(MENAFN- Arab Times) Imam of Grand Mosque one of 2 Kuwaiti clerics martyred on mission to promote moderate Islam
Photo shows Imam Dr Waleed Al-Ali and Fahad Al-Hussaini in Burkina Faso.
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15, (Agencies): His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Tuesday expressed his condolences over the death of two Kuwaiti citizens in a terrorist explosion targeting a cafe in the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou.
The State Grand Mosque Imam Dr Waleed Al-Ali and Kuwaiti citizen Fahad Al-Hussaini were there on a charity mission. His Highness the Amir expressed the strongest condemnation of the State of Kuwait against this terrorist act, which killed more than 18 people and injured scores others.
His Highness the Amir on Tuesday sent a cable of condolences to Burkina Faso's President Roch Marc Christian Kabore over the victims of a 'terrorist' attack that targeted a restaurant in the capital. In the cable, His Highness the Amir expressed his sincere condolences over the victims killed in the attack, praying to Allah the Almighty to bless the souls of victims with mercy and wishing the injured speedy recovery. His Highness the Amir stressed Kuwait's condemnation and denouncement of this 'heinous crime' that targeted innocents, and runs counter to all religions and humanitarian values. His Highness the Amir also affirmed that the State of Kuwait supports all measures taken by Burkina Faso to face such terrorist acts aiming to undermine its stability and security. Also, His Highness the Amir renewed Kuwait's firm stance that rejects terrorism in its forms and manifestations, and backs the international community to counter this phenomenon and dry up its funding. His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- Hamad Al-Sabah sent Burkina Faso's President similar cables. The Foreign Ministry said Monday His Highness the Amir instructed sending a plane to Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, to bring back the two Kuwaiti victims of the last night shooting attack.
Innocent
With shock and grief, the Ministry received the news of the death of the two citizens Dr Waleed Al-Ali (Imam of the Grand Mosque), and Fahad Al- Hussaini as well as several other innocent people in the heinous terrorist attack, a senior diplomat said tonight.
The two Kuwaiti nationals were on a charitable mission when they were martyred in the doomed restaurant, he said. Upon receiving the news from its non-resident embassy to Burkina Faso, the Ministry sent a diplomat to follow up the investigations into the incident and speed up the airlifting of the bodies of the two victims to Kuwait.
While condemning this repugnant attack, the State of Kuwait reaffirms its principled rejections of all forms of terrorism, the source stressed. He expressed sincere condolences to the families of the two philanthropists and prayed for God the Almighty to lodge their soul in paradise.
At the behest of His Highness the Amir the two martyrs will be brought back to Kuwait soon, he affirmed. National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanim on Tuesday mourned the death of the Grand Mosque's Imam Dr Waleed Al-Ali and Fahad Al-Hussaini in Burkina Faso's Quagadougou terrorist attack. The two scholars, who were on a mission to offer sermons and religious courses to Muslims in the West African country, have sacrificed their lives in helping others to better understand Islam, said Al-Ghanim to the National Assembly's 'Al-Dostour' news network.
Travelled
Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Al-Jabri said Monday that the deceased Imam of Grand Mosque Dr Waleed Al-Ali and Fahad Al-Hussaini travelled as far as West Africa to advocate for God's love. 'The two great men were martyred in the barbaric attack on a restaurant Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso,' Al-Jabri, also minister of state for municipal affairs, mourned tonight. He spoke highlight of the instructions of His Highness the Amir to send a private plane to Ouagadougou to bring back the two Kuwaiti martyrs.
'With shock and grief, the State of Kuwait received the news of the death of the two scholars who were on a mission to offer sermons and religious courses to Muslims in the West African country and promote correct understanding of Islam,' he said. On behalf of Kuwait, the minister strongly denounced the heinous attack that claimed the lives of two of the country's dearest sons and several other innocent people. He added the Ministry of Awqaf and the committee to promote moderation used to delegate Dr Ali to promote moderate understanding of Islamic teachings in many occasions.
He expressed sincere condolences to the families of the two advocates and prayed for God the Almighty to lodge their soul in paradise. The Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS) issued a press statement concerning the terrorist attack in Burkina Faso, which resulted in the death of Sheikh Dr Waleed Al-Ali and Sheikh Fahad Al-Hussaini, among others.
The society condemned the attack, revealing that the two deceased citizens and the accompanying delegation were on a religious mission trip in Burkina Faso to visit the projects of the society and support the needy families. It affirmed that the attack will not impede the implementation of its projects, highlighting the need to follow the right doctrine of Islam which promotes peace and tolerance and not terrorism or extremism. The society expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir for instructing to send an Amiri plane to bring back the bodies of the two martyrs. On behalf of Kuwait University Administration, University President Professor Hussein Ahmad Al-Ansari expresses deepest sympathy and heartfelt sorrow over the sad demise of Vice-Dean for Consultations and Development at the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies, Imam and preacher at the Grand Mosque Dr Waleed Mohammad Abdullah Al-Ali, and his colleague preacher Sheikh Fahad Al- Hussaini. The two lost their lives in a heinous terrorist attack on a Turkish Restaurant in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He expressed sincere condolences to the bereaved families and Kuwait, praying that Allah the Almighty grants them patience and fortitude to bear the monumental losses. He beseeched Allah the Almighty to grant the deceased Al-Jannah Al-Firdous. Professor Al-Ansari condemned the terrorist attack and cowardly act of targeting innocent people visiting Ouagadougou to propagate Islam and spread the word of Allah. He eulogized Dr Al- Ali for his many years of meritorious service to the university during which he imparted knowledge on students and conducted scientific researches.
This is in addition to his selfless service to the nation as an Imam and preacher at the Grand Mosque where he distinguished himself as an excellent preacher with bundle of knowledge and utmost piety.
Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Tuesday openly condemned a suicide attack that targeted capital of Burkina Faso Ouagadougou on Sunday. This came in a contact between the Amir and Burkina Faso's President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported. In the phone conversation, Sheikh Tamim offered condolences over the victims of the 'terrorist' attack that claimed the lives of several people and injury of others. He voiced Qatar's support to Burkina Faso and its friendly people in their fight against extremism and terrorism with all forms and manifestations, the QNA said. Frequented by foreigners, a restaurant in Ouagadougou came under a suicide attack on Sunday evening, leaving at least 18 people killed and scores wounded.
Hours after suspected Islamic extremists opened fire as patrons dined at the popular restaurant where she worked as a waitress, Amy Sawadogo was still wandering around barefoot at a crisis center asking about her colleagues. 'I just want to go to the hospital and see who is still alive,' the distraught young woman, who was still dressed in her uniform, said early Monday. 'I am calling them in vain, no response.' The death toll rose to 18 and authorities said many of the victims were children dining with their families on a Sunday night at the Aziz Istanbul restaurant when horror struck once again in Burkina Faso's capital of Ouagadougou. At least 22 people were wounded. Less than two years ago, jihadists killed 30 people in a similar attack at the nearby Cappuccino cafe, which only recently reopened in a city where fear of another attack has been high. Eight of the dead in Sunday's attack were citizens of Burkina Faso, authorities said.
Three Lebanese and two Canadians were also killed, according to the victims' respective foreign ministries. Other victims came from Kuwait, Senegal, Nigeria, Turkey and France, state prosecutor Maizan Sereme said. The attack began around 9:00 pm Sunday when the Aziz Istanbul, an upscale Turkish restaurant patronized by many foreigners, was packed with diners. Two young men wearing jeans and jackets drove up on motorcycles and began indiscriminately shooting at the people inside with Kalashnikovs, witnesses told The Associated Press. 'I heard a noise when they smashed a car with their motorbike and before I understood what happened they started shooting at the customers on the terrace,' said Assane Guebre, who had been keeping an eye on customers' cars parked outside. 'They were close to me, and I still don't know how they did not hit me first,' said Guebre, whose hands were still bleeding from the cuts he suffered when he threw himself to the ground to avoid the bullets. Gunfire rang out long into the night before the country's special forces ended the attack after nearly seven hours. Initially authorities had said there were three or four assailants.
However, government spokesman Remy Danguinou told reporters early Monday that two attackers had been killed by the authorities. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the attack bore the hallmarks of the January 2016 assault on the Cappuccino — gunmen opening fire on diners at a restaurant popular with foreigners, prompting a massive search for the culprits as gunfire and explosions continued into the night. Kabore declared three days of national mourning. 'The fight against terrorism is a long-term battle,' he said in a statement Monday. 'That's why I'm calling for vigilance, solidarity and unity of the whole nation in order to face the cowardice of our adversaries.' The UN Security Council issued a statement Monday night condemning the attack, which it called it 'barbaric and cowardly'. It added that 'terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.'
In Paris, the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said he discussed the attack in a call with his Burkina Faso counterpart. The leaders agreed it was urgent to accelerate the deployment of a new 5,000-strong anti- terror force in the Sahel, a statement said. With contributions from Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad — known as the G5 — the force is to deploy by September. At least five members of Burkina Faso's security forces were among the wounded, and another member on leave at the time was among the dead, the state prosecutor said. Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in West Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. It shares a northern border with Mali, which has long battled Islamic extremists.
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