“When the government says ‘Islamic militants,’ it sends a message to the public that Islam and militancy are synonymous”
Another “Muslims fear backlash” story. “Muslims fear backlash from Fort Dix attack plot,” by Wayne Parry for Associated Press, with thanks to Jihad Watch
FORT DIX, N.J. — Authorities’ description of six suspects charged with plotting an attack on Fort Dix as “Islamic militants” is causing renewed worry among New Jersey’s Muslim community.
Hundreds of Muslim men from New Jersey were rounded up and detained by authorities in the months following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, but none were connected to that plot.
Now, Muslims fear a resurgence of anti-Islamic sentiment and incidents of bias.
“If these people did something, then they deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Sohail Mohammed, a lawyer who represented scores of detainees after the 2001 attacks. “But when the government says ‘Islamic militants,’ it sends a message to the public that Islam and militancy are synonymous. Don’t equate actions with religion.”
Now wait a minute, Mr. Mohammed. These guys had video of men firing rifles while calling for jihad and shouting “Allahu akbar.” They had video of Osama bin Laden and others who couch all their actions in the language of Islamic jihad. One of them said, “I’m doing it in the name of Allah.” And now you, Mr. Mohammed, are warning officials not to call them “Islamic militants”? Shouldn’t you be working within the Islamic community to create a wider separation between Islam and militancy, instead of pretending that it is American law enforcement officials who are arbitrarily making this equation? It was the Duka brothers and the other Fort Dix jihadists who made the equation. The officials are just noting the manifest fact. Would you prefer they ignore unpleasant or inconvenient facts?
The Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee’s New Jersey chapter participated in a conference call Tuesday with FBI officials to discuss security matters.
“What we’re all afraid of is a new backlash,” said Hesham Mahmoud, a spokesman for the group.
Continue reading… Backlash
More Backlash BS
Cue standard “Muslims fear backlash, deplore terrorism” story
This one is by Cydney Long for Philadelphia’s CBS3.com Let’s see — have we touched all the bases? Muslims shocked by terror charges? Check. The jihadists don’t represent all Muslims? Check. Islam is a religion of peace? Check. Qur’an good? Check. If you blame the religion you’re blaming all Muslims? Check. Good, Cydney! You get an A+ for this one!
(CBS 3) VORHEES, N.J. Muslims in the region are bracing themselves for a possible backlash in response to the terror plot arrests.
Why? Have they received threats? None are reported in this story. Has there been a backlash against Muslims after any other jihadists were arrested? No — Americans are decent, fair-minded people who don’t persecute the innocent, to the extent that CAIR’s Nihad Awad has to exhort Muslims to play the victim game more effectively, and CAIR has to trump up hate crimes.
And for many Muslims, news of the arrests comes as a surprise.
“It shocks me, it shocks me,” Rahman said.
* Sounds more like they’re shocked that the plot has been uncovered.
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How about calling them “Faithful Muslims” instead? Wouldn’t that sound nicer? It certainly would be the truth. But then again, it’s been a long time since the media was interested in the truth. They”re more into hiding the truth, twisting the truth or inventing a whole new “truth”. When they’re not conducting smear campaigns that is.