UK: Syed Hussain Set To Become Burton's First Muslim Mayor; Move Hailed As a "Progressive Step to Bring Communities Together"
New
Age Islam News Bureau
18
May 2023
Syed Hussain
----
Europe
• Warning after alleged spate of thefts at Newham
mosques
• First in district Muslim scout group puts call out for
volunteers
• Man attacked near Harlow Islamic Centre as council
slams "cowardly" assault
• Ukraine denies Russia destroyed Patriot missile
defence system
• Dozens of Serbia Schools Receive Bomb Threats
Following Mass Shootings In Early May
• Andover Muslim Community Seeks Larger Meeting Space
--------
Pakistan
• Islamabad High Court Bars Police from Arresting Imran
Khan's Party Leaders
• Pakistan Braces For Unrest as Imran Khan Fears another
Arrest
• $18bn penalty feared if Pakistan doesn’t complete Iran
gas project
• ‘Road to Makkah’ Project: PM Shehbaz Thanks Kingdom OfSaudi
Arabia For Including Pakistan
• Marriyum holds PTI’s top leadership responsible for
May 9 attacks
--------
South Asia
• China’s Growing Influence in Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan
• US Representatives Concerned by Misuse of US Aid by
Islamic Emirate
• Won't use taxpayers' money: Bangladesh withdraws
'extra' security cover for Indian diplomats
• Afghan Taliban Appoint Mawlawi Kabir Caretaker PM
• Afghanistan Commerce Minister Off To Russia-Islamic
World Forum
--------
India
• Karnataka HC Grants Bail To Cow Vigilante Accused Of
Killing A Muslim Man
• SC to Hear on Friday Appeal against Gyanvapi Mosque’s Scientific
Survey
• Zafaryab Jilani, Who Represented Muslims in Babri
Case, Dies At 73
• Ayodhya Mosque Project Hangs In Balance over Lack of
Funds and Other Hurdles
• Ahead of LS polls, RSS-linked Muslim body to launch
nationwide campaign to woo minority community
• The Kerala Story is a 'great service to Islam', says
Sudipto Sen
• Hindu man assaulted after locals spot him with Muslim
woman on bike in Patna
--------
Mideast
• 400 Israeli Settlers Invade Al-Aqsa Mosque Ahead of
Flag March
• Tensions ahead of contentious Flag March through
Jerusalem Old City’s Muslim Quarter
• Prime Minister Shtayyeh: Christian and Muslim holy
places are targets of settler attacks
• Iran leader says Hajj aims to unify Muslims against
Israel, arrogance
• Israeli Mk to Invade Aqsa Mosque Thursday morning
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad calls the shots in Gaza from
Lebanon
• Iran's Ebadi in Vienna on a Mission against
"Oppressive" Islamic Republic
--------
North
America
• "We Simply Cannot Normalize These
Incidents": Suspected Arson Damages St. Paul Islamic Centre
• US State Department Grants Access to Classified Cable
on Chaotic Afghanistan Withdrawal
• Leaders Condemn Sixth Incident of Vandalism againstTwin
Cities Mosques, Suspect Remains At Large
• Islamic extremist who killed 8 in NYC terrorist attack
gets 10 life sentences plus 260 years
• Man charged after car driven at worshippers at 2
Toronto mosques: police
• Muslim Groups Ask Court to Quash Quebec's 'Discriminatory'
School Prayer Ban
• Refuting Mahmoud Abbas’ UN Lies, Nearly 4 Million
Muslims Visited the Temple Mount during Ramadan
• St. Paul mosque fire believed to be arson, community
leaders 'disgusted'
• State and local leaders condemn arson at St. Paul
mosque, latest in series of incidents
--------
Africa
• 64 Islamic Scholars Killed By Boko Haram and ISWP,
Since the Inception of the Terrorists’ Activities in Nigeria
• Islamic Groups Organise Training On Combating
Extremism
• Crisis hits Niger Imam Forum as three sects break out
• Using Islam to subjugate women senseless; North’s
backwardness self-imposed: Adamu
--------
Arab World
• World Must Ensure Chemical Weapons Do Not Re-Emerge
and Spread, Says Saudi Envoyto the Netherlands
• US-Saudi Business Council invites American delegation
on business-development mission to Kingdom
• Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah readies itself to welcome Arab
League summit delegates
• Saudi men ‘more open’ to having cosmetic procedures
• Pakistani cyclist, traveling through Saudi Arabia,
falls in love with Kingdom’s natural beauty, hospitality
--------
Southeast
Asia
• Home Minister: ‘Allah’ Appeal Withdrawn To Give Govt
Time To Study Schism In 1986 Directives
• Right to use ‘Allah’ a good thing to come from unity
govt, says Sarawak’s Telang Usan rep
• ‘Allah’ issue: Proposal for conference of rulers shows
gov’t protects sanctity of Islam
• Timing of ‘Allah’ appeal withdrawal throws neutral
Malay vote up in the air, analysts say
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/syed-hussain-uk-muslim-mayor/d/129806
-------
UK: Syed
Hussain Set To Become Burton's First Muslim Mayor; Move Hailed As a
"Progressive Step to Bring Communities Together"
Syed Hussain
----
By Richard
Castle
18 MAY 2023
East
Staffordshire's new mayor has been announced - and for the first time in
history, a Muslim councillor is set to be appointed. Syed Hussain will take on
the mayoral chains at the borough's new Labour administration's first full
council meeting on May 26.
The party has
hailed the move as a "progressive step to bring communities across our
towns together". But socio-political statements aside, Councillor Hussain
has been putting in groundwork over eight years as East Staffordshire borough
for Anglesey - one of the most deprived areas of Burton.
It has a
relatively high first-and-second-generation immigrant population, with many
residents StaffordshireLive has spoken to praising Councillor Hussain for his
community work - and representing them at Burton Town Hall.
Dozens of
Muslim families have lived in its streets for generations and Councillor Syed
having built a loyal following, who, if election results are anything to go by,
trust him implicitly.
However, the
Anglesey resident and dad of three - also deputy leader of the opposition at
Staffordshire County Council - has not been afraid to call people out when he
identifies problems in his community.
Talking about
crime issues after a stabbing in Uxbridge Street - a melting pot of cultures,
corner shops and takeaways - in 2020, he said: "Residents are petrified.
The majority are law-abiding citizens, but because of these incidents, they are
frightened to be in their area.
"There
have been a few incidents and it's causing a domino effect. People feel they
cannot open their doors and windows because of abuse, a pungent smell of
cannabis and brawls."
He suspected
people who took issue with his work to crack down on covid rule-breakers during
lockdown were behind the vandalisation of his car in 2021.
And Councillor
Hussain has never been scared to embrace publicity to get his messages across.
Down the years, he has been pictured standing in a massive sinkhole in Uxbridge
Street and lying in a giant pothole in Walker Street in a bid to encourage
highways bosses to act.
Environmental
work has included regularly being seen out in Uxbridge Street picking up rubbish
and lobbying the authorities to act on its long-standing fly-tipping problems.
A regular
backer of charities, he has secured county council grants for organisations
including the Love Inspire Foundation, which helps support families in Burton.
But in 2020, he
was the subject of more negative headlines when he was accused of 'bullying' a
Queen Street Community Centre employee.
Despite
strongly denying the allegations, he was found by standards board chiefs to
have breached East Staffordshire Borough Council's code of conduct.
Announcing
Councillor Hussain's new post, the Burton and Uttoxeter Labour Party wrote on
its Facebook page: "Councillor Syed Hussain will make history at the full
council meeting on May 26 as he is set to become the first Muslim mayor of East
Staffordshire.
"In one of
its first moves since taking control on May 5, Labour will make this
progressive step to bring communities across our towns together."
StaffordshireLive
has been unable to contact Councillor Hussain for comment on his appointment.
Source: staffordshire-live.co.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/burton-news/who-syed-hussain-meet-man-8448121
--------
Turn ‘Dozens of
‘Terrorists’ Holed Up At Your House’ In or Be Ready For Action, Imran Told
LAHORE:
Police personnel search commuters during snap checking at Sundar Das Road near
Zaman Park, on Wednesday.—PPI
-----
May 18, 2023
LAHORE: A large
number of police officials surrounded the residence of PTI chairman at Zaman
Park after the Punjab caretaker government gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the
former prime minister, asking Imran Khan to hand over dozens of ‘terrorists’
allegedly holed up at his house in the provincial capital or face police
action.
According to
late-night reports, at least 1,500 police officials armed with teargas and
heavy machinery were advancing towards Zaman Park to encircle it from all sides
by dividing the deployment into three security layers.
Elite police
commandos and other trained personnel would lead the operation while Rangers
were kept on high alert to control the law and order situation in case of
clashes.
Police also
blocked all roads leading to Zaman Park by making heavy deployment of force and
erected barriers on Jail Road, The Mall, Allama Iqbal Road, and Dharampura,
suspending all kinds of traffic to and from Zaman Park.
However,
caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir said the operation would not take place
before the lapse of 24-hour deadline at 2pm on Thursday (today).
As scores of
special police vans, water cannons, prison vans, bulldozers, heavy machinery,
teargas shells, and elite police force commandos encircled Zaman Park, there
were reports that Imran Khan would also be arrested alongside the alleged
“miscreants”, almost 40, hiding at his house.
Informed
sources claimed there was a strong possibility that Mr Khan would also be
arrested and would be tried along with other party leaders and workers under
the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act in connection with attacks on
military installations.
They claimed
that the matter of Mr Khan’s arrest came under discussion at Tuesday’s National
Security Committee meeting which endorsed the decision to try all ‘miscreants’
involved in attacks on military installations during May 9 violence.
They said the
same decision was later conveyed to Punjab Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar to
prepare the officials for the operation against the suspects at Zaman Park.
The IG summoned
a meeting attended by senior police officers. The details of the meeting were
restricted to police high-ups and key government officials due to ‘highly
sensitive’ information. A source said the IG gave a nod to the operation,
directing the officers to make the Elite Force commandos part of the action.
Increase in
deployment
On Tuesday
night, a heavy contingent of police was deployed near Mr Khan’s residence. The
strength was increased manifold on Wednesday when hundreds of more personnel
reached there to boost the number of policemen deployed there. The strength was
increased to avert a possible stand-off between the PTI workers and the law
enforcers as witnessed in March and last week when thousands of party
supporters allegedly attacked the police, injuring more than two hundred police
personnel.
‘30-40
terrorists’ at Zaman Park
At a press
conference on Wednesday, Amir Mir claimed that ‘30 to 40’ alleged terrorists
were hiding at Mr Khan’s residence giving the ousted premier an ultimatum of 24
hours to hand them over to police or face action.
“We have
received an intelligence report that some 30 to 40 terrorists who were involved
in attacking the military installations, especially Lahore Corps Commander
House on May 9, are hiding at the residence of Imran Khan. We give an ultimatum
of 24 hours to the PTI to hand them over to police or face stern action,” Mr
Mir claimed.
PTI leader
Hassaan Niazi, nephew of Imran Khan, was also hiding there as he was wanted in
such attacks, and asked the PTI leadership to stop patronising alleged
miscreants and immediately hand them over to police.
“Initial
inquiry has proved that the miscreants who attacked the army installations have
taken shelter in Zaman Park. The PTI has become a non-state actor like the
banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan after being stripped of power, which does not
believe in upholding the Constitution and law, and challenges the writ of the
state through mischief,” the caretaker minister added.
Mr Mir said
Imran Khan had given a clear message to the workers to carry out arson attacks
in case of his arrest. In the past, he repeatedly lashed out at the
institutions responsible for national security and often incited his workers
against the army, he alleged.
When asked why
Punjab police did not stop the protesters/rioters, he said the government did
not want bloodshed. “But if this time anyone tried to take the law into the
hand he would be dealt with iron hands,” he claimed.
Replying to
another question, the minister said this time given a free hand to deal with
these rioters and arrest all the miscreants and their facilitators involved in
the incidents of May 9.
Meanwhile, the
Punjab government said the identification of 542 people and 305 vehicles and
motorcycles had been completed through safe city cameras.
“Concrete
evidence of conversations and messaging between miscreants and certain
political leaders has emerged through geo-fencing,” the provincial government
said and added these cases would be brought to logical conclusions.
The military
top command announced trying the rioters under the Army Act. Mr Mir said all
cases would not be tried in military courts. “Some cases will be tried in
military courts and remaining in the anti-terrorism courts,” he added.
Source: dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1754046/turn-terrorists-in-or-be-ready-for-action-imran-told
---------
UK-Based Group
Documents Rights Abuses since Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan with ‘Witness
Map’
FILE - In
this Sept. 10, 2021 file photo, Afghan journalists Neamatullah Naqdi, 28, left,
and Taqi Daryabi, 22, pose for a portrait at the Etilaat Roz daily's office,
after they were detained and beaten by Taliban forces while covering a women's
protest, in Kabul, Afghanistan. A U.K.-based rights group on Thursday, May 18,
2023 launched an interactive map documenting human rights abuses and violence
against civilians since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan nearly two
years ago. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
------
By Rahim Faiez
18-05-23
ISLAMABAD (AP)
— A U.K.-based rights group on Thursday launched an interactive map documenting
rampant human rights abuses and violence against civilians since the Taliban
seized power in Afghanistan nearly two years ago.
The documented
violations — committed by both the Taliban and militant groups such as the
Islamic State group — paint a harrowing picture of present-day Afghanistan. The
project by the independent, non-profit Centre for Information Resilience is
meant to draw wider attention to the surge in abuses against civilians,
journalists, and ethnic minorities across the troubled country.
With more than
1,300 data points of incidents since Aug. 17, 2021, the map is part of the
center’s Afghan Witness initiative.
“The map
reveals the violence and human rights abuses occurring under Taliban rule
against women, independent journalists, and minorities, sometimes in the form
of ad hoc beatings in the street or staged public punishment, as well as
violence used to suppress peaceful protest and armed resistance,” said Benjamin
Den Braber, lead analyst at Afghan Witness.
He described
the map as a “transparent record of verified human rights violations in
Afghanistan.”
“What we can
verify represents only the tip of the iceberg of human rights violations in
Afghanistan; many abuses are hidden from view and never recorded online,” Den
Braber said.
The
Britain-based center has used open-source data and techniques to investigate
human rights abuses, war crimes and disinformation in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and
Myanmar. To develop the map, the Afghan Witness team collaborated with C4ADS, a
U.S.-based group that uses data-driven analysis and technology to shine a light
on conflicts, instability, environmental crimes and human rights abuses.
“Our ability to
tell the stories of the Taliban’s human rights abuses through visualization is
a powerful tool,” said Lawrence Henderson, a program director at C4ADS.
Earlier this
month, a report released by the United Nations strongly criticized the Taliban
for carrying out public executions, lashings and stoning, and urged them to
halt such practices. In the past six months alone, 274 men, 58 women and two
boys were publicly flogged in Afghanistan, according to the report by the U.N.
mission in Afghanistan.
The Taliban
seized Afghanistan in mid-April 2021, during the last weeks of the U.S. and
NATO troops drawdown from the country. Despite initial promises of a more
moderate rule than during their previous stint in power in the 1990s, they
swiftly moved to impose harsh measures in line with their strict interpretation
of Islamic law, or Sharia.
In the months
following their takeover, the Taliban gradually tightened restrictions on
women, barring them from public spaces, such as parks and gyms, and banning
education for girls beyond the sixth grade.
The
restrictions have triggered an international uproar, increasing the country’s
isolation at a time when its economy has collapsed — and worsening a
humanitarian crisis.
The Afghan
Witness map contains more than 450 pieces of footage showing attacks on
civilians, more than 100 clips of attacks in the minority Shiite and Hazara
communities, and more than 350 videos of protests. A viewer can search for a
particular incident using keywords, access footage, original tweets or a report
about it.
“Afghan Witness
investigates, verifies where possible and archives data in the hope that one
day accountability mechanisms will bring the perpetrators to justice,” said
David Osborn, a team leader at Afghan Witness.
A statement
released Thursday alongside the map, which can be accessed through the website
of the Center for Information Resilience, said that the project “will continue
to work with journalists around the world and civil society in Afghanistan to
increase access to accurate, reliable sources of information.”
Source: apnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-witness-map-taliban-abuses-366254ec9043d3d66c396d6283db1d3a
--------
Offering
Frankincense: Muslims Deny Attempting To Forcibly Enter Nashik Temple, Maharashtra
Orders Probe
Trimbakeshwar
temple in Nashik district. | Trimbakeshwar temple trust
-----
18-05-23
Muslim
community leaders in Maharashtra have expressed dismay at the state
government’s decision to set up a Special Investigation Team to inquire into an
alleged attempt to forcibly enter the Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik, reported
The Indian Express on Tuesday.
The order was
issued after the temple authorities filed a police complaint alleging that on
May 13, a group of Muslims attempted to offer a Chadar – a ceremonial cloth
printed with religious verses – to Hindu deity Shiva. Four Muslim men have been
arrested in the case, according to India Today.
However, Muslim
community leaders have claimed that they were only following a decades-old
ritual of offering frankincense at the entrance of the temple. The temple
authorities have denied that any such tradition exists.
Avez Kokni,
former president of the Trimbakeshwar civic body, told The Indian Express that
the practice of sending fumes of frankincense from the temple premises to a
nearby dargah during an annual gathering has been going on for decades and the
Hindu community never objected to it.
“We are
surprised that this issue has now been raked up and it has taken a communal
turn,” he told the newspaper.
In Nashik,
Muslims conduct a procession during the Urs – the death anniversary of a Sufi
saint – that passes in front of the temple and enters the dargah of Hazrat
Gulab Shah Wali.
“Every year,
Muslims stand on the first step of the temple at the entrance and send the
fragrant smoke rising from the burning frankincense inside the premises,” Kokni
said. “This has been done for years as a mark of respect. The procession then
moves toward the dargah. On Saturday, too, a similar thing happened. At no time
was an attempt made to storm the temple.”
Those who
participated in the procession said that only four or five of them had entered
the temple premises to conduct the ritual.
“It is an
age-old practice and a symbol of syncretism,” Parvez Kokni, former chairman of
the Nashik District Central Cooperative Bank, told The Indian Express. “This
ritual has been taking place for ages. Muslims make up a very small percentage
of the city’s population and have stayed in harmony... I am surprised why this
age-old custom is now suddenly being questioned.”
Those who
participated in the ritual submitted videos to the police to show that the same
practice had been carried out in previous years too.
“We were called
by the police,” Salim Sayyed, one of the participants, told the newspaper. “I
told them that I remember doing this ritual since I was a child. My forefathers
did the same. However, if we have hurt anyone’s feelings I apologise.”
However, Pankaj
Bhutada, a temple trustee, told The Indian Express, that there was no mention
of any such ritual in their official records. “Just because they managed to do
it once, [it] does not become practice.”
Nashik (Rural)
Superintendent of Police Shahji Umap said that security guards at the temple
had stopped the Muslim men at the entrance as the visiting hours had ended.
“They returned from the gate,” he added. “The members of the Muslim community
have now said that if what they did hurt anyone’s religious feelings they will
not repeat the act.”
Source: scroll.in
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://scroll.in/latest/1049243/muslims-deny-attempting-to-forcibly-enter-nashik-temple-after-maharashtra-orders-probe
--------
Iranian-Backed
Shi’ite Militia Leader, Qais Al-Khazali, Says Mossad Used Prostitute to Kill
Medieval Imam
Iraqi
Shi'ite Militia Leader Qais Al-Khazali
-----
MAY 17, 2023
The Iranian
regime-backed leader Qais Al-Khazali of the Iraqi Shi’ite militia claimed that
the Mossad used a prostitute to assassinate the first Shi’ite Imam in the
seventh century.
The Middle East
Media Research Institute first documented and translated Al-Khazali’s
anti-Semitic diatribe that appeared in May.
"The Jews!
The Jews! The Jews! They assassinated Hasan, the son of [Imam] Ali, and they
did this by using a woman. The Umayyads were mere collaborators with the Jews.
Then they assassinated Imam Hussein. It was the same perpetrators, only they
used different people,” said Al-Khazali.
Al-Khazali
continued: "Qatam was a prostitute. What had been the modus operandi of
the Israeli-Jewish intelligence agency? What do we know about them? How do they
get their sources? It is either through money or through women. Right? In this
case, it was a woman. There is no doubt that she worked for the Israeli Mossad
back then, and through her, they recruited [Imam Ali's killer]. Abd Al-Satan
Ibn Criminal [i.e. Abd Al-Rahman Ibn Mujlam]."
Al-Khazali
sanctioned by US Department of Treasury
The US
Department of Treasury sanctioned Qais Al-Khazali for human rights abuses in
2019. According to Treasury,” Qais al-Khazali is Secretary General of the
Iran-backed Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) militia in Iraq. During the late 2019 protests in many cities
in Iraq, AAH has opened fire on and killed protesters. “
Prime Minister
David Ben-Gurion approved the establishment of the Mossad in 1949 which took
place in the 20th century.
Source: jpost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-743364
--------
Europe
Warning after
alleged spate of thefts at Newham mosques
17th May
A number of
"disturbing" thefts have allegedly been carried out at mosques across
Newham.
According to
Newham Muslim Forum, the incidents have affected at least six mosques.
The forum said
the most recent incident occurred on May 13 at Anjuman-e-Islamia Newham, High
Street North, East Ham, where multiple wallets and mobile phones were allegedly
stolen.
A Met Police
spokesperson confirmed that they were contacted on May 13 regarding an
allegation of theft from a mosque in High Street North, Newham.
There have been
no arrests and enquiries continue.
Other mosques
allegedly affected include Quwwatul Islam, Masjid-e-Ilyas, Masjid-e-Tauheed,
Masjid Bilal and Masjid al Hira.
Police could
not confirm these other allegations of thefts.
The forum is
urging mosques in Newham and wider London to review their security arrangements
and warn worshippers not to leave valuables or personal belongings unattended.
Kamran Qureshi,
of Anjuman-e-Islamia Newham, said: “We are here to raise awareness about this
issue and to urge the local authorities to take swift action in identifying and
apprehending the culprit.
“It is highly
disturbing to think that places of worship, which are supposed to be
sanctuaries of peace and safety, are being targeted by criminals.
“We condemn
such acts of criminality and call upon all members of the community to come
forward and report any other incidents.”
Anas Khan, of
Newham Muslim Forum, added: “We understand the importance of our local mosques
to the local community and the impact that these incidents can have on their
sense of safety and security.
“Masjids are
safe havens and open to everyone and we will come together as communities to
address the issue.
“We will
monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary.”
Source: romfordrecorder.co.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/23528658.warning-alleged-spate-thefts-newham-mosques/
--------
First in
district Muslim scout group puts call out for volunteers
17th May
By Jo Winrow
A MUSLIM scout
group is holding a recruitment drive this weekend looking for volunteers to
join them or start their own groups.
1st
Heckmondwike Ansaar Scouts is holding the adult recruitment day on Saturday
from 2pm to 5pm, in an effort to meet the increasing demand from within the
local Muslim community.
No previous experience
is required, and training will be provided, with plenty of behind-the-scenes
roles available. Volunteering can be done on a weekly basis or on an ad hoc
basis too.
Leader at the
first Muslim scout group in the Heavy Woollen district, Abdul Latif said: “I
volunteer to give our next generation skills for life and confidence and make
them into go-getters and doers.”
The recruitment
day takes place at the Al Hikmah Centre, Track Road, Batley.
Source: thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23528637.first-district-muslim-scout-group-puts-call-volunteers/
--------
Man attacked
near Harlow Islamic Centre as council slams "cowardly" assault
17 MAY 2023
Police are
investigating an allegation of racially aggravated assault on the outskirts of
Harlow, close to an Islamic Centre. Officers were made aware of the allegation
after a man reported being assaulted in Parringdon Road in Harlow on Sunday
(May 14).
The incident is
reported as taking place on Parringdon Road on the edge of Harlow, a road on
the Kingsmoor Christian Centre and Harlow Islamic Centre are near to. It's not
known whether any of these communities were directly involved.
The East of
England Ambulance Service Trust has been approached for further information.
Essex Police said the victim was driving his car when he had cause to stop his
car.
There was a
verbal exchange with a group of young people who were with an older male before
the driver got out of his car. He was then subjected to racial abuse and
assaulted.
Inspector
Natalie Rooney, Harlow Community Policing Team, who leads the investigation,
said: “Officers from my community policing team are investigating this incident
and supporting the victim. We take reports of hate crimes very seriously and we
will not tolerate this behaviour within Harlow.
"We will
continue to work with our communities to stamp out this behaviour and bring
offenders to justice. I would ask anyone who has information that could help
our enquiry, to contact us.”
This
investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made at this stage.
Harlow Council
said they are "concerned" by the allegation and said it "was a
cowardly act, and such attacks have no place in our town." A spokesperson
added: "Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this
incident. Our Community Safety team is stepping up patrols in the area to
reassure the community.
"The
police are investigating, and we are urging anyone with any information to call
Essex Police on 101 quoting incident 971 of 14 May. Information can also be
reported online."
Essex Police
said: "If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in
relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us. You can let us
know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat
service available Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) between
10am-9pm.
"Alternatively,
you can call us on 101. In an emergency always call 999. If you would like to
make an anonymous report, you can contact independent charity on Twitter at
@CrimestoppersUK, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111."
Please quote
crime reference 42/87024/23 when providing any information to make sure it gets
to the right person as quickly as possible.
Source: essexlive.news
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/man-attacked-near-harlow-islamic-8446101
--------
Ukraine denies
Russia destroyed Patriot missile defence system
May 17, 2023
KYIV: Ukraine
denied on Wednesday that a Russian hypersonic missile had destroyed a US-made
Patriot missile defence system during an air strike on Kyiv.
Russia's
defence ministry made the assertion on Tuesday after an overnight air attack on
the Ukrainian capital. Two US officials later said a Patriot system had
probably suffered damage but that it did not appear to have been destroyed.
"I want to
say: do not worry about the fate of the Patriot," Ukrainian air force
spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television.
He ruled out
the possibility of a Russian "Kinzhal" missile knocking out a Patriot
system.
"Destroying
the system with some kind of 'Kinzhal', it's impossible. Everything that they
say there, it can remain in their propaganda archive," he said.
The Patriot
system is one of an array of sophisticated air defence units supplied by the
West to help Ukraine repel Russian air strikes following Moscow's invasion last
year.
It is
considered one of the most advanced US air defence systems, including against
aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, and typically includes
launchers along with radar and other support vehicles.
Russian
President Vladimir Putin has touted the Kinzhal missile as proof that his
country has world-beating military hardware.
Ukraine said it
had shot down six Kinzhal missiles on Tuesday, but Russia denied this. It was
not clear which Western weapon Ukraine used, and the Pentagon had no immediate
comment.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/ukraine-denies-russia-destroyed-patriot-missile-defence-system/articleshow/100299820.cms
--------
Dozens of
Serbia schools receive bomb threats following mass shootings in early May
May 18, 2023
BELGRADE:
Dozens of Serbian schools on Wednesday received bomb threats, the education
ministry said, amid security concerns following two mass shootings early this
month, including one in an elementary school.
The education
ministry said 78 elementary schools and 37 high schools in Belgrade received
warnings by email early on Wednesday that explosive devices had allegedly been
planted.
Classes were
postponed and students evacuated as police checked the buildings. There have
been no reports that bombs were found in any of the schools, and police are yet
to issue their report.
Similar
multiple threats have been sent to school addresses in the past, in Serbia and
other countries in the region, and have proven false each time. However, the
threats could further heighten security fears after the May 3 and May 4
shootings that left 18 people dead and 20 injured.
Authorities
already have deployed police in schools and launched a gun crackdown.
The first
shooting happened at an elementary school in central Belgrade when a
13-year-old boy took his father's gun and opened fire. A day later, a
20-year-old shot randomly at people with an automatic weapon in two villages
south of Belgrade,
The shootings
stunned Serbia and sparked calls for action. Tens of thousands marched in two
protests against violence after the shootings, and more protests are planned on
Friday.
Opposition
parties are demanding that ministers of interior and intelligence chief resign
and that two pro-government networks be stripped of nation-wide broadcast
licenses because of airing violent content and hosting war criminals and crime
figures on their program.
Opponents also
have accused populist President Aleksandar Vucic of hate speech against critics
and a crackdown on democratic freedoms, which they say fuel tensions and
divisions in the troubled Balkan nation.
Vucic has
denied this. He has called an own rally for May 26 while suggesting a snap
election could be held by September.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/dozens-of-serbia-schools-receive-bomb-threats-following-mass-shootings-in-early-may/articleshow/100312977.cms
--------
Andover Muslim
community seeks larger meeting space
By Kiran Sajan
The Muslim
community in Andover is facing a space crunch as its current meeting place can
no longer accommodate its rapidly expanding membership.
The Andover
Muslim Community Association, currently meeting at 48 East Street, has
experienced a significant rise in members over the past few years, making it
increasingly challenging to fit approximately 1,000 people into their current
location.
Rahela Khanom,
who founded the association in 2005, expressed the community's struggle to
accommodate everyone for prayer during the month of Ramadan and their earnest
desire to secure a more spacious venue.
"There are
a lot more Muslims in Andover, with people coming from Turkey, India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Palestine, and more," said Rahela, who also owns the
Shahi Raj restaurant at 4A Winchester Street.
"We
started renting 48 East Street from the council around 10 years back, but we
need a bigger place to meet and pray."
The former
United Reformed Church building, located adjacent to 48 East Street, has
remained vacant for nearly a year due to declining congregation numbers,
leading to its permanent closure.
Having been a
landmark on East Street since its completion in 1702, the church is the oldest
religious building in Andover.
While some
parts of the building are listed, there is some uncertainty and debate among
community members regarding which parts specifically hold that designation.
Members of the
Muslim community, including Rahela, used to gather once a week at the church
when retired minister Rev Jill Bentall ran a luncheon club there.
Currently,
discussions are taking place between the Muslim community and the United
Reformed Church to explore the possibility of utilising the former church's
space.
"We
believe it would be best if we could use the former church's space as we will
be praying to the same God," Rahela said.
"If the
church is planning to rent out or sell the building, we would be eager to seize
the opportunity. It would be beneficial for the community and the building
itself, as it would continue to serve as a place of worship."
United Reformed
Church has been contacted for a comment on whether they are planning to sell
the building.
Source: andoveradvertiser.co.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/news/23525847.andover-muslim-community-seeks-larger-meeting-space/
--------
Pakistan
Islamabad High
Court bars police from arresting Imran Khan's party leaders
May 17, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
After Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry,
Islamabad High Court barred the authorities from arresting the party's leader
Shireen Mazari and Falak Naz Chitrali, Geo News reported.
The court also
directed the authorities to not investigate further the two politicians when
they appeared before the judge hearing a plea seeking relief from further
arrest.
"No
further investigation is needed from Falak Naz and Shireen Mazari," the
judge remarked.
The court then
went on to order authorities against their arrest, directing them to present
details of the cases filed against them, reported Geo News.
Earlier, on
Tuesday, the PTI leaders were re-arrested from outside the jail immediately
after being released on High Court's orders.
They were
arrested during the countrywide riots that erupted after PTI Chairman Imran
Khan was taken into custody by Rangers personnel on May 9 following orders of
the National Accountability Bureau, according to Geo News.
"Senator
Falak Naz's family and I (& our lawyer) were waiting outside Adiala Jail to
receive amma and Falak Naz. Islamabad Police arrested them from outside the
jail while we were waiting outside the exit they told us to wait at. We have no
idea where they have been taken," Mazari-Hazir tweeted last evening.
Islamabad High
Court's Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb had already declared Mazari's arrest
under Section 3 of Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) illegal and ordered her
release.
The decision
was announced on a petition filed by the former human rights minister's
daughter. The bench also ordered the release of Senator Naz who was apprehended
under the same law as Mazari.
Previously, the
High Court barred Islamabad Police from arresting Fawad Chaudhry till May 17
(today), reported Geo News.
Chaudhry had
earlier returned to the Islamabad High Court seeking protection, shortly after
the court issued his release.
The IHC on
Tuesday ordered authorities to release the PTI leader from custody after he was
detained on May 10 and declared his arrest "illegal".
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/islamabad-high-court-bars-police-from-arresting-imran-khans-party-leaders/articleshow/100310181.cms
--------
Pakistan braces
for unrest as Imran Khan fears another arrest
May 18, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan’s former premier Imran Khan said the police have surrounded his house
in the eastern city of Lahore to potentially arrest him again, stoking concerns
of a repeat of the violent clashes between his supporters and security forces
last week.
A minister in
Punjab province claimed Khan was sheltering dozens of people, who allegedly
attacked state and military property. The ex-cricket star, who denies the
allegations, was given until 2pm local time, Thursday, to hand over the
suspects.
This marks a
further escalation in the showdown between Khan, 70, and the military that has
an outsized influence on security and domestic politics. In recent days, the
army has publicly condemned those who they have identified as Khan supporters
for instigating last week’s attacks and vowed to try the perpetrators in
military courts.
“This is the
most unprecedented crackdown,” Khan told the UK’s Channel 4 in an interview
posted on Thursday morning. “In 27 years of my party’s existence, we have never
indulged in violent protests, now 7,500 people have been arrested in my party.
All the senior leadership has been arrested.”
Khan has called
for a judicial commission headed by the chief justice to probe the attacks on
state and military property. He has warned the government may take the next
step of banning his party since it has started calling the group a terrorist
organization.
“There are no
raid or arrest plans as of now. The deployment is normal and routine,” a Lahore
police spokesman said by phone. Khan’s residence already had a heavy police
contingent present outside for security but this was also the scene of at least
two other attempts to arrest him in March.
Firebrand
The politician,
known for his firebrand speeches, was dramatically arrested last Tuesday in the
country’s capital Islamabad by paramilitary troops in relation to a corruption
case. The Supreme Court later ordered his release calling his detention illegal
and Khan’s legal team has obtained protective bail for scores of cases to
prevent another arrest.
At least eight
people were killed and hundreds injured in the clashes that broke out between
Khan’s supporters and security forces following his arrest. The escalating
political crisis takes place as Pakistan faces its worst economic distress in
decades, including Asia’s fastest inflation, and is struggling to revive a $6.7
billion International Monetary Fund bailout.
Khan was ousted
as premier by a no confidence vote in April last year and has since sought to
return to power by pushing for early elections. His rival, Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif, rejected his demands and said the government will complete its
term that ends in August.
To force
national polls, Khan has pushed for by-elections and his party has dissolved
the provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it has
majorities. The government has refused to hold those polls, saying there’s
inadequate funds and these provincial elections should be held at the same time
as the national vote later this year.
Khan remains
wildly popular with Pakistanis, with an opinion survey showing that a majority
blame the current government for the economic crisis and the tough IMF reforms.
His appearance at rallies often draws tens of thousands of people.
It was at one
such rally in November that Khan was shot in the leg. He blamed the government
and the military for orchestrating an assassination attempt, which they have
strongly denied. Things came to a head earlier in May when Khan revived those
allegations at a weekend gathering and on social media, prompting the military
to have a very public war of words with him before his arrest last week.
Khan’s
allegations stem from Pakistan’s own history where no prime minister has served
a full five-year term in office. Those who lasted more than two years were
either exiled or killed, including Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in
December 2007 during a campaign stop in an attack similar to the one against
Khan in November.
“They are too
scared for elections because they are scared I will win,” Khan later told Al
Jazeera, referring to the military and the ruling coalition. “They are doing
everything to make sure I am out of the election race.”
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistan-braces-for-unrest-as-imran-khan-fears-another-arrest/articleshow/100318965.cms
--------
$18bn penalty
feared if Pakistan doesn’t complete Iran gas project
May 18, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The
Public Accounts Committee expressed concern on Wednesday that Pakistan would
have to pay a staggering amount of $18 billion in penalty if the country did
not go ahead with the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline project.
“The US should
pay the penalty if it does not approve of Pakistan and Iran going ahead with
the gas pipeline project. The USA will have to do away with double standards —
being lenient with India in meeting its energy needs while punishing Pakistan
for the same,” said Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Noor Alam Khan.
The observation
came after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed the PAC through a
letter that a meeting with the US ambassador would be arranged after his return
from Washington.
The letter was
in reply to a concern arising out from deliberations that the PAC held on March
1.
The ministry
said: “In view of great importance of the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline
project in the emerging regional situation, this ministry has been exploring
all possible options, including close engagements and meaningful exchanges with
relevant parties, including Iran and the USA.
“In this regard
a technical team from the petroleum division visited Tehran in January to
discuss ways and means to proceed with the IP gas project. The Prime Minister’s
Office has held inter-ministerial meetings of all stakeholders and agreed on an
action plan to proceed on the IP gas pipeline project.”
In reply to a
question on the purchase of petroleum products from Russia, the foreign affairs
ministry said an agreement had been signed with Moscow for purchasing a test
cargo of crude oil which would be reaching Pakistan soon.
“Pakistan was
committed to the Pak Stream Pipeline project. The two sides are negotiating
outstanding issues,” the ministry said.
Recovery from
petroleum firms
The committee
directed the ministry to recover “money embezzled” by two petroleum companies
that had caused big losses to private investors and the national exchequer.
The two
companies, BYECO and HASCOL, have yet to return in full the looted public money.
The PAC members
were shocked to learn that the owners of the two firms had managed to leave
the country even though their names were placed on the exit control list. The
meeting was informed that BYECO owed Rs 57 billion to the exchequer, but only
Rs3.9bn had been recovered so far.
Expressing his
displeasure over the meagre recovery, Noor Alam Khan observed the committee had
already directed the Petroleum Division not to show leniency in recovery of the
embezzled amount, but they were holding talks with the defaulters.
The PAC
reiterated its directives about action against the two organisations for
recovery of the looted amount.
Noor Alam
directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to arrest the owner of BYECO
and seize his properties. “Sell his assets to recover the embezzled amounts,”
said the PAC chief.
Through another
directive, the PAC asked the petroleum ministry to withdraw Rs500 in adjustment
fee from gas bills in order to lessen the burden on the poor.
The PAC also
proposed withdrawal of the ban on installation of new gas meters because “it
encourages theft”.
Noor Alam Khan
directed the office of the Auditor General to provide details of perks and
privileges being given to the President, the prime minister, federal ministers
and bureaucrats.
He noted that
the Auditor General had not provided information so far about salaries and
perks of senior officers of the armed forces.
Source: dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1754035/18bn-penalty-feared-if-pakistan-doesnt-complete-iran-gas-project
--------
‘Road to
Makkah’ project: PM Shehbaz thanks Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for including
Pakistan
May 18, 2023
Islamabad: In a
meeting with Saudi Deputy Minister for Interior Dr Nasir bin Abdul Aziz Al-
Dawood, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday thanked the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia (KSA) for including Pakistan in the “Road to Makkah” project, which
would facilitate Pakistanis intending to go for Hajj this year through the
Islamabad International Airport.
During the
meeting, the Saudi minister apprised PM Shehbaz that the project would be
extended to Lahore and Peshawar next year to facilitate more Pakistani pilgrims
in the discharge of the important religious obligation.
PM Shehbaz thanked
the brotherly Kingdom for its support to Pakistan during the last year’s
catastrophic floods. He also thanked the KSA for helping in the evacuation of
Pakistanis stranded in Sudan as the law and order situation worsened there.
Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia sign Road to Makkah agreement
On Wednesday,
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia officially inked an agreement to implement the “Road
to Makkah” initiative, designed to simplify the immigration process for Hajj
and Umrah pilgrims.
The signing
took place at the Prime Minister’s House, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and
Saudi Ambassador in Islamabad, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki witnessed the signing
ceremony.
Under the terms
of the agreement, Pakistani Hajj and Umrah pilgrims will receive streamlined
immigration facilities within Pakistan, exempting them from lengthy processes
upon arrival at Saudi airports. Initially, this service will be available at
Islamabad International Airport, benefiting around 26,000 pilgrims during the
first phase.
Furthermore,
the Saudi authorities have assured that this facility will later be extended to
Karachi and Lahore airports.
In addition to
the “Road to Makkah” project, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also signed joint
minutes of the meeting, during which they discussed the issuance of Pakistani
passports to Burmese Muslims residing in Saudi Arabia. Since 2012, these
individuals have faced difficulties as their passports were not renewed,
causing legal complications within the Kingdom.
Source: pakobserver.net
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://pakobserver.net/road-to-makkah-project-pm-shehbaz-thanks-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-for-including-pakistan/
-------
Marriyum holds
PTI’s top leadership responsible for May 9 attacks
May 18, 2023
The federal government
has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers who attacked military
installations including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi would be tried
under the Pakistan Army Act.
“This matter
[of attacks on military installations] comes under the army’s jurisdiction,”
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb told reporters in Islamabad.
“The sentiments
of the army men standing on the borders were hurt,” she said while talking
about the attacks on GHQ, Lahore Corps Commander House, and the martyrs’ monument.
The information
Minister, while noting that those protesters who attacked civilian
establishments would be tried under civilian laws, said the government would
ensure “no one faces injustice”.
“But they will
have to pay for what they did,” she said. The information minister also blamed
PTI’s top-tier leadership, including Khan and Murad Saeed, for inciting party
workers to violence and noted that they “cannot be disassociated from the
protests”.
She also asked
the courts to think about ensuring the state’s writ as she criticised Chief
Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial for saying “good to see you” to the PTI
chief when he appeared before him.
The courts have
granted relief to Khan, allowing him to come out of jail only two days after he
was put behind bars in the Al-Qadir Trust case, a move which further widened
the gulf between the government and the judiciary.
Source: pakobserver.net
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://pakobserver.net/marriyum-holds-ptis-top-leadership-responsible-for-may-9-attacks/
--------
South Asia
China’s Growing
Influence in Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan
May 17, 2023
Chinese State
Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of
Pakistan and Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Foreign Minister of Taliban, last week
in Islamabad to hold talks as part of a China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign
Minister’s Dialogue.
Afghanistan’s
stability is much more critical as the country’s insecurity will spill over to
the regional countries. Meanwhile, there have been differences between the
Taliban authorities and Pakistani officials over the presence of
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and their hideouts in the country.
Pakistani
officials accused the Taliban-ruled government of supporting the TTP and their
hideouts in the country, while the Taliban denied any militant groups or their
support, The New Arab reported.
According to
statistics, there have been more than 150 attacks in 2022 in the neighbouring
countries by the outlawed TTP, which can spill over to the broader region.
Since the
Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, Chine, with its strategic
coordination in the framework of a trilateral mechanism, hope to bring peace to
the region. As the Chinese Foreign Minister, Qin, says, “There should be no
‘double standards’ in fighting terrorism,” The New Arab reported.
The Chinese FM
then focused on critical regional issues like the unresolved Kashmir dispute
and new geopolitical alliances in the neighbourhood, hoping Kabul and Islamabad
would also tighten security measures for Chinese personnel, institutions, and
project groups working in their countries.
According to
experts, China’s two main objectives are to become a regional superpower and
play a specific role in maintaining peace and security, as well as to increase
its economic might so that it can participate in the exploitation of natural
resources and the construction of infrastructure.
Recently, China
has actively invested in Afghanistan’s natural resources, including Lithium and
energy resources. The China-Based Gochin Company is interested in investing
more than $10 billion in Afghanistan’s lithium mining sector, estimated to be
worth more than $ 3 trillion.
This indicates
that China has decided to control the county’s mineral resources, particularly
lithium deposits, which are critical in global mineral supply chains.
Beijing has
sought to expand its economic presence in Afghanistan and gain control of its
natural resources since the Taliban overran Kabul. Chinese businesses and
authorities have contacted Taliban leaders to renegotiate and restart prior
mining and oil contracts.
On January 6,
the Taliban signed a deal with Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Company
(CAPEIC), a contract to extract oil from the Amu Darya basin. The deal will see
an investment of USD 150 million in the first year and USD 540 million over the
next three years. A more significant presence in Afghanistan strengthens
China’s regional power and influence.
China is in
charge of the world’s lithium battery supply chain despite having yet to have
anything close to the most significant lithium reserves in the world. According
to the International Energy Agency, China accounts for 58% of the world’s
refining capacity. By 2025, UBS AG projects that mines under Chinese control
will have increased lithium production from 194,000 tons in 2022 to 705,000
tons.
This would
increase China’s share of the mineral need for electric vehicle batteries from
24% in 2021 to 32% of the world supply. Other nations may now need to lessen
their reliance on the Chinese lithium supply and build a safe, independent
supply of Lithium before it is too late.
This could
increase supply chain risks for those nations. The possibility that China will
dominate the lithium market, as OPEC did with crude oil, is a real threat.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/chinas-growing-influence-in-taliban-ruled-afghanistan/
--------
US
Representatives Concerned by Misuse of US Aid by Islamic Emirate
18-05-23
The letter was
also signed by some other members of the House of Representatives.
“While the
humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan undeniable, it is essential that US provided
assistance benefits suffering Afghans rather than the Taliban,” they wrote.
But the
Ministry of Economy denied the claims in the letter of the US representatives,
saying that the Islamic Emirate is attempting to provide aid with
transparency.
“We not only
interfere in international aid but we provide further facilities for it. Our
monitoring is aimed at reaching the people who deserve it, through
transparency,” said Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy.
Afghanistan
plunged into a severe economic crisis after the collapse of the former
government that followed with the suspension of international aid and the
freezing of more than $9 billion in foreign reserves.
“One of the
reasons that this aid does not reach the people who are in need of it, is that
they (Taliban) support their own ruling in Afghanistan,” said Sayed Masoud, an
economist.
This comes as
some economists say that international aid will not solve economic challenges
until it is directed at development projects.
“Unfortunately,
it has been 42 years that we are being provided with aid. We don’t have any
positive result. Its results could be seen when we do fundamental work,” said
Abdul Baseer Taraki, an economist.
“Investment of
international aid in major economic and intrastromal projects can create jobs
and also increase the level of production and it will also increase the level
of income,” said Seyar Qureshi, an economist.
Last month,
speaking to the US House Oversight Committee, the Special Inspector General for
Afghanistan Reconciliation (SIGAR) John Sopko testified that he cannot say
whether the US assistance is currently not “funding the Taliban.”
Source: tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183403
--------
Won't use
taxpayers' money: Bangladesh withdraws 'extra' security cover for Indian
diplomats
May 17, 2023
By India Today
News Desk: Bangladesh will no longer provide extra security cover to Indian
envoys and other top diplomats from the United States, the United Kingdom and
Saudi Arabia during their movements in the country. Although the normal
security protocols will be in place, the "extra security escort" will
be withdrawn.
Bangladesh's
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said that Dhaka will not spend
the taxpayers’ money on the "extra security escort" for diplomats.
"We won’t
provide this extra (security) escort service with taxpayers’ money,” said
Bangladesh's foreign minister as quoted by the United News of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the four embassies regarding the
decision a week ago, as per a report by the Dhaka Tribune.
The extra
security cover was provided to the diplomats of the four countries after the
militant attack in a Dhaka restaurant in 2016. Twenty people - 17 foreigners
including an Indian girl - were killed in the attack.
The security
measure consisted of policemen equipped with riot gear, escorting the envoys in
their vans.
“The additional
security protocol we were providing to ambassadors and high commissioners of
some particular countries has been withdrawn. But the normal security measures
for them are in place,” a diplomatic security division official of Dhaka
Metropolitan Police said on Tuesday as per news agency PTI.
REASON BEHIND
WITHDRAWAL
Several other
embassies other than the four were also demanding the extra security measures.
This is one of the reasons why Bangladesh took the decision to withdraw the
extra protocols. Dhaka Police Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq also said that
another reason is the shortage of manpower, reported PTI.
However, if any
country wished to continue the extra security measures, they can rent such
services. The Indian embassy has not made any comments on the withdrawal of
extra security measures for its diplomats in Bangladesh.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/bangladesh-withdraws-extra-security-indian-uk-us-diplomats-2380482-2023-05-17
--------
Afghan Taliban
Appoint Mawlawi Kabir Caretaker PM
May 18, 2023
In a major
development, the supreme leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Haibitullah
Akhund, has appointed Mawlawi Abdul Kabir as caretaker prime minister and
interim head of the cabinet.
Akhund made the
announcement owing to the ill health of Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the
acting head of the Taliban government.
The former had
suffered a heart attack after visiting Kandahar during the Eid holidays and
despite 45 days having passed since, he was unable to recover and resume his
responsibilities.
Zabihullah
Mujahid, the official spokesperson of the Taliban regime has confirmed that the
acting premier was suffering from various illnesses and wished to take rest.
Source: pakobserver.net
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://pakobserver.net/taliban-appoint-mawlawi-kabir-caretaker-pm/
--------
Afghanistan
Commerce minister off to Russia-Islamic World Forum
May 17, 2023
According to
the ministry, Azizi, will also meet with Russian officials along with officials
from other countries and companies in a bid to boost trade and investment with
Afghanistan.
The two-day
Russia-Islamic World Forum will begin in Kazan, southwest Russia, on Thursday.
The decision to
hold the 2023 edition of the Russia-Islamic World forum in Kazan is symbolic:
the capital of Tatarstan, located some 800km east of Moscow, is seen by the
Russian state as a successful example of multiculturalism and peaceful
religious coexistence.
Russia is home
to some 15 million Muslim citizens “in the sense that they belong to ethnic
groups with cultural foundations linked to Islam. Not all are believers or
practicing Muslims,” according to a report from the French Institute for
International Relations, AFP reported.
As a whole,
Muslims make up 10% of the Russian population, with most living in the Caucasas
– the area of land that separates the Caspian and Black Seas – and the
Volga-Ural region.
Muslims have
lived in Tatarstan, in the Volga district, for centuries and the Tatar
population (descended from largely Muslim Turkic ethnic groups) is Russia’s
largest ethnic minority group.
The forum in
Kazan aims to strengthen economic, cultural and intellectual ties between
Russia and the 57 member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC).
Source: ariananews.af
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.ariananews.af/commerce-minister-off-to-russia-islamic-world-forum/
--------
India
Karnataka HC
grants bail to cow vigilante accused of killing a Muslim man
18-05-23
The Karnataka
High Court has granted bail to cow vigilante Puneeth Kerehalli and four others
who were arrested last month in connection with the murder of a Muslim man,
reported PTI on Wednesday.
Kerehalli and
his aides were arrested on April 5 a week after they allegedly killed the
Muslim man on suspicion of cow theft.
The murder took
place in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district on March 31 when Idrees Pasha and his
two associates – Syed Zaheer and Irfan – were coming from Mandya, which is
located about 50 kilometres away. Kerehalli and his aides intercepted their
vehicle and accused them of trafficking cattle to an abattoir in the
neighbouring state of Goa.
The vigilantes
had allegedly assaulted and abused the Muslim men even as they showed documents
to prove that they had bought the cattle at a local market. Kerehalli and his
aides had allegedly demanded Rs 2 lakh to let them go.
When Pasha and
Irfan objected, they were chased and beaten up, while Zaheer and Kerehalli were
brought to a police station after a constable intervened. Pasha was later found
dead by the police.
Kerehalli and
his aides were booked on charges of murder, assault, criminal intimidation,
wrongful restraint and intentional insult to provoke breach of peace.
All the accused
persons are said to be associated with an organisation called the “Rashtra
Rakshana Pade” (Nation Protection Army), run by Kerehalli. In the past,
Kerehalli has organised campaigns against halal meat and for banning Muslim
traders from Hindu temple fairs.
A trial court
had denied them bail, following which they moved the High Court.
Source: scroll.in
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://scroll.in/latest/1049246/karnataka-hc-grants-bail-to-cow-vigilante-accused-of-killing-a-muslim-man
--------
SC to hear on
Friday appeal against Gyanvapi Mosque’s scientific survey
May 18, 2023
The Supreme
Court will hear on Friday an appeal by the Gyanvapi Mosque Management Committee
against Allahabad high court’s order last week for a scientific survey to
determine the age of a structure inside the mosque complex that Hindus say is a
Shivling, and Muslims insist is part of a fountain.
Chief Justice
of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud agreed to urgently list the matter after
senior counsel Huzefa Ahmedi, appearing for the committee, mentioned the
appeal.
“The high court
has passed an order last week, pending the final judgment. An application was
made for carbon dating and that has been allowed,” Ahmedi said.
When the CJI
responded that it could be listed on May 22, Ahmedi pointed out that the
scientific study by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is scheduled to
begin on that day. The CJI then agreed to list the matter for a hearing on
Friday.
On May 12, the
high court set aside a Varanasi district court order rejecting a demand for
carbon dating of the structure found inside the Gyanvapi Masjid complex. The
high court asked the district judge to proceed in accordance with law on the
application by Hindu worshippers for conducting a scientific probe of the
structure found during a survey last year.
It allowed the
revision petition filed by Laxmi Devi and three others challenging the Varanasi
court order that rejected the demand for carbon dating in October 2022.
Carbon dating
is a method of calculating the age of very old objects by measuring the amount
of different forms of carbon in them.
The Gyanvapi
dispute dates back decades. In August 2021, five women filed a petition in a
local court demanding the right of unhindered worship at the Maa Shringar Gauri
Sthal located inside the complex that houses idols of Hindu gods.
In April 2022,
the local court ordered a controversial survey of the complex, which triggered
protests. The survey was finally completed in May, but not before the Hindu
side claimed that a Shivling was found in the final hours of the exercise. The
court clamped security on the entire complex even as the Muslim side argued
that the structure found was a ceremonial ablution fountain.
The case
reached the Supreme Court, which on May 20, 2022, transferred the suit from the
Varanasi civil judge to the district judge and protected the site. In
September, the district court ruled that the pleas by the Hindu women were
maintainable.
Four of the
five women filed a plea seeking carbon dating or scientific investigation of
the structure, the complex walls and the Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal. The plea was
opposed not only by the mosque committee but also one of the Hindu petitioners,
Rakhi Singh, who called the plea a publicity stunt and said that carbon dating
of the ‘shivling’ would be an act of sacrilege.
On October 14,
the district court rejected the plea, citing Supreme Court directives to keep
the premises sealed.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/supreme-court-to-hear-appeal-by-gyanvapi-mosque-management-committee-over-age-of-structure-dispute-amidst-protests-and-controversy-101684390266648.html
--------
Zafaryab
Jilani, Who Represented Muslims in Babri Case, Dies At 73
18th May 2023
By Namita
Bajpai
LUCKNOW: Zafaryab Jilani (73), one of the most
prominent faces of the battle of vexed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute,
passed away at a hospital after a protracted illness, in Lucknow on Wednesday.
Jilani, convenor of Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) and executive
committee (EC) member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is
survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.
He had suffered
a brain haemorrhage in 2021 after he slipped in his residence. Ever since, he
was not keeping well even after major surgeries. A strong votary of secularism,
Jilani represented the Muslim side in Ayodhya title suit case in various courts
relentlessly for 45 years till the SC delivered the order to settle the
centuries old dispute on November 9, 2020.
An authority on
Shariat laws, Jilani was not in favour of Sunni Central Waqf Board’s decision
to accept the five acre alternative land provided by the UP government in
compliance of SC order for constructing a mosque some 25 km away from Ram
Janmabhoomi premises where the Babri mosque stood before December 6, 1992.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/may/18/jilani-who-represented-muslims-in-babri-casedies-at-73-2576236.html
--------
Ayodhya Mosque
Project Hangs In Balance over Lack of Funds and Other Hurdles
Committee
formed for managing the construction of the mosque requests the U.P. Government
to waive off development taxes
May 18, 2023
Ishita Mishra
Members of the
Indo-Islamic Culture Foundation (IICF) — the committee formed by the Sunni
Central Waqf Board to manage the construction of the mosque in Ayodhya — are
planning to request the Uttar Pradesh Government for a full waiver of the
development charges they have to submit to the Ayodhya Development Authority
(ADA) in order to secure approval for the mosque’s map.
The IICF has to
reportedly submit approximately ₹10-12 Crore as labour cess and
development tax to secure final approval for the map, while the total funding
the foundation has received
for the mosque so far via crowd funding is around ₹50 lakh.
An official of
the IICF told The Hindu that fund-raising for the mosque had been stopped as
continuous hurdles were being posed in the way of its construction.
Athar Husain
Siddiqui, secretary, IICF, said that the committee was grateful to the State
government, which has changed the land rules of the area in which the mosque is
planned, easing the process for them.
“We were all
set to apply for final approval of the map last month but when we approached
the ADA for it, we were told that we had to submit some money as development
and labour cess. When we enquired, it turned out to be a sum in many crores. At
present, we are not in a position to deposit it, so we have decided to request
to the State government to waive off the development charges. A letter for this
will be sent to the State authorities by our president,” Mr. Siddiqui added.
A senior ADA
official confirmed to The Hindu, “As soon as the IICF submits the map of the
mosque for approval with the authority, our software would generate a form
providing details of depositing development taxes (2-3% of the total cost of
the project) and labour cess (1% of the project cost).”
According to
the IIFC, the total cost of the three-phase mosque project is about ₹300
crore. The complex is spread across 4,500 square metres, and includes a
hospital, community kitchen and library, and a research centre dedicated to
Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah, a freedom fighter who took part in the 1857 War of Independence against the British. The
blueprint of the mosque is designed by Professor S.M. Akhtar, Founding Dean of
the Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics at Jamia Millia Islamia University,
Delhi.
ADA Secretary
Satyendra Singh declined to comment on the matter when contacted. Mr. Singh
reportedly maintains that the authority was ready to approve the map of the
mosque within 24 hours if the IICF applied for it.
In November
2019, the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court permitted the construction of
a temple in Ayodhya, at the site where the 16th century Babri Masjid once stood,
after it was brought down by Hindu fundamentalist groups. In the same order of
over 1,000 pages, the top court had asked the government — either the Centre or
the State — to allot a “prominent and suitable” five-acre plot in Ayodhya to
the Sunni Central Wakf Board to construct a mosque. The apex court had
particularly asked the government, both at the Centre and the State, to
facilitate the construction of the mosque simultaneously with the temple.
At present,
over 50% of the work for the Ram temple in Ayodhya has been completed. The
authorities have also announced that ‘Pran Pratistha’ (installation of the
deity) in the sanctum will take place on January 14, 2024. The Vishwa Hindu
Parishad and the Ayodhya temple trust have collected over ₹3,500
crore for the new temple.
But the mosque,
which will now be constructed 25 km away from Ayodhya city, in an area known as
Dhannipur, is still struggling with administrative hurdles.
“We know that
there is no comparison of the mosque and the temple in this country but we were
not aware that things would be so difficult for us,” an IIFC member said on
condition of anonymity. He maintained that nothing had moved for the mosque in
past three-and-a-half years, with delays over forms for land rules and taxes,
and No Objection Certificates from different departments
“At present,
the morale of the community is so disturbed that some suggestions received via
letters and mails even ask us to shelve the project,” he added.
Source: thehindu.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ayodhya-mosque-project-hangs-in-a-limbo-due-to-lack-of-funds/article66862038.ece
----------
Ahead of LS
polls, RSS-linked Muslim body to launch nationwide campaign to woo minority
community
MAY 17 2023
New Delhi, May
17 (PTI) RSS-linked Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) will launch a nationwide
campaign to reach out to the minority community with the theme of “one nation,
one flag, one national anthem”, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the
organisation said on Wednesday.
MRM volunteers
will spread the message of “true Muslim, good citizen” among members of the
community under the campaign, it said in a statement.
The Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) linked body said a three-day training programme will be
organised for MRM volunteers and workers in Bhopal from June 8 to June 11.
RSS national
executive member Indresh Kumar, who is also the MRM’s chief patron, will be
present at the training programme, it said.
The last
training programme was organised in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district in 2021
and it was attended by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, joint general secretary Krishna
Gopal and senior functionary Ram Lal, the MRM said .
MRM
spokesperson Shahid Saeed said that “ahead of the 2024 general elections, the
Muslim Rashtriya Manch of the RSS will start a campaign to take the idea of
‘one nation, one flag, one national anthem and one law’ to the Muslim community
across the country”.
“Carrying the
message of ‘true Muslim, good citizen’, MRM volunteers and workers will reach
out to the minority community in every nook and corner of the country,” he said
in the statement.
Saeed said the
MRM has chosen Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal for organising the training
programme in view of “a sizable population” of Muslims in the state.
“Muslim votes
are moving away from the BJP’s vote bank (in Madhya Pradesh). In the last
election, Congress won the north and central assembly seats. The Muslim
population is high in these two constituencies. North Bhopal has become a
Congress stronghold,” the MRM spokesperson said.
Assembly
elections are due in Madhya Pradesh later this year. PTI PK PK ANB ANB ANB
Source: theprint.in
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://theprint.in/india/ahead-of-ls-polls-rss-linked-muslim-body-to-launch-nationwide-campaign-to-woo-minority-community/1579651/
--------
The Kerala
Story is a 'great service to Islam', says Sudipto Sen
May 17, 2023
Ever since the
film The Kerala Story released, the film has been mired in controversies.
Despite all this, the film has managed to earn about Rs 150 crore at the box
office and will soon be releasing in the United Kingdom. The film revolves
around Adah Sharma’s character, a Hindu woman from Kerala who is converted to
Islam and made to join ISIS.
Producer Vipul
Shah and director Sudipto Sen on Wednesday categorically dismissed the claims
that their film is spreading hatred against the Muslim community. Explaining
his stance Vipul Shah gave the example of Gabbar Singh from Sholay. He claimed
that when the villain was named Gabbar Singh, director Ramesh Sippy was not
against the Singh community. So why this biased judgement against us? We have
only spoken about the perpetrators.
When asked why
there was not a single redeeming Muslim character in the film, he said that he
was not there to do a balancing act. Sen further said that when one talks about
terror, one cannot assume they are targeting the religion, and with the film
they have done a great service to Islam. He also claimed that there are 2
Keralas, one that is beautiful, the backwaters, the Kalaripayattu, the dance
etc, but on the other part is a terror-network hub.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/the-kerala-story-is-a-great-service-to-islam-says-sudipto-sen/articleshow/100307019.cms
--------
Hindu man
assaulted after locals spot him with Muslim woman on bike in Patna
May 17, 2023
By India Today
News Desk: A Hindu man in Bihar's Patna was thrashed by a group of locals after
he was spotted on a bike with a Muslim woman. The incident was reported from a
local market in the city, under the Pirbahore Police Station limits, where the
man and the woman, both classmates, were stopped and questioned by locals,
while they were on their way to somewhere.
According to
the details, Muslim locals asked the woman to return home.
They then
thrashed the man, identified as Sagar Kumar Mishra, and questioned him for
being around the woman despite being a Hindu.
The entire
incident was captured on camera and soon became viral on social
media.Meanwhile, the Patna Police said they have yet not received a complaint
from either the man or the woman.
The police
further said acting upon the viral video, they have begun an investigation into
the case.
In a similar
incident earlier in Kanpur, a man was thrashed and his head was shaved after he
was spotted talking to a woman near a school in the city. The man was accused
of harassing girls by changing his name.
During
investigations, the man had revealed himself as 'Raja', however, his Aadhaar
card stated his name as 'Arif'.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/hindu-man-thrashed-on-bike-with-muslim-woman-bihar-patna-viral-video-2380387-2023-05-17
--------
Mideast
400 Israeli
Settlers Invade Al-Aqsa Mosque Ahead of Flag March
18 May, 2023
Hundreds of
Israeli settlers, protected by Israeli occupation forces IOF, raided the
courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem on Thursday morning, May 18,
2023.
Palestinian
media sources reported that 400 Israeli settlers, led by extremist rabbi Yehuda
Glick, invaded Al-Aqsa’s courtyards and performed provocative rituals.
These
incursions came a few hours before the Flag March, scheduled for Thursday
evening when thousands of Israeli settlers will invade Jerusalem’s Old City.
Such escalating
incursions aim to impose the temporal and spatial division in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Recently, IOF has frequently evacuated Muslims from the mosque to pave the way
for settlers’ incursions.
Israeli
settlers carry out semi-daily incursions into the blessed Mosque in Jerusalem
and provocatively perform Talmudic rituals under the protection of Israeli
occupation forces.
Meanwhile,
Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem continue their calls to mobilize at Al-Aqsa
to confront the Israeli settlers’ calls for mass raids in Al-Aqsa.
In April 2023,
nearly 5054 Israeli settlers invaded the courtyards of Al-Aqsa mosque and
performed provocative Talmudic rituals at its yards.
Source: daysofpalestine.ps
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://daysofpalestine.ps/400-israeli-settlers-invade-al-aqsa-mosque-ahead-of-flag-march/
--------
Tensions ahead
of contentious Flag March through Jerusalem Old City’s Muslim Quarter
18-05-23
Security forces
were gearing up for a potential renewal of violence Thursday, with a
controversial march through Jerusalem’s Old City Muslim Quarter slated to go
ahead amid sky-high tensions, threats from Palestinian terror groups and
pressure from foreign allies to reroute the march.
Tens of
thousands of Jewish Israelis were expected to march throughout the capital
waving Israeli flags, including through the Muslim Quarter. The event comes
less than a week after Israel and Gazan terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad
finalized a ceasefire agreement following five days of deadly conflict.
Over 3,000
police officers are expected to be deployed across the city for the Jerusalem
Day Flag March, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of largely Orthodox
Jewish nationalists.
The annual
parade to the Western Wall marks Israel’s reunification of East and West
Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War but has gained notoriety over the years,
as it is often marred by hate speech and sometimes violence by Jewish
participants toward Palestinians.
Several members
of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, including National Security
Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Transportation
Minister Miri Regev, Negev and Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf and
ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem Minister Meir Porush were slated to take part in the
march.
Adding to the
fraught atmosphere, this year’s march comes on the heels of last week’s
protracted fight between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group
in Gaza, which saw nearly 1,500 rockets shot into Israel and hundreds of
airstrikes on targets in the Strip.
On Wednesday, a
senior official with the Hamas terror group ruling the Strip threatened an
unspecified response should the march go ahead.
“The Zionist
Flag March will not pass, and the response will inevitably come,” said senior
Hamas official Salah al-Bardawil in a statement.
In 2021, Hamas
fired several rockets at Jerusalem just as the march was beginning, sparking
over a week of intense fighting between Israel and Gazan terror groups.
Officials believe
the chances of rocket fire this time around to be slim, Channel 13 news
reported, but Iron Dome anti-missile batteries will still be at the ready.
According to
the Kan public broadcaster, Israel has warned Hamas that it will respond to any
rocket fire.
The report said
that while security officials believe the march itself will not lead to
rockets, video documentation of violence against Palestinians or other
provocations could lead to the firing of projectiles from Gaza.
Meanwhile,
Gaza’s so-called balloon unit — responsible for launching balloons ferrying
incendiary and explosive devices into Israel in the past, and thought to be
tied to Hamas — has said it would resume activities Thursday.
Setting the
tone for the tense day, visits atop the Temple Mount started Thursday morning.
Hundreds of Jews entered the holy site, including Wasserlauf — a minister for
Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit party — and Ben Gvir’s wife Ayala.
According to
Haaretz, some right-wing activists were planning to attempt to access the
flashpoint site with Israeli flags, though police have said they would not
allow those marching to access the area. The site is the holiest for Jews, as
the location of two biblical temples, while the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Mount is
the third holiest shrine in Islam, turning the area into a major source of
tension in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Security
officials have been working to try to separate the public perception of visits
to the flashpoint site from the Flag March later in the day, Hebrew-language
media reported, particularly if Itamar Ben Gvir ends up visiting.
According to
reports, Ben Gvir has been excluded from many of the high-level security
discussions ahead of the march, despite holding the portfolio in charge of
policing.
Police Commissioner
Kobi Shabtai said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that there has been a
“breakdown of trust” in his relationship with the Otzma Yehudit leader.
Last year,
security services kept then-MK Ben Gvir away from the Damascus Gate entrance to
the Old City, a site of frequent conflict between Palestinians and Israeli
police in the Muslim Quarter.
Participants in
the Flag March will begin to gather around 1 p.m. and the event will conclude
at 5 p.m. at the Western Wall. A number of streets in the capital will be
closed throughout the day.
US President
Joe Biden’s administration has urged Israel to change the route of the march to
go through the Old City’s Jaffa Gate, instead of Damascus Gate, thereby
avoiding the Muslim Quarter, which is largely populated by Palestinians.
However,
Netanyahu has vowed that the procession will not change route.
Channel 12 news
reported Wednesday that Hamas has been waging a concerted campaign of
incitement ahead of the contentious march.
The campaign
calls on Palestinians to carry out terror attacks and confront Israeli security
forces, the report said.
Police chief
Shabtai warned against terror group incitement.
“For several
days, terrorist elements motivated by Iran — through Hezbollah, Hamas and
Islamic Jihad — have been spreading false information on social media about the
route of the flag parade…. in the capital of Israel, Jerusalem,” Shabtai said
Wednesday.
“The goal of
those terrorist elements is clear — it
is to create wild incitement to terrorism against the thousands of Israelis who
will come to celebrate Jerusalem Day at a number of events,” he said.
There are also
concerns that any potential violence could spill over into the so-called “mixed
cities” that have significant Jewish and Arab populations. A number of these
communities were rocked by rioting and inter-ethnic clashes in May 2021 when
fighting broke out between Israel and Hamas.
According to
Channel 13 news, 35 individuals have been removed from Jerusalem ahead of the
march. There was no further clarification on how many of them were Jewish
Israelis and how many were Palestinians, what they were accused of, or which
legal mechanism was utilized.
The annual Flag
March has long become associated with religious Zionism, a movement that sees
it as a religious imperative to hold the land of Israel under Jewish
sovereignty. The march is leveraged by some extremist nationalists to
antagonize Arab residents, and Arab East Jerusalemites view the parade as a
provocation.
The timing of
the march this year is especially delicate in light of the fresh ceasefire
between Israel and Iran-backed Islamic Jihad since Saturday evening, despite a
single cross-border exchange on Sunday. The ceasefire ended days of fighting,
and the terror group had reportedly threatened to drag out the conflict to
disrupt the Jerusalem Day march.
In May 2021,
Netanyahu agreed to reroute the Flag March, though he waited until hours before
the rally to make the decision, allowing threats against Israel from Hamas and
other terror groups to pile up in the meantime.
Despite the
decision, Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at Jerusalem as the rerouted march
was taking place. Shortly thereafter, the IDF launched Operation Guardian of
the Walls in Gaza, which lasted 11 days.
The next year,
then-PM Naftali Bennett came under similar pressure from the US but ultimately
decided to allow the march to go forward on the original route in what led to
the globally criticized scenes of participants singing “May your village burn”
as they danced outside Damascus Gate.
However, terror
groups in Gaza largely avoided responding in the way they had a year earlier.
Jacob Magid,
Jeremy Sharon and Carrie Keller-Lynn contributed to this report.
Source: timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.timesofisrael.com/tensions-ahead-of-contentious-flag-march-through-jerusalem-old-citys-muslim-quarter/
--------
Prime Minister
Shtayyeh: Christian and Muslim holy places are targets of settler attacks
17/May/2023
RAMALLAH, Wednesday,
May 17, 2023 (WAFA) – Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh today stated that
Christian and Muslim holy places are targets of Israeli settler attacks.
Speaking during
a meeting with a delegation of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Hungary
(ECCH) with the attendance of the head of the Representative Office of Hungary
in Ramallah Csaba Rada at his office in the occupied West Bank city of
Ramallah, Prime Minister Shtayyeh said that Israeli attacks, committed by the
occupation forces and settlers, target Christian and Muslim holy places alike
throughout the occupied territories, including Jerusalem.
The Israeli
occupation measures, he added, continue to target and efface Christian and
Muslim presence in the Holy Land.
Premier
Shtayyeh briefed the delegation on the latest developments of the Palestinian
Question and the Israeli occupation and settler-colonialist measures, notably
colonial settlement construction, that are systematically destroying the
two-state solution, while affirming that the solution to the “conflict” lies in
ending the Israeli occupation and establishing the independent Palestinian
state.
He concluded by
considering that it was particularly important to strengthen bilateral
Palestinian-Hungarian relations, build bridges between the two peoples and the
promotion of religious tourism.
The ECCH
delegation’s visit was arranged and coordinated by the Higher Presidential
Committee of Church Affairs.
Source: english.wafa.ps
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/135853
--------
Iran leader
says Hajj aims to unify Muslims against Israel, arrogance
May 17, 2023
Ayatollah
Khamenei made the remarks during a meeting with a group of Hajj officials at
Imam Khomeini Hussainia in southern Tehran on Wednesday morning before they
begin dispatching pilgrims from the country to Saudi Arabia for the annual
rituals of Hajj.
“The purpose of
Hajj is to unify the Islamic Ummah against disbelief, oppression, arrogance,
and human and non-human idols,” he noted.
He also added
that “culture-building” should be done in introducing the fundamental concepts
of Hajj to people.
“I insist that
the respected Hajj officials build up the culture in these fields,” he said.
“Make sure that whenever the Hajj is mentioned, concepts such as
civilization-building, global unity, cross-border and international
perspective, and elimination of discrimination occur to today’s young person,”
the Leader stressed.
Ayatollah
Khamenei added that culture-building should be done by the clerics who are in
the Hajj caravans and also Hajj officials.
Beginning next
week, 89,000 pilgrims from 21 Iranian provinces will be dispatched from Iran to
Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj this year.
Elsewhere in
his remarks, the Supreme Leader said one of the worldly benefits of Hajj is
that Muslims in this huge gathering declare their presence and power against
the Zionist regime and the influence of arrogant powers, and stand up to the
oppressors of the world.
“The days of
Hajj are a great opportunity to get to know the nations and global issues so
that the false news of the media and lying news agencies do not lead people
away from the realities of the world and deceive them,” he continued.
“If we are
aware of global issues, we can understand the enemy’s real objective and the
reason for its insistence on some issues. As in many issues, the officials have
been careful and have acted correctly, and Iran’s very good advancements in
regional and global issues, which have angered America, have been the result of
this attentiveness,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.
Source: ifpnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://ifpnews.com/iran-leader-hajj-unify-muslims-israel-arrogance/
--------
Israeli Mk to
Invade Aqsa Mosque Thursday morning
17 May, 2023
According to
Hebrew media, several members of the Israeli Knesset on Wednesday, May 17,
2023, have been officially granted permission to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque at 9
a.m. tomorrow.
Thousands of
young Orthodox Jewish men are also expected to provocatively parade through the
Old City’s Muslim Quarter.
The march
organizers expect a record number of participants – as many as 100,000 – to
take part in the parade commemorating the 1967 capture of East Jerusalem and
its subsequent occupation, or the “reunification” of Jerusalem, as the Israeli
government refers to it.
An impending
conflagration is expected to be sparked by settlers’ invasion of Al-Aqsa
Mosque.
This
development comes in the wake of the 2021 Sword of Jerusalem Battle, which
erupted as a response to the Flag March and Israeli violations in the Al-Aqsa
Mosque and Jerusalem. The tensions that ensued during that period underscored
the delicate nature of the situation surrounding the mosque.
Between the
evening of 10 May and dawn of May 2021, the Israeli occupation launched a
military aggression against the Gaza Strip, killing 240 Palestinians including
151 civilians and 59 children.
The Jerusalem
flag march “is one of the strongest examples of racist nationalistic and
state-sponsored celebrations”, according to Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at the
human rights organization Ir Amin.
The Al-Aqsa
Mosque, located in Jerusalem, is considered the third holiest site in Islam,
making it a focal point for Muslim worship and a symbol of their deep-rooted
heritage.
Source: daysofpalestine.ps
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://daysofpalestine.ps/israeli-mk-to-invade-aqsa-mosque-thursday-morning/
--------
Palestinian
Islamic Jihad calls the shots in Gaza from Lebanon
17-05-23
BEIRUT — In
last week’s escalation between Gaza and Israel, the shots were called by
leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group based in Lebanon — now a
strategic center of operations for multiple Palestinian armed groups.
The big
picture: As the Arab world normalizes relations with Israel, the leaders of the
PIJ and Gaza’s largest militant group, Hamas, have found support from Iran and
its militant proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah.
In recent
years, coordination between Hezbollah and the Palestinian groups has increased,
particularly since the Gaza war in 2021, Souhayb Jawar, a Lebanese researcher
of Islamist political movements, told Axios.
Behind the
scenes: Any action carried out by the PIJ, including the recent orders to fire
over 1,000 rockets from Gaza into Israel, must pass through Esmail Qaani, the
commander of the Quds Force, one of the five branches of Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps, or the Hezbollah operative in charge of coordination
with the Quds Force, Jawar said.
The PIJ
maintains close links with Iran, which supplies them with training, expertise
and money.
The PIJ’s
secretary-general, Ziad al-Nakhaleh, lives in Beirut, in addition to the
group’s political leader, Ihsan Ataya, and the leader in charge of Lebanon’s
politics, Shakib al-Ayna, according to Jawar.
“Living on the
same ground, it makes sense to see this kind of cooperation,” Azmi Keshawi, a
Gaza analyst from the International Crisis Group, told Axios.
What they're
saying: A day before the Egypt-brokered cease-fire, Hezbollah leader Hassan
Nasrallah affirmed the party’s support for the PIJ and said, “Hezbollah is in
constant contact with the leadership of the resistance in Gaza and we won’t
hesitate to offer help at any time needed."
Hamas’s representative
in Lebanon, Ahmed Abdel-Hadi, announced during the conflict that there would be
two responses to the "Zionist aggression on Gaza." Hamas frequently
refers to Lebanon as the "battleground" in the event of a widespread
conflict with Israel, Jawar said.
Meanwhile,
Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry condemned the “Israeli aggression on the Gaza strip”
and called for an immediate cease-fire.
State of play:
The majority of Lebanon’s lawmakers kept quiet regarding the Israeli strikes in
Gaza. “The current government adopts the principle of dissociation,” Jawhar
said.
Lebanon’s
parliament is largely split into two camps, one opposed to and one allied with
Hezbollah. The opposition camp is keen to sustain relations with the United
States and is often silent on matters that might provoke division with the
West, he noted.
But Hezbollah’s
key Christian allies, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Marada Movement — the
party of Hezbollah’s presidential pick, Suleiman Frangieh — did not comment on
the Israeli operation in Gaza.
These parties
are rejecting the presence and activity of Palestinian militant groups in
Lebanon, Jawar said, and they're dissatisfied with any activity that might
provoke a war with their southern nemesis.
The bottom
line: The unification of fronts between Hezbollah and Palestinian resistance
groups is a way to project deterrence, rather than an intention of war against
Israel, Keshawi said.
“If Hezbollah
goes to war, he better have Hamas at his side. It’s mutually beneficial for all
of them to act as one,” he added.
Source: axios.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.axios.com/2023/05/17/palestinian-islamic-jihad-gaza-lebanon-israel
--------
Iran's Ebadi in
Vienna on a Mission against "Oppressive" Islamic Republic
MAY 17, 2023
Iranian Nobel
Peace prize laureate Shirin Ebadi says she is participating in an international
digital festival in Vienna to "amplify the Iranian people's voice,"
address the "challenges" faced by women in Iran and expose the
Islamic Republic's "destabilizing" role in the Middle East.
Ebadi made the
comments on May 17 as she met with Iranian human rights activists who have been
protesting outside the UN headquarters in Vienna for months in support of
Iran's women-led protest movement sparked by the September 2022 death of Mahsa
Amini while in police custody.
In response to
a question by IranWire, she urged the Iranian opposition to unite against the
"incompetent and oppressive" Islamic Republic.
"As long
as I am alive and this government continues to cast its dark shadow over my
country and its people, I'll follow only one path, one road, and one direction,
one-way road that leads to the fight against the Islamic Republic," she
also said.
Ebadi, who now
lives in London, is a lawyer, university teacher, writer, former judge and
co-founder of the Defenders of Human Rights Center and the Association for
Support of Children's Rights in Iran.
She is in
Vienna to attend the three-day 4GAMECHANGERS festival, which ends on May 17.
In her address
before the protesting activists, Ebadi highlighted the importance of providing
information to the UN fact-finding mission set up last year to investigate
human rights abuses in Iran.
"We must
all remember one thing: no one can achieve anything alone. We need to work
together for these people. Send any relevant documents you have to the UN
fact-finding committee. They have already begun their work, and we should
inform them about [human rights abuses] by submitting evidence," she said.
"This
committee won't take immediate action. Don't expect them to issue a statement
against the Islamic Republic right away. We are gathering these documents for
the day when the government of the Islamic Republic is overthrown and these
criminals are brought to justice," the human rights activist added.
Ebadi also said
that the victims of the Islamic Republic's brutality should be provided with
financial support.
"Our next
step should be to find a solution to assist in their treatment. Some of these
individuals require financial support to continue their medical care. Those who
are documenting these cases should inform the public about the specific needs
of these people."
Pointing out to
the destabilizing role of the Islamic republic in Syria and Iraq, she said that
establishing a democratic government in Iran could bring peace to the Iranian
people but also to the entire Middle East and the rest of the world.
Source: iranwire.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://iranwire.com/en/news/116637-irans-ebadi-in-vienna-on-a-mission-against-oppressive-islamic-republic/
--------
North
America
"We simply
cannot normalize these incidents": Suspected arson damages St. Paul
Islamic center
MAY 17, 2023
ST. PAUL, Minn.
-- The St. Paul Fire Department is investigating a suspected case of arson at
an Islamic center early Wednesday.
Few details
were initially available, but the fire is said to have happened at Tawhid
Islamic Center of Minnesota, which is on the 400 block of Dale Street. Crews
responded at about 8:45 a.m. on a report of flames coming from the building.
St. Paul Mayor
Melvin Carter called out this latest attack on a place of worship.
"I'm
disgusted," Carter said.
An afternoon
call for prayers came with a reminder that some sanctuaries sit inside
buildings, but there is always room for the almighty in your heart.
"When you
attack a place of worship in America, it comes back stronger, it comes back
bigger, and you create more friends," mosque member Daud Mohammed said.
He added his
mosque also serves as a community hub. The building had been undergoing
renovations, so no one was inside, and no one was hurt. Still, the suspected
arson attack left many with emotional wounds.
"My worst
fear is that my 4-year-old son, who lives here, my beautiful wife, who lives
and works here and is a product of Minnesota, will get attacked tomorrow, and
that being OK," he said.
This is the
sixth suspected attack on a mosque this year in Minnesota, and the second in
two weeks in St. Paul, after security cameras captured vandals throwing rocks
at the Masjid al-Sunnah Mosque on Pederson Street.
Police
officials saying they will increase patrols at mosques across the city, and
Carter promised he'll lobby to raise funds for more security cameras.
"If you
come anywhere near a mosque in St. Paul, be prepared to say cheese, because you
will be on camera, and we will be able to see you," Carter said.
WCCO's Jonah
Kaplan spoke one-on-one with the deputy chief, who said there were no specific
threats against this mosque or any others. Investigators will be looking at
whether any of these suspected attacks are related.
Rep. Samakab
Hussein, whose district houses the center, issued the following statement:
"I am
frustrated that sacred spaces Minnesotans use to practice religion are being
violently attacked. We simply cannot normalize these incidents of hate. I urge
all Minnesotans to come together in solidarity to combat these atrocious
actions and uplift our Muslim community. The freedom of religion is essential
to a free and democratic society. It allows people to practice their faith
without fear of persecution or discrimination. It also allows people to explore
different faiths and to learn about different cultures.
"I call on
all Americans to join us in condemning these attacks and in defending the
freedom of religion. We also call on law enforcement to do everything in their
power to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice."
Source: cbsnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/st-paul-fd-investigating-suspected-arson-at-islamic-center-on-dale-street/
--------
US State
Department Grants Access to Classified Cable on Chaotic Afghanistan Withdrawal
MAY 18, 2023
The U.S. State
Department on Wednesday said two top members of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee can view a redacted version of a classified cable about the chaotic
August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan sought by the committee’s
Republican chairperson.
The
chairperson, Representative Michael McCaul, scheduled a committee meeting next
week to consider a contempt of Congress charge against Secretary of State
Antony Blinken over his refusal to release the cable, sent by U.S. diplomats
via the department’s “dissent channel".
The channel
allows State Department officials to air concerns to supervisors.
The State
Department will let McCaul and the committee’s ranking Democrat, Gregory Meeks,
view a redacted version to protect the identity of those using the dissent
channel, Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.
In an interview
on CNN, McCaul said the State Department’s offer to make the cables available
was “a really significant step forward”. He said if the department agreed to
allow the entire committee to see the cables ”then I think we’ve resolved a
litigation fight in the courts”.
In a letter to
McCaul, the department said it would make the material available as soon as
possible.
“The Department
has engaged extensively with the Committee to respond to your requests. We have
provided numerous briefings, thousands of pages of documents, and public
testimony from the Department’s senior leaders,” the letter said, adding that
it was important to protect the dissent channel.
“The
accommodations that the Department has provided to date are extraordinary and,
as stated in our prior correspondence, already create a serious risk of
chilling both future use of, and future candor in, Dissent Channel cables,” the
letter said.
McCaul has
launched an investigation into the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Republicans –
and some Democrats – say there has never been a full accounting of the chaotic
operation, in which 13 U.S. service members were killed at Kabul’s airport.
McCaul has for
months been seeking a “dissent channel" cable sent in July 2021 that a
Wall Street Journal article in August 2021 said warned top officials of the
potential collapse of Kabul soon after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
(This story has
not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency
feed - Reuters)
Source: news18.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.news18.com/world/us-state-department-grants-access-to-classified-cable-on-chaotic-afghanistan-withdrawal-7847215.html
--------
Leaders condemn
sixth incident of vandalism against Twin Cities mosques, suspect remains at
large
May 17, 2023
by Katelyn Vue
and Alfonzo Galvan
Authorities are
investigating a fire at a St. Paul mosque Wednesday as “suspected arson,”
marking the fourth time in four weeks that a mosque in the Twin Cities has been
vandalized.
The fire
occurred at the Oromo American Tawhid Islamic Center, 430 Dale Street N. The
St. Paul Fire Department tweeted that the building, which was being remodeled,
was unoccupied at the time and that no injuries were reported.
Firefighters
arrived at the scene of the “intentionally set fire” about 8:45 a.m. and
extinguished it in about 10 minutes, said St. Paul Deputy Fire Chief Roy
Mokosso. St. Paul police said at a 2 p.m. news conference that no arrests have
been made in the case.
Abdulrahim
Doyo, an Imam at the Oromo American Tawhid Islamic Center, said as of 3 p.m.
that he and other members of the mosque had not been allowed in the building.
He didn’t know where the fire started.
“We have
another place to worship,” Abdulrahim said, “but we need this place back.”
The parking lot
around the mosque remained taped off late Wednesday afternoon as St. Paul
police and agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives (ATF) investigated the scene.
“It is a mosque
that has been part of this community for sometime,” said Jaylani Hussein,
executive director of The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR-Minnesota). “And unfortunately today—this morning—this mosque
has been completely burnt. This is one of the most serious burning or attacks
against the mosque that we know of today in the state of Minnesota. We still do
not know the extent of the damage.”
Mokosso said
the state fire marshal is also working on the investigation.
“You will be
caught and absolutely held accountable for your actions,” Mayor Melvin Carter
said of the arson suspect.
CAIR-Minnesota
issued a news release saying that the mosque was “heavily damaged” in the fire,
and that the cause has not been determined.
“This
unfortunate event occurred while the building was being remodeled,” Mokosso
said at one of two news conferences held Wednesday about the fire.
Mokosso told
Sahan Journal that because the building was “somewhat vacant” during the
remodeling, there have been “numerous” break-ins and reports of previous
vandalism, including graffiti, at the mosque. It’s unclear whether those
incidents were motivated by religious bias or the building’s vacancy, he added.
It’s also
unknown whether Wednesday’s fire is related to a mosque vandalism in St. Paul
last week or fires at two south Minneapolis mosques last month, Mokosso said.
“We take this
very seriously,” said St. Paul Deputy Police Chief Joshua Lego.
Lego said it
was too early to say how many people could have been responsible for the fire.
“The impression
is, and I won’t argue with it, our mosques do feel under attack,” Lego said.
“This is the second incident of damage to a mosque in our city in less than a
week, and the sixth that’s been recounted here.”
Carter said he
was “disgusted” by the fire and other mosque vandalism. St. Paul police are
“upping patrols” and “upping our readiness” to prevent future vandalism and to
respond quickly when necessary, he added.
“We’ve said it
before and I hate that we have to say it again, but we will say it again and
again and again—we do not tolerate attacks against our communities of faith,”
Carter said. “This was a mosque that was attacked today, but make no mistakes
about it—our communities of faith were attacked today.”
About 18 men
knelt in prayer outside the mosque next to yellow police tape about 1:30 p.m.
More arrived minutes before a 2 p.m. press conference to show solidarity. Some
were members of the Twin Cities mosques that had been previously targeted.
Other
non-Muslim faith leaders in St. Paul, including Reverend Frenchye Magee from
Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church, also visited the mosque in a show of
support. Magee’s church is next door to the mosque.
“We will not
stand for this type of act, it is not only shameful, it is cowardly,” Magee
said. “If you are intending to attack one house of faith you are attacking all
of us.”
“This is a hate
crime,” State Representative Samakab Hussein, DFL-St. Paul, said at the scene.
“And this is Islamophobia. And this is—I mean, if one Muslim person does
something similar to this, we call them terrorist. But this should be a
terrorist.”
The fire
Wednesday is the sixth incident targeting Minnesota mosques in 2023, said
CAIR-Minnesota.
There have been
four widely publicized incidents of vandalism against local mosques:
Wednesday’s
fire at the Oromo American Tawhid Islamic Center.
A masked
suspect threw a chunk of concrete at Masjid As Sunnah in St. Paul on Friday,
May 12. St. Paul police spokesman Sgt. Mike Ernster said Wednesday that no one
has been arrested in the case.
Jackie Rahm
Little of Plymouth allegedly set a fire in the bathroom at Masjid Omar Islamic
Center, which is located in 24 Somali Mall, in Minneapolis on the evening of
Sunday, April 23.
Jackie Rahm
Little of Plymouth allegedly set a fire in the third floor hallway of Mercy
Islamic Center, which houses Masjid Al Rahma, in Minneapolis on Monday, April
24. Little was indicted with one count of arson and one count of damage to
religious property for the Minneapolis fires. He remains in custody at the
Sherburne County jail.
Governor Tim
Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan took to Twitter to speak out
against the mosque vandalism.
“In the last
several months, Minnesota’s Muslim community has experienced several attacks
motivated by hate,” Walz wrote. “In Minnesota, we have a zero tolerance policy
toward violence. We continue to stand with our Muslim friends and neighbors.”
“The attacks
we’ve seen on our Muslim neighbors are unacceptable,” Flanagan wrote. “We will
continue working to ensure everyone can practice their faith without fear. Hate
has no home in Minnesota.”
The
Legislature’s People of Color and Indigenous Caucus (POCI) issued a statement
condemning the vandalism.
“The POCI
Caucus stands in solidarity against the recent attacks on mosques,” said the
group’s statement. “We are appalled and saddened by these hate-motivated acts
towards our Muslim communities. Minnesotans deserve to practice their faith without
fear of persecution or discrimination. The Muslim community in Minnesota is a
vibrant and diverse part of our state. They are our neighbors, our friends, and
our family.
“We stand with
you in condemning these attacks and defending your right to practice religion
freely and without fear. It has become clear that the underlying cause of these
attacks is Islamophobia. Hate crimes are a serious threat to our community, and
we must all work together to combat them.”
CAIR-Minnesota
urged the local Muslim community and Islamic institutions across the country to
take extra security precautions, and shared a link to CAIR’s booklet, “Best
Practices for Mosque and Community Safety.”
“We will
rebuild and we will continue… to practice our faith without fear,” Jaylani
said.
St. Paul police
asked for the public’s help solving the case.
“I encourage
anyone who has knowledge of or knows of what happened here today to please call
the police department,” Lego said, adding that there will be increased security
at mosques.
Source: sahanjournal.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://sahanjournal.com/policing-justice/st-paul-mosque-fire-oromo-american-tawhid-islamic-center/
--------
Islamic
extremist who killed 8 in NYC terrorist attack gets 10 life sentences plus 260
years
Wednesday, May
17, 2023
NEW YORK — An
unrepentant and defiant Islamic extremist received 10 life sentences and
another 260 years in prison on Wednesday for killing eight people with a truck
on a bike path in Manhattan on Halloween in 2017, as a judge decried his
“callous and cowardly” crimes.
“The conduct in
this case is among the worst, if not the worst I’ve ever seen,” said U.S.
District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, as he announced a sentence designed to
underscore the severity of the terrorist attack Sayfullo Saipov claimed he
carried out on behalf of the Islamic State group.
A life sentence
was mandatory after a jury rejected the death penalty in March, but prosecutors
had asked Broderick to impose eight consecutive life sentences and two
concurrent life sentences. They also wanted an extra 260 years to send a stern
message to other like-minded terrorists. And that’s what the judge did.
Broderick cited
the defiance of Saipov, who, given a chance to speak, said the tears of victims
and family members in the courtroom over a six-month period would fill a single
tissue while the tears and blood of the Islamic population worldwide would fill
the courtroom.
In a rambling
rant delivered through a translator, Saipov spent most of an hour talking about
the creation of religions and how the devil was instrumental in the creation of
the human population.
When he
finished, a relative of one of his victims stood up and shouted: “The only act
of the devil here is the act you did!” Then she immediately sat down and
Broderick announced the sentence.
“You did not
and you do not care about their pain and their suffering,” the judge said of
Saipov’s victims. He labeled Saipov’s attack as “callous and cowardly actions”
and noted that even Saipov’s relatives, including his father, were ashamed of
his crimes and “traumatized and forever changed.”
Saipov, 35, an
Uzbekistan citizen and onetime New Jersey resident, was expected to serve his
sentence at the maximum security prison in Florence, Colorado, for his Oct. 31,
2017 slaughter of tourists and New Yorkers.
Relatives of
eight people killed in the terror attack spoke sometimes through tears during
the sentencing, describing their lingering pain and sometimes directly
addressing the man convicted in the deaths.
Frank Decadt,
father of victim Ann-Laure Decadt, told Saipov that he hoped that “one day you
will understand the extent of horror you have inflicted on so many people.”
Marion Van
Reeth, who lost her legs in the attack, sat before Saipov in her wheelchair,
telling him: “I will never be able to walk like you can.”
As Saipov kept
his head drooped and eyes lowered, listening to a translation of the
proceedings through earphones, she said: “I have a question for you. After all
this time in prison, are you still convinced that your criminal acts against
innocent people was the right thing?”
Like others,
she expressed hope that someday Saipov would see that his terrorist act was
wrong.
Gabriela Pabla
Pereya, the wife of Ariel Erlij, who was among five men from Argentina killed
during a bike ride as they celebrated the 30th anniversary of their high school
graduation, delivered the shortest statement during the sentencing hearing. She
called Saipov a coward and said if he truly wanted God “to accept and love you,
go kill yourself.”
Monica Missio,
whose son, Nicholas Cleves was killed, told Saipov his death “has completely
destroyed my life.”
Five tourists
from Argentina, two Americans and a Belgian woman were killed, and 18 others
were seriously injured.
Source: washingtontimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/may/17/sayfullo-saipov-who-killed-8-nyc-terrorist-attack-/
--------
Man charged
after car driven at worshippers at 2 Toronto mosques: police
May 17, 2023
A 28-year-old
man has been arrested in connection with what police are calling an
“anti-Islamic hate-motivated investigation.”
Toronto police
said on April 6 between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., officers received calls for
service at two Scarborough mosques — one in the Lawrence Avenue East and
Markham Road area, the other in the Lawrence Avenue East and Midland Avenue
area.
Police said the
suspect was allegedly driving a vehicle, attended the mosques, entered the
parking lot and attempted to hit worshippers and other vehicles.
Officers said
the suspect then allegedly went to the Scarborough Town Centre.
Police said
once inside the mall, the man allegedly harassed and threatened “several
customers,” shouting anti-Islamic and derogatory comments at them.
Police said on
May 3, 28-year-old Sharan Karunakaran was arrested.
He has been
charged with two counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance, two counts of
assault with a weapon, five counts of criminal harassment, uttering threats of
bodily harm, assault, indecent exhibition in a public place and committing an
indecent act with the intent to insult or offend another.
Police said the
accused was also charged by York Regional Police on April 7 “in relation to a
separate incident that occurred at a mosque in Markham.”
Officers said
Karunakaran is being held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Anyone with
information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
Source: globalnews.ca
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://globalnews.ca/news/9707132/man-charged-mosque-attacks-toronto/
--------
Muslim groups
ask court to quash Quebec's 'discriminatory' school prayer ban
May 17, 2023
Six Muslim
groups are asking a Quebec court to declare unconstitutional a provincial edict
that bans religious activity in the province’s public schools.
In a lawsuit
filed this week, the groups asked Quebec Superior Court to “declare
constitutionally invalid, inapplicable, inoperative or to annul … (the)
governmental order to prohibit all forms of prayer” in schools.
The groups also
asked the court to rule that the principles of state secularism and religious
neutrality cannot “be used to order bans on prayers or other religious
practices in public places.”
Two national
groups are seeking the judgment — the Muslim Association of Canada and the
Canadian Muslim Forum.
Four local
organizations are also involved: the Centre communautaire musulman de Montréal,
the Centre culturel musulman de Montréal, the Association musulmane de
l’Amérique du Nord à Laval and the Centre communautaire islamique de Brossard.
In April,
Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville issued a directive formally
prohibiting any practice of religious activity in schools, vocational training
centres and adult education centres.
Under the
directive, all establishments governed by the Education Act must ensure “that
no place is used, in fact or in appearance, for the purpose of religious
practices such as open prayers or other similar practices.”
“Schools are
places of learning, not places of worship,” Drainville said at the time.
The move
followed the unanimous adoption of a motion in the National Assembly declaring
that “the establishment of places of prayer, regardless of denomination, in the
premises of a public school will be against the principle of secularism.”
Article content
They were
reacting to reports that some public high schools set up areas where students
could pray.
Drainville has
said that Quebec isn’t prohibiting prayer altogether, saying that students who
want to pray should do so “discreetly” and “silently.”
Drainville’s
office did not respond to a request for comment.
In a 22-page
document submitted to the court, the Muslim groups argue the decree violates
the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as the Quebec Charter of
Human Rights and Freedoms.
“This is about
violating the fundamental rights of minors and adults in terms of their freedom
of religion, freedom of conscience, but also individuals’ right of
association.”
Since “this is
a complete ban on all forms of prayer and prayer is an essential component of
Muslim religious practice, this prohibition discriminates against a group of
individuals to the detriment of other groups,” the organizations argue.
Article content
In 2019,
Premier François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec government brought forward
Bill 21, which bars people from some government jobs who wear religious symbols
such as the Muslim hijab, Jewish kippah and Sikh turban
Many Bill 21
critics argue the law disproportionately affects Muslim women who wear head
coverings.
Source: montrealgazette.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/muslim-groups-ask-court-to-quash-quebecs-discriminatory-school-prayer-ban?r
--------
Refuting Mahmoud
Abbas’ UN Lies, Nearly 4 Million Muslims Visited the Temple Mount During
Ramadan
Since June 7,
1967, when Israel liberated the Temple Mount from the illegal Jordanian
occupation (1948-1967), Israel’s governments have guaranteed that the site
remain accessible to both Israel’s Muslim population and — subject to security
precautions — to many Muslims who live in the areas controlled by the
Palestinian Authority (PA). This guarantee was once again demonstrated during
this year’s month of Ramadan, when nearly four million people visited the site.
Jerusalem
resident Fadi Mattour: “Praise Allah Master of the Universe, this month [of
Ramadan] was very special. It was a wonderful month. The estimates of the
[Jordanian] Waqf are that nearly 4 million visitors visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque
this month, and this is a very large number.”
ecord 4,000,000
visitors was made up of both Palestinians, who were given broad permission to
enter Israel to visit the site, and Israeli Muslims.
Despite the
record numbers of visitors, in his speech this week to the United Nations to
mark the “Nakba” — the term that means “catastrophe,” which is used by the
Palestinians to describe Israel’s creation – PA leader Mahmoud Abbas baselessly
charged:
Israel, ladies
and gentlemen, beyond all its crimes against our people since the Nakba … it
desecrates the holy Islamic and Christian religious places in Palestine … just
as it denies the Palestinians their right to freedom of worship in the Al-Aqsa
Mosque — the holy compound of Jerusalem which is the exclusive right of Muslims
alone.
[Mahmoud Abbas,
Speech in the UN, May 15, 2023]
As Palestinian
Media Watch has already noted, while the Al-Aqsa Mosque — built in 693 and
marked in red in the picture below — is just one small part of the entire
Temple Mount — marked in green in the picture below — in recent years, for political purposes, the
Palestinians refer to the entire site, including the expansive courtyards and
the golden topped Dome of the Rock (built in 691), as the “Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
While the
entire site is indeed holy to Judaism and Islam, a 1924 guide to the Temple
Mount, published by the Supreme Muslim Council, clearly states that the Al-Aqsa
Mosque is just one entity on the wider Temple Mount — referred to as “Al-Harm
Al-Sharif” or “The August Sanctuary” — whose “identity with the site of
Solomon’s Temple is beyond dispute.” [emphasis added]
While
permitting Muslim prayer on the site, as a rule, and despite the fact that no
positive decision was taken by the authorized ministerial committee, Jewish
prayer on the site has been mostly prohibited.
Since 1967,
Israel has made no substantial structural changes on the site. On the other
hand, the Waqf — the Jordanian organization that controls and manages the
current Islamic edifices on the site — illegally dug out a large area (some 600
square yards (500 square meters)) known as “Solomon’s Stables” and turned it,
in 1996, into another covered prayer area which they named the El-Marwani
Mosque.
Despite the
fact that Israel has done nothing to change the nature of the Temple Mount —
and while the visits of Jews on the Mount are considerably restricted — the PA
constantly uses the battle call that “Al-Aqsa is in danger” to invoke religious
tension and to spark violence. The calls often intensify during the month of
Ramadan.
This year was
no different.
A month before
Ramadan started, Advisor to the PA Presidential Office on Jerusalem Affairs,
Ahmed Al-Ruweidi, was already busy denying Jews all their rights to freedom of
religion on the Temple Mount, claiming that “coming days are dangerous for the
blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque” due to Israel’s alleged
intent to “reduce the Palestinian presence”:
Advisor to the
[PA] Presidential Office on Jerusalem Affairs Ahmed Al-Ruweidi emphasized that
the coming days are dangerous for the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque … and that the
goal of the initiatives that are being published [by Israel] one after the
other is to establish the occupation’s sovereignty and determine new facts on
the ground, in order to reduce the Palestinian presence.
[Official PA
daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 28, 2023]
Al-Ruweidi
continued his baseless conspiracy theory, falsely claiming that Israel’s goal
is to “declare ‘the national Holy Basin,’ … as a purely Jewish area, and to
establish in its heart the alleged Temple in place of the blessed Al-Aqsa
Mosque…”:
In a statement
yesterday [Feb. 27, 2023], he explained that the final goal of all these
initiatives is to declare ‘the national Holy Basin,’ which includes the Old
City [of Jerusalem] and its surroundings, as a purely Jewish area, and to
establish in its heart the alleged Temple in place of the blessed Al-Aqsa
Mosque…”
[Official PA
daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 28, 2023]
Leaving no room
for misunderstanding, Al-Ruweidi then reiterated the PA ideology denying Jews
any rights to the Temple Mount, claiming that the entire area — all 144 dunams
— are the “exclusive right of the Muslims.” This “exclusive right,” according
to Al-Ruweidi, even extends outside of the Temple Mount wall, and includes the
Western Wall, which Al-Ruweidi claims as “part of the Mosque” and which is
“purely Islamic waqf” — i.e., an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law
that Palestinian leaders have claimed Muslims are commanded to free from
non-Muslims:
On the day
Ramadan started, the PA Supreme Fatwa Council called on Palestinians to visit
the site in light of the “fierce attack” it is under and its “desecration.” As
PMW has repeatedly shown the PA uses the term “desecrate/desecration” as a
euphemism for the visits of Jews to the site:
The
[Palestinian] Supreme Fatwa Council called on the citizens to go during the
[Muslim fasting] month of Ramadan to Jerusalem and its blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque,
which is desperately in need of this in light of the fierce attack that is
being waged against its existence, its sanctity, and its unity through
desecration and aggression.” [emphasis added]
[WAFA, official
PA news agency, March 23, 2023]
In the eyes of
the PA, any Jewish visit on the Temple Mount is an “invasion”:
Official PA TV
host: “We will begin with the settlers’ latest invasion yesterday [March 30,
2023] — more than 70 settlers invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque plazas and held
Talmudic [i.e., Jewish] rituals near the gates, in the plazas, and next to the
Gate of Mercy.”
[Official PA
TV, “Good Morning Jerusalem,” March 31, 2023]
A group of Arab
rioters barricaded themselves inside the actual mosque with rocks and
fireworks, and threw and fired at Israeli forces, who were then forced to
intervene. This elementary act of law enforcement on the holy site sparked the
anger of PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh, prompting him to invoke the
“desecration” trope, claiming that Israel refuses to learn that the “Al-Aqsa
Mosque belongs to the Palestinians and all the Arabs and Muslims”:
[PA] Prime Minister
Muhammad Shtayyeh said that Israel, with its desecration of the sanctity of the
holy sites and the places of worship, and in the attacks that we saw against
the worshippers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, is disregarding all the
international norms and conventions and international and humanitarian law in
Palestine…
He emphasized
that Israel does not want to learn from history that the Al-Aqsa Mosque belongs
to the Palestinians and all the Arabs and Muslims and that invading it is a
spark of revolution against the occupation.
[Official PA
daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 6, 2023]
PA Chairman
Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash similarly
distorted the acts of law enforcement calling them “aggression against the
blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque” and then exaggerated their effect claiming they would
“spark of religious war … whose price will be paid by the entire world…”
Supreme [PA]
Shari’ah Judge of Palestine and [PA] President [Mahmoud Abbas’] Advisor on
Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud Al-Habbash said that the
occupation forces’ ongoing aggression against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and
persecuting the worshippers and those carrying out Ribat [i.e., religious
conflict over land claimed to be Islamic], arresting them, and attacking them,
including women, children, and the elderly [refers to Israeli forces removing
Arab rioters who had barricaded inside the mosque with rocks and fireworks,
which they threw and fired at the forces], is a spark of religious war that the
occupation state is striving to ignite in a variety of ways and whose price
will be paid by the entire world…
[Official PA
daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 6, 2023]
The Supreme PA
Presidential Committee for Church Affairs distorted the events even more,
curiously claiming that rioters barricading themselves inside the mosque with
rocks and fireworks, which they threw and fired at the security forces, should
be considered one of the “religious ceremonies in the Al-Aqsa Mosque”:
The Supreme
[PA] Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine condemned the
barbaric attack that the Israeli occupation forces committed against the
Al-Aqsa Mosque and against the worshipers inside it … and emphasized that only
the Muslims have a right to hold all their religious ceremonies in the Al-Aqsa
Mosque.
[Official PA
daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 6, 2023]
Abbas’ Fatah
Movement also used the law enforcement operation as an opportunity to call on
all the Fatah frameworks and members to “defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque” and resist
the “invasions,” stressing that the Temple Mount is “holy only to the
Palestinians”:
The Fatah
Movement called for general preparedness from our people and the Fatah
frameworks and members in order to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque, carry out Ribat
there, and be there and resist the invasions and calls for the so-called
“offering of sacrifices.” …Fatah emphasized the great pride in our residents in
our eternal capital, Jerusalem, and in all those carrying out Ribat and staying
there who are adhering to their Jerusalem and their right, and they are
standing against the ongoing invasions in spite of the intensity of the
violence and the aggression and emphasizing that this place is holy only to the
Palestinians.
[Official PA
daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 7, 2023]
Fatah’s
Jerusalem branch added: “The historical and legal status quo at the Al-Aqsa
Mosque goes back hundreds of years, and that only the Muslims and no one else
have a right to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.” [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida,
April 7, 2023]
The PA’s
rejection of Jews’ rights to pray or even access the Temple Mount continues
unabated also after Ramadan has ended. The PA’s Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad
Hussein recently reiterated that Al-Aqsa “belongs to the Muslims” and that no
one else can “participate with them there”:
As he proved in
his speech at the UN, Abbas has no problem whatsoever not only denying the
Jewish connection to the Temple Mount, but also denying Jews their right to
freedom of worship on the site.
Try as they
may, no part of Palestinian propaganda will ever be able to detach the
connection of the Jewish people to the Temple Mount.
Source: algemeiner.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.algemeiner.com/2023/05/17/refuting-mahmoud-abbas-un-lies-nearly-4-million-muslims-visited-the-temple-mount-during-ramadan/
--------
St. Paul mosque
fire believed to be arson, community leaders 'disgusted'
May 17, 2023
ST. PAUL, Minn.
(FOX 9) - Authorities believe arson is the cause of a fire at the Oromo
American Twhid Islamic Center in St. Paul.
According to
authorities, the building at 430 Dale St. N, was not occupied at the time of
the fire, which started around 8:45 a.m. No injuries were reported.
Investigators
are currently working with the St. Paul Police Department to determine a
suspect. State Fire Marshal and ATF officials are also part of the
investigation.
"We take
this very seriously and will determine who’s responsible for this, and hold
them responsible," said St. Paul Police Department Deputy Chief Josh Lego
during a press conference Wednesday morning.
The building
was currently undergoing a four-month renovation, which was almost complete at
the time of the fire.
"We’ve
said it before, and I hate to say it again – we do not tolerate attacks against
our community. Communities of faith were attacked today," said St. Paul
Mayor Melvin Carter during the press conference. "We all stand together.
An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us."
Carter said
increased patrols around St. Paul mosques will occur as a result of this, and
other recent mosque fires.
"This
feels like a different version of America that should be taking place at a
different chapter in history. And yet here we are once again … Whoever
committed this crime, you will be caught," Carter said.
Carter and
community leaders say they will increase the state of readiness to prevent
attacks from occurring again.
"This is
one of the most serious attacks against a mosque to date in the state of
Minnesota. We’re going to make sure our mosques and law enforcement work
together, so there are not repeated attacks," said Jaylani Hussein, the
executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR-MN). Hussein noted this is the sixth mosque attack in Minnesota
since 2023. "We will rebuild and continue to practice our faith without
fear."
"We can
not allow anyone to be terrorized for exercising their right to worship. We
will stand by our neighbors," said Frenchye Magee, associate pastor at
Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church. "We are one St. Paul, and we
stand together."
There have been
several mosque fires either suspected as arson, or having been charged as such
throughout the Twin Cities in recent months. In April, a man was suspected of
setting fire to two mosques in South Minneapolis while there were people
worshiping inside. He has since been taken into federal custody.
Source: fox9.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.fox9.com/news/mosque-fire-in-st-paul-believed-to-be-arson
--------
State and local
leaders condemn arson at St. Paul mosque, latest in series of incidents
By MARA H.
GOTTFRIED
May 17, 2023
State and local
leaders are condemning a suspected arson at a mosque in St. Paul that was being
renovated.
No one was
injured in the Wednesday fire at Tawhid Islamic Center of Minnesota at Dale
Street and University Avenue.
“Hate-motivated
attacks can create a climate of fear and intimidation, and they can make it
difficult for Muslim communities to feel safe and welcome in their community,”
the Minnesota House of Representatives St. Paul delegation said in a statement.
“All Minnesotans deserve the right to practice religion freely and without
fear.”
Firefighters
received a report about 8:45 a.m. Wednesday of flames seen at the back of the
building, and crews extinguished the fire.
A fire
investigator “immediately identified” that arson was suspected, said Deputy
Fire Chief Roy Mokosso. Police, fire and the ATF are investigating, including
looking for video surveillance from the area.
Wednesday’s
blaze extensively damaged the inside of the building, which was under
construction and being remodeled, according to Mokosso. There had been recent
reports of vandalism to the building, he said.
No one was
immediately under arrest in the fire, and investigators are looking for who was
responsible.
“We’re glad no
one was physically hurt, however, we know the importance of this center and we
will be investigating this incident to the fullest extent,” said St. Paul
police Sgt. Mike Ernster, a department spokesman.
A Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives certified fire investigator is
working with local authorities on the investigation, according to the ATF’s St.
Paul field division. The ATF responds to almost any type of fire at a house of
worship, not only overt acts of arson.
The mosque has
been there for about 12 years and, because the community outgrew the space, it
was being renovated, said Jaylani Hussein,
executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’
Minnesota chapter. The goal is to rebuild.
The fire “is
another attack in a growing and disturbing trend of violence against our Muslim
neighbors,” Mayor Melvin Carter wrote on Twitter. “An affront to one of our
houses of worship is an affront to us all. Religious intolerance and bigotry
have no place in St. Paul.”
Gov. Tim Walz
wrote that Minnesota has “a zero tolerance policy toward violence. We continue
to stand with our Muslim friends and neighbors.”
CAIR-MN said it
was the sixth attack on a mosque in the state this year; Hussein said they
don’t all appear coordinated. There were nine incidents in Minnesota last year,
which was the most on record.
In St. Paul on
the East Side, a person with a large rock threw it several times at As-Sunnah
Islamic Center on Friday and caused significant damage. The case remains under investigation.
In Minneapolis,
there were arsons at two mosques within two days last month and a man was
federally charged.
Source: twincities.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.twincities.com/2023/05/17/arson-at-islamic-center-in-st-paul-under-investigation/
--------
Africa
64 Islamic
Scholars Killed By Boko Haram and ISWP, Since the Inception of the Terrorists’
Activities in Nigeria
17-05-23
No fewer than
64 Islamic scholars have been killed by Boko Haram and Islamic State West
Africa Province (ISWAP) since the inception of the terrorists’ activities in
Nigeria, an Islamic Scholar, Dr. Nurudeen Lemu, has said.
Lemu who is the
Director Research and Training, Islamic Education Trust (Da’wah Institute of
Nigeria) said the scholars were killed because they opposed and preached
against the terrorists ideologies.
He told The
Nation in an interview that today many scholars are afraid to counter the
terrorists’ ideologies because of fear of assassination by the extremist
groups.
Lemu said: “We
have some very knowledgeable ulamas and scholars, but the problem is that many
knowledgeable scholars who counter the arguments of Boko Haram/ISWAP have been
killed by them. When you know by talking against them they will kill you, why
will you talk? When the security
personnel, politicians and soldiers are being killed by Boko Haram, why should
you risk your life?
“On record, we
have been able to tally up to 64, at least, scholars that have been killed by
Boko Haram, from inception to date. They were killed because they spoke against
Boko Haram. Many ulamas are naturally afraid to speak. Many have gone into
hiding. Many were threatened, and some had to leave the country.”
He urged
security agencies to provide adequate protection to those that are threatened,
because they are doing the service for common good.
On what the
incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu should do to fight
violent-extremism in the country, Lemu said the incoming administration should
support organizations that are involved in countering extremist ideologies and
also revised the university curriculum of religious studies.
He said:
“Presently in our university curriculum for Islamic studies, there is no
recognition for deliberate engagement with people of other religions. When you
look at extremism in the university curriculum, it contains things about
various extremist groups that existed in the past, but they don’t study the
modification and evolution of modern day extremist groups.
“I have been on
a board of a particular university to review the curriculum, and we also got
the curriculum of about five universities and they are the same. Boko Haram has
been with us for the past 13 years, isn’t it enough to study its ideology? It
is like people who are busy studying medicine but don’t want to study the
current diseases and the current cure for the diseases.
“So when it
comes to tackling religious extremism, I think both Islamic and Christian
curriculum should be revised. We need to emphasize building resilience against
extremism and better inter-faith engagements. This is to prepare the students
when they become teachers of Islamic or Christian studies on strategies to
counter violent-extremism.
“We have some
best practices that are already working well. We have many organisations that
have been countering extremist recruitment, but have to do it very quietly. The
incoming administration should support them to train more scholars and imams on
how to counter extremist ideologies.
“Governments
also need to engage in more peace building, and support more organisations
involved in bridge building, both at the national and local levels, especially
the National Inter-religious Council (NIREC), which comprises Muslim and
Christian scholars. It should identify areas where there have been problems in
the past between the major religions in the country because those are the areas
problems are most likely to reoccur, and look at what kind of peace and
reconciliation that is needed in those areas.”
Source: thenationonlineng.net
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://thenationonlineng.net/64-islamic-scholars-killed-by-boko-haram-iswap-says-lemu/
--------
Islamic Groups
Organise Training On Combating Extremism
Thu, 18 May
2023
In a bid to
combat violent extremism and promote peace in Nigeria, the Development
Initiative of West Africa (DIWA) has partnered with the Da’wah Institute of
Nigeria (DIN) to train more than 500 Islamic religious leaders, women, and
youth.
The initiative
said it aims to equip participants with the necessary skills to identify,
deconstruct, and prevent the spread of extremist ideologies and narratives.
The training,
which took place from May 9th to 14th, covered a range of subjects over the
course of six days.
Participants
delved into faith-based doctrines, grievances, drivers of violent extremism,
interreligious relations, personal development, ethical reforms, and more. By
addressing key misconceptions that have contributed to radicalization, the
initiative aims to provide soft, logical, and credibly referenced alternative
narratives that dispel extremist arguments and ideologies.
Danlad Ayuba
Sambo, a participant, expressed his gratitude for the training, stating that it
had a profound impact on his life.
“The first
training has changed my life,” Sambo said. “Islam is a religion that teaches us
to be peaceful with one another, but some who have gone to extremes are giving
the religion a violent image.”
Musa El-thani
Muhammad, the Programme Manager at DIWA, emphasized the organization’s
commitment to driving the initiative’s objectives down to the grassroots level
and creating a sustainable impact. “We hope to achieve strengthened social
cohesion, as well as an increased predisposition to preserving human dignity and
the sanctity of life,” Muhammad stated.
The
collaboration between DIWA and DIN in training over 500 Islamic religious
leaders, women, and youth are part of efforts to address the challenges of
violent extremism in Nigeria. The initiative aims to build resilience, promote
peace, and foster a more harmonious society by equipping individuals with the
necessary tools to counter extremist ideologies and narratives.
Source: dailytrust.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://dailytrust.com/islamic-groups-organise-training-on-combating-extremism/
--------
Crisis hits
Niger Imam Forum as three sects break out
May 17, 2023
At least three
different Islamic sects have withdrawn their membership from the Niger State
Iman Forum over alleged recent activities of the forum contrary to the aims of
its establishment.
The three sects
include; Fitiyanun Islam, Izalatil Bidi:ah, Woikamatil Sunnah, Kaduna and that
of the Jos respectively.
This was
contained in letters separately addressed to the Niger State Governor Alh.
Abubakar Sani Bello and copied to other relevant bodies and security agencies,
which were made available to newsmen in Minna.
In their
letters titled ‘Letter of Withdrawal of Jumuat Imam’ and signed by chairmen and
secretaries, respectively, the sects distanced themselves from being used
politically, especially as allegedly experienced during the time of the past
Director-General Religious Affairs in the state.
This action,
they said, contravened the purpose of its creation for unity, preserving peace
and harmonizing their followers.
According to
them, “Some Imams have abandoned their primary duties. Some have turned their
mosques and preachings into attacks to gain political recognition and
appointments. We are warning the general public and politicians to be wary of
such Imams.”
Source: dailypost.ng
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://dailypost.ng/2023/05/17/crisis-hits-niger-imam-forum-as-three-sects-break-out/
--------
Using Islam to
subjugate women senseless; North’s backwardness self-imposed: Adamu
MAY 17, 2023
Education
minister Adamu Adamu has slammed Muslim elites in northern Nigeria for using
Islam to “keep women at home,” describing their action as senseless.
“The first two
universities in the world were established by Muslim women, and here people are
using Islam to keep women at home. I think it does not make sense,” the
minister noted.
Mr Adamu also
blamed northerners for their “self-imposed” educational backwardness.
The minister
stated this at Tuesday’s public presentation of Core Curriculum Minimum
Academic Standards (CCMAS) Book 1 series for Nigerian universities and a book
in his honour in Abuja.
“The North is
in self-imposed educational backwardness because the interest of the North is
Islam, and Islam is the greatest promulgator of knowledge. In 859 AD, one
Fatima Al-Fihri (sic), a Muslim woman, established the first university in the
world,” explained Mr Adamu. “At the time, the Italian universities, Oxford, Cambridge
universities had not started. The first university is still existing there. It
is now in Morocco.”
The education
minister added, “And about 100 years after that one, another university was
established, the second university in the world before the universities of
Europe, in Cairo and just like the first one, this university was established
by a Muslim woman, Fatimatu Zahara.”
Mr Adamu,
however, expressed delight that many of the 37 new private universities
approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday are situated in the North.
He called for
establishing a federal teachers’ service commission, saying such a move would
ensure reforms in the profession yield desired results.
“I want to
leave one legacy in your hands (heads of education agencies and others), we
wrote a letter, and the president approved everything,” the minister said. “But
there is one yet to come to fruition that will make education totally
different.”
Mr Adamu
admitted that it was recently “I realised that we need a Federal Teachers
Service Commission.”
Source: gazettengr.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://gazettengr.com/using-islam-to-subjugate-women-senseless-norths-backwardness-self-imposed-adamu/
--------
Arab World
World Must
Ensure Chemical Weapons Do Not Re-Emerge and Spread, Says Saudi Envoyto the
Netherlands
May 18, 2023
RIYADH: The
Chemical Weapons Convention is undoubtedly the most successful international
disarmament agreement in history and it is important that the world ensures
such weapons of mass destruction do not re-emerge and spread.
This was the
view of Ziad Al-Atiyah, the Kingdom’s ambassador to the Netherlands, who was
speaking at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ Fifth
Review Conference in the Hague on Wednesday.
The envoy, who
led the Saudi delegation at the event, said it was taking place at an important
time in the history of the OPCW, as the destruction of all declared stockpiles
of chemical weapons has been completed as planned, thus achieving an important
objective of the convention.
Al-Atiyah, who
is also the Kingdom’s permanent representative to the chemical weapons
watchdog, said his country looks forward to the success of the Review
Conference as it offers a chance to reflect on the progress that has been made
and consider what can be done in the coming years to ensure the convention’s
continuing role in maintaining international peace and security.
He called on
states that have signed up to the convention to heed the lessons learned from
the practical experience and practices of the OPCW, and develop a road map so
that the organization can continue to achieve the objectives of the convention
as effectively and efficiently as possible.
He said
development of the organization’s verification system is an essential element
in efforts to prevent the reemergence of chemical weapons and any possible
threat they might be used.
Al-Atiyah said
the Kingdom appreciates the initiatives that have been developed to help the
most needy countries meet the challenges they face in fulfilling their
obligations under the convention.
He stressed the
importance of the economic and technological development of states that are
party to the convention, and of international cooperation in the use of
chemicals for purposes not prohibited under the convention, in ways that can
promote development and boost the global economy.
He also
welcomed the inauguration of the OPCW’s Center for Chemistry and Technology
last Friday, which is considered one of the advanced facilities of its kind.
Al-Atiyah said the Kingdom donated €50,000 euros ($54,207) to help
establish the center and support international cooperation to ban chemical
weapons and prevent their proliferation, in keeping Chemical Weapons Convention
and its role in promoting international peace and security.
The Review
Conference began on Monday and continues until Thursday.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2305546/saudi-arabia
--------
US-Saudi
Business Council invites American delegation on business-development mission to
Kingdom
May 18, 2023
RIYADH: The
US-Saudi Business Council has invited an American delegation to visit the
Kingdom as part of a business-development mission designed to enhance
investment and trade partnerships.
The delegates
will attend the fifth annual Future Projects Forum, which will take place on
May 22 and 23 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, and meet members of the
Chamber of Commerce, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
They will also
meet members of the business council and representatives of US companies
already doing business in Saudi Arabia, to help build relationships and
facilitate dialogue between business communities in the two countries.
Susanne
Lendman, executive director and interim president and CEO of the US-Saudi
Business Council, said the delegation includes representatives of seven
American companies, some of which are newcomers to the Saudi market interested
in providing products and services that meet the needs of the growing
construction sector in the Kingdom. These needs include building materials,
architectural services, maritime security solutions, food- and
beverage-processing equipment, artificial intelligence, and engineering and
consulting services for the construction and energy sectors, she added.
“Organized by
the Saudi Contractors Authority, the Future Projects Forum gathers contractors,
public- and private-sector owners to learn about future projects presented in
detail by Saudi government and private entities. Previous (forums) showcased
9,450 projects valued at $704 billion,” the business council said, as it
described the Kingdom as one of the world’s largest construction markets.
“Saudi Arabia,
the fastest-growing G20 economy in 2022 and the world’s sixth-most competitive
nation, has project opportunities estimated at over $1 trillion in sectors such
as infrastructure, real estate, tourism, leisure, transportation, health care,
energy and utilities,” it added.
“Saudi Arabia’s
newly launched Circular Carbon Economy National Program and the Saudi Green
Initiative to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 will provide opportunities for
renewable technologies and products to improve energy efficiency.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2305516/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi Arabia’s
Jeddah readies itself to welcome Arab League summit delegates
May 17, 2023
JEDDAH: They have
been applying the finishing touches in Jeddah to ensure the high-level
delegations invited to the upcoming Arab League summit on Friday receive the
warmest of welcomes.
The flags of
all countries attending can be seen across the city and even more tress have
been planted as part of Saudi Arabia’s green drive.
One of the most
notable views at this year’s summit is that of the Syrian national flag
fluttering among the flags of other countries.
Abdulrahman
Rammal, a Saudi journalist, said: “It’s so amazing to see the Syrian flag on
the streets of Jeddah as it represents a good change and, hopefully, the summit
re-establishes the relationship between the Kingdom and Syria.”
Although Rammal
does not support the Syrian regime, he said he believed that the country’s
public, through renewed ties, might improve their living conditions and be
reunited with relatives.
Rima Ibrahim, a
Syrian living in Jeddah, said: “Witnessing the Syrian flag and its
participation in the summit is great. As a Syrian living in Saudi Arabia,
re-establishing the relationships between both countries means that we can
visit the Syrian Embassy and renew our passports easily, which was not the case
during the crisis. Besides, now I can visit my family in Syria and go to my
country through direct flights.”
Jordanian
citizens are also excited to see their country’s presence at the summit and its
work to end the crisis in Syria and bring Damascus back into the Arab fold.
Jeddah is under
high security alert, ensuring the safety of high-level delegations and the
smooth conduct of traffic from highways to the summit.
Hotels and
roundabouts have also been decorated with Arab flags for Friday’s event. The
Ritz Carlton has taken special measures as part of its preparations. With the
hotel fully booked out for the summit, guests can expect a luxury experience.
Through the
summit, Saudi Arabia hopes to reinvigorate Arab ties and improve communication
between countries. Important foreign policy topics are set to be at the center
of discussion on Friday.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2305466/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi men ‘more
open’ to having cosmetic procedures
May 17, 2023
RIYADH: More
Saudi men are now having cosmetic procedures, driven by changing societal norms
and attitudes toward male grooming, according to a local doctor.
Traditionally,
grooming and personal care were considered the domain of females. Today,
attitudes have shifted, with many men now viewing these activities as
essential, said Fatimah Al-Satouf, a cosmetic doctor at Panthera clinic in
Riyadh.
Al-Satouf’s
view is borne out by a study published by the National Library of Medicine in
2019 that found 47.6 percent of respondents willing to undergo minor cosmetic
procedures, while 60.9 percent agreed that cosmetic surgery was good because it
could help people feel better about themselves.
In an interview
with Arab News recently, Al-Satouf said she believes demand has risen because
of the proliferation of information online.
“The influence
of social media and celebrity culture is a significant factor driving men’s
demand for cosmetic procedures in Saudi Arabia. Social media platforms have
made it easier for individuals to access information about cosmetic procedures,
and they are increasingly using these platforms to research and share
information about their experiences with cosmetic procedures,” Al-Satouf said.
She said social
media influencers and celebrities have a significant impact on the popularity
of cosmetic procedures. The desire to emulate their favorite celebrities and
influencers has led many men to seek cosmetic procedures to enhance their
appearance, but they do have some reservations.
“Other than
social media, men usually fear looking so fake, so they hate to do (just) any
cosmetic procedure. They see that girls look alike, and this is a thing that
men don’t like. They don’t want to look like someone else usually, but then
they discover through the publicity of social media that there is something
that they can do that won’t make them look so fake, but it will only enhance a
particular area and will keep their (facial) features the same,” Al-Satouf
explained.
Al-Satouf said
most of her patients are couples and that the pressure is usually from the wife
for the husband to visit. In addition, procedures are now cheaper and more
widely available.
“The majority
of men don’t like losing their hair, so there is a cosmetic procedure we
frequently perform.
“Some men who
regularly work out at the gym also enjoy getting armpit Botox to prevent
sweating, and some men want to look or have more manly features, so they get
Texas fillers, which is filler injection in the jawline to achieve this.
“Most men
experience acne and scarring, so they request facial treatments that lighten
their skin and remove these marks,” Al-Satouf explained.
Faisal
Sulaiman, who underwent some treatments, said: “Gynecomastia, which is an
increase in the amount of breast gland tissue, caused me to feel anxious about
my chest, so I went to a plastic surgeon who helped me with this issue. I also
had Botox for my forehead and a carbon laser to eliminate my acne scars,” he
said.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2305461/saudi-arabia
--------
Pakistani
cyclist, traveling through Saudi Arabia, falls in love with Kingdom’s natural
beauty, hospitality
May 17, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
Similar to most Pakistanis who have not traveled frequently to Saudi Arabia,
Kamran Ali only knew the Middle East country as the home of Islam’s holiest
sites in Makkah and Madinah.
But when he
pedaled his way into the Kingdom in February this year, Ali, 45, was blown away
by Saudi Arabia’s cultural richness and its historical castles, fiery
volcanoes, and ancient rock formations and art.
In 2019, the
country threw open its doors to foreign tourists, launching a new visa regime
and appealing to foreign companies to invest in a sector it hopes will
contribute 10 percent of gross domestic product by 2030.
The move was
part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious plans to develop new
industries to wean the world’s top oil exporter off crude. Many of his reforms
have received international praise.
“I came to
Saudi Arabia without much knowledge because the books we studied only provided
information about religious places,” Ali, who in the last eight years has
cycled through 46 countries across four continents and covered a remarkable
56,000 kilometers, told Arab News by phone from Makkah.
“However, when
I saw the rock formations in the deserts, the intricate inscriptions, and
Islamic rock art and historical castles and volcanoes, it was a mind-blowing
and unforgettable experience.”
Among major restoration
projects that have taken place in Saudi Arabia in recent years and attracted
foreign tourists is Diriyah, the ancestral home of the Al-Saud family and the
capital of the First Saudi State. Other projects include the ancient sites of
Fau, Hegra, Tayma, Duma, and along the Darb Zubaydah, the pilgrimage road to
Makkah. There is also the flagship $20 billion tourism project of AlUla, the
site of an ancient civilization in a remote northwestern corner of the country.
Ali is well on
his way to cycling through them all.
Born in Layyah,
a small city in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, Ali gained a Ph.D. in
computer science and made the life-changing decision in 2015 to quit his job in
Germany and follow his passion for cycling. He has since biked through cities
in Europe, Asia, South America, Central America, and North America.
His latest
excursion, which began in December 2022, will end in South Africa, and includes
an over three-month-long detour in Saudi Arabia, which Ali is currently
exploring.
Due to visa
issues from Iranian authorities, Ali had to begin his tour of the Middle East
from Muscat, Oman, and onwards to the UAE, from where he entered Saudi Arabia
on Feb. 9 through the Al-Batha land border.
In the last
three months, he has explored the Rub’ al Khali, Al-Kharj, Hail, AlUla, and
Madinah cities of Saudi Arabia before arriving in Makkah 12 days ago, having
cycled some 3,500 km since he left Muscat.
The Pakistani
adventurer lavished praise on Madinah, describing the province and its regional
capital city as “remarkable” for its historical inscriptions, Islamic rock art,
castles, and volcanoes.
“The (Madinah)
province is a treasure trove of Islamic and pre-Islamic history, boasting
breath-taking landscapes,” he said, adding that the Kingdom’s Hail region was
also captivating for both its landscape and history.
The Ikmah
mountain in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla city, with more than 500 inscriptions from the
Dadan and Lihyan civilizations, have also captured the cyclist’s imagination.
“Notably, the
Lihyanite inscriptions, which are 4,000 to 5,000 years old, narrate the history
of ancient Arabia,” Ali said.
He also
highlighted the extensive stone structures that stretch for miles in Saudi
Arabia’s Khaybar city, located around 150 km to the north of Madinah, and are
replete with Islamic rock art and calligraphic inscriptions that date back
1,300 years.
Impressed by
the country’s rock art, Ali has vowed to raise awareness about them.
“I will write
about the rock art in Saudi Arabia to promote the country’s tourist
destinations beyond the Two Holy Mosques,” Ali added.
But more than
the majestic mountains, old rock formations, and centuries-old castles, the
traveler said Saudi Arabia’s “incredible” hospitality, generosity, and kindness
was what would remain most memorable for him.
He recalled one
incident when he was traveling under the harsh sun through the Rub’ al Khali
desert, which includes parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, and Yemen, and was
unable to carry much food or water, with no facilities or shade in sight for
several kilometers.
“However, the
local people checked on me, provided me with food and water, and even invited
me to their homes if they were nearby,” Ali said.
And he
recounted another example of Saudi generosity in the central Saudi city of
Al-Kharj where he tried to help a disabled boy while eating at a roadside
restaurant. But a local intervened and not only paid for the boy’s food but
also for Ali’s meal.
Despite
traveling through 46 countries, Ali said he had never seen “such examples of
generosity” anywhere else in the world.
“I was
astonished because such acts of kindness are often only read about in books,
but this actually happened in Saudi Arabia,” he added.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2305456/saudi-arabia
--------
Southeast
Asia
Home minister:
‘Allah’ appeal withdrawn to give govt time to study schism in 1986 directives
By Syed Jaymal
Zahiid
Thursday, 18
May 2023
KUALA LUMPUR,
May 18 — Putrajaya withdrew the appeal against a High Court ruling that
directed Jill Ireland Lawrence’s seized compact discs to be returned was meant
to give the government time to “study” a 1986 directive that banned Christians
from using the term “Allah” alongside three other words, Home Minister Datuk
Seri Saifuddin Nasution said today.
The Anwar
administration has come under intense attack following the withdrawal ahead of
six state elections slated for July, with the opposition ramping up its
communal rhetoric to paint the so-called unity government as “anti-Islam”.
Saifuddin
suggested in a statement posted on his Twitter that the entire legal dispute
was never about who gets the exclusive right to use the word “Allah”, an Arabic
term for “god” used widely by Christians in other countries including the
Middle East.
Instead, the
legal battle was centred on what he described as the contradictory directive
issued by the Cabinet and Home Ministry respectively in May and December 1986.
“The lingering
administrative issue regarding the seizure of Video CDs belonging to Jill
Ireland was not an issue about the term ‘Allah’,” the minister said in a tweet
posted at 9.15am today.
“As a
responsible government, because there was a contradiction in the administrative
directive issued in 1986... the government plans to conduct a more
comprehensive study on the administrative directive with regards to the use of
Allah,” Saifuddin added.
Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in a statement yesterday that his government
would seek an audience with the Conference of Rulers soon to “present its
proposals to strengthen enforcement on the use of the word ‘Allah’”.
Anwar did not
provide details about the proposals but suggested that it would not rattle
“interracial and inter-religious unity and harmony”.
On Monday,
Anwar’s government confirmed it had withdrawn its appeal against the 2021 High
Court ruling in favour of the Sarawakian native, Jill Ireland.
The move put an
end to the 15-year-long legal saga that began when the government seized the
Sarawak Bumiputera’s eight educational CDs containing the word “Allah”, the
Arabic word for God, which were for her own use.
Saifuddin said
today the Home Ministry under his watch had studied the High Court ruling that
instructed the authorities to return her CDs as early as January this year.
He claimed the
Attorney General’s Chambers’ appeal filed in 2021, directed by the government
of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, was meant to give the government time to “study
new facts, analyse the (High Court) judgment and consult various parties”.
Source: malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/05/18/home-minister-allah-appeal-withdrawn-to-give-govt-time-to-study-schism-in-1986-directives/69796
--------
Right to use
‘Allah’ a good thing to come from unity govt, says Sarawak’s Telang Usan rep
18/5/2023
KUCHING, May 18
― The Home Ministry’s withdrawal of an appeal of a High Court ruling on
Sarawakian Christian Jill Ireland’s right to use the term “Allah” is one of
good things to come from the unity government, said Dennis Ngau (GPS Telang
Usan).
The assemblyman
thanked the ministry and the federal government for coming up with the
decision.
“This is good.
It means they understand us. This is a blessing,” he said when met yesterday.
However, Dennis
admitted that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement on the court’s
decision to give Christians the right to use the word ‘Allah’ along with three
other Arabic words in their religious publication apply only for Sarawak, was
somewhat confusing.
“I hope the
decision (to use the word ‘Allah’ in Christians’ religious publication) is
meant for all Malaysians.
“We do
understand there are many states in the country having Sultans as heads of
Islam and I am sure it is their right to protect their religion. This, we
respect.
“Perhaps
because these people come from Malaya, so they probably follow the sentiment
over there. We, in Sarawak, are fortunate that we are on our own and such
matter they cannot be disturbed. This is the main thing that Sarawakians must
understand and we must wake up to this reality.
“Of course, the
very ideal situation in our country is to have complete religious freedom. This
is where we, as Christians, must remember that such matter is between you and
God, you are the one who are reaching to God and that is what is important,” he
added.
The court case
stemmed from the Home Ministry’s seizure on May 11, 2008 of Christian religious
CDs and books containing the word ‘Allah’ under Section 9 (1) of the Printing
Presses and Publications Act 1984 when Jill disembarked at the then Low-Cost
Carrier Terminal in Sepang.
The CDs,
containing titles including ‘Cara Menggunakan Kunci Kerajaan Allah’, ‘Cara
Hidup Dalam Kerajaan Allah’, and ‘Ibadah Yang Benar Dalam Kerajaan Allah’, were
brought from Indonesia.
Jill had sought
a declaration that her constitutional rights had been violated.
In 2017, her
lawyers had highlighted views from local and international experts that the
Arabic word ‘Allah’ for God is not used exclusively by Islam, as the word has
been adopted into Malaysia’s national language and has long been used by the
local Bahasa Malaysia-speaking Christians as shown by Malay translations of
Christian publications dating back a few centuries. ― Borneo Post
Source: malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/05/18/right-to-use-allah-a-good-thing-to-come-from-unity-govt-says-sarawaks-telang-usan-rep/69770
--------
‘Allah’ issue:
Proposal for conference of rulers shows gov’t protects sanctity of Islam
18-05- 2023
KUALA LUMPUR:
The Cabinet’s decision to submit its proposal to improve the enforcement of
policies relating to the use of the word ‘Allah’ to the Conference of Rulers
proves the Unity Government’s commitment to protect the sanctity of Islam, said
Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (YADIM).
Its president
Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus said the move also showed that the government was
determined to strengthen unity and harmony among the various races and
religions in Malaysia.
Mohd Yunus said
it also provided an opportunity to further streamline existing policies on the
use of the word ‘Allah’, in line with the position of Islam as the religion of
the Federation as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“The
government’s effort (presenting the proposal) is proof that the Cabinet will
not compromise in defending the sanctity of Islam and the sovereignty of laws
or enactments relating to Islam in the states.
“This will
provide for enforcement on the use of certain words which can be used only by
Muslims to be streamlined and enforced in the best way possible,” he told
Bernama.
He is confident
that after the government has presented the documents on its proposal, the
enforcement would be clearer and firmer without undermining the right and
freedom of non-Muslims to practise their own religions.
“We cannot deny
that there may be weaknesses in enforcement by the authorities, so through this
proposal the Cabinet will give its comment and advice to them (authorities).
“The government
is on the right track to clear the confusion, and it shows that while
non-Muslims are free to practise their own religions, they are cautioned
against spreading their religions to people they are not supposed to,” he
added.
Earlier today,
the Cabinet had obtained the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan
Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to submit its proposal to improve
the enforcement of policies relating to the use of the word ‘Allah’ by
non-Muslims to the Conference of Rulers.
Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pix), in a statement, said the government will always
uphold the Federal Constitution, especially Article 3 relating to Islam being
the religion of the Federation and that other religions may be practised in
peace and harmony.
The issue was
discussed at the Cabinet meeting today following the Attorney-General’s
decision to withdraw the appeal against the High Court’s ruling on the case
involving a Christian woman from Sarawak, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, and her
publication material containing the word of ‘Allah’.-Bernama
Source: thesundaily.my
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/allah-issue-proposal-for-conference-of-rulers-shows-gov-t-protects-sanctity-of-islam-AA10989283
--------
Timing of
‘Allah’ appeal withdrawal throws neutral Malay vote up in the air, analysts say
By Keertan
Ayamany
Thursday, 18
May 2023
KUALA LUMPUR,
May 18 — Ending the appeal of a court ruling over the use of “Allah,” the
Arabic word for God, in Christian publications so near to six state elections
will disadvantage parties in the national unity government with Malay-Muslim
voters.
Despite the
consequences, however, Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow
Azmi Hassan said the government likely had little choice in the matter as case
management had already been set for May 19.
“The government
had to withdraw, else it would have created another turmoil seeing as the
government right now is composed of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, Gabungan Parti
Sarawak of the Borneo states.
“This is a
sensitive issue not just here in the peninsula, but also in the Borneo states,”
he told Malay Mail.
In March 2021,
the High Court deemed that a 1986 government ban on using the word “Allah” in
Christian publications was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The government
under Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the time had
decided to appeal the court decision.
However, it was
discovered on Monday that the national unity government under Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has withdrawn the appeal, effectively concluding the
legal battle that began after authorities seized eight CDs containing the word
“Allah” from a Christian Sarawakian 15 years ago.
According to
International Islamic University political science associate professor Syaza
Shukri, the development would let PN in the federal Opposition depict Pakatan
Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional, and others in the national unity government at
“anti-Islam.”
This would also
play to the strengths of PN, a coalition consisting entirely of Malay-Muslim
lawmakers, which already deployed communal politics in the 15th general
election that saw it nearly forming the government on a wave of support for its
religious conservatism.
Syaza said that
while there was no “good time” for such a religiously sensitive decision in
Malaysia, its emergence so close to six crucial state elections was
strategically poor.
“Most Muslims
in Malaysia still believe strongly that the word Allah is Islamic in nature,
regardless of what historians and linguists say.
“Those Malays
who are more on the fence with how they feel towards the government may choose
to stay out of the election, if not outright vote for PN,” she said.
Kedah,
Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Selangor and Terengganu are all expected to
dissolve their state assemblies in the latter half of June to pave way for
state elections that were needed now because they were not held during the 15th
general election last November.
Azmi said that
one possible solution for the unity government was for Umno to be publicly
disagree with the decision to drop the appeal, in a bid to reinforce its
position as champions of Malay and Muslim interests.
He said this
would be needed to counter PN’s ongoing narrative that it was the true defender
of Malay-Muslim interests.
“A strong Umno
would make a strong PH and unity government,” said Azmi.
Yesterday,
Anwar said his government will seek an audience with the Conference of Rulers
over the use of “Allah” in a non-Muslim context “to resolve this issue
holistically and cohesively.”
However,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor Kartini Aboo Talib disagreed with the
notion that the unity government or the political coalitions within it have
suffered significant damage from the appeal being ended.
“The unity
government is clearly focused on business. Their approach to convince voters
will be strategic.
“Upon forming
the government, political parties gain many more advantages, including access
to opportunities in areas such as land development, vendor selection, GLC
appointments and securing contracts for transportation improvements, among
others.
“People may
call it nepotism, but others may call it network,” she said.
This week, the
federal government confirmed withdrawing the appeal against the 2021 High Court
ruling in favour of the Sarawakian native, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill.
The move put an
end to the 15-year-long legal saga that began when the government seized the
Sarawak Bumiputera’s eight educational compact discs (CDs) containing the word
“Allah”, the Arabic word for God, which were for her own use.
Read here for
Malay Mail’s summary of the High Court’s 96-page judgment to understand why the
government’s 1986 ban was found to be unlawful and unconstitutional.
Source: malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/05/18/timing-of-allah-appeal-withdrawal-throws-neutral-malay-vote-up-in-the-air-analysts-say/69546
--------
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/syed-hussain-uk-muslim-mayor/d/129806