Cablegate: Turabi Calls for Jihad to Create an Islamic

R 091204Z JUN 94
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8063
INFO AMEMBASSY CAIRO
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY BANGUI
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY ASMARA
AMEMBASSY RIYADH
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMCONSUL JEDDAH
DIA WASHDC
USIA WASHDC 1487
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 02953

LONDON FOR MCKINLEY, PARIS FOR PERLOW, ROME PASS
VATICAN

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL SU
SUBJECT: TURABI CALLS FOR JIHAD TO CREATE AN ISLAMIC
SUDAN

1. ACCORDING TO THE JUNE 9 SUDANESE PRESS, NATIONAL
ISLAMIC FRONT LEADER AND DE FACTO RULER OF SUDAN,
HASAN AL TURABI TOLD STUDENTS ATTENDING A CONFERENCE
OF SUDAN'S STUDENT UNIONS, THAT THE UNITY OF SUDAN
AND THE CREATION OF AN ISLAMIC STATE COULD NOT BE
ACHIEVED EXCEPT THROUGH A JIHAD. ACCORDING TO
TURABI, THE MAIN DANGER FACING ISLAM IS THE WESTERN
COALITION WHICH OPPOSES IT. HE ASSERTED, HOWEVER,
THAT THE WEAPON OF JIHAD TERRIFIES THE WEST BECAUSE
OF THE WEAKNESS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. THE
CHALLENGES TO ISLAM MUST BE CONFRONTED STRONGLY HE
ADDED. THIS MESSAGE APPLIED NOT JUST TO SUDAN BUT TO
ALL MUSLIMS WHEREVER THEY RESIDE.

2. COMMENT: THIS IS VINTAGE TURABI AND HELPS TO
EXPLAIN THE THE DEEP SKEPTICISM WITH WHICH SOUTHERN
SUDANESE APPROACH PEACE TALKS WITH THIS GOVERNMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME THE GOS IS OFFERING SOUTHERNERS
FEDERALISM AND PERHAPS EVEN AUTONOMY, THE REAL POWER
BEHIND SUDAN'S PRESIDENTIAL THRONE IS CALLING UPON
MUSLIM YOUTH TO LAUNCH A JIHAD TO INSURE A UNITED AND
AN ISLAMIC SUDAN.

PETTERSON

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