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Local Muslims are bracing themselves for possible reprisals following the deadly shootings at Fort Hood, Texas.
Worshippers attending Friday's afternoon prayer service at the Islamic Center of Charlotte condemned the killings and said their faith is one of peace.
Yassir Alkahlout, 40, said local Muslims feel their religion is being wrongly targeted.
The alleged shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, was an Army psychiatrist and a practicing Muslim. He reportedly yelled "God is great" in Arabic before opening fire Thursday. Twelve died, 31 were wounded.
"It's not fair to blame all Muslims for the actions of one person," said Alkahlout, a local accountant originally from Pakistan. "You do not blame all Christians when one kills another person."
Jibril Hough, the Islamic Center's spokesman, said the center had not received any threatening calls or e-mails, but was concerned about what he characterized as anti-Muslim sentiment on conservative radio.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said they have not received any information regarding threats against Muslims in the community. But they are increasing their presence around local mosques as a precaution.
U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, a Charlotte Republican, said she is concerned about terrorists infiltrating the military. Myrick said "Allahu Akbar," or Allah is Great is a common phrase shouted by jihadist before they blow themselves up in a suicide bombing or prior to an attack.
Myrick wrote the foreword for a new book, "Muslim Mafia," warning of a Muslim conspiracy to support Islamic terrorism in the United States.
"The American people need to wake up and realize this is not going to stop," she said. "We need to seriously address the issue of radical ideology."
Hough said he does not think the attack was religiously motivated. He points to reports that Hasan was a proud soldier and sometimes wore his military uniform to the mosque. Hough said Hasan probably struggled with the fact he was being sent back to fight in a way he did not support against people from his own background.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Islamic Society of North America Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances and the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council released a joint statement to "denounce this barbaric act of violence."
Following the prayer service at the Charlotte mosque, Inayat von Briesen, 40, said it's a "dark day" for Muslims.
He said Islam does not allow the killing of innocent people. He said the government needs to look into Hasan's actions, but people also need to consider the actions of the U.S. government and its participation in what he called an "ambiguous" war.
"If he killed a lot of people, he was wrong," the information technology specialist said. "But we've been responsible for the killings of many thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan also."
McClatchy reporter Barbara Barrett and the Observer's Tim Funk contributed.
