Hicks renounces Islamic beliefs (Guantanamo Detainee)

The Australian ^ | June 24, 2006 | Reuters

[Korth]

AUSTRALIA'S Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks is no longer a Muslim.

Hick was also publicly denounced by an al-Qaeda member at Guantanamo Bay for his lack of religious observance, a former British detainee has said.

Rumours that Hicks had abandoned his Islamic beliefs were confirmed by British Muslim Moazzam Begg.

Mr Begg shared a cell block with Hicks at the US military base in Cuba in 2004.

Mr Begg, who was released in January last year after the British government intervened, wrote about his experiences in a new book, Enemy Combatant: A British Muslim's Journey to Guantanamo and Back.

Mr Begg wrote that Uthman al-Harbi complained that Dawood, the name is Arabic for David, which Hicks adopted after converting to Islam in 1999, had not fasted during Ramadan.

He also wrote that Hicks had not prayed with others or undertaken his "duties".

"I wouldn't describe him as a dedicated Muslim," Mr Begg said to The Age.

"I don't think he was before and he certainly isn't now."

Hicks' legal team has refused to discuss Hicks' religious beliefs.

Hicks was not seen as a threat by guards, Mr Begg said.

"I don't think I came across a single guard who thought David was a threat, that he was a terrorist, an al-Qaeda member," Mr Begg said.

Hicks was charged with various offences, including attempted murder and aiding the enemy in late 2004.

Mr Begg said he and Hicks would often talk through the night.

[Buck W.]

Well, OK! You're free to go!

[cripplecreek]

Little late now.

[CzarNicky]

They better isolate him, for his own protection. No one leaves islam, alive.

[Dog]

Hicks adopted after converting to Islam in 1999, had not fasted during Ramadan.

Must have been those pork rinds he was sneaking..

[BenLurkin]

Now if we can just get the other one billion of them to renounce it would mean the final end to Islam's threat to civilization.

[PsyOp]

It's all fun and games until you get picked up bearing arms against the US.

[KC Burke]

An apostate is someone who can be killed just for being alive. It has served as a defense for public murder in Egypt of noted moderates.

[Dog]

There are no do overs...

[SAMS]

Never too late to abandon the ROP...

[SeanOGuano]

Another jail cell conversion. Or is it unconversion?

[GSlob]

Convert them to Alcoholism.

[syriacus]

So...Now we know that observant Muslims rat on less-observant Muslims...hmmm

That's what I was afraid would happen when US public schools opened Muslim prayer rooms.

Some Muslim students would tattle to the local Imam that less observant fellow Muslim students weren't going to the prayer room often enough...

In other words the public school system would be enabling Muslim religious coercion of other students.

[caseinpoint]

Excellent point. Would that make the schools complicite in establishing a religion? Hmmmm? Where's the ACLU?

[SmithL]

Sometimes, you just need a bacon-cheeseburger.

[PghBaldy]

I don't buy it.

[Candor7]

And a jar of pickled pigs feet and some blood sausage!