Al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 19-142-Caliphate-ISIS-33

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Al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 19-142-Caliphate-ISIS-33If not us, who? If not here, where? If not now, when?

November 15, 2015 Special Dispatch No.6217'Al-Hayat' Editor: The World Must Launch World War Against Terror; Arab, Muslim World Must Examine ItselfIn response to ISIS's November 13, 2015 terror attacks in Paris, Ghassan Charbel, the editor of the London-based Saudi daily Al- Hayat, wrote that these attacks are graver and more horrific than all the terror attacks the world has previously experienced, including 9/11, because of the intolerable ease with which they occurred and could occur again, and also because they could lead to a terrible clash between Arabs and Muslims and the rest of the world.Charbel harshly berates the world's countries, and particularly the superpowers, who he claims allowed ISIS to establish itself and gain strength in Syria and Iraq. ISIS, he says, has declared war against the entire world, a war that threatens its security, stability, economies and human progress at large, and therefore the world must wake up before it becomes too late and declare a world war against terror. He states further that the Arabs and Muslims must be partners in this war, which threatens them no less than the Nazis once threatened Europe and the world. In this context, he urges them to eliminate all disseminators of extremism and hatred in the schools and mosques, on television and websites, and to conduct a thorough self-criticism and comprehensive ideological struggle against extremism.Below are translated excerpts from the article:[1] Ghassan Charbel (image: al-Arabiya.net) "The raid on Paris was worse than the [9/11] raids on New York and Washington. Murdering people after looking into their terrified eyes is much worse than crashing a plane into a building. The Paris massacre was much more horrifying than 9/11 in America. It involved barbaric field executions that could recur in any capital, without requiring planes or pilots. All it takes is a pack of benighted wolves that have drunk from the river of absolute hatred.

"The Paris raid was the worst, [for the following reasons:] It took advantage of the wounds already inflicted by the previous raids, pouring upon them heaps of salt and sulfur; it deepens the plan to segregate the Muslims and Arabs from the rest of the world; it pushes the Arab and Muslim communities into a terrible confrontation in the countries that host them; it built another tier in the plan to ignite religious wars and inter-civilization wars that negate [the other], and it heralds waves of hatred towards the refugees who have fled our cruel wars and societies. [This attack] is a deadly threat to the relations between countries, peoples, religions and individuals. It is a plan for global suicide. [ISIS leader] Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi is more dangerous than [the late Al-Qaeda leader] Osama bin Laden. ISIS is more dangerous than Al-Qaeda. The world perpetrated a terrible crime when it allowed this black killing machine [ISIS] to become entrenched in large parts of Iraq and Syria, when [U.S. President] Barack Obama opted for the policy of abstaining

The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.–Winston Churchill

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[from action] and when [Russian President] Vladimir Putin waited for hunting opportunities in the Syrian lake of blood. What is true for them is also true for many other [leaders]."

"The world committed a major crime. It allowed 'Al Baghdadi's state' to feel safe and secure the minute it declared itself. It allowed it to seize oil fields, regulate tax collection and use the banks and the armies that it took control of. It allowed it to build itself strongholds and recruit extremists capable of placing technology in the service of [ISIS'] hatred and destruction program. It allowed [ISIS] to woo extremist officers from armies near and far, and gave it the time to set up planning centers and war rooms and create new generations of suicide [attackers].

"Do not say your country is far [from these events]. Do not delude yourself that your capital is well-protected. This is a war unlike anything we have previously experienced or read about. This is a world war [declared by ISIS] in order to clash with the entire world: with anyone who does not adopt its inflexible and closed-minded thought patterns and anyone who does not drink from the same fountain. Its objective is to take countries back to the Stone Age and transform [the members of] the Muslim diaspora and Muslim minorities into [living] bombs. [This war] is an comprehensive plan to eliminate the right to differ [in opinion or belief], as well as any possibility of coexistence and progress. This war is a pitch black night that is trying to extinguish the lights of liberty and dignity. "In a war of this kind you have to choose sides. Don't evade and don't wring your hands. There is an urgent need to understand the origins of this predatory dinosaur. But take care not to justify the murder with the excuse that Muslims in Europe are marginalized and frustrated, and suffer from poverty and oppression here or there. Oppression does not justify the spreading of darkness. Nothing permits this itinerant slaughter. "The matter does not concern [only] Syria, Iraq and the region where beheadings occur. The entire world is threatened. This is no exaggeration. Security, stability, tourism, the economy, coexistence and the world's prospects for progress are all under threat. Handling [this threat] must surely transcend the conflict between the Syrian regime and its opponents and between [Iraqi PM] Haider Al-'Abadi and his bitter foe [former Iraqi PM] Nuri Al-Maliki. [ISIS' decision] to launch a world war must be met with a decision of the same kind [on our side].

"The world must unite now, before it is too late. The UN must save the world's security and stability. The Security Council must resolve to launch a world war against terror. The superpowers must be responsible for carrying out this decision. This war requires a fleet of ships and planes as well as financial and media support. The Arab world has no choice but to help in saving itself, [by participating] in a war that will shut down all the strongholds that provide the extremists with the ability to fortify themselves, proliferate and carry out attacks. Alongside this war, we have no choice but to shut down the platforms of hatred towards the other and [engage in] a comprehensive ideological confrontation. There is no choice but to conduct thorough self-criticism that requires recapturing the universities, the schools, the mosques, the television screens and the websites from the control of those who spread takfir and deny the other…

"This is the hour of great decision. The world should launch this war now rather than





later. The Security Council should formulate a firm international position and leverage all the nations' capabilities to defend human progress. The threat currently facing the Arab and Muslim world is no less great than the threat that Nazism [once posed] to Europe and the world. The world is at a crossroads. The decision to save human progress requires [statesmanship of] uncommon stature. Far more is required than [Sergei] Lavrov's adroitness and Kerry's naiveté. What is necessary is a world war against darkness, alongside an international willingness to wind up disputes on the basis of dialogue, justice and partnership. A delay in launching the war will only inflict new 'raids' upon the world." Endnotes: [1] Al-Hayat (London), November 15, 2015.

November 20, 2015 Special Dispatch No.6225Morocco's High Council Of Ulema In Fatwa Following Paris Attacks: 'Terror Is Forbidden In Islam; Only The Ruler May Declare Jihad'The following report is from MEMRI's Counter-Radicalization Initiative.The day after the November 13, 2015 terror attacks in Paris, Morocco's High Council of Ulema issued a fatwa on the distinction between jihad for the sake of Allah, which is legitimate, and terror, which is absolutely forbidden in Islam. The fatwa listed the different kinds of jihad (such as "jihad of the mind" and "jihad of the pen"), and stressed that armed jihad is a last resort, to be used only in extreme necessity, when the Muslims have been attacked and all peaceful avenues have been exhausted. The fatwa emphasized that, even then, only the ruler has the authority to declare armed jihad, and nobody else may do so at his own discretion. Morocco's High Council of Ulema consists of 47 senior clerics and is headed by the King, who, according to the Moroccan constitution is the Emir Al-Muminin (Commander of the Faithful, a title usually reserved for the Caliph). The Constitution also stipulates that the High Council of Ulema is the only religious body in the country authorized to issue official fatwas.On the order of King Mohammed VI, on November 14 the Moroccan Ministry of Endowments also issued instructions to preachers and imams on teaching the people the correct Islam and the true meaning of jihad. The following is the text of the council's fatwa, followed by the instructions of the Endowments Ministry. [1]

The Fatwa Of The High Council Of Ulema"In the name of Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful,"Following the events that took place in France and brought about the death of innocent people under the excuse of waging jihad for the sake of Allah, and in order to remove any doubt as to what is jihad and what is not jihad, the High Council of Ulema is happy to clarify the truth in this matter. [It wishes to explain] what really [counts] as jihad in Islam and what is not jihad but rather [and act of] terror, aggression, terrifying peaceful people and killing innocents and is absolutely forbidden in Islam, as Allah said: '...Do not commit aggression, for surely, God does not love aggressors' [Koran 2:190], and also: 'Whoever killed a human being –except as punishment for murder or for spreading corruption in the land – shall be regarded as having killed all mankind' [Koran 5:32]."As for legitimate jihad, it is of several kinds, the most important of them being jihad of the soul, which comes to shape, tame and cultivate the soul and prepare it to bear responsibility. Next come jihad of the mind, which is performed by training and polishing the mind and using it in a way that benefits humanity; jihad of the pen, performed by writing books and essays that enlighten the mind and confront doubts and false accusations directed at Islam and the Muslims; jihad of money, [performed] by making





generous donations, which is one of the 'gates of good' [leading to Paradise], and also by contributing to social and economic development."As for armed jihad, Muslims do not resort to it except in cases of extreme need, when their enemies attacked them [first] and all peaceful options have failed. Jihad in this case is the last resort, and even then, it can only be declared on the order of the supreme imam [i.e., the ruler]. This is the sole prerogative of the ruler, for Islam has granted him alone the authority to declare [jihad], to call [on Muslims to join] it and to organize it – and no individual or organization may launch [jihad] at their own discretion."The religious scholars of Islam, past and present, have been careful to stress this [sole] prerogative [of the supreme imam] for the sake of the unity of the [Islamic] ummah and in order to keep it from disintegration, from internal struggles and from failures that would blacken its image."[Signed:] Mohammed Yessef, "Secretary-General, the High Council of Ulema"

The Endowment Ministry's Instructions To Preachers And Imams"Following the criminal acts perpetrated by sinful hands in Paris, which resulted in injuries and deaths, and since the perpetrators of these unlawful acts purport to be members of the Muslim faith, and... justify their crimes based on [Islam], and lie about the religion to the extent of claiming that they carried out [the attacks] in defense of Islam... the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, on the instruction of Emir Al-Muminin [the King], may Allah preserve him, calls on the religious authorities, including the preachers and imams, to continue indoctrinating the people and guiding them on the straight path, while presenting religious and logical arguments to remind them and enlighten them, as follows:1. In order to understand the true definition of jihad one must appeal to the religious scholars of the [Muslim] ummah.2. Violence and coercion of every kind are alien to the [Muslim] faith and da'wa [preaching].3. Those who tarnish the image of Islam must not be allowed to do so, for this image is [the image] of all Muslims in the eyes of Allah and in the eyes of other nations.4. Individuals and groups must keep the gang of misguided and misleading [people] from imposing an erroneous understanding of the religion.5. Examining the events taking place today, it is clear to all that neither Islam nor the Muslims benefit from them, nor does humanity [at large], whose wellbeing depends upon peace, dialogue and compassion.6. The message of Islam includes values of [doing] good and of love, and the acts of the extremists hinder this message from reaching the world.7. The religious model that exists in the Moroccan Kingdom – both its ideological and practical aspects, and the concurrent activity towards a comprehensive revival – is a model that can repair the image of the faith and convince others. This requires [us] to keep this model unblemished.8. In addition to the inculcation of the correct religion, there must be awareness that the terrorist plan is based on intimidation and on [sparking] doubts [in people's minds], and that it will be thwarted someday thanks to the dedication of the ummah, the faith of the believers and the guidance of the reliable religious scholars..." Endnotes: [1] Habous.gov.ma, November 14, 2015.

November 18, 2015 Special Dispatch No.6223Debate In Arab World On Link Between Paris Attacks, France's Position In Syria





CrisisThe November 13, 2015 Paris terror attacks by the Islamic State (ISIS) sparked a debate in the Arab world over the link between the attacks and France's position in the Syria crisis. The Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad hastened to leverage the attacks in order to harshly criticize France's relations with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, known to be the main supporters of the Syrian opposition. The regime claimed that by maintaining these relations, France was in effect supporting terrorism, and thus was responsible for the attacks. Conversely, the Syrian opposition and the anti-Assad Arab media, particularly in Saudi Arabia, argued that the ongoing Western, particularly French, indifference to the crimes of the Syrian regime had contributed to the chaos in Syria, facilitating ISIS's growth and expansion. Conversely, some in this camp stated that the attacks were vengeance for France's support for the Syrian people over the last five years.

This report will review the debate.Syrian Regime: France Abetted Terror In Syria, And Is Therefore To Blame For ISIS's Expansion, Bloodshed In ParisThe Syrian regime, and especially President Bashar Al-Assad, hastened to take advantage of the Paris attacks to bolster the legitimacy of its struggle against what it called "the terror that has been striking Syria for the past five years," and to severely criticize the West. Along with its condolences to the French people, the regime stressed that this terrorism in France was the same as the terrorism that has been fighting the Syrian regime for the past five years. Accusing the Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, of financing and supporting terrorist organizations, it argued that the West, especially France and French President François Hollande, was in fact to blame for the terror attacks in Western countries. This, because it had failed to heed the warnings of the Syrian regime that the terrorism might reach the West. Moreover, said the regime, since the West supported the Gulf countries for economic reasons, it had actually helped the Gulf countries finance and arm "terrorist organizations." The regime also urged the West, including France, to now join it and its allies in the fight against terrorism and to act against the terror financiers – that is, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.Bashar Al-Assad: The Terror That Struck France Is The Same As The Terror That Has Been Striking Syria; The West, Particularly France, Is Responsible For The Spread Of TerrorOne of the first official regime responses to the terror attacks in Paris came from President Assad himself, in a meeting the day following the attacks with a French delegation headed by Thierry Mariani, an opposition member in the French National Assembly. Assad said:"...The erroneous policy of the Western countries, and especially France, toward the events in our region, and their heedlessness of some of their allies' support for the terrorists, is what contributed to the spread of terror... There is need to adopt a new policy and take efficient measures to stop the logistic and diplomatic support for the terrorists, in order to eradicate terror." Following the meeting,

Assad told the media: "Already three years ago we warned about what would happen in Europe. We said, 'Do not minimize the crisis caused by the earthquake in Syria, because its repercussions will be [felt] throughout the world.' Unfortunately, senior European officials did not heed our words and even claimed that we were making threats. They also failed to learn anything from the terror attack at Charlie Hebdo at the start of the year. Their declarations that they oppose terror are meaningless... They must fight terror [in practice] and adopt the correct





policy..."

Asked whether the French intelligence organs had sought to cooperate with Syria and whether his country would agree to such a request, Assad replied: "It does not matter if they requested help or not. They must simply be serious, and then we will be prepared to fight terror with them. We are prepared to fight terror with any party that is serious, but so far the French government has not been serious..." Assad emphasized: "It is impossible to speak of intelligence cooperation before there is political cooperation. It is impossible to speak of intelligence cooperation in the struggle against terror when the French government's policy serves the support for terror."Asked what message he wanted to deliver to President Hollande, Assad said: "My message is, 'Work for your people's interest.' The first question that every French citizen asked yesterday was whether French policy over the past five years had benefited the French people in any way. The effective answer is no. Therefore, what I ask of him is to work for the French people's interest, and if he wants to achieve that he must change his policy..."[1] Assad's meeting with the French delegation in Damascus (Image: SANA, Syria, November 14, 2015)

Syrian Information Minister 'Omran Al-Zo'abi said in a similar vein: "We in Syria and Iraq have been fighting terror for years and are experienced in the ways of contending with it. Anyone who thinks he can support terror while remaining detached from it is mistaken... The West is currently suffering from these repercussions..."[2]At a November 16, 2015 session of the UN Security Council addressing the humanitarian crisis in Syria, Syrian

Ambassador to the UN Bashar Al-Ja'afari attacked the countries that refused to coordinate the anti-terrorism fight with the Syrian government. He called this "a crime against the peoples of these countries and against the Syrian people, because we in Syria are fighting against the human refuse of terrorism."He continued: "Whenever the Syrian army kills a foreign terrorist in Syria, it is defending dozens of innocent people, who could be victims of this terrorist when he returns to his country to carry out terrorism there... Anyone attempting to distort this obvious truth is implicitly an accomplice in the ongoing deaths of innocent victims..."[3]

Articles In Syrian Government Press: It Is Western Politicians Who Have Brought Terror Upon Their Countries. This position of Bashar Al-Assad and other officials in his regime, holding the West and France responsible for the spread of terror, were echoed in many articles in the regime dailies.

France Is Morally And Politically Responsible For The Shedding Of French And Syrian BloodKhaled Al-Ashhab, a columnist for the government daily Al-Thawra, sharply attacked the French people and argued that they were morally and politically responsible for the bloodshed in both France and Syria, because they allow Hollande to remain in office even though only few of them support him. He wrote: "We send warm and sincere condolences





to the French and to other [peoples] who have been struck by the same terror that has been striking us for years and whose flowing blood [now] mingles with our own blood. However, the French are responsible at least for the shedding of their [own] blood, if not for the shedding of our blood as well, primarily from a political and moral perspective. [They bear] moral responsibility because they deluded themselves that the blood of dozens of their [people] is more precious than the blood of hundreds of thousands of our people who were killed by the same terror... Why did the blood of dozens of their own people shock them, whereas the blood of hundreds of thousands of our people did not concern them?"[They also bear] political responsibility, since they allowed their administration and their president Hollande to conduct negotiations and to trade in our blood and their blood. [He did this] when he passed from one Gulf ruler to the next, making an arms deal here and investing a sum of money there, although only 15% of the [French] believe that Hollande is a president who represents them. I call upon any Frenchman to give a single reason or logical justification for Hollande's blind and incomprehensible hostility towards Syria and the Syrian people, aside from the financial deals [he made] with the Gulf rulers..."After killing the Syrians, Hollande kills the French with their [own] weapons, and after that he puts on an absurdly sad face and makes silly dramatic threats. Will his people topple him by political [means], or will they fall with him morally?"[4]

Dib 'Ali Hassan, another columnist for Al-Thawra, wrote in a similar vein: "...[The shedding] of innocent blood, no matter where it [occurs], should fill us with sympathy and sadness... [But] we remember the great quantities of Syrian blood that have been spilled with the direct or indirect support of those who sponsor the black [ISIS] terrorism [and who sit] in Paris, Washington, London, in the caves of the Sa'ud family [the Saudi royal family] and in the Tora Bora of Doha… France, which claims to be the global leader of enlightenment, is perceived, due to the policy of Hollande and his supporters, as the tail of the oil sheiks who are interested in their deals and commissions and not in the heritage of [free] thought and liberty... The truth should be declared before world public opinion. It is impossible to remain silent in the face of the Western statesmen's conduct. The time has come for [Western] thinkers and people to realize that the ones who dragged the blood-soaked terror into their [countries] are their own statesmen, who are sunk up to their neck in black money… We do not rejoice in the misfortune of others, but this is the moral and the message. It is time to examine reality and declare terror a global plague that is financed and nourished by a deviant concept – [a plague that is] supported by Gulf money and relies on the errant Western statesmen and on the non-implementation of UN Security Council resolutions…"[5]

Dib 'Ali Hassan (Image: Esyria.sy, September 19, 2012)Al-Thawra columnist Ahmad Dhoua claimed that the Gulf leaders, the American and French presidents and the governments of Turkey and Great Britain are responsible for the terror attacks in both the Middle East and Europe, since they support the rebels against the existing regimes, and called to indict anyone who views terror as a means of





attaining his political objectives. He wrote: "Those responsible for the terror attacks in Paris are the administration and government of French President Hollande. The vast [amount of] blood, bright red and free of petrodollar pollutants, that was shed in Paris and before that in Beirut, Syria, Iraq and other countries, demands to punish those supporting the terrorist organizations, instead of remaining silent and getting lost in convoluted discourse about values in an attempt to exonerate the real criminals."It does not suffice to begin the discussion with talk about French culture and the climate of tolerance and freedom, while forgetting the criminals who are hiding in Paris, London, the U.S., Ankara, Riyadh, Doha and elsewhere. [These criminals] worked to spread terror and extremism in the region and the world, and, succumbing to their cravings and their passion for shedding the blood of innocents, they hastened to present the terrorists, the pillars of the so-called Arab Spring, as champions of freedom and democracy. [This] allowed [the criminals] to undermine regional stability, and provided them with a fertile ground for growing the most dangerous species of extremists and terrorists.

"The first who should be placed on trial for the crimes in Paris and Beirut, and in the cities of Syria, Iraq and other countries, are those who cultivated terror in the region and supported it, headed by the kings and emirs of the Gulf, the presidents of the U.S. and France, and the Turkish and British governments. If the French nation does not demand this, then its talk about freedom and democracy will be mere words and justification for the crimes of those who support terror and profit from it...

"The struggle against terror [should] not be waged after terror attacks occur but rather before. Therefore, it is necessary to wipe out the dens of terrorist thinking in the tents of the Aal Sa'ud family and in the environment that creates these criminal entities. But many Western countries, headed by the U.S., France and Britain, are not doing this..."[6]Opponents Of The Syrian Regime: Western Indifference to Assad's Crimes Contributed To Terrorism's ExpansionOn the other hand, opponents of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad wrote that the West's disregard of Assad's crimes against his own people and the spread of Iranian influence in Syria and Iraq in the past few years had created fertile ground for the expansion of ISIS, which had now arrived on Western soil.The West's Feeble Policy Towards The Syrian Regime And Iran Allowed ISIS To Grow StrongSaleh Al-Qallab, former Jordanian information minister and a columnist for the Jordanian government daily Al-Rai, wrote: "Along with the condemnation and denunciation of the despicable crimes two nights ago in the beautiful Paris, the city of science and light, there is a need to hint, and even to say [aloud], that it is the feeble positions of the West, headed by the American position, that are responsible for ISIS's transformation in Syria and Iraq into a wealthy petroleum state, and that it is the [Western] silence about the Iranians and the Assad regime that gave ISIS every opportunity to survive, thrive, and spread. There is no doubt that if the West, including France and headed by the U.S., had shown determination and assertiveness from the outset, what happened [in Paris] would not have happened..."The truth is that all the bloody violence that threatens everyone could not have happened without these conciliatory and feeble positions and policy, [and] if [the West] had not remained silent over the Assad regime's remaining [in power] and Iran's expansion in Iraq and Syria; [and if the Americans and Europeans] had not, in effect, adopted ISIS and





allowed it to become a petroleum state capable of infiltrating into any country and striking any target it wants."[7]In a similar vein, Dr. Wael Al-Hasawi, columnist for the Kuwaiti government daily Al-Rai, wrote in an article titled "Each Action Has A Greater Reaction": "Obama declared that these acts of terror in Paris two days ago were crimes against humanity, not just against France. We agree with Obama that terrorism has no religion, and that it targets all of humanity before it attempts to harm a [particular] state or a people. But does the civilized world realize these facts when it comes to deal with these disasters of the peoples worldwide, or does it shut its eyes and ignore the wounds of the wounded, the complaints of the oppressed, and the groans of those suffering from persecution?"We knew that the world would pay for its silence over the horrendous human rights violations and the complete annihilation of the persecuted people that has been ongoing in Syria for nearly five years, and for the civilized world's alignment with the criminal [Bashar Al-Assad] – who, along with his father [Hafez Al-Assad], brought genocide and disasters upon his people for over 40 years – in order to placate the whim of, and protect, the criminal entity Israel!..."We knew that the creative chaos created by the Americans in Iraq, and [their] handover of the rule to Iran and to the enemies of the Iraqi people, would not go unaccounted for..."[8]The West Should Learn From The Attacks And Deal With The Source Of Terrorism – The Assad RegimeOpponents of the Assad regime also called for the West to learn its lesson from the Paris attacks, and to tackle the source of the terrorism – that is, the Assad regime, and Iran.Liberal Saudi journalist Khalaf Al-Harbi wrote in a column titled "The Paris Night of Bashar [Al-Assad]": "Fighting ISIS without fighting Bashar is practically mission impossible, [as well as] absurd. The best proof of this is the failure of all the world powers' military campaigns against this terrorist organization [ISIS]. This is because no matter how great, blood-soaked, and cruel this phenomenon [of terror] is, it loses three-quarters of its might when the main reason it flourished vanishes."If the world truly wants to eradicate this barbaric organization, it must first free the Syrians from the barbarism of Bashar and his allies, because there was no [ISIS] in Syria before the slaughter and the chemical [weapons] crimes that [Assad] carried out..."[9]

Ayman Al-Hammad, editorial writer for the official Saudi daily Al-Riyadh, wrote in a similar vein: "We have brought the rot in Syria to this situation, after neglecting [the problem] by making no decision for five years, during which hatred flourished and the people's pain was leveraged to make ISIS's expansion possible... Last Friday night [November 13] must serve as a lesson for the West – that terrorism grows in situations of ambiguity, international disputes, and a rare [level of] schizophrenia in dealing with it on the international level."[10]Saudi journalist Kinan Al-Ghamdi, expressed hope that the West and France would now understand that the problem was the Assad regime and Iran, and would act against them. He wrote in the Saudi daily Al-Watan: "Following the violent, painful, and saddening terror attacks in Paris... it can be expected that France's reaction, and the reaction of the entire West, to the terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq will be very harsh. I imagine that the West has now learned that it is Assad's remaining in power, with the obvious and direct support of Iran, Russia, and Hizbullah, that fuels terrorism. Therefore, I believe that Russia is convinced, or that it will be persuaded, one way or another, that support for Assad constitutes obvious and direct support for terrorism, and that he must be removed





from power in Syria..."[11]In an announcement, a group of armed opposition factions in Syria stated: "We call on the international community to seriously reexamine the way of dealing with the issue of Syria, and to turn to a deeply rooted solution that will deal with the real source of the crisis and the terrorism. [This is] because the real victim of Assad's remaining in power, and of his system of terrorism, is the entire world, not just the Syrian people." [12]The Reason For The Attacks In France Is France's Support For The Syrian PeopleAmong opponents of the Syrian regime were also some who praised France's support for the Syrian people against the Assad regime, and stated that this was the reason for the attacks against France, while hinting that Assad may have been involved in them.Jaysh Al-Islam, a leading armed opposition faction in Syria, released a statement saying: "It was France's support and solidarity with the Syrian people in international organizations that caused international intelligence branches to carry out their wicked objectives by taking advantage of terrorist extremists in a desperate attempt to shake the trust between the Syrian and French peoples. The objective of this despicable crime was to pressure France into backing down from its positions, while international conferences are

being held on the Syrian issue... "We call upon the entire world to bring

down Assad, and the world will be safe. This is because Assad is the source of terrorism, and if he remains, it [terrorism] too will remain."[13]

Jaysh Al-Islam's statement (Orient-news.net, November 14, 2015) Faisal J. 'Abbas, editor of the Al-Arabiya English-language website, in an article titled "Friday the 13th: The Price France Had To Pay For Doing What's Right!", praised France's support for the Syrian people and contrasted it with "many other influential Western democracies" that had done nothing. He wrote: "What France should also always remember is

that this particular scar is a reminder that no good deed goes unpunished – and that the terrorists responsible stand against the historic, hard-fought French values of liberté, égalité and fraternité!"Not only does France seek to live by these honorable values, but unlike many other influential Western democracies, it also sought for others – who were far less privileged – to enjoy the same rights. Indeed, the French MUST be applauded for being among the few who stood side-by-side by the Syrian people in their legitimate revolution against the tyrannical regime of Bashar Al-Assad. France was always in the lead – through both actions and words – in trying to stop this regime slaughtering its own people who wanted nothing but to enjoy the same freedoms and equality as people do in Paris..."The French also stood their ground and refused to be played by Damascus and its allies in Tehran and Moscow in their attempt to paint Assad as the only viable alternative to ISIS (whom Assad helped create by releasing a number of its leaders from his prisons in the early days of the Syrian revolution to reach this exact conclusion). Paris's position has been solid and crystal clear: it refused to have to choose between two evils and it paired its





firm anti-Assad stance with joining the global coalition to degrade and destroy the military capabilities of ISIS."Inevitably, it also attracts the wrath of the likes of ISIS and Assad who wouldn't refrain from using any means to force Paris off the righteous course it has set itself. How else can anyone justify that, while most of the world has been busy declaring solidarity with France, it was only Assad who sought to politicize this sad moment to lecture France that the attacks were a direct result of their 'wrong' policies in the region..."[14] Endnotes: [1] SANA (Syria), November 14, 2015.[2] SANA (Syria), November 15, 2015.[3] SANA (Syria), November 17, 2015.[4] Al-Thawra (Syria), November 15, 2015.[5] Al-Thawra (Syria), November 15, 2015.[6] Al-Thawra (Syria), November 15, 2015.[7] Al-Rai (Jordan), November 15, 2015.[8] Al-Rai (Kuwait), November 15, 2015.[9] 'Okaz (Saudi Arabia) November 16, 2015.[10] Al-Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) November 16, 2015.[11] Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia) November 17, 2015.[12] Orient-news.net, November 14, 2015.[13] Orient-news.net, November 14, 2015.[14] English.alarabiya.net, November 14, 2015.

November 20, 2015 Special Dispatch No.6226Responses In Iran To ISIS Attacks In ParisFollowing last weekend's attacks in Paris by the Islamic State (ISIS), Iranian regime spokesmen, for the most part, argued that French and American support for takfiri terrorism and for ISIS was to blame for the events, and that the French are now paying the price for their government's misguided policy in Syria and the Middle East.In line with his policy, according to which the U.S. is the enemy of Iran and the Middle East, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in a video released by his office and a cartoon posted on his website, alleged that the U.S. and its allies were behind the Paris attacks, and that the U.S. had created ISIS and is using it as a tool to achieve its goals in the Middle East and the entire world.In a phone conversation with French President Francois Hollande on November 17, Iranian President Hassan Rohani called "to fight ISIS with all our might," but added that he "hopes that the group of countries that tried to use terrorism as a tool to promote its interests has understood the danger such a move poses for the world."[1] It should be mentioned that his response was characteristic of members of the pragmatic camp and the Iranian Foreign Ministry, who hinted that France is paying the price of using ISIS terrorism to promote its own interests.Other regime spokesmen stressed that Khamenei had warned a while ago that Western support for these Syrian terrorist elements will come back to haunt them. They also complained of the hypocrisy of Western and European countries, who only express shock when the Sunni ISIS terrorism strikes their home, but did not express sympathy with its victims in Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere in the world.Expressions of solidarity and condolences from Iranian citizens outside the French Embassy in Tehran was criticized by newspapers aligned with the ideological camp. These





newspapers criticized the "hypocrisy" of the pragmatic camp's publications which attacked the West harshly – this time for what it called its pro-ISIS policy. They complained that while the pragmatic camp was quick to express solidarity with the Paris terror victims, it refrained from doing so with regard to the Iranian victims in Syria and Iraq.This paper will review several Iranian officials' reactions to the Paris attacks, as well as cartoons on the subject on Iranian websites. Khamenei-Produced Video On IRGC-Affiliated Website: The U.S. And Its Allies Are Behind Paris AttacksA video produced by the office of Leader Khamenei, titled "Who Was Behind the Paris Attacks," and posted November 17, 2015 on a Facebook page affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), claimed that the real culprits behind the attacks were the U.S. and its allies, who, it said, had created ISIS and provided it with arms and training in order to further its own goals in the world.The thumbnail preceding the video shows Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, U.S. President Obama, and ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi in collusion.[2]

A cartoon posted November 16, 2015 on Khamenei's website Khamenei.ir titled "Big Brother Goofed!" showed Uncle Sam throwing an ISIS boomerang at Syria and the boomerang returning to strike France.Honey Source: English.khamenei.ir, November 16, 2015. Iranian Deputy Chief Of Staff: If The West Continues To Support Takfiri Terrorism, It Must Expect More States Of Emergency To Be Declared Elsewhere In EuropeOn November 14, 2015, Iranian Deputy Chief of Staff Masoud Jazayeri condemned the ISIS attacks in Paris, as well as the November 12, 2015 suicide bombing in Beirut in which some 40 people were killed, saying: "The attacks in Paris are a product of

regime of tyranny's [i.e. the U.S.'s and the West's] support for terrorism. The catastrophe of bloody terrorism in France has shown that if the French government and other supporters of takfiri terrorism in the West and in France possessed reason and foresight, they could have prevented such a crime from occurring in the heart of France."Ever since the first months following the emergence of terrorism in Syria and neighboring countries, we persistently warned European society that the terrorism would reach them as well. We wanted the people to pressure their governments to stop supporting terrorism in the region..."The attacks in Beirut and Paris are two sides of the same coin... If the West continues to support takfiri terrorism, it must expect more states [of emergency] to be declared elsewhere in Europe."[3]





Front page of Kayhan: "Rabid dog bites owner's legs" (Source: Kayhan, Iran, November 15, 2015) Kayhan Editor: The French Are Paying For The Crimes Of A Government That Fostered TerrorismHossein Shariatmadari, editor of the Iranian daily Kayhan, which is affiliated with Supreme Leader Khamenei, wrote on November 15, 2015: "Following the brutal crimes of ISIS, the Leader [Khamenei] warned the countries that support takfiri terrorism, saying that they will reap a whirlwind from the wind that they are now sowing. Today is the beginning of that harvest that was predicted by the Leader..."Edward Snowden revealed that the CIA and Mossad were involved in establishing ISIS, which they called a 'wasps' nest' that would attract extremists and create a security [buffer] for the Zionist regime. Snowden further revealed that the ISIS leader had been trained extensively by the Mossad for a year, in both military tactics and public speaking... Now, following the catastrophe in France and the deaths of innocents, next in line are the U.S., some Western countries, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey. [This is because] now... the terrorist elements... realize who the enemy is and are coming home to roost. That is, anyone who creates a wasps' nest should expect the wasps to return to the nest. "ISIS elements are not the good soldiers of Iran and Hizbullah, who defend the innocent with their bodies. Rather, they are people with no sense, cultivated by the Zionists, Americans, British, French, and Saudis, and will attack anywhere there is an opportunity... The French are paying for the crimes of their ministers."[4] Kayhan: Paris Attacks – An American-Zionist Conspiracy In Order To Send Forces To The Middle East To Destroy 'The Resistance'Kayhan's November 17 and 19 editorials stated claimed that the Paris attacks were an American-Zionist conspiracy, according to which the U.S. created ISIS and orchestrated the Paris attack in order to cause the West to dispatch forces to the Middle East to oust the Assad regime and vanquish the resistance axis. November 17: Terrorists Were Acting As Tools Of The White House, Élysée Palace, And Buckingham PalaceThe November 17 editorial argued that the security and intelligence apparatuses of "France, America, and the Zionist regime, which support the terrorists" were behind the Paris attacks, and that "according to many documents, the terrorists who claimed responsibility for the attacks were cultivated by the intelligence and security apparatuses of America and Western and Arab countries."They operate as a tool of the White House, the Élysée, Buckingham Palace, and Tel Aviv, with funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and their servants Turkey and Jordan, and carry out the plans of the U.S."It added: "It has been said that America wants to shock its supporters in order to warn them that if they quit supporting America and the terrorists, they will be struck... According to this logic, France, the European country with the smallest military presence in Syria, was chosen."The editorial concluded by explaining that Western countries and their Arab allies will now launch a propaganda campaign stressing that terrorism cannot be fought without removing Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, thus justifying their anti-ISIS activity in Syria. November 19: France Unwitting Pawn Of The USThe November 19 editorial concluded: "Saying that the Paris event was a plot to dispatch an army to the Middle East and destroy 'the resistance' is not that baseless, especially if we recall that the U.S. project regarding the Middle East began with the events of 9/11 but has





remained unfinished. If we agree that the Paris event was a plot... then it is possible that France itself has become a pawn."For years, the U.S. and the Zionist regime have searched for a way to get their allies to foot the bill for dispatching an army to the region. This is the same plan they carried out in attacking Iraq and Afghanistan." Majlis National Security And Foreign Policy Committee Head: ISIS Was Created To Divert Attention From Zionist RegimeAla Al-Din Boroujerdi, who heads the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said at a November 19 conference: "ISIS was created to divert attention away from the Zionist regime. Now the danger is palpable in all those countries involved in establishing ISIS."[5] Ayatollah Noori Hamedani: Recent Events In France Are The Result Of Missteps By French RulersOn November 15, 2015, Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamedani condemned the attacks, stating: "The measures taken by the West and the U.S. are the main causes of the problems currently facing the world. Some tyrannical nations think that they can create terrorist and takfir groups and cause trouble for the Islamic countries, while they themselves will be safe in their own corner. Those who created, and who support, the cruel terrorist movements should have known that after a while, sooner or later, these problems will reach them as well."Today ISIS is a catastrophe for the West. The recent events in France are the result of missteps by French rulers. Westerners should learn a lesson from this. Had Western countries like France not supported terrorism... Syria and Iraq would have uprooted ISIS."[6] Deputy Foreign Minister: Paris Attacks Have Shown That It Is A Mistake To Use Terrorists As A ToolDeputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian implicitly accused France and the West of using ISIS to achieve their ends in the Middle East, stating: "The Paris attacks have shown that it is a mistake to use terrorists as a tool."[7] Judiciary Head: We Must Prosecute American Statesmen For Supporting ISISJudiciary head Sadegh Amoli Larijani claimed that the U.S. and Europe are supporting and nurturing ISIS, and said: "We should not only castigate American statesmen, but also prosecute them for supporting terrorist groups and for creating ISIS." Asking "How can it be that the Americans cannot stand up to ISIS today... [since] they have eyes and ears in every country?" he continued, "Do they not know that Syria and Iraq's oil tankers and money pass through the hands of ISIS... who then sell them?"[8] Reformist Intellectual Zibakalam: There Is No Excuse For Not Expressing Condolences – And Failing To Do So Harms Iran's Interests Reformist intellectual Professor Sadegh Zibakalam wrote on November 15, 2015 in the reformist daily Shargh: "There is no moral or human excuse for not expressing solidarity and condolences... [Failing to do so] does not serve Iranian interests." Criticizing the conservatives for blaming France and the West for the attacks with arguments such as "serves them right," "they made their bed and now are lying in it," and "they have sown the wind and are reaping the whirlwind," he said that such talk harms Iran's interests.[9] Iranian Dailies Criticize Iranian Shows Of Solidarity With FranceKayhan's November 18 editorial criticized President Rohani for condemning the attack in France but not the one in Beirut.The Vatan-e Emrooz daily's November 16 editorial criticized the reformist press for expressing sorrow over the attacks and also the Iranian citizens who expressed solidarity





with France by gathering outside the French Embassy in Tehran. It stated that the same people who have no pity for Iranians killed in Syria defending their holy sites, and do not even mention this in their newspapers' headlines, cannot now claim that they sympathize with the French people. It concluded by saying that sooner or later, ISIS will become a catastrophe for all the countries that supported it.[10]On November 11, Vatan-e Emrooz featured on its front page a photo of a covered body in Paris outside a restaurant, with the headline: "The Near Future Has Arrived – Dinner Is Served."2015)

U.S. to ISIS: "Islamophobia is good, you fool, but be careful so as not to spill our blood when you behead!!!" (Source: Fars, Iran, November 18, 2015)

France's excuse for launching a military campaign against the Middle East: "Get out of here, you scum. Bite me but leave my leg intact so I can lead an army to the Middle East" (Source: Fars, Iran, November 14, 2015)





ISIS surprised Paris: French president to ISIS dog: "What kind of a dog is this that does not differentiate between friend and enemy?" Syria: "This is the same rabid dog that you sent us" (Source: Fars, Iran, November 14, 2015)

ISIS – a knife to the throat of France (Source: Fars, Iran, November 14, 2015)Endnotes:[1] ISNA (Iran), November 17, 2015.[2] See MEMRI TV clip #5168, Video by Iranian Leader Khamenei's Office: U.S. and Its Allies Were Behind Paris Attacks, November 17, 2015.[3] Sephanews.ir, November 14, 2015.[4] Kayhan (Iran), November 15, 2015.[5] ISNA (Iran), November 19, 2015.[6] Noorihamedani.com, November 15, 2015.[7] IRNA (Iran), November 16, 2015.[8] ILNA (Iran), November 16, 2015.[9] Sharghdaily.ir, November 15, 2015.[10] Vatanemrooz.ir, November 16, 2015.




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