An umbrella group for Rhode Island's estimated 10,000 Muslims condemns the bombings in Britain and Egypt.

01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, July 30, 2005

BY GERALD M. CARBONE
Journal Staff Writer

Leaders of Rhode Island's nine mosques and the heads of other local Muslim groups have condemned the recent bombings in London and Egypt as the inexcusable actions of "extremists" and "criminals."

The Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement, an umbrella group for the state's Muslims, voted unanimously to issue a statement of condemnation against the bombings this week, days before a national group, the U.S. Muslim Scholars, issued a similar edict, or fatwa, against terrorism.

Bombing and other forms of violence "cannot be excused under any circumstances," said Mamoun Najjar, a medical doctor and outreach director for the Rhode Island Council. "It's un-Islamic. These people [conducting bombing campaigns] are extremists. They are criminals."

Najjar said there are about 1 billion Muslims worldwide, 6 million to 7 million in the United States, and perhaps 10,000 in Rhode Island. The vast majority, he said, do not condone violence.

"I can tell you for sure we have not come across anyone who has any weird thoughts [of violence]" in Rhode Island's Muslim community.

Muslims "provide a promising community for the ideas of the United States," he said. "It is a pro-family community -- no alcohol, no drugs, [promoting] the values of hard work. It is a promising minority community for the United States, and it is unfortunate that this comes up and takes the stage," he said, alluding to the recent bombings.

In its formal statement, the Rhode Island Council said: "Rhode Island Muslims are deeply concerned with potential backlash. It was always the case that after previous tragic [incidents] there have been waves of civil-rights intrusions, hate crimes, and discrimination. . . . We should not let terror deter us from the well-kept constitutional and legal processes. That's what makes America what it is."

In its written fatwa against violence, the U.S. Muslim Scholars said: "There's no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism. Targeting civilians' life and property through suicide bombings or any other method of attack is haram -- or forbidden."