Date:02/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/02/stories/2007050205441200.htm

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New angle in Woolmer case

Pakistan coach was unhappy with time spent by players on prayers: Mir

Woolmer had apprehensions about players' dwindling focus on cricket

Inzamam, other key players are members of "Tabliqhy Jamaat"

London: A "fatwah" angle emerged in the mysterious murder of Bob Woolmer with the disclosure that the Pakistan coach was unhappy with the time spent by players on prayers.

Woolmer was upset that several members of the Pakistani team were followers of `Tabliqhy Jamaat,' a Muslim revivalist movement, Pakistan's media manager Pervez Mir indicated on Monday night on BBC's `Panorama' programme, which focussed on the coach's murder in a Jamaican hotel six weeks ago.

According to Mr. Mir, Woolmer felt players were focussing more on religion than their game. He went on to claim that Woolmer could have even invited a "fatwah" had he gone public with his feelings.

Recalling an incident, Mr. Mir said: "A CD was being played which was a Tabliqhy CD and Bob, who was sitting behind me, said `why don't you tell them to stop? If they want to listen to that they could on their iPods or personal devices,' and he thought that he shouldn't be subjected to all that and I agreed with Bob."

"He was not particularly pleased when players were going out to say their prayers in the middle of the game... ," he said. — PTI