Spanish clerics issue Osama fatwa [Archivio] - www.ForumViaggiare.com

Visualizza versione completa : Spanish clerics issue Osama fatwa


newsair
11-03-2005, 01.32.50
Spanish clerics issue Osama fatwa

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Muslim clerics in Spain issued what they called
the world's first fatwa, or Islamic edict, against Osama bin Laden on
Thursday, the first anniversary of the Madrid train bombings, calling
him an apostate and urging others of their faith to denounce the al
Qaeda leader.

The ruling was issued by the Islamic Commission of Spain, the main
body representing the country's 1 million-member Muslim community. The
commission represents 200 or so mostly Sunni mosques, or about 70
percent of all mosques in Spain.

The March 11, 2004, train bombings killed 191 people and were claimed
in videotapes by militants who said they had acted on al Qaeda's
behalf in revenge for Spain's troop deployment in Iraq.

The commission's secretary general, Mansur Escudero, said the group
had consulted with Muslim leaders in other countries, such as Morocco
-- home to most of the jailed suspects in the bombings -- Algeria and
Libya, and had their support.

"They agree," Escudero said, referring to the Muslim leaders in the
three North African countries. "What I want is that they say so
publicly."

The fatwa said that according to the Quran "the terrorist acts of
Osama bin Laden and his organization al Qaeida ... are totally banned
and must be roundly condemned as part of Islam."

It added: "Inasmuch as Osama bin Laden and his organization defend
terrorism as legal and try to base it on the Quran ... they are
committing the crime of 'istihlal' and thus become apostates that
should not be considered Muslims or treated as such."

The Arabic term "istihlal" refers to the act of making up one's own
laws.

Escudero said a fatwa can be issued by any Muslim leader who leads
prayer sessions and as he serves such a role, he himself lawfully
issued the edict.

He called it an unprecedented condemnation of bin Laden. "We felt now
we had the responsibility and obligation to make this declaration," he
said in an interview.

"I hope there is a positive reaction from Muslims," he added.

Asked if the edict meant Muslims had to help police try to arrest the
world's most wanted man -- who is believed to be hiding along the
border between Pakistan and Afghanistan -- Escudero said: "We don't
get involved in police affairs but we do feel that all Muslims are
obliged to ... keep anyone from doing unjustified damage to other
people."