Photo: Nazimuddin Samad, 28, was hacked to death by suspected Islamists in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. He had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers. Photograph: Facebook
Hafiz Saeed's JuD Running 'Sharia Court' in Lahore
Man Fined For Slaughtering Two Sheep At Home for 'Aqiqah' Celebration
Palmyra Still Scene of Airstrikes to Ensure ISIL's No Return
South Asia
Secular Activist, Nazimuddin Samad, Who Criticised Islamism Hacked To Death in Dhaka
ISIS and Al-Qaeda Affiliates among 55 Killed In Afghan Forces Raids
Coordinated Suicide Attack Thwarted In Mehtarlam City by Afghan Intelligence
Gen. Raziq says Pakistan attempting to create third group of Afghan Taliban
ISIS acting quietly to expand presence in Afghanistan, Russian envoy says
AISA-MoCI merger not favor of Afghanistan’s economy, Haqjo says
39 ISIS loyalists killed in Afghan forces raids in Nangarhar
Rabbani: 1,700 Afghans have applied for voluntary return from Germany
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Pakistan
Hafiz Saeed's JuD Running 'Sharia Court' in Lahore
12 Militants Killed In Kurram Cross-Border Check Post Attack
25 ‘IS-Inspired Militants’ Operating In Karachi: CTD Police
Parliamentary committee again defers discussion on pro-women bills
Tribals warned against sheltering militants
PPP's Asif Hashmi to face multiple corruption cases
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Europe
Man Fined For Slaughtering Two Sheep At Home for 'Aqiqah' Celebration
Man Says Killed Ahmadi Shopkeeper in Scotland for Disrespecting Prophet (PBUH)
Migrants, terrorism and risk of breakup are straining Europe, Czech prime minister says
---
Arab World
Palmyra Still Scene of Airstrikes to Ensure ISIL's No Return
Heavy Airstrikes in Hama Kills, Injures Dozens of Militants
Islamic State attacks Syrian forces near Damascus
Iraq puts northern offensive against Islamic State on hold
Iran Unveils 12 New N. Achievements
Deputy AEOI Chief: Iran Foils Enemies' Sabotage Acts in N. Industry
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Africa
Boko Haram Declares War on Buhari, Says He’s An Infidel
U.N. peacekeepers accused of raping civilians
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Mideast
Turkish Military Shells ISIL after Projectiles Hit South-Eastern Province
US Ambassador to Turkey Calls On PKK to Leave Arms
Turkey pivotal in anti-ISIL effort, says NATO chief
Azerbaijan thankful for Turkish support
NASA responds to Turkish claims of superiority, says it is not involved in weather forecasts
Turkish shopkeepers probed for ‘beating Syrian teens who stole bread’
--
Southeast Asia
Could the World's Largest Muslim Country Become Israel's New Friend?
Thailand: Army attack in south puts peace talks in doubt
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North America
Migrants Ushered In From Muslim Countries Double Those from Europe
Muslims have been migrating to the US for centuries
Muslim books teach tolerance, demonize Israel
Security lapses in Europe endanger Americans
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Secular Activist, Nazimuddin Samad, Who Criticised Islamism Hacked To Death In Dhaka
7 April 2016
A Bangladeshi law student who criticised Islamism on his Facebook page has been murdered, police said on Thursday, the latest in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country.
Nazimuddin Samad, 28, had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers that a group of radical Islamists drew up and sent to Bangladesh’s interior ministry.
“At least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samad’s head with a machete on Wednesday night. As he fell down, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot,” deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan police Syed Nurul Islam told AFP.
“It is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility,” Islam said, adding police were investigating whether Samad was murdered for his writing.
The Dhaka Tribune said the assailants shouted Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) as they attacked Samad on a busy road near Dhaka’s Jagannath University, where he was a law student.
Samad was known to have been critical of state religion in the Bangladeshi constitution. In the first two lines detailing his religious views on Facebook, he stated: “Evolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are invention of the savage and uncivil people.”
Wafi Chowdhury, a school friend of Samad, told the Guardian: “Nazim had lived in hostels since grade six and later moved to a shared room after he joined university.”
Samad had deactivated his Facebook account about a month ago at the request of his family “but I remember him telling me he would come back on Facebook soon with a grin”, said Chowdhury.
“His stay in Dhaka has been only two months. He lived in Sylhet and most of his family members are in London,” Shamir Chandra Sutradhar, an investigations officer at the Sutrapur police in Dhaka told the Guardian.
“We have not been able to identify any suspect,” said Tapan Chandra Saha, police officer in charge of the Sutrapur area of Dhaka.
“Nazim was both hacked and shot. We have recovered bullet shells from the spot. He has been hacked on right side of head,” Saha told the Guardian.
In 2015, suspected Islamist militants hacked to death at least four atheist bloggers and a secular publisher in a long-running series of targeted killings in the Muslim majority country.
Police arrested members of a banned group called the Ansarullah Bangla Team over those murders, although none has yet been prosecuted.
Imran Sarker, who leads Bangladesh’s largest online secular activist group and is the head of the Bangladesh Bloggers Association, said Samad had joined nationwide protests in 2013 against top Islamist leaders accused of committing war crimes during the country’s war of independence.
“He was a secular online activist and a loud voice against any social injustice. He was against Islamic fundamentalism,” said Sarker.
Amnesty International said the killing was a reminder that authorities in Bangladesh are failing to protect people exercising their right to freedom of expression. “There can be no justification for the brutal killing of Nazimuddin Samad, who has apparently paid with his life for nothing but being brave enough to speak his mind,” said Champa Patel, Amnesty’s South Asia director. “This is not just a senseless murder, it is a blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression. The Bangladeshi authorities must categorically condemn these killings and take serious steps to end this horrific cycle of violence. Those responsible for the killings of secular activists must be held to account.”
Mustakur Rahman, 26, became friends with Samad after meeting him at college in Sylhet in 2007. Speaking on the phone from Birmingham, England, where he now lives, Rahman described his shock and disbelief at Samad’s death. He said: “Everybody was very close [at college]. Suddenly we have lost a very close classmate and it is shocking. I can’t believe it just happened. It’s a loss for us. We lost our friend. His mum lost her child.”
Rahman added: “I will remember him for ever. He was my friend. I grew up with him. I had so many memories with him. He used to laugh very nicely. He was a very smiley guy. I’ve been remembering his smile.”
Rahman spoke of how Samad inspired him and his classmates to join the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps. Samad had been an active member, rising to position of lance corporal.
Rahman said he had warned Samad about his social media posts that were critical of Islamism and religion: “Whatever he posted, I would see as fun. But people are taking it seriously and taking revenge. As a friend I warned him about the posts, I don’t want anyone to die early. But he said he can’t change his opinion against any religion. He didn’t kill anyone. To me he’s a good person. He didn’t do anything wrong. He wrote something about a particular religion. I’m a believer, but he wasn’t a believer and maybe he was trying to express what he thinks about religion. It is a free world, why should he be killed?
“So I’m very, very shocked. But in Bangladesh it is a common issue nowadays. So many atheists are being killed … For every single occasion there is protest. But after there is nothing. There will be protest, we protest, we write on Facebook. But that’s it. No justice is coming out.”
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/07/secular-activist-who-criticised-islamism-hacked-to-death-in-bangladesh
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Hafiz Saeed's JuD running 'Sharia Court' in Lahore
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Lahore: On the lines of the Taliban, Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) has set up a 'Sharia Court' here to hand out "easy and swift justice", the first such parallel judicial system in Pakistan's Punjab Province.
The JuD has set up the 'Sharia Court' with its headquarters at Jamia Qadsia, Chauburji, under a Qazi (judge) who is assisted by Khadmins (court associates) to decide complaints.
Darul Qaza Sharia -- a parallel private judicial system -- has been set up by the group in Lahore to provide "easy and swift justice" to the people and deals mostly in civil cases relating to property and monetary disputes.
The complaints are addressed to Saeed who later refers them to the Qazi for further proceedings.
According to a copy of one of the 'JuD summons', it has been dispensing private justice through the court for the last couple of months.
The 'summon', bearing monograms of Darul Qaza Sharia, Jamat-ud-Dawah, Pakistan, and 'Saalsi Sharai Adalat-i-Aalia' (Arbitration Court of Sharia), orders a man named Khalid to appear before the 'court' at the Jamia Qadsia Chauburji to 'record his statement' in a complaint against him.
He is warned of strict action under the Sharia laws in case of no response from his side.
The organisation's 'Arbitration Court of Sharia' has been taking up complaints of citizens approaching it for justice and summoning the 'defendants' in person or through a legal counsel with warnings of strict action under the Sharia laws in case of no response.
JuD spokesman Yahya Mujahid defended the establishment of the 'Sharia Court'.
"Sharia Court is not a parallel system to the constitutional courts of the country. It is an arbitration court, which decides disputes with the consent of the parties," he told Dawn News.
Mujahid said disputes have been resolved in accordance with Islamic laws and that offering arbitration to confronting parties is not illegal.
However, he could not justify issuance of summons carrying a "warning of strict action" in case of non-compliance.
This is the first Sharia court ever established in Punjab province. Earlier, the Sharia courts were established in Kyber Pakhtaunkhawa province by pro-Taliban groups.
"The Punjab government of Shahbaz Sharif is aware of this but it has deliberately turned a blind eye to it because it is not willing to lay hand on the JuD," a source in the Punjab government said.
zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/hafiz-saeeds-jud-running-sharia-court-in-lahore_1873582.html
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Man fined for slaughtering two sheep at home for 'Aqiqah' celebration
Apr 06 2016
A man who slaughtered two sheep for a family celebratory feast has pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the animals.
Suhayl Ali, of East Park Road, Blackburn, admitted killing the animals using a knife without stunning the sheep or having the necessary knowledge or skill to perform the task.
The town’s magistrates' court heard he had purchased the animals for £180 from a man he had previously met in sandwich shop, who he believed to be a farmer, last August.
The court was told that Ali, who was born and raised in Blackburn, was put under pressure by his Pakistani family to slaughter the sheep when his nephew was born, as part of an Islamic tradition called Aqiqah.
The ritual involves the sacrifice of an animal when a child is born in the family, where one lamb is slaughtered for a girl and two for a boy.
Prosecutor Jack Henriques said the sheep had been slaughtered at Ali’s home, not in an approved way, and the case was very much linked with animal cruelty.
Ali’s representative said: “My client was put under some pressure from his parents and brother to carry out the slaughtering for a feast following the birth of his brother’s son.
“This would usually be carried out in Pakistan, where his family are from, and my client had no idea that this was not allowed in the UK.
“He is deeply ashamed to have been sat in the courtroom, and had he known that it was not allowed, he would not have done it.
“He was doing this for a celebratory feast as part of his culture, not for profit or sport, or anything of that nature.
“He is a good man who cares for both his parents, who are both in poor health, and his wife and children. This will not happen again.”
The chairman of the magistrates said: “We do believe this man was put under some pressure but has intentionally caused harm to both the animals and the environment.
“Taking into account that he had no previous convictions, we have decided to issue an £800 fine for causing unnecessary suffering to the animals, not stunning them, killing without an approved method and not removing specified risk materials.”
Blackburn with Darwen Council is currently holding the carcases in a fridge, and prosecutor Jack Henriques said he was keen to find out who the sheep belonged to.
He said: “We would like any farmer who believes the sheep may have belonged to them to come forward, as we have no way of knowing where they have come from.”
asianimage.co.uk/news/14406716.Man_fined_for_slaughtering_two_sheep_at_home_for__Aqiqah__celebration/?ref=ebmpn
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Palmyra Still Scene of Airstrikes to Ensure ISIL's No Return
Thu Apr 07 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Eastern countryside of Palmyra (Tadmur) city was attacked by the Syrian air force to prevent the ISIL terrorist group's refreshment troops and reinvigoration near the ancient city.
The Syrian air force began wide-scale aerial campaign over the Eastern countryside of Palmyra on Thursday to deter the ISIL Takfiri terrorists from launching a counter-attack to take the ancient city.
The airstrikes were also aimed at halting the Takfiri terrorist group supply convoy's move to Eastern Hama.
On Wednesday, the army’s air force destroyed the ISIL Takfiri terrorists’ dens, vehicles and supply routes on al- Sakhanah-Palmyra road in the central province of Homs.
The ISIL terrorists were targeted in army airstrikes that hit their gatherings in the villages of Hossess and Jbab Hamad to the East of Homs city.
The air force also carried out sorties against the ISIL terrorists to the East of al- Quaryatayn city and in the vicinity of al-Barideh village, Southeast of Homs, destroying their dens and vehicles.
The Syrian army and popular forces seized back the ancient city of Palmyra in the Eastern part of Homs province on March 27.
Palmyra was under ISIL control from May 2015. The terrorist group had since destroyed part of the city, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.
en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950119000163
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South Asia
Secular Activist, Nazimuddin Samad, Who Criticised Islamism Hacked To Death In Dhaka
7 April 2016
A Bangladeshi law student who criticised Islamism on his Facebook page has been murdered, police said on Thursday, the latest in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country.
Nazimuddin Samad, 28, had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers that a group of radical Islamists drew up and sent to Bangladesh’s interior ministry.
“At least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samad’s head with a machete on Wednesday night. As he fell down, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot,” deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan police Syed Nurul Islam told AFP.
“It is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility,” Islam said, adding police were investigating whether Samad was murdered for his writing.
The Dhaka Tribune said the assailants shouted Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) as they attacked Samad on a busy road near Dhaka’s Jagannath University, where he was a law student.
Samad was known to have been critical of state religion in the Bangladeshi constitution. In the first two lines detailing his religious views on Facebook, he stated: “Evolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are invention of the savage and uncivil people.”
Wafi Chowdhury, a school friend of Samad, told the Guardian: “Nazim had lived in hostels since grade six and later moved to a shared room after he joined university.”
Samad had deactivated his Facebook account about a month ago at the request of his family “but I remember him telling me he would come back on Facebook soon with a grin”, said Chowdhury.
Full report at: theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/07/secular-activist-who-criticised-islamism-hacked-to-death-in-bangladesh
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ISIS and al-Qaeda affiliates among 55 killed in Afghan forces raids
Thu Apr 07 2016
Afghan armyAt least 55 militants including the affiliates of the al-Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed during the latest counter-terrorism raids of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the operations were conducted by the ground and air forces in the past 24 hours in Paktika, Nangarhar, Uruzgan, Kandahar, and Ghazni provinces.
According to an operational update by MoD, at least 14 militants affiliated with the al-Qaeda terrorist network were killed in Gomal district of Paktika province.
MoD further added that 19 militants affiliated with the ISIS terrorist group were killed in Kot district of eastern Nangarhar province.
Full report at: khaama.com/isis-and-al-qaeda-affiliates-among-55-killed-in-afghan-forces-raids-0576
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Coordinated suicide attack thwarted in Mehtarlam city by Afghan intelligence
Thu Apr 07 2016
A coordinated suicide attack plot by anti-government armed militants was thwarted by the Afghan intelligence operatives in eastern Laghman province of Afghanistan.
The Afghan Intelligence, National Directorate of Security (NDS), said the intelligence operatives seized 4 suicide attack vests before the militants use them for the attack in Mehtarlam city.
A statement by NDS said the Afghan intelligence also confiscated some explosives which the militants wanted to use for the attack.
According to NDS, the militants were looking to use the explosives to carry out attacks in crowded parts of Mehtarlam city.
Full report at: khaama.com/coordinated-suicide-attack-thwarted-in-mehtarlam-city-by-afghan-intelligence-0574
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Gen. Raziq says Pakistan attempting to create third group of Afghan Taliban
Thu Apr 07 2016
General RaziqThe police chief of southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan General Abdul Raziq has said Pakistan is attempting to create the third group of Afghan Taliban, in a move that he believes is being taken after the Taliban group infuriated Pakistan with certain steps, including rejection of group’s role certain attacks in the country.
He said the third would be created under the leadership of Mullah Qayum Zakir as the rejection of certain attacks in Afghanistan including an attack in Shah Shahid area of Kabul was rejected by the Taliban group which sparked furore among their Pakistani supporters.
Full report at: khaama.com/gen-raziq-says-pakistan-attempting-to-create-third-group-of-afghan-taliban-0573
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ISIS acting quietly to expand presence in Afghanistan, Russian envoy says
Thu Apr 07 2016
KabulovThe loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group is acting quietly in Afghanistan as the terror group plans to use the country for wider expansion.
The remarks by Zamir Kabulov, the Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan, comes as the loyalists of the terror group have received major setbacks during the recent months as a result of the coordinated air and group operations of Afghan and US forces.
HOwever, Kabulov, who is the Russian Foreign Ministry’s department for Asian countries, said the loyalists of the group is expanding in Afghanistan and wishes to use the country as a “springboard for a wider expansion,”
[Daesh] exists [in Afghanistan]. It flourishes and expands. It just acts quietly and gather strength for decisive actions,” Kabul told the Izvestiya newspaper in an interview released Wednesday.
Full report at: khaama.com/isis-acting-quietly-to-expand-presence-in-afghanistan-russian-envoy-says-0575
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AISA-MoCI merger not favor of Afghanistan’s economy, Haqjo says
Thu Apr 07 2016
HaqjoThe Head of Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) Mohammad Qurban Haqjo said President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani’s decree on merger of AISA with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MoCI) is not favor of the economy of Afghanistan as the country is going through a sensitive moment.
Haqjo appeared in a press conference after President Ghani issued a decree to merge AISA with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
He said President Ghani has issued the decree during a high meeting of the economic council where proposals regarding the legal identity of AISA were discussed.
According to Haqjo, AISA has been facing the issue of legal identity since its formation and for this reason AISA, Ministry of Commerce and Industries and The World Bank prepared separate proposal forms.
Full report at: khaama.com/aisa-moci-merger-not-favor-of-afghanistans-economy-haqjo-says-0572
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39 ISIS loyalists killed in Afghan forces raids in Nangarhar
Wed Apr 06 2016
At least 39 ISIS loyalists were killed during a raid by the Afghan national security forces in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the militants were killed in air and ground operations conducted in Nazian, Achin and Kot districts.
MoD further added that 15 militants affiliated with the terror group were also wounded during the same operations.
Local security officials earlier said at least 19 militants were killed during the raids conducted in Kot district of Nangarhar as part of a military operation to clear the area from the militants presence.
Full report at: khaama.com/39-isis-loyalists-killed-in-afghan-forces-raids-in-nangarhar-0571
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Rabbani: 1,700 Afghans have applied for voluntary return from Germany
Wed Apr 06 2016
Afghan refugees return from GermanyThe Minister of Foreign Affairs Salahduddin Rabbani has said at least 1,700 Afghan migrants have applied for voluntary return from Germany.
He was briefing the lawmakers in the Lower House of the Parliament, Wolesi Jirga, regarding the situation of the Afghan refugees.
Rabbani further added that a large number of the Afghan migrants want to return to Afghanistan and at least 1,700 migrants have applied to the Embassy of Afghanistan in Germany for a voluntary repatriation to Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, he warned that the government of Afghanistan will not accept the forced repatriation of the Afghan asylum seekers.
This comes as the Embassy of Afghanistan in Berlin, the number of Afghan migrants seeking voluntary repatriation has increased recently.
Full report at: khaama.com/rabbani-1700-afghans-have-applied-for-voluntary-return-from-germany-0570
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Pakistan
Hafiz Saeed's JuD running 'Sharia Court' in Lahore
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Lahore: On the lines of the Taliban, Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) has set up a 'Sharia Court' here to hand out "easy and swift justice", the first such parallel judicial system in Pakistan's Punjab Province.
The JuD has set up the 'Sharia Court' with its headquarters at Jamia Qadsia, Chauburji, under a Qazi (judge) who is assisted by Khadmins (court associates) to decide complaints.
Darul Qaza Sharia -- a parallel private judicial system -- has been set up by the group in Lahore to provide "easy and swift justice" to the people and deals mostly in civil cases relating to property and monetary disputes.
The complaints are addressed to Saeed who later refers them to the Qazi for further proceedings.
Full report at: zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/hafiz-saeeds-jud-running-sharia-court-in-lahore_1873582.html
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12 Militants Killed In Kurram Cross-Border Check Post Attack
Thu Apr 07 2016
PESHAWAR: Security forces claimed on Thursday to have repulsed a cross-border attack on a check post in Kurram tribal region.
Security sources said at least 16 Afghanistan-based militants attacked a security check post in Kurram Agency but troops retaliated with gunfire, forcing the militants to retreat.
During a subsequent search operation, security forces claimed to have recovered the bodies of 12 attackers from the area.
Kurram is one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghan provinces and at one point was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border.
The region was claimed by the military to have been cleared of insurgents during an operation a couple of years ago.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1250525/12-militants-killed-in-kurram-cross-border-checkpost-attack
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25 ‘IS-inspired militants’ operating in Karachi: CTD police
Thu Apr 07 2016
KARACHI: More than two dozen Islamic State-inspired militants have been found operating and planning some major terror attacks in the metropolis, said an officer of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police on Wednesday.
“There are 25 IS-inspired militants operating in the metropolis. They are planning to target foreign missions, law enforcers and shopping centres,” said CTD SSP Junaid Shaikh while addressing a press conference at his office about the killing of two IS-linked militants Mohammad Mujahid alias Talha and Abdullah alias Kuna who were gunned down in an ‘encounter’ in Gulshan-i-Maymar late Tuesday night.
When asked about the interior minister’s denial regarding the presence of IS, the officer said the militants were ‘ideologically’ linked with the IS and remained in contact with the Middle East-based outfit through ‘social media’ only.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1250400/25-is-inspired-militants-operating-in-karachi-ctd-police
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Parliamentary committee again defers discussion on pro-women bills
Thu Apr 07 2016
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee has again deferred consideration of two pro-women bills following the government’s failure to take religious parties on board over proposed laws to be taken up by parliament during its joint session starting on April 11.
During a meeting of the Committee of the Joint Sitting on Bills on Wednesday, its chairman Zahid Hamid asked Senator Farhatullah Babar of PPP, the initial mover of the two bills, to meet the leadership of religious parties to develop a consensus on the anti-rape and anti-honour killing bills.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1250494/parliamentary-committee-again-defers-discussion-on-pro-women-bills
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Tribals warned against sheltering militants
Thu Apr 07 2016
LANDI KOTAL: Commandant Swat Scouts Col Naeemullah has warned the elders and residents of Loe Shalman area against sheltering the suspected people from across the border.
Addressing a jirga of local elders at the Ghakhee camp in Loe Shalman, the army officer said a number of militants hostile to Pakistan had in the recent past established their bases at the bordering towns of Afghanistan and were involved in a number of sabotage activities inside Pakistan.
He told the Loe Shalman elders that some of the anti-Pakistan elements were trying to use their area to cross into the country and carry out terrorist attacks. “The residents of Loe Shalman must ensure that no such elements find a way to illegally enter Pakistan and that no one shall provide them any shelter,” he cautioned, saying the facilitators of the enemies of Pakistan would also be considered as enemies of the motherland.
He reminded the jirga members that peace had been restored with the sacrifices of soldiers and that Pak army would not allow anybody to disturb the peace.
The jirga was told that a restricted permission for use of non-custom paid vehicles was granted to local residents upon the request of their elders and no one would be allowed to use such vehicles for anti-state activities.
The officials assured the Shalmani elders of taking up the education and health matters with the high ups.
dawn.com/news/1250481/tribals-warned-against-sheltering-militants
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PPP's Asif Hashmi to face multiple corruption cases
Thu Apr 07 2016
LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency will quiz former chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board and PPP leader Asif Hashmi in a number of inquiries against him after securing his custody from Interpol.
Hashmi was recently arrested by the Dubai police, which handed him over to Interpol.
The Interpol acted on the request of the FIA which had got issued his red warrants in over Rs1 billion ETPB-DHA deal.
FIA, NAB to grill PPP leader in land, housing, recruitment scandals
“Mr Hashmi will be handed over to the FIA after the Interpol meets some legal requirements,” an official in the agency told Dawn on Wednesday.
“In addition to the ETPB-DHA deal, the FIA will quiz Hashmi for irregularities in the civil works in Lahore, illegal appointments (in the board) and allotment of flats,” he said.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1250428/ppps-asif-hashmi-to-face-multiple-corruption-cases
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Europe
Man fined for slaughtering two sheep at home for 'Aqiqah' celebration
Apr 06 2016
A man who slaughtered two sheep for a family celebratory feast has pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the animals.
Suhayl Ali, of East Park Road, Blackburn, admitted killing the animals using a knife without stunning the sheep or having the necessary knowledge or skill to perform the task.
The town’s magistrates' court heard he had purchased the animals for £180 from a man he had previously met in sandwich shop, who he believed to be a farmer, last August.
The court was told that Ali, who was born and raised in Blackburn, was put under pressure by his Pakistani family to slaughter the sheep when his nephew was born, as part of an Islamic tradition called Aqiqah.
Full report at: asianimage.co.uk/news/14406716.Man_fined_for_slaughtering_two_sheep_at_home_for__Aqiqah__celebration/?ref=ebmpn
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Man says killed Ahmadi shopkeeper in Scotland for disrespecting Prophet (PBUH)
Thu Apr 07 2016
LONDON: A man accused of murdering an Ahmadi shopkeeper of Pakistani origin in Scotland's largest city Glasgow issued a statement Wednesday saying he attacked Asad Shah because he disrespected the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Shah, 40, was found with serious injuries outside his store last month and was pronounced dead at hospital. Police described the killing as “religiously prejudiced”.
Shah, who moved to Glasgow from Pakistan in 1998, had recently posted a message on Facebook wishing people a happy Easter, “especially to my beloved Christian nation”.
Tanveer Ahmed, 32, from Bradford in northern England, appeared at a preliminary court hearing in Glasgow Wednesday and afterwards issued a statement through his lawyer admitting his guilt.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1250529/man-says-killed-ahmadi-shopkeeper-in-scotland-for-disrespecting-prophet-pbuh
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Migrants, terrorism and risk of breakup are straining Europe, Czech prime minister says
Thu Apr 07 2016
The strain of the migrant crisis, the threat of terrorism, and the risk of European breakup are among the challenges facing the 28 countries of the European Union, including the Czech Republic.
The central European nation has agreed to accept a quota of migrants despite resistance from many of its citizens including its president, Milos Zeman, who has described the movement of refugees into Europe as “an organized invasion.”
The Czech prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, though initially skeptical about the scheme to share about 160,000 asylum seekers among EU bloc members, has expressed support for providing humanitarian assistance to those genuinely fleeing war and persecution.
But he also underscores that providing a safe haven to migrants fleeing war-torn Syria will not ultimately solve the problem.
Full report at: latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-global-czech-qa-20160407-story.html
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Arab World
Palmyra Still Scene of Airstrikes to Ensure ISIL's No Return
Thu Apr 07 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Eastern countryside of Palmyra (Tadmur) city was attacked by the Syrian air force to prevent the ISIL terrorist group's refreshment troops and reinvigoration near the ancient city.
The Syrian air force began wide-scale aerial campaign over the Eastern countryside of Palmyra on Thursday to deter the ISIL Takfiri terrorists from launching a counter-attack to take the ancient city.
The airstrikes were also aimed at halting the Takfiri terrorist group supply convoy's move to Eastern Hama.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950119000163
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Heavy Airstrikes in Hama Kills, Injures Dozens of Militants
Thu Apr 07 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Tens of terrorists were killed and injured by the Syrian warplanes' attacks on their positions in the Eastern parts of Hama.
Syrian sources said on Thursday that the air force carried out a series of airstrikes on positions and fortifications of the ISIL Takfiri terrorists in Abu Hbeilat village and Wadi al-Ozeib area, 110 km East of Hama city.
The sources confirmed that a number of the sites were destroyed, along with vehicles equipped with heavy machineguns, weapons and ammunition.
They also reported heavy death toll and injuries among the ISIL members in the region.
The Syrian army backed by the National Defense Forces (NDF) are continuing their advance against the ISIL terrorists. On Tuesday, they seized back several regions around the strategic village of Abu Hanaya in the Eastern part of Hama province.
"The Syrian soldiers also made another push near the village of Sheikh Hilal, delivering heavy blows to the terrorist group which is under constant blitz by pro-government forces in this part of Hama province," a source indicated.
Meanwhile, a source on the ground reported that Syrian army and its allies targeted ISIL positions along the Salamiyah-Raqqa road, killing at least 20 Takfiri terrorists and destroying their weapons and ammunition.
en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950119000119
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Islamic State attacks Syrian forces near Damascus
Wed Apr 6, 2016
Islamic State fighters launched attacks on government-held areas near Damascus overnight in what a Syrian source said appeared to be a response to the group's loss of ground elsewhere.
The group said in a statement it had attacked the Tishrin power station, 50 km (30 miles) northeast of the capital. The Syrian military source acknowledged the group had staged assaults, but said all those who took part had been killed.
Syrian and allied forces backed by Russian air strikes have forced Islamic State militants out of the town of al-Qaryatain, which lies between Damascus and the ancient city of Palmyra, itself recaptured by the government last week.
Islamic State has also been losing ground to U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in northern Syria, and in recent days to Turkish-backed rebel groups fighting a separate battle against the group north of Aleppo.
Full report at: reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-damascus-idUSKCN0X314I
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Iraq puts northern offensive against Islamic State on hold
Wed Apr 6, 2016
An Iraqi army offensive touted as the first phase of a campaign to recapture the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State has been paused until more forces arrive to hold ground, the commander in charge said on Wednesday.
Almost three weeks into the operation, Iraqi forces have retaken just three villages from Islamic State in the Makhmour area, which is set to be a key staging ground for a future assault on Mosul, around 60 km (40 miles) further north.
The faltering start has cast renewed doubt on the capabilities of the Iraqi army, which partially collapsed when Islamic State militants took around a third of the country in 2014.
Major General Najm Abdullah al-Jubbouri, who is in charge of the offensive, said that Iraqi forces were now waiting for the arrival of federal police units and additional local tribal fighters to hold territory after it is retaken.
Full report at: reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-offensive-idUSKCN0X31US
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Iran Unveils 12 New N. Achievements
Thu Apr 07 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran unveiled 12 new home-made nuclear industry achievements on Thursday in a ceremony participated by President Hassan Rouhani.
The achievements which were unveiled on the occasion of the National Day of Nuclear Technology, included new systems of Zonal Centrifuge and Ultra Centrifuge as well as Fuel Rod complexes for Testing Power Reactors and Testing Arak's Modernized Reactor.
During the ceremony, President Rouhani also ordered unveiling the Pasman Gor nuclear site in Anarak region in the Central province of Isfahan through video conferencing.
He also unveiled three books related to nuclear technology and Iran's nuclear program entitled 'Encyclopedia of Nuclear Safety and Security', 'Nuclear Industry; Iranian Masterpiece' and 'The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s Double-Standard Behavior towards Countries Suspected of Nuclear Weapons Activity or Safeguards Mistakes'.
Earlier this week, Spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi announced that the country would unveil new nuclear products in different fields, including fuel and laser technology, on Thursday.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950119000433
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Deputy AEOI Chief: Iran Foils Enemies' Sabotage Acts in N. Industry
Thu Apr 07 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Asqar Zarean revealed that the country's security and intelligence forces have foiled several enemy plots to damage the Iranian nuclear industry and prevent its progress.
"The enemy sought to disrupt different parts of our nuclear industry, including enrichment, but their measures were identified and thwarted by vigilance, insight, wok and efforts," Zarean said in an interview with the state-run tv on Wednesday night.
His comments came as Iran on Thursday unveiled 12 new home-made achievements in nuclear industry in a ceremony participated by President Hassan Rouhani.
In relevant remarks in August, Zarean disclosed enemies' attempts to carry out sabotage acts at Fordo uranium enrichment plant.
"The enemy has several times sought to conduct acts of sabotage to disrupt the operation of Fordo, but these actions have all been foiled due to the vigilance of the Iranian security and intelligence forces," he said in the Central city of Qom.
Also in the same month, Zarean warned that enemies were seeking to hit a blow at the country's nuclear industry through new methods and instruments.
"Similar to the past, the enemy is seeking to prevent Iran's peaceful nuclear activities using new instruments, and we should identify and defuse these moves with wisdom and prudence," Zarean said, addressing a press conference in Tehran.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950119000480
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Africa
Boko Haram declares war on Buhari, says he’s an infidel
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
The Boko Haram sect threatened Buhari in a new video released some hours ago, where the leader of the terrorist group issued a warning to the President against making any move, which could backfire on him and the entire citizens of Nigeria.
Naij.com reports that the head of the sect who read out his pre-prepared message, said the group could be forced to unleash an attack on Aso Rock Villa.
The insurgents also warned the president against joining alliance with other countries as that would mean treading on their path and further reaffirmed their allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS).
Reading his speech from a piece of paper the leader of the dreaded terrorist organisation said:
Full report at: ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Boko-Haram-declares-war-on-Buhari-says-he-s-an-infidel-428814
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U.N. peacekeepers accused of raping civilians
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
A United Nations official is headed to the Central African Republic after reports that over 100 women, girls and boys were raped and abused -- many by U.N. peacekeepers.
Jane Holl Lute, a senior U.N. official tasked with leading efforts to curb peacekeeper abuse, was en route to the country Wednesday, U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said.
Allegations of sexual abuse by foreign and local forces have plagued the Central African Republic since the United Nations sent forces to the country two years ago. But they're still just as shocking as ever.
"When the most vulnerable in this world -- women and children who have lost everything -- when they look to the United Nations for protection, they should do so in the belief that their suffering is over, not just beginning," said Peter Wilson, the UK's deputy representative to the United Nations.
Full report at: edition.cnn.com/2016/04/06/africa/united-nations-peacekeepers-sexual-abuse/
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Mideast
Turkish military shells ISIL after projectiles hit southeastern province
April/07/2016
Turkish artillery units began to shell Syrian positions of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) hours after two projectiles hit the southeastern province of Kilis, located near Turkey’s Syrian border, and wounded three on April 7.
Military officials said the ISIL positions spotted by projectile traces were under heavy shelling following the incident.
Two Katyusha projectiles, which were believed to be fired from the ISIL-controlled Bab region, hit two neighborhoods of central Kilis around 8:45 a.m. The first projectile hit a house where Syrian migrants were living. Two Syrian migrants inside the house were wounded.
Meanwhile, the second projectile hit a road and exploded. One unidentified person was wounded in the explosion.
In addition, education at schools in the projectile-hit neighborhoods was also suspended.
While the wounded were transferred to a nearby hospital, police took security measures around the site of the incident and launched an investigation.
Previously, four people were killed and another four were wounded in Kilis in two separate incidents on Jan. 18 and March 8 when rocket projectiles fired from Bab region hit a school and a neighborhood.
hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-military-shells-isil-after-projectiles-hit-southeastern-province.aspx?pageID=238&nID=97449&NewsCatID=352
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US Ambassador to Turkey calls on PKK to leave arms
April/07/2016
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass has called on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to leave arms.
“We continue to reject the use of violence to try to achieve political goals,” he said calling on the PKK to leave arms, while he was speaking to a group of journalists in Ankara on April 7.
The envoy also expressed his surprise that some Turkish media reports labeled President Barack Obama’s remarks on press freedom in Turkey as “hypocrisy,” as they came right after his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“I have been struck by some coverage of this issue suggesting that there is a hypocrisy on the side of the United States,” he said.
“This reflects a lack of appreciation of differences in our political system when it comes to advocating freedom of expression,” Bass said.
Erdoğan himself has expressed his discontent with Obama’s criticism of eroding press freedoms in Turkey.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/us-envoy-struck-by-obama-criticism-on-turkish-media.aspx?pageID=238&nID=97457&NewsCatID=510
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Turkey pivotal in anti-ISIL effort, says NATO chief
April/07/2016
Turkey’s assistance has been critical in efforts to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on April 6.
“Turkey participates in the coalition fighting ISIL. Turkey provides military assets, but Turkey also provides infrastructure – bases, the İncirlik Base, and other facilities - for the efforts of the coalition fighting ISIL,” Stoltenberg said at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington.
“Without Turkey it would have been much more difficult to, for instance, conduct many of the airstrikes against ISIL,” he added.
Crucially, Turkey is the NATO ally “most affected” by an influx of refugees prompted by conflicts in neighboring Iraq and Syria, Stoltenberg said.
“We are responding to the conflict in Syria by supporting Turkey - bordering Syria and Iraq, we have assurance measures, including the NATO presence in Turkey,” he said.
Around 2.7 million Syrians who have fled the country’s ongoing conflict are being sheltered in Turkey, while a NATO mission has been launched in the Aegean to stop the flow of migrants to the Greek islands, hoping to reach Europe.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-pivotal-in-anti-isil-effort-says-nato-chief.aspx?pageID=238&nID=97452&NewsCatID=359
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Azerbaijan thankful for Turkish support
April/07/2016
Azerbaijan has shown that it is a strong country by responding to the heated conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, according to the country’s energy minister, who added that Azerbaijan’s main aim was to solve the dispute with diplomatic efforts.
“Armenian aggressors have attacked Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan army together with the Azerbaijani nation has responded [to these attacks] in a way it deserved,” Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natiq Aliyev told Hürriyet Daily News on April 6, on the sidelines of the 19th Eurasian Economic Summit organized by the Marmara Group Foundation.
“With this action, Azerbaijan has shown that it is a strong country,” he added.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a war over the mountainous territory, with a population of mostly ethnic Armenians, in the early 1990s, during which thousands were killed on both sides, and hundreds of thousands were displaced.
The region was seized by Armenian rebels from Azerbaijan in a war which ended with an inconclusive truce in 1994. The territory is now ruled by Armenia-backed separatist authorities who claim independence and are backed by Yerevan but are not recognized by any state.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/azerbaijan-thankful-for-turkish-support.aspx?pageID=238&nID=97439&NewsCatID=449
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NASA responds to Turkish claims of superiority, says it is not involved in weather forecasts
April/07/2016
NASA responds to Turkish claims of superiority, says it is not involved in weather forecasts
NASA has responded to remarks by Turkish Forestry and Waterworks Minister Veysel Eroğlu, who raised eyebrows by claiming that Turkey’s technology on meteorological weather forecasts is more advanced than that of the space agency.
Eroğlu had commented on the alleged inaccuracy of NASA’s weather forecasts, but in response to a question from daily Hürriyet, NASA spokesperson Sean Potter stressed that the agency does not even conduct research on weather forecasts.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/nasa-responds-to-turkish-claims-of-superiority-says-it-is-not-involved-in-weather-forecasts.aspx?pageID=238&nID=97453&NewsCatID=374
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Turkish shopkeepers probed for ‘beating Syrian teens who stole bread’
April/07/2016
Two shopkeepers accused of savagely beating two teenage Syrian refugees with clubs were detained in Turkey’s southern province of Hatay on April 6.
Security camera footage, which provoked outrage on social media, showed two men racing out of their shops in Hatay after two teens took several loaves of flatbread from a display case.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-shopkeepers-probed-for-beating-syrian-teens-who-stole-bread.aspx?pageID=238&nID=97454&NewsCatID=341
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Southeast Asia
Could the World's Largest Muslim Country Become Israel's New Friend?
Apr 07 2016
At a time when Israel is seeking to boost its ties with Arab and Muslim countries in order to counter the threats posed by Iran and terrorist groups, could the world's largest Muslim country become the Jewish state's new friend?
In a March 28 meeting with a delegation of senior Indonesian journalists visiting Israel as guests of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a normalization of ties with Indonesia.
"The time has come for official relations between Indonesia and Israel. We have many opportunities to cooperate in the fields of water and technology. Israel has excellent relations with several countries in Asia, particularly China, Japan, India and Vietnam," Netanyahu said.
The prime minister added that Israel's "relations with the Arab world are also changing."
Full report at: charismanews.com/opinion/standing-with-israel/56314-could-the-world-s-largest-muslim-country-become-israel-s-new-friend
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Thailand: Army attack in south puts peace talks in doubt
7th Apr 2016
BANGKOK (AA): A suspected insurgent was killed early Thursday during a military operation in Thailand’s majority Muslim south, amid increasing skepticism about the credibility of ongoing peace talks between the military government and rebel groups.
The chief of the Saiburi district police station in Pattani province told Anadolu Agency that “a special forces military unit launched a night raid on several houses of suspected insurgents in Saiburi”.
“An exchange of gunfire followed and the dead body of a suspect was found 50 meters from one of the houses, along with a .38 mm gun,” Police Colonel Panya Karawan said.
“The suspect had a history of contacts with the rebel groups.”
Full report at: muslimnews.co.uk/news/south-east-asia/thailand-rising-violence-south-puts-peace-talks-doubt/
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North America
Migrants Ushered In From Muslim Countries Double Those From Europe
04/07/2016
The United States issues twice as many green cards to migrants from Muslim-majority countries than from Europe, adding to a Middle Eastern migrant population in the country that is one of the fastest growing demographics.
From 2009 to 2013, the U.S. issued 680,000 green cards to migrants from Muslim countries, more than twice the approximately 270,000 green cards issued to migrants from European countries. Green cards entitle migrants to legal permanent residency in the country and work authorization, federal benefits, and the chance to apply for citizenship.
The numbers are illustrated in a chart below by the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation. If laws are not changed, the U.S. is expected to issue another 680,000 green cards in the following five-year period.
Although Muslim-majority countries are not the biggest senders of migrants to the U.S., the population of migrants from that region is one of the fastest growing, alongside a relatively small European migrant population.
Full report at: dailycaller.com/2016/04/07/migrants-ushered-in-from-muslim-countries-double-those-from-europe/
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Muslims have been migrating to the US for centuries
04/06/2016
Muslims have been coming to the US for centuries, but you wouldn’t know it by the intense debates that continue to surround the movement of Muslims across international borders.
Republican presidential candidates Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump have called for the US to effectively ban Syrian refugees from entering the country. The South Carolina Senate passed a bill that would require all refugees to register with the state, subjecting themselves to surveillance. On social media, the hashtag #StopIslam trended internationally in the hours after the Mar. 22 terrorist attack in Brussels.
Together, these reactions contribute to the idea that Muslim migration to the US is somehow distinct from America’s history as a “nation of immigrants.” Columnist Mark Nuckols summarized the sentiment when he wrote in Townhall about “problematic immigrants” to the US.
Full report at: dailynews.com/social-affairs/20160406/muslims-have-been-migrating-to-the-us-for-centuries
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Muslim books teach tolerance, demonize Israel
April 6, 2016
It might appear churlish to criticize the teaching of Islamic studies in America.
After all, “Between Sharia and Democracy: Islamic Education in North America,” a just-released study by Impact-SE, finds that the most widely used Islamic textbooks published in the United States are generally free of imagery and ideologies that generate prejudice or contempt for others. They aim to present Islam as harmonious with many aspects of Western society and, in the main, with UNESCO’s standards of tolerance in education.
But it is not unreasonable to expect more, and particularly to ask why these curricula draw the line of tolerance and educational decency when it comes to references to Israel.
The report, edited by Dr. Eldad Pardo of The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, examined five Islamic studies curricula, all of which are based on orthodox Sharia (Islamic law). Four of the five curricula come from publishers in the United States, one in Saudi Arabia by the Canadian author Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips. They are used in 244 schools across the United States and 28 in Canada.
Full report at: njjewishnews.com/article/30472/muslim-books-teach-tolerance-demonize-israel#.VwZGlZx97IU
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Security lapses in Europe endanger Americans
April 6, 2016
Washington, D.C., April 6 -- The United States must play a major role in revamping European intelligence-sharing practices in order to confront the terrorist threat and protect Americans, security experts told lawmakers.
Experts said Tuesday at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing that communication failures and information gaps in Europe are endangering U.S. citizens at home and abroad.
The most immediate concerns for the United States relate to the country's political interests in Europe and its citizens traveling abroad, said Juan Zarate, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and former deputy national security adviser to President George W. Bush. "ISIS would like to target Americans wherever possible."
The failure of European Union member states to share intelligence within the continent is a major impediment to Western security and compounds potential dangers facing Americans, Zarate said.
Full report at: upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/04/06/Experts-Security-lapses-in-Europe-endanger-Americans/2101459886986/
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