Talabani’s Message to the Islamic Extremists
 
Kurdistan Newsline

Sulaimani Sept.22—In a town hall meeting with the citizens of Tawaguzi area, the General
Secretary of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Jalal Talabani discussed at length the emerging
threat of the extremist renegade group of Jund Al Islam and their terrorist tactics. He
described the group, which is in reality a surrogate group for the master terrorist Usama bin
Laden, as “ Soldiers of Anti-Islam” and  “ Soldiers of Al Khawarij (Aliens)”. Mr. Talabani
stressed that the Kurdistan Regional Government and PUK will not allow these misled
elements, who are abusing and perverting Islam, to commit human rights crimes against
ordinary citizens, such as depriving them of civic freedoms and preventing by force
communities from exercising religious rites, particularly those related to the ancient
Naqshabandi Tarika in Biara and Tawela.
 
Mr. Talabani said that PUK’s preference is always to avoid conflict with any side and rely
on dialogue to conduct public discourse. He added, perhaps the mainstream Islamic groups
will be able to persuade them to desist from their unlawful practices. But in case that does
not transpire, the KRG and PUK have the duty to bring these wayward elements to justice in
order to protect the region from their harmful acts. He emphasized that these armed fanatical
groups are alien to Kurdistan: they consist of Afghani Arabs who have infiltrated the region
from Afghanistan. PUK, he said, condemns rifts and will always follow a policy of rule of
law and stability for the citizens.
 
In a message to the leaders of the Kurdistan Islamic Group, Mulla Ali Bapeer and Sheik
Mohammad Barzinji, Mr. Talabani appealed for their efforts to safeguard the security of the
region and their participation in combating the ugly face of the Islamic extremists.
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