In a fundraising speech at a pro-Hamas conference in Yemen, Yemenite cleric Abd Al-Majid Al-Zindani, who heads the Al-Iman Islamic University, praised Palestinian suicide bombers and exhorted the crowd to donate to Hamas, collecting millions of riyals.
The conference was also attended by Hamas leader Khaled Mash'al and the widow of assassinated Hamas leader Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rantisi. The speech was broadcast on Al-Jazeera TV on March 23, 2006.
Sheikh Al-Zindani, whom the U.S. has termed "a loyalist to Osama Bin Laden and supporter of Al-Qaeda," [1] has been on the U.S. and U.N. list of terror financiers since February 2004. In February 2006, the U.S. formally requested his arrest, and criticized Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh for taking Al-Zindani with him to the December 2005 OIC summit in Mecca, as including him in "an official delegation is a violation of the UN resolutions." [2]
The following are excerpts from Al-Zindani's fundraising speech:
TO VIEW THIS CLIP, VISIT: http://memritv.org/clip/en/1086.htm.
Abd Al-Majid Al-Zindani: "After efforts, policies, and plans failed, and when people almost despaired, the whole world was surprised by a certain decision of Hamas. What was the decision? An Intifada. An Intifada?! Where?! In Palestine. In Palestine?! A cruel and oppressive force rules and controls every inch of it, and has prepared arsenals of all types of weapons, including nuclear weapons, which are not found elsewhere in the region. What kind of Intifada would it be? What would be your weapon in resisting this occupation, with all its military, economic, and political resources and capabilities, in Palestine itself, among the allies of the Jewish state, and among those who follow it blindly and implement its policies, whether in the region or beyond? What would be your weapon?
"They said: We have a weapon. What is it? A stone, a stone. A stone?! A stone?! Yes, and you will see what a stone can do, when it is placed in the hand of a true believer. You will see.
"So, they entered the fray, the Intifada began, and the balance of power began to change. [The Israelis] responded with their plan of striking terror: 'We must strike terror [in the hearts] of these Palestinians, and make them die of fear in their homes, in their streets, and everywhere.'
"What did the Palestinians have? They said: We have a response. What is your response? What will you do? Do you have anything that one could call a weapon, so we could say that there is a balance of military power? They said: We have something that will create a balance of terror. We will create this balance of terror in a way known to the believers. What is it? The martyrdom-seekers."
[...]
"The arrogant and puffed-up enemy began seeing something new - a method no one had thought of. Thus began the balance of terror, which gave the enemy a taste of fear and terror. This had an affect on its economy and its people, who began to leave and return to their countries of origin, from which they had come as invaders.[...]What is left for us to do is to ask ourselves: What is our duty towards this righteous jihad-fighting people, the vanguard of this nation? What is our duty? What is our obligation? What should we do for this... government? We used to say 'movement,' but today we say 'government.' What is our duty towards this government? Without a doubt, our primary duty is to pray, and then to provide support.
"The support we can provide at present is money. I was planning to say I would be the first to donate, but a woman beat me to it. I am proud to be the second. I am donating 200,000 riyals to my brothers in the Hamas movement... I mean the Hamas government. I'm still used to saying 'movement.' The Hamas government is the Palestinian people's government today. It is the jihad-fighting, steadfast, resolute government of Palestine. I don't have it in my pocket right now, but I am making a pledge, and as you know, I keep my promises. So I'm donating 200,000 riyals. What about you? What will you donate? Go ahead..."
Man in Crowd: "I donate 15 million riyals."
'Abd Al-Majid Al-Zindani and crowd: "Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar!"
'Abd Al-Majid Al-Zindani: "Abu Luhum... Sheik Dirham Abu-Luhum is contributing 5 million rials."
Crowd: "Allah Akbar!"
'Abd Al-Majid Al-Zindani: "Sheik Abdallah bin Hussein... Sheik Abd Al-Khaleq bin Shayhun - one million riyals.
"Sheikh Hussein Al-Surmi - one million riyals.
Crowd: "Allah Akbar!"
[...]
'Abd Al-Majid Al-Zindani: "Now the guys will start collecting... No, no. Use scarves... Use scarves... Start from the back... Scarves.... Collect... Let's get to work... Let's donate... Spend... Spend for the sake of Allah..."
[...]
"Another woman, sister Nabila Al-Hakimi, who is a journalist, is contributing half a million riyals. May Allah bless you. May Allah bestow beneficence on all of us."
[1] http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js1190.htm
[2] http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=78287&d=24&m=2&y=2006, February 24, 2006. Yemen is still refusing to hand Al-Zindani over to the U.S. A senior Yemeni government official was quoted as saying, "Whatever happens, we would not hand him over to the Americans. It is against our constitution."
