Tunisian Delegation: We are against Terrorism, Incitement Fatwas Misled Our Sons

DAMASCUS, (ST) – In a bidto curb the flow of misled Tunisian youths who came to Syria to join the armed terrorist groups in what they called “Jihad” in Syria, a delegation representing the Tunisian civil society visited Syria to talk to Syrian government and civil society sides on how to tackle the issue of the Tunisians fighting in Syria and how tofacilitate their return to their homeland.

Within this framework, a  news conference was held yesterday by some representatives of civil societies in Tunisia and Syria at the Sheraton Hotel in Damascus. Speakers in the Press conference affirmed their rejection of all forms of terrorism as it can expand overseas and it has nothing to do with humanity or religion.

Leader of the Tunisian delegation, ZuheirLatif said that families of many Tunisian detainees and fighters in Syria believed that their sons were misled and motivated by what they thought was “jihad” after they were told lies about the reality of events in Syria.

He appreciated the cooperation of the Syrian authorities and civil society parties with the Tunisian delegation and the families of Tunisian detainees to facilitate their safe return to their homeland.

Latif added that following their talks, the Tunisian and civil society sides called for releasing misled Tunisian detainees who were not proved to be involved in terrorist acts or to be red handed by the blood of the Syrian people. They urged work to force armed Tunisians in Syria to lay down weapons and ensure them a just trial under international observation.

Latif stressed that the conferees called for passing the file of the Tunisian detainees who committed terrorist acts in Syria to judiciary as soon as possible in order to be put for trial.

KhaledMahjoub, a Syrian civil society activist, pointed out that the two sides agreed to sueall who have promoted extremism and violence among the youths through calls for recruiting,  financing and sheltering terrorists . They also called for working hard to specify the parties which helped Tunisian fighters infiltrate into Syria to join the armed terrorist groups.

For his part, member of the Syrian Observatory for Violence and Terrorism Victims Anas al-Jazaeri stressed the importance of forming a wide international alliance comprising legal and civil society organizations for the prosecution of all who are proved to be involved in inciting, financing and committing terrorist acts.

He also affirmed the need to condemn and put an end to religious Fatwas and statements which incite hatred, takfiri thinking and violence that destroy societies and open the door widely for wars.

On Thursday, at the Ummayyad Mosque in Damascus, a number of Syrian and Tunisian women launched an initiative under the slogan “Women against Hatred and Terrorism”. The initiative aimed at halting violence and terrorism in Syria.

Members of the Tunisian civil society delegation and families of some Tunisian detainees stressed that incitement Fatwas have misled their sons .They regretted their sons’ acts and begged the Syrian people to accept their apology.

H. Mustafa