He slept soundly in Iraq, we're told. But although Seattle's version of George Galloway never felt terror at the name of Al Qaeda, he's found something to be afraid of...

"We are here because each of us is an ambassador and an activist," Siddiqui told the crowd of about 500. "We're here because we're tired of being kicked around by the Bush administration," which he accused of unfairly targeting Muslims in the war on terror.

U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, King County Executive Ron Sims and Army Capt. James Yee, a Muslim chaplain who was accused of espionage and jailed for 76 days before all charges were dropped, were among those who spoke out against the war in Iraq and President Bush. They also begged the audience to vote.

"We are in the midst of the most important election in our history," McDermott said. "It's the first time I've been afraid in a very long time." [Presumably the last time was November 2000?--ed.]

McDermott said he's not fearful of terrorism but fears "my own government's use of the Patriot Act," the law passed by Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that gives the government broad new powers to fight terrorism.