FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Imams Condemn the Oslo Terror Attack, Call for Halt to Knee Jerk Reactions
(WARREN,MI, 08/26/11) – As religious leaders, we condemn the recent terrorist attack, which targeted youth in Oslo,Norway. No religion justifies wanton violence against civilians, and no social grievance can be legitimized through bloodshed.
As we condemn the Oslo terror attack, whose alleged perpetrator is an anti-Muslim hate-monger, we also raise serious concerns about presumptions that were made by some in various media outlets without facts that the perpetrator was a Muslim. To assume that terrorism cannot be committed by persons of different religious traditions is not only empirically false, but also plays into the hands of the alleged perpetrator, who sought to have suspicion and even violence visited upon law-abiding Muslims.
According to FBI statistics from 1980 through 2005, 94 percent of planned or executed domestic terrorism attacks involved persons not of the Islamic faith. Furthermore, American Muslims have reported suspicious persons, which have led to attacks being thwarted.
As we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we pray that all of us as Americans withhold judging an entire demographic of people as threats. If it is wrong for some to paint conservative White Christians as anti-immigrant, hate-mongering extremists, then it is equally wrong to cast Muslims in the same light.
The Imams Committee of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan represents a coalition of Muslim religious leaders (imams) in the Metro-Detroit area.
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CONTACT: CIOM’s Imams Council Co-chairs, Imam Baqir Berry, (313) 903-1222, Imam
Steve Elturk, (248) 210-4156, or CAIR-MI Executive Director Imam Dawud Walid, (248) 842-1418. Email to CIOM: admin@ciomonline.com
CIOM’s Mission statement
As a council our mission is to coordinate and proactively communicate key issues forMichigan’s Islamic organizations
and build bridges and positive collaboration with government, law enforcement, civic, interfaith and media organizations. We strive to present Islam in all its facets, and to constructively respond to any negative, stereotypical portrayal of Islam and Muslims.