Sunday, September 21, 2008
Organisation of the Islamic Conference condemns attack on Islamabad hotel
Salam/Peace:
JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) - THE Saudi-based Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Sunday slammed the deadly bombing of a Pakistan hotel as an attack by the enemies of peace and contrary to Islam.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_281032.html
JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) - THE Saudi-based Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Sunday slammed the deadly bombing of a Pakistan hotel as an attack by the enemies of peace and contrary to Islam.
The 57-member body, which represents more than a billion Muslims worldwide, denounced Saturday's suicide truck blast at Islamabad's Marriott Hotel that killed at least 60 people and wounded 200 more.
[...]
OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu condemned the attack 'in the strongest terms.' He said 'despicable terrorist actions completely contradict the praiseworthy precepts of Islam,' and called the perpetrators 'the enemies of peace whom the international community must fight with all possible means.'
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_281032.html
Monday, September 15, 2008
Muslim groups slam blasts
Salam/Peace:
The Delhi serial blasts drew condemnation today from Muslim organisations that termed the attack “an act of cowardice by inhuman people”.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080915/jsp/nation/story_9835145.jsp
The Delhi serial blasts drew condemnation today from Muslim organisations that termed the attack “an act of cowardice by inhuman people”.
“The entire Muslim community is against such terrorist acts. These blasts have proved that Delhi police are a total failure in handling such situations... ” said S.M. Asif, the national president of the All India Minorities Front.
The Indian Muslim Council-USA also denounced the synchronised blasts that happened ahead of the festival season for Hindus as well as the minority community.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080915/jsp/nation/story_9835145.jsp
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Indian Muslim Council denounces bomb blasts in Delhi
Salam/Peace:
Indian American group denounces bomb blasts in Delhi
Urges police to not ignore Kanpur bomb blasts in the investigations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2008
Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, denounces in strongest possible terms the bomb blasts across Delhi and expresses condolences to the victims and their loved ones.
According to reports, coordinated serial blasts occurred in New Delhi, the capital of India, within a span of 45 minutes leaving around 30 people dead and scores of others injured. “IMC-USA condemns this heinous act of mindless violence by cowards. Our sympathies are with the victims and their families.” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA. He added: “Increasing incidences of terrorism in the recent past with the election around the corner raises suspicion of such blasts being orchestrated by communal forces bent on polarizing the society to reap electoral gains. A thorough and transparent investigation should be made to bring the culprits to the book instead of rushing to hasty conclusions”.
Three weeks back, police found a large stash of bomb-making materials including explosive powder, timers, batteries and pellets when two Bajrang Dal men were killed in Kanpur while manufacturing bombs. Investigators suspect that the blasts of Delhi Jama Masjid in 2006 and Ajmer Sharif dargah in 2007 could be the handiwork of these groups. “If police excludes incidences like Kanpur and Nanded bomb blasts in which Bajrang Dal militants were either killed or injured making bombs, it will amount to a willful cover up”, Mr. Ahmed further stated. In recent years, several cases of bomb blasts by men affiliated with Hindu nationalist groups have been shoddily investigated and in some instances covered up by the investigating authorities.
IMC-USA calls upon government and police authorities to put the welfare and security of people ahead of communal politics and demonstrate political will in nabbing the perpetrators of this heinous crime. Preventing future acts of terror is possible only by conducting transparent and honest investigations to bring the culprits to the book and not through indiscriminate arrests and brutalization of young Muslims as has been widely covered by media. Following the recent blasts in Ahmedabad and Bangalore, there has been an outcry by minorities and human rights activists that police officials were quick in scapegoating innocent Muslim youth than in seriously solving the growth of terror networks.
Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation.
CONTACT:
Dr. Hyder Khan
phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270
email: media@imc-usa.org
RELATED NEWS:
Serial blasts rock Delhi; 30 dead, 90 injured
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3479914.cms
Coordinated Bomb Blasts Rock New Delhi
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/13/AR2008091301215.html
At least 15 dead in New Delhi blasts, officials say
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/13/india.delhi.blasts/
Bajrang Dal plotted ‘revenge blasts’ in Kanpur: UP police
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Bajrang-Dal-plotted-revenge-blasts-in-Kanpur-UP-police/354289/
Bombs recovery in Kanpur lodge baffling
http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/28/stories/2008082855931200.htm
Cops find more leads against Hindu ultras
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1186037
Indian American group denounces bomb blasts in Delhi
Urges police to not ignore Kanpur bomb blasts in the investigations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2008
Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), an advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, denounces in strongest possible terms the bomb blasts across Delhi and expresses condolences to the victims and their loved ones.
According to reports, coordinated serial blasts occurred in New Delhi, the capital of India, within a span of 45 minutes leaving around 30 people dead and scores of others injured. “IMC-USA condemns this heinous act of mindless violence by cowards. Our sympathies are with the victims and their families.” said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA. He added: “Increasing incidences of terrorism in the recent past with the election around the corner raises suspicion of such blasts being orchestrated by communal forces bent on polarizing the society to reap electoral gains. A thorough and transparent investigation should be made to bring the culprits to the book instead of rushing to hasty conclusions”.
Three weeks back, police found a large stash of bomb-making materials including explosive powder, timers, batteries and pellets when two Bajrang Dal men were killed in Kanpur while manufacturing bombs. Investigators suspect that the blasts of Delhi Jama Masjid in 2006 and Ajmer Sharif dargah in 2007 could be the handiwork of these groups. “If police excludes incidences like Kanpur and Nanded bomb blasts in which Bajrang Dal militants were either killed or injured making bombs, it will amount to a willful cover up”, Mr. Ahmed further stated. In recent years, several cases of bomb blasts by men affiliated with Hindu nationalist groups have been shoddily investigated and in some instances covered up by the investigating authorities.
IMC-USA calls upon government and police authorities to put the welfare and security of people ahead of communal politics and demonstrate political will in nabbing the perpetrators of this heinous crime. Preventing future acts of terror is possible only by conducting transparent and honest investigations to bring the culprits to the book and not through indiscriminate arrests and brutalization of young Muslims as has been widely covered by media. Following the recent blasts in Ahmedabad and Bangalore, there has been an outcry by minorities and human rights activists that police officials were quick in scapegoating innocent Muslim youth than in seriously solving the growth of terror networks.
Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation.
CONTACT:
Dr. Hyder Khan
phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270
email: media@imc-usa.org
RELATED NEWS:
Serial blasts rock Delhi; 30 dead, 90 injured
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3479914.cms
Coordinated Bomb Blasts Rock New Delhi
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/13/AR2008091301215.html
At least 15 dead in New Delhi blasts, officials say
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/13/india.delhi.blasts/
Bajrang Dal plotted ‘revenge blasts’ in Kanpur: UP police
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Bajrang-Dal-plotted-revenge-blasts-in-Kanpur-UP-police/354289/
Bombs recovery in Kanpur lodge baffling
http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/28/stories/2008082855931200.htm
Cops find more leads against Hindu ultras
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1186037
Thursday, September 11, 2008
muslims condemn terror... again and again
Salam/Peace:
Editor's note: this entry has two very important links, both of which list the worldwide condemnation of terror and the 9/11 attacks. For the purpose of clarity, here they are:
Muslims condemn terrorist acts:
http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php
and
Muslim voices against terrorism and extremism:
http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/muslim_voices_against_extremism_and_terrorism_2/
And this is an excerpt of the article I got these from:
It's a shame that for many muslims, the anniversary of 9/11 is an occasion to retreat into a defensive posture, rather than stand proudly alongside our fellow Americans with head unbowed to the threat that faces us all. One of the reasons for this is the refrain often heard that muslims do not condemn terrorism, even though it's easily refuted and utterly wrong. I call this the "silence libel".
The evidence is clear that muslim-americans as a group are loyal, patriotic citizens who disavow extremism. Certainly there are individual exceptions, just as with any ethnic or religious subgroup in the US you will find whack-jobs and nutcases. But for the average muslim american, it's insulting to be asked whether they support terror - it's an impolite question because we deserve as much benefit of the doubt as anyone else.
Right here at Beliefnet, there's a profile of ordinary muslim Americans who eloquently condemn terrorism in their own words. There's also this exhaustive list of condemnations by individuals and muslim organizations compiled by Al-Muhajabah, one of the earliest muslim female bloggers. A similarly thorough list of condemnations has been compiled by The American Muslim magazine, as has another by Islam for Today. Numerous muslim organizations have also sprung up, including the Free Muslim Coalition and Muslims Against Terrorism.
[...]
The muslim-American community is in fact fighting extremism every day, in a far more meaningful way than any march or endless condemnations upon demand. Instead, we are being good citizens, running businesses, working in professional fields, and raising our children to be loyal and patriotic citizens of this country we all love, to which we arrived as immigrants, lured by the promise unique to America that anyone can come here and succeed. We are the American dream, and we don't need to prove it to anyone.
Read the whole entry at:
http://blog.beliefnet.com/cityofbrass/2008/09/muslims-condemn-terror-again-a.html
Editor's note: this entry has two very important links, both of which list the worldwide condemnation of terror and the 9/11 attacks. For the purpose of clarity, here they are:
Muslims condemn terrorist acts:
http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php
and
Muslim voices against terrorism and extremism:
http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/muslim_voices_against_extremism_and_terrorism_2/
And this is an excerpt of the article I got these from:
It's a shame that for many muslims, the anniversary of 9/11 is an occasion to retreat into a defensive posture, rather than stand proudly alongside our fellow Americans with head unbowed to the threat that faces us all. One of the reasons for this is the refrain often heard that muslims do not condemn terrorism, even though it's easily refuted and utterly wrong. I call this the "silence libel".
The evidence is clear that muslim-americans as a group are loyal, patriotic citizens who disavow extremism. Certainly there are individual exceptions, just as with any ethnic or religious subgroup in the US you will find whack-jobs and nutcases. But for the average muslim american, it's insulting to be asked whether they support terror - it's an impolite question because we deserve as much benefit of the doubt as anyone else.
Right here at Beliefnet, there's a profile of ordinary muslim Americans who eloquently condemn terrorism in their own words. There's also this exhaustive list of condemnations by individuals and muslim organizations compiled by Al-Muhajabah, one of the earliest muslim female bloggers. A similarly thorough list of condemnations has been compiled by The American Muslim magazine, as has another by Islam for Today. Numerous muslim organizations have also sprung up, including the Free Muslim Coalition and Muslims Against Terrorism.
[...]
The muslim-American community is in fact fighting extremism every day, in a far more meaningful way than any march or endless condemnations upon demand. Instead, we are being good citizens, running businesses, working in professional fields, and raising our children to be loyal and patriotic citizens of this country we all love, to which we arrived as immigrants, lured by the promise unique to America that anyone can come here and succeed. We are the American dream, and we don't need to prove it to anyone.
Read the whole entry at:
http://blog.beliefnet.com/cityofbrass/2008/09/muslims-condemn-terror-again-a.html
U.K. Muslim cleric starts counseling program for young men, denouncing extremism and terrorism
Salam/Peace:
http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2008/09/11/muslim-cleric-in-pledge-to-face-teens-problems-86081-21795305/
A SENIOR Muslim cleric involved in a new youth counselling initiative in Kirklees has denounced extremism and terrorism.
And Mufti Shamsul Huda Khan Misbahi pledged to do all he could to prevent extremism among Muslim youth in the area.
He has started a new counselling initiative at the Kanzul-Iman Mosque in Heckmondwike which is proving increasingly popular with teenagers from the Muslim community who are growing up in British society.
[...]
He added: “I have not come across any such cases of Muslim youth under the influence of extremist thinking. However, I will not hesitate to engage with them if I should come across these people.“I will do anything I can to de-radicalise them. I will speak openly and frankly with them from an Islamic faith education perspective and offer them evidence from our Islamic books which clearly show the Islamic faith denounces all forms of racism, violent extremism and terrorism. There is no place for extremism in Islam.”
Read the whole article at:http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2008/09/11/muslim-cleric-in-pledge-to-face-teens-problems-86081-21795305/
