GUILTY UK - Fusilier Lee Rigby, 25, brutally murdered, Woolwich, 22 May 2013

[badhorsie]

I was at the London counter-protest. Yes there were scuffles. Please notice that the Daily Fail link shows the same group from several angles. On any other Saturday the same group would most likely be fighting over football. Some of them just look for a kick-up at the first opportunity. I'm just shy of fifty. I was in a wheelchair (with my kids and my lovely Muslim neighbour) and didn't feel threatened at all. I was pleasantly surprised that, even after high-jacking a major tragedy, the EDL and BNP were outnumbered by both us and the alternative political march against the badger cull. Sorry to disappoint those who are awaiting a race war in the UK, but the racists hijacking our country's good name for their own ends still can't rustle up the numbers that the National Front could turn out in the late 70's. I was just a teenage protester then, but I'll protest these racist hate-mongers with my last breath.

I was there too on the late 70s. Remember Rock against Racism?

 

[Enola]

I was there too on the late 70s. Remember Rock against Racism?

Oh yes Have to say I preferred the music from Rock against Racism to the music of the revamped 'Love Music Hate Racism' collective of the last decade. Probably a sign of my age :lol:

 

[zwiebel]

The trial of these two has begun today. The court has heard of the 'barbarous, callous and cowardly attack'. It has also heard of the extreme bravery of passers by. Mostly women, they faced up to the machete-armed killers with just their bodies and their words. One woman knelt by the victim and stroked his head, another hurried children away, so they wouldn't see.

I think the men charged were probably very, very lucky that news hadn't had time to spread to the Woolwich barracks before the police arrived.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/29/woolwich-murder-trial-lee-rigby

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-cowardly-and-callous-attack-in-Woolwich.html

They entered a plea of not guilty in September
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-N...-killing-plead-not-guilty/UPI-17241380294090/

 

[zwiebel]

Someone has already been jailed over a revenge attack.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/11/28/grimsby-mosque-fire-bomb-rigby-woolwich_n_4356474.html

It mentions the defacement of a WAR MEMORIAL.

So we have two people killing an unarmed soldier on a busy street because of a battle that's going on in their own, twisted minds, and somebody else thinking defacing a war memorial is somehow supporting the death of a soldier.......it's mind numbing.

 

[zwiebel]

Lee Rigby: 'A gentle soul. A loving father'

http://news.sky.com/story/1114865/lee-rigbys-funeral-soldier-a-gentle-soul

 

[Tulessa]

I'm glad I live in a country where my kids go out to the cinema, or school, and don't get shot by a nut who owns a weapon.

See how that sweeping generalisation thing works?

Having lost two family members to a brutal slaying, I will stay on my own soil, and continue to feel protected by owning a weapon for protection. Oh and I DO sweep dust bunnies.

 

[Tulessa]

Oh yes Have to say I preferred the music from Rock against Racism to the music of the revamped 'Love Music Hate Racism' collective of the last decade. Probably a sign of my age :lol:

Scoot over granny! I'm right there with ya! :blushing: :loveyou:

 

[zwiebel]

First day of trial of the accused today. Graphic video shown, causing gasps from jury and Lee's mother and wife to leave the court in tears.

Two suspects say they carried out the attack because of what British 'soldiers are doing in our lands', although both suspects were born in London?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-decapitated-Woolwich-attack-court-hears.html

 

[zwiebel]

The friend of those on trial, Abu Nusaybah, was charged with three terrorist offences (unrelatedto the machete attack) after his May newsnight interview and was due to stand trial Nov 25th. I can't find any reports about it though.

here's a link to an old article about his arrest.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-on-newsnight-has-trial-date-set-8678949.html

 

[Cherry]

http://news.sky.com/templates/watch-live

Live hearing / audio feed to reporter now.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Adebowale told a pen pal he converted to Islam after listening to cleric Sheikh Khalid Yasin’s lectures which he said taught him “the purpose of life”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/lee-rigby-killer-michael-adebowale-2971873#ixzz2p60wn2M5

 

[Lulu67]

I know I'm very late to this, though I remember it quite clearly.

I am a Muslim (converted in 2004), and these killings are forbidden in Islam. This is the work of INSANE people.

They can say it's "for Islam" or yell "Allahu Akbar!" as much as they'd like, just like these shooters here in the USA can claim they heard voices, or their OCD/bi-polar medications made they do it, but the bottom line is that NO ONE in their right mind would commit such heinous acts.

Right now we're involved in countries with majority Muslim populations, and I think (as someone else mentioned), the media plays a HUGE part in labeling these things as "jihad" or "Islamic extremism" when if you do the math, the number of Muslims vs the number of these attacks is so vastly different, if all Muslims were "supposed to attack non Muslims" then there would be so much carnage and chaos it would be ridiculous. When you reduce the people of those Muslim majority countries we occupy or are at war with to "terrorists" and make sure to not allow them to seem like a fellow human, you can further your agenda in their land without too much outcry from back home (and my home is the USA).

I see far more reports about random murders - awful, awful things - by people who are white, and not Muslim. I'm just saying.....we should be very careful about putting a label on an entire group and lessening them to "the other" instead of seeing it as individuals making their own choices to do heinous crimes.

 

[Lulu67]

Adebowale told a pen pal he converted to Islam after listening to cleric Sheikh Khalid Yasin’s lectures which he said taught him “the purpose of life”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/lee-rigby-killer-michael-adebowale-2971873#ixzz2p60wn2M5

I'm sorry, but a LOT of people have heard Khalid Yasin speak or have listened to his lectures, and they aren't running out into the streets with meat cleavers to kill people.

Remember in the 90's when parents tried to sue Ozzy Ozbourne and other rockers for "inciting their kids to commit suicide"? Andrea Yates hearing voices and drowned her kids? Sometimes the most innocuous thing can cause one to snap.

 

[LambChop]

I'm sorry, but a LOT of people have heard Khalid Yasin speak or have listened to his lectures, and they aren't running out into the streets with meat cleavers to kill people.

Remember in the 90's when parents tried to sue Ozzy Ozbourne and other rockers for "inciting their kids to commit suicide"? Andrea Yates hearing voices and drowned her kids? Sometimes the most innocuous thing can cause one to snap.

There are extremist in every walk of life who use whatever they feel justified in using as an excuse. Most of what they do makes no sense except that they get to express their anger in a violent way. Violence solves nothing. Talking usually doesn't either but at least talking about your cause may get you some healthy responses. jmo

 

[zwiebel]

The sentencing of Lee's killers has been delayed because of concerns by the European Court (EU) of Human Rights in Strasbourg that 'Whole life Tariffs' (introduced when England banned the death penalty) breach the human rights of offenders.

The Court of Appeal in London has just announced they don't agree. Actually, they've said the EU is plain wrong. So now the judge in the case of Lee's killers is free to pass life sentences without the possibility of parole. He had delayed until today because of the dispute, and I imagine he may be sentencing this afternoon or tomorrow morning.

http://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/feb/18/whole-life-sentences-verdict-due

*Notes about the dispute
EU court says life with no possibility of parole is inhumane and breaches prisoner's human rights in that it deprives them of all hope of release. Others say it also makes prison management difficult, with prisoners with 'nothing to lose' etc.

England's Lord Chief Justice Thomas says the EU court is wrong. He said today judges should continue to pass whole life tariffs in the case of heinous murders.
He says the compassionate parole a minister can grant these offenders in rare and exceptional circumstances is enough. It safeguards their rights.

This means two other prisoners who brought this appeal against their whole life sentences will also never see the light of day. I heard their names but not sure if I spelt them right. One's a double murderer. I'm guessing they both committed horrible murders. They are:
McLoughlin
Douglas Vinter

Correction. McLoughlin had already served two sentences for murder before committing his third on the FIRST day of his release after serving 21 years!

 

[zwiebel]

Just linking the other thread here as I made a post about the sentencing of Lee's killers. It's been complicated and delayed but I believe life without parole will be announced for them both today/tomorrow.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210039&highlight=machete&page=4

(pls note, I'm not psychic. Judge already said he wants to give that sentence but he was stopped. See other thread).

 

[zwiebel]

Ugh! And bodybuilder Douglas Vinter stabbed his wife to death while on licence for killing a man.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e--murderer-freed-prison-stab-wife-death.html

I'm really not sure these two have any right to expect to be given a chance to join society again, myself.

 

[zwiebel]

'Killers of Lee Rigby set to be handed full life sentences'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...life-terms-judges-dismiss-killers-appeal.html

Adebolajo sought leave to appeal the verdict in January, but judges will have to decide if they'll allow that first.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25961430

Poor Lee's family must have been worried sick these past months, that his killers would be allowed to walk free from jail one day.

 

[zwiebel]

The sentencing of Lee's killers won't happen until next week now.

Thinking of his loved ones - this must be agony for them.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-who-will-be-sentenced-next-week-9136721.html

 

[zwiebel]

Sentenced at last!

Adebolajo got life without parole - a whole-life term. Adebowale got a minimum of 45 years.

Neither was present in court, there was a scuffle apparently and one had to be pinned to the ground. I have to say, I'm glad these two are unlikely to be free to walk the streets again.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-26357007

I hope Lee's family can now grieve in peace and begin to recover from this drawn-out ordeal.