Interview with Professor I C Comfort, Professor of Multicultural Law and Inter Ethnic Jurisprudence at the University of California, Berkley, California, 21 October 2001.

Professor Comfort is the Editor of “Journal of Ethnic Virtue” and “Journal of Pacificism in Muslim Societies,”and the “Journal of Modern Lebanese Military Ethics”. He is President of the American Society for the Study of Jihad and is President of “Americans against Wrongful Deportation”.

Professor Comfort is an internationally recognised authority on multicultural ethics and international law. He is the Winner of the Omar Sharif award for the promotion of peace in the Bekhar valley.  He is co-editor (with Professor Kajar Tigre of the School of Oriental Jurisprudence at the University of Khartoum, Sudan), of the “The Friendly Jihad” and the author of the international best sellers,” Islam and Civil Liberties: A Short History”, “The Myth of Islamic Terrorism” and” Pre-Terrorist Attitude Formation in the Modern University”.
 

Q: Professor Comfort, you have claimed that there is no evidence linking Bin Laden or the Taliban, directly or indirectly to the World Trade Centre and Pentagon attacks on 9/11. Would you care to elaborate?

A: First let me make it perfectly clear that I am opposed to terrorism. And the killing of innocent people. But, one must concede, that more Iraqi children have died as a result of the US boycott of Iraq than in the recent so called terrorist attacks. I utterly condemn the recent events. But we must put it in perspective. It is very important that we do not overreact. Now there have been a lot of knee-jerk reactions and Mc McCarthyist claims about Bin Laden but I haven’t seen any evidence against him that would stand in a court of law. Bin Laden is entitled to a presumption of innocence, as indeed, we all are.

Q: What of the congressional and parliamentary statements by President Bush and Tony Blair?

A: They are not evidence. They are a Governments or one person’s point of view. Frankly I am not sure we should use the word ‘terrorist’ at all, it is a very loaded and judgemental term.

Q: Do you believe one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter?

A: Absolutely. The war against terrorism is a complete misnomer. What country have we declared war against? This so called war against terrorism policy can only lead to the death of many innocent people. Certainly, the US can be accused by the international community, of gross over reaction. Certainly we have at times, engaged in State terrorism, ourselves.So who are we to criticise so called terrorists?

Q: So, were the terrorists if I may use that word for the moment, who attacked the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, terrorists or freedom fighters?

A: I think the thoughtful answer is that if you were in the World Trade Centre or the Pentagon or nearby, they would be terrorists, perhaps, but if you were supporters or sympathisers they would be freedom fighters. It is all a mater of perspective. Where one is standing, so to speak. The indiscriminate use of the word attack, I may point out, is also rather problematic.

Q: So where does that leave the US government?

A: The US government has over 1000 so called suspects of  allegedly Middle East background, who have not been charged with any offence related to terrorism, in custody, they should be charged or released immediately in accordance with their constitutional rights and with respect to the prerogatives of international law. .

At the moment the Islamic community in the United States is being terrorised by the FBI. I myself am representing the renowned scholar Sheikh Ghandik who has been charged with harbouring suspect terrorists and other clearly politically motivated   charges. I put it to you; what would a respected scholar of the Sheikhs eminence possibly want with a cellarful of explosive materials? To ask the question is to answer it. Utterly fantastic.  A particularly fanciful charge, utterly without foundation, I may add. Conceived in ethnic prejudice. I believe it is time to call a stop to the hysteria of the post Sept 11 witchunts.  At times one feels ashamed to be an American!

Q: But weren’t the terrorists again, to use that term loosely and without being judgemental in the least, who attacked the World Trade Centre, all from a Middle East background?

A: So we are told by the government but what evidence do we have? Sure they have beards but what does that prove? Are we going to condemn people by photographs? Are we going to arrest all men of Middle Eastern appearance who have beards? We will be demanding that the entire population be clean shaven next! Where will it all end? Muslims today, and then blacks, and then…A very dangerous precedent has been set.  Now, the so called evidence you refer to is hardly probative and indeed are rather flimsy and certainly would not stand up in a court of law. I would like to see all of the so-called government evidence released to the public.

Q: But what if it is based on intelligence reporting and methods and sources must be protected?

A: So, what is the government hiding from? They, that is, the CIA and FBI must have gathered information illegally and broken the law, why else would they want to protect methods and sources? Therefore they stand doubly condemned. How can a law enforcement organisation, such as the FBI, break the law in the pursuit of so called evidence? There should be at least a congressional inquiry into intelligence gathering by the CIA and FBI to ensure that the rights of minorities and the Muslim communities are not transgressed.  So, I say lay all the information on the table, so we can all- that is interested and concerned parties- can inspect it and judge for themselves.

Q: So what would be the correct policy in your view?

A: First we must not have judgemental attitudes to Islam. It is a deep and complex civilisation. It is a peaceful religion. It respects all rights. Muslims are a deeply religious people, and I may so, indeed, more religious than we, in the so-called Christian west.  And, if we believe in freedom of association and religious views, we should extend it to include Muslims instead of relying on racist stereotypes and labels, quite defamatory labels, or libels I may add, somewhat humorously if you will forgive a note of levity. We should seek understanding not war. Dialogue not destruction.  We should talk to Bin Laden and the Taliban, across the table, as one human to another, and above all learn to listen. If we do not we will become like the terrorists we claim to oppose.

Q: Do I take it, and I do not wish to offend, that you blame the United States for the terrorist attacks?

A: We must take a long hard look at ourselves. What have we done to deserve this act against us? What crime or crimes have we committed to incur such wrath? You must admit that we are not blameless. American foreign policy has contributed to the growth if not, bred the Taliban and Bin Laden We are all guilty. All of us...

Q: Professor Comfort. I understand that you are to be appointed to head the FBI task force on “FBI-US Islamic Community Relations”.

A: Yes

Q: Thank you. Back to the studio.

KHALID  MOHAMMED


FAHID ALLY MSALAM


IMAD FAYEZ MUGNIYAH





 

AHMAD AL-MUGHASSIL


ABDELKARIM AL-NASSER


ABDULLAH ABDULLAH




 

 
SHEIKH AHMED SWEDAN        AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI    IBRAHIM SALIH AL-YACOUB       SAIF AL-ADEL         ABDUL RAHMAN YASIN

Conspiracy to kill US. nationals; Conspiracy to murder US employees; Conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against US nationals; Conspiracy to attack national defense utilities; Bombing resulting in death; Use of weapons of mass destruction against US nationals; Murder while using destructive device during a crime of violence; Murder of federal employees; Attempted murder of federal employees