| Islamic World News | ||||||||
14 Apr 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com
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Sex education needed: Saudi Study
By WALAA HAWARI
Apr 14, 2010
RIYADH: Is Saudi society prepared for its children to be taught sex education? A study by female Saudi students at King Saud University’s Special Education Department recommends the teaching of sex education in the Kingdom’s public schools. The study, which surveyed 200 couples from the Eastern and Riyadh provinces, concluded that there is a need for sex education.
According to the study, 80 percent of participating parents, who were aged between 20 and 60, approve of the recommendation, while 43 percent say they are reluctant to share such information with their children themselves.
Meanwhile, 87 percent said they are concerned their children may be sexually harassed or abused. The study’s supervisor, Hania Merza, said sex education is a sensitive topic that is not new. “There is no shame in religion” and Islam encourages people to educate themselves, she added.
Merza added that sex education is related closely to a child’s well being and protects them from sexual abuse.
Mohammad Al-Sheddi, a member of the Shoura Council and the Human Rights Commission, agrees with Merza. He believes that children have a right to information that would protect them.
“The Shoura recently approved a protocol to protect children from being exploited for pornography. Children should be equipped with enough information that would allow them to differentiate between right and wrong, and detect whether they are being used or lured into a situation in which they may be abused,” he added.
Al-Sheddi said reserved and conservative people could misinterpret the term “sex education,” which could be interpreted as the actual relationship between a man and a woman. He, therefore, feels the subject should be taught in schools with some constraints.
He added that parents should raise awareness about the subject to their children in their first six years as this would be taken strictly as “information” and not in the sensual sense.
Al-Sheddi also said that the negativities of introducing the subject at the high school level outnumber the positive aspects.
Mohammad Al-Shaeea, a sociologist at Qassim University, defined sex education as “a dynamic social procedure that aims to provide the individual with information about sex that is consistent with religious values, society norms and correct behavior.” Al-Shaeea considers sex education as an essential part of basic social development.
Al-Shaeea said that a study of new students at Qassim University showed that 76.6 percent felt sex education is important. The approval, however, centered on what the Shariah mentions about sexual relations, marriage, and the mental and physical harms of bad sexual practices.
Laila Al-Ohaideb, a writer and the supervisor of the media unit at the Ministry of Education, said the contents of any sex education program should be clarified in order to get the wider society to accept it.
She added that Saudi society hardly accepts physical education and that sex education is bound to be rejected. She also agrees that although sex education will protect children from being abused, it should be ascertained whether the contents of such courses are suitable for their targeted groups.
“A project like this should involve several bodies and be supervised by psychiatrists, sociologists, educationists and Shariah scholars. It should be founded on strong religious grounds,” said Al-Ohaideb.
Although Al-Ohaideb does not object to sex education, she also does not approve of it. She added that there are many other genres of education — such as family education, education on how to deal with one’s families, parents, siblings and spouse, and physical education — that need to be introduced into the Kingdom’s schools before sex education.
She added that since some people advocate the teaching of sex education using underage marriage as an excuse, there is a need to set a minimum age for marriage.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article42900.ece
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Barbarity redefined: “Yemeni child bride tied up, raped.”
Apr 14, 2010
This has reference to the story “Yemeni child bride tied up, raped.” The barbarity in this story knows no bounds! The details are graphic and appalling, to say the least.
Nothing is left to the imagination. The horror of the act, the defilement of the sanctity of marriage, that corner stone of society and the bedrock of the family unit has been blown to smithereens. A 13-year-old child was married to a 23-year-old man. In a nightmarish experience, the girl lost her virginity and her life.
What had the child ever done to deserve this? Was it her fault that she had been impoverished, one of eight siblings and probably more on the way? Seen as a liability, she was cut off in the bud so there would be one less mouth to feed. Is there no end to the violence against women in this world? This incident is not unique to Yemen. Women all over the world suffer on account of their ignorance and subjugation from men.
From Africa to Asia and the Middle East, under the guise of religion and custom, young girls are regularly subjected to marital torture. There is no escape and no choice is given to them. Interestingly, there is no age limit to the prospective husband who can average in age from 16-90, and even more if he is lucky enough to be alive and still functioning. What is sad and even sinister is that adult women in the family play a very active role in the whole affair.
Having gone through similar experiences, one would think that they would have a say, perhaps even protest against these dastardly acts. Instead, they abet and promote the match and then quietly stand by and watch helplessly. And even more surprising is that the mother herself is often the last and final pawn in the game. The girl-child is utterly alone and by herself, having been thrown to the lions, if you will.
The only consolation in this particular tragedy is that the child is perhaps, better off dead than alive. Who knows what other atrocities lay in wait for her as she grew older? With a brute for a husband, withering away under the burden of early childbirth, miscarriages and the myriad problems which are a woman’s lot in this world.
http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article42884.ece
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Misyar marriages: Not always blissful
Apr 14, 2010
I read with interest Abdullah Bajubair’s article on misyar marriage in the local press column (April 13) and wish to comment as follows: In Islam, a misyar contract is permissible because it follows all the conditions for a legal marriage.
However, the validity of this type of marriage does not mean that Islam is advocating it or that it is presenting it as a way to solve marriage problems in a society. It is not a license to marry in this way. Many Islamic scholars have actually discouraged the practice of misyar marriage because of its perceived adverse effect on women, families, and societies at large.
In a misyar marriage, the woman waives some of the rights she would enjoy in a normal marriage. Most misyar brides don’t change their residences but pursue marriage on a visitation basis. Most of the women opting for misyar are either divorced, widowed or beyond the customary marriage age or because they want to stay at their parents’ home to take care of them, especially if there is no one else in the family to do so. The majority of men who take part in such marital arrangements are already married.
Historically, misyar was considered an option when the man traveled extensively and so could not live with his wife or had absolutely no financial means to give her a home. Today, we see this type of marriage because of an increase in the number of spinsters and widows, women refusing to allow their husbands another wife leading men to marry the misyar way so his first wife doesn’t find out, and in order to escape from the responsibilities of marriage and its costs.
Despite optimistic expectations, such marriages are not always blissful. Former and current misyar spouses said it could become a nightmare if pregnancy resulted from the union or if there were already children from former marriages. Instead of encouraging the misyar marriage which he claims “has become a social necessity with the growing number of spinsters in our country,” why Abdullah Bajubair does not dig deep into the roots that lead to divorce. Although yet to attain the heights of Western divorce rates, Saudi Arabia has seen a divorce rate of some 20 percent in the last couple of years. In the end, many scholars agree that although misyar sticks to the letter of law, it does not stick to the spirit of the religion. Islam considers marriage a mithaq, a solemn covenant that should not be taken lightly.
http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article42879.ece
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Quebec targets 2nd Muslim woman over veil
April 13, 2010
Officials in the Canadian province of Quebec ordered a second Muslim woman out of French classes for wearing a full-face veil.
News emerged Tuesday of the second incident -- a 25-year-old immigrant woman from India was told last month she couldn't continue attending the Montreal school unless she removed the niqab, a veil with slits to see through, The (Montreal) Gazette reported.
In the first incident, provincial officials denied a woman government-funded language schooling in November. That woman, an Egyptian immigrant, has filed a human rights complaint, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
The Conservative-led provincial government has legislation pending that would prevent Muslim women who wear niqabs from working in the civil service, interacting with government employees or seeking services from the province, the CBC said.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2010/04/13/Quebec-targets-2nd-Muslim-woman-over-veil/UPI-76621271180256/
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Muslim woman denied job at McDonald's files complaint
By Niraj Warikoo
April 14, 2010
A Muslim woman from Troy filed a bias complaint today, saying she was denied a job at a McDonald's restaurant in Rochester Hills because of her religion and ethnicity. A McDonald’s official said their restaurant chain does not discriminate and has accommodated religious headwear for years.
Nasihah Barlaskar, 19, wears an Islamic head scarf known as a hijab. She told the Free Press that during a job interview on March 27, a manager at McDonald's asked her about her nationality. The manager then asked "if I had to wear that thing on my head," according to Barlaskar.
Barlaskar said she replied: "I do. Is that a problem?"
The manager then told Barlaskar she probably wouldn't be able to wear that if she was working, according to Barlaskar.
Barlaskar filed the complaint with the EEOC, Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, the U.S. agency that deals with job discrimination. It was filed with the help of Dawud Walid, head of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Joan Rachelson, director of operations for McDonald’s Michigan region, said in a statement that the restaurant has a “strict policy prohibiting any form of discrimination.”
She said the allegations “are not consistent with our policies.”
Full report at: freep.com/article/20100414/NEWS03/304140002/Muslim-woman-says-McDonald-s-discriminated
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Pakistan admits civilian deaths in air strike
By Orla Guerin
14 April 2010
A senior security source in Pakistan has told the BBC that civilians were killed in Saturday's air strike on a village in the Khyber tribal region.
This contradicts the army's initial denial that there were civilian deaths.
He said he could not be sure of the exact number who died in the attack on the village close to the Afghan border, but it could be more than 30.
According to the security source, the first strike was on militants gathered in a hilltop compound.
He said that more than 30 militants were killed in that strike, which was carried out by the air force.
A second round of bombing then followed.
Critically, this was after local people had rushed to the scene to remove the dead and assist the wounded.
'No Taliban'
The source said there was no confirmed death toll in this strike, but more than 30 civilians may have died.
A local official told the BBC on Tuesday that at least 73 civilians were killed, including women and children. He said the military had tried to gag him in an attempt at damage limitation.
Full report at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8619716.stm
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More than 90 injured in bloody clashes in Indonesia
APRIL 14, 2010
JAKARTA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Deadly clashes erupted in Indonesia's capital of Jakarta on Wednesday between hundreds of demonstrators and city's security forces over the demolition of a cemetery.
The clashes turned violent as the two sides attacked each other brutally. Several vehicles of the forces were burned and overturned.
At least 90 people from both sides have sustained injuries, many of them in critical condition, head of crisis center of Health Ministry named only Mujiharo told Xinhua. "Seven of them have had surgery. The number of wounded person seemed to rise as until afternoon the victims from both sides kept coming to the hospital," he said.
Some local televisions reported that two people have been dead, but health authorities could not confirm the report.
Furious demonstrators and security forces attacked each others by throwing stones, sticks and other hard materials. Some demonstrators brought with them big knives and swords.
Jakarta Vice governor Prijanto was quoted by Metro TV television as expressing his concerns on the violence and apologizing to the people.
On Tuesday, anohter clash between the security forces and demonstrators took place in an outskirt city of Jakarta, Tanggerang on land demolition. Scores of people were wounded.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-04/14/c_13251345.htm
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Islamic militants kill 15 in Philippines
Apr 13, 2010
ISABELA, PHILIPPINES: Al Qaeda-linked militants in police uniforms set off bombs and fired at civilians on a strife-torn Philippine island Tuesday in violence that left 15 people dead, officials said.
The gunmen targeted a government office and a church in Isabela city on Basilan Island with two home-made bombs, in the latest show of force from the Abu Sayyaf network that is blamed for the worst attacks in the Philippines.
"I think (the attack) is to meant to create havoc... definitely it falls under terrorism," Major General Juancho Sabban, head of the Philippine Marines, told reporters in Manila.
Isabela city mayor Cherry Akbar told reporters that 15 people were confirmed dead, including five militants who were apparently killed by one of their own bomb blasts.
Six civilians were also killed in the explosions, while three soldiers and one policeman were killed in gunbattles with the militants, Akbar said.
At least 25 militants wearing police uniforms were involved in the attacks, according to the region's military chief, Lieutenant General Ben Dolorfino.
They sprayed bullets at terrified civilians scrambling away to safety, and engaged in a gunbattle with security forces on the outskirts of Isabela that lasted for at least three hours, according to various military chiefs.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Islamic-militants-kill-15-in-Philippines/articleshow/5795915.cms
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No tolerance for terrorism: Prince Salman stresses Saudi stance
Apr 14, 2010
NEW DELHI: Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman held talks here on Tuesday with Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and emphasized Saudi Arabia’s solid stance against terrorism. “We condemn the plague of terrorism and we’ll not accept it from any party, whoever it may be,” the prince told reporters.
Prince Salman, who is on a four-day official visit to India, said: “Our religion, Islam, rejects terrorism, killings and causing harm to people. Saudi Arabia’s stand on this issue is very clear.”
The Indian foreign minister agreed with Prince Salman on the need for a complete war against terrorism. “We both agree that the fight against terrorism should be carried out in a comprehensive manner,” said Krishna, who called for the combating of terror in both countries.
Prince Salman underscored the deep-rooted relations between Saudi Arabia and India and hoped his visit would contribute to strengthening bilateral ties further. “My talks with the foreign minister covered a number of issues related to bilateral relations and international developments,” he added.
The governor noted the role that the visits of high-level officials play in boosting ties. The visits of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to New Delhi and that of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Riyadh have been instrumental in taking Saudi-Indian relations to new heights. “I am here representing Saudi Arabia and to talk about its policies. I would like to tell you that our policy is to strengthen cooperation and friendly relations with other countries and I am sure it would benefit people in both our countries,” the prince said.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article42942.ece
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5 killed in Abbottabad over Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa renaming issue
April 12th,
PML-Q leaders have been agitating day and night for the last one week over the issue of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa renaming. On 6 April 2010 Umar Ayub Khan, son of Gohar Ayub Khan and former MNA and formerly State Minister of Finance under Musharraf appeared on Bolta Pakistan. His voice was hoarse from shouting at rallies in his home constituency of Haripur. Similarly, other breakaway PML leaders like Sardar Haider Zaman Khan (district Nazim of Abbotabad) have been agitating against the provincial government but mainly against local PML-N leaders like Sardar Mehtab Khan Abbasi and Sardar Muhammad Mushtaq Khan. On Talat Hussain’s show of April 7 2010, Gohar Ayub Khan (famous for his role in instigating ethnic riots in Karachi in 1965) and Pir Sabir Shah of PML-N got into a shouting match which showed the depth of hatred between the two sides over the issue of PML-Q leadership’s defection from PML-N.
Now the latest news is that thanks to PML-Q’s efforts, 5 people have been killed in Abbottabad over violence related to the renaming issue. It seems clear that PML-Q has taken up this issue because it hopes to regain its lost seats in Hazara district from PML-N and doesn’t care how many of their constituents have to lose their lives in order for them to achieve their selfish political goals.
The latest news is that PML-N leadership is now thinking of doing a double U turn and now wants the province name that they proposed – i.e. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – and which they almost stalled the entire 18th amendment for, to be renamed to Hazara-Pakhtunkhwa.
Please also see the following report from Milwaukee Journal of January 19 1965 regarding Gohar Ayub Khan’s shamefule role in the violence in Karachi following the 1964-65 elections. He is a politician whose entire political career seems to consist of pitting his own constituents against other groups in the country just for his own short-term political gain.
Full report at: http://criticalppp.org/lubp/archives/9407
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“Taliban eying Indian diplomats”
14 Apr, 2010
Islamabad: Two deserters from a paramilitary force arrested for terror links have told Pakistani investigators that Taliban had specific plans to abduct Indian diplomats, including the High Commissioner, to swap them for detained militant commanders. The militants also had plans to target foreign missions, including the U.S. consulate in Peshawar.
The duo further told interrogators that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, his relatives and the Dhodak oilfield in Punjab were targets.
Stringent security measures have been put in place in the Indian High Commission and the High Commissioner's residence over the past year.
Security agencies in Islamabad have also arrested three more Frontier Constabulary personnel who served at the diplomatic enclave. Despite concerns expressed by diplomats, the government is yet to replace Frontier Constabulary personnel in the diplomatic enclave with the Pakistan Rangers. Most of the personnel of the Frontier Constabulary are drawn from the NWFP and the troubled tribal belt bordering Afghanistan — areas rife with Taliban militancy.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/14/stories/2010041460002000.htm
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Muslim Environmentalists Push for Green Hajj
By Brian Padden
13 April 2010
With a population of 1.4 billion and control of the world's largest oil reserves, Muslim communities can play a crucial role in protecting the environment. There is a new effort to organize an international green movement within the Islamic community.
An environmental movement is emerging within the Islamic world. Devout Muslims say there is no contradiction between their faith and environmental protection, and, they say, global warming does not discriminate by region or religion.
Environmental activist Mahmoud Akef with the Earth Mates Dialogue Center was among about 200 Muslim delegates from around the world at a recent environmental conference in Jakarta.
"Because we are all living on this Earth and what is happening, or what's affecting with regard to the climate change, affecting Americans, affects the Muslims here in Indonesia, affects Egypt, Muslims in Africa and Asia anywhere," Akef said.
Climate experts and environmental activists say that burning fossil fuel contributes to global warming. The environmental movement has long focused most of its resources on lobbying for change in Western nations.
But they say many Muslim-majority countries have done little to limit pollution from factories and automobiles, and have allowed the exploitation of natural resources like large scale clearing forests in Indonesia.
Full report at: www1.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Muslim-Environmentalists-Push-For-Green-Haj-90738449.html
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We want ‘better, not greater Balochistan’
Rasheed Khalid
April 14, 2010
PPP leader and former federal minister Mir Baz Mohammad Khan Khetran has apprehended that the Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package launched by the PPP will face problems of implementation due to machinations of same hidden hands.
He was delivering his presidential address while inaugurating a two-day National Conference on ‘Balochistan: Rationalisation of Centre-Province Relations’ organised by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute in collaboration with Hanns Seidel Foundation here on Tuesday.
Khetran suspected that the wave of target killings going on in his province was not the work of the Balochistan Liberation Army nor of Baloch dissidents but the work of the hidden hands which he did not identify. He said that most of the people handling Balochistan problems had no knowledge about the province where there were no land settlement and ownership of land belonged to tribes and clans and not to individuals. He said that like Afghanistan, the power of the warlords was increasing and the youth were hostile to the Federation. He called for checking the trend through genuine efforts by talking to the people who matter and not those self-seekers who advised dictators that all was well. The Baloch wanted a better, not greater Balochistan, he concluded.
Full report at: http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=234144
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Manmohan warns world of N- terror
14 Apr, 2010
WITH Pakistan obviously on his mind, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday warned of the dangers posed by nuclear weapons falling into the hands of non- state actors.
Addressing the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, he pitched for zero tolerance for individuals and groups that engage in illegal trafficking of atomic weapons. Singh also announced India’s decision to set up a ‘ Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership’. “ Nuclear security is one of the foremost challenges we face today,” Singh told the conference of 47 countries which discussed ways to ensure that nuclear material and technology do not fall into the hands of terrorists.
Commending US President
Barack Obama for convening the Summit, he said: “ India would like the summit to lead to concrete outcomes, which ( will) help make our world a safer place.” “ The danger of nuclear explosives or fissile material and technical know- how falling in to the hands of non- state actors continues to haunt our world,” Singh said. India is deeply concerned about the danger it faces, as do other States, from this threat, he added.
He regretted that the global non- proliferation regime had failed to prevent nuclear proliferation as clandestine proliferation networks had flourished and led to insecurity for all, including and especially for India.
He underlined that the world community should join hands to eliminate the risk of sensitive and valuable materials and technology falling into hands of terrorists and illicit traffickers.
Singh said the primary responsibility for ensuring nuclear security rested at the national level. But national responsibility must be accompanied by responsible behaviour by states.
“ If not, it remains an empty slogan,” he said.
The prime minister said the dangers of nuclear terrorism made the early elimination of atomic weapons a matter of even greater urgency.
Mail Today
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US troops expand role inside Pak
Apr 14, 2010
WASHINGTON: US Special Operations Forces on a training mission in Pakistan are playing an expanded but largely unseen role in the country's counterinsurgency campaign, working with paramilitary units to "hold and build" tribal areas as militants are cleared out.
US defense and administration officials say the elite trainers, who currently number more than 100, are not authorized to take part in Pakistani military offensives in the semi-autonomous tribal regions, known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, or FATA, along the Afghan border. Pakistan has balked at US offers of joint military operations there, officials said on condition of anonymity.
But Special Ops trainers play a bigger role than has been disclosed in helping Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps, such as surveying and coordinating projects aimed at winning "hearts and minds" and preventing Taliban fighters from returning to areas once they have been pushed out.
Washington is in talks to increase the number of Special Ops trainers and authorize sending them to sectors deeper in the tribal regions, but details have yet to be worked out.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-troops-expand-role-inside-Pak/articleshow/5798817.cms
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India wants ‘zero tolerance' of nuclear traffickers
Siddharth Varadarajan
14 Apr, 2010
Washington: With the spectre of A.Q. Khan and his clandestine smuggling ring still haunting India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told world leaders that there should be “zero tolerance for individuals and groups which engage in illegal trafficking in nuclear items.”
He was speaking at the Nuclear Security Summit convened by the United States to address international concerns that lax national attitudes towards the physical protection of nuclear material could allow terrorists to acquire nuclear weapons or ‘dirty bombs.'
But if India could not resist the opportunity of reminding the world of the failings of its neighbour, Pakistan was also true to form, equating the problem of nuclear security to one of “strategic restraint” in the subcontinent.
Forty-seven countries attended the two-day meet. The next Nuclear Security Summit will be held in South Korea in 2012, they decided.
In a national statement delivered to the summit on Tuesday, Dr. Singh said India was deeply concerned about the danger of nuclear explosives or fissile material and technical know-how falling in to the hands of non-state actors.
The primary responsibility for ensuring nuclear security rested at the national level, he said “but national responsibility must be accompanied by responsible behaviour by States. If not, it remains an empty slogan.”
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/14/stories/2010041461760100.htm
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‘New York subway plotter arrested in Pakistan’
13 Apr, 2010
NEW YORK: A fourth suspect in a foiled plot to attack New York subways by self-confessed Al-Qaeda agent Najibullah Zazi has been arrested in Pakistan, media reported citing law enforcement sources.
Spokesmen for the FBI and federal prosecutors contacted by AFP declined to confirm or deny the report.
The New York Daily News and NBC news reported that the man – who was not identified – could soon be extradited to the United States and charged in Brooklyn.
Two other accused accomplices – Zarein Ahmedzay and Adis Medunjanin – were arrested in January and pleaded not guilty in February.
Zazi, who pleaded guilty in February, has been cooperating with investigators.
A local English daily reported that he and his friends had planned to “strap explosives to their bodies and split up, heading for the Grand Central and Times Square stations – the two busiest subway stations in New York City.”
They planned to board trains on the 1, 2, 3, and 6 lines during rush hour and position themselves in the middle of the packed trains to “ensure the maximum carnage when they blew themselves up,” the newspaper reported citing unidentified sources.
Zazi was arrested on September 20 after returning from New York to his home in Colorado when he was tipped off that he was being watched by federal agents.
He had planned on carrying out the attack on September 14, 15, or 16 using chemicals derived from beauty products.
US Attorney General has called the plot the “most serious” since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
azi, 25, was born in Afghanistan and is a legal US resident.
He is set to be sentenced on June 25 and faces a maximum term of life in prison on the charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction and conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, and 15 years for confessing to providing material support to the Al-Qaeda Islamist network.
However, his plea appears to be part of a bargain in which he could receive more lenient punishment in return for cooperating with investigators. —AFP
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/07-new-york-subway-plotter-arrested-in-pakistan-ha-03
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Hizb, JeM identify targets in J&K’
Pramod Kumar
14 APRIL 2010
New Delhi, April 13: The latest intelligence inputs with the Central agencies reveal that trained militants of Hijbul Mujahideen (HM) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have decided to jointly carry out terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country.
According to intelligence sources, the intercepts of militants’ conversation between Alpha-3 and Alpha-Kilo (Baramulla) indicate that HM and JeM are trying to work together in several areas of J&K, including Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore and Anantnag.
Both Alpha-3 and Alpha-Kilo are the codes given to HM and JeM commanders by their Pak-based handlers, respectively. Besides, militants of both the outfits are trying to carry out joint operations in other parts of the country.
Sources further said, “There are also reports that militants of HM and JeM are likely to infiltrate into India at Chajua near Bandipur. A large number of trained militants of both the outfits are waiting to enter India in small groups. Area commanders of both militant outfits have given instructions to all the guides working for them in J&K to provide all possible help when the militants enter India”.
asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9000:hizb-jem-identify-targets-in-jak&catid=35:india&Itemid=60
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Bring down Indo-Pak ‘Berlin Wall’
By Amar Guriro
14 Apr, 2010
KARACHI: Jaswant Singh, former Indian foreign minister and author of ‘Jinnah: India-Partition-Independence’ - a book that praises the founder of Pakistan and caused his expulsion from the Bharatiya Janata Party - said Tuesday that the “Berlin Wall” at the Pakistan-India border erected since the 1965 war should now be brought down.
“Masses on both sides of the border are longing to come close to each other, therefore, we must let go of the shadows of history and let the new dawn arrive. We must create a strong relationship with each other, otherwise the poverty on both sides of the border would not be wiped away,” said the veteran Indian politician at a press conference held prior to the launch of ‘Jinnah: India-Partition-Independence’ published by the Oxford University Press at the city’s historical landmark Mohatta Palace.
Singh recalled the painful moments of his life when the copies of his book were set on fire in India.
Full report at: dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\04\14\story_14-4-2010_pg12_1
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North America's first Muslim MasterCard due to launch
14 Apr, 2010
OTTAWA: A Canadian Islamic financial institution is launching Canada’s first “halal-approved” credit card this month and will also offer it to US Muslims by year end, its president told AFP on Tuesday.
The iFreedom Plus MasterCard meets the requirements of Sharia law, which prohibits usury, by being prepaid and therefore interest-free, said Omar Kalair, president of Toronto-based UM Financial.
“Trade is allowed, but usury is not,” he explained.
A similar card is already available in Britain, but nowhere else in the West, he said.
Until now, devout Muslims in Canada have either had to do without credit cards or paid off the balance each month to avoid interest charges that go against their faith.
Three Islamic finance experts said in a statement the card “complies with Islamic Laws and Muslims can avail of this product.”
Of course, non-Muslims may want one too, Kalair said.
Benefits include no monthly fee, no transaction fees and discounts on flights with Etihad Airways, which flies from Toronto to Abu Dhabi.
According to a 2001 census, there are 580,000 Muslims living in Canada.
Kalair estimates the number is now one million.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/business/08-north-americas-first-muslim-mastercard-due-to-launch-ts-04
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Al-Quran Studies & Teachings Fatwa Briefing
14 Apr, 2010
Non-muslim students can follow lessons on Islamic Religious Knowledge and learn to read the Al-Quran. However, they cannot touch or carry the mushaf al-Quran. This in turn means that they cannot own, borrow or bring home the mushaf al-Quran. This was stressed upon in the Al-Quran and Islamic Religious Knowledge Studies and Teachings Fatwa briefing for non-muslim students in religious and general schools, this morning.
The briefing was delivered by the Istinbat Officer at the State Mufti Department, Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Pengarah Haji Mokti. On the other hand, the Religious Research Officer, at the State Mufti Department, Haji Awang Mohamad Sofian bin Awang Tengah, in his briefing highlighted on one's state of cleanliness. He said that these students are forbidden to touch or carry the al-Quran but they are allowed to copy and write verses of the al-Quran without touching it.
Earlier, the Director of Islamic Religious Studies, Awang Haji Ismail bin Haji Abdul Manap, in his speech, explained that four hundred and fifty-three non-muslim students studying in religious schools throughout the country. The briefing was presented to officers of the Islamic Studies Department, Arabic school principals, headmasters and teachers of religious schools as well as head of religious teachers at primary and secondary schools. The briefing was hoped to be able to directly clarify on the Islamic decree standing pertaining to the non-muslim students who are studying the Al-Quran and Islamic Religious Knowledge, in order to remove any doubts. It was also to enable teachers to be more confident in teaching the al-Quran and Islamic Religious Knowledge to non-muslim students.
http://www.rtbnews.rtb.gov.bn/?c=newsDetail&news_id=7879
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Youth Milad held at Pak Consulate in Houston
April 14, 2010
HOUSTON: A ceremony in connection with Milad-un-Nabi was held at Consulate of Pakistan in Houston Texas.
A large number of Pakistani youth attended the Milad. The youth recited poems eulogizing Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) and also read essays on the life of Prophet. A quiz competition on the life of Prophet was also held and various gifts were distributed amongst participants.
A written essay and calligraphy competition was also held and top three position-holders received book prizes from Consul General Mohammad Aqil Nadeem.
All participants in Milad were also given appreciation certificated by the Consulate. On this occasion an exhibition of calligraphic work of Ms. Sobia was also on display and participants showed keen interest in the artwork.
Ustad Faraz Khan was a special speaker for the Milad and he delivered a thought-provoking lecture of the life of Prophet.
http://thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=102811
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Russia foils 10 terror attacks; detains 170 militants
April 13, 2010
Russia today said that it has arrested 170 insurgents so far this year after foiling 10 terror attacks, weeks after over 50 people were killed in back-to-back suicide bombings in the country.
Chairman of the National Anti-terrorism Committee and FSB security service Director Alexander Bortnikov also claimed that the perpetrators of the terror attacks on the Moscow metro and Dagestan's town of Kizlyar have been identified, without mentioning their details.
"The people behind the Moscow metro blasts and another attack in the Daghestani town of Kizlyar have been identified. The circle of accomplices has been established," he said.
Interfax quoted him as saying that "more than 170 militants and their accomplices have been detained since the start of the year, and ten terror attacks have been prevented. Over 150 kilograms of explosives and 100 improvised bombs have been seized from militants."
Bortnikov said recent terror attacks in Moscow and the North Caucasus demonstrated that the main goal of terrorists was to sow fear and destabilise the country.
"These attempts have no prospects as state security measures will be stepped up and the terrorist would have to face a tough response," the Russian security chief cautioned.
He said some arrests have been also made in connection with the twin Moscow blasts and a circle of accomplices has been exposed. Together with the Interior Ministry and the Investigations Committee under the Prosecutor General's Office, the necessary operations and search events and investigative actions are underway, he said.
Full report at: hindustantimes.com/world-news/world/Russia-foils-10-terror-attacks-detains-170-militants/Article1-530771.aspx
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Radical Yemeni cleric the new bin Laden?
Heather Murdock
14 Apr, 2010
SAN'A, Yemen | In his online lectures, Anwar al-Awlaki looks like a passionate professor. His arguments are thoughtful and well-researched, and his voice is steady and clear. Videos of his speeches have gone viral, receiving hundreds of thousands of hits, and his words resonate deeply with disaffected young Muslims, angered by what they see as Western attacks on Islam.
"We are fighting for truth and justice, and you are fighting for oppression," he said in a March video calling for young American Muslims to wage a "holy war" against the U.S. Many YouTube users responded with blessings, thanks and vows to join the jihad.
Terrorism specialists say Mr. al-Awlaki could be more influential than Osama bin Laden, especially among potential radicals within the U.S. Last week, Mr. al-Awlaki, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Yemen, reportedly was put on a CIA hit list.
Here in Yemen's capital, the cleric already seems like a ghost. Imams who preached with him in the mid-2000s say they now fear acknowledging that they even know him. Many people, including high-ranking officials, said they heard his name for the first time after he made headlines for supporting the Fort Hood, Texas, shootings.
In a cobblestone market in San'a's medieval Old City, a young man in white thobe, with an ornate traditional jambiya knife in his belt, said he knew Mr. al-Awlaki for two years when they both were local preachers.
Full report at: washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/13/radical-yemeni-cleric-the-new-bin-laden/
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Amend Hindu Marriage Act, demand Khaps
C B SINGH
Apr 14, 2010
Kurukshetra : A Maha Khap Panchayat, claiming representation of 36 khap panchayats spread across Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, on Tuesday struck a defiant note and resolved to fight in favour of those sentenced to death for killing a couple who had married in the same gotra (sub-caste).
Denying that any diktat was issued for killing Manoj and Babli, the Mahapanchayat decided to take up the case of the convicts in the murder case by collecting Rs 10 from each family in Haryana and hiring senior lawyers as part of their action plan. They would also organise agitations and road blocks to disrupt traffic. On Tuesday, too, the Kurukshetra-Kaithal highway was blocked for some time to mark their protest.
The Mahapanchayat, which was convened in the wake of a landmark verdict by a Karnal court a fortnight ago, which had sentenced five accused in the murder case to death and one to life imprisonment, demanded an amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act to ban marriages in the same sub-castes. It said the Haryana government should support the Khap Panchayats in this regard, failing which they would gherao Parliament as well Haryana Assembly.
Full report at: www.indianexpress.com/news/Amend-Hindu-Marriage-Act--demand-Khaps/606139
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War is Boring: In Somalia, a Three-Way Battle over Popular Radio
David Axe
14 Apr 2010
On April 3, the Islamic armed group Hizbul Islam threatened to shut down FM radio stations in the areas it controls in the country's south. The group accused the stations of playing music it deemed "un-Islamic."
"You have only 10 days to prepare for new programs to substitute for those evil voices to which you are accustomed," Hizbul Islam spokesman Moalim Hashi said.
Then on April 9, al-Shabab, a rival Islamic group and the major power throughout much of southern Somalia, targeted the BBC's radio broadcasts. For a decade the government-subsidized British news organization has licensed news content in three languages -- Somali, Arabic and English -- to a number of Somali radio stations.
But now al-Shabab has issued a decree banning the BBC from its territory. "The BBC belongs to the British and carries a voice fulfilling the agenda of the colonizers regarding Muslims," the decree read.
"The BBC makes war against Muslims and Islam and advocates not having an Islamic state in the country," the decree continued. "It is spreading news which is not founded on facts, and exaggerates the ideas of Westerners -- which is confusing to Muslim Somalis."
The decree also accused the BBC of "making propaganda" on behalf of "Christian agencies" and the Transitional Federal Government in Mogadishu that is backed by the U.S., U.N. and African Union.
Full report at: worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/5411/war-is-boring-in-somalia-a-three-way-battle-over-popular-radio
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Lebanese mark war's outbreak with political soccer
By ZEINA KARAM
Apr 14, 2010
BEIRUT: Rival Lebanese politicians took their disputes to the playing fields Tuesday with a friendly soccer match to mark the 35th anniversary of the outbreak of the country's 1975-90 civil war.
There were no spectators in the stadium, however, because of a two-year old regulation prohibiting audiences at soccer stadiums following incidents of sectarian violence during games.
“We are one team” was the slogan for the 30-minute match played by ministers and legislators and attended by the Lebanese president.
On April 13, 1975, an ambush by Christian gunmen of a busload of Palestinians sparked a civil war that lasted 15 years, killed 150,000 people and caused $25 billion in damage.
Almost two decades after war ended, the country enjoys a precarious peace but this small Mediterranean nation, home to 18 religious sects, is still sharply split along sectarian and political lines with occasional outbreaks of sectarian violence.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article43011.ece
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Karzai's New Plan to Deceive the World and Ignore the People of Afghanistan
Khalid Mirzamir
14 Apr, 2010
If Mr. Karzai thinks that the coalition forces are going to leave Afghanistan soon and it is wise to rush and make premature deals with the Taliban, he is mistaken. It is better for him to consult the citizens of Afghanistan and arrange a referendum regarding important national matters, says Khalid Mirzamir.
After the 9/11 disaster in New York and Washington, the whole world was shocked and woken up. Following that event Western countries headed by the USA decided to move into Afghanistan to remove the Taliban’s cruel regime and destroy the Al Qaeda terrorist network which was operating under the protection of the Taliban. Upshot, the Coalition troops with the cooperation of the resistance forces on the ground they succeeded to remove the Taliban terror regime in a very short period of time.
Immediately after the collapse of the Taliban regime, in Bonn, Germany a conference was held by the United Nations, Western countries and some Afghan figures to set up an interim government headed by Mr. Hamid Karzai (who had no experience and lack of leadership) in Afghanistan.
During the first few years of post Taliban governments (interim and transitional governments ) Mr. Karzai was surrounded by powerful Mujahedeen and resistance figures and he was always thinking of and planning how to get rid of them rather than thinking about the dangers of the Taliban rearming and regrouping. During that period Mr. Karzai’s main concern was how to consolidate his power and how to appoint his friends to high government positions.
Full report at: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=38421
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Gita quits over Amnesty’s pro-Jihadi tilt
Apr 13, 2010
London : Gita Sahgal, a senior Indian-origin official at Amnesty International, under suspension for complaining that the human rights body was too closely linked to a pro-jihadi group, has quit her job, saying her 7-years campaigning for women's rights had been a waste of time.
Sahgal claimed the Amnesty's links with Moazzam Begg, a former inmate at Guantanamo Bay, and his organization Cageprisoners were undermining its campaigns.
She was suspended as the interim head of Amnesty's gender unit in February after the e-mail she sent to her bosses criticising the links with Begg was made public.
53-year-old Sahgal said that she felt that her seven years' campaigning for women's rights had been a waste of time due to the charity's continuing work with the former prison-camp detainee and his group.
"Their continued link to Moazzam Begg and Cageprisoners undermines Amnesty's claims to stand against gender-based violence and religious discrimination," she said.
"He supports Islamic states where women are second-class citizens," she said.
Cageprisoners, a pressure group, has defended some jihadi Muslim prisoners, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks.
42-year-old Begg is part of an Amnesty-hosted tour that is urging countries to offer a haven to former Guantanamo detainees.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/gita-quits-over-amnestys-projihadi-tilt/605866/
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Sania Mirza: From toast of India to breadcrumb of Dubai?
by Masood Hasan
14 Apr, 2010
Sania Mirza might soon realise that ashift from leafy Hyderabad to desert( ed) Dubai is not quite stunning breadcrumb
POOR Sania Mirza.What has her heart done to her head? From the toast of India to the breadcrumb of Dubai? Double fault indeed. Ask for a replay. Challenge the lineman.
Take on the chair umpire.
Throw a tantrum. Please.
Here she was, the buzz of India, making one international appearance after another, even winning some tournaments now and then, possibly the highest paid athlete of her huge country, a fabulous advertisement for ‘ Incredible India’, and raking in advertising endorsements right, left and centre. And then she does a double fault, loses her serve, loses the game, the set and the match to the munda from Sialkot.
Had she asked me for advice on getting married I would have repeated what G. K. Chesterton said. “ Don’t.” But she didn’t ask so that is water under the bridge or ball over the net.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Sudan elections show up deep divides
By ANDREW HEAVENS|REUTERS
Apr 13, 2010
KHARTOUM: Sudan's elections were set up under a peace deal designed to unify the country — but in Khartoum they are showing up the oil-producing nation's deep divides.
In the center of the desert capital, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has rolled out a slick operation with video displays, banners, t-shirted volunteers and long lines of police and security officers outside polling stations voting en masse.
Just forty minutes drive away from the center a different scene is unfolding.
Walking through the sprawling slums on the outskirts of Khartoum — home to hundreds of thousands of refugees from the south, Darfur and other parts of Sudan's periphery — you might not know the country was half way through its first multi party vote in almost a quarter of a century.
Any spark of election fever that might have been building up was snuffed out by the last minute withdrawal of Yasir Arman, presidential candidate for south Sudan's dominant Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).
The SPLM is boycotting most voting in northern Sudan, complaining that President Omar Bashir's NCP has rigged the vote.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article42867.ece
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Anwar Fails In Bid To Commence Qazaf Proceeding Against Former Aide
APRIL 14, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) - Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday failed in his bid to get the syarie prosecution to commence qazaf (criminal defamation) proceeding against his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Syariah High Court judge Mohd Shukor Sabudin, in allowing a preliminary objection by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Major General (Rtd) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, and two other respondents, to dismiss the application by Anwar, held that the court had no jurisdiction over the matter.
The task of prosecuting was the absolute discretion of the prosecution, he added.
He said Anwar's application was an attempt to abuse the court process.
Anwar, who is Permatang Pauh member of parliament, filed the application last Jan 7.
He named Jamil Khir, Federal Territory (FT) chief syarie prosecutor Shamsuddin Hussain and FT Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) director Datuk Che Mat Che Ali as respondents.
Anwar, when met outside the court, said he would appeal agaisnt the decision.
The three respondents were represented by counsel Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, Roslizam Rahim and Mohd Firdaus Mohd Arifin, while Anwar was represented by syarie lawyer Kamar Aniah Kamaruzaman.
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=490562
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All eyes were on Manmohan, Gilani handshake
Siddharth Varadarajan
14 Apr, 2010
Washington: Among all possible gestural permutations when 47 world leaders gather together in one room, the meeting of hands which everyone seemed to be waiting for was between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani.
The two Prime Ministers met at the Walter E. Washington convention centre in downtown Washington, venue of the Nuclear Security Summit which got under way on Monday evening with a reception hosted by President Barack Obama.
Prime Minister Gilani strode up to Dr. Singh and the two men greeted each other warmly.
According to Vishnu Prakash, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Dr. Singh and Mr. Gilani “exchanged pleasantries.” As he was himself not present, he was unable to add any further details, despite being peppered with questions by enthusiastic reporters.
This was Dr. Singh and Mr. Gilani's first encounter since their July 2009 interaction on the sidelines of the Nonaligned Summit at Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao ruled out the possibility of Prime Minister Singh meeting formally with Mr. Gilani in Washington. But Indian officials say the two leaders are likely to meet each other in Thimphu later this month during the SAARC summit and have a more substantive interaction than Monday's handshake, warm and effusive though it appears to have bee
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/14/stories/2010041465041400.htm
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King Abdullah receives Mulroney, Al-Hakim
Apr 14, 2010
RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah held talks here on Tuesday with former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who expressed his happiness over visiting the Kingdom.
The talks were attended by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, deputy commander of the National Guard for executive affairs, and other officials.
King Abdullah also received Ammar Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, chairman of the Supreme Islamic Council in Iraq and discussed issues of mutual concern.
Foreign Minister Prince Saud and Deputy Intelligence Chief Prince Abdul Aziz bin Bandar and other officials attended the meeting.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article42970.ece
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Kaira asks West to support Pakistan in war against terror
14 Apr, 2010
ISLAMABAD: The West should support Pakistan in the war on terror as this is not a war against an individual, a group or an organisation but it is a war to change the extremist mindset of the people, which is threatening not only Pakistan but the whole region and the world, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Tuesday.
In a meeting with a UK media delegation, various matters related to the media in the country as well as political and regional issues came under discussion during the interactive meeting.
Kaira said Pakistan’s democratic experience had not been continuous due to repeated interventions and this was why democracy was still in its infancy in Pakistan.
Discussing the 18th Amendment Bill, the minister said the 1973 constitution had been badly de-shaped by dictators to provide legitimacy and perpetuation to their authoritarian regimes.
“By introducing the 18th Amendment bill, the PPP-led government has made a Herculean effort to restore the constitution to its original shape and intended spirit,” he said. app
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\04\14\story_14-4-2010_pg7_17
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Nigerian police fined for killing sect leader's father-in-law
APRIL 14, 2010
A Nigerian court has ordered police to pay 100 million naira (666,400 dollars) in damages to the family of the father-in-law of a slain Islamic militant leader who was himself also killed, officials said Wednesday.
Baba Fugu Mohammed -- father-in-law of Mohammed Yusuf, the slain leader of the Boko Haram sect -- was allegedly killed after surrendering himself to the police in Maiduguri in the aftermath of the sect's rebellion last July in which more than 800 people were killed.
The Boko Haram leader was killed by the police shortly after his capture.
Court officials said a state high court in Maiduguri, capital of northeastern Borno State, on Tuesday ordered the police authorities to compensate Baba Fugu's family for the killing.
"Apart from the 100 million naira damages, the court also ordered the police to exhume the body of Baba Fugu Mohammed from wherever it was buried and hand it over to the family for a proper burial in accordance with Islamic rites," court official Bukar Zanna told AFP.
The court also ordered the police to offer a public apology to Baba Fugu's family, he said.
The judgement followed a suit filed by Baba Fugu's eldest son, Babakura Fugu, in February against the police and President Umaru Musa Yar'adua for the killing of his father, who was 72 when he was killed.
A father of 27, Baba Fugu was Yusuf's father-in-law for 10 years.
"We are happy with this judgement which I believe will go a long way in assuaging the pains the family has been going through since the death of our father in the hands of the police," Babakura Fugu, a school teacher, told AFP.
http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=100414124525.4sldk1fo.php
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Born in Pakistan with disorder, ‘reborn’ in India at 47
Jinal Shah
Apr 14, 2010
Mumbai : Born with multiple complications in Shakar near Karachi 47 years ago, Saleem Abdul Rashid Mohammad was the weakest of six children. He started walking at the age of 12, had little control of his neck, and struggled with his speech.
Later diagnosed with dystonia, Saleem was operated at Jaslok Hospital last week. He now says he has had a rebirth in India.
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterised by involuntary muscle contractions, which force certain parts of the body into abnormal postures. Saleem was diagnosed with the condition in 1996 and put on medication ever since.
He managed with the help of physiotherapy for over 30 years, and would sit at his general store in Karachi, till he lost control of both his legs. “Till 1996 he used to walk up to our general store and sit there for six hours at a stretch. Suddenly he complained of weakness and was bedridden. We had to bathe him, feed him, he was completely dependent,” says younger brother Naser, 32.
Full report at: indianexpress.com/news/born-in-pakistan-with-disorder-reborn-in-india-at-47/606097/
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Haj minister congratulates Tawafa body for its services
By BADEA ABU AL-NAJA
Apr 13, 2010
MAKKAH: Minister of Haj Fouad Al-Farsy congratulated the Tawafa Establishment for Non-Arab African Pilgrims for attaining the ISO 9001-2008 certification for its services to thousands of Haj pilgrims.
The minister said the certification is a sign of the distinguished services that the establishment offers pilgrims. The establishment previously attained the certification in 2000.
The minister’s commendations came in a cable sent by him to Abdul Wahid Seifuddin, chairman of the establishment.
Thanking the minister for his encouraging words, Seifuddin said his organization would strive to offer the best possible services to pilgrims.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article42448.ece
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Pakistani scholar Dr Israr Ahmed Died
APRIL 14, 2010
Dr Israr Ahmed Died: Dr. Israr Ahmed (اسرار احمد ), born April 26, 1932 and Died April 14, 2010 at 3am at his home in Lahore,Pakistan. Dr Israr had spent the last four decades in reviving Quran centered Islamic philosophy and staunchly believed in the establishment of an Islamic political system in the country. Dr. Israr was suffering from back pain and heart disorders for a long time and his funeral prayers will be held on Wednesday in Lahore.
Dr Israr Ahmed has to his credit over 60 books on different aspects of Islam and religion, nine of which have been translated in English. He was also bestowed with a Sitara-e-eImtiaz in 1981 for his services in the field of religion. His followers are found all across the world particularly in the sub-continent, Middle East and North America. He also delieverd lectures in a program on an international 24 religious television channel.
http://www.newsgone.com/dr-israr-ahmed-died-8726.htm
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Lajpat Nagar blast: Death sought for 4 convicts
Apr 14, 2010
NEW DELHI: The prosecution on Tuesday sought death penalty for four of the accused, who were convicted by a sessions court for murder in the 1996 Central Market blast case. The court, after hearing the arguments, deferred the pronouncement of sentence to April 17.
"Keeping in view the fact that 13 innocent persons lost their life in the blast, the four convicts do not deserve any leniency... they should be awarded the severest punishment that is death penalty," said additional public prosecutor S K Dass.
Six members of JKIF — Mohd Naushad, Mohd Ali Bhatt, Mirza Nissar Hussain, Javed Ahmed Khan, Farooq Ahmed Khan and Farida Dar — were held guilty on April 8 in connection with Lajpat Nagar blast case.
The prosecutor also demanded the maximum prescribed sentences against Farooq and Farida who were convicted under milder penal provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.
Earlier, countering the prosecution argument, senior advocate Aman Lekhi who was appearing for Farida, said:
"The convict lady has been acquitted of severe charges pertaining to murder and conspiracy. Punishing her just for the sake of awarding punishment would amount to following the retribution theory, which is a thing of past."
Defence lawyer Khalil Ansari, appearing for the other five convicts, added: "The case does not fall under the rarest of rare category warranting imposition of the capital punishment as almost all the convicts were teenagers at the time of incident and could be reformed."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Lajpat-Nagar-blast-Death-sought-for-4-convicts/articleshow/5798892.cms
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Govt must reveal what caused riots in Hyderabad
14 Apr, 2010
NORMALCY has returned to the old city of Hyderabad after two weeks of communal tension. The police completely lifted the curfew under 25 police station limits on Monday.
People are still wondering what had gone wrong with Hyderabad suddenly. For, there have not been any communal riots here for almost one and a half decades; the last time the city witnessed major communal clashes was after the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya. Though there have been a few instances of communal strife, the situation was brought under control within a few hours, without any need to impose curfew.
Since this historic city attained a global image of being a hub of information technology and got transformed into a hi- tech city, there has been a major change in the mindset of the people. The youth in the old city have become more career oriented and communal issues do not really evoke their interest. For the last few years, there have been several instances of people displaying communal harmony — of Hindus participating in Muharram processions and Muslim groups making arrangements for the supply of drinking water and food packets during Ganesh Nimajjanam ( idol immersion) celebrations.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Sudan vote errors hit southern turnout
14 Apr, 2010
KHARTOUM/JUBA—South Sudanese officials said on Tuesday poor logistics were preventing hundreds of thousands of southerners from voting in their first election in 24 years, with some early turnout figures below 10 percent.
Voting began on Sunday and had been due to last three days, but authorities announced a two-day extension until Thursday to allow more time for the complex presidential, legislative and gubernatorial polls in Africa’s largest country.
The vote seeks to transform the oil producer, emerging from decades of civil war, into a democracy, but the main opposition announced a boycott on grounds of fraud. Opposition groups that did take part said on Monday the process could not be rescued. The election looks likely to confirm the 21-year rule of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the only sitting head of state wanted by the International Criminal Court to face charges of war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur. He rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction. “The elections so far have been a slow process with many pockets of confusion and polling stations facing major obstacles in logistics,” Anne Itto, a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), told reporters.
Full report at: http://dailymailnews.com/0410/14/FrontPage/FrontPage13.php
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