Since September 11, 2001, The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has been following and documenting content in the media of the Middle East and South Asia concerning the attacks that took place on that day. A great number of the initial reactions in the media - from prominent journalists, academics, politicians, and leading religious figures, as well as from officials in the government of Arab countries - centered on conspiracy theories. These theories implicated the Jews, Israel and/or the Mossad; President Bush, Vice President Cheney, the CIA, the FBI, and/or the National Security Council; Christians and/or the Vatican; Britain; white supremacist groups; and others.
September 11, 2001 also marked the emergence of the reform movement in the Arab and Muslim world. Following the attacks, intellectuals, writers, journalists, associations, reform websites and organizations called insistently for reform; in ever-growing numbers, they are demanding that the culture and education that produced the attackers undergo a fundamental change.
The following are reports from MEMRI's "Terror In America" series, on the Arab and Iranian media in the days following the attack.
To visit the MEMRI 9/11 Documentation Project Website, click here.
Terror In America (1) Palestinian Information Ministry Director-General: The Arab Media Are Overly Preoccupied With The Terror Attacks In The US; They Must Return To Dealing With The Palestinian Problem Special Dispatch - No. 267 - September 17, 2001
Terror In America (2) Hamas Weekly: 'Allah Has Answered Our Prayers; The Sword Of Vengeance Has Reached America And Will Strike Again And Again' Special Dispatch - No. 268 - September 17, 2001
Terror In America (3): Lebanese Intellectual: The Arabs Are Not Completely Innocent; The Terrorists Must Be Extradited Special Dispatch - No. 269 - September 20, 2001
Terror In America (4): Arab Columnists: The Perpetrators Of The Attacks Are Not Arabs Or Muslims Special Dispatch - No. 270 - September 20, 2001
Terror In America (5): British Pro-Syrian Journalist Patrick Seale: Suicide Attacks Are Immoral But Highly Effective; The Terrorists Sought A 'Balance Of Terror' With The US Special Dispatch - No. 271 - September 20, 2001
Terror In America (6): Lebanese Professor: It Is Permissible To Rejoice Over 'The Penetrating Of The Bastion Of American Colonialism'; 'Everyone Gloated At The Misfortune Of The American Administration, While Its Leaders Scrambled To Find A Place To Hide' Special Dispatch - No. 272 - September 21, 2001
Terror In America (7): Dr. Ma'moun Fendi: We Should Condemn Terror, With No 'Buts' Special Dispatch - No. 273 - September 21, 2001
Terror In America (8): Egypt's Opposition Press: Rejoicing Is A National And Religious Obligation; These Were The Best Moments Of Our Lives; Bush Is A Mouse Leading A Gang Of Mice Special Dispatch - No. 274 - September 25, 2001
Terror In America (9): Syrian Arab Writers Association Chairman: I Felt Like Someone Delivered From The Grave; My Lungs Filled With Air And I Breathed In Relief, As I'd Never Breathed Before' Special Dispatch - No. 275 - September 25, 2001
Terror In America (10): Prominent Leader Of The Muslim Brotherhood Movement, Sheikh Yussefal-Qaradhawi: 'Islamic Religious Law Dictates That We Join The Taliban's Jihad, Not The US Coalition; It Is Forbidden To Attack American Citizens, But Permitted To Attack The American Military' Special Dispatch - No. 277 - October 1, 2001
Terror In America (11): Egyptian Islamists: The U.S. Will Be Targeted With Non-Conventional Weapons; Americans Working In The Middle East Will Be Attacked Special Dispatch - No. 280 - October 4, 2001
Terror In America (12): The Egyptian Government, Opposition, And Independent Press All Celebrate The Terrorists Attacks On The U.S. Special Dispatch - No. 281 - October 5, 2001
Terror In America (13): Al-Hayat Columnist: 'The Destruction Of America Is The Destruction Of The Human Dream' Al-Hayat Film Critic: '...I Felt Shame Reading The Egyptian Press' Special Dispatch - No. 282 - October 7, 2001
Terror In America (14): Syria's Position: Define Terrorism Not Fight It Special Dispatch - No. 283 - October 10, 2001
Terror In America (15): Arab Commentary On The Identities Of The Egyptians Involved In The September 11 Terrorist Attacks Special Dispatch - No. 284 - October 12, 2001
Terror In America (16): A Sudanese Reader: We, Not The U.S., Are The Lawful Parents Of Bin Laden Special Dispatch - No. 285 - October 12, 2001
Terror In America (17): Conservatives And Reformists In Iran: Divided In Condemning The Attacks; United In Opposition To The American Response Special Dispatch - No. 286 - October 15, 2001
Terror In America (18): Al-Azhar University Representative In The U.S. And Imam Of New York's Islamic Center: The American Attack Against Afghanistan Is Terrorism... This War Will Be The End Of America... If The Americans Knew That The Jews Carried Out The September 11 Attacks They Would Do To Them What Hitler Did Special Dispatch - No. 288 - October 19, 2001
Terror In America (19): Saudi, Syrian, And Palestinian Authority Press Attack Giuliani And U.S. Special Dispatch - No. 291 - October 26, 2001
Terror In America (20): Editor Of Leading Egyptian Government Daily Al-Ahram: The U.S. Is Dropping Afghanis Genetically Altered Food... In Areas Full Of Landmines Special Dispatch - No. 292 - October 30, 2001
Terror In America (21): Saudi Columnists Condemn Conspiracy Theories And Anti-U.S. Sentiment In The Arab World Special Dispatch - No. 294 - November 1, 2001
Terror In America (22): Egypt's Al-Azhar Clerics: We Declare War On America Special Dispatch - No. 296 - November 6, 2001
Terror In America (23) Muslim Soldiers In The U.S. Armed Forces In Afghanistan: To Fight Or Not To Fight? Inquiry & Analysis - No. 75 - November 7, 2001
Terror In America (24): Hamas Weekly: Anthrax Should Be Put Into America's Drinking Water Special Dispatch - No. 297 - November 8, 2001
Terror In America (25): Egyptian Satirist Playwright Ali Salem: 'I Want To Start A Kindergarten For Extremism Special Dispatch - No. 298 - November 8, 2001
Terror In America (26) Muslim American Leaders: A Wave Of Conversion To Islam In The U.S. Following September 11 Special Dispatch - No. 301 - November 18, 2001
Terror In America (27) Kuwaiti Columnist On Arab Political Culture Special Dispatch - No. 302 - November 21, 2001
Terror In America (28) Palestinian Islamist Journalist: 'Why I Hate America' Special Dispatch - No. 303 - November 28, 2001
