The US Muslim Brotherhood has begun to react to the attacks in Garland, Texas outside an event devoted to cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has issued the following statement:
‘We condemn yesterday’s attack on an anti-Islam event in Garland, Texas, without reservation.
‘We also reiterate our view that violence in response to anti-Islam programs like the one in Garland is more insulting to our faith than any cartoon, however defamatory. Bigoted speech can never be an excuse for violence.
[NOTE: Geller’s American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) is identified as an anti-Muslim hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. CAIR had advised American Muslims to ignore her event.]
‘Muslims in North Texas and across the nation are shocked and saddened by this inexcusable attack and pray for the speedy recovery of the officer injured by the attackers.
‘We thank the Garland Police Department for its swift actions to ensure public safety.
‘Unfortunately, human history shows us that hatred breeds more hatred and extremism leads to more extremism.
Read the rest here.
The executive director of the local CIAR chapter was quoted in UK media as follows:
I think the most disturbing thing is that both the organizers of the event and the perpetrators of the crime are outsiders,” Alia Salem, the executive director of the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told the Guardian.“Both entities approached Dallas, Texas, with hatred in their hearts,” she said, of the AFDI and the perpetrators of the brazen attack, that had shaken her community “and brought turmoil and fear into our midst”.
A European news portal cited the following remarks of the President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA):
So out of 100,000 Muslims who live in this great metropolitan area, not one came to the Garland Event Center and protested or participated in any type of protest. They just ignored this entire incident that itself also shows that amongst the Muslim community there is a great amount of respect for the freedom of speech,” said the President of Islamic Society of North America, Azhar Azeez.