The “president” of Sudan (who seized power in a coup), faced with increasing international pressure over the ongoing ethnic cleansing he supports, does the expected thing and plays the Islamic Victim card: Al-Beshir: The World is targeting Islam in Sudan. (Hat tip: Allah.)

Al Beshir was quoted as telling supporters in the central region of Gezira that the ulterior motives of the campaign against his country was not the situation in the troubled western region of Darfur, but to slow down the growth of Islam in the country. “The international concern about the Darfur issue is targeting the status of Islam in Sudan,” said Beshir.

He also said that the Sudanese government’s concern for Darfur was first and foremost because of feeling responsible for the people before God and not aid agencies or other countries.

He said his national “salvation” government will continue “to adhere to Islamic Sharia (law), set an example for social cohesion and bring humanity out of darkness to the light of Islam.”