In an AP story about Egypt’s top cleric issuing a pro forma denunciation of terror today (coincidentally timed to coincide in a coincidental fashion with the Fiqh Council’s fatwa), “former” Hizballah cleric Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah identifies the real enemies. (Hat tip: efuseakay.)

Guess who.

Lebanon’s most senior Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah - who had past connections with Hezbollah, but broke with the group [… uh huh, right …—ed.] - said after the Sharm attacks that all Muslims must condemn such attacks, which he blamed on “backward minds that do not understand Islamic texts.”

But in his sermon Friday, he said the “evil phenomenon” of terrorism “stems from the policy of arrogance (by the United States and Israel).” [Hello! Is this thing on? —ed.]

At a small mosque in Cairo’s Heliopolis suburb, the Friday preacher appealed to his congregation, trying to explain the proper meaning of “jihad” - a word often translated as “holy war” but more broadly meant as a “struggle” for Islam against oppression. […the Associated Press helpfully added… —ed.]

Jihad, he said, is by word, not by action. […notice lack of quotes and see previous comment by ed. —ed.]

“Oppression should be fought, but every thing has rules,” he said in a sermon blared by loudspeaker across the neighborhood. “The world has become a small village, and with good words, we can influence and impress the rest of the world, not by horrific actions.”

Yes, those “horrific actions” have a way of undermining the overall cause, don’t they. Good lord. Our enemies are morons.