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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000429 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2024 
TAGS: PGOV PRL PHUM PTER SOCI PINR IZ
SUBJECT: RRT ERBIL: THE SILENT IMAMS, DEALING WITH EXTEMIST 
MESSAGES IN THE KURDISTAN REGION - RESEND 
 
BAGHDAD 00000429  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Regional Coordinator Lucy Tamlyn for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
 (d). 
 
This is an Erbil Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) cable. 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  A number of Muslim leaders in the Kurdistan 
region took to the pulpit in December/January to denounce 
Israeli actions in the Gaza strip and call for the 
destruction of the Israeli state and death to Jews.  In 
response, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) banned 
these Imams from preaching (while continuing to pay their 
salaries.)  Kurds generally accept the government,s right to 
curb extremist rhetoric.  Nonetheless, government 
interference in religious messages can sometimes cause 
resentment.  KRG leadership has asked for U.S. support in 
promoting a tolerant, peaceful Islam, particularly through 
exchanges (U.S. Muslim visitors to the Kurdistan Region and 
vice-versa).  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) For a four-week period after the Israeli actions 
against Gaza commenced, certain religious leaders in the 
Kurdistan Region used their Friday sermons to exhort their 
congregations to acts of violence against Jews, Israel and 
the supporters of Israel.  Some examples:  On December 5 an 
Imam prayed for the Palestinian people and asked God to rain 
his anger at the Jewish people and destroy them.  On December 
5, at another mosque, the congregation was prompted to pray 
that God would destroy Israel and kill all the Jewish people. 
 On January 16 an Imam told his followers &we should pray 
that God will destroy all the Jewish people.8  During his 
prayer, he asked God to kill the Jews one by one until none 
of them was left alive.  He also prayed that God would &kill 
those who support the country of Israel8 as well. 
 
¶3. (C) RRT Team Leader (TL) discussed the mosque messages 
with Minister of the Interior Karim Sinjari on January 21, 
Prime Minister Barzani on January 25 and the Minister of the 
Endowment (Religious Affairs) Mohammad Ahmad Saeed Shakaly on 
January 28.  All three were aware of the issue, concerned by 
it and readily listed the action that the Government was 
taking to stop the messages.  Interior Minister Sinjari 
stated that he had employees at every mosque listening to the 
sermon and making a report.  He also noted that ) while he 
had permitted a meeting to denounce the situation in Gaza 
organized by the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG), he had not 
allowed that meeting to turn into a public demonstration. 
 
¶4. (C) The Minister of the Endowment informed RRT TL that 15 
Imams had been banned from preaching.  According to him, 90% 
of these were affiliated with the KIG or Kurdistan Islamic 
Union (KIU).  They would continue to draw their government 
salary but would not be allowed to return to preaching until 
further notice.  (The Minister also noted that he personally 
attended a different service every week, and if he was 
pleased with the sermon, would send a &gift8 to the Imam.) 
The Minister of the Endowment commented to RRT TL that his 
actions had drawn death threats from Mullah Krekar, the 
founder of Kurdistan,s Ansar Al Islam and currently a 
political refugee in Norway. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The government also took the step of ensuring that 
these bans were made public.  On January 20, Awene newspaper 
reported that a preacher in Erbil mosque had been removed 
because he &exaggerated concerning the Israeli attacks on 
Gaza and praised the Hamas leader.8  According to the same 
article, another Imam was removed from his job because he 
Qarticle, another Imam was removed from his job because he 
called for a collection to be made for Gaza during the 
sermon.  He was also accused of &terrifying the people of 
Kurdistan in the name of Islam8 and &encouraging people to 
stand against the national interest.8  The article pointed 
out that all of the preachers were receiving a salary from 
the government; as employees of the Ministry of the Endowment 
they are obliged to comply with the law.  The KRG also 
disseminated through government media an article written by 
the Minister of the Endowment on the importance of separating 
religious affairs from political affairs. 
 
Promoting Tolerance 
------------------ 
 
¶6.  (C) Prime Minister Barzani informed RRT Team Leader that 
a conference would be organized on February 15 to bring 
together all of the clerics in order to help them understand 
that religion and politics do not mix.  (Note:  The RRT has 
been invited to this conference and will attend the opening 
ceremony.  End note).  During the meeting with the Minister 
of the Endowment he asked for RRT support in promoting 
exchanges with Muslim Americans visiting the Kurdistan Region 
(and vice-versa, particularly with those Imams who were, 
according to him, getting their &talking points8 from 
 
BAGHDAD 00000429  002 OF 002 
 
 
extremist sources outside of the country) in order to 
encourage mutual understanding and promote a more tolerant 
and peaceful Islam. 
 
&Our Israeli Brothers and Sisters8 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) The Gaza crisis also brought to the fore what must be 
a unique sub-current of solidarity with Israel which exists 
in the Kurdistan Region, not only as a result of ethnic ties 
with Kurds in Israel, but also because of the shared 
experience as victims of genocide.  In an opinion piece 
published in the independent newspaper Roznama, writer 
Pishitwan Gulpi apologized to his Kurdish Israeli &brothers 
and sisters8 for the actions of KIG leader Ali Bapir (who 
had organized the meeting in support of Hamas).  Pishitwan 
accused Ali Bapir of encouraging actions against Israel 
&which might kill even more innocent people(including some 
who might be Kurds.8  In his own press release, Ali Bapir 
claimed that he held the meeting in support of Hamas in part 
to put to rest rumors that Kurdistan supported Israel. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶8. (C) Most Kurds accept the right of Kurdish leadership to 
curb extremist messages and to clamp down on religious 
leaders whose words and actions are seen to threaten the 
Region,s security.  Nonetheless, congregations can resent 
the government,s control over religious messages.  For 
example, when a popular preacher in Suleymaniya (who had 
criticized the new Personal Status Law) was replaced with 
another Imam (whose Friday message was &pray for rain8), 
many disgruntled worshippers pointedly walked out of the 
mosque.  Given the strong pro-American sentiment in the 
Region, visits would be well received and reinforce 
government efforts to maintain the Kurdistan Region,s 
tradition of moderate and tolerant Islam.  End comment. 
BUTENIS