Dear Editors,
Mr. Pipes’ work to expose the many Islamist tactics to silence their critics is exceedingly important, as is his article Islamists in the Courtroom.
However, it is important to correct the implication concerning Khalid bin Mahfouz’ UK suit against me, that I apologized and paid a fine for facts in my book Funding Evil.
First, the fine was not £30,000, as Mr. Pipes wrote, but more than £87,000 and, with interest, has since more than doubled, to over $180,000. More importantly, I neither paid a fine nor apologized, and do not intend to do either.
I did not even acknowledge the British court or its jurisdiction, since I wrote and published the book in the U.S.
I commend Mr. Pipes for choosing bin Mahfouz’ lawsuit against me as an example, since bin Mahfouz has sued more than 30 other writers and publishers, including many U.S. citizens and publications, all of whom apologized and paid fines.
That important details strengthens Mr. Pipes’ argument.
Finally, in his conciseness, Mr. Pipes neglected to mention that I have sued bin Mahfouz in U.S. Federal Court to protect my First Amendment rights. Winning this case could discourage further Islamists lawsuits against the press.
Rachel Ehrenfeld
Author of Funding Evil
N.Y. NY