These judges interpret the "man-made secular" laws of the modern Turkish state. The laws can be interpreted as an "obstacle to Islam" meaning the implementation of Islamic law or Sharia on Turkish soil. From AP with thanks to Granny Weatherwax.
A gunman stormed into a meeting at Turkey's highest administrative court in Ankara today and opened fire, wounding five judges, the governor's office said.The attacker, a lawyer who was detained and was being interrogated by police, reportedly chanted "God is Great!" as he fired his weapon, private NTV television reported, citing witnesses.
One of the injured judges, Mustafa Birden, had been criticised for a February decision barring the promotion of a teacher who wore an Islamic-style head scarf outside of work. The decision was condemned by the government.
Justice Birden was critically wounded in the stomach and being operated on, TGRT television said. Another judge, who was hit in the neck, was also undergoing surgery.
The governor's office said two of the five judges who were wounded were in critical condition, but did not identify them.
Some 99 per cent of Turks are Muslims.
The country's secular establishment, however, which includes the courts and the military, has sought for decades to restrict Islamic influence, which some political leaders view as an obstacle to Western-style modernisation.
Under Turkish law, women are not allowed to enter schools or other public buildings wearing head scarves...
Update: One of the injured Judges has now died.
A lawyer he was, would you believe it!
Clitman always said "these things are caused by poverty..."
He must have been suffering from this strange disease, what do you call it?
SDS, something like "Sudden Jihad Syndrome..".
One of the injured Judges has now died. The attacker is believed to be, or was pretending to be, a lawyer.
From the article linked to above:
"Nevertheless Deniz Baykal, chairman of the secularist main opposition Republican People's Party, said the government's policies were responsible.
"I hope those who still can't see where Turkey is being dragged, who refuse to see it, will take this as a warning," he said.
"Unfortunately, blood has spilled into politics in Turkey. Turkey is being dragged into a very dangerous situation. Everybody should come to their senses."
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said the attack would not undermine Turkey's secular constitution.
"These attacks will never reach their goal," he said, adding that the justice system would not be intimidated and would be loyal "to the secular and democratic republic".
Unfortunate as this incident is it is imperative that EU member states and populations keep pressure on the executive never to let Turkey into the European Club. Specifically not on the pretext of some duty to Turkish secularists who will very quickly be swept aside.
Zaman is reporting the death of Justice Mustafa Birden but it's unclear if that was an early report or a late development.
Turkey is caught in a swirling brew of competing Islamist and secular pressures. The headscarf has taken on a life of its own and both sides ascribe to it powers far beyond the fact that it is a mere scrap of cloth. Endless debates rage there over women's right to wear the headscarf, in order to maintain the honour and modesty they've been taught accompanies its wearing, and the right to live in a secular society, as Ataturk intended, free from religious symbolism. Other symbols abound of course, but the ubiquitous headscarf has become the focal point of the struggle.
I'm not sure that this article is correct in stating that "Under Turkish law, women are not allowed to enter schools or other public buildings wearing head scarves..." I thought it was just that women were not allowed to work in those establishments if wearing a headscarf. I've attended school functions there where many women in the audience wore the headscarf. I also heard that many female teachers there, although not wearing a scarf to teach, immediately put one on upon arriving home. Apparently Justice Birden irked some headscarf supporters with a previous ruling on the headscarf issue. He banned a female teacher from promotion because she wore the scarf outside of school. This, of course, touches on human rights -- after all, she was wearing just a piece of fabric, not a weapon. Turks, it seems, cannot just ignore this issue and apply "a woman's right to choose" in this context. Much better if a woman stops wearing the scarf for "bottom-up" reasons (changes in her thinking), instead of "top-down" rulings. But Turkey's present volatile atmosphere propels this whole issue into a larger-than-life dimensions. Sadly in this case it has now become a life-or-death issue.
What's happening there is a struggle for Turkey's soul. The Islamists refuse to see Islam relegated to a mere religion and insist that it remain front and centre in government and society. The secularists are fighting hard to maintain Ataturk's inroads against the power of Islam.
Car bombing kills seven in southern Russia.
http://www.glomdalen.no/utenriks/article2103265.ece
At first glance I thought this posting had something to do with Dick Cheney. My bad.
Incident should send a message to the EU : Do not admit Turkey.
And on the subject of Turkey and the EU, I know I posted this once already this week but I was shocked (I can still be shocked, thank the Lord) and I think it is important.
A Sunday Times investigation, When Beast meets West.
The EU friendly alternative to honour killings - forced suicide.
Big Cat Girl;
I really don't think that the European Union is in a thing we like to call "the real world." Look at how the Neatherlands have threated Hirsi Ali. look at how the governments of Finland and Denmark cowtowed to Muslims during the early days of the Muhammad cartoon flap. And how many arrests were there made of violent Muslims during the Muslim/French insurrection? How many Muslims are there, going on trial for the wanton, mindless destruction to property and injury and death that came in the course of the riots? The only government in the European Union that showed any kind of testicular fortitude was the Italian government. By taking in Bro. Abdul Rahman from Afghanistan sharia justice.
In all honesty, I'll wager that the European Union will overlook this incident as an isolated occurance and admit Turkey anyway. It'll take another major terrorist attack within the European Union's borders to make a dent in the EU mindset against taking in Turkey as a new member.
Thank you Granny. Your post just helps to prove my point.
Thanks for the article Granny.
I have a cousin who was never able to have a child. She would have made a fantastic mother.
But these Cretins are allowed to breed.
Useless breeders. Useless breathers.
this proves that turkey is EXACTLY JUST any other muslim country. Nothing more and nothing less. Anybody else who believes otherwise is either ignorant or stupid. Or Both.
Many, many thanks, Granny for this article. Another eye opner.
Thanks, Granny W. I just read the article, "When Beast Meets West." The reporter was probably lucky to make it out of that backwater town alive. Honor killings, murders of judges and "apostates," headscarves, and cartoons of Mohammed....Islam is a religion that literally and figuratively strangles its followers. For those following the immigration debate in the US, please read Paul Sperry's new article in Frontpage magazine about the attempts by the Saudi cash machine in northern Virginia to suck in illegal Mexicans. More scary stuff about the religion of peace...
Granny,
Thanks for the link. One hopes that articles such as this will help to keep Turkey out of the EU but I fear they will fall on deaf ears. The article is a bit condescending in that a 99% Muslim population equates to a "predominantly Muslim population." One paragraph casts Erdogan as a moderate and pro western yet Turkey is fast becoming an Islamist state with killings of priests and now judges. I just can't imagine these people running around Europe freely if they become part of the EU. It sends shivers down my spine.
Granny, thanks for the link to the Sunday Times.
I am constantly amazed at the complete absence of mercy and compassion in the religion of the merciful and compassionate.
At first, I thought Cheney was turkey hunting...
But seriously, interesting to note how often these crimes are occuring, with the offender shouting to Allah.
Robert, be careful how you phrase headlines. Very misleading. A "turkish shooting" is one thing, but a "turkey shooting" is something else. LOL. Your prose is usually very elucid.
(As a vegetarian, I take offence to turkey shootings. Turkish shootings? Not so much. LOL)
ive Judges Injured in Turkey Shooting
Last time he shot a lawyer, now Cheney is taking out the judges.
Five judges injured in Turkey shooting
++++++++++
Got mad at a judge at a turkey shoot, but didn't want to shoot him, just cleaned his plow.
Shakespire said "First, lets kill all the lawyers".
Who would have thought it? A lawyer is the first to start the shooting....
Lets sit back and wait. (Maybe they'll all self-destruct).
l thought about Cheney as well.. thought more judges got hit at a turkey shoot out! anyhow great article
Granny Weatherwax! l cannot understand for the life of me honour killings! like murdering someone would restore honour! what backward thinking these muslim monsters are!
How scary is it that a lawyer (i.e. non-cop) could smuggle a gun into a courthouse.
As someone writing from the Europe, I agree with the American posters that Turkey should not be allowed into the EU. Apart from the brutality displayed in the times article linked above (and interestingly enough by their football fans, players and officials), the demographics would inject too many Muslims into the EU. The French have been vocal (and quietly effective) in stopping Turkey’s application so far.
In another post, a poster called Dan asked ‘where’s the victory?’ looking for a definitive target that could be recognized. Maybe it’s time for some Chinese style context (i.e. very long term) of where all of us are in this perennial struggle against Islam. You could use the possession of Jerusalem as a bench mark, and you could say that we have imposed our current ‘Templar’ nation on the region. In this longer term view, there is no victory against Islam, just effective suppression.
This brings me back to Turkey. We have all recognized it as the Islamic nation at Europe’s boarders. Some of you might agree that the rise of militant Islam within Turkey is a cause for concern and that it should be contained. But I don’t believe the American posters have an effective Imperialist view of how to contain Islam.
The US doesn’t want to occupy land (the Europeans are too weak to do it), so we have accepted pre-western regimes that suit our goals. Where I think Bush is wrong, is in his attempt to inject Democracy into the political infrastructure of the middle east. There simply isn’t the culture to accept democratic ideas. In fact, as a strategy, Hamas being democratically elected should have put an end to that program.
They want Turkey in the EU, well if Turkey is in the EU we al should get out and quick. Turkey is another Iran or Iraq in the making, they are becoming more Jihadi day by day, the veil is more common and fundamentalism is also growing in strength. The above news story will be London or Paris in 10-20 years. Don't believe me? Go back to 1980 and then try to convince people that Muslims will fly planes into the World Trade Centre.
from the article on honor killings
"she says, while stressing it’s not in the teachings of Islam that the fault lies, but in many of the country’s outdated customs that regard women as subservient."
no, no, this is not a good start