Posted on 04/05/2003 7:50:28 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
CAIRO, April 5 (Reuters) - Egypt's top Islamic cleric gave his blessing on Saturday to volunteers wishing to help Iraqis in the war against U.S. and British forces, but blamed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein for the conflict.
Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, the state-appointed grand sheikh of al-Azhar mosque and university in Cairo, said the war on Iraq was an attack on all Arab countries, but added that Saddam could have avoided it by going into exile.
"Whoever wants to go to Iraq to support the Iraqi people, the door is open, and I say the door for Jihad (holy struggle) is open until the day of judgement," Tantawi told a news conference.
"Whoever wants to go to support the Iraqi people, I welcome that, I welcome that, I welcome that.
"I say to him go with peace and I wish you well. We do not prevent anyone from going to help those who are facing injustice."
Activists say hundreds of Egyptians have signed up with the country's lawyers' union to fight alongside the Iraqis against the U.S.-led war, now in its third week.
Baghdad says thousands of Arab volunteers have arrived in Iraq and are ready to "martyr" themselves in the war to unseat the Iraqi government.
Despite his support for the Iraqi people, Tantawi, spiritual guide to hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world, said Saddam should have ceded power to avoid it, as suggested by the United Arab Emirates.
"If President Saddam Hussein had responded to this request, then all these problems would not be happening now," Tantawi said.
"The war against the Iraqi people must, must, must stop as soon as possible," he added.
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