COLOGNE, Germany — The secretary-general of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, professor Ali Mohiuddin Al Qaradaghi, insisted that the Union’s endorsement of Operation Decisive Storm was not influenced by any one political faction, and that the union adopted stances independently aimed at safeguarding the interest of Muslim affairs, in its capacity as representative of all Muslims, regardless of denomination or sect. The union was listed as a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a move that seemed to target organizations considered to be supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood. The union's chairman, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, is seen by many as the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader though he holds no official position in the group's leadership and the union is not affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.
In an interview with Al-Monitor in Cologne, Germany, on April 12, Qaradaghi further affirmed that the union would stand by Hamas and support its defense of the Palestinian people. He continued to state that the International Union of Muslim Scholars is a purely Muslim union comprised of Muslim scholars who work toward the safeguarding of Muslim affairs. In its capacity as representative of Muslims of all denominations and sects, the union is not affiliated to any particular country and does not bear animosity toward any government.
