Egypt Bans Mosque Preachers in Crackdown on Islamists
New Age Islam News Bureau
10
Sept 2013
A woman chants slogans from her window in support of Muslim Brotherhood protesters, not seen, marching in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Sept. 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Arab World
• Egypt bans mosque preachers in crackdown on Islamists
• Iraq officials say bombings kill at least 14
• Egypt militants kill four in new Sinai attacks
• 'Expect everything' if US attacks Syria: Assad
• UAE supports views of 11 G20 nations on Syria, says Abdullah
• Egypt: Secularists and Islamists poised for battle
• Syria opposition slams Russia plan as 'political manoeuvre'
• Syrian Foreign Minister announces Syria ready to surrender chemical weapons to UN
• Saudi Arabia donates $U.S. 10 mln to Palestinian Refugees Fund
• El-Helbawi does not represent Islamists: Nour Party
• No electoral system can exclude Islamists: Wafd Party
Pakistan
• Militants behead 3 anti-Taliban militiamen in northwest Pakistan
• Rare civil-military partnership: Ringing endorsement for dialogue with Taliban
• Renewed Correspondence: TTP welcomes ‘unanimous resolution’
• All parties have criminal, militant wings: Sindh Information Minister
• Strong rapport with US must for Pakistan’s progress
• Pakistan to free former Taliban leader this month
Mideast
• More massacres to come if al-Assad gains time: Turkish FM
• Easing the iron fist? Iran’s cabinet joins Facebook en masse
• Iran: strike on Syria may trigger attack on Israel
• Yemen Sunni-Shiite clashes 'leave 42 dead in 10 days'
North America
• Americans resoundingly tell Obama to stand down on Syria
• Pay no attention to the man behind the burning Qurans
• Obama says Russian proposal on Syria a potential 'breakthrough'
• Military strike on hold if Assad turns over chemical weapons: Obama
• Americans Associate Turban-Wearers with Bin Laden, Study Shows
• American Shiite Muslim groups speak out against Syrian military strike
• Obama administration now downplays al Qaeda’s strength among Syrian rebels
Africa
• Nigeria's Boko Haram clash with vigilantes, 18 dead
• Tunisia arrests Ansar leader, kills militants
• Police say armed men kidnapped archbishop in Nigeria, release his wife
• Zanzibar Meet Showcases The Role Of Omanis In Promoting Islam In Africa
Europe
• Amnesty decries ‘extreme political violence’ in Egypt
• German intel shows Assad did not order Syria gas attack: report
• Russia’s reset: Cold War no longer water under the bridge as ships sail to Syria
• French govt initiates move to ban religion in schools
• US and allies, Syria and patrons, fight propaganda war before strikes
• Syrian refugees temporarily resettling in Germany
Southeast Asia
• Filipino Muslim guerrillas’ storm villages, take 300 people hostage
• Christian and Muslim groups converge on the Palace of Justice for Allah appeal
• School bomb attack kills two in southern Thailand
• Joint counterterrorism exercise kicks off in Sentul
• Miss World Organizers Say Bali Final ‘Impossible’
South Asia
• Nepal freezes assets of entities with Dawood, al-Qaida links
• Ahead Of Presidential Vote, Afghan Political Forces Divide Along Ethnic Lines
• Dhaka seeks clarification from Delhi on UAVs
• It is time to form a 'people's coalition', says PPM
• 'Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami behind attack on Mancha activist’
India
• Mature democracies would be proud of Maldives President polls success, says India
• UN funds key to fate of displaced Rohingya Muslims
• Muzaffarnagar riots: Violence part of bigger design, Muslim leaders say
• No time frame for water talks with Pakistan: Rawat
• Yasin Bhatkal helps NIA identify 2011 Mumbai 'bomber'
• Sushmita Banerjee murder case: Afghan police arrest two militants
• India summons Syrian envoy on his Jihadi remarks
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Arab World
Egypt Bans Mosque Preachers in Crackdown on Islamists
September 10, 2013
By Yasmine Saleh
CAIRO: Egyptian authorities will bar 55,000 unlicensed clerics from preaching in mosques in the latest move against sympathisers of deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, the minister of religious endowments said on Tuesday.
Egyptian authorities have been cracking down on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood since the army toppled him on July 3 following mass protests against his rule.
Minister of Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said the clerics lack licenses to preach and were considered to be fundamentalist and a threat to the Egypt's security.
The ban will mainly target small unlicensed mosques or random praying areas. The idea is to spread a moderate message of Islam and keep Egyptians away from radical ideas.
"The decision is only meant to legalise the preaching process during Fridays' mass prayers and make only those authorised to do it, do it, Gomaa told Reuters.
Authorities moved to crush the Brotherhood following the overthrow of Morsi, Egypt's first democratically leader. More than 2,000 Islamist activists have been arrested and most of the Brotherhood's leaders, including Morsi, jailed on charges of inciting or taking part in violence. Some have also been accused of terrorism or murder.
Over the same period, more than 1,000 people have been killed in political violence. Most were protesters killed by security forces breaking up pro-Morsi camps in Cairo. About 100 were members of the security forces.
Islamist attacks, mainly targeting security forces, have risen sharply in Egypt since Morsi's overthrow.
A suicide car bomber blew himself up next to Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim's convoy last Thursday in a daylight attack in Cairo that killed a passer-by and an unidentified person and wounded 20.
The military-led authorities consider the Brotherhood a terrorist group and discussions are underway on the possibility of banning it.
Previous secular governments tried to move against fundamentalist preachers and their mosques but failed to clamp down on them because of the wide influence of Islamists.
The army and security forces now have backing from a large section of the public which was critical of Morsi's decision to give himself sweeping powers and his management of the fragile economy.
In Geneva, Amnesty International called on Tuesday for an independent investigation into killings by the security forces as well as torture and violations of the rights to free speech and assembly.
The military's overthrow of Morsi unleashed an "extreme level of political violence", the London-based group told the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
"Between 14 and 18 August, at least 1,089 people were killed, many due to the use of excessive, grossly disproportionate and unwarranted lethal force by security forces," said Peter Splinter, Amnesty representative in Geneva.
A impartial investigation was urgently needed into human rights violations, he said.
On Monday, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay reiterated her call for an independent inquiry into the killings, as well as her request to send a team to Egypt to assess the situation.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Sep-10/230737-egypt-bans-mosque-preachers-in-crackdown-on-islamists.ashx#ixzz2eVM2Uxw5
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Iraq Officials Say Bombings Kill At Least 14
10 September 2013
Officials say separate attacks in Iraq have killed at least 14 civilians and wounded dozens.
Police say the deadliest of Tuesday’s attacks took place near the eastern city of Baqouba, where three car bombs targeted outdoor markets, killing at least 10 civilians and wounding 34. Baqouba, a former al-Qaeda stronghold, is 60 kilometers northeast of Baghdad.
In the town of Latifiyah, about 30 kilometers south of Baghdad, a bomb hidden inside a coffee shop killed four and wounded 14.
Three medical officials confirmed the figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.
Violence in Iraq has intensified since April to levels not seen since 2008. More than 4,000 people have been killed over the past five months.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/09/10/Iraq-officials-say-bombings-kill-at-least-14.html
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Egypt Militants Kill Four in New Sinai Attacks
September 10, 2013
A series of attacks in Egypt's restive Sinai peninsula over the past 24 hours, mostly against soldiers, killed at least four people, security officials said on Tuesday.
The violence comes as the Egyptian military presses its campaign in Sinai to quell an insurgency that surged after the army overthrew Islamist president Mohammed Morsi on July 3.
Two people were killed and 10 others, including one soldier, were wounded when clashes erupted between troops and supporters of Morsi in the town of Bir al-Abed.
In a separate incident, one soldier was killed and two wounded when a rocket-propelled grenade struck an army checkpoint on the road to the airport next to the regional capital of el-Arish.
Unknown gunmen near the Suez canal killed another soldier, and three others were wounded in separate attacks in the region, security officials and medics said.
The military has poured troops and armour into Sinai to put down the insurgency and in recent days it has launched sustained air raids targeting militant hideouts.
The army has described its campaign as "the largest military operation to purge Sinai of terrorism".
Militants have launched near-daily attacks on security forces since Morsi's ouster.
Deadly violence rose in the peninsula after former president Hosni Mubarak was toppled in a popular uprising in 2011, creating a security vacuum.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/africa/2013/sep/10/egypt-militants-kill-four-new-sinai-attacks
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'Expect everything' if US attacks Syria: Assad
September 09, 2013
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned against possible reprisal attacks if the United States attacks Syria, saying that if there were military strikes, Americans can "expect every action."
Assad's comments came as part of a television interview with CBS conducted in Damascus
in which he also denied involvement in an alleged Aug. 21 attack involving chemical weapons.
He said that if there were US attacks on Syria in response, the United States "should expect everything." Video of Assad making the comments was aired for the first time on Monday.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/americas/Expect-everything-if-US-attacks-Syria-Assad/Article1-1119630.aspx
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UAE supports views of 11 G20 nations on Syria, says Abdullah
(Wam) / 10 September 2013
UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on Monday that the United Arab Emirates fully supports the position taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the summit of the G20 nations held recently in Russia and also supports the views expressed by 11 of the G20 nations in their joint statement.
The text of the statement was as follows:
The Leaders and Representatives of Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America made the following statement on the margins of the Group of 20 Nations Leader s Meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia:
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/government/2013/September/government_September22.xml§ion=government
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Egypt: Secularists and Islamists poised for battle
By Ramadan Al Sherbini
Sep 10, 2013
Cairo: Egypt’s secularists and Islamists are poised for sparring over revising a controversial constitution written by an Islamist majority last year, say analysts.
A 50-member commission dominated by liberals and leftists started this week debating proposed changes to the charter, which is criticised as being discriminatory and dictated by Islamists.
At the heart of the dispute are articles related to Egypt’s religious identity, which critics say were introduced under influence from ultra-conservative allies of the Islamist president Mohammad Mursi whom the army deposed in July after massive protests against his one-year-old rule.
Full report at:
http://gulfnews.com/news/region/egypt/egypt-secularists-and-islamists-poised-for-battle-1.1229248
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Syria opposition slams Russia plan as 'political manoeuvre'
September 10, 2013
Syria's main opposition group denounced as a "political manoeuvre" a Russian plan to head off threatened punitive US airstrikes on Syria by destroying the regime's chemical weapons. "The proposal of (Russian foreign minister Sergei) Lavrov is a political manoeuvre and is part of useless procrastination that will only result in more deaths and destruction for the Syrian people," said an opposition statement published late Monday.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Syria-opposition-slams-Russia-plan-as-political-manoeuvre/Article1-1120015.aspx
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Syrian Foreign Minister announces Syria ready to surrender chemical weapons to UN
Sep 09 2013
Moscow : Syria's foreign minister Walid al-Moallem said his country welcomes Russia's proposal for it to place its chemical weapons under international control and then dismantle them quickly to avert U.S. strikes.
The statement from Walid al-Moallem came a few hours after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Syrian President Bashar Assad could resolve the crisis surrounding the alleged use of chemical weapons by his forces by surrendering control of ``every single bit'' of his arsenal to the international community by the end of the week.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/syrian-foreign-minister-announces-syria-ready-to-surrender-chemical-weapons-to-un/1166829/
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Saudi Arabia donates $U.S. 10 mln to Palestinian Refugees Fund
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Saudi Arabia has donated $10 million to the Palestinian Refugees in Syria Fund of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNWRA), according to a statement released on Tuesday.
The kingdom’s donation came via its Saudi Fund for Development and will support UNRWA’s efforts to deliver food and cash assistance, as well as emergency relief, health and education services to the Palestinian refugee population in Syria.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/09/10/Saudi-Arabia-donates-US-10-million-to-Palestinian-Refugees-Fund.html
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El-Helbawi does not represent Islamists: Nour Party
September 10, 2013
The Nour Party has said that former Muslim Brotherhood leader Kamal El-Helbawi, who is a member of the constitution-drafting committee, does not speak for Islamists.
The Salafist party announced on Monday that it will demand that El-Helbawi not be defined as the representative for the Islamist current in the 50-member body, on the grounds that he was not nominated by an Islamist party.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/81213/Egypt/Politics-/ElHelbawi-does-not-represent-Islamists-Nour-Party.aspx
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No electoral system can exclude Islamists: Wafd Party
September 10, 2013
No electoral system will be able to prevent Islamists from reaching parliament, said Wafd Party leader El-Sayed El-Badawi in an interview on Tuesday.
El-Badawi, one of the liberal representatives in the 50-strong constitution-amending committee, told Aswat Masriya on Tuesday that "some want the constitution to approve the individual candidacy system in the next parliamentary elections under the pretext that it would cut off the road to the Muslim Brotherhood, and the other Islamist political parties, from reaching parliament."
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/81259/Egypt/Politics-/No-electoral-system-can-exclude-Islamists-Wafd-Par.aspx
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Pakistan
Militants behead 3 anti-Taliban militiamen in northwest Pakistan
Sep 10, 2013
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A Pakistani government official says militants have beheaded three members of an anti-Taliban militia in the country’s northwest.
Iqbal Khan says the militants also abducted three other members of the militia on Monday in the Khyber tribal area.
Khan, a government administrator, said on Tuesday that dozens of militants took part in the attack in the Bara area of Khyber. He says authorities are investigating which militant group was behind the attack.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistani-parties-back-governments-peace-talk-push-while-new-president-sworn-in/2013/09/10/63f4ef28-19d2-11e3-80ac-96205cacb45a_story.html
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Rare civil-military partnership: Ringing endorsement for dialogue with Taliban
September 10, 2013
ISLAMABAD: In a shift in the country’s security strategy, the top civil-military leadership – united and consolidated – decided to hold peace talks with all militant groups, reportedly keeping the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on top priority.
The decision to initiate a dialogue process with ‘all stakeholders’ and endorse action against groups who refuse to take part in the peace talks was approved on Monday at the All Parties Conference.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a marathon meeting lasting six-hours – convened by the government to demonstrate national unity and reach consensus on the country’s security strategy – which was attended by Pakistan’s political and military leadership.
In an unprecedented move, the country’s military institutions have thrown their weight behind the government’s bid to initiate the dialogue with the outlawed TTP. However, it did caution that the authorities need to tread carefully as there are elements within the umbrella organisation that may never reconcile.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/602259/rare-civil-military-partnership-ringing-endorsement-for-dialogue-with-taliban/
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Renewed Correspondence: TTP welcomes ‘unanimous resolution’
September 10, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), on Monday, welcomed as a ‘positive development’ a unanimous resolution adopted by the All Parties Conference (APC.)
The TTP spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, cautiously welcomed the APC resolution and said Taliban would be willing to enter into ‘meaningful dialogue’ after the government announces its policy on how to proceed.
“We welcome the unanimous resolution passed by the APC and will be positive in our response. We consider it is a good omen,” he told the media via phone.
“Unanimous stance of all the stakeholders in today’s APC Statement is a positive sign but the government will have to take more sincere steps,” the TTP Political Commission member, Ehsanullah Ehsan told The Express Tribune by phone.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/602245/renewed-correspondence-ttp-welcomes-unanimous-resolution/
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All parties have criminal, militant wings: Sindh Information Minister
By Razzak Abro
September 10, 2013
KARACHI: Lawmakers of two major political parties of Sindh, PPP and MQM on Monday blamed each other's parties for deteriorated law and order situation in Karachi, threatened each other of tough situation, and also assured cooperation with each other in resolving the problem.
This was the outcome of Sindh Assembly's single day session on Karachi law and order that was convened by Speaker of the Assembly on requisition of the MQM legislators.
The MQM leaders also produced list of 10 MPAs who are wanted to the police in different cases, however, the PPP led Sindh government accused that the list was not credible.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\09\10\story_10-9-2013_pg12_3
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Strong rapport with US must for Pakistan’s progress
By Arslan Mughal
September 10, 2013
LAHORE: United States and Pakistan are both the necessitude of each other and will certainly acquire benefits from a mutual respectful rapport, said Pakistani American and Director of Commongrounds, USA, Dr Zulfiqar Kazmi.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Times, Dr Kazmi said the relations between Pakistan and US saw inconsistency several times especially in the past 13 years when Pakistani Army and people sacrificed a lot due to the lack of effective leadership, he added.
Dr Kazmi told that US leadership wanted to work for development of Pakistan but lack effective and sincere leadership in Pakistan could not let US deliver here. But now the US Secretary of State John Kerry has mooted plans for overcoming energy crisis, one of the major problems of Pakistan, Kazmi observed.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\09\10\story_10-9-2013_pg13_6
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Pakistan to free former Taliban leader this month
10 September 2013
Pakistan will release former Afghan Taliban second-in-command, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, as soon as this month to help advance peace efforts in neighbouring Afghanistan, Pakistan's foreign policy chief said on Tuesday.
“In principle, we have agreed to release him. The timing is being discussed. It should be very soon ... I think within this month,” Sartaj Aziz, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, told Reuters.
Aziz added Baradar would not be handed over to Afghanistan directly as some in Kabul had hoped, and would be instead released straight into Pakistan.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/asia/2013/09/10/Pakistan-to-free-former-Taliban-second-in-command-this-month.html
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Mideast
More Massacres to Come If Al-Assad Gains Time: Turkish FM
September 10, 2013
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu reiterated once again Turkey's uncompromising stance against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the use of chemical weapons in Syria, in an interview with the private broadcaster Habertürk.
Davutoğlu stressed once again that the government had "no doubt" that a chemical attack was carried out by the regime, after long evaluations with experts on the matter.
Such an attack can only be performed with missiles by experienced experts, that kind who are only held by the Syrian regime," he stated regarding the chemical attacks in Homs and Damascus.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/more-massacres-to-come-if-al-assad-gains-time-turkish-fm.aspx?pageID=238&nID=54152&NewsCatID=338
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Easing the iron fist? Iran’s cabinet joins Facebook en masse
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Iranian President Hassan Rowhani and his cabinet have opened Facebook accounts, signaling a new front in the Iranian president's drive to promote his political agenda on social media.
The accounts can only be seen by those with internet filter breakers as Facebook is among a vast number of websites blocked under the country's stringent censorship regime.
It is hoped that the move could usher in a new era of openness, especially following a series of high-profile messages from senior officials.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/2013/09/10/Easing-the-iron-fist-Iran-s-cabinet-opens-Facebook-accounts.html
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Iran: strike on Syria may trigger attack on Israel
10 September 2013
Iran has issued a thinly veiled threat to Israel, saying that in the event of a U.S. attack on Iranian ally Syria some groups may retaliate by striking the Jewish state.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said at a briefing Tuesday that if the U.S. launches a military strike against Syria, Israel would be under threat from “some groups and movements that have formed over the past two or three years.” He didn't elaborate.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/09/10/Iran-strike-on-Syria-may-trigger-attack-on-Israel.html
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Yemen Sunni-Shiite clashes 'leave 42 dead in 10 days'
Sep 10, 2013
At least 42 people have been killed in 10 days of clashes in Yemen between Sunni Islamists and Shiite rebels, tribal sources and an official said on Monday.
Tension is mounting with stumbling national reconciliation talks, begun after the ouster of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh last year, set to conclude this month.
There have been days of clashes between gunmen loyal to tribal chief Hamid al-Ahmar -- a leader of the Sunni Islah party, and Shiite Huthi rebels in Amran province north of the capital, several sources said.
Full report at:
http://news.yahoo.com/yemen-sunni-shiite-clashes-leave-42-dead-10-134135528.html
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North America
Americans resoundingly tell Obama to stand down on Syria
By Tom Howell Jr. and Cheryl K. Chumley
Sep 10, 2013
Fully 60 percent of Americans asked about President Obama’s push for limited military action in Syria said no, that’s not a good idea, a CNN poll showed. In addition, Gallup confirmed that 51 percent of Americans are against the idea of strikes against Syria.
A new survey from CNN/ORC International of 1,022 adults finds that most — 6 in 10 — aren’t in favor of even the most limited of military missions in the war-torn nation.
Roughly 7 in 10, meanwhile, said air strikes in Syria wouldn’t bring about any favorable resolution at all for the United States — that America doesn’t have any national interest in Syria and military strikes wouldn’t fulfill any type of domestic goal, CNN reported.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/9/six-10-americans-say-no-military-action-syria-poll/#ixzz2eTitS2R0
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Pay no attention to the man behind the burning Qurans
Sep 10, 2013
(RNS) Three years ago, a nobody from nowhere got famous for doing something unpleasant.
The self-ordained pastor of an unknown Florida church threatened to burn a Quran. And then he did it. And then others with their own intentions picked up the story and used it to inflame Muslims in several nations.
The result: At least 50 people were killed, including seven United Nations employees.
Now that nobody is back, threatening to burn 3,000 Qurans on Wednesday (Sept. 11) as a “memorial” to the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
You may have noticed I’ve not named the man. That’s not an accident. Publicity is what he wants and I had decided that my small protest against him would be to not contribute to it. While I defend his legal right to do this, nobody needs to add to his spotlight.
And then I heard about a planned counterdemonstration by a Muslim interfaith activist, Mike Ghouse, who’s been plugging away at his cause for years. This year he’s bringing his 10th annual “Unity Day USA” to the same Florida town where the pastor has threatened to burn the Qurans.
Ghouse has speakers scheduled and has invited every religious and political leader in Polk County to participate. There will be an American flag ceremony. He’s called for American Muslims around the nation to contribute to a blood drive in memory of those killed in the 9/11 attacks.
I asked Ghouse why he thought it was so important to respond so directly to the nobody from nowhere.
“He is insignificant to us here in the United States, but the whole Muslim world is watching,” he said. “It is not what (the pastor) will do, it is what we do as Americans and American Muslims.”
Ghouse faces straight up to the fact that terrorists and politicians acting in the name of Islam have been responsible for brutally attacking their enemies – including many non-Muslims. And he knows that those attacks color the perception of his faith in America.
Full report at:
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/09/09/commentary-pay-no-attention-to-the-man-behind-the-burning-qurans/
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Obama says Russian proposal on Syria a potential 'breakthrough'
Reuters | Sep 10, 2013
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama, seeking to boost support for military action against Syria, said on Monday that Russia's offer to work with Damascus to put its chemical weapons under international control is potentially positive but should treated skeptically.
"I think you have to take it with a grain of salt initially," he told "NBC Nightly News" in an interview. "This represents a potentially positive development," he said, adding that secretary of state John Kerry would explore with Russia how serious the offer is.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Obama-says-Russian-proposal-on-Syria-a-potential-breakthrough/articleshow/22448241.cms?
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Military strike on hold if Assad turns over chemical weapons: Obama
Sep 10 2013
Washington : US President Barack Obama, unsure of getting enough Congressional support on Syria, on Tuesday said he would "absolutely" put on hold a possible military strike if the Bashar al-Assad regime agrees to place its chemical weapons stockpile under international control.
Obama, said that he was looking skeptically, but seriously, at a Russian offer to push the Syrian government to put its vast chemical weapons arsenal and infrastructure under international control.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/military-strike-on-hold-if-assad-turns-over-chemical-weapons-obama/1167062/
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Americans associate turban-wearers with bin Laden, study shows
Sep 10 2013
Washington : Reflecting the low level of awareness about Sikhs in the US, a new research Monday said an overwhelming majority of Americans associate turban-wearers with slain al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
The study Turban Myths, conducted jointly by the SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund) and Stanford University, revealed 49 per cent believe “Sikh” is a sect of Islam, while 70 per cent cannot identify a Sikh man in a picture as a Sikh.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/americans-associate-turbanwearers-with-bin-laden-study-shows/1166968/
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American Shiite Muslim groups speak out against Syrian military strike
Sep 10, 2013
WASHINGTON— This week a broad coalition of the top US based Shiite Muslim organizations issued a “Joint Statement on Syria” voicing opposition to a military intervention in Syria. The statement reads in part “We believe in a non-violent solution to the crisis at hand, and support the efforts of international leaders to resolve this issue through diplomacy and dialogue, rather than through violence or other military action.
“We call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties involved under the auspices of the United Nations, and the preparation for a transitional government that represents the will of the Syrian people.”
Full report at:
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/american-muslim/2013/sep/9/american-shiite-muslim-groups-speak-out-against-sy/
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Obama administration now downplays al Qaeda’s strength among Syrian rebels
By Guy Taylor
Sep 10, 2013
The Obama administration has started to rebrand Syria’s rebels by de-emphasizing the number of al Qaeda fighters among them — a move critics say is based on questionable intelligence designed to downplay the risks associated with a U.S. military strike on the regime of President Bashar Assad.
After two years of the Obama administration arguing that the Syrian rebellion was rife with fighters linked to al Qaeda, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said last week that Islamic extremists are marginal players in Syria’s civil war and are unlikely to profit much from a U.S. bombing campaign.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/9/obama-administration-now-downplays-al-qaedas-stren/?page=2
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Africa
Nigeria's Boko Haram clash with vigilantes, 18 dead
September 10, 2013
Clashes between Islamist sect Boko Haram and government-backed civilian vigilantes killed 18 people in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, survivors said on Monday, as President Goodluck Jonathan struggles to contain regional violence.
Boko Haram, which wants to impose Islamic law in northern Nigeria, is linked to more than 160 deaths last month and is considered the biggest security threat to Africa's top oil-exporting country.
The dead in Sunday's attack in Benisheik village were five Boko Haram militants and 13 members of a civilian vigilante group, according to the survivors.
Nigeria's government has supported newly-formed vigilante groups as interim security forces as it awaits the arrival of further troops in Borno, one of three states where a state of emergency was declared in May.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/81187/World/International/Nigerias-Boko-Haram-clash-with-vigilantes,--dead.aspx
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Tunisia arrests Ansar leader, kills militants
September 10, 2013
TUNIS: Tunisian police on Monday arrested a senior leader from a banned Islamist group and killed four other militants during a raid near the capital Tunis, authorities said on Monday.
An official quoted Monday by the state news agency described the militants as “dangerous terrorists” and said they belonged to the North Africa branch of the Al Qaeda terror network.
The clash took place following a dawn raid by counterterrorism units.
Full report at:
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/2cc648b4-84df-47b2-92bf-ccdc8f63b2a8.aspx
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Police say armed men kidnapped archbishop in Nigeria, release his wife
Sep 10, 2013
LAGOS, Nigeria — Officials say armed men have kidnapped an archbishop who is the No. 2 cleric in the country’s Catholic church.
The Church of Nigeria said that Archbishop Ignatius Kattey and his wife Beatrice Kattey were kidnapped near their home in the country’s southern city of Port Harcourt on Friday.
Rivers state police spokeswoman Angela Agabe said Monday that Kattey’s wife was released hours later. Agabe said the archbishop is being held for unknown reasons but that investigations indicate he could be released soon. She said no ransom has been demanded.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/police-say-armed-men-kidnapped-archbishop-in-nigeria-release-his-wife/2013/09/09/381d25a6-1995-11e3-80ac-96205cacb45a_story.html
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Zanzibar Meet Showcases the Role of Omanis in Promoting Islam in Africa
Muscat Daily staff writer
Sep 10, 2013
MUSCAT - The three-day History of Islamic Civilisation in East Africa symposium recently concluded with many working papers being presented on Oman’s contribution in Zanzibar.
The symposium was organised by the National Records and Archives Authority (NRAA) along with The Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oman and Zanzibar University. The symposium was organised to highlight various aspects of Islamic civilisation in Eastern Africa and promote exchange of views and findings of research on the impact of the civilisation in the region.
Full report at:
http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Zanzibar-meet-showcases-the-role-of-Omanis-in-promoting-Islam-in-Africa-2jk0
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Europe
Amnesty decries ‘extreme political violence’ in Egypt
10 September 2013
Amnesty International called on Tuesday for an independent investigation into killings by Egyptian security forces as well as torture and violations of the rights to free speech and assembly.
The military’s overthrow of President Mohammad Mursi in July after mass protests against him unleashed an “extreme level of political violence,” the London-based group told the United Nations Human Rights Council.
“Between 14 and 18 August, at least 1,089 people were killed, many due to the use of excessive, grossly disproportionate and unwarranted lethal force by security forces,” said Peter Splinter, Amnesty representative in Geneva.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/09/10/Amnesty-decries-extreme-political-violence-in-Egypt.html
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German intel shows Assad did not order Syria gas attack: report
By Tim Devaney
Sep 10, 2013
MUNICH — German intelligence findings indicate that Syrian President Bashar Assad might not have ordered an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack but instead tried to block his military commanders from launching it, a German newspaper has reported.
The tabloid Bild am Sonntag reported over the weekend that a German intelligence ship deployed in the eastern Mediterranean intercepted messages among Syrian officials that indicate Mr. Assad’s commanders went behind his back in launching the chemical weapons.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/9/german-intel-assad-did-not-order-syria-gas-attack/#ixzz2eTgX9w73
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Russia’s reset: Cold War no longer water under the bridge as ships sail to Syria
By Shaun Waterman
Sep 10, 2013
The Cold War is back — with a whimper, if not a roar.
Russia’s deployment of its most powerful warship and a spy vessel to the eastern Mediterranean to observe any U.S. operations against Syria reflects the worsening state of U.S.-Russian relations in the past few years and underscores lost opportunities for bilateral cooperation, analysts say.
Last week’s Russian gunboat diplomacy and Moscow’s spoiler role at the Group of 20 summit and on the U.N. Security Council, where it has blocked any action against ally Damascus, have led some analysts to make comparisons to the Cold War.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/9/russias-reset-cold-war-no-longer-water-under-the-b/
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French govt initiates move to ban religion in schools
2013-09-10
PARIS, Sept 9: France on Monday unveiled a controversial new charter designed to reinforce rules banning religion from schools which have been a recurring cause of tension with Muslims and other faiths.
The controversial “Charter for Secularity in School”, is to be displayed in poster form in every state-funded school in the country in a move pioneered by the Socialist government’s education minister, Vincent Peillon.
The 15-point statement contains nothing new in legal terms.
Instead, Mr Peillon says, it represents an attempt to promote better understanding, and more consistent enforcement, of long-established principles which have their roots in the anti-clericalism of the French revolution and the country’s 1905 law enforcing a strict separation of church and state.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1041835/french-govt-initiates-move-to-ban-religion-in-schools
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US and allies, Syria and patrons, fight propaganda war before strikes
Chidanand Rajghatta, TNN | Sep 10, 2013
LONDON: World sentiment, including adverse American public opinion, is all that is standing between the Obama administration and its resolve to launch military strikes against Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons. A staggering 71% of Americans oppose US involvement in the Syria situation, a new poll revealed on Monday, even though Washington's incessant messages have managed to convince eight in 10 Americans that Bashar al-Assad's regime gassed it own people. Still, a majority of Americans say a strike would not achieve significant goals for the U.S. and it is not in the national interest.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-and-allies-Syria-and-patrons-fight-propaganda-war-before-strikes/articleshow/22447884.cms
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Syrian refugees temporarily resettling in Germany
September 10, 2013
Germany's relocation programme for Syrian refugees is getting under way with 107 people gaining temporary new homes, UN officials said Tuesday.
The first group to be relocated under a German programme for up to 5,000 Syrian refugees includes "women and girls at risk, people with serious medical conditions, survivors of torture or others with special needs," said UN refugee agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming.
The programme announced by Germany in March gives refugees the right to work under two-year residence permits that could be extended if Syria's crisis remains unchanged.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/81276/World/Region/Syrian-refugees-temporarily-resettling-in-Germany.aspx
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Southeast Asia
Filipino Muslim guerrillas’ storm villages, take 300 people hostage
2013-09-10
MANILA, Sept 9: About 200 Filipino Muslim guerrillas were holding nearly 300 people hostage on Monday after clashing with government troops and rampaging through coastal communities in the southern Philippines, leaving at least eight people dead, officials said.
The fighting occurred after troops backed by tanks blocked the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) guerrillas — armed with assault rifles and grenade launchers — from marching into Zamboanga city, a major port city, to raise their flag at city hall, military spokesman Lt-Col Ramon Zagala said. He said the rebels were boxed into a Muslim coastal slum called Rio Hondo and were refusing to negotiate with security forces.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1041838/moro-rebels-storm-villages-take-300-people-hostage
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Christian and Muslim groups converge on the Palace of Justice for Allah appeal
BY V. ANBALAGAN
SEPTEMBER 10, 2013
A crowd comprising Muslim and Christian groups have gathered outside the Court of Appeal as it hears Putrajaya’s appeal in the Allah case.
The rain this morning did little to damper their spirits with many of them gathering as early as 6am outside the Palace of Justice.
The police set up counters outside the court to screen people and media personnel going into the courtroom for the case.
Apart from Malay right wing group Perkasa and other Malay rights groups such as Pekida and Yayasan Dakwah Islam Malaysia (Yadim), several Christian groups from Sabah and Sarawak were in the crowd.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/christian-and-muslim-groups-converge-on-the-palace-of-justice-for-allah-app
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School bomb attack kills two in southern Thailand
September 10, 2013
A bomb attack by suspected Muslim rebels on a school in southern Thailand killed two soldiers on Tuesday, part of a patrol sent there to protect the teachers, police said. Thailand is predominantly Buddhist and resistance to central government rule in the Muslim-majority provinces of Yala,Pattani and Narathiwat has existed for decades, resurfacing violently in 2004.
Teachers are seen as representatives of the government.
The attack in Yala came as peace talks between the government and rebels have stalled in recent weeks.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/School-bomb-attack-kills-two-in-southern-Thailand/Article1-1119929.aspx
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Joint counterterrorism exercise kicks off in Sentul
September 10 2013
The first Asia Pacific regional counterterrorism exercise involving 872 military personnel from 18 countries has officially started at the International Peace and Security Center (IPSC) in Sentul, West Java.
The participating countries comprising all 10 of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries and their eight partner countries — the United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, India and Russia — will discuss and share their best on counterterrorism practices during the event, which runs through Friday.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/09/10/joint-counterterrorism-exercise-kicks-sentul.html
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Miss World Organizers Say Bali Final ‘Impossible’
September 10, 2013
Miss World organizers said Tuesday it would be “impossible” to stage the final in Bali, vowing to petition Indonesian authorities to move the event back to Java after it was switched in the face of radical Muslim protests.
As hundreds more demonstrators took to the streets demanding the contest be scrapped, organizers said they hoped to persuade officials this week to reverse their decision to shift the whole show to the Hindu-majority resort island.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/miss-world-organizers-say-bali-final-impossible/
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South Asia
Nepal freezes assets of entities with Dawood, al-Qaida links
IANS | Sep 10, 2013
KATHMANDU: The Nepal government has directed freezing of assets of 224 individuals and 64 groups with links to al-Qaida and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim if they are present in Nepal.
Those on the list are individuals and groups identified by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as entities associated with al-Qaida.
Under resolutions adopted by the council, UN member states are required to freeze assets, and impose travel ban and embargo on individuals and entities with links to al-Qaida.
The decision was taken based on Nepal's commitment to UN principles and its adoption of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Act.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Nepal-freezes-assets-of-entities-with-Dawood-al-Qaida-links/articleshow/22458290.cms
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Ahead Of Presidential Vote, Afghan Political Forces Divide Along Ethnic Lines
By Frud Bezhan
September 10, 2013
As candidates for next year's presidential election in Afghanistan prepare to register, two political alliances have emerged that indicate the race could split along mainly ethnic lines.
Last week (September 5) saw the arrival on the scene of the National Understanding Forum, an alliance of about 10 political parties that vows to bring together prominent technocrats and former warlords mainly from the Pashtun community, the country's largest ethnic group.
That news followed the August 29 launch of the Afghanistan Electoral Alliance, a self-described "grand coalition" that consists of a dozen political groups that hail predominantly from the Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek minorities. Membership is based loosely on the former Northern Alliance coalition that backed the U.S.-led invasion that overthrew the Taliban regime in 2001.
Full report at:
http://www.rferl.org/content/afghan-politics-feature/25101500.html
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Dhaka seeks clarification from Delhi on UAVs
September 10, 2013
The government has sought clarification from India regarding the neighbour’s plan to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), popularly known as drones, on the skylines over Bangladesh frontiers.
The move came in the wake of news reports in some Indian newspapers which said the country’s Border Security Force (BSF) would soon deploy the UAVs along the border with Pakistan to maintain heightened vigil and planned to enforce identical aerial vigil in borders with Bangladesh too.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/dhaka-seeks-clarification-from-delhi/
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It is time to form a 'people's coalition', says PPM
Ahmed Hamdhoon
Sep 10, 2013
Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) on Monday urged people who do not support the ideology of former president Mohamed Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to rally behind Abdulla Yamin as the 'people's coalition' in the second round of the presidential elections later this month.
Yamin’s official elections agent Abdulla Ameen told Haveeru that the people who do not support MDP ideology must take the initiative to form coalitions and back Yamin in the runoff.
Nasheed won the presidential polls with a big margin but failed to secure an outright win to avoid a run-off later this month.
Full report at:
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/51055
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'Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami behind attack on Mancha activist’
September 10, 2013
Home Minister MK Alamgir has said activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student affiliate Islami Chhatra Shibir were involved with the recent attack on Ganajagaran Mancha activist Arif Noor.
"The law enforcing agencies are actively working on this matetr," he affirmed.
The comments came after a team led by Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker submitted a memorandum to the minister around midday on Tuesday.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2013/sep/10/jamat-behind-mancha-activist-attack%E2%80%99-mk-alamgir
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Roadside bomb hits bus, killing seven in Afghanistan
2013-09-10
KABUL: A bus that took a detour to avoid one roadside bomb instead hit another in the central province of Ghazni, killing seven people, including three children, an Afghan official said.
Assadullah Ensafi said the explosion occurred in the province’s Muqur district on Tuesday morning.
He said 17 people were injured in the explosion.
Ensafi, the provincial deputy police chief, said the bus was heading to Kabul from southern Helmand province.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1041895/roadside-bomb-hits-bus-killing-seven-in-afghanistan
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India
Mature democracies would be proud of Maldives President polls success, says India
Ali Naafiz
Sep 10, 2013
The success in the first round of Maldives presidential elections on Saturday is an achievement which any of the mature democracies would have been proud of, the delegation of Indian observers who monitored the polls said Sunday.
During a debriefing session held with Maldives elections commission, J M Lyngdoh who led the Indian observer team said the polling was orderly and unblemished by any notable incident.
"The discipline, patience and dignity of the voter and the sheer competence, industry and cheerfulness of the election staff were quite admirable," he highlighted.
Full report at:
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/51050
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UN funds key to fate of displaced Rohingya Muslims
Bibhas Bhattachrya
September 10, 2013
With neither the government of Myanmar nor Bangladesh ready to take responsibility for the Rohingya Muslims who are currently languishing in correctionals across the state, the Indian government is now eyeing funds to be released by the United Nations for proper rehabilitation of the displaced.
Caught while fleeing Myanmar and trying to sneak into India through the porous Bangladesh border, the Rohingya Muslims had been put behind bars and continue to await word on their fate.
“As many as 160 (displaced) Rohingya Muslims are currently in jail custody. Twenty of them have already served their sentence and another 130 were arrested while trying to sneak into India this year. With their identities disputed and nationalities unknown, neither the government of Myanmar or Bangladesh is ready to take any responsibility for them. However, the central government would soon avail funds from the UN, which would help in the rehabilitation of these Rohingya Muslims,” said an officer of the state home department.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/kolkata/UN-funds-key-to-fate-of-displaced-Rohingya-Muslims/Article1-1119907.aspx
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Muzaffarnagar riots: Violence part of bigger design, Muslim leaders say
Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui, TNN | Sep 10, 2013
LUCKNOW: Enraged over the complacency with which the Akhilesh Yadav government handled the Muzaffarnagar riots, Muslim leaders, top clerics and Islamic academicians from Darul Uloom Deoband (DuD) see a bigger conspiracy behind incidents of communal riots in UP. They believe the time is not far when Muslims in Uttar Pradesh will have to re-asses their political preferences for a more secured future.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muzaffarnagar-riots-Violence-part-of-bigger-design-Muslim-leaders-say/articleshow/22446934.cms
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No time frame for water talks with Pakistan: Rawat
Ruhi Tewari Posted online: Tue Sep 10 2013
New Delhi : Emphasizing the importance of dialogue with Pakistan on the crucial issue of water, Union Minister for Water Resources Harish Rawat said talks “have to happen” and “will happen”, though no time frame has been set.
Indo-Pak secretary-level talks on water had been proposed during August-September. Comprehensive dialogue between the two countries paused after the beheading of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani Army in January. But both countries indicated in July that dialogue, including a meeting between water secretaries, could be resumed.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-time-frame-for-water-talks-with-pakistan-rawat/1166925/
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Yasin Bhatkal helps NIA identify 2011 Mumbai 'bomber'
Rahul Tripathi Posted online: Tue Sep 10 2013
New Delhi : Based on leads that emerged from interrogation of Indian Mujahideen (IM) suspect Yasin Bhatkal, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has declared one Waqas Ahmad Shaikh a most wanted suspect and announced a Rs 10 lakh reward on him.
The NIA suspects Waqas is a Pakistani who entered India from Bangladesh in 2011, likely at the instance of IM founder Amir Reza Khan who is believed to be hiding in Pakistan.
The agency has released CCTV footage that purportedly shows him leaving a handbag in a crowded Mumbai market. This bag, the NIA suspects, contained one of the bombs that killed 26 people and injured more than 100 in Mumbai on July 13, 2011. He is also suspected to have planted bombs in Hyderabad in February 2013.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/yasin-bhatkal-helps-nia-identify-2011-mumbai-bomber/1166858/
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Sushmita Banerjee murder case: Afghan police arrest two militants
AFP | Sep 10, 2013
Afghan police have arrested two militants over the murder of an Indian writer whose book about her dramatic escape from the Taliban was made into a Bollywood film, an official said on Tuesday.
Sushmita Banerjee, 49, was dragged out of her husband's house by masked gunmen in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province and shot dead last Wednesday.
"Police have arrested two people who have confessed to killing her," Paktika governor spokesman Mokhlis Afghan told AFP.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Sushmita-Banerjee-murder-case-Afghan-police-arrest-two-militants/articleshow/22454143.cms
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India summons Syrian envoy on his jihadi remarks
SANDEEP DIKSHIT
September 10, 2013
Far from tales of several Indians joining Islamists to topple the Bashar al-Assad government in Syria, it has now emerged that only two persons of Indian origin are the specific cases known till now but both are British citizens.
One is Shah Abbas Khan, a British doctor of Indian origin, who entered Syria illegally through Turkey and is under detention. His mother has been calling up various authorities, including the Indian government as also the Syrian Embassy here. However as Dr. Khan is a British national, New Delhi has not pursued his case.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-summons-syrian-envoy-on-his-jihadi-remarks/article5110494.ece
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/egypt-bans-mosque-preachers-crackdown/d/13441