Since I have no hard news at this time on the Guilford College case, I'm going to run with rumor and innuendo.

Largely absent from news coverage has been any account of the early morning altercation other than that being presented by the Ramallah students.

Sources familiar with the incident have now come forward stating the the attack was initiated by the Palestinian students.

One of those sources told us that the weekend that the event took place was a:

"recruiting weekend for the college [that on] on that type of week athletes are on best behavior [the confrontation took place in] a courtyard in between apartment buildings...a hangout spot...[an eyewitness to the event saw] Faris [Khader] and Mike Six [one of the football players] [with] an argument going on...[the witness had turned away but turned back to view the scene again when] he heard the belt whipping, looked back and saw the belt...[Mr. Six] took about seven strikes from the belt......[Mr. Six then] used a wrestling move and stuffed him [Faris] into the ground....that started a fumble....[like] a rugby match...[which drew in more football players, there were] no brass knuckles....[involved]"

Mr. Khader was suspended from Guilford for the Winter Semester.

The rumor mill grinds on with:

According to information provided by our sources and as detailed by a former [Jewish] Guilford student [whose name we are not disclosing at this time], Mr. Khader has a history of violence.

Funny thing is, this Jewish student was a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause. This has made him somewhat unpopular with his Jewish friends and caused arguments with his parents (I'll bet).

Here is some of what he had to say:

Every single time that I've stood up for something at Guilford, and anybody that knows me, or has taught me knows that I'm an anti-racist. But it seems ridiculous to me that I even have to prove myself to anyone, cause I know what I stand for, and I know what I said that night, and there is not a single doubt in my mind that I did NOT say those things,"Osama bin Laden", or "terrorist." I do not know if they were said but I know I did not hear them, but I do know that the three other people that were assaulted that night by Osama and Faris did not say them, were racist things said before the five times or more, there were incidents that night. Faris and Osama looked to me to be out of control that night and anybody else who was there would certainly say the same and they have. All the people I have named have all put statements into campus life and corroborate the events of that night; all the events I have just told. Faris and Osama did come to me the next to day to pseudo-apologize; they tol;d me they were sorry for beating the shit out of me but it was because I said racist things, than Faris did admit that he had asked around to see if i would have said those things and people told him no. It wasn't until the meeting with campus life did it become apparent that this was the angle these guys were gonna take for beating up a kid in second floor Bryan during peek hours in front of a hall director, it was in the schools hands now; and these guys knew they were in trouble. I have no problem with Osama or Faris being at Guilford, I'd love to talk about all this with them, but its the school that made the decision based upon the four people that were hurt that night by them; the descisiton that at least Faris would have to be suspended on account that he endangered the community, was not mine. It was the schools. And assaulting anybody on Guilford, in front of a hall directory should warrant a serious punishment."

The reporter then goes on to say:

We believe that the above information clearly constitutes strong evidence that the so-called hate attack allegedly initiated by Guilford College football team members against defenseless Palestinian students is a hoax and that the members of the football team were acting in self-defense - even absorbing a vicious attack before responding.

The Jewish, former Guilford student's account of Khader and Sabbah's actions also makes comprehensible, their attorney Seth Cohen's recently videotaped remarks, "none of my clients stabbed a man" with the counsel's reference apparently applying to this instance and not the January 21 fracas.

Also note the (Jewish) Anti-Defamation League has come out in support of the Palestinians. In my opinion they will have an omlet on their face when this is all over. Unless the College and the local system of justice buries the case. However, that can only happen if the Palestinians withdraw the charges. I'm betting that will happen within a month or two. Providing their lawyer is any good. Which, if his statements to date are any indication, is not a good bet.

Update: 04 Feb '07 0632z

Here is the source of the "Jewish guy's" quotes from above.

Cross Posted at Power and Control