Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin

Islamic World News

14 Dec 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com

Swedish bomber planned Christmas carnage: Investigators

Sweden bomber ‘fulfilled’ Qaeda threat in Iraq

Veteran US diplomat Holbrooke dies

Holbrooke final words – stop Afghan war: report

Sudan will Investigate if a Flogging was Done Properly

Nigeria: Muslim Identity Collection Organises First Islamic Fashion Show

Saudi woman running brothel jailed

Suicide bomber kills 4, wounds 17 in Iraq

Pak owning 'suicide bomber' makes its intentions clear: Army chief

One killed, five injured as bomb destroys school bus in Peshawar

All nursery children freed after teen armed with swords took France pre-school hostage

Maulana Azad varsity to open satellite campus in Srinagar

Maulana Marghubur Rahman: A better Islamist who banned terror

French court annuls fine for driver in Muslim veil

Race & religion being misused by Islamabad-based gang

Iran's Ahmadinejad sacks Foreign Minister Mottaki

The days I spent in Israeli jails were the best in my life: Salah

Ukraine feminists 'urinate' on all male cabinet

Taj Mahal only for the rich & famous?

Abandoned child at Sheetla Ghat leads cops to vital clues on blast

Charge sheet against two in Mecca masjid bomb blast case

Three Shia children martyred in Kurram mortar attack

No evidence of 'love jihad', rules Kerala HC

Qaeda names Kashmiri as its chief military strategist

Pak appreciates Khamenei's support for 'Kashmir cause'

Division of Kashmir, Ayodhya land not acceptable, says RSS chief

12 Indians released from Pak prison

Farshchian's latest painting unveiled

Nawaz wins back ‘trust’ of Saudi King Abdullah

Kidnapped soldiers freed in Yemen

Iran raps US for warmongering policies

Two women journalists arrested briefly in mock baby kidnap case

Woman killed, five injured in Dera Bugti blast

Rights bodies flay attacks on teachers, schools

Iraq has 835 prisoners on death row, admits Govt

Children’s forced custody case

Students need to improve English language for better careers

600,000 sign WikiLeaks petition as Assange braces for court

Israeli troops assault old woman, arrest her son

Narrow interpretation of religion is a potent threat for world peace

Two Houthi groups fight over Zaidi leadership

De Niro, Redford among A-listers who want Sakineh spared stoning

Swedish bomber planned Christmas carnage: Investigators

On Parliament attack aniv, BJP queers pitch for Afzal hanging

Islamic finance company: court adjourns hearing

Conditional bail to farmhouse owner in Kausarbi case

More violence in 2011 in Afghanistan, warns Nato

Kasab claims to be juvenile during 26/11

Compiled by New Age Isalm News Bureau

Photo: A picture of the alleged bomber Taymour Abdelwahab

----------- Swedish bomber planned Christmas carnage: Investigators Dec 14, 2010 STOCKHOLM: A suicide bomber who blew himself up in Stockholm at the weekend was carrying a cocktail of explosives and probably meant to wreak carnage among Christmas shoppers, investigators said on Monday. As police searched the father-of-three's home near London, Sweden's chief prosecutor confirmed investigators believed the bomber was a Swedish citizen who now lived in Britain, and was bent on killing "as many people as possible". After an Islamist group said Taymour Abdelwahab targeted Sweden on Saturday over its military presence in Afghanistan, prosecution chief Tomas Lindstrand warned the bomber would likely have had accomplices. While the results of DNA tests are still needed for confirmation, Lindstrand told reporters he was "98 per cent" certain of the bomber's identity but was trying to work out his eventual target before he blew himself up prematurely. "He had a bomb belt on him, he had a backpack with a bomb and he was carrying an object that has been compared to a pressure cooker. If it had all blown up at the same time, it would have been very powerful," he said. "Where he was headed... we don't know. It is likely that something happened, that he made some kind of mistake that led to part of the bombs he was carrying went off and caused his death. "This was during Christmas shopping in central Stockholm and he was extremely well-equipped when it came to bomb material... It is not much of a stretch to say he was going to a place with as many people as possible." Lindstrand said the bomber might have been headed to the capital's central train station or to Aahlens, a popular department store. While it had been established the suspect carried out the attack alone, investigators "have to assume he worked with several people," Lindstrand told AFP. Abdelwahab, who would have been 29 the day after the blasts, was reportedly born in Iraq but, according to investigators, he became a Swedish citizen 18 years and had never come to the attention of the security services. In London, a spokesman for the city's Metropolitan Police said officers raided a property in nearby Luton late Sunday as part of the probe. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Swedish-bomber-planned-Christmas-carnage-Investigators/articleshow/7095755.cms#ixzz183nlerHy ---------- Sweden bomber ‘fulfilled’ Qaeda threat in Iraq December 14, 2010 The man suspected of carrying out weekend bombings in Sweden said in a purported will he was fulfilling a threat by Al Qaeda in Iraq to attack Sweden, the SITE monitoring group said on Monday. “(The) Islamic State (of Iraq) has fulfilled what it promised you,” said Taymour Abdel Wahab in the will posted by a jihadist on the Shumukh al-Islam website, according to the US-based group. The Swedish capital was hit by twin explosions on Saturday — a suspected suicide attack and separate blast — targeting Christmas shoppers in a busy pedestrian area of the city. A man investigators suspect may have been the bomber was killed while the other explosion nearby injured two people. Shumukh al-Islam named Taymour Abdel Wahab as the man responsible for the blasts, although Sweden’s intelligence agency Saepo has refused to comment on the claim. The late chief of the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, had called in an audio message in Sept 2007 for reprisals in Sweden for the cartoons of prophet Mohammed by Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks. http://www.dailypioneer.com/303532/Sweden-bomber-%E2%80%98fulfilled%E2%80%99-Qaeda-threat-in-Iraq.html ----------- Veteran US diplomat Holbrooke dies Dec 14, 2010 US special envoy for Af-Pak region Richard Holbrooke passes away at 69. WASHINGTON: Veteran US diplomat Richard Holbrooke, 69, the US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, has died after undergoing surgery after suffering a torn aorta, US media reported on Monday. President Barack Obama had told members of Holbrooke's family at a diplomatic holiday reception at the State Department just hours earlier: "America is more secure and the world is a safer place because of the work of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. Earlier, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in Canada that Holbrooke, who brokered the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war, remained in stable but "very critical condition." After a career spanning nearly 50 years at the pinnacle of US diplomacy, Holbrooke fell ill on Friday, during a meeting at the State Department. A hard-nosed trouble shooter, Holbrooke is perhaps best known for brokering the 1995 peace agreement that ended three years of war in Bosnia. As a special US envoy in the current Afghan conflict, he has had the daunting task of pushing Kabul and Islamabad to work together against resurgent Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama called him "a towering figure in American foreign policy, a critical member of my Afghanistan and Pakistan team, and a tireless public servant who has won the admiration of the American people and people around the world." His health problems come at a critical time for US policy in the region, with the administration due to conduct a review of its troop surge in Afghanistan and campaign against the Taliban on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border. US defense officials have said they do not expect a change in course as a result of the review, seeing improvements in the security situation even though government corruption and Pakistani reluctance to go after insurgent safe havens remain big problems. Hard-charging and impatient, Holbrooke has maintained a hectic travel schedule, and was in Islamabad as recently as last month. His health has at times been a concern. He underwent tests in New York in April for possible blocked arteries, though doctors gave him the all-clear to travel. He maintained a lower profile in his latest assignment working with difficult allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan than when he brokered the agreement that ended the Bosnian war. Dubbed "the bulldozer," he alternately browbeat and cajoled the nationalist leaders of former Yugoslavia until he succeeded in forging the peace deal in November 1995 in Dayton, Ohio, following a round of NATO air strikes against Serb forces. The Dayton agreement has held the shaky Bosnian state together despite persistent tensions among rival Muslim, Serb and Croat communities. Holbrooke often has been spoken of as a future secretary of state, but was passed over by Obama in favor of Hillary Clinton, his former rival for the presidency. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Veteran-US-diplomat-Holbrooke-dies/articleshow/7096732.cms#ixzz183nYAL1X ----------- Holbrooke final words – stop Afghan war: report Dec 14, 2010 WASHINGTON: Richard Holbrooke, the late US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, had some stark final words as he was sedated and going in for surgery, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. “You’ve got to stop this war in Afghanistan,” Holbrooke told his Pakistani surgeon, the Post reported, citing unnamed family members. Holbrooke, one of the most experienced US diplomats, died Monday as the administration of President Barack Obama reviews its strategy in Afghanistan. He was 69. Holbrooke fell ill at work on Friday, was rushed to a Washington hospital and underwent what the Post described as a 21-hour operation to repair his aorta. Working along with US military planners in Afghanistan, Holbrooke oversaw a tripling in the number of civilians in the war-ravaged country under a year-old plan to boost the country’s agriculture, economy and civilian institutions. The annual administration review on Afghan policy is due to discuss what progress has been made since Obama last year deployed 30,000 extra forces there to try to turn the tide of the war and prepare to start the US troop withdrawal in July 2011. http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/14/holbrooke-final-words-%E2%80%93-stop-afghan-war-report.html ----------- Sudan will Investigate if a Flogging was Done Properly Dec 14, 2010 Flogging women may seem brutal but it is perfectly normal in Islam. Countries that follow Islamic Sharia law often flog women for various crimes. The following video was posted on Youtube. It shows how two policemen are flogging a woman in a public place for an unknown crime. Please watch with caution as it contains graphic images that some may find disturbing. Video cannot be seen without a Youtube account. Sign up is required, which can be done in a few simple steps. Articles 154 and 155 of the 1991 Sudanese penal code allow up to 100 lashes. Last year, another woman made the headline after she challenged a court order of flogging because she was wearing a trouser. Flogging, however, is very common in Sudan as it follows the Quran and Sunnah (Mohammed’s lifestyle). After the video was posted on Youtube, Sudan’s judiciary has called for an investigation. The investigation will not condemn the flogging, but it will investigate if the flogging was administered properly. http://www.faithfreedom.org/features/news/sudan-will-investigate-if-a-flogging-was-done-properly/ ----------- Nigeria: Muslim Identity Collection Organises First Islamic Fashion Show Romoke W. Ahmad Dec 14, 2010 The Muslim Identity Collection (MID) recently organized an international Islamic fashion show in Abuja in an attempt to imbibe the culture of hijab wearing among Muslim females especially the young ones. MID's Chief Executive Officer, Abdulhameed Adetona, said the essence of the show was to promote the concept of Islamic fashion in Nigeria as well as to create awareness about what Islamic fashion is all about. He said MID collections only represents couple of international Islamic clothing companies in Nigeria, like Islamic design house, Muslim gear, Lawung and Shukr, adding that they are from the United Kingdom and Canada. "Islamic fashion nowadays is on the rise and in a bid to promote the concept and life style in Nigeria, MID Collections came up with the idea of the show in order to let our young Muslim ladies know that they can look fashionable, corporate and modest in Islamic attires," he concluded. Full report at: http://allafrica.com/stories/201012130222.html ----------- Saudi woman running brothel jailed Dec 14, 2010 TAIF: The preliminary Court in Taif has sentenced a Saudi woman to four years in prison for running a sex racket. A Saudi man who acted as her accomplice was imprisoned to 18 months while six young women have been given one-month custodial sentences each. The 50-year-old madam was accused of luring the young women, aged between 18 and 25, into the brothel to have sex with customers. The Saudi man arranged transport for the women to the customers after fixing the prices. Taif police’s criminal investigation unit arrested the woman and members of her racket after receiving a tip off. The woman amassed a huge amount of wealth through the brothel. She was clever enough to lure young beautiful women who hailed from poor families and arranged accommodation for them after offering a substantial amount of money. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article214872.ece ----------- Suicide bomber kills 4, wounds 17 in Iraq Dec 14, 2010 BAGHDAD: Four people were killed and 17 wounded by a suicide bomber who blew himself up near a group of Shiite pilgrims in a town northeast of Iraq’s capital on Monday, days before one of Shiite Islam’s holiest events. The bomber detonated his explosive vest after a policeman stopped him from approaching the pilgrims in the town of Balad Ruz, 90 km (55 miles) northeast of Baghdad, the Diyala province security operations center and a police source said. The blast happened in the run-up to Ashura, the Shiite commemoration of the death of the Prophet Mohammad’s grandson Hussein at the battle of Kerbala in 680 AD. The event defines Shi’ism and cemented its rift with Sunni Islam. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article214680.ece ----------- Pak owning 'suicide bomber' makes its intentions clear: Army chief Dec 14, 2010 Army Chief General V K Singh today said the "intentions and ways" of the Pakistan Army have "become clear" with it owning up a 'suicide bomber', who died in India, as one of its soldiers on its website. "I have nothing to say on what they (Pak Army) have put up on its website. But if it has (owned up), then it clearly show what their intentions and ways are and what their next move will be," Singh told reporters here on the sidelines of an Army function here. Singh met with school children from Jammu and Kashmir, who came visiting Delhi as part of the Army's 'Op Sadhbhavana' movement, to win the hearts of the people of Kashmir. "All I can say is we have to be more alert and only then we can protect the people and our troops," he said when asked what he thought of Pakistan Army sending 'suicide bombers' to India. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-owning-suicide-bomber-makes-its-intentions- ----------- One killed, five injured as bomb destroys school bus in Peshawar Dec 14, 2010 PESHAWAR: A bomb ripped through a school bus in the city on Monday killing a 13-year-old boy and injuring five others, including two students and bus driver, police said. Peshawar DCO Siraj Ahmed Khan confirmed the death of a boy in the roadside bomb blast that hit Sir Syed Islamic Model School’s bus on Charkhana Road in the Bhana Mari police precincts. SSP (Operations) Ejaz Khan told Daily Times that the bus was hit in the Bhana Mari area, in which one boy was killed and five others injured. Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) officials said terrorists used six kilogrammes of explosives in the blast. Rescue 1122 spokesman said a boy, said to be a mechanic, was killed while the injured were Gul Faraz, Noman, driver Gohar Ali and students Arsalan and Emaan. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\14\story_14-12-2010_pg1_5 ----------- All nursery children freed after teen armed with swords took France pre-school hostage Dec 14, 2010 BESANCON: Half a dozen infants taken hostage by a teenager with two swords at a nursery school in the eastern French city of Besancon were released on Monday. The interior ministry said the hostage drama had ended and a cameraman at the scene saw the children led out safely after they had been held for around four hours by a 17-year-old youth armed with two swords. It was unclear whether a kindergarten teacher who was being held with the infants had also been released. The hostage taker had suffered from depression, a police official said. The teen's doctors have been contacted by investigators trying to determine what could be behind the hostage-taking, mayor's aide Jean-Marc Magda said. Magda said a special gendarme force was sent in from Strasbourg to help local police handle the standoff. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/All-nursery-children-freed-after-teen- ----------- Maulana Azad varsity to open satellite campus in Srinagar Dec 14, 2010 Srinagar: The Maulana Azad National Urdu University will open its satellite campus in Srinagar and start two women's polytechnic colleges in Jammu and Kashmir, a top official said here Monday. University vice chancellor Professor Muhammad Mian said the varsity would offer post-graduate courses in commerce, political science, and Islamic studies. "We would offer master's degree courses in political science, commerce and Islamic studies in the state through our satellite campus to be set up here. We will also offer degree-level courses in commerce, management and tourism," the vice chancellor said. In a recent controversy here, the state government had placed the Maulana Azad National Urdu University in the list of non-recognised universities. Full report at: http://www.ummid.com/news/2010/December/13.12.2010/manuu_satellite_cent_in_ ----------- Maulana Marghubur Rahman: A better Islamist who banned terror Dec 14, 2010 Not exactly a bleeding-heart liberal, but open-minded by religious standards, Maulana Marghubur Rahman — the 96-year-old influential rector of Islamic seminary Darul Uloom — died on Wednesday at his ancestral home in UP’s Bijnor. A young Rahman had waged an offensive from the seminary against the Muslim League and Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s call for a separate Muslim state. Indian Muslims, he would argue, belonged to India. In February 2008, while delivering a speech, Rahman had invoked a Quranic principle to declare killing of innocents as anti-Islamic, which became the foundation of Deoband’s famous fatwa (edict) against terror, first reported by HT. He was the spiritual force behind Rajya Sabha member Mahmood Madni’s initiative against terror. Rahman had cited a Quranic verse that expressly forbid killing of innocents. This became the basis of the anti-terror fatwa. Full report at: http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/they-call-me-muslim/2010/12/12/a-better-islamist-who- ----------- French court annuls fine for driver in Muslim veil Dec 14, 2010 NANTES, France: A French court has annulled a fine given to a woman driver who wore an Islamic face veil. Traffic police in the western city of Nantes fined the woman in April, saying she did not have a clear field of vision. The fine was just euro22 ($29) but drew widespread attention as the nation debated the place of Islamic veils in France. In September, the French parliament approved a ban on such veils as the niqab or burqa anywhere in public. That ban goes into effect next spring. A court in Nantes ruled Monday the April fine invalid. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/French-court-annuls-fine-for-driver-in-Muslim-veil-/articleshow/7093651.cms#ixzz183noEpbj ----------- Race & religion being misused by Islamabad-based gang Dec 14, 2010 The Wakhi people of Gojal, upper Hunza, are very innocent and peaceful. And their innocence is being misused by an Islamabad-based organized gang, reportedly headed by Farman Ali Baig – the disgraced former News Editor of the daily Dawn and currently working for The Express Tribune. Other active members of the gang are said to be Safdar Ali and Gohar Abbas. Farman Ali is also head of an NGO, the Gojal Educational and Cultural Association (GECA). He is a famous chameleon who changes color according the atmosphere... he claims to be a communist, nationalist, Gojali, Shimashali, liberal and Ismaili according to the taste of the audience! "To be frank Mr. Farman Ali can cash even his dirt through his shenanigans," said a member of the NGO. "I've never seen such a visionless person in my entire life, and am surprised how the newspapers accommodate him... may be therefore our press is considered the most irresponsible in the world." Full report at: http://theterrorland.blogspot.com/2010/12/tribalism-aga-khans-pluralism-under.html ----------- Iran's Ahmadinejad sacks Foreign Minister Mottaki Atul Aneja Dec 14, 2010 DUBAI: Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed his longstanding Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki who is currently on a visit to Senegal. A brief presidential order issued on Monday appointed atomic energy chief, Ali Akbar Salehi as the acting Foreign Minister. Analysts see the move as a consolidation of presidential power. There has been for long wide speculation in Tehran political circles that Mr. Ahmadinejad had so far been unable to divest Mr. Mottaki from his Foreign Ministry portfolio on account of the protection he had received from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Well acquainted with India, Mr. Mottaki is a Bangalore University graduate. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/14/stories/2010121465112300.htm ----------- The days I spent in Israeli jails were the best in my life: Salah Dec 14, 2010 Sheikh Ra'ed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied lands, stated immediately after his release from Ramle prison that the five months he spent in jails was the best days in his life and heavenly moments he spent in worshiping God. GAZA (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Sheikh Ra'ed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied lands, stated immediately after his release from Ramle prison that the five months he spent in jails was the best days in his life and heavenly moments he spent in worshiping God. Sheikh Salah said he was able to write three books while in detention and called on the world to consider the freedom detainees inside Israeli jails political prisoners who must be released immediately according to international law. Full report at: http://shiaunity.com/data.asp?lang=3&id=216735 ----------- Ukraine feminists 'urinate' on all male cabinet Dec 14, 2010 Kiev: Dozens of Ukrainian feminists on Monday staged an unusual protest against the country's all-male cabinet, pretending to urinate to show the government had turned into nothing more than a men's room. The members of the Femen group -- known for its brazen feminist stunts -- squirted bottles of water and yellow liquid from their groins outside the government headquarters as a bemused line of police looked on. "To urinate standing is not a privilege," said a banner held by one of the estimated 30 protesters. The police did not prevent the protest but also did not allow the women any further towards the government. The police, wrapped up against the winter cold, tried to repress their smiles as the scantily clad women squirted the liquid all over the pavement. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ukraine-feminists-urinate-on-all-male- ----------- Taj Mahal only for the rich & famous? Dec 14, 2010 Access to the Taj Mahal, the epitome of Mughal art and one of the world’s most recognisable structures, may be limited only to the rich and famous in future, a new report has suggested. The report by the influential Future Laboratory in Britain claims that the Taj Mahal in India, the Pyramids of Egypt and Venice should be made the exclusive playgrounds of the wealthy in order to protect them, the Daily Express reported. The report warns that drastic action is needed to protect these World Heritage sites, which are being crushed under the weight of mass tourism. Without special measures, they could be lost in just 20 years’ time. The report says that in time, access to the sites should be limited to the wealthy, with ordinary tourists making do with viewing platforms. Full report at: Mail Today ----------- Abandoned child at Sheetla Ghat leads cops to vital clues on blast December 14, 2010 The unclaimed girl child found after the explosion at Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi last Tuesday, has led the Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) sleuths to a lead, fortifying their belief that a new Indian Mujadeen (IM) module orchestrated the strike to spread terror. Sources claimed that the module belonging to Ballia interestingly used, ‘Meri beti ki maut ho gai hai’ (my daughter has died) as a confirmation to the leader of the module that the mission had been accomplished. Meanwhile, the couple who turned up claiming to be the child’s parents was being quizzed on Monday evening. The IG Law & Order, AP Maheshwari, while confirming the interrogation, denied that the probe team had made any breakthrough. The IG also refused to disclose the ballistic report of the Forensic Science Lab (Agra), claiming that it was not “in the interest of investigation”. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/303501/Abandoned-child-at-Sheetla-Ghat- ----------- Charge sheet against two in Mecca masjid bomb blast case By A. Srinivasa Rao Dec 14, 2010 THE CENTRAL Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) on Monday filed a charge sheet against two extremists, Devendra Gupta and Lokesh Sharma, the prime accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case in Hyderabad three and a half years ago. In its 76- page charge sheet, supported by more than 150 documents, filed before the 14th additional chief metropolitan magistrate’s court at Nampally, Andhra Pradesh, the CBI named 205 witnesses and sought full protection for the witnesses from the court. The explosion inside the mosque during Friday prayers on May 18, 2007 had claimed nine lives, while five persons were killed in police firing in clashes that broke out after the blast. The CBI, which registered a case in June 2007 under various sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, has so far named six persons. Both Gupta and Sharma are linked to the Hindu fundamental outfit Abhinav Bharat. They are also the prime accused in the Ajmer blast case. Full report at: Mail Today ----------- Three Shia children martyred in Kurram mortar attack Dec 14, 2010 Three children were killed and seven others received injuries when militants fired mortar shells at a residential area in upper Kurram tribal region. PARACHINAR/KOHAT, Pakistan (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Three Shia children were killed and seven others received injuries when militants fired mortar shells at a residential area in upper Kurram tribal region. Official sources said that militants fired mortar shells apparently at an Imambargah in Talozan Tangi area of Kurram. But the shells landed in residential areas, killing three children and injuring seven others. Residents said a majlis of Shia community was in progress in the Imambargah when the mortars were fired. “If the mortar shells hit the Imambrgah it would have resulted in huge causalities,” they added. Full report at: http://shiaunity.com/data.asp?lang=3&id=216778 ----------- No evidence of 'love jihad', rules Kerala HC Dec 14, 2010 Bhopal: The Kerala High Court has finally ruled that there is no evidence to suggest the existence of "love jihad". The High 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. Reports reaching here from Kochi said that 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 High Court 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://www.ummid.com/news/2010/December/12.12.2010/kerala_hc_finds_no_evi_agnst_ ----------- Qaeda names Kashmiri as its chief military strategist Dec 14, 2010 Islamabad : Al-Qaeda has made jihadi commander Ilyas Kashmiri as its chief military strategist for the region to plan and spearhead terrorist attacks against the West. While, Egyptian militant Saif Al-Adal was recently named al-Qaeda's military chief for operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Kashmiri was made the chief military strategist following the death of Mustafa Abu al-Yazid in a US drone strike in North Waziristan in May, The News daily reported quoting sources in the Pakistani security establishment as saying. Kashmiri is the chief of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir chapter of the Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami and has been linked to several attacks in India, including the bombing of a bakery in Pune. Yazid admired Kashmiri's tactical and guerrilla skills and left a recorded audio message on the basis of which Kashmiri was appointed to the new post, the report said. Yazid's audiotape was released by al-Qaeda's media wing on June 15. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/qaeda-names-kashmiri-as-its-chief- ----------- Pak appreciates Khamenei's support for 'Kashmir cause' Dec 14, 2010 Islamabad : Pakistan on Monday expressed appreciation for Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's support for the "just cause of the Kashmiri people". "We deeply value the solidarity and support expressed by the Iranian nation and the leadership," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said in a statement. Responding to a query about Khamenei's "clear and categorical support" for the cause of the Kashmiri people, Basit said, "the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir are engaged in a just struggle for the restoration of their inalienable rights". Pakistan "deeply values" the support expressed by the Iranian supreme leader, he said. Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while addressing Hajj pilgrims in Tehran last month had said that the major duties today of "the elite of the Islamic Ummah is to provide help to the Palestinian nation and the besieged people of Gaza, to sympathise and provide assistance to the nations of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Kashmir...". Following the remarks, India had summoned Iran's envoy in New Delhi, telling him that such remarks impinged on the country's territorial integrity. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-appreciates-khameneis-support-for-kashmir-cause/724478/ ----------- Division of Kashmir, Ayodhya land not acceptable, says RSS chief Dec 14, 2010 NAGPUR: The chief of Hindu militant organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat, has said that the division of Kashmir or of Ayodhya land where the Babri Masjid was situated would not be acceptable to the majority of Hindus. Speaking at a Hindu conclave organized by the Hindu Vishwa Parishad, Bhagwat said: "The disputed land belongs to the Hindus and the temple problem cannot be solved by dividing the land." It indicated a shift from RSS' earlier stand. Soon after the Allahabad High Court's verdict on the Ayodhya case, the RSS had said that the entire disputed land where the Babri Masjid stood must be given either to the Muslims or the Hindus. Criticizing Muslim rulers, Bhagwat said that the division of land had been done by Muslim invaders and rulers to stay in power. The RSS chief, however, said Mughal Emperor Babar didn't raze all temples, but was only responsible for the demolition of the temple in Ayodhya. Babar, he said, did this because he wanted to decimate the Hindu community. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article214772.ece ----------- 12 Indians released from Pak prison December 14, 2010 Twelve Indian nationals, including 11 fishermen, were on Monday released from a prison in the southern port city of Karachi, officials said. All the 12 had been arrested on charges of violating Pakistan’s maritime and land boundaries. They were being held at Malir Jail in Karachi. They were to have been freed along with 442 other Indian prisoners who were repatriated in August-September but their release was held up due to delays in verifying their identity. After being freed from jail, the Indians set off for the eastern city of Lahore in a bus escorted by policemen. They will cross over to India at the Wagah border post on Tuesday, officials of the Indian High Commission told. http://www.dailypioneer.com/303525/12-Indians-released-from-Pak-prison.html ----------- Farshchian's latest painting unveiled Dec 14, 2010 The latest artwork of renowned Iranian miniaturist Mahmoud Farshchian has been unveiled at Tehran's Sa'ad Abad Cultural and Historical Complex. Flagbearer of Truth was displayed during a ceremony on Sunday at Farshchian Museum of the complex named after the artist. Addressing the event, Iranian Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini said, "Farshchian artworks are among Iran's artistic assets. His works are spiritual since they feature the artist's love for the household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)." The official said Flagbearer of Truth will be on display at Farshchian Museum for one year, and later will be donated to Astan-e Qods Razavi Foundation in the city of Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi province. Full report at: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/155223.html ----------- Nawaz wins back ‘trust’ of Saudi King Abdullah By Muahmmad Akram Dec 14, 2010 LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif has won back the confidence of Saudi King Shah Abdullah as one of his most trustworthy allies in Pakistan, who wanted to see him play a leading role in the country’s politics, an important PML-N leader told Daily Times on Monday. The PML-N leader, who belongs to the inner-most circle of the PML-N chief, told Daily Times on the condition of anonymity that the Saudi king had once again showered his blessings on the PML-N chief by communicating to him that he (Nawaz) was a close friend of the royal Saudi family and the king had great confidence in him. The same source said the message had been conveyed to Nawaz following the completion of the 10-year ban that the PML-N chief accepted on December 3, 2000 under an agreement brokered on his behalf by Saudi rulers with Gen Pervez Musharraf. Under the agreement, the source said, Nawaz agreed to stay away from active politics/parliamentary politics for 10 years under asylum in Saudi Arabia against a presidential pardon in numerous cases, including a plane-hijacking case under which he could have been awarded the death sentence. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\14\story_14-12-2010_pg7_12 ----------- Kidnapped soldiers freed in Yemen Dec 14, 2010 ADEN: Five soldiers and one army officer who were kidnapped in south Yemen at the weekend have been released, officials said on Monday. The men were among at least seven soldiers kidnapped by gunmen to protest a southerner's sentencing to death on accusations of bombing an Aden soccer club in October, which killed four people, ahead of a regional soccer tournament hosted by the country. Protests have paralyzed south Yemen towns known to be secessionist strongholds since the court handed down a death sentence to Faris Abdullah Saleh on Saturday. The release of the six soldiers kidnapped in the town of Dhalae came on condition that Faris Abdullah Saleh be given a fair trial when he appeals his sentencing. Protests continued for a third day in Dhalae and shops and restaurants remained closed, residents said. North and south Yemen formally united in 1990 but some in the south, home to many of Yemen's oil facilities, say northerners have seized their resources and discriminate against them. http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article214792.ece ----------- Iran raps US for warmongering policies Dec 14, 2010 Iran has reacted to accusations leveled by the US against the Islamic Republic's policies in the region, saying it's the US warmongering policies that cause problems in the Middle East. Speaking after a week-long trip that included the United Arab Emirates and Oman, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates claimed that Iran's neighbors are clearly concerned about Tehran's "aggressive behavior" and support international sanctions. On Monday, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi reacted to remarks by his US counterpart and said, "Iran's policies are peaceful and in line with peace and stability in the region.” "The US warmongering, hegemonic and interfering policies have caused tension and insecurity in the world, particularly in the Middle East," he added, IRNA reported. The Iranian minister pointed to Iran's "good and constructive" ties with its neighboring countries and said, "US warmongering and interventionist officials seek to raise unfounded issues and sow dissension in order to damage good relations between regional countries.” Full report at: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/155256.html ----------- Two women journalists arrested briefly in mock baby kidnap case Dec 14, 2010 JEDDAH: Muhammad Al-Tunisi, editor in chief of Okaz Arabic daily, denied press reports that two of his women reporters had been arrested while trying to kidnap a newborn baby from the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Musaediya in Jeddah. "The media reports are not true. The reporters were on a journalistic mission with the knowledge of the editor in chief as they were assigned to prepare a report on hospital services. The two journalists were released soon after their mission was revealed," Al-Tunisi said. A number of Internet blogs said the two women reporters were on a strange mission to test the security arrangements in hospitals and also the ability of police to trace kidnappers of babies from hospitals, like the incident that happened at a Madinah hospital. The two journalists entered the Musaediya hospital to test the extent of security measures taken by authorities against potential kidnappers. They were stopped by hospital security. "While the two women were going away with a baby, the hospital security stopped them and then handed them over to police," one report said. http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article214907.ece ----------- Woman killed, five injured in Dera Bugti blast Dec 14, 2010 QUETTA: A woman was killed and five others were injured in a landmine explosion in Dera Bugti on Monday, police said. Members of a family were in a pick-up in Dasht Goran area when their car hit a landmine placed by unidentified men in Dasht Goran area of Dera Bugti. Resultantly, a woman died on the spot while others were injured. Security forces rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. The dead body and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital. The deceased was identified as Uma Bibi. Her body was handed over to her relatives. Meanwhile, police foiled an attempt to blow up a bridge in Roshan Colony area of Sui and seized 15 kilogrammes of explosive material. A senior police officer said that acting on a tip-off, police personnel rushed to the bridge where explosive material were planted and cordoned off the area. No arrest was, however, made in this connection. staff report http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\14\story_14-12-2010_pg7_6 ----------- Rights bodies flay attacks on teachers, schools Dec 14, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Terrorist groups in Balochistan should immediately stop killing, threatening, and harassing teachers and other educators, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and representatives of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said on Monday at the HRW report launch at a local hotel. They urged the Pakistan government to cooperate with the authorities in Balochistan to create an advanced rapid response system when schools are attacked, so that these facilities are quickly repaired or rebuilt, and destroyed educational material replaced so children can return to school as soon as possible. The participants said that during the reconstruction process, students should be provided education through alternative means and, where appropriate, psychosocial support. They recommended ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which prohibits as a war crime intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to education. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\14\story_14-12-2010_pg7_11 ----------- Iraq has 835 prisoners on death row, admits Govt December 14, 2010 Iraq has 835 people waiting to be executed, Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani said on Monday, just days after the UN envoy to Baghdad called on the country to abolish capital punishment. Speaking at a news conference about anti-terrorism measures, Bolani said Iraqi courts had convicted 14,500 people for such offences, with an unspecified number serving life sentences in addition to those due to be executed. “The Government is keen on providing justice,” he said, noting “14,500 criminals have been convicted, with 835 receiving death sentences and others life imprisonment.” Iraq executed 230 people from 2005 to 2009, Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in July, adding that, at the time, 1,254 death sentences had been handed down. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/303517/Iraq-has-835-prisoners-on-death-row- ----------- Children’s forced custody case Dec 14, 2010 KARACHI: A former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer was arrested from the courtroom on Monday over non-compliance of court orders for production of two minor children Burrera, 8, and Nihal, 9, before the Sindh High Court (SHC). SHC single bench comprising Justice Ghulam Sarwar Korai was hearing the petition filed by Nosheen against her husband Ahmad Khan Mirani, a suspended FIA officer, and Clifton Town police officials, stating that her husband had divorced her in March and kept her in his custody for more than four months while her two minor children were still in his custody. On Monday, when the court asked the respondent of the whereabouts of the two children, the police informed the court that the children could not be produced. Korai ordered the police to arrest Mirani until the two children were produced in the court. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\14\story_14-12- ----------- Students need to improve English language for better careers By Arsalan Haider Dec 14, 2010 LAHORE: A common man thinks an educated man can speak good English, which, from a certain perspective is quite right. Despite this perception, a minor ability to speak fluent English can also help get attention of many people. But, in our society, majority of graduate and postgraduate students are unable to speak English fluently, for which the outdated syllabus can be blamed first. Besides, the students, even while having the facility of Internet and cable TV channels at their houses, still need to go a long way in learning one of the most essential tools for making a good career in almost any field. Pakistan boasts a large English language press and media. Many major dailies are published in this international language. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\14\story_14-12- ----------- 600,000 sign WikiLeaks petition as Assange braces for court Dec 14, 2010 LONDON: Almost 600,000 people had signed an online petition in support of WikiLeaks Monday, ahead of a second appearance in court in London by the whistle-blowing website's founder, Julian Assange. The petition on campaigning website Avaaz calls on the US and other nations to "stop the crackdown on WikiLeaks and its partners immediately" and to respect "the laws of freedom of expression and freedom of the press". WikiLeaks has been releasing thousands of confidential US diplomatic cables, causing huge embarrassment in Washington. US President Barack Obama has denounced the leak as "deplorable" and various countries have tried to close down the site, sending it jumping from server to server in a bid to stay online. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/600000-sign-WikiLeaks-petition- ----------- Israeli troops assault old woman, arrest her son Dec 14, 2010 Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed a Palestinian home in Doura village, south of Al-Khalil, and detained a young man after battering his mother and injuring her AL-KHALIL (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed a Palestinian home in Doura village, south of Al-Khalil, and detained a young man after battering his mother and injuring her. Local sources said that the soldiers broke into a number of houses in the village at dawn Sunday before taking away Mohammed Awawada, 22. They noted that the soldiers threw teargas canisters into the house causing breathing problems among its occupants. In another incident, the IOF soldiers stormed the office of Hamas MP Mohammed Abu Juhaisha in Edhna village, west of Al-Khalil. Local sources said that the soldiers left the office in chaos after thoroughly searching it then searched the MP's home in the same manner. http://shiaunity.com/data.asp?lang=3&id=216733 ----------- Narrow interpretation of religion is a potent threat for world peace Dec 14, 2010 President Barak Hussain Obama says Iranian regime is discouraging social sciences and considers subjects of social sciences as unIslamic. If we peep into history of Islamic rule in Spain both natural sciences and social sciences were developed by Muslims and Jews together, but as I have earlier mentioned in my articles religion has been always interpreted in a way which serves the interest of ruling classes, Iranian dictator if interprets Islam as anti social sciences religion, he is doing that to prolong his rule, social science graduates not only become aware of their fundamental rights and freedoms but also become aware of the fact that Islam also sanction fundamental rights for people of all religions living in Islamic society including Muslims. Full report at: http://raziq1.blogspot.com/2010/12/narrow-interpretation-of-religion-is.html ----------- Two Houthi groups fight over Zaidi leadership Nasser Arrabyee Dec 14, 2010 A Zaidi cleric called for launching Jihad (holy war) against the al-Houthi rebels in Sa’ada, northern Yemen, condemning the group as “worse than Israel”. “We are determined to continue Jihad against them, I swear by Allah that Jihad against them is better than prayers, and better than Jihad against Jews, they are more malignant than Israel,” said the Zaidi cleric Mohammed Abdul Adheem al-Houthi, who is based in Sa’ada and from the same family as the top leader of the al-Houthi rebels. In an interview with al-Ahahli weekly, the Zaidi cleric, Mohammed Abdul Adheem al-Houthi, said that the al-Houthi rebels are “apostates” and that they do not belong to any Islamic sect at all, including the Zaidi sect. “They are not Twelvers (Ethna Ashari), nor Zaidis, nor Shafis, nor Jafaris, they are apostates, they are religious outsiders, they are enemies of Islam, enemies of believers,” he said in the interview, which is expected to ignite a war between the two Houthi groups in Sa’ada. Full report at: http://www.yobserver.com/front-page/10020338.html ----------- De Niro, Redford among A-listers who want Sakineh spared stoning Dec 14, 2010 LONDON: Celebrities including Robert Redford, Robert de Niro and Sting have called on Iran to release a woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery. In an open letter published on Monday, more than 80 actors , artists, musicians, academics and politicians said that " Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has suffered enough." Signatories include actor Colin Firth, artist Damien Hirst, Nobel literature laureates Wole Soyinka and VS Naipaul, British opposition leader Ed Miliband, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and former French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner . They say Ashtiani has already spent five years in prison and received 99 lashes. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/De-Niro-Redford-among-A- ----------- On Parliament attack aniv, BJP queers pitch for Afzal hanging Dec 14, 2010 NEW DELHI: As the home ministry continues to insist on reviewing mercy petitions of those who are on death row one-by-one before sending it to President Pratibha Patil for her final view, Opposition BJP on Monday pitched for quick hanging of Afzal Guru, who has been convicted for the 2001 Parliament attack case. "The government should act on giving punishment to the convicts so that not only the family members of the attack victims, but also the entire country can get relief... Only paying tributes without giving punishment to the convicts seem an observance of a ceremony," BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said on the occasion of the ninth anniversary of Parliament attack. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/On-Parliament-attack-aniv-BJP- ----------- Islamic finance company: court adjourns hearing Dec 14, 2010 KOCHI: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday adjourned to December 14 the hearing of arguments on the two public interest writ petitions filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy and another petitioner challenging a government order according sanction for registration of an Islamic finance service company by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC). When the petition came up before the Bench — comprising Chief Justice J. Chelameswar and Justice P.R. Ramachandra Menon — Dr. Swamy contended that the government order proposed specific appropriation by the KSIDC, of Rs.110 lakh from the consolidated fund of the State, to purchase 11 per cent equity in the KSIDC-promoted and Sharia-compliant financial institution. Therefore, he said it was violative of Article 27, and the KSIDC could not be permitted or allowed under the Constitution to appropriate public funds raised by taxes for an institution to be run according to Sharia principles. Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/14/stories/2010121463681500.htm ----------- Conditional bail to farmhouse owner in Kausarbi case Manas Dasgupta Dec 14, 2010 AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court on Monday granted conditional bail to Arham farmhouse owner Rajendra Jeerawala, co-accused in the 2005 Sohrabuddin-Kausarbi murder case. He is the second person, after the former Minister of State for Home Amit Shah, to have got bail. Justice Z.K. Saiyed said the role attributed to Jeerawala in the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation was “limited.” The court asked him to stay out of the Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar district limits and furnish a bond for Rs. 1 lakh, besides reporting to the CBI once a month. Jeerawala was booked by the CBI as a co-conspirator as he owned the farmhouse, where Kausarbi was believed to have been kept for a few days before her murder. Granting him conditional bail, which was earlier rejected by the special CBI court, Justice Saiyed said the “prosecuting agency could not prove the main ingredients of a criminal conspiracy — agreement and meeting of minds qua the present applicant as per Section 120 (B) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In criminal law, criminal liability also needs to be considered.” Full report at: http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/14/stories/2010121463201100.htm ----------- More violence in 2011 in Afghanistan, warns Nato December 14, 2010 The US-led NATO alliance in Afghanistan warned on Monday that foreign soldiers will face further violence in 2011, capping what has been the deadliest year of the war on record. “We’re going to face more violence in 2011. It’s not yet over. There will be still fighting, the work has not been done yet,” said Brigadier General Josef Blotz, spokesman for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). “So we need to keep the pressure on the Taliban. We need to solidify the gains we have made over the last couple of months, and this will also lead to more confrontation,” he said. US President Barack Obama last December ordered an extra 30,000 American troops into Afghanistan, but the surge has failed to stem the nine-year Taliban insurgency with violence at an all time high. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/303527/More-violence-in-2011-in-Afghanistan- ----------- Kasab claims to be juvenile during 26/11 December 14, 2010 Making a case for leniency in punishment, convicted Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Kasab on Monday revived the plea of his being a juvenile at the time of 26/11 attack and urged the Bombay High Court to refer his case to a medical board to determine his age. In a virtual repeat of events that preceded awarding of death sentence to the Pakistani terrorist by a trial court in May this year, Kasab’s lawyers Amin Solkar and Farhana Shah filed a petition before a division HC Bench, urging the judges to ascertain that their client was indeed a juvenile or not at the time of incident. In another petition filed simultaneously, Kasab’s lawyers also urged the HC Bench, comprising Justices Ranjana Desai and VM More to study their client’s psychological profile as well as his frame of mind at that time. They asked the court to appoint an NGO working in India and Pakistan to look into Kasab’s family background and the circumstances leading to his involvement in the 26/11 attack. Full report at: http://www.dailypioneer.com/303506/Kasab-claims-to-be-juvenile-during- URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=3797