Jabhat Al-Nursa's plans for a new Syria under sharia

Jabhat Al Nusra has emerged as the most powerful fighting group amidst the Syrian rebel opposition. The Islamist group has outlined its plans to impose sharia law once President Assad is ousted.

Sheikh Abu Ahmed, military commander of Jabhat Al Nusra, spoke with a reporter from the National. The Salafist leader said: "Our first goal is to get rid of Assad. Then we want a state where the Quran is the only source of law. Sharia is the right path for all humanity - all other laws make people unhappy." His vision of Syria under sharia is sure to make the populace happy, with alcohol, tobacco, cinema and immoral television shows banned. Ahmed claimed the people "will get used to it eventually." Al Qaeda has endorsed Al Nursa as the purest Islamic group in Syria. Abu Ahmed also said the minority groups including Christians and Alawites will have nothing to fear under sharia law. However, Christians in Syria are alarmed, fearing their religious freedoms will be abolished, Persecution.Org reported. Syria's new Greek Orthodox leader, Youhanna al-Yaziji, has appealed for the 1.8 million Christians to stay in Syria. Naharnet reported the Patriarch said "We Christians are here in the country and we will stay here. We believe that Christ is always present in this region, which is where Christianity was born."