November 11, 2005

Global Jihad Marches on to Unlikely Targets

While the despicable terrorist attacks in Jordan are garnering major headlines these past few days--and rightfully so--the global jihad continues to march on in other countries around the world as well. One nation that would appear to be an unlikely target--at least compared to its Western European neighbors with large radical Muslim populations--is Ireland. Yet the jihadists apparently have a major problem with the Emerald Isle. Check out this short piece from today's Washington Times:

An Islamic fundamentalist lawyer has said Ireland is a "legitimate" target for a terrorist attack.

Anjem Choudary, speaking at a debate Thursday at Dublin's Trinity College, claimed Ireland was open to attack because of the government's decision to allow U.S. troops to refuel at Shannon Airport, the Irish Independent reported Friday.

"If you are going to allow your country to be used to refuel a U.S. plane which is going on a bombing raid, what do you expect our reaction to be? This is not neutrality," he said.

"A U.S. pilot is no different from the Irish person who allows the plane to land. They are collaborators," said Choudary, who is under police surveillance in Britain.

Another Muslim extremist, Umran Javed, told the debate that although he did not see an attack on Ireland as likely, retaliation would come "swiftly" if Ireland increased its support for the United States.

The comments came only hours after the head of Scotland Yard, Sir Ian Blair, warned that Dublin is as much at risk of a major terrorist attack as other large cities.

Senior Irish police are studying Choudary's remarks to determine if they represent an incitement to hatred.

Is this an "incitement to hatred?" Sounds an awful lot like terrorist threats to this half-Irishman, but I digress. Choudary is a notorious Islamist and terrorist sympathizer (if not worse--as the article states, he's under surveillance in Britain) who has no business walking the streets of Dublin, let alone participating in a legitimate debate over the war on terror. Sadly, unless the West ceases from giving extremists like Choudary a platform, radical Islam will continue to expand in both numbers and influence.

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