Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin

Islamic World News

25 Feb 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com

Introducing Jakarta's 'polygamy club'

Indo-Pak talks focused on Kashmir: Pak foreign secy Missile Defense Agency Logo Includes Islamic Symbol I have come to bridge differences, says Pak Foreign Secy Came close to solving Kashmir: Musharraf US Sikhs ask Obama to take up beheading issue with Pak One Mumbai not enough: Hafiz Saeed Pakistan intends to alter blasphemy law Real Stories of Muslim Dominance in Europe: a Warning to America How Nazism shaped Islamist views Aligarh Muslim University professor a victim of clash between ‘tradition’, privacy Godhra “witness” escapes to tell his story Bhagwat calls for Hindu unity Bangladesh to charge 900 with mutiny Rushdie to write book on his decade under ‘fatwa’ 'Recommendations of committees on Muslim quota Algeria police chief shot dead at force headquarters Turkish army chief meets leaders over 'coup plot' Bin Laden and Al-Zawahiri should face an Islamic trial: Islamic Scholar Controversial new US defence logo compared to Islamic crescent and star Anti-Muslim College Columnist Attacks Those Who Fight Islamofascism Taliban kill two alleged US spies in NW Pakistan India, Pakistan head for talks, low on hope US embassy of the future in UK, a secure glass box My son laid down his life for the nation, says father of Kashmiri paratrooper US cautiously supports Karzai on new election law Pakistan played key role in Rigi’s arrest India accuses Pakistan LoC firing Kashmir leaders meet Bashir on eve of India-Pakistan talks Son of Hamas co-founder spied for Israelis: paper Pak Teenager mistakenly reaches India Obama’s Pakistan efforts reaping rewards Intelligence agencies arrest TTP man Rumana Husain’s ‘Karachiwala’ launched ‘About 1,100 Afghans given Indian citizenship in 3 years’ Moscow warns West against ‘crippling’ Iran sanctions SIMI, Indian Mujahideen own up to Pune blast: police Al-Qaeda warns US of new attacks Anjuman-e-Islam starts to remove structure British Muslim social network launches website Prophet’s birthday: Special day for Muslims Maulidin Nabi: Commemorating the Birth Of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) Compiled by Aman Quadre Photo: Missile Defense Agency Logo Includes Islamic Symbol URL of this Page: http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=2505 ----- Introducing Jakarta's 'polygamy club' By Anna Coren, CNN February 25, 2010 Doctor Gina Puspita greets our crew with a warm, genuine smile on the balcony outside the headquarters of Indonesia's "polygamy club." As a strict Muslim she's not allowed to touch a man, so she presses her hands together as if to pray and gently bows towards the male members of our party. We're on the outskirts of the country's capital, Jakarta, to interview Puspita, president of this controversial club that's been operating for the past 12 months. It comes under the control of its parent organization, Global Ikhwan, a company that supports its polygamous members around the world economically and socially. Puspita wears purple-framed glasses and a cream headscarf pulled together at the chin with a diamante pin. On her black jacket she wears a pearl brooch that was made by some ladies who work in one of the businesses associated with Global Ikwhan. 46-year-old Puspita doesn't fit the normal profile of a polygamous wife. Born and raised in Jakarta, she went to university in Toulouse, France and has a PHD in aeronautical construction engineering and has worked for Airbus. She lived in France for 11 years and says she hung out with her European, western-minded friends. She says entering a polygamous marriage had never crossed her mind. But this highly-educated, multi-lingual woman changed her views when she heard a lecture at her university by Islamic spiritual leader Abuya Ashari. It was then her views began to change. "Polygamy is coming from God," she says. "What Abuya Ashari taught us is that we have to know about God first, love Him first, then whatever you choose, either monogamy or polygamy, it will bring goodness for people and for ourselves." Abuya, a 72-year-old preacher based in Malaysia, began lecturing on Islam and polygamy in 1968. He set up the company Global Ikhwan in 1997 and it has thousands of members around the world with clubs similar to the one in Jakarta in Europe, the Middle East and North America. The company provides homes, jobs, businesses, schools and medical facilities to its members. While being a polygamist is not compulsory, most people in the company practice it. Puspita is the first of four wives and believes polygamy is the law from God and that is how Muslims should live their lives. She and her husband decided five years into their 18-year marriage to adopt the practice. When asked how she felt when her husband decided to take on a second wife, she says: "It wasn't my husband's decision, we discussed it together. "It's based on the fight for Islam, the fight for Allah and the prophet. It was me myself who went to the woman's family and told them why she should become a polygamist." Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country and the practice of polygamy is extremely rare. Puspita and her husband asked Abuya for his guidance when they selected a second wife. He suggested a 25-year-old woman from Aceh who was part also part of Global Ikhwan. He also chose the third wife, a widow, and the fourth wife who was 34 years-old, which by Indonesian standards is too old for marriage. Puspita says their new shared life was very difficult at first and she had to fight against feelings of jealousy. "Of course there's a lot of adjustment in the beginning," she says. "But because we feel that this is our project together, God easily solved the difficulties." Puspita now offers counseling to other women on how to overcome their own jealousies. We're shown a photo, taken on the wedding day, of the fourth wife and her husband, Rizdam. Rizdam is pictured with the other wives as well as Puspita's three children. It's the only time in the four hours that we spend with her that Puspita seems different. Perhaps it's just the way she looked in the photo but there appeared to be emptiness, a sense of sadness in her eyes. I ask her if she was happy that day and she says she was. "Polygamy is beautiful when it's done properly," she adds. "All the wives strengthen each other. We are sisters, very good friends and we support each other." At the end of the interview Puspita asks me whether I find polygamy strange. "As a westerner I find it quite foreign," I reply. "As human beings we are instinctively jealous and I'm amazed at how well you cope." She says she thought exactly the same way and that there was no way would she would ever be in a polygamous marriage. Now Puspita believes she is carrying out God's will and making the world a better place. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/25/indonesia.polygamy.club/?hpt=C1 ----- Indo-Pak talks focused on Kashmir: Pak foreign secy TNN, Feb 25, 2010 NEW DELHI: Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir has said that the Indo-Pak talks focused extensively not briefly on Kashmir. Hours after Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and Bashir held parleys, the latter said in a press conference that Pakistan wanted good ties with India and that India’s concerns on terror were valid. “Kashmir was discussed extensively not briefly... One cannot be really dismissive about the issue of Kashmir; any effort to be dismissive on the issue will not be helpful,” said Bashir minutes after Nirupama Rao held a press conference. "It is unfair, unrealistic and counter-productive to make issue of terrorism in a generic way and stall the process of overall relations between both the countries." Bashir said. “We are concerned about human right violations in J&K.” Full Report: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indo-Pak-talks-focused-on-Kashmir-Pak-foreign-secy/articleshow/5616128.cms ----- Missile Defense Agency Logo Includes Islamic Symbol 24 February 2010 The United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has a new logo that's causing an uproar on the internet. Critics are claiming that the logo is not only reminiscent of the undocumented President Obama's Organizing for America's logo, but that it looks oddly similar to the Islamic crescent and star symbol.  Although MDA states that this logo was designed before Obama's presidential logo was created, it does resemble the symbol of Islam. An anonymous person made a comment on WashingtonTimes.com saying, "I'm having trouble seeing past the crescent and star in the new logo.  Is this our signal to the Muslim world that we're not going to shoot down their missiles?" Doubtful - that would imply that we have a Commander in Chief that actually knows how to lead. Full Report: http://habledash.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=520:missile-defense-agency-logo-includes-islamic-symbol&catid=45:the-nook&Itemid=59 ----- I have come to bridge differences, says Pak Foreign Secy Sandeep Dikshit Salman Bashir meets Kashmiri separatist leaders One step ahead: Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir (left) arrives in New Delhi on Wednesday with his delegation for talks. NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan will take the first tentative step towards resumption of dialogue with the arrival of a delegation led by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir for talks with his counterpart Nirupama Rao here on Thursday. Talks between India and Pakistan were suspended since the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 barring a few contacts at multilateral meetings.  “Good to be back here” Full report: http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022555171000.htm ----- Came close to solving Kashmir: Musharraf ASHIS RAY Feb 25, 2010  LONDON: Former Pakistan president General Pervez Musharraf has reiterated his claim that he "wasn't far from resolving" the Kashmir problem with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the basis of his four-point formula that included the region's demilitarization and making boundaries irrelevant. Musharraf was addressing a function at the House of Lords organized by Lord Iltaf Sheikh, an opposition Conservative party peer of Pakistani origin on Tuesday night. Earlier, at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Musharraf appealed: "For the sake of the world, for the sake of the region, for the sake of bilateral gains, we must have peace between India and Pakistan." He maintained that out of the three disputes, the two countries were close to solving the most difficult one — Kashmir. "May I compliment Prime Minister Singh for his vision, flexibility and sincerity," he said. The former Pakistan president said the other two disputes — Siachen and Sir Creek — could be solved 'tomorrow'. He described militancy as the greatest peril for Pakistan and not India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Came-close-to-solving-Kashmir-Musharraf/articleshow/5613874.cms ----- US Sikhs ask Obama to take up beheading issue with Pak S Rajagopalan February 25, 2010 Voicing their outrage over the beheading of two Sikhs by the Taliban in Pakistan, the Sikh community in US has urged President Barack Obama to personally intervene and take up the matter strongly with Islamabad. In a letter addressed to President Obama and delivered to the White House staff on Tuesday, the Washington-based Sikh Council on Religion and Education demanded that the US pressure Pakistan to bring all those behind the barbaric act to justice. “We the Sikhs in the United States are outraged by this heinous crime by the Taliban against two innocent Sikhs and we are deeply concerned about the lives and property of Sikhs in Pakistan,” council chairman Rajwant Singh said in the letter. “As American citizens, we request you to express our sentiments to President Zardari,” the council said, stressing: “It is important that US Government conveys our deepest concerns to the Pakistan Government via US Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke. Since last year the religious freedom of the Sikhs has been threatened and they have been forced to leave their centuries old dwellings in the Orakzai Agency and adjacent areas.” Full report: http://www.dailypioneer.com/238377/US-Sikhs-ask-Obama-to-take-up-beheading-issue-with-Pak.html ----- One Mumbai not enough: Hafiz Saeed 24 Feb 2010, NEW DELHI: Barely days before the Indo-Pak engagement, Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed has surfaced, inciting jihad against India. At a ‘Kashmir solidarity’ rally in Lahore, Saeed, accused by India of masterminding the Mumbai terror attack, was back at spewing venom against India saying jihadis were willing to go a long way for liberating Kashmir. The leader of the banned outfit, who clearly timed his rally ahead of the Indo-Pak talks, told a huge gathering of his supporters that jihad was the only option left as India would never let go of Kashmir. Threatening India with dire consequences he further said that India would suffer the same fate over Kashmir as the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the US reverses in Afghanistan. Tapes of the rally, which have been accessed by a television channel, showed Saeed’s supporters waving Klashnikovs and shouting anti-India slogans. The rally was taken out by JuD and is seen as a clear instance of the Pakistani establishment’s reluctance to take steps against the group, which has been proscribed by the UNSC as a front for the Lashkar-e-Toiba. In his public rant, Saeed also dismissed the Mumbai terror attacks saying ``ek Bombay kya hota hai’’. He even went to the ridiculous length of suggesting that India and Pakistan should renegotiate the Partition of India and discuss the creation of Bangladesh. Saying that the London conference on Afghanistan signaled the defeat of the US and allied forces, he said India would suffer a similar fate in Kashmir. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/One-Mumbai-not-enough-Hafiz-Saeed/articleshow/5609717.cms ----- Pakistan intends to alter blasphemy law Zeeshan Haider Feb 25, 2010 ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The Pakistani government plans to change its blasphemy law to check its misuse by extremist groups, officials said on Thursday. World The law, which carries the death penalty for insulting Islam or its prophet, is a highly sensitive issue in Pakistan, which is more than 95 percent Muslim. Previous governments have failed to reform the law because of opposition from powerful hard-line Islamic groups. Liberal and secular groups have called for the repeal of the blasphemy law altogether, which they say discriminates against religious minorities. However, the U.S.-allied government of President Asif Ali Zardari, which is fighting an Islamist insurgency, says it plans to reform the law instead. "We are holding consultative meetings with representatives of minorities and political parties, as well as with Muslim clerics," Minister for Religious Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti told Reuters. "Some elements misuse the law to create violence and disharmony in society. To stop that misuse, we are proposing legislation." He declined to say when the government planned to propose the changes. Blasphemy convictions are common in Pakistan, although the death sentence has never been carried out. Most convictions are thrown out on appeal or because of lack of evidence. However, angry mobs have killed many people, mostly members of religious minorities. Last year, eight Christians were killed in central Punjab by a mob after blasphemy accusations, which officials said were spread by Islamist extremist groups linked to al Qaeda and the Taliban. Seven of the victims were burned to death. NO PROTECTION Religious minorities, mostly Christians, account for roughly four percent of Pakistan's 170 million people. Christians have long complained about the law because it offers no protection if a Muslim accuses them of violations such as tearing a page of the Koran, and many accusations are leveled to settle personal scores. Just making an accusation is usually considered sufficient evidence to register a case. Bhatti declined to elaborate on the proposed amendments but a government official said authorities were exploring "procedural changes" that might provide for registering a case only after an investigation and on the orders of a judge. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government may also propose that a suspect be prosecuted only if it is established that he had "intentionally and willfully" committed blasphemy. Islamic parties have opposed changes in the law because of suspicions that pro-Western, liberal groups seek to dilute Pakistan's Islamic identity. Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, a prominent cleric, said they were ready to cooperate with authorities to stop extremist groups abusing the law. "If they bring about change to stop its misuse with our consultation than it's okay," he said. "But if they did it unilaterally, then it will promote hatred and extremism." The law was introduced by Pakistan's former military ruler General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s in an effort to bring Pakistani law more in line with Islamic principles. Another military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, tried to reform these laws in 2000, months after he seized power in a coup, but backed down after widespread protests from hard-line Islamic groups. (Editing by Chris Allbritton and Ron Popeski) http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61O1M820100225 ----- Real Stories of Muslim Dominance in Europe: a Warning to America Anders Gravers February 25, 2010 I am here to warn Americans about two Muslim war strategies: the salami method, slice by slice so no one opposes; and secondly, the dominant behavior method of the Muslims. They have used these two strategies in Denmark and Europe for 30 years now. In fact, Islam would never have achieved such a stronghold in Europe if it had not been for the European dhimmies.  What is a dhimmi then? The basic understanding of a dhimmi is a person who is under Islam’s so-called protection and pay Muslims, “jizya”, a kind of "protection money". A lot of Christians live under very bad conditions as dhimmies all over the Muslim world but today I will use the word dhimmi in another way. We use dhimmi to describe mainly left-wing multicultural people who are Muslim appeasers. When I think about these dhimmies I always think of the old Winston Churchill quote: "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." They are ready to do anything to please the Muslims and meet their demands in order to avoid any trouble or tensions. In fact they are ready to sell out Western values to "live in peace". It is another way of paying “jizya”. In fact they have not only allowed the salami method – they have encouraged it. In the beginning when there were not so many Muslims, there were no demands, but when the numbers increased they started to demand special treatment for Muslims. Here follows a few examples of the salami method in Europe: Muslims demanded special times for Muslim women only to use the public swimming pool because Muslim women are not allowed to swim together with men. That was one slice. Muslim men demanded curtains in the changing room in the shower section because Muslim men are not allowed to show themselves naked in front of other men. They have got their curtains. Yet another slice. The Muslim children are not allowed to take showers with the other children after gym hours in school. Yet another slice.  The Muslims can't even be dead together with the so-called non-believers in the mortuaries in the hospitals. Muslim relatives have demanded special rooms for their dead family members. And they have got it – paid for by our tax money. Yet another slice. FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Anders Gravers is president of Stop the Islamization of Denmark, and gave this speech at the February CPAC conference in Washington, D.C. Full Report: http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.5594/pub_detail.asp ----- How Nazism shaped Islamist views By Jeffrey Herf February 25, 2010 Today’s Jew-hatred in the Middle East has a sinister European colouring Political Islam is partly the product of a cultural fusion between European and Islamist traditions of Jew-hatred. Nazism's Arabic-language propaganda aimed at the Middle East during the Second World War indicates that a crucial chapter in the history of that fusion took place in Berlin during the war. It was then and there that the highest-ranking officials of the Nazi regime, including Hitler and officials in the Foreign Ministry and the SS, had a meeting of hearts and minds with pro-Nazi Arab and Muslim exiles such as Haj Amin el-Husseini (the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem) and Rashid Ali Kilani, the former head of a short-lived Iraqi regime. Throughout the Second World War, their collaboration led to thousands of hours of short-wave Arabic-language radio broadcasts to the Middle East. In the spring of 1942, officials in the American Embassy in Cairo began to send verbatim, English-language translations of the broadcasts back to the State Department in Washington. As only small fragments of the broadcasts remain in the German government archives and in the files of British intelligence, the Cairo Embassy files in the United States National Archives outside Washington, DC, are the most complete record in any language of these important documents. There remains much work to be done by scholars who read Arabic and Farsi to trace the continuities and discontinuities between past and present. Nevertheless, it is clear Islamism of recent decades echo some themes of wartime broadcasts. In their Arabic-language broadcasts, the Nazis stated that Zionists had started the Second World War in order to establish a Jewish state and dominate the Arab world. In its propaganda aimed at Germans at home, the Nazi regime publicly asserted that it was "exterminating" the Jews of Europe. In the Arabic-language broadcasts to the Middle East, Arabic language announcers called on listeners to take matters into their own hands and "kill the Jews" in the Middle East themselves. Rather than translations of speeches by Hitler or Goebbels, it was a fundamentalist reading of the Koran that was crucial for justifying Jew-hatred with Muslim listeners. Husseini and others asserted that Jews had been the enemies of Islam from its inception. They presented Zionist goals in Palestine as only the latest of the Jews' efforts to destroy Islam. In the years following the war, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hassan al-Banna and, its leading ideologue of the 1950s, Sayyid Qutb, offered evidence that the messages from Berlin had found a welcome reception among Muslim extremists. In June 1946, when Husseini returned to Cairo, Al-Banna said that Husseini would "continue the struggle" that Hitler and Germany had waged against Zionism. In his important essay of the early 1950s, Our Struggle with the Jews, Qutb described the Jews as implacable enemies of Islam. He further claimed that Allah had sent Hitler to earth to "punish" the Jews for their evil deeds. During the war, Nazi Orientalists working for Himmler's SS wrote Arabic-language propaganda that presented Hitler as a figure sent by Allah to punish the Jews. In echoing these assertions, Qutb, whose rage was intensified by the establishment of the state of Israel, sought to justify the Holocaust. For the Islamists, Israel's creation proved that Nazism's conspiracy theory about vast Jewish power had been proven correct. After 1945, the ideological poison unleashed by the Nazi regime did not die. Rather it mutated, changed its cultural context and merged with a distinctly different cultural tradition. The history of the seven decades of that mutation and evolution remains to be written. When it is, the chapter on wartime Berlin will be an important one. Jeffrey Herf's 'Nazi Propaganda for the Arab World' is published by Yale University Press. He is a professor of modern European and German history at the University of Maryland at College Park. http://www.thejc.com/node/28694 ----- AMU professor a victim of clash between ‘tradition’, privacy Urvashi Sarkar February 25, 2010 ALIGARH: The suspension of 64-year-old Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras from Aligarh Muslim University, where he was teaching for the past 22 years, has been greeted with mixed reactions here with campus authorities staunchly defending their decision to punish the professor for being a homosexual and human rights activists, online communities and a handful of students decrying this as a violation of his right to privacy. Dr. Siras, who was Chairman of the Department of Modern Indian Languages in AMU before his suspension, is due to retire this September. He was suspended soon after a video showing him having sex with another man surfaced on campus. Contrary to some reports that the students had broken into Dr. Siras’ home and made the video, university sources said this was the handiwork of a private television channel. as it violates public order, is a threat to tradition and such acts give rise to AIDS.” Full report: http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022562372200.htm ----- Godhra “witness” escapes to tell his story Vidya Subrahmaniam Husain Mulla says he was not in Godhra on the fateful day … he was abducted, tortured by police New Delhi: Thirty-two-year-old Ilyas Husain Mulla is an eyewitness to the February 27, 2002 Godhra-Sabarmati Express carnage. Or that is what the records say: He is a witness in Sessions Cases No. 69 to 86 of 2009 and 204 of 2009 before the Additional Sessions Judge, Panchmahals, Gujarat. As a supposed eyewitness to a tragedy that claimed 58 mostly Hindu lives and set off retaliatory killings against Muslims across Gujarat, Mr. Mulla was of great value to both the Gujarat police and the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigating Team currently probing the burning and its aftermath. However, on February 18, an Assistant Sub-Inspector assisting the SIT filed a complaint at the B Division Police Station in Godhra stating that Mr. Mulla, who was to depose in the court the same day, had gone missing from the circuit house where he was being held in “protective custody.” Mr. Mulla has not gone missing. He is in Delhi with friends and available for interviews with the media. He has also a different story to tell. He says he was not in Godhra on the day of the burning, and therefore could not have been an eyewitness. And he says he was not held in “protective custody” but was abducted and tortured by the police, including the SIT’s assisting staff, with the intention of compelling him to say a dictated line in court. He says he was unwilling to do that and escaped, and now wants to bring the real facts of the case before the judge. Mr. Mulla says the police and the SIT’s assisting staff knew he had conveyed his anxieties by fax to head of the SIT R.K. Raghavan and P.R. Patel, magistrate handling the Godhra Sabarmati case. “They wanted me to go to the court and withdraw the fax messages and say that I fabricated the complaint about being tortured and being falsely implicated as a witness.” Mr. Mulla’s account is that he was employed as a conductor on truck (No: GJ-GU-7447). On February 24, 2002, he left on duty for Mumbai along with driver Irfan Udaliya. In Mumbai, they picked up steel sheets from Bansal Cutter and headed for Vadodra. On the way they stopped at a place called Palej, where they came to know about the Godhra carnage. Fearing trouble, they spent the following week in Palej. Nearly five months later, on July 14, 2002, the Godhra police picked up Mr. Mulla and upon threat of death, forced him to sign a number of confessional statements, among them that he had pulled the chain of the Sabarmati Express and that he saw two Muslim men set fire to the bogie (S6). Since then it has been a cat and mouse game between Mr. Mullah and the police. First it was the Godhra police and now it is the police staff assisting the SIT, he says. Mr. Mulla says his difficulties mounted after he filed an appeal with the Banerjee panel of inquiry, following it up with fax messages to Mr. Raghavan and Sessions Court judge Patil. A troubling part of the story is the alleged role of the staff attached to the SIT, constituted by the Supreme Court to ensure an impartial investigation into Godhra and its aftermath. Why would the SIT staff torture a supposed witness? Mr. Mulla’s lawyers say the problem arises from the SIT having to rely on the Godhra police for facts relating to the case. Recently a senior officer assisting the SIT, Noel Parmar, was removed from the team. As Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr. Parmar had carried out the initial investigation in the Godhra case. http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022561051300.htm ----- Bhagwat calls for Hindu unity VR Jayaraj The 40-acre Ashra-mam Grounds in Kollam city on Wednesday evening became a picture of Kerala’s Hindu might and patriotic spirit with over 1,00,000 disciplined RSS volunteers lining up in full uniform (Purna Gana Vesh) to salute Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat at the Pranth Sanghik. The event proved to be the declaration of resoluteness of Kerala’s Hindu mind to fight against all cultural and political degradations and to work selflessly for the welfare of humanity and uphold forever the spirit of Hindutva. Addressing the meet, the RSS chief, who was on his first visit to God’s Own Country after assuming office, reminded the Swayamsevaks and Sangh Bandhus (supporters) that the problems of the country could be solved only through the selfless power of Hindutva. “Only Bharat, with its basic philosophy of Hindutva, can show the right path to the entire world,” he said. Hitting out at all the cultural and political ills the various kinds of invasions had brought to the Indian society, Mohan Bhagwat asked all Hindus to devote themselves to the selfless mission of working for humanity. “They all say that unity is the basic need of the society. India alone has been able to grasp the true meaning of this unity, the relation between one and all, the relation between mankind and Nature…” he said. Criticising the cultural degradation brought through westernisation of every aspect of life, the Sangh chief said some people who did not even constitute 4 per cent of the world population were trying to dominate the entire resources of the planet. In the same breath, he hit out at China for encircling India through its exercises on the border and involvements in the neighbouring countries. “Still, our rulers keep on saying nothing is happening,” he said. Speaking against all kinds of extremism, including jihadi and the Maoist types, he criticised the Government for being soft towards such elements. “Why can’t the Government take a determined stand against extremism? Why do they show sympathy to such sections while the same sympathy is denied to the Kashmiri Pandits who have been wandering the streets like orphans?” he asked. “Those who pardon the anti-nationals are forgetting those who work for the unity of the country,” the RSS chief exclaimed. The RSS chief slammed all kinds of invasions – in agriculture in the form of Bt seeds, cultural amalgamations in the form of westernisation of lifestyle and economy — saying that India should understand its very basic strength of oneness that Hindutva had advocated. “Hindutva is universal philosophy, it is modern. India has to move ahead on the basis of Hindutva,” he said. Coming down heavily on the tendency of the leading political parties to appease the minorities, he said the states in the country were vying among themselves to implement reservation. “Even courts say that the policy of reservation has been stretched too far. The very next day, the West Bengal Government brings in new reservation structure,” Bhagwat said. “Political parties are assisting the growth of sentiments that harm the basic unity of this country. They refuse to listen to arguments against the special status given to Kashmir. They appease the minorities in such ways that are not justifiable on the basis of any imaginable criterion. Those who keep on saying that all should unite make no efforts to build that unity,” the RSS chief said. “Look at Ayodhya, the Ram Janmbhoomi. Why the Hindus should keep on lamenting about building a temple for Lord Ram there? Why should they be waiting for the mercy of the Judiciary for that?” he asked, adding Hindu unity was inevitable. The Pranth Sanghik, which became a unique event as this was the first time so many Swayamsevaks (more than 1,00,000 assembled at the same spot at one time in Kerala), got off to a start at 5 pm with the Dhwajarohan — flag hoisting — which was followed by the mass drill by the RSS volunteers. The Swayamsevaks were drawn from more than 4,500 shakhas of the Sangh in the State. Over 50,000 Sangh Bandhus from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts participated in the event. Prior to Mohan Bhagwat’s speech, RSS Kerala Pranth Karyavah P Gopalankutty Master introduced the dignitaries on the stage to the Assembly while Prof V Ramachandran Nair, chairman of the reception committee, welcomed the gathering. The Sanghik was presided over by Pranth Sanghchalak PEB Menon. Leaders and office-bearers of fraternal organisations also took part in the event. http://www.dailypioneer.com/238381/Bhagwat-calls-for-Hindu-unity.html ----- Bangladesh to charge 900 with mutiny 25 Feb, 2010 DHAKA, Feb 24: A Bangladeshi state prosecutor said on Wednesday that about 900 border guards would be tried in civil courts on murder, arson and looting charges related to a deadly mutiny last February. Seventy-four people, including 57 senior army officers, were killed in the 33-hour siege that briefly threatened the survival of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s newly elected civilian government. “We have found that around 900 Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) soldiers took part in the murder of army officers, looting, arson and the torture of family members of the officers,” state prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kazal said. “We are in the final stage of the investigation. They will be charged soon,” he said, adding that the maximum punishment for murder under Bangladesh’s penal code was death by hanging. —AFP http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/bangladesh-to-charge-900-with-mutiny-520 ----- Rushdie to write book on his decade under ‘fatwa’ S Rajagopalan Novelist Salman Rushdie is planning to write a book about the decade he spent under the shadow of death following the ‘fatwa’ issued by the late Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran in 1989 on the grounds that he insulted Islam in his book, “The Satanic Verses”. Disclosing his plans to write about that critical phase of his life when he went into hiding under an extraordinary British security blanket, Rushdie told reporters in Atlanta: “It’s my story, and at some point, it needs to be told. That point is getting closer I think.” “There was a period in my life where people said very nasty things about me. I thought during the time of the attack on that particular novel the best thing I could do is keep writing,” he said. In 1998, the Iranian Government declared that it would not support the ‘fatwa’ against Rushdie, but made it clear it could not rescind it. Hardline Muslim groups have continued the protest in recent years, with Al Qaeda among those to condemn Britain for conferring knighthood upon him in 2007. Full report: http://www.dailypioneer.com/238373/Rushdie-to-write-book-on-his-decade-under-%E2%80%98fatwa%E2%80%99.html ----- 'Recommendations of committees on Muslim quota Feb 25 2010 Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh has termed as "unconstitutional" the recommendations of the Rangnath Misra and Sachar committees on reservation to Muslims. Jankranti Party leader Kalyan Singh said last night that his party was opposed to reservation on the basis of religion as it is totally unconstitutional as well as an infringement to the rights of backward, and Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe class and was prepared to fight for the cause. http://www.ptinews.com/news/536139_-Recommendations-of-committees-on-Muslim-quota ----- Algeria police chief shot dead at force headquarters Feb 25 2010 The chief of Algeria's national police force, Ali Tounsi, has been shot dead in the capital, Algiers, officials say. The shooting took place during a regular morning meeting in the police headquarters in front of a number of witnesses, the interior ministry said. The alleged killer was a fellow police officer who had an argument with the police chief, the ministry added. He is now in hospital under custody after trying to kill himself after the shooting, news agencies reported. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8536908.stm ----- Turkish army chief meets leaders over 'coup plot' Feb 25 2010 Turkey's leaders have met the head of the armed forces, Gen Ilker Basbug, about an alleged plot to stir up chaos and justify a military coup. After several hours of talks, the presidency said all problems should be solved "within the constitution". The talks between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Abdullah Gul and Gen Basbug come after 20 military officers were charged over the case. They were called amid rising tension between the government and military. Mr Erdogan was quoted by local media as saying Thursday's meeting had gone "very well". Former heads of the navy and air force are still being questioned and could yet be charged. The military has denied any coup plot and has held its own officers' summit to discuss the "serious situation" in the wake of the latest arrests. Full report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8536216.stm ----- Bin Laden and Al-Zawahiri should face an Islamic trial: Islamic Scholar Camille Tawil 24/02/10 Prominent Islamic thinker believes the two al-Qaeda leaders initiated attacks and left the fighting to others. The newspaper Asharq Alawsat published a series of articles between January 25th and February 2nd, which were a condensed version of a new book by Dr. Sayyid Imam Abdul Aziz Al-Sharif, better known as Dr. Fadl, a prominent Jihadi theoretician. His books were used by al-Qaeda to train and educate its members in matters of Islamic jurisprudence and religious principles. In his book, titled "The Future of the Conflict between the Taliban and America in Afghanistan", Dr. Fadl pursued his attack against the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden and his second-in-command, Ayman Al-Zawahiri. He accused both of them of being fully responsible for the "catastrophes" that have befallen the Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq. The new book by Dr. Fadl, imprisoned in Egypt since 2002 after being handed over to Egyptian authorities by Yemen, is consistent with his previous series of books which he published in the last few years, starting with "A Guidance for Jihad Activity in Egypt and the World" (2007), in which he provided Islamic legal arguments which, in his view, strip the actions of al-Qaeda of its "jihadi" aspect. Due to the influence exerted by this Egyptian surgeon who led the Egyptian Islamic Jihad before the reins of leadership were handed over to Dr. Al-Zawahiri in 1994, and who wrote the two books "The Essential Guide for Preparation (for Jihad)" and "The Compendium of the Pursuit of Divine Knowledge", which are two principal training manuals in al-Qaeda training camps, it is natural that his criticism of Bin Laden and Al-Zawahiri would cause a stir in the midst of the jihadists. Some of them set out to launch virulent attacks against the person who was once described by the Egyptian Islamic Jihad as "the mufti of the jihadists worldwide". That was before he changed his stance from those held by the new leadership under his colleague and compatriot, Dr. Al-Zawahiri. Dr. Fadl's criticisms of the actions which he considered to be misrepresenting Jihad - and subsequently Islam itself – lost their credibility from the Islamic legal viewpoint when he went on to engage in a personal dispute with Dr. Al-Zawahiri. The latter published a rebuttal to Dr. Fadl's book "A Guidance for Jihad Activity" titled "The Exoneration: A Letter Exonerating the Umma of the Pen and Sword from the Unjust Allegation of Feebleness and Weakness" in which he defends the actions of al-Qaeda. Dr. Fadl came out with a counter-rebuttal titled "Exposing the Exoneration". In his book "The Future of the Conflict Between the Taliban and America in Afghanistan" (in which he expected the Taliban to be victorious), Dr. Fadl is seemingly trying to readjust the direction of the compass – which was lost due to the personal disputes between him and Al-Zawahiri taking the front seat, relegating his legal arguments that al-Qaeda's actions cannot be attributed to Islam to the background.  Full report: Http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/02/24/feature-01 ----- Controversial new US defence logo compared to Islamic crescent and star By Heidi Blake 25 Feb 2010 The new US defense logo has provoked controversy on the internet after right wing commentators said it resembles the Islamic crescent and star design. As well as resembling the Islamic flag, it has been said to bear a “scary” likeness to the campaign symbol President Barack Obama used in the electoral race against Senator John McCain in 2008, according to right-leaning blogs and websites. The circular red, white and blue sign, which has also been compared to the communist hammer and sickle symbol, first appeared on the Missile Defense Agency’s website in the Autumn. Full report: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7313245/Controversial-new-US-defence-logo-compared-to-Islamic-crescent-and-star.html ----- Anti-Muslim College Columnist Attacks Those Who Fight Islamofascism David Swindle 2010 February 24 The one who stands up for the woman being caned is “anti-Muslim,” right? Is it accurate to describe those who opposed Nazi totalitarianism in World War II as “anti-German”? How about those who fought against the Stalinists in the USSR during the Cold War? Were they “anti-Russian”? Such arguments are absurd. Anyone who would suggest it would be laughed out of the intellectual culture. If they wrote an op/ed for a paper making such points their editor would trash it and probably not give them a chance to write again. Full report: www.newsrealblog.com/2010/02/24/anti-muslim-college-columnist-michael-reynoso-attacks-those-who-fight-islamofascism/#pageTitle ----- Taliban kill two alleged US spies in NW Pakistan The bullet-riddled bodies of two alleged US spies were found on Wednesday in a Taliban stronghold in north-west Pakistan, the latest victims of an intelligence war that a top American general indicated is tilting in Washington and Islamabad’s favour. The men’s bodies were found together in Mir Ali town in North Waziristan tribal region. Each had a note attached accusing the victim of spying for the Americans and warning other informants they faced the same fate, area resident Akram Ullah said. Another witness, Sana Ullah, said one man was a local tribal elder and the other was Afghan. Militants in recent years have killed scores of people they suspected of aiding the US and Pakistani Governments. The fear of informants has been heightened by the success of US missile strikes against militant targets in the tribal areas, and could be rising again in the wake of Pakistan’s arrest of at least three Afghan Taliban leaders in recent weeks. Full report: http://www.dailypioneer.com/238361/Taliban-kill-two-alleged-US-spies-in-NW-Pakistan.html ----- India, Pakistan head for talks, low on hope Indrani Bagc Feb 25, 2010, NEW DELHI: A breakthrough is not on the menu between the Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries on Thursday. But if the two sides are looking to pick up the threads of a frayed relationship, even in government many are not hopeful about how the engagement will pan out. Speaking at a function on Wednesday, home minister P Chidambaram said he was not very optimistic about the foreign secretary-level talks. Asked whether he was optimistic, he first said this was a state of mind. According to an agency report, the minister then said he was "not very optimistic". The home minister also made it clear that the Pakistani side could not be stopped from raising any issue it wanted to -- there had been suggestions that Islamabad might bring Balochistan to the table -- just as the Indians had the leeway to make their points. Chidambaram said India will seek access to LeT bosses like Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi who have been named in the 26/11 case. The relationship continues to run the risk of coming asunder again if another Mumbai-scale terror attack is launched from Pakistan. It will not be business as usual, say sources. The Indian agenda is chock-full of terror concerns, and Chidambara said as much, which foreign secretary Nirupama Rao will lay out when she meets her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir. Government sources said, "We're going in to talks with an open mind, but are fully conscious of the limitations imposed by the trust deficit after the Mumbai attacks." So, the best thing that one can expect from the talks will be that they will be the start of more dialogues, both at the official and political levels. , whip up jihadist frenzy against India in full view of the authorities. Full report: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-Pakistan-head-for-talks-low-on-hope/articleshow/5613086.cms ----- US embassy of the future in UK, a secure glass box Feb 25, 2010, LONDON: The new US embassy in London will be a modernist glass cube protected from attack by an earth bank, a semi-circular lake and bomb-resistant glazing, US officials said on Tuesday. The embassy must move from its current central London location because the 1950s building is too small, outdated and hard to defend from security threats, American ambassador to Britain Louis Susman said. The present mission is in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, an upmarket district known for its luxury hotels, expensive shops and galleries, and discreet hedge fund offices. Its new neighbours include a disused power station and Britain's biggest fruit and vegetable market. During World War Two, Grosvenor Square housed General Eisenhower's headquarters and was known as "Little America". The new building, in Nine Elms on the south bank of River Thames, will be secure but will not have the "fortress-like aspects" of some embassies, Susman said. Full report: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/US-embassy-of-the-future-in-UK-a-secure-glass-box/articleshow/5613457.cms ----- My son laid down his life for the nation, says father of Kashmiri paratrooper Mir Ehsan Feb 25, 2010 As the last post was sounded, Naik Altaf Ahmad took slow steps towards the coffin of his brother, paratrooper Imtiyaz Ahmad, and placed a wreath. Behind him was younger brother Naik Sajjad Ahmad who too saluted the Tricolour-draped coffin. Looking on were hundreds of villagers, both men and women, who had gathered at the local graveyard to bid a final farewell to the village boy who had joined the elite 1 Para three years ago. Paratrooper Imtiyaz Ahmad Thokar, 22, killed in a gunbattle with militants in Sopore, was the third son of farmer Nazir Ahmad to join the Army. After a brief stint with the CRPF in 2006, Imtiyaz joined the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI). Impressed by his dedication during training, his JAKLI unit sent him for special training. For the past one year, his unit was deployed at Chowkibal Kupwara but it was only on Id last September that he came to meet them, said family members. Full report: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/my-son-laid-down-his-life-for-the-nation-says-father-of-kashmiri-paratrooper/584264/2 ----- US cautiously supports Karzai on new election law February 25, 2010 WASHINGTON: US officials voiced support here for Afghan President Hamid Karzai's move to take control of an election watchdog in an apparent break with key allies fighting in the war-torn country. The US support came after Karzai changed a law to give himself control of the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), just seven months ahead of legislative elections due in September. Britain and Canada on Wednesday led diplomatic concern that there was now even less chance that future polls will be free and fair. But Washington, which heads the NATO and US-led coalition fighting a Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, appeared to break ranks with its allies. more than half a million votes cast for him in the August 2009 presidential vote. Full report: http://thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=99471 ----- Pakistan played key role in Rigi’s arrest 25 Feb, 2010 TEHRAN, Feb 24: Pakistan played a role in helping Iran arrest its most wanted militant Abdolmalek Rigi who was seized onboard a flight from Dubai, Islamabad’s ambassador to Tehran Mohammad Abbasi said on Wednesday. “I must tell you that such action cannot be carried out without the cooperation of Pakistan. I am happy that he has been arrested,” Mr Abbasi told a media conference at Islamabad’s mission in Tehran. Without elaborating, Mr Abbasi said details of Pakistan’s help to Iran in arresting Rigi would be revealed in “two or three days time.” Rigi, the head of shadowy rebel group Jundallah was captured on a flight from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday. Full report: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/pakistan-played-key-role-in-rigis-arrest-520 ----- India accuses Pakistan LoC firing 25 Feb, 2010 SRINAGAR—The Border Security Force (BSF) said its troops came under fire from Pakistan on Wednesday, a day before the two nuclear-armed neighbours are set for the first official talks since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. “The firing from across the border started early morning. A BSF personnel was injured,” Vinod Sharma, a spokesman for the border guards, told Reuters. Pakistan denied any shooting by its troops. “Our troops were not involved in any firing. There may be some problem on their own side,” said Nadeem Raza, a spokesman for Pakistan’s paramilitary Rangers. Area commanders from the two sides were due to meet later in the day to settle the matter, Raza said.  Agencies  Full report: http://dailymailnews.com/0210/25/FrontPage/FrontPage6.php ----- Kashmir leaders meet Bashir on eve of India-Pakistan talks 25 Feb, 2010 SRINAGAR, Feb 24: Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir met leaders of Kashmir freedom struggle in New Delhi on Wednesday, a day before he was due to hold the first official talks with his Indian counterpart since the 2008 Mumbai attack. The meeting came on the same day India alleged its troops came under fire from Pakistan in the Samba area of occupied Kashmir, although Pakistan denied any shooting by its troops. Mr Bashir’s meeting with the Kashmiri leaders will likely reinforce Islamabad’s demand that Thursday’s talks with India include all outstanding issues between the two countries. India wants the talks to have a narrow focus on Pakistan’s actions on terrorism. New Delhi broke off talks after the Mumbai attacks, saying Pakistan had to first crackdown on militants.—Agencies Full report: www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/kashmir-leaders-meet-bashir-on-eve-of-indiapakistan-talks-520 ----- Son of Hamas co-founder spied for Israelis: paper 25 Feb, 2010 JERUSALEM: The son of one of the founders of Hamas spied from inside the movement for Israel’s Shin Bet internal intelligence agency, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported in its Wednesday edition. According to extracts of an article to be published on Friday, Israeli agents were able to prevent dozens of attacks thanks to the help of 32-year-old Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef. AFP Full Report: www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/son-of-hamas-cofounder-spied-for-israelis-paper-520 ----- Pak Teenager mistakenly reaches India 25 Feb, 2010 LAHORE: Indian officials have arrested a 13-year-old boy Attique at Attari Railway Station, as he reached India by mistakenly travelling on the Samjhota Express, a private TV channel reported on Wednesday. Attique’s father Iftikhar, a resident of Shahdara, said he had scolded his son for flying kites due to which he ran away from home. Iftikhar said he has contacted the Foreign Office and Wagah border officials but nothing has been done so far. Attique studies in class 7 and is eldest of his siblings. The channel said that Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir has assured that he would raise the issue with Indian Authorities and would facilitate the boy’s return. daily times monitor http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\02\25\story_25-2-2010_pg7_5 ----- Obama’s Pakistan efforts reaping rewards 25 Feb, 2010 LAHORE: Among other highlights, the fall of top Taliban commanders is a reflection of the “unprecedented degree of cooperation” the Obama administration has gained from Islamabad while leading a coordinated effort to bring the Pakistani military and civilian sides together, according to an online American publication. “The remaining Pakistani Taliban ... are now hunted men,” says Newsweek. “A bloody stalemate that some critics a year ago ... worried might turn into ‘Obama’s Vietnam’, has a chance of becoming known instead as the [successful] ’Obama Surge’.” After citing the killing and arrest of Taliban leaders, it says the question, meanwhile, is whether “this ... will bring us any closer to ... Osama Bin Laden, Ayman Al Zawahiri and ... Mullah Omar?” Full Report: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\02\25\story_25-2-2010_pg7_10 ----- Intelligence agencies arrest TTP man 25 Feb, 2010 KARACHI: Alleged Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militant Omer Abdul Rehman alias Sailaab was arrested in a joint raid by intelligence agencies and the police from the Lasbela area in the wee hours of Wednesday. According to official sources, Jihadi literature, CDs and two incomplete suicidal jackets were also recovered from his possession. Sources also claimed that the accused was TTP commander for Khyber Agency. However, according to information received from Khyber Agency, there was no record of a TTP commander by that name in that region. In a previous raid, Amanullah Mehsud, allegedly associated with the Jalaluddin Haqqani network, was apprehended from the Clifton area in the wee hours of Tuesday. faraz khan Full Report: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\02\25\story_25-2-2010_pg7_26 ----- Rumana Husain’s ‘Karachiwala’ launched 25 Feb, 2010 KARACHI: The much talked about book “Karachiwala: A Subcontinent Within A City” by Rumana Husain was launched at the Arts Council by the Honorary Consul General of Netherlands Tarek Khan on Wednesday. The book provides a firsthand look into the multi-layered and multi-faceted city of Karachi, and documents the social and physical diversity through the personal stories of over 60 families, groups and individuals of diverse ethnicities, religions and professions. At the launching ceremony, the writer said she had always been interested in the lives of other people, and their histories, customs, beliefs and traditions. This book is a tribute to all those people who contribute to diversity and rich culture, she added. Full report: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\02\25\story_25-2-2010_pg12_11 ----- ‘About 1,100 Afghans given Indian citizenship in 3 years’ 25 Feb, 2010 NEW DELHI: About 1,100 people from the trouble-torn Afghanistan have been given Indian citizenship in the past three years, the government said on Wednesday. “1,083 Afghan nationals have been granted citizenship during the last three years,” Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. The grant of citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955, and Rules made thereunder is a multi-level and multi-agency activity. As per rule 11 and 12 of the Citizenship Rules, 2009, an application for grant of citizenship is to be submitted by the applicant to the collector within whose jurisdiction the applicant is ordinarily a resident. It is then moved to the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) by the state administration concerned for necessary actions. Full Report: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\02\25\story_25-2-2010_pg20_4 ----- Moscow warns West against ‘crippling’ Iran sanctions 25 Feb, 2010 MOSCOW: A senior Russian diplomat warned the West on Wednesday against trying to paralyse Iran by targeting the Islamic Republic’s energy and banking sectors with crippling sanctions. Russia has in recent weeks signalled growing frustration with Iran over its nuclear programme, though Moscow has given few indications about what sanctions it might be prepared to sign up to in the United Nations Security Council. The United States has said it hopes to see sanctions against Iran in a matter of weeks and Israel has pressed Russia to back crippling sanctions, though the Kremlin has steered clear of openly supporting calls for further UN sanctions. reuter Full report: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\02\25\story_25-2-2010_pg20_8 ----- SIMI, Indian Mujahideen own up to Pune blast: police February 25, 2010 The outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the Indian Mujahideen have claimed responsibility for the terror blast at Pune's German Bakery Feb 13 that killed 16 people, Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said here Wednesday. Singh told mediapersons that he has received two letters to this effect, purportedly from the two organisations but did not elaborate. On the evening of Feb 13, a blast ripped through the German Bakery in the upscale Koregaon Park area, killing 16 people and injuring scores. The bakery was frequented by foreigners and students and was located near the Osho Ashram and a Jewish prayer house. In a related development, a designated anti-terrorism court here passed an order restraining the electronic media from telecasting footage of the blast site. A police prosecutor urged that the telecast of the site footage was hampering investigations. http://www.hindustantimes.com/SIMI-Indian-Mujahideen-own-up-to-Pune-blast-police/H1-Article1-512649.aspx ----- Al-Qaeda warns US of new attacks February 25, 2010 A senior operative of the al-Qaeda network in Yemen — the group that claimed responsibility for the failed Christmas Day attack on an American passenger jet over Detroit — has threatened more attacks on the United States. The US has become increasingly worried about militants based in Yemen since al-Qaeda groups there and in Saudi Arabia merged last year to become al-Qaida in the Arabian. The group has openly targeted US and other Western interests in Yemen, and — as demonstrated by the December 25 attack — abroad. Qasim al-Raimi, a top military commander for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, warned Americans in an article published in an online militant magasine that the group “will blow up the earth from below your feet”. http://www.dailypioneer.com/238344/Al-Qaeda-warns-US-of-new-attacks.html ----- Anjuman-e-Islam starts to remove structure 25 Feb 2010 HUBLI: Anjuman-e-Islam (AeI) of the city began removal of its structure in the controversial Idgah Maidan here on Wednesday. Removal of the structure consisting of six shops became inevitable for the AeI in the light of the Supreme Court’s January 13 order that directed the organisation to remove it within 45 days. As per the SC order, Idgah maidan was handed over to the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation and it also ordered that AeI has no rights on the maidan since it belongs to the HDMC. However, AeI was allowed to conduct prayers for two times in a year during their festivals. The AeI started the works on removing the structure in the presence of the police. However, Mahammed Savanur, President of AeI and Altaf Kittur, member of Ael Hospital Committee who monitored the works said that a memorandum was submitted to HDMC commissioner appealing to him to grant permission to fence the Idgah maidan site. They also appealed to the commissioner to permit them to put up a compound wall at their own cost to restrain parking of carts and vehicles to maintain the sanctity of the Idgaha Maidan site. www.expressbuzz.com/edition/ ----- British Muslim social network launches Feb 25, 2010 Radical Middle Way, a government funded global grassroots initiative has launched its new site today. The site has been developed by Xcite Digital (www.xcitedigital.com) to help extend its reach to Britain’s 2 million Muslims. The site is aimed at young Muslims, and provides a social networking platform to debate relevant issues affecting them in today’s society. Members communicate with like-minded individuals, learn details of public lectures, seminars, workshops and cultural programmes all of which are grounded in Islamic scholarship, tradition and civilisation. Full Report: http://www.netimperative.com/news/2010/february/muslim-social-network-launches ----- Prophet’s birthday: Special day for Muslims 25th February 2010 DUDLEY Muslims are to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Mohammad with a day of celebrations. The event has been celebrated for the past 30 years, with Muslims in the town set to mark the day with a special parade and lunch on Sunday. Muslims across the world mark the birth of the Prophet, who was born about 540 years after Jesus, and who taught the message of peace, understanding, tolerance and mutual respect. And the event is one of the biggest in the Muslim religious calendar. Members of Dudley Central Mosque will be parading through the town centre from noon on Sunday. The walkabout is set to last 45 minutes, before everyone makes their way back to the Castle Hill mosque for a special lunch, which will also be attended by members of Dudley’s Interfaith Network. http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/5025301.Special_day_for_Muslims/ ----- Maulidin Nabi: Commemorating the Birth Of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) February 25, 2010, The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was born in Mecca in the year 570. Though his father died a few months before he was born and his mother also died when he was but a toddler, the Prophet was cared for by relatives from the respected tribe of Quraysh. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led a normal life until he was 40 years old when received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. The revelations continued for 23 years, and they are collectively known as the Quran. As soon as he began to recite the Quran and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered persecution from unbelievers. The persecution grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This emigration from Mecca to the city of Medina, some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. Full report: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/245156/maulidin-nabi-commemorating-birth-of-prophet-muhammad-peace-be-upon-him URL of this Page: http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=2505