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Moderate Muslims Honor 9/11 Victims With Blood Drive

By: Matt Laslo // September 2, 2011
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The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is holding a 9/11 blood drive next week, aimed at collecting 10,000 pints for the Red Cross.
Matt Laslo
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is holding a 9/11 blood drive next week, aimed at collecting 10,000 pints for the Red Cross.

Next week, a Muslim group will hold a blood drive in the Washington area to honor those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Moderate Muslims were appalled by the terrorist attacks on the U.S. a decade ago, but many have reported being harassed since. That's partly why members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community want to show the nation their faith is about upholding life.

Naseem Mahdi, vice president of the group, says more than 220 blood drives have been set up nationwide so far in hopes of collecting 10,000 pints of blood. He says the campaign is about reclaiming the name of Islam that the terrorists hijacked.

"And we want to take the banner of Islam back from those who exploit our religion," Mahdi says. "This is why the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will respond to those who took blood ten years ago by giving our own blood."

Blood drives are also planned in New York, Chicago, Seattle and many other major cities nationwide. Next Wednesday and Friday the group will collect blood at U.S. House office buildings on Capitol Hill.

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