For that reason, when I was asked approximately eight months ago as an expert in Islamic movements by a media branch belonging to the BBC (Arabic) about the position of the non-lebanese Salafi Jihadi movements and specifically regarding their position on who they (Salafi Jihadi) believed was responsible for the incident of the assassination of the late ex-Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, I answered in a very subjective and neutral manner, that was based on prior information which I obtained before I arrived to Lebanon, and this was that the overwhelming belief of the Salafi Jihadi movement was that Ahmad Abu Addas was the one who carried out the assassination.

And their evidence was what occurred in the video tape which was attributed to Ahmad Abu Addas, that Al Jazeera had also broadcast, in addition to what had been publicised in many of the jihadi web forums which are very close to the Salafi Jihadi movement; all of this was before my arrival to Lebanon and before the international committee into the investigation of the assassination (of Rafiq Hariri) even commenced.

And I would like to clarify that when I conveyed the information in its context I was confident of the source i.e. the Salafi websites and forums, but not necessarily confident about all aspects of what had been mentioned whether from information, news or comments and from amongst all that what was mentioned about Ahmad Abu Addas being behind the operation or my answer when I was asked about the perception and evaluation or reaction of the Salafi Jihadi movement towards the assassination and also about their position regarding the leaders and rulers who are leading the world and about their benefit from the assassination.

Consequently, the clarification of the sayings of the Islamic movements and groups was completely academic and subjective and had been conveyed from their websites and literature, again with neutrality and not necessarily carrying my personal opinion or Islamic stance (regarding it).

And in reality the sequence of the investigations about the assassination, clearly points towards Ahmad Abu Addas as having no involvement in the incident whatsoever.

Any ordinary person would know that clarifying the sayings of others as a journalist, correspondent, expert or witness does not necessarily mean that he carries the same belief or that he abides by it, which is similar to the clarification of the Shari'ah rules to the people for example: to clarify the verdict about cutting the hand of a thief or killing the murderer or lashing the fornicator - all of this does not necessarily imply that you are inciting people to execute it.

This is why I would like for the BBC (Arabic section), the Al-Mustaqbal Newspaper and Manar TV to implement the subjectivity and to be truthful in conveying the news.

And everybody knows that I have been infamously victimised by the Western media as well as those who carry the news from them, and this is because of my strong affiliation to Islam and my active expertise in a lot of the Islamic groups and parties, which was achieved throughout my residency in the West, as well as because of my position on Islamic standpoints and involvement in Islamic projects, which were all to support the Islamic causes.

Furthermore, I am from the ones who have been labelled infamous as opposed to famous and for that reason I have been exposed to a lot of false accusations as well as the twisting of my views and sayings and in many cases even intentional fabrication to my stances, which contradict to my Deen and belief.

All of this was committed by the Western media, who are in line with the BNP (British National Party) formerly known as Combat 18, and their website says enough about them:

www.bnp.org.uk

As well as racist groups, for example the 'White Wolves' and Zionist organisations, which have a lot of strong media links with wide publicity just like the Sun, Daily Mirror, News of the World and others, these newspapers have on many occasions attributed to me remarks that are untrue and baseless, because I always used to refuse to have an interview with them or even reply to them because of their intentional lying, which they have exercised towards me and many other Islamic activists residing in the West.

And unfortunately, a lot of the people who are encouraging them to publicise such lies are some Muslims who have become close to them, and they (Muslims) do this through trying to refute what I have allegedly said taking it as if it were really my words, without any verification from myself.

This is so that they (media) can validate the fabrication from those naive Muslims by using their ‘refutation'.

Furthermore, these Muslims carry a lot of Crusader ‘honorary' titles which have been granted to them by Queen Elizabeth and her government. And from among them is the Knight, the Sir, Iqbal Sacranie and, the Sir, Zaki Badawi and the Lord Nazir Ahmed among others like them, who are working for British governmental institutes and high ranking security establishments.

This is why many of the people from the media might try to abuse my remarks or stances whether to do with Islamic knowledge or narrative news to attack Islam, Islamists or any other political bodies for unclear motives.

Hence, we can see that from what the Mustaqbal Newspaper has recently publicised about myself and my stances is copied from the Sun Newspaper and the Zionist Jew ‘Jon Ronson' and then what the Manar TV copied from Mustaqbal Newspaper and others to get at me and my honour or to put doubt in the truthfulness of my sayings, or to even divert the direction of the investigation away from the assassination of Rafiq Hariri.

Since my return to Lebanon in summer 2005, and after approximately thirty years of absence from the country I have not been practising any political activity on behalf of any political side and I do not belong to any Islamic group or body in Lebanon.

When I introduced myself as an Islamic expert in Islamic groups, factions, movements, sects etc. the reason for this was because of the experience and involvement which I have earned over a long period of time in the field of da'wah ilallah (calling to Allah (SWT)) as well as my continuous seeking of Islamic knowledge and my vast studies of the Aqa'id (schools of belief) and literatures of the various sects, factions, movements etc. both contemporary and past for a period exceeding 37 years.

This was alongside all my practical experience with many of the Islamic schools of thought until Allah (SWT) guided me to Nahj us Salaf, Nahj ul Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'aah  (the path of the pious predecessors).

In addition to all that, is my continuous connection with a lot of Islamic leaderships around the world, and all of the above is very well known to any ordinary person.

Consequently, this active and academic experience has granted me the expertise of being a specialist in Islamic groups (in both these levels), contrary to a ‘secular expert' in Islamic groups who has only theoretical experience.

In relation to the doubts that some people are pushing concerning my role as a da'ee beside my role as an Islamic expert, I would like to clarify that the original rule is for a Muslim to carry dawah ilah deenillah (calling to Allah (SWT)) as an Islamic obligation, and there is no difference between carrying da'wah and the salah and the siyaam (fasting) as well as the other waajibat Shari'ah (Islamic obligations), which are compulsory upon every Muslim according to his capability.

And I am not a secularist. And I am not from the ones who separate Islam from the systems of life in society or public affairs.

As far as the infamousness and the stabbing of my honour and the false accusations that are thrown at me are concerned every now and then, all I can say and repeat is: hasbiallahu wa ni'mal wakeel (Allah is sufficient for me and He is the One Who will look after my affairs), wa la hawla wa la quwatta illah billah (and there is no power or might except in Allah).

And this is a tax that every truthful Muslim must pay.

11th Shawwal 1429, 11th October 2008

Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad Fostok

Tripoli, Lebanon

Contact Number: 0096170957759