How evil are muslims?

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Here's a small example...



By Don Mackay And Andy Lines
THE sister of a failed British suicide bomber allegedly taunted her pupils days after 9/11: "Hands up everybody who has relations in New York? Well, they're dead."

But supply teacher Parveen Sharif and brother Zahid were yesterday cleared of failing to alert police over their brother Omar Sharif's mission to blow up Mike's Place bar in Israel.

The jury was not told of the alleged comments to primary pupils, which were said to include her boasting: "I'm on Osama bin Laden's team."

Parveen, 37, denied the claims which emerged in pre-trial submissions made at the Old Bailey.

Ruling the evidence inadmissible, the Recorder of London Michael Hyam said: "Although the complaint about what Parveen was alleged to have said was made within a day or two, no note was made at the school or anywhere else as to what she had said.

"It is clear the schoolchildren knew she was a suspect for the offences."

Parveen and Zahid were the first to be tried under laws which make it an offence for those with knowledge of a terrorist offence not to come forward.

The prosecution alleged emails between Omar and his family shortly before the April 2003 attack proved they knew of his plans. It was also claimed Parveen emailed Omar encouraging him to go through with it. But the jury cleared Parveen of incitement.

Omar, 27, from Derby, and friend Asif Hanif, 21, from Hounslow, West London, hoped to become Britain's first Islamic martyrs.

Hanif detonated his bomb in Mike's Place bar in Tel Aviv, killing three people and injuring 65. But Omar's bomb failed to explode. His body was found in the sea 12 days later.

Omar's wife Tahira Tabassum, 29, was cleared of failing to disclose information relating to terrorism at a trial last year. Then, jurors failed to reach verdicts on Parveen and Zahid, 38, both from Derby.

In the latest trial, the jury heard that eight days before the bombing, Omar wrote an email to Zahid.

He said: "Difficult times may lie ahead for you and your family in the next few weeks or months if Allah wills. Plan now and get rid of any material you may consider problematic." In the same email he told Tahira to look after their three children.


He added: "We did not spend a long time together in this world but I hope through Allah's mercy and your patience we shall spend an eternity together."


It ended: "Delete this message."


Parveen wrote a reply a day later which was said to have encouraged him to die for their cause.


She emailed: "Your guarantee is for the eternal life ahead but our soul is eternal. You should not be sad but determined in your aims." She ended: "We will speak to you real soon as we are guaranteed this. There is no goodbyes just a lapse of time. May Allah join us all soon."


Police believed the email meant they would all meet in paradise as a reward for Omar's martyrdom.


But outside court Zahid said: "We did not know what our brother was going to do. It shocked us as much as everyone else and we are still shocked.


"There were many misunderstandings about our religion and culture in this case but people tried to reach out and understand."


Grampian Primary School, in Sinfin, Derby, said: "Parveen worked here through an agency for two days in September 2001.


"At the end of that time, pupils complained about comments she made in class which had upset them.


"As a result, the supply agency was told not to send Parveen again."


Her then employer Select Education plc said: "Parveen's teaching ability has never been brought into question. Parveen accepted the comments were inappropriate and undertook not to repeat them."