Muslims fear they'll pay for bombings

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | July 9, 2005 | AFP

[Cincinatus' Wife]

As the faithful gathered at London Central Mosque for Friday prayers, many expressed shame and anger, and feared a backlash even as they condemned the deadly terror bombings as anti-Islam.

Near Regents Park, a few metres from Park Road where the British capital's iconic red buses and black taxis stream by, hundreds of Muslims gathered before their place of worship, topped with a gold cupola.

The prayer area was full and kneeling men bowed low as one and touched their heads to the carpet covering the ground.

"As citizens and co-workers of this great city - London - we share the concerns and fears of fellow Londoners," said imam Ashraf Salah, a day after four blasts killed at least 50 people on the subway network and a bus.

"We use the same transport and live and work in the same buildings and any attack is an attack on us all."

One of the blasts, at the Edgware Road underground rail station, took place just a few hundred metres from the mosque.

"We are sorry that this attack is attached to Muslims," he said. "Islam strongly condemns such a sinful act."

Across the country at midday, imams repeated the same prayer of condolence to the victims intended for the ears of Britain's estimated 1.6 million Muslims.

Despite the fears of a backlash, the head of London police commissioner Ian Blair reported no troubles.

"This is Friday and a day of prayers for Islam and there has been no events, no disturbances, no difficulties near the London mosques and that is a great step forward," he told reporters.

Those who came to pray here condemned the attacks, which also injured some 700 people, with almost one voice.

"Every Muslim who believes in his religion, in his Lord, will be completely ashamed that they did that in His name," said Farhan Shaikh, a 26-year-old of Pakistani origin, after the prayer.

"I feel sad. All Muslims will get the blame," added his girlfriend Shamila Yasmin, a 20-year-old shop assistant, her head covered with a veil.

Others, mostly bearded men wearing flowing shirts, were reluctant to talk, but groups of young people did gather to exchange views.

"We're sorry for the people who died yesterday," said Salam Sulta, 30.

"But what is the difference between putting a bomb in an autobus and sitting in Downing Street and ordering to send bombs on people? Fifty people died in the attacks yesterday, 20,000 died in Iraq."

Another chimed in: "[Prime Minister] Tony Blair should be ousted like the Spanish PM after the attacks in Madrid, and Britain should withdraw its troops from Iraq."

Numan Majeed, a 24-year-old activist with the Hizb-ut-Tahrir movement said he was sorry that the attacks happened but feared they would be used as an excuse to further alienate Muslims.

"It will be used to justify the war on terror. Look at the chaos the war on terror has caused in the world," he said. "The war on terror is a war against Islam."

"Think of what happened in Abu Ghraib [prison in Iraq]: Muslim people have been raped by people," he said.

Alongside him, another youth shook his head. "It is my country, they gave me a lot of things, I feel safer. I don't accept that innocent people are killed for any reason."

AFP

[ruiner]

I can't believe people don't realize how inappropriate this type of stuff is.

How selfish to worry about vandalism etc when 50 people died in murderous attacks.

[TADSLOS]

"The war on terror is a war against Islam."

Unfortunately, it's not, but it should be.

[Morgan in Denver]

It's unfortunate so many Muslims fail to grasp the issue of terrorism nor the required solutions to stopping it. Some of them proffer what our response should be without realizing they are causing harsher reactions because of their ignorance.

[voletti]

Another clear attempt to whitewash muslim terror. Lookup the sane and sweet condemnations stacked at the top of the article that so clearly outnumber the ones at the bottom. Also, let it be known that the west if perfectly capable of taking this war to all suspected jihad sympathizers (i.e. 95% of mo-mad-ens). What's holding us back is whether we'll respect ourselves in the morning...

[putupjob]

"But what is the difference between putting a bomb in an autobus and sitting in Downing Street and ordering to send bombs on people? Fifty people died in the attacks yesterday, 20,000 died in Iraq."
The real sentiment.
And what about the large Islamic extremist rallies in Trafalgar Square earlier this year where extremists were chanting death to Bush, death to Blair, death to America and the rest of the usual rabid screeches of Islamic lunatics. I wish they'd explain that.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

"But what is the difference between putting a bomb in an autobus and sitting in Downing Street and ordering to send bombs on people? Fifty people died in the attacks yesterday, 20,000 died in Iraq."

Idiocies such as this -- parroted reflexively by the Islamofascist apologists, scant heartbeats after each and every fresh Qu'ran-fueled atrocity -- are precisely why Muslims everywhere will, increasingly, find themselves targeted by the forces of reason, enlightenment and civilization.

[EdHallick]

Just like 911, their only concern after that was the well being of Muslims and Islam. Look at this quote;

"Think of what happened in Abu Ghraib [prison in Iraq]: Muslim people have been raped by people"

If Muslims were truly concerned about these bombings, they would be freaking out like they freaked out over stories that the Koran was flushed in a toilet, or the underwear incident at Aru Ghraib, but no, it`s the same old "We condemn these *yawn* attacks". Liberals are the same way. You think Dick Durbin will compare these bombings to the Nazis or horror in a Soviet Gulag? I think not.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

When the faithful start turning in the terrorists then I'll listen to their concerns.

Until then STFU!

[Erik Latranyi]

I can't believe people don't realize how inappropriate this type of stuff is.

It is the left, once again, de-sensitizing us to this type of rhetoric following a tragedy.

Just like any muderer is allowed to "explain" their actions through childhood abuse, depression, etc----we will be seeing more and more "explanations" of terrorism.

The end goal is to weaken our resolve so we become more passive.

[snarks_when_bored]

Muslims fear they'll pay for bombings

Non-muslims fear they won't.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Parents mourn children killed during protests

Non-violent peace protestor Rachel Corrie shows her love of the American flag to a group of Palestinian children.

............"Rachel admitted to me that she was frightened, but she wanted to do it," said Craig Corrie, 56, as he and his wife toured an art exhibit. "She needed to do it."

Walking around the Station, at 1502 Alabama, the Corries listened as a curator explained why a refugee tent was pitched in the front room of the cavernous art space.

The names embroidered on the tent -- in heavy, black thread that forms stark block letters -- are those of the 418 Palestinian villages destroyed, depopulated or occupied by Israel since 1948, the curator said.

"It's so dramatic to see, to have a visual like that," said Cindy Corrie, 55.

The oatmeal-colored tent would have been familiar to Rachel Corrie, who put her life at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., on hold to be a peace volunteer in the West Bank and Gaza.

Many Americans don't even know about her death, local activists said, because it was overshadowed by the start of the Iraqi war three days later. ............***

[blackbart.223]

The response of Muslims is predictable. Some nut job Muslim murders the innocent and they whine about a backlash that never happens.They can kiss my ass.

[LiberationIT]

Memo to Muslims;

Keep your fanatics in check and don't desecrate civilization; then you'll have nothing to worry about.

[sgtbono2002]

These Islamics arent sympathetic to those who were blown up in the subways and buses , they are frightened they will be among those blown up.

I speak of the 20,000 Iraquis who have died in Iraq. Saddam was killing 30,000 a year they dont seem to mourn those. The USA has gone to extremes not to kill innocent people in Iraq .How many are in Iraq jails who should have been killed instead of captured. What to do with them now? Turn them loose and for the next 50 years they will be trying to kill.

[martin_fierro]

OK, let's give 'em a pass on the recent bombings.

But there'll be hell to pay for:

• 
  the beheadings
• 
  the kidnappings
• 
  the mass murder
• 
  the abuse of innocents and their corpses
• 
  etc.
• 
  etc.
• 
  etc.

[Recon Dad]

The problem comes from inside their own community. They have the ability to solve it by exposing those that did this, but from past experience I doubt this will happen. Eventually they will be complaining when the Brits are rounding them up and shipping them home.

[sirchtruth]

"But what is the difference between putting a bomb in an autobus and sitting in Downing Street and ordering to send bombs on people? Fifty people died in the attacks yesterday, 20,000 died in Iraq."

First of all this 20k figure is probably bogus, and second, the idiots that don't understand the difference need go to live in a dictatorship where people get tortured and killed for just speaking their mind. They need to be put in a place where their rights and freedom do NOT exist.

The difference is your FREE to make assholic, dipthonged remarks that have no basis in reality without the fear of getting your elistist arrogant head chopped off by some cult extremist zealot!

[RightWinger]

Muslims are the only ones who can take their religion back from the terrorist Muslims. Christians can't do this for them, the responsibility is totally theirs.

The Muslims who know who these evil Muslims are need to turn them over to the police. Come on Muslims, get angry at the terrorist Muslims and quit supporting them with your silence.

[poobear]

"Islam strongly condemns such a sinful act."

BS! Islam teaches it profoundly!

"You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

-

What a morning, a hurricane on the way and this crap!