NYT: (Russian) Massacre Draws Self-Criticism in Muslim Press

[DeepModem Mom]

Massacre Draws Self-Criticism in Muslim Press
By JOHN KIFNER

Published: September 9, 2004


BEIRUT, Lebanon, Sept. 8 - The brutal school siege in Russia, with hundreds of children dead and wounded, has touched off an unusual round of self-criticism and introspection in the Muslim and Arab world.

"It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims," Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, the general manager of the widely watched satellite television station Al Arabiya said in one of the most striking of these commentaries.

Writing in the pan-Arab newspaper Al Sharq al Awsat, Mr. Rashed said it was "shameful and degrading" that not only were the Beslan hijackers Muslims, but so were the killers of Nepalese workers in Iraq; the attackers of residential towers in Riyadh and Khobar, Saudi Arabia; the women believed to have blown up two Russian airplanes last week; and Osama bin Laden himself....

***

Mr. Rashed, like several other commentators, singled out Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a senior Egyptian cleric living in Qatar who broadcasts an influential program on Al Jazeera television and who has issued a fatwa, or religious ruling, calling for the killing of American and foreign "occupiers" in Iraq, military and civilian.

"Let us contemplate the incident of this religious sheik allowing, nay even calling for, the murder of civilians," he wrote. "How can we believe him when he tells us that Islam is the religion of mercy and peace while he is turning it into a religion of blood and slaughter?"...

(The article cites several more examples of introspection/criticism from press and religious figures.)


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/09/international/middleeast/09arabiya.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. he's got guts. and a conscience. sounds like Kerry, back in the day.

[skooooo]

2. I keep thinking about some of the terrorists..

..who reportedly protested when they found out their mission was to hold kids as hostages. They got blown up by the leader.