Muslim Leaders In Spain Issue World-Wide "Fatwa" Against Osama Bin Laden

Teresa Neumann reporting : Mar 11, 2005
CNN

On the anniversary of the March 11, 2004 Madrid train bombings, the Islamic Commission of Spain -- which represents Spain's 1-million Muslims -- has issued the world's first fatwa (Islamic edict) against Osama bin Laden. They also invited imams to condemn terrorism and urged Muslims around the world to denounce bin Laden.

The fatwa states that according to the Quran "the terrorist acts of Osama bin Laden and his organization Al Qaeda ... are totally banned and must be roundly condemned as part of Islam."

It added: "Inasmuch as Osama bin Laden and his organization defend terrorism as legal and try to base it on the Quran ... they are committing the crime of 'istihlal' and thus become apostates that should not be considered Muslims or treated as such." (Note: "istihlal" refers to the act of making up one's own laws.)

The 3/11 commission's secretary general, Mansur Escudero called it an unprecedented condemnation of Bin Laden.