Nigeria: Muslims attend pro-bin Laden rally

Dateline Health Nigeria No. 54, Tuesday October 9 2001

(Moderator's note: The note below is cross-posted from a nigerian
discussion forum in order that Dateline Health Nigeria list members
can further understand the (unhealthy) root of violence in Nigeria
some more.)

"Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 09:54:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: otasco otanda
To: [email protected]
Subject: Over 3,000 Muslims attend pro-bin Laden rally in Kano

Monday, October 8 2:15 AM SGT
Over 3,000 Muslims attend pro-bin Laden rally in
Nigerian city

KANO, Nigeria, Oct 7 (AFP) -

More than 3,000 Muslims on Sunday attended a rally in
northern Nigeria's mainly Islamic city of Kano during
which organisers expressed support for Osama bin
Laden.

The peaceful rally, staged at Aliyu bin Abi-Talib
mosque, was organised by the Kano State Council of
Ulama or Islamic scholars and addressed by the group's
president, Ibrahim Umar Kabo, reported an AFP reporter
at the scene.

The rally took place before US-led attacks began on
Afghanistan late Sunday in response to the September
11 assault on New York and Washington.

"America's definition of terrorism differs from that
of the rest of the world. America is the biggest
terrorist nation, given its record of unprovoked
attacks on countries like Libya, Iraq and Sudan," Kabo
told the gathering.

"We condemn recent statement by authorities in Nigeria
to help America in its search for imaginary associates
of bin Laden," he added.

He said that in his moment of tribulation, Muslims in
Nigeria will not be cowed to disowning bin Laden, whom
he described as a fellow Muslim.

Bin Laden is Washington's chief suspect in the
September 11 attacks.

Kabo said that the group "will not be deceived by
America's repeated assurance that it is not fighting
Islam but waging a war against terrorism in the
world."

He condemned the US government's offer to provide food
and medical relief to displaced Afghan people, saying
that "an enemy cannot offer you food and medical
facilities all for nothing."

The Islamic leader also said that Muslims in the state
are prepared to give the governor of northwest Zamfara
State protection in the event of a possible attack by
those he called "anti-Sharia elements."

He said that last week's clashes in Gusau, the Zamfara
State capital, in which four people died, had more
religious undertone.

He said that the intention of those who instigated the
unrest was to sabotage the implementation of the
strict Islamic code, also called the Sharia, in that
state.

Four persons died while 30 others were injured when
supporters of two rival political parties clashed
Wednesday and Thursday.

Zamfara governor, Ahmed Sani, vowed Friday to lead a
new wave of violence if the federal government failed
to punish suspected instigators of the violence.

"If the federal government fails to take any decisive
on them within three weeks, I will lead another round
of violence because as a Muslim and governor of a
Sharia-operating state, I cannot condone sacrilege on
my religion," Sani said.

"I am ready to die for this issue," he said.

In January 2000, Zamfara became the first Nigerian
state to implement Sharia, which bans stealing,
alcohol, prostitution, gambling, adultery and public
dancing.

Around a dozen states in northern Nigeria have since
introduced either full or partial Islamic law in the
past two years despite opposition by Christians and
the Nigerian government.

Meanwhile, a high delegation of Nigeria's highest
Islamic body has visited Zamfara in an attempt to
reconcile the rival parties, state-run Rima radio said
in a report, monitored here."

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