Baltimore: Muslim gets 25 years in prison for misunderstanding Islam

"Martinez said in a lengthy apology that he knew little of Islam when he was arrested and 'all I had was a religious zeal.' Martinez repeatedly said that he has 'renounced the misguidance of terrorism' and that the religion is not one 'anyone in this courtroom should be afraid of.'" Of course. No worries. Happens all the time. Converts to Christianity who are long on zeal and short on knowledge often get mixed up in terrorist plots, too, doncha know.

"Man in recruiting center bomb plot gets 25 years," by Alex Dominguez for the Associated Press, April 6 (thanks to David):

BALTIMORE (AP) A Maryland man who once said he wanted to wage jihad against the United States renounced terrorism Friday as he was sentenced to 25 years for plotting to bomb a military recruiting center near Baltimore.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Manuelian told U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz that Antonio Martinez maintains the mindset that led him to place what he believed was a bomb in front of the recruiting center. However, Martinez said in a lengthy apology that he knew little of Islam when he was arrested and "all I had was a religious zeal." Martinez repeatedly said that he has "renounced the misguidance of terrorism" and that the religion is not one "anyone in this courtroom should be afraid of."

Martinez pleaded guilty in January. Prosecutors say he armed a fake bomb in a vehicle he parked in front of a Catonsville recruiting center in December 2010 before moving to a vantage point and using what he thought was a detonator when an undercover agent told him soldiers were in the building....

Prosecutors have said the case illustrates the U.S. Justice Department's approach since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks of trying to catch suspects before they can carry out attacks. Defense attorney Joseph Balter told Motz before his client spoke that Martinez was an impressionable young man and wondered what might have happened if his client had run into someone who would have moderated his religious zeal.

"That's the job of the rest of us," not law enforcement, Motz said.

The judge said Martinez's mission now was to show others that terrorism is not the way, adding the government will take actions it believes necessary to protect citizens....

In the plea agreement, Martinez acknowledged that he wanted to pursue jihad against the United States "to send a message that all American soldiers would be killed so long as the country continued its 'war' against Islam."

An FBI informant contacted Martinez on Facebook after seeing public posts "espousing his extremist views" and recognizing him from a mosque he attended, according to court documents. Martinez later told the informant of his ideas for attacking military-linked sites and said all he thought about was jihad, according to the documents.

Balter said after the sentencing that Martinez's statement shows he has changed.

"The type of activity that he was involved in this case does not reflect his feelings about his faith at this time, and it was important to renounce those voices," Balter said....

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14 Comments

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Remco Kimber | April 6, 2012 10:36 AM | Reply

Apparently he still knows little of Islam. Spouting off that Islam is not an ideology which "anyone in this courtroom should be afraid of" is clear demonstration of insincerity or stupidity. Either way, book 'm, Dano.

Buraq | April 6, 2012 10:37 AM | Reply

Defense attorney Joseph Balter .... wondered what might have happened if his client had run into someone who would have moderated his religious zeal.

And how would this person, let's say Reza Aslan, have moderated his zeal? What arguments could he have brought to persuade Martinez that violent Jihad was wrong, according to Al Qur'an and other core text of Islam.

None.

Clown!

London Jim | April 6, 2012 11:29 AM | Reply

Blithering Blater.

Guy Macher | April 6, 2012 12:14 PM | Reply

So, he learned Islam from Muslims in jail and now knows that no one need fear Islam?

Fool me once... we all know the rest.

Islam has no place in our society.

j_not_a | April 6, 2012 12:29 PM | Reply

Defense attorney Joseph Balter told Motz before his client spoke that Martinez was an impressionable young man and wondered what might have happened if his client had run into someone who would have moderated his religious zeal.

"That's the job of the rest of us," not law enforcement, Motz said.

What a load of hooey! It is not up to the rest of us to "moderate" radically-inclined muzlums. It is up to THEM as communities and inviduals to learn to think for themselves and their parents to teach them right from wrong. Pathetic typical limpwristed moonbat lawyer-speak.

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003546219302 | April 6, 2012 12:56 PM | Reply

Ghazi Beji and Jaber Mejri are the two young Tunisian men who were recently sentenced to seven and a half years of prison for charges of attack on public order and morality.

Mejri, an English teacher, is currently in custody following his arrest by Tunisian police in early March. Beji, who is a 27 year-old biotechnology food engineer, managed to flee Tunisia and is currently in Greece seeking asylum.

http://www.maghrebchristians.com/2012/04/06/mahdia-blasphemy-case-convicted-fugitive-speaks/

Youssef

kelbi yahud | April 6, 2012 12:58 PM | Reply

A muslim denouncing terrorism is like a human being denouncing oxygen. It's something they can't live without.

Besides, what's their word worth anyway?

Canto28 | April 6, 2012 1:34 PM | Reply

"Balter said after the sentencing that Martinez's statement shows he has changed."

Oh sure, you can take his jihadist word for it, just like you can believe the Muslim Brotherhood when it smiles and says there's nothing to fear - just keep dumping the sucker taxpayer's billions on them:

"Hillary Clinton recently announced that the U.S. will continue delivering $1.5 billion in annual aid to Egypt, despite Cairo’s provocative behavior."
http://tinyurl.com/7m6vted

It fun for her to dump other people's money (yours) on Obama's dear Muslim friends.

London Jim replied to comment from Canto28 | April 6, 2012 1:59 PM | Reply

Your CIC called it ''the holy Qur'an''. Holy? My a**

exsgtbrown | April 6, 2012 5:04 PM | Reply

""The type of activity that he was involved in this case does not reflect his feelings about his faith at this time, and it was important to renounce those voices," Balter said...."

but his activity does reflect his feelings about non-Muslim faiths....

minoria | April 6, 2012 6:14 PM | Reply

Guys,check this out:

"Video by Muslim Liberal Irshad Manji where she says it is OK to Question the Koran"

http://www.antisharia.com/2012/04/07/video-by-muslim-liberal-irshad-manji-where-she-says-it-is-ok-to-question-the-koran/

AND ALSO

"Navas de Tolosa,in 1212,the Epic Battle that Saved Spain from becoming another 100% Muslim Country like Morocc"

http://www.antisharia.com/2011/10/03/navas-de-tolosain-1212the-epic-battle-that-saved-spain-from-becoming-another-100-muslim-country-like-morocco/

"Egypt Brotherhood candidate says sharia is main goal"

http://www.maghrebchristians.com/2012/04/05/egypt-brotherhood-candidate-says-sharia-is-main-goal/

fitna | April 6, 2012 11:54 PM | Reply

"Muslim gets 25 years in prison for misunderstanding Islam"

no matter how many times you use those words Robert, I don't think I'll ever get tired of it because it succinctly, ironically and humorously captures the ignorance that the masses, particularly the elites in media and politics have of Islam.

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003546219302 | April 7, 2012 3:30 AM | Reply

The prosecutor at the Tunisian Court of First Instance has formally accepted the complaint filed by the President of the Tunisian Jewish Community, Roger Bismuth, and has opened an investigation into the circumstances in which a Salafist preacher called for Tunisian youth to wage war against the country’s Jews.

On Friday night, Tunisia’s small Jewish community of just over 1,500 will begin their week-long festival of Passover. For Bismuth, the week leading up to Passover has been particularly busy.

Youssef

duh_swami | April 7, 2012 4:58 AM | Reply

the religion is not one "anyone in this courtroom should be afraid of."

Of course not...That's a lot like what the spider said to the fly 'Come on in, you will be safe here'...Count Drac'ullah also said it...'Velcome to my Castle'...'You do not need to be afraid'...Just don't let him see your neck and you will be fine...

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