U.S. Muslims Repudiate Latest Bin Laden Message

February 13, 2003

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/5168265.htm

On February 13, 2003 The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that "in a tape aired worldwide Tuesday by the Al-Jazeera television station, a man believed to be the terrorist mastermind urged Muslims to fight with Iraq against the United States and its allies... Although most Muslims repudiate bin Laden, they have not been able to escape his taint since the Sept. 11 attacks, noted Osman bin Bakar, a scholar at Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding... 'Every time he opens his mouth, it puts Muslims in difficulty,' Bakar said. 'It puts pressure on the Muslims here to disassociate themselves from what he is saying...' Muslim leaders contacted yesterday emphatically distanced themselves from bin Laden and his latest call to suicide attacks and other terrorism."