Philippine media has reported that 32 of the countries top Islamic scholars have requested that the President reopen the Philippine branch of the Rabitah and its arm, the International Islamic Relief Organization IIRO), designated by the US as a terrorist organization. According to a BBC translation:
SOME 32 of the top ulama (Islamic scholars) of the Philippines over the weekend culminated their first National Ulama Consultative Conference (NUCC) here in this city by passing a 10-point resolution supporting President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s peace processes with Moro rebel fronts in Mindanao….The top ulama delegates signed a resolution declaring their sentiments and consensus on the various issues presented before them at the conference held at the Cebu Midtown Hotel here in this city.
Among the requests:
NCMF to request Office of the President for the re-opening of the Philippine branch of the Rabitah and its arm, International Islamic Relief Organization;
The IIRO is an affiliate of the Muslim World League (MWL) which was established in 1962 as a means for the propagation of Saudi “Wahabbi” Islam. Muslim Brothers played an important role in its founding and, to date, the League has been strongly with the Brotherhood. The MWL, together with the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), are Saudi organizations believed by U.S. government officials to have helped to spread Islamic extremism around the world as well as sponsoring terrorism in places such as Bosnia, Israel, and India. In 2006, the U.S. Treasury Department designated the Philippine and Indonesian branch offices of the IIRO as well as one of its executives in connection with fundraising for al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda affiliates. Previous posts have discussed the history of the IIRO in the US, its ties to the US Muslim Brotherhood as well as the recent registration of its new US office in Florida, and its new international image campaign.
Source: The Manila Times website, Manila, in English 16 Feb 11 Text of report in English by Philippine newspaper The Manila Times website on 16 February [Report by Julmunir I. Jannaral: “Ulama conclude national conference with 10-point resolution”] Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring February 17, 2011 Thursday