Islamic Terror a Misnomer, Says US Scholar of Islamic Studies
New Age Islam News Bureau
22 Feb 2013
North America
• Islamic terror a misnomer, says US scholar of Islamic studies
• US condemns Hyderabad blasts, offers assistance in probe
• CAIR Condemns Bombing, Sectarianism in Pakistan
• Trial in Ireland delays U.S. plans to pursue "Jihad Jane" case
• Let Obama bring his Bible to Jerusalem
• Determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons: US
• The spook who couldn’t see the perils of jihad
Arab World
• Egypt Mufti Did Not Issue Fatwa to Kill Opposition Figures: Senior Cleric
• Gunmen execute seven anti-Qaeda militiamen in Iraq
• Saudisation: ‘Survival of private firms hinges on hiring Saudis’
• Spate of bombings killed at least 83 in Damascus: NGO
• Gunmen kill 4 soldiers in Iraq
• Egypt’s President Morsi Is the New American Stalwart in the Region
• Egypt parliamentary vote set for April 27: Presidency
• Hezbollah Courier Was Told to Track Israeli Flights
• Egypt protest group signs Morsi up to go to space
• Third Bahraini Shia protester dead: Opposition
• Egypt mufti did not issue fatwa to kill opposition figures: senior cleric
South Asia
• China provides Rs 136 bn loan for Pak nuclear plants
• Afghanistan turns down Pakistan's request to hand over senior Taliban commander
• Four killed in Bangladesh clashes over 'atheist bloggers'
• NATO Plan Tries to Avoid Sweeping Cuts in Afghan Troops
India
• UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemns Hyderabad attack
• Indian minister urged to take up Huroob, issue with Saudi officials
• Forward movement in Maldives crisis: India
• Hyderabad twin blasts: Toll goes up to 16
• Dialogue only way for peace, say Indian scholars in a Saudi organised Conference
• Prime Minister on Hyderabad blasts: Guilty won't go unpunished
• Hyderabad bomb blasts: Dilsukhnagar has been on Indian Mujahideen radar since 1999
• Mirwaiz placed under house arrest in Kashmir
• Three men including a Bangladeshi arrested for rape of Indian in Maldives
• India is powerful enough to meet any challenge: Farooq Abdullah
• Charge sheet filed against Pune blast accused
• Terror plot: NIA drops charges against 2, including scribe
• Sarabjit Singh signs fresh appeal seeking clemency
Pakistan
• Pakistan condemns India bomb attacks, says all terrorism 'unjustifiable'
• Hazara killers — supported from Punjab to the Middle East
• Suicides in Hazara: 10 deaths reported in two months
• 39 Quetta victims airlifted to Karachi; woman dies
• Holy imprints of Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Sikhism in National Museum of Pakistan
• Lashkar-i-Jhangvi leader Malik Ishaq arrested in Rahim Yar Khan
• Grandson of Bugti acquitted
• Pakistani facing extradition from UK to US over hacking
• Pakistan wants permanent peace in Afghanistan: FO
• Governor rule in Balochistan to be revoked before March 14
• Backlash: MQM cries foul over ‘anti-Sindh’ move
• Zardari raises concerns over drone attacks with US delegation
Mideast Asia
• Iran’s first encounter with 3G technology chastised by Fatwa
• Islamic culture heritage stolen by Israel: Claims Al-Aqsa Foundation
• Iranian letter to Egypt's Morsi draws fire from Islamist critics
• Iran demands end to coercive diplomacy
• Iran Is Said to Move to New Machines for Making Nuclear Fuel
• Prisoner X wasn’t noticed hanging ‘for an hour’
• Hunger striker Issawi sentenced by Israel to eight months in jail
Europe
• Orthodox Jewish community rabbi arrested for sex assault in London
• Swedish artist to paint Mohammed after death threats
• Russia accuses US over UN statement on Syria attack
• Russia Sends Humanitarian Aid to Mali
Africa
• Mali troops battle Islamists in Gao, courthouse ablaze
• 'Five dead in new car bombing in northern Mali'
• Rebels claim Mali car bomb, troops battle Islamists
• Leaked video of Qaddafi son’s first court hearing
• Tunisia's Islamist to Pick Hardliner for PM
• Muslims playing active role in Togo
• Libya creeping toward democracy
Southeast Asia
• Malaysia busts child trafficking syndicate, rescues victims
• Indonesia's Drug Spread 'Alarming', says narcotics chief
• Islamists want tougher laws for foreign NGOs in Indonesia
• Philippine leader flays armed group claiming Malaysia’s Borneo Island
• Gunmen attack Indonesian military chopper in Papua
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: US condemns Hyderabad blasts, offers assistance in probe
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamic-terror-misnomer,-says-scholar/d/10524
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North America
Islamic terror a misnomer, says US scholar of Islamic studies
22nd February 2013
Disapproving of the western world’s belief that there is growing Islamic terrorism in the world, noted scholar of Islamic studies Prof Bruce Bennett Lawrence has said ‘Islamic terrorism’ or ‘Islamic fundamentalism’ is non-existent.
Lawrence, who authored a book on Osama bin Laden and has been studying Islam for more than 50 years, said the term ‘Islamic fundamentalism’ came into existence after religion mixed with politics in the last 75 years.
Talking with reporters at the US consulate-general here on Thursday, Lawrence ascertained that the right term to address the issue would be ‘Islamism’.
The scholar, who was on the international advisory board for the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies, said that Islam got radicalised over the years as it became a ‘political project’.
Comparing Hindutva with it, he said, “Hindutva also practices that religion and politics are the same. ”
Lawrence researched both Hinduism and Islam as a part of his thesis for his doctorate which he obtained from the Yale University in 1972. “Fundamentalism does not fit both Islam and Hinduism,” he remarked.
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/article1474011.ece
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US condemns Hyderabad blasts, offers assistance in probe
February 22, 2013
The United States on Thursday strongly condemned the terrorist bombings in Hyderabad that killed a dozen people and offered assistance in investigation if requested by the Indian government.
US secretary of state John Kerry, who is scheduled to meet visiting foreign secretary,
Ranjan Mathai, in a few hours would also personally convey his condolences on the terrorist attacks in Hyderabad, his spokesperson told reporters at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department.
"We condemn the cowardly attack in Hyderabad, India, in the strongest possible terms, and we extend our deepest sympathies to those affected and to the people of India," the state department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, told reporters at her daily news conference.
"As you know, secretary Kerry will have a chance to see Indian foreign secretary Mathai later this afternoon, and he will convey our sympathies in person and affirm our support for India during this difficult time," she said.
"The United States stands with India in combating the scourge of terrorism, and we are also prepared to offer any and all assistance that Indian authorities may need," Nuland said.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/americas/US-condemns-Hyderabad-blasts-offers-assistance-in-probe/Article1-1015489.aspx
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CAIR Condemns Bombing, Sectarianism in Pakistan
2/21/13
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/21/13) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, today sent a letter to Pakistan's ambassador in Washington, D.C., to condemn a recent deadly bomb attack in that nation and to offer support for efforts to promote pluralism.
In his letter to Ambassador Sherry Rehman, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad wrote in part:
"I wish to express the American Muslim community's condemnation of the recent bomb attack on Pakistan's Shia Hazara community that killed more than 80 people and injured many more.
"American Muslims repudiate the destructive and un-Islamic sectarian ideology that leads to these types of tragedies. We stand with you and with all those in Pakistan who seek a society based not on sectarian divisions, but instead on freedom and justice for every citizen, regardless of their background or beliefs.
"We look forward to seeing more measures put in place to help prevent sectarian provocation and violence.
"Please let me know how we can assist you in your efforts to promote pluralism, tolerance and mutual understanding."
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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Trial in Ireland delays U.S. plans to pursue "Jihad Jane" case
22nd February 2013
(Reuters) - The phone call from Ireland to Michigan lasted only five minutes. But what was said - and the criminal charge that followed - continue to complicate U.S. plans to prosecute an Algerian man at the vortex of the so-called Jihad Jane terrorism conspiracy.
Ali Charaf Damache cannot be extradited to the United States to face terrorism charges until Irish authorities finish prosecuting him for the relatively minor crime of making a threatening phone call to an activist in Detroit.
Full report at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/21/us-usa-jihadjane-trial-idUSBRE91K1F820130221
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Let Obama bring his Bible to Jerusalem
February 22, 2013
NEW YORK, February 21, 2013 - This might be a good time for some Bible diplomacy as the President prepares to visit Israel March 20.
Every right to build on the land of Israel was already codified and blessed for the Jewish people in Scriptures.
Forget the resolutions, the editorialists, the boycotters, the sum of which go whoring for terrorists but deny Israel her legitimacies throughout the land. The “settlements,” they say, are all “occupied territories” and remain an obstacle to peace. Jewish Israelis should be replaced, and the territories should made Judenfrei (free of Jews, as it goes in German).
Full report at:
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/novelists-view-
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Determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons: US
Feb 22, 2013
WASHINGTON: In a bid to deter Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, the US on Thursday warned Tehran of more sanctions and international isolations if it goes ahead with the nuclear weapons policy.
"We have been clear that the United States is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and we have also been clear that we believe there is still time to resolve this issue diplomatically," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters here on Thursday.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Determined-to-prevent-Iran-from-acquiring-nuclear-weapons-US/articleshow/18622168.cms
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The spook who couldn’t see the perils of jihad
John Brennan’s war without the enemy
By Alex Cortes
John Brennan, President Obama’s nominee for CIA director, does not believe we are at war with jihadists because “jihad is a holy struggle, a legitimate tenet of Islam, meaning to purify oneself or one’s community, and there’s nothing holy, legitimate, or Islamic about murdering innocent men and women.”
On May 26, 2010, speaking at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Mr. Brennan said, “Nor do we describe our enemy as jihadists or Islamists.”
Full report at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/21/the-spook-who-couldnt-see-the-perils-of-jihad/#ixzz2LbQ8I5tr
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Arab World
Egypt Mufti Did Not Issue Fatwa to Kill Opposition Figures: Senior Cleric
22 February 2013
Special Advisor to Egypt’s Grand Mufti Dr. Ibrahim Negm denied on Thursday that the mufti Dr. Ali Gomaa issued a fatwa sanctioning the killing of opposition figures as claimed by ultra-conservative preacher Mohamed Ahmed Abdullah, also known as Abu Islam.
The controversial Abu Islam stated Wednesday on the Islamist al-Ummah channel, which he owns, that Grand Mufti Sheikh Ali Gomaa said that whoever opposes President Mohamed Mursi, the “legitimate ruler of the nation,” as he put it, will be punished by death and claimed he had an audio-visual proof of that.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/02/22/267660.html
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Gunmen execute seven anti-Qaeda militiamen in Iraq
February 22, 2013
Gunmen executed seven Iraqi anti-Qaeda militiamen and wounded one at a checkpoint they were manning northeast of Baghdad on Friday, officials said. The attack took place in the village of Halaiwat, near the disputed town of Tuz Khurmatu, at about 2 am local time, said a police officer.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/restofasia/Gunmen-execute-seven-anti-Qaeda-militiamen-in-Iraq/Article1-1015636.aspx
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Saudisation: ‘Survival of private firms hinges on hiring Saudis’
22 February 2013
Private sector companies will continue hiring young Saudis because their survival depends on their compliance with Saudisation quotas under the “Nitaqat” (naturalization) program and the newly introduced work permit fees.
Such is the conclusion of a report from the commerce committee at the Eastern Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ERCCI) on laws and regulations recently introduced by the Ministry of Labour.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/%E2%80%98survival-private-firms-hinges-hiring-saudis%E2%80%99
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Spate of bombings killed at least 83 in Damascus: NGO
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 83 people were killed during series of car bombings in Damascus Thursday
22 Feb 2013
A spate of car bombings in Damascus on Thursday killed at least 83 people, including more than 60 in an attack near the headquarters of the ruling Baath party, a watchdog said.
The most lethal attack, in central Damascus, was by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives-laden car near the entrance of the Baath party's main offices, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/65327/World/Region/Spate-of-bombings-killed-at-least--in-Damascus-NGO.aspx
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Gunmen kill 4 soldiers in Iraq
February 21, 2013
BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials say gunmen have attacked an army checkpoint north of Baghdad, killing four soldiers and wounding four others.
Police officials say gunmen in two cars sprayed the checkpoint with bullets early on Thursday in the town of in Duluiayah. The town is about 75 km north of the Iraqi capital.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130222154169
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Egypt’s President Morsi Is The New American Stalwart In The Region
By Abid Mustafa
20 February, 2013
Ever since assuming the office of the Presidency, Morsi has worked resolutely to portray himself as a moderate Islamist working independent of American influence for the betterment of Egypt and the region. But beneath the veneer of Islamic rhetoric surrounding his domestic and foreign policy actions, Morsi is no better than his predecessor Mubarak— the former custodian of American interests in the region.
Full report at:
http://www.countercurrents.org/mustafa200213.htm
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Egypt parliamentary vote set for April 27: Presidency
Feb 22, 2013
CAIRO: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday called parliamentary elections starting April 27, according to a presidential decree.
Voting will take place in four stages with the new People's Assembly invited to convene on July 6, according to the decree.
The election comes at a time when Egypt is gripped by unrest, insecurity and a crippling economic crisis and the country is deeply divided between Morsi's mainly Islamist supporters and a liberal-led opposition.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypt-parliamentary-vote-set-for-April-27-Presidency/articleshow/18621592.cms
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Hezbollah Courier Was Told to Track Israeli Flights
By NICHOLAS KULISH
February 22, 2013
LIMASSOL, Cyprus — A Hezbollah operative who worked as a courier for the group in Europe said at his trial on Thursday that he had instructions to record the arrival times of passenger flights from Israel to Cyprus, prompting Israel to press the European Union to formally declare the militant group a terrorist organization.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/world/europe/testimony-in-trial-of-hezbollah-operative-continues-in-cyprus.html?ref=middleeast
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Egypt protest group signs Morsi up to go to space
Egyptian opposition group finds a novel way to protest against president: Sign him up for space travel contest
Associated Press
02.22.13
The April 6 Youth Movement said on its official Facebook page Thursday that it had entered the Islamist leader's name in the online contest because it wanted to be rid of him. It called on supporters to vote for the president so he'd have a chance to win the trip into space.
There was no immediate response from the president's press office to an email seeking comment.
Full report at:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4348127,00.html
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Third Bahraini Shia protester dead: Opposition
Feb 22, 2013
MANAMA: A Shia protester died of wounds after he was shot during clashes with Bahraini police on the second anniversary of the February 14, 2011 uprising, the opposition said on Friday.
Mahmud al-Jaziri, 20, succumbed on Thursday to wounds suffered when he was "hit with a direct shot to the head by regime forces during peaceful protests" marking the uprising, the main Shia opposition Al-Wefaq group said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Third-Bahraini-Shia-protester-dead-Opposition/articleshow/18629088.cms
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South Asia
China provides Rs 136 bn loan for Pak nuclear plants
Feb 22 2013
Islamabad : China has provided a loan of Rs 136 billion for two nuclear power plants that Pakistan expects to commission by 2016, the state-run media reported today.
The power plants of 340MW each are being built with Chinese assistance at the Chashma nuclear complex in Punjab province.
The "construction of these power plants became possible after a long-standing agreement", official sources were quoted as saying by APP news agency.
The total cost of the two plants is Rs 190 billion and they will be partially funded by a Chinese loan of Rs 136 billion, the sources said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/china-provides-rs-136-bn-loan-for-pak-nuclear-plants/1078195/
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Afghanistan turns down Pakistan's request to hand over senior Pakistani Taliban commander Feb 22 2013
Islamabad: Afghanistan today refused to hand over senior Pakistani Taliban commander Maulvi Faqir Mohammad hours after Islamabad requested his extradition following his capture by Afghan forces.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar had taken up the handing over of Faqir Mohammad during a phone conversation with her Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rassoul on Wednesday night but Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Musazai ruled out his extradition. The Taliban commander was captured by Afghan intelligence operatives in the eastern part of Afghanistan on Monday.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/afghanistan-turns-down-pakistans-request-to-hand-over-maulvi-faqir/1078093/
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Four killed in Bangladesh clashes over 'atheist bloggers'
Feb 22, 2013
DHAKA: Bangladesh police fired live rounds on Friday in fierce clashes with Islamists demanding the execution of bloggers they accuse of blasphemy, killing at least four people and injuring about 200.
Two people were shot dead by police in the northwestern town of Palashbari, and two others died elsewhere, police told AFP.
Parts of the capital Dhaka were turned into a battlefield as thousands of protesters attacked police with bricks and sticks in front of the national mosque. Officers there retaliated with rubber bullets and tear gas.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Four-killed-in-Bangladesh-clashes-over-atheist-bloggers/articleshow/18630606.cms
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NATO Plan Tries to Avoid Sweeping Cuts in Afghan Troops
By THOM SHANKER
February 22, 2013
BRUSSELS — NATO defense ministers are seriously considering a new proposal to sustain Afghanistan’s security forces at 352,000 troops through 2018, senior alliance officials said Thursday. The expensive effort is viewed as a way to help guarantee the country’s stability — and, just as much, to illustrate continued foreign support after the NATO allies end their combat mission in Afghanistan next year.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/us/philip-m-breedlove-is-likely-candidate-for-top-nato-post.html?ref=asia&gwh=2A2AD1C3A41D9AA764B0623939A42D4D
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India
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemns Hyderabad attack
Feb 22 2013
Washington : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has joined the international community in condemning the terrorist attack in Hyderabad that killed more than a dozen people and injuring scores of others.
"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the indiscriminate attacks against civilians which occurred in the Indian city of Hyderabad," said a statement issued by the office of the UN Secretary General yesterday.
"He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of India," the statement said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/un-secretary-general-ban-kimoon-condemns-hyderabad-attack/1078086/
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Indian minister urged to take up Huroob, issue with Saudi officials
22 February 2013
Indian expatriate groups have high hopes that the visit of Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid to Saudi Arabia will help resolve the issue of fraudulent huroob (unjust accusation of running away from a sponsor) that has landed many Indians in Saudi jails or prevented them from returning to India.
Unfortunately, however, Khurshid has postponed his visit to the Kingdom for unexplained reasons. He was scheduled to leave New Delhi for Riyadh on Saturday morning to hold bilateral meetings with Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and other senior Saudi officials.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/indian-minister-urged-take-huroob-issue-saudi-officials
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Forward movement in Maldives crisis: India
February 22 2013
Male/New Delhi: India on Friday said there has been "some forward movement" in resolving the crisis after former president Mohamed Nasheed took refuge at the Indian High Commission in Male.
Maldives President Mohamed Waheed has said Nasheed staying at the Indian mission will not undermine ties with New Delhi.
In an interview on Thursday with prominent Maldives daily Haveeru, Waheed also said that the Indian High Commission had no choice but to let Nasheed stay at the chancery as it must extend courtesies to a former head of state.
Full report at:
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/forward-movement-in-maldives-crisis-india_830840.html
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Hyderabad twin blasts: Toll goes up to 16
Feb 22, 2013
HYDERABAD: The death toll in the twin blasts in the city today mounted to 16 with two more persons succumbing to their injuries in a hospital.
"Till now, out of 14 bodies, 12 have been handed over to their kin. Two more bodies are in the mortuary. One has to be identified. 14 bodies have directly been sent to Osmania Hospital. Two more are awaited from private hospitals," a senior doctor at the state-run Osmania General Hospital said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Hyderabad-twin-blasts-Toll-goes-up-to-16/articleshow/18625390.cms
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Dialogue only way for peace, say Indian scholars in a Saudi organised Conference
22 February 2013
At the conclusion of the two-day international conference on “India and the Muslim World in the 21st Century” which was held here in New Delhi recently has resolved that resolution of conflicts in religions and cultures through dialogue is the only instrument for the restoration and continuation of world peace.
The international conference appreciated all efforts in this direction including the establishment of the Centre for Dialogue in Vienna by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/dialogue-only-way-peace-say-indian-scholars
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Prime Minister on Hyderabad blasts: Guilty won't go unpunished
Feb 22, 2013
NEW DELHI: In a statement he scrutinized and cleared even as Cabinet deliberations were yet to conclude, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the Hyderabad blasts and promised tough action against the guilty.
News of the double blasts in Hyderabad on Thursday reached Singh just as Thursday's Cabinet meeting was winding up and the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) slated to discuss the Sethu Samudram project was to begin. The CCPA was followed by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Prime-Minister-on-Hyderabad-blasts-Guilty-wont-go-unpunished/articleshow/18621621.cms
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Hyderabad bomb blasts: Dilsukhnagar has been on Indian Mujahideen radar since 1999
Feb 22, 2013
NEW DELHI: The twin blasts at Hyderabad are suspected to be the handiwork of Indian Mujahideen(IM) commander Riyaz Bhatkal. Although intelligence agencies are in no rush to jump to a judgment, their suspicion of IM's role is derived from the fact that the terror outfit had targeted precisely the same spot — near the foot overbridge in Dilsukhnagar — on August 25, 2007 when IM carried out serial blasts in Hyderabad.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Hyderabad-bomb-blasts-Dilsukhnagar-has-been-on-Indian-Mujahideen-radar-since-1999/articleshow/18618850.cms
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Mirwaiz placed under house arrest in Kashmir
Feb 21, 2013
SRINAGAR: Chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference MirwaizUmarFarooq was today placed under house arrest here soon after his arrival from New Delhi.
The Mirwaiz, who was under house arrest in Delhi following hanging of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru on February 9, was allowed to return to the Valley.
He was escorted by a police posse from Srinagar Airport to his Nigeen residence and served with the house arrest order, Hurriyat spokesman said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mirwaiz-placed-under-house-arrest-in-Kashmir/articleshow/18611981.cms
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Three men including a Bangladeshi arrested for rape of Indian in Maldives
Feb 22, 2013
MALE: Three men including a Bangladeshi has been arrested by the Maldivian police for the brutal rape and assault of an Indian teacher in the country.
The young Indian computer teacher, who was raped in Alif Dhaal Atoll Dhangethi on February 11, suffered serious sexual trauma, police said.
Head of Serious and Organised Crime Department Mohamed Dawood said that the Indian teacher was raped at knife point and was still being treated at the Atoll Hospital for injuries sustained during the ordeal.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Three-men-including-a-Bangladeshi-arrested-for-rape-of-Indian/articleshow/18630737.cms
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India is powerful enough to meet any challenge: Farooq Abdullah
Feb 22 2013
New Delhi : India is surrounded by threats and the country is powerful enough to meet any challenge at any time, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah today said, condemning the twin blasts in Hyderabad that left 16 dead.
Abdullah also termed as "speculation" BJP's allegation that the deadly explosions yesterday were a vengeful act for the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. “India has threats all the time. We are surrounded by threats. We have to meet these threats. India has to move on and can't be cowed down by this,” Abdullah said outside Parliament House, adding, the country has to fight the menace and move forward.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/india-is-powerful-enough-to-meet-any-challengefarooq-abdullah/1078160/
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Charge sheet filed against Pune blast accused
Feb 22 2013
New Delhi : Five suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives, arrested here in connection with the Pune blast last year, were asked by their masters to arrange logistics for strikes in the national capital, Delhi Police told a local court. IM cadres were hiding in Maharashtra, Karnataka and AP, it said in a charge sheet.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/charge-sheet-filed-against-pune-blast-accused/1078034/
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Terror plot: NIA drops charges against 2, including scribe
Feb 22 2013
Bangalore : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has decided to drop charges against two persons, including a journalist, accused in an alleged terrorism plot spanning three states for lack of evidence and has also not named two others, including a DRDO scientist, accused in the same plot in its first charge sheet in the case.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/terror-plot-nia-drops-charges-against-2-including-scribe/1077834/
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Sarabjit Singh signs fresh appeal seeking clemency
Feb 22 2013
Lahore : Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh has signed a fresh appeal seeking clemency that is addressed to the people of Pakistan and President Asif Ali Zardari, his lawyer said today.
"Sarabjit has signed an appeal addressed jointly to the people of Pakistan and President Zardari and it will be sent to him (Zardari) for consideration," Awais Sheikh, the counsel for the Indian national, said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sarabjit-singh-signs-fresh-appeal-seeking-clemency/1078128/
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Pakistan
Pakistan condemns India bomb attacks, says all terrorism 'unjustifiable'
Feb 22, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today strongly condemned the bomb blasts in the Indian city of Hyderabad that killed at least 16 people, saying terrorism in all its forms is one of the most serious threats to international peace.
"Pakistan strongly condemns the bomb blasts in Hyderabad, India, last night causing several deaths and injuries," foreign office spokesman Moazzam Khan said in a statement.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-condemns-India-bomb-attacks-says-all-terrorism-unjustifiable/articleshow/18626147.cms
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Hazara killers — supported from Punjab to the Middle East
February 22, 2013
In the aftermath of the Quetta massacre, the arrests of a few Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants have been looked upon warily as nothing more than a ploy to placate an angry nation.
If there was sincerity and strategic considerations behind this move, however, the headquarters of the Sunni extremist group in Punjab would have been dismantled much earlier.
But with elections approaching, a full-fledged and whole-hearted operation against such militant groups seems highly unlikely, especially in the Punjab, the breeding ground of sectarian militants. This has much to do with the fact that in Punjab, extremist and militant groups have a strong electoral presence.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/02/21/hazara-killers-supported-from-punjab-to-the-middle-east/
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Suicides in Hazara: 10 deaths reported in two months
February 22, 2013
HARIPUR: Incidents of attempted and committed suicides have increased drastically over last two months in Hazara Division. As many as 10 deaths suicide cases have been reported from across three districts of the region.
Haripur
Four people including a woman, committed suicide owing to financial problems in Haripur. Meanwhile, Waris Khan, 25, a resident of Malikyar village, consumed rat poison and was taken to Women and Children Hospital. Luckily, he survived.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/510735/suicides-in-hazara-10-deaths-reported-in-two-months/
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39 Quetta victims airlifted to Karachi; woman dies
February 22, 2013
KARACHI: One of the 39 wounded victims of the Quetta blast being airlifted to the city along with their relatives died during the journey in the early hours of Thursday.
At least 87 people were killed and over hundred others, mostly belonging to the Shia Hazara community were wounded in the blast on Tirani Road last Saturday.
According to police investigators, between 800 and 1,000 kilos of explosives were used in the blast.
Full report at:
the expenses of medical treatment of all the wounded victims, said Maulana Taqvi.
http://dawn.com/2013/02/22/39-quetta-victims-airlifted-to-karachi-woman-dies/
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Holy imprints of Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Sikhism in National Museum of Pakistan
By Shameen Khan and DAWN.COM
February 22, 2013
KARACHI: Over 50 highly rare and old manuscripts are put on display at a special exhibition inaugurated at the National Museum of Pakistan.
The exhibition of manuscripts titled “Tasawwuf and Interfaith” organised by the Sindh culture department and the International Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony will continue till Feb 26.
One of the 50 manuscripts on display is over 1,000 years old, said to be the oldest one that the museum has, and another one is around 800 years old while the rest are three to four hundred years old.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/02/22/holy-imprints-from-another-time/
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Lashkar-i-Jhangvi leader Malik Ishaq arrested in Rahim Yar Khan
February 22, 2013
RAHIMYAR KHAN: The leader of the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) has surrendered himself to authorities, police said on Friday, a week after the banned religious outfit claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing in Quetta killing over 90 people.
Senior police officer Ashfaq Gujar said Malik Ishaq was arrested from his residence at the Airport Road in the central city of Rahim Yar Khan on Friday.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/02/22/lj-leader-malik-ishaq-arrested-in-rahim-yar-khan/
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Grandson of Bugti acquitted
February 22, 2013
QUETTA: Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, grandson of the late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, and his 15 security guards were acquitted of charges of smuggling weapons on Thursday by an additional district and sessions judge.
Nuroz Hoath, the judge, ordered release of the accused who had been arrested by Frontier Corps personnel at Belili checkpoint on Dec 22, 2010, on charges of smuggling illegal weapons from Afghanistan. The FC had also said that it had seized a large quantity of weapons.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/02/22/grandson-of-bugti-acquitted/
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Pakistani facing extradition from UK to US over hacking
February 22, 2013
LONDON: A Pakistani student failed Thursday in a High Court bid to avoid extradition from Britain to the United States on computer hacking allegations stemming from an FBI “sting.”
Usman Ahzaz, 24, came to Britain to study for a degree in information systems and computing.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/02/21/pakistani-facing-extradition-from-uk-to-us-over-hacking/
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Pakistan wants permanent peace in Afghanistan: FO
February 22, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Reiterating its commitment to any dialogue process for bringing peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan, Pakistan on Thursday voiced its full support for an Afghan-led reconciliation process.
“Pakistan wants permanent peace in Afghanistan and will support any effort in this regard,” said the Foreign Office Spokesman Moazzam Ahmed Khan in his weekly briefing here at Foreign Office.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2013/02/21/pakistan-wants-permanent-peace-in-afghanistan-fo/
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Governor rule in Balochistan to be revoked before March 14
February 22, 2013
BALOCHISTAN: Law Minister Farooq H Naek said that governor’s rule in Balochistan will be revoked before March 14, Express News reported on Friday.
He added that extension order of governor’s rule was needed after two months from parliament’s giant session, but government had no intention of extending the order.
Naek said that establishing a caretaker government ahead of announcing national elections was a constitutional requirement and the government had to undertake negotiations with the opposition parties and the speaker of the National Assembly to make this happen.
The federal government had imposed governor rule in mid January after a massive terrorist attack in Quetta that killed over 100 people.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/511066/governor-rule-in-balochistan-to-be-revoked-before-march-14/
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Backlash: MQM cries foul over ‘anti-Sindh’ move
February 22, 2013
HYDERABAD / KARACHI: Censuring the Pakistan Peoples Party for retracting the Sindh Peoples Local Government Ordinance (SPLGO), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has said that the PPP is once again trying to create rifts between Sindhis and Urdu-speaking people.
According to a press statement issued by the party after a meeting of the Coordination Committee held in both Karachi and London, the leaders said that the government has brought back the 1979 system of local bodies which was introduced by military dictator General Ziaul Haq. “The PPP has taken back the system which it had made on its own, and has gone back to the one which was introduced by the dictator who was responsible for Bhutto’s execution.”
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/510966/backlash-mqm-cries-foul-over-anti-sindh-move/
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Zardari raises concerns over drone attacks with US delegation
Feb 22, 2013
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday described US drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas as "counterproductive", saying the two countries need to "find a way out" in the campaign against militants operating in the region.
The drone attacks are causing "great damage" among the people, Zardari told a visiting delegation of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee headed by its chairman Robert Menendez during a meeting at the presidency.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Zardari-raises-concerns-over-drone-attacks-with-US-delegation/articleshow/18619361.cms
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Mideast Asia
Iran’s first encounter with 3G technology chastised by Fatwa
22 February 2013
Four grand ayatollahs issued a fatwa that strips Iran’s third mobile phone operator from its rights to use a new 3G mobile internet operator.
The fatwa was issued towards Iran’s mobile service provider, Rightel, which enables customers to use video calling and multi-media messaging technology. The service uses 3G technology which is Iranian’s first encounter with telecommunication expansion.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/02/22/267706.html
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Islamic culture heritage stolen by Israel: Claims Al-Aqsa Foundation
February 22, 2013
A statement released by Al-Aqsa Foundation has demanded the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other international institutions take solid steps to stop the smuggling of historical artefacts by Israel.
“Israel is stealing the Arabic and Islamic cultural heritage in Jerusalem in the name of urban transformation,” the Al-Aqsa Foundation and Cultural Heritage Organization in Jerusalem has said, continuing:
“Jerusalem as a whole is exposed to the attacks of Israel on Islamic and Arabic artefacts. Israel is stealing the Arabic and Islamic cultural heritage in Jerusalem in the name of urban transformation.”
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/islamic-culture-heritage-stolen-by-israel-claim.aspx?pageID=238&nid=41521
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Iranian letter to Egypt's Morsi draws fire from Islamist critics
Letter endorsed by Iranian academics promoting Iran's Shia-Muslim system of governance is slammed by Egyptian Islamist critics who say it represents 'interference in Egypt's domestic affairs'
Ahmed Eleiba
21 Feb 2013
A recent letter from members of Iran's political leadership to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has provoked an angry reaction on the part of certain Egyptian political quarters, including the Muslim Brotherhood group from which Morsi hails.
In a letter to Morsi endorsed by 17 Iranian experts and academics, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly called on the Egyptian president to adopt Iran's 'Guardianship of the Jurist' political system.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/65302/Egypt/Politics-/Iranian-letter-to-Egypts-Morsi-draws-fire-from-Isl.aspx
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Iran demands end to coercive diplomacy
ATUL ANEJA
February 22, 2013
Seeks genuine engagement, based on “mutual respect”
As the countdown for nuclear talks hosted by Kazakhstan begins, Iran has counselled the global powers to abandon their strategy of combining pressure and dialogue, and replace it with a policy of genuine engagement, based on “mutual respect”.
Speaking in New York at the Asia Society on Wednesday, Iran’s permanent representative to the U.N., Mohammad Khazaee urged the West to discard “the two-track policy of pressure and engagement” with Tehran.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/iran-demands-end-to-coercive-diplomacy/article4439879.ece
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Iran Is Said to Move to New Machines for Making Nuclear Fuel
By DAVID E. SANGER and WILLIAM J. BROAD
February 22, 2013
WASHINGTON — Just days before Iran enters its first nuclear talks with the West since the summer, international nuclear inspectors said Thursday that the country has begun installing a new generation of equipment that should give it the ability to produce nuclear fuel much faster.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/world/middleeast/iran-upgrading-nuclear-equipment-
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Prisoner X wasn’t noticed hanging ‘for an hour’
22 February 2013
JERUSALEM: Israeli guards supposedly keeping a round-the-clock watch on a mystery dual nationality prisoner held in isolation failed to notice his suicide for a full hour, a newspaper reported yesterday.
Although his cell was fitted with four CCTV cameras, the guards did not see Ben Zygier, identified by media as an Australian-Israeli Mossad agent, remove a sheet from his bed and take it with him into the shower cubicle.
“For an unknown reason, none of the guards discerned him doing that,” the Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/prisoner-x-wasn%E2%80%99t-noticed-hanging-%E2%80%98-hour%E2%80%99
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Hunger striker Issawi sentenced by Israel to eight months in jail
Palestinian hunger striker Samer Issawi faces an imprisonment sentence of eight months, his sister says on Facebook
21 Feb 2013
An Israeli magistrate's court issued an eight-month imprisonment verdict against Palestinian political prisoner Samer Issawi, 33, who has been on hunger strike for 214 consecutive days, his sister, Sherine, said on her Facebook account on Thursday.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/65298/World/Region/Hunger-striker-Issawi-sentenced-by-Israel-to-eight.aspx
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Europe
Orthodox Jewish community rabbi arrested for sex assault in London
February 22, 2013
LONDON — A rabbi from an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in London has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and perverting the course of justice, police and media reports said Thursday.
Police said a 54-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday, and he was named by the BBC and the online Times of Israel newspaper as Rabbi Chaim Halpern, who leads a synagogue in Golders Green in north London.
Full report at:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130222154207
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Swedish artist to paint Mohammed after death threats
Lars Vilks is not yielding to death threats; he plans to exhibit controversial paintings of Prophet Mohammed in Sweden's Malmoe where 100,000 people with 'Muslim background' reside
22 Feb 2013
A Swedish artist who received death threats after depicting the Prophet Mohammed as a dog said Wednesday he would display new paintings of the prophet at an exhibition in the immigrant-heavy city of Malmoe later this year.
"It's important to continue because if you yield to the threats and back away, you have abandoned the democratic principle," Lars Vilks said.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/25/65330/Arts--Culture/Visual-Art/Swedish-artist-to-paint-Mohammed-after-death-threa.aspx
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Russia accuses US over UN statement on Syria attack
Feb 22, 2013
UNITED NATIONS: Russia has accused US diplomats of blocking a UN Security Council condemnation of a bomb attack in the Syrian capital that left at least 59 dead.
Russia's UN mission said the United States "encourages" militant attacks by blocking the council's statements on attacks in Syria. Diplomats said however that Russia had in turn refused to include language criticizing ally President Bashar al-Assad.
The bomb near the offices of Assad's ruling party in Damascus also badly damaged the Russian embassy. Syrian activists said at least 59 people were killed.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Russia-accuses-US-over-UN-statement-on-Syria-attack/articleshow/18624835.cms
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Russia Sends Humanitarian Aid to Mali
By DAVID HERSZENHORN
February 22, 2013
MOSCOW – Russia dispatched a planeload of humanitarian aid to war-stricken Mali on Friday, a day after Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov warned about the spread of terrorism in North Africa, which the Russian government has blamed on Western intervention in Libya.
Mr. Lavrov met on Thursday with the United Nations special envoy, Romano Prodi, to discuss the situation in Mali where Russia has supported the French-led effort to oust Islamic militants. But Russia has also blamed the West for the unrest and singled out the French in particular for arming of rebels that ousted Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/world/africa/russia-sends-humanitarian-aid-to-mali.html?ref=europe
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Africa
Mali troops battle Islamists in Gao, courthouse ablaze
Military source reveals the eruption of fight in the French-controlled city of Gao against 'Jihadists' in Mali
21 Feb 2013
Malian troops were battling armed Islamists in the northern city of Gao on Thursday in clashes that left the main courthouse in flames, an AFP correspondent and a military source said.
Fighting had first erupted overnight in Gao, where a military official and witnesses reported heavy gunfire around two main entrances to the main city in the north of the country.
"Our forces are currently confronting the jihadists near the Gao townhouse. They have infiltrated the city and we are currently retaliating," Amadou Diarra, a Malian army captain, told AFP in Bamako.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/65287/World/International/Mali-troops-battle-Islamists-in-Gao,-courthouse-ab.aspx
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'Five dead in new car bombing in northern Mali'
Feb 22, 2013
BAMAKO: At least five people were killed on Friday when two car bombs went off in northeast Mali, security sources told AFP, adding that the toll included the two suicide bombers.
"Two kamikaze vehicles targeting civilians" and members of the Tuareg rebel group the MNLA exploded near the town of Tessalit, a security source said. The MNLA confirmed the report.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Five-dead-in-new-car-bombing-in-northern-Mali/articleshow/18628205.cms
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Rebels claim Mali car bomb, troops battle Islamists
Al-Qaeda-linked Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa claims responsibility for suicide bombing near camp occupied by French and Chadian troops in Mali, warns of more attacks
22 Feb 2013
Al-Qaeda-linked rebels claimed a car bomb attack near a camp housing French troops as Malian and foreign forces battled to secure Mali's volatile north against Islamist fighters.
At least two civilians were wounded after a vehicle exploded just 500 metres (yards) from a camp occupied by French and Chadian troops in the city of Kidal, local officials said, in what appeared to be the first such attack in the conflict.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/65328/World/International/Rebels-claim-Mali-car-bomb,-troops-battle-Islamist.aspx
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Leaked video of Qaddafi son’s first court hearing
22 February 2013
Seif al-Islam Qaddafi, the son of the slain Libyan strongman, has appeared for the first time behind bars in a court facing charges of jeopardizing the country’s national security.
The video was leaked by Libya’s television channel Al-Jabal and rapidly spread across the web. Seif al-Islam, who was captured in November 2011, was addressed in the video by the judge in the first day of an anticipated long trial.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/02/22/267719.html
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Tunisia's Islamist to Pick Hardliner for PM
February 22, 2013
TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's main Islamist Ennahda party will pick a hardliner to replace moderate outgoing Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali after he declined to head the next government, a party official said on Thursday.
Jebali, who is secretary-general of Ennahda, resigned on Tuesday after his plan for an apolitical technocrat cabinet to prepare for elections collapsed, largely because of opposition from within his own party and its leader, Rached Ghannouchi.
"Jebali declined to accept nomination (for next prime minister)," Ennahda said. "A new candidate will be presented to the president of the republic this week."
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/02/21/world/africa/21reuters-tunisia-
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Muslims playing active role in Togo
22 February 2013
Islam reached Togo about the same time as it did in much of West Africa. Tribes and other communities of the region came in contact with Islam in the 1700’s that came across the salt and gold trade routes. The Berber and Tuareg merchants traveled the trans-Saharan trade routes.
Muslim scholars, teaching their beliefs and establishing mosques and madrassas along the routes, accompanied traders on their journeys. The Hausa and the Fulani, a traditionally nomadic group, traveled all over West Africa, taking their Muslim beliefs to places such as present-day Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/muslims-playing-active-role-togo
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Libya creeping toward democracy
22 February 2013
Libyans poured into the streets last weekend to celebrate the second anniversary of the revolution that ousted autocrat Muammar Qaddafi and set Libya on the road to democracy. Two years later, there has been mixed success but Libyans say they are still in the mood to celebrate.
“It was amazing, just awesome,” Khawla Msalatik, a young female journalist with The Tripoli Post said about the Tripoli celebration. “Everybody was so happy. We were singing and dancing and climbing on top of the cars. I am 100 percent optimistic about the country’s future.”
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/libya-creeping-toward-democracy
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Southeast Asia
Malaysia busts child trafficking syndicate, rescues victims
‘The babies and children were aged between a month and nine years’
February 22, 2013
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian police said on Friday they have broken up a child trafficking syndicate and rescued 21 children and babies.
Police in the northern state of Penang said they arrested 43 suspects, at least 20 of them women, in a nationwide operation which began late last December.
Full report at:
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/malaysia-busts-child-trafficking-syndicate-rescues-victims-1.1149691
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Indonesia's Drug Spread 'Alarming', says narcotics chief
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja - Straits Times | February 22, 2013
Indonesia's narcotics chief says the spread of drugs in the country has reached "emergency proportions", with the number of users projected to hit a record 4.6 million by year's end if nothing is done.
Of particular concern is the rampant spread of crystal meth, which is cheap and easy to produce, National Narcotics Agency (BNN) head Anang Iskandar told reporters this week.
"It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Indonesia has entered an emergency situation on drug abuse," Commissioner General Anang said on Wednesday.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesias-drug-spread-alarming/573297
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Philippine leader flays armed group claiming Malaysia’s Borneo Island
22 February 2013
MANILA: Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Thursday criticized Filipino gunmen who entered a Malaysian state in a bizarre effort to stake a territorial claim, warning their actions could lead to conflict.
Dozens of followers of a sultan from the southern Philippines sailed over to neighbouring Sabah on the Malaysian part of Borneo Island more than a week ago to assert their centuries-old claim over the area.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/philippine-leader-flays-armed-group-claiming-malaysia%E2%80%99s-borneo-island
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Islamists want tougher laws for foreign NGOs in Indonesia
Margareth S. Aritonang
February 22 2013
Several Islamist organizations are demanding that the House of Representatives enact a law to make it difficult for foreign organizations to operate in Indonesia.
The conservative group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), for example, urged lawmakers on Thursday to pass a mass organizations bill to regulate foreign agencies in Indonesia, as well as their local partners, to prevent campaigns that might threaten the nation’s unity.
Hizbut Thahrir member Muhammad Rahmat Kurnia described the current draft of the bill as inadequate for controlling foreign NGOs. “It will legitimize their efforts to provide funding to local groups to run their spy operations in the country.”
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/02/22/islamists-want-tougher-laws-foreign-ngos.html
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Gunmen attack Indonesian military chopper in Papua
Jefrey Pattirajawane, The Associated Press
February 22 2013
Unidentified gunmen shot at an Indonesian military helicopter in the restive province of Papua on Friday as the crew was trying to evacuate the bodies of eight soldiers killed in attacks the day before.
Three crew members were wounded in Friday's attack on the Super Puma helicopter, which was forced to abort its mission and rush the injured to a hospital, said Lt. Col. Jansen Simanjuntak, an army spokesman.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/02/22/gunmen-attack-indonesian-military-chopper-papua.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamic-terror-misnomer,-says-scholar/d/10524