Within hours of Bin Laden’s death, Hamas came out with a message of support for the dead fellow terrorist:
“We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs.”
Former Shadow Communities Minister, Paul Goodman, speculated on Twitter whether Hamas’ British Muslim Brotherhood allies would similarly regard Bin Laden as a “holy warrior”:
The New Statesman’s Mehdi Hasan was having none of that.
At about the same time Mehdi was slamming Paul Goodman for suggesting that the UK-based emanations of the Muslim Brotherhood might be Bin Laden fans, a Q&A session took place with Dr Helbawy, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood franchise, the Muslim Association of Britain:
In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful. And peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Messenger.
First of All, I ask Allah to have mercy upon Osama Bin Laden, to treat him generously, to enlighten his grave, and to make him join the prophets, the martyrs, and the good people.
Secondly, when talking about Bin Laden, we should talk about all aspects of his life:
1. As for Da`wa and helping the Afghans early in his life, and being affected by Abdullah Azzam, and working in the moderate Islamic movement.
2. We appreciate him as a rich man living in KSA who left this luxurious life and moved to a hard life in mountains and caves. He helped his Afghan brethrens and participated in Afghan jihad effectively.
3. His jihad against the Soviets and communism to liberate Afghanistan from NATO and American forces.
I think that what the Americans claim about September 11th was a trick and a bait they accused Al-Qaeda of. All evidences and indications refer that the Americans are the ones who planned this matter, not the Afghans who have weak resources. The plot of 911 story was not tight. It should be reviewed closely and all parties should be listened to.
We may agree or disagree on how he practiced Da`wa and Jihad, but he sacrificed more than other Afghan Jihadists.
Does Mehdi Hasan have a problem about appearing on a platform with a like Dr Helbawy: a Bin Laden fan, who also supports the killing of 2 year old Jewish children?
Well, we’ll find out later this month, when Mehdi Hasan will be appearing alongside Helbawy at the East London Mosque/London Muslim Centre (where else), where he’ll be talking on the subject of Islamophobia (what else).
Why not ask him if he’s planning to withdraw.
