http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1154641811943&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Muslim spokesman quits
Says liberal views drew hate mail, death threats
Warnings grew more intense in past three months
Aug. 4, 2006. 05:25 AM
SURYA BHATTACHARYA
STAFF REPORTER
Tarek Fatah has quit as communications director for the Canadian Muslim
Congress, saying he's worried that the threatening calls, hate mail and
death threats may adversely affect his autistic child.
"Even if the glasses are rearranged, it upsets her," said Fatah, who
resigned his post more than three weeks ago. "If something were to
happen to me, she would be devastated."
Fatah is controversial in Toronto's Muslim community because of his
criticism of Muslim conservatives. He has also been accused of enjoying
the media spotlight.
The Muslim Canadian Congress supports same-sex marriage, female-led
prayers and women's rights and is opposed to the introduction of sharia
family law in Ontario.
"There are many silent voices within the Muslim community and part of
our mandate is to give voice to those people," said El-Farouk Khaki,
secretary-general of the congress.
"(Fatah) has been very much in the public eye, and not all his
statements have been well received by all," said Khaki. Other moderate
Muslims including Irshad Manji, author of The Trouble with Islam Today:
A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith, have taken precautions against
such threats.
Manji, a visiting Yale University fellow who lectures on the liberal
reformation of Islam, doesn't carry a cellphone because "the technology
used by cellphones makes it easy for ill-wishers to track you down,"
she wrote in an email to the Toronto Star.
"I routinely receive death threats, most of them anonymous and a rising
number of them from radicals in the West - Britain, Scandinavia,
Netherlands, even Toronto.
"A recent email to me and my Urdu-language translator described me as
the `woman writer who is subject to death.' The police tracked that
email to an Internet cafe in Toronto."
Manji said she's been told some of the Toronto-area men arrested on
terrorism-related charges said on an Islamist website that her fate "is
not far" from that of Theo van Gogh, the Dutch filmmaker murdered by a
young Muslim in 2004.
Fatah held the communications job since the congress began in October
2001 but says that, in the past three months, the threats have become
openly violent. He cites as triggers the terrorism-related arrests and
Canada's refusal to issue a visa to a controversial British imam who
was to address a youth conference in Toronto.
Fatah has complained to the RCMP and Toronto police about threats to
kill him.
One incident that has not sparked a police complaint, but raised
Fatah's ire, involves Mubin Shaikh, a sharia law advocate.
In 2005, at the Reviving the Islamic Spirit Conference, Shaikh told a
gathering that Fatah had abused the name of the Prophet. Fatah said
that, as a result of the comment, he was later jostled by a crowd of
youths.
In an interview, Shaikh admitted making the comment but denied Fatah
was jostled. Shaikh added that he does not consider Fatah a Muslim, or
a representative of Islam.
With time to spare now, Fatah plans on writing a book. He also plans to
volunteer with Bob Rae's Liberal leadership campaign.
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| User: "Marvin The Paranoid Android" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 10:11:46 AM |
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Another day in the world of religious extremism.
Sounds not unlike the nutcases (Pat Robertson) running the Christian
Coalition and the religious right of the Republican party in the U.S.
Jane wrote:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1154641811943&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Muslim spokesman quits
Says liberal views drew hate mail, death threats
Warnings grew more intense in past three months
Aug. 4, 2006. 05:25 AM
SURYA BHATTACHARYA
STAFF REPORTER
Tarek Fatah has quit as communications director for the Canadian Muslim
Congress, saying he's worried that the threatening calls, hate mail and
death threats may adversely affect his autistic child.
"Even if the glasses are rearranged, it upsets her," said Fatah, who
resigned his post more than three weeks ago. "If something were to
happen to me, she would be devastated."
Fatah is controversial in Toronto's Muslim community because of his
criticism of Muslim conservatives. He has also been accused of enjoying
the media spotlight.
The Muslim Canadian Congress supports same-sex marriage, female-led
prayers and women's rights and is opposed to the introduction of sharia
family law in Ontario.
"There are many silent voices within the Muslim community and part of
our mandate is to give voice to those people," said El-Farouk Khaki,
secretary-general of the congress.
"(Fatah) has been very much in the public eye, and not all his
statements have been well received by all," said Khaki. Other moderate
Muslims including Irshad Manji, author of The Trouble with Islam Today:
A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith, have taken precautions against
such threats.
Manji, a visiting Yale University fellow who lectures on the liberal
reformation of Islam, doesn't carry a cellphone because "the technology
used by cellphones makes it easy for ill-wishers to track you down,"
she wrote in an email to the Toronto Star.
"I routinely receive death threats, most of them anonymous and a rising
number of them from radicals in the West - Britain, Scandinavia,
Netherlands, even Toronto.
"A recent email to me and my Urdu-language translator described me as
the `woman writer who is subject to death.' The police tracked that
email to an Internet cafe in Toronto."
Manji said she's been told some of the Toronto-area men arrested on
terrorism-related charges said on an Islamist website that her fate "is
not far" from that of Theo van Gogh, the Dutch filmmaker murdered by a
young Muslim in 2004.
Fatah held the communications job since the congress began in October
2001 but says that, in the past three months, the threats have become
openly violent. He cites as triggers the terrorism-related arrests and
Canada's refusal to issue a visa to a controversial British imam who
was to address a youth conference in Toronto.
Fatah has complained to the RCMP and Toronto police about threats to
kill him.
One incident that has not sparked a police complaint, but raised
Fatah's ire, involves Mubin Shaikh, a sharia law advocate.
In 2005, at the Reviving the Islamic Spirit Conference, Shaikh told a
gathering that Fatah had abused the name of the Prophet. Fatah said
that, as a result of the comment, he was later jostled by a crowd of
youths.
In an interview, Shaikh admitted making the comment but denied Fatah
was jostled. Shaikh added that he does not consider Fatah a Muslim, or
a representative of Islam.
With time to spare now, Fatah plans on writing a book. He also plans to
volunteer with Bob Rae's Liberal leadership campaign.
.
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| User: "Steven Douglas" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 10:39:19 AM |
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Marvin The Paranoid Android wrote:
Another day in the world of religious extremism.
Sounds not unlike the nutcases (Pat Robertson) running the Christian
Coalition and the religious right of the Republican party in the U.S.
Who are you comparing to Pat Robertson? The person who is critical of
conservative Muslims, or the people who are offering death threats to
that person?
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| User: "Werewolfy" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 08:30:14 AM |
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Jane wrote:
"....Fatah is controversial in Toronto's Muslim community because of
his
criticism of Muslim conservatives. He has also been accused of enjoying
the media spotlight....."
Ummmm.
I have to ''be at odds' with Woodsy..and maybe many people...on this
one.
I fancy that there is a very different point of view from those who
don't share this man's thoughts.
It's a Muslim issue. A Society that brooks no interference in their
ideals....certainly not interference by non-Muslims.
So; Why all the fuss. Why the press coverage? Let them 'get on with it'
and we should leave Muslim matters to Muslims.
Seems to me that he is using his 'faith' to promote his image. I don't
trust people like that.
So...I'm unpopular now...Sorry, can't help but view the whole thing
with a deep-rooted suspicion. It would be..nice... were newspapers to
devote as much space to any of the disasterous events that beset the
world, and not quote concerns by a Muslim about noise from re-arranging
some glasses. This man isn't alone in having an autistic child. So many
ordinary people struggle through life without searching media
representation.
I'm a cynic. I believe this man should be investigated further...his
true motives may not be quite those he portrays.
Werewolfy
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 03:04:44 PM |
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On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 06:30:14 -0700, Werewolfy wrote:
Jane wrote:
"....Fatah is controversial in Toronto's Muslim community because of
his
criticism of Muslim conservatives. He has also been accused of enjoying
the media spotlight....."
Ummmm.
I have to ''be at odds' with Woodsy..and maybe many people...on this
one.
I fancy that there is a very different point of view from those who
don't share this man's thoughts.
It's a Muslim issue. A Society that brooks no interference in their
ideals....certainly not interference by non-Muslims.
So; Why all the fuss. Why the press coverage? Let them 'get on with it'
and we should leave Muslim matters to Muslims.
I think a spokesperson getting death threats from extremists within his or
her community is newsworthy, regardless of the type of organization.
Woods
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| User: "living large" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 09:51:23 PM |
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"Woodswun" <woodswun@tepidmail.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2006.08.05.20.04.43.351662@tepidmail.com...
On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 06:30:14 -0700, Werewolfy wrote:
Jane wrote:
"....Fatah is controversial in Toronto's Muslim community because of
his
criticism of Muslim conservatives. He has also been accused of enjoying
the media spotlight....."
Ummmm.
I have to ''be at odds' with Woodsy..and maybe many people...on this
one.
I fancy that there is a very different point of view from those who
don't share this man's thoughts.
It's a Muslim issue. A Society that brooks no interference in their
ideals....certainly not interference by non-Muslims.
So; Why all the fuss. Why the press coverage? Let them 'get on with it'
and we should leave Muslim matters to Muslims.
I think a spokesperson getting death threats from extremists within his or
her community is newsworthy, regardless of the type of organization.
Woods
Of course it's news worthy. To say otherwise is to be ostrich-sized.
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| User: "Werewolfy" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
06 Aug 2006 05:33:13 AM |
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living large wrote:
"Of course it's news worthy. To say otherwise is to be ostrich-sized."
I do hope you are 'playing with words', Mr Large. The idea of those who
fail to see merit in the account, all being of the same dimensions as
an ostritch, is well, is incomprehehensible.
If you meant to write, 'ostracise', then it makes more sense, but is
hardly the way to exchange views.
Tell me...please please tell me...you really did know how to spell
'ostracise'.
Werewolfy
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| User: "living large" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
06 Aug 2006 08:13:21 AM |
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"Werewolfy" <thegrimreaper10@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:1154860392.977366.10840@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
living large wrote:
"Of course it's news worthy. To say otherwise is to be ostrich-sized."
I do hope you are 'playing with words', Mr Large. The idea of those who
fail to see merit in the account, all being of the same dimensions as
an ostritch, is well, is incomprehehensible.
If you meant to write, 'ostracise', then it makes more sense, but is
hardly the way to exchange views.
Tell me...please please tell me...you really did know how to spell
'ostracise'.
Werewolfy
How's life with your head in the soil?
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| User: "Werewolfy" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
06 Aug 2006 10:28:24 AM |
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living large wrote:
"How's life with your head in the soil?"
Oh dear Oh dear, dear dear.
You did...didn't you? Please forgive me...I had no intention of
highlighting your literary problems. You seem to manage that quite well
without assistance.
Werewolfy
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| User: "Werewolfy" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
06 Aug 2006 10:38:33 AM |
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Werewolfy wrote:
"Oh dear Oh dear, dear dear."
Oh my. I've examined your IP address and was amazed to find you are
English! I thought only Americans could bastardise the English language
in the manner you employ.
But then again, perhaps Yorkshire isn't really part of England...Not
really part at all.
I'll make you feel more comfortabe shall I?
Hey, by heck, thou writes reet good on t'net.
There....hurry up now, Coronation Street will be on Television soon.
Werewolfy
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| User: "living large" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
06 Aug 2006 03:28:21 PM |
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"Werewolfy" <thegrimreaper10@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:1154878713.312551.304510@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
Werewolfy wrote:
"Oh dear Oh dear, dear dear."
Oh my. I've examined your IP address and was amazed to find you are
English! I thought only Americans could bastardise the English language
in the manner you employ.
But then again, perhaps Yorkshire isn't really part of England...Not
really part at all.
I'll make you feel more comfortabe shall I?
Hey, by heck, thou writes reet good on t'net.
There....hurry up now, Coronation Street will be on Television soon.
Werewolfy
Easy there, son. Even Frenchmen can have a good sense of humor if they work towards it. But then
again............
Good Day!
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| User: "Jane" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 09:49:15 AM |
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Werewolfy wrote:
Jane wrote:
"....Fatah is controversial in Toronto's Muslim community because of
his
criticism of Muslim conservatives. He has also been accused of enjoying
the media spotlight....."
Ummmm.
I have to ''be at odds' with Woodsy..and maybe many people...on this
one.
I fancy that there is a very different point of view from those who
don't share this man's thoughts.
I also noticed the "media spotlight" comment. This particular
representative was quoted frequently in the aftermath of the recent
terrorism arrests in Toronto. Perhaps that is the basis of the
accusation; perhaps not. They do not indicate who his main detractors
are...I suspect conservative Muslims (obviously).
It's a Muslim issue. A Society that brooks no interference in their
ideals....certainly not interference by non-Muslims.
So; Why all the fuss. Why the press coverage? Let them 'get on with it'
and we should leave Muslim matters to Muslims.
Except that death threats are a crime, which makes it everyone's
business. There is the matter of the Muslim woman mentioned (they
refer to her as a Yale fellow, but she is also Canadian. I remember
the controversy when her book was published).
Seems to me that he is using his 'faith' to promote his image. I don't
trust people like that.
So...I'm unpopular now...Sorry, can't help but view the whole thing
with a deep-rooted suspicion. It would be..nice... were newspapers to
devote as much space to any of the disasterous events that beset the
world, and not quote concerns by a Muslim about noise from re-arranging
some glasses. This man isn't alone in having an autistic child. So many
ordinary people struggle through life without searching media
representation.
Are they threatened with death because they hold controversial views?
I'm a cynic. I believe this man should be investigated further...his
true motives may not be quite those he portrays.
Fair enough.
Jane
Werewolfy
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| User: "Werewolfy" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 10:21:20 AM |
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Jane wrote:
"Except that death threats are a crime, which makes it everyone's
business. There is the matter of the Muslim woman mentioned (they
refer to her as a Yale fellow, but she is also Canadian. I remember
the controversy when her book was published).......Are they threatened
with death because they hold controversial views?
I suppose I'm speaking on a professional level really, Jane. There is a
world of difference between the offences of (a) Conspiracy to murder
and (b) Threat to murder.
The later is the complaint from this particular Muslim. In law, it
ranks somewhere alongside dropping litter in the street. The penalty is
about the same. To merit a conviction, it's advisable to wait until the
murder has taken place! Anyone charged with such an offence, merely has
to say 'I didn't mean it, it was just a figure of speech', and a great
deal of money has been wasted trying to bring the offender to Court.
Not just money, but resources as well. Many Officers would be required
to ignore domestic crimes, such as burglary, assaults etc, in order to
satisfy the demands of a publicity seeking Muslim, should any
full-scale enquiry be instigated.
Saying you have been 'jostled' hardly ranks as the crime of the
century.
I know we are not of an accord here, but I see nothing sufficiently
sinister to merit any major enquiry, nor any massive press coverage.
Still, we all 'read' things in different ways.
Werewolfy
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 03:14:54 PM |
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On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 07:49:15 -0700, Jane wrote:
Werewolfy wrote:
Jane wrote:
"....Fatah is controversial in Toronto's Muslim community because of
his
criticism of Muslim conservatives. He has also been accused of enjoying
the media spotlight....."
Ummmm.
I have to ''be at odds' with Woodsy..and maybe many people...on this
one.
I fancy that there is a very different point of view from those who
don't share this man's thoughts.
I also noticed the "media spotlight" comment. This particular
representative was quoted frequently in the aftermath of the recent
terrorism arrests in Toronto.
Just wanted to point out that as the Communications Director, it would be
his *job* to speak to reporters. As far as I can tell from the article,
he's getting death threats because Muslim extremists don't like his
employer.
I consider this a very significant story - an attempt to force those of
another viewpoint to not state their opinion, under threat of death.
Woods
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| User: "Jane" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 03:32:44 PM |
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Woodswun wrote:
On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 07:49:15 -0700, Jane wrote:
Werewolfy wrote:
Jane wrote:
"....Fatah is controversial in Toronto's Muslim community because of
his
criticism of Muslim conservatives. He has also been accused of enjoying
the media spotlight....."
Ummmm.
I have to ''be at odds' with Woodsy..and maybe many people...on this
one.
I fancy that there is a very different point of view from those who
don't share this man's thoughts.
I also noticed the "media spotlight" comment. This particular
representative was quoted frequently in the aftermath of the recent
terrorism arrests in Toronto.
Just wanted to point out that as the Communications Director, it would be
his *job* to speak to reporters.
Good point.
As far as I can tell from the article,
he's getting death threats because Muslim extremists don't like his
employer.
I consider this a very significant story - an attempt to force those of
another viewpoint to not state their opinion, under threat of death.
Yes. I believe it is also newsworthy (and is reported) when abortion
clinic staff receive death threats from extremist Christian groups. As
Werewolfy says, however, usually not much can be done until someone
acts on those threats. By then it is, of course, often too late.
Hence, Fatah decided not to take his chances.
Jane
Woods
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| User: "Werewolfy" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 05:57:13 PM |
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Jane wrote:
"Fatah decided not to take his chances."
I suppose he never did have much of a chance with me...considering his
name...;)
Ricky
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: Moderate Muslim Forced to Lay Low |
05 Aug 2006 08:01:59 AM |
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On Fri, 04 Aug 2006 21:31:20 -0700, Jane wrote:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1154641811943&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Muslim spokesman quits
Says liberal views drew hate mail, death threats
<snip>
Disgusting.
Can't they trace phone calls like that in Canada? I do believe that
making death threats are a crime. In fact, in this circumstance, it would
be considered a terrorist act (engaging in, or threatening, violence to
promote a political ideology).
Woods
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