So I asked a very knowledgeable Syrian opposition figure about the relationship between the Combatant Vanguard (At-Tali`ah Al-Muqatilah) and the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood. I am translating his answer:
"The truth of the matter, and the circumstances of that era are still ambiguous at least prior to November 1980, at least organizationally. The Muslim Brotherhood have benefited from that as they now--whenever they are reminded of sectarian crimes and massacres that they had committed (assassinations or massacres like in the artillery college for example, say that the Combatant Vanguard was responsible [for those deeds] and not us. I think that what is certain now on this front is that At-Tali`ah (the Vanguard) started working alone on the ground emerging from the groups of Shaykh Marwan Hadid, which were formed in the 1960s and 1970s, before a large section of the Muslim Brotherhood joined them as cadres and ground members after 1976, by the admission of Bayanuni (former leader of the Brotherhood) and others in recent press interviews. (The interview with Riyad Shaqfah with Hasan Mu`awwad in October 2010 is important regarding those relevant matters). The statement of the "Islamic Revolution in Syria and its Courses", which was made in November 1980 ended the ambiguity, at least regarding what would happen after it. As of this statement, all the Islamist organizations in Syria, headed by the Ikhwan and At-Tali`ah, became one military organization and the then General Inspector for Ikhwan, Shaykh Sa`id Hawwa, became the commander of the Combatant Islamic Formations. And the cited statement came out of the unification of Islamist organizations within an organization named the Islamic Front in Syria, knowing that the statement contained a clear and umambiguous sectarian stance against the `Alawite sect. And then tide of bombings and assassinations moved for the first time maybe to the heart of Damascus (notably the Azbakiyyah massacre)."
PS In the interview with Shaqfah, he lies about the Combatant Vanguard and its role and links.
PPS And notice how he lies about the bombing of the vans and buses.
"The truth of the matter, and the circumstances of that era are still ambiguous at least prior to November 1980, at least organizationally. The Muslim Brotherhood have benefited from that as they now--whenever they are reminded of sectarian crimes and massacres that they had committed (assassinations or massacres like in the artillery college for example, say that the Combatant Vanguard was responsible [for those deeds] and not us. I think that what is certain now on this front is that At-Tali`ah (the Vanguard) started working alone on the ground emerging from the groups of Shaykh Marwan Hadid, which were formed in the 1960s and 1970s, before a large section of the Muslim Brotherhood joined them as cadres and ground members after 1976, by the admission of Bayanuni (former leader of the Brotherhood) and others in recent press interviews. (The interview with Riyad Shaqfah with Hasan Mu`awwad in October 2010 is important regarding those relevant matters). The statement of the "Islamic Revolution in Syria and its Courses", which was made in November 1980 ended the ambiguity, at least regarding what would happen after it. As of this statement, all the Islamist organizations in Syria, headed by the Ikhwan and At-Tali`ah, became one military organization and the then General Inspector for Ikhwan, Shaykh Sa`id Hawwa, became the commander of the Combatant Islamic Formations. And the cited statement came out of the unification of Islamist organizations within an organization named the Islamic Front in Syria, knowing that the statement contained a clear and umambiguous sectarian stance against the `Alawite sect. And then tide of bombings and assassinations moved for the first time maybe to the heart of Damascus (notably the Azbakiyyah massacre)."
PS In the interview with Shaqfah, he lies about the Combatant Vanguard and its role and links.
PPS And notice how he lies about the bombing of the vans and buses.
