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| Dr. Shajul Islam is now soliciting funds "to buy gas masks" |
A few days ago, I reported on Dr. Shajul Islam, the Syrian-based British doctor who had been the point man for describing the recent Syrian "chemical attack" and its aftermath to the Western media. Though virtually no major news outlets had mentioned it, Dr. Islam had spent time in a British prison on charges of aiding a Jihadi group, and was subsequently barred from practicing medicine in the UK.
But Islam was now a sort of media darling, leading the campaign to urge the West to "care" and "do something" about alleged Assad atrocities in Northern Syria.
(I should correct the record here on one thing. I reported that Islam had been accused of "aiding ISIS." He was actually formerly accused of collaborating with al-Qaeda or an affiliate of al-Qaeda. Later he would be sought for questioning on the whereabouts of ISIS member "Jihadi John.")
The next day, Breitbart had an article that added some details to the story.
Islam had been accused of collaborating in the kidnapping of two Western journalists in Northern Syria by Jihadists affiliated with al-Qaeda. The charges were dropped only after the two main witnesses - the journalists - failed to appear.
Breitbart reports why they failed to appear. It turns out that one of them - British journalist John Cantile - had been kidnapped again, this time by ISIS. (He was kidnapped with U.S. journalist James Foley, who would later be beheaded in an ISIS propaganda video.) The other witness - Dutch journalist Jeroen Oerlemans - declined to testify for fear he would endanger Cantile's life.
Oerlemans would later be shot dead by ISIS fighters while covering the war in Libya.
Most ghoulish is Breitbart's reporting of Cantile's earlier testimony about encountering Dr. Islam, while being held captive.
“When he told me he was an NHS doctor, I thought it was weird,” Cantlie told the Daily Mail in 2012.
“This is a man who has taken an oath to save people and help them, and here he is walking around with a Kalashnikov and preaching Shariah law. There are not any doctors who I know that do that.
“He clearly believed in what he was doing but to follow something to that extreme is the disturbing thing. He was visibly upset when the execution [of two other hostages] was called off.”
Apparently, Dr. Islam's current stay in Syria is being funded to the tune of over £50,000, by a "charity" group - UK Action for Refugees.
Meanwhile, John Cantile is still in captivity, reportedly alive but forced to narrate and appear in ISIS propaganda videos. He has looked increasingly haggard and unhealthy and was last seen in a video that appears to have been made in the besieged city of Mosul.
On its slick website, featuring photos of brave doctors, white helmeted rescuers and smiling children holding hands, UK Action for Refugees claims that it was "founded on the simple principle of people helping people."
Meanwhile, it is supporting and funding an expat Jihadi agent, complicit in kidnapping and murder.
Outside of a few "conservative" outlets, such as Breitbart, no one in the Western media has mentioned Shajul Islam's past or challenged his veracity. But, as we all know, military action has already been taken against Assad - action that appears to have been at least partly motivated by information provided by Dr. Islam and his associates.
Just because a claim is wreathed in propaganda from evil and dishonest men doesn't mean that it's necessarily false. But it is a good indication that it may not be true.
This is so depressing and convoluted. Our handy recourse is praying the rosary, least we despair.
ReplyDeleteAh! I see the misunderstanding here. Allow me; the first line of the Hippocratic Oath"
ReplyDelete"I swear by Apollo the Healer, by Asclepius, by Hygieia, by Panacea, and by all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses . . ."
The oath is sworn to "somebody." This man swore by Allah. What everyone is forgetting is that Allah instructed this man to:
"Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them. Know that God is with the righteous. Quran 9:123, "Repentance."
And again:
"Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. They are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship shall become one of their number. God does not guide the wrong-doers. Quran 5:51, "The Table."
No, there's no surprises here.
The Donald's Unjust war on Syria:
ReplyDelete1. the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; (ABS forgets when did Syria attack the US ?)
2. all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; (Russia had already removed the chemical weapons and turned them over to the UN. Why would Assad use such weapons after Russia has helped him successfully fend off the rebels attacking him?)
3. there must be serious prospects of success; (War in the ME. Yeah, there's a real chance of success there - see Iraq)
4. the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition" (US lusting after war with Russia by attacking its client state, Syria. Brilliant Donny Baby; courting world war is not an artful deal)