February 13, 2012
PETALING JAYA, Feb 13 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein denied a court order was obtained to stop the authorities from sending back Saudi Arabian blogger Hamza Kashgari home.
The home minister also suggested that any such claims were made up.
Kashgari was deported back to Riyadh yesterday by Malaysia after allegations of insulting Prophet Mohammad on micro-blogging site Twitter. He was taken into custody on arrival in Riyadh last night.
“In the Internet there was a court order... there was no injunction. No court order was given to prevent us from returning him to Saudi.
“If there was a court order, we would abide by it, but there wasn’t, so don’t make up stories,” he told reporters here.
Hishammuddin(picture) said he stood by the decision to deport Kashgari despite widespread criticism from international rights groups.
“I will not compromise. Do not look at Malaysia as a safe transit... do not think you can come in and out of Malaysia,” he said, adding that Malaysia was often seen as a safe haven for terrorists and individuals wanted by foreign authorities.
“He is a foreign national, he is wanted by his own country of origin,” added the home minister.
Saudi Arabia’s English daily Arab News cited informed sources as saying Kashagri, who fled to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, will face charges of blasphemy, a crime punishable by execution under Saudi Arabia’s strict interpretation of Islamic syariah law. It is not a capital crime in Malaysia.
“Allegations that he would be executed, abused, do not make sense. The country being accused is a dignified country. These are serious allegations against Saudi Arabia,” Hishammuddin said.
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