Report: Syrian Salafists Holding ‘Secret’ Talks with Christian Officials in Lebanon
Syrian Salafists, who have escaped their country, are holding “secret” talks with Lebanese Christian officials to explain to them about their vision on a “civil, democratic and plural” state in Syria if President Bashar Assad’s regime collapses, informed sources said.
The sources told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat published Thursday that the Salafists have so far held five meetings with Christian parties and Sunni leaderships.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has expressed fear that the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Syria would threaten the existence of Christians in the region. He has called for allowing Assad to introduce the reforms that he has promised.
The newspaper said that Lebanese Christian politicians have helped the Salafists hold meetings with U.S. and European officials to push them towards taking a decisive stance from the Assad regime.
The Salafists stressed that their vision for a new rule in Syria is not based on extremism. On the contrary, they are hoping that the collapse of Assad would bring a new era of democracy and voting.
The informed source refused to say if the meetings are taking place with representatives of the Phalange party or any other side, only saying: “Muslims and Christians are cooperating to make these meetings successful.”
The Salafi sect believes most modern Muslims follow a corrupted version of Islam that should be abandoned in favor of the practices of the first three generations of Muslims, the Salaf.
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