Muslim Organization Reactions to Death of Osama Bin Laden

TMO Editor’s Note:  In a raid conducted in Abbottabad Pakistan  early Monday morning, four helicopters carrying Seal Team Six killed Osama Bin Laden.  This closes an important chapter in the post-9/11 world and many Muslim organizations put out press releases in response.  Below are several of the press releases.

ISNA

Islamic Society of North America Welcomes Justice For 9/11 Victims  

(Plainfield, IN: May 2, 2011) The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) joins all Americans in thanking President Obama for fulfilling his promise to bring Osama Bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda, and perpetrator of the 9/11 attacks, to justice.

We hope his death will bring some relief to all the families, of every faith and walk of life, who lost loved ones on 9/11 and in every other terrorist attack orchestrated at the hands of Osama Bin Laden. 

Over the past decade, ISNA has stood firm on our stance that ISNA and Muslims in America condemn the actions of Bin Laden on 9/11 and all acts of terror at the hands of Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and all others who spread fear and hate through violence.  We have repeatedly condemned the calls of Bin Laden and others like him for mass bloodshed and the attacking of innocent lives across the world. 

As the President pointed out in his address to the nation, the ideology of Bin Laden is incompatible with Islam:  “Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims.  Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own.  So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.”

President Obama marked his hope that today, Americans will “think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11” and remember that “on that day, no matter what God we prayed to, we were united as one American family.” 

“ISNA joins President Obama and prays that as the nation continues to heal from the devastation inflicted upon them at the hands of Bin Laden, we will turn to each other today, united, and emerge tomorrow with an even stronger resolve to take every action necessary to protect the precious ideals of our nation that Bin Laden attempted to destroy on 9/11: peace, tolerance, respect, and freedom for all,” said ISNA President Imam Magid.

CAIR

CAIR: Bin Laden Death Leads to Maine Mosque Vandalism

‘Osama today, Islam tomorow (sic)’ painted on Muslim house of worship

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/2/2011) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Americans of all faiths to remain unified after the killing of Osama bin Laden apparently led to the bias-motivated vandalism of a mosque in Portland, Me.

CAIR also called on state and national law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident as a hate crime.

Portland police are investigating the anti-Islam graffiti, which included “Osama today, Islam tomorow (sic),” “Long live the West” and “Free Cyprus,” painted on the exterior of the Maine Muslims Community Center sometime between late Sunday night and this morning.

SEE: Graffiti on Portland Mosque Under Investigation

Portland Mosque Vandalized in Wake of bin Laden Death

“We ask Americans of all faiths to reject intolerance and to send a message of national unity to the rest of the world,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “We urge state law enforcement authorities and the FBI to investigate this incident as a hate crime.”

Earlier today at a news conference in Washington, D.C. CAIR and other national Muslim organizations welcomed the announcement of the elimination of Osama bin Laden as a threat to America and the world. CAIR chapters nationwide issued similar statements.

CIOGC

CIOGC welcomes the end of a dark era and bringing justice to the victims of Sept. 11, 2001

(Chicago, IL – 5/2/11) — The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) welcomes the end of a dark era and the bringing of justice to the victims of 9/11 with news of the death of Osama bin Laden.

“This is a historic moment not only to the families of the victims of 9/11 but for the whole world. A mass murderer who served as the face of global terrorism is gone,” said Kiran Ansari, Communication Director of CIOGC. “We pray that his death will bring a measure of relief to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 and to everyone, from every faith and walk of life, who has suffered from Al-Qaida’s terrorist attacks.”

“His actions and those of Al-Qaeda violate the most fundamental teachings of Islam, the sanctity of human life, and his repeated acts of terror have been met with moral outrage by Muslims worldwide,” said CIOGC Chairperson Dr. Zaher Sahloul. “We thank President Obama for overseeing this operation and his reiterating that ‘the United States is not – and never will be – at war with Islam’”.

The operation that led to the death of Osama bin Laden is one of the most important achievements of President Obama and his national security team. We are also hopeful that the “Arab Spring,” the widespread movements in the Middle East of peaceful protestors demanding democracy and freedom, has signified the death of Al-Qaeda’s ideology of violent extremism. However, as the President noted in his statement, we must continue to be vigilant in the fight against extremism. The Council will continue to play its part.

“We stand together with our fellow Americans, as part of one family, in remaining vigilant against any and all threats to our country and we will continue to work hand in hand with our friends and neighbors to protect the values upon which our nation was founded: peace, tolerance and freedom,” said Ahlam Jbara, the Associate Director of CIOGC.

PAKPAC

US Forces Capture and Kill Osama Bin Laden

Washington DC May 2nd 2011: PAKPAC congratulates the Obama administration and our men and women in uniform for successfully carrying out an operation against Osama Bin Laden.   Bin Laden’s attack on 9/11 defined the previous decade – and our entire approach to national security.   Bin Laden’s abhorrent and heinous acts of terrorism led to wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and many other covert operations around the world.   These wars cost the lives of countless American soldiers, and scores of civilians of all nationalities and faiths.   His death is a victory for the civilized world. 

We have not yet defeated terrorism and its ideology, but today marks a significant step forward.  Moreover, PAKPAC agrees with President Obama when he stated that the, “..US is not, and never will be, at war with Islam… bin Laden was not a Muslim leader, he was a mass-murderer of Muslims.” and that, “it is important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan led to his capture.”   PAKPAC hopes for continued cooperation between Pakistan and United States.

Now with the Arab awakening, and democracy taking hold in the Middle East, PAKPAC is confident that Al-Qaeda and its ideology will be relegated to the dust bin of history.

Today, we remember the 3000 men and women who lost their lives on 9/11.  Today, their souls have a measure of justice.  Today, no matter our political leanings, we are all Americans, united, as one nation.

For more information write to ed@pakpac.net or call 202 558 6404.

ACCESS

Jaber: Bin Laden’s death marks a turning point

Hassan Jaber Numerous news organizations including the Detroit Free Press and USA Today quoted ACCESS Executive Director Hassan Jaber this week regarding the death of Osama bin Laden and where our nation and our community go from here. Following is Jaber’s full statement to the media:

“For the past decade, the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have been what defined our country, both at home and abroad. The death of Osama bin Laden thankfully closes out this long winter of political upheaval, social turmoil and economic disparity – so much of it precipitated by 9/11. We commend the Obama Administration and the U.S. security and intelligence agencies for their work in bringing this painful chapter to a decisive close, and in doing so, helping the families of the 9/11 victims and those of the first responders who also suffered and died, to find closure.

“This is, indeed, a new day in America. Osama bin Laden is dead. We must not allow his legacy to live on by continuing to divide us. Extremism of any type demands our ongoing vigilance and our attention as a nation. At ACCESS, we believe the best way to counteract it is to put our shoulders to the work of healing from within to build our strength as a nation – to stand together rather than separate. We can start this process first by learning to accept one another for all our differences, for the vibrancy which makes us stronger. This is the first step in helping to heal the rifts in our fragile economy and the paralysis of our tattered political system, to demand governance that supports the well-being of all Americans and stands as a model of democracy to the rest of the world.”

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