US embassy cable - 05DUBLIN1087

S E C R E T DUBLIN 001087 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2014 
TAGS: PTER, KTFN, ASEC, KHLS, PINR 
SUBJECT: IRISH IMAM VOWS TO ARREST EXTREMISTS, BUT WILL HE? 
 
REF: DUBLIN 172 
 
Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF MARY DALY, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B), (D) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  Sheikh Hussein Halawa, the most prominent 
Muslim in Ireland, said in an August 29 interview with the 
Irish Times that he would personally arrest or report 
extremists to the Irish authorities. He said that he did not 
know extremists that were operating in Ireland, but would 
repudiate their views if he encountered them.  This bold 
announcement is welcome from such a renowned Muslim, but is 
met with skepticism by emboffs who see this more as ploy to 
gain Irish trust than as serious engagement in the fight 
against terrorism.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) In a public interview reported by the Irish Times on 
August 29, Sheikh Hussein Mohammed Halawa, Imam of the 
Islamic Cultural Center of Ireland (ICCI), pledged through a 
translator to personally arrest or report al-Qaeda supporters 
and Islamic extremists to Irish authorities.  In the 
interview, Halawa stated that he had no knowledge of such 
sympathizers in Ireland, and that such individuals would not 
come to his mosque.  He said, "I can't tell what's in 
people's brains, but I can say that I don't know anybody who 
might be attached to al-Qaeda."  He further stated that the 
London bombings were "anti-Islamic," and that he would be 
willing to report a supporter of such bombings to the 
authorities.  He also said that he would challenge the views 
of extremists, but has not had to do this, yet. 
 
3. (U) The article relayed that Halawa's comments were 
prompted by reports that the 7/7 London bombings were 
perpetrated by radicalized young Islamic men living and 
working in Britain, and a video shown on Arab television that 
claimed that al-Qaeda members from Ireland took part in 
downing a U.S. helicopter that killed 16 troops in 
Afghanistan.  Halawa said that he believed the extent of 
al-Qaeda's influence is magnified by the media. 
 
4. (U) Halawa, a dual Irish/Egyptian national, is the most 
prominent Muslim cleric in Ireland.  ICCI is a Sunni mosque 
co-located with the European Institute for Humanities and the 
European Council for Fatwa and Research. ICCI and Halawa 
present the image of Islam to the Irish, and have hosted 
events for a wide array of dignitaries and guests, including 
both the current and former presidents of Ireland, the Irish 
Prime Minister, other Irish politicians, numerous speakers on 
Islam, and British MP George Galloway (of the UN Oil for Food 
controversy).  Halawa was invited to read from the Koran at 
the November 2004 Irish presidential inauguration. 
 
5. (C)  ICCI also has the nation's largest Muslim 
primary/secondary school in Ireland on its campus and 
receives education funding from the GOI.  The building of 
ICCI was financed ten years ago and is still maintained by 
funds from the Sheikh Hamdan family and the Maktoum 
Foundation of Dubai.  Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum of 
Dubai personally attended the groundbreaking ceremony in 
1996.  In an interview with emboff, Halawa said that he was 
hired by the Hamdan family because he had visited Ireland 
from Egypt often as a lecturer.  He has also traveled to the 
United States. 
 
6.  (S/NF) Comment.  Post welcomes Halawa's public statement 
condemning the 7/7 attacks and terrorism in general, but 
remains unconvinced that Halawa will take strong steps to 
fight extremism.  Despite Halawa's statement, and the 
center's reputation as a moderate mosque in Dublin, we retain 
some suspicions about his activities and can confirm that 
there are known extremists that frequent ICCI: 
--The head of ICCI's European Council for Fatwa and Research 
is Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, banned from entry into the 
United States since 1999. 
--A Moroccan poloff told U.S. emboff that the GOM requested 
that he not attend ICCI for religious services as it is too 
radical. 
--SIMO colleagues link two of the senior staff at ICCI to 
Islamic extremists in Ireland. 
--At least one member of ICCI is reported to have gone on 
jihad to Iraq as a suicide bomber.  End Comment. 
KENNY