Emergency.Blog

Al-Muhajiroun Leader Gives Deceptive Interview to CBS 60 Minutes?

Was CBS Duped by Radical Islamist?

By Adrian Morgan -- March 30, 2007

With such glaring discrepancies in his own accounts of his life and experiences, it is clear that there is nothing substantial in any of Butt's testimonies that can be relied upon.

On Sunday, March 25, on its 60 Minutes show CBS aired an interview between correspondent Bob Simon and the former spokesman of the British radical Islamist group Al Muhajiroun. The subject of the interview, 26-year old Hassan Butt, claimed that he had left support for killing behind him. Butt's apparent Damascene conversion, however, does not sit easily with his track record.

He told Bob Simon that in his past "we would take away the innocence from the person so they were no longer innocent men, women and children... and hence, combatants and allowed to be targeted." Yet Butt asserted that now, "killing for the sake of killing, and killing in the name of Islam for the sake of killing, is completely and utterly prohibited. And there's a big disease, a big problem and a cancer in the Muslim world. And it's a very dangerous cancer, and it needs to be dealt with." In the interview, as he said these words, Butt's face showed no emotion. His voice was slower, and more importantly he did not blink at all, as if his face had become a mask. Close scrutiny of his demeanor gives a strong impression that Butt is lying.... Article continues on the Accuracy in Media Website: http://www.aim.org/guest_column/5334_0_6_0_C/

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Reference/Analysis:

ERRI analysts say that the interview with Hassan Butt appears consistent with previous practices of Al Muhajiroun, which has a history of deception, misdirection, and "half-truths." They have long been advocating radical and violent jihad, under a cover of religion, analysts said. ERRI senior analyst, Clark Staten, said that the ERRI database contains records dating back to at least the year 2000 that indicate Al-Muhajiroun's involvement in several terror plots and the alleged provision of funds for terror organizations.

ERRI/EmergencyNet News has previously reported, on a number of occasions, about Al Muhajiroun and Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed.

Please also see: "08 Jan 2002, THREAT MATRIX: Threat Issued By Fanatical British Islamist (Hassan Butt)," which can be found at: http://www.emergency.com/cntrter5.htm

"Series of Real-time Emergencynet News Reports Concerning the Skyjacking of Indian Air Flight 814 - 24 Dec 99 to 04 Jan 2000," which can be found at: http://www.emergency.com/1999/indair814.htm