Paris, May 07: As al-Qaeda urges Muslims around the world to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden, Calgarians say the appeal falls on deaf ears.
On Friday, the Islamic traditional day of prayers, al-Qaeda called for followers of Islam to rise up against the United States, as rallies against the killing of the 9/11 mastermind in a U.S. raid flared in the Islamic world.
Syed Soharwardy, head imam at the Al-Madinah Calgary Islamic Centre, founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and founder of Muslims Against Terrorism, said most Muslims won’t react to the terror network’s vindictive plea.
“A very large majority of Muslims don’t have any sympathy with al-Qaeda,” Soharwardy said.
“It’s funny to ask Muslims to support them and take revenge. Muslims can’t be on the side of supporting terrorists -these are extremists and fanatics and they’ve damaged Islam more than any other group.”
Mohammed Siddiqi is a Calgarian Muslim and said the teachings of Islam are of peace and not violence, although he sides with the U.S. for carrying out the execution of bin Laden. Now Siddiqi wishes for peace.
“I hope with the main terrorist dead, the people will be saved,” said Siddiqi from his Madina Halal Meat Shop in the northeast.
There’s always someone willing to step into the shoes of any leader, said Ahmed Bhatti, another Calgary Muslim. He doesn’t see a stop to al-Qaeda activities any time soon, but added he too is glad the United States government killed bin Laden.
An elite U.S. commando team carried out the helicopter-borne raid of the fortified compound in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad where bin Laden had been hiding. Because of this, al-Qaeda is appealing specifically to Pakistani Muslims “to cleanse their country from the filth of the Americans who spread corruption in it.”
Bhatti still has family in Pakistan and said it’s not up to al-Qaeda to mete out justice.
“The Americans were looking for this guy for over 10 years and they had a right to go into any country to get him,” Bhatti said. “It’s good they found him and until they did, he could have done more damage to the world and killed more innocent people.”
Peace is definitely a possibility with bin Laden disposed, believes Sadat Choudary, general secretary of the Calgary division of the Pakistan Canada Association. However, Pakistan could suffer a major backlash from other countries for its role in the elimination of the world’s most wanted man.
“Anyone against Pakistan will use it as negative propaganda,” explained Choudary.
“India will benefit to bash Pakistan. It can put trade restrictions and bring the economy down.”
–Agencies