Chicago Muslims Ask Media to Exercise Caution

Chicago, IL: The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago on June 23 expressed relief and concern after June 22 arrest by the FBI and police of seven people in connection with an alleged terrorist plot that may have included targeting the Sears Tower in Chicago and Miami's FBI offices.
"We are relieved that law enforcement was able to stop this deadly attack before it was carried out," said Council Chairman, Abdul Malik Mujahid. "However, the fact that another attack on our country was in the works is something that concerns us deeply. Today is Friday, a special Day of prayer for Muslims. We would like to request that Imams in Chicago and across the country lead their congregations in praying to God to protect our nation from such danger."
"We would also like to request that Imams offer Friday sermons about the sanctity of life in Islam and the heinousness of terrorism," he added.
Mujahid called on journalists and editors to exercise caution in linking Islam to terrorism as this case develops, since those arrested are Muslim.
"We advice the media to exercise caution, remembering that most cases of this nature involving Muslims have fizzled out in the past. The most recent example is that of Umer Hayat of Lodi, California."
It is worth noting that the chief architect of the Sears Tower and the John Hancock building was a Chicago Muslim, Fazlur Rehman Khan.
The Council is a federation of over 50 mosques, Islamic centers and Muslim schools and organizations and represents close to 400,000 American Muslims in the Greater Chicago area.

 

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