This Email was sent to me from someone i know...and its a collection of emails that he has been recieving from around the world. names have been taken out for privacy purposes.
***************************
Hello everyone,

As I mentioned, I've received many emails from my
friends and co-workers from the United States and
abroad regarding their experiences and sentiments
about the attacks in America this week, and I thought
I would share some of them with you now.

[Names won't be given out of respect for privacy]

***

Arab-American friend who has family in Syria:

I spoke with my Mom. She'd been in Beirut with my
family until yesterday. They immediately left for
Damascus when they heard what had happened. Mom said
that there were soldiers everywhere, worried about
what might happen there. She also said that people
everywhere are incredibly sad about what's
happened...people have been crying and expressing
grief. There was even a Palestinian Pro-America type
of gathering at the US Embassy (I think in Damascus?)
expressing grief over what's happened. They're saying
that while there's been almost daily violence against
the Palestinians over the past year, that they don't
want it to happen to other people. I'm just sad that
right now, all the American public is seeing is the
few Palestinians who are rejoicing over this (and the
weird thing is, I understand why) and are assuming
this to be universal. Spread the word, would you,
that the Middle Eastern response is one of sadness and
grief, and not of happiness.

***

* Japanese friend who taught himself English:

In Japan, TV and Radio stations have been broadcasting
these events the whole day.(Espscially NHK) The first
events happend before 22:00pm, September 11th.(Japan
time). And when NHK TV wide news program started, the
next event happened. At that time, it was in the
middle of live from New York. The newscaster who was
watching this scene, in spite of himself, said "Is it
live?"

The media report that there are so many branch offices
and others ( Bank, Company etc.)of Japan in these
buildings and Japanese passengers. And also, they
report about the terrorists, the organization, the
leader, their purpose(intention) and others in detail.

I was relieved to read your E-mail. But, we are
concerned about [So-and-so] who is working in New York
[An American co-worker of mine in Japan]. Wall Street
is near the twin buildings, isn't it? I'll send him
E-mail.

All persons and leaders of the world must think about
today's global fundamental issues and situation before
thinking about only own country's benefit(advantage),
I think. If they don't think about these things,
seriously, or like these events will happen again, I
think. It concerns me deeply now.

Always, All of us, we are thinking of you. Take care!


[Sidenote: Japan currently has over 100 citizens
missing from the World Trade Center complex.]

***

*American friend from Japan working in New York City,
who confirmed he was OK:

I did have a pretty close call though. My firm had
just signed the lease the previous thurs. for an exec.
suite. tuesday was our move-in day and my boss was out
of town so he delegated some of the protocol. i was
suppose to be there at 9 and had a 930 meeting
scheduled w/ the IT technician on the floor. i was
apprx. five minutes away -still in the subway. when i
got out. it was scary. people were running. some were
just staring dumbfounded despite the danger. as i
gazed for a while myself, there were office papers
floating to the ground. let me tell you, that is a
really weird thing. the canyons of wall street with
office papers gracefully floating to the earth while
there is billowing black smoke. ...at this point there
wasn't too much fall-out but there was some. you know
the schindler list scene where there are flakes from
the holocaust inferno - before the collapse it was
like that. not nearly as heavy but still, there was
some.

I heard from my boss that Margaret the woman whom had
shown us the space the previous wed. - the woman whom
i was suppose to greet me and give security clearance
to me at 9am - her sister was on CNN balling trying to
find her. ugghh.

i just hope that all of the survivors of the victims
find a way to pull together and survive the terror
that they must be feeling right now.

well i hope you are doing well. are you still abroad
working?? i imagine as tues. was unfolding, you were
reminded of your earthquake experience not so many
years ago. moments like this really remind you that
it's so important to take timeout every once in a
while to enjoy the journey.

***

*German friend living in western Germany:

Everyone was shocked here hearing about the terrorist
act. I came back in the office and they told me a
plane crashed into the world trade center and I
thought they were joking. Even seeing the pictures on
CNN made it hard to believe for me! We all were so
shocked we just stared at the TV - even from other
offices people came to watch the news. A women besides
our office had friend working in the trade center and
she still has no answers from some of them! The more
news that came in, the more we were kind of frozen-
the pentagon and the plane in pensylvania...
Unbelievable!!!!!

We were all so shocked we closed down early, no one
could realy go on working, even people calling us were
just talking about New York. VIVA and VIVA II [German
TV channels] stopped their broadcasts. Still this
morning MTV Europe played videos with a note that no
shows will run today - all German TV stations had live
reports- either their own or they translated CNN or
had N24 as a support. The whole evening and night long
the reports went on - no ordinary broadcasts.

Only 2 football teams were forced by the UEFA to play-
also the players denied to play. The ice hockey teams
did not go on the ice. A lot of people yesrerday in
Germany beleived we are going to war again- I only do
hope the politicians stay "real" and clear of mind.

In Frankfurt the stock was closed down and some
skyscrapers evacuated- just as an measure of safety.
Even today it is quieter than usaul an the floors and
the subject is discussed everywhere. A lot of churches
had extra services . The German army is on alert,
especially in the parts of Germany where the US army
is still stationed. The airports are running under
extra strength security conditions.

[Sidenote: of all non-Americans, German nationals
constitute the largest group of missing and/or
presumed-dead victims of the World Trade Center
attack.]

***

* Westerner working in Saudi Arabia

There seems to be a mixture of reactions. Other
teachers are very concerned about job security and
personal security... "Are the guards at the front
gate going to shoot attackers, or help them shoot us?"
Is keeping so many americans as such a soft target
[on the compound together] a good idea?

I've gotten emails of condolences from a few Saudis,
and i've heard others say that the USA deserves it for
helping Israel... I know this one guard because I
taught his brother 3 times, and he told me
"congratulations". I said for what? And he said for
the attack... I had to convince him that the attack
was bad... he was arguing that what Israel does is bad
and the USA can't expect to support an oppressive
occupier without some consequences... After I told
him that many Muslims, women, and children were killed
in the attacks, he agreed that this was bad...

***

*Westerner friend still living in Saudi Arabia:

I myself am trying to remain calm AND not allow anger
to overwhelm me. Both my cousin and my friend John
saw the sh** go down with their own eyes and are
stunned and outraged. I am worried that once the
shooting starts a cascade effect could begin which
would have horrific consequences for all of us. I am
worried that Muslims the world over could perceive
this as an attack on all of them and Islam. Many are
defensive as it is. Muslim Americans are fearful and
are subject to increasing attacks. Things can quickly
get out of hand if the reaction is too swift and not
focused strictly on those responsible. Perhaps
whatever the US and other countries do will be
perceived in an anti-Islamic light and we'll be in for
years of this sh**. We'll just have to wait and see.

My plans are to be ready, and I am getting it ready
for shipping if the need arises.

You asked about how things are here. Well I was in
downtown [Riyadh] both Wednesday night and Thursday
night and the places where foreigners usually shop
and hang out were pretty quiet. [So-and-so] told me
that in Batha [a district of Riyadh] things were dead
plus the Religious Police have stepped up their
harassment campaign in recent days. [So-and-so] and a
German friend (who speaks some Arabic) heard
disturbing remarks from some Saudis, Pakistanis and to
a lesser extent Palestinians. Basically the comments
they heard were supportive of the attacks. I pray
this is a minority.

I just had a [Saudi] student from Class [XYZ] come to
me this morning expressing his deepest condolences. He
knows my family and friends are in New York and was
worried about them. When he left I started to cry.

God I hope this doesn't spiral out of control.

[So-and-so] from Class [ABC] says hello and hopes you
are well.

>>>15 September: I wanted to add that I have received
very sincere expressions of condolence and concern
from my students today.

***

* Former Saudi student:

I am very sorry about what has happened. We hate
violence and we hate people who do it. I was going to
email you because I was worried about you since you
were going to be flying to Los Angeles around the same
time [of the flights from the East Coast that crashed
into the World Trade Center], so I was happy to see
your email.

And about the tragedy, I was so sad to hear about it
and I did not believe it, and I know who could
possibly do such a horrible thing. You have lived in
Saudi Arabia, and you know that all we really want is
peace for ourselves and our families, like everyone
else in the world.

***

*Former Saudi student

I am really happy that you are ok. I want to tell you
many things in this letter.

First I was afraid for you because you told me that
you will be in New York at the same time of the bad
attack. Mr. [So-and-so] said that you were about to
visit New York but you changed your mind at the last
minute, so al hamdo lellah (thank God!).

[Sidenote: a friend of mine was planning a flight
departure from Newark Airport departing early morning
on the 11th that was cancelled at the last minute.
Had she not cancelled, I may have very likely been in
Manhattan that morning since I'm such a high-rise
junkie and digital picture freak...]

Second about the attack really we are so sad for what
happened on last Tuesday. We want to tell you our
sympathy. We are thinking for the people who died and
their families. Really that was so bad . We told our
teachers our sympathy. We must be sad because we are
Muslims and you know Islam refuses such acts.

Third the mass media are saying the hijacks were Arabs
or Muslims but in the fact no body knows the truth
yet. Some of the passengers were Arab or Muslims on
those planes, but that doesn't mean thy did that. They
may be just passengers. But if they were Muslims [who
hijacked the planes] that doesn't mean we are
satisfied [happy about what happened]. Also they were
not real Muslims. I want to remind you the even what
happened in Oklahoma the media at first said the
criminal was Muslim but he wasn't.

Lastly, we are all very sad here at the school.

Ask God for care for all nations.

********