Imran Khan: terrorists 'wouldn't dare hurt cricketers'

October 11, 2008

PAKISTANI cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan said yesterday the Australian cricket team would have been safe from terrorist attacks if it had gone to Pakistan, as terrorists knew that such an attack would have lost them public sympathy.

More than 1300 people have been killed this year in a string of bombings by insurgents...

Cricket Australia's reluctance on security grounds to send the team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy... caused great resentment in the country...

"They rely on public sympathy, which they have right now because the American war on terror, amongst the masses, is seen to be a war against Islam. So they have their sympathy."

So, despite killing 1300 this year, moderates are still teetering on being sympathetic with terrorists. They are indifferent to the bombings and blood and limbs strewn across the street: "hey, whatever man, that's Islam, that's Pakistan, that's life, it's America's fault, what can you do?". But if they dare bomb cricket, well, the mighty moderate Muslim will rise up and unleash fury. How pathetic. Khan doesn't even suggest a tiny minority of Muslims might be teetering on sympathising with terrorists. Nope, he bluntly admits they have sympathy "amongst the masses".

Moderate Muslims will allow their country to be bombed to smithereens, just don't touch our cricket. That's why a Muslim reformation will never happen. Because moderate Muslims hold "great resentment" for a cancelled cricket tour but no great resentment for terrorists. The only way moderates can overcome extremism is by one word: distance. They have to distance themselves ideologically, culturally, visually, and geographically from the terrorists - polarise the Muslim community with a great resentment for extremists. But how can you do that when Muhammad set such a fine example to follow? You can't.