AZERBAIJAN: MALL PROTEST OVER DESTRUCTION OF THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000324 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2016 TAGS: PREL KISL PHUM ASEC AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: MALL PROTEST OVER DESTRUCTION OF THE GOLDEN MOSQE REF: BAKU 293 Classified By: DCM Jason P. Hyland for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) On February 25, fifteen miles north of Baku in the village of Nardardan, approximately 75 protesters demonstrated against the February 22 destruction of the Al-Askariya mosque in Iraq. Newspaper reports stated that Nardaran demonstrators also burned U.S., Danish and Israeli flags to express their continuing opposition to the publication of the Danish caricatures of the prophet Mohammed and to blame the West for Iraq's political violence. Nardaran, a community widely known for its Shiite Muslim conservatism - and one which the Azerbaijani government watches closely - was among the only Azerbaijani communities to publicly express anger about the mosque's destruction. (Many observers contend that the Iranian Government provides financial support to the Nardaran religious community. Post will report septel on Islam in the Nardaran area.) Although Azerbaijan is a majority Shiite country, there was very little public outcry over the terrorist act in Samarra. ¶2. (U) The Chairman of the Caucusus Muslim Board, Sheikh Ul-Islam Pashazade strongly condemned the bombing in his public statements criticizing politicians "who do not believe in God" for contributing to Iraq's instability. The Sheikh commented that "there are no Sunni or Shiite mosques; all are the home of Allah and nobody has the right to destroy them." He urged Shiite and Sunni leaders in Iraq to avoid a "fratricidal war." ¶3. (U) The GOAJ released a press statement on February 24 condemning the attack and affirming Azerbaijan's secular, tolerant religious tradition (reftel). Prominent Muslim activist Ilgar Ibrahimoglu who also condemned the attack in statements to the press told us his community will commemorate the bombing at services on March 1 in Baku. Afterward, Ibrahimoglu plans to travel privately to Nardaran mosques to worship with the local community. HARNISH