Over at the Daily Express, in an article entitled “Archbishop should fight for his faith – instead he surrenders to fanatics”, Leo McKinstry has clearly taken leave of what remained of his senses:

“It is bitterly ironic that the Archbishop of Canterbury, who should be leading the fight to defend our Christian heritage and democratic liberties, has called for the British legal system to incorporate sharia law. This is a religious code synonymous with barbarity, the oppression of women and contempt for basic human rights. All-embracing in its scope, often vicious in its sanctions, sharia is the very antithesis of the humane essence of Christianity, the faith that Dr Rowan Williams is upholding.

“… our civic leaders sneer at the Christian values that built our society but, in the name of cultural diversity, tolerate alien extremism, brutality, superstition and criminality….

“George Orwell’s novel 1984 painted a bleak vision of a future British state under socialist totalitarian rule. But today the real threat to our way of life comes from the onward march of aggressive Islamism. If the Archbishop’s vision were to become a reality we would have neighbourhoods in this country under the iron grip of bearded patriarchs and vengeful zealots. Off-licences and pubs would be forced to close in certain areas. Films and publications would be censored. Attendance at the local mosque would be rigorously enforced, while adherents of other faiths would be forced to convert or leave….

“It is grotesque that the Church of England should be colluding with this process rather than challenging it…. In his defeatist attitude Williams is turning the Church into a suicide cult…. His call for sharia law amounts to nothing more than a craven surrender to bullying from fundamentalist Muslims, whose demands are usually accompanied by the hint of menace from the clenched fist or suicide bomb….

“This is the classic stance of appeasement, hoping to buy the aggressor with endless capitulation…. there is nothing remotely liberal about an acceptance of Islamism. It is a bizarre paradox of our times that so called progressives should be eager to support an ideology that treats women as second-class citizens, condemns gays and condones rape, punishment beatings, corruption and mass murder….

“Sharia law is the logical consequence of the Government’s ruthless promotion of the cult of cultural diversity and mass immigration. That is why ministers are just as guilty as the Archbishop of Canterbury when it comes to allowing Islam to destroy the fabric of our nation.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury was heckled yesterday as he attended a memorial service. A few people in the small crowd which had gathered booed and one man called for him to resign over his controversial comments about accepting aspects of Muslim Sharia law in Britain.

Although Dr Rowan Williams didn’t respond to the hecklers outside a church in Cambridge, he posted a statement on his website in an bid to defuse the row. He said he “certainly did not call for its introduction as some kind of parallel jurisdiction to the civil law”.

Meanwhile police in Kent said the Archbishop had been offered round-the-clock protection, but had turned it down.

Sunday Mirror, 10 February 2008

Sandy Mitchell has terrifying first-hand experience of being on the wrong side of sharia law. Mr Mitchell, 52, was falsely accused of being involved in a car bombing in Saudi Arabia in 2000 when he was working there as an anaesthetic technician. He was held in prison for three years and tortured until he eventually signed a confession, which he later had to read out on Saudi television.

A sharia court sentenced him to having his head partially severed, followed by public crucifixion. The sentence was later reduced to beheading, before the Saudi authorities finally conceded that al-Qa’eda terrorists had planted the bomb and let Mr Mitchell return home to Halifax, West Yorks.

Yesterday he accused the Archbishop of Canterbury of “betraying” Christians with his comments on Islamic law. He said Dr Rowan Williams clearly had “absolutely no concept of what sharia law is”, because if he did, “he wouldn’t have made such a foolish statement”.

Mr Mitchell, a practising Christian, added: “I would like to see Dr Williams apologise to the people he is supposed to represent – the Christians in this country. His job is to serve the Christian community, and most of the Christian community will feel offended and betrayed by his comments. Sharia law is completely incompatible with a civilised society and I’m sure if Dr Williams had time to study it properly he wouldn’t have been so stupid as to make the statements he has.”

Daily Telegraph, 9 February 2008

The Archbishop of Canterbury sparked outrage today by saying the introduction of Sharia law in Britain is inevitable. In an explosive outburst Dr Rowan Williams, the country’s top Anglican, said there should be one set of rules for Muslims – and another for everyone else.

He maintained it was WRONG for followers of Islam to be forced to choose between “the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty”. Instead he said the country must “face the fact” that some Muslims do not relate to the law in Britain.

The 57-year-old insisted we accept aspects of Sharia law with a “constructive accommodation” in areas like marriage so Muslim women would not have to use British divorce courts. He added: “It seems unavoidable.”

Dr Williams’ extraordinary claim is a huge propaganda coup for extremists plotting to end centuries of the British way of life. And it was roundly condemned from all quarters last night.

Paul Dadge, famously pictured helping masked 7/7 victim Davina Turrell, 24, was left stunned. The 31-year-old former fireman, of Cannock, Staffs, said: “The Archbishop’s remarks are unhelpful. I am proud to be British and find the idea that Sharia law would ever become part of British law incredible.”

Mary Burke, 50 – who survived the King’s Cross bomb on July 7 2005 – said: “Britain is a Christian country and should stay a Christian country. I don’t want Islamic law here and I believe most of the British public agree with me.”

Sun, 8 February 2008

And the Sun’s leader opines: “It’s easy to dismiss Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams as a silly old goat. In fact he’s a dangerous threat to our nation. He says the adoption in Britain of parts of Islamic Sharia law is ‘unavoidable’. If he believes that, he is unfit for his job….He also gives heart to Muslim terrorists plotting our destruction. They will see his foolish ramblings as a sign that our resolve against extremism is weakening.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury was accused of surrendering to Muslim extremists last night by calling for Islamic sharia law to rule in parts of Britain.

Dr Rowan Williams claimed incorporating aspects of the Muslim legal system into UK law was now “unavoidable” and “appropriate” and said believers should not have to choose between “the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty”.

The Church of England’s most senior cleric also backed demands for Islamic courts to settle divorces and other disputes between Muslims living in Britain.

But his remarks sparked a storm of protest. Sharia law has been used to justify stoning, beheadings and other brutal punishments in many Muslim countries. In extreme cases, Islamic courts have even put people to death for converting to Christianity.

Tory MP Mark Pritchard called the Archbishop’s remarks naive and shocking. “He may want to run up the white flag of surrender over Lambeth Palace, but there are many who do not.”

Mike Judge, of the Christian Institute, said: “The fact that we all obey the same law, whatever our religion, is an important principle of the British way of life.”

And Stephen Green, national director of Christian Voice said: “This is a Christian country with Christian laws. If Muslims want to live under sharia law then they are free to emigrate to a country where sharia law is already in operation.”

Daily Express, 8 February 2008