Hundreds of ISIL Takfiri Militants Killed in Iraq's Kirkuk
New Age Islam News Bureau
28
Nov 2014
State Bank of India
Arab World
• Hundreds of ISIL Takfiri Militants Killed in Iraq's Kirkuk
• Iraq: ISIL Top Commander, 22 Aides Dead after Iraqi Airstrike
• ‘Gulf Interpol’ To Crush Terror, Crime
• Rebels push forward in southern Syria
• Islamic State jams mobiles in Mosul
• Syria denies targeting civilians, tells US to criticize militants
• Iraqi probe delves into Speicher Camp massacre
• Egypt gears up for Friday of 'Islamic revolution' protests
• 12% of rehab terrorists relapse
Africa
• Over 100 Dead in Clashes in Sudan’s Kordofan: Tribes
• Nigeria Bus Station Blast Kills 40 People
• Kenya police allow mosques to reopen in port city
• 'Profoundly Concerned' Over Violence in Libya, Security Council Warns of Possible Sanctions
Mideast
• Foreigners Don’t Like Muslims, Only Their Money: Erdoğan
• Army Splits That Let Yemen's Capital Fall Augur New Risks
• Israel’s former president criticizes Israel’s ‘Jewish state’ bill
• Iran: Hegemonic Powers behind Creation, Spread of Terrorism in Region
• Colourful war of words plays out on Gaza’s battered walls
• Israel arrests 30 suspected militants commanded from Turkey
• Entrance of Muslim worshiper's to Temple Mount will not be restricted Friday
Pakistan
• ‘Mosques and Madrasas Should Focus On Public Issues’: Pakistan Ulema Council
• ‘Pak-China Economic Corridor to Open New Trade Opportunities’
• India should not have cancelled talks: Nawaz Sharif
• Any ‘vandalism’ won’t be tolerated, govt warns PTI
• 34 suspected militants held in Quetta
• PPP submits calling-attention notice against ISIS
• Pakistan not to compromise on its sovereignty: Marvi Memon
• Modi’s changed mood vindication of Pak stance: PM
• KSA beheads 9th Pakistani since mid-Oct
India
• SBI to Launch Islamic Fund Dec 01; Targets Initial Investment of 1 bn. Rupees
• Kalyan Youth, Suspected To Have Joined ISIS, Returns to Mumbai
• India launches e-visa facility for Israel, Palestine and 41 other countries
• Govt believes 39 Indians held hostage by ISIS still alive: Sushma Swaraj
• Under pressure from Saarc members, Pakistan signs energy pact
• 40 Indian prisoners released from Karachi jail
South Asia
• Taliban militants kidnap 10 civilians in Sar-e-Pul province
• 'China will not compromise Maldives' sovereignty'
• High-Level Bangladesh Intel and Police Team in India to Discuss Militancy
• UK changes transit rules for Bangladeshis
Europe
• Danish jihadists ‘on benefits while fighting for ISIS’
• Number of Women from West Becoming Jihadi Brides Rises: German Official
• Dutch MP calls for removal of all mosques in Netherlands
• Pope to urge tolerance in Turkey visit as Middle East wars rage
• French lawmakers to debate Palestinian statehood resolution
• Austrian police launch mass raid against jihadist recruiter: report
North America
• Canada conducts ‘secret’ aid mission in Iraq
• US ban on a Tunisian Islamist leader could signal policy change
• Gen Sharif ‘articulate spokesperson for Pakistan’s interests’: US envoy
Southeast Asia
• ‘Embarrassing’ for Malays to rely on Sedition Act, says Anwar
• Delegate calls for ‘economic jihad’ to ensure Malays succeed
• Can Common Man Jokowi Micromanage 240 Million Indonesians?
• Sedition Test for Najib: Will he act against Mashitah for 'Chinese burned Quran' speech
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hundreds-isil-takfiri-militants-killed/d/100235
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Arab World
Hundreds of ISIL Takfiri Militants Killed in Iraq's Kirkuk
Nov 28, 2014
The Kurdish Peshmarga fighters inflicted massive losses on the ISIL Takfiri group in the Iraqi Northern city of Kirkuk, and claimed the lives of hundreds of terrorists.
The Kurdish forces made major advances in Northwest of Kirkuk on Wednesday, leaving at least 115 Takfiri militants dead and injured.
The ISIL 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=13930906000161
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Iraq: ISIL Top Commander, 22 Aides Dead after Iraqi Airstrike
Nov 28, 2014
The Iraqi air force killed the leader of the ISIL Takfiri group in Heet district, Anbar province, and 22 of his aides in an airstrike, an Iraqi official said.
“Iraqi warplanes conducted an air strike against ISIL ranks, destroying 5 armored vehicles in an area located 70 km West of Ramadi. The air strike also resulted in killing the ISIL military leader of Heet, known as Sannan Moteb alongside 22 of his key aides,” Malollah Abidi, president of the Baghdadi Council said, RT reported.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930906000188
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‘Gulf Interpol’ To Crush Terror, Crime
Nov 28, 2014
The GCC plans to set up a joint police force to tackle organized crime syndicates, terrorist groups, drug smugglers and human traffickers.
The force, dubbed the Gulf Interpol, would have its headquarters in Abu Dhabi with Emirati Lt. Col Mubarak Al-Khayli as its chief, said a GCC statement released on Thursday. The GCC body would be similar to Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency that handles criminal intelligence and deals with organized crime.
“The GCC interior ministers have given the green light to the plan to set up the police force because large-scale criminal and terrorist networks pose a significant threat to the internal security of the GCC and the safety and livelihood of its people,” said the statement.
The GCC statement said the force would help counter cross-border criminal activity in the region. “There is a need to lay down a clear-cut strategy to combat all crimes, particularly drug trafficking and money laundering,” said Kuwaiti Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, who chaired the ministers’ meeting in Kuwait City.
“All GCC member states will subscribe to a joint criminal database, with each appointing a representative to act as a point of contact with the GCC police force,” said Abdullatif Al-Zayani, speaking after the meeting.
He said the presidency of the body would rotate among the six member states every three years.
The GCC police force would operate under the security department of the GCC general-secretariat, which acts as a central database and information exchange unit, he said. The GCC ministerial council is set to ratify the plan before presenting it to the 35th GCC summit scheduled to take place in Doha on Dec. 19.
Hassan K. Alotaibi, a political analyst, said: “This is an ambitious security project with added significance ... Moreover, it will be interesting to see the composition of the Gulf Interpol because the GCC states have their own police and public security systems, different from one another.”
Saudi Arabia, for example, has a regular police force, a secret police unit and religious police, he added.
He said the Gulf region was becoming more vulnerable to international drug trafficking, money laundering, organized fraud, counterfeiting of Gulf currencies, people smuggling and cybercrime.
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/666661
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Rebels push forward in southern Syria
Nov 28, 2014
Syrian rebels backed by the United States are making their biggest gains yet south of the capital Damascus, capturing a string of towns from government forces and aiming to carve out a swath of territory leading to the doorstep of President Bashar Assad's seat of power
The advances appear to be a rare visible success story from efforts by the US and its allies to train and arm moderate rebel fighters.
The rebel forces are believed to include fighters who graduated from a nearly 2-year-old CIA training program based in Syria's southern neighbor Jordan. The group known as the Friends of Syria, including Jordan, France the US and Saudi Arabia, are backing the rebels with money and weapons, said Gen. Ibrahim Jbawi, the spokesman for the Free Syrian Army's southern front.
The gains are a contrast to northern Syria, where US-backed rebels are collapsing in the face of an assault by Islamic militants. Notably, in the south, the rebels are working together with fighters from al-Qaida's Syria branch, whose battle-hardened militants have helped them gain the momentum against government forces. The cooperation points to the difficulty in American efforts to build up "moderate" factions while isolating militants.
"The goal is to reach the capital ... because there is no way to bring down the regime without reaching Damascus," said Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist in Daraa.
But few are under the illusion that the offensive in the south can loosen Assad's grip on power in the near future. The Syrian leader has benefited from the US-led coalition's war against the Islamic State group, which has had the side effect of freeing up Assad's forces to focus on more moderate rebels elsewhere in the country. Government forces have seized several key areas around the capital.
Rebels in the south say they hope the new push will be just enough to pressure Assad to negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Jbawi said the international support for the assault "is not enough to let the rebels win the battle militarily. They are backing (us) to pressure Bashar Assad's regime to bring him to the negotiating table."
The Islamic State group's onslaught in Syria and Iraq has given greater urgency to international efforts to find some sort of solution for Syria's conflict, which has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced millions. Previous attempts and two rounds of peace talks in Switzerland earlier this year failed to make any progress as each side remained convinced it can win the war militarily.
The U.N. envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has now proposed local cease-fires starting with the northern city of Aleppo as a building block for a wider solution — an idea that Assad has said is "worth studying."
Speaking by telephone, Jbawi said 54 rebel factions consisting of 30,000 fighters are taking part in the battles in southern Syria. Activists say that Jordan is also facilitating the rebels' push by arming some rebels and allowing them to cross freely to and from the country.
The rebel offensive gained momentum two months ago, leading to the capture of much of the Quneitra region bordering Syria's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, as well as large areas in the southern province of Daraa on the border with Jordan.
These included the town of Nawa and the Harra hill, a strategic hill where Syrian troops had stationed monitoring equipment because of its proximity to Israeli army positions in the Golan. The hill, one of the highest in Daraa province, also overlooks a main road that rebels use.
More recently, the fighting has been concentrated in and around the contested village of Sheikh Maskeen and the nearby Brigade 82 base, one of the main government units in the province. If the rebels capture the village and the base they will be then able to threaten the Damascus-Daraa highway, a main lifeline for government forces.
The rebel offensive could eventually link opposition fighters' positions in Daraa and Quneitra with Damascus' rebel-held Ghouta suburbs.
"The military objective is to secure lines of communication and to put pressure on the capital," said Faysal Itani, a resident fellow at the Atlantic Council.
However, despite the rebel advance, Assad's forces remain strong in the area, holding bases in critical locations that the rebels will find difficult to capture, he said.
Daraa-based activist Ibrahim Hariri said that while government forces collapsed in some parts of the province, they still hold much of the city of Daraa and control the Daraa-Damascus highway, "the spine of the province."
"The regime always has a very big force in Daraa because it is close to the front with Israel," Hariri said. "Any attempt to reach Damascus will not be an easy mission."
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/116649/World/Region/Rebels-push-forward-in-southern-Syria.aspx
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Islamic State jams mobiles in Mosul
Nov 28, 2014
BAGHDAD: Residents in the militant-held Iraqi city of Mosul say militants with the Islamic State group have blocked all mobile phone networks in the town.
Several residents said the move is to prevent residents from revealing the location of militants in town to US coalition forces conducting airstrikes in the area. The militants informed residents of their decision via their Mosul-based radio network Wednesday. All residents spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Some are still able to access the Internet, which operates under a different network.
The militants seized the city in June. The US began launching airstrikes on Aug. 8 and has conducted at least 22 strikes around the city of Mosul alone.
http://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/news/666541
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Syria denies targeting civilians, tells US to criticize militants
Nov 28, 2014
Syria rejected as "fabricated" U.S. accusations that its forces are targeting civilians with air strikes and said Washington would do better to criticize hardline Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) who have killed American citizens.
The U.S. State Department said on Nov. 27 it was "horrified" by Syrian government bombings in Raqqa province which it said had killed "dozens of civilians and demolished residential areas".
"The Syrian Arab Army does not target civilians and will not do so," state news agency SANA quoted Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi as saying late on Thursday.
He said Washington got its information from "terrorist organisations" in Syria such as ISIL and al Qaeda's Nusra Front.
Tuesday's government strikes on the northern province killed 95 civilians, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Raqqa is the stronghold of Islamic State, a hardline al Qaeda offshoot which has seized land in Syria and Iraq.
Both the Syrian military and U.S.-led forces are bombing Syrian targets in separate campaigns and both say they are pursuing militant groups.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syria-denies-targeting-civilians-tells-us-to-criticize-militants.aspx?pageID=238&nID=74940&NewsCatID=352
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Iraqi probe delves into Speicher Camp massacre
28 November 2014
Iraq’s initial report by a committee tasked with investigating the June massacre in Spiecher Camp found that there were no military orders to withdraw and that “criminals” helped militants to kill 276 soldiers, a local news website reported Thursday.
While other news outlets previously reported that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militant group killed at least 1,566 Iraqi Air Force cadets in an attack on Camp Speicher in Tikrit city on June 12, al-Sumaria News reported the initial probe as saying 276 cadets were killed.
The report added that some cadets are believed to be alive but missing.
In September, the Iraqi Human Rights ministry said the total of the missing soldiers and cadets was 1095.
The four-page report found that “there were no orders issued to withdraw or leave defense positions from any top military officer,” adding that “some criminals” have took advantage of the security vacuum after ISIS took over Iraq’s second largest city Mosul in a lighting offensive and “cooperated” with the militants.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/11/28/Iraqi-probe-delves-into-Speicher-Camp-massacre.html
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Egypt gears up for Friday of 'Islamic revolution' protests
Nov 28, 2014
As Egypt’s Islamists gear up for renewed protests, fear and anticipation have increased in a country that has experienced four years of unrest and street violence.
The protests, called for by the Salafist Front, have gained attention after months of low-level street activity from supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, apart from protests at universities.
The ultraconservative group calls it an “uprising of the Muslim youth” and a day of “Islamic Identity,” where supporters are encouraged to raise the Quran in demonstrations. The group's demands include the imposition of sharia.
"There’s a war on my religion and my Islam, a war on our values, ethics and identity,” a video that circulated online to call for demonstrations said.
The video listed reasons that ranged from claims of assaults on mosques and immoral acts, to the inequality in wealth distribution and the heavy handedness of security forces when dealing with protesters.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/116611/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-gears-up-for-Friday-of-Islamic-revolution-pr.aspx
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12% of rehab terrorists relapse
Nov 28, 2014
Twelve percent of those who had participated in government-run rehabilitation programs for terrorism have relapsed and returned to terror-related activities, a Ministry of Interior official has revealed.
Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said officials at the Prince Muhammad bin Naif Center for Counseling and Care are now trying to determine the causes for these failures.
However, he said the program has been largely successful. Over the past two years more than 2,500 people had participated in the programs, with 80 percent not returning to terrorist activities, he said.
Al-Turki rejected the notion that the program itself caused some to relapse and take part in terror-related activities in the Kingdom. “Without the program, thousands of those who were released would have been exploited by terrorist organizations,” he said.
He said the task of staff at the center is to determine why the 12 percent relapsed. “We will use the findings to reduce relapses.” No rehabilitation program could be 100 percent successful, he said.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/666656
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Africa
Over 100 dead in clashes in Sudan’s Kordofan: tribes
28 November 2014
More than 100 people have been killed in several days of fighting between two clans in Sudan’s oil-rich West Kordofan region, tribal leaders told AFP on Thursday.
The clashes started on Sunday over a land dispute between two sub-groups of the powerful Misseriya tribe in Al-Quwik area near the border with South Sudan.
The fighting between the Zioud and the Awlad Amran groups left 133 people dead, the head of the Misseriya, Mokhtar Babo Nimir, told AFP.
Babo Nimir did not know how many people had been wounded but said the figure was “high”.
Both sides were using heavy machine guns in the clashes, which were still raging on Thursday, a second tribal leader in the area said.
“Until this evening there are no government troops on the ground to separate the fighters and more than 100 have been killed from both sides,” said the leader, whose clan was not involved in the clashes.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2014/11/28/Over-100-dead-in-clashes-in-Sudan-s-Kordofan-tribes-.html
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Nigeria bus station blast kills 40 people
Nov 28, 2014
YOLA: A roadside bomb tore through a bus station near a busy junction in northeast Nigeria, killing 40 people including five soldiers, witnesses and a security source on the scene said.
The security source and witness Abubakar Adamu, a mechanic who narrowly avoided being blown up himself, said the blast set several buses on fire at the Marabi-Mubi junction, in a part of the country plagued by violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency.
"There were bodies everywhere on the ground," Adamu said.
The location is about 30 km (20 miles) west of Mubi, a town near the Cameroon border seized last month by Boko Haram militants fighting to carve an Islamic state out of religiously-mixed Nigeria. It has since been recaptured.
Nigerian authorities, who rarely remark on security developments in the troubled northeast, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reuters)
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-167078-Nigeria-bus-station-blast-kills-40-people
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Kenya police allow mosques to reopen in port city
Nov 28, 2014
MOMBASA: Authorities in Kenya’s troubled port city of Mombasa said on Thursday they were allowing four mosques to reopen following a string of raids to hunt for weapons and supporters of Somalia’s Shebab militants.
Last week police said they found grenades, ammunition and petrol bombs and detained scores of people in swoops on the Masjid Musa, Sakina, Swafaa and Minaa mosques. One person was also shot dead as they tried to throw a grenade at police.
“Our intention is not to take over mosques, we are here to help you and your safety,” said Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa, announcing that the mosques could reopen in time for Friday prayers. “I want to tell you now that the mosques are now open and you are all welcome to go to the mosques,” he said.
The raids prompted fresh unrest in Mombasa, an important tourist centre key port city and gateway for trade with east Africa, with four people stabbed to death in apparent revenge attacks.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1147340/kenya-police-allow-mosques-to-reopen-in-port-city
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'Profoundly Concerned' Over Violence in Libya, Security Council Warns of Possible Sanctions
Nov 28, 2014
The Security Council today expressed its "profound concern" over the deteriorating situation in Libya and its impact on regional peace and stability, warning of the possibility of sanctions.
In a press statement issued this morning, the Council, recalling resolution 2174 - which it adopted in August and condemns the use of violence against civilians and civilian institutions - emphasized that the Sanctions Committee is prepared to sanction "those who threaten Libya's peace, stability or security or that obstruct or undermine the successful completion of its political transition."
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the "sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity" of Libya, the Council also underlined that there can be no military solution to the current crisis.
Echoing a statement yesterday from the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Council also strongly condemned the escalation in violence and noted with concern the recent attacks on public and civilian infrastructure.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201411270199.html
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Mideast
Foreigners don’t like Muslims, only their money: Erdoğan
Nov 28, 2014
“Foreigners” are unable to solve the problems of the Middle East because Western states “don’t like us” and are more interested in just following the cash, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Nov. 27.
“Only we can solve our problems. I speak openly; foreigners love oil, gold, diamonds, and the cheap labor force of the Islamic world. They like the conflicts, fights and quarrels of the Middle East. Believe me, they don’t like us,” said Erdoğan during an address to the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) in Istanbul.
“They look like friends, but they want us dead, they like seeing our children die. How long will we stand that fact?” he added.
Erdoğan said Middle Eastern countries could solve their problems by themselves without any help from the West.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/foreigners-dont-like-muslims-only-their-money-turkish-president-erdogan.aspx?pageID=238&nID=74893&NewsCatID=338
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Army splits that let Yemen's capital fall augur new risks
28 November 2014
As fighting raged at the First Armored Division's base in central Sanaa, General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar arrived in a motorcade at the general staff headquarters and entered the building shouting "Treason! Treason!".
He grabbed some documents from a desk and left in a hurry, a defense ministry official said. Half an hour later, the commander of the Fourth Brigade Presidential Security turned up, collected his car and sped away.
"I knew then that Sanaa had fallen and that it was over," the officer, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
"General al-Ahmar was angry and felt utterly betrayed."
While many details of the surrender of Yemen's capital by 100,000 Republican Guards to some 5,000 Houthi fighters on Sept. 21 remain murky, the nature of the capitulation bodes ill for President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi's fragile grip on power.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/analysis/2014/11/28/Army-splits-that-let-Yemen-s-capital-fall-augur-new-risks.html
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Israel’s former president criticizes Israel’s ‘Jewish state’ bill
28 November 2014
Israel’s former president has come out against a bill floated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that would define Israel as “the Jewish state.”
At a ceremony alongside Netanyahu on Thursday, Shimon Peres said the legislation was driven by political interests, would hurt the country’s image and erode Israel’s “democratic principles.”
Israel’s declaration of independence defined Israel as both Jewish and democratic.
Netanyahu’s bill seeks to enshrine that status at the constitutional level. But critics say the wording would upset the balance between those two ideals, undermining its democratic character and harm the rights of Arab citizens.
Peres, who retired earlier this year, joined his successor, Reuven Rivlin in opposing the bill.
The presidency is a largely ceremonial office that is meant to serve as a moral compass for the nation.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/11/28/Peres-criticizes-Israel-s-Jewish-state-bill.html
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Iran: Hegemonic Powers behind Creation, Spread of Terrorism in Region
Nov 28, 2014
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on Thursday lashed out at the western powers and their regional allies for their role in the creation and spread of extremist and terrorist groups in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.
The top Iranian parliamentarian said that secret hands of certain big countries' intelligence services' were involved in formation of extremist tendencies in the Middle East. 'For instance, we are fully aware of the involvement of the US former ambassador to Iraq in creating tensions among the country's Shiite and Sunni tribes.
The speaker added that the role of intelligence services of the Zionist regime of Israel and those of certain Arab countries should not be neglected in causing regional conflicts.
He further added that Iran has always been the forerunner of fight against terrorism.
Early in July, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani called on the Muslim nations to keep vigilant against the plots hatched by the enemies to disunite and weaken them.
“The flames of violence and extremism are flaring across the Muslim world, and ignorance and extremism have cleared the way for the realization of the longtime plot of the enemies of Islam in sowing discord and causing sectarian and tribal strife,” President Rouhani said.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930906000778
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Colorful war of words plays out on Gaza’s battered walls
28 November 2014
EVERYWHERE you turn, walls in the Gaza Strip are covered with paint — brightly colored slogans, political portraits and prose.
For youth in the besieged enclave packed with 1.8 million people, graffiti is an important tool for self-expression and fighting back.
Since their birth, they have never known anything beyond this tiny strip of land wedged between Egypt and Israel, with the Mediterranean Sea to their backs.
In the south, the walls rail against Egypt’s closure of the Rafah border crossing.
In the north, they condemn the Israeli soldiers who prevent them from crossing through Erez.
There is that pervading sense of being trapped, of powerlessness in the face of Israeli bombardments, the never-ending progression of funerals, the humiliation and the oppression.
All these things find expression in the gaudy slogans daubed on walls and in alleyways across the territory.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20141128225806
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Israel arrests 30 suspected militants commanded from Turkey, thwarts attack on Jerusalem stadium
Nov 28, 2014
Israel has thwarted a planned attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Jerusalem's biggest football stadium, arresting 30 suspected militants commanded from Turkey, security services said on Nov. 27.
The Holy City is on edge following a series of deadly "lone-wolf" attacks on Israelis, including deliberate hit-and-run incidents by Palestinian drivers, and the killing of five people in a synagogue.
The 30 suspects, members of a West Bank-based network, were detained in September, domestic security service Shin Bet said after lifting a gag order on the operation.
Aged 23 to 30, they were recruited from Jordan, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Syria, by Hamas commanders based in Turkey, Shin Bet said.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/israel-arrests-30-suspected-militants-commanded-from-turkey-thwarts-attack-on-jerusalem-stadium.aspx?pageID=238&nID=74908&NewsCatID=352
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Entrance of Muslim worshiper's to Temple Mount will not be restricted Friday
Nov 28, 2014
The police will continue to enable the entrance of Muslim worshipers of all ages to the Temple Mount on Friday, for the third week in a row, Israel radio reported.
Israeli police removed barricades in the Sur-Bahar neighborhood of east Jerusalem, after community leaders promised to work to prevent disorderly conduct. The barricades remain on the sides of the roads in case the need to renew the blockade resurfaces.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Entrance-of-Muslim-worshipers-to-Temple-Mount-will-not-be-restricted-Friday-383094
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Pakistan
‘Mosques and Madrasas Should Focus On Public Issues’: Pakistan Ulema Council
Nov 28, 2014
Islam is a religion of peace and stability, and it is the responsibility of clerics to convey true Islamic teachings to people without getting bogged down by any limitations. Islam does not forbid Muslims from seeking modern knowledge together with Islamic education. This was stated by Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Central Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi while addressing a two-day training session held in Multan for clerics, prayer leaders and students of Madras Al-Arabia. Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said that clerics have an important role to play in society. Mosques and madrasas should now start focussing on public issues. The role of mosques and madrasas is vital for restoring peace and stability. Likewise, in order to stop the propaganda against Islamic teachings, clerics should also focus on modern knowledge together with Islamic education, so that they can understand modern-day issues and present solutions in the light of Islamic teachings. He added that if mosques and madrasas decide to raise their voice in case a girl is raped in the future, there is no reason why those who play with the honour of women will not refrain from committing such acts. He said that silence will not be maintained over atrocities committed in south Punjab in the future, and clerics will rise up against those who stop women from acquiring knowledge or play with their honour and dignity. He added that we should also play a role to promote inter-faith and inter-sectarian forbearance.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/28-Nov-2014/mosques-and-madrassas-should-focus-on-public-issues
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‘Pak-China economic corridor to open new trade opportunities’
Nov 28, 2014
HYDERABAD - Peoples Republic of China Deputy Consul General Mu Young Pung has said that Pakistan-China Economic Corridor will open new vistas of trade relations between the two countries and will further strengthen relations between the people of both the countries.
He expressed these remarks while addressing the traders and industrialists here at the secretariat of Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) on Thursday, a HCCI spokesman said. Pung invited Pakistani traders and industrialists to visit China and explore the fields of trades particularly in agriculture and medicines. The strengthening of trade relations would cement the relations even for the next generations of the two countries, he said, and assured that on recommendation of HCCI, visas will be issued to traders and industrialists of Hyderabad on priority basis.
Earlier, in his welcome address, HCCI Senior Vice President Turab Ali Khoja said that China is the oldest and reliable friend of Pakistan and the trade relations between the two countries would surely boost the economy not only in Pakistan, but also the China. He said that Hyderabad has a great potential for investment in agro-based industries as it is produces a number of items including wheat, cotton, fruits, vegetables and flowers. The investment can also be made in power generation and coal mining sectors, he said.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/28-Nov-2014/pak-china-economic-corridor-to-open-new-trade-opportunities
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India should not have cancelled talks: Nawaz Sharif
Nov 28, 2014
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said India should not have cancelled the Foreign Secretary-level talks, insisting that there was “nothing new” in consulting Kashmiri leaders ahead of a dialogue. “We had been talking to the Kashmiri leaders in the past whenever Pakistan-India talks are held. This is nothing new as we have to seek the opinion of the Kashmiri leaders on an issue that concerns them the most,” Sharif told reporters on board his aircraft while returning home from the 18th SAARC Summit on Thursday.
Consultations held by Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi with Kashmiri separatists led to the cancellation by India of Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh’s visit to Islamabad in September. Since then both countries have maintained that they are willing to engage in a meaningful dialogue provided the other side takes the initiative. Sharif said that India should not have cancelled the Foreign Secretary-level talks as was agreed upon during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his swearing in at New Delhi, The News reported. Full report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/neighbours/india-should-not-have-cancelled-talks-nothing-new-in-consulting-kashmiri-leaders-ahead-of-dialogue-nawaz-sharif/#sthash.27PgOFm9.dpuf
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Any ‘vandalism’ won’t be tolerated, govt warns PTI
Nov 28, 2014
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan disclosed on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had made a formal request for a rally on November 30, stating that protests in accordance with the constitution would be permitted soon, but warned that vandalism would not be tolerated.
During his address at the Sihala Police Training Centre, Nisar said the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration led by the Interior Ministry is considering PTI’s request for the rally and chalking out the administrative strategy for the said date. “Peaceful activities would not be obstructed but would rather be facilitated,” the minister said. In anticipation of the probable situation on November 30, Nisar said, police has placed containers on roads. He clarified that the government’s preparations are solely to protect the state institutions and public property.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/islamabad/28-Nov-2014/any-vandalism-won-t-be-tolerated-govt-warns-pti
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34 suspected militants held in Quetta
Nov 28, 2014
QUETTA: The Frontier Corps (FC) arrested 34 people and recovered weapons in the provincial capital where four polio workers, including three women, were gunned down the other day. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also suspended its crusade against polio in the province for an unidentified period in the face of growing threats. According to the details, a search operation was launched by FC in Mullakhel Abad area of the provincial capital in which the FC personnel arrested 34 suspects and recovered weapons from their custody. The arrested suspects were shifted to various police stations of Sariab. Police had also arrested 15 persons from the area on the first day of the deadly attack. On the other hand, Capital City Police Officer Syed Imtiaz Shah had asked for the report of the crime within 24 hours. In the initial investigation report, Shalkot Acting DSP Shafqat Ameer Janjoa and New Sariab SHO Noor Bakhsh were suspended of their duties on exhibiting negligence. A departmental action was also ordered against them.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/28-Nov-2014/34-suspected-militants-held
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PPP submits calling-attention notice against ISIS
Nov 28, 2014
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) submitted a calling-attention notice in the National Assembly regarding the emergence of the terrorist outfit, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), in Pakistan.
The notice was submitted by Dr Nafisa Shah, Imran Zafar Laghari, Shazia Mari, Abdul Sattar Bachani and Shagufta Jumani.
The PPP lawmakers have sought attention of the Interior Ministry to the matter of urgent public importance regarding the emergence of the ISIS.
“The outfit is quickly casting its shadow over Pakistan as stickers, wall chalking and graffiti welcome notes can be seen in many cities of the country,” one of the PPP lawmakers said.
The lawmakers said that the situation was worrisome as those who were writing slogans now would embark on terrorist activities in days to come.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/28-Nov-2014/ppp-submits-calling-attention-notice-against-isis
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Pakistan not to compromise on its sovereignty: Marvi Memon
Nov 28, 2014
ISLAMABAD – National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Chairperson Marvi Memon on Thursday stressed that Pakistan would not compromise on its sovereignty in any case.
Talking to a private TV channel, she said that it was not appropriate to violate the Line of Control (LoC) and level baseless allegations just for electioneering as done by India. She also said that the suspension of the foreign secretary level talks was a unilateral decision of India.
Marvi said that the continuation of the dialogue process was in favour of both the countries as well as for the region. She mentioned that the stance of Pakistan over Kashmir was very clear that it was an internationally disputed territory.
She was of the view that it was the right of Pakistan to talk with the Hurriat leaders, saying that Kashmir dispute could not proceed without involvement of Kashmiris. Being a sovereign country, Pakistan would not take any sort of dictation on any issue, Marvi underlined.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/27-Nov-2014/pakistan-not-to-compromise-on-its-sovereignty-marvi
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Modi’s changed mood vindication of Pak stance: PM
Nov 28, 2014
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that change in the attitude of Indian Premier Narendra Modi is vindication of Pakistan’s stance on resumption of talks with New Delhi.
Pakistan wants ties with India on the basis of dignity, self-respect and honour and desires a “meaningful” dialogue to resolve all issues including the Kashmir dispute, he told journalists accompanying him on his flight to Islamabad from Kathmandu, where he attended a summit of South Asian leaders.
Qualifying his statement, he said on Thursday night that New Delhi cancelled foreign secretary level talks without any justification. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Pakistani High Commissioner’s meeting with Kashmiri leaders was used as a pretext to call off talks, decision of which was taken by the two prime ministers in New Delhi at the time of his Indian counterpart’s swearing-in ceremony.
A brief meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi earlier in the day salvaged the Saarc summit, with all eight countries clinching a last-minute deal to create a regional electricity grid.
Full report at:
http://nation.com.pk/national/28-Nov-2014/modi-s-changed-mood-vindication-of-pak-stance-pm
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KSA beheads 9th Pakistani since mid-Oct
Nov 28, 2014
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday beheaded a Pakistani for heroin smuggling, bringing to nine the number of people from his country executed since mid-October. Muhammad Rahman Muhammad Asghar had been "tried and found guilty of smuggling a large quantity of heroin into the kingdom," the official Saudi Press Agency said. The sentence was carried out in the Eastern Province city of Khobar. Asghar was the latest of 74 people, foreigners and Saudis, to be executed in the kingdom this year, according to an AFP tally.
http://nation.com.pk/national/28-Nov-2014/ksa-beheads-9th-pakistani-since-mid-oct
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India
SBI to Launch Islamic Fund Dec 01; Targets Initial Investment of 1 bn. Rupees
Nov 28, 2014
New Delhi: India's largest state-owned bank will launch an Islamic equity fund next month aimed mainly at attracting investments from the country's 170 million Muslims.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India, the country's banking regulator, recently allowed the government-owned State Bank of India and three mutual funds to launch Sharia funds, according to the Associated Press.
An official said Wednesday that the bank was expecting to attract an initial 1 billion rupees ($16.4 million) to the fund which will launch on Dec. 1.
A large section of India's Muslim population remains outside the banking system, partly because Islamic law known as Sharia prohibits interest. Shares of companies linked to alcohol, tobacco, gambling and casinos and financial institutions that earn interest would be excluded from the fund.
Full report at:
http://www.ummid.com/news/2014/November/26.11.2014/state-bank-to-laucnh-islamic-fund.html#sthash.VayiOWOl.dpuf
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Kalyan youth, suspected to have joined ISIS, returns to Mumbai
Pradeep Gupta,TNN | Nov 28, 2014
KALYAN: Arif Majeed, one of four youths from Kalyan who had gone to Iraq and is reported to have joined the Islamic State, returned to India on Friday morning and was being interrogated by the NIA.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team reached Mumbai airport from Turkey at around 5.15am this morning with Arif. Arif had escaped to Turkey from Iraq.
The NIA informed Arif's parents in Kalyan who have now gone to Mumbai to meet their son.
Sources said that NIA which is investigating the case will first probe Arif on his role with the ISIS and later may allow him to go with his family.
Arif's family was unavailable for comment but his relative Iftiqar Khan confirmed the development saying it was good news for the family that Arif had returned.
Iftiqar wanted the law agency to allow the youth to return to his family after completing its probe as whatever he had done was " a mistake under the influence of extremists" and he should be given a chance to live a normal life.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kalyan-youth-suspected-to-have-joined-ISIS-returns-to-Mumbai/articleshow/45307316.cms
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India launches e-visa facility for Israel, Palestine and 41 other countries
Nov 28, 2014
New Delhi: India Thursday launched electronic visa (e-visa) facility for tourists from 43 countries, including US, Israel, Palestine and Japan to boost tourism sector and offer hassle-free travel to foreign visitors.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, along with union Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma launched the Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) service enabled with electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme here.
"India has a unique advantage in tourism sector owing to its geographical location and that no other country offers such abundance of diversity in weather conditions," said Singh.
Sharma stressed that India has a long history of rich cultural heritage and what tourists want from India is "safety, cleanliness and hospitality".
Full report at:
http://www.ummid.com/news/2014/November/27.11.2014/india-e-visa-facility.html#sthash.6K9akRBh.dpuf
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Govt believes 39 Indians held hostage by ISIS still alive: Sushma Swaraj
PTI | Nov 28, 2014
NEW DELHI: Government believes that 39 Indians held hostage by ISIS in Iraq are still alive as there is no confirmation of reports that they have been killed, Parliament was told on Friday amid concerns express by members over their fate.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj made statements in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha after a media report claimed that the 39 Indians, captured over five months back, had been killed by the dreaded Islamist group.
The media report was based on the statements of two Bangladeshis who quoted an escapee, Harjeet, as claiming that kidnapped Indians have been killed, Sawaraj said, but added that there was no proof to confirm it.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-believes-39-Indians-held-hostage-by-ISIS-still-alive-Sushma-Swaraj/articleshow/45305204.cms
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Under pressure from Saarc members, Pakistan signs energy pact
Sachin Parashar,TNN | Nov 28, 2014
KATHMANDU: If Pakistan ensured that the first day of Saarc ended on a disappointing note, it more than made up for it by instilling some 'energy' into the South Asian body on Thursday. Even if under pressure from several member-countries, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif agreed to sign the Saarc framework agreement for energy which allowed India to hail PM NarendraModi's first Saarc outing as a "success".
The Indian cabinet had approved the agreement, which comprises a regional power grid, only last week in anticipation of its signing at the Saarc summit. Sources said the agreement was made possible at the intervention of Saarc leaders, with host Nepal playing the lead role, at the Dhulikhel retreat.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Under-pressure-from-Saarc-members-Pakistan-signs-energy-pact/articleshow/45303057.cms
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40 Indian prisoners released from Karachi jail
Nov 28, 2014
Pakistan on Friday released 40 Indian prisoners, including fishermen, from a jail here, officials said.
The release of the prisoners from Karachi’s district jail Malir comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif warmly shook hands and exchanged pleasantries at the 18th SAARC Summit in Nepal.
The released Indian prisoners included 36 fishermen and four others, Anwar Kazmi, a spokesman of Edhi Foundation charity, told PTI.
“Our organization is providing transport to take them to Wagah border with a packet containing clothes for their families and Rs. 10,000 in cash to each of the released prisoners,” Mr. Kazmi said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/40-indian-prisoners-released-from-karachi-jail/article6643033.ece
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South Asia
Taliban militants kidnap 10 civilians in Sar-e-Pul province
By KHAAMA PRESS - Fri Nov 28 2014,
Taliban militants have kidnapped at least ten civilians in northern Sar-e-Pul province of Afghanistan.
According to local government officials, the civilians were abducted late on Wednesday evening between Balkhab and Kohistanat districts.
Provincial police chief Syed Habib Gulbahari confirmed the report and said efforts have been put in place to free the abducted civilians.
He said the motive behind the abduction of the civilians by Taliban group is not clear so far.
The Taliban militants group has not commented regardign the report so far.
This comes as Taliban militants abducted at least 16 employees of Sher Khan Port in northern Kunduz province late on Wednesday evening.
Sar-e-Pul province is among the relatively volatile provinces in northern Afghanistan where anti-government armed militants are active in a number of its remote districts.
http://www.khaama.com/taliban-militants-kidnap-10-civilians-in-sar-e-pul-province-8807
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'China will not compromise Maldives' sovereignty'
Nov 28, 2014
Maldivian journalists in China have been told that the country will not interfere in the domestic affairs of the Maldives.
Meeting with Maldivian journalists, Director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Asian Department Xin Wang said that a lot had been planned between the two nations.
“China is just helping the Maldives pull itself up. It will be Maldives that makes the final decision on everything relevant to this development,” Haveeru reported Xin as saying.
President Abdulla Yameen announced earlier this month that increased ties with China were part of a policy of looking east. Criticising the interference of “Western colonial powers”, Yameen noted that working with China does not bring the same challenges.
http://minivannews.com/category/news-in-brief
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High-Level Bangladesh Intel and Police Team in India to Discuss Militancy
Nov 28, 2014
A seven-member high-level intelligence and police team arrived in India yesterday on a mission to exchange information with their counterparts about Bangladeshi militants using India as a base of operations.
The team, led by DB Joint Commissioner Md Monirul Islam, will be in India until November 29.
Other members of the team are GM Azizur Rahman, additional deputy inspector general of Special Branch; Col Abu Hena Mostofa, director of National Security Intelligence; Lt Col Mohammed Abul Kalam Azad of the Rapid Action Battalion; Mahfuzur Rahman, assistant inspector general of police; Md Ashraful Islam, senior superintendent of police of the CID; and Maj Mohammad Atiqur Rahman of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.
The trip follows a visit made by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) to Dhaka earlier this month.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/foreign-affairs/2014/nov/28/high-level-intel-and-police-team-india-discuss-militancy#sthash.ZqCejrfS.dpuf
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UK changes transit rules for Bangladeshis
Nov 28, 2014
From December 1 Bangladeshi nationals willing to transit through the United Kingdom to other countries will have to follow a new set of guideline, says a press release.
In the release issued yesterday, the British High Commission in Dhaka said the changes were a good news for Bangladeshi nationals.
From now on, Bangladeshi nationals holding visas of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US will be able to transit through the airside to go anywhere in the world without requiring any UK visa.
For those who would require a visa for the airside transit, the fee has already been reduced to £30 and its validity has been extended to two years.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/foreign-affairs/2014/nov/28/uk-changes-transit-rules-bangladeshis#sthash.YNIbqdlX.dpuf
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Europe
Danish jihadists ‘on benefits while fighting for ISIS’
28 November 2014
Denmark paid unemployment benefits to 28 people while they were waging war for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group in Syria, the Danish intelligence service was quoted as saying on Thursday.
Out of the 28 Danish people identified by the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) as having received benefits, 15 had been ordered to pay the money back, eight people were still being investigated, and five cases had been dropped due to insufficient evidence, tabloid BT reported.
“It is incredibly important that we are not naive,” Danish Justice Minister Mette Frederiksen told the daily when asked about the data, which was found by merging records kept by different authorities.
Denmark has one of the world’s most generous unemployment insurance systems, with those on the scheme receiving up to 801 kroner per day (108 euros, $134) for up to two years.
However, some of the jihadists were on a significantly more modest basic unemployment benefit also paid in Denmark.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2014/11/28/Danish-jihadists-on-benefits-while-fighting-for-ISIS-.html
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Number of Women From West Becoming Jihadi Brides Rises: German Official
Nov 28, 2014
BERLIN — The flow of women traveling to Iraq and Syria to wed jihadis has "significantly increased," according to one of Germany's top intelligence officials.
Hans-Georg Maassen, the head of domestic intelligence agency BfV, told NBC News that several teenage girls had also left their homes in Germany to join militants who are members of groups such as ISIS.
He cited "romantic blindness" for the determination of girls aged as young as 15 to be smuggled to Middle East "to become the second or third wife" of an Islamist fighter.
"The number of women traveling to Syria and Iraq has significantly increased, at least in comparison to a few years ago when young people went to Afghanistan and Pakistan," Maassen added.
Asked about the threat posed by such women returning to the West, Maassen said it was unclear "whether they would be willing to commit an attack here or if they only see themselves in the role of a supporting Islamic wife."
Officials say that more than 550 people have left Germany for Syria and Iraq. The BfV is currently monitoring 180 people who have returned to Germany from the ISIS conflict zone.
Maassen also highlighted the importance of cooperation with the United States, describing the relationship as "good and trustful."
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/number-women-west-becoming-jihadi-brides-rises-german-official-n257236
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Dutch MP calls for removal of all mosques in Netherlands
Nov 28, 2014
A Dutch right-wing political party has demanded Netherlands be cleared of mosques, amid an ongoing row over the integration of Muslim and Turkish minorities in the country.
Machiel de Graaf, a member of Dutch anti-immigration and anti-Islam Party for Freedom (PVV), asked all mosques in the country to be shut down while speaking during a debate on integration in the House of Representatives.
Emphasizing that a Netherlands without mosques would be better, the parliamentarian said “We want to clean Netherlands of Islam.”
In addition to not being integrated into Dutch society and refuse to be assimilated, Muslims living in the country threaten Dutch identity and culture by giving more birth, according to de Graaf.
De Graaf’s remarks drew harsh criticism from members of social democratic parties attending the debate.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/dutch-mp-calls-for-removal-of-all-mosques-in-netherlands.aspx?pageID=238&nID=74890&NewsCatID=351
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Pope to urge tolerance in Turkey visit as Middle East wars rage
Nov 28, 2014
Pope Francis begins his three-day visit to Ankara and Istanbul today, the fourth ever visit of a Pope to Turkey, with a heavy agenda.
As turmoil continues to roil the Middle East, Pope Francis’ visit has been framed as an opportunity to promote dialogue and tolerance between Muslims and Christians, as well as a chance for the Vatican to strengthen its ties with the Orthodox Church.
Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç told reporters on Nov. 27 that the issue of “alliance of civilizations, dialogue between cultures, xenophobia, the fight against racism and political developments in the region” would be on the agenda during the trip.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pope-visits-turkey-with-dialogue-on-his-agenda.aspx?pageID=238&nID=74898&NewsCatID=338
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French lawmakers to debate Palestinian statehood resolution
Nov 28, 2014
French parliamentarians on Friday were set to debate a non-binding resolution on the recognition of Palestinian statehood ahead of Tuesday's slated vote on the symbolic maneuver.
The resolution brought by France's ruling Socialist Party follows in stride of the recent trend of European parliaments growing frustrated with the stagnant Middle East peace process and recommending their governments recognize a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
The text of the draft resolution "invites the French government to use the recognition of the state of Palestine as an instrument to gain a definitive resolution of the conflict"
Earlier this week, former French president and future presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy came out against the vote on the non-binding motion on unilateral state recognition.
British, Irish and Spanish lawmakers have already voted in favor of resolutions in their parliaments similar to the one France's lower house of parliament is set to vote on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the trend of parliamentary recommendations to recognize Palestinian statehood in Europe as a "big mistake for peace."
On Thursday night, French President Francois Hollande said he wished to host an international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Other parliaments expected to vote on similar resolutions in the coming weeks include the Danish, Italian, Slovenian and Portuguese legislatures.
http://www.jpost.com/International/French-parliamentarians-to-debate-Palestinian-statehood-resolution-383105
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Austrian police launch mass raid against jihadist recruiter: report
28 November 2014
Austrian police raided homes, prayer rooms and mosques around the country early Friday in a mass operation targeting suspected jihadist recruiters, the Austria Press Agency reported, citing police sources.
Some 20 arrest warrants were also issued, APA said, but it remained unclear if anyone had yet been taken in.
The operation in Vienna and the cities of Graz and Linz, involving some 500 police officers, followed a two-year investigation into several people suspected of recruiting young people to fight in Syria.
A Bosnian preacher was reportedly the main suspect.
Beyond recruiting fighters, the daily Kronen Zeitung said that the suspects were investigated for helping to finance the Islamic State group.
Officials sources contacted by AFP neither confirmed nor denied that the raid was underway. A press conference was scheduled for later Friday, said the prosecutors' office, which is coordinating the operation.
Some 150 people have so far left Austria to join jihadists in Syria and Iraq, or have been stopped while trying to do so, according to the interior ministry.
The case of two Austrian teenage girls who left for Syria in April, telling their parents that they wanted to “fight for Islam” there, especially grabbed headlines here.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2014/11/28/Austrian-police-launch-mass-raid-against-jihadist-recruiter-report-.html
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North America
Canada conducts ‘secret’ aid mission in Iraq
28 November 2014
Canadian warplanes have conducted a “secret” humanitarian escort flight with Australia into northern Iraq, the military said Thursday, according to American daily The Huffington Post.
The C-130J planes, which delivered the supplies between Nov. 20-23, were reportedly transporting goods that included water, tents and blankets.
The 32 tonnes of relief supplies were delivered through four drops on Mount Sinjar where thousands of Yazidis remain trapped after militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) attacked the area.
The ISIS militants originally attacked northwestern Iraq in August, forcing the Yazidis to retreat up the mountain.
The Australian defense department revealed the move on Wednesday.
In September, Australia dropped supplies of food and water into the Iraqi town of Amerli.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/11/28/Canada-conducts-secret-humanitarian-mission-in-Iraq.html
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US ban on a Tunisian Islamist leader could signal policy change
Nov 28, 2014
The deputy leader of Ennahda has been prevented from entering the US, signaling a possible change in Washington's policy towards the Tunisian Islamist movement.
Politicians and analysts have expressed surprise at the ban on Abdel-Fatah Morro, who is widely known as a moderate figure.
The news dominated the front pages of all Tunisian newspapers.
Morro went to Tunis-Carthage International Airport on Tuesday night to take his flight to the United States. But he was not allowed to travel because US authorities had rejected his entrance visa.
Morro reportedly said he was "surprised" by the move, for he had regularly visited the country over the last three years to attend conferences organised by Muslim Americans supporting the Palestinian cause.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/116601/World/Region/US-ban-on-a-Tunisian-Islamist-leader-could-signal-.aspx
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Gen Sharif ‘articulate spokesperson for Pakistan’s interests’: US envoy
Nov 28, 2014
Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif’s commitment to fighting militancy has won him accolades from Washington, with US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Dan Feldman pronouncing that the top military commander “is an extremely articulate spokesperson for Pakistan’s interests”.
In an interview to a media outfit, Ambassador Feldman said Gen Sharif had received “very broad support for Pakistan’s counter-terrorism campaign”.
During his visit, Gen Sharif met a wide range of US officials — in both military and civil establishments — as part of an effort to rebuild a long-term relationship between the two militaries.
“We had very straightforward, constructive and honest discussions on the need to go after all terrorists, including the Haqqani network, and to make sure that all terrorist safe havens are shut down,” said Ambassador Feldman when asked if the visit achieved its goals.
“Yes, we all recognise that significant progress has been made” in the fight against terrorists since the North Waziristan operation,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2014/11/28/national/gen-sharif-articulate-spokesperson-for-pakistans-interests-us-envoy/
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Southeast Asia
‘Embarrassing’ for Malays to rely on Sedition Act, says Anwar
Nov 28, 2014
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim continued his criticism of Umno's support for the Sedition Act, saying the party knew no shame in wanting to retain the colonial-era law to protect Malay interests.
Speaking in Penang last night, Anwar said Malays knew that Islam was a religion that emphasised truth and justice, but Umno was willing to "abuse" the law on the pretext of defending the Malays.
"Is it not embarrassing to the Malay community? To save the Malays, laws are needed so they can arrest and abuse others," he said in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's announcement yesterday at the Umno general assembly that the Sedition Act would be retained and strengthened.
Najib, who is the Umno president, had said in his policy speech that the Act would be amended to include a clause to protect Islam while ensuring that other religions were not insulted, and to criminalise calls for the secession of Sabah and Sarawak from Malaysia.
Najib had said he decided to retain the Act – reneging on his promise in 2012 to abolish it – after considering the views of Umno leaders, grassroots members and Malay pressure groups.
Anwar yesterday said Najib's U-turn on the act showed that progressive forces within Umno were weakening and succumbing to pressure from the extreme right.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/embarrassing-for-malays-to-rely-on-sedition-act-says-anwar#sthash.gXajFX2X.dpuf
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Delegate calls for ‘economic jihad’ to ensure Malays succeed
Nov 28, 2014
Putrajaya must wage an economic “jihad” (holy war) to uplift Malay entrepreneurs, an Umno delegate proposed today, saying that it was a sin if Umno failed to take care of its own race.
Speaking at the party’s annual general assembly, Johor delegate Datuk Dr Adham Baba also said that Umno should not be ashamed of taking up a right-wing approach in its efforts to help the Malay community.
“If Umno must take a right wing stance, there is no reason for it to be ashamed of being right wing, as long as Malays do not fall.
“The 11th Malaysia plan must focus on programmes and financial allocation for the Malays, and let it be considered an economic jihad,” said the delegate at the Putra World Trade Centre today.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/delegate-calls-for-economic-jihad-to-ensure-malays-succeed#sthash.uKc4aRfU.dpuf
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Can Common Man Jokowi Micromanage 240 Million Indonesians?
Nov 28, 2014
Jakarta. From flying economy class to making surprise visits to street markets and poor neighbourhoods, the leadership style of new Indonesian President Joko Widodo is proving very different to his predecessors, who were often seen as stiff and aloof.
On a recent visit to cocoa plantations in eastern Sulawesi, Joko, who is popularly known as “Jokowi,” squatted on the ground to chat with farmers about boosting their output. Excited onlookers scrambled up trees to get a better look at the president in his casual clothes and sneakers.
Joko’s down-to-earth manner cultivated as a small-city mayor and then as governor of Jakarta, has won him many admirers in Indonesia, even if his bodyguards appear flustered when he breaks away and starts talking to ordinary people.
His mantra of “getting down to work” could also be what is needed to tackle bureaucratic inertia and endemic corruption in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, although some experts believe the 53-year-old former furniture businessman is still enjoying a honeymoon after only five weeks in office.
Full report at:
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/can-common-man-jokowi-micromanage-240-million-indonesians/
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Sedition Test for Najib: Will he act against Mashitah for 'Chinese burned Quran' speech
Nov 28, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR - DAP MPs Teo Nie Ching and Kasthuri Patto along with party mates Dyana Sofya, who is also Lim Kit Siang's political secretary, and Syefura Othman, lodged a police report against Baling Wanita UMNO chief Mashitah Ibrahim for allegedly inciting racial hatred with her claim that the Chinese community in Kedah was burning the Quran.
The complaint was made at the Balai Polis Tun H S Lee in Kuala Lumpur.
All eyes are on Prime Minister Najib Razak who a day ago reneged on a promise to repeal the Sedition Act, an oppressive law currently used by the police and Home Ministry to arrest many Opposition politicians and social activists for speaking out against the government.
Full report at:
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=408751
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hundreds-isil-takfiri-militants-killed/d/100235