Advice to Muslims on the Death of Osama bin Ladin

['Abd-al Latif]

A poignant article by a writer from The Independent, arguing that killing bin Laden is not 'justice'...

Independent.co.uk


Geoffrey Robertson: Why it's absurd to claim that justice has been done

America resembles the land of the munchkins, as it celebrates the death of the Wicked Witch of the East. The joy is understandable, but in some respects, unattractive. It endorses what looks increasingly like a cold-blooded assassination ordered by a president who, as a former law professor, knows the absurdity of his statement that “justice was done”. Amoral diplomats and triumphant politicians join in applauding Bin Laden’s summary execution because they claim real justice – arrest, trial and sentence would have been too difficult in the case of Bin Laden. But in the long-term interests of a better world, should it not at least have been attempted?

That future depends on a respect for international law. The circumstances of Bin Laden’s killing are as yet unclear and the initial objection that the operation was an illegitimate invasion of Pakistan’s sovereignty must be rejected. Necessity required the capture of this indicted and active international criminal and Pakistan’s abject failure (whether through incompetence or connivance) justified Obama’s order for an operation to apprehend him. However, the terms of that order, as yet undisclosed, are all important. Bill Clinton admitted recently to having secretly approved teh assassination of Bin Laden by the CIA after the US embassy bombings in the1990s, while President Bush publicly said after 9/11 that he wanted Bin Laden’s head on a plate. Did President Obama order his capture, or his execution?

Details of the so-called “fire-fight” remain obscure. The law permits criminals to be shot in self-defence. They should, if possible, be given the opportunity to surrender, but even if they do not come out with their hands up, they must be taken alive, if that can be achieved without risk. Exactly how Bin Laden came to be shot (especially if it was in the back of the head, execution-style) therefore requires explanation. Why the hasty “burial at sea” without a post-mortem, as the law requires?

But the chorus celebrating summary execution is rationalised on the basis that this is one terrorist for whom trial would be unnecessary, difficult and dangerous. It overlooks the downsides – that killing Bin Laden has made him a martyr – more dangerous in that posthumous role than in hiding, and that both his legend and the conspiracy theories about 9/11 will live on undisputed by the evidence that would have been called at his trial.

Even worse, killing Bin Laden gave him the consummation he most devoutly wished, namely a fast-track to paradise. His belief system required him to die mid-Jihad, from an infidel bullet – not of old age on a prison farm in upstate New York. For this reason he would have refused any offer to surrender, and no doubt died with a smile on his lips.

I do not minimise the security issues at his trial or the danger of it ending up as a squalid circus like that of Saddam Hussein. But the notion that any form of legal process would have been too hard must be rejected. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed - also alleged to be the architect of 9/11 - will shortly go on trial and had Bin Laden been captured, he should have been put in the dock alongside him, so that their shared responsibility could have been properly examined.

Bin Laden could not have been tried for 9/11 at the International Criminal Court – its jurisdiction only came into existence nine months later. But the Security Council could have set up an ad hoc tribunal in The Hague, with international judges (including Muslim jurists), to provide a fair trial and a reasoned verdict.

This would have been the best way of de-mystifying this man, debunking his cause and de-brainwashing his followers. In the dock he would have been reduced in stature – never more remembered as the tall, soulful figure on the mountain, but as a hateful and hate-filled old man, screaming from the dock or lying from the witness box.

Since his videos exalt in the killing of innocent civilians, any cross-examination would have emphasised his inhumanity. These benefits flowing from justice have forever been foregone.

America’s belief in capital punishment is reflected in its rejoicing at the manner of Bin Laden’s demise. It is ironic to reflect that Bill Clinton secured his election by approving the execution of Ricky Roy Rector (a convict so brain-damaged that he ordered pumpkin pie for his last meal and said that he would “leave the rest until later”). And now Barak Obama has most likely secured his re-election approving the execution of Bin Laden. This may be welcome, given the alternatives. But it is a sad reflection on the continuing attraction of summary justice.

It was not always thus. When the time came to consider the fate of men much more steeped in wickedness than Bin Laden – the Nazi leadership – the British government wanted them hanged within six hours of capture. President Truman demurred, citing the conclusion of Justice Robert Jackson that summary execution “would not sit easily on the American conscience or be remembered by our children with pride?the only course is to determine the innocence or guilt of the accused after a hearing as dispassionate as the times will permit and upon a record that will leave our reasons and motives clear”. He insisted upon judgment at Nuremberg, which has confounded Holocaust-deniers ever since.

Killing instead of capturing Osama Bin Laden was a missed opportunity to prove to the world that this charismatic leader was in fact a vicious criminal, who deserved to die of old age in prison, and not as a martyr to his inhuman cause.

Geoffrey Robertson QC is author of Crimes Against Humanity (Penguin)

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion...e-2278041.html

[SAKER]

Islam in my opinion has more emergencies things to be concerned about than just one person DEATH .....

Al qaida present their self aNd don ´t havE the right imposing their opinion upon Muslims world

wa salam.

[DippedinJannah]

As an American, I feel the following:

• Osama bin Laden and his colleagues did tremendous evil in the world.
• I do not mourn for him. I personally thing capturing and imprisoning him would have been a better example.
• I don't think OBL represents Islam any more than the Ku Klux Klan represents Christianity.
• I can't personally judge him (that is for Allah swt)

[Mr.President]

I do not know about osama bin L so I don't wanna comment about the things which I dont have knowledge about so I think I should be silent on these knids of issues

If any1 ask is osama a terrorist ? my answer I DONT KNOW !

[Who Am I?]

As an American, I feel the following:

• Osama bin Laden and his colleagues did tremendous evil in the world.
• I do not mourn for him. I personally thing capturing and imprisoning him would have been a better example.
• I don't think OBL represents Islam any more than the Ku Klux Klan represents Christianity.
• I can't personally judge him (that is for Allah swt)

Same. I never thought OBL was a true Muslim, nor do I think Al-Quaeda are true Muslims. He was just one of many who use religion to accomplish their own political or social agendas. History is full of examples of these kind of people.

[Ramadhan]

Has OBL actually been tried and convicted for any crime? or did he ever confess that he masterminded the destruction of the twin towers?

[Just_A_Girl13]

As an American, I feel the following:
Osama bin Laden and his colleagues did tremendous evil in the world.
I do not mourn for him. I personally thing capturing and imprisoning him would have been a better example.
I don't think OBL represents Islam any more than the Ku Klux Klan represents Christianity.
I can't personally judge him (that is for Allah swt)

I agree completely.

[Jalal~]

Has OBL actually been tried and convicted for any crime? or did he ever confess that he masterminded the destruction of the twin towers?

yea, i thought he admitted that in one of his videos that he sent to the media, didnt he?
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/..._10-29-04.html

[Riana17]

SALAM

Ofcourse it is non Islamic to hurt even an animal, whatever it may be. Unless you are protecting youself (jihad)

If Osama Bin Laden exist, he would have made alot of trouble bombing here & there and not just the Pentagon for 10years.
If Osama was killed, americans must gather videos, albums and all to show his death, celebrate his death perhaps, this is nothing but for a proper closure

Otherwise, Osama it is just imaginatory to me

[Ramadhan]

yea, i thought he admitted that in one of his videos that he sent to the media, didnt he? http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/..._10-29-04.html

Can you please quote where in the article by PBS that he admitted he masterminded the 9/11?
Even going by the PBS report, it seems very vague to me. Not to mention many have considered OBL's vids as being fake. Even Walter Conkrite has opined that Karl Rove was behind the tapes, which conveniently always released whenever US presidnet needed a boost.

Meanwhile, he has denied in straightforward manner that he was responsible for 9/11 right after it happened:
In a statement issued to the Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera, based in Qatar, bin Laden said, "The U.S. government has consistently blamed me for being behind every occasion its enemies attack it.
"I would like to assure the world that I did not plan the recent attacks, which seems to have been planned by people for personal reasons," bin Laden's statement said. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/1...nladen.denial/

[Who Am I?]

Even before I was a Muslim, it just felt wrong to me seeing the videos of people cheering in the streets when it was announced that OBL was killed. I don't think you should ever celebrate a person's death, no matter how evil they may have been.

[ProudMuslimSis]

Meanwhile, he has denied in straightforward manner that he was responsible for 9/11 right after it happened:
In a statement issued to the Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera, based in Qatar, bin Laden said, "The U.S. government has consistently blamed me for being behind every occasion its enemies attack it.
"I would like to assure the world that I did not plan the recent attacks, which seems to have been planned by people for personal reasons," bin Laden's statement said. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/1...nladen.denial/

Interesting article! Thank you for sharing brother. I never know this!

[Ramadhan]

Even before I was a Muslim, it just felt wrong to me seeing the videos of people cheering in the streets when it was announced that OBL was killed. I don't think you should ever celebrate a person's death, no matter how evil they may have been.

What I found much more unbelievable is the OK reaction by americans who do not seem to be critical and asking questions why there is no proof/evidence that OBL was captured in that operation.

After trillions of dollars, thousands of american lives and hundred of thousands of afghanis, destruction and destabilizations of a whole country and the neighboring country,
would you as americans not want the main perpetrator be brought to US soil and tried and convicted for all those crimes he purpotedly committed, in order to serve justice and closures to all family and friends of the victims?

Are the american masses really that gullible and accept every single thing their government and media shove down their throat for the explanation as to why OBL was brought into the US ship and killed at sea? After all these trillions of dollars of taxpayers money?
And there's not even video, etc?

[Just_A_Girl13]

After trillions of dollars, thousands of american lives and hundred of thousands of afghanis, destruction and destabilizations of a whole country and the neighboring country, would you as americans not want the main perpetrator be brought to US soil and tried and convicted for all those crimes he purpotedly committed, in order to serve justice and closures to all family and friends of the victims?

Yes. Most of the people I've talked to agree that this would have been the best thing to do. A trial would almost certainly have been better.

Are the american masses really that gullible and accept every single thing their government and media shove down their throat for the explanation as to why OBL was brought into the US ship and killed at sea?

Yes, yes we are.

[MustafaMc]

As an American, I feel the following:

• Osama bin Laden and his colleagues did tremendous evil in the world.
• I do not mourn for him. I personally thing capturing and imprisoning him would have been a better example.
• I don't think OBL represents Islam any more than the Ku Klux Klan represents Christianity.
• I can't personally judge him (that is for Allah swt)

I don't think you should ever celebrate a person's death, no matter how evil they may have been.

I beg to differ with those presuming the guilt of OBL and KSM for the crimes that they are accused of. The last that I knew according to the American tradition of justice, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty and the accusation does not equate to guilt no matter how vehemently the accusations are made. I have not seen evidence to prove that OBL masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, certainly not enough proof to justify assassinating him without a trial. In fact there is scientific evidence that is contrary to the official story of 19 Muslim terrorist flying jetliners in suicide attacks as the reason for the collapse of the Twin Towers. We as Muslims are in no position to judge another person as either evil or righteous.

[Jalal~]

Even if he did what America claims that he did, it shouldnt matter~He's a Muslim and he made a mistake, a very huge sin, and we all make mistakes/sins in our lifetime. So we shouldnt hate him, we should just ask Allah to forgive him, its the least we can do. I mean, its not like he comitted shirk, he did a sin that is forgivable, right? In one Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, 'If a person has sins equivalent to the foams of the sea and pebbles on a desert, Allah's mercy is so encompassing that He will forgive every sin.' In another narration, it is mentioned that Allah will speak secretly to one of His slaves on the day of Qiyaamat and remind him of all his sins. After the person will confess his sins, Allah will say to him, 'I concealed your faults in the world, today too, I will conceal your faults. Go in Jannah, I have forgiven you.' But on the day of judgement, we shall all find out the truth.

[GuestFellow]

Has OBL actually been tried and convicted for any crime? or did he ever confess that he masterminded the destruction of the twin towers?

Salaam,

His confession is not required.

I watched a documentary called the Power of Nightmares. According to this documentary, a person head of a criminal organisation can be prosecuted for the crimes committed by its members. There is no need to prove the person in charge had actually carried out any criminal activity.

There were attacks against western embassies. Some US officials thought Osama was behind the attacks but there was no sufficient evidence to prove such connection. Therefore, the CIA created some sort of group (Al-Qaeda) where Osama was in charge. There are militants but there was no proper organisation. After 9/11, the US government blamed Osama and said the militants behind the attack were from a group called Al-Qaeda. Since Osama is supposedly in charge of that group, there is no need to prove that he was actually involved in the attacks.

[Who Am I?]

What I found much more unbelievable is the OK reaction by americans who do not seem to be critical and asking questions why there is no proof/evidence that OBL was captured in that operation.

After trillions of dollars, thousands of american lives and hundred of thousands of afghanis, destruction and destabilizations of a whole country and the neighboring country,
would you as americans not want the main perpetrator be brought to US soil and tried and convicted for all those crimes he purpotedly committed, in order to serve justice and closures to all family and friends of the victims?

Are the american masses really that gullible and accept every single thing their government and media shove down their throat for the explanation as to why OBL was brought into the US ship and killed at sea? After all these trillions of dollars of taxpayers money?
And there's not even video, etc?

Well I myself said to some of my co-workers that until I saw a body or saw photos of him in custody, I didn't believe he was really dead. I never understood the whole "buried him at sea" thing anyway.

I beg to differ with those presuming the guilt of OBL and KSM for the crimes that they are accused of. The last that I knew according to the American tradition of justice, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty and the accusation does not equate to guilt no matter how vehemently the accusations are made. I have not seen evidence to prove that OBL masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, certainly not enough proof to justify assassinating him without a trial. In fact there is scientific evidence that is contrary to the official story of 19 Muslim terrorist flying jetliners in suicide attacks as the reason for the collapse of the Twin Towers. We as Muslims are in no position to judge another person as either evil or righteous.

Notice that I said he "may have been" evil. I didn't say he "was". I know a lot of people have doubts about 9/11, and I have seen some documentaries that present some compelling evidence that it may have been a government plot. I myself don't really know one way or the other, and I'm not sure I even care anymore.

[MustafaMc]

Notice that I said he "may have been" evil. I didn't say he "was".

Yes, you wrote 'may' and not 'was'.

I know a lot of people have doubts about 9/11, and I have seen some documentaries that present some compelling evidence that it may have been a government plot.

I didn't say who was responsible, rather that there is apparently evidence contrary to the official story.

I myself don't really know one way or the other, and I'm not sure I even care anymore.

I rather find that I do care because that single event flavors most American's opinion about Islam and Muslims and it is implied as the reason for the 'Global War on Terror' and why we are in Afghanistan and Iraq. To not care about what really happened is to be complicit with the resulting consequences.

I saw graffiti in a McDonald's, "Kill all radical Muslims before they kill you". When I complained to a cashier, a bystander said, "Why are you upset because it is just like the Golden Rule. You remember 9/11, don't you?"

I also listened to a seminar at the very Baptist church I grew up in across the AL/MS border near Mobile, 'Revealing the Truth About Islam'. The presenter, Usama Dakdok, said on a video on the internet , "Do you believe in a good Muslim and a bad Muslim? ... There is no good Muslim."

These are 2 examples of the demonization of Muslims that is at least partly related to Muslims almost universally being accepted (in America) as responsible for 9/11.

[Who Am I?]

Well what I mean when I say that I don't care is that nothing else matters to me right now except finding my inner peace and becoming someone I am proud of. The "War on Terror", the Palestinians vs Israelis, none of that will determine who I am as a person. None of that will make me a better man. So I try not to think about all of that.

For what it's worth, I always thought Muslims got a bad rep, even before I became one. Every religion has its nuts. There are Christians who bomb abortion clinics and beat up gays in the name of their religion. Hindus attack Muslims in India. It is something that will continue to happen as long as there is evil in the world.