BBC Profile

I'm sorry, maybe I missed a memo or something, but when did the BBC cease being an impartial news organisation and become a mouthpiece for Islamists? I wrote only yesterday about the positive article they ran on the leader of the Islamic Courts in Mogadishu, and now I fnd that they have a similar piece up about Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah, the terrorist group responsible for the Bali bombing which murdered more than 200 people.

While the BBC's news article on him does mention that he was convicted of conspiracy, and that he does admire Bin Laden, the "frail, 68-year-old man with a wispy beard, embroidered white skull cap and heavy glasses perched on his aquiline nose" denies any link with JI and has even condemned the bomb attack in Bali; they even go on to say that he denies any link with terrorism at all. Heck, they want us to know too that he denies JI even exists and that it's all part of "an American-inspired plot to undermine Islam." He is, afterall, "just a simple preacher".

Unlike his Wikipedia page, the BBC makes little mention of the Christian church attacks, being charged with treason, immigration violations, and providing false documents and statements to the Indonesian police; they merely state that "prosecutors have struggled to make any of the charges stick."

The BBC also informs us that he intends to go back to teach at his school. They make no mention of the fact that graduates of the school are in prison on terrorism charges. Could that perhaps have something to do with his own teachings? You'd think not based on the BBC profile, mainly due to the fact that they make little mention of his own words, save for a little piece saying "I support Osama Bin Laden's struggle because his is the true struggle to uphold Islam, not terror - the terrorists are America and Israel." Which, it seems, may be a popular opinion to have at the BBC.

You might like to know that Ba'asyir also says this-

The infidel country must be visited and spied upon. If we don't come to them, they will persecute Islam. They will prevent non-Muslims converting.

They [the West] have to stop fighting Islam. That's impossible because it is sunnatullah [destiny, a law of nature] as Allah has said in the Koran. If they want to have peace, they have to accept to be governed by Islam.

We'll keep fighting them and they'll lose. The batil [falsehood] will lose sooner or later. I sent a letter to Bush. I said that you'll lose and there is no point for you [to fight us]. This [concept] is found in the Koran.

After my release, I hope I can meet him [Osama Bin Laden]...When I heard his story, I came to the conclusion that he's mujahid, a soldier of Allah.

As long as there is no intention to fight us and Islam continues to grow there can be peace. This is the doctrine of Islam. Islam can't be ruled by others. Allah's law must stand above human law. There is no [example] of Islam and infidels, the right and the wrong, living together in peace.

Why, he must be one of those moderate clerics we're always hearing about? At least, that's what the BBC would like you to think.