Mob in Athens abuses Muslims celebrating Eid
Gen. Niazi’s car, a 1971 War booty, missing
Saudi king transfers National Guard duties to son
Evidence of Islamist attack in Germany emerges
Security forces kill 3 Taliban in Shangla
Pakistan: women appeal for life of Christian condemned for blasphemy
Man gets Rs 48L offer for goat
Eid celebrated with religious fervour, gaiety
Give more military assistance to Pakistan: Powell to US
Taliban running out of bullets, bombs: Report
Pak’s Wali named accused in Kerala terror case
Musharraf cleared of Benazir Bhutto assassination charge
Obama to focus on Afghan withdrawal at Nato meet
Makkah and Madinah declared malaria-free cities
Iran starts 'biggest' air defense war games
US will help Yemen but no plans for ‘another war’: Gates
UK agrees settlement with ex-Guantanamo detainees
Seeing the Kaaba was ‘incredible,’ says South African who came on bicycle
US faces ‘huge’ cyber threat in the future
liberal Dutch mosque forced to shut down due to financial problems
Appeal against Ayodhya verdict by December: VHP
US continues to hunt for Osama
Canada confirms up to 950 troops to remain in Afghanistan
Military action won't stop Iran nuclear programme, says US
Taliban should join peace talks in Afghanistan, says Karzai
Strong Quake Strikes Off Indonesia
Transition in Afghanistan to begin in 2011 and end in 2014: US
Israel awaiting written US settlement freeze terms: official
US charges Pakistani tied to Times Square bomber
France special envoy calls on Rehman Malik
Musharraf quit presidency on Bush prodding
Homes set ablaze in Egyptian village over alleged affair
Militant group: 7 Nigerians abducted in rig attack
Hundreds of fetuses found at Thai Buddhist temple
Groups slam US move to link OFW remittances to Abu Sayyaf
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/mob-athens-abuses-muslims-celebrating/d/3692
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Mob in Athens abuses Muslims celebrating Eid
Nov.16, 2010
ATHENS: Dozens of far-right activists and local residents threw eggs and taunted hundreds of Muslim immigrants as they gathered to pray in a central square for Eidul Azha surrounded by a protective cordon of riot police.
Greece, which has become the main immigrant gateway to the European Union, has a growing Muslim community and tensions between locals and incomers have run high in some Athens areas such as Attiki square, the scene of Tuesday’s incident.
Athens’ Muslim community is without an official mosque and prayers are usually held at cultural centres or community halls or private apartments around the city. The Muslim community in Greece is estimated at about 1 million, in a country where most people are Greek Orthodox Christians.
While the Muslims prayed, some locals shouted obscenities from their balconies and waved Greek flags. Leaflets that depicted pigs were scattered across the square.
“There is a (unofficial) mosque near here but we’re afraid to go there,” said a 30-year old migrant from Bangladesh, who gave his name as Shamsul. “Sometimes Greeks in the neighbourhood threaten to kill us.”
Margarita Vassilatou, 56, who has lived in the square for more than 35 years, said she wanted to leave as a result of the immigrants.
In another, more central square in front of Athens university, about 2,000 Muslim men and women prayed peacefully in front of the neo-classical university and ancient Greek statues. –Reuters
http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/17/mob-in-athens-abuses-muslims-celebrating-eid-
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Gen. Niazi’s car, a 1971 War booty, missing
Nov 18, 2010
KOLKATA: A piece of history dating back to the 1971 Indo-Pak War has disappeared from the Eastern Command headquarters in Kolkata. A Mercedes Benz that used to be the staff car of then East Pakistan army commander Lt Gen A A K Niazi before being brought to Fort William, can't be traced. It was the same car in which Niazi drove down to Dhaka airport with Lt Gen (retd) J F R Jacob to receive Lt Gen J S Aurora, then GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, before the historic surrender on December 16, 1971.
The car — treated as 'war booty' by officials — was used by GOC-in-Cs of the Eastern Command till a few years ago. Senior Army officers are unsure whether the car was 'scrapped' and sent to the Panagarh depot in Burdwan for auction. If auctioned, the car could either be lying in the garage of a person who knows nothing about its true value or may have landed in the hands of a scrap dealer.
"It was 'war booty' that was brought from Dhaka after the War. Unfortunately, we are unable to trace it now. There is a possibility that the car was scrapped a few years ago. Maybe, officers who took the decision were not aware of its origin," said a senior officer.
A section of retired officers believe that the car was simply taken 'off records' to avoid any controversy. After all, bringing it to India clashed with late Field Marshal SHFJ Maneckshaw's principle that Indian troops were not to behave as if they were part of an invading army. "This was not the only 'war booty' that was brought to India. Some cars found their way to other command headquarters. Questions were even raised in Delhi on why the vehicles were brought back. In response, officers had said that they were brought to India for repairs that couldn't be undertaken in Bangladesh," a retired officer said.
In 1971, while Pakistani generals had Mercedes as staff cars, few Indian businessmen could own the vehicle, given the country's stringent import policy. Such cars were a strict no-no for government or military officials.
Eminent historians like Amalendu De, sounded extremely unhappy when told about the development. "If the army admits that the car was brought to Kolkata after the creation of Bangladesh, it should certainly have been preserved. Some anti-India elements in Bangladesh had earlier made allegations that the Indian Army had taken away some jeeps after the surrender. I had investigated the matter and found the allegations to be baseless. This is the first time that I am hearing of the Mercedes," De said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Gen-Niazis-car-1971-war-booty-goes-missing/articleshow/6944637.cms#ixzz15beZHCvD
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Saudi king transfers National Guard duties to son
Nov 18, 2010
RIYADH: The Saudi king has stepped down as head of the country's National Guard and transferred the influential position to his son, in an apparent sign that the elderly monarch is beginning to lessen his duties.
The Saudi Press Agency yesterday reported that King Abdullah has named Prince Mitab bin Abdullah as commander of the National Guard. King Abdullah had headed the force since 1962.
The 86-year-old king also handed over his traditional supervisory duties for the annual hajj pilgrimage to his deputy prime minister because doctors advised him to rest after rupturing a disc in his back.
Abdullah appeared on Saudi television Tuesday receiving well-wishers for the Eid al-Adha holiday.
Abdullah assumed the throne in August 2005.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Saudi-king-transfers-National-Guard-duties-to-son/articleshow/6944913.cms#ixzz15betlaHv
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Evidence of Islamist attack in Germany emerges
Nov 18, 2010
Berlin, Germany (CNN) -- Concrete evidence has emerged of a possible attack planned in Germany later this month and persistent efforts by Islamists to attack the federal republic, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Wednesday.
There is "reason for concern but no reason for hysteria," said de Maiziere, adding that the information is coming from German and foreign intelligence.
De Maiziere told reporters that since mid-year, security officials "have logged increased indications, according to which the terror organization al Qaeda is believed to be planning to carry out attacks" in the United States and Europe, including Germany.
"Security authorities are considering three different threat scenarios by international terrorists. Security authorities have been pursuing these indications for weeks with the highest intensity and proper sensitivity -- in closest cooperation with our international partners.
"Now further insights and facts relevant to danger have added themselves to these established insights" and spurred a hike in the country's threat level because of what is termed a "new situation." The level is now the same as it was during Germany's September 2009 federal elections.
Last month, the United States issued a general travel alert for Americans in Europe amid concerns that al Qaeda or related groups might be planning attacks similar to the 2008 massacre in the Indian city of Mumbai.
A group of jihadists from the German city of Hamburg was alleged to be at the heart of the purported plot, European intelligence officials said.
Western intelligence officials say they learned about the alleged plot after Ahmed Sidiqi, a German citizen of Afghan descent, was arrested in Afghanistan in July and taken to the U.S. air base at Bagram for questioning.
"You are aware that the federal security authorities have been presuming a stronger threat situation from international terror for a considerable time," de Maiziere said. "In spring 2009 and in the time thereafter, there were detailed indications of possible attacks in the U.S.A., in Europe and in Germany as well."
De Maiziere mentioned the attempted strikes on international air freight carriers at the end of last month. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for those plans.
After the Yemen developments, he said a clue from a foreign partner emerged about "an alleged attack plan" to be carried out at the end of November.
"Our own latest investigations by the Federal Criminal Office in conjunction with persons from the Islamist realm confirm independently and additionally the continued endeavors of Islamist groups towards plans to attack the Federal Republic of Germany," he said.
CNN
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Security forces kill 3 Taliban in Shangla
Nov 17 2010
PESHAWAR: Security forces on Tuesday gunned down three Taliban in the mountainous Shangla district during an exchange of fire, a security official said. The forces challenged the Taliban in Puran tehsil, Shangla district bordering Swat, Buner and Mardan districts, but they started firing at the patrol. In the exchange of fire, three Taliban were killed. app
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\17\story_17-11-2010_pg7_9
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Pakistan: women unite to appeal for life of Christian condemned for blasphemy
November 17, 2010
The women of Pakistan, Christians and Muslims, have taken to the streets to show their support and solidarity with Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.
On November 16, in Nankana, women demonstrated in front of government offices to spread public awareness and demand the release of Bibi. Among the groups organizing the march was the Pakistani Catholic Women Organization that has operated in agreement with several Muslim organizations that defend women's rights. Pakistani women are making to Asma Jahangir, a well-known Muslim lawyer who recently became the first woman to head the Bar Association of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Rosemary Noel, coordinator of the national Catholic women's group, said, "The Asia Bibi case causes us great concern and creates profound suffering - especially because it is the conviction of an innocent person to death. We call on all institutions for her immediate release. We are working with other civil society associations in a forum called MUMKIN (which in Urdu means "Make it possible,") and there is a meeting scheduled at the national level on November 22. We want to find all the ways we can to save Asia."
"In her case there was no serious investigation of either the police or the court. Unfortunately, it is a power play of the strong who crush the weak. In Pakistan, rulers have a strong influence on the security forces and the courts, especially trial courts. The sentences are not transparent and clearly unjust. In addition, there is the strength of the majority that crushes the minorities and Christians suffer doubly," said Noel.
Saman Wazdani, Muslim human rights activist, said "The women of Pakistan are taking action: the case of Asia Bibi nags at our conscience. There is an urgent need to repeal the blasphemy law. But there is also a serious problem in the national legal system: trial courts are left to themselves. They have old structures that are not transparent and they often interpret the law incorrectly. We urgently need a comprehensive judicial reform, although in the higher courts the situation is much better."
There is hope that Asma Jahangir will become involved. In the past, she has often ruled against the Hudood Ordinances and against blasphemy law. Asma - who received education in Catholic schools - is known for defending the rights of minorities, a commitment that has even led her to receive death threats. Since 2004, Asma Jahangir is the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom and one of the founders of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. In her career, she has always fought against discrimination and violence against women.
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&idsub=122&id=43436&t=Pakistan:+women+unite+to+appeal+for+life+of+Christian+condemned+for+blasphemy
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Man gets Rs 48L offer for goat
Shiv Sharma
Nov 17, 2010
YAMUNANGAR: Those looking for grand festivities on Eid, here's an eyepopper: Rs 48 lakh for a goat named Hasan Ali Obama! Its proud owner, Mohammad Sajid, is yet to strike a deal with the local maulvis.
"It's not an ordinary goat. I've seen three Arabic letters Alif, Lam and Ha on its body. These represent Allah," said Imam of Chhoti Masjid in Tilak Nagar, Kari Mohammad Mannan. To the faithful, the year-old goat, is an object of reverence. The goat's black coat is interspersed with streaks of white, forming various shapes.
Explained another Imam, Maulana Mohammad Sajid: "Urdu has 29 basic characters, out of which three are scripted on this goat."
From leading a life of anonymity, Hasan Ali's moment of glory came a week ago, when it was bought by Mohammad Sajid of Tilak Nagar in Yamunanagar for Rs 4,500. "The goat was very dirty and my partner, Naushad, suggested that we must wash it before selling it further. When we were doing so, we realized that it had these three words in Arabic on it," said Sajid.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Man-gets-Rs-48L-offer-for-goat/articleshow/6938887.cms#ixzz15VsiQxxV
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Eid celebrated with religious fervour, gaiety
17 November 2010
DUBAI — Eid Al Adha this year proved to be another day to remember as the country was overwhelmed by a mood of sublimity and gaiety.
Thousands of people, led by Rulers, Deputy Rulers and Crown Princes and other Shaikhs and officials, thronged Eid musallas and local mosques early morning to offer prayers. Worshippers set off from their homes soon after dawn. Some wore traditional clothing, while others wore white shirts to mark the start of Eid celebrations.
The Eid prayers was followed by the sermon and a supplication asking for forgiveness, mercy and help for all living beings across the world. “I made it a point to wake up early and wear something special. The night before, our house was full of relatives as the women decorated their hands with mehndi (henna),” said Hiba Nadeem.
“It’s a great time to celebrate togetherness and happiness. One should not forget to supplicate more and thank Allah for all the blessings bestowed upon us,” said Amreen Quraishi who was celebrating Eid with her family.
People from all walks of life celebrated Eid by forging closer ties with the family and the community. Roads to Dubai from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi were clogged with Eid travellers as practically everyone in this cosmopolitan nation celebrates the festival.
In Ras Al Khaimah, families celebrated the holiday mainly at the massive Saqr Public Park as the good weather blessed the occasion, or stayed at home.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2010/November/theuae_November492.xml§ion=theuae
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Give more military assistance to Pakistan: Powell to US
Nov 16 2010
Washington : With the world's most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden still elusive, the Obama administration must give Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani adequate mobility or intelligence capability he needs to win the war against terror, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said.
Powell, who recently met Kayani at his home, said the Pakistani Army chief was facing a tough task in the war against terror along the Pak-Afghan border.
"He's got a tough problem. This is the most difficult terrain imaginable. And he has troops, but he doesn't have the kind of mobility or intelligence capability that he needs," Powell said.
He said the terrain where Osama and other terror leaders were hiding was a difficult region.
"It is difficult terrain. I mean, we -- we often think about that region as if you can just go anywhere you want in a few hours. And we -- we have to keep this in mind, too, when we talk about Pakistan, because our Pakistani friends are an important part ...," Powell said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/712154/
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Taliban running out of bullets, bombs: Report
Nov 16, 2010
Taliban fighters surrender weapons in Herat on November 4, 2010. Twenty members of the Taliban left their group and joined the Afghan government in the western Herat province saying that they wanted to return to a normal life. (Reuters Photo)
LONDON: The Taliban in Afghanistan are running out of bullets and bombs, a media report said.
While the Taliban fighters have been suffering a stark shortage of 7.62 mm rounds for AK-47 assault rifles, they are facing a shortfall of bombs because the cost of raw materials to make their improvised explosive devices has seen a tenfold increase in the past six months, 'The Sun' reported.
British commanders have claimed that the shortages are down to cutting supply lines from the Pakistan border.
"Intelligence reports and experience on the front line point to an acute shortage of ammunition available to insurgents. This has forced them to avoid engaging in attacks unless they have to. It's early days but signs are very encouraging," a senior military source was quoted as saying.
There are now almost 10,000 British troops in Afghanistan, the highest number in nine years of fighting. Over the summer they stepped up efforts with Afghan forces to crack down on insurgents.
Dozens of new patrols have been put up along key routes with a record number of weapons and explosives seized. The British casualty rate in Helmand Province has plummeted since August.
Major General Gordon Messenger said: "We're seeing the result of constant pressure."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Taliban-running-out-of-bullets-bombs-Report/articleshow/6935824.cms#ixzz15Vu4hw4Y
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Pak’s Wali named accused in Kerala terror case
November 17, 2010
VR Jayaraj | Kochi
The NIA has named Pakistani terror operative ‘Wali’ Abdul Rehman as 24th accused in the case pertaining to recruitment of Keralite youths to the LeT for training in Kashmir. Wali was listed as an accused in the interim probe report the agency filed on the case on Tuesday in the Special CBI Court-2 (NIA court) in Kochi.
The agency told the court that the investigation was progressing in various categories and at different levels but the court launched an inquiry on its own to remove the confusion prevailing over the identities of the four Malayalees killed by security forces in Kashmir two years ago. The court would take up the case again on November 30.
Wali was made an accused resultant to investigations into the sources of funds of terror operatives in Kerala and other parts of India and several other aspects of the LeT operations, the NIA said. This was the first time a Pakistani citizen was being listed as an accused in a terror case in Kerala.
The interim report confirmed the links of the terror recruitment case, in which LeT’s South India commander Thadiyanatavide Nazeer, prime accused in Bangalore bombings case. The NIA had taken over the probe into the recruitment from the special anti-terror team of the Kerala Police last December.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/296961/Pak%E2%80%99s-Wali-named-accused-in-Kerala-terror-case.html
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Musharraf cleared of Benazir Bhutto assassination charge
November 17, 2010
Former premier Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by Taliban, a chargesheet filed by Pakistani investigators to an anti-terrorism court has said, while giving clean chit to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf of any involvement in the case.
The chargesheet filed by a joint investigation team of the Federal Investigation Agency to a Rawalpindi-based court on Monday held the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan responsible for the attack that killed Bhutto on December 27, 2007.
The court is conducting the trial of several suspects arrested in connection with the assassination. The 48-page chargesheet, which came almost 35 months after the assassination, is based largely on investigations carried out during the Musharraf regime.
It gives a clean chit to Musharraf, who resigned as President in 2008, and functionaries of the then federal and Punjab Governments. “JIT has so far not come across any evidence regarding abetting and facilitating the December 27, 2007, attack on Benazir Bhutto at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi, by any functionary of provincial or federal Government.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/296957/Musharraf-cleared-of-Benazir-Bhutto-assassination-charge.html
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Obama to focus on Afghan withdrawal at Nato meet
Nov 17 2010
A US Marine waits in the moonlight for a helicopter to transport him home for leave from Musa Qala in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, November 16, 2010. – Reuters Photo
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama will be walking a fine line at the upcoming Nato summit between upholding his pledges to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan and domestic opposition to a strict calendar, experts said Tuesday.
At the meeting in Lisbon that kicks of Friday, Obama and his Nato partners are expected to formalize a plan to hand over security duties to Afghan forces by 2014.
A year ago, Obama boosted the number of US troops in Afghanistan to 100,000 troops but promised to begin transferring security responsibility to Afghan forces by July 2011.
But while the Obama administration continues to defend this date, it insists flexibility is required for an effective transition — a move backed by Lisa Curtis, an Asia specialist at the The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
“Just as we had a counterinsurgency strategy in place, just as we had the additional troops in place, we simply needed more time to make this strategy work,” Curtis told AFP.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/17/obama-to-focus-on-2014-afghan-withdrawal-at-nato-meet.html
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Makkah and Madinah declared malaria-free cities
By SAEED AL KHOTANI
Nov 17, 2010
MINA: Makkah and Madinah are malaria-free cites, said Assistant Deputy Health Minister for Preventive Medicine Ziad Maimish at a press conference on Tuesday.
He announced that the cases of malaria infections found among some pilgrims were imported ones by them from their home countries.
"This is simply because these two cities do not have the type of mosquito causing this disease," he pointed out.
Maimish commended Muslim countries for the cooperation they showed in getting their pilgrims follow the health guidelines and instructions every year.
"The surveillance measures taken by the Ministry of Health at the Kingdom's ports of entry, showed that the majority of Muslim countries were complying with Hajj health instructions set by Saudi health authorities," he said. "Almost 98 percent of pilgrims from abroad were vaccinated against meningitis, Also, they were vaccinated against the other two risky diseases in mass gathering situations: yellow fever and polio. We vaccinated the remaining here."
He also talked about food poisoning as a threat on pilgrims' health.
"This is a very serious matter for us and therefore we formed a joint committee along with the related ministries ... to monitor and inspect food processing and selling at different pilgrims gathering spots. The results have been satisfactory so far."
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article193337.ece
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Iran starts 'biggest' air defense war games
Nov 17 2010
Tehran : Iran began what it said was its biggest ever air defense drill on Tuesday to test its ability to deter air strikes, which the United States and Israel have not ruled out to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.
The website of Iran's English-language Press TV said the five-day war games were being held near nuclear facilities and included tests of long-range missiles.
On Sunday, a senior commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards said land forces had carried out military drills near Iran's nuclear facilities "exactly like real combat."
Western countries suspect Iran's atomic work is a cover for a nuclear weapons programme. Tehran denies this, saying it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity.
Israel, which says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence, and its ally the United States have refused to rule out pre-emptive strikes against Iran, but Defense Secretary Robert Gates argued strongly against the military option on Tuesday.
"The large-scale military maneuvers... will improve readiness to confront possible threats to Iran's air space and the very populated, vital and nuclear centers," Ahmad Mighani, head of an air force unit that responds to threats to Iran's air space, was quoted by state TV as saying.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/712453/
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US will help Yemen but no plans for ‘another war’: Gates
Nov 17 2010
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates listens to a question during an onstage interview at the 2010 meeting of the Wall Street Journal CEO Council in Washington, November 16, 2010. – Photo by Reuters
WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday the United States wanted to help Yemen battle Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the country instead of entering “another war.”Providing equipment and training to Yemeni security forces offered the best way to counter the threat posed by Al-Qaeda militants, Gates said.
“We don’t need another war,” he told a conference organized by The Wall Street Journal newspaper.
With more than 100,000 US troops fighting Al-Qaeda’s allies in Afghanistan and public skepticism in Yemen over the US military’s role there, Gates and other US officials have stressed that Sanaa will lead the fight against militants.
He said the threat posed by the Al-Qaeda network had spread beyond northwest Pakistan to Yemen, Somalia and the Maghreb in northern Africa, and Washington was working to train and arm security forces to fight the militants.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/17/us-will-help-yemen-but-no-plans-for-another-war-gates.html
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UK agrees settlement with ex-Guantanamo detainees
By PAISLEY DODDS
Nov 16, 2010
LONDON: Britain has agreed to pay hefty settlements to a group of former Guantanamo Bay detainees who sued the government for alleged complicity in their torture — one of the first big pay-outs stemming from the US-led war on terrorism.
After months of legal wrangling, Britain’s spy agencies chose to settle the lawsuit to avoid a pricey and prolonged court case in which open testimony from secret agents could have jeopardized national security, a British government official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday.
At least seven former detainees would receive payments and at least one man would receive more than one million pounds ($1.6 million), according to a second source who has seen details of the weekend settlement and spoke on condition of anonymity because lawyers agreed that the details would be kept confidential.
British spies have not been accused of torturing detainees themselves, but former detainees have alleged that British officials violated international law by knowing about the abuse and doing nothing to stop it.
In interviews last week, former US President George Bush boasted that he authorized some techniques — which others have labeled torture — for the interrogation of suspected terrorists, and that the methods yielded intelligence that saved lives.
Britain has long opposed some of the interrogation techniques that Bush administration officials authorized in the so-called war on terror after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article192815.ece
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Seeing the Kaaba was ‘incredible,’ says South African who came on bicycle
By AMJAD PARKAR
Nov 17, 2010
MINA: One of two young South African cyclists who rode all the way from Cape Town to Makkah has spoken of his happiness at finally being able to perform Haj.
Nathim Cairncross, 28, and Imtiyaz Haron, 25, arrived in the holy city on Nov. 2, understandably exhausted after covering an estimated 11,000 kilometers in the space of nine months.
They had told Arab News previously that they cycled to Makkah to physically prepare for the rigors associated with performing their first pilgrimage. "However, [Haj] was not as difficult as we thought it would be," Cairncross told Arab News from his base in Aziziyah on Tuesday. "Alhamdullillah it's gone very well. I think it was important not to get caught up in the crowds of people."
He added that while they undertook the journey for many personal reasons, they also wanted to improve their spiritual wellbeing. "It was a very tough journey, and you definitely have to be open-minded and flexible," he said.
Their trek took them from South Africa through Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Palestine before finally arriving in the Kingdom.
"It wasn't just a religious journey," said Cairncross. "It was also about seeing Africa and the sights in other countries too."
He added that in Zimbabwe they did some voluntary work, teaching local children how to count, read and write.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article193333.ece
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US faces ‘huge’ cyber threat in the future
17 November 2010
WASHINGTON — Defence Secretary Robert Gates warned on Tuesday that potential cyber attacks posed a “huge” future threat that had to be tackled through joint efforts by US military and civilian agencies.
Asked to assess the danger posed to digital networks, Gates said: “There is a huge future threat and there is a considerable current threat.
“And that’s just the reality that we all face.”
He said the Pentagon had bolstered security for the military’s networks and hoped to do the same for defence industry contractors.
“We are working with our partners in the defence industrial base to bring them under that umbrella, to provide them with protection,” he said at a Wall Street Journal conference of chief executives.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/November/international_November838.xml§ion=international
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Liberal Dutch mosque forced to shut down due to financial problems
November 17, 2010
AMSTERDAM (AP) - An experimental liberal mosque in the Netherlands that held prayers in Dutch instead of Arabic, has closed its doors due to financial problems.
The Polder Mosque in Amsterdam was an attempt to provide a model for young Dutch-born Muslims and converts to learn about Islam and practice it in a secular European nation. The project drew widespread positive attention, a counterpoint to the anti-Islam sentiment that dominates Dutch political debate.
Chairwoman Yassmine el Ksaihi, 24, said Wednesday the mosque will reorganize and attempt to reopen in a smaller, more affordable location next year.
Its total debts are around euro200,000 ($270,000). It has turned down offers of help from foreign sponsors, saying that violated its founding principles.
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=D9JHQRP
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Appeal against Ayodhya verdict by December: VHP
Nov 16, 2010
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI (TN): An appeal against the Allahabad High Court judgement on three-way division of the disputed site in Ayodhya would be filed in the Supreme Court by next month on behalf of 'Ram Lalla Virajman', one of the three litigants in the title suits, a senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader said today.
Advocates were in the process of preparing the papers for filing the appeal which would be done before December, VHP International Vice-President S.Vedantham told reporters here.
In a majority 2-1 verdict, the Lucknow Bench of the Court had on September 30 ruled the entire disputed land should be divided into three parts among the Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and the parties representing 'Ram Lalla Virajman'.
It had also held that the place where the makeshift temple of Lord Rama currently exists belongs to Hindus.
Vedantham claimed the union government had in 1994 given a written undertaking that if it was proved that the disputed site was a temple then the site would be handed over to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas.
He said the Allahabad High Court judges in their verdict said the Babri Masjid had been built either after demolishing the temple or on the dilapidated temple site in Ayodhya.
To a question, he said archaeological experts agreed that the temple structure had existed in the site. The 8,000-page judgement of Allahabad High Court referred to the exhaustive and comprehensive report submitted by ASI experts.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Appeal-against-Ayodhya-verdict-by-December-VHP/articleshow/6937910.cms#ixzz15VtFYgtq
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US continues to hunt for Osama
Nov 17, 2010
WASHINGTON: The United States continues to hunt for Osama bin Laden, the most wanted terrorist of the world, a top Obama administration official has said.
"We continue our hunt for and (have) interest in capturing Mr (Osama) bin Laden," state department spokesman P J Crowley told reporters at his daily news conference.
Crowley said the US had significantly expanded its assistance to Pakistan and would continue to do "everything it can" to help the country advance.
"We have continued very robust military and security assistance, and we have augmented that with very significant assistance to strengthen Pakistan's civilian institutions and help Pakistan expand its economy.
"But we think we have a very robust combination of civilian and security assistance to Pakistan that is helping Pakistan deal with a very significant threat, which is a threat to Pakistan as well as a threat to the United States," Crowley said in response to a question.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/US-continues-to-hunt-for-Osama-/articleshow/6939552.cms#ixzz15VtXNTBO
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Canada confirms up to 950 troops to remain in Afghanistan
Nov 17, 2010
TORONTO: Canada is confirming that it will keep up to 950 soldiers and support staff in Afghanistan in a noncombat training role after Canada's combat mission ends in 2011.
Foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon said Tuesday they will be stationed in the Kabul area and will stay until 2014, confirming something a senior government official told The Associated Press last week.
The pledge of support may help plug a critical shortage of 900 trainers for NATO's year-old mission to bolster Afghan security forces. Afghan President Hamid Karzai wants his nation's police and army to take the lead in protecting and defending their homeland by 2014.
Defense minister Peter MacKay says there won't be training or mentoring outside bases.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Canada-confirms-up-to-950-troops-to-remain-in-Afghanistan/articleshow/6938562.cms#ixzz15Vtqrqnu
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Military action won't stop Iran nuclear programme, says US
Nov 17, 2010
WASHINGTON: US secretary of defence Robert Gates said Tuesday that military action would not stop Iran's nuclear programme and would, instead, make it more "covert."
Gates told a conference that military action would offer only a "short-term solution" to the thorny issue of Iran's nuclear programme.
Western nations have accused Tehran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, something Iran vehemently denies.
It has refused global calls to rein in its suspect nuclear enrichment program and has been slapped with a series of UN and international sanctions.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Military-action-wont-stop-Iran-nuclear-programme-says-US/articleshow/6938983.cms#ixzz15VuCFBEp
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Taliban should join peace talks in Afghanistan, says Karzai
November 17, 2010
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday urged the Taliban to join talks to bring peace to the war-torn country, despite the insurgents’ leadership ruling out negotiations.
“On this holy day of Eid al-Adha I once again call on those compatriots who are unhappy, I request them to join the peace efforts,” Karzai said in a statement to mark the major Muslim festival.
Karzai has previously appealed to the Taliban to come to the negotiating table and low-level commanders are said to have already spoken to the Government in Kabul.
But the hardline group’s reclusive, one-eyed leader Mullah Omar said on Monday that reports of their involvement in peace talks to bring an end to the bitter, nine-year conflict were “misleading rumours”.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/296956/Taliban-should-join-peace-talks-in-Afghanistan-says-Karzai.html
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Strong Quake Strikes Off Indonesia
Nov 17, 2010
An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale stuck early Wednesday off Indonesia's Maluku islands, but there were no reports of damage, the geophysics agency said.
The quake occurred at 3:06 a.m. Jakarta time (2006 GMT Tuesday), with the epicentre 210 km southwest of Tual town at a depth of 128 km, the Meteorology, Geophysics and Climatology Agency said.
There was no risk of a tsunami, the agency said.
A tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake Oct 25 killed 448 people and left 56 missing on Indonesia's Mentawai islands.
http://www.asianage.com/international/strong-quake-strikes-indonesia-608
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Transition in Afghanistan to begin in 2011 and end in 2014: US
Nov 17 2010
Ahead of the crucial NATO Summit in Lisbon, the US said the "responsible transition" to Afghan security forces for taking the lead in securing the country will begin by the middle of next year and is expected to end in 2014.
"We are viewing this Lisbon summit as a strategic milestone for the ongoing mission in Afghanistan, during which we expect to highlight two mutually supporting themes," said Doug Lute, Special Assistant to the President for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Lisbon Summit, he said, is expected to announce the "beginning of a responsible transition to Afghan leadership."
"That is, putting Afghans in the lead across Afghanistan for their own security," he told reporters in a tele-conference.
With regard to transitioning to Afghan leadership, Lute said, the process actually began in last year and was then highlighted again in the conference hosted by the Afghans in Kabul in July this year.
"The idea is that based on conditions on the ground and as a result of the surge in international resources over the last year, it is possible now to begin a responsible transition to Afghan security lead across the 34 provinces in Afghanistan," Lute said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/712438/
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Israel awaiting written US settlement freeze terms: official
Nov 16 2010
Jerusalem : Israel is awaiting written details of a US package of incentives being offered in exchange for a new ban on Jewish construction in the West Bank, a senior Israeli official said on Tuesday.
"There are understandings between the US secretary of state (Hillary Clinton) and the prime minister (Benjamin Netanyahu), but it takes time for them to be put in writing, and we have to wait," Nir Hefetz, a senior communications advisor to Netanyahu, told Israeli military radio.
The United States is believed to have offered Israel a generous package of political and security guarantees in exchange for a renewed partial freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank.
Direct peace talks launched by the White House at the start of September ground to a halt just three weeks later when a 10-month construction moratorium ended.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/712036/
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US charges Pakistani tied to Times Square bomber
Nov 17 2010
BOSTON: US authorities on Tuesday filed immigration fraud charges against a Pakistani man they said provided nearly $5,000 to the convicted Times Square bomber apparently without knowing how the money would be used.
The Department of Justice said Aftab Ali, 28, entered the United States in August 2009 on a visa that allowed him entry to marry an American woman, despite her having broken off the engagement six months earlier.
Ali later tried to amend his immigration papers after he married another American woman, which violated the terms of his work permit, prosecutors said.
In February 2010 he transferred $4,900 to Faisal Shahzad, who on Oct. 5 was sentenced to life in prison for trying to set off a car bomb in New York’s busy Times Square in May.
Authorities did not say he was aware of Shahzad’s plans for the money, which was transferred as part of an informal “hawala” transaction common in Islamic societies, according to papers filed in US District Court in Boston.
Ali faces two charges, immigration fraud and making false statements. The first charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
He lived in Watertown, Massachusetts, just outside Boston and worked illegally at a gas station during his time in the United States, authorities said.
Another Pakistani immigrant, Mohammad Younis, was charged in September with running an illegal money transfer business that provided funds to Shahzad. He also was not charged with knowing how the money would be used.
http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/17/us-charges-pakistani-tied-to-times-square-bomber.html
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France special envoy calls on Rehman Malik
Nov 17 2010
ISLAMABAD: France Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Jasmine Zarmini on Tuesday called on the Interior Minister Rehman Malik and discussed with him matters related to war on terror and security issues.
Later, talking to media, both leaders expressed the resolve of Pakistan and France to reach the war on terror to its logical end. During the meeting, it was decided that both countries will soon sign an agreement on security, they said.
Zarmini said that France regards the wishes of the Pakistani people and fully supports the bold decisions of the government of Pakistan. Malik said that Pakistan would not allow anyone to use its soil for terrorist activities. He added, “Due to the war on terror, Pakistan is facing economic problems and the international community should help Pakistan overcome these problems.” He said that it was time to take action against the terrorists, who were the real enemies of all.
He said that banned organisations had been stopped from collecting donations or animal hides on Eid days and warned that action will be taken against violators. He added that the deputy inspector general of every division would be responsible to check the activities of banned groups. app
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\17\story_17-11-2010_pg7_16
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Musharraf quit presidency on Bush prodding
November 17, 2010
WASHINGTON: The former President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf resigned from his post because US President George W Bush asked him to do so, the former US president has revealed in his book “Decision Points”.
Writing about Musharraf on page 217 he says in late 2007 he had asked Musharraf to quit his job, restore the sacked judges and lift the emergency in Pakistan. “Musharraf promised to do all three things and he kept his commitment,” Bush writes.
This is the first time that it has been disclosed why Musharraf resigned and left the country. He had lost the confidence of the US leaders and when they told him to quit, he could not resist.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/17-11-2010/Top-Story/2144.htm
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Homes set ablaze in Egyptian village over alleged affair
By SALAH NASRAWI
Nov 17, 2010
CAIRO: Villagers set fire overnight to at least 10 houses belonging to Coptic Christians in a village in southern Egypt over rumors that a Christian resident had an affair with a Muslim girl, security officials said Tuesday.
The officials said security forces have sealed off the village of Al-Nawahid, in Qena province some 290 miles (465 kilometers) south of Cairo, to prevent the violence from spreading to neighboring towns. They said several people were arrested.
The attacks started after locals spotted a young Copt and a Muslim girl together at night inside the village cemetery, the officials said. They added that both were put under police custody as authorities investigate.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.
Clashes between Christians and Muslims occasionally occur in southern Egypt, mostly over land or disputes over church construction. But sectarian tensions have also been on the rise recently in the capital.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article192897.ece
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Militant group: 7 Nigerians abducted in rig attack
By JON GAMBRELL
Nov 17, 2010
LAGOS, Nigeria: The main militant group in Nigeria’s oil-rich southern delta said Tuesday it kidnapped seven local workers from an Exxon Mobil Corp. offshore rig, and promised new violence in a region vital to US oil supplies.
In an e-mail to journalists, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said it carried out Sunday night’s attack on the oil rig located off the coast of Akwa Ibom state, the home of Exxon Mobil’s Nigerian subsidiary.
The militant group said fighters boarded the rig and “detonated explosives they had earlier rigged to this facility, causing considerable damage.” The group said it kidnapped the local workers to “prevent the Nigerian government from attributing the damage to this facility to an industrial accident.” It also warned the group would launch new attacks throughout the winding creeks and mangroves of the Niger Delta, a region about the size of Portugal where Nigeria pumps out the crude oil that sustains its economy.
“In the coming weeks, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) will launch a major operation that will simultaneously affect oil facilities across the Niger Delta,” the statement said.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article192865.ece
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Hundreds of fetuses found at Thai Buddhist temple
Nov 17, 2010
BANGKOK: Thai police have discovered hundreds of human fetuses dumped at a Buddhist temple’s morgue in Bangkok, and suspect they came from illegal abortion clinics.
Police Maj. Gen. Sumeth Ruangswasdi said Tuesday they were called to investigate a strong smell, and discovered the fetuses in plastic bags. They counted a total of 348.
He said the fetuses must have been collected from abortion clinics and disposed of at different times, as their color and condition varied. The Nation newspaper reported that the temple’s undertaker confessed to having been hired by several clinics to dispose of the fetuses.
Abortion is illegal in Thailand except under three conditions — if a woman is raped, if the pregnancy affects her health or if the fetus is abnormal.
http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article193054.ece
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Groups slam US move to link OFW remittances to Abu Sayyaf
November 17, 2010
MANILA, Philippines -- The US State Department has tagged "remittances from overseas Filipino workers," or OFWs, as a possible external funding source of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), along with Middle East-based extremist groups, in addition to the ASG's kidnap-for-ransom and extortion activities in Mindanao.
In its Country Reports on Terrorism, which it updated on August 5, the state department, however, did not provide other details on its disclosure.
But it noted that in October 2007, the ASG, also known as "al Harakat al Islamiya," had "appealed for funds and recruits on You Tube by featuring a video of the (late ASG leaders Abdurajak and Khadaffy Janjalani) before they were killed" in 1998 and 2006, respectively.
In its October 29 report, the state department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs said the welfare of some four to five million OFWs has been considered "a pillar of Philippine foreign policy."
Asked for comment, the Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based OFW group Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) dismissed the August 5 report as "unfounded," "irresponsible" and "unfair."
Full report at:
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