Associated Press
Lagos, Nigeria--

The Nigerian government is "totally opposed" to an Islamic court ruling sentencing a single mother to death and will back the woman's appeal, the justice minister said Thursday.

Government lawyers will assist Amina Lawal's legal team with the case that will test the authority of Islamic courts to hand down such sentences, Justice Minister Kanu Agabi said.

An Islamic court in the northern town of Funtua on monday rejected Ms. Lawal's appeal of the stoning sentence for having sex outside of marriage.

The ruling provoked an international outcry. Governments and human rights organizations around the world urged President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration to intercede.

"The government of this country is as opposed to this sentence as those nations," said Mr. Agabi, who is also attorney general. "We are totally opposed to it."

Nigeria is deeply divided about the application of Islamic law, or Shariah, which calls for cutting off a hand to punish theft and death for adultery.

Yeah!,
I wonder what kind of bullshit he will post to try and
make us think muslims are peaceful now ?

Oh, by the way, the benevolent Shariah court has postponed her execution by stoning until January 2004, so she can finish breastfeeding her child.

A bunch of kind and benevolent Muslims are going to throw big fucking rocks at a 30 year old woman until she's dead. It's the law.

Coming soon to a town near you.

The men only care about women if it's THEIR woman.  You see, women are mere property over there.  Since this woman has no man, she has no one to stand up for her.

-Troy