OIC Secretary General condemns the storming of the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque

Jeddah, October 30, SPA -- The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, has condemned the raiding by
Israeli special forces of Al-Aqsa Mosque on the morning of Sunday, 21st October
2009 and the attack launched against worshipers and the mosque's caretakers.

He emphasized that attacking Al-Aqsa Mosque is tantamount to a blatant attack
against Islamic sacred sites and sanctities.

The Secretary General dubbed the repeated incursions into Al-Haram Al-Sharif as
extremely serious and likely to yield undesirable consequences.

He pointed out that the intensification of Israeli aggressions against Islamic
sanctities in the holy city of Al-Quds entails an earnest and firm stand by the
Ummah [nation] to defend its holy sites.

Ihsanoglu appealed to the international community to compel Israel to comply with
international law and put an end to its attacks on holy sites.

He cautioned that any act likely to damage Al-Aqsa Mosque or any other holy places
would bear grave consequences amid both Muslims and other believers across the
world with unpredictable ramifications for international peace and security.
--SPA 13:34 LOCAL TIME 10:34 GMT NNNN