May 7, 2010

MCC urges Obama Administration to distance itself from Islamists promoting doctrine of 'armed jihad' and Sharia Law

TORONTO - The Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC) has condemned the attempted bombing in New York, but has also expressed alarm at the continued refusal of American Islamic organizations to distance themselves from the doctrine of armed jihad, which is at the root of Islamic extremism and terrorism.

The MCC has on numerous occasions urged North American Islamic groups to unequivocally declare the doctrine of armed Jihad and its underlying theology as dangerous, but our call has fallen on deaf ears.

The MCC believes that unless the doctrine of “Armed Jihad” or “Lesser Jihad” as promoted by the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the Pakistani Jamaat-e-Islami is declared as inapplicable in the 21st century, ritualistic condemnations of terrorism and violence in the name of Islam are not worth the paper they are written on. The MCC believes it is of utmost importance to acknowledge that both the Jamaat-e-Islami and  Muslim Brotherhood have a large number of associates operating openly in the USA and Canada and they provide fertile soil for terrorists like the New York car bomber, the Toronto-18 and the Ottawa Digi-bomber to flourish and find intellectual and ideological sustenance.

The MCC believes the refusal of Islamic organization like CAIR and ISNA to out rightly condemn the doctrine of Jihad, or the ‘war against infidels’ has only contributed to the further emboldening of want-to-be martyrs.

MCC would like to underscore the disturbing evidence about Pakistan having become the epicentre of Jihadi-activities despite the best efforts of the present government.

Saudi funded Jihad-supporters from all over the world, including the USA and Canada , (men like Faisal Shahzad and Omar Khadr to name a few), regard Pakistan as a safe haven for their preparation and training of waging wars against the West. Fundamental Islamic ideology is taught at scores of Saudi funded mosques and ends at finishing schools in North Waziristan managed by the various Taliban affiliated Jihadi groups like Lashkar Jhangvi, Sipah Sahaba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. The fact that these groups are supported by one of the two leading political parties in Pakistan and the national media group does not help the situation.

The MCC strongly believe that the Obama Administration is not helping the situation by seeking advice from individuals who not only endorse the doctrine of Jihad and support sharia law, but openly deny any connection between Islamist theology and on-going terrorist activities.

The continued presence of these Islamist supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood inside the White House will only serve to encourage Jihadi-extremists in their continued terrorist activities. The US Administration must take into consideration that Pakistan's "Security establishment"-- the military and judiciary-- is still protecting its Taliban assets and their various Jihadi affiliates. It is no surprise that the accused New York bomber is the son of a retired Vice Marshall of the Pakistan Air force.

The MCC calls on the Obama Administration to distance itself from all Islamists and backers of the Muslim Brotherhood if it is to be taken seriously when it claims it is going to fight Islamic terrorism. As long as the White House takes advice from Islamists and considers Saudi Arabia as an ally, it is unwittingly playing in the hands of the very forces of Islamism that it claims to be fighting.

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For more information, call:

In Toronto, Sohail Raza, president MCC at (416) 505-1613
In Ottawa, Salma Siddiqui, vice president MCC at (613) 864-4306