Karzai to support Sayyaf as presidential candidate

[Ahmad Abdul-Rahimzai]

'Karzai to support Sayyaf as presidential candidate'
By IAhmad Qurishi & Mohammad Asif Ahmadzai Aug 14, 2013 - 23:38
KABUL (PAN):

President Hamid Karzai has recommended Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf, a powerful ex-jihadi leader, to be declared a candidate in the presidential election slated for April 5.

Karzai named his choice during a meeting with political party leaders, including opposition, and former jihadi leaders at the Presidential Palace last week, Syed Fazl Sancharaki, the National Coalition Party spokesman, told a local media outlet.

Sayyaf, the Dawat-i-Islami party chief, Mohammad Qasim Fahim, first vice-president, Atta Mohammad Noor, the governor of Balkh, and Ismail Khan, the water and energy minister, were present at the meeting chaired by Karzai, he said.

The president urged the meeting participants to extend their support for Sayyaf, all, except Noor, endorsed the call, he said.
Mohammad Daud Kalkani, a leader of the Sayyaf party, also confirmed the meeting, but denied Sayyaf had been discussed.

He said Sayyaf only talked about a grand meeting his party planned to organise in Kabul on how to forge a national consensus ahead of the elections.
Sayyaf will present his plan at the two-week long gathering aimed at achieving a national consensus on the elections, the lawmaker from Kabul told Pajhwok Afghan News.

President Karzai and all political parties, including the National Coalition of Afghanistan, and influential figures from across the country had been invited to attend the meeting, he said.

All those invited had accepted the invitation and the decision to hold the gathering was final, he said.

A month back, several political leaders, who met at the residence of Qasim Fahim in Kabul, announced the candidacy of Sayyaf in the presidential fray.

That meeting was attended by Sayyaf, Fahim, Ismail Khan, the national coalition leader Abdullah Abdullah, former speaker Yonus Qanoni and other jihadi leaders.


http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2013/08/14...tial-candidate

[Ahmad Abdul-Rahimzai]

By YAROSLAV TROFIMOV
KABUL—President Hamid Karzai has suggested that the man who brought Osama bin Laden to Afghanistan could become the country's next leader, say people familiar with discussions ahead of April's presidential vote.



Associated Press
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, right, has floated Abdul Rasoul Sayyaf, second from left, as a possible successor.

Former Islamist warlord Abdul Rasoul Sayyaf has emerged as an unlikely—and, to Western diplomats, unsettling—favorite in recent gatherings that aim to select a consensus candidate.

At an hourslong meeting with power brokers last week, President Karzai tried to persuade Atta Mohammad Noor, the main authority in northern Afghanistan and a potential kingmaker, to support a Sayyaf presidential candidacy, according to people with knowledge of the meeting.

Mr. Atta, the governor of the northern Balkh province and a former Tajik warlord, made no commitments to Mr. Karzai during the meeting—which these people said was also attended by Mr. Sayyaf, Vice President Mohammed Qassim Fahim and former warlord Ismail Khan. The details of the meeting haven't previously been reported.

It is by no means certain that come April, Mr. Sayyaf, an Egyptian-educated religious scholar, would end up as the preferred candidate of Afghanistan's government bureaucracy. But the fact that he is seriously considered by Mr. Karzai and other powerful Afghan politicians highlights the degree to which Western influence has declined in Kabul ahead of the U.S. troop withdrawal next year.

Western diplomats say that a position of power, let alone the presidency, for someone like Mr. Sayyaf would imperil the billions of dollars in international commitments to the country. "This would be a disaster," one senior diplomat said.

Mr. Sayyaf declined to be interviewed. Mr. Atta's spokesman confirmed that the Balkh governor met with Mr. Karzai in Kabul as part of discussions about the election, and said Mr. Atta hadn't yet decided whom to support in April. A spokeswoman for Mr. Karzai, Adela Raz, said she had no comment on the matter.

Mr. Sayyaf's name looms large in the history of militant Islam. Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist movement in the Philippines, is named after him. In the 1980s and 1990s, Mr. Sayyaf's Saudi-backed movement ran training camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan that were initially set up for anti-Soviet mujahedeen fighters, according to witnesses and the U.S. government's 9/11 commission report. These camps eventually attracted thousands of Arab and international jihadis, including many who fought in Bosnia and Chechnya.

Al Qaeda's founder came to Mr. Sayyaf's camps when he joined the anti-Soviet jihad in the 1980s and returned to Afghanistan with Mr. Sayyaf's help in 1996. Ramzi Yousef, the 1993 World Trade Center bomber, also trained in Mr. Sayyaf's camps.

The 9/11 commission report described Mr. Sayyaf as the "mentor" of Khalid Shaikh Muhammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks who is currently incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Bin Laden and al Qaeda ultimately found shelter under Afghanistan's Taliban. Despite his conservative Islamist views, Mr. Sayyaf, an ethnic Pashtun from the Kabul province, before 2001 had joined with many other Afghan warlords in the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance. After the 2001 U.S.-led invasion, he found himself a U.S. ally.

Despite his checkered record, Mr. Sayyaf enjoys a degree of support in Afghanistan, both because of his Islamic credentials and his past as a leading commander in the war against the Soviets. These factors also appear to give him a higher name recognition among ordinary Afghans than others inside the presidential establishment whose names have been mentioned as possible Karzai successors.

"Sayyaf is head and shoulders the most controversial candidate among foreigners," said Graeme Smith, a Kabul-based analyst at the International Crisis Group think ank. "But among Afghans, this does not look that crazy at all."

Since 2001, Mr. Sayyaf has stayed mostly out of the limelight, but he has been an important member of the political establishment—serving in parliament and maintaining close ties with Mr. Karzai. With a fluent command of Arabic, Mr. Sayyaf has been instrumental in providing a degree of Islamic legitimacy for Mr. Karzai's government following the Taliban regime's 2001 ouster, a pivotal role in the government's public-relations battle against the Islamist insurgents.

"He has religious influence inside and outside Afghanistan—and we cannot say that he has links with al Qaeda anymore," said the Afghan parliament's deputy speaker Mirwais Yasini, who also ran for president in 2009.

One Western-leaning politician characterized Mr. Sayyaf as a flexible pragmatist.

"I am not saying he would be as flexible as to be able to change the image that he has left with the people and the world," said former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, who challenged Mr. Karzai in previous elections and plans to run again in April. "But what is it that he is going to oppose? What did he stand against in these past 13 years?"

Following parliamentary elections in 2010, Mr. Sayyaf—with Mr. Karzai's support—tried to run for the parliament speaker's job but didn't gather enough votes. Since then, he attended parliament sessions only a handful of times, fearing for his safety, according to Mr. Yasini.

Presidential hopefuls must file their nomination papers between Sept. 16 and Oct. 6.

Support from Mr. Karzai's administration, with its sway over local officials, is seen as crucial for any candidate hoping to win the vote. The president's meeting with Mr. Atta and his suggestion to back Mr. Sayyaf was part of a round of consultations aiming to find a consensus candidate and didn't represent a final endorsement, say people familiar with his thinking.

Other likely candidates who may benefit from Mr. Karzai's support are his brother Qayum and his current foreign minister, Zalmai Rassoul, these people say.

Mr. Rassoul is a distinguished diplomat respected by the international community but with little power base of his own—precisely the reason why he could be backed by Mr. Karzai and other power brokers.

Mr. Karzai has repeatedly said he is committed to stepping down next year when his second term, the maximum allowed under the Afghan constitution, expires. But some of his close allies and relatives, especially in the Karzai family's home province of Kandahar, have called for postponing the vote and allowing the president to extend his term because of the deteriorating security situation in the country. Such a scenario is likely to cause a major crisis with Afghanistan's Western backers.

—Ehsanullah Amiri contributed to this article.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...327576218.html

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

I was told that once, Sayyaf was in prayer with his Arab Salafi friends and some local Afghan mujahideen. On his right hand there was a Hanafi Afghan Mujahid and on his left hand there was a Salafi Arab Mujahid. During the prayer, he would hold his right hand below his navel and his left hand on his chest. When he would go into rukooh he wouldn't raise his right hand for the takbeer but he would raise his left hand for takbeer.

After the prayer, somebody who noticed his odd behavior during the prayer asked him why he was doing this. Sayyaf's answer was: I was trying to keep both of them happy.



Another Mujahid from Zazi Maidan who was with Sayyaf during the Russian attack on Paktia in the 80's said that Sayyaf heard that a group of Arab fighters were coming over from Peshawar through the mountains and they were about to reach his position in Aryob. Sayyaf quickly changed his clothes and picked old dirty clothes and put them on. He then quickly ran up the mountain and positioned himself on a ridge overlooking the landscape.

When the Arabs arrived, Sayyafs aide pointed out that he is up there on the ridge. So the Arabs reached him and there he pretended to be preoccupied with monitoring enemy positions while wearing old dirty clothes as if he was there all the time.

Another friend who grew up in Peshawar refugee camps went to school with Sayyafs children. He would tell me how all children were malnutritioned and poor while Sayyafs children would come to school in latest model SUV's wearing the nicest clothes and being well fed.

There are so many stories of Sayyafs time during the 80's that cast doubts on his status as a Mujahid.

We can all agree that these criminals and mass murderers showed their real face after the fall of the communist regime to the whole world. But the reality is that the people who know these leaders from the early age, tell a totally different story. It seems most people know how corrupt and criminal these men were long before the atrocities of the early 90's.

[khushal]

I have heard stories about him that when he met with arabs, he would wear old dirty clothes and torn chappal to show how humble and Sparta like he was to get funds from them. It is also said that he was paid by Arabs who hated Shia to the core to kill Hazaras indiscriminately in the 90's.

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

I have heard stories about him that when he met with arabs, he would wear old dirty clothes and torn chappal to show how humble and Sparta like he was to get funds from them. It is also said that he was paid by Arabs who hated Shia to the core to kill Hazaras indiscriminately in the 90's.

He massacred Hazaras and now he calls mohaqiq a brother.

[afghan]

After karzai he is the right person to lead Afghanistan.

[randolph85]

He massacred Hazaras and now he calls mohaqiq a brother.

I think that makes mohaqiq's wahdat look more stupid than anything. I just read that the khalili wahdat is in league with hezb i islami for a joint candidate.

I guess when you are a minority, its hard to save face in politics.

[Bost Bastan News]

I think that makes mohaqiq's wahdat look more stupid than anything. I just read that the khalili wahdat is in league with hezb i islami for a joint candidate.

I guess when you are a minority, its hard to save face in politics.

It was just a rumor that Mr. Mohaqeq joins Mr. Sayyaf. Mr. Sayyaf is a hardcore Salafist. Shia people, specially Hazaras, can´t co-exist with people like Mr.Sayyaf and his people. It is said that Mr. Qasim Fahim and Mr. Ismail Khan also support Mr. Sayyaf´s candidacy but this is also a rumor. Some people fabricated a little story to bring disunity among the parties. Mr. Sayyaf doesn´t have the support of 98% of Pashtuns. Hazaras and Uzbeks don´t support him, too. Among Tajiks only some Panjshir and Paghmani factions support him. Very small in number. Please, read this article http://8am.af/1392/05/26/secrets-karzai-saiaf/ But it is true that our Majesty Mr. Karzai would back Sayyaf if he runs. We believe with a credible Pashtun candidate in the south (maybe Mr. Ahady) and someone from the honourable Karzai family can maximize the votes of Pashtuns in eastern and southern Afghanistan. Mr. Sayyaf will help us to devide the Jamiat party and so for the elections the votes of Tajiks.

[Bost Bastan News]

Hezb-i-Wahdat of Khalili faction just announced joining Hezb-i-Islami Ahady faction.

[Bost Bastan News]

Have you heard that Gulbuddin Hekmatyar threatened Afghan minorities with punishment and genocide?

[randolph85]

It was just a rumor that Mr. Mohaqeq joins Mr. Sayyaf. Mr. Sayyaf is a hardcore Salafist. Shia people, specially Hazaras, can´t co-exist with people like Mr.Sayyaf and his people. It is said that Mr. Qasim Fahim and Mr. Ismail Khan also support Mr. Sayyaf´s candidacy but this is also a rumor. Some people fabricated a little story to bring disunity among the parties. Mr. Sayyaf doesn´t have the support of 98% of Pashtuns. Hazaras and Uzbeks don´t support him, too. Among Tajiks only some Panjshir and Paghmani factions support him. Very small in number. Please, read this article http://8am.af/1392/05/26/secrets-karzai-saiaf/ But it is true that our Majesty Mr. Karzai would back Sayyaf if he runs. We believe with a credible Pashtun candidate in the south (maybe Mr. Ahady) and someone from the honourable Karzai family can maximize the votes of Pashtuns in eastern and southern Afghanistan. Mr. Sayyaf will help us to devide the Jamiat party and so for the elections the votes of Tajiks.

honorable karzai family? lol

[Khorosani]

sayyaf is the biggest joke and hypocrite of Afghanistan. Karzai the prostitute is better than him.

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

honorable karzai family? lol

in another thread he refers to him as "majesty"

[ComradePashtun]

Excuse my French but Karzai is a mordagw for supporting him be it genuinely or as part any political game.

[BarakzaiAbdali]

Excuse my French but Karzai is a mordagw for supporting him be it genuinely or as part any political game.

Whats going on in his mind?