Islam

Murder of Egyptian Grocery Store Owner Being Investigated as Hate Crime

September 17, 2001

Source: The Associated Press

On September 17, 2001, The Associated Press reported that the FBI will investigate the killing of Egyptian grocery store owner in San Gabriel, California as hate crime. "Adel Karas, 48, was shot around 3:15 p.m. Saturday by two unidentified men who walked into the International Market and opened fire. Karas, who was a Coptic Christian from Egypt, was involved in a confrontation with the two suspects when he was shot several times in the upper torso, authorities said. He later died at a nearby hospital." The killing was initially...

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U.S. Elected Officials and Government Agencies Make Satements in Response to Backlash

September 17, 2001

Source: CNN

In a September 17, 2001 Justice Department briefing, FBI Director Robert Mueller said, "...I want to talk briefly about another area of the FBI's responsibilities, and that relates to civil rights. Since the horrific attacks on September 11, dozens of retaliatory hate crimes have been directed at members of the Arab-American community, including assaults, arson, threatening communications and two possibly -- and I say "possibly" -- ethnically motivated murders. Many of these criminal acts have been directed at Muslim houses of worship and at Muslim...

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In the U.S.: Muslims, Sikhs, Arabs, South Asians Face Threats, Violence (September 17 - October)

September 17, 2001

Source: The Independent

On September 17, 2001, The Independent (a London-based newspaper) reported that the murders of two gas station owners -- a Sikh man in Arizona and a Muslim man in Texas -- are feared to be hate crimes related to the terror attacks. "In Pleasant Grove, a middle-class suburb of Dallas, Texas, Waqar Hassan Choudhry, 40, was shot dead shortly after 10pm on Saturday. There was no evidence of a robbery and local detectives told Mr Choudhry's family that they suspected his killing was motivated by blind revenge...Balbir Singh Sodhi, 52, was...

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Elected Officials Visit Mosques, Islamic Centers

September 17, 2001

Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

http://www.pioneerplanet.com/terroristattack/docs/136544.htm

On September 17, 2001, The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that "While Minnesotans gathered Sunday afternoon for a memorial service at the Capitol in St. Paul, U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton headed for Al-Amal Islamic School in Fridley, which was vandalized Wednesday. Dayton said he had made a commitment to visit there before he was invited to the memorial service. He wanted to...

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In the U.S.: Muslims, Sikhs, Arabs, South Asians Face Threats, Violence (September 17 - October)

September 17, 2001

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/09/17/gen.hate.crimes/index.html

On September 17, 2001, CNN reported on the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Press Conference which "detailed scores of reports of attacks against American Muslims, South Asians and Arabs since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington last week." The article noted that CAIR has "has received reports of harassment of Muslim women and obscenities shouted on the street; bombings,...

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Citizens Act Locally to Support Muslim Neighbors

September 17, 2001

Source: The Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/religion/472580_wedgwoodsider_.html

On September 17, 2001, The Dallas Morning News reported that "Forty Denton County clergy from all faiths and races stood on the grounds of the Islamic Society of Denton on Sunday afternoon, shoulder to shoulder, surrounding Imam Ahmed Alarafi, the leader of the society. They gathered to show their support for the Islamic congregation and its mosque, where a Molotov...

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Increasing Intolerance in US

September 16, 2001

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On September 16, 2001, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published the article, "As we retaliate, can we tell friend from foe?" This piece asks, "The United States is at war against terrorism. But who is the enemy? An equally important question, in light of mounting indiscriminate attacks on Arabs, Muslims and even Sikhs in this country, is: Who is not?" The article continues by placing the radical Islamists within the context of global Islam. The article also provides basic information about Islam as well as Sikhism, and...

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In the Aftermath: Reaching Out, Offering Assistance and Correcting Misconceptions

September 16, 2001

Source: Newsday

On September 16, 2001, Newsday reported on the rush of volunteers to assist after the terrorist attacks. "The outpouring showed New York to be the immigrant town it has always been. Noha Abdelghany, 16, and her cousin, Galia Ahmed, 15, came in from the Bronx, and helped the Salvation Army hand out sandwiches, fruit and cookies to the other volunteers. The girls, who are Egyptian Muslims who wore traditional head coverings, said they wanted to dispel anti-Muslim stereotypes held by some Americans. Abdelghany's best friend's father, who is...

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American Sikhs Face Threats and Violence

September 16, 2001

Source: Newsday

On September 16, 2001, Newsday reported that "A 66-year-old man from India, who follows the Sikh religion and wears a turban, was beaten Tuesday by men who mistook him for an Arab and blamed him for Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the man and his relatives say. 'They were abusing him and shouting at him, that he was Arabic and Muslim,' said Attinder Jeet Singh, 40, the man's son. Attar Singh, the victim, and his family are Sikhs from India. Sikh men wear turbans and beards. Many people assume they are Muslims. They are...

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Editorials Regarding the Backlash, Scapegoating: Immediate Responses (Sept 13-16)

September 16, 2001

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On September 16, 2001, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution published a series of letters to the editor under the heading "Americans Express Unity." One letter stated: "We Christians and Jews have more in common with our Muslim brothers and sisters than we have differences. I pray that we remember we are believers in the same God and are all children of Abraham. As we hear of more news reports of the possible involvement of radical Islamic terrorists, please remember that these are in the minority. Pray for all...

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In the Aftermath: Reaching Out, Offering Assistance and Correcting Misconceptions

September 16, 2001

Source: Newsday

On September 16, 2001, Newsday reported on the volunteer efforts of American Sikhs and Muslims: "It was an offer of camaraderie, born of patriotism to the United States and increasing fear of fellow Americans. A stream of at least 20 yellow cabs driven by Arab-American and Sikh taxi drivers lined up along Lexington Avenue near 26th Street yesterday, with the drivers offering free cab rides to the throngs of grief-stricken people who gathered at the Armory to report people missing and feared dead at the World Trade Center. American flags...

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The Murder of Balbir Singh Sodhi

September 16, 2001

Source: Los Angeles Times

On September 16, 2001, The Los Angeles Times reported that in Mesa, Arizona, "A gunman fatally shot the Sikh Indian owner of a convenience store Saturday and sprayed bullets at two other locations in the span of a few minutes, authorities said. Mesa police are investigating the shootings as possible hate crimes because the [other] targets may have been Muslims, said Mesa police Sgt. Mike Goulet."

Editorials Regarding the Backlash, Scapegoating: Immediate Responses (Sept 13-16)

September 16, 2001

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On September 16, 2001, The St. Louis Post Dispatch ran the editorial "Harassment of Sikhs tells us now is time to unite." Greg Freeman wrote, "Harprit S. Puri is an American. ...Puri, who is originally from India, is a member of the Sikh religion. The religion requires its members not to cut their hair. As a result, the men typically wear turbans and beards; the women wear their hair very long. Because of this, the Puris - and other Sikhs in St. Louis - have been verbally attacked in the aftermath of Tuesday's acts of...

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