Amnesty International, ostensibly a human rights organization which is frequently accused of hypocrisy and anti-western bias, has given ammunition to its critics by appointing a new Communications Director who has expressed support for a senior al Qaida leader and an antisemtic Islamic cleric who advocates suicide bombings of Jews.
Osama Saeed had previously been communications head for Qatari-based news network al Jazeera, which has been described as al Qaida's press agency. As of last week, Saeed assumed that role for Amnesty International. However, in a blow to Amnesty International's shaky credibility, it has emerged that Saeed has previously written his support for Anwar al Awlaki, a senior al Qaida recruiter who planned a number of terrorist operations, claiming the terror mastermind "preached nothing but peace," and was being "hounded" by the US. According to Saeed, the treatment of al Awaki, who has been linked to a number of terror attacks in which dozens of people were murdered, was "further evidence of what a crock the war on terror is."
Another figure linked to terrorism who has Saeed's support is the extremist Egyptian cleric Yusuf Al Qaradawi, who issued a fatwa supporting suicide bombings in Israel. Qaradawi is a supporter of Adolf Hitler who said that the Nazi leader exacted God's punishment on the Jews. However, Saeed has written glowing praise about that antisemitic Egyptian Imam.
Another aspect of Saeed's controversial past is his support for the creation of an Islamic Caliphate which would be ruled by Sharia law.
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