Abuses of power were inevitable: among Sharia's many defects are its sense of entitlement to rule, and inadequate limitations on power and jurisdiction. Yes, the perpetrators are being held accountable in this case, but that is to the credit of the civil government. One can only imagine how vast and how much worse abuses of power will be where Sharia reigns unchallenged.
"Indonesia Sharia police accused of gang rape," by Karima Anjani and John M. Glionna for the Los Angeles Times, January 15 (thanks to all who sent this in):
Reporting from Tokyo and Jakarta, Indonesia - Three members of a civilian patrol that enforces Islam's strict Sharia law in Indonesia's Aceh province have been accused of gang-raping a 20-year-old university student, authorities there said.
The attack allegedly occurred this month at a small-town police station after the patrol members, known here as the Sharia police, took the woman into custody. Two men, ages 27 and 29, were arrested and one is still being sought, authorities said.
Activists say the accusation seriously undermines the credibility of the controversial Sharia police patrols.
"They don't have the authority to detain people -- their role is to give moral advice, that's it," said Norma Manalu, director of Aceh's human rights coalition. "They misused their power." Aceh's "vice and virtue patrol" enforces religious codes across the only province in the nation to employ Sharia, or Islamic law, for its criminal code. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country.
Sharia was introduced in 2002 after the region was granted autonomy as part of efforts to end a decades-long guerrilla war. Supervisors say the Sharia police, formed three years later, consider themselves the community's public conscience. [...]
The Sharia policemen allegedly stopped a couple by the road near a plantation. In an interview, the victim's father said his daughter's friend was beaten by the group and the couple was then brought to a nearby Sharia police station.
The men later returned while off duty and raped the woman, investigators say.
"She was treated like an animal. They suffocated and raped her -- it was inhumane," the victim's father said. "She's in deep trauma."
Marzuki Abdullah, head of the 1,500-member Sharia police force, said the case was not linked to the patrols because any crime the officers might have committed was done while they were off duty.
Activists say the case should bring a review of the patrols.
"It's time for the Sharia police to introspect their institution, role and officers," said Manalu. "Are they really needed to judge our morality? We don't have any guarantees that they have a higher moral standard than us."
I wonder if the victim is a Muslim.Guess these guys couldn't wait for the 72 virgins.
Marzuki Abdullah, head of the 1,500-member Sharia police force, said the case was not linked to the patrols because any crime the officers might have committed was done while they were off duty.
Well played, sir! It's 'not linked' in exactly the same way islam is not linked to the attack.
[rolls_eyes]
Sharia police station?
http://confessionalouthouse.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/ohlower.jpg
What shocks me is that the victim was 20 years old. I just finished reading a book titled "Princess" a biography of a Saudi royal, what an eye-opener... stuff like this is commonplace in Muslim societies, even with pre-teen girls.
Three members of a civilian patrol that enforces Islam's strict Sharia law in Indonesia's Aceh province have been accused of gang-raping a 20-year-old university student, authorities there said.
Rape is a sacrament in Islam. I'm calling 33:21 right here right now.
*** 33:21 ***
So what's the beef? Not like there was any sex-slavery or anything...
Marisol states:
No need to imagine, these oh-so-pious sharia enabled barbarians actually videotape themselves. At MyPetJawa, Brad Thor reports: Taliban’s Siraj Haqqani: Rape, Murder & Videotape
The Haqqani pornography ring
read the rest at The Jawa Report link provided above.Marisol : No need to imagine, these oh-so-pious sharia enabled barbarians actually videotape themselves...
And these are only the ones stupid enough to videotape themselves.
That's an utterly nauseating video. Didn't watch it all, I couldn't stomach it.
Vile pigs.
[VOMIT]
Oh, I'm just SHOCKED that the male Islamic Barbarians raped.
Just shocked, I tell you. NOT. NOT. NOT.
"'Allah's enforcers'".
That's what Nonie Darwish calls them, in her book on sharia, "Cruel and Usual Punishment".
Who actually believes that they are going to be convicted and punished for this alleged rape?
Under Shari'a law, four witnesses are required to testify they saw the actual act of penetration. I don't know whether the Indonesian laws that apply in Aceh permit the admittance of DNA evidence, or whether it would be seen as Bid'a and thus inadmissible in this case.
If DNA evidence is available and accepted, would the accused be let off or receive a reduced sentence by saying: "Yes, I had consentual zina (sex) with the woman, but the other two accused had non-consentual zina with her."
If DNA evidence is not accepted (or not presented), would the accused be let off by saying: "No, I had no zina with the woman, but the other two accused had zina with her."
In each case, without four (male) witnesses or a confession they would not be convicted of rape. Even if all the people present at the rape accused each other of rape but denying their own complicity would not convict under Shari'a law. If there were no other witnesses actually present at the rape but not participating, there would only be 2.5 witnesses available (the victim being the 0.5 witness equivalent counting towards the 4 witness requirement).
Of course, the witness, by accusing the three of rape has also, by definition, confessed to zina, and thus without any other witnesses or proof, could be punished for that. Being stoned to death or whipped are two such traditional Shari'a punishments.
Thus, barring the admission of DNA evidence or confessions from all three, they could expect to escape punishment under Shari'a law, and the rape victim will be punished instead for intercourse outside marriage (zina).
Such are the benefits of Shari'a law, a set of laws that the Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips, the most senior judge in Britain, seem to be in favour of for the British people too. To be fair, Lord Phillips is quoted as saying, "Severe physical punishment - he mentioned stoning, flogging or amputating hands - is 'out of the question' in Britain",[1] and in that article, 'Lord Phillips signalled approval of sharia principles as long as punishments - and divorce rulings - complied with the law of the land.'
I also found it fascinating that the Marzuki Abdullah, head of the 1,500-member Sharia police force, believes there is a on-duty/off-duty issue here. I would believe him more if it wasn't the same 'police' that had arrested the woman in the first place, and if she hadn't been allegedly raped whilst in the 'police jail' where she was being detained by these same 'police'.
Gharkad
[1] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1031611/Sharia-law-SHOULD-used-Britain-says-UKs-judge.html#ixzz0cjrcysYD
Gang rape?
Is that an abuse of power or a mohammedan folk tradition?
Marzuki Abdullah, head of the 1,500-member Sharia police force, said the case was not linked to the patrols because any crime the officers might have committed was done while they were off duty.
................
Oh, well, then—that's alright. sarc/off