NYPost

CLERIC TRUMPS OSAMA WITH A REVERSE FATWA

By URI DAN

October 14, 2001 -- JERUSALEM - An anti-bin Laden fatwa, or religious decree, announced by a top Muslim cleric on Palestinian radio yesterday may be an early sign of success for a secret U.S. campaign to recruit religious leaders in the fight against terrorism.

The diplomatic effort, aimed at getting respected holy men to denounce suicide bombings, is under way in nations throughout the Islamic world alongside the military strikes in Afghanistan, Israeli defense sources told The Post.

Yesterday, in what those sources call a positive sign, prominent Muslim clergyman Yusuf Kardawi issued a fatwa on Palestinian radio, saying that terror boss Osama bin Laden has no authority to issue his own fatwas, which are Islamic religious decrees.

Bin Laden has been issuing fatwas decreeing jihad, or holy war, against America. He has also been telling his followers it is permissible to carry out a suicide attack, a belief that many moderate Islamic leaders say is contrary to the letter and spirit of the Koran.

Furthermore, Kardawi gave the green light to Muslim soldiers serving in the U.S. military to join the battle against the Taliban and bin Laden's al Qaeda terror thugs, saying that such a war was permissible under Islam.

This announcement of support is remarkable because, in 1996, Kardawi issued an influential istishad, or special religious decree, saying suicide bombing is permitted in the name of Allah and holy war. Suicide attacks had been going on since at least the early 1980s, but the 1996 istishad is believed to have influenced many to think death in the name of religious war was acceptable.

Kardawi, who gave his radio talk from Saudi Arabia, where he lives, did not go so far as to denounce suicide attacks like the ones of Sept. 11. But Israeli sources still saw the talk as a strong sign that U.S. diplomatic efforts are beginning to bear fruit.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001