US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI3322

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MEDIA REACTION: STRONG WORDS FROM SEMI OFFICIAL DAILY

Identifier: 04ABUDHABI3322
Wikileaks: View 04ABUDHABI3322 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created: 2004-09-22 16:03:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: OIIP KMDR TC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
null
Diana T Fritz  02/05/2007 05:31:25 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS        ABU DHABI 03322

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: PAO
    INFO:   ECON POL AMB DCM

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: PAO:HOLSIN-WINDECKER
DRAFTED: PAO:AALKHATIB
CLEARED: PAO:TRWHATLEY

VZCZCADI075
OO RUEHC RUENAAA RUEKJCS RUEHZM RUEHLO RUEHFR
RHRMDAB RUCJACC RUCQSOC
DE RUEHAD #3322 2661603
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221603Z SEP 04
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6046
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0839
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0879
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
RUCQSOC/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL//PA//
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003322 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; 
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR ZEYA 
LONDON ALSO FOR MOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION: STRONG WORDS FROM SEMI OFFICIAL DAILY 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE BRUTAL KILLING OF THE TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN 
IRAQ DOMINATED COVERAGE IN ALL LOCAL ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA. 
UAE COLUMNIST ABDULLAH RASHID STATED IN "AL ITTIHAD" THAT ISLAM 
IS A JUST AND RIGHTEOUS RELIGION AND THE PEOPLE WHO COMMIT SUCH 
CRIMES MAY CALL THEMSELVES MUSLIMS BUT TRULY ARE NOT. 
 
2.   UNDER THE HEADLINE "VICTIMS OF TERRORISM FATWAS," "AL 
ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 09/21: (ARABIC DAILY, ABU DHABI-BASED, 
SEMI-OFFICIAL, CIRCULATION 85,000) 
 
". THE KILLERS SLAUGHTERED THE TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN A VERY 
TRAGIC AND HORRIFYING SCENE.  THESE DREADFUL ACTIONS COME AS A 
DIRECT RESULT OF AL QARADAWI'S FATWA THAT KILLING U.S. CIVILIANS 
IS ALLOWED. RELIGION IS A MISSION, AND FATWA IN RELIGION SHOULD 
BE RELIABLE, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF A NATION COMES THROUGH THESE 
FOOLISH FATWAS THAT LEAD TO THE DEATH OF INNOCENT PEOPLE AND 
DISTORTS THE GREATNESS OF THE ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS VALUES."  "WE 
CALL UPON THEM TO FILE A LEGAL CASE AGAINST THE ISSUER OF THIS 
FATWA FOR IT IS DIRECTLY AND DELIBERATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 
DEATH OF THE TWO VICTIMS. THOSE WHO INCITE AND INSTIGATE 
TERRORISM MUST RECEIVE THE PUNISHMENT THEY DESERVE AND BECOME AN 
EXAMPLE TO OTHERS." 
 
3.  UAE COLUMNIST ABDULLAH RASHID WROTE AN ARTICLE IN "AL 
ITTIHAD" NOTING THAT THE KILLING OF HOSTAGES IS NOT PART OF ISLAM 
AND THAT ISLAM IS A JUST AND RIGHTEOUS RELIGION ON 09/22: 
". I AM TELLING THE MUSLIM SCHOLARS, WHO HAVE BEEN QUIET FOR A 
DECADE, THAT WHEN THEY DECIDED TO TALK THEY SAID NONSENSE. I AM 
TELLING THESE WHO THINK THEY ARE MUSLIMS:  HOW MANY PEOPLE IN 
THIS WORLD WILL BE BITTER TOWARDS THE GOOD ISLAMIC RELIGION?  HOW 
MANY WILL HESITATE CONVERTING INTO ISLAM IF THEY WERE PLANNING ON 
IT?  AND HOW MANY WILL RENOUNCE ISLAM?. I AM TELLING THESE PEOPLE 
`THE PERSON WHO DOES NOT SAY THE TRUTH IS A MUTE DEVIL' AND HE IS 
EVEN DEAF AND BLIND.. WE ARE IN A DESTRUCTIVE WAR, SO EITHER WE 
PROVE THAT WE ARE A NATION THAT DESERVES LIVING AND WE FACE THIS 
HURRICANE WITH HONESTY OR WE STAY AS IS, LEAVING THE EARTH TO 
COME ON FIRE AND THEN WE CAN'T REGRET ANYTHING.  WE ARE TELLING 
THOSE THAT ISLAM IS NOT A CAP THAT HAS RUBBISH UNDERNEATH, ISLAM 
IS A SIGN OF JUSTICE AND RESPECT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S RIGHTS." 
SISON 

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