Source: Northwest Indiana News

http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2002/11/26/news/top_news/64c14bdeff4ff10886256c7d0026bd94.txt

On December 2, 2002 the Northwest Indiana News reported that "Aly Khan [came] forward as a candidate in hopes of replacing Bill Alexa when he retires from the [IL] state Senate at the end of the month. As a Muslim leader, active on both the national and local levels, the 37-year-old is well aware of the challenges he faces in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But Khan says he has great faith in the ideals of this country and believes the time is right for he and his fellow Muslims to take a more active role in political life. It is also his hope to trigger a similar response among the many less-fortunate Muslims, who are forced to endure oppression in other parts of the world. If elected to the Senate seat, Khan said it would be historic in that he knows of no other Muslims holding a significant political post in this country. This is the case, he said, because prior to Sept. 11, Muslims kept mostly to themselves -- working, praying and going home. That all changed with the backlash of the terrorist attacks and the spotlight on the more than 7 million Muslims living in this country. The experience has made him all the more sensitive to the unique issues facing his community."