bakken@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Bakken) (03/06/90)
Time for an apology. I hoped and promised to dig up articles about Khalifa's death and post them, since I have had requests for this (of course, he was centered here in Tucson, and I drive by his mosque on the way home from school). But I have been so buried in my studies that I haven't had a chance to go to the library. Fortunately, this Sunday's paper had more on him: 1/6 of the front page and about 7/8 of page four. So here is the bottom line, albeit late (with my apologies). They don't know who killed him. The FBI or anyone else won't say if they have any suspects or leads, and they usually do say if they do, so they probably have few or no clues. Mohammed T. Mendi, spokesman for the National Council of Islamic Affairs, said he believes Khalifa's murder was more than likely the act of an individual. Mendi adds "The stupid person who did this will give him (Khalifa) more credit. Over time he could become a martyr, even if was not able to obtain any meaningful standing during his lifetime." His followers, of whom there are 2,000--10,000, say he knew he would die soon and that many imams (which they consider him) have been murdered in their mosques. Anyway, I don't have time to type the whole thing in. But I have sliced and diced and fit the articles onto four sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper, which I will get copied double-sided onto two sheets. I will be glad to send copies to anyone who would like to read more about this. The articles talk about him, the history of his beliefs and relations with mainstream Islam, his arrest in 1979 for rape, speculation about who might have killed him, and his computer study. So if you want this and you live in the US please send me a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a quarter to cover copying costs (or .20 if you like - I'm at home now and don't know how much it will cost). If you live outside the US it would probably just be simpler if you sent me US $1 and I'll take care of postage and the envelope, too. If you want a copy please send me email *right after* you mail me so I know it is coming and can have copies on hand if possible. Hey, these articles even include a 5" x 9" picture of Khalifa, suitable for framing, enlarging and putting on a political sign, throwing darts at, training your puppy on, stabbing, wrapping fish with, or whatever you please :-) . Finally, I had one of the people who asked me for more info on Khalifa say he thought someone was paying him to distract people from Islam (I asked who might do this, and he was vague). I've never met the man, but I think it is more likely that he was just someone who had a magnetic personality and wanted a following. Examples of this abound in many religions: that Baghwan who took over Antelope, Oregon, Jim Jones in Guyana, etc. The articles briefly mention that some paper in Egypt once accused him of working for the Israelis. There is always something mysterious and romantic about conspiracy theories that always make them attractive. But you can never disprove them. For that matter, how do you know that I, Omar Dodd, Ali Raja, Yassir Arafat, Dr. Habbash, Steve Goldfield, Yigal Arens, or Mr. Gorbachev *don't* work for the Mossad?? But Khalifa may have, who knows (or cares)? -- Dave Bakken Internet: bakken@cs.arizona.edu 721 Gould-Simpson Bldg UUCP: uunet!arizona!bakken Dept of Computer Science; U of Arizona Phone: +1 602 621 8372 (w) Tucson, AZ 85721 USA FAX: +1 602 621 4246