
Mullah Krekar (left) shakes hands with Carl Hagen
Radical Muslims and radical Muslim front groups in Western countries (including the U.S.) have quickly learned to make canny use of the legal system to intimidate critics into silence. They know that in some cases even the threat of a lawsuit will strike their opponents dumb, even though what they are saying is true. In Norway, Mullah Krekar has shown himself to be a master of intimidation and a prince of gall: despite appearing on Al-Jazeera television as the head of the Iraqi terrorist group Ansar Al-Islam, which he acknowledges has carried out suicide bombings against American troops in Iraq, he actually filed suit against Norwegian politician Carl I. Hagen for calling him a terrorist and a guerrilla!
But it appears that all is not quite lost yet in Europe: Krekar has lost his case. This from Norway’s Aftenposten, with thanks to Filtrat: “Norway’s controversial refugee mullah Krekar has lost his lawsuit against Progress Party leader Carl I. Hagen. Hagen’s characterization of Krekar as a terrorist was ruled protected by free speech and the Oslo court instructed the former Ansar al-Islam leader to pay court costs totaling NOK 199,600 (USD 29,500).
“Hagen called Krekar a terrorist and a guerrilla leader in a TV2 interview in October 2003, and said that he should be arrested and charged in either Norway or the USA.
“‘A victory for freedom of speech. It is clear that this verdict maintains the lines laid down by the human rights tribunal, that freedom of speech shall be important,’ Hagen told Norwegian news agency NTB after the ruling.”
I wonder if the BBC is taking notice.
“Krekar has two weeks to pay Hagen’s court costs of nearly NOK 200,000. The controversial mullah, who has come under criticism from Islamic leaders for his constant media tussles, sued Hagen for damages and to have the remarks declared null and void.
“The Oslo court concluded that mullah Krekar’s claim would represent an infringement of freedom of speech in conflict with article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”