Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

ADL Rips World Muslim Congress for Spreading Anti-semitic Charges

July 8, 1987
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith has accused the World Muslim Congress of spreading allegations that “international Jewish capital” is at the root of Western trade moves against Japan.

Abraham Foxman, associate national director of the ADL and head of its international affairs division, cited the May 23 issue of The Muslim World, the World Muslim Congress’ weekly newsletter, which describes anti-Jewish books recently published in Japan.

“Despite the article’s reportorial rather than polemical style, its message is clear: Jews are behind world economic problems and Jews are lying about the Holocaust,” Foxman said.

The Muslim World, edited by Inamullah Khan, is published in English and mailed from Karachi, Pakistan to subscribers all over the world. Kahn is secretary-general of the World Muslim Congress. The Congress maintains consultative status as a Non-Governmental Organization at the United Nations.

SAYS IT’S DISQUALIFIED

Foxman said its dissemination of racist materials disqualified the Congress from UN affiliation. The front-page article in the May 23 Muslim World quoted from a book by Masami Uno alleging that Jews control the world economy. It cited another book by Toru Kawajiri, described as “a well known and highly respected psychoanalyst,” which plays down the Holocaust.

Foxman recalled that in 1982 the ADL revealed that the World Muslim Congress was distributing anti-Semitic books by American neo-Nazi William Grimstad to members of the Senate and the British Parliament.

The Congress was founded in 1949, according to ADL, and was headed for 20 years by Haj Amin el-Husseini, the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem who was an admirer of Hitler and fled to Berlin at the outbreak of World War II. His successor, Ma’ruf al-Dawalibi, who lives in Saudi Arabia has been quoted as saying “the Arabs would prefer a thousand fold to become a Soviet Republic than a prey to world Jewry.”

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement