Posted 9/19/01 The Muslim community doesnít condone this action By T.W. Budig Minnesota Muslims gathered on the state Capitol steps Thursday to condemn the terrorist attacks on America, saying the killing of innocent has nothing to do with their faith. ìWe do not think they are acting as Muslims,î said A.J. Siddiqui, president of the Islamic Center of Minnesota. ìThey are acting as terrorist,î he said. ìThis is not Islam. Thatís really what we want to tell Minnesotans and America at large,î said Siddiqui. Siddiqui said representatives of the Muslim community met Wednesday and drafted a statement, which he read. In it, the leaders condemned the ìcriminal actî of terrorism and said Muslims are sharing the same grief as the rest of America. There are about 160,000 Muslims living in Minnesota and about seven million living in the United States. In general, overt acts of intolerance towards the Muslim community seem relatively isolated. A Muslim school in Fridley was closed on Wednesday as the result of threats. But the school was open again on Thursday. Adeel Lari, Director of the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, said people should remember the victims of the terrorist represent American diversity. ìWhen the bodies are eventually counted, youíll find they were white, black, they were Latinos, they were Asians, they were Christians, they were Muslims, they were Jews ñand all other religions,î he said. Jannet Vuraik, a Muslim from Minneapolis, said many Muslims ñ like herself ñ are converts. She was born in the United States, she said. Vuraik, who wears traditional Muslim garb, said she was advised to remain out of sight. ìBut Iím not going to remain out of sight,î she said. Muslim leaders spoke of the need of striking back against the terrorists, but also spoke of the need for a thoughtful response. Esam Aal, a Muslim leader, described the population of Afghanistan as half refugee ìliving in rubble.î He asked for a response from the American government that helped more than harms. But what should be done? ìThatís a good question,î he said. Sen. Twyla Ring, DFL, North Branch, said her Bible tells her to love her enemies and pray for them. Hatred consumers the hater, she explained. Speaking later in the morning, Gov. Jesse Ventura urged to people to use common sense when considering the face of the enemy. ìThe Muslim community doesnít condone this action. This is not the belief of Muslims,î he said. ìThese are extremist ñ radicals,î he said of the terrorist. People living in Minnesota had nothing to do with the terrorist attack, said Ventura. At the end of their press conference, gathered Muslims and lawmakers sang ìGod Bless America.î ©Post Review