Nigeria Says Killed 95 Boko Haram Fighters
New Age Islam News Bureau
26
Oct 2013
An image grab taken from a video uploaded on October 25, 2013 allegedly shows people gathering on the site of a car bomb attack outside a mosque in the town of Suq Wadi Barada, Damascus. (AFP)
Africa
• Nigeria Says Killed 95 Boko Haram Fighters
• Al-Shabaab: using social media to fight the jihad
• Multi-National Troops Strike Back Against Mali Terrorists
Arab World
• Car bomb at Syria mosque killed 40, including 7 children: NGO
• Bombs targeting Shias kill 16 across Iraq
• Ten killed in Iraq violence, anti-Qaeda militiaman targeted
• Egyptian ex-army officer was 'suicide bomber'
• Islamists using attacks against Copts in Egypt's power struggle: Analysts
• Overnight clashes raise death toll in Lebanon’s Tripoli to 9
• Kurdish militants in Syria rout jihadists on Iraq border, seize crossing: Activists
Mideast
• Palestinian Authority pressing 50 countries to cut business ties with settlements
• 14 Iranian guards killed in clashes on Pakistan border: IRNA
• Iran hangs 16 rebels 'in reprisal for border deaths'
• Elite Hezbollah fighters are spearheading battle in Syria, IDF commander warns
• If there is a dictator, topple him at elections, says Turkish PM Erdoğan
Europe
• Exhibition of rare Islamic scientific and art objects opens in Spain
• 'Norway is not the most suitable location' for Syrian chemical weapons
• US phone-tapping has nothing to do with fight against terrorism – Pushkov
• France feared US spied on its president; was Israel's Mossad involved?
• Germany: Over 210 'extremists' have gone to Syria
• LoC: UN chief Ban Ki-moon urges India, Pak to talk
• Iran 'necessary' at Syria talks: UN-Arab League envoy
Southeast Asia
• Overseas Muslims defend M’sian Christians
• Brunei Becomes First East Asian State to Adopt Sharia Law
• Islamic Students and Ulema Pray for KPK in Face of Black Magic Threat
• Devotion and Service: Liberation Theology, Indonesian Style
Pakistan
• US indifferent to Nawaz request for ending drone attacks: Jamaat e Islami
• Govt, parliament not prepared to rein in ISI, says top Pak judge
• Burdened economy: ‘Pakistan has spent $200b on Afghan refugees’
• Taliban talks: Take political parties into confidence, Nawaz tells Chaudhry Nisar
• Car bomb kills two soldiers in Pakistan
• Fatwa ‘Threatens Media Freedom’ In Pakistan
• Ex-UC Nazim among six killed in Karachi
• LoC tensions: Islamabad calls for early meeting of DGMOs
• Pakistan may ask India to review Indus Waters Treaty
South Asia
• Defence Ministry alerted to possible threat to Nasheed’s life
• Afghan soldier killed after row with NATO troops
• Maldives’ EC calls on “all friends of democracy” for help conducting presidential poll
• Awami League will resist terrorism for democracy
• Afghan soldier opens fire on Nato partners
North America
• Americans in fury over NSA spying: mass rally 'blessed' by Snowden to be held in DC
• US: No sanctions lifting at front end of Iran nuclear talks
• Guantanamo lawyers want Obama to declassify CIA prison program
• Snowden's leaks most serious in US history: Ex-CIA official
India
• Shakeel Ahmad says riots make ISI, BJP rejoice
• Will vote for Modi if he says sorry: Shia cleric
• BSF kills three Pak smugglers, recovers 24kg heroin in Punjab
• Indian man sneaks into Pakistan to visit grandparents' graves
• David Headley 'bragged' about Mumbai attacks in emails, book claims
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/nigeria-says-killed-95-boko/d/14168
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Africa
Nigeria Says Killed 95 Boko Haram Fighters
AFP | Oct 26, 2013
MAIDUGURI: Nigeria's army said on Friday it had killed 95 suspected Boko Haram fighters in raids in the country's northeast, as gunmen from the Islamist group battled security forces in a neighbouring area.
The army, which is battling to crush a four-year Islamist uprising in Nigeria, said it deployed bombs and ground troops to destroy insurgent camps in Borno on Thursday.
Army spokesman Mohammed Dole said that "74 suspected militants" were killed in the assault outside the Borno capital Maiduguri, where Boko Haram was founded more than a decade ago.
The operation followed an assault Monday on Boko Haram camps in another part of Borno, which the military said left 37 Islamists dead.
In a separate outbreak of violence, suspected Islamist fighters stormed the city of Damaturu in coordinated raids on Thursday, burning at least four police buildings, said a senior police officer who requested anonymity.
Army spokesman General Ibrahim Attahiru said in a statement published late Friday that 70 suspected Islamists were killed in Borno state and others fled towards Damaturu where 25 of them were killed by the army.
"The insurgents fleeing from the earlier clashes .. regrouped to carry out attacks on Damaturu," said the statement. "Our command post ... and other sites around Damaturu were attacked and ... 25 insurgents were killed."
The army did not mention any possible civilian casualties.
The officer said there were casualties from the attack, which will be seen as a setback in the campaign to end the insurgency.
The military had claimed an offensive launched more than four months ago had put Boko Haram on the defensive and left it incapable of attacking major urban centres like Damaturu.
Figures released earlier this year said the conflict had cost more than 3,600 lives, including killings by the security forces. The current toll is certainly much higher.
Damaturu is the capital of Yobe state, another area repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram in an insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic state in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north.
"They invaded the city in large numbers in vehicles and on foot from different directions," the officer said.
They then opened fire "on police facilities with guns and explosives and engaged soldiers and policemen in a fierce gunfire exchange that continued deep into the night," he added.
The officer said the insurgents torched the area police command and at least three other police facilities.
"There are indeed casualties, including a number of the insurgents, but it is difficult to say how many they are", he said.
A resident, Haruna Sadi, said the attacks started around 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) and continued late into the night, forcing residents to stay indoors.
"We didn't sleep last night due to fright and the deafening gun sounds and explosions coming from all over the city," Sadi said.
"Everybody is still indoors because of a radio announcement of a 24-hour curfew by the military," he added.
Boko Haram, thought to be a fragmented group, with a murky leadership structure, has attacked churches, mosques, the security forces and schools across northern and central Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and top oil producer.
The Islamists have killed hundreds of people across the northeast since late June, including scores of students.
Last month, President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the country's top military leaders to redouble their efforts following a spate of brutal attacks on civilians.
Jonathan imposed a state of emergency across the northeast in mid-May when the offensive was launched.
The phone network was switched off in the region when the emergency measures were declared. Mobile service remains down in Borno, making the military's accounts of fighting difficult to check with local leaders and residents.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Nigeria-says-killed-95-Boko-Haram-fighters/articleshow/24727012.cms
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Al-Shabaab: using social media to fight the jihad
Oct 26, 2013
The latest video by al-Shabaab (members of whom are seen above, in a photograph taken in Mogadishu in 2011) demonstrates how difficult it is to stop them from getting their side of the story to an international audience.
Western governments have invested millions in order to discredit the Islamist group and turn people against them. In particular, the US and EU fund some local media and also influence international journalists.
That appears to have achieved some success. When it comes to the overall propaganda war, the west has the upper hand. Al-Shabaab fighters are not as popular as they used to be, at least within the diaspora community.
The hour-long video, entitled "Woolwich: an eye for an eye", was designed for western audiences, and especially British people. It was in response to the killing of Lee Rigby in Woolwich early this year.
Getting it out there
An intense cyber-confrontation took place before the video appeared. Al-Shabaab's media department wanted to post the material online, while western authorities were trying very hard to stop them from achieving that.
Initially, al-Shabaab attempted to share the video through jihadist forums. There are many of them, of course, but every time they uploaded, it was getting deleted. Some of the forums were shut down. Journalists desperate for the video went on to social media looking for the video.
When I asked al-Shabaab about it, the answer came back: "They (western authorities) keep on deleting it. But we'll get it out there." And they did.
Quickly, websites that monitor the activities of global jihadist movements were showing the material. On some it was deleted within hours, possibly after western agencies requested them to do so.
Eventually, after hours of struggle, al-Shabaab managed to get the information on to the big virtual world. Then it was just a matter of searching the internet, and dozens of answers were coming up.
Media war
For al-Shabaab, this was an important achievement in the long-running media war between them and western governments. However, this is not the first time al-Shabaab have won this kind of battle.
During the Westgate attack, they were updating the event through Twitter. Several of their accounts were shut down, only to reopen using a different name. "It doesn't cost us money," an al-Shabaab official told me. "So we'll open a new account."
Al-Shabaab joined Twitter in December 2011. It was to counter Kenya's military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir, who was updating journalists and the public through Twitter after his forces invaded Somalia.
Soon afterwards, al-Shabaab's English speakers were mocking his messages, highlighting his grammatical errors and poor use of English.
Thousands of followers
Another online triumph for al-Shabaab came when Major Chirchir posted old photos of a man being stoned to death in Somalia and claimed it was al-Shabaab that carried out the barbaric stoning. But it had nothing to do with them.
Many Kenyans were angered by how far the propaganda war went. And the spokesman was criticised for making false statements.
Currently, al-Shabaab do not have a Twitter account (so far, eight accounts have been suspended) but they will set up one when they feel the need to do so. Within hours of opening an account, they will have thousands of followers.
There seems to be huge interest in their activities, and they hit back when people write misleading articles about the group.
"Since we added our communication strategy in English, the western media has minimised their lies about us because they know we'll expose them," they told me.
Easily accessible
Of all al-Qaeda Islamist groups across the world, al-Shabaab are probably the most accessible. Al-Kataaib is a department dedicated to dealing with the media.
They have local radio and online presence. Many journalists who cover the east Africa region can reach them through email or phone. Al-Shabaab spokesmen give live interviews to local and international media.
Like any communication officers, the al-Shabaab press team use catchy phrases and interesting sound bites to get the attention of the media. For instance, in the last video, this line was used by most of the media: "If you can't afford to get hold of one of these (pointing to his AK47), then certainly a simple knife from your local B&Q will do the job."
With a huge media campaign against them, the jihadist group does not have the same support that it had in the early years.
But they don't give up. Al-Shabaab do not have the financial muscle and facilities of their counterparts in the west. But their media officers are hard-working, well-educated and determined men. And as long as they are making small yet significant victories, they will continue their online battle.
As one al-Shabaab official told me: "No-one can silence us. There are so many options."
http://www.channel4.com/news/al-shabaab-jihadist-kenya-westgate-kenya-nairobi-twitter
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Multi-National Troops Strike Back Against Mali Terrorists
BY BAKARI GUEYE, 25 OCTOBER 2013
Nouakchott — A day after a northern Mali car bomb killed two Chadian peacekeepers and a child, a major military offensive against terrorists kicked off on Thursday (October 24th), France24 reported.
"We have engaged, with the Malian army and [UN mission] MINUSMA, in a large-scale operation" in the Niger Loop, an area hugging a curve of the Niger River between Timbuktu and Gao, French general staff spokesman Colonel Gilles Jaron said.
For the first time, Mali deployed the 700 men in its second battalion, "Elou", who were trained by European military officers at the Koulikoro camp.
The French are mobilising around 600 troops from the "Desert" joint tactical group, supported by Tiger and Gazelle attack helicopters.
The chief of staff of the French armed forces, Admiral Edouard Guillaud, was quoted by AFP as saying that the "disorganisation of the terrorist networks" was a priority for the Serval troops.
"There are still areas where terrorist groups are gathering residually," one officer revealed. "We must explore them in depth in order to reduce their logistical potential by intercepting their supply chains."
According to analyst Daha Ould Sidi Ali, "the upsurge in activity on the part of terrorist groups in northern Mali proves that they are still there".
"Over the past few weeks, pick-up trucks laden with explosives, shells and large quantities of handguns and assault weapons have been discovered," he noted.
According to observers, the recent Tessalit attack means that the number of MINUSMA troops, currently at 6,000, urgently needs to be increased to more than 12,000 by the end of the year. Yet France plans to reduce the number of its soldiers from 3,000 to 1,000 by the end of January 2014.
Kadré Desiré Ouedraogo, the president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said Wednesday that the organisation needed "to encourage the member states and other countries to respond to the call to reinforce MINUSMA".
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of northern Mali are exasperated at the return of violence. Myriam Toure, a trader in Gao, said: "The north has been ravaged and abandoned. What worries us the most is the weakness of the Malian state."
"What will happen to us if the foreign troops pull out? In any case, they are our only hope now. And because of all that, we don't feel safe at the moment and we're really losing sleep over this rise in the number of attacks," she told Magharebia.
Terrorism expert Sidati Ould Cheikh said: "In the current situation, it is clear that the central Malian authorities lack the means and the capacity to tackle the big security challenge single-handedly, so the international community must continue to provide support for some time to come"
"The international troops should double their efforts to eradicate these groups, which are completely unpredictable and very difficult to fight," he added.
Due to the deteriorating security situation in Mali and the region as a whole, the terrorist threat faced by Niger has become more serious. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Mali's Movement for Tawhid and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and Nigeria's Boko Haram have also conducted operations in Niger.
Niger has been on high alert since June. After the attacks in Arlit and Agadez, the jihadists are now turning their attention to the capital. Confrontations have taken place in Niamey Prison.
Nigerien Justice Minister and government spokesman Marou Amadou said, "There needs to be a sense of responsibility, because Niger is now at war. We need there to be a sense of responsibility for our compatriots."
People in Niamey are living in fear. But there are signs that the country may turn the tide.
"In August, a broad-based national unity government was created in Niger by a Touareg prime minister, Brigi Rafini, at the behest of President Mahamadou Issoufou. The main task of this government is to resolve the problem of insecurity in the country with the jihadist threat and the kidnappings in the north of the country," Sidati Ould Cheikh said.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201310260217.html?viewall=1
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Arab World
Car bomb at Syria mosque killed 40, including 7 children: NGO
26 October 2013
The toll from a Friday car bomb explosion at a mosque in Suq Wadi Barada near Damascus soared to at least 40, including seven children, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Syrian government and opposition exchanged blame for the carnage in the town.
Suq Wadi Barada is under rebel control and ringed by troops loyal to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
"The toll from a car bomb explosion that detonated after Friday prayers in Suq Wadi Barada has risen to 40, including seven children and a woman," said the Observatory.
"The number of dead is likely to rise because there are dozens of wounded, most of them in critical condition," it added.
State news agency SANA had earlier reported the blast, blaming "terrorists", the term the Assad regime uses for forces fighting to oust it.
The opposition National Coalition meanwhile blamed the Assad regime for the "massacre" caused by what it said were two car bombs placed outside the Osama Bin Zeid mosque in Suq Wadi Barada.
"Bashar al-Assad's gangs detonated two car bombs at midday... that were planted in front of the Osama Bin Zeid mosque in Suq Wadi Barada," the Coalition said in a statement.
"The regime's constant commission of massacres makes it the duty of countries of the free world, the friends of the Syrian people, as well as international human rights and humanitarian organisations to fulfil their responsibilities towards civilians," it added.
They must "protect the lives of Syrians and uphold their rights."
Car bombings have plagued Syria in recent months, killing scores across the country.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/84798/World/Region/Car-bomb-at-Syria-mosque-killed-,-including--child.aspx
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Bombs targeting Shias kill 16 across Iraq
October 26, 2013
BAGHDAD: A series of bombs killed at least 16 people across Iraq on Friday as Shias celebrated a holy festival, police and medical sources said.
Nine bombs were detonated by remote control. The deadliest were two roadside devices that exploded in quick succession in a market in the Shia town of Yousufiya, 20 km south of Baghdad, killing at least seven people.
It was not immediately clear who was behind Friday’s attacks, but Sunni insurgents have been regaining ground in Iraq this year, reversing a drop in the level of violence.
In Baquba, at least four people were killed by six roadside bombs planted near the homes of Shia families who had recently returned after being displaced from the area due to fear of attacks by al Qaeda militants.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/622789/bombs-targeting-shias-kill-16-across-iraq/
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Ten killed in Iraq violence, anti-Qaeda militiaman targeted
26 October 2013
AFP, Baghdad
Attacks in Iraq killed 10 people on Saturday, seven of them from the same family, security and medical officials said.
In the Dura area of southern Baghdad, gunmen armed with silenced weapons shot dead a father, mother, four sons and the wife of one of them at their home, the officials said.
The father was a member of the Sahwa anti-al-Qaeda militia, who joined forces with the United States from late 2006 and are frequently targeted by Sunni militants, who view them as traitors.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/10/26/Ten-killed-in-Iraq-violence-anti-Qaeda-fighter-targeted.html
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Egyptian ex-army officer was 'suicide bomber'
AP | Oct 26, 2013
CAIRO: Al-Qaida inspired militants say the suicide bomber who carried out a failed assassination attempt on Egypt's interior minister last month was a sacked military officer.
A video posted on Saturday on militant websites in the name of the Ansar Jerusalem shows a man identified as Waleed Badr, who wears a major's uniform. He says in the video that the Egyptian army is "bent on fighting religion" and "loves America" more than Egyptians.
A narrator says Badr, who graduated from the military academy in 1991, was fired from the army and joined militants in Afghanistan and in Syria. He also tried to go to Iraq but was arrested in Iran and spent a year in prison. There were no dates for these events.
The group had already claimed responsibility for the attack.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egyptian-ex-army-officer-was-suicide-bomber/articleshow/24758547.cms
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Islamists using attacks against Copts in Egypt's power struggle: Analysts
26 October 2013
Guests were waiting outside the church for the arrival of the bride when two gunmen riding a motorcycle drove by and opened fire on them. Four people died in the attack, including two young girls aged eight and twelve. Eighteen others were injured.
The assault Sunday on the Virgin Mary church, in the working class Giza district of Al-Warraq, south of Cairo, was the latest of a string of attacks that has been targeting Egypt’s Christian community.
Many believe those attacks have been fueled by the anti-Christian narrative adopted by Islamist forces who have been protesting Mohamed Morsi’s ouster and largely blaming it on Coptic Christians.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/84704/Egypt/Politics-/-Islamists-using-attacks-against-Copts-in-Egypts-p.aspx
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Overnight clashes raise death toll in Lebanon’s Tripoli to 9
26 October 2013
AFP, Tripoli
Three people died overnight in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli in clashes between supporters and opponents of Syria's regime, bringing to nine the toll this week, an official said Saturday.
Sunni and Alawite gunmen have been fighting in the Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen districts of Tripoli since Monday.
Two of the casualties were Sunnis, said the security official. The third, an Alawite, died after he and an accomplice on a moped opened fire on an army roadblock and he was hit by return fire.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/10/26/Overnight-clashes-raise-death-toll-in-Lebanon-s-Tripoli-to-9-.html
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Kurdish militants in Syria rout jihadists on Iraq border, seize crossing: Activists
Oct 26, 2013
Fierce clashes raged on Oct. 26 after Syrian Kurds seized from jihadists a crossing on the Iraqi border, a key supply route for weapons and fighters in the 31-month war, activists said.
U.N. and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi meanwhile was due to visit Iran as he presses efforts to build a consensus for a Geneva conference aimed at ending the conflict that has killed tens of thousands.
Fighters from both sides were killed in the border clashes, which came a day after Syria's government and its opponents traded blame for a car bomb attack on a mosque that left dozens dead.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/kurdish-militants-in-syria-rout-jihadists-on-iraq-border-seize-crossing-activists.aspx?pageID=238&nID=56894&NewsCatID=352
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Mideast
Palestinian Authority pressing 50 countries to cut business ties with settlements
Oct 26, 2013
The Palestinian Authority has reportedly begun a campaign urging international countries to desist from conducting business with Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
In a diplomatic bid to halt Israeli expansion of settlements over the Green Line, senior Palestinian economic official and negotiator Mohammad Shtayyeh told the Financial Times on Thursday that the PA's foreign minister had started sending letters about a month ago to petition 50 countries against contusing business activities in the settlements.
The PA asked the countries, which are home to 504 companies operating in areas over the Green Line, to "withdraw their investment or freeze their activities,” according to Shtayyeh.
“The duty of the government is to tell the private sector company, ‘Maybe you don’t know you are investing in something illegal’,” the Financial Times quoted him as saying.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Palestinian-official-PA-pressing-50-countries-to-cease-business-ties-with-settlements-329744
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14 Iranian guards killed in clashes on Pakistan border: IRNA
AP | Oct 26, 2013
TEHRAN: Iran's official news agency said armed men have killed 14 border guards in clashes near the frontier with Pakistan.
IRNA said authorities were investigating to determine whether the attackers were drug smugglers or armed opposition groups, both of which have occasionally ambushed Iranian troops.
The clashes took place on Friday night in a mountainous region outside Saravan, a town in southeast Iran on the border with Pakistan. IRNA said five other Iranian guards were wounded in the attack.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/14-Iranian-guards-killed-in-clashes-on-Pakistan-border-IRNA/articleshow/24741275.cms
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Iran hangs 16 rebels 'in reprisal for border deaths'
Oct 26, 2013
Sixteen rebels have been hanged in Iran in retaliation for the deaths of at least 14 border guards in an ambush, say Iranian news agencies.
The rebels were "linked to groups hostile to the regime", the attorney general of Sistan-Baluchistan province was quoted as saying.
They were hanged in prison in Zahedan, north-east of Saravan, where the border deaths took place overnight.
It is not clear what link, if any, those hanged had to the border attack.
One report suggests they may already have been tried and convicted, but their executions brought forward following the ambush.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24682729
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Elite Hezbollah fighters are spearheading battle in Syria, IDF commander warns
Oct 26, 2013
Elite Hezbollah fighters are leading the Syrian government’s battle against rebels in the country’s most violent regions, a senior IDF commander said on Thursday.
“We must understand that this is not a war in Syria where Syrians are fighting against Syrians anymore,” Maj.-Gen. Noam Tibon, commander of the IDF Northern Corps, said at The Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference in Herzliya. Hezbollah, he said, is the “elite force today fighting against the rebels in Syria.”
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Elite-Hezbollah-fighters-are-spearheading-battle-in-Syria-IDF-commander-warns-329707
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If there is a dictator, topple him at elections, says Turkish PM Erdoğan
Oct 26, 2013
Responding to charges that he is becoming increasingly authoritarian, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has thrown down the gauntlet, saying that those who accuse him should seek to topple him through elections.
“I dare those – both here and abroad - who accuse us of dictatorship and of forming tutelage. Here they are, let them settle their accounts on March 30 at the ballot box. If there is a dictator in this country, here they are, let them topple this dictator through the ballot box,” Erdoğan said at an expanded meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) provincial chairs held on Oct. 25, referring to the upcoming local elections.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/if-there-is-a-dictator-topple-him-at-elections-says-turkish-pm-erdogan.aspx?pageID=238&nID=56846&NewsCatID=338
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Europe
Exhibition of rare Islamic scientific and art objects opens in Spain
The Associated Press
October 25, 2013
MADRID – A private museum in southern Spain is opening an exhibition of rare Islamic art and scientific objects that highlight the use of light in decoration and studies in the Arab world.
The exhibition, “Nur: Light in art and science in the Islamic world,” is sponsored by the energy company Abengoa and has gathered 150 pieces from collections such those of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University and private collectors from around the world.
Curated by Sabiha Al Khemir, a Tunisian writer and expert in Islamic art, the exhibition opens on Saturday at the Focus-Abengoa Foundation’s gallery in Seville.
From there, it travels next year to the Dallas Museum of Art in Texas, where it will be open to the public from March 30 to June 29.
http://www.news1130.com/2013/10/25/exhibition-of-rare-islamic-scientific-and-art-objects-opens-in-spain/
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'Norway is not the most suitable location' for Syrian chemical weapons
Oct 26, 2013
Norway has turned down a US request to help destroy Syrian chemical weapons. Citing time pressure and technical and legal constraints, Foreign Minister Boerge Brende said “it’s no longer appropriate to consider Norway as a site for the destruction”. The minister was under increased political pressure to accept the task after US Secretary of State John Kerry highlighted the destruction of Syrian weapons during a congratulatory call to the minister last week. However, Mr. Brende stressed that Norway lacked equipment and was forbidden by law from disposing of organic toxic waste material. In line with the UN Security Council resolution Syria’s entire chemical arsenal has to be destroyed by June 30th of next year. The Voice of Russia discussed it with Ragnhild Imerslund, Norway's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/2013_10_25/Norway-is-not-the-most-suitable-location-for-Syrian-chemical-weapons-destruction-Norways-Foreign-Ministry-spokeswoman-0495/
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US phone-tapping has nothing to do with fight against terrorism – Pushkov
Oct 26, 2013
World electronic phone-tapping has nothing to do with the fight against terrorism. That’s according to Alexei Pushkov, head of the Russian State Duma’s International Affairs Committee.
Moscow should react to reports of world leaders’ phones having been tapped by US secret services, because it’s a matter of Russia’s national security, Alexei Pushkov said on Friday.
"We are not an ally of the United States, but a country for which the US has a special intelligence program. The US secret services see Russia as a potential adversary. Also, the United States has placed Russia in one group with China and Iran, and considering America’s relations with those countries, there can be no question of partnership," Pushkov said in an interview with the Russian News Service radio.
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_10_25/US-phone-tapping-has-nothing-to-do-with-fight-against-terrorism-Pushkov-2139/
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France feared US spied on its president; was Israel's Mossad involved?
AFP | Oct 25, 2013
PARIS: France believed the United States attempted to hack into its president's communications network, a leaked US intelligence document published on Friday suggests.
US agents denied having anything to do with the May 2012 cyber attack on the Elysee Palace, the official residence of French presidents, and appeared to hint at the possible involvement of Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, a classified internal note from the US National Security Agency suggests.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/France-feared-US-spied-on-its-president-was-Israels-Mossad-involved/articleshow/24710933.cms
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Germany: Over 210 'extremists' have gone to Syria
26 October 2013
Germany's domestic intelligence chief says more than 210 people are known to have traveled from Germany to Syria, and at least 15 have returned from the country's civil war with battle experience.
Hans-Georg Maassen told German news agency dpa in an interview published Saturday that he believes "significantly more" people have traveled to Syria than authorities have identified but he can't estimate how many.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/84812/World/Region/Germany-Over--extremists-have-gone-to-Syria.aspx
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LoC: UN chief Ban Ki-moon urges India, Pak to talk
PTI
United Nations, October 26, 2013
United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has encouraged India and Pakistan to resolve the escalating tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) through dialogue and in a "peaceful" manner. Ceasefire violations along the LoC have continued in the days following Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month.
Pakistani troops had opened fire and shelled several outposts along the International Border in Jammu and Samba this week.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/loc-un-chief-ban-ki-moon-urges-india-pak-to-talk/article1-1140624.aspx
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Iran 'necessary' at Syria talks: UN-Arab League envoy
AFP | Oct 26, 2013
TEHRAN: The UN-Arab League envoy to war-torn Syria said on Saturday in Tehran that Iran's participation in international peace talks on the conflict was "necessary," Mehr news agency reported.
"We think the participation of Iran at Geneva 2 is natural and necessary," Lakhdar Brahimi said at a joint press conference after talks with foreign minister Javad Zarif.
But he stressed that no invitations have yet been sent out for the proposed international peace conference, which the United Nations hopes to organize for late November.
Zarif, whose country is a top ally of the embattled Damascus regime, said that "if Iran is invited to take part in Geneva 2, we will be there to help find a diplomatic solution."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Iran-necessary-at-Syria-talks-UN-Arab-League-envoy/articleshow/24763398.cms
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Southeast Asia
Overseas Muslims defend M’sian Christians
Mariam Mokhtar | October 25, 2013
It is ironic that Muslims from overseas are the ones who have come to the defence of Malaysian Christians, while the majority of the Muslims in Malaysia have chosen to say nothing.
The politically biased ruling by the Court of Appeal judges is shameful, but worse is the silence of the moderate Muslims who have given Islam a bad name.
For centuries, Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia, lived together in relative harmony. It has been historically established that Allah has been incorporated in the prayers of Christians and other faiths in the middle-east, long before Islam was brought to Malaysia. The indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak pray in Malay using the Malay-language Bible.
Instead of moving on and building a nation which can prosper from the combined efforts of its people, many Malays are being led astray by Umno Baru politicians.
Full report at:
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/10/25/overseas-muslims-defend-msian-christians/
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Brunei Becomes First East Asian State to Adopt Sharia Law
By Ankit Panda
October 25, 2013
This week, Brunei made waves across Southeast Asia when Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced that he would move his nation towards implementing Islamic Sharia law into its national penal code. The Sultan has ruled Brunei since 1967 and possesses absolute executive authority as head of state. While Sharia had previously existed in Brunei in the form of an Islamic court, its role was mainly restricted to dealing with family law and disputes.
The recent announcement is expected to take Brunei's legal system, at least for its Muslim population, in a direction similar to Saudi Arabia's penal code. According to USA Today, at a legal conference in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s capital, the Sultan said that the new Sharia penal code "should be regarded as a form of 'special guidance' from God and would be 'part of the great history' of Brunei.”
Full report at:
http://thediplomat.com/asean-beat/2013/10/25/brunei-becomes-first-east-asian-state-to-adopt-sharia-law/
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Islamic Students and Ulema Pray for KPK in Face of Black Magic Threat
Oct 26, 2013
Dozens of Islamic students and Ulema from across Banten province made a trip to the headquarters of Indonesia’s ant graft body in an attempt to lift any black magic spells which may have been cast by supporters of Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah and her family.
Dudung Abdurrahman, one of the students in attendance, said that the group recited verses from the Quran to protect the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) from any mystical attempts to thwart its investigation into the graft-ridden Banten political dynasty.
“This is our own initiative showing moral support for the KPK,” Dudung said on Friday. “This is so the KPK will not fear any black magic.”
Sensational rumors have swirled around Ratu Atut’s family since the arrest of her brother Tubagus Chaeri Wardhana (Wawan) over his alleged efforts to fix the Lebak District elections. Ratu Atut is said to be protected by a gang of jawara — powerful local leaders skilled in Indonesian martial arts and granted powers by local dukuns, or shamans.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/islamic-students-and-ulema-pray-for-kpk-in-face-of-black-magic-threat/
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Devotion and Service: Liberation Theology, Indonesian Style
10/25/2013
We arrived at the pesantran in the late afternoon. A rather unruly group of boys greeted the visitors, leading us through a maze of buildings, to a house where the headmistress and her staff were waiting. In short order we were introduced to the school and guided through the premises. As the sun began to set the excitement built, as it was Ramadan, the fasting season, and the moment to break the day's fast was approaching. A group of laughing girls crowded around the women among our group. Food appeared and with prayers we shared in the daily Ramadan ritual. After dinner, dancers entertained us all. In some respects it could have been a thriving school anywhere. In others, it was distinctly Indonesian, clearly Muslim, and wonderfully positive.
Full report at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katherine-marshall/devotion-and-service_b_4157395.html
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Pakistan
US indifferent to Nawaz request for ending drone attacks: Jamaat e Islami
October 26, 2013
Lahore - Jamaat e Islami chief Syed Munawar Hasan has said that the long awaited and much talked about Obama- Nawaz meeting has yielded nothing and the Prime Minister has returned empty handed.
In a statement here on Friday, he said that the US President Obama was visibly indifferent during the meeting and posed as patron and he did not give any attention to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s request for ending drone attacks or Dr Aafia’s release. On the other hand, the US categorically stated that the drone policy will not be changed. Munawar said that as front line state in the US war on terror, Pakistan had suffered heavily both in terms of casualties and economic losses but the US compensation for all these services and sacrifices had been negligible, and the release of 1.6 billion dollars aid was a peanut as compared to the actual losses.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/lahore/26-Oct-2013/us-indifferent-to-nawaz-request-for-ending-drone-attacks-ji
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Govt, parliament not prepared to rein in ISI, says top Pak judge
PTI | Oct 26, 2013
ISLAMABAD: A top Pakistani judge has said that nobody, including the federal government and parliament, is prepared to bring in legislation to control the Inter-Services Intelligence agency ( ISI).
Peshawar High Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan made the observation while hearing cases related to 282 "missing persons" of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas, a media report said on Friday.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Govt-parliament-not-prepared-to-rein-in-ISI-says-top-Pak-judge/articleshow/24722024.cms
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Burdened economy: ‘Pakistan has spent $200b on Afghan refugees’
October 26, 2013
PESHAWAR: Pakistan cannot afford to host Afghan refugees any longer and has spent more than $200 billion in the last 30 years on them, said Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch.
Baloch said international humanitarian organisations should assist in providing protection and ensure the timely and safe return of refugees to their home country.
Addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Friday, he said initially Pakistan was hosting five million refugees and even today there are more than three million registered and unregistered refugees in the country, most of whom are living in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
The minister further mentioned the government’s two-year extension to refugees on the request of UNHCR, the United Nation’s Refugee Agency.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/622518/burdened-economy-pakistan-has-spent-200b-on-afghan-refugees/
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Taliban talks: Take political parties into confidence, Nawaz tells Chaudhry Nisar
October 26, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday told Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to take all political parties into confidence with regards to peace talks with Taliban, Express News reported.
The prime minister met Nisar today in Islamabad.
Nawaz said that the “political parties should also express their opinion and give suggestions with regards to the peace talks.”
“Peace is important for the social and economic prosperity of the country,” he further said.
Despite the fact that all political parties were in favour of peace talks, there have been several terrorist attacks in the country.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/622809/taliban-talks-take-political-parties-into-confidence-nawaz-tells-chaudhry-nisar/
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Car bomb kills two soldiers in Pakistan
PTI | Oct 26, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani soldiers were killed on Saturday when a car bomb hit a paramilitary van escorting a bus of pilgrims in the country's restive Balochistan province.
The incident took place in Dringhar area, on the main Quetta-Taftan Highway in Mastung district, some 50 kilometres southwest of Quetta.
"The bomb exploded after an FC (Paramilitary Frontier Corps) vehicle stopped to check a parked car," Sayed Mehrab Shah, a senior government official told Geo TV.
All the pilgrims on the bus, who were on their way to Iran, were safe but several security personnel were wounded by the remotely triggered bomb, Shah said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Car-bomb-kills-two-soldiers-in-Pakistan/articleshow/24744828.cms
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Fatwa ‘Threatens Media Freedom’ In Pakistan
2013-10-26
WASHINGTON: Media advocacy groups on Friday condemned the renewal of a year-old fatwa naming certain Pakistani media and journalists as “enemies of the Mujahideen”.
The fatwa was re-issued on Oct 19 in the form of a post on Twitter.
“We condemn this explicit and targeted threat to journalists, which greatly increases the dangers to which they are already exposed,” said one of the groups, Reporters without Borders.
“We urge the authorities to reinforce protection for the media and journalists named in the fatwa and to ensure that those responsible for this threat are no longer able to do any harm,” said the statement issued in Washington.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1051960/fatwa-threatens-media-freedom-in-pakistan
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Ex-UC nazim among six killed in Karachi
October 26, 2013
KARACHI - A former union council Nazim among six people were gunned down in separate incidents of target killing here on Friday.
A former nazim of Orangi Town union council namely Akram Saeed, 45, was shot dead at Muhajir Square, Orangi Town.
Police said the victim was returning his home after offering Jumma prayers when at least two unidentified armed riders shot him dead and fled. Police shifted the body to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for autopsy and later handed over to heirs. The victim was also allegedly involved in a murder case and recently released from jail on bail. Further investigation was underway.
Full report at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/karachi/26-Oct-2013/ex-uc-nazim-among-six-killed-in-karachi
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LoC tensions: Islamabad calls for early meeting of DGMOs
October 26, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad on Friday called for an early meeting of senior military officials from Pakistan and India to defuse tensions across the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border.
“We believe the decision of the two prime ministers about the meeting of the directors general military operations (DGMOs) must be implemented immediately to resolve the matter,” Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry told a weekly news briefing.
Chaudhry said that continuing ceasefire violations by Indian forces at the LoC and working boundary was a matter of ‘grave concern’.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/622652/loc-tensions-islamabad-calls-for-early-meeting-of-dgmos/
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Pakistan may ask India to review Indus Waters Treaty
PTI | Oct 26, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has hinted that it may ask India to review the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 as the historic accord is not favourable to the country, media reported on Saturday.
Water and power minister Khwaja Asif said the "government would decide whether it needs to be reviewed or not". He alleged that India was blocking water and building dams on rivers allocated to Pakistan by the treaty.
Pakistan has concerns regarding the Indus Waters Treaty because the country will get less water in coming years under the pact. The government is seriously looking at reviewing the treaty, Asif said on Friday.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pakistan-may-ask-India-to-review-Indus-Waters-Treaty/articleshow/24761776.cms
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South Asia
Defence Ministry alerted to possible threat to former President Nasheed’s life
By Ahmed Naish | October 26th, 2013
The Ministry of Defence and National Security has been alerted by the Office of President Mohamed Nasheed to possible dangers to the life of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate.
“According to sources, two Al-Qaeda agents have been employed for an attack on President Nasheed and are currently in Male’. The Office has requested the Ministry of Defense and National Security’s Intelligence to launch an investigation into the matter and to share findings with this office,” read a press statement from the former president’s office.
Following the request for an investigation, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) issued a press release yesterday (October 25) stating that it was making inquiries and working with the Maldives Police Service (MPS) to investigate the matter.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/defence-ministry-alerted-to-possible-threat-to-former-president-nasheeds-life-69820
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Afghan soldier killed after row with Nato troops
Oct 26, 2013
An Afghan soldier has been killed at a military base in the capital Kabul, after shooting at international troops.
The incident, which injured at least one foreign soldier, began after an argument, Nato officials said.
It is the fourth such attack in a month. Last year, attacks by Afghan servicemen on their Nato colleagues accounted for around 15% of all international troop casualties.
More than 100 international soldiers have been killed this year.
In June, Nato handed over security for the whole of Afghanistan to Afghan forces, but some 97,000 troops remain.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24684853
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Maldives’ EC calls on “all friends of democracy” for help conducting presidential poll
By Leah Malone | October 25th, 2013
The re-registration process for the presidential election first round – scheduled for November 9 – ends today at 10pm tonight (October 25).
Newly eligible voters and those who will be voting in a location other than their home island can collect forms from the Elections Commission Secretariat in Male’, from Island Council offices and online.
After re-registration is completed, the EC will receive rejected re-registration forms tomorrow (October 26). On the same day, the names of elections day officials will be sent to candidates for vetting as outlined in the SC guidelines.
“The Elections Commission of Maldives calls upon all friends of democracy to help us deliver a free, fair, transparent and inclusive presidential election as scheduled on 9 November 2013”, said a commission statement yesterday.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/maldives-elections-commission-calls-on-all-friends-of-democracy-for-help-conducting-presidential-poll-as-scheduled-69741
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Awami League will resist terrorism for democracy
Oct 26, 2013
Awami League central working committee member Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya has said Awami League would resist any “terrorist activities” for the sake of democracy.
He made the comments in front of the Awami League headquarters at Bangabandhu Avenue in response to a query made by a private television channel Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, BNP were holding their much hyped October 25 rally at Suhrawardy Udyan.
Maya said Awami League would accompany the people and resist any terrorist activities in the capital.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2013/oct/25/maya-al-will-resist-terrorism-democracy#sthash.YpSjMI2x.dpuf
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Afghan soldier opens fire on Nato partners
AFP
Kabul, October 26, 2013
An Afghan soldier on Saturday opened fire on his Nato partners in Kabul, wounding a Nato soldier in the latest in a series of "insider" attacks on alliance forces, officials said.
Attacks in which Afghan forces turned their guns on their international partners have killed scores of Nato-led troops, breeding mistrust and undermining efforts to train local forces before Nato combat troops withdraw next year.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/afghan-soldier-opens-fire-on-nato-partners/article1-1140804.aspx
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North America
Americans in fury over NSA spying: mass rally 'blessed' by Snowden to be held in DC
Oct 26, 2013
Not only Europe is outraged with NSA’s mass surveillance. US civil liberties groups are organizing what’s being billed as the largest privacy rally in United States history.
A coalition of groups called StopWatching.Us, which includes the American Civil Liberties Union and the Libertarian Party, is planning a rally for thousands in Washington to continue pressuring Congress to respond to the revelations of NSA leaker Edward Snowden. The Rally Against Mass Surveillance will take place Saturday, October 26 in Washington, DC.
Among Stop Watching Us members are also individuals like Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwei and Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who worked with Edward Snowden to expose many of the NSA’s surveillance procedures.
Organizers of the event will deliver a petition to Congress signed by more than 500,000 people opposed to the NSA’s policies.
The coalition's demands are threefold: increased transparency; an end to programs like the collection of Americans' phone records; and accountability for the programs' creators and supporters.
Full report at:
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_10_25/Americans-in-fury-over-NSA-spying-mass-rally-to-be-held-in-Washington-DC-on-Saturday-7519/
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US: No sanctions lifting at front end of Iran nuclear talks
By REUTERS
Oct 26, 2013
WASHINGTON - The United States is not looking to ease sanctions on Iran "at the front end" of negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program, a senior White House official said on Thursday.
The Islamic republic would have to take "concrete steps" to address its program before Washington could provide sanctions relief, Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser to President Barack Obama, said at the Reuters Washington Summit.
The United States suspects Iran may be using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop atomic weapons. Iran denies that, saying its program is solely for peaceful purposes.
Major powers last week held their first formal negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program since the election in June of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate, opened the door to a possible diplomatic resolution.
Full report at:
http://www.jpost.com/Iranian-Threat/News/US-No-sanctions-lifting-at-front-end-of-Iran-nuclear-talks-329729
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Guantanamo lawyers want Obama to declassify CIA prison program
26 October 2013
Attorneys for five Guantanamo prisoners charged with plotting the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks have asked President Barack Obama to declassify the CIA program that subjected the defendants to interrogation techniques that have been described as torture.
In a letter made public on Friday, the lawyers asked the president to release potentially mitigating information that could spare the defendants from execution if they are convicted on charges of hijacking, terrorism and murdering nearly 3,000 people.
The CIA's Rendition, Detention and Interrogation program, or RDI program, was authorized by President George W. Bush's administration after the Sept. 11 attacks.
It allowed captives suspected of links to al Qaeda to be seized, transferred without judicial review to secret overseas prisons and subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques" such as sleep deprivation, extreme temperatures and a simulated drowning method called waterboarding.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/84802/World/International/Guantanamo-lawyers-want-Obama-to-declassify-CIA-pr.aspx
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Snowden's leaks most serious in US history: Ex-CIA official
26 October 2013
Leaks from Edward Snowden have helped America's adversaries and represent the most serious breach of classified information in US history, the CIA's former number-two ranking official said in an interview Friday.
Michael Morrell, who served as deputy director and acting director of the CIA, told CBS television's "60 Minutes" program that the former intelligence contractor's disclosures have damaged efforts to track possible terror threats.
"What Edward Snowden did -- has put Americans at greater risk-- because terrorists learn from leaks and they will be more careful, and we will not get the intelligence we would have gotten otherwise," said Morrell, who recently stepped down after 33 years at the CIA.
Snowden has portrayed himself as a whistleblower concerned about National Security Agency eavesdropping and other secret surveillance, but Morrell said the former contractor was a traitor to his country.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/84784/World/International/Snowdens-leaks-most-serious-in-US-history-ExCIA-of.aspx
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India
Shakeel Ahmad says riots make ISI, BJP rejoice
TNN | Oct 26, 2013
NEW DELHI: Drawing a parallel between BJP and Pakistan's ISI, Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmad on Friday said both "rejoice" whenever communal riots erupt in India as one receives funding from Islamic countries in the aftermath while the other garners votes.
Ahmad also dismissed as "childish" the BJP's criticism of Rahul Gandhi for his statement that Pakistan's ISI is trying to lure some Muslims in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar into terrorism.
"Really true ! Whenever and wherever communal trouble erupts in this country two sets of people rejoice. Pakistan's ISI and India's Bhajpaei," Ahmad commented on microblogging site Twitter.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Shakeel-Ahmad-says-riots-make-ISI-BJP-rejoice/articleshow/24717235.cms
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Will vote for Modi if he says sorry: Shia cleric
Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui, TNN | Oct 26, 2013
LUCKNOW: Top Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq on Friday said he would vote for Narendra Modi if he admits to his past mistakes, a remark many interpreted as Muslim endorsement of BJP's prime minister hopeful.
"History has it that rulers and dynasties that targeted and harmed Islam for years were later accepted by the religion after they admitted to their mistakes and promised not to repeat them," said Maulana Sadiq, a highly respected Shia cleric, who is held in high esteem by Sunnis as well.
"This isn't giving a clean chit to Modi for Gujarat riots. What happened (in 2002) hurt Muslims very deeply. No one can forget that. But if Modi admits his mistakes and convinces everybody by his actions and deeds that he has changed, then I can vote for him," Sadiq said. He added, "I am not reflecting the mood of the entire Muslim community but talking about myself only."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Will-vote-for-Modi-if-he-says-sorry-Shia-cleric/articleshow/24716563.cms
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BSF kills three Pak smugglers, recovers 24kg heroin in Punjab
Yudhvir Rana, TNN | Oct 26, 2013
AMRITSAR: Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday shot dead three Pakistani smugglers near Indo-Pak international border in Punjab and recovered 24 kilogram heroin valued at around Rs 120 crore in the international market following search of the area. BSF also recovered on magazine of AK47 rifle and a pistol.
BSF, Inspector General, Frontier, AK Tomar told TOI on Saturday that a patrolling party of BSF near Mullankot border out post spotted suspicious movement across border fence on late Friday midnight.
"Our troops challenged the intruders and in return they started firing which was retaliated by our jawans during which three of the Pakistani smugglers were shot dead" said he adding that BSF had shot 91 rounds.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/BSF-kills-three-Pak-smugglers-recovers-24kg-heroin-in-Punjab/articleshow/24735810.cms
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Indian man sneaks into Pakistan to visit grandparents' graves
October 25, 2013
A badly injured middle-aged man from Rajasthan with a fractured leg limped into Pakistan's Sindh province, unnoticed by border guards of both countries, to visit the graves of his paternal grandparents. The man, identified as 50-year-old Abu Bakar, is reportedly afflicted by a mental disorder, the Dawn newspaper reported today. He was detained by the Pakistan Rangers.
Abu Bakar, the son of Ameer Nohri, reportedly told local residents he had visited the graves of his grandparents near Gogasar to seek forgiveness for murdering his sister in 1988.
He is a resident of Amyani village near Tamlor railway station in Barmer district of Rajasthan.
Farmers at Gogasar quoted Abu Bakar as saying that he axed his sister Imamat to death in 1988. The motive was to teach his parents a lesson as they had arranged his younger brother's marriage, instead of his.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/indian-man-sneaks-into-pakistan-to-visit-grandparents-graves/article1-1140372.aspx
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David Headley 'bragged' about Mumbai attacks in emails, book claims
IANS | Oct 26, 2013
CHICAGO: A Danish journalist says barely a week after the November 26, 2008 terrorist strikes on Mumbai, David Coleman Headley, their most high-profile Chicago plotter, was "bragging" about them in an email forum. What seems remarkable about Karre Sorenson's finding is the extent of Headley's involvement in the planning of the Mumbai attacks and who also justifies the Mumbai killings, calling them "retaliation" for the wrongs done in Kashmir and even Afghanistan.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/David-Headley-bragged-about-Mumbai-attacks-in-emails-book-claims/articleshow/24757814.cms
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/nigeria-says-killed-95-boko/d/14168