Author: Our London Correspondent
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: September 9, 2002
London, Sept. 8: While the world
observes the solemn anniversary of the terror attacks on America on Thursday,
Muslim clerics in London will celebrate one year of 9/11 with a meet to
launch an organisation for Islamic militants.
The conference will argue that the
"atrocities were justified because Muslims must defend themselves against
armed aggression," according to newspaper reports here.
The meeting has been called "September
11 2001: A Towering Day in History".
Abu Hamza, the cleric from the Finsbury
Park mosque in north London wanted on terrorism charges abroad, and Omar
Bakri Muhammed, leader of the Al-Muhajiroun group, whose members support
suicide bombings against Israel, will address the gathering.
Most speakers believe the terrorist
attacks were legally justified and will discuss the positive outcomes and
the benefits of September 11, the reports said.
Yassir al Siri, an Egyptian dissident
recently cleared at the Old Bailey of a plot to murder a leading figure
in the Afghan Northern Alliance, and Abu Muntasser, an assistant to Abu
Qatada, the Jordanian cleric who is in hiding and is one of Britain's most
wanted terrorist suspects, will also attend, reports said.
The meeting will see the launch
of the Islamic Council of Britain, that aims to implement sharia law in
Britain and will welcome Al Qaeda sympathisers as members.
"The people at this conference look
at September 11 like a battle, as a great achievement by the mujahideen
against the evil superpower," Omar Bakri Mohammed of the Al-Muhajiroun
said.
"I never praised September 11 after
it happened but now I can see why they did it."
He claims to see Al Qaeda members
as "a sincere devoted people who stood firm against the invasion of a Muslim
country."
According to the Sunday Telegraph,
the clerics claim that Saudi-based businessmen fund the ICB.
Omar Bakri Mohammed has been quoted
as saying: "I believe the Muslim Council of Britain has sold out to the
British government. Many Muslims in Britain feel like this."
"We have been working on getting
the funding for six months: it is from a group of Saudi businessmen. Please
don't write about this. I am against the killing of innocent people; we
are not at war with anybody in this country."
