<< DEATH RIDES QUIETLY ~ MAIN ~ FEAR CITED >>

NO RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN

Ahmed Abu-Laban, the Copenhagen imam whose dossier of Danish disgrace helped ignite the Cartoon Intifada, tells his story to docile Australian broadcaster SBS:

“This protest is not about the cartoons, offensive as they are,” Imam Ahmed Abu- Laban said.

“The cartoons are merely the final drop that caused the cup to overflow.”

The images in Ahmed’s dossier included one that turned out to be a French pig imitator, and others not connected to the cartoons. Perhaps that cup wasn’t quite full enough.

Imam Abu- Laban, who leads a mosque in Copenhagen, said he never intended for rioters to attack Danish embassies and businesses in the Middle East.

But he added Danish officials had brought the crisis on themselves by not responding to initial protests.

I wonder what “response” the imam would have thought appropriate.

Imam Abu-Laban said he “cries” for Denmark but doesn’t feel responsible for the way the dispute has flared internationally.

“People credit me with far more power than I have,” he said.

Someone should ask the rioters how they learned about that satanic French snout-monster.

Imam Abu-Laban acknowledged that he began contacting Muslims in the Middle East late last year in an effort to build pressure on the Danish government to condemn the cartoons.

“European politicians want Muslim votes,” he said.

“We were running a campaign, trying to create pressure.”

He says he’d helped organise visits to Egypt and Lebanon, where he and other Muslims from Denmark displayed the cartoons.

Oddly, wherever he went, riots followed.

But those trips were aimed at garnering political support, not inciting riots.

He’s got a point; after all, who could ever have anticipated riots in places like Egypt and Lebanon?

(Via Mike Jericho and EE)

CORRECTION. This was a Reuters piece and shouldn’t have been attributed to SBS. A technical error on the SBS website—some kind of template issue—led to the error.

Posted by Tim B. on 02/08/2006 at 11:47 AM
  1. What a cowardly dog…  if i was the Danes, i would have let his plane run out of fuel before i let him land back in the country… 

    But there would have been a few burly guys with some cattle prods waiting if he did make it back on the ground in one piece!!!!  :o)

    Posted by casanova on 2006 02 08 at 12:05 PM • permalink

  2. The man is a danger.  He should be expelled or incarcerated.  Denmark’s freedom is at stake.  To let him run free in Denmark would be to have him as an unelected potentate over the low countries.

    Posted by stuartfullerton on 2006 02 08 at 12:07 PM • permalink

  3. Ginned up dossiers, secret meetings, terrorist money laundering?  The Western media yawn.

    Posted by Patricia on 2006 02 08 at 12:08 PM • permalink

  4. So not only is pork haraam, but also fat French guys wearing rubber pig snouts. These people sure do have a lot of rules.

    Posted by Jim Treacher on 2006 02 08 at 12:09 PM • permalink

  5. Ahmed Abu-Laban has himself committed the very sin that caused the riots in the first place. He either created the three fake cartoons himself, or commissioned them. I wonder what his punishment will be? They were all a lot more offensive than the original 12.

    Posted by Maulman on 2006 02 08 at 12:12 PM • permalink

  6. Does not compute.  He says he wanted to put pressure on European politicians.  But neither European politicians, nor the Muslims who vote for them, reside in Egypt and Lebanon.  Liar.

    Posted by Chris L. on 2006 02 08 at 12:27 PM • permalink

  7. I was watching a Frontline show about Al Quaida in Europe, and there is a certain group of muslims, forget their names, who are allowed to eat pork and do any un-Islamic things which allow them to move around and infiltrate societies, be messengers and sleeper cells etc…  basically they get carte blanche to go out and break all the rules so they don’t draw attention to themselves, coz their working to further the cause… 

    These swine might think they have the same latitude to use any images they like to stir up trouble….

    Posted by casanova on 2006 02 08 at 12:29 PM • permalink

  8. NO RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN

    There never is. Not even by those called, moderate.

    Posted by El Cid on 2006 02 08 at 12:34 PM • permalink

  9. He cries for Denmark (and, possibly for the murdered Catholic Priest, and other killed in his holy quest to put political pressure on the Danes), but for one who regrets the riots and killings, I hear not a word from him condemning the thugs and hooligans rioting against innocents. But as Proud2 says in previous blogs, it’s not up to Muslims to judge Muslims. Just to slash and burn, murder, kidnap, sacrifice their children to death. Religion of Peace, Indeed!

    Posted by stats on 2006 02 08 at 12:46 PM • permalink

  10. That sounds familiar… oh, I remember now!

    Ahmed Abu-Laban is taking the Dan Rather line:

    Fake but accurate.

    Posted by Kosmopolit on 2006 02 08 at 12:59 PM • permalink

  11. The good Imam:

    “We have heard Western politicians relate our faith to terrorism, over and over again, and it is too much. This was the response.”

    How dare you relate our faith to terrorism. To prove our faith has absolutely nothing to do with terrorism, we will call for the execution of the cartoonists and burn your embassies to the ground, in the name of our faith.

    /Nice work, Imam.

    Posted by SoCalJustice on 2006 02 08 at 01:25 PM • permalink

  12. There are 54 Muslim nations.
    Why can the Imans live in one of these Islamic cesspools that Allah has prepared for them rather than turn a Western nation into a cesspool with their hate?

    Posted by perfectsense on 2006 02 08 at 02:04 PM • permalink

  13. Casanova 7

    there is a certain group of muslims, forget their names, who are allowed to eat pork and do any un-Islamic things which allow them to move around and infiltrate societies, be messengers and sleeper cells etc…

    Dunno what they’re called nowadays, but back in the good old Middle Ages, they were “Hashishim,” which is of course, the root word for “assassins.”

    Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 02 08 at 03:16 PM • permalink

  14. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the cartoon did not look like the work of someone who draws cartoons for a living (admittedly, neither do Leunig’s).

    More importantly, the picture of the dog humping the muslim at prayer looks like a clear fabrication.  The dog is FEMALE.

    Posted by lewisinnyc on 2006 02 08 at 03:19 PM • permalink

  15. sorry, the cartoon depicticting Mohammed as a pedophile…

    Posted by lewisinnyc on 2006 02 08 at 03:21 PM • permalink

  16. I’m not sure if this point has already been made, but this whole rioting display suggests to me that Muslims are somewhat insecure about their whole religion.

    Consider: if they are right, and the cartoons are indeed offensive to Muhammed and/or Allah, then surely their god is more than capable of meting out justice/vengeance/wrath without having to rely on his followers?

    Or is this too much of a Christian/Jewish ‘vengeance is mine, saith the Lord’ point of view?

    Posted by brucey bonus on 2006 02 08 at 03:47 PM • permalink

  17. Beware of any who say they act for God.

    Posted by blogstrop on 2006 02 08 at 04:37 PM • permalink

  18. #7 & 13 there is a certain group of muslims, forget their names, who are allowed to eat pork and do any un-Islamic things which allow them to move around and infiltrate societies, be messengers and sleeper cells etc…

    Actually, they’re called “terrorists”.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2006 02 08 at 04:39 PM • permalink

  19. By Hook or By Crook
    The things you might find in a London mosque.
    Indignation can serve as a thin veneer over vile deeds.

    Posted by blogstrop on 2006 02 08 at 04:52 PM • permalink

  20. What many people in Ahmad’s position would do right now is condemn the violence and do something to end it.

    I guess Ahmad isn’t many people.

    Posted by Margos Maid on 2006 02 08 at 05:50 PM • permalink

  21. Amen, blogstrop #17.  And beware of any who try to intercede between God/the Forces of Creation and the individual’s perception, especially those who want to control thought or destroy free-thought altogether.

    Posted by Joe Peden on 2006 02 08 at 05:56 PM • permalink

  22. The good Imam outlines the major tactic that all minority groups play on…

    “European politicians want Muslim votes,”

    It is not just European politicians, I can see it in Australia in all levels of government. Just look at the stance ( or lack of)taken by our politicians over this issue and other local issues that have happened recently.

    Posted by jackx on 2006 02 08 at 05:59 PM • permalink

  23. THE public expression of the Christian faith and other religions is being undermined by political correctness within the Western Democracies. This law tradition and expression within society has been separated, unlike the Islamics who may not realise there is a separation, which enables secular. 

    (sorry to say it, however, the British have lost the plot and THEY have given the power away to a gang of of power hungary hoodlums)


    [url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1939710,00.html]


    I do like the Poems of Rumi: it it shows how the religion should be.

    Posted by ratio on 2006 02 08 at 06:17 PM • permalink

  24. This was another article.

    Muslims urge cartoons law change  
    Muslim scholars holding emergency talks called for a change in the law to stop insulting pictures of the Prophet Muhammad being published. Officials from the Muslim Action Committee (MAC) meeting in Birmingham also called for the Press Complaints Commission code to be tightened to restrict British newspapers from following European media in printing the caricatures. A protest march from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park on February 18 involving around 50,000 Muslims would be staged, Shaikh Faiz Saddiqi, spokesman for the MAC, said. 

    So look out!!! and let’s see what’s they are going to do…

    Posted by ratio on 2006 02 08 at 06:22 PM • permalink

  25. http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=201572006

    This was in Scotland today.

    Muslim scholars holding emergency talks called for a change in the law to stop insulting pictures of the Prophet Muhammad being published.

    Officials from the Muslim Action Committee (MAC) meeting in Birmingham also called for the Press Complaints Commission code to be tightened to restrict British newspapers from following European media in printing the caricatures.


    A protest march from Trafalgar Square to Hyde

    So this was planned BACK IN december…. it was PR stunt… keep googling…check it out!!!!

    http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=201572006

    Posted by ratio on 2006 02 08 at 06:28 PM • permalink

  26. #13 The hashishim were also, as the name implies, hashish eaters.  Their masters kept them wired so they could be used for indiscriminate killings that would have been beyond the capabilities of those in possession of their senses.  I reckon the old caliphs could have saved the money - as we’ve seen, the hash ain’t necessary…

    Posted by anthony_r on 2006 02 08 at 06:30 PM • permalink

  27. #26 Myself, but then back in the Viking days the Danes had beserkers wired on magic mushies whose job was pretty much the same thing.

    Posted by anthony_r on 2006 02 08 at 06:33 PM • permalink

  28. If Muslims want to save their religion, they’d better do something about the nutballs.

    Have an Imam license or something.

    The motor vehicle bureau could issue it.

    Posted by rhhardin on 2006 02 08 at 06:37 PM • permalink

  29. The very act of not being able to draw a god, is suppression to the wants of the Islamic religion.

    Once again, the rules are changed to suit the Islamic mindset.

    If you review the two articles, one on the 2005 everything has been pre conceived to suit their agendas within Britain.

    Posted by ratio on 2006 02 08 at 06:46 PM • permalink


  30. ‘Defining moment’ seen in West’s relations with Islam

    http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/02/08/news/europe.php

    Vandalism At School: 100 Swastikas On Walls feb8 2006

    http://www.courant.com/news/education/hc-whdvandal0208.artfeb08,0,237113.story?coll=hc-headlines-education

    Posted by ratio on 2006 02 08 at 07:56 PM • permalink

  31. I love how often these muslim types use their “places of worship” to further their political and terrorist campaigns, then go troppo if the sanctity of them is violated by any outsider….

    There should be a simple rule, if mosques are found to being used to aid and abet terrorists, they have lost the right to exist and should at a minimum be closed down, but preferably bulldozed to the ground.

    In foreign countries where this can’t be arranged, such as in Iraq or in particularly say in Yemen (where the guys who attacked the USS Cole, escaped from a tunnel leading down out of the prison and up into a mosque) a couple of 2000lb laser guided bombs should suffice to rectify the situation….

    Posted by casanova on 2006 02 08 at 08:43 PM • permalink

  32. And so #26, follwing the mussie and viking reaction, could the unemployed potheads around Byron Bay and Nimbin be the new shock troops/assassins of the West could they???

    At least we might have found something that bunch of parasites could be useful for!

    Posted by casanova on 2006 02 08 at 08:51 PM • permalink

  33. I’m not sure how minority groups are usually treated in the rest of the world but here in the United States it   seems if a member of a minority even ‘thinks’ racism or discrimination our officials fall all over themselves begging forgiveness.  It all goes back to the Civil Rights problems we have had in the past, and the idiocy of “political correctness”.  The rest of us are getting fed up with it all.  We just want to live and let live with everyone being as civil and decent to each other as possible.  Of course, respect has to be earned and I personally haven’t been able to find a great deal to respect in Muslim practices which I assume reflects their beliefs.

    Posted by BrendaFayBowers on 2006 02 08 at 09:06 PM • permalink

  34. Bloggers in my hometown are wringing the water out of this one too.  I made the statement yesterday that I felt that religions should never be subjected to derogatory treatment from just a moral and sensitive point of view.  Produced a lot of backfire so I wrote this answer.  Might mean something to some of you too, or not.

    Brenda here.  Several people have commented on my stated belief that ALL religions should ALWAYS be off the table for any type of derogatory form of speech.  I am not a Bible thumper, in fact haven’t been inside a church for 30 years or more.  I do however have an deep and private relationship with my God. Furthermore, I have been a lifelong rebel of sorts, and champion for the rights of all people of all races, sex and religions.  This is just so you know where I am coming from.

    ALL things are manmade and of this world BUT a person’s relationship with his God.  That relationship is “not of this world”  (I hope you recognize this quote!)  It is never appropriate nor necessary to ever denigrate this private and personal relationship.  That is what freedom of religion means!  You have your beliefs and I have mine and we neither one will tread on the other’s beliefs.

    On the other hand, it is appropriate and even necessary if a society is to remain free to “render unto Caesar” all that belongs to Caesar, because Caesar is of this world and therefore manmade.  It is also appropriate, and even necessary at times to criticize, poke fun at, and even rebel against ALL that is of this world and manmade.  I have never been called upon to stake my life for these beliefs, but I have several times staked my career for the privilege of upholding and yes, demanding them for all people. I have many times gone against, and alienated, my family, friends,  colleagues,  neighbors and strangers   in upholding and demanding these freedoms that I believe in for all people.  That is why I am standing against many of you and stating that you are WRONG to ever criticize in any way, shape or form another’s relationship with his God.

    That said, I must agree with Jon that we in the United States should remain mum on this topic.  We should make no responses pro or con.  We have young men whose lives are in danger every moment of every day fighting for these freedoms that we hold and they are doing it in the enemies own back yard.  I would stake my own life and certainly allow you the same privilege if you want,  but I will damn to Hell’s fires any arrogant fool sitting safely in some office somewhere in the United States for staking the lives of our young soldiers over there!

    So sayeth Brenda Bowers.  Now let the bombardment begin.

    Posted by BrendaFayBowers on 2006 02 08 at 09:47 PM • permalink

  35. From his office at the Islamic Faith Society in Copenhagen, Ahmed Abu-Laban, a fundamentalist Palestinian cleric, has been at the forefront of a campaign to force an apology from the paper. “This was the last drop in a cup of resentment, disappointment and exploitation,” he says.

    […]

    Mr. Abu-Laban, who grew up in Egypt and was arrested there in the early 1980s after being expelled from the United Arab Emirates for his preaching, took charge of writing statements for the group and communicating with Muslim ambassadors. He denies having extremist views, but acknowledges hosting visits to Denmark by Omar Abdel Rahman, before his arrest in New York, where the blind sheik is now serving a life sentence in connection with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

    How Muslim Clerics Stirred Arab World Against Denmark by Andrew Higgins
    Wall Street Journal Tuesday—Feb 7, 2006 Page A25

    HAT TRICK !!!

    Posted by guinsPen on 2006 02 08 at 09:50 PM • permalink

  36. The year 2006 marks the beginning of the Festival of Muslim Cultures that takes place in the UK for the next 18 months. The festival is mainly a celebration of arts and literature from the Muslim world. It began with a large exhibition, opened by the Prince of Wales, entitled “Palace and Mosque” which featured Islamic artifacts from the Victoria and Albert Museum. The festival also includes films, plays, art exhibitions, poetry evenings and Qur’an recitation. The organizers of the festival have said that they lack the necessary funding to carry out all these activities. Surely it is obvious that a festival of this nature will improve the public’s idea and image of Islam. It should be a powerful counter to the many forces seeking to tarnish our religion. Such events as the festival should be highlighted and written extensively about in our press — especially at a time when our relations with the West could certainly be better.

    Our press, however, is concerned with other things. One wonders how that can be.

    We complain all the time about distortions of our image in the West and we jump to attack when something like the Danish cartoons happen, but we seldom realize that we have done nothing to create our image or uphold it.

    Of course we should protest against the cartoons — but I do think that we always miss the point and avoid being positive.

    The reaction of European countries to Muslim protests indeed points up a double standard in dealing with Arab and Muslim issues. There are in fact many laws in Europe that forbid anti-Semitism and questioning of the Holocaust.

    No similar laws prevent attacks on Arabs and Muslims — but dare I say that the absence of laws is our mistake for the simple reason that we do not know how to present our case or how to work diligently to defend it.

    The reaction to the Danish cartoons in Saudi Arabia has two sides to it.

    We have the reasonable articles and commentaries and also the boycott as it certainly conveys people’s opinions. I have to admit I have my doubts on the effectiveness of a boycott since it may become a war between rival companies selling the same product and it might also hurt Saudis who work in the Danish companies in the Kingdom. Unfortunately, the whole idea of making a point has turned in the wrong direction.A friend told me he went to a pharmacy and the pharmacist advised him not to buy a certain medicine since it was Danish. He suggested another medicine instead of the Danish one. My friend returned to her doctor whose comment was, “It is a medicine and you need it and you should use it since it is available in the market.” At this point, I became confused about how far anyone should go in order to prove a point. At the same time, what surprises me even more is that those same people who cry for a boycott do not try to prove their point in any other way. On the contrary, they approve demonstrations outside Danish embassies without realizing that these demonstrations, with all their violent chantings and posters advocating violence will do more harm than good. At a time when reasonable actions are needed, we support irrational behavior. For example, we did not hear many supporting voices when Amr Moussa suggested discussing the matter with Danish authorities.To return to my opening remarks about the festival and the image of Islam, the way to achieve what we want is through intellectual dedication and seriousness. There are peaceful marches that do not include burning flags, torching embassies and throwing stones; such acts will solve nothing and will fail utterly to convince anyone of the rightness or justice of our cause. There is much work to be done but it requires cool heads and clear visions.


    http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=77532&d=9&m=2&y=2006

    Posted by ratio on 2006 02 08 at 10:16 PM • permalink

  37. Ahmed Abu-Laban - No responsibility

    Oh yes, say that again, and BTW Islamic Pigs Fly!

    Posted by Wand on 2006 02 08 at 11:07 PM • permalink

  38. For all the horrors of bombing [Bali etc]beheading, suicide bombers, stoning of women and all the rest of the curriculum practised by Muslims, they still manage to drag themselves around in the guise of VICTIMS.
    Why isn’t anyone standing up to them? If there are 54[?] Muslims States, why in the hell have they been permitted to infest western countries?
    The kids of Cronulla stood up to the cowards and the cops beat the Aussies with sticks. Never forget that.

    Posted by waussie on 2006 02 09 at 12:27 AM • permalink

  39. In a place like this, one is outside the Umma’s thick shell of delusions.

    Europe is where the Holocaust happened, they have laws against denial of it because they want to suppress any remaining potential for something like that to happen again—those who deny the Holocaust are usually those who seek to revive it, for instance, many Muslims such as the leaders of the current Iranian regime.

    Casual Muslim self-comparisons with Jews as religion-targeted victims in Europe are gross insults to Jews and to all Europeans, and deserve nothing but laughter and contempt from non-Muslims.

    Muslim “moderates,” criticizing the terrorists & rioters only obliquely and criticizing them only for their tactics, seem pretty much in league with the terrorists.

    Posted by ForNow on 2006 02 09 at 03:02 AM • permalink

  40. #40 There was a report that Christian Lebanese men turned out in numbers to protect a Maronite? Christian Church,which I reckon is to their credit.

    Posted by crash on 2006 02 09 at 03:21 AM • permalink

  41. When things first started happening either abc or sbs invited a Danish moslem to comment. She said “they treat us like animals here…”
    but obviously animals of higher value than in the place she came from or she and her family would leave for home…

    Posted by crash on 2006 02 09 at 03:59 AM • permalink

  42. I saw a BBC reporter tackling the issue of all this Islamic insanity today, and who does he put the hard questions to???
    The Danish Prime Minister of course!
    A white face is always required when there are tough questions to be asked…it’s much safer that way!

    Posted by Brian on 2006 02 09 at 06:00 AM • permalink

  43. The Imam Lied - People died, David Marr rpt
    The Imam lied - People died, Robert Manne rpt
    The Imam Lied - People died, Cindy Sheehan rpt
    The Imam Lied - People died, Maureen Dowd rpt,
    The Imam Lied - People died, George Clooney rpt
    The Imam Lied - People died, Michael Leunig rpt
    The Imam lied - People died, Howard Dean rpt
    The Imam Lied - People died, George Galloway rpt
    The Imam Lied - People died, Bono rpt,
    The Imam Lied - People died, Jacques Chirac rpt

    Posted by platey mates on 2006 02 09 at 06:17 AM • permalink

  44. Not that I want Neo-Nazi arseholes attacking Moslems, but bloody hell, all these Hitler-types are worried about are Homos, Jews and blacks, it only shows what absolute cowards they really are!

    Posted by Brian on 2006 02 09 at 06:27 AM • permalink

  45. Well most of those Neo-Nazi types agree with a great deal of what the Islamist have to say. They seem to continually pinch each others rhetoric and cartoons.

    Posted by Andrew Ian Dodge on 2006 02 09 at 10:07 AM • permalink

  46. Oh, this just gets better.  The ‘toons were published virtually without a ripple in Egypt months ago.  From Freedom for Egyptians.  Hattip to Q and O.

    Posted by Achillea on 2006 02 09 at 03:03 PM • permalink

  47. RebeccaH 18  

    Actually, they’re called “terrorists”.

    Tut tut, RebeccaH, tut TUT!  The philology of this term is perfectly clear: “hashishim” ==> “assassins” ==> “ASSHOLES.” 

    Rebase 27

    #26 Myself, but then back in the Viking days the Danes had beserkers wired on magic mushies whose job was pretty much the same thing. 

    Unlikely they had mushrooms, but they sure-hell had mead, and supposedly the Viking version of mead WAS hallucinogenic.  Supposedly so was blue woad, which the Picts (and maybe the Jutes?) painted on themselves.  But I’m pretty sure psilocybin is strictly a new-world kinda drug.

    Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 02 09 at 03:30 PM • permalink

  48. Brenda 35

    my stated belief that ALL religions should ALWAYS be off the table for any type of derogatory form of speech. 

    Fuck THAT!

    Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 02 09 at 04:42 PM • permalink

  49. Re: #46…

    How true Andrew!

    Posted by Brian on 2006 02 09 at 08:11 PM • permalink

  50. Brenda #34 & #35 here to #49  

    I did say let the bombardment begin, but I’m not familiar with that particular type of armament.  I am told it is procured in the gutter and I make a habit of never stooping that low.

    Posted by BrendaFayBowers on 2006 02 09 at 09:57 PM • permalink

  51. Oh aren’t you precious?

    Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 02 10 at 10:15 AM • permalink

  52. Page 1 of 1 pages

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.

Members:
Login | Register | Member List

Please note: you must use a real email address to register. You will be sent an account activation email. Clicking on the url in the email will automatically activate your account. Until you do so your account will be held in the "pending" list and you won't be able to log in. All accounts that are "pending" for more than one week will be deleted.