Gulf media is reporting that the daughter of global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi has been nominated for a scholarship under the new Fulbright Science and Technology Award. According to a report in the Gulf Times:
Three Qataris have been nominated for the Fulbright programme for the academic year, 2010-2011, even as the US government has created the International Fulbright Science and Technology Award, a senior official at the US embassy said, yesterday. Speaking at a reception to honour American and Qatari exchange programme participants, US embassy first secretary Joey Hood said the new programme allowed Qataris and others to pursue their doctoral studies at leading US institutions in science, technology and engineering. In an interview with Gulf Times later, Hood said the new programme was related to President Barack Obama’s speech in Cairo, where he called for expanding exchange programmes to bring more Muslims to the US and vice-versa….Hood explained that the US’s Fulbright programme was an excellent vehicle to advance the calls of President Obama and Qatar National Vision 2030 for greater international engagement. He further said that this programme was able to send thousands of Americans to more than 155 countries around the world to live, work and study. “It also brings Qataris and others to the US for a year of study, research or leadership training,” he said, adding “We look forward to nominating more Qataris in future years as the programme becomes better known.”…The Qatari Fulbright nominees for academic year 2010-2011 are Dr Sarah al-Mohannadi, Dr Ali al-Shawi al-Marri and Dr Siham al-Qaradawi.
Arab media reports identify Siham Yousef al-Qaradawi (aka Seham Al-Qaradawi) as the daughter of Youssef Qaradawi and an Associate Professor of Chemistry and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Qatar University. A 1999 list of the shareholders of the Al-Taqwa Bank also lists Seham Al-Qaradawi as a minor shareholder along with Youssef Qaradawi and other probable Qaradawi family members. Also listed as an Al-Taqwa shareholder is Ilham Youssef Al-Qaradawi who is reported by Arabic sources to also be the daughter of Youssef Qaradawi. (Siham and Ilham are seen together in this news photo)
Al Taqwa Bank was located “offshore” in the Bahamas and numerous Muslim Brotherhood luminaries held shares which was supposed to conduct business in accord with Islamic principles with Youssef Qaradawi serving as Sharia (Islamic law) adviser and major shareholder. The bank was closed in 2000 after what it’s founder said were unforeseen developments related to the Asian financial crisis and a run on the bank caused by unfavorable publicity generated by accusations that the bank was funding Hamas. Shortly after September 11, 2001, Al-Taqwa was placed on worldwide lists of designated terrorist entities based on U.S. accusations that the bank was involved in funding terrorism. However, all known prosecution of Al-Taqwa and its principals ened in September of 2009 although both the bank and two of its founders/officers remain on the U.S. Treasury designated list.
This is not the first time that Siham Al-Qaradawi has interacted with the U.S. government. A 2006 Gulf media article discusses a partnership between the College of Arts and Sciences at Qatar University and the University of Louisiana which received funding in 2006 from the US-Middle East University Partnership Initiative (MEPI) . Dr. Al-Qaradawi was reported to have participated at that time in a meeting to discuss the components of the partnership which included exchanges of students and professors.
As well as being an enormously popular Muslim cleric, Youssef Qaradawi is often referred to here as the most important leader of the global Muslim Brotherhood, an acknowledgement of his role as the de facto spiritual leader of the movement. In 2004, Qaradawi turned down the offer to lead the Egyptian Brotherhood after the death of the Supreme Guide. Based in Qatar, Sheikh Qaradawi has reportedly amassed substantial wealth through his role as Shari’ah adviser to many important Islamic banks and funds. He is also considered to be the “spiritual guide” for Hamas and his fatwas in support of suicide bombings against Israeli citizens were instrumental in the development of the phenomenon. Qaradawi has written that all Jews and all Muslims will fight each other in a final battle in which Muslims will emerge victorious. He recently reaffirmed his support for suicide bombings in Israel and stated that only the intercession of the Emir of Qatar has kept him off U.S. terror lists.
When asked in January about who was responsible for the attempted plane bombing by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the so-called “underwear bomber , Qaradawi replied:
Look, responsibility for this lies, first and foremost, with America. It is America that provoked the Muslims of the world with its positions that have nothing to do with justice. America always supports injustice and tyranny. It supports the Zionist entity. Responsibility lies, first and foremost, with the American positions.
(Additional Source: Bank Al-Taqwa LIST OF ORDINARY SHAREHOLDERS AT 31/12/1999)