An Imam that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has repeatedly defended appears to be calling for a little bit of sharia law in the U.S. because of the recent anti-Muhammad film. Christie has expressed a bizarre level of support for Imam Mohammad Qatanani, who is an associate of and has been defended by a man Christie appointed to a Superior Court Judgeship in Passaic County, NJ. That man’s name is Sohail Mohammed.

At a presser in 2011, Christie was asked about his appointment of Mohammed and concerns people had about Sharia law. Christie mocked such notions saying, ‘this Sharia law business in crap’ and ‘I’m tired of dealing with the crazies’. More recently, the New Jersey Governor doubled down on his support of Qatanani at an iftar dinner outside the Governor’s mansion.

It now appears that Mr. Qatanani thinks Americans should not have freedom of speech when it comes to criticizing anything related to Islam.

Via The Blaze:

“We, as Americans, have to put limits and borders [on] freedom of speech,” Qatanani, leader of the Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC), told TheBlaze. He explained that while Americans may ”have the freedom“ to speak their mind, ultimately, they “have no right to [talk about Muslim] holy issues“ as it will incite ”hatred or war among people.”

Qatanani said he thinks agitators who slander Islam, or, more specifically, the Prophet Muhammad, incite violence and hence, pose a national security risk that threatens the safety of Americans at home and abroad. Thus, America should disregard its First Amendment as it is typically applied and instead act in accordance with sharia law for the ultimate “good” of society.

In an exclusive interview with TheBlaze, the cleric, who was nearly deported in 2008 for failing to disclose his former ties to the terrorist organization Hamas on a 1996 Green Card application, explained that Muslims are required by Islam to respect the law of the land in their host-countries. He followed up that statement, however, with a treatise on how those who slander the prophet be pursued legally.

While some leaders within the Muslim community have spoken out against the anti-America driven violence in the Middle East, many have qualified their condemnation with moral equivalence, treating a film dubbed “Innocence of Muslims” (which some claim served as the catalyst for the attacks), with even harsher disdain than they do murder. Qatanani said the Obama White House should take legal action against the filmmakers.

“My position is that White House has to say strong in its condemnation [of the filmmakers] and take this person to court. If he is innocent, we will accept that… The government has strong case against this person.”

It would appear that Mr. Christie owes the ‘crazies’ an apology…