Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Local mosques, synagogues heighten security
By James Zwilling
Staff Reporter

Religious leaders in Fort Worth said Jews and Muslims heightened security Tuesday, fearing retaliation against people of foreign descent in light of recent terrorist attacks in the United States.

Moujahed Bakhach, chairman of the Imam’s Council of Tarrant County and Imam of the Islamic Association of Tarrant County, said that although no group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attacks on the World Trade Center, his mosque received a threatening phone call shortly after the attacks took place.

According to a tape heard by the TCU Daily Skiff, a caller said, “Prepare to die.... You want a holy war? You got it.”

Bakhach said he is concerned about the safety of his religious community and said that assumptions of blame against foreigners are common in the wake of terrorist attacks.

“Whether (Muslims) are innocent or not, we are guilty,” he said. “We want to make it clear that we are against this terrorist act. We are Americans and we have to take full responsibility for helping care for our country in its time of need. We, as Americans, have to all organize ourselves and take one step against this terrorist attack.”

Although, Ahavath Sholom Synagogue on Hulen Street had no reported threats, it heightened security with police surveillance.

Anantha Babbili, TCU professor of journalism, said tragedies such as these cause all foreigners to become acutely aware of themselves and they tend to fear irrational responses.

“We are in a period of speculation and finger pointing and allegations, so we have to wait until the culprits are caught or the terrorists identified and then discuss how we should react,” Babbili said.

Morrison Wong, TCU professor of sociology, said foreigners should fear irrational responses based on U.S. history like in the case of the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

“I think (as a result of the terrorism) Americans will probably become more (afraid of foreigners),” Wong said.

Rashid Habib, a sophomore computer science major from United Arab Emirates, said he has not faced any prejudices yet, but thinks there will be some problems with those Americans who judge people based on stereotypes.

He also said he is not surprised by some of the reactions from the Middle East.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that thousands of Palestinians were dancing in the streets and handing out candy and Iraqi television played a patriotic song that begins with “Down with America” as it showed the World Trade Center towers falling.

“I understand Palestine and Iraq enjoying this,” Habib said. “Anyone in alliance with Israel is an enemy to them.”

Babbili said these reactions can be difficult to understand.

“When you see images like that — people celebrating such tragedies — it should bring us to a realization that there has to be a reason or rationale which we cannot fathom, but it exists,” he said. “This (incident) should give us time to ponder why people react like this.”

James Zwilling
j.g.zwilling@student.tcu.edu