He was engaged at what he almost certainly thought of at the time as a holy endeavor, removing temptations to idolatry.
“Extremist Pleads Guilty in Hague Court to Destroying Cultural Sites in Timbuktu,” by Marlise Simons, New York Times, August 22, 2016:
PARIS — An Islamic extremist pleaded guilty on Monday at the International Criminal Court to destroying shrines and damaging a mosque in the ancient city of Timbuktu, Mali, in the court’s first prosecution of the destruction of cultural heritage as a war crime.
Prosecutors said that Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi, a member of a jihadist group linked to Al Qaeda, took part in the smashing of a number of venerable centuries-old mud and stone buildings holding the tombs of holy men and scholars.
Mr. Mahdi, a teacher who was born in or around 1975 near Timbuktu and who studied Islamic law in a Saudi-sponsored school in Libya, was also accused of leading a “morality brigade” that meted out punishments like public floggings for minor infractions.
“It is with deep regret and great pain that I had to enter a guilty plea on all the charges brought against me,” Mr. Mahdi told the court on Monday. Begging for forgiveness, including from the people of Timbuktu, he said, “I would like them to look at me like a son that has lost his way, and to accept my regrets.”
Mr. Mahdi added that he was “influenced by a group of deviant people from Al Qaeda and Ansar Dine,” a Qaeda offshoot in Mali, and said that he hoped his punishment would “serve as a purging of the evil spirits I got involved with.”
He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, but prosecutors will request a sentence of nine to 11 years as part of a plea agreement.
Fatou Bensouda, the court’s chief prosecutor, said that it was Mr. Mahdi “who identified the sites to be destroyed and who provided the means” to do so, including pickaxes and crowbars….

abel & solomon says
Here’s an extract of Mohammed’s life story from The Undoing:Islam by its own words, the outstanding free e-book that’s turning heads in some very high places, get your copy or read it online here;- http://abelandsolomon.simplesite.com/424568444 , for the big picture read our full length book Islamic Apocalypse;- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AS09LYW
Part Three; What was Mohammed really like?
Death in the family
Before Mohammed was born, his father died. So he grew up under the guardianship of his grandfather who was the custodian of the Ka’aba at Mecca, then a major centre of pagan idol worship. Receiving no formal education, Mohammed never learnt to read or write. At about the age of five or six his mother died. The grandfather died a couple of years later. All of this death and separation in his early years must have been very distressing for young Mohammed and may have had serious consequences on his psychological development.
Pagan education
Evidently Mohammed was quite intelligent and showed early signs of spiritual sensitivity. We understand from the Book of Halabieh that his mother subjected him to a Spiritism initiation ceremony where he was established as a medium so “jinns” (demons) could speak through him. He spent much time with his grandfather at the Ka’aba where he would have become very familiar with all the ways of the pagan faith his family practised. Even late in his life in 629 AD Mohammed made a pilgrimage, sacrificing cows there, even though it was still a pagan shrine. When Mohammed came to marry, his first wife was from a family of occult spiritual leaders and widow of a clairvoyant who worked with demons. Throughout his life he had demonic visitations; “Last night a big demon (afreet) from the Jinns came to me”, “The delegate of Jinns… came to me, and how nice those Jinns were.” It is clear he used to communicate with them.
The illiterate Prophet
Mohammed’s powerful spiritual visitations for the most part frightened him and at first he did not share about them publicly. He recounted later having a wide range of unpleasant experiences whilst he believed he was receiving revelation from the Angel Jibril. Mohammed used to have seizures, delusions and would often foam at the mouth during his spiritual encounters leading some around him to believe he was demon possessed. At one time Mohammed himself even thought he was going mad and contemplated suicide.
Angemon says
Playing them like a violin…
gravenimage says
Yep.
R Cole says
I saw a good documentary on Timbuktu.
The Islam that was brought there many years ago was practised alongside – the tribal animist religions. And so in this they have a proud tradition. But also, some of the learned are very well aware of the changes or the assault that’s coming from the Middle East. And seem to have an express desire to guard their traditions.
The unadulterated version of Islam would mean half of everything ends up being destroyed.
::
Glad this man who destroyed the cultural sites – was brought before the International Criminal Court – but not sure how much it will act as a deterrent.
At the moment there are low level attacks of churches in Europe.
gravenimage says
At the moment there are low level attacks of churches in Europe.
…………………..
Yes–all of this is already starting in the West…
Adrian says
Let’s see.. first, Mr. Mahdi leads a “morality brigade” that meted out punishments like public floggings for minor infractions….
Next, he destroys shrines and damages a mosque in the ancient city of Timbuktu, Mali…
Finally, he blames all this on “evil spirits I got involved with.”
Why doesn’t the judge order him to reveal exactly which Sura and verse the “evil spirits” tempted him with?
Richard Paulsen says
How long time before europen culture will banned and attacked? Statues all over Europe being destroyed like the Buddha statue in Afghanistan or culture like in Mali? Paintings so far hanging in museums being torn down, burnt or being torn inte pieces.
A new culture on the rise. Sweden the worse radical country in changing the culture.
” Mosscamel ” in Sweden. Being raised outside the Capital Stockholm at Telefonplan. ( The Telephone Place )
https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e15/11199435_408791069293679_585481727_n.jpg?ig_cache_key=OTczNDExMTE4ODEzMzgwNzM1.2
Richard Paulsen says
Correction: ” Mooscam”
Richard Paulsen says
Sweden to extremes submitting to islam. Statue 50% moose, 50% elk. ” Mooselk. ”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thtWXcYMcko
Richard Paulsen says
Correction: ” Mooscam. “
Richard Paulsen says
50% moose, 50% camel.
Peter Brock says
Some kind of screw-up in this report…
“PARIS — An Islamic extremist pleaded guilty on Monday at the International Criminal Court to destroying shrines and damaging a mosque in the ancient city of Timbuktu, Mali, in the court’s first prosecution of the destruction of cultural heritage as a war crime…”
The International Criminal Court is originally located in The Hague which, a few keen observers will recall, is the venue where the retired International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia’s bastard stepchild, the Mechanism, etc., recently disclosed the shocking exoneration of Mr. Milosevic.
The reporting could have enlightened all as to what the ICC is doing at a Paris location, if correct. Or, perhaps it has “roving” jurisdiction which is scary. A UN-sponsored, bankrolled “justice squad.”
Of course, the NYT’s Simons has been known to “bend” her journalism at The Hague and is inaccessible for inquiries from the private sector that reflect unfavorably on Muslimania…
How about some good journalism here…
gravenimage says
The “Paris” dateline just means that the New York Times journalist is based out of Paris. This is not a “screw up”. You might, for instance, read a story about Scotland that is datelines London, because that is where the journalist is headquartered.
This does not mean the court met in Paris.
gravenimage says
Mali: Muslim pleads guilty to destroying cultural sites in Timbuktu
He was engaged at what he almost certainly thought of at the time as a holy endeavor, removing temptations to idolatry.
……………………………..
Indeed so–remember the Bamiyan Buddhas and the Maldives Museum? Muslims have been destroying artifacts for 1400 years now.
Even though these were Muslim sites, they are still considered un-Islamic. Orthodox Islam does not allow shrines or any kind of artwork.
More:
Mr. Mahdi, a teacher who was born in or around 1975 near Timbuktu and who studied Islamic law in a Saudi-sponsored school in Libya, was also accused of leading a “morality brigade” that meted out punishments like public floggings for minor infractions.
……………………………..
So he also ran the morality police. Both of these thuggish activities are seen in Islam as “enjoining the good and forbidding the bad”. We have seen destruction of images, murder of cartoonists, and Shari’ah patrols in the West.
More:
Mr. Mahdi added that he was “influenced by a group of deviant people from Al Qaeda and Ansar Dine,” a Qaeda offshoot in Mali, and said that he hoped his punishment would “serve as a purging of the evil spirits I got involved with.”
……………………………..
What are the chances he really believes this, and isn’t just hoping for a shorter sentence? Both groups are mainstream Islam.
Peter Brock says
‘The “Paris” dateline just means that the New York Times journalist is based out of Paris. This is not a “screw up”. You might, for instance, read a story about Scotland that is datelines London, because that is where the journalist is headquartered.
This does not mean the court met in Paris.’
I beg to disagree … most strenuously.
Correct journalism would have included that Marlise Simons was doing her reporting from Paris. The malpractice — long-practiced by the NYT in its convoluted reporting “from” (but not “at”) The Hague — is a deception and a breach of ethics. However, the “E” word was long ago whored away by the NYT in its ICTY/Balkan wars …un-coverage…
Peter Brock says
Why hide behind “gravenimage”? Identify yourself, OR admit openly that you’re using other than your name?
gravenimage says
Peter Brock wrote:
I beg to disagree … most strenuously.
Correct journalism would have included that Marlise Simons was doing her reporting from Paris. The malpractice — long-practiced by the NYT in its convoluted reporting “from” (but not “at”) The Hague — is a deception and a breach of ethics.
…………………………….
I am no particular fan of the New York Times, but using a dateline here simply means that the reporter was based in Paris. That doesn’t mean that she might not have made a trip to The Hague–just that she is not based there.
You can disagree as strenuously as you wish, but the use of a dateline is standard journalistic practice, and has been for well over a century.
There is nothing deceptive or unethical about using a dateline–in fact, it gives the reader more information.
More:
Why hide behind “gravenimage”? Identify yourself, OR admit openly that you’re using other than your name?
…………………………….
I have never claimed that I was christened “gravenimage”, nor would I expect anyone to believe that I was. This is not deception, anymore than the use of a dateline is.
You may not have noticed, but most posters here–including many of the most respected–use nom de plumes; including, in fact, Jihad Watch senior contributor Hugh Fitzgerald.
Further, I have done an entire series of Muhammed cartoons, and cannot afford ’round the clock security. I have no desire to wind up like Molly Norris–or worse, like much of the staff of Charlie Hebdo. I am a relatively well known illustrator; anyone with my name would have no trouble tracking me down. Ergo, I use a pen name.
I have been posting here for over ten years now, and have never made any secret of using a nom de plume. I am, however, in touch with a number of other posters and with Jihad Watch staff, who are all aware of my real name.
duh swami says
An Islamic extremist
I’m lost already…Does anyone know what that is?
Stan Cook says
Over and over again I read the expression ” Islamic extremist” to refer to a muslim who is an extremist. We in the civilized world call them extremist when in fact they are muslims doing what muslims have been doing for hundreds of years.
firefox says
The more I read the more I refuse to ever trust a Muslim again. This latest act of cultural violence against an artifact of ancient times further proves the absolute nonsense and insanity of Islam. If Muslims want to destroy “idol worship” they should start right at Mecca and take down the damned monolith they march around and the black rock housed in the silver vagina. This belief is for morons willing to ignore the fact they have a brain. And another spoke of his desire to blow up the pyramids. Islam needs to be destroyed. It has no redeemimg value and is an eternal threat.
ronald reed says
The more i read, the more i see muslims doing to destroy others and their cultures the more i understand we can never trust them within our shores, these people act like mad dogs killing others and even animals at will. The demon possessed peoples of the Mideast have given themselves over to Satan andx his works.