WTHR |Local Islamic leader meets with Colin Powell

Local Islamic leader meets with Colin Powell

Angie Moreschi/Eyewitness News

Plainfield, June 8 - Tuesday Dr. Sayyid Syeed led afternoon prayer at the Islamic Society of North America mosque based in Plainfield.

Last week he met with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington to express growing concern among interfaith religious leaders that America does not do enough to stop Israeli-Palestinian violence.

"It creates a negative perception of America," believes Syeed. "It makes the anti-American feelings more dangerous, and we don't want that."

Sayeed says he and his religious counterparts, Christians and Jews, told Powell the main source of anti-American sentiment around the world is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not Iraq. They cautioned the US needs to do more to promote peace there, or young Muslims will be driven to groups like al-Qaida.

"Enemies of America are benefiting from this. Everyday the images they see from Palestine, Israel, it creates havoc in the minds of young people and it further enhances their anti-American feelings."

Sayeed's high level meeting came even though ISNA is among several organizations under review by a US Senate Finance Committee looking into terrorist fundraising.

Syeed says he welcomes the scrutiny. "Our whole organizational structure, organizational activities are transparent. So for us it's not a problem."

ISNA's communications director was also in Washington and got to meet President Bush at a gathering of leaders involved in the President's Faith Based Community Initiative.

ISNA has received two grants from the program totaling about $70,000 to help train religious leaders on how to apply for federal money for social programs.

So, high level access for local Islamic leaders.