Muslims in Britain who go to Iraq to fight against coalition forces may be tried for treason. Muslims in Britain think that is “bizarre.” After all, what allegiance comes first? They “have a belief… when it comes to jihad.” From The Guardian, with thanks to Sharon:
The warning was prompted by a Guardian report that two Britons had travelled from their homes in London to join the Mahdi army, a militia loyal to the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The men arrived in Najaf, where fierce fighting has been raging for seven days, earlier this week….
The two men who travelled to Najaf from the UK were both born in Iraq – one in Najaf and the other in Baghdad – but had lived in Britain since they were children and held British passports. This was the first time they had returned to Iraq, the Guardian reported.
Asked why they had travelled to Najaf, one – calling himself Abu Haqid, replied: “Our brothers are fighting down here. They are not eating well, they are not sleeping well – we have to be in the same position as them.
“We all have a belief, me and my family, when it comes to jihad. We asked our families and they said yes. It is good to protect your country and be there with your brothers.”
A spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain today said he expected the men would not be the only two Britons to take up arms against US-led forces in Iraq.
A Home Office spokesman said British citizens or residents considering joining the militia should be aware that anyone taking up arms against a British soldier or US-led forces could be prosecuted for treason. The maximum sentence would be life imprisonment….
The Muslim Council of Britain’s spokesman, Inayat Bunglawala, said any future prosecutions for treason would strike many Muslims as “bizarre”, given that the two men felt they were defending the country of their birth against an occupying force….
Mr Bungawala said he would advise British Muslims to lobby the government here to change its policy, rather than joining a militia in Iraq.