Dawoodi Bohra Community Leader in India under Fire from Activists for Supporting FGM
New Age Islam News Bureau
30 Apr 2016
Photo: Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (C), the new spiritual leader of Dawoodi Bohra Muslims gives blessings to his followers at the Imam Ali shrine, in Najaf, 160km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, March 1, 2014. Reuters/Ahmad Mousa/Files
• Four Major Religions’ Religious Leaders Vow to Fight Extremism with Harmony in Bangladesh
• ISIS May Set Up Caliphate in Southeast Asia, Experts Say
• Muslim Theology Faculties Develop an ‘Islam for Germany’
• ISIL Plundering Artifacts of Davoudiya Historical Site
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India
• Dawoodi Bohra Community Leader in India under Fire from Activists for Supporting FGM
• Islamic State May Target Assam, Says Junior Home Minister
• SC upholds election of Muslim who converted to Sikhism
• Europe could learn from India in tackling migrant crisis: Herbert Krauss
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South Asia
• Four Major Religions’ Religious Leaders Vow to Fight Extremism with Harmony in Bangladesh
• Taliban Makes Plea to International Organizations as Afghan Gov’t Mulls Hanging Militants
• Drone Strikes, Infighting and AAF Raids Kill Over 50 Militants in Nangarhar
• 2 prominent Taliban commanders killed in police ambush in Ghazni
• Use of army last option if cross-border incursions continue: Gen. Shaheem
• Massoud calls for national resistance against Pakistan’s interference
• Taliban’s Zakat collector arrested in northern Pul-e-Khumri city
• Top ISIS leader killed in Afghan Air Force raid in Nangarhar province
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Southeast Asia
• ISIS May Set Up Caliphate in Southeast Asia, Experts Say
• Indonesia investigates Islamic State recruitment in Taiwan
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Europe
• Muslim Theology Faculties Develop an ‘Islam for Germany’
• Britain Sees No Immediate Threat from Islamic State Bases In Libya
• Fire ravages Muslim prayer hall in French island of Corsica
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Arab World
• ISIL Plundering Artifacts of Davoudiya Historical Site
• Al Qaeda-Linked Cleric Leads New Recruiting Campaign for Jihadists in Syria
• ‘Bombing ISIS Will Lead to MORE Jihadis Attacking the West’ Former Militant Claims
• Armed Forces' Attacks Leave Nearly 40 ISIL Terrorists Dead In Deir Ezzur
• At Least 21 Killed, 42 Injured as Car Bomb Targets Shiite Pilgrims near Baghdad
• Syria Could Have Defeated Terrorism Long Time Ago If Turkey Border Closed
• Syrian Army Wins Back Key Heights Overlooking Kabani Town in Lattakia
• Iraqi Army Cuts Terrorists' Samarra-Fallujah Supply Line
• Syrian Warplanes Hit ISIL Military Convoy Hard in Deir Ezzur
• 'Monstrous' violence in Syria as government excludes Aleppo from truce
• Syrian Air Force Targets ISIL Gatherings Heavily across Homs Province
• Syrian Army, NDF Win back More Strategic Heights East of Sweida Province
• Tens of Terrorists Killed in ISIL Failed Attacks on Syrian Army Positions
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North America
• Blasphemy Laws Don’t Protect Religion, They Hurt It
• Meet the Toronto Imam Wanted Dead By Islamic State
• Café owners get threats after Islamic 'hate' accusation
• US says deadly airstrike on Kunduz hospital ‘not a war crime’
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Mideast
• Turkey’s Verdict More Eminent than ECHR’s Verdict on Alevis’ Rights, Says Top Cleric
• Erdoğan Slams Muslim World and Arab League
• Turkish army captain killed in outlawed PKK sniper fire
• UK academic in Turkey faces five years in jail for ‘terrorism propaganda’
• Police working to confirm Bursa suicide bomber’s identity
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Africa
• Sudan Vows To Implement “Executive Measures” To Combat Terrorism
• New Shi’ite Group Disown El-Zakzaky Movement
• Malawi's albinos face 'total extinction'
• Oil-rich African countries must diversify economies
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Pakistan
• Two Arrested In Lahore for ‘Links’ With TTP
• Christian Teen Brutally Murdered By Muslim Girlfriend's Family
• Nanga Parbat massacre convicts shifted to Adiala Jail
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Dawoodi Bohra Community Leader in India under Fire from Activists for Supporting FGM
April 30, 2016
MUMBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The leader of the only South Asian Muslim community known to practise female genital mutilation (FGM) came under criticism on Friday by campaigners who accused him of urging followers to continue the centuries-old custom.
Little is known about FGM in India, where it is carried out in great secrecy by the close-knit Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shi'ite Muslim sect thought to number over 1 million that considers the practice to be a religious obligation.
An audio clip of Syedna Muffadal Saifuddin's speech at a mosque in Mumbai has been authenticated by several members of the community. According to a transcript, he said: "The act must be done. It needs to be done discreetly when it is a woman, but it needs to be done."
Calls and e-mails to a spokesman for the Syedna and the leader's administrative office received no response.
"The speech is a huge disappointment for us," said Masooma Ranalvi, who was cut as a seven-year-old and leads an online petition as part of the 'Speak Out on FGM' campaign, which has drawn almost 50,000 signatories, including Mia Farrow, who tweeted her support on Thursday.
"Ever since we began the campaign, there has been only silence from the clergy. But now that it's out in the open, at least there's no ambiguity about where they stand," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
A person described as a close friend of the Syedna family told the Times of India newspaper that the remarks were a "general comment" and that people were "interpreting it differently".
RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION
FGM, which can cause serious physical and psychological problems, is more commonly linked to African countries which have led international efforts to end the practice.
India is not included on U.N. lists of countries affected by FGM. Campaigners estimate that up to three quarters of Bohra girls are cut.
Although it is not mentioned in the Koran, the Bohras consider 'Khatna' - the removal of part of the clitoris - to be part of their religious duty, and debate on the subject has long been taboo.
But the practice among Indian Dawoodi Bohras hit the headlines in November when a court in Australia found two members of the diaspora community guilty of cutting two girls. A Bohra religious leader was convicted of being an accessory.
Since then, more than a dozen Bohra communities in Europe and the United States have passed resolutions against the practice.
"Why should girls in some parts of the world be spared from circumcision, while girls in other countries continue to be cut?" the non-profit group Sahiyo, which aims to end FGM in India, posted on its website on Friday.
"The strongest form of opposition to Khatna is now coming from within the community."
Campaigners will now focus on petitioning the government while still working with the community, said Ranalvi.
"There is hypocrisy in the clergy's stance, so the government is the most important route open to us now," she said. "We need them to step in to protect our girls."
in.reuters.com/article/india-fgm-bohra-speech-idINKCN0XQ1FE
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Four Major Religions’ Religious Leaders Vow to Fight Extremism with Harmony in Bangladesh
Apr 30, 2016
Leaders of four major religions have vowed to unite and promote religious harmony as part of efforts to combat a sharp rise in religious extremism and militancy in Bangladesh.
The pledge came at an interfaith conference organized by Bangladesh police in Dhaka on April 28.
The gathering brought together about 1,500 people, mostly leaders from Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Buddhist communities.
The show of unity comes in the wake of a series of brutal attacks on liberal and progressive activists including secular bloggers, publishers, educators, and religious leaders allegedly by Islamic militants.
International terror groups such as the so-called Islamic State and al-Qaeda have claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the government insists the attacks were the work of homegrown militants allegedly linked to opposition and Islamist parties.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said there was a "conspiracy to destroy religious harmony" in Bangladesh.
"There are some homegrown militant groups who are trying to create anarchy. This is part of a conspiracy to destroy a long tradition of peace and religious harmony in Bangladesh," Khan told the April 28 gathering.
Leaders from various religious communities can play a vital role in uniting people against fundamentalism, he added.
Holy Cross Archbishop Patrick D'Rozario of Dhaka said interfaith dialogue and efforts to strengthen harmony are vital in battling religious extremism.
"We are passing through challenging times and we would like to overcome these challenges successfully," he said.
"We have inherited a thousand-year-old tradition of tolerance and harmony, so we should not let some unexpected incidents happen and destroy it," Archbishop D'Rozario said.
Prominent Islamic cleric Maulana Fariduddin Masoud said Islam doesn't endorse violence and that Bangladesh's Islamic leaders denounce violence in the name of religion.
"The courts are entrusted to judge people if they commit any offense, but some misguided people are using violence in the name of Islam. This is un-Islamic," said Masoud, head of Jamiat ul Ulema, a liberal Islamic group.
Masoud's group is carrying out a signature campaign to collect signatures from 100,000 Islamic clerics to declare an anti-militancy fatwa (religious edict).
"So far we have collected 76,000 signatures from clerics and the rest would be collected soon," he said.
"Every religion calls for love, compassion and human dignity, and this sense of humanity needs to spread all over. This is how we can fight extremism and build a peaceful society," he added.
The rise of fundamentalism shows some weak points in the country's culture of harmony, which must be mended, according to Swami Dhruveshananda, a Hindu priest and principal of the Dhaka branch of the Ramakrishna Mission, an international Hindu organization.
"We must work … to diminish divisions to ensure equity and peace," the Hindu leader said.
Shuddhananda Mohathero, president of the Dhaka-based Buddha Kristi Prachar Sangha, a Buddhist religious and social organization, echoed the call.
"One who truly loves [his] country and religion can't resort to violent means. As religious leaders we must make strong efforts to educate faithful for peace and harmony, in order to denounce religious bigotry and hatred," the Buddhist monk said.
ucanews.com/news/religious-leaders-vow-to-fight-extremism-with-harmony/75902
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ISIS May Set Up Caliphate in Southeast Asia, Experts Say
Saturday, 30 April 2016
SINGAPORE: As the Islamic State (IS) loses its grip on territories in the Middle East, the militant group is expected to look towards South-east Asia to perpetuate its claims to a caliphate.
Counter-terrorism analysts say the region's long history of militancy and rising number of extremist groups adopting IS ideology make it attractive to the extremist network.
Possible targets include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, where the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) and Jemaah Anshar Khilafah terror networks, as well as the Abu Sayyaf, operate.
"These are existing sanctuaries that the Islamic State would love to plug in," said Patrick Skinner from New York-based security consultancy The Soufan Group (TSG).
"There is no such thing as a clandestine caliphate, they need sanctuary, they need a place for these people to go to, where they can say: This is where our flag is," he added.
The former case officer with the Central Intelligence Agency was testifying on Wednesday before the US House Committee on Homeland Security about the terrorism threat in the region.
He wrote in a report released by TSG on the same day that while IS has yet to establish a South-east Asian wiliyah, or state, "it is likely that it will do so this year, as its grip on Syria and Iraq weakens".
IS, he added, is also finding Libya "a difficult place to remain (in) and expand, and it is very possible that places like southern Philippines will be its next priority".
His latest analysis comes after IS lost a series of territories as local militias, backed by coalition forces, managed to retake cities from the group in the new year. The last of IS' major battlefield victories, for instance, was when it seized Ramadi in Iraq almost a year ago.
"Long-held assumptions about South-east Asia not being fertile ground for violent extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State tend to downplay the previous several decades of terrorism in the region," he wrote. "Now, concern is building among … the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore that the Islamic State has the region in its cross hairs."
Analysts from the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) confirmed that IS has started a campaign to establish an Islamic caliphate across Asia.
Jasminder Singh and Muhammad Haziq Jani said in a report that to fulfil the vision of a caliphate, IS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi affiliated militant groups in South-east Asia with his group's doctrines, "turning them into a unified force".
While terrorism – whether perpetrated by IS or JI – will not be eradicated any time soon, Dr Joseph Liow said in a report yesterday that the threat remains "at a low level".
"One possible factor that could prompt a change is a deliberate shift of attention of IS central to Southeast Asia," said the RSIS dean, who also spoke before the committee in Washington. "This, however, seems unlikely for now as IS is preoccupied with its immediate priority of holding ground in Iraq and Syria, and expanding its fight to Libya and Europe."
Dr Liow said while governments in the region today are better prepared to deal with terrorism compared with 15 years ago, "capacity can … be further improved with cooperation among themselves, and with some help from the United States". – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/04/30/is-may-set-up-in-sea/
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Muslim theology faculties develop an ‘Islam for Germany’
Apr 30, 2016
While Germany’s politicians are loudly debating whether Islam is compatible with democracy, five of its state universities are quietly developing pioneering new Islamic theology faculties to try to ensure that it is.
The five universities — in Muenster, Osnabrueck, Frankfurt, Tubingen and Erlangen-Nuremberg — recently passed their first official evaluations by Muslim and Christian experts and were granted 20 million euros (or $22 million) to continue for another five years.
The programs now have a total of over 1,800 students and plan to grow. The largest program, in Muenster, has 700 students in its three-year bachelor’s program and received more than double that number of applicants this academic year alone.
Their example has been such a success that Berlin decided to introduce Islamic theology at one of its universities, even though it will not get federal funds for it.
The practical approach these faculties have taken towards training Muslim religion teachers, conducting research into Islam and fostering interfaith dialogue contrasts sharply with the increasingly shrill declarations coming from Germany’s far-right, especially the Alternative for Germany party.
The party is holding a convention this weekend to agree on its new platform. Its deputy leader, Beatrix von Storch, said Islam violates Germany’s democratic constitution and its public symbols such as minarets, muezzins (people who call Muslims to prayer) and full-face veils should be banned.
Johanna Wanka, Germany’s federal minister for education and research, struck a different tone in January when she approved the renewed funding for the five theology centers.
“With these centers, the Muslim faith has found a home in Germany’s academic and theological debates,” she said. “This is an important contribution to interreligious dialogue.”
German state schools have religious education classes that students attend according to their beliefs. Instruction in the majority Protestant and Catholic faiths are available countrywide and a few areas also offer Jewish education.
With the growing number of Muslims in Germany, four states have introduced regular Islamic education for their Muslim public school students. The courses need university-trained teachers, so some universities had to start offering academic programs in Islam.
The faculties teach standard courses on the Quran, Islamic law and classic Muslim philosophy, as well as Arabic and pedagogy.
Marrying traditional Islamic learning with German academic standards has not been easy.
Muslim associations like DITIB, the local arm of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Department that runs mosques and employs imams around Germany, have a say in hiring professors. They have rejected or opposed some candidates they thought were too liberal.
But the universities insisted Islam had to be subject to the same critical approach as any other subject and academics must be able to do research and publish freely.
Conservative guardians of Muslim tradition have some reason to be wary.
German theologians developed the historical-critical method of biblical scholarship in the 18th and 19th centuries, an approach most Islamic scholars have resisted because they view such analytical methods as undermining the faith.
If Islamic theology faculties followed this example, some conservatives worried, they could become hotbeds of heresy spreading a reformist Islam unfit to teach to young Muslims.
In Muenster, Muslim groups led a bitter campaign against the faculty’s director Mouhanad Khorchide, who received several death threats and was given police protection. But the university stood by him and the criticism eventually ebbed.
The Lebanese-born son of Palestinian refugees, Khorchide, 44, has irritated conservative Muslims with popular books such as “Islam Is Mercy” and “God Believes in People,” and appearances on German talk shows where he is treated like the new spokesman for Islam.
He speaks out clearly against the ultra-conservative Salafi Muslims, who have a tiny but growing following among young German Muslims, and call for Shariah to be the law of the land.
“It is not the job of religions, including Islam, to pass laws,” Khorchide said. “The real concern of Islam is that people perfect themselves, both as individuals and as a society, in order to reach the community of God.”
In nearby Osnabrueck, Bulent Ucar said the faculty he heads taught neither an outdated faith nor a kind of “Islam Light” to its 300 students.
“We try to match tradition to today’s situations. But we can only change the understanding of Islam if we are accepted by Muslims in their congregations,” said the 49-year-old ethnic Turk born in Germany.
His faculty has widened its horizons by launching projects such as one with the Catholic theology and sociology faculties to study social work among immigrants. It has also joined with a Protestant college and a rabbinical seminary to coordinate curricula for their students.
Like several other Islam professors, Ucar has become a regular commentator in the media on Muslim issues. In a recent interview, he compared the Alternative for Germany party with the ultra-orthodox Salafis. “Both assume that Islam is not made for democracy,” he said.
Frankfurt faculty head Bekim Agai, 42, was born in Essen to a German mother and Macedonian father. He says his faculty wants to develop an “Islam for Germany” that “makes traditions useful for their context.”
One of its leading professors, Omer Ozsoy, came from Ankara University’s theology faculty in Turkey, known in the Muslim world for its modern interpretation of the Quran.
Harry Harun Behr, a German convert from Catholicism to Islam who teaches religious education, says the faculties have “brought about an anthropological shift in Islamic theology … with less traditionalism and more attention to the situations in which Muslims live.”
“Islam in Europe will have its own stamp on it,” he said. “This is very attractive for Islamic theologians from many different countries. They can do their research here without political pressure.”
The rapid expansion of the five faculties reflects their popularity among German Muslim students, many of whom will go on to become teachers of Islam, hospital chaplains and social workers among the growing minority.
Not all of them are ready for the traditional rigor of German academia, though.
“They want to have their faith confirmed, but a university is a place to think about one’s faith,” Khorchide said. He thinks it will take one or two generations of students before most approach Islam as an intellectual subject.
stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/muslim-theology-faculties-develop-an-islam-for-germany/article_6afaf992-65b1-5479-a5c6-082e7c7e1f77.html
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ISIL Plundering Artifacts of Davoudiya Historical Site
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The ISIL Takfiri terrorist group has started its illegal excavations in an ancient mausoleum in the Eastern part of Deir Ezzur province, local sources disclosed.
"The ISIL is plundering Davoudiya Mausoleum in Baqras village in Eastern Deir Ezzur," the Arabic-language media outlets quoted an unnamed local source as saying on Saturday.
The source underlined that the ISIL terrorists found clay plates containing gold pieces and dispatched an expert team of excavating artifacts.
In a relevant development earlier in April, Head of Syria's Historical Sites said that the ISIL and other terrorist groups have plundered the country's artifacts in clandestine operations directed by foreign countries.
"Several important historical sites such as Qos al-Nasr, Ba'al temple, Ba'al Shamin temple, western castle and Tariq al-Mostaqim have been badly damaged," the Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted Mohammad Nazir Awad as saying.
He reiterated that winning back of Palmyra was a great achievement as it prevented further smuggling of the ancient city's artifacts to abroad.
Nazir Awad said many illegal excavations have taken place in Palmyra and other ancient sites which have been under ISIL's control, adding that the terrorists have sent them outside Syria through the bordering areas that were not under the government's control.
Also, the Russian investigators said that the ISIL terrorists didn't just demolish the World Heritage site, the city of Palmyra that they seized last year, they had been successfully trading the city's unique relics while in control of the territory.
They estimated that the terrorist group has garnered around $200 million by selling artifacts it has looted from ancient sites in Palmyra.
The archeological wonder with 2,000-year-old ruins, located amid the Syrian desert, was eviscerated by ISIL terrorists last year.
On March 27, the Syrian army, backed by militias and Russian Air Force, fully liberated Palmyra after ten months of terror and devastation. The city is a strategic crossroads linking the Syrian capital, Damascus, with the country's East and the border with Iraq.
During the ISIL reign in the city known as the "Bride of the Desert", several assets of significant heritage were destroyed by the terrorist group, including two large 18-century temples and a 2,000-year old Roman-era Arch of Triumph.
The amphitheater dating back to the same epoch was used by the militants for public executions. The major part of the city is reportedly still lying in ruins.
Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said in a letter released Wednesday that ISIL had a special subdivision focused on trading antiquities.
The Turkish city of Gaziantep is the center "for the smuggling of cultural heritage items", Churkin wrote, goods there are "sold at illegal auctions and then through a network of antique shops and at the local market".
Turkish authorities didn't comment on the report.
en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211000646
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India
Dawoodi Bohra Community Leader in India under Fire from Activists for Supporting FGM
April 30, 2016
MUMBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The leader of the only South Asian Muslim community known to practise female genital mutilation (FGM) came under criticism on Friday by campaigners who accused him of urging followers to continue the centuries-old custom.
Little is known about FGM in India, where it is carried out in great secrecy by the close-knit Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shi'ite Muslim sect thought to number over 1 million that considers the practice to be a religious obligation.
An audio clip of Syedna Muffadal Saifuddin's speech at a mosque in Mumbai has been authenticated by several members of the community. According to a transcript, he said: "The act must be done. It needs to be done discreetly when it is a woman, but it needs to be done."
Full report at: in.reuters.com/article/india-fgm-bohra-speech-idINKCN0XQ1FE
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Islamic State may target Assam, says junior home minister
29,04,2016
Questions are not only being asked about the overall security situation but also regarding coordination among intelligence agencies.
Union Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary has expressed concerns that Middle-East-based militant groups like the Islamic State might target Assam.
Indian security agencies see as significant the arrests of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) cadres in Assam in the aftermath of a blast in West Bengal's Burdwan district in 2014.
In subsequent months, a new 'Jihadi' group, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, which follows the JMB's module, has emerged in Assam and 30 of their militants have been arrested so far.
Rajya Sabha (upper house) MP from Odisha, Ranjib Biswal asked if “the IS carried out more than 10 militant attacks last year in Bangladesh?"
The MP also asked whether this militant group could also mount attacks on Assam and West Bengal.
Full report at: bdnews24.com/neighbours/2016/04/29/islamic-state-may-target-assam-says-junior-home-minister
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SC Upholds Election of Muslim Who Converted To Sikhism
Apr 30, 2016
NEW DELHI: Can a person born in a Muslim family, which practised Islamic rites, claim to have converted to a scheduled caste community in Sikhism and contest assembly elections from a seat reserved for SCs?
The Supreme Court on Friday said he could do so. The relief went the way of popular Punjabi folk singer Mohammad Sadiq, who contested from Bhadaur reserved constituency in 2012 on a Congress ticket and defeated bureaucrat-turned-politician Darbara Singh Guru.
A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and P C Pant set aside a judgment of Punjab and Haryana high court, which had quashed Sadiq's election on the ground that a Muslim could not contest from a seat reserved for scheduled castes. Sadiq challenged the April 7, 2015 order of the HC in the apex court through advocate Amol Suryawanshi.
Full report at: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-upholds-election-of-Muslim-who-converted-to-Sikhism/articleshow/52047856.cms
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Europe could learn from India in tackling migrant crisis: Herbert Krauss
April 30th, 2016
VIENNA: Europe can learn from India in tackling the migrant crisis as the country has experience in dealing with migrants and integrating them, a top Austrian official has said.
As Europe grapples with an unprecedented influx of migrants, there is definitely a strategic partnership between India and the EU, said Herbert Krauss, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Austria, Head of the Department for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (EU).
"Though I am not dealing with our bila ..
economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/europe-could-learn-from-india-in-tackling-migrant-crisis-herbert-krauss/articleshow/52052245.cms
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South Asia
Four Major Religions’ Religious Leaders Vow to Fight Extremism with Harmony in Bangladesh
Apr 30, 2016
Leaders of four major religions have vowed to unite and promote religious harmony as part of efforts to combat a sharp rise in religious extremism and militancy in Bangladesh.
The pledge came at an interfaith conference organized by Bangladesh police in Dhaka on April 28.
The gathering brought together about 1,500 people, mostly leaders from Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Buddhist communities.
Full report at: ucanews.com/news/religious-leaders-vow-to-fight-extremism-with-harmony/75902
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Taliban Makes Plea to International Organizations as Afghan Gov’t Mulls Hanging Militants
Fri Apr 29 2016
The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan has made a plea to international organizations including the international human rights and International Committee of Red Cross to intervene as the Afghan government mulls hanging militants convicted to terrorist related activities.
Warning that the hanging of militants would have serious repercussions, the Taliban group said “The Islamic Emirate also calls upon international human right organizations, independent media outlets, ICRC and other free impartial committees to not remain indifferent in using their influence concerning matter of prisoner execution.”
Noting the announcement by President Ghani regarding the implementation of judiciary institutions verdicts regarding the terrorists, the group said it “will respond with everything within its power to defend its oppressed nation.”
Full report at: khaama.com/taliban-makes-plea-to-international-organizations-as-govt-mulls-hanging-militants-0786
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Drone strikes, infighting and AAF raids kill over 50 militants in Nangarhar
Sat Apr 30 2016
At least 57 anti-government armed militants were killed in separate airstrikes and infighting among the rival militant groups in eastern Nangarhar province.
According to the local government officials, the militants were killed during the past 24 hours in different parts of Nangarhar.
Provincial governor’s spokesman Ataullah Khogyani said at least 23 militants were killed in an airstrike in Chaparhar district.
He said a commander of the militants was also among those killed and at least 6 others were wounded in the raid.
Full report at: khaama.com/drone-strikes-infighting-and-aaf-raids-kill-over-50-militants-in-nangarhar-0789
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2 prominent Taliban commanders killed in police ambush in Ghazni
Sat Apr 30 2016
Two prominent commanders of the Taliban group were killed in an ambush by the Afghan police forces in southeastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) said the two top Taliban commanders were killed in Deh Yak and Gilan districts of Ghazni on Friday.
Full report at: khaama.com/2-prominent-taliban-commanders-killed-in-police-ambush-in-ghazni-0791
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Use of army last option if cross-border incursions continue: Gen. Shaheem
Sat Apr 30 2016
Gen. ShaheemThe Chief of Staff of the Afghan National Army General Qadam Shah Shaheem said Saturday that the Afghan government prefers other options to resolve the cross-border shelling along the Durand Line.
Gen. Saheem was speaking during a news briefing to provide update regarding the security situation of the country and the ongoing major military operation ‘Shafaq’.
He said the Ministry of Defense has assessed the Pakistani military incursions in Nangarhar, involving rocket attack and use of tanks on Lalpur district.
Full report at: khaama.com/use-of-army-last-option-if-cross-border-incursions-continue-gen-shaheem-0793
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Massoud calls for national resistance against Pakistan’s interference
Sat Apr 30 2016
A top aide to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has called for the establishment of a national resistance against the interference of Pakistan in the country, insisting that the Taliban group and other terror groups fighting in the country are slaves who are fighting for the interests of the outsiders.
Ahmad Zia Massoud, the presidential envoy for better governance, said the current year will most probably be the end of the fighting for the Taliban group in the country.
He was speaking during a gathering in capital Kabul to mark the 24th victory of Mujahideen against the Soviet-backed regime in the country.
Full report at: khaama.com/massoud-calls-for-national-resistance-against-pakistans-interference-0792
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Taliban’s Zakat collector arrested in northern Pul-e-Khumri city
Sat Apr 30 2016
The Afghan security forces have arrested a Taliban group member who was involved in collecting Zakat from the local residents in northern Baghlan province.
According to the security officials, the suspect was arrested during an operation in Pul-e-Khumri city, the provincial capital of northern Baghlan province.
The Taliban militants group has not commented regarding the report so far.
The Afghan security forces have stepped up crackdown on the militants of the group across the country to suppress the insurgency activities of the group which has been rampant since the group announced its summer offensive earlier this month.
Full report at: khaama.com/talibans-zakat-collector-arrested-in-northern-pul-e-khumri-city-0790
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Top ISIS leader killed in Afghan Air Force raid in Nangarhar province
Sat Apr 30 2016
A top leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group was killed in an airstrike in eastern Nangarhar province.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the airstrike was carried out by the Afghan Air Force (AAF) in Achin district.
Full report at: khaama.com/top-isis-leader-killed-in-afghan-air-force-raid-in-nangarhar-province-0788
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Southeast Asia
ISIS May Set Up Caliphate in Southeast Asia, Experts Say
Saturday, 30 April 2016
SINGAPORE: As the Islamic State (IS) loses its grip on territories in the Middle East, the militant group is expected to look towards South-east Asia to perpetuate its claims to a caliphate.
Counter-terrorism analysts say the region's long history of militancy and rising number of extremist groups adopting IS ideology make it attractive to the extremist network.
Possible targets include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, where the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) and Jemaah Anshar Khilafah terror networks, as well as the Abu Sayyaf, operate.
"These are existing sanctuaries that the Islamic State would love to plug in," said Patrick Skinner from New York-based security consultancy The Soufan Group (TSG).
"There is no such thing as a clandestine caliphate, they need sanctuary, they need a place for these people to go to, where they can say: This is where our flag is," he added.
The former case officer with the Central Intelligence Agency was testifying on Wednesday before the US House Committee on Homeland Security about the terrorism threat in the region.
Full report at: thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/04/30/is-may-set-up-in-sea/
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Indonesia investigates Islamic State recruitment in Taiwan
April 30, 2016
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- An Indonesian official said a probe was underway to address reports of a "significant increase" in Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau who have been recruited by the Islamic State (IS).
Tito Karnavian, the chief of Indonesia's National Counterterrorism Agency, on Wednesday said that officials were investigating widespread reports of the terror group's activity in the three regions.
Full report at: chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/foreign-affairs/2016/04/30/464794/Indonesia-investigates.htm
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Europe
Muslim theology faculties develop an ‘Islam for Germany’
Apr 30, 2016
While Germany’s politicians are loudly debating whether Islam is compatible with democracy, five of its state universities are quietly developing pioneering new Islamic theology faculties to try to ensure that it is.
The five universities — in Muenster, Osnabrueck, Frankfurt, Tubingen and Erlangen-Nuremberg — recently passed their first official evaluations by Muslim and Christian experts and were granted 20 million euros (or $22 million) to continue for another five years.
The programs now have a total of over 1,800 students and plan to grow. The largest program, in Muenster, has 700 students in its three-year bachelor’s program and received more than double that number of applicants this academic year alone.
Their example has been such a success that Berlin decided to introduce Islamic theology at one of its universities, even though it will not get federal funds for it.
The practical approach these faculties have taken towards training Muslim religion teachers, conducting research into Islam and fostering interfaith dialogue contrasts sharply with the increasingly shrill declarations coming from Germany’s far-right, especially the Alternative for Germany party.
Full report at: stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/muslim-theology-faculties-develop-an-islam-for-germany/article_6afaf992-65b1-5479-a5c6-082e7c7e1f77.html
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Britain sees no immediate threat from Islamic State bases in Libya
Fri Apr 29, 2016
Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Friday he saw no immediate threat to Europe from Islamic State bases in Libya and did not expect the new Libyan government to ask for foreign troops anytime soon.
Libya has been in chaos since Western-backed rebels overthrew President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Western states are hoping a new Libyan unity government, which arrived in Tripoli last month, will be able to make Libya's armed factions work together against the militant group, and have said they are ready to provide training for Libyan forces if requested by the unity government.
Full report at: reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-libya-britain-idUSKCN0XQ2H5
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Fire ravages Muslim prayer hall in French island of Corsica
Apr 30, 2016
A Muslim prayer hall in the French island of Corsica was ravaged by fire on Saturday (April 30) in what prosecutors said was probably a criminal attack.
The blaze occurred just months after the island, popular with tourists for its turquoise waters and picturesque mountains, was rocked by anti-Arab riots over Christmas.
The building, one of the largest prayer halls in the capital Ajaccio, suffered major damage in the fire, said Mr Abdallah Zekri, the head of the National Observatory Against Islamophobia.
He called on the authorities "to do everything to shed light on this incident in order to avoid an escalation of violence".
"It has been calm since the end of the year, but unfortunately certain ill-intentioned people want to inflame the situation," he told AFP.
Protests erupted on the Mediterranean island over Christmas after firefighters and police called to a low-income immigrant neighbourhood were ambushed and attacked.
Demonstrators shouting slogans such as "This is our home!" and "Arabs get out", vandalised a prayer hall and set fire to books including copies of the Quran.
Full report at: straitstimes.com/world/europe/fire-ravages-muslim-prayer-hall-in-french-island-of-corsica
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Arab World
ISIL Plundering Artifacts of Davoudiya Historical Site
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The ISIL Takfiri terrorist group has started its illegal excavations in an ancient mausoleum in the Eastern part of Deir Ezzur province, local sources disclosed.
"The ISIL is plundering Davoudiya Mausoleum in Baqras village in Eastern Deir Ezzur," the Arabic-language media outlets quoted an unnamed local source as saying on Saturday.
The source underlined that the ISIL terrorists found clay plates containing gold pieces and dispatched an expert team of excavating artifacts.
In a relevant development earlier in April, Head of Syria's Historical Sites said that the ISIL and other terrorist groups have plundered the country's artifacts in clandestine operations directed by foreign countries.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211000646
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Al Qaeda-linked cleric leads new recruiting campaign for jihadists in Syria
April 28, 2016
Sheikh Abdallah Muhammad al Muhaysini, one of the most influential jihadist ideologues in Syria, has launched a new recruiting campaign that aims to indoctrinate thousands of young men. The mobilization effort, named “Take Up Arms, Do Not Sit Still” and also referred to as “Go Forth,” began online and throughout Syria on Apr. 20.
One of the first propaganda videos released for the effort shows Muhaysini speaking in front of a large crowd at a refugee camp. The Saudi cleric, who is linked to al Qaeda, is treated like a rock star at the event. The rally was supposedly led to between 200 and 300 new recruits joining the jihadists’ cause.
Muhaysini begins his speech by blasting Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad, Iran and Hezbollah. A clip of Hasan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, is played. “If the battle with those terrorists and takfiris needs me and all Hezbollah to go to Syria, we will go to Syria,” Nasrallah promises.
Muhaysini responds, “We say come, and we swear by Allah we will [introduce] you to the dogs of Sham.”
Full report at: longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/04/al-qaeda-linked-cleric-leads-new-recruiting-campaign-for-jihadists-in-syria.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LongWarJournalSiteWide+%28The+Long+War+Journal+%28Site-Wide%29%29
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‘Bombing ISIS will lead to MORE jihadis attacking the West’ former militant claims
Saturday, 30 April 2016
Harry Sarfo, who grew up in Britain, left ISIS despite previously appearing in one of the twisted group’s shocking propaganda videos.
Mr Sarfo, who is currently in a German prison awaiting trial on terror charges, has warned that US-led campaigns over Syria and Iraq will increase the threat against countries dropping the bombs.
He said: “For every bomb, there will be someone to bring terror to the West.”
The German-born former militant was radicalised in his home country after moving to Britain as a teenager and converting to Islam.
Full report at: express.co.uk/news/world/665863/islamic-state-isis-isil-daesh-is-syria-iraq-terror-jihadis-militant-airstrikes
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At Least 21 Killed, 42 Injured as Car Bomb Targets Shiite Pilgrims near Baghdad
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- A car bomb has killed at least 21 people near the Iraqi capital, security officials said. The bomb targeted Shiite pilgrims who were heading towards a shrine in the North of Baghdad.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211000983
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Syria Could Have Defeated Terrorism Long Time Ago If Turkey Border Closed
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian government army is capable of defeating terrorism shortly as soon as the porous Northern border with Turkey is sealed, Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad said.
Haddad estimated that over 50,000 fighters from 80 countries are currently fighting on the side of extremists in Syria, backed by global and regional powers. He specified that the Persian Gulf states finance the militants who undergo military training in Turkey.
"Of course, Syria could have defeated terrorism long time ago, but it had required closing the border with Turkey. Nearly all terrorists are crossing through the Turkish border," Haddad told RIA Novosti.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211001024
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Syrian Army Wins Back Key Heights Overlooking Kabani Town in Lattakia
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army continued its advances in the Northeastern part of Lattakia province on Saturday, and seized back a number of strategic heights paving the way for taking full control of a key town there.
The army units are now in full control of Heights 1146, 1154 and 1112, as well as Zawiqat which overlook the strategic town of Kabani in Northeastern Lattakia.
The newly-liberated heights are important because they are located to the South, Southeast, and Southwest of Kabani town.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211000906
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Iraqi Army Cuts Terrorists' Samarra-Fallujah Supply Line
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iraqi army and volunteer forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) in the Southern part of Samarra managed to cut the terrorists' supply route to Fallujah on Saturday.
The Iraqi forces kicked off their military operations to provide the security of the Southern part of Samarra city on Friday and they restored full security to Samarra-Fallujah road.
The Iraqi army's engineering unit, meantime, defused the bombs planted by the terrorists in the region.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211000809
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Syrian Warplanes Hit ISIL Military Convoy Hard in Deir Ezzur
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian fighter jets, tipped off by the intelligence agents, tracked and targeted a long column of ISIL's military and supply vehicles near a key village in the Eastern part of Deir Ezzur province and destroyed most of the convoy's vehicles.
The ISIL convoy was targeted by the Syrian bomber on a road near the village of al-Mura'yeh in the Southern side of Euphrates River.
The bombardments were very heavy and inflicted major damage on the ISIL vehicles, while several guards of the convoy, including non-Syrian suicide attackers, were killed or wounded in the attacks.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211001088
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Syrian Air Force Targets ISIL Gatherings Heavily across Homs Province
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian fighter jets, in several combat sorties, targeted ISIL's sites and positions in the Eastern and Southwestern parts of Homs province and pinned the terrorists down behind their strongholds.
The Syrian army's aircraft hit the ISIL centers in the Northeastern side of the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur), which ended in the killing of at least 11 Takfiri terrorists and destruction of their military-logistic vehicles.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211000823
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Syrian Army, NDF Win back More Strategic Heights East of Sweida Province
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army troops and National Defense Forces (NDF) carried out joint offensives in the Eastern territories of Sweida province and forced the ISIL terrorist group to pull its forces back from more hilltops there.
The ISIL left behind at least 13 dead and several more wounded members and retreated from its positions near the small town of al-Qaser under the heavy offensives of the Syrian government forces, which ended in the capture of several hilltops, including Tal Dhalfa near Khalkhaleh airbase.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211000780
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Tens of Terrorists Killed in ISIL Failed Attacks on Syrian Army Positions
30 APRIL, 2016
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian military forces thwarted ISIL's offensives on government positions in the Eastern battlefields of Aleppo province, claiming the lives of at least 30 terrorists and injuring many more.
Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950211000633
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North America
Blasphemy Laws Don’t Protect Religion, They Hurt It
Apr 29, 2016
Last Wednesday, I spoke on a panel at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs In DC. The conference, co-hosted by the Center’s Religious Freedom Project and the Center for Islam and Religious Freedom, looked at the historical sources of blasphemy laws and their implementation in countries around the world today.
One panel addressed the correlation between blasphemy and extremism.
American Muslim organizations focus on the way forward for American Muslims- how they can understand blasphemy laws and how such laws are an anathema to the very values we hold dear as people of faith. As Muslims, we can participate in ensuring the removal of these laws in Muslim-majority countries, and removing blasphemy laws will in fact serve to protect religion, not harm it.
Full report at: huffingtonpost.com/entry/blasphemy-laws-dont-prote_b_9807116.html?section=india
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Meet the Toronto imam wanted dead by Islamic State
Friday, Apr. 29, 2016
Imam Abdullah Hakim Quick was at a banquet, surrounded by mayors, police chiefs and dignitaries, celebrating 26 years of the Canadian Council of Imams when he learned Islamic State was calling for his murder.
It had been a day of positivity, a celebration that bridged the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims in a world dominated by hostility toward Islam. Then a council member came to deliver the news that Mr. Quick was one of two Canadian imams identified by Islamic State (IS or ISIS) in the April issue of the militant group’s magazine, Dabiq. The religious leaders were described as “valid … obligatory targets,” considered enemies by the terrorist organization because they preach against violence and extremism.
“It’s almost like the devil; pure evil screaming at you to stop this,” Mr. Quick recalls of his near visceral reaction.
Full report at: theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/meet-the-toronto-imam-wanted-dead-by-islamic-state/article29809829/
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Café owners get threats after Islamic 'hate' accusation
Fri Apr 29 2016
A controversy has erupted following a Muslim woman’s claim that she and her friends were asked to leave a popular California restaurant after 45 minutes because they are Muslim, with the owner rejecting the accusation and his lawyer warning that such charges can prompt criminal acts against his clients.
“This appears to be inciting violence against our client,” lawyer Larry Klayman told WND of the dispute that erupted between a customer, Sara Farsakh, and the Urth Café in Laguna Beach.
Farsakh posted a video on Facebook suggesting she and her friends were discriminated against because they are Muslim, and shortly after the Council on American-Islamic Relations for the Los Angeles area got involved.
Full report at: wnd.com/2016/04/cafe-owners-get-threats-after-islamic-hate-accusation/
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US says deadly airstrike on Kunduz hospital ‘not a war crime’
Sat Apr 30 2016
The US military released a report on Friday regarding a deadly airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz, stating that the raid did not amount to a war crime.
The report further added that the tragic incident was caused by human error, equipment failure and other factors.
General Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, said “The investigation concluded that certain personnel failed to comply with the rules of engagement and the law of armed conflict.”
He was speaking during a news briefing on Friday to release the final report. “However, the investigation did not conclude that these failures amounted to a war crime,” Gen. Votel added.
Full report at: khaama.com/us-says-deadly-airstrike-on-kunduz-hospital-not-a-war-crime-0789
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Mideast
Turkey’s verdict more eminent than ECHR’s verdict on Alevis’ rights, says top cleric
April/29/2016
According to Turkey’s top cleric, the Turkish nation’s verdict has precedence over a verdict by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which recently found Turkey guilty of violating Alevis’ right to religious freedom and discrimination by withholding public funds for Alevi worship houses “with no objective and reasonable justification.”
“As the president of the Diyanet [the Directorate of Religious Affairs], I believe that the joint decision that we would make about respect for each other’s rights is much higher and more eminent than the verdicts of all other courts,” Diyanet President Mehmet Görmez said on April 29.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-verdict-more-eminent-than-echrs-verdict-on-alevis-rights-says-top-cleric.aspx?pageID=238&nID=98526&NewsCatID=393
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Erdoğan slams Muslim world and Arab League
April 28, 2016
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has slammed the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League for not being able to stand together in Muslim unity.
Citing racism as a major threat facing Islam, Erdoğan said he was saddened by people using the words “Turk” and “Arab.”
“Will there be a Turk League in response to this [the Arab league]? Why should there be [such a league]? You say the OIC on one hand, and the Arab League on the other hand. What kind of an issue is this? Why do we call one the Organization of Islamic Cooperation but call the other the Arab League? Arabs don’t have supremacy over non-Arabs, nor do non-Arabs have supremacy over Arabs. Supremacy only [comes] through surrendering to God [takva]. This is the core,” said Erdoğan, delivering a speech at the closing ceremony of a Turkish-Arab Higher Education Congress in Istanbul on April 28.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-slams-muslim-world-and-arab-league.aspx?pageID=238&nid=98511
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Turkish army captain killed in outlawed PKK sniper fire
April/30/2016
A Turkish Army captain was shot dead by an outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) sniper early on April 30 during a military operation in the Nusaybin district of the southeastern province of Mardin.
Turkey’s military also confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed in the district where operations have continued since March 14, when a curfew was declared.
Captain Alper Kalem was wounded in the fire in clash that erupted when a group of soldiers were trying to remove the bombs on the streets laid by the PKK militants at 7 a.m. local time.
Kalem was hospitalized by succumbed to his wound.
In the same neighborhood, two soldiers and one soldier were wounded in a rocket attack on an armored vehicle.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-jets-hit-pkk-targets-in-northern-iraq.aspx?pageID=238&nID=98550&NewsCatID=341
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UK academic in Turkey faces five years in jail for ‘terrorism propaganda’
April/29/2016
Chris Stephenson, a lecturer in computer science at Istanbul’s Bilgi University, was detained in front of Istanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse on March 15, where he was supporting three Turkish academics detained in as part of a probe into signatories of a petition calling for an end to clashes between security forces and PKK militants in January.
Stephenson was detained for possession of 10 leaflets for the spring festival Nevruz. The leaflets, which featured pictures of masked people lighting fires and building barricades on the streets, were seized from Stephenson’s bag while he was entering the courthouse, the indictment stated.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/uk-academic-in-turkey-faces-five-years-in-jail-for-terrorism-propaganda.aspx?pageID=238&nID=98527&NewsCatID=509
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Police working to confirm Bursa suicide bomber’s identity
April/29/2016
Police believe the suicide bomber who killed herself and wounded 13 others in Turkey’s northwestern province of Bursa on April 28 was a woman identified as Suzan B., according to reports citing intelligence sources.
According to the claims, police have taken DNA samples from the suspect’s family members in the southeastern province of Mardin and are working to confirm her identity.
Turkish police discovered Suzan B. after following evidence found on the bomber’s body: A ticket from Şanlıurfa to Bursa organized for a passenger named “Sultan” and two identity cards with the names Emine Kızıl and Sultan Yıldız.
The ticket showed that the woman had traveled from Şanlıurfa on April 23 and arrived at Bursa’s bus terminal at around 6 p.m. the same day.
Full report at: hurriyetdailynews.com/police-working-to-confirm-bursa-suicide-bombers-identity.aspx?pageID=238&nID=98506&NewsCatID=509
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Africa
Sudan vows to implement “executive measures” to combat terrorism
April 29, 2016
The Sudanese government said it would address the phenomenon of terrorism through dialogue and intellectual work besides implementing administrative and executive measures.
The Under-secretary of the ministry of Guidance and Endowments Hamid Youssef Adam, who spoke on the sidelines of the International Conference on Terrorism and sectarian extremism in Africa, said Sudan is confronting sectarian terrorism through the power of thoughts and dialogue, pointing the phenomena poses serious danger to Islam and the African peoples.
He told the official news agency (SUNA) that Sudan has a moral obligation towards 650 million Muslims in Africa which requires the government to mobilize all regional and international Islamic institutions in order to address this problem.
Full report at: sudantribune.com/spip.php?article58810
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New Shi’ite group disown el-Zakzaky Movement
29, April 2016
I read with dismay from the Guardian newspaper and indeed other media that the Rasulul A’azam Foundation RAAF, has condemned the activities of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky’s Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and the clash with soldiers in Zaria last year, saying such action was unwarranted.
The group said the actions of the movement over years constituted security threat and are incompatible with the principles and philosophy of the Shiite origin.
We in the IMN are not in any way surprised by their actions because of what their character of shallow mindedness and gross myopia suggests.
Full report at: en.abna24.com/service/africa/archive/2016/04/30/750930/story.html
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Malawi's albinos face 'total extinction'
Apr 30, 2016
(CNN) —Malawi's albinos are at risk of "total extinction" amid escalating attacks against them for their body parts, the United Nations warned.
Albinism is a genetic condition that leads to little or no pigment in the eyes, skin and hair. The southern African nation has about 10,000 albinos, according to the U.N.
In some African countries, albinos' body parts are believed to bring wealth and good luck. As a result, attackers chop off their limbs and pluck out organs, and sell them to witch doctors.
Even after albinos are killed, some attackers go a step further and steal their remains from graveyards, said Ikponwosa Ero, the United Nations' expert on albinism.
"Persons with albinism, and parents of children with albinism, constantly live in fear of attack," she said.
"Many do not sleep peacefully and have deliberately restricted their movement to the necessary minimum."
Full report at: kcci.com/national/malawis-albinos-face-total-extinction/39296496
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Oil-rich African countries must diversify economies
29, April 2016
A Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, has urged oil-rich African countries to put in place efficient mechanisms to ensure effective management of oil revenues. He said they should diversify and adhere to the prudent management of domestic revenue through adequate savings and guarded expenditure to develop their economies. “Countries cannot rely on petroleum revenue alone. There are other extractive resources and I think that is the way to go. These resources will not be there forever so countries need to avoid complacency. It is not sustainable to wholly put all our hope in the oil revenue,” he said.
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Pakistan
Two arrested in Lahore for ‘links’ with TTP
April 30th, 2016
LAHORE: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has detained two persons, including the office-bearer of a religious party, on suspicion of having relations with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
A senior police official, privy to the information, told Dawn the suspects, identified as Asim and Azhar, were running a madressah at Samanabad. He said they were taken into custody by the officials of the law enforcement agency on the basis of some intelligence reports.
One of them – Asim – was also said to be the office-bearer of a religious party, the official said, adding that the CTD had detained him under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
He said the joint investigation team (JIT) formed to probe the Gulshan-i-Park suicide attack would also grill the suspects.
dawn.com/news/1255364/two-arrested-in-lahore-for-links-with-ttp
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Christian teen brutally murdered by Muslim girlfriend's family
29 APRIL, 2016
The love story between Pakistani Christian Qaisar Masih and the Muslim girl he fell in love with, Mehwish, ended in tragedy as the girl's father, brothers and relatives brutally killed him and hanged him on a tree.
The 18-year-old Masih was murdered on April 21. After Mehwish's family killed him, they hanged him on a tree in front of his house with a message saying Christian men should not dare to look at Muslim women, Pakistan Christian Post reported.
The boy's father, Mohammad Billa, had apparently threatened to kill Masih if he continued his relationship with Mehwish. Masih's family members had also pleaded with Mehwish to end the relationship because they were afraid her father would kill him.
Full report at: christiantimes.com/article/18-year-old-pakistani-christian-brutally-killed-hanged-by-muslims/54964.htm
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Nanga Parbat massacre convicts shifted to Adiala Jail
30 APRIL, 2016
GILGIT: Three convicted prisoners involved in the Nanga Parbat massacre of foreign tourists were shifted to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi from Gilgit District Jail on Friday.
Official sources said that the prisoners, including Irfanullah, Habibur Rahman and Karimullah, were airlifted to Rawalpindi via a PIA flight on Friday morning amid tight security.
Ten foreign mountaineers and a local guide were shot dead by militants, reportedly dressed in uniform of the Gilgit Scouts, in an attack on a high-altitude base camp on Nanga Parbat, near Gilgit, on June 22, 2013.
Full report at: dawn.com/news/1255399/nanga-parbat-massacre-convicts-shifted-to-adiala-jail
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