Military

DATE=09/17/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-280655

TITLE=U-S TERRORISM / ARAB FEARS (L ONLY)

BYLINE=GREG LAMOTTE

DATELINE=CAIRO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Following last Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the United States, there is concern in the Arab world that Arab friends and relatives living in the United States may themselves become targets of attack. V-O-A's Greg LaMotte has the story from Cairo.

TEXT: Maged Faraq is an Egyptian historian and publisher, who has a sister living in the United States. He is afraid of what may happen to her because of Tuesday's bombings.

He recalls what happened to her in 1995, when a federal building in the U-S state of Oklahoma was bombed, and 168 people were killed. (That attack was carried out by Americans, but suspicion initially focused on foreigners.)

/// FARAQ ACT ///

She was attacked in the streets. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and she has been attacked in the streets several times because she looked Arab, she looked Egyptian, she looked Muslim.

/// END ACT ///

Shortly after last Tuesday's terror occurred, Mr. Faraq called his sister to make sure she was okay.

Though nothing has happened to her as yet, the sister, Magda Kassel, told V-O-A she is very nervous. Before the (terrorist) attacks, she said she was beginning to feel comfortable in the United States, but now she is scared.

/// KASSEL ACT ///

We were really feeling much better, and more accepted, and more understood by the American society. And for this to happen now is a major blow. We have changed our lifestyles. We do not do a lot of things that we were doing before, such as gatherings in the park or in public. We don't do that anymore.

/// END ACT ///

Another woman we spoke with has three sons living in the United States, one of whom lives in New York City and another in Washington. The woman did not want to give her name, but she did tell V-O-A of her fears.

/// MOTHER ACT ///

My major concern, my children. You know how I feel? One of them could have been killed there. What do you think how I felt? I call them three days in a row to find out how they are. Every time I call, they say they are fine, but things were very bad.

/// END ACT ///

The son who lives in Washington also spoke with V-O-A. He said he feared what effect the attacks would have on life in America, (for him) as an Egyptian and as an American.

/// SON ACT ///

As a naturalized U-S citizen, I'm concerned. As an Arab, as an Egyptian, I'm concerned. So, I've got concerns on both sides of the fence. I'm concerned, as an American citizen, (about) how this is going to affect the aspect of life as Americans know it -- from airline travel, to future security within the boundaries of the country, to economic impact, and all the lives that were lost -- and needlessly.

/// END ACT ///

All those we spoke with said Muslims, Arabs -- or Americans -- should not be judged by the acts of a few. (Signed)

NEB/GL/KL/TW