Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin

Islamic World News
01 Oct 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com
Verdict an opportunity to spread teachings of Islam: Khan

Another fall and we may not rise again: Justice Khan tells parties

Ayodhya Verdict: Muslim groups disappointed

Ayodhya verdict: The view from Ground Zero

Ayodhya verdict surprises govt, surpasses saffron hopes

Gulf Indians divided on Ayodhya verdict

Lucknow youngsters react with maturity

'Verdict makes me feel like a 2nd-class citizen'

Congress should build a mosque, says Babri Action Committee

How the Lord became a litigant

Belief of Hindus upheld: Former Minister

Have talks with Muslims for Ram temple: Uma Bharti

New Mohammed cartoon book out in Denmark

Netherlands to ban the burqa, says anti-Islam MP

Cameras used to spy on Muslims in UK

World’s first ‘cyber superweapon’ attacks China

Indonesia considering moving its bursting capital

Dutch Politician Wilders Faces Hate Speech Trial Over Comments on Islam

Islamic cleric’s killer gets double life imprisonment

Video Hints At Executions By Pak Army

'India fomenting trouble in Af-Pak'

Force of faith trumps law and reason in Ayodhya case

Nato copters intrude into Pakistan, kill 3 soldiers

Pak blocks Nato supply line after troops’ death

20 Britons training in Pak for new 26/11?

US firm calls Sikh ‘bin Laden’, sued

Indo-Pak Envoys Clash At UN Meet

Tough US warning on militant attacks into Afghanistan

Pakistan faces coup threat: Musharraf

3 militants killed in Matta clash

600 militants killed, 250 held in Orakzai operation: official

Mitchell plans more talks with Abbas, Netanyahu

Iraq security forces stymie Baghdad bank robbery

Al-Qadi wins EU appeal, can access funds

US commander discusses military cooperation with Jordan

Brotherhood to contest Egypt elections

Ice Land Water Park opens its wonders Sebugwaawo Ismail

Hezbollah says Hariri can fend off tribunal blame

Arafat asked for intifada attacks: Hamas leader

Egypt delays Arab League meeting on Mideast talks

US keen about Bangladeshi troops in Afghanistan

MUSLIM CLERIC SETTLES IN AS LATEST PBSO CHAPLIN

Compatibility between Pancasila and sharia-based Islamic teachings

Compiled by New Age Islam Bureau

Photo: Justice S U Khan of the Allahabad High Court

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Verdict an opportunity to spread teachings of Islam: Khan

Oct 01, 2010

Lucknow: The Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid verdict has given Indian Muslims the best opportunity to spread to the world the teachings of Islam, Justice S U Khan of the Allahabad High Court has said. Noting that Muslims here have been rulers of the land, also being ruled over and currently share power, Justice Khan said Indian Muslims are in the best position to spread the teachings of Islam in the present time. "They (Indian Muslims) are not in majority but they are also not a negligible minority. In other countries either the Muslims are in huge majority which makes them indifferent to the problem in question or in negligible minority which makes them redundant," he said in the epilogue of his 285-page judgement on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.He said Muslims must also ponder that at present the entire world wants to know the exact teachings of Islam in respect of relationship of Muslims with others."Hostility, peace, friendship, tolerance-opportunity to impress others with the message-opportunity to strike wherever and whenever possible or what?" he asked. "Indian Muslims have also inherited huge legacy of religious learning and knowledge. They are, therefore, in the best position to tell the world the correct position. Let them start with their role in the resolution of the conflict at hand," he noted.

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/verdict-an-opportunity-to-spread-teachings-of-islam-khan/368303.html

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Another fall and we may not rise again: Justice Khan tells parties

Sanjay Singh

Oct 01, 2010

Lucknow “My judgement is short, very short. Either I may be admired as an artist who knows where to stop, particularly in such a sensitive, delicate matter or I may be castigated for being so casual in such a momentous task. Sometimes patience is intense action, silence is speech and pauses are punches.”

This is the epilogue at the end of Justice S U Khan’s 285-page judgment in the Ayodhya title suits.

He reminds both the warring factions that “the one quality which epitomised the character of Ram is tyag (sacrifice)”. “When Prophet Mohammad entered into a treaty with the rival group at Hudayliyah, it appeared to be abject surrender even to his staunch supporters. However, the Koran described that as clear victory and it did prove so. Within a short span therefrom Muslims entered the Mecca as victors, and not a drop of blood was shed.”

Admiring “our resilience” post demolition, Justice Khan warns: “We must realise that such things do not happen in quick succession. Another fall and we may not be able to rise again, at least quickly.” Today the pace of the world is faster than it was in 1992, he says. “We may be crushed.”

Justice Khan says he did not delve too deep into history and archaeology, for four reasons. “Firstly, this exercise was not absolutely essential to decide these suits. Secondly, I was not sure as to whether at the end of tortuous voyage I would have found a treasure or faced a monster (treasure of truth or monster of confusion worst confounded). Thirdly, having no pretence of knowledge of history I did not want to be caught in the crossfire of historians,” Justice Khan writes.

Regarding his fourth reason, he quotes the SC’s ruling in the Karnataka Board of Waqf vs Government of India — “As far as a title suit of civil nature is concerned there is no room for historical facts and claims. Reliance on borderline historical facts will lead to erroneous conclusions.”

Justice Khan also quotes Iqbal: “Watan ki fikra kar nadan musibat aane wali hai, Teri barbadiyon ke mashware hain aasmanon mein. Na samjhoge to mit jaoge e Hindustanwalon, Tumahari dastan tak bhi na hogi dastanon mein (Worry for the country, or you will be wiped out)”.

He goes on to quote Darwin, remarking “What an authority to quote in a religious matter/dispute!”. “Only those species survived which collaborated and improvised,” Justice Khan points out.

He writes in his epilogue: “Muslims must also ponder that at present the entire world wants to know the exact teachings of Islam in respect of relationship of Muslims with others.”

He further observes that Muslims enjoy a unique position in India. “They have been rulers here, they have been ruled and now they are sharers in power. They are not in majority but they are also not a negligible minority.”

Justice Khan points out that this is different from other countries, where Muslims are either in a huge majority — making them indifferent to the problems in question — or a negligible minority, which makes them redundant.

“Indian Muslims have also inherited a legacy of religious learning and knowledge. They are therefore in the best position to tell the world the correct position. Let them start with their role in the resolution of the conflict at hand.”

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Another-fall-and-we-may-not-rise-again-Justice-Khan-tells-parties/690804/

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Ayodhya Verdict: Muslim groups disappointed

Vidya Subrahmaniam

New Delhi: Muslim groups on Thursday reacted with disappointment to the dismissal of the Sunni Central Waqf Board (SCWB) suit and the three-way division of disputed land ordered by the Allahabad High Court in the Ayodhya title suits.

SCWB lawyer Zafaryab Jilani said the Board, the main litigant on behalf of Muslims, will appeal against the decision in the Supreme Court: “The High Court's formula of one-third land is not acceptable to the Waqf Board and it will go to the Supreme Court.”

Yusuf Muchhala, convener of the legal cell of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said the SCWB's suit was dismissed for being time-barred — a technical ground. He said there were several inconsistencies and baffling points in the verdict. The court dismissed the suit and ruled that the mosque had been constructed by demolishing a temple while simultaneously allotting a third of the land to the Waqf Board: “If this is the case, why give us any legal relief? Why allot us any land?”

Mr. Muchhala said prima facie the three judgments appeared to be a mix of facts, principles and mythology. Reacting to the ruling that the spot under the central dome of the mosque was the Ram janmasthan because it was held so by Hindu belief and faith, he said: “A court of law has to go by hard facts and the provisions of the law. There is no scope to go by theology.” He, however, added that the matter would come to a “full stop” with Muslims accepting the decision once the apex court gave its final verdict. He also said he was gladdened by the mature and calm response of the people to the verdict. “What is important is that we as a nation have matured. This

reflects the faith of the people in the Constitution.”

http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/01/stories/2010100161100100.htm

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Ayodhya verdict: The view from Ground Zero

Rukmini Shrinivasan

Oct 1, 2010

AYODHYA: If there was hope that the court's land-sharing order would ensure no one felt they had lost, then this might be an underestimation of Ayodhya's cynicism.

"If it was so easy for them to just share the land, then why would this matter be in court now? They will never get along and there will be constant tension at the spot," said Om Prakash Das, a seller of religious paraphernalia near the disputed site who was hoping for a clear resolution and a resumption of devotee inflow. "I hope in the Supreme Court it goes in favour of one or the other because this arrangement will not work," added Mohammed Iqbal, proprietor of a bicycle shop in the old part of the city.

The town spent all of Thursday in anticipation which turned towards distinct anxiety as afternoon approached. Less than half of Ayodhya's shops had opened, and many more downed their shutters after lunch, their owners having gone home to watch television. The police and central forces held flag marches in a show of control, driving more indoors.

Within minutes of the verdict becoming slightly clear, the word, even though inaccurate, had spread: the court has ruled that Ram was in fact born here. In a town whose economy is almost exclusively based on its identity as the birthplace of Ram, the news that the court had confirmed this was swallowed easily. The nuances were unlikely to percolate through the blanket of politics and religion that this town is tightly wrapped in.

"The court has accepted historical facts and ruled on the basis of facts," said Nritya Gopal Das, president of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, the chief body in Ayodhya working towards the building of a temple on the site. "Every Hindu already knew in his heart that Ram lived here. Now the court has ruled that this is true," Das added.

"When the court has ruled this is where Ram was born, what is the meaning of a one-third share for Muslims? The whole area is Ram's and we will go in appeal to the SC against the one-third given to the Sunni Waqf Board," Das said.

Mohammed Hashim Ansari, a 90-year-old tailor and a litigant on behalf of the Babri Masjid Reconstruction Committee, was unusually reserved. Emerging only after much coaxing, contrary to his gregarious behaviour over the last few days, Ansari said that he accepted the court's verdict but did not want to discuss the possibility of an appeal. "That decision will be taken by the lawyers and the Sunni Waqf Board," he said, before returning to his two-room house and locking the door.

In the midst of all of this, a few ventured difficult questions. "Does all this mean that it was okay to tear down the Babri mosque? Why is the court deciding matters thousands of years old but ignoring matters 20 years old," asked 24-year-old Ashraf Ali (name changed on request), a resident of Ayodhya who works in a printing press in Faizabad.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ayodhya-verdict-The-view-from-Ground-Zero/articleshow/6661413.cms#ixzz117F3tsIW

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Ayodhya verdict surprises govt, surpasses saffron hopes

Oct 1, 2010

NEW DELHI: The verdict of the Allahabad High court legalising the makeshift temple at the Babri site came as a surprise to the government while it surpassed the Sangh Parivar's own expectations.

While bracing for the judgement, the government had estimated that it was not going to throw up a clear loser or an unambiguous winner, discounting the possibility that the judges would hand the disputed site to Hindus, giving the BJP and others in the Sangh Parivar a bagful of brownie points and an opportunity to reduce the demolition stigma.

Post-verdict, however, it is recognised that the verdict, despite the court asking for a three-way split of the disputed land among Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Waqf Board, the verdict marks a clear win for the mandir partisans.

The Congress also has to cope with the risk of any adverse political fallout. Its chief worry is about how the order is going to play out among the Muslim community. It is hoping that the saffron excitement over the verdict will fade soon.

It is particularly wary of the possibility of "secular" rivals like Lalu Prasad, Mulayam Singh Yadav and, to a lesser extent, Ramvilas Paswan, who seized on the demolition of Babri Masjid on Congress's watch to poach the party's sprawling Muslim base in the north, exploiting the ruling to their advantage.

Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ayodhya-verdict-surprises-govt-surpasses-saffron-hopes/articleshow/6661370.cms#ixzz117G6hqKs

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Gulf Indians divided on Ayodhya verdict

Sep 30, 2010

DUBAI: As the Allahabad High Court today ruled that the disputed land in Ayodhya be divided equally into three parts among Hindus and Muslims, Non-Resident Indians in the Gulf appear to be divided on the judgement.

With details of the complex judgement coming to light, Indians from all walks of life here remained glued to TV sets and largely maintained that the priority should be that law and order be maintained.

"They have tried to strike a balance through this verdict but the important question is whether we can correct all the historic wrong committed over the ages," K Kumar, a resident of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, said.

"We are a forward-looking country and we cannot go back to the past on all occasions," he added.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/indians-abroad/Gulf-Indians-divided-on-Ayodhya-verdict-/articleshow/6659769.cms#ixzz114yUzURz

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Lucknow youngsters react with maturity

Swati Mathur

Oct 1, 2010

LUCKNOW: As the nation discussed the Ayodhya verdict threadbare, Lucknow's younger and vibrant community of students and professionals were still coming to grips with what the fuss was all about. Unlike the rest of the country, where youngsters could scarcely remember what the Ayodhya row was about, in Lucknow, students proudly proclaimed they were "on top" of all that was happening.

Class X student of La Martiniere Girls' College, Vasundhara Mathur, said: "I know that the Ayodhya issue sparked communal frenzy years ago. But India is a secular country. It shouldn't matter which religious structure is built there. We should respect whatever is built at the spot."

Mathur's sentiments were seen resonating across La Martiniere's hallowed walls, all the way into the Lucknow University premises. Students confessed their lives didn't depend upon the verdict or what it stood for, and preferred to go about their businesses as usual. A masters student of geology from the university, Shweta Tripathi, said: "I have been reading everything about the Ayodhya title suit on the internet. Though not very regularly, the subject has come up for discussion among hostel inmates. As far as we are concerned, there should be no fight over building the mosque or temple. In my opinion, the land must not be used for anything religious at all. That will put an end to all the drama."

Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Lucknow-youngsters-react-with-maturity/articleshow/6661864.cms#ixzz114wb6c4c

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'Verdict makes me feel like a 2nd-class citizen'

Shobhan Saxena

Oct 1, 2010

NEW DELHI: The Ayodhya title suit was not just a dispute over a patch of land, it was being seen by many, particularly the minorities, as a test of India's commitment to secularism. So, did India pass the test successfully on Thursday? Though there are no shrill reactions to the verdict from the country's biggest minority group, there are many voices of disappointment.

Historian Irfan Habib feels the "compromise judgment" had come at the cost of history and facts. "It is improper (for the court) to accept the ASI report on the historical fact. Weight has been given to belief. One should be careful in historical facts," says Habib.

Though members of Muslim intelligentsia put up a brave face on TV channels, talking in politically-correct terms, in private, many accept that they see the verdict as "anti-Muslim". "The Muslims of India have been told very clearly that they have to live in this country on the terms set by the majority community. From now on we have to live in constant fear," says a former vice-chancellor of a central university.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Verdict-makes-me-feel-like-a-2nd-class-citizen/articleshow/6661933.cms#ixzz114tYHqtl

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Congress should build a mosque, says Babri Action Committee

Gargi Parsai

AYODHYA: “The Congress should construct a masjid for us, if it is secular, in the land allotted to us by the High Court in its order,” Babri Masjid Action Committee president Hashim Ansari told journalists here on Thursday.

Initially, Mr. Ansari declined to comment on the judgment, but later he “welcomed” the decision of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court. “I welcome the decision because it is to our advantage. The parties that used to do politics in the name of the Babri Masjid will not be able to do so now. The Congress, which had a role in the demolition of the mosque, should now construct a masjid if it is secular.”

Mr. Ansari, who stayed here to ensure that there were no untoward incidents, congratulated the Mayawati government “for bringing police out of the barracks on the roads” and maintaining peace.

While Mr. Ansari was not vocal about approaching the Supreme Court on the decision, another petitioner, Haji Mahmood of the Sunni Waqf Board, said they were likely to appeal against the order.

Full report at:

http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/01/stories/2010100163911500.htm

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How the Lord became a litigant

Dhananjay Mahapatra

Oct 1, 2010

NEW DELHI: It may have come as a surprise to many when Bhagwan Sri Ram Virajman virtually fought litigation for the last 21 years before the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad HC through his "next friend" Deoki Nandan Agarwal and got ownership rights over the disputed site.

Can a deity, like a normal human being, fight a legal battle when, as the incarnation of god, he is believed to mitigate the problems of others?

The HC replied in the affirmative. "This court is of the view that place of birth, that is Ram Janmabhumi, is a juristic person. The deity also attained divinity like Agni, Vayu, Kedarnath. Asthan is personified as the spirit of divine worshipped as the birthplace of Ram Lala or Lord Ram as a child."

In effect, the ruling means that while Ram Lala, being a deity, enjoys legal rights, but since he is a minor he would be allowed to be represented in court through his guardian or next friend.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/How-the-Lord-became-a-litigant/articleshow/6660665.cms#ixzz114t5LzMR

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Belief of Hindus upheld: Former Minister

Oct 1, 2010

Lucknow: The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh, on Thursday welcomed the Allahabad High Court's verdict on the Ayodhya title suits. He said it upheld the belief of crores of Hindus that the disputed site was the birth place of Lord Ram.

It was during Mr. Singh's tenure that the Babri mosque was demolished in 1992.

“I welcome the verdict which has rejected the Sunni Central Waqf Board claims over the land and accepted that it was the birth place of Lord Ram, as had been believed by crores of Hindus for ages,” Mr. Singh told PTI.

“The title of Ram Lala has been proved over the land and this has paved the way for the construction of a grand Ram temple at the site,” said Mr. Singh.

Hopes dispute will end

In Mumbai, Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray on Thursday said the Allahabad High Court judgment on the Ayodhya title suits should put an end to the decades-old dispute.

“The Ayodhya issue was hanging fire for decades. Let us hope that today's [Thursday] verdict would put an end to it,” Mr. Thackeray said. — PTI

http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/01/stories/2010100163981600.htm

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Have talks with Muslims for Ram temple: Uma Bharti

Oct 1, 2010

Bhopal: The former BJP leader, Uma Bharti, on Thursday termed the Allahabad High Court's verdict on Ayodhya title suits as the happiest moment of her life, saying it has proved that Lord Ram was born at that particular site in the temple town.

‘Happiest moment'

“This [Ayodhya verdict] is the happiest moment of my life as the High Court has put its seal of approval on a matter of faith which was a fact for us that Ram Lalla was born at that particular site,” Ms. Uma Bharti told journalists at her residence soon after the court verdict.

“Now, Advaniji and the VHP who headed the Ram Janmabhoomi movement should initiate a dialogue with Muslims to arrive at a consensus on building a grand Ram Temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram,” she said.

Full report at:

http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/01/stories/2010100164021600.htm

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Force of faith trumps law and reason in Ayodhya case

Siddharth Varadarajan

If left unamended by the Supreme Court, the legal, social and political repercussions of the judgment are likely to be extremely damaging

New Delhi: The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has made judicial history by deciding a long pending legal dispute over a piece of property in Ayodhya on the basis of an unverified and unsubstantiated reference to the “faith and belief of Hindus.”

The irony is that in doing so, the court has inadvertently provided a shot in the arm for a political movement that cited the very same “faith” and “belief” to justify its open defiance of the law and the Indian Constitution. That defiance reached its apogee in 1992, when a 500-year-old mosque which stood at the disputed site was destroyed. The legal and political system in India stood silent witness to that crime of trespass, vandalism and expropriation. Eighteen years later, the country has compounded that sin by legitimising the “faith” and “belief” of those who took the law into their own hands.

Full report at:

http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/01/stories/2010100163711400.htm

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New Mohammed cartoon book out in Denmark

Sep 30, 2010

COPENHAGEN: A new book containing controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed went on sale on Thursday in Denmark, on the fifth anniversary of their original publication.

The 12 cartoons were initially published by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in September 2005, sparking violent protests a few months later in several Muslim countries.

Jyllands-Posten culture editor Flemming Rose, who had commissioned the cartoons for an article on self-censorship, said he wrote the book as part of a process of "closure", but also in a bid to discuss freedom of speech in broader terms.

"For me, the book ends the Mohammed cartoon phase," he said.

On the eve of the book's publication, the Danish government said it feared fresh protests. The foreign minister met with envoys from 17 Muslim countries as part of efforts to avert this, while underlining the government's wish to protect freedom of speech.

Denmark has in recent years experienced threats and been the target of alleged terrorist plots, partially over its engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Jyllands-Posten was for instance the likely target of a Chechen-born man who was arrested in September after a blast at a hotel in central Copenhagen, according to police.

Public discourse in the country over Islam has at times also been shrill.

At a news conference on the eve of the publication, Rose quoted a sentence from the book stating that "the cartoons do not legitimate violence, and the issue is not worth a single human life".

In the book, he describes his experiences as a foreign correspondent in Russia, his meetings with dissidents and their strong conviction in freedom of speech in totalitarian societies.

The book also cites examples of paintings, photos and art that have generated controversy and been banned, including French artist Edouard Manet's "The Picnic" and Robert Mapplethorpe's homoerotic photography.

Rose noted that the cartoons were commissioned after he read about a Danish author's difficulties in finding an illustrator for a children's book on the prophet. After three rejections, the author found an artist, who however refused to be named in the book.

Following the paper's publication of the cartoons, Rose has been repeatedly threatened - a fate he shares with former Jyllands-Posten cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who drew a cartoon of the prophet with a bomb in his turban.

A Somali-born, axe-wielding man in January forced his way into Westergaard's home near Arhus, but the cartoonist was able to alert police from a panic room.

An opinion piece in Jyllands-Posten said the fallout after the 2005 publication "clearly showed in what direction the world has moved".

Toger Seidenfaden, editor-in-chief of the rival daily Politiken, questioned the book's title in his reflections on the book, concluding: "When has there been less silence concerning (and more criticism of) Islam and Muslims than in the years prior to and after the Mohammed crisis?"

Read more: New Mohammed cartoon book out in Denmark - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/New-Mohammed-cartoon-book-out-in-Denmark/articleshow/6660748.cms#ixzz114yPcFi9

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Netherlands to ban the burqa, says anti-Islam MP

Oct 1, 2010

THE HAGUE: The Netherlands will ban the burqa under measures agreed in a pact to form a minority coalition government, anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders, whose party is part of the deal, announced on Thursday.

"A new wind will blow in The Netherlands," declared Wilders, standing alongside the leaders of the pro-business VVD party and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) that will form the minority government.

In addition to the measures agreed by the three parties, the number of immigrants who enter The Netherlands will be halved, Wilders told journalists in The Hague as the agreement was announced.

"There will also be a burqa ban," said the controversial politician, who is to go on trial in Amsterdam next Monday for inciting hatred against Muslims.

"We want the Islamisation to be stopped," he said. Wilders -- who campaigns for a ban on Muslim immigration and wants to end the building of new mosques and tax Muslim head scarves -- had a say in the plan's immigration policies in return for supporting its austerity measures.

The "freedom and responsibility" plan seeks to cut government spending by 18 billion euros (USD 24 billion) by 2015.

It proposes cutting The Netherlands' contribution to the European Union by one billion euros and shaving a billion euros off development cooperation and 1.2 billion off health care costs.

It also wants to reduce the number of MPs from 150 to 100 and the number of senators from 75 to 50.

The longest chapter of the accord -- seven of its 46 pages -- is however devoted to immigration.

It proposes stricter conditions for granting asylum and making it harder for the partners and children of immigrant workers to move to The Netherlands. It also wants integration examinations to become harder.

CDA party members, deeply divided over cooperation with Wilders, have yet to approve the new accord which will be debated at a party congress on Saturday.

If they do, the CDA's 21 MPs must put their final stamp on the deal before Queen Beatrix can give presumed prime minister-in-waiting Mark Rutte, the VVD leader, the go-ahead to form his cabinet.

Read more: Netherlands to ban the burqa, says anti-Islam MP - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Netherlands-to-ban-the-burqa-says-anti-Islam-MP/articleshow/6661675.cms#ixzz114z3ROnw

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Cameras used to spy on Muslims in UK

01 Oct, 2010

LONDON: British police have apologised for a counterterrorism project that installed surveillance cameras in predominantly Muslim neighbourhoods.

A report published on Thursday criticised the surveillance programme in parts of Birmingham, central England, saying it had damaged trust in police and caused anger in the community.

West Midlands Police constable Chris Sims said he was “deeply sorry” for putting up more than 200 number plate recognition and CCTV cameras in two mostly Muslim neighbourhoods under a project which began in 2007.

Both areas had been associated in the past with Islamic extremism.

The project prompted protests from civil liberties groups and residents, who said the measures were heavy handed and complained they were not consulted.—AP

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/cameras-used-to-spy-on-muslims-in-uk-100

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World’s first ‘cyber superweapon’ attacks China

01 Oct, 2010

BEIJING: A computer virus dubbed the world’s “first cyber superweapon” by experts and which may have been designed to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities has found a new target — China.

The Stuxnet computer worm has wreaked havoc in China, infecting millions of computers around the country, state media reported this week.

Stuxnet is feared by experts around the globe as it can break into computers that control machinery at the heart of industry, allowing an attacker to assume control of critical systems like pumps, motors, alarms and valves. It could, technically, make factory boilers explode, destroy gas pipelines or even cause a nuclear plant to malfunction.

The virus targets control systems made by German industrial giant Siemens commonly used to manage water supplies, oil rigs, power plants and other industrial facilities.

“This malware is specially designed to sabotage plants and damage industrial systems, instead of stealing personal data,” an engineer surnamed Wang at antivirus service provider Rising International Software told the Global Times.

Full report at:

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/worlds-first-cyber-superweapon-attacks-china-100

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Indonesia considering moving its bursting capital

By Ali Kotarumalos

01 Oct, 2010

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s president has a solution for the country’s overcrowded, gridlocked and flood-prone capital: Move it.

“If we’re honest, objective, Jakarta is no longer ideal,” says Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who has dispatched teams as far off as the jungle-clad island of Borneo to look for alternative sites.

Past proposals to relocate the capital, a project that could cost this developing nation as much as $11 billion, have gone nowhere, and this one may well meet a similar fate. What is clear, experts say, is that something needs to be done before the city of 10 million bursts at the seams.

Waist-high water blocks roads and inundates homes during the rainy season, sometimes causing dozens of deaths by electrocution.

With more than 500 new cars and 1,500 motorbikes added every day to the 6.7 million vehicles already on the road, traffic moves at less than 6 miles an hour, turning short hops across town into two-hour crawls.

That’s costing Jakarta _ the largest city in the world without a subway — at least $1.4 billion a year in lost time and fuel, said Yopie Hidayat, a government spokesman.

The creation of high-occupancy traffic lanes has actually made matters worse.

Drivers stop to buy passengers known as “jockeys” so they can use the designated lanes.

Full report at:

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/indonesia-considering-moving-its-bursting-capital-100

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Dutch Politician Wilders Faces Hate Speech Trial Over Comments on Islam

By Jurjen van de Pol

Oct 1, 2010

Geert Wilders, a Dutch political party leader who has agreed to support the first minority government in the country since World War II, will go on trial in an Amsterdam court next week for inciting hatred and insulting Muslims.

Wilders, head of the Freedom Party, called the Koran “fascist” and compared it to Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf in a 2007 Dutch newspaper editorial, which led to complaints. A year later, he released his movie “Fitna,” in which he calls on Muslims to rip out “hate-preaching” verses from the book.

“The Court of Appeal considers criminal prosecution obvious for the insult of Islamic worshippers,” when Wilders compared parts of Islam with Nazism, it ruled last year, overturning a 2008 decision not to charge him.

The trial coincides with the formation of a new minority government led by the Liberal Party and Christian Democratic Alliance, which relies on Wilder’s Freedom Party to pass legislation. The government plans to ban full-face Islamic veils, a key issue for Wilders’ party, which more than doubled its representation in parliament in June elections.

Full report at:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-01/dutch-anti-islam-leader-wilders-who-supports-government-to-face-hate-trial.html

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Islamic cleric’s killer gets double life imprisonment

01 October 2010

By John Mary

Kochi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court here has sentenced the assassin of reformist Islamic scholar Chekannur Moulavi to double life imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000.

While convicting V V Hamsa on counts of murder, conspiracy and destruction of evidence on Wednesday, Special court judge S Vijayakumar had reserved the sentence. He ordered that Rs50,000 of the fine should be given to the Moulavi’s widow, Hawwa Umma.

The Moulavi was abducted on July 29, 1993 from his home at Edapal in Malappuram by Hamsa and others on the pretext of inviting him to a religious discourse. They murdered him, without leaving a trace.

The prosecution had pressed for the death sentence, saying it was a ‘rarest of the rare’ cases.

Full report at:

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/india/127762-islamic-clerics-killer-gets-double-life-imprisonment.html

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Video Hints at Executions By Pak Army

Oct 01st, 2010

Sept. 30: An video showing men in Pakistani military uniforms executing six young men in civilian clothes has heightened concerns about unlawful killings by Pakistani soldiers supported by the United States, American officials said.

The authenticity of the five-and-a-half-minute video, which shows the killing of the six men — some of whom appear to be teenagers, blindfolded, with their hands bound behind their backs — has not been formally verified by the American government. The Pakistani military said it was faked by militants.

But American officials, who did not want to be identified because of the explosive nature of the video, said it appeared to be credible, as did retired American military officers and intelligence analysts who have viewed it.

After viewing the graphic video on Wednesday, an administration official said: “There are things you can fake, and things you can’t fake. You can’t fake this.”

Full report at:

http://www.asianage.com/international/video-hints-executions-pak-army-299

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'India fomenting trouble in Af-Pak'

Oct 1, 2010

LONDON: Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has accused India of being involved in activities against his country in Afghanistan and fomenting separatism in Baluchistan.

"India is working to create an anti-Pakistan Afghanistan," he said, while speaking at an event in London's posh Kensington locality on Wednesday night. The former military ruler alleged that Baluchi rebel leaders are based in Kabul, enjoying Indian hospitality and that such elements also visit Delhi at Indian external spying agency Research & Analysis Wing's behest.

Musharraf, who is likely to announce his return to public affairs in Pakistan on Friday, debunked the "moderate Taliban" theory. "There is no such thing as a moderate Taliban," said Musharraf.

The former military ruler's take on the Taliban in line with New Delhi's long standing stand on the matter. The stand is diametrically opposite to the opinion in western countries and the current Pakistani establishment, who, since the Afghanistan conference here in January, have been negotiating with the Taliban groups to assimilate them into the Afghan mainstream.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-fomenting-trouble-in-Af-Pak/articleshow/6661823.cms#ixzz114wfh83c

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Nato copters intrude into Pakistan, kill 3 soldiers

Oct 1, 2010

PARACHINAR: A Nato helicopter attacked a Pakistani border post near Afghanistan on Thursday, killing three troops, security officials in Pakistan said. Later, government officials said they were ordered to stop trucks carrying supplies for international forces from entering Afghanistan at a major border crossing.

Nato said it was investigating the allegations and whether they were linked to an operation against insurgents in a nearby Afghan province.

The accusations and the fallout are likely to exacerbate tensions between Islamabad and Washington, which is struggling to beat back a resurgent Taliban movement in the 9-year-old Afghan war. Over the weekend, Nato choppers fired on targets in Pakistan, killing several alleged insurgents they had pursued over the border from Afghanistan.

Islamabad protested the intrusion into its territory that has inflamed already pervasive anti-American sentiments among Pakistanis.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Nato-copters-intrude-into-Pakistan-kill-3-soldiers/articleshow/6661803.cms#ixzz114yodbYr

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Pak blocks Nato supply line after troops’ death

Chidanand Rajghatta

Oct 1, 2010

WASHINGTON: Seething and simmering with tension below the surface, ties between the United States and its notional ally Pakistan has turned confrontational, bloody and ugly.

Islamabad on Thursday closed a border crossing that the US uses to supply its troops in Afghanistan in an apparent retaliation for an attack by coalition helicopters on a Pakistani border post, killing three Pakistani paramilitary soldiers.

The spat came after a month-long US bombing campaign inside Pakistan, including over 20 drone strikes and incursions into Pakistani territory in hot pursuit of terrorists, who Washington believes are being aided and abetted by Pakistan's ISI.

Pakistan initially warned against the hot pursuit, but in a dramatic escalation on Wednesday, evidently at the behest of its hardline military, shut down the US supply line. "We will have to see whether we are allies or enemies,"

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Pak-blocks-Nato-supply-line-after-troops-death/articleshow/6661758.cms#ixzz114y7bNKF

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20 Britons training in Pak for new 26/11?

Oct 1, 2010

LONDON: At least 20 young British Muslims are undergoing training at terrorist training camps run by al-Qaida in Pakistan as part of their plot to launch Mumbai-style attacks in Britain, a media report said on Thursday.

The youngsters, who hold British passports, are said to have travelled into the lawless tribal areas of Pakistan to join camps run by al-Qaida and associated militant groups, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Quoting intelligence sources, the report said they are trained to use firearms as well as explosives so that they can carry out shooting sprees in Britain.

"We believe there are 15 to 20 Britons in the camps," the report quoted an unnamed source in Islamabad.

The disclosure comes after the CIA launched drone strikes on training camps in North and South Waziristan in Pakistan in an attempt to disrupt an al-Qaida plot to attack Britain, France and Germany.

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/20-Britons-training-in-Pak-for-new-26/11/articleshow/6661774.cms#ixzz114yIx7YM

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US firm calls Sikh ‘bin Laden’, sued

Oct 1, 2010

BOSTON: Automobile parts retailer AutoZone has been sued by a federal agency for discriminating against a Sikh employee, who was not allowed to wear a turban and was called "bin Laden" and "terrorist" by the firm's other employees and customers.

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a federal agency enforcing laws against workplace discrimination, has filed a lawsuit against AutoZone alleging it "created a hostile work environment for Frank Mahoney Burroughs because of his Sikh religion".

The lawsuit alleges that a manager at AutoZone asked Burroughs "if he was a terrorist and had joined Al Qaida and whether he intended to blow up the store". Further, AutoZone failed to intervene when customers referred to Burroughs as "bin Laden and made terrorist jokes".

Full report at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-firm-calls-Sikh-bin-Laden-sued/articleshow/6661810.cms#ixzz114yESAg4

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Indo-Pak Envoys Clash At UN Meet

Oct 01st, 2010

Sept. 30: In an unusual face-off, Indian and Pakistani diplomats engaged in heated exchanges in the UN General Assembly over Jammu and Kashmir. The sharp exchanges of words started after deputy envoy of Pakistan to UN charged India with sponsoring terrorism in the neighbouring countries. This led to Indians attacking Islamabad for raising Kashmir to deflect attention from its internal problems that needed to be addressed for the good of Pakistanis.

The Pakistan side appeared to have come with prepared remarks on contentious issues, while Indians seemed to have taken off-guard initially and did not offer comments on specific allegations.

“The Indian government is well advised to take careful stock of its own polices and conduct that includes supporting terrorist elements in neighbouring countries which contributes to the problems facing South Asia,” said Mr Amjad Hussain B. Sial, the deputy envoy of Pakistan to the UN.

Full report at:

http://www.asianage.com/international/indo-pak-envoys-clash-un-meet-281

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Tough US warning on militant attacks into Afghanistan

By Anwar Iqbal

01 Oct, 2010

WASHINGTON, Sept 30: Pakistan received a stern message from the United States on Thursday — stop cross-border attacks into Afghanistan or face the consequences.

The message was delivered forcefully by both US lawmakers and administration officials.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is in Washington, received the message from Senator John Kerry on Wednesday and from Senator Carl Levin and Congressman Howard Berman on Thursday.

Senator Levin chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, while Mr Berman chairs the House Foreign Relations Committee.

The Pakistani delegation that participated in the talks came back with the feeling that the Americans were becoming “more and more assertive and less apologetic” on this issue.

The Americans argued that the Haqqani network and other insurgents were using their bases in Fata to attack US and Nato forces. They urged the Pakistanis to “make the strategic decisions they have to make to help resolve the Afghan conflict” or the Americans would be forced to use their military might to subdue the militants.

Full report at:

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/tough-us-warning-on-militant-attacks-into-afghanistan-100

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Pakistan faces coup threat: Musharraf

01 Oct, 2010

LONDON, Sept 30: Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has said that the country is at the risk of a new coup.

Gen (retd) Musharraf told a meeting in central London on Wednesday that the army should be given a constitutional role in politics.

He said current army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani could be forced to intervene against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Following a reported meeting earlier this week between Gen Kayani, Mr Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Mr Musharraf was asked whether he thought a new putsch was likely.

“Well, you see the photographs of the meeting with the president and the prime minister and I can assure you they were not discussing the weather,” he replied to debate host Christopher Meyer, Britain’s former ambassador to the United States.

Full report at:

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/pakistan-faces-coup-threat-musharraf-100

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3 militants killed in Matta clash

01 Oct, 2010

MINGORA, Sept 30: Three militants were killed in exchange of fire with security forces in Byakan area of Matta tehsil on Thursday.

Sources said that three militants were spotted infiltrating into Byakan area from Shah Dheri in Matta tehsil.

The security forces asked them to stop for search, but they instead opened fire on them. All the three militants identified as Majeedullah of Shangwati, Momin Khan of Gul Jabba, Kabal, and Nizamuddin of Matta were killed in retaliatory fire by the security forces. One security personnel was also injured.

According to the ISPR, all the three militants were wanted to security forces in various cases of militancy.

GHALANAI: Schools, government offices and the main bazaar were closed and curfew was imposed by the political administration following rumours of suicide bomber’s presence in Yakaghund on Thursday, creating fear and panic among the residents.

The security forces cordoned off the Yakaghund bazaar, deployed security personnel and started checking at various points. Later, the bazaar was opened after security forces declared the area clear.

Full report at:

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/3-militants-killed-in-matta-clash-100

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600 militants killed, 250 held in Orakzai operation: official

01 Oct. 10

KALAYA: The security forces claimed to have killed 600 militants and arrested more than 250 in Orakzai Agency during the operation launched in late March this year. A spokesperson for the Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), Colonel Waseem told reporters in Babar Mela, the Orakzai Agency’s headquarters, on Thursday that 75 per cent area in this tribal region has been cleared of militants. He added that military action was still in progress in 15 per cent area of Orakzai Agency to clear it of the militants.

He said at present there was no military action in Mamozai area. He said the security forces would launch a massive operation there in the next few days. The spokesperson said that in various gunbattles with the militants, the security forces lost 62 personnel including officers of the Pakistan Army while 213 soldiers sustained injuries in the fighting. He said the process of repatriating the displaced tribespeople was started before Eidul Fitr under the supervision of the army and the political administration of Orakzai Agency.

Full report at:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/01-10-2010/Peshawar/7672.htm

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Mitchell plans more talks with Abbas, Netanyahu

Oct 1, 2010

RAMALLAH: A US emissary racing against the clock to salvage Mideast peace negotiations scheduled another quick round of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders after talks Thursday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ended inconclusively.

Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are deadlocked over Israeli settlement construction. Earlier this week, Netanyahu refused to extend a 10-month-old moratorium on new housing construction in West Bank settlements. Abbas has warned he'll quit US-sponsored peace talks unless the moratorium is extended.

Abbas' final decision is expected Wednesday, when Arab League foreign ministers meet in Cairo. Underscoring the sense of urgency, Europe's top diplomat, Catherine Ashton, rushed to the region for talks with Abbas and Netanyahu on Thursday and Friday.

White House emissary George Mitchell met with Abbas for two hours at his West Bank headquarters on Thursday. After the meeting, Mitchell said the US was "determined to continue, and we are continuing, our efforts to find common ground between the parties to enable the direct negotiations to continue."

Full report at:

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article150536.ece

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Iraq security forces stymie Baghdad bank robbery

Oct 1, 2010

BAGHDAD: Security forces foiled an attempt to rob a state-run Baghdad bank on Thursday after gunmen detonated bombs to distract guards, but two police officers were killed in a shootout with the attackers, security sources said.

Authorities said they captured four of at least ten gunmen who attacked the Rafidain bank in the Bayaa district of southwestern Baghdad.

Some of the insurgent groups that took up arms after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein has turned to crime to finance operations, attacking banks, gold markets and jewelry shops. But authorities said they did not yet know whether the bank suspects were insurgents or a criminal gang.

The attackers planted and set off a series of roadside bombs near the bank to distract police officers guarding the building, an Interior Ministry source said.

"They (police) closed the gates of the bank when they smelled trouble and started skirmishing with them," said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.

Full report at:

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article150539.ece

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Al-Qadi wins EU appeal, can access funds

By GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN

Oct 1, 2010

RIYADH: The nine-year ordeal of Saudi businessman Yassin Abdullah Al-Qadi, once listed by the US Treasury as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), ended Thursday with a European Union court exonerating him of all terrorism charges.

The Luxembourg-based EU's General Court struck down an order freezing the funds of Al-Qadi, suspected of links with Al-Qaeda, saying that his rights had been violated.

This is the second major legal victory for Al-Qadi, who was also acquitted of terror-funding charges by a court in the southern district of New York on Sept. 15.

The verdict by the European court means that Al-Qadi, whose assets were frozen in 2001, can now access them within two months unless an appeal is launched by other EU institutions, according to a copy of the judgment made available to Arab News.

Belgian Ambassador Michel Lastschenko, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, refused to comment on the verdict.

"Given the lack of any proper access to the information and evidence used against him, Al-Qadi has also been unable to defend his rights with regard to that evidence in satisfactory conditions before the courts of the European Union, with the result that it must be held that his right to effective judicial review has also been infringed," said the judgment.

Full report at:

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article150748.ece

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US commander discusses military cooperation with Jordan

By ABDUL JALIL MUSTAFA

Oct 1, 2010

AMMAN: General James Mattis, the commander of the US Central Command, conferred Thursday with Senior Jordanian officials on the prospects of military and security cooperation between the two countries, according to a US Embassy statement.

Mattis wanted “to gain understanding and appreciation of key issues such as military-to-military relationship, security challenges and regional developments,” the statement said.

The Jordanian army headquarters said that Mattis, who was paying his first visit to the country, met with head of the Jordanian chiefs of staff, Gen. Mishaal Al-Zaben, and other senior commanders to discuss “bilateral ties and spheres of cooperation between the two friendly arms as well as issues of mutual interest.

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article150563.ece

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Brotherhood to contest Egypt elections

By MAGGIE MICHAEL

Oct 1, 2010

CAIRO: Egypt's largest opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, will contest upcoming parliamentary elections despite calls for a boycott, a senior official with the group said Thursday.

The decision, which comes nearly a month after a leading democracy advocate called on parties to skip the polls, highlights the fractured state of Egypt's opposition.

But the Brotherhood's choice to field candidates in the November polls was widely expected. The organization traditionally views elections as its best chance to demonstrate its strength to its supporters.

"We choose to be positive and run in the elections," said Brotherhood lawmaker Saad El-Katatni, the head of the group's caucus in Parliament.

Full report at:

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article150538.ece

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Ice Land Water Park opens its wonders Sebugwaawo Ismail

1 October 2010,

The largest water park in the Middle East was officially opened by Shaikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, at a glittering function.

Spread across an area of 110,000 square metres, the polar-themed water park features world’s largest man-made water fall and the largest rain dance pool apart from a raft of unique attractions including 50 exhilarating water slides and rides.

Managed by Polo RAK Amusement, a joint venture between India’s Polo Amusement Group, RAK Properties PJSC and RAK Investment Authority, the $100-million (Dh367-million) Ice Land Water Park marks the first phase of the 125-acre WOW RAK Theme Park, a multi-part family entertainment?destination scheduled for completion in 2012.

Addressing the visitors, who had gathered for the opening ceremony, Shaikh Saud said, “This is a reflection of our tradition of hospitality, our openness and our willingness to make friends with open arms and open minds. We are after all a nation born to partner with others and trade with others.”

Full report at:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2010/October/theuae_October13.xml&section=theuae

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Hezbollah says Hariri can fend off tribunal blame

1 October 2010

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri should use his contacts to prevent Hezbollah being accused by a UN-backed tribunal probing the murder of his father Rafiq, the Shia group’s number two said on Thursday.

“Lebanese parties, with Prime Minister Hariri at their head, can use their contacts to prevent an unjust accusation being levelled against Hezbollah,” Sheikh Naim Qassem said in an interview with the LBC television channel.

“He knows how to do that... he has influence, he has regional and international ties and knows the ‘cogs’ within the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He can make the necessary efforts to ensure any accusation is not unjust,” he said.

Qassem was speaking a day after Hariri, whose ex-premier father was killed by a massive car bomb in Beirut in 2005, ruled out any compromise on the tribunal and Hezbollah vowed to try to block financing for the court.

Full report at:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/October/middleeast_October3.xml&section=middleeast

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Arafat asked for intifada attacks: Hamas leader

1 October 2010,

RAMALLAH, West Bank — It has been 10 years since Palestinians rose up in revolt against Israel, sweeping away peace talks, triggering a ferocious reaction by the stunned Jewish state, and leaving thousands dead.

Exactly why it happened just as statehood seemed attainable is an enduring mystery, fed by conspiracy theories and vastly competing narratives from across the political spectrum on both sides.

This week comes an intriguing twist: one of the leading figures in Hamas seems to be confirming that Yasser Arafat was playing a double game, encouraging Islamic militants to attack inside Israel while publicly insisting he was trying to stop the violence.

Some suggest Hamas strongman Mahmoud Zahar may have been exaggerating, but his comments could help shape the ultimate legacy of the enigmatic Palestinian leader. To many in Israel and elsewhere, the late Arafat remains an arch-terrorist who briefly fooled the world into considering him a peacemaker; others lionize him as an iconic — if flawed — visionary who dedicated his life to forging demoralized Palestinians into a determined, proud nation.

Full report at:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/October/middleeast_October2.xml&section=middleeast

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Egypt delays Arab League meeting on Mideast talks

30 September 2010,

CAIRO — Egypt wants an Arab League meeting on troubled Israel-Palestinian peace talks next week to be postponed for three days until an Arab summit in Libya, the official MENA news agency reported on Thursday.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas was to meet Arab foreign ministers on Wednesday to discuss the next moves after the expiry of a 10-month Israeli partial moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank.

That meeting — initially planned for Monday — had already been pushed back to give the United States a chance to save troubled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that resumed at the beginning of September.

“Cairo has asked for the postponement of the Arab committee meeting, that was to have been held on October 4, to a date other than the October 6 proposed by the Arab League, given that that date is a public holiday in Egypt,” MENA cited an unidentified Egyptian diplomat as saying.

Full report at:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/September/middleeast_September576.xml&section=middleeast

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US keen about Bangladeshi troops in Afghanistan

01 Oct. 10

Washington ‘intensified’ its discussion on Bangladeshi military presence in Afghanistan, a US embassy official said on Thursday.

‘The United States has intensified its discussion on Bangladesh’s engagement in Afghanistan for global peace and stability,’ Nicholas Dean, the current charge d’affaires of the US mission in Dhaka, told reporters at a press conference.

Dean, also deputy chief of the mission, made the statement without any further elaboration when reporters asked about the US position about Bangladesh’s military presence Afghanistan.

The press conference was organised for Ertharin Cousin, president Obama’s representative to the UN agencies in Rome, to brief journalists about her four-day visit to Bangladesh.

Full report at:

http://www.newagebd.com/2010/oct/01/inat.html

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MUSLIM CLERIC SETTLES IN AS LATEST PBSO CHAPLIN

Written by DAPHNE TAYLOR

Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, in a bid to improve diversity, recently named C.B. Hanif of West Palm Beach the first Muslim chaplain of the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.

“The Sheriff’s Office has and will continue to strive to reach all segments of the community, both in our community policing efforts and our correctional facility, where we have a responsibility for the safety and well-being of all within our community,” Bradshaw said in a statement.

“In addition, we strive to have a balanced approach to our organization and want it to reflect our community and its demographics,” he said.

The 25 chaplains in the department include a diverse group drawn from various religious denominations and ethnic groups and include women.

As part of their voluntary role, the chaplains may be called out to a serious car crash or may have to tell a family of the death of a loved one.

Lead chaplain, the Rev. Jim Shackelford said they try to meet the needs of those they are serving. The chaplains are also charged with ministering to PBSO staff, which, Shackelford said, has also been diversified.

Full report at:

http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5416&Itemid=

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Compatibility between Pancasila and sharia-based Islamic teachings

Nurrohman, Bandung

10/01/2010

If we follow the news on terrorist crackdowns in this country, we are not able to escape from the discourse of sharia and the Islamic state. “Initially, I want to enforce sharia in order to convey to Indonesia a better path, because only with sharia will Indonesia be better,” said M. Sofyan Tsauri, a former police officer involved in terrorism (Kompas, Sept. 24, 2010).

They wanted to turn Indonesia into an Islamic state, said National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri in Medan after the killing and arrest of suspects implicated in a CIMB Niaga bank heist (The Jakarta Post, Sept. 21, 2010).

It is right that acts of terrorism have increased at an alarming rate and that we need to declare total war against terror. But we should never allow ourselves to justify all means to eliminate terrorism.

Terror cannot be overcome by terror, although it often looks effective in the short term, said this paper in an editorial published on Sept. 24, 2010.

Full report at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/10/01/compatibility-between-pancasila-and-shariabased-islamic-teachings.html

URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=3486