Italian author to be tried for defaming Islam

Jerusalem Post reported Italian author and veteran journalist Oriana Fallaci goes on trial Monday, charged with defaming Islam in a 2004 book. Fallaci, who lives in New York, was not expected to attend the hearing in Bergamo, northern Italy. Muslim activist Adel Smith filed a lawsuit against Fallaci, charging that some passages in her book, "The Strength of Reason," were offensive to Islam. Smith's lawyer cited a phrase from the book that refers to Islam as "a pool ... that never purifies."

Is this a civil trial, or a criminal one. Having a Muslim activist "filing a lawsuit" sounds like a civil trial, but "author to be tried" sounds like a criminal trial. In either event, what happened to free speech?

Fallaci told The Associated Press last year that "I have expressed my opinion through the written word through my books, that is all."

Michelle Malkin blogged This lioness has taught me much. Opened my eyes. Talk about speaking truth to power. Her trial in Italy for insulting Islam--for insulting Islam--commenced in Italy today. Where are the free-speech champions? The feminists? The human rights brigade? Come out, come out, wherever you are.

Robert Spencer blogged As one Muslim leader told the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Izmir, Turkey, Giuseppe Bernardini: “Thanks to your democratic laws, we will invade you. Thanks to our religious laws, we will dominate you.”