NIGERIAN MUSLIMS CONDEMN ATTEMPTED TERRORIST

UNCLAS ABUJA 002352 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL, INR/AA; E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KISL NI SUBJECT: NIGERIAN MUSLIMS CONDEMN ATTEMPTED TERRORIST ATTACK ON U.S. AIRLINER ¶1. (SBU) In the days following Faruk Umaru Abdulmutallab's December 25 attempted attack on a Detroit-bound U.S. commercial airliner, Nigeria's Muslim community condemned Abdulmutallab's actions in unconditional and unequivocal terms. In addition, Nigerians praised Mutallab's father for coming forward to alert authorities about his concerns about his son. ¶2. (SBU) Several Muslim organizations, including, but not limited to, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Jama'atil Nasril Islam, the Association of Moslem Ulamas in Kaduna State, Muslim Rights Concern, and the Assembly of Muslims in Nigeria, have issued public statements condemning violence as un-Islamic, emphasizing Islam as a religion of peace, and voicing concern that this incident will be injurious to the Nigerian national interest. Several Mission contacts have also privately offered their support for maintaining a good relationship between the United States and Nigeria and denouncing the attempted attack. ¶3. (SBU) While there is no audible debate over whether Mutallab's actions were justified, domestic discussions have focused on whether Mutallab is evidence of a Nigerian "problem." Some Mission contacts have expressed that suicide bombing is not part of Nigerians' psyche and blame the "British Taliban" for its influence on Mutallab. ¶4. (SBU) However, other observers blame lack of good governance and failure of the education system in creating a generation of young Nigerians who lack traditional values and identity and thus remain vulnerable to recruitment by extremists. The penchant of the northern Nigerian elite for educating their children abroad precisely to avoid local negative influences spectacularly misfired in the case of Mutallab, commentators have observed. Nigerians also remain concerned that international reaction will make it increasingly difficult to obtain visas and worry they will be hassled by security when traveling. SANDERS