Head of Egypt’s Al-Azhar condemns IS ‘barbarity’

The head of Al-Azhar, one of the most prestigious centres
of Sunni Islam learning, on Wednesday condemned
“barbaric crimes” committed by the Islamic State group in
Iraq and Syria.
Militants are acting “under the guise of this holy religion
and have given themselves the name ‘Islamic State’ in an
attempt to export their false Islam,” Sheikh Ahmed al-
Tayeb told the opening session of a two-day international
conference in Cairo on fighting extremism.
“I wonder and ask why this blind division exists that has
tainted Arab blood,” Sheikh Tayeb said, adding that
religious, political and economic factors were behind the
emergence of groups such as IS.
But “some feel that our suffering is also a plot by Israel
so it remains the most powerful country in the region, and
that possibility can not be excluded”, he said.
Sheikh Tayeb called on the US-led coalition that is
fighting IS “to confront those countries who support
terrorism financially and militarily”.
“But we should not ignore our own responsibility for the
emergence of extremism that has led to the formation of
organisations such as Al-Qaeda and other armed groups.”
The United States launched its first air strikes against IS
in Iraq in August, and in late September extended the
campaign to IS targets in Syria, joined by aircraft from
several Arab allies.
On Wednesday, the Pentagon said that Iranian
warplanes had also carried out air strikes against IS in
Iraq, although the foreign ministry in Tehran refused to
confirm or deny the information.
The Cairo conference, organised by Al-Azhar, has
delegates from several countries including Saudi Arabia,
Iran and Morocco taking part.