Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin

Muslim theologian pronounces 600-page “fatwa” against terrorism
	World urged to take note of Indian state terrorism Activist takes on radical Islam into the heart of the anti-Jihad movement Does Israel hope to spark a new wave of suicide bombing? Iranian Speaker Urges More Efforts to Unite Muslims Nigeria: Don't Tag All Muslims As Terrorists - Sultan Obama signals transfer of troops from Afghanistan Smoking is haram, says Muhammadiyah Kuala Lumpur a world financial centre through growth in Islamic banking Rights Group: Bangladesh Forcing Burmese Muslims into 'Starvation' Camps Lahore bombed again kills 12 people European Islam-bashing: The New Anti-Semitism? MF Husain surrenders his Indian passport Suspected US drone strike kills five in Pakistan US Muslims challenge gender divide SC slams India's tit-for-tat tactic on Pak prisoners Mujib had chalked B’desh freedom plan in London: Hasina Chhota Shakeel's younger brother arrested in Dubai Punjabi Taliban avenge Qari Zafar’s death Trade best option for Pakistan-India peace: business leaders Bali bombing mastermind 'killed' in shootout Over 500 killed in Nigeria sectarian clashes: Official Bangladesh for ‘symbolic’ trial of 1971 war criminals Muslims outraged at UK screening of 'Fitna' film Young Indonesian Muslim leaders off to Australia Pakistan says U.S.-born suspect in custody is not Gadahn Lalu, Mulayam look to touch base with OBCs, Muslims Congress, Muslim League broker deal Karzai receives a mixed reception in Marjah HuJI, Jaish wiped out in Jammu, says top cop Gates, on Afghan visit, warns tough war ahead Pak: Qaeda spokesman not under arrest Gadahn confusion reaches President Obama Congress, Muslim League broker deal Malaysian NGO blames Anwar for betraying trust of Indians 1993 blasts suspect's huff ends with a high-end puff Afghan Taliban seize villages from Hekmatyar’s men Salarzai lashkar sets fire to 130 Taliban houses in Bajaur Malaysian opposition leader Anwar loses final appeal over sacking Falling short of solutions on pluralist sentiments. Pak likely to offer 'deal' to Karzai over Baradar's extradition during his Islamabad visit Biden assures Israel of U.S. security commitment Compiled by Aman Quadri URL: http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=2555 ------ Muslim Theologian Pronounces 600-Page “Fatwa” Against Terrorism Muslims may come to their senses, yet! Shavana Abruzzo March 8, 2010 It took eight years to address a wrong? A prominent Muslim theologian has slapped Islam’s terrorists with a 600-page “fatwa”, or legal pronouncement, urging imams to denounce “unbelievers” — without any “ifs or buts.” Pakistani-born Sheikh Tahir ul-Qadri launched the decree in London last week, condemning terrorism in all its deadly guises in, arguably, what is the most extensive theistic reproach of Islamist terrorism to date. A little too late? Better late than never? Either way, the anti-climactic move comes way too long after Muslim terrorists hijacked four planes, crashed two of them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, a third into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the fourth into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania, killing 2,981 innocent people in less than two hours — a death toll exceeding that of the December 1941 Pearl Harbor attack. The UK daily The Independent reports that the scholar told fellow Muslims: “Terrorism is terrorism, violence is violence and it has no place in Islamic teaching and no justification can be provided for it, or any kind of excuses of ifs and buts. The world needs an absolute, unconditional, unqualified and total condemnation of terrorism.” Astonishingly, it took 600 pages of reflection for a renowned philosopher to arrive at a conclusion which a child could have deduced in seconds and which apparently Muslims were, heretofore, ignorant of despite their devout daily diet of piety. The sheikh’s decree comes on the heels of a fatwa declared by Calgary imam Syed Soharwardy, founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, who states in a January 20 interview reported by the multi-language, international newspaper The Epoch Times: “We are asking Muslims here not only to condemn terrorism but to also see these events as attacks on themselves.” A point reiterated by this column throughout its 21-year existence. Before we break open the bubbly, it is important to note that wolves are apt to don sheep’s clothing when it suits them. Not too long ago, Soharwardy accused Christian aid workers of kidnapping children in the tragic wake of the 2004 tsunami. Then, an abhorrent article portraying the Jewish Talmud as hate literature reportedly appeared on his Web site only to quickly disappear. Then, he filed a human rights complaint — retracting it two years later — against a Canadian magazine publisher who reprinted the Danish Mohammed cartoons; a fiasco whose violent aftermath continues to define the militancy of too many even mainstream Muslims. Fatwas against Islam’s idiots would have been more credible had spiritual leaders dispatched them on September 12, 2001. Today, better than bombastic words from formerly-oblivious imams would be a universal summons by the faithful to reclaim the world’s fastest growing religion from the poisonous tentacles of its sociopaths. A good start would be for Muslims to mobilize a global convention on radical Islam, followed by a public apology and a pledge of allegiance to the Free World — including to Israel — and notarized by a commitment to excise human ticking time bombs, and the rogue regimes which sponsor them. http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/03/08/brooklyn_heights_courier/news/columnists/courier-yn_brooklyn_heights-britview3-11-10.txt ----- World urged to take note of Indian state terrorism March 9, 2010 Srinagar, March 09 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, senior leader of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi has appealed the world community to take cognisance of stepped up Indian state terrorism. Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi in a statement issued in Srinagar said that women had been the direct victims of Indian state terrorism as thousands of women suffered the loss of their sons, husbands and brothers in the occupied territory who got disappeared in custody. He said that for last 20 years Indian troops had been using the Kashmiri women as a weapon of war in the occupied territory and committing serious crimes against them with impunity besides massacre of Kashmiri people. The APHC leader said that majority of the Kashmiri women, whose children or other relatives were disappeared in custody, were suffering from multiple psychic problems. He demanded the release of those Kashmiri youth disappeared in custody by Indian troops. Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi also condemned the illegal detention of Hurriyet leaders and activists, including Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Nayeem Ahmad Khan and demanded their immediate release. http://www.kmsnews.org/news/world-urged-take-note-indian-state-terrorism ------ Activist takes on radical Islam into the heart of the anti-Jihad movement By Sarah Morrison 9 March 2010 Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff may not be a household name, but she is now a high-profile personality in the growing movement against radical Islam's steadying foothold in Europe. A mother and an activist, Sabaditsch-Wolff was launched into the heart of the anti-Jihad movement, and she is currently on trial after a November 2009 article written by an undercover journalist at one of her seminars categorized her as a cold woman who spreads vitriolic rhetoric against Islam. However, Sabaditsch-Wolff insists that all she is doing is telling the truth, and she fully expects to stand trial on charges of hate speech. "We're going to reply to the charges and we will do that in full detail," Sabaditsch-Wolff told The Jewish State in an interview Feb. 19. "It remains to be seen whether the truth is a defense. I don't think it will be." If her case makes it to trial, it will be the first challenge to Austrian laws that ban hate speech against officially recognized religions, of which Islam is one. According to Austrian law, if a religion is recognized by the country, it is protected against hate speech unless the tenets of the religion go against the Austrian constitution. Christianity and Judaism have both been challenged and cleared in Austria, but Islam has not been challenged since it was incorporated under this law in 1912. While she did not intend to bring any case to court, now that the opportunity has fallen in her lap, she plans to run with it. Full report at: http://europenews.dk/en/node/30478 ------ Does Israel hope to spark a new wave of suicide bombing? Stuart Littlewood 2010-03-09 “The suicide bomber wrote that he began to live the day he came to know he was to die. Where did he get this passion to kill?” Mahesh Bhatt Here in the civilised West we hate suicide bombers with a passion. We’re taught that the proper way to blow fellow humans to smithereens is to do it from 40,000 feet. Or failing that, send Apache helicopter gun-ships at street level firing their laser-guided missiles and 30mm cannon. Or failing that, turn loose our main battle tanks to shred and vaporize the “enemy”, reduce their homes to rubble with DU shells and spread birth defects for generations to come. Nowadays we don’t even have to leave home to do it. We can train our really brainy chaps to steer armed drones to the target from the comfort of an armchair. B-52s, F-16s, Apaches, drones and tanks… that’s the ticket. Awesome hardware gives any murky mission a moral superiority that gets nods of approval from the governing élite in the drawing rooms of London and Washington. Full report at: http://www.unobserver.com/layout5.php?id=7394&blz=1 ------ Iranian Speaker Urges More Efforts to Unite Muslims March 9, 2010 TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani called on Iran's Culture and Islamic Relations Organization to make greater efforts to create unity and solidarity among Muslims in the world. Pointing out that US and Zionist regime pursue plots aimed as fomenting Shiite-Sunni, Arab-Persian disputes, Larijani said at the closing ceremony of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Cultural Attachés Gathering at CICO here Monday that the organization should spend greater efforts aimed at Shiite-Sunni unity. Elsewhere, he stressed that the Iranians should strive for presenting the country's cultural works in a way to suit other states' mental set ups. Larijani said that in the minds of most foreign politicians Islam is mainly regarded as a general and propagation faith with no depth, and added, "This is hazardous and more precise work is needed to be done in this respect to draw the attention of the public to the teachings of the Infallible Household of the Prophet (PBUH)". Full report at: http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8812180973 ------ Nigeria: Don't Tag All Muslims As Terrorists - Sultan Zakariyya Adaramola 8 March 2010 The Sultan of Sokoto and President, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Alhaji Saad Abubakar has said it is not right to generalise the entire Muslims as terrorists whenever an individual among them does something wrong. Sultan Abubakar, who spoke in Lagos at a fund raiser for the Najah Joint Muslim Organizations (NAJOMO) mosque at the weekend, said rather than accuse all Muslims of terrorism, the acts of the United States and its agents should as well be examined. He alleged that violent acts being perpetrated all over the world were being carried out by non-Muslims, including American citizens and agents of the American government. According to him, many Christians and Jews perpetrate terror acts on a daily basis but they are not tagged terrorists by the US and the media. "Our dear brother, the Baba Addini of Egba Land (Adegbite) was correct when he said Muslims are not terrorists and that Islam is a religion of peace. Let me add here that some people somewhere are known for their lies against Islam and Muslims. Violent acts are perpetrated all over the world by adherents of different faiths and not only Muslims commit them. Full report at: http://allafrica.com/stories/201003090010.html ----- Obama signals transfer of troops from Afghanistan March 09, 2010 Gen Kayani’s moves suggest that he sees the final lap, argues Nitin Pai US President Barack Obama gave his AfPak speech at West Point on December 1, 2009 where he announced his intention “to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011.” Pakistani Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani signalled his policy by the end that month when a suicide bomber attacked a CIA facility at Khost in Afghanistan Mr Obama’s speech might have triggered the Pakistani military-jihadi complex into implementing its endgame strategy. Pakistani actions over the last three months suggest that it is both attempting to hasten the US exit from Afghanistan and neutralising the other regional actors — Iran and India —  which might oppose a pro-Pakistan post-US arrangement in Kabul. From the attack on the CIA at Khost; to the capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Karachi; to the terrorist attack at German Bakery in Pune; to the raid on Kabul City Centre; to the rendition of Abdolmalek Rigi to Iran; and most recently, the attack on Indian officials at Kabul, Gen Kayani & Co have executed their moves masterfully. Mullah Baradar was not only a ‘moderate’ among the Quetta Shura Taliban, but also actually negotiating with the United States and the Karzai Government, against the wishes of the ISI. ‘Capturing’ him not only allowed Pakistan to undermine the US-Afghan political initiative but also allowed Gen Kayani to be seen as arresting a ‘high-ranking Taliban leader’. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/240837/The-AfPak-endgame-is-nigh.html  ------ Smoking is haram, says Muhammadiyah Arghea Desafti Hapsari 03/09/2010 One of Indonesia’s largest Muslim organizations, Muhammadiyah, has issued an edict that prohibits its followers from smoking cigarettes. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has previously issued a similar edict, but that only bans children and pregnant women from smoking. Muhammadiyah’s decision gained great support from the National Commission for Child Protection, which has been voicing concerns on children smoking. Muhammadiyah deputy chairman Yunahar Ilyas said the Koran bans Muslims from taking their own life. Smoking, he said, is proven to slowly kill smokers. The organization’s health council also ruled that smoking posed a threat not only to smokers’ own lives but also those around them. Yunahar said money spent on cigarettes, therefore, was wasted. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/03/09/smoking-haram-says-muhammadiyah.html ----- Kuala Lumpur a world financial centre through growth in Islamic banking ERIC ELLIS March 9, 2010 FORGET the City, Wall Street, Frankfurt and Tokyo, here's a revelation that will rock you, and probably Gail Kelly at Westpac too. One of the world's biggest financial centres is Kuala Lumpur. No, you didn't read incorrectly - tropical KL, capital of the infamously ''recalcitrant'' Malaysia, a country better known in recent times for caning its beer-drinking adulterous womenfolk than as a titan of global high finance. But a world leader it is. And here's the qualification - KL leads the world in Islamic finance, the fast-growing industry Australia's decidedly Christian Westpac recently decided it wants to get set-up in. Just 27 years after Malaysia launched its first bank - unsurprisingly dubbed Bank Islam - to operate under Islamic principles, and only 17 years after the sector's own Big Bang, which meant lifting Bank Islam's monopoly - about 20 per cent of the country's banking transactions are conducted according to Koranic principles. Full report at: www.smh.com.au/business/kuala-lumpur-a-world-financial-centre-through-growth-in-islamic-banking-20100308-pss0.html ----- Rights Group: Bangladesh Forcing Burmese Muslims into 'Starvation' Camps 09 March 2010 A U.S.-based rights group says Bangladesh has forced tens of thousands of ethnic Rohingya Muslims from neighboring Burma into makeshift camps where they face starvation. In a report published Tuesday, Physicians for Human Rights describes the Bangladeshi camps as "open air prisons" for unregistered Rohingya refugees.  It says they are starving because Bangladesh's government has blocked aid groups from providing food to the camps. Thousands of Rohingya people have crossed from northern Burma's Rakhine state into Bangladesh in recent years, many fleeing unrest. Bangladesh is home to an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 Rohingya people but only recognizes 28,000 of them as refugees and calls the others economic migrants who must be repatriated. Physicians for Human Rights says Bangladesh has been waging a campaign of arbitrary arrest, forced internment and illegal expulsion of Rohingya people to Burma in recent weeks.  Bangladesh says allegations of ill-treatment of the Rohingya are "baseless and malicious." The rights group says Bangladesh is cracking down on Rohingya people in an apparent attempt to dissuade others from crossing the border ahead of elections that Burma's military has promised to hold this year. Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP. http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Rights-Group-Bangladesh-Forcing-Burmese-Muslims-into-Starvation-Camps-87105442.html ----- Lahore bombed again kills 12 people B Raman March 09, 2010 Monday’s bombing of the Federal Investigation Agency office in Lahore was either carried out by Tehreek-e-Taliban to demonstrate that it still has the capability to attack targets in non-tribal areas or Lashkar-e-Jhangvi to avenge the death of its leader in a US drone strike At least 12 people are reported to have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on a rented building of the Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan in the residential Model Town area of Lahore on Monday. The large quantity of explosive used brought down the entire building. This is the first terrorist attack in Lahore this year. Last year, there were five terrorist attacks in Lahore: October 15: Terrorists attacked offices of law enforcement agencies. June 12: A prominent anti-Taliban cleric killed by a suicide bomber at his religious school. May 27: A car bomb attack on police buildings killed 23 persons. March 30: Gunmen attacked a police academy, killing eight people. March 3: Gunmen killed six police guards in an ambush of the Sri Lankan cricket team. The latest attack has taken place after an interval of about five months. There are two possibilities — either it was carried out by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to demonstrate that it still had the capability to attack targets in the non-tribal areas despite the losses suffered by it since the beginning of this year — including the reported but unconfirmed death of its chief Hakimullah Mehsud after he was injured in a US drone strike in January — or it was carried out by the anti-Shia Lashkar-e-Jhangvi in retaliation of the reported death of its leader Qari Mohammad Zafar in a US drone strike in North Waziristan on February 24. The greater possibility is that the latest attack was carried out by a bomber of the LeJ, which has been operating jointly with the TTP and Al Qaeda and which has the capability for spectacular strikes in Lahore. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/240857/Lahore-bombed-again.html   ------ European Islam-bashing: The New Anti-Semitism? By Geoff Dean March 9th, 2010 It was the Swiss minaret ban that first caught my attention and drew my ire. How could a country that I respect, a country of principled neutrality and cheese fondue, ban construction of minarets? How could a liberal democracy at the heart of Europe enact a law that, to me, is a blatant violation of religious freedom and an egregious case of discrimination? My error was to think that somehow Switzerland was out of step with the rest of the continent. In recent weeks, as I have perused the Japan Times (that`s right, I don`t read, I peruse), there have been articles on France`s decision to deny citizenship to a Moroccan man who "forced" his wife to wear a full-body Muslim veil, a burqa and the push by many to ban the burqa and even head scarves in public. There was another on a plan in Britain, led by the UK Independence Party, to similarly ban the burqa and new mosque construction. There was one on a movement in southern Italy to oust, legally or otherwise, North African (read Muslim) migrant workers, even though some fruit producers claimed it might destroy their business. Islamophobia seemed to be all over Europe and increasing in intensity. If that were not enough, the past two days have given even more disturbing news. First, it was the visit of Dutch Freedom Party leader, Geert Wilders, to the British Parliament on the invitation of the UK Independence Party. (By the way, why are the "neo-fascist", far-right parties often called "freedom" or "independence" parties as they try to deny the freedom of fellow citizens of Muslim persuasion?) Full report at: http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/09/european-islambashing-the-new-antisemitism.php ----- MF Husain surrenders his Indian passport March 09, 2010 Legendary painter MF Husain, who was recently granted Qatari citizenship, has surrendered his Indian passport to the country’s mission in Doha. Husain, 95, went to the country’s mission in Doha on Sunday and surrendered his Indian passport, the Gulf Times reported on Monday. Husain, who has been living in self-imposed exile for nearly four years following a spate of cases in India over his controversial paintings of Hindu goddesses, had accepted Qatar’s offer and would no longer be an Indian, his son Owais Husain told PTI recently. India does not recognise dual citizenship. So, “in such a situation, surrendering passport by the person concerned is mandatory and Husain has only done that,”  an Indian Embassy official said. The artist has also applied for the Overseas Citizen of India card, the mission sources said, adding the embassy has facilitated all requirements for him to obtain the OCI card. He also had a nearly two-hour meeting with Indian Ambassador in Qatar Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, the sources said. http://www.hindustantimes.com/MF-Husain-surrenders-his-Indian-passport/H1-Article1-516802.aspx ------ Suspected US drone strike kills five in Pakistan Mar 9, 2010, ISLAMABAD: A suspected US drone attack on Monday in Pakistan's tribal region near the Afghan border killed at least five people, an intelligence official said. Three more people were injured in the aerial strike that targeted a house in Miran Shah, the main town in tribal district North Waziristan, a known sanctuary of Taliban and al-Qaida militants. An intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the identity of those killed and wounded was not yet known. The US military has recently intensified drone strikes in North Waziristan from where Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters launch cross border raids on NATO-led international forces in Afghanistan. Dozens of al-Qaida operatives and some major Taliban leaders have died in the US aerial strikes, although a large number of civilians also perished. Pakistan, a key US ally in fight against terrorism, has repeatedly protested the airstrikes, saying they violate the country's sovereignty. But analysts believe Pakistani spy agencies covertly share intelligence with CIA about the possible targets. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Suspected-US-drone-strike-kills-five-in-Pakistan-/articleshow/5660584.cms ------ US Muslims challenge gender divide March 08, 2010 A group of Muslim women risked arrest Sunday as they sought to pray in the main area of the Islamic Centre of Washington -- an area ordinarily reserved exclusively for men. Wooden barriers have to be taken down and women have to be allowed to join, to pray behind the men in the main praying area. That's our request,' said Fatima Thompson, an American Muslim who converted to the faith 18 years ago. 'We are against gender segregation, against the fact that women are put aside or in a totally different room at the mosque,' added Thompson, who led the group of female protesters, all self-identified progressive Muslims. The Sunday protest was the second time women have sought to share the main prayer area at the mosque in Washington DC, after a group of twenty women first tried in February. 'The general issue we are pushing is gender segregation and the ramifications it fosters. It's not healthy, and not reflective of our society here. It's very reflective of very restrictive, ultra orthodox societies,' Thompson added. Full report at: bigpondnews.com/articles/World/2010/03/08/US_Muslims_challenge_gender_divide_437569.html ------ SC slams India's tit-for-tat tactic on Pak prisoners Dhananjay Mahapatra, Mar 9, 2010, NEW DELHI: Holding that India lay great store in right to life, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the government to immediately release 16 Pakistani prisoners who had completed their jail terms despite the Centre's argument that it was waiting for Islamabad to let off a similar number of Indian prisoners. Commenting adversely on the UPA government's decision to put on hold the release of 16 Pakistanis even though they had completed their prison term in various state jails, a Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and R M Lodha said right to life had primacy in a country governed by rule of law and was not dependent on another country's action. It refused to accept the Centre's stand that exchange of prisoners was a diplomatic process that required cooperation at both ends. "Under the Constitution, detention even for a second beyond the permitted period of sentence is illegal. Now you (Centre) are putting a condition that until they return a similar number of prisoners we cannot send them back. If Pakistan does not do something right, does that mean we should also follow them," the Bench said. Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-slams-Indias-tit-for-tat-tactic-on-Pak-prisoners/articleshow/5660053.cms  ------ Mujib had chalked B’desh freedom plan in London: Hasina Anisur Rahman March 09, 2010 Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had chalked out country’s independence plans in London two years ahead of its liberation from Pakistan in 1971, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said. “He went to London on October 22, 1969 following his release in the Agartala case on April 22 that year. I reached London the next day from Italy, where I was living with my husband,” Hasina told a party rally on Sunday. Bangladesh independence was achieved after nine months of war with Pakistan. She said all preparations for the liberation were taken in London where he discussed the plans with expatriate supporters at a meeting as, “I was serving tea and entered the room several times where the meeting was being held (and) I heard their discussions.” Hasina said the meeting also discussed the liberation war strategy and possible sources of weapons for freedom fighters, local media reports said. Her comments came coinciding with the anniversary of Bangabandhu’s historic March 7, 1971 address, believed to have set the fate of erstwhile East Pakistan as he asked Bengalis to prepare for bloodshed for independence. She, however, did not indicate who were present at the London meeting. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/240753/Mujib-had-chalked-B%E2%80%99desh-freedom-plan-in-London-Hasina.html ------ Chhota Shakeel's younger brother arrested in Dubai Baljeet Parmar March 9, 2010 Mumbai: The Dubai police on Monday morning picked up Anwar Shaikh alias Shiva from Hotel Al Hayat Residency on charges of travelling on a fake passport. Anwar’s close associate Sajid Memon alias Mitha, who was also present in the hotel room, was also detained, according to well-placed sources in Dubai. The sources revealed that Anwar was staying with his brother Chhota Shakeel in Karachi for the last several years and was running an extortion racket on Shakeel’s behalf. There are a few cases of extortion registered against him in Mumbai and Gujarat, sources in the Mumbai police said. Sources said that he had arrived in Dubai a couple of days ago to mourn the death of notorious smuggler Haji Ahmed, a one-time close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. Ahmed had played a key role in handling arms used in the 1993 serial bomb blasts. A red corner notice was issued against Ahmed by Indian agencies, but he managed to evade arrest all these years as he never travelled out of Dubai, the sources revealed. The underworld grapevine, however, disclosed that it was Anees Kaskar, Dawood’s younger brother, who tipped off the Dubai police about Anwar’s whereabouts. It is also learnt that Shakeel is making desperate attempts to get his brother off the hook by working his powerful connections in Dubai, but in the absence of active support from Dawood, it is unlikely that he will succeed. While sources in Dubai confirmed the development, both the city police and the CBI refused to comment saying that they were still awaiting official confirmation from Dubai authorities. http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_chhota-shakeel-s-younger-brother-arrested-in-dubai_1356950  ------ Punjabi Taliban avenge Qari Zafar’s death By Amir Mir March 09, 2010 LAHORE: The March 8 suicide bombing in Lahore’s Model Town is believed to have been carried out by the Punjab chapter of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to avenge the killing of Commander Qari Zafar, the acting Amir of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) in a US drone strike in North Waziristan on February 24, 2010. While confirming Qari Zafar’s death in a statement faxed to local journalists on February 25, a Lashkar-e-Jhangvi spokesman had described him as a martyr and pledged to avenge his death. “The Mujahideen will soon take revenge from the Pakistani government for his killing by resorting to suicide bombings anywhere in the country,” the LeJ spokesman added. Qari Zafar was killed, along with nine other Punjabi Taliban in the Peerano Killay area of Miramshah, when a drone struck his hideout. He was wanted by the US as well as Pakistani authorities for his alleged involvement in the March 2, 2006 car bombing outside the US consulate in Karachi which killed three people, including US diplomat David Foy, thus making the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to announce a $5 million bounty on his head. Originally coming from Karachi, Qari Zafar had joined hands with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and was appointed Amir of the Punjab chapter of the TTP, which is blamed for carrying out a series of bloody Fidayeen attacks in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad in 2009, including the October 10, 2009 assault on the General headquarters of the Pakistan Army in the garrison town of Rawalpindi. Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=27686  ------ Trade best option for Pakistan-India peace: business leaders March 09, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Trade is the best option to build confidence, improve relations and create new opportunities to uplift people from extreme poverty. Pakistan and India should therefore work for ensuring uninterrupted bilateral trade which will help in strengthening their economies and promoting regional integration in South Asia. This was the consensus opinion of some prominent business leaders of the country including S M Munir, President of the Indo-Pak Chamber of Commerce, Sultan Ahmed Chawla, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Iftikhar Ali Malik, Vice-President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce, Muhammad Mansha Churra, Hameed Akhtar Chadda and many others during a meeting at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) on Monday. Munir emphasised the need for a no-war pact between India and Pakistan to create an atmosphere of trust and confidence for businessmen and the people at large. He said both countries cannot afford war as it will take them to the stone age. Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=227874  ------ Bali bombing mastermind 'killed' in shootout March 9, 2010 A police raid on the outskirts of Jakarta Tuesday may have killed one of Indonesia's most-wanted terrorists, though officials said they would await tests to verify the man's identity. Local media cited counterterrorism squad members saying that a shootout in Pamulang, Banten province, killed Dulmatin, a senior member of the al Qaeda-linked terror network Jemaah Islamiyah. But Indonesia's national police spokesman, Edward Aritonang, said he could not immediately confirm whether Dulmatin was dead until further testing. DNA test results were not expected soon. Dulmatin, who has several aliases, including Joko Pitoyo, is the suspected mastermind behind the Bali bombings in 2002, which killed 202 people. He is an electronics specialist who has trained in al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and has a $10 million bounty on his head, according to the U.S. State Department. The raid Tuesday was linked to ongoing security sweeps in Aceh province in northern Sumatra. Police have arrested 15 suspected militants and one has been killed. Three police officers have died in the raids. Full report at: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/03/09/indonesia.terror.raids/ ------ Over 500 killed in Nigeria sectarian clashes: Official AHNED SAKA and JON GAMBRELL Mar 9, 2010, LAGOS: At least 500 people were killed on Sunday in communal clashes near Nigeria's central city of Jos, a state governor's advisor told AFP on Monday, revising a previous toll of around 100 dead. "We have been able to make 95 arrests but at the same time over 500 people have been killed in this heinous act... by Fulani herdsmen," Dan Manjang said in a telephone interview. Nigeria's acting president put security forces on alert after machete wielding gangs massacred the people, mainly women and children, officials said. Witnesses described how victims were caught in animal traps and fishing nets as they tried to flee their attackers, who hacked them to death in what appeared to have been a well-organised attack. Much of the violence in the early hours of Sunday was centred around the village of Dogo Nahawa, near the Jos. But the raiders also set fire to dozens of houses in the nearby villages of Ratsat and Zot, all less than 10 kilometres (seven miles) from Jos and home to members of the Berom ethnic group. "These villages were attacked by Fulani herdsmen killing scores of people and burning houses," Ratsat resident David Daniel Daniel told AFP. Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Over-500-killed-in-Nigeria-sectarian-clashes-Official-/articleshow/5657588.cms  ------ Bangladesh for ‘symbolic’  trial of 1971 war criminals Mar 09, 2010 Bangladesh government will conduct a "symbolic" trial for the 1971 war crimes by trying the leaders who had collaborated with Pakistan and massacred thousands of unarmed civilians during country's freedom struggle. "The trial of war criminals doesn't mean trials of thousands of people. It will be symbolic and those who led the massacre in 1971 will be tried," ruling Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, clarifying government's stance on the much hyped issue. Islam said, it would be of no to create "unrest everywhere in the country" centring the trial. The top minister's comments came as deputy leader of parliament and senior Awami League leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury recently told a party rally that the trial was expected to be launched by later this month while she urged party units at grassroots to send the names and addresses of the alleged 1971 war criminals to the Prime Minister’s office. Islam's comments sparked sharp protests among the groups waging a campaign for the exposure of the 1971 Bengali speaking collaborators of the Pakistani atrocities as they said it was contrary to the earlier government policy. Coordinator of the Sector Commanders Forum, the grouping of 1971 Liberation War veterans, and former army chief retired general Harun-ar-Rashid in a statement said Islam’s comments did not reflect the government's final policy on the issue. Full report at: www.indianexpress.com/news/bangladesh-for-symbolic-trial-of-1971-war-criminals/588232/3  ------ Muslims outraged at UK screening of 'Fitna' film 09 March 2010 The screening of Geert Wilders’ controversial anti-Islam film in the U.K. Sunday outraged Muslims and rights organizations earning the far-right Dutch MP the labels "fascist" and "racist." The film, called Fitna, was screened at the House of Lords in response to an invitation Wilders got on March 5 from Lord Malcolm Pearson, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and member of the House of Lords, and Baroness Caroline Anne Cox, cross-bench member of the House of Lords. Wilders' trip to the U.K. is part of the Stop Islamization Of Europe (SIOE) campaign. SIOE is an organization whose goal is to prevent Islam from becoming a substantial political force in Europe. Wilders' visit is supported by the far-right English Defense League (EDL). The film, which declares Islam is incompatible with democracy and calls the Quran a fascist book, was scheduled for screening in the U.K. in 2009. However, Wilders was denied entry to the country. He was accused of inciting hatred and designated a persona non grata. The ban was overturned in October 2009, a moved that Wilders called a “victory for freedom.” British rights groups slammed the visit and submitted a complaint to the Interior Minister, calling Wilders the Dutch version of the English Defence League (EDL), whose sole goal is to fight the presence of Islam in Europe, and the far-right British National Party (BNP), which restricts its membership to Caucasians only. Full report at: http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/03/09/102563.html ----- Young Indonesian muslim leaders off to Australia Tuesday, March 9, 2010 A delegation of young Indonesian Muslim leaders have left for Australia on a bilateral exchange program. An Australian Embassy media release made available to Antara on Tuesday said the young Indonesian Muslim leaders were Nikmatullah from Lombok, Helma Malini from West Kalimantan, Fauza Masyhudi from Padang and Rita Pranawati from Jakarta. They left for Australia on Sunday on a bilateral exchange program aimed at strengthening understanding and links among young leaders of both countries. Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer hoped the visit would contribute to a better understanding in Indonesia about multiculturalism in Australian society and the role of Islam in Australia. "Islam in Australia is a dynamic, evolving story with a rich history, and one of which our country can be extremely proud of," the Ambassador said. "Australia`s 400,000 Muslims, made up of over 70 different ethnic backgrounds - including Indonesia - have made an enormous contribution to the success of contemporary, diverse Australia," Farmer said. The program aims to provide opportunities for emerging leaders in the Indonesian Muslim community to engage their counterparts in Australia on a range of important issues affecting people in both countries. Full report at: www.antara.co.id/en/news/1268120713/young-indonesian-muslim-leaders-off-to-australia ----- Pakistan says U.S.-born suspect in custody is not Gadahn By Alex Rodriguez March 9, 2010 Officials say the operative held in Karachi is not Al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn wanted on U.S. treason charges, but another man, from Pennsylvania. U.S. officials say they haven't heard of him. Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan - The suspected Al Qaeda operative arrested in Karachi over the weekend was not the Southern California native wanted by the United States on treason charges for his involvement in the terrorist network, Pakistani intelligence officials said Monday. Pakistani security officials had initially asserted that the Islamic extremist they had captured in the country's largest city late Saturday was Adam Gadahn of Riverside, a spokesman and top propagandist for the Al Qaeda terrorist network. However, by early Monday morning, doubts had arisen about those reports. U.S. officials said they were skeptical and added that they had received no indication Gadahn was the suspect arrested in Karachi. Later Monday, Pakistani intelligence officials reversed themselves and said the man arrested was actually Abu Yahya Mujahideen al Adam, a Pennsylvania native and suspected operative for Al Qaeda. The intelligence officials said Adam had been transferred to Islamabad for interrogation but would not give any further details. Full report at: www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-pakistan-arrest9-2010mar09,0,2950469.story ----- Lalu, Mulayam look to touch base with OBCs, Muslims Mar 9, 2010, NEW DELHI: The well-choreographed anti-quota protests by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad in coordination with Sharad Yadav appear part of a deft strategy to overcome their branding as mere Yadav leaders and refurbish their credentials as leaders of OBCs and Muslims. The SP and RJD chiefs, unfazed that they were heavily outnumbered, directed their stormtroopers to disrupt proceedings in the Rajya Sabha, ensuring that they came across as the main hurdles in the way of 33% quota for women in legislatures. Their reservations against the bill are known, with their supporters blocking the passage each time it was brought. While the determination to carry on the 14-year-old tradition appeared an overstretch in the face of new realities of UPA-2, it underlined the high stakes involved in OBC politics. Lalu and Mulayam are up against stiff competition in Bihar and UP, confronted as they are on the very subaltern turf they have lorded over. While Bihar has an OBC leader in Nitish Kumar, with his appeal among Muslims denting RJD's OBC-Muslim base, the Congress bid to wade into the battle has heightened Lalu's concerns. Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Lalu-Mulayam-look-to-touch-base-with-OBCs-Muslims/articleshow/5660483.cms ----- Congress, Muslim League broker deal Anita Joshua 09 March 2010 IUML to get Rajya Sabha seat next time Oscar Fernandes to meet Mani today NEW DELHI: Papering over their differences over the lone Rajya Sabha seat that comes to the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the coming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala, the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Monday agreed on the candidature of Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony. The stalemate was broken at a meeting between leaders of the two parties at the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The IUML wrested an assurance from the Congress that it would get the next Rajya Sabha vacancy that falls into the UDF's kitty. As to whether there was a written agreement to this effect, IUML State general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty told The Hindu: ‘‘We have a long-standing alliance with the Congress. We trust the Congress to keep its word; we do not need any written undertakings.'' A formal announcement in this regard will be made only after Congress leader Oscar Fernandes meets Kerala Congress (M) chief K.M. Mani in Kerala on Tuesday. Mr. Mani's party, another constituent of the Opposition UDF, had also staked a claim to the Rajya Sabha seat. Despite Mr. Mani indicating his willingness to support Mr. Antony's candidature in a telephonic conversation with Mr. Fernandes, the Congress central leadership decided to follow it up with a one-to-one meeting. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/09/stories/2010030951030100.htm ----- Karzai receives a mixed reception in Marjah Sangar Rahimi and Richard A. Oppel Jr. March 09, 2010 Once a Taliban refuge, Marjah has come a long way since the Marines invaded four weeks ago, so much so that Afghan Ppresident Hamid Karzai, arrived Sunday with top U.S. and Afghan officials to speak to several hundred residents crammed inside a mosque. But the visit made clear how much further there was to go if the people of Marjah were ever to throw their loyalty behind the Afghan government. On his visit to Marjah, Mr. Karzai tried his best to play to the crowd, and appeared to win it over on occasion with his crisp and simple language, spoken in the accent of his native Kandahar, the neighbouring province. But residents made it painfully clear that his government was despised here for the corrupt, violent officials who preyed on Marjah for much of the past decade before the Taliban arrived. In fact, residents say, the depredations of government officials here largely explain why the Taliban and their more effective administration of power and justice became so dominant in Marjah in the first place. “We will tell you that the warlords who ruled us for the past eight years, those people whose hands are red with the people's blood, those people who killed hundreds — they are still ruling over this nation,” Hajji Abdul Aziz, a leading elder of Marjah, said, referring not to the Taliban but to government officials. “The people here could not dare to mention their problems.” Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/09/stories/2010030955121100.htm   ------ HuJI, Jaish wiped out in Jammu, says top cop Amir Karim Tantray, March 09, 2010 The Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday claimed that militant outfits Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have been rooted out of the Jammu region. The focus, they said, has now shifted to the Lashkar-e- Tayyeba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), who remain active. “HuJI and JeM were mostly active in Kishtwar district and have been wiped out. Out of four HuJI militants, three have been eliminated. The fourth has left the organisation and is now working as a freelance journalist,” said Ashok Gupta, IGP of Jammu Zone. Nearly 180 militants, including 21 women, are still working in Doda and Kishtwar districts, Gupta said. “We worked on a strategy for winters and eliminated more and more militants as they came down from the hills. With the support of civilians, we were able to target militants, particularly commanders,” he said. This year, 17 militants have been killed in Jammu, of whom 10 were HM commanders, the IGP claimed. http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/jammu%20sec/HuJI-Jaish-wiped-out-in-Jammu-says-top-cop/Article1-516823.aspx  ------ Gates, on Afghan visit, warns tough war ahead 09 March 2010 Kabul, March 8: US defence secretary Robert Gates flew into Kabul on Monday on an unannounced visit, warning of “hard fighting” still ahead despite signs of progress in the eight-year war against Taliban insurgents. “There is no doubt there are positive developments going on, but I would say it’s very early yet,” Mr Gates told reporters on his plane before landing in the Afghan capital. He cautioned that there would be “some very hard fighting, very hard days ahead” as US, Nato and Afghan forces step up pressure on Taliban militants in the south as part of a new strategy designed to end the war. Mr Gates acknowledged “bits and pieces of good news” when asked about the recent capture of senior Taliban leaders in neighbouring Pakistan, but said it was probably too soon to say momentum had shifted to coalition forces. “I think more needs to be done,” he said, adding that a surge of US reinforcements was still in its initial stages. About 6,000 of the 30,000 additional troops have arrived in Afghanistan since President Barack Obama announced the surge in December, Mr Gates said, with the rest due to deploy by the end of August. It was the Pentagon chief’s first visit to Afghanistan since Nato and Afghan troops swept into the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah on February 13, in an assault seen as a pivotal test of Mr Obama’s bid to turn around the war. Mr Gates said he would discuss the results of the offensive with the commander of US and NATO troops, General Stanley McChrystal, as well as operations planned this year. http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4829:gates-on-afghan-visit-warns-tough-war-ahead&catid=36:international&Itemid=61  ------ Pak: Qaeda spokesman not under arrest Faisal Aziz 09 March 2010 Karachi ,March 8:  Pakistani security agents denied on Monday that an American Al Qaeda spokesman wanted in the United States for treason had been arrested, saying there had been confusion over the identity of a detained suspect. Some Pakistani officials had said on Sunday that Adam Gadahn, a California-born convert to Islam with a $1 million US bounty on his head, had been arrested on the outskirts of the city of Karachi. But a senior government official and two security agents said on Monday the suspected al Qaeda operative picked up in Karachi was not Gadahn. “Our initial impression was that the guy was Adam Gadahn but that information now looks incorrect,”  said one security official, who declined to be identified. The arrested man was believed to be an American who goes by the alias Abu Yahya, the officials said. Gadahn is known to have used a similar alias. “Probably the name and his origin caused the confusion,” the first official said. He declined to speculate about the identity of the arrested man except to say he was apparently an American Al Qaeda operative. Pakistan is battling indigenous, Al Qaeda-linked Taliban militants and has resisted US pressure to launch military offensives against Afghan Taliban factions .based in rugged ethnic Pashtun lands on its northwestern border. While ruling out another big offensive soon, Pakistan has arrested several senior members of the Afghan Taliban in recent weeks, including a top military commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. But Islamabad, apparently nervous of a public backlash in a country where anti-US feeling runs high, has only officially confirmed Baradar’s arrest. http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4828:pak-qaeda-spokesman-not-under-arrest&catid=36:international&Itemid=61  ------ Gadahn confusion reaches President Obama 09 Mar, 2010 WASHINGTON: The White House said on Monday it could not confirm that Adam Gadahn, a senior Al Qaeda leader, had been arrested in Pakistan. “Well, we haven’t confirmed any detainments, and I would refer you to the Pakistani government for information about individuals that they’ve detained,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton. Media reports on Sunday quoted Pakistani intelligence officials as saying that they had arrested Al Qaeda’s American spokesman Adam Gadahn. Later, they reversed their initial assertion saying that they had captured an American Al Qaeda operative but it was not Gadahn. The New York Times reported that initially US security officials had also informed President Barack Obama that Gadahn had been arrested but later they retracted their position. Mr Burton said: “I assure you that the president gets regular updates about what intelligence there is about people who are detained.” http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/19-gadahn-confusion-reaches-obama-930-hh-03  ------ Congress, Muslim League broker deal Anita Joshua March 09, 2010 NEW DELHI: Papering over their differences over the lone Rajya Sabha seat that comes to the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the coming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala, the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Monday agreed on the candidature of Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony. The stalemate was broken at a meeting between leaders of the two parties at the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The IUML wrested an assurance from the Congress that it would get the next Rajya Sabha vacancy that falls into the UDF's kitty. As to whether there was a written agreement to this effect, IUML State general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty told The Hindu: ‘‘We have a long-standing alliance with the Congress. We trust the Congress to keep its word; we do not need any written undertakings.'' A formal announcement in this regard will be made only after Congress leader Oscar Fernandes meets Kerala Congress (M) chief K.M. Mani in Kerala on Tuesday. Mr. Mani's party, another constituent of the Opposition UDF, had also staked a claim to the Rajya Sabha seat. Despite Mr. Mani indicating his willingness to support Mr. Antony's candidature in a telephonic conversation with Mr. Fernandes, the Congress central leadership decided to follow it up with a one-to-one meeting. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/09/stories/2010030951030100.htm  ------ Malaysian NGO blames Anwar for betraying trust of Indians Jaishree Balasubramanian March 09, 2010 A Malaysian political party on Monday accused opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of betraying the trust of the ethnic Indian community and warned that his alliance will lose the support of the minorities. Malaysian NGO Human Rights Party (HRP) has accused Ibrahim of doing very little for the ethnic Indians who account for nearly eight per cent of the country’s population. Led by their leader P Uttayakumar a member of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), HRP supporters demonstrated against the opposition coalition for allegedly failing to look into the welfare of the ethnic Indian community. Uttayakumar is the group’s pro-tem secretary-general. In a memorandum to Anwar Ibrahim, and heads of the opposition ruled states, Uthayakumar termed as “Your yet-to-be-paid debts to the Malaysian Indians”, that they had done very little for the Indians. He also claimed that the opposition alliance was losing the support it gained in the last general election. “Until today they have completely ignored land issues affecting the ethnic Indians in the states of Penang, Kedah and Selangor. Full report at: www.dailypioneer.com/240741/Malaysian-NGO-blames-Anwar-for-betraying-trust-of-Indians.html  ------ 1993 blasts suspect's huff ends with a high-end puff Nikhil S Dixit March 9, 2010 Mumbai: Like in any other job, a good policeman needs to do his homework, albeit of a different kind. In-depth knowledge of what makes a particular criminal tick or his weakness have helped the police nab and identify one of the suspects involved in the Mumbai 1993 serial bomb blasts. The Mumbai crime branch recently arrested Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan alias Hamza, 40, from his residence in Navi Mumbai almost 17 years after the blasts. He spent the last five in the city and had even assumed a new identity. However, his addiction to a famous international brand of cigarettes was his undoing. After his arrest, Hamza was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further investigation. According to sources, Hamza was grilled and interrogated for over six hours by officials but he kept denying that he was the actual suspect. He insisted that the police had arrested the wrong man. “He had forged all his papers and it was getting difficult to establish that he was the real Hamza and this was not a case of mistaken identity,”  a senior police officer said. “In fact, after six hours we also believed that we had got the wrong man.” Unsure of how to proceed, the police called an officer who knew of Hamza’s addiction to cigarettes. The officer came with a packet of Hamza’s favourite brand of cigarettes. He went into the room in which the suspect was kept and sat next to him. The officer lit a cigarette for himself and started making normal conversation with Hamza. During the conversation, the officer asked him if he wanted to smoke. Despite being a chain smoker, Hamza refused. After a few minutes, the officer lit another cigarette and once again offered it to Hamza, who refused again, though more reluctantly. When the officer lit the third cigarette, Hamza couldn’t resist and asked for a drag. “The officer told him that he would give him the cigarette only if he gave them his true identity,” the senior officer said. “Hamza was so desperate for a cigarette, he confessed that he was the man that the police were looking for.” http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_1993-blasts-suspect-s-huff-ends-with-a-high-end-puff_1356956  ------ Afghan Taliban seize villages from Hekmatyar’s men 09 Mar, 2010 KABUL: The Taliban gained control of villages in northeastern Afghanistan on Monday after two days of gunbattles with another group that ended with nearly 70 of the rival militants retreating and surrendering to government forces nearby, officials said. The fierce fighting, which left at least 50 dead from both sides, was a turf war between the Taliban and insurgent allies Hezb-e-Islami – loyal to regional warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar – that also might have been triggered by Hekmatyar’s apparent willingness to join the government-led peace process, officials said. One of the Hezb-e-Islami militants who defected said on Monday that the fighters in the area are now willing to join the government and fight the Taliban in the northeastern province of Baghlan where the battles ended Sunday night with a Taliban victory. “If the government protects us and supports us, we will finish the Taliban in Baghlan,” said Noorullaq, one of 11 Hezb-e-Islami commanders who turned their weapons over to the government. He spoke at a news conference Monday in the provincial capital of Pul-e-Khumri. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\09\story_9-3-2010_pg7_33  ------ Salarzai lashkar sets fire to 130 Taliban houses in Bajaur By Hasbanullah Khan 09 Mar, 2010 KHAR/TANK: A Salarzai tribal lashkar on Monday set ablaze 130 Taliban houses in Bajaur Agency, officials said. One Taliban was killed and nine arrested in a joint operation of the political administration and an armed lashkar of the Salarzai tribe. Official sources told Daily Times that Assistant Political Agent (APA) Iqbal Khattak had decided that action against the Taliban would continue until the agency was purged of all terrorists. The Salarzai tribal lashkar, consisting of thousands of armed tribesmen, have strictly prohibited the locals from providing shelter to the Taliban. They have announced a Rs 2 million fine for any tribesman helping the terrorists, and warned that violators’ houses would be set on fire. Attack: Meanwhile, two pro-government tribal leaders were killed while another was injured when some unidentified Taliban blew up their car in Shakai area of South Waziristan, sources said. Full report at: www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\09\story_9-3-2010_pg1_6  ------ Malaysian opposition leader Anwar loses final appeal over sacking Mar 9, 2010 KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday lost his final legal battle to declare as unlawful his dismissal from office in 1998. Anwar, 62, was sacked from his posts as deputy premier and finance minister by then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in September 1998. He was subsequently charged and jailed for corruption and sodomy. Anwar argued that his sacking was unconstitutional, but his case has been rejected twice by the High Court and Court of Appeal. On Monday, the Federal Court, the country's highest, upheld the earlier decisions. Anwar, who was released in 2004 after his sexual misconduct charge was overturned, now leads a three-party opposition alliance. The opposition coalition won major gains in the March 2008 general elections, wresting five out of the country's 13 states from the powerful National Front coalition. The alliance's advances also denied the government its two-thirds parliamentary majority. Anwar is currently facing trial on charges that he sodomized a former male aide in 2008. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison. He has denied the accusations, and claims he is being framed as part of a political conspiracy to weaken the opposition. http://arabnews.com/world/article27586.ece  ------ Falling short of solutions on pluralist sentiments. by annie 03 9th, 2010 Addressing a group of Pakistani journalists last week, American religious scholar Imam Yahya Hendi presented a utopic vision of a world where “people would celebrate the differences amongst one another” and societies would flourish on pluralist sentiments. The evening, planned as a dialogue between the journalists and the imam, who is the Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, was largely meant to focus on Islam in America. However, Hendi appeared insistent on discussing, indeed sermonising about, the “universal need for religious pluralism and tolerance,” which although compelling, hardly elaborates on the challenges that Muslim individuals and communities currently face in the United States and in several other parts of the world. While Hendi did, in passing, acknowledge that Muslims were targeted in “many ways” after 9/11, he seemed disinclined, if not downright unwilling, to discuss the increasingly significant political dimension of the whole Muslim issue in the United States and the West at large. His reluctance to delve into the political crux of the matter subtly affirmed just how closely linked politics and Islam in America have now become. Full report at: http://blog.dawn.com/2010/03/09/falling-short-of-solutions/ ------ Pak likely to offer 'deal' to Karzai over Baradar's extradition during his Islamabad visit March 9, 2010 Islamabad, Mar.9 (ANI): Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is likely to officially ask Islamabad to hand over Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Afghan Taliban's second-in command, to Kabul during his scheduled two-day visit to Pakistan starting Wednesday. According to sources, Karzai would explore the possibilities of Baradar's extradition in an attempt to boost his sinking popularity over the war against Taliban, which many consider a lost cause. It may be noted that the United States had also asked Pakistan to hand over Barader to it, which was denied. Malik had rejected the White House' request to hand over Baradar, who is considered second only to Taliban's supreme commander Mullah Omar, saying Pakistani agencies would first investigate his links with the banned terrorist network, and could hand him over to Afghanistan if the need arises but not to the US. During a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Muhammad Hanif Atmar last month, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said that his country would 'consider' any formal request by Afghanistan over Barader's extradition. Full report at: /news.oneindia.in/2010/03/09/paklikely-to-offer-deal-to-karzai-over-baradarsextradi.html ------- Biden assures Israel of U.S. security commitment By Adam Entous and Jeffrey Heller, March 9, 2010 JERUSALEM - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden assured Israel on Tuesday of Washington's commitment to its security and preventing Iran from producing nuclear weapons. He said the agreed resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks through U.S. mediation was a "real opportunity" for peace. Biden, who arrived on Monday, is the highest-ranking member of President Barack Obama's administration to visit Israel, where concern is high over Iran's nuclear program. "We're determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and we're working with many countries around the world to convince Tehran to meet its international obligations and cease and desist," Biden said after a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "There is no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to Israel's security," Biden said as the two leaders made statements to the media. Netanyahu voiced appreciation for what he described as Obama's efforts to lead the international community to place tough sanctions on Iran. "The stronger those sanctions are, the more likely it will be that the Iranian regime will have to chose between advancing its nuclear program and advancing the future of its own permanence," Netanyahu said. Full report at: www.calgaryherald.com/technology/leads+Israeli+Palestinian+peace+talks/2660844/story.html URL: http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=2555