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| No Major Backlash After Sydney Siege, but Muslims Are Fearful | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SYDNEY, Australia — When television networks this week showed hostages being forced by a gunman to hold a flag with Arabic script against the window of a Sydney cafe where they were being held, it was the first sign that their captor wanted to link his cause to Islam. | SYDNEY, Australia — When television networks this week showed hostages being forced by a gunman to hold a flag with Arabic script against the window of a Sydney cafe where they were being held, it was the first sign that their captor wanted to link his cause to Islam. |
| While watching the news coverage of the siege at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe from his office, Rashid Ben Zerouk, a computer specialist in Sydney who is Muslim, said he felt a piercing glare from one of his colleagues. | While watching the news coverage of the siege at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe from his office, Rashid Ben Zerouk, a computer specialist in Sydney who is Muslim, said he felt a piercing glare from one of his colleagues. |
| “He looked at me like I had to explain myself,” Mr. Zerouk said. “I walked back to my desk with my head down. I felt like I wanted to hide.” | “He looked at me like I had to explain myself,” Mr. Zerouk said. “I walked back to my desk with my head down. I felt like I wanted to hide.” |
| In the aftermath of the siege that left the gunman and two of his captives dead, Australian Muslims say they are relieved that there has been no major backlash against them. But they say they are also fearful that the country is one attack away from reversing their integration efforts, as well as their growing but tenuous acceptance in the wider population. | In the aftermath of the siege that left the gunman and two of his captives dead, Australian Muslims say they are relieved that there has been no major backlash against them. But they say they are also fearful that the country is one attack away from reversing their integration efforts, as well as their growing but tenuous acceptance in the wider population. |
| The gunman, Man Haron Monis, an eccentric and troubled man with a history of crime, appears to have acted alone. The Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, described him as a “sick and disturbed individual.” | The gunman, Man Haron Monis, an eccentric and troubled man with a history of crime, appears to have acted alone. The Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, described him as a “sick and disturbed individual.” |
| Muslim leaders in recent days nonetheless followed what has become a familiar script after terrorist attacks: They issued a statement denouncing any connection between the violent acts and the teachings of Islam, took part in interfaith meetings and candlelight vigils, and gave countless interviews to speak about Islam as a religion of peace. | Muslim leaders in recent days nonetheless followed what has become a familiar script after terrorist attacks: They issued a statement denouncing any connection between the violent acts and the teachings of Islam, took part in interfaith meetings and candlelight vigils, and gave countless interviews to speak about Islam as a religion of peace. |
| Muslim office workers, students and homemakers in Australia have said that many of their non-Muslim compatriots expected answers from them. | Muslim office workers, students and homemakers in Australia have said that many of their non-Muslim compatriots expected answers from them. |
| Hisham Bouab, the manager of a chain of restaurants who attends a mosque in the Sydney suburbs, began receiving calls from non-Muslim friends and colleagues while the hostage drama was unfolding. | Hisham Bouab, the manager of a chain of restaurants who attends a mosque in the Sydney suburbs, began receiving calls from non-Muslim friends and colleagues while the hostage drama was unfolding. |
| “I thought, ‘Here we go again,’ ” he said. “Another thing I’ll have to explain.” | “I thought, ‘Here we go again,’ ” he said. “Another thing I’ll have to explain.” |
| Nancy Mourad, 24, a cancer researcher at a government medical institute, said she felt “guilty by association.” | Nancy Mourad, 24, a cancer researcher at a government medical institute, said she felt “guilty by association.” |
| “I felt the need to apologize to everyone who looked at me — sorry, sorry, sorry — for something I had no connection to,” she said. | “I felt the need to apologize to everyone who looked at me — sorry, sorry, sorry — for something I had no connection to,” she said. |
| Ms. Mourad, who wears a head scarf, said that as the siege continued into the night, she was jeered while playing in an indoor soccer tournament. “I heard people on the sidelines saying, ‘Kick her! Tackle her, take her down!’ ” she said. | Ms. Mourad, who wears a head scarf, said that as the siege continued into the night, she was jeered while playing in an indoor soccer tournament. “I heard people on the sidelines saying, ‘Kick her! Tackle her, take her down!’ ” she said. |
| The next day, she continued, while she was on the way to her office Christmas party, an elderly man shouted at her on the train, “Bloody Muslims, go back to your country.” | The next day, she continued, while she was on the way to her office Christmas party, an elderly man shouted at her on the train, “Bloody Muslims, go back to your country.” |
| But Ms. Mourad also said her non-Muslim colleagues were very supportive. | But Ms. Mourad also said her non-Muslim colleagues were very supportive. |
| Mariam Veiszadeh, a lawyer and the founder of an organization that monitors anti-Islamic sentiment, said she had been encouraged by the signs of solidarity, compassion and unified mourning after the hostage drama ended. | Mariam Veiszadeh, a lawyer and the founder of an organization that monitors anti-Islamic sentiment, said she had been encouraged by the signs of solidarity, compassion and unified mourning after the hostage drama ended. |
| “The worst in that deranged madman has brought out the very best in us as a nation,” she said. | “The worst in that deranged madman has brought out the very best in us as a nation,” she said. |
| Ms. Veiszadeh pointed to a social media campaign, under the hashtag #illridewithyou, which reportedly began when a Muslim woman who was using public transportation at the time of the siege removed her head scarf. A non-Muslim wrote on Facebook that she had urged the woman to put the head scarf back on, and the story went viral on social networks. | Ms. Veiszadeh pointed to a social media campaign, under the hashtag #illridewithyou, which reportedly began when a Muslim woman who was using public transportation at the time of the siege removed her head scarf. A non-Muslim wrote on Facebook that she had urged the woman to put the head scarf back on, and the story went viral on social networks. |
| Ms. Veiszadeh described the siege as “a catalyst and a turning point to foster inclusiveness in this country.” | Ms. Veiszadeh described the siege as “a catalyst and a turning point to foster inclusiveness in this country.” |
| “It has brought us together in the way no previous event has,” she said. | “It has brought us together in the way no previous event has,” she said. |
| Muslims in Australia number about 500,000, slightly more than 2 percent of the population. They are ethnically diverse, with many having arrived from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey and elsewhere. Their numbers have also risen quickly, by 69 percent since 2001. | Muslims in Australia number about 500,000, slightly more than 2 percent of the population. They are ethnically diverse, with many having arrived from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey and elsewhere. Their numbers have also risen quickly, by 69 percent since 2001. |
| Muslims say that the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, as well as the bombing in Bali, Indonesia, in 2002 that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, had contributed to higher levels of mistrust in Australia toward Muslims. | Muslims say that the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, as well as the bombing in Bali, Indonesia, in 2002 that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, had contributed to higher levels of mistrust in Australia toward Muslims. |
| Efforts to better integrate into Australian society were also marred by the gang rape in 2002 of young girls by a group of men from Lebanese families, one of whom was subsequently jailed for 55 years. Three years later, riots between Muslims of Lebanese descent and non-Muslims broke out on a beach in the Sydney suburb of Cronulla. | Efforts to better integrate into Australian society were also marred by the gang rape in 2002 of young girls by a group of men from Lebanese families, one of whom was subsequently jailed for 55 years. Three years later, riots between Muslims of Lebanese descent and non-Muslims broke out on a beach in the Sydney suburb of Cronulla. |
| More recently, several controversies involving government policies have had Muslim integration as a subtext. | More recently, several controversies involving government policies have had Muslim integration as a subtext. |
| Australia’s official policy toward asylum seekers has been closely intertwined with debates about Muslim integration, as many of those seeking asylum are from Muslim countries. Mr. Monis, the gunman in the hostage siege, was a political refugee from Iran. | Australia’s official policy toward asylum seekers has been closely intertwined with debates about Muslim integration, as many of those seeking asylum are from Muslim countries. Mr. Monis, the gunman in the hostage siege, was a political refugee from Iran. |
| This year, officials banned the burqa and face-covering scarves from the open galleries of the Australian Parliament, on the grounds of security. The decision was quickly reversed. | This year, officials banned the burqa and face-covering scarves from the open galleries of the Australian Parliament, on the grounds of security. The decision was quickly reversed. |
| And in a move that some Muslims felt singled them out, the government in March sought to soften Australia’s racial-vilification laws. The attorney general, George Brandis, said at the time that Australians had the right to be bigots. He later backed down. | And in a move that some Muslims felt singled them out, the government in March sought to soften Australia’s racial-vilification laws. The attorney general, George Brandis, said at the time that Australians had the right to be bigots. He later backed down. |
| Some Muslims say that they feel that there is a “with us or against us” ethos that is aimed at them. | Some Muslims say that they feel that there is a “with us or against us” ethos that is aimed at them. |
| “There has been a whole process to make us feel separate,” said Keysar Trad, the head of the Islamic Friendship Association, a civic group. “We were meant to feel like a fifth column bent on destruction.” | “There has been a whole process to make us feel separate,” said Keysar Trad, the head of the Islamic Friendship Association, a civic group. “We were meant to feel like a fifth column bent on destruction.” |
| Others believe that most Australians accept the notion of diversity, and that intolerance is on the fringes of society. | Others believe that most Australians accept the notion of diversity, and that intolerance is on the fringes of society. |
| “There is 2 percent of ratbags doing the wrong thing in the Muslim community,” said Fatin Mourad, 65, a retired pathologist who is Muslim and the father of Nancy Mourad, the cancer researcher. “And there are 1 percent of rednecks also out there to make noise.” | “There is 2 percent of ratbags doing the wrong thing in the Muslim community,” said Fatin Mourad, 65, a retired pathologist who is Muslim and the father of Nancy Mourad, the cancer researcher. “And there are 1 percent of rednecks also out there to make noise.” |
| Mr. Mourad said he cried as he watched the events in Sydney on television. “But why do I have to hang my head in shame?” he asked. “We get tarnished, we get blamed.” | Mr. Mourad said he cried as he watched the events in Sydney on television. “But why do I have to hang my head in shame?” he asked. “We get tarnished, we get blamed.” |