Northern Ireland: Pastor who said “Islam is satanic” faces six months in jail
June 19, 2015 5:31 pm By Robert Spencer 78 Comments
James McConnell“He said the decision to prosecute him, and not extremist Muslim preachers in Britain, showed that Christians were being ‘persecuted’ by the authorities.” Could it really be possible that Britain’s hate speech laws are being selectively applied, and hateful speech by Muslim clerics ignored? Let’s see:
UK: Muslim cleric praises Charlie Hebdo jihad, says UK “enemy of Islam” — January 10, 2015
UK: Father of a teen who joined jihad in Syria believes his son was “radicalized” by imam at a mosque — July 4, 2014
UK: Muslim cleric praises Boko Haram’s kidnap of schoolgirls — May 29, 2014
UK Muslim leader: Muslims should humiliate Christians so they’ll convert to Islam — May 8, 2014
UK allows speaking tour by Saudi imam who calls Shi’ites “apostates” and says no churches should be allowed in Saudi Arabia — December 17, 2013
UK: Imam who says gays should be thrown off a mountain to speak at London conference — October 3, 2013
East London Mosque to host imam who supports jihad terror — July 26, 2013
UK Muslim leader says that imams promote sex slavery rings — May 16, 2013
UK: Muslim leader advocates female genital mutilation — April 30, 2012
UK: University to host imam who called Jews “enemy” — January 18, 2011
Saudi imam who called Jews “scum, rats, pigs, monkeys” speaks in London — August 5, 2009
UK: Imam’s daughter converted to Christianity, and her father came after her with an axe — March 16, 2009
UK Imam: “Non-Muslims are never innocent, they are guilty of denying Allah and his prophet” — April 1, 2008
It’s OK to kill gays — British imam — October 27, 2006
UK: Imam backs terror attack against Blair — June 18, 2006
British imam praises London Tube bombers — February 12, 2006
How many of those imams were prosecuted for hate speech?
“‘Satanic Islam’ sermon Belfast pastor James McConnell says he faces six months in jail,” by Suzanne Breen, Belfast Telegraph, June 19, 2015:
“
In an exclusive interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Pastor McConnell last night defiantly said he’d go to prison rather than withdraw the remarks.
“I am 78 years of age and in ill health but jail knows no fear for me,” he said.
“They can lock me up with sex offenders, hoodlums and paramilitaries and I will do my time.
“I have no regrets about what I said. I do not hate Muslims but I denounce Islam as a doctrine and I make no apologies for that. I will be pleading ‘not guilty’ when I stand in the dock in August.”
Pastor McConnell’s solicitor Joe Rice vowed to fight the case “tooth and nail”.
He called for the PPS to withdraw the charges and said pursuing the case was “an absolute waste of scarce public funds”.
He revealed plans to turn the case into a landmark trial and call a range of political, religious and academic witnesses from across the UK to give evidence “in defence of freedom of speech and freedom of religion”.
In an interview in his Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle, Pastor McConnell spoke for the first time about the serious health issues he faced. And he revealed that after the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, the PSNI had warned him that his life was in danger. He said the decision to prosecute him, and not extremist Muslim preachers in Britain, showed that Christians were being “persecuted” by the authorities.
Pastor McConnell has been charged under the 2003 Communications Act with “sending, or causing to be sent, by means of a public electronic communications network, a message or other matter that was grossly offensive”.
The charges centre on a sermon he gave in his church last year in which he said “Islam is heathen, Islam is satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell”. The sermon was streamed on the internet.
Pastor McConnell said: “I am facing up to six months in jail and a hefty fine for saying what I believe. I have had four heart bypasses, a liver operation and I have cancer and diabetes.
“All I need to get by in prison is my tablets, my reading glasses and books from the library.[“]
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2015/06/northern-ireland-pastor-who-said-islam-is-satanic-faces-six-months-in-jail
