RADICAL MUSLIM ORGANIZATION REFUSES TO CONDEMN ANTI-SEMITIC PREACHER

"When our two delegations met last 9 September, (…) you repeated you "total condemnation" of anti-Semitism and stated that UOIF commits to react should one of its members make an anti-Semitic speech or sermon. Now that you have an occasion to do so, we are very surprised that you content yourself with condemning the words of (the preacher) Hassan Iquioussen and not the preacher himself who should not enjoy your confidence any more. To prevent any ambiguity, we expect of you a clear and firm condemnation."

Hassan Iquioussen, who a leading preacher of the UOIF, recorded a sermon titled "Palestine, a history of injustice". In the cassette, sold over the Internet and in Muslim bookshops for the past year and a half, Iquioussen says the Jews are "unpleasant", "mean", "keeping themselves to themselves in ghettos because they don't want to mix with people they regard as slaves."

Quoting the Koran, Iquioussen added, "Jews always despised human beings. (…) They have no scruples about killing prophets." "They have no respect at all", "They are the top of treason and disloyalty", "Jews will never stop plotting against Islam and Muslims."

Iquioussen also explained that Zionists pushed "Hitler to harm the German Jews to force them to leave. (…) The aim of the Jews is to build Eretz Israel from the river Nile to the river Euphrates, from the South of Turkey to Medina. They issued coins, maps of the Greater Israel, that's a well known fact," said Iquioussen to a silent audience. In his sermon, the preacher goes on saying that the Arabs who tried to make peace with Israel were "traitors", Egypt's slain President Anwar El Sadat is called "America's agent", Yasser Arafat and his aides are termed "depraved" because they secretly negotiate with Israel. The preacher legitimated the terrorist attacks by praising the "martyrs" of the Hamas. "Israel is a state that should not exist," concluded Iquioussen.

The French daily "Le Figaro" quoted the publisher of the cassette, Yamin Makri, of the Tawhid Publishing Company as saying, "A listener alerted us. Just this once, we didn't check the content." Makri added that he ordered the cassette not to be sold any more. However, a reporter with "Le Figaro" found it in several bookshops. Speaking on the record to "Le Figaro", Iquioussen said, "I described episodes related in the Koran. You don't want to abrogate the Koran, do you? If I'm proven wrong, I shall change my mind," reportedly said Iquioussen.

In his answer to President Cukierman, Alaoui wrote, "I repeat my condemnation of the words but in no case do I condemn M. Iquioussen himself, a person recognized for his high spirituality and an outstanding lecturer, unwaveringly supporting the values of the Republic. This was an exceptional slip dating back three years ago and M. Iquioussen publicly apologized. It would thus be unfair not to take into account his apologies. I dare to hope that this incident will not interfere in the continuation of the dialogue and opening we started together," concluded Alaoui.

French Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin condemned "The unacceptable remarks reported in the media and attributed to Hassan Iquioussen." Villepin added that he asked his colleague of the Justice Department to look into the matter and see if Iquioussen could be sued.

CRIF's President Roger Cukierman said, "The strong reaction of the Minister of Interior is a comfort. Hassan Iquioussen's remarks are an encouragement to anti-Semitic attacks. I hope this breach of the law and order will be punished and I hope also that (Iquioussen) will be expelled if it is proven that he is not French. This kind of remark is very pernicious in the current situation."