The Muslim Brotherhood is the forefather of virtually all of today's Islamic terror groups -- most notably, Hamas and Al-Qaeda. Held at bay in Egypt and banned in Syria, it is now making a comeback. From MEMRI, :
Recently, there has been frequent mention in the Syrian media of the possible return to Syria of members of the Muslim Brotherhood - an organization that has been banned in Syria for two decades, with membership being punishable by death. While Syrian government officials' statements have been repeatedly preparing the ground for this possible change, Muslim Brotherhood leaders are denying the existence of any contacts with the Syrian government on this matter. For example, while Syrian MP Muhammad Habash revealed that there had been contacts between the Muslim Brotherhood and Syria, the Muslim Brotherhood Inspector-General in Syria, Sheikh 'Ali Sadr Al-Din Al-Bayanouni, [1] denied it vehemently.Rumors of Return Began With Assad's Statements
The rumors about the possible return of Muslim Brotherhood members started with statements by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad himself, who in April 2004 told Al-Jazeera: "Some Muslim Brotherhood leaders who were in the past involved in events have returned to Syria. These leaders, who in the 1980s were imprisoned and who were responsible for destructive operations, even those in the most senior echelons, have now left the prisons, and now most of the Muslim Brotherhood [members] are living normal lives in Syria. It is possible.
"With regard to those outside Syria, some have returned to Syria, and those from the rank and file who are not leaders but who belong or identify with the Muslim Brotherhood have returned in a quiet and orderly manner. There is acknowledgement of past mistakes, such as the killing and destruction against Syrian citizens."
Questions for Mr. Assad:
Which Syrian citizens did they carry out terror against in the past? Care to name the faith of those citizens?
Is your government Watching these people who have returned?
Muslim Brotherhood Movement
Here is the creed of these "peace loving" Muslim brothers.
Allah is our objective.
The messenger is our leader.
Quran is our law.
Jihad is our way.
Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.
http://www.ummah.org.uk/ikhwan/
I recall the wife of a prominent member of the MB returned to Syria this year and she was arrested upon arrival, but later released. They are definitely returning, but Assad has shown a keen distrust of these people. I wouldn't be suprised if they are being watched, Gary.
return to Syria of members of the Muslim Brotherhood – an organization that has been banned in Syria for two decades, with membership being punishable by death.
If membership is punishable by death, then why are they living normal lives in syria? Is a normal life in syria perhaps a fate worse than death? Or does al-assad have plans to utilize them in various government assisted/financed/equipped terrorist........errrrrrr, sorry, jihad........missions in the future?
I'm sure Assad would have no problem making suicide bombers out of them.
Assad probably wants some expendable jihadists to send to Iraq. That's OK, though. He is just giving us an extra reason to add him to the target list.
Oh, and Reza, if you are reading this:
Your civilization as you prefer it is already doomed. Nothing you can do will change that. Either Islam will adapt and copy Western ways and cease all interest in expanding by force, or Islam will be destroyed. Those are your only choices. Don't take too long to make your decision.
It is difficult to believe that the Alawites, who make up 12% of the population, really would permit those who do not wish them well -- the Muslim Brotherhood -- back into the country. Alawites, with their cult of Mary, cannot be regarded as full-fledged Muslims by orthodox Muslims. They will always be regarded as something less than Muslims by members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Hafez al-Assad understood this well, and acted on it. Though Muslims have over the past decade or two been allowed, in places, to flaunt their power -- for example by building mosques deliberately, between churches, in what used to be regarded as the Christian quarters of Haleb (Aleppo), in areas where the Musim worshippers have to deliberately cross into Christian areas, they have not, since that little affair in Homs or was it Hama, challenged the Alawite military caste -- which of course has nothing to fear from the essentially powerless Christians (Hafez al-Assad had different groups of reliable protectors, including some Christian Armenians who understood that however awful he was, he was their only protection against the Muslims).
So, as to this story -- cum grano salis.
SON OF INFIDEL
Thanks for Link to Muslim Brotherhood!! Only bombing is going to keep down this lot of fanatics.
Welcome to fascist Syria, O Jihadis! Welcome BACK, Islamic Brethren, Ikhwan el-Muslimin! (... No hard feelings over 1982’s 20,000+ dead in Hama, it’s hoped!) Hop straight in and pray partake of traditional hospitality in Damascus, Habibis, or else camp out wherever in the country you can find a spot! - Today, Syria and militant Jihadism hold obvious, mutual items in common.
So enjoy your LIVE-FIRE, “Mujahedin-Experience”, Adventure-Holiday, ye prospective Holy Warriors - you putative Fragrant Martyrs! Please avail yourselves of the full range of high-grade facilities, laid on at your convenience (and coming to you at a “moderate tariff” - anyway, at competitive rates) - and don’t forget to take a jaunt into Lebanon, while you’re right next door!
Revolutionary and radical Arabs and Moslems of every stripe have been congregating in Syria for a long time already, to make hay of the manifold utilities extended, affordably, by the Baath Government. No Moslem’s required a visa to enter Syria for several years; indeed, some become eligible for (informal) ASSISTANCE - arming and equipping, training, etc - during their visit.
Besides its RANK PARASITISM in Lebanon, its satellite, fostering terrorists is one on Syria’s main National Industries, together with its international commerce in bio-chem weapons and their Scud delivery-systems (such as the clandestine trade it’s conducted with North Korea for ages, and more recently with the genocidists of the Sudan).
For 2-1/2 years, since the latest US intervention in Iraq, Jihadis from across the dar el-Islam have been making armed “tours” into it from Syrian territory; to date, reputedly, over a thousand have done so. About another thousand are said to have filtered into Iraq (mostly) from Saudi Arabia, though traversing from Jordan and from Iran as well.
Syria and its “protectorate”, Lebanon, are a MAJOR, regional hub for Terrorism, harbouring the spectrum of “Palestinian” groups, from the Communist, Greek Orthodox-based PFLP dhimmis and the rest of the PLO’s Arab nationalist, pan-Arab and Arab Socialist “secularists”, to Sunni, fundamentalist Hamas. Syria hosts Shi’ite Hezbollah (a client of Iran) in adjacent south Lebanon, numerous ex-Iraqi rump-Saddamists and a brace of psycho, “freelance” outfits on top, on its own soil. Adding further Jihadi fanatics to the existing mix of violent maniacs shouldn’t be any bother for Syria - the more the merrier (and the bigger the ruling circle’s revenues)! Indeed, sustaining such an influx greatly strengthens Syria’s all-important “Honour” throughout the Umma.
Damascus has a PRIMARY interest in seeing America OUT of Iraq and its noble endeavours there dissolve (viewing this outcome, concomitantly, significantly, as weakening Israel). The gathering of gangs of gunmen and murderous zealots on its land and the dispatch of them to cause bloody strife in Iraq looks to be one of its methods to attain this end.
But Syria seeks no disintegration of Iraq itself - it wants a FEEBLE State there, an eminently biddable neighbour, which it can share with its Ally, IRAN. Syria DOES NOT wish to see any independent Kurdish entity arise (despite its former championing of the Turkish PKK, Kurdish secessionists - sponsored for decades by Syria for political reasons on a different agenda).
A fascinating case: in 1999, following lengthy disagreements with Syria, over Turkish dams going up on the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates, Turkey (under its pre-AKP, Kemalist Government) threatened Damascus with War - mobilizing its not inconsiderable, modern forces (among the largest in NATO) - unless the PKK was expelled from Syria and its leader, Abdula Ocalan, shipped out to Ankara, forthwith. Syria folded, promptly complying: IN ONE DAY, a grievous problem between them - which couldn’t be fixed for years - was resolved, presto....