The permanent outdoor memorial is for the 184 men and women who died as victims in the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77 that was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Credit: Getty Images
The 12th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that killed 3,000 people could be overshadowed by a rally in Washington against victimization of Muslims.
The American Muslim Political Action Committee (AMPAC) listed “erosion of domestic civil liberties, drone policy, illegal tapping and [surveillance]” among their reasons for the action. The Million Muslim March is not expected to attract more than 10,000 supporters, but organizers claim it will be attended by high-profile politicians and public figures. [videoembed id=216773]
“We are not trying to be controversial,” AMPAC founder and Senate candidate MD Rabbi Alam told Metro. “It is on this date to show solidarity for the people killed. We are Americans standing up for American values – people need to know that Muslims are being mistreated.”
The view is supported by human rights groups, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reporting: “In the wake of 9/11 […] no area of American Muslim civil society has been left untouched by discriminatory and illegitimate government action.”
However, the rally organizers are under fire for promoting 9/11 conspiracy theories, with both Alam and AMPAC spokesman Kevin Barrett suggesting it was an inside job. Barrett runs the truthjihad.com website, which “takes on the big 9/11 lie put forth by our Government.”
Victims’ families have been critical; Joe Connor, who lost his brother, branded the march “ridiculous” and “disgusting.” A rival group is dispatching a mass convoy of motorcyclists to Washington – “two million bikers to DC” – to challenge the march.
Alam claims to have received death threats and is ready for trouble, but will not back down. “I’m not worried as it is just a matter of ignorance. We will keep returning on this day every year until we have respect for American Muslims.”
