Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin

Islamic World News

06 Dec 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com

Carla, Sarkozy ‘pray for a son’ at Sufi shrine as Akbar did 400 years ago

Twin blasts in Mohmand leave 50 dead

Terrorists blow up girls’ school in Mohmand

Surgical strike: Jihadis plan 'undetectable' bomb implants

Pakistan embassy in US confirms death of Ali Fakhri

US drone attack kills five militants in Pakistan: officials

Kingdom asks Muslims to promote peace

Security forces kill 3 terrorists in Swat

Two NATO soldiers among four killed in Afghan suicide attack

Missile attack kills 5 terrorists in Waziristan

Sex abuse in Muslim families goes unreported

Pak Court Bars Govt from Amending Blasphemy Law

China Blocked Efforts to Put Sanctions on Hafiz Saeed

Saudi 'critical' finance base for Qaida, Taliban: WikiLeaks

Maoists demand mosque at Babri site

Togadia sees conspiracy to save Afzal Guru

Iran Declares Nuclear Self-Sufficiency, US Concerned

Obama should resign if he approved UN spying: Assange

Sharia law supporters should leave state, nation

No evidence for love jihad, HC’s final ruling

Hate Crime Stats: Where's the 'Islamophobia'?

Prophecy of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn (‘a) in the Musnad of Ibn Hanbal

The Tragedy of the Two Young Sons of Muslim Ibn Aqil

Innocent child killed by forces in Afghanistan

Bangladesh: Conspiracy on to Ban Islamist Parties

Self-purification and Islamic Education Conference to Be Held in Belgium

American Muslim Woman Won't Remove Scarf For Jail Photo

US pressured Pak on LeT 2 yrs before 26/11: WikiLeaks

UAE Believed India Supported Pak Taliban, Pashtuns

Saudi Wary of Approaching ISI on Terror Related Info

Oklahoma Sharia law ban blocked by US Federal judge

Lebanon shocked at Hezbollah telecom network

BlueWolf: The myth of a Christian nation

Kadri Brings Inspiration To Youth At Local Mosque

Pashto folk singer gets assistance

5 Myths About Islam

American Zionist fanatic: Zionist liar par excellence

On Islamophobia and Homophobia Show: What about all the images?

280 Palestinians kidnapped by Israel last November

180,000 Bahraini Shias Planned to Mark Ashura

Family of Marwa el-Sherbini "Veil Martyr" suing German judges

Thematic analysis of 14th "Islam World Encyclopedia"

Houthis deny AQAP killed elderly spiritual leader

WikiLeaks chief 'a high-tech terrorist': McConnell

WikiLeaks: Top Chinese officials ordered hacking on Google

Court orders arrest of 2 top cops in Benazir killing case

WikiLeaks bank account in Switzerland under scrutiny: Report

Prosecution suppressed evidence to nail Kasab, alleges lawyer

Protest and a promise in Malaysia

15 Pakistanis among 19 detained foreigners: police

Pakistan judicial panel may be allowed to visit India

16-year-old married girl shot dead, father-in-law detained

Israel must ‘clear blood’ to mend ties: Turkish PM

Jamat-e-Islami opposes presence of NATO forces in Afghanistan

King congratulates Qatar for World Cup 2022 hosting rights

OIC seeks reconciliation between Muslims and West

Iraq hunting for foreign terror suspects

Seminar exposes ‘injustices of media justice’

Compiled by New Age Isalm News Bureau

Photo: President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni were welcomed to the monument, located 26 km west of Agra.

---------- Carla, Sarkozy ‘pray for a son’ at Sufi shrine as Akbar did 400 years ago By Piyush Srivastava Dec 06, 2010 Supermodel, pop star, first lady... Bruni now wants to be mommy to Sarkozy Jr A DAY after their romantic sunset tryst with the Taj Mahal, the French First Couple prayed for a son at the Fatehpur Sikri dargah of Sufi saint Salim Chishti just as Mughal emperor Akbar had done centuries ago. President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni were welcomed to the monument, located 26 km west of Agra, by Peerzada Rais Mian Chishti and his two sons around 3.40 pm on Sunday. They spent about an hour and a half there. Rais Mian is the caretaker of the dargah and a direct descendent of Salim Chishti. Sarkozy and Bruni offered tributes at the mazaar of Salim Chishti. An official revealed that the French President and his wife also attended a qawwali session inside the magnificent red sandstone structure. “They saw the Buland Darwaza, tomb of Salim Chishti, Anoop Talab, Deewan-e-Khas and Deewan-e-Aam, Shahi Bazar, Meena Bazar, Panch Mahal, Khwabgah and Jodha Bai’s palace. The French President was particularly pleased with the ramps provided for tourists,” the official added. Rais Mian revealed that Bruni asked him about the significance of the Sufi saint’s dargah. “I told her that Akbar had got a son after praying here and built Fatehpur Sikri after his wish was granted. Bruni then said that she, too, wanted a son and asked me to pray for her. I told them to make their wish while offering a chadar of roses,” Rais Mian said. Sarkozy and Bruni even tied kalava, the symbol of their wish. “Akbar, who was childless, had prayed at several dargahs and temples before coming to Sikri where Chishti, sitting on a rock, blessed him and said he would have three children,” Rais Mian’s son Arshad Faridi said. “Akbar then named his eldest son Salim after the saint. Salim later became emperor Jehangir.” SARKOZY borrowed the skull cap of one of the officials as none of those which were kept fit him. Bruni had covered her head with a purple stole. They also removed their shoes outside the dargah’s gate, Rais Mian said. The couple does not have children. But Sarkozy has three sons and Carla one through their previous marriages. Both of them signed the visitors’ book and Bruni wrote: “ Thank you very much for the wonderful visit.” They appreciated the conservation work done by the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI) and took keen interest in the architectural features of the buildings. On Saturday evening, Sarkozy fulfiled his long- cherished dream of visiting the Taj Mahal with Bruni, who could not accompany him on his previous visit to India in 2008 owing to protocol issues. The President had vowed at that time to return with Bruni. On Sunday morning, Sarkozy and Bruni were scheduled to visit the Taj Mahal again, but decided against it. This lastminute change of plans caused inconvenience to waiting tourists as the Taj had remained closed to public for more than an hour in anticipation of the First Couple’s visit. “ It was only after the district authorities informed the ASI that the Sarkozys were not coming that the ticket- booking windows were reopened,” Captain A. S. Tiwari, an officer assigned to ensure that the visit of the French guests was memorable, said. The Sarkozys preferred to stay put at the luxurious Amar Vilas hotel, from where they had a spectacular view of the Taj Mahal. They had a relaxed morning and lunch before proceeding directly to Fatehpur Sikri. They then left for Kheria airport to head for Delhi. Mail Today ---------- Twin blasts in Mohmand leave 50 dead Dec 06, 2010 PESHAWAR: Two suspected suicide bombers killed at least 50 people in an attack at the office compound of a senior government official in an area along Pakistan’s Afghan border on Monday, officials said. “It appears to be a suicide attack. I don’t know the exact number of casualties because efforts are being made to remove debris,” Amjad Ali Khan, the top government official in the regiog, who appeared to be the target of the attack, told Reuters by telephone. “There were two bombers. They were on foot. The first blew himself up inside the office of one of my deputies while the second one set off explosives when guards caught him.” More than 100 people were believed to have been in the compound where government officials, allied tribal elders and members of local anti-Taliban militia were holding talks, leading to fears that the death toll could rise. It was the second suicide attack in five months targeting Mohmand tribal elders allied to the government. On July 9, a suicide car bomb attack killed 105 people in the region’s town of Yakaghund. “Routine security arrangements were in place. It is difficult to stop suicide bombers, they can go anywhere.” http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/06/eight-killed-in-mohmand-explosion.html ---------- Terrorists blow up girls’ school in Mohmand Dec 06, 2010 LAHORE: Some unidentified terrorists blew up a girls’ school in Mohmand Agency, a private TV channel reported on Sunday. According to sources, the terrorists detonated explosives, planted around the girls’ school, which was located in the Safi district of the Mohmand Agency. However, no injuries or casualties reported. The terrorists have targeted schools in the area and the toll of the schools blown up in the area has reached 70, the channel reported. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\06\story_6-12-2010_pg7_16 ---------- ---------- Surgical strike: Jihadis plan 'undetectable' bomb implants Dec 7, 2010 WASHINGTON: Jihadis, who are trying to figure out a "new kind of terrorism" to frighten the world, are reportedly discussing how to surgically implant explosives into humans , making them undetectable Frankenbombers. "What is your opinion about surgeries through which I can implant the bomb ... inside the operative's body?" an apparent mad surgeon recently asked an online forum used by al-Qaeda affiliates. According to the New York Daily News, he urged bombmakers and doctors to unite and find out ways to murder "larger numbers of unbelievers and apostates." The call has come amid controversy over body scanners in airports, which some Americans complain are too invasive. One of the terrorists replied, saying stitching a bomb into the abdominal cavity made of plastic or liquid explosives, such as semtex or PETN, was judged the best method. Counter-terrorism experts are now worried about doctors being among terrorists' ranks and their willingness to carry out suicide attacks. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Surgical-strike-Jihadis-plan-undetectable-bomb-implants/articleshow/7057001.cms#ixzz17OOm1eFt ---------- Pakistan embassy in US confirms death of Ali Fakhri Dec 7, 2010 LAHORE: The Pakistani Embassy in US confirmed on Tuesday that senior actor Jameel Fakhri’s son Ali Ayaz Fakhri was dead. Speaking to DawnNews Pakistan’s ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani informed about the death of Ali Ayaz Fakhri. He added that it cannot be confirmed if it was a murder or an accident. According to sources the FBI confirmed Ali Fakhri’s death after analyzing his DNA. Jameel Fakhri while talking to the media at his residnce said ” My son has no enemity with any one.” He also said that the embassy had not given any information about the body. DNA report of his son Ali Fakhri had been received, said one report. The Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit said on Saturday that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had taken strict notice of senior actor Jameel Fakhri’s missing son case who was reportedly lost in the United States in mid 2009. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/07/pakistan-embassy-in-us-confirms-murder-of-ali-ayaz-fakhri.html ---------- US drone attack kills five militants in Pakistan: officials Dec 7, 2010 MIRANSHAH: Missiles fired from a US drone on a vehicle and a house killed five militants in Pakistan’s lawless northwestern tribal belt near the Afghan border on Monday, security officials said. The missile strike took place in Khysore village, 35 kilometres (20 miles) east of Miranshah, the main town of troubled North Waziristan tribal district. “A US drone fired four missiles on a house and a vehicle,” a senior Pakistani security official told AFP. “At least five militants were killed.”A local intelligence and security official confirmed the strike and casualties. “First the US drone fired two missiles on a militant vehicle and two of the occupants were killed, while three others escaped and hid in a shop adjacent to a house. “The drone fired two more missiles on the shop and three of them were killed and three others were wounded,” the official said. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/06/us-drone-attack-kills-five-militants-in-pakistan-officials.html ---------- Kingdom asks Muslims to promote peace Dec 7, 2010 RIYADH: Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, on Monday urged Arabs and Muslims to work for establishing closer relations with other communities and promoting peace, justice and tolerance in the world. Addressing the weekly Cabinet meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, Prince Sultan expressed his hope that the new Hijrah year, 1432, which begins Tuesday, would bring about peace and stability in the Arab and Islamic world. “We have to work together to bring nations closer, serve humanity and deepen the values that have been upheld by religions and cultures,” he said. “Islam calls for brotherhood, mercy and tolerance, and spreading the values of justice and love all over the world.” Prince Sultan thanked God for the success of a recent operation that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah underwent at a US hospital to stabilize several vertebrae on his spinal cord. He also prayed for the king’s good health. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article209730.ece ---------- Security forces kill 3 terrorists in Swat Dec 06, 2010 SWAT: Security forces, during a retaliatory action, killed three terrorists and recovered lethal weapons from their possession on Sunday. Official sources said that security forces launched a search operation after receiving information about the presence of terrorists at the mountainous Chor Mak area in Upper Khwazakhela. The security forces, during the search operation, encountered terrorists and asked them to surrender. Instead, the terrorists opened fire at the security forces, which, in turn retaliated. As a result, Azizullah, Gufranullah and Zakrya were killed. The police wanted the outlaws in various cases of heinous nature. Lethal weapons were also recovered from their possession. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\06\story_6-12-2010_pg1_4 ---------- Two NATO soldiers among four killed in Afghan suicide attack Dec 06, 2010 KHOST: A suicide bomber killed two foreign soldiers and two Afghan civilians in a bazaar outside a NATO base in southeast Afghanistan on Sunday and wounded nearly 20, NATO and Afghan officials said. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast in Gardez district of Paktia, a province located to the south of Kabul and close to the Pakistan border. Major S Justin Platt, spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Paktia confirmed there had been several casualties. “There were two ISAF soldiers killed and six wounded,” Platt said. ISAF officials in Kabul confirmed it was a suicide blast. The explosion happened as a group of foreign and Afghan soldiers were shopping, a military source in Kabul said, adding at least four Afghan troops were also wounded. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\06\story_6-12-2010_pg7_8 ---------- Missile attack kills 5 terrorists in Waziristan Dec 06, 2010 LAHORE: At least five terrorists were killed in missile attacks in northern area of the Waziristan agency, a private TV channel reported on Sunday. According to sources, two missiles were fired from an undisclosed location on a vehicle in tehsil Dutta Khel, 25 kilometres from Miran Shah. The vehicle was destroyed completely and five alleged terrorists on board died in the attacks, the channel reported. daily times monitor http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\06\story_6-12-2010_pg7_15 ---------- Sex abuse in Muslim families goes unreported Dec 06, 2010 Four Dutch-Moroccan women, Rabea, Zohra, Ibtisam and Saïda, were all sexually abused by members of their families: their fathers, uncles, brothers or cousins. After years of silence, they have decided to speak out because they know that many other Muslim women suffer the same fate. A care worker: “Taboos, secrecy, silence, shame and a closed community are almost a recipe for sexual abuse.” The idea of ‘family honour’ meant that Rabea, Zohra, Ibtisam and Saïda kept their mouths shut. Now they are telling their stories to try and break the taboo surrounding sexual abuse in Muslim families. They no longer see themselves as victims. Their mission is to help other women who are in trouble now. No criminal report - no figures - no help Young Muslim women who are abused do not figure in reports. Neither do their abusers. Zohra Acherrat, psychiatrist with the ‘Fier Fryslân’ emergency shelter in Friesland in the north of the Netherlands: Full report at: http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/sex-abuse-muslim-families-goes-unreported ---------- Pak Court Bars Govt from Amending Blasphemy Law Dec 06, 2010 A Pakistani court today restrained the government from amending the blasphemy law, which has been at the centre of a heated debate after a Christian woman was convicted under it and sentenced to death last month. Chief Justice Justice Khwaja Sharif of the Lahore High Court barred the government from introducing any change in the blasphemy law in response to a petition filed by a man named Muhammad Nasir. Sharif issued a notice asking the government to clarify its position on the issue at the next hearing scheduled for December 23. In his petition, Nasir asked the court to stop the federal government from making any change in the law. The Chief Justice said the government should not take any step till the court gives its verdict on the petition. Full report at: http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?703890 ---------- China Blocked Efforts to Put Sanctions on Hafiz Saeed LALIT K JHA/WASHINGTON Dec 06, 2010 At Islamabad's behest, China blocked efforts in the UN Security Council to slap sanctions against JuD and its leader Hafiz Saeed which were operating against India from Pakistan, according to information contained in a secret American diplomatic cable. A State Department cable signed off by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released by WikiLeaks also suggests that the Jamaat-ud-Dawa continues to operate and raise funds and it was unclear what steps the Pakistan government has taken to freeze its assets to implement UN sanctions. According to the cable dated August 10, 2009, originating from Clinton, a US request to list Hafiz Saeed on a sanctions list was put on hold before the Mumbai terror attack that India blames on the JuD founder. "Prior to the (Mumbai terrorist attacks) attacks, our request to list (Jamaat-ud-Dawa) JUD and (Hafiz Muhammed) Saeed were placed on hold by China at the behest of Pakistan," the cable marked secret and addressed to the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Permanent Mission of the US to the UN, said. Full report at: http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?703889 ---------- Saudi 'critical' finance base for Qaida, Taliban: WikiLeaks Dec 06, 2010 RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is the key source of funding for radical Islamist groups including al-Qaida, the Taliban, Hamas and Lashkar-e-e-Taiba, according to a US diplomatic cable leaked by WikiLeaks Sunday. "Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide," said the document, an assessment from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dated December 30, 2009. "Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qaida, the Taliban, LeT ( Lashkar-e-Taiba), and other terrorist groups, including Hamas, which probably raise millions of dollars annually from Saudi sources, often during Hajj and Ramadan," the cable said. It said that the Saudis had made "significant progress" under US pressure to deal with the issue, especially disrupting al-Qaida's sources of money in Saudi Arabia. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Saudi-critical-finance-base-for-Qaida- ---------- Maoists demand mosque at Babri site Dec 06, 2010 Bhubaneswar : The CPI (Maoist) has given a call to observe Monday, December 6 — when the Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya 18 years ago — as black day. The outfit has demanded that the mosque should be rebuilt at the same site and those who had demolished it must be punished severely. In a signed press release issued by the Central Committee of CPI (Maoist), spokesperson Abhay said the Maoists had all along maintained that the land on which the Babri Masjid stood belonged to Muslims and it should be given back to them. The outfit said “Hindu fundamentalists made the 500-year-old Babri Masjid a controversial site by claiming it as the birth place of Lord Ram and on that pretext many a time instigated communal disturbances in the country killing thousands of Muslims”. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/maoists-demand-mosque-at-babri-site/720879/ ---------- Togadia sees conspiracy to save Afzal Guru Manas Dasgupta Dec 06, 2010 VADODARA: Vishwa Hindu Parishad international general secretary Pravin Togadia on Sunday claimed that Swami Asimanand and Indresh Kumar were innocent and had been made victim of a larger conspiracy to “save” the Parliament attack case convict, Afzal Guru, from being hanged. Addressing a “Dharma Sabha” here as part of the VHP's “Hanuman Abhiyan” all over the country, Dr. Togadia alleged that implicating Swami Asimanand, a VHP activist, in the Hyderabad bomb blast case, and Mr. Indresh Kumar, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader, in the Ajmer blast case, was part of the Congress-led UPA government's conspiracy to “save” Afzal Guru. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/06/stories/2010120666361600.htm ---------- Iran Declares Nuclear Self-Sufficiency, US Concerned Dec 06, 2010 Iran on Sunday said it has produced a first batch of uranium yellow cake, the raw material for enrichment, in a move it said "strengthens" its position before talks with world powers on its controversial nuclear programme. In Washington, the White House said the claim raises "additional concerns" but was "not unexpected" since UN sanctions prevent Iran from importing it. Iranian atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi said that the Islamic republic was now "self-sufficient" in the entire nuclear fuel cycle. "The West had counted on the possibility of us being in trouble over raw material but today we had the first batch of yellowcake from Gachin mine sent to Isfahan (conversion) facility," Salehi said on state television. Conversion is the process by which yellow cake is turned into uranium hexafluoride (UF6) for enrichment. Full report at: http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?703878 ---------- Obama should resign if he approved UN spying: Assange Dec 06, 2010 Madrid : President Barack Obama should resign if it can be shown that he approved spying by US diplomatic figures on UN officials, the founder of WikiLeaks has said. "The whole chain of command who was aware of this order, and approved it, must resign if the US is to be seen to be a credible nation that obeys the rule of law. The order is so serious it may well have been put to the president for approval," Julian Assange told Spanish daily El Pais. "Obama must answer what he knew about this illegal order and when. If he refuses to answer or there is evidence he approved of these actions, he must resign," he added during an Internet chat interview published online yesterday. WikiLeaks threw US diplomacy into chaos when it started releasing more than 250,000 classified State Department cables on November 28, creating an international firestorm as American diplomats' private assessments of foreign leaders and politics have been publicly aired. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/obama-should-resign-if-he-approved-un-spying-assange/720955/ ---------- Sharia law supporters should leave state, nation Dec 06, 2010 When will we stop kowtowing to Muslims? The tenets of Sharia law are repugnant to a majority of Americans. Oklahomans showed their abhorrence of Sharia law with the votes they cast on Nov. 2 in support of State Question 755. If any Oklahomans prefer to live under Sharia law, let them go to places that prefer to live that way. Let's keep Sharia law out of our courts. http://newsok.com/sharia-law-supporters-should-leave-state-nation/article/3520390#ixzz17J5HJuzh ---------- No evidence for love jihad, HC’s final ruling Dec 06, 2010 Kochi: The High Court has finally ruled that there is no evidence to suggest the existence of `love jihad’. The court made this clear while considering the plea of Shahansha from Pathanamthitta. He approached the court seeking to withdraw the case against him as the case filed against him in Thiruvananthapuram cantonment police station had no locus standi. Justice Sasidharan Nambiar, who earlier directed the police to put an end to the investigation that falsely portray one particular community in bad light, had asked the police for a report in this regard. The police submitted the investigative reports from the Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam district courts. Based on these reports, the HC has found that there is no evidence against the accused. The police were unable to present any evidence to the allegations of `love jihad’. Full report at: http://newfrontworld.com/2010/12/04/no-evidence-for-love-jihad-hc%E2%80%99s-final- ---------- Hate Crime Stats: Where's the 'Islamophobia'? David J. Rusin Dec 06, 2010 Islamist pressure groups have spent years pushing the meme that Muslims in America face ever-increasing violence at the hands of their fellow citizens, but new statistics on hate crimes reported to the FBI once again undermine such claims. Just-released data covering 2009 (summarized in this important table) include 107 anti-Islamic hate crime incidents against persons and property, involving 128 offenses and 132 victims. These numbers are a hair above the post-9/11 lows of 2008 (105 incidents, 123 offenses, and 130 victims). Anti-Islamic hate crimes have been falling steadily for a decade, with 2009 figures down more than three-quarters from the 2001 spike. A closer examination of what took place in 2009 adds valuable perspective: Incidents of hate crime driven by anti-Jewish bias (931) were 8.7 times as numerous as those driven by anti-Islamic bias. Full report at: http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.8078/pub_detail.asp ---------- Prophecy of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn (‘a) in the Musnad of Ibn Hanbal By:Dr. Sayyid Kàzim Tabàtabai Dec 06, 2010 Ibn Hanbal says: Muhammad bin ‘Ubayd has related to us from Sharhabil bin Madrak from ‘Abdullah bin Nujayy from his father who narrates that he was marching with (Imam) ‘Ali [(‘a)] towards Siffin and when we reached Ninevah, (Imam) ‘Ali [(‘a)] cried in a loud voice: “O Aba ‘Abdillah! Be patient. O Aba ‘Abdillah! Be patient beside the River Euphrates.” I asked him: For what? He said: “Once when I went to the Prophet I saw tears in his eyes and asked him: O Messenger of Allah (S) who has made you upset? Why are your eyes moist with tears? Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215807 ---------- The Tragedy of the Two Young Sons of Muslim Ibn Aqil Dec 06, 2010 Muslim ibn 'Aqil had taken two of his sons to Kufah with him. The older son was called Muhammad and the younger Ibrahim. Both of them were under the age of ten years. When Muslim ibn 'Aqil realized how dangerous a threat Ibn Ziyad was, he called for Qadi Shurayh and handed over his two sons to him. Qadi Shurayh kept the two boys in his house until the martyrdom of Muslim ibn 'Aqil. After the death of Muslim ibn 'Aqil, Ibn Ziyad issued a warning saying that anyone who was aware of the whereabouts of the sons of Muslim ibn 'Aqil and did not inform him would be put to death. On hearing this, Qadi Shurayh went to the sons of Muslim ibn 'Aqil. He showed them affection and kindness as he shed tears. The boys asked him, "Why are you weeping?" Shurayh replied, "Your father has been mercilessly killed." The children cried in grief, "O father! O exile!" After Shurayh had consoled them, he informed them of Ibn Ziyad's threats against them. Hearing this, the children stopped crying out of terror. Seeing this Shurayh said, "Do not be frightened. You are the apples of my eye. I will not allow any harm to come to you. I have arranged for you to be in the care of a trustworthy person who will see to it that you taken back to Medina." Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215815 ---------- Innocent Child Killed by US Forces in Afghanistan Dec 06, 2010 During a military operation in Afghanistan's southeastern Ghazni province, US-led forces have claimed the life of an Afghan child, NATO and witnesses say (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - During a military operation in Afghanistan's southeastern Ghazni province, US-led forces have claimed the life of an Afghan child, NATO and witnesses say. Local witnesses say the girl was killed in a NATO military operation in Deh yak district in Ghazni province on Saturday. The military alliance has confirmed the civilian loss of life in the war-torn country. Meanwhile, Afghan officials say a Taliban commander and two other militants were also killed during the operation. However, the Taliban have not yet confirmed the deaths. Foreign forces are under criticism for causing civilian casualties in Afghanistan. A United Nations report says over 1,200 Afghan civilians lost their lives in the first half of 2010. The rise in civilian casualties in NATO attacks has strained relations between President Hamid Karzai and his Western allies, who are under increasing pressure at home over the unpopular war. http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215770 ---------- Bangladesh: Conspiracy on to Ban Islamist Parties Dec 06, 2010 The ruling Awami League-led government is conspiring to ban religion-based politics, Islami Andolan Bangladesh alleges (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The ruling Awami League-led government is conspiring to ban religion-based politics, Islami Andolan Bangladesh alleges. Presidium member of the party Syed Fazlul Karim on Saturday said, "Obscene dance was performed in front of trainee imams at the Islamic Foundation auditorium on Nov 27 in the name of introducing them to American culture." He blamed director general of the foundation Shamim Mohammad Afzal over the matter and demanded his expulsion. "Such un-Islamic behaviour cannot be allowed as the incident has not only trampled religious values but also disgraced us in the Muslim world," he added. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215725 ---------- Self-purification and Islamic Education Conference to Be Held in Belgium Dec 06, 2010 A conference titled "Self-purification and Islamic Education” is slated to be held today, December 5, in Brussels, capital of Belgium. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - A conference titled "Self-purification and Islamic Education” is slated to be held today, December 5, in Brussels, capital of Belgium. According to science-pratique Website, the event will be organized by the La Source Islamic Institute and will be attended by Muslim families, intellectuals and experts of the city. Discussing ways to fight with the Nafs-e Ammara (ego that incites us to commit evil), Quran verses related to the education of mankind, right education of Muslim kids and teenagers, and creating ground for maintaining the Islamic identity of Muslim expatriates, are among the themes to be addressed at the event. The Institute has been launched with the aim of getting Muslims further acquainted with Islamic teachings. http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215719 ---------- American Muslim Woman Won't Remove Scarf For Jail Photo Dec 06, 2010 A Muslim woman who refused to remove her headscarf for a Boulder County jail booking photo has been told she'll have to explain her refusal to a judge. BOULDER, Colo. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - A Muslim woman who refused to remove her headscarf for a Boulder County jail booking photo has been told she'll have to explain her refusal to a judge. Maria Hardman, 19, of Boulder, who says she converted to Islam three years ago, pleaded guilty to an alcohol violation and was sentenced to two days in jail plus community service. She told the Boulder Daily Camera on Friday that removing her headscarf for the photo would violate her beliefs because the Quran calls for Muslim women to wear the scarf except in the company of close family. A police report said Hardman's blood-alcohol level was 0.19, more than twice the legal limit, after she crashed her motor-scooter in August. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215674 ---------- US pressured Pak on LeT 2 yrs before 26/11: WikiLeaks Dec 6, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Exactly two years before the 2008 Mumbai attacks, American officials pressured the Pakistan government to crack down on Lashker-e-Taiba and its front Jamaat-ud-Dawah but were unable to make much headway, according to a secret US diplomatic cable. A cable sent on November 27, 2006 by former US ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C Crocker, one of many released by WikiLeaks, said the US embassy had raised the operations of the two groups with "contacts throughout the government of Pakistan". Crocker took up the activities of LeT, Al Akhtar Trust and Al Rashid Trust with then foreign secretary Riaz Khan. "No official, however, has committed to taking direct action to close the operations of these entities," Crocker wrote. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/US-pressured-Pak-on-LeT-2-yrs-before- ---------- UAE Believed India Supported Pak Taliban, Pashtuns LALIT K JHA/WASHINGTON Dec 06, 2010 UAE's security officials believed that India along with Iran had supported the Pakistani Taliban and Pushtun separatists, even as US suggested that UAE was a source of funding for the militants, a diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks discloses. The strange allegation by UAE officials is noted in a State Department cable which reports the details of a meeting between officials of the US Treasury Department and those of UAE's State Security Department (SSD) and Dubai's General Department of State Security (GDSS) to discuss suspected Taliban-related financial activity in the UAE. The meeting, spread over several hours on December 15-16, 2009. In the meeting GDSS officials noted Iran's support to Taliban in Pakistan, adding that it believes that India also has supported Pakistani Taliban and Pashtun separatists. The meeting from the US side was represented by Treasury Department Acting Assistant Secretary of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis Howard Mendelsohn. Full report at: http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?703881 ---------- Saudi Wary of Approaching ISI on Terror Related Info LALIT K JHA Dec 06, 2010 A top Saudi Arabian counter-terrorism official had told US' Af-Pak envoy Richard Holbrooke that he had little trust in Pakistan's ISI when it comes to sharing information with it on terrorism, a US cable released by WikiLeaks cable reveals. Major General Khalid al-Humaydan ("Abu Ali"), who has been leading operations against terrorists and those involved in sending funds to terror outfits based in Pakistan, had said his security forces had detained numerous individuals from Pakistan and were seeking cooperation to probe their activities. In a meeting with Holbrooke, the Counterterrorism Advisor to the Ministry of the Interior Saudi Arabia, said his agencies have to think "ten times" before approaching the ISI. "He (al-Humaydan) added that we talk to ISI and get a good response, but we think ten times before approaching them; things are changing there and we are advised to be careful," the cable said. Full report at: http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?703883 ---------- Oklahoma Sharia law ban blocked by US Federal judge Dec 06, 2010 A United States Federal judge has ruled to block the state of Oklahoma’s recently passed ban on Sharia law. The ban, which would’ve disallowed Islamic law to be considered in courtroom situations, was blocked by Judge Vicky Miles-Lagrange when she granted an injunction. The judge cited that more time would be required in order to review complaints filed by a Muslim man who said the measure was a violation of his freedom of religion. The ban, also known as State Question 755, had been passed in a referendum in early November. More than 70% of Oklahoma’s voters had voted in favour of the measure. The news comes after the Council on American-Islamic Relations head in Oklahoma, Muneer Awad, had brought forth a suit claiming that the referendum would immensely affect all aspects of his life, all the way down to his last will and testament. Full report at: http://news.carrentals.co.uk/oklahoma-sharia-law-ban-blocked-by-us-federal-judge- ---------- Lebanon shocked at Hezbollah telecom network Dec 06, 2010 LONDON: Lebanon warned “Iran telecom” was taking over the country after uncovering a secret communications network used by Hezbollah two years ago, a US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks showed on Monday. The Beirut government was shocked at the discovery in April 2008 of the extensive communications system used by the powerful Shiite party, which receives military and financial support from Iran, according to the cable. Lebanon passed on information about the fibre optics network – allegedly financed by Tehran – to the US and Saudi Arabia, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy was “stunned” by the discovery, according to the correspondence revealed in Britain’s Guardian newspaper. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/06/lebanon-shocked-at-hezbollah-telecom-network.html ---------- BlueWolf: The myth of a Christian nation James BlueWolf Dec 06, 2010 I've decided to write a few essays about current events. This is not a diatribe against Christianity, it is an attempt to set the historical record straight. The first current event of importance is the mobilization of American Christian fundamentalism against a “foreign” religion; in this case Islam. This is as traditionally American as apple pie. Numerous modern presidents have sought to sustain the myth that the United States was founded as a Christian nation for their own political reasons and, in today's divided America, it is again a useful tool in getting angry, disenchanted Americans to renew their discontent at having a black president with apparently liberal leanings trying to direct the course of the Nation. One of the 14 recently identified pillars of fascism is when religion is consistently mentioned and utilized by a government’s leadership or opposition, to bolster its support and justify its actions. Full report at: http://lakeconews.com/content/view/17242/925/ ---------- Kadri Brings Inspiration To Youth At Local Mosque By Mike Ulmer Dec 06, 2010 It was a homecoming for Nazem Kadri even as he was meeting everyone for the first time. Kadri was a marquee guest at the Islamic Society of Markham Mosque Friday and greeted countless young and adult males before participating in a road hockey game with dozens of boys in the rear parking lot of the mosque. Kadri’s mom Sue was born of Canada but traces her family roots to Lebanon. His Dad, Sam, moved to Canada from Lebanon when he was a small child. The Muslim population of Toronto is estimated at over 250,000. More than twice as many Muslims live in Canada. As he grows in stature as a player, Kadri’s constituency could become enormous. As the most prominent Muslim in hockey and a touchstone figure in one of the most diverse cities on earth, Kadri has tried to strike a balance between attracting attention strictly as a hockey player and reaching out to those sharing his faith. Full report at: http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=545388 ---------- Pashto folk singer gets assistance Dec 06, 2010 TIMERGARA, Dec 5: The National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) handed over relief goods to famous Pashto folksinger Khan Tahseel in Talash on Sunday. The general manager of NCHD, Tariq Ali Khan, along with Murad Ali visited the tent of the singer and gave away food and non-food items including quilts, blankets, warm clothes, sweaters and household items to him. Talking to Dawn , the 66-year-old famous Pashto folksinger, who lives a nomadic life, complained that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, its cultural ministry and the state-owned television and radio stations had kept silence over his miseries. “None of the government officials has so far contacted me, however, some NGOs and individuals have helped me after the story about my ordeal was published,” Khan Tahseel said. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/06/pashto-folk-singer-gets-assistance.html ---------- 5 Myths About Islam Dec 06, 2010 The Muslim faith as been called intolerant and its followers labeled extremists. Here are some of the most popular myths about Islam: Muslims are Arabs: Arabs constitute not more than 15 percent of the total Muslim population in the world. Asia has more than 60 percent of the Muslim population followed by Africa, which has around 30 percent. The rest of the population has sporadic global presence. Islam oppresses women: Women have been granted some rights within which they can work and have a share in property. But there are certain conditions to do that; all such conditions are more culture specific than religious in nature. Islam does not permit spousal abuse or forced marriage. Islam is the fastest spreading religion in the world: Many followers of Islam might claim this to be true, but the facts say otherwise. Full report at: http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/myths-Islam-encyclopedia- ---------- American Zionist fanatic: Zionist liar par exellance Khalid Amayreh Dec 06, 2010 Alan Dershowitz, the American Zionist fanatic, is notorious for his brashly racist views about just anything non-Jewish. For example, he is against Muslim immigrants to Europe because their dietary habits don't suite his taste. He wholeheartedly supports the rampant terror, criminality and vandalism perpetrated by Judeo-Nazi thugs in the West Bank, otherwise known as Jewish settlers, against helpless Palestinian farmers and peasants. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Alan Dershowitz, the American Zionist fanatic, is notorious for his brashly racist views about just anything non-Jewish. For example, he is against Muslim immigrants to Europe because their dietary habits don't suite his taste. He wholeheartedly supports the rampant terror, criminality and vandalism perpetrated by Judeo-Nazi thugs in the West Bank, otherwise known as Jewish settlers, against helpless Palestinian farmers and peasants. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=215506 ---------- On Islamophobia and Homophobia Show: What about all the images? Dec 06, 2010 On November 30th, Jean spoke with Robert Wright about the parallels between homophobia and Islamophobia. Underlying Wright’s argument is the concept of bridges, which means that people harbor prejudice towards groups because they have not met someone who belongs to them. Presumably, if they meet a real person their prejudice would dissipate. According to Wright, Americans were able to overcome their prejudice towards homosexuals because they knew them before they knew they were gay. So by the time someone would find out they were gay, their opinion of them was formed and assumedly positive. Muslims do not have that luxury because, as Wright states, they are few and concentrated in certain areas, so it is hard to meet a Muslim to alter a prejudice. Full report at: http://insideislam.wisc.edu/index.php/archives/5981 ---------- 280 Palestinians kidnapped by Israel last November Dec 06, 2010 The higher national committee for the support of prisoners reported that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) kidnapped last month 280 Palestinian citizens in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Jerusalem. GAZA (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The higher national committee for the support of prisoners reported that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) kidnapped last month 280 Palestinian citizens in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Jerusalem. In its monthly report, the committee stated that 43 children, three women and two lawmakers were among the detainees kidnapped last month. The report pointed out that the IOF kidnapped a 55-year old woman from Al-Khalil city called Shahira Burqan, a mother of four Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Her detention is aimed at pressuring her sons to make certain confessions and she is still in prison. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215718 ---------- 180,000 Bahraini Shias Planned to Mark Ashura Dec 06, 2010 A string of activities have been lined up to mark Ashura in Bahrain. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - More than 180,000 people are expected to take to the streets daily for the annual 10-day processions, held to commemorate the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's [PBUH] grandson Imam Hussain [AS]. The activities, organized by Islamic Enlightenment Society, will be staged across the country, starting tomorrow. They include lectures in various languages, television and Internet shows, and art and drawing exhibitions, among others. Most of the 50 events will be held at the Manama processions area, where a major tent is being set up. This year's activities will be held under the theme Hussain and the Quran. "We are this year celebrating 10 years of the launch of our activities, events and programs to mark Ashura," organizing committee head Mohammed Al Asfoor told a Press conference at the society in Karranah yesterday. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215690 ---------- Family of Marwa el-Sherbini "Veil Martyr" suing German judges Dec 06, 2010 The family of an Egyptian woman gruesomely murdered in a German court last year has filed a lawsuit against two judges for failing to take safety precautions. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The family of an Egyptian woman gruesomely murdered in a German court last year has filed a lawsuit against two judges for failing to take safety precautions. Marwa el-Sherbini was stabbed 18 times by her neighbor Axel Wiens before police officers, her husband and her son, in a courtroom in the northern town of Dresden. The courtroom was reviewing an earlier verdict fining Wiens for insulting Sherbini and calling her a "terrorist" for wearing the Islamic veil, hijab. The family now says the presiding judge and the Chief Judge of the courthouse must be held responsible for failing to ensure the safety of a witness despite knowing Wiens was dangerous, the Junge Welt newspaper reported on Saturday. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215652 ---------- Thematic analysis of 14th "Islam World Encyclopedia" Dec 06, 2010 Iranian Mehdi Salehi manager of Parsa Institute sessions said: "The encyclopedia is compiled under the supervision of Dr Gholam-Ali Hadad Adel and the 13th and 14th volumes include the entry (?)'H'. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Iranian Mehdi Salehi manager of Parsa Institute sessions said: "The encyclopedia is compiled under the supervision of Dr Gholam-Ali Hadad Adel and the 13th and 14th volumes include the entry (?)'H'. He stated that the particular entry to 'Howzeh Elmiyyeh' of the 14th Islam World Encyclopedia will be criticized in this session both thematically and in terms of encyclopedia writing standards. Full report at: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=215721 ---------- Houthis deny AQAP killed elderly spiritual leader Mohammed Bin Salam 06-12-2010 SANA’A, Dec. 5 – Reports of sectarian violence between the Yemen-based Salafi, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Shiite sect of Houthis in north Yemen have been denied by the Houthi spokesperson Saleh Habra. AQAP claimed in an online release on Friday Dec. 3 that it was responsible for killing Badr Al-Deen Al-Houthi, the Houthi rebel group’s spiritual leader, who died last month. The terrorist organization said he died in one of the two suicide car bomb explosions in which 26 people were reported killed. “Badr Al-Deen died in his house of natural causes at the age of 86,” said Habra “There were other victims who died in the car explosions which were carried out by the state’s intelligence and not Al-Qaeda as rumored.” Habra denied the existence of Al-Qaeda in Yemen and said that they were in fact jihadists, bread by the state and harbored by its intelligence bodies. Full report at: http://www.yementimes.com/defaultdet.aspx?SUB_ID=35166 ---------- WikiLeaks chief 'a high-tech terrorist': McConnell Dec 06, 2010 WASHINGTON: Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is calling the founder of the online site WikiLeaks a "high-tech terrorist'' for releasing classified material from the US government. McConnell says that the online release of secret diplomat exchanges has done ``enormous damage'' to the country and to its relationship with its allies. McConnell tells NBC television's "Meet the Press'' that he hopes WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be prosecuted for the disclosures. And he says that if it's found that Assange hasn't violated the law, then the law should be changed. Of Assange, McConnell says, "I think the man is a high-tech terrorist.'' http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/WikiLeaks-chief-a-high-tech-terrorist-McConnell/articleshow/7049425.cms#ixzz17IshHk9T ---------- WikiLeaks: Top Chinese officials ordered hacking on Google Dec 06, 2010 BEIJING: Sources told American diplomats that hacking attacks against Google were ordered by China's top ruling body and a senior leader demanded action after finding search results critical of him, leaked US government cables show. The American embassy sent a cable to Washington saying a source told diplomats the Chinese government coordinated late last year's attacks on Google under the direction of the Politburo Standing Committee. It was impossible to verify the details of the cables, but if true, they show the political pressures facing Google when it decided in March to close its China-based search engine. The cable about the hacking attacks against Google, which was classified as secret by deputy chief of mission Robert Goldberg, was released by WikiLeaks to The New York Times and The Guardian newspapers. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/WikiLeaks-Top-Chinese-officials-ordered- ---------- Court orders arrest of 2 top cops in Benazir killing case Dec 6, 2010 ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani antiterrorism court, conducting the trial of suspects charged with involvement in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto , has issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of two police officers for "failing" to protect the former premier. The warrants were issued on Saturday for former Rawalpindi police chief Saud Aziz and senior police officer Khurram Shahzad, prosecution lawyers told the media. Both officers played a key role in security arrangements for the election rally addressed by Bhutto on the day she was killed in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007. Prosecutors filed an application for the two police officers to be summoned as accused in the case for allegedly abetting the crime and the court accepted their request. Prosecutors also alleged that the officers failed to ensure an autopsy was carried out on Bhutto's body and were responsible for hosing down the crime scene immediately after the assassination. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Court-orders-arrest-of-2-top-cops-in-Benazir-killing-case/articleshow/7051024.cms#ixzz17IspfswH ---------- WikiLeaks bank account in Switzerland under scrutiny: Report Dec 06, 2010 GENEVA: Bank officials are looking at shutting down an account opened by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Switzerland, media reports said Sunday. Postfinance spokesman Marc Andrey told the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper that in order to keep a regular bank account open, Assange would have to prove he obtained Swiss residence, owns property in the country or has business dealings in Switzerland. The WikiLeaks website asks for donations to be sent to the Postfinance account for the so-called " Julian Assange Defence Fund". Two other accounts, one in Iceland and the other in Germany, are also listed on the site for other types of funding requests. WikiLeaks took a possible blow to its financial future last week when online money transfer services firm PayPal said it was shutting the whistleblower organisation's account. Assange himself is facing increased pressure, as he is wanted in Sweden for questioning in relation to charges of sexual offences filed against him by two women. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/WikiLeaks-bank-account-in-Switzerland- ---------- Prosecution suppressed evidence to nail Kasab, alleges lawyer Dec 06, 2010 Mumbai : The lawyer defending Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab has alleged that the prosecution had suppressed material evidence about CCTV footages to nail him (Kasab) in the CST attack. Kasab's lawyer Amin Solkar told the Bombay High Court that CCTV cameras installed at Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus, one of the sites targeted in the 26/11 attacks, had purportedly captured the movements of two terrorists in terror acts but only one footage was shown to the court and the rest was "suppressed for reasons best known to the prosecution". Kasab has taken the defence that he was not present at CST when it was attacked on November 26, 2008. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/prosecution-suppressed-evidence-to-nail-kasab- ---------- Protest and a promise in Malaysia P. S. Suryanarayana Dec 06, 2010 SINGAPORE: Malaysia's opposition alliance, Pakatan Rakyat, held a protest rally in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday to articulate a local issue, while Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak pledged, at a national political convention, to “stand by and with the people”. A few thousand activists gathered outside the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur in support of a petition to the King by the opposition-ruled Selangor government that its rights over local water resources be restored. The rally, for which police had not given permission, was declared “an unlawful assembly”. With some protesters turning “unruly”, police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse the crowd. Nearly 50 were detained for interrogation and released on bail. The petition was later submitted to the palace. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/06/stories/2010120666501700.htm ---------- 15 Pakistanis among 19 detained foreigners: police Dec 06, 2010 Kochi: Interrogation of the 19 foreigners, apprehended on board a dhow by a naval warship off Bitra Island, started on Sunday with the police claiming that 15 of them were Pakistani nationals. There were also four Iranians in the dhow which was intercepted by warship INS Rajput on Friday when they were sailing suspiciously, police said. Interrogation on The crew were being questioned by a joint team of Navy, Coast Guard, Intelligence Bureau and police in Lakshadweep, top police sources in the Union Territory told PTI. Confirming the presence of the Pakistani nationals, the sources said the men had identity cards displaying their nationalities. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/06/stories/2010120657211300.htm ---------- Pakistan judicial panel may be allowed to visit India Sandeep Dikshit Dec 06, 2010 NEW DELHI: The government may allow a Judicial Commission from Pakistan to record and verify the statements of judicial and investigating officers who had recorded the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman of the Mumbai terror attacks. The government had written to the Bombay High Court seeking its opinion on this aspect. The reply is expected early this week. Officials said the government would then inform Pakistan of its decision. The panel consists of prosecution and defence lawyers involved in the case against Pakistan-based conspirators of the Mumbai attacks. The two-lawyer commission will be accompanied by a coordinating officer. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/06/stories/2010120662830100.htm ---------- 16-year-old married girl shot dead, father-in-law detained Dec 06, 2010 * Mother of three ‘kills herself over family dispute’ * Woman arrested for murdering ‘abusive’ husband * Welder killed in explosion KARACHI: A teenage girl was shot dead at her house in Mehran Town, the Korangi Industrial Area police said on Sunday. Sixteen-year-old Naseema, wife of 17-year-old Imtiaz Khoso, was engaged in housework when two or three unidentified men barged into her house. After an exchange of heated words, the men opened fire on Naseema who sustained a bullet in her head and died on the spot. The culprits managed to escape from the crime scene, while the victim’s body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). SHO Ghulam Sheikh said the victim’s blind mother-in-law and five-year-old brother-in-law were also at home at the time of the incident. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\06\story_6-12-2010_pg7_19 ---------- Israel must ‘clear blood’ to mend ties: Turkish PM Dec 06, 2010 ANKARA: Turkey’s prime minister insisted on Sunday on an Israeli apology and compensation over a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship in May as the only way to mend bilateral ties, Anatolia news agency reported. His remarks followed media speculation that the crisis between the one-time allies might thaw in the wake of Turkey’s dispatch of two helicopters to help fight a devastating forest fire in northern Israel, which claimed 41 lives. “Some say we should turn a new page... An apology must be offered first, compensation must be paid first,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech in Sivas, central Turkey, according to Anatolia. “If a hand is extended, we will not leave it in the air... but we want to see that this hand is extended with sincerity. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\06\story_6-12-2010_pg4_2 ---------- Jamat-e-Islami opposes presence of NATO forces in Afghanistan Dec 06, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's right-wing Islamic Party, the Jamat-e-Islami, Sunday staged a sit-in rally against the presence of US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan. Jamat chief Syed Munnawar Hasan told a fairly large public meeting, attended by over 10,000 people, "We oppose the 'New World Order.' This order is meant to divide and harm Muslim countries." He also said that the party opposes the ongoing military operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan. These operations do not eliminate terrorism, but instead have increased incidents of terrorism. Hasan said the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have not ended the scourge of terror, but is the root cause of militancy and terrorism in Muslim countries. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article209078.ece ---------- King congratulates Qatar for World Cup 2022 hosting rights Dec 06, 2010 JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Sunday sent a cable of congratulations to Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani for his country was picked by FIFA, the soccer world governing body, to host the 2022 World Cup. “The government and people of Saudi Arabia congratulate you for this great achievement,” King Abdullah said, adding that it is also an achievement for the Gulf and for the whole Arab and Islamic world. “This is the result of good preparations,” he added. King Abdullah commended the Qatari officials for the tremendous efforts they made to win the title. “Saudi Arabia shares your happiness in this great victory, which reflected the hopes and aspirations of all Arab and Muslim people,” the king told the Qatari ruler. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article208895.ece ---------- OIC seeks reconciliation between Muslims and West Dec 06, 2010 JEDDAH: The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has emphasized the importance of cultural and interfaith dialogue to promote world peace and stability, and said it was seeking a historic reconciliation between the Muslim world and the West. “The OIC reflects the true and real image of Islam, based on tolerance, peace, pluralism and acknowledgement of diversity. It advocates dialogue with other faiths and civilizations,” said Abdul Rauf Bin Rajab, spokesman for the 57-member organization. He said Islamophobia has evoked global concern because of its negative impact on world peace and security. He also disclosed the OIC’s plan to hold a seminar in Warsaw on Dec. 8-10 to discuss the situation of Muslim communities in Central and Eastern Europe. Bin Rajab refuted press comments attributed to the OIC secretary-general in Fars News Agency that the West has hatched plots to spread Islamophobia in a bid to block growing conversions to Islam. “The agency’s report is inaccurate and misleading.” Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article208905.ece ---------- Iraq hunting for foreign terror suspects Dec 06, 2010 BAGHDAD: An Iraqi military spokesman says security forces are searching for six foreign fighters who helped launch a number of attacks this year that left more than 140 people dead. Maj. Gen. Qassim Al-Moussawi said Sunday the six suspects — who are on Baghdad’s most-wanted list — are behind the Oct. 31 siege of a church that left 68 people dead. He said they also participated in two summertime attacks on an Iraqi army headquarters in central Baghdad. Those attacks killed a combined 73 people. Al-Moussawi said five of the suspects are hiding in two Sunni Muslim-dominated provinces bordering Syria, while the sixth suspect has fled to that country. Counterterror officials believe most foreign fighters cross into Iraq from Syria. http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article208863.ece ---------- Seminar exposes ‘injustices of media justice’ Dec 06, 2010 JEDDAH: The negative impact of media propaganda on society is a pointer to the deteriorating health of democracy, according to an Indian journalist. Speaking at a media seminar, titled “Injustices of Media Justice,” organized by the Jeddah chapter of the Risala Study Circle, managing editor of Pravasi Risala Magazine S. Sharafuddin said instead of reporting facts with objectivity, media outlets have become a tool in the hands of vested interests. Sharafuddin was referring to the role of key media players in the now raging 2G spectrum scam in India. He said the kind of reprehensible actions on the part of media personnel, who are supposed to act as the guardians of democracy, is a serious matter that needs to be tackled. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article206495.ece URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=3768