London, Asharq Al-Awsat- Ali Sadraldin al-Bayanuni, former head of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, has stressed that, “The moderate Islamic trend is present in all Syrian governorates.” Al-Bayanuni points out that the Muslim Brotherhood has direct communications with all the coordination councils at home as well as the Syrian opposition abroad. Al-Bayanuni, who is also known as Abu-Anas, explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that: “We do not have bases at home because of the unjust Law No. 49 of 1980 that sentences those affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood to death.”
Al-Bayanuni, who is in Turkey participating in the Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council meetings, told Asharq Al-Awsat: “It is too late for any political or reformist solution in Syria; therefore, there is no solution now other than the departure of the regime. This has a price that the people will pay in order to achieve their aims of freedom, justice, and democracy.”
Al-Bayanuni reiterates that the demonstrators in the beginning raised slogans demanding reform and freedom, “but the way the regime dealt with the demonstrators pushed them into raising the ceiling of their demands, and they will not stop until the regime goes.”
Regarding the confessions of Lt-Col Hussein Harmush, which was aired on Syrian Television under mysterious circumstances after his dissent from the army in June 2011, the former head of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood told Asharq Al-Awsat: “We do not have detailed information. However, we support the statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry that denies handing over the dissident Syrian Lieutenant Colonel to the authorities in Damascus.
Al-Bayanuni points out: “The oppression by Bashar al-Assad’s regime has caused the death of more than 3,000 Syrian citizens, and the arrest of no less than 15,000 others, who according to human rights organizations are in the Syrian prisons and detention camps exposed to all kinds of torture and humiliation.”
Al-Bayanuni says: “The Muslim Brotherhood is in solidarity with the revolution at home and abroad, and we will not accept anything less than the toppling of the regime.” Al-Bayanuni stresses that the Muslim Brotherhood Group “does not and will not accept the idea of sharing power with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.”Al-Bayanuni says: “There is no truth whatsoever in the circulating claims about the possibility of a settlement between the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Assad’s regime with Turkish sponsorship and US blessing. This is unfounded. Neither the Turks are pursuing this, nor have we any information about it. All these are leaks by some pillars of the regime.”
Al-Bayanuni adds: “We do not participate with criminals. This is a criminal regime, and it ought to go. Whatever the temptations through promises, posts, or reforms might be, we will not participate with the killer of the people, and there is not even the intention to engage in a dialog with him. The dialog with him is rejected and prohibited, and we have taken our decision about this.”