American Muslim organizations condemn Mumbai attack
Muslim Public Affairs Council
The national Muslim advocacy organization, Muslim Public Affairs Council today condemned a series of seven terror attacks in Mumbai, India, which have left at least 80 dead, and several hundred injured. According to media reports, about 40 British nationals and other foreigners are currently being held hostage at a Mumbai hotel.
According to media reports, gunmen armed with automatic weapons and grenades hit two five-star hotels, a cafe, a train station and other sites in coordinated attacks. The targets included businesses frequented by international visitors in the city, which is India's financial center.
Those responsible for these brutal and immoral attacks should be swiftly brought to justice. Islam considers the use of terrorism to be unacceptable for any purpose.
"We at MPAC extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the Indian people. As Americans, we are familiar with the imminent and the long-term repercussions of terrorism," said Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati. "Here at home, we remain committed to combating, rejecting and effectively countering the scourge of terrorism in all forms."
Islamic Society of Nevada
The Islamic Society of Nevada strongly condemns those involved in cowardly terrorist attacks targeting Americans and British passport holders. "Whoever is involved in these attacks is the worst enemy of every thing decent that people stand for, said Dr. Basheer Chowdhry, chairman of the Board of Trustee.
"Terrorists have reached to their highest level of desperation, and they are acting in insanity," said Khalid Khan, President of the ISON.
Dr. Aslam Abdullah, Director of the ISON urged leaders to come together to take a strong stand against terrorism and unite to confront terrorists at all levels. "We cannot sit quiet in these times. The throwing of acid on school going girls in Afghanistan, the bombing of internet cafes in Palestine and now the carnage in Bombay point out clearly that terrorists have no faith and no regard to human life. We must work together to fight the menace that is hurting us all", he urged.
American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin
FARMINGTON, MICHIGAN--The American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) on Wednesday condemned the serial terrorist attacks in Mumbai city of India. According to latest news reports 80 people have died and over 250 have been injured in the attacks across the city including the CST railway station and the Oberoi and Taj hotels. At the time of this writing a hostage situation continued to exist in the Oberoi Hotel and a commando operation was in process.
"We strongly condemn these dastardly attacks which targeted the innocents. AFMI conveys its deepest sympathies to the bereaved families and prays for the speedy recovery of the injured. We salute the the brave police officers who lost their lives and express our heartfelt condolences to their families," said Mr. Ali Quraishi, president of AFMI.
"AFMI demands the respective state and central governments to take immediate action in bringing the culprits behind this attack to justice. We also urge the respective governments to direct the police and security forces to not to target any innocent persons."
Mr.Quraishi added, "We also appeal to the people of India to maintain peace and not to fall prey to the machinations of anti-national and divisive forces."
The American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin, is a North American based grassroots organization, dedicated to socio-economic and educational development of Muslims and other underprivileged masses in India.
The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago
The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago condemned the Mumbai terror attacks.
"Today's terror attacks on the residents of Mumbai are vile and reprehensible and the Illinois Muslim community condemns them without reservation" remarked Abdul Malik Mujahid, Chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the victims' families."
India is home to over 200 million Muslims with a centuries long history of peaceful co-existence with India's Hindu majority and with the other religious minorities such as the Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains. A substantial percentage of the 400,000 Illinois Muslims are from India or are the children of Indian immigrants.
"We are confident that Indian security and law enforcement authorities will return order and security to Mumbai" said Junaid M. Afeef, the Council's Executive Director.
The Council also noted that India has a sordid history of communal violence that stains an otherwise tolerant and peaceful history of co-existence. The Council urged Indian authorities at the local, state and national level to be vigilant in safe-guarding its religious minorities in the wake of today's attacks.
"Today's violence was carried out by extremists and one of our concerns is also that other extremists will exploit it to commit reprisal attacks against more innocent civilians" noted Afeef.
Pakistan American Association
The Pakistan American Association expresses its solidarity with the people of Bombay and India at this hour of great distress caused by the terrorist attack. "The attack is an act of insanity and desperation, said Dr. Bashir Chowdhry, the chairman of the Pakistan American Association.
"We cannot allow this type of menace to takeover our world. We must do whatever it takes to stop it and ensure that innocent people are safe from those who have no respect for human life. Acts of terrorism whether committed in Pakistan, India, the United States, Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere must be condemned by everyone who believes in human dignity and sanctity of life." he added.
Pakistan American Association based in Nevada is a major organization of Americans of Pakistani origin dedicated to peace and relief work in Pakistan.
Bloomberg News Mumbai Grenade Attacks, Shootings Kill 80 People
Topics: 9/11, Conflicts And War, India, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Terrorism
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First I would like to say, that when this story first broke, CNN ran with it. I changed to the BBC and to the CBC and they had a very different prospective on the situation. I am so happy that I live in a country where Muslims do not have to respond to everything that someone else does 3000 miles away. As someone posted, what do these bombing have to do with us living in the West? I do not believe that anyone enjoys the killing of innocent people. Also, where is the outrage of innocent muslims being killed each and everyday. I heard on the news not even two months ago about 90 Afghans being killed at a wedding party. Where was the outrage there from Islamicity? How many Americans came on the news and condemed that? About three weeks ago, I heard on a Chirstian based channel that the Hindus in India were killing the Muslims and the Christians. It was also an article printed in the newspaper here in Canada. Where was the outrage then? Where is the outrage about Dafur, the Congo, Nigeria, etc. I have yet to read any article about the mess in these countries? Seems to me that we Muslims pick and choose what we want to speak out about. I also ask, isn't there a hadith about suspicion? Before anyone even said that Muslims had committed these acts, Muslim organizations in the US were already putting out statements. Every reported I saw on the BBC and on the CBC stated that we should not jump to conclusions until the facts were known. These people weren't even Muslims.
I personally think that it is wrong to kill innocent people, no matter who they are, and no matter who is committing these acts. This includes all people all over the world. Wish muslims were more outraged about Darfur and the Palistenian situation as they are outraged about others.
You are speaking as a friend of the enemy of islam. You are keeping ur eyes and ears shut. If u look around the world, u can see how ur so-called civilized friends causing so much atrocities in muslim land, killing thousands every day. You probably do not see in the news of those atrocities or do u feel that muslims life is cheap compared to so-called civilized people? Iraqi freedom fighters are terrorist, so are the afghan freedom fighters, and u raise ur voice to please ur friends. Very nice. But one thing is certain that if SOME MUSLIMS DO NOT SACRIFICE THEIR LIFE, then ur civilized friends would make a real feast in the muslim land, more than what they are doing at the moment. Mumbai attacks killed only a handful of foreghners, a few jews but rest are Indian and HALF OF THEM ARE MUSLIMS themselves. So before crying for others, please cry for ur fellow borthers those are also victims of this massacre. I hope u open ur eyes and ears before you speak.
This act aginst the innocent is aginst the teaching of islam and we must come together as muslem's to condem this cowardly act.And stop blaming others when we know its fellow brothers doing these things.
Farooq Abdullah.
I'm baffled. So far, very little is known of this group. Yes, I condemn the attacks, it's barbaric and cowardice. Even if it is done by a group of people who claim to be Muslims, it's pure shame that they had the audacity to call themselves as Mujahideen, a term referring to the warrior of the religion in Islam. There are no verses in the Quran which justify these kind of barbarities. But again, what about the barbarities committed on Muslims in Muslim countries, in their towns and homes. What about the present blockades by the Zionists on Gaza now ? Is that not heinous and barbaric as well ? What about the delineation of land, all well designed to make the Jews rich and more prosperous with greater share of robbed land, and put Palestinians to starvation, is that not heinous too ? What about the Muslim Palestinians who were killed while defending their land ? Please, Muslim NGO's, use wisdom before you start to issue statements stating your stand. It may be self defeating towards the end. Put your priority of struggle in the proper Islamic perspective, please.
Khalid
Please read this article & see how the CIA & the Mossad operate: http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_28869.shtml
for the Mumbai incident. Instead of doing their jobs of solving issues b/w the 2 countries, the leaders of both countries have been ****** around.
The gov't of both countires are full of thugs; they don't care about their citizens. They are too busy stealing counries wealth and sending theri family and children to study and live abroad.
When they get hit, they cry "Mommy!!! Who, How! and why they hate us?"
To be fair, the real source of all these problems of so called "terrorists" are U.S., U.K. and Isreal; no wonder the citizens of these counries are singled out. A little deep thinking will reveal the real source of all these problems.
Very sad, but my words are true. If anyone cant' handle my truth, TOO BAD!!!
We Muslims are no doubt victims of many forms of discrimination but our vengefulness and thirst for blood has only helped in creating more victims.
Our religious schools are not of any use and we have no coherent voice and the whole community is stigmatized for the actions of a few.
What's worse is the denial that much of community has over such events.
We have the largest number of conspiracy theorists sitting and spinning tales that deny the truth. Every act of terrorism is denied with twisted and mangled theories and our belief in our own innocence is shocking.
When thousands erupt in protest rallies around the world over defaming Muslim personalities or blasphemy why don't we hold protest rallies when a handful of terrorists from our own community defame our faith and jeopardize fellow Muslims?
The killers kill and die in the hope of martyrdom. Can't our community leaders and Imams come out and declare that they will not bury the bodies of terrorists at Muslim graveyards?
We have blamed the media for projecting a negative image of the community but aren't our actions reinforcing that image?
What have we done to earn respect in this world? Our contribution in the fields of science and medicine came to a halt several centuries ago. Madrasas, as they function today, have robbed us a chance in contributing to development of mankind.
The birth of Pakistan is a lesson for Muslims of the world on how dysfunctional and anarchic the notion of an Islamic state can be. If one example is not enough you only have to take a look at its neighbour, Afghanistan.
But none of us care. We as a community have adopted a disgraceful mindset of self-pity and have withdrawn to a corner while some young men, intoxicated on extremism cause havoc around the world almost on a daily basis.
Anwar.
In afghanistan, Hamid Karzai was asked by one of the villagers, WHAT WOULD YOU DO Mr. PRESIDENT, IF EVERY NIGHT YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR CHILDREN AND RUN AWAY FROM HOUSE FOR THE FEAR THAT AMERICA WILL BOMB down the house TONIGHT. Islamicity never condemns that. At least I have not seen. Few months ago, kashmiris were killed by the government forces while protesting without arms, and we never reacted to that. Now some wealthy people are targeted by the Kashmiri Fighters (Laskar-e-taiba) and all of us are very very sorry. Because they were having fun, and good time in five star hotel. Therefore, I also condemn these kind of acts. Its not fair to kill rich and wealthy (innocent??) people.
Obama issued a statement. Does it mean anything? Not that I can think of; it lacks sincerity. Bush did the same. Ditto effect.
And same can be said of Muslim Organizations and even non-muslim organizations.