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| Europe |
| French author sued for insulting Islam |
| 2002-08-24 |
| A French novelist, renown for his anti-Muslim attitudes, is being sued by four Muslim organizations in Paris after making insulting remarks about Islam in an interview on his latest book. The action against Michel Houellebecq, 44, is being launched on 17 September by plaintiffs including Saudi Arabia's World Islamic League and the Mosque of Paris, reported BBC’s online news service. World Islamic League, led by Mufti Abdul Aziz bin Baz, is the umbrella organization controlling the International Islamic Relief Organisation and the Islamic Relief Agency. Dalil Boubakeur, imam of the Paris mosque, said Muslims felt insulted by comments in the novel Plateforme, in which a character admits to a "quiver of glee" every time a "Palestinian terrorist" is killed, reported the BBC. Boy, am I in trouble. Guess I'd better call my lawyer now... Last December, Chems Hafiz, an attorney acting for Muslim authorities in Paris said that Houellebecq was to appear in court to face charges of inciting religious hatred. Hafiz said a Paris court was due to hear the complaint filed by officials from the main mosques in Paris and Lyon on February 5. The literary magazine Lire (Reading), which published Michel Houellebecq's remarks, is also cited as a defendant. So if you express the opinion that you don't like Muslims in France — say, for their little cultural foibles like killing and maiming people — they can take you to court, and will, backed by a Soddy front NGO. If that doesn't work, they'll probably just get somebody to issue a fatwah against him and kill him... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |