Islamic scholar gets life for encouraging followers to fight U.S. soldiers

[bigtree]

http://www.kcautv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3589871&nav=1kgl2TNN

" . . .he was accused of telling a group of young Muslim men just days after the attack that an apocalyptic battle between Muslims and nonbelievers was at hand and that Muslims were obligated to engage in holy war. He told the group that defense of the Taliban was a requirement and that U.S. troops were a legitimate target, according to court testimony.

There was another U.S. citizen who also encouraged attacks on our troops:

"There are some who feel like that conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is 'bring them on'," Bush told reporters in the White House Roosevelt Room in July 2003.

[jobycom]

1. Good call, bigtree!

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Am I the only one that finds this whole case disturbing? What exactly

was the crime he committed? How is this any different than a rabid RW preacher urging the destruction or death to Muslims? gays? or liberals? Did this guy actually take up arms against the US?

Edit for spelling

[bigtree]

3. I would hesitate to defend him because of my low regard for the Taliban

and also, for anyone who would advocate violence as a means of political expression, or for that matter, for anything other than legitimate defense. And he broke the law, apparently, that forbids such advocation of violence. Further, I don't have anything good to say about his encouragement of youth to engage in violent acts as was alleged either. Life sentence seems harsh, though.

The bald irony, however, is that all of Bush's actions concerning Iraq, and those of his subordinates in the White House, could also be seen as provocative in their vociferous support of the illegal and immoral invasions and military occupations of both Iraq and Afghanistan. All of this support was cosseted by Bush's exhortations about 'God on our side' and all.