(Yahoo)
Oh, a DIFFERENT Omar Sharif, one that didn't make a living acting and authoring books on bridge (card game).
Sort of like, "Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother"
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| Britain |
| Details About Trial of UK Moslem Family Accused of Foreknowledge |
| 2004-06-03 |
| From The Muslim News For the first time since the UK Terrorism laws were amended, a family is being charged for failure to disclose information on a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. The trial for the family members of alleged, would-be suicide bomber, Omar Sharif, of Derby, began on April 26 .... Prosecuting attorney, Jonathan Laidlaw, alleged that the sister, Parveen Sharif, teacher, 36, businessman brother, Zahid Sharif, 37, and widow Tahira Tabassum, 28, also a teacher and a mother-of-three, had knowledge about Omarâs plan to participate in a suicide bombing in Israel. In court, Laidlaw suggested that the three had information between March 31 and May 3, 2003, that âmight have been of material assistance in preventing the commission by Omar Sharif of an act of terrorismâ. Parveen Sharif has additional charge of inciting her brother to participate in the bombing in an email that was sent to him seven days before the attack. All three defendants have claimed innocence. Both, the Parveen Sharif and Zahid Sharif, in separate interviews, have condemned suicide bombings. .... Omar Sharif, 28, and Asif Hanif, 21, of Hounslow, travelled to Syria from London on April 10, 2003, telling their families that they were going to study Arabic. They went to Israel via Jordan and on April 30, the two allegedly strapped themselves with explosives to blow up Mikes Place, a popular seafront pub in Tel Aviv. Hanif successfully detonated his explosives killing himself, three others and injuring 65. Witnesses say that Sharif rid himself of his explosives after it allegedly failed to detonate. His body was found off the coast of Israel twelve days later. Laidlaw suggested that their British passports enabled Sharif and Hanif to travel freely across borders and to smuggle weapons out of Gaza. In March of this year, Hamas released a video showing Sharif and Hanif, in which the two explain their motivations for the bombing. ... The evidence for the familyâs knowledge of the bombing amounts to two emails sent on 22 and 23 April, 2003, a will, an address book, and literature found in the deceasedâs home. The bulk of the prosecutionâs case rests on specific readings of two emails, one sent from Omar to Zahid and the other sent from Parveen to Omar. The jury will have to decide whether or not the words of these emails are enough to prove that the family had knowledge of Omarâs intentions. The first was an email sent by Omar from Palestine to his brother on April 22, 2003. It read: âPlease take care of yourselves. Difficult times may lay ahead for you and the family in the next few weeks and months⊠Plan now and get rid of any material you may consider problematic.â Zahid was instructed to print the email and give, what Laidlaw called, Omarâs âfinal farewellâ to his wife, Tahira. Omar wrote: âI hope you are strong⊠Know that everything is just a test and Allah will reward the patient ones. Look after Khadijah, Hamzah and Asyah, bring them up well. We did not spend a long time together in this world but I hope through Allahâs mercy and your patience we can spend an eternity together⊠We will talk later, I hope to go and be with the best of company soon, you will hear from my friend the good newsâŠpray that Allah makes me sincere, firm and that he accepts my actions. Delete this message.â Laidlaw argued that the âfriendâ to whom Omar refers is Hamas, the group that claimed responsibility for the bombing. He also told the court ânone of this would be capable of being understood unless Tahira Tabassum was already aware of his intentions.â However, in an interview with the police soon after the attacks, Tahira said that she âhad no idea of his intentions. All I can register is him saying goodbye to me.â Upset that he was leaving her, she said, âI am telling you when I received this email my life was shattered at this point. It may seem very selfish. I was not thinking about what was going on. I was just thinking about my life. I was frightened. I believed he was leaving me permanently.â Laidlaw played a recording of Tahira Tabassumâs police interview to the court. Omar telephoned her the day after he left England and the two had a tearful conversation. Tahira said in her interview, âI asked why he was crying. He said: âItâs OK, itâs fine, just tired â and everythingâ.â When she asked him when he was coming back, he said, âYou know Iâm not coming back.â Parveen said that she did not read email to Zahid on April 22, before writing to her brother on April 23. In a police interview conducted a week after the bombing, she claimed that the words she wrote couldnât be understood out of context. She identified herself as a Muslim who is more interested in matters of the soul than in matters of world news and politics. She said that non-practicing Muslim may make the mistake of taking her words literally as opposed to spiritually. Her email read: âWe all have to be firm and focusedâŠthere is really no time to be weak and emotions. When we see you again it will be like only half a day has passedâŠdonât worry about Tahira and the kids. She is strong and focused. You married a real good woman. Stay focused and determined. You have not time for emotions. May Allah take care of us all and join us all soon.â Laidlaw said that by sending this email, âParveen was seeking to strengthen his resolve,â and that âshe was offering him her support.â Acknowledging that these are words of support, Parveen stated that her intention was to encourage him in his studies and his din (religion). Though she did not approve of him leaving his wife and children she said, âIf heâs made a decision, itâs up to him. Whatever happens ⊠itâs written by God.â When asked why she did not discourage him from leaving his family, she said that she is ânot the type of person to make a fussâ and that she does not have the personality to tell him what to do. Omarâs response to his sisterâs email on the April 23, read: âThank you for your email. Inshallah, (God willing) we will all see each other soon. Remember me in your duas (supplications).â Additional evidence presented by the prosecution was Omarâs will, found by the police on the coffee table at his home. The will was signed by Omar and witnessed by his brother eight days before his departure to Syria. When questioned about the will, sister Parveen said that keeping a will is a Muslimâs obligation. She said, âEvery time someone goes away, they need to have a will.â Because their father died without a will in 1993, she said that the family has learned the importance of all brothers and sisters keeping a will, therefore the fact that he drew up his will did not seem suspicious to her. ... |
| Posted by:Mike Sylwester |
| #1 Omar Sharif, suicide bomber?
Oh, a DIFFERENT Omar Sharif, one that didn't make a living acting and authoring books on bridge (card game). |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-06-03 12:15:35 PM |