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By : Turki Aldakhil

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:: What a horrific scene it was. The smiling child at Alexandria’s church could not survive as a terrorist sneaked among the crowds, evaded all security checkpoints and blew himself up. Dozens of innocent people fell victims to the attack.

Such terrorist attacks certainly happen elsewhere too, no matter how fortified countries are or how tight the security is. Terrorist attacks are these days expected anywhere in the world because it is indeed targeted at every one. It has struck the most secure capitals as well as the least prepared ones.

However, the issue is not just related to security, which security experts understand well. The point is related to condemnation following the painful attack.

Implied statements

Some extremists have not differentiated between their rivalry with the Egyptian regime and innocent Egyptians – that is if they truly view themselves as “peaceful” opposition. Their statements implied the attack satisfied their thirst for revenge as they thought it punished the regime and people.

Biggest proof to this was the statement of Muslim Brotherhood spiritual guide Yusuf al-Qaradawi who said in cold-blood: “Explosions in Egypt only happen during the eras of tyranny. Throughout, its entire history, Egypt only witnessed explosions that target a group of citizens during the eras of tyranny which do not provide security or freedom or a dignified life.”

The Muslim Brotherhood’s statement was not any different from Qaradawi’s tweets. It was an extension of Qaradawi’s political statements.

The way Brotherhood condemned the terror attack did not come as a surprise to those who are familiar with the group. It did the same following September 11 attacks and following Casablanca, Riyadh and Khobar explosions

Turki Aldakhil

Abu Assem signed the statement, which said: “The explosions today at the Mar Girgis Church in Tanta and at the Saint Mark’s Church in Alexandria, which killed and injured dozens, confirm that fascist regimes have one approach to force their survival. They create a fake enemy called terrorism to cover their failure and incapability and gain the sympathy of naïve people. The explosion at Saints’ Church during the era of Hosni Mubarak was not a long time ago”.

“The military coup militias are manipulating the lives of innocent people and not taking their lives seriously and are employing them to serve their malicious plans which aim to tear the national fabric. The rushed statements which the coup authorities issue to calm down the public opinion, and in which they make random accusations that are not based on evidence and later turn out to be all lies, and the random criminal campaigns against the opposition will never contribute to revealing facts or stopping crimes or achieving security.”

Ideological debate

The condemnation was less than one sentence and the rest of the statement goes on to discuss politics and engage in ideological debates. They exploited the moment and saw it as a chance to be present. This is their wish. The problem here is in fact humanitarian. The victims of this tragedy are Egyptians.

If those who are hesitant to condemn the attack or who make incomplete condemnation statements consider themselves part of the society, then what’s with this horrible lack of care toward ISIS crimes?

Political statements must not be issued when crises strike nations, unless it is the Brotherhood, which is blacklisted as a terrorist organization in several countries. It wants to improve its political and social presence in Egypt by way of violence. This exposes the group’s moral flaw.

Religious, national and moral duties make it imperative for the Muslim Brotherhood to just settle with condemning the terror attack and not exploit these moments of grief to make political statements. Otherwise the condemnation which they only mentioned in one sentence throughout an entire statement is more like a justification. It is a group that goes like: “We condemn the explosion, but.”

The way Brotherhood condemned the terror attack did not come as a surprise to those who are familiar with the group. It did the same following September 11 attacks and following Casablanca, Riyadh and Khobar explosions. It even sweet-talked the Houthi aggressors who launch missiles against civilians in Kaaba on the House of Allah.

Exploiting aftermath of violence as opportunity for political point scoring is immoral because the victim here is not the regime, which you oppose, but your bother in the country who has been devoured by terrorism. He is the same brother you used to threaten others with in Rabaa few years ago.

Are we surprised? Actually, no. This is the group that says “we condemn, but …”

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Turki Aldakhil is the General Manager of Al Arabiya News Channel. He began his career as a print journalist, covering politics and culture for the Saudi newspapers Okaz, Al-Riyadh and Al-Watan. He then moved to pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat and pan-Arab news magazine Al-Majalla. Turki later became a radio correspondent for the French-owned pan-Arab Radio Monte Carlo and MBC FM. He proceeded to Elaph, an online news magazine and Alarabiya.net, the news channel’s online platform. Over a ten-year period, Dakhil’s weekly Al Arabiya talk show “Edaat” (Spotlights) provided an opportunity for proponents of Arab and Islamic social reform to make their case to a mass audience. Turki also owns Al Mesbar Studies and Research Centre and Madarek Publishing House in Dubai. He has received several awards and honors, including the America Abroad Media annual award for his role in supporting civil society, human rights and advancing women’s roles in Gulf societies. He tweets @TurkiAldakhil.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in the Column section are their own and do not reflect RiyadhVision’s point-of-view.

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