'Qatar bringing homosexuals': Al Qaeda urges Muslims to shun World Cup

Jihadist group warns of 'sowers of corruption and atheism' as it calls on all Muslims to boycott global soccer tournament, so as to not 'sully Arabian lands sacred to Islam' with 'immoral people'
Reuters, Ynet|
Al Qaeda's regional branch urged Muslims around the world to shun the soccer World Cup in Qatar, though it stopped short of threatening attacks or promoting violence in connection with the event, according to a statement reported by a monitoring group.
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  • Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the militant group's Yemen-based branch, criticized Qatar for "bringing immoral people, homosexuals, sowers of corruption and atheism into the Arabian Peninsula" and said the event served to divert attention from the "occupation of Muslim countries and their oppression".
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    Asking Muslims to shun the World Cup - Al Qaeda
    Asking Muslims to shun the World Cup - Al Qaeda
    Asking Muslims to shun the World Cup - Al Qaeda
    (Getty Images)
    "We warn our Muslim brothers from following this event or attending it," said the statement, reported by the SITE Intelligence group on Saturday, a day before the tournament opens in a predominantly Muslim country for the first time.
    World Cup organizers, in response to criticism over Qatar's human rights record including LGBT rights as well as social restrictions, have said that everyone, no matter their sexual orientation or background, is welcome during the event.
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    המונדיאל בדוחא
    המונדיאל בדוחא
    World Cup in Doha
    (Photo: AP)
    Qatar, a small country of some 3 million, mostly foreign workers, has said that it trained more than 50,000 people to provide security during the World Cup, with foreign forces helping out under Qatari command.
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