San Francisco Bay Area Muslims Condemn Terrorism in the Name of Islam - Press Conference

Friday is the regular day of congregational prayers for members of the Muslim Faith.

Today at the Islamic Center of San Francisco at Market and Jones streets, Muslims leaders from the Bay Area were joined by members of the interfaith community, Christian, Jewish and others, to jointly comdemn yesterday's terrorist bombings in London.

After statements from the all the faith and community leaders present, a Q & A continued with members of the mainstream press.

In response to Today's New York Times Op Ed piece by Thomas Friedman, who incorrectly stated that no muslim clergy or major organization has yet comdemned Osama Bin Laden, the local press was reminded that here in the Mr. Friedman's home country of the United States, the Leading and Largest Muslim organization with the widest cross cultural membership, the Islamic Society of North America, or ISNA, has indeed condemned Osama Bin Laden and each and every subsequent act of terrorism, including last year's train bombing in Spain and most certainly yesterday's London bombings.

A running theme in the local press' questions seemed to all boil down to the necessary education of U.S. Authorities on Islam and Muslim practices beyond simply equating the religion with the illegal actions of terrorists whose faith is Islam.

Asked about the Patriot Act, the question was answered by a Jewish American Leader who stated that the Patriot Act does indeed cause harm on the Jewish American Community as Acts of Terrorism done in Israel by Jews, may be identified with himself, for example, who happens to be an anti-zionist Jewish American who is absolutely against any and all forms of terrorism.



...This article will be updated later this afternoon...