The Russian news agency Interfax has reported that the Hamas political leader Khaled Mashal met with the head of Russia’s Mufti Council who agreed on “mutual help and cooperation” with HAMAS. According to the report:
Head of Russia’s Mufti Council Ravil Gainutdin agreed on “mutual help and cooperation” with the HAMAS Palestinian movement, the Council’s website reports. “Muslims of Russia take the situation in Palestine with sore heart. We speak out to condemn the policy of Israel aimed at expanding occupation of Palestinian land,” Gainutdin said on Tuesday in Moscow at the meeting with Chairman of the HAMAS political bureau Khaled Mashal.The Movement’s delegation visited Russia on the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Speaking at the meeting, Mashal called the Russian Mufti Council the “second home” for him and his associates. “Every time we come to Russia, a visit to the Mufti Council is an essential part of our program,” he said. After a meeting, the parties conducted a prayer in the Moscow Cathedral Mosque.
The Hamas charter states that it is ” is one of the wings of the Muslim Brothers in Palestine” and an Israeli TV station has reported that in 2008, Muslim Brotherhood “representatives” traveled to Gaza from Egypt through the open border to meet with Hamas. An earlier media report indicated that shortly after Hamas took over the Gaza strip, Muslim Brotherhood representatives were present to review Hamas military formations. Last June, a Hamas journalist acknowledged the role that the “international Muslim Brotherhood” has played in providing funds for the purchase of weapons.
An earlier post reported on the meeting between the Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and an official from the Russian Islamic Council in late January. The MWL was established in 1962 as a means for the propagation of Saudi “Wahabbi” Islam and Muslim Brothers played an important role in it’s founding To date, the MWL has been strongly with the Brotherhood.