I am just a trifle gobsmacked that any Muslim spokesman could, four years and 3,442 jihad-related deaths after 9/11, speak about the “clear white image” of his religion, but it’s fair dinkum as far as I am concerned if the Iraqi Islamic Party backs up its words with deeds, and moves to the front lines of the struggle against Zarqawi et al. I am not holding my breath. “Kidnap envoy meeting Iraqi Sunnis,” from the BBC, with thanks to JE:
An anti-war envoy is continuing to meet Sunni Muslim groups in Iraq in a bid to secure the release of kidnapped Briton Norman Kember and three other men.
Some have already called for their release and Iraq’s largest Sunni party, the Iraqi Islamic party, said it tarnished the image of Islam.
“The kidnapping will have a grave negative effect among those who call for ending occupation,” it added.
Envoy Anas Altikriti was sent to Baghdad by peace and Muslim groups.
His visit follows the screening of a video showing the peace campaigners in captivity and threats by their captors to kill them if Iraqis were not released from prison by Thursday.
Newspapers, meanwhile, have published appeals from other Islamic groups, pointing out the fact that the four hostages were working for the benefit of the Iraqi people.
The Iraqi Islamic Party’s statement said: “Continuing to hold them will give those who support the war against our country a chance to say that Iraqis don’t make a difference between those who support them and those who are against them”.
‘Tarnish image’
It added: “There are some who are trying to tarnish the clear white image of our religion.”