Letter: Muslim youth abhor Sydney attack
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Abbott announced an urgent review of the deadly siege at a Sydney cafe. Credit: EPA / Lukas Coch
In the holiday season, how must a person feel when one moment he or she is happily purchasing gourmet chocolate, and the next taken hostage and forced to hold up what is believed to be an Islamic State group flag ["3 die in Sydney siege," News, Dec. 16].
Because of such militant groups, more youth around the world are becoming radicalized. As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association USA, I recognize this concern and strongly condemn such activities, including the hostage crisis in Australia.
My organization has taken steps to curb this radicalization, such as a symposium in New York City entitled "Islamic Solutions to Muslim Youth Radicalization." United Nations delegates from several countries attended.
With the future in the hands of our youth, we need to come together to deal with these misunderstandings of Islam. The Islamic State group is wrong. Its ideas are un-Islamic. And our youth need to be educated about that.
Niaz Ahmed, Vestal
