Rashad Khalifa - Assassination

Assassination

Owing to Rashad Kahlifa's doctrine, which was contrary to some important tenets of Sunni Islam, a fatwa was issued on February 19, 1989, by the Islamic Legal Council of Saudi Arabia. The fatwa, which was jointly issued by some 38 scholars, decreed Rashad Khalifa as a heretic.

Almost a year later on January 31, 1990, Khalifa was murdered at Masjid Tucson. He was stabbed multiple times and his body drenched in xylol but not set alight. Although nobody has been convicted of his murder, James Williams, an alleged member of the Jamaat ul-Fuqra organization, was convicted of conspiracy in the slaying. Williams disappeared on the day of his sentencing and could not be found. In 2000 Williams was apprehended attempting to re-enter the United States and sentenced to serve 69 years in prison. His convictions were upheld on appeal by the Colorado Court of Appeals except for one count of forgery.

CBS News reported that Muslim extremist Wadih el-Hage was "connected to the 1990 stabbing death of... Rashad Khalifa was hated by Muslims opposed to his teachings. He is considered a false prophet by Muslims. El-Hage who was indicted for lying about the case, called the assassination 'a good thing.'

On Tuesday, April 28, 2009 the Calgary Police Services of Canada arrested Glen Cusford Francis, a 52-year-old citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, on suspicion of killing Rashad Khalifa. Investigators in Tucson learned that Francis, who was going by the name Benjamin Phillips, had begun his studies under Khalifa in January 1990. Phillips disappeared shortly after the slaying, and was said to have left the country. An investigation revealed Phillips and Francis were the same man upon discovering fingerprints found in Phillips apartment. A specialty unit of the Tucson Police Department furthered in its investigation in 2006 and in December 2008 and was able to use DNA testing on forensic evidence from the crime scene to tie Francis to the assassination. In October 2009, a Canadian judge ordered his extradition to the United States to face trial.