SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION KUWAIT: YOUSEF QARADAWI'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003032

SIPDIS

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STATE FOR IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B
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USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KU KDMR
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION KUWAIT: YOUSEF QARADAWI'S
REMARKS ADVOCATING KILLING AMERICANS, AND THE KUWAITI
REACTION


1. SUMMARY: Friday's (9/3) edition of leading Arabic daily
al-Rai al-A'am contained a transcription of an interview
given in Cairo by Islamist Dr. Yousef Qaradawi. In answer to
a question about the religious propriety of kidnapping
Americans in Iraq and mutilating their corpses, Qaradawi
reportedly replied that it is a religious "duty" to kill any
Americans in Iraq, and that there is no distinction between
soldiers and civilians. Kuwaiti editorialists responded
strongly to Qaradawi's rhetoric in the days following
publication of his reported remarks, decrying even
"moderate" Islamism if in fact Qaradawi represents that
stream, calling attention to the damage such statements
could do to Islam, and raising the specter of Qaradawi's
adherents following his advice not only in Iraq but across
the Gulf.


2. According to Arabic daily al-Rai al-A'am, in answer to a
question on the religious propriety of kidnapping Americans
in Iraq, Qaradawi responded: "Americans in Iraq are all
fighters, and fighting them is a religious `must,' and they
must leave Iraq. But to mutilate their bodies is a practice
that Islam rejects. Americans are all invaders, and there is
no difference between `civilian' and `military.' Although it
is allowed, and it is a `must,' that they be killed, their
bodies must not be mutilated."

3. "Upside-Down: Qaradawi the Moderate"
Dr. Ahmed al-Rubei, former MP and minister of education and
higher education, wrote in Arabic daily al-Qabas (9/4):
"Because Shaykh Qaradawi is just like the other extremist
shaykhs who will not face death or martyrdom in battle, and
because their children are studying in western universities,
Qaradawi's fatwa in question will find its way only to some
enthusiastic Muslim youngsters who are ready to go to Iraq
to carry out the religious duty which Qaradawi has been
calling upon them to perform.and because some of these
youngsters may not find it easy to enter Iraq, they will not
hesitate to direct their weapons towards the American
soldiers currently deployed in Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) countries in general and Kuwait and Qatar in
particular, given the fact that most of these soldiers work
in Iraq. Not just that, but one can expect these youngsters
to hasten to kill the American civilians in these countries
as long as these civilians serve the U.S. Army in the
region.I think the difference between madness and
rationality and between extremism and moderation is obvious.
In spite of that, we find that Qaradawi, who is currently
basking in a luxurious life in Qatar, has issued a new fatwa
calling for murdering American civilians in Iraq.


4. "Excuse Me, Shaykh Qaradawi"
Dr. Wael Hassawi, wrote in independent al-Rai al-A'am (9/5):
"with regard to Qaradawi's fatwa calling for the murder of
American civilians in Iraq, provided the remains are not
mutilated, we would like to point out that the brutality
which we are currently witnessing in Iraq is not represented
only by the mutilation of victims' bodies, but that
abduction itself is brutal, as are torture and
beheadings.There is a thin line between real jihad in the
name of God and the spreading of ruthlessness, and it is the
duty of Muslim clerics to show this distinction to people,
and to prevent them from brutally harming others in what
they believe is an act of following God, as He has not
called for this."



5. "Kuwaiti Excerpts"
Sami Abdullatif al-Nisif wrote in independent al-Anba
(09/06): "If Dr. Yousef Qaradawi truly believed in the
legitimacy of murder and war and the cutting of civilians'
heads in Iraq, then why doesn't he send his sons and
apprentices to do so, or does it only fall on the hands of
others? Just for your information, Qaradawi is in excellent
health that allows him to go to war and carry arms, and the
best proof of this is what [an Arabic] newspaper reported
about him marrying an underage girl (17 years old). meaning
that he enjoys the pleasures of the bedroom, while others
are sent to the grave! May God help us."


6. "What Comes After Atonement"
Sawsan al-Shaer wrote in independent al-Watan (09/06): "We
are currently faced with a big misconception regarding Jihad
and Murder. This is why there exists among us now time
bombs, especially Arab Sunnis, all around the world, waiting
for the signal to tick off and cause destruction and death.
Muslims are currently in awe of their leading clerics, as
they delude their followers with their words. No greater an
example on this is Dr. Qaradawi when he called for the
slaughter of American civilians in Iraq, since they aid the
occupying army. We wonder why he didn't call on the same
against British civilians? Is it because both of Qaradawi's
daughters study in the U.K.? So what's the difference
between the Nepalese and the American civilians currently in
Iraq? The problem is that these clerics say that Islam is
moderate, yet they call for such extremist thought. One must
keep in mind that once he agrees to the principle of
killing, his turn to die will be soon as well."


7. "A Bunch of Remarks"
Nabeel al-Fadel wrote in independent al-Rai al-A'am (09/06):
"If Yousef al-Qaradawi, the experienced member of the
Islamic Brotherhood, is an example of moderation as far as
the Brotherhood members are concerned, then to hell with
them, and with their moderation and middle stream. For God's
sake, the man is legitimizing the murder of American
soldiers in Iraq, as well as that of the civilians in the
excuse that all Americans are soldiers who serve the
invasion of Iraq. We believe that our colleague Ahmed al-
Rubei's response to Qaradawi's stupidity and rambling, which
was published in an article Saturday, has said enough to
silence Qaradawi and the logic of his supporters. Shaykh
Qaradawi has come, in a lot of hype and with a huge and loud
bang, to prove us right when we said that those who claim to
be moderate are actually the ones who harbor terrorism."


8. "This is Not a Fatwa, But Rather an Incitement to Kill"
Hasan Issa wrote in independent al-Qabas (09/06): "The only
thing worse than the killing of the children in Ossetia has
been the fatwa of the "Meat and Rice" Shaykh - Yousef
Qaradawi - when he gave his fatwa, may God not bless it,
allowing the killing of all Americans in Iraq. He might have
even meant all non-Muslim foreigners, whether they be
civilian or military. This comes from a Shaykh who lives in
Qatar from which American planes took off and flew to
liberate Iraq. We in Kuwait are closer in proximity than any
other country to the effects of the terror in Iraq. It will
affect us the most. Why does our government try to convince
us that the youth in Iraq who were caught here are
moderates? Qaradawi was considered moderate too, and look
what he has said. We are now ashamed to say that we are
Arabs and Muslims. We are also ashamed that the clerics of
moderation come up with such stupid and irresponsible
fatwas."

Tueller