I have been asked to provide more proof that the Sufi Muslim Council is funded by the Karimov government and the CIA. Well, to some extent you have to take my word that as British Ambassador in Uzbekistan I had my informers and sources. But let me give you some strong supporting evidence.
The Head of the Sufi Muslim Council is Sheikh Kabbani. That is not entirely acknowledged, but is pretty clear from the SMC website.
http://www.sufimuslimcouncil.org/cs.php
Kabbani is also the head of the self-styled and CIA backed Islamic Supreme Council of America, a body which devotes much of its energy to propagandising for Karimov.
http://www.islamicsupremecouncil.org/bin/site/wrappers/uzbekistan.html
Fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith, like praying five times a day, possessing a Koran at home or fasting at Ramadan, will bring you to the attention of the Uzbek security services as an “extremist”. Ironically religous worship is banned in the Mosque pictured in the website! There are some eleven thousand people in prison for Islamic religous observance outside the strictly controlled and limited state Mosques. They are subject to the most vile torture and frequently killed. Yet Kabbani has made numerous evidence submissions to bodies including the UN and OSCE, denying that there is any religious persecution in Uzbekistan.
The Karimov regime is strongly pro-Israel. The Israelis run Karimov’s personal security. Interestingly, Sheikh Kabbani belongs to a tiny Lebanese Muslim faction aligned to Israel and the Christian Falangists, and has been the envoy for Karimov’s dealings with Israel. This article in the Jewish Daily Forward is interesting.
http://www.forward.com/articles/3544/
Now this Karimov organisation is pro-actively promoted by New Labour, and pimped by Sky News, as the way forward for British Muslims.
I believe it. I know several people who claim the CIA tried to co-opt or manipulate them in various ways. This from upstanding members of the communities in which they live and highly trained professionals. The buggers are everywhere. No doubt in Scotland as well.
*Even if* what you were saying was untrue or an exaggeration (and I’m not for a minute saying it is), it’s diplomatic stupidity to fund the organisations of which you approve to the detriment of those you don’t. Remember the women’s peace movement in Ulster? An entirely honourable organisation that fell into complete disrepute with republicans as soon as they accepted funding from the UK government.
Just as with funding Madrassas in Pakistan, to offer up a fundamental politically religous motivated force with chances of support by the Afghans, against the soviets, there will come a time when it will backfire and the organisation, or at least its fundamental vestiges, will turn against those who favour some in their organisation, but not others.
Thanks for this, Craig.
Craig
Did you know the Guardian website includes adverts for holidays in Uzbekistan? Just saw one by accident when I was looking for something else.
Reminds me of that great Dead Kennedys song from c.1979, “Holiday in Cambodia” Their other top tune was “Too drunk to F***”
Thought I’d add a little tribute to Kabbani on the Muslim Studies section of my website, linked to this story:
http://www.bayyinat.org.uk/islam.htm
BTW, when the SMC website first leapt into the public domain, I emailed them to ask about funding. They denied receiving any government lolly. If anyone knows different, ps do tell.
If you go to this MPACUK thread, the relevant links tell you that in the financial year 2007-2008 the SMC received a total of 82,500 Pounds. No reference anywhere (yet) about funding for 2008-2009.
http://forum.mpacuk.org/showthread.php?t=41575goto=newpost
I know Kabbani well and have my differences with him, but the charges in this blog-smear are ridiculous.
How do you substantiate the claim of CIA involvement in this? This is the kind of unfounded gossip Brits love to indulge in, and such allegations should be made only where there is verifiable evidence, not on the basis of what an ambo heard behind the curtains somewhere.
As for this: “Interestingly, Sheikh Kabbani belongs to a tiny Lebanese Muslim faction aligned to Israel and the Christian Falangists, and has been the envoy for Karimov’s dealings with Israel.” It would be more interesting to know what the name of this alleged Lebanese faction is, since nobody seems to know of one that fits the description.
And the ambassador betrays his absolute ignorance of Uzbek society when he makes the ridiculous claim that the Uzbeks need Kabbani to arrange their relations with Israel. The influential Bukharian Jewish community, with a large representation in Israel and the U.S., is quite sufficient to administer relations between Uzbekistan and Israel.
I was the coauthor of the May 30, 2005 WEEKLY STANDARD editorial denouncing Karimov’s atrocity in Andijan, quoted in the (no longer daily) JEWISH FORWARD.
And finally, while I oppose Karimov, does this posted nonsense really suggest that the Uzbek government goes from house to house searching for possession of Qur’an? Qur’an is for sale in any bazaar in Uzbekistan. And Muslims can pray in their homes. Has Karimov got some incredible technology that can be used to monitor in-home prayer?
It looks to me that if anyone is pimping, it is Craig Murray. But for who?
Much more interesting than any of this should be to find out why the University of Dundee permits its rector to operate a blog containing unsubstantiated libels.
Suleyman Schwartz (AKA Stephen Schwartz AKA Comrade Sandalio) is a strange character, a trotskyist turned neo-con, and a notorious apologist for the Uzbek regime.
http://www.artsjournal.com/herman/2005/03/the_evil_eye.html
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=E3E379FF-E907-42CD-B8C2-4D52BB4823A6
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=A8AB9C4A-0014-4928-A258-9E98C4982930
http://www.originaldissent.com/forums/showthread.php?p=55665
http://antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=5226
‘Suleyman’ Schwartz –
Anybody who starts a mysterious out-of-nowhere ‘Islamic Supreme Council of America’ and then declares that anybody not following their council in the US, which is 80% of Muslims in America, is a ‘terrorist’ is obviously following the US agenda.
Now let’s sit back and watch your armchair intellectualism continue or get a knock on my door and be disappeared. You are clearly a manipulated muppet, yourself.
Hi my name is john and I used to live in Uzbekistan i agree with you becouse the innocent killings in andijan I believe over 7000 people died in andijan over the president Islom Karimov only for protesting him to go karimov was president since 1989 I believe he is jewish just protending to be muslim becouse no other muslim country have an Israilly embassy.
He tortures people who pray and people go to prison for praying five times a day I mean come on this is a muslim country they should pray.
We dont know if the next President will be Jewish I want him to go and so as others we have to do something about this situation people of Uzbekistan dont have freedom.
I have seen the futage of uzbekhelp on utube that andijan has a Israili embassy i believe he is a jew!