Considering this announcement was made today in Canada, I have doubts this will get any significant coverage in the US MSM. It just might make a few rightwingnut heads explode.
"Obey your country's laws, Iraqi cleric urges Muslims"
In a Montreal news conference held earlier today Sayyed Sayed Nabil Abbas, the North American representative of Iraq's most senior Shia cleric, the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, issued a call to action urging Muslims to obey a religious edict that condemns violence and sanctions peace.
There's more as we take the flip.
CTV reports
"Muslims have undertaken to obey the laws of a country of their residence, and thus they must be faithful to that undertaking," according to the fatwa issued by Iraq's most senior Shia cleric, the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
The Lebanese Islamic Centre's Linda Clark told reporters at a press conference in Montreal that the edict means it is a sin for Muslims in Canada to act against the fatwa, which is a legal opinion or ruling issued by an Islamic scholar.
They are urged to "protect the country they are living in and they must not let it be exposed to harm in any way for they are guests of that country," said Clark, reading a quote from a Muslim scholar translated into English.
"And as soon as they enter it they are pledged to live there in the same manner as the rest of the population without causing any harm to public security and safety."
(...)
"We condemn all forms of violence and ask the Canadian to investigate any act or gesture that might have harmful repercussions on our common security," Abbas said in French.
The Muslim leaders called the press conference in Montreal on the heels of the stunning arrests of suspects on terrorism-related charges that have fuelled discussion on the implications of homegrown extremists."
While I think that could be one of the most forceful and positive statments from a major Muslim cleric condemning the use of violence, it sadly may all mean nothing.
Unfortunately fatwas are only legal opinions and not binding. And there already appears to be some resistance to the concept from major Canadian Muslim leaders.
CBC reports
Tarek Fatah, founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress, said it's encouraging that clerics would promote obedience to the rule of law, but disappointing that the message needs to come through a fatwa.
"It's so medieval to be thinking ... religious dictates should govern how we live our lives," said Fatah.
He said he doesn't doubt the group's sincerity, but that Canadian Muslims shouldn't be governed from overseas.
And as Mr. Fatah also points out, al-Sistani has issued earlier fatwas saying gays and lesbians should be killed. Although that was (somewhat) rescinded. I think he might still have Irshad Manji in his sights.
Anyway, will this get any coverage south of the 49th. And if it does, will this be spun as another example of why 'Canada is soft on terrorism' or some such nonsense?