New Age Islam News Bureau
29
Sept 2014
Militant Islamist fighters parade on military vehicles along the streets of Raqqa after capturing territory in neighbouring Iraq.Photo credit: REUTERS/KNESSET
• French
Muslims Won’t Apologise for ISIL
• Top
Tajik Cleric Issues Fatwa against Government Critics
• HRW
Documents Torture of Political Prisoners in Uzbekistan
• Turkey
suffering 'rights rollback' under Erdoğan: HRW
• Belgium
tries suspected Syria militant group
• Russia
demands truth about Libyan chemical weapons
Pakistan
• Lahore
Passes Verbal ‘Save Pakistan Declaration’
• Five
militants killed, four injured in Tirah explosion
• Pakistan
stands for universal ban on nukes
• Imran
thankful to Almighty, says nation finally awoken
• It is
natural for Imran to attract a few people- PPP senior leader
• Democratic
govt to complete its tenure: Pervaiz Rashid
• Nawaz
positively presented Pakistan's viewpoint in UN: Javed Malik
• 85
‘militants’ surrender in Dera Bugti
Arab World
• Iraq's
Warplanes Fire Rockets at ISIL Positions in Tikrit Kill, 25
• Terror
groups are a serious threat to world peace: UAE
• Militants
Suffer Heavy Losses in Syria's Quneitra, Aleppo
• Arab
League chief says confident Iraqi army can fight ISIS
• Be Modern, but Don’t Shun Islamic Values: Saudi King
• Zero
tolerance for subversive activity in Haj
• Proposed
Egyptian law to reduce restrictions on building churches
• Ex-Lebanese
PM Al-Hariri condemns Syrian coalitions on army's violation
North America
• US
leverages Iran-Iraq-Syria axis against Islamic State
• ISIL
fight already near $1 billion as strategy shifts
• Obama
admits underestimated Islamic State, as US presses air war
• American
Muslims to Mark End of Hajj with Prayers
• ‘ISIS’ Shisha
café name worries New York owner
Mideast
• Israel’s
shadowy Mossad looks to recruit online
• Barbarism
of Iranian militias based in Iraq, Syria being seriously overlooked
• Police
seize ISIS flag, other jihad material in home of Israeli teacher
• No ISIL
attack on Turkish tomb in Syria: Military sources
• Israeli
Arab lawmaker: Israel has an interest in Islamic State's success
• Israeli
Weapons Contaminate Palestinian Soil with Toxic Substances
South Asia
• Suicide
Blast Kills Four in Kabul as President Inaugurated: Police
• UK
citizen held in Dhaka for link with Syrian militants
• Afghanistan
President Calls on Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami to Join Political Process
• Singapore
moves to counter militant ideology
• Karzai
Defends His Rule, Admits Failed Peace Efforts
• Constable
killing: 89 BNP-Jamaat men charged
• Awami
League General Secretary: Jamaat enemy of humanity
India
• Indian-Israeli
PMs meet for the first time in more than a decade
• Modi
overshadowed Nawaz Sharif at UN: Pakistani daily
• Pakistan
softens stance after Modi’s speech
Southeast Asia
• Youths
Can Express 'Jihad' In Many Ways –Dy Minister Azizah Dun
• Jihadists
pulling in Muslim youths with poor religious knowledge, says Anwar
• German
captives plead to be set free from Philippine Islamist militants
Africa
• Al
Shabaab Is Still Recruiting in Kenya - Report
• Islamist
gunmen kill two soldiers in western Algeria
• South
Africa: Medical Male Circumcision Becomes the 'In' Thing
• I Will
Crush Boko Haram - Jonathan
• Nigeria:
Over 4,000 Killed in Kaduna Attacks
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/french-muslims-won’t-apologise-isil/d/99314
--------
Europe
French
Muslims Won’t Apologize for ISIL
FRANCE
24
29
September 2014
PARIS –
Feeling scapegoated for the actions of an extremist minority, French Muslims
have decided to take a clear stand against Islamophobia, adopting the notion
“stop asking me to apologize”.
“These
[Islamist] men and women do not worship the God that I worship and I doubt they
know him at all,” researcher Moussa Bourekba, who writes in the Nouvel
Observateur Weekly news magazine, told FRANCE 24 on Saturday, September 27.
“If the
murder [of Hervé Gourdel] horrifies and upsets me, it is as a human being.
“I don’t
go around asking Catholics to apologize in the name of all Christians every
time there is a paedophilia scandal.
“And I
would never ask Protestants to publicly condemn [Norwegian mass murderer]
Anders Breivik. Just like these people, the madmen who killed Hervé Gourdel are
not of my community,” he added.
France's
Muslims have found themselves under pressure to disdain themselves from crimes
that contradict with their religion, putting them in the middle of a backlash
by the far-right groups.
Repeated
condemnations of the so-called Islamic State and apologizes by Muslims across
the world have wearied French Muslims.
The
increasing pressure on Muslims to condemn the heinous crimes of the extremist
groups has been deemed as “Islamophobic madness”.
The
frenzy has extended to some French media outlets like the conservative daily Le
Figaro which ran an editorial on Thursday, September 25, calling on Muslims to
“take to the streets to denounce these barbarians”.
Moreover,
the French paper has launched an online poll asking readers if there had been
“sufficient condemnation by French Muslims of the assassination of Hervé
Gourdel”, a poll that was criticized by it journalists who considered it
“ineptitude”.
“This
question effectively insinuates that the entire Muslim community is somehow
complicit or even complacent when it comes to terrorism,” Le Figaro’s editorial
oversight committee (Société des Journalistes, SDJ) said in a statement.
France
is home to a Muslim community of nearly six million, the largest in Europe.
French
Muslims have been complaining of restrictions on performing their religious
duties.
#PasEnMonNom
Other
French Muslim groups chose to condemn atrocities committed by the ISIL,
launching an equivalent online campaign to the British #NotInMyName, using the
hatshatg “PasEnMonNom.
Besides
online campaigns, thousands of French Muslims held several protests in France's
major cities on Friday to denounce the murder of French hiker Hervé Gourdel,
kidnapped in Algeria by the militant group calling themselves Jund al-Khalifa,
which claims links to the ISIL group.
Holding
signs that read: “stop barbarism” and “Not in my name”, hundreds of Muslims
gathered outside the Grand mosque in Paris.
“Herve
Gourdel was the victim of a cowardly murder. Islam demands respect of life and
bans the assassination of an innocent,” Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Grand
Mosque, told Xinhua agency.
“The
Qur’an tells us that to kill one man is to kill all humanity. Today’s gathering
shows our rejection of such acts and our willingness to live together,” he
said.
Expressing
weariness about Muslims' apologize for the heinous crimes committed in the name
of Islam, Parisian Muslim of North African descent rejected calls to
participate in Friday's protests.
“I will
not be going to the Paris Mosque (where Friday’s demonstration is due to take
place),” the Persian Muslim Nourredine said last week.
“If I
had to go, it would be as a Frenchman, horrified at the beheading of one of my
compatriots, but not as a Muslim.
“Are
Christians expected to demonstrate against the excesses of the Klu Klux Klan?”
Muslims
around the world have turned to humor to battle rising Islamophobia spawning
the hashtag #MuslimApologies after finding themselves in the spotlight for the
offenses of a violent minority they have nothing to do with.
A number
of Muslim leaders around the world have overtly condemned the Islamic State,
issuing strong-worded statements to deny any relation between Islam and the
militant group.
Earlier
this month, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the highest seat
of religious learning in the Sunni world, has condemned ISIL, accusing it of
serving a “Zionist” plot to “destroy the Arab World”.
Two
weeks ago, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh condemned Al-Qaeda and
the Islamic State jihadists as “enemy number one” of Islam, urging urged
Muslims to take up arms against the militant group’s members as aggressors who
abuse people’s lives, possessions and honour.
The
International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) has dismissed ISIL announcement
of forming a “caliphate” in areas they control in Iraq and Syria, saying it
lacked any Islamic or realistic aspects.
http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/477973-isil-apologies-annoy-french-muslims.html
--------
Top
Tajik Cleric Issues Fatwa against Government Critics
29
September 2014
Tajikistan's
top Muslim cleric has issued a fatwa against criticising the isolated ex-Soviet
country's hard-line regime, telling reporters today it would be considered a
"great sin".
"The
Islamic centre of Tajikistan has passed a new special fatwa according to which
criticism of the ruling powers will be judged a 'great sin'," said chief
mufti Saidmukarram Abdulkodirzoda.
"Criticism
undermines trust in the authorities," he warned.
The chief
mufti issued the fatwa or religious edict during his Friday sermon at the main
mosque in the capital Dushanbe.
Tajik
religious experts said the fatwa was agreed with the Central Asian country's
authorities and that most moderate Muslims would not obey it.
Tajikistan's
moderate opposition Islamic Revival Party also said the fatwa was
"dictated by the authorities" in the overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim
country of 8.5 million, which is officially secular.
A
journalist from an opposition newspaper who asked not to be named said:
"Now even official religious leaders want to sew up the mouths of
journalists and those who want to express themselves freely in a democratic,
secular country."
"Now
it's dangerous to tell the truth. What are we coming to?" he told AFP.
The
chief mufti also warned Muslims against making contact with international
organisations or media, which he said would "threaten stability in the
country and the world."
"Those
who call for and engage in incitement and set the people against the current
authorities will suffer God's punishment," he said.
The
Tajik authorities are alarmed at what they see as the radicalisation of young
Muslim men amid widespread unemployment in the poorest ex-Soviet country.
Last
year around 100 people were arrested, of whom six were jailed, after taking
part in training abroad in radical groups. In the last three months alone, 10
Tajiks have been killed fighting on the side of the opposition in Syria.
Tajikistan
has been led since 1992 by President Emomali Rakhmon, who came to power amid
the chaos of a civil war between the Moscow-backed communist government and the
Islamic opposition.
A peace
accord was signed in 1997 but authorities of the country bordering Afghanistan
are still deeply concerned with the security threat posed by Islamist
insurgents.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/top-tajik-cleric-issues-fatwa-against-government-critics-114092700831_1.html
--------
HRW
Documents Torture Of Political Prisoners In Uzbekistan
29
September 2014
Uzbeks
jailed on politically motivated charges are subjected to torture and abysmal
prison conditions, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
The
finding of the rights watchdog's 121-page report, "Until The Very End:
Politically Motivated Imprisonment In Uzbekistan," released on September
26, are based on court documents and extensive interviews, including with 10
recently released prisoners.
Various
accounts of torture -- including beatings, electric shock, simulated
suffocation, threats of rape, and sexual humiliation -- are described in the
report.
In many
cases prison sentences are handed down based on ill-defined or fabricated
charges, and can be extended arbitrarily on what HRW Central Asia researcher
Steve Swerdlow describes as "bizarre grounds."
"We
were able to document 14 cases out of 44 cases in the report where prisoners
had their sentences extended," Swerdlow told RFE/RL.
"And
the extensions were for such reasons as improperly peeling carrots in the
prison kitchen, failure to remove your shoes, wearing a white shirt, saying
your prayers, going to the bathroom without permission."
The
researcher singles out the case of Muhammad Bekjanov, whom he describes as the
world's longest-imprisoned journalist.
"His
case is a perfect example of the many types of human rights violations that the
Uzbek government employs in imprisoning its critics," Swerdlow said.
"He
was kidnapped and sent to Uzbekistan without any legal process in 1999. He
suffered horrific torture during the trial and his case also accurately
describes the policy of extending sentences to political prisoners."
The
report notes how Abdurasul Khudoynazarov, a rights activist who died of cancer
shortly after his release this spring, told rights groups before his death that
his requests for medical treatment were repeatedly denied over the course of
his eight years in prison.
And in
another case, rights activist Azam Farmonov, who has been imprisoned since
2006, alleges that policed forced him into a false confession by beating him on
the legs and feet and placing a sealed mask on his head to simulate
suffocation.
"The
Uzbek government tries to hide the abuses its critics suffer in prison, even
their very existence, from the world," Swerdlow said of the findings in a
press release.
"This
new evidence means Tashkent can no longer pretend that politically motivated
imprisonment in Uzbekistan does not exist."
Some of
what HRW describes as "Uzbekistan's most talented and remarkable
figures" are profiled for the report, including journalists, rights activists,
academics, cultural figures, and individuals involved in exposing corruption.
In its
press release, HRW calls on Uzbekistan to immediately and unconditionally
release everyone imprisoned on politically motivated charges.
It also
urges international partners of Uzbekistan to press its president, Islam
Karimov, to improve the country's human rights record.
Swerdlow
told RFE/RL that "pressure does work," citing the example of
Uzbekistan changing its behavior after coming under international criticism for
its use of child labor during its annual cotton harvest.
http://www.rferl.org/content/uzbekistan-human-rights-watch-prison-conditions/26606889.html
--------
Turkey
suffering 'rights rollback' under Erdoğan: HRW
29
September 2014
Turkey
is undergoing a “worrying rollback” on human rights as the government is taking
“far-reaching steps to weaken the rule of law, control the media and Internet,
and clamp down on critics and protestors,” Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported
Sept. 29.
HRW
accused the government of seeking to curb the independence of the judiciary and
weaken the rule of law in a bid to halt a corruption probe over the past nine
months.
“Turkey
is undergoing a worrying rollback of human rights,” HRW said in its report on
Turkey, accusing the government of “increasing intolerance of political
opposition, public protest and critical media.”
President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also shown no mood for compromise following pro-tests
last year sparked by plans to redevelop Gezi Park in Istanbul, the report
emphasized.
“The
government feels no hesitancy to intervene in the criminal justice system when
its interests are threatened,” said HRW, pointing to the replacement of
thousands of employ-ees in the security forces and legal system who were
alleged members of a “parallel state,” a term used by the government to define
those who work in state institutions and use their duties to benefit the Gülen
movement. The authorities have gone on the offensive against opponents after
corruption allegations, blaming them on U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fe-thullah
Gülen, the report said.
“Turkey
is unlikely to succeed in moving closer to Europe unless Turkey’s leaders take
steps to reverse the rollback on rights and strengthen the rule of law,” said
HRW’s Turkey researcher and author of the report, Emma Sinclair-Webb.
“Over
the past year, Erdoğan’s AKP has responded to political opposition by tearing
up the rule book, silencing critical voices, and wielding a stick,” said
Sinclair-Webb. “For the sake of Turkey’s future and the rights of its citizens,
the government needs to change course and protect rights instead of attacking
them.”
The New
York-based rights group said there had been “near impunity” for police violence
in the 2013 protests, with the jailing this month for almost eight years of a
policeman who killed a protester in Ankara a “rare moment of accountability.”
Meanwhile,
at least 5,500 people have been put on trial across the country for their
in-volvement in the protests. The report recommended Turkey drop cases against
Taksim Sol-idarity representatives and others who participated in Gezi Park
protests, exercising their right to free assembly and expression, and also drop
coup charges and other charges against 35 individuals associated with the çArşı
football fan group for exercising their right to free assembly and expression
during the May-June 2013 Gezi protests. It also called on the government to end
the excessive use and misuse of tear gas while policing protests and hold to
account officers who bear responsibility for either conduct.
HRW also
expressed alarm at an April 2014 law granting immunity to personnel of the
National Intelligence Organization (MİT) unless the organization gives express
permission for it to be removed.
There
has also been impunity for past abuses by the authorities, notably the lack of
pros-ecutions over a December 2011 air strike that killed 34 villagers who were
wrongly sus-pected of being outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants.
Investigations
into a wave of killings and disappearances of Kurds that took place from 1993
to 1995 will soon fall under a 20-year statute of limitations.
Under
Erdoğan’s rule, large parts of the media, and in particular television, have
followed a pro-government line and do nothing to challenge it, HRW reported.
“The
space for independent, nonaligned and critical journalism in Turkey has
shrunk,” HRW said, pointing to the case of two journalists for daily Taraf, who
were prosecuted for leaking details of a secret meeting in a Nov. 13, 2013,
report.
While
Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have won successive
elections with large majorities, the authorities “appear to take the view that
majoritarian power takes precedence over the rule of law,” the report said.
The
report stressed that reforms were needed to support the Kurdish peace process,
strengthen the independence of the criminal justice system, combat violence
against wom-en and impunity for serious human rights abuses, and improve
Turkey’s record on free speech, media freedom and the rights to assembly and
association.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-suffering-rights-rollback-under-erdogan-hrw.aspx?pageID=238&nID=72295&NewsCatID=339
--------
Belgium
tries suspected Syria militant group
29
September 2014
Forty
six people, most of them still at large, went on trial in Belgium on Monday for
suspected membership of a group believed to be sending extremist fighters to
Syria.
Armed
police guarded the court in the northern port city of Antwerp where 16 people
alleged to be part of Sharia4Belgium, including its head Fouad Belkacem, are
being tried on charges of leading a terrorist organization.
If
convicted, they could face 20 years in prison.
The
remaining 30 are being tried on charges of belonging to Sharia4Belgium.
Present
for the trial were Belkacem, a Salafist ideologue known for his sermons in the
streets and on the Internet, and seven others.
At large
The
defendants who are at large are believed to be in Syria where some of them may
have been killed, according to the federal justice office.
Investigators
said Belkacem never travelled to Syria, unlike most of the members of the
group, but he was the “catalyst” who prompted many to go and fight there.
Sharia4Belgium,
based in Antwerp, campaigned for the introduction of Sharia Islamic law in
Belgium.
In 2012,
it said it was disbanding but the authorities suspect that it has continued to
recruit dozens of volunteers to fight in Syria.
Officials
say that up to 400 Belgian nationals may have gone to fight in Syria, with
about a quarter having returned home.
The
trial comes five months after a deadly attack on the Jewish museum in the
center of Brussels raised fears of a resurgence of anti-Semitic violence in
Europe and of terror strikes from foreign fighters returning from Syria.
The main
suspect in the attack which left four people dead is a Frenchman, Mehdi
Nemmouche, who spent more than a year fighting with Islamist extremists in
Syria and is now also being held in Belgium on charges of “murder in a
terrorist context."
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/09/29/Belgium-tries-suspected-Syria-militant-group-.html
--------
Russia
demands truth about Libyan chemical weapons
29
September 2014
NEW YORK
— Russia has demanded the facts about Libya’s remaining chemical weapons, with
foreign minister Sergei Lavrov that NATO could not pretend the problem did not
exist. Lavrov told the United Nations General Assembly: “We would like to see truthful information
about the state of the chemical arsenal in Libya. We understand” he
continued “that our colleagues in NATO,
having mutilated the country in violation of the UN Security Council
resolution, would rather not touch the mayhem they have created. But the issue
of an uncontrolled Libyan chemical
arsenal is too serious to turn a blind eye to it”.
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140929219668
--------
Pakistan
Lahore
Passes Verbal ‘Save Pakistan Declaration’
29
September 2014
LAHORE:
Historical city of the political changes in subcontinent and later in Pakistan
in the recent past—Lahore—again geared up the slogan of change called by Imran Khan
of PTI after holding a biggest rally of it here at the right place of
Declaration of Pakistan 1940, Azadi Party (previous name the Minto Park) on
Sunday and passing a verbal “Save Pakistan Declaration” unanimously in it.
Worthy
to mention that it was first time when all the ground of the park which has a
total capacity of 0.3 million to 0.4 million population and is being considered
a biggest ground of the city was totally jam-packed and thousands people were
also standing outside the ground during the PTI rally and also broke all the
previous records of rallies of the party. In the rally, before the key speech
of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, the party’s city president and main organizer of
this successive procession, Abdul Aleem Khan announced that his party would
present a “Declaration to Save Pakistan” and later, Shah Mehmood Qureshi
verbally presented a three points declaration that was passed by the
participants unanimously saying ‘Ayes’ loudly.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/29-Sep-2014/lahore-passes-verbal-save-pakistan-declaration
--------
Five
militants killed, four injured in Tirah explosion
29
September 2014
PESHAWAR:
Five militants were killed and four others were injured on Monday in a blast in
the remote Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency.
Intelligence
sources said the blast occurred at the Lashkar-i-Islam base in Kandao area and
left at least five militants dead and four others injured.
Sources
said that militants were testing an explosive device when it exploded causing
the casualties.
The LI
is yet to confirm or deny the incident.
The
exact number of deaths and the nature of the blast could not be verified from
independent sources as journalists cannot enter the area.
Khyber
is part of Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt on the Afghan border. The
Taliban and other Al Qaeda-linked groups, who stage attacks in both countries,
are known to have strongholds in the zone.
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1135074/five-militants-killed-four-injured-in-tirah-explosion
--------
Pakistan
stands for universal ban on nukes
29
September 2014
WASHINGTON:
Pakistan is not against nuclear disarmament but it should be universal and
non-discriminatory, says Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry.
During
the 69th General Assembly, the United Nations observed the first-ever annual
day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. In a message released by his
office, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged member states that “the time has
come for the total elimination of nuclear weapons stockpiles”.
While
most active members of one group lobbied for a complete, across the board ban
on all nuclear arms, others quietly tried to put the spotlight on Pakistan.
India
led this group, which argued that Pakistan was an instable country, facing
widespread terrorism and political chaos. They also drew attention to PTI’s
dharna, both outside the parliament building in Islamabad and near the UN
headquarters during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s address on Sept 26.
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1135054/pakistan-stands-for-universal-ban-on-nukes
--------
Imran
thankful to Almighty, says nation finally awoken
29
September 2014
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Chairman Imran Khan Sunday said the nation was
finally awoken and thanked Allah Almighty for fulfilling his prayer.
Addressing
thousands of his party’s supporters here at Minar-e-Pakistan, Imran Khan said:
“Allah fulfilled my prayer. He has awoken the entire nation”.
He
admired the step of the government to convene the joint session of the
parliament, saying it exposed true faces of the entire political leadership
which stood together to save their so-called democracy.
Imran
Khan also criticized Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman, Asif Ali
Zardari 'for coming from Dubai to save Nawaz Sharif'.
I didn’t
take money from ISI like you (Nawaz Sharif) did as it was revealed in Asghar
Khan case,” he continued.
Full
report at:
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-161095-Imran-thankful-to-Almighty,-says-nation-finally-awoken
--------
It is
natural for Imran to attract a few people- PPP senior leader
September
29, 2014
Islamabad-
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) senior leader, Qamar Zaman Kaira, says it's
natural for a charismatic leader like Imran Khan to attract a few people.
However, unlike Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the PPP is a party with an
ideology.
Kaira
said this in a statement that was all about singing praises of party
patron-in-chief, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for going down on his knees to win
disillusioned sympathizers back. Kaira analyzed that Bilawal was an
up-and-coming politician of this age and his unconventional style had always
raised the eyebrows of many an old-school politico.
"Bilawal
is new-school but his coming down to his knees to apologize to the workers who
had been inadvertently hurt, is heartening. He knows it's the workers who make
parties and not the other way round", said he.
Responding
to PTI bigwig Asad Umer's wishing him and Saeed Ghani to join PTI, a courteous
Kaira said all he could say was thanks for making him feel worthwhile.
"I
can only appreciate Umer for this compliment, but in the same breath want him
to know that PPP is my heart and soul,” he added.
http://nation.com.pk/national/29-Sep-2014/it-s-natural-for-imran-to-attract-a-few-people-kaira
--------
Democratic
govt to complete its tenure:Pervaiz Rashid
29
September 2014
ISLAMABAD:
Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has said that the people elected
government through ballots not sit-ins.
In a statement here Sunday, the minister said
it seemed that Imran Khan has realized that general elections will be held in
2018 and thus accordingly he had started canvassing for it.
He said that democratic government will
complete its tenure as people have given it a mandate to PML-N government for
five years.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-161111-Democratic-govt-to-complete-its-tenure:-Rashid
--------
Nawaz
positively presented Pakistan's viewpoint in UN: Javed Malik
29
September 2014
ISLAMABAD
- Pakistan's Ambassador at Large and Prime Minister's Special Envoy, Javed
Malik has said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's speech at the United Nations
has presented Pakistan's point of view in a very positive and comprehensive
manner.
“The
world community has also welcomed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's vision for
building a progressive Pakistan, developing positive relations with its
neighbors and his commitment to resolving all disputes through diplomacy and
dialogue”, he said in a message received here from Dubai today.
Moreover,
he said that the prime minister's focus on the economic uplift of the people of
Pakistan through sustainable development and creating opportunities for
expansion of trade and economic relations both regionally and internationally
has also sent a very positive message to the world community about Pakistan's
future as a progressive, democratic and stable country.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/29-Sep-2014/nawaz-positively-presented-pakistan-s-viewpoint-in-un-javed-malik
--------
85
‘militants’ surrender in Dera Bugti
29
September 2014
QUETTA:
Fifteen people reported to be militants belonging to the Bugti tribe and their
70 accomplices surrendered themselves to law-enforcement personnel in Sui on
Sunday.
Khan
Wasey, spokesman for the Frontier Corps, Balochistan, said in a statement that
the men belonged to various Bugti clans living in Sui area of Dera Bugti.
They had
been involved in attacks on security forces and national installations in Dera
Bugti and other areas of the province.
They
laid down their weapons in the presence of FC Inspector General Maj Gen
Muhammad Ejaz Shahid at a ceremony attended by tribal elders and senior
officials.
The
weapons, ammunition and explosives surrendered by them included 89 rifles and
landmines. The militants vowed to renounce violence. They also pledged not to
get involved in anti-state activities. They welcomed the general amnesty
announced by the provincial government, along with a special package for
militants surrendering to the state and pledging not to take part in anti-state
activities.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1135057/85-militants-surrender-in-dera-bugti
--------
Arab World
Iraq's
Warplanes Fire Rockets at ISIL Positions in Tikrit, Kill 25
29
September 2014
Iraqi
bombers launched a series of strikes against the ISIL positions in Diyala
district, South of Tikrit, killing more than 25 members of the Takfiri group.
A
military source told Iraqi News that Iraq's fighter jets fired several rockets
at the strongholds of the ISIL terrorists and claimed the lives of some 25
terrorists.
The
Takfiri terrorists currently control parts of Syria and Iraq. They have
threatened all communities, including Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians, Ezadi
Kurds and others, as they continue their atrocities in Iraq.
Senior
Iraqi officials have blamed Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and some Persian Gulf Arab
states for the growing terrorism in their country.
The ISIL
has links with Saudi intelligence and is believed to be indirectly supported by
the Israeli regime.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930707000380
--------
Terror
groups are a serious threat to world peace: UAE
29
September 2014
New
York: The United Arab Emirates has stressed on the importance of the current
collective action to counter the threat posed by terrorist groups, especially
‘Daesh’, in both Iraq and Syria, describing the form of extremism, terrorism
and fragmentation witnessed by the region and beyond to areas of the world, as
a serious threat to international peace and security, and a threatens the goals
and values of the states, its development achievements and its humanitarian and
cultural heritage.
In a
speech made by Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’s Foreign Minister,
before the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday
evening, he said that the UAE expresses its serious concern at the current
forms of extremism, terrorism and sectarian divisions in the region, which have
become a grave threat to international peace and security. In addition to being
a violation of human rights, terrorism threatens the integrity and values of
States, undermines their social fabric, destroys their security and development
achievements and erodes their cultural
and human heritage.
Shaikh
Abdullah stated that the acts of these terrorist organisations, which include indiscriminate
killings, mass executions, kidnappings and intimidation of innocent women and
children, are criminal acts, which are strongly condemned by the UAE. The UAE
also denounces the brutal methods used by such groups in the name of Islam, as
Islam rejects such crimes, which are inconsistent with the moderate approach of
Islam and the principles of peaceful coexistence among all people.
Full
report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/inside.asp?xfile=/data/government/2014/September/government_September56.xml§ion=government
--------
Militants
Suffer Heavy Losses in Syria's Quneitra, Aleppo
29
September 2014
Foreign-backed
militants sustained major losses as the Syrian Army gained major ground against
the armed groups in Quneitra and Aleppo.
A military
source told Syrian Arab news agency that the army soldiers inflicted heavy
casualties on the rebels in al-Bawabiyeh, al-Duhour, Nahleh, and Jisr
al-Shohgour, killing and inuring too many of them.
The army
also destroyed two vehicles equipped with heavy machine-guns and another one
loaded with motorcycle in addition to an ammunition warehouse.
Meantime,
the hideouts of the insurgents were raided in various areas surrounding Aleppo
countryside, including al-Ansari, al-Ramouseh, al-Lairamoun and al-Kalaseh. A
large number of rebels lost their lives during the Aleppo operations.
Also in
the past 24 hours, the Syrian army continued its major advances in different
districts of Deir Ezzur city in Eastern Syria, killing a large number of
militants.
The army
units targeted the terrorist groups' positions near the petrochemistry
university as well as Al-Jabalieh and Al-Haviqeh districts of the city.
Full
report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930707000661
--------
Arab
League chief says confident Iraqi army can fight ISIS
29
September 2014
Arab
League chief Nabil el-Araby told Al Arabiya News Channel on Sunday that he
believed the Iraqi army had the ability to fight Islamist insurgents in the
country.
Speaking
to Al Arabiya’s New York bureau chief Talal al-Haj, the Arab League head said
the Iraqi army can still engage in a ground offensive against Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants, even with the absence of U.S. ground troops.
Araby
also stressed on the importance of the Iranian participation in the anti-ISIS
coalition, saying Iran is an integral part of many conflicts in the region and
should be considered “as part of the solution.”
Regarding
Yemen, Araby said the situation in the country is very “critical” after Houthi
rebels continue to maintain control over the Yemen capital.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/09/29/Arab-League-chief-says-confident-Iraqi-army-can-fight-ISIS.html
---------
Be
Modern, But Don’t Shun Islamic Values: Saudi King
29
September 2014
The
glittering Islamic culture and civilization is a unifying force for millions of
Muslims all over the world, said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King
Abdullah, urging Muslims to stand united in upholding the teachings of Islam.
In his
keynote speech at the annual conference of the Muslim World League (MWL) in
Makkah, King Abdullah also called upon Muslims to embrace modernity without
discarding their cultural values.
“Islamic
culture is the identity of the Ummah. It connects its different parts, bonding
them together. It links a Muslim with hundreds of millions of other Muslims
scattered around this world,” the king said.
He
emphasized the need to take care of the Islamic religion to strengthen Islamic
culture. Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah read out the king’s speech.
King
Abdullah welcomed the millions of pilgrims who have arrived from different
parts of the world to perform Haj. “Our objective is to enable them to perform
Haj in the best and safest possible manner. We want them to return home safely
after gaining immense reward.”
King
Abdullah said: “Our Islamic Ummah is a full-fledged nation. It has a dazzling
civilized experience and a rich heritage. Our nation is distinct from others.
It is the best nation given to mankind; it believes in Allah, promotes virtue
and prohibits evil. It carries the final universal message of God, a message of
enlightenment, compassion and mercy.”
Full
report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/637246
--------
Zero
tolerance for subversive activity in Haj
29
September 2014
Saudi
Arabia will not allow any activity that could undermine the security and safety
of pilgrims and violate the sanctity of Haj, said Interior Minister Prince
Mohammed bin Naif. Saudi security forces are capable of confronting any terrorist
group or individual, he said.
Prince
Mohammed, who is chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, was speaking to
reporters in Mina after inspecting the preparedness of the Kingdom’s security
agencies for Haj.
He
advised pilgrims to avoid engaging in any political propaganda or any other
activity that would violate the sanctity of Haj.
Asked
about the threat of Islamic State militants, the minister said Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has warned world leaders that terrorism would
hit their countries if they continue their silence on the crimes being
committed by the IS and other terrorist groups.
Full
report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/637251
--------
Ex-Lebanese
PM Al-Hariri condemns Syrian coalition's on army's violation
29 September
2014
Former
Lebanese prime minister Saad Al-Hariri on Sunday denounced a statement from the
Syrian National Coalition of Revolution and Opposition Forces which criticised
the Lebanese army's measures towards refugees last week, Al-Hayat news website reported.
The
coalition issued a statement on 25 September condemning the Lebanese army after
it attacked Syrian refugee camps in the border town of Arsal on Thursday and
arrested 200 persons, claiming that a number of wanted persons were holed up
inside the camps.
However,
Al-Hariri assured in a statement of his own that the coalition's comments don't
"express the criteria of the relation between the Lebanese and the Syrians
who fled from Bashar Assad's aggression against Lebanon."
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/111912/World/Region/ExLebanese-PM-AlHariri-condemns-Syrian-coalitions-.aspx
--------
Proposed
Egyptian law to reduce restrictions on building churches
29
September 2014
The
unified houses of worship law, which regulates the construction of mosques and
churches in Egypt, is still waiting for the parliament’s approval.
Although
the voting sessions in parliament haven’t begun yet, the controversy about the
houses of worship law started when Christian lawyer Nabil Luka Bibawi filed a
lawsuit with the Administrative Court of the Egyptian State Council to compel
the prime minister and the justice minister to form a committee comprising
scholars from Al-Azhar and the Egyptian church to write the law’s outline.
The
lawsuit was referred to the State Commissioners Authority on Sept. 1, to
prepare a report about it and to hear the legal opinion of the commission,
which did not decide on the lawsuit yet. Al-Monitor tried to find out the
proposals of all parties about the law and identify the obstacles facing the
building of Muslim and Christian houses of worship in Egypt.
Safwat
al-Bayadi, the head of the Evangelical Church in Egypt, told Al-Monitor that
the obstacles restricting the building of churches date back to 1934, when
then-Deputy Interior Minister Al-Ezabi Pasha put down 10 conditions on the
building of churches. The conditions included: not building churches near
schools, canals in villages, railways, government offices, government
facilities or between residential areas.
Full
report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/09/houses-of-worship-law-egypt-churches.html#ixzz3Ejo1XN9y
--------
North America
US
leverages Iran-Iraq-Syria axis against Islamic State
29
September 2014
Last
week, this column, picking up on US Secretary of State John Kerry’s remark to
the UN Security Council on Sept. 19 that Iran has a role to play in the
coalition against the Islamic State (IS), suggested, “While the Obama
administration has ruled out an alliance with Syria, Iran could be a bridge to
Damascus within an international coalition against IS and in a subsequent
political transition in Syria.”
This
week, Reuters, citing unnamed senior Iranian and US officials, reported that
the United States had informed Iran in advance of airstrikes against IS forces
in Syria and assured Tehran that it would not target Syrian government
positions.
Another
bridge to Syria and Iran has been Iraq, according to Foreign Policy’s The Cable
and The Wall Street Journal. Iraqi national security adviser Faleh al-Fayyad
traveled to Syria on Sept. 16 to brief Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the
“latest steps taken in this regard, as well as discussing upcoming steps and
possible measures to ensure the success of these efforts and eliminate
terrorist organizations in all their forms.”
Although
the deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, Gen. Massoud Jazayeri, said
that Iran’s nuclear negotiating team at the United Nations has no authority to
discuss the campaign against IS, as reported by Arash Karami, it is an open
secret that US and Iranian officials have been talking about just that on the
sidelines of the nuclear talks.
Iranian
President Hassan Rouhani, in his remarks at the UN, opened the door to even
further collaboration against IS once a nuclear deal is reached, as reported by
Barbara Slavin and Laura Rozen.
Full
report at:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/09/syria-iran-alliance-islamic-state-extremism-rouhani-zarif.html#ixzz3EjoETrJM
--------
ISIL
fight already near $1 billion as strategy shifts
29
September 2014
WASHINGTON
— The air war in Syria and Iraq has already cost nearly $1 billion and
ultimately could cost as much as $22 billion per year if a large ground force
is deployed to the region, according to an analysis by the Center for Strategic
and Budgetary Assessments.
The
study, due to be released Monday, shows a range of costs based on sustained but
low-intensity combat up to a force of 25,000 U.S. troops on the ground.
President
Obama and the Pentagon have ruled out the the use of American boots on the
ground, making the most expensive option the least likely. Yet as Todd
Harrison, the lead author points out, war is "an unpredictable
enterprise" and the ability to forecast its costs is limited.
Meanwhile,
there are signs that the war may be shifting toward lower-intensity conflict.
Already, pilots are finding fewer Islamic State buildings and infrastructure to
destroy in Syria, hoping to pick off smaller enemy targets as they pop up,
according to senior Defense Department officials. The Islamic State is also
known as ISIL.
Full
report at:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/09/28/airstrikes-syria-strategy/16286679/
--------
Obama
admits underestimated Islamic State, as US presses air war
29
September 2014
President
Barack Obama has acknowledged that US agencies underestimated the threat posed
by the Islamist insurgency in Syria.
In a
frank TV interview, he said that al-Qaeda had been beaten in Iraq by US forces
working with Sunni tribes.
But they
took advantage of the power vacuum in neighbouring Syria to emerge as Isis,
later called Islamic State.
Meanwhile,
there has been fierce fighting to the west of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
Air
strikes helped Iraqi fighters repel an attack at Ameriyat al-Fallujah, a
strategic town 40km (25 miles) outside Baghdad.
In a
separate development, the BBC's Lyse Doucet was told that in some areas around
Baghdad, insurgents were less than 10km (six miles) from the city.
In an
interview with the CBS TV programme 60 Minutes, Mr Obama said Syria had become
a "ground zero" for militants who had been able to take advantage of
the chaos there.
He
reiterated that only part of the solution to defeating them would be military
and that a political solution was also necessary.
Full
report at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29405373
--------
American
Muslims to Mark End of Hajj with Prayers
29
September 2014
(WASHINGTON,
D.C., 9/28/14) - On Saturday, October 4, American Muslims will mark the end of
the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, with communal prayers and celebrations
at locations around the country. The prayers and the holiday that follows are
called Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha), or "festival of the sacrifice."
Eid
ul-Adha also commemorates the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his
son Ishmael at God's command. The holiday is celebrated with the prayers, small
gifts for children, distribution of meat to the needy, and social gatherings.
During this holiday, Muslims exchange the greeting "Eid Mubarak" or
"blessed Eid." Each year, some two million Muslims, including
thousands of American Muslims, go on Hajj.
WHEN:
Saturday, October 4 - The prayers are held in the morning. Many communities
also hold day-long Eid festivals for families.
WHERE:
The Eid prayers and festivals are held either in local mosques or in public
facilities designed to accommodate large gatherings. Call local CAIR chapters
or other Muslim organizations for details about Eid celebrations.
Full
report at:
--------
‘ISIS’
shisha café name worries New York owner
29
September 2014
The
owner of a New York-based shisha café has claimed that the Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group has given a “bad reputation” to his
business – the ISIS Hookah Lounge.
Michil
Gadalla, a Egyptian Coptic Christian, opened the shisha café in 2010, naming it
after an Egyptian girl he had fallen in love with years ago, according to the
New York Daily News.
But in
recent months, as the notoriety of the Middle East-based extremist group grew,
the ISIS Hookah Lounge has received widespread attention from pedestrians
shocked at its accidental affiliation.
“They’re
terrorists - terrible people,” Gadalla told the Daily News. “They give a bad
reputation to my business.”
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2014/09/29/-ISIS-shisha-caf-name-worries-owner.html
--------
Mideast
Israel’s
shadowy Mossad looks to recruit online
29
September 2014
It used
to be that if you wanted to join one of the world’s most secretive espionage
organizations you had to sneak into a foreign embassy, answer a cryptic
newspaper ad or show up in a nondescript building in Tel Aviv to meet a shadowy
recruiter. Now all it takes to apply for a job at Israel’s Mossad spy agency is
a click of the mouse.
The
typically shadowy Mossad revamped its website last week to include a snazzy
recruiting video and an online application option for those seeking employment.
With versions in Hebrew, English, French, Russian, Arabic and Persian, the
sleek site looks to revolutionize the way Israel’s legendary agency seeks out
potential agents after generations of backdoor, cloak-and-dagger antics.
“We must
continue to recruit the best people into our ranks so that the Mossad might
continue to lead, defend and allow for the continued existence of the state of
Israel,” Mossad Chief Tamir Pardo said in a statement announcing the launch.
“The Mossad’s qualitative human capital is the secret of our success.”
Full
report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/middle-east-africa/israels-shadowy-mossad-looks-to-recruit-online/99/#sthash.ogE9O5Iy.dpuf
-----------
Barbarism
of Iranian militias based in Iraq, Syria being seriously overlooked
29
September 2014
The US’s
deadly strike on the al-Qaida-linked Khorasan group leader Mohsin al-Fadhli
shone a spotlight on Iran’s nefarious activities in Syria and Iraq.
According
to the SITE monitoring service on Sunday, a jihadi’s Twitter feed confirmed
Fadhli’s death. This is the same Fadhli who oversaw Iran’s al-Qaida- based
network and received protection from Iran’s regime as part of a clandestine
agreement between Tehran and the Sunni terrorist entity.
While
Obama’s coalition with European and Arab countries to battle the Sunni
terrorist organization Islamic State has largely dominated the headlines and
policy debates, Iran’s Shi’ite proxies have replicated the same form of
barbarism as the Islamic State.
In a
Skype interview with The Jerusalem Post, Phillip Smyth, a leading researcher on
Iranian proxies affiliated with the University of Maryland, said there are more
than 50 Shi’ite groups operating in Iraq. By his estimate, Iran and its
militias are responsible for the murders of at least 100 US service personnel
and as many as 1,000 American soldiers since 2003, Smyth noted in his September
Foreign Policy article “All the Ayatollah’s Men” that Iranian- affiliated or
inspired Shi’ite organizations mirror the ghastly tactics of Islamic State. He
wrote of “armed men posing with severed heads, massacres of mosque-goers during
Friday prayers, massive reliance on transnational jihadists.”
Full
report at:
http://www.jpost.com/International/Barbarism-of-Iranian-militias-based-in-Iraq-Syria-being-seriously-overlooked-376535
-----------
Police
seize ISIS flag, other jihad material in home of Israeli teacher
29
September 2014
A police
search of a home in Kfar Kara belonging to a 24-year-old teacher suspected of
association with a terror organization resulted in the seizure of computers,
other electronic devices, a flag of the Islamic State and a great deal of
literature on the subject of jihad.
The
teacher from Kfar Kara, in the Wadi Ara region of central Israel, was taken to
the police station in Iron for questioning. The suspect admitted that he
brought the materials back to Israel from Jordan where he was studying. Police
said the investigation was ongoing. The
Hadera Magistrates Court remanded the suspect in custody until Wednesday.
Israel
officially banned the Islamic State and anyone associating with it at the
beginning of September. The decree outlawed meetings of any kind between Islamic
State members and named it an illegal organization.
Last
week, the Haifa Magistrate's Court convicted Umm al-Fahm resident Ahmed
Shurbaji, 23, of illegally traveling to Syria to take part in military drills
after he admitted to training with Islamic State terrorists.
Full
report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Police-seize-ISIS-flag-other-jihad-material-in-home-of-Israeli-teacher-376565
-----------
No ISIL
attack on Turkish tomb in Syria: Military sources
29
September 2014
Turkish
military sources on Sept. 29 categorically denied any attack by the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on the Suleiman Shah tomb, an official
enclave in Syria protected by Turkish troops.
A
ranking military source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Hürriyet
Daily News the “claims” in The Washington Post story on Dec. 26, 2013 about
ISIL surrounding the tomb and taking patrolling Turkish soldiers “hostage” were
“untrue and baseless.” “We do not have
any such problems” the source said.
Full
report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/no-isil-attack-on-turkish-tomb-in-syria-military-sources.aspx?pageID=238&nID=72304&NewsCatID=338
--------
Israeli
Arab lawmaker: Israel has an interest in Islamic State's success
29
September 2014
Israel
is similar to Islamic State and has an interest in its expansion, MK Muhammad
Barakei (Hadash) posited in an interview with the Palestinian Authority's
television station.
"The
Israeli organization closest to Islamic State is the Government of
Israel," Barakei said, according to a translation released by Palestinian
Media Watch on Sunday.
Although
associating with Islamic State is illegal in Israel, Barakei posited that
"Israel has an interest in this phenomenon [of Islamic State]."
According
to Barakei, Israel and Islamic State "make similar things happen, using
different means, like pressing buttons from the air. The one who kills and
slaughters innocents is Israel, and we can see what happened in Gaza."
Barakei
agreed with the Palestinian interviewer, who asserted that Israel openly
provides aid to Islamic State, allowing its members to move openly along its
borders and providing them medical aid, and called the supposed connection
between Israel and Islamic State "suspicious and complex."
Full
report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/MK-Barakei-Israel-has-an-interest-in-Islamic-States-success-376571
-----------
Israeli
Weapons Contaminate Palestinian Soil with Toxic Substances
29
September 2014
The
weapons used by Israel in its recent offensive on the Gaza Strip have
contaminated the soil and water of the Palestinian enclave with toxic
substances, making the farmlands useless, media reports said.
Many
farmlands in the Palestinian territory were destroyed by Israeli bombers and
bulldozers during the 50-day war, press tv reported.
The
agriculture sector’s loss is estimated at around $500 millions.
"Almost
5,000 acres of finest and most productive green land and farms are destroyed.
More than 300 roads are destroyed in addition to the ruined irrigation networks
and water catchments. These all have contributed to the soil pollution, which
threatens our lives now," Gazan Agriculture Minister Nazir Wahidi said.
Full
report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930707001073
-----------
South Asia
Suicide
Blast Kills Four in Kabul as President Inaugurated: Police
29
September 2014
KABUL: A
Taliban suicide attacker killed four civilians and injured two near Kabul
airport on Monday as Ashraf Ghani was inaugurated as Afghan president at a
ceremony in the city centre.
"We
can confirm a suicide bomber on foot detonated near the airport, killing four
people and wounding two," said a spokesman for the police investigation
department.
The
Taliban claimed responsibility via a recognised Twitter account, saying foreign
and Afghan soldiers had been targeted.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-161140-Suicide-blast-kills-four-in-Kabul-as-president-inaugurated:-police
--------
UK
citizen held in Dhaka for link with Syrian militants
29
September 2014
A Bangladesh
origin British citizen, who fought against the Assad government in Syria, has
been held at Kamalapur in Dhaka today, six months after he flew in to recruit
jihadists for Syrian militant groups, detectives say.
Samiun
Rahman alias Ibn Hamdan was arrested following information gleaned from some
people arrested recently over alleged links with militancy, said Monirul Islam,
joint commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, at a press briefing.
Samiun
came to Dhaka in February to recruit jihadists from Bangladesh and Myanmar,
Islam claimed.
Using
information and communication technology and social networking websites
including Facebook, he communicated with the people who are interested to join
militants in Syria, according to the police joint commissioner.
Samiun
promised that he would take the interested Bangladeshis to different parts of
Syria where several militant groups including Islamic State, al-Qaeda and
al-Nusra Front raised jihad, Monirul told the reporters.
“From
his passport we came to know that he went to Syria in September last year and
took part in the demonstration against Bashar al- Assad,” the DMP spokesperson
said.
“He also
went to Morocco and Mauritania but we are yet to know the reason behind his
trips,” he added.
http://www.thedailystar.net/uk-citizen-held-in-dhaka-for-link-with-syrian-militants-43859
--------
Afghanistan
President Calls on Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami to Join Political Process
Sep 29
2014,
President
Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai called on Taliban group to join the political process
in a bid to put an end to violence in the country.
Dr.
Ashraf Ghani was speaking after taking oath of the office as the new president
of Afghanistan on Monday.
He said
the political issues should be resolved through negotiations and called on all
militants groups, including the Taliban group and Hizb-e-Islami led by
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar to sit in for talks and join political process.
Dr.
Ghani also added that the government of Afghanistan believes and supports peace
and stability. However, he warned that the government will use all legitimate
means against those who kill Afghan people and children.
Full
report at:
http://www.khaama.com/dr-ghani-calls-on-taliban-and-hezb-e-islami-to-join-political-process-6767
--------
Singapore
moves to counter militant ideology
29
September 2014
A group
of Islamic scholars and teachers set up to curb the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) threat
in Singapore has been counselling people who actively read online material
related to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria's (ISIS) ideology and were
referred to them by the authorities.
It is
now also looking to counter ISIS' radical ideology, including through a more
active presence online, videos, talks at schools and distributing pamphlets at
mosques.
Dr
Mohamed Ali, vice-chairman of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), would
not disclose the exact number counselled or how they were identified.
But he
said that "support (for ISIS) is there... (It's) a very small group, but
growing".
ISIS'
ideology has gained traction closer to home in recent months but Singapore has
been lucky so far, Dr Mohamed said.
"We
are fortunate that these individuals are identified by the authorities early,
before they become deeply convinced of the radical narratives," he said in
an interview this week.
"So
they are receptive to explanations by RRG counsellors and can easily wean
themselves off radical ideas they encounter."
Full
report at:
http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/singapore-moves-counter-militant-ideology?page=0%2C0
--------
Karzai
Defends His Rule, Admits Failed Peace Efforts
29
September 2014
ISLAMABAD—
Afghanistan’s outgoing President Hamid Karzai in his final address to the
nation Sunday night defended his 13-year rule, saying it has laid a “great
foundation for our future.”
In his
nationally televised speech, Karzai thanked the Afghan nation for supporting
him and urged his successor, President-elect Ashraf Ghani, and the country’s
new chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, to continue demonstrating “a spirit of
cooperation and partnership” to serve Afghanistan.
Former
finance minister Ghani will be sworn in Monday, marking the first ever peaceful
transfer of power from one elected government to another in the war-torn
country. The ceremony will also see election runner-up Abdullah Abdullah named chief
executive, a post similar to prime minister.
“When I
first took charge of office, we did not have a flag, or a currency. We were the
target of foreign agendas we were homeless in our own country,” said Karzai.
"I am proud to have worked toward rebuilding the nation and bringing
[people] together to live in their shared homeland under one flag," he
added.
Full
report at:
http://www.voanews.com/content/karzai-defends-his-rule-and-admits-failed-peace-efforts/2465444.html
--------
Constable
killing: 89 BNP-Jamaat men charged
29
September 2014
Detective
Branch of Police in Rajshahi have submitted charge sheet against 89 leaders and
activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami in police constable Shiddharth killing
case.
The
accused leaders include BNP joint secretary general Mizanur Rahman Minu,
Rahshahi City Corporation Mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, district BNP president
Advocate Nadim Mostafa and city BNP general secretary Shafiqul Haque Milon.
Nur
Hossain Khandakar, officer-in-charge of Rajshahi DB Police, submitted the
charge sheet to Metropolitan Judicial Magistrate Court on Monday morning.
Full
report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2014/sep/29/89-bnp-jamaat-men-charged-over-constable-killing#sthash.L685WXTJ.dpuf
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Awami
League General Secretary: Jamaat enemy of humanity
29
September 2014
The
ruling party spokesperson has made the remarks in a DVD launching ceremony at
National Press Club
Awami
League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam has termed Jamaat-e-Islami enemy
of humanity and people.
The
ruling party spokesperson made the remarks in a DVD launching ceremony at
National Press Club on Monday afternoon.
The DVD
titled BNP-Jamaat's Rampage: Blood-stained Bangladesh is a production of Awami
League's publicity cell.
"Jamaat
and its associates have declared a global war in different names in the countries across the world. We are not
too far from the war," Ashraf said.
Calling
all to rest Jamaat, he said no one is safe in its hand.
Publicity
and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud presided over the programme.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2014/sep/29/ashraf-terms-jamaat-enemy-humanity#sthash.Lmu83wlU.dpuf
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India
Indian-Israeli
PMs meet for the first time in more than a decade
SUHASINI
HAIDAR
September 29, 2014
In the
first meeting between Indian and Israeli Prime Ministers in more than a decade,
PM Modi asked PM Benjamin etanyahu to explain Israel’s perspective on the
Islamic State (ISIS). According to the MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin, the
two leaders discussed the situation in West Asia. “Given that Israel is well
placed in that region, so Prime Minister requested and was given a briefing of
their understanding of the situation.”
The
conversation takes significance given it came before PM Modi’s dinner meeting
with US President Obama in Washington, as well as Mr. Modi’s address to the
council for foreign relations to outline his government’s foreign policy
objectives.
Mr. Modi
and Mr. Netanyahu also discussed ways of increasing bilateral ties in the areas
of agriculture, water management and urban development. Israel is one of
India’s largest defence suppliers, and PM Modi discussed his government’s
decision to open up Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the field to 49%, also
telling Mr. Netanyahu that Israel should consider defence partnerships based in
India, in line with his “Make in India” initiative. According to The Jerusalem
Post, PM Netanyahu said “the sky is the limit” for relations between both
countries.
Full
report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sky-is-the-limit-for-indiaisrael-ties-netanyahu-to-modi/article6456782.ece
---------
Modi
overshadowed Nawaz Sharif at UN: Pakistani daily
IANS |
Sep 29, 2014
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the UN was everything his Pakistani
counterpart Nawaz Sharif's was not, said a Pakistani daily on Monday.
An
editorial "Modi at the UN" in the Daily Times said: "Modi
continued his charm offensive in the west with a speech to the UN general
assembly that was everything Nawaz Sharif's was not."
Modi began
with a quaint reference to India's ancient Vedic culture, a running theme in
his speech.
He took
the opportunity following this to rebut Nawaz Sharif's speech from the day
before.
"He
(Modi) was correct of course; the general assembly is no longer a platform for
serious discussion, it is a way for heads of state to build an image for their
country and themselves," said the editorial.
Full
report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Modi-overshadowed-Nawaz-Sharif-at-UN-Pakistani-daily/articleshow/43784077.cms
--------
Pakistan
softens stance after Modi’s speech
SUHASINI
HAIDAR
September 29, 2014
In a
softening of positions, Pakistan welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call
for dialogue in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday,
accepting that talks with the Hurriyat were not “necessary” before dialogue
with India. India said it was “committed to all bilateral interactions with
Pakistan.”
The
turnaround, coming 24 hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s tough
language over Kashmir at the same venue, seemed to have arisen from Mr. Modi’s
speech. Contrary to expectations, Mr. Modi did not retort to Mr. Sharif’s words
directly, but called for a bilateral dialogue “without the shadow of
terrorism.”
Full
report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pakistan-softens-stance-after-modis-speech/article6455129.ece
--------
Southeast Asia
Youths
Can Express 'Jihad' In Many Ways –Dy Minister Azizah Dun
29
September 2014
BEAUFORT:
Muslim youths in the country must guard themselves against falling under the
influence of the militant group that called itself Islamic State, cautioned
Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun.
The
Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister said youths with a
strong sense of 'jihad' (religious duty), could express their spiritual energy
in many ways.
"They
can help the needy, or combat social ills such as the drug menace. Or they can
defend the country against intruders," she told reporters after launching
a volunteer programme, here.
On the
programme, Azizah who is also Beaufort Member of Parliament, said volunteers
would be trained at the Malaysian Social Institute (MSI).
Meanwhile,
MSI Director Dr Al-Azmi Bakar said since January 2002 until August this year,
45,119 social media practitioners had undergone basic and advanced training at
the institute.
"This
year as at August, 1,038 participants have followed basic training and
practical training through an outreach programme," he said.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=91446
--------
Jihadists
pulling in Muslim youths with poor religious knowledge, says Anwar
29
September 2014
SHAH
ALAM, Sept 29 ― The violent wave of jihadism as espoused by militant religious
movements will grow unless the authorities first deal with Muslim youths with
an idealised but “flawed” understanding of Islam, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said
today.
The
opposition leader attributed the rise of militant Islam to a growing number of
Muslim youngsters who were disappointed with the lack of action by their
governments to defend their religion,
"The
central issue here is the lack knowledge and education. The difference of
opinion is allowed in Islam and not to be punished if you disagree," he
told a 100-strong student audience attending a forum on fighting extremism at
Universiti Selangor here.
Anwar
said the spread of violent jihad as promoted by groups such as the Islamic
State (IS) in Syria and Iraq was founded on the ideological conflict between
Islam’s two biggest schools, Sunni and Shiah.
He also
said that Muslims fascinated by IS might replicate the spread of violence
religious revolution here, echoing similar warnings by police officials and
former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Full
report at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/jihadists-pulling-in-muslim-youths-with-poor-religious-knowledge-says-anwar#sthash.i9e192Aa.dpuf
--------
German
captives plead to be set free from Philippine Islamist militants
SEPTEMBER
29, 2014
MANILA,
Sept 29 — Two Germans being held by an Islamist group in the southern
Philippines appealed to the Philippine and German governments to secure their
release through a message on local radio today, days after the militants
threatened to kill them.
The Abu
Sayyaf group has demanded that the German government stop supporting US action
against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and wants a ransom paid for the
captives. It has said it would behead one of them if the demands are not met by
October 10.
“Hopefully,
our government will do all they can to get me free,” a male captive, who
identified himself as a medical doctor, told a radio station based in Zamboanga
City.
“We were
sailing on our sailboat and unfortunately I was taken hostage,” he said, adding
that he was concerned for his health.
According
to media reports, the two Germans were seized at gunpoint from a yacht between
Malaysian Borneo and the southern Philippines in April.
Full
report at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/world/article/german-captives-plead-to-be-set-free-from-philippine-islamist-militants#sthash.VyPB3J8x.dpuf
----------
Africa
Al
Shabaab Is Still Recruiting in Kenya - Report
29
September 2014
AL
SHABAAB and other local terror networks are taking advantage of historical
injustices of marginalisation to advance their agenda, a new report has said.
The
report, released on Friday by think tank International Crisis Group, said
extremists are actively seeking to appeal to the most alienated members of
Kenyan society to spread their influence, especially among the youth.
Titled
"Kenya: Al Shabaab Closer to Home", the ICG report explains how local
terror networks with a global jihadist agenda have used "grievances of
marginalisation among Muslim communities in Nairobi, the Coast and North
Eastern and institutional discrimination at a national level".
It goes
on: "Not only are there plenty of immediate grievances to exploit, but
nearly two decades of radicalisation and recruitment in Kenya means that the
threat is both imminent and deep. The absence of a common Kenyan Muslim agenda
and leadership has meant little resistance to the extremist message".
Full
report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201409290816.html
--------
Islamist
gunmen kill two soldiers in western Algeria
29
September 2014
Islamist
gunmen have killed two soldiers in western Algeria less than a week after
extremist-linked militants beheaded a French hostage they abducted east of the
capital, press reports said Monday.
The two
soldiers were ambushed on Sunday as they inspected a power plant in the town of
Telagh, 150 kilometers south of Algeria’s second city Oran, the reports said.
Islamist
militants, some of them loyal to Al-Qaeda, remain active in several areas of
Algeria more than a decade after the end of the country’s devastating 1992-2002
civil war.
World
outrage
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/09/29/Islamist-gunmen-kill-two-soldiers-in-western-Algeria-.html
--------
South
Africa: Medical Male Circumcision Becomes the 'In' Thing
29
September 2014
Younger
men say voluntary medical male circumcision is becoming cool among peers as the
country continues rolling out new method.
Karabo
Nhlapo, 21, chose to be medically circumcised about a month ago. He says his
friends have chosen to follow his lead.
"I
did my circumcision four weeks back using Prepex - it was painless," said
Nhlapo, who added that his girlfriend encouraged him to go for the procedure.
"I
started become interested in getting circumcised last year while I was on
campus," he tells Health-e News. "I was shy to get into the shower
with the other guys because of my penis as I saw that majority had done
it".
After
Nhlapo told his friends, four others decided to get medically circumcised and
now his entire group of friends has also undergone the procedure.
"When
you haven't done it, we wonder what's wrong with you because everybody is doing
it," he adds.
Full
report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201409291076.html
--------
I Will
Crush Boko Haram - Jonathan
29
September 2014
Benin
City — President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, yesterday, at the South-south Unity
Party of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), held in Benin-City, vowed that his
administration will crush Boko Haram exactly the way it fought Ebola virus
disease.
The
President also boasted that the PDP will recapture Rivers and Edo states in
2015 and 2016, insisting that the entire South-south must return to the PDP as
it were in 1999.
This
comes as South-south PDP leaders and governors, through the Chairman, Board of
Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, urged the North to back Jonathan's
re-election bid, asserting that the people of the zone were determined to
ensure his re-election. According to Anenih, the North must reciprocate the
gesture of the South-south in the political empowerment of the North in the
past.
Full
report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201409290209.html
--------
Nigeria:
Over 4,000 Killed in Kaduna Attacks
29
September 2014
Over 4,
000 people have been killed in separate attacks in the Southern part of Kaduna,
Kaduna State, Victor Bodam, the Chancellor Gurara Forum, a Kaduna-based
Christian forum, has said.
Mr.
Bodam, also a member of a coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations of
Southern Kaduna, in a briefing in Abuja, said most of the affected victims of
the Southern Kaduna killings have been women and children.
He also
said the attacks have rendered many people homeless with the state government
having done little or nothing to put an end to the crisis.
According
to records made available to journalists, 16 of the attacks happened from
1980-2010, while 39 of the recent attacks occurred in four years - 2011 to
2014.
"In
most of the affected communities, women and children have been killed and
brutally murdered in a most barbaric manner. While in some cases they were
hacked to death, in others they were burnt alive and or blown up with
explosives," Mr. Bodam said.
Full
report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201409270468.html
--------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/french-muslims-won’t-apologise-isil/d/99314