EXTREMISTS ACCUSE HIGH-PROFILE SALAFI OF BEING AN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000575

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2017
TAGS: PGOV KISL PTER BA POL
SUBJECT: EXTREMISTS ACCUSE HIGH-PROFILE SALAFI OF BEING AN
INFIDEL

Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.


1. (U) The previously unknown Supporters of the Caliphate
group has accused Salafi leader and prominent member of
parliament Adel Al Moawada of being an infidel. In early
June, Al Moawada had publicly warned against the spread of
"takfeer" ideology, the belief of some extremist Sunnis who
consider anyone who does not agree with them to be an infidel
and thus can be killed. The group distributed pamphlets in
Muharraq during the June 15-16 weekend accusing Al Moawada of
being an apostate and "idolater of cows." The group
criticized Al Moawada for his "support for the political
regime in Bahrain and his resistance to the ideology that
claims all leaders in Islamic countries are infidels for
failing to rule by God's will."


2. (U) Al Moawada fired back in his June 15 Friday prayer
sermon, attacking the takfeerists and describing them as
"ignorant and incapable of proper judgment." He stated that
the (Sunni conservative) Salafi stream "is prominent for
fighting the takfeer ideology" and warning of attempts by
takfeerists to affiliate themselves with Salafis to gain
status. He noted that Salafis had organized two seminars
recently warning about those with "twisted ideas."


3. (U) Also addressing the issue, Sunni cleric Shaikh Salah
Al Jowder said in his Friday sermon that it was unfortunate
to see Muslims kill other Muslims in Iraq, Lebanon, and
Palestine. He criticized the takfeer ideology and said it
was shameful that Al Moawada was called an unbeliever.


4. (U) In a statement to the press June 18, Al Moawada
dismissed the threats against him, saying "I know who these
people are and I am not afraid of them. I am not even afraid
of them killing me because my greatest desire is to die a
martyr." He continued, however, that he did not expect the
extremists would go so far as to try to kill him.


5. (U) At the June 19 opening of a conference on "Islamic
Rhetoric and the Safety of the Nation," Minister of Justice
and Islamic Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa
emphasized the importance of using the religious pulpit for
promoting tolerance and moderation. Speakers at the
conference called on Muslims to confront the takfeer
ideology, which "inflicts divisions and raises differences"
among Muslims.


6. (C) Comment: While being a committed Salafi and
Islamist, Al Moawada has displayed flourishes of moderation,
including by working occasionally with Shia MPs in parliament
and publicly welcoming the Ambassador to his Ramadan majles.
For the extremists, Al Moawada's acceptance and sometimes
accommodation of diverse points of view apparently goes too
far, leading them to turn against a fellow Sunni
conservative. As a group, the Supporters of the Caliphate is
unknown, but for members of the Sunni community, the
individuals are likely known. It may be the case that this
war of words reflects nothing more than tension and
competition between rival factions vying for the support of
their shared constituency.


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