Defending mass murder, calling the murderer a “lion.”
“Algerian Cleric Ali Belhadj, Former Vice-President of the Islamic Salvation Front, Calls Sarkozy ‘Despicable’ for Having Muhammed Merah Buried in France; French Citizen Tears Up His Passport, Calling Sarkozy a ‘Pig’ and Justifying Merah’s Actions,” from MEMRI, March 30 (thanks to CGW):
Following are excerpts from an address by Algerian cleric Ali Belhadj, former vice-president of the Islamic Salvation Front, in the course of which a Muslim with dual nationality demonstratively tears up his French passport. The footage was posted on the Internet on March 30, 2012.
Ali Belhadj : Yesterday, I saw that despicable man, Sarkozy of France. Forgive me. I brought important things to talk about, but sometimes, there are things that make one go off on a tangent.
I saw the father of [Toulouse terrorist] Merah, Allah’s mercy upon him…
Crowd : Allah’s mercy upon him…
Ali Belhadj : He asked for his son to be buried in Algeria. True, he was a French citizen and was supposed to be buried in France, but if his father writes a letter to the president, asking that his son be buried in Algeria – why refuse?
Did his act warrant his excommunication? Is he a heretic? He should be buried in a Muslim graveyard, and prayers should be said for him.
[…]
French Muslim : Sheik, I would like to say something.
Ali Belhadj : Go ahead.
French Muslim : Sheik, this is my way of supporting… I would have like to have done it in front of Allah’s enemies in France 24 TV, and in front of all the infidels. I want Allah’s enemy Sarkozy to see this.
I have dual nationality. Sarkozy, Allah’s curses upon you…
Tears up his French passport
Crowd : Allah Akbar… Allah Akbar…
French Muslim : I love you as a brother in Islam, Sheik… I am doing this in support of my brother in Islam, the mujahid Muhammad Merah.
Crowd : Allah Akbar… Allah Akbar…
French Muslim : By Allah, he was a lion, my brothers. Let me tell you, Sheik, he is not a kharijite. By Allah, he is a Sunni Salafi.
Sheik, I would like to tell you something.
Ali Belhadj : Go ahead.
French Muslim : I am not in a position of authority in matters of jurisprudence. You are a sheik, and I love you as a brother in Islam. By Allah, [Merah] was not in the wrong, because there are fatwas by great scholars who said: If they kill our women, kill their women, and if they kill our children, kill their children.
Sheik, he was not in the wrong. Sheik Ibn Al-Uthaymeen said this, and he was a great scholar, and Ibn Taymiyya and many others said it before. [Merah] was a God-fearing man, and I don’t mind if they denounce me.
Sheik, let me say to that Sarkozy: Allah’s curses upon you, you pig! You are a Jew. We know you all too well. I lived among you in France, you enemies of Allah. I was a lawyer, defending our brothers in Islam. Let me tell you something. I pray that Allah place [Merah] in Paradise. Sarkozy, you pig, may Allah freeze the blood in your veins.
Crowd : Amen.
French Muslim : Allah, bring a black day upon them.
Crowd : Amen….
Ali Belhadj : May Allah bless you…
French Muslim : Sheik, may that lion [Merah] vouch for me on Judgment Day.