Fathima Rifqa Bary


Runaway Cites Fear of Father over Leaving Islam
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Police doubt city man a threat to teenage Christian convert

A Northeast Side 17-year-old who ran away, saying that her father would kill her for leaving Islam, is in state custody in Florida.

But Sgt. Jerry Cupp of the missing-persons unit of the Columbus police special-victims bureau, disputes Fathima Rifqa Bary's allegation. He said her father, Mohamed Bary, appears to be a loving parent who knew about her conversion to Christianity months ago.

The New Albany High School cheerleader, who goes by Rifqa, disappeared on July 19, prompting fears that she had been abducted, Cupp said.

Authorities soon found that she was staying with a married couple who pastor a church in Orlando.

"She was petrified that her dad would kill her," said the Rev. Beverly Lorenz, who leads Global Revolution Church in Orlando along with her husband, the Rev. Blake Lorenz.

Mrs. Lorenz met the girl through a Facebook prayer group. Lorenz barely knew the girl, she said, but took her in when she called from a borrowed cell phone in Florida. >>> Meredith Heagney | Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Read the story at Pamela Geller’s website, Atlas Shrugs >>> | Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Hat tip: Robert Spencer

Schwarzenegger Pummels Barack Obama
Photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger helping John McCain beef up his campaign in Columbus, Ohio courtesy of The Telegraph
THE TELEGRAPH: Arnold Schwarzenegger brought some much-needed brawn to John McCain's presidential campaign with a muscular attack mocking Barack Obama's policies and physique.

The California governor was joined by Country and Western star Hank Williams Jr as they pumped up supporters at a boisterous rally in Columbus, Ohio. The state is a must-win battleground so crucial to Mr McCain that he devoted two of the last five days of the campaign to blitz the state by bus.

The Austrian-born former Mr Universe, a popular Republican moderate who played a key role in helping George W Bush win Ohio and thus the White House four years ago, reminded the audience that he hosted an annual bodybuilding contest in Columbus.

"I want to invite Senator Obama because he needs to do something about those skinny legs," he said to loud and amused roars. "I'm going to make him do some squats. And then we're going to make him do some biceps curls to beef up those scrawny little arms."

He then turned to the political impact of his message. "If only we could do something about putting some meat on his ideas," he said, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. "Senator McCain on the other hand is built like a rock."

The star of the Terminator blockbusters added that while he played action heroes on screen, "John McCain is a real action hero" who "has served his country longer in a POW camp than his opponent has served in the United State Senate". >>> By Philip Sherwell in Columbus, Ohio | November 1, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback (US) Barnes & Noble >>>
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