Posted on 02/06/2004 9:57:06 AM PST by knighthawk
New Muslim Brotherhood Leader: Resistance in Iraq and Palestine is Legitimate; America is Satan; Islam Will Invade America and Europe
Following the recent death of Muslim Brotherhood movement leader Mamoun Al-Hudhaybi, Muhammad Mahdi Othman 'Akef was appointed as his successor. He has since given a number of interviews to the Arab media. The following are excerpts from the interviews:
Martyrdom Operations are a Religious Obligation in Palestine and Iraq In an interview with the Egyptian pro-Nasserite weekly Al-Arabi, 'Akef spoke about suicide bombing operations: "The Muslim Brotherhood movement condemns all bombings in the independent Arab and Muslim countries. But the bombings in Palestine and Iraq are a [religious] obligation. This is because these two countries are occupied countries, and the occupier must be expelled in every way possible. Thus, the [Muslim Brotherhood] movement supports martyrdom operations in Palestine and Iraq in order to expel the Zionists and the Americans."(1)
In an interview with the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood weekly Al-Sabil, 'Akef spoke about the Palestinian Intifada: "The Palestinian Intifada gave life to a cause that was on its deathbed... In Palestine, brothers are waging Jihad with weapons and resisting the occupiers. We try as hard as we can to support the cause by publishing books, convening forums, and [organizing] lectures aimed at raising awareness regarding support for Palestine, which is our central cause. If the gates of Jihad in Palestine open before the [Muslim] Brotherhood, we will not hesitate a single moment, and we will be with them on the battlefield."(2)
'Akef discussed Israeli civilian casualties resulting from Palestinian operations in Israel, telling the Saudi daily Al-Watan: "In Israel, there should be no [differentiation between] a civilian and a member of the military. All are enemies of the Arab homeland and of Islam. They are occupiers and have no right to one handsbreadth of the land of Palestine...
"We should differentiate between Jews and Zionists. The Jews have rights by virtue of their being the People of the Book [Ahl Al-Kitab, according to Islam], provided they are not occupiers. With regard to the Zionists, we will resist them with all our strength."(3)
Similarly, in his interview with the Egyptian weekly Al-Arabi, 'Akef was asked about "the statements of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmad Yassin regarding agreeing to the establishment of a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and the [West] Bank." He responded: "... Despite the principle of the [Muslim] Brotherhood everywhere in the world that the Hebrew state does not have the [right] to exist on any of the land of Palestine from the sea to the river ... if the Hamas leader's statements refer to a temporary stage, only then do we support them. But everyone knows that the Muslim Brotherhood is opposed to any Jewish or Zionist existence in any of Palestine."(4)
On the situation in Iraq, 'Akef told the Jordanian weekly Al-Sabil: "We are opposed to the American occupation of Iraq. We call on the occupation forces to withdraw from Iraq as rapidly as possible. We call on the countries of the world to demand of the occupation forces to withdraw from Iraq and leave it so that it will determine its fate by itself."(5)
'Akef further told the Saudi daily Al-Watan: "Resistance is a legitimate right against any occupation, and it is the Iraqi people that will determine its forms, whether the [resistance] be ideological, political, or military."(6)
America is 'Satan' and Will Soon Collapse
In response to a question by the Egyptian weekly Al-Arabi on "relations with the U.S," 'Akef said: "We have no relations with the U.S. It is a Satan that abuses the region, lacking all morality and law." 'Akef also denied any "secret dialogue between the Americans and the [Muslim] Brotherhood," saying that this is "an unfounded lie."(7)
In response to a question by the Jordanian weekly Al-Sabil about "Washington's claims that it is acting to spread democracy in the Arab world," 'Akef said: "These are [futile] words and false propaganda. It is not logical that the U.S. - which destroyed Afghanistan, supports Israel's daily ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people, and occupies Iraq and steals its treasures - is acting to spread democracy in the Arab world."(8)
In response to a question on the U.S.'s "current attack [forcing] change in the school curriculum in some Islamic countries," 'Akef told the Saudi daily Al-Watan: "These [demands to change the curriculum] are the demands of the American tyranny under which we live. America bears a tyrannous civilization with no logic, morality, values, or even respect for the international institutions. These demands can be understood in light of this tyranny, and due to the Arab and Muslim governments' lack of maturity. I pray to Allah that these rulers will awaken from their coma, in which they have been sunk since [the signing of] the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel...
"We have expressed no willingness to enter into dialogue with America as a country. Moreover, we refused everything it offered in the name of democracy, human rights, education, and the war on terror. All these words [about willingness to maintain a dialogue with the U.S.] are not true. It is proven that they [i.e. the Americans] bring with them nothing but tyranny. They fight enemies that they themselves created in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and in what they call the axis of evil. We do not hold out our hand to dialogue with America; we oppose it absolutely. Sufficient proof of this is the [American] policy supporting the occupiers of Palestine, and also the [American] use of the right of veto against every U.N. resolution that is meant to support the Palestinians."(9)
'Akef also said that he expects the U.S. to collapse in the near future. In response to the question, "How do the U.S.'s actions following the occupation of Iraq, its attitude to the Palestinian problem, its siege of Syria, and the recent turnaround in Libya affect the Arab situation?" 'Akef told the independent Egyptian weekly Nahdhat Misr, "The matter of America's attempt to take over the world is not new. What is new is that it appears with such a grim face, without morals, without principles, without law, and without recognition of the need for the U.N. or the Security Council.
"The [American] tyranny is long known. In the past, they fought secretly, and now they are fighting openly. There is no logic or law in the world that agrees to their occupation of Iraq [and] before that of Palestine, or to what is happening. Allah is helping Syria, which found no savior. Had the Arab and Muslim countries been united, America and Israel would not have been able to withstand them.
"I am certain that without the betrayal in Iraq, the Iraqis would have tormented the Americans with all kinds of torments. The American forces would not have remained [in Iraq]. I expect America to collapse soon. The elements of this collapse in America [already] exist, and Allah is the Savior."(10)
No Proof That Al-Qa'ida Carried Out the 9/11 Attacks
In response to the question from the Saudi daily Al-Watan, "Don't you think that the September [11, 2001] events are justification of America's [activity] in Afghanistan?" 'Akef said: "This is a false statement, because [America] has no proof. They held no fair trial for those arrested on the charge of the September explosion. All they say is a list of names whom they claim bear the responsibility for the September events. If [the Americans] provided proof of the truth of their version, I would fight together with the Americans and join President Bush in this war."
Regarding the claim that "the Al-Qa'ida organization acknowledged responsibility for these operations in the videocassettes aired on several Arab television channels," 'Akef said: "I do not pay any attention to these films, because they are part of the psychological war between these people [Al-Qa'ida] and the American administration.
"These cassettes came in response to the American operations. Washington must prove by trial that they [Al-Qa'ida] are the ones who carried out the explosions in September."(11)
An Understanding with Egypt's Government is Welcome
In his interviews, 'Akef also discussed the question of the Muslim Brotherhood's relationship and dialogue with the Egyptian government. He told the London Arabic-language daily Al-Hayat: "There is rancor between us [and the government], but it is they who are reviving this rancor by handling the matter of the Muslim Brotherhood via the security apparatuses.
"We have told them over and over that this matter must be [handled by] the political apparatus. If the government wants to reach an understanding with us, then this is a welcome thing. But we will not force anyone to cooperate with us or talk with us."(12)
'Akef told the Jordanian weekly Al-Sabil: "Every national dialogue without the Muslim Brotherhood is a dialogue doomed to failure, because it is stillborn." On the Muslim Brotherhood's relations with the other political forces in Egypt, he said: "We are ready to cooperate with them while ignoring their ideological trends. As long as the dialogue's aim is the interest of the homeland, we welcome dialogue with the other."(13)
With regard to the movement's plans for the future, 'Akef told the Nahdhat Misr weekly: "The first thing we want to deal with is the subject of freedoms. This is what concerns us [now]. In the coming period, the movement will increase its effort to engage in this matter, because we think that providing freedom is one of the most important steps on the way to realizing reform, as there are only margins of democracy, which are weak, and we must expand them in order to make more things possible.
"We do not think that it is possible to accomplish anything in the area of [domestic] reform as long as there are laws such as the emergency law and the great expropriation of freedoms in Egypt."(14)
Islam Will Invade Europe and America
Regarding the veil ban in France, the website http://www.alwihdah.com reported that 'Akef said on the Muslim Brotherhood website: "Perhaps I was among the first to express opposition to the statements by Chirac, who described the Hijab [veil] as offensive in nature. I asked him to understand that the Hijab is a divine commandment and that if he did not know this then he should ask the Church. I know that among the brothers in France, or the so-called Union of Islamic Organizations, there are smart people who can stand against this vile stream in the war on the Hijab, represented by the stream of Turkey and Tunisia. With Allah's help, our brothers in France will be able to handle this matter however they see fit."
On the question regarding the effect the veil ban will have on the future of Islam in Europe, 'Akef said: "I have complete faith that Islam will invade Europe and America, because Islam has logic and a mission.
"The Europeans and the Americans will come into the bosom of Islam out of conviction. In 1993, I went to America and I published a book, 'Political Pluralism and the Woman,' that was distributed in the mosque. Thirty [American] women converted immediately to Islam as soon as they read it. These are people who become convinced of the right path - but who will guide them there?"(15)
Endnotes: (1) Al-Arabi (Egypt), January 18, 2004. (2) Al-Sabil (Jordan), January 20, 2004. (3) Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), January 25, 2004. (4) Al-Arabi (Egypt), January 18, 2004. (5) Al-Sabil(Jordan), January 20, 2004. (6) Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), January 25, 2004. (7) Al-Arabi (Egypt), January 18, 2004. (8) Al-Sabil (Jordan), January 20, 2004. (9) Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), January 25, 2004. (10) Nahdhat Misr (Egypt), January 21, 2004 (11) Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), January 25, 2004. (12) Al-Hayat (London), January 16, 2004. (13) Al-Sabil (Jordan), January 20, 2004. (14) Nahdhat Misr (Egypt), January 21, 2004. (15) http://www.alwihdah.com/view.asp?cat=3&id=50.
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This man is delusional. At best.
They already are invading.
Radical Islam is an insane murder cult; "moderate" Islam is its Trojan Horse in the West.
I'm afraid Bush could lose this election. He needs to go ahead and do some more earthly house-keeping before its too late.
Kill him.
Read my tag line.
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