May 24, 2002	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 11,1423

TORONTO, May 23: Canada’s frontline leader Alexa McDonough has claimed that there could be no discrimination against Muslims in her country and said, “Muhammad, Fatima and Osama are Canadian names”.

Speaking at an international conference, Ms McDonough said there were some reports of threats and cowardly attacks on Canadian Muslims and Canadian Arabs soon after the Sept 11 events, but added that the country cannot discriminate on the basis of colour, language or religion.

The conference, which was attended by over 5,000 Muslims from America and Canada, concluded its deliberations by adopting a number of resolutions urging upon the international community to help resolve the Middle East crisis.

Through a unanimous resolution, it demanded Israel’s immediate withdrawal from Palestinian lands. It also expressed deep concern over the communal riots in Gujrat.

Through another resolution, the conference criticized the federal agents’ raids on Muslim organizations and homes in Northern Virginia, USA.