Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, one of the leading theologians of the Muslim world, who is considered the spiritual guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, has called for the murder of Christians. He was recently blacklisted as a terrorist by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt. Qaradawi, 90, was included in a list totaling 59 names of individuals and 12 entities listed as terrorists connected to Qatar.

Ahmed Adnan, a Saudi journalist, writer and political advisor based in Lebanon made the claim Qaradawi supports killing Christians in an interview with Al-Ahram al-Arabi.

“A call of Yusuf al-Qaradawi was intercepted in which he gave a fatwa to blow up churches and kill Christians,” he said in the interview. “This information is not from me but from a special source. This fatwa inspired training sessions in Libyan Islamist militia camps. These training sessions resulting in terror attacks that blew up churches and the incident of al-Minya.”

On May 26, masked gunmen opened fire on a convoy of Copts in Minya governate, killing 28.

Adnan also claimed in the interview that Qatar was indirectly connected to the Manchester terrorist attack through its support of militias in Libya.

The Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia published an announcement saying Minister of Education Ahmed Ibn Muhammed al-Issa ordered there should be no book, articles, pamphlets or anything else written by al-Qaradawi in the libraries of the universities, colleges, school and departments of education.

Following Qaradawi’s listing as a terrorist, the Saudi-backed Muslim World League expelled Qaradawi.

Get a preview of Clarion Project’s latest film, Faithkeepers, about the violent persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East. The film features exclusive footage and testimonials of Christians, Baha’i, Yazidis, Jews, and other minority refugees, and a historical context of the persecution in the region.