Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Irving v. Lipstadt: The Saga Continues

This week's Jewish Chronicle contains a story about David Irving's claims that he is planning to serve me with legal papers when I was in London last week.

On his website he has suggested in the past that I sneak into London to avoid him. Given that my speeches have been well publicized -- enough for 900 people to attend -- this is clearly an imaginary claim. No surprise here.

David Irving v Deborah Lipstadt, Part 2
By By Dana Gloger
HOLOCAUST-denier David Irving claims he is preparing to serve court papers on the American historian he unsuccessfully sued for libel in London’s High Court eight years ago.

This week, the JC learned that the discredited historian, who last year served part of a three-year sentence in an Austrian jail for breaching the country’s Holocaust-denial laws, emailed Deborah Lipstadt informing her he intended to institute unspecified court proceedings against her.

He told the JC that this could only be done while she was within the jurisdiction of the High Court.

When Irving found out that Prof Lipstadt would be in the UK for a series of talks, he got in touch with her.

In an email dated November 30, which the JC has seen, Irving, 69, wrote: “Please inform me whether you will be available for service of court proceedings, and make a suitable appointment for this purpose; please also confirm that you will take no steps to prevent court officers from approaching you, and cause no steps to be taken to prevent court officers from approaching you on this occasion.”

In his 2000 libel case, Irving was branded an antisemite by a judge after bringing the suit against Prof Lipstadt for calling him a Holocaust denier.

He would not divulge why he was planning to bring his latest threatened action, but confirmed that they were not related to libel.

“There is something in the air, but I can’t tell you any more. For now it goes back on the shelf, until she is back in the jurisdiction of the British High Court and I can locate her.”

There were rumours on Tuesday night that Irving would try to gatecrash Prof Lipstadt’s talk at Finchley Synagogue. But he said he had not tried to go, as he knew he would not be allowed in.

He added: “[Ms Lipstadt] is no friend of mine. I have many Jewish friends but she is not one of them.”

Although Irving said that Prof Lipstadt had not responded to his email, when the JC spoke to her, she said her solicitors, Mishcon de Reya, had replied on her behalf.

It is understood that an email was sent confirming that anything served would be accepted. Ms Lipstadt said: “His email came as a little bit of a surprise, but he pulls these kinds of things.”

In October, Irving threatened to sue the JC for calling him an active Holocaust denier. He has not carried out this threat.

7 comments:

Hume's Ghost said...

Looks like Irving isn't just a Holocaust denier, he's a Reality denier.

Rebecca said...

My sympathies. What a pain that Irving is still engaging in his pathetic games.

Jeremy Jacobs said...

"He added: “[Ms Lipstadt] is no friend of mine. I have many Jewish friends but she is not one of them.”

Name them

Catamont said...

Shouldn't there be some kind of law that Irving has to pay his debts to Prof. Lipstadt before attempting something as staggeringly foolish as this?

Catamont said...

Shouldn't there be some kind of law that Irving has to pay his debts to Prof. Lipstadt before attempting something as staggeringly foolish as this?

steve said...

Jeremy Jacobs said...
"He added: “[Ms Lipstadt] is no friend of mine. I have many Jewish friends but she is not one of them.”

Name them

Name "them"? Name just one.

hockey hound said...

Dear Prof. Lipstadt,
Pay that murmuring fool Irving no attention. Anti-Jewish biggots who get their asses kicked as hard as you kicked Irving's in that courtroom in England have wobbly legs for quite some time afterwards. Irving is now the personification of the Yiddish proverb, "Gadles ligt oifen mist." Pride lies on the dungheap.