Sex and Islam Author Says He Fears for His Life, but Some Call Him a Publicity Hound

Only a few months ago Mariwan Halabjayi was an obscure 42-year-old Kurdish writer. Now he is a famous fugitive who moves from house to house, not daring to go near the windows for fear that assassins will catch sight of him.

Mr. Halabjayi denies that he was hunting for fame or political asylum. He said his book, "Sex, Legislation and Women in Islamic History," was an honest effort to examine questions that matter deeply to him.