Tunisian media is reporting that Tunisian Muslim Brotherhood leader Rachid Gannouchi has joined Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi in Libya where both were expected to take part in the First National Congress for Libyan Reconciliation and Reconstruction. According to the report:
10 December 2011 Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the moderate Tunisian Islamist party – Ennahda, began a four day visit to Libya, starting yesterday, December 9th. The Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) extended an invitation to Ghannouchi to take part in the First National Congress for Libyan Reconciliation and Reconstruction held in Tripoli. Zoubeir Chahoudi, spokesman of Ennahda Party, stated that Ghannouchi is expected to meet with NTC president Mustafa Abdeljali and Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim Al Keeb later today. The congress will be attended by factions from various regions within Libya, members of the NTC, and officials within the Libyan government. Additionally, a number of prominent guests have been invited to the conference, such as the head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (and president of the European Council for Fatwa and Research), Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi and the Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar, Khaled Al Attiya. lThis visit comes at a delicate time in the history of modern Libya. Libyan authorities have thus far failed to convince armed rebels to return to their hometowns and hand over weapons to the NTC. Disorder within the country remains pervasive following the fall of the former regime, under the leadership of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in October 2011.Ghannouchi gave a 50-minute speech during the congress urging Libyans to relinquish old feuds and to work towards reconciliation between various factions within Libyan society. The visit was an occasion for Ghannouchi to help improve relations between Tunisians and Libyans following recent tensions along the Tunisian-Libyan border. During his speech, Ghannouchi recalled the strength of the cooperation between Tunisians and Libyans during the Libyan Revolution, when Tunisia hosted over one million Libyan refugees. Ghannouchi also highlighted the necessity of strengthening relations between Libya, Algeria and Tunisia. Sheikh Al-Sadek Al-Ghariani, an eminent Muslim cleric (mufti of Libya), stated during the event that Libyan authorities should work towards strengthening national reconciliation between Libyans and learn from examples previously set in democratic transition and post-war reconciliation. He also stressed the necessity of bringing criminals to justice during this transitional period.
A post from yesterday discussed Qaradawi’s visit to Libya.
A previous post recommended Israeli analyst Jonathan D. Halev’s article titled “Did The Libyan Leadership Deceive the West” in which he writes:
Qatari involvement is likely to produce a regime in Libya that follows the political orientation of Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, thereby giving the Muslim Brotherhood an open door in the new Libya. The political debate in Libya will be within an essentially Islamist universe, with different leaders distinguished by the degree to which they seek to implement their Islamism. It seems that the strategy of the democratic states that trusted the promises of the rebel forces to adopt and implement the principles of democracy has collapsed, and that Western aid to overthrow Gaddafi’s tyrannical regime prepared the groundwork for the establishment of an Islamic state, which eventually may become hostile to the West.
Read the rest here.
Earlier posts reported that the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood held its first ever public conference on Libyan soil and that “senior Muslim clerics” were forming a new political party to rule the country based on “moderate” Islamic laws.
A post from September reported on what the New York times called the “growing influence of Islamists in Libya”, identifying Qatari Muslim Brotherhood figure Ali Sallabi (aka Ali Salabi), already known to be the Revolution’s “spiritual leader and a close associate of Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi, as well as for the first time Abel al-Rajazk Abu Hajar who is said to lead the Tripoli Municipal Governing Council and is described as a “Muslim Brotherhood figure.” An earlier post reported on Ali Sallabi and his association with Qaradawi who is known for espousing his view of moderate Islam.
Rachid Ghannouchi (many spelling variations) is the leader of the Tunisian Islamist movement known as Nahda (aka Ennahda, Al Nahda) and can best be described as an independent Islamist power center who is tied to the global Muslim Brotherhood though his membership in the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) and his important position in the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), both organizations led by Global Muslim Brotherhood Youssef Qaradawi. An Egyptian news report has identified Ghannouchi as a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood “abroad.” Ghannouchi is also one of the founding members of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), a Saudi organization closely linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and dedicated to the propagation of “Wahabist” Islam throughout the world. Ghannouchi is known for his thinking on the issue of Islam and citizenship rights. Earlier posts reported on the return of Mr. Ghannouchi to Tunisia following his long exile in the UK. Other posts have detailed his extremist background.
Qaradawi, a virulent anti-Semite 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. A recent post has discussed a video compilation of Qaradawi’s extremist statements
Discussion
For a report on the reconciliation conference go here.