More on this story. "Florida doctor accused of being al-Qaeda volunteer," by Edith Honan for Reuters:
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Florida doctor accused of swearing allegiance to al Qaeda and agreeing to treat wounded militants has been unfairly ensnared in the scheme of a longtime friend, a defense lawyer argued on Wednesday.
Rafiq Abdus Sabir, 52, was arrested in May 2005 and later charged in a four-person conspiracy to provide material support to al Qaeda and another group listed as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.
His trial began with opening arguments in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Wednesday.
Sabir and his longtime friend Tarik Shah, a New York jazz musician, offered themselves as a "package," with Sabir providing skills as a doctor and Shah agreeing to train would-be warriors in hand-to-hand combat, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rodgers told jurors.
"With these unique skills, Sabir and Shah knew that they could help al Qaeda," Rodgers said.
But Edward Wilford, Sabir's defense attorney, said Sabir was "just a tool" in Shah's scheme.
"This is about Shah, Shah, Shah," he said.
Earlier this month, Shah and another defendant in the case, Maryland cab driver Mahmud Faruq Brent, pleaded guilty to charges connected to the conspiracy.
A fourth defendant, Brooklyn bookstore owner Abdulrahman Farhane, was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
At the center of the case against Sabir is a May 20, 2005, meeting at Shah's Bronx apartment, where Shah and Sabir took part in a ceremony swearing allegiance to al Qaeda in the presence of an FBI agent posing as an al Qaeda recruiter.
In the year and a half leading up to that meeting, Shah had been caught in hours of tape-recorded conversations, confiding he wanted to open a martial arts studio for "jihad training" and that he dreamed of being a "martyr on the battlefield," Rodgers said.
Those conversations were conducted with Mohamed Alanssi, a paid Yemeni FBI informant who defense attorneys have said is unreliable because, in 2004, he attempted suicide by setting himself on fire in front of the White House.
At the May 20 meeting, Sabir's first meeting in the alleged scheme, Shah and Sabir swore to obey "Sheikh Osama," who prosecutors said is Osama bin Laden.
"I'm ready. I've been preparing for a long time. My spirit is ready," Sabir said at the time, according to Rodgers.
Wilford portrayed the meeting as a legitimate step in Sabir's spiritual development that had nothing to do with al Qaeda. "There is no instance on those tapes where Sabir says, 'Oh yes, I want to treat wounded jihadists.' That's just spin," he said.
Wilford said Sabir, who could face 30 years in prison, has agreed to testify.
Notice how Reuters first sentence establishes the tone and sympathy of the article? Nothing new there.
Doesn't a doctor have an ethical and moral obligation to treat the sick and injured?
just a thought.
"Doesn't a doctor have an ethical and moral obligation to treat the sick and injured?
just a thought.
Posted by: crusadertothecore "
I have often wondered if muslim doctors are bound by the Hippocratic oath.
I know Israeli doctors have treated many Pallies, and who knows if they ever came back to thank them?
30 years in prison?...Maybe CAIR can get Sharia law in place before then so he doesn't have to serve that much time.
From the article
We are a generous and benevolent society. Why don't we make his dreams come true?
Gramfan said
Well, yes and no. I remember this story, about a "Palestinian" woman who was badly burned in a kitchen accident(?). Israeli doctors treated her, and she survived. She returned to the hospital months later, wearing a bomb belt that she tried to detonate.
This would not be the first time that palis have expressed their "thanks" in this way.
It would be fun to get to stand in front of the worthless UN and simply quote the prime minister of the PA and to quote Hamas and to quote Hizballah and remind the UN of it's duty in terms of terrorists.
Islamicommie docs use the hypocrITIC oath.
It's called Taqqiyah.
No doubt, we American taxpayers foot the bill for his medical school, too...well, that's money well spent! Atleast we know no good deed goes unpunished.
Again.
My visit to Dr. Sabir:
"Okay, Jewdog, just sit here. Now say Aaaahhhh.
Hmmmm, let me feel those glands...Yes..a little swollen. Here, let me just take my sword and perform an infidel headectomy..sit still now..."
Realizing that there are better ways to cure a cold, I ran out fast.
Many of these Doctors are treating our parents and grandparents who have retired to Florida.
When one meets a Doctor who for instance is Not Muslim and you are known for a person who speaks out they often tell of statements by Islamic doctors that raise questions in their minds as to where their loyalty lies, USA or Islam.
This group of Doctors are also on the Government mother's milk of Medicare bigtime. Talk about Jyza, our tax dollars built their mansions and finance Jihad against us. High class welfare.
special_guest
Somehow,,dunno how,,but I just knew someone would know a story like this.
thanks for the link!
Islam has more doctors than Imams. Dr's of what is not usually mentioned. If it's medicine, I think I will stick to western dr's. If it is a Dr of psychiatry, I will laugh untill my chest hurts.
Muslim psychiatry, an idea who's time has come...
Makes me wonder if there are any psychiatrists in Islam and if so what kind of mental abberations do they treat? Paranoia I bet...
I have seen Islamic martial arts and they are hillarious. Victoria Principal doing stretches looks more lethal than a gym full of the ja mars.
The simple solution is to simply give Doc Strangemuslim his desire and ship him off to Iraq and let him sew up blown up suicide bombers.
Victoria Principal holding an AK-47 could still do some damage. These are no warriors, but I wouldn't dismiss their danger.
I think the doctor just wanted to practice an obscure Muslim form of medicine known as Post-Birth Infidel Abortions (applicable to kaffirs of any age).
I also find it strangely amusing how this guy is in the same line of work as another "physician" that's even more well know?
His name is ayman al-zawahiri.
I wonder who paid for his medical school too?
Gee, what a coincidence. lol
If convicted, hopefully our good doctor-cum-terrorist will be subjected to some radical surgery...