Author: Joan Baxter in Bamako
Publication:
Date: October 24, 20001
Some Malian Muslims feel only equity
and justice can beat extremism
Police in Mali have arrested a group
of about 20 Pakistani citizens following a meeting called to express solidarity
for Osama Bin Laden and the people of Afghanistan.
Bin Laden is the chief suspect of
the 11 September bombings in the United States.
Mali has a long tradition of visiting
Muslim clerics preaching in mosques Government sources say the arrests
follow a meeting last week between US officials and Malian security forces,
in which the Americans expressed concerns about the activities of the Pakistanis
in Mali.
According to police sources not
just in Bamako but also in Timbuktu, the Pakistani preachers have been
under surveillance for some time.
'Rich' sponsor
But until now, there has been no
reason to believe their mission was anything more than simply preaching
in mosques.
Sources in Timbuktu say there is
a long tradition of Islamic preachers visiting from Pakistan and many other
Islamic countries.
The source in Timbuktu says the
Pakistanis there are educated professionals who appear to have a 'rich'
sponsor or network that can afford large private airplanes.
However, he describes them as low-profile
preachers who move about from one mosque to another, citing the Koran like
any other devout Muslims, and so far they have caused no alarm.
Money transfer
But since the arrests on Sunday,
a police source in Bamako says there is now evidence that the Pakistanis
here were using false passports.
Mali's Muslims have deplored terrorist
bombings in US
The source says documents were also
discovered allegedly showing that they are receiving considerable transfers
of money coming through Burkina Faso. The allegations, if not proved, could
lead to criticism that Mali's secular government is using the current international
climate to rein in Islamist political opponents, who have recently been
calling for an Islamic revival in the county.
