This is a story I found rather interesting which centers around Australian model Michelle Leslie who was arrestted in Bali, Indonesia for carrying 2 estacy tablets. There were allegations that she was in the company of Anindra Bakrie, son of Indonesia’s Economic Minister, who was let go by police immediately. In a signed statement given to the police she is alleged to have said: “I’m addicted to it. I can’t enjoy parties if I don’t have ecstasy.” 
She was arrested on the 21st of August. Then, 8 days later it was revealed she had converted to Islam (18 months before). So she began to wear a niqab and a white hijab (in varying degrees). She stated in September:
“People don’t understand that I â?¦ learnt to love and respect Islam.
“When I did convert, I didn’t make it public because it was a personal choice between God and I. ”
When asked if she had ever worn Muslim dress before being arrested in Bali, he answered: “No.” [source]
Her trial began in October and she would have faced a penalty of a maximum of 15 years in prison. Fast Forward to last week when the court decides to let her go. She was found guilty of using and sentenced to 3 months but since she was in custody for that period of time she was released.
Now the controversy that has erupted seems to be over what she’s wearing. While this kind of controversy does wonders for most models this comes in a different package as she “emerged from Kerobokan jail yesterday heavily made-up and dressed in tight jeans, a tank-top, thongs and designer sunglasses.”
She has managed to escape the “are you really a Muslim?” question however the following information has been revealed…
Leslie’s friend Norah Cullen said the model repeated “I am a Muslim” three times, and that meant she was one, according to Islamic practice.
But sources told the paper the Muslim story arose after Leslie was hounded by photographers upon her arrest.
An inmate raised the idea of an Islamic headdress and Ms Norah Cullen raced out to get one for the model, the source said.
When the pictures provoked outrage in Australia, Leslie’s team said she had converted to Islam.
Also…
The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported today that more than $100,000 in bribes was distributed by some of Leslie’s lawyers and an unsuccessful attempt was made to pay a police laboratory $US20,000 to change the tests on the drugs.
Another $27,000 was offered to the Bali police chief I Made Mangku Pastika, but it was rejected.
Some members of the drug squad asked for $540,000) to ensure Leslie’s sentence was only three months. The paper said it understood this figure was reduced, but a large figure was distributed among many of those involved. [source]
Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Dr Ameer Ali said: “If she is a practising Muslim, I don’t think she should go back to her job as an underwear model â?? because Islam is all about modesty. “She can’t have it both ways . . . either practise Islam and do something decent, or don’t practise it at all.” [source]
“She wasn’t going to the mosque while she was here,” Mr Hill (her lawyer) said on Channel 9’s A Current Affair.
“To be a good Muslim, you don’t have to pray five times a day.”
He also denied reports that bribery had been a factor in Leslie’s release.
“I suppose there were other political and economic factors revolving around this case,” he said. [source]
Well I don’t like to judge people when it comes to their religion. I find it personally tough to simply consider anyone a Muslim who just converts. For example Muslim men who marry foreign women and they go to an imam to have her convert so they can be allowed to marry. I also don’t like Muslim women in general who play around with the hijab as if it were a fashion statement; it’s a commitment.
So whether she’s a good Muslim or not, only Allah knows. Whether she used it as a ploy to gain sympathy in the courts, only Allah knows. In the context of things this isn’t such a big deal.
On one side of the spectrum you have the crazy people like Zarqawi and Bin Laden, and on the opposite side you have Michelle Leslie. Sadly, this religion is being bombarded from all sides and in all directions.
Hmm as is said” Inna ba3da al thanni ethem” ,bas any person with brains would come down to a conclusion that she had her obvious reasons to converting to Islam. I mean who wouldnt do anything to minimize a bulk of 15years to 3 months 😕
interesting
no comment!
Well if all she did was say “I’m muslim” three times, then she’s not a Muslim yet, she has to say the shahada.
When I saw the CNN story last week on TV, they said she was sipping champagne on the way home!
She’s a phony and she probably doesn’t even care, and I don’t care either.
Isn’t it amazing how the truth can be ignored with ommission. I would have worn a clown’s suit to get out of there.
You forgot to mention the television coverage of her getting out of the right-hand rear seat of her car without showing any of the other occupants. It appeared that the media new there was a story to be had before there was a story to be had.
But let’s say Michelle did use the Indonesian justice system’s ‘one punishment for Muslims and another for everyone else’ – that’s hardly something for them to boast about. Let’s say Michelle’s entire act was a scam to get out of there.
When Michelle was arrested her urine was tested and it came back negative to ecstasy. This drug disappears from the body completely in 72 hours. After she agreed to plead ‘guilty’ – a requirement for her release, she came back to Australia and told the story that the Bali Police crushed an ecstasy pill and poured it into her urine in front of her. They explained that it was necessary for her guilt to be convincing.
Many didn’t believe her but the reality is that in order for her to have a unine test positive to ecstasy after three months in prison she would have had to have popped a party pill while in prison awaiting a drugs test and claiming remorse while pretending to be a traditional Muslim. That makes no sense at all.