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American Morning

Ask CNN: How Are American Muslims Viewed by Bin Laden Followers and Other Extremist Groups in the Middle East?

Aired October 29, 2001 - 10:53   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.
ANNOUNCER: Andrew Gerber from Charlotte, North Carolina, asks, "How are American Muslims viewed by bin Laden followers and other extremist Muslim and Arab groups in the Middle East?"

AKBAR AHMED, CHAIR OF ISLAMIC STUDIES, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: Most of the Muslims living in America, which number about 7 million, are American citizens, loyal citizens. They love America. They love being in America. And there would be some kind of split in the way they are viewed by people like Osama bin Laden, because he would be intrigued as to why they would be so well adjusted and happy in America.

I think the way bin Laden would look at it is like this: He would say, our enemies -- that is, the enemies of the Muslims -- are basically the Jews and the Christians. He targets the Jews and the Christians. He mentions them in his speeches, and he mentions them because, he says, of the plight of the people of the Middle East. He mentions the Palestinians, the people of Iraq, and the stationing of foreign troops in Saudi Arabia. So he believes that those Muslims who do not support his call for a war against Jews and Christians are not loyal or good Muslims.

So he attempts to create a rift within Muslim societies. So the more the chances of disharmony, of conflict, within the community, where Muslims are unhappy, the better the chances of Osama bin Laden influencing these people. So he would like to see conflict and disharmony in America.

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