IUMS condemns assassination attempt on Saudi preacher in Philippines

The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) has condemned an assassination attempt on the renowned Saudi preacher Aaidh Al-Qarni in the Philippines on Tuesday.

“The assassination incident is a terrorist and a criminal act,” IUMS Secretary-General Ali al-Qaradaghi said in a statement.

Al-Qaradaghi has called on the government of the Philippines to provide protection for Sheikh Al-Qarni, speed-up investigations into the incident and to prosecute the perpetrators.

Al-Qarni was shot in the right shoulder, left arm and chest while his companion, a Saudi embassy attaché, was wounded in his right thigh and left leg.

He was admitted to a hospital in Manila.

The police said Al-Qarni had just delivered a university lecture in Zamboanga city when a man came out of the crowd and opened fire.

“We pinned down the gunman. He’s dead,” local police spokeswoman Senior Inspector Helen Galvez said.