Son pleads for help as mother awaits stoning in Iran
A survey that has bared society’s moral bankruptcyLecturer’s hand amputation: Heinous Act
The imam who was FBI informer leaves US
Saudi prince to launch news channel
Australia a 'Godforsaken country' – group
Mullah Omar still at large: Taliban
Assad, Ahmadinejad, Erdogan planning visits to Beirut
Hizbul chief holds 'anti-India' rally in Islamabad
16 killed in Mogadishu clashes
Three schools blown up in Bajaur, Peshawar
Militants have destroyed about 90 schools in Bajaur during the last two years.
Pak gets tough on jihadi bands but exempts JuD
Afghanistan urges Pak to tackle terror
Student found dead in Uttar Pradesh madrassa
“Samad not connected to German Bakery blast”
Israeli soldier faces manslaughter charges
Islamabad denies fresh ban order on Saeed’s movements
Saudi Arabia: Country to become a knowledge hub’
Bangladesh passport problem sorted out
Nigeria: No Sharia Law Without Penal Code - Gov Aliyu
Indonesia: The Dark Side of Jama’ah Ansharut Tauhid
Wolverhampton County Council adopts Sharia Law
Kenya's constitutional vote on sharia courts pits Muslims against Christians
China's Uighurs face web blocks one year after riots
French Opp To Boycott Vote On Burqa Ban
Put Kashmir issue on hold: Pok 'PM'
Army out in Srinagar as turmoil worsens
NIA moves court for NBW against Headley
Salahuddin wades into J&K upsurge
Poor governance behind Kashmir ire?
4 civilians killed in Kashmir firing, Srinagar under curfew
BJP to govt: Confirm whether Ishrat was LeT operative
Infiltration attempts into Kashmir increasing: Antony
Woman killed by stray bullet during protest in Srinagar
Terror outfits thrive by changing names
China going slow on Pak nuclear deal ahead of Zardari visit to Beijing
Britain to hand control of Afghan area to US forces: Reports
Army may be deployed as violence escalates in Kashmir
Iran sends EU letter on conditions for N-talks
Most Iran Air jet flights banned in Europe
Israeli and Turkish generals still talking amid row
French parliament debates ban on burqa-style veils
Sharif urges Pakistan neutrality on Afghanistan
Hundreds of thousands attend funeral for Sayyed Fadlallah
Kabul Dreams brings fresh-faced pop to Afghanistan
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Sakine Mohammedie Ashtiani awaiting stoning to death for adultery
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Son pleads for help as mother awaits stoning in Iran
07 Jul. 10
Sajjad Mohammedie Ashtiani travels to a Tabriz jail in Iran every Monday to see his mother.
And for 15 minutes each week, he speaks to his mother, Sakine Mohammedie Ashtiani, through the prison glass that divides them.
Neither mother nor son ever know if the visit will be their last.
Convicted of adultery in 2006, Ashtiani has been sentenced to be stoned to death for her alleged crime.
Originally sentenced to 99 lashes for her alleged "illicit relationship outside of marriage," Ashtiani endured that punishment in front of her then 17-year-old son.
"The authorities asked if I wanted to wait outside. I said no. I could not leave my mother alone."
Sajjad says it is a day he will never forget. But, he says, that day he thought the worst was over.
"I was thinking, OK, they hit her, now it's finished. They told me this process was finished. She's done. She's free to go. "
But then a judges' panel in Tabriz suspected Ashtiani of being involved in her husband's murder and re-opened her case.
She was cleared of the murder charges, but the panel re-examined Ashtiani's adultery sentence, and based on unspecified "judges' knowledge," decided she should be put to death for the alleged affair.
"At that time it should have been finished. They should have punished her only once," says her son. "Her documents say she is innocent. She paid for the crime five years ago."
Human rights activist Mina Ahadi, herself forced to flee a death sentence in Iran almost 30 years ago, has also taken up Ashtiani's cause, working with Sajjad and his sister Farideh to get their message out.
She says pressure from outside Iran can make a difference.
"Legally, it's all over, and we have no chance. It's a done deal. Sakine can be stoned at any minute. But we have experienced again and again that when we organize events world-wide, when we protest world-wide, and in particular when we contact European governments and these governments put pressure on the Islamic regime in Iran, sometimes we have a chance."
So far, there has been no response from Iranian officials about the Ashtiani case.
And with all legal appeals virtually exhausted, Sajjad says the Tabriz court has told him there is only one thing that can stop his mother's imminent execution.
"They told me if supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei ... or Judiciary Chairman Sadegh Larijani grant my mother a letter of pardon, she will go free."
Sajjad says he traveled to Tehran six times to obtain that letter, but has been unable to gain an audience with either man.
But he refuses to give up. He is turning to the international community in hopes the Iranian government will hear his voice.
"It is crucial I tell these men what I have to say.
"Dear Mr. Khamenei, Mister Ahmadinejad, and Mister Larijani:
"All I ask for is a letter. I want a letter for my dear mother. Please write this letter of pardon because she is innocent, 100 percent innocent. If you do not have respect for what I am saying, just take a look at her file. You will see she is innocent.
"To the people of the world, I want to say, for this situation we are in: Help us. Whoever can tell the government to stop this, please do. If you can pressure Ayatollah Khamenei or Sadegh Larijani to give my family a letter, please get them to send it to us."
Sajjad knows he is taking a risk by speaking out so publicly, but says he is not afraid for his own safety.
"I am just fighting for what is right," he says.
"My mother is a housewife, a good person, a caring mother," Sajjad says.
And she has grown weary of what seems to be a punishment without end.
On his last visit with her she told him, "I can't stay in this prison any longer."
And so Sajjad and his sister Farideh are reaching out in any way they can to try and save their mother's life.
In their open letter to the international community circulated on websites, Facebook pages and through human rights organizations late last week their anguish is clear.
"Today we stretch out our hands to the people of the whole world," the letter reads. "It is now five years that we have lived in fear and in horror, deprived of motherly love. Is the world so cruel that it can watch this catastrophe and do nothing about it?
"We resort to the people of the world, no matter who you are and where in the world you live. Help to prevent this nightmare from becoming reality. Save our mother.
"We are unable to explain the anguish of every moment, every second of our lives. Words are unable to articulate our fear."
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/07/06/iran.stoning/index.html
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A survey that has bared society’s moral bankruptcy
Jul 7, 2010
SOME alarming statistics have been presented which showed the depth of depravity into which the criminally disposed elements in society can descend. What is worse, the criminally disposed elements in question are not isolated persons or pariahs or members of any group on the fringe or jailbirds but very much a part of society and family. A study jointly done by Bangladesh Protibondhi (Disabled) Foundation and Save the Children Sweden-Denmark on ‘Exploring Vulnerability of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children with Disabilities’, as reported in Monday’s New Age, came out with findings which are chilling. One in every two children with disabilities is sexually abused, mostly by the family members and relatives. The study covered 216 disabled children aged from seven to 18 years. Intellectually retarded children are more frequent victims of sexual abuse than the children afflicted with visual, aural and physical disabilities, the study showed.
The findings are disturbing in the extreme. Such studies bare the perversity that afflicts the deeper layers of the mind below the veneer of respectability among individuals far more numerous than previously supposed. A disabled person has the right to protection like any citizen, and a little more so by way of understanding and support because of their misfortune. While primarily it is the duty of the government to help them become useful members of society, it is the family and society which need to adopt a positive attitude as a prerequisite for proper rehabilitation and empowerment of the disabled. A minor would have greater claim to love and support in this regard. But if the close and trusted ones try to take advantage of a child’s disability to satisfy their lust, if assailants are lurking in every corner, the helplessness of the child is multiplied many times over.
Two outstanding lessons can be derived from these outrageous and despicable findings. Firstly, a disabled child, especially if they happen to be intellectually retarded, needs closer watch. Secondly, norms and ethics are not operating in private conduct of a large number of people. Sexual abuse is a traumatic experience even for a grown-up victim. How cruelly it can wound a child who is already mentally disoriented can easily be imagined. Parents and guardians must be warned against becoming too much trustful of the people around. Taking the clue from such surveys the social psychologists should try to investigate what ails our society. Perhaps more inculcation of values, more culture and more self-discipline are required to prevent beastly instincts from getting the better of civilised behaviour.
http://www.newagebd.com/2010/jul/07/edit.html
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Lecturer’s hand amputation: Heinous Act
Jul 7, 2010
The heinous attack on a college lecturer in Kerala for allegedly hurting Muslim sentiments has been rightly condemned by all sections of society. However, it's no less a cause for worry that the incident planned and executed by members of a radical outfit, the Popular Front, according to police sources happened in the first place.
This ought to bother the state administration and civil society as it comes amidst reports that extremist groups are trying to build bases in southern India. The assault is attributed to an alleged blasphemy committed by the lecturer while preparing a question paper for students of his college three months ago, following which he was suspended from service. Community organisations had then stepped in to ensure the incident did not blow up and strain communal relations. Sunday's incident threatens to wreck all the good work.
The intolerance of religious and even political organisations and subsequent violent reaction to acts that are perceived to be insulting are unacceptable. No one can be allowed to take law into his hands and no issue, however sensitive, settled arbitrarily and through physical violence. This point is applicable also to political organisations. Kerala has a reasonable record in avoiding communal violence, but the state is prone to political violence.
Organisations like the CPM and RSS have a history of settling political differences through muscle power. If violence is deemed acceptable in settling political disputes, what prevents some other group from using the same logic in case of religious differences? The immediate step, of course, is to book the perpetrators of Sunday's crime and crack down on hate mongers. And political parties mustn't play footsie with extremist outfits of this kind.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Heinous-Act/articleshow/6135665.cms
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The imam who was FBI informer leaves US
By COLLEEN LONG
Jul 7, 2010
NEW YORK: The imam entangled in the investigation into a suicide bomb plot against New York City subway stations left the US Monday on court orders after admitting he lied to the FBI. Among his final words on US soil, his lawyer says, were “God bless America.”
Ahmad Wais Afzali and his wife Fatima took off on a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight to Jeddah and then will go on to Makkah, where Fatima got a job teaching English, said the lawyer, Ron Kuby. Afzali, who was born in Afghanistan but spent most of his life in Queens, is not sure what he's going to do there, Kuby said. Most of his family lives in Virginia, including two children from a previous marriage.
Afzali, under the terms of his plea April 15, was sentenced to time served — four days — but ordered to leave the country in 90 days.
Authorities sought help last fall from the imam, a previously reliable police source, as they scrambled to thwart the plot by Najibullah Zazi, an airport van driver who pleaded guilty in the case.
The 38-year-old imam said he had wanted to help authorities in the investigation of the threat but lied under grilling by the FBI about his phone conversations with Zazi. Afzali lied when he said he never told Zazi that he was under surveillance in New York.
Afzali said that he never meant to aide Zazi or deceive the government. “It was not just something he said at sentencing, he genuinely loves this country very much,” Kuby said. “Unfortunately he was caught in a turf battle between the NYPD and the FBI.”
The electronic monitoring bracelet was removed at around 9:30 a.m., and then a caravan of family and two Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents traveled to John F. Kennedy International Airport. Two agents, dressed casually, accompanied Afzali and his wife to the gate and watched them board.
After considering many places they might move to, and worrying about which places might be safe, Afzali and his wife decided on Saudi Arabia. Afzali does not know what he will do yet, Kuby said. “They’re a family of entrepreneurs,” he said. “Maybe he’ll open an Afghan restaurant in Riyadh.”
Afzali cannot return to the US without special permission. If he does, he is subject to additional charges and could be deported to Afghanistan.
Zazi and two friends were arrested in September 2009 before, prosecutors said, they could carry out a trio of suicide bombings in Manhattan. Zazi and Zarein Ahmedzay have pleaded guilty and admitted planning to detonate homemade bombs on the subway during rush hour. A third man, Adis Medunjanin, awaits trial.
Zazi is cooperating with investigators, key developments that prosecutors hope will help them trace the plot back to its roots in Pakistan, where Zazi and former friends from high school allegedly traveled in 2008 to seek terror training.
http://arabnews.com/world/article80447.ece
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Saudi prince to launch news channel
07 Jul, 2010
RIYADH: A Saudi group controlled by tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said on Tuesday it would launch a regional 24-hour news channel to be headed by prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The new channel “will focus on development in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world on the political, economic and social fronts,” Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said in a statement.
The channel, which will make use of a network of reporters from across Arab countries, will enter a field already dominated by tough competition between Qatar-based Al-Jazeera and the Saudi-controlled Al-Arabiya.
“We no longer have a void in the Arab world as it is now heavily occupied,” Alwaleed acknowledged in the statement.
“Therefore the new news channel is going to become an addition and an alternative for viewers. Our personal aim is to achieve this.”
The statement gave no name for the new channel, and it only said the launch would be in the “near future.”
Khashoggi, a veteran Saudi journalist and editor closely linked to the Al-Faisal wing of the royal family, was named to lead the new channel.—AFP
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/saudi-prince-to-launch-news-channel-770
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Australia a 'Godforsaken country' – group
07 Jul. 10
LEADERS of the global Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir have called on Australian Muslims to spurn secular democracy and Western notions of moderate Islam and join the struggle for a transnational Islamic state.
British Hizb ut-Tahrir leader Burhan Hanif told participants at a conference in western Sydney yesterday that democracy is "haram" (forbidden) for Muslims, whose political engagement should be be based purely on Islamic law.
"We must adhere to Islam and Islam alone," Mr Hanif told about 500 participants attending the convention in Lidcombe.
"We should not be conned or succumb to the disingenuous and flawed narrative that the only way to engage politically is through the secular democratic process. It is prohibited and haram."
Full report at: The Australian
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Mullah Omar still at large: Taliban
Jul 7, 2010
Taliban leader Mullah Omar has not been arrested in Pakistan, a Taliban spokesman has said. Zabeeh Ullah told a TV channel the news of Mullah Omar's arrest was a US and NATO propaganda and claimed that the US was employing such tactics to save face.
He insisted that Mullah Omar was still in Afghanistan, the Nation reported. The US has offered $10 million on information leading to Mullah. The news of Mullah Omar's arrest first appeared on a US blog.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/South-Asia/Mullah-Omar-still-at-large-Taliban/articleshow/6136489.cms
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Assad, Ahmadinejad, Erdogan planning visits to Beirut
Jul 7, 2010
BEIRUT: Lebanon is to witness a flurry of diplomatic visits in the upcoming period, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported on Tuesday.
The CNA on Tuesday quoted ministerial sources saying a number of top Arab and regional officials have expressed to Lebanon their desire to schedule visits to Beirut.
Among the visits, sources said Syrian President Bashar Assad would visit Lebanon this month but that no final date has been scheduled yet.
The CNA said Assad’s visit was aimed at strengthening Lebanese-Syrian bilateral ties.
Last month, President Michel Sleiman discussed with his Syrian counterpart in Damascus the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border.
Assad’s visit will be the second of a Syrian head of state to the Lebanese capital since Lebanon’s independence in 1943 and his second since March 2002.
Full report at: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=116807#ixzz0
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Hizbul chief holds 'anti-India' rally in Islamabad
07 july 2010
Islamabad: Even as the Pakistani government talks about cracking down on terror groups, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin addressed a rally in Islamabad.
Salahuddin made 'anti-India' remarks at that rally, organised by the Pakistan chapter of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) near the radical Lal Masjid.
Salahuddin was among several Kashmiri militant leaders who addressed the rally organised to protest against the alleged human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir.
It was attended by scores of protesters who shouted slogans against the Indian government and the Army.
Full report at:
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/hizbul-chief-holds-anti-india-rally-in-islamabad-36030
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16 killed in Mogadishu clashes
Agence France-Presse . Mogadishu
Fighting between rival factions in Mogadishu killed at least 16 people as chaos engulfed the Somali capital and spurred the war-torn country’s neighbours into action, officials said Tuesday.
Most of the latest victims were combatants killed in several incidents on Monday, as Islamist insurgents continued to close in on the shrivelling perimetre controlled by the government but also fought among themselves.
Violent elements attacked government forces in northern Mogadishu, sparking heavy fighting. They were defeated and several of their fighters were killed,’ government security officer Mohamed Abdirahman said.
‘Two of our soldiers were also killed as well as three civilians who were caught in the crossfire,’ he added.
Full report at: http://www.newagebd.com/2010/jul/07/inat.html
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Three schools blown up in Bajaur, Peshawar
07 Jul, 2010
KHAR, July 6: Two government schools were blown up by militants in the Bai Chena area of Bajaur Agency on Monday night.
Two primary schools, one for boys and the other for girls, were destroyed in Bai Chena, 12 kilometres northwest of the agency headquarters Khar. Local people said about 40 armed men had planted explosives in the schools.
The political administration had imposed dusk to dawn curfew in the area on Sunday.
Assistant political agent Iqbal Khattak confirmed destruction of the schools, saying the administration arrested 13 tribesmen under the collective responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation on Tuesday.
Source: Dawn, Pakistan
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Militants have destroyed about 90 schools in Bajaur during the last two years.
07 Jul, 2010
PESHAWAR: A government boys primary school was blown up in the Katako Pul area in the suburbs of Peshawar early Tuesday morning.
An official of the Ormar police station told Dawn that militants had planted an improvised explosive device in the school, which went off at 4am.
A bomb disposal unit official said the explosive device weighed 3kg.
Meanwhile, police said a 7kg bomb was recovered from a suspected militant in the limits of the Peshtakhara police station on Tuesday.
A police official said the explosive had been placed in a pressure cooker and a resident of Swat, Jamaluddin, was carrying it on his shoulders from the Bara side to Peshawar. He said detonator, batteries, cables and other items were also recovered from the man.
LANDI KOTAL: Security forces arrested a key commander of a banned religious organisation in the Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency here on Tuesday.
Officials said militant commander Younas, belonging to the Haji Namdar group, along with two activists were riding a motorcycle when they were intercepted by security forces at a checkpoint in Bar Qambarkhel.
The three arrested persons were taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/three-schools-blown-up-in-bajaur%2C-peshawar-770
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Pak gets tough on jihadi bands but exempts JuD
Omer Farooq Khan
Jul 7, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Stopping short of ordering a crackdown on various terror groups with India in their cross-hairs, Pakistan’s Punjab province appeared to be reacting to growing anger against terror attacks by ordering tough action against 23 banned extremist militias.
Punjab government, however, did not put Hafiz Saeed’s Jamat-ud-Duwa, LeT’s parent organization, on the list of groups to be watched, only saying on Tuesday that Saeed won’t be allowed to travel overseas.
Protests erupted nationwide after the suicide bombing of Lahore’s most popular Sufi shrine that left 43 dead with even conservative Muslim organizations demanding action against those who bear weapons in the name of Islam. Since the attack on Saturday, police have arrested scores of suspects from Lahore and neighbouring areas, claiming they were Afghanistan-trained terrorists.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan/Pak-gets-tough-on-jihadi-bands-but-exempts-JuD/articleshow/6136664.cms
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Afghanistan urges Pak to tackle terror
Jul 7, 2010
Afghanistan's national security adviser has called on the Pakistani government to "take serious measures" against Islamist groups launching attacks on Afghan targets from secure havens inside Pakistan.
Rangin Dadfar Spanta comments signal an about-turn by the Afghan government after months of overtures to prompt Pakistan to deal with militant groups.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/South-Asia/Afghanistan-urges-Pak-to-tackle-terror/articleshow/6136504.cms
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“Samad not connected to German Bakery blast”
Vinaya Deshpande
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) did not arrest, detain or interrogate Abdul Samad Mohammed Zarrar Sidibapa in connection with the blast in Pune's German Bakery, and he was booked only under the Arms Act, counsel for Samad, Mubin Solkar, said here on Tuesday.
Mr. Solkar was addressing a press conference, at which Abdul Samad was present
Mr. Solkar said: “The ATS has always maintained that they did not detain Samad in relation to the German Bakery blast case. He is not even a suspect. Despite tremendous pressure, they [the ATS] did not falsely implicate Samad. We appreciate that.”
http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/07/stories/2010070763380100.htm
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Israeli soldier faces manslaughter charges
Jul 7, 2010
JERUSALEM: Israel's military is for the first time to prosecute a soldier for killing civilians during the December 2008-January 2009 Gaza war, said the Army on Tuesday, while dismissing dozens of other cases.
The Army said it would press manslaughter charges against a soldier for allegedly shooting dead two Palestinian women who were waving white flags, in one of several disciplinary steps to be taken after an internal investigation.
“The Military Advocate-General has decided to indict a number of officers and soldiers for their conduct during the operation,” said an Army statement.
Among those to be disciplined was a battalion commander accused of sending a Palestinian civilian into a house to persuade gunmen to leave, while a criminal investigation has also been ordered into the bombing of a housing complex.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/07/stories/2010070755891500.htm
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Islamabad denies fresh ban order on Saeed’s movements
Rezaul H Laskar/ M Zulqernain
Pakistani authorities on Tuesday said no fresh order has been issued to ban militant groups working under new names or to impose curbs on foreign travel by individuals like JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, though action will be taken only if evidence is found against them.
Responding to local media reports that 23 militant groups operating under new names have been banned, Law Minister of Punjab province Rana Sanaullah, Lahore police chief Muhammad Aslam Tareen and sources in Islamabad said no notification has been issued with regard to the outlawed organisations or individuals like Saeed.
“The Punjab Government has not issued any new notification banning any proscribed organisation that is working under a new name. They are already banned,” Sanaullah said.
Authorities in Punjab were “planning to crack down on militants if they are related to any banned organisation,” he said.
Full report at:
www.dailypioneer.com/267458/Islamabad-denies-fresh-ban-order-on-Saeed%E2%80%99s-movements.html
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Saudi Arabia: Country to become a knowledge hub’
By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR
Jul 7, 2010
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is making steady steps to become a center for producing and exporting intellectual capital, according to Amr Al-Dabbagh, governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA).
Speaking at a forum organized by the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce in London, he underscored Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s efforts to promote education and training.
“The Kingdom is going to become a center for producing and exporting intellectual capital, instead of a center for consumption and importing. A number of initiatives have been taken to make Saudi Arabia a knowledge-based society,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Al-Dabbagh as telling Saudi and British businessmen and women.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article80428.ece
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Bangladesh passport problem sorted out
7 July 2010
ABU DHABI — Naturalisation and residency departments in the country and the Bangladesh embassy are cooperating to clear the confusion over the new Bangladeshi machine readable passports (MRP) and the old handwritten passports. The government of Bangladesh started issuing the MRPs from April.
Everyday around 10 people enter the UAE holding the new passports, while majority of the travellers still possess the handwritten passports, which led to the confusion.
Major General Nasser Al Awadhi Al Minhali, acting assistant undersecretary for Naturalization, Residency and Ports Affairs at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and Bangladeshi Ambassador to the UAE, Mohammed Nazmul Quaunine held a meeting at the MoI on Monday to resolve the issue.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2010/July/theuae_July148.xml§ion=the
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Nigeria: No Sharia Law without Penal Code - Gov Aliyu
Abu Nmodu
6 July 2010
Minna — Niger State governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, has said that sharia law cannot be practised unless there exists a shariah penal code enacted by the state House of Assembly.
Speaking at a workshop on the proposed shariah penal code law for the state, Dr. Aliyu said as muslims, the proper meaning of shariah must be understood and its significance be applied in their daily lives to avoid the misconceptions given to shariah implementation in the country.
"There had been so many misconceptions about shariah by many people in all parts of the country, including muslims, we need to understand that many things that we take for granted such as failing to keep promises, coming late to appointments, deceit and telling lies are violations of shariah," he declared.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201007070170.html
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Indonesia: The Dark Side of Jama’ah Ansharut Tauhid
07 Jul. 10
Brussels/Jakarta: Divisions and ideological debates generated by Jama’ah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT), an organisation founded by Indonesia’s best-known radical cleric, Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, show the weakness of Indonesia’s jihadi movement.
Indonesia: The Dark Side of Jama’ah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT),* the latest briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines the many facets of JAT, an ostensibly above-ground organisation whose inner circle has had and continues to have ties to fugitive extremists. It has been in the spotlight since May when three of its officials were accused of helping finance a terrorist training camp in Aceh.
Full report at: http://www.crisisgroup.org
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Wolverhampton County Council adopts Sharia Law
Written by Stevey G.
7 July 2010
'Public-Flogging seems a harsh penalty for dog-fouling', argue critics
In a shock statement today, Wolverhampton County Council have announced that they are to adopt Sharia Law principles in their day to day administration of council business.
The Council statement, presented today by local Muslim councillor, Ahmed Zirools, simply stated that as the majority of residents within the borough were Muslim, that it was only 'just and proper' that they were governed, at least in local affairs for now, by 'proper' Muslim laws derived from the Koran, the example of the life of the prophet, Muhammad and the rulings of Islamic scholars (fatwas).
The Councillor went on to confirm that all residents would be judged under the new rules and laws, both muslim and non-muslim alike.
Ahmed Zirools said that there was 'absolutely no cause for alarm' and offered reassurance that 'capital punishment would only apply in the most severe of cases'.
Full report at:
http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s1i78234
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Kenya's constitutional vote on sharia courts pits Muslims against Christians
By Sudarsan Raghavan
July 7, 2010
NAIROBI -- For 13 years, Judge Mudhar Ahmed has worked in relative obscurity, issuing Muslim marriage certificates, divorcing Muslim couples and weighing in on Muslim inheritance disputes. Now, he's facing an issue unlike any he has seen. He has one word to describe it: "Islamophobia."
Ahmed is the head of Nairobi's Kadhis Court, one of 17 judicial bodies that administer sharia, or Islamic law, to Kenya's Muslim minority. The courts were enshrined in the nation's constitution decades ago, but Christian leaders are seeking to remove them from a proposed new constitution, scheduled for a referendum Aug. 4. They argue that Kenya is a secular state and that Muslims should not receive special privileges.
Muslim leaders say the maneuvers are part of an agenda to deny their community rights and undermine their beliefs. "They are creating hatred between Muslims and Christians," said Ahmed, his soft voice hardening.
Full report at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/06/AR2010070605449_pf.html
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China's Uighurs face web blocks one year after riots
Jul 6, 2010
URUMQI, CHINA: For Ruzmammat, the internet is a crucial way of keeping in touch with his Uighur friends in China's Xinjiang region -- a lifeline that was denied to him for 10 months following deadly ethnic riots.
Authorities cut off the web in Xinjiang in the aftermath of violence that erupted a year ago in the regional capital Urumqi between mainly Muslim Uighurs and majority Han Chinese, leaving nearly 200 dead and 1,700 injured.
Access to dozens of websites, largely government-run or national web portals, was restored earlier this year, and most others came back on stream in May.
But three major portals used by Uighurs for news and discussion remain blocked -- a reality which is hindering efforts by members of the Turkic-speaking minority to preserve their culture, experts say.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/China/Chinas-Uighurs-face-web-blocks-one-year-after-riots/articleshow/6133264.cms
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French Opp to Boycott Vote On Burqa Ban
Jul 07th, 2010
France’s Socialist Opposition decided Tuesday to boycott a vote on a bill outlawing the full-face Islamic veil in protest at the sweeping ban that will apply to all public places.
Home to Europe’s biggest Muslim minority, France is set to adopt a bill banning the wearing of the face-covering veil despite warnings from top legal experts that the move may be unconstitutional.
Socialist Party leader Martine Aubry told deputies at a meeting that while they should not vote against the bill, they should not take part in a vote scheduled for July 13, a Socialist party official said.
“We are against the burqa but we believe that the means chosen to outlaw it are not good,” said the party official.
Full report at: http://www.asianage.com/international/french-opp-boycott-vote-burqa-ban-762
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Put Kashmir issue on hold: Pok 'PM'
Jul 07th, 2010
In a major policy shift, the PoK 'Prime Minister' has advised Pakistan government not to link ongoing negotiations with India to resolution of the Kashmir issue, saying this is not the right time as Islamabad's position is "quite weak" due to "internal vulnerabilities".
Raja Farooq Haider suggested that Pakistan should first resolve "small irritants and controversial issues" before finally sorting out the "core issue of Kashmir."
He told 'The News' daily that Pakistan and India should maintain status quo on Kashmir for "some time."
He said he believed that India and Pakistan "should resolve other issues before taking up Kashmir."
It would be "wiser for Pakistan to wait for the right time to restart negotiations" on the Kashmir issue, Haider said.
Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/267401/Put-Kashmir-issue-on-hold-Pok-PM.html
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Army out in Srinagar as turmoil worsens
M Saleem Pandit
Jul 7, 2010
SRINAGAR: After months of calm that had raised hopes of normalcy, Kashmir appears to be getting swept into a spiral of violence again, forcing the authorities to call out the Army across the entire Srinagar city.
“The Army will now take over the entire patrolling responsibility in the city from the CRPF and police,” J&K director-general of police Kuldeep Khoda told TOI. The decision was taken after three more protesters, including a 25-year-old woman, were killed in CRPF firing on Tuesday, bringing the death toll in such incidents to 14 since June 11.
Authorities reimposed curfew in most parts of the Valley, which has been simmering since tempers flared after the killing of a 17-year-old in police action last month.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Army-out-in-Srinagar-as-turmoil-worsens/articleshow/6136564.cms
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NIA moves court for NBW against Headley
Smriti Singh
Jul 7, 2010
NEW DELHI: Even after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) went to the US last month and interrogated David Coleman Headley — one of the main conspirators behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks — in Chicago, the Indian government is still keeping the window of extradition open for Headley, and seven other LeT members, whose names cropped up during the investigations.
The NIA moved a trial court for the issuance of non-bailable warrants (NBW) against Headley and others ‘‘in order to take necessary steps for further investigations like issuing a Red Corner Notice through Interpol’’.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NIA-moves-court-for-NBW-against-Headley/articleshow/6136631.cms
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Salahuddin wades into J&K upsurge
Omer Farooq Khan
Jul 7, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Taking advantage of the new violence in Kashmir, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin on Tuesday addressed a rally in Islamabad to ‘‘denounce human rights violations in Kashmir’’ on Tuesday.
Salahuddin has found himself increasingly isolated as the militant violence in the Valley waned to an all-time low since 1989. Hizbul Mujahideen, which was once J&K’s largest indigenous group, has fragmented and Tuesday’s rally is seen as his desperate attempt to stage a comeback.
Salahuddin assailed Islamabad for trying to please New Delhi and extending a warm welcome to home minister P Chidambaram last month. ‘‘Pakistan’s constant efforts to befriend India are like rubbing salt into the wounds of Kashmiris,’’ he said.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Salahuddin-wades-into-JK-upsurge/articleshow/6136576.cms
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Poor governance behind Kashmir ire?
ARATI R JERATH
Jul 7, 2010
A month of curfews, Army flag marches and heavy patrolling by security forces has failed to douse the flames in Kashmir. With three more deaths reported over the past two days, the toll now stands at 14 since June 11.
What is disturbing is that all the dead were young, unarmed and killed by security men. The oldest was 25 and the youngest just nine years old. It speaks of a dangerous level of frustration and anger among Kashmiri youth who have taken to defying security men in a stunning display of misplaced bravado.
Analysts in Srinagar believe the situation could have been tackled better had the state government of Omar Abdullah and the Centre been more sensitive to the aspirations of the people of Kashmir instead of falling back on political expediency.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Poor-governance-behind-Kashmir-ire/articleshow/6136570.cms
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4 civilians killed in Kashmir firing, Srinagar under curfew
Jul 6, 2010
SRINAGAR: Fresh violence broke out in Kashmir Valley after days of calm, leaving four persons dead and over 70 injured following which indefinite curfew was clamped in Srinagar on Tuesday.
Fayaz Ahmad Wani was killed when security personnel allegedly opened fire at a stone-pelting mob protesting the death of a man after he fell in a drain during a demonstration in Batmaloo area of the city last night.
A 25-year-old woman identified as Fancy was killed by a stray bullet in the same area when security forces fired in air to disperse a mob which went on a rampage and attacked a police building after torching a welfare centre in that premises, police said.
Indefinite curfew was clamped in the city after the latest spell of violence. The state government may approach the Army to assist the authorities in maintaining law and order, sources said.
Full report at: ttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/4-civilians-killed-in-Kashmir-firing-Srinagar-under-curfew/articleshow/6135431.cms
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BJP to govt: Confirm whether Ishrat was LeT operative
Jul 6, 2010
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday asked the government to confirm whether slain Mumbai student Ishrat Jahan was an operative of the Lashkar-e-Taiba as reportedly revealed by Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
"The BJP demands from the government of India to please confirm whether Headley's confession is right or not," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.
Headley has reportedly claimed before NIA officials that Ishrat Jahan, a Mumbai girl killed in a police shootout in Ahmedabad in 2004, was a suicide bomber of the Lashkar.
Prasad said: "The entire approach of the government of India as far as Ishrat Jahan is concerned is scandalous."
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/BJP-to-govt-Confirm-whether-Ishrat-was-LeT-operative/articleshow/6135427.cms
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Infiltration attempts into Kashmir increasing: Antony
Jul 6, 2010
BANGALORE: Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday said infiltration attempts into Kashmir from across the border were increasing with "conscious, calculated attempts" to push more terrorists into the valley.
"The situation is not grim, but is still a matter of concern. As Defence minister, I think compared to the past the situation has improved substantially. Violence levels have come down, tourist visits this year were more than last year. However, infiltration attempts are increasing," he said.
After witnessing the rollout of the naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft, Antony told reporters that when the situation becomes normal, enemies operating from across the border become "panicky and jittery" and problems had been anticipated this summer.
Full report at: ttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Infiltration-attempts-into-Kashmir-increasing-Antony/articleshow/6135264.cms
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Woman killed by stray bullet during protest in Srinagar
Jul 6, 2010
SRINAGAR: A woman was on Tuesday killed after being hit by a stray bullet in Batmaloo locality in Srinagar when security forces fired in air to disperse a mob which went on a rampage and attacked a police building in the area.
The 25-year-old woman was hit while she was watching the incident from the window of her home, senior police officials said quoting preliminary information.
The mob had attacked the police quarters located in the area after torching its welfare centre.
With this, the number of people killed in alleged police firing on Tuesday has risen to two.
Earlier in the day, one person was killed when security personnel allegedly opened fire at a stone-pelting mob protesting the death of a man after falling into a drain in the same area.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Woman-killed-by-stray-bullet-during-protest-in-Srinagar/articleshow/6135090.cms
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Terror outfits thrive by changing names
Omer Farooq Khan
Jul 7, 2010
ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has directed the police to keep a strict vigil on 1,690 office-bearers and workers of terror outfits that have been banned over the last two years in Pakistan, although many have continue to brazenly operate by merely changing the group's name.
Sipah-e-Sahaba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Laskar-e-Taiba, Tehrik-e-Jafria, Harkatul Jihad Islami, Harkatul Mujahideen, Hizbul Tahrir, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Muhammad had been banned by the Pervez Musharraf's government in 2002, but most of them started their activities with new names.
Jaish-e-Muhammad was renamed as Alfurqan and Khuddamul Islam and Lashkar-e-Taiba as Jamaat-ud Dawa. According to the Punjab's home department, Jamaat-ud Dawa activists have not been restricted like others, but Hafiz Saeed and two of his close associates have been barred from travelling abroad. Their bank accounts have also been frozen and they would not be able to get arms licenses, said an official.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan/Terror-outfits-thrive-by-changing-names/articleshow/6136514.cms
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China going slow on Pak nuclear deal ahead of Zardari visit to Beijing
Saibal Dasgupta
Jul 6, 2010
BEIJING: Hours before Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari was due to arrive in Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday appeared reluctant to confirm if an agreement on nuclear reactors between China and Pakistan was in the offing. The foreign ministry discussed plans for agreement in the areas of public health, education and trade but steered clear of discussing the nuclear situation.
What made the omission significant is Shiv Shankar Menon, National Security Adviser telling journalists this morning that India had raised the issue of China’s proposed sale of nuclear reactors to Pakistan on three different occasions.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/China/China-going-slow-on-Pak-nuclear-deal-ahead-of-Zardari-visit-to-Beijing/articleshow/6135167.cms
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Britain to hand control of Afghan area to US forces: Reports
Jul 7, 2010
LONDON: British troops will withdraw from the Sangin area of southern Afghanistan, handing control to US forces which have increased in number due to the American surge strategy, reports said.
Britain's servicemen would be pulled out of the volatile district in the north of Helmand province, which has seen many British fatalities, reported the BBC and the Press Association newswire yesterday, without citing sources.
It is understood the withdrawal of British troops, which number around 1,000 in Sangin, would not begin for several months.
The decision came as President Barack Obama's surge pumps more US forces into Helmand, with the number of United States marines there now numbering 20,000.
Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/UK/Britain-to-hand-control-of-Afghan-area-to-US-forces-Reports/articleshow/6137097.cms
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Army may be deployed as violence escalates in Kashmir
Shujaat Bukhari and Siddharth Varadarajan
TROUBLE IN VALLEY:A relative mourning the victim of police firing in Srinagar on Tuesday being removed from the scene.
Srinagar/New Delhi: With four civilians killed in the past 24 hours and 70 others injured as the police opened fire to quell demonstrations in different parts of Srinagar, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday sought the Army's help in tamping down mass protests that have not abated despite several days of curfew.
The push to seek deployment of the Army in Srinagar in assistance of civil authority was made late on Tuesday night by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, but sources say Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and the Central government are reluctant to draw the armed forces into extended policing duties. Among the limited options being considered is the use of the Army to stage ‘flag marches' in tense areas, but even this kind of limited deployment is seen as fraught with the risk of aggravated confrontation with protesters.
Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/07/stories/2010070763090100.htm
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Iran sends EU letter on conditions for N-talks
07 Jul. 10
State TV says Iran has sent a letter to the European Union detailing its conditions for talks about the country’s nuclear programme and is demanding the EU guarantee there would be no threats against Tehran.
The letter follows President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s announcement a week ago in which he set Iran’s conditions. He said Tehran would not hold such talks until late August to punish the West for the latest UN sanctions imposed on Iran.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/267456/Iran-sends-EU-letter-on-conditions-for-N-talks.html
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Most Iran Air jet flights banned in Europe
07 Jul. 10
The EU has banned most of Iran Air’s jets from flying to Europe due to safety concerns. Spokeswoman Helen Kearns says the airline’s Boeing 727s and 747s, along with its Airbus 320s, have been placed on the EU blacklist effective on Tuesday following a safety audit.
Kearns denied that the move, which affects two-thirds of Iran Air’s fleet, had anything to do with international sanctions against the Islamic republic over its nuclear programme.
Kearns said two more Indonesian carriers, Metro Batavia and Indonesia Air Asia, were removed from the latest list. The blacklist, which is updated regularly, includes 278 companies, mostly from African and Asian nations.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/267455/Most-Iran-Air-jet-flights-banned-in-Europe.html
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Israeli and Turkish generals still talking amid row
By DAN WILLIAMS
Jul 6, 2010
JERUSALEM: Israel's military chief said on Tuesday he had been in contact with his Turkish counterpart in an effort to maintain relations in the midst of a diplomatic row over the deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza aid ship.
Turkey responded to Israel's killing of nine Turkish activists on board the ship on May 31 by withdrawing its ambassador, suspending joint defense exercises and closing Turkish airspace to Israeli military planes.
Turkey's foreign minister was quoted on Monday as threatening to cut ties with Israel altogether unless the Jewish state apologises for the actions of its troops, something the Israeli government has firmly ruled out.
Briefing Israeli lawmakers behind closed doors, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said he had been "personally in touch" with the Turkish chief of staff since the high seas interception, which Israel defended as part of its blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article80228.ece
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French parliament debates ban on burqa-style veils
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jul 6, 2010
PARIS: France's hotly debated bill to ban burqa-style Islamic veils in public is going before parliament, with President Nicolas Sarkozy's government casting the measure as a way to promote equality between the sexes and protect oppressed women.
The bill being debated Tuesday is widely expected to become law, despite the concerns of many French Muslims, who fear it will stigmatize them. Many law scholars also argue it would violate the constitution.
While ordinary Muslim headscarves are common in France, face-covering veils are a rarity — the Interior Ministry says only 1,900 women in France wear them.
Yet the planned law would be a turning point for Islam in a country with a Muslim population of at least 5 million people, the largest in western Europe.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article80150.ece
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Sharif urges Pakistan neutrality on Afghanistan
By ASIF SHAHZAD
Jul 6, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan should stop trying to influence affairs in Afghanistan, the opposition leader said Tuesday, while admitting that the pro-Afghan Taleban policy he pursued when he was prime minister in the 1990s was a failure.
Nawaz Sharif's comments come as he tries to gain political traction and deflect criticism that his party is beholden to extremist elements. Just last week, he pushed the government to open talks with elements of the Pakistani Taleban, and the ruling party agreed to his proposal to hold a national conference on stopping terrorism.
The remarks also come as Pakistan tries to weigh in on reconciliation efforts between Afghanistan's government, the US and the Afghan Taleban. Pakistan's historical interest in Afghanistan is largely a result of its desire to assert itself in the region and attain a strategic advantage over archrival India.
Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article80234.ece
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Hundreds of thousands attend funeral for Sayyed Fadlallah
By Patrick Galey
HARET HREIK: Hundreds of thousands of mourners from across the Islamic world gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Tuesday for the funeral of top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah.
Tuesday was designated as an official day of grievance in order to allow followers to mark the death of Fadlallah, who died from internal bleeding on Sunday, aged 74.
Delegates from regional centers of religious learning joined a sea of male and female marchers, who waved black flags and brandished pictures of the deceased marja in the fierce midday heat. Spiritual leaders from Qom in Iran, Najaf in Iraq and several heads of Sunni communities throughout the Middle East were in attendance.
Full report at: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=116803#
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Kabul Dreams brings fresh-faced pop to Afghanistan
July 07, 2010
KABUL: Guitars strapped to their backs, three trim Afghan youths flash rock star smiles at armed guards who wave them through the steel doors of a private club.
High walls and barbed wire protect the neatly trimmed garden away from Kabul’s troubled streets. It’s here that the young trio, Afghanistan’s first indie-rock band, is launching its debut album.
Less than a decade ago, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, a concert like this would have landed them in jail. Playing musical instruments was banned. Singing was allowed, but only songs praising Allah or the Taliban.
Today, Kabul Dreams, as the band is named, is paving the way for a very modest but growing local rock scene.
About 100 Afghans and foreigners gather around a makeshift stage with improvised lighting and a sputtering sound system.
Singer and guitarist Suleman Qardash repeatedly screams “I wanna run away” – the album’s title track – as drummer Mujtaba Habibi ramps up the beat.
Full report at: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=4&Article_id=116783#ixzz0
7:11 AM
Sultan Shahin
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