Controversial Muslim preacher to speak in Calgary

[Satan's Evil Twin]

Controversial Muslim preacher to speak in Calgary

145

BY NADIA MOHARIB ,CALGARY SUN

FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, JUNE 09, 2012 10:54 PM EDT | UPDATED: SATURDAY, JUNE 09, 2012 11:00 PM EDT

Screen grab of Bilal Philips

Dr. Bilal Philips, a Canadian-born Muslim preacher with reputed links to terrorists who's been ousted from several countries, is to be a speaker at the Power of Unity Conference.CALGARY - The controversial Muslim preacher who says homosexuals are evil and advocates for their death is set to speak at an upcoming event in Calgary.

The event, being held by the Muslim Council of Calgary June 29 to July 1, aims to celebrate multiculturalism and more than a half-century of Islam in Canada.

Pride Calgary spokesman Doug Hass is disappointed Philips, on a roster alongside nearly two dozen speakers, is invited to spread his "hatred" here.

Saying the organization isn't planning any protests, Hass wouldn't be surprised if some people show up to voice their opinion at the event.

"It is a disappointment," he said Saturday.

"We respect freedom of speech and religion. But I believe religion is about peace, love and tolerance, not wishing death against any community."

Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart said Philips' track record is concerning, but he will be monitored during his Calgary visit to ensure he doesn't cross the line from freedom of speech to pushing hatred.

"I absolutely believe in freedom of speech," she said.

"We have a police service that takes hate crimes extremely seriously and a police chief that is very committed to tolerance.

"On the other hand, the chief also respects freedom of speech ... You can march, you can be free to say whatever you want to say -- your views and beliefs end where my rights begin."

Colley-Urquhart finds it "somewhat ironic" Philips is invited to speak at a conference aiming to unite people.

"I guess every time one of these characters comes to town and espouses extreme divisive views there is always a chance to stand up and say it doesn't define our city," she said.

Calgary immigration lawyer Raj Sharma will speak about multiculturalism at the conference. He signed up unaware Philips was also on the list.

He said his position of an "inclusive, pluralistic" Canada where "homosexuals have the same rights" as anyone else is very different from Philips' stance, and he hopes Philips' attendance won't detract from the aim of the event to look at how Muslims are part of the Canadian tapestry.

"All Canadians should be concerned about hate speech, specific groups should not be targeted with that kind of vitriol," Sharma said.

Philips was kicked out of Kenya earlier this year amid security concerns.

Britain and Australia have barred him and Germany kicked him out last year.

On his website, the Islamic convert said AIDS is a message from God about the perils of homosexuality and last year in Toronto he was quoted as saying "according to Islamic law, homosexuals should be executed if caught in the act."

Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Calgary police were unavailable for comment Saturday while a Power of Unity Conference spokesman declined to comment.

nadia.moharib@sunmedia.ca

http://www.torontosu...peak-in-calgary

[Heisenberg]

This is just fine in Alberta. They believe the homosexual chooses it or has a mental disorder. How outrageous and insensitive. People like this who spread hate are what is making this earth so bad to live in. Imagine being a poor gay teen in Alberta having to listen to people say you have a disorder.

We don't need this in Canada and shouldn't allow it. Freedom of speech has limits.

[pianoman13]

I am going to be honest and say I am against gay marriage, but this guy should not be allowed anywhere close to a microphone. I really hate people who say God hates gays, or other stupid ignorance like that. I have many gay friends that are good people, and I just keep my opion about gay marriage (which comes from religious reasons) to myself and we just don't talk about it. And I'm cool with it, and they're cool with it, and we're all cool. But yeah, I feel like a few idiots like this guy give the rest of us a bad rep. People get the opinion that everyone against gay marriage hates gay people and wants them to die. Not true, only a few losers like this guy.

[Master Mind]

So... why is he allowed to be a public speaker?

[Tortorella's Rant]

So... why is he allowed to be a public speaker?

[Heisenberg]

I am going to be honest and say I am against gay marriage, but this guy should not be allowed anywhere close to a microphone. I really hate people who say God hates gays, or other stupid ignorance like that. I have many gay friends that are good people, and I just keep my opion about gay marriage (which comes from religious reasons) to myself and we just don't talk about it. And I'm cool with it, and they're cool with it, and we're all cool. But yeah, I feel like a few idiots like this guy give the rest of us a bad rep. People get the opinion that everyone against gay marriage hates gay people and wants them to die. Not true, only a few losers like this guy.

[Jägermeister]

Hold on.

Aside from his stance on homosexuals, the guy has links to terrorist groups?

I wouldn't want this guy in my country let alone speaking at a public event. The fact they are allowing this to happen is just ridiculous.

I also find it dreadfully ironic that he is speaking at a conference to promote multiculturalism.

[InSoM-]

Alberta; Texas North.

[Buddhas Hand]

Stockholm bomber's mosque website carries links to extremist preacher

Luton Islamic Centre site's links to speeches by Bilal Philips, who was barred from Britain by home secretary in July for his views

• Mark Townsend

• The Observer, Sunday 19 December 2010

Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly blew himself up in Stockholm. Rex

The website of the British mosque where the Stockholm bomber worshipped carries links to comments used to justify suicide attacks, and material expounding antisemitism and homophobia.

Preachers at the Luton Islamic Centre told last week how they had tackled Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, 28, the suicide bomber who blew himself up in Stockholm last weekend, over his extremist views.

However, the centre's website carries a link to a lecture by Dr Bilal Philips, a Muslim preacher who was barred from entering Britain by the home secretary in July because of his extremist views.

Philips's speech includes a passage during which he says that a person who kills him or herself is motivated by different instincts to those of a suicide bomber. "When you look at the mind of the suicide bomber, it's a different intention altogether," he says. Suicide is generally considered to be against Islamic law.

Philips added that the suicide bomber had made a military decision based on the defences of the enemy. He says: "The [enemy] is either too heavily armed, or they don't have the type of equipment that can deal with it, so the only other option they have is to try to get some people amongst them and then explode the charges that they have to try to destroy the equipment and to save the lives of their comrades.

"So this is not really considered to be suicide in the true sense. This is a military action and human lives are sacrificed in that military action. This is really the bottom line for it and that's how we should look at it."

Abdaly, who showed up at the Luton mosque in 2007, blew himself up in a busy shopping street in Stockholm last Saturday after sending an email urging Muslims to avenge the deaths of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. Swedish police are investigating the theory that one of several devices that he was carrying went off prematurely and are also exploring the possibility that he was part of a wider cell.

Qadeer Baksh, chairman of the Luton Islamic Centre, said Philips had made some "errors" in his speech. "He's talking about a military operation; he's made an error by calling it suicide bombing. He's talking about troops, not innocent people," he said.

Baksh added that it was also wrong to encourage suicide. "The enemy have to kill him, he cannot kill himself by his own hands. That is an error. He's called it suicide bombing but it's not suicide bombing, it's a military tactic. I will definitely take [the website link] down immediately. I'm glad you brought that to my attention," he added.

However Haras Rafiq, director of Centri, an organisation that specialises in countering extremism, said: "I do not blame the Luton Islamic Centre for the terrorist attacks in Stockholm but how on earth were they going to prevent al-Abdaly from blowing himself up when messages on their own website justify the concept of suicide bombing as an operational military tactic?"

Iraqi-born Abdaly appeared at the Luton mosque during Ramadan in 2006 or 2007 and was confronted by mosque organisers including Baksh who believed they had talked Abdaly round to a more moderate position. Abdaly, who was a student at the University of Luton, now the University of Bedfordshire, between 2001 and 2004 and continued to live in the town after graduating, is believed to have proposed a "physical jihad".

Revelations that the mosque's website carried inflammatory statements from Philips will foster fresh speculation over where Abdaly was initially radicalised. Critics have also questioned why the mosque did not inform police of its concerns about his radical beliefs, raising new questions about the effectiveness of the government's Prevent counter-terror strategy, which is supposed to engage communities and identify potential extremists. The mosque defended its position by saying Muslims with extreme views like Abdaly can change to become "good balanced Muslims".

Philips, who says he opposes al-Qaida, was banned by Theresa May from entering Britain on the grounds that his presence was "not conducive to the common good". His previous speeches include claims that there is no such thing as rape in marriage and that the death penalty is an option for punishing homosexuals and adulterers. The preacher was banned from Australia in 2007 over his "support for extremist Islamic positions" and has, in the past, admitted he is on the US blacklist that bans extremists.

Other contentious material found on the Luton Islamic Centre's site includes one publication on its website last week called "gay history and gay pride" that expounded homophobic views such as "sodomy is one of the most repulsive acts, even observed among beasts", and said homosexuals should be executed.

Another was called "the prophesy of the utter destruction of the yahood [Jews] will only occur at the hands of the true worshippers of Allaah" in which Jews who try to make peace are portrayed as deceivers

[Bill Sikes]

Ironic that this guy can preach hatred and death against Jews and Homosexuals, yet you can be sure he'd the first to protest if anyone called Islam a violent religion. There is far more evidence to back up a claim of Isalm being evil than that of Homosexuality being evil.

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

Alberta; Texas North.

[Satan's Evil Twin]

I am going to be honest and say I am against gay marriage, but this guy should not be allowed anywhere close to a microphone. I really hate people who say God hates gays, or other stupid ignorance like that. I have many gay friends that are good people, and I just keep my opion about gay marriage (which comes from religious reasons) to myself and we just don't talk about it. And I'm cool with it, and they're cool with it, and we're all cool. But yeah, I feel like a few idiots like this guy give the rest of us a bad rep. People get the opinion that everyone against gay marriage hates gay people and wants them to die. Not true, only a few losers like this guy.

[Spitfire_Spiky]

Ya I live in Cow-Town and I don't get how someone with his Ties and Beliefs is being allowed to make public speeches in our City. The whole premise seems very contradictory.

[Mr. Ambien]

Is he related to this guy?

Can't wait til Muslim nutcase gets what's coming to him.. .... god willing.

[Armada]

Allah will protect him.

[pianoman13]

A person who is against gay marriage for religious reasons is against a guy who hates the gays for religious reasons?

From what i have seen gay marriage has no negative impact on anyone at all. You wouldnt even know we have gay marriage in Vancouver, it's a non issue. The gay community is happy and nobody else is disturbed in any way. It's fine for you to not agree with it but why be against something that will have zero impact on your life at all?

[pianoman13]

If you actually listen to the video, he doesn't want them to die. He states that death is the punishment for homosexuality, just as it is for adultery. He has no control over the punishment, he must adhere to it as a Muslim (Muslims are less "pick your beliefs from a hat" than Christians). To Islam, just as to Christianity, homosexuality is forbidden and carries punishment.

I laugh at the likes of you who think your views are so much better. Ignorance to any degree is ignorance nonetheless.

[Satan's Evil Twin]

I find your posts in general misinterpret what people are saying, and often say things that in fact were not said. Why are you so cynical? Where did I once say that my views are so much better than anyone elses? I feel like you are being ignorant by twisting my post around to say something I wasn't. I don't believe homosexuality should be 'punished' and I don't agree with a lot of the things he said. I did not have a spare 40 minutes so I did not listen to the whole thing, instead I read the article which said he, 'advocates for their death.' To me that sounds a bit like he is saying homosexuals should be put to death, if I or the article misinterpred his message then I am mistaken about that. But I still don't agree with a lot of things he said.

[taxi]

Alberta; Texas North.

[Buttock]

Okay, so you people are calling for the government of Alberta or of Calgary or of Canada to shut this down?

Freedom of speech is not only about individual liberties, it is also our best defense against bad ideas. The best way to fight bad ideas is to air them out in the open and let them be debated.