This story reads like a parody and I am certain that it must be one, but even though it is a parody, it encapsulates a truth: few in positions of power and influence in the West have any idea what the Boko Haram group is all about. Its actual name, the Congregation of the People of the Sunnah for Dawah and Jihad, is almost never reported, and now that the abducted schoolgirls have brought it international attention, it is being dismissed as un-Islamic (as everyone who commits violence in the name of Islam always is) without any attempt to refute the case from the Qur’an and Sunnah that it makes to justify its actions. And that willful ignorance just ensures that people will continue to use the same Islamic texts and teachings to justify violence, kidnapping, etc.
“Rock band Procol Harum blamed for abducting Nigerian schoolgirls in terrorist group mix-up,” by Tom Rawle, Daily Star, May 9, 2014:
Procol Harum, who came to fame with their 1967 single A White Shader [sic] of Pale, have been blamed for the horrific kidnapping after people confused them with radical militant group Boko Haram.Many across the internet have asked why the British progressive rock band would do such a thing and wondered how the hippie groovers had become “terrorists”.One Twitter user said: “It’s shocking that Procol Harum’s records are still being played on the radio after what they did in Nigeria.”Another wrote: “Wow! What happened to Procol Harum? Whiter Shade of Pale was a great song, but it doesn’t excuse terrorism.”Yet despite the controversy, it seems most of the comments are tongue-in-cheek.But it was reported that an expert with “knowledge of Nigeria” did also make the blunder too, calling Boko Haram “Procol Harum” throughout a radio interview. This isn’t the first time that the band have been confused with the terrorist organisation.Last July, vocalist and keyboard player Gary Brooker was forced to clear up the mess between the two groups whena [sic] US senator confused them live on Fox News.Members of Boko Haram burned down churches and attacked a local community.And Mr Brooker said: “We have had nothing to do with the church burning and bombing of district police headquarters in Northern Nigerian states, or any Nigerian states for that matter.”You have us mixed up with the Nigerian terrorist organisation, Boko Haram.”We are Procal [sic] Harum, completely different, just the name sounds a bit the same.”The confusion led to the head of the Nigerian secret service calling for the band’s extradition. He reportedly said on air: “As part of my investigation I have been listening to the back catalogue of Procal [sic] Harum and have to admit I am positively confused. Can somebody please tell me what on earth a ‘fandango’ is?
“We would be interested to start extradition proceedings ASAP.”
Brooker responded to the accusations, saying: “I don’t think Boko Haram have released any progressive rock albums, at least not to my knowledge, so that should prove our innocence.
“So please leave us alone. Peace and Love.”
As the name confusion continues, US military forces have made their way into Nigeria to search for the missing schoolgirls.The Pentagon insists officers are “sharply focused” to find the girls who have been held at ransom since April 14.Officials from the US, UK, France, Canada and now China continue their search continues for the hostages.Military helicopters currently hover over the area where they were taken, as the terrorist group continues to threaten to sell the girls as sex slaves.Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan spoke at the World Economic Forum in Abuja yesterday, saying: “As a nation we are facing attack from terrorism.”I believe that the kidnap of these girls will be the beginning of the end of terrorism in Nigeria.”
Yeah, good luck with that, Jonathan.

rev g says
Wow, Robin Trower is coming to town this fall….maybe he will have a bunch of Nigerian slave girls with him as his groupies?
Jaladhi says
What planet these people live on – confusing Procol Harum” with “Boko Harah”. LOL… Morons!! Call themselves “experts”!
Drone strikes are needed to exterminate all Boko Haramis and their brethren wherever they are!!
Rezali Mehil says
LOL agree with you …not a black Nigerian in sight…
More Later…
Rezali
Transmaster says
Wow what monumental ignorance. What can you say, you just sit back slack jawed at the stupidity.
Ayatollah says
This borders on blasphemy. Procol harum should be killed.
tpellow says
The political line of denial from the ‘left-Islamic alliance’ is that Boko Haram has nothing to do with Islam, despite Boko Haram’s crystal-clear Islamic declarations on this; but that instead, Boko Haram’s murderous, immoral actions can be excused because of ‘poverty’!
kikorikid says
An instant alarm goes off in my head whenever
I hear anyone posit that “poverty” is a root
cause of Islamic Terrorism.
mortimer says
Trivializing jihad is a way of not taking it seriously.
Jack Diamond says
Including hearing the word “jihad” used in general parlance in ways having nothing to do with it’s only real meaning, which is purely and only Islamic.
I can see why the Nigerian secret service would prefer to be fighting Procol Harum however. They might actually be a match for Procol Harum.
kikorikid says
“purely and only Islamic”`
Let me see if I can communicate clearly.
You are trying to create a mantle of mysticism
surrounding Islam, impenetrable by non-believers.
Taqiyya scat. This won’t work well here Bub. We’ve
gone thru Carney’s, Elmer Gantry, VOO DOO, etc…
You keep right on chooglin and believing you got us
mystified. You remind me of depleted Uranium,
very dense.
Salah says
Goodluck Jonathan: “I believe that the kidnap of these girls will be the beginning of the end of terrorism in Nigeria.”
The Muslim Brotherhood atrocities in Egypt led to the fall of the MB’s terrorist rule there. The same could happen in Nigeria *ONLY IF* the people, the whole people decided to stand with the government, fight and reject these vermins once and for all.
It has to come from the people.
When the people says enough!
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-end-of-muslim-brotherhood.html
Bret Aldridge says
Ever since I heard of Boko Haram I wondered how long it would take for someone to make that mistake!
inMAGICn says
For a long time, I wanted to make the joke that Boko Haram hadn’t had a hit since “Whiter Shade of Pale.”
I kept my yap shut (foronce) because there is nothing funny about Boko Haram.
This is a part of the world where life is a struggle for basic survival. The Nigerians don’t need this Jihadi crap dumped on them.
Paleologos says
Robert,
One of my favorite groups! Thanks very much!
You must be a fellow Woodstock baby boomer. 🙂
One of the biggest factors aiding and abetting the world wide infestation known as islam … is …
… THE STUPIDITY OF BRAINLESS INFIDELS!
We need to start training the masses that
… THIS IS WHAT ISLAM IS ALL ABOUT! …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mpVIqWXtOs
R/
Paleologos
St. Michael Defend Us says
“Can somebody please tell me what on earth a ‘fandango’ is?”
Now, that is laughable and scary at the same time.
Transmaster says
A Fandango is a Spanish dance from it’s Iberian region.
Transmaster says
Transmaster says
What is ironic is the Fandango has Moorish roots.
St. Michael Defend Us says
Well, I know that, thanks! What I found laughable and scary was someone in a position of somewhat authority not knowing! (Of course, maybe that’s just part of the parody.)
Later, eight years after Whiter Shade of Pale, Freddie Mercury wanted to know if Scaramouche could do the fandango.
duh_swami says
Well, they looked like shady terrorist to me…Did you see the way they skipped across the grass? I dead give away…
Seek says
Huh? What the…? This isn’t just a mix-up. It’s one of the most idiotic assertions ever made on this earth. For a moment, I thought this was about Muslims denouncing Procol Harum for writing and performing several songs with Christian imagery (“Crucifixion Lane,” “Pilgrim’s Progress,” “A Christmas Camel” — yes, I’m a longtime fan). But I now realize it’s the product of a fixation with anything that rhymes.
What’s next? Accusing Blondie of being responsible for Mahatma Gandhi? Hey, Blondie, Gandhi — they rhyme!! How about that? Debbie Harry must be a Hindu!
The world has gone insane.
laura r says
why does the rock group have to respond? had no idea they were still around or even alive.
Ice Star says
I was wondering how long it would take for that to happen.
Good laugh for the day
Mark says
I smell bovine excrement regarding the claim that some US Senator confused Procol Harum with Boko Harem on Fox News. A Google search yielding null results indicates this is typical bogus lefty BS, and so I shall think until there is a link to the video of this so-called Senator’s statement.
Burt says
I think you make a good point. It’s BS! And it is indicative of the decadence of the west to trivialize this outrageous atrocity for a few cheap laughs.
Seek says
Then again, senators aren’t exactly up on the music scene. The claim may very well be true. I can remember reading a column by William F. Buckley back in the mid-70s professing not to know who Elton John was. He literally had no idea who this guy was. This was a good half-decade after E.J. broke commercially in the U.S.
Left B.S.? No, it’s just another example of the stupidity of those who profess cultural leadership.
Mark says
Seek, in so saying you prove that the statement has performed its task of sowing confusion and misinformation; with no effort to verify the claim (remember “trust but verify?”), you’re inclined to concede it *may* be true. Well, it does not appear to be – there’s zero sourcing, either for the supposed unnamed Senator and his (her) statement on a major news outlet, or for the purported quoted statements by Procol Harum’s lead singer Gary Brooker. In other words, it appears that the story with its ‘quotes’ is completely made up of whole cloth – on my planet that’s called bald-faced lying. I’ve now done several searches, for both that supposed Senator and for any statements by Procul Harum. Sorry if truth does not matter to you, but it assuredly does to me and to many others.
Moreover, ‘lefty BS’ is clearly inferable from the claim it occurred on Fox News – to the casual unthinking reader, the leap to believing a conservative Senator said something stupid on conservative Fox News is so easy it’s brainless. Just another cheap shot to be lapped up by LoFos.
gravenimage says
Well, this is a “rum tale”…*
(*Procol Harum song, and old slang for a story whose veracity is suspect..,)
PJG says
The newsreader read out Boko Haram’s name to sound just like Procul Harum, and I laughed. But this is even more ridiculous!
No Fear says
“My Quran goes up to eleven”
Oh no wait . that was Spinal Tap.
Apologies to Robin Trower (excellent guitar player, “Bridge of Sighs” is a classic)
nothosaur says
Imagine that you are a 9-year old Nigerian girl who has been kidnapped.
You find out that the people who are in the best position to rescue you are spending their time pursuing a British rock band from about half a century ago because the f#$!%ing name is somewhat similar to the name of the savage rapists who have been terrorizing Nigerian recently.
I think I would seriously consider losing hope after that.
It’s just not even marginally amusing anymore. These girls are desperate.
Achmed Goldblatt says
Mmmmmm….I’m still imagining I’m a 9 year old Nigerian girl.
Champ ✿ says
Thanks for the belly laugh!!!!! 😀
inMAGICn says
Whew!
Somebody gets it!
Seek says
For the record, Procol Harum (Latin for “Beyond These Things”) has been well and alive for the last decade or so. They’re mainly a touring band, usually in Europe. They reunited for an album in 1991 and again in 2003, having broken up after 10 album releases during 1967-77. They’re NOT some one-hit wonder either, as certain cretins have asserted. But to Muslims, especially black ones, any malarkey makes sense.
Brian Hoff says
President Goodluck needed to resign from his office as he have 4 hours notice of the raid by Boko Haran on the girl hight school. I would in that time went more troop and police to that area in overweidly number and arm my jet fighter with bombs and missile. Than give Boko Haran than bloodly nose they willnot forget.