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Tunisian girls 'head to Syria to offer themselves to Islamic fighters as part
of sexual jihad'
Reports spread on internet calling for girls to offer themselves to fighters
Tunisian media said 13 girls travelled to rebel-held Northern Syria
Politicians in Tunisia appeal to girls not to be influenced by Islamic
preachers
By Martin Jay In Beirut
PUBLISHED: 19:37 GMT, 4 April 2013 | UPDATED: 19:37 GMT, 4 April 2013
At least 13 Tunisian girls reportedly travelled to rebel-held Northern Syria to
offer themselves as sex workers to opposition fighters.
The report comes as concerns in Tunisia grow about religious orders or 'fatwas'
that have circulated the internet calling on women to perform jihad through sex.
Last week, a Tunisian minister of religious affairs appealed to girls not to be
influenced by Islamic preachers outside of Tunisia who, it has been reported,
made a number of 'sexual fatwas'.
Syrian rebels are pictured after taking control of Raqqa.
Syrian rebels are pictured after taking control of Raqqa. Reports from suggest
13 girls travelled to the rebel-held North to offer themselves as sex workers
Noureddine al-Khadimi rejected 'sexual jihad' fatwas, urging Tunisian people
and state institutions to not respond to them.
Tunisian newspapers reported that a young Tunisian man divorced his wife, and
that they both headed to Syria almost a month ago to 'allow her to engage in
sexual jihad with the mujahideen' there.
This report followed earlier ones of a video widely circulated on the internet
and social websites in Tunisia shows the parents of a veiled girl called
Rahmah, 17.
They said Rahmahat disappeared from home one morning and they 'later learned
that she had headed to Syria to carry out sexual jihad.'
The young girl has since returned to her family, who have kept her out of
sight, and said that their daughter is not a religious fanatic 'but was
influenced by her fellow students who are known for their affiliation with the
jihadist Salafist.'
Her parents said these fellow students may have brainwashed her and convinced
her to travel to Syria 'to support the mujahideen there.'
Such stories are becoming more common in Tunisia and parents are concerned
about the influence charismatic Islamic leaders in other Arab countries can
wield over their children.
There are concerns in Tunisia about the influence of online videos calling for
women to engage in a 'sexual jihad'. Pictured Syrian rebel checks an
anti-aircraft weapon
The minister's statements came after the spread of an anonymous 'sexual jihad'
fatwa on the Internet calling on young women to support [opposition] fighters
in Syria by providing sexual services on the battlefield.
According to media reports in Tunisia who quoted mujahideen returning to
Tunisia after participating in jihad in Syria, 13 Tunisian girls headed to the
battlefield in response to the 'sexual jihad' fatwa.
News websites and social networks in Tunisia circulated a fatwa attributed to
Sheikh Mohamed al-Arifi in which he calls upon 'Muslim women' to perform jihad
through sex.
However, sources close to the sheikh denied that he had issued the fatwa,
stressing that anyone who circulates or believes it is insane.
Saudi Arabia is widely known to be financially backing the Syrian rebels
fighting in Northern Syria and whose hardcore `Salafist' strand of Islam
influences a great number of the young fighters many of whom are `jihadists'
and come from all around the world, including the UK.
Reports in Tunisia stress though that the fatwa had gained much attention on
pro-Syrian regime websites, the goal of which may be to tarnish the image of
the Islamic fighters by stressing a key point of Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad
that fundamentalists, supported by Salafist groups in Saudi Arabia, are amongst
the Syrian rebels.
A Syrian opposition fighter runs for cover from Syrian army snipers.
Tunisian have appealed to girls to ignore then 'sexual jihad' internet calls
Al-Hadi Yahmad, a researcher on the affairs of Islamic groups, told Al-Hayat:
'The issue of sexual jihad was initially attributed to a Saudi sheikh who
denied it, and this fatwa is abnormal and not endorsed by religious scholars.'
He added that this fatwa had it indeed been issued may involve Syrian girls
living in Syria, who can 'support the mujahideen by marrying them for a few
hours.'
Under Islamic law, a man can marry and consummate a marriage with his bride,
before divorcing her the next day without any resistance from the bride or her
family simply by following religious etiquette.
Noor Eddin al-Khadimi, said that Tunisians should not abide by the fatwa.
Her calls were duplicated by the Tunisian opposition also.
Salma al-Raqiq, a Tunisian opposition figure, said that the 'jihad marriages'
were a disgrace for the Tunisians.
She also called on the authorities to start dealing with the increasing
phenomenon of Tunisian jihadis heading to Syria to join radical Islamist groups.
Al-Raqiq told the UPI press agency that the phenomenon was a dangerous one. She
said that young girls, including minors, have been sent to Syria to 'marry'
jihadis for a few hours.
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2304128/Tunisian-girls-head-Syria-offer-Islamic-fighters-sexual-jihad.html#ixzz2YsnweAiC
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