JAMAL MIFTAH SUES ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF TULSA
Michael Bates is reporting that Jamal Miftah has decided to sue the Islamic Society of Tulsa, where he alleges he was assaulted in November 2006 for having the temerity to publish an op-ed in the Tulsa World criticizing Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda as un-Islamic. He also claims defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The complaint is republished here, and these paragraphs bear noting:
21. By reason of the published statements of the Defendants, alleging that Jamal Miftah is “a traitor… anti Muslim… anti Islamic” Jamal Miftah has been injured in his good name and brought into public disgrace and infamy in the Muslim community. 22. By reason of the published statements of the Defendants, alleging that Jamal Miftah is “a traitor… anti Muslim… anti Islamic” Jamal Miftah’s life has been put in danger in the sense that he has been labeled apostate from the Muslim Religion by the Defendants and vulnerable to the death penalty in Muslim countries and/or vigilante justice in his adopted homeland. COUNT THREE – INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS... 24. The acts of Defendants, individually and jointly, are outrageous in that Defendants knew that if they labeled Jamal Miftah a “traitor… anti Muslim and anti Islamic” his life would be forfeit should he be found in a Muslim Country and labeled apostate and that he would live in constant fear and dread of vigilante “justice” from certain Muslims in the United States. 25. The acts of Defendants are the proximate cause of severe emotional distress in that Jamal Miftah is now labeled as apostate, forced along with his wife and four children to attend to prayers in their home, apart from the fellowship of other Muslims, prevented from traveling to any Muslim Country, including his homeland of Pakistan and robbed of his peace of mind and right to speak freely against those he believes have brought his faith into disrepute via attacks on his adopted homeland and other acts of terrorism.
Well, this could be Plaintiff's Exhibit A, from the Junkyard Blog comments on this post:
This message is for the leader of the mosque in Tulsa. criticizing Ayman al-Zawahiri is not easy to live with, kick jamal out of USA as soon as posible. Mr. Jamal This is our promise to you,that you will be kicked out of USA very soon as we have kicked you out from the mosque. Jamal you will not be spared at any stage. we will suport every man who is trying to kick you out from usa. Dear Amam of the mosque get him as quick as possible.Posted by saeed ahmad on April 27, 2007 2:13 AM
Followed a few minutes later by this post from the same Islamabad IP address, emphasis mine:
To the leaders of the mosque give serious attention to this message. Ayman al-Zawahri and other al-Qaeda leaders are mujaheden and talking against them makes jamal the enemy of islam and killing this enemy is as Jahad as its is in Islam, get him we will pay you the price.Posted by Abu Hanif on April 27, 2007 2:29 AM
These two accusations came after another attempt in December to defame Miftah by another Pakistan-based commenter identifying himself as "Riaz Noor", claiming Miftah had murdered his first wife and was facing imminent deportation.
Mr. Miftah has made himself some determined enemies. Michael Bates asks for our prayers for the Miftah family and their lawyer. I'll second that request.
-----
But there is another reason to watch this story.
As MB also lays out, the Islamic Society of Tulsa was incorporated by a former board member of CAIR, who is also connected with the North American Islamic Trust (an endowment and a centralized authority that holds title to Islamic properties in the United States). The Islamic Society of Tulsa's leadership was also represented in Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry's ludicrous "Ethnic American Advisory Council" that included all Middle Easterners.
My point being, that the discovery process on this lawsuit might just turn up all kinds of interesting information about how Islam is planned and directed in North America. Journalists and bloggers may wish to take note.