




From what I read, the other fellow told Salameh how to put it together
over the phone.  The bomb was supposedly some sort of sophisticated
type, so to put a (I assume complicated) sophisticated bomb together
from instructions _over the phone_ (!) one must need some brains I would
expect.



I read this in an article in "The Australian Muslim Times", the
newspaper (weekly) of the Australian Muslim community.  

If this is true, perhaps one of the Muslims based in North America (if
they see this posting) can elaborate.






I don't deny this fact.

The thrust of my argument here is that 

(a) Salameh is, according to US law, innocent as he has not been found
guilty in a court of law.  As his guilt has not been established, it is
wrong for people to make postings based on this assumption.

(b) Islam teaches us _not_ to harm innocents.  If Muslims -- who perhaps
have not realized that Islam teaches this -- perform such actions, it is
_not_ _because_ of the teachings of Islam, but rather _in spite of_ and
_in contradiction to_ the  teachings of Islam.  This is an important 
distinction.

I should clarify what Muslims usually mean when they say "Muslim".  In
general, anyone who calls themselves a "Muslim" and does not do or 
outwardly profess
something in clear contradiction with the essential teachings of Islam
is considered to be a Muslim.  Thus, one who might do things contrary to
Islam (through ignorance, for example) does not suddenly _not_ become a
Muslim.  If one knowingly transgresses Islamic teachings and essential
principles, though, then one does leave Islam.

The term "Muslim" is to be contrasted with "Mu'min", which means "true
believer".  However, whether a Muslim is in reality a Mu'min is
something known only by God (and perhaps that person himself).  So you
will not find the term Mu'min used very much by Muslims in alt.atheism,
because it is not known to anybody (except myself and God), whether I,
for example, am a "true believer" or not.  For example, I could just be
putting on a show here, and in reality believe something opposite to
what I write here, without anyone knowing.  Thus, when we say "Muslims"
we mean all those who outwardly profess to follow Islam, whether in
practice they might, in ignorance, transgress Islamic teachings.  By
"Muslim" we do not necessarily mean "Mu'min", or "true believer" in
Islam.