People lashing out at Arab neighbors

Threats were made to two gas stations owned by Arab Americans in Spokane. A mosque was vandalized in Lynnwood. Some local Christians opposed a planned joining of religions Friday at the Spokane Islamic Center.

Though state and local police have pledged to be tough on harassment of Arab Americans, some people are lashing out around the Northwest.

The Spokane County Sheriff's Office received a complaint of a racially motivated bomb threat at a gas station Tuesday night.

The Spokane Police Department received a similar complaint Wednesday filed by a man who said he found a threatening note left at his gas station on the 3100 block of E. 17th.

The note says: "This is just a beginning. We want you and your people out of our neighborhood, our city and our country. No more (expletive deleted). This is it. We are not going to take it any more. Get out now while you still can. We won't go away."

The owners did not wish to talk about the incident.

Spokane Police Chief Roger Bragdon said Wednesday that police will not tolerate a backlash against Spokane's Arab and Muslim communities.

"We will investigate every complaint just to make the point that we are here to protect everyone's rights," he said.

"This situation is so horrible that I have a feeling that after America processes the shock, we are going to go to an angry stage, and sometimes anger expresses itself in inappropriate or unlawful ways."

"And if you go too far, you'll find yourself in jail," he said.

A group of Muslim men met at the Spokane Islamic Center for their evening prayer Wednesday night. While concerned about any backlash, they had not heard of any incidents.

"The community here, it's full of peaceful people and people good to live with," said Husein Mallah. "We never felt any action or feelings against us. That's why we like to live here."

He understands that there is much anger and frustration out there.

"We don't blame people for being angry. We're angry too," he said. "We hope the people of Spokane know we are with them against those who did this."

After the evening prayer, the men discussed the true meaning of Islam to a young man who came in to ask questions about the religion.

"Islam is peace; it's helping others," said Alaa-El Din. "Anyone who does not follow Islam, he is not a true Muslim."

Osama bin Laden, a Saudi dissident being investigated for a possible role in the attacks, may have killed civilians if he was behind the attack on New York; if so, he is not a real Muslim, Din said.

The group was concerned with the way mainstream media has portrayed Arabs. They wondered why Timothy McVeigh can do an act of terrorism and Christianity can go without being considered a violent religion.

The media lump all Arabs together, portray them as terrorists, which is inaccurate and unfair, Mallah said.

But the clashes may go beyond the media.

Ron Greene, a member of Churches Against Racism and director of the Spokane Council of Ecumenical Ministries, went to a Tuesday prayer event at the Clock Tower. He invited the crowd to attend a prayer service with the Muslims on Friday, their holy day.

Afterward he was confronted by a man who opposed the idea.

"Some Christians feel Muslims and Christians are automatically enemies," Greene said. "This person told me that. I said I didn't agree. I feel all people are God's children."

He later learned his announcement inspired at least two more strongly negative comments.

"I'm really disappointed that Christians aren't always more loving to people who are different than them," Greene said. "I think it's time for us to stand by our Muslim brothers and sisters ... I know there have been incidents across the country."

In Eugene, Ore., a 33-year-old man was arrested after making a threatening phone call to the Islamic Cultural Center in Eugene, police said.

Television reports of the terrorist attacks led to a brawl between two inmates at the McNeil Island Corrections Center that left one man in critical condition. A Muslim inmate attacked another inmate by tossing him to the cement floor after the man made loud and obnoxious comments about Muslims, said a sheriff's office spokesman.

In Lynnwood, the sign at the Dar Alarqam Mosque was splattered on both sides with black paint Tuesday. The mosque also received a flood of phone calls full of anger and hate. Police were investigating.

In Spokane, Bragdon appealed for residents to refrain from targeting Muslims for abuse.

"Terrorists or whoever did this horrific thing don't live here," Bragdon said. "There is no need for anyone to pick on people who live here."

Bragdon and Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk issued a joint statement denouncing talk radio "which is both hateful and potentially injurious to innocent Spokanearea residents."

They urged radio stations to avoid hosting shows in which people vent their anger against Muslims or Arabs.

No serious incidents against Muslims had been reported to Spokane police, but Bragdon said officers might not be told about trouble.

"What we found in the past is certain cultures wouldn't report to us unless they were seriously injured," Bragdon said. "They would not report when people would call them names or deface their property, but those are serious incidents."

The Wednesday night prayer and meeting ended on a positive note.

"We should be one family in this situation together," said Mallah, smoking a cigarette outside the mosque. "We have faith the Spokane community will be courteous."

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