MOBILE DEVICES
Free Headline Alerts     
Worldwide Web WorldTribune.com

  breaking... 


Tuesday, February 9, 2010     FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Morocco will train clerics to detect, counter
Al Qaida's influence

ABU DHABI — Morocco has been contracted to train clerics from Bahrain to counter Al Qaida influence in the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom.   

Officials said Morocco would host the training of dozens of preachers and other clerics from Bahrain in 2010. They said the course would help the clerics detect and combat Al Qaida influence in Bahraini mosques.

"They will also be trained on adapting their speeches to the latest developments and changes that impact the region to ensure that they are not out of tune with the world," Bahraini Justice Undersecretary Farid Al Meftah said.


Also In This Edition

Al Meftah, also responsible for Islamic affairs, said the training marked a cooperation agreement between Manama and Rabat. In a Feb. 7 statement, the undersecretary said the training in Morocco would begin soon.

Officials said the two countries have organized workshops that would teach the clerics to present what they termed moderate sermons. They said Bahrain would also send women to Morocco for the course.

Bahrain, which contains the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, has sought to prevent Al Qaida from recruiting youngsters in mosques. Over the last 18 months, the GCC state has blocked at least two Al Qaida-aligned plots.

The Bahrainis sent to Morocco would consist of both Sunnis and Shi'ites. Until now, most Shi'ite theological students traveled to Iraq or Iran to become certified clerics.

Officials said Morocco has also been training Sunni clerics from European Union states to preach a benign doctrine of Islam. They said several countries with large Moroccan expatriate communities, including Belgium, France and Spain, were participating in the program.



About Us     l    Contact Us     l    Geostrategy-Direct.com     l    East-Asia-Intel.com
Copyright © 2010    East West Services, Inc.    All rights reserved.