SENIOR EGYPTIAN CLERICS' REPORTED UNHELPFUL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 004877

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2015
TAGS: KISL PTER PGOV EG IZ
SUBJECT: SENIOR EGYPTIAN CLERICS' REPORTED UNHELPFUL
STATEMENTS ON IRAQ


Classified by ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Egyptian media reports this week quote
Egypt's two most prominent Islamic figures, the Mufti and the
Sheikh of Al-Azhar, each appointed by the GOE, as making
unhelpful public remarks that imply religious justification
for the terrorist insurgency in Iraq. Embassy requests for
clarification were met by equivocation from Mufti Ali Gom'a's
office, while an aide to Sheikh Tantawi flatly denied the
report and (informally) accused the reporter who quoted him
of fabrication. We cannot be certain as to what either
figure exactly said - no official transcript exists - though
we are inclined to doubt the veracity of reports that Tantawi
condoned attacks on coalition forces. Indeed, there are
other reports that Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Center, which
issues fatwas (legal interpretations of Islamic law),may
soon issue a fatwa calling on Iraqi Muslims to support their
government. Moreover, Tantawi has, in past public remarks,
been supportive of normalization and pacification in Iraq and
(privately) welcomed the removal of Saddam Hussein. Both
Tantawi and Gom'a are usually circumspect when making
statements that have international political implications and
tend to use language vague and general enough to please more
than one audience. End summary.


2. (C) Al-Ahram, Egypt's leading pro-government daily,
published a story on June 23 quoting Sheikh Ali Gom'a,
appointed by the GOE as Mufti of the Republic, as describing
"resistance to occupation in Iraq" as an "obligatory right"
for Muslims. According to the piece, Gom'a added two
caveats, first stating that such resistance "must be in an
organized manner and under a single banner" and warning that
operations "which kill civilians under the slogan of jihad to
liberate Iraq are a kind of mockery and chaos which distort
the image of Islam and Muslims." The story was subsequently
picked up by an international wire service, which noted that
it confirmed the accuracy of the statement with the Mufti's
office. Ironically, the quote came out during or after
Gom'a received in his office Sheikh Adnan Al-Delemi, Iraq's
Minister of Awqaf (Islamic religious endowments).


3. (C) The Embassy contacted Wassel Al-Sayyed, Director of
Gom'a's office on June 27 to inquire whether the Mufti had
indeed been accurately quoted by Al-Ahram. Al-Sayyed was
equivocal, promising to look into the matter and call back.
We will follow up with Al-Sayyed on June 28.


4. (C) Separately, the independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm
reported June 26 a controversial statement made by Sheikh
Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, the cleric who, as Grand Imam of
Al-Azhar, is Egypt's senior Islamic spiritual leader and one
of Sunni Islam's most prominent clerical figures. According
to the report, Tantawi, asked by the press about the Iraqi
insurgency following his meeting with former Iraqi Prime
Minister Iyad Allawi, said that while killing civilians is
anathema to Islam, operations directed against coalition
forces could be justified because the forces could be
tantamount to occupation or colonialism.


5. (C) The Embassy contacted on June 27 Sheikh Fawzi
Al-Khalawi of Sheikh Tantawi's office seeking clarification
of this report. Khalawi insisted that the statement
attributed to Tantawi in Al-Masry Al-Youm was fabricated,
noting that the Grand Imam did not discuss with reporters any
aspect of his meeting with Allawi. Khalawi noted that while
reporters staking out the Tantawi-Allawi meeting were not
allowed access to the Grand Imam, they did speak briefly with
Allawi as he departed Tantawi's office and proceeded to his
vehicle.



6. (C) Comment: We cannot be certain as to what either
figure exactly said - no fatwas were issued and no transcript
of their remarks, beyond what was reported in the media, is
available. We are inclined to doubt in particular the
veracity of reports that Tantawi explicitly condoned attacks
on coalition forces in Iraq. Indeed, there are other reports
that Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Center, which issues fatwas
(legal interpretations of Islamic law),may soon issue a
fatwa calling on Iraqi Muslims to support their government,
reportedly in reponse to a request (or suggestion) conveyed
by Iyad Allawi during his meeting with Tantawi. Moreover,
Tantawi has, in past public remarks, been supportive of the
process of normalization and pacification in Iraq and, in
past meetings with USG officials, (privately) welcomed the
removal of Saddam Hussein.


7. (C) Comment continued: Both Tantawi and Gom'a are usually
circumspect when making statements that have international
political implications - often emphasizing that they are
qualified to speak about religious affairs, not political
matters. Consequently, they tend to use vague and general
language that sometimes seems designed to please more than
one audience. In this case, reports that Tantawi, and/or the
Mufti, both condemned attacks on innocent civilians, and
upheld Muslims' right to resist occupation, are reminiscent
of previous statements each has made when asked about
violence in Israel/Palestine, but reports that they made
specific reference in remarks to the press about "coalition
forces in Iraq" strike us a stretch, as they generally eschew
such specificity. End comment.


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