Calling on Muslims to kill Islamic scholar Dr. Raddatz is fine, but stamping the word "Koran" on toilet paper ( as done by 61—year—old Manfred van Hove) merits a 1—year prison sentence in Germany. Editrixblog reports:

Please dear Crocodile, eat me last!

Last Wednesday, the German newsmagazine FOCUS printed an article, which I have translated. My English hasn't deteriorated, it IS badly written, but the content is stunning nevertheless:

Internet Curse against Islam Critic
16.08.06, 12:12

The German Office for the Protection of the Constitution consider a curse at an Internet platform for Muslims as a license to kill. German judges don't even want to see it as defamation.

How subtle will a supposed call for the murder of an Islam critic have to be so that German judges won't even recognise it as a defamation of the target? The case, which the Higher Regional Court Oldenburg will have to settle within the next couple of weeks is a potential lecture about the limits of the freedom of opinion and speech.

Yavuz oguz from Delmenhorst [near Bremen] hosts one of the busiest Internet platforms for Muslims in Germany. He says that Muslim—Markt can boast 50,000 to 70,000 visitors per week. 2005 he had written a prayer in one of his Internet fora, which cursed the author and Islam—critic Hans—Peter Raddatz. The disputed lines go like this: "And if Mr. Raddatz is a hatemonger [literally: Hassprediger=preacher of hate] and liar, then the almighty creator may punish him for his crimes..." [I add the German text for clarity: "Und wenn Herr Raddatz ein Hassprediger und Lügner ist, dann möge der allmächtige Schöpfer ihn für seine Verbrechen bestrafen ..."]

Andrew Bostom   8 20 06