From: Damien Broderick (thespike@earthlink.net)
Date: Mon Feb 03 2003 - 16:16:08 MST
http://www.itv.com/news/1664567.html
Hamza: 'Disaster was sign from God'
19.17PM GMT, 3 Feb 2003
Controversial Muslim cleric Abu Hamza has said that the Columbia shuttle
disaster was a "Trinity of Evil" punished with death by Allah.
The outspoken cleric, who until recently preached at Finsbury Park mosque in
north London, made the claim because the Columbia carried Americans, an
Israeli Jew and an Indian-born Hindu - and it blew up over an area called
Palestine.
The cleric is now banned from preaching at the mosque because of his
inflammatory sermons.
He said British Muslims would take the shuttle disaster as a "sign from God"
that the first Israeli in space was killed over an area of Texas called
Palestine.
He added: "The Muslim people see these pilots as criminals. By going into
space they would have sharpened the accuracy of their bombs through
satellites."
"These missions would increase the number of satellites for military
purposes. It would increase the slavery of governance of other countries by
America."
"It is a punishment from God."
"Muslims see it that way. It is a trinity of evil because it carried
Americans, an Israeli and a Hindu, a trinity of evil against Islam.
"The fact that the motor of the craft fell on Palestine - all these are
messages from God."
"It is a strong message, for the Israeli, to be taken up there to space and
he spoke about the Holocaust, to try to make religious advancement from it
and gain some moral high ground, hence you have seen this message over
Palestine."
Mr Hamza, originally from Egypt, has been roundly criticised for his radical
views, and has been disowned by the Muslim community in Britain.
However, Anjem Choudray, UK leader of Al-Muhajiroun, the radical group which
wants to turn Britain into an Islamic country, said Muslims "would not be
shedding any tears" over the accident which claimed seven lives.
Mr Choudray, from Ilford, east London, said the Muslim community in the UK
believed the disaster was evidence of the work of God.
"We believe if anyone innocent dies, then that is something we would not
wish on anyone."
"However, this craft did also have one Israeli army official on board."
"Especially at this time, Muslims would not be shedding any tears."
"Ultimately the US is a country at war with all Muslims and we know it is a
sign from God."
"This is the reaction I have heard from the Muslim community in Britain,
that it is a sign from God. However sophisticated the technology, ultimately
life and death is in God's hands."
Mr Choudray said he makes a distinction between "ordinary" Britons and
Americans - who he invites to join Islam and live under Sharia law - and
those involved in war.
But he said the US space programme was part of the country's military
complex.
"It is linked to the military. These people would be linked to satellite
systems spying on Muslims and using the same technology to bomb Muslims and
ultimately to commit mass murder in Iraq."
All seven crew of the American space shuttle were killed when the craft
disintegrated just minutes before it was scheduled to land at Cape
Canaveral, Florida.
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Sickening shit, but inevitable
Damien Broderick
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