Al Qaeda in Iraq growing, gaining radicalized Sunnis

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AMMAN, Jordan ﾗ Newly radicalized Sunnis and disillusioned nationalists are swelling the ranks of al Qaeda in Iraq, which thinks it can turn part of the country into an Islamic emirate, a moderate Sunni politician said yesterday. Saleh Mutlaq, whose Iraqi National Dialogue group supports the U.S.-backed political process, said al Qaedaﾒs growing control of strongholds at the heart of the Sunni insurgency was paving the way for an Islamic fundamentalist state in western and central Iraq, and even Baghdad. ﾓIn the beginning, [al Qaeda] was a percentage that did not exceed 2 to 4 percent of the total resistance,ﾔ Mr. Mutlaq said in an interview in Amman. ﾓNow al Qaedaﾒs growth is at the expense of the nationalist resistance.ﾔ Dozens of al Qaeda-linked gunmen took to the streets of Ramadi ﾗ capital of Anbar province ﾗ last week to announce that the city was joining an Islamic state comprising Iraqﾒs mostly Sunni Arab provinces, Islamists and witnesses said. The western Anbar province, which encompasses a third of Iraq, has been the deadliest region in the country for U.S. forces. Mr. Mutlaq said the decision this month by the Shiﾒite-controlled parliament to pass a law allowing provinces to form federal regions encouraged Islamist Sunni groups to set up their own rule in areas under their control. ﾓThey are saying we also have our provinces and will set up an Islamic emirate, and this is terrifying,ﾔ Mr. Mutlaq said. The moderate Sunni politician said U.S. tactics toward civilians had propelled many ordinary Sunnis into the arms of al Qaeda. ﾓAmerican prisons have become the school for suicide bombers and transformed many prisoners into al Qaeda elements when they were not before,ﾔ he said. He said al Qaeda plans to expand its territory both in Iraq and beyond its borders. ﾓThey want to capture territory to attract more jihadists to destabilize everywhere, and they think they can take over all of Iraq later when they have the territory to operate,ﾔ he said. Mr. Mutlaq said he saw signs that U.S strategists were increasingly ready to talk to mainstream nationalist insurgents who oppose al Qaedaﾒs harsher aspirations for Iraq. A direct dialogue could emerge in the ﾓnext few months,ﾔ he said. But he warned that mainstream Sunni insurgents ﾗ including former army officers and former regime loyalists ﾗ would not give up their arms without political concessions. ﾓThe nationalist resistance wants those who talk to them to bring them a plan that attains the goals they fought for. ﾅ Then it will be ready to give up its arms,ﾔ Mr. Mutlaq said.

Online Fatwas Incite Young Muslims to Jihad

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Online Fatwas Incite Young Muslims to Jihad October 26, 2006 memri In an article in the Saudi daily Al-Riyadh, columnist Fares bin Hazam reports that both preachers in mosques and online propaganda are inciting young Muslims to wage jihad.(1) An interview with a young Muslim who went to fight in Afghanistan, also in Al-Riyadh, provides first-hand testimony confirming this claim. The following are excerpts from the article and the interview: Saudi Columnist: Preachers in Mosques Urge Worshipers to Join the Jihad in Iraq and Afghanistan Bin Hazam writes in his article: “The business with Afghanistan will never end as long as the ‘duty of jihad’ continues to live in [our] society, in mosques, in Friday [sermons], and on the Internet… “After the fall of the Taliban and the subsequent Guantanamo crisis… there was increasing talk about the need to investigate our youth’s growing [inclination] towards jihad, and about the need to search for the reasons that motivate them to go to Afghanistan and to other countries… “The call to investigate these reasons is despicable; it is a tasteless joke. [One might think] that the reasons are unknown, that we are not aware of our situation [and need to conduct an] investigation in order to discover why [our young people] went forth and are still going forth [to wage jihad]… The reasons are obvious. Many of us know them, and there is no need for a scientific study or for any other [kind of study] to reveal them… “Since the causes are known, do we lack courage to deal with [this problem]? [I believe that] we do. Our lack of courage has been apparent ever since we invented the excuse of ‘external [influences],’ and began to toy with it and wave it at every opportunity. I do not know where these [external influences] come from, since it was we who sent our young men [to Afghanistan] in the first place, before we ever heard of [these influences] that allegedly come [from outside]. “Some preachers, [namely] those who fear the censor, deceive him by being implicit in their incitement to [wage] jihad in Iraq or Afghanistan. They speak in their sermons about the merits of jihad without mentioning a particular region. They speak in general terms that can be applied to any location, even to our [own] country. During the prayer, the details start to pour in thick and fast: first, [a call to wage jihad] in Palestine, [which serve as] a smokescreen, and then [calls for jihad] in Afghanistan, Iraq and Chechnya, and finally… the call ‘oh Allah, grant them victory everywhere!’ ‘Everywhere’ includes our [own] country… and we say ‘amen’ after the preacher calls [upon Allah] to help the mujahideen in our [own] country…” Saudi Released From Guantanamo: Fatwas Prompted Me to Join the Jihad Sa’d Ibrahim Al-Bidna, a young Saudi, traveled to Afghanistan with the aim of joining the jihad. He was arrested two months later, and spent four years and eight months at Guantanamo. In an interview with Al-Riyadh, he said that it was fatwas posted on the Internet that motivated him to wage jihad. Al-Riyadh: “Tell us of your journey, from [the time] you left Saudi Arabia until your return.” Al-Bidna: “I started this exhausting journey when I left Saudi Arabia on my own, motivated by youthful enthusiasm to [wage] jihad for the sake of Allah in Afghanistan. I traveled to Afghanistan through Syria and Iran. [When I arrived], war was being waged against the Taliban and things were not clear to me. So I decided to leave Afghanistan for Pakistan, and from there to return to Saudi Arabia. But [when I reached] Pakistan, I was arrested and turned over to the American forces. [They] imprisoned me in Guantanamo, [where I remained] until the Saudi authorities intervened and brought me back to Saudi Arabia after years of suffering…” Al-Riyadh: “Tell us about the beginning of your journey and the reasons [that motivated you] to set out for Afghanistan.” Al-Bidna: “Many may find it difficult to believe, but I was not very devout, though I did pray regularly. But enthusiasm and zeal filled the hearts of many young people, and unfortunately, I followed certain fatwas that were posted on the Internet. [These fatwas] call upon young people to wage jihad in certain regions. They tempt them [by describing] the great reward [they will receive], the status of the martyrs in Paradise and the virgins that await them [there]. These fatwas have great influence on young people who have no awareness or knowledge [that enables them] to examine them and verify their validity.” In Afghanistan, I Saw Muslims Fighting Muslims, and That is Why I Left Al-Riyadh: “When you came to Afghanistan, did you find the notion of jihad to be as you had imagined it…?” Al-Bidna: “When I arrived, the war against the Taliban was at its height. There were constant bombardments and things were not clear to me, especially since I was only there for two months. This is not enough time to understand how things really are. But what concerned me the most was that Muslims were fighting each other, and that is why I left [and went to] Pakistan  for in jihad, a Muslim must never fight his Muslim brother.” Al-Riyadh: “Based on your experience, did you feel that there was no real jihad in Afghanistan?” Al-Bidna: “The [brief] period I spent there did not enable me see the full picture, and I did not have the knowledge to distinguish real jihad from other actions that are [only] called jihad. But I did see that there were devout people there. Some of them were young men who came [to Afghanistan] out of youthful enthusiasm and [due to their] scant religious knowledge, or were influenced by certain fatwas published by various religious scholars, or [were influenced by] by false images, which were not free of exaggeration, of the situation in Afghanistan. This was the kind of thing that prompted me to set out without informing or asking my family, and without considering the concept of legitimate jihad, its conditions and its rules.” Al-Riyadh: “Today, do you feel that you were wrong to set out [to Afghanistan], obeying some irresponsible fatwas?” Al-Bidna: “Of course. I [now] understand that I was wrong. I should have asked the leaders for permission to set out [and wage jihad], or religious scholars known for their knowledge and piety, of which there are many in our country…” Al-Riyadh: “Before you left for Afghanistan, was there anyone who urged you and encouraged you to go?” Al-Bidna: “I did not belong to any group or organization, especially since I was not devout before I left. But there were obviously some fatwas that called [for jihad] and were posted on certain websites. [They] influenced many young men, both devout and [non-devout]…” Had I Received Proper Guidance Before I Left for Afghanistan, I Would Not Have Gone Al-Riyadh: “After returning [to Saudi Arabia], did you meet with the counseling committees? What changed in your way of thinking?” Al-Bidna: “My views began to change when I saw the real picture and understood my error, [even] before I was captured. When I returned to Saudi Arabia, we [i.e. the prisoners released from Guantanamo] met with sheikhs and religious scholars who taught us a great deal, and who enlightened us on the tolerant directives of Islam. Had I [known all this] before I left, I would not have gone. The discussions with the religious scholars and sheikhs gave us the ability to distinguish truth from error, and set us on the right path.” Al-Riyadh: “From your experience, are there specific reasons that cause young people to adopt deviant views and carry out terrorist actions?” Al-Bidna: “Of course there are specific reasons [that motivate] young people, especially unemployment, the desire for self-fulfillment, and [having] free time. I, for example, finished [only] elementary school, and sat around without a job for many years prior to leaving for Afghanistan. Such things can cause young people to go astray, especially when there are [people] who feed them erroneous notions…” Al-Riyadh: “Do you think that a fatwa posted online can prompt a young person to wage jihad, when he does not know for sure whether the fatwa is valid?” Al-Bidna: “There is no doubt that the problem lies in the youth’s enthusiasm [coupled with] scant knowledge. That’s what happened with me. I did not think to verify the validity of these fatwas or to consult with anyone, and [consequently] made a big mistake…” Endnote: (1) Al-Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), October 10, 2006.

Egyptian Reformist Renews attack on Muslim Brotherhood despite death threats

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Egyptian Reformist Renews Attack on Muslim Brotherhood Despite Death Threats November 10, 2006 memri In a critique of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, reformist Egyptian intellectual Dr. Sayyed Al-Qimni explained why he does not believe that the movement has changed its ways and has decided to integrate into civil society. He argued that the movement assumes many guises and forms many conflicting alliances in order to further its own interests. Al-Qimni further claimed that its aim is not to serve Islam but to come to power.(1) This critique is Al-Qimni’s first article since his July 2005 announcement – which followed death threats against him by Islamic extremists – that he was retracting everything he had ever written and that he would no longer write.(2) The following are excerpts from the article: “When Did the Muslim Brotherhood Stop Accusing Civil Society of Heresy?” “The [following] statement by [Muslim Brotherhood spokesman] Dr. ‘Issam Al-‘Arian reveals how the Muslim Brotherhood is currently presenting itself in the Egyptian public arena: ‘We are now generating public pressure by means of demonstrations on the streets, in the universities and in [various] associations, and through every [other] type of civil pressure.'(3) “This kind of talk on the part of the Muslim Brotherhood is a totally new [phenomenon]. A close examination of the statement reveals that they arrogantly imagine a connection between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Egyptian people – a disgraceful [association] which is an insult to the Egyptian people. The Muslim Brotherhood’s demonstrations cannot be characterized as ‘public pressure’ just because they involve turmoil in the streets… The truly novel fact is that Dr. Al-‘Arian presented himself and his movement as part of civil society… “When did the Muslim Brotherhood stop accusing civil society of heresy? When did it stop persecuting the supporters of civil society with accusations of treason against the homeland and with murderous rumors? All this while the Muslim Brotherhood itself does not recognize the homeland and the national flag… “If Dr. Al-‘Arian is sincere, and does not retract [his statement] or let some other member of the movement drop [contradicting] statements to confuse us, as they usually do, then I congratulate the Muslim Brotherhood. [I] welcome them upon their return to the fold of the homeland, which will forgive them in the interest of national unity… But when have they ever recognized that a Muslim has a homeland? And when have they ever recognized the flag or the national symbols? Don’t they belong to the nation of ‘There is No God but Allah’ that does not recognize the flag or the national symbols, as their leaders have always declared?” “The Muslim Brotherhood Speaks in Seven Tongues, and Says Something Different in Each of Them” “Our problem with the Muslim Brotherhood is that they do not give us a chance to trust them… Every sentence they utter speaks in seven tongues, and says something different in each of them. They are allied with everybody, from the communists to the Wafd Party, the Americans, the Nasserists, the simple and kind Egyptian people, the students, and the farmers. They are equipped with every mask they need in order to form alliances with each of these parties, and then betray these alliances if the need arises… “We do not trust the Muslim Brotherhood, since its history – unlike the history of other [movements] – shows that it has always opposed every political and economic program and every regime. Since the day it was founded, it has never been satisfied with anyone except itself, yet it has formed alliances with everybody, betrayed everybody, and opposed everybody… How can they speak of the constitution and of the need to change its content when they have always refused to recognize the constitution, claiming that it is a secular innovation?… “The Muslim Brotherhood has never spoken any other language but the language of Koranic punishments and of rigid, cruel Salafi Islamic violence. They have always been opposed to Islam that is merciful, peaceful, and beautiful, since, in their opinion, it is not Islam – the only [real] Islam and the only truth are those of the Muslim Brotherhood… “So what is this new transformation, which [Muslim Brotherhood founder] Hassan Al-Bana, and [the movement’s prominent intellectual leader] Sayyed Qutb would have never considered or accepted had they still been alive… Do the new international circumstances play a part in this transformation? Was it caused by the existence of certain forces in the region that have allied with the American leadership, and by the [American] pressure to establish democratic governments in the Islamic world? “Do you not realize that the Muslim Brotherhood is renouncing everything that it has said in the previous century and in this century, and [adopting] the political structure demanded by the U.S., which [they regard as] the Great Satan? What happened to Islam as they used to present it, and which was their reason for founding the movement? Gentlemen, [the Muslim Brotherhood is interested] not in Islam, but in gaining power, and this is why they have changed [some of their statements]… “Al-‘Arian said: ‘The Muslim Brotherhood… has declared that, before the constitution is changed, freedoms must be granted, in order to [establish] a real parliament that represents the people’s will and is elected in free and fair elections.’ Like the other members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-‘Arian is interested only in the elections themselves, and not in the principles and values that underlie the elections, which are not recognized by the Muslim Brotherhood. For example, does Al-‘Arian recognize a Muslim’s right to convert to another religion? This issue is simple and obvious in every other country in the world, but here [in Egypt], it is a crime to even [raise] the question…” “Did Government Change Ever Take Place in the Islamic State? It Certainly Did  But [Only] by Means of Poison, Saber, or Sword” “The Muslim Brotherhood presents itself to the public as though it [embodies] Islam… But today, they have difficulty in reconciling their image as [the embodiment of] Islam with Western concepts such as human rights, the legislative council… election mechanisms, and freedoms, which have been introduced into our market of ideas… After September 11, and the arrival of Uncle Sam’s forces in our region, the Muslim Brotherhood decided to come to power on Uncle Sam’s terms… But how can they reconcile [the fact that Islam] is the religion of [only] one group of [those] with [the concept of] civil society, which entails equality for all citizens, without discrimination based on sect, ethnicity, or religion?… “Dr. Al-‘Arian, you who are well acquainted with Islam and its history… can you show us where ‘the people’s will’ and ‘free and fair elections’ have ever featured in the history of Islam? Can you show us where we can find the concept of freedom, except [in connection with] freeing slaves? Did the Islamic state ever hold elections in the course of its history, in the 1,400 years between its founding and its fall – which were 1,400 years of oppression, injustice, and even inhumanity and lack of compassion? Today, Dr. Al-‘Arian is speaking to us in Uncle Sam’s language and terms. He is adopting the language and Western ideas of the infidels – for which we [reformists] have always been persecuted and accused of heresy… “Al-‘Arian is now demanding to change the articles of the constitution dealing specifically with the president and his term in office… The first question that arises in this context is the following: Since when do Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood recognize the [principle] of limiting the president’s term in office? When has this [principle] ever been implemented in the Islamic state…? Caliphs ruled for life without encountering any objection… “Did government change ever take place in the Islamic state? It certainly did  but [only] by means of poison, saber or sword. What has happened to the Muslim Brotherhood? They claim that they are the only [true] Muslims… but they are demanding something that neither Islam nor the Muslims recognize. In fact, they are demanding something that is regarded in the Sunni school of thought as one of the greatest sins… “The Muslim Brotherhood must choose: It can join the democratic process – a purely civil process that has nothing to do with Islam or with any other religion, and which does not involve any sacred [concepts] but only human beings who, being human, may be either right or wrong – or it can choose to remain the Muslim Brotherhood, and [refrain from] talking to us in a [foreign] language that they themselves have rejected throughout their long history… “Did Islamic history ever know any other law but the permanent and eternal emergency law [established] during the rule of [the first caliph] Abu Bakr? Why, then, are they objecting to emergency law?… If you object to these laws, why do you not condemn their existence in Islamic history, which would have lent credibility to your objection? Or are you perhaps making declarations in which you do not [really] believe? Until now, you gentlemen have never recognized the election mechanism and have never held [elections in your movement]. Your leader holds his position for life, until his mind becomes soft with age. He controls the Muslim Brotherhood in 50 Islamic states or more, and is chosen through bay’a [an Islamic oath of allegiance] involving no more than 15 participants, [all of them] members of the [Brotherhood’s] leadership. You gentlemen [of the Muslim Brotherhood] don many confusing masks – sometimes you are Dr. Jekyll and sometimes Mr. Hyde. “This [Islamic] Rule Produced Nothing but Injustice, Lack of Freedom, and Flagrant Inequality… All in Accordance With Explicit Islamic Laws” “Al-‘Arian also referred to the Muslim Brotherhood’s initiative of participating in the reforms, and called it ‘the Muslim Brotherhood’s program for generating an Egyptian revival, based on Islamic authority, which will strive to attain the supreme goals of Islam – justice, freedom, equality, shura [advisory council] and human dignity.’ Here we have Mr. Hyde again. After declaring his belief that the state and the government must be civil [in nature], he declares that the Muslim Brotherhood wishes to attain the supreme goals of Islam. What about the supreme goals of Christianity, Shi’a, secularism and atheism?… “As for the claim that [the principles of] justice, freedom, equality, shura and human dignity were realized in the course of Islamic history, under a rule that purported to be Islamic – this never occurred even once, except in theoretical pronouncements… This [Islamic] rule produced nothing but injustice, lack of freedom, and flagrant inequality, with discrimination between Muslims and non-Muslims, Arabs and non-Arabs, men and women, ruler and subject, master and slave – all in accordance with explicit Islamic laws. Will Al-‘Arian [manage to] implement in Islam something that even the Righteous Caliphs, and all the other caliphs, were unable to implement in 14 centuries?…” Endnotes: (1) http://www.metransparent.com/texts/sayyed_qimni_brotherhood_in_democracy.htm , April 3, 2006. (2) For more on Al-Qimni’s withdrawal from public life, see MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis No. 254, “Arab Intellectuals: Under Threat by Islamists,” November 23, 2005, http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=ia&ID=IA25405 (3) Al-Wafd (Egypt), December 4, 2005, http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.php?id=3380&cat=openion