Dr. Richard Benkin: Face of the nasty 'User'

by Special Correspondent
September 24, 2010

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1001/dr-richard-benkin-face-of-the-nasty-user

LATEST: After publication of this article in Weekly Blitz, the owner of the www.interfaithstrength.com site Dr. Richard L Benkin has changed the contents and withdrawn his words, where he termed the court dates of Mr. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury as 'BOGUS'.

"I am well aware of the extreme adversity under which you continue to be Bangladesh's most courageous and honest journalist" – this is what Dr. Richard L Benkin wrote to Weekly Blitz editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury on March 12, 2010. And now, the same man, Richard Benkin is writing in his blog stating that, there is no problem for either Mr. Choudhury or Weekly Blitz as well he terms the court dates, where trial of sedition, treason and blasphemy charges are continuing against Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury as 'bogus'.

Dr. Richard L Benkin, a self pronounced expert on South Asian Affairs is working as the Vice President of an American company named Gallagher Services. Now before elaborating the nasty character of this man, we are putting here just an example of how this man extracted money from poor Hindus in India by giving them the hope of getting them the support and help of US Congress and Senate. In other words, Richard L Benkin is cashing his contacts with US Congress and Senate:

In 2009, one Bikash Halder in Kolkata, India distributed a letter amongst the Hindus in Bangladesh and India seeking fund for Interfaith Strength [the blog Dr. Benkin owns] and Dr. Richard L Benkin. The fact is, Dr. Richard L Benkin demanded that his air ticket, hotel etc should be borne by the poor Hindus and he also demanded a handsome amount of cash for helping them. Finding no other way in meeting Benkin's desire, the poor Hindus had to collect money from door to door.

On November 4, 2009, that Bikash Halder sent an email to Benkin stating: "Brother, I am sending the draft copy of the subscription bill book for your approval."

At this stage crook Benkin realizing that his extortion story is already getting publicized, wrote to Bikah Halder on the same day, stating: "I must tell you that there cannot be any funds solicitation that includes my name or the name of Interfaith Strength, especially not in any written form."

Look here, he wants them to collect the money using his name verbally but not to put it in paper. What a smart shrewd he is!

Then Benkin wrote: "I also want to make it clear that as of this date, I have not received any funds."

Here he clearly mentions that he was waiting for the money and the extortion continuing in India and Bangladesh in his name was very much within his knowledge.

In the same email, Richard Benkin termed him as the "Brother, Guider, and Protector" of Hindus.

A few Hindus even sold their ornaments and property to arrange the money to 'feed' this Benkin in the hope of he would bring their stories to the attention of US Congress and Senate.

Now, Dr. Richard L Benkin writes in his blog that, there was no attack on Mr. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury since 2009. Well, here is the first example to prove what a huge liar he is or at least someone who can very quickly change his face.

On May 30, 2009 he wrote in his own blog an article titled 'Hey Sheikh Hasina, no one's forgotten Shoaib Choudhury!' Sheikh Hasina is the Prime Minister in Bangladesh.

In this article, Richard Benkin wrote: "To appease Islamic radicals and reward its own cronies, the Bangladesh government has continued this false prosecution--not so much at their own expense, but at the expense of their people. Their willful infliction of misery on their own people is contrary to what every civilized people expects of its government.

"We have stood by Shoaib for five and a half years, and we have no intention of abandoning him--not now, not ever."

Here is the link to this post.

In 2009, Dr. Richard Benkin requested Blitz Publications [sister concern of Weekly Blitz] to publish his book named 'Battle Beneath Jerusalem'. He promised to buy and sell copies of this book so that, Blitz Publications does not lose money.

Trusting his words, 5000 copies of this book was printed in 2009 and several copies was sent to him on credit. Each copy of the book costs US$ 30. He was required to buy the copies on 40 per cent discount as the author.

But, till date, this man has never purchased even a single copy of this book, thus putting Blitz Publications in investing in a worthless project, where a large amount of money is already invested. If even our production cost is US$ 12 per copy, Dr. Richard L Benkin owes US$ 60,000 to Blitz Publications.

Dr. Richard L Benkin was hired as a lobbyist by BNP led Islamist coalition government in Bangladesh. He was also desperately looking for similar assignment from the current government in Dhaka.

He also owns a non-profit group named Forcefield, wherefrom Mr. Choudhury resigned recently. He resigned because this organization was unwilling to raise voice against persecution of Bahais in Iran; persecution of Ahmadiyas in Pakistan and Bangladesh etc.

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