UK teenager to stand trial for 'grossly offensive' Afghan war post on Facebook

UK teenager to stand trial for 'grossly offensive' Afghan war post on Facebook

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Published: 21 March, 2012, 00:06
Edited: 21 March, 2012, 11:04


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TAGS: Crime, Military, UK, Protest, Law, Internet, Mass media, Afghanistan, War, Social networks, Police

Ninetieen-year-old Azhar Ahmed will be tried later this year. The teenager pleaded not guilty and denied posting a comment on Facebook about six British soldiers killed in Afghanistan last week. He was released on bail until the next hearing in July.
[at]Ahmed was arrested and charged with "racially aggravated public order offences" but prosecutors on Tuesday changed that to a charge under Section 127 of the Communications Act of "sending a grossly offensive message."

The prosecutors also claim to have five witnesses, one of whom has already stated that they found Ahmed's message grossly offensive. They also intend to follow up a further three witnesses who they expect will give similar testimony.
There was a large police presence outside the court for the hearing as around 50 far-right protesters staged a noisy demonstration when the defendant arrived and left, calling for “jail to those who insult our troops.”

In his Facebook comments Ahmed reportedly criticized the amount of attention the deaths of the six soldiers received as compared to the civilian losses Afghanistan has sustained in the NATO-led war.
Media sources have been very tight-lipped about the actual wording of the message, but it is quoted in full in several blog posts, and some screenshots of the post are accessible via Google.

A police spokesman said last week that the Yorkshire teenager was commenting on the level of attention British soldiers who died in a bomb blast last week received compared to Afghan civilians who have died in the war.
The spokesman said: 'He didn’t make his point very well and that is why he has landed himself in bother.'
The six British troops were killed last week after their Warrior armored vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan. Most of the soldiers were between 19 and 21 years of age. The incident is the biggest single loss of life for British forces since 2006.
Ahmed’s court appearance coincided with the repatriation of the soldiers’ bodies, which were being flown to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire later on Tuesday.
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UK teenager to stand trial for 'grossly offensive' Afghan war post on Facebook — RT

How is that racially aggravated? How insane. I'm amazed that this is going to trial. His mastery of English, however ....

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50 far-right protesters staged a noisy demonstration when the defendant arrived and left, calling for “jail to those who insult our troops.”

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Ah, the joys of democracy.

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Originally Posted by Dan

How is that racially aggravated? How insane

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it isn't, the police arrested him on those grounds but the prosecutors changed the charge

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Ahmed was arrested and charged with "racially aggravated public order offences" but prosecutors on Tuesday changed that to a charge under Section 127 of the Communications Act of "sending a grossly offensive message."

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Originally Posted by Dan

His mastery of English, however ....

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Sorry Dan :)

^^ I managed to skip that clause. Still, saying "All soldiers should die and go to hell" (presumably the offending part) hardly seems like something you ought to face criminal charges for, particularly given the context of his post.

Here is the offensive post.

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"People gassin about the deaths of Soldiers! What about the innocent familys who have been brutally killed.. The women who have.been raped.. The children who have been sliced up..! Your enemy's were the Taliban not innocent harmful familys. All soldiers should DIE & go to HELL! THE LOWLIFE FOKKIN SUM! gotta problem go cry at your soldiers grave & wish him hell because thats where he is going.."

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All soldiers should DIE & go to HELL! « PitKanary

I don't think what he wrote should be considered a crime. It's his point of view and he is entitled to it however vile it is. He was not inciting hatred or violence so once you start down the track of prosecuting people for their beliefs, it is a slippery slope.

Interestingly I watched the show "Anti-Social Network" with Richard Bacon last night. Some of the RIP tribute page comments were closer to line where prosecution would be acceptable for being "grossly offensive" in my opinion.

Considering certain Extremist groups in the UK, can and still do mouth of there hatred for anything western, I find the guy charged to be stupid to spout such, at a time of mourning, though what he says has truth about it.

We have seen Armed forces personnel getting away with murdering groups of persons, in Afghanistan, but when a guy, speaks about about such he is charged, strange world we live in.

Scary
yesterday someone from twitter got arrested over a comment about that immigrant footballer,
now facebook is at it
how long before a Teakdoor member gets a knock on the door
and i wonder ..

whats that ?
oh hang on , back in a sec

It is kind of interesting. Because Mr Azhar Ahmed would probably throw a mental if I reminded him that the Prophet Mohammed was a fucking paedophile, and probably demand my immediate beheading.

So fuck him.

Lock him up with some paras or marines for a day, don't waste the taxpayers money on this worthless piece of shit.

Barracuda

Not sure what the prophet has to do with the guy being arrested, but hey you mention the prophet is a Paedo, possibly have a look around, and see what the so called western civilization has done over the centuries, and are still doing to young children, and while you at it look up the world age of consents, pretty disturbing to say the least.

I failed to mention

The VATICAN STATE, age of consent 12 yrs of age

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Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

It is kind of interesting. Because Mr Azhar Ahmed would probably throw a mental if I reminded him that the Prophet Mohammed was a fucking paedophile, and probably demand my immediate beheading.

So fuck him.

Lock him up with some paras or marines for a day, don't waste the taxpayers money on this worthless piece of shit.

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He's a Muslim so it doesn't matter what he's done.

And you have a go at Blue for being a twat.

Thank you for demonstrating the hypocrisy of some people defending his right to free speech, when his ilk, and certainly the ones with vehement opinions like this, would most certainly deny you yours.

And Dan, despite what the PC Brigade might have tried to ram down our throats over the years, Islam is NOT A RACE.

^ By the way, even I defend his right to free speech. I just wish he'd have the balls to say it in front of one of the soldier's colleagues.

As a good American friend of mine once remarked, if faced with someone truly obnoxious (and if I remember, he was talking about NAMBLA at the time): "Your right to Free Speech ends at my ears".

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Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Thank you for demonstrating the hypocrisy of some people defending his right to free speech, when his ilk, and certainly the ones with vehement opinions like this, would most certainly deny you yours.

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What hypocrisy? I think he should have freedom of speech and I think I should so where does hypocrisy come into it? I'll answer that myself: it doesn't. And you have no idea at all where he stands on the issue - to think you can deduce his opinions from his ethnicity is fucking ridiculous.

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And Dan, despite what the PC Brigade might have tried to ram down our throats over the years, Islam is NOT A RACE.

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Huh? I said in my first post that this wasn't about race but I'm guessing that you saw a post opposed in some way to yours and assumed that you were being accused of racism. You weren't, though I do think including Islamophobia within the general description of racism is perfectly acceptable since the latter is the best general purpose word we have.

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I just wish he'd have the balls to say it in front of one of the soldier's colleagues.

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After you, my dear.

That asshole pastor and his flock of lunatics in Texas say far worse, and do so at the funerals of dead soldiers, or at least as close as they can get legally. And far from being arrested, they are protected by police.

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Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

That asshole pastor and his flock of lunatics in Texas say far worse, and do so at the funerals of dead soldiers, or at least as close as they can get legally. And far from being arrested, they are protected by police.

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Yep Davis, exactly what turns my stomach also.

And Dan:

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You weren't, though I do think including Islamophobia within the general description of racism is perfectly acceptable since the latter is the best general purpose word we have.

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Take your pretty blurring of the lines and shove it up your arse.

Islam is a religion that harbours hatred and terrorism, period.

It has nothing to do with race.

It's just a convenient tag liberal twats put on people they don't agree with - normally the same people they go screaming to for help when the dear terrorists for whom they demand equality go around terrorising them.

Race is an English word with a simple meaning, and it has nothing to do with religion.

This bloke has no more love for the English than he has for a halal beefburger, and I just wish England had the bollocks to say "If you don't like it, fuck off and fight for the Taliban".

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Race is an English word with a simple meaning, and it has nothing to do with religion.

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It doesn't have a simple meaning - it's enormously complex and massively contested but that's beside the point because the word at issue was racism, not race.

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This bloke has no more love for the English than he has for a halal beefburger, and I just wish England had the bollocks to say "If you don't like it, fuck off and fight for the Taliban".

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Is that you being ironic or you being a kunt? It's so hard to tell the difference but since you're so keen for people to stand up for what they think, why don't you go and track down all those scary darkies next time you're in England and tell them yourself? Surely that's not beyond a brave patriot like you.

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Originally Posted by Dan

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Race is an English word with a simple meaning, and it has nothing to do with religion.

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It doesn't have a simple meaning - it's enormously complex and massively contested but that's beside the point because the word at issue was racism, not race.

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This bloke has no more love for the English than he has for a halal beefburger, and I just wish England had the bollocks to say "If you don't like it, fuck off and fight for the Taliban".

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Is that you being ironic or you being a kunt? It's so hard to tell the difference but since you're so keen for people to stand up for what they think, why don't you go and track down all those scary darkies next time you're in England and tell them yourself? Surely that's not beyond a brave patriot like you.

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Fortunately I live in a country where insulting your hosts, burning their flag, and saying you hope they die or similar would result, at best, in getting deported.

Nothing wrong with a bit of pride in your nation is there?

And something grossly offensive to granting people asylum, giving them opportunities they would never have back home, and having them spit in your face and call you c**ts, don't you think?

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Azhar Ahmed .... the Yorkshire teenager

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For better or for worse (and it's probably the latter), Yorkshire is part of Britain so that makes him.........British. You don't get deported from your own country, and nor do you have to give thanks for being granted asylum or for having been given "opportunities you would never have back home". And being British he can think and say what he likes about the British army being in Afghanistan. That's what being in a democracy means. I fucking hate Nick Griffin but he gets to say what he thinks and if this lad hates the British army, he gets to say that too.

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Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

The spokesman said: 'He didn’t make his point very well and that is why he has landed himself in bother.'

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True, only professional writers should write.


This idea that everyone is a writer because they have a keyboard, and everyone is a movie maker because they have a camera phone...

....well it ain't true. Not necessarily it ain't. Load a bollocks ain't it. LOL and ROFLMAO. Only qualified writers need apply.

In the greater scheme of things; the massive rates of civillian deaths; napalm and cluster bombs; Blair making up lies to send us to war; oil companies/zionist groups paying for Blair and other politicians to have luxury breaks; bankers stealing bilions and supported by politicians who are their 'executive directors' (and such like);... the list goes on... this kid gets arrested and taken to court for these limp comments???

He wasn't inciting violence, and his comments in context, not one or two words cut out and highlighted, actually do make sense, whether or not you agree with them...

A fuked up world we live in.

Most UK papers are supporting the Kid.

Harry

you should stop reading all this western propaganda, and look at the way we in the west have raped and pillaged many countries in the not so distant past,and now, are so called govts have many things to be ashamed of.

Enoch Powell was right
we would be better off without immigrant filth

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Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

It is kind of interesting. Because Mr Azhar Ahmed would probably throw a mental if I reminded him that the Prophet Mohammed was a fucking paedophile, and probably demand my immediate beheading.

So fuck him.

Lock him up with some paras or marines for a day, don't waste the taxpayers money on this worthless piece of shit.

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2nd that, all of that.

No doubt some dirty little 2nd generation paki fukker who doesn't know how good he's got it.

To all the members whom still think theres Great in Britain, and still holding onto the colonial past.

Check out the UK rich list LOL, number one on the list is Mittel a INDIAN LOL:UK::kma::england::smileylaughing:

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Originally Posted by blue

Enoch Powell was right
we would be better off without immigrant filth

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^ Do you mean Lakshmi Mittal?

Built his empire on lower caste slave labour.

Yeah, nice.

He'll probably fund one of the political parties and get a knighthood.

Try the TOP TEN Harry and see how many are ENGLISH< BRITISH LOL

hmm and let me remember how was the empire built, and where do many of are products still come from,

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Originally Posted by blue

Enoch Powell was right
we would be better off without immigrant filth

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I don't think Enoch actually said those words 'immigrant filth' !

He said the rivers would run red with blood (or words to that effect)

And if the rivers (eg the Exe, or Dart) aren't blood red, then in a literal sense, he's wrong.

IMO it would be difficult to convict this individual on what can only be perceived as a generalisation. It is not personally directed at any one particular person with the INTENT of causing offence to that person.

The fact that others linked to his Facebook page may have found it grossly offensive is not relevant as for what one perceives as being 'offensive' another may not. Recent football 'bad taste jokes' being an example.

For my sins, i occasionally look in at my Facebook link and am sometimes horrified at what some teenagers (sons and daughters of friends) are discussing. Some people may find it grossly offensive but would they be ringing up the police to complain about the content of the communication? The simple answer would be no.

The fact that this guy has a strong opinion regarding the presence of British soldiers in Afghanistan (not far divorced from some Smith's and Brown's i suspect) and is voicing that opinion on a social network site doesn't necessarily make him a criminal/public enemy No 1

Like many Indian's/Pakistani's/WI UK immigrants that don't pass the cricket test, that doesn't make them any less legal to be residing in the UK and being permitted an opinion on what directly/indirectly affects them.

People have opinions, just some stronger than others. Many indigenous brits have displayed displeasure online at the presence of British troops in Iraq/Afghanistan and some may, probably somewhere along the line, have suggested that Blair is scum and should be sitting in a prison somewhere as a war criminal. The Blairites must have been seething although I didn't get to hear about any suspects being rounded up and appearing before the courts.

I really can't see this case getting beyond the front desk of the CPS in truth. :)

The case may not get very far but,
[putting aside my dislike of the immigrant ]
they have processed him and added him to thier database
he will have been photographed fingerprinted and DNA taken.
Even being arrested makes travel to certain countries very hard.

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Built his empire on lower caste slave labour.

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Unlike like the British, eh.

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Originally Posted by Dan

How is that racially aggravated? How insane. I'm amazed that this is going to trial. His mastery of English, however ....

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50 far-right protesters staged a noisy demonstration when the defendant arrived and left, calling for “jail to those who insult our troops.”

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Ah, the joys of democracy.

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Ah the joys of an objective impartial press using loaded terms like "far-right" to shepherd the readers into hostility towards one point of view.

It's as racially-aggravated as the average charge placed against anyone who offends the protected clients of the extreme left.

Surely this aspect is besides the point, the focus should be on the way social media is leading to people ending up in the courts - is social media the problem; or is the law the problem...

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Originally Posted by madjbs

I don't think what he wrote should be considered a crime. It's his point of view and he is entitled to it however vile it is. He was not inciting hatred or violence so once you start down the track of prosecuting people for their beliefs

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I agree. Whilst I am eager for his deportation and that of his and all ethnic minorities, I am with Voltaire in defending his right to be offensive - a right I would expect to enjoy in a free country. In any event, his comments are pretty much run of the mill for people of his age and evident level of literacy on the internet. It's actually quite a challenge to come up with anything truly offensive these days.

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Originally Posted by Dan

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Azhar Ahmed .... the Yorkshire teenager

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For better or for worse (and it's probably the latter), Yorkshire is part of Britain so that makes him.........British.

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I suppose you regard Cliff Richard as Indian because he was born in India?
It doesn't matter what the Labour Party had you taught in school; or whatever crypto-fascist laws they brought in, no immigrant or ethnic minority will ever be British - self evident, not least because they and their protectors in all their semantic propaganda games use the very terms that define them as such.

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Originally Posted by The_Ghost_Of_The_Moog

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Originally Posted by blue

Enoch Powell was right
we would be better off without immigrant filth

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I don't think Enoch actually said those words 'immigrant filth' !

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Absolutely; nor was he a thug or a lightweight like the average lefty fascist that condemn him, and have done their best to make him out to be like "blue" here.

The prophet Enoch, was at Cambridge as a teenager, got the highest grade possible for a degree, and became a Professor by the time he was 25, and was not ignorant of peoples and cultures from other parts of the world.


...returning to the point, the kid should not be charged with anything. There should be no laws relating to 'race' (which has no definition); and the way incitement is utterly misapplied in law by judges in the UK urgently needs resolving. Incitement does not mean "telling someone to do something, and then being responsible for their actions as a sane adult", which is how they are currently interpreting it... it's utterly immoral to convict anyone on those grounds, because it denies the agency of other individuals, as if they were pleading insanity or under the age of criminal liability. Same goes for group enterprise.
The kunt should have the right to insult the troops, and any member of the public should have the right to say "fuck off home, paqi" etc... the state has no business getting involved in this and policing people's interactions. It's the infantilisation of the general public by the state - a legacy of the Labour Party.

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Ah the joys of an objective impartial press using loaded terms like "far-right" to shepherd the readers into hostility towards one point of view.

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It was a reference to their opinions. Anyone who thinks you should go to prison for being rude about soldiers is a fucking cock. Of course, if you think there's some reason why the group shouldn't be described as far-right (other, of course, than your twitching paranoia), feel free to post it.

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I suppose you regard Cliff Richard as Indian because he was born in India?

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Actually, an example closer to hand: my father was born in Lahore. Perhaps I'm half Paki. But Lahore had a British flag flying over it then. And then his father was born in Ireland. And I was born in Cambridge but one of my brothers was born in Cyprus. How confusing. Luckily it turns out that being British is a legal state which makes me, my father (long dead, the poor spud-eating Paki), my brother, Cliff Richard (peace be upon him) and this lad all British. If you don't like that, you can petition your MP to change the law.

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It doesn't matter what the Labour Party had you taught in school

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You couldn't be further from the truth.

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not least because they and their protectors in all their semantic propaganda games use the very terms that define them as such.

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Do you want to spell that out because as it stands, it's just meaningless gibberish.

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The prophet Enoch, was at Cambridge as a teenager, got the highest grade possible for a degree, and became a Professor by the time he was 25, and was not ignorant of peoples and cultures from other parts of the world.

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The appeal to authority is not a very convincing argument (particularly when that authority's main claim to fame is a prediction which failed to come true) but if you want intellectual heavyweights (and in the grand scheme of things, Powell is definitely not a member of that group) who had mentally racist opinions, you should read some Frege.

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Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

Here is the offensive post.

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"People gassin about the deaths of Soldiers! What about the innocent familys who have been brutally killed.. The women who have.been raped.. The children who have been sliced up..! Your enemy's were the Taliban not innocent harmful familys. All soldiers should DIE & go to HELL! THE LOWLIFE FOKKIN SUM! gotta problem go cry at your soldiers grave & wish him hell because thats where he is going.."

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All soldiers should DIE & go to HELL! « PitKanary

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Ive seen worse posted here.
Freedom of speech alive and well in the UK.
Will we see the WASP kids getting the same for laughing at photos of 'taliban' being urinated on ?

Mark

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Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

the Prophet Mohammed was a fucking paedophile,.

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Elaborate please.

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Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

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Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

That asshole pastor and his flock of lunatics in Texas say far worse, and do so at the funerals of dead soldiers, or at least as close as they can get legally. And far from being arrested, they are protected by police.

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Yep Davis, exactly what turns my stomach also.

And Dan:

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You weren't, though I do think including Islamophobia within the general description of racism is perfectly acceptable since the latter is the best general purpose word we have.

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Take your pretty blurring of the lines and shove it up your arse.

Islam is a religion that harbours hatred and terrorism, period.

It has nothing to do with race.

It's just a convenient tag liberal twats put on people they don't agree with - normally the same people they go screaming to for help when the dear terrorists for whom they demand equality go around terrorising them.

Race is an English word with a simple meaning, and it has nothing to do with religion.

This bloke has no more love for the English than he has for a halal beefburger, and I just wish England had the bollocks to say "If you don't like it, fuck off and fight for the Taliban".

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erm, where in the OP does it state he is Islamic ? Or did you guess based on the ethnicity of his name?

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Originally Posted by The_Ghost_Of_The_Moog

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Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

the Prophet Mohammed was a fucking paedophile,.

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Elaborate please.

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He fucked 12 year olds.

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Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

erm, where in the OP does it state he is Islamic ? Or did you guess based on the ethnicity of his name?

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Sorry, didn't you know the English press aren't allowed to mention that he's Muslim?

So let me do it for them:

He's a fucking mussie.

Mind you:

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Azhar Ahmed, 19, appeared at court charged under the Communications Act 2003 with sending a message that was grossly offensive on March 8.

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Half of Teakdoor are going down!

:)