Category Archives: Right wing

Distorted MEMRI

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi, who is currently visiting the UK, is one of the most prominent clerics of Sunni Islam, and is among the top spiritual leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood movement. He is also a spiritual guide for many other Islamist organizations across the world, including supporters of Islamist terrorist organizations such as Al-Qa’ida.”

The Middle East Media Research Institute’s Special Report No.30 offers an “analysis” of Yusuf al-Qaradawi – who is, of course, one of Al-Qa’ida’s fiercest opponents.

Blunkett’s ban will fan the flames – Mark Steyn

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the Western world, but Blunkett wants us to pretend that it’s a wee delicate bloom which has to be sheltered from anything unpleasant. The other week, the governor of one of those Nigerian states that now lives under sharia called for the burning of all Christian churches within his jurisdiction. Every Friday, on state TV and radio throughout the Arab world and in mosques somewhat closer to home, the A-list imams call for the killing of Jews and infidels. Well, good luck to them. But, if they can dish it out so enthusiastically, couldn’t they learn to take it just an eensy-teensy-weensy bit?”

Mark Steyn responds to the proposed reform of existing race relations law to ban incitement of religious hatred.

Daily Telegraph, 13 July 2004

Qaradawi and rape victims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“I abhor the views of Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi … but I’m not happy with what the London Telegraph did to him this morning. It attributed to Qaradawi an accusatory view of rape victims: ‘To be absolved from guilt, the raped woman must have shown some sort of good conduct.’ These words actually belong to someone else, a consultant to the website Islamonline. Even if Qaradawi is ostensible head of the committee that oversees this website, a Muslim jurist can only be deemed responsible for his own fatwas…. Today’s Telegraph article establishes nothing.”

Even anti-Qaradawi commentator Martin Kramer baulks at false accusations against Dr al-Qaradawi in the Daily Telegraph. See ‘Qaradawi non-quote’, 11 July 2004,  in Kramer’s Sandbox blog.

Kramer was responding to an article in the Telegraph, 11 July 2004

But the false accusation originated in an OutRage! press release, 10 July 2004

We must be allowed to criticise Islam

Posted on by Eddie Truman

“The Islamic world was intellectually and economically wrecked by its decision to put religion beyond the reach of invective, which is simply an extreme form of debate. By so doing, it put science and art beyond the reach of experiment, too. Now, at the behest of Muslim foreigners who have forced themselves on us, New Labour wants to import the same catastrophe into our own society.”

Opinion article by ‘Will Cummins’ in the Sunday Telegraph, 11 July 2004

Tories call on Blair to bar Muslim ‘extremist’

Posted on by Eddie Truman

A government drive against religious extremism was mired in controversy last night over the presence in Britain of a fundamentalist Muslim cleric who allegedly supports suicide bombings and beating women.

On the day that David Blunkett proposed tougher laws against Islamists – and far-Right evangelical Christians – who preached hatred of other religions, the Home Office said it was not right to keep Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a Qatar-based imam, out of the country on the grounds of his views alone.

However, Tory and Labour MPs said Mr Blunkett should reconsider his position and exclude the cleric.

The row overshadowed a wide-ranging speech on race and integration by the Home Secretary, in which he said extremist religious leaders undermined efforts to establish better community relations in Britain.

Daily Telegraph, 8 July 2004

Daily Star: Welcome to get-tough Britain, Your Evilness!

Posted on by Eddie Truman

Welcome to get-tough Britain, Your Evilness!

By Macer Hall, Political Editor

Daily Star, 8 July 2004

JUST AS David Blunkett was pledging a crackdown on religious hatred yesterday a fanatical Muslim cleric was welcomed into Britain.

The Home Secretary promised a new law to jail extremists who incite hate and violence against other faiths. The new offence is likely to be closely modelled on the existing crime of inciting racial hatred, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment. But his crackdown was branded a “nonsense” as rabble-rouser Yusuf al-Qaradawi waltzed into Britain.

The Qatar-based sheik – who supports attacks on Jews and backs suicide bombers – is banned from the US but allowed to speak at Muslim conferences here. Al-Qaradawi was born in Egypt, like hook-handed fanatic Abu Hamza, the Finsbury Park preacher the Home Office has been trying to kick out of the country.

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The Sun: You’re crazy, Ken

Posted on by Eddie Truman

You’re crazy, Ken

By Trevor Kavanagh, Political Editor

The Sun, 8 July 2004

* KEN: Prosecute The Sun for saying this cleric spouts evil
* CLERIC: Suicide bombers are OK to kill Coalition troops in Iraq … they are God’s martyrs

SLIMY Ken Livingstone mounted an astonishing defence of a hardline Muslim cleric who yesterday launched a new rant backing suicide bombings. The London Mayor shared a platform with Yusuf al-Qaradawi – who The Sun yesterday exposed as a terror supporter.

Livingstone welcomed the sheik to the capital as an “honoured guest” – ignoring the cleric’s support for child suicide bombings, executing homosexuals, wife-beating and killing Jews. And he even turned on The Sun accusing US of fanning the flames of “Islamaphobia”.

He suggested we should be prosecuted – even though we have only pointed out what the cleric has been calling for. He claimed media coverage of the sheik’s visit showed a need for new laws against religious discrimination. Livingstone said: “British Muslims make an enormous contribution to the capital and this outcry in the tabloid press shows why legislation is necessary.”

Egyptian-born al-Qaradawi said he had been visiting London for 30 years and was baffled by the fuss. But last night, in a pre-recorded TV interview, the rabble-rouser called for suicide bombers to kill Allied soldiers in Iraq. And in London he spoke in support of suicide bombings by Palestinians in Israel.

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Dhimmitude at the BBC: Qaradawi has ‘star status’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Sheikh Qaradawi is speaking in London. Some are, well, offended at his approval of suicide bombings and affiliation with the Mother of All Modern Terrorist Groups, the ‘peaceful’ Muslim Brotherhood. But don’t they realize that he has ‘star status’? This virtual puff piece from the BBC tells us so.”

Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch defends freedom and democracy … by attacking the BBC for interviewing Yusuf al-Qaradawi.

Dhimmi Watch, 8 July 2004

Twisted mind of the agony sheik

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“On a popular Islamic website he runs, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qaradawi and his colleagues host an advice column under the jaunty title ‘Fatwa Corner’, where all manner of thorny religious dilemmas are given an airing. Questions seeking his advice range from whether it is permissible to put down a sick cat to asking for guidance on sending a teenager to a mixed summer camp.

“But other subjects upon which the ‘Agony Sheik’ sits in judgment often have a considerably more chilling edge, such as: ‘Is it lawful, under Islam, to take hostages?’ The answer, in his view, is yes. But then this is the character claiming to be a man of peace who has heaped praise on Palestinian suicide bombers, called for the execution of homosexuals and backed a war on the Jews.”

Daily Mail, 8 July 2004