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CNN Live Event/Special

Hate Crimes on the Rise

Aired September 20, 2001 - 05:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LARRY KING LIVE")

QUEEN NOOR OF JORDAN: These attacks are completely contradictory to the teachings and the instructions of our religion - of God and of the prophet Mohammed. In fact, the Prophet Mohammed instructed Muslims never to hurt in any way civilians or citizens who were not fighting them to not hurt the women, child, the elderly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Queen Noor - the former Queen of Jordan obviously talking about the tenants of the Muslim faith and how important it is to make the distinction between the Muslim religion and Islamic extremists who commit these terrorist acts.

And U.S. officials are finding that part of America's New War does include a battle against racial and religious hatred in this country. CNN's Ann McDermott has more on this ugly backlash to the terrorists' attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANN MCDERMOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Adele Carrus (ph) was an American but he was killed Saturday at his little store in San Gabriel, California because his family believes the Egyptian-born man looked Middle Eastern.

And hate crimes are on the rise. The FBI is actively investigating 40 such incidents - 40 and counting. Attorney General John Ashcroft . . .

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm deeply concerned about the civil liberties of all Americans - especially concerned about the civil liberties of Arab Americans and Middle Eastern Americans.

MCDERMOTT: President Bush set the tone earlier this week during a visit to an Islamic center where he spoke out against this home grown hatred.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They represent the worst of human kind.

MCDERMOTT: Mr. Bush's National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, said the President wants no war against the Islamic religion.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER OF THE UNITED STATES: Islam stands for peace and stands for non-violence and he wanted to make that very, very clear.

MCDERMOTT: Meanwhile California's Attorney General says there have been dozens of incidents in his state alone. Officials there are now distributing special pamphlets in Arabic and Hindi and other languages on how to deal with hate crimes. And the pamphlets say, "Call the cops."

Meanwhile Afghans in LA met this week to grieve for the victims in New York and DC and to call for a halt to the hate.

UK: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

MCDERMOTT: But acts of vandalism have continued. This is an Islamic enter in Texas.

UK: My kids are crying, my wife is crying, I am upset. I can't think why this takes place. And here we come to a place where we should fee safe.

MCDERMOTT: As one victim of a hate crime put it, "Those who do this - they, too, are terrorists."

Ann McDermott, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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