[Elder of Ziyon] Leaked videotape shows Tunisia's "moderate" president re-assuring Salafists

From allAfrica, in a story that got picked up by Die Welt today:

Some Tunisians are accusing Ennahda's leader of pursuing a hidden agenda with salafists.

A leaked video featuring Ennahda leader Rachid Ghannouchi strategising with young salafist leaders is causing controversy in Tunisia.

In the video, which was first broadcast last April and re-broadcast October 9th, Ghannouchi said, "The secularists are still controlling the media, economy and administration. Therefore, controlling them would require more time." He added that "the police and army's support for Islamists is not guaranteed, and controlling them would also require more time."

"I tell our young salafists to be patient... Why hurry? Take your time to consolidate what you have gained," Ghannouchi said before advising them to "create television channels, radio stations, schools and universities" to push their agenda.

The Ennahda leader said, "We've met with Hizb ut-Tahrir, and the salafists, including Sheikh Abou Iyadh and Sheikh al-Idrissi."

Abou Iyadh, also known as Seif Allah Ben Hassine, is currently wanted by Tunisian police in connection with the September 14th attack on the US embassy.

In the video, Ghannouchi said he was "not afraid" to include an article in the new constitution on Sharia law. He went on to mock secularists who accept Islam and fear Sharia. "They are like those who accepted content but rejected the name itself," he said.

He also told the salafists about achievements that were made for them after Ennahda came to office. "The government is now at the hands of Islamists, the mosques are ours now, and we've become the most important entity in the country," he said.

"The Islamists must fill the country with associations, establish Qur'anic schools everywhere, and invite religious preachers because people are still ignorant of Islam," Ghannouchi continued.

In his first reaction to the leaking of video, Ghannouchi said that his words were "taken out of context", adding that the secularism he denounced was "the radical and extreme secularism".

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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder of Ziyon at 10/29/2012 02:00:00 AM