By TwoCircles.net newsdesk
While appreciating Indians and specially Muslims for showing restraint and maintaining communal harmony, Indian Muslims in America have condemned the bomb blast in historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, in strongest possible terms.
Statements issued by Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA), Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM), and a number of prominent community leaders have displayed their shock and anger at the bomb blast in Hyderabad during Friday prayers.
Kaleem Kawaja of AIM called the act “heinous cowardly attack intended to frighten and destabilize the Muslims of Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh� adding that Muslims “have lived for centuries in peace with Hindus, Christians and others.�
IMC-USA’s statement highlighted the high level of planning and the intent of the attackers, who timed the blast during Friday prayers when Masjid is full of thousands of worshippers, two other bombs were recovered later, if they had gone off, would have increased the casualties significantly. Use of cell phone to trigger the bomb shows sophistication of the planning.
Indian Muslims are united in asking for a high level inquiry and speedy investigation to bring the terrorists to justice.
IMC-USA offered its condolences to the families of the victims and welcomed the deployment of Rapid Action Force to secure law and order. It called for investigation of death of innocent citizens due to indiscriminate police firing.
The statement released by prominent community leaders was signed by Kaleem Kawaja of AIM, Saeed Patel of Non-Resident Indians for a Secular and Harmonious India,
Habeeb Ahmed of Indian Muslim Relief and Charities, Dr. Syed Sohail Ahmed of Islamic Medical Association of North America, Dr. Waheeduddin Ahmed of Milwaukee and Syed Azmatullah Quadri of Chicago. Dr. Shaik Ubaid of New York, who is founder President of Indian Musim Alert Network and National Coordinator of Coalition Against Genocide releasing this statment asked why the usual police force was absent this Friday. They demanded that police officers responsible for withdrawing police security cover and then ordering the police to fire upon unarmed worshippers must be punished.
Pointing out that police force is infiltrated by Hindutva-fascist sympathizers, statements demanded proportional representation for all minorities in police force to ensure neutrality and integrity.
IMC-USA and statement by Indian Muslim leaders in North America warned that we should not rush to judgment for who is responsible for this brutal act. “In view of the local connection to Nanded and the Malegaon bomb blasts we should reserve the initial judgments about the source of these murderous acts� cautioned Rasheed Ahmed of IMC-USA. Both statements pointed that Hindu extremist groups have been found involved in terrorist activities in the past and therefore urged media to let investigating agencies do their job.
Community leaders urged US Treasury department and law-enforcement agencies to look into the fund raising activities of Hindutva organizations in the United States.
Statements released by all Indian Muslim organizations have urged the government to be more active in preventing these attacks by a speedy investigation into this act of terror.
Rasheed Ahmed, President of IMC-USA demanded “A transparent and swift investigation to find the terrorists behind these gruesome crimes by the Andhra Pradesh government will go a long way to build the confidence of law abiding people and set a example for other states where similar cases goes unresolved�.
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