Syria Muslim Brotherhood Former Leader Bayanouni: Islamic State (IS) Major Threat to Syrian Revolution

Syria Muslim Brotherhood Former Leader Bayanouni: Islamic State (IS) Major Threat to Syrian Revolution

 Ali Bayanouni, former Comptroller General of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, said: "More than three and a half years have passed since the Syrian people first rose in their revolution against injustice, corruption and tyranny. And still, they are standing steadfast in the face of the brutal crimes committed by the fascist regime against citizens who have been liberated from its oppressive grip. The international community did not stir a finger against the murderous regime’s use of all internationally prohibited lethal weapons, contrary to the most basic principles of human rights and relevant international conventions".



In an exclusive statement to IkhwanWeb, Bayanouni added: "The international community’s callous, even conniving stance led to the number of martyrs, missing persons, detainees and injured exceeding one million people, with the forced displacement of more than half of the entire Syrian people from their homes, towns and villages. It also led to the emergence of extremist groups, a strange and alien phenomenon in Syria, which is well-known for its tolerance and peaceful coexistence among all factions and segments of the society.


"In spite of all this, the Syrian people are determined to pursue their revolution until they achieve their goals: freedom, dignity ousting the criminal regime, establishing a democratic pluralistic system of governance where all citizens determine their own future and participate in the rebuilding of their homeland."


Bayanouni pointed that the situation on the ground – in spite of all the difficulties – is in continuous improvement and progress. The brigades of the revolutionaries took important steps in most parts of the country towards cooperation, coordination, unity and integration. He affirmed that the revolutionaries formed a joint operations room in most fronts, adding that they are currently working on the formation of one central command for the revolution as a whole.


"These revolutionary battalions are not interested in foreign support attached to special agendas that, mostly, do not want the Syrian revolution to win. As a result, the last few months have seen remarkable progress for the revolutionaries on most fronts, although some of these are preoccupied with confrontations with the so-called Islamic State (IS), which has – for a number of reasons – become a major threat to the revolution.


"The Syrian people, by their very nature, lean towards moderation, tolerance, coexistence. This is why extremism is an alien phenomenon to the Syrian society, created and encouraged by many factors, and many powers’ intelligence services, the most important of which are the Syrian and Iranian. Extremism in Syria is also helped to grow and expand by the generally conniving international community and the brutality that characterizes the Syrian regime forces’ approach in their desperate attempts to crush and eliminate the revolution. And there is also the factor of human suffering of the Syrian people.


"Growth of extremism is further helped by some supporters’ negative attitude towards moderate Islamic movements and revolutionary battalions known for their moderation and tolerance. This prompts many to join extremist groups which receive significant support from many quarters. But despite all that, the phenomenon of extremism is still generally rejected by the Syrian people. There simply is no way it could prevail or get accepted in Syrian society.


"This does not relieve us from the duty to face this challenge by spreading moderate Islamic thought using all means available. This is what should be done by the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria in cooperation with Islamic scholars and preachers’ organizations."