In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Media Communique: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

26 December, 2009.

 

MPAC Condemns Any and All Acts of Terrorism

(Lagos, 26/12/09) The Muslim Public Affairs Centre, MPAC, today strongly condemns any and all acts of terrorism as a complete violation of the teachings of Islam. All attacks that threaten peace, or that are aimed at civilian targets, even in a state of war, are terrorism.  It is therefore sad to learn of a 23 year-old Nigerian passenger aboard a Delta Airlines flight to Detroit, United States, allegedly trying to set a bomb off on the US passenger aircraft on Christmas Day. The US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that preliminary analysis had shown that the suspect had strapped pentaerythritol, which he tried to ignite, to his body and that passengers said that his trousers and the aircraft wall caught fire.

MPAC has consistently condemned all acts of terrorism, whether carried out by individuals, groups or states. We repudiate anyone or any group that plans or carries out a terrorist act and we welcome early actions by law enforcement authorities against credible threats to the safety of the travelling public.

The Nigerian Muslim community has always been dedicated to the protection of our national security locally and the global security and peace. It is therefore important that law-abiding Nigerian Muslims should not be targeted or singled out because of their faith or national origin.

There can be no question of defending, approving or justifying terrorism attempts or attacks, yet it is important, based on past counterterrorism cases that did not lead to terror convictions, that we withhold judgment until all the facts of this case come to light. We also ask public officials, the media and commentators to avoid using stereotypical, speculative, dramatic and ill-defined terminologies when referring to this and similar cases.

Lastly as Muslims, it is our responsibility- young and old, parents, sons and daughters, teachers and students, leaders and activists, to rally together to positively and constructively intervene with our youth to make sure they have a good understanding of Islam so that no extremists will play upon them. As an experienced and independent voice within the Nigerian Muslim community, MPAC reaffirms Islam’s teachings of peace, justice and tolerance for all. We reaffirm that Islam fiercely rejects any act of terrorism and does not tolerate the use of terrorism for any purpose, regardless of the identity of the aggressors or the nature of their motives.

-End-

Contact:

Disu Kamor
Director of Media & Communications
Muslim Public Affairs Centre, MPAC
e-mail: kamor.disu@mpac-ng.org
website: www.mpac-ng.org