The Saudi-owned pan-Arab television news channel Al Arabiya reported in September that the Egyptian government had denied that Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi had been removed from an INTERPOL “wanted” list. According to the report:
September 2017, 2017 The Egyptian Ministry of Interior has denied that controversial Qatar-based preacher Yousef al-Qaradawi’s name was removed from the Interpol wanted lists, confirming that his name is still listed in the international red alert issued to prosecute the convicts.
A security source in charge of the public security sector in the ministry said that based on coordination with the Interpol, the database listed is still in force and had not been canceled.
The list includes the names of al-Qaradawi and other Muslim Brotherhood leaders sentenced in cases involving violence, killings and terrorism.
The source said that he held a closed meeting at the headquarters of the Organization in France to discuss the case of the convicted Youssef Al-Qaradawi, in the light of what was raised via some media outlets.
The meeting concluded that the international bulletin issued by the Interpol in Cairo is still in force and ignoring his calls to the Human Rights Committees to cancel the list.
The source pointed out that there is another international communiqué issued to pursue al-Qaradawi at the request of Iraq’s Interpol, accusing him of inciting the killing of former Prime Minister of Iraq Nuri Maliki, confirming that his listing is still in force.
The Egyptian authorities have made an urgent request to Interpol to clarify the truth about the removal of the name of al-Qaradawi who is sentenced to death in the case of storming prisons.
The list also includes Wagdi Ghaneim and Assem Abdel-Maged who are sentenced to death and imprisonment in cases of terrorism, violence and murder.
However, the INTERPOL link to the their Red Notice now no longer has any information referring to Qaradawi and a search of their database returns no “hits” for his name.
In December 2014, the GMBDW reported that the international police agency INTERPOL had issued a “Red Notice” for Youssef Qaradawi which states that the Global Muslim Brotherhood leader is “wanted by the judicial authorities of Egypt for prosecution / to serve a sentence.” According to the notice, the Egyptian charges against Qaradawi wer eas follows:
Agreement , incitement and assistance to commit intentional murder , helping the prisoners to escape , arson , vandalism and theft.
As we noted at the time,
Red Notices issued in this manner are only temporary and are subject to review, part of which will undoubtably consist of a determination as to whether or not the charges against Qaradawi are politically based.
Originally from Egypt, Youssef Qaradawi is the most important leader of the Global Muslim Brotherhood and is the de facto spiritual leader of the movement. He is also considered to be the “spiritual guide” for Hamas and his fatwas in support of suicide bombings against Israeli citizens were utilized by Hamas to justify their operations. In 2004, Qaradawi turned down the offer to head he Egyptian Brotherhood after the death of the Supreme Guide now denies that he has any relationship with the Egyptian Brotherhood. He is based in Qatar and has said the Qatari Emir has protected from being designated as a terrorist by the U.S.
For more on Youssef Qaradawi, go here.