Radical Cleric Demands Ouster of Yemen Leader

The New York Times ^ | March 1, 2011 | LAURA KASINOF and SCOTT SHANE

[Christus_Rex]

American officials expressed concern about the statement of the cleric, Abdul Majid al-Zindani, a onetime mentor of Osama bin Laden, which introduced a new Islamist element to the turmoil in a country where Al Qaeda is viewed as a grave threat. The protests that toppled leaders in Tunisia and Egypt and that now have spread to Libya, Bahrain and Oman have been largely secular in nature.

Mr. Zindani spoke on an open-air stage before several thousand antigovernment protesters, guarded by 10 men carrying AK-47s and shielded from the scorching sun by two umbrellas wielded by aides. “An Islamic state is coming,” he said, drawing cries of “God is great” from some in the crowd.

The early demonstrations in Yemen were inspired by Egypt’s largely secular, pro-democracy protests. But the appearance of Mr. Zindani on Tuesday suggested a possible shift to a more overtly religious direction, Mr. Johnsen said. “Religion has a larger place in public discourse in Yemen than in most other countries in the region,” he said.

Since 2004, Mr. Zindani has been named a “specially designated global terrorist” by the United States Treasury Department, which accused him of a role in financing terrorism — a designation Mr. Saleh’s government fought to reverse. Mr. Zindani’s word as a spiritual leader carries considerable political and moral weight in Yemen.

[Christus_Rex]

Democracy movement my ass!

[TigersEye]

American officials expressed concern about the statement of the cleric, Abdul Majid al-Zindani, a onetime mentor of Osama bin Laden, ...

But all he wants is freedom and democracy! /s

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Christus_Rex. This is impossible of course, or if it did happen, is totally irrelevant. These uprisings are spontaneous, pro-democracy, pro-western efforts by the common people to break their shackles which were imposed by crony capitalism, US ethanol subsidies, the New World Order, and the Zionist Occupation Government.

Abdul Majid al-Zindani, a onetime mentor of Osama bin Laden

(do I really need to /sarc ?)