslim commentary allegedly
written by one of the company's pilots is still under investigation.
The
airline did confirm to CAIR that the person named as the author of the
commentary is an employee, but company officials will not say whether
he
wrote the article.
In a June 24 editorial on the right-wing web site Worldnetdaily.com, a
person identified as Capt. John Maniscalco wrote that he is "worried"
by
the presence of Arab Muslims in America.
SEE: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28386
After describing the reasons for his worries about American Muslims,
Maniscalco's commentary degenerated into anti-Muslim bigotry.
He stated: "Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because our women
proudly show their faces in public rather than cover up like a shameful
whore?...Are you here to destroy us? If so, I want you to leave. I want
you
to go back to your desert sandpit where women are treated like rats and
dogs. I want you to take your religion, your friends, and your family
back
to your Islamic extremists, and STAY THERE! We will never give in to
your
influence, your retarded mentality, your twisted, violent, intolerant
religion."
In a letter to CAIR, American Airlines Corporate Communications
Managing
Director Gus Whitcomb wrote: "We have opened an investigation into the
matter and it is ongoing. However, I can share with you that our own
Internet research shows that the origins of this commentary can be
traced
back to an October 12, 2001 'Letter to the Editor' by Kevin Daly as
published in The Gazette. The URL for the online version is:
http://www.gazette.net/200141/princegeorgescty/letters/75236-1.html
"As I have shared with the individuals who have written us regarding
this
issue, the commentary does not, in any way, reflect the views of our
company."
Whitcomb would not say whether the pilot had been asked if he did
indeed
write the commentary. CAIR's own research indicates the same sentiments
were attributed to John Maniscalco in a January 29, 2002, speech to a
radical anti-Arab group.
SEE: http://cybersarges.tripod.com/speeches.html
Worldnetdaily.com did not respond to a CAIR request for verification of
the
commentary's authenticity.
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
SURVEY: AMERICAN MUSLIMS ONE YEAR AFTER 9-11
As-salaamu alaykum. (peace be with you)
CAIR wishes to assess the changes that American Muslims have
experienced
since the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Please take a few
minutes to
fill out the survey below and return it to -
E-MAIL: survey@cair-net.org or FAX 202-488-0833
(All responses are confidential.) Please print out this form for
distribution in your local Islamic center or organization. Also post it
on
Muslim e-mail lists and forward to personal e-mail addresses of friends
and
associates.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SURVEY FOR MUSLIMS IN AMERICA. Your response
will
strengthen CAIR's ability to articulate the community's views. There is
no
other way to gather this information. PLEASE RESPOND BY AUGUST 9, 2002.
May Allah bless you for your time and effort.
-----
1) I am a Muslim: ___ Yes ___ No
2) I am a U.S. resident. ___ Yes ___ No
3) I live in the following state:
4) Since 9-11, my life as an American Muslim has:
___ changed for the better
___ changed for the worse
___ not changed
5) The most important way my life has changed is:
6) Since the attacks of 9-11, I have experienced anti-Muslim bias or
discrimination: ___ Yes ___ No
7) That discrimination or bias took the form of:
___ verbal abuse
___ workplace discrimination
___ threats
___ assaults
___ housing discrimination
___ profiling (being singled out by law enforcement authorities or
other
security personnel because of your religion, ethnicity or national
origin)
___ Other: (specify) __________________________
8) I know at least one American Muslim who has experienced anti-Muslim
bias
or discrimination since 9-11: Yes____ No_____
9) Since 9-11, I have experienced kindness or support from friends or
colleagues of other faiths: Yes___ No___
10) That kindness or support was expressed in the following way:
11) On a scale from 1-10, (1 being poor and 10 being excellent) I would
rate the Bush administration's interaction with the American Muslim
community as: ___
12) I base this rating primarily on:
13) Since the 9-11 attacks, I believe the U.S. media have:
___ improved in their coverage of Islam and Muslims
___ grown more biased against Islam and Muslims
___ remained the same in their coverage of Islam and Muslims
___ no opinion
14) A media outlet worthy of praise for its coverage is:
15) A media outlet that exhibited some of the most biased coverage is:
16) I am a member of CAIR? ___ Yes ___ No
17) On a scale from 1-10, where 1 is poor performance and 10 excellent
performance, I would rate CAIR's performance during this crisis as:
______
18) The thing I liked most about CAIR's work was:
19) The area of CAIR's work that needs improvement is:
20) I am eligible to vote in U.S. elections: ___ Yes ___ No
21) I am registered to vote or will register before the next election.
___
Yes ___ No
22) I voted for the following presidential candidate in the last
election:
___ Bush ___ Gore ___ Nader ___ Buchanan ___ Other (specify)
_______________
23) Overall, I believe the following party best represents the
interests of
the American Muslim community.
___ Republican ___ Democratic ___ None
___ Other (specify) _______________________________
24) My ethnic heritage is:
___ African-American
___ Arabic speaking world
___ South Asian (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc.)
___ East Asian (Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.)
___ Sub Saharan/East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, etc.)
___ West African (non-Arabic, Nigeria, etc.)
___ Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, etc.)
___ European-American (white, non-immigrant)
___ European Immigrant (Bosnian, Kosovar, etc.)
___ Hispanic/Latino
___ Turkish
___ Iranian
___ Other (Specify country) _________________
25) I am: ___ Male ___ Female
26) I am in the following age range:
___ Under 18 ___ 18-25 ___ 26-35 ___ 36-55 ___ 56+
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS SURVEY.
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 7/31/2002
HEADLINES:
* SUSPICIOUS FIRES AT ISLAMIC SITES IN TWO STATES
- CAIR MOSQUE SECURITY CHECKLIST
* ATTACK WAS HATE CRIME: COPS (Montreal Gazette)
* NO TRIAL RIGHTS FOR CUBA DETAINEES (AP)
* ROUNDING UP THE 'ENEMY' (Village Voice)
* PLAN TO FINGERPRINT VISITORS RAISES DOUBTS (Wall Street Journal)
* DISPLACED FAMILY TOGETHER AGAIN (Jacksonville Times-Union)
* SHEIK KEY FIGURE IN GOVERNMENT CASE AGAINST HOLY LAND (Dallas Morning
News)
* THE ETHICS OF REVENGE (Tikkun)
-----
SUSPICIOUS FIRES AT ISLAMIC SITES IN TWO STATES
Mosque sign burned in Florida, school bus destroyed in Massachusetts
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/31/02) - A national Islamic civil rights and
advocacy
group is expressing concern over two recent fires at Islamic sites in
Florida and Massachusetts. The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR)
says local and federal law enforcement authorities should investigate
and
prosecute both incidents as possible hate crimes. In response to the
incidents, CAIR distributed a checklist of safety measures to mosques
and
Islamic centers around the country. (see below)
In Boca Raton, Fla., vandals set fire to a sign for a new mosque in the
third such incident this year. The sign announcing construction of the
Assalam Center was burned on Monday. Two earlier signs were burned and
vandalized in March and July of this year. Local authorities have
notified
the Hate Crimes Unit of the Florida State Attorney's Office.
SEE:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pmosquesign31jul31.story
On June 24, a newly-purchased school bus burned outside the Islamic
Academy
of Peace in Methuen, Mass. (http://www.theislamicacademy.com/) An
academy
representative told CAIR the fire occurred while the bus was parked in
a
lot next to the academy. He said there had been an ongoing graffiti
problem
and that local youth had shouted anti-Muslim slurs at staff leaving and
entering the school. A shot fired from a paint-ball gun recently broke
a
window in the facility.
School representatives are working with elected and police officials to
investigate the fire and to prevent similar incidents from occurring in
the
future. Police have increased patrols in the area of the school.
SEE: http://www.eagletribune.com/news/stories/20020725/FP_003.htm
"We believe these types of incidents are encouraged by those in our
society
who promote stereotypes of and prejudice against the American Muslim
community. Local and national elected officials need to speak out and
challenge Islamophobic rhetoric that may incite bigoted individuals to
carry out such attacks," said CAIR Board Chairman Omar Ahmad.
Attacks on mosques and Islamic centers have occurred across America and
in
Canada, particularly since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
As
early as 1994, a nearly completed mosque in Yuba City, Calif., burned
to
the ground in what was ruled an arson attack. In 1995, arson destroyed
a
Springfield, Ill., Islamic center.
In March, a pick-up truck was driven into the front of the Islamic
Center
of Tallahassee, Fla. Police said the attacker was motivated by "hatred
of
Muslims" and told officers he could have blown up the mosque if he had
put
propane tanks on the front of his truck.
SEE: "Stereotypes and Civil Liberties" at
http://www.cair-net.org/civilrights2002/
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
ACTION REQUESTED: Anyone wishing to help the Islamic Academy of Peace
purchase a new school bus may send contributions to:
The Islamic Academy
125 Oakland Avenue
Methuen, MA 01844
TEL: 978-975-7335
URL: http://www.theislamicacademy.com/
E-MAIL: fa143@aol.com
CAIR MOSQUE SECURITY CHECKLIST
CAIR is asking that mosques consider taking the following safety
measures:
* Build good relationships with neighbors of the mosque. Invite them to
visit your center.
* Try to have people attend the mosque as much as possible. Activity
deters
perpetrators.
* Make an appointment with the community relations officer of your
local
police department to tour your center and make suggestions on improving
mosque security.
* Request additional police patrols in the vicinity of your center.
Special
attention should be paid to times of darkness and during prayers.
* Consider creating a security committee at your mosque.
* Post mosque members at entrances and parking areas during prayer
times.
* Report suspicious packages to police. Do not touch them.
* Install perimeter floodlights outside the mosque.
* Install fire and burglar alarm systems.
* Replace hollow core doors with more secure solid doors.
* Install burglarproof bars on screens and large vents. (Note -
Research
local ordinances before beginning security renovations. For example,
window
bars should not limit evacuation in case of fire.)
* Trim shrubs and vines to reduce areas of concealment.
* Participate in neighborhood watch programs.
* Document descriptions of suspicious people or vehicles.
* Make duplicates of all important papers, computer disks and records.
* Remove potential fire hazards, such as trash and debris.
* Consider installing security cameras.
-----
ATTACK WAS HATE CRIME: COPS
Monique Beaudin, Montreal Gazette
http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/story.asp?id={95FE80A2-5C44-4B8C-B001-7E8C4F7216B6}
Saturday's attack on a Kirkland man in Angrignon Park was a hate crime
that
will be taken seriously, the commander of the local police station said
yesterday.
Somen Chowdhury went to the park with his wife for a picnic Saturday
afternoon, and was attacked in the parking lot by four young men and
women
who shouted obscenities and racial slurs at the couple.
-----
NO TRIAL RIGHTS FOR CUBA DETAINEES
CHRISTOPHER NEWTON, The Associated Press, 7/31/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge ruled Wednesday that two British
citizens
and an Australian captured in Afghanistan and held in Cuba have no
right to
trial before U.S. courts.
Britons Shafiq Rasul and Asif Iqbal and Australian David Hicks are
being
held at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to the
government. They were captured while fighting with Taliban and al-Qaida
forces, U.S. officials allege.
The men's families hired lawyers in the United States who sued the Bush
administration, demanding that the men be allowed to argue their case
before a federal judge.
But U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the
U.S.
legal system has no jurisdiction over detainees held in Cuba...
-----
ROUNDING UP THE 'ENEMY'
Chisun Lee, Village Voice, 7/31/02
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0231/lee.php
Two weeks ago, Peter Kirsanow of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission drew
heat
by suggesting that another terrorist attack on U.S. soil could stir
public
support for mass, ethnicity-based internments as during World War II...
There has been plenty of action already to remind Iijima and Matsuda
and
others with long memories of a dark past: Dozens of terror alerts from
the
Justice Department. Repeated calls from leaders for ordinary Americans
to
watch their neighbors. Anti-Muslim bias incidents, including job
firings
and beatings.
Explorations of ways around a domestic martial law ban. Indefinite
captivity without trials for at least two U.S. citizens. Secret
detentions
of at least 750, if not hundreds more, Arabs and South Asians. Their
court
hearings are closed, leaving the public and press with no way of
knowing
whether the hearings have been lawful or have happened at all...
To Matsuda, today's political climate is even "more dangerous" than in
the
months leading up to World War II internment. "In those days, we had
so-called liberals in power," she says. Ashcroft's counterpart at the
time,
along with FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, opposed internment. "But
today, we
have a very different setup which is more ominous," says Matsuda...
-----
PLAN TO FINGERPRINT VISITORS TO U.S. RAISES MANY DOUBTS
Ann Davis, Wall Street Journal, 7/31/02
FINGERPRINTS WILL move to the frontlines in the war on terror this
fall,
when immigration authorities start fingerprinting and tracking tens of
thousands of visitors from countries of "national-security concern."
But
civil libertarians and forensic experts, some from inside the Justice
Department, are questioning whether the government's fingerprinting
systems
are up to the task.
The National Security Entry-Exit Registration System aims to close the
nation's borders to international terrorists by checking targeted
visitors'
fingerprints against those of suspected terrorists, immigration
violators
and others, provided by law-enforcement, military and immigration
authorities. In the program's first year, the Immigration and
Naturalization Service aims to fingerprint and photograph as many as
200,000 people arriving at U.S. airports and border stations with
temporary
business, tourist or student visas...
Concern about how well the registry system will work comes on top of
worries that using nationality as the basis for targeting visitors will
stigmatize and inconvenience many innocent people without significantly
improving safety.
Selective targeting may "give a false impression of security," says
Nihad
Awad, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations,
Washington. Richard C. Reid, the British shoe bomber, and Jose Padilla,
the
U.S. citizen accused in a dirty-bomb plot -- both are examples of
terror
suspects who might have slipped past a system focused primarily on
nationality, Mr. Awad says...
-----
DISPLACED FAMILY TOGETHER AGAIN
Dana Treen, Jacksonville Times-Union, 7/31/02
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/073102/met_10056407.html
Riccardo and Antoinette Young's 11 children piled into the family's new
Jacksonville home all afternoon yesterday, together for the first time
since they were found living in a tiny house without electricity or
running
water in April.
"Oh, my gosh, we're home forever," said 16-year-old Sufiah, walking
through
the back door of the small, brick-front four-bedroom house in a shady
Paxon-area neighborhood. For nearly four months, the 11 siblings ages 3
to
17 had been kept by nine foster families as far away as Green Cove
Springs.
Some of the children were at the courthouse yesterday when the Youngs
finalized an agreement with the Florida Department of Children and
Families
that allowed them to be reunited, as first reported by Times-Union news
partner First Coast News. Others arrived from foster homes as the day
progressed...
But from the beginning, and as the case unfolded, neighbors of the
family
and court officials questioned why the Youngs were being charged. To
neighbors, they were a poor but happy, devoted family, living on
Riccardo
Young's earnings as a car salesman and struggling to make ends meet.
The
judge who released Antoinette Young from jail after 11 days said he had
trouble understanding why the case was in court.
The most stinging label, Riccardo Young said, was being called a bad
parent. For the children, it was having them separated.
"We won't let things get out of hand," Riccardo Young said. "We will
ask
for help instead of letting pride get in the way."
The Muslim family has been given help by local donations and a national
and
international call for assistance by the Council on American-Islamic
Relations, a national Islamic group.
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the group, tracked between $16,000 and
$20,000 in donations for the family. Rent on the house is paid through
January in an arrangement by the non-profit First Coast Family Center,
and
the couple moved there in May...
-----
SHEIK KEY FIGURE IN GOVERNMENT CASE AGAINST HOLY LAND
Michelle Mittelstadt, Dallas Morning News, 7/31/02
http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/073102dnnatholyland.cbec0.html
WASHINGTON - Sheik Jamil Hamami figures prominently in the government's
case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, the
Dallas-area Muslim charity raided and shut down last year after being
designated a financial front for the Hamas terrorist organization.
Holy Land paid for the sheik, a senior Hamas leader in the West Bank,
to
travel to the United States at least six times in 1990 and 1991 to
headline
fund-raising events, U.S. officials disclosed in a once-confidential
FBI
memo and in other documents linking the charity to Hamas.
Holy Land wasn't alone in bankrolling his travel. The U.S. government
treated Sheik Hamami to a three-week, all-expenses-paid tour of
Washington,
Los Angeles and other cities in 1999 - four years after the United
States
declared Hamas a terrorist organization...
"It seems beyond hypocritical that the United States government would
accuse the Holy Land Foundation of consorting with terrorists when, in
this
case, it's someone who the U.S. government has invited over as its
guest,"
John Boyd, one of the organization's lawyers, said Tuesday...
-----
THE ETHICS OF REVENGE
Tikkun, 7/31/02
http://www.tikkun.org/TikkunMail/index.cfm/action/current_issue.html
A speech made by Yitzhak Frankenthal, Chairman of the Families Forum,
at a
rally in Jerusalem on Saturday, July 27, 2002, outside the Prime
Minister's
residence:
My beloved son Arik was murdered by a Palestinian. Should the security
forces have information of this murderer's whereabouts, and should it
turn
out that he was surrounded by innocent children and other Palestinian
civilians, then - even if the security forces knew that the killer was
planning another murderous attack that was to be launched within hours
and
they now had the choice of curbing a terror attack that would kill
innocent
Israeli civilians but at the cost of hitting innocent Palestinians, I
would
tell the security forces not to seek revenge but to try to avoid and
prevent the death of innocent civilians, be they Israelis or
Palestinians.
I would rather have the finger that pushes the trigger or the button
that
drops the bomb tremble before it kills my son's murderer, than for
innocent
civilians to be killed. I would say to the security forces: do not kill
the
killer. Rather, bring him before an Israeli court. You are not the
judiciary. Your only motivation should not be vengeance, but the
prevention
of any injury to innocent civilians...
A nation that cannot draw the line is doomed to eventually apply
unethical
measures against its own people. The worst in my mind is not what has
already happened but what I am sure one day will. And it will - because
ethics are now being twisted and the political and military leadership
does
not even have the most basic integrity to say: "we are sorry"...
I do not mean to absolve the Palestinians and by no means justify
attacks
against Israeli civilians. No attack against civilians can be condoned.
But
as an occupation force it is we who trample over human dignity, it is
we
who crush the liberty of Palestinians and it is we who push an entire
nation to crazy acts of despair. Finally, I call on my brothers and
sisters
in the settlements - see what we have come to.
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/1/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: KEEP GOOD RELATIONS
* MUSLIM MERCHANTS BOYCOTT NEW YORK POST
* CAIR ENCOURAGES LOCAL MEETINGS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS
* HOSPITAL SUED FOR FIRING AFTER 9/11 (Chicago Tribune)
* SECRET SERVICE BLUNDER TAINTS TERROR WAR (WPWS)
* TALK SHOW HOST INCITES HATE AGAINST CANADIAN MUSLIMS
* RESOURCES: REPORT OF U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL EVENTS IN JENIN
* ANNAN BLASTS PLAN EXPEL TERRORIST'S RELATIVE TO GAZA (Ha'aretz)
- ISRAEL RENEWS HOME DESTRUCTION POLICY (AP)
- PALESTINIAN HUNGER RISES AS ISRAELI BLOCKADES BITE (Reuters)
- HARD LIFE IN GAZA, THROUGH 13-YEAR-OLD EYES (New York Times)
- CONN. JEWISH LEADERS SEEK "BALANCE" IN MIDEAST COURSE
(Jewish
Ledger)
* HARRIS POLL: U.S. TOO SUPPORTIVE OF ISRAEL (PRNewswire)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: KEEP GOOD RELATIONS
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever desires an
expansion in his sustenance and age, should keep good relations with
his
kith and kin."
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 34, Number 281
-----
MUSLIM MERCHANTS BOYCOTT NEW YORK POST
Muslim and Arab-American merchants in the New York City area report to
CAIR
they are boycotting sales of the New York Post because of that
newspaper's
alleged anti-Muslim, anti-Arab bias and the failure of editors to offer
sufficient right-of-reply to negative articles.
Boycott organizers say almost 500 merchants are taking part in the
campaign
by refusing to sell the Post in their newsstands, grocery stories or
other
businesses. In Staten Island alone, some 100 merchants have joined the
boycott.
The campaign apparently began spontaneously, but is now coordinated by
a
Brooklyn-based organization called the Arab-American Muslim Federation.
Representatives of the group recently met with Post officials, but
could
not resolve their differences.
CONTACT: 718-768-7181 or 718-243-1245
E-MAIL: zrimawi@aol.com
-----
CAIR ENCOURAGES LOCAL MEETINGS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS
Congress is about to take its summer recess, which means elected
officials
will spend most of August in their home districts. This creates an
excellent opportunity for members of the Muslim community to meet with
their representatives or to invite them to visit mosques or Islamic
centers.
Visit http://capwiz.com/cair/home/ to obtain contact information for
your
elected officials. The site also contains tips for scheduling and
conducting meetings. Just follow the "Issues and Legislation" link, and
click on "Capitol Hill Basics."
Contact Jason Erb, CAIR's Governmental Affairs Director, to seek advice
on
issues that should be on the agenda of your meeting. CONTACT:
jerb@cair-net.org
-----
HOSPITAL SUED FOR FIRING AFTER 9/11
Richard Wronski, Chicago Tribune, 8/1/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0208010207aug01.story
Life changed for Shiraz A. Syed after Sept. 11, as it did for many
people.
But the Pakistani native believes that comments he made about the
terrorist
attacks cost him his job.
Syed, 25, a Muslim, said he was fired from his job admitting patients
at
Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge because a patient complained
that
he had made anti-American remarks and was displaying an Osama bin Laden
screen saver on his computer. Syed filed a civil rights lawsuit in
federal
court this week against Lutheran General, alleging that his firing two
weeks after the terrorist attacks was discriminatory and based on his
religion and his Pakistani citizenship.
Syed's attorney, Dan Wolf, said the hospital overreacted to a patient's
complaint over a "rather typical" workplace conversation after the
World
Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.
"Apparently, a patient heard or saw something she didn't like or was
unpalatable to her and reported it," Wolf said. "Our belief is that the
hospital's response was reactionary and, given Shiraz's religion and
nationality...the hospital overreacted to a benign situation..."
-----
SECRET SERVICE BLUNDER TAINTS TERROR WAR
Ruben Navarrette Jr, Washington Post Writers Syndicate, 7/30/02
http://www.postwritersgroup.com/archives/nava0730.htm
DALLAS--Here's a news flash: Cops are human, and they make mistakes.
The
problem is that, in their line of work, the stakes are so high that
mistakes can bring dire consequences. And when the mistake happens to
be
abusing their authority, one sure consequence is that police officers
will
make their jobs tougher by driving a wedge between themselves and the
communities they police...
Now the lesson comes to us again--albeit in a milder form--compliments
of a
10-year veteran of the U.S. Secret Service who recently demonstrated a
penchant for acting like a 10-year-old. Through a childish abuse of his
authority, the agent may have helped widen the divide between
Muslim-Americans and U.S. law enforcement agencies.
The Secret Service agent--who had been assigned to the Detroit office
of
the U.S. Attorney's Joint Terrorism Task Force--has admitted to
scribbling
"Islam is Evil, Christ is King" on a Muslim prayer calendar while
searching
the home of a terrorism suspect. Omar Shishani, 47, is believed to be a
possible associate of al Qaeda and was arrested for possession of $12
million in bogus cashier's checks...
It was to the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR)
that Shishani's relatives first turned after discovering the graffiti
and
reasoning that it must have been left behind by one of the agents. CAIR
quickly fired off a letter demanding that Attorney General John
Ashcroft
investigate, and then noted the incident in its daily e-mail--"American
Muslim News Briefs," a roundup of Muslim-related stories culled from
the
national media.
The Justice Department did investigate, and it determined that the
graffiti
was U.S.-government produced. The agent has been put on administrative
leave and could well be terminated over the incident...
And you know what? We will stay divided until Muslim-Americans stop
feeling
as if they are under siege, and until the rest of us stop doing, or
condoning, things that give them even the slightest reason to feel that
way.
SEND NOTES OF APPRECIATION TO: rnavarrette@dallasnews.com
-----
TALK SHOW HOST INCITES HATE AGAINST CANADIAN MUSLIMS
Canada and Christianity under attack from 'Muslim men,' says host
Lowell Green
(OTTAWA, CANADA - 8/1/02) - The Canadian office of the Council on
America-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) today filed a complaint with the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
regarding racist and hate-inciting comments by talk show host, Lowell
Green.
On July 8th, 2002, on Ottawa station CFRA 580 AM, Mr. Green stated that
'North America - democracy - the Christian faith is under attack - not
just
in North America, but elsewhere around the world' and that the threat
'almost exclusively comes from Muslim men.' When a caller criticized
President George Bush's vision of the Middle East as 'commendable but
impractical,' Mr. Green told the caller, 'Fine, Monar (sic), then keep
on
killing yourselves. But leave us alone.'
In a letter of formal complaint to the CRTC, CAIR-CAN Executive
Director
Riad Saloojee stated in part:
"Mr. Green's comments are racist generalizations and incite hatred
against
an identifiable group by portraying a distinct segment of Canadian
society
as a fifth column. In the aftermath of September 11th, and in an
environment that has seen a substantial Muslim backlash documented by
both
our organization and police services, Mr. Green's statements are a
dangerous incitement to anti-Muslim and anti-Arab violence."
CAIR-CAN Chair Sheema Khan said, "Is Mr. Green so divorced from reality
that he is unable to understand that his words have real consequences
in
the lives of Canadian Muslims?"
"We are calling on the CRTC to ensure that media professionals whose
irresponsible statements demonize minorities are held fully
accountable,"
she added.
CONTACT: Riad Saloojee at 613-798-0003
E-mail: Canada@cair-net.org
-----
RESOURCES: REPORT OF U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL EVENTS IN JENIN
http://www.un.org/peace/jenin/index.html
-----
ANNAN BLASTS PLAN EXPEL TERRORIST'S RELATIVE TO GAZA
Aluf Benn and Amos Harel, Ha'aretz, 8/1/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=192799&contrassID=1&subContrassID=0&sbSubContrassID=0
Israel should comply with a Geneva Convention protecting civilians in
conflict and not deport family members of Palestinian suicide bombers,
U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Thursday.
Annan said in a statement that he was "deeply concerned" by reports
that
the Israeli government was making plans to deport relatives of
Palestinian
suicide bombers from the West Bank to Gaza Strip.
He urged the Israeli government to adhere to the 1949 Geneva
Convention,
which calls for protecting civilians caught in a conflict.
"I urge the government of Israel not to take actions that are
inconsistent
with international humanitarian law, such as forcible transfer of
protected
persons, regardless of motive and collective punishment," he said.
The security cabinet Wednesday unanimously approved a plan devised by
the
Shin Bet Security Service and the Israel Defense Forces aimed at
countering
suicide bombings.
Security officials told the ministers that they intend to order the
expulsion to the Gaza Strip of a relative of a terrorist from the
Nablus
area who participated in attacks in the West Bank settlement of
Immanuel
and in Tel Aviv.
SEE ALSO:
ISRAEL RENEWS HOME DESTRUCTION POLICY
JAMIE TARABAY, The Associated Press, 8/1/02
BEIT JALLA, West Bank (AP) - Israeli soldiers came knocking at 1 a.m.
and
gave Atta Sarasara and his family 20 minutes to leave before soldiers
blew
up the family home - punishment because their son was a suicide bomber.
The demolition early Thursday was stark evidence that Israel has
revived
its old policy of destroying the homes of families of suicide bombers
in an
attempt to deter future ones.
Standing over the wreckage of his home Thursday, Sarasara, a high
school
mathematics teacher, wasn't yet contemplating where his family would
now
live. He was still coming to terms with the loss of his son, Hazem Atta
Sarasara, who blew himself up Tuesday at a Jerusalem fast-food stand,
injuring seven Israelis.
"It is not fair and it's a very hard act against my family. I never
knew
that my son was going to commit such an attack and the Israelis know
that
as well," a red-eyed Sarasara said...
PALESTINIAN HUNGER RISES AS ISRAELI BLOCKADES BITE
Mark Heinrich, Reuters, 8/1/02
GAZA, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Nearly one in two young Palestinian
children
are suffering from chronic malnutrition as Israeli blockades make food
harder to come by, according to a survey released Thursday.
Things have gotten dramatically worse since the start of a Palestinian
uprising nearly two years ago that prompted an Israeli military
crackdown
in the West Bank and Gaza.
Tiny Abdallah is just one example. The 16-month-old baby lies emaciated
in
his mother's arms, his lolling head a sign that his brain is atrophying
from malnourishment.
"I fear he will be a constant sorrow," said his tearful mother Fatma at
a
Gaza nutrition clinic. "I try to calm him but he's often feverish."
There has been a 23 percent rise in stunted growth and a 50 percent
increase in wasting -- low weight compared with height -- since before
the
uprising began in September 2000, said the UNICEF-backed survey by the
Palestinian statistics bureau.
About 65 percent of 5,228 households queried over three months ending
June
30 reported difficulty finding food, and 85 percent of them blamed
Israeli
blockades...
HARD LIFE IN GAZA, THROUGH 13-YEAR-OLD EYES
A. O. Scott, New York Times, 8/1/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/01/movies/01STRI.html
Like most news reports and television images coming out of the Middle
East
these days, ''Gaza Strip,'' an unsparing new documentary by James
Longley,
offers little reason for optimism. The film, which opens today at the
Anthology Film Archives in the East Village, was shot in the winter and
spring of 2001, and it provides a grim, upsetting glimpse at the lives
of
some of the 1.2 million Palestinians who live in the crowded cities and
refugee camps of Gaza...
Much of ''Gaza Strip'' follows Mohammed Hejazi, a 13-year-old newspaper
vendor. This youth, who left school after the second grade, spends much
of
his spare time with other boys throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers, even
though his best friend was killed by the gunfire that is the inevitable
response, and his father, who had spent time in an Israeli prison, once
tied his son up to keep him at home...
Mr. Longley's camera does not have to look far to find the sources of
their
rage and despair: Israeli bulldozers demolishing houses and date
groves; an
absurd traffic jam on the beach after roads have been closed; emergency
rooms full of wounded Palestinians, many of them children...
CONN. JEWISH LEADERS SEEK "BALANCE" IN MIDEAST COURSE
Jewish leaders disappointed after discussions on Mideast course
Adam N. Schupack, Jewish Ledger, 7/24/02
http://www.jewishledger.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/July/24-2056-news06.txt
Jewish community leaders and U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Ct.) have met
with
Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) President Richard Judd
about
the university's upcoming "Middle Eastern Studies Summer Institute for
Teachers."
The course for middle and high school teachers, scheduled to be held
July
29-Aug. 2, lacks balance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jewish
leaders say. The Institute is funded by a $24,832 grant from the U.S.
Department of Education.
In a July 15 meeting with President Judd and his staff, representatives
of
the American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL),
the
Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut (JFACT) and the Jewish
Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater
Hartford
expressed their concern that the federally-funded course lacked a
scholar
who could fairly present the Israeli side of the Middle East
conflict...
In response to these concerns, Judd advised Jewish leaders that "it was
prejudicial to assume that there would be bias" and "that as President
it
was not his role to determine balance in this or any other program that
the
University sponsors," according to a July 22 statement issued by CCSU.
"To do so, would infringe on the ability of faculty members to pursue
intellectual truth and present it as they see fit..."
NOTES OF SUPPORT MAY BE SENT TO:
Dr. Richard Judd, President of Central Connecticut State University
E-MAIL:judd@mail.ccsu.edu
COPY TO: Governor.Rowland@po.state.ct.us, cfraser@ctdhe.org,
antar@mail.ccsu.edu
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: antar@mail.ccsu.edu
-----
HARRIS POLL: U.S. TOO SUPPORTIVE OF ISRAEL
MIDDLE EAST: PUBLIC OPINION TRENDS FROM THE HARRIS POLL
http://www.prnewswire.com/
Search using the term "Harris Poll."
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- As violence continues to flare
in
Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, the American public's mood continues to
be
unsympathetic toward either the Israeli government or the Palestinian
authority.
The public continues to be more hostile toward the Palestinians than to
the
Israelis and more hostile toward Yasser Arafat than toward Ariel
Sharon,
but it also tends to think that the U.S. government is too supportive
of
Israel...
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/2/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: FORGIVENESS
* QUOTE OF THE DAY: CLINTON SAYS HE WOULD "FIGHT AND DIE" FOR ISRAEL
* MUSLIMS AID EMBATTLED HOUSE MEMBER (Washington Post)
- ARAB AMERICANS PUSH PARTICIPATION AT THE POLLS (Detroit Free
Press)
- GET INVOLVED TO GET RESULTS, POLITICIANS ADVISE MUSLIMS
(Sacramento Bee)
* PASSAIC COUNTY MEN SUE AMERICAN AIRLINES (North Jersey Herald News)
- AMC BOARD MEMBER HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE ON PROFILING AND
DETENTION
* BID TO EASE SPYING CURBS IN TERRORISM (New York Times)
- LAWYER RIPS STORE OWNER'S ARREST AS POST-9/11 HYSTERIA
(Sun-Sentinel)
- SUNRISE MAN DENIED BAIL (Sun-Sentinel)
- READING? SOMEBODY MAY BE WATCHING (Los Angeles Times)
* MUSLIM, ARAB VENDORS BOYCOTT 'BIASED' NEW YORK POST (Reuters)
* VEILED MESSAGES (Washington Times)
* STATE JUDGE FINDS THAT ISLAMIC PROMISE IS VALID CONTRACT (AP)
* UNIVERSITY ASKS JUDGE TO DISMISS FIVE FROM SUIT OVER ISLAMIC BOOK
(AP)
* KGB SUCCESSOR IMPLICATED IN MOSCOW BOMBINGS (AP)
* OP-ED: HOW TO REKINDLE THE PEACE PROCESS (Washington Post)
* OFFICIALS ADMIT ARMY KILLED KASHMIR CIVILIANS (Washington Times)
* OHIO INTERFAITH ASSOCIATION HOLDS FORUM ON GUJARAT MASSACRES
* PALESTINIAN SOCCER PLAYER LEFT HOMELESS BY ISRAEL (Reuters)
* U.N. JENIN REPORT "FLAWED" (Human Rights Watch)
* ISRAEL CALLS GAZA BOMBING A MISTAKE (AP)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: FORGIVENESS
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "It is better for a
leader
to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing."
Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1011
-----
QUOTE OF THE DAY: CLINTON SAYS HE WOULD "FIGHT AND DIE" FOR ISRAEL
"If Iraq came across the Jordan River...I would grab a rifle and get in
the
trench and fight and die." - Former President Clinton in a speech to
Canadian Jewish groups.
SEE ALSO:
CLINTON PLEDGES TO FIGHT AS COMBAT SOLDIER WITH ISRAELI ARMY
Newsmax.com, 7/31/02
http://www.newsmax.com/showinsidecover.shtml?a=2002/7/31/101825
Ex-President Bill Clinton told an audience in Toronto, Canada, on
Tuesday
that he would personally fight "in the trench" alongside the Israel
Defense
Forces to repel an attack on the Jewish state by Iraq.
"I would grab a rifle and get in the trench and fight and die," Clinton
proclaimed, according to a report by the Canadian Press news service.
The one-time Vietnam War-era draft dodger was addressing a packed
fundraiser for Canada's Hadassah-Wizo Organization...
-----
MUSLIMS AID EMBATTLED HOUSE MEMBER
Thomas B. Edsall, Washington Post, 8/2/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34022-2002Aug1.html
Members of the Muslim American community are providing extensive
support
for Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), defending the five-term incumbent
against a challenge financed in part by Jewish leaders critical of her
stand on Israel.
At least three-quarters of the $234,299 that McKinney has raised from
individuals this year is from donors with Muslim or Arab American
surnames,
the great majority of whom live outside her district.
Meanwhile her Democratic challenger, former state judge Denise Majette,
has
begun raising large sums from Jewish donors alarmed by McKinney's
comments
on Middle East matters. Majette plans to spend $500,000 in the three
weeks
leading to the Aug. 20 primary, top aides said.
As a result, the Atlanta-based 4th District Democratic primary has to
some
extent become a proxy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the
outcome a test of strength between the Muslim American and pro-Israel
Jewish communities...
In an earlier Democratic primary, Rep. Earl F. Hilliard (D-Ala.), who
was
backed by Arab Americans but not as strongly as McKinney, lost to Artur
Davis, who had strong support from Jewish donors across the county.
Hilliard, Davis, McKinney and Majette are black, but the two Democratic
contests have stirred unusual ethnic crosscurrents. Among other things,
they have underscored the tensions between Muslims and Jews -- and
between
African Americans and Jews -- that sometimes animate local elections.
Hilliard, in a post-election interview with the online publication The
Black Commentator, said: "The only thing I know for sure, that I saw in
black and white, is $1,098,000 that [Davis] reported...[I]t came from
Jews
and Republicans..."
"We have been sucked into a game of becoming involved in races because
AIPAC [the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the premier
pro-Israel
lobby] has ruthlessly targeted every member of Congress that is not 100
percent Israel, right or wrong," said Sarah Eltantawi, communications
director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
The Ohio-based CAIR-PAC (pac@cair-pac.org), or Council on
American-Islamic
Relations, recently sent out a fundraising e-mail telling recipients:
"Support Cynthia McKinney. She is our strategic choice...Pro-Muslim
Candidate. Supporter of Palestinian State for over 7 years. Against
Secret
Evidence. Against Aid to Israel."
Bill Banks, McKinney's campaign manager, said Muslim Americans support
her
reelection because "they feel she has spoken out for the [Middle East]
policies of the U.S. to be somewhat balanced." Banks contended that
AIPAC
has made McKinney the "number one candidate to try to remove from
office..."
SEND COMMENTS TO: Letters@washpost.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
SEE: Cynthia McKinney for Congress
http://www.cynthia2002.com/
Denise Majette for Congress
http://www.majetteforcongress.org/
CAIR-PAC
P.O. Box 20716
Columbus, OH 43220
REGISTER TO VOTE: http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
SEE ALSO:
GET INVOLVED TO GET RESULTS, POLITICIANS ADVISE MUSLIMS
Emily Bazar, Sacramento Bee, 8/2/02
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/3818395p-4843756c.html
State Sen. Ray Haynes, R-Riverside, told his audience that the best way
to
get involved in politics is to volunteer for campaigns and walk
precincts
for a candidate.
Assemblyman Robert "Bob" Pacheco, R-Riverside, suggested writing
letters to
lawmakers and making phone calls to their offices.
Green Party gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo preached the option of
third-party politics and favored questioning leaders' beliefs on issues
such as the profiling of Arab Americans and Muslims.
Camejo and the other speakers were addressing a sympathetic audience:
about
75 Muslims, many of them teens and young adults, who came to the
Capitol
from around the state Thursday to learn more about the political
process.
The daylong leadership training conference, organized by the American
Muslim Alliance, was intended to spur Muslims to become involved in
politics, perhaps even by running for elected offices themselves.
According to conference organizers, Muslims who feel targeted after
Sept.
11, or who believe their religion had been misrepresented in subsequent
media reports, should use the tools available to them in the political
realm to dispel myths and stereotypes...
ARAB AMERICANS: LEADERS PUSH PARTICIPATION AT THE POLLS
NIRAJ WARIKOO, Detroit Free Press, 8/2/02
http://www.freep.com/news/politics/wvote2_20020802.htm
For Fatina Masri, Tuesday's primary isn't just about voting. It's about
making sure that Arab- and Muslim-American voices are heard.
"This election is so important for us," the 43-year-old physician from
West
Bloomfield said at a candidates forum in Dearborn this week. "We want
to
show that we're Americans just like anyone else." To that end, Arab
Americans and Muslims in Michigan are mounting an ambitious campaign to
get
out the vote for candidates they favor. It's unclear whether they will
be a
factor in this year's races, but Arab Americans say their votes may
play a
decisive role in close races.
Regardless of their influence, it's important to participate,
especially in
a post-Sept. 11 climate where their civil rights are threatened,
leaders
say...
-----
PASSAIC COUNTY MEN SUE AMERICAN AIRLINES
HILARY BURKE, North Jersey Herald News, 8/2/02
http://www.njhn.com/page.php?level_1_id=1&page=4499964
TEANECK - Four young men returning from the South Beach section of
Miami
were illegally profiled by American Airlines, a lawsuit filed in
federal
court Thursday claims.
"I don't feel American anymore, I feel second-class," said Waesam
Hamdan, a
22-year-old Paterson man who, along with his three friends, is
Palestinian-American.
In March, the four Passaic County residents were singled out after they
had
boarded an American Airlines flight from Miami to Newark. In the public
boarding area, female security officers searched them, ordering them to
lift their shirts and pull their pants below their hips, revealing
boxer
shorts, the men said. The men were then allowed to reboard, but they
were
subjected to the glares of fellow passengers, the civil suit states.
The men say that the experience was humiliating and distressing. Three
of
the men say they can't imagine flying again, because they fear being
targeted simply because of their Arabic names...
This is one in a string of lawsuits against U.S. airline carriers for
alleged discrimination based on ethnicity, race or religion. Since
Sept.
11, American Airlines has been cited most frequently in the more than
200
airport profiling complaints submitted to the Council on
American-Islamic
Relations in Washington, D.C., a spokesman said.
An airline official asked the men to leave the plane and go through a
second security check, at the "captain's request," the suit says. When
Abdelaziz asked if they had been pulled off the plane because they were
Arabs, he said that the official responded, "Most likely..."
SEE ALSO:
AMC BOARD MEMBER HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE ON PROFILING AND DETENTION
WHAT: Mr. Muhammad Ali Khan, Treasurer of the American Muslim Council
Board
of Directors will hold a press conference to discuss his recent
profiling
and detention at Las Vegas airport.
WHEN: Tuesday, August 6 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Murrow Room, National Press Club, Washington, DC
For further information: Faiz Rehman, AMC Communications Director, Tel:
202-789-2262
-----
BID TO EASE SPYING CURBS IN TERRORISM
James Risen, New York Times, 8/1/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/01/national/01INTE.html
WASHINGTON, July 31 - Flaws in the F.B.I.'s handling of the Zacarias
Moussaoui case before Sept. 11 are prompting Congressional leaders and
the
Bush administration to try to make it easier for the government to
obtain
secret wiretaps and search warrants to investigate foreigners suspected
of
involvement in terrorist plots...
Under the legislation, sponsored by Senator Charles E. Schumer,
Democrat of
New York, and Senator Jon Kyl, Republican of Arizona, the Justice
Department would no longer have to convince a special court that a
suspect
was an agent of a foreign power or a member of an international
terrorist
organization to obtain a wiretap under the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act.
That change would ease standards of evidence that are already
considered
lower than those required in regular criminal cases. The law was
intended
to allow the F.B.I. and the Justice Department to ask a secret court
for
approval to eavesdrop on suspected spies or terrorists not yet subjects
of
criminal investigations...
The drive for further easing of the legal standards covering secret
wiretaps and secret searches of homes and possessions of suspected
terrorists raised concerns among civil liberties groups.
"Our reasons should be compelling, and the case for expansion carefully
documented" before the law is expanded, said Jerry Berman, executive
director of the Center for Democracy and Technology. "The argument that
these lower standards apply to aliens ignores the fact that our Bill of
Rights protects persons not citizens; that it is important for law
enforcement and intelligence agencies to have the trust and cooperation
of
the communities who will feel most targeted by these changes."
SEE ALSO:
LAWYER RIPS STORE OWNER'S GUN ARREST AS POST-SEPT. 11 HYSTERIA
Jeff Shields, Sun-Sentinel, 8/2/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-calmadi02aug02.story
A Fort Lauderdale convenience store owner arrested by anti-terrorism
agents
Wednesday was freed on bond a day later, and his lawyer called the case
an
example of post-Sept. 11 hysteria.
Federal officials would not say Thursday why the South Florida Joint
Terrorism Task Force would target Ali Mahmud al-Madi, 48, of Hollywood,
on
a relatively minor gun charge.
Al-Madi was arrested Wednesday, accused of possessing a shotgun with a
scratched-out serial number, and his Hollywood home was searched.
He faces up to five years in prison if convicted..."The kind of case
he's
facing is a common one and, but for his name, there wouldn't be such a
commotion," said lawyer David Vinikoor...
SUNRISE MAN DENIED BAIL
Jeff Shields and Tanya Weinberg, Sun-Sentinel, 8/2/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-chassoun02aug02.story
Supporters of Adham Hassoun, a computer programmer from Sunrise who
befriended alleged "dirty bomber" Jose Padilla in the 1990s, blasted
the
justice system Thursday after an immigration judge refused to release
Hassoun on bail.
After two days of testimony and evidence, Immigration Judge Neale
Foster
declared Hassoun, 40, a Palestinian from Lebanon, a potential danger to
the
community based on evidence presented in a sealed courtroom.
Agents from the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested
Hassoun
on June 12 because of his connection to Padilla, who converted to Islam
in
South Florida and was a friend of Hassoun's...
Hassoun has denied that he supports terrorism and dismissed media
accounts
that he had recent contact with Padilla. His attorney, Akhtar Hussain,
said
he was shocked at the nature of the proceedings in Immigration Court at
Krome detention center, which he said were closed to the public over
his
objection.
"I have never seen anything like this in my 22 years in practice --
there
is no evidence, no witnesses, nothing," said Hussain, who said he was
prevented from subpoenaing witnesses to rebut government evidence.
"They did not rebut my client's denials. They have no one there to back
up
what they're saying," Hussain said. "I would be satisfied if they
brought
something; then I could counter that. How can I counter a ghost?..."
READING? SOMEBODY MAY BE WATCHING
J. Michael Kennedy, Los Angeles Times, 7/29/02
http://www.latimes.com/la-lv-secrecy29jul29.story
Even as Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft fielded congressional criticisms last
week
over the Justice Department's wide-ranging anti-terrorism tactics, some
librarians and booksellers have concerns of their own.
They are awaiting a detailed accounting, now being compiled by the
Justice
Department, that will reveal, among other things, just how many times
federal investigators have secretly monitored the bookstore purchases
and
library checkouts of Americans in their search for terrorists.
That accounting, ordered in June by the House Judiciary Committee,
covers a
wide range of surveillance issues, but Judith Krug, the outspoken
director
of the office for intellectual freedom for the American Library Assn.,
will
be paying particular attention to how question No. 12 is answered. That
one
asks the FBI to enumerate how many times the federal law enforcement
agency
has used its new powers to secretly search the once-confidential
records of
public libraries and bookstores.
She, for one, thinks such searches are a waste of time and an
infringement
on privacy. But the FBI's answer could shed light on whether the
nation's
readers are being monitored more closely than at any other time in the
nation's history...
"This has a terrible chilling effect," said Leigh Estabrook, director
of
the Library Research Center at the University of Illinois. "I think
it's a
terrible thing..."
-----
MUSLIM, ARAB VENDORS BOYCOTT 'BIASED' NEW YORK POST
Reuters, 8/2/02
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hundreds of Muslim and Arab-American newspaper
vendors
in New York are boycotting the New York Post, accusing Rupert Murdoch's
tabloid of bias against Muslims, protest organizers said Thursday.
A flyer distributed throughout Brooklyn -- the most populous of New
York's
five boroughs -- urges people to stop buying, selling or even reading
the
Post, in light of the "increasing level of hatred" in the aftermath of
the
Sept. 11 on the United States by Arab hijackers.
"We met with people from the Post twice and we asked them to stop
spreading
the hate in our society. They refused," said Zein Rimawi of the
Brooklyn-based Arab-American Muslim Federation that is coordinating the
campaign...
Rimawi said a number of mosques and Arab churches, concerned that the
newspaper's domestic coverage and its reporting on the
Israeli-Palestinian
conflict is biased against Arabs and Muslims, are backing the action,
which
started small, by word-of-mouth...
Rimawi said he hoped vendors in New Jersey would join the boycott next
month and said organizers are now looking to enlist the help of larger
Muslim groups such as the Islamic Circle of North America...
-----
VEILED MESSAGES
Sean Salai, Washington Times, 8/2/02
http://www.washtimes.com/culture/20020802-14802992.htm
The veil has symbolized mystery and purity throughout history and
across
many cultures. Its roots are in the East, tied intimately to religion
and
ethnic customs, but it has moved gradually into Western pop culture.
Today, the veil "has become so ubiquitous that everyone seems to have
formed an opinion about it," says University of Texas Middle Eastern
studies professor Faegheh Shirazi. "The various connotations it has,
the
many emotions it arouses, testify to its continuing, perhaps even
growing,
significance in the modern world..."
"Modern girls who would not wear a hijab two or three years ago are
wearing
them on American campuses right now," says Faiz Rehman of the American
Muslim Council, a Washington-based advocacy group. "Women wearing
hijabs
weren't a common part of the American cultural landscape before
September
11, but they are now..."
SEND COMMENTS TO: letters@washingtontimes.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
STATE JUDGE FINDS THAT ISLAMIC PROMISE IS VALID CONTRACT
Jeffrey Gold, Associated Press, 8/2/02
NEWARK, N.J. - Just before she was married at her parent's home six
years
ago, Houida Saadeh and her groom, Zuhair Odatalla, signed their Islamic
marriage license. It included the terms of the traditional gift a groom
makes to his bride.
Those terms, known as a "mahr" agreement, said Odatalla was obligated
to
pay "prompt one golden pound coin; postponed ten thousand U.S.
dollars."
During the ceremony, he handed Saadeh a gold coin. Eight days later,
they
were also married in a civil ceremony. In October 1999, the couple
separated and the $10,000 Saadeh believed she was due from the mahr
agreement became part of the divorce lawsuit.
Now, a landmark ruling by a state judge found that the traditional
promise
is fair game for civil authorities, and that Odatalla should pay. The
ruling on the clash of secular law with the religious custom of the
mahr is
believed to be the first in New Jersey, and only one of a handful
around
the nation.
The judge agreed with Saadeh that the court could intervene without
violating the constitutional separation of church and state. Superior
Court
Judge John E. Selser III reasoned he did not have to interpret any
religious doctrine to make the ex-husband pay up...
"I think if courts are used to enforce agreements in a wide variety of
contractual issues, I think this is appropriate," said Ibrahim Hooper,
spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations in Washington,
D.C...
The ruling is also important because a mahr is part of all Islamic
marriage
contracts, Saadeh's lawyer said. Abed Awad estimated there are about 1
million such contracts in the United States...
"With this decision, I believe it will make it easier for wives to
recover
their rightful mahr. In addition it will give religious clerics more
teeth
for enforcement," Awad said.
-----
UNIVERSITY ASKS JUDGE TO DISMISS FIVE FROM SUIT OVER ISLAMIC BOOK
Associated Press, 8/2/02
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Lawyers for the University of North Carolina are
asking
a judge to dismiss from a lawsuit five people who claim a requirement
for
new students to read a book on Islam violates their First Amendment
rights.
The suit was filed last month by a Christian organization, the American
Family Association Center for Law & Policy, on behalf of three unnamed
students and two taxpayers.
In essence, the papers filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in
Greensboro
ask the judge to throw the suit out because these are the only five
people
now suing the Chapel Hill school over this issue. Motions the
university
filed Thursday ask that two North Carolina taxpayers - James Yacovelli
and
Terry Moffitt - be removed from the case because they cannot prove that
they will be personally injured by the required reading. They also
cannot
prove, the motions say, that they will benefit if the requirement is
lifted.
The university also is asking that three anonymous students not be
allowed
to sue because they have no grounds, under court rules, to remain
anonymous. They cannot, for example, prove they have any reason to
suspect
they will be harmed - physically or mentally - if named, the motions
say...
-----
KGB SUCCESSOR IMPLICATED IN MOSCOW BOMBINGS
Steve Gutterman, Associated Press, 7/26/02
http://www.ocregister.com/sitearchives/2002/7/26/nation_world/26chechcci1
MOSCOW -- A former Russian security agent offered evidence Thursday
meant
to support his claim that the KGB's successor, not Islamic militants,
engineered a series of deadly bombings that thrust Russia into a new
war in
Chechnya in 1999.
In a video link with Britain, where he fled two years ago, Alexander
Litvinenko said he received the evidence in a statement from Achimez
Gochiyayev, who Russia claims was paid $500,000 by a rebel warlord to
organize two apartment-building bombings in Moscow...
A few weeks after the last of four apartment-building explosions in
September 1999 - two in Moscow and two in southern Russia - President
Boris
Yeltsin and his prime minister, former KGB agent Vladimir Putin, sent
Russian troops into Chechnya. Russian officials blamed the blasts on
Chechen rebels, though rebel leaders denied involvement and suggested
the
security service organized them to justify the military campaign...
-----
OP-ED: HOW TO REKINDLE THE PEACE PROCESS
Marwan Muasher, Washington Post, 8/2/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33987-2002Aug1.html
As Arab diplomats representing countries that have either signed peace
treaties with Israel or, in the case of Saudi Arabia, successfully
advanced
a viable framework for comprehensive peace in the region, we were
heartened
to hear President Bush reaffirm his personal commitment to a two-state
solution...
On the day that the leadership of the Islamic Resistance Movement, or
Hamas, confirmed that these talks were in fact serious, Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the assassination of Hamas's military
chief,
Salah Shehada. The one-ton bomb claimed not only 15 innocent civilian
lives
but the fragile optimism that was born of our discussions in New York
and
Washington...
-----
OFFICIALS ADMIT ARMY KILLED KASHMIR CIVILIANS
Shaikh Azizur Rahman, Washington Times, 8/2/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20020802-96821384.htm
ANANTNAG, India - Indian army troops hunting for terrorists involved in
an
attack in Kashmir killed and buried innocent civilians, and when
protests
by villagers forced exhumation of their bodies, they fudged DNA tests
to
try to prove that the remains were those of Pakistani militants,
government
reports have revealed.
Human rights groups frequently have reported abuses by the Indian army
in
the territory claimed by both India and Pakistan, but the incident is
one
of a few cases of excesses conceded by government officials...
-----
OHIO INTERFAITH ASSOCIATION HOLDS FORUM ON GUJARAT MASSACRES
WHAT: Forum titled "Massacres in the Land of Gandhi: Past, Present, and
Future"
WHERE: Upper Arlington Municipal Service Center, 3600 Tremont Road
(Tremont
and Kenny Road) in Upper Arlington.
WHEN: Friday, August 1, 2002, 3:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Mrs. Shabnam Hashmi
CO-SPONSORS: Council on American Islamic Relations - Ohio Chapter,
Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio, Islamic Society of Greater
Columbus, Indian Muslim Relief Committee, Indian Minority Council, Sikh
Educational and Religious Foundation, Metropolitan Area Church Council
-----
PALESTINIAN SOCCER PLAYER LEFT HOMELESS BY ISRAEL
Mark Heinrich, Reuters, 8/2/02
RAFAH REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Many international
footballers are privileged jet-setters, but Palestinian midfielder
Jamal
Mazmi el-Houly was without a home on Friday after the Israeli army
demolished it.
"They came at 2 a.m., and told us by loudspeaker, 'Stay and you will
die,
leave and you will live'. We fled in minutes. There was no time to
retrieve
my medals from international tourneys," the 27-year-old Houly said.
He stood next to the remains of the three-storey home he shared with
his
wife, three sons, a brother and wife and their five children, and his
parents in the Rafah refugee camp on the Gaza Strip's border with
Egypt.
Their house was now just one more rubble heap in a swathe of desert
wasteland slashed through a border neighbourhood by the Israeli army in
raids its says are against gunmen and to destroy tunnels used to
smuggle
weapons from Egypt to the Gaza Strip...
-----
U.N. JENIN REPORT "FLAWED"
Human Rights Watch, 8/2/02
http://hrw.org/press/2002/08/jenin080202.htm
(New York, August 2, 2002) The U.N. report on events in Jenin is
seriously
flawed, Human Rights Watch said today. The report, mandated by a U.N.
General Assembly resolution after Israeli objections forced the
Secretary-General to disband a U.N. fact-finding team, largely limits
itself to presenting competing accounts of the events during the
Israeli
military operations.
"The report doesn't move us forward in terms of establishing the
truth,"
said Hanny Megally, executive director of the Middle East and North
Africa
Division of Human Rights Watch. "Its watered-down account of the very
serious violations in Jenin exposes the risk of compiling a report
without
any first-hand information..."
Human Rights Watch researchers spent three weeks on the ground,
including
in Jenin camp, immediately following the operation. Researchers
gathered
detailed accounts from victims and witnesses, carefully corroborating
and
independently crosschecking their accounts with those of others to
reconstruct a detailed picture of events in the camp in April 2002. The
findings were published in a 52-page report, "Jenin: IDF Military
Operations." (http://hrw.org/reports/2002/israel3/)
In early May, the Israel Defense Forces made a commitment to
investigate
every incident documented in the report. To date, Human Rights Watch
has
had no response from the IDF as to the progress of any such
investigations.
-----
ISRAEL CALLS GAZA BOMBING A MISTAKE
RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI, Associated Press, 8/2/02
JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military said Friday that faulty
intelligence
was to blame for the deaths of 14 civilians - most of them women and
children - in an air attack on a Gaza City apartment building that
successfully targeted and killed a Hamas military leader last month.
In a statement summarizing the military investigation of the incident,
the
army said it regretted the civilian deaths. The army also said the
attack
never would have been launched if authorities had known women and
children
were in the building with Salah Shehadeh, head of the Hamas military
wing.
Israel faced widespread world criticism for the attack...
-----
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453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
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In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS 8/4/2002
HEADLINES:
* CAIR-NY ANNUAL FUNDRAISING BANQUET AUGUST 25
* A LEGAL BATTLE ON THE LIMITS OF CIVIL LIBERTY (New York Times)
- JUDGE RULES U.S. MUST RELEASE DETAINEES' NAMES (Washington
Post)
- U.S. MUSLIMS FEEL THEY ARE TARGETS IN WAR ON TERROR
(Washington
Post)
- HATE WAVE TARGETS MUSLIMS (Deseret News)
* HOW WE'LL REMEMBER SEPT. 11 (Atlanta Journal)
- MEDITATE, RETREAT TO 'PRAYER CLOSET' (Patriot-News)
* BUSH READY TO DECLARE WAR (The Observer)
* PBS DOCUMENTARY EXAMINES HINDU FUNDAMENTALISM
- INDIAN CHIEF JUSTICE TO SPEAK IN MASS.
* ISRAELI SOLDIERS HARASS MEDICAL PERSONNEL (Ha'aretz)
* ISRAELI FORCES DESTROY NINE HOMES OF PALESTINIAN ATTACKERS (AP)
* COLLECTIVE EFFORT CAN END CONFLICT IN MIDDLE EAST (Charleston
Gazette)
-----
CAIR-NY ANNUAL FUNDRAISING BANQUET AUGUST 25
THEME: "STAYING THE COURSE!"
FEATURE GUESTS:
Omar Ahmed, CAIR Board Chairman
Nihad Awad, CAIR Executive Director
Talat Hamdani, mother of Salman Hamdani, who was killed in the 9/11
attack
Faroque Khan, American Muslim Alliance Chairman - NYS
Imam Siraj Wahhaj, Masjid At-Taqwa
WHERE: THE LAGUARDIA MARRIOTT, 102-05 Ditmars Blvd., East Elmhurst NY
113-6-9
(For directions call: 718-565-8900)
WHEN: SUNDAY, August 25th, 2002, 5:30 PM
To reserve a seat mail you check or money order of $100/person payable
to
CAIR-NY at:
Council on American Islamic Relations
475 Riverside Dr, Suite 246
New York, NY 10115
TEL: 212.870.2002, FAX: 212.870.2020
URL: www.cair-ny.com, E-MAIL: cair-ny@cair-ny.com
-----
A LEGAL BATTLE ON THE LIMITS OF CIVIL LIBERTY
Adam Liptak, Neil A. Lewis and Benjamin Weiser, New York Times, 8/4/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/04/national/04CIVI.html
In the fearful aftermath of Sept. 11, Attorney General John Ashcroft
vowed
to use the full might of the federal government and "every available
statute" to hunt down and punish "the terrorists among us."
The roundup that followed the attacks, conducted with wartime urgency
and
uncommon secrecy, led to the detentions of more than 1,200 people
suspected
of violating immigration laws, being material witnesses to terrorism or
fighting for the enemy. The government's effort has produced few if any
law
enforcement coups. Most of the detainees have since been released or
deported, with fewer than 200 still being held.
But it has provoked a sprawling legal battle, now being waged in
federal
courthouses around the country, that experts say has begun to redefine
the
delicate balance between individual liberties and national security.
The main combatants are the attorney general and federal prosecutors on
one
side and a network of public defenders, immigration and criminal
defense
lawyers, civil libertarians and some constitutional scholars on the
other,
with federal judges in between…
SEE ALSO:
JUDGE RULES U.S. MUST RELEASE DETAINEES' NAMES
Steve Fainaru and Dan Eggen, Washington Post, 8/3/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36767-2002Aug2.html
A federal judge in Washington yesterday ordered the Justice Department
to
release the names of more than 1,000 people detained in the
investigation
of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, saying the information was essential
to
verifying that the government is "operating within the bounds of the
law."
If upheld, the decision would reverse a central tenet of the Bush
administration's secrecy policy, which also has included closed court
hearings and prohibitions on release of otherwise routine criminal
justice
information. Authorities have said release of the names could aid
future
terror plots, affect the ongoing investigation and violate the
detainees'
privacy…
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Center for
National
Security Studies and 21 other organizations, including Human Rights
Watch,
Amnesty International USA, the American Civil Liberties Union and the
Council on American Islamic Relations. Under the Freedom of Information
Act, the organizations requested the names of the detainees, the
identities
of their lawyers, the identities of courts presiding over their cases
and
all government documents relating to the policy…
MUSLIM AMERICANS FEEL THEY ARE TARGETS IN WAR ON TERROR
Robert E. Pierre, Washington Post, 8/4/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39673-2002Aug3.html
DEARBORN, Mich. - To the outside world, the Arab Americans in this
community are adjusting well to the heightened scrutiny they receive
from
law enforcement, cooperating with interviews and proudly displaying
their
American flags.
But inside, said Don Unis, a U.S. citizen of Lebanese descent, people
are
upset, anxious and increasingly angry at what they perceive as a war --
domestically and abroad -- on Arabs and Muslims.
Their relatives have been called in for random interviews. Their
brethren
are being held in U.S. jails on suspicion of terrorism, some without a
hint
from the government about their alleged crimes. And there is a
widespread
perception that few Americans understand -- or care -- what they're
going
through.
Particularly chilling for them were the comments July 19 from a member
of
the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights -- since rejected by the full panel
--
that raised the specter of internment camps for Arab Americans if there
is
another terrorist attack on U.S. soil…
"Some people will not go to court [even on traffic violations] because
they
feel they will automatically be guilty," said Zawaideh, a U.S. citizen
who
is originally from Jordan and owns a travel agency here. "They are
choosing
to pay a fine instead.
"Women are being followed in their cars for wearing a hijab. One woman
had
her health insurance dropped by a company that told her, 'We don't sell
to
immigrants.' We don't know what rules, what rights we have as U.S.
citizens..."
The comments by a Bush appointee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
only inflamed the situation. At the hearing, held in downtown Detroit,
Commissioner Peter Kirsanow said that "if there's another terrorist
attack
and if it's from a certain ethnic community or certain ethnicities that
the
terrorists are from, you can forget about civil rights in this
country."
A Cleveland lawyer, Kirsanow later added that another attack could lead
to
internment camps such as those built to hold Japanese Americans in
World
War II. "Not too many people will be crying in their beer if there are
more
detentions, more stops, more profiling. There will be a groundswell of
public opinion to banish civil rights," Kirsanow said…
HATE WAVE TARGETS MUSLIMS
Norma Harrison, Deseret News, 8/4/02
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,405021951,00.html
A deadly shooting rampage leaves three fatally wounded in a Houston
Vietnamese restaurant. The sign for a new mosque and Muslim cultural
center
in Boca Raton, Fla., gets torched beyond recognition. And in Heber, a
fire
is intentionally set in a motel run by a Pakistani-American family,
causing
$100,000 in damage.
All three happened within the past two weeks. And each is being
described
by investigators as likely hate crimes against members of the Islamic
community in revenge for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks nearly a year
ago
on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Such incidents began to occur immediately in the wake of the suicide
hijackings and crashes in New York City, Washington, D.C., and
Pennsylvania
that killed 3,000 Americans and others from 80 countries around the
globe.
Around the nation, Muslims and people of South Asian and Middle Eastern
descent became victims of racially motivated crimes, targets of verbal
abuse, harassment and other forms of ostracism.
With the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in this nation's
history
approaching, another wave of hate crimes seems to be building here and
elsewhere…
-----
HOW WE'LL REMEMBER SEPT. 11
DON PLUMMER, RON TAYLOR, Atlanta Journal, 8/4/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/news/0802/04teranniversary.html
How do you mark the first year of a war that cannot be seen and a grief
that does not end?
The anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America will be
commemorated with tolling bells, common prayers and moments of silence,
but
a big part of the observance will be simply trying not to offend a
nation
still mourning the dramatic loss of 3,056 lives…
Continuing to try to heal the tensions between Islam, the faith of the
hijackers, and followers of other faiths in America, the American
Muslim
Political Coordination Council is calling on mosques across the country
to
observe an interfaith National Day of Unity and Prayer.
Muslim clerics in Atlanta will join leaders from Buddhist, Jewish,
Hindu
and Baha'i congregations at the Ebenezer service, sponsored by the
Faith
Alliance of Metro Atlanta, established as a response to Sept. 11…
SEE ALSO:
MEDITATE, RETREAT TO 'PRAYER CLOSET'
MARY WARNER, Patriot-News (PA), 8/2/02
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/102828081933230.xml
Both the National Council of Churches and a coalition of American
Muslim
groups are calling for interfaith observances on Sept. 11.
This was the statement from the Muslims: "It is imperative that all
Americans come together on the first anniversary of the terrorist
attacks
to show that we are united as a nation and to reject efforts by any
parties, whether overseas or within our borders, to divide the United
States along religious or ethnic lines…We join our fellow citizens in
mourning those who were killed or injured on that fateful day."
The coalition includes the Council on American-Islamic Relations and
three
other American Muslim groups…
-----
BUSH READY TO DECLARE WAR
Peter Beaumont, Gaby Hinsliff and Paul Beaver, The Observer, 8/4/02
http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,769064,00.html
President George W. Bush will announce within weeks that he intends to
depose Iraq's ruler, Saddam Hussein, by force, setting the stage for a
war
in the Gulf this winter.
Amid signs of active preparations for a war within six months, senior
officials on both sides of the Atlantic have said that war against Iraq
is
now inevitable.
'The expectation is that President Bush will make a final decision on
the
timing of a war over the course of August. That would be followed by
British-led efforts to get a mandate for action at the UN, either under
existing resolutions or a new UN resolution,' said one senior source…
-----
PBS DOCUMENTARY EXAMINES HINDU FUNDAMENTALISM
Soul of a Nation
Thurs., Sept. 19 at 9pm ET
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/about/film10.html
The bloody conflict between Hindus and Muslims in North Western India
is at
the forefront of a struggle for India's identity, led by an
increasingly
powerful Hindu fundamentalist movement whose goal is to turn India into
a
Hindu nation. Over the last three months, some 2,000 Muslims have been
killed in the Province of Gujarat, and more than 100,000 Muslims have
been
forced to flee to refugee camps. Meanwhile extremist Hindu private
schools
are spreading rapidly across India. Will India, home to more than a
billion
people, continue to be the multi-ethnic, religiously diverse, secular,
and
tolerant society that Gujarat's Mahatma Gandhi attempted to create? Or
will
the nation be split -- by a Hindu fundamentalist movement hoping to
rise to
power by fanning the winds of religious extremism?
SEE ALSO:
INDIAN CHIEF JUSTICE TO SPEAK IN MASS.
WHAT: JUSTICE A.M. AHMADI, FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
TO
SPEAK ON GUJARAT
WHEN: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
WHERE: WAYLAND MOSQUE (MASS.)
WHO TO CONTACT: OMAR KHALIDI, 1-508-647-4857; 617-258-5597
-----
ISRAELI SOLDIERS HARASS MEDICAL PERSONNEL
Jenin checkpoint, 4 P.M.
Gideon Levy, Ha'aretz, 8/4/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=193807&contrassID=2&subContrassID=4&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
We are behind the ambulance. Waiting. A quarter of an hour passes. No
soldier approaches the vehicle. Another half-hour goes by. Still
nothing.
The ambulance driver, Mahmoud Karmi, does not lose his cool. He always
waits here between an hour and two hours before the soldiers come over.
So
far, an hour and a quarter has passed since he arrived at the
checkpoint.
Following a phone call to the office of the IDF Spokesperson and a
further
wait, two soldiers descend from their position. In a lordly manner,
they
gesture for the ambulance to approach. The driver says he is afraid the
soldiers will get back at him because we phoned the IDF Spokesperson. A
brief check by the soldiers and the ambulance is allowed to proceed.
It's
worth keeping in mind that this is the road between Jenin and Jalma,
not a
road to Israel (between Jenin and Israel there is another checkpoint,
at
Jalma). The soldiers, of course, did not know the destination of the
waiting ambulance or who it was carrying - an injured child, a dying
man, a
woman in labor.
One of the soldiers afterward told us that this was the order they had
been
given: to delay ambulances. The endless complaints about ambulances
being
delayed are more than confirmed by an eyewitness account…
This ugly and inhumane phenomenon of hazing and harassing ambulances
stems
from a deeper source: from the soldiers' basic attitude toward the
Palestinian population. It's doubtful that the soldiers at the Jenin
checkpoint delayed the ambulance because they were ordered to do so by
their commanders. It's more likely that they thought this was the way
Palestinian ambulances should be treated.
In the perception of the soldiers at the checkpoint, a Palestinian is
not a
person like them, he is part "human dust" and part potential enemy, so
they
have the right to do with him almost anything that strikes their fancy.
It
is likely that none of the soldiers tried to imagine a similar
situation in
which an ambulance carrying his mother or his father was being delayed.
Nor, by the same token, did any of them consider how he would feel
toward
whoever was responsible for the delay.
We have regressed to dark days. If, after the Oslo Accords, the IDF
started
to become aware that the Palestinian population should be treated
differently and did not consist entirely of "troublemakers," we have
now
returned to the old and bad conceptions - that a good Palestinian is
one
who is humiliated, harassed and ground into the dirt.
-----
ISRAELI FORCES DESTROY NINE HOMES OF PALESTINIAN ATTACKERS
NASSER SHIYOUKHI, Associated Press, 8/4/02
HEBRON, West Bank (AP) - Israel stepped up its policy of demolishing
homes
of Palestinian militants, blowing up nine houses Sunday in three
separate
parts of the West Bank as part of an effort to discourage attacks…
Israel first began demolishing the homes of Palestinian attackers
decades
ago, but had largely abandoned the controversial policy in recent
years. It
revived the tactic in recent weeks, and the tearing down of nine houses
on
Sunday was the largest one-day effort so far…
"We weren't able to get anything out, they also told the neighbors to
leave
their homes," Dufish said. "They put dynamite and there was a big
explosion, even the houses around this one were severely damaged." He
said
eight people lived in the one-story house.
A pink quilt covered in dust lay beside mattresses and pillows in the
rubble of the Dufish home.
People picked through the remains of the Duek house, collecting
tattered
photographs and scattered pages of the Quran, Islam's holy book. An
elderly
woman sat among the wreckage crying, her black handbag at her feet.
On slabs of concrete were spraypainted slogans: "This is the peace of
the
brave," a sarcastic comment on the 1993 Israeli-Palestinian peace
accord,
and, "Another heroic deed from the criminal (Prime Minister Ariel)
Sharon."
So far, the house demolitions do not appear to have deterred the
Palestinian militants…
Many Palestinian homes house large extended families, and Palestinians
have
complained that the actions punish those not involved in the attacks.
-----
COLLECTIVE EFFORT CAN END CONFLICT IN MIDDLE EAST
Rachel Dash and Raheel R. Khan, Charleston Gazette, 8/2/02
http://www.wvgazette.com/display_story.php3?sid=2002080137
Peace without justice can never be a lasting one. Violence will end
only
when the peoples of both sides have reason to believe in a safe and
secure
future, when they can enjoy political freedom, self-determination,
physical
security and economic opportunity…
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/5/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: DO NOT PASS JUDGMENT WHILE ANGRY
* ISLAM BLOOMS IN GENOCIDE'S WAKE (Chicago Tribune)
* OP-ED: EXITING A DEAD END (Washington Post)
* 9/11 BRINGS A NEW INTEREST IN METRO AREA (Detroit Free Press)
* ANNIVERSARY OF 9-11 ATTACKS WILL BRING NONSTOP COVERAGE (Orlando
Sentinel)
* WHY WE NEED HEAVEN (Newsweek)
* WAMY CHIEF JOHANI DIES IN CAR CRASH (Arab News)
* THE SMOKING GUN! OFFICIAL COURT DOCUMENTS PROVE MAJETTE LIED,
CONCEALED COURT RECORDS (cynthia2002.com)
* FL LECTURE ON THE FEMALE VICTIMS OF THE VIOLENCE IN GUJARAT
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: DO NOT PASS JUDGMENT WHILE ANGRY
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "A judge should not pass
judgment between two people while he is in an angry mood."
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Hadith 272
-----
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ISNA CONFERENCE
Volunteers are needed to help staff CAIR's booth at the upcoming ISNA
convention in Washington, D.C., from August 30th to September 2nd,
2002.
For more information about volunteering, please contact Sr. Isra'a
Abdul-Rahman at irahman@cair-net.org.
-----
ISLAM BLOOMS IN GENOCIDE'S WAKE
Rwandans jump to faith they view as tolerant
Laurie Goering, Chicago Tribune, 8/5/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0208050150aug05.story
Long before the call to prayer begins each Friday at noon, Rwanda's
Muslim
faithful jam the main mosque in Kigali's Nyamirambo neighborhood, the
overflow crowd spreading prayer rugs on the mosque steps, over the red
earth parking lot and out the front gate.
Almost a decade after a horrific genocide left 800,000 Rwandans dead
and
shook the faith of this predominantly Christian nation, Islam, once
seen as
a fringe religion, has surged in popularity. Women in bright tangerine,
scarlet and blue headscarves stroll the bustling streets of the capital
beside men in long white tunics and embroidered caps. Mosques and
Islamic
schools are overflowing with students. Today about 14 percent of
Rwandans
consider themselves Muslim, up from about 7 percent before the
genocide.
"We're everywhere," says Sheik Saleh Habimana, the leader of Rwanda's
burgeoning Muslim community, which has mosques in nearly all of the
country's cities and towns...
From April to June 1994, militias and mobs from the country's ethnic
Hutu
majority hunted and murdered hundreds of thousands of ethnic Tutsis at
the
government's urging. Within a few months, three of four Tutsis in the
country had been hacked to death, often with machetes or hoes. More
than
100,000 suspected killers eventually were jailed.
The genocide stunned Rwanda's Christian community. While clergy in many
communities struggled to protect their congregations and died with
them,
some prominent Catholic and Protestant leaders joined in the killing
spree
and are facing prosecution.
At the same time, Rwanda's Muslims--many of them intermarried
Tutsi-Hutu
couples--were opening their homes to thousands of desperate Tutsis.
Muslim
families for the most part succeeded in hiding Tutsis from the Hutu
mobs,
who feared entering the country's insular Muslim communities...
-----
OP-ED: EXITING A DEAD END
William Raspberry, Washington Post, 8/5/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44036-2002Aug4.html
We must not reward terrorism. The White House says it with sorrow. The
Israeli prime minister says it with impressive determination. Pundits
say
it as though it is stone-carved truth.
We must not reward terrorism -- by demolishing the West Bank
settlements,
by negotiating with Yasser Arafat (or even accepting the legitimacy of
his
leadership), by withdrawing Israeli troops from Palestinian territory
or,
above all, by seriously pushing for Palestinian statehood.
The admonition is repeated as though its meaning is crystal clear. But
what, in fact, does it mean?
It is supposed to mean, of course, that Israel (and the United States,
its
chief supporter) will not call off the military action or press for a
Palestinian homeland in the face of the continuing suicide bombings.
But isn't the implication that all these things will happen if the
Palestinians stop the suicide bombings, dump Arafat and otherwise
behave?
Is it believable that Israel will make -- can make -- the critical
concessions in the absence of pressure that it could not make at the
peak
of pressure? Isn't that like expecting civil rights demonstrators to
call
off their marches in the hope that Bull Connor will escort them to the
registrar's office, or expecting the World Trade Organization to modify
its
policies if only the protesters behaved civilly, or expecting
management to
accede to labor's demands if the picketers will just shelve their
embarrassing placards and their nasty threats to strike...?
It isn't as though the ribbon to the new state of Palestine was about
to be
cut -- until the suicide bombers canceled the ceremony. Are the
Palestinians wrong to doubt that statehood will ever be their reward
for
good behavior, when no one seemed to pay much attention to their
distress
until the intifada?
My reason for mentioning labor disputes and civil rights marches is
simple:
Groups that need change understand that relaxing the pressure usually
works
against them. The whole point of the pressure is to give the other side
an
interest in changing. The Palestinians need change...
-----
9/11 BRINGS A NEW INTEREST IN METRO AREA
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 8/5/02
http://www.freep.com/news/metro/center5_20020805.htm
Attracted by its large Arab-American population, human rights activists
and
others are flocking to Dearborn and other pockets of metro Detroit to
learn
about and work with a community that has drawn increasing national
attention since Sept. 11. In the last week, the visitors are young
activists from across the country who are concerned about racial
profiling,
detentions, surveillance and other rights issues in the wake of the
terrorist attacks.
Dubbed the National Youth Mobilization, the event, which ends Thursday,
includes 7 days of workshops, rallies and meetings with local Arab and
Muslim representatives...
"We felt that this is an area that needs help the most," said Kate
Fayette,
a Detroit law student who helped organize the forums. "The Arab and
Muslim
communities are being targeted now."
Dearborn, a city of about 100,000 where 30 percent of the residents are
of
Arab descent, has previously attracted visitors interested in learning
more
about its Middle Eastern community. But after Sept. 11, the numbers
picked
up, local leaders say...
-----
ANNIVERSARY OF 9-11 ATTACKS WILL BRING NONSTOP COVERAGE
Elizabeth Jensen, Orlando Sentinel, 8/5/02
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/orl-aseccoping05080502aug05.story
NEW YORK -- The anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is
looming as
an overwhelming media event, with many TV and radio stations promising
blanket coverage spanning several days, much of it uninterrupted by
ads...
The coverage is inevitable, he said, so a key is shaping the media
event.
One population neglected during the aftermath of the attacks was New
York's
Arab and Muslim community, which "didn't feel a part of what everyone
else
felt, the common experience," Susser said, adding that "one really
useful
thing would be to somehow incorporate them into this..."
-----
WHY WE NEED HEAVEN
Lisa Miller, Newsweek, 8/12/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/789252.asp?0nw=n2d
The urge for heaven is universal; we need it the way we need love.
"It's
threatening to one's entire sense of self" to imagine the end of life,
says
Sherwin B. Nuland, author of "How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final
Chapter." "So essentially we have to convince ourselves that there is
an
afterlife. Even those of us who don't believe in one sneakingly wish
there
was one..."
If you were writing a travel brochure, hoping to entice a group of
poor,
hardscrabble desert people to spend their last dime, you would describe
your destination the way the Qur'an describes paradise. Sura 55 is a
song
devoted in part to the rewards of heaven. It refers to two kinds of
every
fruit, upholstered couches, palm trees and pomegranates, and "green,
green
pastures."
The Qur'an also says that the faithful will benefit from the attentions
of
houris, which many Western scholars translate as virgins, who have very
white skin and very dark eyes. (The exact number of houris available to
the
faithful is not specified; the number 72 or 70, popularized in recent
news
stories, may originally have come from early commentaries that most
scholars believe to be unreliable.)
As John O. Voll, associate director of the Center for Muslim-Christian
Understanding at Georgetown University, points out, the houris appear
mostly chronologically early in the book, when the first Muslims were
living in Mecca, being persecuted and exiled for their monotheism. "The
promise of rewards had to be stronger than in the days when the Muslims
were a cohesive, growing society," he says. Most contemporary
mainstream
Muslims stick to the Qur'anic notion of heaven's being a bountiful
garden
full of sensual pleasure and spiritual bliss beyond what mortals can
possibly imagine.
Moderate Muslim scholars vehemently dispute the fundamentalist view.
For
one thing, descriptions of heaven are metaphorical, human attempts to
describe the indescribable, these scholars say. For another, Muslim
teachings contain strict injunctions against suicide. And while Islamic
texts do promise heaven to soldiers who give their lives for Allah,
they
require those soldiers be engaged in what contemporary Westerners would
call a "just war." "There's a verse in the Qur'an that says, 'If you've
killed one innocent person it's as if you've killed all of humanity',"
says
Basit Koshul, a lecturer in comparative religion at Concordia College,
in
Moorhead, Minn. "To kill someone unjustly and then say to yourself that
you're going to go to heaven and won't have to submit to judgment, it's
very problematic..."
SEND COMMENTS TO: Letters@newsweek.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
WAMY CHIEF JOHANI DIES IN CAR CRASH
Javid Hassan, Arab News, 8/5/02
http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=17494
RIYADH, 5 August - Maneh ibn Hammad Al-Johani, secretary-general of the
World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) and a member of the Shoura
Council,
died yesterday in a road accident near the King Khaled International
Airport. He was 60.
Johani was on his way to the airport to take a flight to Jeddah for a
meeting with Prince Abdullah, the regent. He was admitted to KKIA's
Community Services Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Funeral prayers for Johani will be held at Al-Rajhi Mosque here today
after
Asr prayers.
SEE ALSO:
JOHANI - A GREAT SCHOLAR AND ARDENT PREACHER
http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=17497
-----
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Bill Banks or Bisi Coker, 404-243-5574
THE SMOKING GUN! OFFICIAL COURT DOCUMENTS PROVE MAJETTE LIED,
CONCEALED COURT RECORDS
http://www.cynthia2002.com/news/news_release08-05-2002.htm
(Monday, August 5, 2002) In a startling revelation, an official court
document proves Congressional candidate Denise Majette both concealed
court
records and lied about their concealment. The document, produced on
March
20, 1998 by DeKalb County Court reporter Sharon L. Jones, directly
contradicts Majette's public denial of concealing court records.
Judy Woodruff of CNN's Inside Politics reported on July 30, 2002 that
"Majette denies McKinney's allegations that she hid trial records to
cover
up mistakes that she made as a state court judge that deprived innocent
people of their rights."
In a handwritten note that was part of the official record, Jones
confirms
Majette's instruction to her that "there is no transcript in this
case,"
despite Jones' presence as the court reporter on January 20, 1998 (Case
#97070537) where she took down all the proceedings in court, including
Majette's.
"The facts couldn't be clearer," said Bill Banks, campaign manager of
the
McKinney for Congress campaign, "Majette concealed records and lied
about
their existence."
"By concealing court records and lying about it, Majette actively
sought to
deprive someone of justice by abusing her position of legal authority,"
Banks said.
Congresswoman McKinney said, "When Judge Majette takes away one
person's
rights, she's a threat to the rights of everyone in Georgia. One of
the
most important things I do in Congress is to serve as an advocate and
defender of the rights of people."
"In Congress I'll keep crooked CEO's and out-of-control judges from
abusing
their power and taking away our rights," McKinney said.
The Facts
Hamilton vs. Majette
CN: 98-4809-01
1998 Judge Majette refused to let her court reporter turn over court
transcripts to Defendant Hamilton, who was preparing an appeal to a
case
where she felt Majette ruled unfairly against her. In a hand written
note,
the court reporter said that she "was instructed by Judge Majette that
'there is no transcript in this case.'" (Hamilton vs. Majette) But
when
faced with a hearing aimed at forcing her to turn over the transcripts,
Majette turned them over the day before the hearing.
Available upon request are the official records, including the
handwritten
note from the court reporter.
-----
FL LECTURE ON THE FEMALE VICTIMS OF THE VIOLENCE IN GUJARAT
WHERE: Miniaci Performing Arts Center, Nova Southeastern University,
Davie,
Florida
WHEN: Sunday, August 18, 5 p.m.
SPEAKERS: Mrs. Shabnam Hashmi, Human Rights Activist, India
Dr. Cynthia Irvin, Dept. of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, NSU
Cosponsors of August 18, 2002 program: SASA (Social Action/Social
Awareness) at NSU, NSU Graduate School of Humanities and Social
Sciences,
NSU Department of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Miami-Dade County
Commission of Women, Commission of Women, City of Miami, CAIR (Council
of
American Islamic Relations), IMRC (Indian Muslim Relief Committee)
For more information please email at hammack@nova.edu or
aliasma@hotmail.com or call 954-821-2378.
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.)
Contact Sean Hannity to ask that he offer a more balanced portrayal of
Islam and Islamic beliefs.
CONTACT: hannity@foxnews.com, james.grisham@abc.com, colmes@foxnews.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRANKLIN GRAHAM SMEARS ISLAM AGAIN
Evangelist says Quran preaches violence, terrorism "mainstream" in
Islam
(WASHINGTON, D.C. - 8/6/02) - A prominent American Muslim civil rights
and
advocacy group is again calling on mainstream political and religious
leaders to speak out against the growing number of extremist right-wing
and
evangelical commentators who seek to demonize Islam and Muslims.
That call from the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic
Relations
(CAIR) came after another attack on Islam by Christian evangelist
Franklin
Graham. In two media appearances yesterday, Graham said terrorism is
part
of "mainstream" Islam and claimed the Quran, Islam's revealed text,
"preaches violence."
On Fox News cable network's "Hannity & Colmes" program, Graham, after
repeatedly refusing to deny that Islam is "evil," said: "I think it's
[terrorism] more mainstream. And it's not just a handful of extremists.
If
you buy the Koran, read it for yourself, and it's in there. The
violence
that it preaches is there."
Hannity responded by saying: "But this then raises a question. If this
is
not, reverend, the extremist fanatical interpretation of the Quran,
then we
do have a big problem." Graham replied: "Big problem."
Earlier in the day, Graham appeared on Hannity's nationally-syndicated
radio program where he made similar remarks and claimed that Muslim
leaders
have failed to condemn terrorism, despite the fact that all major
American
Muslim groups condemned the 9/11 attacks and other acts of terrorism.
When
a Muslim caller tried to offer a balancing view, Hannity cut his
microphone. When other callers openly stated that "Islam is evil,"
neither
Graham nor Hannity challenged those bigoted views.
"Mainstream political leaders and religious figures must speak out
against
the growing demonization of Islam by extremist right-wing commentators
and
by representatives of the evangelical Christian community. Defamatory
attacks on other faiths can only lead to a spiral of distrust and
intolerance that will divide our society along religious lines," said
CAIR
Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
Hooper quoted the Quran, which states: "Invite (all) to the way of thy
Lord
with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that
are
best and most gracious." (16:125)
In November of last year, CAIR requested a meeting with Graham to
discuss
his remarks that attacked Islam as an "evil and wicked religion."
Graham
did not reply to that request. Franklin Graham is the son of Billy
Graham,
an internationally-known minister who has counseled a number of world
leaders. The younger Graham offered the benediction at President Bush's
swearing-in ceremony.
In June, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) refused to
repudiate anti-Muslim statements made at the group's annual conference.
The American Muslim Political Coordination Council (AMPCC), made up of
the
nation's four most prominent Muslim political advocacy groups, is
calling
on all faith communities to participate in the national observance by
opening houses of worship on September 11, 2002, for interfaith visits,
prayers, congregational exchanges, and other activities intended to
foster
national unity and religious tolerance. The AMPCC consists of American
Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslim Council (AMC), Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and Muslim Public Affairs Council
(MPAC).
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
FOX NEWS: HANNITY & COLMES INTERVIEW WITH FRANKLIN GRAHAM, 8/5/02
COLMES: We now continue with Franklin Graham. You were talking about
tolerance, you know. And you were widely quoted as saying after
September
11 that Islam is a very evil and wicked religion on an NBC show. Do you
regret that? And do you feel that that could be interpreted as not
being
the most tolerant comment?
GRAHAM: Well, first of all, let me just put it this way. If a Roman
Catholic put on dynamite and walked into a mosque in Saudi Arabia, in
Medina or Mecca and said in the name of Jesus Christ and the church of
Rome, I now blow you all up, and then took his life and killed
everybody
around him, the pope would be on television within hours denouncing
this
man and saying he does not represent the church. He doesn't represent
Jesus
Christ. And they would be raising money, not for the family of this
man,
but they would be raising money for those Muslim victims that died.
There
has not been the condemnation of the clerics.
COLMES: You're right about that.
GRAHAM: Around the world.
COLMES: But the religion itself is not an evil religion?
GRAHAM: Well, there are -- there is no condemnation. Instead the Saudis
are
raising funds for not the victims that have been killed in Israel, but
for
the families...
COLMES: Right.
GRAHAM: ...of those that are blowing themselves up, that encourage more
bombings.
COLMES: But is the religion itself evil, in fact?
GRAHAM: Well, you tell me. I mean, just what you see. When people go up
and
blow themselves up, and the religious leaders of this religion say
nothing,
something's wrong here. And two plus two doesn't add up.
COLMES: But a lot of people would say that doesn't define the entire
religion. Those are extremists who are not definitive of the religion.
GRAHAM: But I'm asking, you know, why doesn't the Islamic world...
COLMES: Well, I agree with you. I think they...
GRAHAM: ...the Muslim world.
COLMES: ...should be outspoken about it.
GRAHAM: ...how come the clerics in Egypt and the clerics in Saudi
Arabia,
the great muftis that are over there, how come they don't stand --come
on
your program and say...
COLMES: They should.
GRAHAM: ...what they did is evil, wrong? And it's wicked?
COLMES: I agree with you there.
HANNITY: Well, wait a minute. I want to go a little further here,
because
Reverend, you're saying something that I've been saying since September
11.
The silence has been deafening.
GRAHAM: Yes.
HANNITY: Why is that? Is it that it is more mainstream than anybody --
we
always say.
GRAHAM: I think it is. I think it's more mainstream. And it's not just
a
handful of extremists. If you buy the Koran, read it for yourself, and
it's
in there. The violence that it preaches is there.
HANNITY: Jihad.
GRAHAM: Jihad.
HANNITY: Holy war. Take neither Christians nor Jews for your friends.
Now
I'll play devil's advocate. I've invited people on. And almost --
they'll
always say that is the misinterpretation.
GRAHAM: Well, first of all, remember, Islam in this country can -- is
not
permitted to be taught and carried out.
HANNITY: Yes.
GRAHAM: People are protected. Muslims in this country are protected...
HANNITY: Right.
GRAHAM: ...by the Constitution. They're not allowed to treat women in
this
country the way they do in other nations around the world, Islamic
nations.
So the Islam you see in this country isn't the same as you see it
around
the world. And so Muslims here don't quite have the same understanding
as
they do for those that are raised in places like Saudi Arabia, where a
woman cannot even have a passport unless her father or her husband
gives it
to her. She can't drive a car. She has to be veiled.
HANNITY: But this then raises a question. If this is not, reverend, the
extremist fanatical interpretation of the Koran, then we do have a big
problem...
GRAHAM: Big problem.
HANNITY: ...with one billion people on the face of this earth that buy
into
that.
GRAHAM: Well, no, I believe there are hundreds of millions that are
nominal
Muslims. They're not really practicing Muslims. Like a lot of people in
this country claim to be Christians when they're just nominal
Christians.
They may go to church once a year.
HANNITY: Mm-hmm.
GRAHAM: But I think it's the same in the Islamic world. There are many
who
don't really buy into this.
HANNITY: You deal with this in your book, the crucial differences
between
Islam and Christianity.
GRAHAM: I do.
HANNITY: But the point I was trying to make here then, is it a matter
that
we have to persuade or inform? Persuade people not to go with the
literal
interpretation or...
GRAHAM: No.
HANNITY: ...inform people that this could be a greater threat than
anyone
is willing to speak of?
GRAHAM: It is a greater threat than anyone's willing to speak. And
it's...
HANNITY: That's scary.
GRAHAM: It is scary.
HANNITY: You scare me.
COLMES: Reverend...
HANNITY: But those -- that literal interpretation scares me.
GRAHAM: Well, it is scary. But listen, my hope is an almighty God. And
he
sits on the throne of heaven.
HANNITY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
GRAHAM: And for ever person that puts their faith and trust in his son,
and
is willing to obey his laws and his decrees, I don't care what religion
is
coming up. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I believe in Jesus Christ.
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/6/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSE OF THE DAY: HONOR EACH OTHER
* FRANKLIN GRAHAM'S NEW BOOK DEFAMES ISLAM
* CAIR-LA ANNUAL FUNDRAISING BANQUET
* BRIEFING DEPICTED SAUDIS AS ENEMIES (Washington Post)
- PENTAGON DISAVOWS REPORT ON SAUDIS (AP)
* ARAB AMERICANS FEEL ANGRY, SCARED, BETRAYED (Reuters)
- U.S. LESS INVITING FOR ARAB STUDENTS (Christian Science Monitor)
* OP-ED: SHADOWS AND FOG: THE NEW AMERICAN WAY? (Sun-Sentinel)
* ARABIC, QURAN COURSES POPULAR AT METRO COLLEGES (Atlanta Journal)
* UNHOLY WAR: TERROR IN THE NAME OF ISLAM BY JOHN ESPOSITO
(Independent)
* TURKISH SECULARISTS SEE RED OVER ISLAMISTS' RISE (Los Angeles Times)
* U.S. MAY MOVE CONSULATE IN ISRAEL (AP)
- ISRAELI COURT UPHOLDS RIGHT TO DESTROY HOMES (New York Times)
- ISRAEL PLANS TO STRIP "TERRORISTS" OF CITIZENSHIP (Reuters)
- PALESTINIAN CHILDREN IN CRISIS (Washington Post)
* CULTURES OF CARE (Washington Post)
-----
VERSE OF THE DAY: HONOR EACH OTHER
"O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into
nations and tribes that you may know and honor each other (not that you
should despise one another). Indeed the most honorable of you in the
sight
of God is the most righteous."
The Holy Quran, Chapter 49, Verse 13
-----
FRANKLIN GRAHAM'S NEW BOOK DEFAMES ISLAM
Defamatory excerpts from Franklin Graham's new book "The Name"
http://www.thomasnelson.com/thomasnelson/product_detail.asp?sku=0785265228
Page 69 - "Islam - unlike Christianity - has among its basic teachings
a
deep intolerance for those who follow other faiths."
Page 71 - "Islam...was founded by a mere human being, a warrior by the
name
of Muhammad, in whose teachings we see the tactic of 'conversion by
conquest,' through violence if necessary. Clearly, it appears that the
ultimate objective of Islam is world domination."
Page 72 - "Included in the Koran (sic) are stories lifted and twisted
from
the Old and New Testaments...The Koran has not had the widespread
effect on
the Western and civilized cultures of the world that the Bible has had.
The
number one difference between Islam and Christianity is that the god of
Islam is not the God of the Christian faith...Islam often relies on
force,
intimidation, or conquering of entire nations to recruit converts."
-----
CAIR-LA ANNUAL FUNDRAISING BANQUET
WHAT: The Council on American-Islamic Relations - Southern California
cordially invites you to attend its Sixth Annual Fundraising Banquet
titled
"A United and Secure America: With Liberty and Justice for All"
WHEN: Saturday, October 19, 2002, Registration begins at 5:30 p.m.,
dinner
at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program.
WHERE: The Hyatt Regency Orange County (Near Disneyland Resort), 11999
Harbor Boulevard Garden Grove, CA
SPEAKERS: IMAM SIRAJ WAHAJ as Keynote Speaker
OMAR AHMAD (Chairman of CAIR-National)
REV. JAMES LAWSON (National Chair of the Fellowship of Reconciliation
and
former associate of late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.)
TICKETS: $40 per person ($70 at the door, if available), $400 (for
table of 10)
Free Babysitting Available!
Spaces are limited, R.S.V.P. by Oct. 11, 2002.
For information, call 714-776-1847.
-----
BRIEFING DEPICTED SAUDIS AS ENEMIES
Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post, 8/6/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47913-2002Aug5.html
A briefing given last month to a top Pentagon advisory board described
Saudi Arabia as an enemy of the United States, and recommended that
U.S.
officials give it an ultimatum to stop backing terrorism or face
seizure of
its oil fields and its financial assets invested in the United
States...
The briefing did not represent the views of the board or official
government policy, and in fact runs counter to the present stance of
the
U.S. government that Saudi Arabia is a major ally in the region. Yet it
also represents a point of view that has growing currency within the
Bush
administration -- especially on the staff of Vice President Cheney and
in
the Pentagon's civilian leadership -- and among neoconservative writers
and
thinkers closely allied with administration policymakers...
SEE ALSO:
PENTAGON DISAVOWS REPORT ON SAUDIS
Pauline Jelinek, Associated Press, 8/6/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon distanced itself Tuesday from a defense
think tank recommendation that the United States target Saudi oil
fields
and financial assets if the Arab nation doesn't do more to fight
terrorism.
The suggestion was made in a briefing to the Defense Policy Board, a
group
of intellectuals and former senior officials that advises the Pentagon.
The
government-funded briefing was produced by Laurent Murawiec, a Rand
Corp.
analyst and former adviser to the French Defense Ministry.
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld said disclosure of details of
the
classified briefing was harmful because it incorrectly created the
impression that the briefing represented the government's view on Saudi
Arabia.
"Saudi Arabia is like any other country - it has a broad spectrum of
activities and things, some of which...we agree with and some that we
may
not," Rumsfeld said at a Town Hall meeting with Pentagon employees...
-----
ARAB AMERICANS FEEL ANGRY, SCARED, BETRAYED
Alan Elsner, Reuters, 8/6/02
TOLEDO, Ohio - Arab Americans have lived in this Midwestern city for
almost
a century, providing mayors, police chiefs and civic leaders. But since
Sept. 11, they feel anxious, isolated, hurt, discriminated against and
angry.
"The mood of this country makes me feel as if I could be a potential
hazard
to a country I love and have helped build and would protect," said
Abdul
Hammuda, who left his birthplace in Libya in 1973 at age 16 to make his
life in the United States.
On the surface, the 10,000-strong Arab American and Muslim community in
Toledo on the western tip of Lake Erie is well entrenched and well
organized, politically and socially. It boasts six mosques, two day
schools
and good relations with local churches and civic organizations.
Yet the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon last Sept.
11
sent a shock wave through the community that has grown over time as law
enforcement agencies have expanded their powers to monitor, arrest and
detain terror suspects...
"They can break into my house and search it, they can put me under
surveillance and bug me without my knowledge. I cannot have a
conversation
with a lawyer any more and be sure it is private. I sometimes ask
myself if
I am living back in the old country," said Hammuda, who owns an Arab
delicatessen and helped found one of the city's two largest mosques...
SEE ALSO:
U.S. LESS INVITING FOR ARAB STUDENTS
Philip Smucker, Christian Science Monitor, 8/6/02
http://www.christiansciencemonitor.com/2002/0806/p06s01-wome.html
Even as increasing numbers of American students are applying to study
in
Egypt, reports of harassment and undue security checks are frightening
some
Arab students away from their dream of studying in the United States.
"Some of my friends in the States say they have been treated poorly
since
September," says Mr. Nabil. "I also read in the newspaper that over 20
Egyptians in their 20s are still being held in US detention centers. I
think I will wait a couple of years for things to cool down before
reapplying."
The trend has officials on both sides of the Atlantic worried about
study
abroad programs that are deemed crucial to forging Arab world ties as
the
US government expands its "war on terror" and the crisis in the Middle
East
deepens. Officials at the US Embassy in Cairo say they are doing
everything
they can to support the embattled programs...
-----
OP-ED: SHADOWS AND FOG: THE NEW AMERICAN WAY?
Michael Mayo, Sun-Sentinel, 8/6/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-mayo06aug06.column
Indefinite detentions based on secret evidence and closed trials are
supposed to be the stuff of Stalin's Soviet Union or Castro's Cuba, not
the
United States of America. Right?
But, in the post-Sept. 11 world, it's happening here.
And if you're not disturbed by the case of Adham Hassoun, you haven't
been
paying attention. It's an affront to every American and all that we're
supposed to stand for. Hassoun, a Palestinian born in Lebanon, may not
be a
citizen, but his three children are. He has lived in South Florida
since
1989. He has paid his taxes and his parking tickets. Whatever the
government is accusing him of, he at least deserves a public airing of
the
case against him.
Instead, he finds himself in a Kafkaesque nightmare.
The government has held Hassoun, a Sunrise computer programmer, since
June
12. Last week, Immigration Judge Neale Foster denied bail at a closed
hearing, ruling he might be a security threat.
I'm not going to get into the issue of Hassoun's guilt or innocence.
How
could I? We don't even know the charges against him, never mind the
evidence. Hassoun and his lawyer have seen the charges, but they're not
allowed to discuss them. Hassoun and his lawyer describe the
government's
evidence as scant to non-existent.
We're supposed to simply trust the government on this? Sorry, but I
trust
John Ashcroft about as much as a WorldCom earnings statement...
-----
ARABIC, QURAN COURSES POPULAR AT METRO COLLEGES
Kelly Simmons, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 8/6/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/0802/06arabic.html
Arabic and the teachings of the Quran are among the hottest offerings
on
college campuses this year.
A beginning Arabic-language course at the University of Georgia is
filled
for the fall semester, for the first time since the school began
offering
the language in 1991. Twice as many students have enrolled in Arabic at
Emory University as last year. Georgia State University has seen a 50
percent increase in religious studies enrollment for the fall, with
many
students opting specifically for courses that feature Islam, Judaism or
Hinduism...
At Emory, 23 upperclassmen are registered for Arabic 101, more than
twice
as many students as took the class last fall. The school expects the
class
size to grow even more once freshmen register in August. Fall courses
such
as Islamic Political Thought, Consequences of War, and Might and Right:
Political Theory and International Relations all are already
overenrolled
--- before freshman registration.
Georgia State instructor Kenneth Smith said his Introduction to
Religion
and Philosophy of Religion classes focus more on Middle Eastern
religions
than they did in the fall. During Wednesday's 2 1/2-hour class,
students
listened intently as Smith outlined the teachings of the Quran,
specifically its directives on war. The media has distorted Americans'
perception of Muslims, portraying them all as religious fanatics, he
told
the class...
-----
UNHOLY WAR: TERROR IN THE NAME OF ISLAM BY JOHN ESPOSITO
Karen Armstrong, Independent (UK), 8/6/02
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/books/reviews/story.jsp?story=321984
Like it or not, we now inhabit one world: what happens in Afghanistan
or
the West Bank today is likely to have repercussions in New York or
London
tomorrow. So if, like the Bush administration, we try to isolate
ourselves,
the world will come to us - in terrifying ways. Our old ways of
thinking no
longer suffice. In Unholy War, John Esposito, an American scholar of
Islam,
has entered fully into the experience of Muslims themselves. This is a
masterly and indispensable guide to the bewildering array of militant
groups that have erupted throughout the Muslim world. It should be
required
reading, because we can no longer afford to be ignorant of the causes
of
Muslim rage. A lucid and balanced account, it covers a huge canvas with
elegance and economy.
There is no attempt to excuse terror; instead, Esposito argues that
both
Westerners and Muslims have been profoundly challenged by the events of
the
past year. He gives an admirably concise account of the role of jihad,
showing that Bin Laden has completely ignored the constraints imposed
by
Islamic law on the waging of a just war. Civilians must not be
targeted,
retribution must be proportionate, and only a head of state may declare
that war. Al-Qa'ida recognises no limits but its own...
Most crucially, Esposito shows that Bin Laden is not a representative
figure. He discusses the work of Muslim politicians and intellectuals,
who
get no coverage in the West but who are creatively attempting to
formulate
solutions that would enable Muslims to enter the modern world on their
own
terms without abandoning their traditions...
The primary meaning of jihad is not "holy war", but "struggle, effort".
Esposito concludes that we all have a jihad on our hands. Muslims must
follow the example of their enlightened thinkers, reform their
dislocated
societies and deal more aggressively with extremism. The Western powers
must restrain their oil-greed, withdraw support from authoritarian
regimes
and make sure that their foreign policy is truly in line with their
democratic ideals.
-----
TURKISH SECULARISTS SEE RED OVER ISLAMISTS' RISE
David Holley, Los Angeles Times, 8/6/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-turkey6aug06.story
Ayse Calmuk knows that some Turks view her head scarf as a red flag
flaunting support for an Islamic political agenda. But she says wearing
it
is simply a religious duty.
"This is God's command," said the 31-year-old homemaker, who on a hot
summer evening was bundled up in a black silk scarf, black jacket and
loose
cotton trousers. "My head scarf is not a political symbol. It has
nothing
to do with politics."
Feride Acar, a professor at Middle East Technical University here in
the
Turkish capital, doesn't buy that argument. And as Turkey heads toward
elections in November that could bring a party with deep Islamic roots
to
power, clashing views over head scarves reflect a potentially dangerous
split in society. "In this country, sociologically speaking, the head
covering is a symbol of violation of women's human rights. This is how
many
people understand it," Acar said...
Calmuk ridicules that notion.
"I don't believe any of these issues--polygamy or unequal inheritance
rights--are issues anymore in the modern world," she said. "People like
me
don't believe in them. It's wrong to associate them with Islam."
Still, the government's fear of the head scarf is great enough that
students and public employees are banned from wearing it at schools and
on
the job. The ban, itself often criticized as a violation of women's
rights,
is just one small piece of a system enforced by the Turkish army that
supporters say is designed to ensure that religious leaders can never
take
political power...
Many analysts and politicians doubt that the army would allow the
Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party to take power if it won
elections set for Nov. 3. The party is led by the charismatic former
mayor
of Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Polls show the party with 20% to 30%
popular support, at least double that for its closest rivals...
-----
U.S. MAY MOVE CONSULATE IN ISRAEL
Laurie Copans, Associated Press, 8/6/02
JERUSALEM (AP) - The United States is considering moving consular
offices
from traditionally Arab east Jerusalem because of security concerns,
U.S.
officials said Tuesday.
The Israeli daily Haaretz said a decision to relocate the U.S.
consulate to
a Jewish neighborhood has already been made. Such a move would be
politically charged. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as a future
capital, and Palestinian officials said moving the consulate would mean
the
United States is siding with Israel's claim to all of the city...
The east Jerusalem consulate near the walled Old City does not meet
security criteria since it is not set back from the road, said Jessica
Davies, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Consulate. Certain properties for a
new
site in the city have been considered but nothing has been finalized,
Davies said.
Palestinian legislator Ziad Abu Zayyad said a move to west Jerusalem
will
mean that the Bush administration ``expands (Israel's) mandate over
east
Jerusalem...''
SEE ALSO:
ISRAELI COURT UPHOLDS RIGHT TO DESTROY HOMES WITHOUT WARNING
JAMES BENNET with TERENCE NEILAN, New York Times, 8/6/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/06/international/06CND-MIDE.html
JERUSALEM, Aug. 6 - The Israeli Supreme Court today upheld the
military's
right to demolish the homes of Palestinian terror suspects without
warning,
in the face of an assertion by a Palestinian official that the practice
would only "widen the cycle of violence."
In new military action today, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian
militants on the West Bank, including one suspected of plotting a
suicide
bombing last month. The Supreme Court rejected a petition by 35
Palestinian
families whose homes are scheduled for demolition that they be given 48
hours' notice, allowing them time to try to stop the actions with a
court
order.
In recent days, reviving a practice abandoned several years ago,
Israeli
troops demolished nine homes on the West Bank, and Israel is preparing
to
banish the relatives of suicide attackers from the West Bank to the
Gaza
Strip...
ISRAEL PLANS TO STRIP "TERRORISTS" OF CITIZENSHIP
Michele Gershberg, Reuters, 8/6/02
JERUSALEM, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Israel said on Tuesday it planned to take
the
unprecedented step of revoking the citizenship of Israeli Arabs
connected
to "terrorist groups..."
Interior Minister Eli Yishai proposed implementing for the first time a
long-standing law allowing him to annul citizenship and residency
rights,
saying he was considering using it against three Arabs.
The Interior Ministry said two held Israeli citizenship and one was a
permanent resident of Israel. Two of the men are in an Israeli jail and
the
third lives in Lebanon...
Israeli Arabs comprise roughly one-fifth of the Jewish state's
population
of six million, but many complain of entrenched discrimination by the
country's institutions.
PALESTINIAN CHILDREN IN CRISIS
Molly Moore and John Ward Anderson, Washington Post, 8/6/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47604-2002Aug5.html
JERUSALEM, Aug. 5 -- Reports released today by the U.S. Agency for
International Development and CARE International found that
malnutrition
among Palestinian children under 5 in the Gaza Strip and West Bank has
reached emergency levels and ranks among the highest in the world as a
result of security measures imposed by the Israeli military.
The surveys also found that more than half of the Palestinians in the
two
occupied territories have been forced to decrease food consumption in
recent weeks because of a lack of money and military curfews that have
kept
families confined to their homes for days at a time and restricted
commerce
and the transport of food supplies.
"We're seeing malnutrition rates that are unacceptably high," said
Gregg
Greenough of Johns Hopkins University schools of medicine and public
health
in Baltimore, one of the participants in the research...
-----
CULTURES OF CARE
Sarah Park, Washington Post, 8/6/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47560-2002Aug5.html
Around the corner from the African American church -- near the "highway
to
heaven," a stretch of New Hampshire Avenue lined with worship sites --
members of the Muslim Community Center are finalizing plans to open a
free
clinic within their bronze-domed mosque complex.
Waheed Khan remembers struggling to find temporary health insurance for
his
elderly in-laws when they came to visit for three months a few years
ago.
The former director of infectious disease research at Children's
Hospital
asked one of his doctor friends to see his relatives. But Khan and
others
wanted to find a way for other Muslim immigrants to access health care.
The characteristics of the Muslim community in the Washington area are
changing. Now Muslims from 10 to 20 countries attend prayers at the
mosque,
according to Khan.
"Lately, it's so cosmopolitan -- some are very successful, and some are
not...and beg for money on Fridays [during prayers]," Khan said.
The Muslim clinic has been in the works for at least five years, Khan
said.
Of approximately 5,000 members of the Muslim Community Center, 150 or
so
are physicians, according to Khan. Over the years, donated equipment
and
exam tables have been stored in the basement of the complex. The clinic
has
not yet applied for financial support from the county and instead has
relied on private donations...
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
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E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
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-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/7/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: THE VIRTUE OF BENEVOLENCE
* U.S. DEFIES JUDGE ON ENEMY COMBATANT (Washington Post)
- EDITORIAL: MORE CIVICS LESSONS FOR JUSTICE (Washington Post)
- EDITORIAL: ENDING SECRET DETENTIONS (New York Times)
- EDITORIAL: SECRECY VS. THE REPUBLIC (Los Angeles Times)
* PROFILING CAN BE COSTLY TO SOCIETY, PEOPLE (Sunday Patriot-News)
* MUSLIMS HOPE MISTRUST WON'T BE SEPT. 11 LEGACY (Ventura County Star)
* AMERICAN MUSLIM SAYS HE WAS ILLEGALLY DETAINED IN LAS VEGAS (AP)
* TEENS SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS IN SPARKS MOSQUE BEATINGS (AP)
* A TIMELY SUBJECT -- AND A SORE ONE (Washington Post)
* NEOCONS GO FOR THE GOLD (Antiwar.com)
* SHARON, (JEB) BUSH TO SHARE STAGE (Miami Herald)
* PROJECTS TO REBUILD AFGHAN ROADS GOING NOWHERE (Washington Post)
* ACTIVISTS CALL FOR COMMUNITY HEALING (NBC 5)
* MUSLIM WOMAN RECEIVES NOMINATION FOR MISSOURI STATE REPRESENTATIVE
* BUSH ADMINISTRATION ROUTES TIPS CALLS TO "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED"
(ACLU)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: THE VIRTUE OF BENEVOLENCE
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "May God have mercy on a
person who is easy and courteous when he sells, buys or asks for
payment."
Riyadh-Us-Salaheen, Chapter 240, Hadith 1368
-----
U.S. DEFIES JUDGE ON ENEMY COMBATANT
Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 8/7/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50845-2002Aug6.html
The Justice Department yesterday defied a federal judge's order to
provide
him with documents that would have supported the government's
classification of a man captured in Afghanistan and being held in a
Navy
brig in Norfolk as an "enemy combatant."
Government lawyers allowed a noon deadline to pass without handing the
materials over, saying that the separation of powers clause of the
Constitution gives the executive branch the authority to make that
determination...
The argument frames the sensitive question of what rights, if any, are
available to military prisoners, particularly an American-born one such
as
Yaser Esam Hamdi, as the United States continues its war on terrorism.
The
Justice Department has said that the judicial branch has little right
to
intervene in the conduct of the war, but yesterday's action was the
first
time the government has not agreed to a judge's request.
The government's action sets the stage for a constitutional
confrontation
tomorrow with U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar in Norfolk. Doumar
has
twice ordered the government to allow a lawyer to visit Hamdi, and
twice
the government successfully obtained stays of Doumar's order...
Stephen Dycus, a national security law expert at the University of
Vermont,
said he could not think of any other time the government ignored a
court's
order. "I don't think the Justice Department has the power to simply
defy
the court," he said."...I don't remember anything in the 4th Circuit's
order that would limit the District Court's ability to look into the
national security necessity for keeping this guy..."
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: MORE CIVICS LESSONS FOR JUSTICE
Washington Post, 8/7/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52739-2002Aug6.html
THE DECISION last week by U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ordering
the
Justice Department to release information about the approximately 1,200
people detained during the Sept. 11 investigation is a welcome rebuke
to
the obnoxious secrecy with which the federal government has surrounded
the
probe. The government has disclosed the number of immigration detainees
--
almost all of whom have now been deported or released -- as well as the
fact that it has arrested people on material witness warrants and
criminal
charges.
But it has not released either the names of the detainees or the number
of
those held as material witnesses. A coalition of civil liberties and
other
groups sued under the Freedom of Information Act, and Judge Kessler on
Friday rightly rejected the notion that the government can round up
large
numbers of people and not bother to say who they are...
People in this country don't just disappear -- not even people
suspected of
knowing something about terrorism or people who have overstayed their
visas...
EDITORIAL: ENDING SECRET DETENTIONS
New York Times, 8/6/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/06/opinion/06TUE1.html
One of the most disturbing elements of the Bush administration's
post-Sept.-11 policies has been its detention of hundreds of people
whose
identities have not been revealed. Judge Gladys Kessler of Federal
District
Court in Washington was right to declare last week that such secret
arrests
are "odious to a democratic society," and to order the government to
release the names of those it has detained since the terrorist
attacks...
There are two main flaws in the government's position. First, many of
the
detainees probably have no connection to terrorism. The government
would
like the public to think of the detainees as a group as linked to
terrorism, but the documents filed in court do not make the case...
Second, the government's assertions that terrorist groups could exploit
the
release of the names are specious...
EDITORIAL: SECRECY VS. THE REPUBLIC
Los Angeles Times, 8/6/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-ed-prisoner6aug06.story
A federal judge in Washington had no hesitation last week in ordering
the
Justice Department to reveal the names of almost 1,200 people it jailed
after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "Secret arrests are 'a concept
odious
to a democratic society,' and profoundly antithetical to the bedrock
values
that characterize a free and open one such as ours," said U.S. District
Judge Gladys Kessler, quoting an earlier ruling in her own decision...
But even if the U.S. had nabbed Bin Laden himself, the ends don't
justify
the means. Americans depend on the transparency of their legal and
political institutions to protect what Kessler called America's "core
values of openness, government accountability and the rule of law." For
that reason, "the public's interest in learning the identity of those
arrested and detained is essential to verifying whether the government
is
operating within the bounds of law."
But the post-Sept. 11 emergency does not justify long-term changes that
would snuff out the light and openness that distinguish our democracy
from
the tyrannies that would destroy it.
PROFILING CAN BE COSTLY TO SOCIETY, PEOPLE
John W. Eby, Sunday Patriot-News Harrisburg, 8/4/02
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/1028367326223290.xml
With very few exceptions, every person named in current and past
business
scandals is a middle-aged white male. Practically no business scandals
are
perpetrated by women, people of color or young people. White,
middle-aged
males are the key villains at Tyco, Adelphia, Rite Aid, WorldCom,
Enron,
InCom, Arthur Anderson, Global Crossing and Xerox...
Given these facts, it is prudent to profile middle-aged white males. Do
not
do business with them. Certainly do not trust them to manage financial
assets or run large powerful companies. When one comes close, hold on
to
your purse. Only a fool would choose a white, middle-aged male to
manage
their investments or as their accountant or stockbroker, or for that
matter, their lawyer, priest or politician.
Ridiculous? Of course! But no more so than the profiling many of us
accept
without question; profiling that chooses particular racial, ethnic or
religious groups for particular scrutiny by police or profiling that
discriminates against people from particular countries or religions
simply
because a few of them are terrorists. This profiling is advocated by
some
government officials. Surveys show that many Americans are prepared to
restrict the civil liberties of certain groups because of their
profile...
-----
MUSLIMS HOPE MISTRUST WON'T BE SEPT. 11 LEGACY
Tom Kisken, Ventura County Star, 8/4/02
http://www.insidevc.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_1305847,00.html
As American Muslims worried about being blamed for the murder of more
than
3,000 people in a backlash to the bloodiest terrorism in U.S. history,
something different seemed to come from the rubble and hate of Sept.
11.
Christians, Jews and people who don't affiliate with a specific faith
bought Qurans and other books about Islam. They visited mosques for the
first time in their lives, sitting in their stocking feet as Muslims
knelt
toward Mecca and prostrated themselves before God.
Many of them came away saying that while hijacked jets and suicide
bombings
could be attributed to hate and vengeance, the horrors could not be
blamed
on the Quran, the prophet Muhammad and religion.
"I don't think (Islam) tells people to go out and suicide-bomb others,"
said Nathan Lytle, a Mormon from Thousand Oaks whose lack of knowledge
motivated him to read Islamic scriptures. "I was really angry at the
people
who did it, but it didn't make me angry about all of Islam." The
wellspring
of understanding is being challenged by conservative Christian pastors,
evangelical lecturers and others who, nine months after Sept. 11,
continue
to link the terrorism as closely to Islam as they do peace and love to
the
New Testament...
As they greet such indictments with denials and agitated frustration,
some
Muslims worry blame and a societal wariness of all things Islam are
outlasting understanding and religious acceptance as a legacy of Sept.
11...
-----
AMERICAN MUSLIM SAYS HE WAS ILLEGALLY DETAINED IN LAS VEGAS
Mark Sherman, Associated Press, 8/6/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - An official of an American Muslim group said Tuesday
that
he was illegally detained at the Las Vegas airport because of his name
and
heritage.
Muhammad Ali Khan, treasurer of the American Muslim Council, said the
incident occurred July 29 at McCarran International Airport while he
was
attempting to board a Northwest Airlines flight to Minneapolis.
Khan, a U.S. citizen, said he was prevented from boarding the plane and
detained for an hour and 45 minutes by Northwest employees, Las Vegas
police and two agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He took
a
later flight on a different airline...
The 37-year-old investment banker said the Las Vegas incident was the
third
time he had been stopped by police since the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks.
Arab-Americans and Muslims say they have been unfairly treated by
airlines
since Sept. 11. Lawsuits have been filed against three airlines for
asking
passengers to leave planes because others on the flight have expressed
fear
of flying with them...
-----
(NOTE: CAIR helped the local Muslim community coordinate their response
to
this attack.)
TEENS SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS IN SPARKS MOSQUE BEATINGS
Associated Press, 8/7/02
RENO, Nev. - Two teen-agers have been sentenced to up to 40 years in
prison
for the baseball bat beatings of two Muslim men outside a Sparks
mosque.
David Nolette and Scott Cannady must serve at least 14 years under the
sentenced handed down Tuesday by Washoe District Judge James Hardesty
for
last year's beating of Dr. El Tag Mirghani and Mohammed Sanad.
The youths were also ordered to pay $563,000 in restitution to Mirghani
and
$850 to Sanad. Mirghani suffered serious brain injuries and was forced
to
give up his medical practice. Sanad suffered a broken arm.
The March 16, 2001 beating and robbery occurred as Mirghani and Sanad
left
an evening prayer service at the Northern Nevada Muslim Community
Center in
Sparks.
According to trial testimony, the youths were looking for money to buy
drugs...
-----
A TIMELY SUBJECT -- AND A SORE ONE
Alan Cooperman, Washington Post, 8/7/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52484-2002Aug6.html
No one complained two years ago when the University of North Carolina
required its incoming freshmen to read a book about the lingering
effects
of the Civil War, nor last year when it assigned a book about a Hmong
immigrant's struggle with epilepsy and American medicine.
But this year, the university in Chapel Hill is asking all 3,500
incoming
freshmen to read a book about Islam and finds itself besieged in
federal
court and across the airwaves by Christian evangelists and other
conservatives.
The university chose "Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations" by
Michael A. Sells, a professor of comparative religion at Haverford
College,
because of intense interest in Islam since the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks,
said UNC Chancellor James Moeser...
President Bush and other U.S. leaders across the political spectrum
have
repeatedly said that the war on terrorism is not a war on Islam or the
world's 1.2 billion Muslims. Academic experts are usually careful to
distinguish among widely divergent strains of Islam, including a few
that
condone violence and many that don't.
But some evangelical Christian leaders -- including the Rev. Franklin
Graham, who gave the invocation at Bush's inauguration -- have
denounced
Islam since Sept. 11 as an "evil" religion. Despite the furor those
remarks
have caused, Graham repeated in radio and television appearances this
week
that the Koran preaches violence and that terrorism is supported by
"mainstream" Muslims around the world...
-----
NEOCONS GO FOR THE GOLD
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com, 8/7/02
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html
This new turn in US policy, away from a "war on terrorism" and toward a
war
against the entire Arab world, benefits one and only one country in the
region, and that is Israel. The Bush administration has been slowly
moving
in this direction, but now the War Party is demanding a pick-up in the
pace. As Israel gets ready to ethnically cleanse the occupied
territories,
and drive the Palestinians into Jordan, Sharon requires a pretext, or
enough of a diversion so that the world can avert its eyes. After all,
what
will the conquest of the West Bank by the IDF seem like against the
backdrop of a US seizure of Iraq, the Saudi peninsula, and no doubt a
few
hunks of Iran?
-----
SHARON, (JEB) BUSH TO SHARE STAGE
Peter Wallsten, Miami Herald, 8/7/02
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/3812127.htm
TALLAHASSEE - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is planning to
headline a
rally in Miami next month to boost U.S. public support for his
embattled
country. But, with his visit coming just two months before Election Day
in
Florida and possibly within a day of the Democratic primary for
governor,
Sharon is also stepping into the middle of one of the United States'
most
important political campaigns...
For the governor, who frequently reminds voters of his family ties and
his
support for his brother's war on terrorism, appearing with Sharon will
further nurture his relationship with the state's traditionally
Democratic-leaning Jewish voters. And it could boost his standing with
moderate and conservative Christians who are sympathetic with Israel...
-----
PROJECTS TO REBUILD AFGHAN ROADS GOING NOWHERE, DESPITE PROMISES
Susan B. Glasser, Washington Post, 8/7/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52452-2002Aug6.html
KABUL, Afghanistan - For months, the Asian Development Bank had
promised
that it would take on one of the biggest headaches in postwar
Afghanistan:
the cratered, agonizingly slow highway connecting Kabul with Kandahar.
The
project to rehabilitate the major artery between the country's two
largest
cities was estimated to cost $ 150 million, the largest single
investment
in Afghanistan's infrastructure since the collapse of Taliban rule last
November.
Instead, the deal fell apart.
In meetings last month, the bank demanded that the Afghan government
accept
loans to finance the project. Frustrated with international donors that
have promised to help rebuild the country, only to impose conditions
the
fledgling government cannot meet, the Afghans said no. "They're pulling
out," said a top aide to President Hamid Karzai. "Their excuse is that
we
won't accept loans, but in reality it is too big a project for them."
Seemingly everywhere in Kabul these days, there are bustling U.N.
offices
and international aid groups flush with funds giving the impression
that
the rebuilding has begun. But Afghan officials say those appearances
are
deceiving. Although various nations pledged at a January conference in
Tokyo $ 4.5 billion in aid over five years, most of that money has not
been
received. The funds that have arrived have gone largely for such
short-term
humanitarian programs as assisting refugees and feeding
drought-stricken
villages...
-----
ACTIVISTS CALL FOR COMMUNITY HEALING
NBC-5 News, 8/7/02
http://www.nbc5.com/News/1596958/detail.html
CHICAGO -- A week after mob violence on the city's South Side turned
the
media spotlight on Chicago, the Oakland community around the scene of
the
incident is struggling to heal itself and, to that end, has established
a
peace garden. NBC5's Kim Vatis reported on a freshly planted tree near
the
site of a van crash which killed a 26-year-old woman, injured two
others,
and led to a violent attack which killed the van's driver and
passenger.
"It is one small gesture," Vatis said, "but activists are hoping it
will
have a big impact ... for a community that is in much turmoil."
The "Peace Garden" is part of a series of vigils and marches in the
area in
an effort to stop the violence. It is meant to be a tribute to the
three
people who died as a result of the van accident and deadly mob beating
that
took place near 40th St. and South Lake Park Ave. on July 30.
Community leaders have planted a tree and some flowers in memory of
Shana
Lawrence, Jack Moore and Anthony Stuckey. "Our goal is to have a
lasting
tribute and a memorial for those who lost their lives," said Najee Ali
of
Project Islamic Hope...
"The mayor has not come down here. More importantly, no one from his
office
has come down here to help and console this community," Ali told
reporters
Tuesday morning. "Where are the psychologists and the sociologists to
come
down here and talk to these children?..."
-----
MUSLIM WOMAN RECEIVES NOMINATION FOR MISSOURI STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Unofficial election results:
http://www.sos.state.mo.us/enrweb/raceresults.asp?eid=78&oid=22722&arc=
-----
IN SURREAL DEVELOPMENT, BUSH ADMINISTRATION ROUTES TIPS CALLS TO TV
SHOW
"AMERICA'S MOST WANTED"
ACLU Press Release, 8/6/02
http://www.aclu.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
WASHINGTON - In a development bordering on what the American Civil
Liberties Union called "surreal," the on-line magazine Salon.com today
revealed that the Department of Justice is forwarding incoming
Operation
TIPS calls to the Fox-owned "America's Most Wanted" television
series...
The author of the Salon article, David Lindorff, reportedly signed up
for
TIPS more than a month ago, heard nothing and followed up last week
with a
phone call to the Department of Justice, the agency responsible for
overseeing the proposed program. The department gave Lindorff another
phone
number, which it said had been set up by the FBI. When he dialed that
number, Lindorff was greeted by a receptionist for "America's Most
Wanted,"
which features reenactments of unsolved crimes and then asks the public
to
phone in leads and tips.
Shocked that the number did not connect to the FBI, Lindorff was told,
"We've been asked to take the FBI's TIPS calls for them." The ACLU
today
said that, not only does the Operation TIPS program on its own pose
serious
threats to the American ideal that neighbors not be expected to inform
on
neighbors, but the program, when coupled with the power and profit
incentives of television, could enhance its resemblance to Big Brother
through sensationalism and the thirst for advertising revenue...
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR ACTION ALERT 343
TEXAS MOTHER MAY LOSE CHILD AFTER ACCEPTING ISLAM
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/8/02) - CAIR today said a custody dispute in Texas
is
being fueled by anti-Muslim bias. A Muslim mother in that state is
being
threatened with losing her nine-year-old son after she accepted Islam
and
married a native of Morocco. CAIR is urging Muslims and other people of
conscience to help support the woman's legal defense.
The boy's father, who admits the mother left him because of his
drinking,
says he is seeking physical custody so that his son can "have a normal
life" and an "all-American home." In the "Home Study Report for
Custody"
filed with the court, a social worker states: "[The mother's]
conversion to
Islam and her subsequent arranged marriage to a foreigner are very
basic
issues in this case, and are certainly unusual from the point of view
of
prevalent American culture."
A hearing on the case is scheduled for August 13. At that hearing, the
father's attorney will call a Christian minister and an anthropologist
to
offer their views on Islam and Muslim culture.
The report also states: "[The Mother's] decision to become a Muslim
shocked
and surprised her family and those who know her...Although this [her
arranged marriage] is customary in the Islamic community, it is well
out of
the American mainstream."
Transcripts of the mother's deposition indicate that Islam, and
anti-Muslim
bias, are central to the custody dispute. In that deposition, the
mother
was questioned about her views on the 9/11 attacks (she condemned
them),
her Islamic attire and the possibility of financial assistance from the
Muslim community for legal expenses.
The entire dispute began when the woman's mother, who refuses to speak
to
her daughter since her conversion to Islam, approached the boy's father
three days after the 9/11 attacks and asked him to seek custody.
"A mother should not be threatened with losing her child merely because
she
accepts Islam and tries to build a stable home by marrying a Muslim
man.
There is nothing 'un-American' about an Islamic home and assertions to
the
contrary are based on stereotyping and prejudice," said CAIR Civil
Rights
Manager Joshua Salaam. Salaam added that his group is dealing with
other
custody cases in which the parent's faith is a central issue.
In July, a South Dakota judge returned a five-year-old child to his
Muslim
mother. That child was taken away after his mother accepted Islam,
married
an Egyptian man and planned to travel to Egypt. The woman's father said
she
"has engaged in some bizarre behavior, including wearing Muslim garb
and
declaring herself a Muslim." After being contacted by the mother, CAIR
urged concerned Muslims to send donations to help with legal expenses.
The
case received widespread coverage in this country and overseas.
Donations in a recent Florida custody case allowed 11 Muslim children
to be
returned to their parents.
ACTION REQUESTED:
Please do what you can to support this Muslim mother as she tries to
retain
custody of her son. Her attorney, Brenda Rhea, has set up a fund to
receive
donations.
SEND TO:
Make checks payable to: "Brenda Rhea, Attorney at Law, Trust Account"
Indicate in the memo section: Trust Account for Respondent's Legal
Fees,
Cause #94-1089-FC1
ADDRESS:
St. Charles Professional Building
8 Chisholm Trail
Round Rock, TX 78681
ATTORNEY'S E-MAIL: fitzrhea@earthlink.net
PLEASE NOTIFY CAIR OF ANY DONATIONS BY E-MAILING: cair@cair-net.org
- PLEASE POST, COPY AND DISTRIBUTE -
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NORTH CAROLINA OFFICIAL SAYS ISLAM IS "EVIL"
Islamic advocacy group demands apology, action from president
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/8/02) - A national Islamic civil rights and
advocacy
group today demanded an apology from an elected official in North
Carolina
who said university students in that state should not be required to
read a
book about the Quran, Islam's revealed text, because Islam is "evil."
The
Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also
called
on President Bush to speak out against the rising level of anti-Muslim
rhetoric in America.
State Representative Sam Ellis (R) told WUNC-FM radio: "I don't want
the
students in the university system required to study this evil. If they
wish to pursue it on their own or if they wish to pursue it as an
elective
that's fine. But I don't think it is something our university system
should
be encouraging." (9/7/02)
Michael Sells, the author of the book Ellis attacked, wrote today in
the
Washington Post: "The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, is
being
sued for assigning my book, 'Approaching the Qur'an: The Early
Revelations,' as required summer reading for first-year students. The
plaintiffs charge that UNC indoctrinates students with deceptive claims
about the peaceful nature of Islam, violating the separation of church
and
state. In fact, the book makes no general claims about Islam."
SEE: "Understanding, Not Indoctrination"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57379-2002Aug7.html
"The level of anti-Muslim rhetoric from commentators, religious
leaders,
and now elected officials, is getting out of hand and is poisoning the
minds of many ordinary Americans. Only a strong statement from
President
Bush will put these people on notice that anti-Muslim bigotry will not
be
accepted in our society," said CAIR Board Chairman Omar Ahmad.
Earlier this week, CAIR made a similar call after Christian evangelist
Franklin Graham said terrorism is part of "mainstream" Islam and
claimed
the Quran, Islam's revealed text, "preaches violence."
SEE: "Graham Speaks Out on Islam," The Washington Times
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020808-13967463.htm
Representative J. Sam Ellis' Home Page
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/house/representative.pl?nUserID=38
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
OTHER BREAKING NEWS:
ISRAEL REFUSES ENTRY TO U.S. CONGRESSIONAL STAFF DELEGATION
NEWS RELEASE FROM AMERICAN MUSLIMS FOR JERUSALEM
Contact: Josh Ruebner, JPPI, 962-79-664-8145 or
Khalid Turaani, AMJ, 962-79-567-4917
(AMMAN, JORDAN, AUGUST 8, 2002) Israel today refused entry to a
nine-person
U.S. Congressional staff delegation co-sponsored by American Muslims
for
Jerusalem (AMJ) and Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel (JPPI). This
was
to have been the first Jewish-Muslim co-sponsored Congressional
delegation
to Palestine and Israel. The bi-partisan delegation planned to meet
with
Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, American and international
humanitarian organizations, and U.S. government officials...
Congressional staffers requested that the U.S. Consulate in East
Jerusalem
intervene on behalf of the delegation. They were informed that the
Consulate would intervene for everyone but the two American Muslims on
the
delegation. Khalid Turaani, Executive Director of AMJ, stated "I am
sickened that representatives of my government would condone Israel's
blatant ethnic and religious profiling. The State Department
consistently
has winked at Israel's pattern of discrimination against and
intimidation
of American Muslims seeking to further peace and to provide
humanitarian
assistance to Palestinians suffering under Israel's brutal military
occupation."
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MUSLIMS LAUNCH 9/11 "DAY OF UNITY AND PRAYER" WEB SITE
All faiths urged to register 9/11/02 open houses or interfaith
activities
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/9/02) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) today launched a web site designed to allow local mosques,
churches,
synagogues, and other religious institutions to register their
participation in a September 11th national "Day of Unity and Prayer"
commemorating the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
The American Muslim Political Coordination Council (AMPCC), made up of
the
nation's four most prominent Muslim political advocacy groups,* last
month
called on all faith communities to participate in the national
observance
by opening houses of worship on September 11, 2002, for interfaith
visits,
prayers, congregational exchanges, and other activities intended to
foster
national unity and religious tolerance. CAIR is a member of the AMPCC.
A joint AMPCC statement issued July 23 read in part: "It is imperative
that
all Americans come together on the first anniversary of the terrorist
attacks to show that we are united as a nation and to reject efforts by
any
parties, whether overseas or within our borders, to divide the United
States along religious or ethnic lines. The Muslim community is part of
this country, and we join our fellow citizens in mourning those who
were
killed or injured on that fateful day."
The "Day of Unity and Prayer" web site also offers a step-by-step guide
to
assist Muslim communities in holding local mosque open houses or
similar
interfaith events. The guide includes items such as "Welcome to Our
Mosque"
(http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/5.html) and a "Q&A about Islam and
American Muslims (http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/4.html)."
American Muslim groups jointly and individually condemned the 9/11
attacks.
An AMPCC statement issued within hours of the incidents stated:
"American
Muslims utterly condemn what are apparently vicious and cowardly acts
of
terrorism against innocent civilians. We join with all Americans in
calling
for the swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators. No
political
cause could ever be assisted by such immoral acts."
- END -
* AMPCC consists of American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslim
Council
(AMC), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and Muslim Public
Affairs Council (MPAC).
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org; AMA - 510-252-9858, http://www.amaweb.org/; AMC -
202-789-2262, http://www.amconline.org/; CAIR - 202-488-8787,
http://www.cair-net.org/; MPAC - 213-383-3443, http://www.mpac.org/
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/9/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSE OF THE DAY: COURTEOUS GREETINGS
* KORANIC MISREADINGS (UPI)
- QURAN ASSIGNMENT SPARKS CONTROVERSY (AP)
- GRAHAM'S SON FACES NEW FIRE FROM MUSLIMS (Chicago Tribune)
* GOVERNMENT MUST BE HELD TO HIGHER STANDARD IN WAR ON TERRORISM,
PANELISTS
SAY (AP)
* THE POWERPOINT THAT ROCKED THE PENTAGON (Slate.com)
- GOING AFTER THE SAUDIS (Antiwar.com)
* CAIR-OHIO PRESIDENT ON 610 WTVN
* VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CAIR VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AT ISNA
-----
VERSE OF THE DAY: COURTEOUS GREETINGS
"When a (courteous) greeting is offered you, meet it with a greeting
still
more courteous, or of equal courtesy. God takes careful account of all
things."
Holy Qu'ran: Surah 4, Verse 86
-----
KORANIC MISREADINGS
Claude Salhani, UPI, 8/9/02
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20020809-092031-4255r
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- A new controversy is percolating in North
Carolina over the proposed reading of a book about the Koran -- the
Muslim
holy book -- by freshmen at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill.
The book in question is called "Approaching the Qur'an: The Early
Revelations," and is authored by Michael A. Sells, a professor of
comparative religion...
The simple fact that American students should read a book about the
Koran
(or Qur'an) has ruffled quite a few feathers.
First, a Christian group urged three students to file suit against the
university earlier this week. And now, North Carolina's Republican
State
Representative Sam Ellis told a local radio station he did not want the
students in the university system to study "this evil..."
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations demanded an
apology from Ellis. They also called on President George W. Bush to
speak
out against the rising level of anti-Muslim rhetoric in America.
"The level of anti-Muslim rhetoric from commentators, religious
leaders,
and now elected officials, is getting out of hand and is poisoning the
minds of many ordinary Americans. Only a strong statement from
President
Bush will put these people on notice that anti-Muslim bigotry will not
be
accepted in our society," said CAIR Board Chairman Omar Ahmad.
Earlier this week, CAIR made a similar call after Christian evangelist
Franklin Graham, said terrorism is part of "mainstream" Islam and
claimed
the Koran, "preaches violence..."
Bin Laden's terrorists, much like the suicide bombers in Israel and the
cold-blooded murderers who killed Wall Street Journal correspondent
Daniel
Pearl in Pakistan, are zealots who have taken the Muslim holy book to
suit
their own interpretation of the prophet's teachings. You don't need to
look
very far to find the same type of fire and brimstone revelations in the
Christian-Judeo Bible, either. Both holy books can be interpreted to
suit
the reader...
SEE ALSO:
To listen to North Carolina State Representative Sam Ellis’
anti-Islamic
statements, go to http://www.cair-net.org/audio/unc.rm
-----
QURAN ASSIGNMENT SPARKS CONTROVERSY
Associated Press, 8/9/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-University-Quran.html
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- A state legislative committee voted to ban the
use of
public funds for a University of North Carolina reading assignment on
the
Quran unless other religions get equal time.
The House Appropriations Committee voted Wednesday while it was putting
together a $14.3 billion state budget. Some committee members attacked
university officials over the plan to teach freshmen about the holy
scriptures of Islam.
"If you stop and think about what 9/11 meant to this country --
homeland
security, guards everywhere," said Rep. Wayne Sexton, a Republican from
Rockingham. "Just think of what it costs to protect ourselves from this
faction, and here we are promoting it."
The committee voted 64-10 to bar UNC-Chapel Hill from using public
funds
for its assignment to new students to read about a book on the Quran
unless
it gives equal time to "all known religions."
The book, "Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations" by Michael
Sells,
is assigned reading for about 4,200 incoming freshmen and transfer
students
this month…
Sells, a comparative religions professor at Haverford College, defended
his
book in an essay published Thursday in The Washington Post.
He said most Muslims interpret verses cited in the Quran that demand
slaying the unfaithful in the context of early war between Muhammad's
followers and their opponents.
Muslims "no more expect to apply them to their contemporary non-Muslim
friends and neighbors than most Christians and Jews consider themselves
commanded by God, like the Biblical Joshua, to exterminate the
infidels,"
Sells wrote.
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations called the
dispute an example that "anti-Muslim rhetoric from commentators,
religious
leaders and now elected officials is getting out of hand and is
poisoning
the minds of many ordinary Americans."
-----
GRAHAM'S SON FACES NEW FIRE FROM MUSLIMS
Chicago Tribune, 8/9/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/lake/chi-0208090241aug09.story
Evangelist Franklin Graham has again drawn criticism from a Muslim
organization after saying the Koran "speaks of violence" against other
religious groups and Muslim clerics should apologize for Sept. 11
terrorism.
Graham, who created controversy with similar remarks a month after the
terrorist attacks, reiterated his views in interviews and in a new
book,
"The Name," released this week by Thomas Nelson Publishers. "The Koran
speaks of violence against Christians and Jews," he said in an
interview
Tuesday. "I didn't write the Koran--read it for yourself. It's there.
So
you make up your own mind whether you think it's evil or not."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based Muslim
advocacy group, called portions of the book "defamatory" and asked
religious leaders to denounce such comments.
"Mainstream political leaders and religious figures must speak out
against
the growing demonization of Islam by extremist right-wing commentators
and
by representatives of the evangelical Christian community," said
Ibrahim
Hooper, communications director for CAIR...
-----
GOVERNMENT MUST BE HELD TO HIGHER STANDARD IN WAR ON TERRORISM,
PANELISTS SAY
Renee C. Lee, Associated Press, 8/9/02
DALLAS - Ali Al-Maqtari has been caught up in the war on terrorism for
almost a year and wonders when he'll regain all his freedom.
Two days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Al-Maqtari, a native of Yemen, and
his
American Muslim wife were detained in Kentucky where she was stationed
with
the Army.
At a town hall meeting Thursday night about racial profiling and
national
security, Al-Maqtari said the couple had no idea what was happening as
they
were questioned for several days by government officials. Al-Maqtari is
out
on bond while awaiting a deportation hearing. His dark skin, his Muslim
faith and his Arabic ancestry made him an easy target, said experts on
the
panel at the Asian American Journalists Association convention…
"I think this a war we must fight, it's a just war, but there's a
distinction between a war against terrorists and a war against a racial
group or group of faith," said Frank Wu, a professor at the Howard
University School of Law. "Even those of us who are supportive of the
war
against terrorists, we must recognize it would be wrong for us to
confuse
that war with a war that's based on assumptions of who's on our side or
not
on our side."
Wu said Al-Maqtari's case shows racial profiling doesn't work. "There's
nothing that shows it's effective as a measure to stop terrorists," he
said…
Wu said there's an opportunity to build bridges and for people to see
that
everyone is affected by racial profiling.
"United we stand is a wonderful slogan, but all of us need to stand up
and
speak out for civil rights and for people who don't look like us," he
said.
"It's up to us to make the government live up to the words..."
-----
THE POWERPOINT THAT ROCKED THE PENTAGON
Jack Shafer,Slate.com, 8/7/02
http://slate.msn.com/?id=2069119
Diplomatic china rattled in Washington and cracked in Riyadh yesterday
when
the Washington Post published a story about a briefing given to a
Pentagon
advisory group last month. The briefing declared Saudi Arabia an enemy
of
the United States and advocated that the United States invade the
country,
seize its oil fields, and confiscate its financial assets unless the
Saudis
stop supporting the anti-Western terror network.
The Page One story, by Thomas E. Ricks ("Briefing Depicted Saudis as
Enemies: Ultimatum Urged To Pentagon Board," Aug. 6), described a
24-slide
presentation given by Rand Corp. analyst Laurent Murawiec on July 10,
2002,
to the Defense Policy Board, a committee of foreign policy wonks and
former
government officials that advises the Pentagon on defense issues.
Murawiec's PowerPoint scenario, which is reproduced for the first time
below, makes him sound like an aspiring Dr. Strangelove.
The first half of Murawiec's presentation reads calmly enough, echoing
Fareed Zakaria's Oct. 15, 2001, Newsweek essay about why the Arab world
hates the United States. Its tribal, despotic regimes bottle up
domestic
dissent but indulge the exportation of political anger; intellectually,
its
people are trapped in the Middle Ages; its institutions lack the tools
to
deal with 21st-century problems; yadda yadda yadda.
But then Murawiec lights out for the extreme foreign policy territory,
recommending that we threaten Medina and Mecca, home to Islam's most
holy
places, if they don't see it our way. Ultimately, he champions a
takeover
of Saudi Arabia. The last slide in the deck, titled "Grand strategy for
the
Middle East," abandons the outrageous for the incomprehensible. It
reads:
Iraq is the tactical pivot
Saudi Arabia the strategic pivot
Egypt the prize
Egypt the prize?
Because none of the Defense Policy Board attendees are talking candidly
about the session, it's hard to divine what "Egypt the prize" means or
if
Murawiec's briefing put it into any context. It sounds a tad loopy,
even by
Dr. Strangelove standards. The Post report does mention a "talking
point"
attached to the 24-page PowerPoint deck that describes Saudi Arabia as
"the
kernel of evil, the prime mover, the most dangerous opponent" in the
Middle
East. That's extreme talk even by the standards of the anti-Saudi
editorialists at the Weekly Standard and the rest of the invade-Iraq
fellowship...
-----
GOING AFTER THE SAUDIS
Justin Raimondo, Antiwar.com, 8/9/02
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html
As I pointed out in my last column, this "advisory board," chaired by
ultra-hawk Richard Perle, is a redoubt of the War Party, and it was
Perle
who invited Rand Corporation analyst Laurent Murawiec to give the Power
Point presentation that wowed Washington and ruffled already rocky
relations with Riyadh…
It's interesting to note a peculiar pattern that seems to be emerging:
many
of the biggest warmongers, in the post 9/11 era, are ex-nutballs of one
sort or another who went "straight" – and veered off into a more
lucrative
variety of extremism. Murawiec is merely the latest case. Think of
David
Horowitz, the ex-leftist cheerleader for the Black Panthers who now
goes
around lecturing blacks on their alleged "racism" and demanding all-out
war
on the Arab world.
Think of Stephen Schwartz, the Weekly Standard's "expert" on Wahabism,
who
gave up the fringe politics of left-anarcho-Trotksyism to become a
major
theoretician of the
Riyadh-as-"kernel of evil" school. Now we have a former cadre of the
LaRouche organization – who apparently stayed in the group long after
it
had evolved from a typical "commune" of New Left Marxoids into a
full-fledged loony bin – solemnly addressing an official Pentagon
committee
on the eve of a fateful war.
There's a lesson in there, somewhere….
-----
CAIR-OHIO PRESIDENT ON 610 WTVN
Dr. Ahmad Al-Akhras, CAIR-Ohio president will be hosted on a call-in
radio talk show this coming Saturday August 10th at 3:00 pm.
A variety of topics will be discussed, including Islam, Muslims, and
Arab reactions to September 11th, the state of Muslims post September
11th, and the situation in Palestine.
Please try to make your voice heard and call into the radio show.
When: Saturday Aug. 10th from 3:00 PM
Where:WTVN 610 AM
Phone number: 821-9886 or 1-800-610-9886
Host: Carla Wren
Guest: Dr. Ahmad Al-Akhras, CAIR-Ohio President
Let our voices be heard! Please call-in at 614-821-9886 (614-821-WTVN)
-----
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CAIR VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AT ISNA
If you would like to volunteer for CAIR's Voter Registration Drive at
the
ISNA Convention, please send your name, phone number, and shift
preference
to Sr. Reem Mukhtar at rmukhtar@cair-net.org.
Please indicate your preference from the following shift schedule:
Fri.
4pm-7pm, Fri. 7pm-10pm, Sat. 10am-1pm, Sat. 1pm-4pm,Sat. 4pm-7pm, Sat.
7pm-10pm, Sun. 10am-1pm, Sun. 1pm-4pm, Sun. 4pm-7pm,Sun. 7pm-10pm.
Prizes will be awarded to volunteer registrars based on the number
of registration forms they've received and turned in.
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/10/2002
HEADLINES:
* AGENT SUSPENDED FOR ANTI-MUSLIM SLUR (AP)
* TERRORISM TIP NETWORK SCALED BACK (Los Angeles Times)
* FAST MEANS MORE THAN SPEED FOR 49ERS ROOKIE RASHEED (Contra Costa
Times)
- THE KOSHER KITCHEN IS A HIT AT CALTECH (Los Angeles Times)
-----
AGENT SUSPENDED FOR ANTI-MUSLIM SLUR
BREE FOWLER, Associated Press, 8/9/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-airport-seizure-graffiti0809aug09.story
DETROIT -- A Secret Service agent who admitted he scrawled anti-Muslim
statements on a prayer calendar during a search will be suspended for
six
months without pay, a federal prosecutor said Friday.
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said the agent won't face criminal
charges.
He said the suspension, which amounts to a financial loss of about
$40,000,
and other sanctions were greater punishment than any misdemeanor charge
would have been…
On July 18, federal agents searched the Dearborn home of Omar Shishani,
who
has pleaded innocent to smuggling $12 million in bogus cashier's checks
into the United States.
Members of Shishani's family said they discovered after the search that
"Islam is Evil" and "Christ is King" had been written on the calendar.
The agent, identified only as a 10-year veteran, will be transferred
out of
the Eastern District of Michigan and has written a letter of apology to
Shishani and his family.
"We're satisfied with the decision," said Hodan Hassan, a spokeswoman
for
the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which had asked Attorney
General
John Ashcroft to investigate. "And we hope that the punishment meted
out
would be a signal to others that such bigotry would not be tolerated…"
-----
TERRORISM TIP NETWORK SCALED BACK
ERIC LICHTBLAU, Los Angeles Times, 8/10/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-tips10aug10.story
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration, backing away from a
controversial
anti-terrorism plan in the face of a public backlash, said Friday that
it
will no longer solicit terrorism tips from utility workers, postal
employees and anyone else with access to people's homes.
That pledge scales back President Bush's recently unveiled plan to set
up a
nationwide network of domestic tipsters from within the U.S. work force
who
the administration believes are in a "unique position" to report
suspicious
activity.
The administration still plans to enlist potentially hundreds of
thousands
of workers this fall as part of Operation TIPS. But officials have
decided
that workers with access to homes and private property will not be
authorized to use the special nonpublished tipster hotline, Justice
Department officials said.
The notion of cable television workers or meter readers reporting what
they
considered to be "suspicious" activity in someone's house had riled
senators and civil libertarians alike, sparking protests and
congressional
opposition…
-----
FAST MEANS MORE THAN SPEED FOR 49ERS ROOKIE RASHEED
Cam Inman, Contra Costa Times, 8/10
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/sports/football/3836386.htm
STOCKTON, Calif._Rookie linebacker Saleem Rasheed's speed drew rave
reviews
from 49ers coaches after his debut last Saturday in the American Bowl.
"He played fast," 49ers coach Steve Mariucci said.
"He's fast, no doubt about it," defensive coordinator Jim Mora added. A
few
months from now, the word "fast" will take on an entirely different
meaning
for Rasheed, a devout Muslim.
Rasheed plans to adhere to his religious beliefs and fast when the holy
month of Ramadan begins Nov. 6. From sunup to sundown, he won't eat
anything or drink anything.
"He's going to have to think through that and discuss how he can manage
that, manage his body and do it the right way according to his faith,"
said
Mariucci, unable to recall if he's ever coached a Muslim football
player.
"This is new to me, really. That'll be interesting. He'll handle it
properly…"
SEE ALSO:
THE KOSHER KITCHEN IS A HIT AT CALTECH
PETER Y. HONG, Los Angeles Times, 8/10/02
http://www.latimes.com/features/religion/la-me-kosher10aug10.story
Four years ago, Caltech officials were trying to lure a promising high
school senior who was also being courted by Ivy League schools.
Professors
and administrators were all set to impress the prospect with Caltech's
academic resources. But the student's parents raised an unexpected
concern
about sending their daughter to the Pasadena school for four years:
What
could she eat?
The young woman, who was Jewish, kept a kosher diet, and Caltech had no
kosher meal plan. Not only was there no kosher food on campus, but the
neighborhood has no kosher restaurants or grocery stores. So Caltech, a
school with the means to spend what it takes to solve a problem, took a
bold step: It built a kosher kitchen and hired a full-time chef--all
before
that student showed up for classes. The new facility quickly became
popular
with other Jewish students and Caltech staff. But it evolved in a
surprising way: Muslims on campus also began to take the kosher meals
to
adhere to their own similar religious dietary requirements.
Today, Caltech offers both kosher meals and halal dishes for Muslims…
For most Muslim students, the kosher meals were acceptable, since they
did
not contain pork and God's name is invoked in the slaughter of kosher
meats. Because halal rules prohibit the use of alcohol, Weinberger does
not
use cooking wine.
"A kosher kitchen generally surpasses any halal requirements," said
Mahmoud
Abdel-Baset, religious and social services coordinator for the Islamic
Center of Southern California. While acknowledging some Muslims hold to
more conservative standards, Abdel-Baset said he and other Muslims eat
kosher meats…
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/12/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: AVOIDANCE OF MATERIALISM
* POSTAGE STAMP CELEBRATING MUSLIM HOLIDAY TO BE RE-ISSUED (PR
Newswire)
* CULTURES CLASH IN CUSTODY SPAT (Austin American Statesman)
* IN THE SECRET-DETENTIONS CLUB (New York Times)
- HARD LIFE OF A SEPT. 11 DETAINEE (San Jose Mercury News)
* SMALL SCAMS PROBED FOR TERROR TIES (Washington Post)
* SPANISH MUSLIM MISSION GROWS IN MEXICO (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
* OP-ED: DISMANTLING OPPRESSIVE STRICTURES TAKES GUTS (Toronto Star)
* NORTHERN VA MEDIA RELATIONS WORKSHOP
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: AVOIDANCE OF MATERIALISM
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Do not try too much to
acquire property or else you will be too absorbed and enamored with the
world."
Riyadh-Us-Salaheen, Chapter 55, Hadith 479
-----
POSTAGE STAMP CELEBRATING MUSLIM HOLIDAY TO BE RE-ISSUED
PR Newswire, 8/12/02
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 - The U.S. Postal Service is pleased to announce
that
the Eid postage stamp will be re-issued on Oct. 10, 2002, at the
current
First-Class rate of 37 cents.
A 34-cent Eid stamp was first issued on Sept. 1, 2001, at the annual
Islamic Society of North America's convention in Des Plaines, Ill. The
new
version will be available beginning Oct. 10 at Washington, D.C. post
offices and at post offices across the country starting the following
day.
"This is a proud moment for the Postal Service, the Muslim community,
and
Americans in general as we re-issue a postage stamp to honor and
commemorate two important Islamic celebrations," said Azeezaly S.
Jaffer,
Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications for the Postal
Service. "The Eid stamp helps us highlight the business, educational
and
social contributions of the estimated six to seven million Muslims in
this
country whose cultural heritage has become an integral part of the
fabric
of this nation..."
The Eid stamp, designed by Mohammed Zakariya of Arlington, Va.,
features
the Arabic phrase "Eid mubarak" in gold calligraphy on a blue
background.
English text on the stamps reads "EID GREETINGS..."
-----
CULTURES CLASH IN CUSTODY SPAT
Samira Jafari and Monica Polanco, Austin American Statesman, 8/10/02
http://www.austin360.com/auto_docs/epaper/editions/saturday/metro_state_1
When she converted to Islam two years ago, Michelle Anderson says, she
felt
a new sense of freedom beneath her scarf and tunic. She said she fell
in
love with the importance that her new faith placed on family.
"It was like finding something you don't know you were looking for,"
Anderson said. "I automatically felt I had a huge family." But
Anderson's
conversion and her marriage to a foreign Muslim man have laid the
groundwork for a custody battle for Anderson's 9-year-old son. The
fight,
which heads to a Williamson County court next week, began three days
after
terrorists attacked the United States last year. It has drawn attention
from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based
group
that's soliciting donations to help Anderson.
Her ex-husband is asking for sole custody of their son and will make
his
arguments Tuesday in front of a Williamson County judge...
Based on Douglas Anderson's request for an investigation, the court
appointed social worker Susan Sanders to inspect the households of both
Douglas and Michelle Anderson.
In her written report, Sanders concluded the Andersons' son would be
better
off living with his father. The report said Douglas Anderson and his
wife
of four years could provide a stable home. The report also noted that
he
has acknowledged a history of excessive drinking and does not attend
church.
Sanders didn't criticize Michelle Anderson's lifestyle or home, but she
did
note the woman's latest marriage.
"Ms. Anderson's conversion to Islam and her subsequent arranged
marriage to
a foreigner are very basic issues in this case and are certainly
unusual
from the point of view of prevalent American culture," Sanders wrote in
her
July 26 report. "Although (an arranged marriage) is customary in the
Islamic community, it is well out of the American mainstream...
Saleem Shafi, Austin chairman of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations,
said Michelle Anderson's religion should not be an issue.
"I think that the fact that some people would feel like that kind of
behavior would disqualify a mother from being a good mother is a sign
of
ignorance about that culture," Shafi said. "The fact that people don't
know
enough about Islam is really, I think, at the root (of the problem)."
ACTION REQUESTED:
Please send your donations to the sister's fight to retain custody of
her
son.
Make checks payable to: "Brenda Rhea, Attorney at Law, Trust Account"
Indicate in the memo section: Trust Account for Respondent's Legal
Fees,
Cause #94-1089-FC1
ADDRESS:
St. Charles Professional Building
8 Chisholm Trail
Round Rock, TX 78681
ATTORNEY'S E-MAIL: fitzrhea@earthlink.net
PLEASE NOTIFY CAIR OF ANY DONATIONS BY E-MAILING: cair@cair-net.org
-----
IN THE SECRET-DETENTIONS CLUB
Barbara Crossette, New York Times, 8/11/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/11/weekinreview/11CROS.html
UNITED NATIONS - THE use of detention within the United States may be
the
most problematic tool in the Bush administration's arsenal in the
global
war on terrorism. It has alarmed American civil rights groups, and
foreign
critics have used the issue to turn a lot of initial sympathy for the
United States into a new wave of anti-Americanism, while it has given
China
and Russia reason to call their far more egregious human rights
violations
antiterrorism.
Detention is not new in the United States. There was the roundup of
Japanese-Americans during World War II and the wholesale detention of
Haitian boat people and a significant number of Cubans in the 1980's
and
early 1990's. What is new is that the detentions are shrouded in
secrecy:
for the first time, the United States, like countries whose human
rights
policies it has long criticized, is withholding the names of detainees
by
letting it know who has been interrogated.
"The detentions of Haitian asylum seekers weren't secret," said Elisa
Massimino, director of the Washington office of the Lawyers' Committee
for
Human Rights. "We were never denied the names; they were permitted
access
to counsel. It's really a qualitative difference with what's being done
now..."
"If there is another attack, God forbid, we're going to see a whole new
round of measures, and they will be far more extreme than what we've
seen,"
she said. "If we want to see where this kind of thing is heading, then
we
can look to China, and we can look to Egypt and we can look to what
Turkey
was doing with the Kurds. That's our future, unless we can lay down
some
markers now about what would be too much..."
-----
HARD LIFE OF A SEPT. 11 DETAINEE
Karen de Sa, San Jose Mercury News, 8/12/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/3846979.htm
In its sweep for terrorists following the Sept. 11 attacks, the
government
locked up Azmy Elghazaly, a Palestinian Muslim and Salinas truck driver
who
had overstayed his visa. No evidence has surfaced linking Elghazaly to
terrorism -- but nearly a year later he remains in jail.
Elghazaly is among about 145 of the original 1,182 post-attack
detainees
still being held while their fate is argued in federal court. Because
the
government won't reveal who they are or what they did despite a judge's
order this month to do so, no one can say if his situation is typical.
Still, Elghazaly's story -- pieced together by the Mercury News from
interviews and court papers -- offers insights into how desperate life
is
for many of the detainees, and how difficult it will be to resolve
their
fate. Elghazaly, 35, is not without fault, having entered the United
States
on a tourist visa in 1990 and never left. His petitions for political
asylum were rejected. For two years before Sept. 11 he actively evaded
deportation proceedings.
Yet Elghazaly has now spent 10 months in three different jails despite
federal rules that say an illegal immigrant should be jailed no more
than
90 days pending deportation. While in maximum security in San Jose, he
lived for more than four months in shackles.
His wife waits and hopes in Bakersfield, caring for two children
including
a 3-year-old daughter born with spina bifida who requires constant
medical
attention...
-----
SMALL SCAMS PROBED FOR TERROR TIES
John Mintz and Douglas Farah, Washington Post, 8/12/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6565-2002Aug11.html
Authorities are quietly investigating more than 500 Muslim and Arab
small
businesses across the United States to determine whether they are
dispatching money raised through criminal activity in the United States
to
terrorist groups overseas.
The investigation into Arab businesses, many of them convenience
stores, is
part of a sprawling inquiry launched after Sept. 11, when law
enforcement
agents dramatically stepped up scrutiny of small-scale scams that they
think are generating tens of millions of dollars a year for militant
groups, federal officials said...
Arab and Muslim civil rights activists said they were unaware that
officials had launched a large and coordinated investigation into small
businesses in their communities.
"It wouldn't surprise me that authorities are singling out Arab and
Muslim
businesses for scrutiny, given the presumption of guilt we've
confronted
from government since September 11th," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman
for
the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights group...
Twenty agents barged into the Hollywood, Fla., home of Ali Al-Madi at
6:15
a.m. a few weeks ago. Al-Madi's attorney, David Vinikoor, said the
government has no evidence that his client has links to terrorism.
Al-Madi, who owns two mini-marts in the area, had been arrested by
state
officials in a sting last October on charges of dealing in stolen
cigarettes and pharmaceuticals. He was arrested again early on July 31
by
the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force for owning a shotgun with
an
obliterated serial number.
"If they have evidence of terrorism, which I doubt, let them bring it
out,"
Vinikoor said. "If this is based on his religion, I object to it."
-----
SPANISH MUSLIM MISSION GROWS IN MEXICO
Susan Ferriss, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 8/12/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/monday/news_d375f432859412cd00d2.html
San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico --- Every weekday morning, children
at
an Islamic school in this city sit cross-legged at low desks and rock
in
time as they recite the Quran in Arabic.
The older girls' heads are wrapped in obligatory scarves, and all the
children are required to leave their shoes at the door.
But this isn't Pakistan, Iran or an Arab state.
This Islamic "madrasa" is part of a small but growing community of
several
hundred Muslim converts in San Cristobal de las Casas, a Mexican
tourist
community in southern Chiapas state better known as the gateway to this
region's modern Maya Indian culture. The new adherents to Islam in
Chiapas
are almost all Maya who were once Protestants, a choice that made their
families renegades for several previous decades in many Catholic
indigenous
communities.
And curiously, the proselytizers are Spanish converts who arrived in
1995
and hail from the southern province of Granada, the last stronghold of
the
Muslim Moors of Spain before their defeat by Christian soldiers in
1492...
-----
OP-ED: DISMANTLING OPPRESSIVE STRICTURES TAKES GUTS
Sheema Khan, Toronto Star, 8/12/02
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1026144131894&call_page=TS_Opinion&call_pageid=968256290124&call_pagepath=News/Opinion
A classic 1985 South Asian film, Mirch Masala, describes the heroic
struggle of a young village woman, Sonbia, against misogyny and
oppression
in her society.
The main plot concerns the exploits of the local police chief, whose
corruption and swagger hold sway over the equally corrupt and spineless
villagers.
Sonbia repeatedly rebuffs his crude sexual advances. Unaccustomed to
resistance, he threatens to wreak havoc on the entire village. Not one
man
comes to her defence, except for an imam living on the outskirts of
town,
who offers his mosque as a refuge to Sonbia and her supportive friends.
He further pledges to defend their lives and honour. He fights
valiantly,
and dies. But not in vain, for his jihad allows the women to launch a
counterattack, leading to victory and vindication.
A testimonial to indigenous feminism, this cinematic gem is even more
anomalous for its portrayal of the imam: A devout Muslim who stands up
for
justice risking his own life in the process. His is a rare, inspiring
example against cultural misogyny. His bravery, along with the courage
of
the women, serves as a catalyst towards dispensation of justice...
Dismantling oppressive strictures in society are never easy.
Nevertheless,
unless individuals rise to the occasion and question injustice whenever
it
occurs, social transformation will always be elusive...
Sheema Khan is chair of Ottawa-based CAIR-CAN, the Council on
American-Islamic Relations-Canada.
-----
NORTHERN VA MEDIA RELATIONS WORKSHOP
WHAT: Workshop titled "How to Confront Negative Images of Muslims and
Islam
in the Media"
WHEN: Friday, August 16, 2002, 8-10:30 pm
WHERE: Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center - Falls Church, VA
SPEAKERS: Mahdi Bray-MAS Freedom Foundation
Hodan Hassan-CAIR (Council on American Islamic
Relations)
Khalil Munir-Former Congressional Press Secretary
For more information, please call 703-536-1030
Email: admindirector@daralhijrah.org
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/13/2002
HEADLINES:
* US MIGRANT REGISTRY TO BE LAUNCHED ON SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY (AFP)
* EDITORIAL: DISTRESSING ASSAULTS ON THE PRINCIPLE OF CHECKS AND
BALANCES
(Kansas City Star)
* OP-ED: DUMMYING UP (Chicago Tribune)
- A KINDER, GENTLER KORAN (Time)
* RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION UNCHECKED IN UZBEKISTAN (Chicago Tribune)
* THE RULERS OF HEBRON (Ha'aretz)
* SELECTIVE MEMRI (Guardian)
* HEAD SCARF PROCLAIMS MUSLIM GIRL'S FAITH, CONFIDENCE (Atlanta Journal
Constitution)
-----
US MIGRANT REGISTRY TO BE LAUNCHED ON SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY
Agence France Presse, 8/13/02
WASHINGTON - A new federal registry to boost surveillance of visitors
to
the United States who spark elevated national security concerns will be
launched September 11, the anniversary of deadly terror attacks, the
Justice Department said Monday.
The entry/exit registration system responds to a congressional mandate
to
track "virtually all" of the 35 million foreign nationals who visit the
United States annually before 2005.
The NSEERS program, which will start at select ports of entry for
travel by
land, air and sea for a 20-day trial period before full implementation
October 1, requires the fingerprinting of a small percentage of foreign
visitors. Nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria -- countries
listed on the US State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism
--
will be fingerprinted, as will "nonimmigrant aliens whom the State
Department determines to present an elevated national security risk,"
the
Justice Department said in a statement...
Advocates for Arab and Muslim Americans have complained the new rules
are
biased. When the program was announced in June, the Council on
American-Islamic Relations said it would likely "create a false sense
of
security and end up further damaging America's image and reputation
around
the world."
SEE ALSO
To view CAIR's news release regarding the new fingerprinting measures
go to:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/article.asp?articleid=836&articletype=3
-----
EDITORIAL: DISTRESSING ASSAULTS ON THE PRINCIPLE OF CHECKS AND BALANCES
Kansas City Star, 8/13/02
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/news/opinion/3831948.htm
The Bush administration has embarked on a dangerous course in rejecting
the
authority of the federal courts over certain cases related to the war
on
terrorism. Nothing could undermine that war more quickly than a
constitutional crisis brought on by arrogance in the executive branch.
The administration's haphazard arrests, detentions of people for
extended
periods without charges, excessive secrecy and other troubling
practices
already have raised serious concerns and left government officials
sounding
at times like apologists for a banana republic.
Some administration officials talk as if they can't quite grasp such
basics
of American jurisprudence as the presumption of innocence. Others seek
to
obscure facts with semantic quibbles.
The administration's mistakes and dubious legal positions have resulted
in
a long string of embarrassments in the courtroom. Judges have
repeatedly
expressed skepticism over the administration's detention policies.
Now an American Bar Association task force has criticized the
administration for jailing enemy combatants without charges or access
to
attorneys. This week the association will decide whether to taken an
official stand on the use of enemy-combatant status for some detainees.
Early this month the government received another sharp rebuke, this
time
from U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler. She ordered the government to
release -- with certain possible exceptions -- the names of the people
detained since last September's terrorist attacks.
"Secret arrests," the judge wrote, "are a concept odious to a
democratic
society." Administration officials should be humiliated by this
lecture.
The administration seems to be challenging the system of checks and
balances, which has served the nation well...
-----
OP-ED: DUMMYING UP
Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 8/13/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-0208110057aug11.column?coll=chi%2Dnews%2Dcol
WASHINGTON -- I'll say this for Bill O'Reilly. Unlike some other
windbags
of radio and TV, he's not afraid to invite guests on his Fox News
Channel
program who, even if he's not listening, show the rest of the world
just
how wrong he can be.
One recent example involved a book that has put a burr under O'Reilly's
saddle. It is a book about the Koran, the holy book of Islam, that the
University of North Carolina is requiring incoming freshmen to read
over
the summer...
The important thing, as Robert Kirkpatrick, the professor who chose the
book, explained on "The O'Reilly Factor" TV show is this: First-year
students need to know that "as a member of an academic community they
have
to learn to think and to read and to write and to defend their
opinions..."
Indeed, it should be at least as interesting as listening to
showman-journalist O'Reilly explain why he will not read the book.
According to a Fox transcript, he called UNC's assignment
"unbelievable,"
compared it to assigning "Mein Kampf" during World War II and asked why
should freshmen be required to study "our enemy's religion."
Yes, there is a lot more to Islam than Osama bin Laden and his violent
brethren, but apparently not in O'Reilly's mind...
That's no more fair than those who denounce Christianity because
fanatics
during the Inquisition, the Crusades and similar tragic moments in
history
used the Book of Joshua and other scriptures to torture and slaughter
non-Christians in God's name.
Quite right. I deeply regret that we have not given our children a more
peaceful world to inherit, but they're a bright bunch. They'll figure
out
that they need to be reading more books, not fewer.
SEE ALSO:
A KINDER, GENTLER KORAN
David Van Biema, Time, 8/19/02
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101020819-335965,00.html
Homework is usually controversial only for the students who have to do
it.
But this summer the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which
customarily assigns a book to its incoming freshmen, chose Approaching
the
Qur'an, a set of heavily annotated excerpts from the Muslim Holy Writ.
Chancellor James Moeser reportedly asked his trustees, "What could be
more
timely?" And what could be more predictable than the brouhaha that
followed: the rumbling overture on Christian websites; the brassy solo
by
Fox News's Bill O'Reilly, who compared the assignment to having
students
read Hitler's Mein Kampf in 1941;
and the inevitable legal coda? The Virginia-based Family Policy
Network, a
Christian group, sued U.N.C., claiming the assignment amounted to
state-funded promotion of a faith. The North Carolina legislature is
considering pulling the school's funds
for the project...
Fred Eckel, faculty adviser for Campus Crusade for Christ, differs.
While
declining to speak for his group, he says, "It seems to me that
studying
religions is an important thing on a college campus. It helps us begin
to
recognize that we need to understand other people. I hope it will lead
Christian students in making an effort to better understand their own
religion."
That sentiment, apparently foreign to people like O'Reilly, is
strikingly
similar to the free-market-of-ideas case expressed in verse 5: 48: "Had
Allah willed He could have made you one community. But...(He hath made
you
as ye are). So vie one with another in good works."
-----
RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION UNCHECKED IN UZBEKISTAN
Alex Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune, 8/13/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0208130256aug13.story?coll=chi%2Dnewsnationworld%2Dhed
MOSCOW - Mustafa Avazov, a devout Muslim and father of four, died
inside an
Uzbek prison meant solely for violators of Uzbekistan's harsh
"extremism"
laws that effectively punish the practice of Islam outside the auspices
of
state-controlled mosques.
Some of his skin had been burned off, wounds that doctors said could be
inflicted only by holding someone under boiling water. His fingernails
were
gone. His head had a gaping wound in the back. He died, human-rights
workers allege, because he defiantly told prison guards he would
continue
praying "no matter what they did."
Despite pleas for reform from the Bush administration, Uzbekistan has
yet
to show any signs of ending its notorious record of religious
persecution,
rights activists say. As evidence, New York-based Human Rights Watch
released details last weekend of the deaths of two Muslim men jailed
for
their adherence to non-state-sanctioned Islam.
Still, the U.S. has forged a strong alliance with Uzbekistan as it
continues the war on terrorism in Central Asia, and the Bush
administration
has poured hundreds of millions of dollars in aid into the former
Soviet
republic, despite Karimov's record on human rights...
-----
THE RULERS OF HEBRON
Ha'aretz, 8/13/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=196980&contrassID=2&subContrassID=3&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y&itemNo=196980
Ever since the occupation of the territories began, the settlers of
Hebron
have been noteworthy for their militancy, their racist hatred against
Palestinian residents of the city and the violent contempt that they
and
their children demonstrate toward the rule of law and every person in
uniform who acts in its name...
The Civil Administration recently drafted a report that documents some
of
the acts of the Hebron settlers (Ha'aretz, August 11). This document,
which
was submitted to the prime minister and the defense minister, notes in
detail how this unique Jewish settlement rears "shock troops" of boys
and
girls, steeped in hatred and arrogance, who torment the Palestinians
and
oppress them in various ways. The graduates of these operations, the
young
couples, serve as reserves for breaking into Palestinian houses
adjacent to
the Jewish neighborhoods in order to evict their occupants and annex
these
houses to the Jewish settlement. "No one dares to deal with them," one
security official confessed to a Ha'aretz reporter...
-----
SELECTIVE MEMRI
Brian Whitaker, Guardian (UK), 8/12/02
http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,773258,00.html
For some time now, I have been receiving small gifts from a generous
institute in the United States. The gifts are high-quality translations
of
articles from Arabic newspapers which the institute sends to me by
email
every few days, entirely free-of-charge. The emails also go to
politicians
and academics, as well as to lots of other journalists. The stories
they
contain are usually interesting.
Whenever I get an email from the institute, several of my Guardian
colleagues receive one too and regularly forward their copies to me -
sometimes with a note suggesting that I might like to check out the
story
and write about it...
The organisation that makes these translations and sends them out is
the
Middle East Media Research Institute (Memri), based in Washington but
with
recently-opened offices in London, Berlin and Jerusalem. Its work is
subsidised by US taxpayers because as an "independent, non-partisan,
non-profit" organisation, it has tax-deductible status under American
law.
Memri's purpose, according to its website, is to bridge the language
gap
between the west - where few speak Arabic - and the Middle East, by
"providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew media".
Despite these high-minded statements, several things make me uneasy
whenever I'm asked to look at a story circulated by Memri. First of
all,
it's a rather mysterious organisation. Its website does not give the
names
of any people to contact, not even an office address...
The second thing that makes me uneasy is that the stories selected by
Memri
for translation follow a familiar pattern: either they reflect badly on
the
character of Arabs or they in some way further the political agenda of
Israel. I am not alone in this unease.
Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations told the
Washington Times: "Memri's intent is to find the worst possible quotes
from
the Muslim world and disseminate them as widely as possible..."
Evidence from Memri's website also casts doubt on its non-partisan
status.
Besides supporting liberal democracy, civil society, and the free
market,
the institute also emphasises "the continuing relevance of Zionism to
the
Jewish people and to the state of Israel".
That is what its website used to say, but the words about Zionism have
now
been deleted. The original page, however, can still be found in
internet
archives.
The reason for Memri's air of secrecy becomes clearer when we look at
the
people behind it. The co-founder and president of Memri, and the
registered
owner of its website, is an Israeli called Yigal Carmon. Mr - or
rather,
Colonel - Carmon spent 22 years in Israeli military intelligence and
later
served as counter-terrorism adviser to two Israeli prime ministers,
Yitzhak
Shamir and Yitzhak Rabin...
-----
HEAD SCARF PROCLAIMS MUSLIM GIRL'S FAITH, CONFIDENCE
Nadirah Z. Sabir, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 8/13/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/today/features_d385d61a8594129a0015.html
Eager to start fifth grade, Mariam Arshad's first day of school Monday
at
Smoke Rise Elementary School was also something of a coming of age.
Monday was the first day Mariam, a 10-year-old Muslim who lives in
Stone
Mountain, began to wear her head scarf in the public --- beyond family
events with other Muslims.
"She has been asking us for the past few years," to begin wearing
hijab,
the head scarves worn by Muslim women, said her father, Dr. Mohammed
Arshad, a gynecologist at DeKalb Medical Center. "We were not sure if
she
had reached that point to be comfortable with the schoolkids." However,
on
Sunday, her mother, Qaisra, had her outfit --- jeans; plaid,
long-sleeve
shirt; and a white head scarf --- ironed and on a hanger in her
youngest
daughter's closet.
It is a room like most little girls'. Filled with stuffed animals, it
has
Beverly Cleary's Ramona series and a Techno Kitty, an animated version
of
Mariam's own elusive cat, Raincloud...
Mariam is not worried about being teased or ridiculed at school, where
her
favorite subjects are English, social studies and art. "It won't affect
[my
friendships] if they see me with a scarf on. It won't be any
different..."
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/14/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSE OF THE DAY: VIRTUE OF GRACIOUSNESS
* JUDGE RECUSES HIMSELF FROM TX MUSLIM CUSTODY CASE
* THE NAME GAME (Village Voice)
* JUDGE SKEWERS U.S. CURBS ON DETAINEE (Washington Post)
* TERROR SUSPECT LOOKS LIKE 'SMALL FISH' NOW, U.S. OFFICIALS SAY (AP)
* EDITORIAL: THE MERCHANTS OF BIGOTRY (Hartford Courant)
* QURAN PROVISION INCLUDED IN HOUSE BUDGET BILL (AP)
* NEA WEBSITE MISSED THE MARK ON 9-11 TEACHINGS, CONSERVATIVES SAY
(CNSNews.com)
* GLOBAL WARMTH FOR U.S. AFTER 9/11 TURNS TO FROST MILITARY PLANS
REPULSE
EVEN EUROPEAN ALLIES (USA Today)
* MUSLIMS KEEP WATCH OVER HOLY SHRINE (AP)
* YOUNG MUSLIMS TALK ABOUT LIFE AFTER SEPT. 11 (San Jose Mercury News)
* SO CAL ROUNDTABLE ON MEDIA/PUBLIC RELATIONS
-----
VERSE OF THE DAY: VIRTUE OF GRACIOUSNESS
"Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful
preaching;
and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious."
Holy Quran, Surah 16, Verse 125
-----
JUDGE RECUSES HIMSELF FROM TX MUSLIM CUSTODY CASE
(ROUND ROCK, TX, 8/14/02) - In a surprise move yesterday, a Texas judge
assigned to a child custody hearing, involving a Muslim mother, recused
himself from the case. A new judge was assigned and the hearing moved
to
October 30, 2002.
In the proceedings, the judge denied a motion by the mother's lawyer to
have a social worker's report, dismissed because of evidence based on
race,
religion and national origin. Following a break in the hearing, the
judge
recused himself from the case without explanation.
The final hearing was to decide whether the mother, who accepted Islam
and
recently married a native of Morocco, would lose custody of her
nine-year
old son to her ex-husband. In documents filed with the court, the
ex-husband stated that his son should "have a normal life" and an
"all-American home."
The case has worried some in the American Muslim community, in part
because
of the controversial "Home Study Report for Custody" filed with the
court
by a social worker assigned to the case. The report states: "[The
mother's]
conversion to Islam and her subsequent arranged marriage to a foreigner
are
very basic issues in this case, and are certainly unusual from the
point of
view of prevalent American culture." The Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR), a civil rights group based in Washington, D.C.,
encouraged concerned Muslims to send donations to help with legal
expenses.
Brenda Rhea, attorney for the Muslim mother, maintains a high level of
optimism that her client will retain custody of her child. She also
expressed appreciation for the outpouring of support from people who
have
donated or sent letters of encouragement to the mother. "On Monday, my
client was feeling particularly alone and vulnerable, but after she
read
the letters filled with compassion from across the country, she was a
transformed person," said Ms. Rhea.
-----
THE NAME GAME
Chisun Lee, Village Voice, 8/14/02
http://villagevoice.com/issues/0233/lee2.php
Americans maddened by the covert maneuverings and because-we-said-so
bravado of John Ashcroft's Justice Department are reveling in the
bracing
dose of sanity that is the August 2 decision by U.S. District Court
Judge
Gladys Kessler. She gave the government 15 days to release the names of
the
more than 1000 people it admitted to arresting and secretly detaining
in
its ongoing September 11 investigation...
Kate Martin, a lawyer with the Center for National Security Studies and
lead attorney against the government, says even the ordered list of
names
may not provide a clear answer. The various figures relating to the
terrorism investigation, cited by the Justice Department in different
categories at different times, "don't add up," Martin says. The
government
issued one total on November 5, suggesting that the
investigation-related
sweeps had stopped. "Then they gave us some information on arrests
after
November 11, indicating that the 9-11 investigation is continuing.
They've
been very unclear about who is in that category and who isn't," says
Martin...
"More cases are rolling in," she says. Her cases have largely involved
New
York and New Jersey residents, but "two days ago, I got a call from a
detainee in Wyoming." The government "is picking up people much more
egregiously, for stupid problems," like missing by days a deadline to
report a change of address to the INS, she claims. "I include them all
under the 9-11 umbrella, because they've been questioned about all the
typical [9-11] stuff, like credit card use and e-mail lists, whether
they
are biology students with knowledge of biological weapons." Other local
immigration lawyers have reported similar cases"
-----
JUDGE SKEWERS U.S. CURBS ON DETAINEE
Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 8/14/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14862-2002Aug13.html
NORFOLK -- Line by line, a federal judge today dissected the
government's
reasoning for holding Yaser Esam Hamdi incommunicado in a Navy brig
here
and indicated that he didn't think prosecutors provided enough facts
for
him to decide whether Hamdi should have access to a lawyer.
U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar said he would soon rule on a
request
by Hamdi's father to allow a federal public defender to visit Hamdi,
who
was captured in Afghanistan with Taliban forces in November, taken to
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with other prisoners, then moved here when he
told
authorities that he was born in the United States. The government has
declared Hamdi an "unlawful enemy combatant," entitled to neither
constitutional protections nor international prisoner-of-war status.
Doumar sparred repeatedly with the government's lawyer over why Hamdi
was
an enemy combatant and what exactly that meant, saying the government
appeared to be trying to place unprecedented restrictions on a
prisoner's
rights.
"I tried valiantly to find a case of any kind, in any court, where a
lawyer
couldn't meet" with a client, Doumar said. "This case sets the most
interesting precedent in relation to that which has ever existed in
Anglo-American jurisprudence since the days of the Star Chamber," a
reference to English kings' secret court from the 1400s to the 1600s...
Doumar noted that the declaration doesn't say how long Hamdi would need
to
be detained and for what purpose: "How long does it take to question a
man?" the judge asked. "A year? Two years? Ten years? A lifetime...?"
-----
TERROR SUSPECT LOOKS LIKE 'SMALL FISH' NOW, U.S. OFFICIALS SAY
Christopher Newton, Associated Press, 8/14/02
http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/news_14.html
WASHINGTON -- An American touted by Attorney General John Ashcroft as a
significant terrorism figure with plans to detonate a radioactive bomb
is
probably a "small fish" with no ties to al Qaeda cell members in the
United
States, law enforcement officials say.
The FBI's investigation has produced no evidence that Jose Padilla had
begun preparations for an attack and little reason to believe that he
had
any support from al Qaeda to direct such a plot, one of the officials
said
on condition of anonymity...
Padilla, 31, is being held in a military brig in South Carolina as an
enemy
combatant, a legal designation allowing the government to jail him
without
formal criminal charges. No military tribunal is planned, and his
attorney
has argued in court that he is being held illegally and should be
released.
Padilla's attorney, Donna Newman, said the government was avoiding a
court
case because it has little evidence against him.
"What we could analyze from government statements is that they didn't
have
sufficient evidence to charge him," Newman said. "All they could do was
allege that he was somehow involved in the talking stages of a plan and
they didn't even allege his role. And that is supposed to be enough to
hold
him without trial...?"
-----
EDITORIAL: THE MERCHANTS OF BIGOTRY
Hartford Courant, 8/11/02
http://www.ctnow.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-bigots.artaug11.story?coll=hc%2Dheadlines%2Deditoria
Imagine the outrage in our country if a prominent American Muslim
denounced
Christianity as an evil force minted in hell by a pedophile. Imagine if
an
imam in a Hartford mosque proclaimed that Judaism is a religion of war
that
preaches the enslavement of all gentiles.
The uproar would be predictable, long-lasting and proper. Bigotry,
zealotry
and hatred, we would assert, are ugly and prominent features elsewhere,
not
in America. The cobra spreads its venom in the madrassas of Pakistan,
Saudi
Arabia and Indonesia, not in our red-white-and-blue temples of learning
and
worship.
Well, it's time for a rude awakening. Americans should start paying
more
attention to the zealots in their midst, who are sowing seeds of
hatred.
Here are a few recent tillers of this bitter earth.
Islam is "a very evil and wicked religion," according to the Rev.
Franklin
Graham, heir to the evangelical kingdom built by the Rev. Billy Graham,
whose anti-Semitic ranting with President Richard M. Nixon are now part
of
history.
The prophet Muhammad was nothing more than "a demonic, obsessed
pedophile,"
proclaimed the Rev. Jerry Vines, past president of the Southern Baptist
Convention.
In their booklet "Why Islam Is a Threat to America and the West," two
well-known right-wing activists, Paul Weyrich and William Lind, preach
that
American Muslims "should be encouraged to leave. They are a fifth
column in
this country..."
Xenophobes have been among us since colonial times, of course. The ugly
utterances are rightly tolerated in the name of democracy and rightly
condemned as unrepresentative of the American character. What's
distressing
about the latest round of ethnic and religion bashing, however, is the
scant attention it has received, especially by people who themselves
have
historically been targets of bigotry...
For those with open minds, it may be useful to find out why Islam, with
1.3
billion followers, is the fastest growing religion in the world today.
Could it be because some adherents sanctify violence and promise
suicide
bombers heavenly residence? Or could the attraction to Islam be
attributed
to such religious and cultural traits as charity, hospitality,
egalitarianism, prayers and respect for other religions?
To argue that Islam is Osama bin Laden and the ayatollahs of Iran makes
no
more sense than to say that Christianity is Franklin Graham and Jerry
Vines.
Send notes of appreciation to comment@ctnow.com.
-----
QURAN PROVISION INCLUDED IN HOUSE BUDGET BILL
Associated Press, 8/14/02
RALEIGH, N.C. - Lawmakers' efforts to prevent the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill from requiring incoming freshmen to read a book
on
Islam moved a step closer to becoming reality Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the executive committee of the UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty
Council
endorsed a resolution in support of academic freedom, one week after
the
UNC Board of Governors chose not to adopt a similar resolution.
The state House approved a budget bill that includes a provision to
block
the use of public money for any required reading assignment that
promotes
one religion over another. A House committee put the measure in the
budget
after legislators learned about a UNC-Chapel Hill requirement that
4,200
incoming freshmen and transfer students read a book entitled
"Approaching
the Qur'an: The Early Revelations," by Michael Sells...
Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange, whose district includes UNC-Chapel Hill,
said
purpose of the reading requirement is to inform students.
"There are plenty of Muslims who are our neighbors. And there are, I'm
sure, Muslims among our fighting men in Afghanistan..."
Also on Tuesday, a coalition of UNC-CH campus ministers from different
faiths issued a statement in support of the summer reading program.
"As professional ministers in higher education, we function at this
university with the conviction that the life of the spirit and the life
of
the mind are intertwined," said the group, which includes
representatives
of the Baptist, Jewish, Catholic, Episco pal, Lutheran, Presbyterian,
United Methodist and Unitarian campus ministries. "In support of the
expression of all faiths, we welcome this opportunity to approach this
text
in a scholarly manner as an educational enterprise. We hope that in
place
of fear there will be increased knowledge and new understanding."
-----
NEA WEBSITE MISSED THE MARK ON 9-11 TEACHINGS, CONSERVATIVES SAY
Lawrence Morahan, CNSNews.com, 8/13/02
\http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\\Politics\\archive\\200208\\POL20020813a.html
(CNSNews.com) - The National Education Association's effort to
educate
children about the events of Sept. 11 is drawing criticism from
conservatives and educators who say the NEA's teaching suggestions miss
the
mark.
The NEA's website, "September 11th Remembered" at NEAHIN.org, will be
launched Aug. 20 and will include up to 100 lesson plans that teachers
can
use to help elementary, middle and high school children integrate how
they
might remember Sept. 11 in language, health, music and drama, said
Jerald
Newberry, director of NEA's Health Information Network...
Messages such as "Violence and hate are never solutions to anger," and
"Groups of people should not be judged by the actions of a few" - by
Brian
Lippincott, Ph.D., of the John F. Kennedy University in Orinda, Calif.
-
missed the mark, conservatives said.
Another message suggested teachers "Discuss historical instances of
American intolerance."
"Internment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor and the backlash
against Arab Americans during the Gulf War are obvious examples,"
Lippincott wrote. "Teachers can do lessons in class, but parents can
also
discuss the consequences of these events and encourage their children
to
suggest better choices that Americans can make this time..."
William S. Lind, director of the Center for Cultural Conservatism with
the
Free Congress Foundation and an expert on terrorism, said school
children
should be warned that the root of the problem lies in Islamic teaching.
"Children must understand that the future of war is going to include,
as it
has included in the past, war with Islam, that Islam ... has resumed
the
strategic offensive and that their generation is going to have to face
the
fact that Islam is going to make war on it," Lind said.
Hodan Hassan, a spokeswoman for the Council on American Islamic
Relations, said that in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks,
educators
did a lot of necessary educational work on the Middle East and took
pains
to educate children that there is a difference between those who
perpetrated the attacks and ordinary Muslims.
A lot of the rhetoric coming from certain evangelical ministers is
"quite
hypocritical," Hassan said.
The verses routinely referred to in the Quran as examples of Muslim
militancy are taken out of context and are no more representative of
what
Muslims believe than the "fire and brimstone" verses in the Bible
represent
what Christianity teaches, she said...
-----
GLOBAL WARMTH FOR U.S. AFTER 9/11 TURNS TO FROST MILITARY PLANS REPULSE
EVEN EUROPEAN ALLIES
Ellen Hale, USA Today, 8/14/02
http://www.usatoday.com/news/acovwed.htm
OXFORD, England -- On a packed train out of London recently to this
historic college town, a young American woman struck up a conversation
with
her seatmate, a nattily dressed older British man. They chatted amiably
about Oxford until she worked up the courage to ask what was weighing
on
her mind:
"Why," she blurted out, "does everybody hate us?"
The man paused -- but didn't disagree -- before proceeding to enumerate
the
reasons, from U.S. foreign policies to the seeping influence of
American
popular culture.
In the shock wave that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, many
Americans found themselves asking why so many people in Muslim
countries
hate the United States. But the anti-American sentiment has turned into
a
contagion that is spreading across the globe and infecting even the
United
States' most important allies.
Bush's plan to topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is stoking
anti-American
hostility to bonfire levels. In Germany earlier this month, Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder launched his re-election campaign by denouncing what
he
derisively called Bush's proposed military "adventures" in Iraq. In
England, the new head of the Anglican Church and other leading bishops
circulated a petition proclaiming that any attack would be illegal and
immoral...
"Around the world, from Western Europe to the Far East, many see the
United
States as arrogant, hypocritical, self-absorbed, self-indulgent and
contemptuous of others," Peterson says. "This is not a Muslim country
issue. It has metastasized to the rest of the world and includes some
of
our closest European allies..."
-----
MUSLIMS KEEP WATCH OVER HOLY SHRINE
Associated Press, 8/13/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Israel-Churchs-Gatekeeper.html
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Wajeeh Nuseibeh, a Muslim, says someone from his
family
has opened and closed the massive wooden doors of Christianity's
holiest
shrine pretty much every day for more than a millennium. Christian
sects
squabbling over stewardship of the place have never trusted one another
with the key...
The current structure was built by European crusaders in 1099 around a
huge
rock believed to be Golgotha -- the site where Jesus was crucified. The
Roman emperor Constantine built an earlier church here in the 4th
century.
In such a holy place, even mundane tasks like dusting stones or tending
candles are contested. That's why a Muslim must open and close the door
each day.
"To be honest, sometimes there is animosity with one another, therefore
there can't be agreement on who should take the key," said Father
Armando
Pierucci, 67, a Franciscan from Italy who plays the church's booming
pipe
organ.
Tensions still run raw. Coptic and Ethiopian monks, who share control
of
the roof, hurled stones and threw punches July 28, because a
72-year-old
Coptic priest shifted out of the white-hot sun into the shade. His move
was
considered a challenge to the Ethiopians' sovereignty over a courtyard
they've held for two centuries.
Nuseibeh, whose business card says he is the "Custodian and Doorkeeper
of
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher," admits his family has taken on an
unusual job. But the former electronics repairman and tour guide
believes
his role is vital.
"We are here as a people of peace in the church," he said...
-----
YOUNG MUSLIMS TALK ABOUT LIFE AFTER SEPT. 11
Lisa Fernandez, San Jose Mercury News, 8/14/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/3861041.htm
NEWARK, Calif. _ While some teens are spending their dwindling summer
days
hanging out by the pool or the mall, several dozen other Bay Area young
people talked Tuesday about what it means to be an immigrant after
Sept. 11.
An ethnically diverse group of 60 students participated in the
three-hour
session at the Chandni restaurant in Newark, the first-ever meeting
between
the American Civil Liberties Union's Howard A. Friedman First Amendment
Education Project and the American Muslim Alliance Youth Think Tank, a
group dedicated to getting Muslims involved in the political process.
"This is really cool. I've never been to something like this," said
15-year-old David Cruz, a Menlo-Atherton High School student and a
participant in the ACLU project. "This is really tight."
Much of the discussion focused on how immigrants _ especially
dark-skinned
ones _ say they've experienced discrimination and harassment in the
post-Sept. 11 world...
Samina Faheem, coordinator of the Muslim youth think tank, was thrilled
with Tuesday's discussion.
"It was marvelous," she said. "Better than everyone expected."
Faheem said she felt the ACLU youngsters had an "eye-opening"
experience,
hearing firsthand about secret detentions and civil-liberties abuses.
And
she felt the Muslim youth were pleasantly surprised to meet other teens
with "such open minds."
-----
SO CAL ROUNDTABLE ON MEDIA/PUBLIC RELATIONS
WHERE: Masjid Al Ansar, 1717 S. Brookhurst St., Anaheim
WHEN: August 17, 2002, 8:00 p.m (after Magrib)
SPEAKERS: Hussam Ayloush, MBA, Executive Director, CAIR-LA
Dr. Riad Z. Abdulkarim, CAIR's Western Region Communications Director
Sponsored by the West Coast Islamic Society (Masjid Al-Ansar) and
the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA)
For more information, call: (714) 535-1100 or (714) 776-1847
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
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http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to: cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/15/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: EARNING BY ONE'S OWN EFFORTS
* EVANGELIST SAYS MUSLIMS HAVEN'T ADEQUATELY APOLOGIZED FOR SEPT. 11
ATTACKS
- CAIR LETTER TO FRANKLIN GRAHAM
- WORLDWIDE MUSLIM CONDEMNATIONS OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS
- HOW ISLAM-BASHING GOT COOL (Beliefnet)
* EDITORIAL: LEARNING ABOUT ISLAM (Christian Science Monitor)
* INCITEMENT WATCH: MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS VIOLENCE PRONE
* OP-ED: CAMPS FOR CITIZENS: ASHCROFT'S HELLISH VISION (Los Angeles
Times)
- RIGHTS TRAMPLED IN U.S., REPORT SAYS (Toronto Globe and Mail)
* THE MUSLIM MODERATOR (Newsweek)
* FLORIDIANS SAY SHARON VISIT A SOP TO BUSHES (Forward)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: EARNING BY ONE'S OWN EFFORTS
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "It is better for any of
you
to carry a load of firewood on his own back than begging from someone
else."
Riyadh-Us-Saleheen, Chapter 59, hadith 540
-----
EVANGELIST SAYS MUSLIMS HAVEN'T ADEQUATELY APOLOGIZED FOR SEPT. 11
ATTACKS
Michael Wilson, New York Times, 8/15/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/15/national/15GRAH.html
Nine months after calling Islam "a very evil and wicked religion," the
evangelist Franklin Graham said yesterday that Muslims had not
sufficiently
apologized for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and that they should help
compensate victims' families...
"The silence of the clerics around the world is frightening to me," he
said. "How come they haven't come to this country, how come they
haven't
apologized to the American people, how come they haven't reassured the
American people that this is not true Islam and that these people are
not
acting in the name of Allah, they're not acting in the name of Islam?"
Last week, Mr. Graham said that terrorism is part of "mainstream" Islam
and
that the Koran "preaches violence."
Mr. Graham was unavailable for comment last night, a spokesman said.
Muslim groups dismissed Mr. Graham's statements.
"He's sounding like a broken record every time he says something," said
Faiz Rehman, communications director for the American Muslim Council,
which
is based in Washington. "He seems to have an agenda. He's serving our
enemies, the enemies of America. Now people who don't like us will use
his
comments to show the quote-unquote American hatred of Muslims."
Mr. Rehman said Mr. Graham's comments showed ignorance. "He's not
paying
attention to what Muslims are saying in this country," he said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has tracked and responded to
Mr.
Graham's comments on its Web site.
Its communications director, Ibrahim Hooper, said last week in a
statement:
"Mainstream political leaders and religious figures must speak out
against
the growing demonization of Islam by extremist right-wing commentators
and
by representatives of the evangelical Christian community. Defamatory
attacks on other faiths can only lead to a spiral of distrust and
intolerance that will divide our society along religious lines..."
SEE ALSO:
CAIR LETTER TO FRANKLIN GRAHAM
August 15, 2002
Dear Rev. Graham:
I hope this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is concerned and dismayed at
your
repeated references to Islam as an ‘evil’ religion and accusation that
Muslims either condoned or supported the September 11 attacks. As a
religious leader and spiritual guide for thousands of Americans such
comments can only been seen as fomenting religious hatred and division.
Your comments appear to be based on a few Quranic verses quoted
entirely
out of context, both by people who knowingly intend to misrepresent
Islam
and by some extreme Muslims who seek to exploit Islam to further their
political goals. By repeating such misinformation you are not only
encouraging bigotry and ignorance, you are also allying yourself with
those
who would abuse religion for inhumane purposes.
Your latest accusation that Muslims have not condemned the attacks of
September 11 is entirely unfounded. I have enclosed over 40 pages of
statements, excerpts and articles of Muslim condemnation of these
horrific
attacks.
We ask that you reflect on your father’s words following the September
11
attack when he said, “But now we have a choice: whether to implode and
disintegrate emotionally and spiritually as a people and a nation or
whether we chose to become stronger through all of this struggle to
rebuild
on a solid foundation.”
We again encourage you to learn more about Islam and Muslims before you
repeat your erroneous and divisive statements about one of the three
great
Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Such statements
only
sow animosity and mistrust among Americans. As a religious leader you
should instead work to rebuild our national foundation instead of
trying to
tear it down.
Sincerely,
Omar Ahmed
Chairman of the Board of Directors
-----
WORLDWIDE MUSLIM CONDEMNATIONS OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS
For a selection of condemnations of the September 11th attacks from
around
the Muslim world, visit:
http://groups.colgate.edu/aarislam/response.htm
-----
HOW ISLAM-BASHING GOT COOL
Deborah Caldwell, Beliefnet, 8/15/02
http://www.beliefnet.com/frameset.asp?pageLoc=/story/110/story_11074_1.html&boardID=43917
…Islam-bashing, it appears, is suddenly not just acceptable, but almost
fashionable among conservatives. This isn’t a matter of commentators
criticizing Muslim extremists. These are remarks that attack Islam,
Muslims, the Qur’an, and the Prophet Muhammad as pervasively and
inherently
bad.
President Bush's repeated attempts since Sept. 11 to describe Islam as
a
"religion of peace" initially helped quell anti-Muslim rhetoric. But
now,
conservatives seem to be increasingly ignoring Bush's approach. "The
White
House has lost control of the issue," says John Green, an expert on
religion and politics at University of Akron. "Islam bashing has become
more public, and it seems to be more accepted."
And there is a limit, Green notes, to how vehemently Bush is likely to
disagree with these conservatives and Christians, since they make up
his
political base…
-----
EDITORIAL: LEARNING ABOUT ISLAM
Christian Science Monitor, 8/15/02
http://www.christiansciencemonitor.com/2002/0815/p08s03-comv.html
The University of North Carolina aptly chose a book about Islam as
summer
reading for incoming freshmen this fall. Few subjects are hotter in
post-9/11 America.
The school's critics also object that the book selected by UNC,
"Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations" by Michael A. Sells, is
a
sanitized view of the religion, leaving out those parts of the text
that
advocate slaying of infidels. The author, in fact, has explained that
he
purposely concentrated on older sections of the text that don't deal
with
violence.
But it's hard to imagine that student discussions won't delve into the
contrast between what they've read and radical Islamists' call for
jihad
against perceived enemies of Islam. That's a useful discussion. Some
students may recognize parallels in their own sacred texts - for
example
grimmer sections of the Old Testament versus passages like the 23rd
Psalm…
Those who would keep students from gaining some insight into Islam have
to
take care they're not mirroring the intolerance they profess to abhor.
Learning about another religion should be no threat to one's own. It
should
give a broader understanding of mankind's search for the divine.
----
INCITEMENT WATCH: MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS VIOLENCE PRONE
Middle East Sends Many Immigrants
Stephen Dinan, Washington Times, 8/15/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020815-32596104.htm
Middle Eastern immigrants to the United States are among the
fastest-growing groups in America, numbering about 1.5 million in the
2000
census and potentially reaching 2.5 million by 2010, according to a new
report by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS)...
At a forum to discuss the center's report yesterday, Daniel Pipes,
director
of the Middle East Forum, said about 80 percent of Islamic schools,
newspapers, mosques and other institutions subscribe to a militant
version
of Islam.
"In its long history of immigration, the United States has never
encountered so violent-prone and radicalized a community as the Muslims
who
have arrived since 1965," he concluded.
Stephen Steinlight, a senior fellow at the American Jewish Committee,
said
the growing Muslim population in the long term could substantially
change
America's history of support for Israel.
"Down the road, that's only going to get worse. The battle's going to
be
joined at a different level," he said.
But Hodan Hassan, a spokeswoman for the Council on American Islamic
Relations (CAIR), defended the new immigrants' rights. "I think you're
going to find that people, when they come to this country, are going to
have viewpoints that differ with him. When they're going to come, they
have
every right as American citizens to voice their viewpoints on American
foreign policy," she said...
SEE ALSO:
Who Is Daniel Pipes?
http://www.cair-net.org/misc/people/daniel_pipes.html
-----
OP-ED: CAMPS FOR CITIZENS: ASHCROFT'S HELLISH VISION
Jonathan Turley, Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/la-oe-turley14aug14.story
Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft's announced desire for camps for U.S. citizens
he
deems to be "enemy combatants" has moved him from merely being a
political
embarrassment to being a constitutional menace.
Ashcroft's plan, disclosed last week but little publicized, would allow
him
to order the indefinite incarceration of U.S. citizens and summarily
strip
them of their constitutional rights and access to the courts by
declaring
them enemy combatants.
The proposed camp plan should trigger immediate congressional hearings
and
reconsideration of Ashcroft's fitness for this important office.
Whereas Al
Qaeda is a threat to the lives of our citizens, Ashcroft has become a
clear
and present threat to our liberties....
-----
RIGHTS TRAMPLED IN U.S., REPORT SAYS
Paul Knox, Toronto Globe and Mail, 8/15/02
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/PEstory/TGAM/20020815/URITEN/Headlines/headdex/headdexInternational_temp/4/4/17/
U.S. authorities deliberately trampled constitutional rights after
Sept. 11
in a crackdown that saw immigrants jailed without cause, tried in
secret
and, in some cases, physically abused, a leading human-rights group has
charged.
In a report to be released today, Human Rights Watch accuses President
George W. Bush's government of displaying "a stunning disregard for the
democratic principles of public transparency and accountability" in its
response to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
It says authorities rounded up at least 1,200 people because of their
religion or ethnic background, jailed them on immigration charges to
deny
them rights normally enjoyed by accused persons, and held many in harsh
isolation conditions....
-----
THE MUSLIM MODERATOR
Carla Power, Newsweek, 8/19/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/792568.asp
When Sheik Hamza Yusuf was summoned to the White House after the World
Trade Center attack, he brought President George W. Bush two books. The
first was a Qur’an, bristling with Post-It notes marking key verses.
The
second was “Thunder in the Sky,” a book on the art of war by a
first-century Chinese Taoist.
These two gifts- Islam’s holy book and a tract on the humanistic use of
power—suggest the two poles orienting the California-based Islamic
scholar.
He speaks to Americans as a Muslim, and to Muslims abroad as a member
of
that most powerful tribe on earth: Americans. Since September 11, the
43-year-old Muslim convert has taken up a post at the cultural
crossroads
between the Islamic world and the United States. Among young Western
progressive Muslims, he’s fast becoming the most prominent Islamic
cleric
of his generation. His speeches at home draw standing-room-only crowds.
Moreover, says Fuad Nahdi, publisher of the British Muslim periodical Q
News, “he can fill a hall anywhere in the Muslim world…”
-----
FLORIDIANS SAY SHARON VISIT A SOP TO BUSHES
By Nacha Cattan, FORWARD, 8/15/02
http://www.forward.com/issues/2002/02.08.16/news1.html
High-profile Jewish Demo-crats are fuming over a decision by Prime
Minister
Sharon to make a rare visit to the Sunshine State in the heat of a
gubernatorial election involving Republican Governor Jeb Bush.
Sharon is scheduled to meet with the president's brother during a short
trip to Miami in September, two months before elections are to be held
in
the state that is home to the third largest American Jewish community.
His
arrival was reportedly slated for September 9, one day before the
Democratic gubernatorial primaries.
Following harsh criticism from Democrats who demanded Sharon also meet
with
their party's candidates, Israeli officials said Tuesday that Sharon
would
invite the Democratic candidates, as well as Bush, to an Israel
solidarity
rally…
-----
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453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
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In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/16/2002
HEADLINES:
* VERSE OF THE DAY: KINDNESS TOWARDS PARENTS
* AMERICA RESPONDS TO BIGOTRY
* JUDGE OKS UNC STUDENTS TO READ QURAN (AP)
- EDITORIAL: SUMMER READING (San Francisco Chronicle)
* DEFAMING ISLAM (Ottawa Citizen)
* EDITORIAL: A PRISONER WITHOUT ANY RIGHTS (Rocky Mountain News)
* EDITORIAL: POWER OF SYMBOLS IN INDIA (Los Angeles Times)
* MANDELA TO OBSERVE FATAH LEADER'S TRIAL (Guardian)
-----
VERSE OF THE DAY: KINDNESS TOWARDS PARENTS
"Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worhsip none save Him, and show kindness
to
your parents. If one or both of them attain old age with thee, say not
"Fie" unto them or repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word."
Holy Quran, Surah 17, Verses 23-24
-----
AMERICA RESPONDS TO BIGOTRY
Excerpts from letters CAIR has received regarding Franklin Graham's
recent
anti-Islamic statements:
Please accept my humble apology for the words of Franklin Graham, he is
an
ignorant fool. As for myself, I do not follow Franklin or the Billy
Graham
movement, I am a devout but liberal Roman Catholic. Nonetheless, I
believe
that Graham would also label himself "Christian", and for that, I feel
compelled to apologize.
I do not believe that Graham's words represent in any way the majority
opinion in this country, only the small and vocal minority.
Unfortunately,
the majority stays silent in cases such as this, and according to your
web
site, many other cases as well.
I for my part will not be silent. We both observe and worship the same
benevolent God, our only difference is in our traditions. I have read
the
Holy Quran, it is a beautiful book and offers much wisdom...
Minneopolis, MN
***
I am just a country boy from Georgia, but the discussion truly boosted
my
ego. I recall hearing numerous Muslims express their condolences to
the
survivors of the three September 11, 2001 attacks by a few misguided
individuals. I recall seeing hearing a Muslim cleric speak at a World
Trade Center memorial service. Mr. Graham was on that very stage. I
am
surprised he was so inattentaive at such a solemn event.
A large contingent of Atlanta area Muslims attended vigils and other
rememberences. After all, members of virtually every faith lost their
lives in this tragedy. Every faith has taken a blow in the
aftermath...
Dallas, GA
***
I am continuously appalled by the pronouncements of Franklin Graham. I
must
decline to use his title as he repeatedly demonstrates that he is not
worthy of such a title. It is sad that a so-called religious leader
feels
free to express such openly Anti-Semitic rhetoric, no doubt
self-assured
that since his particular and virulent form of Anti-Semitism is not
aimed
at Jews but at those who practice the equally noble faith of Islam, it
will
go unlabeled for what it is.
Know that there are many of all faiths including all of the Abrahamic
faiths who understand the principles of the Quran and know that Torah
and
Quran have a common vision for mankind, as the one god, Adonai or
Allah,
would require...
New York
-----
JUDGE OKS UNC STUDENTS TO READ QURAN
Associated Press, 8/16/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-UNC-Quran.html
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Incoming freshmen at the University of North
Carolina
will participate in discussion groups on Islam's holy text after a
judge
ruled that having them read about the Quran did not threaten religious
freedoms.
U.S. District Court judge Carlton Tilley Jr. refused Thursday to grant
a
temporary restraining order requested by two taxpayers, one of them an
official of the conservative Virginia-based Family Policy Network, and
three unidentified freshmen.
Network President Joe Glover said the lawsuit forced the university to
change its program from a required reading and discussion to a
voluntary
program. University Chancellor James Moeser said the program was never
required in the first place, and was intended to stimulate critical
thinking in freshmen. He said opponents of the program "consistently
missed
the point..."
"Learning in a university setting involves the ability to confront
other
viewpoints," said Celia Lata, the assistant attorney general
representing
the university. "A university that exposes students only to what they
already know or believe would not equip them to live in the world..."
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: SUMMER READING
San Francisco Chronicle, 8/16/02
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/08/16/ED212235.DTL
Many universities require incoming freshmen to work their way through a
summer reading list before they arrive on campus as a way of
cultivating
discussion and debate.
This year, when the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
included
"Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations," by Michael A. Sells,
three
students, supported by conservative Christian organizations, argued
that
the book was "carefully selected to create a favorable opinion of the
religion of Islam." They then sued the university for violating the
church-state separation required by the Constitution...
In failing to support academic freedom, as well as students'
intellectual
need to better understand Islam, the state government and university
have
provided a poor example to their students. They should know better.
-----
DEFAMING ISLAM
By Riad Saloojee, Ottawa Citizen, 8/15/02
Last Friday was sweltering. And the emotional index in the mosque
raised
the thermometer considerably. The congregation was asked to reflect on
an
Aug. 8 Citizen editorial provocatively entitled Attacking 'infidels':
Terrorists target the West for only one reason: its religious values.
The
Ottawa Muslims present felt palpably disgusted by the piece, a gut
reaction
that the Citizen was defaming Islam. The buried subtext, they felt, was
the
suggestion that Islam condoned the killing of "infidels..."
Still, the assertion that terrorists attack the West because of its
"Christian values" is simplistic. They justify their immoral attacks
by a
host of false premises: religious, political, historical and others.
And
the rhetoric of the editorial simply resurrects the rather apocalyptic
idea
of a clash of civilizations or, if you believe the Citizen's claim that
the
West equals Christianity, a clash of religions...
The Citizen editorial founders on self-contradiction. The article cites
both the example of extremists slitting the throats of more than 400
people
in Algeria at the end of the Ramadan fast and the recent attack on the
World Trade Center to "prove" that extremists kill Christians because
they
are Christians. In both examples, however, Muslims were among those
killed;
in the Algerian case, the extremists killed their fellow compatriots
and in
the attack on the U.S., many Muslims were among those killed...
These omissions are significant. The simple fact that the KKK wore
crosses
while terrorizing and killing African-Americans or that the South
African
government frequently justified apartheid by biblical scripture has no
more
relevance to Christianity than these extremists have to Islam...
Riad Saloojee is executive director of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations, Canada.
-----
EDITORIAL: A PRISONER WITHOUT ANY RIGHTS
Rocky Mountain News, 8/15/02
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/opinion/article/0,1299,DRMN_38_1326262,00.html
In effect, the Bush administration insists, any American can be jailed
without charge, without bail, without a hearing and without a lawyer,
more
or less forever, if necessary, on the say-so of a mid-level Pentagon
official named Michael H. Mobbs.
Mobbs is described as special adviser to the undersecretary of defense
for
policy. Mobbs decides who is an "unlawful enemy combatant," a phrase
without any real legal meaning but one the Justice Department cites as
reason enough to indefinitely hold a 21-year-old American-born Saudi
incommunicado in a cell.
And what precisely makes a person an "unlawful enemy combatant"? The
government can't say. National security...
Federal Judge Robert Doumar has twice ordered that Hamdi be allowed to
see
a federal public defender. The government appealed, and the circuit
court
ordered Doumar to give the Justice Department a greater opportunity to
make
its case. The government got that chance Tuesday, and Doumar not only
seemed unconvinced, he seemed disgusted.
Doumar said he could find no case where a prisoner was subjected to
such an
abrogation of rights. Hamdi has fewer rights - actually no rights -
than a
convicted felon. A fundamental principle is at stake here. Because of
the
Mobbs memo, the judge asked the government: "The Constitution doesn't
apply
to Hamdi?" The government declined to answer, but we will: Yes, it
does.
It's frightening that the judge even has to ask.
-----
EDITORIAL: POWER OF SYMBOLS IN INDIA
Los Angeles Times, 8/16/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-ed-india16aug16.story
The president of India plays a largely ceremonial role, subordinate to
the
prime minister, but a smart politician can create power from symbolism.
The
new occupant of the office, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, displayed that skill in
picking a state torn by religious rioting for his first official visit,
signaling his concern for the nation's Muslim minority.
More than 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed in riots in
the
western state of Gujarat in February and March. The state government
did
little to stop days of carnage that began as revenge after Muslims
burned a
train carrying Hindus back from a holy site claimed as sacred by both
faiths. Months after the riots, thousands of Muslims still live in
relief
camps.
Thousands more are homeless and live with friends or relatives. Only
when
Kalam unexpectedly announced his visit did the state government,
controlled
by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, finally make a small
effort at clearing debris and whitewashing scorch marks from houses...
India's Muslims constitute about 14% of the nation's more than 1
billion
people. After his visit, Kalam urged an end to religious clashes and
adherence to tolerance. He is well positioned to deliver that message
and
should take every advantage of the platform given him.
-----
MANDELA TO OBSERVE FATAH LEADER'S TRIAL
Jonathan Steele, Guardian, 8/15/02
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,774753,00.html
In a major embarrassment to Israel, Nelson Mandela has agreed to
observe
the trial of a Palestinian leader formally indicted yesterday on
charges of
murder and terrorism.
A lawyer for Marwan Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian legislative
council and secretary general of the Fatah movement in the West Bank,
revealed he had been in South Africa last week to invite the former
president to the trial.
"He said he was enthusiastic about coming," Khader Shkirat said. He
quoted
South Africa's most famous political prisoner as saying: "What is
happening
to Barghouti is exactly the same as what happened to me. The government
tried to de-legitimise the African National Congress and its armed
struggle
by putting me on trial..."
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS 8/18/2002
HEADLINES:
* REMINDER: ALL FAITHS URGED TO HOLD INTERFAITH EVENTS FOR SEPT. 11
* NUMBER OF HISPANIC MUSLIM CONVERTS GROWING (Houston Chronicle)
* OFFICERS SAY U.S. AIDED IRAQ IN WAR DESPITE USE OF GAS (New York
Times)
- BACK US AGAINST SADDAM OR ELSE, US TELLS ARAB STATES
(Telegraph)
- SCOWCROFT: DON'T ATTACK SADDAM (Wall Street Journal)
- BUSH ANSWERS GOP FOES OF A WAR ON IRAQ (Los Angeles Times)
* U.S. MUSLIMS SAY BUSH IGNORES THEM (AP)
- AMERICAN MUSLIM FEARS FOR RIGHTS HERE (Orlando Sentinel)
* MIDEAST ISSUE INFUSES GA. RACE (Newsday)
* EDITORIAL: FRANKLIN GRAHAM GOES BACK TO THE WELL (News & Observer)
- EDITORIAL: EVANGELIST WAS OFF-BASE WITH REMARKS (News
Leader)
- ASSAULTS ON ISLAM COULD HARM U.S. (Winston-Salem Journal)
* MANY IN BUSINESS SEEK GUIDANCE FROM FAITH (Columbus Dispatch)
* JUDGE ORDERS INQUIRY INTO DETAINMENT OF EGYPTIAN (Washington Post)
- REPORT: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES OF POST-SEPTEMBER 11 DETAINEES
(HRW)
-----
REMINDER: ALL FAITHS URGED TO HOLD INTERFAITH EVENTS FOR SEPT. 11
Guelph Mercury, 8/17/02
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has called on all faith
communities to participate in a Day of Unity and Prayer on Sept. 11.
The council suggests that houses of worship open their doors for
interfaith
visits, prayers, congregational exchanges, and other activities
intended to
foster unity and religious tolerance.
A Web site, www.cair-net.org/dayofunity, allows mosques, churches,
synagogues, and other religious institutions to register their
participation.
-----
NUMBER OF HISPANIC MUSLIM CONVERTS GROWING
TARA DOOLEY, Houston Chronicle, 8/17/02
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/front/1537375
HUEVOS rancheros for breakfast; fasouliye for dinner.
It was not an unusual menu that graced the table one recent Thursday at
Patricia El-Kassir's west Houston home.
For El-Kassir, a Mexican-American convert to Islam, starting the day
with
the Mexican egg breakfast and ending it with a Lebanese meat-and-bean
dinner meant nothing more than the merging of cultures easily found in
Islam.
"One of the things that brought me to Islam, that I think is so
beautiful,
is that Muslims come from all nations," said El-Kassir, whose husband
is a
native of Lebanon.
"You can be Mexican and be a Muslim and be happy," she added. "You
don't
have to be torn between two things."
Though Muslims may live in all nations, when El-Kassir first accepted
Islam
16 years ago as a 15-year-old student at Bellaire High School, she was
one
of few Hispanic Muslims at Houston-area mosques, she said. She didn't
meet
another Hispanic Muslim until she was an adult living in Lebanon.
Now when El-Kassir looks around at local gatherings of Muslims, she
sees
others with roots in Mexico and Central and Latin America. She even has
friends with whom she can discuss the ins and outs of halal meat in
tamales…
A study of mosques in the United States published in 2001, indicated
that
about 6 percent of converts to Islam in the United States are Hispanic,
said Ihsan Bagby, an author of the report and associate professor of
Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky. About 27 percent of
American
converts are white, 64 percent are African-American and 3 percent are a
mixture of other backgrounds, according to "The Mosque in America: A
National Portrait…"
SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/mosquereport/
Some of what is now available for Hispanic converts comes from Latino
American Dawah Organization, a group started about five years ago in
New
York City by Samantha Sanchez and five friends.
Sanchez, who is studying for a doctorate in cultural anthropology, had
just
become a Muslim and was interested in discovering whether she and her
friends were the only Hispanic Muslims out there.
The organization has grown into a support network and an information
outreach that provides Qurans and pamphlets on Islam in Spanish and
runs a
Web site, www.latinodawah.org. The group now has a chapter in Austin
and is
working on chapters in Illinois, Massachusetts and Arizona…
-----
OFFICERS SAY U.S. AIDED IRAQ IN WAR DESPITE USE OF GAS
By PATRICK E. TYLER, New York Times, 8/18/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/18/international/middleeast/18CHEM.html
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 A covert American program during the Reagan
administration provided Iraq with critical battle planning assistance
at a
time when American intelligence agencies knew that Iraqi commanders
would
employ chemical weapons in waging the decisive battles of the Iran-Iraq
war, according to senior military officers with direct knowledge of the
program.
Those officers, most of whom agreed to speak on the condition that they
not
be identified, spoke in response to a reporter's questions about the
nature
of gas warfare on both sides of the conflict between Iran and Iraq from
1981 to 1988.
Iraq's use of gas in that conflict is repeatedly cited by President
Bush
and, this week, by his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, as
justification for "regime change" in Iraq…
During the Iran-Iraq war, the United States decided it was imperative
that
Iran be thwarted, so it could not overrun the important oil-producing
states in the Persian Gulf. It has long been known that the United
States
provided intelligence assistance to Iraq in the form of satellite
photography to help the Iraqis understand how Iranian forces were
deployed
against them. But the full nature of the program, as described by
former
Defense Intelligence Agency officers, was not previously disclosed…
Though senior officials of the Reagan administration publicly condemned
Iraq's employment of mustard gas, sarin, VX and other poisonous agents,
the
American military officers said President Reagan, Vice President George
Bush and senior national security aides never withdrew their support
for
the highly classified program in which more than 60 officers of the
Defense
Intelligence Agency were secretly providing detailed information on
Iranian
deployments, tactical planning for battles, plans for airstrikes and
bomb-damage assessments for Iraq.
Iraq shared its battle plans with the Americans, without admitting the
use
of chemical weapons, the military officers said. But Iraq's use of
chemical
weapons, already established at that point, became more evident in the
war's final phase…
SEE ALSO:
BACK US AGAINST SADDAM OR ELSE, US TELLS ARAB STATES
Alan Philps, The Telegraph (UK), 8/18/02
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/08/18/wiraq18.xml
American diplomats are sending an uncompromising message to Arab
states:
those who do not support the planned United States operation against
Saddam
Hussein will be treated as enemies.
SCOWCROFT: DON'T ATTACK SADDAM
BRENT SCOWCROFT, Wall Street Journal, 8/15/02
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110002133
Mr. Scowcroft, national security adviser under President Gerald Ford
and
George H.W. Bush, is founder and president of the Forum for
International
Policy.
Our nation is presently engaged in a debate about whether to launch a
war
against Iraq. Leaks of various strategies for an attack on Iraq appear
with
regularity. The Bush administration vows regime change, but states that
no
decision has been made whether, much less when, to launch an invasion.
It is beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein is a menace. He terrorizes and
brutalizes his own people. He has launched war on two of his neighbors.
He
devotes enormous effort to rebuilding his military forces and equipping
them with weapons of mass destruction. We will all be better off when
he is
gone.
That said, we need to think through this issue very carefully. We need
to
analyze the relationship between Iraq and our other pressing
priorities--notably the war on terrorism--as well as the best strategy
and
tactics available were we to move to change the regime in Baghdad…
But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the
strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite
period from our war on terrorism. Worse, there is a virtual consensus
in
the world against an attack on Iraq at this time. So long as that
sentiment
persists, it would require the U.S. to pursue a virtual go-it-alone
strategy against Iraq, making any military operations correspondingly
more
difficult and expensive…
Possibly the most dire consequences would be the effect in the region.
The
shared view in the region is that Iraq is principally an obsession of
the
U.S. The obsession of the region, however, is the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. If we were seen to be turning our backs on that bitter
conflict--which the region, rightly or wrongly, perceives to be clearly
within our power to resolve--in order to go after Iraq, there would be
an
explosion of outrage against us. We would be seen as ignoring a key
interest of the Muslim world in order to satisfy what is seen to be a
narrow American interest…
BUSH ANSWERS GOP FOES OF A WAR ON IRAQ
JAMES GERSTENZANG, Los Angeles Times, 8/17/02
http://www.latimes.com/la-fg-bush17aug17002040.story
CRAWFORD, Texas -- President Bush responded Friday to the increasingly
contentious debate among Republicans over what course he should follow
regarding Iraq, acknowledging the growing opposition to a military
campaign
to remove President Saddam Hussein from power.
The dissent spread this week when Brent Scowcroft, the White House
national
security advisor during the administration of Bush's father, warned
that an
attack on Hussein could jeopardize the war on terrorism by angering
allies
whose support is critical.
Several former officials close to Scowcroft said they doubted he would
have
gone public with that posture without clearing the move first with the
senior Bush, heightening questions about the latter's view on
confronting
Iraq. The former president has not commented publicly, which has only
fed
speculation…
-----
U.S. MUSLIMS SAY BUSH IGNORES THEM
RACHEL ZOLL, Associated Press, 7/17/02
Several American Muslim leaders who President Bush publicly courted
after
the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks say he is ignoring them now, and some
blame
conservative Christians and pro-Israel lobbyists for the reversal.
Islamic support, which seemed so crucial as the nation embarked on its
war
on terrorism, is now losing ground to other concerns, U.S. Muslim
leaders say.
“There were special interest groups involved immediately after those
meetings last fall in trying to dissuade the administration from acting
with us,” says Salaam al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim
Public
Affairs Council in Los Angeles.
“There's sort of a right wing - whether Christian fundamentalists or
pro-Israel groups - that tries to drive wedges between us and decision
makers,” he says…
Lezlee Westine, director of the White House Office of Public Liaison,
says
the administration has taken pains to consider the Muslim view.
Muslim leaders have been meeting with Cabinet members and have been
included in briefings on foreign policy, civil rights and other issues,
she
says.
“There has been a consistent outreach to the community,” says Westine,
whose office is in charge of work with Muslims and other constituents.
“We're including them in all of our activities.”
But Muslim leaders contend they have not met with Bush since last year,
when he visited a Washington-area mosque - where he proclaimed Islam a
religion of peace - and met with Muslim activists at the White House.
The White House noted that it has celebrated Muslim holidays, such as
Eid
al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, while Secretary of State Colin Powell
and
Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill have met with Muslim leaders.
Muslim leaders say guests at the parties have been children and
ambassadors
from Muslim countries, and that Muslim advocates deal more often with
lower-level representatives of government agencies than with Cabinet
members.
Muslim leaders also say they have been further disappointed that Bush -
the
first presidential candidate they collectively endorsed - has failed to
more strongly condemn attacks on Islam by Christian conservatives, a
strong
source of the president's support…
SEE ALSO:
AMERICAN MUSLIM FEARS FOR RIGHTS HERE
Maye Ostowani, Orlando Sentinel, 8/16/02
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-edpmyword16081602aug16.story
As Sept. 11 approaches, it's hard to believe that a whole year has gone
by.
As I recall the day of Sept. 11, 2001, my entire being is once again
filled
with absolute horror. I clearly remember trying for hours to call Arab
and
Arab-American friends and relatives living in New York and Washington
to
make sure they were unharmed. I was one of the lucky ones because no
one I
knew had been directly affected by the attacks on the World Trade
Center
and Pentagon, but many of them had had friends and co-workers injured
and
killed.
How can anyone commit such a heinous crime? Muslims, you say? It can't
be
true, I say. Islam absolutely forbids the killing of innocent people
under
any circumstances. In addition, many of the victims were Muslims
themselves. No, the people who flew those planes into the World Trade
Center towers and the Pentagon were not Muslims; they were murderers
and
traitors to their own religion.
In the past year, I have heard and seen some members of the American
media
make an absolute mockery of the Islamic religion. They have often
outraged
and saddened me and even made me fearful for my own life and the lives
of
my family.
Some TV anchors and local radio talk-show hosts, who have probably
never
even been outside of Florida, let alone the United States, have
suddenly
become experts on a very complex religion. On a daily basis, some
blatantly
lie about Islam, its principles and its followers. Is it just plain
ignorance on their part, or do they have a political agenda, which they
are
willing to go to any lengths to fulfill?...
The last stroke came when I heard talk of the possibility of putting
American Muslims in internment camps if there were to be another attack
on
U.S. soil! I couldn't believe my ears!
My husband tried to calm me by saying that this would never happen. But
what if it did? I insisted. I could always go back to my country in the
Middle East, but what about my husband, who is an Arab-American, and my
9-month-old son, who was born here? I fear for them now as I never have
in
the past. How can America, which stands for freedom and liberty, even
consider doing such a terrible and terrifying thing? How can the
American
people agree to hold the majority of moderate American Muslims
responsible
for a handful of extremist murderers?
-----
MIDEAST ISSUE INFUSES GA. RACE
William Douglas, Newsday, 8/18/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-uscong182829210aug18.story
Decatur, Ga. - At an elementary school in this Atlanta suburb, Rep.
Cynthia
McKinney recently read a passage from a children's book that seems to
capture her political philosophy during 10 years in the House.
"One says 'Except God, I fear no one,'" McKinney read from "The Talking
Cloth," a story by Rhonda Mitchell about the meaning behind the symbols
weaved into Ghanian fabric. "Another is called Obi nka Obi: 'I offend
no
one without cause.'"
Many Jewish Americans inside and outside McKinney's district say she
has
offended them by taking positions and casting votes they consider
harmful
to Israel.
But many Muslim-Americans view the five-term Democratic lawmaker as an
advocate who speaks truth to power on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
racial profiling of Arabs and the use of secret evidence against them
in
trials.
The differing views of McKinney have made Tuesday's Democratic primary
in
Georgia's Fourth Congressional District a referendum on the Middle
East.
Supporters of Israel and Muslim-Americans from inside and outside the
district have flooded the campaign coffers of both candidates at a
frenzied
pace, state political analysts say.
Denise Majette, a black former Georgia state judge and Brooklyn native,
has
raised $1.2 million since announcing her candidacy in February. Last
month
alone, Majette's fund-raising outpaced McKinney's 7-to-1, according to
Federal Election Commission records.
The donations reflect dissatisfaction among Jewish Americans with
McKinney,
who was one of 21 House members who voted against a resolution
condemning
Palestinian suicide bombings and supporting Israel's response to them.
"Majette's going to get Jewish money because a lot of them are hopping
mad
at McKinney," said Bob Menaker, editor of Atlanta's Jewish Times. "A
lot of
Jews believe she is anti-Israel."
McKinney, who has the backing of her party and organized labor, has
raised
$618,000. More than three-quarters of her donations have come from
contributors with Muslim or Arab-American surnames, FEC records show.
Many of the donations were in response to e-mail messages sent recently
by
the Ohio-based Council on American-Islamic Relations Political Action
Committee that warned McKinney's seat could be in jeopardy.
"We're not going after people who support Israel," said Osama Siblini,
editor of a Dearborn, Mich. Arab-American newspaper who received the
e-mail
messages and has encouraged Muslims and Arabs to contribute to
McKinney's
campaign. "We're just supporting our friends…"
"It bothers us that the outside forces are coming in," said the Rev.
Gerald
Durley, pastor of Atlanta's Providence Missionary Baptist Church. "Many
of
us believe this is an issue of not getting Majette in, but getting
McKinney
out."
Joe Beasley, southern executive director of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition
said
the Alabama and Georgia races threaten a historical alliance between
blacks
and Jews that was forged and nurtured during the civil rights struggle
of
the 1950s and '60s.
"It's going to have a chilling effect between African-Americans and
Jews,"
said Beasley, a McKinney supporter. "We're getting off into dangerous
territory."
Rabbi Joseph Saperstein, a member of the NAACP's national board and
head of
the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, called black-Jewish
relations good, but acknowledged some strains after Hilliard's defeat…
Anecdotal evidence suggests that McKinney's Middle East views are in
sync
with the larger black community, several political scientists say.
"Israel, in the David and Goliath story, is clearly Goliath, and that
strikes a tone with African-Americans," added David Bositis of the
Joint
Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington- based think
tank.
"They see a government that is strong and can do whatever it wants to
do.
That causes a visceral gut-level among some African-Americans that this
isn't right..."
McKinney backers are telling anyone who will listen that Majette's
campaign
is fueled solely by Jewish money from the East and West coasts.
"It's not all Jews," said the Rev. Timothy McDonald, pastor of
Atlanta's
First Iconium Baptist Church. "It's extreme Jews, pouring money in from
California and New York."
-----
EDITORIAL: FRANKLIN GRAHAM GOES BACK TO THE WELL
Barry Saunders, News & Observer, 8/17/02
http://newsobserver.com/editorials/story/1644267p-1670767c.html
You'd have to flip a coin to tell which is worse -- a daddy who never
spoke
out against anything or a son who speaks out in ignorance.
I'm talking, of course, about the Rev. Billy Graham and his young 'un,
evangelist Franklin Graham.
Once again, young Franklin is in the news for comments about Islam and
Muslims. You'll recall that soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,
Graham called Islam a "very evil and wicked religion." He seemed, in
subsequent statements, to backtrack a bit, but now he's at it again.
Muslims, he said on a Charlotte radio station earlier this week, have
not
sufficiently apologized for the attacks, and should help compensate
victims' families.
"I'm certainly not preaching against Muslim people," Graham said, as he
seemingly preached against Muslim people.
Call me cynical, but I'm guessing that much of Graham's renewed
criticism
is driven by his desire to sell copies of his book, "The Name." He is
--
surprise, surprise -- just finishing up a tour promoting the book; he
must
know that incendiary comments would garner attention for it.
I'm no theologian, but I'd bet that every religion has its share of
wicked
and evil people. That, however, doesn't make the religion itself wicked
and
evil.
It's funny, but I don't remember Franklin or his daddy demanding that,
for
example, all Christians apologize for the terrorism other Christians
inflicted upon blacks during this country's darkest days. Yet that
seems
precisely what he is asking now of Muslims around the world following
the
attacks of Sept. 11.
Oy vey.
Funnier still is Graham's indictment of Muslim clerics for not
condemning
the attacks as vociferously as he thinks they should.
"How come they haven't come to this country, how come they haven't
apologized... (and) reassured the American people that this is not true
Islam?
"The silence of the clerics around the world is frightening to me," he
said.
Frankly, Frank, that's precisely what so many people said about your
daddy,
who remained mostly silent in the midst of the civil rights, antiwar
and
women's liberation movements.
When the younger Graham castigates Muslims for not coming to this
country
and apologizing, doesn't he realize the role he and other Islam-bashers
may
be playing in their reluctance to do so?
Demonizing their religion is certainly not going to make Muslims rush
to
these shores, roll up their sleeves and join in rebuilding America. Yet
that -- demonizing Islam -- is what Ibraham Hooper, communications
director
for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, accuses people such as
Graham of doing.
"Mainstream political leaders and religious figures must speak out
against
the growing demonization of Islam by extremist right-wing commentators
and
by representatives of the evangelical Christian community," Hooper said
in
a prepared statement.
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: EVANGELIST WAS OFF-BASE WITH REMARKS
News Leader, 8/16/02
http://www.newsleader.com/news/stories/20020816/opinion/440105.html
Graham is dangerous and wrong in associating an entire religion with
actions carried out in the name of that religion in an attempt to
sanctify
those acts.
While we will not deny that there are Muslim clerics who preach
intolerance
and destruction of all things non-Islamic in the name of Allah, there
are
more that teach forgiveness. A more balanced quote, made at about the
same
time Falwell and Robertson were spouting their poison, came from the
lips
of former CIA director James Woolsey, who said that the Sept. 11
terrorists
bore "the same relationship to Islam (as that) of Torquemada and the
people
who ran the Spanish Inquisition did to Christianity..."
It's Franklin Graham who has some apologizing to do, not the followers
of
Islam.
ASSAULTS ON ISLAM COULD HARM U.S.
John Railey, Winston-Salem Journal, 8/17/02
http://www.journalnow.com/
In his new book, the Rev. Franklin Graham writes of flying through
deserted
skies two days after the terrorist attacks on America.
"Between North Carolina and the D.C. area, I did not see an airplane or
hear a single radio transmission from another pilot.... To me, this
just
underscored the crisis we were facing as a nation," Graham writes in
The Name…
As his friend George W. Bush tries to keep up support for the United
States
among Muslims in the Middle East and here, Franklin Graham has been
ratcheting up the rhetoric against Islam. He does that in his book,
which
glorifies Jesus, and he has been doing that in interviews to promote
the book.
"There is no mercy in Islam," Graham told me this week.
Fighting words
He pointed to the terrorist attacks. "In the name of Islam, they killed
over 3,000 American men, women and children," Graham said.
Most scholars and theologians make a firm distinction between the
twisted
brand of Islam practiced by the terrorists and that practiced by the
vast
majority of Muslims. Graham does not make such a distinction.
In his book, he refers to a passage in the Quran that tells Muslims to
fight those who don't believe in Allah. Many scholars say that passage
was
written at a time when Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was under
attack.
They say it has no modern application…
As we talked, I heard the phone beep, meaning that another caller was
trying to reach me. After Graham and I finished, I checked my voice
mail
and found a message from a Muslim, Steve Muqtasid of Clemmons.
Words and actions
Muqtasid wanted help publicizing a prayer service that his mosque,
Masjid
Al-Mu'minun, is planning for Sept. 11. I told him that I had just been
talking with Graham about Muslims.
Muqtasid, a 44-year-old grocery-store manager, laughed tiredly. He
couldn't
understand the distinction Graham was making between Muslims here and
those
overseas, he said, because they all study the same Quran. "I'm not
going to
fight against what he says. My energies will be spent showing people
what
we do represent. We want to work with people in all religions and try
to
bring out the best in our society…"
As he continues to attack Islam, there's the very real possibility that
he
will alienate thousands of Muslim here and overseas in need of his
help,
Muslims whose support America needs.
-----
MANY IN BUSINESS SEEK GUIDANCE FROM FAITH
Jennifer Oladipo, Columbus Dispatch, 8/16/02
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/
Search using the term “Hadith.”
For many people, faith is not just a weekend activity; it influences
their
work lives, too.
For millennia, religions have addressed workplace ethics and business
conduct. In recent months, however, such issues have been given
heightened
attention because of corporate scandals, widespread layoffs and the
vast
influence of corporations…
Islam insists that followers “give full weight and measure” in all
transactions, said Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin, vice president of the Council
on
American-Islamic Relations' Ohio chapter. That means companies should
handle all business honestly and fairly…
One Hadith tells employers to “pay the worker before the sweat dries on
his
brow…”
Many religions say workers should always be diligent, no matter what
their
task. Mobin-Uddin said Muslims believe every act done nobly, correctly
and
to the best of one's ability is considered one of worship to God.
“So that elevates even the most mundane activities and things that
might
seem like drudgery,” she said…
-----
JUDGE ORDERS INQUIRY INTO DETAINMENT OF EGYPTIAN
Christine Haughney, Washington Post, 8/17/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28838-2002Aug16.html
NEW YORK, Aug. 16 -- A U.S. district judge has ordered federal
prosecutors
here to investigate the case of an Egyptian national who claims an FBI
agent badgered him into confessing that he possessed an aviation radio
that
could have been used to help terrorists steer airplanes into the World
Trade Center last year.
In newly unsealed court records, Judge Jed S. Rakoff said the FBI may
have
"misled him" about the case of Abdallah Higazy, 31, who was held in
solitary confinement for 31 days early this year before his release
from
jail. Another man, who had no connection to the attacks, later claimed
the
radio was his.
"The court…was apparently seriously misled on two occasions in
connection
with the detention of Mr. Higazy as a material witness," Rakoff said at
a
closed hearing March 18. "At a minimum, one would think that some
explanation would be forthcoming as to how a false confession could
have
been obtained…"
SEE ALSO:
HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES OF POST-SEPTEMBER 11 DETAINEES
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/us911/
United States: Abuses Plague Sept. 11 Investigation
Checks on Government Authority Should Be Restored
http://www.hrw.org/press/2002/08/usdetainess081502.htm
(New York, August 15, 2002) The U.S. government's investigation of the
September 11 attacks has been marred by arbitrary detentions, due
process
violations, and secret arrests, Human Rights Watch said in a new report
released today. The U.S. Department of Justice has misused immigration
charges to dodge legal restraints on its power to detain and
interrogate
people as it pursues its terrorist probe.
"An immigration violation should not give the government license to rip
up
the rule book," said Jamie Fellner, director of Human Rights Watch's
U.S.
Program. "By restricting judicial oversight and blocking public
scrutiny,
the government has exercised virtually unchecked power over those it
has
detained."
The ninety-five page report, "Presumption of Guilt: Human Rights Abuses
of
Post-September 11 Detainees," is based on Human Rights Watch interviews
with scores of current and former detainees and their attorneys. The
report
provides the most comprehensive analysis yet of the Justice
Department's
treatment of non-citizens swept up in the post-September 11
investigation.
Human Rights Watch found that the U.S. government has held some
detainees
for prolonged periods without charges; impeded their access to counsel;
subjected them to coercive interrogations; and overridden judicial
orders
to release them on bond during immigration proceedings. In some cases,
the
government has incarcerated detainees for months under restrictive
conditions, including solitary confinement. Some detainees were
physically
and verbally abused because of their national origin or religion…
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/19/2002
HEADLINES:
* FOR MUSLIMS, AN UNEASY ANNIVERSARY (New York Times)
* COURT WON'T HALT UNC QURAN COURSE (AP)
- EDITORIAL: REQUIRED READING (New York Times)
- FRANKLIN GRAHAM PURSUES HIS VERBAL WAR ON ISLAM (AP)
* GOP GETS OUT VOTE FOR FOE (Washington Times)
- GEORGIA RACE SPLITS DETROITERS (Detroit Free Press)
* STATE IS LIKELY TO GET FIRST FEMALE MUSLIM LEGISLATOR (Post-Dispatch)
* PALESTINIAN WILL BE DEPORTED AFTER NINE MONTHS IN PRISON (AP)
- COMMENTARY: 'A WORTHY STRUGGLE' (Tampa Tribune)
* ONE YEAR LATER, REASONS FOR ROUNDUP STILL UNCLEAR (AP)
* FOOD STAMP DISPUTE MAY CLOSE HALAL MARKET (Oregonian)
* THE DEATH CONVOY OF AFGHANISTAN (Newsweek)
* DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN FOR PALESTINIANS (AP)
* EXPLORING THE VIOLENCE IN INDIA (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
-----
FOR MUSLIMS, AN UNEASY ANNIVERSARY
Daniel J. Wakin, New York Times, 8/19/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/19/nyregion/19MUSL.html
One day next month, when all of New York is draped in commemoration,
many
of the city's Muslims will be grieving and seeking solace; but some
Muslims
say that on that day, Sept. 11, they will feel resentment.
Still others will fear an echo of anti-Muslim backlash. Some will look
to
prove they are good Americans. Others will bristle that such a thing
should
even be expected of them. However they react, many Muslims feel that
the
day has an extra layer of meaning for them.
"The events were probably more traumatizing to us as a faith community
than
any other single faith community," said Talib Abdur-Rashid, imam of the
Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood in Harlem. "On the one hand, we were
victimized just like other people," because, he said, "there were a lot
of
Muslims killed, and on the other hand we are being blamed and vilified
in
the media and attacked in the streets."
At the same time, he said, "The non-Muslim public in America still
wants to
know 'What is Islam?' 'Who are Muslims?' and 'What do you all feel
about
Sept. 11?' These events coming up are going to be yet another
opportunity
for us to just tell our non-Muslim neighbors how we feel and how we
have
been affected," said the imam, who plans to take part in an interfaith
service on Sept. 10 at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church...
Parts of the official face of Islam - the large mosques and prominent
imams
- are planning a wide range of events. Many have the same underlying
motive, as if to say, "we belong."
"I think there is definitely a feeling in the community that we have to
be
part of the American scene and do our share," said Feisal Abdul Rauf,
imam
of the al-Farah mosque in Lower Manhattan and founder of the American
Sufi
Muslim Association.
Such an attitude is reflected in the efforts by Muslim lobbying groups.
The
Council on American-Islamic Relations, a lobbying group in Washington,
has
issued guidelines on how mosques can plan a "day of unity and
prayer..."
SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
-----
COURT WON'T HALT UNC QURAN COURSE
Associated Press, 8/19/02
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A federal appeals court refused Monday to halt
small-group discussions about the Quran at the University of North
Carolina.
Attorneys for a conservative Christian group on Friday asked the 4th
U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond to stop Monday's two-hour
discussion
sessions of a book that interprets the Islamic holy text. Members of
the
Virginia-based Family Policy Network and three unidentified UNC-Chapel
Hill
freshmen contend the assignment is unconstitutional because it promotes
Islam.
A three-judge panel of the appeals court rejected the motion, ruling
that
"the appellants have failed to satisfy the requirements for such
relief..."
A lower court judge in Greensboro, N.C., had rejected the plaintiffs'
arguments Thursday.
Lawyers for the state-supported university say thousands of incoming
students would lose their free-speech rights if they were barred from
discussing the book, which interprets parts of the Islamic faith's holy
text.
About 4,200 incoming freshman and transfer students were assigned to
read
about 130 pages of "Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations," by
Michael Sells, a religion professor at Haverford College.
A university committee selected the book after the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks to introduce students to unfamiliar ideas shared by about 1
billion
Muslims around the world, state attorneys said in a court brief filed
Saturday.
The reading and the two-hour group discussions planned for Monday
afternoon
on the Chapel Hill campus were designed to initiate students into the
university's intellectual life, state attorneys said...
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: REQUIRED READING
New York Times, 8/19/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/19/opinion/19MON2.html
Every summer for the past three years, the University of North Carolina
at
Chapel Hill has asked incoming freshmen to read a single book and be
prepared to discuss it during their orientation week. Previous books
have
included works on the Civil War and poverty in a Chicago housing
project.
This year, with the anniversary of Sept. 11 approaching, it selected
"Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations," by Michael Sells, a
professor of religion at Haverford College. The outrage this produced
in
some Christian fundamentalists and ham-handed legislators was such that
you
would have thought the students had been assigned a work of
pornography.
The protesters, some of whom have sued the university, said that
assigning
a religious book in a public university violated the Constitution's
separation of church and state. What they really oppose is the effort
to
study Islam objectively, without presuming at the outset that it is
inherently evil. Let's hope for the sake of the students and the state
as a
whole that their despicable efforts fail...
FRANKLIN GRAHAM PURSUES HIS VERBAL WAR ON ISLAM
RICHARD N. OSTLING, Associated Press, 8/19/02
Last fall the White House called for interfaith understanding as
Americans
recovered from the Sept. 11 shock and pondered Islam. But the Rev.
Franklin
Graham took a contrarian stand.
The evangelist, who succeeded his fabled father Billy as head of the
Billy
Graham Evangelistic Association, told NBC News:
"We're not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam
is
not the same God. He's not the Son of God of the Christian or
Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God, and I believe it is a very
evil and wicked religion." Jews ignored the "Son of God" flub about
their
faith, but Muslims were predictably irate. Graham gave no apology in a
follow-up statement that expressed concern about "the treatment of
women
and the killing of non-Muslims or infidels."
Act three, a Graham piece for the Wall Street Journal, clarified that
Muslims aren't "evil people" because of their faith, but he decried
"the
evil that has been done in the name of Islam, or any other faith -
including Christianity."
He insisted that "persecution or elimination of non-Muslims has been a
cornerstone of Islamic conquests and rule for centuries" and that the
Quran
"provides ample evidence that Islam encourages violence in order to win
converts and reach the ultimate goal of an Islamic world."
Now comes Graham act four, just in time for the Sept. 11 anniversary
and
amid ongoing attacks on Christians in Pakistan.
Islam is the most newsworthy of the many topics in Graham's new book
"The
Name" (Thomas Nelson). The work awkwardly combines personal anecdotes,
testimony stories, quotes from others, sermon points, information on
world
relief projects and a bit of Bible prophecy concerning Israel.
The main point among his many themes is that it's proper for Christians
to
pray in Jesus' name at public occasions (for which Graham has been
criticized) and to insist that "Jesus is the only way to God."
In response to the book and Graham's latest interviews linking the
religion
with violence, the Council on American-Islamic Relations urged
politicians
and clergy to speak out against "extremist right-wing and evangelical
commentators who seek to demonize Islam and Muslims."
Anyone looking for wisdom on the complexities of current Islam would be
much better off reading "Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam" by
John
L. Esposito of Georgetown University...
-----
GOP GETS OUT VOTE FOR FOE
Steve Miller, Washington Times, 8/19/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020819-32631224.htm
Nearly 35 percent of the Republicans in Georgia's 4th Congressional
District are expected to cross over and vote in tomorrow's Democratic
primary in an effort to oust Rep. Cynthia A. McKinney.
The Republicans would join a strong Jewish vote in support of Mrs.
McKinney's foe, former state judge Denise Majette.
"We have our own races to vote in," said Mr. Ranta, who sent out a mass
e-mail last week to Republican voters urging them to vote on the
Republican
ticket. "We have three candidates for governor, we have three for
lieutenant governor but there are people here who will give up anything
on
the Republican ticket to get rid of her."
Mrs. McKinney's outspokenly pro-Palestinian stance has earned her
thousands
of dollars in campaign contributions from Arab-Americans and Muslims -
including several with suspected ties to terrorist groups - prompting
Jewish donors to give generously to Mrs. Majette's campaign.
SEE ALSO:
GEORGIA RACE SPLITS DETROITERS
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 8/19/02
http://www.freep.com/news/politics/donors19_20020819.htm
The candidates are both Christian. They are both from the South and
both
African American.
But their battle over a Georgia congressional seat has turned into a
national contest between Muslim and Jewish political power. It's a race
being closely watched by metro Detroit's large Arab-American and Jewish
communities. Both have contributed to the candidates. The incumbent,
Cynthia McKinney, is strongly backed by Arab and Muslim groups for her
outspoken support of Palestinian rights. During a private dinner of
shish
kebab in West Bloomfield this month, Muslim donors gave more than
$20,000
to her campaign.
Adding to the mix is the complex relationship between African Americans
and
Muslims and Jews, America's two largest religious minorities.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson endorsed McKinney this month. Louis Farrakhan,
head
of the Nation of Islam, held a rally for her Saturday. That further
upset
some Jewish groups, who note that Farrakhan has made anti-Semitic
comments.
Two years ago, local leaders invited McKinney to be the keynote speaker
at
the annual banquet of the Michigan chapter of the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee. It's one of the biggest fund-raising
dinners
locally in the Arab-American community.
In her speech, McKinney criticized profiling of Arab Americans and drew
comparisons between what blacks experienced under the FBI during the
civil-rights movement and what Muslims are undergoing now.
On Aug. 7, she again came to Michigan, this time to the home of Yahya
Basha, a West Bloomfield resident who's chair of the board of the
American
Muslim Council. According to Basha, McKinney told the crowd of donors
that
she was not afraid to express different views in Congress.
"She's always defending the little guy, defending civil liberties,"
Basha
said.
"Some want to keep her silent, to shut her down..."
-----
STATE IS LIKELY TO GET FIRST FEMALE MUSLIM LEGISLATOR
D. Paul Harris, Post-Dispatch, 8/19/02
http://home.post-dispatch.com/channel/pdweb.nsf/TodayMonday/86256A0E0068FE5086256C1A002BF579?OpenDocument&PubWrapper=North+Post
Yaphett El-Amin won the Democratic nomination in the 57th District and
is
unopposed in the general election; she hopes to build bridges.
Yaphett El-Amin knows about working through adversity.
As a young woman and recent college graduate counseling young men in
juvenile detention, she thought she was giving back to her community.
Then her home was robbed, perhaps by some of the same people she was
trying
to help. The incident gave her pause. But instead of letting the
experience
drive her from her home, she became committed to involvement in her St.
Louis neighborhood.
Now, the winner in an upset in the 57th District Democratic race for
state
representative - who will be the first known female Muslim to serve in
the
Missouri House - she will get a chance to further test her grit in the
Legislature...
-----
PALESTINIAN WILL BE DEPORTED AFTER NINE MONTHS IN PRISON
Associated Press, 8/19/02
MIAMI - A Palestinian man imprisoned twice for immigration violations
and
suspected terrorism ties will be released this week from a federal
prison,
his attorneys said.
Mazen Al-Najjar, 45, has been held since November on a deportation
order
for overstaying his visa, which was issued 20 years ago. He will be
deported sometime this week, Al-Najjar's lawyer, Joe Hohenstein, said
Sunday night. Al-Najjar, who has never been charged with a crime, has
been
held in solitary confinement at the federal prison in Coleman, Florida,
for
the past 267 days.
Al-Najjar has acquired travel documents from the Palestinian Authority,
Hohenstein said. He will be deported to an Arab country "with friendly
relations with the United States," such as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, Hohenstein said.
"The bottom line is we have been trying to obtain travel documents to
expedite his removal," said Rodney Germain, a Miami-based Immigration
and
Naturalization Service spokesman.
The Muslim cleric was jailed for 3 1/2 years from 1997 to the end of
2000
on secret evidence that he helped support terrorists through the
Islamic
think tank and charity he and brother-in-law Sami Al-Arian founded.
He was set free for nearly a year and taken into custody again for the
visa
violation after the Sept. 11 attacks.
SEE ALSO:
COMMENTARY: 'A WORTHY STRUGGLE'
Sami A. Al-Arian, Tampa Tribune, 8/18/02
By now, much of America has heard of my case. Pick up any newspaper,
turn
to any news channel or surf the internet and you're sure to learn of
the
tenured University of South Florida engineering professor under the
threat
of being fired from his position for controversy stemming from activism
for
the Palestinian cause. Not only have many of these media reports
frequently misrepresented the facts, but they are to a large extent
responsible for my current predicament. Moreover, in a number of ways
my
case is symbolic of the status of civil liberties in post-9/11
America...
Following the Sept. 11 tragedy, I was one of the first Muslim leaders
to
condemn the attacks and call for justice for the victims. Within a few
days, our mosque and the Islamic Community of Tampa Bay collected more
than
$10,000 for the victims' fund in New York, and I led a blood drive
during
which 75 local Muslims participated. In addition, I presided over a
3-hour
ecumenical service where all Abrahamic faiths were represented. The
Islamic
teachings of cooperation, unity and tolerance for all faith communities
became visible during this painful time.
This fight for academic freedom, free speech and preservation of tenure
is
indeed a worthy struggle. I will continue the struggle and I appreciate
the
support I received from my family, friends and community, and the many
professors, students and countless others. We have no choice but to
continue defending these rights. As Edmund Burke once said: "The only
thing
necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing."
-----
ONE YEAR LATER, REASONS FOR ROUNDUP STILL UNCLEAR
Associated Press, 8/19/02
Nearly a year after federal agents in Kentucky rounded up more than 50
Mauritanians, authorities remain tight-lipped about what prompted the
roundups or why some of the immigrants were detained for a month.
Agents from the FBI and the Immigration and Naturalization Service
raided
Sidi Mohamed Ould Bah's Louisville apartment on Sept. 14, three days
after
the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Bah, 32, was one of 27 immigrants from the northwestern African nation
taken into custody in Jefferson County.
A week later, federal authorities conducted a similar sweep of
Mauritanians
in Boone County. The FBI said that roundup involved more than 25
people.
Federal authorities won't discuss what information they used to get
search
warrants for the northern Kentucky raid, and the warrants remain
sealed.
Authorities say the purpose of the Louisville sweep was to find people
whose visas had expired or who ignored deportation orders.
No connections to the Sept. 11 attacks were found among the Northern
Kentucky Mauritanians who were questioned, said David Beyer, spokesman
for
the Louisville FBI office. But Beyer defended the roundup, pointing to
the
atmosphere of public fear after Sept. 11...
Still, some of those affected think they were unfairly targeted.
Mohamed
Abdallahi, 27, one of the Boone County Mauritanians, was detained for
more
than a month.
"When they took me away, I thought it would be for one day, maybe two,"
Abdallahi said.
Dennis Clare, the attorney for four Louisville Mauritanians who were
held
for more than a month, said he was told by an INS agent that the
roundup
was partly motivated by a tip that one of the four had taken flying
lessons. But Clare said that none of the four had taken flying lessons
and
that he was told the visas of the four had expired.
"This was an extraordinary action. I'm sure it would not have happened
had
it not been for Sept. 11. This was a knee-jerk reaction, which I can
understand after such a terrible catastrophe," Clare said. "What I
don't
understand is why they were held for more than a month and, in some
cases,
for a month and a half."
-----
FOOD STAMP DISPUTE MAY CLOSE HALAL MARKET
Angie Chuang, Oregonian, 8/19/02
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/102975811717581.xml
The owner of the only Somali market in Oregon says he may have to close
his
doors because the U.S. Department of Agriculture has barred his store
from
taking food stamps.
The USDA disqualified the Damal Halal Market in Portland from the
federal
food stamp program last October, citing evidence of food stamp
trafficking.
It denied an appeal by the store's owners in December. The
investigation is
one of several nationwide that have occurred in the past year at
similar
stores, including three in Seattle. The national Council on
American-Islamic Relations asserts that the USDA's trafficking charges
are
based on a misunderstanding of Somali culture and food-buying habits.
Co-owner Hussein Adam Gude maintains that he never used food stamps
illegally. "I've never taken anything in my life," he said. "Now I'm
losing
my savings, my business, everything."
The number of Somali markets accused of trafficking and the timing of
the
investigations are causing Somali community members and their
supporters to
say that the U.S. government is targeting them unfairly, perhaps out of
post-Sept 11 fervor...
-----
THE DEATH CONVOY OF AFGHANISTAN
Babak Dehghanpisheh, Newsweek, 8/26/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/795153.asp
Aug. 26 issue - Trudging over the moonscape of Dasht-e Leili, a
desolate
expanse of low rolling hills in northern Afghanistan, Bill Haglund
spotted
clues half-buried in the gray-beige sand. Strings of prayer beads. A
woolen
skullcap. A few shoes. Those remnants, along with track marks and blade
scrapes left by a bulldozer, suggested that Haglund had found what he
was
looking for. Then he came across a human tibia, three sets of pelvic
bones
and some ribs.
Haglund was in Dasht-e Leili on more than a hunch. In January, two
investigators from the Boston-based Physicians for Human Rights had
argued
their way into the nearby Sheberghan prison. What they saw shocked
them.
More than 3,000 Taliban prisoners-who had surrendered to the victorious
Northern Alliance forces at the fall of Konduz in late November-were
crammed, sick and starving, into a facility with room for only 800.
But stories of a deeper horror came from the prisoners themselves.
However
awful their conditions, they were the lucky ones. They were alive. Many
hundreds of their comrades, they said, had been killed on the journey
to
Sheberghan from Konduz by being stuffed into sealed cargo containers
and
left to asphyxiate. Local aid workers and Afghan officials quietly
confirmed that they had heard the same stories. They confirmed, too,
persistent reports about the disposal of many of the dead in mass
graves at
Dasht-e Leili...
-----
DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN FOR PALESTINIANS
Donna Bryson, Associated Press, 8/19/02
JERUSALEM (AP) - E-mail by e-mail, teach-in by teach-in, students and
professors at institutions like the University of California, Harvard,
MIT
and Princeton are backing the Palestinian cause by campaigning to get
U.S.
universities out of stocks that do business in Israel.
They are modeling their effort on the divestment movement that helped
topple apartheid. They have run into strong opposition on campus. The
Anti-Defamation League sees an attempt to ``demonize Israel, through
the
propagation of a false and odious comparison to apartheid-era South
Africa.''
Francis A. Boyle, a University of Illinois professor of international
law
and an early advocate of divestment from Israel, said in a telephone
interview: ``It worked once to produce peace, justice and
reconciliation,
and I believe it can work again...''
In a pro-divestment column published in U.S. newspapers in June, South
African Nobel laureate and former Archbishop Desmond Tutu drew
parallels
between Palestinians under occupation and blacks who lived in
segregated
districts during apartheid...
-----
EXPLORING THE VIOLENCE IN INDIA
CHERYL FROST, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 8/17/02
Exploring the Violence in India, a forum, will start at 5 p.m. Sunday
at
the Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University,
3301
College Ave., Davie. The forum will examine causes of violence and
explore
ways to achieve peace. Included will be an exhibition and documentary
film.
Featured speakers will be Shabnam Hashmi, human rights activist from
India,
and Cynthia Irvin, from the Department of Conflict Analysis and
Resolution
at Nova. Co-sponsors are the Council of American Islamic Relations, the
Indian Muslim Relief Committee and the American Muslim Association of
North
America.
Admission is free. For information, call 954-821-2378.
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/20/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: BE HAPPY
* SUPPORT BILL TO PREVENT DEPORTATION OF TX MUSLIM FAMILY
* PATERSON MOSQUE RESPONDED TO 9/11 WITH OPENNESS (AP)
* U.S. SEEKS APPEAL IN DETAINEE CASE (AP)
* IMPRISONED UNFAIRLY IN THE LAND OF THE FREE (St. Petersburg Times)
* MUSLIM IMAM JAILED IN US "WITHOUT CHARGE" DETAILS PRISON CONDITIONS
(BBC)
* LETTER: IMMIGRATION SPIN (Washington Times)
- WHO IS DANIEL PIPES?
* HEADSCARF ISSUE FLARES AFTER WOMAN'S DEATH IN TURKEY (Chicago
Tribune)
* SUDAN ENVOY: PEACE IS POSSIBLE (Los Angeles Times)
* LOSING OUR BEST ALLIES IN THE WAR ON TERROR (New York Times)
* U.N. OFFICIAL: CHINA USING 'WAR ON TERRORISM' TO CRUSH DISSENT (AP)
* POLLS SHOW LOWER ISRAEL SUPPORT (JTA)
* SOME LIVES ARE CHEAPER THAN OTHERS (Ha'aretz)
* 2ND ANNUAL N. VA CIVIC PICNIC
* TX INTERFAITH DIALOGUE ON RACE, RELIGION AND VIOLENCE
* LINKS TO SEPT. 11 COMMEMORATION EVENTS
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: BE HAPPY
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Be happy, and hope for
what
will please you. By God, I am not afraid that you will be poor, but I
fear
that worldly wealth will be bestowed upon you as it was bestowed upon
those
who lived before you. So you will compete amongst yourselves for it, as
they competed for it and it will destroy you as it did them."
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 5, Hadith 351
-----
SUPPORT BILL TO PREVENT DEPORTATION OF TX MUSLIM FAMILY
Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) has introduced a bill, H.R.
4662,
to prevent the INS from deporting a Muslim family of Palestinian
origin.
Details on the case and how you can help are at
www.cair-net.org/html/capwiz.html
-----
PATERSON MOSQUE RESPONDED TO 9/11 WITH OPENNESS
By Wayne Parry, Associated Press, 8/19/02
PATERSON, N.J. - When Muslim terrorists slammed jetliners into the
World
Trade Center and Pentagon, mosques around the country recoiled in fear
of a
backlash from angry Americans.
Many shut themselves off behind steel bars and metal security doors,
let
answering machines handle incoming phone calls and temporarily moved
worship services to members' homes.
But in Paterson, the northern New Jersey city where at least a
half-dozen
Sept. 11 hijackers lived just before the attacks, the community's
leading
mosque responded with openness.
Leaders of the mosque welcomed outsiders into their center, held a
blood
drive and collected $15,000 for the Red Cross victims' fund, and
offered
classes explaining Islam to those of other faiths. They had Christian
neighbors in for brunch, and still offer free headphones to those who
don't
speak Arabic so they can listen to English translations of Imam
Mohammad
Qatanani's sermons at Friday prayers…
The Paterson mosque's openness is a model for others around the world,
says
a leading U.S. Islamic group.
"That's the kind of thing we encourage all mosques to do," said Ibrahim
Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations in
Washington, D.C. "We discourage isolation and ghetto-ization, and
encourage
reaching out to other people.
"Sometimes the reaction of people who feel under siege as Muslim people
do
today is to retreat and defend themselves," he said. "But we feel the
best
way to defend the community is to reach out and bring people in.
Ignorance
is the root of hatred and bias crimes…"
-----
U.S. SEEKS APPEAL IN DETAINEE CASE
Sonja Barisic, Associated Press, 8/20/02
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Prosecutors asked a federal judge for permission to
appeal his order that the government give him more than the "sparse
facts"
it has provided so far to explain its treatment of an American-born man
captured in Afghanistan.
The government contends it can hold Yaser Esam Hamdi indefinitely
without
charging him or even letting him see a lawyer because he is an enemy
combatant. Federal public defender Frank Dunham Jr. has been seeking to
meet with Hamdi and win his release.
Government lawyers filed their request late Monday to appeal the order
demanding evidence including all statements Hamdi made to his military
interrogators, the names of his interrogators and any notes they took
during interviews with him, along with statements made by the forces
that
captured him late last year.
U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar on Friday ordered the government
to
produce the evidence by Wednesday afternoon so he can review it in
private.
If he agrees to the government's appeal request, prosecutors will
instead
take the case for a third time to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
in
Richmond...
-----
IMPRISONED UNFAIRLY IN THE LAND OF THE FREE
Mary Jo Melone, St. Petersburg Times, 8/20/02
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/08/20/Columns/Imprisoned_unfairly_i.shtml
These are not good days for asking people to look at the bigger
picture.
Since Sept. 11, we have been shaped by the narrow lenses of our fears.
We
see enemies everywhere.
So, to suggest that Mazen Al-Najjar is being mistreated is to invite
hollers and jeers.
Al-Najjar, once a teacher at the University of South Florida, has been
tried and convicted in that court where verdicts are irreversible --
the
court of public opinion...
If he had committed a crime, why wasn't he indicted?
If the government wouldn't make the evidence public, or couldn't indict
him, why was his freedom denied...?
Al-Najjar has been in jail for more than 4 1/2 years. Since November,
he
has been held in solitary confinement -- as if he were some confidante
of
Osama bin Laden...
Al-Najjar has been held this round for 10 months, a length of time that
may
be unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that people
in
his shoes, stateless and without a country to take them, should be held
no
more than six months.
This is not a small point. The government is flouting the rules. The
rules
are supposed to apply equally to those we scorn, like Al-Najjar, as
they do
to the rest of us.
Someday this history will shame us.
We will be ashamed that we treated Al-Najjar with contempt and in
violation
of the simplest rules of crime and punishment, guilt and innocence.
We didn't have enough evidence to indict him, let alone convict him
through
that form of fair play known as due process. The best we could do is
kick
him out of the country.
-----
MUSLIM IMAM JAILED IN US "WITHOUT CHARGE" DETAILS PRISON CONDITIONS
BBC Monitoring International Reports, 8/20/02
Text of commentary by Abd-al-Aziz Al Mahmud published by Qatari
newspaper
Al-Watan web site on 19 August
(Excerpt of letter from Imam Rabih Haddad from his Chicago jail cell to
an
organization that opposes racial discrimination.)
The letter is full of emotions of sadness and sorrow at the conditions
of
Muslims who have been detained in US jails without trial since the 11
September events. Imam Rabih is one of the founders of Global Relief
Foundation [name of foundation published in English], the second
largest
Muslim charitable society for world relief in the United States…
Thank you for your letter dated 22 January. I really appreciate your
efforts to bring about my release. Please convey my thanks to all those
working in the society. I am sorry that I was unable to see the
protests
because the window in my cell does not allow me to see what happens
outside. However, one of my colleagues heard about the protests because
he
has a small radio and he told me about it.
Allow me to take this opportunity to tell you about my world in prison.
I
live in a cell that is nine feet long and six feet wide. It is obvious
that
the cell was designed to take the most violent and the most vicious
criminals. The bed is nailed to the floor in the middle of the cell
leaving
a small space of one and a half feet from the wall. On each corner of
the
bed there are straps to tie the prisoner...
I am allowed to call my family on the phone once every month and only
for
15 minutes. I receive my food from the opening in the door, the same
opening that they use to handcuff me before taking me out of the cell
for
any reason. I am allowed to take a bath three times a week. They tie me
with iron chains before I am allowed to walk the 10 steps to the
bathroom…
I have been living in this condition for one month and a half, which is
enough time to drive anyone crazy. Where can we draw the line between
justice and injustice? Where can we draw the line between detention and
assassination? I am being treated as the worst criminal you can imagine
although I have not been charged with anything except that I overstayed
the
period of the visa that I was on the verge of renewing...
-----
LETTER: IMMIGRATION SPIN
Washington Times, 8/19/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20020819-74483442.htm
(scroll to bottom)
I am surprised at the lack of research done for a recent article on
Middle
Eastern immigrants in the United States ["Middle East sends many
immigrants," Thursday, Nation].
First, it behooves reporters to research their material, rather than
printing news releases verbatim. Second, the readers probably do not
know
that the Center for Immigration Studies, an organization contacted for
the
article, is a front for pseudo-scholarly special interests for Israel.
Add
comments from Daniel Pipes, who is also beholden to those same special
interests, and you have an article that has absolutely no credibility
with
researchers of American immigration.
Rather, the Center for Immigration Studies has put out several
publications
that expose its fears of an articulate, growing Muslim population
swaying
U.S. popular opinion over the continued occupation and human rights
violations of the Palestinian people. Let's call a spade a spade.
A. LAMB-SOBH
History Department
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, Ill.
SEE ALSO:
INCITEMENT WATCH: An excerpt from Daniel Pipes’ background article
“Muslim
Immigrants in the United States” submitted at the CIS news conference
8/14/02:
“Those who embrace the freedoms America offers and become religiously
less
observant (or even convert out of Islam), are acting out what they
could
not fully express in the home countries…The consumption of alcohol is
widespread [in the American Muslim community]. The prohibition of
extramarital sex is commonly violated…
“Muslim students are known to hide their families’ religious values:
Ramadan fasting becomes a diet to lose weight, while not going to the
mall
is a matter of baby-sitting duties…”
WHO IS DANIEL PIPES?
http://www.cair-net.org/misc/people/daniel_pipes.html
-----
HEADSCARF ISSUE FLARES AFTER WOMAN'S DEATH IN TURKEY
Catherine Collins, Chicago Tribune, 8/20/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0208200201aug20.story
Medina Bircan already was dying from cancer when she was admitted to
Istanbul University's Capa Hospital last month. Six days later, doctors
told her son there was nothing more that they could do for his
71-year-old
mother and advised him to take her home.
First, however, he needed to make arrangements for her to continue to
receive dialysis as an outpatient. That is when the trouble began.
Because Bircan wore a headscarf--an important symbol of her Muslim
faith--on her national health identification card, a document required
for
treatment at public hospitals, the hospital refused to approve the
paperwork for her outpatient treatment. Turkey's staunchly secular
government bans headscarves in public buildings such as parliament and
universities.
She died a week later in the hospital as her son tried to alter her ID
photo by digitally removing the scarf.
Almost immediately, pro-Islamic circles seized on the case and turned
Bircan into a symbol of oppression of people who are outwardly
religious.
Women cannot attend universities wearing headscarves, and a member of
the
parliament was stripped of her office for wearing a scarf into the
assembly…
-----
SUDAN ENVOY: PEACE IS POSSIBLE
Davan Maharaj, Los Angeles Times, 8/20/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-sudan20aug20.story
President Bush's special envoy to Sudan expressed optimism Monday that
an
agreement could be reached to end a nearly 20-year-old civil war in the
African country that has killed about two million people and caused an
additional 4.5 million to flee their homes.
After he met with leaders of the Sudanese government and the main rebel
group who are negotiating in Nairobi, former Sen. John C. Danforth
predicted that a written peace deal would be reached by year's end…
Only last month, Danforth said he did not foresee a peace deal.
But last month, in talks sponsored by the Kenyan government, both sides
surprised analysts by announcing that they had settled their
differences on
two of the most contentious issues.
The government agreed that its Islamic Sharia law would not be enforced
in
southern Sudan, and both sides agreed that six years after a final
peace
deal, people in southern Sudan would vote whether to remain in Sudan or
secede...
-----
LOSING OUR BEST ALLIES IN THE WAR ON TERROR
Jeffrey C. Goldfarb, New York Times, 8/20/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/20/opinion/20GOLD.html
What I observed last January in Africa and just a few weeks ago in
Central
Europe among young opinion leaders from around the world has been
alarming.
Anti-Americanism is not just a hysterical judgment popular on the
political
fringe. It has become a principle of some committed democrats and this,
unfortunately, makes a great deal of sense when it comes to the war on
terrorism…
One of the students explained why they must focus on the reaction to
the
attacks and not the attacks themselves. It is the war on terrorism that
is
being used as a cover by dictators around the world to justify
crackdowns
on democracy advocates. Suddenly the rights of Muslims in the
Philippines
and Indonesia -- or of the democratic critics of the authoritarian
''Asian
way'' in Singapore, Malaysia and Burma -- are not important to the Bush
administration.
Suddenly the strategic resources of Central Asian dictatorships are
more
important than the lives of human rights activists. Suddenly the
defense of
the American way of life and our democracy seems to be predicated upon
a
lack of concern for the democratic rights of people in less advantaged
countries.
As a rule American democracy does not depend on the frustration of the
democratic prospects in the rest of the world. At times we have played
crucial roles in supporting democratic activists, as in Poland. But we
did
sometimes let the struggle for democracy play a secondary role in our
geopolitical calculations during the cold war, and we are doing this
again…
-----
U.N. OFFICIAL: CHINA USING 'WAR ON TERRORISM' TO CRUSH DISSENT
William Foreman, Associated Press, 8/20/02
BEIJING (AP) - The top U.N. human rights official said Tuesday that she
worries that China is using the post-Sept. 11 war on terrorism as an
excuse
to widen a crackdown on Muslim minorities and members of the banned
Falun
Gong spiritual movement.
In the past year, China has passed laws that appear to increase the
authorities' powers of arrest and detention, said U.N. High
Commissioner
for Human Rights Mary Robinson. She said the government has renewed an
anti-crime campaign that speeds up trials and widens the use of the
death
penalty.
Targets of the new measures have been Falun Gong members and Uighur
minorities in Xinjiang, a restive, predominantly Muslim region in
China's
northwest, she said.
"For the Uighur population and also for Falung Gong members, this has
meant
that the climate is harsher and tougher," the former Irish president
told
reporters during her last official trip to China before she steps down
next
month...
-----
POLLS SHOW LOWER ISRAEL SUPPORT
Joe Berkofsky, JTA, 8/19/02
http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?strwebhead=Polls%3A+Support+for+Israel+falling&intcategoryid=4
NEW YORK, Aug. 19 (JTA) Americans tired of Mideast violence
increasingly
blame Israel and the Palestinians equally and dismiss each side’s cause
as
“hopeless,” according to a series of new polls of American views of the
conflict. Overall, 42 percent of Americans support Israel, while only
10
percent support the Palestinians.
Yet about the same amount surveyed say they remain neutral in the
conflict favoring neither side or backing both equally a marked
erosion
of longstanding support for Israel.
In addition, a majority want the Bush administration to pressure both
Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate, and they overwhelmingly
support a
two-state solution to the Mideast conflict even if it includes the
“right
of return” for Palestinian refugees to Israel.
These assessments arise from a series of surveys last month that show
public support for Israel slipping from 50 percent less than a year
ago,
turning instead to apathy or disgust with violence by both sides...
The Jewish organizations hope to fight that ambivalence with a
multimillion-dollar national ad campaign emphasizing Israeli democracy
and
its shared values with the United States, its willingness to make peace
and
its importance as a strategic American ally…
-----
SOME LIVES ARE CHEAPER THAN OTHERS
Gideon Levy, Ha’aretz,
8/20/02
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=198645&&contrassID=2&subContrassID=4&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Which is preferable - "pressure cooker" or "neighbor procedure"? Is it
better to detonate a building with the occupants inside - a practice
known
in the Israel Defense Forces as "pressure cooker" - or to send one of
the
local neighbors to defend the soldiers bodily, the "neighbor procedure"
in
IDF argot.
In the moral deterioration of the IDF in the territories, which has
been
greatly accelerated in the past few weeks, the choices that are made by
the
army's commanding officers are often described as an alternative
between
two controversial actions, in which the non-use of one automatically
validates the other, and both of them together are automatically
justified
within the framework of the war on terrorism in which just about
everything
now goes…
-----
2ND ANNUAL N. VA CIVIC PICNIC
WHERE: Lake Fairfax Park, 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive in Reston, VA
WHEN: August 25, 2002 1:00-5:00 PM
The event will include:
• Political Speeches
• Voter Registration
• Family Fun
Sponsored by MAS, ADAMS, AMF, AMC, MPAC, Manassas Mosque, Masjid
Al-Islam,
Dar Al-Hijrah, CAIR and many other organizations
For further information, contact Reem Mukhtar at (202) 488-8787 x3236
-----
TX INTERFAITH DIALOGUE ON RACE, RELIGION AND VIOLENCE
WHEN: September 10 2002
WHERE: Catholic Cathedral in Dallas, TX
The Greater Dallas Community Relations Commission (GDCRC) will
co-sponsor a
program that features panelists from the Jewish, Muslim, Catholic and
Christian faiths followed by facilitated small group discussions. This
is
a post-9/11 program to address aftermath issues facing communities and
various groups.
-----
LINKS TO SEPT. 11 COMMEMORATION EVENTS
National Council of Churches
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/02news78.html
Shalom center
www.shalomctr.org/html/peace95.html
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
POLL: MAJORITY OF U.S. MUSLIMS SUFFERED POST-9/11 BIAS
More than three-in-four also experienced acts of kindness
(WASHINGTON, DC - 8/21/02) - According to results of a poll released
today
by a national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group, a majority (57
percent) of American Muslims say they experienced bias or
discrimination
since the 9/11 terrorist attacks and almost all respondents (87
percent)
said they knew of a fellow Muslim who experienced discrimination.
But that same poll of 945 individuals, conducted by the
Washington-based
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in late July and early
August,
indicates more than three-in-four American Muslims (79 percent) also
experienced kindness or support from friends or colleagues of other
faiths.
That kindness often took the form of verbal reassurances, support
during
the anti-Muslim backlash following the attacks and even offers to help
guard local mosques.
Surveys were faxed, mailed and e-mailed to Muslim individuals and
organizations nationwide. Less than 1 percent (.7 percent) of
respondents
indicated they were not Muslim.
"The results of this survey show that while we have all gone through a
traumatic year in our nation's history, there is hope for the future if
Americans who support and practice tolerance challenge the vocal
minority
who seek to divide our nation," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad
Awad.
Other survey results include the following:
* 48 percent of respondents said their lives changed for the worse in
the
year following the attacks.
* Those who said their lives changed for the better (16 percent) often
cited a deepened knowledge of Islam made necessary by requests to
explain
their faith to others.
* The most frequent forms of bias experienced by the respondents were
verbal abuse, religious or ethnic profiling and workplace
discrimination.
* 67 percent of respondents said the media have grown more biased
against
Islam and Muslims.
* 45 percent of respondents said Fox News was the media outlet that
exhibited the most biased coverage.
* PBS, the BBC and ABC were named as media outlets worthy of praise for
their coverage.
* 70 percent of respondents were registered to vote or will register
before
the next election. (Seventy-seven percent of respondents were eligible
to
vote.)
When asked to name the political party that best represents the
interests
of the American Muslim community, more respondents named the Democratic
Party (16 percent) and Green party (5 percent) than the Republican
Party (3
percent). Yet 36 percent of Muslim respondents said they voted for
George
W. Bush in the last presidential election. (Thirteen percent voted for
Ralph Nader and 9 percent voted for Al Gore.)
That seeming anomaly may be explained by the number of respondents (66
percent) who rated the Bush administration's post-9/11 interaction with
the
American Muslim community as 3 or lower on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1
was
poor and 10 was excellent. (Eighty-one percent rated CAIR's performance
during the past year as 7 or higher.)
Muslims from more than 40 different states (and the District of
Columbia)
responded to the survey, with the most responses coming from
California,
Texas, Virginia, New York, Michigan, Maryland, Ohio, Florida, New
Jersey,
Illinois, and Pennsylvania. (In descending order.)
There are an estimated seven million Muslims in America and some 1.2
billion worldwide. Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in
America.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/21/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: PERSEVERANCE
* CHECHNYA: 'WE ARE THE LOST ONES' (Washington Post)
* BARR, MCKINNEY LOSE IN GEORGIA PRIMARIES (Washington Post)
- TEXT OF CYNTHIA MCKINNEY'S CONCESSION SPEECH (Atlanta
Journal)
* EDITORIAL: WHEN VIOLATING RIGHTS BECOMES THE ROUTINE (Toronto Globe
and Mail)
* HEBER CONCERT RAISES FAMILY'S HOPES, SPIRITS (Deseret News)
* GRAHAM’S COMMENTS OFFENSIVE, SAYS CROSSFIRE HOST (CNN)
* SOUTH FLA. ASKS TO OUST PALESTINIAN (AP)
* ATTACK SADDAM NOW AND LET HISTORY JUDGE, SAYS RUMSFELD (Daily
Telegraph)
* U.S. TO SEEK MIDEAST REFORMS (Washington Post)
* JEWISH GROUPS ASKED TO ADOPT NEW STRATEGY FOR PRO-ISRAEL P.R. (JTA)
* RADIO SAWA'S BAD NEWS TO MANY YOUNG ARABS (AP)
* IRAN COLA CHALLENGES U.S. BRANDS IN SAUDI ARABIA (Reuters)
* HUNDREDS MISSING IN INDIA MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED (Reuters)
* VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CAIR VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AT ISNA
* MD MUSLIM YOUTH GROUP, RED CROSS TEAM UP FOR BLOOD DRIVE
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: PERSEVERANCE
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “How fine is the man who
is
afflicted and shows endurance.”
Sahih Abu-Dawood, Hadith 1996
-----
CHECHNYA: 'WE ARE THE LOST ONES'
Anne Nivat, Washington Post, 8/21/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42397-2002Aug20.html
Over the past three years, I have traveled extensively throughout the
tiny,
mountainous republic, determined to report fairly on this forgotten
conflict, which the Kremlin would like very much for the rest of the
world
to ignore. The West needs to know that the real and intended casualties
have mostly been Chechen civilians, local independence-minded
governments,
the Chechen economy and the people's nonaggressive Sufi Muslim culture.
The Russians, lacking dramatic military successes, have managed to
defuse
Western criticism by designating the conflict an "anti-terrorist
operation." They have depicted the Chechen people as bloodthirsty
terrorists who would impose Islamic law on other Caucasian republics.
Today
even educated Muscovites commonly say there is nothing wrong with
killing
Chechen noncombatants, even babies… Returning to Chechnya in June, I
was
hoping to find that the situation was "under the process of
normalizing,"
as the Kremlin puts it. High-ranking military officials have repeatedly
said the "military phase has been over" in Chechnya since March 2000.
Instead I found that the situation was deteriorating.
Many Chechens are preoccupied with planning ways to avoid the
"zachistkas,"
the frightening, out-of-control raids of villages by masked soldiers
searching for young Chechen males. These operations are conducted every
day
by the Russian army. Afterward, families search out the fate of loved
ones
who were dragged off. In every village, young men have disappeared.
Some
lucky ones return after their families pay for their release. Many
never
come back…
-----
BARR, MCKINNEY LOSE IN GEORGIA PRIMARIES
Edward Walsh, Washington Post, 8/21/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42257-2002Aug20.html
Republican Rep. Robert L. Barr Jr. and Democratic Rep. Cynthia
McKinney,
were soundly defeated in primaries in Georgia last night, as large
numbers
of Republicans apparently crossed party lines to vote against McKinney
while other Republicans rejected Barr for his equally conservative
opponent…
TEXT OF CYNTHIA MCKINNEY'S CONCESSION SPEECH
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/election2002/21text.html
In Congress, doing what is right is not always easy. Sometimes you are
faced with a choice between doing what is politically safe or doing
what is
right.
Sometimes you have to stand up to seemingly unbeatable odds, speak the
truth to the most powerful interests, to do what is right.
Sometimes you win. And sometimes you lose.
Tonight I have lost an election. But I maintain my spirit, my courage,
my
dignity and my commitment to the truth, to peace and to the future. And
I
want to assure you that:
I am not giving up, for the battle has yet to be won.
I am not beaten, for I will fight another day…
I believe God has a plan. And I believe with His guidance I will
continue
to do what is right, and I look forward to continuing to ride the
history
train.
Thank you, and good night.
-----
EDITORIAL: WHEN VIOLATING RIGHTS BECOMES THE ROUTINE
Toronto Globe and Mail, 8/19/02
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/PEstory/TGAM/20020819/EDETAIN/Headlines/headdex/headdexComment_temp/4/4/6/
Fighting terrorism is vitally important, but the administration appears
willing to chuck the Constitution out the window while doing so.
Wartime or
not, Americans should be frightened by this. A U.S. citizen is held
indefinitely without the right to a lawyer. Immigration violations are
a
pretext for long-term "preventive detention," without criminal charges
being laid.
Deportation hearings for non-citizens occur in secret; even family
members
are barred. Someone informs police of a suspicious neighbour; that
neighbour is picked up and held incommunicado. The government has yet
to
make a persuasive case on how greater transparency would harm national
security…
An independent judiciary is a crucial line of defence, not only for
those
behind bars without voice or name, but for the timeless values of the
Constitution.
Constitutions are best drafted in peace, and most needed in war. During
the
Second World War, 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry were interned.
During
the Cold War, the poison of McCarthyism infected the country…
-----
HEBER CONCERT RAISES FAMILY'S HOPES, SPIRITS
Laura Hancock, Deseret News, 8/20/02
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,405025346,00.html
HEBER CITY Since part of the hotel her family owns was doused with
accelerant and set on fire last month, Samina Tabesh worries those
responsible will return.
She worries constantly about the safety of her family and practical
things
such as money and housing to the point it disturbs her sleep.
She says she takes anti-anxiety medication and insomnia medication.
"There are no words to express how I feel," she said.
But Monday night, she and other family members relaxed and were smiling
during a benefit concert held in their honor. The concert featured
ethnic
dancing and singing as well as performances by local musicians. About
80
people from the Heber Valley and the Wasatch Front attended the event.
The
event was arranged by Farmington resident Shellie Reich, who said the
close
timing of the fire to July 24 spurred her to act.
"I have a strong sense of responsibility to preserve the peace and
freedom
my (pioneering ancestors) gave me," Reich said. "Shellie is like an
angel
to us.
When she said she wanted to do something about this, I thought she
meant
flowers," said Mazhar Tabesh, a co-owner of the Alpine Lodge, which had
$100,000 in damage from a July 21 fire that gutted nine rooms.
Authorities
determined the fire was intentionally set…
Reich said concertgoers and other donors have raised about $1,369 for
the
family in the past month.
Heber City Mayor Lynn Adams said the benefit concert was an example of
the
"true heart of this community.” We must do more as a community to watch
over our neighbors," he said…
Midway residents Jeanette Baron and Sherry Bolca watched the
performances
to support the Tabesh family. "I think it's long overdue. This should
have
been done a long time ago," Baron said.
-----
GRAHAM’S COMMENTS OFFENSIVE, SAYS CROSSFIRE HOST
Crossfire, CNN, 8/20/02
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/cf.html
(Partial transcript)
CARVILLE: Let me show you something a great fundamentalist, a person
I'm
sure you agree with all the time, said, and tell me if you agree with
him
or not. This is the Reverend Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham.
Let's
see what he said about Islam. We're going to post it up there.
"We're not attacking Islam, but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam
is
not the same God. He is not the son of God of the Christian or
Judeo-Christian faith. It is a very different God. I believe it is a
very
evil and wicked religion." That is a fundamentalist Christian. Do you
agree
with this fundamentalist Christian?
RIOS: Yes, I do.
CARVILLE: You think Islam is a very wicked and evil religion?
RIOS: I think when it teaches holy jihad...
ABINADER: I think it's pathetic.
RIOS: James, why does that offend you so much? They killed 3,000
people.
CARVILLE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) people in these mosques in these countries
that
are praying, that are working, that are good Americans, that pay taxes
here. They're not evil people. They're good people. And for you to
suggest
that and Franklin Graham to suggest that is just wrong, god damn it, it
is
wrong...
RIOS: I would say that all over the world, one of the biggest problems
we
have, Jean, you know that, is radical Islam. It's happening in Sudan.
It's
happening in many countries. And, James, I don't know why that offends
you
so much. They just killed 3,000 of our people.
CARVILLE: That's the most -- you know what? I tell you what offends me.
It
offends me...
RIOS: That doesn't offend you?
CARVILLE: What offends me is that people expect me to hate Muslims
because
some assholes, some criminals, ran a building (UNINTELLIGIBLE). This is
what Franklin Graham said, and you'd agree. He called Islam a very
different God, a very evil...
SEND A NOTE OF THANK TO JAMES CARVILLE AT: crossfire@cnn.com
-----
SOUTH FLA. ASKS TO OUST PALESTINIAN
Rachel La Corte, Associated Press, 8/21/02
TAMPA (AP) - University of South Florida officials filed a complaint
Wednesday asking a court if it can fire a tenured Palestinian professor
accused of having terrorist ties...
The university complaint asks a federal court for a “declaratory
release”
that it can fire Al-Arian without violating his rights to free speech,
USF
President Judy Genshaft told reporters.
“This is a very difficult situation for the university and everyone in
it,”
Genshaft said. She refused to take questions.
Al-Arian said he never advocated violence and that his words were a
statement against Israeli occupation.
“It's still a case of academic freedom,” Al-Arian said Wednesday. “It's
just an indication of how politicized the university has become.”
The American Association of University Professors has threatened to
censure
the school if it fires Al-Arian.
-----
ATTACK SADDAM NOW AND LET HISTORY JUDGE, SAYS RUMSFELD
David Rennie, Daily Telegraph, 8/21/02
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/08/21/wirq21.xml
Washington - America cannot afford to wait for proof that Saddam
Hussein is
building weapons of mass destruction, the US defence secretary, Donald
Rumsfeld, has declared.
Mr. Rumsfeld, a leading advocate of military action against Baghdad,
flatly
rejected calls from Washington, Europe and the Arab world for hard
evidence
of Iraqi ill-doing before any attack.
"Think of the prelude to World War Two," Mr. Rumsfeld said in an
interview
on Fox Television. "Think of all the countries that said, well, we
don't
have enough evidence. I mean, Mein Kampf had been written. Hitler had
indicated what he intended to do." Millions died as a result of such
miscalculations, he said.
If the next attack against the West involved chemical, biological or
nuclear weapons, inaction could leave hundreds of thousands of people
dead,
Mr Rumsfeld said.
"The people who argued for waiting for more evidence have to ask
themselves
how they are going to feel at that point where another event occurs…"
Among those calling for caution was Lawrence Eagleburger, secretary of
state under President George W Bush's father.
He said swift action against Iraq would not be "legitimate policy at
this
stage, unless the president demonstrates to all of us that Saddam has
his
finger on a nuclear, biological and chemical trigger, and he's about to
use
it…"
-----
U.S. TO SEEK MIDEAST REFORMS
Peter Slevin and Glenn Kessler, Washington Post, 8/21/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42146-2002Aug20.html
The Bush administration intends to launch an effort this fall to
promote
democracy in the Middle East, combining the president's ambitious
rhetoric
-- and moves such as last week's rebuke of Egypt's human rights
performance
-- with dollars meant to improve political institutions and public
debate
in often repressive societies.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell as early as next month will unveil a
program aimed at promoting economic, education and political reform,
including $ 25 million for pilot projects and additional millions for
training political activists, journalists and trade union leaders,
according to U.S. officials…
Some Middle East specialists and human rights activists praise the
administration's ambition but remain doubtful. They say they have not
seen
a willingness by the White House to pressure Middle Eastern
governments,
apart from Iraq and Iran and a Palestinian leadership that has a record
of
supporting assaults on Israel...
-----
JEWISH GROUPS ASKED TO ADOPT NEW STRATEGY FOR PRO-ISRAEL P.R.
Joe Berkofsky, JTA,
8/20/02
http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?strwebhead=Pro%2DIsrael+P%2ER%2E+strategy+unveiled&intcategoryid=5
NEW YORK, Aug. 20 (JTA) American Jewish leaders are being asked to
follow
the Ten Commandments. It’s not the biblical version, but a
communications
strategy of that name by a group of major Washington political
consultants
behind a million-dollar-plus public relations campaign to build
American
public support for Israel…
Led by Democratic consultant Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, Democratic
pollster
Stanley Greenberg and Republican strategist Frank Luntz, the campaign
arises from a series of polls showing U.S. support for Israel eroding
as
Americans increasingly blame both sides equally for the ongoing
Israeli-Palestinian conflict...
At the heart of the pro-Israel P.R. campaign are a series of national
TV
ads slated to appear in early September on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.
After 18 months of being bombarded by “negative” media coverage of
Israel,
Americans are simply confused, said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice
chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations.
“The analogy is Northern Ireland: If you ask most Americans where they
stand, they don’t know,” Hoenlein said. “They just want to see an end
to
the killings…”
-----
RADIO SAWA'S BAD NEWS TO MANY YOUNG ARABS
Diana Elias, Associated Press, 8/21/02
http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/radio/cl-et-elias21aug21.story
KUWAIT -- Young Arabs tuning in to a new American government radio
station
designed especially for them rave about its international playlist--but
many are not happy with its news reports. They see it as propaganda.
In targeting the 30-and-under crowd who make up 60% of the Arab world's
280
million people, Radio Sawa has ditched the news and public-affairs
focus of
the Voice of America Arabic-language service it replaced. Its
music-heavy
programming resembles a youth-oriented station in the United
States--only
without the commercials…
The United States is largely seen in this region as a supporter of
Israel
against Palestinians. Many here also believe the war on terrorism is
directed at their religion, Islam, not just at Osama bin Laden's Al
Qaida
organization. If Radio Sawa wants to dispel those notions, it will have
to
break through a barrier of skepticism.
"I used to listen to it, but stopped once I found it was American
radio,"
said Yousef, a 30-year-old Palestinian who lives in the United Arab
Emirates. "They are trying to improve their image and introduce
themselves
in a different way, through music instead of politics. I know them, and
I
still don't like them…"
-----
IRAN COLA CHALLENGES U.S. BRANDS IN SAUDI ARABIA
Reuters, 8/21/02
RIYADH, Aug 21 (Reuters) - An Iranian soft drinks firm is cashing in on
a
popular boycott of American products in Saudi Arabia by offering an
"Islamic alternative" to U.S. brands such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola.
The Saudi distributor of Zamzam Cola, named after a sacred water well
near
the Muslim holy city of Mecca, said on Wednesday that demand was three
times higher than forecast in the first week the drink went on sale in
the
east of the kingdom.
"The campaign of boycotting American products and the good quality of
Zamzam Cola have given us excellent sales," al-Majarrah Foodstuffs
Establishment general manager Firas Khawaja told Reuters by telephone.
Popular anger against the United States over its support for Israel
amid
the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation has sparked a
campaign
to boycott American products which slashed U.S. exports to Saudi Arabia
by
more than 40 percent in the first three months of 2002.
Majarrah said more than four million cans of the soft drink, which also
comes as a diet version, were sold in the first week.
The company says it is more concerned about the ability of the Iranian
supplier to meet demand when distribution begins in other parts of
Saudi
Arabia...
-----
HUNDREDS MISSING IN INDIA MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED
Reuters, 8/21/02
AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) - Nearly 500 Muslims reported missing after
India's worst religious riots in a decade may have actually been killed
because there is no trace of them six months later, private groups said
on
Wednesday.
Officials say more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died in a wave of
revenge killings in Gujarat after a suspected Muslim mob burned a train
with 59 Hindu activists in February. Human rights groups put the toll
from
the riots at more than 2,000.
“Five hundred people missing after the riots have all been killed,”
said
Mohsin Qadri, head of Citizen Relief Service, a charity group in
Gujarat.
The recovery of two skeletons earlier this week from a drain in
Ahmedabad,
Gujarat's largest city that bore the brunt of the violence, is proof
that
the people said to be missing were slaughtered and their bodies
concealed,
they said.
The government said that 377 people went missing after the riots on the
basis of complaints filed with police. But non-governmental
organizations
peg the number at around 500…
“The recovery (of the skeletons) only underlines what we have been
saying
all through,” Qadri said.
The skeletons recovered earlier this week from the Muslim-dominated old
quarter of Ahmedabad were those of two Muslim youth who went missing on
February 28, when marauding Hindu mobs hacked and torched alive scores
of
Muslims…
“I think this is only the beginning. There would be much more coming,”
said
Cedric Prakash, a Jesuit priest heading the Center for Human Rights,
Justice and Peace…
-----
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CAIR VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AT ISNA
Volunteers are sought for CAIR's Voter Registration Drive at the ISNA
Convention. Send your name and phone number to Sr. Reem Mukhtar at
rmukhtar@cair-net.org.
-----
MD MUSLIM YOUTH GROUP, RED CROSS TEAM UP FOR BLOOD DRIVE
WHO: Young Muslim Sisters, Baltimore Branch and Red Cross
WHERE: Islamic Society of Baltimore (Al-Rahmah Masjid)
WHEN: Sunday September 15th at 2 pm
If you are interested in being a donor, contact sulsabil@yahoo.com
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
To SUBSCRIBE to or UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to: cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTION REQUESTED:
Please take a moment to thank Rep. McKinney for supporting the Muslim
community during her decade in Congress.
GO TO: http://www.house.gov/mckinney/guest.htm
-----
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MUSLIMS THANK REP. MCKINNEY FOR HER SUPPORT
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/22/02) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group,
today
thanked Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) for her past support of the Muslim
community and offered encouragement for her future endeavors on behalf
of
those who lack a voice in our society.
On Tuesday, McKinney lost a primary election to a candidate heavily
backed
by the pro-Israel lobby and assisted by a significant Republican
cross-over
vote. McKinney's opponents objected to her balanced positions on the
Middle
East conflict and to her willingness to address the concerns of
American
Muslims and Arab-Americans.
In a letter to McKinney, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad wrote:
"As you said in your concession speech on Tuesday, 'Doing what is right
is
not always easy. Sometimes you are faced with a choice between doing
what
is politically safe or doing what is right. Sometimes you have to stand
up
to seemingly unbeatable odds, speak the truth to the most powerful
interests, to do what is right.'
"It was this willingness to do what is right, in spite of the
consequences,
that drew the admiration and support of Muslims and Arab-Americans
nationwide.
"In Congress, you stood for the poor, the forgotten and the
disenfranchised. Your example motivated thousands of ordinary people to
get
involved in the political process and to fight for their civil rights
and
human dignity.
"The Muslim community wishes to once again thank you for all your
efforts
on behalf of our nation. We will support you in any future efforts,
whether
in the political arena or in the private sector, to promote the cause
of
justice and inclusion."
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
To SUBSCRIBE to or UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to: cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/22/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: A RULER MUST BE TRUE TO HIS PEOPLE
* VA MUSLIMS TO REGISTER VOTERS AT COMMUNITY PICNIC
* IMPACT OF MCKINNEY LOSS WORRIES SOME DEMOCRATS (Washington Post)
* FROM CAPTIVE TO CONVERT (Newsweek)
* MUSLIMS WARY AS U.S. PROBE IS REVIVED (Chicago Tribune)
- TARGETING MINORITIES IS AN FBI TRADITION (Boston Globe)
* ACLU DEMANDS DOJ UNVEIL SURVEILLANCE DATA (UPI)
* NEW U.S. MUSLIM GROUP PUTS ITS SPOTLIGHT ON RIGHTS ABROAD (Washington
Times)
* EDITORIAL: TO READ THE KORAN (Washington Post)
- EDITORIAL: PROMOTING ACADEMIC FREEDOM
* THE MEN FROM JINSA AND CSP (Nation)
* JERUSALEM EX-MAYOR URGES ARAB CONTROL OF SOME AREAS (Reuters)
* AN OASIS OF TOLERATION (Wall Street Journal)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: A RULER MUST BE TRUE TO HIS PEOPLE
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “There is no bigger
breach
of a promise than a ruler who is not true to his people.”
Riyadh-us-Saleheen, Chapter 277, Hadith 1586
-----
VA MUSLIMS TO REGISTER VOTERS AT COMMUNITY PICNIC
Barbecue to promote Muslim political empowerment and activism
WHAT: On August 25, a coalition of Muslim groups from the Washington
metropolitan area will hold a community picnic in Reston, Va. The event
is
scheduled to include a family carnival, a voter registration drive and
speeches by local politicians and political candidates.
“The most recent presidential election clearly illustrates the impact a
few
votes can have on a campaign’s outcome,” said Jason Erb, Director of
Governmental Relations for the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR), one of the co-sponsoring organizations of the picnic. Erb said
it
is the civic duty of American Muslims to vote and to educate themselves
on
important issues facing our society.
Event organizers hope to emulate the success of the “Ballot Box
Barbecue,”
a voter education picnic that took place earlier this year in Dallas,
Texas. An estimated 7,000 Muslims attended the event at Texas Stadium.
WHEN: Sunday, August 25, Noon 5 p.m.
WHERE: Lake Fairfax Park, 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston, VA
CONTACT: Reem Mukhtar at (202) 488-8787. E-Mail: rmukhtar@cair-net.org
-----
IMPACT OF MCKINNEY LOSS WORRIES SOME DEMOCRATS
Thomas B. Edsall, Washington Post, 8/22/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47064-2002Aug21.html
Black and Jewish political leaders voiced concerns yesterday that the
defeat of Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), a critic of pro-Israel
policies,
by a challenger receiving extensive Jewish support might intensify ill
feelings between two important Democratic constituencies. Any increase
in
tensions between Jewish and African American voters, political
activists
said, could damage Democratic hopes of taking back the House and
keeping
control of the Senate…
Although both Majette and McKinney are African American, the unusual
interest in their primary by pro-Israel groups backing Majette and by
pro-Muslim groups backing McKinney triggered talk yesterday of a
potential
for sharpened conflicts between blacks and Jews -- in Georgia and
elsewhere.
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Tex.), chair of the Congressional Black
Caucus, said that "at the grass roots" among African American voters,
there
is a growing perception that "Jewish people are attempting to pick our
leaders…There is some concern about that. It's concern about any
candidate
being targeted by a special-interest group for voting on any one
issue…"
-----
FROM CAPTIVE TO CONVERT
Newsweek, 8/26/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/795733.asp
Aug. 26 issue Last September, as tensions mounted in Afghanistan, and
Washington prepared to invade, British tabloid journalist Yvonne Ridley
made headlines around the world. Clad head to toe in a burqa, Ridley
was
captured by the Taliban after sneaking into Afghanistan on the back of
a mule.
In her native Britain, the incident provoked heavy criticism. Ridley
was
accused of pulling a dangerous stunt at a sensitive time, endangering
herself, her guides and the fragile state of international diplomacy.
Now,
nearly a year later, the veteran journalist is once again in the news.
She
recently announced plans to convert to Islam. Ridley sat down with
NEWSWEEK’s John Ghazvinian last week to explain her decision. Excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: It’s a bid odd, isn’t it, that a journalist who was held
captive
by the Taliban would, several months later, be converting to Islam?
RIDLEY: I know, you couldn’t make it up. It is strange. Some people
have
said, “Oh, she’s suffering from Stockholm syndrome” [in which kidnap
victims become enamored of their captors]. But I abused them, I spat at
them, swore at them, offended them, which is not what someone suffering
from Stockholm syndrome does.
NEWSWEEK: So why are you converting?
RIDLEY: When I was captured, I was visited by an imam who asked me if
I’d
like to convert. I thought if I just said yes, he’d say I was a fickle
woman, and if I said no, then it would be a huge insult to Islam. So I
promised that if they released me, I’d study Islam when I got back to
London. And what started out as an academic study has now turned into
something much more spiritual. I’m very impressed with what I’ve found.
NEWSWEEK: What was the point at which your academic interest tipped
over
into a personal or spiritual one?
RIDLEY: I can’t define one particular thing, but I can define the
moment
that I lost faith in Christianity. And that was during the siege of
Manger
Square, when the Israelis were shelling the Church of the Nativity, the
holiest shrine in Christendom, and not one single church leader in this
country condemned what was happening. Children up and down the country
re-enact the Nativity every Christmas, it’s so pivotal to the whole
religion, and not one lousy bishop or archbishopnot one of themstood
up. If
they don’t have the conviction to stand up and shout about the abuse
that’s
happening to the holiest shrine in Christendom, if they couldn’t care
less,
why should I care…?
-----
MUSLIMS WARY AS U.S. PROBE IS REVIVED
Laurie Cohen and Noreen Ahmed-Ullah, Chicago Tribune, 8/22/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0208220321aug22.story
A long-running federal investigation into Chicago-area fundraising for
the
Islamic militant group Hamas has intensified recently, renewing fears
among
Muslims that their community is being unfairly targeted…
"Several people have called us and informed us that they have been
summoned
to appear before the grand jury," said Rasheed Ahmed, president of the
Muslim Civil Rights Center in Hickory Hills. "Our advice has been go
and
find an attorney and follow his advice."
Since Sept. 11, the shutdown of two Islamic charities based here and
detainment of several local Muslims for immigration violations have
left
many Muslims so wary that they are no longer answering the phone out of
fear that federal authorities are taping their conversations, community
activist Seema Imam said. "We don't know who is being investigated,"
Imam
said. "People won't even report what is happening because they're so
afraid
of talking about it. There's rampant fear..."
-----
EDITORIAL: TARGETING MINORITIES IS AN FBI TRADITION
Derrick Z. Jackson, Boston Globe, 8/21/2002
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/233/oped/Targeting_minorities_is_an_FBI_tradition+.shtml
The secret detentions of Arabs and Muslims and the wish of the Bush
administration to snoop on us in libraries smells of 1919, when the
Justice
Department cited “wartime security needs to violate civil rights” of
African-Americans.
The haunting odor wafts out of Kenneth O'Reilly's 1989 book “Racial
Matters: The FBI's Secret File on Black America.” In 1910 the Justice
Department merely ignored lynchings, saying it had no authority “to
protect
citizens of African descent in the enjoyment of civil rights
generally.” By
1919, federal law enforcement conveniently turned black victims into
potential black traitors.
“Concluding that second-class citizens would have second-class loyalty,
the
FBI dismissed every black dissident as subversive, every criticism of
American policy as un-American,” O'Reilly continued…
The bureau studied every black newspaper, tapped phones and bugged the
offices of black organizations, spread negative propaganda about the
NAACP
and the Urban League and even investigated Olympic hero Jesse Owens.
For
all of that, the FBI never found the ideas and deeds of subversion that
the
director thought they would find, not even in their full-scale probe of
communist attempts to incite `the feelings of Negroes' during the 1943
riots in Detroit and other cities…
Six decades later, the United States is citing wartime security needs
to
violate civil liberties. It rounded up 1,200 people, kept them away
from
lawyers and the public, yet uncovered no information tying any of them
to
the terrorist attacks. Six decades ago, the government put every
black-owned newspaper under suspicion. Now it wants to put every
library
under its microscope. Because we have not learned from history, anyone
who
checks out a book on Islam will now have to think twice if he or she
will
be considered a subversive.
SEND NOTE OF THANKS TO: jackson@globe.com
-----
ACLU DEMANDS DOJ UNVEIL SURVEILLANCE DATA
United Press International, 8/21/02
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20020821-034228-3540r
NEW YORK, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The American Civil Liberties Union and two
other
groups filed an expedited Freedom of Information Act request Wednesday
demanding that the U.S. Department of Justice release data about its
domestic surveillance activities.
The groups are concerned the Bush administration may be trampling the
rights of innocent Americans under the aegis of conducting the war on
terrorism. The request asks for government data in 14 categories of
agency
records, including "sneak and peak" searches of private residences
without
prior consent, searches of public library and bookstore records and
authorizations for wiretaps of phone calls and electronic mail.
"We're not asking for anything that can jeopardize a real
investigation,"
ACLU staff attorney Jameel Jaffer told United Press International.
"This is
so people can know how much the government is engaging in spying on
ordinary Americans..."
Jaffer said the groups, which include the Electronic Privacy
Information
Center in Washington and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free
Expression in New York, may go to court if the Justice Department fails
to
respond to the request…
-----
NEW U.S. MUSLIM GROUP PUTS ITS SPOTLIGHT ON RIGHTS ABROAD
Larry Witham, Washington Times, 8/22/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020822-94959730.htm
Muslims in the United States have organized another advocacy lobby,
only
this group will focus on appealing to Americans to help Muslims abroad
defend their rights there.
The Indian Muslim Council USA announced its organization this week to
keep
Americans apprised of Muslims suffering under what it calls "fascist"
suppression from nationalist Hindu groups in India.
"American people are very fair-minded," Shaik Ubaid of New York,
president
of the group, said yesterday. "We think they will care because no other
country owes up to its own [discrimination] mistakes like America
does…"
Human rights and civil liberties groups say aggrieved minorities from
all
over the world often set up lobbies in the United States. But in the
case
of Islam, it is good to hear them arguing about religious liberty and
civil
rights, others said.
In the past decade, U.S. Muslim-rights groups have proliferated…
Yesterday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a poll of
U.S.
Muslims who said they were worried about their rights in the United
States
after the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
While nearly eight in 10 said they have felt support from Americans of
a
different faith, nearly six in 10 (57 percent) said they experienced
discrimination and nearly half (48 percent) said their "lives have
changed
for the worse."
A large majority (67 percent) also said "the media have grown more
biased
against Islam and Muslims," citing Fox News as the worst and PBS, the
BBC
and ABC as "worthy of praise."
-----
EDITORIAL: TO READ THE KORAN
Washington Post, 8/22/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47251-2002Aug21.html
The public firestorm over the University of North Carolina's decision
to
ask that incoming students read a book about the Koran is a peculiar
display of enthusiasm for ignorance. The university made an altogether
rational judgment, in light of the circumstances in which this country
finds itself, that students might benefit by reading and discussing a
book
titled "Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations" by a professor
at
Haverford College named Michael Sells.
In response, a group of conservative Christians sued, contending that
such
an assignment by a state university violates the First Amendment. North
Carolina legislators, meanwhile, have threatened to cut state funding
for
the program. And some prominent people have denounced the book as a
supposed whitewash of Islam -- or even objected to the notion that
students
might study the Koran at all. In a particular display of demagogic
illiteracy, popular talk show host Bill O'Reilly last month compared
studying the Koran today to reading "Mein Kampf" during World War II…
The troubling aspect of this episode is not legal, but cultural. It is
the
apparently widespread sense that the Koran is the enemy's text, the
study
of which undermines American resolve and constitutes a slight to "our"
values. So it bears repeating that the Koran is not "Mein Kampf," and
that
Islam is not America's enemy. The Koran, like all great religious
texts, is
amenable to many different readings, some of which have been employed
by
evil people. But Islam, like other great religions, provides a
theological
home to an overwhelming majority of peaceful practitioners, many of
whom
live in this country; they too seek inspiration in the Koran…
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: PROMOTING ACADEMIC FREEDOM
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 8/22/02
http://home.post-dispatch.com/channel/pdweb.nsf/TodayThursday/86256A0E0068FE5086256C1D0028A8FB?OpenDocument&PubWrapper=Editorial
Every summer, universities and colleges assign a book to incoming
freshmen.
The idea is to create a common intellectual experience, to challenge
childhood assumptions and to provide an activity more meaningful than
beer
parties and pledge meetings.
This year's book choice at the University of North Carolina was
controversial -- "Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations," by
Michael A. Sells, a professor at Haverford College. Right-wing radio
broadcasters denounced the book. Irate citizens dispatched hundreds of
e-mails to the university chancellor denouncing his "Satanic" choice…
The purpose of the separation of church and state is to avoid the
appearance that the state endorses one particular religion. Requiring
students to read a book about the Quran is a far cry from endorsing the
religion. The assignment was especially timely coming at a time when
there
is so much misinformation about Muslims, and when the Rev. Franklin
Graham
of Boone, N.C. had called Islam a "wicked" religion...
-----
THE MEN FROM JINSA AND CSP
Jason Vest, Nation, 9/2/02
http://www.thenation.com/docPrint.mhtml?i=20020902&s=vest
Just as the right-wing defense intellectuals made CPD a cornerstone of
a
shadow defense establishment during the Carter Administration, so, too,
did
the right during the Clinton years, in part through two organizations:
the
Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) and the Center
for
Security Policy (CSP). And just as was the case two decades ago, dozens
of
their members have ascended to powerful government posts, where their
advocacy in support of the same agenda continues, abetted by the
out-of-government adjuncts from which they came. Industrious and
persistent, they've managed to weave a number of issues--support for
national missile defense, opposition to arms control treaties,
championing
of wasteful weapons systems, arms aid to Turkey and American
unilateralism
in general--into a hard line, with support for the Israeli right at its
core.
On no issue is the JINSA/CSP hard line more evident than in its
relentless
campaign for war--not just with Iraq, but "total war," as Michael
Ledeen,
one of the most influential JINSAns in Washington, put it last year.
For
this crew, "regime change" by any means necessary in Iraq, Iran, Syria,
Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Authority is an urgent imperative.
Anyone
who dissents--be it Colin Powell's State Department, the CIA or career
military officers--is committing heresy against articles of faith that
effectively hold there is no difference between US and Israeli national
security interests, and that the only way to assure continued safety
and
prosperity for both countries is through hegemony in the Middle East--a
hegemony achieved with the traditional cold war recipe of feints,
force,
clientism and covert action…
Until the beginning of the current Bush Administration, JINSA's board
of
advisers included such heavy hitters as Dick Cheney, John Bolton (now
Under
Secretary of State for Arms Control) and Douglas Feith, the
third-highest-ranking executive in the Pentagon. Both Perle and former
Director of Central Intelligence James Woolsey, two of the loudest
voices
in the attack-Iraq chorus, are still on the board, as are such
Reagan-era
relics as Jeane Kirkpatrick, Eugene Rostow and Ledeen--Oliver North's
Iran/
contra liaison with the Israelis.
-----
JERUSALEM EX-MAYOR URGES ARAB CONTROL OF SOME AREAS
Matt Spetalnick, Reuters, 8/22/02
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel must give the Palestinians control over
parts
of the city, including Muslim holy sites, to help bring peace to the
Middle
East, former Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek said Thursday.
Kollek, who governed for 27 years, weighed in on the volatile issue of
the
city's status a day after Israel said it had arrested four East
Jerusalem
Arabs accused of mounting attacks that killed 35 people, including five
Americans…
Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed
it
in a move not recognized internationally. Palestinians want the eastern
part of the city for the capital of a future state, while Israelis
consider
Jerusalem their united capital.
Kollek, 91, who worked for reconciliation between Jews and Arabs during
his
tenure that ended in 1993, said Israelis would have to make concessions
on
Jerusalem if it wanted peace.
"I think that we have to reach a deal. As part of the arrangement,
something must be given to them (the Arabs)," the former politician
told
Israel's Army Radio.
"We will not achieve calm without giving them some of what they want to
have control over of, viewing it as Arab land," he added…
-----
AN OASIS OF TOLERATION
Doug Bandow, Wall Street Journal Europe, 8/22/02
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait -- The outdoor souk offers everything from
cosmetics to
electronics to sandals. Hanging prominently is a prayer rug with the
Christian nativity scene woven into it. The Christ child smiles down
upon
Kuwaiti traders as the Muslim call to prayer blares in the background.
It
all sounds improbable, I know. We are often reminded these days of how
restricted religious worship is in the Arab world…
Barely a block from my hotel here, on a major street, sits a Catholic
and a
Coptic church, the Egyptian branch of Orthodoxy. There is a "very big
Christian community" in Kuwait, says Msgr. Francis Micallef, a
Carmelite bishop who presides over the Catholic church. Religious
leaders
put the number of observant Christians at roughly a quarter-million.
The
first Carmelite arrived in 1947, to minister to foreign workers of the
Kuwait Oil Co. Today's Holy Family Cathedral in the Desert was
constructed
in 1961. During services the area surrounding the church is alive with
cars
circling and parishioners streaming by. "We are free to have all our
activities within the church and the church compound," says Msgr.
Micallef.
And there is no mistaking the facility: Three large crosses are
imbedded in
the building, visible to anyone who drives or walks by…
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
To SUBSCRIBE to or UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to: cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/23/2002
HEADLINES:
* DFW MUSLIMS REQUEST INTERFAITH DIALOGUE WITH SBC
* MD SEMINAR ON FOSTER CARE FOR MUSLIM FAMILIES
* NATION EDITOR COMMENTS ON DEALING WITH REMAINS OF 9/11 HIJACKERS
* SECRET COURT REBUFFS ASHCROFT (Washington Post)
- EDITORIAL: THE LIMITS OF TRUST (Washington Post)
* POLITICAL TIES BETWEEN BLACKS AND JEWS STRAINED (Los Angeles Times)
- PRO-ISRAEL BANKROLL CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM (Atlanta Journal)
* ARAB AMERICANS FIND SUPPORT (Detroit News)
- HATE CRIMES UP IN BLOOMINGTON AFTER SEPT. 11 (AP)
- DIVERSITY INQUIRY (Kansas City Star)
* PLAN TO TEACH ARABIC CRITICIZED (Newsday)
* COURT HEARS APPEAL OF BURBANK PRAYER RULING (Los Angeles Times)
* ACADEMIC FREEDOM AFFIRMED (Charlotte Observer)
- QURAN SEMINAR DOESN'T AMOUNT TO INDOCTRINATION (Knight Ridder)
* SOMALI AWAITS CLEARING OF NAME (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
* ISRAEL'S SHARON CANCELS FLORIDA TRIP (Reuters)
* ALLIES OPPOSE U.S.-LED WAR ON IRAQ (Reuters)
-----
DFW MUSLIMS REQUEST INTERFAITH DIALOGUE WITH SBC
(DALLAS, 8/23/02) - The Dallas/Fort Worth chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-DFW) today sent a letter to Rev. Jack
Graham, president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), requesting
an
interfaith dialogue with local imams. The letter refers to the
Islamophobic comments made by the previous president of the SBC, Rev.
Jerry
Vines, and suggests that an interfaith dialogue will aim to remove
misconceptions about Islam among the SBC leadership.
In the letter, CAIR-DFW President Azhar Azeez wrote:
"We feel that the religious arena should be one of mutual respect and
support. People of all faiths should rally in the knowledge that
believing
hearts, hands and minds can come together and make a difference in this
world for the brief time that we are here.
"Muslims around the world, who love and fear God, live by and share
with
their Christian brethren this belief: 'No one is a true believer until
he
loves for his brother what he loves for himself.' This is a hadith, a
narration from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as God had
taught
him to preach."
CONTACT CAIR-DFW
TEL: (214) 636-6525
E-MAIL: info@cairdfw.org
-----
MD SEMINAR ON FOSTER CARE FOR MUSLIM FAMILIES
WHAT: "ORPHAN DAY" by CAIR-Maryland and Dar al-Taqwa
WHEN: Saturday, August 24, 2002, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
WHERE: Dar al-Taqwa Mosque (10740 Route 108, Ellicott City, MD).
Please come and join the community to learn about issues facing orphans
in
our community and how you can help. Come meet and hear from:
* Experienced social counselors
* Howard County Social Services
* Big Brother/Big Sister of Maryland
* Officials in the areas of foster/orphan care from the Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS)
* Local elected officials
The event is FREE and open to the public. Refreshments and snacks will
be
provided.
For more information, visit: www.taqwa.net
-----
NATION EDITOR COMMENTS ON DEALING WITH REMAINS OF 9/11 HIJACKERS
National Public Radio, 8/23/02
Jacki Lyden talks with David Corn, Washington editor of The Nation,
about
what the United States should do with the remains of the Sept. 11
hijackers
found at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Corn's opinion is that the
United States has nothing to gain by offering to return the remains.
Excerpts from interview: [To listen to NPR segment, go to
http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/atc/20020822.atc.18.ram]
DAVID CORN: "Well, my first inclination is to suggest that the U.S.
government hire a religious expert who could tell us what would be the
most
sacrilegious thing to do to the remains of these people, according to
their
own faith…then do that…"
-----
SECRET COURT REBUFFS ASHCROFT
Dan Eggen and Susan Schmidt, Washington Post, 8/23/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51220-2002Aug22.html
The secretive federal court that approves spying on terror suspects in
the
United States has refused to give the Justice Department broad new
powers,
saying the government had misused the law and misled the court dozens
of
times, according to an extraordinary legal ruling released yesterday.
A May 17 opinion by the court that oversees the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act (FISA) alleges that Justice Department and FBI
officials
supplied erroneous information to the court in more than 75
applications
for search warrants and wiretaps, including one signed by then-FBI
Director
Louis J. Freeh.
Authorities also improperly shared intelligence information with agents
and
prosecutors handling criminal cases in New York on at least four
occasions,
the judges said.
Given such problems, the court found that new procedures proposed by
Attorney General John D. Ashcroft in March would have given prosecutors
too
much control over counterintelligence investigations and would have
effectively allowed the government to misuse intelligence information
for
criminal cases, according to the ruling...
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: THE LIMITS OF TRUST
Washington Post, 8/23/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51447-2002Aug22.html
In the USA Patriot Act, Congress substantially lowered the wall between
intelligence-gathering and crime-fighting; the Justice Department
argued to
the court that the new law meant the judges should ease up and stop
insisting that prosecutors not take over intelligence surveillance. The
court said no. It cited a variety of legal considerations, but
underlying
these was another factor: The judges report that the FBI has not played
straight with them over the role prosecutors have been playing in the
process in the past…
In September 2000, the judges recount, the government "came forward to
confess error in some 75 FISA applications related to major terrorist
attacks directed against the United States." These errors almost
uniformly
"involved information sharing and unauthorized disseminations to
criminal
investigators and prosecutors." They included an "erroneous statement"
by
then-FBI Director Louis Freeh and misrepresentations in the FISA
applications of FBI agents concerning "the separation of overlapping
intelligence and criminal investigations."
Whatever happens in that uncharted territory, the FISA court has raised
critical questions that Congress needs to pursue before granting
further
new powers to the government. Members need to satisfy themselves that
the
problems the FISA judges have identified have truly been corrected and
that
adequate safeguards of openness and accountability are built into any
enhanced surveillance powers.
-----
POLITICAL TIES BETWEEN BLACKS AND JEWS STRAINED
Lisa Richardson, Los Angeles Times, 8/23
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-tension23aug23002048.story
The success of Jewish groups in helping to defeat two longtime African
American members of Congress has further frayed the damaged
relationship
between leaders of black and Jewish organizations.
In the wake of Tuesday's ousting of Rep. Cynthia A. McKinney in a
Georgia
Democratic primary, some African American political activists and
leaders
are expressing outrage at Jewish organizations that targeted McKinney
because she had expressed pro-Palestinian sentiments about the Middle
East
crisis…
"The tensions are huge around this issue, but our coalition must
survive
these pressures," Jackson said. "There is a sense of outrage and I do
not
know how that will play out…"
To some Muslim leaders, who supported McKinney in the Georgia primary,
Tuesday's election transcended black-Jewish tensions. They
characterized it
as a major step in the political maturation of Arab Americans. "It's
the
first time that the American Muslim community and Arab American
community
ever went toe to toe with the pro-Israel lobby," said Ibrahim Hooper of
the
Council of American-Islamic Relations. Ten or 15 years ago, such
activity
would have been unheard of, Hooper said. "And this is what frightens
the
pro-Israel lobby. This is just the beginning skirmish…"
SEE ALSO:
OP-ED: PRO-ISRAEL BANKROLL CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM
AHMED BOUZID, Atlanta Journal Constitution, 8/23/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/opinion/0802/0823mckinney.html
And so we lost another one. Georgia's Cynthia McKinney went down, just
like
Earl Hilliard of Alabama before her, because the pro-Israel lobby
decided
that it must be so. And so it was. Millions of dollars were mobilized
by
the "Israel, right or wrong" crowd.
And now we have two more politicians who owe not only their elections
but
also their political careers wholly to a lobby dedicated to promoting
first
and foremost, and above all else, the interests of a foreign
government. Is
this healthy for the American political system…?
McKinney and Hilliard were two voices among a tiny minority in Congress
that stood up and dared to courageously question the rubber-stamping
role
that Congress has come to play on policies regarding Israel and the
Middle
East...
They have both repeatedly voted in support of Israel, have reiterated
their
commitment to the "special relationship" between the United States and
Israel and have by and large toed the mainstream line.
But that was not good enough for the "Israel, right or wrong" crowd.
Both
McKinney and Hilliard dared to demur on a couple of occasions, dared to
ask
"why?", questioned the wisdom of putting the interests of a foreign
government over the interest of America. Worst of all, they treated
Arab
and Muslim Americans as fellow citizens, entitled to have someone speak
for
them and defend their most basic civil rights…
-----
ARAB AMERICANS FIND SUPPORT
Oralandar Brand-Williams, Detriot News, 8/23/02
http://detnews.com/2002/nation/0208/23/a04-569430.htm
DETROIT -- The terrorist attacks last Sept. 11 triggered acts of
kindness,
as well as bias toward Arab Americans and people of the Muslim faith, a
survey released this week found.
The nationwide survey, released by the Council on American-Islamic
Relations, found that 57 percent of Muslim Americans said they
experienced
bias after the attacks, but 79 percent of them also said there were
gestures of kindness from others in the form of verbal reassurances and
support because of the backlash.
Some of those surveyed said there were even offers from non-Muslims to
help
guard local mosques. "The results of this survey shows that while we
have
all gone through a traumatic year in our nation's history, there is
hope
for the future if Americans who support and practice tolerance
challenge
the vocal minority who seek to divide our nation," said Nihad Awad, the
executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in
Washington, D.C.
The survey of 945 people was conducted in late July and early August.
Less
than 1 percent of the people quizzed was non-Muslim. The survey also
found
that 87 percent of those polled said they knew of a fellow Muslim who
had
also experienced some form of discrimination.
Bloomfield resident and businessman Victor Begg, who took part in the
survey, said he was offered comfort by friends and associates of other
faiths following the Sept. 11 attacks.
"Everyone knows I'm a Muslim and I have not been approached in a
discriminatory (manner), not even before then," said Begg. "But a
number of
my friends called and said 'We want to make sure you're OK or 'We were
thinking of you...'"
SEE ALSO:
HATE CRIMES UP IN BLOOMINGTON AFTER SEPT. 11
Associated Press, 8/23/02
The number of hate crimes reported in this central Indiana college town
leaped from four last year to 17 in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Four of the crimes were directed against Muslims or people the
attackers
apparently believed were Muslims, the city's Human Rights Commission
said
Thursday in its annual report.
"I find that the increase in religious incidents is because of Sept.
11,"
said Barbara McKinney, executive director of the commission. The first
such
crime was reported on Sept. 11, when a Muslim woman said she was
slapped on
the back while speaking Arabic to a friend as she walked to a class at
Indiana University.
She said the man asked her if she was going to the mosque for a
"killing
spree" and told her to go home.
Later that month, a Pakistani man was assaulted as he left a downtown
bar,
the report said.
Some of the crimes appear to be cases of mistaken identity - including
ones
targeted at a group of Hindu men who apparently were mistaken for
Muslims,
and another aimed at a Seventh-day Adventist Church mistaken for a
Jewish
synagogue…
DIVERSITY INQUIRY
Kansas City Star, 8/23/02
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/3920029.htm
The Jackson County Diversity Task Force - charged with investigating
bias
against area Muslims in the wake of Sept. 11 - met Thursday night to
lay
the groundwork for a report the group will issue next month.
After a well-attended meeting at the Islamic Center of Greater Kansas
City
last week, Thursday's gathering at the Johnson County Library branch in
Merriam did not draw any public comment.
The task force's report, timed to coincide with the first anniversary
of
the terrorist attacks, will address the group's findings that bias
against
Muslims and people mistaken for Muslims spiked and became more
widespread
after the attacks. At the same time, many in the community became
fiercely
supportive of their Muslim neighbors, friends and co-workers.
The group also will make recommendations as to how the community can
respond to hate and bias outbreaks if further terror strikes occur, and
how
to provide a streamlined process for people to report incidents of
bias.
The task force is still taking public comment by phone at (816)
444-0494
and (913) 649-5114, and by e-mail at DTF@cres.org.
-----
PLAN TO TEACH ARABIC CRITICIZED
Emi Endo, Newsday, 8/23/02
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-liarab232835353aug23.story
A Suffolk legislator wants local law enforcement officers to study
Arabic
in order to deal with potential terrorist threats. But the effort is
under
attack by critics who say it appears to encourage spying on law-abiding
Americans who speak Arabic.
"If we have a wiretap going and we hear something that we need to deal
with
and we hear it in Arabic, what are we going to do?" said Legis. Allan
Binder (R-Huntington)…
Some, however, say the legislation smacks of racial profiling and would
be
inefficient. Ghazi Khankan, director of interfaith affairs at the
Islamic
Center of Long Island in Westbury, said, "Arabic is a beautiful
language.
It should be studied by everybody."
But Khankan objected to the message: "Let's learn the language of the
enemy
so we can listen in on them." Instead, he said local law enforcement
agencies should recruit Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans with Arabic
language skills…
-----
COURT HEARS APPEAL OF BURBANK PRAYER RULING
Jean Guccione, Los Angeles Times, 8/23/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rubin23aug23.story
A panel of state appellate court justices heard arguments Thursday on
whether a court-ordered ban on sectarian prayer violates the free
speech
rights of religious leaders invited to pray before public meetings, as
contended by officials in Burbank.
Two years ago, a Los Angeles County judge ruled that Burbank City
Council
meetings cannot begin with sectarian prayers.
During oral arguments Thursday, the justices questioned Chief Assistant
City Atty. Juli C. Scott about Burbank's position. Justice Michael G.
Nott
of the 2nd District Court of Appeal asked Scott how Burbank residents
would
respond if a council meeting were opened with a Muslim prayer referring
to
Allah.
Scott argued that it is irrelevant to the case whether such a prayer
would
offend city residents. She said enforcement of the court-ordered ban on
sectarian prayer requires city officials to censor speech, violating
the
1st Amendment.
"This [case] is not about religion," she argued.
But attorney Roger Jon Diamond, a free-speech advocate, rejected that
argument.
"I guarantee you, the Christians would be outraged" by a Muslim prayer,
he
said.
Irv Rubin, the Jewish Defense League's national director, sued the city
of
Burbank after he attended a council meeting in November 1999 that began
with a Christian prayer. He was at the meeting to oppose the expansion
of
the Burbank airport…
Rubin was one of two plaintiffs in the Burbank case. In a separate
case, he
was charged in January with plotting to bomb a Culver City mosque and a
congressman's office. He is in custody at the Metropolitan Detention
Center
in downtown Los Angeles while awaiting trial, Diamond said…
-----
ACADEMIC FREEDOM AFFIRMED
Diane Suchetka, Charlotte Observer, 8/23/02
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/3920747.htm
After 45 minutes of citing free speech and the search for truth, a
committee that helps oversee North Carolina's public universities
agreed to
support academic freedom -- a principle it was already sworn to uphold.
Thursday's special meeting allowed a committee of the state university
system's Board of Governors to respond to national attention about a
controversial UNC Chapel Hill reading program that includes parts of
the
Quran.
A second purpose of the meeting was to set the record straight on why
the
full board voted against a similar resolution for academic freedom
earlier
this month.
The flap about the university's requirement that incoming students read
"Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations" during the summer
erupted
into a national argument about religious vs. academic freedom. It was
disputed on talk shows, reported on National Public Radio and written
about
in the New York Times.
The controversy escalated Aug. 7 when the N.C. House Appropriations
Committee voted to deny public funding for the reading program unless
all
other religions are offered in an equal way.
On Thursday, the UNC committee, with half its 14 members participating
by
teleconference, unanimously agreed to "reaffirm its commitment to
academic
freedom." The full board is expected to approve the resolution at a
Sept.
13 meeting…
SEE ALSO:
QURAN SEMINAR DOESN'T AMOUNT TO INDOCTRINATION
Linda P. Campbell, Knight Ridder, 8/23/02
http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/news/editorial/3918125.htm
If you're getting your money's worth, the school will challenge your
child
to defend his opinions, explain her beliefs, contrast ideas both
familiar
and foreign.
In other words, to think. To grow -- emotionally, intellectually and
socially. To prepare to meet, greet and engage in the process of being
a
contributing member of society…
Thus comes James Yacovelli, et al. v. James Moeser, et al., in which
lawyers from the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy
claim
that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is "indoctrinating
students in the religion of Islam" by assigning incoming freshmen to
read,
write about and discuss a book on the Quran. (Monday, a federal appeals
court rejected the plaintiffs' request to halt the program.)
The UNC summer reading program requires new undergraduates each year to
read a specified book, write a one-page response to it and take part in
two-hour noncredit seminars, which took place Monday.
This year, the featured text is "Approaching the Quran: The Early
Revelations" by Michael Sells, a comparative religion professor. The
book
was chosen for its current relevance -- and, judging from the
explanation
and discussion questions on the UNC Web site, not as a brainwashing
tool…
Those who treat exposure to uncomfortable ideas like an encounter with
a
flasher -- not only offensive but dangerous -- miss the very essence of
academic freedom.
Higher education fails in its mission if it doesn't help students learn
to
think and analyze, weigh others' ideas and examine their own.
Arming the next generation of adults with the ability to sort through a
cacophony of ideas and make informed decisions about what to keep and
what
to reject will prepare them for citizenship and enable them to better
understand and defend American values.
There's nothing blissful about ignorance -- and it's foolish to impede
the
pursuit of knowledge.
-----
SOMALI AWAITS CLEARING OF NAME
Todd Nelson, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 8/23/02
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/3919263.htm
For months, he lived in legal limbo, prohibited from earning a living,
paying his bills or even buying groceries. Yet Garad Jama was not in
jail
and faced no charges. As his lawyers put it, beginning last November,
the
Somali-born U.S. citizen was "entirely incapacitated from functioning
legally in society."
Now, Jama has reason to hope the end to the sanctions against him may
be
near. The Bush administration on Thursday requested the removal of six
individuals and businesses, including Jama and his Aaran Money Wire
Service, from a U.N. sanctions list of alleged supporters of Osama bin
Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network. The government said it now believes
they unwittingly did business with a financial network suspected of
ties to
al-Qaida.
Federal agents raided Jama's business and four other Somali-run money
transfer agencies in Minneapolis, shutting down the storefront
operations,
freezing their assets and putting them on a Treasury Department list of
entities suspected of supporting terrorism.
"We have had a difficult time," Jama said. "You don't want to imagine
what
it's been like."
Jama, who had maintained his innocence and denied any connection to
terrorism, said he felt vindicated…
"Somali leaders in the Twin Cities applauded the news. Many in the Twin
Cities large Somali community have been on edge since the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks. They feared reprisals because of their Muslim faith,
and
the attacks rekindled memories of the violence many experienced in
their
homeland.
"These people have no connection to any terrorism, that's what people
said
all along," said Saeed Fahia, executive director of the Confederation
of
Somali Community in Minnesota. "Everybody here is trying to make a
living.
They are worried about their families here and their families in
refugee
camps in difficult situations in Somalia or the rest of Africa."
Abdi Samatar, a geography professor at the University of Minnesota,
said he
believed the government overreacted, using "sledgehammer" tactics, when
it
shut down the money-transfer agencies…
-----
ISRAEL'S SHARON CANCELS FLORIDA TRIP
Reuters, 8/23/02
JERUSALEM, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has
cancelled a trip to Florida in September which had been criticised in
the
United States because he would have met Governor Jeb Bush in the midst
of a
state re-election race.
Sharon's office said on Friday that the visit was postponed "due to the
prime minister's commitments in Israel." It had been scheduled to begin
on
September 9.
Israeli radio stations said the cancellation was due to criticism of
Sharon's plan to meet Republican Governor Bush, brother of U.S.
President
George W. Bush, a day before Florida Democrats choose a candidate to
run
against him in the U.S. state's November election…
-----
ALLIES OPPOSE U.S.-LED WAR ON IRAQ
Beth Gardiner, Associated Press, 8/23/02
LONDON (AP) - President Bush's latest jab at Saddam Hussein didn't get
much
public support from allies Thursday, and Russia challenged his view
that
the world would benefit if the Iraqi regime is toppled…
In Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Trubnikov called
the
idea of an attack on Iraq ``unacceptable,'' and he said his country did
not
agree Saddam should be ousted. On Monday, Russia confirmed it was
talking
with Iraq about a 10-year trade agreement.
Even Britain, Washington's closest ally in confronting Iraq, held back.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw reiterated Thursday that military
action remained an option, but he told British Broadcasting Corp. radio
that the government's policy was to pressure Saddam into allowing the
resumption of U.N. weapons inspections in Iraq.
Many U.S. allies say they are not convinced the Iraqi leader poses an
imminent danger.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has said he would not send troops
to
what he called an ``adventure'' in Iraq, and Canadian Defense Minister
John
McCallum said it was ``very unlikely'' Canada would participate unless
Bush
provided stronger evidence of an Iraqi threat...
In Britain, a recent poll said half the people surveyed did not want
the
nation's military to participate in an attack on Iraq.
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
PLAN TO ATTACK FLORIDA MOSQUES LINKED TO ANTI-MUSLIM RHETORIC
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/23/02) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group,
tonight
said the arrest of a Seminole, Fla., man who apparently planned
terrorist
attacks on mosques in that state may be linked to the rising tide of
anti-Muslim rhetoric by right-wing commentators and religious leaders.
Robert J. Goldstein, 37, was arrested last night after authorities
found a
stash of explosives and weapons, including .50-caliber machine guns and
sniper rifles, in his home. The more than 30 explosive devices included
hand grenades and a 5-gallon gasoline bomb with an attached timer.
Police
also discovered a list of some 50 Florida mosques and detailed plans
for
destroying an Islamic education center using bombs. (Associated Press,
8/23/02)
SEE: http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/08/23/florida.explosives/index.html
"The American public is being subjected to a daily barrage of
right-wing
anti-Muslim rhetoric that is largely unchallenged by mainstream
religious
and political leaders. The incessant defamatory portrayal of Islam as
an
evil and violent faith inevitably leads a small minority of bigoted
individuals to turn hate-filled words into violent actions," said CAIR
Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. Hooper also repeated his
group's
request that President Bush issue a clear statement condemning
anti-Muslim
hate speech by fellow conservatives.
Just today, media reports in South Carolina revealed that a Republican
congressional candidate said Islam is not "a true religion, it's a
cult…there's nothing peaceful about that religion. It says kill or be
killed."
SEE: http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/politics/3921214.htm
As some of the other numerous examples of right-wing Islamophobic
rhetoric,
Hooper cited televangelist Pat Robertson's almost daily defamation of
Islam, Rev. Jerry Vines' speech before the Southern Baptist Convention
describing the Prophet Muhammad as a "demon-possessed pedophile,"
Franklin
Graham's claim that Islam is a "very evil and wicked religion," Free
Congress Foundation's William S. Lind's allegation that "there is no
such
thing as peaceful Islam," syndicated columnist Ann Coulter's call to
invade
Muslim countries and convert the populations to Christianity, the
"sarcastic" suggestion by an editor of the National Review that "nuking
Mecca" would send a "signal" to Muslims, Fox News Network conservative
talk-show host Bill O'Reilly's comparison of the Quran to Hitler's
"Mein
Kampf," and former Special Counsel to President Nixon Chuck Colson's
claim
that "Islam is a religion which breeds hatred."
In March of this year, a pick-up truck was driven into the front of an
Islamic center in Tallahassee, Fla. Authorities said the attacker was
motivated by "hatred of Muslims" and had at one time tried to join the
military in order to "kill Muslims." A Bible wrapped in blue cloth was
on
the front seat of the man's truck. In July, vandals set fire to a sign
for
a new Boca Raton, Fla., mosque.
- END -
CONTACT: CAIR-FLA: Altaf Ali, 954-298-8214; CAIR National: Ibrahim
Hooper,
202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL: cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan
Hassan,
202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294, E-MAIL: hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
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http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/24/2002
HEADLINES:
* PODIATRIST CHARGED, MOSQUES TARGET (UPI)
- ARSENAL PART OF BLUEPRINT FOR TERROR (St. Petersburg Times)
- AGENTS: MAN PLANNED TO BLOW UP MOSQUES (Tampa Tribune)
- DOCTOR ACCUSED OF TARGETING MOSQUES (AP)
* AL-NAJJAR'S ODYSSEY A DIPLOMATIC DEBACLE (St. Petersburg Times)
- BAHRAIN REFUSES TO TAKE AL-NAJJAR (Tampa Tribune)
- DR. AL-NAJJAR IS FINALLY FREE(TBCJP)
- SEPT. 11 DETAINEE RELEASED (San Jose Mercury News)
* VA. CHILD-CARE SERVICE STUNG BY ETHNIC BIAS (Washington Post)
* THE ABCS OF FISA AND DOMESTIC SPYING (MSNBC)
-----
PODIATRIST CHARGED, MOSQUES TARGET
United Press International, 8/24/02
One day after a stash of rocket launchers, antipersonnel mines and
plastic
explosives was seized, a Jewish podiatrist has been accused to planning
to
attack 50 mosques and Islamic centers, The Tampa Tribune reported
Saturday.
Federal agents say they found a "mission template" with details on how
to
destroy an Islamic education center in the home Robert Goldstein shares
with his wife.
In the plan, agents say Goldstein uses a derogatory term to describe
the
Muslims he hoped to kill, and there was a reference to placing napalm
under
a dirt road as part of a contingency plan to hold off any police
officers
arriving at the center.
"Set timers for approximately 15-20 minutes to allow for enough time to
get
out of the area, but to confirm explosions has been successful," reads
the
small print in the plan, which was attached to the federal complaint
filed
against Goldstein, the Tribune reported. "Hand to hand (combat) is
unlikely
but be prepared to liquidate [Muslims] up close," is another entry in
the
alleged bombing plan…
SEE ALSO:
PODIATRIST'S ARSENAL PART OF BLUEPRINT FOR TERROR
LEANORA MINAI and MAUREEN BYRNE AHERN, St. Petersburg Times, 8/24/02
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/08/24/TampaBay/Podiatrist_s_arsenal_.shtml
SEMINOLE -- The plan for the military-style "mission" showed a drawing
of
an "Islamic Education Center."
Timers on plastic explosives would go off in 15 minutes, taking down
buildings and killing Muslims. Bombs and land mines would detonate in
parking lots and playgrounds, killing police and fleeing students.
Dr. Robert Goldstein was taken into custody Thursday evening at his
Seminole home after an argument with his wife. Weapons included many
guns,
hand grenades and more than 30 bombs…
They found an arsenal: two light anti-armor rockets, a .50-caliber
sniper
rifle, hand grenades, assorted guns and assault rifles and 20 homemade
bombs, among other lethal weapons and magazines and articles on how to
build destructive devices…
Authorities also found a typed list of 50 Islamic worship centers in
the
Tampa Bay area and Florida, the criminal affidavit said. Attached to
the
list were three pages that included a schematic drawing of an unknown
center and instructions on what to wear and how to carry out an attack.
"OBJECTIVE: Kill all 'rags' at this Islamic Education Center -- ZERO
residual presence -- maximum effect," the plan read…
AGENTS: MAN PLANNED TO BLOW UP MOSQUES
STEPHEN THOMPSON, PAULA CHRISTIAN and NATASHIA GREGOIRE, Tampa Tribune,
8/24/02
http://www.tampatrib.com/MGAU4E7Z85D.html
SEMINOLE - One day after authorities say they stumbled upon a cache of
munitions at his town house that included rocket launchers,
antipersonnel
mines and plastic explosives, a Jewish podiatrist was accused of
planning
to blow up roughly 50 mosques and Islamic centers in the Tampa Bay area
and
throughout the state.
Federal agents say they found in the home Robert Goldstein shares with
his
wife a meticulous, three-page ``mission template'' to destroy an
Islamic
education center.
In the plan, agents say Goldstein uses a derogatory term to describe
the
Muslims he hopes to kill, and there's talk of placing napalm under a
dirt
road as part of a contingency plan to hold off any police officers
arriving
at the center.
“Set timers for approximately 15-20 minutes to allow for enough time to
get
out of the area, but to confirm explosions has been successful,” reads
the
small print in the plan, which was attached to the federal complaint
filed
against Goldstein. Also:
“Hand to hand is unlikely but be prepared to liquidate [Muslims] up
close.”
A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
describes
the center in federal court documents as one of unknown location.
The Islamic Education Center of Florida is west of Tampa International
Airport, but the plan, with its references to a playground and other
landmarks, sounds like the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay, which has a
mosque, an education center and a school at 7326 Sligh Ave., local
Muslims
believe…
Dennie, the sheriff's spokesman, said there was a list of which Islamic
buildings Goldstein wanted to target and how to get there.
The three-page plan targeting the education center makes mention of
accomplices - one is named Mike - but a spokesman with the U.S.
attorney's
office declined to discuss any aspect of the investigation into
Goldstein...
Until Friday, Goldstein had never drawn a serious criminal charge -
just a
couple of traffic tickets he got driving his Porsche, according to
Pinellas
court records.
There is no record of marital disputes. He married Kristi at the Temple
B'nai Israel in Clearwater in 1998.
DOCTOR ACCUSED OF TARGETING MOSQUES
ASSOCIATED PRESS, 8/24/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Townhouse-Bombs.html
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- A podiatrist who allegedly wanted to destroy
mosques
and other Muslim centers had so many explosives in his home that he
could
have accidentally destroyed the 200-unit townhouse complex where he
lives,
police said.
Dr. Robert J. Goldstein planned to use guns and the explosives to
destroy
an Islamic education center and dozens of mosques, prosecutors said.
“If one of those bombs were to have gone off, that townhouse would have
been destroyed,” ATF Special Agent Carlos Baixauli said. “If the others
exploded, we would have lost most of that townhouse complex.”
-----
AL-NAJJAR'S ODYSSEY A DIPLOMATIC DEBACLE
GRAHAM BRINK and PAUL DE LA GARZA, St. Petersburg Times, 8/24/02
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/08/24/Worldandnation/Al_Najjar_s_odyssey_a.shtml
After facing deportation for five years, former University of South
Florida
instructor Mazen Al-Najjar finally was on his way to the tiny Middle
Eastern country of Bahrain.
Before he and his U.S. government escorts even began to cross the
Atlantic
on Thursday, Bahrain balked and the plane was rerouted to Ireland.
After
refueling, and probably no chance for Al-Najjar to even stretch his
legs,
the plane was in the air again.
Finally, on Friday, they all ended up in Italy.
What happens next to the stateless Palestinian is uncertain.
U.S. government officials, calling the situation a "crisis," likely
will do
everything they can to keep Al-Najjar from stepping back on American
soil.
The effort could include heavy diplomatic pressure on several
countries,
and even renegotiations with Bahrain.
The last option would be to return Al-Najjar to Florida and back to
solitary confinement in a federal prison.
"If the government had its druthers, it would put a parachute on him
and
drop him over (Bahrain)," said New York City immigration lawyer and
former
federal prosecutor Michael J. Wildes. "Obviously, they cannot do that…"
SEE ALSO:
BAHRAIN REFUSES TO TAKE AL-NAJJAR
MICHAEL FECHTER, Tampa Tribune, 8/24/02
http://www.tampatrib.com/MGADE1KY85D.html
Mazen Al-Najjar became a man without a country Friday, realizing what
he
once described as one of his worst fears.
Authorities half a world away refused landing rights to a U.S. military
jet
carrying the newly deported Al-Najjar, a former professor at the
University
of South Florida suspected of links to Palestinian terrorists, to the
Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain, leaving his status in limbo.
The State Department said officials “at the highest level” were trying
to
negotiate an alternate destination for him.
Al-Najjar's family - he left a wife and three children in Tampa - kept
a
low profile in the face of Bahrain's reversal, despite a flood of calls
from reporters, and was clearly anxious.
“All this reporting is putting someone's life in danger,”
brother-in-law
Sami Al-Arian told WFLA, News Channel 8…
DR. AL-NAJJAR IS FINALLY FREE
For Immediate Release
Tampa - August 24, 2002, 10 a.m.
Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace
CONTACT: tbcjp@yahoo.com
Dr. Mazen Al-Najjar has landed safely this morning in a country in the
Middle East. He is extremely happy to be free after spending 1580 days
in
detention in the last 4 1/2 years without ever being charged, including
the
last 273 days in solitary confinement. After arriving safely he said:
"I'd
like everyone to know that I never hurt a human being or animal in my
life.
What happened to me was unjust and wrong, but I'm not bitter and I
forgive.
I'm grateful to my family, community, my exceptional legal team, and to
all
my friends and supporters for theirunending love and outstanding
support.
My case was about human and civil rightsand that battle must be won for
the
sake of preserving America as a free anddemocratic country, as well as
achampion of human rights…"
Professor David Cole, of Georgetown Law Center, and Dr. Al-Najjar's
lead
attorney said: "Mazen Al-Najjar should never have spent a single day in
prison, yet in the name of fighting terrorism our country locked him up
without any criminal charges and without letting him see the evidence
used
against him for more than 4 years. That's not a way to fight a war on
terrorism."
Al-Najjar's family is extremely grateful to all people and
organizations
who showed genuine concern about Dr. Al-Najjar. Such compassion and
empathy
demonstrated the best that America can offer.
The Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace thanks the following
organizations for their longstanding support for Dr. Al-Najjar: The
Islamic
Community of Tampa Bay, Hillsborough Organization for Progress and
Equality
(HOPE) and its many affiliates, National Coalition to Protect Political
Freedom (NCPPF) and its member organizations, American Civil Liberties
Union (ACLU), Amnesty International (AI), American Muslim Council
(AMC),
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), American Muslim
Alliance
(AMA), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim Public
Affairs
Council (MPAC), Arab-American Institute (AAI), Florida Coalition for
Peace
and Justice, NAACP, as well as many other organizations, churches,
mosques,
religiousand civil rights organizations and leaders, many members of
congress, and countless other citizens and individuals from across the
globe.
There will be a press conference to discuss the latest developments
with
Dr. Al-Najjar todayat 12:30 pm at the Civics Center at 5901 E. 130th
Ave.,
in Tampa, (Directions: Take 275 Nto Fowler Ave./USF exit. Go east on.
Fowler until 56th St. Take north on 56th St. Take east on 130th Ave.)
SEPT. 11 DETAINEE RELEASED
Karen de Sa and Mark Gladstone, San Jose Mercury News, 8/24/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/3929886.htm
Azmy Elghazaly stepped into the Sacramento sunlight Friday, ending a
post-Sept. 11 incarceration that stretched for 10 months even though he
was
never tied to terrorism.
"I'm free. I don't know how long," the 35-year-old said minutes after
his
release. Many of the 1,200 others detained after the attacks were
released,
he said, "and then put back in jail.”I want to get home and see my
children, my family."
The government never developed evidence to support its naming of
Elghazaly
on a list of suspected terrorists, according to court documents, but it
held him as an illegal immigrant who had dodged a deportation order.
Still, the length of Elghazaly's detention before his friends could
bail
him out -- well beyond the 90-day period that immigration officials
have to
deport or free an immigration law violator -- underscores that his was
a
case with no easy answers…
-----
VA. CHILD-CARE SERVICE STUNG BY ETHNIC BIAS
Muslim Staff Unnerves Some Prospective Clients
Abhi Raghunathan, Washington Post, 8/24/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55083-2002Aug23.html
This has been a tough year at Infant/Toddler Family Day Care, a
Northern
Virginia organization that trains in-home caregivers and matches them
with
parents in need of their services. Since September, the number of new
parents signing up with the Fairfax-based nonprofit group has dropped
about
10 percent.
A hiccuping economy could be partly to blame for the slide, directors
say,
but there could be a very different reason: Of the 130 female day-care
providers, three-fourths are from South Asia or the Middle East.
Call it the downside of diversity: Parents seemingly reluctant to place
their children in the care of women who because of their religion or
ethnicity are linked by some people to one of the darkest hours in U.S.
history. Currently, 20 of the organization's trained providers have no
children to take care of -- this in an area where reliable, affordable
day
care is atop many a working parent's list of needs. Most of the time,
Infant/Toddler directors say, those with concerns simply take a pass
after
reading the group's descriptions of its providers, which includes
information about their religious and ethnic background. "Everyone
would
seem enthusiastic, and then you give them the names and then they don't
call the providers," said Wynne Busman, the organization's assistant
director.
But occasionally an individual is more blatant about it. Busman
recalled
one father who called back a few weeks ago after receiving the list and
said, "I want more names -- not Muslim names…"
-----
THE ABCS OF FISA AND DOMESTIC SPYING
Mechanics of government powers, and the special FISA court, are
explained
Miguel Llanos, MSNBC, 8/23/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/798081.asp
Aug. 23 The events of Sept. 11, 2001, led to significant changes in
how
and to what extent U.S. authorities can collect intelligence against
suspected terrorists. Key to those changes is the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act, and the court that reviews requests for secret
surveillance powers.
HERE ARE questions and answers about the process.
Q: What is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act?
A: Passed in 1978, the law allows federal authorities to approach a
special
FISA court for permission to conduct secret wiretapping and electronic
espionage against foreign nationals in the United States who are
suspected
of working for a “foreign power...”
Q: What’s the criticism against broader FISA powers?
A: Critics fear the Patriot Act changes will allow the federal
government
to use these special wiretaps in common criminal investigations.
The American Civil Liberties Union says the standards for obtaining a
FISA
wiretap are lower than the standards for obtaining a criminal wiretap.
And
it notes that FISA wiretaps now exceed wiretapping for all domestic
criminal investigations.
Critics have called for the federal government and the FISA court to
provide more information to the public about the requests. The
government
is only required to report the number of annual requests and
authorizations. Since a single request can apply to more than one
person,
critics want to see data on the number of physical searches undertaken,
the
number of wiretaps, the number of Americans targeted and the raw number
of
individuals targeted.
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
MUSLIMS SAY MOSQUE ATTACK PLAN NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY
Islamic group says accomplices must be tracked down
(TAMPA, FLA., 8/25/02) - The Florida office of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FLA) today said the recently revealed
plan
of a Jewish man to launch terrorist attacks on mosques in that state is
not
being taken seriously enough by law enforcement authorities, elected
officials, religious leaders, or the media.
The Islamic civil rights and advocacy group also demanded that local
and
federal authorities inform the Florida Muslim community about what is
being
done to apprehend accomplices referred to in the man's written attack
plans.
On Thursday, Robert J. Goldstein, 37, was arrested after authorities
found
a stash of explosives and weapons in his home. The arsenal included two
anti-armor rockets, a .50-caliber sniper rifle, hand grenades, assorted
guns and assault rifles and 20 homemade bombs. Police also discovered a
list of some 50 Florida mosques and detailed plans for destroying an
Islamic education center using bombs.
SEE: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/25/national/25TAMP.html
http://www.tampatrib.com/MGADOK3FA5D.html
Attached to the list were three pages that included a schematic drawing
of
an unknown Islamic center and instructions on what to wear and how to
carry
out an attack. The plan read: "OBJECTIVE: Kill all 'rags' at this
Islamic
Education Center -- ZERO residual presence -- maximum effect…Set timers
for
approximately 15-20 minutes to allow for enough time to get out of the
area, but to confirm explosions has been successful…Hand to hand is
unlikely but be prepared to liquidate [Muslims] up close."
The document made mention of accomplices, including one named "Mike."
"Where are the statements of condemnation from the governor or from
Jewish
groups? Where is the increased police protection for Florida mosques?
Where
are the alleged accomplices? And why are the local and national media
treating this incident as merely the act of one 'deranged' individual
when
there is information to believe that there are others involved?"
questioned
CAIR-FLA spokesman Altaf Ali.
Ali added that he believes the incident would have been treated much
differently had the alleged perpetrator been a Muslim threatening to
attack
synagogues. He said authorities would be looking for a larger
conspiracy,
local mosques would have been placed under surveillance, Muslim leaders
would have been questioned, media reports would have examined the man's
religious motivations, synagogues would have round-the-clock
protection,
the governor or the president would have made a statement, and Muslim
organizations would have been called on to issue strong condemnations.
"All we are asking for is equal treatment as Americans and tough law
enforcement," said Ali. He said he was particularly disturbed by media
reports that law enforcement officials seemingly praised the alleged
perpetrator as a James Bond-type "smart guy" who "knew his stuff." Ali
also
questioned why the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and
not
the FBI, is taking the lead in the investigation.
In a similar incident last January, Jewish Defense League chairman Irv
Rubin and a group member were charged with conspiring to blow up a
mosque
and the office of an Arab-American congressman in California.
- END -
CONTACT: CAIR-FLA: Altaf Ali, 954-298-8214; CAIR National: Ibrahim
Hooper,
202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL: cair@cair-net.org
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
-----
ACTION REQUESTED:
Please register your local community events marking the 9/11
anniversary by
going to: http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
The web site also offers a step-by-step guide to planning "National Day
of
Unity and Prayer" events. See below for a partial list of events.
-----
MAS JOINS 9/11 "DAY OF UNITY AND PRAYER"
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/26/02) - The Muslim American Society (MAS), under
the
leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, announced today that it will join
with
the American Muslim Political Coordination Council (AMPCC)* in
encouraging
local Muslim communities to observe a "National Day of Unity and
Prayer" on
September 11, 2002.
SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
The AMPCC, made up of the nation's four most prominent Muslim political
advocacy groups,* last month called on all faith communities to
participate
in the national observance by opening houses of worship for interfaith
visits, prayers, congregational exchanges, and other activities
intended to
foster national unity and religious tolerance.
"It is important that American Muslim show their unity with people of
other
faiths as we mark the first anniversary of these tragic events. I ask
that
every mosque affiliated with the American Muslim Society take part in
the
'National Day of Unity and Prayer,'" said Imam Mohammed.
American Muslim groups jointly and individually condemned the 9/11
attacks.
An AMPCC statement issued within hours of the incidents stated:
"American
Muslims utterly condemn what are…vicious and cowardly acts of terrorism
against innocent civilians. We join with all Americans in calling for
the
swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators. No political
cause
could ever be assisted by such immoral acts."
* AMPCC consists of American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslim
Council
(AMC), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and Muslim Public
Affairs Council (MPAC).
SAMPLE "DAY OF UNITY AND PRAYER" EVENTS
Islamic Society of Greater Worcester
Dr. Saleem Khanani
57 Laurel Street
Worcester, MA 01605
TEL: 508-752-4377
E-MAIL: SF786@aol.com
Central Illinois Masjid and Islamic Center (CIMIC)
Imam Dr. Mujahid Alfayadh
106 S. Lincoln
Urbana, IL 61801
TEL: 217-344-1555 and 217-344-0022
E-MAIL: cimic@prairienet.org
EVENT: Community Interfaith Dialogue Series Beginning September 5th
Institute of Service Leadership and Management
Al-Salaam Mahmoud
15031b Military Road S.
SEATTLE, WA 98188
TEL: 206-439-1112
E-MAIL: theinstitue@mecca-usa.com
EVENT: A Neighborhood Prayer Vigil at Masjid As-Salaam
Immaculate Conception Church
John F. O'Donnell
1402 South A Street
Fort Smith, AR 72902
TEL: 479-785-7976, 479-783-7865
E-MAIL: wigsjigs@aol.com
EVENT: Parochial School Assembly with Police and Firefighters Prayer,
Meditation and Psalm at 12:05pm at Immaculate Conception Church;
Gathering
of Christians, Jews and Moslems in prayer
Evanston Friends Meeting
John Payton
614 Hinman #2
Evanston, IL 60202
TEL: 847-425-1061
E-MAIL: epoint5@mindspring.com
EVENT: Meeting house open for prayer and worship
Muslim Center of Middlesex County
Zafar Ahmed Shaheen
1000 Hoes Lane
Piscataway, NJ 08854
TEL: 732-463-2004, 732-463-2057
EVENT: Plan to invite community, clergy and political leaders. Snacks,
exhibits, literature and brief speeches.
Islamic Center of Greensboro
Dr Jameel Khalifa
2023 16th Street
Greensboro, NC 27405
TEL: 336-884-4407, 336-884-5087
E-MAIL: jameelkhalifa@yahoo.com
EVENT: Open House, Prayer Service
First Congregational Church of Escondido
Pastor William Eilers
1800 North Broadway
Escondido, CA 92026
TEL: 760-745-3320, 760-745-5851
E-MAIL: fcce@tns.net
EVENT: Interfaith memorial service
Basileia, An Open Door Community of Christ
Carol Kostura, Co-Pastor
Orange County
Orange, CA 92867
TEL: 714-974-2387
E-MAIL: johnandcarol@yahoo.com
EVENT: 9/8 Interfaith Service of Remembrance, Healing and Hope - We
will
meet at 11:00 a.m. at our Lakewood Congregation. We will also gather on
9/11 at 4:45 p.m. to participate in a world-wide interfaith service.
Islamic Center of Fort Collins
Gohar Hussain
4561 Seaboard Lane
Ft. Collins, CO 80525
E-MAIL: 970-225-2614
E-MAIL: gohar@frii.com
Islamic Cultural Institute
Alaa Elmoursi
30115 Greater Mack
St. Claire Shores, MI 48082
TEL: 248-879-8029
EVENT: Open House at the Center, Saturday Sep. 14 from 11 a.m. to 3
p.m.
Islamic Center of Conejo Valley
Tarek Butt
2700 Borchard Road
Newbury Park, CA 91320
TEL 805-449 2106
E-MAIL: admin@iccv.org
Islamic Society of Baltimore
Abid Husain
6631 Johnnycake Road
Baltimore, MD 21244
TEL: 410-747-4869, 410-719-8935
E-MAIL: info@isb.org
EVENT: Interfaith services and town meetings for neighbors and friends
in
Baltimore metro area.
Masjid Saad Foundation
Tarek Soukieh
4346 Secor Rd.
Toledo, OH 43623
TEL: 419-292-1492, 419-292-0444
E-MAIL: tsoukieh@hotmail.com
EVENT: Open house Sat. Sept 14th. Participate with Toledo City activity
Sept. 11th.
Coachella Valley Islamic Society
Tim Wassil
84650 Avenue 49
Coachella, CA 92236
E-MAIL: 760-398-7609
E-MAIL: twassil@hotmail.com
EVENT: Day of Unity Prayer on September 11 after Sunset Prayer.
Center for Understanding Islam
Dr. M. Ali Chaudry
19 Claremont Road, Suite 2B
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
TEL: 908-696-0004, 908-696-1118
E-MAIL: contact@cuii.org
One year later…American Muslims: Reflections and Response
Date: Sunday, September 8, 2002 Time: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Where: The Advanced Technology Center, Raritan Valley Community
College,
Lamington Road, North Branch, New Jersey
The Center for Understanding Islam (CUI) cordially invites you to a
reception. Speakers include: Prof. Christopher Taylor, Department of
Religious Studies, Drew University Dr. Robert Crane, Chairman, CUI Dr.
M.
Ali Chaudry, President, CUI. Check out www.cuii.org
C.T.E.N.C.
Dr. Abulfaidh Alanssari
P.O. Box 21187
Washington, DC 20009
TEL: 301-213 8343
E-MAIL: alanssari@hotmail.com
Islamic Center of Shenandoah Valley
Ehsan Ahmed
1330 Country Club Rd.
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
TE: 540-433-8186
E-MAIL: ahmedex@iasv.org
To join our fellow Americans in commemoration of 9/11, the Islamic
Center
of Shenandoah Valley will hold an open house on Sunday, September 15
between 2-5 p.m.
Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Waco
The Rev. Nathan Stone
4209 N. 27th St.
Waco, TX 76708
TEL: 254-754-0599, 254-753-5088
E-MAIL: natpat@hot.rr.com
The Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Waco will host the Islamic
Center
of Waco at our facility for "Day of Unity: A Friendship Dinner and
Worship
Service," at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11. It will be a potluck with
participation
from both congregations.
Islamic Center of Topeka
Ashraf Sufi
1115 E 27TH ST
Topeka, KS 66605
TEL: 785-233-1177, 785-478-3822
E-MAIL: SHORTY7242@AOL.COM
Friday, Sept 13th at 1 pm there will be a sermon devoted to prayers for
victims of September 11, 2001. All are welcome. Mosque open house on
Sunday, Sept. 15th noon to 2 pm for Topeka community. Topic will be
"What
we have learned from Sept 11, 2001"
Islamic Center of Virginia
Imam Shaheed Coovadia
1241 Buford Road
Richmond, VA 23235
TEL: 804-320-7333, 804-320-4555
E-MAIL: imamshaheed@hotmail.com
Inter-faith prayer service and vigil with participation by prominent
political and religious leaders in the Richmond community
Shia Education Network, Inc.
Syed Zaidi
5209 Quail Ridge Drive
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
TEL: 609-275-6198, 609-275-5456
E-MAIL: Siratehaq@comcast.net
EVENT: A prayer service which includes recitation of Holy Quran will be
included.
Orange County Islamic Foundation
Mohannad Malas
83581 Madero, Suite 101
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
TEL: 949-595-0480, 949-595-0485
E-MAIL: MMalas@OCIF.org
9/11/2002: Open House and Prayers to remember the victims of Sept 11
and to
work on ways to protect our Nation. 9/8/2002: Open house and town hall
meeting inviting speakers including several community leaders and
politicians to reflect on the events of Sept 11 and to find ways to
make
our country stand united against the threats it faces following Sept
11.
Muslim Community Center of Greater San Diego
Ahmad Ibrahim
12788 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92129
TEL: 858-484-0074
E-MAIL: AHMAD_I@HOTMAIL.COM
EVENT: Rally or candle light vigil
Unitarian Universalists of Sterling
Rev. Roberta Finkelstein
100b Ruritan Road
Sterling, VA 20167
TEL: 703-406-3068
E-MAIL: revrob1@erols.com
9/11/02: We will hold a prayer vigil at noon. Participants are invited
to
come for as little as 5 minutes, or stay the entire hour. On each
quarter
hour (12 noon, 12:15 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 12:45 p.m., 1 p.m.) there will
be
spoken prayers from different faith traditions. The rest of the time we
will sit in silent prayer. Participants will be able to light candles
in
memory of the victims of terror, and in hope for peace.
Al-Noor Islamic Center
Dr. Mohammed Saleem
5311 Upshaw Drive
Chattanooga, TN 37416
TEL: 423-490-8544
E-MAIL: msaleem1954@hotmail.com
EVENT: Sept. 11 commemoration event
Islamic Society of San Francisco
Soulaiman Ghali
20 Jones St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
TEL: 415-863-7997
E-MAIL: islamicsocietysf@aol.com
Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts
Alhajj Dr. Kamal Hassan Ali
377 Amostown Road W.
Springfield, MA 01021
TEL: 413-788-7546
EVENT: Interfaith Prayer, Informational Dialogue
Islamic Society of Tulsa
Sheryl Siddiqui
4630 S. Irvington
Tulsa, OK 74135
TEL: 918-810-4646, 918-592-0553
E-MAIL: cheemamr@aol.com
EVENT: Open House
UNITED MUSLIM MOTHERS
ZAKIYAH D. BILAL
81 Waldeck Street
Dorchester, MA 02124
TEL: 617-288-7060
E-MAIL: zakiyahdbilal@yahoo.com
EVENT: Tasbih Prayers, Participate in Community Vigils, Poetry for
Healing
ISEB - Fremont California
Omar Khan
33330 Peace Terrace
Fremont, CA 94555
TEL: 510 429-4732
E-MAIL: omar@netpace.com
Atonement Lutheran Church & Islamic Society of San Diego
Rev. James Jerpseth & Mohammad Aquil
7250 & 7050 Eckstrom Ave.
San Diego, CA 92111
TEL: 858-278-5556, 858-278-5240, 858-576-1991, 858-278-9259
E-MAIL: AtonementSD@juno.com
EVENT: Joint open house on Sept 8. Atonement Lutheran Church welcomes
its
next door neighbors to observe worship at 9 a.m. followed by an open
house
at the Church from 10:30 a.m. to noon. From Noon to 2 p.m., the open
house
moves next door to the Islamic Center of San Diego.
Islamic Center of New England
Imam Talal Eid
470 South Street
Quincy, MA 02169
TEL: 617-479-8341, 617-471-9526
E-MAIL: iteid@attbi.com
EVENT: Open house, interfaith prayers and presentations
UNITY NETWORK
Alan T. Kroner
637 Sycamore Ave.
Claremont, CA 91711
TEL: 909-624-3712, 909-624-9355
E-MAIL: alan.kroner@verizon.net
A rather large gathering at the Islamic Center of Claremont.
ICPC
Nabil Abbassi
152 Derrom Av.
Paterson, NJ 07504
TEL: 973-278-7070, Ext. 201
E-MAIL: nabbassi@aol.com
EVENT: Interfaith event with regional churches
UWMS - Upper Westchester Muslim Society
Alaa Youssef
401 Clairmont Ave.
Thornwood, NY
TEL: 914-747-2955
E-MAIL: info@uwms.org
EVENT: Itinerary includes two short talks from community members
regarding
Islam, particularly in America along with a panel discussion including
a
Rabbi and Christian priest.
Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids
Hassan Igram or Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy
2999 First Avenue, SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52302
TEL: 319-362-0857
EVENT: Interfaith Council Memorial Services, Open House, Prayer
Meetings
Islamic Center of the Quad Cities
Julie or Malek Abdel-Fattah
3061 7th Street
Moline, IL 61265
TEL: 309-762-0768
E-MAIL: abdel-fattahjulie@johndeere.com
EVENT: ICQC founded Bridges of Faith, an Interfaith Dialogue Group for
Jews, Christians and Muslims, which is co-sponsoring an event on
Sep.10.
The event, "Interfaith Prayers for Peace and Remembrance" is intended
to
set a prayerful context to the first anniversary of Sep.11, with
readings
and prayers from all faith traditions centering on themes of peace and
justice.
Islamic Center of Claremont
Ayah Al-Henaid
3641 N. Garey Ave.
Pomona, CA 91767
TEL: 909-593-1865, 909-392-5292
E-MAIL: tubrok@aol.com
EVENT: To commemorate the anniversary of 9/11, and as a demonstration
of
continuing support for the Muslim community in the Pomona Valley, an
interfaith open-house gathering is being planned for Sunday, September
22,
2002 from 1 - 5 PM. Sponsors of the event include the Islamic Center of
Claremont, the Claremont Committee on Human Relations, and the Los
Angeles
County Commission on Human Relations.
Dallas Central Mosque
Tariq Younis
Dallas, TX
TEL: 972-231-5698
EVENT: Sept. 11 commemoration event
Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California
1433 Madison Street
Oakland, CA 94612
TEL: 510-832-7600, 510-419-0879
EVENT: "A Walk for Remembrance, and Peace" to commemorate the victims
of
9/11 and promote peace and understanding in the world.
Moroccan American Community
1504 King Street
Alexandria, VA
TEL: 703-549-6464
EVENT: September 11 Remembrance at Casablanca restaurant
Muslim Community Center
6655 E. 34th St N.
Wichita, KS
TEL: 316-682-5479
EVENT: The Muslim Community in Wichita cordially invites all to an open
house in honor of the Sept. 11 victims.
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/26/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: THE INHABITANTS OF PARADISE
* CAIR-FLA ASKS FOR MEETING WITH GOV. BUSH ABOUT TERROR PLOT
- AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE EXPLOSIVES PLOT MORE SERIOUSLY (AFP)
- ISLAMIC GROUP CALLS FOR SWIFT RESPONSE IN WEAPONS INVESTIGATION (AP)
* BALLOTS, BURGERS AT MUSLIM PICNIC (Washington Post)
* APPEALS COURT RULES AGAINST CLOSED 9/11 HEARINGS (Reuters)
* US TERROR SUSPECT 'BEATEN IN CUSTODY' (BBC)
* BRIDGEVIEW MUSLIMS STILL FEEL EFFECTS OF SEPT. 11 ATTACKS (AP)
* FRANKLIN GRAHAM COMMENTS ON ISLAM (AP)
* WHAT CATASTROPHE CAN REVEAL (New York Times)
* ISRAELI ARMY UNDER FIRE FOR LOOTING (Reuters)
- VERBAL VOLLEY FROM ISRAELI MILITARY OFFICIAL (CBS News)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: THE INHABITANTS OF PARADISE
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The inhabitants of
Paradise
are of three types: someone who wields authority and is just and fair;
someone who is truthful and has been endowed with power to do good
deeds;
and the person who is merciful and kind-hearted towards his
relatives…and
who does not stretch out his hand (asking for charity) in spite of
having a
large family to support."
Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1332
-----
CAIR-FLA ASKS FOR MEETING WITH GOV. BUSH ABOUT TERROR PLOT
CAIR-Florida Executive Director Altaf Ali today sent a letter to
Governor
Jeb Bush asking for his direct intervention in the investigation of the
terror plot against Islamic institutions in that state.
Excerpts from he CAIR-FLA letter:
"I along with other Muslim leaders in Florida would like to meet you
immediately to address our concerns pertaining to the intent to harm
our
families, our institutions, and our children.
"We respectfully request that you intervene personally in the
investigation
to ensure a safe school environment for our children. We call for this
direct intervention on your part because many members of the Muslim
community have sensed a lack of enthusiasm on the part of law
enforcement
authorities, elected officials and religious leaders in dealing with
this
potential terrorist attack.
"We sincerely hope that you take this appeal with utmost concern and
urgency. As the leader of our state, we call upon you to take a strong
stance against those who stand to destroy our country, our democracy,
and
our families, as well as the gains you have made for the progress and
prosperity of all people in Florida."
CONTACT: CAIR-FLA: Altaf Ali, 954-298-8214,
E-MAIL: altafaali@cair-florida.org
SEE ALSO:
ISLAMIC COUNCIL SAYS AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE EXPLOSIVES PLOT MORE
SERIOUSLY
Agence France Presse, 8/26/02
TAMPA, Florida - The Council on American-Islamic Relations cautioned
Sunday
that police are failing to treat seriously the case of a Florida doctor
arrested for possessing a large stash of weapons.
Robert Goldstein, 37, a podiatrist, has been charged with possession of
20
bombs, and with planning to blow up some 50 Islamic centers and mosques
in
Florida. Goldstein was arrested Thursday at his home in Seminole,
Florida,
after his wife, Kristi, 28, called police to say he had threatened to
kill
her…
The Islamic civil rights and advocacy group complained that local and
federal authorities have failed to inform Florida's Muslim community
over
action by police to find possible accomplices of Goldstein.
CAIR's spokesman in Florida Altaf said he believed that the incident
would
have been treated much differently had the alleged perpetrator been a
Muslim threatening to attack synagogues.
In a note outlining his plans to attack the center, Goldstein wrote
that
"hand to hand is unlikely but be prepared to liquidate (Muslims) up
close,"
and also made reference to accomplices, naming one as "Mike."
ISLAMIC GROUP CALLS FOR SWIFT RESPONSE IN WEAPONS INVESTIGATION
Associated Press, 8/26/02
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/3938018.htm
Miami - A Muslim leader called Sunday for Gov. Jeb Bush to provide
leadership in the investigation of a plot to bomb Florida Islamic
centers
and mosques.
Altaf Ali, executive director of the state chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations, also asked that the state provide security
at
mosques until the threat of more attacks has passed.
"We are really concerned about the safety of our children and the
individuals that attend the mosques in Florida," Ali said. Robert J.
Goldstein, 37, was arrested and charged Friday with possession of a
non-registered destructive device and attempting to use an explosive to
damage and destroy Islamic centers…
Ali said the governor should publicly condemn the plot and he should be
more involved in the investigation. Ali's organization is trying to
arrange
a meeting with Bush, he said.
A spokeswoman for the governor did not immediately return a message
Sunday…
Ali also said there is a lack of public condemnation about the attacks.
"There is no national attention given to this issue and we are baffled
by
this," he said.
-----
BALLOTS, BURGERS AT MUSLIM PICNIC
Bill Broadway, Washington Post, 8/26/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60787-2002Aug25.html
Reston, VA - Muslim Americans from more than 20 countries gathered at a
Reston park yesterday for an old-fashioned picnic, eating grilled
burgers
and watermelon and listening to appeals to vote in the upcoming
election.
They also heard recitations from the Koran, took a midafternoon break
for
one of five prayers devout Muslims offer daily and spoke of the
religious
requirement of involvement in politics and community activities.
Sponsors of the event at Lake Fairfax Park, which included several area
mosques and national Muslim associations, say their aim is "to educate
the
Muslim population on the idea of empowerment," according to Ashraf
Sabrin,
director of voter registration for the Council on American-Islamic
Relations. Encouraging political activism among the Washington area's
Muslim community, one of the fastest-growing in the country, was a
primary
reason behind yesterday's picnic.
This year, the council set a goal of registering 100,000 Muslim voters
before the November elections, and the Washington-based organization
has
been holding similar gatherings across the country. The most successful
was
the Muslim Ballot Box Barbecue, held in June at Texas Stadium in
Irving.
More than 7,000 attended, and 5,000 voter registration cards were
filled
out, organizers said.
"There's a saying of the Prophet [Muhammad]: 'Whoever does not care for
the
main issues of the nation is not counted as one of them,'" said
Mohieldin
Mohamed, 69, a native of Egypt who lives in Herndon.
"It's our responsibility to share in the political field," said
Mohamed, a
retired academic adviser for the International Institute of Religious
Thought in Herndon. Islam makes no distinction between religion and the
social and political aspects of life, he said…
-----
APPEALS COURT RULES AGAINST CLOSED 9/11 HEARINGS
Reuters, 8/26/02
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - A federal appeals court Monday ruled that the
Bush
administration violated the Constitution by holding secret immigration
hearings for a figure under investigation in the Sept. 11 attacks.
"A government operating in the shadow of secrecy stands in complete
opposition to the society envisioned by the framers of our
Constitution,"
the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said.
It upheld a lower court ruling that ran against a series of closed
hearings
in the case of Rabih Haddad, the Michigan-based operator of an Islamic
charity who overstayed his tourist visa and has been in custody since
Dec.
19, 2001.
The Detroit Free Press and other news organization sued the Justice
Department after the proceedings were closed under a policy that allows
Attorney General John Ashcroft to declare certain cases to be "special
interest" ones that can be conducted in secret.
"There seems to be no limit to the government's argument," the appeals
court ruling said.
"The government could use its...argument as a justification to close
any
public hearing completely and categorically, including criminal
proceedings. The government could operate in virtual secrecy in all
matters
dealing, even remotely, with 'national security,' resulting in a
wholesale
suspension of First Amendment rights," the ruling said…
"The public's interests are best served by open proceedings. A true
democracy is one that operates on faith - faith that government
officials
are forthcoming and honest, and faith that informed citizens will
arrive at
logical conclusions," the appeals court said.
"This is a vital reciprocity that America should not discard in these
troubling times. Without question, the events of September 11, 2001,
left
an indelible mark on our nation, but we as a people are united in the
wake
of the destruction to demonstrate to the world that we are a country
deeply
committed to preserving the rights and freedoms guaranteed by our
democracy," it added.
For the text of the full ruling, go to:
http://pacer.ca6.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/getopn.pl?OPINION=02a0291p.06
-----
US TERROR SUSPECT 'BEATEN IN CUSTODY'
Emma Simpson, BBC, 8/24/02
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2213572.stm
New York - A man who was arrested as a major terrorism suspect after
the 11
September attacks and has been held in custody ever since has told the
BBC
that he was beaten and held for months without legal representation.
Nabil
al-Marabh was one of hundreds of men swept up in the nationwide
terrorism
investigation.
Few have spoken about their detention and none as high profile as Mr
al-Marabh. After 11 months of exhaustive investigations, no evidence of
any
involvement in terrorism has been presented to the courts.
For the first eight months Mr al-Marabh was held in a special unit at
New
York's Metropolitan Detention Centre, along with, he said, 40 other
detainees…
"It was like nothing worse than hell and I did five times hunger
strikes,
asking for a lawyer, for a judge," said Mr al-Marabh. He says that he
was
punished for his hunger strikes, forced to sleep on a urine soaked
mattress
for 10 days, without enough water to wash himself. He also alleged that
he
was beaten twice.
The first incident, he said, was last November. "On 7 November they
beat
me, they hid everything and then they refused to take any notes, they
crack
my finger and they beat my head."It's been too hard, I've been taking
medication. My brain is not functioning any more, I forget a lot and I
get
shocks at night because they used to bang the door and they never let
us
sleep…"
-----
BRIDGEVIEW MUSLIMS STILL FEEL EFFECTS OF SEPT. 11 ATTACKS
Don Babwin, Associated Press, 8/25/02
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) - Abdul Malik Mujahid hasn't seen an open display
of
hostility toward Muslims here since hundreds of protesters took to the
streets in the first days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
But a year later the dirty looks, lousy service in restaurants, and
packages from his Islamic products business that take forever - if they
make it at all - to get from the local post office to his customers all
remind him that anger he saw isn't gone. It's just receded from easy
view.
"It could be coincidental," Mujahid said. "I don't think so." Nor do
other
Muslims. They say the kind of disparaging comments and slights they've
endured for years, particularly since the Persian Gulf War, have come
with
greater frequency since Sept. 11…
That feeling only grows, said some residents, when there are reports
about
possible ties between area Muslim charities and terrorists. "We may
have
(Osama) bin Laden's deputies living right in my neighborhood," said J.
Alexander. "I don't know who's who."
Kareem Irfan, chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of
Greater
Chicago, isn't surprised by such comments, given the continued reports
of
government investigations of Muslims.
"They are getting this feeling because the government is targeting the
Muslim community (so) that even when there aren't any charges they
think
there must be more than meets the eye," said Irfan…
-----
FRANKLIN GRAHAM COMMENTS ON ISLAM
Tim Whitmire, Associated Press, 8/26/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Franklin-Graham-Islam.html
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - As the son and ministerial heir of the most
famous evangelist in the United States, Franklin Graham is stepping
into
one of the tallest pulpits in Christianity.
His recent comments on Islam, however, show he won't be the ecumenical
bridge-builder that his father, Billy Graham, often tries to be.
In a nationally televised service three days after the Sept. 11
attacks,
Billy Graham preached a message of tolerance for Muslims. Two months
later,
Franklin Graham called Islam "a very evil and wicked religion" during
an
interview with NBC television's "Nightly News." He said more of the
same in
a new book and during its recent promotional tour.
Some in the Christian community credit Graham with speaking
uncomfortable
truths. Others say he's painting an unfairly monolithic picture of a
diverse faith…
Graham declined several requests last week by The Associated Press for
a
phone interview, instead issuing a statement through Samaritan's Purse,
his
North Carolina-based relief agency.
Corwin Smidt, director of the Henry Institute for the Study of
Christianity
and Politics at Michigan's Calvin College, is among those concerned
about
Graham's comments.
"Since we know so little about Islam, we need to be very careful about
labeling it simply as one component," Smidt said. "We have to be
careful
about characterizing a diverse group of people as all being the same…"
-----
WHAT CATASTROPHE CAN REVEAL
Shafeeq Ghabra, New York Times, 8/26/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/26/opinion/26GHAB.html
BEIRUT, Lebanon - I was in Washington last Sept. 11, directing Kuwait's
public-information center; I could not escape the heaviness in my soul
as I
saw people disappear in final silence under the rubble. And soon I had
to
face the fact that those who committed this catastrophic crime were
Arabs
from my part of the world…
Strange and very human things happen in catastrophes. For example, we
are
humbled by their size. We will find ourselves at the limit of our
ability
to explain or hate or fear. The smallness of our capacity to understand
may
be revealed to us. The Sept. 11 attacks created in the lives of many, I
believe, a feeling of endlessness and meaninglessness.
I haven't stopped reflecting on the numbness and disbelief created by
the
attacks. I came to the United States from Kuwait in 1971, when I was 18
years old, to obtain my college degree. I studied and returned to help
and
work in the Middle East. I understood early on that the American
experiment
had an appeal to foreigners. It represented a spirit of openness unseen
elsewhere. Americans accepted, with a unique charm, newcomers, visitors
and
foreigners...
The ability to be American and worldly at the same time accounts for
much
of America's success. Its strength lies in this balance and this is
exactly
what the attackers wanted to ruin. For many of us in the Arab world,
American openness and acceptance, like American visual art, films and
music, have become so much a part of us that in times of conflict with
the
United States a division may take place within ourselves…
-----
ISRAELI ARMY UNDER FIRE FOR LOOTING
Reuters, 8/25/02
http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters08-25-053414.asp?reg=MIDEAST
JERUSALEM, Aug. 25 - The Israeli army came under fire on Sunday after
Israel Radio broadcast an investigative report which found that the
looting
of Palestinian property by Israeli troops was more widespread than
previously thought…
"Danny," a recently discharged soldier interviewed under an assumed
name,
told Israel Radio that troops stole from Palestinian homes during the
six-week-long sweep for militants launched after suicide bombings
killed
scores of Israelis.
"During each search, the head of the family was meant to accompany the
soldiers to every room. What we would do is take the man to one room as
the
soldiers searched other rooms, and they would pocket things while out
of
his sight," he said…
SEE ALSO:
VERBAL VOLLEY FROM ISRAELI MILITARY OFFICIAL
CBS News, 8/26/02
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/16/world/main518918.shtml
(CBS) Israel's army chief of staff called for a decisive victory over
the
Palestinians to ensure that terror is not rewarded - saying the
Palestinians posed a "cancer-like" threat that needs to be "fought to
the
bitter end…"
Yaalon, the army chief, said in his speech to the rabbinical assembly
that
Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000 was interpreted by Arabs
as
proof that Israel can be forced into concessions through attacks on
civilians.
He said the Palestinians began their latest uprising - or intifada -
two
years ago because they sensed the dispute was headed toward a political
resolution and did not want to accept a permanent Jewish presence in
the
Middle East.
"It is imperative that we win this conflict in such a way that the
Palestinian side will burn into its consciousness that there is no
chance
of achieving goals by means of terror," Yaalon was quoted as saying by
the
Yediot Ahronot daily…
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
GOV. BUSH SAYS FLORIDA MUSLIMS HAVE RIGHT TO SAFETY
Statement follows conference call with state's Muslim leaders
(MIAMI, FLA., 8/26/02) - In a statement released immediately after a
conference call with Florida Muslim leaders and law enforcement
officials,
Governor Jeb Bush said the Islamic community in that state has a right
to
safety following the revelation of a plot to bomb 50 Islamic centers
and
mosques.
The governor's statement read in part: "People should not have a fear
of
expressing their faith. Those who send their children to religious
schools
or who pray in mosques, synagogues or churches have every right to
practice
their religion in a peaceful and safe environment. My message today is
to
assure all Floridians that persecution of people based on their faith
or
nationality will not be tolerated."
The conference call, which included representatives from the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), was coordinated by the Florida office of
the
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FLA), a Washington-based
civil
rights and advocacy group.
During the call, Governor Bush directed the FDLE to initiate contact
with
mosques and Islamic centers statewide. The Regional Domestic Security
Task
Force, ATF agents and local law enforcement authorities will also
initiate
contact with Muslim leaders to inform them of steps taken to reduce any
threat against the Islamic community in Florida.
CAIR-FLA Executive Director Altaf Ali encouraged the governor to hold a
press conference to reiterate his support for the Muslim community.
Bush
told the conference call participants that his office would set up the
event.
"Such a public demonstration of support will send a strong message to
those
who may intend to attack the Muslim community, that acts of terrorism
will
not be tolerated in Florida," said Ali.
- END -
CONTACT: CAIR-FLA: Altaf Ali, 954-298-8214, E-MAIL:
altafaali@cair-florida.org; CAIR National: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787
or
202-744-7726
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/27/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: FEED THE HUNGRY
* CALIF. MUSLIMS REMEMBER 9/11 VICTIMS WITH PRAYER VIGIL
- MSNBC EXAMINES POST-9/11 DISCRIMINATION IN MICHIGAN
- MUSLIM LEADERS STRUGGLE WITH SEPT. 11 (Sun-Sentinel)
- ANTI-HATE CAMPAIGN BEGINS IN S.F. (San Francisco Chronicle)
* FLA. CHECKS MOSQUES FOR SAFETY RISK (AP)
- US AGENTS TO COORDINATE SECURITY WITH MUSLIM LEADERS (AFP)
- THE GOVERNOR REASSURES FLORIDA'S MUSLIMS (St. Petersburg
Times)
- RESOURCES: THREAT ASSESSMENT GUIDE FOR HOUSES OF WORSHIP
- RESOURCES: CAIR MOSQUE SECURITY CHECK-LIST
* SEPT. 1 RALLY IN DC TO PROTECT POLITICAL FREEDOM
- WASHINGTON BENDS THE RULES (New York Times)
* ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA (ISNA) NATIONAL CONFERENCE
* U.S. ENDORSES FIGHT AGAINST ETHNIC UIGHURS (Washington Post)
* ISRAEL SET ON TRAGIC PATH, SAYS CHIEF RABBI (Guardian)
* RIGHTS ACTIVIST TALKS ABOUT RELIGIOUS KILLING IN INDIA
(NorthJersey.com)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: FEED THE HUNGRY
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Feed the hungry, visit
the
sick and free the captives."
Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 4, Number 3
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also said in prayer: “My
Lord…Let
me have enough to eat and be hungry on alternate days; then when I am
hungry I shall make supplication to Thee and make mention of Thee, and
when
I have enough, I shall praise and thank Thee."
Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1353
-----
CALIF. MUSLIMS REMEMBER 9/11 VICTIMS WITH PRAYER VIGIL
WHAT: The Council on American-Islamic Relations-Southern California
(CAIR-LA) and the Islamic Society of Orange County (ISOC) invite the
Interfaith community to a prayer vigil in remembrance of the victims of
the
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A special prayer will be offered
for
a Southern California Muslim woman who was among the victims in one of
the
World Trade Center towers on that tragic day. The Muslim community will
also recognize officials and outstanding citizens who brought the
community
together for healing and understanding during these difficult times.
(NOTE: This event is part of the “National Day of Unity and Prayer.”
SEE:
http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/)
CAIR and ISOC are calling upon all Americans to come together and show
that
the multi-faith and ethnic communities are united as people and reject
efforts by individuals or groups to divide our nation along ethnic or
religious lines.
“We envision the Anniversary of September 11, 2002, as a time for
people
and communities around the world to unite in the shared honoring of all
those who lost their lives and in building a better and more peaceful
future,” said Hussam Ayloush, Executive Director of CAIR-LA.
WHEN: Sunday, September 8, 2002, 5 - 7 PM
WHERE: Islamic Society of Orange County, 9752 E. 13th Street, Garden
Grove, CA
CONTACT: CAIR-LA: Sabiha Khan 714-776-1847 or 714-390-0334 (Cell);
ISOC: Shabana Siddiqi - 714-531-1722
SEE ALSO:
MSNBC EXAMINES POST-9/11 DISCRIMINATION IN MICHIGAN
http://www.msnbc.com/news/onlocation_front.asp?0ct=-34j
Tonight Ashleigh Banfield continues Across America. Live from the
Michigan
city with the nation’s largest Muslim concentration. See what’s being
done
there to overcome discrimination since September 11th.
MUSLIM LEADERS STRUGGLE WITH HOW TO MEMORIALIZE SEPT. 11
Tanya Weinberg, Sun-Sentinel, 8/27/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-s911islam27aug27.story
As the one-year anniversary nears, Muslim leaders are grappling with
how to
best mark the day that devastated the nation and left their own
community
reeling.
The local director of a national Islamic group is encouraging all
Islamic
centers to participate in interfaith marches in their respective
counties
on Sept. 11. But some leaders feel that Muslims should concentrate on
unifying their own community a few days earlier, on the Islamic holy
day of
Friday.
Additionally, there are plans to hold open houses on Sept. 11, and also
concerns that participation in interfaith prayers could violate Islamic
teachings. Friday's arrest of a Seminole County man who had allegedly
stocked his home with an arsenal of weapons and a list of 50 Islamic
centers underscored arguments on different sides of the current debate.
Altaf Ali, the regional director of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations, is stressing the need to show South Floridians that Muslims,
like all Americans, have suffered from and regret the events of Sept.
11.
"Our absence from involvement, if we do not go out and show support in
acts
of solidarity and establishing a day of unity and prayer, that in a
sense
can backfire and harm us," he said. "There's only benefit from getting
involved..."
ANTI-HATE CAMPAIGN BEGINS IN S.F.
Posters urge tolerance as Sept. 11 nears
Henry K. Lee, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/27/02
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/08/27/BA45044.DTL
San Francisco civic leaders unveiled an anti-hate poster campaign
Monday,
calling for an atmosphere of racial tolerance on the eve of the
anniversary
of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The posters, which depict two men and two women of Southeast Asian or
Middle Eastern descent, are punctuated with a rainbow of color and
read,
"We are not the enemy. We are your community." "With war heating up in
the
Middle East, we're launching a pre-emptive strike against any backlash
against people of color, Arab Americans and Muslims," District Attorney
Terence Hallinan said at a news conference on the steps of the Hall of
Justice…
"This is a campaign not just about San Francisco, but all over," said
Souleiman Ghali of the Islamic Society of San Francisco. "San Francisco
is
not going to tolerate hate."
Ghali said, "All we ask for from the community is equal treatment as
Americans and tough law enforcement..."
-----
FLA. CHECKS MOSQUES FOR SAFETY RISK
BRENDAN FARRINGTON, Associated Press, 8/27/02
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - State officers started visiting mosques and schools
on
Tuesday to assess security and potential threats following the arrest
of a
doctor accused of plotting to blow up Islamic buildings.
About 200 mosques were to be visited, said Florida Department of Law
Enforcement Commissioner Tim Moore.
Robert J. Goldstein, 37, was arrested Friday and charged with
possession of
a non-registered destructive device and attempting to use an explosive
to
damage and destroy Islamic centers. The explosives were found at the
foot
specialist's Seminole townhouse. Gov. Jeb Bush announced the safety
checks
on Monday.
"We're here to provide a level of security," Bush said. "It is a duty
of
the state government and local government and federal government...to
protect people's rights and to make sure they are not targeted because
of
their ethnicity, their nationality or their religion. Period…"
Deputies found more than 30 explosive devices, including hand grenades
and
a 5-gallon gasoline bomb with a timer attached, along with up to 40
licensed weapons, including .50-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles,
at
Goldstein's home, prosecutors said.
They say they also found a typed list of about 50 Islamic worship
centers
in the state and a detailed plan for bombing an Islamic education
center…
"Sometimes out of any bad can become a good. We took the incident of
Sept.
11 and said...what can we do as Muslims...to establish better
relationships
and better ties with our government?" said Altaf Ali, executive
director of
the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Ali said earlier that his Broward County-based group advised all
Florida
mosques to have floodlights on at night, install video cameras on their
grounds and organize neighborhood watches. (SEE: MOSQUE SECURITY
CHECK-LIST
BELOW.)
"The magnitude of planning that was involved shows that this is not
something designed by one individual," Ali said. "If there's other
people
out there, that's a significant concern to us…"
SEE ALSO:
US AGENTS TO COORDINATE SECURITY FOR FLORIDA MOSQUES WITH MUSLIM
LEADERS
Agence France Presse, 8/27/02
MIAMI - US federal agents and local police were set Tuesday to meet
with
Muslim leaders in Florida to discuss security steps after a doctor was
charged with hoarding weapons and planning to use them against Islamic
institutions in Florida.
Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced the move immediately after a Muslim
community group urged him to investigate reports of a terror plot
against
Islamic schools and mosques in the southeastern US state. Bush directed
the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement to initiate contact with Islamic
centers across the state, saying federal agents also would discuss
security
measures with Muslim leaders.
"Those who send their children to religious schools or who pray in
mosques,
synagogues or churches have every right to practice their religion in a
peaceful state and safe environment," said Bush, a brother of US
President
George W. Bush.
He made the remarks in a conference call with law enforcement agencies
and
the Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Monday.
CAIR had complained that police failed to treat seriously the case of a
Florida doctor charged with possession of weapons he apparently wanted
to
use on Islamic community targets, and appealed to the Florida governor
to
intervene personally...
THE GOVERNOR REASSURES FLORIDA'S MUSLIMS
LEANORA MINAI and CANDACE RONDEAUX, St. Petersburg Times, 8/27/02
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/08/27/TampaBay/Search_in_alleged_plo.shtml
Federal agents on Monday combed the office, townhome and storage unit
of
Robert Jay Goldstein, the Seminole podiatrist accused of plotting to
destroy 50 Islamic centers in the Tampa Bay area and Florida.
The agents were looking for any evidence or reference to possible
accomplices in the alleged plot.
While agents searched, Gov. Jeb Bush canceled a planned trip to Miami
and
reassured Muslim leaders the state will assess the security at mosques
and
Islamic schools…
Evidence seized from Goldstein's townhome last week made reference to a
"dry run" of an attack on an Islamic education center, with a "Val" or
"Mike."
No one else has been arrested, and federal officials will not say
whether
they are interviewing anyone else.
While federal authorities built their case, Bush reassured the Muslim
community…
"I understand how people would be concerned to be targeted," Bush said.
"There is no place in our state for religious persecution, or playing
out
Middle East issues. Let's be clear about this. If people are organizing
to
attack religious institutions, whether they're a mosque or a synagogue
or a
church, that is not to be tolerated in our state."
Altaf Ali, executive director of the Florida chapter of the Council on
Islamic-American Relations, and other members of the state's Muslim
community have expressed concerns for their safety.
Ali said he feared that the widening federal investigation may indicate
that Goldstein is part of a conspiracy targeting the Muslim community.
"The magnitude of his planning definitely involves some other kind of
people," Ali said. "It's very meticulous and very well thought out."
RESOURCES: THREAT ASSESSMENT GUIDE FOR HOUSES OF WORSHIP
http://www.atf.treas.gov/pub/threat/index.htm
http://www.atf.treas.gov/pub/gen_pub/report2000/threat.pdf
RESOURCES: CAIR MOSQUE SECURITY CHECK-LIST
* Build good relationships with neighbors of the mosque. Invite them to
visit your center.
* Try to have people attend the mosque as much as possible. Activity
deters
perpetrators.
* Make an appointment with the community relations officer of your
local
police department to tour your center and make suggestions on improving
mosque security.
* Request additional police patrols in the vicinity of your center.
Special
attention should be paid to times of darkness and during prayers.
* Consider creating a security committee at your mosque.
* Post mosque members at entrances and parking areas during prayer
times.
* Report suspicious packages to police. Do not touch them.
* Install perimeter floodlights outside the mosque.
* Install fire and burglar alarm systems.
* Replace hollow core doors with more secure solid doors.
* Install burglarproof bars on screens and large vents. (Note -
Research
local ordinances before beginning security renovations. For example,
window
bars should not limit evacuation in case of fire.)
* Trim shrubs and vines to reduce areas of concealment.
* Participate in neighborhood watch programs.
* Document descriptions of suspicious people or vehicles.
* Make duplicates of all important papers, computer disks and records.
* Remove potential fire hazards, such as trash and debris.
* Consider installing security cameras.
-----
SEPT. 1 RALLY IN DC TO PROTECT POLITICAL FREEDOM
Defending the Constitutional Rights of Immigrants and Citizens alike
SPEAKERS: Political, Religious and Civil Rights Leaders
WHEN: Sunday, September 1st, 2002
TIME: Noon - 3 p.m.
WHERE: Freedom Plaza, Washington, D.C. (Pennsylvania & 14th St. -
across
from Marriott Hotel)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: (202) 496-1288
info@academicfreespeech.com
or mas4freedom@aol.com
SEE ALSO:
WASHINGTON BENDS THE RULES
JAMES BAMFORD, New York Times, 8/27/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/27/opinion/27BAMF.html
Someone must have slandered Josef K., for one morning, without having
done
anything truly wrong, he was arrested." So begins "The Trial," Franz
Kafka's story of an ordinary man caught in a legal web where the more
he
struggles to find out what he did wrong, the more trapped he becomes.
"After all," says Kafka's narrator, "K. lived in a state governed by
law,
there was universal peace, all statutes were in force."
With increasing speed, the Justice Department of Attorney General John
Ashcroft is starting to resemble the "always vengeful bureaucracy" that
crushed Josef K. Recently, in two federal cases, the Justice Department
argued that it is within the president's inherent power to indefinitely
detain, without any charges, any person, including any United States
citizen, whom the president (through the Justice Department) designates
an
"enemy combatant." Further, the person can be locked away, held
incommunicado and denied counsel. Finally, Mr. Ashcroft argues that
such a
decision is not subject to review by federal or state courts. This
situation is beyond even Kafka, who in his parable of punishment and
paranoia at least supplied Josef K. with an attorney…
-----
ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA (ISNA) NATIONAL CONFERENCE
SUBJECT: Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) holds its 39th Annual
Conference on "Islam: A Call for Peace and Justice." Highlights: -- 10
a.m.
- News conference, Murrow Room, National Press Club -- 1 p.m. - Muslim
Students On The Rise: Standing Tall, Reaching Out
LOCATION: Washington Convention Center, 900 Ninth Street NW,
Washington, DC
-- August 30, 2002
PARTICIPANTS: Muhammad Abdullah; AbdulHamid Abusulayman; Akbar Ahmed;
Taha
Alalwani; Abdalla Ali; Jamal Badawi; Jamal Barzinji; Muneer Fareed;
Murad
Hofmann; Jaafar Idris; Yusuf Islam; Abd al Hakim Jackson; Eltigani
Hamid;
Ameena Jandali, Mokhtar Maghraoui; Ingrid Mattson; Ali Mazrui; Rami
Nashashibi; Sulayman Nyang; Tariq Ramadan; Louay Safi; Zaid Shakir;
Muzammil Siddiqi; Sayyid Syeed; Siraj Wahhaj; and Hamza Yusuf
CONTACT: 317-839-8157; E-mail: convention@isna.net; http://www.isna.net
-----
U.S. ENDORSES FIGHT AGAINST ETHNIC UIGHURS
Philip P. Pan, Washington Post, 8/27/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64814-2002Aug26.html
The Bush administration has added a violent Muslim group seeking
independence for China's Xinjiang province to its official list of
foreign
terrorist organizations, a senior U.S. diplomat said today.
The decision, announced by Deputy Secretary of State Richard L.
Armitage
after a day of meetings with Chinese leaders, is the strongest U.S.
endorsement yet of China's assertion that it is fighting terrorism, not
peaceful dissent, among the ethnic Uighurs who reside in the country's
far
western stretches.
It is also the latest sign that Washington and Beijing are taking steps
to
improve relations before President Jiang Zemin's scheduled visit to the
United States in October…
"Now, anyone who speaks out will be labeled a terrorist connected to
this
group -- intellectuals, religious figures, anyone who is unhappy with
Beijing," he said. "The government crackdown will intensify, and that
will
cause more Uighurs to turn to extremism and terrorism..."
-----
ISRAEL SET ON TRAGIC PATH, SAYS CHIEF RABBI
Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian, 8/27/02
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,781113,00.html
Britain's chief rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, today delivers an
unprecedentedly
strong warning to Israel, arguing that the country is adopting a stance
"incompatible" with the deepest ideals of Judaism, and that the current
conflict with the Palestinians is "corrupting" Israeli culture.
In a move that will send shockwaves through Israel and the world Jewish
community, Professor Sacks departs from his usual policy of offering
only
public endorsement of Israel, and broad support for moves toward peace,
by
giving an explicit verdict on the effect that 35 years of military
occupation and decades of conflict are having on Israel and the Jewish
people…
He goes on to speak of being "profoundly shocked" at the recent reports
of
smiling Israeli servicemen posing for a photograph with the corpse of a
slain Palestinian. "There is no question that this kind of prolonged
conflict, together with the absence of hope, generates hatreds and
insensitivities that in the long run are corrupting to a culture…"
-----
RIGHTS ACTIVIST TALKS AT FDU ABOUT RELIGIOUS KILLING IN INDIA
SCOTT FALLON, NorthJersey.com, 8/26/02
http://northjersey.com/page.php?level_3_id=26&page=4730360
HACKENSACK - For the last two months Shabnam Hashmi has done little but
speak of atrocities to audiences from Chicago to Atlanta. She tells of
interviewing scores of Muslim women who say they were raped by mobs of
radical Hindus in India and of the families who were murdered because
of
their faith.
On Sunday, the human-rights activist came to Fairleigh Dickinson
University
as part of her one-woman whirlwind speaking tour, urging citizens to
put
pressure on U.S. politicians and on India to halt funding to militant
Hindu
organizations.
Hashmi is trying to bring more attention to what she has called the
ethnic
cleansing of thousands of Muslims at the hands of Hindus in the Indian
state of Gujarat earlier this year…
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
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To reach the list moderator, send a message to: cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/28/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: A HIDDEN REWARD FOR GOOD DEEDS
* MD MUSLIM CONVICTED IN OHIO AFTER 9/11 ARREST FOR “ARAB GARB”
* CANDIDATE GETS RACIST CALLS (San Jose Mercury News)
* PALESTINIAN COMIC CANCELED FROM JACKIE MASON SHOW (AP)
* DOCTOR'S MENTAL STATE ISSUE IN ALLEGED PLOT (St. Petersburg Times)
- LETTER: MUSLIM VICTIMS OVERLOOKED (Montreal Gazette)
* EDITORIAL: DYING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS (Washington Post)
- EDITORIAL: SECRECY, CASE BY CASE (Washington Post)
* AIR TRAVELERS ALTER BEHAVIOR TO AVOID SCRUTINY (AP)
* EDITORIAL: CHRISTIANS CAN LEARN MUCH FROM THE QURAN (Newsday)
* NORTH TEXAS MUSLIMS TO HONOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AT LUNCHEON
* GEN. RAPS PLANS FOR INVASION (NY Daily News)
* MUSLIM AMERICA SOCIETY ANNUAL ISLAMIC CONVENTION THIS WEEKEND
* U.S. TO PROBE ANTI-AMERICANISM (AP)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: A HIDDEN REWARD FOR GOOD DEEDS
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reported that God said: “I
have
prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen and no ear has
heard, nor has it occurred to human heart. Thus recite if you wish: ‘No
person knows what (joys) are kept hidden (in reserve) for them as a
reward
for their (good) Deeds.’” (The Holy Quran, Chapter 32, Verse 17)
Hadith Qudsi, Number 37
-----
- MEDIA ADVISORY
MD MUSLIM CONVICTED IN OHIO AFTER 9/11 ARREST FOR “ARAB GARB”
CAIR-Ohio to announce appeal at 8/29/02 news conference in Columbus
WHAT: On Thursday, August 29, the Ohio office of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) will hold a news conference in
Columbus to announce an appeal to the conviction of a Baltimore, Md.,
woman
who was arrested in Ohio on the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks for
wearing “Arab garb.” (“Deputies Arrest Travelers in Arab Garb,” The
Times-Leader, 9/13/01)
The Muslim woman was convicted today of “aggravated menacing” in Ohio’s
Belmont County Court Western Division (St. Clairsville) for threatening
remarks she allegedly made to police officers while being arrested.
(The
woman maintains her innocence.) She received a 180-day jail sentence,
with
all except the eight days she already served in jail suspended, along
with
two years of unsupervised probation.
“We are appalled that an American citizen could be arrested for simply
wearing a particular type of clothing and then convicted of a charge
that
is perceived by many to be merely a face-saving measure for local
authorities,” said CAIR-Ohio Executive Director Jad Humeidan.
Humeidan said town residents in the courtroom cheered when the verdict
was
handed down. He also reported hearing biased comments from those same
residents during today’s trial.
WHERE: CAIR-Ohio’s Office, 4700 Reed Road, Suite B, Columbus, Ohio
WHEN: 1 p.m., Thursday, August 29, 2002
CONTACT: CAIR-Ohio Executive Director, Jad Humeidan, 614-395-3583 or
614-571-2770 or 614-451-3232, E-MAIL: ohio@cair-net.org
-----
CANDIDATE GETS RACIST CALLS
Lisa Fernandez, San Jose Mercury News, 8/28/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/3953803.htm
Newark police are investigating a series of racist telephone messages
to a
candidate in the 13th Congressional District race as possible felony
hate
crimes.
Four profane, derogatory messages were left last week on the voice mail
at
the campaign headquarters of Syed Mahmood, the Republican challenger
running against longtime Rep. Pete Stark, D-Fremont.
On Tuesday, Newark police Lt. Tom Milner said detectives have
“tangible”
leads, including evidence that the calls were made from the same
cellular
phone, although they aren't sure the same man made all the calls.
“We will not tolerate this type of crime in our city,” Milner said.
The calls used four-letter words and described Mahmood as a “turban
head”
and “camel jockey.” They come as Mahmood is in the midst of the
November
election campaign and also as the one-year anniversary of Sept. 11
nears...
Following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, Arabs and other
dark-skinned
people living in the United States have reported they were harassed,
threatened and, in some cases, physically attacked. Complaints of
discrimination spiked in the fall but are slowly starting to rise again
in
Northern California, according to the Council on American-Islamic
Relations
in Santa Clara.
Council spokesman Helal Omeira said he knew of eight active cases in
January, seven in February and three in March. The numbers rose to six
in
April, nine in June, and 12 in July, and this month has seen 13 so far.
Those numbers reflect calls from individuals, attorneys and police
departments. Some of these reports don't reach the legal threshold of
hate
crimes…
-----
PALESTINIAN COMIC CANCELED FROM JACKIE MASON SHOW
The Associated Press, 8/28/02
http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/News/08/28/comic.canceled.ap/index.html
CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- A comedian scheduled to open for Jewish comic
Jackie Mason was told hours before the show he couldn't perform because
he
is Palestinian, Mason's manager said.
Ray Hanania was supposed to open for Mason on Tuesday night at Zanie's
comedy club in Chicago, but the club phoned him a few hours before to
tell
him his act was canceled.
Mason has been an outspoken member of the Jewish community. His manager
cited recent Israeli-Palestinian violence and delayed peace talks in
explaining the decision.
"It's not exactly like he's just an Arab-American. This guy's a
Palestinian," said Jyll Rosenfeld, Mason's manager. "Jackie does not
feel
comfortable having a Palestinian open for him. Right now it's a very
sensitive thing, it's just not a good idea."
Mason, who has appeared on Broadway and in films such as "Caddyshack
II"
and "The Jerk," is an ardent supporter of Israel and has received at
least
one award from the Israeli government…
-----
DOCTOR'S MENTAL STATE ISSUE IN ALLEGED PLOT
Leanora Minai, St. Petersburg Times, 8/28/02
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/08/28/TampaBay/Doctor_s_mental_state.shtml
TAMPA - The Seminole podiatrist accused of plotting to bomb mosques and
Islamic centers shuffled into a federal courtroom Tuesday with a blank
look
on his face.
While the judge and attorneys discussed his mental competency and
anti-psychotic medicine, Robert Jay Goldstein stared down and never
said a
word. Once he shook his head and rapidly blinked his eyes. U.S.
Magistrate
Thomas B. McCoun III ordered Goldstein detained pending an evaluation
within 30 days by a forensic psychiatrist.
"The nature of the case suggests he presents a danger to the
community,"
McCoun said…
Goldstein, 37, will remain in the Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough
County.
He was arrested Friday by federal authorities. The federal Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms says he illegally possessed 20 bombs and
plotted to damage or destroy Islamic centers and mosques around the
Tampa
Bay area and state. Authorities also seized 50 to 60 other kinds of
weapons
and firearms, most legal…
"This man has a mapped out plan of how he was going to blow up my
niece's
and nephew's playground, and when they would try to escape they had
booby
traps and rocket launchers," said Isam Sweilem, a representative of the
Muslim Student Association. "This man was not working alone."
When authorities searched Goldstein's residence at Townhomes of Lake
Seminole, they found a typed list of 50 Islamic worship centers in the
Tampa Bay area and Florida. Attached to the list were three pages that
included a schematic drawing of an unknown center and instructions on
what
to wear and how to carry out an attack…
The judge appeared skeptical of Goldstein's inability to communicate.
"Quite frankly, we've had some other people talk to this gentleman, and
they haven't had as much difficulty," McCoun said…
SEE ALSO:
LETTER: MUSLIM VICTIMS OVERLOOKED
Montreal Gazette, 8/28/02
http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/archives/story.asp?id=39D5F9AD-68E4-4447-84F5-05C9E2C67AA6
Publishing the endless Terrorist Within series is, of course, your
privilege, but what is reprehensible is your insensitivity to Muslim
victimization. Just this weekend, in Seminole, Fla., U.S. authorities
raided a in a podiatrist's home and found a cache of timers and
explosives
big enough to blow up a whole row of townhouses.
Authorities also found a typed list of Islamic schools, mosques and
community centres. What upset me most was your nonchalant way of
reporting
this episode on Saturday (Aug 25): a mere nine lines on Page 15 of
Section
G under a miniscule heading. One can imagine had the target been other
than
Muslims you would have had a banner headline. And if Muslims had been
the
perpetrators, the story would probably have adorned your front page.
M.Naseer Syed
Brossard
-----
EDITORIAL: DYING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Washington Post, 8/28/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4551-2002Aug27.html
And now, a unanimous panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals --
ruling in
the Michigan case, which concerns a man named Rabih Haddad -- has also
determined that the systematic closure of 9/11-related cases violates
the
First Amendment. "The Executive Branch seeks to uproot people's lives,
outside the public eye, and behind a closed door," wrote Judge Damon
Keith
for the court. "Democracies die behind closed doors."
No more judges should have to rule on this obnoxious policy; it's time
that
the Justice Department got the message. In the wake of the attacks,
authorities rounded up large numbers of Arabs and Muslims whose
immigration
status had been revealed as deficient in the context of the terrorism
probe. Many of these people surely had nothing to do with terrorism.
Yet
the government slapped on their "special interest" deportation
proceedings
a particularly rigid set of rules: "no visitors, no family, no press."
The
cases are kept off the books. While they involve no classified
information,
they officially -- at least in public -- don't exist…
SEE ALSO:
EDITORIAL: SECRECY, CASE BY CASE
Michael Kelly, Washington Post, 8/28/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4518-2002Aug27.html
Nevertheless, and all frieze language aside, the 6th Circuit made the
right
ruling. The appeals panel was asked to consider the case of one Rabih
Haddad, a native of Lebanon residing in Michigan. As the founder of a
Muslim charity strongly believed by the government to be involved in
supporting terrorism, Haddad was an excellent candidate for
deportation.
Certainly, in such a case, the government also enjoys the benefit of
doubt
in arguing that a deportation hearing be closed to protect continuing
investigations or intelligence sources.
But this is the problem: The government didn't bother to make this
argument. Instead, in Haddad's case, and in hundreds of others, the
Justice
Department relied on a designation of terrorism-related deportation
investigations as "special interest" cases. All such cases, chief
immigration judge Michael Creppy had ruled, may be kept wholly secret,
with
no explanations required in each specific case…
Given all these protections, and even cognizant of the imperatives of
wartime, it's hard to see how the Bush Justice Department has any
excuse
for trying to deal with this issue on the cheap-and-easy. In national
crises, curtailments of liberties are sometimes necessary, and in the
long
run not necessarily harmful. But it's a bad idea to buy them wholesale.
-----
AIR TRAVELERS ALTER BEHAVIOR TO AVOID SCRUTINY
Brad Foss, Associated Press, 8/28/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/799864.asp
Interrogations, body searches and suspicious stares are not the only
sources of humiliation these days for air travelers with darker
complexions
and foreign names.
But many of the indignities endured by air travelers of Arab, Middle
Eastern, south Asian and even South American backgrounds have been
self-imposed - changes in behavior they have adopted just to get
through
the experience with a minimum of inconvenience and shame.
"I don't open my mouth in the plane," said Lebanese native Khaled
Saffuri
of Great Falls, Va. Saffuri, 45, makes sure he shaves closely and puts
on a
suit every time he has to fly, even on weekends.
He hates driving, but has taken his car to West Virginia, Ohio and
Michigan
over the past six months just to escape the aggravation he faces when
flying.
Nidal Ibrahim, the 35-year-old editor of Arab American Business
Magazine,
said he tries to get a seat in the back of the plane, far away from the
cockpit, lest he make the flight attendants or other passengers
nervous.
He also makes sure to go to the restroom before boarding to avoid
making
others fearful by getting out of his seat mid-flight.
"I'm also very careful about what I pack," said Ibrahim, a Californian
who
was born in the West Bank. "I debated long and hard recently about
whether
I was going to take a pen. I'm a writer and I'm debating whether I
should
take a damn pen…"
The airlines deny they have engaged in racial profiling since the Sept.
11
hijack attacks, in which Islamic extremists struck at the World Trade
Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.
Still, discrimination lawsuits are stacking up, filed by fliers
outraged at
what they considered to be abusive treatment. Plaintiffs include
Arab-Americans, a permanent U.S. resident from the Philippines and a
U.S.
citizen born in Guyana…
-----
EDITORIAL: CHRISTIANS CAN LEARN MUCH FROM THE QURAN
Thomas W. Goodhue, Newsday, 8/28/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpgoo282840877aug28.story
Should college students be required to read the Quran? That is what the
University of North Carolina recently asked incoming students to do in
preparation for orientation week discussions at Chapel Hill. Outraged,
the
Family Policy Network in Virginia recruited three students to join in a
lawsuit attempting to stop the assignment...
What is puzzling is why some Christians would object to reading and
discussing the Quran in the first place, particularly those who call
themselves evangelicals. In theory, at least, we who follow Jesus are
supposed to be ready to "give an account of the hope that is within
you…"
If they took time to read the Quran, Christians might learn that it
includes the Ten Commandments and many parallels with their own
Scriptures.
It teaches respect for Jews and Christians as fellow "People of the
Book."
It never suggests that Mohammed supplanted earlier religions, in sharp
contrast with Christians, who often dismiss Judaism as a sort of rough
draft for their own faith.
It does not encourage "holy war," a notion foreign to the struggle to
live
justly, which it does teach.
We Christians might also gain important attitudes from a study of
Islamic
scriptures. I have learned from Muslim friends, for example, that it is
better to move toward what is good than it is to denounce what is bad.
Instead of offering workshops on stopping domestic violence, for
example,
our local Islamic center invites people to learn how to promote
domestic
harmony. Which one would you be more likely to attend…?
-----
NORTH TEXAS MUSLIMS TO HONOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AT LUNCHEON
(DALLAS) - Muslim Americans in North Texas are hosting a Law
Enforcement
Appreciation Luncheon on Thursday, September 5, to honor local law
enforcement agencies and officials for their dedication and commitment
following the 9/11 tragedy. The luncheon, organized by representatives
of
area mosques and Islamic schools, will take place at the Dallas Central
Mosque at 840 Abrams Road.
Mohammad Suleman, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic
Association of North Texas, said, "The Muslim community here in North
Texas
suffered with the rest of America on 9/11, and unfortunately, due to
the
hate crimes committed by a few misguided individuals, continued to
suffer
after 9/11. Throughout the difficult time, however, we found comfort in
many friendly faces, including our law enforcement officials who
reacted
promptly to our concerns, maintained the peace around our mosques and
schools, and gave our community a sense of safety."
WHEN: Thursday, September 5, 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Dallas Central Mosque, Multipurpose Hall, 840 Abrams Road
CONTACT: AbdalMalik Hamidullah at (972)231-5698 ext.111, E-mail:
malik@iant.com
-----
GEN. RAPS PLANS FOR INVASION
Richard Sisk, New York Daily News, 8/27/02
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration distanced itself yesterday from a
White House envoy's bitter critique of U.S. policy on Iraq that
questioned
the experience of those advocating war.
In little-noted remarks to the Economic Club of Florida on Friday,
retired
Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni listed retired generals such as Norman
Schwarzkopf and Bush family adviser Brent Scowcroft as among those who
were
urging caution on Iraq.
"All the generals see this the same way, and all those that never fired
a
shot in anger are really hell-bent to go to war," Zinni said.
He did not identify the war advocates who never served in the military,
but
Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) has singled out Pentagon adviser Richard
Perle
and suggested that he be in "the first wave into Baghdad" to back up
his
convictions…
The retired general said that attacking Iraq would derail the war on
terrorism, jeopardize the U.S. presence in Afghanistan and terminate
prospects for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement.
He also said that U.S. forces already are "stretched too tight all over
the
world" to focus on Iraq.
Zinni dismissed U.S. plans to back Iraqi opposition groups in
overthrowing
dictator Saddam Hussein.
The plan risked a "Bay of Goats" in Iraq, Zinni said in a reference to
the
failed Bay of Pigs mission to overthrow Cuba's Fidel Castro.
-----
MUSLIM AMERICA SOCIETY ANNUAL ISLAMIC CONVENTION THIS WEEKEND
WHEN: August 30 - September 1, 2002
WHERE: UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL
WHAT: Public address by Imam W. Deen Mohammed
THEME: "THE LIFE BLOOD OF CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM IS PEACE
-----
U.S. TO PROBE ANTI-AMERICANISM
The Associated Press, 8/28/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - The State Department will host a two-day conference
next
week to explore the roots of anti-Americanism worldwide.
Spokesman Richard Boucher said about 20 scholars from the United States
and
abroad will share their thoughts with 50 State Department officials.
He said the department hopes the conference, set for Sept 5-6, will
yield
clues as to how to counter anti-Americanism…
-----
TO BECOME A CAIR MEMBER, GO TO:
https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AN INVITATION TO CAIR'S OPEN HOUSE DURING ISNA CONVENTION
WHAT: CAIR is planning an open house on Sunday, September 1, designed
to
coincide with the 39th Annual ISNA conference taking place in the
nation's
capital. A shuttle bus from the Washington Convention Center will be
provided for attendees interested in touring the CAIR building and
speaking
with board members and office staff.
"Whether attendees opt to stop by our booth or come to our open house,
we
are encouraging people to take this opportunity to learn about the
issues
and projects CAIR has been working on to promote a positive image of
Islam
and to defend the American Muslim community," said CAIR Executive
Director
Nihad Awad.
WHEN: Sunday, September 1, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. (A shuttle will leave the
Convention Center at 12:15 p.m. RSVP required at CAIR's booth at the
ISNA
convention. Light refreshments will be provided.)
WHERE: CAIR Headquarters, 453 New Jersey Ave, S.E., Washington, D.C.
CAIR is conveniently located 2 blocks from Capitol South Metro stop on
the
blue or orange lines.
-----
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To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/29/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: A HUMBLE PROPHET
* “SLIGHT, UNARMED WOMAN IN HANDCUFFS” FRIGHTENS OHIO DEPUTIES
* ISNA JOINS CALL FOR MAKING 9/11 ‘A DAY OF UNITY AND PRAYER’
* MORE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CAIR VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AT ISNA
* EEOC SUES AMERICAN AIRLINES OVER MUSLIM'S HEAD SCARF (Chicago
Tribune)
- AIRLINE OKS SETTLEMENT OF BIAS SUIT (Chicago Sun-Times)
* DETAINEE'S DEATH BLAMED ON LACK OF MEDICAL CARE (New Jersey Law
Journal)
* SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY STIRS UP BAD MEMORIES FOR US MUSLIMS (AFP)
- MUSLIMS LOOK UNEASILY TO SEPT. 11 (Dallas Morning News)
* DOCTOR ARRESTED IN FLORIDA IS A 'TERRORIST', TOO (Houston Chronicle)
* ABOVE THE LAW (Salon.com)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: A HUMBLE PROPHET
The Prophet Muhammad’s wife Ayesha narrated: “God’s Messenger (peace be
upon him) used to patch his sandals, sew his garment and conduct
himself at
home as anyone of you does in his house.”
Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1530
-----
“SLIGHT, UNARMED WOMAN IN HANDCUFFS” FRIGHTENS OHIO DEPUTIES
CAIR-Ohio is today announcing its support for an appeal in the case
outlined below. A statement issued by CAIR-Ohio Executive Director, Jad
Humeidan, at today’s news conference reads in part:
“What we saw yesterday was a travesty of justice.
This sister’s civil rights were trampled when she was stopped on
September
11. They were trampled on while she, her uncle, and her 14-yr. Old son
spent 8 days and nights in jail. They were trampled on yesterday when
the
judge pronounced her guilty and sentenced her to 180 days in jail and 2
years Probation, and they are being trampled on as we speak.
The judge already declared that the traffic stop itself was deemed
unconstitutional, we feel that any charges arising from the stop should
have been thrown out.
Today we are announcing our intent to file an appeal with the 7th
District
Court of Appeals in Youngstown, Ohio.
We feel strongly that once the Court of Appeals looks at this travesty
of
justice, the conviction will be vacated
On a personal note, I was in Belmont County yesterday for the trial. I
was
in the court room. It was very sad and hurtful to hear some of the
comments
that were being made by some of the community members watching the
trial.
It is so hard to believe that, in this day in America, we still have
such
levels of bigotry and ignorance that still exits. But I guess I should
not
be too shocked since, if it were not for that racism, the car and this
family would never have been stopped…”
A statement from the Muslim woman, Halimah Ali, reads in part:
“To be treated so disrespectfully is terrible for anyone but for an
American (native-born) to be treated as though she is a stranger is
particularly horrible. I will pray that those who have done this are
forgiven and that your children do not see these things as normal or
acceptable.”
ACTION REQUESTED:
Donations to help cover the legal and general expenses involved in the
appeal process may be sent to:
CAIR-Ohio
4700 Reed Road, Suite B
Columbus, Ohio 43220
1) Make checks payable to “CAIR-Ohio.” Indicate “Jamilah Ali Defense
Fund”
in the memo portion of the check.
2) Let both CAIR national and CAIR-Ohio know about the donation by
emailing
cair@cair-net.org and ohio@cair-net.org.
CONTACT: CAIR-Ohio Executive Director, Jad Humeidan, 614-395-3583 or
614-571-2770 or 614-451-3232, E-MAIL: ohio@cair-net.org
SEE ALSO:
WOMAN GUILTY OF MAKING THREATS
Judge hears different versions of events in Sept. 11 traffic stop
Randy Ludlow, Columbus Dispatch, 8/29/02
http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/news/news02/aug02/1452306.html
ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio -- Less than 12 hours had elapsed since the twin
towers of the World Trade Center had toppled and the Pentagon had been
attacked.
In the darkness along the berm of Rt. 40, a clash of cultures played
out
between a black woman who was a Muslim and a group of white deputy
sheriffs
in a remote eastern Ohio county.
Each was afraid of the other given the events of Sept. 11.
Their conflict resumed yesterday in a Belmont County courtroom, where a
judge found Jamilah Ali guilty of aggravated menacing for threatening
the
deputies that night.
Ali has claimed she was abused after she was ordered from her car at
gunpoint in a traffic stop since ruled illegal. During her trial
yesterday,
she called the officers "bullish, aggressive'' and said she feared for
her
life as she lay in the roadside grit in her hijab, traditional Muslim
head-to-toe garb…
Judge Harry White of the Western Division of the Belmont County Court
sentenced her to the eight days she served after her arrest last
September
and suspended the rest of a 180-day jail sentence.
Ali had refused a prosecutor's offer of a $100 fine if she pleaded
guilty
to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.
Her uncle Yusuf Alim was driving a rental car with Virginia plates the
night of Sept. 11. Ali and her son, then 14, were passengers. All three
were dressed in traditional Middle Eastern clothing that attracted
attention about 10 p.m. at a crowded Exxon station at Rts. 40 and 331.
Several observers became concerned and called the sheriff's office.
Ali and Alim became disorderly when they were stopped for questioning,
according to the deputies' report. Ali's son was placed in juvenile
detention while she and her uncle were held in jail for eight days.
In October, White ruled the deputies had no probable cause to stop the
vehicle in response to frantic 911 calls that persons wearing "Arabian
garb" had been spotted at a nearby gas station…
Yesterday, Jad Humeidan traveled 115 miles from the Ohio office of the
Council on American-Islamic Relations in Columbus to watch the trial.
"This is a travesty of justice,'' he said. "Her civil rights were
trampled
from the time that car was stopped until she was sentenced.''
The national office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
financed
Ali's trip to stand trial in Ohio and today intends to announce it will
assist Ali in appealing the conviction.
Public defender Christopher Berhalter expressed disbelief that a
slight,
unarmed woman in handcuffs could say anything that could lead deputies
to
fear they were facing serious physical danger…
"After I screamed, I rose my head up and looked at the officers in
front of
me, guns aiming, and said, 'Oh my God!'” Ali testified. "I was in fear
of
them spilling my blood…For a person to see guns aiming at them, you
automatically think about life and death.''
Ali admitted to being upset, particularly at being touched by men from
outside her family -- a taboo in Islamic culture -- but denied
threatening
to kill the officers or anyone else…
Unlike most of his deputies, Sheriff McCort said he perceived no threat
from Ali. "I was startled, but with all the people around, I was not
afraid. I had the numbers in my favor.''
Berhalter said that without the hysteria of Sept. 11 and an
unconstitutional traffic stop, the charge never would have arisen.
"She just wants to return to Baltimore and hopefully never stop for gas
again in Belmont County.”
-----
ISNA JOINS CALL FOR MAKING 9/11 ‘A DAY OF UNITY AND PRAYER’
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/28/02) - The Islamic Society of North America
(ISNA),
announced today that it will join with the American Muslim Political
Coordination Council (AMPCC)* in encouraging local Muslim communities
to
observe a "National Day of Unity and Prayer" on September 11, 2002.
“I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate ISNA’s commitment
to
building amity, harmony and peace in this nation and elsewhere”, said
Dr.
Sayed Muhammad Sayeed, the Secretary General of ISNA. “I am confident
that
a unified message of healing and harmony by major Muslim
American organizations will motivate all people of goodwill to turn the
memory of 9/11 into a pledge for peace, mutual acceptance and harmony”.
ISNA, one of the oldest and the largest Muslim American organization,
is
holding its 39th annual convention in Washington DC from August 30th to
September 2nd 2002. Leaders of all major Muslim organizations are
expected
to attend the convention.
“This is consistent with the unity demonstrated by the Muslim
leadership
immediately after the tragic events of Sept. 11 when we were all
together
in Washington DC,” said Dr. Maher Hathout, Chairman, American Muslim
Political Coordination Council. “After one year we are still together
in
our efforts to bring healing and harmony to our homeland, the United
States.”
The AMPCC last month called on all faith communities to participate in
the
national observance by opening houses of worship for interfaith visits,
prayers, congregational exchanges, and other activities
intended to foster national unity and religious tolerance.
American Muslim groups jointly and individually condemned the 9/11
attacks.
An AMPCC statement issued within hours of the incidents stated:
"American
Muslims utterly condemn what are…vicious and cowardly acts of terrorism
against innocent civilians. We join with all Americans in calling for
the
swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators. No political
cause
could ever be assisted by such immoral acts."
* AMPCC consists of American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslim
Council
(AMC), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and Muslim Public
Affairs Council (MPAC).
TO REGISTER YOUR ORGANIZTION FOR THE 'DAY OF UNITY AND PRAYER', GO TO
WWW.DAYOFUNITY.ORG
-----
MORE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CAIR VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AT ISNA
Many more volunteers are still needed for CAIR's Voter Registration
Drive
at the ISNA Convention. Please send your name, phone number, and shift
preference to Sr. Reem Mukhtar at rmukhtar@cair-net.org. Please
indicate
your preference from the following shift schedule:
Fri. 4pm-7pm, Fri. 7pm-10pm, Sat. 10am-1pm, Sat. 1pm-4pm, Sat. 4pm-7pm
Sat. 7pm-10pm, Sun. 10am-1pm, Sun. 1pm-4pm, Sun. 4pm-7pm, Sun.
7pm-10pm.
Prizes will be awarded to volunteers who turn in the highest number of
voter registration forms during their shift.
-----
EEOC SUES AMERICAN AIRLINES OVER MUSLIM'S HEAD SCARF
Chicago Tribune, 8/29/02
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a federal lawsuit
Wednesday alleging that American Airlines unlawfully refused to hire a
Muslim woman who wanted to wear a religious head scarf at work.
The suit accused the airline of religious discrimination for not
finding a
reasonable accommodation for Rania Fneiche and "a class of female
Muslim
applicants" who were refused employment for the same reason. Andrea
Rader,
a spokeswoman for American, said a settlement would be announced
shortly.
She said that American had a policy forbidding employees who come into
contact with customers from wearing a Hijab, or head scarf, when
Fneiche
applied to be a passenger service agent in 1998. The policy was changed
in
1999, she said. American is unaware of other Muslim women being
rejected
for similar reasons, Rader said.
For further information, please contact plaintiff's attorney, Kamran
Memon
at (312) 961-2354
SEE ALSO:
AIRLINE OKS SETTLEMENT OF BIAS SUIT
Chicago Sun-Times, 8/29/02
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-metro29.html
American Airlines said Wednesday it has agreed to settle a federal
lawsuit
alleging it discriminated against a Muslim woman when it did not hire
her
for a customer service job because she wanted to wear a religious head
scarf. The airline expected the settlement to be entered soon, but it
declined to comment on the details. The case involved a Muslim woman
who
applied to be a passenger airport agent in 1998. When it became clear
she
was going to wear her scarf, she was offered another job where she
would
not deal with the public. Since then, the airline has adopted a policy
that
allows employees to wear religious jewelry and clothing. The policy
also
provides for prayer rooms in some facilities for employees, a
spokeswoman said.
-----
DETAINEE'S DEATH BLAMED ON LACK OF MEDICAL CARE
Jim Edwards, New Jersey Law Journal
http://biz.yahoo.com/law/020828/14658-3.html
A Pakistani national who died in the Hudson County, N.J., Jail while
being
held in secret after Sept. 11 made requests for medical attention that
were
ignored in the days leading up to his death, according to a report
released
by Human Rights Watch.
Rafiq Mohammed Butt, who died of cardiac dysrythmia brought on by
narrowed
coronary arteries, also spent part of the morning of his death knocking
on
his cell door in a futile attempt to get the attention of corrections
officers, the Aug. 15 report claims…
The lack of additional information spurred Human Rights Watch attorney
Cesar Munoz to track down Butt's cellmate, Mohammed Munir Gondal, to
get
the details of Butt's final days. The results of that interview form
the
basis of the organization's report.
The Human Rights Watch report says that as Butt did not speak English,
Gondal helped him fill out five or six forms requesting to see a medic
in
the 10 days before he died, but Butt never saw a doctor…
-----
SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY STIRS UP BAD MEMORIES FOR US MUSLIMS
LOUISE DALY, Agence France Presse, 8/29/02
CANTON, Michigan, AUG 29 - The Ahmad family is a little apprehensive
about
the coming anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
"As soon as they show show the September 11 video, there will be people
--
uneducated people -- who will be incited into doing things they
shouldn't,"
said Ghazala Burney-Ahmad, 59.
"The media has a responsibility to give the news, but they shouldn't
keep
on about things that spread hate," she says, the memory of last year's
wave
of anti-Muslim sentiment heavy on her mind. "It's not the media
coverage
that's the problem," chips in her son Haaris, "it's the
sensationalism."
"I would like to see how the victims' families are coping, how the kids
are
doing," he says, adding "but I don't think it can help the families of
the
victims when they see that footage over and over again."
At the root of his anxiety is the fear of what the resurrected images
of
the September 11 carnage -- "sensationalism" in his words -- could
conjure
up this time round.
The media fest to mark the one-year anniversary of the worst terrorist
attack on the United States has already got underway here, undermining
the
Muslim community's fragile sense of security...
SEE ALSO:
MUSLIMS LOOK UNEASILY TO SEPT. 11
Rena Pederson, Dallas Morning News, 8/29/02
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/columnists/rpederson/stories/082502dnedipederson.ab4b8.html
Sept. 11 is looming as an uncomfortable anniversary for Muslims in the
United States. Some see it as an opportunity. They want to show their
shared sorrow about the terrorist attacks. Others dread it. They worry
that
the memorials will only inflame resentment against Muslims.
Hind Jarrah, who helped start the Arab Heritage Society in Dallas, is
one
of those who hopes the anniversary will unify more than divide the
country.
"I am praying with all my heart," she said last week. "You cannot
imagine.
It's been like a whirlwind. You reach out any angle you can to do
something
if you can." She says the Muslim community seems to have reacted in two
distinct ways since Sept. 11. Some are doing everything they can to
focus
the spotlight on responsible Muslim beliefs as an antidote to the more
radical beliefs held in other parts of the world. They have been trying
to
build bridges with others in the community and have joined dialogues
with
groups like the American Jewish Congress.
Others are too scared to say anything out of fear of being persecuted.
Mrs.
Jarrah explains, "They used to voice their opinions, but now they are
afraid they will be in trouble if they do. They are afraid to give to
charities because they don't want to end up on a government list. They
don't go to meetings, because they're afraid they are being watched."
Those who are concerned about "guilt by association" are trying to
present
a fuller picture of their faith than can been seen in the violence in
the
Middle East. But that puts them in the awkward position of having to
prove
they are not only "good Americans" but "good Muslims." That requires
separating themselves from acts of violence.
In an effort to respond appropriately, mosques across the country will
observe Sept. 11 with a day of "unity and prayer." The Islamic
Association
of North Texas is hosting a "9/11 Open Doors, Open Hearts Day" at the
Dallas Central Mosque, the biggest mosque in North Texas. Neighbors and
others are invited "to share feelings, smiles, tears and a cold glass
of
lemonade…"
-----
DOCTOR ARRESTED IN FLORIDA IS A 'TERRORIST', TOO
Arsalan Tariq Iftikhar, Houston Chronicle, 8/29/02
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/outlook/1552559
According to the FBI, a Florida doctor arrested after police found more
than 15 homemade explosive devices in his home allegedly drafted a
detailed
plan to blow up an Islamic educational center. The search of Robert J.
Goldstein's residence also turned up a list of about 50 Islamic worship
centers in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area and other locations in
Florida...
According to the damning evidence against the Florida podiatrist, there
should be absolutely no hesitation in classifying Goldstein as a
"terrorist." Yet, in news coverage from The Associated Press to CNN,
there
was not one mention of the word "terrorist." However, if we change one
facet of this scenario, we would have a completely different ballgame.
Instead of Goldstein, let's say his name was Dr. Muhammad. Assume the
same
bomb materials were found in the same Florida home. Instead of
blueprints
of Islamic centers and mosques, his house was littered with floor plans
of
more than 50 synagogues and Jewish day schools. In addition to the
blueprints and the arsenal, there were scattered pages of his manifesto
that claimed to eliminate all traces of Judaism from America. Surely,
one
would be hard pressed to find one person alive who would not consider
the
hypothetical man above a "terrorist."
So why the double standard? There was not one mention of Goldstein's
religion or political affiliation in any of the media outlets. It would
follow a simple logical progression that his fiery hatred of Muslims
was
either fueled by a dogmatic or political doctrine...
Iftikhar serves as midwest communications director for the Council on
American-Islamic Relations.
-----
ABOVE THE LAW
Michelle Goldberg, Salon.com, 8/29/02
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2002/08/28/invasion/print.html
As legions of grateful criminal defendants know, a good lawyer can make
a
persuasive case out of nearly any set of facts. Thus President Bush has
managed to assemble a legal team, culled largely from the Federalist
Society -- an ultraconservative answer to the ACLU -- that says the
president has the legal authority to wage war on Iraq without getting
congressional approval...
Bush's current plan for Iraq does more than flout constitutional law.
Many
law professors say it would also defy a basic principle of
international
law enshrined in the U.N. Charter, which says that countries can act
unilaterally only in self-defense. That's the law that justified the
Gulf
War -- Iraq broke it by attempting to annex Kuwait. "If we're acting
independently, we look a bit like Iraq looked when it invaded Kuwait,"
says
Edwin M. Smith, a former State Department consultant and professor of
law
and international relations at the University of Southern California...
Indeed, once the debate moves into the legal realm, it's no longer
about
whether we should or should not take out Saddam Hussein. Rather, it's a
battle by those who would play by accepted rules of engagement both
domestically and internationally and those who see those laws as
illegitimate or irrelevant. It's no longer left vs. right or hawks vs.
doves. It's the left, center and moderate right vs. the hard right,
whose
legal organ, the Federalist Society, is making much of the White
House's
policy...
-----
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https://www.cair-net.org/asp/membership.asp
TO TAKE PART IN CAIR'S VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, GO TO:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/voting.asp
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 8/31/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: A HAPPY FRAME OF MIND
* U.S. MUSLIMS PRAY FOR 9-11 VICTIMS (AP)
* ISLAMIC GROUP TO PAY FOR APPEAL (Columbus Dispatch)
- GROUP LAUNCHES DRIVE TO OVERTURN CONVICTION (AFP)
- MUSLIM WOMAN ARRESTED SEPT. 11 TO GET HELP WITH APPEAL (AP)
* LOCAL GROUP RAISING MONEY TO REMOVE AFGHAN MINES (Columbus Dispatch)
* GA. NEWCOMER TURNS TO JEWS TO OUST REP. MCKINNEY'S DAD (Forward)
* AMERICAN MUSLIMS AS TEACHERS (Hartford Courant)
* EXTREMIST TERROR OVERSHADOWS THE TENET OF COMPASSION (Detroit Free
Press)
- WHO IS DANIEL PIPES?
* BLACK, MUSLIM AND AMERICAN (Detroit Free Press)
- THE FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF ISLAM IN AMERICA (In These Times)
* MUSLIM GROUP'S LEADER REACHES OUT TO CHRISTIANS (Chicago Tribune)
* TAMPA MUSLIMS: THERE'S A DOUBLE STANDARD IN BOMB PLOT'S HANDLING (AP)
- SEPT. 11 BLAMED FOR INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES (Orlando Sentinel)
- MUSLIMS TO REAFFIRM ALLEGIANCE TO U.S. (Orlando Sentinel)
* 'TERRORIST' TAPE TERMED HOAX (Los Angeles Times)
* THE CONTINUING SAGA OF LAURENT (OF ARABIA) MURAWIEC (Slate.com)
* ISRAELI MISSILE STRIKE KILLS 5 PALESTINIANS (Reuters)
- BACK-TO-SCHOOL MEANS HARD LESSONS FOR PALESTINIANS
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: A HAPPY FRAME OF MIND
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "There is no harm in
wealth
for someone who fears God…but for someone who fears God, health is
better
than wealth, and a happy frame of mind is one of God's favors."
Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1400
-----
NOTE: ISNA conference sessions are being broadcast on C-SPAN. Go to
http://www.c-span.org for details.
U.S. MUSLIMS PRAY FOR 9-11 VICTIMS
RACHEL ZOLL, Associated press, 8/30/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Muslim-Convention.html
WASHINGTON - The largest annual gathering of American Muslims began
Friday
with prayers for victims of Sept. 11 and for Muslims who have been
harassed
since the attacks.
Muhammad Nur Abdullah, president of the Islamic Society of North
America,
said in his opening address that Islam condemns violence and that
Muslims,
like others in the United States, want the terrorists to be punished.
"We're for justice," said Abdullah, a St. Louis imam, standing on a
stage
flanked by U.S. flags. "This is our country. American Muslims, we care
for
the betterment of this country and for every human being." Khadija
Abdullah
of Los Angeles read a prayer she wrote for those who died in the
suicide
strikes, thanking God for the efforts of the rescue workers and for the
"comfort and courage" victims gave their families in their final phone
calls. She also urged Muslims to "answer scapegoating and hatred" with
love...
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based advocacy
group, has received 2,000 reports of harassment of Muslims since Sept.
11.
The opening prayer of the meeting was a verse from the Quran that urges
Muslims to "stand firm for Allah" and "let not the hatred of
others...make
you deviate from justice…"
The National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom, a coalition of
groups
including the National Lawyers Guild and the American Muslim Council,
have
scheduled a rally starting at noon Sunday at Freedom Plaza.
Islamic Society of North America: http://www.isna.net/
-----
ISLAMIC GROUP TO PAY FOR APPEAL
Diane Richey, COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 8/30/02
http://www.dispatch.com/
Search using the term "Ali."
A national Islamic legal-aid organization yesterday announced plans to
help
fund and direct an appeal by a Maryland woman found guilty this week in
Belmont County of aggravated menacing.
The Council of American-Islamic Relations in Washington intends to file
the
appeal next week with the 7th District Court of Appeals in Youngstown.
The
council may file a lawsuit when the appeals process is complete, said
Jad
Humeidan of the Columbus chapter.
"The arrest is unconstitutional because there was no reason for the
traffic
stop to have happened,'' he said.
Humeidan said Jamilah Ali was the victim of discrimination against a
Muslim
after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
On Sept. 11, Ali, her son and uncle were traveling through Ohio to
their
home in Baltimore when they stopped at a busy Exxon gas station in
Belmont
County, about 115 miles east of Columbus. All three were clothed in
traditional Islamic dress.
After receiving 911 calls about people in "Arabian garb," sheriff's
deputies about 10 p.m. ordered Yusuf Alim to stop the vehicle along Rt.
40.
The trio was ordered to exit the car and lay on the ground. They were
then
handcuffed. Officers say Ali became disorderly and threatened them…
Ali, 38, yesterday criticized her treatment during the traffic stop
last
year, just hours after the twin towers of the World Trade Center had
toppled and the Pentagon had been attacked.
She said she had a knee in her back and her face pressed against the
concrete ground. "I was being treated very aggressively and
discriminatory
and not being treated as a citizen of the United States.''
"I'm covered," Ali said, pointing to her head scarf, a symbol of her
culture. "Is that a crime?"
ACTION REQUESTED:
Donations to help cover the legal and general expenses involved in the
appeal may be sent to:
CAIR-Ohio
4700 Reed Road, Suite B
Columbus, Ohio 43220
1) Make checks payable to "CAIR-Ohio." Indicate "Jamilah Ali Defense
Fund"
in the memo portion of the check.
2) Let both CAIR national and CAIR-Ohio know about the donation by
emailing
cair@cair-net.org and ohio@cair-net.org.
CONTACT: CAIR-Ohio Executive Director, Jad Humeidan, 614-395-3583 or
614-571-2770 or 614-451-3232, E-MAIL: ohio@cair-net.org
SEE ALSO:
CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP LAUNCHES DRIVE TO OVERTURN CONVICTION OF MUSLIM
WOMAN
Agence France Presse, 8/30/02
A leading US Muslim civil rights group said Thursday it was launching a
nation-wide fund-raising drive to back an appeal by a Baltimore Muslim
woman convicted of threatening sheriff's deputies during a traffic stop
last September 11.
Jamilah Ali claimed she was abused after the officers ordered her out
her
car at gunpoint as she was driving through Ohio on her way home to
Baltimore in the evening of September 11.
During her trial Wednesday, Ali, 38, said the police officers who
arrested
her were "bullish, aggressive" and said she feared for her life as she
lay
in the roadside grit in her hijab, the traditional Muslim head-to-toe
garb.
Ali was found guilty of threatening the police officers, sentenced to
two
years' probation, in addition to the eight days she already spent
behind bars.
Jad Humeidan, the executive director of the Ohio chapter of the Council
on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), called the case a clear example of
the
post-September 11 wave of anti-Muslim bigotry that swept the country
and a
"travesty of justice…"
MUSLIM WOMAN ARRESTED SEPT. 11 TO GET HELP WITH APPEAL
Associated Press, 8/30/02
ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio - A national Islamic legal-aid organization will
help
a Muslim woman appeal her conviction on a charge of threatening
sheriff's
deputies during a confrontation in eastern Ohio hours after the Sept.
11
terrorist attacks.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced plans Thursday to
fund
and direct the appeal by Jamilah Ali, 38, of Baltimore, Md.
"The judge had the opportunity to correct this travesty of justice, but
he
chose...to continue this charade," said Jad Humeidan, executive
director of
the council's Ohio office in Columbus. Judge Harry White of the Western
Division of the Belmont County Court convicted Ali on Wednesday of
aggravated menacing. He sentenced her to the eight days she served in
jail
last September and suspended the rest of a six-month sentence…
"The arrest is unconstitutional because there was no reason for the
traffic
stop to have happened," Humeidan said.
-----
LOCAL GROUP RAISING MONEY TO REMOVE AFGHAN MINES
Dennis M. Mahoney, COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 8/30/02
http://www.dispatch.com
Search using the term "mines."
A central Ohio interfaith effort is under way to raise money to help
fund
the removal of land mines in Afghanistan.
The idea of getting involved in the Adopt-A-Minefield program began
with
Michael Greenman, a member of First Unitarian Universalist Church in
Clintonville. He was involved in a similar effort at his church in
Maryland
before moving to Columbus in 1999. Greenman received $1,000 from First
Unitarian to get the project going and now has involved the Ohio office
of
the Council on American Islamic Relations.
SEE: http://www.landmines.org/
Jad Humeidan, executive director of the Islamic group, called land
mines a
global problem.
"There are millions of land mines all across the world in places like
Cambodia and Africa and across different places in Asia, even in areas
of
Europe because of the Balkan war," Humeidan said. "There's a major need
for
this across the world…"
-----
GA. NEWCOMER TURNS TO JEWS TO OUST REP. MCKINNEY'S DAD
By ELI KINTISCH, The Forward, 8/30/02
http://www.forward.com/issues/2002/02.08.30/news3.html
ATLANTA - After mounting a successful campaign to encourage thousands
of
Republican voters to oust Rep. Cynthia McKinney in last week's
Democratic
primary, a small group of Atlanta-area political operatives are hoping
for
Jewish backing in their bid to unseat her father from his seat in the
Georgia State House…
The race follows two Middle East proxy wars in which Israel supporters
helped bankroll the defeats of Cynthia McKinney and Birmingham, Ala.,
Rep.
Earl Hilliard, who both received donations from pro-Palestinian
backers.
But with only a state house seat up for grabs this time, and opposition
to
Billy McKinney centering more on his controversial remarks than Middle
East
positions, it is unclear if Arab-American donors will enter the fray.
It seems more likely that the race will inflame black-Jewish tensions.
Several African-American political figures are already charging that
Jews
are attempting to choose black leaders.
"I definitely have some feelings about any outside group exerting this
kind
of influence in a race, and I've been receiving angry calls from black
voters all day, saying they should rally against Jewish candidates,"
said
Texas Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson last week in an interview with The New
York Times. The Democratic chairwoman of the Congressional Black
Caucus,
Johnson added: "To have non-African-Americans from around the country
putting millions into a race to unseat one of our leaders for
expressing
her right of free speech is definitely a problem…"
The "problem" shows no sign of going away - Noel told the Forward that
Jewish donations to his campaign have increased since Billy McKinney's
controversial television interview. "The number of Jewish folks who
have
called me and offered financial support has been nothing short of
outstanding," Noel said. "I think it's a one down, one to go feeling."
In a press release last week, the Anti-Defamation League's southeastern
director, Deborah Lauter, condemned Billy McKinney's "J-E-W-S" remark,
labeling it "classic antisemitism." He caused a similar stir in 1996
after
calling his daughter's opponent a "racist Jew," a comment Cynthia
McKinney
repudiated.
Members of the ad-hoc group which helped derail the younger McKinney,
using
a Web site registered to the name goodbyecynthia.com, say they expect
to
mobilize Republicans to crossover in the primary runoff and vote for
Noel,
an electrical contractor who has done much of his campaigning door to
door.
Since no Republican qualified for the general election, the winner of
the
September runoff will represent the state house district, which covers
part
of Atlanta and suburbs in Cobb County.
"I'm grateful for their support," Noel said, referring to Republican
voters. "When the choice is as stark as Billy McKinney or myself, and
the
showdown is solely in the Democratic primary, it seems logical that
Republicans would cross."
While there is no party registration in Georgia and voters can choose
in
which party primary to vote, observers estimate that 40% of McKinney's
district would identify themselves as Republican. But few participated
in
the GOP primary last week, making the majority eligible to vote in the
Democratic runoff.
Some Republicans may have helped Noel register his surprise showing
last
week, in which he held his own against an Atlanta institution. "No one
thought this guy had a prayer," said Noel aide John Garst, a political
consultant with Atlanta-based Rosetta Stone Communications.
At a press conference this week, high-profile supporters of McKinney
announced that they would be introducing legislation in the state House
to
bar crossover voting in Georgia, a freedom enjoyed by voters in a
number of
other states.
McKinney's office did not return a call seeking comment.
The activists behind the goodbyecynthia.com effort introduced
goodbyebilly.com this week in preparation for the runoff. Mark Davis, a
Republican political database specialist in Deluth and a key organizer
of
the bipartisan effort, said that the group raised money through its
first
Web site from American Jews across the country who opposed what they
felt
were McKinney's anti-Israel positions, and Republicans angry over
remarks
she made suggesting President Bush might have known about September 11
before it happened.
Davis estimated that half the donations to the goodbyecynthia.com
effort
were from Jews. "We couldn't have done it without them," he said.
That money was used for mailings, phone banks and Web site expenses to
encourage Republicans and swing voters in DeKalb County to vote for
"anybody but Cynthia" - and the efforts appeared to play an important
role
in Cynthia McKinney's 16-point loss to Denise Majette, a Democrat with
nearly 20 years under her belt as a local judge.
"Everybody involved in this effort is offended by the mouth of his,"
Davis
said, referring to the senior McKinney. "I can't believe we have a
sitting
legislator who would get on TV and make comments like, 'It's the
Jews.'"
Davis predicted an even greater level of American Jewish support
following
McKinney's televised remarks. Noel estimated that Jews, many of them
Republican, make up 5% of the district.
A number of DeKalb County Jewish groups and volunteers helped Majette
with
her effort, including supporters who handed out fliers at Atlanta's
expansive Marcus Jewish Community Center, located in Dunwoody in
Northern
DeKalb County.
Assistant Rabbi Noach Shapiro, of Ahavath Achim Synagogue in the
Buckhead
section of the senior McKinney's district, said that a number of his
congregants were "outraged" by the state representative's comments.
But,
the rabbi added, he hadn't yet heard of an organized effort by members
of
the Jewish community to vote for Noel.
"I supported John Noel before McKinney made those remarks," said Leon
Goldstein, a civil and workplace mediator in Atlanta. "Those remarks
were
the icing on the cake."
Goldstein, who identified himself as a Democrat, is a board member of
the
ADL southeastern region.
-----
AMERICAN MUSLIMS AS TEACHERS
FRANCES GRANDY TAYLOR, HARTFORD COURANT, 8/29/02
http://www.ctnow.com/features/lifestyle/hc-muslimlife.artaug29.story
As the 9/11 anniversary approaches, American Muslims are bracing. Many
are
preparing to talk, even more, about their religion, having been thrust
into
the role of unofficial spokesmen for Islam, caught between those who
use
Islam to justify terrorism and those who equate it with the terrorist
attacks.
"I would say it's been a difficult year. For a lot of Muslims it's been
a
year of soul-searching, being called on to defend oneself, and to
educate
people about Muslims," said Colleen Keyes, dean of academic affairs at
Tunxis Community College in Farmington. A convert to Islam, Keyes has
given
dozens of speeches in the last year.
"We are making progress with interreligious and intercultural
understanding, due to the willingness of Americans who are open-minded
and
Muslims who are willing to go out and talk about Islam," Keyes said.
"I've
seen a lot of anger. I've also seen a lot of compassion…"
An August survey of 945 Muslim American households, by the Council on
American-Islamic Relations in Washington, found that 57 percent
experienced
bias or discrimination after the 9/11 attacks. Also, 79 percent
reported
acts of kindness and support from friends and colleagues of other
faiths.
The survey also found that 67 percent said the media had grown more
biased
against Islam and Muslims, and 48 percent said their lives had changed
for
the worse in the year following the attacks…
-----
EXTREMIST TERROR OVERSHADOWS THE TENET OF COMPASSION
DAVID CRUMM, Detroit Free Press, 8/30/02
http://www.freep.com/news/metro/faith30_20020830.htm
Is Islam dangerous?
In recent weeks, evangelist Franklin Graham angered Muslims by calling
their faith evil and accusing Islam of encouraging violence, and
Americans
sparred over whether the University of North Carolina should have
assigned
students to read a book about the Koran.
Around the world, a Nigerian Islamic court outraged human rights
advocates
by sentencing a woman to be stoned to death for adultery; Pakistani
President Pervez Musharraf seized sweeping legal powers and is vowing
to
quell Muslim extremists; U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia are strained,
partly over the regime's ties to traditionalist Islamic groups, and
Arab-Muslim leaders across the Middle East, including Egyptian
President
Hosni Mubarak, are speaking out against President George W. Bush's
march
toward war with Iraq.
Marking the Sept. 11 anniversary in this country, dozens of books,
newspapers, cable talk shows and TV news reports are weighing the
threat of
Muslim extremism.
Some American claims also sound extreme.
"I see analogies between militant Islam and communism and fascism,"
said
Daniel Pipes, a frequent political analyst on cable TV and the author
of
the newly released, "Militant Islam Reaches America."
"This is a virulent, hostile ideology that is in our midst, that has
attacked us many times in the past quarter of a century, and there's no
reason to think it won't attack us again," Pipes said.
Pipes advocates continuing U.S. military attacks against extreme groups
in
the Islamic world even if Al Qaeda, the radical Islamic group accused
of
the Sept. 11 attacks, is quashed. He also claims that 80 percent of
mosques
in the United States are controlled by extremists, and he calls for
limiting Muslim immigration.
SEE: WHO IS DANIEL PIPES?
http://www.cair-net.org/misc/people/daniel_pipes.html
In sharp contrast, Imam Mohammed Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of
Wisdom
in Dearborn Heights called Pipes' charges more explosive than any
Muslim
threat.
"People like Pipes and Graham are following a very dangerous agenda of
creating tension between Christians and Muslims," Elahi said. "It is
very
unfair."
When he hears the claim about extremists controlling U.S. mosques,
Elahi
said, "At first, you can't believe a person is actually saying this
thing.
Then, you realize they really are talking this kind of nonsense. And,
as a
Muslim, you really feel the pain of hearing people say this about your
faith…"
Islam's simple code of direct access to God through daily prayer,
seasonal
fasting and gifts to the poor also stressed that God's most important
qualities are compassion and mercy.
"In the Koran, each section -- each surah -- excepting one, begins
with,
'In the name of God, the merciful and the compassionate,' and the fact
that
Muslims are to be compassionate to their fellow humans is one of the
Koran's major themes," said John Esposito of Georgetown University in
Washington, D.C., one of the most widely cited scholars of Islam in the
United States.
Over the centuries, the faith produced civilizations in Spain, North
Africa
and as far east as India that were unsurpassed in tolerance and
cultural
innovation, said Sussan Babaie, a University of Michigan assistant
professor of Islamic art and architecture…
-----
BLACK, MUSLIM AND AMERICAN
NICOLE VOLTA AVERY, Detroit Free Press, 8/30/02
http://www.freep.com/news/metro/muslim30_20020830.htm
The quaint house where Maurice and Camisha El-Amin live on the west
side of
Detroit is a long way from the place where the Twin Towers once stood,
far
from the felled portion of the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania
cratered by an embattled airplane.
The Detroit natives are far, too, from the Middle East, the focal point
of
a controversy that exploded here last Sept. 11.
Maurice and Camisha are Muslim and black. They live outside of the
racial
profiling net cast on Muslim Arabs, yet are linked by skin color to the
often controversial teachings of Nation of Islam minister Louis
Farrakhan.
For the El-Amin family, race, religion and nationality create a unique
perspective, particularly since terrorism has tempted America toward
new
degrees of separatism. "I offer the idea of tolerance and the
appreciation
of all figures from all faiths and all cultural backgrounds," says
Camisha,
a 32-year-old real estate agent. "Tolerance is the basis of faith.
"Since we share a belief of one God with so many other religions, that
should be the catalyst that brings us together," she says. "It is
accepted
that we worship the same God; we just worship in different ways."
The El-Amins are among the followers of many faiths who will join
together
at Masjid Wali Muhammad of Detroit this Sept. 11. A group of local
mosques
will host a Patriotism Day luncheon designed to add a fresh voice to
the
discourse.
"The African-American voice has not been solicited," says Aminah
McCloud,
associate professor of religious studies at DePaul University and an
authority on blacks and Islam.
"It has been this thing about let's get those terrorist Muslims -- not
let
us see who the Muslims really are that are living in this country,"
says
McCloud, who converted to Islam in 1966. "As African-American Muslims,
we
are not looked on as real Muslims. Moreso, we are looked on as failed
Christians…"
THE FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF ISLAM IN AMERICA
SALIM MUWAKKIL, In These Times, 9/16/02
http://www.inthesetimes.com/issue/26/21/feature1.shtml
The increasing population of immigrant Muslims and the continuing
spread of
the religion among African-Americans -- who comprise approximately 30
percent of the 8 million Muslims living here -- as well as those
influenced
by African-American culture calls for an overdue look at Islam's long
history in this country.
The foundation for Islam's attraction to black Americans was laid
centuries
ago. But because scholarly interest typically reflects popular biases,
to
past generations of American historians the idea that a large number of
enslaved Africans were Muslims was unthinkable. Typical was novelist
James
Michener, who wrote derisively in a New York Times book review of Alex
Haley's Roots that "to have Kunta Kinte, or one of his fellow slaves
praying to Allah while chained in the bottom of a Christian ship is an
unjustified sop to contemporary events rather than a true reflection of
the
past."
But most historians now agree there has been an Islamic presence here
from
the nation's earliest years. Muslim evangelists (as conquerors,
merchants
and scholars) had fanned out across West Africa several hundred years
before any Christians arrived. These Muslims converted many Africans in
the
area between the Senegal and Gambia Rivers, a region where vast numbers
of
Africans were enslaved and shipped west. Sylviane A. Diouf's book
Servants
of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas estimates that from
10
percent to 25 percent of all enslaved Africans shipped to the Americas
from
the 17th to 19th century were Muslims…
-----
MUSLIM GROUP'S LEADER REACHES OUT TO CHRISTIANS
Julia Lieblich, Chicago Tribune, 8/30/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Search using the term "Muslim."
As a young man, Imam W. Deen Mohammed had no interest in churches,
Christians or their Bible, he said Thursday, the eve of his Muslim
American
Society's annual convention.
Not until he began preaching did he pick up the Bible, he said, and
then he
read it cover to cover "from the first word of Genesis to the last word
of
Revelations" without stopping. "I came to believe the Bible was a holy
book
and a sacred book," said Mohammed, leader of the nation's largest
African-American orthodox Muslim group. "I decided we should be a
friend of
Christians."
Hence the theme of this year's convention: "The Life Blood of Islam and
Christianity Is Peace." Mohammed will address the topic in his Sunday
address on the last day of the conference at the Chicago Hilton &
Towers.
The gathering will not feature dialogues between Christians and Muslims
to
deal with theological differences. But Christian visitors will join
Muslims
from throughout the nation in attending speeches and workshops on the
role
of youth, preserving the family, improving education and safeguarding
Muslim civil rights since Sept. 11…
-----
TAMPA MUSLIMS: THERE'S A DOUBLE STANDARD IN BOMB PLOT'S HANDLING
RACHEL LA CORTE, Associated Press, 8/30/02
TAMPA, Fla. - For the past year, some Muslims say they have felt like
they've had to apologize for the Sept. 11 attacks.
Now, after the arrest of a Pinellas County podiatrist who had a cache
of
weapons and explosives in his home and a point sheet on attacking an
Islamic center, they say they feel the sting of a double standard.
"If it was a Muslim who had possessed that same amount of ammunition he
would have been called a terrorist, mosques would have been
investigated
and there would have been a national response," said Altaf Ali,
executive
director of the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations
in Davie. "Even the president would have come out and made a
statement."
Instead, a coalition of local Muslim groups say, the response by both
the
government and the media has been tepid. They say the government and
media
over-report terrorist angles in Muslim cases, but have failed to call
Dr.
Robert Goldstein a potential terrorist…
"If he was a Muslim, the media would be all over each other coming to
every
Islamic center," said Sami Al-Arian, a University of South Florida
professor who might be fired for alleged terrorist ties.
Goldstein's attorney, Myles Malman, said his client has a history of
emotional disturbance and is on five medications, including Valium.
Muslims resent the focus on Goldstein's mental state.
Goldstein "isn't referred to as a terrorist but a podiatrist who is
mentally disturbed. That's what you call a double standard," Al-Arian
said.
Some Florida Muslim groups say that the government has not done enough
since Goldstein's arrest to assure that their buildings and members are
safe. The state Attorney General's Office released a report Friday that
showed hate crimes in Florida increased 24 percent this year. Hate
crimes
related to a victim's ethnicity increased more than threefold, and
those
related to a victim's religion increased 54 percent…
Muslims have also criticized Gov. Jeb Bush for taking three days to
make a
public response to Goldstein's arrest - a conference call with some of
the
state's Islamic leaders. That call included Florida Department of Law
Enforcement Commissioner Tim Moore and Ralph Ostroski, who is leading
the
investigation for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
"We have developed a relationship with Islamic leaders across the
state,"
Bush said. "We're going to maintain an ongoing relationship, not just
react
to crises but communicate with them regularly."
Law enforcement officials dispute that they're treating Goldstein's
case
less seriously because he's not Muslim. FDLE and ATF agents have
visited
the state's mosques since the arrest and gave leaders suggestions for
strengthening security, ATF special agent Carlos Baixauli said.
"The case is being handled like any other case," Baixauli said.
But, he said, it is too early to label Goldstein a terrorist or say
he's
part of a plot.
"We're not going to rush to judgment here. We're actively pursing all
leads," he said…
SEE ALSO:
REACTION TO SEPT. 11 BLAMED FOR INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES
Doris Bloodsworth, Orlando Sentinel, 8/31/02
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-lochate31083102aug31.story
Hate crimes motivated by religion and national origin almost doubled
last
year in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, according to an attorney
general's report released Friday.
Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth called the increase "a
lamentable
response by citizens who let their fear and outrage push them into
inappropriate and inexcusable actions…"
Taleb Salhab, a spokesman for the Arab American Community Center in
Central
Florida, said many people didn't report harassment and threats out of
fear.
"The first three of four months after Sept. 11 were really bad," he
said.
"Women who covered their heads were afraid to go out."
Salhab said local law-enforcement agencies helped keep the number of
hate
crimes from being worse by taking a zero-tolerance attitude…
Mark NeJame, an Orlando criminal-defense attorney who is active in the
Arab-American community, said some Central Florida residents of
Middle-Eastern descent were not only targeted in hate crimes but were
persecuted in other ways.
"Authorities hide behind words like 'Arabic men' or 'investigated by a
terrorist specialist,'" NeJame said about those whom he said were
unfairly
jailed for questioning.
MUSLIMS TO REAFFIRM ALLEGIANCE TO U.S.
Pedro Ruz Gutierrez, Orlando Sentinel, 8/30/02
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-locmuslim30083002aug30.story
Central Florida's Muslims and Arab-Americans plan to commemorate the
Sept.
11 anniversary with several events that they say will reaffirm their
heritage and commitment to peace and unity in the United States.
Starting today, members of the Islamic Society of Central Florida on
Goldenrod Road will be able to sign three poster-size cards with
personal
messages that will reach Tallahassee, New York and the White House. The
cards will be addressed to Gov. Jeb Bush, New York City Hall and
President
Bush. The messages are part of at least five planned events and
activities
for the days leading up to Sept. 11…
-----
'TERRORIST' TAPE TERMED HOAX
MIKE ANTON and DAVID REYES, Los Angeles Times, 8/31/02
http://www.latimes.com/
Search using the term "terrorist."
The videotape obtained by the FBI was chilling: A man calling himself
an
Islamic terrorist armed with a shoe bomb, gas canisters and a gun
claimed
he and four others were planning a Sept. 11 attack on Disneyland
against
"our enemies."
Authorities acted swiftly. Dozens of law officers, including FBI
counterterrorism agents, raided the man's Santa Ana mobile home
Thursday.
More than 100 stunned neighbors were evacuated. The suspect was
arrested.
But no weapons or explosives were found.
On Friday, Liyanase Tony Fernando was released from jail, and the
informant
who provided the tape to officials was behind bars for allegedly
setting up
authorities for an elaborate hoax…
-----
THE CONTINUING SAGA OF LAURENT (OF ARABIA) MURAWIEC
The Rand analyst whose PowerPoint rocked the Pentagon returns to the
news.
Jack Shafer, Slate.com, 8/27/02
http://slate.msn.com/?id=2070190
Rand Corp. analyst Laurent Murawiec, who set off an international
incident
three weeks ago when the Washington Post reported the substance of an
anti-Saudi briefing he gave in July to the Pentagon's Defense Policy
Board,
seems to have stepped in it again. On Aug. 13, the Dubai news site
ITP.net
quoted extensively from a telephone interview Murawiec purportedly gave
to
Arabian Business reporter Massoud Derhally. According to Derhally's
story,
"Potent words, softly spoken, rock Saudi-U.S. relations," Murawiec said
that a gag order prevented him from talking about the Pentagon briefing
but
offered these observations about the Saudis and the Arab world:
My experience of your part of the world is that most people hate the
Saudis' guts, not to make too fine a point about it. Everybody knows
they
are a bunch of lazy assholes that are arrogant, too big for their
shoes,
which behave in a consistently disgusting manner. People in your region
have told me that for 20 years. But I am not telling you anything new.
A week later in an Agence France-Presse news story, Murawiec denied the
statements attributed to him. "I gave no interview neither to that guy
...
nor to anybody. The whole story is spurious and void," Murawiec said.
IPT.net responded immediately with a story, "Taped interview exposes
lies
from U.S. analyst," which included this Windows Media sound recording
of
the purported interview to prove Murawiec talked to them.
Does the voice on the recording belong to Murawiec? Murawiec deflected
Slate's query to a spokesperson at Rand, where he still works, and the
spokesperson said the think tank's only comment was this statement
released
last week by Murawiec's boss, Rand President James Thompson: "The
comments
on the tape recording on the website ITP.net are offensive and
repugnant,
and Rand repudiates them in the strongest terms. Rand was unaware of
these
comments until they were reported by ITP.net."
Rand President Thompson's "strongest terms," which neither confirm nor
deny
that the voice is Murawiec's, surely take the "think" out of "think
tank…"
The only good news falling on Murawiec these days is the bad news
posted on
the Web by his former colleagues at the paranoid political organization
headed by convicted felon and perpetual presidential candidate Lyndon
H.
LaRouche Jr.
To capture the full warp and woof of the LaRouchies' barking mad
denunciations, try this:
Murawiec first showed his emerging corruption when he opposed the March
1986 publication of EIR's thoroughly documented special report,
Moscow's
Secret Weapon: Ariel Sharon and the Israeli Mafia. This 126-page report
highlighted Sharon's U.S. organized-crime-connected backers who ran the
infamous Israeli spy in the U.S. Defense Department, Jonathan Pollard.
Highly classified material stolen by Pollard was used in Israeli "U.S.
secrets-for-Jewish-emigres" trades with the kind of Soviet KGB elements
who
later grouped around the financial oligarchs plundering post-Soviet
Russia
in the 1990s.
By the late 1980s, on command, Murawiec was running an internal
disruption
operation within the Wiesbaden EIR office-supervised by the same people
who
promoted his subsequent career when his presence in that EIR office
became
overtly untenable, in 1990…
-----
ISRAELI MISSILE STRIKE KILLS 5 PALESTINIANS
Reuters, 8/31/02
JENIN, West Bank, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Israeli helicopter gunships
ambushed a
car in the West Bank on Saturday, killing three Palestinian militants
and
two children with a double missile strike, Palestinian witnesses and
medical officials said.
They said two Apache helicopters struck at Tubas village near Jenin in
the
afternoon, obliterating the vehicle and its occupants, including a
nine-year-old boy and a girl, also 9…
Israel regularly targets Palestinian militants waging a 23-month-old
uprising for independence, a tactic which has drawn international
condemnation.
Its recent F-16 air strike against Hamas's military commander in the
Gaza
Strip, which killed 15 other Palestinians including nine children,
prompted
a rash of revenge attacks by the group, which is dedicated to Israel's
destruction.
SEE ALSO:
BACK-TO-SCHOOL MEANS HARD LESSONS FOR PALESTINIANS
Mohammed Assadi, Reuters, 8/31/02
RAMALLAH, West Bank, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Tears filled 17-year-old Rashad
Mousa's eyes when he entered class for the first day of the Palestinian
school year on Saturday, this time without his best friend beside him.
Morad Awaisa, also 17, died in Israeli army custody in late March,
Mousa
said -- shot by troops on a massive sweep for militants in Ramallah and
elsewhere in the West Bank following a wave of Palestinian suicide
bombings
within the Jewish state.
On the second new academic year during a 23-month-old Palestinian
uprising
for independence, more than a million Palestinian youngsters flocked to
schools in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, their future
as
uncertain as ever…
In the Gaza Strip, back to learning meant hard lessons.
Lina Shabet, nine, learned on Saturday that her classmate Alaa Matar
died
along with eight other children in an Israeli air strike targeting a
senior
militant in a Gaza City neighbourhood in July.
"I am very sad," sobbed Shabet, whose desk was decorated with Matar's
name.
Abu al-Hummos said Israeli troops had killed 239 school pupils, wounded
more than 2,500 and arrested 166 students and 75 teachers during the
revolt. Several schools had been taken over by Israeli troops during
the
offensives and many others were shelled.
Mousa's school in Ramallah had been commandeered as an Israeli tank
base.
The heavy vehicles had ploughed up the main gate and playground. Hebrew
lettering had been spraypainted at the entrance to classrooms.
"Look at this vandalism. They are not only occupiers and killers but
also
barbarians," Mousa said.
-----
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In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/1/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: HONESTY
* CONFRONTING ANTI-AMERICAN GRIEVANCES (New York Times)
* EDITORIAL: ALLEGED BUT NOT PROVEN (Washington Post)
* U.S. MUSLIMS EXPECT MORE HARD TIMES (AP)
* AVALANCHE IS BURYING OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES (Orlando Sentinel)
* PAT BUCHANAN CHALLENGES NEOCONSERVATIVES (New Republic)
* ATTACK BY HINDU ON MUSLIM TEEN A HATE CRIME (San Jose Mercury News)
* SHOULD SEPT. 11 BACKLASH DRIVE MAN FROM HIS HOME? (Sun-Sentinel)
* FIVE MORE PALESTINIANS SHOT DEAD (Reuters)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: HONESTY
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "When honesty is lost,
then
wait for the Hour (of Judgment Day)." He was then asked: "How will
honesty
be lost?" The Prophet replied: "When authority is given to those who do
not
deserve it."
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 503
-----
CONFRONTING ANTI-AMERICAN GRIEVANCES
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI, New York Times, 9/1/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/01/opinion/01BRZE.html
Zbigniew Brzezinski was national security adviser in the Carter
administration.
WASHINGTON - Nearly a year after the start of America's war on
terrorism,
that war faces the real risk of being hijacked by foreign governments
with
repressive agendas. Instead of leading a democratic coalition, the
United
States faces the risk of dangerous isolation. The Bush administration's
definition of the challenge that America confronts has been cast
largely in
semireligious terms.
The public has been told repeatedly that terrorism is "evil," which it
undoubtedly is, and that "evildoers" are responsible for it, which
doubtless they are. But beyond these justifiable condemnations, there
is a
historical void. It is as if terrorism is suspended in outer space as
an
abstract phenomenon, with ruthless terrorists acting under some Satanic
inspiration unrelated to any specific motivation.
President Bush has wisely eschewed identifying terrorism with Islam as
a
whole and been careful to stress that Islam as such is not at fault.
But
some supporters of the administration have been less careful about such
distinctions, arguing that Islamic culture in general is so hostile to
the
West, and especially to democracy, that it has created a fertile soil
for
terrorist hatred of America.
Missing from much of the public debate is discussion of the simple fact
that lurking behind every terroristic act is a specific political
antecedent. That does not justify either the perpetrator or his
political
cause. Nonetheless, the fact is that almost all terrorist activity
originates from some political conflict and is sustained by it as well.
That is true of the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland, the
Basques
in Spain, the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, the Muslims in
Kashmir and so forth…
American involvement in the Middle East is clearly the main impulse of
the
hatred that has been directed at America. There is no escaping the fact
that Arab political emotions have been shaped by the region's encounter
with French and British colonialism, by the defeat of the Arab effort
to
prevent the existence of Israel and by the subsequent American support
for
Israel and its treatment of the Palestinians, as well as by the direct
injection of American power into the region…
Yet there has been a remarkable reluctance in America to confront the
more
complex historical dimensions of this hatred. The inclination instead
has
been to rely on abstract assertions like terrorists "hate freedom" or
that
their religious background makes them despise Western culture.
To win the war on terrorism, one must therefore set two goals: first to
destroy the terrorists and, second, to begin a political effort that
focuses on the conditions that brought about their emergence. That is
what
the British are doing in Ulster, the Spaniards are doing in Basque
country
and the Russians are being urged to do in Chechnya. To do so does not
imply
propitiation of the terrorists, but is a necessary component of a
strategy
designed to isolate and eliminate the terrorist underworld.
Analogies are not the same as identity, but with that in mind one might
consider the parallels between what the United States faces today in
regard
to Middle Eastern terrorism and the crises that America confronted
domestically in the 1960's and 70's. At that time, American society was
shaken by violence undertaken by groups like the Ku Klux Klan (often in
semi-autonomous klaverns), White Citizens' Councils, the Black Panthers
and
the Symbionese Liberation Army. Without civil-rights legislation and
the
concomitant changes in America's social views on race relations, the
challenge that those organizations posed might have lasted much longer
and
become more menacing.
The rather narrow, almost one-dimensional definition of the terrorist
threat favored by the Bush administration poses the special risk that
foreign powers will also seize upon the word "terrorism" to promote
their
own agendas, as President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Prime Minister
Ariel
Sharon of Israel, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of India and
President Jiang Zemin of China are doing. For each of them the
disembodied
American definition of the terrorist challenge has been both expedient
and
convenient.
When speaking to Americans, neither Mr. Putin nor Mr. Sharon can hardly
utter a sentence without the "T" word in it in order to transform
America's
struggle against terrorism into a joint struggle against their
particular
Muslim neighbors…
For America, the potential risk is that its nonpolitically defined war
on
terrorism may thus be hijacked and diverted to other ends. The
consequences
would be dangerous. If America comes to be viewed by its key democratic
allies in Europe and Asia as morally obtuse and politically naïve in
failing to address terrorism in its broader and deeper dimensions - and
if
it is also seen by them as uncritically embracing intolerant
suppression of
ethnic or national aspirations - global support for America's policies
will
surely decline…
SEND COMMENTS TO: letters@nytimes.com
-----
EDITORIAL: ALLEGED BUT NOT PROVEN
Washington Post, 9/1/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18561-2002Aug30.html
THE CASE OF Jose Padilla, the American Muslim locked up as an "enemy
combatant" in a South Carolina brig, has been largely overshadowed by
the
other major enemy combatant case -- that of Yaser Esam Hamdi. It has
moved
more slowly and with fewer fireworks. But it is even more disturbing.
For
not only is Mr. Padilla an American citizen being held indefinitely
without
charge or access to counsel, but he was yanked out of the civilian
justice
system when the burdens of that system grew too heavy for prosecutors'
tastes. Unlike Mr. Hamdi, who was captured in Afghanistan -- where the
government contends he was attached to a Taliban unit -- Mr. Padilla
was
arrested in Chicago in May by FBI agents under a material witness
warrant
issued by a federal court in New York. Mr. Padilla's case is,
therefore, a
real test of how easily the president may, by declaring someone an
enemy
combatant, deprive him of all the protections the Bill of Rights
promises
-- even after first subjecting that person to the normal criminal
process.
Last week, the Justice Department filed its answer to a challenge to
his
detention by Mr. Padilla's lawyers, who have not been permitted to meet
with their client in his military prison. As in Mr. Hamdi's case, the
answer took the form of a brief declaration by Defense Department
official
Michael Mobbs. The statement is more substantial than the one he filed
in
Mr. Hamdi's case, but once again, Mr. Mobbs claims no firsthand
knowledge
of the evidence he cites. And once again, the government takes the view
that the court may look no further than the allegations contained in
this
six-page document…
-----
U.S. MUSLIMS EXPECT MORE HARD TIMES
RACHEL ZOLL, Associated Press, 8/31/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Muslims-Struggle.html
WASHINGTON - With the war on terror in its infancy, American Muslims
attending their largest convention of the year predicted a long
struggle
ahead to protect their legal rights and dispel the suspicion that has
hovered around them since Sept. 11.
Their charities and mosques are being raided. Fellow Muslims are being
detained indefinitely or deported. Their relations with the White House
are
strained, with the Bush administration insisting that the tactics
Muslims
and others condemn are critical to rooting out terrorist activity. "You
really don't know if you're safe anymore," said Ingrid Mattson, vice
president of the Islamic Society of North America, which organized the
four-day meeting that runs through Monday.
Muslim organizations have been working with other groups, such as the
American Civil Liberties Union, to challenge the government's new,
far-reaching authority, including the right to imprison terror suspects
without charges or defense lawyers. A civil liberties rally has been
planned for noon Sunday in connection with the conference…
"I don't see the situation improving. I see it getting worse," said
Ibrahim
Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a
Washington civil rights group…
Sayyid M. Syeed, secretary general of the Islamic Society, said
alliances
with leaders of other religions are key to improving the situation for
U.S.
Muslims, but they won't be easy to build.
Muslim relations with American Jews have been frayed by Mideast
violence
and Muslims have had little constructive dialogue with conservative
Christians over the years. Since the suicide hijackings, many
evangelical
Christians - such as the Rev. Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham -
have
repeatedly condemned Islam as evil.
Syeed, however, said he remains encouraged by the intense interest
among
everyday Americans in learning about Islam. The Council on
American-Islamic
Relations is working to harness the trend with a new program allowing
donors to pay for a bundle of books on Islam to be sent to local
libraries.
Muslims are also committed to becoming more active in politics. A voter
registration drive is under way at the convention, which organizers say
has
drawn about 30,000 people.
Islamic Society of North America: http://www.isna.net/
-----
AVALANCHE IS BURYING OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES
Myriam Marquez, Orlando Sentinel, 9/1/02
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-edpmarquez01090102sep01.column
Ashcroft continues to obstruct justice in the name of national
security.
Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of "material witnesses" have been held for
months
and still, no charges. Two Americans -- a Saudi born in the U.S.A. and
a
Puerto Rican -- are being held as "enemy combatants" without official
charges filed against them or access to a lawyer.
Why the double standard? If there's evidence against the two, it's
incumbent on the government to produce it for the courts. In my gut, I
don't believe either one is squeaky clean, but justice in this country
is
not based on gut feelings. It's based on evidence and constitutional
protections. The government must never hold people indefinitely without
any
say from a judge.
Yet Ashcroft apparently plans to expand his assault on the
Constitution.
He's now talking about creating holding camps for U.S. citizens he
would
stamp with the "enemy combatant" label. Would those sent to camps go
before
a judge first? Of course not.
This is war, Ashcroft and his supporters say. During times of war
certain
freedoms must be given up, the chorus goes. We can't make public
evidence
that might send secret commands to sleeper cells to attack us again…
People, wake up!
This isn't a slippery slope. This is an avalanche burying our civil
liberties and giving one man and only one -- without any constitutional
check and balance -- the power to determine who's good and who's an
evil-doer. That's what Saddam Hussein does. That's what Fidel Castro
does.
That's not what our American president is supposed to do.
It's frightening to see how Ashcroft's supporters have turned any
criticism
of his tactics into a litmus test on who's a "real American." Wave your
flags all you want. My patriotism defends our Constitution not any one
man...
-----
PAT BUCHANAN CHALLENGES NEOCONSERVATIVES
The New Republic
September 9, 2002 - September 16, 2002
http://www.tnr.com/letters.mhtml
To the editors:
{There is] an absolute conformity of thought at National Review, The
Weekly
Standard, and Commentary--and among the pundits who pass for
conservatives
at The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street
Journal.
They are all free-trade-and-open-borders Democrats; like you, they
relish
the prospect of the coming Pax Americana and "cakewalk" to
Baghdad--after
which we shall tutor the Muslims in democracy and go nightsticking
recalcitrant regimes according to a priority list drawn up for us by
Bibi
Netanyahu…
Do you seriously believe that conservatism is now wholly encompassed by
Norman Podhoretz, Jonah Goldberg, Ramesh Ponnuru, Rich Lowry, our
virtuous
Teletubby William Bennett, Charles Krauthammer, and the Kristols, pere
et fils?
If President George W. Bush and his War Cabinet decide to go
warlord-hunting and nation-building in Afghanistan and send 250,000
U.S.
troops up the bloody road to Baghdad--while subcontracting Mideast
policy
out to Ariel Sharon--they will put the United States on the wrong side
of
tribalism, nationalism, and faith in a vast region of one billion
people
and end up in the history books alongside Lyndon Johnson, Robert
McNamara,
and Dean Rusk. We intend to say so, and, if we're the only ones, fine.
We
believe we are right, but, then, we're all going to find out fairly
soon.
Patrick J. Buchanan
Co-Editor
The American Conservative
Washington, D.C.
-----
POLICE CALL ATTACK BY HINDU ON MUSLIM TEEN A HATE CRIME
Truong Phuoc Khanh, San Jose Mercury News, 9/1/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/news/local/3982639.htm
A 15-year-old girl allegedly was raped by an employee inside a Palo
Alto
Longs Drug Store on Friday night and police are calling the attack a
hate
crime.
East Palo Alto resident Sanjay Nair, 18, who is Hindu, allegedly made
comments while raping the girl, who is Muslim, that led police to label
it
a hate crime, said Palo Alto police agent Dennis Tealer. Officers would
not
divulge the comment, but police spokesman Mark Venable said it "led
officers to believe that the crime was committed partially because the
victim was Muslim…"
-----
SHOULD SEPT. 11 BACKLASH DRIVE MAN FROM HIS HOME?
HOWARD GOODMAN, Sun-Sentinel, 9/1/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-phoward01sep01.column
Ibrahim Dremali's most recent homecoming wasn't a happy one.
Dremali is imam, or spiritual leader, of the Islamic Center of Boca
Raton.
He's a geologist and science teacher, and a naturalized American
citizen.
He flew into Miami International Airport Tuesday evening from a
two-week
trip overseas with his son, 15. In Saudi Arabia they'd visited
religious
sites. In Egypt they'd met with relatives. In England they took in the
scenery, and in Ireland they watched a skateboard competition. At the
airport, a customs official waved the teen through, but something about
Dremali aroused suspicion. The official -- Dremali didn't catch the
name --
directed him to a room. Dremali says he was held three hours, while
family
members, who'd come to greet him, waited outside with worry. Asked what
was
wrong, he says he was told: "Sit down or you'll go to jail!"
Finally, he says, came a supervisor who courteously said everything was
in
order and he was free to go. And so he left, rattled and humiliated.
"Those three hours," he said, "were like 300 years in my life."
Now Dremali is talking about taking his wife and four children and
leaving
America, where he came 15 years ago because he loved its freedoms,
compared
to the oppressiveness of the Egypt of his youth.
"We have to think seriously about moving to another country," Dremali
said,
"because it's become more dangerous against us Muslims now…"
-----
FIVE MORE PALESTINIANS SHOT DEAD
STEVEN GUTKIN, Associated Press, 9/1/02
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli soldiers, saying they were warned of an
attack,
shot and killed four Palestinians near a Jewish grave site in the West
Bank
on Sunday, bringing the weekend Palestinian death toll to 11, including
two
children and several other civilians.
Senior Israeli officials apologized for the loss of civilian lives,
while
Palestinians and some Israelis charged the army has lost its sense of
restraint in its drive to crush the Palestinian uprising…
The weekend violence included the four deaths near the grave site, a
missile attack by Israeli helicopters that killed a militant and four
civilians, a gunbattle that killed the son of a local militant leader,
and
the shooting death of a Palestinian who infiltrated a Jewish settlement
in
the West Bank, shooting and wounding two Israelis…
Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo called for an end to
recent talks with the Israelis that have included a tentative agreement
envisioning Israeli pullbacks in the West Bank and Gaza in exchange for
Palestinian assurances against terror.
"After each meeting with the Israelis a new massacre happens somewhere
in
the Palestinian territories," he said.
Near the West Bank city of Hebron on Sunday, the army shot dead four
Palestinians it said were trying to cut through a fence near the grave
site
of a rabbi. But Palestinian witnesses said the men were laborers in a
stone
quarry who were shot by soldiers without provocation…
-----
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In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/2/2002
HEADLINES:
* HISTORY PRESENTS: "INSIDE ISLAM"
* $100 BAIL FOR MEN WHO ATTACKED NY MUSLIMS (Newsday)
* YOUNGER GRAHAM DIVERGES FROM FATHER'S IMAGE (Washington Post)
* AMERICAN MUSLIMS CONCLUDE MEETING (AP)
* SECRECY IS OUR ENEMY (New York Times)
- FEDS SUBVERT THEIR OWN SECRECY ARGUMENTS (Village Voice)
* US IN DISARRAY OVER IRAQ (Independent)
- AMERICANS TURN THEIR BACKS ON IRAQ ATTACK (Times)
* REFUGEE ADMISSIONS TO U.S. DECLINE (AP)
-----
HISTORY PRESENTS: "INSIDE ISLAM"
Wednesday, September 4, 9-11 PM
http://www.historychannel.com
It's the world's second largest religion, yet its beliefs and teachings
are
often misunderstood by the West. Islam today is a religion mired in
controversy--its very name comes from the root word for peace, yet it
has
been used to justify some of the most atrocious acts of violence in
recent
times. From its roots in the Hebrew Bible to its revelation during the
life
of the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century A.D., we trace the origins
and
evolution of the youngest of the world's great religions.
-----
$100 BAIL FOR MEN WHO ATTACKED NY MUSLIMS
ATTACK ON NY MUSLIMS CALLED BIAS CRIME
Joseph Mallia, Newsday, 9/2/02
http://www.newsday.com/ny-lihate0902.story
Two men were arrested early yesterday and charged with a bias crime
after
they taunted and attacked a woman and her 15-year-old son, both of
Pakistani descent, outside their family's Selden restaurant, Suffolk
police
said.
Police said the two were assaulted because they are Muslim and the
suspects
blamed them for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"They hit my son very badly," said Tariq Malik, 42, owner of the
Tandoori
Cottage Restaurant on Middle Country Road in Selden, where his wife and
son
were taunted and attacked.
"They did it out of racism, because of religion. They were saying, 'You
people are Muslim. You blew up the towers,'" Malik said. The police
Bias
Crimes unit is concerned that similar assaults, which escalated in
Suffolk
after the destruction of the World Trade Center, may increase as the
one-year anniversary approaches, Suffolk Police Det. Allen Van Wickler
said.
Richard Bossi, 19, of 2 Bonnybill Dr., Centereach, and Matthew Martin,
18,
of 17 Joy Rd., Selden, were charged with second-degree aggravated
harassment under the state's hate-crimes law, Van Wickler said. Bossi
and
Martin could not be reached for comment yesterday…
Bossi and Martin were released on $100 bail and are scheduled to appear
Oct. 11 in First District Court, in Central Islip, police said. The two
were charged with misdemeanors, punishable by up to a year in jail and
$1,000 fines. They were not charged with felonies because the victims
did
not have severe injuries, but the misdemeanor charges are stronger than
the
violations they would have faced if bias had not been shown, Van
Wickler
said...
SEND COMMENTS TO: letters @newsday.com
COPY TO: cair@cair-net.org
-----
YOUNGER GRAHAM DIVERGES FROM FATHER'S IMAGE
Ministry's Patriarch Accepted Islam, But His Son Condemns the Religion
Hanna Rosin, Washington Post, 9/2/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24620-2002Sep1.html
In 1986 at one of his famous crusades, the evangelist Billy Graham told
the
audience that they should regard Muslims not as the enemy but as fellow
believers, that they all worshiped the same God. Over a week he
repeated it
eight times, in case anyone missed his point.
Over the last year, his son Franklin Graham, now head of the senior
Graham's ministry, has called Islam a "wicked" and "evil" religion, "a
greater threat than anyone's willing to speak," as he told Fox News on
his
book tour last month.
"The God of Islam is not the God of the Christian faith," he writes in
his
new book, "The Name." "The two are different as lightness and
darkness."
So, some might say, are the two generations of Grahams. The elder
Graham is
remembered as the nation's preacher-statesman, who never took sides,
who
had kind words for every religion, every president. The younger is
developing a far different reputation. To his followers he is just more
blunt, true to his beliefs. To his critics he is something his father
always avoided -- bigoted and divisive.
While Billy Graham avoided the Christian right, his son Franklin echoes
them: Pat Robertson called Islam a "violent religion"; Chuck Colson
said it
"breeds hatred"; Paul M. Weyrich, in his pamphlet "Why Islam is a
Threat to
America and the West," wrote, "Islam is, quite simply, a religion of
war."
Whether he likes it or not, Franklin Graham's words mean more, analysts
said, because he is supposed to be assuming his father's mantle. The
younger Graham has already stepped in for him, delivering the prayer at
President Bush's inaugural when his father was ill.
"Franklin Graham is not the lunatic fringe," said Ibrahim Hooper of the
Council on American-Islamic Relations. "He is a mainstream evangelical
with
millions and millions of followers who carries the weight of his
father's
name whenever he says something bigoted…"
In 1978 Graham founded Samaritan's Purse, an organization that sets up
hospitals and food banks in global crisis zones, such as Bosnia, Haiti
and
Sudan. Like most missionary groups, it tried to spread Christianity in
the
Muslim world.
"I am grateful to Samaritan's Purse for…the opportunity to experience
the
real gift, Jesus Christ, in my life," writes Asim, a Muslim child
quoted in
Graham's book.
-----
AMERICAN MUSLIMS CONCLUDE MEETING
RACHEL ZOLL, Associated Press, 9/2/02
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Sept-11-Muslims.html
After hijacked airliners struck the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon,
American Muslim leaders released statements condemning the attacks,
called
on followers of Islam to help with the rescue effort and expressed
sorrow
to victims.
Yet, over the last several months they've learned many of their
neighbors
think U.S. Muslims did nothing. On the anniversary of the tragedy, they
hope to change that impression with very public events meant to
distinguish
Islam from terrorism. All 19 hijackers were Middle Eastern Muslims. "We
are
not a fifth column in this country, as some people would like to
claim,"
said Hamza Yusuf, a Muslim leader told the Islamic Society of North
America
on Sunday.
Agha Saeed, national chairman of the American Muslim Alliance, a
California-based advocacy group, urged the estimated 30,000 attendees
at
the society's convention to hold "at least one event to express Muslim
concerns."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington civil rights
group,
has a list of interfaith services and mosque open houses in about 70
communities. The Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles plans
panel
discussions on Muslim-Jewish relations and a ceremony honoring heroes
of
Sept. 11. Muslim volunteers also plan to sew a quilt with the names of
victims…
Hossam Ahmed, an Air Force engineer from Virginia, said his co-workers
have
asked him why Muslims didn't do more. He plans to attend a memorial
event
on Sept. 11 and he hopes they take note.
"I want to ask our detractors, 'Where have you been? What have you been
listening to?"' Ahmed said.
Among those who have questioned the Muslim response is the Rev.
Franklin
Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, who said in an August radio
interview that "the silence of the (Islamic) clerics around the world
is
frightening to me. How come they haven't come to this country, how come
they haven't apologized to the American people?"
Ashraf Sabrin, a medical technician who volunteered for the relief
efforts
at the twin towers and the Pentagon, said he was angered by such
remarks
and by suggestions that American Muslims have been silent.
"We've had so many different events - open houses, candlelight vigils,
national press releases. What's it going to take exactly?" Sabrin said…
Awatef Aqeal, a teacher at the Universal Academy of Florida, said she
is
less concerned about making a statement on Sept. 11 than keeping
children
safe. Her Islamic school is in Tampa, where police say they uncovered a
plan last month to blow up Muslim mosques and buildings.
-----
SECRECY IS OUR ENEMY
BOB HERBERT, New York Times, 9/2/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/02/opinion/02HERB.html
You want an American hero? A real hero?
I nominate Judge Damon J. Keith of the United States Court of Appeals
for
the Sixth Circuit. Judge Keith wrote an opinion, handed down last
Monday by
a three-judge panel in Cincinnati, that clarified and reaffirmed some
crucially important democratic principles that have been in danger of
being
discarded since the terrorist attacks last Sept. 11.
The opinion was a reflection of true patriotism, a 21st-century echo of
a
pair of comments made by John Adams nearly two centuries ago.
"Liberty,"
said Adams, "cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the
people."
And in a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1816, Adams said, "Power must
never
be trusted without a check."
Last Monday's opinion declared that it was unlawful for the Bush
administration to conduct deportation hearings in secret whenever the
government asserted that the people involved might be linked to
terrorism.
The Justice Department has conducted hundreds of such hearings, out of
sight of the press and the public. In some instances the fact that the
hearings were being held was kept secret…
SEE ALSO:
FEDS SUBVERT THEIR OWN SECRECY ARGUMENTS
Chisun Lee, Village Voice, 9/4-9/10
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0236/lee.php
In recent high-profile court battles with constitutional watchdogs, the
government has cited national security concerns in refusing to disclose
more than 700 detainees' names or to open certain immigration hearings
even
to family and the press.
The Justice Department has stressed its reluctance to provide "a
blueprint
for terrorists," who might piece together U.S. investigative strategy
from
such public information…
Last Wednesday, however, federal prosecutors released indictments
positively dripping with investigative detail in two separate terrorism
probes-with at least one suspect still at large. The 24-page indictment
out
of Detroit named four Middle Eastern men on charges of operating a "
'sleeper' operational combat cell" linked to Al Qaeda. The men procured
false passports and social security numbers, planned to buy weapons for
overseas operatives, and apparently cased Detroit Metropolitan Airport
and
tourist hot spots like Disneyland and the Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel in
the
name of terrorism, the government claims…
-----
US IN DISARRAY OVER IRAQ
Andrew Gumbel and Marie Woolf, Independent, 9/2/02
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=329676
The Bush administration's internal differences over military action in
Iraq
became glaringly apparent yesterday as Colin Powell, the
cautious-minded US
Secretary of State, said he supported the return of UN inspectors as a
"first step" towards neutralising Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass
destruction.
Mr Powell's words directly contradicted a series of speeches by
Vice-President Dick Cheney, who said the time for inspections was over
and
that a pre-emptive strike was the only viable solution.
Mr Powell, speaking in an interview with the BBC to be aired next
weekend,
insisted that the President was in favour of sending in the inspectors,
although he did not necessarily expect that to solve the problem.
"Iraq has been in violation of these many UN resolutions for most of
the
last 11 or so years. So as a first step, let's see what the inspectors
find, send them back in, why are they being kept out," Mr Powell said.
The Secretary of State also acknowledged the need to sell the rationale
for
war to America's allies. "The world has to be presented with the
information, with the intelligence that is available," he said. "A
debate
is needed within the international community so that everybody can make
a
judgement about this." It was not immediately clear if Mr Powell's
words
reflected a growing hesitation within the administration. A spokesman
for
the administration yesterday denied any rift…
SEE ALSO:
AMERICANS TURN THEIR BACKS ON IRAQ ATTACK
Katty Kay and Melissa Kite, Times, 9/2/02
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-401530,00.html
SUPPORT for a US ground invasion of Iraq has declined rapidly in the
United
States during the past few months with nearly half of all Americans
opposed
to such a strike.
A Time Magazine/CNN opinion poll released yesterday showed that support
for
sending US troops to oust President Saddam Hussein of Iraq fell
dramatically from 73 per cent last December to just 51 per cent last
month.
The poll showed that, while most Americans agreed that the US would be
morally justified in invading Iraq, almost half (49 per cent) believed
it
would lead to a long and costly war. One in seven believed the United
States would eventually be forced to withdraw from Iraq without a
victory…
-----
REFUGEE ADMISSIONS TO U.S. DECLINE
GEORGE GEDDA, Associated Press, 9/2/02
WASHINGTON - Tightened security imposed after Sept. 11 has, at least
temporarily, prevented thousands of people living in squalid refugee
camps
from starting a new life in the United States.
Increased scrutiny of applicants has produced a sharp decline in the
number
of refugees - particularly Muslims - accepted by the State Department
for
U.S. resettlement.
U.S. officials expect that only half, at best, of the 70,000 refugees
projected for resettlement during the year ending Sept. 30 will
actually
arrive in the country.
Before Sept. 11, many of those still in limbo had already been approved
for
travel to the United States. And as one outgrowth of the new concern
over
terrorism, a higher percentage of Muslims have remained on the waiting
list
for resettlement than refugees of any other category…
-----
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In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR GOOD NEWS ALERT #345
MUSLIM OFFICER IN PENNSYLVANIA ALLOWED TO ATTEND JUMAH
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/3/02) - Alhamdulillah (praise be to God), a Muslim
police officer at a Philadelphia-area high school will now be allowed
to
attend Jumah prayers following the intervention of both CAIR-CPA and of
the
many concerned Muslims who contacted school district officials to
request
reasonable religious accommodation.
In June, CAIR-CPA held a news conference outside the offices of the
School
District of Philadelphia to challenge "stonewalling" by district
officials
over the request of the Muslim employee to attend the
religiously-mandated
prayers.
SEE: "School Guard: Rights are Violated"
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/local/3492166.htm
"We would like to thank all those who contacted the school district to
ask
that the Muslim employee be granted reasonable religious accommodation.
The
resolution of this case shows that religious rights and practices need
not
conflict with an employee's responsibilities or with an employer's
workplace requirements," said CAIR-CPA Chairman Dr. Saleh Malik.
The school district had denied the officer the right to attend the
prayers
after he returned from a two-month leave of absence. (He volunteered to
give up his lunch break four days each week to make up for the time
lost.
Other officers agreed to cover his absence.) Prior to going on leave,
the
officer had been allowed to take two hours off each Friday to attend
the
prayers.
CAIR offers a booklet, called "An Employer's Guide to Islamic Religious
Practices," designed to prevent such incidents from occurring. That
booklet
may be obtained by contacting CAIR's Publications Department at
202-488-8787, or by e-mailing publications@cair-net.org.
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Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
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In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/3/2002
HEADLINES:
* MUSLIMS CALL FOR FEDERAL INTERVENTION IN NY HATE CRIME
* SURVEY RESULTS: CANADIAN MUSLIMS ONE YEAR AFTER 9/11
* PHOTOS CAPTURE MUSLIM LIFE IN THE BAY AREA (San Jose Mercury News)
* IMMIGRATION CHANGES STIR DEBATE (Miami Herald)
* THE CULTURE WARS NOW HAVE A GLOBAL SCOPE (Newsday)
* EDITORIAL: CRITICS OF MUSLIMS, QURAN SHOWING THEIR IGNORANCE (Atlanta
Journal)
* BLACKS, JEWS MEET TO MEND RELATIONS (Washington Times)
* SLAIN CHILD NOW A SYMBOL FOR ARABS (Newsday)
* EDITORIAL: AS HAWKS DEBATE, ORDINARY IRAQIS SUFFER (Dallas Morning
News)
-----
MUSLIMS CALL FOR FEDERAL INTERVENTION IN NY HATE CRIME
Attackers charged with misdemeanors, released on just $100 bail
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/3/02) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group,
today
called on federal authorities to intervene in the case of a Muslim
mother
and child who were assaulted on Sunday in New York.
The woman and her 15-year-old son, both of Pakistani heritage, were
attacked outside the family's Selden, N.Y., restaurant. Two men
allegedly
began punching the boy's head and body as he and his mother were
getting in
their car in the restaurant's parking lot. During the assault, police
said
the men shouted, "You blew up the twin towers," "Are you terrorists?"
and
"Are you connected to Osama bin Laden?"
SEE: "2 MEN ARRESTED IN BIAS CRIME"
http://www.newsday.com/ny-lihate0902.story
Police also said a group of six or seven other men joined in the
taunting.
None of the onlookers came to the aid of the victims. Two men were
charged
with second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor. They were
released
on just $100 bail.
"A misdemeanor charge and bail of only $100 send the wrong message to
the
small minority of anti-Muslim bigots in our communities. Local and
national
law enforcement authorities must demonstrate that attacks on American
Muslims will not be tolerated," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad
Awad.
Awad ask the two alleged assailants be charged under federal hate
crimes laws.
There are an estimated seven million Muslims in America and some 1.2
billion worldwide. Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the
United States.
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
SURVEY RESULTS: CANADIAN MUSLIMS ONE YEAR AFTER 9/11
Press conference on results of Canadian Muslim survey
(Ottawa, Canada - 9/3/2002) - CAIR-CAN, the Ottawa-based Council on
American Islamic Relations CANADA, will hold a press conference on
Thursday, September 5th, 2002, to publish and discuss the results of
its
recent survey, "Canadian Muslims One Year after 9/11."
The first of its kind, the survey results provide a window into the
Canadian Muslim community one year after September 11th. The survey
addresses topical issues such as changes in the quality of life, the
impact
and scope of discrimination, outreach efforts by Canadians in general,
and
media reporting.
The survey is posted on CAIR-CAN's website: http://www.caircan.ca/
WHEN: Thursday, September 5th, 2002 at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Parliament Hill, Room 130 S - Centreblock
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: The results of each category will be presented
through
charts and diagrams.
CONTACT: Naeem Saloojee at 613-798-0003; Email: Canada@cair-net.org
-----
PHOTOS CAPTURE MUSLIM LIFE IN THE BAY AREA
L.A. Chung, San Jose Mercury News, 9/3/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/3991558.htm
Like so many other Americans, documentary photographer Rick Rocamora
had
been glued to the television set by the horrifying, staggering events
of
Sept. 11.
But in the days that followed, news reports of incidents of violence
against ordinary people troubled him. The thought occurred: Americans
don't
know who Muslims are.
Not that Rocamora did, either. The Roman Catholic-raised Filipino
immigrant
dived right in. Eleven months of patient work has resulted in a
monthlong
photo exhibit that opened Sunday at San Francisco City Hall, called
"Freedom and Fear: Bay Area Muslims after September 11, 2001…"
Rocamora began going to Bay Area mosques on Fridays. Some days he came
with
a camera to take pictures. Some days just to talk. He went to picnics
and
Ramadan celebrations, to college campuses and to county fairgrounds.
His
subjects are white, Chinese, Vietnamese, Egyptian, Filipino. They are
from
Chechnya and American Bible Belt country. All are Muslim.
The exhibit captures Ashan Syed of the Muslim Community Association in
San
Jose, beginning to pray in Cesar Chavez park. It shows facets of
everyday
University of California-Berkeley life, featuring Alla Abdo, a graduate
of
the Granada School in Santa Clara…
And there are light moments. A big picnic in Fremont's Central Park. A
day
of paintball in Santa Cruz. Yes, paintball. In the photos, Cal students
are
suiting up at a place called Adventure Group Tag, donning the required
protective headgear over their hijabs, crawling in the underbrush. "The
impression is that Muslim women can't do anything in those hijabs,"
Rocamora said. "Hah."
"My concern is not simply getting pictures that will work in terms of
light
and images," said Rocamora, 55. "I'm concerned with how my work can
influence . . . the whole discussion about civil liberties, American
identity and discrimination."
-----
IMMIGRATION CHANGES STIR DEBATE
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 9/3/02
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/3989759.htm
In the days following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush
administration and congressional leaders insisted that America's war on
terrorism should not be interpreted as a war on immigrants.
Immigration, they said, is good for America. A diverse country is a
strong
country.
Since then, the country's immigration policies have undergone
significant
changes, from increased scrutiny of foreign nationals to the indefinite
detentions of non-U.S. citizens to the possibility of jail time and
deportation for those who don't file a change-of-address form within 10
days of moving…
Also, last month Florida became the first state to deputize law
enforcement
officers to help INS enforce federal immigration laws. Thirty-five
officers
from across the state were deputized as part of a pilot program in
response
to a Department of Justice ruling that said local officers have an
"inherent" right to enforce federal immigration laws.
Such immigration enforcement crackdowns have sent shock waves through
Florida's immigrant communities.
"I have had law enforcement officers tell me that they work very hard
to
build relationships with immigrant communities and they are afraid
measures
taken in Florida will erode the trust that has been built," said Cheryl
Little, a Miami-Dade attorney and immigration rights advocate.
Altaf Ali, executive director of the Council on American Islamic
Relations,
said the changes have led to harassment of citizens and racial
profiling
among Arab and Muslim men.
"Some of the polices are basically to intimidate, harass and
discriminate
against the Muslim community," said Ali, a Pembroke Pines resident.
"What I
fear is a separation of our community from the community at large.
These
types of policies are inadvertently separating our community from the
public..."
-----
THE CULTURE WARS NOW HAVE A GLOBAL SCOPE
Arlene Stein, Newsday, 9/3/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpste032848012sep03.story
The domestic culture wars trumpeted by folks like Pat Robertson and the
Family Policy Network have morphed into a global culture war, a "clash
of
civilizations" that pits God-fearing Euro-American Christians (and the
conservative Jews who love them) against godless Muslims, homosexuals,
feminists and their ilk…
Stumbling to try to make sense of the post-Sept. 11 world in light of
Christian right ideology, the Rev. Jerry Falwell blamed the terrorist
attacks in part on lesbians and gay men, prompting MAD Magazine to name
him
the "dumbest person of 2001." Even sometime allies like President
George W.
Bush disapproved. But that hasn't stopped the right from playing fast
and
loose with its new fusion of anti-Islamic and anti-liberal rhetoric.
Joseph Farah - a Rush Limbaugh crony and editor of a daily right-wing
Web
magazine who made his name trashing Bill Clinton - today spends much of
his
time and virtual ink lambasting Muslims and "secular humanist"
supporters
of gender and sexual equality. In his world view, the Islamic threat
joins
a panoply of devils that includes uppity women, promiscuous gays and
even
union members.
It's true that Islam, the world's fastest-growing religion, is giving
organized Christianity a run for its money…
-----
EDITORIAL: CRITICS OF MUSLIMS, QURAN SHOWING THEIR IGNORANCE
Cary Ichter, Atlanta Journal, 9/3/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/opinion/0902/02international.html
Before classifying Muslims as enemies because of their faith, O'Reilly
and
others who share his views should read the Quran, or at least read an
analysis of the book. Most Americans probably would be stunned to see
that
the Quran advises Muslims to "be courteous when you argue with People
of
the Book [Christians and Jews], except with those who do evil. Say 'We
believe in that which is revealed to us and that which is revealed to
you.'
Our God and your God is one." (Quran 29:46)
This and other language from the Quran reveals that freedom of thought
and
conscience are, among rational thinking Muslims, highly regarded
Islamic
values.
Although Islam is often depicted in Western thought and popular culture
as
"a religion of the sword," the Quran condemns war and violence. The
Quran
instructs the followers of Islam to take up arms only to defend
themselves,
but not to initiate hostilities: "Fight for the sake of Allah those
that
fight against you, but do not attack them first. Allah does not love
the
aggressors." (Quran 2:191)
Mohammed observed these tenets in leading his people.
In 622 AD, the Muslims led by Mohammed left Mecca and settled in
Medina. In
spite of the tradition of that time of religious intolerance, there was
no
attempt on the part of the Muslims to convert others because to do so
would
intrude upon the freedom of thought and conscience that was so highly
prized in Islam…
-----
BLACKS, JEWS MEET TO MEND RELATIONS
Steve Miller, Washington Times, 9/3/02
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020903-31580300.htm
The defeat last month of Rep. Cynthia A. McKinney has further widened
the
split between blacks and Jews, despite Democratic efforts to heal the
rift
dividing two key parts of an important coalition.
Mrs. McKinney's loss in the Georgia primary was the second primary loss
suffered by an incumbent black Democrat. Rep. Earl F. Hilliard of
neighboring Alabama lost in June. In both elections, the incumbents
blamed
Jewish money flowing to their opponents.
Several black Democratic lawmakers are meeting with their Jewish peers
in
an effort to improve relations…
"Jews have been consistently liberal, as have blacks for some time,"
says
Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun magazine and a supporter of Mrs.
McKinney. "But now, conservative support of Israel is pushing more Jews
into the hands of Republicans. The Jewish voters are willing to look at
the
world solely through the frame of Israel."
Some black lawmakers, on the other hand, have taken the McKinney and
Hilliard losses as occasions of outrage and are reconsidering their
allegiance and enthusiasm heading into the midterm congressional
elections…
After the Aug. 20 defeat of Mrs. McKinney, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson,
Texas Democrat and chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said "I
definitely have some feelings about any outside group exerting this
kind of
influence in a race, and I've been receiving angry calls from black
voters
all day saying they should rally against Jewish candidates."
"To have non-African-Americans from around the country putting millions
into a race to unseat one of our leaders for expressing her right of
free
speech is definitely a problem," she said.
Mr. Walters doubts the Capitol Hill meetings will achieve much. There
is a
lot of hand-wringing. They are trying to bring these sides back
together,
but it is too little, too late," he says...
-----
SLAIN CHILD NOW A SYMBOL FOR ARABS
Matthew McAllester, Newsday, 9/3/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-wogaza022848694sep03.story
Al Burreij Refugee Camp, Gaza Strip - Amal al-Dura knows only one way
to
fight back against the Israelis, who she believes are responsible for
the
killing of her son Mohammed, made famous after his shooting death was
filmed by a television cameraman and beamed around the world.
She has conceived a new baby, and she plans to call him Mohammed. He is
due
to be born in November.
"It will send a message to Israel: 'Yes, you've killed one, but God has
compensated for him. You can't kill us all,'" Amal al-Dura said last
week,
sitting in the cinderblock and tin-roof home that has become a sort of
shrine since Mohammed's highly public death on Sept. 30, 2000.
No other image has proved more potent in the Arab world in the past two
years than the picture of the 12-year-old cowering next to his father,
Jamal, as bullets slammed into his little body, killing him and
critically
injuring his father. He instantly became the quintessential martyr of
the
Palestinian cause, sparking outrage around the Islamic world and beyond
and
giving rise to dozens of songs about his fate. His face, stenciled
three
feet high, is a common sight on the walls of Gaza. His name is known to
every Arab, his death cited as the ultimate example of Israeli military
brutality. Now, there will be a new Mohammed al-Dura…
-----
EDITORIAL: AS HAWKS DEBATE, ORDINARY IRAQIS CONTINUE TO SUFFER
Robert Jensen and Rahul Mahajan, Dallas Morning News, 9/3/02
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/viewpoints/stories/090302dnedijensenmahajan.58feb.html
The question dominating the news: When will we go to war against Iraq?
The answer: We already are at war with Iraq. The debate over the Bush
administration's call for war usually is described as hawks vs. doves -
those for the war pitted against those opposing war. In fact, the
debate is
between hawks and hawks; the question isn't whether to wage war but,
rather, what form that war should take.
President Bush and the ultra-hawks want a full-scale war as soon as
feasible in order to secure control over Iraq and its oil. The less
extreme
hawks argue for continuing "containment," a euphemism for devastating
economic sanctions and regular bombing in the "no-fly zones."
Sanctions, imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, are
administered
through the United Nations but are in place only because the United
States
insists; most of the rest of the world has condemned them. The embargo
has
helped cause the deaths of more than 500,000 children under the age of
5,
according to a UNICEF study. That is why two former U.N. humanitarian
coordinators in Iraq - Denis Halliday and Hans von Sponeck - have
resigned
in protest, calling the sanctions immoral and even genocidal...
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/4/2002
HEADLINES:
* HADITH OF THE DAY: GOOD BEHAVIOR
* INCITEMENT WATCH: EVIL FORCES OF ISLAM
* VANDALS DEFACE FLORIDA MOSQUE (AP)
- CAIR-FL TAKES PART IN FAITH-BASED CONFERENCE
- MAN CHARGED WITH DAMAGING MOSQUE REMAINS IN CUSTODY (Tallahassee
Democrat)
* PAKISTANIS VOICE CONCERN ON HATE CRIMES (Newsday)
* DISTRICT, MUSLIM GUARD RESOLVE DISPUTE (Philadelphia Inquirer)
* AMERICAN SETTLES SUIT OVER ISLAMIC HEAD ATTIRE (Reuters)
* AMERICANS MUSLIMS MAKE GAINS, BUT FEEL VULNERABLE (AP)
* A POST-9/11 AMERICAN NIGHTMARE (Salon.com)
* MUSLIMS STRIVE TO EDUCATE (Orlando Sentinel)
* A BLACK PIONEER TAKES A POLICE UNION ROLE IN STRIDE (New York Times)
* ANTI-TERROR WAR CLOAKS RIGHTS ABUSES WORLDWIDE: ACTIVISTS (AFP)
* POLL: EUROPEANS BLAME U.S. POLICIES (AP)
- GERMANY REBUFFS CALL TO BACK U.S. (AP)
* JEWISH GROUP OUTLINES PLAN TO REMOVE ALL PALESTINIANS (Newsmax.com)
- ANNAN SLAMS ISRAEL OVER PALESTINIAN DEPORTATIONS (Reuters)
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: GOOD BEHAVIOR
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Nothing is weightier in
the
scales of a believer on the Day of Judgment than his good behavior. God
treats with displeasure a person who is given to loose and vulgar
talk."
Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 215
-----
INCITEMENT WATCH: EVIL FORCES OF ISLAM
Letters, Calgary Sun, 9/4/02
http://www.canoe.ca/CalgarySun/editorial.html#letters
Scroll down.
Islamic hatred knows no bounds and derives from their murderous holy
book,
the Qur'an…The fact is the carnage of the World Trade Towers was caused
by
the evil forces of Islam and the U.S. has every right to feel
victimized…
Bill Shaw
ACTION REQUESTED:
Send letters of concern about the newspaper's decision to publish
hate-filled anti-Muslim rhetoric to: callet@sunpub.com COPY TO:
cair@cair-net.org
-----
VANDALS DEFACE FLORIDA MOSQUE
ASSOCIATED PRESS, 9/04/2002
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/nation/3996283.htm
ORLANDO - An east Orange County mosque was vandalized when the word
"terrorists" was written in red marker on the front door.
Muslims attending service at about 7:45 p.m. Monday at the World
Assembly
of Muslim Youth found the vandalism, the Orange County Sheriff's Office
said.
The word was misspelled, but sheriff's office spokesman Jim Solomons
said
details are being withheld. "That's a little piece of evidence we're
holding close to the vest right now," he said.
Witnesses told detectives there was no writing on the door when the
previous prayer session ended about 5:30 p.m…
SEE ALSO:
CAIR-FL TAKES PART IN FAITH-BASED CONFERENCE
(FT. LAUDERDALE, FLA., 9/4/02) - Altaf Ali, the Executive Director of
the
Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL),
along with other representatives of that state's Muslim community, took
part yesterday in Governor Jeb Bush's Faith-Based Initiative Conference
held at the Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando.
At the conference, Florida religious leaders learned how to access
state
and federal resources, shared ideas on faith-based programming and
acquired
resources to assist in grant development.
The conference was organized by the Florida Faith-Based Coalition in
partnership with the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives.
In his address to conference participants, Governor Bush said, "After
September 11, some of us turned our hurt and sorrow against the Muslim
community and although hate crime in Florida is down, hate crime
against
the Muslim community is up."
"We received a warm welcome by the governor's staff and were impressed
by
his statements in support of the Muslim community. These statements
clearly
came from the heart," said Ali, who also worked with the governor's
office
following the recent revelation of a plan by a Tampa-area doctor to
bomb
Florida mosques.
CONTACT: Altaf Ali, 954-298-8214, E-Mail: altafaali@cair-florida.org
MAN CHARGED WITH DAMAGING MOSQUE REMAINS IN CUSTODY
James L. Rosica, Tallahassee Democrat, 9/4/02
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/news/local/3996277.htm
The man charged with ramming his pickup truck into the front of a local
mosque in March will remain in federal custody, a federal magistrate
judge
ruled Tuesday.
Charles Franklin, 41, was ordered held pending trial set for the week
of
Oct. 15, records show. He has pleaded not guilty. The U.S. Attorney's
Office has charged him with violating a federal hate crime law that
prohibits damaging religious property. If convicted, Franklin faces up
to
20 years' imprisonment.
Authorities said Franklin drove into the Islamic Center of Tallahassee
on
West Pensacola Street, then walked to a local bar.
According to the criminal complaint, Franklin "admitted to hating
Muslims
and said he intentionally crashed his truck into the mosque to send a
message to Muslims that they were not safe or wanted in this country."
-----
PAKISTANIS VOICE CONCERN ON HATE CRIMES
Erin Texeira, Newsday, 9/4/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-libias042849771sep04.story
Following an apparent ethnic-based attack on a Pakistani family in
Selden
and vandalism of a Nassau County mosque, Long Island residents of
Pakistani
descent yesterday demanded that local elected officials publicly
condemn
such aggression.
The sentiments were expressed during a news conference in West
Hempstead
amid increased tension in the Pakistani community as the Sept. 11
anniversary approaches.
"Sept. 11 is just around the corner, and some ignorant people will take
out
their hatred and take out their xenophobia on innocent people," said
Ali A.
Mirza, president of Americans of Pakistani Heritage. "The leaders must
come
forward before it's too late."
Saturday around midnight, Mehmooda Malik, 37, and her son Gibbran, 15,
were
beaten in the stomach and head and taunted, allegedly by two teenagers,
as
they left their Tandoori Cottage Restaurant in Selden. The attackers
yelled, "You blew up the Twin Towers" and "Are you terrorists?" police
said…
-----
DISTRICT, MUSLIM GUARD RESOLVE DISPUTE
Thomas Ginsberg, Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/4/02
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/3998466.htm
Philadelphia school officials will let a Muslim security guard at Olney
High School leave campus briefly on Fridays to pray at a local mosque,
ending a dispute that flared at one of the city's most diverse schools.
Bernie Mattox, 34, had maintained that his civil rights were violated
when
a new principal in May revoked his permission to attend communal jumah
prayers at a mosque off campus each Friday.
The district had countered that Mattox, who also uses the Muslim name
Abdul-Ahad Muhammad, often was unable to return to campus in time for
dismissal around 3 p.m., a crucial time for security guards. Last week,
after meetings between Mattox and the district's chief safety
executive,
both sides agreed that the guard could take an extended lunch period
Friday
to pray as long as he returned to school by dismissal and made up two
work
hours on other days, said Andrew Rosen, the district's attorney...
His complaints had been trumpeted by the Council on American-Islamic
Relations, a Washington-based advocacy group. After the group
publicized
Mattox's claims, the school district got a brief flurry of critical
messages and calls, Rosen said.
In a statement yesterday, Saleh Malik, the group's Pennsylvania
chairman,
thanked Mattox's supporters and said: "The resolution of this case
shows
that religious rights and practices need not conflict with an
employee's
responsibilities or with an employer's...requirements."
-----
AMERICAN SETTLES SUIT OVER ISLAMIC HEAD ATTIRE
Reuters, 9/4/02
FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept 3 (Reuters) - American Airlines will pay
$60,000 to
a woman refused a uniformed position with the carrier because she asked
to
wear an Islamic head covering when she applied for a job four years
ago,
the airline said Tuesday.
The world's largest carrier said a Chicago federal judge signed an
agreement between American and the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission to settle a case that started when the woman applied for a
position as a passenger service agent in 1998 and wanted to wear the
Islamic hijab with her uniform.
American denied allegations of discrimination brought by the EEOC in
settling the suit, said spokeswoman Andrea Rader.
At the time the woman sought employment, American's policies did not
permit
uniformed, customer-contact employees to wear religious attire or
religious
jewelry. The woman was offered a non-uniformed job, which she declined.
American enacted what it called its "Religious Accommodation Policy" in
1999, which allows the wearing of religious items such as hijabs,
crucifixes, yarmulkes by uniformed employees who come into contact with
customers...
-----
AMERICANS MUSLIMS MAKE, BUT FEEL VULNERABLE
Rachel Zoll, Associated Press, 9/3/02
Burhan Ghanayem saw the best and worst of America in the days following
Sept. 11.
A lie spread through his community that he and his family of Muslim
immigrants held a party at their Durham County, N.C., restaurant
celebrating the apocalypse in lower Manhattan. Business nearly stopped.
But in a moment worthy of "It's a Wonderful Life," customers upset by
the
rumor gathered at the restaurant in a show of support. Hundreds of
strangers came, too, and one man even offered to get his gun and guard
the
building, Ghanayem said. "America is full of great people," he said.
"But
it's really been an overall difficult year. There have been a lot of
disappointments for us…"
The overt name-calling and threats have largely stopped now, but so
have
the visits to the White House, Muslim leaders say.
Muslim groups say they more often deal with the less-influential
community
relations arms of government agencies and have not been invited to meet
with Bush on policy issues since last fall.
Some leaders said they felt the president used them to build support
for
bombing Afghanistan and, as violence intensified in Israel and the
Palestinian territories, his willingness to consider the American
Muslim
perspective waned.
"The extremists in the neoconservative and pro-Israel lobby - their
views
have taken over," council spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said. "Their view is
don't deal with Muslims. Marginalize Muslims. Exclude them..."
-----
A POST-9/11 AMERICAN NIGHTMARE
Jake Tapper, Salon.com, 9/5/02
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2002/09/04/jama/index_np.html
Somali immigrant turned naturalized U.S. citizen Garad Jama, 28, had
the
bad judgment to name his business "Aaran Money Wire Service, Inc." The
double-A made Jama's hawala, a money-wiring service that catered to
immigrants, easier to find in a Twin Cities, Minn., phone book, but it
also
meant that Aaran showed up first on a list of allegedly al-Qaida linked
businesses closed by the U.S. government in November…
Quickly Garad's name and face were plastered all over the Minnesota
newspapers and airwaves, his office was raided, his professional and
personal assets were frozen. His first-place listing on the
government's
terror roster made him an early call for many national journalists --
messages from all the network news organizations, from CNN, from the
Washington Post jammed his answering machine.
For almost half a year, he wasn't permitted even to get a job to feed
his
family. His daughter Ayan cried, his wife Fartune fretted, and Garad
hid in
his house, terrified for his life. Friends shunned them, lest they be
labeled terrorists themselves. All the while Garad swore to anyone who
would listen that the charges were false, that he had nothing to do
with
Osama bin Laden, that he loves his country and that he is innocent. No
one
listened.
After nine months of hell, the government was forced to admit that it
didn't have any real evidence against Garad Jama. On Aug. 27 President
Bush
said "never mind" and Jama was taken off the terrorist list…
To Garad Jama, it's all a sign of how America lives up to its promise.
"I'm
very happy," he says today, sitting in his modest two-bedroom apartment
on
15th Street in Minneapolis. "The Constitution is working, the system is
working…"
Indeed, Garad Jama's tale might make you wonder if behind the curtain
there's really much of a system at all…
-----
MUSLIMS STRIVE TO EDUCATE
Kelly Brewington, Orlando Sentinel, 9/4/02
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-locmuslims04090402sep04.story
When Errol Peterkin says Islam is peace, it's more than just an
expression.
"It's how we live, by nature of our religion," he said.
Nearly a year after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he and other
Central
Florida Muslims feel the urgency to inform people what Islam is and is
not.
On Tuesday, about 100 people gathered at the Islamic Society of Central
Florida as students at the organization's Muslim Academy of Central
Florida
read essays and displayed art about peace and unity. As the anniversary
of
the terrorist attacks nears, the region's Muslim community has planned
a
series of events to educate other Central Floridians about their
religion.
"We didn't want this to be political or egoistic," said Hamid Ikram, an
organizer of Tuesday's event. "We wanted to do this in a heartfelt,
very
genuine way. And what better way to do that than from the children?"
The kindergartners did finger paintings, some students created
collages,
and older children wrote essays.
"The terrorists called themselves Muslim, but Muslims do not behave
with
such violence and evil," wrote fifth-grader Sufeya Yasin. "One year
later
we must get together to mourn with those who have suffered great and
disastrous loss. May God bless us all…"
At Tuesday's reception, visitors and students signed posters offering
messages of unity to be sent to Gov. Jeb Bush, President George Bush
and
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Abdulaziz Faruq wrote: "If there were 1,000 people involved, there are
1.5
billion who weren't."
-----
A BLACK PIONEER TAKES A POLICE UNION ROLE IN STRIDE
Lynda Richardson, New York Times, 9/4/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/04/nyregion/04PROF.html
Here are a few things known about Mubarak Abdul-Jabbar. He is the first
African-American officer to be elevated to the executive board of the
Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, a union long seen as a source of
the
hostility between the police and New York City's black and Latino
residents.
He's a veteran transit officer with 14 years on patrol, and his
pioneering
role is receiving a lot of attention. One black officer offered the
analogy
of Colin Powell's being appointed to the vice presidency to describe
Officer Abdul-Jabbar's ascension…
Officer Abdul-Jabbar, 46 and known as A. J., is not one to become
worked up
by things. A tall, elegant man with a trim, graying beard and
rectangular
glasses, he leans back in his sparse, temporary office in the union's
headquarters in the financial district. He is serene, but impenetrable
on
some subjects...
The appointment of a minority officer would have seemed improbable a
year
ago, says Eric Adams, a co-founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who
Care. He says Officer Abdul-Jabbar's demeanor earns him respect.
"If somehow we can all maintain the level of peacefulness he has, I
think
we could probably iron out many of our problems," Mr. Adams says.
The new union executive became a transit officer in 1983. He thinks his
being a Muslim actually presented more obstacles than being black. He
recalls how it took two years to join the force after he saw a subway
advertisement about transit officers. He says he was disqualified for
medical reasons that were disproved on appeal.
"Could it have been the name?" he asks. "The name can be a barrier in a
Christian society. Anything other than that becomes suspect: 'How
American
are you?...' "
-----
ANTI-TERROR WAR CLOAKS RIGHTS ABUSES WORLDWIDE: ACTIVISTS
Peter Mackler, Agence France Presse, 9/4/02
NEW YORK, Sept 4 (AFP) - Whatever successes it might claim, the nearly
year-old US-led war on terrorism has produced significant collateral
damage
in eroding civil liberties worldwide, human rights groups say.
They say governments, often taking their cue from US practices after
September 11, have used the war to justify abuses ranging from the
detention of suspects without charge to crackdowns on dissent and
immigration.
"Virtually every dictator around the world has tried to jump on the
bandwagon with varying degrees of success," said Tom Malinowksi,
advocacy
director for Human Rights Watch in Washington. Most worrying to rights
activists is the trend in the United States, with up to 1,200
non-Americans
rousted since last year's attacks -- on top of some 560 prisoners held
in
Cuba -- and authorities looking at military trials.
Such measures from a country regarded as a paragon of freedom send the
wrong signal to less-democratic regimes and give them a freer hand to
deal
harshly with their own people, rights watchdogs say…
-----
POLL: EUROPEANS BLAME U.S. POLICIES
Emily Gersema, Associated Press, 9/4/02
WASHINGTON (AP) - A majority of people in six European countries
believe
American foreign policy is partly to blame for the Sept. 11 attacks, a
survey found.
Researchers interviewed people in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the
Netherlands and Poland for the survey, which was done for the Chicago
Council on Foreign Relations and the German Marshall Fund of the United
States.
The French were most critical of U.S. foreign policy, with 63 percent
saying U.S. foreign policy was partly to blame for the attacks. The
Italians were the least critical - 51 percent of them blamed U.S.
policy
for Sept. 11.
Among the other four countries, 57 percent of Britons, 52 percent of
Germans, 59 percent of Dutch and 54 percent of Poles saw such a
connection.
Marshall Bouton, president of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations,
said Tuesday the poll found that many Europeans also disagreed with how
the
United States has handled conflicts in the Middle East.
Bouton said when he was in France that some residents told him they
perceive American policy as anti-Muslim.
They believe ``it has provided the sea in which the terrorist can swim,
so
to speak,'' he said…
SEE ALSO:
GERMANY REBUFFS CALL TO BACK U.S.
Tony Czuczka, Associated Press, 9/4/02
BERLIN (AP) - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder rebuffed calls by Britain
for
Europe to help the United States against Iraq, saying Wednesday that
Germany won't tone down its opposition to military action and won't
"submit" to Washington.
In blunt comments, Schroeder said Tony Blair does not speak for all
Europe,
a day after the British prime minister declared Iraq "a real and unique
threat" to world security and said the United States "should not have
to
face this issue alone."
The exchange highlighted international opposition to the prospect of a
U.S.
attack on Iraq - despite Blair's attempts to rally support for
Washington...
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Powell has assured him
that Washington puts ``the strongest importance'' on international
involvement in the Iraq case.
Schroeder defended his outspoken opposition to an attack on Iraq, which
he
has said could hurt the war on terrorism and cause chaos in the Middle
East…
"With all respect for Tony Blair: Just like anyone else, he will not
speak
for Europe alone on this issue or on others," he said. "We have
absolutely
no reason to change our well-founded position. Under my leadership,
Germany
will not take part in an intervention in Iraq…"
-----
JEWISH GROUP OUTLINES PLAN TO REMOVE ALL PALESTINIANS
Newsmax.com, 9/3/02
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/9/3/95609.shtml
A draconian plan to forcibly eject all Palestinians and remove them to
a
new state possibly in Iraq or Saudi Arabia has been disclosed by Gamla,
a
group that includes former Israeli military officers and settlers.
Gamla
receives tax-deductible contributions from a New York-based charity
that
says its mission is to promote greater Arab-Jewish tolerance.
The dramatic recommendations were just published on the organization's
website under the deceptively benign title, "The Logistics of
Transfer."
Included is an outline for the "complete elimination of the Arab
demographic threat to Israel" by forcibly removing all Palestinians,
including those in the occupied territories and the area between the
Jordan
River and the Mediterranean Sea.
The cleansing timeline calls for the completion of the removal program
within a 3-5 year period. However, there some room for maneuver.
According
to the plan, "Israeli Arabs can be given one more option -- to convert
to
Judaism if they prefer to stay put." The plan is touted on the website
as
"the only possible solution" to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and is
"substantiated by the Torah…"
Recognizing a sliver of reality, the article concedes that Israel will
never win widespread support for the dramatic expulsion plan. "Only a
modicum of support from its closest ally -- the United States," is
needed
to enjoy success with the plan, the author concludes.
SEE ALSO:
ANNAN SLAMS ISRAEL OVER PALESTINIAN DEPORTATIONS
Reuters, 9/4/02
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 4 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan
accused Israel on Wednesday of violating international law in deporting
the
brother and sister of a Palestinian militant from their West Bank
homes.
Annan, in a statement read by his spokesman, also expressed concern
over a
recent wave of Palestinian civilian deaths in Israeli military attacks
and
reminded the Jewish state of its obligations under international
humanitarian law to protect civilians.
"While the secretary-general has consistently condemned suicide
bombings
and upheld Israel's right to defend itself, he wishes to stress that
self-defense cannot justify measures that amount to collective
punishments," Annan's chief spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters at
U.N.
headquarters.
Annan, who was heading for Paris on Wednesday for talks on Cyprus, was
"gravely concerned" about the Israeli Supreme Court's decision to
deport
two relatives of a Palestinian accused of organizing attacks again
Israel,
Eckhard said.
"Such transfers are strictly prohibited by international humanitarian
law
and could have very serious political and security implications,"
Eckhard said…
Concerning the recent rash of Palestinian civilian deaths, Annan found
it
"particularly distressing that these incidents have occurred during a
period of relative calm and while efforts are made to implement a
security
agreement and to strengthen international assistance to a peaceful
settlement" of the Middle East crisis, Eckhard said…
Israeli forces killed 11 Palestinians in separate incidents over the
weekend, including two children in a helicopter attack on a militant,
prompting charges that the army had become "trigger happy" and clouding
prospects for fresh Israeli-Palestinian talks aimed at a truce.
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
REPORT: AMERICAN MUSLIMS ONE YEAR AFTER 9/11
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/5/02) - A report released today by a national
Islamic
civil rights and advocacy group indicates that American Muslims took a
strong stand against terrorism in the year since the 9/11 attacks. The
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) report, called "American
Muslims: One Year After 9/11," outlines condemnations of the attacks by
national Muslim leaders, Islamic scholars and local religious
institutions.
To download the report, go to: http://www.cair-net.org/911report
The report quotes a statement issued within hours of the attacks and
endorsed by almost every major American Muslim organization. That
statement
read in part: "American Muslims utterly condemn what are…vicious and
cowardly acts of terrorism against innocent civilians. We join with all
Americans in calling for the swift apprehension and punishment of the
perpetrators. No political cause could ever be assisted by such immoral
acts."
It also quoted a full-page CAIR advertisement published in the
Washington
Post on September 16, 2001. The advertisement stated: "Our thoughts and
prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of those who have
been killed or injured...May we all stand together through these
difficult
times to promote peace and love over violence and hate."
Other issues discussed in CAIR's report include: 1) the American Muslim
community's support for efforts by law enforcement to bring the
perpetrators to justice, 2) Muslim assistance in the 9/11 relief
efforts,
3) outreach by local Muslim communities in the wake of the attacks, 4)
support offered to Muslims by Americans of other faiths, 5) the
post-9/11
backlash against Muslims or those perceived to be "Middle Eastern," 6)
the
role anti-Muslim rhetoric plays in promoting hate and bigotry, and 7)
the
curtailment of civil liberties by government policies targeting Muslims
and
Arab-Americans.
"The events of 9/11 marked a turning point for the American Muslim
community. It is not yet clear whether the voices of interfaith
tolerance
will win out over those preaching anti-Muslim prejudice," said Dr.
Mohamed
Nimer, the report's author.
An earlier CAIR study indicated that a majority of American Muslims
experienced bias or discrimination since the 9/11 terrorist attacks
but,
more than three-in-four also experienced kindness or support from
friends
or colleagues of other faiths.
SEE:
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/article.asp?articleid=895&articletype=3
National Muslim groups also called on all faith communities to
participate
in a "National Day of Unity and Prayer" on September 11, 2002, by
opening
houses of worship for interfaith visits, prayers, congregational
exchanges,
and other activities intended to foster national unity and religious
tolerance. Almost 100 such events are scheduled nationwide.
SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
NOTE: CAIR offers an e-mail list designed to be a window to the
American
Muslim community. Subscribers to the list, called CAIR-NET, receive
news
releases and other materials dealing with American Muslim positions on
issues of importance to our society.
To SUBSCRIBE to CAIR-NET, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
-----
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To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/5/2002
HEADLINES:
* INCITEMENT WATCH: ANN COULTER SMEARS ISLAM (WorldNetDaily.com)
- NEWSPAPER "FIRES" ANN COULTER FOR HATE (Centre Daily Times)
* NOT SAFE AT HOME (Sun Sentinel)
- 9/11-A YEAR OF VICTIMIZATION, SAY U.S. MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS (Reuters)
- 'EVERYONE IS VERY AFRAID'(Denver Post)
- MUSLIM CANADIANS REPORT INCREASED BIAS (Toronto Globe and Mail)
- GROUPS CONDEMN 'HATE-RAPE' OF MUSLIM GIRL (San Jose Mercury News)
* EDITORIAL: A COMING ASSAULT ON RIGHTS OF CITIZENS (Washington Times)
- EDITORIAL: THE TROUBLING NEW FACE OF AMERICA (Washington Post)
* JIHAD CAMP CASE QUESTIONED (USA Today)
* SAUDI-AMERICAN GIRLS REJECT U.S. MOM (AP)
* LAX SHOOTER MOTIVATED BY PERSONAL WOES, PROBE FINDS (Los Angeles
Times)
* ANTI-TERROR SCREENING DRAWS FIRE (Los Angeles Times)
* PRO-ISRAEL LOBBY LOOKS FOR DEAL WITH SUNUNU (Washington Times)
* PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE ON IRAQ COUNT NATO OUT (Reuters)
* ANCIENT QURAN AVAILABLE ON INTERNET (AP)
* RUSSIAN CONTROL IS SHAKY IN GROZNY (AP)
* MISSION VIEJO MOSQUE HOLDS REMEMBRANCE OF SEPTEMBER 11TH
- N.CA CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY EVE
- NY WALK/VIGIL ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY
* HOLLYWOOD GROUP OFFERS FIRST TV SPOT ON TOLERANCE AIMED AT ARAB WORLD
-----
INCITEMENT WATCH: ANN COULTER SMEARS ISLAM
Ann Coulter, WorldNetDaily.com, 9/4/02
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28833
To say that Muhammad was a demon-possessed pedophile is not an attack.
It's
a fact…
Muhammad makes L. Ron Hubbard look like Jesus Christ. Most people think
nothing of assuming every Scientologist is a crackpot. Why should Islam
be
subject to presumption of respect because it's a religion? Liberals bar
the
most benign expressions of religion by little America. Only a religion
that
is highly correlated with fascistic attacks on the U.S. demands their
respect and protection.
SEE ALSO:
NEWSPAPER "FIRES" ANN COULTER FOR HATE
Centre Daily Times, 9/5/02
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/opinion/3977402.htm
Dear Ann Coulter:
You're fired.
It's not that extreme viewpoints are unwelcome on the opinion pages of
the
Centre Daily Times. All political viewpoints, from Cal Thomas on the
right
to Molly Ivins on the left, are welcome here.
But, we don't welcome haters, Ann, and that's what you are.
Well, you are either a hater or a hypocrite who calls names and spews
enmity because you believe it will get your pretty face on television
more
or sell more copies of your best-selling books...
On a late summer morning almost a year ago, all of us -- Republicans,
Democrats and everyone else -- witnessed what hate is capable of.
Since that day, Americans have tried to remember that they are on the
same
side, regardless of differences in skin color, nation of origin,
religion
or political viewpoint. It has not always been easy because, more than
ever, those who are different can seem more threatening. But we're
trying
because what we have in America is worth keeping.
And, Ann, you're not helping. You do nothing to elevate our spirits, to
celebrate the great bond that holds us this unruly people together and
makes us a nation.
Hate is easy; love is hard…
Sincerely,
Bob Unger
Executive Editor
ACTION REQUESTED: (Please do NOT attempt to contact Ann Coulter. She
would
use any comments to further defame Islam and the Muslim community.)
Send a note of thanks to Bob Unger at runger@centredaily.com
Copy to: cair@cair-net.org, lsalem@uexpress.com, gmelvin@uexpress.com,
amcdermott@uexpress.com
-----
NOT SAFE AT HOME
Tanya Weinberg, Sun-Sentinel, 9/5/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-911muslims090502.story
Along with "God Bless America" and "United We Stand," the aftermath of
Sept. 11 has popularized another, less universally distributed phrase:
"Go back where you came from."
Muslim convert Sussan Salazar tried, but found things worse in her
native
Colombia. When the teenager returned to the United States, she was
jailed.
Businessman and U.S. citizen Nafez Sammour plans to send his family
back to
where he came from, a place he now feels will offer them a safer future
than Coral Springs: the West Bank…
"To be treated like a second-class citizen in your own country, I don't
know how to describe it. It's a feeling that leaves a knot in your
stomach," says Khan, 30, a native of Brooklyn who grew up in Canada and
now
lives in Pembroke Pines.
Khan was so disturbed by the treatment she and others have received
after
Sept. 11 that she quit her prosecutor's job with the Palm Beach County
State Attorney's Office and joined an Oakland Park immigration
practice...
As a prosecutor, Khan's work became increasingly dominated with
deportation-related criminal appeals after Sept. 11. At the same time,
the
Immigration and Naturalization Service was detaining hundreds of
Muslims
and Arabs on minor immigration violations.
"It's changed me," she said. "I always thought I'd be a career
prosecutor.
Now I want to fight the INS on everything I can. It's personal now…"
SEE ALSO:
9/11-A YEAR OF VICTIMIZATION, SAY U.S. MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS
Grant McCool, Reuters, 9/5/02
NEW YORK (Reuters) - In a year when the U.S. government singled out
hundreds of Muslim men for deportation on immigration charges in its
search
for culprits after the Sept. 11 attacks, deportees and their families
believe they were also victims of the hijacked plane strikes.
They said their lives were unfairly turned upside down when the U.S.
government interrogated men of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent
from
the time it became known that 19 Muslim radicals hijacked four civilian
Boeing 767s and used them as missiles to kill some 3,000 people.
Former Memphis, Tennessee, taxi driver Khaled Darwich said in a
telephone
interview from Sao Paulo, Brazil, that he felt "pure sadness" toward
the
U.S. government "for the way they looked at me."
"I understand why, but them looking at me like that hurts because I was
a
member of the society, I contributed to the society and didn't mean any
harm to them."
A Brazilian of Egyptian descent, Darwich, 21, was jailed for 10 months
from
Sept. 19 to July 16 in Tennessee and Louisiana without
terrorism-related
charges being filed against him.
He was deported to Sao Paulo, where he had not lived since the age of
11.
For the last 10 years, he had lived in Egypt and then the United
States…
'EVERYONE IS VERY AFRAID'
Diane Carman, Denver Post, 9/5/02
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E115%257E839027,00.html
WASHINGTON - Armed guards patrol the concrete barriers that surround
the
White House. Traffic is restricted, and the souvenir stands hawking
black
"FBI" T-shirts have been moved several blocks away. No one without
official
business is allowed inside the barricades…
Since 9/11, when airliners exploded into the World Trade Center in New
York
and the Pentagon in Virginia and, some say, were intended to crash into
the
White House, security here has reached new heights. Washington feels
different.
It is different…
A mile away in an unremarkable brick office building, Hodan Hassan,
spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, deals with
the
chaos created by the crackdown. Between 1994 and 2001, the council was
a
low-key organization devoted to educating non-Muslims about Islam.
Since
9/11, it has become a clearinghouse for information and a reluctant
headquarters for urgent political and legal advocacy.
Its members voted for George W. Bush two-to-one in 2000. In a poll
taken in
July and August, a majority said they have experienced discrimination
in
the past year and are reconsidering their political affiliation. They
rated
the Bush administration's post-9/11 performance "poor."
The reason most often cited: the perception that their civil liberties
have
been trampled in the stampede to restore order.
"It's always easy to suggest that profiling is OK when you're not the
one
to be profiled," Hassan said. "When the Oklahoma City bombing occurred,
the
FBI didn't go out and round up all the young white guys with buzz
cuts."
But once profiling is accepted, what's to stop the FBI from using it on
any
group of Americans? Hassan said. More than 1,200 immigrants, citizens
of
Middle Eastern descent, Muslims and others have been arrested and
detained
in secret as part of the investigation into terrorism.
"What we object to is the whole dragnet approach. There is an
assumption
that there are terrorists among us," Hassan said. "Meanwhile, families
are
in turmoil as the breadwinner is deported or detained indefinitely. And
all
of it is done in secrecy…"
MUSLIM CANADIANS REPORT INCREASED BIAS
Darren Yourk, Toronto Globe and Mail, 9/5/02
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTGAM/20020905/wisla0905/Front/homeBN/breakingnews
A number of Canadian Muslims suffered through a year of discrimination
from
fellow Canadians in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, an
informal
new poll suggests.
The poll surveyed 296 Muslims - 95 per cent of whom were Canadian
citizens
- during the summer and found that 60 per cent felt they were subjected
to
higher-than-usual levels of resentment following the attacks in the
United
States. About 39 per cent of respondents felt that the event hadn't
changed
their lives.
The poll - a snapshot of Canadian Muslims but too small to be
considered
scientifically representative across Canada - was conducted by the
Ottawa-based Council on American Islamic Relations Canada and released
in
Ottawa Thursday.
"It is a fairly accurate assessment off what a lot of Muslims have been
going through," CAIR executive director Riad Saloojee told CBC
Newsworld
Thursday. "The people who were polled generally focused on three types:
verbal harassment, ethnic and racial discrimination and
employment-related
discrimination..."
GROUPS CONDEMN ALLEGED 'HATE-RAPE' OF MUSLIM GIRL
Truong Phuoc Khanh, San Jose Mercury News, 9/5/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/4006790.htm
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Nearly a dozen organizations representing South
Asians
gathered Wednesday in downtown Palo Alto to condemn what they called
the
"hate rape" of a Muslim girl.
The ad-hoc coalition, consisting mostly of Bay Area Muslim
organizations
and those that support abused women, called the press conference
outside of
Longs Drug Store in Palo Alto, where the 15-year-old girl was
reportedly
raped Friday night.
"If what we read is true, this certainly is the most heinous hate crime
we've seen in Santa Clara County since we've been tracking these
matters,"
said Andrew Pierce, who lent his voice to the gathering as chairman of
the
Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission. "We try to react to all
hate
crimes. Since I'm a Palo Alto resident, it struck home for me." Palo
Alto
police on Friday arrested Sanjay Nair, 18, of East Palo Alto, for
allegedly
raping the girl in the store's basement bathroom. The incident has been
labeled a hate crime because of comments police say that Nair, who is
Hindu, made before and during the alleged rape…
-----
EDITORIAL: A COMING ASSAULT ON RIGHTS OF CITIZENS
Sheldon Richman, Washington Times, 9/5/02
http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20020905-24231615.htm
These days the Constitution is an empty symbol invoked by "leaders" to
achieve legitimacy. All the limits built into the Constitution have
over
the years been twisted into justifications for more power. When the
government has the power to define its own powers, it is not a
constitutional government, whatever you may call it. The word
"despotism"
comes to mind.
Consider the almost-certain assault on Iraq. As brutal as its dictator
is,
he has not attacked the American people. On the contrary, the U.S.
government has been bombing Iraq for more than 10 years and maintaining
an
embargo that has devastated the country. Lots of attempts have been
made to
tie Saddam Hussein to terrorism, but nothing has stuck…
Israel has had nuclear weapons for decades. The United States is rather
well-equipped. How likely is Saddam to risk his own destiny? On the
other
hand, how likely is he to use nasty weapons if the United States
corners him?
The war is not about thwarting a threat. It's about the U.S. government
calling the shots. No U.S. president likes being crossed, especially by
a
foreign leader who was a thorn in the side of his father…
-----
EDITORIAL: THE TROUBLING NEW FACE OF AMERICA
Jimmy Carter, Washington Post, 9/5/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38441-2002Sep4.html
Formerly admired almost universally as the preeminent champion of human
rights, our country has become the foremost target of respected
international organizations concerned about these basic principles of
democratic life. We have ignored or condoned abuses in nations that
support
our anti-terrorism effort, while detaining American citizens as "enemy
combatants," incarcerating them secretly and indefinitely without their
being charged with any crime or having the right to legal counsel…
Tragically, our government is abandoning any sponsorship of substantive
negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis. Our apparent policy is
to
support almost every Israeli action in the occupied territories and to
condemn and isolate the Palestinians as blanket targets of our war on
terrorism, while Israeli settlements expand and Palestinian enclaves
shrink…
Belligerent and divisive voices now seem to be dominant in Washington,
but
they do not yet reflect final decisions of the president, Congress or
the
courts. It is crucial that the historical and well-founded American
commitments prevail: to peace, justice, human rights, the environment
and
international cooperation.
-----
JIHAD CAMP CASE QUESTIONED
Patrick McMahon, USA Today, 9/4/02
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-09-04-bly_x.htm
BLY, Ore. - The steel gate to Dog Cry Ranch is shut tight,
no-trespassing
warnings are posted, and a small sign advises, "This is not a scenic
drive
through."
It was here in this remote ranching town, federal officials say, that
Muslim extremists plotted in 1999 to establish a safe house and
training
camp for al-Qaeda terrorists.
No camp was built, and despite all the attention focused here recently,
most residents doubt much could have happened.
"We're in Bly, Ore., not New York City. It is pretty hard to do
anything
here without people knowing about it," says Dean Lawrence, owner of the
only gas station in this town of fewer than 500 people.
"I think the whole thing is a crock," he says.
Word of a training camp would spread too quickly, says Marilyn Thomas,
co-owner of the Pit Stop Mini-Mart. "Everybody's so nosy, they know
what
you're doing ... before you even do it."
Besides, the 120-acre ranch isn't all that private, says the woman who
rents it today.
"I'm surrounded by neighbors," says Lona Azevedo. "I can't see them or
hear
them talking, but I can hear gunfire probably 5 miles away, especially
in
the winter..."
-----
SAUDI-AMERICAN GIRLS REJECT U.S. MOM
Donna Abu-Nasr, Associated Press, 9/5/02
LONDON (AP) - Sisters Alia and Aisha al-Gheshayan sat in a London hotel
suite, the strain showing on their faces as they talked about the
failed
marriage of their Saudi father and American mother.
The two grew up in a Saudi family as devout, sheltered Muslims. In the
past
17 years, they have seen their mother - who has fought doggedly for
their
return - only once.
"I don't want the United States or any contact with my mother," the
23-year-old Alia al-Gheshayan said…
In the sitting room of their suite, the sisters, who wore the
head-to-toe
black cloaks that are mandatory for women in Saudi Arabia, said it was
their mother's public campaign that has tortured them.
"She appears on television and insults us and our religion. Her
approach
does not make us feel any tenderness toward her," said Aisha
al-Gheshayan.
She pointed to the acne on her face and said: "See? I never had this
before. This is all because of her…"
-----
LAX SHOOTER MOTIVATED BY PERSONAL WOES, PROBE FINDS
Greg Krikorian, Los Angeles Times, 9/5/02
http://www.latimes.com/la-me-shooter5sep05.story
Federal investigators have all but concluded that Hesham Mohamed
Hadayet
was motivated more by personal woes than by political anger when he
shot
and killed two people at the El Al Airlines ticket counter at Los
Angeles
International Airport on July 4.
Wrapping up their investigation of a tragedy that drew worldwide
attention,
FBI agents, working with other federal agencies, have determined that
Hadayet chose an Israeli target because of his disdain for that
nation's
policies toward Palestinians. But he acted alone and was not connected
to
any terrorist groups, investigators say.
Instead, sources say, the Egyptian immigrant's rampage-on his 41st
birthday-was sparked by despondence over a financially troubled
limousine
business and the infirmities of his aging parents, as well as his anger
over Israel's occupation of the West Bank. Ultimately, sources say,
those
factors led Hadayet to open fire near an El Al counter before being
gunned
down by a security guard for the airline…
-----
ANTI-TERROR SCREENING DRAWS FIRE
Sonni Efron, Los Angeles Times, 9/5/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-visas5sep05005046.story
WASHINGTON - A new anti-terrorist tracking system that will require
fingerprinting and photographing tens of thousands of visitors to the
United States is prompting an angry outpouring from Muslim nations.
The measures set to begin Sept. 11 have aroused concern inside the
State
Department that they could antagonize some of the very people whose
backing
the United States hopes to enlist in its ongoing war against terrorism.
State Department officials said the visitors most likely to be
fingerprinted are males between the ages of 16 and 45 from 26 nations
where
terrorism is deemed to be a concern.
The names of the 26 countries are classified, but they are widely
believed
to be mainly Muslim nations.
Civil libertarians question whether U.S. intelligence is equipped to
analyze all the fingerprints and information it collects or will drown
in
the data.
And some Arab Americans fear the process could reinforce the perception
that America doesn't want Muslim visitors and that the war on terrorism
is
being waged through racial profiling that sees all Arabs as potential
terrorists.
Editorialists from Egypt to Malaysia are decrying the long waits to
obtain
U.S. visas, condemning the U.S. decision to fingerprint, and declaring
that
the policy means Arab visitors--and Arab capital--are not welcome.
"Fingerprinting is a procedure that is normally applied to prisoners,
criminals and those with past records," said the columnist Fahd
al-Fanik in
Jordan's Al-Rai newspaper.
The Dubai Gulf News in the United Arab Emirates blasted what it called
U.S.
Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft's "Big Brother" approach to fighting terrorism
as
naive and racist.
Saudi Arabia's English-language Arab News, referring to the U.S.
government's detention of immigrants after Sept. 11, declared:
"Coming after 1,200 Arabs and Muslims have been detained without due
process of law, another 8,000 who are legal visa holders questioned,
and
thousands of cases of individual discrimination, this ill-thought-out,
squalid little proposal, which can do nothing to actually improve U.S.
security because real terrorists will not register, serves only to
convince
Arabs and Muslims that the U.S. is targeting them…"
-----
PRO-ISRAEL LOBBY LOOKS FOR DEAL WITH SUNUNU
Ralph Z. Hallow, Washington Times, 9/4/02
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020904-29320521.htm
Leaders of the nation's most powerful pro-Israel lobby have been
conducting
behind-the-scenes negotiations with Rep. John H. Sununu, anticipating
his
victory over Sen. Robert C. Smith in the New Hampshire Republican
primary
Tuesday.
The purpose of the private talks between Mr. Sununu, who is of
Palestinian-Arab descent, and AIPAC leaders is to try to wring
concessions
from the New Hampshire Republican on policy positions toward Israel if
he
is elected to the Senate, according to American Jewish leaders who
spoke on
the condition of anonymity…
-----
PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE ON IRAQ COUNT NATO OUT
John Chalmers, Reuters, 9/5/02
BRUSSELS, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The United States would not be able to
involve
NATO in a pre-emptive strike on Iraq because offensive action runs
contrary
to the founding principles of the North Atlantic alliance, officials
said.
NATO invoked its Article V mutual defence clause for the first time the
day
after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, but it was
sidelined from the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan that followed.
An official at the 19-nation alliance said that although Article V is
still
"activated," Washington would have to prove a link between the hijacked
airliner attacks and Baghdad for it to be used as a mandate for NATO
strikes on Iraq.
"Article V was adopted for a very specific incident," said the
official,
who asked not to be named. "I don't think you can automatically presume
that the situation we're talking about here (an attack on Iraq) would
fit
in this context…"
Tim Garden of the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College London
said
he expected the United States to push at the Prague summit for NATO to
move
towards pre-emption as an option.
"But I don't think it will get very far because European governments do
not
want to give America a blank cheque to carry out the kind of wars it
wants," he said...
-----
ANCIENT QURAN AVAILABLE ON INTERNET
Associated Press, 9/4/02
LONDON (AP) - The British Library has digitally recorded a treasured
700-year-old Quran so Internet users can see it and read highlights.
The national library announced Wednesday that the ancient holy book,
known
as Sultan Baybars' Quran, joins texts from Christianity, Judaism and
Buddhism in its ``Turning the Pages'' project, which aims to widen
access
to the major religious volumes in its collection.
Viewers will be able to see highlights from the full seven volumes of
the
work by touching a computer monitor - either in the library or on its
website.
An audio commentary explains important parts of the book and onlookers
can
zoom in on a particular detail by tapping the screen.
The work, written in gold in Arabic dates from 1304 to 1306 and was
produced for the Mamluk ruler of Egypt, Rukn al-Din Baybars
al-Jashnagir.
On the Net:
British Library: http://www.bl.uk/collections/treasures/treasures.html
-----
RUSSIAN CONTROL IS SHAKY IN GROZNY
Eric Engleman, Associated Press, 9/5/02
GROZNY, Russia (AP) - A helicopter ride over the Chechen capital Grozny
reveals a devastated shell of a city, still ravaged by war: bombed-out
apartment buildings pockmarked with bullet holes, twisted metal heaps
of
downed electrical towers, and burnt, blackened cars…
Tensions are running especially high after rebels shot down two Russian
helicopters. One was an Mi-26 transport that crashed last month,
killing at
least 119 people - the single biggest loss of life among Russian troops
in
Chechnya. The crash happened outside the Khankala military base near
Grozny
and was a brutal reminder that rebels can infiltrate into Russian-held
territory.
Today, Russian helicopters flying in and out of Grozny take evasive
maneuvers and shoot flares to divert heat-seeking missiles. During
flights,
a soldier sitting behind a mounted machine gun scans the rolling hills
and
patches of forest for signs of rebel activity.
If the military is scared, so are the people of Grozny. Residents
complain
of gunfire in the streets at night and continuing "security sweeps" by
Russian soldiers - in which young Chechen men simply disappear…
-----
MISSION VIEJO MOSQUE HOLDS REMEMBRANCE OF SEPTEMBER 11TH
WHAT: The Mission Viejo interfaith community will gather together in
remembrance of the victims of September 11th in "A Day of Unity and
Prayer"
presented by the City of Mission Viejo and hosted by the Orange County
Islamic Foundation - Mission Viejo Mosque. In attendance will be the
Mayor
of Mission Viejo, the City Council members and other state, county and
local officials.
WHEN: Monday, September 9, 2002, 6 - 7:30 PM
WHERE: Mission Viejo Mosque, 23581 Madero, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
CONTACT: Mission Viejo Mosque at 949-595-0480
SEE ALDO:
N.CA CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY EVE
WHAT: Candle Light Vigil & Poetical Evening
WHERE: Chandni Restaurant in Newark, CA
WHEN: Tuesday, September 10, 7:15 p.m.
The evening will include Urdu, Punjabi, English, Persian, Arabic,
Hindi,
Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese poems. The objective of this special
event
to promote friendship and understanding among the various communities
of
Bay Area.
Religious leaders and scholars from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish,
Muslim, and Sikh faiths will speak at the special forum that will deal
with
the meaning of life and how to build peace with justice in the world.
For more information:
American Muslim Alliance Head Office: 510-252-9858
NY WALK/VIGIL ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY
WHAT: The Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC), in collaboration
with Brooklyn Bridges will host on Candlelight Vigil for remembrance,
reflection, prayer and unity.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 11, 2002, 6PM
WHERE: Intersection of Court Street and Atlantic Avenue
At 7:00 p.m. participants will gather for an Interfaith Prayer Service
at
Borough Hall for remembrance, reflection and unity led by
representatives
of the Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Buddhist faiths. After the prayer
service we will walk in a procession through the streets of downtown
Brooklyn to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Gathering together in
silence
on the Promenade will be time for us to reflect together the tragic
events
of September 11.
Contact: Emily at AAFSC at: (718)-643-8000
-----
HOLLYWOOD GROUP OFFERS FIRST TV SPOT ON TOLERANCE AIMED AT ARAB WORLD
BILL CARTER, New York Times, 9/5/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/05/international/middleeast/05TUBE.html
Hollywood's first public service commercial promoting peace and
tolerance,
aimed at television audiences in the Arab world, will be released
today,
almost a year after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The commercial, which features Nawal el Moutawakel-Bennis, a hurdler
from
Morocco who won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games, is the first
product of the ''Hollywood 9/11 International Messaging Group.'' A
consortium of Hollywood producers and executives, the group was formed
last
fall after a request from the White House to produce pro-American
messages
for both domestic and international audiences. Its work is independent
of
the administration's effort to promote American values, which is
overseen
by a former advertising executive, Charlotte Beers…
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEAE - 9/6/02
- MEDIA ADVISORY -
U.S. MUSLIM GROUP TO LAUNCH MAJOR EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE
First-of-its-kind library project counters bigotry with educational
materials
WHAT: On Monday, September 9, the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group,
will
hold a news conference to launch a first-of-its-kind national
initiative to
educate the American public about Islam and to counter anti-Muslim
bigotry.
The year-long campaign, called "Explore Islamic Civilization and
Culture,"
involves the community sponsored distribution of books, videos and
audio
cassettes about Islam and Muslims to some 16,000 public libraries
nationwide. (A pilot program by CAIR's Los Angeles office placed more
than
2,500 books and videos in 166 libraries.)
The 18-item library packages contain materials such as the PBS
documentary
"Islam: Empire of Faith," Prof. Jack Shaheen's "Reel Bad Arabs" and
"The
Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?" by Prof. John Esposito of Georgetown
University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. (Both Shaheen
and
Esposito are scheduled to attend the news conference.)
Other library package materials include a copy of the Quran, Islam's
revealed text, children's books on Ramadan and mosque architecture, as
well
as a book describing the experiences of African-Muslim slaves brought
to
America.
"Americans do not have adequate access to accurate information about
Islam
and Muslims. This lack of objective information leaves ordinary
Americans
vulnerable to the rising tide of anti-Muslim rhetoric. Our library
project
seeks to challenge bigotry through education," said CAIR Executive
Director
Nihad Awad.
Awad added that following the 9/11 attacks, publishers and book
retailers
reported an exponential increase in demand for materials about Islam.
He
said that increased demand is putting a strain on our nation's public
libraries, which often do not have the budgets necessary to purchase
new books.
WHERE: West Room, National Press Club, 13th Floor, National Press Club
Building, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C.
WHEN: Monday, September 9, 10 a.m.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Beta-cam video of campaign materials is available on
request. The materials themselves, along with posters and displays
advertising the campaign, will be unveiled at the news conference.
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org
Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294, E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
- END -
NOTE: CAIR offers an e-mail list designed to be a window to the
American
Muslim community. Subscribers to the list, called CAIR-NET, receive
news
releases and other materials dealing with American Muslim positions on
issues of importance to our society.
To SUBSCRIBE to CAIR-NET, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTION REQUESTED: Please participate in the following event either as
an
individual or as an organization. For more information, e-mail:
jerb@cair-net.org, nserag@cair-net.org or call 202-488-8787.
-----
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 9/6/02
- MEDIA ADVISORY -
MUSLIMS TO HOLD 9/11 VIGIL AT U.S. CAPITOL
"Night of Remembrance and Reflection" to promote national unity
WHAT: On Tuesday, September 10, the Council on American-Islamic
Relations
(CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group,
will
hold a community interfaith vigil at the Capitol Reflecting Pool in
Washington, D.C., to mark the first anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist
attacks.
The event, called "A Night of Remembrance and Reflection," will include
a
candle-light vigil, a children's choir, poetry readings, and speeches
from
local community and religious leaders. (Groups or individuals
interested in
participating in the vigil should contact: jerb@cair-net.org or
nserag@cair-net.org)
"On this solemn occasion, we urge all Americans to unite in prayers for
peace and tolerance. Now more than ever, we must challenge those who
seek
to divide our country along ethnic or religious lines," said CAIR Board
Chairman Omar Ahmad.
The American Muslim Political Coordination Council (AMPCC), made up of
the
nation's four most prominent Muslim political advocacy groups, is
calling
on all faith communities to also participate in a "National Day of
Unity
and Prayer" by opening houses of worship on September 11, 2002, for
interfaith visits, prayers, congregational exchanges, and other
activities
intended to foster national unity and religious tolerance. More than
100
such events are scheduled across America.
SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
WHEN: Tuesday, September 10, 8:30 - 10 p.m.
WHERE: Capitol Reflecting Pool (Westside), Washington, D.C.
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-489-5108, E-MAIL -
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
NOTE: CAIR offers an e-mail list designed to be a window to the
American
Muslim community. Subscribers to the list, called CAIR-NET, receive
news
releases and other materials dealing with American Muslim positions on
issues of importance to our society.
To SUBSCRIBE to CAIR-NET, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
DANISH POLITICIANS REFUTE DANIEL PIPES' "FACTS"
Elisabeth Arnold and Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen, National Post, 9/6/02
http://www.nationalpost.com/commentary/story.html?id=F477A68C-5E22-4790-922F-0A1F7EDBF021
(Scroll down.)
As Danish politicians, we are offended by the way integration problems
in
Denmark were portrayed by Daniel Pipes and Lars Hedegaard and we wish
to
set the record straight (Muslim Extremism: Denmark's had Enough, Daniel
Pipes and Lars Hedegaard, Aug. 27).
The authors claim that 40% of Danish welfare expenses are consumed by
Muslim immigrants. Denmark has a much broader spectrum of welfare costs
than countries in North America. We include not only unemployment
benefits
and social security but also substantial allocations to housing,
transport,
homecare, early retirement, protected workplaces, daycare and other
smaller
schemes. Muslim immigrants do not receive 40% of those allocations even
though they represent a substantial part of the clients. The main
reason
being: It is hard to compete on a job market not interested in
employing
immigrants.
The further assumption that more than half of all rapists in Denmark
are
Muslims is without any basis in fact, as criminal registers do not
record
religion.
Mr. Pipes and Mr. Hedegaard mention that only 5% of young Muslims in
Denmark wish to marry a Dane. A sign of self-inflicted isolation,
indeed.
We welcome the brave 5% who accept intermarriage -- they are true
pioneers
for peaceful co-existence and human contact across cultures. However,
the
new Danish government has made it extremely difficult for Danish
citizens
to bring a foreign spouse to Denmark. The ruling opinion obviously is
that
intermarriage should be avoided.
Mr. Pipes and Mr. Hedegaard also claim that Muslim violence threatens
the
6,000 Jewish citizens in Denmark. Rumours -- also hitting the front
pages
of major newspapers -- tell that identified Jewish Danes figure on a
death
list. Danish authorities consider death threats very serious, but
police
investigators have so far found no evidence of real threats.
During the coming decade, Denmark will need 100,000 new pairs of hands
in
the workforce. The Danes produce fewer children and live longer.
Integration must work better and immigrants admitted to Denmark should
be
welcomed. On this point, we take inspiration from Canadian society,
which
is open to other cultures and religions.
Elisabeth Arnold and Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen, Members of the Danish
Parliament, Copenhagen, Denmark.
SEE ALSO:
NOTE: In the following article, Daniel Pipes smears the Muslim
community in
Denmark with several accusations eerily similar to those leveled
against
the Jewish community in Europe by anti-Semitic propagandists prior to
World
War II.
These include: 1) being parasites on the society, 2) being
disproportionately engaged in criminal behavior, 3) having
"unacceptable"
customs, 4) seeking to take over the country, and 5) sexual aggression
against women in the dominant culture.
MUSLIM EXTREMISM: DENMARK'S HAD ENOUGH
Daniel Pipes and Lars Hedegaard, National Post, 8/27/02
http://www.nationalpost.com/search/site/story.asp?id=7C7BF9B5-FABA-410F-B6BC-0B695DEF9118
WHO IS DANIEL PIPES?
http://www.cair-net.org/misc/people/daniel_pipes.html
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/8/2002
HEADLINES:
* MUSLIM 9/11 MEMORIAL NEAR "GROUND ZERO"
- MUSLIM LEADERS HAVE NOT BEEN SILENT ABOUT 9/11 ATTACKS (Pioneer
Press)
- MUSLIMS ARE CARICATURED, UNJUSTLY TREATED (Knight Ridder Tribune)
- HOUSES OF WORSHIP FOCUS ON SEPT. 11 (AP)
- 'THE FIRST STEP IS FORGIVENESS' (Colors Northwest)
- U.S. MUSLIMS HELD IN HIGH REGARD (San Jose Mercury News)
* PATRIOT ACT'S SCOPE, SECRECY ENSNARE INNOCENT (San Francisco
Chronicle)
* ASSAULT CASE SUSPECT WILL NOT FACE HATE CRIME CHARGE (San Jose
Mercury News)
* DERSHOWITZ CALLS FOR TORTURE, COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT (Washington Post)
* WHITE HOUSE: BUSH MISSTATED REPORT ON IRAQ (MSNBC)
* 'REGIME CHANGE' SEEN AS NEW TERM FOR OLD ENEMY: COLONISATION
(Guardian UK)
-----
MUSLIM 9/11 MEMORIAL NEAR "GROUND ZERO"
WHAT: Muslim Community Memorial sponsored by CAIR-NY
WHERE: Battery Park, five blocks south of "Ground Zero," where the West
Side Highway meets Battery Place.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 11, 9 - 10 a.m.
CAIR-NY has been seeking official approval to hold a "Muslim Community
Memorial" for the 9/11 tragedy near Ground Zero. At 4:45 p.m. on
Friday,
CAIR-NY received the news that such a memorial service could be held.
To confirm the exact time and venue of this important occasion and its
accompanying press conference, please call CAIR-NY's office at
212-870-2002
or e-mail NMGONDAL@aol.com in the afternoon of Monday, September 9.
SEE ALSO:
MUSLIM LEADERS HAVE NOT BEEN SILENT ABOUT SEPT. 11 ATTACKS
Fedwa Wazwaz, Pioneer Express, 9/8/02
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/opinion/4019413.htm
Although Muslims in the United States and around the world have
repeatedly
condemned the attacks on Sept. 11, we stand falsely accused by
nationally
known commentators and influential religious leaders of remaining
silent.
Sadly, one year after the attacks, we are forced to prove that we
condemned
9/11 to silence these voices, which are inciting hatred against our
community.
As validation for what I am saying, consider what was said last weekend
at
the 39th annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America
(ISNA)
in Washington, D.C. The convention commenced Friday afternoon with a
prayer
for the victims of Sept. 11. Speakers went on to condemn the terrorist
attacks before a large Muslim audience of 40,000, myself included.
This was hardly an exception from remarks of the past year. An
incomplete
document compiling condemnations of the attacks and condolences to the
American people by Muslim leaders has reached 41 pages and is growing
as I
write...
ONE YEAR LATER: MUSLIMS ARE CARICATURED, UNJUSTLY TREATED
Moustafa Bayoumi, Knight Ridder Tribune, 9/8/02
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/opinion/4011159.htm
Like all Americans, Muslim-Americans will be mourning the innocent
victims
of Sept. 11 and the horrific crime against humanity. We, too, felt the
shock, anger and grief of that day. But, unlike the rest of the
country, we
are bracing ourselves for a fresh onslaught of abuse. Reports from
California and Florida indicate that an upswing in hate crimes has
already
begun. In late August, police arrested a Florida podiatrist, who had in
his
possession 20 homemade bombs and two anti-armor rockets (among other
weapons) and a list of 50 Muslim places of worship.
Since Sept. 11, more than 1,700 anti-Muslim incidents have been
documented
by the Council on American Islamic Relations. Since many of them go
unreported, the actual number is likely much higher. For the past year,
Muslims have endured a daily barrage of demagoguery, distortions and
outright lies about their faith. Never well understood in this country,
Islam is now routinely caricatured. When the evangelist Franklin Graham
calls Islam "an evil and wicked religion," I wonder what drives a man
in
his position of influence to malign 1.3 billion people around the
world.
Most Muslims find such comments not only destructive but also ignorant.
We
no more believe in Franklin Graham's version of Islam than we do Osama
bin
Laden's.
Despite its initially tolerant rhetoric, the Bush administration has
been
unfairly targeting Muslims. Since Sept. 11, actions that we would
previously have dismissed as unthinkable in the United States are
occurring
with astonishing regularity and coordination by the government. Muslims
who
are not citizens have been rounded up by the hundreds and have
languished
in jail for months without being charged with any crime. The
administration
refuses to release their names, while people whose family members have
gone
missing stand outside detention centers in the New York area carrying
their
photos...
HOUSES OF WORSHIP FOCUS ON SEPT. 11
RICHARD N. OSTLING, Associated Press, 9/8/02
Houses of worship around the nation are focusing on the Sept. 11
anniversary this weekend in accord with President Bush's formal call
for
"National Days of Prayer and Remembrance."
The president's official proclamation asked all Americans to gather in
their places of worship and communities from Friday through Sunday to
honor
the dead, "give thanks for God's enduring blessings on our land," and
pray
for world peace and the strength to bring the attackers to justice.
The president set the three days to fit the worship rhythms of the
three
major faiths. The Muslim holy day was Friday, the Jewish Sabbath day
ran
through sundown Saturday and Christians worship on Sunday. For Jews,
the
Sabbath this week coincided with the start of Rosh Hashana - the Jewish
New
Year - and many rabbis recited special prayers for the attacks'
victims,
the United States and Israel.
At least 96 Muslim mosques planned special events from the weekend
through
a "Day of Unity and Prayer" on the Sept. 11 anniversary to mourn
victims
and counteract efforts to divide American religious groups.
SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
One participant, the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los
Angeles,
was showing a new quilt Saturday that volunteers inscribed with
victims'
names. It will be sent for display at New York's Ground Zero...
'THE FIRST STEP IS FORGIVENESS'
Neil Parekh, Colors Northwest, 9/8/02
http://www.colorsnw.com/cover_story.shtml
His first response - after Patrick Cunningham said he was going to
shoot
him - was to say, "Go ahead, shoot me."
His first instinct - after Cunningham had tried to burn down his
mosque,
fired a gun at him, and crashed into a telephone pole trying to flee
the
scene - was to forgive him. And his answer to the FBI - after they said
they were going to charge Cunningham with a hate crime and seek a
sentence
of up to 18 years - was to say, "Eighteen years! This guy is 53. He'll
be
71 when he gets out. What would you be teaching him?"
There are not many people who would invite death, forgive their
attacker
and then question the harshness of the punishment.
In the year since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon,
there have not been many people like Seattle's Issa Qandeel, resolute
in
the face of assault. The loss of a sense of security and a thirst for
vengeance and retribution after last year's Sept. 11 attacks led to
hundreds of verbal assaults, vandalism and other hate crimes against
Arab
Americans, South Asians and Muslims in the United States. The U.S.
government quickly launched a "war against terrorism" and began
airstrikes
against Afghanistan. U.S. immigrants were the next targets, with wide
sweeps for "potential terrorists" in Arab communities leading to secret
detentions and suspension of due process.
In the face of all this, a mechanical engineer with one of Seattle's
largest architecture firms has quietly tried to live up to the tenets
of
Islam, namely compassion and forgiveness. Issa has struggled to
mitigate
law enforcement's impact on the life of his attacker...
U.S. MUSLIMS HELD IN HIGH REGARD
Matthai Chakko Kuruvila, San Jose Mercury News, 9/8/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/4020502.htm
Muslim Americans became the targets of scrutiny, criticism and even
violence after Sept. 11, but a surprising thing has now happened: The
elevated profile seems to have improved Americans' perceptions of them,
according to a new Knight Ridder poll.
While public approval of Muslim and Arab Americans lags behind that for
other religious or minority groups, most Americans view the groups in a
positive light -- something that was not true before Sept. 11.
"America, in particular, is engaged in a colossal conversation with
Islam,"
said Agha Saeed, the president of the Newark-based American Muslim
Alliance, who cited the recent flurry of books, college courses and
seminars about Islam. "All of those have led to a relatively improved
understanding of Muslims and Arabs."
For many, though, it is an uneasy accommodation. The poll shows that
many
Americans are struggling to distinguish their positive inclinations
toward
Muslims living in the United States from their suspicions of those
living
abroad. That tension is illustrated by the majority's objections to
racial
profiling but preference for restricting immigration from Arab and
Muslim
countries.
Few would have predicted any improvement in public opinion in the
immediate
aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, when it was learned that the 19
hijackers were Muslim extremists linked to international terrorism.
Sheryl Wudstruck, 26, didn't know a Muslim before the terrorist
attacks,
nor does she know one now. But the Shawano, Wis., resident has become
convinced that Muslim and Arab Americans are Americans first.
"I don't think we should be targeting all of them for the sins of a
few,"
said Wudstruck, a home health care worker who is white.
Today, 58 percent of Americans have favorable feelings toward Muslim
Americans, up from 45 percent in a March 2001 poll…
-----
PATRIOT ACT'S SCOPE, SECRECY ENSNARE INNOCENT, CRITICS SAY
Seth Rosenfeld, San Francisco Chronicle, 9/8/02
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/09/08/MN30478.DTL
Soon after the Pakistani native bought several books through EBay last
fall, the FBI dropped by his South Bay home to ask if he planned to
make
weapons and engage in terrorism.
The man was a scientist with a Stanford University degree, a permanent
U.S.
resident who had been in America more than 20 years. He and his lawyers
agreed to meet with an FBI agent, and explained that he purchased the
technical books solely for professional purposes.
Since Sept. 11, FBI and INS agents have interviewed hundreds of
Northern
California residents as part of their probe of the attacks on the World
Trade Center and the Pentagon, according to lawyers and civil rights
groups.
The agents are armed with sweeping new powers under the Patriot Act,
giving
them greater access to information -- including library records, book
store
receipts, subscription lists, credit and banking records, e-mails,
phone
conversations and student files. U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft
has
said the measures are needed to prevent terrorism and that criticism of
them aids terrorists. Civil libertarians say the measures go too far
and
undermine constitutional principles.
"Are you going to be reported to the FBI for buying a particular type
of
book?" said San Jose lawyer Thomas Ehrlich, who described the case of
the
Stanford scientist, but declined to name his client. "That's something
to
be concerned about."
The FBI agent said EBay had reported the book purchases, according to
co-counsel Daniel Mayfield, and seemed satisfied with the scientist's
explanation.
EBay Vice President Henry Gomez denied the firm provided the
information to
the FBI. A bureau official declined to comment on any specific cases.
So far, the full impact of the Patriot Act remains unknown, partly
because
the Bush administration has insisted on secrecy that some courts and
members of Congress have called excessive. Three federal courts have
ruled
that the Justice Department unlawfully withheld the names of detainees
or
closed deportation hearings...
-----
ASSAULT CASE SUSPECT WILL NOT FACE HATE CRIME CHARGE
Sean Webby, San Jose Mercury News, 9/8/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/4015294.htm
Prosecutors have charged an East Palo Alto man with assault with the
intent
to rape a 15-year-old girl at a Palo Alto drug store, but they did not
charge with him a hate crime. Palo Alto police reported that the
suspect,
18-year-old Sanjay Nair, who is Hindu, made comments before and during
the
alleged assault of the Muslim girl that prompted officers to book him
on
both rape and hate crime charges.
"We don't believe that was the substantial motivation for that attack,"
said Assistant District Attorney Karyn Sinunu, explaining why the
charge
was not filed.
Furthermore, she said the decision to charge Nair on Thursday with
assault
with intent to rape and not rape was based on what the evidence
supported,
but she would not discuss specifics of the ongoing case.
Sinunu said that Nair did have discussions with the girl about her
being a
Muslim and "they weren't positive discussions." But she would not
elaborate
on those comments.
Palo Alto Police Chief Pat Dwyer said he would not second guess the
prosecution's charge. But then he said the evidence seemed clear to
him.
"Our interview with the victim," Dwyer said, "indicated that there was
a
history of remarks denigrating her religion made to her by the suspect
and
that also her statement to us was that during the alleged sexual
assault
remarks were made about her religion..."
"I'm disappointed. The Palo Alto police investigator had determined,
and he
has no doubt in his mind, this was a hate crime," said Manzoor Ghori,
chairman of Indian Muslim Relief Committee.
-----
DERSHOWITZ CALLS FOR TORTURE, COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT
STRATEGIC THINKING
James Bamford, Washington Post, 9/8/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43691-2002Sep5.html
A year after Sept. 11, students of U.S. policy still disagree about
what
went wrong and how to fix it...
As the United States fights its holy war against the Muslim hordes, new
ways must be found to deal with nonbelievers and criminal suspects back
home. If celebrity lawyer Alan M. Dershowitz could have his way, those
methods would include such Draconian tactics as "torture warrants,"
collective punishment and national ID cards.
"I am willing to think the unthinkable and move beyond any kind of
conventional wisdom," he admits in Why Terrorism Works: Understanding
the
Threat, Responding to the Challenge (Yale Univ., $24.95). Dershowitz,
who
has long championed the cause of Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, spends
much
of this convoluted book arguing that Ariel Sharon's hard-line approach
to
the Palestinians has not been hard enough. The sometime civil
libertarian
also chastises those who seek to understand the "root causes" of the
Middle
East violence, arguing that it merely plays into the hands of the
terrorists.
On one of his many visits to Israel, Dershowitz analyzed the Israeli
government's program of collective punishment against the Palestinians
--
demolishing the homes of innocent relatives of those involved in
suicide
bombing. It is a practice outlawed under international law.
Nevertheless,
Dershowitz decided to recommend a more effective policy -- leveling the
buildings in entire villages. "The next time the terrorists attack," he
said, "the village's residents would be given twenty-four hours to
leave,
and then Israeli troops would bulldoze the houses."
Dershowitz also came up with the idea of torture while on a visit to
Israel. He discovered that the Israeli government regularly used the
technique, also long outlawed under international statutes, against
Palestinians in custody and thought it might be useful in the United
States. After all, he argues, law enforcement does it anyway, so why
not
legalize it and allow judges to issue "torture warrants"? "I think
there
would be less torture with a warrant requirement than without one," he
argues. Thus if a person still refuses to talk, or tell where a bomb is
hidden, after the "torture warrant" has been issued, says Dershowitz,
"he
would be subjected to judicially monitored physical measures designed
to
cause excruciating pain without leaving any lasting damage." One form
of
torture recommended by Dershowitz -- "the sterilized needle being
shoved
under the fingernails" -- is chillingly Nazi-like...
-----
WHITE HOUSE: BUSH MISSTATED REPORT ON IRAQ
NBC, MSNBC News sources, 9/7/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/802167.asp
Sept. 7 - Seeking to build a case Saturday that Iraqi President Saddam
Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction, President Bush
cited a
satellite photograph and a report by the U.N. atomic energy agency as
evidence of Iraq's impending rearmament. But in response to a report by
NBC
News, a senior administration official acknowledged Saturday night that
the
U.N. report drew no such conclusion, and a spokesman for the U.N.
agency
said the photograph had been misinterpreted....
-----
'REGIME CHANGE' SEEN AS NEW TERM FOR OLD ENEMY: COLONISATION
David Hirst, The Guardian, 9/6/02
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,786977,00.html
"For us," says Muhammad Said, a columnist at Egypt's leading newspaper,
al-Ahram, "the west always preferred control to democracy. Now 90% of
the
problem flows from the Arab-Israel conflict, that continuous reminder
of
our colonised past."
Never before, in Arab eyes, has the US acted so blatantly in favour of
its
Israeli protege, and for domestic reasons - the triple alliance of
Jewish
lobby, neo-conservative ideologues and the Christian fundamentalist
right -
which take little or no stock of rights or wrongs on the ground…
-----
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CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR ACTION ALERT #346
BRING ISLAM TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY
Take part in this first-of-its-kind campaign by sponsoring a "library
package"
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/9/02) - CAIR today launched a major educational
initiative designed to counter the rising tide of anti-Muslim rhetoric
in
American society. We are urging Muslims to defend their faith during
these
difficult times by sponsoring a "library package" of objective
materials
about Islam.
The year-long campaign, called "Explore Islamic Civilization and
Culture,"
encourages Muslim individuals, mosques and Islamic organizations to
sponsor
18-item packages of books, videos and audio cassettes about Islam and
Muslims, which will then be distributed to as many as 16,000 public
libraries nationwide. (A pilot program by CAIR's Los Angeles office
placed
more than 2,500 books and videos in 166 libraries.)
The $150 library packages contain materials such as the PBS documentary
"Islam: Empire of Faith," Prof. Jack Shaheen's "Reel Bad Arabs" and
"The
Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?" by Prof. John Esposito of Georgetown
University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. Other library
package materials include a copy of the Quran, Islam's revealed text,
children's books on Ramadan and mosque architecture, as well as a book
describing the experiences of African-Muslim slaves brought to America.
Each item in the package was selected based on the quality of its
content,
published reviews and the recommendations of Muslim scholars. (See the
complete list of library package materials below, or go to:
http://www.libraryproject.org)
"The lack of timely and accurate books about Islam in public libraries
is a
serious issue nationwide. The resulting knowledge gap leads to
increased
misunderstanding of Islam and produces unnecessary divisions between
people
of faith. It's important that Americans know what Islam stands for -
and
it's not terrorism," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad.
Awad said Muslim communities and individuals will identify local
libraries
for sponsorship by visiting CAIR's library project web site,
http://www.libraryproject.org, or by calling 1-800-392-7876, ext. 20.
After
the sponsor fills out and submits the necessary forms on the web site,
the
library is informed of the intention to donate the library package.
Materials are then shipped to the library by Astrolabe Islamic Media
(http://www.astrolabepictures.com). A confirmation letter is sent to
the
sponsor indicating that the library package has been sent.
To illustrate the kind of anti-Muslim rhetoric that prompted the CAIR
campaign, Awad cited Christian evangelist Franklin Graham's claims that
terrorism is part of "mainstream" Islam and that the Quran, Islam's
revealed text, "preaches violence." Graham also called Islam an "evil
and
wicked religion." Other conservative and evangelical commentators such
as
Jerry Vines, Pat Robertson, Paul Weyrich, William Lind, Ann Coulter,
and
Chuck Colson have echoed Graham's Islamophobic smears.
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Go to http://www.libraryproject.org to access CAIR's database of
libraries in your area. Where it says "I'm ready to do my part," click
on
"Sponsor." (If you do not have access to the Internet or prefer to talk
to
a customer service representative, call 1-800-392-7876, ext. 20.)
2) Select the library or libraries you would like to sponsor.
(Fractional
sponsorships are available.)
3) Fill out and submit the sponsorship form.
4) Once your sponsored libraries receive their packages, make sure to
inform friends, relatives and colleagues about the materials so they
may
check them out. (Libraries will only keep materials in circulation if
they
are being used.)
- PLEASE POST, COPY AND DISTRIBUTE -
MATERIALS CONTAINED IN THE CAIR LIBRARY PROJECT PACKAGES
THE LIFE OF THE LAST PROPHET (Audio)
Yusuf Islam (Formerly Cat Stevens), Mountain of Light Productions
This spoken-word audio biography of the Prophet Mohammad is fully
authenticated and approved by an international group of Islamic
scholars
and contains selected verses of the Quran recited by the renowned
Egyptian
Qari (reciter) Shaikh Muhammad Al-Minyaoui.
THE HAJJ: ONE AMERICAN'S PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA (Video)
ABC News' "Nightline"
Michael Wolfe, who is a Muslim convert, was born the son of a Christian
mother and a Jewish father. He takes his viewers step-by-step through
the
spiritual side of the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, explaining the
origins
and meanings of the various rituals.
ISLAM: A CLOSER LOOK (Video)
Distributed by Islamica Sight & Sound (a division of Astrolabe Islamic
Media)
A wonderful and thought-provoking exploration of Islam. Well known
personalities such as Imam Hamza Yusuf, Shaikh Abdullah Hakim, Dr. John
Esposito, Nancy Ali, and basketball star Hakeem Olajuwon share their
understanding of this beautiful faith.
ISLAM: EMPIRE OF FAITH (DVD)
Robert Gardner, PBS
Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Ben Kingsley, this three-hour
program tells the spectacular story of the great sweep of Islamic power
and
faith during its first 1,000 years, from the birth of the Prophet
Muhammad
to the peak of the Ottoman Empire.
THE ISLAMIC THREAT: MYTH OR REALITY?
John L. Esposito, Oxford University Press
"One of America's foremost authorities and interpreters of Islam…offers
an
informed and reasoned discussion of Islam in politics." The Wall Street
Journal
THE ESSENTIAL KORAN
Thomas Cleary, HarperSanFrancisco
"For Muslims, the whole of the Quran is sacred, but there are certain
passages which are more accessible to those seeking from the outside to
understand its meaning. The present translation has the virtue of
making
many such passages available in easily comprehensible language, thereby
opening the doors for many readers to the inexhaustible treasure of the
Sacred Text." Seyyed Hossein Nasr, University Professor of Islamic
Studies,
George Washington University
CRITICAL LIVES: MOHAMMAD
Yahiya Emerick, Alpha Books
This concise, informative biography explores:
* Muhammad's background and boyhood, as well as the culture and society
in
which he lived.
* A look at Muhammad as a family man, and how his life was a testament
to
his high regard for women.
* Muhammad's mission as a prophet and his new religion's philosophy on
topics ranging from monotheism to interfaith relations.
* The Quran and how it was revealed, how Muslims view it in their
religious
life, and the concept of jihad from Muhammad's perspective.
DAUGHTERS OF ANOTHER PATH: EXPERIENCES OF AMERICAN WOMEN CHOOSING ISLAM
Carol L. Anway, Yawna Publications
The rapid growth of Islam in America is a current phenomenon. Why are
our
American daughters leaving their Christian backgrounds and choosing
Islam,
a religion that requires discipline, submission, and being "different?"
This book reveals some of the reasons that led these daughters into a
new
journey in their spiritual life.
GENDER EQUITY IN ISLAM
Dr. Jamal Badawi, American Trust Publications
This book presents an overview of the status and rights of Muslim women
as
defined by the Quran and Sunnah. In this brief but important work, Dr.
Jamal Badawi examines the spiritual, social, economic and political
aspects
of women's position in Islam.
REEL BAD ARABS: HOW HOLLYWOOD VILIFIES A PEOPLE
Jack G. Shaheen, Olive Branch Press
"Jack Shaheen continues to be a piercing laser of fairness and sanity
in
pointing out Hollywood's ongoing egregious smearing of Arabs. Rippling
with
smart insights, his book should be read by everyone who agrees that
knowledge is society's greatest tool in battling all kinds of
stereotypes."
Howard Rosenberg, Los Angeles Times TV critic
SERVANTS OF ALLAH: AFRICAN MUSLIMS ENSLAVED IN THE AMERICAS
Sylviane A. Diouf, New York University Press
"A welcome and timely work on a subject of great importance. By
combining
materials in African Islam with New World sources and thereby linking
both
sides of the Atlantic, the author provides a fresh angle on studies of
the
Diaspora. Readers will find in the book a great deal of information
presented in a clear, lively style." Lamin Sanneh, Professor of
History,
Yale University
THE MEANING OF THE HOLY QURAN
Translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Amana Publications
This book is by far the best known, most studied, and most respected
English translation of the Quran. It was the first monumental and
authoritative work of its kind and it subsequently inspired many such
similar endeavors.
SILENT NO MORE: CONFRONTING AMERICA'S FALSE IMAGES OF ISLAM
Paul Findley, Amana Publications
Congressman Paul Findley chronicles his far-flung trail of discovery,
the
false stereotypes of Islam that linger in the minds of the American
people,
the corrective actions that the leaders of America's seven million
Muslims
are undertaking, and the community's remarkable progress in mainstream
politics.
INSIDE STORY: A 16TH CENTURY MOSQUE
Fiona Macdonald and Mark Bergin, The Salariya Book Co. Ltd.
Many people think that the sixteenth-century mosques in and around the
great city of Istanbul, with their enormous domed roofs and tall
minarets,
are among the most beautiful ever built. This book displays and
explains
the history and sciences of these magnificent structures.
TEACHING ABOUT ISLAM & MUSLIMS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM: A
HANDBOOK
FOR EDUCATORS
Council on Islamic Education
"I would highly recommend this as a resource. It grapples with issues
often
raised by students and provides the teacher with background information
as
well as factual details." Penelope Maguire, 7th Grade Social Studies
Teacher, Apex Middle School, Apex, NC
THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING ISLAM
Yahiya Emerick, Alpha Books
You're no idiot, of course. You know Islam is an ancient religion with
millions of followers and has a profound impact on world affairs. But
are
you aware of how many facets of modern life were influenced by Islamic
inventions and discoveries? Or that Islam is the fastest-growing
religion
in the United States? This book takes you back to the origins of Islam
and
explores its beliefs and practices through the centuries and in the
present.
CELEBRATING RAMADAN
Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith, Holiday House
"The book captures an aspect of the unique cultural interpretation of
the
Muslim community during Ramadan and Eid in the contemporary United
States."
Council on Islamic Education
RAMADAN
Suhaib Hamid Ghazi, Holiday House
A clear and informative description of one boy's celebration of Ramadan
is
skillfully brought to life by Omar Rayyan's warm and joyful
illustrations.
-----
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To reach the list moderator, send a message to:
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTIONS REQUESTED: Muslims in the New York and Washington metro areas
are
encouraged to attend these events. Groups interested in participating
in
the vigil agenda should contact: jerb@cair-net.org or
nserag@cair-net.org.
-----
MUSLIM 9/11 MEMORIALS IN NY AND DC
* CAIR-NY MEMORIAL FOR 9/11 VICTIMS
* MUSLIMS TO HOLD 9/11 VIGIL AT U.S. CAPITOL
* MORE THAN 100 EVENTS SCHEDULED NATIONWIDE
* MUSLIMS HOLD 9/11 SERVICE (Patriot-News)
* IF POST-SEPT. 11 BIGOTS WIN, WE ALL ARE LOSERS (San Gabriel Valley
Tribune)
-----
CAIR-NY MEMORIAL FOR 9/11 VICTIMS
WHAT: The New York office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR-NY) will hold a memorial service for the victims of 9/11 during
which
there will be
Quranic recitation and a statement from Muslim leaders.
WHERE: The Great Lawn of Battery Park, across from 17 State Street
WHEN: Wednesday, September 11, 9 - 10 a.m.
CONTACT: Al-Haaj Ghazi Y. Khankan, Executive Director, CAIR-NY,
516-729-8754
-----
MUSLIMS TO HOLD 9/11 VIGIL AT U.S. CAPITOL
"Night of Remembrance and Reflection" to promote national unity
WHAT: The Council on American-Islamic Relations will hold a community
interfaith vigil at the Capitol Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., to
mark the first anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
WHEN: Tuesday, September 10, 8:30 - 10 p.m.
WHERE: Capitol Reflecting Pool (Westside), Washington, D.C.
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
MORE THAN 100 EVENTS SCHEDULED NATIONWIDE
NOTE: More than 100 events involving local Muslim communities are
scheduled
across America. SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
-----
MUSLIMS HOLD 9/11 SERVICE
Event encourages unity among faiths
DIANA FISHLOCK, The Patriot-News, 9/9/02
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/103157820332590.xml
"There is no God but God, the one God whom we call by different names
or by
no name," the Rev. Cynthia Mara of the Interfaith Center of Greater
Harrisburg told more than 70 people gathered yesterday at a service
hosted
by area Muslims to remember the events of Sept. 11.
"As the walls that separate people of different faiths diminish, we can
see
each other for who we really are -- beloved sisters and brothers," she
said, looking out at the mostly Islamic group that gathered in The
Islamic
Society of Greater Harrisburg in Steelton.
The Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations hosted the service to promote unity among faiths…
Muslims, like other Americans, were horrified by what they saw on
television the morning of Sept. 11, said Imam Mujahid Ramos, of the
council. Muslims condemned the terrorists' attacks, raised money, gave
blood and helped in rescue efforts, he said…
Azra Syed said, "We've been affected just as much as the rest of the
American people. We condemned acts of terrorism just like the rest of
the
country does. Hopefully we are not going to be the subject of wrath
just
because the people who did this are Muslim. They in no way represent
our
beliefs."
-----
IF POST-SEPT. 11 BIGOTS WIN, WE ALL ARE LOSERS
Riad Z. Abdelkarim and Jason Erb, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 9/9/02
http://www.sgvtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,205%257E12238%257E848081,00.html
Riad Z. Abdelkarim, MD, is western region communications director;
Jason
Erb is governmental relations director for the Council on
American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR) based in Anaheim.
As our nation approaches the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11
terrorist
attacks, American Muslims around the country will join their fellow
citizens in pausing and reflecting upon the horrors of that day and its
aftermath.
Some media pundits and other well-known figures including notable
evangelist Franklin Graham have recently accused Muslims of remaining
silent after the terrorist attacks. Such charges, which have been
covered
widely but superficially in the mainstream media, deserve serious
analysis.
In reality, even a cursory review of press releases, newspaper
articles,
opinion pieces and internet Web sites reveals that Muslims were
uniformly
shocked, saddened, and outraged at the vicious attack on our own soil
and
they did not hesitate to voice their unequivocal condemnation.
In fact, American Muslim and Arab-American organizations and leaders
were
among the first to react in an organized fashion to condemn the
terrorist
attacks on that very same day, long before it became clear that
individuals
calling themselves Muslims were involved in the attacks.
On Sept. 11, 2001, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR),
the
nation's largest grassroots American Muslim civil rights and advocacy
group, distributed a statement which read: "We condemn in the strongest
terms possible what are apparently vicious and cowardly acts of
terrorism
against innocent civilians. We join with all Americans in calling for
the
swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators. No cause could
ever
be assisted by such immoral acts…
CAIR also issued an alert to the Muslim community on Sept. 11, urging
that
the following additional actions be taken: "Muslim relief agencies
should
contact their counterparts to offer support in the recovery efforts.
Individual Muslims should donate blood by contacting the local office
of
the Red Cross. They should also send donations to those relief agencies
that are on the scene of the attacks.'
Similarly, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) issued the
following
unequivocal statement: "We feel that our country, the United States, is
under attack. All Americans should stand together to bring the
perpetrators
to justice. We warn against any generalizations that will only serve to
help the criminals and incriminate the innocent. We offer our resources
and
resolve to help the victims of these intolerable acts, and we pray to
God
to protect and bless America…'
Muslims abroad were also unequivocal in their condemnation of the
attacks.
The 57-member Organization of Islamic Conference issued a communiqué
stating: "The Conference strongly condemned the brutal terror acts that
befell the United States. It further reaffirmed that these terror acts
ran
counter to the teachings of the divine religions as well as ethical and
human values…'
Despite the unanimous and vocal condemnations by American Muslim and
Arab-American groups and leaders nationwide, some in our country were
not
satisfied. In subsequent weeks and months, numerous unsubstantiated
references appeared in newspaper opinion columns and on television talk
shows about American Muslims' alleged "silence' after the terrorist
attacks.
Such claims were clearly not based on facts, but rather were the
products
of either outright ignorance which is inexcusable or deliberate
defamation
by some with thinly veiled Islamophobic agendas which is utterly
deplorable. This accusation of silence in the face of the Sept. 11
attacks
is now coupled with increasingly aggressive rhetoric about Islam being
an
"evil' religion and Muslims a "fifth column…'
While Muslims join most Americans in seeking unity and solace with
their
fellow citizens, some Americans are sowing seeds of hatred and
ignorance.
As Americans we are all confronted by a number of daunting challenges
that
we must face together, including concentrated efforts to tear us apart
from
within.
Bigots seem to be the biggest winners in the post-Sept. 11 environment.
If
they win, then we all lose.
-----
BRING ISLAM TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY
Take part in this first-of-its-kind campaign by sponsoring a "library
package."
http://www.cair-net.org/asp/article.asp?articleid=911&articletype=2
ALSO SEE: www.libraryproject.org
-----
To SUBSCRIBE to or UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, go to:
http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/
To reach the list moderator, send a message to: cair@cair-net.org
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/10/2002
HEADLINES:
* GETTING THE WORD OUT ON ISLAM (Los Angeles Times)
- CAIR LIBRARY PROJECT
* OVERVIEW OF CHANGES TO LEGAL RIGHTS SINCE 9/11 (AP)
- AMERICANS MORE CONCERNED WITH LIBERTIES (NPR)
- RIGHTS AND THE NEW REALITY (Los Angeles Times)
- A SWIFT, SECRETIVE DRAGNET AFTER ATTACKS (Los Angeles)
- SECURITY AND FREEDOM (New York Times)
- INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW GROUP CONDEMNS POST-9/11 ABUSES
- LAWSUIT ALLEGES MISTREATMENT OF EGYPTIAN IN LOUISIANA PRISON (AP)
* AMERICA'S IMAGE PROBLEM IS ABOUT FACTS, NOT PUBLIC RELATIONS (MSNBC)
* THERE'S STILL TIME FOR AMERICANS TO STOP INSANITY (Houston Chronicle)
* NEW POLICY DELAYS VISAS FOR SPECIFIED MUSLIM MEN (New York Times)
* LAUNCHING A 'PREVENTIVE' WAR (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
* TWO FAITHS UNITE FOR HEALING (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
- ANXIETY LESSENS FOR MUSLIMS IN MINNESOTA (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
* FOSTERING A DEMOCRATIC ISLAM (Washington Post)
* DEVOTED TO BOTH ISLAM, AMERICA (Baltimore Sun)
-----
GETTING THE WORD OUT ON ISLAM
Randy Trick, Los Angeles Times, 9/10/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-na-muslim10sep10005041.story
WASHINGTON -- Using a successful Southern California program as a
model, an
Islamic advocacy group launched a campaign Monday to combat myths and
misinformation about Muslims that many believe have become more
prevalent
since Sept. 11. (SEE: www.libraryproject.org)
The yearlong effort will fight inaccurate information by donating
books,
videos and DVDs with unbiased information to libraries across the
nation,
said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations.
"Most books written [about Islam] are inaccurate," Awad said. "We
believe
that the serious lack of information about Islam is causing our nation
to
be divided."
The national campaign, in which the public can purchase a package of 18
books and videotapes for donation to a local library, is a response to
attacks against the Muslim religion and a heightened curiosity in the
faith
since Sept. 11, Awad said.
The council's Southern California chapter began a similar project last
year, before the terrorist attacks, largely because local libraries did
not
have books that Muslim parents could use to teach their children about
their faith. Instead, the parents found books full of inaccuracies.
"The parents wanted to pull the books from the libraries, and we said,
'Absolutely not,' " said Hussam Ayloush, director of the Anaheim-based
chapter."Instead, we wanted to provide the libraries with accurate
books."
The grass-roots campaign was able to donate about 740 items to the Los
Angeles County library system, said Peter Persic, the library's public
information director. He noted a definite increase in demand for
materials
relating to the issues surrounding the terror attacks.
"There has always been a steady and strong interest in Islam, and it
has
always been hard to keep materials stocked," Persic said. "Once new
materials arrive, they fly off the shelf…"
SEE: CAIR LIBRARY PROJECT
www.libraryproject.org
-----
OVERVIEW OF CHANGES TO LEGAL RIGHTS SINCE 9/11
Associated Press, 9/5/02
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-sept-11-legal-rights-glance0905sep05.story
Some of the fundamental changes to Americans' legal rights by the Bush
administration and the USA Patriot Act following the terror attacks:
* FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Government may monitor religious and
political
institutions without suspecting criminal activity to assist terror
investigation.
* FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Government has closed once-public immigration
hearings, has secretly detained hundreds of people without charges, and
has
encouraged bureaucrats to resist public records requests.
* FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Government may prosecute librarians or keepers of
any
other records if they tell anyone that the government subpoenaed
information related to a terror investigation.
* RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Government may monitor federal prison
jailhouse conversations between attorneys and clients, and deny lawyers
to
Americans accused of crimes.
* FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES: Government may search and seize
Americans' papers and effects without probable cause to assist terror
investigation.
* RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may jail Americans
indefinitely without a trial.
* RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without being charged or
being
able to confront witnesses against them.
SEE ALSO:
AMERICANS MORE CONCERNED WITH LIBERTIES
National Public Radio, 9/9/02
http://www.npr.org/news/specials/civillibertiespoll2/index.html
According to a new poll by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and
Harvard's
Kennedy School of Government, the nation is evenly divided on the
question
of tradeoffs between civil liberties and security. However, a small but
statistically significant number of Americans have shifted toward the
civil
liberties side of the issue since last year, although majorities still
support some government actions that could be seen as curtailing such
liberties.
Asked whether "it's more important to ensure people's constitutional
rights, even if it means that some suspected terrorists are never
found,"
or "it's more important to find every potential terrorist, even if some
innocent people are seriously hurt," 44 percent say it is more
important to
ensure people's constitutional rights, and 47 percent say it is more
important to find every potential terrorist. Despite that statistical
tie,
in questions that were also asked in an NPR/Kaiser/Kennedy School Poll
in
November 2001, there has been a small shift toward concern about civil
liberties…
RIGHTS AND THE NEW REALITY
Los Angeles Times, 9/9/02
http://www.latimes.com/la-ed-rights9sep09.story
Last Sept. 12, in urging our leaders to fight terrorists mercilessly,
we
warned that liberties would probably erode. We called for a
reevaluation of
the balance between rights and security each year on the anniversary of
the
attacks. That seems particularly important this first year…
The most urgent need for attention comes on the legal front, where the
cumulative effect of the Patriot Act has been to massively shift power
from
federal judges to investigators, putting innocent people at far greater
risk of unwarranted government scrutiny, harassment or persecution.
Law enforcers, rightly intent on catching crooks, always clamor for
fewer
restrictions on how they do their jobs. Sept. 11 gave the attorney
general
the rationale to obligingly sweep aside plenty. Suddenly, the standard
of
"probable cause" is history. Under the Patriot Act, prosecutors need
only
assert that information they hope to find through electronic
snooping--by,
say, rifling through a library's database of patron reading
preferences--would be "relevant to an ongoing investigation…"
A SWIFT, SECRETIVE DRAGNET AFTER ATTACKS
Richard A. Serrano, Los Angeles Times, 9/10/02
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-na-detain10sep10005041.story
Bill Gore was at home shaving the morning of Sept. 11 when his FBI
pager
went off. He rushed to the bureau's San Diego office and launched an
investigation that led to the questioning of about 5,000 residents
across
the southern end of California and the detention of scores of foreign
nationals.
That same day Imad Hamad found himself stranded in Washington by the
nationwide shutdown of airports. A week passed before he made it home
to
Dearborn, Mich., where he is a leader in the nation's largest Arab
American
community, and he was besieged with requests for help by families whose
sons and husbands had been spirited away by federal agents.
At the county jail in Kearny, N.J., across the Hudson River from the
World
Trade Center, warden Ralph W. Green watched the north tower collapse.
Within days, he was passing out prayer rugs and copies of the Koran to
a
new wave of prisoners delivered without explanation by the federal
government.
The FBI man, the community activist and the jailer were among tens of
thousands of people drawn into a still-unfolding American drama touched
off
by Sept. 11. A year later, the episode remains largely hidden from
public
view, awaiting the judgment of history.
Washington ordered law enforcement officers across the country to
detain
and arrest anyone with potential knowledge of the Sept. 11 hijackers or
involvement in any other terrorist plots that might be in the works...
EDITORIAL: SECURITY AND FREEDOM
Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times, 9/10/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/10/opinion/10KRIS.html
When we look back at how our country has handled the last year, we have
much to be hugely proud of -- and, perhaps, one thing to be just a bit
embarrassed about...
Still, indefinitely imprisoning innocent people as "material witnesses"
is
wrong on its own. Consider the detention of Tiffany Hughes and her
Yemeni
husband at the military base where Ms. Hughes, an American citizen, was
serving in the Army. The husband was jailed for 52 days, mostly in
solitary
confinement.
Imprisoning a Yemeni because he is a Yemeni will not destroy our
freedoms.
But it undermines our ability to project our values abroad. The U.S.
system
of justice has been a model abroad, but how can we tell Uzbekistan
(where
Muslim extremists threaten not just terrorism but also revolution) to
honor
human rights and the rule of law when we cut corners ourselves?
Of course, the people being tossed in the clink are typically foreign
nationals, not American citizens. But that double standard is itself
faulty. As Prof. David Cole notes in the latest Stanford Law Review,
key
constitutional protections are guaranteed not just to citizens but to
all
"persons" subject to our laws.
The moral force of the Jeffersonian vision, after all, lies in its
embrace
of universal human rights, not simply privileges of citizenship…
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW GROUP CONDEMNS POST-9/11 ABUSES
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-10-2002/0001797700&EDATE=
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is being
issued by the International Human Rights Law Group:
The root sources of threats to national security cannot be addressed
through military or police actions, even when such responses are fully
justified. Nor will they be addressed by tightening our immigration
laws or
entrenching secret military tribunals. We live in a global society that
is
inter-related, inter-dependent and indivisible, notwithstanding
national
borders. A multitude of factors around the world threaten our security:
extreme inequality; political marginalization; social exclusion;
racism;
the chasms between industrialized and developing countries, between
rich
and poor, North and South.
Finding true and lasting solutions for these problems must be the
priority
for our national and global policies. That can be achieved only
through
strengthening systems of international human rights, conflict
resolution
and the rule of law.
LAWSUIT ALLEGES MISTREATMENT OF EGYPTIAN IN LOUISIANA FEDERAL PRISON
Doug Simpson, Associated Press, 9/10/02
An Egyptian national who was detained after the Sept. 11 attacks was
denied
access to a lawyer for two weeks, prevented from practicing his Muslim
faith and given repeated body cavity searches while in a federal prison
in
Louisiana, according to a lawsuit filed on his behalf…
The federal lawsuit, filed in Alexandria by the San Francisco-based
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, alleges that guards performed
repeated
body cavity searches on Omar, one of which was videotaped and witnessed
by
a crowd of laughing male and female government officials.
Prison officials also are accused of ridiculing Omar while he prayed
and
serving meals that contained pork without telling him, causing him to
unwittingly violate his Muslim beliefs. Guards violated his religious
freedom by refusing to tell him the time or date, which caused him to
pray
at improper times and break the traditional Ramadan fast, the suit
said.
"This type of treatment simply cannot be justified for innocent
immigrants," said Robert Rubin, one of Omar's lawyers. "To subject an
innocent immigrant like Mr. Omar to such abuse can only be explained by
a
post-9-11 desire to punish and humiliate those who we seek to blame for
the
terrorist acts..."
-----
AMERICA'S IMAGE PROBLEM IS ABOUT FACTS, NOT PUBLIC RELATIONS
Michael Moran, MSNBC, 9/9/02
http://www.msnbc.com/news/781783.asp
NEW YORK, Sept. 9 - The United States is uniquely delusional right now.
To
put it less finely: We believe our own propaganda. An attack on
Saddam's
Iraq is an anti-terrorist measure because we say it is. Our war against
drugs in Colombia is really part of the war on terrorism because we say
it
is. Ariel Sharon and Gen. Pervez Musharraf are "men of peace" because
we
say they are. The Iranians are "evil" but the Saudis are "good" because
we
say they are. The United Nations' opinion of anything we do (or the
opinion
of the U.S. Congress, for that matter) is irrelevant because we say it
is.
The problems of the world are simple: they are black and white, good
and
evil, with us or against us, dead or alive…
-----
THERE'S STILL TIME FOR AMERICANS TO STOP INSANITY
Robert Jensen, Houston Chronicle, 9/8/02
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/outlook/1564076
The evening of Sept. 11, I wrote an essay that ended with a plea that
"the
insanity stop here," that the brutal act of terrorism not spark more
terrorism, theirs or ours.
But the insanity didn't stop.
Instead, the Bush administration cynically manipulated people's grief
and
rage to unleash an unlimited war against endless enemies, which has
made
the world more dangerous and the American people less secure in any
land,
home or abroad.
A year later, it's clear the so-called "war on terrorism" is primarily
a
war to project U.S. power around the world. Its goal is to extend and
deepen U.S. control, especially in the energy-rich Middle East and
Central
Asia. Ordinary people have not benefited, and will not benefit, from
this
war or the economics that drive it…
-----
NEW POLICY DELAYS VISAS FOR SPECIFIED MUSLIM MEN
Raymond Bonner, New York Times, 9/10/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/10/international/middleeast/10VISA.html
JAKARTA, Indonesia - Under a policy quietly imposed by the Bush
administration three months ago, tens of thousands of Muslim men, from
more
than 26 countries, have not been able to get United States visas,
disrupting lives, creating diplomatic tensions and causing headaches
for
American diplomats.
The policy requires that officials in Washington approve visas for
every
male between the ages of 16 and 45 who is a native of any one of 26
countries. Most are in the Mideast, but the list also includes
Pakistan,
Malaysia and Indonesia, several diplomats said. Even if a man does not
live
in one of those countries, but he or a close relative was born in one
of
them, his visa application must be sent for approval. Before Sept. 11,
consular offices or embassies could issue most visas after a routine
check...
The delays now are interminable. One American official said there was a
backlog of least 100,000 visa applications, now being reviewed by the
F.B.I. and C.I.A.
At a time that the United States is trying to improve its image and win
friends, American diplomats say the policy is generating widespread
hostility in the very countries and population -- Muslim men -- from
which
the Bush administration most wants to gain support...
-----
LAUNCHING A 'PREVENTIVE' WAR
Trudy Rubin, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 9/10/02
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/opinion/4037894.htm
In a feat worthy of Houdini, the Bush team has transformed the Iraq
debate
into a question of the World vs. Us rather than the World vs. Him.
This is indeed mind-bending magic. Saddam Hussein is a menace, a global
outlaw whose regime is busy brewing weapons of mass destruction. How to
handle him is a serious dilemma, not some ploy to cadge votes at
midterm
elections. Yet the way the White House has handled the Saddam question
might make one think otherwise. Much of the world -- not to mention a
growing number of Americans -- already does…
If preventive war is OK for the United States, why shouldn't India
attack
Pakistan to wipe out its nuclear weapons? Why shouldn't Russia invade
neighboring Georgia, which has become a refuge for Chechen terrorists
who
cross into Georgian mountain valleys?
You get the picture. Launching a preventive war is a very big step,
with
global repercussions. It would be tantamount to telling the world that
the
United States assumes the right to attack anywhere, anytime, without
any
casus belli. Today Iraq, tomorrow Iran, next day North Korea? That is
exactly the new doctrine Bush spelled out in a West Point speech in
April…
-----
TWO FAITHS UNITE FOR HEALING
Add Seymour jr., Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 9/10/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/tuesday/metro_d3d7e8eb1020a01200ed.html
Apprehension enveloped the Rev. Bob Hudak as he walked into the home of
a
Fayette County Muslim family.
After all, it was post-Sept. 11, and the Episcopal minister didn't know
what to expect.
"I wasn't sure what I was walking into because it was right after Sept.
11," he said, "but then I had one of the most delightful evenings."
That's
the feeling he and members of Fayette's Muslim community wanted others
to
share in during an interfaith service Monday night at the Episcopal
Church
of the Nativity in Fayetteville.
With the one-year anniversary of Sept. 11 coming up Wednesday, the two
groups wanted people to come together instead of allowing perceptions
to
keep them apart.
"Out of what we've endured, give us the grace to examine our
relationships
with those who perceive us as the enemy and show our leaders the way to
use
our power to serve the good of all for the healing of the nations,"
Hudak
said in prayer to the group of 50 Christians and Muslims.
Women with their elegant hijabs surrounding their faces sat in front of
others dressed in red, white and blue Tommy Hilfiger shirts.
Golden-toned
Muslim men prayed next to older, white, Christian men.
The only time they were apart was when Muslims knelt together and said
salah, their evening prayer, while Christians sang a Latin prayer,
which
meant "Give us peace," from the other side of the room…
SEE ALSO:
ANXIETY LESSENS FOR MUSLIMS IN MINNESOTA
Hannah Allam, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 9/10/02
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/4039089.htm
It's been a year since misguided revenge-seekers taunted Muslims and
Arabs
with "Terrorist!" and "Go home!" on Twin Cities streets.
And a year since dozens of Minnesotans offered kind words along with
the
eggs they picked up while grocery shopping for neighbors who were
afraid to
leave their homes.
Now, the backlash has subsided and the self-imposed exile is over. But
many
of the estimated 80,000 Muslims and Arabs who live in Minnesota say
life
isn't the same after the Sept. 11 attacks. The newly arrived and the
longtime residents, the devout and the non-religious all have stories
to
tell about the subtle ways last year's attacks forced them to rethink
their
lives and find a comfort zone somewhere between the Middle East and the
Midwest.
Hend Al-Mansour, a Saudi-born St. Paul resident, sees conflicting
identities emerge in her artwork. Samy Youssef hangs a cross in his
Stillwater cafe to make sure customers know he's Christian. Mohamed
Ziadi
still cringes as he waits for his name to be called in the crowded
waiting
room at the doctor's office…
-----
FOSTERING A DEMOCRATIC ISLAM
Karen Armstrong, Washington Post, 9/10/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59586-2002Sep9.html
Most fundamentalists do not take part in acts of terror but simply want
to
see their faith reflected more clearly in public life. Nevertheless, it
is
crucial that the United States, as the sole superpower, work to create
the
conditions that will enable this religious resurgence to remain
healthy,
and recognize that an ill-considered political policy is likely to
trigger
a rogue religious response in the Islamic world.
The bedrock message of the Koran is that Muslims must build a just and
decent society, in which poor and vulnerable people are treated with
respect. Hence politics has always had near-sacramental importance in
Islam. If Muslims see their community humiliated by a foreign power or
corrupted by a tyrannical regime, they can feel as religiously
distressed
as a Christian who sees the Bible traduced.
Yet it is also essential that the United States dissociate itself from
its
own Christian fundamentalists, who in recent months have described
Islam as
"wicked" and "evil," creating a climate of hatred that we simply cannot
afford. If, in the event of another attack, a backlash against Arab
Americans were to occur, extremism would run rife in the Islamic world.
Further, American Muslims could provide a much-needed bridge between
East
and West, and many are eager to fulfill this role. They regard the
freedom
they enjoy in the United States as an ideal environment for true
religion.
Americans should support Muslim initiatives to build a spiritually and
intellectually vibrant American Islam, which could counter extremism at
home and abroad…
Karen Armstrong has written extensively on religion and is the author
of
"The Battle for God," a history of fundamentalism.
-----
DEVOTED TO BOTH ISLAM, AMERICA
Arsalan Tariq Iftikhar, Baltimore Sun, 9/10/02
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.muslim10sep10.story
I am a Muslim. I believe in the monotheistic deity of Abraham and
revere
prophets such as Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon
them
all) as true messengers of God. Much of the only solace I ever acquire
is
when I prostrate my head in the direction of Mecca every day. As part
of
religious mandate, I donate money to the poor and abstain from food and
drink during the daylight hours of the blessed month of Ramadan…
I am an American. I grew up in Chicago while the Huxtable children were
growing up, at the same time, on my television. I have seen my beloved
Boston Celtics play in the original Boston Garden and dreamed of
playing
wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills. I have interned for two U.S.
senators,
one of whom now serves as this country's attorney general. As I finish
my
final year of law school at one of this country's finest institutions,
I
wonder how any rational human being could think that I was anything but
American...
As a part of the next generation of Muslims in America, I vow to
continue
to be an asset to my faith and my country. I will graduate from law
school
and continue the constant struggle to better humanity. Regardless of
whether or not I am welcome in your home, you are welcome in mine. My
home
is America.
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/11/2002
HEADLINES:
* CAIR LIBRARY PROJECT UPDATE
* MUSLIMS MARK 9/11 WITH NATIONWIDE AD CAMPAIGN
* MUSLIM SUPPORTERS RALLY AROUND OREGON SHEIK (AP)
* WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN AND TO BE A MUSLIM (Atlanta Journal)
- THE BURDEN ON US MUSLIMS (Boston Herald)
- TERROR LEFT SOME AMERICANS TOO SCARED EVEN TO SPEAK (Oregonian)
- BBC SPECIAL FOCUSES AMERICAN MUSLIM EXPERIENCE POST 9/11
- US MUSLIMS FIND A VOICE (BBC)
- EDITORIAL: I HAVE FAITH IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE (Pittsburgh Post
Gazette)
- FINDING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS (Miami Herald)
- THE RELIGION BUBBLE (Wall Street Journal)
- GOING BY 'JOE,' NOT 'YUSSEF,' (New York Times)
- MUSLIMS FACE A DICHOTOMY OF ATTENTION (Sun Sentinel)
- FOR SOME, THE FEAR PERSISTS (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
* ONE YEAR ON: A VIEW FROM THE MIDDLE EAST (Independent)
* PRESIDENT REITERATES MESSAGE ON ISLAM (Washington Post)
* OVERTHROWING SADDAM 'JUST THE FIRST STEP' (Sydney Morning Herald)
* SECRET APPELLATE COURT MEETS (AP)
-----
CAIR LIBRARY PROJECT UPDATE
CAIR's Library Project has already received more than 160 sponsorships
for
book and tape packages on Islam to be placed in libraries across the
country. Take part in this first-of-its-kind campaign by sponsoring an
18-item "library package."
GO TO: www.libraryproject.org
-----
MUSLIMS MARK 9/11 WITH NATIONWIDE AD CAMPAIGN
The following advertisement appeared in the New York Times, the
Washington
Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register, and USA Today:
"O you who believe! Stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to Justice,
and
let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart
from Justice. Be just: that is next to piety." The Quran, Surah 5: Ayah
8
Muslim Americans remember the tragic events of September 11 with an
abiding
sense of sorrow and, as people of faith, join the rest of the nation in
prayers for all the victims and their families.
We continue to unequivocally condemn all forms of terrorism and resolve
to
support the defense of our nation against those that threaten our
homeland,
our freedoms and our democratic way of life.
As Muslims, we remain dedicated to the ideals of tolerance, justice and
peace.
God Bless America
Sponsored by:
All Dulles Area Muslim Society, Washington DC
American Muslim Council
Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America
Association of Pakistani Professionals
Council on American-Islamic Relations
Federation of Association of Pakistani Americans of New York
Islamic Center of Greater Toledo
Islamic Center of Long Island
Islamic Center of Saginaw Michigan
Islamic Center of Southern California
Islamic Center of Westchester New York
Islamic Circle of North American
Islamic Institute of Orange County
Islamic Foundation of Orange County
Islamic Medical Association of North America
Islamic Society of Akron and Kent, Ohio
Islamic Society of Appalachian Region
Islamic Society of North America
Islamic Society of Orange County
Jamaica Muslim Center, New York
Makki Masjid, New York
Masjid Saad Foundation, Toledo, Ohio
Muslim American Community of New Orleans
Muslim American Society
Muslim Center of Flushing New York
Muslim Physicians of Greater Detroit
Muslim Public Affairs Council
Pakistani American Congress
Southern Maryland Islamic Center
Akram Choudhry
Raana and Waheed Akbar
For more information, please visit:
Day of Unity-http://www.cair-net.org/dayofunity/
Muslim Public Affairs Council-http://mpac.org
Islamic Society of North America-http://isna.org
Islamic Circle of North America-http://icna.org
Muslim American Society-http://masnet.org
Or call 202-488-8787
-----
MUSLIM SUPPORTERS RALLY AROUND OREGON SHEIK
GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press, 9/11/02
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Nearly 200 people from mosques in the Northwest
gathered at a courthouse to show support for an Islamic leader who was
arrested and charged with document fraud.
Sheik Mohamed Abdirahman Kariye was ordered held without bail at a
detention hearing Tuesday, the same day federal agents searched his
apartment.
Only 25 people were allowed into the hearing, while the rest crowded
the
hall and the courthouse steps. Kariye, who was arrested Sunday, serves
as
an imam, or prayer leader, at the Islamic Center of Portland-Masjed
As-Saber.
"If it can happen to him, nobody is safe. He was our leader," said
Musse
Olol, who has known Kariye for 18 years. "The stress of worrying about
who
is watching you is like having a magnifying glass on you."
Kariye is accused of using false information - including a changed name
-
while applying for and receiving three different Social Security cards
between 1983 and 1995. The federal indictment also alleges Kariye used
an
altered birth date in a 1998 asylum application.
He has pleaded innocent to felony charges of unlawful use of a Social
Security number and unlawful possession of a U.S. government document.
A
trial is scheduled for Nov. 5.
FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele wouldn't disclose details of the
search of
Kariye's apartment.
Kariye, 41, was arrested at Portland International Airport as he tried
to
board a flight en route to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with his
brother
and four children…
-----
A YEAR LATER, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN AND TO BE A MUSLIM
Nadirah Z. Sabir, Atlanta Journal Constitution, 9/11/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/opinion/sabir/
"There are more American Muslims than there are American Episcopalians,
Jews or Presbyterians," writes the religious scholar Diana Eck.
Nonetheless, Sept. 11 changed how some Americans think about Muslims.
It
also challenged how Muslims in America see themselves.
A year later, many reject the spiked yoke of collective blame and
explore
and assert a centuries old heritage in America. This weekly six-part
series
explores the state of Muslims in America, one year later. During the
past
year, some Muslims have drifted away from openly practicing their
religion,
frightened by new stigmas and scrutiny. Some have fled the country.
Others
are seriously considering it, citing a lessening quality of life and
incidents of biases that are uncomfortable reminders of places they
abandoned…
SEE ALSO:
THE BURDEN ON US MUSLIMS
Azizah Al-Hibri, Boston Herald, 9/11/2002
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/254/oped/The_burden_on_US_Muslims+.shtml
THE RIPPLE effects of the attacks on the United States a year ago
continue
to unfold. At first there was the enormous loss of life, the malicious
destruction of American symbols, and the somber and grief-stricken
nation
huddling together in unity, defiance, and anticipation.
At the Washington National Cathedral, President Bush invited an imam to
join him in the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance. In many
American
cities, non-Muslims protected neighboring mosques from the wrath of the
misguided. They instinctively understood that we were all in this
together
and that Muslims were victimized by the attacks alongside their
compatriots. After all, missiles do not inquire about one's religion.
A year later, consequences continue to build up. Those in charge of our
safety inform us that another attack will surely occur, and when it
does it
will be another horrific one. We feel helpless, angry, and exposed. Yet
we
go to work every day trying to rebuild the pension nest egg we lost
because
some corrupt executives cheated the nation out of its delicate
recovery. We
continue to act as if tomorrow will be just another day.
It is getting harder for Muslims to act that way. Unlike their
compatriots,
they have had to bear multiple burdens. They suffered human losses and
will
again. They suffered from growing suspicion about ''sleeper cells'' in
their midst. They suffered government raids on their homes and their
educational and charitable institutions. There were secret detentions,
profiling, and secret evidence used against many of them; devices that
stretched our constitutional limits to accommodate urgent security
concerns…
Azizah al-Hibri is a professor of law at University of Richmond and
executive director of Karamah: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights.
---
TERROR LEFT SOME AMERICANS TOO SCARED EVEN TO SPEAK
Diana Abu-Jaber, Oregonian, 9/11/02
http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/editorial/103165891310590.xml
When my cousin calls me, he wants to speak in "code." It's nothing new.
Since Sept. 11, a number of my Jordanian American relatives have been
skittish, wondering whether it's all right to speak their language in
public, to let their children play outdoors, to eat Arabic foods, to
feel
nostalgia, to love America and their homelands at the same time.
What has astonished me about this year is the way reactions to the
dreadful
events have resulted in such a vicious backlash against the Arab
American
and other minority communities.
I know some people believe in a sort of cosmic balance sheet -- that
one
injury must result in another -- a grim, boundless approach to the
notion
of justice. I believe every injury rebounds, in some way, to the person
who
inflicted it.
Add to the sum of darkness in the world, and that darkness will grow
within
ourselves. The principle of karma might not save us from terrorists,
but
while we're engaged in a supposedly "just war" on terrorism, I wonder
what
will save us from ourselves.
My cousin speaks in his "code" because he's become so frightened by our
government's incursions on civil rights. He's become convinced they're
listening to the conversations of all Arabs in the United States,
following
them in the streets, eager for an excuse to deport or imprison them. My
cousin, of course, doesn't actually have a code. He's lived happily and
peaceably in this nation for more than 20 years and works as a delivery
driver.
So how does he speak in code? Simply by speaking so circuitously that
no
one -- including the person he's talking to -- could ever figure out
what
he's saying.
And what does he talk about in this code? About going to the market,
about
his daughter's soccer practice, about the last movie he saw. He loved
movies -- before he became too frightened to go out -- because "the
good
guys" always win. But we never discuss how you figure out exactly who
the
good guys are. Diana Abu-Jaber's latest novel, "Crescent," will be
published in April. She is Writer-in-Residence at Portland State
University.
---
BBC SPECIAL FOCUSES AMERICAN MUSLIM EXPERIENCE POST 9/11
A recent survey by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
suggests 57 percent of American Muslims have experienced bias or
discrimination since the terrorist attacks.
Further, 87 percent of those who took part say they know of a fellow
Muslim
who experienced discrimination.
Barney Choudhury has been to Cleveland, Ohio - an attack on the mosque
there recently caused $350,000 of damage - to talk to American Muslims
about the past year.
The programme obtains a unique insight into the investigations of
America's
Muslims by the FBI in the weeks following the terrorist attacks in New
York
and Washington on September 11 last year, using extracts from a tape,
given
exclusively to the BBC, of FBI agents questioning a leading Muslim
activist
on the grounds that he has a licence to fly private and commercial
planes.
TO LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM, GO TO:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/analysis.shtml
SEE ALSO:
US MUSLIMS FIND A VOICE
Barnie Choudhury, BBC, 9/11/02
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2250879.stm
"11 September was a wake up call to all Muslim-Americans. We need to
get
out there and get involved."
Arsalan Iftikhar is having dinner in one of the Turkish restaurants in
Columbus with his colleagues from the Council on American-Islamic
Relations
(CAIR). They have just returned from a successful convention in the
nation's capital, Washington. Thirty thousand Muslims discussing their
futures post "Nine-Eleven" over the Labor Day weekend. Politics was the
hottest topic of conversation.
Arsalan Iftikhar: 'Muslims need to get involved in civic activities'
During
the last Presidential elections CAIR says Muslims flexed their
political
muscles for the first time. There was a block vote for George W Bush
because Muslims believed they shared many of the core Republican
values.
But in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks many Muslims felt let
down by
their president and the Republican party…
As she shows me around the new $650,000 extension a question pops into
my
mind. Surely by being a separate religious school non-Muslim Americans
will
never get the chance to mix with Muslim children. Sister Leah has her
answer.
"We have soccer teams and they play against other schools. We have
children
who are on youth camp with other cities. They are being raised in an
American system. This is an American school but an Islamic one." That
integration and reaching out has now been formalised across America…
---
I HAVE FAITH IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Nadeem Iqbal, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/11/2002
http://www.post-gazette.com/forum/comm/20020911ednad11p5.asp
I was deeply saddened when I found out that the people who had
committed
this atrocity claimed to have done it in the name of Islam. The attacks
were of course condemned by all major American Muslim organizations.
For
the record, there is nothing in the Quran or any of the laws of Islam
that
justifies the killing of innocent civilians. Nothing!
This has been a difficult year for the American Muslim community. We
grieved with our fellow Americans at the senseless loss of thousands of
lives; yet, at the same time, we found ourselves the victims of vicious
attacks in the media as well as hate crimes and discrimination in the
workplace and by the authorities.
My long-term outlook, however, is optimistic. Eventually, I have faith
that
the American people will come to understand that these attacks were
carried
out by a few misguided individuals who completely distorted the
teachings
of Islam. A recent poll conducted by the Council on American-Islamic
Relations found that 79 percent of American Muslims reported
experiencing
kindness and support from friends, colleagues and communities of other
faiths.
I have faith in the American people, but I'm not so sure about the
government. Some of the actions of the Bush administration and the
Justice
Department suggest that they have never heard of the Constitution. For
example, they have indefinitely detained American citizens and
designated
them enemy combatants, without charging them with a crime and denying
them
access to legal counsel. These may well be very bad people, but they
still
have a constitutional right to have their day in court...
As an American Muslim, I am proud to say that I am as free to practice
my
religion here as anywhere in the world. That is a testament to the
greatness of this country and the principles of justice and freedom of
religion and speech for which it stands. We must honor the victims of
Sept.
11, and bring all of the perpetrators to justice, but we must never
waver
from the principles on which our great nation was built.
Nadeem Iqbal, M.D., is president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the
American
Muslim Council (niqbal@connecttime.net).
---
FINDING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
Donna Gehrke-White, Miami Herald, 9/11/2002
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/4048852.htm
The attacks have led to an intellectual curiosity about the differences
between Western and Islamic faith.
Bible and Qu'ran sales have soared. In the current fall semester, the
University of Miami has turned away students from ''Introduction to
Religion 101.'' Both classes were booked full at 268 students apiece,
says
Stephen Sapp, chairman of UM's religious studies department.
Given the heightened interest in their faith, many in South Florida's
Muslim community have rethought some aspects of their religion.
"Sept. 11 was a wake-up call for Muslims to become more involved, to
interact with people from different faiths," said Altaf Ali, executive
director of the Florida chapter of the Council of American-Islamic
Relations.
Americans are learning that "Islam is not just about harems, horses,
swords, turbans and the desert. Islam is about peace, understanding and
accommodation," said Mohammad Javed, a Muslim peace activist in South
Florida.
Attendance has been up at mosques throughout Florida, Ali said. And
while
attendance at churches and synagogues has dropped back since the
post-Sept.
11 highs, most Americans consider themselves religious...
---
THE RELIGION BUBBLE
Katy McLaughlin, Wall Street Journal, 9/11/02
SEPT. 11 IS OFTEN CALLED a day that changed everything. But when it
comes
to how Americans practice religion, it didn't change much of anything.
Despite a brief surge -- churches, synagogues and other spiritual
centers
were packed with 25% more people immediately after last Sept. 11 --
attendance subsided within weeks...
And some Islamic communities have experienced the opposite trajectory.
Immediately after Sept. 11, attendance at the Islamic Society of San
Diego
mosque plunged about 50% for nearly a month. Spokesman Omaran Abdeen
says
that several hate crimes, including a bomb scare and graffiti on the
mosque, scared away congregants. But after about a month, attendance
returned to normal, and throughout the year it has steadily climbed
about 20%.
"The Muslim community had a common negative experience, and that always
brings people together," says Mr. Abdeen. Adds Hodan Hassan, a
spokeswoman
for the Council on American-Islamic Relations: "Anecdotally, I can tell
you
that attendance is up at mosques around the country…"
---
GOING BY 'JOE,' NOT 'YUSSEF,' BUT STILL FEELING LIKE AN OUTCAST
Jodi Wilgoren, New York Times, 9/11/2002
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/11/nationchallenged/11ARAB.html
DEARBORN, Mich. -- For the men of the Wednesday Club, as for many in
the
nation's growing Arab and Muslim communities, this has been the year
the
American dream descended into nightmare. What began as a backlash of
hate
crimes immediately after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has stretched
through months of suspicion and losing friends. Domestic and foreign
policies, especially on
Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel and particularly those about civil
liberties,
have exacerbated feelings of alienation.
"It's like abuse," said Nazih Saad, 41, an engineering consultant. "In
a
bad marriage, if a husband abuses the wife, she starts to feel she
deserves
the beating. That's the same thing, you start to feel there must be
something horrible about being Arab."
Here in Dearborn, a Detroit suburb where a third of the 100,000
residents
are of Middle Eastern descent, the largest concentration of
Arab-Muslims in
the country, the scars are evident.
With 750 Middle Eastern immigrants having been detained without
explanation, and at least twice that number interviewed at random by
the
authorities, many here find themselves wondering who is listening in on
their phone lines, and whether they might be the next to be named an
enemy
combatant.
"After Sept. 11, we worried about being targeted, being suspected,"
said
Hassan Jaber, deputy director of the Arab Community Center for Economic
and
Social Services, known as Access. "A year has made it clear that
Arab-Americans are the targets, Muslim-Americans are the targets."
Complaints to the Council on American-Islamic Relations -- from verbal
abuse to violence, job loss to denial of access to public facilities --
increased threefold this year, to 1,516. This summer, nearly half the
945
Muslims that the group surveyed said their lives had deteriorated over
the
last year...
---
MUSLIMS FACE A DICHOTOMY OF ATTENTION
James Davis, Sun-Sentinel, 9/11/02
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/search/sfl-fervorsidesep11.story
American Muslims have felt the double effect of 9/11 especially keenly.
On one hand, Americans have learned more about the religion than ever.
As
media coverage has stepped up, Muslim leaders have found their speaking
schedules full, and their supplies of Islamic books emptying with the
sudden thirst for knowledge. Although stats haven't been tallied, there
are
numerous reports of conversions to Islam as a result of media exposure
to
the faith. But Darul Uloom mosque in Pembroke Pines reports a dozen
conversions during the past year. And the Islamic Center in Pompano
Beach
ran out of pamphlets and Qurans in two months.
On the other hand, Muslims have been targets of hate and suspicion as
never
before. Leaders have logged a rise in anti-Islamic violence, insults
and
vandalisms. In one case, a construction company owner was accused last
week
of setting fire to a mosque sign in Boca Raton. It was one of more than
1,700 incidents nationwide, including Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and
Tallahassee.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations found the dualism in a poll
of
945 Muslim families last month. Half of the respondents reported some
kind
of hostility in the past year -- a slur, denial of a job, detainment at
an
airport, or a physical attack. But more than three-fourths of them also
reported kindness and support from other Americans.
"Since 9/11, America is pausing to reassess its relationship with
Islam,"
says Zulfiqar Ali Shah, president of the Islamic Council of North
America.
"But the positive sentiments are far more than the negative…"
CAIR last week announced a campaign to have local Muslim groups donate
Islamic books and videos to 16,000 public libraries. (SEE:
www.libraryproject.org) "Demand for materials has skyrocketed,"
spokesman
Ibrahim Hooper says. "And everyone I talk to say they can't keep up
with
speaking engagements."
Shah says Muslims are still afraid of a backlash as the 9/11 images are
replayed this week. At the same time, he says, they see the bashing has
not
been accepted in the community at large.
"The majority of Americans are kind and fair-minded," he says. "Once
they
know something is right and true, they will stand for it."
---
FOR SOME, THE FEAR PERSISTS
Vanessa Ho and Daikha Dridi, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/11/02
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/86485_islam11.shtml
A petite woman with a warm smile, Marlina Soerakoesoemah doesn't get
defensive when someone asks a silly question like, "Do you take a bath
with
the scarf on?"
Since Sept. 11, her gregarious way has helped her navigate a strange
new
world, and to work harder to educate others about her Muslim faith. She
began volunteering in her son's school. She helped organize a community
festival about Islam. She makes sure she smiles and sets a good example
when strangers stare at her hijab, which cloaks her head, neck and
ears...
"Even though I'm an optimistic person, I have to be careful in what I
do,"
she said from her Redmond town house, where she works as creative
director
of Azizah, a national Muslim magazine.
"I don't know what the temperature is out there," she said. "You still
hear
horrible stories about people being profiled and harassed..."
Many in Seattle's Muslim and Arab communities said their fear arises
not so
much from their neighbors or employers, but from the government's war
on
terrorism, with its secretive dragnets and surveillance of religious
institutions.
"FBI agents visit them at home, ask questions, listen to their
answering
machines, ask information about their family, their friends," Jayapal
said,
adding that many feel the government is taking advantage of the climate
of
fear to pressure innocent people...
-----
ONE YEAR ON: A VIEW FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
Robert Fisk, Independent, 9/11/02
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=332182
September 11 did not change the world. Indeed, for months afterwards,
no
one was allowed even to question the motives of the mass murderers. To
point out that they were all Arabs and Muslims was fair enough. But any
attempt to connect these facts to the region they came from - the
Middle
East - was treated as a form of subversion; because, of course, to look
too
closely at the Middle East would raise disturbing questions about the
region, about our Western policies in those tragic lands, and about
America's relationship with Israel…
I have to say that I have yet to meet a Muslim who has expressed
anything
but horror about September 11. But I have yet to meet a Muslim who said
they were surprised…
And in a part of the world so steeped in blood, it was perhaps
understandable that both the intellectual and the public response to
September 11 was somewhat less emotional than in the rest of the
planet.
For example, if you talk to a Palestinian in Lebanon about the
September
massacre, he will assume you are referring to the slaughter, at the
hands
of Israel's militia allies, of 1,700 Palestinians in Beirut in
September of
1982. Just as Chileans, when hearing the phrase "September 11" - as
that
fine Jewish writer Ariel Dorfman pointed out - will think of 11
September
1973, when an American-supported coup d'état led to the overthrow of
the
Allende government and the deaths of thousands of Chileans. Talk to
Syrians
about a massacre and they will think first of all - though they will
not
say the words - of the killing of up to 20,000 Syrians in the Islamist
uprising at Hama…
-----
PRESIDENT REITERATES MESSAGE ON ISLAM
Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 9/11/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64510-2002Sep10.html
President Bush exchanged warm words with the leaders of Muslim
countries
yesterday, using the eve of the Sept. 11 anniversary to emphasize
common
cause before the United States makes its case for a potentially
divisive
confrontation with Iraq…
Bush, visiting the Afghan Embassy in Washington, urged Americans to
avoid
bigotry against Muslims, echoing themes he first spoke in the days
after
last year's terrorist attacks. "Islam is a faith that brings comfort to
a
billion people around the world," he said at the embassy, after meeting
with the ambassador and U.S. Muslim leaders. "It's a faith that has
made
brothers and sisters of every race. It's a faith based upon love, not
hate…"
-----
OVERTHROWING SADDAM 'JUST THE FIRST STEP'
Sydney Morning Herald, 9/11/02
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/11/1031608248668.html
As the Bush Administration debates going to war against Iraq, its most
hawkish members are pushing a vision for the Middle East that sees the
overthrow of President Saddam Hussein as merely a first step in the
region's transformation...
Iraq, they argue, is just the first piece of the puzzle. After ousting
Saddam the US will have more leverage to act against Syria and Iran, be
in
a better position to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and rely
less on Saudi oil. Although the thinking does not represent official US
policy, it has increasingly served as a justification for a military
attack
against Iraq, and elements of the strategy have emerged in speeches by
US
officials, particularly the Vice-President, Dick Cheney…
-----
SECRET APPELLATE COURT MEETS
Jesse J. Holland, Associated Press, 9/10/02
WASHINGTON - A secret appellate court has met for the first time in its
24-year history to consider a request from the Justice Department for
more
power to wiretap suspected terrorists and spies, according to
department
officials.
The appeals court, the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Court of Review, convened in a high-security room at the Justice
Department
in Washington Monday and made no announcement of whether it had made a
decision.
But senators immediately asked the court to publicly release its
decision
and the arguments Justice Department lawyers made in front of it, so
lawmakers can know how government prosecutors are using the changes to
the
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act granted after the
Sept. 11 attacks last year.
"We need to know how this law is being interpreted and applied," Senate
Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. said Tuesday. No answer had
been
received from the Monday request, Senate officials said.
The appeal stems from a decision from the main court that assesses the
legitimacy of Justice Department and FBI requests to spy on people
suspected of foreign espionage inside U.S. borders.
Civil liberties groups denounced the secret nature of the court.
"Hearing a one-sided argument and doing so in secret goes against the
traditions of fairness and open government that have been the hallmark
of
our democracy," said Ann Beeson, a litigation director at the American
Civil Liberties Union…
-----
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-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
AMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 9/12/2002
HEADLINES:
* MUSLIMS CAUTION AGAINST UNILATERAL ACTION ON IRAQ
* ANN COULTER SAYS ONLY ONE ANTI-MUSLIM HATE CRIME SINCE 9/11
(WorldNetDaily)
- BROTHERS PLEA GUILTY TO HATE-CRIME ASSAULT (Justice Department)
- HATE CRIMES BORN OUT OF TRAGEDY ADDED VICTIMS (USA Today)
- TWO MUSLIMS ARRESTED ON SEPT.11 LAST YEAR SUE SHERIFF (AP)
* SILENCE ABOUT SECRECY (Washington Post)
- REPORT OUTLINES CHANGES IN U.S. CIVIL LIBERTIES SINCE SEPTEMBER 11
- EDITORIAL: JUSTICE IN THE SHADOWS (New York Times)
- DEPARTING RIGHTS COMMISSIONER FAULTS U.S. (New York Times)
- OUR FREEDOMS ARE UNDER ATTACK, TOO (San Jose Mercury News)
* 'SAME SENSE OF GRIEF' SHARED BY MUSLIMS (Washington Times)
- SHAME CAST ON FAITH STILL SADDENS MANY (Atlanta Journal
Constitution)
- HOW AMERICA PRAYS (Christian Science Monitor)
- LIFE RETURNS TO NORMAL FOR MUSLIM STUDENTS (Washington Post)
- MUSLIMS JOIN CHRISTIANS IN COMMON GOAL (Chicago Tribune)
* LONG BEACH CHURCH SIGN CALLED OFFENSIVE (AP)
* DON'T SHACKLE US TO 9/11 (Toronto Globe and Mail)
* IN MANY NATIONS, SYMPATHY HAS TURNED INTO HOSTILITY (Chicago Tribune)
-----
CAIR LIBRARY PROJECT
Take part in this first-of-its-kind campaign by sponsoring an 18-item
"library package,"
GO TO: www.libraryproject.org
-----
MUSLIMS CAUTION AGAINST UNILATERAL ACTION ON IRAQ
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/12/02) - A national Islamic advocacy group today
cautioned against unilateral American action against Iraq and said
weapons
of mass destruction must be dealt with on a regional basis. The Council
on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic civil
rights
and advocacy group, made that statement in reaction to President Bush's
speech this morning on Iraq before the United Nations General Assembly.
After welcoming both the president's willingness to work with the
United
Nations and his announcement that the United States would rejoin the
U.N.
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after a
17-year
absence, the CAIR statement read in part:
"Nuclear, chemical and biological weapons constitute a serious threat
to
humanity. The possible use of such weapons by Iraq is of great concern
to
Americans and to the people of the Middle East. This important issue
should
be dealt with through the United Nations Security Council, not through
unilateral action by the United States.
"Any American attack on Iraq would almost certainly lead to the death
of
many innocent civilians, further destabilize an already unstable
region,
harm the war on terrorism, and set a dangerous precedent for unilateral
intervention in the affairs of other nations. An invasion of Iraq,
without
a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing military action, will
fuel
anti-American sentiment and will thereby harm our nation's image and
interests in areas outside the Middle East.
"Instead of pursuing a costly interventionist policy that will result
in
many unintended consequences, the United States should focus on steps
that
strengthen international law and treaties, such as supporting a return
of
weapons inspectors, lifting non-military sanctions and pursuing
coordinated
actions through the United Nations Security Council.
"We must also focus on a just resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict and on the threat posed by the weapons of mass destruction
possessed by Israel, a state that also remains in violation of numerous
U.N. resolutions. Having one set of standards for nations like Iraq,
and
another for Israel, undermines America's credibility in the region and
throughout the Muslim world.
"We agree with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan who said today that he
is
opposed to unilateral American action against Iraq. Annan said: 'When
states decide to use force to deal with broader threats to
international
peace and security, there is no substitute for the unique legitimacy
provided by the United Nations.'"
- END -
CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-MAIL:
cair@cair-net.org; Ms. Hodan Hassan, 202-488-8787 or 703-861-7294,
E-MAIL:
hhassan@cair-net.org
-----
ANN COULTER SAYS ONLY ONE ANTI-MUSLIM HATE CRIME SINCE 9/11
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28913
"The only backlash by actual Americans [against Muslims]…consists of
precisely one confirmed hate crime. Some nut in Arizona murdered a Sikh
thinking he was a Muslim. Current hate crime tally: Muslims: 3,000 (and
counting); White Guys: 1…"
SEE ALSO:
BROTHERS PLEA GUILTY TO HATE-CRIME ASSAULT
Justice Department new release, 9/11/02
For immediate release:
Harry S. Mattice, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District
of
Tennessee, and Ralph F. Boyd Jr., Assistant Attorney General for the
Civil
Rights Division, announced that brothers JASON BRANDON KITTS (age 21)
and
TRAVIS LYNN KITTS (age 23), pleaded guilty today to committing a
federal
hate crime on September 24, 2001, in Alcoa, Tennessee, against a man
they
believed to be of Arab decent.
The Kitts brothers admitted that they physically assaulted and injured
the
victim because he appeared to be Middle Eastern-looking and was working
as
an employee of the Pine Trace Inn on Alcoa Highway. The brothers said
that
at the time of the assault they were angry at Arabs because of the
terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., which had
occurred
two weeks earlier on September 11, 2001…
This case is one of eleven federal prosecutions initiated nationwide
since
the events of September 11 involving threats or acts of violence
against
persons who are, or perceived to be, Arab or Muslim. The United States
Department of Justice also has been coordinating with state and local
authorities, who have initiated over 70 prosecutions of such incidents
under state statutes...
For details on the Justice Department's National Origin Working Group
and
other federal prosecutions of discriminatory backlash cases, please
contact
Casey Stavropoulos of the Justice Department's Public Affairs office at
(202)514-2008.
HATE CRIMES BORN OUT OF TRAGEDY ADDED VICTIMS
John Ritter, USA Today, 9/12/02
http://www.usatoday.com/news/sept11/2002-09-11-mesa_x.htm
It is a tableau played out in other cities that suffered violence and
ethnic hostility after the attacks. As many as 18 other slayings are
being
investigated as possible hate crimes linked to Sept. 11, says the
Campaign
for Collateral Compassion, a group based in the Chicago area that
tracks
the cases. They include an Egyptian grocer in San Gabriel, Calif.; a
Pakistani grocer in Dallas; a Palestinian-American in south Los
Angeles;
and a Sikh gas station owner in New Haven, Conn.
Last month, the Council on American-Islamic Relations reported 2,042
hate
incidents against Muslims since Sept. 11. Those were mostly taunts,
beatings and assaults on mosques and businesses…
TWO MUSLIMS ARRESTED ON SEPT.11 LAST YEAR SUE SHERIFF
Associated Press, 9/12/02
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A Muslim man and teenager who were stopped and jailed
the
night of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks last year have sued Belmont
County
Sheriff Tom McCort and six deputies.
The suit seeking unspecified damages was filed in U.S. District Court
in
Columbus on Tuesday by Yusuf Alim and Muhammad Levette, 15, both of
Baltimore, Md. They claimed their civil rights were violated when they
were
arrested at gunpoint and jailed for eight days.
Also arrested was the teen's mother, Jamilah Ali.
Deputies pulled over the car driven by Alim on U.S. 40 near St.
Clairsville, about 115 miles east of Columbus, after receiving a 911
call
from a service station where the trio had stopped. Patrons were
concerned
about three people wearing Muslim clothing with their faces concealed.
A judge later ruled the traffic stop was illegal because deputies had
no
reason to pull over the car. Charges of falsification, driving under
suspension and failure to wear a seat belt were dismissed against Alim.
Ali, who allegedly struggled and threatened to kill deputies, was
convicted
on Aug. 28 in Belmont County Court of aggravated menacing.
Ali was sentenced to the eight days she spent in the Belmont County
jail,
with the rest of a 180-day sentence suspended. She is expected to
appeal
with the help of the Council on American-Islamic Relations…
-----
EDITORIAL: SILENCE ABOUT SECRECY
Mary McGrory, Washington Post, 9/12/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6042-2002Sep11.html
George Bush has not gone as far as Lincoln, yet. But a report from the
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights tells us of the liberties he has
taken
with our civil liberties since the war on terrorism began. The report
is
depressing reading. Attorney General John Ashcroft led the charge to
ring
down the curtain of secrecy on the unfortunate immigrants who made the
authorities suspicious. The roundups, isolation and secret hearings
held on
these cases are rather conspicuous constitutional violations, but
Ashcroft
is adamant and reproaches federal judges who protest…
The Lawyers Committee report also makes the point that our practices
are
encouraging scoundrel governments everywhere to claim they are being
harassed by terrorists, when in fact they are putting down richly
deserved
popular uprisings.
All this makes for somber reading at a moment when the president is
trying
to start a war with Iraq. Try as they have, the cakewalk corps that
surrounds Bush cannot connect dots between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin
Laden, who is still wanted dead or alive.
The president aims to ram a resolution through Congress to authorize
war on
Iraq before the election. Democrats are scared stiff. If they refuse,
they
will be accused of failing to recognize a crisis; if they go along,
they
will pass a new version of the Vietnam War's calamitous Gulf of Tonkin
resolution. They have hardly said a word about curtailment of civil
liberties. They don't dare open their mouths and say to a popular
president, "Are you crazy? Isn't one war enough for you? Couldn't you
just
pretend to be evenhanded with the Israeli-Palestine question? Loathing
of
Arafat and affection for Sharon isn't exactly a policy. And if you
tried to
be fair, you would lower the world's temperature by 50 percent…"
SEE ALSO:
REPORT OUTLINES CHANGES IN U.S. CIVIL LIBERTIES SINCE SEPTEMBER 11
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, 9/11/02
NEW YORK - Since September 11, 2001, the U.S. government has introduced
a
series of security laws and practices that contradict the core values
and
principles on which the American government is founded, says a new
report
released today by the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights…
To view the Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights report, "A Year of
Loss" go to:
http://www.lchr.org/aftersept/loss/report.htm
EDITORIAL: JUSTICE IN THE SHADOWS
New York Times, 9/12/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/12/opinion/12THU2.html
In a dark moment for the American legal system, a federal appeals court
met
behind closed doors earlier this week to hear the Justice Department
argue
for increased power to wiretap suspected spies and terrorists. The
United
States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, a special
panel
established to oversee such wiretaps, violated two cherished principles
of
American judicial process: it met in secret, and it allowed only one
side
in a controversy to be heard…
Members of the Senate, including the Judiciary Committee chairman,
Patrick
Leahy, have asked the court to release the arguments made by the
Justice
Department, and any decision it reaches. These documents can be
abridged,
so no sensitive information is compromised, but they must be released.
And
in the future the court should hold arguments in the open, and invite
other
interested parties to participate.
Democracy, a federal appeals court in Ohio noted last month, dies
behind
closed doors. The federal judiciary will have forgotten this important
principle if it meets with its own doors closed.
DEPARTING RIGHTS COMMISSIONER FAULTS U.S.
Julia Preston, New York Times, 9/12/02
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/12/international/12RIGH.html
UNITED NATIONS - In the final days of her five years in office, Mary
Robinson, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, has
sharply criticized the United States for eroding civil liberties at
home
and human rights standards around the world since the Sept. 11
terrorist
attacks.
"The United States could be a leader in combating terrorism while
upholding
human rights," Mrs. Robinson said in an interview here on Monday.
"Instead
it has sought to put all the emphasis on combating terrorism and has
not
been fully upholding human rights standards. And that's having a ripple
effect on other less democratic countries."
She cited the United States' use of immigration laws to detain
foreigners
within its borders for indefinite periods, the racial profiling of
people
of Arab descent in searches and the prosecution of American citizens as
enemy combatants, limiting their rights to legal representation. She
also
mentioned severe restrictions placed on the prisoners taken during the
military campaign in Afghanistan and now being held at the American
military base in Guantánamo Bay in Cuba…
EDITORIAL: OUR FREEDOMS ARE UNDER ATTACK, TOO
San Jose Mercury News, 9/12/02
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/4057579.htm
Civility in this valley of diversity has been profoundly tested during
the
past year. During the days that followed Sept. 11, Muslim, Arab and
Sikh
Americans became victims of anger and ignorance. Dozens of incidents of
hate, from strangers' slurs to job discrimination, firings and physical
harassment, were reported to the police and civil rights groups. As
Mercury
News writers Karen de Sa and Michael Bazeley make clear in today's
editions, the trauma lingers for those who experienced it. Fortunately,
few
incidents were violent, and the numbers receded in the months following
Sept. 11. Ecumenical groups held vigils. Mosques held open houses; Arab
American leaders spoke out. A recent poll by Knight Ridder, the parent
company of the Mercury News, found that more Americans now have a
favorable
view of Muslim and Arab Americans than before Sept. 11.
But religious and ethnic tolerance, so difficult to build yet so quick
to
erode, remains fragile. That same poll found that nearly three in 10
Americans continue to view Arab Americans with suspicion.
President George Bush set an example for tolerance when, after Sept.
11,
2001, he called for mutual respect and open-mindedness. But John
Ashcroft,
his own attorney general, has undermined that message. He has ordered
massive arrests and secret detentions, primarily of Muslims. He has
expanded surveillance laws. He sent FBI agents out to do scattershot
interviews of young Muslim males. Only after the idea caused a furor
did
Ashcroft withdraw his proposal that postal workers and delivery drivers
spy
on those they deem suspect.
Judges have begun to challenge Ashcroft's directives; some in Congress
have
expressed second thoughts about the Patriot Act, which passed with
insufficient checks against abuse.
Freedom and security are compatible, though in times of crisis the
balance
between them will shift. But make no mistake: There has been an erosion
of
civil rights and other collateral damage from the Justice Department's
anti-terror campaign...
-----
'SAME SENSE OF GRIEF' SHARED BY MUSLIMS
Jabeen Bhatti, Washington Times, 9/12/02
http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20020912-84427624.htm
Muslims around the region lighted candles, prayed and honored the
memories
of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks yesterday.
Condemning violence in the name of Islam, Muslims said that, as
Americans,
they wanted to show the world that they share in the grief.
An ecumenical gathering was held at Masjid Muhammad, a mosque in
Northwest,
to honor the victims and offer attendees the opportunity to reaffirm
their
commitment to their communities.
"Islam doesn't condone killing of innocent women and children," said
Ibrahim Mumin, a member of the mosque. "We, like you, are upset,
shocked,
horrified about the events [of] last year. But we have work to do to
educate people about Islam and to fight bias, bigotry and racism, and
instead work toward inclusion."
At universities around the metropolitan area, Muslim students came out
to
mark the day and honor those who died. There will be additional events
tomorrow, a Muslim day of prayer.
Altaf Husain, president of the national Muslim Students Association,
said
the idea was to join with other groups marking the day.
"It is almost an inherent desire to mark the horrific loss of life of
our
fellow Americans," he said. "And there is an external desire to show
people
ignorant of Islam that these attacks are not something we condone or
are
part of…"
SHAME CAST ON FAITH STILL SADDENS MANY
Saeed Ahmed, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 9/12/02
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/thursday/news_d3083472b2b7d165001b.html
Nabilah Hadeed was still smarting from being forced to remove her head
scarf in front of male security guards at an airport checkpoint this
summer.
As she left for her job in Decatur on Wednesday, the Jordanian Muslim
feared the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks would mean more of the
suspicious looks and hostile comments she endured this past year.
But when Hadeed walked in the door, she was greeted by four non-Muslim
co-workers sporting colorful hijabs of their own. "We're all in this
together," one said. "I was speechless," Hadeed said. "But I am sure my
tears spoke volumes."
For metro Atlanta's 32,000 Muslims, the legacy of Sept. 11 has been
mixed.
Many shared stories Wednesday of friends and neighbors reaching out to
them. But others recounted instances of bias or discrimination --- an
offhand remark, a vitriolic note or a job denial…
Area Muslims responded by forging ties with people of other faiths. "We
try
to emphasize the common chord of humanity that binds us," said
Khayriyyah
Faiz of Atlanta, who arranged two interfaith gatherings at area mosques
with her organization, Sisters United in Human Service…
HOW AMERICA PRAYS
Jane Lampman, Christian Science Monitor, 9/11/02
http://www.christiansciencemonitor.com/specials/oneyearlater/prayer.html
Last September, many Americans found themselves actively praying as
they
confronted a devastating terrorist attack. A new poll indicates that
prayer
still figures prominently in their lives - and that they believe their
efforts can have a positive, tangible impact on world events…
Islam literally means surrender to God, and all Muslims are expected to
stop five times every day for ceremonial prayers. But they also pray at
other times, and Muslim Americans say that they've faced their most
challenging year ever - grappling with the "hijacking" of the faith by
terrorists, responding to positive and negative reactions of others,
and
defending their status as US citizens.
Khadeeja Abdullah, a poised young Californian starting her freshman
year at
UCLA, is still uncertain about her college major - maybe Middle East
studies or journalism. But she is certain about two things: the power
of
prayer and the need to show Americans that the perpetrators of the
terrorist acts are not representative of Muslims. Yesterday, Ms.
Abdullah
offered a prayer she wrote about 9/11 at an interfaith service at the
Roman
Catholic cathedral in Los Angeles.
She remembers how distraught she felt on that horrific morning: "I
prayed
then that nothing would happen to anyone else, and that people would
see
the good in the hearts of other people and come together to find common
ground."
And everywhere she goes, she says, she sees that: "Though there might
be
some people who are ignorant, the majority are opening their hearts and
extending their hands…"
Islamic scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr left Iran during the Islamic
revolution
and teaches at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. "I've
seen
incredible results from prayer in my personal life and in praying for
others," he says. "We cannot gauge the extent to which it affects macro
events ... but I believe in the infinite power of prayer..."
LIFE RETURNS TO NORMAL FOR MUSLIM STUDENTS
Colleen Jenkins, Washington Post, 9/12/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2436-2002Sep11.html
The atmosphere at Montgomery College in the weeks after the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks mirrored that of colleges and universities across the
country: Anti-Muslim messages were scribbled on walls. Fearful female
students shed their religious head coverings. Some Muslim and
international
students were too afraid to come to school, while others said the
14,000-student campus was the only place in the community where they
felt
safe.
Even at a college where international students make up one-third of the
student body, unease and suspicion gripped the community. One year
later,
life for Muslim students is back to normal on the Rockville campus, and
in
some ways it has improved, said Tahereh Hatami, 30, who is from Iran.
An
increased emphasis on embracing other cultures has brought new
understanding, she said.
"I think people are realizing that if somebody did something wrong,
it's
not everybody," said Hatami, former president of the college's Muslim
Student Association.
Schools of higher learning provided a unique perspective on the
tragedy's
aftermath, with a flurry of forums, panels and teach-ins encouraging
scholarly debate about the attacks and their implications. Information
sessions were held and new classes added to inform students about Islam
and
Middle Eastern countries…
MUSLIMS JOIN CHRISTIANS IN COMMON GOAL
Oscar Avila and Julia Lieblich, Chicago Tribune, 9/12/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0209120172sep12.story
Muslims who have endured taunts and threats since Sept. 11, 2001,
joined
firefighters, veterans and their neighbors around the American flag in
Bridgeview Wednesday morning to remember the victims of the attacks and
plead for unity.
"If we allow these attacks to divide us, and if we allow the terrorists
to
cause us to violate our most cherished principles of fairness, justice
and
the deep respect for civil liberties, then the terrorists will have
won,"
said Jamal Said, imam of the Mosque Foundation. Like many others in
America, Muslims turned to their faith on the anniversary day.
But Muslims in Chicago and elsewhere said they also felt a special duty
to
reach out to people of all faiths to reaffirm the message that the
attacks
run counter to Islam.
Members of the Islamic Cultural Center of Greater Chicago joined fellow
Northbrook residents for a candlelight vigil on the village green.
Parishioners of Old St. Patrick's Catholic Church accepted an
invitation to
attend prayers at a Chicago mosque.
"Now is a time for us to look outward, and Sept. 11 has made it more
critical that we do it right away," said Mansoor Ahmed of the Islamic
Center of Naperville, who planned to participate in a joint service
with a
Lutheran church.
More than two dozen members of Old St. Patrick's, some wearing head
scarves
out of respect, sat in chairs at the Downtown Islamic Center while
about 80
Muslims sat on the floor after the afternoon zuhr prayer. The two
communities have held interfaith gatherings since the fall…
More than 100 Muslim centers nationwide signed up for a "Day of Unity"
organized by four prominent Islamic advocacy groups, which encouraged
participants to hold open houses and public events at mosques…
-----
LONG BEACH CHURCH SIGN CALLED OFFENSIVE
Associated Press, 9/12/02
LONG BEACH, Miss. - Many say the message on the magnetic sign at
Cleveland
Avenue Church of Christ is less than spiritual.
It reads, "There is one God, and His name is not Allah." The sign is
causing an uproar in this Gulf Coast community. Several residents,
including members of the church, are offended by the sign. They see it
as
an attack on the Islam faith and is inappropriate, especially with the
passing of the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
The minister of the church, the Rev. Dan Huggins, maintains that he was
only trying to challenge people, not antagonize them.
Patti Young lives in Long Beach and saw the sign for the first time
Sunday
night.
"It was so hurtful and I couldn't believe it," she said. "I feel like
it's
not showing unity; it's showing division."
Young called Huggins and begged him to take down the sign. She said he
refused. Huggins said Wednesday that God and Allah are not the same
because
Muslims don't believe in the Holy Trinity…
Hoyt White retired as the church's minister three years ago but remains
a
member. He called the sign "embarrassing."
"It's very upsetting and I think it's in poor taste," he said.
Mustafa Kemal Ozturk has lived in Biloxi since 1990. He is a Muslim.
He said he hasn't seen the church sign, but said whoever put it up is
small-minded.
"There is only one God, no matter what you call him," Ozturk said.
"These
types of things should not be happening. The American people must come
together. This is a very small difference."
-----
EDITORIAL: DON'T SHACKLE US TO 9/11
Sheema Khan, Toronto Globe and Mail, 9/12/02
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/PEstory/TGAM/20020912/COKHAN/Comment/comment/comment_temp/1/1/4/
Sheema Khan is chair of the Council on American-Islamic Relations,
Canada.
Verily, with hardship, comes ease.
Indeed, verily with hardship, comes ease.
Koran, Surah 94, Verses 5-6
These verses from the Koran are most apt to describe the reality of the
past year for Canadian Muslims, and the guarded optimism of those with
faith.
Since 9/11/01, many Canadian Muslims have experienced what can best be
described as their annus horribilis. The events of that fateful day
were
traumatic enough -- defenseless civilians of every faith, age and race,
mercilessly slaughtered while going about their daily routines in the
heart
of North America. Canadian Muslims, like everyone else, were horrified
and
fearful. However, the brief unity in grief soon gave way to fearful
isolation, once it became known that the perpetrators committed this
heinous act in the name of Islam...
Last week, the Council on American-Islamic Relations Canada (CAIR-CAN)
released the results of a poll about how Canadian Muslims have fared in
the
year since that fateful day. Of nearly 300 respondents, 60 per cent
indicated that they had been subject to some form of discrimination or
bias, while 80 per cent indicated they knew of someone else who had
been
subject to the same…
The erosion of civil rights, particularly of Canadians of the Muslim
faith,
also weighed heavily in the minds of a fearful community. High profile
cases of Muslims in Canada accused of aiding and abetting al-Qaeda
further
added to the anxiety…
-----
IN MANY NATIONS, SYMPATHY HAS TURNED INTO HOSTILITY
R.C. Longworth, Chicago Tribune, 9/12/02
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0209120284sep12.story
On the morning after Sept. 11, the United States took comfort in the
world's compassion and sympathy. One year later, the warmth has faded.
Fear and loathing of America has re-emerged across much of the world.
Oddly
enough, the hostility seems deepest among America's closest allies,
like
the West Europeans, and its closest neighbors, like the Mexicans. It
flourishes even in places where governmental relations are better than
ever, such as Russia. Many Arabs and other Muslims, like Third World
residents of Latin America and Africa, honor the American victims of
terror
but insist that the Sept. 11 attacks were payback for the damage that
U.S.
government policies have done to their countries.
"The real U.S. is more ordinary, more normal and more sensible--and
getting
more so every day," said a commentary in South Africa's Mail and
Guardian
newspaper. "The problem with the U.S. is its government. What they, and
we,
need is regime change…"
"We've moved a year from Sept. 11," said Mairtin O'Muelleoir, manager
editor of the Andersontown News in Northern Ireland, "and it seems the
U.S.
has somehow conspired to lose all of the sympathy and goodwill and
support
that it had…"
Around the world, people of many countries tried to explain this
unpopularity.
In Rio de Janeiro, Pedro Monteiro, a 28-year-old Brazilian architect,
mourned the "innocent victims" of the World Trade Center but said, "We
also
have to consider the number of innocents who were killed by the U.S. in
Afghanistan and those that will be killed in Iraq . . . Many people see
this as Bush's personal war…"
-----
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