Muslim teen who fears family honor killing may be sent home by court

By Rick Moran

This is one of those stories that makes you grind your teeth in anger and frustration. A Muslim teen who converted to Christianity, ran away from her home in Ohio because she feared family retribution. She was assisted by a couple of Christian ministers, who helped her get to Florida.

Now, according to a story at Fox News by Joshua Rhett Miller, a Florida court may have little choice but to send her back to Ohio to face the possible wrath of her family.

Rifqa Bary, who hitchhiked to an Ohio bus station earlier this month and took a charter bus to Orlando, remains in protective custody with Florida's Department of Children and Families. A judge is expected to rule Friday on the jurisdiction of the case, but several legal experts contacted by FOXNews.com say the girl is bound to be sent back to Ohio.

"She'll be returned to the original jurisdiction," said Katherine Hunt Federle, professor of law and director of the Justice for Children Project at Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law.

"She probably doesn't have a lot of options other than to return home."

Phylis Chesler at PJ Media has more details and background on other honor killings. She has additional posts up on the subject as well. Just go to the top of her blog and keep scrolling.

Her family claims she has been brainwashed. But listen to what she has to say and tell me that this isn't a girl who fully realizes what fate might await her:

"If I had stayed in Ohio, I wouldn't be alive," she said. "In 150 generations in family, no one has known Jesus. I am the first - imagine the honor in killing me.

"There is great honor in that, because if they love Allah more than me, they have to do it. It's in the Koran," said in the interview, which has been posted on YouTube.

Rifqa, who is seen wearing a large diamond cross during the interview, said she had to hide her Bible "for years," and she repeatedly "snuck out" to attend Christian prayer meetings. She referred to previous victims of so-called honor killings, in which young Muslim women were murdered for bringing dishonor to their families.

"They love God more than me, they have to do this," Bary told WFTV. "I'm fighting for my life. You guys don't understand. ... I want to worship Jesus freely, that's what I want. I don't want to die."

Contacted by FOXNews.com, Mohamed Bary said he has no intentions of harming his daughter.

"I love my daughter and I want her to come back to the family," he said, declining further comment.

The case goes to court in Florida on September 3.