ISNA Condemns Gadahn’s Call for Mass Murder in America

Plainfield, IN – March 7, 2010) Adam Gadahn, a “spokesman” for Al-Qaeda today called for terrorist attacks on American targets, including “mass transportation systems.” 

In response, Dr. Ingrid Mattson, ISNA President issued the following statement:

“It is tragic that this American man has been brainwashed by Al-Qaeda to the point that he would consider the mass murder of innocent people to be in any way justified. Al-Qaeda is an organization whose doctrine and methods have been rejected by Muslim scholars across the world, as well as ordinary Muslim people who have suffered in great numbers from their vicious attacks in many countries.  Al-Qaeda is a terrorist organization that follows the methodology of nationalist terrorist organizations and Marxist-Leninist revolutionaries, rejecting the teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It is only by deviating from the limits set by God that Gadahn and his masters could justify killing children, babies, elderly women, the disabled, and other innocent people who would certainly die in an attack on an American mass transit system.”

“American Muslims, some of whom would most certainly also be killed in such an attack, as they were in the attacks of 9/11, reject al-Qaeda’s attempts to lure our young men and women to their revolutionary fantasies.  Islam requires that Muslims, including those who have volunteered to serve in the military, honor the trust that has been placed in them by their neighbors and fellow citizens.  The Holy Qur’an says, “O you who believe, be true to your covenants” (5:1) and “Do not let any people’s hatred of you lead you to deviate to injustice” (5:8).  Adam Gadahn and his masters have deviated from justice by calling for the indiscriminate murder of vast numbers of people on American soil.”

ISNA calls upon Muslim parents, teachers, leaders and Imams to take time to educate young people and their communities about the danger presented by the deviant teachings of al-Qaeda.

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