TV talk show host David Letterman threatened on jihadist Web site

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
8/18/2011
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

'We ask Allah to paralyze his tongue and grant the sincere monotheists his neck,' posting reads

While late night TV talk show host David Letterman has left to enjoy a summer vacation - plans for rest and relaxation have been dimmed considerably by calls from a jihadist Web site to end his life. "We ask Allah to paralyze his tongue and grant the sincere monotheists his neck," reads the posting. The members of the Web site have taken issue with a joke his made on his June 5 telecast that they thought was in questionable taste.

The members of a jihadist Web site have taken issue with a joke David Letterman made on his June 5 telecast that they thought was in questionable taste.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - "So al-Qaeda picked a successor to Osama bin Laden and his name is Ilyas Kashmiri," Letterman said during his monologue. "Well, guess what? He was blown up by an American drone. It wasn't going to work anyway because they got off to a rocky start with this guy ... He botched up the story of Paul Revere." Letterman then made a slashing gesture across his throat.

Kashmiri was killed June 3 during a U.S. military strike in Pakistan.

In a threat posted on the Shumukh al-Islam web forum, followers were asked to "cut the tongue of the lowly Jew and shut it forever." Letterman, for the record is a Protestant.

"He showed his evil nature and deep hatred for Islam and Muslims, and said that Ilyas Kashmiri was killed and he joined bin Laden," a poster identified as Umar al-Basrawi on the Web site. "We ask Allah to paralyze his tongue and grant the sincere monotheists his neck.

"He said that Kashmiri was killed in an airstrike in Pakistan ... then, he showed his evil nature and deep hatred for Islam and Muslims, and said that Ilyas Kashmiri was killed and he joined bin Laden. Then the despicable one put his hand on his neck and demonstrated the way of slaughter!!" wrote al-Basrawi.

"Is there not among you a Sayyid Nosair al-Mairi ... to cut the tongue of this lowly Jew and shut it forever?" read the message. Al-Mairi killed Jewish Defense League founder Meir Kahane in 1990.

The FBI is reportedly investigating the threat and Letterman has been informed of the posting.

"The concern is that there is someone who will read it, agree with it and say, 'I want to be the Sayyid Nosair of 2011 and kill David Letterman,'" Adam Raisman, an analyst for Site Monitoring Service says.

Letterman has received such threats before in the past. In 2009, the talk show host was the target of a $2 million extortion attempt by a CBS News producer, who threatened to expose the host's sexual relationships with members of his staff.

In 2005, a former painter at Letterman's ranch in Montana was jailed for plotting to kidnap Letterman's nanny and son.

� 2011, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: David Letterman, jihadist, web site, terrorist threats, Web site

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1 - 1 of 1 Comments

sallyharrison
1 year ago
Dave should book Salman Rushdie on the show immediately. http://bit.ly/pkTpVT

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