Mission...

The American response to the heinous attack of September 11 must be resolute, but also just and effective. The goal must be to indict, apprehend, and bring to trial those responsible for planning, implementing and abetting this crime against humanity. We must also prevent such atrocities in the future by eliminating the transnational criminal and financial networks that sustain terrorism, by convincing states that support terrorism to turn over suspects and close down bases, and by ensuring that all governments cooperate in anti-terrorism police and intelligence operations.

Our response to the lawless attack of September 11 must be conducted in accordance with the principles of international law. The response to international terrorism requires cooperation with other nations, ideally through the United Nations. Our actions must be viewed as a legitimate response to barbaric crimes, not as a war between the United States and the Islamic world. To this end, we must enlist the support of Islamic political leaders, clergy and jurists in condemning and eliminating this menace to society.

The struggle against terrorism is best fought as an international criminal prosecution not as a conventional military attack. Unilateral military strikes or the use of large-scale military force will not achieve the desired objectives and may do more harm than good. Indiscriminate military force would cause high casualties among innocent populations and further enflame anti-American hatred, creating new recruits for those who have launched these attacks. Limited military action may be necessary at a latter stage, if states continue to harbor suspects or refuse to cooperate in building an effective anti-terrorism regime, but such action should come only in concert with other nations and with the authority of the UN Security Council.

We call for an effective response that follows the law, works cooperatively with other nations through the United Nations, and that refrains from unilateral or excessive military force.