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Australia: Second wife of ISIS recruiter told she can’t give evidence in court without removing burqa
Common sense. How could anyone even be sure she is who she says she is under that cloth coffin? Why are simple and basic measures like this one so hard for Western countries to adopt? Kudos to Australia and Judge Balla.
(Pictured are women in the niqab, not the burqa. The full burqa is uncommon in the West; the niqab is often referred to as the burqa in Western press reports.)
“Unimpressed judge taking no nonsense over veil incident,” Ten News, December 8, 2016:
The second ‘wife’ of an Islamic State recruiter was told she couldn’t give evidence in court when she refused to remove her burqa, and now she could face criminal charges for not standing for the District Court Judge.
Moutias Elzahed, second ‘wife’ of Hamdi Alqudsi, is suing police over a counter-terror raid on her home in September 2014, but was told by Judge Audrey Balla that not removing her veil was now against the law.
Judge Balla said the offence falls under the new “disrespectful behaviour” laws introduced in response to other radical Muslims who refuse to do the same in NSW courts.
Although the case is ongoing, Ms Elzahed wished to give evidence while concealed but was not allowed to take the stand.
It is understood Ms Elzahed also refused to stand when the judge entered and left the court.
She refused to give evidence unless covered by her burqa or if men were turned away.
Judge Balla has had enough of Ms Elzahed’s attitude toward the court stating that she “noticed on Wednesday and I see again today that the first plaintiff (Ms Elzahed) does not stand when I come on to the bench and when I leave the bench”.
“Is there a reason?” she questioned.
Ms Elzahed’s barrister Clive Evatt said his client could not remove her burqa because it was against her religious beliefs.
“She is a strict Muslim, and according to my instructions she won’t stand for anyone except Allah, which I am not particularly happy with,” he said.
Judge Balla also warned that on each occasion Ms Elzahed refuses to stand in court could be classified as separate offences.
Under the new laws, which came into effect on September 1, those who fail to stand in court face a $1100 fine and up to 14 days behind bars. If charged and found guilty of disrespectful behaviour….
Source: http://pamelageller.com/2016/12/australia-second-wife-isis-recruiter-told-cant-give-evidence-court-without-removing-burqa.html/
