DEARBORN — Local Muslim and Arab groups expressed relief and happiness over the news of Osama bin Laden’s death.

Arab Americans displayed an overwhelming sense of happiness at Dearborn City Hall Monday as they played music, danced, sang and chanted, “No more bin Laden, he went to hell,” “down, down Al-Qaeda,” and “yes, yes, U.S.A.”

“I feel happy today because they killed bin Laden. He’s a criminal and a terrorist,” said Qasim  Al-Hechemy of Dearborn. “He killed Muslims, Christians and Jews.”  Ajmy Al Saidi said bin Laden didn’t represent Islam, and his death marks an end to terrorism. “They think all the Muslims are terrorists because of him,” Mohammed Alabidi said.

Speaking at a press conference in Southfield Monday, Council on American Islamic Relations Michigan Executive Director Dawud Walid said, “We hope that the elimination of bin Laden will help in the healing process of the family and friends of 9/11 victims and of the American public in general. We also welcome the comments of President Obama last night in which he stated our nation will never be at war with Islam, and that he highlighted for the public that many of the victims of bin Laden, including 9/11 victims, were Muslims.”

The Islamic Society of North America issued the following statement: “Over the past decade, ISNA has stood firm on our stance that ISNA and Muslims in America condemn the actions of bin Laden on 9/11 and all acts of terror at the hands of Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and all others who spread fear and hate through violence.  We have repeatedly condemned the calls of bin Laden and others like him for mass bloodshed and the attacking of innocent lives across the world. “

“ISNA joins President Obama and prays that as the nation continues to heal from the devastation inflicted upon them at the hands of bin Laden, we will turn to each other today united, and emerge tomorrow with an even stronger resolve to take every action necessary to protect the precious ideals of our nation that bin Laden attempted to destroy on 9/11: peace, tolerance, respect, and freedom for all,” said ISNA President Imam Magid.

In an op-ed published by the Detroit Free Press, Imad Hamad, regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Michigan said, “We will always remember and celebrate Sunday as the final staggering blow to bin Laden the man. Yet we must continue to work together to erode the remnants that bin Laden the symbol has left behind.”

Hassan Jaber, executive director of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, issued a statement on the organization’s behalf. “For the past decade, the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have been what defined our country, both at home and abroad. The death of Osama bin Laden thankfully closes out this long winter of political upheaval, social turmoil and economic disparity – so much of it precipitated by 9/11,” Jaber said.

“This is, indeed, a new day in America. Osama bin Laden is dead. We must not allow his legacy to live on by continuing to divide us. Extremism of any type demands our ongoing vigilance and our attention as a nation,” he concluded.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) held press conferences in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles with prominent American Muslim leaders, elected officials, law enforcement officials and interfaith allies to share their collective responses to the death of Osama bin Laden.  MPAC leaders around the country greeted the news of bin Laden’s death with an immense sense of relief and gratitude toward President Barack Obama and our military forces.

“For the past decade, we have gone through much and have given both in blood and treasure to fight an elusive enemy,” said Haris Tarin, director of MPAC’s Washington, DC, office.  “We also hope that this will be a new chapter in our relationship with Muslim majority countries. We hope that this opportunity will be used to move in a different direction, as the President stated last night.”

Tarin was joined at the Washington, DC press conference by Imam Mohamed Magid, President of the Islamic Society of North America and Alejandro Beutel, MPAC’s Government and Policy Analyst, who moderated the event.  

Magid reminded fellow Muslims that a diverse array of Americans have stood with American Muslims since 9/11 and differentiated between the terrorists behind 9/11 and the followers of Islam. He added that his message to his community is that the Qur’an teaches Muslims to “stand firm for justice, even if it’s against our own self.”

In Los Angeles, MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati and Senior Adviser Dr. Maher Hathout were joined by a prominent group of city leaders.

“In the United States, we can focus on the cohesiveness and unity of our society and look forward to seeing a better America, not seeing Muslims through the lens of dictators or through the lens of terrorists,” Hathout said. “There is a reality of Muslims that should be embraced and fostered in order to contribute alongside all other elements in our society in making the future of America.”

In a statement issued following President Obama’s announcement of bin Laden’s death, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said:

“We join our fellow citizens in welcoming the announcement that Osama bin Laden has been eliminated as a threat to our nation and the world through the actions of American military personnel. As we have stated repeatedly since the 9/11 terror attacks, bin Laden never represented Muslims or Islam. In fact, in addition to the killing of thousands of Americans, he and Al Qaeda caused the deaths of countless Muslims worldwide. We also reiterate President Obama’s clear statement tonight that the United States is not at war with Islam.”

Back in Dearborn, the Congress of Arab American Organizations (CAAO) Spokesperson Osama Siblani, also publisher of The Arab American News, thanked President Barack Obama and the armed forces members who carried out the operation.

“The elimination of the leader of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda is a welcomed accomplishment for all Arab Americans and American Muslims,” he said. “Member organizations in CAAO hope that this closes a very painful chapter in the history of this country. Bin Laden never represented Islam or Muslims but his existence and continued terrorist activity made the true representation of Islam and Muslims to the West a very difficult undertaking,” Siblani added. “We hope now to move forward toward greater unification among all religions and ethnicities in America and indeed in the world.”

CAAO is an umbrella organization for more than 40 local Arab American and American Muslim organizations in Southeast Michigan.