As blame for Tuesday’s catastrophe focuses on terrorist Osama bin Laden, fear of violent retaliation against the entire Arab community has prompted concern among Islamic and Muslim groups at Harvard, as well as local citizens.

The president of the Harvard Islamic Society (HIS), Saif Shah Mohamed, said that he has few fears about violence from the Harvard community—but he has advised HIS members to be extra careful and take precautions, such as “telling your roommate where you’re going and not walking on empty streets. “

In addition, Mohamed has requested that the Harvard University Police Department “keep an eye” on the prayer room in Canaday basement.

“[We don’t fear] so much backlash on campus—we have great faith in the reasonableness and decency of the Harvard community,” Mohamed said. “But the fact remains that in the rest of the country, acts of retaliation have taken place, and it would be prudent for Muslims on this campus to take precautions.”

Tomorrow, HIS will be holding a meeting to discuss the aftermath of Tuesday’s events at 7:30 p.m. in the Leverett JCR.

Outside the Harvard gates, local citizens joined forces last night to rally against any possible violent retaliation, which many feared could strike the Arabic community.

Between 6 and 7 p.m., a highly diverse crowd of more than 400 filled Mass. Ave. between Church and Garden Streets and a line of people extended down to Byerly Hall. Whether they were clad in business suits or blue jeans and regardless of their ethnicity or class, all clutched candles as they gathered in silence to encourage peace.

Joseph Gerson, of the peace-promoting American Friends Service Committee, began organizing the vigil on Tuesday by contacting members of a variety of local peace groups, including the Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights (BCPR) and the Cambridge Peace Commission.