According to numerous stories on the web, Cambridge University Press agreed at
the High Court very recently to contract libraries worldwide to ask them to remove
the book 'Alms for Jihad: Charity and Terrorism in the Islamic World' by Millard Burr
and Robert Collins.
Some libraries have been contacted by CUP.
The American Library Association has commented, via its Office of Intellectual
Freedom (copied below).
But... I'm very unclear whether UK libraries have also been written to by CUP to
withdraw this book.
If anyone has such a letter from CUP, can they forward me a copy please.
And wikipedia mentions that CUP have sent out an errata sheet.
Anyone got a copy of that?
Frankly, I'm unclear what the situation is in the UK with this book at the moment -
anyone think they know?
Many thanks,
Matthew Mezey
(News Editor, Library and Information Update magazine, CILIP)
020 7255 0584
* * *
"Can They Do That?"
357 words posted by dstone at 01:25 PM Email | 1858 views
Categories: Office for Intellectual Freedom, Intellectual Freedom Issues, Censorship
OIF is hearing from librarians who are wondering if they must comply with a request
from British publisher Cambridge University Press to remove the book Alms for
Jihad: Charity and Terrorism in the Islamic World from the shelves of their libraries.
Alms for Jihad is the subject of a British libel lawsuit brought by Saudi banker Khalid
bin Mahfouz, who has filed several similar lawsuits to contest claims that the Saudi
government has used Islamic charities to fund terrorism. Cambridge University Press
chose to settle the suit rather than risk a large damage award at trial. Under the
settlement, Cambridge University Press has agreed to pulp unsold copies and to ask
libraries to return the book to the publisher or destroy the book. (See "Cambridge U.
Press Agrees to Destroy Book on Terrorism in Response to Libel Claim" from the
Chronicle of Higher Education.)
Critics claim that Mahfouz is attempting to silence critics by using British libel law.
Unlike U.S. libel law, which recognizes First Amendment freedoms, and requires
plaintiffs to prove statements about them are false, British law places the burden of
proof on defendants, who must demonstrate the truth of their claims. (See "Saudi
terror, British Censorship" at the Crossed Pond blog.)
Unless there is an order from a U.S. court, the British settlement is unenforceable in
the United States, and libraries are under no legal obligation to return or destroy the
book. Libraries are considered to hold title to the individual copy or copies, and it is
the library's property to do with as it pleases. Given the intense interest in the book,
and the desire of readers to learn about the controversy first hand, we recommend
that U.S. libraries keep the book available for their users.
UPDATE: Inside Higher Ed provides an account about the decision of Yale
University Press to stand behind an author and his book when a charitable
organization filed a libel lawsuit over statements made in Hamas: Politics, Charity,
and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad. The group withdrew its lawsuit after Yale filed
motions seeking to quash the libel suit and to receive legal fees.
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