Fallwell asked to apologize
By Anwar Iqbal
From the International Desk
Published 10/6/2002 9:36 AM
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Remarks by conservative Baptist minister Rev. Jerry Falwell, who called Prophet Mohammed a "terrorist," appears to have outraged Muslims across the globe with protests reported from India to Malaysia.
In the Indian state of Kashmir, Muslim protesters clashed with police while urging shopkeepers to observe a complete strike against the remarks. Elsewhere in India, Muslim groups held peaceful rallies to register their protest.
In most of the 57 Muslim nations across the world, newspapers prominently reported Falwell's remarks. Some also wrote commentary pieces and editorials, urging the minister to apologize.
In an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," Falwell said, "I think Mohammad was a terrorist."
The network released a partial transcript of the interview Thursday. The Baptist minister's comments occur in a segment about American conservative Christians' political support for Israel.
The demand for an apology was also supported by the New York-based Anti-Defamation League, an organization fighting anti-Semitism since 1913.
"The Rev. Jerry Falwell has once again demonstrated his intolerance by his outrageous charge about the Prophet Mohammed. He owes an apology to the millions of good people who follow the Muslim faith," said ADL's national director, Abraham H. Foxman. "As a man of religion, he should be working toward bringing faith communities closer together, not driving wedges through them."
In the interview, Falwell said he had concluded from reading Muslim and non-Muslim writers that Islam's prophet "was a -- a violent man, a man of war."
Asked to comment on the interview, Falwell said he had been asked whether he considered Mohammad a terrorist and "I tried to reply honestly."
Other conservative Protestant clergy also have made critical comments about Islam and Mohammad since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. They include Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son and successor, TV evangelist Pat Robertson and leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention.
In response to Falwell's remarks, Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington, said Friday: "Anybody is free to be a bigot if they want to. What really concerns us is the lack of reaction by mainstream religious and political leaders, who say nothing when these bigots voice these attacks."
"These attacks on Islam and Prophet Mohammad not only reveal utter ignorance of history, but also reflect on the paranoia of these evangelical leaders who just cannot see Islam as a major American religion with over 7 million followers in the United States," said a spokesman for the Islamic Society of North America, an umbrella group representing more than a dozen Muslim groups in North America.
Islam is the second-largest religion in the world with more than 1.3 billion followers.
In Malaysia, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad urged Muslims on not to take Falwell's remarks seriously.
Mahathir, 76, who leads a moderate, predominantly Muslim nation in Southeast Asia, said people who made such remarks were ignorant about Islam and its 7th century founder, Mohammad.
"They don't understand anything," Mahathir was quoted a saying by the national news agency, Bernama. "They don't understand Islam."
Mahathir said that Falwell, as a religious leader, had no right to make such a statement, but added: "I'm not going to accuse all Christians. Only one person made such (a) statement."
Malaysia's minister in charge of Muslim affairs commented that CBS should not take the risk of hurting Muslim feelings by broadcasting the interview. He advised Falwell to learn more about the religion.
Malaysia will chair the Organization of the Islamic Conference, a grouping of 57 Muslim nations, next year.
In Houston, Texas, more than 100 Muslims demonstrated outside a local CBS affiliate Saturday to protest insulting remarks against their prophet.
"We are here to ask Channel 11 not to broadcast the segment tomorrow," said Masrur J. Khan, spokesman for the Islamic Society of Greater Houston.
Local Muslim leaders condemned Falwell, calling the statements made in the interview scheduled to air Sunday on the local KHOU-Channel 11 bigoted, irresponsible and sacrilegious. They fear the comments may lead to attacks on American Muslims.
"While we respect the opinions of all groups and leaders in our community, no one has seen this program, including KHOU," said the channel's president and general manager, Peter Diaz, while defending the decision to air the interview.
Diaz continued: "60 Minutes is arguably the most respected news program in the world. They trust the American public to make up their own minds about issues and opinions expressed on the program. We'll trust Houstonians to make up their minds, too."
Standing on sidewalks outside the TV station on Allen Parkway, members of the local Muslim community held signs that read: "Islam for Peace," "Work for Peace not War/Hatred" and "Moses, Jesus, Mohammed: Pious Prophets of God" and "We Respect all Prophets."
"We Muslims have never said anything against any other prophet. So why do people say things about our prophet," said Qasim Ahmed, imam of Houston's Al-Islam mosque.
"In the present circumstances, people want healing, not war and controversy," he added.
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