Related
Translate
Previous entry: Death row inmate stirs spiritual debate
Next entry: Pope acts on Little Pebble priest
Get RNB via RSS
 |
RNB's RSS feed What is this? |
Get RNB via Email
 |
 Subscribe by Email What is this? |
Follow: Twitter
Most Popular
This Week:
- Guyana’s Jonestown suicide site gets plaque
- Scientology practices ‘putting people at risk’
- Recession: Muslim schools in UK under threat of closure
- Australian senator tells Parliament of widespread criminal conduct within the Church of Scientology
- World’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship, ministry ship Doulos, to stop sailing
- When a child dies, faith is no defense
- Israel Charges Extremist With Attempted Murder Of Messianic Family
- Scientology’s feet held to the fire in Australia: Struggle between a church and the state
- 1-year prison term for man who participated in cyber attack on Church of Scientology Web sites
- Australian police take up complaints about Scientology
Model lifts veil on her faith: ‘I am a Muslim’
More articles on this topic: IslamMichelle Leslie last night broke her silence, declaring: “I am not a fake Muslim.”
In her first interview since being released from a Bali jail, the Australian model said she was deeply hurt by claims that she pretended to be a Muslim to get sympathy from her Indonesian judges.
“I have found that this is the religion for me,” she said.
Leslie is expected to fly into Sydney from Singapore early this morning, where she will be greeted by a storm of protest from the Muslim community.
But the 24-year-old was defiant last night, vowing to continue practising her faith with or without a burka.
“I was a Muslim long before any of this happened. You can be a Muslim regardless of your clothes,” she said.
“If I have offended anyone, I’m sorry.”
Muslim leaders yesterday stepped up their campaign against Leslie, claiming that she used the religion to gain sympathy from the Indonesian legal system over her drug conviction for possessing two ecstasy pills.
“It looks as though she used Islam as a stunt to get a judgment in her favour,” Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Ameer Ali said.
Leslie wore both a burka and hijab during her trial but emerged from jail in a singlet and jeans.
She said yesterday she does not have immediate plans to return to work, but the former Antz Pantz underwear model has already had several offers from some of the country’s top fashion houses.
Debate is raging over whether the convicted drug user should be paid for her story. The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, Damian Bugg, is yet to decide whether a paid interview with media organisations would breach proceeds of crime laws.
What You Can Do From Here
|
Read More Articles On These Topics
Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article
Subscribe
Read Another Article
Previous entry: Death row inmate stirs spiritual debate Next entry: Pope acts on Little Pebble priest
RNB Homepage with latest headlinesFind Related Information
Find Related Books
|
Share This Article
To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:
