A brief article in the conservative Toronto-based National Post reveals a Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report concerning Islamic extremists and their view of Freemasonry.
From "Islamist extremists view Freemasons as the enemy: report" by Stewart Bell:
As if it wasn’t enough that they want to blow up all the “Crusaders” and “Zionists,” now al-Qaeda has apparently chosen a new target: Freemasons.
A “secret” Canadian intelligence study newly-released to the National Post describes how Islamist conspiracy theorists have seen the enemy and it is Freemasonry.
“Islamist extremists and the Freemasons” is the actual title of a Canadian Security Intelligence Service intelligence assessment distributed in December 2009.
It says extremist ideologues have taken Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and the Nicholas Cage film National Treasure as evidence of a conspiracy against Islam.
They have been telling youths that Freemasons are: anti-Muslim; have close ties to Israel; and have been conducting secret paramilitary operations in Europe.
H/T to Mike Bayrak.
UPDATE:
The National Post put up the text of the CSIS report a little later in the day. See it here.
The National Post has a copy of the report here: http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/31/islamist-extremists-view-freemasons-as-the-enemy-report/
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jon. I see they posted the report after the original article appeared.
ReplyDeleteA partial list posted by Leon Zeldis of Islamic-majority nations that have officially banned or restricted Freemasonry:
ReplyDeleteAfghanistan – no lodges allowed
Algeria – Freemasonry banned in 1965
Bangladesh – no lodges allowed
Bahrain – lodges closed and FM banned in the 1970's (*)
Egypt – which had a flourishing Freemasonry, with over 600 lodges, all closed in 1956.
Indonesia- FM banned in 1965
Iraq – FM banned after independence (end of WW2) (*)
Iran – also had strong Freemasonry until the theocratic revolution of 1978. Many Masons murdered. No lodges allowed.
Jordan – used to have some lodges (the late King Hussein was a Mason) , now none remain open.
Kuwait – lodges banned in 1992 (*)
Libya – no lodges
Mauritania – no lodges
Pakistan – lodges closed in 1980
Saudi Arabia – no lodges (*)
Somalia – no lodges
Sudan – lodges closed in 1956
Syria – all lodges closed after WW2
Tunisia – perhaps there is one Italian lodge
United Arab Emirates – no lodges (*)
Yemen – no lodges
(*) Occasional reports of lodges established for foreign personnel, but closed to local population
Oddly enough, the Nation of Islam had as a part of its early roots influences from the Prince Hall version of the Shriners (Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine)
ReplyDeleteNoble Drew Ali (née Timothy Drew) was a Freemason and member of the Shrine, and founded the Moorish Science Temple of America in 1913, borrowing Shriner symbolism, along with elements of various religions, Rosicrucianism, and other alternative spiritualist movements and texts. He claimed it was a longstanding sect of Islam, and that he had been anointed as a Prophet of Islam. The Moorish Science Temple seemed to combine fraternalism of Freemasonry and the Shrine, with the religious aspects of Islam and other sources. Before and after his death, schisms resulted. Wallace D. Fard (a traveling silk merchant, possibly born in Lebanon) went on to influence what became the Nation of Islam partially based on the Moorish Science Temple, along with his own take on Islamic teachings. NOI's first major leader, Elijah Muhammad (née Elija Pool), was at one time a Mason and Shriner, and a member of the Moorish Science Temple, as well. He would later go on to dispel the links between Freemasonry and the Shrine and the Nation of Islam.
Certainly very interesting. Yet I think there is a potentially different underlying meaning here. Namely, that this "blame the Freemasons" notion is just the radicals' attempt, strangely, at a bit of diplomacy. In other words, as always what they mean from start to finish is---It's the Jews' fault. But they know that doesn't play well everywhere, so they are looking for a group to use as representative of their basic obsession. The fact that the Catholic Church has long blamed Masons for sundry problems, and continues to do so (recent statements by Colombian Cardinal) will have given them an idea. That is, if the Catholics can do it, we can do it too. Sadly, they seem to be learning their diplomatic skills from the Catholic Church.
ReplyDeleteThe irony is that we Freemasons honor all the Holy
Books. Since honoring Holy Books and not harming them is of quintessential importance for the peace of the world these days it appears, Freemasons should be seen as the quintessential peacemakers.
Ever seen the seal of the Grand Lodge of Israel? It contains a Star of David, a Christian Cross, and an Islamic Crescent.
ReplyDeleteGentlemen,
ReplyDeleteI don't suppose the street date of the NP issue would ring a bell. Here's a link to the article. Have a look and revisit.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Qaeda+adds+Freemasons+list+anti+Islamic+elements/4539757/story.html
A 'report' in poor taste that sucked some people in.
Charles, no I don't think this was an April Fool's joke. As Leon Zeldis' list of Islamic countries that ban Freemasonry illustrates, there's no shortage of anti-Masonic sentiment in that part of the world. And the National Post article was accompanied by a copy of the report from NCIS.
ReplyDeleteOn top of that, if someone was attempting to make an April Fool's joke, I would hope they'd try for something that was actually comical.
The date's a red flag in my book and that Googling "Al-qaeda" and freemasonry leads either to conspiracy internet sites or the National Post story. If this story had a scintilla of truth to it instead of being an in-poor-taste-National-Post-attempt-at-humour, it would've been re-printed verbatim ad nauseum across the whole of the Postmedia newspaper chain.
ReplyDeleteAs for humour value, the National Post has been on the financial ropes for a long time. I suspect allows humour is as much as can be expected from that quarter at this point.
Sorry. That should read "gallows humour"
ReplyDelete