Answering Muslims (thanks to DC Watson) has a litany of statements blaming this attempted attack on criticism of Islam, including this nugget from Hamas-linked CAIR’s Dawud Walid:
“People can be on the edge and when they’re exposed to enough negative information about a group of people … it may be enough to push them over the edge.”
In other words: criticism = incitement. A common ploy, and by its twisted logic, he who hath looked critically upon Islam hath committed hate crimes in his heart.
But now, of course, Roger Stockham will magically become just plain nuts and not ideologically driven — another in a long line of insanity defenses for jihadists on trial. And any claim of his being a few fries short of a halal Happy Meal will automatically qualify him as — you guessed it — a Misunderstander of Islam. “Stockham requests new attorney,” by J. Patrick Pepper for the Press and Guide, February 5 (thanks to Jeff):
DEARBORN — The preliminary examination Friday for the man accused of making terrorist threats toward the Islamic Center of America was adjourned until next week.
Attorney Matthew Evans cited a lack of preparation in requesting the adjournment. Evans was thrust into the defender role just minutes before the request, after defendant Roger Stockham rejected his initial court-appointed attorney, Mark Haidar. The rescheduled exam is set for next Friday.
Stockham, a convert to Islam, said in court he wouldn’t accept Haidar because — according to Stockham — Haidar is a Shi’ite Muslim who worships at the Islamic Center.
“I reject my appointed counsel. He is a Shi’ite and I am not. And he attends the mosque I am attempted of accusing (sic),” he said, before he was cut off by 19th District Judge Mark Somers.
Somers interjected, saying he wanted things to get off on the right foot and subsequently appointed Evans, who was already at the courthouse.
Haidar was not at the hearing. His stand-in, attorney Jeffrey Schwartz, said he was taken by surprise with the comments. He said Haidar is a Muslim, but was not sure if he was Shi’ite or if he worshipped at the Islamic Center.
“I don’t know what (Haidar) disclosed to him,” Schwartz said. “This kind of caught me by surprise, to be honest.”
They can’t play the “lost-in-translation” card:
Haidar could not immediately be reached for comment, but credible court sources said Stockham spoke fluent Arabic during their interview and quoted Qur’anic verses.
During the hearing, Schwartz said Haidar instructed him to request a mental competency exam based on his interview of Stockham and Stockham’s history of mental illness….