CUDDLING THE ASP :

London to host Islamic 'celebration' of Sept 11 (Thair Shaikh, 08/09/2002, Daily Telegraph)

Extremist muslim clerics will meet in London on September 11 to celebrate the anniversary of al-Qaeda's attacks on America and to launch an organisation for Islamic militants.

The conference, which will be attended by the most radical mullahs in Britain, will argue that the atrocities were justified because Muslims must defend themselves against armed aggression.

It will launch the Islamic Council of Britain (ICB), which will aim to implement sharia law in Britain and will welcome al-Qa'eda sympathisers as members. [...]

Omar Bakri Mohammed, whose al-Muhajiroun group wants to establish a worldwide Islamic state... said: "The people at this conference look at September 11 like a battle, as a great achievement by the mujahideen against the evil superpower.

"I never praised September 11 after it happened but now I can see why they did it."

Though democracy requires that people be allowed to dissent it is not at all clear that any worthwhile purpose is served by allowing people to actually oppose democratic institutions. It seems eminently fair to require that people submit to the form of government agreed upon by the majority or else face reasonable consequences. Posted by Orrin Judd at September 8, 2002 6:24 AM