Miami, FL November 25, 2001 The Association of Indians in America (AIA), in conjunction with National NYCPD 10-13 Organizations, Inc., Children of the Holocaust Hospital-Sanz Medical Center, Laniado, Israel, New York County Lawyers Association's Tort Law Section and Asian-American Bar Association of New York, has established "The 911 Task Force on Protecting our Flag and our Freedoms".

"The Indian American community nationwide condemns the dastardly acts committed by the terrorists on 911," said Dr. Piyush C. Agrawal, National President of AIA. He continued, "Americans of Indian ancestry are acutely aware of the impact terrorist actions can have on the daily lives of innocent people worldwide. The acts of war committed on 9/11 serve to unite and energize all Americans to defend our Flag and our Freedoms."

Ravi Batra, Chair of The 911 Task Force, said it's mission "[W]ill be to discuss the contour of the challenges that face our Nation since the terror attacks of September 11th on our soil, which, in one harsh and heinous moment, ended the lives of so many innocent and hard-working people. The subsequent use of bio-terrorism, commingled with ordinary elements of our lives, such as the mail, has evoked additional areas of concern which we have heretofore taken for granted. We are confronted, as a result, with a multitude of challenges as we seek to re-order our priorities to bravely meet and defeat terrorism. We are determined to help meet the challenges, so that our Constitution, and not Terror, reign supreme and our Flag continues to proudly wave. The need for considered deliberation and discussion of the challenges and solutions is vital to defeat the abject and irrational fear, also known as terror, that terrorist wish to inflict upon our Nation. This Task Force, therefore, will be dedicated to add its considered judgment to the public discussion so that the citizenry is well informed, and as a result, inoculated with knowledge to defeat terror."

The first Session of the 911 Task Force was held on November 14, 2001, at the New York City Council Chamber's Committee Room, City Hall, New York. This "think tank" will serve the public good so long as Terror is a threat to civilization and peace.

The members of The 911 Task Force include leaders of retired NYC police, doctors, hospital administrators, bankers, bench and bar. They are Hon. Fern Fisher Brandveen, Administrative Judge ("AJ"), NYC Civil Courts; Hugh Campbell, Esq., Pres. New York State Trial Lawyers Association; P.C. Chang, Esq., Asian-American Bar Association of New York; Hon. Stephen G. Crane, NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 2nd Dept; Hon. Robert Gigante, NYS Supreme Court, Richmond County; Subhash C. Gulati, MD, Ph.D., oncologist, New York Hospital; Hon. L. Priscilla Hall, NYS Supreme Court, Kings County; Hon. Richard D. Huttner, NYS Supreme Court, Kings County; Ram Khanna, HSBC, 1st VP; Hon. Diane A. Lebedeff, NYS Supreme Court, Manhattan; Hon. Edward H. Lehner, NYS Supreme Court, Manhattan; Hon. Francis A. Nicolai, Administrative Judge, 9th Judicial District, covering Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Duchess; Anthony V. Perrone, Pres. Nat'l New York City Police Department 10-13 Organizations; Hon. Reinaldo Rivera, NYS Supreme Court, Kings County; Franco Sagliocca, CHE, Mt. Sinai Hosp, NYC; Hon. William C. Thompson, NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 2nd Dept., Ret.; Hon. Milton A. Tingling, NYS Supreme Court, Manhattan; Rabbi Yitchok Waldman, Dir. Sanz Med Ctr, Israel; and inter alia Richard Weinberg, Esq., General Counsel, NYC Council (all affiliations mentioned are for identification purposes only) .

Batra thanked AIA's Dr. Agrawal for his critical leadership and initiative, as well as his fellow Task Force members, for being "true blue Americans, who have responded to the call of history and are willing to pay the price of 'eternal vigilance' to protect liberty."

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