PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Princeton University has cancelled a pro-Israel lecture by three self-described former terrorists, but a spokeswoman said on Wednesday the decision was made for planning reasons, not because the university objected to the speakers.
The Walid Shoebat Foundation, named after a former member of the Palestine Liberation Organization, was scheduled to send three speakers, including Shoebat himself, to the New Jersey university on Dec. 8 for an event organized by the Princeton Israel Public Affairs Committee, an undergraduate group. The other speakers were Zak Anani, an Arab gang leader who the foundation says was involved in "numerous killings," and Ibrahim Abadallah, a former member of the PLO. The three were to "discuss the terrorist mindset," according to the Pennsylvania-based foundation.
All three are converts to Christianity who have renounced violence and now recognize Israel's right to exist, according to Keith Davies, executive director of the foundation. | Is that why the speech was cancalled? |
The application to hold the event was denied last week on the grounds that parking and security arrangements would be inadequate to cope with an expected heavy turnout, Princeton spokeswoman Cass Cliatt said. Cliatt denied Davies' contention that the event had been barred because its reference to terrorism was inflammatory, and that the action amounted to a violation of free speech. "This had nothing to do with any inflammatory content," she said. "We have visitors to the campus from every culture, religion and ideological background." Cliatt said the Student Projects Board, which decides on such events, told the organizers to reapply at a later date because the scope of the event had changed "drastically" since first proposed. The number of speakers had gone from one to three and it had been nationally promoted, she said. | Getting any pressure from national groups we should know about? Did the Wahabbi Lobby call? |
Davies told Reuters the student body had been pressured by university officials to scrap the event and he rejected a statement by the committee that he had "intentionally misled" it about his plans for the event. Davies said the discussion would still be held on Thursday somewhere in the Princeton area at a location to be announced. |