Since the London bombings, and the (to certain journalists) astonishing discovery that some people think Jewish lives are not worth as much as anyone else’s, interviewers have taken to asking Muslim interviewees whether they condemn the killing of ‘innocent Israelis’. While the interviewees often answer ‘Yes’, their tone of voice as often betrays an ambiguity or even an implicit ‘No’. Now Daniel Pipes offers an important explanation, citing three fatwas ostensibly condemning the London bombings:
•‘British Muslim Forum: "Islam strictly, strongly and severely condemns the use of violence and the destruction of innocent lives." (July 18, 2005)
•120 Canadian imams: "Any one who claims to be a Muslim and participates in any way in the taking of innocent life is betraying the very spirit and letter of Islam." (July 21, 2005)
•Fiqh Council of North America: "Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives." (July 28, 2005)
‘Non-Muslims can be forgiven if they assume the reference to "innocent lives" includes those traveling on the Underground and bus lines in London three weeks earlier. But the term "innocent lives" can be much more restricted in application, as a fascinating article in today's Sunday Times (London) makes clear. Titled "Undercover in the academy of hatred," it is based on the undercover research by Ali Hussain of the newspaper's Insight team. Ali joined the Saviour Sect in June, a few weeks before the 7/7 bombings and took along his tape recorder. What he heard is hair-raising – it is imperative for Muslims to "instil terror into the hearts of the kuffar," "I am a terrorist. As a Muslim, of course I am a terrorist," "They will build tall buildings and we will bring them down," the bombings were "a good start" and Allah should "bless those involved".
'He also heard two speakers discuss whom they consider to be innocent.
•Zachariah, referring to the London passengers: "They're kuffar [infidels]. They're not people who are innocent. The people who are innocent are the people who are with us or those who are living under the Islamic state."
•Omar Bakri Mohammed, the sect's leader, who publicly condemned the deaths of "innocents," but at the Selby Centre in Wood Green, north London, on July 22 referred to the 7/7 bombers as the "fantastic four" and explained that his grief for the "innocent" applied only to Muslims. "Yes I condemn killing any innocent people, but not any kuffar."
'Comments: (1) Muslim statements condemning the killing of "innocents" cannot be taken at face value but must be probed to find out who exactly are considered innocent and who not. In brief, can infidels be innocents?’
