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The author of the book Alms for Jihad, about who is funding the jihadist movement, a book banned by its dhimmi publisher under Saudi pressure, has passed away.
"Robert O. Collins, 75; UC scholar's Bin Laden book was withdrawn by publisher," by Jocelyn Y. Stewart for the Los Angeles Times (thanks to Twostellas):
In a career devoted to the study of Africa's Upper Nile Valley, particularly Sudan, historian Robert O. Collins wrote books and articles that were considered required reading for scholars and students of Africa.The U.S. government sought his insight on the conflict in Darfur and on Osama bin Laden. Hollywood filmmakers asked his advice in depicting the region on screen. A former president of Sudan presented Collins with a distinguished award for scholarship.
But when Collins and a colleague wrote the 2006 book "Alms for Jihad: Charity and Terrorism in the Islamic World," the two historians found themselves in the middle of what the New York Times called an international cause celebre.
To avoid a defamation lawsuit in British courts -- where the burden of proof is on the defendant -- the publisher of "Alms" apologized to a wealthy Saudi mentioned in the book, Sheikh Khalid bin Mahfouz, and paid a settlement. The publisher, Cambridge University Press, also destroyed all unsold copies of "Alms," an act of pure heresy to Collins and other scholars.
Until his death from cancer in Santa Barbara on April 11, the 75-year-old Collins maintained that he and J. Millard Burr had written a good book that deserved to exist.
"The Shaykh can burn the books in Britain, but he cannot prevent the recovery of the copyright by the authors nor their search for a U.S. publisher to reprint a new edition of 'Alms for Jihad,' " Collins said in an essay posted online at George Mason University's History News Network....
I am sorry that he did not live to see his struggle through to victory. That victory is now up to us.
May his memory be eternal.
Posted by Robert at April 25, 2008 8:19 AM
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"The Shaykh can burn the books in Britain, but he cannot prevent the recovery of the copyright by the authors nor their search for a U.S. publisher to reprint a new edition of 'Alms for Jihad,' " Collins said in an essay posted online at George Mason University's History News Network....
I don't know what is involved in recovering a copyright. It might be a long and expensive legal process. But if Collins' heirs and Mr. Burr do get the copyright back, then maybe JW could "publish" the book on-line.
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at April 25, 2008 8:51 AM
From the obituary in the Los Angeles Times:
Collins traveled to Sudan in 1956, the year the country gained independence. It was the first of many trips and the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the nation, Kristian said.
"After earning a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth in 1954, Collins earned many other degrees in history: bachelor's and master's degrees from Oxford University's Balliol College in 1956 and 1960, as well as a master's degree and a doctorate from Yale University in 1958 and 1959. He was fluent in Arabic.
Collins taught for brief periods at Williams College in Massachusetts and at Columbia University in New York before joining the faculty of UC Santa Barbara in 1965.
For 10 years Collins served as dean of the graduate division. After his retirement in 1994 he continued to teach, write and mentor. With his doctoral students he was demanding, affable and always available."
Posted by: Hugh at April 25, 2008 9:57 AM
That books was SO needed right then when it came out. It could be perhaps republished with great difficulty but its moment of impact is past.
Cambridge University Press. Are you proud? Book burners and cowards. UK has a terrible libel law, you could have had a great moment and fought that law for all the world to see, defended a distinguished academic against a Saudi money pimp for Islam.
I think dhimmiwatch should institute a new award. The Gold Toilet Seat for those most slavishly in the thrall of Saudi money.
Posted by: poetcomic1 at April 25, 2008 10:09 AM
Read the Book the Saudis Tried to Ban via Jawa Report
May Robert O. Collins' work live on! RIP.
Posted by: justamomof4 at April 25, 2008 10:37 AM
Thank you justamomof4!
I downloaded it and will share the link with everyone I know. I would have bought the book outright but alas, it's not available.
Posted by: never_submit at April 25, 2008 11:16 AM
Got it - emailed it off to three more with the msg to make it viral. Speaking of such great oil wealth, why use it or it's power to stop free speech if the power of the "Lord of All Worlds" could do it. Why doesn't Allah just stop the presses hmmm? Imaginary moon spook being defended by the irrational and stupid. Oil Sheikh Khalid bin Mahfouz can shove his control of OUR right to free speech up his ass...if he can lift his skirt up high enough that is.
Posted by: Quantum Infidel at April 25, 2008 2:01 PM
If the facts were correct, he was incorrect not to fight.
If the facts were dubious, he should have solidifed his research before publication.
Bowing to intimidation is not a reccommendation.
Posted by: profitsbeard at April 25, 2008 9:38 PM
The pen is mightier than the sword seems to apply here. Posthumously, due to the copyright, Robert Collins will live on in promoting truth.
Posted by: Americantothecore at April 25, 2008 10:22 PM
If the facts were correct, he was incorrect not to fight.
If the facts were dubious, he should have solidifed his research before publication.
Bowing to intimidation is not a reccommendation.
British libel settlements have nothing to do if the claimed slander is true or not.
The small publication “Living Marxist” did made an article debunking the famous Bosnian Serb “concentration-camp” image (the malnourished guy behind a fence). Don’t remember the exact wording but the judge did conclude that the image was a false representation of the actual situation but it was still libel of the acknowledged journalists. As I remember the reasoning was something like, that even if the image and how it was presented was false the all-embracing picture of the Bosnian situation was true.
Translated to today situation, even if one do find the facts that Muslims is engaged in terror financing the all-embracing “truth” is that Muslims is adherents of Islam - The Religion of Peace - so even if the facts in some details is true it is slander.
at April 26, 2008 4:17 AM
"Those who burn books, will soon burn people." - Author Unknown...1871. We are past this point.
Posted by: Infidel One at April 26, 2008 5:00 AM
Hitchens on Free Speech and Freedom of Expression
Posted by: Engelbrekt at April 26, 2008 5:12 AM
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