[polleroy]

Masjid al-Rifa`i in Damascus was stormed by 'security forces' and regime gangs this morning, wounding and arresting Shaykh Usama al-Rifa`i along with numerous others. The Shaykh reportedly tried to negotiate with them to let the people out safely, and they attacked him and stormed the Mosque in response. The Shaykh is now in the hospital recovering from his injuries, may Allah hasten his recovery and protect him and our people from the savagery of these tyrants.

Videos of what took place:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miema2U0MTg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FemXUj93bQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvlz5LQ9cT0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFIyPxKuh2M

.........

Shaykh Usama al-Rifa`i is one of the most prominent senior scholars of Damascus and the son of the late Shaykh `Abd al-Karim al-Rifa`i rahimahullah. He has been an outspoken critic of the regime's violent response to peaceful demonstrations, and recently issued a statement along with 19 other Damascene scholars about this. An excerpt from one of his critical Khutba's was translated by MEMRI, the original of which can be seen at Naseem al-Sham or their YouTube channel from the 13th minute onward.


.....taken from here