An imam was arrested with “700 grams of TNT, fragmentation grenade f-1, unified fuse for grenades, two TT pistols, a revolver without license plates and three bullets”? “Also in the prayer room of the mosque Belgorod on 12 December had discovered “literature with extremist content”? Doesn’t the Imam Ismailov Faizulla know that Islam teaches peace and that true Islam has nothing, nothing whatsoever, to do with violence? Will Barack Obama and John Kerry and Pope Francis and David Cameron travel to Russia to teach this poor misguided cleric the true, peaceful Islam? They won’t? Why not? And why don’t we see the apologists for Islam in the West — John Esposito, Karen Armstrong, Reza Aslan, Tariq Ramadan, etc. — making this trip themselves? Why is the peaceful Islam that is so obvious to them so hard for them to communicate to Muslims who have somehow misunderstood their religion as to think it exhorts them to commit acts of violence?
“Belgorod Imam, who found the grenade, TNT and pistols, sentenced to three years in prison,” Last News From Russia, May 10, 2016 (thanks to Sharia Unveiled; English as in the original):
On Tuesday, the Oktyabrsky district court of Belgorod has sentenced the Imam Ismailov Faizulla, who was found guilty of illegal turnover of weapons and explosives.
According to the decision of the Russian Themis Ismailov will be imprisoned for three years. To serve his sentence he will be in the correctional colony of General regime, reports «Interfax». The sentence will be considered from the moment of detention of the defendant on 13 December 2015.
The defense has said they are surprised with the decision of the court. «We were confident that the verdict will be acquittal. The court was not presented proofs of fault of my client, was not asked any questions. We are outraged by this verdict and will, of course, it appeal,» — said the lawyer Ismailov Andrey Sotnikov.
He added that the defense will claim vindication of faisulla Ismayilova at all charges.
Recall, Belgorod Imam of the mosque and a member of the Muslim religious organizations «Peace and creation» Faizulla Ismailov was detained at the end of last year. Then 34-year-old priest during a search found more than 700 grams of TNT, fragmentation grenade f-1, unified fuse for grenades, two TT pistols, a revolver without license plates and three bullets. Also in the prayer room of the mosque Belgorod on 12 December had discovered «literature with extremist content».
Ismailov was charged with part 1 article 222 and part 1 of article 222-a comment of the criminal code («Illegal possession of weapons and explosives substances»). In addition, he was accused of article 20.29 of the administrative code (Distribution of extremist materials»).
Last Friday, the court heard the last word of the spiritual leader of Muslims. About whether Ismailov admitted his guilt, as well as other details were reported because of the closed regime of the trial.
At the last hearing were announced only introductory and operative part of the judgment.
Earlier, in February 2016, the Oktyabrsky district court of Belgorod recognized Ismayilova guilty in distribution of extremist materials and fined 4.5 thousand rubles.
The court found that the illegal literature were stored in the Cabinet the Imam, in the closet, available to any parishioner. All were seized eight books included in the Federal list of extremist materials. One of parishioners told law enforcement officials that he took banned books to read….