By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
An East London school teacher was left with a slashed face and a fractured skull when four Muslim men attacked him for teaching a world religions course to Muslim girls.
The Daily Mail is reporting that Gary Smith, who is head of religious education at the Central Foundation Girls’ School in east London, was attacked while walking along a street by four men who police have identified as Akmol Hussein, 26, Sheikh Rashid, 27, Azad Hussain, 25, and Simon Alam, 19.
The four attacked Smith on July 12 with a knife, an iron rod and a block of cement, leaving him badly cut and with a fractured skull.
Their trial was due to begin at Snaresbrook Crown Court, but all four men decided to plead guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Judge John Hand remanded the defendants into custody until sentencing can take place on a date that has not yet been confirmed.
Apparently, the men tried to attack Smith twice before. Detectives were on to their plans and even managed to make secret recordings of the group plotting to attack Smith for “teaching other religions to our sisters.”
It is unclear why law enforcement, who knew about the plot ahead of time, were unable to prevent the attack.
Sarah Whitehouse, the Prosecutor on the case, told the court: “The evidence from what was said on the probe points overwhelmingly to a religious motive for this attack.’
Public reaction to the news has been one of anger and indignation.
“Gary Smith was not proselytizing; he was just teaching a world religions course,” writes Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch. ” . . . (N)on-Muslims who proselytize for their religions among Muslims face a death penalty according to Islamic law, but these Muslims didn’t kill Gary Smith; they just fractured his skull. I guess that makes them moderates.”
The citizenry was equally incensed.
“What is this country coming to when teachers are attacked like this,” Liz from Cambridge commented on the Daily Mail site. “Is this not what half the Middle East is fighting about now, freedom of speech? Sounds like these men should be sent out there and not be cluttering up our already full prisons. As many people have already said, if you don’t like the way this country is run then leave. There are plenty of us who will help you pack!”
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace® http://www.womenofgrace.com
