by Akemi Tamanaha, AsAmNews Associate Editor
The Council of American Islam Relations (CAIR) in the DMV area (DC, Maryland and Virginia) hosted a press conference Tuesday evening with Shia and Sunni community leaders to address the killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In the past few weeks, three Muslim men have been murdered in Albuquerque: Aftab Hussein, 41; Muhammed Afzaal Hussain, 27 and Nayeem Hussain, 25. Authorities believed the killings were linked to the murder of a fourth Muslim man, Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, in November 2021.
On Tuesday, Albuquerque police arrested 51-year-old Muhammad Syed, identifying him as the primary suspect in the murders. According to KRQE, Syed’s family believes he is innocent.
Nihad Awad, the National Executive Director of CAIR, offered condolences to the victims’ families. He thanked law enforcement and public officials for working hard to find the suspect.
In a press release Tuesday after Syed’s arrest, CAIR suggested there was speculation that the murders were a result of anti-Shia sentiment. According to CNN, police say they are aware of rumored Sunni-Shia tension but are still exploring possible motives.
Sunni and Shia leaders at CAIR’s press conference called for unity and solidarity. Awad said the community was united in their faith against hate and violence, “regardless of the identity of the perpetrators or the identity of the victims.”
“We have seen some reports, and we will see some speculations, about the motives of the perpetrators of these crimes. There is no justification for this evil. There is no justification to take an innocent life,” he said.
Imam Farhan Siddiqi from Dar Al-Hijrah in Northern Virginia observed that there will always be signs of successful unity.
“Part of that success is the fact that we’re all standing here together, the fact that we all stand for each other, the fact that every time there is a calamity, true brotherhood is actually shown,” he said.
He added that rogue actors like the suspect will always be condemned.
Rahat Husain, the president of the Shia Muslim foundation, called the Muslim community in the United States a “model” for Sunni-Shia solidarity. He was adamant that the community not let the murders destroy “that love and respect we have for one another.”
“At the same time, it is important for us to address issues of radicalism or anti-Shia hatred or other types of statements or remarks that are made by others and really attack them and show the world that these statements, these ideas have no place in our community,” Husain said.
CAIR also invited the brother-in-law of one of the victims, Nayeem Hussain, to speak. Hussain’s brother-in-law said Nayeem was known for being able to bring Sunni and Shia together. He was always indifferent to the Sunni-Shia divide.
“His saying always was, ‘We are all brothers,'” his brother-in-law said.
“So let’s be brothers, let’s go through this turmoil together,” he added.
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