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Qatar's Emir Gives $11 Million to Victims and Islamic Groups in U.S.
By Munzir Alam Aldeen
WASHINGTON, Oct 4 (IslamOnline) - The Qatari Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaleefa Al Thani, donated the sum of three million dollars for the victims of the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington.
A similar sum over three consecutive years (nine million dollars) was also donated for Arab and Islamic organizations operating in the United States.
The donations came during a visit by the Emir to Washington prior to the start of the upcoming summit of the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC).
Al Thani also donated one million dollars as an emergency fund to Islamic organizations during the current crisis, as well as another one million for the repairing of churches and mosques vandalized after the recent events in the United States, as well as for other organizations.
On Wednesday, Al Thani met with members of the Arab and Islamic community in Washington to hear their concerns and raise them up with U.S. President George W. Bush.
This was the first time that an Arab leader has met with leaders of the Muslim community in the United States before meeting the U.S. president.
Also attending the meeting were Hamad Bin Jassem Al Thani, Qatari foreign minister; Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer, CEO of the Qatari-based Al Jazeera channel; Hamed Al Ansari, Vice CEO of IslamOnline; as well as Abdel Rahman Alamoudi, from the American Muslim Foundation organization.
The Qatari newspaper Al Raya reported Wednesday that Al Thani donated a sum of three million dollars for the victims of the September 11th attacks for the benefit of the World Trade Center Victim Fund, set up for the families of firemen who lost their lives during the collapse of the towers and for a medical center affiliated with Cornell University Hospital, which has been taking in victims of the attacks.
The paper added that Al Thani told reporters after meeting with New York Mayor Rudolf Guiliani that the attacks were a massive crime not endorsed by any religion or faith, and was inexcusable.
He added that his country (Qatar) condemns all forms of terrorism and that there should be no connection between the attacks and Muslims and Arabs.
Al Thani said that Qatar strongly believes in democracy and freedom of the press, which has helped it curb terrorism, adding that by eradicating terrorism and solving its causes, the world will be a better place.
The visit, which started Monday, included a meeting with U.N. General Secretary Kofi Annan at the U.N in New York in which he discussed terrorism, combating it worldwide and the U.N.'s role in achieving that.
He also visited the location of the World Trade Center in New York.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani currently heads the OIC.
The foreign ministers of the 56-member countries are to hold an emergency meeting on October 10th in Doha, aimed at unifying their stance regarding the attacks.
Qatar and the United States have strong military, economic and trade ties. The two countries have a military cooperation agreement that was signed in 1992, as well as economic and trade cooperation agreements.
Following the September 11th attacks, Qatar hastened to send its condolences to the American people and condemned the attacks, offering its assistance to the United States in its war against terrorism.
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