Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Hate Speech Alert!
Patrick Goodenough at CNS shocks with Australian Muslims Take Pastors to Court over 'Vilification':
Two Christian pastors in Australia will appear in court next month to face complaints brought by Muslims who accuse them of vilifying Islam.

Their appearance in a legal tribunal in the state of Victoria is the culmination of an 18-month dispute between a Christian group that organized a seminar on Islam and three Muslims who attended it.

The three claimed a speaker at the seminar had incited "fear and hatred" against Muslims and, backed by the state's Islamic Council, took their case to a special state commission operating under controversial new hate legislation.
What's got the perpetually offended's panties in a knot?
"It cannot be regarded as controversial that there are passages in the Quran ... [and other important religious texts] which could and do incite believers in Islam to violence and hatred of non-Muslims. These passages are well-known, and widely cited by terrorist groups," it said.

"Exposing the roots of this problem within Islam is not the same thing as inciting hatred. Since Christians are one of the named targets of jihad fighting in the Quran, they have a right and a duty to be well informed about this aspect of Islam."
...
"One of the things we're doing is documenting Islamist theological statements in the Australian Muslim community. One of the issues here is 'What is Islam,' and we will most likely present a detailed report on what Muslims in Australia have been saying about issues such as jihad and democracy.

"Why take a Christian to court for what Muslims themselves are saying right here in Melbourne?"
Whoops, nothing like quoting them! They'd have a coronary if they saw Little Green Footballs or MEMRI.

The Islamic Council of Victoria, which is bringing the suit, was in the news for something else this month:
The Islamic Council of Victoria is considering whether to accept as a member an Australian Muslim suspected of having strong links to al-Qaeda.

The ABC yesterday reported that Spanish court documents appeared to link Melbourne man Sheikh Mohammed Omran and Bilal Khazal of Sydney with suspected al-Qaeda associate Abu Dahdah.

Mr Dahdah is being held by Spanish authorities.
Now the Sheikh says he never heard of Dahdah, but why bother?
The council would not condemn Mr Khazal if he was a supporter of Osama bin Laden, but would condemn him if he supported terrorism, Mr Elgafi said.
Woohoo, there's a distinction for you.