Most of these have been reported here throughout the year, and of course the conspiracy theory is a distressingly common item in the Islamic world. As the header says, “This would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic “” and dangerous!” Here are the Top Five from “Top Ten Arab and Iranian Conspiracy Theories Ending 2004,” in the Jewish World Review, with thanks to Doc Washburn:
5) Jews Tamper with The Koran: The Kuwaiti English daily Arab Times published an article on September 21 titled “New Education Plan ‘Enforced’; Jews tamper with Holy Quran.” The article reported on the Dean of the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies of Kuwait University, Dr. Mohammad Abdul Razak Al-Tabtabaei, who had “warned citizens and residents of some versions [of the Koran] which have been manipulated by Jews”¦” Al-Tabtabaei explained, “For long Jews have been plotting against Muslims using various means”¦ They have been damaging the Holy book by the changing and deleting verses with the aim of hiding the truth.”
4) U.S. To Invade Pakistan and Annihilate Muslims: Maqdoom Mohiuddin favorably reviewed a book in the Saudi Gazette on October 19, which advances the theory that “there have been rumors about a possible invasion of Pakistan”¦ The U.S. has started implementing its program”¦ The book also reveals that the other possible targets of the U.S. will be Sudan, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey”¦” Mohiuddin claims that President Bush’s true goal is the “total annihilation of the Muslims.”
3) U.S./Jews Behind the October 7th Taba Attacks in Egypt: Adli Barsum of the Egyptian government daily Al-Gumhuriya is one of dozens of Arab columnists who propagated conspiracy theories about the Taba attacks. He asked in Al-Gumhuriya on October 12: “Who planned the bombings in Taba? “¦ Is it the Mossad? “¦Is it the CIA?” The London Arabic-language daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that a headline in Egypt’s weekly Al-Mustaqbal Al-Jadid, the official organ of the National Party’s Policies Committee under the leadership of Gamal Mubarak, read “Proof of Mossad Involvement in the Explosions in Taba.”
2) Israel Killed Yasser Arafat: Writing in the Egyptian weekly Al-Ahram, Ghada Karmi claimed on November 11, –¦ A close confidant of Ariel Sharon has stated that the latter had ‘eliminated’ Yasser Arafat ‘through his cooks'”¦” On November 11, Khaled al-Batesh, leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, told UPI that “during Sharon’s last visit to Washington, he told U.S. President George W. Bush, ‘We will help G-d to get rid of him.'” An article in the Tehran Times on November 17 stated that “a special Zionist commando group” was responsible.
1) U.S. Soldiers Stealing Organs from Iraqis: In the Saudi daily Al-Watan on December 22, an article by Fakhriya Ahmad alleges that, based on European secret military reports, U.S. personnel in Iraq are stealing human organs: “The reports confirm the finding of tens of thousands of mutilated cadavers missing parts”¦ These teams offer $40 for every usable kidney and $25 for an eye”¦” The report also appeared in the Syrian daily Teshreen and in Iran’s Jomhour-ye Islami.