DAR AL HARB/ISLAM: CRICKET COACH WOOLMER, VICTIM OF A MOSLEM FATWA CALLING FOR HIS DEATH

Woolmer 'may be fatwa victim'

PAKISTAN'S cricket coach Bob Woolmer may have been murdered after angering radical Muslims, according to a BBC investigation.

The Panorama TV show suggests some players followed the extremist Muslim movement, Tablighi Jamaat.

The claims come as preliminary toxicology tests confirm Woolmer was rendered helpless with a powerful poison before being strangled. According to the team's former media manager, PJ Mir, Woolmer shared his view that members of the squad were more interested in praying than playing.

Mr Mir claims it was this pre-occupation with religion that explained their poor World Cup result.

"Bob had his reservations that the boys, rather than focusing on the religious aspect, they ought to be focusing more on cricket."

"He wasn't particularly pleased when players were going out to say their prayers in the middle of the game and a substitute was coming in. He was totally against it," he said.

After the team was knocked out, Mr Mir's comments led to a fatwa being issued against him forcing him to flee Pakistan. He believes Woolmer may have faced the same fate.

"If Bob had said what I'd had said, I think there would have been a fatwa on him as well," Mr Mir said.


Mark Steyn wrote about this back in March, if you would like to read more, please visit here:

"Creeping Shari'ah, Cricket & the Events in Pakistan"


Pertinent Links:

1) Woolmer 'may be fatwa victim'