UAC update. A UAC press release:
The United American Committee board of directors today officially denounce the “fatwa” against terrorism issued on July 28th by several American Islamic organizations.Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 9, 2005 -- Best known for its actions to counter Islamic extremism in America, the United American Committee continues its strife by denouncing what it deemed to be a bogus ‘Fatwa,’ or Islamic verdict against terrorism, which was issued by several established American Islamic organizations in the past week.
“These groups are only deceiving America, they fail to mention any terrorists or terror groups by name, they merely state that they do not condone the unjust killing of the innocent, or civilians.” remarks U.A.C. chairman Jesse Petrilla, “non-believers are not innocent according to Islamic law, and we are not civilians according to Islamic jihad, we are the enemy, and according to Islamic extremists, our killing is not unjustified.”
One of the groups tied to the fatwa against terror was the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). The Untied American Committee adamantly objects to a statement made by one of MPACs founding members, Dr. Maher Hathout of Egypt, a U.S. citizen. In that statement he essentially issued a fatwa of death against a Los Angeles homeless activist by the name of Ted Hayes.
“As long as they’re talking about fatwas, what about the fatwa on my life?” says Hayes, whose outspoken opinions against Islamic extremism have gained him friends and foes alike. “How can these groups issue a fatwa against terrorism and extremism, yet their members issue other fatwas which seem to support terrorism and extremism?”
With several thousand citizens behind the organization, and growing at a profound rate, the United American Committee is not more than a year old. A group which strives to promote awareness of Islamic extremist threats which face America from within, the United American Committee is a growing political movement dedicated to awaking Washington and America on the issue of Islamic extremism. More information on the U.A.C. can be found at www.UnitedAmericanCommittee.org
With several thousand citizens behind the organization, and growing at a profound rate, the United American Committee is not more than a year old.
Robert at August 9, 2005 06:22 AM
From http://www.unitedamericancommittee.org/platform.htm we find:
===
10. Our goal is to encourage Muslim Americans to embrace democratic ideals, and the American way of life. All citizens are equal and are entitled to the rights granted by the United States constitution. These rights may only be revoked when an individual, regardless of creed or race, commits an act against his/her fellow American or against the American populace, whether by action or intent. We encourage American Muslims to denounce the ideals of our extremist enemies, and to stand against our enemy's terrorist actions.
===
From http://www.answers.com/intent&r=67 we find the common language meaning of ‘intent’ as below:
===
Intent in law is the planning and desire to perform an act.
In criminal law, for a given actus reus ("guilty act"), the requirement to prove intent consists of showing mens rea (mental state, "guilty mind").
The requirements for the proof of intent in tort law are generally simpler than criminal law. Knowledge of the repercussions of the act is often not necessary. It is sometimes only a matter of showing that there was desire to perform an act.
===
Are we right in understanding that the intent mentioned in the platform of the United American Committee is the one in criminal law? Normally the extremist actions lead to loss of limb or life and thus, we believe the ‘intent’ should be one associated with a criminal act.
A confirmation would indeed persuade the undersigned to join the committee and persuade others too.
As a practicing Muslim, I am constrained to state that in Islam a non-Muslim is innocent unless and until that person commits a crime as per his / her belief and such an act is established by sufficient witnesses as per her / his belief. This is guaranteed by Verse 2:256 of the Holy Quran. It is untrue to claim that this Verse is abrogated. No word in the existing Holy Quran is abrogated. If the extremists claim so, let us not fall prey and allow them to recruit innocent youth.