Briton convicted in Sudan blasphemy case

By ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU
Associated Press Writer
35 minutes ago

KHARTOUM, Sudan - A British teacher in Sudan was convicted Thursday of inciting religious hatred for letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad, and she was sentenced to 15 days in prison and deportation to Britain, one of her lawyers said.

Gillian Gibbons could have received 40 lashes and six months in prison in the case.

In London, the Foreign Office said it was "extremely disappointed with the sentence," adding that Foreign Secretary David Miliband summoned the Sudanese ambassador to explain the verdict.

Gibbons, 54, was arrested Sunday after complaints to the Education Ministry that she had insulted Prophet Muhammad, the most revered figure in Islam, by applying his name to a teddy bear.

"The judge found Gillian Gibbons guilty and sentenced her to 15 days jail and deportation," said Ali Mohammed Hajab, a member of her defense team.

Robert Boulos, director of the Unity High School where Gibbons taught, noted that since she had already spent five days in prison, she would have to serve only 10 more.

"It's a very fair verdict, she could have had six months and lashes and a fine, and she only got 15 days and deportation," Boulos said. He added that the verdict would not be appealed.

Gibbons is expected to serve her sentence in the Omdurman women's prison near Khartoum.

One of these days someone's going to have to drag Sudan kicking and screaming into the 14th century.

The years of genocide in Darfur were one thing but now they've crossed the line.

[smilie=fingerno.gi:

Burn everyone named Mohammed and the people who named them. Burn everyone named Jesus and the people who named them, just to be fair and balanced. Those aren't popular names at all...

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We're off to a good start.

Is that Rob Parker in the first pic on the left?

I wonder if they're coming after me next. I named my morning turd "Mohammed" today.

You'll get more than 40 lashes for that.

I want to Thank "God" we live in America, but what has he done for me lately? Prick.

I named my morning turd "Mohammed" today.

I'd do the same, but my turd did nothing to insult me.

Man, I'm sure as hell glad my mom never whooped my ass as a kid for insulting the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause.

Apparently protesters are demanding her head today. It's a long ride from the jail to the airport...

I think rather than the "Consequences of Blasphemy", this thread should be called "The Consequences of Thinking Religion Can Be Lived With"

I think rather than the "Consequences of Blasphemy", this thread should be called "The Consequences of Thinking Religion Can Be Lived With"

Did a man dressed as Jesus rape you as a kid?

That's funny. You been saving that one up for awhile?

Did a man dressed as Jesus rape you as a kid?

LOL, hilarious. No, not really. In fact I find it offensive...do you know how many kids are raped by men dressed like Jesus?

Do you mean father's of the catholic church or just actual crazy men that kidnap and rape children?

One and the same to me.

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