Comptroller-General of Syrian Muslim Brotherhood Dr. Muhammad Hikmat Walid denounced the recent statements of US Secretary of State John Kerry which called for negotiations with President Bashar al-Assad. In a press conference held in Istanbul, Walid described Kerry's statements as "surprising, negative and reprehensible", stressing that such statements cannot be accepted because they mean compromising the sacrifices of Syrian people.
The comptroller-general stressed that the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood is moderate – the same ideology of the founding fathers, such as Dr. Mustafa Sibai – which rejects violence and extremism.
Walid added that the atrocities we see today in Syria are not related to the methods and ideologies of the Muslim Brotherhood, stressing that the Muslim Brotherhood, and Islam, are innocent of these crimes, with a large difference between the moderate Brotherhood and the extreme ISIS.
The comptroller-general announced that the Brotherhood seeks a civil state with Islamic reference, where Islam is a call for wisdom and good advice, without forcing citizens to any religious or ideological belief. Walid considered that the imposition of Sharia by force is a mistaken understanding of the texts and a mistaken understanding of Islam itself.
Dr. Walid also said that the Nusra Front will send a positive message if it conducted ideological revisions and disengaged from Al-Qaeda, which will be a step in the interest of the revolution. Walid stressed that the Brotherhood stands with any faction fighting Assad's regime, and that every weapon against Assad's regime is “an honest weapon which we support”.
The comptroller-general denied the Muslim Brotherhood’s dominance over Syrian opposition institutions, explaining that the Brotherhood participates – not dominates – in all opposition organizations, where the number of Brotherhood representatives in the National Coalition is just a handful.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
