Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court Sentences Three to Death for Sharing Blasphemous Content on Social Media
New
Age Islam News Bureau
08
January 2021
The accused had allegedly posted derogatory
content on Facebook about prominent Sunni religious figures as well as on
Prophet Muhammad and his wives. (File picture)
-----
•
Bangladeshi Religious Minority Groups Seek Scripture Readings of All Four Major
Religions in State Programs
•
Iraq Issues Arrest Warrant for Donald Trump over Qassim Suleimani Killing
•
Islamic Authority Warns Any Israeli Temple in Al-Aqsa Mosque Will Ignite
Religious War
•
US Capitol Police Officer Dies Of Injuries from Riot from Trump Supporters
•
Muslim Cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, Tied to Bali Nightclub Bombing Is Freed From
Prison
•
Uttar Pradesh: Shahi Idgah Committee Raises Objections over Plea Seeking
Removal Of Mathura Mosque
•
Bill by Algerian Lawmakers Looks to Criminalize Normalization with Israel
•
Turkey says talks with France to normalize ties going well
Pakistan
•
Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court Sentences Three to Death for Sharing Blasphemous
Content on Social Media
•
Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Court Issues Arrest Warrant against banned
Jaish-e-Mohammad • Chief Masood Azhar on The Charges of Terror Financing
•
‘Pakistan Setting Up Interfaith Harmony Bodies To Confront Sectarianism’
•
Ruet Body Chief Shows Willingness To Use Science For Moon Sighting
•
Don't Blackmail Me, PM Tells Hazara Protesters
•
Relations with Pakistan at 'historic low': French President's top advisor
•
Seven terrorists held in Khushab with arms, explosives
--------
South
Asia
•
Bangladeshi Religious Minority Groups Seek Scripture Readings Of All Four Major
Religions In State Programs
•
Saleh: Taliban Fights Over Power ‘Not Religion’
•
ANA Operations Claim 53 Taliban: Kandahar
•
Court asks PBI again to submit reports over sedition cases against Babunagari,
Mamunul
•
Three Afghan Taliban terrorists arrested in Pakistan
--------
Arab
World
•
Iraq Issues Arrest Warrant for Donald Trump over Qassim Suleimani Killing
•
UAE announces reopening of all land, sea, air borders with Qatar
•
Qatar Airways restarts a number of flights through Saudi Arabia’s airspace
•
Turkish forces, militants target villages in Syria’s Raqqah with artillery
shells
•
IS cells escalate attacks on civilians, regime soldiers in eastern Syria
•
Hezbollah threatens Lebanese journalist working with US-funded Alhurra News
channel
•
Overnight strikes by Israel on Syria killed three Iran-backed fighters: Monitor
--------
Mideast
•
Islamic Authority Warns Any Israeli Temple in Al-Aqsa Mosque Will Ignite
Religious War
•
FM: Iran Concerned About Trump's Unchecked Nuclear Power
•
Israel says soldiers who shot and paralyzed Palestinian man acted in
self-defence
•
Rouhani says Western democracy ‘fragile, vulnerable’ after chaos at US Capitol
•
Huge explosion rocks Yemen’s temporary capital Aden
•
Western animosity towards Iran due to its support for Palestinian cause, Yemeni
PM says
•
Turkey indicts senior Kurdish leader, rebuffs EU demands
--------
North
America
•
US Capitol Police Officer Dies Of Injuries from Riot from Trump Supporters
•
RNC Communications Director Calls Capitol Violence 'Domestic Terrorism'
•
More than a week later, FBI avoids terror label for bombing
•
Trump orders Pompeo to consider banning Antifa members from entering US
•
Coronavirus pandemic may cause decline in democracy, rise in extremist groups:
report
--------
Southeast
Asia
•
Muslim Cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, Tied to Bali Nightclub Bombing Is Freed From
Prison
•
What the FPI Ban Does and Doesn’t Tell Us about Political Islam in Indonesia
•
No need for snap poll amid Covid-19, PAS says as some in Muafakat ally Umno
keep pushing
--------
India
•
Uttar Pradesh: Shahi Idgah Committee Raises Objections over Plea Seeking
Removal Of Mathura Mosque
•
India To Chair UNSC's Crucial Taliban And Libya Sanctions Committees, Panel On
Counter-Terrorism
•
Owaisi’s Politics Won’t Work in Bengal; Prominent Muslim Clerics, Imams and
Political Experts React to AIMIM’s Poll Debut
•
Will AIMIM be a threat to Muslim allies of DMK?
•
UP's Anti-Love Jihad Law: Yogi Govt Defends Ordinance in HC, Calls It Necessary
•
Love Jihad: UP Police Gives Clean-Chit To Two Brothers Under Anti-Conversion
Law
•
Firozabad: Woman Denies ‘Love Jihad’ Charge, Mob Chases Man’s Family Members
•
Madhya Pradesh ‘love jihad’ ordinance gets governor’s nod
•
NIA conducts searches in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab in narco-terror case
--------
Africa
•
Bill by Algerian Lawmakers Looks to Criminalize Normalization with Israel
•
Scores Missing As Boko Haram Terrorists Attack another Borno Community
•
Nigeria: Terrorist attacks surged in December and may increase in 2021,
Christian group warns
•
Somalia: Somali Police Nabbed Al-Shabaab Suspects in Jowhar Sweep
•
Witnesses say 20 killed in air strike in central Mali
--------
Europe
•
Turkey says talks with France to normalize ties going well
•
French drone strike in Mali kills 19 civilians at wedding event
•
Europe is struggling with the problem of Islamist extremists
•
Rising Islamophobia, Turkophobia in West worry Turks in Europe
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamabad-anti-terrorism-court-sentences/d/124019
--------
Islamabad
Anti-Terrorism Court Sentences Three to Death For Sharing Blasphemous Content
On Social Media
Tahir
Naseer
08
January 2021
The accused had allegedly posted derogatory
content on Facebook about prominent Sunni religious figures as well as on
Prophet Muhammad and his wives. (File picture)
-----
An
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday sentenced three men to death for sharing
blasphemous content on social media. A fourth accused in the same case was
sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
The
ATC also issued perpetual arrest warrants for four accused, absconding in the
case.
According
to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which had investigated the case,
Rana Nouman Rafaqat and Abdul Waheed operated fake profiles and disseminated
blasphemous material on social media, while Nasir Ahmad had uploaded
blasphemous videos to a Youtube channel. On Friday, the verdict was announced
by Islamabad ATC Judge Raja Jawad Abbas, who found all three guilty of having
committed blasphemy.
A
fourth individual, Professor Anwaar Ahmed, was sentenced to 10 years
imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs100, 000. He had been arrested for
disseminating controversial blasphemous views during a lecture at the Islamabad
Model College where he was an Urdu teacher.
All
four convicts were initially arrested in 2017 in connection with the blasphemy
case. According to the FIR, registered by the FIA on March 19, “There are
several unknown people/groups disseminating/spreading blasphemous material
through internet using social media i.e. Facebook, Twitter, websites, etc.
through alleged profiles/pages/handles/sites etc… and several others wilfully
defiled and outraged religious feelings, belief by using derogatory
words/remarks/graphic designs/images/sketches/visual representations in respect
of the sacred names.”
The
four individuals were indicted by the ATC on Sep 12, 2017, when they had
pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The ATC had also previously
dismissed the bail plea of Professor Anwaar Ahmed in the same case.
During
the proceedings, spread over the last three years, the prosecution produced 17
witnesses against the accused. Meanwhile, the witnesses for the defence were
not admitted by the court because they were blood relatives of the accused.
This
is Pakistan's first case in which persons have been convicted for sharing
blasphemous content on social media.
Human
rights groups say blasphemy laws in Pakistan are often misused to persecute
minorities or even against Muslims to settle personal rivalries. Such
accusations can end up in lynchings or street vigilantism.
Up
to 80 people are known to be imprisoned in the country on such charges — half
of whom face life in prison or the death penalty — according to the US
Commission on International Religious Freedom.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1600385/islamabad-atc-sentences-3-to-death-for-sharing-blasphemous-content-on-social-media
--------
Bangladeshi
Religious Minority Groups Seek Scripture Readings Of All Four Major Religions
In State Programs
Stephan
Uttom
January
08, 2021
Bangladeshi
religious minority groups have urged the government to introduce the reading of
scriptures of all four major religions at the beginning of parliamentary
sessions and state ceremonies.
Bangladesh
Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), the country's largest minority
group, made the call during a virtual conference this week.
Parliamentary
sessions and state programs in Muslim-majority Bangladesh now begin with a
recitation from the Quran.
BHBCUC
leaders say introducing readings from the holy books of the four major
religions would be a significant symbolic gesture to behold pluralism in Bangladesh
on the eve of the country’s golden jubilee of independence from Pakistan this
year.
Advocate
Rana Dasgupta, a Supreme Court lawyer and BHBCUC secretary, said that such a
move is important as it recognizes the equal dignity and rights of minorities.
“Our
constitution has given equal rights for all religions but only a recitation
from Quran is done in the parliament and in various state functions. We hope
that by introducing the reading of all scriptures we can fill a void that the
spirit of the constitution has enshrined,” Das told UCA News on Jan. 8.
Das
said the group will hold a press conference and submit a memorandum to the
parliament speaker to press the government over their demand.
Holy
Cross Father Liton H. Gomes, secretary of the Catholic bishops’ Justice and
Peace Commission, supported the move.
“In
Bangladesh, it is part of our culture when we hold any program in our schools,
colleges and secular institutions, we recite from four religious holy books.
Since our constitution guarantees equal status of all religions, we can
introduce the same practice in parliament and all state programs,” Father Gomes
told UCA News.
The
practice of reciting texts from all four major religions was introduced in
Bangladesh’s parliament in 1972 after the country gained independence from
Pakistan.
The
system was dropped following the assassination of the country’s founding leader
and first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Aug. 15, 1975, in a military coup
that led to political upheavals and military rule in Bangladesh until a return
to democracy in the 1990s.
Muslims
make up 90 percent of Bangladesh’s population of more than 160 million. Hindus
comprise about 8 percent and the rest belong to other faiths including Buddhism
and Christianity. Christians are estimated to be less than half percent or
about 600,000.
https://www.ucanews.com/news/bangladeshi-minorities-seek-scripture-readings-in-state-programs/90929#
--------
Iraq
Issues Arrest Warrant for Donald Trump over Qassim Suleimani Killing
Jan
7, 2021
BAGHDAD:
An arrest warrant was issued on Thursday for outgoing President Donald Trump in
connection with the killing of an Iranian general and a powerful Iraqi militia
leader last year, Iraq's judiciary said.
The
warrant was issued by a judge in Baghdad's investigative court tasked with
probing the Washington-directed drone strike that killed General Qassim
Suleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the court's media office said. They were
killed outside the capital's airport last January.
Al-Muhandis
was the deputy leader of the state-sanctioned popular mobilization forces, an
umbrella group composed of an array of militias, including Iran-backed groups,
formed to fight the Islamic State group.
Suleimani
headed the expeditionary Quds force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The
arrest warrant was for a charge of premeditated murder, which carries the death
penalty on conviction. It is unlikely to be carried out but symbolic in the
waning days of Trump's presidency.
The
decision to issue the warrant "was made after the judge recorded the
statements of the claimants from the family of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis,"
according to a statement from the supreme judicial council. The investigation
into the killings is ongoing, the court said.
The
killings sparked a diplomatic crisis and strained US-Iraq ties, drawing the ire
of Shiite political lawmakers who passed a non-binding resolution to pressure
the government to oust foreign troops from the country.
Iran-backed
groups have since stepped up attacks against the American presence in Iraq,
leading to threats by Washington to shutter its Baghdad diplomatic mission.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/iraq-issues-arrest-warrant-for-donald-trump-over-qassim-suleimani-killing/articleshow/80153974.cms
--------
Islamic
Authority Warns Any Israeli Temple in Al-Aqsa Mosque Will Ignite Religious War
07
January 2021
The
Islamic authority that oversees Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem al-Quds warns
that any Israeli action against the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and its structure
will trigger an all-out religious war in the region.
Sheikh
Abdel Azeem Salhab, head of the Islamic Waqf (Endowment) organization, made the
remarks on Thursday after Jewish settler groups requested to build a temple in
place of the Dome of the Rock prayer building at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
In
a press release, Sheikh Salhab strongly denounced the request as a reflection
of “very dangerous intents against the Islamic holy site”, the Palestinian
Information Center reported.
The
senior Muslim cleric also described such intents as “part of repeated Israeli
attempts to violate the Islamic sanctity of the Aqsa Mosque and provoke the
Muslim nation’s feelings.”
The
Al-Aqsa Mosque compound sits just above the Western Wall plaza and houses both
the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
“Al-Aqsa
Mosque, with its buildings, courtyards, walls, and its 144-dunum land is a
purely Islamic holy site and a red line that can never be divided or shared,”
Sheikh Salhab insisted.
Palestinians
have long been wary of Israeli attempts to change the status quo of Al-Aqsa
Mosque, which is Islam’s third holiest site and where only Muslim prayers are
allowed under the status quo reaffirmed in 1967 between Israel and Jordan.
The
holy compound is administered by the Islamic Waqf (Endowment) organization on
behalf of Jordan and Palestine. Non-Muslims can visit the site, but cannot pray
there.
The
status quo is based on the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s declaration in 1967 that
Jews are not allowed to the compound as it would desecrate the site's holiness.
However,
Israeli settlers, escorted by the regime’s military, frequently desecrate the
site by forcefully entering and praying there.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/07/642507/Palestine-Israel-al-Aqsa-Dome-of-the-Rock-war-settlers
--------
US
Capitol police officer dies of injuries from riot from Trump supporters
08
January 2021
US
Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick died of injuries suffered when supporters
of President Donald Trump assaulted the legislative building, the force said on
Thursday, bringing to five the number dead from the riot.
Wednesday’s
breach of the US Capitol building was a stunning assault on American democracy
when lawmakers were in the building certifying the victory of President-elect
Joe Biden.
“Officer
Sicknick was responding to the riots...and was injured while physically
engaging with protesters,” police said in a late-night statement.
He
succumbed on Thursday after being taken to hospital following his collapse upon
returning to his divisional office, they added.
Metropolitan
homicide officials will investigate the death of Sicknick, who joined the U.S.
Capitol Police in 2008, along with the Capitol force and its federal partners,
police said.
Trump,
who initially praised his supporters, later condemned the violence, saying the
rioters had defiled the seat of American democracy and must be held
accountable. A woman demonstrator was fatally shot by authorities, and three
people died from medical emergencies.
After
a rally where Trump exhorted his supporters to “fight” to overturn the Nov. 3
election he lost, hundreds of them stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, forcing
senators and members of the House of Representatives to evacuate as they
smashed windows and looted.
US
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos
resigned on Thursday, joining a growing list of aides leaving Trump’s
administration in protest at the storming of the US Capitol.
As
Democratic leaders demanded his ouster, Trump came closer to a formal
concession, acknowledging in a video released on Thursday evening that a “new
administration” would be sworn in on Jan. 20 and vowing to ensure a “smooth
transition.”
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/08/642548/US-Capitol-police-officer-dies-of-injuries-from-riot-
--------
Muslim
Cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, Tied to Bali Nightclub Bombing Is Freed From Prison
By
Richard C. Paddock and Muktita Suhartono
Jan.
7, 2021
BANGKOK
— One of Indonesia’s most notorious terrorists, the Muslim cleric Abu Bakar
Bashir, was released from prison on Friday after serving more than 10 years of
a 15-year sentence for helping establish a terrorist training camp.
Mr.
Bashir, 82, is the co-founder and former spiritual leader of a clandestine
terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, that carried out a series of deadly attacks
in the 2000s, including the Bali nightclub bombing in 2002 that killed 202
people, many of them Australian tourists.
Prison
authorities said that he had completed his sentence with a reduction of 55
months for good behavior, Islamic holidays and other reductions. His release
was confirmed by his lawyer, Achmad Midan.
In
Australia, relatives and friends of the Bali bombing victims expressed
disappointment over Mr. Bashir’s release. Australia’s foreign minister, Marise
Payne, urged Indonesia to monitor his activities closely.
“Our
embassy in Jakarta has made clear our concerns that such individuals be
prevented from further inciting others to carry out future attacks against
innocent civilians,” Ms. Payne said this week.
Mr.
Bashir’s release comes as the government is trying to combat another radical Islamic group, the Islamic
Defenders Front, whose fiery leader, Rizieq Shihab, has called for a “moral
revolution.” The authorities arrested Mr. Rizieq last month on charges of
violating coronavirus protocols, and they ordered his organization to disband.
The
country’s antiterrorism police also arrested 23 members of Jemaah Islamiyah
last month, including Aris Sumarsono, better known as Zulkarnaen, a leader who
had been wanted for 18 years.
Despite
Mr. Bashir’s long history of terrorist activities, experts said they do not
believe he poses a threat, given his age and isolation from the extremist
movement while in prison.
“I
don’t think his release changes anything in Indonesia,” said Sidney Jones, director
of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta who has long
followed his activities. “Today’s terrorists can find all they need in terms of
inspiration and instruction on their smartphones. They may respect him, but the
world has moved on.”
Mr.
Bashir, whose white hair and grin give him a kindly, grandfatherly appearance,
had long sought to establish a caliphate, or Islamic state, in Southeast Asia
by any means necessary.
In
1972, he co-founded an Islamic school in central Java, which served as a
recruiting ground for Jemaah Islamiyah.
A
crackdown on Islamists by the dictator Suharto forced him to flee to Malaysia,
where he lived for many years and helped build the group into a formidable
international network with cells in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the
Philippines.
Among
his close associates was his fellow Indonesian cleric, Riduan Isamuddin, also
known as Hambali, who was believed to be Al Qaeda’s main link to Jemaah
Islamiyah and the mastermind of numerous bombings. He has been imprisoned at
the Guantánamo Bay prison for 14 years.
After
Suharto’s fall in 1998, the two clerics returned to Indonesia from Malaysia,
and Jemaah Islamiyah began its regional campaign of violence, including
bombings of churches, the Bali nightclub and the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta.
The
United States accused Mr. Bashir of being a key operative for Al Qaeda, but the
Indonesian authorities had trouble making charges stick. He was acquitted of
seven terrorism charges for the Bali bombing, but served 26 months on
conspiracy and immigration charges.
Mr.
Bashir praised the Bali bombers as “Islamic heroes” but denied any
responsibility.
Mr.
Bashir was arrested again in 2010 for helping mobilize and finance a militant
group that set up an armed training camp in Aceh province. At the time of his
trial, his lawyer asserted that the cleric faced charges only because of
pressure from Washington.
His
release comes 10 years and five months after his arrest.
Indonesia’s
president, Joko Widodo, while seeking a second term in 2019, was on the verge
of granting Mr. Bashir early release as a concession to conservative Muslims.
But he withdrew that plan in the face of strong opposition at home and in
Australia.
Mr.
Bashir “is a household name, but he is not influential anymore,” said Alto
Labetubun, an Indonesian terrorism analyst. “There’s always a possibility for
him to be the patron of a violence cycle or new terror acts. But I believe his
era has ended.”
Mr.
Bashir’s family members said they did not plan a large celebration to welcome
him home, perhaps having learned a lesson from Mr. Rizieq, who was arrested
after organizing gatherings of thousands of supporters in defiance of
coronavirus protocols upon his return from self-imposed exile in Saudi Arabia.
Richard
C. Paddock has worked as a foreign correspondent in 50 countries on five
continents with postings in Moscow, Jakarta, Singapore and Bangkok. He has
spent nearly a dozen years reporting on Southeast Asia, which he has covered
since 2016 as a contributor to The New York Times. @RCPaddock
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/world/asia/Abu-Bakar-Bashir-bali-bombing-freed.html
--------
Uttar
Pradesh: Shahi Idgah committee raises objections over plea seeking removal of
Mathura mosque
Jan
7, 2021
AGRA:
The Management Trust Committee of Shahi Idgah in Mathura moved an application
in the district court on Thursday objecting to the admission of an appeal filed
against the dismissal of a civil suit seeking ownership of 13.37-acre land near
the Krishna Janmasthan temple and removal of Shahi Idgah mosque.
The
suit, filed by Lucknow resident Ranjana Agnihotri and five others, including a
Delhi resident, claims that the mosque is exactly where Krishna was born and
they have sought the ownership of the entire 13.37-acre land. It also sought
cancellation of a compromise decree between the governing body of the temple
complex and the management trust of the mosque in 1968.
In
its plea, the committee stated that the appeal was non- maintainable. After
hearing both the parties, the court has fixed the next hearing on January 11,
district government counsel Shivram Singh said.
Three
suits have been filed in the case. While, two pleas were filed, one each by a
priests’ body and a social organisation, pleading that the sensitivity of the
matter needs to be understood since the issue can disrupt the “communal harmony
of Mathura town”, the third plea was filed by one lesser-known organization
called Hindu Army, seeking removal of the mosque.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/uttar-pradesh-shahi-idgah-committee-raises-objections-over-plea-seeking-removal-of-mathura-mosque/articleshow/80158504.cms
--------
Bill
by Algerian lawmakers looks to criminalize normalization with Israel
08
January 2021
Dozens
of Algerian legislators have presented a bill to the parliament seeking to
criminalize the promotion of normalization with Israel, as opposed to
neighboring nation Morocco’s agreement to resume its diplomatic relations with
the Tel Aviv regime in a deal brokered by the United States last December.
Youcef
Adjissa, a member of the Movement for the Society of Peace – Algeria’s largest
Islamic party, submitted the bill on the behalf of 50 lawmakers to the
Presidency of the National People’s Assembly (parliament) on Thursday,
Palestinian Arabic-language Shehab news agency reported.
The
bill reportedly comes in seven articles, the first of which states “it aims to
criminalize normalization with the Zionist entity,” referring to Israel.
It
adds, “It is forbidden to communicate, establish any relationships, or open
representative offices of any kind and at any level with the Zionist entity,
either directly or indirectly.”
Another
article stipulates that “it is not allowed to travel to and from the Zionist
entity, and it is also forbidden to enter or receive citizenship of the Zionist
entity in Algeria or at the headquarters of its diplomatic missions.”
The
bill must have a vote of two-thirds of members of the parliament to become law.
“This
law is based on the positions of the Algerian state that rejects normalization
with the Zionist entity, especially since normalization seriously affected the
issue of Western Sahara through political bargaining, with commercial
justifications and suspicious deals,” Algerian lawmaker Amira Selim had earlier
said in a message posted on her Facebook page.
If
the law is passed, an offender could be “punished by imprisonment from three to
10 years,” and may have their professional accreditations rescinded as a
punitive measure.
Offenders
may also be subject to a fine ranging from 300,000 to one million dinars
($2,273 to $7,619).
“The
penalty can be extended to 15 years and the fine doubled in the event of a
repeat offense,” Selim noted.
Israel
and Morocco agreed on December 10 to normalize relations in a deal brokered
with the help of the outgoing administration of US President Donald Trump,
making the North African country the fourth Arab state last year to strike a
deal aimed at establishment of relations with the regime. The others were the
United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
Trump
sealed the agreement in a phone call with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. As part
of the agreement, the US president agreed to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty
over the Western Sahara region.
The
Algerian Foreign Ministry later rejected Trump's stance, saying the US decision
“has no legal effect because it contradicts UN resolutions, especially UN
Security Council resolutions on Western Sahara.”
“The
proclamation would undermine the de-escalation efforts made at all levels in
order to pave the way for launching a real political process,” the ministry
said in a statement.
Additionally,
the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement reacted to announcement that Morocco
will normalize relations with Israel, denouncing the deal.
“This
is a sin and it doesn’t serve the Palestinian people. The Israeli occupation
uses every new normalization deal to increase its aggression against the
Palestinian people and increase its settlement expansion,” Hazem Qassem, a
Hamas spokesman said at the time.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/08/642531/Bill-by-Algerian-lawmakers-looks-to-criminalize-normalization-with-Israel
--------
Turkey
says talks with France to normalize ties going well
07
January 2021
Turkey
and France are working on a roadmap to normalize ties and talks are going well,
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, adding Ankara was
ready to improve ties with its NATO ally if Paris showed the same willingness.
Turkey
has repeatedly traded barbs with France over policies in Syria, Libya, the
eastern Mediterranean and Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as over the publication of
cartoons of Prophet Mohammad in France. Paris has led a push for EU sanctions
on Turkey.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Speaking
alongside his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva in Lisbon, Cavusoglu
said the current tensions between the NATO allies stemmed from Paris
“categorically” opposing Turkey since Turkey’s 2019 offensive into northeast
Syria against the Syrian Kurdish YPG.
“Turkey
is not categorically against France, but France has been against Turkey
categorically since Operation Peace Spring,” Cavusoglu said. Ankara views the
YPG as a terrorist organization linked to Kurdish militants on its own soil.
“In
the end, we had a very constructive phone conversation with my French
counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian and we agreed that we should work on a roadmap
to normalize relations,” he said.
“We
have been working on an action plan, or roadmap, to normalize relations and it
has been going well... If France is sincere, Turkey is ready to normalize ties
with France as well.”
Last
month, the EU prepared punitive measures over Turkey’s dispute with members
Greece and Cyprus over rights to offshore resources in the eastern Mediterranean,
but decided to postpone the measures until March despite an earlier push by
France to sanction Ankara.
After
months of tensions, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and French President
Emmanuel Macron discussed their differences in a phone call in September,
agreeing to improve ties. But, the two presidents later traded accusations over
a host of issues as tensions flared again.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2021/01/08/Turkey-says-talks-with-France-to-normalize-ties-going-well
--------
Pakistan
Pakistan's
Anti-Terrorism Court Issues Arrest Warrant against banned Jaish-e-Mohammad
Chief Masood Azhar on The Charges of Terror Financing
Jan
7, 2021
LAHORE:
In a significant development, an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Thursday
issued an arrest warrant against banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood
Azhar on the charges of terror financing.
The
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Gujranwala issued the warrant during a hearing in a
terror financing case instituted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of
Punjab police against some members of the JeM.
"ATC
Gujranwala judge Natasha Naseem Supra issued an arrest warrant for Masood Azhar
and directed the CTD to arrest him and present him in the court. The CTD told
the judge the JeM chief was involved in terror financing and selling jihadi
literature," an official told PTI.
He
said the ATC judge issued the arrest warrant for Azhar on the request of a CTD
inspector.
Azhar
is believed to be hiding in a "safe place" in his native town –
Bahawalpur.
Following
the Palwama terror attack in February 2019 in India, Pakistan's Punjab province
police had launched a crackdown on terrorism financing and in this connection
arrested six activists of the JeM in Gujranwala, some 130kms from Lahore.
The
CTD said its teams raided the whereabouts of the JeM's "safe house"
and arrested its members -- Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Amir, Allah Ditta,
Muhammad Iftikhar, Muhammad Ajmal and Muhammad Bilal Makki -- and recovered
lakhs of rupees from their possession.
"The
suspects were collecting funds to finance activities of JeM. The chargesheet
against them has been submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Court Gujranwala and they
are being interrogated,” the CTD said.
Following
immense international pressure after the Pulwama attack, the Pakistan
government had arrested over 100 members of banned militant outfits including
the JeM chief's son and brother. The government also took control of the JeM,
Mumbai terror attack mastermind Haifiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawah (uD) and Falahai
Insaniat Foundation (FIF) properties including seminaries and mosques across
the country.
JeM
had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF
soldiers.
Pakistan's
Punjab government claimed to have taken over the administrative control of the
JeM headquarters - comprising Madressatul Sabir and Jama-e-Masjid Subhanallah –
in Bahawalpur.
According
to the government, some 600 students are studying there and none of them is
associated with any banned outfit or involved in any terror activity.
In
May 2019, the United Nations designated Azhar a "global terrorist"
after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist the Pakistan-based JeM
chief, a decade after New Delhi approached the world body for the first time on
the issue.
The
UN committee listed Azhar on May 1, 2019 as being associated with Al-Qaeda for
"participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or
perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of,
on behalf of, or in support of", "supplying, selling or transferring
arms and related material to", "recruiting for", "otherwise
supporting acts or activities of", and "other acts or activities
indicating association with" the JeM.
Azhar
is a fugitive released by India in exchange of passengers of the hijacked
Indian Airlines plane IC-814 in 1999.
After
his release in 1999, Azhar formed the Jaish-e-Mohammed and scripted many
audacious terror strikes in India.
On
February 26, 2019 India had launched air strikes on what was said to be JeM's
biggest training camp in Pakistan's Balakot.
The
global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is
instrumental in pushing Pakistan to take measures against terrorists roaming
freely in Pakistan and using its territory to carry out attacks in India and
elsewhere.
The
Paris-based FATF placed Pakistan on the Grey List in June 2018 and asked
Islamabad to implement a plan of action to curb money laundering and terror
financing by the end of 2019 but the deadline was extended later on due to
Covid-19 pandemic.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistans-anti-terrorism-court-issues-arrest-warrant-against-jem-chief-masood-azhar/articleshow/80153823.cms
--------
‘Pakistan
setting up interfaith harmony bodies to confront sectarianism’
Islamuddin
Sajid
07.01.2021
ISLAMABAD,
Pakistan
Pakistan
is establishing interfaith harmony councils at the local, provincial and
national level to promote dialogue and resolve sectarian conflicts, Maulana
Tahir Ashrafi, special representative of the prime minister on religious
harmony, has revealed.
In
an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Ashrafi, who is also the chairman
of Pakistan Ulema Council, a top body of religious scholars, said Prime
Minister Imran Khan is striving for unity among Muslim countries.
Referring
to the recent killing of 11 innocent people in Balochistan, the southwestern
province of Pakistan, the globally recognized cleric said terror groups such as
Daesh/ISIS, the Pakistani Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and their affiliated organizations
are destabilizing Muslim countries and harming the cause of Islam.
Praising
the end of hostilities between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, he expected more good
news in the coming days.
“As
I told you earlier Pakistan wants unity among the Muslim countries and we are
moving toward our goal. In the coming days, you will hear more good news
Inshallah. Everyone knows that anti-Muslim elements never want our unity, they
even tried their best to destabilize Pakistan like Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and
Afghanistan but due to our committed army and strong nation, all their evil
designs failed,“ he said.
Ashrafi
recently shifted to the federal capital Islamabad from the northeastern city of
Lahore.
Wearing
a Chitrali cap instead of the usual turban in his first interview at the new
office, he emphatically rejected the idea that Pakistan is under pressure from
Arab nations to recognize Israel.
“Again,
I repeat, no country has asked us to accept Israel. Pakistan is not a small
country. We are a nuclear power, we have a strong army and we are a strong
nation. Nobody can order us to establish ties with Israel,” he said.
On
Pakistan’s relations with Turkey, the leading scholar said they are
centuries-old and exist much before the creating of his country.
“The
Muslims of sub-continent supported Turkey in the 19th century Crimean War,
politically and financially. So, our relations are historical. Recently you saw
when the leading character of the popular Turkish TV series Dirilis: Ertugrul
came to Pakistan, our people warmly welcomed him. Turks are our brothers and
sisters and we have many common things; our people love each other and
relations are unique,” he said.
Unity
of Muslims a priority
Anadolu
Agency: As a special representative of the prime minister of Pakistan on
religious harmony, what are the duties assigned to your post, and how you
accomplish them in a country that came up as a home to the South Asian Muslims?
Maulana
Tahir Ashrafi: I have two important duties, first to make efforts for
interfaith harmony, arrange dialogue between the different sects, bring them
together on one table, and resolve the issues they have with each other.
Secondly,
Prime Minister Imran Khan has assigned me to work for the unity of Muslim
countries, especially what is going on in the Middle East. So, we want to bring
Muslim countries close to each other and also enhance Pakistan's relations with
all Muslim states. Without unity, we cannot overcome issues faced by Muslims.
You see what is going on in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, Palestine,
and Kashmir. Muslims are being killed, displaced and no one is there to help
them. If we [Muslim countries] join hands these issues can be resolved. I think
we have the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and we need to strengthen it
to make it play its role.
Q:
Do you mean Pakistan is playing a leading role to bring all Muslim countries
together?
Tahir
Ashrafi: Yes, our prime minister wants to bring all Muslims together to counter
extremism and terrorism. These days some organizations use the name of Islam to
kill innocent people. We can stop this menace and need unity. You saw how Saudi
Arabia and Qatar have resolved their issue and sat together, which was welcomed
by all Muslim states. So, we request other Muslim countries as well to come
forward, sit together and resolve all issues through dialogue.
Q:
You are also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council. Off late, it is claimed
that religious scholars sow seeds of discord and promote sectarianism? What are
you doing to address the issue of sectarianism in Pakistan?
Tahir
Ashrafi: First, we are going to establish interfaith harmony councils from the
grassroots level to the top, from the union council level to the national level
to promote dialogue and resolve all issues among different sects through
negotiation. You know there is no space for sectarianism in Islam. We have a
tolerant society in Pakistan, where we work together with Christians, Hindus,
Sikhs, and other minorities. They are far safer here if you compare what is happening
with Muslim minorities in France, India, and many other countries. Our
Constitution guarantees equal rights to all citizens including minorities.
Terror
groups enemies of Islam
Q:
The emergence of sectarianism is linked to activities of terror groups who
claim to fight for Islam. But they end up killing more Muslims. You had called
ISIS/Daesh a terror group, and decreed against suicide bombings...
Tahir
Ashrafi: Deash, Pakistani Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and other organizations are
killing innocent people. They are linking themselves with Islam, but they have
no link or relation with Muslims and Islam. A true Muslim will never kill any
innocent person because our religion never allows us to harm any innocent man
or woman. Besides killing innocent people, they are destabilizing Muslim
countries. Then how are they Muslims?
They
killed 11 innocent people in Balochistan [southwestern province of Pakistan].
What do these organizations do in Syria, Iraq, Libya? India is the main sponsor
of these terrorist organizations. This is India that is providing funding to
Daesh in Afghanistan and Pakistan. India wants to destabilize other Muslim
countries through these terror groups.
Q:
Some Muslim countries recently established diplomatic relations with Israel.
There are reports that Pakistan is under tremendous pressure to follow suit. As
a religious scholar, who advises the government and has a good standing in Arab
countries, how do you view this step of Arab courtiers and how should Pakistan
act?
Tahir
Ashrafi: This is not true that we are facing any pressure from any Muslim
country to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. A section of Jewish and
Indian media is spreading such propaganda against us to harm our relationship
with other Muslim states.
Our
prime minister has categorically rejected any plan to establish any kind of
relationship with Israel until there is a just settlement, which satisfies
Palestinians. And I don’t think Saudi Arabia will accept Israel too.
Q:
Then how come the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain established diplomatic
relations with Israel, without Saudi consent?
Tahir
Ashrafi: I don’t want to talk about the internal policies of other countries.
We have our policy and no one is allowed to interfere in our internal policies.
We have good relations with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Turkey, and all
other Muslim countries. Again, I repeat that no country has asked us to accept
Israel. Pakistan is not a small country. We are a nuclear power, have a strong
army and are a strong nation. Nobody can order us to establish ties with
Israel.
Relations
with Saudis
Q:
Since you have close relations with the Saudis, and you are seen as a
much-respected scholar there, how do you view the current state of Saudi and
Pakistani relations. Did you meet any Saudi officials after tensions between
the two countries?
Tahir
Ashrafi: I maintain a cordial relationship with everyone. The head of Turkey’s
Religious Affairs Directorate is close to my heart. I do not think Pakistan’s
relations with Saudi Arabia have deteriorated. Saudi Arabia is our brotherly
country and we have good relations. But again, I want to make it clear that we
[Pakistan] want good relations with all Islamic countries.
Q:
It is believed that Saudi Arabia played delaying tactics to Pakistan’s call for
summoning the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign minister’s
meeting on Kashmir. What are the reasons as per your understanding?
Tahir
Ashrafi: No, Saudi Arabia also stood with us like Turkey and some other Muslim
states on the Kashmir issue. Recently, at the OIC foreign ministers meeting in
Niger, the Saudi foreign minister raised the Kashmir issue during his speech.
Q:
Another Arab friend, the UAE, has also been lukewarm to Pakistan. It has
suspended new visas for Pakistanis. What have been the reasons for such an
attitude?
Tahir
Ashrafi: It is due to the COVID-19 situation and some security measures as the
UAE government is enhancing its internal security, nothing else. Every country
has its internal policies and we should respect them. The UAE will resume visas
for Pakistanis very soon.
Q:
India has more daily coronavirus infections. but a similar action was not taken
for Indians, and only suspended mostly for Muslim countries?
Tahir
Ashrafi: As I told you, the issue has been resolved, and soon the UAE will
resume the visas for Pakistani citizens.
Pakistan-Turkey
ties
Q:
Prime Minister Imran Khan directed state-run broadcaster PTV to telecast
Turkish TV serials, which became an instant hit. How do you view the impact of
Turkish soft power on Pakistani youths?
Tahir
Ashrafi: As you know we have a long relationship with Turkey, even before the
creation of Pakistan. The roots of today’s ties between the two nations can be
traced way back to the 19th century. The Muslims of the sub-continent had
supported Turkey during the Crimean War, politically and financially. So, our
relations are historical.
Recently,
you saw when the leading character of the popular Turkish TV series Dirilis:
Ertugrul came to Pakistan, our people warmly welcomed him. Turks are our
brothers and sisters and we have many common things; our people love each other
and our relations are unique. Pakistan wants unity among all Muslim countries,
and we are moving toward our goal.
In
the coming days, you will hear more good news Inshallah. Everyone knows that
anti-Muslim elements never want our unity. They even tried their best to
destabilize Pakistan like Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and Afghanistan. But due
to our committed army and a strong nation, all their evil designs failed.
In
India, innocent Muslims and other minorities are getting killed. But the
western world and especially the UN and other international organizations are
silent. These western countries have double standards, they talk about human
rights but never discuss about killings and abuse of Muslims in India, Kashmir,
and other countries. This is the reason we want to bring all Muslims together,
and raise a collective voice for the oppressed.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/-pakistan-setting-up-interfaith-harmony-bodies-to-confront-sectarianism-/2101561
--------
Ruet
Body Chief Shows Willingness To Use Science For Moon Sighting
Jamal
Shahid
08
January 2021
ISLAMABAD:
New Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir on Thursday expressed
his willingness to use scientific knowledge in moon sighting within the limits
of Shariah in order to end repeated controversies surrounding religious
festivals such as Eids.
His
remarks came during a meeting with Minister of Science and Technology Fawad
Chaudhry. The minister informed him that observatories were being set up in
Islamabad for sighting of the moon.
The
locations of the observatories have been identified and their approval has been
sought from the Capital Development Authority (CDA), he added. Maulana Khabir
was briefed on efforts of the ministry in this regard.
He
was told that the observatories were the result of efforts made by the minister
for science with the help of which the sighting of the moon would be
facilitated and a unanimous decision would be possible.
Minister
tells Maulana Khabir that observatories are being set up in Islamabad for
sighting of moon to end controversies over Islamic events
“In
this modern age, every problem has been solved with the help of scientific
knowledge and only nations that use science are making progress. Islam and
science are not contradictory but the importance of knowledge in Islam
distinguishes it from other religions,” the minister said.
He
assured Maulana Khabir of full cooperation from his ministry in sighting of the
moon. He said his office would support the committee in order to reach
consensus regarding the sighting of the moon with the help of science.
In
the past, the Ruit-i-Hilal Committee had opposed Ministry of Science and
Technology’s offers to use scientific evidence to announce events of Islamic
importance. To end controversies surrounding religious events, the ministry
also developed a lunar calendar which contains all the dates of Islamic events
in Pakistan, including Ramazan, Eidul Fitr, Eidul Azha and Muharram for the
next five years.
But
the committee opposed any assistance from the ministry, cautioning Mr Chaudhry
not to interfere in matters he did not understand.
Nonetheless,
Maulana Khabir showed inclination to cooperate with the Ministry of Science and
Technology in line with references and teachings from the Quran and Hadis.
He
also asked the federal minister to make every effort to take Mufti Shahabuddin
Popalzai of Peshawar’s Qasim Ali Khan Mosque on board in order to reach a
consensus on moon sighting that would end controversies over important Islamic
events.
Mufti
Popalzai had also been opposed to recommendations to use science and latest
technologies to sight moon that mark religious events.
Maulana
Khabir said he would also like to bring the entire Ruet-i-Hilal Committee
members on a visit to the Ministry of Science and Technology to brief them on
the importance of scientific research and how it could benefit all those
concerned in the future.
Officials
on the occasion also demonstrated how an application developed by the ministry
for moon sighting worked.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1600343/ruet-body-chief-shows-willingness-to-use-science-for-moon-sighting
--------
Don't
blackmail me, PM tells Hazara protesters
08
January 2021
Prime
Minister Imran Khan on Friday once again appealed to the Hazara community to
bury those killed in the attack in Balochistan's Mach area, calling on them to
refrain from "blackmailing the premier".
Speaking
at the launching ceremony of the Special Technology Zones Authority in
Islamabad, he said that the government had assured the protesters that they
will be compensated.
"We
have accepted all of their demands. [But] one of their demands is that the dead
will be buried when the premier visits. I have sent them a message that when
all of your demands have been accepted [...] you don't blackmail the prime
minister of any country like this.
"Anyone
will blackmail the prime minister then," he said, adding that this
included a "band of crooks" in apparent reference to the Pakistan
Democratic Movement. "This blackmail has also been ongoing for
two-and-a-half years."
The
prime minister said that the protesters were informed that he will visit once
they bury those slain in the attack. "I am using this platform to say that
if you bury them today, I will go to Quetta to meet the families of the
deceased.
"This
should be clear. All of your demands have been met but you can't impose a
condition which has [no logic]. So first, bury the dead. If you do it today
then I guarantee you that I will come to Quetta today."
PM
Imran's remarks come as Balochistan's Shia Hazara community continue its
protest for the sixth straight day on Friday, refusing to bury those who were
brutally killed over the weekend.
On
Sunday, armed attackers had slit the throats of 11 miners in a residential
compound near a mine site in Balochistan's Mach coalfield area, filming the
entire incident and later posting it online. The gruesome attack was claimed by
the militant Islamic State group.
Since
then, thousands of Hazaras have staged a protest along with coffins containing
the miners' bodies in the western bypass area in Quetta, while members of the
community have also held protests in other cities across the country.
In
pictures: Protesters take to the streets in several cities against Mach
massacre
Braving
the biting cold, the mourners, including women and children, have refused to
leave until the premier visits and the killers are brought to justice.
At
the start of his address, the premier stated that the Hazara community has
faced "the most cruelty". He said that the killing of the 11 coal
miners in Mach was part of a conspiracy that he has been highlighting
"since March".
"I
had informed my cabinet and then gave public statements on this: India is
trying its level best to spread chaos in Pakistan," he said, adding that
this was focused on fanning the flames of sectarianism.
"I
laud our intelligence agencies on the fact that they thwarted four major
terrorist events. Despite this, a high profile Sunni aalim was killed in
Karachi [...] with great difficulty we managed to quell the flames of a
sectarian divide."
He
added that as soon as the Mach incident took place, he first sent Interior
Minister Sheikh Rashid and then two federal ministers — Ali Haider Zaidi and
Zulfi Bukhari — to speak with the mourners and assure them that the government
stood with them.
"We
know, me especially, the kind of cruelty they have faced."
Incentives
for IT sector
Talking
about the launch of the authority, PM Imran said that Pakistan had failed to
give incentives to the IT sector. "Even during the pandemic, the companies
that gained were from the IT sector. So we have been left behind."
He
said that purpose of the technology zones was to provide incentives to the
industry so that it can provide job opportunities to the youth and up the
country's exports. "The IT sector can play a huge role in this."
"I
hope that this step will become an opportunity for the IT sector to boost our
exports. We are also hoping for foreign investment in this regard," he
said.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1600383/dont-blackmail-me-pm-tells-hazara-protesters
--------
Relations
with Pakistan at 'historic low': French President's top advisor
January
8, 2021
French
President Emmanuel Macron's top advisor, Emmanuel Bonne on Thursday said that
the relations between France and Pakistan are at a 'historic low' amid a spat
of terror attacks in the former nation.
"During
this crisis, after the campaign against us, our relations with Pakistan
probably are at a historic low. This is not exactly what we want, we assume it
because our priorities and language are clear," he said during an event
here.
Earlier
last year, an 18-year-old man of Chechen origin beheaded Samuel Paty, a
47-year-old teacher who had shown pupils cartoons of the prophet in a civics
lesson on freedom of speech. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to
Paty, calling him a "quiet hero" dedicated to instilling the
democratic values of the French Republic in his pupils.
In
a subsequent terror attack, a knife-wielding attacker killed three people at a
church in the French city of Nice on October 29.
Following
the brutal religiously-motivated attacks, Macron vowed to ramp up the fight
against radical Islamism and terrorism, following which Turkey and Pakistan
criticised his remarks
Pakistan
Prime Minister Imran Khan hypocritically attacked the French President, saying
that he had "chosen to deliberately provoke Muslims".
Khan
also wrote a letter to leaders of Muslim states, asking them to act
collectively to counter the growing Islamophobia in non-Muslim states
especially Western states, which Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erodgan was
quoted as saying by CNN, "What is Macron's problem with Islam? What is his
problem with Muslims?"
Bonne
also expressed thanks to India for providing support to France amid criticism
of the country's steps to prevent radical Islamism.
"We
very much appreciate the support we got not only from your authorities but also
from Indian civil society when our country was under attack by some leaders in
Turkey and Pakistan and in other countries," he said.
https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/relations-with-pakistan-at-historic-low-french-president-s-top-advisor-121010800104_1.html
--------
Seven
terrorists held in Khushab with arms, explosives
08
January 2021
SARGODHA:
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Sargodha claims to have arrested seven
terrorists with arms and explosive material from Girot district of Khushab,
about 50 kilometres from here.
The
CTD team arrested Amir Baz, Shahid, Musharraf Abbas, Bawaji and Adeel Abbas and
two others linked with Sipah-i-Muhammad.
The
CTD spokesman said Bawaji and Adeel Abbas hailed from a village on Jhang Road
and they were involved in terrorist activities. The team claimed recovery of a
Kalashnikov with heavy quantity of bullets, three kilogramme explosive material
and detonators.
Regional
Police Officer Afzaal Kausar has directed CTD SP Matiullah Khan to crack down
on terrorists and activists of banned organisations.
He
said initial investigation also revealed that a suspected terrorist Mehmood
Iqbal alias Mesam Baloch, the mastermind, was operating from a neighbouring
country. He said the CTD would approach Interpol to arrest the mastermind from
the neighbouring country.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1600255/seven-terrorists-held-in-khushab-with-arms-explosives
--------
South
Asia
Saleh:
Taliban Fights Over Power ‘Not Religion’
By
Mohammad Haroon Alim
07
Jan 2021
First
vice president, Amrullah Saleh in a visit to Nangarhar province said, that the
“real fight” is over power.
According
to Saleh Taliban have not yet replied to the question about their definition of
the Islamic system, he added, the “real fight is over power, not religion”.
Saleh
During the event in Nangarhar said, “we need peace with dignity and honor that
ensures women’s rights” adding that “there will be no more compromise on the
republic, human rights, and the nation’s flag”.
He
blamed the Taliban and their allies for being involved in “all the destruction
and the killing of the people in the country”.
Saleh
whined, people in the areas under the Taliban influence are “poor and live like
captives”, the economy of the country is badly affected, and that “we hope, we
will address problems of people” who are under the Taliban influence.
This
comes as President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday morning, visited Nangarhar province
to meet with the provincial governor, military officers, public, writers, and
cultural figures.
He
was accompanied by his first vice president, cabinet member, national security
adviser, parliament members, and other officials.
https://www.khaama.com/saleh-taliban-fights-over-power-not-religion-556655/
--------
ANA
Operations Claim 53 Taliban: Kandahar
By
Mohammad Haroon Alim
07
Jan 2021
Afghan
Ministry of Defense stated, at least 53 Taliban were killed and 15 others were
wounded in Arghandab and Khakriz Districts of Kandahar province on Wednesday.
According
to the statement, the Taliban militants were planning to attack Afghan National
Army positions in the region before they were targeted by the Afghan security
force members.
Furthermore,
a large number of Taliban IEDs and 67 bombs were destroyed during the MoD
offensives.
On
the other hand, Afghan national defense and security forces prevented a car bomb
attack in Trinkot district of Uruzgan province.
MoD
said in a tweet that the Taliban wanted to Attack ANA outposts in the district
with an explosive-laden vehicle.
The
vehicle was identified and discovered by the government forces; the targeted
vehicle was destroyed before it could inflict casualties.
This
comes as, CNPA arrests 18 suspects over Trafficking charges in Kabul, Herat,
Nangarhar, Balkh, Khost, Paktia, Nimroz, and Paktika province.
The
defendant’s cases were referred for further investigation to the related
departments.
https://www.khaama.com/ana-operations-claim-53-taliban-kandahar-44553355/
--------
Court
asks PBI again to submit reports over sedition cases against Babunagari,
Mamunul
January
07, 2021
A
Dhaka court today asked Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) again to submit by
February 3 probe reports of two sedition cases filed against Hefajat-e-Islam
chief Junayed Babunagari and two other leaders.
The
two other accused are: Hefajat-e-Islam Joint Secretary General Maulana Mamunul
Haque and Islami Andolan Bangladesh Senior Nayeb-e-Amir Syed Muhammad Faizul
Karim.
Metropolitan
Magistrate Md Baki Billah passed the orders after PBI failed to submit any
report today.
On
December 7 last year, Aminul Islam Bulbul, president of Muktijuddho Moncho's
central committee, filed a case against the trio with the court of Metropolitan
Magistrate Satyabrata Sikder for their "disparaging" comments on
sculptures.
Advocate
Moshiur Malek, founder of Bangabandhu Foundation, also filed a case against
Mamunul Haque with the same court over the same allegation.
Upon
hearing, the magistrate took cognisance of charges against the accused and
directed deputy inspector general of police of PBI to probe the matter and
submit reports to it on January 7 (today).
https://www.thedailystar.net/online/news/court-asks-pbi-again-submit-reports-over-sedition-cases-against-babunagari-mamunul-2023925
--------
Three
Afghan Taliban terrorists arrested in Pakistan
07th
January 2021
PESHAWAR:
Pakistani security forces have arrested three Afghan Taliban terrorists during
an operation in this northwestern city of Pakistan.
The
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police conducted a
raid at a compound and arrested the terrorists -- Muhammad Khan, Din Muhammad
alias Ameer Sahib and Rizwanullah.
They
have been taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation.
They
were involved in extortion to generate funds for the outfit, police said on
Thursday.
On
November 6, 2020, one Bilal Khan received a call from members of Afghan Taliban
outfit for Rs 2 million extortion of money and in case of non compliance they
threatened to kill him.
The
CTD started an investigation and arrested them.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/jan/07/three-afghan-taliban-terrorists-arrested-in-pakistan-2246915.html
--------
Arab
World
UAE
announces reopening of all land, sea, air borders with Qatar
Joanne
Serrieh
08
January 2021
The
UAE announced the reopening of all air, sea, and land borders with Qatar
starting Saturday, January 9, the official WAM News Agency reported on Friday.
The
UAE will begin to end all measures taken against Qatar following the signing of
the AlUla declaration at the GCC Summit last week, Under-Secretary of the UAE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Khalid Abdullah Belhoul said, according to WAM.
He
also said all ports will be open for incoming and outgoing movement, and that
relevant authorities in the UAE have been informed of the new measures.
On
Thursday, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash
announced that trade and transportation could resume between Qatar and
boycotting countries within a week.
“Measures
to be implemented within a week of the agreement include practical measures of
airlines, shipping and trade,” the UAE minister, Anwar Gargash, told reporters.
However,
other issues such as restoring full diplomatic relations and the Turkish
presence in the Gulf would take longer, the official said. “Some issues are
easier to fix and some others will take a longer time.”
Neighboring
Gulf country Saudi Arabia announced a breakthrough in ending a bitter dispute
between Gulf Arab states and Qatar at the GCC summit on Tuesday, with its
foreign minister saying Riyadh and its allies would restore all ties with Doha
severed in mid-2017.
Qatar
Airways on Thursday said it would begin rerouting some of its flights through
Saudi airspace.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2021/01/08/UAE-announces-reopening-of-all-air-sea-land-borders-with-Qatar-
--------
Qatar
Airways restarts a number of flights through Saudi Arabia’s airspace
07
January 2021
Qatar
Airways said it has started restarting a number of its flights through Saudi
airspace, with the operation of the first scheduled flight from Doha to
Johannesburg on Thursday evening.
Egypt
will open its airspace with Qatar, Al Arabiya sources reported on Tuesday,
adding that implementation will be contingent on the fulfillment of Egyptian
requirements.
According
to Al Arabiya sources, Egypt still has a number of reservations in regards to
Qatar’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood as well as Qatari media coverage against
Cairo.
Leaders
of the six-member GCC signed the AlUla declaration at the conclusion of the
Gulf summit, ending the dispute with Qatar and restoring full ties with it.
The
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, had severed diplomatic, trade and
transport ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism – a
charge Doha denies.
Based
on Kuwait's ruler Emir Sheikh Nawaf's proposal, it was agreed to open the
airspace and land and sea borders between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the
State of Qatar.
The
reopening of the borders came on the eve of the 41st GCC Summit which was held
in Saudi Arabia's AlUla city.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2021/01/07/Qatar-Airways-restarts-a-number-of-flights-through-Saudi-Arabia-s-airspace
--------
Turkish
forces, militants target villages in Syria’s Raqqah with artillery shells
07
January 2021
Turkish
military forces and allied militants have launched barrages of artillery shells
at residential neighborhoods in the northern sector of Syria’s province of
Raqqah.
Syria’s
official news agency SANA, citing local sources, reported that Turkish troops
and their proxies targeted buildings in villages on the outskirts of Ayn Issa
town on Thursday afternoon, causing damage to public and private property.
There
was no immediate report of casualties.
Turkey
dispatches over 250 troops to northern Syria
Meanwhile,
Turkey has dispatched more than 250 troops to Ayn Issa, as Ankara beefs up its
military presence in the embattled region.
Turkey’s
official Anadolu news agency, citing a commander of the Diyarbakir provincial
gendarmerie command, said 258 soldiers were sent to the area.
On
October 9, 2019, Turkey launched a cross-border invasion of northeastern Syria
in an attempt to push Kurdish militants affiliated with the so-called People’s
Protection Units (YPG) — which Ankara views as a terror outfit — away from its
borders.
Two
weeks later, Russia and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding that forced
the YPG militants to withdraw from the Turkish-controlled “safe zone” in
northeastern Syria, after which Ankara and Moscow began joint patrols around
the area.
Turkey
has since wrested control of several areas in northern Syria in addition to other
Kurdish-controlled areas.
Damascus
views the Turkish military presence on Syrian soil as an attack on the Arab
country's sovereignty.
US-led
coalition sends military, logistic vehicles to Dayr al-Zawr
Also
on Thursday, a convoy consisting of vehicles laden with weapons, military
equipment as well as logistic reinforcement, and belonging to the US-led
military coalition arrived in Syria’s oil-rich eastern province of Dayr
al-Zawr.
SANA
reported that the convoy was deployed at the Koniko oil field.
The
US first confirmed its looting of Syrian oil during a Senate hearing exchange
between South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and US Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo in late July last year.
On
July 30, 2020 and during his testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, Pompeo confirmed for the first time that an American oil company
would begin work in northeastern Syria, which is controlled by militants from
the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The
Syrian government strongly condemned the agreement, saying that the deal was
struck to plunder the country's natural resources, including oil and gas, under
the sponsorship and support of the administration of US President Donald Trump.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/07/642514/Turkish-forces,-militants-target-villages-in-Syria-Raqqah-with-artillery-shells
--------
IS
cells escalate attacks on civilians, regime soldiers in eastern Syria
Akhin
Ahmed
Jan
6, 2021
Backed
by air support from the US-led international coalition against the Islamic
State (IS), the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) raided the village
of Abriha in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor on Dec. 19 and dismantled
an IS network. The operation resulted in the arrest of Ali al-Jadoua, a
prominent IS leader, along with his two assistants Khalaf al-Qura and Muhammad
al-Qura.
An
SDF officer told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “Jadoua held several
positions in IS. He was the mastermind behind the assassination of some Arab
tribal sheikhs and leaders in the region. He also orchestrated the killing of a
number of SDF forces and was behind the extortion of civilians and merchants.
He coordinated with other IS leaders who are yet to be found and arrested.”
He
added, “During the period of IS’ control of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, Jadoua
carried out field executions against the prisoners of the Syrian regime forces
and beheaded [regime supporters], including women. He extorted civilians
through his cells and threatened them with kidnapping and killing if they failed
to pay taxes to the organization. He threatened merchants who did not abide by
his rules either with beheading, bombing their houses or booby-trapping their
cars.”
Samir
al-Tayel, who hails from Deir ez-Zor, told Al-Monitor that the assassinations
carried out by IS cells in Deir ez-Zor have dramatically escalated recently.
“My
brother was killed by unidentified individuals who were riding a motorbike in
front of his house last summer. One of them called my brother’s cellphone and
identified himself as a soldier of the [Islamic] caliphate and threatened to
kill my brother, who was working as a food merchant, if he refrained from
paying the zakat [Islamic charity] to the caliphate. They demanded [my brother]
to pay $5,000. A week later, they assassinated him,” he added.
Jamil
Khalil, an SDF Arab fighter, told Al-Monitor, “A few weeks ago, the official in
charge of guarding the oil wells at al-Tanak oil field, northeast of Deir
ez-Zor, survived an attack by IS militants who managed to kidnap a number of
Iranian forces and beheaded and killed soldiers from the Syrian regime.”
Media
sources close to the Syrian opposition said IS conducted a large-scale attack
Dec. 30, targeting military buses of the Syrian regime forces on the Deir
ez-Zor-Damascus highway in the Kabajab area, 55 kilometers (34 miles) southwest
of Deir ez-Zor city. The attack killed 37 soldiers, including eight officers,
and led to a number of injuries, some of which are serious.
According
to other sources close to the regime, the armed groups believed to belong to IS
cells targeted civilian buses, killing 28 people and wounding 13 others. The
sources described the Dec. 30 attack as the largest recently given the high
death toll, which might increase further due to the number of injuries
registered.
Another
attack targeted buses traveling down a highway in central Syria to the central
Salamiyah town on Jan. 3, killing at least nine people. The attack was also
blamed on IS.
Mustafa
Ibrahim, an activist and journalist from Deir ez-Zor, told Al-Monitor, “Despite
the collapse of the caliphate in Syria and despite the SDF’s elimination of IS’
last stronghold of Baghouz on the Syrian-Turkish border in March 2019, with
support from the US-led coalition, IS cells remain active in Deir ez-Zor and
its countryside and are carrying out terrorist operations against civilians,
regime forces and the SDF.”
He
said, “IS cells are holed up in secret tunnels previously dug in the desert,
and the majority of their armed men hail from the region, committing terrorist
acts and terrorizing civilians.”
Ibrahim
added, “IS cells even targeted the vicinity of the US base at al-Omar oil field
in the Deir ez-Zor countryside with mortar shells from a cemetery near the town
of Theban in Deir ez-Zor countryside in mid-December.”
Al-Monitor
spoke with Jamila Jadaan, a human rights activist from the town of Bouhasan in
Deir ez-Zor countryside who works with relief organizations. She expressed the
civilians’ concerns over their lives saying, “People are staying in their homes
as they are scared of going out to the market because of IS explosive devices
and car bombs, not to mention the bullets they fire at people, merchants and
employees in the [Kurdish-led] autonomous administration, where they also throw
bombs on people’s houses.”
Jadaan
noted, “Women and children are afraid to go out or go to school for fear of
being sniped at or kidnapped. The sons of many women have been kidnapped by IS.
Some mothers told me that the bodies of the abductees are often found by the
security forces or their families either on the roads or between trees, and
they are often decapitated.”
She
concluded, “IS is still active in the Syrian desert and is killing soldiers
from the SDF, the Syrian regime and the Iranian forces. Even the US soldiers
and civilians I meet describe their lives to me as an adventure."
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2021/01/syria-islamic-state-cells-attacks-civilians-kurds-regime.html?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1881218_
--------
Hezbollah
threatens Lebanese journalist working with US-funded Alhurra News channel
January
07, 2021
LONDON:
Lebanese news anchor Layal Alekhtiar is the latest victim of a Hezbollah-led
campaign to silence free media in and out of the country.
The
journalist, who works for US State Department-funded Alhurra, received death
threats via text following an incitement campaign launched by viewers loyal to
Hezbollah. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) told Arab News that these
threats must be investigated.
The
campaign comes after Alekhtiar tweeted a video of the unveiling of the newly
erected statue of the late Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani with a line from Ayat
Al-Anbya (The Prophets) from the Qur’an that said: “What are these statues to
which you are so devoted?”
Alekhtiar
told Arab News: “I didn’t provoke them specifically in any way, all I did was
place this Ayat as a matter of freedom of speech, nothing more. I didn’t demean
them, nor did I do it in any impolite way.
“So,
they let their whole army loose on me, and all those from Al-Manar and
Al-Mayadeen and all their news channels and I didn’t understand why, there is
nothing to it.
“I
tweeted the Ayat regarding the statues because what grabbed my attention was
that there were Shiite religious men there. Anyway, to me, any statue that
would be erected for someone not Lebanese — especially since he has a political
agenda — paid by the Lebanese, should not be placed. Whoever it may be, not
just Qassem Soleimani,” she said.
Shortly
after, a senior member of the Israeli Army tweeted the same Ayat which added
fuel to the fire.
“So,
they begin to create a link between my tweet and his and they begin to
photoshop both tweets together and spread it and say that I am a foreign agent
and that I am an Israeli spy,” she added.
Speaking
to Arab News, Sherif Mansour, Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator
for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said: “the use of online
harassment against women journalists is abhorrent tactic that aims to silence
their reporting and opinions.
“Threats
by non state actors and their supporters online must not go unnoticed and must
be throughly investigated.”
Alekhtiar
is not the first journalist to be harassed and targeted by Hezbollah and
accused of spying for Israel and will surely not be the last — this includes
Lebanese journalists who are also Shiite
Muslims, but don’t agree with Hezbollah’s political beliefs.
Late
last year, journalist Luna Safwan, who happens to be Shiite, was subjected to
an online abuse campaign after her tweet criticizing Hezbollah was carried by
an Israeli news channel and she was accused of cooperating with Israel.
Similarly,
Lebanese journalist Maryam Seif Eddine, known for her staunch criticism of
Hezbollah despite being Shiite, had been issued death threats by the group
while her mother and brother were physically assaulted, the latter being left
with a broken nose. Hezbollah loyalists had targeted her family home in Burj
El-Barajneh, in the Hezbollah-dominated southern suburbs of Beirut.
Before
that, as the country witnessed unprecedented nationwide protests in 2019,
former LBC news anchor Dima Sadek, another Shiite journalist, was subjected to
harassment by the Lebanese militia group after her phone was stolen from her
during a demonstration. The harassment, she said, was followed by insulting and
threatening phone calls to her mother, who suffered a stroke as a result of the
stress.
And
prior to that, MTV television reporter Nawal Berry, also a Shiite, suffered
violent attacks by supporters of Hezbollah and its allies while covering the
early days of the protests. Loyalists smashed her team’s camera, snatched the
microphone she was holding, spat on her, and kicked her in the leg.
Alekhtiar
said: “Now, they continued with their campaign, but the principle is that we,
in Lebanon, the foundation is freedom of expression and the democracy that puts
it apart from other countries.
“We
don’t want to become a part of another country, nor do we want the nationality
of our country to change no matter who is coming.”
Activist
and journalist Ali Al-Amin, who claimed that he had been attacked on more than
one occasion by Hezbollah-linked people, in a previous interview told Arab
News: “Hezbollah has always resorted to accusing its opponents of working for
Israel, the US, or foreign embassies.
“It
has mobilized its electronic armies to launch (online) campaigns against them
over the past 15 years. There is much evidence for this.”
Alekhtiar,
who remains unfazed by the threats, said: “An opinion must stay an opinion, no matter
what happens, because without freedom of expression, journalism has no point,
and the media has no point.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1788836/media
--------
Overnight
strikes by Israel on Syria killed three Iran-backed fighters: Monitor
07
January 2021
Strikes
conducted overnight by Israel in Syria left three fighters from Iran-backed
groups dead, a war monitor reported on Thursday.
The
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based organization with an extensive
network on the ground, was not immediately able to provide the casualties’
nationalities.
Syrian
state media had reported an “Israeli aggression” overnight against targets in
the south of the country, adding that its anti-air defense system had
intercepted most missiles.
Israel
routinely carries out raids in Syria, mostly against targets affiliated with
Iran in what it says is a bid to prevent its archfoe from securing further
foothold along its borders.
Iran
has members of its own military as well as fighters from a variety of
nationalities fighting with militias it supports deployed across Syria.
Last
month, Israel said it had hit about 50 targets in the neighboring country in
2020.
The
Israeli army has carried out hundreds of air and missile strikes on Syria since
the civil war broke out in 2011, targeting Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah
forces as well as government troops.
The
Jewish state rarely acknowledges individual strikes, but has done so when
responding to what it describes as aggression inside Israeli territory.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2021/01/07/Overnight-strikes-by-Israel-on-Syria-killed-three-Iran-backed-fighters-Monitor-
--------
Mideast
FM:
Iran Concerned About Trump's Unchecked Nuclear Power
2021-January-7
"A
rogue president who sought vengeance against his OWN people has been doing much
worse to our people—and others—in the past 4 years," Zarif tweeted on
Thursday.
“What's
disturbing is that the same man has the UNCHECKED authority to start a nuclear
war; a security concern for the entire international community,” he added.
Zarif's
remarks came after pro-Trump protesters stormed the US Capitol building on
Wednesday night, destroying property and seizing the rotunda room, as Congress
was trying to certify the results of Democrat Joe Biden's presidential victory.
Many
senators and representatives have blamed Trump for inciting violence after the
election and particularly in Wednesday night's incidents.
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/13991018000767/FM-Iran-Cncerned-Ab-Trmp's-Unchecked-Nclear-Pwer
--------
Israel
says soldiers who shot and paralyzed Palestinian man acted in self-defence
07
January 2021
The
Israeli military said Thursday that an internal investigation found soldiers
had acted in self-defense during an incident last week in the occupied West
Bank in which a Palestinian man was shot and left paralyzed.
The
man was shot in the neck as Israeli troops clashed with Palestinians in a West
Bank village on Saturday. The Israeli military said “a violent riot” broke out
when troops were evacuating a building that was built illegally.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
Palestinian health ministry said the gunshot left Haron Abu Aram, 24,
quadriplegic.
A
statement from the military spokesperson’s unit said the preliminary inquiry
found the soldiers “faced mortal threats while carrying out enforcement
activities in the area of the village of At-Tuwani.”
It
said the commanding officer had fired warning shots in the air, and as the
shots were fired, “two Palestinians attacked the commander — one grabbing him
forcibly and the other seizing his weapon. As a result, a stray round struck
another Palestinian who was part of the riot.”
The
army said that a separate Military Police investigation was also underway.
Palestinians
and human rights groups have criticized the Israeli military for “whitewashing”
cases of violence committed by its troops in the West Bank and not holding
soldiers accountable.
Witnesses
said the incident began when Israeli troops tried to stop the villagers from
building a home, and seized a power generator owned by Abu Aram. Critics say
Israel prevents Palestinians from building houses in areas under its control in
the West Bank without hard-to-obtain building permits.
The
Palestinians claim the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with a capital in east
Jerusalem, for a future state. They say that Israel’s West Bank settlements —
which most countries consider illegal under international law — are an
impediment to a peaceful resolution to the conflict and an independent
Palestinian state.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2021/01/07/Israel-says-soldiers-who-shot-and-paralyzed-Palestinian-man-acted-in-self-defence
--------
Rouhani
says Western democracy ‘fragile, vulnerable’ after chaos at US Capitol
07
January 2021
Iranian
President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that the chaos unleashed on the US
Capitol by US counterpart Donald Trump’s supporters exposed the fragility of
Western democracy.
“What
we saw in the United States yesterday (Wednesday) evening and today shows above
all how fragile and vulnerable Western democracy is,” Rouhani said in a speech
broadcast by state television.
“We
saw that unfortunately the ground is fertile for populism, despite the advances
in science and industry.
“A
populist has arrived and he has led his country to disaster over these past
four years.
“I
hope the whole world and the next occupants of the White House will learn from
it.”
Rouhani
said he hoped for a change of direction from the incoming administration of US
President-elect Joe Biden.
He
urged the new administration “to make up (for the past) and restore the country
to a position worthy of the American nation, because the American nation is a
great nation.”
“May
they return to reason, legality and their obligations. It's for their own
benefit and the good of the world,” he said.
Despite
routine references to the United States as the “Great Satan” in official
rhetoric, it is not the first time that an Iranian president has called America
a “great nation.”
Rouhani,
a relative moderate in Iranian politics, presided over negotiations for a
landmark 2015 nuclear agreement with major powers that Trump abandoned in 2018.
He
has staked his reputation on a diplomatic opening to the incoming Biden administration
to try to rescue the deal.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2021/01/07/Rouhani-says-Western-democracy-fragile-vulnerable-after-chaos-at-US-Capitol
--------
Huge
explosion rocks Yemen’s temporary capital Aden
Rawad
Taha
08
January 2021
A
huge explosion rocked Mansoura neighborhood in the middle of the Yemen’s
temporary capital of Aden, Al Arabiya correspondent reported.
Al
Arabiya correspondent added that the explosion took place in the center of Aden
and was caused by an explosive device. No human casualties were reported.
Last
week deadly missile attack was reported on Aden's airport killing at least 25
people and wounding 110 others.
The
attack Wednesday took place just moments after a plane carrying members of
Yemen’s Cabinet landed on a flight from the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh.
Three
precision-guided missiles that struck the airport targeted the plane carrying
the Cabinet members, the arrival hall and the airport’s VIP lounge, according
to Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2021/01/08/Huge-explosion-rocks-Yemen-s-temporary-capital-Aden
--------
Western
animosity towards Iran due to its support for Palestinian cause, Yemeni PM says
08
January 2021
The
prime minister of Yemen's National Salvation Government has denounced attempts
to form an anti-Iran front as part of a joint Israeli-Arab-US project,
emphasizing that such bids aim to counter Tehran’s untrammelled support for the
Palestinian cause and oppressed Palestinians.
“The
normalization of relations between some regional rulers and the Zionist regime
(Israel) is part of the Zionist-Arab-American scheme, and they are now seeking
to form an alliance against Iran because it has stood with Palestine,”
Abdulaziz bin Habtoor said on Thursday.
He
added, “The project of partitioning Arab and Muslim world was drawn more than
one hundred years ago in the service of the Zionist plan and the occupation of
Palestine.”
Habtoor
highlighted that any move that resists the Zionist project in the region will
be met with fierce Western opposition.
He
said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have a specific and shared
goal to disintegrate Yemen, besides certain plots to cement their dominance and
influence in Yemen.
“The
UAE seeks to wrest control over a number of Yemeni cities, islands and bases,
and Saudi Arabia wants to dominate other sectors,” Habtoor noted.
The
Yemeni prime minister then dismissed attempts by the Saudi-led coalition member
states to present a united front as “a big lie,” stating they will turn on each
other and clash in the future due to profound differences existing among them.
‘Appointment
of Iranian ambassador to Sana’a broke Saudi diplomatic siege’
Separately,
a member of the Yemeni Supreme Political Council on Thursday welcomed the
appointment of Iranian Ambassador to Sana'a, Hassan Irloo, stating that the
step broke the diplomatic embargo that the Saudi-led coalition had imposed on
the country.
Major
General Sultan al-Samaei pointed to the deeply historical ties between Yemen
and Iran, underlining that the Yemeni nation’s resistance embodies the axis of
resistance that the Islamic Republic of Iran and Yemen are part of and their
common stance against colonial powers, spearheaded by the Israeli regime and
its allies.
Irloo,
for his part, said Iran will not hesitate to support Yemeni people by
transferring its capabilities in all fields.
The
Iranian envoy stressed that relations between Tehran and Sana’a will witness
broader cooperation in various spheres.
Irloo
has recently been appointed as Iran’s ambassador to Yemen. In early November,
he submitted his credentials to Mahdi al-Mashat, president of the Supreme
Political Council of Yemen. Since then he was in the US and its regional
allies’ crosshairs.
On
December 8, the US slapped sanctions on the ambassador on allegations that
Irloo was “linked” to Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), without
providing any proof.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/08/642543/Western-animosity-towards-Iran-due-to-its-support-for-Palestinian-cause-Yemeni-PM-says
--------
Turkey
indicts senior Kurdish leader, rebuffs EU demands
07
January 2021
A
Turkish court has accepted an indictment against the co-head of the country’s
pro-Kurdish opposition party, rejecting demands by the European Court of Human
Rights (ECHR) for his release.
State-owned
Anadolu agency reported that an indictment calling for 38 counts of life
sentences without parole against 108 defendants, including Selahattin Demirtas,
was accepted by an Ankara court on Thursday.
According
to Turkish media reports, of the defendants, 27 were jailed pending trial, 75
had arrest warrants against them and six were detained then released with
judicial measures.
The indictment against Demirtas, a former
co-leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and presidential candidate, is
related to October 2014 protests in the mainly Kurdish southeast.
Thirty-seven
people died in clashes during the protests, which erupted over accusations that
the Turkish military stood by as the Daesh terrorist group besieged the Syrian
Kurdish town of Kobani, in plain view just across the Turkish border.
Demirtas
has faced several trials on different charges. In 2017, Turkish prosecutors
called for him an imprisonment term of up to 142 years.
Last
month, the ECHR called for Demirtas' release who has been held in custody for
more than four years, saying that his continued detention would amount to a
"prolongation of the violation of his rights."
President
Tayyip Erdogan accused the ECHR of hypocrisy after the ruling, saying Demirtas
was a terrorist responsible for the deaths of dozens of people.
Turkish
authorities said the outlawed militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) incited
the protests and that the HDP supported them.
Turkey
has declared the PKK a terrorist organization and has banned it. The militant
group has been calling for an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984.
HDP
leaders, who deny links to the PKK, have accused Ankara of supporting Daesh in
neighboring Syria.
Militants
backed by Turkey were also deployed to northeastern Syria in October 2019, when
the Turkish military launched a cross-border invasion in a declared attempt to
push the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) away from border areas. Ankara
views the US-backed YPG as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown PKK.
In
recent years, Ankara has jailed dozens of mayors and other officials from the
HDP, which is the third largest party in the Turkish parliament.
They
deny the charges, saying they are victims of a crackdown by the government,
which was launched after a failed coup more than four years ago.
Thousands
of people have been jailed over alleged links to the July 15, 2016 coup or
other terrorism-related charges.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/07/642512/Turkey-Selahattin-Demirtas-HDP-PKK-ECHR-Syria-Daesh-Kobani
--------
North
America
RNC
Communications Director Calls Capitol Violence 'Domestic Terrorism'
01/06/21
BY
JORDAN WILLIAMS
The
communications director of the Republican National Committee (RNC) condemned as
"domestic terrorism" the violence perpetrated by a pro-Trump mob at
the Capitol on Wednesday.
“What
happened today was domestic terrorism. Our soldiers have died carrying the
American flag into battle for our freedom. To see that flag used in the name of
unfounded conspiracy theories is a disgrace to the nation, and every decent
American should be disgusted by it,” Michael Ahrens said on Twitter.
Thousands
of rioters raided the Capitol building as Congress was certifying the Electoral
College vote, forcing the building to shut down and lawmakers to evacuate.
Rioters broke windows and invaded the House chamber.
At
least one woman was shot and killed in the ensuing chaos.
At
one point, a pipe bomb was found near the RNC headquarters, and the
headquarters of the Democratic National Committee was evacuated after a
suspicious package was discovered.
Ahrens
confirmed on Twitter that a suspicious device was found, tweeting “RNC staff
was safely evacuated from the building and the device has been successfully
detonated by a bomb squad.”
Democrats
and some Republicans have laid the violence at the feet of President Trump, who
has refused to concede in the wake of the 2020 election, repeatedly voicing
unfounded allegations of voter fraud.
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/533040-rnc-communications-director-calls-capitol-violence-domestic?utm_
--------
More
than a week later, FBI avoids terror label for bombing
By
KIMBERLEE KRUESI and ERIC TUCKER
January
6, 2021
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (AP) — The FBI investigation into whether the Nashville bombing was a
terrorist act has sparked criticism about a possible racial double standard and
drawn questions from downtown business owners whose insurance coverage could be
affected by the bureau’s assessment.
More
than a week after an explosion that struck at the heart of a major American
city, the FBI has resisted labeling it an act of terrorism, an indication that
evidence gathered so far does not conclusively establish that the bomber was
motivated by political ideology — a key factor in any formal declaration of
terrorism. The bureau is still examining evidence and has not announced any
conclusions, but investigators are known to be reviewing whether Anthony Warner
believed in conspiracy theories involving aliens and 5G cellphone technology.
Warner
died in the Christmas Day explosion of a recreational vehicle that also wounded
three other people.
“When
we assess an event for domestic terrorism nexus, it has to be tied to an
ideology. It’s the use of force or violence in the furtherance of a political
or social ideology or event. We haven’t tied that yet,” Doug Korneski, the FBI
agent in charge of the agency’s Memphis office, told reporters last week at a
news conference.
The
FBI investigates two types of terrorism that are defined not by the ethnicity
or background of the suspect but by the person’s motivation or ideology.
International terrorism involves acts by people who are inspired by, or acting
at the direction of, foreign terrorist organizations. Domestic terrorism
generally involves politically motivated violence intended to further a
particular cause or agenda.
The
explosion in Music City’s historic downtown damaged more than 40 businesses.
Since then, a handful of state and city leaders have raised concerns about the
terrorism designation, arguing that authorities would have acted differently if
the 63-year-old Warner had not been a white man.
“To
those bending over backward to not call this an act of terror, if Warner had
been a Muslim/immigrant/black, will you say the same thing or will you be one
of the millions condemning not just him but his entire community?” Nashville
City Council member Zulfat Suara tweeted just days after the bombing.
The
classification of the attack could help determine insurance payouts for
businesses that were damaged. At issue are the varying definitions of terrorism
sprinkled throughout federal law.
Small
business owners tend to opt out of terrorism coverage when selecting insurance
policies, presuming that a terrorist act would be unlikely to affect their
company, said Jason Schupp, founder and managing member of Centers for Better
Insurance, an insurance industry think tank near Washington, D.C.
Pete
Gibson is owner of Pride and Glory Tattoo Parlor, which is directly across from
the bomb site. He said terrorism coverage was the farthest detail from his mind
when he was selecting an insurance policy seven years ago. He is still unsure
what will be covered, but he has a meeting with attorneys this week to go over
his policy.
“I
hadn’t even heard of terrorism coverage back then,” Gibson said. “So now it’s
just a big mess. I’m hoping to know more soon.”
Gibson
said he and other small business owners were approached earlier this year
during Black Lives Matter protests about considering terrorism coverage, but
they all brushed it aside.
Full
Coverage: Nashville
He
has been able to visit the bomb site to assess some of the damage, but his
tattoo shop is still too unstable to walk through. He described “massive pieces
of timber all around and lights flickering.”
According
to the Treasury Department, 30% to 40% of Tennessee businesses have excluded
terrorism coverage from their policies.
A
2002 federal law — enacted by Congress shortly after the 9/11 attacks — allows
the Treasury secretary to certify an event as an terrorist act regardless of
how law enforcement officials regard it. To date, the Treasury has never done
so, including after the 2013 Boston marathon bombing and the 2017 Las Vegas
Strip mass shooting, Schupp said.
Furthermore,
domestic terrorism can be challenging to define, especially when it comes to
prosecution. Though there is a definition in the U.S. criminal code, there is
no federal domestic terrorism statute, meaning that Justice Department
prosecutors must turn to other crimes such as explosives charges to prosecute
acts that might otherwise be thought of as terrorism.
The
Nashville bombing occurred well before downtown streets were bustling with
Christmas activity. Police were responding to a report of shots fired when they
encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15
minutes. The audio then switched to a recording of Petula Clark’s 1964 hit
“Downtown” shortly before the blast.
Investigators
have not uncovered a motive, but they have learned that Warner may have
believed in conspiracy theories, including the idea that shape-shifting
reptiles assume human form to take over society. He also discussed taking trips
to hunt aliens, officials said.
The
FBI has confirmed that Warner sent materials about his views to people he knew,
but investigators have not released details about what the packages contained.
https://apnews.com/article/fbi-avoid-terror-label-nashville-bombing-8ebc264aabc3875b6b328ec6c560ef68?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1881218_
--------
Trump
orders Pompeo to consider banning Antifa members from entering US
By
Joshua Rhett Miller
January
6, 2021
President
Trump has signed an executive order asking Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to
determine if the far-left group Antifa can be classified a terrorist
organization — and to bar its members from entering the country.
A
Tuesday memorandum signed by the outgoing president instructs Pompeo — in
consultation with Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen and Secretary of
Homeland Security Chad Wolf — to “assess whether to classify” Antifa as a
terrorist group, backing up a promise he made months ago.
“The
Department of Justice has already publicly confirmed that actions by Antifa and
similar groups meet the standard for domestic terrorism,” the memo reads.
“The
violence spurred on by Antifa — such as hurling projectiles and incendiary
devices at police, burning vehicles and violently confronting police in
defiance of local curfews — is dangerous to human life and to the fabric of our
nation.”
The
order also states it would ensure “immigration benefits may be granted only to
those individuals who will follow the laws that govern all United States
citizens.”
“Active
membership in a criminal association is relevant to the determination of
whether an applicant for a visa or other immigration benefit is seeking to
enter the United States to engage in unlawful activity,” it reads.
The
memo cites protests in California dating back to 2017 when Antifa members
physically assaulted several people in Berkeley and caused significant property
damage.
In
August 2017, “black-clad” Antifa agitators “viciously attacked a rally,”
including targeting at least one person because of his conservative political
views, the memo states.
The
demonstrations led to 13 arrests, including charges of assault with a deadly
weapon and obstructing a police officer.
“Those
affiliated with Antifa have also repeatedly threatened violence, including
against law enforcement officers,” Trump’s memo continues, also citing an
Antifa-linked Twitter account that shared the names of 1,500-plus Immigration
and Customs Enforcement employees in June 2018 — leading some of them to be
harassed.
More
recently, alleged Antifa activists in Portland were caught on video attacking a
woman who was carrying an American flag, according to the memo.
“Reliable
reporting suggests that the movement known as Antifa is directly or indirectly
responsible for some of the recent lawlessness in our communities, and has
exploited tragedies to advance a radical, leftist, anarchist and often violent
agenda,” it continues.
Trump
tweeted in May that the US would seek to designate the extreme anti-fascist
group as a terrorist organization. He reiterated that in a tweet Tuesday,
warning the group to stay out of Washington.
“Law
enforcement is watching you very closely!,” the president tweeted.
Months
after Trump’s initial tweet, FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency
considered Antifa to be “kind of a movement” or ideology rather than a group —
despite evidence that self-identified anti-fascist activists took part in
violent unrest following the May killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
Former
Justice Department officials, meanwhile, told the New York Times in May that
Trump’s plan to declare Antifa a terrorist group lacked clear legal authority,
citing the absence of a domestic terrorism law.
“There
is no authority under law to do that — and if such a statute were passed, it
would face serious First Amendment challenges,” said Mary McCord, who
previously headed the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“But
right now, the only terrorist authority is for foreign terrorist
organizations.”
White
House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Tuesday that the violence committed
by Antifa activists will be “called out for the domestic terrorism that it is.”
“President
Trump will not allow Antifa, or any terrorist organization, to destroy our
great country,” McEnany said in statement.
https://nypost.com/2021/01/06/trump-asks-pompeo-to-consider-labeling-antifa-a-terrorist-group/?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1881218_
--------
Coronavirus
pandemic may cause decline in democracy, rise in extremist groups: report
January
7, 2021
A
new research report by the Department of National Defence suggests the longer
the COVID-19 pandemic rages, the stronger right-wing extremism and other
threats in Canada and around the world are likely to become.
The
report prepared by the Defence Department’s research arm lays out a range of
political, economic and security challenges that could emerge — or become more
prominent — depending on how long the pandemic remains.
To
that end, it looks at what may happen in a best-case scenario that would see
COVID-19 brought under control by the end of this year, as well as the
potential ramifications should the pandemic last past 2023 and — as a
worst-case — 2025.
The
best-case scenario would see effective vaccines rolled out quickly, which would
not only kickstart a strong economic recovery but also boost trust in the
governments, international institutions and science that ended the pandemic.
Yet
even if that happens, reads the Defence Research and Development Canada report,
“we can expect that the adversarial states will remain those already identified
as such prior to the pandemic, including China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.”
The
same is true for right-wing extremism, which the report prepared in October for
NATO military alliance planners says is already on the rise around the world —
and is likely to continue to rise, particularly the longer COVID-19 remains out
of control.
The
federal Liberal government has identified the rise of right-wing extremism and
hate as a major threat to Canada, while the Canadian Armed Forces has started
working to weed such behaviour and ideology from the ranks.
Public
trust in governments, particularly in democracies such as Canada, will also
likely suffer the longer the pandemic remains, according to the report, along
with confidence in international organizations like the United Nations and
NATO.
“The
world will continue to experience conflict regardless of which future is
closest to the events that transpire in the coming years,” the report adds.
“Clearly,
conflict can be expected to be more prevalent and increasingly violent in a
baseline and more still in a worst-case than in a best-case-type outcome.”
The
international community’s ability to respond to such conflicts, whether they
are wars between countries or inside them, will similarly be negatively affected
based on the state of the pandemic.
“Military
planners would be wise to keep this metric in mind as they consider the
challenges that their nations and the NATO alliance faces.”
https://globalnews.ca/news/7557998/coronavirus-pandemic-democracy-extremist-groups-canada/?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1881218_
--------
Southeast
Asia
What
the FPI Ban Does and Doesn’t Tell Us About Political Islam in Indonesia
By
Prashanth Parameswaran
January
07, 2021
On
December 30, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s government moved to
ban the Islamic Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam, FPI), one of the most
prominent hardline Islamist groups in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority
country. The ban was just the latest in a series of moves that were expected
following the return of its head Islamic cleric Rizieq Shihab from self-exile
in Saudi Arabia. While the step has understandably raised concerns on various
counts domestically including the state of the country’s democracy, it also
once again spotlights the trajectory of political Islam in Indonesia more
generally.
Despite
the common use of the term “political Islam,” it remains difficult to assess
its exact impact and account for the full diversity of experiences across the
Muslim world. The headlines tend to focus on the cases where specific Islamic
groups either turn to violence or score electoral victories – be it the Islamic
State and its violent offshoots or the Muslim Brotherhood’s brief rule in Egypt
following the 2011 Arab Spring cut short by the military. In reality, as more
comprehensive studies have noted in recent years, the impact of these groups in
the Middle East and in the wider Muslim world – be it the Jamaat e-Islami in
Pakistan or Parti Islam Se Malaysia (PAS) in Malaysia – can manifest in
indirect yet profound ways relative to other actors in a wider political and
societal context, from their cooptation by political elites to their influence
on the passage of legislation.
Indonesia
is a case in point. While heightened media attention to political Islam tends
to come in response to specific incidents – be it high-profile blasphemy cases
or acts of intolerance affecting minorities – these incidents conceal its
broader role, particularly following the opening of politics following
Suharto’s downfall in 1998, which created more space for a spectrum of Islamic
groups, from mainstream ones such as Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which preach a
moderate message to more hardline fringe groups like FPI. And as other scholars
have observed, while these groups may not have the electoral support necessary
to take power, their growing influence, which extends into other actors and
wider society, have resulted in governments having to adjust their responses
through a mix of tactics including acquiescence and confrontation. During
Jokowi’s presidency, the most prominent example thus far had been the fallout
from the blasphemy campaign against the ethnic Chinese Christian Jakarta
Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, which saw record
protests in 2016 and 2017 where FPI had also featured.
Viewed
from this perspective, Jokowi’s ban on FPI constitutes one more manifestation
of these broader trends. Rizieq is no stranger to controversy in Indonesian
politics: he was himself a key figure in previous developments such as the
aforementioned Ahok protests, his self-exile was itself a subject during the
lead-up to the 2019 Indonesian election contest between Jokowi and Prabowo
Subianto, and his return has seen him engage with a range of individuals
including Anies Baswedan, viewed as a potential presidential contender in 2024.
Even before he had returned to Indonesia, there were anxieties about the
challenges he could pose for the Jokowi government, which, despite Jokowi’s own
personal popularity, faces no shortage of challenges in 2021, including with
respect to COVID-19. And legal moves such as the ban – as we have seen with
other uses such as the 2017 one on another Islamist group Hizbut Tahrir –
cannot detract from wider issues that will continue to be at play this year and
beyond, including the Jokowi government’s broader management of religion’s role
in politics and how FPI’s influence relates to wider societal dynamics such as
majority-minority relations.
These
realities do not understate the significance of the FPI ban as an incident or
the need to continue to monitor its fallout amid wider developments that will
spotlight political Islam more generally, be it the formation of a new Islamist
group or the expected release of Abu Bakar Bashir, a radical cleric linked to
the deadly 2002 Bali bombings. But they do underscore the importance of moving
beyond the episodic focus on these groups and their actions and viewing them
from a more historical and holistic perspective to understand their true impact
that takes into account the role of religion in Indonesia, the wider political
and societal environment they are operating in along with regional and
international developments in the Muslim world, and the opportunities and
challenges created for the Indonesian state in managing these dynamics.
Ultimately, it is this broader aperture, rather than a narrower one that
emphasizes individual acts or events, that can help us more fully understand
the role and impact of political forces and movements.
https://thediplomat.com/2021/01/what-the-fpi-ban-does-and-doesnt-tell-us-about-political-islam-in-indonesia/
--------
No
need for snap poll amid Covid-19, PAS says as some in Muafakat ally Umno keep
pushing
08
Jan 2021
BY
SHAHRIN AIZAT NOORSHAHRIZAM
KUALA
LUMPUR, Jan 8 — PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has cautioned today
against holding a snap general election now amid a recent spike of Covid-19
cases alongside flood season in a few states.
In
a report by Sinar Harian, Hadi added that the few sections in Malaysia calling
for election is irrelevant, as the public and the country are still facing the
global pandemic.
“Let
Covid-19 finish and the flood first, why would you do an election now. We have
to discuss with the Ministry of Health Malaysia and the relevant parties.
“We
do not want to burden the people,” he was quoted saying.
The
Marang MP also said that despite recent strained ties between Parti Pribumi
Bersatu Malaysia and Umno, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government will not fall
and instead persevere.
He
added that any decision by its Muafakat Nasional allu Umno to ditch Bersatu and
PN would still have to go through the grassroots and divisions level.
“We
want to further strengthen PN and Umno have not yet made a final decision. It
cannot go through divisions and ordinary members, they have supreme council,
there is a political bureau and there is a general assembly.
“We
do not want to interfere, it will be well-managed, God willing,” Hadi added.
Earlier
today, Umno MP Khairy Jamaluddin again stressed that a general election
alongside the Covid-19 pandemic is not a viable choice as evidenced by the
Sabah state election last year.
Recently
dismissed Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa had also
labelled such a move a show of greed for power and insensitivity towards the
struggling public, while denying that it is the will of the party’s grassroots.
Malaysia
is being engulfed by a third wave of Covid-19 infections that has sent the
country’s cumulative cases from 10,000 to over 120,000 in a span of three
months and broke another record as new cases breached the 3,000-mark yesterday.
After
a lull at the end of last year, Umno has again begun pushing for an early
general election in the belief that the party could regain control of the
federal government, which it lost in the 2018 general election.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2021/01/08/no-need-for-snap-poll-amid-covid-19-pas-says-as-some-in-muafakat-ally-umno/1938581
--------
India
India
to chair UNSC's crucial Taliban and Libya sanctions committees, panel on
counter-terrorism
Jan
8, 2021
UNITED
NATIONS: India will chair the crucial Taliban and Libya sanctions committees
and the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council during its
tenure as non-permanent member of the powerful 15-nation UN body.
India,
which has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the UNSC,
began its two-year tenure at the Council on Friday last.
"The
UN Security Council establishes subsidiary bodies on specific issues, including
on the sanctions regimes.
"I'm
happy to announce that India has been asked to chair three important committees
of the Security Council, which include the Taliban Sanctions Committee,
Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Libyan Sanctions Committee,” India's
Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in a video
message on Thursday.
Tirumurti
said the Taliban Sanctions Committee, also known as the 1988 Sanctions
Committee, has always been a “high priority” for India, keeping in mind the
country's strong interest and commitment to peace, security, development and
progress of Afghanistan.
“Our
chairing this committee at this juncture will help keep the focus on the
presence of terrorists and their sponsors threatening the peace process in
Afghanistan. It has been our view that peace process and violence cannot go
hand in hand,” he said.
Tirumurti
will chair the CTC in 2022, the year in which India will commemorate the 75th
anniversary of its independence.
"India
will also chair the Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2022, which coincides with
the 75th anniversary of India's independence. The chairing of this committee
has a special resonance for India, which has not only been in the forefront of
fighting terrorism, especially cross-border terrorism, but has also been one of
its biggest victims,” he said.
Tirumurti
said the Libya Sanctions Committee, also called the 1970 Sanctions Committee,
is a “very important” subsidiary body of the Council, which implements the
sanctions regime, including a two-way arms embargo on Libya and assets freeze,
a travel ban and measures on illicit export of petroleum.
“We
will be assuming the chair of this committee at a critical juncture, when there
is international focus on Libya and on the peace process,” he said.
The
three committees are highly significant subsidiary bodies of the UNSC and India
chairing them is a ringing endorsement of the country's leadership to steer the
panels. India is a leading voice at the UN in the fight against the global
scourge of terrorism, particularly the threat posed in the region by
cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
India
has underscored that the fight against terrorism will be a key priority for it
as it sits at the UN high-table for the 2021-22 term.
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had said as a Council member, India will not hesitate to
raise its voice against the enemies of humanity, including terrorism and will
always speak in support of peace, security and prosperity.
Former
Indian Ambassador to the UN, Hardeep Singh Puri, had chaired the CTC for the
term 2011-12 when India was last in the UNSC as the non-permanent member.
The
CTC, established in the wake of the 9/11 terror attack in the US, works to
bolster the ability of UN member states to prevent terrorist acts both within
their borders and across regions. It is assisted by the Counter-Terrorism
Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), which carries out the policy decisions
of the body, conducts expert assessments of each member state and facilitates
counter-terrorism technical assistance to countries.
Tirumurti
thanked Permanent Representative of St Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador
Rhonda King, who, as the chair of the informal Working Group on Security
Council Working Methods, had steered this process to its logical conclusion.
The
1988 Sanctions Committee relating to Taliban oversees the sanctions measures
imposed by the Security Council. Individuals and entities are designated on the
1988 Sanctions List as individuals, groups, undertakings and entities
associated with the Taliban in constituting a threat to the peace, stability
and security of Afghanistan.
The
committee designates individuals and entities for participating in the
financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts;
supplying, selling or transferring arms; recruiting and supporting acts or
activities of groups, undertakings and entities associated with the Taliban.
The listed entities and individuals are subject to an assets freeze, travel ban
and arms embargo.
Under
the Libya Sanctions Committee, all member states are required to prevent the
sale or supply of arms and related material to Libya; prevent the entry into or
transit through their territories of all listed individuals; freeze all funds,
other financial assets and economic resources that are owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by the listed individuals or entities.
The
Flag State of a designated vessel is required to direct the vessel not to load,
transport, or discharge petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum
products, from Libya, among other measures.
In
2021, India, Norway, Kenya, Ireland and Mexico join non-permanent members
Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam and the
five permanent members China, France, Russia, UK and the US in the Council. It
is the eighth time that the country has had a seat on the powerful horseshoe
table.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-to-chair-unscs-crucial-taliban-and-libya-sanctions-committees-panel-on-counter-terrorism/articleshow/80166114.cms
--------
Owaisi’s
Politics Won’t Work in Bengal; Prominent Muslim Clerics, Imams and Political
Experts React to AIMIM’s Poll Debut
Tanmay
Chatterjee
Jan
08, 2021
Hyderabad-based
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s
strategy to forge an alliance with Pirzada Abbasuddin Siddiqui, the scion of
the Siddiqui family, the custodian of the famous Furfura Sharif shrine in
Bengal’s Hooghly district, will not yield electoral dividend in the coming
polls, prominent Muslim clerics, imams and political experts have said.
Accused
by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), Congress and the Left parties of
helping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by splitting Muslim votes in the
perviously held Uttar Pradesh and Bihar assembly polls, the AIMIM, several
Muslim clerics and imams told HT, will not be accepted by voters in Bengal.
Siddiqullah
Chowdhury, a minister in the TMC government and president of the Jamiat Ulema -
e –Hind’s state branch has also declared that Owaisi has no place in Bengal
politics.
The
reaction from heads of the minority community against the AIMIM’s entry into
Bengal is significant because all political parties are aware that it not
possible to come to power solely with the support of Hindu voters.
Bengal’s
Muslim population stood at 27.01% during the 2011 census and is projected to
have increased to around 30% now. Among the districts where the Muslim
population is substantially high are Murshidabad (66.28%), Malda (51.27%),
North Dinajpur (49.92%), South 24 Parganas (35.57%), and Birbhum (37.06%).
There is a large number of Muslim voters in East and West Burdwan districts,
North 24 Parganas and Nadia as well.
The
BJP, which has been accusing chief minister Mamata Banerjee of appeasing the
minority community for years, has said that AIMIM is an independent party and
can contest anywhere.
According
to surveys done by the TMC and the BJP, a swing in Muslim votes can influence
poll results in as many as 120 assembly seats. Union home minister Amit Shah
has announced that his party will oust the Mamata Banerjee government by
winning over 200 of the state’s 294 seats while Banerjee’s election strategist
Prashant Kishor recently tweeted that he will give up his job if the BJP’s
tally crosses 99.
Making
his first noticeable move to emerge as a threat to the TMC in the polls due in
a few months, Owaisi, on Sunday, met Abbas Siddiqui, who has emerged as a
critic of the ruling party in recent months. Siddiqui has even talked about his
plans to launch a broad political platform with Hindu Dalits and tribal
communities for contesting the polls. Owaisi said on Sunday that Siddiqui will
decide how AIMIM will contest.
The
Furfura Sharif shrine is one of the most popular pilgrimage olaces in Bengal.
It is built around the mausoleum of Pir Abu Bakr Siddiqui. It also has a mosque
built in 1375. Furfura Sharif draws millions during the Urs festival and the
annual fair dedicated to the Pir.
The
West Bengal Imams’ Association has reacted to Owaisi’s plans, saying there is
no place for communal politics in Bengal. Of about 40,000 mosques in Bengal,
clerics from at least 26,000 are members of the association.
“Whether
Hindus or Muslims, people in the state have only one identity. They are all Bengalis.
On one hand, Bengalis are being branded as ghuspetiya (infiltrators in Hindi)
by the BJP while on the other, some leaders from Hyderabad and Gujarat are
coming to Bengal to divide the population on communal lines. This will not be
accepted,” said Md Yahiya, chairman of the imams’ association.
In
April last year, Yahiya made news by writing to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar,
accusing him of “trying to disturb the communal harmony from a constitutional
position” and seeking the retraction of his remarks on the Nizamuddin markaz in
Delhi in a letter to the chief minister.
In
a significant development, other members of the Siddiqui family, including
Pirzada Toha Siddiqui, the most prominent among the elders whose support helped
the CPI(M) and TMC in the past, has made it clear that he will not support any
move that can help the BJP. “Hindus comprise 70% of the state’s population. If
they wanted, the BJP could have come to power long ago. We will not do anything
to let our Hindu brothers down,” he said after Owaisi met Abbas Siddiqui at
Furfura Sharif.
On
Thursday evening, Pirzada Jiauddin Siddiqui, another scion of the family told
HT that Furfura Sharif cannot be dragged into politics. “Neither Pir Abu Bakr
Siddiqui nor any of our ancestors joined politics. This is a religious place
and so shall it be. What Abbas is doing is entirely his business,” he said.
Maulana
Md Shafique Qasmi, the imam of Nakhoda Masjid, said no party can benefit by
propagating the politics of religion.
“I
am a religious man. I don’t know what happened in politics before my birth but
today people of Bengal do not accept communalism. No political party, whichever
it may be, can benefit from it,” he said.
Built
a century ago as a replica of the mausoleum of emperor Akbar in Agra, the
Nakhoda Masjid is the biggest and most important mosque in Kolkata.
Kolkata-based
political science professor and election analyst Udayan Bandopadhyay said a
tie-up with Abbas Siddiqui can help Owaisi in only a few pockets of Bengal.
“Siddiqui’s
influence is limited to some parts of Malda, North Dinajpur and South 24
Parganas. Unless the imams support him, Owaisi won’t benefit much. However,
even if they manage to get only 1% of the Muslim votes it will be substantial,”
Bandopadhyay said.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/owaisi-s-politics-won-t-work-in-bengal-muslim-clerics-react-to-aimim-s-poll-debut/story-muiFk2Vw0zw9ReheKEXbBL.html
--------
Will
AIMIM be a threat to Muslim allies of DMK?
Akshaya
Nath
January
8, 2021
All
India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) or more popularly known as Lok Sabha
MP Asaduddin Owaisi's party will be attempting to make inroads into the state
of Tamil Nadu this 2021 election. The party and its chief were in news in Tamil
Nadu recently after the DMK reportedly withdrew an invite sent to Owaisi and
his party members join its minority meet following pressure from the allies.
In
2016, when the AIMIM tried its luck in Tamil Nadu contesting two seats, it was
not seen as a potent force. However, the AIMIM managed to poll about 10,000
votes from Vaniyambadi, the constituency it contested.
Following
success in the Bihar Assembly election in October-November 2020, Owaisi's AIMIM
is being seen with a keen interest in Tamil Nadu. In fact, the withdrawal of
invitation by the DMK is said to be a reflection of the pressure that the
existing 'Muslim' parties are feeling in the view the entry of the AIMIM in
Tamil Nadu.
The
ruling AIADMK, on the other hand, was open to anyone entering the political
contest. AIADMK spokesperson Apsara Reddy said, "Any party in a democratic
system should be welcomed into the state, and the people should have a choice
as to whom they want to vote for. I think what people in Tamil Nadu vote for is
development and the way the state government has been working the AIADMK has
done a remarkable job. [We are] 100 per cent [sure that] we will return to
power."
State
minister Jayakumar said, "The DMK is trying to get vote of minority which
will not happen. Minorities in Tamil Nadu know that the DMK hasn't done
anything for them, only the AIADMK does it."
The
AIMIM's sources have been hinting that they are open to talks with the DMK for
an alliance in the upcoming polls. However, the DMK already has the IUML and
the MMK -- the two banking on the support of the Muslims voters - as its
allies. The AIMIM as a party is only likely to eat into the vote share of the
IUML and the MMK but also the Muslim votes of the DMK.
Sumanth
C Raman, political analyst, said, "Mr Owaisi has been positioning himself
as a pan-Indian Muslim leader and he has been taking his party to multiple
states. He has had a successful campaign in Bihar. As far as Tamil Nadu is
concerned, the AIMIM's Tamil Nadu in-charge has on record said that they would
prefer an alliance with the DMK. But the DMK has more than its share of Muslim
parties. There is the IUML, the MMK and so on. Will they be able to accommodate
Owaisi is a moot point but if he does contest on his own, there are significant
chances of him in some places splitting the Muslim votes."
"Remember,
Owaisi draws his support mainly from Urdu-speaking Muslims, who are more in
number in the northern part of Tamil Nadu. The Tamil-speaking Muslims do not
identify themselves with the AIMIM, at least not yet. The AIMIM contested from
Vaniyambadi in 2016, and they polled 10,000 votes. He could be a factor. It all
depends on what he chooses to do. And, the indications are that they may
contest 25 to 30 seats in an attempt to create a presence for themselves in
Tamil Nadu," said Sumanth.
Meanwhile,
the DMK, which faced an embarrassment for withdrawing its invite to Owaisi
after sending its representatives to meet him, refused to comment on the
possible impact the AIMIM entering the election fray in Tamil Nadu.
The
DMK and the minority-dependent parties are confident that the Opposition
coalition would enlist the support of Muslims in Tamil Nadu Assembly election
on the back of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests held across
the country. The AIADMK's support base among the Muslims, say political analysts
in Tamil Nadu, has dropped in the wake of its alliance with the BJP, which has
been a vocal supporter of the CAA.
https://www.indiatoday.in/news-analysis/story/aimim-threat-muslim-allies-dmk-tamil-nadu-1756927-2021-01-08
--------
UP's
anti-Love Jihad law: Yogi govt defends ordinance in HC, calls it necessary
Abhishek
Mishra
January
7, 2021
The
Uttar Pradesh government has filed an affidavit before the Allahabad High Court
to defend its anti-Love Jihad ordinance and called it necessary from the law
and order point of view.
The
UP government also said the three petitions filed against the law before the
High Court should be dismissed as the Supreme Court is hearing the matter.
A
division bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice SS Shamshery of the High
Court, however, said that the Supreme Court has not granted a stay on the law
and that it will hear the case on January 15.
The
petitioners have challenged the ordinance, calling it unconstitutional. They
have said there is a fear of the ordinance being misused.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/up-anti-love-jihad-law-yogi-govt-defends-ordinance-hc-1756905-2021-01-07
--------
Love
Jihad: UP Police Gives Clean-Chit To Two Brothers Under Anti-Conversion Law
08
January 2021
Two
men were given clean chit by police in Muzaffarnagar due to the lack of
evidences. They were charged under the Uttar Pradesh's new law of
anti-conversion for allegedly forcing a woman to change her religion, said
official.
Police
registered an FIR against two brothers, Nadeem and Salman on charges of
unlawfully conversion. However, due to lack of evidences, they were released.
The
duo was charged under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of
Religion Ordinance, 2020, and Indian Penal Code sections 504 (intentional
insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal
intimidation), said Dharmendra Pal, SHO of Mansurpur police station where the
case was filed.
The
Allahabad high court, which is hearing an appeal in connection with the case,
has been informed that there is no evidence that the two men tried to change
the woman's religion.
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-love-jihad-up-police-gives-clean-chit-to-two-brothers-under-anti-conversion-law/369851
--------
Firozabad:
Woman Denies ‘Love Jihad’ Charge, Mob Chases Man’s Family Members
By
Avaneesh Mishra
January
8, 2021
TENSION
prevailed at Nagla Mulla village in Firozabad after a Muslim family, one of
whose men is facing charges under the anti-conversion law, was chased even as
the 19-year-old woman involved in the case gave a testimony countering the
allegations. In a statement on Thursday before a magistrate, the woman said she
had left home with the Muslim youth, 23, of her own free will, had got married
to him in court and not converted.
The
police said several people from the woman’s village, the neighbouring Jamalpur,
gathered outside the house of the accused and chased his family members on
Wednesday. The police said they acted before any violence broke out and forces
were deployed in both the villages.
The
woman had left home with the youth on December 22, and on December 26, a case
under the anti-conversion law and of kidnapping was lodged against him.
On
Monday, the woman was traced and brought back to her family; the police are
looking for the 23-year-old.
Matsaina
Station Officer Vinay Kumar Mishra said, “The woman said they had a court
marriage before running away. As per her claims, they had a nikaah. But we are
verifying the documents provided by her, as they show her name as Zeenat and
she claims she has not converted… She is denying the allegations that she was
forced into the marriage or faced any pressure.”
Mishra
added that the woman said she had known the 23-year-old for the past three
years and they were in love. The police said they were investigating the matter
as they look for the accused.
Sadar
Circle Officer Hiralal Kanaujiya said the woman is doing her graduation while
the youth does random jobs and used to visit her family.
According
to Kanaujiya, the 23-year-old didn’t get along with his family and had left
home a few years ago. “After the FIR was registered, we put them on
surveillance and the woman was found while the man somehow got information of
the police coming and escaped.”
On
Wednesday, the Circle Officer said, they got information of an agitated crowd
from Jamalpur moving towards the house of the accused in Nagla Mulla, 3 km
away.
Denying
any stone-pelting or violence, he said, “They were stopped. Some who were
caught by the police were let off after they claimed they were not from that
village. We have talked to the man’s family and they too confirmed there was no
stone-pelting, but they were chased by the locals of Jamalpur.”
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/firozabad-woman-denies-love-jihad-charge-mob-chases-mans-family-members-7137681/
--------
Madhya
Pradesh ‘love jihad’ ordinance gets governor’s nod
By
Sravani Sarkar
January
07, 2021
The
contentious Religious Freedom Ordinance, 2020, commonly being referred to as
‘love jihad’ law, of the Madhya Pradesh government has received the approval of
the in-charge governor Anandiben Patel, taking it a step closer to becoming a
law, sources said.
The
law will come into force as soon as the ordinance is notified in the state
gazette, which is expected soon, according to sources. As per rules, the
ordinance will have to be ratified by the state assembly within six months of
being notified for the law to remain in force further.
Madhya
Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had earlier described the proposed law as
the most stringent against forced or fraudulent religious conversions in the
country. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described it as part of the ‘Beti
Bachao’ (save daughters) campaign of the state.
Apart
from prison term up to 10 years and fine up to Rs 1 lakh for different levels
of violation, the proposed law also has provisions for declaring marriages
undertaken for the purposes of conversion null and void and giving property
rights to the children born out of such wedlock. Also, religious conversion in
violation of this law would be considered null and void.
Sources
in Raj Bhavan (governor house) confirmed to THE WEEK that the in-charge
governor Patel had signed about a dozen ordinances including the Religious
Freedom Ordinance approved by the state cabinet last week on Thursday in
Lucknow. Among the other ordinances, is one on adulterators facing punishment
up to life imprisonment and another guaranteeing ‘deemed public service’ in
stipulated time even if officials fail to provide the service demanded.
Interestingly,
Patel, who is the governor of Uttar Pradesh, had signed a similar ordinance of
that state on November 28. Recently, the Supreme Court issued notices to Uttar
Pradesh and other states that have promulgated similar anti-conversions Acts
after their constitutionality were challenged in the apex court.
Once
enacted, the MP Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020 will replace the Religious
Freedom Act of 1968.
The
new law has provisions where conversions through force, fraud, allurement or
threat are considered a cognisable and non-bailable offence. Abetment and
conspiracy for religious conversion will also be prohibited under it.
A
provision has been made that those willing to convert need to apply before the
district administration 60 days in advance. The religious leaders facilitating
the conversion will also have to give advance intimation of 60 days to the
administration.
There
is a provision of one to five years of imprisonment and fine of Rs 25,000 for
the religious conversion carried out in violation of the Act and in case of
Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and minor ‘victims’, there will be
for imprisonment of two to 10 years and Rs 50,000 fine.
There
is provision of three to ten years of imprisonment and fine of Rs 50,000 in
cases of marriage carried out by hiding religion, misrepresentation and
impersonation. In case of mass religious conversions (of two or more persons),
a provision of five to ten years of imprisonment and minimum fine of Rs 1 lakh
has been made.
The
parents, legal guardian or custodian and brothers and sisters of the converted
person can lodge a complaint in this regard and the offence would be
investigated by an officer who is not lower in rank than sub-inspector and it
would be the responsibility of the accused to prove his innocence.
https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/01/07/madhya-pradesh-love-jihad-ordinance-gets-governors-nod.html
--------
NIA
conducts searches in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab in narco-terror case
Jan
7, 2021
JAMMU:
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at six
places in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab in connection with its probe into a
narco-terror case.
The
case was registered after the busting of a narco-terror module and seizure of
61-kg heroin and a cache of arms and ammunition along the International Border
(IB) here last year.
The
raids were conducted at five locations in Jammu district and one in Tarn Taran
in Punjab, leading to the seizure of digital devices and other incriminating
documents having financial details and bank account numbers for further
scrutiny and analysis, a spokesperson of the NIA said.
He
said the searches were conducted at the residences of six accused -- the
module's kingpin Gurpartap Singh of Tarn Taran and his Jammu-based associates
Jasraj Singh, Sham Lal, Bishan Dass, Ajeet Kumar and Gurbaksh Singh.
"All
the six accused were arrested for hatching a criminal conspiracy for carrying
out anti-national and unlawful activities, and to help the terrorist
organisations by collecting funds and channelizing the proceeds of drugs for
furthering the activities of such terrorist organisations like Babbar Khalsa
International (BKI),” the spokesperson said.
He
said a case under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances (NDPS) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was
registered at Arnia police station in Jammu district near the International
Border on September 20 last year, following the seizure of a huge cache of
narcotic substance along with arms and ammunition amid unprovoked firing by
Pakistan on a police patrolling team to provide cover for the smuggling
activity.
The
NIA re-registered the case on November 26, 2020 and took up the investigation,
the spokesperson said.
In
the second week of September, he said, Gurpratap Singh had received 10 kg of
heroin from Pakistan-based handlers through his associates.
The
consignment in the instant case was also intended to be received by him to fund
the activities of BKI in Punjab, the spokesperson said.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/nia-conducts-searches-in-jammu-and-kashmir-punjab-in-narco-terror-case/articleshow/80156922.cms
--------
Africa
Scores
Missing As Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Another Borno Community
BY
SAHARAREPORTERS
JAN
06, 2021
Many
residents of Uba community in the Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno
State have yet to be accounted for after Boko Haram terrorists attacked the
community on Tuesday.
An
eyewitness told SaharaReporters that the insurgents invaded the community on
gun trucks and motorcycles around 7:30pm and carted away food items from shops
and houses before setting them ablaze.
He
added that the villagers fled into the bush while others ran to neighbouring
towns.
“Most
of the shops on the major roads were burgled; they opened them and went away
with goods and other people’s belongings. After doing this, they set the shops
and some houses on fire. In fact, because they couldn’t open one of the shops
easily, they shot it with a rocket launcher,” the source said.
“We
still have not found some of those who ran away and we have not found any
corpse yet. Some came back but scores of people have yet to be found.”
The
attack on Uba comes barely 24 hours after the insurgents attacked a military
settlement in Kuda, near Chibok town, killing six soldiers and one civilian.
Boko
Haram insurgency has caused over 35,000 deaths since 2009.
The
terror group wants an Islamic caliphate in Northern Nigeria.
http://saharareporters.com/2021/01/06/scores-missing-boko-haram-terrorists-attack-another-borno-community?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1881218_
--------
Nigeria:
Terrorist attacks surged in December and may increase in 2021, Christian group
warns
JANUARY
06, 2021
Radical
Islamic militants and terrorist groups killed at least 200 people in the last
two weeks of December, bringing the number of Nigerian Christians killed in
2020 to 2,400, according to a new report.
Nigerian
human rights group The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule
of Law released the report on Sunday that catalogs the killings. Intersociety’s
founder and chairman of the board, Emeka Umeagbalasi, told The Christian Post
that this December was one of the deadliest months on record for Nigerian
Christians.
“We’ve
noticed an upsurge in the killings. At least one of the reasons that I haven’t
relocated to my village [for Christmas is] just to monitor what is going on,”
he said. “The local media is operating under censorship.”
This
recent wave of killings follows a pattern of radical Islamist violence in
Nigeria, he said. Since 2009, over 34,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed
and many more have been displaced by the violence.
Militants
murdered seven Christians every day in 2020 on average, said Umeagbalasi.
Nigeria’s Southern Kaduna province experienced the most deaths, with at least
495 people killed by radical Islamists.
In
one incident, Islamic militants stopped cars on a highway, he said. At
gunpoint, they interrogated travelers to discover if they were Christian. Then,
they forced the Christians from their cars. They killed five who attempted
escape and kidnapped the remaining 35.
Kidnappings
of Christians happen for various reasons, Umeagbalasi said. Some are motivated
by money, some are political attacks by the government, some are motivated by
Islamic radicalism. Most people kidnapped by Islamic radicals face death or
slavery.
Some
of the death count from December includes abducted people presumed dead,
Umeagbalasi said. When terrorist groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP and Fulani
militants kidnap people, they either kill them or make ransom demands. In many
of last month’s cases, the kidnappers sent no ransom demands.
Terrorist
groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province made a vow to step
up attacks on Christians over Christmas, Umeagbalasi said. The groups called
Christmas celebrations “ungodly.”
In
December, Boko Haram killed at least 130 Christians, the report said. Fulani
tribe Islamist militias killed at least 70.
Some
of Intersociety’s sources say terrorist groups have attacked more fiercely
because they believe Joe Biden’s presidential administration will not advocate
for religious freedom in Nigeria, Umeagbalasi said. The Obama administration
focused less on fighting Nigerian terrorism than the Trump administration did.
“Once
Biden comes [into office], he will give them license to kill,” said
Umeagblalasi. “That is also the thinking of the present government of Nigeria.”
Umeagbalasi
said that Nigeria’s government supports or ignores radical Islamist killings.
On Dec. 17, Islamists killed a family of eight in the Gora Gan community. The
family’s home was in front of a military barracks.
“If
the Fulani jihadis can attack and wipe out a family of eight located opposite a
military base where soldiers are stationed, it tells you there’s very strong
evidence of the conspiratorial nature of the military and the jihadis,” he
said.
In
2021, Islamist attacks on Nigerian Christians will probably increase,
Umeagbalasi said.
“We
are seeing the continuation and consolidation of the attacks on Christians.
There is no hope on the ground that suggests otherwise,” he said. “The security
forces are disproportionately composed of Muslims. The Christians are not
likely to get protection. Don’t expect the government to do anything.”
https://www.christianpost.com/news/nigeria-jihadist-attacks-surged-in-december-may-increase-in-2021-intersociety-warns.html?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1881218_
--------
Somalia:
Somali Police Nabbed Al-Shabaab Suspects in Jowhar Sweep
5
JANUARY 2021
Somali
security forces have carried out security operations in the neighborhoods of
Jowhar, the capital of Hirshabelle on Tuesday, residents said.
During
the operation, a number of people, some suspected Al-Shabaab militants were
detained and taken into custody.
The
top officials of Hirshabelle praised the troops for their operations and how
they are treating the community during their operations aimed to ensure
security in Jowhar.
https://allafrica.com/stories/202101060254.html?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1881218_
--------
Witnesses
say 20 killed in air strike in central Mali
6
Jan 2021
France
said it killed dozens of fighters in a weekend air raid in central Mali, while
several villagers and a local group said up to 20 wedding guests were killed by
fire from a helicopter.
Villagers
in Bounti said a lone helicopter opened fire in broad daylight on Sunday,
sowing panic among a crowd gathered for a wedding.
“It
was run for your lives,” resident Ahmadou Ghana said.
Another
villager, Mady Dicko, added: “We were surprised by the intensity of the strike.
The helicopter was flying very low.”
On
Sunday, Tabital Pulakuu, an association that promotes the culture of Mali’s
Fulani ethnic group, reported an “air strike that claimed the lives of at least
20 civilians” during a wedding.
A
French military spokesman, Colonel Frederic Barbry, denied a connection between
the raid and the wedding party, saying such a link “does not correspond to
information collected prior to the air strike”.
Barbry
told The Associated Press news agency the operation followed an intelligence
mission of several days that showed a “suspicious gathering of people”.
The
French military was able to conclude it was a “terrorist armed group based on
individuals’ attitudes, their equipment and other intelligence information”, he
said.
There
was no immediate comment from the Malian government.
Guillaume
Nguefa, the head of the human rights section of the UN mission in Mali,
confirmed the incident but did not provide more details.
The
village lies in the Mopti region, 600km (373 miles) from the Malian capital
Bamako, where armed groups have a significant presence.
The
region is the epicentre of a deadly military offensive that began in northern
Mali in 2012 and then advanced into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger,
inflaming ethnic tensions along the way.
Thousands
of soldiers and civilians have died in the conflict and hundreds of thousands
of people have had to flee their homes.
But
the Bounti deaths come during an apparent uptick in bloodshed across the Sahel.
Away
from the fighting, the village tragedy will raise pressure on Mali’s interim
government, which is dominated by figures with army links.
Army
officers toppled President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 18 after weeks of
protests – sparked in part by his failure to defeat the fighters – before
handing over to a caretaker government.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/6/witnesses-say-20-are-killed-in-an-airstrike-in-central-mali?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1881218_
--------
Europe
French
drone strike in Mali kills 19 civilians at wedding event
08
January 2021
A
French military drone strike in Mali has reportedly killed scores of civilians
attending a wedding event in a remote village amid France’s persisting military
intervention in its former African colony under the pretext of fighting rising
militancy in the impoverished -- though minerals-rich – nation.
The
aerial strike in central Mali’s isolated Douentza area came at a moment of
growing anti-French sentiment and armed resistance across the West African
country in response to the eight-year military presence of the former colonial
power.
An
advocacy group for Fulani herders, known as Jeunesse Tabital Pulaaku, released
a list on Thursday of 19 people it said were killed by the French airstrike,
including the father of the groom, as well as seven others it said were injured
in the attack while attending the wedding ceremony.
“Those
who were killed were civilians,” said the group’s president, Hamadoun Dicko, as
quoted in a Reuters report on Friday, noting: “Whether there were jihadists
around at the moment of the raid or not, I don’t know.”
The
report further cited a health worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as
confirming on Tuesday that civilians had been “mistakenly hit in the strike.”
This
is while on Thursday Mali’s Paris-sponsored government and the French military
denied eye-witness accounts and other reports blaming the French air strike for
the civilian fatalities in the area, claiming that only Muslim militants were
targeted.
The
French army further insisted that the targets were “Islamist fighters,”
claiming that their identities were confirmed by its drones prior to the bloody
attack and subsequent checks following the strike.
“No
collateral damage, no sign of a festive gathering or a marriage,” the French
army command declared in a statement, describing the targeted site as lightly
wooded and claiming that “no women or children were observed” in the area.
According
to the army statement, a group of nearly 40 men was monitored by the REAPER
drone for more than an hour and a half before the strike, which was carried out
over one kilometer from the nearest dwellings on the edge of the village of
Bounti.
Repeating
the French version of events, Mali’s Defense Ministry further cited
surveillance images” to state, “the strike took place during a joint operation
with French forces and killed about 30 militants.”
“There was no sign of a marriage, women or
children,” it added in a statement.
France
maintains a military force of more than 5,100 in Mali and other former colonies
in West Africa in purported efforts to counter militants it claims are linked
to the al-Qaeda and Daesh terrorist groups.
The
military intervention, however, has come at a cost. Five French soldiers were
killed in Mali in recent days and Malian citizens have protested France’s
military presence in the streets as well as on social media platforms.
Two
French soldiers were killed earlier this week as an explosion hit their armored
vehicle during an “intelligence” gathering mission in Mali’s eastern Menaka
region, bringing the number of French soldiers killed in the nation to fifty.
The
attack came less than a week after three more French troops were also killed in
its former colony by an improvised explosive device in the southern region of
Hombori.
This
is while France is still trying to maintain power with its significant military
presence in Africa. It has thousands of soldiers spread in bases across the
arid Sahel region of West Africa below the Sahara, purportedly waging
“counter-insurgency” operations.
Violence,
however, has steadily worsened in the region with militant groups using
northern Mali to launch attacks on neighboring countries.
Last
January, hundreds of people took to the streets in the capital of Mali to
protest the presence of French troops in the Sahel region.
Protesters
gathered in a square in the center of the capital Bamako, where they burned the
French flag and carried banners reading slogans such as "Down with
France.”
The
protest came ahead of a summit in France on the country’s military
interventions in Africa.
The
latest French killing of Malian civilians came as Paris faces tough choices
about how to deal with its purported moves to counter extremists in Mali and
other African nations without getting bogged down in a potentially un-winnable
war, according to an AFP report, which pointed to the growing number of French
troops killed since it launched a campaign to rid northern Mali of militants in
January 2013.
It
further cited French military sources as saying that President Emmanuel Macron
wishes to go further in reducing the number of French troops in the Sahel
region before the country’s next presidential election in April / May 2022.
“So
far, the French have not really questioned the role of France in the Sahel. But
you have to be very careful. Public opinion can change very quickly,” said a
government source as quoted in the report.
A
sign that the Sahel mission could become a national political football, some
opposition politicians in France have already started to question the wisdom of
staying the course.
“War
in Mali: for how long?” questioned the country’s far-left party, France
Unbowed, earlier in the week.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/08/642547/Mali-French-air-strike-killed-civilians-wedding-event-French-military-intervention
--------
Europe
is struggling with the problem of Islamist extremists
John
Dobson
January
2, 2021
Extremists
are a tiny number of the 26 million Muslims in Europe, but attract a
disproportionate amount of publicity. The only way of moving forward is to
challenge the myth of European Muslims as outsiders with a culture and customs
that make them forever ‘untrue’ Europeans.
Last
week, a 20-year old man was badly beaten on a street in France. So what, I hear
you say, it happens all the time. True, but in this case the man was the Muslim
son of a police officer and the gang of five who beat him up were also Muslims.
The unnamed victim had been enjoying Christmas lunch with his family. Following
the arrest of the gang, their leader told police officers, in an attempt to
justify the brutal beating, “it’s not Muslim to celebrate Christmas”. So there
we have it. In the mind of some radical Muslims, if you celebrate Christmas,
you deserve to be beaten.
The
vast majority of Muslims living in Europe would not recognise this connection
and would abhor and condemn the gang for their unacceptable behaviour. They are
living peacefully and happily with their non-Muslim neighbours. Even so, when
these events occur, they add oxygen to the perception of a “radical
Islamisation” of Europe.
Of
all the countries in Europe, France is under the greatest pressure from radical
militants, having experienced a series of Islamist terror attacks in recent
years. Just three months ago, three people died in the Southern French city of
Nice, following a knife attack at a church. One elderly victim was virtually
beheaded. The suspect, who repeatedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest)
during the attack, was a 21-year-old Tunisian national, who had recently
arrived as an asylum seeker. A few weeks earlier, seven Muslim suspects, two of
whom were just 14 and 15, had been charged for the beheading of their
schoolteacher, Samuel Paty. That an innocent history teacher could be murdered
adjacent to his school, not randomly but actually selected for murder simply
for showing his pupils controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, shocked
the French nation.
These
were just the latest examples of atrocities carried out by Islamist extremists
in France in recent years which deeply unsettled the population. Many were
still recovering from the horrors of 2015, when in January two Islamist
militant gunmen forced their way into the offices of the satirical magazine
Charlie Hebdo and shot dead 12 people. Later in the same year, as part of a
series of “Islamic State of Iraq and Levant” terrorist attacks across Paris,
gunmen and suicide bombers launched multiple attacks on the Bataclan concert
hall and adjacent restaurants and bars, leaving 130 people dead and hundreds
wounded. Only six months earlier, a gunman had driven a large lorry into a
crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing 86 people in an attack claimed
by the Islamic State group.
By
contrast to these major events, the severe beating of a 20-year-old Muslim by
another group of Muslims may not seem significant, even though the French
interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, claimed that the beating was an “example of
fundamentalist separation which erodes traditional French values”. But in
countries on high alert for Muslim extremist activity, any such incident
receives national and international attention. Terrorism in the name of Islam
has claimed hundreds of lives across Europe over the past two decades, which
many claim to be linked with mass migration from the Islamic world. This is
shaking the politics of the continent and nowadays Islam and migration are
highly debated “hot issues” in many European countries. Europe has recently
experienced a migrant crisis that reached a peak in 2015, with an influx of
refugees from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Eritrea, arriving
across the Mediterranean Sea or overland through Southeast Europe. The refugees
are nearly all Muslims, 86% according to Pew, and are either asylum seekers or
economic migrants.
Muslims
currently make up about 5% of Europe’s population, in all about 26 million. The
greatest numbers live in France (9% of the population) and Sweden (8%), with
noticeably only a trace in the countries bordering the eastern boundaries of
Europe, such as Poland and Hungary. Because they tend to be younger, by 13
years on average, and have a higher fertility rate than other Europeans, fake
news stories spread alarm that Europe will be dominated by Muslims in the near
future, which is patently absurd. Even if the existing high migration were to
continue indefinitely, which is unlikely due to the current strengthening of
both immigration laws and the physical boundaries of the EU, Muslims will make
up no more than about 14% of Europe’s population by 2050. While this is nearly
triple the current share, it’s still considerably smaller than the populations
of both Christians and people with no religion in Europe.
The
growing Muslim population has already changed the face of Europe in a number of
ways. Socially, Muslims have preferred to live more as a community than, for
example, the Christians, who are more fragmented in terms of churches, beliefs
and practice. Muslims are strongly attached to their beliefs and roots, with
many keeping a relationship with their country of origin, particularly if they
are recent migrants. Research has shown that the Muslim communities tend to
vote for left-wing parties, as these are usually in favour of integrating
migrants into the European society—which probably explains why so few
immigrants wish to settle in right-wing countries such as Poland, Hungary, The
Czech Republic and Slovakia. As Muslim numbers have increased across Europe, so
the society in which they live has changed; the construction of mosques,
loudspeaker calls to prayers, halal products in supermarkets, and working hours
adjustable to Ramadan. Nationalists use these changes to ramp up discontent
among indigenous populations, who feel their way of life is under threat from
“those foreigners” who are also “stealing our jobs”. In the vast majority of
cases this is simply not true, but it was an effective ploy used by those
campaigning recently for Britain to leave the European Union, which probably
tipped the balance in favour of leaving.
Rising
resentment has led to new laws targeting Muslims, such as the banning of burqa
headscarves in five European countries, or laws against family reunification to
control immigration. External interference by Muslim countries such as Turkey
and Saudi Arabia has been particularly unhelpful in integrating communities.
When Turkey’s President Erdogan tells Turks living in Europe that they don’t
need to assimilate in their host societies and that they should have more
children in order to increase Muslim power, this simply increases fear and
anti-Muslim sentiment. There’s also been a strong reaction to
influence-peddling by Saudi Arabia, which has poured money into Europe to
finance the construction of mosques in order to spread its extreme Wahhabi form
of Islam, freely preached by Saudi-backed clerics. In voicing concerns about
this radical ideology, Belgium terminated Saudi’s half-century old lease of the
Grand Mosque in Brussels, alarmed by the promotion of radicalism. Switzerland
recently voted to ban the construction of minarets. France and Germany have
also shut some mosques, noting that these encouraged young Muslims to travel to
war zones, such as Syria and Iraq, to fight for the Islamic State.
All
eyes are now on France following October’s attack on Samuel Paty, as President
Macron introduces a controversial new bill to combat “Islamic separation”. The
bill was presented on 9 December 2020, the 115th anniversary of the adoption of
a law in France that strictly separated religion and the state. In requiring
religious neutrality in public life, this popular and long-standing law also
protects the right either to believe or not believe. Macron’s new provisions,
which will go through Parliament early this year, will change France in a
number of ways. It will limit the use of home-schooling as a way to escape
oversight of radical Quranic teaching, make it easier for the government to
inspect and shut places of worship, ban all state employees and contractors
from displaying “conspicuous” religious symbols, and forbid doctors from
issuing “virginity certificates” in order to protect women from pre-nuptial
pressure.
In
the six years between 2012 and 2018, over 2,000 French citizens left to take
part in jihad in Syria and more than 250 people were killed in terrorist
attacks in France. Since his election, President Macron has come to believe
that tougher rules are required to protect citizens from such influences. Some
critics are concerned that his new law will hand too much power to the state,
infringing the right to religious practice. Others are accusing Macron of
mistaking conservative religiosity for sinister intent, and of ignoring the
structural racism behind the development of French ghettos. Inevitably those on
the far-right criticise the measures as “too tame”, but Macron will have been
reassured by the support of Mohammed Moussaoui, the head of the French Council
of the Muslim Faith, who is satisfied that the overall aim “reassures French
Muslims”, since extremists are such a “marginal minority”.
And
that’s the point. Extremists are a tiny number of the 26 million Muslims in
Europe, but attract a disproportionate amount of publicity. The only way of
moving forward is to challenge the myth of European Muslims as outsiders with a
culture and customs that make them forever “untrue” Europeans. President Macron
and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel are correct in tackling head-on
anti-Muslim racism and hate. They recognise that it’s the third generation of
Muslim immigrants born as citizens in Europe who are feeling the full backlash
of the prejudice against Islam, and it’s from these that some young men and
women are susceptible to the preaching and allure of the more extreme Wahhabis,
who argue that there can be no coexistence between Islam and the West.
Europe
is approaching a crossroad. The shift in focus from religion to Europe’s
broader equality agenda, as articulated in the EU’s “anti-racism action plan”
adopted in September, is an important move in the struggle to control Islamist
extremists. Empowering national equality bodies to include anti-Muslim hatred
is an essential step in the journey to rediscover their pluralist and humanist
traditions. After all, Europe’s Muslims aren’t going anywhere. Europe is their
home and they’re here to stay.
John
Dobson is a former British diplomat, who also worked in UK Prime Minister John
Major’s office between 1995 and 1998.
https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/world/europe-struggling-problem-islamist-extremists
--------
Rising
Islamophobia, Turkophobia in West worry Turks in Europe
JAN
04, 2021
The
Turkish community in Europe is concerned with the rising trend of Islamophobia
and Turkophobia in Western countries, calling on European states to escalate
measures against hate crimes.
Kemal
Ergün, the head of the Islamic Community National Vision (IGMG) based in
Cologne, said that in 2020 alone, there have been 122 attacks on mosques in
Germany. The year was particularly marked by the rising number of threatening
and insulting letters sent to Muslims, he noted.
Ergün
noted that between 2014 and 2020, there have been more than 700 mosque attacks
in Germany, stressing the need for mosque attackers to be caught immediately.
"Some
mosques are being attacked repeatedly. In some, the level of violence is higher
with actions such as arson that can harm people, while in others, the walls of
the mosques are being used as canvases to write insults and threats on,"
Ergün was quoted as saying by Anadolu Agency (AA).
Ergün
also mentioned the impact of terrorist attacks in Europe as a triggering factor
in anti-Muslim racism on the continent.
"Unfortunately,
the far-right groups, after terrorist attacks that are claimed to be done in
the name of Islam, strengthen their anti-Muslim stance even further. The ones
who are mostly influenced by this atmosphere are, individually, Muslim women
and, institutionally, mosques," he continued.
Germany
has been recording Islamophobic crimes separately since 2017. In 2018, there
were 910 incidents, including 48 attacks on mosques alone, a little lower than
in 2017 with 1,095 crimes. In 2019, some 871 attacks targeted the Muslim
community in Germany, while 2020's data has not yet been announced. Every other
day throughout the course of 2019, a mosque, a Muslim institution or a
religious representative in Germany was targeted in anti-Muslim attacks. More
than 90% of these were attributed to politically motivated crimes by the
far-right.
Ergün
stated that IGMG officials have demanded more effective investigations by
security forces into these attacks and an end to the mosque assaults.
"So
far, we have witnessed that the security forces have conducted a detailed
investigation into mosque attacks. However, unfortunately, every attacker that cannot
be caught continues to walk freely as a societal threat. Today, an attacker who
broke a mosque's window and somehow has been able to walk freely for months can
increase the level of violence even further since they already surpassed a
psychological threshold in their initial attack," Ergün said. "In
this respect, it should be realized that these mosque attacks are violent acts
that interest not only Muslims but the entire society."
Germany
is home to 81 million people and the second-largest Muslim population in
Western Europe after France. Of the country’s nearly 4.7 million Muslims, at
least 3 million are of Turkish origin.
Durmuş
Yıldırım, the head of the Turkish Islamic Union of Europe (ATIB), on the other
hand, pointed to the fact that in the 60th year of Turkish workers' migration
to Europe, the racists in the West have gained strength and attracted a
following based on anti-Muslim hatred, to the point of being represented in the
Bundestag.
"The
fact that there is an attack on the mosques nearly every day, as well as rising
racism against Muslim migrants, is concerning us. I also would like to express
that we do not approve and condemn the usage of Muslim migrants as an election
tool," he underlined.
Yıldırım
stated that especially in 2020, with the revelation of Neo-Nazi far-right
police officers within the German police, the criticism of the German state for
failing to protect Muslims has been proven right.
Racist
officers among Germany's police force intentionally target Turkish people and
other minorities in what they call "Turk hunts," according to a
November 2020 study on racism and police violence in the country. The research
carried out by professor Tobias Singelnstein of Ruhr-University Bochum revealed
that there is a structural problem among the German police, with reports of
racist, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic insults confirmed by police officers and
victim testimonies.
"Some
officers intentionally go on searches to hunt Turks," one of the officers
interviewed as part of the study said, adding that they search out and target
Turkish people for the most minor mistakes like not signaling and provoke them
to react against the police.
"While
some populist politicians continue to spread hate toward the Muslim foreigners,
discriminative policies against the migrants have resumed as well," he
said, emphasizing that the security of mosques and Muslims in the West is the
responsibility of the Western authorities.
Yıldırım
underscored that Turks and Muslims are now a part of Europe and determined to live
side by side with Westerners.
"This
is our homeland as well. So, we have to live together. And everyone should do
their part on making this possible," he said.
Racist
attacks targeting Muslims or immigrants increasingly make the headlines as
white supremacists become more efficient in an age where their ideals, or at
least parts of them, are going mainstream. There is no single large group
orchestrating these attacks against Muslims and immigrants. Rather, individual
attacks lead to more attacks by copycats.
The
tolerant political climate under the pretext of freedom of speech has helped
far-right sympathizers with violent tendencies expand their support.
"In
last five to six years, unfortunately, the hatred against Turks and Muslims has
reached scary points," said Bülent Bilgi, the head of the International
Democrats Union (UID).
In
Bilgi's opinion, apart from the increasing number of refugees and migrants, the
worsening economic conditions during the pandemic have also triggered
anti-Muslim hatred in Europe.
"With
the suspicion of misusing the state aid provided in the pandemic, masked
polices raid mosques. This is not a confirmed claim, but there are many
examples that are rumored around such as this. The raids in France aim to
menace the people. However, the duty of the governments is not to menace but to
come up with solutions through dialogue," he said.
Islamophobia
is being disguised as secularism in France, a French opposition leader had said
in criticism of the Emmanuel Macron-led government, which has recently come
under fire for policies against French Muslims.
"There
is hatred toward Muslims under the guise of secularism in this country.
Secularism does not mean to hate a religion," Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader
of the left-wing France Unbowed movement and a parliamentarian from
Bouches-du-Rhône, a Mediterranean region with a large Muslim population, told
the BFM-TV channel in November. His remarks come after recent anti-Islam
statements by Macron and other politicians. Macron described Islam as "a
religion in crisis" and announced plans for tougher laws to tackle Islamic
"separatism" in France.
"There
is an attempt at forming French Islam, German Islam. We, of course, are against
these attempts. There has never been an Arabic or Turkish Islam so there cannot
be a European Islam as well," Melenchon said, noting that there is only
one Islamic religion.
Under
the pretext of the "Islamization" of the countries they live in,
racist terrorists switched from attacks on mosques to mass killings. Anders
Behring Breivik, who slaughtered 77 people in July 2011 in Norway, is viewed as
an inspiration for more attacks that followed. Four years later, Anton Lundin
Pettersson, harboring similar views as Breivik, killed four students with
immigrant backgrounds in Sweden. In 2016, 10 people were killed in Germany's
Munich in another racist act of terrorism. On Feb. 19, 2020, in the German town
Hanau, Tobias Rathjen, a terrorist harboring racist views, gunned down nine
people of immigrant backgrounds, including five Turkish nationals, before
killing himself. The Hanau attack ignited the debate over the seriousness of
far-right terror threats often ignored by authorities. It was one of the worst
acts of terrorism with racist motives in recent memory.
The
head of Turkish Hearths in the German town of Bruhl, Aydın Parmaksızoğlu,
however, underlined that there has always been a phobia against the words
"Turk" and "Islam" in Europe and Germany, "to the
point that the German authorities were constantly monitoring the associations
with the words, Turk and Islam, in their names, while others were being able to
skip the monitoring process. Even this proves the phobia against Turks and
Islam," he said.
Noting
that the German constitution actually provides all the necessary bases for
every religion and culture to live freely in the country, Parmaksızoğlu stated
that still, since racism emerges within the minds of people, it can be
encountered in any institution at any time.
"If
Germany does not fight against the radical groups, Europe may soon lose its
peaceful environment. Germany needs to get rid of not only foreign radicals but
also radicals within German society. This is the main issue," he
underscored.
Turkish
officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, have frequently urged
European decision-makers and politicians to take a stance against racism and
other types of discrimination that have threatened the lives of millions of
people living within the bloc’s borders.
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/europe/rising-islamophobia-turkophobia-in-west-worry-turks-in-europe
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamabad-anti-terrorism-court-sentences/d/124019
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism