FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  October 15, 2007

CONTACT:  Richard L. Benkin, Ph.D.; +1-847-922-6426;

       drrbenkin@comcast.net; http://www.InterfaithStrength.com

 

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury Returns to US October 19

Anti-Islamist Muslim will be in Chicago, New York, Elsewhere

 

Dhaka, Bangladesh—Muslim journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, who was arrested and tortured after exposing the rise of Islamists in Bangladesh, will visit the United States from October 19 through November 4.  Mr. Choudhury will be in Chicago, Washington, New York, and Philadelphia to meet with lawmakers, advocacy and rights groups, and students during his stay.  He also will visit the Illinois Holocaust Museum and meet Holocaust survivor and author Sam Harris.

 

On Sunday, October 21, Mr. Choudhury will speak at Chicago area synagogue, Temple Chai.  Joining him will be the people responsible for saving his life:  Rep. Mark Kirk and Dr. Richard Benkin, a Temple Chai congregant.  Press and other interested parties are invited to attend.  Contact Benkin by phone or email (above), Temple Chai (847-537-1771), or Rep. Kirk’s Office (847-940-0202).

 

On October 30 at noon, Mr. Choudhury will address the Hudson Institute in New York about what we can do to combat Islamist extremism and to support anti-Islamist Muslims.  Press only can attend by first contacting either Bethany Blankley or Vijay Kumar at the Hudson Institute (212-232-8720).

 

Mr. Choudhury was arrested in 2003 by government agents as he was about to board a plane for a speech in Israel.  The arrest was carried out in cooperation with Islamist forces because of his advocacy of relations with Israel and interfaith dialogue based on religious equality, and his articles exposing the rise of radical Islam in Bangladesh.  He was tortured and held for seventeen months and only released after strong pressure by Benkin and Kirk.  In March, the US Congress passed a Kirk-introduced resolution 409-1 calling on Bangladesh to stop harassing Choudhury and drop the capital charges against him after extensive evidence confirmed them to be false and contrary to Bangladeshi law.  Bangladeshi officials admit they are maintained only to appease Islamists.

 

For further information or to interview Mr. Choudhury, Dr. Benkin or the two together, contact Richard Benkin at the telephone or email above.