Mosques, Islamic Centers Targets of Backlash

September 13, 2001

Source: The Washington Post

On September 13, 2001, The Washington Post reported on incidents of backlash across the U.S. The article included an incident at a religious center in Sterling, Virginia: "Members of the Islamic community center in Sterling showed up extra early yesterday to get on a bus they had chartered to take them to a Red Cross center, where they planned to donate blood for victims of the attacks. They found their hallway spray-painted in thick black letters, several feet tall, spelling out: 'Die Pigs' and 'Muslims Burn Forever.'...'People should understand, we live here. We didn't do this,' said Mohammed Khan, who emigrated from Pakistan to Sterling 16 years ago."