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| Africa: Subsaharan |
| South Africa's concerned that it's an al-Qaeda refuge |
| 2004-10-04 |
| That South Africa was "very concerned" that the country was viewed as a refuge. On whether foreign al-Qaeda operatives were recruiting locals, Kasrils said it was quite possible that those seeking refuge would try to link with "home-based communities". On whether the government was concerned about the high number of foreign students studying at local madressa, he said: "South Africa is a country where Islam has been studied for years. There are eminent theologians living in South Africa." On whether those who were hiding in South Africa posed a potential threat, he said: "We are not complacent that it can't happen here. Terrorism can't be predicted." Kasrils did not rule out the possibility that al-Qaeda leaders "may want to strike a country's presence in South Africa which they regard as an enemy". The minister urged the media to be "very, very wary of scaremongering". Kasrils said he and other cabinet colleagues had recently met about 30 Muslim clerics and civic leaders in Pretoria. Among the issues discussed was draft legislation on terrorism, now renamed the protection of democracy bill. "We allayed their fears to quite a considerable degree. We said it was not aimed at anyone in the country, save those who wanted to overthrow constitutional order." Kasrils did not rule out the bill being amended in the National Council of Provinces, which is currently dealing with the measure. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #3 If one was looking for a relatively modern country that was off the world radar, far from the usual harbor-the-Islamic-radical place, and with a government (possibly because of its background) that while not supportive, tends to look elsewhere, then S.A. is the place. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-10-04 12:24:40 PM |
| #2 Born there, done, seen that. Basically still a predominantly Christian country, but bad combination of intolerant Muslim population - Malay, black, Indian, out-of-control crime rate, fastest-growing AIDS infections worlwide, massive government corruption at all levels, a left-leaning, human rights-oriented judiciary and no death penalty. Also the scene of the recent anti-Israel/anti-Jewish Durban hate-fest. |
| Posted by: Bryan 2004-10-04 8:17:31 AM |
| #1 Been there. Cape Muslims are extreme haters and would get personal satisfication from killing a kafir. Local Christians need to beat down that angry minority. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4336 2004-10-04 2:47:44 AM |