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Muslim community must help in fight against terror

Someone, or several people, bombed a mosque in Bloomington last weekend. The FBI is investigating what could very well be an act of terror aimed at the Muslim community in our state. Fortunately, no one was injured in the explosion.

Well-wishers and other religions have expressed their sympathy, support and outrage over the crime. Gov. Mark Dayton already says the bombing was an act of terrorism, although that is a conclusion that comes ahead of an inquiry.

We agree that this is a sad day and a black eye for Minnesota. We hope the FBI can discover the truth behind the attack and arrest those responsible.

But we also hope for more. We hope those Muslims who are often called “peace-loving” by our nation’s leaders will step up and step out when we face a far more common problem in our day and age, namely Muslim extremism.

The world’s leading terrorists, terrorist groups and terrorist states are in the Middle East, and their peoples are largely adherents of Islam. While it may be true that terrorists are “only a small percentage” of those representing the faith, what are the rest of the faithful doing to root them out and stop them? Passivity and silence only enable those who kill in the name of Allah. Some terrorists or would-be terrorists even come from right here, in Minnesota. Several were recently convicted.

All people must wish to see violence stamped out if we are to live in a peaceful world. We’re not sure all people are doing all they can in this regard.

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