November 30, 2008: Speak Out Against Terrorism

I don't know how many times I have heard non-Muslims in the US say, "We never hear Muslims condemning violence in the name of Islam". To that end, I wanted to post this article which appeared in the Arab Times, Kuwait. BUT, I want to note, for anyone out there reading this blog, that Muslims DO condemn violence committed in their names, but the US media usually chooses, for whatever reason, NOT to shine a light on it.

Crime against humanity, Islam: Kuwait’s Deputy PM

KUWAIT, Nov 29, (KUNA): Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah condemned Friday the attacks in the Indian commercial city, Mumbai, and said they were “crimes against humanity and Islam.” “If those (who carried out the attacks) claim they did what they do in the name of Islam then Islam is better without them,” Sheikh Mohammad told reporters after receiving Kuwaitis who returned home after they were released from a hostage-taking ordeal in a hotel in Mumbai.

“We as Muslims strongly condemn this act and we have expressed our sympathies to the Indian authorities, and I hope the international community affirms, through this incident, the necessity of fighting terrorism,” underlined Sheikh Mohammad. The attacks in Mumbai killed almost 195 people and injured over 300 others.

Meanwhile, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah sent a cable of appreciation to Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh, thanking him for efforts exerted by Indian authorities in ensuring the safety of Kuwaiti citizens there. In the cable, Sheikh Nasser thanked the Indian government’s endeavors in ensuring the well-being of Kuwaitis, who were trapped in one of the hotels that were attacked by terrorists.

Sheikh Nasser, who described the attacks as “criminal”, offered his deepest sympathies and condolences to the Prime Minister and the friendly people of India for their losses and a wished speedy recovery for the injured. He also reiterated Kuwait’s condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and for whatever reason.

In another development Kuwait’s Salafist Group has denounced the Mumbai terrorist attack which affected hundreds of innocent citizens, while foreigners were also used as shields for issues that did not concern them, reports Arrouia daily. A press statement released by the group stressed that these armed militants wrecked mayhem on innocent people due to their wrong beliefs and unacceptable ideologies. The Mumbai incident is an example of unwarranted extremist attacks against humanity in their bid to pull down the system at all cost, the statement added. “We condemn this act in totality while calling on the concerned authority to take decisive steps in waging a war against extremism. There is the need to monitor suspicious communications, since it is possible to use the websites to spread such undesirable ideologies to Kuwait,” the statement suggested.