TURABI CALLS FOR JIHAD TO CREATE AN ISLAMIC

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 02953 LONDON FOR MCKINLEY, PARIS FOR PERLOW, ROME PASS VATICAN E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PREL SU SUBJECT: TURABI CALLS FOR JIHAD TO CREATE AN ISLAMIC SUDAN ¶1. ACCORDING TO THE JUNE 9 SUDANESE PRESS, NATIONAL ISLAMIC FRONT LEADER AND DE FACTO RULER OF SUDAN, HASAN AL TURABI TOLD STUDENTS ATTENDING A CONFERENCE OF SUDAN'S STUDENT UNIONS, THAT THE UNITY OF SUDAN AND THE CREATION OF AN ISLAMIC STATE COULD NOT BE ACHIEVED EXCEPT THROUGH A JIHAD. ACCORDING TO TURABI, THE MAIN DANGER FACING ISLAM IS THE WESTERN COALITION WHICH OPPOSES IT. HE ASSERTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE WEAPON OF JIHAD TERRIFIES THE WEST BECAUSE OF THE WEAKNESS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. THE CHALLENGES TO ISLAM MUST BE CONFRONTED STRONGLY HE ADDED. THIS MESSAGE APPLIED NOT JUST TO SUDAN BUT TO ALL MUSLIMS WHEREVER THEY RESIDE. ¶2. COMMENT: THIS IS VINTAGE TURABI AND HELPS TO EXPLAIN THE THE DEEP SKEPTICISM WITH WHICH SOUTHERN SUDANESE APPROACH PEACE TALKS WITH THIS GOVERNMENT. AT THE SAME TIME THE GOS IS OFFERING SOUTHERNERS FEDERALISM AND PERHAPS EVEN AUTONOMY, THE REAL POWER BEHIND SUDAN'S PRESIDENTIAL THRONE IS CALLING UPON MUSLIM YOUTH TO LAUNCH A JIHAD TO INSURE A UNITED AND AN ISLAMIC SUDAN. PETTERSON