Local Muslims rally against terrorism

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- A group of American Muslims rallied at the State House Saturday, protesting what they called "senseless violence" in the Middle East.

Dr. Hasan Alsawaf organized the event with members of the Syrian American Group in order to condemn the recent rash of violence sweeping the Arab world, in particular the killing of American Ambassador Chris Stephens and several other Americans in Benghazi, Libya.

The attack in Benghazi was at first thought to have been motivated by outrage against a controversial anti-Islamic video circulated on Youtube, but U.S. government officials now believe it to have been a deliberate terrorist attack.

"We want to be clear and loud that we are against this nonsense," Alsawaf said, "and the crime committed in Libya.  We want the American role in leadership to stay the same.  That's a very important message.  God bless America, God bless this freedom."

The video in question, he said, is "amateur, very low-quality...and it should have been ignored, instead of all this nonsense."

Those in attendance waved American flags and carried signs denouncing ignorance and terrorism.  The rally was the second the group has held in recent days, and one of several held in various locations around the country.