Dr. Khalid Al-Shafi
The destruction of historical monuments, museums, and attacks on mosques, churches, shrines and places of worship will not be the last in a series of brutal crimes being committed by the IS. They were preceded by killings, beheadings, burnings, crucifixions, lashes, and stonings. These barbarian acts are aimed at demolishing invaluable human heritage and take away from us great masterworks which not only must be protected, but should not even be touched. These monuments documented the history of the first human civilization that happened thousands of years ago and their destruction is a crime against humanity.
Certainly, IS is not destroying these heritages in cold blood to simply satisfy its ideological arrogance, but with other sinister motives. A shocking report published in the Times daily, London, says that the IS has stolen precious relics from Syria and Iraq and sold them directly to European countries and antiques collectors in the West.
This region is afflicted with people claiming religiosity or those who interpret the religion to further their hidden agendas. They try to impose their faith on others using the ugliest and most reprehensible means.
The biggest challenge facing the Arab and Muslim societies and the entire world today is fanaticism and extremism.
These extremist groups will do anything to achieve their aims like killing innocent people who differ with them in faith, sect or thoughts. These ignorant groups issue fatwas for beheadings in Iraq or for eating human hearts raw, as we saw in Syria, or spray acids on faces of young girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan, or kidnap schoolgirls for the purpose of selling or rape in Nigeria.
The important question is when the international community will stand united and coordinate efforts to fight these extremist groups, and their supporters. Or is too early for such an action?
The Peninsula
