Liberian Muslim Leader Charged With TreasonLiberian Muslim Leader Charged With Treason February 20, 2000 Peter Kahler PANA Correspondent MONROVIA, Liberia (PANA) - The Liberian government has ordered the arrest of the leader of an Islamic group in Monrovia on charges of treason. A statement issued in Monrovia Saturday night by the justice ministry said it had "sufficient evidence" that Lartin Konneh, self-styled leader of the hitherto unknown Islamic Jihad Movement of Liberia, was part of plans to wage war on the country. It said Konneh was the representative of "a greater Islamic fundamentalist organisation outside Liberia with plans to wage war on this country." The statement signed by justice minister Eddington Varmah said Konneh's act is in violation of article 76 of the Liberian constitution. On 9 February, Konneh, in a interview published by a local daily, had called on Muslims to resign from president Charles Taylor's government and boycott his ruling National Patriotic Party. Konneh also called on Muslims to reject Taylor's offer to defray the expenses of a Muslim delegation to the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and urged Muslim nations world-wide to "isolate and severe ties" with Taylor's government. Since coming to power in 1997, Taylor has "personally" sponsored Liberian Muslims to attend the annual pilgramage to Mecca as a show of "religious tolerance" by his government. Despite Konneh's call, the National Muslim Council has accepted this year's sponsorship from Taylor, reportedly covering some 100 Muslims. Konneh, whose group became known only after the publication of the interview, said his calls were "in protest to the passive reaction of government to numerous attacks against Muslims in Liberia, and particularly those northern Lofa County. Konneh's call came in the wake of the burning last month of three mosques in Voinjama, provincial capital of Lofa, and the massacre the same month of about 18 Muslims in a town near Zorzor, a district of Lofa, some 200 km north of Monrovia. Ethnic clashes between the predominantly Mandingoes and the Lormas in Lofa have been going on since 1997 and have led to wanton arsons and massacres on both sides, with the Muslims suffering heavier causalities, however. The justice ministry statement advised the public not to harbour "this dangerous Muslim fundamentalist as anyone doing so risks arrest." Although the ministry was not specific, it claimed to have "unimpeachable intelligence reports that a certain NGO was organising the escape of Konneh." The ministry warned all NGos to "refrain from aiding a villain hiding behind the cover of religion." "A muslim fanatic, fundamentalist and satanic mind invites a war on our people must be stopped by the law in the supreme interest of our people", the statement said. Konneh and his wife have reportedly "disappeared" since state security men began unusual visits to their central Monrovia home a day after the newspaper publication. A police raid last week on the home of the Konneh's led by police chief Paul Mulbah was said to have been "a search for contraband and dangerous (narcotic) substances." After the raid, the justice ministry last Wednesday said the government was not in pursuit of Konneh and that "he is a free man." The arrest order has contradicted this statement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.