"Not a 'Victim'"? Back It Up

Last month, I posted on a story involving an attempted "honor" killing in Australia after reading two or three articles in Australian newspapers online. Since then, I have been searching for updates on the tale to see if the details given were borne out by subsequent investigation and to discover the condition of the girl and her father. I could find nothing. Blogger Bos'un took up the search and wrote to several sources that might have additional information but to no avail.

Then in the wee hours of the morning, Anonymous left me this comment on my original post:

Hi Sorry to disapoint you but [name removed] was not a “victim” of an [attempted] honor killing. She killed her mother and stabbed her father after she came back from overseas. Her parents were quite angry with her after she married her heroin addict boyfriend and ran away to sydney (illegally, whilst she was still 16). After her parents forced her to move to the Gold Coast and sent her boyfrind to jail she was quite resentful to say the least. I hope you will think twice before jumping to conclusions about ones religion as there is NO ritual or honor killing in Islam. Killing is the greatest sin. to quote the Holy Qúrán Upon you is your own religion, and mine in upon me.
I hope this has cleared some things for you. PS she has not converted.

Right away there were a few things that disturbed me about the comment. First is the possibility that I posted a story in error. I'm just a little blogger, a nobody in the blogosphere who can do little damage to anyone, but truth is incredibly important to me, and I try very hard to post only things which are verifiably true, backed up by reputable sources. Before I posted the story in question, I had read it in at least two Australian publications, an American one, and a couple blogs. I've been seeking corroboration for the past few weeks (with the help of Bo'sun), prepared to give additional information on the topic, regardless of what it might be.

Next, it was bothersome that the commenter left no links whatsoever to even a disreputable source so I could check it out. Anyone can spout off lies. What we're searching for is truth. Back it up. But "Anonymous" didn't.

Third, the commenter failed to identify him/herself. Now, obviously, I don't have a problem with anonymity and welcome anonymous comments. Women, especially, have cause to write under pseudonyms. However, everything I write is traceable to this site. All one has to do to judge my words anywhere in the blogosphere is come to my site and see what I'm all about. This commenter dropped a bomb and left no way to follow up.

While I'm still searching for some kind of substantiating evidence for Anonymous's assertion regarding the true nature of the murder that nightmarish evening, part of his statement is demonstrably wrong. True, there are differences of opinion about whether Islam formally condones "honor" killings or not, with Qu'ran-ic verses flying all about. Nevertheless, his conclusion that there are therefore NO "honor" killings by followers of Islam is patently false. Sadly, even if the original reports of the attempted honor killing were incorrect, it is all too believable simply because "honor" killings do happen all too often. When the UN--- who would have its member states in an uproar if it wrote inflammatory and less than accurate statements about them-- writes a report highlighting the reality of honor killings in women's lives and deaths amongst predominately Muslim peoples, we can be sure that this is a real problem in the world.

Last, the commenter was from Australia. Given the circumstances, that was the main thing that caused me to take him even remotely seriously. Maybe, just maybe, he had heard something that I wouldn't have over here in the U.S.

Luckily for me, bloggers are incredibly helpful. I wrote to Tim Blair this morning, and he answered immediately. He's following up on his blog this morning. If anyone would know more about this case, it would be Australians. So far, none of his current-events-following friends can corroborate Anonymous's claims. But keep following the thread over there for updates.

And remember, if you're going to drop a bomb on someone's site, back it up. Bloggers will mine for truth.

Oh, and one last thing...If this young woman is actually the first degree murderer that Anonymous claims she is, thank goodness "she has not converted". I really hate it when people who claim to be Christians murder in cold blood. If all you say about her is true, Anonymous, feel free to keep her in the "religion of peace".

UPDATE:

Things are getting more interesting. Anonymous came back--thank you---and left a link this time. (That's better.) The only real fact in the link is that the girl has been arrested but not charged. The rest of his assertions are not backed up in the article. Either they are gossipy lies or Anonymous is close to the situation and has the ability to know. I expect that we'll find out in the weeks to come.

On Tim Blair's site, two other links were left with pretty much the same lack of particulars, just that the girl has been charged. Looking over my schedule for the next few days, I won't have much time to follow up on this myself, but please continue to add any updates to my comments section. And, as always, keep any heated arguments respectful and respectable. ;) I will continue to check in as I'm able and hopefully will have some time to update myself.

Here are the links:

The Australian and another from the same paper