"Did you sue to stop the publication?"

The Imam smiled. "Sue ISIS? Are you serious?"

"Do you believe that America is waging war on Islam?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"It is."

"Do you believe ISIS is justified in killing civilians?"

"I understand the killing. ISIS would say, America kills Muslim civilians, why cannot Muslims kill American civilians? Quid pro quo, I believe you lawyers say. What you give, you get."

"American civilians are noncombatants."

"Are they? America is a democracy, is it not? Power resides in the people. ISIS would say, the American people put the president in the White House and thus in command of the army. The president gives the order to launch drones over the Muslim homeland and to kill Muslims with drone missiles. If the people put the president in office, are they not responsible for the president's actions? All responsible parties are combatants, counselor. I believe that is the law of war."

"Do you support ISIS's acts of violence?"

"Do you support George Washington's acts of violence?"

"What?"

"How was America created? Through violent revolution. The king of England considered George Washington a terrorist, much as America today considers al Baghdadi a terrorist."

"You're comparing George Washington to a guy who beheads innocent people?"

"Is a musket ball through the head a more humane way to kill than a knife through the throat?"

"George Washington wasn't a pedophile holding young girls as sex slaves?"

"How do you know? He was also a slave owner. At his death he owned one hundred twenty-three slaves. He treated his slaves harshly. He whipped them regularly. His slaves had children. Many were young girls. How do you know George did not partake of the girls? He is a white American legend so you paint him in soft tones. But you paint a Muslim legend in harsh tones."

Mike Donahue was losing control of his cross; he had already lost control of his temper.

"Did ISIS have a right to kill one hundred thirty people in Paris?"

"Did France have a right to kill thousands of Muslims in Syria?"

"Does ISIS have a right to detonate bombs in America?"

"Does America have a right to detonate bombs in the Middle East?"

"Did you pledge allegiance to the caliphate?"

"Did you pledge allegiance to America?"

"Do you recruit for ISIS?"

"No. You do."

"Who?"

"America. You created ISIS when you invaded Iraq. You took over the country and fired one hundred thousand Sunnis from government and the military. They had no jobs, no money, so they became jihadists. A man must take care of his family."

"By killing people?"

"Are your soldiers not paid to kill? You recruit for ISIS every time your drones kill Muslims. You are providing material support to ISIS, not me."

"I thought Islam is a peaceful religion?"

"And that is what America wants, is it not? Peaceful Muslims peacefully surrendering their homeland to the Christians and Jews. But when Muslims stand up and refuse to peacefully surrender, when Muslims finally fight back, you are shocked. You ask, 'Who radicalized them?' You did. The only weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq are the ones the U.S. dropped on Iraq. That is what radicalized Muslims in Iraq. No, Mr. Donahue, Islam is no longer a peaceful religion. Muslims will not go peacefully into extinction. Muslims will fight for their homeland and their religion because the Koran demands it."

The U.S. Attorney's frustration was evident. But Mike Donahue hadn't boxed in college and put murderers on death row by not knowing how to land punches, particularly on a defendant who dared testify on his own behalf. He now walked to the prosecution table, picked up a small book, and returned to the podium. He unbuttoned his coat and held up the book. The bait.

"Let's talk about the Koran."

"Certainly."

"Mr. Mustafa, the Koran mentions a prophet. Who is that?"

"The prophet is Muhammad."

"And God told these exact words in the Koran to Muhammad in visions?"

"That is correct."

"But Muhammad, he didn't say, 'Well, hell, God just told me all this neat shit, I'd better write it all down before I forget. I know if God told me all this, I'd sure as hell write it down. But in fact, Muhammad himself never wrote these words down, did he?"

"Careful, Mr. Donahue, freedom of speech does not extend to insulting the Prophet."

"Under whose law?"

"Sharia."

"Oh. So the Koran can state that Jesus was not the son of God, but no one can say that Muhammad was not the prophet of God."

"That is correct."

"And what is the punishment under Sharia for insulting Muhammad?"

"Death."

"What about adultery by a woman?"

"Death."

"Homosexuality by a man?"

"Death."

"And those are the words of your god?"

"Those are the words of your god, Mr. Donahue. Allah is the god of the universe."

"Your god isn't my god, Mr. Mustafa. Your god isn't God."

"I will remember you said that."

"You do that." Donahue returned to the book. "Let me read a few passages I found particularly interesting. 'Prophet, make war on the unbelievers' ... 'Slay the idolaters' ... 'Fight for the cause of God' ... 'The true believers fight for the cause of God, but the infidels fight for the devil. Fight then against the friends of Satan' ... 'Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you' ... 'You will find that the most implacable of people in their enmity to the faithful are the Jews. And the nearest in affection to them are those who say, "We are Christians" ' ... 'Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends' ... 'Lay hold of them and kill them wherever you find them. Over such men We give you absolute authority.' "

Scott knew what was coming. Did Mustafa?

"So, Mr. Mustafa, in the Koran, Muslims are the believers and the faithful?"

"Yes."

"Christians and Jews are unbelievers, idolaters, infidels, and friends of Satan?"

"Indeed."

"And your god commands all Muslims to slay all Christians and Jews until Islam rules the world?"

"Correct."

"So jihadists are doing what your god commands?"

"They are. But I personally never advocate violence."

"Oh, that's good to know. Here are a few other passages I found enlightening. 'Blessed are the believers, who are humble in their prayers; who avoid profane talk, and give alms to the destitute; who restrain their carnal desires (except with their wives and slave-girls, for those are lawful to them)' ... 'Prophet, We have made lawful for you the wives to whom you have granted dowries and the slave-girls whom God has given you as booty.' "

Donahue glared at the witness like a boxer staring down his opponent before a bout.

"So, Mr. Mustafa, your god told Muhammad, please don't say 'fuck you' but it's okay for you to fuck young girls because I give them to you as slave-girls?"

The Imam visibly recoiled, almost as if he had been slapped in the face. But he gathered himself.

"Only non-Muslim girls."

"And ISIS is doing exactly that, aren't they, just as Agent Beckeman testified? Holding thousands of non-Muslim women and girls-some as young as seven years old-as slave-girls. And your god says it's okay for Muslims to be rapists and pedophiles, as long as they don't cuss!"

Donahue held up the Koran to the witness.

"Mr. Mustafa, is this a religion or a fucking cult?"

He flipped the Koran at the witness as if it were so much trash. The Imam audibly sucked in air. His eyes showed his horror as they followed the book through the air; it fell short of the witness stand and landed on the floor with a thud. He stared at the book and started to reach out for it as one would an injured infant. His calm countenance changed, as if a storm cloud had crossed his mind. His dark eyes turned darker. His jaws clenched. His face reddened. He turned his eyes from the book to his inquisitor. He took the bait.

"You just signed your own death warrant, Mr. Donahue."

"Are you threatening me with violence, Mr. Mustafa?"

"I most certainly am ..."

His face trembled, as if his mind were fighting to restrain his mouth. His fists clenched in his lap. His body visibly shook.

"... not."

He spit out the bait. He breathed out. After a moment, he was the Imam Omar al Mustafa again.

"I am simply cautioning you, Mr. Donahue. If you mock Muhammad, if you disrespect the Koran"-he gestured at the book on the floor-"as you just did, there are those who might view that less than charitably. But I am not a violent person nor would I advocate anyone to act violently against you ... or your pretty wife and two children."

Prosecutor and defendant stared at each other a long moment.

"No further questions, Your Honor."

The Imam looked past the U.S. Attorney to the reporters in the spectator section.

"America was created through violent revolution against its oppressors but now America says no to anyone else's violent revolution against their oppressors-"

"You're excused, Mr. Mustafa," Scott said.

"-which is understandable since America is their oppressor-"

"Stop, Mr. Mustafa."

"-America wages war on Islam but Islam will prevail. The world will submit to Islam. The world will live under Islamic law. Sharia is coming to a neighborhood near you very soon and-"

Scott slammed his gavel down. "I said stop!"

The Imam stopped. Scott calmed and considered the witness. Federal judges seldom question witnesses, but they are empowered to do so. Scott decided to exercise that power.

"Mr. Mustafa, do you pray?"

"Daily."

"What do you pray for?"

"The death of the infidels. The rise of the Muslim caliphate. A world under Sharia."

"Really? I pray for God to watch over my daughters. So what about people who are not Muslims?"

"We invite unbelievers to believe."

"To become Muslim?"

"Yes."