Mohamed Latreche, the French Islamic leader, is under judicial investigation for allegedly making anti-Zionist statements.
| Naw! He wouldn't do that! |
Latrecheâs association, Parti des Musulmans de France, was responsible for organizing recent marches against a proposed law banning headscarves in schools. The statements were allegedly made during the march on Jan. 17 when some 10,000 demonstators took to the streets of Paris and 10,000 others were reported to have marched throughout France. According to French Justice Minister Dominique Perben, a specialized office of his ministry, will examine in detail audio and video recordings of statements Latreche which were broadcast on French radio and TV. One source in the ministry claimed that Latreche had said âZionism is an ideology of apartheid that we are combating in the same way that we combat Nazism.â He is also alleged to have said that, in his estimation, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Adolf Hitler were one and the same.
| Shows a definite lack of intellectual depth, but I stand by my opinion that the right to hold opinions, stoopid or otherwise, is God-given â assuming God cares about such things. If He doesn't then we have to go back to square one. But Jefferson thought He did, so I'm with him. I think the gummint should come down on them with both feet as soon as they start hollering about jihad, as soon as they start suggesting their followers kill or beat or maim people, but not before. The appropriate response would be for those who don't agree with him to dismantle his arguments and heap ridicule and opprobium on him, verbally pulling his pants down and knocking him over in the schoolyard of public opinion. That makes the assumption that his opponents are at least as smart as he is, if not smarter, of course. If they're actually dullards who're lacking in both wit and spine, then they should definitely whine to the authorities, who can brush them off with a pro-forma investigation. |
The Justice Ministry investigation was prompted, said the source, by complaints from several French anti-racist and Jewish organizations, among them the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism and the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France. They say that Latrecheâs statements were not only anti-Zionist but also âanti-Semitic.â They have demanded the Justice Ministry ban his party. As a compromise, said the source, the Justice Ministry decided to open its investigation but has informed the two organizations that the dissolution of a political party is not in its power. Latreche has responded to the investigation, saying that he is âthe victim of a defamation campaign.â |