A group of 165 Somali religious leaders concluded a five-day National Conference on Extremism Wednesday evening (September 11th) in Mogadishu, issuing a fatwa condemning Al-Shabaab, Somalia's Radio Dalsan reported.

The clerics said al-Shabaab was a "strayed group" attempting to divert Muslims from practicing their faith. They also said al-Shabaab was wrong to label the Somali government an apostate government, as it works under Muslim principles.

The clerics called on al-Shabaab to repent, and urged Somalis not to join the group, support it or shelter its members. The communiqué also asked Somalis to report al-Shabaab members to the Somali authorities, and said both the government and civilians should support the fight against the militants.

Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon, who gave the closing remarks at the conference, said the Somali federal government would take resolutions from the conference under consideration in its efforts to fight extremism, UN-funded Radio Bar-Kulan reported.



Religious leaders, scholars, elders and intellectuals from across the country and the diaspora met to devise solutions to increase security and stability in Somalia.


http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/newsbriefs/2013/09/12/newsbrief-02