Bush Concerned About Violence Against US MuslimsUS President George W. Bush Monday visited an Islamic center here Monday and expressed his concern about the increasing violence against US Muslims in the wake of last weeks terrorist attacks over New York and Washington."Those who feel like they can intimidate our fellow citizens to take out their anger don't represent the best of America. They represent the worst of humankind, and they should be ashamed of that kind of behavior," he said at the center. According to Federal Investigation Bureau Director Robert Mueller, since the terror attacks last Tuesday, there have been dozens of hate crimes directed against Arab-Americans, including arsons, assaults and two possible ethnically motivated murders. A 49-year-old Indian gas station owner in Arizona and a Pakistani Muslim sore owner in Texas were shot dead recently. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has recorded more than 300 incidents of anti-Muslim harassment, threats, discrimination and violence. Earlier Tuesday, Mueller said at a press conference that the FBI has begun 40 investigations into reported attacks on Arab- American citizens and institutions since the attacks in which over 5,000 were killed or missing. He warned that the U.S. government will not tolerate any attacks or threats against Arab-Americans and will prosecute anyone who commits hate crimes. The Bush administration has accused Saudi millionaire Bin Laden, a Muslim believed to be in hiding in Afghanistan, of masterminding the terror attacks. |
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