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ADC Bulletin – July 18, 2005
Congressman Tancredo advocates
preemptive nuclear strike on Mecca
Washington, DC - In a radio interview last Thursday, July 14, Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) advocated the United States preemptively strike Mecca with nuclear weapons.
The Colorado Congressman made his comments on the Pat Campbell Radio Show (AM 540, WFLA, online at: http://www.540wfla.com/patcampbell.html) in response to Campbell's statement that terrorists are seeking the means to attack the United States with a dirty bomb.
Tancredo suggested that a preemptive attack on Mecca would be enough of a threat to make terrorists think twice about attacking the United States again. Listen to his comments here:
http://www.540wfla.com/timages/page/media/Tancredo_comments_071405.mp3
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is alarmed at Congressman Tancredo's comments advocating an attack on Mecca. It is irresponsible for a member of the United States Congress to advocate destroying the holy site of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims with a nuclear weapon. For good reason members of Congress and the Administration have expressed deep concern at the negative effects of hateful rhetoric directed against the United States in some elements of the Arab and Muslim worlds. But we must also be keenly aware of the damaging and irrational rhetoric against Arabs and Islam expressed by members of Congress, the Administration, and the media.
Statements by members of Congress, just like the legislation they pass, are closely followed around the world. Tancredo's remarks will be widely distributed by media outlets throughout the world and will be seen as representative of the views of the United States government. At a time when the United States is asking religious tolerance of others shouldn’t others expect the same from the United States?
This incident is all the more inexplicable as just last week, on July 14, Congressman Tancredo expressed extreme disapproval at a Chinese government official for his remarks regarding the use of nuclear weapons. Tancredo said "For a senior government official to exhibit such tremendous stupidity by making such a brazen threat is hardly characteristic of a modern nation." For more information, see: http://tancredo.house.gov/pressers/0714TancredoSlamsSeniorChineseOfficialForNukeThreat2.htm
In a letter faxed to Congressman Tancredo today, former congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar, ADC President said, "While we must do all that we can to find terrorists and end their means to strike again, advocating for a nuclear attack against a holy place revered by the world's 1.2 billion followers of Islam is completely unacceptable and contrary to American values and tradition of freedom and tolerance of religion." Oakar said, "These remarks have no place in the United States Congress."
ADC demands Congressman Tancredo provide an immediate and public explanation for his remarks. We urge ADC members, supporters, and friends to contact the congressman and request a clarification and apology. Additionally, ADC asks members of Congress and the Bush Administration to denounce Congressman’s Tancredo’s comments and to clarify that dropping a nuclear bomb on Mecca is not part of the United States policy to win the war on terrorism.
CAIR Bulletin – July 18, 2005
Colorado Muslims seek meeting with
Rep. Tancredo over “bomb Mecca” remark
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 18, 2005 - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said today that it is working with leaders of the Colorado Muslim community to set up a meeting with Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) over his recent remarks suggesting support for bombing Mecca, Islam's holiest site.
Tancredo made the remarks during an interview on the Pat Campbell Show in Florida last Thursday (July 14) discussing what should be done in response to an attack on this country by "extremist fundamentalist Muslims." Tancredo said one possible response would be to "take out their holy sites." When Campbell asked if the congressman was "talking about bombing Mecca," Tancredo replied, "Yeah."
On Sunday, Tancredo released a statement saying he was just trying to figure out how the United States could deter future attacks. The statement said: "Among the many things we might do to prevent such an attack on America would be to lay out there as a possibility the destruction of these sites."
"I do not advocate this," said Tancredo in his statement. "Much more thought would need to be given to the potential ramifications of such a horrific response."
CAIR said local and national Republican leaders should repudiate the congressman's remarks and Tancredo himself should apologize immediately to the people of Colorado and to the American Muslim community.
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