<< Subj: AMC urges media, government to refrain from linking terrorism
threats with Islam

 In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

 AMC Update
 December 23, 1999

 AMC urges media, government to refrain from linking terrorism threats with
 Islam

 (Washington, DC, December 23) - The American Muslim Council urges the U.S.
 government and media to report recent terrorism alerts without linking
 threats to Islam or the Muslim community.  AMC is concerned that as anxiety
 increases about potential threats around the New Year, American Muslims may
 face harassment, as has happened in earlier scares of the 1990s.

 AMC is pleased that the most recent State Department worldwide caution
 issued yesterday referred to threats to Americans without associating them
 with any religion or religious observance.  Following a December 11 advisory
 that mentioned the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, AMC wrote the State
 Department urging that terrorism be de-linked from the spiritual month of
 Ramadan.

 In the December 14 letter, executive director Aly R. Abuzaakouk noted that
 State Department public announcements "are important to all Americans when a
 threat to our safety has been identified" but that associating "terrorism
 with Ramadan only reinforces popular stereotypes without improving the
 security of Americans."

 The letter stated:  "For American Muslims, as for Muslims the world over,
 Ramadan is a time of spiritual renewal, the most sacred month of the year.
 Terrorism has no place in Islam or any religion-and anyone, of any faith,
 who seeks to justify attacks on civilians in the name of religion should be
 universally condemned."

 American Muslims and Arab Americans have reported discrimination and
 harassment following earlier incidents, such as the April 1995 Oklahoma City
 bombing.  Although that incident was found to have been committed by
 Americans with ties to right-wing militias, many Muslims in the United
 States were subjected to threatening phone calls, harassment, and hate
 crimes while the media speculated about Islam and terrorism.

 "American Muslims walk the same streets and work in the same buildings as
 any other group of Americans," said AMC executive director Aly R.
 Abuzaakouk.  "The safety of our citizens is our safety, and we share
 concerns over threats to our society.  But unfortunately, based on recent
 history, we bear the additional burden of worrying that in this climate of
 anxiety, some of our fellow citizens may victimize us for incidents that we
 have nothing to do with."

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 THE AMERICAN MUSLIM COUNCIL
 1212 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW, SUITE 400
 WASHINGTON, DC 20005
 PHONE  : (202) 789-2262
 FAX    : (202) 789-2550
 E-MAIL : [log in to unmask] >>

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