Rage Boy: Pretty much what the Kuffar-sphere always took him to be

Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch writes indignantly and probably with some justification that his blog is once again being unfairly represented by the unmoderated comments. The article in question is "The surprising truth about Rage Boy, America's hated poster-boy of Islamic radicalism" from the Daily Mail. Amusingly, the "surprising truth" is that Rage Boy (real name "Shakeel Ahmad Bhat") is not some fearful, hate-worthy, arch-terrorist. That's where the comments from Jihad Watch come in: exhibits for the article's theme that Rage Boy is the object of hate. Actually, contempt and ridicule is more like it. Rage Boy, I would say, is usually represented as a poster boy for the sort of easily-excited moron that gets himself killed rioting at some Danish Embassy in Yemen. It isn't so surprising that Rage Boy might become a figure of pathos if you actually got to know him (I am reminded of the passage in which Alice is introduced to the mutton), but he really does seem worthy of ridicule if you're the hard-hearted sort:

He sometimes watches Al Jazeera English on television and although he cannot comprehend much of what is said, he told me he can work out what is going on from the images on screen and from what his brothers have told him.

If something upsets him, he organises a demonstration.

He seems to be quite an idealist.

He has demonstrated against the Pope's comments about Islam, against the sexual exploitation of Kashmiri girls, against police violence and 'encounter' killings and against the honouring of Rushdie. Why did he object to Rushdie being knighted?

"He has a reputation for Muslim-bashing," he said solemnly. "Why is the London government encouraging someone who does these things?"

To my surprise, Shakeel seemed to have no time for Bin Laden, although he does not believe he was responsible for the 9/11 attacks . . .

Shocking!

"I heard that planes had crashed into the Twin Towers. I thought it was very bad that so many civilians had been killed. But afterwards I was told it was America's own government that had arranged the attack."

How could that have happened? "Money can make wonders."

But why would America have wanted to do such a thing?

"There is a strong lobby in the USA that opposes President Bush. He wanted to attack Afghanistan and Iraq. He had to justify that to his own people." [...]

Here's a passage on RB's romantic prospects:

When the Islamic Rage Boy phenomenon took off and Shakeel had his face reproduced all over the world, the local police got worried and brought him in for questioning.

"They had photocopies from the internet which they showed to me."

They told Shakeel to stop going on demonstrations but he refused.

He says he was brought before one of Srinagar's most senior police officers, who offered him an administrative job in the government, and said he would find him a girl to marry. I believe him – Indian authorities have a habit of trying to rehabilitate militants who are no longer an obvious threat.

"They said they would drop all the cases against me if I quit going to demos." He refused.

I suggested to Shakeel that he must have been tempted by the prospect of a job and a wife – he was unlikely ever to get such a good opportunity again. He looked shy and covered his face with his hands.

"I want to marry a non-Muslim woman and convert her to Islam."

Why? I asked.

In a moment that might have come straight out of the Borat film, he answered in a soft, serious voice: "I have been told that if I can convince a non-Muslim woman to marry me – but not convert her by force – then there will be a place for me in heaven."

I suggested there might be some suitable candidates in Britain. "If the offer comes," Shakeel said, "I am ready to accept it." [...]

Good luck, Rage Boy.

(Photo Credit: Daily Mail)

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Rage Boy, jihad, terror, Kuffar-sphere