Bosnian Grand Mufti Barred From Serbia

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Balkan media are reporting that Serbia has declared Bosnian Grand Mufti Mustafa Ceric “persona non grata” in Serbia over his claim that Muslim rights are being violated in Serbia. According to one report:

Serbian Ministry of Religion evaluated that the “controversial” Reis-ul-Ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina Mustafa Ceric, during his visit to the Islamic community in Serbia headed by Grand Mufti Muamer Zukorlic, “sent very threatening and insulting messages to Serbia.”The ministry’s statement says that they acknowledged the comments of Reis-ul-Ulema Ceric and have “seriously perceived the direct and indirect threats made by this religious dignitory to Serbia and its security.” “Therefore we believe that Mustafa Ceric does not deserve to be a welcome guest in our country,” it is said in the statement. The ministry pointed out that the reis-ul-ulema is one of several Bosnian politicians who had access to secret war financial funds and that he is the creator of the idea of Bosniaks being a part of Turkish people and of hegemonist Bosniak ideology on Bosniak nation consisting of three ethnic groups. The statement also says that Ceric supported Kosovo-Metohija secession, as well as that the public justifiably wants to know whether Reis-ul-Ulema Ceric is threatening Serbia with war confrontation under Bosnian or Kosovo scenario and what such a reckless person was doing in Serbia anyway.

According to other reports, Mustafa Ceric last Monday criticized the decision of the Serbian police to ban a meeting to which he was invited and told media that “human rights are being violated in Serbia, particularly those of Muslims.” ”

Considered by some to be a leading “liberal” Islamic leader, Mustafa Ceric is tied to the global Muslim Brotherhood through his membership in the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), headed by Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi and by his participation in the U.K.-based “Radical Middle Way” consisting of a wide range of associated scholars representing the global Muslim Brotherhood. Several earlier posts have discussed Dr. Ceric’s increasing visibility and importance within the global Muslim Brotherhood, noting that Ceric sees himself as a possible future leader of a “European Islam.” The possibility also exists that Dr. Ceric could be being groomed as a successor to Youssef Qaradawi, in ill health of late. Another previous post discussed Dr. Ceric’s role in diverting Saudi funds donated for war victims to the creation of an investment bank controlled by the Bosnian Islamic Community which he heads. A recent report carried on a Bosnian public television statement features an accusation by Sarajevo Islamic Studies students that Dr. Ceric was intending to occupy a 10 million mark ($6.6 million) residence built by the donations of wealthy Bosnians. Dr. Ceric recently compared the Iranian Revolution with the French Revolution.

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