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Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > UK coach probably murdered by Tablighi Jamaat players angered he told them to curtail prayer time -fled Pakistan after fatwa

UK coach probably murdered by Tablighi Jamaat players angered he told them to curtail prayer time -fled Pakistan after fatwa

April 30, 2007

MIM: Cricket and fundamentalism are intertwined in the UK. Last year two members of Tablighi Jamaat who were also well known cricket players came ot Florida to help fundraise for Kind Hearts a
"charity" which was closed down because of ties to terrorism. Imran Khan one of the most famous UK cricketers in the UK moved to Pakistan and started a political party (Tehrik e Insaf) which is aligned with the Taliban. Khan incited the Koran flush riots when he appeared on television in Pakistan and waved a copy of Newsweek which included an article by Michael Ishikoff with the false allegation that guards at Guantanamo Bay had flushed a Koran down a toilet resulting in scores of deaths.

See :

Tablighi Jamaat: Jihad's Stealthy Legions - A Trojan Horse for Terror in Americahttp://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1580

Imran Khan: from ladies man to the Taliban -Playboy cricketeer aligns his Tehrik e Insaf party with pro Al Qaeda MMAhttp://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1553

MIM: According to the article below:

Theories surrounding the mystery of his death ranged from potential links to match fixing allegations to a fan with a grudge.

Panorama examined whether religious beliefs could have a bearing on the case.

The team's former media manager, PJ Mir, said that Woolmer agreed with Mir's view.

This was that senior members of the squad, some members of the strict Muslim movement Tablighi Jamaat, were more focused on religion than cricket.

Mir told the programme: "I mean Bob had his reservations that the boys, rather than focusing on the religious aspect they ought to be focusing more on cricket.

"He wasn't particularly pleased when players were going out to say their prayers in the middle of the game .. and a substitute was coming in. This continued. He was totally against it."

Mir told the programme that a Fatwah has been issued against him, forcing him to flee the country - and believes Woolmer might have faced a similar level of anger.

He added: "Let's put it this way - if Bob had said what I'd said I think there would have been a Fatwah on him as well -there's no question of that."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23394477-details/Cricket+coach+Woolmer+WAS+poisoned+before+being+strangled/article.do

Cricket coach Woolmer WAS poisoned before being strangled

Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer was poisoned before being strangled, apparently rendering him unable to fight back, a BBC programme says today.

Preliminary tests revealed a drug in Woolmer's system that would have incapacitated him, according to Panorama.

Programme makers said it now seems certain that as 6ft 2ins tall Woolmer was being strangled, he had already been rendered helpless, explaining how he could have been overpowered.

The final results of the toxicology tests are due to be handed back to Jamaican police next week, but are expected to confirm the preliminary findings, the investigative programme said.

The 58-year-old was found unconscious in the Pakistan team's hotel in March, a day after his side lost to Ireland in a humiliating defeat which knocked them out of the World Cup.

Details of the poison could hold a significant clue to finding his killer.

The BBC1 show said investigating officer Mark Shields felt it would be difficult to strangle a man of Woolmer's size.

He told the BBC: "It's difficult and it's rare. A lot of force would be needed to do that.

"Bob Woolmer was a large man and that's why one could argue that it was an extremely strong person, or maybe more than one person, but equally the lack of external injuries suggests that there might be some other factors and that's what we're looking into at the moment."

Shields, the chief investigator in the murder, said last week that the "huge and complex" inquiry needed more time before naming any suspects.

The officer took the programme's reporter Adam Parsons to the 12th floor of the hotel.

Panorama will report "previously unknown" details about the crime scene.

A suspected heart attack was the first suggested cause of death but initial post-mortem results were inconclusive and the rumour mill went into overdrive.

Theories surrounding the mystery of his death ranged from potential links to match fixing allegations to a fan with a grudge.

Panorama examined whether religious beliefs could have a bearing on the case.

The team's former media manager, PJ Mir, said that Woolmer agreed with Mir's view.

This was that senior members of the squad, some members of the strict Muslim movement Tablighi Jamaat, were more focused on religion than cricket.

Mir told the programme: "I mean Bob had his reservations that the boys, rather than focusing on the religious aspect they ought to be focusing more on cricket.

"He wasn't particularly pleased when players were going out to say their prayers in the middle of the game .. and a substitute was coming in. This continued. He was totally against it."

Mir told the programme that a Fatwah has been issued against him, forcing him to flee the country - and believes Woolmer might have faced a similar level of anger.

He added: "Let's put it this way - if Bob had said what I'd said I think there would have been a Fatwah on him as well -there's no question of that."

After the team's World Cup defeat by rank outsiders Ireland, a rumour circulated that a huge row erupted on the bus back to the hotel.

But Panorama said bus driver Bertram Carr claimed there was no row - and indeed very little communication at all.

Woolmer's wife, Gill, told programme makers she wanted answers.

She said: "Well just that we find out who, what and when and why. That would put my mind at rest."

Panorama will also broadcast final images of Woolmer taken before he died - CCTV footage from the Pegasus hotel as he headed back to his room on the 12th floor.

His remains have reportedly been returned to his home in South Africa for a private funeral.

--------------------

Radicals 'Killed Woolmer'

Rebecca Camber London May 1, 2007

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21650836-5006301,00.html#

PAKISTAN'S murdered cricket coach Bob Woolmer may have been murdered after angering radical Muslims, a BBC investigation has alleged.

The claims come as preliminary toxicology tests confirm Woolmer was rendered helpless with a powerful poison before being strangled.

According to British program Panorama , preliminary drug tests revealed a substance in Woolmer's body that would have weakened him. The show also suggests some players followed extremist Muslim movement Tablighi Jamaat.

Woolmer, 58, was found dead in his Kingston hotel room on March 18, the day after Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup in an upset loss to minnows Ireland.

According to the team's former media manager, PJ Mir, Woolmer shared his view that senior members of the squad were more interested in praying than playing. Mr Mir claims it was this preoccupation with religion that explained their poor performance in the contest.

"(Bob) wasn't particularly pleased when players were going out to say their prayers in the middle of the game and a substitute was coming in," he said.

Mr Mir's comments led to a fatwa being issued against him and he fled Pakistan. He believes Woolmer may have faced the same fate. The officer leading the investigation, Jamaican Deputy Police Commissioner Mark Shields, said it would have been difficult to strangle a man the size of Woolmer, who stood 1.88m tall.

"Bob Woolmer was a large man and that's why one could argue that it was an extremely strong person, or maybe more than one person, but equally the lack of external injuries suggests that there might be some other factors and that's what we're looking into at the moment," he said. Though the final results of toxicology tests are not expected until next week, they are likely to confirm the preliminary findings, according to Panorama.

Woolmer's death led to a fevered round of speculation as to the motive for the murder.

The most common theory is that his killing was linked to match-fixing and illegal betting in cricket.

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