Libyan Congress blasts shrine attacks

The Libyan National Congress has said it is worried over the recent destruction of holy shrines in the country by hardline Islamists. Several Muslim shrines have been attacked in recent days, including those of the mystic Sufi strand of Islam. Islamist hardliners on Saturday bulldozed part of the mausoleum of al-Shaab al-Dahman, close to the centre of the Libyan capital. The demolition came a day after hardliners blew up the mausoleum of Sheikh Abdessalem al-Asmar in Zliten, 160km (100 miles) east of the capital. According to witnesses another mausoleum,that of Sheikh Ahmed al-Zarruq, had been destroyed in the port of Misrata, 200km (125 miles) east of Tripoli. The Congress explained in a statement were studying the issue and taking input from Libya's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Sadek al-Gheryany. "Compromising the legitimacy and sovereignty of the state and using violence and weapons contradict our religious values and traditions," said the statement. The congress also said those who illegally used violence without proper sanctions would set themselves up for criminal liability and prosecution. Libyan activists and civil society groups had on Monday urged the newly-elected parliament to intervene to protect the national heritage. In a letter addressed to the General National Congress and its speaker, Mohamed al-Megarief, 17 groups also called for the recent attacks to be investigated. “Action must be taken before these criminals cause any further harm or damage to our heritage and our people,” said the statement signed by 17 groups, including Lawyers for Justice in Libya and Women4Libya. “We plead with you to act now to protect our heritage,” they said. Hardline Sunni Islamists are implacably opposed to the veneration of tombs of revered Muslim figures, saying that such devotion should be reserved for God alone. The Sufis, who have played a historical role in the affairs of Libya, have increasingly found themselves in conflict with Qatari- and Saudi-trained Salafist preachers who consider them heretical. “You as our elected official authority must act now,” read Monday’s statement. On Sunday, the national assembly accused the interior ministry’s High Security Committee of being lax or even implicated in the destruction of shrines. Protesters took to the streets of Tripoli on Sunday to denounce the destruction, but Monday’s statement said some demonstrators were attacked. Libyan Interior Minister Fawzi Abdel Aal had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Abdurrahim el-Keib as a result of criticism against him by some members of the National Congress because of the recent events in the country.