Salaf protests innocence over Dr Afrasheem murder report

A presidential commission concluded that the moderate scholar was killed by a local extremist group affiliated with al-Qaeda. Salaf was named in the commission’s report for issuing a sermon in 2008 warning against praying behind Dr Afrasheem until he publicly repented and apologised. Local scholars were united against Dr Afrasheem because of his liberal views on issues such as the female headscarf, apostasy and indigenous religious practices, the commission noted.

In light of the conclusions, parliament’s security services committee decided last week to recommend action against Salaf as well as a probe into its finances and sources of funding. Several lawmakers also called for the NGO to be banned and accused its preachers of inciting hatred and recruiting jihadi fighters.

But Salaf denied supporting extremist ideologies and claimed to have spoken out against radicalised youth joining militant groups in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.