The Muslim Peace Coalition, an advocacy group in the New York metro area, called for mosques to dedicate their Friday prayers to victims of the Boston tragedy and cautioned in a statement against those who “will shamelessly exploit the bombings and use the Internet and the right wing media to further demonize Islam.”
Coalition co-chair ShaikUbaid, of Westchester County, said he hoped this would lead to communities developing “a comprehensive strategy to help our youth” so they are not vulnerable to extremist ideologies. “I hope they will catch him alive so they can find out what happened.”
Many mosques all over the US held special prayers services for the victims of the Boston terrorist bombings. The prayer services were held in congregation during the early afternoon Friday Sabbath services. More were planned for Friday evening and on the weekend.
“American Muslim leadership must break this cycle of terrorism, demonization and more terrorism. Islamophobic media bashing and school bullying is making the Muslim students depressed and angry and a few can resort to violence. American foreign policy of waging unjustified war is also a major contributing factor. The Muslim leadership must put in place programmes to teach American youth peaceful ways of showing dissent,” said Dr. Ubaid, the New York Co-chair of Muslim Peace Coalition USA.
“We urge the suspect to surrender instead of committing more major sins such as murder. The authorities can then analyse the causes behind his radicalisation. Was it Al-Qaeda ideology or constant demonization by the Islamophobes or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as his family is from Chechnya, a region that has suffered unparalleled devastation at the hands of the Russian army,” said Dr. Ubaid.
CAIR Urges Prayers, Blood Donations for Boston Bomb Victims
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), on 15 April, condemned the bomb attacks on the Boston Marathon that left three people dead and many more injured. CAIR urged all Americans to pray for the victims and their families and asked the Boston-area Muslim community to donate blood for those who were wounded.
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director NihadAwad said:“American Muslims, like Americans of all backgrounds, condemn in the strongest possible terms today’s cowardly bomb attack on participants and spectators of the Boston Marathon.We urge people of all faiths to pray for the victims and their loved ones and for the speedy recovery of those injured. We also call for the swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators.While spiritual measures can serve to comfort those in physical and emotional pain, we also call on Muslims and others in the Boston area to donate blood through the Red Cross as a concrete show of support for the bomb attack victims.”
The Washington-based civil rights organisation also urged Muslims to listen to government announcements to determine other steps they might take to help first responders and those impacted by the tragic event.
MAT, ISCC Strongly Condemn Boston Marathon Attacks
The Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and the Muslims Against Terrorism strongly condemned15 April terrorism during the Boston Marathon. “Our hearts go out to the victims of this tragedy. The Canadian Muslim community stands shoulder to shoulder with the American brothers and sisters at this difficult time,” said Imam Syed Soharwardy, the founder of Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and the Muslims Against Terrorism.
The members and the executive councils of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and the Muslims Against Terrorism offered deep condolences to the families of the victims. “We are all united to fight terrorism and extremism. The unity among peace loving people of all faiths will be the most important weapon against the terrorists and the extremists. We will never let the terrorists succeed.”
Egypt’s FJP Strongly Condemns Boston Bombings
The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) on 16 April categorically rejected as intolerable the bombings committed in the U.S. city of Boston. The FJP offered heartfelt sympathies and solemn condolences to the American people and the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Islamic Shari’ah (law), accepted by the FJP as a framework of reference, strongly condemned attacks on civilians and terrorising innocent people, regardless of their religion, race, colour or sex.
“The heinous attacks in Boston highlight the need for the international community to unite in order to achieve justice and a decent life for all peoples and communities to ensure non-recurrence of such violent and tragic crimes,” said a statement of FJP on 16 April.
Khamenei condemns Boston bombings, chides US
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the deadly twin bomb blasts at the Boston Marathon but also chided what he described as a “contradictory” US approach to terrorism. “The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a follower of the Islamic rationale, is against any blast and killing of innocent people whether in Boston, Pakistan, Afghanistan or Syria,” Khamenei said in remarks on his website, leader.ir.
“The approach of the US and others who advocate human rights is contradictory in regards to the killing of innocent people,” Khamenei said in a speech to army personnel and families.
They “remain silent on killing the innocent people of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria and then fill the world with a hue and cry following a couple of blasts in the US,” he added.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman also “strongly condemned” the blasts, calling them a “source of sorrow.”
Bombing Suspect is in Custody
A 19-year-old college student wanted in the Boston Marathon bombings was taken into custody on 19 April after a manhunt that left the city virtually paralysed and his older brother and accomplice dead.
Police announced via Twitter that DzhokharTsarnaev was in custody. His brother, 26-year-old Tamerlan, was killed early Friday in a furious attempt to escape police.DzhokharTsarnaev had been reported to have hid himself in a boat in a neighbourhood near Boston. During a long night of violence Thursday into Friday, the brothers killed a police officer, severely wounded another officer and hurled explosives at police in a car chase and gun battle, authorities said.
The suspects were identified by law enforcement officials and family members as Dzhokhar and TamerlanTsarnaev, ethnic Chechen brothers who had lived in the Dagestan region in southern Russia. They had been in the US for about a decade, an uncle said.
Their uncle in Maryland, RuslanTsarni, pleaded on live television Friday: “Dzhokhar, if you are alive, turn yourself in and ask for forgiveness.”
Authorities in Boston suspended all mass transit and warned close to 1 million people in the city and some of its suburbs to stay indoors as the hunt went on. Investigators in the Boston case have shed no light on the motive for the bombing and have said it is unclear whether it was the work of domestic or international terrorists.
State Police spokesman Dave Procopio said police realized they were dealing with the bombing suspects based on what the two men told a carjacking victim during their getaway attempt overnight.
Shortly before DzhokharTsarnaev’s capture, the White House said President Barack Obama has spoken by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the investigation.Obama “praised the close cooperation that the United States has received from Russia on counter-terrorism, including in the wake of the Boston attack,” the White House said in a statement.