Tunisians dismiss al-Zawahiri's justifications for killing civilians

2008-04-06

Tunisians weigh in on recent statements by al-Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, justifying the killing of innocent Muslims in the course of the group's terrorist operations.

By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 06/04/08

[Said Jameh] Al-Zawahiri's latest statement justifying the killing of innocent civilians "reflects the confusion and absurdity of al-Qaeda's ideology", Tunisian political analyst Borhane Besais told Magharebia.

Al-Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawhiri's recent statements, justifying the killing of Muslims in the course of its terrorist operations in Iraq and the Maghreb, have been criticised by Tunisians.

Tunisian political analyst Borhane Besais rejected al-Qaeda deputy al-Zawahiri's suggestion that the responsibility for the deaths of innocent civilians in al-Qaeda attacks in Morocco, Algeria and Iraq falls on "the enemies". In a statement to Magharebia, Besais said, "The word 'innocent' holds no meaning in the doctrine and ideology of al-Qaeda, especially as Osama bin Laden has issued a fatwa in which he says civilians killed during al-Qaeda operations as a result of being at the wrong place at the wrong time are destined to go to paradise."

Al-Zawahiri's message, released Wednesday (April 2nd), contained answers to questions posted on an Islamist website linked to the group, including questions about the killing of innocents in Morocco, Algeria and Iraq.

According to Besais, al-Zawahiri's attitude "reflects the confusion and absurdity of al-Qaeda's ideology, that hasn't progressed beyond legal interpretations made by Ibn Taymiyyah at the time of the Mongols and their threats against the Abbasid Caliphate, when he issued a fatwa in support of the theory of consecration."

The theory allowed the killing of Muslim hostages taken by the Mongols and used as human shields, which, according to Besais, "is in all cases nothing but disgraceful exploitation of jurisprudent theories for the justification of killing and terrorism".

Sofiene Ben Hmida, human rights activist and member of the executive board of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights, called the al-Qaeda leader's justifications "ridiculous". "Nothing can justify the targeting of individuals without first ascertaining their identities," he said.

Ben Hmida added that such organisations view civilians as part of the regime, worthy of killing because "they accepted the existing regime and didn't revolt against it." As such, he continued, they supposedly contribute to oppression. "More importantly, the extremist organisations look at the majority of Maghreb societies as infidel societies."

In the recording, al-Zawahiri defended al-Qaeda's attacks in Algiers last December, which left 41 people dead.

The terrorist urged Muslims to join the "mujahideen in the open theatres of jihad, such as Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Algeria." In the meantime, he justified the deadly attacks on the UN offices under the pretext that the United Nations "is an enemy of Islam."

Lotfi Azzouz, Director of Amnesty International's Tunisia branch said that "there is no justification for the killing of innocent people, even in a time of war, if they aren't engaged in military action. Under international humanitarian law, the targeting of civilians is completely banned regardless of justifications."

Bank manager Mounira Abassi accused the media of aiding al-Zawahiri by disseminating his ideology and his calls to kill. "They are providing services for him free of charge, and have turned him into a star," she said. "There is an unannounced alliance between al-Qaeda, the media and satellite TV channels that are concerned only with profits, at the expense of our youth, who risk falling into the trap of extremists such as bin Laden and al-Zawahiri."

"Bearded men always find justifications for everything they do in the name of religion. I don't know where they get it, especially as wars have their own rules. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself used to advise his army during conquests to respect children, old people and women, and even trees," housewife Sanaa Fitouri said, asking: "How, then, do Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri find justifications for killing innocent Muslims?"