Islamophobia or “Truth” Attack in the name of Free Speech?

March 10, 2010

By Padmini Arhant

Attention seeking news articles deserve scrutiny.

The article regarding The Republican candidate Tom Campbell – a former Stanford Law Professor.

Election 2010

Campbell haunted by links to professor

“Statements inconsistent on man tied to terrorists – By Mike Zapler
mzapler@mercurynews.com – Thank you.

Please read the entire article on-line @ www.sjmercurynews.com, Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

However, the excerpts of the article are presented below:

Washington – Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Campbell is facing a potentially crippling controversy over his past defense of a fired Florida professor with ties to terrorists and his inconsistent statements regarding what he knew and when about the man’s actions.

Dogged for weeks by criticism over his defense of Sami Al-Arian, who later pleaded guilty to aiding terrorists, Campbell has denied knowing about the man’s incendiary past, which included nods to Islamic jihad and calls for “death to Israel.” He also said that his dealings with Al-Arian occurred before the Sept.11 terror attacks…

Al-Arian was fired by the University of South Florida following an interview with Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly two weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, during which he acknowledged proclaiming in a 1988 speech, “Jihad is out path. Victory to Islam. Death to Israel.”

Campbell responding to a request from a fellow law professor rallying scholars to the cause of academic, freedom, wrote to the president of the university in January 2002, asking her to reconsider the engineering professor’s dismissal.

“I respectfully wish to convey my sincere alarm that Professor Al-Arian may be treated harshly because of the substance of his views,” Campbell wrote.

The controversy over Al-Arian – combined with Campbell’s votes as a congressman to trim economic aid to Israel and his acceptance of campaign contributions in the 2000 campaign from Al-Arian (which at one point he denied) and others with ties to terrorist groups – has given rivals Carly Fiorina and Chuck DeVore an opening to challenge Campbell’s commitment to Israel.

Campbell rebuts each of the claims with detailed, nuanced arguments, but he has damaged his case with inaccurate statements and recollections, particularly of the O’Reilly interview.

“It never helps when you have to say the dog ate my homework,” said Pitney.

A potential source of his problems is the conflict presented by Campbell’s two chosen career paths.

He has spent his career advocating for civil liberties and academic freedom as a law professor while also trying to get ahead in the cutthroat arena of politics. But defending the rights of unpopular individuals is turning out to be poor politics.”
————————————————————————————————–
2. Pa. woman accused in terror case

Indictment says she used the Internet to recruit jihadists – By Maryclaire Dale

Associated Press, Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

Philadelphia – A suburban woman “desperate to do something” to help suffering Muslims has been accused of using the Internet to recruit jihadist fighters and help terrorists overseas, even agreeing to move to Europe to try to kill a Swedish artist, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Authorities said the case shows how terror groups are looking to recruit Americans to carry out their goals.

A federal indictment charges that Colleen LaRose, who called herself Jihad Jane and Fatima LaRose online, agreed to kill the Swede on orders from the unnamed terrorists and traveled to Europe to carry out the killing.

It doesn’t say whether the Swede was killed, but LaRose was not charged with murder.

A Justice Department spokesman wouldn’t confirm the case is related to a group of people arrested in Ireland on Tuesday on suspicion of plotting against Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who depicted the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog.

But a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity said LaRose had targeted the Swedish cartoonist and had online discussions about her plans with at least one of the suspects apprehended in Ireland.

The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the investigation.

LaRose, who has blond hair and blue eyes, indicated in her online conversations that she thought her appearance would help her move freely in Sweden to carry out the attack, the indictment said.

In a 2009 online message to a co-conspirator in South Asia, she said her physical appearance would allow her to “blend in with many people,” which “may be a way to achieve what is in my heart,” the indictment said.

LaRose is a convert to Islam who actively recruited others, including at least one unidentified American, and her online messages expressed her willingness to become a martyr and her impatience to take action, according to the indictment and the U.S. official.

“I will make this (killing the artist) my goal till I achieve it or die trying,” she wrote another South Asian suspect in March 2009, according to the indictment.

U.S. Attorney Michael Levy said the indictment doesn’t link LaRose to any organized terror groups. He would not comment on whether other arrests were expected.

LaRose, 46, lived in Pennsburg, Montgomery County, Pa., before moving to Europe in August 2009, authorities said.

She called herself JihadJane in a Youtube video in which she said she was “desperate to do something somehow to help” ease the suffering of Muslims, the indictment said.

According to the 11 page document, she agreed to obtain residency in a European country and marry one of the terrorists to enable him to live there.

She traveled abroad with a U.S. passport stolen from a male friend and intended to give it to one of her “brothers,” the indictment said.”
————————————————————————————————–

3. Swedish artist has no regrets over prophet drawing – By KARL RITTER, Associated Press Writers.

AP – Swedish artist Lars Vilks walks in the streets without protection in Stockholm, Sweden, Wednesday March …

NB: It’s contradictory to the claims made in the preceding article.

—————————————————————————————

4. Boyfriend: ‘Jihad Jane’ suspect wasn’t religious – By MARYCLAIRE DALE, Associated Press,
Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

Killing the target would be her goal “till I achieve it or die trying,” she wrote a south Asian suspect in March 2009, according to the indictment. Her federal public defender, Mark T. Wilson, declined to comment Tuesday.

“I’m glad she didn’t kill me,” Vilks told The Associated Press on Wednesday, saying the suspects appeared to be “low-tech.” He said he has built defense systems in his home to thwart would-be terrorists, including a safe room and electrified barbed wire.

U.S. Attorney Michael Levy said the indictment doesn’t link LaRose to any organized terror groups.

In recent years, the only other women charged in the U.S. with terror violations were lawyer Lynne Stewart, convicted of helping imprisoned blind Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman communicate with his followers, and Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist found guilty of shooting at U.S. personnel in Afghanistan while yelling, “Death to Americans!”

PA Comment: Again the content is inconsistent.

————————————————————————————————–

Content Review: By Padmini Arhant

The recent “Associated Press,” publications severely lacking in credibility due to the following information on these articles.

Relevantly, it makes one wonder, which does the “Associated Press,” represents –

The people, as it should in a democracy

Or

The powerful responsible for creating confusion and mayhem targeting the truth seeker by scapegoating Islam and the Muslim population.

When journalism is at the lowest ebb, it symbolize the democracy’s demise.

1. The article . Swedish artist has no regrets over prophet drawing – Associated Press

The same AP article in Yahoo News at 11.30a.m PST had a foot note :

“The Prophet is not holy to be offended anytime.”

However, it’s been re-published later without that comment and it’s a wise move for it prevents unnecessary discussions.

2. As for the article on the Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Campbell –

Campbell haunted by links to professor.

These particulars raise an interesting query about the intention.

“A potential source of his problems is the conflict presented by Campbell’s two chosen career paths.

He has spent his career advocating for civil liberties and academic freedom as a law professor while also trying to get ahead in the cutthroat arena of politics. But defending the rights of unpopular individuals is turning out to be poor politics.”

Then quoting the “Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s interview” as the premise for substantiating the allegations against the scapegoat, Tom Campbell, is a top notch comedy of errors, especially with the show’s irony as “The No-Spin Zone.”

The truth of the matter is the American Professor Sami Al-Arian is innocent and a “Patriot Act” victim in a witch hunt by the unscrupulous to camouflage their crimes against humanity.

Please view the USA vs. AL-ARIAN is 2007 documentary film about Sami Al-Arian and his family during and after his federal trial on terrorism-related charges. It was directed by the Norwegian director Line Halvorsen.

3. Then in the article Pa. woman accused in terror case.

Indictment says she used the Internet to recruit jihadists – By Maryclaire Dale Associated Press

Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

The repeat references are noteworthy.

“A suburban woman “desperate to do something” to help suffering Muslims has been accused of using the Internet…”

She called herself JihadJane in a Youtube video in which she said she was “desperate to do something somehow to help” ease the suffering of Muslims, the indictment said.

Again, here in this specific article, one must also observe the ambiguity on the entire content without being able to provide the terrorist group having allegedly recruited the subject, the convert to Islam, and then this claim:

“It doesn’t say whether the Swede was killed, but LaRose was not charged with murder.”

U.S. Attorney Michael Levy said the indictment doesn’t link LaRose to any organized terror groups.

He would not comment on whether other arrests were expected.”

Despite the national intelligence services’ surveillance on the American citizens’ private and public communication through all mediums under FISA and Patriot Act,

The quoted official and the indictment is unable to furnish details to authenticate the data.

Evidently it’s a blatant demand from those behind this cacophony articles to withdraw the requests made in the blog post titled “Subliminal Attacks – A new wave Politics,” favoring the people in the United States and across the globe on national and international issues.

Hence, my response to them is – “Hope and Change,” is no longer a myth but a reality.

The forces behind the subliminal threats ought to remember that if my blog posts are being searched to discredit my standing,

I urge them to be patient for the information to be released shortly that would truly enlighten the minds of the entire world.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Written by Padmini Arhant · Filed Under Ethics, Featured | Leave a Comment 

Accountability

August 15, 2008

Vadim said…

I feel the same way about Obama . You neglected to mention his shifting stance towards Israel (perhaps it’s not your issue).  He’s been pro-Israel from the start.

FISA was the last straw for me. I’m going to vote third party unless he revokes his support for the bill: http://tinyurl.com/5w9w9v

I’m in Illinois so it likely won’t make a difference but I’m too disillusioned with Obama at this point to do otherwise.

August 14, 2008 1:44 PM

Padmini Arhant said…

Hi Vadim,

Thank you for your comment.

Palestinian issue is a humanitarian issue.

I have raised my concerns recently in public regarding human rights violation and the challenges faced by Palestinian population for more than half a century now.

I see no difference between a Palestinian Mother or any Mother’s grief stricken images in a conflict that could be resolved only when those responsible for the suffering treat victims as human beings first and then anything next.

Giving birth to life is the most arduous and joyous journey for a mother. The aspiration to raise a child in a free and secure world and provide basic to affordable comforts is a common dream of any parents.

The  sources behind violence fail to realize that they too have been gifted with life by a mother who is rewarded with a second chance to live during childbirth despite modern medicine and technology.

Every life is precious and should matter.

When I see a child in West Bank & Gaza, Tibet, Burma, Sri Lankan Tamils or Darfur and indigenous people suffering and yearning for freedom, I see beyond their ethnicity. I see the human pain and agony. The hopelessness in their eyes that darkness will never be expelled and yet forcing a smile for the international press coverage on the carnage and destruction of their lives.

I have mentioned on numerous occasions in my blogs throughout the Democratic Primary Election about the Palestinian plight  and the importance for international support and action to restore human rights and dignity for the Palestinian People and others mentioned above.

The international community must work harder to bring about peace and stability in the Middle East and possible only  upon ending western and regional alliance sponsored terrorism, weapons supply and military intervention.

My website www.padminiarhant.com to be uploaded and active from August 19th, 2008 has Humanitarian header dedicated to human rights issues concerning all human beings on earth.

I have sincere and genuine concern for citizens deprived of basic human rights and liberty to think and express as well as those struggling to establish a place they could call home like in the case of Palestinians.

Once again, your thoughts are much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Padmini Arhant

August 15, 2008 5:57 PM

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Written by Padmini Arhant · Filed Under Humanitarian | Leave a Comment