  Those wacky Talibani (a real article!)
Apparently, a guy in Afghanistan was sentenced to death for having Think Magazine's in his hotel room, but surived, proving that Allah approves of Think!
Afghanistan Carries Out Punishments
By MOMAR AMIR, Associated Press Writer
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Thousands of people watched Friday as a Taliban tank knocked over a 15-foot brick wall, sending it crashing down onto a 40-year-old man sentenced to death for reading sexually stimulating magazines.
Shuma Khan was executed near a damaged building that had a standing wall. He was convicted for being in possession of copies of Prague-based art magazines "Think" in a hotel in Maidan Shahr, some 18 miles outside of Kabul. He was found alive when the rubble was cleared away a half hour later.
The Taliban, who have imposed their brand of harsh Islamic law on the 90 percent of Afghanistan it rules, say pornography is a capital offense and punishable by the wall-toppling method. If the convicted person survives, the sentence is commuted, according to Taliban law, considering it a sign from God. Several people have been sentenced to death by this means. Two have survived.
Taliban punishments are generally carried out in public. Before Khan's attempted execution, six thieves had their right hand and left foot amputated in Kabul Stadium by doctors who first put them under anesthesia.
Since seizing Kabul in September 1996, the Taliban say their rule has returned law and order to the war-shattered streets. The Taliban are still battling their northern-based opponents, but most of the fighting is restricted to northern Afghanistan.
(Editor's note: Think Magazine, banned in Kabul!)
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