When I write about Danish citizens who travel to Syria or Iraq to wage jihad in the cause of Allah, I usually refer to them as “Danes”. The quote marks are added as a shorthand reference to their status as culture-enrichers hailing from one of the world’s innumerable bucolic bailiwicks where Islam holds sway.
The news story below, however features both a Dane and a “Dane”. The former is a young Danish man who converted to Islam, was radicalized in one of Denmark’s mosques, and then traveled to Iraq and blew himself up. The latter is his imam, who views the young martyr as “best” in the eyes of Allah.
Many thanks to Henrik Ræder Clausen for translating this report from TV2 Østjylland, and to Vlad Tepes for subtitling it:
Henrik includes these observations with his translation:
The Grimhøj Mosque in Aarhus, Denmark is widely known for its Salafist interpretation of Islam. A remarkable number of its regular worshippers head off to participate in the Syrian war.
In a reaction to the news that a Danish convert to Islam named Victor Christensen staged a suicide attack in Iraq, the mosque’s spokesman Oussama El Saadi told Danish television that this was “an act of heroism” and that doing so was “best with Allah”. He said these things without any sign of remorse or shame. Danish politicians scrambled to find a way to deal with such views.
This imam is leader of a major mosque in Denmark, and would certainly know Islam and its scripture in detail, as well as the relevant possible interpretations.
So when he states that suicide bombings is what is best for Allah, it begs the question:
What if he is RIGHT?
Transcript:
| 00:00 | The mosque located at Grimhøjvej, Aarhus [Denmark] today faced widespread condemnations. [Headline: Praising Shaheed triggers anger] | |
| 00:04 | That came after the leader of the mosque called it “an act of heroism” that a young man from Aarhus | |
| 00:09 | donned a belt of explosives around his waist and went to his death for an Islamic insurgency movement. | |
| 00:14 | And the seal of approval given to young Danes and their lethal journeys to holy wars | |
| 00:19 | now causes politicians from several parties demand action. | |
| 00:23 | – This is deeply offensive to me. – A tragic, tragic situation it is. | |
| 00:27 | – It is a completely absurd mindset to have. | |
| 00:29 | – I consider it absolutely terrible that someone can come up with such nonsense. | |
| 00:33 | These are some of the reactions to the leader of the Grimhøj Mosque Oussama El Saadis and his statements | |
| 00:38 | in which he praises a 21-year-old Dane, who died for the cause of Islam. | |
| 00:41 | It is true that when one dies in this fashion, it is best with Allah. | |
| 00:45 | Last Sunday, TV2 Østjylland was able to reveal the story of the 21-year-old Victor Kristensen from Aarhus. | |
| 00:50 | He started his life as a perfectly normal boy. | |
| 00:53 | But apparently ended it by donning a belt of explosives and detonating it in a suicide attack in Iraq. | |
| 01:00 | According to sources close to Victor, the transformation from a normal Dane to a radicalized Muslim | |
| 01:05 | was in part due to a period attending the mosque at Grimhøjvej, Brabrand [a suburb of Aarhus]. | |
| 01:09 | A period that changed his personality. | |
| 01:13 | He thought of nothing but how he could please Allah, in order to enter Paradise after death. | |
| 01:18 | It was scary. He was completely brainwashed. [- A former friend, as reported by Danish daily BT.] | |
| 01:22 | Last Sunday it was acknowledged that Victor Kristensen used to frequent the mosque, | |
| 01:25 | but that he went to his death for the values he believed in is a positive thing. As phrased by the chairman of the mosque. | |
| 01:31 | Victor had something he believed in, and he died because of it. | |
| 01:36 | And then in our eyes he is a hero, he’s doing a good thing that he believes in, really. | |
| 01:43 | These statements from Oussama El Saadi triggered harsh political criticism, in both the national and local parliaments. | |
| 01:49 | I think he is agitating in the wrong world; he should move back to where he comes from, where they have those sorts of ideas. | |
| 01:54 | This is as far as possible from a Danish mindset. | |
| 01:56 | This shows a perfect lack of understanding of our democratic society here in Denmark. | |
| 02:02 | I am truly offended by that statement. | |
| 02:04 | Politicians are now demanding that something must be done. But the proposed solutions are very different. | |
| 02:10 | This is partly about a public rejection of the persons participating in the environment around the mosque, | |
| 02:15 | and partly about a dedicated effort by the police and social authorities. | |
| 02:20 | This is beyond doubt a matter that needs handling by the authorities, | |
| 02:23 | keeping a close eye on what really takes place in these mosques, | |
| 02:25 | and then one has to intervene when something takes place that should not. | |
| 02:28 | Close the Grimhøj Mosque, it can’t happen too fast. | |
| 02:30 | In a comment tonight, Oussama El Saadi confirms that he stands by his words, | |
| 02:36 | but adds that the mosque does not want young men to travel abroad in order to participate in wars. | |
| 02:41 | And he claims that the mosque seeks to prevent such journeys. |
For a complete listing of previous enrichment news, see The Cultural Enrichment Archives.