Tapes of Imam's Biting Sermon Confiscated http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200308080589.html The Independent (Banjul) NEWS August 8, 2003 Posted to the web August 8, 2003 By Makalo Banjul Reels of audio and videotapes on which Imam Abdoulie Fatty's hair-splitting sermon was recorded last week for the national radio and television have been confiscated, The Independent can reveal. Personnel of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) reportedly blocked the tapes from being broadcasted on GRTS radio and television last week, after some "uncomfortable truths" were uttered by State House's fiery Imam Fatty, who brazenly claimed that President Jammeh undoubtedly erred in his decision over the veil and has consequently incurred God's wrath (see lead story). According to unimpeachable sources the recorded tapes were seized shortly after last week Friday's congregational prayer at State House to prevent them from being played on national radio and television to the hearing of a stupefied public. Sources intimated that the confiscation order had emanated from the president himself through Marcel Tomasi his Director of Press and Public Relations (DPPR) at State House. Sources further indicated that the personnel of the NIA had told the management of the GRTS that President Jammeh had wanted to listen to the sermon, which was conducted in his absence although the national media outfit later realised that the tapes were not to be returned to them. Meanwhile in another development, leaks from GRTS-Television suggest that personnel of the NIA were seen at the TV premises on Tuesday evening after which Imam Fatty arrived to take part in an Islamic programme. Sources claimed that the NIA operatives were there to monitor the Imam's utterances. Earlier reports had also intimated that personnel of the State Guard had confiscated audiotapes whose owners had recorded Imam Fatty's daring sermon for private use. This could not be independently verified. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2003 The Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~