The Silent Victims of July 7

DO NOT SCAPEGOAT ARABS AND MUSLIMS IN BRITAIN, EUROPE OR THE WEST

CHICAGO, Illinois, USA, August 3, 2005 /News Wires/- Author of “Silent Victims: The Plight of Arab & Muslim Americans in Post 9/11 America”, Aladdin Elaasar, called today for tolerance towards Arabs and Muslims in Britain, Europe and the West. “The latest reports of hate crimes soaring in Britain against British Arabs, Muslims and those perceived to be of Mid Eastern origin are alarming. Burning mosques and assaulting Muslim women will not bring back the victims of those horrendous terrorist attacks”, Elaasar, the foremost authority on hate crimes, said.

According to Scotland Yard figures, hate crimes in Britain have soared by 600 per cent; 269 religious hate crimes, motivated by animosity towards Muslims since July, happened as a direct outcome of the two bomb attacks on London Transport system. Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said: "There is no doubt that incidents impacting on the Muslim community have increased. The incidents had a great "emotional impact" on communities, he said. "It can lead to these communities completely retreating and not engaging at a time when we want their engagement and support," he added.

“ We are seeing a similar pattern of senseless hate crimes in Britain like what we have witnessed in the U.S. after 9/11. Arabs and Muslims are not the enemy. A handful of terrorists do represent us. Arabs and Muslims in the West are contributing to their societies and are saddened and angered by those terrorist attacks more than anybody else. They should not be the silent victims, or carry the burden and the stigma. They are our best assets to combat extremist. They can be our bridge for mutual understanding and reconciliation”, Elaasar added.

In his writings, Elaasar has been calling for inter-faith dialogue and reaching out for marginalized youth in Mid Eastern and Western societies. In his book “Silent Victims: The Plight of Arab & Muslim Americans in Post 9/11 America”, he meticulously documented the similar climate of hate crimes against Arabs, Muslims and those perceived to be of Mid Eastern origin in America. After 9/11, US government statistics indicated a rise of hate crimes by 1700 per cent.

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Aladdin Elaasar
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