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In both Onward Muslim Soldiers and Islam Unveiled I discuss the British Sheikh Omar Bakri, who has long boasted about using Britain's freedom of speech to advocate the establishment of a Sharia state in Britain. Here is more about him, from the Dallas Morning News:
LONDON – The puzzle of Sheik Omar Bakri Muhammad is the puzzle of growing ranks of militant Muslims across Europe today. Some are talkers, others are doers, and often it isn't easy to distinguish between the two.Sheik Bakri, a controversial London-based cleric, counsels the hundreds of young men and women who attend his weekly sermons to exercise restraint and nonviolence. Yet, he says martyrdom is a key to paradise. Under some circumstances in the defense of Islam, he says, violence and killing may be necessary.
Europe may be the scene of martyrdom attacks soon, Sheik Bakri warned in an interview, although he placed numerous caveats on how that could unfold.
He regards the West as the enemy, confers upon Osama bin Laden the honorific of "sheik," and praises as "magnificent" the 19 al-Qaeda members who killed themselves in the Sept. 11 attacks. But he also preaches kindness and respect for non-Muslims and condemns indiscriminate attacks as "forbidden" in Islam.
Taqiyya alert: Bakri taught two young British Muslims who journeyed to Israel to become suicide bombers.
A commentary last year in the Guardian newspaper mistakenly described Sheik Bakri, who walks with a cane but is otherwise able-bodied, as "one-eyed, hook-handed."
That would be Abu Hamza, Bakri's partner in crime.
An April 26 New York Times story listed Sheik Bakri foremost among European clerics allegedly expressing sympathy toward terrorist attacks against Europe. He was so angered, he banned members of al-Muhajiroun from speaking to the non-Muslim news media and accused the New York Times of attempting "to stir up hatred towards Muslims and to whip the masses into a frenzy of fear and animosity."Rankling officials
Nevertheless, Sheik Bakri acknowledged in the April 22 interview that he has deliberately tried to rankle the British and U.S. governments with his fiery sermons, which he delivers several times a week at mosques and community centers around England.
By praising al-Qaeda as "magnificent," the cleric said, he is able to draw media attention and spread his message to a wider audience. But because he stops short of calling for his own followers to stage attacks, he explained, he has been able to avoid arrest for inciting terrorism.
Key to his rhetorical strategy is a carefully worded explanation of Islam's "covenant of security," which obliges Muslims to behave themselves when they have been invited into their enemy's domain. It is forbidden, the cleric explained, for Muslim immigrants to launch attacks in the Western countries where they reside because, as guests, they must abide by a covenant of nonaggression.
He said there currently is no one who can be described as the undisputed leader of all Muslims. However, he describes Mr. bin Laden as, hands down, the most popular and widely respected person in the Muslim world today.
"If you want to make free elections in the Muslim world, I doubt if anyone could compete with him. Even moderate Muslims, if they are given the free hand to vote and are given the power, they would vote for Osama bin Laden," he said. ...
Muslims who regard Mr. Bin Laden as their supreme leader might regard themselves as free to rise up against their European hosts, Sheikh Bakri said.
"What we do is all part of the same struggle," said Anjem Choudary, the chief deputy of Sheik Bakri, who described the jihad being waged by al-Muhajiroun in the United Kingdom as the same as those being waged by Muslim guerrillas in Iraq, Afghanistan and Chechnya.
"It's right that we're fighting against it [oppression by the West]. We just don't do so militarily," he said.
Sheikh Bakri says he makes a point of sending advance copies of his sermons to British police so they can judge for themselves whether he is the terrorist demon portrayed by the media. So far, police have not intervened. In spite of calls by members of Parliament for his arrest and deportation, British authorities say Sheikh Bakri has the right of free speech as long as he doesn't incite violence.
Posted by Robert at May 26, 2004 7:57 AM
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Here is an interesting interview with Bakr.
http://www.al-muhaajiroun.com/articles/interview.htm
Here is an excerpt.
Q: Okay, let?s discuss 9/11 and its aftermath. How do you see 9/11?
A: The fact that Americans were attacked was no surprise, what was surprising is that they came under such a devastating attack in their own country. The attacks were really a magnificent operation in every way. They were magnificent terrorists.
Q: ?Magnificent Terrorists?? This strikes me as a classic oxymoron!
A: What they did was an act of terrorism no different from what the US forces have been doing in Iraq, Sudan and Afghanistan both before and after 9/11.
Q: Were their actions Islamic?
A: Islamic or not, it was an act of terrorism.
Q: Were their actions Islamic?
A: The Prophet Muhammad once said to the enemy: I have come to terrorize you; he said: ?O, people of Qureish I have come to slaughter you?; in another quote he said: ?I am the Prophet who kills while laughing?.
Q: Are you sure these traits are attributable to the Prophet Muhammad?
A: I can quote to you the authentic references. Anyway for me ?terrorism? is not necessarily a bad word; it depends on the context and whether it is based on the commands of Allah.
Posted by: bob at May 26, 2004 11:22 AMOnce they do decide to deport him (and I think it is just a matter of time), I hope that they send him back to him home country of Isreal. They seem to have a pretty good method for dealing with militant Islamic leaders.
Posted by: Bob Owens at May 26, 2004 11:58 AMIt's time British authorities started thinking beyond the end of their nose. The so far successful foiling of terrorist attacks on the UK suggests that the MI5 team is working fine. No doubt, the British (excluding those who call themselves British Muslims and sympathize with the al-Qaeda cause) would feel a 100 times safer with the 'sheikh' deported.
Posted by: Nikoz at May 26, 2004 5:56 PMBe Aware!
The Islamist decieption is expanding.
I recieved this email today.
You decide - Truth or Lies?
From: "ABIDA FUDAIL" Add to Address Book
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 19:21:47 +0400
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION
GOOD DAY............Greetings in the name of Allah, the most beneficent,the most merciful.My name is Mrs Abida Fudail, a widow to Late Mr M, Fudail. I am 58years old, Presently I am suffering from long time cancer of the breast, from all indications, my condition is really deteriorating and i am very much afraid of my doctor's report, infact my conditon is very bad now.My late husband was killed during the Gulf war, and during the period of our marriage we couldn't produce any child.My late husband was very wealthy and after his death, I inherited all his business and wealth, The doctor has told me that I may not live beyond this year; every new day is like a bonus to me.So now i have decided to divide part of this wealth,to contribute to the propagation of Islam and in assisting the less-privileged Muslim faithful and all humanity in Africa and thruoghout the Muslim world, I chossed you after visiting the website and I prayed over it, I discussed this with my Attorney,Barrister Abdul Lateef .I am willing to donate part of the sum of US$18,000,000.00(Eighteen Million US Dollars) for the development of the holywork as well as a distribution to aid muslim faithfuls and also for the less privileged, including orhpans who lost their mothers through this deadly illness(cancer) no matter their faith.Please I want you to note that, this fund is deposited in a Security Company in Dubai,United Arab Emirate (UAE). For that, my lawyer Barrister Abdul Lateef will file in application for the transfer of the money in your name as you wish provided you are ready to use part of this money for this purpose.You will therefore have to travel to Dubai, to sign for the official release of this money as well as advice on how you want the money remitted to you own account. my Attorney will accompany you on this trip.I want you to immediately contact my barrister through this email:barry_abdulla@yahoo.com for assistance.Lastly I honestly pray that this money when transferred will be used for the said purpose because I have come to find out that wealth acquisition without Allah is vanity upon vanity.for this reason I have decided to set-aside 40% of this money for the service of humanity and the work of Allah.May the Grace of Allah be our guide and be my refuge when i leave this world. Moreso,I decided to offer you 30% While 20% will be transfered to the account of my Lawyer, Barrister Syed Abdul as compensation after successful conclusion.The remaining 10% is to cover the expenses both from your side and the side of my Lawyer who will assist you until every thing is over.Yours in Islam,Mrs Abida Fudail.
I have no death wish, so I'll be staying home in the USA.
Posted by: onesandzeroes at May 26, 2004 10:39 PM sounds like UBL is out of money and some of his money holders are trying to move the money? Remember he has rewards posted in gold not money and it sounds like they got a lot of money out of the stock market? and are trying to replenish their funds ?
We are winning!!
thy killed a New York Jeweler in frount of foxnews the other day . Remember they were moving jewels?
Part of the American Tribe
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and All who Fight with her give them Strength and Courage to stay the course to Victory Amen
You Brits and Assis need to get your people in the streets to get your guns back! and make sure that you elect. people that will give your guns back remember the cops can not be every where.
Posted by: Catherine at May 27, 2004 1:27 AM
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