Newly freed Indonesian Islamist Abu Bakar Bashir, the spiritual leader of the Bali bombers that killed 202 people, might appear to be the best authority on salvation in ... well, anywhere or any time. However, that did not keep Bashir from advising world leaders to convert to Islam or face eternal damnation:

A reputed leader of an al-Qaida-linked terror group blamed for deadly bombings across Indonesia on Thursday accused President Bush and Australia's prime minister of waging wars against Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir also called on Bush and Prime Minister John Howard to convert to Islam, saying it was "the only way to save their souls."

I doubt that either Blair or Bush will take the oportunity to act in accordance with the wishes of a terrorist leader and murdering thug who exhorted his followers to commit mass murder in the name of said religion. If that doesn't sound arrogant enough, he also offered advice to the families of his victims:

He added that families still grieving after the 2002 Bali blasts that killed many foreigners should also become Muslim to find "salvation and peace."

Un-freakin'-believable. He kills their loved ones in the name of Islam, and then he tells them that they're damned? Puh-leeze.

And while we're on the subject of disbelief, who greenlighted Irwin Firdaus' description of Bashir as a "reputed leader" of a terrorist group? Bashir was convicted on those charges, and obviously did not spend enough time behind bars for it. He has spoken out on behalf of terrorists. What part of Bashir's background did Firdaus and the editors at the AP miss? For once, I would like them to explain at what stage the status of "terrorist leader" become final. (via the excellent NY Sun blog It Shines For All)

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» The Knucklehead of the Day award from The Florida Masochist
Today's winner is Indonesian Cleric Abu Bakar Bashir. [Read More]

Tracked on June 16, 2006 6:50 AM