Friday, November 17, 2006
Talabani accuses Muslim Scholars Association of promoting sectarianism
Politics, Security
During a televised meeting with Prime Minister al-Maliki on November 14, Jalal Talabani accused Muslim Scholars Association leader Sheikh Harith Al-Dari of encouraging sectarianism and accused Arab regimes of supporting terrorists under false pretexts, Al-Iraqiyah television reported the same day. "Under the pretext of helping Sunni Arabs, they [Arab regimes] support deviant elements, like Sheikh al-Dari, to promote sectarianism. Al-Dari's only concern is to promote sectarian sedition. Regrettably, some Arab countries are supporting efforts to sow sedition," Talibani said. Also at the meeting, al-Maliki suggested that the number of hostages taken in the November 14 mass kidnapping at the Higher Education Ministry was exaggerated by the media, and he stressed that what occurred was not terrorism. "What is happening is not against the background of terrorism, but rather against the background of differences and clashes among militias affiliated with various sides," he said.
COMMENT: The Muslim Scholars Association or Association of Muslim Clerics (AMS), also known as the Muslim Ulema Council. Ulema is the community of legal scholars of Islam and the Sharia. The Muslim Ulema Council is the highest Sunni authority in Iraq. The Council comprises several religious institutions that existed before the occupation of Iraq. It has many activities on the political, social, economic, and religious levels. The Association is believed to have strong links with Iraqi insurgents and foreign militant groups like Al-Qaeda. Some say it represents the political face of these groups.
They did not recognize the U.S. appointed government as legitimate and have questioned any democratically elected government. They have previously asked for withdrawal of American troops. They publicly support armed resistance against U.S. soldiers and Iraq's new army and police force. They have poor relations with nearly all Iraqi groups, most notably Shia groups, including followers of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and the cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. COMMENT ENDS.
They did not recognize the U.S. appointed government as legitimate and have questioned any democratically elected government. They have previously asked for withdrawal of American troops. They publicly support armed resistance against U.S. soldiers and Iraq's new army and police force. They have poor relations with nearly all Iraqi groups, most notably Shia groups, including followers of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and the cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. COMMENT ENDS.
