CAIR-St. Louis: Local Premiere of 'Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story'
(ST. LOUIS, MO., 7/31/2014) – Hundreds of people from St. Louis, including members of Veterans for Peace and the St. Louis Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-St. Louis), are expected to attend the local film premiere by Unity Production Foundation (UPF) of "Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story."
The documentary recalls the life of Noor Inayat Khan, a Muslim who joined the French Resistance and worked to liberate occupied France from Nazi Germany during WWII.
WHAT: Film Premier, "Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story"
WHEN: Sunday August 3rd @ 5:25 p.m.
WHERE: Des Peres Cinema, 12800 Manchester Road, Des Peres MO, 63131
"Despite the fact that many Muslims played brave roles and sacrificed during World War II, the prevailing narrative of that conflict usually doesn't include any mention," says Alex Kronemer. Kronemer is co-founder with Michael Wolfe of Unity Productions Foundation, which has produced the award-winning documentaries Prince Among Slaves and Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet, that have both been aired nationally on PBS.
In 1940, when the Nazis invaded France, Khan fled to England, where she trained as a wireless operator after joining Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force. In early 1943, she began her assignment as a covert operative, joining Winston Churchill's Special Operations Executive (SOE). This organization sought to undermine the Axis powers in occupied Europe via espionage, among other tactics. From Paris, Noor Inayat Khan secretly transmitted messages to Britain.
"For six months she was the only link between the U.K. and the French Resistance, pursued by the Gestapo, betrayed by French collaborators," says Kronemer. The Nazis arrested her and sent her to the Dachau concentration camp in Germany, where "she fought back against her captors. She escaped twice. She never gave up one name or even her own name," says Wolfe.
"More Americans need to know the story of Noor Inayat Khan, who fought against one of the most heinous enemies of democracy of the last 100 years," says Faizan Syed one of the host committee members for the film premier.
You may also visit: www.enemyofthereich.org
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR-St. Louis Executive Director Faizan Syed, 636-207-8882, 314-330-2946, E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
