An imam? A man who had devoted his life to understanding Islam properly and communicating it effectively got involved in a jihad mass murder plot? Why, it’s astonishing! Had he fallen under the influence of “right-wing extremists”?
“Spain attack fugitive whereabouts unknown as Barcelona mourns,” by Daniel Bosque and Hui Min Neo, AFP, August 19, 2017:
…The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attacks, believed to be its first in Spain.
The terror cell was reportedly made up of at least 12 men, some of them teenagers. Police also confirmed that an imam, Abdelbaki Es Satty, was among the suspects.
Investigators are seeking to unravel the role of the imam, who is believed to have radicalised many of the youths in a small town called Ripoll at the foot of the Pyrenees.
Several of the suspects — including Abouyaaqoub — grew up or lived in the town of about 10,000 residents.
On Saturday, police raided the imam’s apartment in Ripoll, his flatmate, who would only identify himself as Nourddem, told AFP.
Investigators were looking for DNA traces to check if he had been blown up in an explosion at the house in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres (120 miles) south of Barcelona, where the gas canisters were found.
– Radicalising youngsters –
The imam was reportedly known to police, with Spanish media saying he had spent time in prison.
El Pais and El Mundo quoting anti-terror forces said the imam had met prisoners linked to the Al-Qaeda-inspired bombing of Madrid trains that killed 191 people in March 2004 in what remains the worst terror attack in Europe.
Moha, 46, who lives in Ripoll, said the imam was initially part of the only mosque in town, but “later left and (set up) his own prayer hall in a garage”.
“There has been a change in the community since he arrived more than two years ago,” said Moha….
Samer Ibrahim says
Every muslim is a potential terrorist, whether he is imam or not.
Robeaver says
All are.
Michael Copeland says
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah”, Koran 8:60.
They were preparing all right, a spectacular mass killing to “terrify”, or terrorise the enemy of Allah, the kuffar, the non-muslims.
“Prepare” is the motto of the Muslim Brotherhood, taken from this verse. It has nothing to do with Boy Scouts.
WorkingClassPost says
Again, he was known and his community knew, but he was allowed to continue.
Is there any real religion that has this behaviour?
Robeaver says
Baptists, momons, scientology, catholic church comes to mind.
WorkingClassPost says
I do like a sense of humour.
Jimdandi says
Any evidence or proof for your outlandish comment?
Oliver says
Can you not recognize sarcasm?
Jimdandi says
Apologies to Robeaver if it was sarcasm. Perhaps I failed to miss your point.
Jimdandi says
Robeaver, Any evidence or proof for your outlandish comment?
Oliver says
Can’t you recognize sarcasm?
Jimdandi says
Robeaver, Any evidence or proof for your outlandish comment? (Absolutely did not say this in reference to Robeaver’s comment. What is your problem?)
Oliver says
Unbelievable. BUT PERHAPS A HAPPY ENDING-
He could be (please, please) be the man (?) killed in the explosion in the house.
moeped says
He must be a lone wolf radicalized on the Internet. Now to more important matters, stop:
Being islamophobic
Painting them all with one brush
Being xenophobic
Being a colonialist
Being a zionist
Being a nazi
Being diversityisourstrengthophobic
Bring in more! More I say!
Georg says
I remember when I’d never heard of an imam. That was awesome.
WorkingClassPost says
Yup.
Those were the days.
Georg says
This would be outrageous (not really, but for argument’s sake) if we weren’t already told that the Caliph has nothing to do with Islam.
Henner720 says
The imams are often , selfproclaimed quran experts without much university level systemstic thinking practice, and badly payed. There is a real problem.maybe firce them to be uni candidates.
dumbledoresarmy says
Then they’ll just be like Tariq Ramadan – smooth and sleek and nicely-besuited dawa artists, propagandising and/ or running interference for the death cult all the more effectively.
If someone’s running around in a robe and bushy beard shrieking imprecations against the kuffar, at least he’s recognisable as a threat.
But if he has a couple of degrees from top-line western unis (from Islamic Studies Centres funded by scads of Saudi or Qatari or Emirates petrodollars), and he’s in a nice suit and his beard nicely-trimmed and his accent is impeccably American or impeccably English with just a tinge of an exotic accent… or maybe, like Tariq Ramadan, he has a French veneeer… he’s not.
Westerners aren’t too good at recognising, these days, that someone may “smile, and smile, and smile, and be a villain”.
Baucent says
“The imam was reportedly known to police, with Spanish media saying he had spent time in prison.”
Once again the Prisons are becoming the Koranic Jihad schools. No one thought of monitoring the Imam once he left prison?
underbed cat says
There is no such thing as a radicalized imam….since their purpose is to teach the Quran, that commands jihad terror for all who show up at the mosque. I think Spain arresting an imam….is great news but shocking to the left. and some of the Republicans and all of the Dems.. most of the liberal media who has either lied or been cover for the terrorist..Spain you are pretty darn smart…..this could finally unwind islamophobia as hate speech.
underbed cat says
Wait till MacMaster hears this one…….
underbed cat says
Trump please correct your course. …..on Afghanistan….I understand that under the past administration, the U.S. lost many lives fighting in that country, only to assist in writing a sharia law based Constitution, which is exactly what isis fought to accomplish….which sound as if the U.S. has no clue as to who the enemy is, as if we flipped sides….getting out is a good idea…to stabilize the home front, educate, understand the function of imams and mosques, this news about an imam being part of a Islamic terror cell is something you have to absorb to clarify any moves. This is the imams job to teach the quran that is not peaceful…do you get it, because it seems you have a General who kissed the Quran.