buk9tp

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060323/...istian_convert

Afghan Clerics Demand Convert Be Killed By DANIEL COONEY, Associated Press Writer
31 minutes ago



Senior Muslim clerics demanded Thursday that an Afghan man on trial for converting from Islam to Christianity be executed, warning that if the government caves in to Western pressure and frees him, they will incite people to "pull him into pieces."

In an unusual move, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned President Hamid Karzai on Thursday seeking a "favorable resolution" of the case of Abdul Rahman. The 41-year-old former medical aid worker faces the death penalty under Afghanistan's Islamic laws for becoming a Christian.

His trial has fired passions in this conservative Muslim nation and highlighted a conflict of values between Afghanistan and its Western backers.

"Rejecting Islam is insulting God. We will not allow God to be humiliated. This man must die," said cleric Abdul Raoulf, who is considered a moderate and was jailed three times for opposing the Taliban before the hard-line regime was ousted in 2001.

The trial, which began last week, has caused an international outcry. President Bush has said he is "deeply troubled" by the case and expects the country to "honor the universal principle of freedom."

Rice spokesman Sean McCormack said she told Karzai it is important for the Afghan people to know that freedom of religion is observed in their country. But in deference to the country's sovereignty, Rice evidently did not demand specifically that the trial be halted and the defendant released.

"This is clearly an Afghan decision," McCormack said. "They are a sovereign country."

Still, Rice's direct appeal to a foreign leader in a judicial proceeding in their own country is an unusual move.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters she had received assurances from Karzai in a telephone call that Rahman would not be sentenced to death.

"I have the impression that he (Karzai) has a firm willingness" to abide by the human rights requirements, Merkel said going into pre-European Union summit talks. "I hope we will be able to resolve this."

Diplomats have said the Afghan government is searching for a way to drop the case. On Wednesday, authorities said Rahman is suspected of being mentally ill and would undergo psychological examinations to see whether he is fit to stand trial.

But three Sunni preachers and a Shiite one interviewed by The Associated Press in four of Kabul's most popular mosques said they do not believe Rahman is insane.

"He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian," said Hamidullah, chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque.

"The government is scared of the international community. But the people will kill him if he is freed."

Raoulf, who is a member of the country's main Islamic organization, the Afghan Ulama Council, agreed. "The government is playing games. The people will not be fooled."

"Cut off his head!" he exclaimed, sitting in a courtyard outside Herati Mosque. "We will call on the people to pull him into pieces so there's nothing left."

He said the only way for Rahman to survive would be for him to go into exile.

But Said Mirhossain Nasri, the top cleric at Hossainia Mosque, one of the largest Shiite places of worship in Kabul, said Rahman must not be allowed to leave the country.

"If he is allowed to live in the West, then others will claim to be Christian so they can too," he said. "We must set an example. ... He must be hanged."

The clerics said they were angry with the United States and other countries for pushing for Rahman's freedom.

"We are a small country and we welcome the help the outside world is giving us. But please don't interfere in this issue," Nasri said. "We are Muslims and these are our beliefs. This is much more important to us than all the aid the world has given us."

Afghanistan's constitution is based on Shariah law, which is interpreted by many Muslims to require that any Muslim who rejects Islam be sentenced to death.

Hamidullah warned that if the government frees Rahman, "there will be an uprising" like one against Soviet occupying forces in the 1980s.

"The government will lose the support of the people," he said. "What sort of democracy would it be if the government ignored the will of all the people."

Meanwhile, human rights group Amnesty International said if Rahman has been detained solely for his religious beliefs, he would be a "prisoner of conscience."

"The charges against him should be dropped and if necessary he should be protected against any abuses within the community," the London-based group said in a statement.

Rahman is believed to have lived in Germany for nine years after converting to Christianity while working as a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in Pakistan. He returned to Kabul in 2002.

It was not immediately clear when Rahman's trial will resume. Authorities have barred attempts by the AP to see him and he is not believed to have a lawyer.

ichbinsobose

I was going to read that ----, but I lkost track of ragheads after 2 minutes. Umm, muhhaaaammed must die?

MAJORAHOLE

dito

94civicSI

THATS THOSE CRAZY AFGANIES AGAIN SUPPRISED THE POST WASNT ABOUT SOME SUICICDE BOMBER

ichbinsobose

Spark notes for the masses.

Paul99EX

"Kill em all, let God sort em out" - Full Metal Jacket

MikeJ-2009

Hmm, the title says the taliban is out of afganistan, and the story is about some durka that wants to be christian instead of muslim being killed.

Today there was some peaceniks on the corner with signs about no war and free healthcare. I told them they were number one in sign language and the old man looked at me like I was from outer space.

G2turbo_terror

Killing converts isn't new. I met a guy who converted from islam, his dad tried to kill him but after his mom pleaded for his life, they disowned him instead and hes had several attempts on his life. And this is in minneapolis

Tom-Guy

I converted to Islam yesterday, but this morning it just didn't suit me anymore.

Kill me, please.

buk9tp

you dont get killed for converting from islam in any other arab country you dont get killed for renouncing religion in islam period

only under sharia law and this sharia law is a fucked up interpretation of the real sharia law no country is running under othr than afganistan

muslims and christians have been living side by side peacefully since forever up untill all hell broke loose and anti semitism dissapeared and we took a soverign nation and told it that it did not exist anymore and gave its land to the israelis

dont beileve me? pick up the latest edition of cia world factbook. palestine does not exist.

now i pick up my 1947 edition of a map book i have and guess what lo and behold its a country called palestine!

check later maps and see palestine shrink. get split. and then dissapear.

and now they have a elected government and we dont want to recognize them? causee they dont want to recognize israel?

but its ok for afganistan to kill a guy cause he renounced islam?

ha.