Time to put fear aside, decry Islamophobia in US: American scholar

American Muslims have been “terrified” of taking part in protests since the 9/11 attacks, says an American scholar.

Kevin Barrett, a founding member of the Scientific Panel for the Investigation of 9/11, hailed a rally against Islamophobia at a mall in downtown Washington, DC, during an interview with Press TV on Sunday, stating that Muslims should be “proactive” in the US community.

“Muslims need to stop being reactive and start being proactive; that is rather than simply saying, ‘we don’t like ISIL,’… Muslims need to start saying, ‘the war on terror is a hoax’,” he said.

Islamophobia has recently peaked in the US in the wake of several attacks by Daesh affiliates in Europe and the US, which has paved the way for GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump to target Muslims and immigrants in an effort to appeal to his voters.

Barrett described the attacks on US soil as “public relations stunts, noting that they are attributed to Muslims, while they were “actually done by professionals.”

Islamophobia is “now going mainstream with the Donald Trump campaign and in a big way,” he added.

Trump, a real estate mogul, has been using attacks by Takfiri affiliates, including in Paris, San Bernardino, California, as well as Orlando, Florida, to promote Islamophobia.

“We need to say this is being done by our enemies and here is the evidence,” the political commentator concluded.