South Bay Muslim Leaders Harbor Mixed Emotions About 9/11 Anniversary

SANTA CLARA (KCBS) – Dozens of events are planned across the Bay Area to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the attacks on 9/11, including a large interfaith memorial organized by the Muslim community in the South Bay.

The gathering will be held at the Islamic Center in Santa Clara. But some Muslim leaders like Junaid Shaikh, president of the Northern California Islamic Council, have mixed feelings about the anniversary.

KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:

"Muslims condemn what's happened on 9/11," Shaikh said. "And what's happened after that. Muslims condemn anywhere there is an unjust or non-peaceful thing that has happened."

But Shaikh said with that feeling comes fear of an increased backlash against the Muslim community.

"If you see Islam for everything that is happening, how much (backlash) is there? It has increased in the last four years," he said. "Just look at the fact that 24 states are thinking of banning Sharias."

Sharias are a set of Islamic biblical laws much like the Torah is for Jewish people.

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