Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PESHAWAR86
2006-02-21 12:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Peshawar
Cable title:
CLERIC ISSUES A FATWA AGAINST DANISH CARTOONISTS
how-toVZCZCXRO3584 PP RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHPW #0086 0521256 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 211256Z FEB 06 FM AMCONSUL PESHAWAR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6534 INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0171 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1934 RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 0087 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0374 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 0841 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 0078 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 0857 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0264 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0001 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 2084
C O N F I D E N T I A L PESHAWAR 000086
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/21/2016
TAGS: KISL ASEC PREL PGOV CVIS PK
SUBJECT: CLERIC ISSUES A FATWA AGAINST DANISH CARTOONISTS
REF: PESHAWAR 79
CLASSIFIED BY: Gautam Rana, Political Officer, U.S. Consulate ,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L PESHAWAR 000086
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/21/2016
TAGS: KISL ASEC PREL PGOV CVIS PK
SUBJECT: CLERIC ISSUES A FATWA AGAINST DANISH CARTOONISTS
REF: PESHAWAR 79
CLASSIFIED BY: Gautam Rana, Political Officer, U.S. Consulate ,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (SBU) On February 17, Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Qureshi (heading
Peshawar's oldest mosque, the Mohabat Khan) offered a bounty in
excess of $1 million for the killing of any of the Danish
cartoonists who drew the allegedly blasphemous sketches of the
Prophet Muhammad. He announced that Mohabat Khan mosque would
donate one million rupees, Jamia Ashrafia (a local madrassah
associated with his mosque) 500,000 rupees and a car, and the
Jewelers and Currency Traders Association one million dollars,
the last presumably to show their religious devotion and avoid
new outbreaks of looting (REF). In press reports, Danish Foreign
Minister Per Stig Moeller denounced the fatwa by noting, "It's
murder, and murder is forbidden by the Holy Quran. Islam is a
religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness."
2. (C) Comment: We are extremely disappointed that Maulana
Qureshi issued this fatwa, as he has long served as a voice of
moderation and a bridge between the USG and the religious
community in the Northwest Frontier Province. He has been a
post contact for many years, traveled numerous times to the
U.S., and has extensive family and business ties in New York and
Virginia. We no longer plan to engage with the Maulana, and have
advised the Embassy consular section to enter him into the visa
lookout database. End comment.
SPANGLER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/21/2016
TAGS: KISL ASEC PREL PGOV CVIS PK
SUBJECT: CLERIC ISSUES A FATWA AGAINST DANISH CARTOONISTS
REF: PESHAWAR 79
CLASSIFIED BY: Gautam Rana, Political Officer, U.S. Consulate ,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (SBU) On February 17, Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Qureshi (heading
Peshawar's oldest mosque, the Mohabat Khan) offered a bounty in
excess of $1 million for the killing of any of the Danish
cartoonists who drew the allegedly blasphemous sketches of the
Prophet Muhammad. He announced that Mohabat Khan mosque would
donate one million rupees, Jamia Ashrafia (a local madrassah
associated with his mosque) 500,000 rupees and a car, and the
Jewelers and Currency Traders Association one million dollars,
the last presumably to show their religious devotion and avoid
new outbreaks of looting (REF). In press reports, Danish Foreign
Minister Per Stig Moeller denounced the fatwa by noting, "It's
murder, and murder is forbidden by the Holy Quran. Islam is a
religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness."
2. (C) Comment: We are extremely disappointed that Maulana
Qureshi issued this fatwa, as he has long served as a voice of
moderation and a bridge between the USG and the religious
community in the Northwest Frontier Province. He has been a
post contact for many years, traveled numerous times to the
U.S., and has extensive family and business ties in New York and
Virginia. We no longer plan to engage with the Maulana, and have
advised the Embassy consular section to enter him into the visa
lookout database. End comment.
SPANGLER