BJP Leader L K Advani Welcomes the CBI Court's Verdict Saying That the Court's Ruling Has Vindicated His Belief and Commitment to the Cause of Ram Janmabhoomi
New Age Islam News Bureau
30 September 2020
• Political Responses to the Babri Masjid Demolition Verdict
• Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, Tahir
Ashrafi Made Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony
• Turkish Imam Demands Invasion of Cyprus For The Sake
Of Islam and Mohammed’s Aunty, Umm Haram
• Biden on Trump Releasing His Taxes: 'When? Inshallah?'
• Johor Religious Department Vows Crackdown on Islamic
Hard-line Movement Hizbut Tahrir’s Ideology
• Saudi Artist’s A-Mazing Creation Tells Story of
Terrorism — In Concrete
• No Winner in War, No Looser in Peace: Abdullah
India
• BJP Leader L K Advani Welcomes the CBI Court's
Verdict Saying That the Court's Ruling Has Vindicated His Belief and Commitment
to the Cause of Ram Janmabhoomi
• Political Responses to the Babri Masjid Demolition
Verdict
• India lodges protest with Pakistan over announcement
of polls in Gilgit-Baltistan
• NIA detains BSF Jawan on NCB deputation in Jammu
• Foreign ministers of India, Bangladesh meet; review
bilateral ties
• Indonesians booked after Tablighi event discharged
from case
--------
Pakistan
• Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, Tahir
Ashrafi Made Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony
• WHO Chief Lauds Pakistan for Suppressing Covid-19
While Keeping Economy Afloat
• Pakistan court issues non-bailable arrest warrants
for Shahbaz Sharif's wife, daughter
• PM wants Nawaz brought back from UK at the earliest
• Islamabad, Kabul look forward to new era in ties
• ATC in Karachi seeks copy of SC order for disposing
of Perween killing case within month
• Opposition to hold first 'historic' rally under PDM
banner on Oct 11 in Quetta
--------
Mideast
• Turkish Imam Demands Invasion of Cyprus For The Sake
Of Islam and Mohammed’s Aunty, Umm Haram
• Israel’s Netanyahu Alleges Hezbollah Has ‘Secret
Arms Depot’ In Beirut
• IRGC Commander: US Incapacitated, Withdrawing from
Region
• Spokesman: Iran, Russia, Turkey Able to Help
Azerbaijan, Armenia End Dispute
• Israel approves law to curb protests during virus
lockdown
--------
North America
• Biden on Trump Releasing His Taxes: 'When? Inshallah?'
• US Urges Iran to Respect Human Rights After
Christians Flee Country to Escape Prison
• US Senators request temporary sanctions waivers for
Lebanon
• US State Department says ‘outraged’ by rocket attack
in Baghdad
• US judge mostly rejects Haftar's move to dismiss
suits
--------
Southeast Asia
• Johor Religious Department Vows Crackdown on Islamic
Hard-line Movement Hizbut Tahrir’s Ideology
• Sharia Court will continue to be strengthened: Muhy
--------
Arab world
• Saudi Artist’s A-Mazing Creation Tells Story of
Terrorism — In Concrete
• Kuwait’s new emir Sheikh Nawaf brings decades of
ministerial experience
• Leaders of Arab world and beyond mourn Sheikh Sabah
• Iraqis Decry Insecurity at Funerals of Seven Killed
In Anti-US Attack in Baghdad
• Lebanon’s Amal Movement ‘Surprised’ By France’s
Macron Accusations
• At least 5 civilians killed in rocket fire near
Baghdad airport: Army
• Russian envoy seeks to break ‘suffocating’ Beirut
deadlock
• Saudi Cabinet congratulates security forces for
thwarting terror cell
--------
South Asia
• No Winner in War, No Looser in Peace: Abdullah
• Bomb kills 14 civilians, including women and
children, in Afghanistan
• 3 Killed after Rocket Hit Residence in Ghazni
• Badakhshan: Taliban Attack Claims District’s
Security Chief
--------
Europe
• Italy Repatriates Female ISIS Fighter and Her Four
Children from Kurdish Territory
• Turkey sent 700 to 1,000 Syrian mercenaries to
Azerbaijan: Reports
• Armenia not ready for Russia-mediated peace talks
with Azerbaijan: PM
• Manchester bomber’s brother ‘known to
counterterrorism officers,’ inquiry told
• Turkish Claims of PKK Fighters In Armenia Absolute
Nonsense: Armen Sarkissian
• Britain warned of rising religious terrorism threat
with no-deal Brexit
--------
Africa
• Efforts to Unify Soldiers in South Sudan ‘Stuck’: UN
Envoy
• Hundreds of schools in Jordan return to online
classes as COVID-19 cases rise
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/bjp-leader-l-k-advani/d/122997
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BJP Leader L K Advani Welcomes the CBI Court's Verdict Saying That the Court's Ruling Has Vindicated His Belief and Commitment To The Cause Of Ram Janmabhoomi
September 30, 2020
Reported by Alok Pandey, Edited by Deepshikha
GhoshUpdated:
The 1992 demolition was preceded by a series of rath
yatras by the BJP's LK Advani.
-----
Lucknow: The demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya
on December 6, 1992, was not planned and involved "anti-social
elements" who got agitated and climbed the domes, a court in Uttar Pradesh
said today, acquitting all 32 accused including BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli
Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti of conspiracy charges in a landmark verdict.
"The accused tried to stop the demolition," said special judge
Surendra Kumar Yadav, adding that merely giving a provocative speech was not
enough to prove guilt.
Here's your 10-point cheat sheet on this big story:
LK Advani, 92, MM Joshi, 87, and Uma Bharti, 61, were
not present in court and watched via video link when the verdict was announced.
They had all been accused of criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity and inciting
activists with incendiary speeches from a dais next to the site. Mr Advani said
he celebrated the "moment of joy" by chanting "Jai Shri
Ram".
"Anti-social elements brought down the structure.
The accused leaders tried to stop these people," said the special judge,
whose term had been extended for this verdict. The judge also said the audio
and video evidence produced by the CBI did not establish conspiracy charges.
"The audio of the speeches was also not clear," he said.
"There is no evidence that the accused got
together in common cause with anti-social Kar Sewaks to bring down the disputed
structure. The leaders seated on stage and those near the Ram Chabutara - VHP
leader Ashok Singhal and BJP's Vijaya Raje Scindia -- did not suspect that a section
of the Kar Sewaks will get agitated and climb the disputed structure," the
judge said.
The mosque demolition was preceded by a series of Rath
Yatras by LK Advani, whose campaign for a Ram temple at the site catapulted the
BJP to the national spotlight. Mr Advani, Mr Joshi, Uma Bharti and Kalyan
Singh, who are among the 32 surviving accused, were allegedly present near the
mosque. Investigating agencies said they delivered speeches that instigated the
crowds who had gathered for a temple.
Kalyan Singh was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
at the time. Former Union minister Uma Bharti, who is admitted in hospital for
COVID-19, had declared she would not seek bail if she was convicted and she
would accept any punishment with pride. Mr Advani recorded his statement before
the special CBI court through video conference on July 24 and was asked 100
questions.
The 16th century mosque was razed by thousands of
"Kar Sevaks" who believed it was built on the ruins of an ancient
temple that marked the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. The incident led to
riots that left 3,000 dead and changed India's political landscape forever.
Over the last 28 years, the case has seen many turns.
Two cases were filed in 1992, which eventually grew to 49. The second case, FIR
no 198, had named Mr Advani, Mr Joshi and Uma Bharti for promoting religious
enmity and provoking rioting. Later, the Supreme Court asked that criminal
conspiracy charges be restored against them.
In a historic ruling in November, the Supreme Court
handed over the site claimed by both Hindus and Muslims for the building of a
Ram temple. The groundbreaking ceremony took place earlier this year, with
Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the main rituals.
The Supreme Court also called it "unlawful
destruction" and said Muslims had been wrongly deprived of a mosque that
was constructed well over 400 years ago. "It is necessary to provide
restitution to the Muslim community for the unlawful destruction of their place
of worship," the top court said, ordering an alternative site in Ayodhya
for a mosque.
In an interview to NDTV in 2000, Mr Advani had called
the Babri mosque razing a "terrible mistake" and said: "Till
today, frankly, I do not know whether it was mob fury, a mob going out of
control or a small determined group which did not agree with the leadership of
the movement who thought that this should be done, I'm not clear in my
mind." Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said a section of
Kar Sevaks went out of control. "What happened in Ayodhya was very
unfortunate. It should not have happened. We tried, to prevent it, but we did
not succeed. We are sorry for that," he told NDTV.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/babri-masjid-demolition-case-verdict-lk-advani-all-other-accused-acquitted-by-special-court-2303130
--------
Political Responses to the Babri Masjid Demolition
Verdict
30 September 2020
Court acquitted all 32 accused including BJP leaders
LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti of conspiracy charges in a
landmark verdict
-----
TMC comes out with a guarded response on Babri verdict
Trinamool Congress on Wednesday was guarded in its
response on the acquittal of all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition
case by a special CBI court in Lucknow and said that "those who are not
happy with the judgement will get relief in higher courts". "It is a
court judgement, so we cannot just say we oppose or support it. The verdict has
come after 28 years, few people are unhappy with it. We have come to know from
the media that some outfits have expressed their displeasure," senior TMC
leader and party spokesman Sougata Roy said.
16:49 (IST), SEP 30
Verdict in Babri demolition case amounts to 'travesty
of justice': CPM
"The acquittals amount to a travesty of justice.
It took 28 long years for this verdict but not justice to be delivered. All the
top leaders of the BJP-VHP-RSS who were present at the scene guiding the
criminal act have been found to be innocent of the charge of conspiracy to
demolish the mosque," the CPM politburo said in a statement.
16:31 (IST), SEP 30
Gujarat BJP, VHP, Togadia's AHP welcome Babri verdict
The ruling BJP in Gujarat alongiwth the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP) and Pravin Togadia's Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP) on
Wednesday welcomed the CBI court's verdict acquitting all the accused in the
Babri mosque demolition case. State BJP chief C R Paatil hailed the ruling as a
"victory of truth"."Once again, truth emerged victorious. My
sincere regards to the Indian judiciary. Jay Shree Ram," Paatil tweeted.
"We are happy as the court has acquitted national leaders like L K Advani,
Murali Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, from this case," said Gujarat Deputy
Chief Minister Nitin Patel. "The verdict has now put a full-stop to the
entire issue. Work for Ram Mandir has also started in Ayodhya," Patel told
reporters in Gandhinagar.
16:29 (IST), SEP 30
Historic verdict, should bring an end to issue: Murli
Manohar Joshi
“I will say only one thing 'Jai Jai Shri Ram, Sab ko
sanmatti de bhagwan (May Lord, bestow wisdom on all),” he said, expressing
happiness over the judgement. “The court had delivered a historic verdict,”
Joshi told reporters here in his first reaction to the verdict in the
28-year-old case. He thanked the lawyers who appeared for him in the matter and
said they presented all the aspects and facts before the court.
16:09 (IST), SEP 30
Owaisi outrages over court ruling in Babri mosque
demolition case
Owaisi on Wednesday he called the special court's
verdict "obnoxious" and said the central agency should appeal against
it. Speaking to reporters, Owaisi in his reaction to the judgement said,
"This judgement satisfies the collective consciousness of hindutva and its
followers and ideology." He wondered how the court could state that there
was no conspiracy in the matter. "Was it a some sort of magic that on
December 6 the masjid was demolished? Who called for the assembling of the
people over there? Who made sure that they entered over there?" he asked.
15:50 (IST), SEP 30
Muslim bodies to collectively decide on challenging
Babri case verdict: Firangi Mahali
All-India Muslim Personal Law Board senior member
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali on Wednesday said organisations
representing the community will together decide whether they need to challenge
or not the CBI court verdict in the Babri mosque demolition case. Refusing to
comment on their acquittal, Mahali said, "I don't have anything to say on
the verdict. Everybody knows how the Babri mosque was sacrificed on December 6,
1992 in Ayodhya and how all rules were flouted."
15:48 (IST), SEP 30
Babri case lost its relevance after 2019 SC verdict:
Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said the Babri
masjid demolition case lost its relevance after the supreme court settled the
Ram Janmabhoomi title suit in 2019 even as he welcomed the special court's
verdict acquitting all the 32 accused in the case. "This verdict was
expected. I, on behalf of Shiv Sena and party president Uddhav Thackeray,
welcome this decision of the court," he added. Raut also said that had
Babri (mosque) not been razed, the 'bhoomi pujan' of Ram temple in Ayodhya
wouldn't have been possible. "...We have to forget that episode now,"
he added.
15:24 (IST), SEP 30
Truth has won again: MP CM Chouhan
"Truth can be troubled but it cannot be defeated.
Today, truth has won again. I hail the Indian judicial system," Chouhan
tweeted in Hindi. Chouhan also released a video statement, saying the then
Congress government was prejudiced and levelled false allegations against
saints and senior leaders.
15:23 (IST), SEP 30
Satyamev Jayate: Adityanath on verdict in Babri
demolition case
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on
Wednesday welcomed the court verdict in the Babri mosque demolition case,
terming it as the victory of truth. Satyamev Jayate, the chief minister said
while welcoming the decision of the special court, a statement issued by his
advisor Mritunjay Kumar said. The chief minister also accused the then Congress
government of framing saints, BJP leaders, VHP office bearers and others to
defame them for vote bank politics.
15:19 (IST), SEP 30
Special court verdict in Babri case runs counter to SC
judgement, constitutional spirit: Cong
Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said
every Indian who has innate faith in the Constitution and in the spirit of
communal amity and brotherhood expects and urges the central and state
governments to file an appeal against the decision of the special court.
"The decision of the Special Court to acquit all the accused in Babri
Masjid demolition case runs counter to Supreme Court judgement as also the
constitutional spirit," Surjewala said. The Supreme Court in its judgement
on November 9 last year, pronounced by five judges, had clearly held that the
demolition of Babri Masjid was a clear illegality and “egregious violation of
the rule of law”, Surjewala told reporters.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/babri-demolition-case-live-updates/liveblog/78396591.cms
-----
Chairman
of the Pakistan Ulema Council, Tahir Ashrafi Made Special Representative to the
Prime Minister on Religious Harmony
Kalbe
Ali
30
Sep 2020
Maulana
Tahir Ashrafi speaking at an event. Photo: APP
-----
ISLAMABAD:
Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi was appointed as special representative to the prime
minister on religious harmony.
A
notification issued by the PM Secretariat said: “The prime minister has been
pleased to appoint Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi as Special Representative of
the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony, with immediate effect. The appointment
of Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi shall be in honorary capacity.”
Maulana
Ashrafi, who is also chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) and president
of Muttahida Ulema Board, is known for speaking out against social injustice
and advocating for ending discord based on faith in the country.
The
Muttahida Ulema Board is the only religious institution of the country to issue
guidelines declaring administration of polio drops “not” against the teachings
of Islam whereas the PUC has been at the forefront in supporting the national
narrative and referencing reasoning from religious texts over several
ideologically conflicting topics.
Both
institutions were the first to call Daesh a “terror outfit” and termed suicide
bombing and killing in the name of honour haraam, and have spoken out against
the disregard for legal procedure and use of violence in cases against those
accused of blasphemy.
Talking
to Dawn, Maulana Ashrafi said extremist thought based on any ideology with
regard to religion or nationalism only leads to self-destruction of that
society.
“Pakistan
has been suffering from religious extremism, and that was one of the areas
where several foreign hands too were involved ... we need interfaith and
inter-sect harmony,” he said.
Maulana
Ashrafi has also supported the construction of a Hindu temple in Islamabad and
was among the first religious scholars to call for resolving sectarian tensions
in the month of Muharram.
He
was a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology from 2012 till 2015 and an
honorary adviser to the home department of the Punjab government over religious
and sectarian harmony from 2000 to 2007.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1582347/tahir-ashrafi-made-special-representative-for-religious-harmony
--------
Turkish
Imam Demands Invasion of Cyprus For The Sake Of Islam and Mohammed’s Aunty, Umm
Haram
September
30, 2020
İhsan
Şenocak, one of the leading Turkish imams, promotes the aggressive foreign
policy agenda of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, urging Turkey to occupy the
rest of Cyprus as it is the burial site of Islam’s founder, Mohammed.
“The
Ottoman navy greeted the Prophet Muhammad’s aunt, Umm Haram (known as Hala
Sultan), with gunfire as they passed near Cyprus.
The
tomb of Hala Sultan, who participated in the first Muslim expedition to the
sea, is under Greek occupation,” said Şenocak.
“Let
us greet Hala Sultan again and tell her we will be coming soon,” the imam wrote
on Twitter, showing a video of Turkish sailors forming the words “Mavi Vatan”
(Blue Homeland) on a Turkish frigate.
The
tomb of Umm Haram is located in southern Cypriot city of Larnaca.
Şenocak,
a radical pro-Erdoğan imam, is the founder of the so-called Center for
Scientific and Intellectual Research (İlmi ve Fikri Araştırmalar Merkezi, or
İFAM) and is close to prominent Turkish personalities and groups.
In
recent years he has been a speaker at conferences and lectures funded by
pro-government groups and institutions.
İFAM
organized a series of conferences entitled “Diriliş” (Resurrection) across the
country in collaboration with the controversial Foundation for Human Rights,
Freedoms and Humanitarian Aid (IHH) and the Sokyal Doku Foundation, led by the
preacher Yıldız, who has repeatedly called for armed jihad.
Speaking
at one of the Diriliş conferences held in November 2016, Şenocak said that a
Muslim army would be sent from Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολη, Turkish:
İstanbul) to conquer Jerusalem and that the Jews could not prevent it.
Also,
Şenocak, who served as an imam in Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs
(Diyanet), came very close to resigning in 2017, saying that women who wear
pants and go to university are destined for hell.
Northern
Cyprus has been occupied by Turkey since its invasion in 1974 and the latter
makes continual threats to invade the rest of the island.
https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/09/29/turkish-imam-demands-invasion-of-cyprus-because-of-mohammeds-aunty/
--------
Biden
on Trump releasing his taxes: 'When? Inshallah?'
Michael
Gabriel Hernandez
30.09.2020
WASHINGTON
Democratic
presidential nominee Joe Biden cast doubt during Tuesday night's debate on
whether US President Donald Trump would ever release his tax returns.
"You'll
get to see it," Trump said repeatedly as moderator Chris Wallace pressed
him to commit to a firm timeline. Biden retorted, "When? Inshallah?"
While
the Arabic language phrase literally means "God Willing," it also has
colloquial connotations of ambiguous commitment.
Biden
earlier released his personal income taxes, which show the former vice president
and his wife Jill Biden paid about 30% of their $985,000 gross personal income.
Trump
has refused to voluntarily release his income taxes, which had been a
presidential custom stretching back decades.
The
New York Times reported Monday that Trump did not pay any federal income taxes
in 10 of the last 15 years. It said the former businessman paid just $750 in
federal income tax in 2016 and another $750 in 2017, the year he took office.
Trump
disputed the report during Tuesday night's debate, saying he has "paid
millions of dollars in taxes, millions of dollars of income tax."
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/biden-on-trump-releasing-his-taxes-when-inshallah/1990201
--------
Johor
Religious Department Vows Crackdown on Islamic Hard-line Movement Hizbut
Tahrir’s Ideology
30
Sep 2020
BY
BEN TAN
JOHOR
BARU, Sept 30 — The Johor state government has taken serious efforts to fight
the ideology brought by hardline Islamist group Hizbut Tahrir as the latter is
seen as going against the teachings of the Sunni denomination and trying to
divide Muslim unity in the state.
Johor
Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Tosrin Jarvanthi said the state
government, through its Islamic Affairs Department (JAINJ), has declared the
movement’s Malaysian chapter, Hizbut Tahrir Malaysia (HTM), as promoting an
ideology that contradicts the beliefs and teachings of Ahli Wal Sunnah Wal
Jamaah (Sunni denomination).
“This
prohibition on Hizbut Tahrir has been implemented by the Johor State Fatwa
Committee and has been gazetted by the Johor government on October 10 last
year.
“At
present, we have received reports that show Hizbut Tahrir’s ideology can
threaten the unity of Muslims and cause confusion in Johor,” said Tosrin during
a press conference held at the Iskandar Islamic Centre here today.
Present
was JAINJ director Datuk Md Rofiki A. Shamsudin and other senior religious
officials.
On
the claim by HTM that it is being maligned by the Johor Islamic religious
authorities, Tosrin explained that a memorandum by the movement’s representatives
sent to the Johor mufti’s office here last Sunday was rejected.
He
said the Johor mufti’s office took the stand not to accept the memorandum that
sought to clear the air on HTM’s activities as the movement is not officially
registered and went against the teachings of the Sunni denomination, which is
the only officially recognised denomination in Malaysia.
“At
the same time, JAINJ or the Johor mufti’s office will not seek an explanation
from HTM or any of its representatives.
“At
present, we will leave it to JAINJ’s Dakwah division to continue to monitor the
movement,” said Tosrin, who is also the Bukit Permai assemblyman.
Last
Sunday, a group claiming to represent HTM sent a memorandum of protest against
the fatwa on the position of the ideology but it was not accepted by the Johor
mufti‘s office.
After
failing to submit the memorandum, the group then held a live press conference
on the HTM’s Facebook page which claimed that the fatwa issued on the ideology
was full of slander, lies, distortion of facts and confusion.
Based
on this, Tosrin reminded HTM or any other party to be careful when making
statements to avoid confusion and division within the community.
Malay
Mail understands HTM is against claims by JAINJ that it was deviant and extremist.
Hizbut
Tahrir is a global Islamic group seeking to recreate a caliphate worldwide. The
Malaysian chapter, popularly known as HTM, is outlawed and considered “deviant”
in Selangor and Sabah, with Johor prohibiting the movement’s activities.
Despite
the fatwas and strong sentiment against it by Malaysia’s religious authorities,
the movement is still holding out for a peaceful resolution.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/09/30/johor-religious-department-vows-crackdown-on-islamic-hardline-movement-hizb/1908078
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Saudi
artist’s a-mazing creation tells story of terrorism — in concrete
September
29, 2020
RIYADH:
A Saudi artist has created a maze out of concrete barriers to recount the
history of terrorism in the Kingdom — after winning royal approval for his
project.
Hammoud
Al-Atawi used more than 800 blocks in his work titled, “The Labyrinth of
Delusion.”
The
idea for his piece came from his ruminations about life and all its
difficulties.
“Every
path that is closed needs the strength to find a way to exit it. I sent the
concept to the Ministry of Culture and received the full support needed to
execute my work from Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan
Al-Saud,” he said.
The
artwork was symbolic of the battle waged against terrorism in Riyadh at the
beginning of the last decade, Hammoud added.
Although
the Kingdom was able to combat a number of attacks by Al-Qaeda in the country,
terrorist groups subsequently targeted security and military institutions,
diplomatic representatives, and civilian housing complexes, including those
occupied by members of the international community, he said.
These
terror threats prompted authorities to surround potential targets with concrete
barriers in a bid to disrupt any terrorist attacks, he added.
However,
the blockades have now been removed from streets and buildings as part of a
project in the capital to improve the urban scene.
Hammoud
said the Ministry of Culture coordinated with Riyadh Municipality to provide a
site at the King Salman Science Oasis museum, north of Riyadh, where he could
construct his artwork. The authorities also provided the concrete barriers and
all necessary funding for his labyrinth project, which took two weeks to
complete.
“I
was provided with the actual concrete barriers that were used and was given
access to their storage and took them as they were without any restoration done
to them, which was how I envisioned my work,” he added.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1741991/saudi-arabia
--------
No
Winner in War, No Looser in Peace: Abdullah
By
Mohammad Arif Sheva
29
Sep 2020
ISLAMABAD,
Pakistan – Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah
Abdullah said Tuesday there is no winner in war and there is no looser in
peace, as he encourage all parties to join together for peace and stability in
Afghanistan.
Speaking
at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, Abdullah said, “Pakistan
played a critical role in facilitating this [intra-Afghan] talks, and has even
a more important role to play hereon not only
supporting the process through a successful end, but also in standing
with the people and government of Afghanistan
in building a peaceful and prosperous neighborhood.”
According
to a statement released by HCNR Tuesday, Abdullah sighed learning the country
has remained behind in many areas despite “today’s highly competitive and
technologically inter-connected world,” as he addressed ongoing “challenges
that include various shades of terrorism, extremism and intolerance, and more
recently the covid-19 pandemic that has not spared any country.”
“I
believe that there is huge untapped security, political and economic potential
for cooperation and considering the current geopolitical context of the region,
many new windows of opportunities have opened up,” he said.
Meanwhile,
Abdullah further said the Afghan government do not want a terrorist footprint
in the country or allow any entity to pose a threat to any other nation, adding
“the current intra-Afghan talks offer the best hope to put the war behind and
using patience, dialogue and compromise to agree to unite the country.”
“We
have both [Afghanistan and Pakistan] paid a high price by facing various terror
groups that are still acting as spoilers,” he said. “We need to cooperate with
other like-minded countries against such elements.”
Addressing
ongoing war and civilian casualties in Afghanistan, Abdullah called on all
sides to agree to seriously reduce violence and “protect civilians from further
harm as we aim for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire.”
“Peace
is not only an Islamic tenant and duty, but it is also that unique historical
opportunity that should not be squandered,” he concluded. “Now that the ice has
been broken, we all have a role and a responsibility to help it move toward
fruition and prevent a relapse.”
On
September 12, Afghan representative and the Taliban delegation, including
international allies for Unites States and Europe, came together in Qatari
capital Doha, launching the long-awaited intra-Afghan talks in an opening ceremony.
https://www.khaama.com/no-winner-in-war-no-looser-in-peace-abdullah-8765/
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India
India
lodges protest with Pakistan over announcement of polls in Gilgit-Baltistan
Sep
30, 2020
NEW
DELHI: India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over announcement of
elections in Gilgit-Baltistan saying Pakistan has no locus standi on
territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it. The government said Pakistan
was carrying out cosmetic exercises intended to camouflage its illegal
occupation.
Pakistan
media had earlier reported that the, as the Indian government described it,
so-called Gilgit-Baltistan legislative assembly will go to polls on November
15.
"The
Government of India has conveyed its strong protest to the Government of
Pakistan and reiterated that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir
and Ladakh, including the areas of so-called Gilgit and Baltistan are an
integral part of India by virtue of its accession in 1947," said the
government in a statement.
The
MEA said India had also completely rejected the recent actions such as the
so-called "Gilgit-Baltistan (for elections and caretaker government)
Amendment Order 2020” and continued attempts by the Pakistan establishment to
bring material changes in areas under its illegal and forcible occupation.
Calling
upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation,
India said such actions can neither hide the illegal occupation of parts of
Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh by Pakistan nor the grave
human rights violations, exploitation and denial of freedom to the people
residing in Pakistan occupied territories for the past seven decades.
In
a ruling earlier this year, Pakistan Supreme Court allowed Islamabad to amend a
2018 administrative order to conduct general elections in the region. The
Gilgit-Baltistan Order of 2018 provided for administrative changes, including
authorising the Prime Minister of Pakistan to legislate on an array of subjects.
Following
the verdict, India issued a demarche to a senior Pakistani diplomat here and
lodged a strong protest over the court ruling.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-lodges-protest-with-pakistan-over-announcement-of-polls-in-gilgit-baltistan/articleshow/78396559.cms
--------
NIA
detains BSF jawan on NCB deputation in Jammu
Sep
29, 2020
JAMMU:
National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday detained a Border Security Force
(BSF) jawan, who currently was on deputation with the Narcotics Control Bureau
(NCB), for his suspected involvement in narcotics smuggling.
Accompanied
by a group of Jammu NCB officers, the NIA team — which is investigating the
Pulwama terror attack — detained the NCB employee identified as Ramesh Kumar
after a raid on his residence at Gurwal Ramgarh village in Samba district in
Jammu division.
The
teams simultaneously conducted raids on his house at Vijaypur, sources said.
“Some incriminating documents have been seized from his residence and the
investigation is in progress,” a source added. No details of Kumar’s link with
narcotics smuggling has been revealed yet.
This
is the second arrest of a BSF jawan this year for involvement in heinous
crimes. In July, the Punjab Police had arrested a BSF jawan with arms and
ammunition from Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir. A pistol, 80 live rounds
of .9 mm caliber weapon, two rounds of ammunition for 12 bore weapon, two
magazines No 5, three mobile phones (a Samsung instrument without SIM card, an
iPhone 6-S and one iTell Mobile with Airtel and Spice SIM cards) were recovered
from the possession of Sumit Kumar of Gurdaspur.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/nia-detains-bsf-jawan-on-ncb-deputation-in-jammu/articleshow/78392406.cms
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Foreign
ministers of India, Bangladesh meet; review bilateral ties
Rezaul
H Laskar
Sep
29, 2020
India
and Bangladesh on Tuesday created a high-level mechanism to monitor development
projects funded by New Delhi even as Dhaka sought removal of non-tariff
barriers and greater trade facilitation to enhance the export of its products.
Bangladesh’s
long-standing demand for early resolution of the sharing of waters of the
Teesta river and agreements on sharing of all common rivers also figured in the
virtual meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) co-chaired by
external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul
Momen.
Momen
also expressed the hope that India, as a non-permanent member of the UN
Security Council during 2021-22, would play a “more meaningful role for a
lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis, including their early repatriation to
Myanmar in a safe and sustainable manner”, according to a statement from
Bangladesh’s foreign ministry.
The
two sides decided to form a “high level monitoring committee” headed by the
secretary of Bangladesh’s Economic Relations Division and the Indian envoy in
Dhaka to regularly review the implementation of projects under three lines of
credit (LoC) agreements, a joint statement said.
Momen
raised non-tariff barriers and lack of trade facilitation that he said were
impeding the flow of Bangladeshi goods to India, particularly the northeastern
states. The Bangladeshi side asked India to address issues related to
accreditation, certification, standardisation, port restrictions and developing
port infrastructure to enable further exports.
Momen
also requested Jaishankar to look into export of essential commodities, such as
onions, by India since it impacts the domestic market of Bangladesh. India’s
recent ban on onion exports had a huge impact on prices in Bangladesh, and New
Delhi subsequently allowed the movement of onion supplies already contracted
for by Bangladeshi importers.
Tuesday’s
JCC meeting was part of efforts by the two sides to set ties, hit by a string
of irritants since last year, on an even keel. Foreign secretary Harsh Shringla
had visited Dhaka in August, when he delivered a message from Prime Minister
Narendra Modi to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
The
two ministers also agreed more steps can be taken to enhance trade and
investment between India and Bangladesh, the top two economies in South Asia,
such as removal of all types of barriers. The Bangladeshi side appreciated
India’s decision for duty-free access of Bangladeshi products to the Indian
market under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) pact, due to which
Bangladeshi exports crossed the $1-billion mark in 2018-19 though the balance
of trade remains in India’s favour.
However,
the sharing of waters of the Teesta river, held up by objections from the West
Bengal government, continues to be an issue that Dhaka wants New Delhi to
address speedily. Jaishankar noted the two sides share 54 rivers and said: “We
remain committed to Teesta water-sharing and, in the meanwhile, are equally
committed to move forward on other seven rivers on which data has been already
shared with [the Bangladeshi] side”.
The
two sides agreed to consider convening the ministerial-level meeting of the
Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), which has not met since 2010.
Jaishankar
thanked Bangladesh for supporting India in its election to the UN Security
Council, and the joint statement said the two ministers “reiterated the
importance of the safe, speedy and sustainable return to Myanmar of the
forcibly displaced persons from the Rakhine state of Myanmar, currently being
sheltered by Bangladesh”.
Momen
emphasised that “unless the problem is resolved quickly, there are
possibilities of pockets of radicalism disrupting economic growth, peace and
stability in the region and requested India’s leverage to address the crisis”,
the joint statement added.
Both
sides also agreed to expedite work on energy projects such as the Friendship
Pipeline and Maitree Super Thermal Power Project and Momen said tripartite
power and energy cooperation with Nepal and Bhutan was also discussed.
The
two sides also discussed defence cooperation, including training and exchanges,
and called for the early implementation of a defence line of credit.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/foreign-ministers-of-india-bangladesh-meet-review-bilateral-ties/story-JUFsyvJyt677jloiIuciKK.html
--------
Indonesians
booked after Tablighi event discharged from case
By
Sameer
29th
September 2020
Mumbai:
A court here on Tuesday discharged 12 Indonesian nationals, accused of not
disclosing that they had participated in the Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi
in March, from the criminal case they were facing.
Event
at Nizamuddin
The
event at Nizamuddin in the national capital was later found to be a coronavirus
hotspot, and the police in various states had rounded up its participants.
Metropolitan
Magistrate G Y Ghule on Tuesday discharged 12 Indonesians who had traveled to
Mumbai after the event and were arrested, their lawyer Ishrat Khan said.
A
detailed order of the court was yet to be received, he said.
Police
had booked them
The
police had booked them under IPC sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly
promulgated by a public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection
of disease that is dangerous to life) and the Epidemic Diseases Act for not
informing local authorities about their arrival.
As
per the police, the Indonesians arrived in India in two batches, on February 29
and March 3, and headed for Delhi for the congregation after which they came to
Mumbai and stayed in a flat in suburban Bandra and roamed around.
Two
persons from the12-member group tested positive for coronavirus, following
which others were placed under quarantine and later arrested on April 22. A
court subsequently granted them bail.
https://www.siasat.com/indonesians-booked-after-tablighi-event-discharged-from-case-1986821/
--------
Pakistan
WHO
Chief Lauds Pakistan For Suppressing Covid-19 While Keeping Economy Afloat
30
Sep 2020
World
Health Organisation (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has once again
praised Pakistan's response to the coronavirus, saying the country managed to
fight the pandemic while allowing its economy to pick up as the country
stabilises.
In
an op-ed in the British online newspaper The Independent, Tedros noted that
Pakistan had deployed the infrastructure built over many years for polio to
combat Covid-19.
"Community
health workers who have been trained to go door-to-door vaccinating children
against polio have been redeployed and utilised for surveillance, contact
tracing and care," he wrote.
He
said this strategy had "suppressed the virus so that, as the country
stabilises, the economy is also now picking up once again".
Pakistan's
response reinforces "the lesson that the choice is not between controlling
the virus or saving the economy; the two go hand-in-hand", the WHO chief
added.
Besides
Pakistan, Tedros picked out certain other countries for praise, notably
Thailand, Italy and Uruguay, for their handling of the pandemic.
He
said the grim milestone of one million Covid-19 deaths should spur the planet
into fighting back against the disease, insisting that it was “never too late
to turn things around”.
Tedros
said there were encouraging signs of hope, citing vaccine candidates in
final-stage trials.
And
he said that while the world awaited scientific breakthroughs, the new
coronavirus could be effectively contained through proven public health
measures.
“One
million people have now been lost to Covid-19 and many more are suffering
because of the pandemic,” he wrote.
“This
milestone is a difficult moment for the world but there are glimmers of hope
that encourage us now and in the near future.
“No
matter where a country is in an outbreak, it is never too late to turn things
around.”
'Seize
the opportunity'
Tedros
outlined four essential steps to get the pandemic under control, starting with
preventing amplifying events and protecting vulnerable groups.
He
stressed the need for individual responsibility in washing hands, wearing masks
and keeping a distance; and for governments to find, isolate, test and care for
cases, then trace and quarantine their contacts.
“While
today's milestone gives us pause for reflection, this is a moment for us all to
come together, in solidarity, to fight back against this virus,” Tedros said.
“History
will judge us on the decisions we do and don't make in the months ahead. Let's
seize the opportunity and bridge national boundaries to save lives and
livelihoods.”
'One
million tragedies'
The
WHO chief reiterated his call for funding for the WHO-led ACT-Accelerator, a
globally pooled hunt for Covid-19 vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.
The
programme has just $3 billion of the $38 billion needed to meet the goal of
producing and delivering two billion vaccine doses, 245 million treatments and
500 million diagnostic tests over the next year.
Meanwhile
the Red Cross, also based in Geneva, said the death toll was one more tragic
milestone in the rolling humanitarian catastrophe.
“Today,
we stand in grim solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of families that
have lost loved ones,” said Jagan Chapagain, secretary general of the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
“A
million deaths represent one million individual tragedies and countless
heartbreaks.”
He
added that while fighting the pandemic, “we need to be planning for the support
that millions of people will need to rebuild their lives even once this illness
is finally defeated”.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1582311/who-chief-lauds-pakistan-for-suppressing-covid-19-while-keeping-economy-afloat
--------
Pakistan
court issues non-bailable arrest warrants for Shahbaz Sharif's wife, daughter
Sep
29, 2020
Omer
Farooq Khan
ISLAMABAD:
A Lahore-based accountability court on Tuesday granted Pakistan’s anti-graft
watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), a 14-day physical remand of
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and leader of the opposition in
the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif and issued non-bailable arrest warrants
for his wife and daughter in a money laundering case.
The
arrest warrants were issued after Sharif’s wife Nusrat Shahbaz and daughter
Rabia Imran failed to appear for the hearing of the case. Meanwhile, the court
accepted Sharif’s other daughter Javeria Ali’s petition for permanent exemption
from court hearings.
Sharif,
who was arrested by the anti-corruption body a day earlier, argued his case
himself in the court. He denied any wrongdoing and alleged that a mockery was
being made of the law. “This is the NAB-Niazi (PM Imran Khan) nexus in play,”
he said.
Following
the arguments, the court accepted NAB’s request to grant the accountability
body two-week physical remand of Sharif. The judge ordered to present the PML-N
president in the court again on October 13.
The
case against Sharif is related to NAB’s December 2019 reference under which it
had frozen 23 properties owned by him and his sons Hamza and Suleman over
claims that they had acquired assets beyond their known sources of income and
committed money-laundering.
According
to NAB, an investigation had found that the PML-N president had acquired
properties in the name of his wives Nusrat and Tehmina Durrani. PML-N denies
the allegations, claiming that the anti-corruption body was merely trying to
harass the opposition at the government’s behest.
Condemning
Sharif’s arrest and arrest warrants for his wife and daughter, PML-N
spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the “selected government has crossed
all limits... in political revenge”.
“Fascist
and dictatorial tactics against political opponents will remain as a black
stain on Mr Imran’s forehead,” she posted on Twitter.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistan-court-issues-non-bailable-arrest-warrants-for-shahbaz-sharifs-wife-daughter/articleshow/78392674.cms
--------
PM
wants Nawaz brought back from UK at the earliest
Syed
Irfan Raza
30
Sep 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday tasked relevant authorities with bringing
back Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif from
London, where he has been staying since November 2019 on medical grounds, at
the earliest.
The
decision was taken at a cabinet meeting where the prime minister also issued
the directive to relevant authorities to pursue the matter vigorously, just a
day before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) is expected to ask the government
about measures it had taken to bring Nawaz Sharif back, a cabinet member told
Dawn.
He
said the government had already sent a request to the British government for
the PML-N leader’s repatriation but it would now send a fresh application.
He
said besides a normal application, a formal request for his extradition would
also be made. “Although we have no extradition treaty with the United Kingdom,
wanted people can be repatriated under special arrangements as we had also
handed over some people to the UK,” the cabinet member said.
Fresh
application for repatriation to be filed; committee formed to deal with
protesting opposition
On
Sept 15, the IHC had ordered that Nawaz Sharif be arrested and presented before
the court.
In
response to the court ruling, the PML-N had announced that it honoured the
court decisions, but the supreme leader of the party would return once his
health permitted him.
The
IHC will resume proceedings from Wednesday to examine issuance of proclamation
of Nawaz Sharif as the court is expected to ask about measures taken to bring
him back.
On
Nov 8, Nawaz Sharif, who was convicted in a corruption case, was allowed to
travel abroad for his treatment while his daughter Maryam Nawaz had to stay
behind “till further orders”.
While
Prime Minister Imran Khan stuck to his stance for many months that no National
Reconciliation Ordinance-like relief would be given to ex-PM Sharif, the former
gave a go-ahead to his travel, raising many eyebrows.
Committee
formed to deal with opposition
The
prime minister also formed a committee of some cabinet members to deal with the
opposition, which had announced a protest campaign against the government.
The
cabinet meeting gave approval to a visa policy for Afghanistan following the
visit of High Council for National Reconciliation Chairman Dr Abdullah Abdullah
to Pakistan.
Besides,
it permitted a one-time pre-shipment inspection of ships coming to Pakistan
with stocks of wheat imported by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan.
Under
a recent agreement between the UK and Pakistan on airline operations, the
cabinet permitted Virgin Atlantic to operate between the two countries.
An
inquiry report was presented before the cabinet regarding irregularities in the
installation of telemetry system for ‘fair’ distribution of water under the
Indus River System Authority (Irsa).
The
meeting consented to the removal of Irsa members, as those from Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan had completed their term, while Punjab was
asked to reassess the capability of its member.
The
cabinet also gave a go-ahead to audit of Irsa affairs and allowed amendments to
be made to its laws.
Under
the Pakistan Medical Commission Act 2020, recently passed by the parliament in
a joint sitting, the cabinet approved the appointment of Dr Arshad Taqi and Ali
Raza as president and vice president of the Medical and Dental Council,
respectively.
Appointment
of Syed Hussain Abdi as chairman of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research, Islamabad, was also approved.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1582412/pm-wants-nawaz-brought-back-from-uk-at-the-earliest
--------
Islamabad,
Kabul look forward to new era in ties
Baqir
Sajjad Syed
30
Sep 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Top Afghan peace official Abdullah Abdullah on Tuesday emphasised the
centrality of Pakistan’s role for peace in his country as both sides agreed on
turning over a leaf in their ties marred by mutual mistrust and acrimony.
Remarks
by Chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah
Abdullah and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Institute of
Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s conversation
with the visiting Afghan official unmistakably pointed to an impending paradigm
shift in the way the two countries have so far conducted their bilateral ties.
Dr
Abdullah arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a three-day trip accompanied by a
high-level delegation for talks on the peace process and bilateral relations.
“Pakistan
played a critical role in facilitating the talks, and has even a more important
role to play here on not only supporting the process through a successful end,
but also in standing with the people and government of Afghanistan in building
a peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood,” he said at ISSI.
Abdullah
sees Pakistan’s key role in Afghan peace
Pakistan
is being credited for the start of intra-Afghan dialogue, currently under way
in Doha. Islamabad had also facilitated US-Taliban agreement that paved the way
for the talks between the Afghan groups.
But,
frayed ties have impeded cooperation between the two neighbours.
Dr
Abdullah said: “After many troubling years, we now need to go beyond the usual
stale rhetoric and shadowy conspiracy theories that have held us back.”
“We
then need to draw the necessary lessons about our gains and losses, threats and
opportunities, especially where we could have been today if we had aimed for
stronger win-win solutions, reduced tensions, promoted moderation, increased
regional connectivity, trade, transit, economic integration, Business to
Business (B2B) and importantly People to People (P2P) interactions,” he further
said.
Foreign
Minister Qureshi too called for “recognition of the mistakes of past” and “adding
a new chapter to bilateral ties”.
He
reassured Dr Abdullah and his accompanying delegation that Pakistan had “no
favourites in Afghanistan”, did not want to “meddle in Afghanistan’s internal
affairs” and respected its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The
foreign minister said Pakistan would support whatever consensus emerges during
Doha peace talks and accept “will of the people of Afghanistan”. Pakistan has
over the past few weeks repeatedly called on all Afghan sides to lower violence,
but at ISSI, Mr Qureshi put greater emphasis on reduction in violence, saying
it was a “pre-requisite for peace”.
A
sharp spike in violence in Afghanistan has been witnessed during the three
weeks of talks in Doha. Kabul wants Taliban to agree to ceasefire, but the
insurgents are linking it to progress towards a political settlement.
Mr
Qureshi underscored that a relationship between the two neighbours based on
“cooperation and understanding” was the only way forward.
He
asserted that Pakistan would like to be “friends not masters” of Afghanistan.
Prime
minister
Later
in the evening, Dr Abdullah called on Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Mr
Khan hoped that Dr Abdullah’s visit will help open a new chapter in the
bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He
reiterated that Pakistan would support whatever Afghans agree upon about the
future of Afghanistan. He also reaffirmed full support for the post-conflict
Afghanistan on its path to reconstruction and economic development.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1582413/islamabad-kabul-look-forward-to-new-era-in-ties
--------
ATC
in Karachi seeks copy of SC order for disposing of Perween killing case within
month
30
Sep 2020
KARACHI:
An antiterrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday sought a copy of the order purportedly
passed by the Supreme Court (SC) for disposal of the case pertaining to murder
of renowned rights activist Perween Rahman within one month time.
Five
accused — Abdul Raheem Swati, his son Mohammad Imran Swati and three
co-accused: Ayaz Shamzai aka Swati, Amjad Hussain Khan and Ahmed Khan aka Ahmed
Ali aka Pappu Kashmiri — have been charged with her murder.
Ms
Rahman, head of the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP), who devoted her life to the
development of the impoverished neighbourhoods across the country, was gunned
down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013.
On
Tuesday, the matter came up before the ATC-XIII judge, who is conducting trial
in the judicial complex inside the central prison.
The
judge was informed that while hearing an application of complainant Aquila
Ismail seeking re-investigation of the case by the Federal Investigation Agency
instead of the Sindh police, the SC on Sept 25 directed the trial court to
conclude the trial within a month.
The
judge asked the complainant’s counsel to submit a copy of the apex court’s
order on the next date of hearing and fixed the matter for Oct 16.
The
trial in the high-profile case remained stalled for around one-and-half-year
following a restraining order passed by the Sindh High Court against passing of
the judgement without recording evidence of the heads of three joint
investigation teams (JITs) constituted to investigate the killing of Ms Rahman.
Complainant
Aquila, who is the sister of the slain activist, had approached the higher
court to seek recording of evidence of the heads of the three JITs and also
moved a separate application before the apex court to seek fresh investigation
into the murder by the FIA.
According
to the prosecution, some of the detained accused during interrogation had
confessed to their involvement in the crime and disclosed that local leaders of
the Awami National Party (ANP) had allegedly hired Taliban militants to kill
the activist.
The
judge of the ATC-XIII has already recorded statements of the accused persons
under the Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
On
Dec 22, 2018, the trial court dismissed Ms Ismail’s application filed under the
Section 540 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for summoning the
investigators (of JITs) and had fixed the matter for recording final arguments
from the state prosecutor, the defence counsel for the accused persons and
counsel for the complainant.
But
the complainant filed a revised application against the trial court’s order in
the Sindh High Court (SHC), pleading to direct the trial court to summon the
heads of the JITs for recording their statements, arguing that the testimonies
of the investigators, who had interrogated the accused persons, were an
importance piece of evidence to build up the trial.
According
to complainant’s counsel Salahuddin Panhwar, the SHC had issued an interim stay
order, restraining the trial court from passing its judgement in the murder
case without recording evidence of the heads of the JITs.
Since
then the trial has been stalled at the crucial stage of recording final
arguments from the parties.
Evidence
recorded so far
“The
prosecution had listed around 35 witnesses in the case. Of them, the trial
court has recorded the statements of some 20 to 21 witnesses of the
prosecution.” the counsel for the parties had recently told Dawn.
Among
the witnesses were police officials, including the then SSP (Investigation)
Akhtar Farooq who had recorded the confessional statement of accused Raheem aka
Swati.
Under
the Section 21 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, a confessional statement of an
accused recorded before a police officer of the rank of senior superintendent
would be entertained as confessional statement recorded under the Section 164
of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) before a judicial magistrate, advocate
Panhwar claimed.
In
his alleged statement before Akhtar Farooq, accused Raheem had confessed that
he had planned and executed the murder of Perween Rahman due to ‘the dispute
over plots’, the counsel claimed.
On
the other hand, defence counsel Shah Imroze Khan for three accused persons
complained that the complainant’s side was employing different tactics to
unnecessarily delay the trial proceedings, which amounted to violating the
rights of the accused persons who had been incarcerated in the jail for a long
time.
He
also said that the new JIT had purportedly submitted its final report to the
SC. Comprising over around 600 pages, the report contained interrogation from
real estate tycoon Malik Riaz and some politicians, he added.
The
defence counsel contended that while recording the alleged confessional
statement of Raheem, the then SSP had committed glaring mistakes, thus it was
not an admissible piece of evidence.
In
October 2019, the federal government had constituted a fourth joint
investigation on the directives of the apex court to re-investigate the matter
afresh.
According
to the prosecution, some of the detained accused during interrogation had
confessed to their involvement in the crime and disclosed that local leaders of
the Awami National Party (ANP) had allegedly hired Taliban militants to kill
miss Rahman.
It
added that Ayaz and Raheem, who were said to be local leaders of the ANP, were
living near the OPP office and allegedly tried to obtain a designated area to
build a karate centre, but Rahman refused to allow it.
The
prosecution also said that all the accused persons were present in a meeting
held in January 2013 at Raheem’s residence in which they planned Rahman’s
assassination, adding that they hired a local commander of the
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Moosa, and Mehfoozullah aka Bhaloo for the murder.
Initially,
a case was registered under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common
intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Pirabad police station.
Section
7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 was subsequently incorporated in the case on
the basis of a judicial inquiry conducted by then district and sessions judge
(west) Ghulam Mustafa Memon on the orders of the SC.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1582314/atc-in-karachi-seeks-copy-of-sc-order-for-disposing-of-perween-killing-case-within-month
--------
Opposition
to hold first 'historic' rally under PDM banner on Oct 11 in Quetta
30
Sep 2020
The
first public meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — an alliance of
almost all major opposition parties that seeks the government's ouster — will
be held on October 11 in Quetta, opposition leaders announced on Tuesday.
Addressing
a press conference after PDM's first formal meeting in Islamabad, PML-N leader
and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the anti-government
movement will be launched across the country after the "historic"
rally in Quetta.
"This
movement will keep growing and will be successful in ridding Pakistan of this
undemocratic process," said Abbasi, accompanied by other opposition
leaders. PML-N's Maryam Nawaz and PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari did
not attend the meeting.
Analyse:
Pitfalls after the MPC
Abbasi
said the meeting strongly condemned the "shrinking" space for
democracy in the country and discussed rising inflation, unemployement,
"historic corruption", the state of the economy and people's issues.
The
meeting also gave approval to PDM's steering committee, which Abbasi said will
play its role "in taking the PDM movement forward".
He
said the steering committee, which will comprise two members from each party,
held its first meeting today as well and an "organisational
structure" will be sent to the opposition parties' leaders following which
the movement will be presented before the people.
"You
will see that this movement will give rise to a true political change in
Pakistan's political history," Abbasi said, adding that all opposition
parties had consensus on the decisions taken today.
He
said the movement's future strategy will be decided in the second meeting of
the steering committee next Monday.
The
steering committee's convenership will be changed on a rotational basis, with
PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal to serve as its convener for the first month.
The
PDM huddle comes a day after PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in
the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif was arrested by the National
Accountability Bureau (NAB) in an assets beyond means and money laundering
case.
Referring
to the arrest, former premier and PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf said the
meeting resolved that "such tactics will weaken democracy and the anger
and grievances of Pakistanis will rise."
Questioning
the need to arrest Shehbaz after a reference against him had been filed, Pervez
said the "government-NAB nexus" became apparent after government
ministers predicted on television the arrests of various opposition leaders.
Ashraf
said the Oct 11 rally will be followed by "a series of public
meetings" in all provinces.
The
meeting was expected to review the situation after Shehbaz’s detention and
possible arrest of other leaders, the PTI government’s alleged plan to rig
Gilgit-Baltistan and local bodies polls and give a final shape to the decisions
taken at the opposition's September 20 multi-party conference (MPC).
The
PDM was formed at the MPC, where opposition parties had announced launching of
a three-phased anti-government movement under an “action plan” starting from
next month with countrywide public meetings, protest demonstrations and rallies
in December and a “decisive long march” towards Islamabad in January 2021.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1582300/opposition-to-hold-first-historic-rally-under-pdm-banner-on-oct-11-in-quetta
--------
Mideast
Israel’s
Netanyahu alleges Hezbollah has ‘secret arms depot’ in Beirut
29
September 2020
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday accused Iran-backed Hezbollah of
maintaining a “secret arms depot” in a residential neighborhood of Beirut,
warning it could cause another tragic explosion in the Lebanese capital.
In
an address to the UN General Assembly, Netanyahu pointed to maps purportedly
showing the missile depot’s location next to a gas company and residential
housing. He also showed what he said was a picture of the entrance to the
depot.
For
all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“Here’s
where the next explosion will take place, right here,” he said.
“You’ve
got to act now, you’ve got to protest this, because if this thing explodes,
it’s another tragedy,” he said, addressing the Lebanese people. “You should
tell them, ‘Tear these depots down.’”
Last
month, a warehouse filled with nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded
in Beirut’s port, killing nearly 200 people, wounding thousands and causing
widespread destruction in the capital.
The
ammonium nitrate had been stored there for several years after being removed
from an impounded cargo ship. No one has yet been held accountable for the
blast, which appears to have been triggered by an accidental fire.
Israel
has long accused Hezbollah of storing weapons and maintaining military posts in
civilian areas, especially in the southern suburbs of Beirut and southern
Lebanon, both strongholds of support for the Iran-backed militant group.
The
Israeli military later released maps and videos showing the site that Netanyahu
had referenced as well as two other alleged missile depots it said were under
residential apartment blocks. It described all three as precision-guided
missile manufacturing sites.
The
military provided precise locations of the alleged weapons sites, but gave no
other evidence and did not say how advanced the manufacturing program is.
Netanyahu
said another depot had exploded just a few days ago in the southern Lebanese
village of Ain Qana, near the port city of Sidon. It is not clear what caused
that explosion, which sent smoke billowing into the sky but did not cause any
casualties.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/09/29/Israel-s-Netanyahu-alleges-Hezbollah-has-secret-arms-depot-in-Beirut
--------
IRGC
Commander: US Incapacitated, Withdrawing from Region
Sep
29, 2020
“Today
the US, which has been exerting pressures to isolate Iran, has itself been
isolated. The US has gradually lost its political influence in the region and
the world and has been marginalized in the political developments and failed to
score any victory in the battlefield,” General Salami said, addressing Iranian
lawmakers in Tehran on Tuesday.
He
referred to the US role in the formation of ISIL terrorist group, and said Iran
defused Washington’s plots in this grand battlefield and prevented materialization
of its political wishes to restructure the Middle-East politically.
“The
US is now withdrawing while it is tired, worn-out and debilitated,” General
Salami said.
In
relevant remarks in June, General Salami referred to the protest rallies across
the US, saying that Washington's power is decreasing earlier than expected.
"Today,
we are witnessing the early and rapid decline of our big enemies, specially the
US," General Salami said.
He
added that while the US was able to conceal its real face before the public
opinion in recent years, today its crimes have been disclosed in a way that the
American people, themselves, set fire at the US flag.
"All
symbols used by the US to introduce itself and display an unreal face to the
world are now collapsing and the US is tearing apart the image that it had
created for itself," General Salami said.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990708000260
--------
Spokesman:
Iran, Russia, Turkey Able to Help Azerbaijan, Armenia End Dispute
Sep
29, 2020
“We
follow on the recent conflicts in the occupied regions of the Republic of
Azerbaijan thoroughly and with concern,” Rabiyee told reporters at a press
conference in Tehran on Tuesday.
“The
position of the Islamic Republic on the need to respect and recognize the
territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan is very clear, and the
Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly emphasized this
legitimate right within the framework of international laws and UN
resolutions,” he added.
“We
also believe that the dispute between the two neighboring countries of the
Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia has a peaceful solution, and
that Iran, Turkey and Russia can assist the two neighbors with implementing the
UN resolutions in order to resolve their differences peacefully,” Rabiyee said.
Iran
has invited the neighboring countries of Azerbaijan Republic and Armenia to
avoid tensions and adhere to self-restraint to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, stressing the need for regional peace.
Iranian
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on his Azeri and Armenian
counterparts to refrain from military ways as tensions have risen between the
two countries over Nagorno-Karabakh region.
During
phone conversations with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and
Azeri Foreign Minister Jeyhoun Bayramov, Zarif voiced concern over the
situation and called on both sides to declare ceasefire and end hostilities.
He
called for negotiations according to the international law and expressed Iran's
readiness to use all its capacities to help settle disputes.
Battles
between Armenian and Azerbaijan forces over the disputed region of
Nagorno-Karabakh continued, as international calls for calm after the heaviest
fighting between the two sides in years grew.
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990708000773
--------
Israel
approves law to curb protests during virus lockdown
September
30, 2020
JERUSALEM:
Israel’s parliament on Wednesday passed a law that would allow the government
to curtail public protests during the country’s nationwide coronavirus
lockdown, a measure that drew fierce opposition a day earlier.
The
law allows the government to declare a special week-long state of emergency if
the coronavirus spreads out of control. If such a state is declared, the
government would be able to limit participation in assemblies, including
protests, to 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from a person’s home, effectively putting
a halt to large weekly demonstrations outside Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s residence.
The
Knesset approved the bill 46-38 during a late-night session that stretched into
the morning hours.
That
measure is widely seen as a bid to squelch protests against Netanyahu, which
have drawn thousands each week outside his official residence for the past
several months.
They
are the largest sustained demonstrations against Netanyahu in nearly a decade,
and call on the longtime prime minister to resign while on trial for corruption
charges and accuse him of bungling his management of the coronavirus crisis
Netanyahu
has said the protests must end due to public health concerns. But protesters
say he is using the crisis as a pretext to muzzle them.
Netanyahu
is on trial for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate
cases. He has denied any wrongdoing, accusing the media and law enforcement of
an orchestrated “witch hunt” against him.
Earlier
this month, Israel declared its second countrywide lockdown, and tightened
restrictions further last week in a bid to rein in one of the world’s most
severe coronavirus outbreaks. Schools, malls, restaurants and hundreds of
businesses are shut.
The
lockdown went into effect on Sept. 18, just before the Jewish New Year, and was
initially slated to be lifted on Oct. 11. But Israeli officials are now saying
the lockdown is expected to run longer as new COVID-19 cases continue to climb.
Israel,
a country of around 9 million people, has recorded over 235,000 cases of the
novel coronavirus and more than 1,500 deaths, according to Health Ministry
figures. The ministry said Tuesday the country has for the first time surpassed
the US, one of the world’s worst-hit countries, in per capita daily coronavirus
deaths.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1742226/middle-east
--------
North America
US
urges Iran to respect human rights after Christians flee country to escape
prison
Emily
Judd
29
September 2020
The
US is calling on Iran to respect basic human rights after a Christian pastor
and his wife fled the country to escape prison.
Pastor
Victor Bet-Tamraz, a longtime leader of the Assyrian Pentecostal Church of
Iran, escaped the country with his wife Shamiram on August 15. He had been
sentenced to 10 years in prison, and his wife five years, both for Christian
activities. Christians in Iran are often persecuted from their religious
practice.
US
State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told Al Arabiya English Tuesday
that Washington is “deeply saddened” Victor and Shamiram Bet-Tamraz were forced
to flee Iran “after authorities upheld harsh prison sentences against them due
to their faith.”
“Nobody
should face abuse because of their religious beliefs or activities.
Unfortunately, this is all too common in Iran, where many members of religious
minority groups experience discrimination, harassment, and unjust
imprisonment,” Ortagus told Al Arabiya English.
“We
commend the Bet Tamraz family for courageously advocating for religious freedom
in Iran and call on the Iranian government to respect this human right,”
Ortagus added.
Shia
Islam is the official religion of Iran and while the government purports to
protect religious minorities like Christians, Sunni Muslims, Jews, Baha’i’s,
and others – they are frequently subject to harassment, detention, flogging,
and even execution.
Pastor
Bet-Tamraz’s story
Pastor
Bet-Tamraz and his wife fled Iran where they, alongside an estimated 300,000
Christians in the country, are unable to freely worship, observe, practice, or
teach their faith.
Now
safe in an undisclosed location, Bet-Tamraz spoke out last week to nonprofit Christian
watchdog Article 18, saying Iranian authorities “really just don’t want active
Christians to be [in the country].”
“The
pain is that you are persecuted for your beliefs,” said Bet-Tamraz whose
alleged crime was offering Christian worship services in Persian – the official
language of Iran - in addition to Assyrian.
The
Christian pastor previously spent 65 days in solitary confinement in Iran’s
Evin prison, notorious for its human rights abuse, after being arrested in
2014.
Iran
shut down Bet-Tamraz’s Tehran church in 2009 and later charged him with
“conducting evangelism” and “illegal house church activities” – acts that the
Iranian regime considers threats to national security.
“We
were told not to use the Persian language … for years I resisted this very much
… this caused them to raid the church and close it,” Bet-Tamraz said, adding
that he continued to hold services in his home until his arrest in 2014.
According
to Bet-Tamraz, the government sees the religion of Christianity as
“fundamentally political.”
“It
seems Christianity, or at least Protestantism, is considered fundamentally
political,” Bet-Tamraz said.
The
65-year-old pastor said leaving his homeland was the “most painful” trip of his
life, but that he was left with no choice after being sentenced to 10 years in
prison last month.
“You
can’t easily leave your homeland, where you grew up…I didn’t want to leave Iran
at all. If they gave me two years, three years in prison, I would have endured
it,” he said.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/09/29/US-urges-Iran-to-respect-human-rights-after-Christians-flee-country-to-escape-prison
--------
US
Senators request temporary sanctions waivers for Lebanon
29
September 2020
A
group of US Senators has asked the Trump administration to grant sanctions
waivers to Lebanon in order to continue importing electricity from Syria,
according to a letter obtained by Al Arabiya English on Tuesday.
The
three senators - Jeanne Shaheen, Tim Kaine and Chris Murphy - signed the letter
that called for Lebanon to be exempt from sanctions under the Caesar Syria
Civilian Protection Act, also referred to as the Caesar Act.
“While
we understand the controversial aspects of this proposal, we urge you to
consider Lebanon’s geography and the regional difficulties facing the small
country in reviewing this request. Lebanon’s power grid is connected only to
Syria, and electricity imports from other regional states must occur through
Syria,” the letter said.
The
senators added that Lebanon previously attempted to purchase electricity
through other states, like Egypt and Jordan, “however the Syrian government has
not allowed these agreements to come to fruition.”
Despite
being a strong advocate of sanctions against Lebanon over the role of
Iran-backed Hezbollah, Shaheen is pushing ahead with calls to shield Lebanon
from unintended repercussions of the Caesar Act.
The
legislation, which went into effect in June, looks to cut off all forms of
revenue from reaching Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and its allies.
It also threatens to impose sanctions on anyone who does business with the
Assad regime.
Lebanon’s
power stations use expensive heavy fuel, and state utility Electricite du Liban
(EDL) cannot afford to provide 24-hour power, leaving consumers to rely on
costly private generators.
However,
Lebanon imports up to 276 megawatts of power from Syria under an agreement
between Beirut and Damascus that was initially signed in 1995.
Without
that potential supply, Lebanon would have to rely more heavily on the diesel
generators that provide power for most of the country when state-provided
electricity is cut, Marc Ayoub of the American University of Beirut previously
told Al Arabiya English.
During
the summer, when demand usually spikes, Ayoub said, the country might see an
additional 100- to 150-megawatt power deficit if the option to import from
Syria is not there. As of now, there is no option to fill that gap apart from
relying on costly generators.
In
June, then-Prime Minister Hassan Diab called on the United Nations, the
European Union, and “friendly nations to shield Lebanon from the negative
repercussions of any sanctions that may be imposed on Syrians, particularly in
the context of the Caesar Act.”
Lebanon’s
Ambassador to the US Gabriel Issa previously put forth several requests to the
US administration for sanctions waivers in several sectors.
“We
need these waivers granted to alleviate the economic pressure on Lebanon,” a
senior Lebanese diplomat told Al Arabiya English.
The
request submitted by the US Senators also called on the State Department to
help Lebanon rehabilitate its ramshackle electricity sector, which would
eventually see Beirut ease of its dependence on Syria for its power grid.
Earlier
this year Shaheen threatened to slap Lebanese officials with sanctions over the
detention of Lebanese-American citizen Amer Fakhoury for his role with an
Israeli-backed militia in south Lebanon.
But
Shaheen cited the multiple waivers extensions given by the US to Iraq for
continuing importing electricity from Iran.
“Should
an institution of similar confidence exist in Lebanon, we urge you to consider
a comparable framework to allow for Lebanon’s energy purchases as the country
rebuilds,” the letter said.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/energy/2020/09/29/US-Senators-request-temporary-sanctions-waivers-to-Lebanon
--------
US
State Department says ‘outraged’ by rocket attack in Baghdad
29
September 2020
The
United States is “outraged” by Monday’s rocket attack in the Iraqi capital
Baghdad that killed five civilians, US State Department said on Tuesday, urging
Iraqi authorities to take immediate action to hold the perpetrators
accountable.
“We
have made the point before that the actions of lawless Iran-backed militias
remains the single biggest deterrent tostability in Iraq,” Department
spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
On
Monday, the Iraqi army said that three Iraqi children and two women from the
same family were killed when a rocket targeting Baghdad airport, where US
troops are stationed, fell instead on their home.
The
Trump administration has warned Iraq that it will close its embassy in Baghdad
if the government does not take swift and decisive action to end persistent
rocket and other attacks by Iranian-backed militias and rogue armed elements on
American and allied interests in the country, US, Iraqi and other officials
said Monday.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/09/29/US-State-Department-says-outraged-by-rocket-attack-in-Baghdad
--------
US
judge mostly rejects Haftar's move to dismiss suits
Michael
Gabriel Hernandez
30.09.2020
WASHINGTON
A
US District Court judge on Tuesday largely rejected renegade Libyan General
Khalifa Haftar's effort to dismiss a pair of lawsuits against him brought by
plaintiffs who say he is responsible for the deaths of their family
members.
Haftar
has argued that the cases against him should be dismissed because he is immune
from legal action under his claim of being Libya's head of state.
He
is the head of eastern Libya's Libyan National Army (LNA), which is locked in a
power struggle with the internationally-recognized Government of National
Accord (GNA) based in the capital, Tripoli.
Faisal
Gill, a lawyer representing the families, said in an interview with Anadolu
Agency following Tuesday's virtual hearing that Judge Leonie Brinkema has
largely rejected the state immunity claim but allowed 60 days for the State
Department to formally weigh in on the matter. It is unclear if it will.
Should
the State Department not respond, the case will proceed to what is known as
discovery, when each side can request documents and ask questions from the
other.
Asked
in August whether the Trump administration views Haftar in any way as Libya's
head of state, a State Department spokeswoman who spoke on condition of
anonymity told Anadolu Agency "there has been no change to the U.S.
position with regard to recognition of the Libyan Government of National
Accord."
"The
Libyan Political Agreement and its associated institutions, including the GNA,
are the sole internationally recognized framework for Libya’s governance and
political transition, as affirmed by the UN Security Council," she said.
Haftar's
legal team additionally argues that the plaintiffs are presenting a
"political question" ill-suited to be resolved by the courts and that
their clients -- Haftar and his two sons -- were not properly served notice of
the lawsuit.
That
argument was also rejected by Brinkema, the presiding judge, Gill said.
Two
lawsuits that have been filed in a US court in the state of Virginia by
victims' families accuse Haftar of being responsible for gross human rights
abuses, including extrajudicial killings and torture committed by his forces
during the course of Libya's civil war.
They
seek millions of dollars in compensation that can be accrued from property
owned by Haftar, a dual US-Libyan national who had lived with his sons Khalid
and Saddam for years in Virginia after a falling out with Libya's deceased
former strongman Muammar Gaddafi.
While
the judge heard Haftar's motion to dismiss both cases during a single session,
they are currently being considered separate cases.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-judge-mostly-rejects-haftars-move-to-dismiss-suits/1990154
--------
Southeast Asia
Sharia
Court will continue to be strengthened: Muhy
September
30, 2020
SEPANG:
The Sharia Court, which is a Sharia judicial and legal institution that upholds
Islamic teachings, will continue to be strengthened and empowered from time to time, said Prime Minister Tan
Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He
said the government was constantly making improvements to the jurisdiction of
Sharia courts, the appointment of Sharia judges and professionalism of court
officials.
Speaking
at the opening of the 2020 Nusantara Sharia Judicial and Legal Conference
(PKPSN 2020) here today, Muhyiddin said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government
was always committed in supporting efforts that could contribute towards
raising the status of the Sharia judicial and legal institutions in Malaysia.
“These
continuous improvements will be able to boost the image of the Sharia judiciary
and law in dealing with the increasingly complex and challenging cases,, as
well as meet the needs of the Muslim community as a whole,” he added.
Muhyiddin
said the use of new technology must be given priority by the administration of
the Sharia court because without technology, the administration of the Islamic
judicial system could be hampered and thus, obstruct implementation of justice,
which is demanded in Islam.
He
said the implementation of the Movement Control Order (PKP) to curb the spread
of the Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the lives of the people
and the country’s administration, including that of the Sharia court.
“This
included the closure of courts, requiring the judicial system to function under
the new normal circumstances, such conducting court proceedings online,” he
added.
The
prime minister expressed his hope that
the Malaysian Sharia Judiciary Department (JKSM) could take the
initiative to create a forum to serve as a medium for exchange of information
and best practices for Sharia judicial institutions that can be shared with
countries in the region,such as Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia.
Through
the forum, he said, academic discussions on the function of Maqasid Sharia
among countries in the region could be held continuously in helping the
government and state religious authorities to seek clarification on Islamic
issues.
PKPSN
2020 involved 580 participants, including Sharia judges, court registrars,
prosecution officers and Sharia officers
from Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.
The
conference themed “Application of Maqasid Al-Syariyyah: Towards Cultivating New
Norms in the Sharia Judicial and Legal System”, was also attended by the
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Zulkifli
Mohamad Al-Bakri.
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news/159113/Sharia-court-will-continue-to-be-strengthened-muhy/
--------
Arab world
Kuwait’s
new emir Sheikh Nawaf brings decades of ministerial experience
September
29, 2020
RIYADH:
Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah will be sworn in as the
nation’s new emir on Wednesday.
Sheikh
Nawaf, 83, served as the crown prince since 2006 and is the brother of the late
emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, whose death was announced on Tuesday.
Born
June 25, 1937, Sheikh Nawaf became governor of Kuwait’s Hawalli region at the
age of 25.In 1978 he became the country’s interior minister, a position he held
for nearly a decade.
Sheikh
Nawaf’s moved to become Kuwait’s defense minister in 1988 and was in the role
in 1990, when Saddam Hussein ordered his forces to invade Kuwait from Iraq.
“Our
citizens inside Kuwait are disobeying orders and not following instructions and
they are being mistreated,” Sheikh Nawaf said at the time of the seven-month
occupation.
He
also served as the deputy National Guard commander from 1994 to 2003.As
interior minister, Sheikh Nawaf negotiated in 1980 an end to the hijacking of a
Boeing 727 heading from Beirut to Kuwait City. The hijackers ultimately gave up
the plane without harming any passengers on board.
He
briefly served as social affairs and labor minister after the Iraq war and
again as interior minister.Sheikh Nawaf is married, with four sons and one
daughter.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1741971/middle-east
--------
Leaders
of Arab world and beyond mourn Sheikh Sabah
September
29, 2020
CAIRO:
Leaders across the world have offered tributes to Kuwaiti emir Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah following his death earlier on Tuesday.
Sheikh
Sabah was widely respected for his leadership and as a seasoned diplomat who
could mediate across the region’s divides.
Condolence
messages streamed in from across the region and from Western countries soon
after news of his death broke on state television.
Sheikh
Sabah “was an extraordinary symbol of wisdom and generosity, a messenger of
peace, a bridge-builder,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The
UAE's Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, described the late emir
as “a great pioneer in Gulf cooperation.” The UAE also announced a three-day
mourning period.
In
Saudi Arabia, the royal court said the emir died after a journey full of
achievement and generous service to his country and humanity. The Kuwaiti emir
left behind “a procession full of achievements and endeavors exerted to best
serve his country, the Arab as well as the Islamic nations and the entire
humanity,” the statement said.
The
US Ambassador to Kuwait Alina Romanowski called Sheikh Sabah a “popular leader
and special friend of the US.” The embassy said he “devoted his life to peace
and regional stability.”
British
Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said Sheikh Sabah “made a personal
contribution to regional stability and humanitarian assistance which will long
be remembered.”
British
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said described Al Sabah as “a great humanitarian
leader and a true friend of the United Kingdom.”
“He
served Kuwait for many years with dedication, and as a founding father of the
GCC he contributed over many decades to maintaining peace and stability in the
region.”
In
Egypt, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi expressed “great sadness” over Sheikh
Sabah's death, recalling the long-standing “fraternal stance” of the emir
toward Egypt.
Egypt
also announced three days of mourning over the emir’s passing.
In
Lebanon, where the late Kuwaiti leader played a key role in trying to end the
country’s ruinous 1975-90 civil war and later helped with its reconstruction,
politicians offered their condolences.
“With
the death of Sheikh Sabah, Lebanon has lost a great brother who stood by the
Lebanese during the difficult circumstances over the past years,” said a
statement from Lebanese President Michel Aoun.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1741966/middle-east
--------
Iraqis
decry insecurity at funerals of seven killed in anti-US attack in Baghdad
29
September 2020
Mourners
hit out at Iraq’s government over insecurity Tuesday, during the funerals of
five children and two women killed by a wayward rocket targeting US troops
stationed at Baghdad airport.
Several
among the hundreds of mourners in the village of Al-Bouchaabane, a few
kilometers from Baghdad airport, told AFP that some of the children were killed
by the rocket as they played in front of their home late on Monday.
“This
village is like a microcosm of Iraq,” one mourner said. “If the government
isn’t capable of protecting us, how can it ensure the security of Iraq as a
whole?”
The
latest attack targeting American interests – one of around 40 since early August,
and many others stretching back months – comes after Washington threatened to
close its embassy and withdraw its remaining 3,000 troops from Iraq, unless the
attacks cease.
The
fatalities represent a new stage in the standoff between Prime Minister Mustafa
al-Kadhimi, a head of the country’s intelligence service long seen as close to
Washington, and pro-Iran armed groups that are demanding US troops leave the
country.
The
death toll – up from an initial five, after two children died of their wounds
in hospital – place these armed factions in an uncomfortable position.
The
public has become increasingly worn down by years of violence and armed groups
holding the country to ransom.
Possibly
anticipating a backlash, pro-Iran social media accounts that usually laud such
rocket strikes were silent in the wake of this attack.
Several
high-ranking officials attended the funerals in a bid to provide reassurance,
but several among the hundreds of Iraqis surrounding the coffins told AFP that
they feel permanently unsafe.
In
front of the victims’ small home, dozens of tribal chiefs received condolences
close to the crater left by the rocket.
Shrapnel
holes were visible in walls and blood on the ground.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/09/29/Iraqis-decry-insecurity-at-funerals-of-seven-killed-in-anti-US-attack-in-Baghdad-
--------
Lebanon’s
Amal movement ‘surprised’ by France’s Macron accusations
29
September 2020
Lebanon’s
Amal movement expressed surprise on Tuesday over accusations by French President
Emmanuel Macron that the Shia party triggered the collapse of talks to form a
new government.
Prime
minister-designate Mustapha Adib quit on Saturday after failing to line up a
non-partisan cabinet, dealing a blow to a French plan aimed at rallying
Lebanese leaders to tackle the country’s financial meltdown.
Macron
admonished Lebanon’s leaders for serving their own interests ahead of their
country’s, saying he was “ashamed” of their behavior. He also questioned the
role Lebanon’s two main Shia groups, Amal and Hezbollah, played in obstructing
the formation of government.
“The
movement, while it respects the role French President Macron has played, is
surprised by comments he made that included accusations and holding (the Amal
Movement and Hezbollah) especially responsible,” for stalling the process, Amal
said in its statement.
Under
a French roadmap to lift Lebanon from its crisis, the new government would take
steps to tackle corruption and implement reforms needed to unlock billions of
dollars of foreign aid to fix an economy crushed by a huge debt.
But
there was deadlock over a demand by Amal and Iran-backed Hezbollah that they
get to name several ministers, including the finance post.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/09/29/Lebanon-s-Amal-movement-surprised-by-France-s-Macron-accusations
--------
At
least 5 civilians killed in rocket fire near Baghdad airport: Army
29
September 2020
Three
Iraqi children and two women from the same family were killed Monday when a
rocket targeting Baghdad airport, where US troops are stationed, fell instead
on their home, the army said.
The
latest in a string of incidents targeting American interests in Iraq came after
Washington threatened to close its embassy and withdraw its 3,000 troops from
the country unless the rocket attacks stop.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
attacks, which started around a year ago, have caused few casualties.
Monday's
incident was the first to claim so many civilian lives. The army said it also
wounded two other children.
Twitter
accounts supporting US arch-enemy Iran regularly praise the attacks, but that
was not the case Monday, and no group immediately claimed responsibility.
Previous
attacks of the same nature have been claimed by murky groups saying they are
acting against the "American occupier".
Experts
say they include former members of pro-Iranian factions of the Hashed al-Shaabi
paramilitary alliance.
The
Iraqi army, in its statement Monday, accused "criminal gangs and groups of
outlaws" of seeking to "create chaos and terrorize people".
Between
October and July, at least 39 rocket attacks targeted US interests in Iraq.
Almost the same number again have taken place since.
Iraqi
intelligence sources have blamed the attacks on a small group of hardline
Iran-backed paramilitary factions.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/09/29/At-least-5-civilians-killed-in-rocket-fire-near-Baghdad-airport-Army
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Russian
envoy seeks to break ‘suffocating’ Beirut deadlock
NAJIA
HOUSSARI
September
30, 2020
BEIRUT:
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov will visit Lebanon to discuss
support for the crisis-hit country following the failure of French efforts to
form an independent Lebanese government.
Bogdanov,
the Russian president’s special envoy for the Middle East and North Africa,
told Lebanese Democratic Party (LDP) leader Talal Arslan on Tuesday that
“efforts and dialogue are needed to reach a solution that gets Lebanon out of
the suffocating crisis it is going through.”
In
a meeting in Moscow on Monday, Bogdanov told Lebanese Ambassador Shawki Bou
Nassar that he will visit Beirut in late October for talks with senior
officials.
It
will be the first visit by a Russian official since the Beirut port blast on
Aug. 4 devastated large areas of the capital and plunged the country into
political turmoil.
The
Russian move follows the failure of French President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts
to form an independent Lebanese government and introduce reforms demanded by
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help the country avoid a financial and
economic meltdown.
Last
Sunday, Macron gave Lebanese officials a six-week deadline to form a new
government, accusing Lebanese leaders of betraying their pledges to him during
a high-profile visit to Beirut in early September.
The
accusations were directed at the Iran-backed Hezbollah and Amal Movement
factions over obstruction of Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib’s plans for
a new government.
Both
factions were widely criticized in the wake of Adib’s resignation on Saturday
and accused of sabotaging the French initiative.
On
Monday, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said that Tehran rejected claims
of “external interference in Lebanon’s affairs.”
Amal
Movement said that Macron’s accusations, as well as attempts to blame Amal
Movement and Hezbollah, “are far from the facts and the realities of
discussions with the prime Minister-designate.”
The
political faction said that its leader, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih
Berri, “is at the forefront of those keen to preserve Lebanon’s stability and
the unity of its people.”
Berri’s
political aide, former minister Ali Hassan Khalil, has been been hit by US
sanctions on a string of charges, including corruption.
Zafer
Nasser, secretary-general of the Progressive Socialist Party, told Arab News
that the objectives of Bogdanov’s visit remain unclear and Lebanon must
continue to support Macron’s efforts.
“The
French initiative is our last chance and we must hold on to it,” he said.
With
Lebanon’s central bank expected to begin reducing subsidies for the import of
hydrocarbons in coming weeks, gas stations around the country experienced
shortages on Tuesday due to delays in imports.
According
to a representative of the Gas Station Owners Syndicate, George Brax, a partial
reduction of subsidies will raise the price of a can of gasoline to between
37,000 and 40,000 Lebanese pounds, while with a total reduction, it will reach
between 65,000 and 70,000 Lebanese pounds.
“If
the dollar exchange rate continues to rise, the price of a can of gasoline may
reach 85,000 Lebanese pounds,” he said.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1742161/middle-east
--------
Saudi
Cabinet congratulates security forces for thwarting terror cell
September
30, 2020
RIYADH:
The Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday congratulated the Presidency of State Security for
its work in identifying and apprehending the suspected members of a terror cell
in the Kingdom.
Some
of those who were arrested allegedly trained at sites in Iran run by the
country’s Revolutionary Guards. A cache of weapons and explosives was also
seized.
Ministers
expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the presidency’s employees in tracking
down those who threaten the security and stability of the Kingdom and the
safety of those who live there.
Majid
Al-Qasabi, the acting minister of media, said that while reviewing the latest
regional and international developments, cabinet members reiterated the
Kingdom’s call during the recent International Atomic Energy Agency General
Conference for the international community to adopt a firm stance on Iran, and
take steps to address its violations of international agreements relating to
its nuclear-research program. They also reaffirmed Saudi support for efforts,
in partnership with the international community, to make the Middle East a
nuclear weapon-free zone.
The
virtual meeting was chaired by King Salman, who began by passing on his
condolences and sympathy to the people of Kuwait and the family of its Emir,
Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who died on Tuesday. He also
congratulated the emir’s successor, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
King
Salman thanked international leaders and officials for their messages of
congratulations to the Kingdom and its people on the occasion of its 90th
National Day. He also briefed ministers on his recent telephone conversation
with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the two leaders reviewed
bilateral relations and discussed opportunities to further develop them.
The
cabinet commended the king for his speech during the UN’s 75th General Assembly
in New York, during which he emphasized the his country’s continued commitment
to assisting the international community in efforts to deal with the effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic and address its humanitarian and economic implications.
Ministers
also noted that his speech reflected the Kingdom’s dedication to security,
stability and prosperity as a strategic choice, its call for peaceful
coexistence, moderation and solidarity among all countries and peoples to
address humanitarian challenges, its support for political solutions to
conflicts, and its efforts to combat extremism in all its forms.
Al-Qasabi
said that the Cabinet welcomed the announcement by the Kingdom that the G20
Leaders’ Summit will take place as planned as scheduled on Nov. 21 and 22,
albeit virtually as a result of the pandemic. Saudi Arabia hold the presidency
of the G20 this year.
Ministers
also expressed their appreciation for international efforts, led by G20
countries, that have resulted in the provision of more than $21 billion to
support the production of diagnostic and therapeutic tools during the pandemic,
and the development and distribution of vaccines. In addition, more than $11
trillion has been allocated to protect the global economy, and more than $14
billion to mitigate the debt burdens of less-developed countries and help fund
their health services and social programs. The Cabinet also reviewed the latest
local and international developments in the pandemic, along with preparations
for the safe resumption of Umrah.
Ministers
reiterated the Saudi call, during an emergency meeting of the Council of Arab
Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs, for urgent action to avoid an
environmental catastrophe in the Red Sea as a result of the deteriorating
condition of the oil tanker Safer, which has been anchored off the coast of
Yemen, near Ras Issa port, since 2015.
The
Cabinet also expressed its concern over developments in the dispute between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, and urged both sides to agree a ceasefire and resolve
the conflict peacefully in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1742156/saudi-arabia
--------
South Asia
Bomb kills 14 civilians, including women and children,
in Afghanistan
29 September 2020
At least 14 civilians, including women and children,
were killed Tuesday by a roadside bomb in central Afghanistan, officials said,
as violence continues despite peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan
government.
Seven women, five children and two men died when their
vehicle detonated an explosive device in Daikundi province, interior ministry
spokesman Tareq Arian said in a statement.
Three children were also wounded, he added, blaming
the Taliban for the blast.
Nasrullah Ghori -- the spokesman for the governor of
Daikundi -- told AFP the victims were traveling to a shrine when their minibus
struck the bomb.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but
roadside bombs have been a weapon of choice for the Taliban.
“Deliberate attacks” targeting civilians killed or
wounded more than 800 civilians in Afghanistan during the first half of 2020,
according to a UN report released in July.
The violence comes as Taliban and Afghan government
negotiators are meeting in Doha, where they are trying to find a way to end 19
years of war.
Despite calls for a ceasefire, the Taliban have
refused to halt their violence, seeing it as key to leverage at the negotiating
table.
The blast came as the head of the Afghan peace
process, Abdullah Abdullah, kicked off the second day of a three-day visit to
neighboring Pakistan.
Speaking at an event in Islamabad, he proclaimed that
the “ice has been broken” at peace talks, which started September 12.
Afghanistan has long accused Islamabad of providing
vital support and safe havens to the Taliban.
Islamabad denies it supports the Taliban, but its
influence with the militants is seen as pivotal to paving the way for any
potential deal.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/09/29/Bomb-kills-14-civilians-including-women-and-children-in-Afghanistan
--------
3 Killed after Rocket Hit Residence in Ghazni
By Mohammad Haroon Alim
29 Sep 2020
The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that three
people were killed when a rocket hit a residential house in Ghazni city.
According to a press release by the Ministry, the
incident took place at around 8:00pm Monday night in the Nawabad area of Ghazni
city.
The rocket was reportedly fired by the Taliban
insurgents that hit a residential area.
The ministry added Taliban activities and the movement
have caused civilians to suffer, and be part of the battle casualties.
This comes at a time Human Rights groups and
organizations have repeatedly accused the Taliban of violating laws of war.
https://www.khaama.com/3-killed-when-a-rocket-hit-a-residential-house-ghazni-7876561/
--------
Badakhshan: Taliban Attack Claims District’s Security
Chief
By Mohammad Haroon Alim
30 Sep 2020
Security officials in Badakhshan province say the
police chief of Kohistan district of the province has been killed in an
Afghan-Taliban skirmish.
Badakhshan’s police spokesman Sanaullah Rohani told
Khaama Press, that the Taliban has attacked Kohistan district at around 9:00 am
yesterday.
He descended; Heavy clashes broke out between security
forces and the militant group’s fighters following the Taliban offensive attack
and continued until 12:00 p.m last night.
According to him, Abdul Zahir, the police chief of
Kohistan district, and two other policemen were killed in the battle.
He also added, that four Taliban fighters were also
killed during the clashes and other five militants are wounded.
Badakhshan is counted as one of the most insecure
provinces in the country and the Taliban has a large presence in some parts of
the province.
The Taliban have not yet commented on the incident.
https://www.khaama.com/badakhshan-taliban-attack-claims-districts-security-chief-98987/
--------
Europe
Italy repatriates female ISIS fighter and her four
children from Kurdish territory
29 September 2020
Italian carabinieri arrested a female foreign fighter
on Tuesday after returning her and her four young children to Italy from a
displaced person’s camp in Kurdish-controlled territory.
The woman, Alice Brignoli, traveled in 2015 with her
Moroccan-born husband, Mohamed Koraichi, and their three young children by car
from their home north of Milan to ISIS-controlled territory. Another child was
born in Syria.
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channel online or via the app
The children, now 11, 8, 6 and 4, were in foster care
pending a decision by an Italian juvenile court. Authorities say Brignoli will
face trial on terror-related charges.
Brignoli contributed to the radicalization of the
children, turning them against the West and ‘‘thereby embracing the cause of
global extremism,’’ Italian Carabinieri said in a statement.
Read more: UK repatriates British child from Syria
despite ISIS policy
Authorities say the children have family members in
Italy and that their experience with other children returning from ISIS
territory -- notably an 11-year-old Albanian boy Alvin Berisha who was brought
back to Italy last November -- has showed that indoctrinations can be reversed.
‘‘There was a minimal amount of indoctrination -- but
no military training -- enough to make them understand and agree with the
choices that the parents had made. But as we have experienced with Alvin, they
are small children and they can easily turn back,’’ Carabinieri Lt. Col. Andrea
Leo told The Associated Press.
Brignoli came back to Italy willingly, “convinced it
was the best choice after the conditions she had lived in over the last 5
years,’’ Leo said.
Authorities are hoping she will help them locate other
Italian families they believe are still in former ISIS territory.
After ISIS lost its territorial foothold, Brignoli and
her children were captured by Kurdish forces and brought to a camp for
displaced people in Al-Hol.
Koraichi was also in the camp as a prisoner.
Authorities said he died this month from an intestinal infection.
After the family’s arrival in Syria, Korachi had
received training, participated in fighting and was prepared to carry out
suicide attacks, authorities said.
Koraichi, who also held Italian citizenship, helped
others receive authorization to travel to ISIS territory, aiding in the
recruitment and radicalization of at least two suspects who were arrested in
April 2016 before they could leave Italy.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/09/29/Italy-repatriates-female-ISIS-fighter-and-her-four-children-from-Kurdish-territory
--------
Turkey sent 700 to 1,000 Syrian mercenaries to
Azerbaijan: Reports
29 September 2020
Turkey has reportedly sent between 700 and 1,000
Syrian mercenaries to Azerbaijan to fight in the ongoing clashes with Armenia
over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, Reuters cited sources from the Syrian
National Army as saying.
A private Turkish security firm was reportedly paying
the fighters $1,500 a month and moving them across the border into Turkey
before putting them on a flight to Azerbaijan, the sources said.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News
channel online or via the app.
On Monday, Armenia’s ambassador said that Turkey had
sent around 4,000 fighters from northern Syria to Azerbaijan and that they were
fighting there, an assertion denied by an aide to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham
Aliyev.
Armenia also said Turkish military experts were
fighting alongside Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous breakaway
region of Azerbaijan run by ethnic Armenians, and that Turkey had provided
drones and warplanes.
The clashes over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh are
the heaviest since 2016, with reports of dozens of deaths and hundreds wounded.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/09/29/Turkey-sent-700-to-1-000-Syrian-mercenaries-to-Azerbaijan-Reports
--------
Armenia not ready for Russia-mediated peace talks with
Azerbaijan: PM
September 30, 2020
YEREVAN: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on
Wednesday said peace talks with Azerbaijan under Russian mediation would be
inappropriate, as fighting over the breakaway Nagorny Karabakh region entered a
fourth day.
“It isn’t very appropriate to speak of a summit
between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia at a time of intensive hostilities,”
Pashinyan told Russia’s Interfax news agency. “A suitable atmosphere and
conditions are needed for negotiations.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1742231/world
--------
Manchester bomber’s brother ‘known to counterterrorism
officers,’ inquiry told
September 29, 2020
LONDON: The brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman
Abedi had previously been questioned by British counterterrorism authorities
and had Daesh content saved on his phone, an inquiry into the 2017 attack has
heard.
Counterterrorism officers found recruitment videos for
the terrorist group on Ismail Abedi’s mobile phone, as well as photos on
Facebook of him holding weapons in 2015, one of which showed him holding a
machine gun with a Daesh logo.
Salman Abedi, 22, killed 22 people and injured
hundreds more in the attack after an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester
Arena on May 22, 2017.
Families of the victims, who made statements at the
inquiry on Monday, criticized the British intelligence agency MI5 for what they
called “grave misgivings” and a failure to spot the risk Ismail posed, The
Times newspaper reported.
John Cooper, a judge acting for the families of 12
victims, told the inquiry that Ismail’s Facebook account had been “viewed and
assessed in July 2015, inferentially by MI5.” He had been stopped by police
during a “port stop” in September 2015.
Counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney said that while
most of MI5’s evidence would be heard behind closed doors, the inquiry would
investigate if Abedi’s family members had a radicalizing influence on Salman
and his younger brother Hashem, 23, who helped in the attack and was jailed for
murder for at least 55 years.
Cooper said families were urging the inquiry to
“rigorously question” MI5 over its decisions regarding Salman and the Abedi
family, citing the authorities’ knowledge that Salman had “significant contact”
with suspected terrorist recruiter Abdalraouf Abdallah.
Sir John Saunders, the inquiry’s chairman, said that
“centrally important material” pertinent to questions over whether MI5 was in a
position to stop the attack could not be made public.
“I will ensure that the least possible amount of
evidence is heard in private. Claims for the need for national security will be
robustly tested,” he told the inquiry.
“Insofar as is possible, and to the extent that is
possible without damaging national security, where I identify failings or
things that could have been done better in closed hearings, I will make them
public as part of my report,” he added.
Ismail, the eldest of the Abedi siblings, has not
appeared before the inquiry on the grounds of legal privilege, saying that he
could incriminate himself. Earlier this month in a Sky News interview, he
apologized for his family and the “pain Hashem and Salman caused.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1741901/world
--------
Turkish claims of PKK fighters in Armenia absolute
nonsense: Armen Sarkissian
Ismaeel Naar
30 September 2020
Turkish claims that there are Kurdish PKK fighters
present in Armenia are absolute nonsense, according to Armenian President Armen
Sarkissian.
Turkey can invent or pretend that there are issues
with Armenia. This is absolute nonsense that there are PKK fighters in Armenia.
Absolute nonsense. They are also saying that Armenians are targeting the
international oil and gas pipelines in Azerbaijan. Again, a nonsense,”
Sarkissian told Al Arabiya during an exclusive interview.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News
channel online or via the app.
Armenia and Azerbaijan accused one another on Tuesday
of firing directly into each other's territory and rejected pressure to hold
peace talks as their conflict over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh threatened
to mushroom into all-out war.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a breakaway region inside
Azerbaijan but run by ethnic Armenians and backed by Armenia. It broke away
from Azerbaijan in a 1990s war but is not recognized by any country as an
independent republic.
“First of all, when Azerbaijan is speaking about
occupied territories, they are speaking about republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.
This is an area of historic Armenia that Armenians were living for centuries
and thousands of years,” Sarkissian said.
|It is only for less than 70 years, Joseph Stalin, the
Soviet leader gave that land to Azerbaijan, it became a part of Soviet
Azerbaijan. Then with the end of Soviet Union, people of Nagorno-Karabakh in
that Soviet Republic, there were more than 85 percent, 90 percent Armenians
living always,” the Armenian president added.
Dozens of people have been reported killed and
hundreds wounded since clashes between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces
broke out on Sunday, threatening to draw in neighbors including Azerbaijan's
close ally Turkey.
Armenian President Sarkissian further accused Turkey
on Tuesday of sending mercenaries and generals to Azerbaijan, adding that all
Turkish claims were mere excuses.
“Turkey can pretend or declare there are PKK fighters,
Armenians who want to hit the pipeline. These are all excuses to have their
strong presence in Azerbaijan and I think that strong presence of Turkish
military in Azerbaijan is another increasing threat to Armenia,” Sarkissian
said.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/09/30/Turkish-claims-of-PKK-fighters-in-Armenia-absolute-nonsense-Armen-Sarkissian
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Britain warned of rising religious terrorism threat
with no-deal Brexit
Thomas Harding
Sep 29, 2020
The threat of terrorism would increase significantly
if there were no Brexit agreement between Britain and the EU, the former head
of MI6 said.
"The simple answer is yes," Sir John
Scarlett, former head of Britain’s foreign intelligence service, told The
National.
Mr Scarlett was joined by Britain’s last top EU
diplomat, Sir Julian King, in an online seminar to highlight what could be a
serious loss of intelligence caused by Brexit.
Britain’s intelligence services, including MI6, MI5
and police counter-terrorism units, will lose access to European databases on
criminals and terrorists if there were no formal agreement by December 31.
They will be denied access to the crime database
Schengen Information System II, which British intelligence services used 570
million times last year, making the country the third biggest user in the EU.
Britain will also be blocked from the European
Criminal Records Information Service, which allows quick sharing of records,
and Prum, a DNA database used 12,000 times in the past year by UK
investigators.
Without such combined resources, UK intelligence
agencies will struggle to battle terrorism effectively, Mr Scarlett said.
“If there is a weakening of data exchange capability
then the investigative capability on the part of the EU or the UK potentially
weakens our ability to respond" to religious extremist threats.
"And in terms of our overall security environment
the [religious] extremist threat is absolutely still there.”
There are also considerable concerns that the security
services will struggle to trail suspects across Europe, especially religious
extremists intent on carrying out attacks.
Mr Scarlett gave as an example the ISIS-inspired 2017
London Bridge attackers, who killed eight people, and the Manchester Arena
bomber, Salman Abedi.
He said the ability to track suspects across European
borders, particularly in the Schengen travel area, would be impeded by a
no-deal Brexit.
And the tracking of people, finances, ports and
analysis of terrorist capabilities was “fundamental to effective
counter-terrorism work”, Mr Scarlett said.
Britain is now entering crucial weeks of trade-deal
talks with the EU. looking to formalise an agreement before an automatic
"no-deal" happens at the end of the year.
Doubts remain that a deal will be achieved.
The Royal United Services Institute seminar heard that
if there were no agreement, Britain “almost certainly" will not have
access to the high-level databases.
“You're looking at the situation in Iraq and Syria,
for example, and the spreading of ISIS into the Sahel and Central Africa,"
Mr Scarlett said.
"These are very important areas, clearly of
relevance to EU and UK security, which maybe don’t get as much attention as
they should.”
A paper written by Mr Scarlett and Mr King, the former
EU Security Commissioner, said: “We have yet to talk to anyone involved who
does not anticipate some loss of capability.
https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/britain-warned-of-rising-religious-terrorism-threat-with-no-deal-brexit-1.1085708
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Africa
Efforts to unify soldiers in South Sudan ‘stuck’: UN
envoy
30 September 2020
The UN’s special envoy to South Sudan on Tuesday said
almost no progress had been made in unifying the country’s warring forces under
one army, as promised under a hard-fought peace deal.
The pledge to bring government and rebel soldiers
under a national banner was a cornerstone of a September 2018 peace agreement
that paused five years of bloodshed in which 380,000 people died.
But troops brought together at joint training sites
across the troubled country were deserting due to a lack of food and other
essentials, said United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) special
representative David Shearer.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News
channel online or via the app.
“There has been almost no movement on the critical
areas of security sector reform,” Shearer told a press conference in Juba.
“At the moment, the process is stuck. It hasn’t even
moved past the first stage, where forces are trained and graduated. Urgent
action is needed to move the process forward.”
There was a risk of renewed violence as soldiers
disillusioned with the promise of peace return to their villages hungry and
frustrated, he said.
“Disillusion is not a good thing - it could lead to
frustration and anger and possibly violence,” he said.
“A number of people who are there with a promise of
joining the armed forces are now going back to the villages... and could cause
further instability on the ground.”
Shearer also criticized South Sudan’s government army
for interfering with peacekeeping missions by UN troops tasked with protecting
civilians and aid workers in hotspots plagued by armed unrest.
Last month, he said 92 blue helmets were prevented
from taking up positions at a new UN base in Lobonok, some 110 kilometers (68
miles) from Juba, by government troops who have been fighting the National
Salvation Front (NAS), a holdout rebel group.
The September 2018 agreement, to which NAS is not a
signatory, paved the way for the creation of a power-sharing government in Juba
which took control in February 2020, formally ending the war.
But the young country, born in 2011 from an
independence struggle with Sudan, is still fragile, wracked by armed violence
at a local level and crisis levels of food security.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/09/30/Efforts-to-unify-soldiers-in-South-Sudan-stuck-UN-envoy-
--------
Hundreds of schools in Jordan return to online classes
as COVID-19 cases rise
September 30, 2020
DUBAI: Around 407 schools have switched to a distance
education system in Jordan since the start of the academic year, the Ministry
of Education said, as reported by state news agency Petra.
The move comes as a total of 370 students and
teachers, as well as 12 school staff have tested positive with the coronavirus.
Some schools have only temporarily suspended in-person
classes for a period of 14 days after recording COVID-19 infections, and are
expected to return to normal operations afterwards.
The ministry has urged teachers, students, and school
administrators to follow health precautionary measures to prevent the spread of
the virus.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1742241/middle-east
--------
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