Indian Muslims Will Live and Die for India, PM Narendra Modi Says
New Age Islam News Bureau
19
Sept 2014
India
• Indian
Muslims Will Live and Die for India, PM Narendra Modi Says
• Barrister
Aisha Wakil Takes Mahatma Gandhi’s Message of Peace Back to Boko Haram
• Sri Ram
Sene Chief to stir love jihad debate
• Indian
HM to Nepal PM: Border areas now ISI, Jihadi hubs
• India,
Israel extend agricultural cooperation action plan
• Pak
Workers Help 18 Punjabi Youths Come Home from Iraq
• ISI
handler sent BKI terrorist, Ratandeep Singh, to Punjab: Cops
• Woman
linked to ISI suspect being quizzed
Arab World
• Lights,
Camera, Action: Saudi Kingdom Opens Up To Cinema Industry
• Mega TV
campaign kicks off to highlight evils of Islamic State
• ‘100
Saudi Imams with Extremist Thoughts’
• Scores
of ISIL Terrorists Killed in Syria's Deir Ezzur
• Iraq
bombings kill at least 22
• Three
suicide bombs, 12 mortars hit Shi'ite district in Baghdad
• Islamic
State creates police force in northwest Iraq
• Two
Lebanese soldiers killed in RPG attack at Syrian border
• Saudi
Arabia to restore Al-Azhar mosque: Egypt's 'beacon of moderate Islam'
• Arab
Bank says it never supported Hamas, as US trial nears
Pakistan
• AJK
Shariat Court Act declared ultra vires of constitution
• Zarb-i-Azb:
Army airstrikes kill 23 suspected militants in NWA
• Pakistan's
minorities live in fear as terrorists turn their guns on Sikhs
• PTI, PAT
enjoy foreign support: JUI-F
• IED
blast kills three suspected militants in Bara
• Police,
security forces seize 250 kilos of explosives in Quetta
• Sit-ins
have frustrated people: PM Nawaz Sharif
• Weapon-shaped
pens becoming popular among Swat children
• In a
twist, lawyers close to Musharraf get top legal positions
• Jirga
launches fresh effort to break political impasse
• ‘King’s
party’ behind PTV attack: Dr Tahirul Qadri
Mideast
• Nearly
40 Yemeni People Killed as Army Beefs Up Violence against Protesters
• Turkey
‘resolved’ to stop flow of ISIL militants
• Turkey
call for more information sharing on foreign Jihadists
• Turkey
wavers over US plan to tackle IS
• President
Erdoğan attaches hew honour to top religious leader
North America
• ‘Deeper
Saudi-US ties can counter Mideast volatility’
• US: Iran
is welcome to participate in UN meeting on Iraq
• Syria's
Assad broke chemical arms pact with chlorine gas: US
• Israel
will 'make its own judgment' on Iran talks, US says
• NYT
reveals threats against Turkish reporter as pro-gov't media turn her into
target
Africa
• Cameroonian
Entire Football Team Accepts Islam in UAE
• Boko
Haram 'in charge of 25 towns' in NE Nigeria: bishop
• Morocco
expands laws against militant seekers
• Muslims
urged to shun ‘Open Mosque’ in Wynberg
Europe
• ISIS-related
arrests in US, Europe, Australia as intel warns of ‘gruesome’ attacks
• Prince
William's Friend Becomes Third Briton to Appear In ISIS Propaganda Video
• The
Islamic State Are Monsters, Say UK Muslims
• Ankara,
Berlin should cooperate more against ISIL, German interior minister says
• Russia
says backs UN draft resolution on "terrorist fighters"
• French
president rules out military action in Syria
• France
begins airstrikes against Islamic State in Iraq
• Funding
woes force UN to slash rations for 4 million of Syrians
South Asia
• Taliban
assassinate tribal elder in Jawzjan province
• Civilians
among 8 killed in Baghlan explosion
• Maldives
Human Rights Commission summoned to Supreme Court
• PM
Sheikh Hasina: Verdict spoils Sayedee’s face
Southeast Asia
• Catholic
Church renews ‘Allah’ fight, seeks review of apex court decision
• Adam
Adli’s one-year jail term for sedition ‘excessive’, says Malaysian Bar
• Four
Foreigners Charged Under Indonesia’s Terror Laws
Australia
• 'Kill
Christians, slaughter their children': Thugs waving IS flags threaten
church-goers in Sydney
• Australian
PM warns of attacks on government
• Perspective
ISIS plot in Australia raises questions
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
---------
India
Indian
Muslims Will Live and Die for India, PM Narendra Modi Says
TNN |
Sep 19, 2014
NEW
DELHI: "Indian Muslims will live for India, they will die for India — they
will not want anything bad for India," Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
said in his first interview after assuming office.
"My
understanding is that they are doing injustice towards the Muslims of our
country. If anyone thinks Indian Muslims will dance to their tune, they are
delusional," Modi told CNN's Fareed Zakaria when asked about the head of
al-Qaida issuing a video and an appeal trying to create an al-Qaida in India-
South Asia.
He was
also put a question about the remarkable phenomenon that out of the 170 million
Muslims in India, there seemed to be no or very few members of al-Qaida even
though it is in Afghanistan and Pakistan. "What is it that has made this
community not as susceptible?"
Modi
answered that first he was not the authority for doing a psychological and
religious analysis on this.
"But
the question is whether or not humanity should be defended in the world.
Whether or not believers in humanity should unite. This is a crisis against
humanity, not a crisis against one country or one race. So we have to frame
this as a fight between humanity and inhumanity, nothing else," he said.
In his
interview, Modi spoke about a host of issues concerning India-US relations.
Modi
admitted that there has been many ups and downs in bilateral relations over the
centuries.
He,
however, expressed confidence that India-US ties will deepen further.
"I
have a one word answer, and with great confidence I say — yes. Let me explain —
there are many similarities between the US and India. If you look at the last
few centuries, two things come to light — America has absorbed people from
around the world, and there is an Indian in every part of the world. This
characterises both the societies.
"Indians
and Americans have co-existence in their natural temperament. Now yes, for
sure, there have been ups and downs in our relationship in the last century.
But from the end of the 20th century to the first decade of the 21st century,
we have witnessed a big change. Our ties have deepened. India and the USA are
bound together, by history and culture. These ties will deepen further,"
he said.
Asked if
he feels there is a genuine desire from Washington to try and upgrade the
relationship with India substantially, the Prime Minister said relations
between India and America should not be seen within the limits of just Delhi
and Washington.
"It
is a much larger sphere. The good thing is that the mood of both Delhi and
Washington is in harmony with this understanding. Both sides have played a role
in this," he said.
(With
inputs from PTI)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indian-Muslims-will-live-and-die-for-India-PM-Narendra-Modi-says/articleshow/42887232.cms
----------
Barrister
Aisha Wakil Takes Mahatma Gandhi’s Message of Peace Back to Boko Haram
Radha
Sharma,TNN | Sep 19, 2014
AHMEDABAD:
This time when Mama returns home, she will carry Mahatma Gandhi's message of
peace and non-violence to her boys — Islamist hardliners of Nigeria's Boko
Haram, who have acquired global notoriety for abducting scores of schoolgirls
and unleashing a wave of violence in the country's northeast.
Barrister
Aisha Wakil (44), better known as 'Mama Boko Haram' — a name given to her by
the Nigerian media — does the tough job of negotiating peace between these
heavily armed fighters and Nigerian authorities in Maiduguri, the main city in
the troubled region. Often, she risks her own life.
Wakil
was in Ahmedabad for over a month to get her husband, judge Alkali Gana Wakil
and son Mohammad-Al-Nur treated. Both were admitted for necrosis in hip joints
and sickle cell anaemia.
On her
way home earlier this week, Mama picked up copies of Gandhi's works from
Sabarmati Ashram which she wants to read out aloud to her misguided boys.
"I want to make them realize that an eye for an eye will make the whole
world blind," says Wakil, who was named as a negotiator by Boko Haram
representatives.
Wakil
says she has been in constant touch with them even while in Ahmedabad. "My
first priority is to get the abducted girls released. I am continuously
reasoning with my sons that they cannot abduct girls in the name of Islam.
Islam preaches that even if a woman slaps a man, he is not supposed to hit
back," she says.
Wakil
was well known to the former Boko Haram chief, Mohammed Yusuf, who was shot
dead allegedly while trying to escape custody in 2009. She used to visit
Yusuf's Islamic school where she became popular because of her cooking. They
soon started calling her Mama. "I never realized when Yusuf and the boys
picked up arms to fight the Nigerian government," says Wakil.
Boko
Haram is asking for the release of 70 men, plus ranson money, for freeing the
girls. "I have to negotiate for the girls' release on my return. If the
government offers them security, there are many who wish to lay down arms. But
Boko Haram no longer consists of just the boys I know. There are many other
sub-groups. The government will have to address each of them independently to
solve the complex problem," says Wakil.
"There
was strict vigilance by intelligence officials during her stay," said
orthopedic surgeon Dr Deepak Dave who treated her husband and son successfully.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mama-takes-Mahatma-Gandhis-message-of-peace-back-to-Boko-Haram/articleshow/42851557.cms
---------
Sri Ram
Sene Chief to stir love jihad debate
TNN |
Sep 19, 2014,
MUMBAI:
The police will keep a close watch on Pramod Mutalik, the controversial chief
of the Bangalore-based Sri Ram Sene, when delivers a talk on love jihad in the
city on Friday.
Mutalik
will address a meeting organized by the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti at Indian
Merchants' Chamber, Churchgate, at 1pm.
"We
are going to closely monitor his speech," said police commissioner Rakesh
Maria. Other senior police officers indicated that action would be taken if any
of the participants created a law and order problem.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pramod-Mutalik-to-stir-love-jihad-debate/articleshow/42849870.cms
---------
Indian
HM to Nepal PM: Border areas now ISI, Jihadi hubs
Deeptimaan
Tiwary,TNN | Sep 18, 2014
NEW
DELHI: Home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday raised the issue of growing
radicalization among Muslims in Nepal settled near Indo-Nepal border with Nepal
PM Sushil Koirala and Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam. Certain pockets in these
areas are learnt to have become fishing pools for Pakistan's ISI and is
suspected of being used against India.
Singh is
on a visit to Kathmandu for SAARC summit in Nepal. An official statement
released by his office said, "The Indian HM (home minister) expressed his
concern on the growth of religious fundamentalism in the border areas."
Intelligence
agencies have been warning for the past few years that a string of madrasas
coupled with large-scale settling of Muslims has been systematically taking
place in Nepal along its border with India. These colonies, says security
establishment sources, are being tapped by ISI fopr anti-India activities.
It is
important to note that even Indian Mujahideen had been found to have plans to
recruit from these radicalised pockets. NIA charge sheet against Yasin Bhatkal,
who was arrested last year from Nepal, mentions that he had got in touch with
some Muslims in Nepal and was planning to recruit some boys for operations in
India.
Even as
Nepal government promised full cooperation in dealing with cross-border crimes
and terrorism, Singh thanked Kathmandu for timely cooperation extended by it in
averting a catastrophic flood in Bihar in early August in this year. "He
offered greater cooperation in disaster management to Nepal and underlined the
need to establish a bilateral mechanism on disaster management. India suggested
that need assessment team for disaster management should be set up in both the
countries," said a Home Ministry official.
Singh
also appreciated the efforts of Nepal government in dealing with trans-border
crimes and underlined the need for more focused effort to control the
activities of criminal elements, terrorists and other Indian insurgent groups
along the Indo- Nepal border.
"He
expressed concern on the smuggling of fake currency notes and human
trafficking. He stated that there is a need for evolving bilateral mechanism
for dealing with the issue of human trafficking," said the official.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajnath-to-Koirala-Border-areas-now-ISI-Jihadi-hubs/articleshow/42830268.cms
---------
India,
Israel extend agricultural cooperation action plan
Vishwa
Mohan,TNN | Sep 19, 2014
NEW
DELHI: India and Israel have agreed to extend their existing three-year action
plan on agriculture cooperation beyond 2015.
"Both
the countries agreed that the present agreement (2012-15) will be renewed after
2015," said agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh after Israeli
ambassador Daniel Carmon called on him on Thursday.
At
present, the action plan 2012-15 is being implemented in 10 states-- Haryana,
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh,
Punjab and West Bengal.
Under
the existing plan, both the countries have been collaborating in agriculture,
horticulture, dairy, water, irrigation, seeds development and many other sectors.
Singh
said, "Agriculture is a strong foundation for strengthening bilateral
relations between the two countries. Israeli has shown interest in establishing
additional centre of excellence in India."
On
Carmon's submission that many Israeli companies were interested to work in
India in the field of dairy under public-private partnership (PPP) mode, Singh
assured him that the country would extend all possible cooperation. The current
action plan comprises bilateral sharing of knowledge and technologies, establishment
of Centre of Excellence in various agriculture sectors across India, exchange
visits of experts and farmers and post-doctoral scholarships for Indian
agriculture researchers in Israel.
Under
the existing three-year action plan, two Centres of Excellence have already
been made fully operational - one for vegetables in Gharaunda (Karnal) and the
other for fruits in Mangiana (Sirsa) -- in Haryana while work is in progress to
establish three such centres in Maharashtra- a citrus centre in Nagpur, a
pomegranate centre in Rahuri and a Kaisar mango centre in Aurangabad.
In Tamil
Nadu, a Centre of Excellence for vegetables is planned in Dindigul and a
similar one for flowers is planned in Krishnagiri. On the other hand, a centre
for pomegranate is being built in Bassi and two more centres are planned for
citrus (Kota) and dates (Jaisalmer) in Rajasthan.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-Israel-extend-agricultural-cooperation-action-plan/articleshow/42847157.cms
---------
Pak
workers help 18 Punjabi youths come home from Iraq
Amaninder
Pal Sharma,TNN | Sep 19, 2014
Mandi
Gobindgarh (Fatehgarh Sahib): At a time when India-Pakistan ties are at a low,
a group of Pakistani Punjabis aided in the return of their Punjabi brethren
from across the border from strife-torn Iraq, unmindful of the risk involved.
These 18
Punjabi youths, who belong to villages in Fatehgarh district, were trapped in a
steel molding factory in a village of Halle Babylon district of Iraq for around
four months.
They
returned home on Thursday, utterly grateful to the men from Pakistan who played
a pivotal role in their getting back.
Full
report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pak-workers-help-18-Punjabi-youths-come-home-from-Iraq/articleshow/42854314.cms
---------
ISI
handler sent BKI terrorist, Ratandeep Singh, to Punjab: Cops
Rohan
Dua,TNN | Sep 19, 2014
CHANDIGARH:
Before coming to India as a disguised Muslim, Ratandeep Singh, one of the most
dreaded and well-trained Sikh militants, had his last briefing session by his
ISI handler known as 'Chhota Noon' on September 11, said Punjab cops.
'Noon'
was a Major in ISI but Ratandeep refused to reveal the real name of the
officer, the cops disclosed.
'Noon'
had devised the plan to carry out strikes in Punjab on Navratras and route for
the BKI militant through Kathmandu, Gorakhpur, Ambala and Punjab.
Air-tickets
recovered from Ratandeep's possession reveal that he was scheduled to stay in
Nepal between September 14 and 17 at Royal Astoria hotel in Bansbari
Hattigaunda in Kathmandu.
He flew
by Oman Air on September 14 by a 7.20am flight from Islamabad via Muscat to
reach Kathmandu.
Full
report at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Noon-sent-BKI-terrorist-to-Punjab-Cops/articleshow/42852496.cms
---------
Woman
linked to ISI suspect being quizzed
Selvaraj
A,TNN | Sep 19, 2014
CHENNAI:
Officers of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are interrogating a woman
student of a dental college after Sri Lankan national Arun Selvarajan, a
suspected operative of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, spilled the
beans about his relationship with her and his accomplices in the state.
Investigating
officers have taken in the woman for questioning as well as another of
Selvarajan's associates, an undergraduate student at a top college in the city.
The investigators are looking to determine if they were aware of Selvarajan's
ISI connection and if they helped him collect information about sensitive
installations in Tamil Nadu.
"Selvarajan,
who opened event management firm Ice Events in Nungambakkam in the city, helped
the dental college student invite celebrities to a college function held
earlier this year," an investigating officer said.
Full
report at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Woman-linked-to-ISI-suspect-being-quizzed/articleshow/42849820.cms
---------
Arab World
Lights,
Camera, Action: Saudi Kingdom Opens Up To Cinema Industry
Sep 19,
2014
Good
news for film lovers.
The
Labour Ministry has reportedly allowed film production entrepreneurs to recruit
personnel to kick-start the cinema industry, which has hitherto been considered
taboo in the Kingdom.
Information
on how to register for cinema licenses is available on the Labour Ministry
portal, according to a leading news channel.
A source
at the ministry confirmed the news with Arab News, but did not divulge further
details, saying a formal statement is expected to be issued soon.
Expert
sources, who are helping investors acquire business licenses with the Labour
Ministry, have confirmed that new investment opportunities, which previously
did not exist, have opened up in the cinema field.
There
has also been demand to open up the cinema industry to the public, especially
among youth.
The
Saudi General Commission for Audiovisual Media, the authority that is officially
tasked with dealing with cinema-related issues, has also received demand from
other segments of Saudi society.
Omar
Al-Jaser, a noted film producer and senior executive of the Saudi Film
Producers’ Society in the Makkah region, has welcomed the decision. “If this
news is confirmed, Saudi youth will be able to showcase their culture through
home-made film productions,” Al-Jaser told Arab News.
Full
report at:http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/632391
---------
Mega TV
campaign kicks off to highlight evils of Islamic State
Sep 19,
2014
A
hard-hitting TV campaign focusing on the human cost of terrorism, with special
reference to the so-called Islamic State (IS), premiered on Thursday night as
part of a major week-long private initiative to raise awareness about the evils
of the group.
This
joint campaign, mostly aired by religious channels, will also dissuade
youngsters from joining terrorist organizations that operate across the Arab
world.
“The TV
campaign aims to encourage and educate the public to fight the menace of
terrorism,” said a TV host, who preferred anonymity.
She said
the program would “bring together Islamic scholars to counter violent extremism
and to ultimately build a broad network of community partnerships to keep the
nation and the region safe.”
The
campaign, launched under the theme “IS: The Ignorance of Deviants,” will be
aired by the channels simultaneously throughout the week. The program will last
for 90 minutes daily as part of a unified broadcast campaign.
Prominent
Muslim scholars from Arab and Muslim countries will be hosted to reiterate the
position of Islam on terror.
Full
report at:http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/632396
---------
‘100
Saudi Imams with Extremist Thoughts’
Sep 19, 2014
RIYADH —
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance has identified
about 100 mosque imams out of 15,000 with extremist tendencies. He said the
imams are currently being rehabilitated but will be dismissed if they do not
repent, the ministry’s undersecretary for mosque affairs Tawfiq Al-Sudairy
announced. He said the ministry is closely monitoring the performance of all
imams and their Friday sermons. The undersecretary said following the terrorist
attack against a police checkpoint in Sharoorah in Ramadan, the ministry asked
all mosque imams to denounce the incident and to criticize any anti-Islamic
ideologies. “The response of the imams was excellent. Those who did not
implement the ministry’s instructions were given another opportunity to do so,”
he said. Al-Sudairy warned that any imam who conveys any extremist ideas in his
sermon would be sacked.
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140919218657
---------
Scores
of ISIL Terrorists Killed in Syria's Deir Ezzur
Sep 19,
2014
Syrian
forces claimed the lives of scores of ISIL terrorists after carrying out a
series of fresh operations in the countryside of Deir Ezzur on Thursday.
The army
soldiers pushed back the members of the Takfiri group in al-Hweiqa
neighborhood, leaving a large number of them dead and injured, SANA reported.
Terrorists
Bahij Adnan and Enad Suleiman were identified among the killed terrorists.
The
gathering centers of the terrorists were also stormed in al-Sina’a, al-Roshdia
and al-Jbeila neighborhoods and in the village of al-Salehiya.
Full
report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930627000476
----------
Iraq
bombings kill at least 22
Sep 19,
2014
Bombings
in and near the Iraqi capital and a blast in the northern city of Kirkuk killed
at least 22 people on Friday, security and medical officials said.
The
attacks come as security forces and allied Shiite militiamen and Sunni
tribesmen fight to regain ground from militants led by the Islamic State (IS) Jihadist
group who overran swathes of the country in June.
In
Baghdad, a car bomb exploded in the Shiite-majority Karrada district, killing
at least eight people and wounding more than 20, while a roadside bomb in the
Bayaa area killed four and wounded at least 11.
South of
the capital, another car bomb near a market in Mahmudiyah killed at least two
people and wounded seven, while a motorcycle bomb in central Kirkuk in the
country's north killed eight and wounded 13.
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/111143/World/Region/Iraq-bombings-kill-at-least-.aspx
---------
Three
suicide bombs, 12 mortars hit Shi'ite district in Baghdad
Sep 19,
2014
BAGHDAD
- Three suicide car bombs were detonated in the Shi'ite Baghdad neighborhood of
Kadhimiya on Thursday followed by 12 mortar rounds fired in from outside the
district, killing at least 16 people, security sources said.
The area
in northern Baghdad is the site of a major Shi'ite shrine. A mortar round
landed near the shrine, the sources said. They added that gunfire was heard in
the district.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Three-suicide-bombs-12-mortars-hit-Shiite-district-in-Baghdad-375781
---------
Islamic
State creates police force in northwest Iraq
Sep 19,
2014
Islamic
State (IS) militants in Iraq's northwest Nineveh province have created a police
force to "implement the orders of the religious judiciary," according
to a well-known militant Islamist website.
Photos
on the website showed armed men in black clothing with "Islamic Police
Nineveh State" printed on the arm. The police forces were in freshly
painted police cars and one photo showed militiamen on a river boat.
It was
not clear when the photos were posted or when the police force was established.
The text
on the website said the force would "maintain order and arrest culprits and
the corrupt." The text said it would be different from police forces in
other states, which it described as "a tool to suppress dissent."
Full
report at:
http://www.jpost.com/International/Islamic-State-creates-police-force-in-northwest-Iraq-375825
---------
Two
Lebanese soldiers killed in RPG attack at Syrian border
Sep 19,
2014
Two
Lebanese soldiers were killed when insurgents hit a military personnel carrier
with a rocket-propelled grenade in an attack at the Syrian border on Friday, a
security source said.
The
attack occurred near the town of Arsal, where Islamist insurgents including
militants affiliated to Islamic State staged a cross-border incursion last
month that triggered five days of deadly battles.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Two-Lebanese-soldiers-killed-in-RPG-attack-at-Syrian-border-375822
---------
Saudi
Arabia to restore Al-Azhar mosque: Egypt's 'beacon of moderate Islam'
Sep 19,
2014
Saudi
Arabia has agreed to fund the restoration of Cairo's Al-Azhar mosque in
recognition of its role as a "beacon of moderate Islam," the Egyptian
president's office said Thursday.
The
announcement came after talks between President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and
visiting Saudi intelligence chief Prince Khaled bin Bandar bin Abdel Aziz on
the coalition Washington is building against the Islamic State group (IS) in
Iraq and Syria.
"In
recognition of the important role played by Al-Azhar as a beacon of moderate
Islam in spreading tolerant values across the region (Saudi King Abdullah) has
taken the generous initiative to restore Al-Azhar," Sisi's office said.
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/111115/Egypt/Politics-/Saudi-Arabia-to-restore-AlAzhar-mosque-Egypts-beac.aspx
---------
Arab
Bank says it never supported Hamas, as US trial nears
Sep 19,
2014
NEW YORK
- A lawyer for Arab Bank Plc urged US jurors to find that it never provided
material support for the Palestinian group Hamas, as closing arguments began on
Thursday in a closely-watched terrorism financing trial.
The
Jordan-based bank is accused of providing financial services to Hamas by almost
300 US citizens who were the victims or family members of victims of 24 attacks
the Islamic militant group allegedly carried out in Israel and the Palestinian
territories between 2001 and 2004.
Shand
Stephens, a lawyer for the bank, said most people and organizations the
plaintiffs claim were affiliated with Hamas who received banking services from
Arab Bank were not designated as terrorists during the period in question.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Arab-Bank-says-it-never-supported-Hamas-as-US-trial-nears-375767
---------
Pakistan
AJK
Shariat Court Act declared ultra vires of constitution
Sep 19,
2014
MUZAFFARABAD:
The Azad Kashmir Supreme Court declared that Section 3 of the AJK Shariat Court
Act 1993 was partly ultra virus of the AJK Interim Constitution and, therefore,
all Shariat Court judges appointed since 1993 under this provision were void.
As a
result of what the legal fraternity here termed a landmark judgment, three
Shariat Court judges — Hussain Mazhar Kaleem (appointed in late 1990s) and
Sardar Shehzad Khan and Mohammad Mushtaq Chaudhry (appointed in November 2012)
– ceased to hold their offices.
However,
all functions performed by these judges were declared valid on the principle of
de facto doctrine, including the drawing of financial benefits, etc.
The
judgment was announced by a full court headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Azam
Khan on two civil appeals against a Dec 4, 2013 verdict by the AJK High Court
and a review petition against the April 4, 2014 apex court order.
“For
establishment of the Shariat Court in accordance with the spirit of the
constitution (and) for achieving the objectives mentioned in the Shariat Court
Act 1993, legislation having certain features is required,” the apex court
held.
Listing
the features, it said there must be a provision for induction of at least one
Aalim Judge, possibly having the qualification of being close to Mujtahid or at
least the qualification provided under Article 203-C of the Constitution of
Pakistan i.e. having at least 15 years of experience in the Islamic law,
research or instruction; the mode of appointment of judges in consultation with
the AJK Supreme Court chief justice and the AJK High Court chief justice (who
also happens to be the chief justice of Shariat Court); and providing mode of
removal of a judge of the Shariat Court for misconduct, incapability of
properly performing functions or duties by reason of physical or mental
incapacity.
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1132639/ajk-shariat-court-act-declared-ultra-vires-of-constitution
---------
Zarb-i-Azb:
Army airstrikes kill 23 suspected militants in NWA
Sep 19,
2014
ISLAMABAD:
At least 23 suspected terrorist were killed in fresh airstrikes on militant hideouts
in Ismail Khel and Zerom areas of North Waziristan Agency, Pakistani military
said.
A
statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Pakistan
Army in an aerial action targeted militant hideouts in Zerom and Ismail Khel
districts, killing at least 23 militants.
These
claims, however, could not be independently verified as journalists have
limited access to the restive tribal agency.
Military
operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched by the Pakistan Army on June 15 following a
brazen militant attack on Karachi's international airport and failure of peace
talks between the government and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) negotiators.
More
than a million people have fled the offensive in North Waziristan, which is
aimed at wiping out longstanding militant strongholds in the area, which
borders Afghanistan.
Army
chief lauds officers’ resolve in Zarb-i-Azb
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1132761/zarb-i-azb-army-airstrikes-kill-23-suspected-militants-in-nwa
---------
Pakistan's
minorities live in fear as terrorists turn their guns on Sikhs
By REEMA
ABBASI
Sep 19
2014
When
humans view mankind as an imperfect species on grounds of faith, they renounce
tolerance held sacred in scriptures.
And,
when Pakistan’s religious communities blame their slow death on the violent
path to democracy, it’s difficult to differ.
Punjab’s
place as the most bigoted region, with the highest number of crimes against
women and minorities, and perpetrators spilling into Peshawar and other towns,
is hardly a secret.
The most
recent evidence of its murderous streak is the targeted killing of Sikhs, a
community that enjoyed a smooth, prosperous existence with a reverence towards Gurdwaras.
Terrorist
militia have fled their pockets in the upper North to escape the war, and after
ceaseless massacres of Shias, Ahmadis, Hazaras, Zikris and progressive forces,
have turned their guns towards Sikhs in cities such as Lahore, with incidents
in Peshawer and Mardan.
Despite
the eradication of nearly 2,000 militants, extremists killed a young Sikh
trader in Peshawar, stabbed another in Mardan with two injured by gunfire.
At this
stage, PM Sharif cannot be forgiven for his pursuit of a dialogue with
criminals at a time when their net widened and killing sprees engulfed the
nation, consigning Pakistan into an untouchable realm.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2761494/Pakistan-s-minorities-live-fear-terrorists-turn-guns-Sikhs.html#ixzz3Dl9aZ600
---------
PTI, PAT
enjoy foreign support: JUI-F
Sep 19,
2014
KHUZDAR:
Federal Minister for Postal Services Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri has
alleged that foreign forces are extending support to the sit-ins of Pakistan
Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek in Islamabad because they want to
destabilise Pakistan and take control of its nuclear assets.
“PTI
chairman Imran Khan and PAT leader Allama Tahirul Qadri are promoting a culture
which is not in consonance with Islamic teachings and Pakistani traditions,”
said Maulana Haideri, who is also general secretary of Jamiat
Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl.
He said
it was regrettable that a Canadian citizen had been allowed to propagate his
agenda and policy in Pakistan.
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1132891/pti-pat-enjoy-foreign-support-jui-f
---------
IED
blast kills three suspected militants in Bara
Sep 19,
2014
PESHAWAR:
At least three suspected militants were killed on Friday in a remote-controlled
blast in the Sipah area of Bara tehsil in Khyber tribal region.
The
militants were from the outlawed Lashkar-i-Islam group and were travelling in
their vehicle when they passed the area where they were hit by an improvised
explosive device (IED) planted along a roadside, official sources told Dawn.
The
vehicle was of LI commander Shams who was not present in it at the time of the
explosion, sources said. They added that the vehicle was completely destroyed
in the explosion and three militants were killed as a result.
The
explosion comes weeks after former LI spokesman Zar Khan was gunned down by
unknown assailants, also in Bara.
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1132978/ied-blast-kills-three-suspected-militants-in-bara
---------
Police,
security forces seize 250 kilos of explosives in Quetta
Sep 19,
2014
QUETTA:
Security forces claimed to have foiled a major terror bid Thursday seizing 250
kilogram of explosives on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan
province, a security official said.
A
security official, who requested anonymity owing to the sensitivity of the
matter, told Dawn.com that forces conducted a raid in Hazar Ganji area of
Quetta and recovered explosives and other arms and ammunition.
He said
explosives and other weapons were dumped into a valley and were recovered by
forces following intelligence reports.
“No
arrest was made,” he said, adding that raids were being conducted to apprehend
the culprits behind dumping of explosive materials.
The
security official revealed that explosives and weapons were being brought to
carry out subversive activities in the city. He said that anti terrorist force
and police personnel participated in the raid conducted on intelligence
reports.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1132767/police-security-forces-seize-250-kilos-of-explosives-in-quetta
---------
Sit-ins
have frustrated people: PM Nawaz Sharif
Sep 19,
2014
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Friday that the sit-ins had frustrated
people.
The prime minister spoke to reporters and when
asked how to deal with protesters in Islamabad, Mr Sharif replied to wait for
his speech in Parliament.
Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to address the joint session of parliament
later on Friday.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-160201-Sit-ins-have-frustrated-people:-PM-Nawaz-Sharif-
---------
Weapon-shaped
pens becoming popular among Swat children
Sep 19,
2014
ISLAMABAD:
Though the government has been trying to keep away the new generation from
extremism, in the Swat valley pens resembling pistols, rocket launchers and
knives are being sold to children without any check.
This was
stated by a youth, Neelam Abrar, while speaking at a ‘National peace
convention’ organised by a non- governmental organisation, Paiman, here on
Thursday.
Ms
Neelam, who is a college student in Saidu Sharif, added that she received
training about the importance of peace in a workshop and then decided to
promote awareness about it in her area.
“While
visiting different parts of the valley I saw schoolchildren using toys which
looked like weapons such as pistols, rocket launchers and knives,” she said.
“I
approached a number of women and told them that such kinds of pens and toys can
damage the personality of their children and make them violent.” Talking to
Dawn, Ms Neelam said she also visited the government and private schools and
observed that most of the students preferred using pencils and pens which
looked like weapons.
“I saw
children acting like the Taliban or the army personnel and talking about
kidnapping and killing each other.”
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1132911/weapon-shaped-pens-becoming-popular-among-swat-children
---------
In a
twist, lawyers close to Musharraf get top legal positions
Sep 19,
2014
ISLAMABAD:
Even as the trial of former president and army chief retired General Pervez
Musharraf drags on, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has raised
many eyebrows by appointing two lawyers close to the former military ruler to
top positions within the government’s legal team.
On the
advice of the Prime Minister, President Mamnoon Hussain recently approved the
appointments of Waqar Rana and Asim Mansoor Khan, to the positions of
additional attorney general and deputy attorney general, respectively.
Mr Rana
has been appointed to a grade 21 position, whereas Mr Khan’s slot is a grade 20
post.
The
former represented Gen Musharraf in 2007, in the petition filed by former Chief
Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, who stood deposed at the time.
He
assisted lead counsel Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, who was the military ruler’s
legal adviser.
Advocate
Rana was also among the former president’s eight-member defence panel, but did
not appear in the special court because he had been appointed ‘consultant’ to
the attorney general of Pakistan.
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1132944/in-a-twist-lawyers-close-to-musharraf-get-top-legal-positions
---------
Jirga
launches fresh effort to break political impasse
Sep 19,
2014
ISLAMABAD:
The political jirga of the opposition political parties formed to ease the
negotiation course between the government and the protesting parties Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) on Thursday held a
meeting to discuss the demands being put forth by the PTI and PAT.
The
meeting was held at the residence of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader
Rehman Mailk to find a way out of the political crisis. It was attended by
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq, Liaqat Baloch, Rehman Malik, Hasil
Bizinjo, Kalsoom Parveen and Ghazi Gulab Jamal. A delegation of PAT comprising
Dr Raheeq Abbasi, Sahebzada Hamid Raza and Asad Abbas Naqwi met the political
jirga. According to reports, the jirga has recommended the protesting parties
end their “unjustified and uncalled for sit-ins”.
It has
said that the prime minister should announce in parliament that he would resign
if rigging in the last year’s general elections is proved. A judicial
commission should be formed through an ordinance to probe alleged vote fraud in
the last year’s general elections, the jirga has recommended. Other proposals
suggest that the judicial omission should be bound to complete its findings
within a specific time period. The commission should have powers to take aid of
any official or expert. All the stakeholders would implement the recommendation
of the judicial commission.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/islamabad/19-Sep-2014/jirga-launches-fresh-effort-to-break-political-impasse
---------
‘King’s
party’ behind PTV attack: Dr Tahirul Qadri
Sep 19,
2014
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri alleged Nawaz Sharif-led
government for attacking the Pakistan Television (PTV) building a few days ago.
“The
government itself conspired to attack PTV,” Qadri said. He accused that PML-N
lawmaker Marvi Memon and PTV managing director were involved in the entire
trespassing and encroaching of the PTV headquarters building.
Addressing
his workers, the PAT chief accused the rulers of attacking the state-run TV. He
alleged that employees of PTV were also involved in the attack.
“Why
2,000 policemen were removed from the PTV headquarter? Qadri questioned. He
went on to ask who closed four closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) of PTV.
“An
engineer who works at PTV has put off air transmission of the television,”
Qadri said while talking about the engineer whose image was published by
various newspapers to identify the attackers.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/19-Sep-2014/king-s-party-behind-ptv-attack-qadri
---------
Mideast
Nearly
40 Yemeni People Killed as Army Beefs Up Violence against Protesters
Sep 19,
2014
Yemeni
troops stepped up their crackdown on anti-government protesters, killing nearly
40 people outside Sana'a.
Fighting
raged between the army soldiers and Yemeni people in Shamlan, just North of the
capital, where protesters have been camped for weeks, AFP reported.
"More
than 38 people were killed and dozens more wounded," a security official
said.
Thursday's
deaths brought to 81 the number registered in three days of fighting.
Scores
of Yemeni people were shot dead and several others wounded as soldiers opened
fire on protesters as part of the government's plan to suppress the popular
uprisings in the past two weeks.
Police
used tear gas and water cannon against the protesters, who were camped along
the road near the interior ministry.
The
latest round of fighting comes as hundreds of thousands of Yemeni people from
various tribes and faiths have been staging massive protests in Sanaa for the
last several weeks to demand the dismissal of the government and the reversal
of an earlier government decision to slash fuel subsidies.
Full report
at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930628000102
---------
Turkey
‘resolved’ to stop flow of ISIL militants
Sep 19,
2014
Foreign
Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Sept. 18 that Turkey is resolved to stop the
flow of European extremists trying to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL).
Çavuşoğlu
said Turkey has a no-entry list with 6,000 names and has already turned back
some 1,000 people attempting to reach Syria or Iraq.
Speaking
after a meeting with his German counterpart in Berlin, Çavuşoğlu said he was
“saddened by unjustified accusations” that Turkey has failed to do it all could
to prevent foreigners joining the militant group.
He said
Turkey could only act if it receives tips from other countries and urged
foreign governments to improve the exchange of information on would-be Jihadists.
“Turkey
cannot fight this matter on its own. First and foremost, it needs information
and intelligence sharing with our allies, like Germany, Europe and the United
States,” Çavuşoğlu said.
Full
report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-resolved-to-stop-flow-of-isil-militants-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=71918&NewsCatID=510
---------
Turkey
call for more information sharing on foreign Jihadists
Sep 19,
2014
BERLIN -
Turkey's foreign minister on Thursday called for a greater exchange of
information with other states to prevent Jihadists entering his country and
traveling on to Iraq or Syria to join Islamic State militants.
Thousands
of foreign fighters from countries including Turkey, Britain, parts of Europe
and the United States are believed to have joined the Islamist militants, many
of them traveling over the Turkish border.
"Turkey
cannot fight this matter on its own. First and foremost, it needs information
and intelligence sharing with our allies, like Germany, Europe and the United
States," Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a press conference with his German
counterpart in Berlin.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Turkey-call-for-more-information-sharing-on-foreign-Jihadists-375771
---------
Turkey
wavers over US plan to tackle IS
Sep 19,
2014
WHEN
Washington takes its bombing campaign against Islamic State fighters into
Syria, the most it can probably hope for from one of its closest allies in the
region will be grudging consent.
Turkey,
a NATO member with a big US airbase and long borders with both Iraq and Syria,
has made clear that it is still unconvinced by US President Barack Obama’s
plans to bomb Islamic State fighters in two of its neighbors.
While
Washington won backing last week for a military coalition from 10 Arab nations
– Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and six Gulf states — Turkey attended the talks
but did not sign up.
President
Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, architects of a foreign
policy which envisages Sunni Muslim Turkey as a regional power, are reluctant
to engage in action they fear could strengthen their enemy, Syrian President
Bashar A-Assad, and exacerbate sectarian tensions in Iraq. “It’s a very
complicated balancing act. Turkey is trying to satisfy its USpartner without
extending full collaboration. They will come under intensifying pressure but
will find it very difficult to block U.S. strategy,” said Fadi Hakura, Turkey
analyst at the London-based think-tank Chatham House.
Full
report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140919218665
---------
President
Erdoğan attaches hew honor to top religious leader
Sep 19,
2014
The head
of Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) was included in this
week’s list of top names hosted by the president every Thursday, in a break
with previous custom.
Diyanet
President Mehmet Görmez visited President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sept. 18,
after the status of the directorate was changed by the new government founded
after the Aug. 10 elections, bringing the Diyanet under the direct
subordination of the prime minister, daily Cumhuriyet reported on Sept. 19.
Erdoğan
had tried in 2011 and 2012, when he was still prime minister, to improve the
status of the Diyanet on the state protocol list from 47th to 10th, which is
above the Cabinet ministers and the chief of the army. However, these changes
were rejected by the by-then President Abdullah Gül, Cumhuriyet also reported.
Erdoğan
also hosted Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Chief of General Staff Gen.
Necdet Özel on Sept 18.
Full
report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/president-erdogan-attaches-hew-honor-to-top-religious-leader.aspx?pageID=238&nID=71923&NewsCatID=338
---------
North America
‘Deeper
Saudi-US ties can counter Mideast volatility’
Sep 19,
2014
A senior
American diplomat has called for a deepening of ties between Saudi Arabia and
the United States to counter the continuing volatility in the Middle East, and
for further mutual economic benefit from the two nations' longstanding trade
relations.
Joseph
W. Westphal, US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said there was need to "shape
the future of the Saudi-US relationship to further foster mutual understanding
and trust."
Westphal
was speaking at a high-profile reception hosted by the US-Saudi Arabian
Business Council (USSABC) in his honor here on Wednesday. About 100 guests
including top Saudi and American businessmen attended the event.
Tawfik
Al-Rabiah, minister of commerce and industry, and Mohamed Al-Mady, vice
chairman and chief executive officer of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, who
is also USSABC's co-chairman, were present. Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi, editor in
chief of Arab News, and Basheer Al-Ghuraydh, USSABC secretary-general, also
attended the reception.
In his
address to the business community, Westphal said that the big issues — Iran’s
nuclear program, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Syria’s civil war and active
terror networks of extremist organizations — pose a threat to the region as a
whole. "These issues are not yet resolved," said the envoy, while
reiterating his desire to boost US ties with the Kingdom and the Middle East.
Full
report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/632361
---------
US: Iran
is welcome to participate in UN meeting on Iraq
Sep 19,
2014
NEW YORK
-- Iran is welcome to sit in on a
discussion at the United Nations on Friday on counter-terrorism efforts in
Iraq, to be chaired by US Secretary of State John Kerry, a senior Obama
administration official said on Thursday night.
The
official said that Islamic State was a topic of conversation on the sidelines
of talks between the US and Iranian delegations in New York, which met for two
days privately to negotiate over Iran's nuclear program.
The
talks will widen over the weekend to include the United Kingdom, France,
Russia, China and Germany.
Asked
whether they expect to participate, the official said the decision is for Iran
to make.
So, too,
is it the decision of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to meet with US
President Barack Obama, while the two men are in New York. The official said
Obama remains open to a meeting.
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/US-open-to-Iran-participating-in-UN-meeting-on-Iraq-375811
---------
Syria's
Assad broke chemical arms pact with chlorine gas: US
Sep 19,
2014
US
Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday accused Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad of breaking the terms of a global pact on chemical weapons by
unleashing chlorine gas this year.
"We
believe there is evidence of Assad's use of chlorine, which when you use it --
despite it not being on the list -- it is prohibited under the Chemical Weapons
Convention," Kerry told US lawmakers.
The
United States also had "some questions about a couple of other items"
which were being investigated "so he's in violation of the
convention," Kerry added.
Washington
was studying ways to hold Assad to account, after the world's chemical watchdog
earlier this month confirmed the systematic use of chlorine as a weapon in
war-torn Syria.
Assad's
regime and the rebels fighting it have traded accusations of using chemical
agents, including chlorine, in Syria's bloody uprising that began in March
2011.
Damascus
promised to hand over all its chemical arms, and tonnes of chemical agents have
been destroyed by international monitors.
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/111117/World/Region/Syrias-Assad-broke-chemical-arms-pact-with-chlorin.aspx
---------
Israel
will 'make its own judgment' on Iran talks, US says
Sep 19,
2014
NEW YORK
-- Israel will judge for itself the outcome of talks between Iran and world
powers over its nuclear program, a senior US official said on Thursday,
expressing cautious optimism after two days of bilateral talks with the Islamic
Republic.
US
officials traveled to New York "not optimistic" over the prospects of
progress with Iran, the official said, adding that now, it is "clear that
everyone has come here to go to work."
US
President Barack Obama is committed to a nuclear deal that ensures Israel's
security, the official said, acknowledging Israeli criticism of the progress
thus far made.
"At
the end of the day, Israel will have to make its own judgment about an
agreement, as will every other country in the world," the official added.
"And I understand that, but I also believe that the President of the
United States will only sign off on an agreement that he believes is good for
the world’s security, including Israel."
Two
months remain before a self-imposed deadline, November 24, demands the parties
agree on a comprehensive deal ending international concerns with Iran's nuclear
program, extend the talks or walk away.
Full
report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Israel-will-make-its-own-judgement-on-Iran-deal-US-says-375807
---------
NYT
reveals threats against Turkish reporter as pro-gov't media turn her into
target
Sep 19,
2014
The New
York Times revealed Sept. 19 that its reporter Ceylan Yeğinsu, who wrote a
striking story on the recruitment efforts of the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) at the heart of the Turkish capital Ankara earlier this week, has
been receiving “messages that threaten her safety.”
After
her report was published, Yeğinsu not only received strong reactions from
officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but was also targeted by
the pro-government media, with a number of newspapers publishing her picture on
their front page in a bid to trigger public outrage.
The
executive director of the New York Times, Dean Bacquet, expressed concern about
Yeğinsu’s safety, adding that the American broadsheet acknowledged that the
picture accompanying the story of Erdoğan with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu
during Friday prayers was misleading.
Full
report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/nyt-reveals-threats-against-turkish-reporter-as-pro-govt-media-turn-her-into-target.aspx?pageID=238&nID=71919&NewsCatID=359
---------
Africa
Cameroonian
Entire Football Team Accepts Islam in UAE
World
Bulletin / News Desk
Sep 19,
2014
An
entire football team of young Cameroonian football players have declared their
conversion to Islam after spending two months at a football training camp in
the United Arab Emirates.
A total
of twenty-three players in their twenties who came as part of a program run by
a football academy for poor, homeless and orphaned youngsters in Cameroon,
openly read out their testimony of faith at the Islamic Affairs and Charitable
Activities Department (IACAD) in Dubai.
Javeed
Khateeb, senior religious adviser at IACAD, told The National, “It is amazing
that at an age when most people just want to play and have fun, these young men
were searching for faith and enlightenment.”
It was
reported that the players and coaches decided to accept Islam for various
reasons, including the peace they felt in the religion and the kindness of
Muslims they came across during their stay in the country.
Full
report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/muslim-world/144503/cameroonian-football-team-accepts-islam-in-uae
---------
Boko
Haram 'in charge of 25 towns' in NE Nigeria: bishop
Sep 19,
2014
Boko
Haram militants are in charge of at least 25 towns and villages in northeast
Nigeria, the region's Roman Catholic bishop has claimed, warning of a
deteriorating security situation.
Bishop
Oliver Dashe said 10 towns in Yobe state, the same number in Borno and five in
Adawama had fallen to the rebels over the last month, as they seek to carve out
a hardline Islamic state.
International
assistance was now required to tackle the problem, he told the Nigerian Catholic
Bishops' Conference in the southern city of Warri, Delta state, on Wednesday.
"As
a nation we are almost losing this battle because it is spinning out of
control," he added.
"The
earlier we come together as Nigerians, forgetting our religious, ethnic, regional,
cultural and ideological differences to face this menace the better for
us."
Nigeria's
government has denied losing territory to Boko Haram and the military has
dismissed as "empty" the militants' claim last month that one
captured town was part of an Islamic caliphate.
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/111097/World/International/Boko-Haram-in-charge-of--towns-in-NE-Nigeria-bisho.aspx
---------
Morocco
expands laws against militant seekers
19
September 2014
Morocco’s
government has presented a new law criminalizing training with extremists with
the intent to commit terrorist acts.
The law,
which will go before parliament in October, seeks to stem the tide of Moroccans
fighting with extremist groups in places like Syria, Iraq and, in previous
years, Mali.
Those
convicted of seeking out training camps will face five to 15 years in prison
and fines of between $5,800 and $58,000, according to the draft law announced
by the government late Thursday.
After
Tunisians, Moroccans are the largest group from North Africa joining the
Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, with at least 1,200 fighting there.
Morocco
has already announced the dismantling in the past year of dozens of recruitment
networks aimed at sending Moroccans abroad to fight.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/09/19/Morocco-expands-laws-against-militant-seekers.html
---------
Muslims
urged to shun ‘Open Mosque’ in Wynberg
Sep 19,
2014
Cape
Town - The Muslim Judicial Council and over a hundred Islamic scholars have
warned Muslims to stay away from the “Open Mosque” which opens for prayers in
Wynberg on Friday.
The MJC
issued a statement on Thursday night denouncing it. A special meeting was
convened for 110 representatives of various mosques and institutions.
In a
statement, the MJC said the unanimous conclusion was that the “Open Mosque”
flouted the premises of Islam, and Cape Town Muslims should avoid it.
The
statement, signed by MJC president Maulana Ihsaan Hendricks, said: “We
therefore strongly advise our community to absolutely refrain from attending
the so-called ‘Open Mosque’ based on their interpretation of aspects of Islam
that clearly contradicts Qur’anic and Prophetic directives as well as centuries
of Islamic scholarship.”
The
“Open Mosque” has been founded by Wynberg-born, Oxford-based Muslim academic Dr
Taj Hargey, who received death and bomb threats about the mosque earlier this
week.
The
United Ulema Council of SA urged its members to march against the mosque on
Friday.
But on
Thursday night, Hargey said the threatening phone calls had subsided, and he
hoped for a calm and successful opening day.
Full
report at:
http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/muslims-urged-to-shun-open-mosque-1.1753400#.VBwL25RdU4U
---------
Europe
ISIS-related
arrests in US, Europe, Australia as intel warns of ‘gruesome’ attacks
Sep 19,
2014
The
world is in the midst of a global crackdown on Islamic State and its ideas.
European, American and Australian mass arrests were carried out amid
frightening intelligence reports, as the US continues efforts at building an
anti-IS coalition.
The
effort to clamp down on any affiliation to the terrorist group has reached as
far as France, the US, Spain and other countries – even the
partially-recognized Kosovo.
Six
potential recruits have been arrested in France, a judicial source said on
Wednesday, with the number of French nationals traveling to sections of Syria
and Iraq partly-controlled by the IS (formerly ISIS or ISIL) continuing to
rise.
Two of
the detained on Tuesday are minors, while another pair is a brother and sister;
one other suspect is believed to be linked to Forsane Alizza (Knight of Pride),
an organization calling for France to become an Islamic caliphate. It was
banned in 2012.
As in
the case with Britain and the United States, France worries its nationals will
soon be returning with the training and determination to carry out terrorist
attacks on home soil. The number of French having already gone off to fight and
come back has risen to 930, according to Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
Full
report at:
http://rt.com/news/188660-isis-islamic-global-crackdown/
---------
Prince
William's Friend Becomes Third Briton to Appear In ISIS Propaganda Video
Sep 19
2014
A former
companion of Prince William and Prince Harry was revealed yesterday as a
British hostage being held in Syria by Jihadi fanatics.
Photojournalist
John Cantlie is shown on the latest Islamic State propaganda video claiming he
has been ‘abandoned’ by the Government and pleading with them to ‘negotiate’
with his captors.
The
slickly-made video, which has Arabic subtitles, marks a significant change of
tactics by IS, who have previously released barbaric footage of hostages,
including Mr Haines, being executed in a desert.
Mr
Cantlie – who had previously been kidnapped by another group in Syria and
rescued only to return to the frontline, be captured by militants and sold to
IS – appears dressed in an orange top and sitting at a wooden table against a
black screen.
Calm but
clearly speaking under orders on the 3min 21sec clip posted on YouTube, he
admits he does not know his fate.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2760978/BREAKING-NEWS-British-hostage-appears-new-ISIS-propaganda-video-claiming-truth-terror-group.html#ixzz3Dl9m3fQG
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The
Islamic State Are Monsters, Say UK Muslims
Sep 19
2014
More
than 100 Muslim leaders have signed a statement to IS pleading for the release
of British hostage Alan Henning and criticising the Jihadis as ‘monsters’ for
their brutal murder of David Haines.
They
warned the kidnappers that if they did not release Mr Henning they would be
committing the ‘worst condemnable sin’ against Islam. The letter from imams,
Muslim organisations and community leaders, published in yesterday’s Independent
newspaper, pleads with those holding the Salford taxi driver to accept that he
was on a mission of mercy to Syria to help innocent civilians.
It says
that ‘acts of humanitarianism are an essential element of religious practice
for all Muslims’ and that ‘senseless kidnapping, murder and now the despicable
threats to Mr Henning... cannot be justified’ by the Koran. It adds: ‘We plead
with those holding Alan Henning to see the errors of their ways.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2760978/BREAKING-NEWS-British-hostage-appears-new-ISIS-propaganda-video-claiming-truth-terror-group.html#ixzz3DlAF2YlO
---------
Ankara,
Berlin should cooperate more against ISIL, German interior minister says
Sep 19,
2014
Germany’s
Minister of Interior Thomas de Maiziere has said Ankara and Berlin are
cooperating against the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL), while admitting that more intelligence sharing is needed.
“The
Turkish government has recently taken a clear, tough stance against ISIL. I
would like to stress that. Our cooperation to prevent radicals using Turkey as
a transit country is good, but it should be even better,” de Maiziere told
Hürriyet during a meeting with Muslim community leaders in Germany.
Zekeriya
Altuğ, the foreign affairs manager of the Diyanet Turkish Islamic Union
(DİTİB), and Aiman Mazyek, the head of Muslims’ Central Council (ZMD), were
also present at the meeting.
“We need
to share intelligence on the travel movements of Jihadists. This is very costly
work. Intelligence agencies should cooperate on this issue. We talked about it
during my visit,” de Maiziere added.
Full
report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ankara-berlin-should-cooperate-more-against-isil-german-interior-minister-says.aspx?pageID=238&nID=71913&NewsCatID=510
---------
Russia
says backs UN draft resolution on "terrorist fighters"
Sep 19,
2014
Moscow
endorses a draft resolution on combatting foreign "terrorist
fighters" proposed by Washington at the U.N. Security Council, Interfax
news agency quoted a Russian Foreign Ministry official on Friday as saying.
"On
the whole, it is acceptable for us in its current form," Ilya Rogachev,
director of one of the ministry's departments, told Interfax.
The
United States circulated a draft resolution that would demand countries
"prevent and suppress" the recruitment and travel of foreign fighters
to join extremist militant groups like Islamic State.
Washington
hopes the 15-member Security Council would approve it unanimously on Sept. 24.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Russia-says-backs-UN-draft-resolution-on-terrorist-fighters-375818
---------
French
president rules out military action in Syria
Sep 19,
2014
PARIS -
French President Francois Hollande ruled out carrying out any military action
against Islamic State militants in Syria on Thursday, but said he had told
Iraqi authorities France was ready to carry out air strikes against the
militants there.
"I
have decided to respond positively to the Iraqi authorities to provide air
support," Hollande told a news conference. "We will not go beyond
that. There will not be ground troops and we will only intervene in Iraq."
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/French-president-rules-out-military-action-in-Syria-375763
---------
France
begins airstrikes against Islamic State in Iraq
Sep 19,
2014
France
said on Friday its jets had launched strikes inside Iraq for the first time
since the country promised to join military action against Islamic State
insurgents who have taken over parts of the country.
"This
morning at 9:40 (0740 GMT) our Rafale jets launched a first strike against a
logistics depot of the terrorists," said a statement from President
Francois Hollande's office on Friday shortly after the raids.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/france-begins-airstrikes-against-islamic-state-in-iraq/article6426541.ece
-------------
Funding
woes force UN to slash rations for 4 million of Syrians
Sep 19,
2014
The
United Nations will have to slash food rations to four million Syrians by 40
percent in October due to a shortage of funds, despite better access to areas
in need, a senior U.N. aid official has said.
John
Ging, director of operations at the U.N. Office for Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs, said in an interview that the “break in the pipeline”
means greater hunger as a fourth winter of the Syrian civil war sets in. A
record 4.1 million people in Syria received rations in August as more convoys
were able to cross front lines and borders from Turkey and Jordan, the U.N.’s
World Food Program (WFP) said this month.
“In
October, WFP will be able to deliver 60 percent of what they have been
delivering. In November it will be down to 40 percent,” Ging told Reuters in
Geneva after attending an unannounced meeting on humanitarian aid to Syria.
Full
report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/funding-woes-force-un-to-slash-rations-for-4-million-of-syrians.aspx?pageID=238&nID=71902&NewsCatID=352
---------
South Asia
Taliban
assassinate tribal elder in Jawzjan province
Sep 19
2014
Taliban
militants assassinated a local tribal elder in northern Jawzjan province of
Afghanistan, local officials said.
Tribal
elder Haji Yousuf was reportedly organizing anti-Taliban public uprising in
Aqcha district.
Provincial
police chief, Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani said Haji Yousuf was assassinated by
Taliban militants on Thursday afternoon.
He said
a suspected militant was arrested in connection to the assassination of Haji
Yousuf.
Taliban
militants group has not commented regarding the incident so far.
This comes
as at least two members of the anti-Taliban publi uprising forces were killed
along with a Taliban militant following a clash in Aqcha district around two
weeks ago.
Jawzjan
is among the relatively peaceful provinces in northern Afghanistan. However, the
anti-government armed militants have increased insurgency activities in this
province during the recent years.
http://www.khaama.com/taliban-assassinate-tribal-elder-in-jawzjan-province-6717
---------
17
killed, 35 others injured following road accident in Wardak
Sep 19
2014
At least
17 people were killed and 35 others were injured following a road accident on
Kabul-Ghani highway late Thursday.
The
incident took place in Nerkh district of Wardak province after a Toyota Corolla
vehicle collided with a passenger bus.
The
provincial government media office following a statement said the incident took
place around 6:00 pm local time, leaving six passengers of the Corolla dead
along with 11 others from the passenger bus.
The
statement further added that two women were also among those killed following
the incident and at least 20 people are in critical condition.
Kabul-Ghazni
highway is one of the deadliest highways of Afghanistan where majority of the
traffic incidents take place.
High
speed and reckless driving and bad condition of the roads are said to be the
main reasons behind deadly traffic incidents in Afghanistan.
This
comes as at least 29 people were killed in various road accidents across the
country last month.
http://www.khaama.com/17-killed-35-others-injured-following-road-accident-in-wardak-6718
---------
Maldives
Human Rights Commission summoned to Supreme Court
Sep 19,
2014
Members
of the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) have been summoned to appear
before the Supreme Court next week.
The
summons closely follows the HRCM’s report for the UN Human Rights Council’s
(HRC) Universal Periodic Review, submitted earlier this week which criticised
the court’s growing powers.
“Judicial
system is controlled and influenced by the Supreme Court, weakening judicial
powers vested in other superior courts and lower courts,” wrote the commision
for the HRC’s examination of human rights in the Maldives.
Members
of the commission have revealed that the summons, originally for today
(September 18) has been delayed until September 22 due to the current absence
of members from the capital, Malé.
Full
report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/human-rights-commission-summoned-to-supreme-court-90175
---------
PM
Sheikh Hasina: Verdict spoils Sayedee’s face
Sep 19,
2014
Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday told parliament that Jamaat-e-Islami leader
Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s reputation as an Islamic preacher would exist no more
following the Supreme Court’s final verdict.
Speaking
at the end of the third session, the Leader of the House said Sayedee’s capital
punishment, instead of imprisonment until death, would have made people
happier.
She also
said the constitution amendment act would protect the judiciary more, trashing
the allegations that the government had made the judiciary accountable to the
legislature for political reasons.
In her
around 45-minute speech, the premier for the first time blamed the main
opposition Jatiya Party.
Opposition
Leader Rawshan Ershad had to endure some criticisms made against her husband,
JaPa chief HM Ershad’s rule.
Full
report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2014/sep/19/pm-verdict-spoils-sayedee%E2%80%99s-face#sthash.uZ4i7XqX.dpuf
---------
Southeast Asia
Catholic
Church renews ‘Allah’ fight, seeks review of apex court decision
Sep 19,
2014
KUALA
LUMPUR, Sept 19 — The Catholic Church is asking the Federal Court to reconsider
its refusal to entertain the appeal against the Home Ministry ban on the use of
“Allah” in its Herald newsletter, arguing that the apex court failed to
consider key legal issues in its decision.
The
application for review was submitted by the Catholic Church’s lawyer, Benjamin
Dawson, this afternoon, national news agency Bernama reported.
According
to Dawson, the Catholic Church is seeking a review of the decision that
effectively bars “Allah” to non-Muslims, over three issues.
It
contends that the Federal Court did not consider key constitutional questions
raised in the appeal application and that the Home Ministry ban was predicated
on theological reasons rather than administrative.
“The
third ground is that the Herald's case is one of the most important
constitutional cases to have come before our court, particularly where minority
rights are concerned,” Dawson was quoted as saying in the Bernama report.
The
lawyer also insisted that it was of public interest that the Federal Court hear
the Catholic Church’s appeal.
Full
report at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/catholic-church-renews-allah-fight-seeks-review-of-apex-court-decision#sthash.dMA2aWOd.dpuf
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Adam
Adli’s one-year jail term for sedition ‘excessive’, says Malaysian Bar
Sep 19,
2014
KUALA
LUMPUR, Sept 19 ― The Malaysian Bar today criticised as excessive the one
year’s jail imposed on Adam Adli Abdul Halim for sedition, saying the student
activist should have been fined at most.
Malaysian
Bar president Christopher Leong also pointed out that Adam's offending speech ―
in which he allegedly called for the overthrow of the government through
undemocratic means ― was not an incitement to violence, and that the student
activist did not specify the so-called illegal methods.
“We say
that a jail sentence of 12 months is excessive and disproportionate,” Leong
told a press conference after the Malaysian Bar's extraordinary general meeting
(EGM) on the Sedition Act 1948 here today.
“It
should, at best, have been a fine,” the Bar Council chairman added.
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/adam-adlis-one-year-jail-term-for-sedition-excessive-says-malaysian-bar#sthash.kEqNDauN.dpuf
---------
Four
Foreigners Charged Under Indonesia’s Terror Laws
Sep 19,
2014
Jakarta.
Four foreigners who were arrested in Central Sulawesi for alleged ties to an
Indonesian terrorist network will be charged under anti-terrorism and
immigration laws, Indonesia’s National Police say.
The four
men, thought to be ethnic Uighurs from Xinjiang in China, were arrested on
Saturday along with three Indonesians and have been held since then for
questioning at the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Depok,
south of Jakarta.
National
Police Chief Gen. Sutarman told the Jakarta Globe on Friday that the terror
suspects would be charged under anti-terrorism and immigration laws.
The
suspects have been named as Abdul Basyit, 19; Ahmed Bozoglan, 28; Atlinci
Bayram, 19; and Alphin Zubaidan , 27.
The group, traveling on fake Turkish passports bought in
Thailand, was arrested in Poso, Central Sulawesi, by the National Police’s
anti-terror squad, Densus 88. The true nationalities of the suspects remains
unknown.
Full
report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/four-foreigners-charged-indonesias-terror-laws/
----------
Australia
'Kill
Christians, slaughter their children': Thugs waving Islamic State flags
threaten church-goers in Sydney
Sep 19
2014
Hoons
shouted out threats to kill Christians and waved an Islamic State flag as they
drove past a Maronite church and school in Sydney's west, terrifying members of
the community.
NSW
police are investigating the incident at the Our Lady of Lebanon church and the
Maronite College of the Holy Family in Harris Park in Sydney's west on Tuesday.
It is
alleged a youth in a passing red hatchback yelled out: 'We're going to kill all
you Christians.'
The
incident occurred two days before NSW and federal police raided a dozen homes
in northwestern Sydney to foil an alleged plot to kidnap and behead a member of
the public.
One man,
Omarjan Azari, 22, has been charged with conspiracy to prepare for a terrorist
attack and has been refused bail, and 15 others arrested are yet to be charged.
School
principal Sister Margaret Ghosn told Daily Mail Australia the school had taken
the threat seriously and had requested security from police.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2759536/Islamic-State-supporters-threaten-slaughter-children-Christian-church-goers.html#ixzz3DlARjTfS
---------
Australian
PM warns of attacks on government
19
September 2014
Intelligence
"chatter" has revealed that militants plan to attack Australian
politicians and government buildings, the prime minister said on Friday, a day
after hundreds of police carried out a sweeping counter-terrorism operation.
Prime
Minister Tony Abbott said he had ordered security boosted at Parliament House
in Canberra, amid mounting concerns over the possibility of attacks by
Australians radicalized in Iraq or Syria.
More
than 800 police were involved in the security operation in Sydney and Brisbane
on Thursday, which authorities said had thwarted a plot by militants linked to
the Islamic State group to behead a random member of the public.
"There
are close links between Australians fighting with ISIS iin Syria and Iraq, and
networks of support back here in Australia," Abbott told reporters,
referring to the group otherwise known as Islamic State that has seized large
stretches of territory in Syria and Iraq.
"The
chatter involving Parliament House was chatter between Australians in Syria and
Iraq and their supporters here in Australia."
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2014/09/19/Australian-PM-warns-of-militant-attacks-on-government.html
---------
Perspective
ISIS plot in Australia raises questions
19
September 2014
The
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s plot to carry out random beheadings in Sydney
alleged by police is a simple and barbaric scheme that has shaken Australians.
But terrorism experts on Friday questioned whether the ruthless movement had
the capacity or inclination to sustain a terror campaign so far from the Middle
East.
Police
said they thwarted a plot to carry out beheadings in Australia by ISIS group
supporters after raiding more than a dozen properties across Sydney on
Thursday.
ISIS has
beheaded three Westerners in the Middle East in recent weeks, recording the
brutal slayings to make propaganda videos that have attracted widespread
condemnation.
Two of
the 15 suspects detained by police were charged on Thursday, officials said.
Nine others were freed before the day was over.
But
police wouldn’t say how many remained in custody on Friday as the investigation
continues.
Prime
Minister Tony Abbott conceded it was difficult to safeguard the Australian
population against such attacks.
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/analysis/2014/09/19/Perspective-ISIS-plot-in-Australia-raises-questions.html
---------