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09/08/2004: "For Muslims only"
The movement to accomodate Islam just got another assist:
A member of the group of Portland-area Muslims convicted of conspiring to wage war against the United States won't be subject to additional prison time, despite his refusal to testify in front of a grand jury, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
But U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones also ruled that the time Patrice Lumumba Ford recently served in the Multnomah County jail will not count toward his 18-year prison sentence, imposed in November 2003.
Ford, who was convicted of attempting to join the Taliban in late fall 2001, was subpoenaed in July by a grand jury in Portland. Beyond confirming his name at grand jury proceedings, Ford refused to answer any questions, saying that his religion prohibited him from implicating a fellow Muslim.
"I find his beliefs in good faith," said Jones. "Mr. Ford's beliefs are sincere—he will not be coerced to testify."
As I recall, Christians are not supposed to take their disputes to court. Does that mean that if a person who happens to be a member of a Christian church sues me I don't have to respond? It also makes for an interesting situation nationwide. Potentially there are millions of people who won't have to ever testify against one another when they have knowledge of a crime. Me, I can only count on my wife.
As far as I know, granting a religious exemption to the rule that one must provide evidence of a crime to a grand jury when asked is unprecedented. Anyone who knows otherwise, please let me know.
(Thanks to Dhimmi Watch for the information.)
