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| Britain |
| Man apologises for posing as suicide bomber in UK |
| 2006-02-06 |
| A man who dressed as a suicide bomber during a protest about cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad has apologised for his behaviour. Omar Khayam, 22, from Bedford, "wholeheartedly" apologised to the families of the 7 July bombings. He likened his own "insensitive" behaviour to the "provocative and controversial" cartoon publication. Downing Street has said the behaviour of some Muslim protesters in London was "completely unacceptable". No protesters at the demonstration on Friday and Saturday outside the Danish embassy - over cartoons first printed in a Danish newspaper - were arrested. But Scotland Yard has said a special squad is investigating the protests and has promised a "swift" inquiry. Mr Khayam read out his apology outside his Bedford home. "I found the pictures deeply offensive as a Muslim and I felt the Danish newspaper had been provocative and controversial, deeply offensive and insensitive. Just because we have the right of free speech and a free media, it does not mean we may say and do as we please and not take into account the effect it will have on others. But by me dressing the way I did, I did just that, exactly the same as the Danish newspaper, if not worse." He said his method of protest had offended many people, especially the families of the July bombing victims. "This was not my intention. What happened in July was a tragedy and un-Islamic. I do not condone these murderous acts, do not support terrorism or extremism and would like to apologise unreservedly and wholeheartedly to the families of the victims." He added: "I understand it was wrong, unjustified and insensitive of me to protest in this way." Asif Nadim, from a Bedford mosque, said the Muslim community distanced itself from Mr Khayam's actions and supported his apology. "Looking at this from an Islamic point of view, this was totally un-Islamic. We distance ourselves from the act that he has actually caused and the pain that he has caused for the families of the victims of the London bombings." He said Mr Khayam was "very, very ashamed" of his actions and hoped that it would be the end of the matter. Violent demonstrations Home Secretary Charles Clarke said any decisions on arrest and prosecution were "properly matters for the police and prosecution authorities". He said that the reaction to the cartoons across Britain had "in general been respectful and restrained". Protests have continued throughout the world, with five people being killed in Afghanistan, and a boy killed in Somalia when demonstrations turned violent. Rallies have also taken place in India, Thailand, Indonesia, Iran and Gaza, following attacks on Danish embassies in Syria and Lebanon over the weekend. The cartoons were first published in a Danish newspaper last year and republished in Europe last week |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #15 3rd gen moron , too much time on his hands as he is well supported finacially by his family no doubt , so off he pops to mosque to be brainwashed and get some seething across him . If he walked within 10 yards of my house , I'd show him the true meaning of repenting your sins . |
| Posted by: MacNails 2006-02-06 22:06 |
| #14 think Omar's a native? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-02-06 21:06 |
| #13 Omar Khayam, 22, from Bedford Why does it make feel strange? |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-02-06 20:28 |
| #12 Steve White's point is well taken. I can't imagine a Muslim or anyone else showing up near Ground Zero wearing an OBL t-shirt and living to talk about it. |
| Posted by: Mark Z 2006-02-06 18:20 |
| #11 I do wonder how Omar managed to live that day. I mean, if he'd done this on Michigan Avenue, he would have had about 20 people tackling him and then beating the crap out of him before Chicago's finest would show up. We'd have more citizens getting others out of the way of an obvious suicide bomber, more calling 911 and demanding that the police get their asses there, and still others looking around for more trouble. Of course, I live in America and not the UK. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-02-06 17:05 |
| #10 "If certain people have the right to do what they want and other people don't, then that is double standards." Nobody did double standards better than Big Mo. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-02-06 16:40 |
| #9 Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-taqiya! |
| Posted by: .com 2006-02-06 16:37 |
#8 Huh. Omar was singing a different tune not long ago:
Via Silent Running. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2006-02-06 16:34 |
| #7 Omar's behavior, per Omar, was merely "insensitive". BUT the cartoons were "provocative and controversial". Yeah sure, I see the "similarity". Those victims of 7/7 are always way too sensitive and thin skinned if you know what I mean. Downing Street says the Brit muslims calling for another 9/11, and 7/7, violence, murder and beheadings of the European racists were as "unacceptable" as the original cartoons. Sure, if you say so Jack Straw. I can see how one is like the other. Omar, dressed in suicide gear, says he is JUST as guilty of being a bad boy as were the cartoonists who dared to draw Big Mo. Because, you see, Big Mo is sacred to Omar unlike freedom of expression is to the rest of Western society. Hmmm. So Omar effectively says..."I'm wrong play dress up as a suicide bomber but you guys in Denmark are equally wrong to draw cartoons of Big Mo. I won't threaten to slaughter if you promise not to draw. Deal?" Omar says "I'm very ashamed of my behavior" (but please ignore and forget the smile of pride and definace on my face in the photograph of me in The Sun when standing next to the MET van...I had gas from eating too much marmelite.) Omar says: "What happened in July (the 7/7 bombings) was tragic and un-islamic." Just like the burning of the embassies overseas is un-islamic, the burning of churches is un-islamic, the beheadings are un-islamic, the killing of women and kids outside hospitals is un-islamic, the and the death threats are un-islamic, and the ....oh, nevermind....you get the idea. Omar says..."I do not condone these murderous acts, do not support terrorism or extremism..." (I just pretend to do so on the telly and for the sake of my brothers down at the mosque. I'm a moderate muslim, you know? But don't tell anybody I'm moderate cuz we're rare and endangered even though there are many who think there are alot of us. There are not many of us so you Brits better not lock up those you've got.) Omar says..." I know it was wrong, unjustified, and insensitive of me to protest this way". But damn, just writing a stupid letter to the editor of a paper I don't even read and boycotting Danish butter cookies just didn't really get it for me, you know? Without the threat of violence, death and destruction the kufir might get complacent and then what would my imam and Allah say? A friend of Omar, Asif Nadim, said: "Looking at this from an Islamic point of view, this was totally un-islamic. We distance ourselves from the act that he (Omar) actually caused pain for the families of the London bombings." We can't accept responsibility for the actions of Omar and the 7/7 bombers because, as we all know, they were not REALLY muslims, don't you see? It's very easy when you think about it. I don't understand why you infidels can't understand that islam had nothing to do with Omar or 7/7. Jeesh...how many times do we have to tell you this before you understand? You infidel better start to understand soon OR ELSE!!! Oh, excuse me, cough...cough... peace be upon you and all....I don't know what came over me. |
| Posted by: Mark Z 2006-02-06 15:45 |
| #6 What a f*cking hypocrite! Glorifying suicide bombers (he knew perfectly what message he was transmitting by disguising as one), then pretending to be sorry and doing the usual takkya stuff. Btw, suicide bombers ARE islamic in essence, they're even revered in some part of the islamic world, and even to the Mythical Moderate Muslims, I'd venture they bring a sense of regained "power" against the much more successful non-muslim world. They're the viagra to the lost virility/face/sense of superiority of the ummah, bringing terror to the infidel in an absolutely muslim way : each and every muslim can/must enforce islam's law and values in the face of the dhimmi, who must live in a precarious, uncertain climate, as the Master Race/Religion can come down on him whenever he steps the line; that's what the suicide bombings (and to a certain extent theses protests) are all about, terrorizing the infidel, so he acknowledges his inferiority. I wonder if this sorry little man was outed by that UK newspaper (can't remember which one, I'm pathetic) which asked its readers to identify him? If so, it's a "I'm sorry I wuz caught" moment. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-02-06 15:18 |
| #5 This wanker has talked with a lawyer. He is not actually sorry about anything. His lawyer wrote what he read to keep him out of jail. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2006-02-06 15:17 |
| #4 OK so we're offended by him. Lets go burn down his house and all the embassies from his beloved homeland. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2006-02-06 14:38 |
| #3 Not in the UK during protests, it would seem. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-02-06 14:19 |
| #2 IMHO, anyone wearing a suicide vest in public is committing suicide by cop. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2006-02-06 14:17 |
| #1 Looking at this from an Islamic point of view, this was totally un-Islamic. Just add it to the list of all those un-Islamic things that muslims excel at. |
| Posted by: BH 2006-02-06 13:51 |