Page "Haj Amin al-Husseini" Paragraph 31

In 1931, al-Husseini founded the World Islamic Congress, on which he was to serve as president.

Versions differ as to whether or not al-Husseini supported Izz ad-Din al-Qassam when he undertook clandestine activities against the British Mandate authorities.

His appointment as imam of the al-Istiqlal mosque in Haifa had been approved by al-Husseini.

Lachman argues that he secretly encouraged, and perhaps financed al-Qassam at this period.

Whatever their relations, the latter's independent activism, and open challenge to the British authorities appears to have led to a rupture between the two.

By 1935 al-Husseini did take control of one clandestine organization, of whose nature he had not been informed until the preceding year, which had been set up in 1931 by Musa Kazim al-Husayni's son, Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni and recruited from the Palestinian Arab Boy Scout movement, called the ' Holy Struggle ' ( al-jihad al-muqaddas ).

This and another paramilitary youth organization, al-Futuwwah, paralleled the clandestine Jewish Haganah.

Rumours, and occasional discovery of caches and shipments of arms, strengthened military preparations on both sides.