MOROCCAN EFFORTS TO COUNTER ISLAMIC EXTREMISM: THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CASABLANCA 000210

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KISL KOCI KWMN PREL MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCAN EFFORTS TO COUNTER ISLAMIC EXTREMISM: THE
MAGHRAWI AFFAIR

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY: CG ELISABETH MILLARD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: A controversial fatwa, or religious opinion,
by a Gulf-sponsored Imam was the trigger, or perhaps excuse,
for the Government of Morocco (GOM) to crack down on
independent, fundamentalist Islamic institutions. In late
September a well-known Moroccan salafist, Sheikh Mohammed Al
Maghrawi, issued a fatwa endorsing the marriage of girls as
young as nine years of age. Maghrawi operated a large network
of schools, apparently with major funding from the Gulf. The
media and civil society were quick to denounce what they
called &the legalization of pedophilia.8 The government
likewise condemned the ruling and opened legal proceedings
against the sheikh. It closed down his network of Islamic
schools along with some other unlicensed schools around the
country. As part of its broader counter extremist effort,
the GOM announced major reforms to the religious
establishment to bring it under greater state/royal control,
in an effort to counteract radical and particularly
Saudi-supported salafist teachings.
END SUMMARY.

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The Maghrawi Affair
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2. (U) In late September, Sheikh Mohammed Ben Abderrahman Al
Maghrawi, well-known for his salafist leanings and
Saudi-supported Koranic schools, issued a fatwa on his
website declaring that girls as young as nine years old can
marry and carry out wifely duties. Maghrawi based his fatwa
on the fact that the Prophet Mohammed married his second wife

Aisha at that age (although when he consummated this marriage
remains a subject of controversial debate). The media,
children's and women's organizations, and the government
roundly criticized the fatwa as legalizing pedophilia. The
High Council of Ulema, which is presided over by King
Mohammed VI, rejected the fatwa and labeled the sheikh an
"agitator" and the fatwa, "absurd and abominable." A public
prosecutor in Casablanca opened a judicial investigation of
the incident with the aim of bringing criminal charges
against Maghrawi. According to reforms enacted in 2004 to the
Moudawana or family status laws, the legal age of marriage is
eighteen years and all underage marriages must be approved by
a judge.


3. (U) As widespread condemnation continued, the government
closed around twenty Koranic schools in the Marrakech region
operated by Maghrawi and announced that his website would
also be blocked. Maghrawi, who absconded to Mecca, responded
in an interview on Al Jazeera that his opinion is shared by
many of the Ulema around the world and until this incident he
was welcomed to participate in conferences organized by the
High Council of Ulema.


8. (SBU) Mohammed Daarif, an academic expert on Islamic
movements in Morocco, told poloff that he believes that in
addition to the crack down in the wake of the 2003 bombings
in Casablanca, the Palace,s reaction to Maghrawi,s fatwa
represents the second significant step by the government to
root out salafist influences. He claimed the government was
waiting for an opportunity to move against the Saudi-backed
salafist movement and seized on the fatwa as a way to send a
clear message that extremists will no longer be tolerated.
"There is no doubt that the Saudis will have to respond in
some fashion," said Daarif. In addition, the largest
circulation independent daily, Al Missae, agreed with
Daarif,s assessment and opined in a recent article on royal
religious reforms that, "It (the palace) has declared war on
Wahhabi salafia by means of sharp, unprecedented statements
against Al Maghrawi."

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Religious Reforms:
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9. (SBU) Within weeks of the Maghrawi affair two other events
occurred which also demonstrated the resolve of Palace to
stamp out unofficial and salafist activities. First, the
Moroccan newspaper Al Ahdath Al Maghribiya reported that

Imams in Fes reacted angrily to the government's closure of
several recently refurbished mosques and Koranic schools
which are allegedly affiliated with the banned Islamist
Justice and Charity Organization (JCO),a Sufi-based
fundamentalist group, which does not recognize the King's
title as "Commander of the Faithful."


10. (U) Second, the King announced sweeping reforms in the
religious sector that aim to decentralize religious authority
by creating local Ulema councils with greater supervision
over regional affairs and a Council of the Ulema for the
Moroccan Community in Europe. According to the semi-official
Moroccan news service, the reform will cost 20 million dirham
(USD $2.3 million),and includes the training of 33,000
Imams, the creation of 70 regional councils, and the
"rehabilitation of 3,180 mosques to propagate a culture of
religious tolerance and confront extremism." Contacts and
media sources agree that ultimately the aim of these reforms
is to tighten the government,s control over Islamic scholars
their teachings.


11. (SBU) Maghrawi went off to Saudi Arabia, allegedly on a
"small pilgrimage." From there he indicated he never
intended to promote pedophilia nor undermine the system in
Morocco. As far as we know he has not returned and is
unlikely to do so without a clear signal he would not be
arrested.

12 (C) COMMENT: The speed and severity with which the
government reacted to Maghrawi,s fatwa lends credence to the
argument that the GOM was waiting for an excuse to send a
message to Islamic leaders operating on the periphery of the
state-sanctioned structure. Al-Maghrawi's "misstep" provided
the King an opening to remove an influential advocate of
Saudi-sponsored fundamentalist Islam. Together, the GOM's
actions further underscore the King's role as "Commander of
the Faithful" and bolster the government's
counter-radicalization efforts.
MILLARD