Voodoo Ceremony Leads To Death by Flames

Candles ringing a bed in a voodoo ceremony that included sex ignited sheets and clothing strewn nearby and caused a fatal apartment fire last weekend, a city official said Friday.

The blaze started around 6:40 p.m. Sunday, when a woman visited a fourth-floor apartment in Brooklyn and paid a man $300 to perform a mystical ceremony that would bring her good luck, according to fire marshals with the Fire Department of New York.

The man was known in the neighborhood as a priest, and the two were either having sex, or had sex when the fire started from the candles on the floor, though it's not clear if it was part of the ceremony, said the official, who had direct knowledge of the case but spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

Instead of calling 911, the man first tried to put out the fire himself using water from a bathroom sink. As smoke began to gather, one of the other apartment occupants opened a window and propped the hall door open in an attempt to dissipate the plume. But instead, wind gusts shot the flames back inside, creating "a blowtorch effect" that pushed the fire into the hallway, the FDNY said.

The occupants fled as the flames spread. Several 911 calls were made, but it's not clear if the man also phoned. The blaze engulfed the fourth, fifth and sixth floors, causing the floor and part of the roof to collapse. It took nearly 200 firefighters about seven hours to bring the five-alarm blaze under control.

One resident, 64-year-old Mary Feagin, was found dead. Her cause of death has not yet been determined and was pending further study, the medical examiner's office said Friday. Eleven residents and 20 firefighters were injured, and nearly 50 families were left without a home. See Chick's EVIL EYES.

Charlie Sheen Evokes Vatican Assassins

Just before having his sitcom pulled from production, drinking/ drug user Charilie Sheen claimed he works with Vatican assassins. In a radio interview, he said, "There's a new sheriff in town. And he has an army of assassins."

"Guys, it's right there in the thing, duh! We work for the Pope, we murder people. We're Vatican assassins. How complicated can it be? What they're not ready for is guys like you and I and Nails and all the other gnarly gnarlingtons in my life, that we are high priests, Vatican assassin warlocks. Boom. Print that, people. See where that goes."

Perhaps Sheen, (from Roman Catholic roots) was referring to something he read in a Chick tract-- or perhaps he was high and was revealing a dark secret he's supposed to keep under wraps. Haw-haw-haw! It is interesting to note that he was relieved of his show duties, not after numerous arrests and rehab situations, but almost immediately after mentioning vatican assassins... See Chick's KISS THE PROTESTANTS GOOD-BYE!

Obama Shirks His Executive Duty to Enforce DOMA

In a decision described as "shocking" and "breathtaking," the Obama administration announced this afternoon that the Justice Department will no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The highly unusual move hands gay rights advocates a major victory they have worked years to secure--but is also certain to provoke intense controversy and trigger a heated political battle with Congressional Republicans, who support the law and have refused to repeal it.

The Justice Department is tasked with defending laws passed by Congress--even those laws the sitting President may not like or have supported. Only a few times in history has a President decided his Justice Department will not defend an existing federal law. In those rare circumstances, the House of Representatives can step in and have its lawyers defend the law in court.

President Obama decided the Justice Department no longer would defend DOMA after concluding the law was unconstitutional, administration officials said. Attorney General Eric Holder notified House Speaker John Boehner of the President's decision in a letter today, explaining that the administration believed the law violated equal protection principles, because it treats gays and lesbians differently than heterosexual couples. The government, he said, has no compelling reason for doing that.

"This is a rare case where the proper course is to forgo the defense of this statute," Holder said in the letter.

Ironically, while some may can make hypothetical arguments about whether or not DOMA is constitutional, no one is debating that it is unconstitutional for a President to pick and choose which laws he intents to enforce. It is his express constitutional duty as the head of the executive branch to enforce ALL the laws. That is job he swore to do with his oath of office.

Obama's new decision represents an about-face for the administration, which for two years had defended the statute against legal challenges by same-sex married couples. Obama himself said he was opposed to gay marriage when he was campaigning, although many critics said he was saying that to fool voters into thinking he was a moderate.

Senator Scott Brown stated the obvious reaction to Obama's announcement to ignore the lawl: "We can't have presidents deciding what laws are constitutional and what laws are not. That is a function of the judicial branch, not the executive.''

Maggie Gallagher, chairman of the National Organization of Marriage, called the decision a "truly shocking extra-constitutional power grab" and a "defection of duty" by the President. But she also said the administration had not been forcefully defending the law in court for some time.

"The good news is this now clears the way for the House to intervene and to get lawyers in the court room who actually want to defend the law, and not please their powerful political special interests," Gallagher said.

DOMA was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in 1996, and has withstood court challenges--all of which makes Obama's decision even more extraordinary. He is now opening defying the laws in which he swore to uphold, and the job he is paid to do. What is really amazing, however, is so little Media outrage for publicly announcing he will not enforce certain laws, based on his own opinion. If President Bush, for example, had refused to defend Abortion clinics because he disagreed with abortions, the media would have called for his impeachment. It's a stunning revelation about how the administration treats the law, and how the media treats the administration. See Chick's SIN CITY.

Policeman Sues Over Transfer For Dodging Islamic Event

A Tulsa police captain has filed a federal lawsuit claiming his civil rights were violated after he was reassigned and placed under investigation for refusing to order officers to attend a voluntary social event at a mosque.

Capt. Paul Fields claims he was ordered to assign police officers to attend a law enforcement appreciation day at the Islamic Society of Tulsa. Fields refused that order because he said it violated his religious beliefs.

“When you become a police officer you don’t give up any of your constitutional rights,” said Scott Wood, a Tulsa attorney representing Fields. He called it a case of political correctness gone too far.

The lawsuit names Deputy Chief Daryl Webster as the lone defendant – accusing him of retaliating against Fields for exercising his First Amendment rights. Fields is asking for one dollar in nominal damages, along with attorneys fees.

The police department would not comment on the lawsuit. However, Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan told Fox23-TV the mosque event was about community relations – not religion. (However it did feature Islamic prayers.)

“I would never assign a police officer to participate in a religious service,” he said. “This is about a group who bonded together because of their religion. We are not going there because they are Islamic. We are going there because they are Tulsa citizens.”
Fields has been on the police force for 16 years and has at least six commendations. Wood says Fields has had a “stellar career” without any disciplinary actions.

In essence, Wood said Fields was retaliated against for not voluntarily attending a mosque. It’s a case of political correctness, he said.

“That’s definitely what it is,” Wood said. “But political correctness has nothing to do with the First Amendment.”

The events leading to the lawsuit started last week when members of the Tulsa Police Department were invited to attend a “Law Enforcement Appreciation Day” at the Islamic Center of Tulsa. It was advertised as a social gathering featuring food, an opportunity to watch a Muslim prayer service, and an invitation to join lectures on beliefs, human rights and women.

According to Wood, no one responded to the invitations and no one volunteered. The following day, Fields received a directive ordering him to find officers to attend.

Wood said to their knowledge Tulsa police officers have never been ordered to attend non-police related events at synagogues or Christian houses of worship.

The controversy has sparked national interest among Muslims. Ibrahim Hooper, the spokesman for the Council on America-Islamic Relations said he was following the incident and said it’s an example of “anti-Muslim bigotry.”

But Scott emphatically denied CAIR’s accusations. “Captain Fields would lay down his life for anyone in that mosque if the need arose regardless of their color, creed or their background,” Wood said. “The purported reason for this law enforcement appreciation day was because of the department’s performance in catching someone who had made threats against the mosque. You can’t have it both ways. ‘You did a great job protecting us, but you’re a bigot?’” See Chick's THE TRIAL.

Muslim Student Planned Bombing Spree In US

A college student from Saudi Arabia studying chemical engineering in Texas has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly planning a terrorist attack on U.S. targets using explosive chemicals.

Khalid Aldawsari, who is legally in the U.S. on a student visa, allegedly targeted the Dallas home of former President George W. Bush. He was arrested late Tuesday on a federal charge of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.

“Yesterday’s arrest demonstrates the need for and the importance of vigilance and the willingness of private individuals and companies to ask questions and contact the authorities when confronted with suspicious activities,” said James T. Jacks, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Aldawsari, 20, entered the U.S. in October 2008 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to study at Texas Tech University, then transferred earlier this year to nearby South Plains College.

Federal prosecutors say Aldawsari had been researching online how to construct an improvised explosive device using several chemicals as ingredients. Authorities say Aldawsari's diary indicated the young man had been plotting an attack for years and obtained a scholarship so he could come directly to the United State to carry out jihad.

"After mastering the English language, learning how to build explosives and continuous planning to target the infidel Americans, it is time for jihad," the student wrote in his journal, according to court documents.

In e-mails Aldawsari apparently sent himself, he listed the names of 12 reservoir dams in Colorado and California. He also wrote an e-mail that mentioned "Tyrant's House" with the address of President Bush's home. The FBI's affidavit said he considered using infant dolls to hide explosives and was possibly targeting a nightclub with a backpack filled with explosives.

One of the chemical companies, Carolina Biological Supply of Burlington, N.C., reported suspicious purchases by the student to the FBI on Feb. 1. Within weeks, federal agents had traced his other online purchases, discovered extremist posts he made on the Internet and secretly searched his apartment, computer and e-mail accounts and read his diary, according to court records.

The FBI said the North Carolina company reported the attempts to purchase phenol, a chemical that can be used to make the explosive trinitrophenol, also known as TNP, or picric acid. Aldawsari falsely told the supplier he was associated with a university and wanted the phenol for "off-campus, personal research," according to court records. But frustrated by questions, Aldawsari canceled his order and later e-mailed himself instructions for producing phenol. Prosecutors said that in December 2010, he successfully purchased concentrated nitric and sulfuric acids that are combined to make TNP.

Aldawsari is expected to appear in federal court in Lubbock on Friday morning. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. See Chick's MEN OF PEACE?

Muslim Cleric Plans Protest In Front Of White House

A Muslim cleric who called Americans “the biggest criminals” during a recent interview has announced he will hold a protest outside the White House, according to the Daily Mail.

Anjem Choudary, who once said “the flag of Islam will fly over the White House,” says he will lead a demonstration rallying Muslims to establish Sharia law across the United States.

Choudary, 43, called Americans “the biggest criminals in the world today” during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity this month.

Choudary, who is the former leader of the outlawed British-based group Islam4UK, says the March rally at the White House is being organized by the extremist group Islamic Thinkers Society, which is based in New York.

“The event is a rally, a call for the Sharia, a call for the Muslims to rise up and establish the Islamic state in America,” Choudary told London’s Daily Mail in an interview. See Chick's MEN OF PEACE?

Wrestler Wrestles with Opposite Sex Smack Down

DES MOINES, Iowa -After a standout season in which he went 35-4, Joel Northrup had every reason to dream of winning an Iowa wrestling championship this year, but he gave it all up before his first state tournament match Thursday.

Northrup, a home-schooled sophomore who competes for Linn-Mar High School, said his religious beliefs wouldn't allow him to wrestle Cassy Herkelman, a pony-tailed freshman from Cedar Falls who is one of the first two girls to qualify for the tournament in its 85-year history.

Northrup issued a statement through his school expressing his "tremendous" respect for what Herkelman and Ottumwa sophomore Megan Black achieved this season, but he said didn't feel he had a choice.

"Wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times," Northrup said in a statement released by his high school. "As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa."

His father, Jamie Northrup, told The Associated Press later Thursday that his son struggled with the decision.

"He's poured his heart and soul into wrestling and into being the best in the state," Jamie Northrup said. "He's never won a state championship, so he's certainly looking forward to that day. So it's agonizing, from all the work and the effort and the hope.

"But it's easy in that, he, a long time ago, drew a line and said 'I don't believe it's right for a boy to wrestle a girl.'"

Mormon Music Manager/ Molester Admits Guilt

The Mormon father of Utah's classical piano-playing sibling sensations the 5 Browns has just pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing his daughters when they were children. The 5 Browns patriarch is facing 10 years to life on a sodomy charge and up to 15 years for two counts of sexual abuse. Sentencing is set for March 31, however, in a deal worked out with District Attorney David Sturgill, the sentences are expected to run concurrently.

Court records reveal that Salt Lake City prosecutors filed charges on Feb. 10 against Keith Brown for allegedly sodomizing and sexually abusing three individuals. Although the state withheld the names given the victim's minor status at the times the crimes were committed, Brown's daughters have stepped forward with the gut-churning claims.

Desirae, 32, Deondra, 30, and Melody, 26, issued a joint statement revealing the secret the Mormon family has kept all these years—that their father abused them when they were kids.

"We can confirm that Keith Brown has been charged with sexual abuse involving his daughters," wrote Kimball Thomson, a spokesman for The 5 Browns, in a statement first published by the Salt Lake City Tribune.

An insider close to the family told the newspaper that the sisters decided to go public with the horrifying revelations and are cooperating with authorities after learning that their dad planned to return to managing up-and-coming child musicians. When he heard about the chargers, the father drove his car off a canyon road with his wife, but both survived the 300 foot crash.

See Chick's LISA.

Gypping Gypsies Face Arrest in Romania

The Romanian government has proposed a new bill under which people who practice
witchcraft can be fined or even imprisoned if their predictions do not come
true.

The bill will also mandate witches to keep permits, provide receipts for their
services, and to stay away from schools and churches.

The Senate passed the resolution last week, but it still must be approved by a
financial and labor committee and by the Chamber of Deputies.

Early this year, Romania updated its labor laws and “legalized” witchcraft – a
centuries-old activity in this country -- by making it a taxable profession.

The government said it is part of "drive to crack down on widespread tax evasion
in a country that is in recession."

The recent proposed measured led a coven of irate witches to put poisonous
mandrake root into the Danube in order to place a hex on Romanian officials,

"They can't condemn witches, they should condemn the cards," Queen Witch Bratara
Buzea said as quoted by The Scotsman newspaper. "I will fight until my last
breath for this not to be passed," she stated.

According to media reports, 63-year-old Buzea has once been imprisoned for
witchcraft under the rule of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

More protests by witches are planned against the government.

Romania is deeply immersed in superstition. Reportedly, the president of the
country and his aides wear purple on Thursdays to protect them from evil
spirits.

But some opponents feel the government’s actions are an attempt to divert public
attention away from the country’s dire economic problems. See Chick's THINGS TO COME.

Vatican Nixes iPhone Confession

Catholics cannot confess via iPhone and technology is not a
substitute for being present when admitting sins to a priest, the Vatican
spokesman said on Wednesday.

The statement by Father Federico Lombardi follows the launch of an iPhone
application aimed at helping Catholics through confession sanctioned by the
Catholic Church in the United States.

“One cannot speak in any way of confessing via iPhone,” Lombardi said on
Wednesday, adding that confession required the presence of the penitent and the
priest.

“This cannot be substituted by any IT application,” Lombardi added.

Confession: A Roman Catholic app, thought to be the first to be approved by a
church authority, walks Catholics through the sacrament and contains what the
company behind the program describes as a “personalized examination of
conscience for each user.”

The application is not designed to replace going to confession but to help
Catholics through the act, which generally involves admitting sins to a priest
in a confessional booth.

Some reports on its approval by the Catholic Church in the U.S. suggested
confession would now be possible via iPhone. See Chick's THE MAD MACHINE.

Successful "American" Arab Beheads Wife

An Erie County, N.Y., jury took just over an hour to return a guilty verdict in
the murder trial of Muzzamil Hassan after a two-week trial. Hassan was charged
with murder in the second degree after the beheaded body of his wife, Aasiya
Zubair Hassan, was found Feb. 12, 2009. The body was found in the offices of
Bridges TV, the television station that the couple owned and operated.

Hassan emigrated to the United States in his late teens. He is college educated
and holds an MBA from the Simon School at the University of Rochester. In 2004,
he left a successful career in banking to found a cable television station
dedicated to a greater understanding between the West and the Middle East and
South Asia.

Aasiya Zubair Hassan had left the Hassan house about a week before her death. In
her 21-page court filing for a divorce, she documented the abuse from her
husband. She was issued an order of protection by the court. Zubair was Hassan's
third wife.

As part of his bizarre attempts to manipulate the system, Hassan wrote letters
from his jail cell proclaiming that he was the victim of abuse. He signed his
mother's name. The ruse was easily discovered by the Buffalo News, since the
letters were postmarked in Buffalo, N.Y., and his mother lives in Texas. In
addition, Hassan has a very distinctive handwriting style and the letters
matched writing known to be his.

Hassan acted as his own attorney, adding another unusual aspect to the trial. He
took the stand in his own defense, and claimed he had "blacked out" and did not
recall the events around the murder. Pressed by the prosecution, and shown
photos of the deceased illustrating the 40-plus stab wounds, he could only
respond "things happened." See Chick's MEN OF PEACE.

FBI Investigates Tom Cruise / Scientologists

Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology are reportedly under federal investigation for human trafficking and using unpaid labor, according to the New Yorker (via Huffington Post). The charges surfaced in a profile of Oscar-winning writer-director Paul Haggis ('Crash'), who left Scientology in 2009 after 34 years following a disagreement with church officials.

For the New Yorker profile, entitled 'Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology,' writer Lawrence Wright spoke to the filmmaker, several former church members and two FBI investigators, who allegedly "assured me [Wright] that the case remains open," referring to a 2009 investigation into abuse claims against the church. Reports indicate the abuse charges relate to, in part, paying church members just $50 per week to meet Cruise's demands, which included customizing a building and repairing boats and motorcycles.

In a statement, the church and Cruise denied the allegations and any knowledge of the investigation, and said the New Yorker "irresponsibly" used "discredited" sources to write a misleading article in an effort to attract attention.

The New Yorker article is peppered with claims of physical and mental abuse as well as accusations of financial impropriety against David Miscavige, a close personal friend of Cruise and the head of the church. For his part, Haggis told Wright that he resigned from the church because he disagreed with its stance on same-sex marriage (he believes banning it is discriminatory) and caught church spokesman Tommy Davis lying in a 2008 CNN interview by denying the church had a "disconnection" policy that encourages members to disassociate themselves from friends or family who do not support the church.

According to a former Scientologist interviewed by Wright, members who fail the church in some way are often sent against their will to Rehabilitation Project Force camps, described in the article as "punitive re-education camps." One former member, Bruce Hines, claims to have been confined to the camps, where he was forced to do manual labor and spiritual therapy, for more than six years.

A spokesman for the church told the New Yorker that members entered the camps voluntarily and were free to leave at any time, and AOL News reports that, according to a federal law enforcement source, investigation into the charges had "fallen short" and charges were not expected to be filed.

The claims against Miscavige allege he lives a lavish lifestyle -- including employing two private chefs, flying on chartered jets and owning a collection of expensive cars and custom made shoes -- as the leader of the church, despite federal laws that forbid the heads of tax exempt groups to profit from their organizations.

The New Yorker notes that it was Miscavige, and not Cruise directly, who ordered the workers to perform manual labor for the actor.

This is not the first time Cruise has faced criticism over his involvement with the Church of Scientology. The once-untouchable star endured a major backlash -- one that has haunted his career since -- from the medical community when he defended the church's stance on mental illness and psychiatry during a heated exchange with Matt Lauer on 'Today' in 2005.

John Edward's Mental State Examined

The Editor of the paper that exposed John Edwards discusses how the politician was profiled by a mental health expert to determine if he would ever admit his adultery. The answer was "no, not unless forced to." (It reminds one of a similar politician, Bill Clinton, just a decade earlier.) Read the full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-perel/john-edwards-affair_b_816599.html