Magdi Ahmad Hussein, the Secretary-General of the Egyptian Labor (Islamist) Party, recently appeared on Al-Jazeera TV, declaring that attacks against U.S. troops and civilians in Iraq are legitimate, and that hostage taking is permitted by Islam. He also called for clerics and fighters to go to fight in Iraq, defended the bombings in Taba, andargued that the American attack on Fallujah legitimizes a future terror attack in Los Angeles. To view the MEMRI TV clip of Hussein's statements, visit http://memritv.org/clip/en/292.htm. The following are excerpts from the program: [1]
'Legitimate Violence' in Iraq and the Taba Attacks
"The violence is currently directed at the occupation. This is legitimate violence. This is Jihad against occupiers. 99% of the violent operations target the foreign occupation of the Arab and Islamic nation. Therefore, they are not included in the conflict with the [Arab] rulers.
"From the strategic perspective, the vast majority of operations are proper. As for Taba, as I've said, the entire Egyptian nation demands that tourists be banned from entering Egypt. It is inconceivable that Egypt has become a resort for the Israeli army.
"The Israeli army kills in Palestine in the morning and then comes to relax and gamble in Taba. Abominations that are forbidden in Israel, such as gambling, are allowed in Egypt. But the main issue is that Egypt has become a resort for the Zionist army."
'The Prisoners in Iraq - 99% of the Cases are Proper, According to Islamic Law'
"As for the hostages you spoke of, they are not hostages, sir, but prisoners. According to Islamic law, hostages can be redeemed, set free, or killed. When you are weak - you kill. The prisoners in Iraq, sir – 99% of the cases are proper, according to Islamic law. All those who were killed were agents and partners of the occupation. 75% of the hostages were released in exchange for political gains.
"So how come some voices in the Islamic movement and official clerics tell us that killing prisoners is un-Islamic? No, both the Koran and the Prophet's biography permit the killing of prisoners. This exists in our Islamic law and in the laws of all nations.
"Second, the war effort is not restricted to those who actually carry weapons. The war effort includes transporting supplies. Aren't supply lines part of military activity? The Halliburton company and its efforts to steal the Iraqi oil – aren't they part of the war effort, whose goal is to steal Iraq's resources? The war effort isn't simply carrying weapons. An Iraqi interpreter working for an American soldier – isn't this part of the war effort? Undoubtedly, all those killed, as far as we know, were non-civilians.
"We are witnessing a stroke of genius. Because they are weak and cannot defeat the occupation right away, they have used this weapon of prisoners - not 'hostages.' The Italian women were released and we demand the release of the French journalists. No one demands they be killed. But as for those who work for American companies and those who came to exploit Iraqi resources, they are part of the American plan and aren't innocent civilians.
"50 years ago, even before the American army arrived in Iraq, Sheik Shaltout said, 'Anyone working in the enemies' military camps and factories is one of them. He's an enemy and he may be killed.' This is what Sheik Shaltout, the great imam and Sheik of Al-Azhar in the mid-20th century, said. Whoever allies himself with the infidels and polytheists becomes one of them."
'The Mujahid Should be There [in Iraq], and the Cleric Should be There'
"The American casualties reach 47,000 dead and wounded, according to the American Veterans Association. 20% of the American forces were hurt, but the media only reports the Iraqi and Arab casualties.
"I've seen a film of the so-called 'Monotheism and the Jihad,' which is believed to be the organization of Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi. In the film, I saw that they neutralized a bomb because an Iraqi woman passed by the tank. Out of concern for one Iraqi woman's life they neutralized a bomb and this appears in a film on the Internet and anyone can watch it. I'm not claiming that there are no mistakes. There are different opinions among the Iraqi resistance. But if you want to have an opinion, you should be with them, not us, sitting in air-conditioned rooms and telling them to do this that.
"The mujahid should be there, and the cleric should be there, like Ibn Taymiyya, who set out with the mujahideen to the front lines. But we want to issue fatwas telling them not to do this or that, not to attack so and so. It's like us telling Hamas: 'don't attack buses lest an Israeli child be killed.' Do you have another means? When the Americans bomb [in Iraq] they say they are looking for Abu Mus'ab and the casualties were killed by accident. The Americans have the right to kill civilians accidentally, while the Qassam rockets and the [suicide] martyrs should target only adults, men and women working in the Israeli army, and should tell the children to get off the bus!?"
'If We had Missiles We should have Bombed Los Angeles'
"We are the weak ones. They make demands on us that don't exist in international law. There must be reciprocity. If your city is being bombed… Those who bomb Fallujah cannot prevent me from bombing Los Angeles. Why Fallujah? Why do we always feel inferior to them? What is the meaning of this inferiority complex? If we had missiles we should have bombed Los Angeles or any other city until they stopped bombing Fallujah, Samarra, and Ramadi.
"Sir, why do the government clerics ignore the killing of the prisoners during the time of the Prophet? 600-700 prisoners were killed in the raid on the Qurayza tribe.
"Why do they conceal this? Why do they hide the fact that the Prophet gave the order to assassinate some poets – to assassinate! Not in military operations, but rather by individual assassination.
"Why did he order the assassination of K'ab Ibn Ashraf, the Jew, leader of Khaybar ? And then he ordered the assassination of the leader who successive him. As a result, the Jews became fearful and terrified."
[1] Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar), October 17, 2004
