Posted on 09/29/2006 7:03:21 AM PDT by Republicain
PARIS, Sept 29, 2006 (AFP) - French anti-terrorism authorities Friday opened an inquiry into death threats against a philosophy teacher who has been forced into hiding over a newspaper column attacking Islam, legal officials said.
Robert Redeker, 52, is receiving round-the-clock police protection and changing addresses every two days, after publishing an article describing the Koran as a "book of extraordinary violence" and Islam as "a religion which ... exalts violence and hate".
He told i-TV television he had received several e-mail threats targeting himself and his wife and three children, and that his photograph and address were available on several Islamist Internet sites.
"There is a very clear map of how to get to my home, with the words: 'This pig must have his head cut off'," he said.
Speaking on RMC radio, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said such threats were "unacceptable".
"We are in a democracy, everyone has the right to express his views freely -- of course while respecting others. That is the only restriction that is acceptable on this freedom.
"This shows to what extent we live in a dangerous world... and how vigilant we must be to ensure people fully respect one another in our society."
The Paris state prosecutor's office Friday launched a preliminary inquiry for "criminal conspiracy in relation with a terrorist enterprise", asking the DST intelligence agency to look into the death threats.
But despite the government's assurances of support, Redeker accused the authorities of leaving him "alone and abandoned".
Interviewed over the telephone from a safe house by Europe 1 radio Friday, he said that "the education ministry has not even contacted me, has not deigned to get in touch to see if I need any help."
On Thursday Education Minister Gilles de Robien expressed "solidarity" with the teacher, but also warned that "a state employee must show prudence and moderation in all circumstances."
Redeker said that "if Robien is correct, then we would never have had any intellectual life in France. The function of politics is not tell us what we are allowed to think, but to defend our freedom to think and speak out."
The issue, as it relates to Islam, is a sensitive one in France, which has Europe's biggest Muslim community, estimated at six million or around 10 percent of the population.
Le Figaro, which published Redeker's article on September 19, printed a front-page open letter from the editors Friday expressing solidarity with him and "condemning with the greatest severity the grave attacks on freedom of thought and expression that this affair has provoked."
Redeker wrote the piece in reaction to the fury unleashed in Muslim countries by Pope Benedict XVI's references to Islam in an address in Germany two weeks ago.
Under the heading "In the face of Islamist intimidation, what must the free world do?", he denounced the "Islamisation of spirits" in France and claimed that "Islam is trying to make Europe yield to its vision of mankind."
Likening Islam to Communism, Redeker said that "violence and intimidation are the methods used by an expansionist ideology ... to impose its leaden cloak on the world".
He also compared the Prophet Mohammed unfavourably to Jesus Christ, describing the founder of Christianity as a "master of love" and the founder of Islam as a "master of hate".
"Exaltation of violence, a merciless war-leader, a pillager, a massacrer of Jews and a polygamist -- this is the picture of Mohammed that emerges from the Koran," he wrote.
Subsequently Redeker was denounced on Al-Jazeera television by the influential Qatari Muslim scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi, and that day's edition of Le Figaro was banned in Egypt and Tunisia.
Speaking on Europe 1, he said his detractors had "already won a victory of sorts."
"I cannot do my job. I have no freedom of movement. I am in hiding. Already they have succeeded in punishing me ... as if I was guilty of holding the wrong opinions."
Accuse Islam of being violent and they threaten death and bodily harm. What am I missing?
The more I hear about Islam .... the more I believe it attracts only the mentally difficient.
What you're missing are the accomplices. Take a good look at that headline again.
When is the world going to wake up to this threat??!!
Uh, perhaps I should have included a sarcasm tag? When an infidel claims Islam is violent, islamist respond by getting violent. Thats was my point..
He should have written a book instead of an article. At least he'd be getting royalties for his trouble.
A big part of the problem is that the media people insist on calling any criticism of islam an attack. Nobody thinks twice about calling Christians right wing wacko religious nuts, that's not an attack on Christianity, nooooo. But to say Islam and violence have a positive correlation, whoops I just attacked Islam. Journalists only do that because they love to make people excited, and at the same time, they don't want to be in any danger. If a reporter were to actually state a fact about islam, they would immediately be subject to death threats, which are almost as bad as actually being killed. It sucks to be scared, it is so uncomfortable. So they want to make sure not to upset the feelings of a very large number of potentially violent people. They know that Christians aren't going to come unglued and riot in the streets and possibly burn up the liberals' cars. So they take the side of the Islamists. It's very sad that it has gotten like this.
There are two main themes in coverage about Islam: either "Rage in the Muslim World" about some transgression by Westerners, or "Muslims fear Reprisals" because people are starting to get pissed off themselves over all the rage in the Muslim World.
Like the French are going to do anything. France and rest of the world have decided that if you're islamic, it's okay to constantly cry oppression, live on handouts, throw rocks and firebombs at anybody, and randomly kill people.
My question is this: When are we going to all stand up and say, "Enough is enough!" Why are we all expected to walk around on egg shells to avoid "offending" the poor Muslims? I, for one, am sick of this. They demand we respect and never criticize (i.e. tell the truth about) Islam, and we give them what they want! For what? So they won't riot? So they won't kill people? If you look at what has been going on for the last 20-30 years, they are going to riot and kill people anyway. I've had it with them! And way to go for this teacher to call Mohammed what he was and to call the Koran what it is.
Absolutely right. Brave man. May we all stand up for right like him..
OK. Got it now.
Dear French People: So sorry you have lost your country to a bunch of irrational, blood-thirsty parasites that you invited in and allowed to take over....
If it were not true I would not believe it as fiction.
Having studied French (God only knows why...) for three years, please allow me to translate:
"a state employee must keep his or her mouth shut and never, ever piss of the Muslims because it's not politically correct and they will rise up and hurt us; it's far better to sit and piss yourself and wallow in your own urine behind your desk".
There.
Noooooooo, my friend, they won't be. No, the Muzzies will kill millions and the media/Left will simply hand-wring over what we did to provoke it. That's a sad fact. We have no cohesive will in the Christian West to take on Islam as a worldwide threat; none. It saddens me to say it, but it's true. The West has the might and will continue to refuse to use it.
France: Writer of 'anti-Islam' article gets death threats
AFP via Expatica | 09/28/2006
Posted on 09/28/2006 3:10:43 PM EDT by Republicain
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1710138/posts
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