July 2010 – Page 8 – Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)

Westboro Baptist Church Hate Group Files Response in Supreme Court Case

The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), listed as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court on its efforts to picket the funerals of dead American soldiers.

U.S. Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, of Finksburg, Maryland - Died in Iraq

York Daily News reports that on July 7, 2010 “Members of the Westboro Baptist Church filed their response today with the U.S. Supreme Court to a petition by Albert Snyder asking the court to restore a $5 million verdict against the Rev. Fred Phelps and members of his congregation.”

“In their petition, the Phelpses are asking the court to uphold a 4th U.S. Circuit court of appeals ruling that overturned the jury verdict. The Phelpses said the 4th Circuit was correct to say their speech – protesting Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder’s 2006 funeral outside a Westminster, Md., Catholic Church and writing about Snyder on Westboro’s website – was protected under the First Amendment.”

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“Albert Snyder, of Spring Garden Township, has said the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church invaded his privacy and intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon his family in their protest. His attorneys laid out their argument for the Supreme Court in briefs filed May 25. Supporters – including attorneys general for 48 states, a collection of U.S. senators, and several veterans organizations – filed amicus briefs a week later.”

“The court is expected to hear oral arguments in October.”

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See other R.E.A.L. postings on the Christian extremist “hate group” Westboro Baptist Church.

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In March 30, 2010, R.E.A.L reported on”Father Of Dead Marine Ordered To Pay Legal Fees Of Westboro Baptist Church “Hate Group” Protesters”

Father Of Dead Marine Ordered To Pay Legal Fees Of Westboro Baptist Church Protesters
— Who Picketed His Son’s Funeral
— the “Westboro Baptist Church” is on the list of “hate groups” by the Southern Poverty Law Center

— The Snyder family is seeking donations to help them continue their suit.

— Synder family states: “Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, of Finksburg, Maryland, died from a non combat-related vehicle accident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Combat Service Support Group-1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California. Died on March 3, 2006. Matthew was 20 years old.”

“The family of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, US Marine Corps, has begun this civil lawsuit* against Mr. Phelps and certain members of the so-called Westboro Baptist Church to bring an end to the reign of terror and abuse that they inflicted upon the grieving families of US service members killed in defense of our nation. Using innocent children to deliver their twisted message of hatred and fear, the defendants in this suit have sought to attack the memory of our departed heroes, to strip their loved ones of their dignity, and to use abuse and intimidation as a tool for preventing surviving family members from reaching closure over their loss.”

Supreme Court to rule on protests at military funerals by “Westboro Baptist Church” “hate group”

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges all to Choose Love, Not Hate – Love Wins.

British Female Muslim Director of BMSD Explains the Need for Secular Democracy

Unitas Communications has provided Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) the following interview with Tehmina Kazi, director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy. R.E.A.L. supports the leadership, courage, and consistency on human rights issues of Tehmina Kazi and the British Muslims for Secular Democracy, and R.E.A.L. has previously posted on the BMSD’s leadership and activities.

British Female Muslim Director of BMSD Explains the Need for Secular Democracy

Question to Tehmina Kazi: What are the reasons behind the title ‘British Muslims for Secular Democracy’ (BMSD)?

Response: We distinguish between procedural secularism and ideological secularism. Ideological secularism is the type of model that is practiced in France and Turkey, where we see for example headscarf bans in university and we want to distance ourselves from that kind of secularism. We support instead, procedural secularism where the state remains neutral but different faith groups and of no faith have the chance to express their voices in the public sphere and everyone gets an equal share of the public sphere. We also want to highlight the benefits of living in a democracy and how British Muslims can become more successful democratic actors.

Question: What is BMSD doing to engage with British Muslims on a grass-roots level?

Response: On a grass roots level, I am the facilitator for the Young Muslim Leadership Network which is being run by the Citizenship Foundation, so I facilitate monthly workshops for young people, mainly women actually and they talk about issues that are important to them and find individual ways to present these to policy makers. My group for example is filming a myth-busting documentary about Muslim women, busting myths about the hijab, talking about their career choices and educational aspirations. Also we do democracy workshops for refugees in East London and we talk to them about their civil rights.

Question: What does being a British Muslim mean to you?

Response: It means that you don’t see the two terms as mutually exclusive. You can be just as comfortable with your British identity and totally integrated at the same time by totally Muslim.

Question: Eight Muslim MPs were elected this year, three of them women. How will they affect change for Britain?

Response: They set a very important change as role models, especially for Muslim women because now Muslim women can look at MPs such as Rushanara Ali and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, who is the first female Muslim in the cabinet and say that if they can do it, I can do it too.

The government’s Prevent agenda has isolated young Muslim males. What are the possible platforms on which they can counter these stereotypes?

There was a very good platform just this Sunday. There was a big public meeting in Birmingham, attended by Salma Yaqoob, Shami Chakrabarti from Liberty and Gareth Pierce, the human rights lawyer and there were a lot of Muslims present there and they aired their concerns. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the increased surveillance in residential areas in Birmingham and I’m a civil libertarian and me personally, I was very affected by this. The more we voice these issues by signing petitions, attending public meetings, going on TV programmes, radio programmes to explain why this is wrong and why this is wrong approach is important. We need to do more of these things.

Question: Why is it important that Muslim youth vote?

Response: Because if you don’t vote then you shouldn’t complain when you see MPs ignoring your interest and hot shod of your wishes and implementing things such as the surveillance in Birmingham and the 42-day detention period. It is the individual that can make these changes within themselves, such as writing a letter to an MP. It’s the apathy that is the biggest enemy to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Question: There have been news reports of Muslim parents removing their children from music lessons in a south London school. Many Muslim parents want to instil specific Islamic principles in their child’s education. Do you think it is possible to negotiate this in a school setting?

Response: I don’t think they should have the right to withdraw their child from music lessons. Children benefit most from a well-rounded education. What we need to do is to educate the parents because there’s a big difference from Mozart and a rap song. There are already comprises being made for other lessons such as swimming, where you have girls only lessons and that’s fine. But with something as universal as music, I mean why would you want to withdraw your child from that? Next you’ll have children being withdrawn for all arbitrary reasons. This has been going on for a long time, and is worse in areas such as Bradford and Ealing.

Tehmina Kazi took up the position of Director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy in May 2009. Prior to joining BMSD, she was a Project Officer at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, where she worked on a ground-breaking inquiry into the Human Rights Act and its impact on public service delivery, undertaking research, writing policy briefings, facilitating focus groups and interviewing victims of human rights violations.

To find out more about the BMSD, visit their website at: http://www.bmsd.org.uk/index.asp

Tehmina Kazi, BMSD Director — United Kingdom: Tehmina Kazi, director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy (BMSD)

UK: Five Years After July 7 Terrorist Attacks – A New Direction of Hope

Five years after the July 7 terrorist bombings in London, the UK government is no longer holding any public remembrance of the victims, other than a wreath being sent to a memorial in Hyde Park. The Global Post’s Michael Goldfarb states that “Wednesday’s anniversary is being marked, well, it’s being marked by nothing.”

But while there may be no official remembrance activities, there are many whose lives and passion for democracy and freedom are living memorials to the July 7 victims, and whose efforts represent a new hope for the United Kingdom in the struggle of ideas.

We have been seeing increasing signs of hope and progress among British Muslims who are taking the lead in supporting secular democracy and human rights as a counter-message to extremists who seek to deny democracy and human rights. While some analysts believe that fighting terrorism can be measured by tactical achievements or failures, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) believes that solutions will come from a consistent support for democracy and our universal human rights from the public, including British Muslim and pro-human rights groups in the struggle of ideas.

We believe that it will be stories such as Tehmina Kazi’s, the director of the British Muslims for Secular Democracy (BMSD), that will make the difference. We urge you to read the interview with Tehmina Kazi posted on R.E.A.L.’s website today at http://bit.ly/tehmina

While groups such as Anjem Choudary’s Islam4UK and the Hizb ut-Tahrir United Kingdom groups denounce democracy and equality, and on the other extreme, groups such as the English Defence League and the Stop Islamisation of Europe groups are protesting Muslim houses of worship, there are alternatives from those such as the BMSD and its supporters who provide an example in consistent support of democracy, human rights, and human dignity for rest of the United Kingdom and the world.

We urge others in the United Kingdom to follow the example of groups such as BMSD and choose to consistently be responsible for equality and liberty.

Brooklyn Tea Party Opposes Mosques

In Brooklyn, New York, R.E.A.L. has also learned that the Brooklyn Tea Party has also gotten involved in protests against mosques there as well as in Manhattan. On June 1, 2010, “culturist” Brooklyn Tea Party’s Dr. John Press announced plans to protest the 45 Park Place mosque in Manhattan, and Madeline Brooks reported on continuing Brooklyn Tea Party protests in Brooklyn regarding the Manhattan mosque. Madeline Brooks viewed these Tea Party protests against mosques as “a natural and logical extension of patriotism to move from outrage about high taxes and socialized health care.”

Brooklyn Tea Party leader Dr. John Press has also been part of the Brooklyn protests against a planned mosque in Brooklyn on Voorhies Avenue, which R.E.A.L. has previously reported about. At a recent protest against a planned Brooklyn mosque, Dr. Press defends the comments by a white American woman protester was being interviewed by a black American reporter, with the protester stating “Those people don’t belong here! They ain’t gonna get along with our kids. Did you ever see a Muslim shake an American’s hand? None of them live here and we don’t want them in our community.” Brooklyn Tea Party leader Dr. John Press defends such views in a July 5, 2010 article that he wrote for the “American Thinker,” entitled “Culturists oppose another mosque in Brooklyn.”

"Culturist" and Brooklyn Tea Party Leader Dr. John Press Calls for Protests against Mosques in Manhattan and Brooklyn (Photo: Craig Wirga / New York Daily News)

Brooklyn Tea Party leader Dr. Press also has told the NY Daily News about his focus on “culturism,” specifically in only defending “a European Judeo-Christian culture.”

Brooklyn Tea Party leader Dr. Press has urged readers of the white nationalist American Renaissance group to use the term “culturist,” in his comments to an American Renaissance posted article “Is Black Culture the Problem with Education?.” In his comments, Brooklyn Tea Party leader Dr. Press tells the white nationalists at American Renaissance “We need to employ the word culturist to save our school system. Currently, our school system sees differences in achievement and searches for answers and skips the cultural explanation you highlight.” In another article, Dr. Press complains that “Whiteness studies treats all discrimination against groups as completely arbitrary, irrational and insane,” and states that discrimination against early immigrants of Italians, Catholics, and Jews, had a rational basis for such discriminatory views, which is why Dr. Press argues for “culturism,” which focuses on using our cultural differences to support only some cultures. This same argument for “culturism” by Brooklyn Tea Party Leader Dr. Press is how he justifies protests against mosques.

Brooklyn Tea Party Leader Dr. John Press' Views on Discrimination and "Culturalism"

R.E.A.L. rejects the views of Brooklyn Tea Party leader Dr. John Press in his goal to defend only “a European Judeo-Christian culture,” just like we defy the views of the American Renaissance group that seeks to promote white nationalism. While the Brooklyn Tea Party leader supports “culturism,” we are Responsible for Equality AND Liberty – for all Americans, and for all people – in defense of America’s Constitution and in defense of our universal human rights.

America is a nation for and composed of people of all races, all ethnic backgrounds, all religions, and all identity groups. We remember that United We Stand – in every race, every ethnic background, every religion, and every identity group. R.E.A.L. takes exception to those who would deny freedom of religion and freedom of worship, whether it is in the United States or anywhere else in the world.

Hizb ut-Tahrir Attacks Democracy, Freedom in Australia

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports the unqualified, universal human rights for all people everywhere, including freedom of religion, freedom of worship, freedom of conscience, and freedom of expression. We view democracy and religious pluralism not as western values, but as rights and dignities for all human beings. We challenge the views of Hizb ut-Tahrir which opposes democracy and such universal human rights.

The anti-democracy organization Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) held a conference in Australia on July 4, 2010 at the Grand Westella reception center, 12 Bridge Street, Lidcombe, in New South Wales, Australia, which frequently holds wedding receptions. The HT conference was “The Struggle for Islam in the West.” Hizb ut-Tahrir rejects democracy, rejects the women’s equality movement, and calls for the “death penalty” for those who leave Islam. On June 22, 2010, the Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia group was publicly demonstrating for the stoning of individuals. (See also additional R.E.A.L. postings on Hizb ut-Tahrir.)

Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia's Conference Logo: "The Struggle for Islam in the West" (Photo: HT Australia Web Site)

At the event, Hizb ut-Tahrir promoted its views of seeking the creation of a global Islamic caliphate and denouncing democracy. UK Hizb ut-Tahrir leader Burhan Hanif told Lidcombe, Australia conference participants that that democracy was “haram” (forbidden) and that “We must adhere to Islam and Islam alone.” Buhan Hanif stated that “We should not be conned or succumb to the disingenuous and flawed narrative that the only way to engage politically is through the secular democratic process. It is prohibited and haram.” He rejected Muslim political involvement that is based on “secular and erroneous concepts such as democracy and freedom.”

UK Hizb ut-Tahrir Leader Burhan Hanif Urges Australian Muslims to Reject Democracy (Photo: YouTube)

Australian Hizb ut-Tahrir official Wassim Dourehi also told conference attendees that Muslims must reject “any kafir political party”, and challenged “this godforsaken country,” referring to Australia. Wassim Dourehi stated that “We need to reject this new secular version of Islam… It is a perverted concoction of Western governments. It is a perversion that seeks to wipe away the political aspects of Islam and localise our concerns. We must reject it and challenge the proponents of this aberration of Islam.”

Australia Hizb ut-Tahrir Leader Wassim Doureihi Says Australia "Godforsaken," Denounces "Moderate Islam" (Photo: YouTube)

Australian Hizb ut-Tahrir speaker Reem Allouche stated that women’s rights and equality should not be based on “secular liberalism.” The Australian reported that “A female HT delegate, Reem Allouche, said Australian women should be at the forefront of the struggle by insisting on their right to wear the head-to-toe covering known as the niqab, in the face of legislation proposed by NSW Christian Democratic MP Fred Nile to ban it.”

Hizb ut-Tahrir Speaker Reem Allouche (Photo: YouTube)

According to Nine News, “More than 500 participants at a Hizb Ut-Tahrir conference in Western Sydney heard on Sunday that Australia was a ‘god-forsaken country’ and that moderate Islam was a ‘perverted concoction of western governments’.” The Australian newspaper reported on the conference “Muslims told to shun democracy,” and “Islamist leader Burhan Hanif tells Aussie Muslims to ‘shun democracy’.”

July 4, 2010: Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia Conference Against Democracy, Promoting Islamic Caliphate (Photo: HT Australia Web Site)

Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia representative Uthman Badar told the media that democracy “is more of an illusion,” and that democracy has “short-sold the people.”

Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia’s Uthman Badar was interviewed by A Current Affair’s Tracy Grimshaw about its rejection of democracy. ACA’s Grimshaw stated to Uthman Badar “So you are against democracy but enjoy its privileges to say what you like – against democracy.” A Current Affair also challenged Hizb ut-Tahrir on its recent videos.

Australia: A Current Affair Interviews Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia's Uthman Badar

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports the unqualified, universal human rights for all people everywhere, including freedom of religion, freedom of worship, freedom of conscience, and freedom of expression. We support democracy and democratic values not as “Western values,” but as values that are the right for every human being of every identity group and every religion around the world.

What We Believe - Responsible for Equality And Liberty's Jeffrey Imm Demonstrating Outside Hizb ut-Tahrir America's July 19, 2009 Chicago Event

Georgia: Investigation into Arson, Hate Crime against Marietta Mosque

On July 6, 2010, Marietta, Georgia local news media outlets are reporting on what is being described as a “suspicious fire” at the Marietta mosque, stating that the fire is being investigated to determine if it was arson. Late Tuesday morning, Marietta Fire Marshal Scott Tucker told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that “It appears to be a crime, it appears to be an arson… There was forcible entry.” An updated report from Marietta television station WSBTV also states that “Fire officials said authorities believe a fire at a Marietta mosque was arson and they are investigating it as a possible hate crime.” The police are also investigating vandalism inside the mosque, but have not yet released information about the type of vandalism.

Aftermath of Fire at Marietta, Georgia Mosque - Arson Investigation Underway (Photo: AJC/Vino Wong)

WSBTV also reported on this fire. The fire started after the last prayer session. Reports state that damage to the mosque is “extensive.” According to reports, the fire destroyed the front entrance and did significant damage to the main prayer hall. The local imam Hafiz Inayatullah told WSBTV that “We locked the door and everything and we left and suddenly he called me and said, ‘There’s fire’.”

: Marietta, Georgia – Area Near the Masjid Al-Hedaya Mosque

On June 15, 2010, the Marietta Daily Journal published a column by a writer warning about the construction of mosques in the United States.

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges all to assist law enforcement agencies in their investigation. If this fire was the result of arson, we urge that all Americans help law enforcement agencies to aid in identifying those responsible. Our universal human rights include our freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and freedom of worship for all people. We urge all to Choose Love, Not Hate – Love Wins.

Georgia: Mosque Fire Investigated to Determine if Arson

The Marietta mosque that was damaged by fire is on Powder Springs Street in Marietta, Georgia. The Masjid Al-Hedaya describes its location as on Powder Springs Street in Marietta, Georgia. WSB radio reported the fire as “The fire was reported shortly after 11 p.m. Monday at Masjid Al-hedaya on Powder Springs Street in Marietta. The building is also known as the Islamic Center of Marietta.” WSBTV has described this as the “Masjid Al Head mosque.” Local Marietta media are reporting that Muslim attendees at the Masjid Al-Hedaya mosque are uncertain if someone deliberately set the fire. The fire started after the last prayer session. Reports state that damage to the mosque is “extensive.” According to reports, the fire destroyed the front entrance and did significant damage to the main prayer hall. The local imam Hafiz Inayatullah told WSBTV that “We locked the door and everything and we left and suddenly he called me and said, ‘There’s fire’.”

Marietta, Georgia - Area Near the Masjid Al-Hedaya Mosque

On June 15, 2010, the Marietta Daily Journal published a column by a writer warning about the construction of mosques in the United States.

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Indonesia: Mob of 40 Disrupt Catholic Mass Service

UCAN reports on the disruption of a Catholic Mass service in Indonesia on July 1 that had to be abandoned after a mob objected to their religious practices and worship services.

UCAN reports: “Muslims break up Indonesian Mass “

“Up to 40 Muslims broke into the home of a Catholic family and forced a thanksgiving Mass in Indonesia on July 1 to be abandoned.”

“‘I invited dozens of Catholics to the Mass to thank God for the house I’ve just bought and to celebrate my third child’s 17th birthday,’ said Servulus Sihotang, a parishioner of St Paul’s Church in Depok, West Java.”

“‘But the Muslims suddenly forced their way in and made us stop.'”

“He said he had bought the house from a Muslim and Muslim neighbors had been present at a housewarming party the week before, but added that the attackers were from outside the area.”

“‘The area is pretty vulnerable,’ said Franciscan Father Taucen Hotlan Girsang, who led the Mass. ‘Some Muslim inhabitants do not allow any other religious activity, while some welcome it.'”

“He went on to say that he and local Catholics were constantly working to develop a dialogue so that people living in the area could have a better understanding of all religions recognized by the Indonesian government — Buddhism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and Protestantism — and of every citizen’s right to follow the religion they choose.”

"Servulus Sihotang, whose new home was invaded during a private thanksgiving Mass " (Photo: UCAN)

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our universal human rights, including Article 18 freedom of religion, freedom of worship, and freedom of conscience — for all people – everywhere. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” We support religious pluralism and tolerance around the world.

R.E.A.L. urges all people to Choose Love, Not Hate – Love Wins.

Indonesia Church Harassed, Appeals to United Nations – Hizb ut-Tahrir Seeks Church Closure

In Indonesia, a Christian church in Bogor, West Java, has been repeatedly harassed, had services disrupted, and has been sealed by local government authorities that seek to disrupt their freedom of worship. The church is now appealing to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief for relief, by filing a religious discrimination appeal.

Compass Direct News has reported on the abuse of worshipers at the Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI) Taman Yasmin Church, stating that “Since April 11 the congregation has held services on the roadside in front of the sealed church in stifling heat. The church pastor, the Rev. Ujang Tanusaputra, told Compass that the congregation has held Sunday services six times in front of the building that the mayor of Bogor sealed.”

Reverend Ujang Tanusaputra told Compass that the church had received an official permit from the Bogor City government. However, a group that objected to the presence of church resulted in getting the church sealed by the Bogor government. Despite this, the church won a court lawsuit against the effort to seal the church, but despite all of this, the congregation is not permitted to worship in the building which is 80 percent complete. According to the Compass report, the “construction was going smoothly until a Muslim group began demonstrating and the government sealed the building to appease them.” Reverend Ujang Tanusaputra told Compass “We are going to continue worshiping by the roadside as part of the struggle to remove the seal.” Compass reports that “Tanusaputra said he hopes the Lord will intervene to show that Indonesia is a country where laws are followed and all faiths may freely worship.”

In March 2010, the anti-democracy political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) organized a protest of hundreds of its members in front of the Bogor City Council protesting the building permit given to the Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI) Taman Yasmin Church. Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia and other groups together under the Indonesian Muslims Communication Forum (Forkami) have sought to deny the church members freedom of worship in their church in Bogor.

Since April 2010, the church had responded to the pressure by such groups to close their church, by holding worship services in the street.

(See other R.E.A.L. postings on Indonesia.)

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The Hizb ut-Tahrir organization involved in seeking to deny the freedom of worship of Indonesia Christians has ongoing international efforts to attack democracy, religious freedom, and human rights around the world, including a July 4, 2010 event in Australia, and an event planned for July in Chicago.

Hizb ut-Tahrir rejects democracy, rejects the women’s equality movement, and calls for the “death penalty” for those who leave Islam. On June 22, 2010, the Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia group was publicly demonstrating for the stoning of individuals. (See also additional R.E.A.L. postings on Hizb ut-Tahrir.)

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R.E.A.L. urges all people to Choose Love, Not Hate – Love Wins.

India: Police Threatened After Arrests in Amputation of Christian Professor’s Hand

Police in India are being threatened by members of a political Islamic group believed to be responsible for the amputation of the hand of a private college professor who prepared a test on grammatical punctuation that included the name Muhammad.

In India, on July 4, 2010 in Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam district (Kerala), a Christian professor T.J. Joseph was attacked by a mob of 8 individuals while getting into his car with his mother and his sister. According to a Asia News report, “After forcing Joseph to get out of his car, they attacked him with knives and swords and then cut off his hand and right arm throwing them away after about 200 meters.” The Asian Tribune quotes T.J. Joseph’s sister, a nun, Mary Stella, as stating that: “They then chopped off his right hand and stabbed him in the left thigh.. When we tried to prevent them, they attacked me and and our mother before exploding bombs and fleeing.” Mary Stella also told the Deccan Chronicle that different Muslim youths had donated blood for T.J. Joseph after this horrific attack, and that “it helped save his life.”

Christian professor TJ Joseph in hospital. (Photo: The Herald)

T.J. Joseph’s hand was amputated apparently as a punishment for classroom activities at the private Newman’s College, Thodupuzha. According to Asia News, the attackers claim that T.J. Joseph had prepared a questionnaire for an examination, and “according to the Muslims had included questions offensive to Muhammad.” The Asian Tribune reported that “In March this year, Islamic outfits had carried out protests against Joseph, who was a lecturer in the church-run Newman college in Thodupuzha in Idukki district over a portion in the Malayalam question paper for an internal examination for BCom students. They claimed that the question paper insulted the Prophet. The college later suspended Joseph who had set the questions and a criminal case was registered against him. The case is pending trial.”

Asia News reports that: “The indicted questionnaire however did not include anything that could be construed as against the Muslim religion. The authorities of Newman College, told AsiaNews that in the test, Prof. Joseph tells the story of a fishmonger who, despite hard work, becomes increasingly poor. The monger’s name is Mohammad In his desperation, he spoke to God and also asked his brother why his fortunes were dwindling. His brother told Mohammed: ‘Why are you calling God, God and God….’ Students were asked to specify the punctuation of the narrative.” The Hindu reported that “In the question paper, he had used a passage about an imaginary dialogue between God and Muhammad, and the students were asked to comment. Certain Muslim organisations, assuming that ‘Muhammad’ in the passage was Prophet Muhammad, took offense and staged protest rallies and clamored for action against the professor. Stones were thrown at the college run by the Christian church.”

The Times of India reported that T.J. Joseph had been receiving threats, and reports that “T J Joseph, the lecturer in the Church-run New Man College in Thodupuzha in Idukki district, had complained to the police about threats to his life, but there was little response. He even apologised to those who were threatening him. The family gave a written complaint after a group of unidentified men barged into their house in Moovattupuzha in Ernakulam district and searched the rooms looking for Joseph some weeks ago.”

The Hindu reported that “Two activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were arrested on Monday in connection with the attack on a professor at Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district. Sources said 12 others, most of them with extremist links, were also taken into custody for interrogation. Ashraf, 37, of Mundeth, Mekalady, and Jaffar, 28, of Eramaloor, Kothamangalam, were remanded to judicial custody by the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Muvattupuzha.”

Ashraf and Jaffar, who were arrested in connection with the attack on Professor T.J. Joseph at Muvattupuzha, coming out of a court after being remanded to judicial custody. (Photo: The Hindu)

The Times of India reported on other aspects of the investigation and other groups, as well as that “Police have also discovered that the van used by the assailants was bought from Thrissur by one K K Ali, said to be an active worker of the Popular Front, a new incarnation of the ultra-Islamic National Democratic Front.”

The Indian Express has now reported that the Indian police are getting threatening calls, stating that “A day after two activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were arrested, an officer in the probe team got a threatening call from a district functionary of the outfit. Several district-level PFI leaders have gone into hiding following raids at the organization’s strongholds in the rural areas of Ernakulam. The call to the circle inspector was tracked down to Rasheed, a district PFI leader.”

Asia News reports that: “Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians condemns this ‘barbaric act’ and recalls that ‘Sharia is not the law of India.'”

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty supports our universal human rights, including freedom of expression, freedom of religion, as well as personal security and life. We urge those whose hearts are burdened with hate and intolerance to ease such burdens from their hearts. Choose Love, Not Hate – Love Wins.