WTC.Muslim.media

Muslims dissatisfied with media reports over US attacks KT NEWS SERVICE SRINAGAR, Sep 24: As the US military might is fanning out in the rest of the globe to execute the 'operation infinte justice', people mostly the Muslim community are not satisfied with the media-fed throries that the September 11 horror was the handiwork of Al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden. Like Taliban and many others in the West Asia, they want the Black Tuesday to be probed first. In a detailed letter to the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a group of Muslim intellectuals, mostly Pakistanis, have raised serious objections over what they have said "demonising Islam". They have criticised for singling out Afghanistan despite the fact that not a single Afghan national is in the list of the accused. The letter has demanded probe of the tragedy and highlighted three new angles which, apparently, have not been taken into consideration. These include the arrest of a group of Arab terrorists in Philipines in 1995 who had revealed plans of strikes akin to September 11; the short selling of shares belonging to various insurance, airlines and arms companies prior to the tragedy and a sizable chunk of around 4,000 Isrealis working in US not going to their duties on September 11. The letter delivered to the 10-Downing Street a day back, has the signatures of Barristers A.M.Azar, Yousaf Akhtar, Brigadier Usman Khalid, Rifat Lodhi, Mian Mohammed Afzal, Ashiq Asghar, and Samiullah Malik. Here follows the excerpts from the letter: "...The media has been careless and focussed on the religion of the hijackers, Osama bin Laden being the prime suspect, and Afghanistan being the main refuge of terrorists. This had the effect of demonising Islam and Muslim resulting in attacks on Mosques, and life and property of Muslims citizens in several Western countries..." "There can be no disagreement that the perpetrators of the horror of 11 September should be brought to justice. But we are deeply concerned that efforts to identify the culprits are focussing on those who have long been the victims of excesses and injustice. Afghanistan has nothing to do with the horror of 11 September. Yet, that country has been singled out as the main target for retaliation. The political rhetoric of the US and majority of media comment in the West does not yet differentiate between terrorist groups and legitimate struggles for liberation. The Muslims all over the world support the struggle of Palestinians, Kashmiris and Chechens for liberation. They fight against foreign military occupation - a right recognised by the UN Charter. None of them have anything against any country in the West. It is very unwise to let the muddle continue". "Struggle against military occupation must not be confused with terror to make some absurd point, or to pursue a minority interest, or to advance an evil ideology. This muddle would hamper the fight of the West against terrorism. We beg you to respond to the challenge and clear the muddle". "It is neither the interest of the West nor the Muslim World to start some clash of civilisations. Islam and Christianity are the two universal religions. They have more in common with each other than with any other faith. Their interests are complementary. The Muslim World is rich in resources; the West has the technology and the need to develop those resources. The Muslim World has surplus of capital; New York and London make billions of pounds re-circulating it. Muslim countries lie in the proximity of all the choke points of world trade from Gibraltar to Malacca Straits; it is in the interest of the West that these are in friendly hands for uninterrupted trade and smooth flow of the Middle East oil to its markets. If there were an asymmetrical long war between the Muslim World and the West - that would be the inevitable result of invasion of Afghanistan - we would both suffer untold damage. There would be no winners, only losers". "Our principle concern is that the objective of the 'War' being planned is yet unclear but efforts are under way to assemble a coalition. A coalition assembled by pressure and subterfuge is no coalition; it is a recipe for disaster. It could make the Governments of Muslim countries that join the coalition so unpopular that they lose legitimacy to rule. It is not yet clear who committed the horror of 11 September. Majority of news reports indicates that it could not be the work of Osama bin Laden. Wrong conclusions and exclusion of any line of inquiry can be disastrous. We urge that investigation be thorough and the results publicised before the aim of the `War' is decided. 1. Philippines arrested Arab terrorists in 1995 who revealed plans to hijack planes and crash them into valuable buildings in USA - something that actually occurred on 11 September. The information was given to the FBI but not released to the press. It was obvious that if such an attack were carried out it would be blamed on the same group. A mole could have passed the information to a country that had the technology and the organisation to carry out the attack confident in the knowledge that it could lead to the US waging a war on countries in the Arab or the Muslim World. The country already at war with Arabs was sure to benefit. 2. Unusually large number of shares in airlines, insurance companies and arms manufacturers were the object of 'short selling' prior to 11 September. (The Times, September 18, page 2) Those who engaged in such selling knew of the terrible events to come. Their identity would reveal the identity of those who orchestrated the atrocity. 3. A very large number of Israeli Jews (estimated number 4000) did not go to work in New York on 11 September. Why? They knew something. Who told them? What?" "We are alarmed that the US abandons its allies so readily. It has turned upon and devastated so many countries that did its bidding in previous wars. Afghans were close friends and allies of the West in the fight against Soviet Occupation. The world is divided into so many nation states because their perceptions vary widely. But they readily co-operate to pursue common interests. The West must respect the compulsions of patriotism of those who do not share perception, merely interests. Afghanistan has interests that are complementary to yours. War is not likely to change their perceptions. It would be a pointless war."

Participant Comments follow below

we'll not die for americans,muslims should wake up and answer their clarion calls make sure we make it up for one another .we should help our less priviledged. Anybody with problems concerning funds or needing money should please contact me on my email address below. abdul malik aulmalik@yahoo.com 03/10/03 19:38:00 GMT

i know that the america itself wants to eliminate all islam nations and we'll surely stop that.i want to use this medium also to tell all muslims who has money,to please contact me on the the completion of a mosque building. umar ibrahim umabrahim@yahoo.com 03/10/03 19:32:49 GMT