University of Florida Muslims fear Koran burning may spark violence

[Turborama]

Source: Miami Herald

GAINESVILLE -- Before she left her Miami home to return to the University of Florida this fall, Wajiha Akhtar's parents gave her some unusual advice: stay indoors as much as possible and, whatever happens, don't go near the Koran burners.

"I was fearful," says Akhtar, 24, a graduate student in epidemiology who says she never had any concerns as a Muslim here until recently. "Will we get singled out?"

Far from Ground Zero, where debate over a proposed Islamic center is still roiling, a Gainesville church has aroused anger and tension among Florida's growing Muslim community and caught the world's attention -- from international headlines to rallies in Indonesia and India -- because of its pistol-toting pastor's plan to ignite a bonfire of Korans on 9/11 to protest what he calls a religion "of the devil."

Fearing violence, some Muslims are leaving town on the Sept. 11 weekend to avoid problems.

Last week in South Florida, 13 mosque leaders issued a call to the region's Muslims for nonviolence in anticipation of high emotions over the desecration of Islam's holy book. At UF, administrators have said they're afraid the protest at the small Dove World Outreach Center will mar the school's image, while international students and prospective foreign applicants have also expressed concern. "Things have escalated," says Ismail ibn Ali, president of the university's Islam on Campus student organization, which serves about 600 Muslim students in this city with 1,500 Muslims, a population that's slowly grown over the last 30 years.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/05/1810373/uf-muslims-fear-koran-burning.html

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This site I found in the comments is worth checking out...

Muslims Condemn Terrorist Attacks (It's quite a comprehensive list)
http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php



Related article: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4529500">Religious leaders (Hindu Buddhist Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian) decry plans for Quran burning