Description

On September 17, 2001—six days after al-Qaeda's September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon—George W. Bush, then president of the United States, delivered remarks at the Islamic Center of Washington, a speech that affirmed that the vast majority of Muslims were unassociated with, and moreover were horrified by al-Qaeda and their September 11 attacks. He said Islamic terrorism contravened Muslim values because "Islam is peace". Bush praised Muslims in the United States for their contributions to society and noted that some feared they would become the targets of harassment or violence from Americans upset about the September 11 attacks. He condemned such Islamophobia and said American Muslims "love America just as much as I do".