Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin

Islamic World News

18 Nov 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com

Man accused of blasphemy killed in Pakistan

Muslims protest in Athens over Koran rumour

Local filmmakers dream of post-Taliban renaissance

Saudi Arabia less rigid with Muslims during Haj

Pakistan: Prayer for Christian woman condemned to death for blasphemy

Ignoring death threats, Somali broadcaster lets the music play

18 hurt in Pakistan mosque shootout over argument

In cosmopolitan Karachi, women prefer hijab to burqa

Pakistan to arm fighter jets with Chinese missiles

Vatican, Iranian officials issue joint statement, affirm religious freedom

Pak's war against terror not satisfactory: US defense secretary Gates

Zardari deputed Pak army officer to guard Musharraf

Nato: Army handover could run past 2015

'Ilyas Kashmiri plotting attacks in Germany'

At least three killed in Quetta blaze

Pope Benedict urges freedom for Asia Bibi

Holbrooke dismisses chances of Musharraf comeback

Super Ijaz wins Wushu silver for Pakistan

Stoning case still under investigation: Ahmadinejad

2 Saddam Hussein’s guards arrested south of Tikrit

Khatami: Islamic Revolution humiliated big powers

Documentary Film about the Life of the First Iranian Martyr in Bosnia

Hujjat Qur'an Recitation Competition

Banning Sharia law similar to ban on polygamy

Somali activist to speak at University of Alberta

The long war against "Islamic fundamentalism"

U.S. Jewish-Muslim Project in Trouble over Extremist Ties

Pig removed from toy farm set to appease Muslims

How does Islamic Sharia go against human rights?

Oklahoma's faith-baiting initiative

Did Osama Bin Laden Implement 9/11 On Behalf Of Yasser Arafat?

‘Responsible society plays critical role to develop human rights’

Iraq prez refuses to sign Tareq Aziz execution order

Two killed as Israeli warplane targets car in Gaza City

LeT a profoundly dangerous group: US

For first time, Pak admits its Kargil dead, uploads list of 350 ‘martyrs’

NSG martyr’s father cycles across country, will stay in Taj on 26/11

Iraq: Clock turns back to 2004

Fort Hood shooter should face death penalty: judge

US jury clears Ghailani of major terrorism charges

Twenty-one civilians killed in Mogadishu

President urges nation to help end poverty, exploitation

Extremists represent no one but themselves: King

Egypt blogger released after 4 years in jail

Sweden slams EU court for Iraqi asylum reviews

Clashes interrupt Kyrgyz trial over April killings

5 killed as gunmen attack oil vessel in Cameroon

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

Photo: Asia Bibi with her two children

------------ Man accused of blasphemy killed in Pakistan Nov 18 2010 Islamabad : A man accused of blasphemy was shot and killed near his home in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore shortly after being granted bail by a court, according to a media report. Imran Latif, 22, was accused of burning pages of the Quran in a case registered at Sherakot police station in Lahore and spent five months in jail. He was released on bail on November 3 after the man who filed the complaint of blasphemy told the court he was not sure that Latif was guilty. Latif was shot by armed men near his home on November 11 but police learnt only later that he had been accused of blasphemy, the Express Tribune newspaper reported. Inspector Rafique Ahmed, who is investigating the murder, said Latif's killing was likely linked to the blasphemy case. "No Muslim tolerates a man who commits blasphemous acts," he said. Latif's family had not mentioned the blasphemy case when they reported the murder, he said. Latif's 60-year-old mother Sharifan said two men armed with pistols had knocked at the door of their house near Pir Makki shrine on November 11 and asked Latif to accompany them. "A few yards from the house, they suddenly opened fire," she said. She said her son was shot five times and the attackers fled on a motorcycle. "There were policemen present in the street but no one tried to stop them," she said. Latif's brother Haider Ali said he was innocent in the blasphemy case. He suspected that Ijaz Ahmed, a man who had a dispute with his brother over the ownership of a shop, had had Latif killed with the help of two other men. Rights activists have condemned the incident as another instance of the havoc caused by blasphemy laws. "The blasphemy laws are being so widely exploited here. It seems that the life of a person ends when (he is) accused of committing blasphemy," said Mehdi Hasan, chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. The judiciary and the government were afraid of the laws, Hasan said. Judges were afraid of attacks for acquitting those accused of blasphemy while the government is "apologetic about the laws", he added. In July, two Christian brothers accused of publishing a blasphemous pamphlet were shot dead outside a court in Punjab. More recently, another court in Punjab sentenced a Christian woman to death after convicting her for blasphemy. Rights activists have said a trumped up case of blasphemy was filed against the woman after she had a quarrel with some Muslim women. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/man-accused-of-blasphemy-killed-in-pakistan/713003/ ------------ Muslims protest in Athens over Koran rumour 19 Nov, 2010 ATHENS: Hundreds of Muslims living in Athens protested outside the city hall on Thursday over a rumour that Greek police had torn up a Koranic text after arresting an Egyptian street vendor, officials said. At least 300 Muslims from various countries gathered at a square outside the city hall before authorities dispelled the rumour and released the vendor, police said. The protest follows an incident late on Tuesday when unknown assailants attempted to lock up and burn 40 Bangladeshi migrants inside a makeshift mosque, a Muslim leader said. “The climate has become very charged,” Naim El Gadour, chairman of the Muslim Union of Greece, told AFP. In another incident on Tuesday, Muslims meeting at a square in Athens to celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of Islam’s main holidays, were harrassed by local residents who threw eggs at them and blared loud music from windows. Members of a far-right group also threatened to physically remove the Muslims from the square but were held back by riot police. Anger towards migrants and racist attacks have escalated on the streets of Athens in recent months as the debt-hit country battles a growing recession that has brought thousands of job layoffs. The anti-migrant feeling manifested itself in this month’s local elections where the far-right group Chryssi Avgi (Golden Dawn) elected a member to the city council. About 100,000 Muslims from Arab nations, Africa and the Indian subcontinent live and work in Athens, usually in poor conditions that include meagre wages and exploitation, squalid accommodation and frequent police abuse. A long-standing grievance is that despite years of promises the Greek state has provided no official prayer sites, forcing Muslim faithful to craft mosques out of rented flats and disused warehouses. A staunchly Orthodox state with bitter memories of nearly four centuries of Ottoman Turkish rule, Greece currently offers sanctioned Muslim religious sites only near its northeastern border with Turkey where a Muslim minority of Turkish origin lives. All traces of Islam were eradicated in Athens in the early 19th century when Christianity was restored, and bureaucratic wrangling and opposition from local church leaders and mayors have since stalled plans for a mosque and cemetery. http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/18/muslims-protest-in-athens-over-koran-rumour.html ------------ Local filmmakers dream of post-Taliban renaissance 19 Nov, 2010 LAHORE: Spinning tales of love and revenge packed with testosterone, filmmakers from Pakistan’s Taliban-hit northwest dream of stamping out militancy and restoring their culture to a bygone era. Coming from an area known as a Taliban and Al-Qaeda stronghold infamous for religious seminaries that recuit young men into “holy war”, Pashtun actors say they are promoting the benign side of their heritage. Clad in traditional white shalwar kameez and topi prayer cap, director Ajab Gul says he uses cinema to promote pride in his warrior culture and provide an outlet for young men at risk of being lured by militant mullahs. “The young generation is illiterate and unemployed and having a lot of problems. They need to be involved,” says the 45-year-old former actor. “If you do not entertain and pay attention to the youth they will end up into terrorism.” Filmmakers brush aside fears of Islamist attacks, but working with ageing equipment and desperate to keep their loss-hit industry alive, they admit the sector is in financial crisis. But it was not always that way. The first Pashto film, made in India in the 1930s, was an adaptation of the Sufi love story, “Laila Majnu” and preceded the industry’s 1970s heyday when a series of classical cultural tales were adapted for the big screen. But in the 1980s a new type of Pashto film was born that Gul and his actors say damaged the industry with its sexed-up love scenes — heavy on dancing and light on plot, in poor imitation of Bollywood cinema. In one such trailer a woman in heavy make-up and a figure-hugging dress clutches the vest of her beefy beau and gazes beseechingly at the sky, while he, his hairy chest on display, stares moodily into the camera. The scene switches to a fast action sequence in which men with fake beards and moustaches wage battle, throwing scarcely believable punches and firing pistols as their enemies are covered in splashes of red paint. The new style offended cultural mores in an increasingly conservative Muslim society and their poor quality turned a generation of Pashtun moviegoers off films made in their own language. “1980-1998 were very bad years for the Pashtun film industry, with very bad movies that weren’t suitable to our culture,” said Gul. Pakistan has suffered increasing Islamisation, economic malaise and cultural marginalisation, but so great is suspicion of India it is perhaps unsurprising that filmmakers blame their rivals for conspiring in their decline. “The main reason was RAW (Indian intelligence) trying to kill us off because they couldn’t compete with Pashtun culture and language,” says Gul. His team, who work in Pakistan’s cultural capital Lahore because of a lack of studios in the northwest, say they are trying to return Pashto film to its chaste roots while giving their own take on the community’s social problems. Actress Rahila Agha, 39, who has worked in the industry for 11 years, plays a mother in Gul’s latest film, in which her two sons – one a police officer and another a traffic cop — are fighting. “It’s about Pashtun traditions and rivalries,” says Gul. Agha, who is not Pashtun but comes from the traditionally more moderate province of Punjab, says film plays a vital role in the Pashtun community. “I’ve worked with many heroes,” says the buxom 39-year-old, fluttering her heavily made-up eyelashes. “People like me, that’s the reason I’m here.” But the cinema refuses to tackle religious or cultural taboos head on. “We cannot because of security,” says Gul. “That’s our restriction, we can’t touch taboos… because we represent almost two million people, we have to live in that culture.” Another convention unchallenged is male dominance in a society in which women often keep purdah, meaning that they are kept out of sight of men, and in which they are subject to arranged marriage, frequently as teenagers. “In these movies women also have desires, but they accept the man’s supremacy,” says Gul. “This is the culture and this should be.” But the industry is in dire straits, with only a dozen movies now made each year, down from 40 in its heyday. Gul says he often expects a 50 percent loss on each film distributed. A lead actor in one of Gul’s movies now commands a fee of up to 200,000 Pakistani rupees (2,332 dollars). Gul blames security fears among would-be moviegoers and poor equipment affecting production values, which contrast miserably with the big-budget and wildly popular Bollywood smash hits that play in cinemas across Pakistan. Militants have launched attacks on music stores and other cultural institutions in the northwest, although cinemas have been largely untouched so far, residents say because of the films’ waning popularity. Gul Akbar Khan Afridi, 70, chairman of the Pashtun film association, says a safer environment could turn the industry’s fortunes around. “Because of the security situation people are not coming to the cinemas. If the situation improves, the film industry will be better,” he says, hopefully. – AFP http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/15/local-filmmakers-dream-of-post-taliban-renaissance.html ------------ Saudi Arabia less rigid with Muslims during Haj 19 Nov, 2010 MECCA: Saudi Arabia’s religious police keep such a low profile during the haj, it’s hard to imagine that you are in Islam’s holiest city. The kingdom, where Islam first emerged around 1,400 years ago, applies a strict form of Sunni Islamic sharia law that imposes gender segregation, forces shops to close during prayer times and prohibits women from driving. But in Mecca, the enforcement of many of these rules is relaxed during the Haj, a duty for every able-bodied Muslim. And with the government investing billion of dollars in recent years to make pilgrimage safer and more comfortable, many pilgrims end up going home as goodwill ambassadors for the country. “We have to thank Saudi Arabia for their services. It’s getting better and better every year,” said Ritha Naji, a US pilgrim performing a “stoning of the devil” rite that has been the scene of numerous deadly crushes in recent years. The Grand Mosque, home to the Kaaba shrine which Muslims around the world turn to in prayer every day, is the only place in the desert kingdom where women and men can pray together. Western diplomats say this tolerance is part of wider efforts to improve the country’s image over the past decade after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington in which Saudis were involved. King Abdullah has tried hard to dispel the association between Saudi Arabia and militancy, promoting an international “interfaith dialogue” through the United Nations. This year’s Haj — which ended this week — drew a record 1.8 million foreigners from diverse regions of the world like Nigeria, Russia and Indonesia that apply a less strict form of Islam than Saudi Arabia. The US ally often comes under fire from human rights groups criticising its public beheadings and lack of political freedoms in what is an absolute monarchy. On Wednesday, Amnesty International called on Riyadh to improve the situation of expatriates after an Indonesian maid was reportedly mistreated by her employer. But during Haj Egyptians, Indians or Pakistanis, who make up the bulk of millions of expatriates in the country, receive markedly kinder treatment from Saudi officials who refer to pilgrims as “guests of the Merciful”, meaning God. Polite policemen guide pilgrims around the vast Grand Mosque, while the religious police turn a blind eye to pilgrims taking the kinds of photographs that they had frowned on in previous years. In the capital Riyadh religious police scour the streets to keep unrelated men and women apart, but in Mecca the sexes mix easily in shops and restaurants. Some eat side-by-side on the ground in front of the Grand Mosque, an impossible sight elsewhere in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia’s minority Shi’ites often complains of discrimination and attacks by Wahhabi clerics, yet during Haj Iranian, Iraqi and other Shi’ites perform the rites unhindered. Loudspeakers give instructions to the multitude in many languages, including English and Farsi, as well as Arabic. Safe Haj is Key to Saudi Prestige As pilgrim numbers shot up over the past three decades, staging a safe Haj became crucial for the image of a monarchy that styles its king Custodian of the Two Holy Sites – a reference to the sacred precincts in Mecca and in Medina where the Prophet Mohammad set up the first Muslim administration. A series of disasters have claimed hundreds of lives during Haj since 1990, including fires, stampedes, hotel collapses and clashes between police and pilgrims staging political protests. This year the government unveiled a Haj train linking the holy sites in and around Mecca that cost $1.8 billion to build. It will only be used some six days a year. “We want to give pilgrims the best possible level of services,” Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz told reporters last week. Thanks to its oil wealth, Saudi Arabia can afford to waive the fees for the services it provides, including drinking water, toilet facilities, medical and security services, as well as maintenance and expansion of the Grand Mosque itself. Cold water is on tap at every corner and medics turn up within minutes when someone collapses. Saudi firms distribute umbrellas as protection from the sun. The plain of Arafat, where pilgrims spend a whole day according to the rites, has a vast sprinkler system covering an area of some 1.3 sq km (0.5 square miles). “The Saudi services for pilgrims are really good. One has to say that,” said Mohammed Idam, a Yemeni cooling under the spray in the afternoon heat at Arafat. The efforts pay off in the positive message many pilgrims take home with them. “Our Saudi brothers have expanded many services,” said Moroccan pilgrim Mohammed Hamdush. “Now they’ve built a train for pilgrims, which are nice.” http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/18/saudi-arabia-less-rigid-with-muslims-during-haj.html ------------ Pakistan: Prayer for Christian woman condemned to death under Muslim sharia law Nov 18, 2010 “We are very grateful to the Holy Father for his words in support of Asia Bibi, for his attention towards the sufferings of Christians in Pakistan and our rights. On behalf of the bishops, and the entire community of believers in Christ, we express our sincere thanks for his great courage, for the protection of the voiceless, those who are innocent victims of violence and abuse." So said Catholic Bishop Andrew Francis of Multan of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The bishop was responding to a November 17 appeal by Pope Benedict XVI for clemency in the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who has been condemned to death under Muslim religious for allegedly defaming the religion founded by Muhammed. Full report at: http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&idsub=122&id=43443&t=Pakistan:+Prayer+for+Christian+woman+condemned+to+death+under+Muslim+sharia+law ------------ Ignoring death threats, Somali broadcaster lets the music play GEOFFREY YORK Nov 18, 2010 How do you create a radio network in the world’s most dangerous country, where war is raging, journalists are killed, and Islamic extremists have banned music, sports and women’s voices on the airwaves? If you’re the organizers of Somalia’s newest radio station, you ignore the death threats and defy the bans. You broadcast plenty of music and soccer matches – and you hire female announcers, too. The new station is Bar-Kulan (the Somali phrase for “meeting place”), which this year became the first non-partisan radio broadcaster in Somalia. Because it refuses to obey the extremists, its 50 employees must take precautions for their safety. They often use pseudonyms and voice-overs to protect their identities. And while the station has a network of correspondents across Somalia, along with an FM transmitter in Mogadishu, its main studio has been placed in neighbouring Kenya, where it can operate a little more freely. Full report at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/ignoring-death-threats-somali-broadcaster-lets-the-music-play/article1801909/ ------------ 18 hurt in Pakistan mosque shootout over argument Nov 18, 2010 QUETTA, Pakistan: Police say a shootout inside a mosque in southwestern Pakistan has wounded 18 people during one of Islam’s most important holidays. The clash came after a dispute over which of two rival clerics should lead prayers. Police official Javed Ahmed says followers of the two local religious leaders pulled out weapons and started shooting Wednesday morning at a mosque in Khuzdar district of Baluchistan province. The region’s ethnic Pashtuns typically carry rifles in daily life. Muslims the world over are celebrating Eid Al-Adha, of the Feast of the Sacrifice. The three-day holiday, which started Wednesday in Pakistan, involves slaughter of sheep and cattle in remembrance of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son. http://arabnews.com/world/article194020.ece ------------ In cosmopolitan Karachi, women prefer hijab to burqa Nov 18, 2010 KARACHI: Young girls in jeans and T-shirts roam freely in the upmarket Zamzama road of Pakistan's largest city that houses many fashion boutiques and cafes. So do many women clad in the traditional salwaar-kameez, though they cover their head with a hijab. Women in burqas, however, are not a regular sight in this cosmopolitan port city. "Wearing a hijab or a burqa' or not covering your head at all is just a matter of choice. If a woman wants to wear the hijab - and not the burqa - it's because she has been brought up by a steady dose of modernity," Aamna Haider Isani, a senior fashion journalist, said. "You will see a lot of single women, single mothers, all types of working women here. Many corporates are giving Pakistani women an opportunity to change the perceptions of people around the globe who think Pakistan is a conservative country," she added. This correspondent, to her surprise, found a lot of women from various walks of life choosing to just cover their head. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/In-cosmopolitan-Karachi-women-prefer-hijab-to-burqa-/articleshow/6941010.cms#ixzz15broZ9zi ------------ Pakistan to arm fighter jets with Chinese missiles 18 November 2010 BEIJING – Pakistan has confirmed it will buy Chinese missiles and flight systems to equip its 250 JF-17 Thunder jet fighters as it seeks to deepen military cooperation with Beijing, state media said Thursday. Rao Qamar Suleman, air chief marshal of the Pakistan Air Force, told the Global Times newspaper Chinese radar systems and SD-10 mid-range homing missiles would be used on the fighters co-developed by the two nations. “PAF has no plans to install Western devices and weapons on the aircraft for the time being,” the newspaper quoted Suleman as saying. Pakistan may also buy up to four Chinese surface-to-air missiles, as it seeks stronger cooperation with China to help upgrade its armed forces, Suleman told the China Daily in a separate interview. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/November/international_November899.xml&section=international ------------ Vatican, Iranian officials issue joint statement, affirm religious freedom Nov 18, 2010 Vatican officials and Islamic leaders in Iran have concluded their 7th session of inter-religious dialogue, issuing a joint statement that affirms the importance of religious faith and the necessity of religious freedom. The discussions, were held in Teheran from November 9 to 11, were co-chaired by Mohammad Baqer Khorramshad, the president of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization; and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. Full report at: http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=8294 ------------ Pak's war against terror not satisfactory: US defense secretary Gates Nov 18, 2010 WASHINGTON: Pakistan is not making enough progress in war against terrorism, even though its commitment to defeat extremism has significantly increased in the last one year, US defense secretary Robert Gates has said. "We don't have combat boots on the ground in Pakistan. What we are seeing is Pakistani government, Pakistani army taking action against some of these safe havens, disrupting them and increasingly coordinating with us in, not in cross-border, but on either-side-of-the-border operations against these groups," Gates said at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council 2010 Meeting. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Paks-war-against-terror-not-satisfactory-US-defense-secretary-Gates/articleshow/6946194.cms#ixzz15c8EU9bt ------------ Zardari deputed Pak army officer to guard Musharraf Nov 18, 2010 IN A MOVE described as unprecedented by experts, Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari ordered a senior army officer to provide security to former military dictator Pervez Musharraf in London. Pakistani Army officer Colonel Ilyas, who was directed to protect Musharraf, told the News International that he was on attachment to the Aiwan- e- Sadar ( Pakistan’s presidency). Zardari, as a courtesy to General Musharraf, ordered Ilyas to serve as his chief security officer. Four commandos are also serving as Musharraf's bodyguards. Ilyas said that besides this security cover to the former president in London, no other regular army officer or of any intelligence outfit has been assigned for this task. Full report at: Mail Today ------------ Nato: Army handover could run past 2015 Nov 18, 2010 KABUL: The military handover from Nato-led forces to Afghans could run past an end-2014 target date in some areas because of lingering security problems, a senior Nato official in Afghanistan said on Wednesday. The exit of US and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) forces from Afghanistan will be among priorities to be discussed when Nato leaders gather for an annual summit in Lisbon on Friday and Saturday. Afghan president Hamid Karzai has made 2014 the target for Afghan forces to assume total security responsibility from foreign forces. Others doubt sufficient Afghan forces will be ready in time but United States defense secretary Robert Gates and secretary of state Hillary Clinton have called the target realistic. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Nato-Army-handover-could-run-past-2015/articleshow/6945022.cms#ixzz15brrG9uU ------------ 'Ilyas Kashmiri plotting attacks in Germany' Nov 18, 2010 BERLIN: German intelligence agents have received evidence from the US that al-Qaida has sent two to four terrorists to Germany and UK via India and the UAE, media reported on Wednesday. The mastermind behind the possible attacks was named as Mohammed Ilyas Kashmiri, a leading al-Qaida figure from Pakistan. He is also alleged to be behind a bomb attack earlier this year on the German Bakery in Pune, India, in which 17 people were killed. Kashmiri reportedly recruited the men for the latest planned attacks in the Afghan-Pakistani border region. Their identity was not known. Germany said on Wednesday it was tightening security at airports and train stations after receiving concrete evidence of planned terrorist attacks in the country, including one this month. "From today, there will be a visible police presence. I thought it should be explained to citizens," interior minister Thomas De Maiziere told a hastily called press conference in Berlin. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Ilyas-Kashmiri-plotting-attacks-in-Germany/articleshow/6945000.cms#ixzz15brwQ3Cj ------------ At least three killed in Quetta blaze Nov 18, 2010 QUETTA: Three children died when a fire broke out in a shanty in Quetta’s Goharabad neighbourhood on Thursday, DawnNews reported. Residents said a candle led to the fire that spread to other shanties in the neighbourhood and resulted in the deaths of 11-year-old Imran, seven-year-old Salman and three-year-old Shagufta. The children’s parents had been badly burnt in the incident. http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/18/at-least-three-killed-in-quetta-blaze.html ------------ Pope Benedict urges freedom for Asia Bibi Nov 18, 2010 VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI has urged the release of a Christian woman in Pakistan facing the death sentence on a charge of blasphemy. Benedict told his weekly public audience Wednesday that Christians in Pakistan ”are often victims of violence and discrimination.” He called for the release of Asia Bibi, who was recently sentenced to death accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad. He expressed his ”spiritual closeness” to her and said he is praying that the ”human dignity and fundamental rights of everyone in similar situations” is fully respected. http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/17/pope-benedict-urges-freedom-for-asia-bibi.html ------------ Holbrooke dismisses chances of Musharraf comeback Nov 18, 2010 WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has very little chance of regaining power in 2013 elections and any return to military rule would be a disaster, a senior US official said on Wednesday. “He has about as much chance of coming back to power as (former Soviet) President (Mikhail) Gorbachev,” Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told a gathering of US diplomats and security experts. Musharraf, who came to power in 1999 in a bloodless military coup, announced last month in London he had created a new party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, with an eye to competing in the 2013 polls. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article194445.ece ------------ Super Ijaz wins Wushu silver for Pakistan 18 November 2010 Pakistan’s most low-key medal hope, its Wushu team, have sprung the biggest surprise of the Asian Games, winning silver in the Men’s Sanshou 75kg Wushu event. Pakistan’s Sanshou fighter Ijaz Ahmed put up a spirited performance before going down to Hamidreza Gholipour of Iran in the final. The 29-year-old Pakistani had reached the final after beating Magsarjav Batjagal of Mongolia in the semi-final. This, after Pakistan’s wrestlers overcame all odds to land gold at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in India, ranks amongst one of the most extraordinary feats in sports considering that the martial art form exists amidst not so ideal conditions. This coupled with the fact that the nation is fixated with cricket means the only official understanding the public has of the art comes from Jet Li and Jackie Chan films. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/18/super-ijaz-wins-wushu-silver-for-pakistan.html ------------ Stoning case still under investigation: Ahmadinejad 18 November 2010 BAKU — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that the case of a woman sentenced to death by stoning was still under investigation and denounced the US outcry over her sentence as biased. The case of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, who has been sentenced to die by stoning on charges of adultery, has sparked international outrage and calls from the United States and Europe for her execution to be called off. “This case is still under investigation. Iran’s investigative agencies are very competent and they will take the right decision on this matter,” Ahmadinejad told a press conference in the Azerbaijani capital Baku. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/November/middleeast_November363.xml&section=middleeast ------------ 2 Saddam Hussein’s guards arrested south of Tikrit Nov 18, 2010 SALAH AL-DIN (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Quick Response forces arrested on Wednesday two persons from the guards of Saddam Hussein in south of Tikrit, a police source said. “The forces waged on Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 17) a security operation in al-Auja village, south of Tikrit, where they arrested two guards of former president Saddam Hussein; Major Shabieb Soliman al-Majid, Saddam’s cousin, and Ahmad Abdulghafour, who are accused of preparing to launch armed attacks against Iraqi and U.S. forces in Salah al-Din,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. He did not give further details. Tikrit, the capital of Salah al-Din, is 175 km north of Baghdad. http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=213580 ------------ Khatami: Islamic Revolution humiliated big powers Nov 18, 2010 Tehran’s substitute Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran humiliated big powers. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Ayatollah Khatami made the remarks during Eid-ul-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) congregational prayers ceremony in Tehran on Wednesday. Before the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, two prominent ideologies defined as Marxism-Communism as well as liberal democracy captured the world but are now doomed to fail, said the Ayatollah. The US has been trapped in the quagmire set for it in Afghanistan and Iraq and the theory of Zionists' invincibility bore no fruits as the 33 days of resistance of the Lebanese people and the 22-day war in Gaza proved that they are on the verge of collapse and annihilation, he said. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=213563 ------------ Documentary Film about the Life of the First Iranian Martyr in Bosnia Nov 18, 2010 The documentary film about the life of “martyr Rasoul Heydari”, the first Iranian martyr in Bosnia will be broadcast from Channel One of IRIB [Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting] today and tomorrow. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - According to the reporter of Navideshahed; the documentary film about the life of “Martyr Rasoul Heydari” has been made and produced by “Revayat - e Fat’h” Institution. This documentary film will be broadcast from Channel One of TV today (Saturday, November 6th 2010) and tomorrow (Sunday, November 7th, 2010). It should be mentioned that “Martyr Heydari” was born in Malayer City in 1960. He was the only son of his family. Rasoul spent his childhood with religious studies. Since he was a clever boy, he became the honor student when he was at school. He was in the second grade of high school when his family moved to Ahvaz City. They returned to Malayer City after two years. He registered in a technical school in order to continue education when they came back to Malayer City. Since then, he became familiar with the basic alphabet of politics at that time. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=213557 ------------ Hujjat Qur'an Recitation Competition Nov 18, 2010 Khoja Shia Ithna'asher Muslim Community (KSIMC) of London is pleased to announce the launch of the annual HQRC - Hujjat Qur'an Recitation. The competition will be held for Boys AND Girls this year. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Khoja Shia Ithna'asher Muslim Community (KSIMC) of London is pleased to announce the launch of the annual HQRC - Hujjat Qur'an Recitation. The competition will be held for Boys AND Girls this year. There are three age categories: (1) Ages 7-10 (2) Ages 11-15 and (3) Ages 16-21 Participants will be graded according to their Fluency, Makharij, Tajweed and style of recitation by a panel of judges. The format of the competition for the initial round will consist of each participant reciting for 3 minutes from a random passage. The same format will apply for the Final Round. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=213555 ------------ Banning Sharia law similar to ban on polygamy Nov 18, 2010 Muneer Awad (Your Views, Nov. 14) referred to Sharia as a set of rules that “guide” the daily life of Muslims. He further said that no government should “intrude on any religious community's right to practice its faith.” Would this exclude a ban on polygamy? Should Kalona, Iowa, allow Amish law? Should the Wiccan community be as respected as the Muslim community? The Constitution wasn't written to protect minority (or community) rights. It was written to protect individual rights. I can no longer exercise the way of life in which I grew up. I can't smoke where I please. A child can't ride on his mother's lap in the front seat, as I did. I have to turn packages in stores around to read the English labels. Rarely can I eat in restaurants for the spices in the food, adapted to accommodate alien palates. People neither dress nor act in the decent manner expected when I was young. I had to adapt to the society around me. http://newsok.com/banning-sharia-law-similar-to-ban-on-polygamy/article/3515157#ixzz15c2CJVdK ------------ Somali activist to speak at University of Alberta Nov 18, 2010 EDMONTON —When Ayaan Hirsi Ali left Somalia in 1992, fleeing an arranged marriage, the confines of her clan and her faith, she thought she could hide “like a needle in a haystack” in the Netherlands. But her journey took an entirely different direction, into a high-profile battle against Islam and the oppression of women. Ten years later, armed with a university degree, Ali was elected to the Dutch Parliament, but had to leave the country after death threats from Muslim extremists forced her into hiding. Despite repeated threats (a bodyguard is her constant companion), Ali remains uncompromising in her critique of Islam which she brings to the University of Alberta’s Festival of Ideas on Sunday. Full report at: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Somali+activist+speak+University+Alberta/3845717/story.html#ixzz15c2Vilpz ------------ The long war against "Islamic fundamentalism" Nov 18, 2010 General Sir David Richards, Chief of the British Armed Forces, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan since 2006, “subscribes to the notion that such an ideologically-driven adversary [as al-Qaeda] cannot be defeated in the traditional sense, and to attempt to do so could be a mistake”, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Sir David says “War” is the correct term for describing the conflict between the West and al-Qaeda and other Islamic militant groups. It might not be the stereotypical view of war, he insists, in the sense of massed armies attempting to outmanoeuvre their opponents but it needs to be viewed in the same way. But this war – unlike those of the past – could last up to 30 years. Why 30? We are not told. The war he describes has no conceivable end: We are engaged in a global struggle against a pernicious form of ideologically distorted form of Islamic fundamentalism. Full report at: http://www.skepticalconservatives.org/?cat=404 ------------ U.S. Jewish-Muslim Project in Trouble over Extremist Ties By Maayana Miskin Nov 18, 2010 A Jewish-Muslim interfaith group in the United States faces trouble as two rabbis drop out over suspected extremist ties. Rabbi Irwin Tanenbaum and Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein, who both serve communities in western New York state, withdrew support from the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding's synagogue-mosque twinning project this year. Both rabbis expressed support for interfaith initiatives in general, but said they are concerned by the specific organization involved. The twinning project is organized in part by the Islamic Society of North America, a controversial group that was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land terrorist funding case. During the Holy Land trial, prosecutors linked the ISNA to the radical Muslim Brotherhood, although ISNA organizers deny the connection. Full report at: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140686 ------------ Pig removed from toy farm set to appease Muslims Nov 18, 2010 It almost reads like an Onion story, but we’ve seen it before. Out of curiosity, have Jews ever demanded a pig-anything be removed? The latter part of the story answers the question by stating they won’t sell the pig in international markets where it might create an issue. An issue such as rioting or jihad? It’s highly unlikely they were referring to Israel. Even some clear-headed Muslims see the dhimmitude in such acts. BARMY shop bosses axed a tiny pig from a kids’ toy farm set – in case it upset Muslim and Jewish parents. An angry mum complained to the Early Learning Centre when she found the pig missing and was told it had been removed for “religious reasons”. Full report at: http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/pig-removed-from-toy-farm-set-to-appease-muslims/ ------------ How does Islamic Sharia go against human rights? By Ibrahim Hameed Nov 18, 2010 On the November 6, 2010, Minivan News published in its Comments and Opinion column an article titled “HRCM and Islamic Sharia,” written by supposedly feminist local writer, Aishath Aniya. The article is mainly about Aniya’s objection to a suggestion by the HRCM President who said: “Human rights protection can be successfully achieved adhering to the principles of Islam.” As such, Aniya has made two daring statements. In the fourth paragraph, she writes: “For a moment, I could not understand what she [HRCM President] was trying to say. Her words suggested that HRCM – the highest authority to safeguard human rights in the country has joined the religious narrative that poses a clear threat to human rights, social justice and economic sustainability of the country. Full report at: http://minivannews.com/politics/comment-how-does-islamic-sharia-go-against-human-rights-13353 ------------ Oklahoma's faith-baiting initiative By Michael Gerson Nov 18, 2010 Just to be on the safe side, voters in Oklahoma this month overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that prevents the Talibanization of the Sooner State. Henceforth, there will be no public stonings in Ponca City, no forced burqa wearing in Bartlesville, no sharia law in Lawton. Even supporters of the referendum - which forbade state courts from considering sharia in their deliberations - admitted that the threat from Oklahoma's 30,000 Muslims couldn't be called "imminent." "It's not a problem and we want to keep it that way," explains state Sen. Anthony Sykes. Sharia law, according to state Rep. Rex Duncan, is a "cancer that must be removed with a preemptive strike." Full report at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp Did Osama Bin Laden Implement 9/11 On Behalf Of Yasser Arafat? Nov 18, 2010 I am NOT going to be surprised if that ends up being the obvious case. Al-Qaeda was the perfect source which Yasser Arafat could blame even though it was the same kind of radical Islamic ideology he and his followers have been long proponents of since his heydays as a terrorist. The fact that so many Palestinian “activists” are dedicated in trying to push for the libel of Israel being behind 9/11 really shows the obvious anti-Semitic goals of the PLO/Palestinian Authority and its supporters…they are SUPPORTING the terrorists who were behind the 9/11 attacks. It’s always strange to why the same hypocrites would whine about Zionist Jews “controlling” U.S. foreign policy…claim Israel will benefit from the U.S. foreign policy even though U.S. foreign policy included demanding Israel to see Yasser Arafat to be a “moderate”…disengaging from Gaza which led to Hamas take over…and also preventing Israel from attacking Hezbollah even further. Full report at: http://mah29001.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/did-osama-bin-laden-implement-911-on-behalf-of-yasser-arafat/ ------------ ‘Responsible society plays critical role to develop human rights’ Nov 18, 2010 KARACHI: Responsible civil society has a critical role to develop and encourage respect for human rights for all without any discrimination of race, gender, language and religion. Sindh Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information and Archives Sharmila Farooqi stated this on the occasion of the International Day for Tolerance here on Monday. Tolerance is not only a cherished principle, but also a necessity for peace and socio-economic development, she added. The mass media is in position to play a constructive role in facilitating free and open discussion, disseminating the value of tolerance, and highlighting the dangers of indifference towards the rights of intolerant groups and ideologies, she said. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\16\story_16-11-2010_pg12_13 ------------ Iraq prez refuses to sign Tareq Aziz execution order Nov 18, 2010 PARIS: Iraqi president Jalal Talabani says he won't sign off on a death penalty sentence against Tareq Aziz, seen by many as the international face of Saddam Hussein's government. "I cannot sign an order of this kind because I am a Socialist," Talabani told France 24 TV, in an interview aired on Wednesday. "I feel compassion for Tareq Aziz because he is a Christian, an Iraqi Christian." "In addition, he is an elderly man — aged over 70 — and this is why I will never sign this order," Talabani said in Arabic through a translator. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Iraq-prez-refuses-to-sign-Tareq-Aziz-execution-order/articleshow/6945010.cms#ixzz15brz9I7 ------------ Two killed as Israeli warplane targets car in Gaza City Nov 18, 2010 GAZA CITY: Two people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a car in Gaza City during the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday on Wednesday, a Palestinian medical source said. Emergency services spokesman Adham Abu Selmiya confirmed two men had been killed in the strike, naming them as Mohammed Yassin and his brother, Islam, telling AFP they had died "in an Israeli strike on a car in the Samer area of Gaza City." The brothers were critically wounded in the strike, which completely obliterated the back of their car, and were rushed to Gaza City's Shifa hospital where they both died shortly afterwards. A witness told AFP he saw an Israeli warplane fire at a white car in the city centre. The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the raid, which was the fourth air strike on Gaza within two weeks. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Two-killed-as-Israeli-warplane-targets-car-in-Gaza-City/articleshow/6943581.cms#ixzz15bs1eZ4u ------------ LeT a profoundly dangerous group: US November 18, 2010 The United States says it is working with allies around the world to ensure that a "profoundly dangerous" Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) does not emerge as a major terrorist group as Al Qaeda itself is diminished. "I don't think I ever said LeT was more dangerous than Al Qaeda, but it is certainly a very, very dangerous group," a top US counter-terrorism official told reporters Wednesday referring to the group behind Nov 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. "Obviously, LeT is a profoundly dangerous group and its support that it derives from doing social services is like Hamas, is like Hezbollah, and is of course of great concern," Daniel Benjamin, State Department Coordinator for Counter Terrorism, said. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/297365/LeT-a-profoundly-dangerous-group-US.html ------------ For first time, Pak admits its Kargil dead, uploads list of 350 ‘martyrs’ Manu Pubby Nov 18 2010 New Delhi : For years, Pakistan denied that any of its regular soldiers fought in the Kargil war. But more than a decade after the conflict, it has honoured its soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the battle by quietly making their names public. The names of 350 Pakistani soldiers, a majority of them from the Northern Light Infantry, have been put up on the official website of the Pakistani Army, in a nondescript section titled ‘Shuhada’s (Martyrs’) Corner’. The list includes the two “heroes” of Pakistan, Captain Karnal Sher Khan and Havildar Lalak Jan, who were awarded the nation’s highest gallantry award, the Nishan-i-Haider, for the operations and hundreds of other soldiers who fought in the battle. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/for-first-time-pak-admits-its-kargil-dead-uploads-list-of-350-martyrs/712725/ ------------ NSG martyr’s father cycles across country, will stay in Taj on 26/11 Pranav Kulkarni Nov 18 2010 Pune : It's been two years since his son, NSG commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, died while fighting terrorists at the Taj Hotel during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Reminding the country of his sacrifice, K Unnikrishnan is on a month-long cycle rally which will culminate at the Gateway of India on November 26 — the second anniversary of the terror attacks. Unnikrishnan and his wife will stay at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai for two days on November 26 and 27. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan died at the Taj on November 27, 2008. Having begun his cycle rally from Delhi’s India Gate on October 26, Unnikrishnan is scheduled to arrive in Pune on November 19. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/nsg-martyrs-father-cycles-across-country-will-stay-in-taj-on-26-11/712700/ ------------ Iraq: Clock turns back to 2004 Gwynne Dyer Nov 18, 2010 HERE are things we got wrong in Iraq, but the cause is eternally right,” wrote George W. Bush in his recent memoir. “The region is more hopeful with a young democracy setting an example for others to follow.” Meanwhile, back in the real world, the “young democracy” has finally got a new prime minister, Nuri Al-Maliki. He’s the same one who led the last government, although every party (including much of his own) wanted to get rid of him after the election last March. Iraq’s ethnic and religious rivalries have become so fierce that no new and more inclusive coalition of parties could be agreed on. And what about the Al-Qaeda terrorists whose supposed links with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein were one of Bush’s pretexts for the US invasion of the country in 2003? (The other pretext was Saddam’s alleged “weapons of mass destruction”, but the less said about that the better.) Full report at: http://dailymailnews.com/1110/17/Editorial_Column/DMColumn.php#1 ------------ Fort Hood shooter should face death penalty: judge Nov 18, 2010 SAN ANTONIO: A military judge on Wednesday recommended that an army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people in a shooting spree on a Texas army base should be court martialed and face the death penalty. Colonel James Pohl told commanders that Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s case should be a capital offense because he “found reasonable grounds to believe an aggravating factor exists to authorize capital punishment,” lawyers said after a hearing. The army did not explain what that factor was, but military attorney Frank Spinner suggested it was because of the presence of multiple murder victims. Commanders must now review Pohl’s report, which remains in the hands of military authorities, but they are widely expected to go along with his recommendations when they order a trial, expected early next year. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/18/fort-hood-shooter-should-face-death-penalty-judge.html ------------ US jury clears Ghailani of major terrorism charges Nov 18, 2010 NEW YORK: The first suspect transferred from Guantanamo military prison to face a US civilian court was found not guilty on all but one charge in the 1998 African embassy bombings on Wednesday in a setback to US President Barack’s Obama plans for trying terrorism suspects. Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, 36, a Tanzanian from Zanzibar, had been accused of conspiring in the 1998 al Qaeda bomb attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people. The jury, which deliberated for five days, found him guilty of one relatively minor charge of conspiracy to damage or destroy US property with explosives. He faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/18/us-jury-clears-ghailani-of-major-terrorism-charges.html ------------ Twenty-one civilians killed in Mogadishu Nov 18, 2010 MOGADISHU: Artillery shelling and gunfire between African Union troops and insurgents killed at least 21 civilians in Mogadishu Wednesday, witnesses and medical sources said. Most were killed in Bakara, Mogadishu’s biggest market, when African Union troops started shelling the area after an explosive device hit one of their convoys, witnesses said. “The medical teams got an emergency alert and they rushed to Bakara market where they have collected around 16 dead bodies of civilians who were killed in the shelling,” said Ali Muse, head of Mogadishu ambulance service. Another five civilians were killed in crossfire after a roadside bomb and an ambush hit an African Union convoy, witnesses said. Muse said at least 46 civilians were injured in the latest violence. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/17/twenty-one-civilians-killed-in-mogadishu.html ------------ President urges nation to help end poverty, exploitation Nov 18, 2010 ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the nation to help end poverty and exploitation and remember their less fortunate brothers and sisters on the festive occasion of Eidul Azha. The president, in a message, felicitated the Muslims throughout the world and particularly those in Pakistan but asked the countrymen “not to forget those who suffer and endure and are deprived of true joy.” Zardari said it saddens him that so many of the people are living in despair and misery brought by unemployment, low wages or lack of justice. “Let us therefore also strive and pray on this day that the deprivations of the people will soon be over and they would regain their civil and economic rights.” The president said the celebrations indeed were a commemoration of the supreme sacrifice offered by Hazrat Ibrahim (AS). Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\17\story_17-11-2010_pg7_1 ------------ Extremists represent no one but themselves: King Nov 18, 2010 MINA: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has made a passionate call to the Muslims of the world to bury their differences and unite. “Last Haj season I spoke to you about the importance of interfaith dialogue and Saudi Arabia’s call was received well by the international community. This time we are in need of a dialogue within the ummah to abandon divisions, ignorance and immoderation which are major obstacles in the way of Muslims achieving their aspirations,” said King Abdullah in a message to Haj pilgrims this year. “The terror that threatens the world is attributed to Muslims while it is caused by extremists who are outside the scope of the tolerant religion of Islam. The perpetrators of terror represent none but themselves even though they appear in the guise of Islam, which is, in fact, far away from them,” he added. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article194618.ece ------------ Egypt blogger released after 4 years in jail Nov 18, 2010 CAIRO: An Egyptian blogger has been released after serving four years in prison on charges of insulting Islam and the president, a human rights group said on Wednesday. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) said blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil, 26, known as Kareem Amer, was in bad health and was beaten by security officers before his release on Tuesday. The Interior Ministry was not immediately available for comment. Amer, a student at the state-run religious Al-Azhar University, was arrested in 2006 on charges of insulting Islam and President Hosni Mubarak in his blog posts. He was sentenced to four years in prison and expelled from the university. “Kareem was released on Tuesday morning and his health is bad but he is safe now,” Gamal Eid, head of ANHRI, which represented Amer at court, told Reuters. “He was detained for 11 days beyond his court sentence and beaten by officers who did not give any reasons,” Eid added. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article194122.ece ------------ Sweden slams EU court for Iraqi asylum reviews Nov 18, 2010 STOCKHOLM: Sweden criticized the European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday for being inefficient and sending out mixed messages about how countries should handle the deportations of Iraqi asylum seekers. The European court has a big backlog of complaints from Iraqi asylum seekers and doesn’t give priority to urgent cases, the Swedish Migration Board said in a statement. The agency’s director for legal affairs, Mikael Ribbenvik, also said Sweden hasn’t received any clear guidance as to whether it should cancel all deportations of Iraqi asylum seekers or not. On Tuesday, the Council of Europe — the human rights watchdog linked with the European court — criticized European countries for deporting Iraqi asylum seekers, saying it violates a decision by the court. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article194459.ece ------------ Clashes interrupt Kyrgyz trial over April killings Nov 18, 2010 BISHKEK: Relatives of protesters killed in an April revolt clashed with police in a Kyrgyz court on Wednesday, calling for the execution of those accused of killing scores in the uprising that toppled President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Dozens of relatives of the dead broke through police lines at the trial held in a Bishkek sports palace, trying to reach the 22 accused, who include Bakiyev’s former defense minister, before the defendants were evacuated. “They must be shot!” the attackers cried, some grabbing microphone stands and wielding them to fight police a few hours after the start of the first trial stemming from the killings. “Death for death! We will burn down your homes!” some shouted as the trial began. “You are damned ... We will pluck your eyes,” yelled others. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article194132.ece ------------ 5 killed as gunmen attack oil vessel in Cameroon Nov 18, 2010 LAGOS, Nigeria: Gunmen killed five people guarding an offshore oil field operated by French firm Perenco SA in Cameroon, the company said Wednesday, a bloody attack in a region getting more dangerous for oil workers and sailors. The attack late Tuesday night came as the vessel operated at an oil field abutting Nigerian territorial waters, possibly signaling that militants waging attacks in recent days from that country’s oil-rich Niger Delta targeted the crew. However, no militant group in either country immediately claimed responsibility for the assault. The attack killed three Cameroonian soldiers and two private Cameroonian security contractors as they guarded Perenco’s Moudi oil field, the company said. “Perenco is currently lending all the support it can to the Cameroon authorities at this sad time and will provide further information as and when appropriate,” the company said in the statement. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article194365.ece URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=3693