When the film opened , the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee came out against the film . Its spokesman Hussein Ibish said " '' The Siege '' is extremely offensive . It 's beyond offensive . We 're used to offensive , that 's become a daily thing . This is actually dangerous . " He thought it was " Insidious and incendiary " because it " reinforces stereotypes that lead to hate crimes . " Ibish acknowledged that Arab terrorists did , in fact , bomb the World Trade Center in 1993 , but said that Arab and Islamic groups are upset by " the very strong equation between Muslim religious practices and terrorism . ... Thanks to this film Every time someone goes through the Muslim ablution , the ritual washing of hands everybody does before they pray five times a day , that image is the announcement to the viewer of the presence of violence . " Echoing such criticism the Council on American – Islamic Relations protested the insinuation that " Muslims have total disregard for human life . " The groups were " faxing and calling news organizations on a regular basis " to voice their concerns
bomb the World Trade Center in 1993
1993 World Trade Center bombing
The Siege