Dancin' Sheikh to Sheikh?

There is an interesting observation on a critical free speech and libel case at the Chesler Chronicles blog. There the ever-vigilant Phyllis Chesler comments on the case of Dr. Rachel Erenfeld, the Israeli-American scholar who has been sued by Sheik Kahlid Bin Mahfouz, a noted “libel tourist,” for the contents of her recent book Funding Evil: How Terrorism Is Financed--and How to Stop It.

“Thus, Free speech and academic freedom are indeed under siege in the West—not because of western government censorship but because Islamists like Sheikh Khalid Bin Mahfouz either sue authors and publishers or influence intellectual points of view by funding academic Institutes, organizations, and conferences.”

While we have no proof of any connections between the Sheikh and CUNY’s Susan O’Malley, we are struck by the similarities between his efforts to stifle speech aimed at militant Islamists, and her attempt to silence Sharad Karkhanis’s coverage of faculty advocacy for Mohammed Yousry and company.

Might it be that Prof. “Sue” and Bin Mahfouz have been dancing sheikh to sheikh?

Brutus

PS: Thanks to Candace de Russy at Phi Beta Cons for the links.