RIYADH, 27 September - Dr. Maneh Al-Johani, secretary-general of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, has said that WAMY's Washington branch has not been affected by the US sanctions on some Islamic groups in that country, as it was only engaged in the distribution of Islamic literature and educational activities.
Commenting on President George Bush's executive order imposing sanctions on 29 Islamic groups or individuals, the WAMY chief expressed his hope that other genuine relief and charitable organizations would not be affected by the ban.
"The US government should act on the basis of substantial evidence and not preconceived notions. Otherwise, they will not be able to catch the real culprits behind the Sept. 11 attacks," he observed.
Dr. Al-Johani said the FBI's identification of Saudi suspects, seven of whom are already in the Kingdom, together with the biased coverage of CNN, had tarnished the Kingdom's image and reputation.
The latest victim of this misdirected campaign was Saudi doctor Badr Al-Hazmi, whom the US authorities have released after his detention by the FBI.
Such arrests on the basis of suspicion, attacks on mosques and Islamic values had created psychological pressure on Muslims and bred a feeling of insecurity among them. In fact, Dr. Al-Johani observed, the Americans had already been haunted by a "Bin Laden fear complex" even before the attacks.
"When the attacks took place, they began investigations in the firm belief that it must be Bin Laden's work. Such an attitude is harmful to Muslims and harmful to the Americans, because the real culprits will get off scot-free," he said.
The secretary-general hoped that a pan-Islamic organization, like the Organization of the Islamic Conference, would mobilize its resources in countering the hostile propaganda and projecting the true image of Islam as the religion of peace and international brotherhood.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Bakri Shata, vice president of the Shoura Council, said the American Congress is convinced that Saudi Arabia rejects terrorism.
Speaking to Okaz daily after a visit to the United States, Shata said the American Congressmen had welcomed the Kingdom's condemnation of the terror attacks of Sept. 11.
The Congressmen and women wanted to know if the expressed Saudi sentiments against terrorism were real or just a reaction to please the Americans. "We affirmed to them that the Kingdom condemned the attacks, and that the Saudi people are Muslims who absolutely reject every form of terrorism," Shata said.
