Free Republic

In an exclusive interview with Insight magazine, the new grand mufti of Egypt – the highest religious authority in the land and a man who has the power to issue fatwas and interpretations of shari'a law – has defended Palestinian suicide bombings and called the Rev. Jerry Falwell a terrorist because of his views on Islam. As in most other Arab countries, the Egyptian state appoints the grand mufti. President Hosni Mubarak named Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayyeb to the post earlier this year after his predecessor issued a ruling in favor of suicide bombings by Palestinians. Ironically, Al-Tayyeb has taken a...