Self-criticism in Arab media follows school siege

[Silvarel Mistmoon]

Self-criticism in Arab media follows school siege

Al-Arabiya GM: Muslims are main perpetrators of terrorismThe Associated Press
Updated: 6:32 a.m. ET Sept. 4, 2004CAIRO, Egypt - Muslims worldwide are the main perpetrators of terrorism, a humiliating and painful truth that must be acknowledged, a prominent Arab writer and television executive wrote Saturday, as Middle East media and officials expressed horror at the bloody rebel siege of a Russian school.


Unusually forthright self-criticism followed the end of the hostage crisis, along with warnings that such actions inflict more damage to the image of Islam than all its enemies could hope. Arab leaders and Muslim clerics denounced the school seizure as unjustifiable and expressed their sympathy.

Russian commandos stormed the school Friday in Beslan, Russia; it had been taken over by rebels demanding independence for Chechnya. Russian officials said Saturday that the death toll was at least 250, with twice as many wounded. Many of the casualties were children.

Images of terrified young survivors being carried from the scene aired repeatedly on Arab TV stations. Pictures of dead and wounded children ran on front pages of Arab newspapers Saturday.

“Holy warriors” from the Middle East long have supported fellow Muslims fighting in Chechnya, and Russian officials said nine or 10 Arabs were among militants killed.

“Our terrorist sons are an end-product of our corrupted culture,” Abdulrahman al-Rashed, general manager of Al-Arabiya television wrote in his daily column published in the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. It ran under the headline, “The Painful Truth: All the World Terrorists are Muslims!”

'Humiliating, painful' picture
Al-Rashed ran through a list of recent attacks by Islamic extremist groups — in Russia, Iraq, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen — many of which are influenced by the ideology of Osama Bin Laden, the Saudi-born leader of the al-Qaida terror network.

“Most perpetrators of suicide operations in buses, schools and residential buildings around the world for the past 10 years have been Muslims,” he wrote. Muslims will be unable to cleanse their image unless “we admit the scandalous facts,” rather than offer condemnations or justifications.

“The picture is humiliating, painful and harsh for all of us,” al-Rashed wrote.

Contributors to Islamic Web sites known for their extremist content had mixed reactions on the hostage crisis, with some praising the separatists. Others wrote that people should wait until the militants had been identified before implicating Arabs in the drama.

Ahmed Bahgat, an Egyptian Islamist, wrote in his column in Egypt’s leading pro-government newspaper, Al-Ahram, that hostage-takers in Russia as well as in Iraq are only harming Islam.

“If all the enemies of Islam united together and decided to harm it ... they wouldn’t have ruined and harmed its image as much as the sons of Islam have done by their stupidity, miscalculations, and misunderstanding of the nature of this age,” Bahgat wrote.

'A new low'
The horrifying images of the dead and wounded Russian students “showed Muslims as monsters who are fed by the blood of children and the pain of their families.”

An editorial in the Saudi English-language Arab News put some blame for the bloody end to the school siege on Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he couldn’t afford to lose his “tough-man image.” But it added that “the Chechens, with the choice of their targets, had put themselves in a position where no one would shed tears when the punishment came. They reached a new low when they chose toddlers as bargaining chips.”

Heads of state from Egypt, Lebanon and Kuwait offered their sympathy Friday to Russian officials and to the families of people caught up in the hostage drama. A prominent Muslim cleric also denounced it.

“What is the guilt of those children? Why should they be responsible for your conflict with the government?” Egypt’s top Muslim cleric, Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, was quoted as saying during a Friday sermon in Banha, 30 miles north of Cairo.

“You are taking Islam as a cover and it is a deceptive cover; those who carry out the kidnappings are criminals, not Muslims,” Tantawi, who heads Al-Azhar University, the highest authority in the Sunni Islamic world, was quoted by Egypt’s Middle East News agency as saying.

© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Mak]

I guess this makes Abdulrahman al-Rashed a moronic racist bigot, does it not?

[Metanis]

I guess this makes Abdulrahman al-Rashed a moronic racist bigot, does it not?

...not to mention achingly insensitive.

[Pherr the Dorf]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that the guy that lives/lived in London and was given a TV station by the US to counter Al-Jazeera?

[kyoukan]

yeah, he is hardly a representative of arab culture.

I don't really disagree with him though; most terrorists are muslims. statistically anyway.

from what I gathered it was russia that began the cycle of atrocities with chechnya to begin with. it was the russian military that invaded chechnya after they declared their independence and started killing civilians. although I deplore anyone who kills or kidnaps children, it's not like it hasn't been done on both sides.

[Toshira]

yeah, he is hardly a representative of arab culture.

I don't really disagree with him though; most terrorists are muslims. statistically anyway.

from what I gathered it was russia that began the cycle of atrocities with chechnya to begin with. it was the russian military that invaded chechnya after they declared their independence and started killing civilians. although I deplore anyone who kills or kidnaps children, it's not like it hasn't been done on both sides.

You know better. Decaring Independence is a pretty significant act. If we hadn't gone to war over it, we'd still have slavery.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

I guess this makes Abdulrahman al-Rashed a moronic racist bigot, does it not?

ROFL

or incredibly smart and realistic.....and one hell of an retired EQ Rogue. /shrug

[Pherr the Dorf]

I guess this makes Abdulrahman al-Rashed a moronic racist bigot, does it not?

ROFL

or incredibly smart and realistic.....and one hell of an retired EQ Rogue. /shrug

English is your friend

[Tegellan]

He might not be a representative of Arab culture, but it would still be nice if they looked inward a little bit, self criticism is always good. Something that Bush for example sorely lacks.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

I guess this makes Abdulrahman al-Rashed a moronic racist bigot, does it not?

ROFL

or incredibly smart and realistic.....and one hell of an retired EQ Rogue. /shrug

English is your friend

indeed...it was originally "...an ex-EQ Rogue." I forgot to erase the "n". My deepest and most sincere apologies. I'm glad you took the time to point it out though.

[Forthe]

I guess this makes Abdulrahman al-Rashed a moronic racist bigot, does it not?

All terrorists are muslims != all muslims are terrorists.

Just some logic for you, no not all terrorists are muslims.

[Kelshara]

This guy has no credibility. That said, there is no denying that right now a majority of terrorists are muslims. Not all by far, but a majority. However, as was said in a post before mine.. that does not imply in any way that all muslims are terrorists.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

This guy has no credibility. That said, there is no denying that right now a majority of terrorists are muslims. Not all by far, but a majority. However, as was said in a post before mine.. that does not imply in any way that all muslims are terrorists.

Of course not. I think that goes without saying. No one on this board thinks that.

[Kylere]

yeah, he is hardly a representative of arab culture.

I don't really disagree with him though; most terrorists are muslims. statistically anyway.

from what I gathered it was russia that began the cycle of atrocities with chechnya to begin with. it was the russian military that invaded chechnya after they declared their independence and started killing civilians. although I deplore anyone who kills or kidnaps children, it's not like it hasn't been done on both sides.

Two wrongs do not make a right

[Lalanae]

yeah, he is hardly a representative of arab culture.

I don't really disagree with him though; most terrorists are muslims. statistically anyway.

from what I gathered it was russia that began the cycle of atrocities with chechnya to begin with. it was the russian military that invaded chechnya after they declared their independence and started killing civilians. although I deplore anyone who kills or kidnaps children, it's not like it hasn't been done on both sides.

Two wrongs do not make a right

yeah, Kylere, that is EXACTLY what kyou was saying.

[Crav]

This guy has no credibility. That said, there is no denying that right now a majority of terrorists are muslims. Not all by far, but a majority. However, as was said in a post before mine.. that does not imply in any way that all muslims are terrorists.

Of course not. I think that goes without saying. No one on this board thinks that.

If you do not equate all Muslims as being terrorists then why is it that when you post a message about a terrorist attack you title it "Those Muslims are at it again"?

[kyoukan]

Two wrongs do not make a right

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

[Kelshara]

No Bush!

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

This guy has no credibility. That said, there is no denying that right now a majority of terrorists are muslims. Not all by far, but a majority. However, as was said in a post before mine.. that does not imply in any way that all muslims are terrorists.

Of course not. I think that goes without saying. No one on this board thinks that.

If you do not equate all Muslims as being terrorists then why is it that when you post a message about a terrorist attack you title it "Those Muslims are at it again"?

Were they muslims? Before you hurt yourself. Yes, they were. That might be why I said that then eh? Because, maybe, just maybe, I find the trend of violence perpetrated by muslims lately, very fucking disturbing. And I am thrilled to hear muslims within their own community upset as well.

[Crav]

This guy has no credibility. That said, there is no denying that right now a majority of terrorists are muslims. Not all by far, but a majority. However, as was said in a post before mine.. that does not imply in any way that all muslims are terrorists.

Of course not. I think that goes without saying. No one on this board thinks that.

If you do not equate all Muslims as being terrorists then why is it that when you post a message about a terrorist attack you title it "Those Muslims are at it again"?

Were they muslims? Before you hurt yourself. Yes, they were. That might be why I said that then eh? Because, maybe, just maybe, I find the trend of violence perpetrated by muslims lately, very fucking disturbing. And I am thrilled to hear muslims within their own community upset as well.

From the post you made about the Russian School incident.

Nothing confirmed yet that they are Muslims, but it's not a tough one to guess at.

Now that didn't hurt too much, I am not discussing the issue in the article I am discussing your statement that no one on the board would equate all Muslims as terrorist. You posted an article about a terrorist attack not knowing if they were Muslims or not with the title "Those peaceful Muslims are at it again..." So excuse me if much like you assumed that they were Muslims I assume that you think that all Muslims are terrorists. See I would think someone that does not equate all Muslims as terrorists would have titled it something more like "Those peaceful terrorists are at it again..."

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

This guy has no credibility. That said, there is no denying that right now a majority of terrorists are muslims. Not all by far, but a majority. However, as was said in a post before mine.. that does not imply in any way that all muslims are terrorists.

Of course not. I think that goes without saying. No one on this board thinks that.

If you do not equate all Muslims as being terrorists then why is it that when you post a message about a terrorist attack you title it "Those Muslims are at it again"?

Were they muslims? Before you hurt yourself. Yes, they were. That might be why I said that then eh? Because, maybe, just maybe, I find the trend of violence perpetrated by muslims lately, very fucking disturbing. And I am thrilled to hear muslims within their own community upset as well.

From the post you made about the Russian School incident.

Nothing confirmed yet that they are Muslims, but it's not a tough one to guess at.

Now that didn't hurt too much, I am not discussing the issue in the article I am discussing your statement that no one on the board would equate all Muslims as terrorist. You posted an article about a terrorist attack not knowing if they were Muslims or not with the title "Those peaceful Muslims are at it again..." So excuse me if much like you assumed that they were Muslims I assume that you think that all Muslims are terrorists. See I would think someone that does not equate all Muslims as terrorists would have titled it something more like "Those peaceful terrorists are at it again..."

Was I right asshole? Let's see it was a few days after the two planes were blown up by muslim terrorists for Chechnia(sp?) and this incident was right near the fucking Chechnya(sp?) border. Use your fuckign head retard.

[Kelshara]

Such language, such little intelligence. Guess the two kind of go hand in hand though.

Midnyte's ramblings is how I picture Bush off-camera and unscripted heh.

[Crav]

Of course not. I think that goes without saying. No one on this board thinks that.

If you do not equate all Muslims as being terrorists then why is it that when you post a message about a terrorist attack you title it "Those Muslims are at it again"?

Were they muslims? Before you hurt yourself. Yes, they were. That might be why I said that then eh? Because, maybe, just maybe, I find the trend of violence perpetrated by muslims lately, very fucking disturbing. And I am thrilled to hear muslims within their own community upset as well.

From the post you made about the Russian School incident.

Nothing confirmed yet that they are Muslims, but it's not a tough one to guess at.

Now that didn't hurt too much, I am not discussing the issue in the article I am discussing your statement that no one on the board would equate all Muslims as terrorist. You posted an article about a terrorist attack not knowing if they were Muslims or not with the title "Those peaceful Muslims are at it again..." So excuse me if much like you assumed that they were Muslims I assume that you think that all Muslims are terrorists. See I would think someone that does not equate all Muslims as terrorists would have titled it something more like "Those peaceful terrorists are at it again..."

Was I right asshole? Let's see it was a few days after the two planes were blown up by muslim terrorists for Chechnia(sp?) and this incident was right near the fucking Chechnya(sp?) border. Use your fuckign head retard.

Again you are confusing what we are arguing about I will utterly and completely admit to the fact that yes from all the information that is available the terrorists involved in the school incident and the other events in Russia were in fact Muslim terrorists. However, you my friend did not say the terrorist or even the Muslim terrorists you said "Those peaceful Muslims are at it again..." You then follow that up by saying that no one on the board would agree with the statement that all Muslims are terrorists.

Now tell me and this is for my own edification, did it make you feel better by trying to insult me with words? Honestly did you get something out of it?

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

Not really. But, thanks for asking.

[Mak]

I suppose I'll have to point out that article was not written by the gentleman I mentioned- he was just one of the sources interviewed. There were other sources mentioned as well- but I suppose all them are not representative of the Muslim community?