Terry Jones, the pastor whose Quran-burning event on Mar. 20 triggered mob violence that resulted in at least 11 deaths in Afghanistan on Friday, offered a fiery response to the bloodletting.
The killings are "a very tragic and criminal action," he said in a statement. "We must hold these countries and people accountable for what they have done as well as for any excuses they may use to promote their terrorist activities."
Fiery rhetoric has been a hallmark of Mr. Jones's leadership of the tiny flock at Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla.
Read the full item at Wall Street Journal
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Judge rules for group touting anti-Islam ad on Metro buses (Detroit, USA)
A national group that wants to advertise its anti-Muslim messages on Metro Detroit buses has won the right to display their ads on the sides of local buses.
The ads, which will soon be ready to go on the side of some local public buses, read "Fatwa on your head? Leaving Islam? Refuge from Islam.com. Got questions? Get answers!" The controversial ads from the New York City-based American Freedom Defense Initiative group are aimed at people who want to leave the Islamic faith.
Metro Detroit has one of the highest concentrations of Muslims in the nation.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Denise Hood granted a preliminary injunction against the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority's rejection of the ads, ruling SMART violated the group's First and 14th Amendment rights. Both sides are due back in court April 11.
"This is a huge win, not just for us, but for the First Amendment," Pamela Geller wrote on the American Freedom Defense Initiative's website.
"This is a direct refutation to all those who claim I am a hater or that my lawyers are 'haters' for representing me," added Geller. "I love, not hate."
Local Muslim activist Dawud Walid sees it differently.
"The organization … is simply fomenting Islamophobia," said Walid, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Michigan). "(Geller) is simply engaging in fear mongering."
Victor Begg, also a Muslim advocate, said the case is "is another example of a hate group taking advantage of our First Amendment."
The "Quran states 'there is no compulsion in religion' so those who want to leave Islam can freely do so," Begg, the senior adviser for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan, added.
Geller also runs Stop Islamization of America, a group referred to as an anti-Muslim hate group by the Southern Law Poverty Center.
SMART spokeswoman Beth Gibbons said the transportation agency had no comment on the judge's order "while we decide how to move forward."
A year ago, SMART carried ads by the United Coalition of Reason as part of its campaign to reach out to atheists.
DET News
The ads, which will soon be ready to go on the side of some local public buses, read "Fatwa on your head? Leaving Islam? Refuge from Islam.com. Got questions? Get answers!" The controversial ads from the New York City-based American Freedom Defense Initiative group are aimed at people who want to leave the Islamic faith.
Metro Detroit has one of the highest concentrations of Muslims in the nation.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Denise Hood granted a preliminary injunction against the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority's rejection of the ads, ruling SMART violated the group's First and 14th Amendment rights. Both sides are due back in court April 11.
"This is a huge win, not just for us, but for the First Amendment," Pamela Geller wrote on the American Freedom Defense Initiative's website.
"This is a direct refutation to all those who claim I am a hater or that my lawyers are 'haters' for representing me," added Geller. "I love, not hate."
Local Muslim activist Dawud Walid sees it differently.
"The organization … is simply fomenting Islamophobia," said Walid, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Michigan). "(Geller) is simply engaging in fear mongering."
Victor Begg, also a Muslim advocate, said the case is "is another example of a hate group taking advantage of our First Amendment."
The "Quran states 'there is no compulsion in religion' so those who want to leave Islam can freely do so," Begg, the senior adviser for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan, added.
Geller also runs Stop Islamization of America, a group referred to as an anti-Muslim hate group by the Southern Law Poverty Center.
SMART spokeswoman Beth Gibbons said the transportation agency had no comment on the judge's order "while we decide how to move forward."
A year ago, SMART carried ads by the United Coalition of Reason as part of its campaign to reach out to atheists.
DET News
Threats Of Violence Emanating From Some Right Wing Groups (South Africa)
According to Holborn right wing groupings, including the Geloftevolk Republican under the leadership of Andre Visagie - the former leader of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging - and the Lion Brigade, have made threats alternatively against the State, the African National Congress, and black people in general.
She said that they appear to endorse revenge attacks by white South Africans against the perpetrators of farm attacks and the like but that there was no data available on how widely spread these sentiments were among whites.
Holborn said : "It is our sense that these racist sentiments represent at most a fringe view. However, if they are not condemned across the political and civil society spectrum, especially by minority groups themselves, then the view may take hold that these sentiments are more widely held than we believe to be the case.
"The risk also exists that the public expression of such views may incite violence."
It was their view that it was important for the police to take these threats very seriously, that they pursue the people making such threats and bring them before the courts.
Holborn lamented that "this is a precedent that has unfortunately not been set in South Africa".
Visagie, former AWB secretary-general, was arrested on Tuesday, for alleged possession of illegal weapons and ammunition, after the police allegedly recovered several home-made rifles, a 9mm pistol and ammunition at his home. He appeared in court and was released on R10,000 bail.
He left the AWB to lead the Geloftevolk Republicans group.
In accordance with a report by Die Burger on Thursday the Geloftevolk Republicans issued a statement : "There were warnings recently by the leader of the Lion Brigade [Leeubrigade] that a second Blood River was on its way and is being ignored by government.
"Therefore the ANC has to take what is coming their way."
According to Sapa neither group were immediately available for comment.
Holborn said that in many respects the views of the Geloftevolk and the Lion Brigade were the opposite side of the "kill the boer coin."
She said : "It is therefore our view that in not condemning the public singing of that song the ANC and its youth league has allowed a dangerous precedent to take root in South Africa.
"This is the precedent that it is acceptable to threaten violence against different racial or ethnic groups based solely on a persons' membership of such a group."
The song was declared as hate speech by the Equality Court.
News Time
She said that they appear to endorse revenge attacks by white South Africans against the perpetrators of farm attacks and the like but that there was no data available on how widely spread these sentiments were among whites.
Holborn said : "It is our sense that these racist sentiments represent at most a fringe view. However, if they are not condemned across the political and civil society spectrum, especially by minority groups themselves, then the view may take hold that these sentiments are more widely held than we believe to be the case.
"The risk also exists that the public expression of such views may incite violence."
It was their view that it was important for the police to take these threats very seriously, that they pursue the people making such threats and bring them before the courts.
Holborn lamented that "this is a precedent that has unfortunately not been set in South Africa".
Visagie, former AWB secretary-general, was arrested on Tuesday, for alleged possession of illegal weapons and ammunition, after the police allegedly recovered several home-made rifles, a 9mm pistol and ammunition at his home. He appeared in court and was released on R10,000 bail.
He left the AWB to lead the Geloftevolk Republicans group.
In accordance with a report by Die Burger on Thursday the Geloftevolk Republicans issued a statement : "There were warnings recently by the leader of the Lion Brigade [Leeubrigade] that a second Blood River was on its way and is being ignored by government.
"Therefore the ANC has to take what is coming their way."
According to Sapa neither group were immediately available for comment.
Holborn said that in many respects the views of the Geloftevolk and the Lion Brigade were the opposite side of the "kill the boer coin."
She said : "It is therefore our view that in not condemning the public singing of that song the ANC and its youth league has allowed a dangerous precedent to take root in South Africa.
"This is the precedent that it is acceptable to threaten violence against different racial or ethnic groups based solely on a persons' membership of such a group."
The song was declared as hate speech by the Equality Court.
News Time
Ex-preacher condemned for links with 'terrible' EDL (UK)
But groups across the community were this week moving to distance themselves – and condemn – the former preacher-turned-politician, whom the Courier can reveal is an activist with the far-right anti-Islamic English Defence League.
On Facebook Mr Ratcliffe, of Greggswood Road, Tunbridge Wells, had a link to an offensive joke about strapping pork on to oneself and running into a mosque.
The page also contains a picture depicting the Koran in a highly offensive light.
Mr Ratcliffe is the chairman of the Tunbridge Wells branch of the English Democrats party and told the Courier last year that he planned to stand for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in the elections this May .
Elsewhere on his home page, the 61-year-old grandfather made reference to "sending all Muslims back" and endorsed extremely insulting remarks made by others about the prophet Mohammed.
The former preacher at St Philip's Church in Sherwood also made inflammatory remarks that English girls needed to be on the lookout for gangs of Islamic rapists.
Nasir Jamil, the first Muslim councillor on Southborough Town Council and president of the West Kent Muslim Association, said: "This is absolutely concerning for all Muslims in this area.
"We believe in Christianity as well. The church always teaches people to love one another and they spread love and that people should love their neighbours."
Mr Jamil added he understood Mr Ratcliffe was no longer linked to St Philip's but said the Church of England should review its policy in order to "screen" the views of any people holding positions within its ranks.
"If they are spreading hate instead of love then it is very shocking for the whole community and not just the Muslims," said Mr Jamil. "We are a very thin minority in this area and we live very peacefully and we don't interfere with other people's matters.
"We are very much part of the community. Most of the people who live here are doctors saving people's lives."
He said: "But for the last year and few months there have been some events happening that are really disturbing us and we certainly condemn them. We are very shocked.
"There was a very offensive article in Hildenborough village magazine and that was very shocking for us here and a second event was some graffiti saying "Kill Muslims" on a bridge in Maidstone.
"We have not taken any action apart from letting the police know. We don't want any conflict in this area because it is very peaceful.
"It is very hurtful and they are not helping community coherence. We are trying to integrate.
"I have set up a group Christian and Muslim friendship group and we try to understand each other and we meet together and eat together and talk. It is going very well from a Muslim side and a Christian side. I am trying to bring the communities together and these things are damaging my work."
Meanwhile, the vicar of St Philip's, the Rev Brian Senior said Mr Ratcliffe was a licensed reader, a volunteer lay position, from 2001 until 2007.
He added: "I wish to completely disassociate myself and St Philip's from those of the English Defence League. Mr Ratcliffe expressed none of these views during the time when he was a member of the church."
Paul Bentley, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust's director of strategy and workforce confirmed Mr Ratcliffe had been assistant chaplain.
He added: "We exist to serve every member of our communities.
"The trust abhors racist, sexist or religious discrimination. Any member of staff expressing such views would be subject to stringent disciplinary procedures."
Diocese of Rochester spokesman Louise Whiffin added: "We have nothing further to add to the Rev Brian Senior's comments regarding Adrian Ratcliffe.
"We would, however, wish to give assurances that the Diocese of Rochester values its good interfaith relationships and we welcome opportunities to build on these links.
"The new Bishop of Rochester has begun to meet with leaders of different faith communities to strengthen these relationships."
This is Kent
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