This review reports the main fatwas [religious-legal rulings] issued in response to readers’ questions by Minbar Al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, the Web site of Salafist ideologue Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi. In January and February 2013, Sheikh Shanqiti ruled as follows:
• Once the Muslims in Libya have established an Islamic state, they must prepare for war. Sheikh Shanqiti suggested that a large number of armed men seize power and key positions, and impose Islamic law [shari’a].• The new Egyptian constitution is heretical and antithetical to shari’a and Islam; anyone who signs it is an infidel. So, too, is any ruler who makes or passes legislation that contravenes shari’a.• Muslims in North Africa should give jihad in Mali priority over jihad in Syria, because of their geographic proximity to it.• It is permissible and justifiable to kill Algerian diplomats.• It is permissible to hack into, or hire the services of hackers to hack into, American Web sites, for the purpose of stealing money.