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Following are excerpts from an interview with Syrian Minister of Religious Endowment Muhammad Abd Al-Sattar, which aired on Iqra TV on June 25, 2009.
Muhammad Abd Al-Sattar: Extremism does not exist only in the Islamic world. There are extremists in all religions and cultures. I believe, and am even convinced – and the Arab and Islamic world is convinced – that the atmosphere of extremism and terrorism in the region was created by Jewish extremism, which turned gangs into a national group, in the name of religion. Jewish extremism is what generated an atmosphere of extremism in this region, by means of this widespread hostility, about which we were told by the Koran. Unfortunately, we are trying to deal with the phenomena of extremism and terrorism, without considering the real reasons that gave rise to this extremism.
Just imagine Arab and Islamic society without Israel in the heart of the nation. Do you believe that there would still be extremism? It would be very limited and could be eradicated easily. If not for this sick entity within the body of the Arab nation – an entity that targets the Prophet Muhammad himself... This is undeniable. They target the Prophet Muhammad and his followers everywhere. The political Islamic movements that bear arms were created by [intelligence] agencies connected to circles that have nothing to do with the Arab and Islamic nation. These hostile circles wanted to make this nation disintegrate and to harm its Islamic religion.
Interviewer: Well said. I support what you said 100%, and so I don’t have any follow-up questions. I understand from what you said that the reason for extremism in the Islamic world is the corrupt, extremist Jewish den...
Muhammad Abd Al-Sattar: This is the most important reason. There are other reasons as well.
Interviewer: But in the past decade, we have seen American extremism, which has undermined the notions of justice, and destroyed the moral values that the West had claimed to have. It has even given rise, from our midst, to people who support the [Americans], and who believe they are right. These people went all the way to the ultimate leftist extremism. Do you think the Jews played a role in undermining the American notions too?
Muhammad Abd Al-Sattar: Let me ask you a question. From where does the U.S. draw its notions about the Arab countries and nation? Who establishes the political kitchens of the U.S.? Who enticed the U.S. to invade Iraq? Who enticed the U.S. to attack Afghanistan? Who is enticing the U.S. right now to attack Iran? Who is enticing the U.S... It is the Jews. The Jews. The Zionists.
[...]
A few days ago, I was in Britain. There are Arabs and Muslims in the West who say that the reason for the extremism you and I are talking about is the lack of democracy in the Arab and Islamic world. I say that they are liars. This is absolutely untrue. The reason for extremism is not the lack of democracy. First of all, the definition of democracy in the West... The democracy they are talking about has not existed in the Arab region from the times of Muawiya bin Aby Sufyan and to this day. The concepts of democracy, as far as we are concerned, are entirely different from the Western concepts of democracy.
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Even with regard to the definition of the word "terrorism" - we should be very cautious about it, because our definition of the word "terrorism" differs from that of the West. Terrorism means intimidation. "Prepare for them what force and steeds of war you can, to strike terror..." This is deterrence, which is acknowledged by man-made laws. There is nuclear deterrence, there is strategic deterrence...
Interviewer: They do it, but they prevent others from doing it as well.
Muhammad Abd Al-Sattar: Exactly.
[...]
Allah said: "You shall find that the people strongest in enmity to the believers are the Jews and the polytheists." Allah stated this clearly. Accordingly, when we use the word "Jews," we refer to those aggressors who have exploited the Jewish religion, and distorted the Torah, in order to kill people, to commit crime, to harm the honor of people, to target the holy places and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, to kill in Gaza, and to have the whole world talk about Islamic terrorism, whereas the source of all terrorism is the Jews.
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