ISLAM IN IRELAND, C-DI4-01219

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000172

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2014
TAGS: PINR PTER SCUL
SUBJECT: ISLAM IN IRELAND, C-DI4-01219

REF: STATE 268626

Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF MARY DALY, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D)


1. (C) Summary. Embassy Dublin salutes the initiative of
Washington analysts (reftel) to look at the role of Islamic
thinkers across Europe. In November, we launched a new
outreach program to Muslims in Ireland, a group that has
grown rapidly in recent years. There are two significant
mosques in Dublin, the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland
(ICCI),and South Circular Road Mosque. Embassy's answers in
this cable are based mainly on our contacts with the Imam of
ICCI in Dublin. This outreach is ongoing; future reports
will detail progress and developments. End Summary.


2. (C) Please see below answers to reftel questions:


A. Influential clerics: The most prominent Muslim cleric in
Ireland is Sheikh Hussein Mohammed Halawa of Egypt. He is
the Imam at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland
(ICCI-www.iccislam.org),a Sunni mosque, which is co-located
with the European Institute for Humanities and the European
Council for Fatwa and Research. Another prominent Muslim
cleric is Sheikh Yahya Hussein (also Sunni) of South Circular
Road Mosque (known locally as the Old Mosque). Though there
are known extremist elements that frequent ICCI, South
Circular Road Mosque is known as the more radical of the two
and is home to a majority of the Muslim extremists in
Ireland.


B. Key political ideas: Halawa, in two separate meetings
with embassy officials stated that dialogue is the key to
building understanding. He denounces terrorism and violence
of all kinds, and ICCI was the first to denounce the 9/11
attacks in a letter to the Irish president. Halawa does not
support the war in Iraq or the US policy in Israel. As for
terrorism, he said that Al Qaeda is not Islam and that
terrorism is a disease that can be cured by solving
injustice. He said that he calls for the 30,000 Muslims in
Ireland to integrate into Irish society and leave negative
ideology behind. He accuses the US, and governments of the
world, of having a double-standard on terrorism, caring when
Westerners or Jews are killed by terrorists, but not when
Arabs or Muslims are. He said that Muslims, Christians and
Jews should all be treated with the same amount of respect.
He acknowledged that Arabs and Muslims are disenchanted,
oppressed and angry with their own governments, but have no
means to protest or even vent. He could not explain why, but
said that Arabs tend to take the frustration with their own
lack of fair self-rule and rail against the freedoms and
image of the US.


C. Religious and secular dialogue. Halawa is a member of
the Three Faith Forum, a gathering of interfaith community
leaders, and he was chosen to recite from the Koran at the
Irish presidential inauguration in November. In general, he
represents Islam to the GOI and the Irish public. Also,
according to Halawa, Muslims in Ireland enjoy religious
freedoms and a good relationship with the GOI.


D. Influence across social, educational, ethnic and
religious lines. ICCI provides services, in the form of a
traditional Mosque, an accredited school, and a restaurant to
Arabs and Muslims from many countries and socio-economic
backgrounds. The services are open and available to all
Muslims in Ireland and are attended by a broad array of
Muslims from the Islamic world, to include Irish Muslims and
residents from as far away as Malaysia and Indonesia. There
is a Shi'a Mosque in town, but according to Halawa, Shi'a
Muslims are welcome at ICCI as well.


E. Views toward the U.S. Per reftel, Halawa is critical of
US policy in Iraq and Israel, but he supports an increase in
dialogue with post. In a meeting January 25 meeting with the
Ambassador, he said that he would be willing to cooperate
with the embassy on issues of mutual interest. He
understands that the U.S. is not anti-Muslim and said that
the U.S. is a good example of how people of diverse religions
can live together. Halawa is not in regular contact with the
embassy, but visited twice in recent years. In post's
estimation, he would be open to further contacts with US
officials or nonofficial Americans.


F. Leadership style, professional relationships. Halawa is
a gentle, soft-spoken man. In meetings with emboffs, he
appeared slightly apprehensive and nervous. In both
meetings, he was very cordial and non-confrontational. He
speaks in soft rhetoric, condemning all violence and
oppression, and supporting vague goals such as justice and
freedom. He is concerned, but not overtly passionate about
any particular issue. He is an important contact in Ireland
and holds a position of high influence. In his initial
contacts with the embassy, his remarks have tended to be
guarded. With more intensified embassy contact, we hope to
get a clearer grasp of his political views and the direction
in which he is leading the Mosque. To date, post knows
little about his professional contacts. Two of the senior
leaders at ICCI are tenuously linked to Islamic extremists in
Ireland. Halawa's main professional contact is the Sheikh
Hamdan family of Dubai, who financed the building of ICCI ten
years ago and hired Halawa, according to him, because he had
visited Ireland from Egypt often as a lecturer.
KENNY