American Shiites, who attended the 24th annual Husain Day convention at the Marriott La Guardia on March 30, were closely watching the events in Iraq, hoping that Shiites there would soon be free from Saddam Hussein's regime.

Traditionally a religious gathering to commemorate the killing of Imam Husain ibn Ali in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, this year's convention had an interfaith theme meant to address the negative perceptions of Muslims spawned by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

"We have all gathered to take a step towards peace and understanding through religions," said Syed M Rizvi, chairman of the Islamic Days Celebrating Council. "All religions basically teach their followers the same theme, that is to live and let other live."

Organisers denounced 'the religion of terrorism' and said the Muslim faith did not condone the killing of innocents.

"There have always been so-called Muslims who have hijacked the religion, defaming it and trampling it in the process," said Zafar A Jafri, president of the event's organising committee. "They have nothing to do with Islam or any religion for that matter, let alone civilisation."

Though there was criticism of Wahhabism, Osama bin Laden, and the riots in Gujarat, the topic closest at hand was the war in Iraq.

Many attendees compared Saddam, who is said to have killed thousands of Iraqi Shiites, to Yazid, the caliph who opposed Imam Husain and had him killed.

"Yazid simply hated peace and goodness. He was the embodiment of all evil as is Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden today," Rizvi said.

"The analogy can be drawn here," agreed Tayeb Poonawala, chief coordinator for the event.

"The fight then was against the empire of Yazid, who, though being Muslim, led a brutal regime and used Islam to elevate his own position," he continued.

"This war is not to occupy territory, but to preserve Islam."

Extending the symbolism, some said it was no coincidence that among the scenes of fighting between the US and Iraqi forces was Karbala, where Imam Husain and his family made their last stand against Umayyad forces.

But attendees said that they were not surprised that Iraqi Shiites had not openly welcomed coalition forces, as Western military planners had expected them to.

Some explained that Iraqi Shiites were likely being threatened to stay silent and fight, and that they would revolt against Saddam if they had a chance.

Masood Ali Mirza, a psychiatric consultant with the US government, said it would be difficult to liberate the people of Iraq because they did not know what liberty was.

"It will take a generation to overcome the effects," said Mirza, a native of Hyderabad who was held hostage by Saddam's forces during the 1991 Gulf War. "Even if they are liberated, they won't believe it."

Meraj Hydery, who visited Iraq when she was twelve, remembered the fear among Iraq's Shiites at the mere presence of a Republican Guard soldier.

"They would be having a normal conversation with you, and then as soon as a soldier appeared, they immediately became quiet," she said.

She guessed that Iraq's Shiites were not coming forward because they were uncertain of the future.

"They fear what's to come," said Hydery. "They don't know who to trust, the US or Saddam."