From:
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URGENT! SA MUSLIMS TARGETED
The MEDIA REVIEW NETWORK wishes to alert the Muslim community of a concerted effort to tarnish the entire ummah of being complicit in a plot to plant "bombs" in our country.
Certain media have quoted "experts in Islam militancy" stating that "there will definitely be a bombing campaign...."
The prime culprit is Prof Hussein Solomon, former head of Centre for International Political Studies (CIPS) at the University of Pretoria, and now director of the mysterious and so-called think tank, “The International Institute of Islamic Studies.”
Prof. Solomon has, for many years, been beating the drumbeat of "Islamic militancy” posing a danger to democracy in South Africa. In September 2007, he addressed a conference in Israel in the company of known anti Muslim bigots, including Steven Emerson and Daniel Pipes. Incidentally, Edward Said, one of the world’s leading authorities on the Middle East, dismisses Daniel Pipes as “a perfervid anti-Muslim whose main characteristic is that as Orientals he ‘knows’ Islam for the appallingly dreadful thing that it is”. In analysing Emerson’s documentary: “Jihad in America”, Said says of the film: “……..the purport of the film is to agitate against Islam as a sinister breeder of cruel, insensitive killers, plotters and lustfully violent men”.
The following are some of the rash and irresponsible statements Prof. Solomon made at the Conference:
- “…. you have various Muslim organisations, mosques, madressahs and Muslim Media …….psychologically preparing Muslims for terrorism, martyrdom operations.”
- “ There is this fact that military training is occurring in Muslim high schools.”
- “………….you find hundreds of South African Muslims going off to Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia for Islamic Instruction. They come back and occupy very powerful positions in terms of influencing young kids at Madressahs.”
Solomon was challenged on a number of occasions by the Media Review Network (MRN) in the media. He also faces charges for some of the statements above.
The MRN would also like to alert the Muslims of South Africa about the distinct possibility of local and foreign nationals working as undercover agents, under the guise of promoting Islam in various capacities.
This could be in the form of doing, for example, humanitarian work in Gaza; or providing the media an analysis on the crimes against Muslims in Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq; or visiting Islamic sites in the Middle East; or of promoting education for the destitute.
It is incumbent upon the Muslims to enquire from the credible and legitimate organisations in the forefront of the struggle against the enemies of Muslims, as to the devious claims of the so-called "experts".
Many of these unscrupulous villains are sophisticated, smooth-talking and articulate Muslims comfortably dining with their American and Zionist hosts, whilst possibly serving their own interests.
The ummah cannot remain inactive and silent in the face of dangerous, unsubstantiated allegations, allowing Solomon and his ilk to taint the entire SA Muslim community as sympathizers of "terrorists."
We urge the ummah to pressurise their leaders in the different areas to meet with the politically influential and demand that these allegations, unfounded as they are, be substantiated.
Dr. Firoz Osman
Secretary-General,
Media Review Network
Cell: 082 337 6976
E-mail: fhosman@iafrica.com
