Imran Anwar

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Fax 703-935-5681

Contact:

IMRAN.TV

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media@imran.com

· For Immediate Release—December 13, 2001

Press Release

Muslim Leader Lauds US Release of Bin Laden Tape, Calls For Inclusion of Muslims in US Society & Politics

Exposing terrorists’ evil nature and following inclusive, fair and balanced policy towards Muslim s essential to ensure success of War on Terror

Heron Pointe, NY, December 13, 2001: Imran Anwar, founder of the Modern Muslim Movement, and President of Islamic Media Response & Action Network, ( www.imran.com ) today lauded the US decision to release the Bin Laden tape to the public.

He expressed the dismay and indignation felt by Muslims worldwide at the callous disregard for innocent civilian lives, and the liberal misuse of the name of God (“Allah”), to gloat over the death and destruction of innocent lives. According to Imran Anwar, “Muslims worldwide feel that unfair, or biased, American policy abroad causes suffering and death of countless innocent Muslims, in countries from Palestine to Iraq, from Kashmir to Chechnya. But, they are aghast to learn how a group of people has hijacked the religion of Islam, to conduct acts of terrorism and cold-blooded murder on innocent civilians.”

“The release of the Usama Bin Laden tape was an excellent decision in exposing his involvement and knowledge of the attacks, but also how valid political and just causes can be hurt rather than helped by such misguided or evil actions as we saw on September 11,” he said. “However, unless, specific and immediate actions stated below are taken, we risk creating an environment even more dangerous by giving incentive to Muslims in the USA and abroad to target the US for worse attacks - regardless of the existence or end of Bin Laden,” Anwar warned.

According to Anwar, release of the tape is an excellent first step to winning the war on terror. If the US is to win the war, not just a battle, it will have to take several follow up steps to involve, include and respect the rights and needs of Muslims here and abroad.

To begin with:

1. The US has to make a greater effort to disseminate the contents of this tape in the vast areas of the Muslim world that do not have access to live or even recorded TV coverage. Often these are the very places economic and political misery, injustice and tyranny, combine to create breeding grounds for terrorists who mistakenly believe they are doing a religious duty.

2. The President of the United States has gone out of his way to reach out to the Muslim community on several “socio-religious” occasions, which is a positive step. But, the fact remains that even though the White House has done a great job in including African-American, Hispanic, Jewish and even Asian/Oriental-Americans in its Cabinet and visible public positions, there are NO people of Muslim/ Pakistani/ Arab origin anywhere in the White House or official circles. These are a large and significant part of the US social fabric yet they are deliberately and completely shunned in official circles.

3. Despite the fact that the terrorists clearly build support for attacks on America by quoting unfair and biased US policy towards the Palestinian & Kashmiri causes, the US has continued to ignore the tyrannical and terrorizing Israeli policies against Palestinians. This will backfire in the long run and put all of us in America and abroad at greater risk from lone-ranger terrorists.

Imran Anwar again extended his offer to help the US government successfully reach out and build bridges with the Muslim world. He called upon President Bush and Secretary of State Powell to actively encourage a policy of inclusiveness towards Muslims in America, fair and balanced foreign policy towards Muslim nations worldwide and encourage the US public and society to remember that Muslims are an integral part of the United States. Muslims feel ignored & excluded especially during the holidays, when Jewish and Christian symbols adorn almost every store and shop but no one fetes the Eid holiday that occurs in the same period.