Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2015-02-26
Top secret spy cables exposed by Al Jazeera Network in the form of intelligence documents in the biggest leak of state security documents in South Africa’s history has set the media, corridors of power and discussion forums abuzz.
Al Jazeera on Monday night exposed details of South Africa’s murky intelligence operations through documents in its possession spanning a period from 2006 until December 2014 which looked at the Iranian Intelligence Service’s operations in South Africa including detailed briefings and internal analyses written by operatives of South Africa’s State Security Agency (SSA).
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa has issued an official statement saying that as a Muslim-based civil society organization, they are concerned at the potential of such a dump of untested and unverified information has in prejudicing individuals and sections of the community.
The orgnisation has urged media houses cover the spy cables story with responsible commentary and fair reporting.
In the statement Secretary General of Jamiatul Ulama South Africa Moulana Ebrahim Bham said the re-hashing and re-mixing of old tales about potential security threats and that terror cells operated in South Africa is a matter which has been with us since the pre-2010 period.
“Back then, supposed experts on counter-terrorism, without much substance, claimed that the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa was a target of a hatched terror plot. Local security agencies, correctly discredited this claim about the Muslim community as a source of such terror threats.”
“Fresh from these ‘spy cables’, however, is the revelation of the scale of operations of foreign intelligence agencies on South Africa soil. Such agencies have reportedly pressured local security agencies on matters that have the potential of compromising our civil liberties and the curtailing of legitimate support and solidarity South Africans extend towards just and worthy causes, locally and abroad,” said Moulana Bham
Jamiatul Ulama has reiterated that it has long been known that foreign agents operated at key points such as the OR Tambo International Airport where they extra-judicially harassed individuals known to be active critics of Israel’s apartheid policies.
“We appeal to the security cluster of government to investigate such issues and also review, among others, the case that Mossad agents stole missile blueprints from the state enterprise, Denel.”
Jamiatul Ulama said what South Africa has seen about the ‘spy cables’ so far reflects the use of very poor quality of intelligence and lack of understanding of the South African Muslim community.
“One is therefore left wondering how many suspected individuals have over the years been targeted and profiled based on such flawed intelligence,” said Moulana Bham in the statement.
“The constitutional democracy we enjoy alongside the personal freedoms it guarantees have to be jealously guarded against rogue intelligence elements trying to instil fear and sow discord among the diverse people of our nation. We urge our government to look into these matters seriously, focusing on lapses in the system so as not to compromise national sovereignty. “
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa says the Muslim community will remain committed to the building of a South Africa that is prosperous, secure and a model of harmony.
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