As if this weren’t bad enough, Britain’s hate speech laws are being selectively applied, and hateful speech by Muslim clerics ignored. A sampling:
UK: Muslim cleric praises Charlie Hebdo jihad, says UK “enemy of Islam” — January 10, 2015
UK: Father of a teen who joined jihad in Syria believes his son was “radicalized” by imam at a mosque — July 4, 2014
UK: Muslim cleric praises Boko Haram’s kidnap of schoolgirls — May 29, 2014
UK Muslim leader: Muslims should humiliate Christians so they’ll convert to Islam — May 8, 2014
UK allows speaking tour by Saudi imam who calls Shi’ites “apostates” and says no churches should be allowed in Saudi Arabia — December 17, 2013
UK: Imam who says gays should be thrown off a mountain to speak at London conference — October 3, 2013
East London Mosque to host imam who supports jihad terror — July 26, 2013
UK Muslim leader says that imams promote sex slavery rings — May 16, 2013
UK: Muslim leader advocates female genital mutilation — April 30, 2012
UK: University to host imam who called Jews “enemy” — January 18, 2011
Saudi imam who called Jews “scum, rats, pigs, monkeys” speaks in London — August 5, 2009
UK: Imam’s daughter converted to Christianity, and her father came after her with an axe — March 16, 2009
UK Imam: “Non-Muslims are never innocent, they are guilty of denying Allah and his prophet” — April 1, 2008
It’s OK to kill gays — British imam — October 27, 2006
UK: Imam backs terror attack against Blair — June 18, 2006
British imam praises London Tube bombers — February 12, 2006
How many of those imams were prosecuted for hate speech?
“Muslim who praised IS drove case against ‘Satanic Islam’ sermon Belfast pastor McConnell,” by Suzanne Breen, Belfast Telegraph, July 10, 2015 (thanks to Worried):
A leading Northern Ireland Muslim who praised Islamic State is set to be called as the main prosecution witness against a Christian preacher charged with making offensive remarks about Islam.
In legal documents seen exclusively by the Belfast Telegraph, Dr Raied Al-Wazzan of the Belfast Islamic Centre is named as the chief witness in the prosecution case against Pastor James McConnell.
The evangelical preacher faces up to six months in prison if convicted over a sermon last year in which he branded Islam as “heathen” and “Satanic”.
In his statement to the PSNI, Dr Al-Wazzan denounces the pastor’s “terrible comments” and describes his “general sweeping statements” as “offensive and disgusting”.
In January Dr Al-Wazzan himself was embroiled in controversy when he said that Islamic State, which has carried out mass executions and forced millions of people to flee their homes, had been a positive force in Mosul, his home city in Iraq.
“Since the Islamic State took over, it has become the most peaceful city in the world,” he told BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback.
“Yes, there are other things going wrong there… they are murdering people, I agree, but you can go from east to west of the city without fear.”
His comments provoked public outrage and Dr Al-Wazzan later withdrew them and apologised.
In his statement to the PSNI about Pastor McConnell, Dr Al-Wazzan claims that many Muslims in Northern Ireland are professionals while the pastor’s congregation “may include impressionable, uneducated people”.
Last night Pastor McConnell told the Belfast Telegraph: “The PPS’s case against me is summed up by the fact that the chief witness the prosecution is calling is a man who made highly controversial comments about Isis (Islamic State in Syria and the Levant).
“A man who praised the rule in Iraq of Isis murderers will be giving evidence against me – it’s like a pantomime.
“I don’t know how he will have the nerve to stand in a court and testify against me, and I don’t know how the PPS has the nerve to think he is in a position morally to do that.”
Pastor McConnell’s solicitor Joe Rice said: “There are many bizarre features to this prosecution. We have now served our voluntary defence statement upon the court and the PPS.
“We expect the PPS to release additional and new information which may lead us to lodge an abuse of process application in the near future.”
A Public Prosecution Service spokesman said: “This case is now before the court and it is for the judge to decide on all evidential matters. It would be inappropriate for the PPS to make any further comment at this point.”
Pastor McConnell has been charged under the 2003 Communications Act with “sending, or causing to be sent, by means of a public electronic communications network, a message or other matter that was grossly offensive”.
The charges centre on a sermon he gave in May 2014 in which he said “Islam is heathen, Islam is Satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in Hell.” The sermon in the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle was streamed on the internet.
In his statement to the PSNI four days after Pastor McConnell’s sermon, Dr Al-Wazzan reveals he hadn’t actually heard the sermon but became aware of it two days later when the Belfast Telegraph telephoned the Belfast Islamic Centre asking for comment about the preacher’s remarks.
Dr Al-Wazzan, an executive committee member of the centre, said he was “very offended” about what the evangelical preacher had said.
He told police: “It makes me angry that this man is making general sweeping statements of this type, branding all Muslims like this. A lot of the Muslim community in Belfast are professionals such as doctors and to hear this man speak like this is disgraceful and disgusting.
“My concerns are then worsened by the fact this man is in a position of power, preaching to a large congregation which may include impressionable, uneducated people who may then start to listen and believe what this man is saying rather than form their own beliefs.” In his five-page statement, Dr Al-Wazzan said he had been contacted by many Muslims worried about their safety following Pastor McConnell’s sermon.
“I now have concerns for the Muslim community and feel that any attacks that may happen in the forthcoming weeks are a direct result of what this man said on Sunday,” he added.
When Pastor McConnell was questioned by police about his sermon in June last year, Dr Al-Wazzan’s complaint was the only one the PSNI had received. A week later three more Muslims contacted the police to make brief statements of complaint.
They included two men from Pakistan whose north Belfast home was attacked a fortnight after the preacher’s controversial comments. Following the attack, Pastor McConnell visited the house, condemned what happened, and gave Muhammad Asif Khattak and Haroon Khan £100 to replace their broken window.
The Christian preacher is due to appear in court next month but the case is not likely to be heard until December.
Mr Rice has said it will be a landmark trial with leading political, religious, and academic figures giving evidence in defence of freedom of speech and religion.
Pastor McConnell last night said he was sorry if he had offended Muslims but he was still willing to go to jail rather than withdraw his remarks.
“Everybody has the right to free speech,” he said. “When Dr Al-Wazzan found himself in trouble for his Isis comments earlier this year, I publicly said that he had let himself go but I stressed that he shouldn’t be reported to the police.
“As strongly as I disagree with what he said, I support his right to say it. But, it seems, the same right is not extended to me.”…
Indeed not. That is the new way of the world.
KrazyKafir says
Amazing. The longer the hapless mainstream Brits take this garbage being shoved down their passive throats, the more spectacular the civil war will be when it finally breaks out
Shane says
Liberalism is a mental disease which is killing Western Civiilzation, making it easy for Muslims to take over. Liberals no longer support free speech, if that speech offends a non-Christian, non-White person. Liberals no longer support freedom of religion either, except to give special priviliges to Muslims. We must defeat Shillary or the USA will become just as bad as the dhimmi European countries.
dave person says
Its worse than the above case. My friend John Banks is being charged with racial harassment because he made a speech about ISIS, rape gangs and the trotskyites who cover up for them. Nowhere did he mention any race or religion. When it went to crown court under religious harassment the judge threw it out. The CPS then changed the charge to racial harassment and resubmitted it to magistrates. Nobody made a complaint the only people called as witnesses are two police officers who reviewed footage of the speech on youtube about a week later and decided that somebody might get offended at some unspecified time in the future.
You can get the court listing and key evidence from Manchester magistrates court. Court appearance is set for 5th October 2015.
The British government is now charging you for speaking out against ISIS….
Angemon says
Indeed.
Huck Folder says
Any way Gavin Boby can be on Pastor McConnell’s team?
There seems to be so much wrong with this,
a knowledgeable cross-examination could
utterly demolish this Kafkaesque/Orwellian inanity.
“In his five-page statement, Dr Al-Wazzan said
he had been contacted by MANY Muslims
worried about their safety
following Pastor McConnell’s sermon.”
Does he have verifiable PROOF of those
‘MANY’ contacts, times and dates,
and with no prior connection to him?
Nudge-nudge, wink-wink.
What PROOF do we have of their ‘fearfulness’?
Offended, yes, they’re ALWAYS offended,
but why be afraid? Of what? Of whom?
“I now have concerns for the Muslim COMMUNITY
[is he allowed to complain on behalf of them,
when no one knows what they think?]
and feel that any attacks that MAY happen
in the forthcoming weeks are a DIRECT RESULT
of what this man said on Sunday,” he added.”
That HYPOTHESIS should be thrown out
of court IMMEDIATELY. Couldn’t police fear attacks
after Andy ‘fornicator’ Choudary paraded
with banners proclaiming “British Police Go to Hell”?
And THAT was legal?
“When Pastor McConnell was questioned by police
about his sermon in June last year, Dr Al-Wazzan’s
complaint was the ONLY ONE the PSNI had received.
A week later three more Muslims contacted the police
to make brief statements of complaint.”
Cross examine them as to when they complained and why.
See if they were contacted by the head poofter.
Possibly they’re illiterate first cousin pakis.
And how about the SUPREMACISM that HIS
congregants are professional people,
while the Pastor’s are hoi polloi?
Can’t HE be counter-charged with RACISM?
We will see, if some great panjandrum decides
that islam will be under the spotlight, the ‘imam’
will ‘graciously’ drop the case.
The Pastor should be heavily compensated.
pongidae rex says
Future historians will discuss in wonder and amazement the hysteria of politically correct magical thinking that gripped the West in the late 20th and early 21st Century. That is, if there are any future historians. That one is a toss up.
Laura says
I think that once the muslims are in the majority they will erase European history and claim all of our inventions and innovations as their own. It will be as though we never existed.
Don Foss says
And how many Brits will publicly protest this or even speak out about it? Ho Hummm….
Americans…learn, and save ourselves.
Pastor Rally says
Rally in NI Aug 7th
https://www.facebook.com/supportpastorjames
Laganside Court
Oxford Street, BT1 3 Belfast, United Kingdom Aug 7th
https://www.facebook.com/events/1618123195136047/
Kephaq says
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/if-satanic-islam-pastor-james-mcconnell-goes-to-jail-i-will-go-with-him-insists-muslim-cleric-31325696.html
Pastor Rally, I followed your link, read a lot of other posts on it, and found the above-referenced. It was a surprising bright spot in the disgusting spectacle of the country that taught the rest of us about free speech and vigorous debate turning from that heritage.
Pastor Rally says
Thank you for the reply, very kind
john spielman says
the UK govt is speeding the inevitable civil war between muslims and the rest of Britons by persecuting (not prosecuting) this faithful pastor. islam IS A DOCTRINE OF DEMONS according to the words of St Paul so the UK govt is now involved in persecuting Christians!!!! May God have mercy of David Cameron for his evil deeds in allowing this evil antichrist religion to take over and exterminate its Christian inhabitants.
TheDane says
Well said! I agree with you. I was thinking it, before I read your comment: It is all moving along very, very fast now!! The persecution of us Christians (we are called ‘fundamentalists’) is speeding up now, and I think that this year will bring along direct persecution of Christians in the West. Obama and Cameron along with Merkel and the rest of the EU are paving the way for Antichrist.
Everyone Else says
This is “vexatious litigation”.
The Canadian Senate yesterday revealed their report on Islamic Terrorism that includes 25 recommendations.
“Recommendation 22 – The Government should encourage provincial governments to implement legislation that protect Canadians who are participating in the public discourse from vexatious litigation.”
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/412/secd/rep/rep18jul15-e.pdf
Everyone should read this Canadian Government report.
Kepha says
Hi, neighbor.
Yes, this development in your Canadian Senate is heartening. However, we folks south of Line Forty-nine and the Great Lakes have the Free Exercise of Religion, Free Speech, Free Press, and RIght of Peaceable Assembly clauses in the First Amendment of our Constitution. Yet we seem ready to sacrifice these in order to accommodate the feelings of sexual revolutionaries and other clients of the political Left. Learned Hand, a famous early 20th century judge in New York state, once said that if liberty dies in the hearts of a people, the best constitutions, laws, and political procedures will not not suffice to save it. Seeing that our MSM has first anointed Shrillary Shroooo, and now seems ready to anoint Bernie Sanders, as our next President, I’m frankly very concerned about the state of liberty on our southern side of our border.
tilda says
Thanks for that link — interesting document.
Recommendation 21 is also worthy of note — “The Muslim Brotherhood and entities cloasely associated with it, be reviewed by CSIS as a priority, with the intent of determining whether it should be designated a terrorist entity.”
That might not go down well with a few individuals south of the Canadian border.
Kepha says
I read an article in The Guardian Online which simply dripped with invective against James McConnell, the Reformed version of Protestantism, and Islam criticism of any form. Apparently, The Guardian didn’t notice that that Raeid al-Wazzan praised ISIL. Maybe whoever is without the sin of invective should cast the first stone at Mr. McConnell?
I will also note that much as Mr. McConnell seems to believe that there’s actually a Hell, he doesn’t seem to be in any rush to hurry anyone else thither, most unlike either the Muslims or the Marxists (the “ash heap of history” rhetoric used by Pres. Reagan in the ’80’s stung precisely because he appropriated it from the Marxists themselves, for whom it was their secularized Hell, to which they speedily consigned roughly 160,000,000 people in the 20th century alone) who so despise him, and who have prevailed upon the British courts to prosecute him. Indeed, it seems from some of his preaching which I briefly perused (Uncle Kepha actually has little patience with videos, and prefers reading) that Mr. McConnell is more interested in using persuasion to get people to turn from their Hell-bound paths. Sure, it offends people. But we Christians seem to have been doing this not just since the days of Paul and Christ before him, but from the days of the Prophets of Israel.
Still, my examination of what The Guardian said leaves me deeply concerned about where the Western world is going. Our Leftist innaleckchools truly seem to see no evil in “Third World” rebels of any persuasion; and actually seem to prefer their young women and girls turned into sexual and other prey by Muslims to even considering the claims of Christ. Could our once-Christian civilization truly have lost its savor, becoming fit for nothing else but being swept away and trampled underfoot by men (including that very porcine-, canine-, vulpine-,and lupine-faced lineup you post whenever you discuss British rape gangs)? I pray God would send a spirit of repentance to turn us away from this self-destructive path; but I’m also too aware that the Bible reminds us that this world once held Sodom, Gomorrah, the Canaanites, and the two successor states to the Israelite empire of David and Solomon.
Baucent says
The authorities in the UK know they are sitting on a powder keg, called creeping Islamisation. They can only hope the British masses don’t notice, or it they do, are shut up as quickly as possible, because if they don’t, the whole lot could blow up one day.
Ian_A_S says
That’s what MI5 is for: to facilitate the uninterrupted spread of Islam thoughout the UK, and to supress any opposition. I highly doubt there will be any civil uprising against Islam in the UK. MI5 will make sure of that. Once their job is done, they will then be beheaded with cheap steak knives by the Holy Soldiers of Mo.
R Cole says
it is all perfectly in line with the imposition of Islamic law.
::
Interesting – Muslims can claim what you are saying is “offensive and disgusting”
But you can’t equally say aspects of Islam are “offensive and disgusting”
For ex. – the Prophet Muhammad slept with a dead woman – such that necrophilia is not forbidden in Islam – that’s “disgusting”.
Also Muhammad’s command that non-Muslims be subjugated [should hold inferior status] and made to pay the Islamic jizya tax – is most certainly “offensive”.
::
Western Values v The Dire-Sharia
That is the trouble with tinkering with the guiding principles that protect free speech.
Here a mockery is made of it – in that the chief witness – who praises the utopian Islamic State – which enslaves non-Muslims women and girls, forces Christian to pay the Islamic tax and murders or mutilates anyone breaks with its laws – is give evidence against a Christian preacher.
Though it demonstrates how one man’s ‘peace’ could be another man’s ‘hell’!!
This can only be described as a kangaroo trial at best!
::
Pakistan has the most severe laws against criticism of Islam – yet has the hugest rates of Islamic terrorism – perhaps some well placed criticism of Islam is in order.
tilda says
Good to finally know who made the initial complaint; had been wondering about that.
Interesting that his solicitor is looking at a possible “abuse of process application” (subject to release of further information by PPS).
If they get up on “abuse of process” then there must be a question as to *who* in PPS made the decision to pursue the prosecution.
Laura says
In malicious prosecutions like this one it should motivate the very best legal minds in the country to give their services for free…however, it seems they are far too busy defending the real enemies of the state, the likes of Anjem Choudry, Abu Hamza, Abu Qatada et al.
Michael Copeland says
The pastor is being prosecuted not for speaking in a church, but for an electronic “message … that was grossly offensive”.
“Islam is heathen, Islam is Satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in Hell”, he said.
Dr. Al Wazzan said he was “very offended”. Case closed?
What does the Koran, which is part of Islamic law, say about non-muslims?
It says their abode is hell.
“O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.” 9:73
This message is being transmitted by electronic means on the internet.
May non-muslims contact Belfast police to say they are “very offended”?
Or are they second-class citizens whose voice does not count?
Michael Copeland says
If Pastor McConnell’s “message” is found by the Court to be “grossly offensive” that will expose many messages on line from mosques to the same judicial process.
Dr Muhammad Al-Hussaini is concerned (see Pastor Rally above).
“I therefore wish to place on the record my deep concern and opposition to the criminalising of theological disagreement, at a time when our society should in fact be fostering better quality disagreement”, he said, adding, “and, in that spirit, I further undertake that if Pastor McConnell is convicted and sent to prison, I shall go to prison with him.”
The concerned doctor cannot of his own volition “go to prison”. He will need to be convicted first. Maybe he has some messages that qualify.
tamimisledus says
“I therefore wish to place on the record my deep concern ….” said Al-Hussaini.
muslims can swear black is white if that will serve the interests of islam, so don’t place any reliance on this statement.
duh_swami says
The pastor ‘provoked them’…’They’ are not responsible for their actions, he is…
I can see why religious people call Islam Satanic, but to do that you must believe in Satan first. If Islam is Satanic, was Gabriel Satan in disguise? People have long believed that disembodied spooks interfere with their lives, causing all kinds of chaos.
In the old days there was spook hiding in every dark corner waiting for a hapless human to walk by, then they would leap on him…The best thing to do was to avoid dark corners and make lots of animal, or human sacrifices of appeasement.
Now all those demons and devils, except for jinn, have condensed into one, called Satan.
You can read all about that in Gabriel’s best selling book, The Quran…
Brian says
It wasn’t Gabriel, it was Satan. The apostle Paul foretold the advent of Islam 600 years prior.
Galatians 1:8
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!
Also, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Huck Folder says
“…the advent of Islam 600 years prior.”
You sure it wasn’t 666 years?
BC says
With so much evidence against him (Al Wazzan), a decent defence lawyer should have little difficulty in discrediting him, unless of course that would be “islamophobiic”
Sweeping statements are not offensive unless of course they are made by NON mUslims
sidney penny says
“Everybody has the right to free speech,” he said. “When Dr Al-Wazzan found himself in trouble for his Isis comments earlier this year, I publicly said that he had let himself go but I stressed that he shouldn’t be reported to the police.
Pastor McConnelis wrong when he supports Dr Al-WArzzan because of Dr Al-WArzzan support for violence when he supports Isis.
It is not free speech when you support an organisation, Islamic State, which has carried out mass executions and forced millions of people to flee their homes and then say that this violence , had been a positive force in Mosul.
Supporting violence is not free speech.Pastor McConnells..should know better.
sidney penny says
Supporting violence is not free speech.Pastor McConnells..should know better.
or support a person who supports violence
Gross errror by Pastor.Almost a dhimmi.