IFM to condemn the government’s continuous attempts to portray Maldivians as extremists

Islamic Foundation of the Maldives has condemned the government’s act of portraying Ibrahim Fauzee, president of the Islamic Foundation and the renowned preachers, Sheikh Ibrahim Fareed Ahmed and Sheikh Ilyas Hussain as radicals and extremists, in the cover story of India’s weekly magazine “The Week” on the edition published on 16 January 2011.

Speaking to The Week, the top officials of the government accused the involvement of Maldivians in 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, and have also said certain ‘hate preachers’ in this country inspire people to commit such heinous crimes. IFM said that such concerns and allegations are being raised at a time when there is a tremendous rise in religious awareness and people’s attempts to return to mainstream Islam. The government officials have grabbed the opportunity to portray Maldives as a safe haven for terrorists, said IFM.   

The organisation which is headed by an ex-Guantanamo Bay detainee, said that “apart from the threat of being arrested and interrogated by authorities abroad and being kept under surveillance by foreign governments, the government’s action may create obstacles and insecurity for the Muslim religious scholars and the people of Maldives in travelling abroad.”    

The Week magazine has stated that the Maldives is giving final shape to a counter-terrorism bill with help from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Interpol. If the proposed bill has been passed, the law enforcement authorities would get a free hand to crackdown on religious activities with the pretext to preserve national security. “The law is likely to provide an ample opportunity for the authorities to arrest Muslim religious scholars and extradite them or send them abroad for investigation, and also ban preaching Islam in public or conduct sermons and lectures to a wider audience,” said the religious organisation.      

IFM called on the government to stop “such cowardly acts in order to benefit a certain group of individuals among ruling elite by accusing Muslim scholars of terrorism or preaching hate”.

“We also call the government to stop stereotyping the people of this country with the hope of getting financial benefits from the enemies of Islam. We also urge the individuals involved in such acts to get repent and return to the Path of Allah,”