Attack a blow to Assad's regime
Attack a blow to Assad's regimeIsrael news photo: Flash 90

The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria said on Thursday that the country post-Assad will be an Islamic state.

Speaking to the Al-Arabiya network, the movement’s deputy leader, Ali Al-Bayanouni, said, “You cannot deny the fact that Syria is an Islamic Arab country because most of the people who live in the country are Arab and Muslim, and the existence of non-Muslim minorities does not eliminate the identity of the majority.”

Al-Bayanouni called Syrian President Bashar Assad “a criminal and a murderer who must be brought to justice,” stressing that “no one has the authority to pardon the criminals.” At the same time, despite the evidence of war crimes being committed by rebel forces as well, Al-Bayanouni said he fully supports the rebels.

“Whoever carries a weapon for self-defense and in order to protect his honor is a hero and deserves recognition, and is not a criminal and therefore will not stand trial,” he said.

Islamists have gained power in both Tunisia and Egypt following the Arab Spring revolutions that toppled the governments in both countries last year.

In Libya, however, where former strongman Muammar Qaddafi was also toppled, Islamists suffered defeat, despite its outgoing leaders calling for sharia Islamic law to be the “main” source of legislation in the country.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has publicly expressed its hopes that the country will become an Islamic caliphate.

During his election campaign, Egyptian president-elect Mohammed Morsi reiterated his commitment to jihad and to the Islamic sharia law.