(2002-10-18) — Abu Bakar Bashir, the Islamic cleric suspected of orchestrating the Bali bomb slaughter, said Westerners fail to understand the loving motive behind the bombing.
“It was a proselytizing event,” said Mr. Bashir. “As I told the reporter for the Australian news site The Age, ‘My message to the families [of the dead and injured] is please convert to Islam as soon as possible.’”
Mr. Bashir said the ‘event’ was just like evangelist Billy Graham’s upcoming crusade in Dallas.
“We just have different ways of winning converts,” Mr. Bashir said. “Billy preaches the gospel and invites people to accept Christ as savior. We blow up buildings, slaughter unarmed civilians, and invite the survivors and their families to follow the peaceful ways of Mohammed. It is really culturally-insensitive to suggest that one religion’s methods are better than another. We urge our critics to show more tolerance.”
The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who last week apologized to Muslims who were offended when he called Mohammed ‘a man of violence’, apologized again today after hearing Mr. Bashir’s explanation.
“I’m an advocate of freedom of religion,” said the Rev. Falwell. “Who am I to say that our methods are better than those of these Allah-loving brethren?”

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