Lawyers showered the suspected killer of a prominent Pakistani governor with rose petals when he arrived at court Wednesday and an influential Muslim scholars group praised the assassination of the outspoken opponent of laws that order death for those who insult Islam.
Mumtaz Qadri, 26, made his first appearance in an Islamabad court, where a judge remanded him in custody a day after he allegedly sprayed automatic gunfire at the back of Punjab province Gov. Salman Taseer while he was supposed to be protecting him as a bodyguard. A rowdy crowd slapped him on the back and kissed his cheek as he was escorted inside. The lawyers who tossed handfuls of rose petals over him were not involved in the case.
As he left the court, a crowd of about 200 sympathizers chanted "death is acceptable for Muhammad's slave." The suspect stood at the back door of an armored police van with a flower necklace given to him by an admirer and repeatedly yelled "God is great."
Yeah, you go ahead and ponder how we caused that murderous attitude and the glee that the murder of Governor Taseer inspired.
Salman Taseer rose above his society to pursue a better path for Islam (tip to Mad Minerva). And the murderous portion of his society struck him down in fear and hatred.
Yes indeed, put flowers on Salman Taseer's grave.
UPDATE: Only tangentially related, I suppose, but this is another "why do they hate us?" issue that says more about the haters than the objects of their hatred.
