WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein — The international community should be more critical of the new Saudi-led anti-terror coalition, which includes nations who incite sectarian and religious violence, Organization for Democracy and Freedom in Syria director Ribal Al-Assad told Sputnik.
"It [the alliance] is completely ridiculous and a complete oxymoron because it is coming from a state where its Grand Mufti has called on Muslims, a couple of year ago, to burn down churches… and also welcomes [Muslim Brotherhood ideological leader Yusuf] Qaradawi’s call to carry arms and kill the infidel Shia and Alawites," Assad said on Tuesday.
Assad added that "the international community should condemn this and not just go ahead with it and say this great."
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia announced the creation of a 34-nation Muslim coalition to counter extremism and terrorism. Included in the effort are largely Sunni nations, and countries with human rights records that include marginalizing and committing violence against minorities.
"We need to go after all groups who share the same perverted ideology, whatever their nomination is, whatever their brand is, all the countries who are supporting them, and all those who incite sectarian [and religious] hatred, violence and killing," Assad said.
Assad, who is based in London and is the cousin of Syrian President Bashar Assad, warned that a number of the new coalition members including Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been supporting Islamic extremist groups "who all share the same perverted ideology of Salafi Wahabism" as does the Islamic State, also known as Daesh.
Saudi Arabia is a leading exporter of the Wahhabi ideology, which a number of nations, including the European Union, have identified as a key element in supporting Islamic terrorism.
Leading international human rights organizations have routinely criticized Saudi Arabia for severe human rights violations, inhumane executions and targeting religious minorities, women, and others for systemic discrimination.
