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2007-10-28 Home Front: Culture Wars

Islamic groups sue man, seeking libel damages

Islamic organizations in North Texas are seeking libel damages in a lawsuit against Joe Kaufman, leader of the Florida-based Americans Against Hate. Kaufman visited Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington on Oct. 14 to lead a protest against Muslim Family Day, an event celebrating the end of Ramadan, a period of holy days on the Islamic calendar marked by fasts and prayer.

The lawsuit, filed Oct. 12, asked a judge to prohibit Kaufman from threatening, harming or inciting violence against anyone associated with the outing, in addition to libel damages, according to court records. Area Islamic organizations were granted the temporary restraining order against Kaufman.

They have also asked a judge to make a determination of libel against Kaufman. The organizations charge that Kaufman's Web site was used to paint all Muslims participating in Muslim Family Day as radical fanatics who used the event to spread anti-American hatred. "He has scrawled JIHAD (in red that appears to be dripping in blood) over a map of the state of Texas, centered of Arlington and Six Flags," and placed it on the Americans Against Hate Web site, according to the lawsuit.

A hearing in the case has been set for Monday, a court official said. Whether Kaufman will appear at the hearing is unclear. Kaufman said he and his attorneys will decide whether his appearance is necessary. "I'm going to fight this thing," Kaufman said in a telephone interview Thursday. "This whole case against me was filed to stop my freedom of speech and freedom of assembly rights."

Kaufman asserts that the group that sponsored Muslim Family Day, the Islamic Circle of North America, supports terrorist organizations overseas. Seven North Texas Islamic organizations are named as parties bringing the lawsuit, but the Islamic Circle of North America is not one of them.

Posted by ryuge 2007-10-28 08:53|| || Front Page|| [11136 views ] Top

#1 Poor porkanimals got their diaper heads all in the knot. In Texas it will be interesting to watch what happens.

Posted by Icerigger 2007-10-28 14:50|| 2007-10-28 14:50|| Front Page Top

#2 Kaufman....Amish name isn't it?

Posted by Besoeker 2007-10-28 14:57|| 2007-10-28 14:57|| Front Page Top

#3 Ja, there sure were a lot of them at the Stoltzfus' bat mitzva.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2007-10-28 15:28|| 2007-10-28 15:28|| Front Page Top

#4 I hope Kaufman has the wits at trial to trot out all the Koranic passages that squeal about how jihad is mandatory. He'll also need to demonstrate how jihad as a "spiritual quest" is a nugget of kitman developed in the last 100 years. If he can run those past the judge, there's a good chance that he should get off.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2007-10-28 17:02|| 2007-10-28 17:02|| Front Page Top

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