SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 7: The seven-million strong American Muslim community, under a virtual siege since Sept 11, 2001, hopes of better treatment during the second term of President George W. Bush.

Ibrahim Hooper, communication director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told Dawn that President Bush in his victory speech had pledged to reach out to the whole nation and "we take his words and hope that he will take this opportunity" to reach out to the Muslim community.

President Bush, in his speech last Wednesday said: "A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation." Also, responding to a question on faith and politics at a news conference on Thursday in Washington, he had said if "you're a Jew or a Christian or a Muslim, you're equally American".

In a congratulatory message to President Bush, the CAIR said that as a nation of different races, the Muslim community hopes, "we can take advantage of this historic opportunity to build a better America by turning aside the divisiveness of the past and looking to a future based on positive cooperation in all that is good and just."

Samina Faheem Sundas, executive director of the American Muslim Voice, said that civil rights was the major issue in 2000 presidential election when the American Muslim community voted virtually en bloc for George Bush. Ironically, four years later, civil rights remained the most significant issue for the Muslims who this time voted overwhelmingly for Senator John Kerry as a protest against Bush policies, she added.

Dr Salam Al Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), said that during the second term, President Bush's approach towards the Muslim community would depend a lot on who he would appoint in his second administration.

"There is talk about Attorney-Gen Ashcroft leaving and also National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and some others," he said and added: "If there is a change in his team then we expect a change in approach to the Muslim community."

"Muslims should do some sole searching particularly about the Christian right which had a great impact on this election for the Republicans," he added. According to the New York Times, nearly one-quarter of the electorate was made up of white evangelical and born-again Christians and they voted four to one for President Bush.

Dr Agha Saeed, president of the American Muslim Alliance and the American Muslim Task Force, stressed that the American Muslims were able to put civil rights on the political agenda and the Muslim votes on the political map of the country.