California : US Muslim groups raise nearly $30,000 over the past two days for relatives of victims of San Bernardino massacre.
The collective of Muslim groups in the US raised the money for the families of victims of the Wednesday shooting spree at a social service centre that left 14 dead and 17 wounded in San Bernardino, California, Al Jazeera reported.
The Muslims United for San Bernardino initiative is seeking to raise at least $50,000 for the immediate needs of the bereaved relatives.
“If we exceed the $50,000 goal, we can even assist the families with long-term expenses or possibly donate to the regional centre where the shooting took place,” the group said.
Faisal Qazi, the president of MiNDS an award-winning charitable organization based in Southern California, and Tarek El-Messidi, a prominent Islamic “social entrepreneur”, launched the project on Friday.
Numerous Muslim groups, including the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California (ISCSC) and the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR), have also endorsed it.
From his side, Muzammil Siddiqi, chairman of ISCSC, praised the fund initiative and urged all Muslims to contribute to it.
“We are sad at the suffering of our neighbours in San Bernardino. We are with them not only with the words of sympathy and condolences; we should show the acts of kindness and compassion,” he said.
On Sunday, there was also an interfaith memorial service to commemorate victims at the Islamic Center of Redlands, which is close to where the attack took place.