New Age Islam News Bureau
27
Aug 2014
Photo: Over 100 Kyrgyz Youths Fighting in Syria
Arab World
• ISIS Developing 'Sophisticated Drones to Launch Attacks on Israel and US'
• Large Numbers of Militants Killed in Many Areas across Syria
• Over 100 Kyrgyz Youths Fighting in Syria
• 15 Australian fighters killed in Iraq, Syria
• Iraqi Warplanes Kill 13 ISIL Terrorists, Injure 10
• Saudi Arabia busts cell of ISIS recruiters
• 8 arrested as Kingdom busts ‘IS terror’ cell
• Iraq strikes jihadists as fears grow for thousands in besieged town
• Islamic State turns radical Islam on Syria Muslims
• Behind Libya raids, a newfound Emirati assertiveness
• Saudi Arabia beheads three convicted of murder
• New ISIS Twitter campaign spurs hashtag war
• Qatar says ready to rebuild war-battered Gaza
India
• Peace Prevailing Between Shias And Sunnis, Why Disturb It, SC Asks?
• Pakistan seeks India's help for focus on trade
Pakistan
• Not Going Anywhere Till PM and Punjab CM’s Hanging: Dr Tahirul Qadri
• ‘N’ rallies ‘ill-conceived’, ‘self-defeating’: PPP
• TTP splinters form Jamaat-ul-Ihraar
• Jamaat-i-Islami to announce Awami Agenda soon
• PPP, MQM want govt to offer ‘sacrifice’ to save democracy
• Imran, Qadri not willing to vacate Constitution Avenue, SC informed
• Key TTP, LJ commander killed in D I Khan police encounter
South Asia
• 25 Taliban militants killed in counter-terrorism operations
• Afghan intelligence eliminate 3 terrorist networks in Kabul
• PM Sheikh Hasina: People compensating for BNP's mistakes
Europe
• Islamic State: One in Six French People Say They Support ISIS Caliphate
• Dutch Imams Fight IS Online Activism
• London police call on Muslim communities to identify home-grown extremists
• UK jihadists don’t warrant reactionary legal overhaul – former MI6 director
• Human rights groups condemn killings of suspected Gaza informants
• Executions a ‘common spectacle’ in jihadist-held Syria, says UN
• Nick Clegg: British Muslims best antidote to Brits joining ISIS
North America
• Obama says "justice will be done" for Islamic State killers
• Pakistan safe haven for terrorists: U.S.
• First American Jihadi dies fighting for ISIL in Syria
• American woman is being held hostage by Islamic State in Syria
• Washington to give Tunisia military aid to battle Islamists
• US mobilizes allies to widen assault on ISIS
• U.S. destroys millions of dollars in U.S.-made arms in Iraq
• Ottawa Jihadi seeking 'martyrdom' with ISIS in Syria
Southeast Asia
• In Jakarta, Muslim leaders explain Islamic fundamentalism to Christians
• Perak deputy mufti blames MAS for inviting God’s wrath with booze, sexy uniforms
Mideast
• Ex-Jerusalem mufti blames dictatorships for rise in extremism
• ‘Heroic’ Hamas ‘brought Israel to its knees,’ says Iran
• Syrian refugees suffer as Turkey grows intolerant
• Erdoğan: Presidency a beginning, not a goodbye
Africa
• Tunisia tracks terrorists online
• Islamic council to expand social services in Ethiopia
• Islamic State beheading shocks Tunisia
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/isis-developing-ophisticated-drones-launch/d/98763
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Arab World
ISIS Developing 'Sophisticated Drones to Launch Attacks on Israel and US'
Aug 27, 2014
ISIS, now known as Islamic State, is said to be developing sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicles as part of bolstering its weapons arsenal to widen its battle against Israel and the US.
A member of the Islamist group, which has captured territories in Iraq and Syria, wrote on Twitter that the Sunni extremists are on their way to having advanced drone capabilities, according to Israeli daily Arutz Sheva.
The drones will shortly be employed to attack Israel, said the Canadian-born member, who fled his country to join the militant group.
He also claimed that many western engineers who have knowledge of building up drones are working on the project.
The Islamic militant further wrote that the drones will be employed to attack US soil, using Mexico as a launch pad.
The claims have surfaced as one of the latest videos released by the insurgent group included footage apparently shot from a drone.
The nearly 14-minute high-quality video, which appears to have been professionally edited, was uploaded to YouTube containing a surveillance recording showing aerial views of what is believed to the Syrian Army Military Base 93 near the northern province of Raqqa.
A caption that scrolls across the video recording reads: "From the drone of the army of the Islamic State."
If confirmed that the radical group possesses drone capabilities, it will put them in the league of other non-state organisations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Libyan rebel groups.
Given the scale of sophistication which the group has displayed in the past several weeks by seizing money-spinning facilities including oil fields, refineries, and dam, experts say it would not be a surprise if the group has managed to obtain surveillance drones.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ISIS-developing-sophisticated-drones-launch-attacks-israel-us-1462605
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Large Numbers of Militants Killed in Many Areas across Syria
Aug 27, 2014
A large number of militants were killed during the Syrian army operations in several areas across the country on Wednesday.
The Syrian army killed militants in Arshaf, al-Husamiyeh, Blat, al-Sakhour, Sbab, Tal al-Sh’eir, al-Mansoura, Kafar Hamra, Hayyan, al-Manasher, Bani Zaid and al-Ashrafia in Aleppo and its countryside, and destroyed a number of the militants’ vehicles, a military source said.
Army troops also targeted a concentration center of militants in the vicinity of the Air Force Academy, killing and wounding many of them. Three militants' vehicles equipped with heavy machine guns and three armored vehicles of them were also destroyed.
Meanwhile, army forces targeted a concentration center of militants at an agricultural facility East of al-Salam highway in the countryside of Damascus, killing and injuring a number of the militants, according to an informed source.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930605001021
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Over 100 Kyrgyz Youths Fighting in Syria
Aug 27, 2014
Over 100 Kyrgyz citizens are fighting in Syria and the source of recruitment is in Turkey, the former Ombudsman of the Kyrgyz Repubic Tursunbek Akun announced on Wednesday.
"There are complaints from parents who are looking for their sons," he added at a press conference, 24 Press Club reported.
"One of the guys phoned on August 6 from Turkey. Therefore, we have the idea that the source of recruitment is in Turkey, and we went to Istanbul. Through our embassy we contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of this republic with the request to assist in search for our citizens, a 28-year-old Elnura Sardalova," he added.
The conflict in Syria started in March 2011, when sporadic pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of western and regional states.
The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle-East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.
As the foreign-backed insurgency in Syria continues without an end in sight, the US government has boosted its political and military support to Takfiri extremists.
Washington has remained indifferent to warnings by Russia and other world powers about the consequences of arming militant groups.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930605001198
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15 Australian fighters killed in Iraq, Syria
27 August 2014
Fifteen Australians, including two young suicide bombers, are believed to have died fighting in Syria and Iraq, intelligence chief David Irvine said Wednesday, warning that espionage and foreign intervention threats were increasing.
Canberra has expressed alarm that around 60 Australians have joined violent jihadist groups such as Islamic State (IS) overseas.
One Islamic State fighter, Australian man Khaled Sharrouf, sparked outrage when an image of his Sydney-raised son posing with the rotting head of a Syrian soldier was reportedly posted on Twitter.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/15-australian-fighters-killed-in-iraq-syria#sthash.YYYg9bEE.dpuf
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Iraqi Warplanes Kill 13 ISIL Terrorists, Injure 10
Aug 27, 2014
The Iraqi Air Force conducted a series of air strikes against the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group, leaving 23 killed and 10 injured.
Iraqi warplanes targeted the hideouts of the ISIL terrorists in Shurqat district of
Northern Tikrit and claimed the lives of 13 terrorists, Iraqi News reported.
10 terrorists were also severely injured during the operations.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930605000294
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Saudi Arabia busts cell of ISIS recruiters
27 August 2014
The Saudi interior ministry said Tuesday it detained eight individuals for trying to recruit youth into “extremist groups abroad.”
Al Arabiya News channel that the recruits were for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
“Security authorities conducted on Monday an operation that led to the arrest of eight citizens who were involved in recruiting youth to join extremist groups abroad,” an interior ministry statement carried by the country’s Saudi Press Agency said.
Saudi Arabia has taken a tough stance against militant groups in the kingdom and has made arrests of cells with links to extremist elements in different Arab countries.
In May, the Interior Ministry said it had dismantled a major “terrorist organization” with links to extremist elements in Syria and Yemen that was plotting attacks against government facilities and foreign interests. Sixty-two suspected members of the group were arrested in the bust.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/26/Saudi-Interior-Ministry-to-announce-arrest-of-a-cell-of-inciters-.html
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8 arrested as Kingdom busts ‘IS terror’ cell
Aug 27, 2014
Security forces in the town of Tamir in northern Riyadh arrested eight extremists who tried to lure youth into joining the Islamic State (IS) and the Al-Nusra Front, according to the Interior Ministry.
Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said the arrests were made on Monday in accordance with a royal decree issued in March ordering punishment for anyone joining or aiding terrorist or extremist organizations on the government’s blacklist.
Showing sympathy or providing moral or financial support to such organizations is also considered a crime, according to the decree.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/621486
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Iraq strikes jihadists as fears grow for thousands in besieged town
Aug 27, 2014
Iraqi warplanes have begun targeting jihadists besieging the Shia Turkmen town of Amerli amid growing fears for the safety of thousands of residents short of food and water and facing a "massacre".
With some 12,000 Turkmen trapped in the northern town, US President Barack Obama is "nearing a decision" to authorise strikes and aid drops in the area, The New York Times reported.
The report added that Obama is also seeking to piece together an international coalition for potential military action in Syria, where the US has begun reconnaissance flights.
And nine countries have committed to providing arms to Iraq's Kurdish peshmerga forces, who are fighting in north and east Iraq against Islamic State jihadists leading a sweeping offensive that has overrun large areas of the country.
Iraqi warplanes carried out nine air strikes on Tuesday against the militants besieging Amerli, an officer said.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/109341/World/Region/Iraq-strikes-jihadists-as-fears-grow-for-thousands.aspx
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Islamic State turns radical Islam on Syria Muslims
Aug 27, 2014
(Reuters) - As Islamic State militants advanced in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor last month, those who had held out against them faced a simple choice: beg for mercy or face certain death.
Their options were laid out in stark religious terms by the militant Islamists who are trying to carve out their own state in Syria and Iraq. Defeated fighters were required to "atone" or die, a choice set out in Islamic terms and implying that resisting Islamic State rule amounted to a sin against God.
"I surrendered my weapons," said a rebel fighter who capitulated to Islamic State on July 2 and has been living in fear for his life ever since. He still believes Islamic State could execute him at any moment. "Everyone is subject to this. Everyone is afraid," he said, speaking via internet link.
Full report at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/26/us-syria-crISIS-province-insight-idUSKBN0GQ1G120140826
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Behind Libya raids, a newfound Emirati assertiveness
IAN BLACK
Aug 27, 2014
On the face of it, this is one of those baffling moments that seem to occur with increasing frequency in the Middle East these days: why has the United Arab Emirates, a small, wealthy Gulf state, been secretly bombing targets in distant Libya from bases in Egypt — and without telling the U.S., its closest ally?
Looked at a little more closely, however, the news reflects wider changes in the region, and a sense that Washington is retreating from it.
Shaken by the turbulence of the Arab spring, the UAE has emerged as the most assertive of the conservative Gulf monarchies. It does not share the traditional reticence of Saudi Arabia, especially when it comes to combating what both now see as the most dangerous challenge to the status quo — the rise of Islamists at home and abroad.
The first signs of the UAE’s new role emerged in 2011, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed — the de facto ruler — joined NATO air operations in Libya and backed rebels fighting to overthrow Muammar Qadhafi.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/behind-libya-raids-a-newfound-emirati-assertiveness/article6354405.ece
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Saudi Arabia beheads three convicted of murder
August 27, 2014
RIYADH: Saudi authorities on Wednesday beheaded three citizens after they were convicted of murder in separate cases, the interior ministry announced, bringing to 41 the number of executions there this year.
Nawaf al-Mutairi was executed in the western city of Medina for the machine-gun killing of fellow Saudi Adel al-Harbi in a dispute, a statement published by the official SPA news agency said.
Another Saudi, Naji Al-Mutleq, was beheaded in the southwestern city of Najran for shooting dead fellow tribesman Abdelhadi al-Mutleq, also with a machine gun, SPA reported. In neighbouring Jazan, authorities executed Musa Dhafiri for stabbing to death Yehia Hamdi following a disagreement, the news agency added.
Full report at:
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-157996-Saudi-Arabia-beheads-three-convicted-of-murder
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New ISIS Twitter campaign spurs hashtag war
27 August 2014
Twitter users, especially those supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group, are using ISIS’ threat to slaughter U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff in a trending Twitter campaign targeting President Barack Obama, reported the Daily Mail on Tuesday.
#StevensHeadinObamasHands quickly topped Twitter’s trending topics, shortly after it started being shared on Twitter earlier this week.
In a graphic video featuring the beheading of another U.S. journalist, James Foley, Time magazine’s journalist Sotloff is seen wearing an orange jail jumpsuit while on his knees, as the executioner threatens to behead him as well.
“The life of this American citizen Obama depends on your next decision,” the masked executioner, who is currently being identified through computer generation, warned in spoken English.
A number of memes, tweets and pictures have been carried out on social media, in what was seen as an appeal to the West, directly targeting President Obama.
Extremist supporters carried out the hashtag through irrelevant tweets which include other trending topics such as #AskRicky, in reference to YouTube video blogger Ricky Dillon, and #FetusUANDay, another pop culture- related hashtag about the English-Irish boy band One Direction.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/digital/2014/08/27/New-ISIS-Twitter-campaign-creates-hashtag-war.html
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Qatar says ready to rebuild war-battered Gaza
Aug 27, 2014
DOHA — Qatar, a key backer of Palestinian militant group Hamas, hailed the Gaza ceasefire accord and offered to help rebuild the enclave battered by seven weeks of Israeli bombardment.
The accord for a long-term ceasefire which came into effect on Tuesday was thanks "firstly to the resistance and the sacrifices" of the Palestinians, the gas-rich Gulf emirate said in a statement.
It said Qatar, which is home to Khaled Meshaal, the exiled chief of the Islamist movement Hamas, was "ready to contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip as soon as possible".
The conflict, which began on July 8 when Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in a bid to stamp out cross-border rocket fire, cost the lives of 2,143 Palestinians and 70 on the Israeli side.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140827216134
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India
Peace Prevailing Between Shias And Sunnis, Why Disturb It, SC Asks?
Dhananjay Mahapatra,TNN | Aug 27, 2014
NEW DELHI: When it comes to implementation of its judgments and orders, the Supreme Court adopts a no-nonsense approach and seldom shies away from using its contempt power to ensure compliance.
But when it comes to enforcing its 31-year-old judgment in the 136-year-old dispute between Shias and Sunnis over eight plots of land with two graves at Doshipura in Varanasi, it keeps putting it off. On Tuesday, it thought it prudent to again defer implementation of the judgment by another 10 years. Reason - it does not want to provide the spark to a religious conflagration that has been tamed by time, at least for the last decade.
By its September 23, 1983 order, the SC had declared the property exclusively of the Shia community and allowed shifting of two graves. It had also ordered construction of a boundary wall around the graves belonging to Sunnis.
Appearing for the Shia community, advocate Ajay Agrawal said it was in hopeless minority to fight the Sunnis for rights over the Waqf property.
Agrawal said the 1983 orders were yet to be implemented. But a bench of Chief Justice R M Lodha and Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman found that peace was prevailing in the area and that the apex court had kept in abeyance implementation of its three-decade-old order.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Peace-prevailing-between-Shias-and-Sunnis-why-disturb-it-SC-asks/articleshow/40957761.cms
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Pakistan seeks India's help for focus on trade
Sachin Parashar,TNN | Aug 27, 2014
NEW DELHI: Despite the standoff over high commissioner Abdul Basit's meeting with Hurriyat leaders and ceasefire violations which threaten to get out of hand, Pakistan is pressing India to facilitate business events meant to promote trade and investment between the two countries.
Pakistan plans to host a lifestyle exhibition in Delhi in the second week of September and also a 'Made in Pakistan' trade show in Mumbai on August 31. Government sources here said political clearance has been given to these events in the form of an approval by MEA but the issue of visas will have to be dealt with by the home ministry.
Close to 600 top Pakistani business leaders are expected to participate in these events but they are still waiting for visas. Pakistan high commission has now taken up the issue of visa delay with Indian authorities, saying denial of visas could hurt the "pro-India sentiment" among Pakistan's business community.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pakistan-seeks-Indias-help-for-focus-on-trade/articleshow/40952797.cms
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Pakistan
Not Going Anywhere Till PM and Punjab CM’s Hanging: Dr Tahirul Qadri
August 27, 2014
ISLAMABAD - The Lahore High Court’s decision of vetting the Sessions Court ruling in the case of Model Town tragedy proved to be an energy drink for Pakistan Awami Tehrik chief Dr Tahirul Qadri who on Tuesday announced that now it was not just about sending the government to packing but they were not going anywhere till Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif are hanged to death.
Dr Qadri interpreted the Lahore High Court decision and judicial commission report as the aforementioned dignitaries were declared murderers. He claimed that the Judicial Tribunal had held Shahbaz Sharif responsible for the Model Town tragedy. He also demanded to make the Judicial Tribunal findings public.
While addressing his mob, Dr Qadri also accused Shahbaz Sharif of concealing the Judicial Tribunal report for 17 days. “The Tribunal was established to prove the rulers innocent.”
Dr Qadri quoted the tribunal stating that Punjab Police went to root out the security fences which were erected under the law, as per the decision of the Lahore High Court. He said that Shahbaz lied before the people that he ordered to disengage the police from Model Town. This point was added by the lawyers in the statement which was submitted to the tribunal.
Dr Qadri said that police got erected these barriers and the previous government of Shahbaz Sharif used to monitor this arrangement. If police wanted to remove these barriers it should have first of all got the high court order cancelled or it should have discussed this matter with the security officer of Minhajul Quran Secretariat. But the government launched the peration at night, he further said.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/national/27-Aug-2014/not-going-anywhere-till-pm-cm-s-hanging-qadri
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‘N’ rallies ‘ill-conceived’, ‘self-defeating’: PPP
August 27, 2014
LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab President Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo has rejected PML-N’s decision of holding rallies in the country and called such rallies “ill-conceived” and “self-defeating.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Wattoo said that the government rallies would tantamount to fuelling political fire by throwing gasoline on it, adding it would aggravate the volatile political environment in the country.
The ruling party must not vitiate the environment and instead undertake all possible steps to assuage the ongoing confrontation between the parties that had made the nation hostage of their ego.
He predicted that the bloody clash between the agitating parties leading to loss of lives would pose the greatest danger to democracy and the inevitability of political redundancy of the fighting political parties.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/punjab/27-Aug-2014/n-rallies-ill-conceived-self-defeating-ppp
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TTP splinters form Jamaat-ul-Ihraar
August 27, 2014
ISLAMABAD - n a major blow to Maulana Fazlullah-led Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan, Maulana Qasim Khurassani has announced to form a new militant outfit, Jamaat-ul-Ihraar (JuI) comprising senior commanders of the TTP.
Maulana Qasim Khurassani is one of the founding TTP leaders and head of the Swat-based group. “The TTP is declining day by day, as some of the commanders are misusing their powers for their vested interests and the real mujahedeen were sidelined. They have hijacked the movement. Despite our objections, no action was taken against them, so we formed the JuI that will not only unite the mujahedeen but also strive for the implementation Islamic Shariah in the country. We’ll follow the pattern of Mullah Omar-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Afghan Taliban),” he said in a video message sent to The Nation.
According to Maulana Qasim, earlier when they formed ‘Ihrar ul Hind (IuH)’ it attracted a large number of militant commanders from different parts of the tribal areas. He said that after the joining of a large number of militants, the name of the group was changed from IuH to JuI. “We are all from the TTP, despite it has been hijacked by some unpopular group, so we love the name and it is the reason that we have named the new group as JuI-TTP,” he added.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/national/27-Aug-2014/ttp-splinters-form-jamaat-ul-ihraar
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PPP, MQM want govt to offer ‘sacrifice’ to save democracy
August 27, 2014
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have put the onus of resolving the prevailing political crISIS squarely on the government, asking it to “offer some sacrifice”.
“There is a need for some political actions. The government should have a big heart and offer some sacrifice,” MQM’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar said after having rounds of meetings with various political leaders, including Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, over the past two days.
Also read: PPP, MQM reiterate resolve to uphold democracy
Meanwhile, the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) continued its efforts to mediate between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1128065/ppp-mqm-want-govt-to-offer-sacrifice-to-save-democracy
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Jamaat-i-Islami to announce Awami Agenda soon
August 27, 2014
LAHORE - While paying glowing tributes to founder of the party, Abul Ala Maududi and other leaders on the occasion of 74th Foundation Day at Alhamra, Ameer of Jamaat-i-Islami Sirajul Haq announced that he has drawn up an Awami Agenda which consists of blue print for enforcement of Islamic system and would fundamentally uplift the standard of life in the country but expressed regret that it could not yet be finalised owing to the political deadlock in Islamabad.
He clarified that, “when we talk about Islamic system, we are talking about enforcement of Constitution of Pakistan.”
As part of the plan, the JI intends to gather what it says, tens of thousands of people around Minar-e-Pakistan somewhere in November, when the Ameer would announce the Awami Agenda face to face with the public.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/lahore/27-Aug-2014/ji-to-announce-awami-agenda-soon
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Key TTP, LJ commander killed in D I Khan police encounter
August 27, 2014
PESHAWAR: A key militant commander of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the proscribed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Waleed Akbar, was killed and one of his accomplices injured on Wednesday during a police encounter in the Prova tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan.
The commander was killed in the encounter that ensued when militants attacked District Police Officer (DPO) Sadiq Baloch in the Chodwan area of Prova tehsil following which police repulsed the attack.
Speaking to Dawn, the DPO said the police was conducting a search operation when the militants led by Akbar ambushed their convoy in the Hari Mor area of Porva tehsil. Subsequently, Akbar was killed in the encounter.
Akbar had several charges on him, including planning suicide attacks on funeral processions and law enforcement agencies' personnel.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1128110/key-ttp-lj-commander-killed-in-d-i-khan-police-encounter
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Imran, Qadri not willing to vacate Constitution Avenue, SC informed
August 27, 2014
ISLAMABAD: Despite the Supreme Court (SC) orders, the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has refused to vacate the Constitution Avenue. On the other hand, the PTI informed the court that its protest was not blocking the avenue.
According to the reply submitted in the SC by Attorney General Salman Butt, both the protesting parties have refused to shift the protest venue to alternative places offered by the government.
Butt offered two points for the shifting of protest namely Parade Ground near Faizabad next to Islamabad Highway and Sports Complex football ground during a meeting with PTI lawyer Hamid khan and PAT lawyer Ali Zafar.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/islamabad/27-Aug-2014/imran-qadri-not-willing-to-vacate-constitution-avenue-sc-informed
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South Asia
25 Taliban militants killed in counter-terrorism operations
Aug 27, 2014
At least 25 Taliban militants were killed and 6 others were injured during military operations by Afghan national security forces in the past 24 hours.
The operations were jointly conducted by Afghan national police, Afghan national army and Afghan intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives.
Interior ministry following a statement said Saturday that the militants were killed or injured in Nangarhar, Nuristan, Baghlan, Kunduz, Faryab, Kandahar, Maidan Wardak, Logar and Paktia provinces.
The statement further added that 2 Taliban militants were also arrested during the operations.
Afghan security forces confiscated various types of light and heavy weapons along with explosives during the operations, interior ministry said.
The statement by interior ministry also added that Afghan national police (ANP)forces discovered and seized 18 rounds of improvised explosive device (IED) during operations in Kunduz, Uruzgan, Paktia and Paktika provinces.
Interior ministry said the improvised explosive device (IEDs) were recently planted by Taliban militants for insurgency attacks.
Taliban militants group has not commented regarding the report so far.
http://www.khaama.com/25-taliban-militants-killed-in-counter-terrorism-operations-moi-8513
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Afghan intelligence eliminate 3 terrorist networks in Kabul
Aug 27, 2014
The Afghan intelligence operatives eliminated at least three terrorist networks in capital Kabul during counter-terrorism operations.
Haseeb Sediqi, spokesman for the National Directorate of Security (NDS), told reporters that the terrorist networks were plotting coordinating attacks in the city before they were arrested by intelligence operatives.
Sediqi further added intelligence operatives also confiscated various types of weapons, ammunition and explosives from the detained terrorists.
According to Sediqi, Afghan intelligence has foiled 8 suicide attack plots and 250 improvised explosive device (IED) attacks during the past one month.
He said around 13,000 explosives were also confiscated during the same operations by intelligence operatives.
Sediqi also rejected the allegations that the Afghan government is using the terrorist networks as a tool to carry out attacks against the civilians.
The government of Afghanistan has repeatedly called for peace and stability in the region, Sediqi said, adding that the Haqqani terrorist network leaders are safe despite the recent military operations conducted by Pakistani military in North Waziristan.
http://www.khaama.com/afghan-intelligence-eliminate-3-terrorist-networks-in-kabul-8514
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PM Sheikh Hasina : People compensating for BNP's mistakes
Aug 27, 2014
Pointing the finger at BNP, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said they are compelling people to compensate for their political mistakes that they had committed in the name of movement.
She made the statement while addressing a programme organised for giving donation to the distressed journalists held at her officer on Wednesday afternoon.
The PM said: “Those who are moving against broadcast policy, they would make it more tougher if they were in power.”
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2014/aug/27/pm-bnp-compels-people-compensate-its-mistakes#sthash.CMq7rSZ5.dpuf
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Europe
Islamic State: One in Six French People Say They Support ISIS Caliphate
Aug 27, 2014
Almost a sixth of the French population (16%) have a favourable disposition towards the terror group ISIS (now known as the Islamic State), according to a new poll.
The survey, conducted by ICM Research, asked people across the western European countries of Germany, UK and France whether their view of IS was favourable or unfavourable.
The participants were asked: "From what you know, please, tell me if you have a very favourable, somewhat favourable, somewhat unfavourable or very unfavourable opinion of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant otherwise known as ISIS?"
A breakdown of the age groups participating in the poll revealed that the younger the respondent, the more likely they were to have a favourable view of IS.
Twenty percent of French people between the ages of 35 and 44 had a favourable opinion of IS while 22% of 25-34 year-olds asked were also favourable to the group.
The highest opinion of the group came in the youngest age group, the 18-24 year-olds.
France, a country with a population of 66 million, has a Muslim community of 4.7 million (as of 2010) and a large number of this community have emigrated from North Africa.
However, the poll was commissioned on behalf of Russian news agency Rossiya Segodnya, likely to take a swipe at the western countries in question.
Full report at:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/islamic-state-one-six-french-people-say-they-support-ISIS-caliphate-1462680
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Dutch Imams Fight IS Online Activism
Aug 27, 2014
AMSTERDAM – Spreading the true teachings of Islam, a group of Dutch imams have taken to social media to fight extremist ideologies far from Islam, hindering efforts by the so-called Islamic State to lure Muslim youth in the European country.
“That is already happening, but I would like to see many more youths link up to let themselves be heard,” Yassin Elforkani of the Contact Institution Muslims and Government (CMO) told NL Times on Tuesday, August 26.
Elforkani was talking about the ongoing efforts made by Dutch mosques and Muslim organizations to condemn the acts of the self-claimed Islamic State, formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The new social media campaign will be joined by several imams from 380 mosques who will wage an anti-ISIS Twitter activism.
Counter-discussions and arguments by young Imams about the radical views of IS will be fostered by the online campaign that aims dissuade sympathizers from supporting IS.
The world focus was turned to the volatile area after Al-Qaeda splinter group, ISIS, seized control of Iraq's second city of Mosul on June 9, storming government buildings, TV stations, banks and hoisting the blacks.
Full report at:
http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/476663-dutch-imams-fight-is-online-activism.html
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London police call on Muslim communities to identify homegrown extremists
Aug 27, 2014
The UK’s top counter-terrorism official is pleading for help from an invaluable ally in the fight against extremism: Britain’s Muslim families.
Mark Rowley, of London’s Metropolitan police, is asking religious leaders, family members and the general public to help identify homegrown terrorists who are being recruited to leave Britain and wage war against the West.
“In addition to the public assistance in identifying potential terrorists we all need community and religious leaders to continue to speak out against warped narratives,” Rowley said in a press release. “And we need everyone to ensure that public debate does not give oxygen to the terrorists by giving them the publicity they seek.”
He listed the following as signs to watch for.
“(The extremists) may be about to travel abroad, have just returned or be showing signs of becoming radicalized,” Rowley said.
The announcement came as authorities in Britain struggle to learn more about “Jihadi John,” the English-accented terrorist responsible for the grisly beheading of American journalist James Foley. British security officials claim they’ve identified the man, but have refused to name him publicly.
Full report at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/london-police-call-muslim-communities-potential-extremists-article-1.1917627
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UK jihadists don’t warrant reactionary legal overhaul – former MI6 director
Aug 27, 2014
Britain should refrain from a reactionary legislative overhaul sparked by an unproven domestic threat of British militants fighting in Iraq and Syria, warns a former MI6 director of global counter-terrorism.
In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Richard Barrett lambasted government proposals for new legislation to thwart British extremists and cautioned against Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s hard-lined suggestion that Britons who travel to Syria or Iraq should be presumed guilty of involvement in terrorist activities until proven otherwise.
"This fundamental tenet of British justice should not be changed even in a minor way for this unproven threat – and it is an unproven threat at the moment," Barrett said.
In a recent article in the Daily Telegraph, Johnson suggested British jihadists should lose their UK citizenship. He also called for a return of control orders and urged Prime Minister David Cameron to engage in military intervention against the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
Johnson warned IS militants had seized a landmass the size of Britain, and that the UK government had to intensify its efforts to prevent Britons from making their way to Iraq or Syria to join its forces.
Full report at:
http://rt.com/uk/182820-ISIS-terrorism-uk-law/
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Human rights groups condemn killings of suspected Gaza informants
27 August 2014
Twenty-five Palestinians were shot dead last week in Gaza, on allegations of transferring information on the whereabouts of Hamas military leaders, following what media reports called a “hasty” legal process.
The crackdown came after the killing of three top Hamas military commanders in an Israeli airstrike, which would have required precise on-the-ground intelligence of their whereabouts, Reuters reported.
A number of those killed had already been serving sentences in Gaza’s prisons before the beginning of Israel’s assault, Shawan Jabarin, director of Ramallah-based human rights organization Al-Haq, told Al Arabiya News Channel.
“Why were they executed now? This shows that there has been meddling in the judicial process,” he said.
‘Extrajudicial killings’
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights condemned the killings as “extrajudicial” and a violation of human rights, in a statement issued following the shooting of 18 on Saturday, including two women.
Regardless of the Israeli offensive, “appropriate treatment must be afforded to those suspected of being informants,” a human rights source, who chose to remain anonymous, told Al Arabiya News.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/analysis/2014/08/27/Human-rights-groups-condemn-killings-of-suspected-Gaza-informants.html
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Executions a ‘common spectacle’ in jihadist-held Syria, says UN
27 August 2014
Public executions, amputations, lashings and mock crucifixion have become a regular fixture in jihadist-controlled areas of Syria, a UN-mandated probe charged today, also accusing Damascus of repeatedly using chemical weapons against civilians.
"In areas of Syria under (Islamic State) control, particularly in the north and northeast of the country, Fridays are regularly marked by executions, amputations and lashings in public squares," the independent Commission of Inquiry on the human rights situation in Syria said.
Jihadists from the group now calling itself the Islamic State (IS) are also pushing residents, including children, to attend public executions by beheading or a shot to the head, it said.
"Executions in public spaces have become a common spectacle on Fridays in (IS power-base) Raqqa and in (IS)-controlled areas of Aleppo governorate," said the commission, which includes legendary former war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/executions-a-common-spectacle-in-jihadist-held-syria-says-un#sthash.GuVvFaVu.dpuf
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Nick Clegg: British Muslims best antidote to Brits joining ISIS
OMAR RASHID
Aug 27, 2014
Concerned over the incidence of British Muslim men leaving the country to join the extremist group ISIS in Syria and Iraq, Britain Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on Tuesday said the “best antidote” to the crISIS was the British Muslim community themselves.
Mr. Clegg said the case of British men joining the ISIS was part of the “security issues” faced by his country and they needed “to work with the international community to inhibit the military ambitions of ISIS.”
He said his country was working to stop and discourage British citizens from leaving the country to join the radical Islamist forces. However, in the long run, the impetus lay with the Muslim community, he suggested.
“The Muslims within the UK are best placed and best learned to identify those who are susceptible to the extremist ideologies. We need to empower them (the Muslim community),” Mr. Clegg said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/nick-clegg-british-muslims-best-antidote-to-brits-joining-ISIS/article6354041.ece
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North America
Obama says "justice will be done" for Islamic State killers
Aug 27, 2014
CHARLOTTE N.C./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama vowed "justice will be done" against the Islamic State killers of American journalist James Foley on Tuesday as the United States sought to identify targets for potential airstrikes in Syria.
Obama's tough talk followed his decision to approve U.S. surveillance flights to gather intelligence on Islamic State units in Syria should he decide to order airstrikes in the country, which has been embroiled in a three-year civil war.
"America does not forget. Our reach is long. We are patient. Justice will be done," Obama told veterans gathered at a convention of the American Legion in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Obama, who ordered air strikes against the militant group's fighters in Iraq and is considering extending them across the border into Syria, said he would do whatever was necessary to go after those who harm Americans.
"Rooting out a cancer like ISIL won't be easy and it won't be quick," he said. ISIL is the acronym the United States uses for Islamic State, an offshoot of al Qaeda which has declared a caliphate in a large swath of territory in Syria and Iraq.
Obama returned to the White House later and met Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden. Islamic State was on the agenda for their talks.
Full report at:
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/World/2014/08/27/Obama-says-rooting-out-Islamic-State-will-not-be-easy/
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Pakistan safe haven for terrorists: U.S.
Aug 27, 2014
The pentagon has said Pakistan continues to be a safe haven for terrorists while lauding the efforts of the country’s military to eliminate extremism, which it described as a “common threat” for both the countries.
“Extremists and the safe haven pose a challenge and the sanctuary that they continue to enjoy in Pakistan, but the Pakistani military has taken action against some of those extremist threats inside their own country. They’ve conducted operations not too long ago, just this summer,” Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said.
He said the US wanted to continue to work with Pakistan “to deal with what we believe is a common challenge and a common threat faced by both our countries and by Afghanistan, as well,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pakistan-safe-haven-for-terrorists-us/article6355511.ece
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First American jihadi dies fighting for ISIL in Syria
Aug 27, 2014
California-born Douglas McAuthur McCain has become the first American Jihadi to have died in Syria while fighting for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a terrorist outfit that has gained control of large parts of Syria and Iraq.
The death of the 33-year-old American has left many top US officials seriously concerned.
“We were aware of US Citizen Douglas McAuthur McCain’s presence in Syria and can confirm his death. We continue to use every tool we possess to disrupt and dissuade individuals from travelling abroad for violent jihad and to track and engage those who return,” Caitlin Hayden, Spokesperson of the National Security Council, the White House said.
According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, McCain died in a battle between rival extremist groups in the suburbs of Aleppo, the commercial capital and largest city of Syria.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/first-american-jihadi-dies-fighting-for-isil-in-syria/article6355524.ece
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U.S. destroys millions of dollars in U.S.-made arms in Iraq
Aug 27, 2014
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The grainy black-and-white footage shows a military vehicle, a small dark mass in the crosshairs of a U.S. war plane, seconds before it explodes in a flash of light.
That Aug. 16 strike in northern Iraq, shown in video released by the U.S. military, destroyed an unknown number of Islamic State fighters and one U.S.-made armoured vehicle with a price tag of up to $300,000 (181,302.36 pounds).
Since the Obama administration began strikes there on Aug. 8, U.S. fighter jets and drones have destroyed an estimated $3 million-$4 million worth of Iraqi military vehicles that were provided by the United States and later seized by Islamists who now control a third of Iraq.
The growing tally of U.S.-made, U.S.-destroyed weaponry is testament to how far Iraq has veered off the course the Obama administration expected when U.S. troops withdrew in 2011.
U.S. officials had hoped their effort to train and arm the Iraq military, at a cost more of than $20 billion, would guarantee stability.
Full report at:
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/World/2014/08/27/Collateral-damage-US-destroys-millions-of-dollars-in-USmade-arms-in-Iraq/
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American woman is being held hostage by Islamic State in Syria
Aug 27, 2014
Family members and U.S. officials say the Islamic State militant group has been holding a young American woman hostage in Syria since last year.
The woman had been working for several humanitarian aid groups when she was kidnapped.
The U.S. government and the woman’s family requested Tuesday that she not be named for fears of her safety.
The administration officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.
The woman is one of at least three known hostages of Islamic State militants in Syria. Another, James Foley, was beheaded by the militant group more than a week ago. Other American hostages were being held by other groups. These include Peter Curtis, who was released by al-Nusra Front earlier this week.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2014/08/26/U-S-hostage-by-Islamic-State-is-female-aid-worker.html
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Ottawa jihadi seeking 'martyrdom' with ISIS in Syria
Aug 27, 2014
Before he left Canada last year, John Maguire, a recent convert to Islam, told a student he knew from the University of Ottawa’s multi-faith prayer room that he would be going away, but was uncertain about whether he was coming back.
“We’ll see,” he said.
Although there were rumours, nobody was quite sure what had happened to Maguire until the RCMP showed up at his mother Patricia’s house a few months later. They said he was in Syria. They said he had travelled there on a one-way ticket.
Since then, he has made no secret of his newfound extremism, writing online under the name Yahya Maguire that Canada was “evil” and that what he had done offered “the reward of jihad” and “the opportunity for martyrdom.”
The 23-year-old, who once aspired to play in the NHL, is now one of dozens of Canadians under RCMP investigation after allegedly making their way to Syria, some to join extremist factions such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham.
The RCMP declined to comment on the case but friends and family told Postmedia News in interviews that police were investigating Maguire, who appears to have embraced the ISIS cause since leaving Ottawa in January 2013.
Full report at:
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-jihadi-seeking-martyrdom-with-ISIS-in-syria
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Washington to give Tunisia military aid to battle Islamists
27 August 2014
The United States will give Tunisia $60 million worth of military aid to help it fight Islamist militants who are threatening the country's nascent democracy, a senior American official said on Tuesday.
Speaking after talks with Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa, Gen. David Rodriguez, the head of U.S. Africa Command, said some of the money would go on equipment to detect improvised explosive devices, new boats and training.
Underscoring its concern about the security situation in the small North African state, Washington announced three weeks ago that it planned to sell Tunisia a dozen Black Hawk attack helicopters worth an estimated $700 million.
Protests in Tunisia in 2010 sparked subsequent revolutions that have transformed the Arab world and in many ways it is more stable and secure than other Arab Spring countries such as Libya, Egypt and Syria.
But it is facing a militant threat of its own, mostly due to attacks mounted by the al Qaeda offshoot Ansar al-Sharia and to a flow of fighters and weapons unleashed by other conflicts in the region.
Since April, thousands of troops have been deployed to Tunisia's mountainous Chaambi region on the border with Algeria, where fighters fleeing a French military intervention in Mali last year have taken refuge.
At least 15 soldiers have been killed in attacks on military checkpoints in the area last month.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/26/Washington-to-give-Tunisia-military-aid-to-battle-Islamists.html
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US mobilizes allies to widen assault on ISIS
Helene Cooper & Mark Landler,NYT News Service | Aug 27, 2014
WASHINGTON: The United States has begun to mobilize a broad coalition of allies behind potential American military action in Syria and is moving toward expanded airstrikes in northern Iraq, administration officials said on Tuesday.
President Obama, the officials said, was broadening his campaign against the Sunni militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and nearing a decision to authorize airstrikes and airdrops of food and water around the northern Iraqi town of Amerli, home to members of Iraq's Turkmen minority. The town of 12,000 has been under siege for more than two months by the militants.
"Rooting out a cancer like ISIL won't be easy, and it won't be quick," Obama said in a speech on Tuesday to the American Legion in Charlotte, NC, using an alternative name for ISIS. He said that the United States was building a coalition to "take the fight to these barbaric terrorists," and that the militants would be "no match" for a united international community.
Administration officials characterized the dangers facing the Turkmen, who are Shiite Muslims considered infidels by ISIS, as similar to the threat faced by thousands of Yazidis, who were driven to Mount Sinjar in Iraq after attacks by the militants. The United Nations special representative for Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov, said in a statement three days ago that the situation in Amerli "demands immediate action to prevent the possible massacre of its citizens."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-mobilizes-allies-to-widen-assault-on-ISIS/articleshow/40982766.cms
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Southeast Asia
In Jakarta, Muslim leaders explain Islamic fundamentalism to Christians
Aug 27, 2014
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - In Indonesia Islamic extremism has been rising, a worrisome trend that has developed over the past decade but has recently taken an even more "radical and dangerous" turn with the project of creating a Caliphate.
In fact, as the actions of Islamic State militia in Iraq galvanise extremist groups in the country, the government warns of a possible slide towards violence.
Faced with a situation of real danger, the Indonesian Church launched an initiative - involving three Muslim scholars - aimed at a better understanding the jihadist phenomenon and its possible repercussions.
Last Friday the Catholic Bishops' Conference (KWI) sponsored a seminar, open to bishops, priests, and nuns as well as lay Catholics and Protestants. Organised by the Episcopal Commission for the Laity and held at the KWI headquarters in Central Jakarta, it also saw the participation of three leading Muslim figures.
One of them was Prof Irfan Idris, head of the Department of Counterterrorism in charge of radical movements, who highlighted the role played by "social injustice, poverty, and political vendettas", stressing the importance of breathing new life into the nation's core values?? (Pancasila) based on pluralism and religious freedom.
Full report at:
http://m.asianews.it/news-en/In-Jakarta,-Muslim-leaders-explain-Islamic-fundamentalism-to-Christians-31980.html
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Perak deputy mufti blames MAS for inviting God’s wrath with booze, sexy uniforms
Aug 27, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 ? National carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) invited Allah’s wrath by serving alcohol and letting its stewardess wear “sexy uniforms”, a senior Islamic cleric said.
Perak deputy mufti Zamri Hashim said MAS should be “shariah-compliant” and play a role in introducing foreigners to Malaysia’s “Islamic identity”, joining a chorus of those who made the same call after the double airline tragedies of flight MH370 and MH17.
“It is time for MAS to standardise its operations in line with syarak,” Zamri said in an article posted yesterday on the website of Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), using the Malay word for the Islamic moral code.
“The alcohol served, or even the offer to purchase alcohol inflight has exposed the whole plane to Allah’s wrath,” added the religious scholar who is also a member of Isma’s Ulama Council (Muis).
Full report at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/perak-deputy-mufti-blames-mas-for-inviting-gods-wrath-with-booze-sexy-unifo
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Mideast
Ex-Jerusalem mufti blames dictatorships for rise in extremism
World Bulletin / News Desk
Aug 27, 2014
Ikrima Sabri, the former grand mufti of Jerusalem and imam of Islam's third holiest site, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, has said that dictatorships in Arab countries have pushed some Muslims to 'extreme measures'.
Speaking at the World Muslim Scholars Union meeting in Turkey's Istanbul, Sabri accused Arab dictatorships and a lack of initiatives by Muslim scholars in tackling the problem of extremism for it rise.
'Extremism is a result of pressure from the dictatorships of administrations and scholars not doing their jobs properly,' Sabri said, calling on more hard work by scholars to teach authentic Islam in order to curb extremism.
He also encouraged scholars to fill in the voids in society and mingle more with the general public.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/muslim-world/143000/norway-muslims-take-to-capitals-streets-to-protest
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‘Heroic’ Hamas ‘brought Israel to its knees,’ says Iran
27 August 2014
Iran said Wednesday that Palestinian militants had emerged the victors and brought their Israeli foe "to its knees" during the bloody 50-day Gaza conflict.
"The heroic Palestinian people have forged a new era with the victory of the resistance which has brought the Zionist regime to its knees," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"This victory prepares the way for the final liberation of all the occupied lands especially Quds [Jerusalem]," it said, congratulating the Palestinian people and the militant groups in Gaza that Iran supports.
After seven weeks of the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian violence in a decade, a long-term ceasefire took hold at 1600 GMT on Tuesday, sparking festivities around the Gaza Strip.
The conflict, which began on July 8 when Israel began “Operation Protective Edge” in a bid to stamp out cross-border rocket fire, cost the lives of 2,143 Palestinians and 70 on the Israeli side.
U.N. figures show nearly 70 percent of the Palestinian victims were civilians, while 64 of the Israelis killed were soldiers.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/27/-Heroic-Hamas-brought-Israel-to-its-knees-says-Iran-.html
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Syrian refugees suffer as Turkey grows intolerant
27 August 2014
For Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and elsewhere, their plight is similar. Rape, sexual harassment at work and on the streets, homelessness, racism, and job exploitation are regular occurrences.
In Turkey, where the number of Syrian refugees recently exceeded a million, local outrage and intolerance are growing. Anti-Syrian demonstrations, previously in border towns and cities, reached Istanbul, where hundreds of Turkish residents, armed with machetes and sticks, attacked Syrian refugees, properties and businesses. Five Syrian women were injured.
According to local media, the clashes erupted after young Syrian men harassed a Turkish girl. A similar sexual harassment case against a Turkish child resulted in clashes in Hatay, near the border with Syria.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/features/2014/08/26/Syrian-refugees-suffer-as-Turkey-grows-intolerant.html
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Erdoğan: Presidency a beginning, not a goodbye
August 27, 2014
Turkey’s President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made it clear that he will not step back from playing the lead on the country’s political stage when he takes office at the presidential palace on Aug. 28.
Speaking to thousands of supporters at an extraordinary congress in the capital Ankara on Aug. 27, where he will formally hand over the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) leadership to Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Erdoğan described the event as “just a beginning.”
“This is not at all meant to be a change of mission. It is just a change of name and it is never a farewell,” he said, addressing people gathered outside the Ankara Arena Sports Hall.
“I want you to know that this is a Fatiha [the opening verse of the Quran]. It is a beginning, a new beginning,” he added, underlining that he was not “saying goodbye to the people.”
“We will continue serving [the people] in the same way,” said Erdoğan, who has consistently vowed to take up an executive role in the presidential palace, not the largely ceremonial role that has so far been cast for the head of the state through the 91 years of the Republic of Turkey.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-presidency-a-beginning-not-a-goodbye.aspx?pageID=238&nID=70969&NewsCatID=338
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Africa
Tunisia tracks terrorists online
Aug 27, 2014
Thanks to heightened monitoring of websites that promote terrorism, Tunisia recently prevented attacks on security forces.
Six suspects are in custody, the interior ministry said last Wednesday (August 20th). They allegedly celebrated the killing of soldiers, promoted terrorist operations, and declared support for Ansar al-Sharia and another terrorist organisation outside Tunisia.
A number of takfirists were also arrested in the Tunis suburb of Ettadhamen for trying to kill a soldier they described as a taghout.
In another recent raid that netted two terror suspects, security forces seized a quantity of Molotov cocktails and significant sums of cash.
After the revolution, Twitter and Facebook were flooded with pages linked to Ansar al-Sharia, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and other radical groups.
The explosion in online activity led Tunisia to intensify its monitoring of websites and hunt down extremists who use social networking to promote radical ideology to young people.
Earlier this month, Tunisian authorities moved to block websites linked to terrorism and track down their administrators.
Full report at:
http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2014/08/26/feature-02
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Islamic council to expand social services in Ethiopia
World Bulletin / News Desk
Aug 27, 2014
Ethiopia's Islamic Affairs Supreme Council on Tuesday announced plans to expand social services across the Horn of Africa country.
This was disclosed at a meeting organized by the council to discuss means of expanding social services in health and education, among other sectors, through the Awalia Aid and Development Organization.
"The organization will strive to expand education service at all levels – kindergarten to college level – and work towards increasing health service coverage through building new health facilities and upgrading existing ones," organization manager Se'id Asmare said.
"Awalia will work towards the success of the country's efforts to distribute education service among all citizens and help the public get access to improved health services," he added.
He went on to say that Awalia would "build a new kindergarten in the southwestern part of the country and build a seven-floor building for the Awalia School in the heart of Addis Ababa as part of efforts to expand educational facilities."
Full report at:
http://www.worldbulletin.net/news/143196/islamic-council-to-expand-social-services-in-ethiopia
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Islamic State beheading shocks Tunisia
Aug 27, 2014
Tunisia on Thursday (August 21st) called on the international community to intensify its efforts to support Iraq in its fight against the "Islamic State" (ISIS) terror group.
"After savage and repeated crimes committed by the terrorist organisations in Iraq against its ethnic and religious minorities, and the savage execution of one of its hostages, Tunisia strongly condemns these heinous crimes," AFP quoted a presidency statement as saying.
"These terrorist organisations pose a threat to all countries in the region," the presidency statement said.
Last Tuesday, ISIS militants posted on the internet a video showing a masked man using a knife to decapitate a US journalist abducted in Syria two years ago.
Islamic State jihadists are accused of multiple acts of summary execution, rape and other atrocities against minority communities.
Tunisia "calls on the international community to protect ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq, using methods permitted by international law in such extreme situations", the presidency statement said.
Full report at:
http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2014/08/25/feature-02
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/isis-developing-ophisticated-drones-launch/d/98763