This time the witches are real

A story out today from the New York Times News Service, under the headline "Brit police arrest Islamic militant" --

"LONDON -- British police have arrested an outspoken advocate of fiery Islamic views, a week after seizing nine people accused of conspiring to kill a British Muslim soldier.

"The arrests brought accusations of a witch hunt against Muslims, but high government officials rejected the idea.

"Arrested yesterday was Abu Izzadeen, 31, a former spokesman for the militant, and now outlawed, Ab Ghurabaa, group ..."

Izzadeen "seized headlines in September," according to the story, "when he confronted Home Secretary John Reid at a meeting in east London. After Reid had suggested that British Muslim parents should watch their children for signs of radicalism, Izzadeen accused him of being 'an enemy of Islam and Muslims.'

"Referring to Izzadeen's arrest, one of his allies, Anjem Choudhury, said, 'The Muslim community are subject to a witch hunt, and I see this as a continuation of that witch hunt by the regime."

This will surely come as a shock to radical Muslims and American liberals, their ideological brethren, but the right to free speech does not extend to yelling fire in a crowded mosque.

Another thing the two share in common -- both become apoplectic when anyone dare suggest they rein in the Lord of the Flies behavior of their spawn.