Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi Defends London Mayor and Said Doudin Accuses MEMRI of Committing Racist Crimes

The following are excerpts from Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi's weekly religious show on Al-Jazeera TV. The show was broadcast on January 16, 2005.

Sheik Dr. Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: I remember what was said by the mayor of London, this noble and courageous man, Ken Livingstone. We witnessed his courage last summer, when he stood up against the Zionists and their lies, and now, again, he adopted a noble and courageous position in his statements. He revealed what was concealed and exposed the secrets behind which hid those who organized these things. He, with all his courage, exposed them. He revealed that they are from the Mossad and from a certain institute. He wrote all this in a retort. I'd like to use Al-Jazeera TV to congratulate and thank this man, because Islam teaches us that he who does not thank people does not thank God. We must thank this man, who adopted a position avoided by many Arabs and Muslims, who do not say the truth although they know it. This man spoke the truth although it will cost him dearly, when the Zionist lobby attacks him and tries to distort his words, and harm my reputation. I say to him: Continue in your path. The free and honorable people of the world are behind you.

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By phone, Said Duodidn: Good evening, honorable Sheik. The person who organized the campaign against Al-Qaradhawi was Yigal Carmon, who founded the MEMRI Institute. Yigal Carmon is a war criminal. He commanded the military intelligence in the West Bank, he commanded Lahad's forces in Southern Lebanon, he has committed many crimes against the Lebanese people, and he masterminded the campaign against Al-Manar TV. I have gathered many documents about the racist crimes MEMRI is committing against institutions. For instance, MEMRI played a role in closing down the Zayed Center. This is a racist war criminal, sir.

I have conveyed all this information to the mayor of London, and expressed my utter disgust at the deteriorating of London's political culture to the point that it throws its values to the swamp of the racist media.

I am very saddened that this war criminal appears on TV channels, including you own channel [Al-Jazeera], which I respect very much, as an expert on counter-terrorism. This blood-shedding and murderous racist terrorist, sir, is presented as an expert on counter-terrorism.

In the past I presented an entire program on Al-Manar TV about the crimes committed by MEMRI and by this criminal. I regret that I have not yet been able to form a network - and I call upon you to start forming a network to expose the crimes committed by this so-called These are not media institutes, sir, but are racist institutes, and racism is not an opinion but a crime.