Islamic students react to message

Muslim students at IU immediately reacted to Osama bin Laden's latest message Tuesday, which calls on Muslims around the world to fight any U.S. led-military action against Iraq. The message aired on the Al-Jazeera network on the Hajj, an important day for the Islamic religion.\nAmr Sabry, president of the Islamic Center in Bloomington, speculates about the timing of bin Laden's recording.\n"Today is the biggest holiday on the Muslim calendar," Sabry said. "I guess this is a message to the people on their biggest holiday." \nBin Laden claimed the U.S. pursuit of war in Iraq is first and foremost an attack on all Muslims. \n"I think a lot of Muslims believe that, even though it may not be the case," Sabry said. "It's basically because Iraq is singled out."\nSabry also disagrees with Bin Laden's claim that they are fighting the United States in the name of God.\n"He probably believes it himself but nobody can speak for God," Sabry said. "There are about one and a half billion Muslims and he can't speak for all of them."\nMisfer Al-Salouli, da'wah of the Islamic Center in Bloomington, had not yet heard of the tape, but he said he also strongly disagrees with bin Laden's reference to fighting in the name of God.\n"Killing innocent people in the name of God is not reasonable at all," Al Salouli said. "Reasonable people cannot even think of what he was saying to be right or correct."\nAl Salouli said most Muslims are not agreeing with what bin Laden is saying. \n"He is saying something different from what I have learned and what I have understood as a Muslim," Al-Salouli said. "As a Muslim, he has a different perspective and different ideas."\nThe Al-Jazeera network broadcast the audio tape released by Osama bin Laden at 11 a.m. (3 p.m. ET) on Tuesday. \nWord of the tape first developed early Tuesday when U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell revealed the news to a Senate panel.\nIn the tape, bin Laden encouraged suicide attacks and advised Muslims to drag the forces into fighting the enemy in street fights. \nThe content of his message called upon Muslims to "fight those who believe in Satan" and not to "take the Jews and the Christians as friends" because "whoever helps them becomes one of them."\nAshraf Khalil, treasurer of the Islamic Center, had already heard bin Laden's comments by 5 p.m. Tuesday.\n"I don't think they are fighting in the name of God," Khalil said. "They are for his own interests."\nIn his tape, bin Laden said "whoever helps America in any war on Iraq … has to know that they are outside this Islamic nation."\nKhalil said he believes bin Laden has no place to judge. \n"He's not the kind of person to declare such things," Khalil said.\nU.S. officials said the tape seems to be from bin Laden and that a technical analysis to test its authenticity will be done.