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Abu Qatada's beliefs are a "perversion of Islam" because they encourage violence. Where is the standard, correct form of Islam that discourages violence? Well, no one actually has ever seen it, but they firmly believe, as firmly as Linus ever believed in the Great Pumpkin, that it exists.
"'His beliefs are a perversion of Islam,'" by Anil Dawar for The Guardian, June 18 (thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist):
The radical cleric Abu Qatada has variously been described as a "truly dangerous individual" and a "key UK figure" in al-Qaida-related activity by those in anti-terrorist circles who have studied his work and words.Qatada, who was released from prison last night on strict bail conditions including a 22-hour curfew, became one of the UK's most wanted men in December 2001, when he went on the run on the eve of government moves to introduce new anti-terror laws allowing suspects to be detained without charge or trial.
The 45-year-old father of five arrived in the UK in September 1993 on a forged United Arab Emirates passport. He was allowed to stay in June 1994 after claiming asylum for himself and his family.
Qatada, also known as Omar Mahmoud Mohammed Othman, was said to have met with an MI5 officer and offered to cooperate to help prevent Islamist terrorism in the UK.
But videos of his sermons were unearthed in a Hamburg flat used by some of those responsible for the September 11 attacks on the US.
He is also believed to have been asked for religious advice by the would-be shoe bomber, Richard Reid, and Zacarias Moussaoui, who pleaded guilty in a US court to training for a "broader conspiracy" than 9/11 to use aircraft as weapons....
In December 2005, while still in prison, the preacher made a video appeal to the kidnappers of British peace activist Norman Kember in Iraq.
The cleric has always denied being Osama bin Laden's righthand man in Europe or spiritual ambassador to the continent. However, in a television interview in November 2001, he said that although he had never met the al-Qaida leader, he would have been "proud" to.
The essential argument within one of Abu Qatada's books, Islamic Movements and Contemporary Alliances, is that there should be no affiliation between Muslim and non-Muslim countries.
Despite his denials of being al-Qaida's European coordinator, investigators have linked Qatada to terrorist cells in Spain, France, Italy and Belgium.
Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon – famous for his attempts to extradite General Pinochet – claimed money raised in Spain was sent to Qatada so he could send it on to Mohamed al-Maqdasi, a Jordanian imprisoned for planning bomb attacks in his own country.
Justice Collins, chairman of the special immigration appeal tribunal that heard an appeal against Qatada's detention in March 2004, said he was at the centre of terrorist activity in Britain associated with al-Qaida.
"He is a truly dangerous individual," Collins said. "We have no doubt that his beliefs are extreme and are indeed a perversion of Islam for the purposes of encouraging violence against non-Muslims and Muslims who are, or have been, supportive of Americans."
The former home secretary David Blunkett once described him as the most significant extremist preacher in the UK.
In 1999, Qatada reportedly made a speech advocating the killing of Jews and the attacking of Americans in which he also stated there was no difference between English people, Jews and Americans....
Good thing he's free!
Posted by Robert at June 18, 2008 8:25 AM
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I thought the proper term for jihad violence was "un-Islamic" in the UK, no?
Posted by: awake![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/nav-commenters.gif)
at June 18, 2008 8:34 AM
Bin Laden's plan to bankrupt the west is working nicely.
Posted by: Borg at June 18, 2008 8:42 AM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2147168/Abu-Qatada-Islamic-cleric-is-released-from-jail.html
Police are expected to maintain a constant presence outside Qatada’s home to protect him from vigilante attacks, at an annual cost of tens of thousands of pounds.
The taxpayer will also fund at least £12,000 per year in benefits for Qatada, his wife and five children, even though Qatada was once found to have £170,000 in cash in his possession when he was stopped by police.
Posted by: Borg at June 18, 2008 8:45 AM
Why do we need to know he's the father of five?
Other than, if any of them are girls, they're potential 'honor' killing victims.
at June 18, 2008 9:42 AM
And what exactly does the Judge know about what is the true Islam? He is a Kaffir and made a decision based on ignorance of what Islam is and through the lens of western values. He is equating to some extent that Islam is equal to other religions. He is very wrong and a very stupid decision by the Judge.
Posted by: savsiv at June 18, 2008 10:12 AM
Is the judge a Muslim or better yet an imam or graduate of an Islamic studies school? Otherwise, most people, including Muslims would probably agree that that's like me commenting on how Olympic Ice Skating should be scored and judged. The judges in place don't agree on everything and a good deal of subjectivity is required on each performance.
How a panel of judges from the West can extend their presumed authority to 'what is a perversion of Islam and what is not' is beyond me. Why they'd want to make the attempt is not beyond me.
I'm very disappointed in judges and justices at this point in time. Just because an issue comes within the domain of a western adjudicator doesn't mean he / she should take liberties and make generalizations that are either inappropriate or flatly wrong in the body of available evidence.
Judges and justices are overextending their reaches and this trend has terrible implications for the safety and security in more than just 'how to fight the global jihad'.
Posted by: A_Plague_on_Both_Houses at June 18, 2008 11:31 AM
Like most people in Western society, judges are often theologically illiterate.
What is the correct interpretation of the Koran? That's the current fight that the world faces and the Wahhabists and the AlQada movement appear to be slowly winning against traditionalists.
It's akin the KKK taking over traditional Christianity and few people in the world saying anything about it. I am quite confident that Christians would deal with the KKK again if it reared its ugly head.
Why is it that Muslims don't significantly challenge these groups among them?
Posted by: James Martel at June 18, 2008 12:05 PM
He is a truly dangerous individual,"
So the best thing to do is set him free and keep an eye on him...Brilliant...
Posted by: duh_swami at June 18, 2008 12:42 PM
37– MAKING WRONG INTERPRETATION OF THE QUR’AN
“Tafsir” means informing and discovering. It is the process of informing and explaining. “Tawil” means pulling back or escaping. “Tafsir “ comes to mean giving a meaning. “Tawil” is selection of one of the meaning among many meanings. It is not permissible (Jaiz) to make “Tafsir” according to one’s own opinion. “Tafsir” is performed according to the rules of transmission (“Riwayat” or “Nakl”). On the other hand, “Tawil” is done according to one’s knowledge and capabilities. In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, “A person who interprets the Qur’an according to his own opinion is in clear error even if he is right.” It is not correct to say such and such is the meaning of the speech (Kalam) of Allahu ta’ala without investigating first whether that such and such is in any way commented by Rasulullah, peace be upon him, or by his companions or that whether it conforms to the interpretations (Tafsirs) of the previous scholars or to the methodology of the knowledge of interpretation, or without knowing the Arabic language that was spoken at the time of Rasulullah, peace be upon him, i.e.,
the “Quraish” dialect, or without thinking about reality (Haqiqat) and metaphoric (Majaz) aspects of it, or without being able to differentiate whether it is general, personal, concise (Mujmal), or detailed (Mufassal), and without investigating the reason of why that such and such verse (Ayat) was revealed, or whether it is “Nasih” or “Mansuh.” “Tafsir” means one’s being able to understand from the sayings of Allahu ta’ala what Allahu ta’ala meant with that saying.
http://www.hakikatkitabevi.com/english/ETHICS4.HTM
at June 18, 2008 12:51 PM
He arrived on a forged passport and then claimed asylum and was granted it. Figures.
Posted by: Ian at June 18, 2008 3:16 PM
Um, so why is Qatada being released? Even if you believe he is a "misunderstander of Islam", he seems to be a pretty thoroughgoing misunderstander--even the clueless Justice Collins says "He is a truly dangerous individual". On what possible basis would he decide that the best place for this dangerous individual is back in the comfort of home?
Borg wrote:
Police are expected to maintain a constant presence outside Qatada’s home to protect him from vigilante attacks, at an annual cost of tens of thousands of pounds.
...........................
Ah, yes, the real story is not the violence incited by Qatada and his compatriots, but the entirely theoretical violence of those reacting to him.
The police are not there, apparently, to protect the British public from Qatada--they are there to protect Qatada from the British public.
My grandfather, who served in the British armed services in WWI (including a stint in Mesopotamia), was police superintendent in a small midlands town during WWII. He was also the local head of what would now be called "homeland security"--the town air raid siren was located on the roof of the superintendant's home.
He must be rolling over in his grave.
at June 18, 2008 3:39 PM
Can someone tell me why those lame asses in the UK give this scumbag the boot a decade ago? What has he contributed to England useful, besides playing some double agent game with MI 5?
Posted by: Dumbo at June 18, 2008 10:06 PM
Tafsir” means informing and discovering. It is the process of informing and explaining. “Tawil” means pulling back or escaping. “Tafsir “ comes to mean giving a meaning. “Tawil” is selection of one of the meaning among many meanings. It is not permissible (Jaiz) to make “Tafsir” according to one’s own opinion. “Tafsir” is performed according to the rules of transmission (“Riwayat” or “Nakl”). On the other hand, “Tawil” is done according to one’s knowledge and capabilities. In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, “A person who interprets the Qur’an according to his own opinion is in clear error even if he is right.” It is not correct to say such and such is the meaning of the ...
There is irrational nonsense, and then there is Islamic nonsense.
Anyone trained in systematic thinking cannot help but be sickened by what passes for Islamic "thought."
Posted by: Marwan'sDaughter at June 19, 2008 3:42 AM
This creature is clearly a threat to our security so should be sent back to wherever he came from. The fact that we are paying for his upkeep and protection from non-existent vigilantes rubs salt into the wounds.
The jihadists must be laughing at us in disbelief.
It's an insult to our brave servicemen (and now women) who have died in Afghanistan that he is entitled to his freedom whilst being ideologically and physically supportive of those who killed them.
Posted by: watling at June 19, 2008 6:41 AM
37– MAKING WRONG INTERPRETATION OF THE QUR’AN
Posted by: Mr.Fitnah at June 18, 2008 12:51 PM
Whew!
Pity the poor, illiterate, Muslim peasant.
No wonder the Mullahs are in charge.
Posted by: PRCS at June 19, 2008 8:09 AM
And the government wonder why the people don't back 42 days detention without charge. Who can blame them when the government allow our enemies to not only live here but live at our expense while plotting against us. Deport this scum to Jordan where they can string him up.
Within hours of his release he has published a book calling for terrorists attacks on the UK.
Posted by: DaveMate at June 19, 2008 2:46 PM
James Martel uncharacteristically said
What is the correct interpretation of the Koran? That's the current fight that the world faces and the Wahhabists and the AlQada movement appear to be slowly winning against traditionalists.
But the Wahhabis are the traditionalists. They are the ones who strictly follow the teachings of the Qur'an, as opposed to the heretic Shi'a, Sufis, and worst of all the Ahmadis, who have twisted Islam to the point that they claim it should be spread by non-violence.
The Wahhabis strictly follow the teachings of Mohammad in the Qur'an and ahadith. They can and do support their beliefs by reference to these core Islamic documents. Whether the topic is stoning raped women to death for adultery, having pre-pubescent wives, covering women in cloth, slaying the polytheists wherever they find them, or killing poets and artists who insult Mohammad, they get their direction soley from the Qur'an and ahadith. They are deeply opposed to bida (innovation or reformation or modernization). If Mohammad didn't say it or do it in the 7th Century, it's haram. You really can't get much more traditionalist than the Wahhabis.
If you're thinking Islam is a peaceful religion, just like all other religions, and that it has recently been twisted by a few extremist Wahhabis into something it's not, you may be spending too much time listening to the speeches of the Presidential-candidates.
Posted by: special_guest at June 19, 2008 5:59 PM
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