Christian Martinez of Sydney, Australia, knowingly, willingly and intelligently converted to the extremely strict branch of Islam known as Wahhabism.
Martinez found out first hand exactly how strict and violent Wahhabism is.
Four men, Wassim Fayad, 44, Zakaryah Raad, 21, Tolga Cifci, 21, and Cengiz Coskun, 22, were charged with administering 40 lashes to Martinez with an electrical cable.
All of the accused have plead not guilty.
As reported by News9 of Australia, after Martinez admitted to ingesting both alcohol and cocaine to his spiritual leader (Fadi Alemaddin) Fayad, the Burwood Local Court heard a recording of a telephone conversation between the two, in which Fayad was heard to tell Martinez;
“It means I’m going to tie you up, brother, because that’s what you need.”
What Martinez didn’t know was that he would be forcibly held down to his own bed by Raad, Cifci and Coskun, while his Fadi Alemaddin beat him.
Fayad reportedly told his victim;
“Next time you think of picking up a drink, you will remember this pain.”
During court testimony, Martinez stated;
“(Fayad) told me I was going to be punished under Islamic law for what I’d been doing with drugs and alcohol.”
The Muslim quartet gave Martinez a break after the first 10 lashes… only so he could vomit.
The accuser testified he was crying and begging them to stop;
“I was begging, ‘please no more, I don’t want any more.'”
Reportedly, there was another vomit-break at the 20 lash mark.
Martinez also stated in court that;
“he was told he should be getting 80 lashes for intoxication and that only the infirm were given 40 lashes.”
As testified, Fayad told Martinez the reasoning for the lashing was;
“I did it because I love you.”