Central Texas Muslims say increased knowledge of Islam since 9/11 attacks helped deter anti-Muslim sentiments.
When the suspect in the Nov. 5 Fort Hood shooting was identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, Muslims all over the country braced for widespread retaliation similar to what they saw after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In Texas alone, the days following the 2001 attacks saw three mosques vandalized: a Molotov cocktail was thrown against the side of the Islamic Society of Denton, at least six bullets were fired through windows of the Islamic Center of Irving and a window was smashed at an Islamic center in Carrollton.
But no such widespread backlash has come after this month's shootings.
Imam Islam Mossaad, who leads the North Austin Muslim Community Center, said a few hateful voice mails were left at the mosque after the Nov. 5 shootings, but he said that's far fewer than the dozens they received after Sept. 11.
"Thankfully nothing major, only insults and empty threats here and there," he said. "All the positive e-mails and calls of support from fellow faith leaders in Austin that we have interacted with by far overshadow the ignorant hatred of anonymous individuals."
"I give credit to the U.S. military and a lot of the media in not jumping to too many conclusions or insinuating some sort of mass conspiracy was going on by their Muslim neighbors," Mossaad said.
Muslims groups locally and nationally immediately denounced the shootings.
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9:26 PM
Moderate Islamist here
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