Saudi-Led Air Strikes, Clashes Claim 85 Lives in Yemen
Authorities suspect Islamist al Shabaab militants of carrying out the bombing in the northeastern city. (File photo)
Mideast
Saudi-Led Air Strikes, Clashes Claim 85 Lives in Yemen
Erdoğan, Obama to Open Mosque in US: Turkish FM
Scores of Saudi-Backed Terrorists Surrender in Yemen's Aden
Yemen Today Channel Broadcaster Killed in Saudi Air Strike
Iranian Deputy FM Warns Riyadh against Strategic Mistake in Yemen
Commander: Saudi Arabia Sending Covert Arms Cargos to Terrorists in Yemen
Yemen’s Saleh denies alliance with Houthis
Palestinian stabbed by attacker shouting 'death to Arabs'
Arab World
Egypt’s Grand Mufti Heads to Europe in Efforts to Combat Radical Islam
22 Members of Muslim Brotherhood Get the Death Penalty
Report: Saddam Hussein’s Officer Drew up ISIS Master Plan
Kurdish Forces Purge 2 Villages of ISIL in Syria
Man Dressed As Woman Arrested For Molestation in Saudi Mosque
Saudi Arabia on alert over possible oil or mall attack
Syrian Army Kills Scores of Terrorists in Northwest
Syrian Army Discloses Names of Hunted Terrorists in Damascus Province's Battlefronts
Sinai bomb claimed by ISIS kills three Egypt soldiers
Destroyed: 80% of Houthi ammunition
South Asia
Afghanistan Braces for Violence as Islamic State Makes Presence Felt
Two Soldiers Martyred, Four Militants Killed In Military Operations
'Religious bigotry results Boishakh incidents': National Human Rights Commission
Chief Judge praises criminal court over Nasheed’s trial
Bangladesh War crimes: Hasan Ali verdict any day
Pakistan
Jud Blames ‘Jewish Lobby’ For Yemen Crisis
Jamaat-I-Islami Resolution to Urge Govt to Condemn Bangladesh Hangings
Pakistan will likely use US weapons against Baloch insurgents, India: Haqqani
Christians file nominations for first time in Dir
Naya Pakistan not possible without support from Karachi, says Imran
SC adjourns hearing of Mumtaz Qadri appeal against death sentence
Dar rules out Pakistanis’ expulsion from Gulf
Chinese president's visit to usher in new era of development: PM
Africa
9 Killed In Bomb Attack on U.N. Vehicle in Somalia
Sudan's youth activists battle restraints and apathy
Ethiopia condemns Libya killings, not sure if its citizens
India
Al-Qaida Forced Navy to Change Yemen Operation Plan
Anti-India activities will not be tolerated in India, HM says
I feared seeing Burhan dead, never thought it would be my other son: Tral victim’s father
Europe
UK Police Arrest Boy over Alleged Australia IS Attack Plan
Italian police: Muslim migrants threw Christians overboard
Missing father was 'member of banned extremist group': Extremist cleric
Russia: Dagestani leader killed in raid
North America
Hindu Temple Vandalised In Texas, Devil Worship Symbols Spray-Painted
‘Muslims to Surpass Jews as 2nd Largest US Religious Group’
White House Condemns Islamic State Massacre of Ethiopian Christians
Arrests in US terrorism probe of youth travelling to Syria
Sale of U.S. Arms Fuels the Wars of Arab States
Southeast Asia
Iraq Wants Indonesia to Join ‘Coalition against Terrorism’
Church protest sign of extremism setting in, says Malaysian Bar
Nothing seditious about church and cross protest, says top cop
Terror Suspect with Alleged Links to Santoso Nabbed in Flores
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Mideast
Saudi-led air strikes, clashes claim 85 lives in Yemen
Apr 20, 2015
ADEN: Clashes between rebels and pro-government forces and Saudi-led air strikes killed at least 85 people in Yemen, medics and military sources said on Sunday, after Riyadh pledged to fund a UN aid appeal.
The United Nations says hundreds of people have died and thousands of families have fled their homes since the coalition air war began on March 26 at the request of embattled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.
Since Saturday, fighting has concentrated on four key southern cities, while Saudi-led warplanes also pounded Huthi rebel positions in the area.
The deadliest clashes took place in the city of Daleh, where 31 Huthis and 17 pro-Hadi forces were killed on Sunday, a local official said, also reporting a series of air strikes on rebel positions.
Pre-dawn clashes in the southwestern city of Taez left 10 Huthi rebels and four pro-Hadi militiamen dead, medics and local sources said.
Taez, Yemen’s third largest city after the capital Sanaa and second city Aden in the south, has seen fierce clashes over the past week, after having been largely spared in fighting that has spread across several provinces.
On Sunday, coalition warplanes pounded Huthi positions in Taez, a correspondent said, adding that the streets were empty and shops were closed.
Seven more Huthis were killed in an attack by tribesmen in the southern province of Shabwa.
In Aden, 11 Huthis and five pro-Hadi fighters were killed on Saturday night and on Sunday morning, military sources said.
The pro-Hadi fighters recaptured the Russian consulate and a Hadi residence from the Huthis, they added.
The rebels, who seized Sanaa unopposed in September, have since expanded their control across the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country.
Saudi King Salman ordered the aid pledge following a UN appeal on Friday for $274 million in emergency assistance for the millions affected by Yemen’s multi-sided conflict.
UN Humanitarian Coordinator Johannes Van Der Klaauw had said that “ordinary families are struggling to access healthcare, water, food and fuel — basic requirements for their survival”.
Aid has only trickled in to Yemen, largely because of Saudi-led coalition restrictions on its airspace and ports.
On Saturday, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said efforts are under way to step up aid after two loads of supplies donated by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates reached Yemen.
“Other cargos will follow in the coming days” in a “sea bridge to get aid to the Yemeni people,” Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri told reporters in Riyadh.
He insisted, however, that shipments must be coordinated with the coalition.
Aid group Doctors Without Borders said “more than 70 tons of medical material” arrived by plane in Sanaa on Saturday.
The UN agency for refugees says that up to 150,000 people have been displaced over the past three weeks, while more than 300,000 had already fled their homes because of unrest in past years.
The coalition has launched more than 2,000 air strikes on Yemen since its campaign began, Assiri said.
The Huthis swept into the capital in September from their highland stronghold and later advanced south on the major port of Aden, forcing Hadi to flee to Riyadh.
Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia fears the Huthis would shift Yemen into the orbit of its Shia rival Iran.
Though a key ally of the Huthis, Iran denies arming the Shia rebels who have allied with army units loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, the president forced out in Yemen’s 2011 uprising.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177040/saudi-led-air-strikes-clashes-claim-85-lives-in-yemen
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Erdoğan, Obama to open mosque in US: Turkish FM
Apr 20, 2015
The presidents of Turkey and the U.S. will open the Turkish-American Culture and Civilization Center in Maryland, Turkey’s foreign minister said April 19.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who was on a three-day visit to Washington, visited the center that also has a medium-sized mosque, and lunched with representatives from the American Muslim community.
“During a phone call, President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan asked President [Barack] Obama to accompany him in opening the center together and President Obama accepted his offer in principle,’” Çavuşoğlu told the representatives.
If Obama’s schedule allows at the time of the opening, he will accompany Erdoğan.
The complex has been built on a large area and consists of a coffee house, gift shops, cultural center, amphitheater and exhibition hall, computer lab, library, Turkish bath/hamam and guest house.
Çavuşoğlu said the center has been constructed as a place where all Muslims in the U.S. could come together and worship freely.
He said Muslims have faced increased challenges across the world, particularly due to rising Islamophobia.
“Our duty is to tell the true Islam which is a religion of peace. Islam does not tolerate terrorism. But unfortunately the al-Qaeda and Daesh terror groups have tarnished the image of Islam,” he said.
Daesh, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), is neither Islamic nor a state, he added.
Recalling that Turkey has contributed to the construction of the center in Maryland, the top diplomat said Turkey has contributed to development and infrastructure projects in Muslim countries, citing Somalia, Djibouti and Myanmar.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-obama-to-open-mosque-in-us-turkish-fm.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81294&NewsCatID=510
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Scores of Saudi-Backed Terrorists Surrender in Yemen's Aden
Apr 20, 2015
Scores of Saudi-backed terrorists surrendered themselves to the Ansarullah fighters in Aden on Monday, as the popular movement is pressing ahead with its military campaign against the militias.
According to reports, dozens of al-Qaeda terrorists and pro-Hadi militants put down their weapons in the Southern Yemeni city of Aden on Monday, after the Ansarullah forces along with army units inflicted major losses on them and gained new territory.
A Yemeni military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "The terrorists and militias fled the battlefield and now the city (Aden) is under the full control of the revolutionary committees and army."
The Ansarullah fighters and the army troops have made major advances in their fight against the al-Qaeda terrorists and pro-Hadi militias across Yemen.
The clashes between the Ansarullah fighters and the Saudi-backed al-Qaeda terrorists as well as the pro-Hadi militias continue in the Southern parts of the country as Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 26 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed at least 2,655 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Despite Riyadh's claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
Five Persian Gulf States -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait -- and Egypt that are also assisted by Israel and backed by the US declared war on Yemen in a joint statement issued on March 26.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940131000553
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Yemen Today Channel Broadcaster Killed in Saudi Air Strike
Apr 20, 2015
Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted an air strike on Faj Attan district in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, and killed Yemen Today Channel broadcaster, and injured a number of the channels' staff members on Monday.
According to reports, the Saudi warplanes struck Faj Attan district in the capital Sanaa, leaving large groups of people dead and the Arab country's infrastructure damaged.
Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 26 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed over 2,700 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children. The attacks have also left thousands of people injured.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Despite Riyadh's claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940131001082
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Iranian Deputy FM Warns Riyadh against Strategic Mistake in Yemen
Apr 20, 2015
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian described the Saudi military strike against Yemen as a strategic mistake.
"In the today meeting, Amir Abdollahian elaborated on the latest developments in Yemen and termed the Saudi act as a strategic mistake," Rapporteur of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Seyed Hossein Naqavi Hosseini told FNA, explaining about the Commission's Sunday meeting with Amir Abdollahian.
Naqavi Hosseini said that also the members of the Commission condemned the Saudis' illegal, anti-Islam and inhumane attacks on Yemen, and said even after over 20 days of continued Saudi-led airstrikes, Riyadh hasn’t been able to reach its goals.
According to the MP, the commission membes also underlined Iran's all-out support for the oppressed Yemeni people as well as the need for the immediate dispatch of humanitarian aids to them.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940131000405
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Commander: Saudi Arabia Sending Covert Arms Cargos to Terrorists in Yemen
Apr 20, 2015
Saudi Arabia is sending weapons to terrorists in Yemen under the guise of humanitarian and relief aids, a senior Yemeni commander disclosed on Monday.
"The Yemeni army and Ansarullah fighters confiscated a large amount of bomb-making materials and components and also special military uniforms that were sent to Yemen in trucks carrying humanitarian aids to that country," Brigadier-General Ahmad Sabih al-Kamel told FNA today.
He noted that the Yemeni army in cooperation with Ansarullah fighters have discovered a factory in the Southern Yemeni province of Aden where military hardware were manufactured, and said, "All those running the factory were Saudi nationals and worked with to the terrorists."
Brigadier-General Sabih al-Kamel also disclosed that Saudi Arabia had sought to bribe him with a huge sum of money, $274 million.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940131000347
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Yemen’s Saleh denies alliance with Houthis
20 April 2015
Deposed Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has denied any alliance or military coordination with Houthis rebels, saying they in control of the army and security forces, according to alMotamar.net, the Yemeni General People's Congress website.
The General People’s Congress is a political party that was founded by Saleh in 1982.
Saleh added that Houthis have “their own militias and have become an alternative to the authority of President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi.”
A Saudi-led coalition has led an air campaign against Houthi rebels and militias allied to Saleh since March 26, following a plea from legitimate President Hadi for foreign intervention.
Hadi and the Saudi-led coalition believe Yemen’s Houthis have joined forces with Saleh-allied militias in an aggressive bid for power in the crisis-wrecked country. In September 2014, the militias took over the capital Sanaa and eventually forced Hadi to escape house arrest and flee to the city of Aden.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/20/Yemen-s-Saleh-denies-alliance-with-Houthis.html
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Palestinian stabbed by attacker shouting 'death to Arabs'
World Bulletin / News Desk
Apr 20, 2015
An unidentified man on Monday stabbed an Palestinian in the shoulder in the central Israeli city of Herzliya while shouting "death to Arabs," Israeli police have said.
The victim, who works for the Herzliya Municipality, said the suspect had approached him shouting "death to Arabs" in Hebrew – with a Russian accent – before stabbing him in the shoulder, according to police spokesperson Luba Samri.
The Arab man was injured slightly and taken to hospital for treatment, she added, noting that police were currently investigating the incident.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/world/158122/palestinian-stabbed-by-attacker-shouting-death-to-arabs
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Arab World
22 members of Muslim Brotherhood get the death penalty
World Bulletin / News Desk
Apr 20, 2015
An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced 22 members of the Muslim Brotherhood to death over an attack on a police station in the town of Kerdasa after the army removed elected President Mohamed Mursi from power in 2013, judicial sources said.
One other defendant, who is a juvenile, was given a 10 year sentence, the sources said.
A lawyer for the convicted men said they would appeal.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/158125/22-members-of-muslim-brotherhood-get-the-death-penalty
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Report: Saddam Hussein’s officer drew up ISIS master plan
20 April 2015
An ex-intelligence officer under the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was "the strategic head" behind the Islamic State group and drew up the blueprints for the jihadists' capture of northern Syria, German weekly Der Spiegel reported Sunday.
Former colonel Samir Abd Muhammad al-Khlifawi, who was better known as Haji Bakr and was killed by Syrian rebels in January 2014, "had been secretly pulling the strings at ISIS for years", according to the magazine.
The weekly said it had been given exclusive access to 31 documents by Bakr, including handwritten lists and charts, after lengthy negotiations with a rebel group in Aleppo, northern Syria, which came in possession of the pages after ISIS fled the area.
The trove "was nothing less than a blueprint for a takeover", according to Spiegel, detailing the creation of a caliphate in northern Syria, complete with meticulous instructions for espionage activities, murder and kidnapping.
The magazine said Bakr was "bitter and unemployed" after the American decision to dissolve the Iraqi army in 2003.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/20/Saddam-Hussein-s-officer-drew-up-ISIS-master-plan.html
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Egypt’s Grand Mufti Heads to Europe in Efforts to Combat Radical Islam
Apr 20, 2015
Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Shawki Allam, headed to Europe Sunday in efforts to clarify and explain the facts about “true Islam”, with the aim of combating extremist ideologies.
Allam leads Dar Al-Ifta, Egypt’s foremost religious authority for issuing Fatwas (religious edicts).
Allam is scheduled to have high-level meetings with political and executive leaders in Europe, including the Dutch Foreign Minister. He will also visit the Dutch Parliament and the French Senate.
The meetings come within the efforts to modify the image of Islam, which the Mufti believes has been distorted by “terrorist groups”. The Grand Mufti reiterated his condemnation of radical Islam and extremism on several occasions, as the ideologies of radical Islam are on the rise, especially with the spread of “Islamic State” (IS) and its affiliates worldwide.
The Middle East is witnessing a string of the rising Islamist groups in countries including Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia.
With the radical Islamist groups regularly posting pictures and videos while beheading and killing people, in addition to attacks in Western countries, one of the most prominent of which was on the French Charlie Hebdo magazine in January, several anti-Islamist movements emerged in Western countries. There has also being a string of violent attacks against Muslims.
Full report at:
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2015/04/19/grand-mufti-heads-to-europe-in-efforts-to-combat-radical-islam/
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Kurdish Forces Purge 2 Villages of ISIL in Syria
Apr 20, 2015
Kurdish forces liberated 2 villages in the Southern countryside of Kobani city in Syria from the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists on Monday.
The Kurdish forces managed to purge the villages of Alkan and Jaber Matars in the Southern countryside of Kobani of the ISIL terrorists, killing a large group of the Takfiri militants, the Arabic-language Al-Mayadeen television reported.
The ISIL Takfiri terrorists currently control shrinking swathes of Syria and Iraq. They have threatened all communities, including Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians, Ezadi Kurds and others, as they continue their atrocities in Iraq.
Senior Iraqi officials have blamed Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and some Persian Gulf Arab states for the growing terrorism in their country.
The ISIL has links with Saudi intelligence and is believed to be indirectly supported by the Israeli regime.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940131000863
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Man dressed as woman arrested for molestation in Saudi mosque
Apr 20, 2015
A man, who disguised as a woman by wearing the traditional ‘abaya’, has been arrested for allegedly molesting women at a mosque in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Makkah.
The man, in his 30s and yet to be identified, was arrested by authorities following a complaint that a woman sometimes used to enter the bathroom of Jaarana Mosque and behave oddly.
It was alleged that the ‘woman’ sexually harassed other women during the ablutions preceding the prayers, the Gulf News reported.
The authorities started monitoring the mosque until they saw a woman, who was behaving suspiciously, leave the building. They tracked her movement and saw her heading towards a car with tinted windows parked near the mosque and got in to the back.
No male driver was found in the car, the report said.
The team quickly approached the car and saw a man taking off the ‘abaya’ – a loose garment worn by Muslim women in some parts of the world, prompting them to arrest him and seize the garment, it said.
Further investigations are on.
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/middle-east-africa/man-dressed-as-woman-arrested-for-molestation-in-saudi-mosque/
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Saudi Arabia on alert over possible oil or mall attack
Apr 20, 2015
Saudi Arabia has put security forces on alert for a possible militant attack on a shopping mall or energy installation, Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour Turki said on Monday.
"There was information about a possible act targeting a mall or Aramco installations. We passed this information to the security forces to be on alert," he told Reuters.
Turki said he had no further information about the threat. Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter and key strategic ally of the United States, has been a target of jihadist militant groups for years, including al-Qaeda and Isis.
Riyadh has been carrying out air strikes against Iran-allied Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen since March 26 in a conflict in which nine members of its security forces have been killed by cross-border fire.
This month Saudi police announced they had detained a Saudi citizen suspected of shooting dead two police officers and injuring two others in two separate attacks in Riyadh.
"Saudi Arabia is targeted by terrorism. Usually in such situations (conflicts), there are attempts by terrorist groups to take advantage and carry out attacks," said Turki.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/saudi-arabia-on-alert-over-possible-oil-or-mall-attack#sthash.sO18wLO7.dpuf
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Syrian Army Kills Scores of Terrorists in Northwest
Apr 20, 2015
The Syrian Army stormed the gathering centres of the foreign-backed rebels in the North-western province of Idlib, killing and wounding hundreds of the fighters, including a senior commander.
Failoun village in the Southern part of Idlib city was the scene of intensive clashes between the Syrian soldiers and the rebels who failed to resist against the army men, leaving the dead bodies of a number of their comrades when fleeing the battlefield.
In the meantime, the supplying lines of the militants' in al-Maqlaa and Bashlamon villages in Jisr Ashughour countryside to the west of Idlib, were targeted by the army that not only killed dozens of rebels but also exploded their huge depot of ammunitions.
Mohammed Abdollah al-Tweijiri, a military commander in the so called “Ahrar al-Sham Movement”, was confirmed dead during the Army operations in Majdlia and al-Nairab.
Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The violence fuelled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of over 210,000 people, according to reports. New figures show that over 76,000 people, including thousands of children, lost their lives in Syria last year.
Over 3.8 million Syrians have left their country since the beginning of the crisis. According to reports, more than seven million Syrians have become internally displaced.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940131000766
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Syrian Army Discloses Names of Hunted Terrorists in Damascus Province's Battlefronts
Apr 20, 2015
The Syrian Army, in its fight against terrorists in the strategic province of Damascus, killed and wounded scores of antigovernment fighters whose names have been disclosed recently by the army's general command.
The army announced that Fakhd al-Ajil, Shaker al-Nakishbandi, Fidaa Domani, Salim Rahal and Nizar Bobas were identified among the killed terrorists in battles in the countryside of Madira village towards the South of Douma.
Sufian Abdallah al-Hussein, Naji al-Darawsha, Mohammed Bazama, Saeed Ahmad and Adnan Kasas were also killed in the army's operations in the Northern farms of Irbeen town and Northeast of Zamlka Bridge.
Meantime, the army said that there have been dozens of killed rebels whose identities have not been confirmed thus far.
Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The violence fuelled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of over 210,000 people, according to reports. New figures show that over 76,000 people, including thousands of children, lost their lives in Syria last year.
Over 3.8 million Syrians have left their country since the beginning of the crisis. According to reports, more than seven million Syrians have become internally displaced.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940131000541
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Sinai bomb claimed by ISIS kills three Egypt soldiers
0 April 2015
A roadside bomb claimed by the Islamic State group killed three Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula on Monday, medical and security officials said.
The blast struck on the Egyptian side of the divided city of Rafah on the Gaza border, the official said.
"An officer and two soldiers were killed and another soldier wounded when their armored vehicle hit a bomb in the Tawil al-Amir district," the security official told AFP.
Jihadists who have pledged allegiance to IS, which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria, said they carried out the attack.
"We blew up an armoured vehicle of the apostate army and everyone inside was killed," IS Sinai Province said on its Twitter account.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/20/Three-Egyptian-soldiers-killed-in-blast-claimed-by-ISIS-affiliate.html
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Destroyed: 80% of Houthi ammunition
Apr 20, 2015
The Saudi-led coalition has so far destroyed 80 percent of Houthi ammunition in Yemen and the threat from their ballistic missiles has been neutralized after Operation Decisive Storm launched more than 106 airstrikes against the militias and their army loyalists during the past 24 hours, said the coalition’s spokesman.
Brig. Gen. Ahmad Al-Assiri said in a daily briefing on Sunday that “the Houthi militias were preparing for an attack on Saudi borders but they were stopped from advancing.”
The Houthis no longer have a central communication command, and their attacks are now “isolated operations,” the spokesman said.
“There is no connection between provinces, because all communication means have been destroyed, leaving their operations isolated especially near the Saudi border,” he added.
Al-Assiri said workshops used by the Houthis to manufacture arms have been completely destroyed. “The Houthis have turned houses, farms and caves into storage and operation command facilities,” he said while showing a black and white slide of an airstrike targeting a makeshift Houthi operation center.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/735126
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South Asia
Afghanistan braces for violence as Islamic State makes presence felt
20 April, 2015
Afghanistan is bracing for an upsurge in violence as spring begins with a new maverick force emerging: militants associating themselves with Islamic State.
Isis claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Saturday, which appears to be the first major attack in Afghanistan by insurgents aligning themselves with the group which has been wreaking havoc across Syria and Iraq.
Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, spokesman for the provincial governor, said a suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated a vest rigged with explosives in front of the state-run New Kabul Bank, which has been the target of attacks in the past, killing at least 33 people and injuring more than 100.
In a statement, a group calling itself the Province of Khorasan – Islamic State’s name for the region it strives to conquer – named the suicide bomber as Abu Mohammad Khorasani. On social media, Isis supporters shared a photo of the purported suicide bomber, masked and flanked by a Kalashnikov rifle.
Full report at:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/19/afghanistan-braces-for-violence-as-islamic-state-makes-presence-felt
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Two soldiers martyred, four militants killed in military operations
Apr 20 2015
General Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense says that two soldiers from Afghan National Army embraced martyrdom due to enemy actions in past 24 hours.
A statement issued Monday morning by Azimi does not specify the location of the enemy actions.
The statement adds that four militants were also killed in military actions in eastern Laghman province in past 24 hours.
Eight other insurgents were also wounded and 26 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were discovered and defused by the security forces during the operations, the statement states.
Security forces have underway several anti-terrorism operations across the country as the terrorist attacks have increased recently.
http://www.khaama.com/two-soldiers-martyred-four-militants-killed-in-military-operations-3206
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'Religious bigotry results Boishakh incidents': National Human Rights Commission
20 April, 2015
National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman has said religious bigotry and male dominated politics were the reasons behind the incidents of sexual harassment during Pohela Boishakh celebration.
He made the statement while addressing the media in the conference room of NHRC around 10:30am Monday.
He said: “We have identified religious bigotry and male dominated politics as the two points which led to the incident.”
Condemning the incident, Mizanur said: “Police have given callous statements because they are trying to avoid their responsibilities.
“They have not even disclose the footage of 16 no CCTV camera, which is fishy.”
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/apr/20/religious-bigotry-results-boishakh-incidents#sthash.CvWnHvRO.dpuf
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Chief judge praises criminal court over Nasheed’s trial
20 April, 2015
Chief judge Abdulla Mohamed has praised judges and staff at the criminal court for the swift conclusion of former president Mohamed Nasheed’s terrorism trial which related to the judge’s arrest in 2012.
The criminal court handed Nasheed a 13-year jail term, sparking international outrage and daily protests across the country.
“The Maldivian military was brought to alert, tents set up at the justice building, scan machines were kept, and the whole country was brought to alert,” Judge Abdulla was quoted as saying by local media.
“A three-judge panel was formed, and a verdict was delivered in 19 days by criminal court judges and staff in a case that couldn’t be concluded in three years,” the chief judge said at a function held last night to mark the court’s anniversary.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/chief-judge-praises-criminal-court-for-concluding-nasheeds-trial-96529
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Bangladesh War crimes: Hasan Ali verdict any day
20 April, 2015
The International Crimes Tribunal 1 will deliver the verdict on the war crimes accused Syed Hasan Ali any day.
The three-member tribunal headed by Justice M Enayetur Rahim fixed the date on Monday morning.
The apex court fixed December 7 for opening statement in the case.
On June 29, pressed the six charges against Hasan Ali including murder and genocide.
On April 3, the war crimes tribunal issued arrest warrant against Syed Hasan Ali, an alleged razakar commander of Tarail in Kishoreganj during the 1971 Liberation War.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/apr/20/war-crimes-hasan-ali-verdict-any-day#sthash.B8YRxNFq.dpuf
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Pakistan
JuD blames ‘Jewish lobby’ for Yemen crisis
Apr 20, 2015
PESHAWAR: Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed on Sunday accused the US and the ‘Jewish lobby’ of portraying the ongoing crisis in Yemen as a conflict between two major religious schools of thoughts.
“The war in Yemen is neither a Shia-Sunni dispute nor a conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In fact the US and Jewish lobby are trying to depict the conflict a war between two sectarian groups,” he said while speaking at a ‘Pasban Harmain Sharifain Conference’ here on Sunday.
Leaders of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League-N and other religious groups also addressed the gathering.
The JuD organised the event to drum up support for Saudi Arabia which is leading an air assault to crush the uprising in Yemen led by the Houthi rebels.
Without naming Iran, Hafiz Saeed said that a regional power, which was dubbing the US a ‘Great Satan’ and calling for the liberation of Baitul Maqdis from Israel, ‘was going to sign a nuclear treaty with it’. He said that ulema could play major role in educating people about what he said the new game plan in the Middle East.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177105/jud-blames-jewish-lobby-for-yemen-crisis
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Jamaat-i-Islami resolution to urge govt to condemn Bangladesh hangings
Apr 20, 2015
ISLAMABAD: A Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) resolution, asking the government to “condemn” the recent execution of a political leader in Bangladesh and asking Dhaka not to “dig up” old matters, is on the agenda of the Senate, which will be meeting here on Monday after a two-day recess.
The resolution stands in the name of JI chief Sirajul Haq, who is his party’s lone member in the upper house.
It also wants the government to ask Dhaka to “quash” 43-year-old cases against the leadership of the party’s Bangladesh chapter.
“This House calls upon the government of Pakistan to condemn the execution of Mohammad Qamaruz Zaman, assistant general secretary, JI Bangladesh, by the government of Bangladesh for his support to Pakistan in 1971,” says the resolution.
Qamaruz Zaman, 63, was hanged at Dhaka central jail on April 11 after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal against a death sentence imposed by a special tribunal for “genocide and torture of civilians during the 1971 conflict”.
The party wants the government to ask Dhaka to ‘quash’ 43-year-old cases against leaders of Bangladesh’s Jamaat-i-Islami
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177052/ji-resolution-to-urge-govt-to-condemn-bangladesh-hangings
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Pakistan Will Likely Use US Weapons against Baloch Insurgents, India: Haqqani
Apr 20, 2015
Husain Haqqani, who has been living under self-imposed exiled in the US since 2012, believes the US government is committing a mistake by selling weapons to Pakistan as they will be used to “fight or menace” India.
In a scathing piece in the Wall Street Journal, the former ambassador to the US (2008-11) questioned the Obama administration’s recent decision to sell almost $1 billion in US-made attack helicopters, missiles to Pakistan. Interestingly, the headline of the article reads “Why are We Sending This Attack Helicopter to Pakistan?” Last time we checked, Haqqani was still a Pakistani citizen but things may have changed since then.
Haqqani felt the weapons sale will fuel conflict in South Asia without fulfilling the objective of helping Pakistan fight terrorism. “Pakistan’s failure to tackle its jihadist challenge is not the result of a lack of arms but reflects an absence of will,” wrote Haqqani, arguing that the arms race with India remains to be the dominant force in Pakistan’s foreign and domestic policies.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/872890/pakistan-will-likely-use-us-weapons-against-baloch-insurgents-india-haqqani/
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Christians file nominations for first time in Dir
Apr 20, 2015
TIMERGARA/UPPER DIR: For the first time in the history of Dir districts, eight Christians have also filed nomination papers for different slots in the upcoming local government elections.
Sources in the election office in Timergara told Dawn on Sunday that first time in Lower Dir, 482 women, 875 youth and five minority candidates had filed papers for reserved seats in the village councils.
In Upper Dir, the election officials said three Christians had filed papers for different positions in the district and tehsil councils.
Two of them are male identified as Shehbaz Maseeh and Baber Maseeh and one woman, Nasra, they added.
The election sources in Timergara said that overall 5,228 aspirants had filed papers for different tiers of the local government elections.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177104/christians-file-nominations-for-first-time-in-dir
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Naya Pakistan not possible without support from Karachi, says Imran
Apr 20, 2015
Hundreds of supporters gathered at Shahrah-e-Pakistan in Karachi for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s rally ahead of the NA-246 by-polls.
PTI chairman Imran Khan had announced to hold a rally today to campaign for the NA-246 by-polls. The rally was earlier scheduled to be held at Jinnah Bagh but the party later shifted it to Shahrah-e-Pakistan.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/872483/power-showdown-pti-set-for-pre-election-rally-in-karachi-today/
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SC adjourns hearing of Mumtaz Qadri appeal against death sentence
Apr 20, 2015
ISLAMABAD: A two-member bench at the Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing pertaining to an appeal by Mumtaz Qadri — the killer of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer — against his death penalty, directing the government to submit their appeal as well.
Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Umar Ata Bandial adjourned the hearing till May 14. The two-member bench has summoned an application from the government regarding the Islamabad High Court's decision to cancel Qadri's death penalty under section seven of the Anti Terrorism Act.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177108/sc-adjourns-hearing-of-mumtaz-qadri-appeal-against-death-sentence
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Dar rules out Pakistanis’ expulsion from Gulf
Apr 20, 2015
WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s position on the Yemen conflict will not lead to the expulsion of Pakistani workers from the Middle East, says Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
The minister told a news briefing in Washington that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had signed a military protocol in 1982, which entitles the kingdom to seek Pakistani troops.
“But this agreement was for a different purpose and it is not in national interests to talk about it,” he said.
“God forbid, we do not want to create the impression that we are not with Saudi Arabia. I am a sinner but I am willing to die defending the two holy mosques.”
Mr Dar, who was addressing the Pakistani media at the end of a three-day visit to Washington, was drawn into the Yemen dispute while vowing to take the country’s foreign exchange reserves to a record $18.5 billion by the end of this fiscal year.
A journalist reminded him that the largest contributor to foreign exchange reserves were overseas Pakistanis who sent a record $13.3 billion in last nine months. But some Arab countries were threatening to expel those workers because of Pakistan’s refusal to send troops to Saudi Arabia.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177045/dar-rules-out-pakistanis-expulsion-from-gulf
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Chinese president's visit to usher in new era of development: PM
Apr 20, 2015
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Monday that the two-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping will usher in a new era of development in Pakistan.
Talking to the top executives of three leading Chinese companies, China Huaneng Group, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Zonergy Corporation at the prime minister house, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the government would extend all possible facilitation to the Chinese companies to ensure timely completion of the planned projects.
The premier appreciated the role of the companies for undertaking various projects in Pakistan including ones that are part of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (PCEC) Project.
He said that Pakistan is facing acute shortage of energy and the government has made a commitment to the people of Pakistan to meet this shortage during its tenure, hence a lot of emphasis is being laid on timely completion of these projects, particularly those in the energy sector.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177109/chinese-presidents-visit-to-usher-in-new-era-of-development-pm
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Africa
9 killed in bomb attack on U.N. vehicle in Somalia
World Bulletin / News Desk
Apr 20, 2015
Two Kenyans and seven Somali guards were killed in a bomb attack on a vehicle carrying workers to the United Nations compound in Garowe in the Somali region of Puntland on Monday, police said.
Authorities suspect al Shabaab members of carrying out the bombing in the northeastern city, Mohamed Abdi, a police officer at the scene said.
"A blast hit the bus carrying workers to the U.N. office ...At least nine people died," he told.
In recent years al Shabaab has staged several attacks against U.N. officials in Somalia, most often in the capital Mogadishu, where the U.N has been helping a Western-backed government rebuild the country after more than 20 years of war.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/africa/158104/9-killed-in-bomb-attack-on-un-vehicle-in-somalia
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Sudan's youth activists battle restraints and apathy
Apr 20, 2015
When the Arab Spring uprisings burst out four years ago, Bedreldin Mohamed believed that, finally, many of his Sudanese countrymen would join him in calling for an alternative to President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, now in his 25th year in power.
But this week, with national elections looking likely to re-elect Bashir after security forces cracked down on protest movements, opposition parties and the media, the 25-year-old activist's optimism has faded.
"After the peace with the south in 2005, and throughout the Arab Spring, we could make speeches outdoors and meet on campus," he said. "Now we're meeting in the dark or at home. Things have changed."
Most of Sudan's main opposition parties boycotted the presidential and parliamentary elections held on April 13-16, saying the government had continued to detain and harass them despite Bashir's promises last year to allow more political freedoms.
At least two presidential candidates pulled out citing irregularities in polling.
As a result, say government critics, voters have been left with few viable alternatives to Bashir and his National Congress Party.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128135/World/Region/Sudans-youth-activists-battle-restraints-and-apath.aspx
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Ethiopia condemns Libya killings, not sure if its citizens
Apr 20, 2015
Ethiopia said on Sunday it had not been able to verify that about 30 people shown in a video being shot and beheaded by Islamic State in Libya were Ethiopian Christians, but said it condemned the "atrocious act."
"We have seen the video but our embassy in Cairo has not been able to confirm that the victims are Ethiopian nationals," government spokesman Redwan Hussein told Reuters. "Nonetheless, the Ethiopian government condemns the atrocious act."
He said Ethiopia, which does not have an embassy in Libya, would help repatriate Ethiopians if they wanted to leave Libya.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128089/World/Region/Ethiopia-condemns-Libya-killings,-not-sure-if-its-.aspx
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India
Al-Qaida forced Navy to change Yemen operation plan
V Narayan,TNN | Apr 20, 2015,
MUMBAI: The three Indian Navy (IN) Ships—INS Mumbai, Tarkash and Sumitra—returned back after completing their mission rescue Operation Rahat that they took over under challenging conditions evacuating over 3,000 people, including Indians, from the war-torn Yemen. The toughest rescue, though all was difficult, was carried out by the Saryu class patrol vessel (INS Sumitra) on April 5 that evacuated 203, including 182 Indians, from Ash Shihr port which is located 25 nautical miles (46 km) away from the Al Qaida militant base at Al Mukalla. Meanwhile some of the crews of INS Tarkash were placed onboard the two passenger liners, escorted to Kochi port, to keep an eye onboard 70% Bangladeshi nationals among the Indians those embarked from Djibouti Port on April 15.
Stealth frigate class INS Tarkash which participated in the rescue operation returned back to Mumbai harbour in the morning on April 18 after it escorted two passenger liners—MV Kavaratti and MV Corals—with onboard 475 evacuees, including majority of Bangladeshi national, embarked at Kochi. Destroyer class INS Mumbai returned back to Mumbai harbour on April 16 and INS Sumitra is back to anti-piracy patrolling duty at Gulf of Aden. The ships' crews will be greeted and interacted by the senior officers of the command and the Chief of Naval Staff on April 20. "The entire operations was handled tactically so that no lives at put on risk and even the naval ships," the Indian Defence spokesperson told TOI.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Al-Qaida-forced-Navy-to-change-Yemen-operation-plan/articleshow/46982469.cms
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Anti-India activities will not be tolerated in India, Rajnath Singh says
Apr 20, 2015
CHANDAULI: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that any kind of anti-India activities will not be tolerated on the country's soil.
He said this while addressing Kisan Mahapanchayat in his home district here, his first visit to the place after taking over as the Union home Minister.
"I congratulate Jammmu & Kashmir CM for acting tough on this issue, we will not tolerate any such kind of anti-India activities on our soil," he said.
He said that a separatist leader who was involved in anti-India activities and shouted pro-Pakistan slogans in Kashmir, is now again in jail.
Praising Modi and his government for acting strongly against violation of ceasefire by Pakistan, Singh said, "When our five jawans were martyred, I called a senior official of the Border Security Force and inquired about the matter."
"The officer told me that they showed white flags to Pakistan. I asked what does it mean and the officer said it means that we want to sort out the matter peacefully by engaging the countries in talks. I again asked how many times did you show the flags, he told me 16 times," Singh said.
"And when our jawans started retaliating, Pakistan has to seek UN's intervention to sort out the matter," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anti-India-activities-will-not-be-tolerated-in-India-Rajnath-Singh-says/articleshow/46978602.cms
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I feared seeing Burhan dead, Never thought it would be my other son: Tral victim’s father
Apr 20, 2015
The Wanis had braced themselves to receive bad news ever since their middle son, then 15, picked up the gun and joined the Hizbul Mujahideen in 2010. They never imagined that when death came knocking, it would take away their eldest son, 25, instead, who was shot dead last week by the Army in Tral.
Khalid Muzaffar Wani, his family and neighbours say, was far removed from brother Burhan Muzaffar Wani, who quickly rose to become the Hizbul Mujahideen commander in south Kashmir.
Father Muzaffar Ahmad Wani gives the example of the incident, also in Tral, that allegedly pushed Burhan down the path of militancy. It was a summer evening in 2010 and Khalid, who liked driving fast, had taken his motorcycle, a red-and-white Yamaha FZ, out for a run with Burhan and a friend. They were stopped by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the J&K Police.
Full report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/i-feared-seeing-burhan-dead-never-thought-it-would-be-my-other-son-tral-victims-father/99/
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Europe
UK police arrest boy over alleged Australia IS attack plan
Apr 20, 2015
Police in Britain said Monday they have arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with an alleged Islamic State-inspired attack plan in Australia.
The boy was arrested Saturday "on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism and remains in police custody for questioning," Greater Manchester Police in northwest England said in a statement.
Australian police arrested five men in counter-terrorism raids in Melbourne on Saturday and charged one of them with conspiring to commit a terrorist act on Anzac Day on April 25, when ceremonies are held to remember Australian and New Zealand Army Corps troops who fell at Gallipoli.
One of the officers working on the case in Britain, Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Mole, said: "We have uncovered communication between an individual in the northwest and a man in Australia to what we believe is a credible terrorist threat.
"As soon as this information came to light we acted quickly with the relevant authorities here and abroad."
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/128140/World/International/UK-police-arrest-boy-over-alleged-Australia-IS-att.aspx
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Italian police: Muslim migrants threw Christians overboard
Apr 20, 2015
Rome (CNN)Muslims who were among migrants trying to get from Libya to Italy in a boat this week threw 12 fellow passengers overboard -- killing them -- because the 12 were Christians, Italian police said Thursday.
Italian authorities have arrested 15 people on suspicion of murdering the Christians at sea, police in Palermo, Sicily, said.
The original group of 105 people left Libya on Tuesday in a rubber boat. Sometime during the trip north across the Mediterranean Sea, the alleged assailants -- Muslims from the Ivory Coast, Mali and Senegal -- threw the 12 overboard, police said.
Other people on the voyage told police that they themselves were spared "because they strongly opposed the drowning attempt and formed a human chain," Palermo police said.
The boat was intercepted by an Italian navy vessel, which transferred the passengers to a Panamanian-flagged ship. That ship docked in Palermo on Wednesday, after which the arrests were made, police said.
Full report at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/16/europe/italy-migrants-christians-thrown-overboard/
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Missing father was 'member of banned extremist group': Extremist cleric
20 April, 2015
Extremist cleric says Asif Malik, who is feared to be travelling to Syria with his wife and four young children, was a 'champion of Shariah' and a member of banned group al-Muhajiroun
A British Muslim father who police fear is travelling to Islamic State with his four young children was a member of a banned extremist group, it has emerged.
Police are hunting Asif Malik, his partner Sara Kiran and their family who have gone missing and are feared to be travelling to Syria.
The parents and daughter Zoha, seven; son Essa, four; son Zakariya, two; and one-year-old son Yhaya - have not been seen for nearly two weeks.
Anjem Choudary, the radical Muslim cleric, confirmed Malik had been a member of the banned group al-Mujahiroun and described him as a "champion for shariah" who regularly attended the group's events and demonstrations.
Full report at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11548109/Slough-family-of-six-feared-to-be-travelling-to-Syria.html
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Russia: Dagestani leader killed in raid
World Bulletin / News Desk
Apr 20, 2015
Russian security services have killed five suspected rebel fighters in a raid in the North Caucasus region of Dagestan, the national Anti-Terrorist Committee (NAK) said on Monday.
The Moscow-based Caucasian Knot website, which tracks the restive mainly Muslim region, said a website backing the fighters had also reported his death but there was no confirmation from Russian officials or fighter groups.
The NAK said special forces from Russia's Federal Security Service and the Interior Ministry had surrounded a house in the Gerey-Avlak suburb of the town of Buynaksk on Sunday and negotiated with those inside before shooting started.
A child was allowed to leave but two women as well as the suspected fighters refused to come out, it said.
Rights activists and Kremlin critics accuse Russia of using heavy-handed tactics in the North Caucasus which violate the law and increase resentment among locals. Moscow says the use of force is necessary to protest public safety.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/158126/russia-dagestani-leader-killed-in-raid
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North America
Hindu temple vandalised in Texas, devil worship symbols spray-painted
Apr 20, 2015
A Hindu temple in the US has been vandalised with nasty images spray-painted on its walls, the latest such incident in the country.
The number '666' and an upside down cross was spray-painted on the door of the temple in Old Lake Highlands, north Texas.
Krishna Singh, who is on the temple's board, said they discovered the graffiti last Monday.
"That was a big shock, really...The whole thing has been very disturbing to the community," the11CBS network in Dallas-Fort Worth area network quoted her as saying.
"It makes me sad inside," a nine-year-old child, Gracie Reed, told 11CBS. "To me, it's really horrifying because I don't know who would do this to a church," the child said referring to the house of worship.
Dallas police sent out detectives with the gang unit who are still searching for suspects.
Now devotees will build a fence around the entire property to keep vandals out.
Both Hindus and non-Hindus have offered to help the temple clean the damage.
This is the third such incident in the US in three months. Two temples were vandalised in Washington state in February.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/hindu-temple-vandalised-in-us-symbols-of-devil-worship-painted/article1-1339023.aspx
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‘Muslims to surpass Jews as 2nd largest US religious group’
20 April, 2015
Muslims are expected to surpass Jews as the second largest religious group in the US in 2050 owing to their continuous migration and the highest fertility rate, according to a study.
Two trends that are already underway – the decline of Christians and the growth of religiously unaffiliated people as a share of the US population are expected to continue in the decades ahead, said the Pew Research Center’s projections of major religious groups around the world.
If current demographic trends hold, there also will be other significant changes in the US religious landscape: Judaism will no longer be the largest non-Christian religion in the country and by 2050 Muslims are projected to outnumber them, it said.
Muslims, due to their continued migration to the USA and high fertility rates, are expected to make up 2.1 per cent of the US population in 2050, up from 0.9 per cent in 2010.
Jewish people are projected to decline from an estimated 1.8 per cent in 2010 to 1.4 per cent in 2050.
Full report at:
http://www.financialexpress.com/article/industry/muslims-to-surpass-jews-as-2nd-largest-us-religious-group/64797/
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White House Condemns Islamic State Massacre of Ethiopian Christians
20 April, 2015
The White House has condemned "in the strongest terms" the mass murder of 30 Ethiopian Christians in Libya claimed by Islamic State.
A spokeswoman said Sunday, "That these terrorists killed these men solely because of their faith lays bare the terrorists' vicious senseless brutality."
She said the killings show the urgent need for a political settlement to the chaos in Libya, and a unified rejection of terrorist groups.
In claiming responsibility for the massacre, Islamic State group posted a graphic video showing men kneeling on a beach and beheaded. Others are shot in the back of the head.
It is similar to a February video showing Islamic State militants cutting off the heads of Egyptian Christians.
Full report at:
http://www.voanews.com/content/is-video-purports-to-show-ethiopians-killed-in-libya/2725578.html
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Arrests in US terrorism probe of youth traveling to Syria
Apr 20, 2015
Arrests have been made in connection with a terrorism investigation into youth who have traveled or tried to travel to Syria to fight with militants, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, federal authorities said April 19.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said the arrests were made April 19 in Minneapolis and San Diego and there was no threat to public safety. Spokesman Ben Petok did not give the number of people arrested or give details about the charges.
The U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI planned a news conference April 20 to announce details.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/arrests-in-us-terrorism-probe-of-youth-traveling-to-syria.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81289&NewsCatID=358
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Sale of U.S. Arms Fuels the Wars of Arab States
Apr 20, 2015
WASHINGTON — To wage war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia is using F-15 fighter jets bought from Boeing. Pilots from the United Arab Emirates are flying Lockheed Martin’s F-16 to bomb both Yemen and Syria. Soon, the Emirates are expected to complete a deal with General Atomics for a fleet of Predator drones to run spying missions in their neighborhood.
As the Middle East descends into proxy wars, sectarian conflicts and battles against terrorist networks, countries in the region that have stockpiled American military hardware are now actually using it and wanting more. The result is a boom for American defense contractors looking for foreign business in an era of shrinking Pentagon budgets — but also the prospect of a dangerous new arms race in a region where the map of alliances has been sharply redrawn.
Last week, defense industry officials told Congress that they were expecting within days a request from Arab allies fighting the Islamic State — Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt — to buy thousands of American-made missiles, bombs and other weapons, replenishing an arsenal that has been depleted over the past year.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/19/world/middleeast/sale-of-us-arms-fuels-the-wars-of-arab-states.html?_r=0
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Southeast Asia
Iraq Wants Indonesia to Join ‘Coalition Against Terrorism’
20 April, 2015
Jakarta. Iraq is extending an invitation to Indonesia to join an international coalition against terrorism, Iraq’s foreign affairs minister said on Sunday, on the sidelines of the Senior Official Meeting of the Asian-African Conference.
“We hope that Indonesia will join this international coalition. China, Iran and other countries have joined. We are working together to combat this global threat,” Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari told state-owned news agency Antara.
A significant chunk of Iraqi territory is currently under the control of the Islamic State movement, a radical Sunni Muslim group considered a terrorist organization by the Indonesian government.
Al-Jaafari also said Iraq desires closer economic ties with Indonesia. “We need better cooperation in the field of economy,” he said.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the inaugural Asian-African Conference. The conference is held in Jakarta and Bandung this week and is attended by delegations from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/iraq-wants-indonesia-join-coalition-terrorism/
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Church protest sign of extremism setting in, says Malaysian Bar
Apr 20, 2015
The protest over a cross on a building in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya which houses a church, is a sign that extremism is setting in the country, The Malaysian Bar said today.
President of The Malaysian Bar Steven Thiru said this incident also demonstrated a worrying lack of understanding and an absence of moderation.
"Intolerance and the absence of moderation deny civil liberties and are usually seen as indicators of a deterioration of the rule of law," he said in a statement.
He said the fundamental right to freedom of religion under Article 11( 1) read with Article 3( 1) of the Federal Constitution, to practice ones religion of choice in peace cannot be restricted, on the basis that some persons may be purportedly confused or allegedly influenced .
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/church-protest-sign-of-extremism-setting-in-says-malaysian-bar
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Nothing seditious about church and cross protest, says top cop
Apr 20, 2015
There is no element of sedition in the protest by a group of residents against a church in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya yesterday, as the protest was only over the location of the church, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.
He added that his brother Datuk Abdullah Abu Bakar who was at the demonstration, which also called the church leaders to remove the cross symbol on the outside of its shop lot premises, was only there to calm the crowd.
"We do not see it as seditious as it it did not touch on Christianity but only on the location of the church," said Khalid today at a press conference after an event at the Bukit Aman police headquarters.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/nothing-seditious-about-church-and-cross-protest-says-top-cop
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Terror Suspect With Alleged Links to Santoso Nabbed in Flores
20 April, 2015
Jakarta. The East Nusa Tenggara Police, together with the National Police’s counterterrorism unit Densus 88, this weekend arrested a man believed to have connections to terror fugitive Santoso.
The latter is the alleged leader of the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terrorist network and the former leader of the Poso wing of Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) militant group.
The joint forces arrested 24-year-old Safrudin in a car en route to Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, on the Trans Flores road in Mbeliling subdistrict.
Police later brought him to Jakarta for further investigation after they detained him in West Manggarai Police headquarters.
Full report at:
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/police-nabs-suspect-thought-to-have-links-to-santoso/
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12:49 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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