British Islamists Call Conference In Islamabad And Advocate Jihad Against Non-Muslim Nations, UK-Based Former Pakistan Army Doctor Records Video Supporting Taliban

Poster announcing the conference

Introduction

Seeking the enforcement of Islamic shari'a in Pakistan, British Islamist leaders have announced a "Shariah4Pakistan" conference for November 30, 2012, to be held at the Red Mosque of Islamabad, a highly controversial site where Pakistan Army carried out a military operation against armed jihadist students and Taliban militants in 2007. The venue seems to have been chosen with an aim at Pakistan's struggling democratic and liberal activists, especially at a critical time when Pakistan is faced with the strengthening of jihadist forces in the run-up to the scheduled withdrawal of the U.S. and NATO troops from neighboring Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

The conference's stated objective is to launch the Shari4Pakistan Project, which is aimed at enforcement of Islamic shari'a rule in Pakistan. Following the announcement of the venue, the Islamist leaders came under pressure, clarifying afterwards a minor change that the conference would be held outside the mosque.

The group's five-point program for the day, as described in the poster above, includes:

• A discussion of the kufr (non-Islamic) nature of the Pakistani constitution, to be led by Islamic preacher Abu Walaa;
• The declaration of a fatwa (Islamic decree) by Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad against teen Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who is currently recovering from an attack by the Taliban for penning an online diary in early 2009 that catalogued the day-to-day enforcement of Islamic shari'a by Taliban militants;
• A lecture on Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah focusing on his betrayal of Islam – notwithstanding the fact that he established the Islamic nation of Pakistan for India's Muslims of India – to be delivered by young radical British Muslim Abu Baraa;
• A lecture declaring Pakistani President Asif Zardari an apostate, which could lead to a call for his assassination, to be delivered by Abu Rumaysah, a former Hindu; and
• A speech by guest speaker Anjem Choudary, Judge of the Shariah Court of UK, on how Pakistan can be transformed into a shari'a-compliant state. Shariah4Pakistan is seeking to uproot the foundations of Pakistan – in an attempt to establish an Islamic caliphate.

Of the speakers named above, the most prominent is Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, a radical cleric and founding leader of jihadi group Al-Muhajiroun who while residing in the U.K. delivered speeches and sermons glorifying terrorism to British Muslim youth, prior to departing for Lebanon; he is now banned from returning to the UK. Early this year, he defended suicide bombings as a means to establish Islamic rule in Syria, stating: "In two or three operations, [Al-Qaeda] can make the Ba'ath party flee.... With martyrdom operations – you call them suicide bombings – the Al-Qaeda [bomber] will go to the Parliament when the Ba'ath are inside, he will blow himself up, and he will say 'Oh God, receive me, Oh God, I am hastening to you.'"[1]

The second most important speaker is Anjem Choudary, who notes on his website: "I believe that Islam is something that we must believe in Tawheed [monotheism], live by shari'a and be willing to call for and sacrifice for by way of Daw'ah [preaching] and jihad. As a Muslim, I believe that Islam is superior and will never be surpassed by any other belief or ideology in every aspect of life.... I believe that one day Britain and indeed every part of the world (including the rest of Europe, USA, China and Russia...) will be governed by and under the authority of the Muslims implementing Islamic Law."[2]

Abu Walaa, who is slated to speak about the non-Islamic character of the Pakistani constitution, is described as an Islamic preacher and as the director of the Truth Commission. Abu Baraa, a 29-year-old British Muslim, is described as a lecturer in Islamic jurisprudence. His real name is Mizanur Rahman, and he was imprisoned in the UK for propagating extremism and, following his release, produced a 244-page book this year titled "Are Demonstrations Beneficial? – In Light of The Qur'an and Sunnah," which clarified that copyright is prohibited in Islam and that everyone should feel free to disseminate the book.[3] Abu Rumaysah, a former Hindu and a spokesman for Convert2Islam, is listed in the poster as chairman of the Society of Muslim Converts.

All the speakers listed for the event belong to a close group led by Anjem Choudary and Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad. The conference in Islamabad is probably meant to gain a propaganda point, as most of the speakers are unlikely to be able to come to Islamabad to address the conference.

It should be noted that Anjem Choudary and Omar Muhammad Bakri planned a similar conference in New Delhi for March 3, 2012, to mark the 88th anniversary of the end of the Turkey-led Islamic caliphate, but the conference was disallowed by India.[4] Nevertheless, their Islamabad conference could invigorate the Pakistani jihadi groups if they succeed in addressing their audience by telephone – a method commonly used by foreign-based Pakistani leaders such as Altaf Hussain and recently by former Pakistani President and ex-Pakistan Army chief General Pervez Musharraf.

A domain name was registered for Shariah4Pakistan website with a U.S.-based company on October 29, 2012.[5] It should be noted that in recent years all jihadist organizations, including Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, have been relying on U.S.-based companies to publish and broadcast their jihadist content among Muslims. U.S. firms that facilitate the jihadi message of these groups include Google and its various services such as YouTube and Picasa, Yahoo and Google Groups, the social networking website Facebook, Archive.org, the micro-blogging site Twitter, and many others. The Shariah4Pakistan.com domain was registered by one Abu Usamah, with the registrant's full details concealed by the U.S. firm Dynadot Privacy, which specializes in protecting individuals' private details on the Internet. The contact details are listed as: Abu Usamah c/o Dynadot Privacy, PO Box 701, San Mateo, CA 94401, United States, phone: 1-650-585-4708.[6]

Shariah4Pakistan Declares Pakistan's Founder Jinnah A Kafir [Infidel], Says: "Jinnah Was Born To An Ismaili Shi'a Family; Ismailis Are Considered Non-Muslims"

On Shariah4Pakistan website: Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah is pictured with dogs, a sign of unpiousness for many Muslims.

Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah was an Indian Muslim leader who led a mass political movement, whose defining principle was that Muslims and Hindus cannot live together, leading to the establishment of the Islamic nation of Pakistan in 1947. Ever since the establishment of Pakistan, its policymakers have been engaged in an unresolved debate over whether Pakistan should be Islamic in character or a liberal democratic state for Muslims. Jinnah's own vision for a pluralistic Pakistan is contested by Islamist forces who argue that he established an Islamic state.

Shariah4Pakistan not only supports the Pakistani Islamist forces in their arguments about Muhammad Ali Jinnah, but goes a step further, by questioning his Islamic credentials and arguing that he was never a Muslim as per Islamic shari'a and cannot be celebrated as a role model for Pakistani children.

A November 10, 2012 article published by the group, titled "Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Hero or Traitor," notes: "Jinnah was born to an Ismaili Shi'a family. Ismailis are considered non-Muslims because they attribute divine qualities to [Islam's caliph] Ali bin Abu Talib.... Jinnah did not even practice Shi'ism, and he maintained his position of being secular throughout his life. None of his biographies mention him regularly attending mosque for prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, or paying Zakat [Islamic tax]. He never went to perform the Hajj, even though he was extremely wealthy."[7]

The article goes on to question Jinnah's personal life and dietary habits, stating: "Jinnah’s first wife died while he was still a teenager. He remained unmarried until the age of 42, when he married an 18-year-old Parsi [Zoroastrian] girl, against the wishes of her family. Jinnah's second wife, Rattanbai 'Ruttie' Petit, was an ultra-liberal woman, and began smoking cigarettes during her teen years. She also wore revealing Western clothes in public, though she claimed to have reverted to Islam. It is a well documented historical fact that Jinnah's wife used to cook pork [forbidden in Islam] at home, and that Jinnah would eat it."[8]

Urging Pakistanis to reject Jinnah as the leader of Pakistan, the articles states: "Your rulers and their Crusader masters have presented Jinnah, nationalism, and democracy as physical and ideological idols, and you are being forced to submit to them. That is why you see the portrait of this Kafir (disbeliever) Jinnah installed in every office and on every street corner in Pakistan."[9]

Shariah4Pakistan To Investigate Pakistani Teen Activist Malala Yousafzai's Anti-Jihad Statement, Claims She Was Used By The West "To Publicly Declare Unthinkable Things, To Belittle And Insult Islam And Its Symbols"

Upsurge of popular support for Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan (Courtesy: thefridaytimes.com)

The poster announcing the November 30 conference identifies two individuals besides Muhammad Ali Jinna as targets: Malala Yousafzai and President Asif Ali Zardari. Fourteen-year-old Malala attracted unprecedented sympathy among Pakistanis after she was shot and wounded by the Taliban on October 9, 2012 for writing an anonymous online diary that recorded the day-to-day enforcement of Islamic shari'a rule and total ban on girls' education in Pakistan's Swat district in early 2009. Pakistan's Islamist groups – notably Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Imran Khan-led Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf party – have criticized the attack on Malala in words that failed to explicitly condemn the Taliban.

Ever since Malala's image appeared on the poster announcing the November 30 conference, which noted that a fatwa against her will be issued by Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, concern arose in Pakistan that the Britain-based group was about to pronounce a death sentence on her. The matter was of serious concern for British authorities, as she is currently being treated in a UK hospital. High Commissioner of Pakistan to the United Kingdom Wajid Shamsul Hasan issued an angry statement against the British government, saying: "We have stated that these groups [associated with Hizb ut-Tahrir and Al-Muhajiroun to which Anjem Choudary and Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad belonged] are banned in Pakistan and openly active in the UK, and I have seen their membership growing in the last 17 years of living in the UK, but the UK authorities don't seem to take the threat of these groups seriously."[10]

On November 21, 2012, under mounting pressure, Anjem Choudary and Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad issued a joint statement, clarifying: "The Shariah4pakistan body has not issued a fatwa or death sentence against Malala Yousafzai; rather it is investigating her case fully.... [It] is clear is that the Pakistani regime is an apostate regime allied with the enemies of Islam and Muslims who implement kufr (non-Islamic) law."[11] However, the same statement made it clear that the group would investigate whether Malala had rejected jihad and the hijab (Islamic veil). It noted: "What has been said regarding Malala such as her denying jihad and the hijab and helping the U.S. war effort all need to be verified, and could amount to apostasy [punishable by death under some groups' interpretation of Islamic shari'a].... We condemn Muhammad Ali Jinnah as an enemy of Islam, the kufr [un-Islamic] constitution of Pakistan, and the illegitimate regime of Zardari and their use of Malala as a pawn against the mujahideen to please their masters, the Americans."[12]

In an earlier statement, dated November 1, Shariah4Pakistan noted that Malala Yousafzai "has been ruthlessly recruited by Western forces to promote American interests in the region, to promote the Western ideology in opposition to Islam, and to promote the U.S.-led military occupation of Afghanistan and call for fighting and killing of Muslims in the region, [including] Taliban and other resistance fighters. She has also been used to publicly declare unthinkable things, to belittle and insult Islam and its symbols [in words that] that American and Pakistani politicians dare not say directly for fear of their own lives. In particular, it is known that she publicly praised Barack Obama and his military campaigns, and insulted the hijab, a fundamental Islamic ruling of Islamic dress for women. These crimes are very serious, especially in times of war and of conflict between Islam and its enemies."[13]

In a November 11 statement, the group argued: "As for Malala Yousafzai, the truth is that she has been used by the West as a poster girl for secularism and democracy (i.e. falsehood) and as a tool to undermine the call for the Khilafah (Islamic state)."[14] Arguing that Muslims should not support liberal activists like her, the statement quoted a Koranic verse: "Oh you who believe! Take not as your helpers those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, Christians, hypocrites) since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely... (3:118)."[15]

Shariah4Pakistan Advocates Jihad Against Non-Muslim Nations: "Relationships With Them Are Dictated By What Jihad Demands According To The Divine Law"; "Countries We Are At War With Such As Israel Must Be Confronted With Jihad"

Under the Islamic shari'a rule envisioned by Sharah4Pakistan, the Islamic state of Pakistan will consider all other Muslim nations to be part of a single global Islamic state. In a statement dated November 11, the group noted: "The relationship with other Muslim 'countries' is to be considered as domestic affairs. The Khilafah [caliphate] will never recognize them as separate countries. All existing embassies in Muslim 'countries' will be closed. These territories must be united with the Khilafah under the flag of the Khilafah and no diplomatic relationship will be established with them."[16]

The group also advocates waging of jihad against non-Muslim nations: "All other countries in the world, east to west are considered to be Dar al-Kufr (The domain of disbelief) and Dar al-Harb (The domain of war). Relationships with them are dictated by what jihad demands according to the divine law and the benefit of the Muslims."[17]

In an article titled "What Will Change If Khilafah Is Established In Pakistan? the group clarifies how an Islamic state should establish relationships with the U.S., Israel and other non-Muslim nations, observing: "States with whom we do not have treaties are to be considered as potential enemies and all precautions must be taken against them. This would be the case with states like the USA, Britain, Russia and France. The Islamic state will not establish diplomatic relationships with them and they will not be permitted to have their embassies in our state....

"Countries we are at war with, such as Israel, must be confronted with jihad. Their citizens are prevented from entering the Khilafah and their blood and money becomes halal for us. Islam obliges all Muslims to fight them until the land is liberated.... It is forbidden for the Islamic state to enter into any kind of joint military operation such as the UN. It is also forbidden for any Muslims to fight under the flag of kufr (disbelief), to shed blood for the disbeliever, to protect a disbelieving country or give the upper hand to the disbelievers such as Pakistan's current treacherous alliance with the Americans allowing them to enter Muslim lands and spy, fight and torture Muslims."[18]

Shariah4Pakistan Says It Will Confiscate Institutions Of Democracy: "Under Islamic Rule The Present [Pakistani] Parliament Will No Longer Be Hosting The Preparation Of Man-Made Laws"; "Prime Minister's House Will Be Converted Into A Women's University"

In statements dated November 13, Shariah4Pakistan outlined its ideology, advocating a comprehensive overhaul of the systems of governance, banking and democracy in Pakistan, to include confiscation of the Pakistani parliament and the Houses of the President and the Prime Minister. In a statement titled "Permanent Dissolution of Pakistan's Parliament," it stated: "Parliament House of Pakistan is a blatantly hypocritical structure. On the face of it is written the statement of faith, i.e. 'There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.' But inside are the men and women who are busy drafting laws based upon their own whims and desires. Legislating laws other than what Allah and his messenger... have commanded is Kufr; hence, under Islamic rule the current parliament will no longer be hosting the preparation of man-made laws."[19]

It further stated: "Inside the parliament, the picture of Jinnah will be replaced with the flag of [the] Islamic Emirate bearing the Kalima [words proclaiming Islamic faith]. Parliament will be dissolved, all MPs will face trial and ordered to repent of their apostasy, and the building may be used to hold consultation and advice for the Khalifah. Unlike in parliaments and democracy, the right of legislation in an Islamic state belongs only to Allah, people have no right to make laws but have a duty to implement and rule by the laws of Allah. A Shura Council is only a consultative body to advise the Khalifah in permissible matters where Allah has given a choice in His divine law for people to decide."[20]

A similar statement titled "Confiscation of the President's and Prime Minister's Houses" noted: "[The] President House will be converted into 'Jamia Faridia' [Islamic seminary] and will be allotted to the surviving male students of Lal Masjid [Red Mosque], as they were inflicted with unprecedented brutality, unleashed by the tyrant sitting in the building. Once the Khilafah is established, [former military ruler General Pervez] Musharraf will be extradited from the UK and will be put on trial in the Supreme Shariah Court. If Musharraf is convicted of murdering the innocent students of Lal Masjid [during the 2007 military operation at the Red Mosque], he will likely face the death penalty.

"The present-day Prime Minister's House will be converted into a women's university, like 'Jamia Hafsa', the girls' madrassa of Lal Masjid that was raided by the Pakistan Army. Our sisters and daughters in Lal Masjid showed exemplary courage in the face of brutal rulers, and we had wished something more beautiful for them, if there had been any place in Pakistan better than the Prime Minister's House. Their real reward is with Allah... and we pray that may Allah admit them to Al-Firdaus [Paradise] where they will see no pain ever again."[21]

In Video On Shariah4Pakistan Wesite, Former Pakistan Army Doctor, Educated At Imperial College Of London, Says: "Taliban Mujahideen Engaged In Jihad In The Tribal Regions Of Afghanistan And Pakistan Are In Reality Extremely Innocent Muslims"

Former Pakistan Army doctor Dr. Tariq Ali, now based in London

On November 20, 2012, Shaiah4Pakistan posted a video of Dr. Tariq Ali, a Pakistan Army surgeon who left the military service over its support for the U.S.-led war on terror. It is pertinent here to note that a former Pakistan Army doctor, Mohammad Aqeel, aka Dr. Usman, was involved in several terror attacks in Pakistan in recent years, including the October 2009 terror attack on the General Headquarters of Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi.

Speaking in Urdu in the video, Dr. Tariq Ali notes that he immigrated to Britain seven years ago after quitting the Pakistan Army due to "its injustices and crimes."[22] In the UK, Ali studied medical science at Cambridge and the Imperial College of London, and now resides in London.

Urging Pakistanis to listen to him carefully as he is to give important information about the current situation in Pakistan, he says: "First of all, I testify that except Allah... there is no one worth praying. And I testify that Muhammad... is the last prophet and messenger. There is nothing in this universe whose love is more for me than for Allah, and there is nothing in this universe whose fear is more than the fear of Allah for me. My dear Muslim sisters and brothers, the topic of my address is: 'Pakistan's rulers, military generals and their Crusader masters sitting in America and Britain.'

"I want to clarify to the sincere Muslims in Pakistan that the promise by the founders of Pakistan to establish Islam in this country was based on mere lies and deception. This wine-drinking and pork-eating Jinnah could not implement Islam in his life, so how could he do so in this country?

"The truth is that the purpose of the creation of Pakistan was only to divide the Muslims at the behest of the English Crusaders, so that the path for the re-establishment of Islamic rule in entire India would be prevented.

"It is possible that some of you might be hurt by my talk, but I am ordered to call to Islam, that there is no deity but Allah.

"My Muslim sisters and brothers, the 65-year history of this country [Pakistan] is witness that whether it has been a political leader or a military general, every ruler of this country has been a puppet dancing at the behest of America and Britain. In the future too, under the kufr system of democracy, any politician, military general, or cricketer [referring to Imran Khan]... who becomes the ruler of this country will also be protecting the Crusaders' interests. As per Verse 217 of Chapter Al-Baqra in the Koran, these kafir Crusaders will not relent until they turn you away from Islam...."[23]

Going on to describe the war in Afghanistan as the war between kufr [unbelief] and Islam, Ali states: "I would like to draw your attention to the war between kufr and Islam underway in Afghanistan. When I look at the role of the Pakistani government and military, as a former soldier, my head bows in shame. The way the Pakistani military and government turned traitor against the mujahideen [by supporting the U.S. invasion of the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan in 2001] – there is no parallel to it in Islamic history. I am sorry to say that as a doctor I too was involved in the 2005 military operations in North and South Waziristan, where I witnessed the crimes and barbarism of the Pakistan Army with my own eyes....

"I want to make it clear on you that the Taliban mujahideen engaged in jihad in the tribal regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan are in reality extremely innocent Muslims whose goal is only and only the protection of Islam and its honor. As a [former] soldier, I want to state that the Taliban mujahideen are not the agents of anyone, and the media propaganda [that they are American agents] is based on mere lies and mischief. The war underway in the Pakistani tribal region was started by the Pakistan Army at the request of its Crusader masters, and initially the Taliban mujahideen did not want to fight the Pakistani military. These mujahideen, despite their few resources, and drunk only on faith, are fighting against the most powerful infidel alliance of human history – and, with Allah's blessing, appear to be winning...."[24]

At the end of his video statement, Dr. Tariq Ali urges rebellion in Pakistan Army, calling on soldiers to refuse to serve in the anti-Taliban military operations as he did by refusing to take up his posting in Waziristan. He says: "Oh, officers and soldiers serving in Pakistan Army and imbibed with faith, you should be aware that the Crusader infidels sitting in London and Washington are using you as their forward squad. It is because of your sacrifices that these Crusader infidels have stayed put in Afghanistan for 11 years. If you gather courage, situations can change, and this is not such a difficult task. You have to simply refuse the orders...[of Pakistan Army officers]."[25]

* Tufail Ahmad is Director of the MEMRI South Asia Studies Project.