Interview of Al-Gomhoriah with Sheikh Tariq Al-Dahab Amir of Ansar Al-Sharia in Radda
As soon as I reached Radda after a telephone call from Sheikh Tariq Al-Dahab - leader of Ansar Al-Sharia in the region – clashes erupted between them from one side and the people in the afternoon of Saturday 21 of January and it lasted for hours... I and my colleague Arif Al-Omari survived after a lot of pain when we were crossing streets close to the famous castle and its beautiful mosque, the shelling resulted in death and injury of several persons from the two sides, and we were satisfied of being safe when we have escaped unscathed, for the morning of the next day to be our appointment with the leader of the group in the mosque between crowd of his followers and most of them are from the sons of the neighboring tribes and amidst his big preoccupations, in the beginning he showed his precautions about the interview with ‘Al-Gomhoriah’ newspaper but he quickly changed his mind after he was convinced but for a short and quick interview which you present all the ideas in your mind, anyway the interview despite its shortness will reveal to the reader some of the answers of his questions: Thabit Al-Ahmadi: What did you do lately? Tariq Al-Dahab: Brother – simply – what we did is only opening a house from the houses of Allah which was closed for several years before the Muslims, and
open for the Kuffar, and we are now doing I'tikaaf in it and demand the implementation of the Sharia. T. A: Until when will you do I'tikaaf here in this castle? T.D: Until the relief of Allah comes and victory is near Insha’Allah. T. A: You said that the mosque was closed… who closed it? And who are the Kuffar that you mentioned? T.D: This mosque was closed by the ministry of culture and tourism and the government of Ali Abdullah Salih, this regime closed the mosque and banned the worshipers from praying and saying Khutbahs in it, while they allow the Jews and Christians and atheists to enter it and take photographs and visit, so I don’t know why were the mosques built? Were it built for Allah to be worshiped in it? Or were it built for tourism? T. A: When was the mosque closed? T.D: It was closed before twenty or twenty five years under the pretext of restorations. The restorations were done in the first ten years, then it was closed immediately after the restorations it was closed before Moslems and it was opened for the tourists. T. A: Some accuse you that you are threaten public tranquility and attack the citizens by seizing the castle and the mosque near it? T.D: That’s not true… the citizens are coming here to the mosque in groups and individuals to support the religion of Allah and demand the implementation of the Islamic Sharia and we don’t harm anyone, and don’t assault anyone. These are tendentious allegation repeated by the enemies of the Islamic Sharia. T. A: So what do you say to the media that is talking about that? T.D: Bother all these are lies, you can go to the streets of the city and meet the people and ask them who did we assault. T. A: Some say that you have coordination with the security authorities in the National Security and that they handed over the castle and it’s mosque to you on a golden plate?
T.D: That’s not true. We absolutely deny any relation with the regime of Ali Abdullah Salih. The brothers in Asnar Al-Sharia were the first to demand for revolutions, and revolt against the Arab rulers and implement the Islamic Sharia, so how can we deal with them? Or coordinate with them? They are enemies of the Islamic Sharia… they are enemies of Allah. They are agents of America, agents for the Jews, who transgress the skies of Yemen, the American warplanes penetrate the Yemeni airspace, they open the marine ports, allowing America to establish military bases, spreading the moral corruption in our country, they legitimize usury, and legitimize alcohol, so who can we deal with people who have apostate from Islam? T. A: ok…what about the comments of your brother Khalid Al-Dahab two days ago that what you are doing is coordinated between you and the regime to destabilize the public tranquility and only create problems? T.D: Regarding brother Khalid, I have mentioned to you that this brother is banished and expelled by all the members of the family, he is expelled from every house, either our houses in Sana’a or our houses in the village for a moral issue, and he is a sick man trying to get money in any way, he has been bought by some newspapers and satellite channels for a cheap price, that’s all the story no more nor less. T. A: I asked you about Ansar Al-Sharia and the authority who is taking advantage of the other and especially in such a condition? T.D: Brother we go according to a certain strategy, Alhamdulillah, and we don’t go were the regime wants, but rather the regime remained moving the parties present in Yemen for 33 years and it is playing with them from one place and another and transfer it from one corridor to another, but we have a big project, and we have a certain strategy that we proceed with it, and we will proceed with it Insha’Allah, we move in our drawn line either it met by chance what the regime or Joint Meeting Parties wanted, we will go on in our project. T. A: It’s better if you clarify to the reader the nature of your big project – as you said – which you go in its path? T.D: Brother our project is big and great, which is the implementation of the Islamic Sharia in all the Islamic lands, and achieving justice and equality, and all the good is in the implementation of the Islamic Sharia, brother I benefit and
you and all the segments of society, will have benefit and live in pride and dignity when the Islamic Sharia is implemented. T. A: What about many of the people came out either here in Radda or in AlBayda the capital of the province denouncing what you are doing? T.D: Who said that should bring proof; the demonstrations came out demanding the removal of Ali Abdullah Salih and overthrow of his regime and condemning the GCC initiative and its operational mechanism that was signed by the Joint Meeting Parties. T. A: To what extent do you agree with Joint Meeting Parties in their political course especially in the past period? T.D: We agree with the one who carries the banner of Lā ʾIlāha ʾIllallāh, Muʾammad Rasūlu-llāh, and demands the implementation of the Islamic Sharia, we agree with them in achieving that point, regarding the issue of the other points, I don’t think that we will reach with them to any agreement. T. A: You don’t agree with the Joint Meeting Parties in that matter… in other words you see them not going on the correct path? T.D: The goal is implementation of the Islamic Sharia; if that was their goal we will meet with them in one trench. T. A: I don’t think that the Joint Meeting Parties and nor any Moslem will refuse the implementation of the Islamic Sharia, so if they declare to you that will you enter with them in a joint political action? T.D: The issue of contravention happened. When the revolutionaries in the Arenas of Change in Sana’a and other Yemeni provinces and cities hanged banners with Lā ʾIlāha ʾIllallāh, Muʾammad Rasūlu-llāh and hang the banners that demand implementation of the Islamic Sharia the people of the Joint Meeting Parties would come and tear it, saying: ‘Don’t implicate us, and don’t make America enter in the matter’. T. A: Did that happen from them? T.D: Yes, and we have proofs and witnesses to that.
T. A: It is said that there is another militant group that follow Abdul-Malik AlHouthi here in this region have mobilized itself to oppose what you are doing. What is really happening? T.D: Regarding the group of Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi they had a big scheme to seize the city of Radda and control it to spread their ruinous ideology, and spread the Rafidi Mazhab inside the city, by buying houses inside the city and in its outskirts to surround the city from all sides and spreading booklets and CDs that insult the noble Sahabah may Allah be pleased with them, and insult the honor of the prophet – peace and blessings of Allah be upon him – so when we entered the city we caused confusion to their project and scheme. The first Jamaat or the first group to assault Ansar Al-Sharia were the Houthi group, because we foiled their schemes in the city of Radda, Alhamdulillah, and the cooperation of the people with us was big to support the religion of Allah. T. A: What is the size of the Group and strength? T.D: They are few, but they lure some of the sons of the tribes with money, but they aren’t people of Aqeeda, Alhamdulillah. T. A: In case they confront you with arms will you confront them also? T.D: Allah Almighty says: (And one who attacked you, attack him in like manner as he attacked you) 194 Surah Al-Baqara. T. A: Time is chasing us… a last word? T.D: Brother we love to see the banner of Tawhid flapping in throughout the Muslim world, and that we be under one Islamic Khilafa, and that the Arab and Muslim Ummah unit and prevention of bloodshed of Muslims, and that their prisoners men and woman be released, and that the Al-Aqasa mosque be liberated, and that we live I peace under the Islamic Sharia. Interview by: Thabit Al-Ahmadi Source: Al-Gomhoriah newspaper