At least two Middle Eastern Muslim religious leaders have strongly condemned the bombings that occurred today in London, according to a report from Islam Online. From Cairo, Al-Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Mohammad Sayyed Tantawi said: "Those responsible for London attacks are criminals who do not represent Islam or even truly understand (its message)." He went on to denounced the killing of civilians, including women and children, "without differentiating between combatants and non-combatants." Tantawi, who is the highest spiritual authority for Sunni Moslems around the world, has previously condemned suicide bombings against Israeli civilians.
From Lebanon, a leading Shiite scholar, Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, said: "These crimes are not accepted by any religion. It is a barbarism wholly rejected by Islam." In addition many government officials and ordinary citizens throughout the Middle East were quoted by Islam Online as denouncing the killings.
