Abu Qatada: Muslim Cleric Denounces ISIS Killing Two American Journalists
Radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada has condemned the Islamic State (ISIS) killings of the two American journalists. Qatada told reporters that he reporters are massagers of the truth and that killing them contradicted Islamic teaching.
"Journalists shouldn't be killed -- it's not permitted because they are messengers of the truth, unless they are working for foreign intelligence."
"The Prophet Muhammad said that the messengers should not be killed."
He made the statements from the dock of a court in Amman, Jordan during a hearing for his trail involving his involvement in a foiled plot to kill Israelis and Westerners in 2000. Judges are currently reviewing the details of the case before they reach their verdict.
He also criticized ISIS as a killing and demolition machine and its fighters are like dogs of hellfire.
The Arab News reports that this isn't the first time he has condemned the work of ISIS. In July he and another Jordanian jihadist ideologist denounced the terrorist organization after it declared an Islamic caliphate in the territory it controls in Iraq and Syria.
"The announcement of a caliphate by the Islamic State (IS) is void and meaningless because it was not approved by jihadists in other parts of the world," Abu Qatada wrote in a document that he posted online.
The BBC reports that Qatada has denied the allegations against him concerning books written by Qatada encouragement to the plotters of the attacks. He also denies supplying funding to the group. In June, Qatada was cleared of having a role in the 1998 bombing campaign in Jordan.
Qatada was deported from Britain to Jordan in July of 2013 after a 10-year legal battle and is now facing two separate trails.
The Independent reports that Qatada did not however back President Obama plan to overcome ISIS and made the statement: "I am against any coalition opposed to any Muslim."
Qatada is scheduled to hear his verdict on Sept. 24.
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