SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    Egypt's PM meets Tokyo governor, witnesses signing of education agreements    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts in phone call    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Against terror, liberty is America's best defence
Published in Daily News Egypt on 18 - 05 - 2010

FREMONT, California: The arrest of Faisal Shahzad, a 30-year-old US citizen of Pakistani descent and the alleged driver of the vehicle used in the failed New York Times Square bombing a few weeks ago, represents an opportunity to respond effectively to a potential act of terrorism instead of reacting with fear and hysteria that will inevitably be manipulated by extremist elements.
As of Tuesday morning, details are slowly emerging regarding the potential motives of the suspect, Shahzad, who was arrested at JFK airport in New York as he planned to fly to Dubai. And in the meantime, the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for this amateurish and failed attempt.
Their eagerness speaks volumes about their desperation to instill fear in the hearts of the American public by an act of terrorism on the US mainland.
Similar moments of tension — though isolated — have in the past been used to sow dissension and enmity through polarizing statements in the media by bigoted ideological pundits in both non-Muslim American and global Muslim communities. We saw this tendency recently when Army major Nidal Hassan Malik opened fire and killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas and when Nigerian student Umar Farouk Abdulmuttalab tried to ignite himself on an airplane on Christmas Day in 2009 despite having been previously flagged.
Such incidents serve as fuel for right-wing commentators to promote a dangerously inaccurate image of an Islamic monolith with all Muslims having a homicidal aversion to "our freedoms". Verbal attacks will, no doubt, be made on US President Barack Obama's efforts at conciliation and partnership with Muslim communities, efforts such as his Al-Arabiya interview, his historic speech to Muslims in Cairo last June and his outreach to Muslim American organizations and leaders.
Some media pundits argue passionately on the cable network Fox News to "profile away" evil-doers — in effect advocating racial profiling of ethnic minorities, especially of Middle Easterners and South Asians. Anticipating public anxiety, Obama reacted to calls for "greater security" following the failed Christmas Day bombing in 2009 by implementing catch-all measures — recently amended — to extend special pat-downs and heightened profiling to individuals returning from 14, mostly Muslim-majority, countries.
Racial profiling and the erosion of civil liberties and due process are counterproductive in fighting terrorism. Still, I worry that fear and divisive rhetoric will be lead to such techniques being implemented, undermining the mutual trust and cooperation that has been painstakingly built over the past two years between Muslim Americans and law enforcement agencies.
Right-wing demagogues who proclaim the virtues of the West and argue that terrorism is unique to the "Muslim world" should be reminded of the recent arrest of nine members of the terrorist group, the Hutarees, for conspiring to kill police officers and wage war on the United States government. The group has been labeled an anomaly by Christians and Christian groups.
And the suicide flight of disgruntled Joseph Stack into the IRS building in Texas, which killed an innocent public employee, has been overlooked by many media pundits even as anger at federal government institutions has been allowed to fester in loud and angry public protests.
To be sure, radicalized Muslim elements manipulate incidents, such as the satirical cartoon depictions of the Prophet, as categorical proof that the "imperialist" West is perpetuating a war on Islam and all Muslims. Recent violence and threats against those cartoonists who have depicted the Prophet in a disrespectful manner do not emerge in a vacuum, but rather they are symptomatic of a sustained belief in a skewed and simplistic narrative of the "war-mongering West" that finds its evidence in the Iraq war, US support for Israel, civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and cozy US relations with Arab dictatorships.
It is these elements that ultimately bear the greatest blame for betraying the legacy and spirit of the Prophet, who urged moderation and civility.
In the face of the threat from extremists, the greatest mistake Americans could make would be to revisit the “us versus them” rhetoric and invasive security policies of the previous administration, such as the US PATRIOT Act, which made it easier for government agencies to access private information, detain immigrants and search homes and businesses. These policies proved to be disastrous in curbing global terrorism but highly successful in eroding US standing in world opinion, and damaged cooperation with Muslim communities worldwide.
Ultimately, the best defence is holding onto the very same values of freedom, liberty and democracy Americans — both Muslim and non-Muslim — wish to defend and protect.
The sad reality of modern, globalized 21st century existence is that the threat of terrorism and violence is a constant aspect of daily life. But reactionary posturing, rampant ethnic stereotyping, scapegoating of minorities and provoking mistrust of Muslim Americans and allies have only ever exacerbated the risks. Recent history has shown that a reasoned and moderate perspective, along with sound security measures, vigilant policing, protection of civil liberties and mutual aid are our best hope.
As more evidence in the Times Square attempted bombing case emerges in coming days, let us hope this reasoned and moderate perspective prevails.
Wajahat Ali is Associate Editor of Altmuslim.com, a writer and attorney, whose play The Domestic Crusaders is the first major play about Muslims living in a post-9/11 America. This abridged article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) with permission from the author. The full text can be found at www.goatmilkblog.com.


Clic here to read the story from its source.