Posted on 07/23/2005 7:07:39 AM PDT by ppaul
LONDON (Reuters) - Militant Islamists will continue to attack Britain until the government pulls its troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, one of the country's most outspoken Islamic clerics said on Friday.
Speaking 15 days after bombers killed over 50 people in London and a day after a series of failed attacks on the city's transport network, Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed said the British capital should expect more violence.
"What happened yesterday confirmed that as long as the cause and the root problem is still there ... we will see the same effect we saw on July 7," Bakri said.
"If the cause is still there the effect will happen again and again," he said, adding he had no information about future attacks or contacts with people planning to carry out attacks.
Bakri, a Syrian-born cleric who has been vilified in Britain since 2001 when he praised the September 11 hijackers, said he did not believe the bombings and attempted attacks on London were carried out by British Muslims.
He condemned the killing of all innocent civilians but described attacks on British and U.S. troops in Muslim countries as "pro-life" and justified.
In an interview with Reuters, Bakri described Osama bin Laden, leader of the radical Islamist network al Qaeda, as "a sincere man who fights against evil forces".
Bakri said he would like Britain to become an Islamic state but feared he would be deported before his dream was realised.
"I would like to see the Islamic flag fly, not only over number 10 Downing Street, but over the whole world," he said.
MESSAGE OF PEACE ... MESSAGE OF WAR
A hate figure for the British tabloid press, the bearded and bespectacled Bakri said Islam contained "a message of peace for those who want to live with the Muslims in peace".
"But Islam is a message of war for those who declare war against Muslims," he said.
"I condemn any killing and any bombing against any innocent people in Britain or abroad, but I expect the British people to condemn the killing of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan."
However, asked about Islamist attacks on British and U.S. troops and on Israelis, he said: "If violence is pro-life I don't condemn it".
Britain has around 1,100 troops in Afghanistan and 8,500 in Iraq. Prime Minister Tony Blair supported the United States in its respective invasions of both countries in 2001 and 2003.
Bakri, a 46-year-old father of six, was born in Syria and lived in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. When the Saudi government expelled him in 1985 he came to London.
Nicknamed "The Tottenham Ayatollah" after the area of north London in which he lives, he has infuriated many Britons with his firebrand speeches and refusal to condemn suicide bombings.
He founded the British branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which describes itself as a non-violent political party dedicated to creating an Islamic caliphate centred on the Middle East.
But he split from the group in 1996 and set up al Muhajiroun, which won notoriety in 2001 for celebrating the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon which killed nearly 3,000 people.
Bakri has Syrian and Lebanese citizenship and says he thinks the British government might deport him to one of those two countries in the wake of this month's bombings.
"But I think that would be political suicide for the British government if they started to deport and imprison all extremists and radicals," he said.
"Because if, God forbid, something happened again, they would have nobody left to blame."
"Send his ass to Gitmo."
Let's not forget the Dick Durbin plan--send him to the Waldorf Astoria with an apology for the accomodations.
I would like to see a flag pole rammed up his .... Guess neither one of is likely to be happy. Unless some British mob gets a hold of him after another terror attack.
Is their anyone out there who still believes this is NOT a religious war?
Correction: This guy should be jailed, deported, and shot, not in that particular order.
Okay, if you missed it in the earlier post, here it is:
"The LeT has proclaimed its intention to plant the green flag of Islam in Washington, Tel Aviv and Delhi. Its cadres have been apprehended while preparing for acts of terrorism in places as far away as Washington and Sydney."
There was a time in th UK when the safety and security of The Realm trumped ALL other considerations, even of individual Liberty. It was a doctrine that produced the Star Chamber. BUT the concept served The Realm and Liberty well in WWII. It is time to revisit the idea that the security of the Realm and the safety of its people is paramount.
Seems 10 Downing Street needs to invest in a little wet work for this "Holy man".
I seem to recall that he believed swarms of suicide bombers would merely be the prelude to the later shock tactics of the "veteran eastern holy warriors". I wonder what he is thinking these days as he wanders between Banja Luka and Davao City?
If you happen to run into him somewhere please have him give his old office a call. A couple colleagues would like to review/activate his operational profile of "the ghost".
Who is trembling now?
J
Seems that Britain lacks the kinds of laws to deal with this threat. Wonder if they would like their American allies to send in some CIA wet teams to take care this "Holy man" and his fellow travelers?
Remember where you stand on this topic and these events. They will start to blow up things here soon. It will time to take down the muskets and remove these people to their home countries. They can leave, vertically or horizontally --- but they will leave.
WTH?
Kill this SOB.
I have a progressive loader.
..And promise to use bacon drippings as a die lubricant.
How much more will the people of England take before dropping the hammer on these animals?Same applies here in the US.What's it going to take?
Deploying State sanctioned snipers to assassinate pro-terrorists seems to be the appropriate response and would probably be an effective way of striking back at these cowards who hide behind the freedoms that we cherish. Will it ever happen? Not likely! This is war and they are the enemy.
I would like to see pictures of this Islamic Cleric posted over the whole world, showing him wearing his feces soiled underwear on his head, and a pork-padded underwire bra to cover his fat-laden boobs.
BOL!
According to another article I read, this guy lives on government handouts.
Only if you promise to grease it with pig fat first :-)
I agree.I wouldn't have said it a yr ago,but i've come to the conclusion that islam is incompatible with democracy.We've been indoctrinated(by the msm)into accepting these vermin into our society under the guise of multi-culturalism.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.