U.S. Diplomat Killed in Sudan

Terrorism?

An American diplomat in Sudan was shot and killed early Tuesday as he was coming home from a New Year’s Eve party in Khartoum, the capital.

In Washington, the United States Agency for International Development identified the victim as one of its officials, John Granville, 33, originally of Buffalo, N.Y. American officials said it was “too early to tell” if the shooting was random or planned, but Sudanese officials said the circumstances were suspicious, especially because gun crime is rare in Khartoum, considered one of the safest cities in Africa.

The United Nations had recently warned its staff in Sudan that there was credible evidence that a terrorist cell was in the country and planning to attack foreigners.

According to Western officials, Mr. Granville left a New Year’s Eve party at the British Embassy around 2:30 a.m. and headed to his home in an upscale neighborhood in central Khartoum. Shortly before he arrived, a car pulled up next to him and 17 shots were fired, Sudanese officials said. Mr. Granville’s driver, a Sudanese employee of the American Embassy, was killed instantly, and he was shot in the neck and chest. He was rushed to the hospital and died several hours later. A Sudanese government official said the attack appeared well-planned and involved two gunmen who exited their car together, with one of them shooting Mr. Granville and the other shooting the driver. Walter Braunohler, a spokesman for the American Embassy in Khartoum, said he could not comment on the circumstances because the shooting was under investigation.

Mohammed Teddy Bears

Michelle Malkin is selling Mohammed Teddy Bears. It's a stuffed bear with a tee-shirt that says "Mohammed" pretty simple. I wish I'd thought of it, I could have made some extra cash for Christmas. Maybe you can get one to send to the Sudanese ambassador in protest over the treatment of the English teacher.

Related Posts;
Teacher convicted of inciting religions hatred for naming teddy bear Muhammad
Sudan President Pardons British Teacher

Sudan President Pardons British Teacher

I bet she can't wait to get out of that country:

Sudan's president on Monday agreed to pardon a British teacher jailed after letting her students name a teddy bear Muhammad, and officials said she would be released and would fly back to England later in the day.

Lord Nazir Ahmed and another Muslim representative from Britain's House of Lords, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir Monday at his presidential palace to plead for Gillian Gibbons' pardon.

"The president has told us he has already signed the papers for her pardon," Ahmed told reporters afterward.

Sudanese presidential spokesman Mahzoub Faidul told The Associated Press that Gibbons would "be released today and will fly back to England today."

Teacher convicted of inciting religions hatred for naming teddy bear Muhammad

Pretty unbelievable that you get jail time for allowing children to name a teddy bear Muhammad:

British teacher Gillian Gibbons has been convicted of inciting religious hatred for letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad and sentenced to 15 days in prison and deportation from Sudan, one of her defense lawyers said Thursday.

“The judge found Gillian Gibbons guilty and sentenced her to 15 days jail and deportation,” said Ali Mohammed Hajab, a member of her defense team.

The director of the school employing Gibbons, however, noted that since she had already spent five days in prison, she would serve only 10 days.

“It’s a very fair verdict, she could have had six months and lashes and a fine, and she only got 15 days and deportation,” said Robert Boulos of the Unity High School, adding they would not appeal the decision.

Aren't you so happy that you live in a country where you can sell Muhammad teddy bears on ebay? Evidently, you can't :-)