Scrubbed Islamic State Graffiti Belies Jokowi Security Challenge
New Age Islam News Bureau
19
Oct 2014
“Khilafah.is” was taken down by Internet in Iceland Inc (ISNIC), the authority regulating the country’s domain .is. (File Photo: Reuters)
Southeast Asia
• Scrubbed
Islamic State Graffiti Belies Jokowi Security Challenge
• Ridiculous
to Stop Non-Muslims from Using ‘Allah’, Says Brotherhood Leader
• Barisan
and Umno reject all forms of extremism, says Najib
• ‘I Want
To Touch A Dog’ Event A Big Hit With Muslims
Pakistan
• Pakistan's
Clerics Condemn Islamic State for Violating Islamic Teachings
• Al-Qaeda
Regional Chief an Indian, Met Him Twice: Pakistani Journalist
• Khyber
Residents Given Three-Day Deadline to Surrender Arms
• Gunmen
kill eight non-locals in Balochistan
• Pakistan
court upholds death penalty in Christian woman's blasphemy case
• Pakistan
calls for equal security for all in nuclear disarmament efforts
• ‘Ro
Imran Ro’ slogan rocks PPP public rally
• Resolution
of Kashmir issue vital for peace: Pakistan Army Chief
South Asia
• 50
Taliban militants killed, 32 wounded in clearing operations
• Trial of
Jamaat: International Crimes Tribunal Act amendment soon
• APJ
Abdul Kalam stresses need for poverty-free Saarc region
• Top al
Qaeda leader operative killed in Nangarhar province
Arab World
• 45 Isil
Terrorists Killed In Tikrit, Mosul by Iraqi Bombers
• Egyptian
Ex-Police Officer Conducted 'Isis Suicide Attack in Iraq'
• Jihadists
Take Heavy Losses In Battle For Syria's Kobane
• Roadside
bomb kills seven in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula
• Kurds
thwart new IS bid to cut off Syrian town
• ISIS
commits ‘fatal’ blunders in Kobane battle
• 400 Volunteers
Join Iraqi Forces to Fight ISIL
• Focus on
education to guide Arab youth: Prince Khaled
Europe
• In
Iceland’s Freedom of Expression ISIS Propaganda Crushed
• Syrian
civil war film wins London festival prize
• HRW
calls on Kuwait to stop stripping citizenship
• British
govt to request information from web giants on extremists
• Britain
targets Qatari national suspected of funding Islamic State militants
Mideast
• Yemen's
Shia rebels take town south of Sanaa
• Iran
says militants infiltrating from Pakistan
• Palestinian
leader calls Jews settlers "herd of cattle"
• Iran
summons Pakistani ambassador over border killings
• Senior
AKP deputy slams Erdoğan, his party over Kurdish policies: BBC
• Israel's
defence minister in US after spat over Kerry remarks
India
• As ‘Love
Jihad’ Charge Falls Flat, Families of Ten Accused Wait For End of Ordeal
• Modi
Talks to Karzai, Former Afghan Prez Lauds India’s Assistance
North America
• ‘Only 84
of 2,379 killed by drones were Qaeda terrorists’
• Slain
journalist James Foley ‘tried to see the good’
• U.S. and
Europe call for a halt of Libya violence
Africa
• Libya PM
says united forces aim to 'liberate' Tripoli, Benghazi
• 'Ceasefire'
doubts after attacks reported in Nigeria
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/scrubbed-islamic-state-graffiti-belies/d/99603
-----------
Southeast Asia
Scrubbed
Islamic State Graffiti Belies Jokowi Security Challenge
Oct 19, 2014
Amir
Mahmud hoped to attract 500 locals to an event he organized in July to support
Islamic State at a mosque in Solo, the hometown of Indonesia’s incoming
president Joko Widodo. Two thousand came from across the island of Java.
The
scholar, who spent three years at a military camp in Afghanistan in the 1980s,
would like to see a caliphate in Indonesia, an officially secular nation with
the world’s largest Muslim population. Support for Islamic State’s campaign in
the Middle East, including young men who have travelled there to join the
fight, will pose a challenge for Joko when he is inaugurated Oct. 20 to lead a
country with a history of terror attacks.
Outgoing
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has condemned extremism and officials have
scrubbed black murals backing Islamic State from Solo’s walls. That may not be
enough to counter efforts by outfits such as Mahmud’s to tap the interest that Islamic State has triggered in
reviving home-grown militant groups whose leaders were captured or killed, such
as Jemaah Islamiyah.
“We just
lay low for now,” said Mahmud, wearing a brown safari suit and talking about
Islamic fundamentalism in a hotel restaurant in Solo. “IS as an ideology will
never die.”
With a
civilian background that contrasts with both his ex-general predecessor and
main political opponent Prabowo Subianto, Joko will need a strategy to counter
the potential for militants returning from the Middle East and radicalizing
others. That adds to security tasks from a separatist movement in Papua to an
increasingly assertive China in the nearby South China Sea.
The
total number of Southeast Asians fighting alongside Islamic State is estimated
by governments and police to be a few hundred. The brutality of terrorist
groups in Iraq and Syria poses a threat to the Middle East and, if left
unchecked, the world, the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations said
in a statement Sept. 27.
Religious
groups
Joko,
who has eschewed a heavy security detail to mingle on unscheduled public walks,
says he will pursue a different tack to Yudhoyono, whose counter-terrorism
forces largely neutralized militant groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah, which
orchestrated the 2002 bombing of Bali nightclubs that killed 202 people.
“Not
only have a security approached, but also a religious approach,” Joko said in
an interview last month. He plans to use the country’s largest Muslim groups,
Nahdlatul Ulema and Muhammadiyah, who together have about 80 million members or
a third of the population, to curb militant teaching. “I will give the problem
to those organizations, to control, to manage and to solve,” he said.
That
approach probably won’t work as radical elements are unlikely to be influenced
by moderate organizations, said Keith Loveard, head of political risk at
Jakarta-based security company Concord Consulting.
National
ideology
“It’s a
bit easier to say hate your neighbour than love your neighbour,” said Loveard.
“It’s hard to say publicly that’s wrong if it’s within interpretations of
Islam.”
The
debate over whether Indonesia should be an Islamic nation is as old as the
country itself. Its first leader after independence, Sukarno, adopted an
ideology known as ‘Pancasila’ that allowed for other religions to be recognized
by the state, in a country with significant numbers of Christians and Hindus
and where Islam is often blended with animist beliefs.
The
outgoing administration only spoke out against Islamic State after that group
called in August for Indonesians to transfer their loyalty to a caliphate,
making it a threat to the cohesion of the archipelago, said Sidney Jones,
director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict.
Bragging
rights
Returnees
from the Afghanistan conflict forged the leadership in the early 1990s of
Jemaah Islamiyah, yet security forces have been successful in tackling that
group, she said.
The risk
is that a new set of militants get training and combat experience in Syria and
Iraq and reforge local networks, Jones said.
Militants
from Malaysia and Indonesia have formed a unit in Syria for Malay-speaking
fighters under the Islamic State banner, raising the risk of a shared strategy
for returnees to Southeast Asia, the institute said in a report Sept. 24.
“As the
Syrian jihadists come home, they will have bragging rights among hardliners and
will probably rise to the top of the next generation of radicals in Indonesia,”
said Ken Conboy, country manager for RMA Indonesia, a private security
consultancy in Jakarta. While Indonesia has a robust counter- terrorism
structure, Joko will need to surround himself with people well-versed in
security, he said.
Same
challenge
“He
remains largely untested on the foreign policy and security front,” Conboy
said. “On a more personal level, Joko has to balance his penchant for mingling
with the masses, and the heightened risks this entails when he dives into a
crowd that has not been adequately screened.”
Indonesia
carried out legislative and presidential elections this year without ethnic or
religious tensions surfacing, said Bob Carr, Australia’s foreign minister from
2012 to 2013 and a former state premier.
“I’m
still confident about the diversity and tolerance of the Indonesian model,”
Carr said in an interview in Singapore. “It’s a challenge that we’ve all got.
Australians have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight. It raises real concerns about
the security challenge should they return.”
Information
sharing
Militants
have in recent years opted for low-cost attacks on state targets such as police
outposts, and could potentially target foreign business people in central
Jakarta, said Loveard.
Bombs at
Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels in the capital killed nine people in 2009.
Authorities in 2012 arrested 11 people suspected of plotting to attack the U.S.
Embassy in Jakarta.
Joko
needs to tackle these risks by better information sharing between security
forces, the immigration service and embassies in the Middle East, Jones said.
Indonesia’s embassies there have been swamped by other challenges, including
getting migrant workers out of Syria and helping Indonesians at risk of execution
in the Middle East, she said.
To
strengthen legislation on combating terrorism or militant groups, Joko would
need the support of parliament, where the opposition coalition that includes
Islamic parties holds the majority of seats. The current 2003 law was issued as
an emergency rule in the wake of the Bali bombings, and then approved by
parliament.
‘Achilles
heel’
Joko may
face conflict with parliament over how to handle Islamic extremism, said Tim
Huxley, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic
Studies-Asia in Singapore and author of “Disintegrating Indonesia? Implications
for Regional Security”. If the opposition chooses not to cooperate, it could
politicize the issue.
“If
Joko’s government was hard-line toward the Islamic State that could be
portrayed as repression of Muslims,” said Huxley. “I’m sure he knows that if
it’s not handled effectively it’s an Achilles heel and not just in the sense of
opening up vulnerabilities for Indonesia, but also political vulnerabilities.”
Indonesia’s
top clerical council, Majlis Ulema Indonesia, in August called Islamic State a
“radical movement”.
“We urge
all Muslims in Indonesia to reject the existence of ISIS movement in Indonesia
that potentially can divide the unity of Muslims and destabilize the state of
Indonesia,” it said in a statement on its website.
‘Islamic
leadership’
While
Mahmud said he didn’t support violence to spread the Islamic State ideology in
a peaceful country like Indonesia, he set up the Solo forum together with two
people previously arrested by the country’s anti-terror forces.
“ISIS or
IS brings back an idea of an Islamic caliphate, and we don’t need to be afraid
of this,” he said. “If the Catholic Church has the Pope as its supreme leader,
why can Muslims not have a similar leader? I don’t understand why the Islamic
world is so afraid of this idea of Islamic leadership.”
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/scrubbed-islamic-state-graffiti-belies-jokowi-security-challenge/
-----------
Ridiculous
to Stop Non-Muslims from Using ‘Allah’, Says Brotherhood Leader
Oct 19, 2014
Prohibiting
non-Muslims from using the word "Allah" is ridiculous, says Kuwait's
Muslim Brotherhood leader Dr Tareq Suwaidan.
He said
this was because there was no law or ruling within the Islamic realm which
prevented the use of the word by non-Muslims.
"I
have been following this development in Malaysia, this use of the word
'Allah'... there is no law in Islam that says so," he told a forum
organised by PAS international committee last night.
He noted
that there were many instances in Islamic history where non-Muslims had been
encouraged to use the Arabic word "Allah".
"Do
not be confused, this is just wrong, I have hundreds. No, thousands of proof on
this," he said, in front of a crowd of 100.
His
comment came after an Indonesian scholar Dr Ulil Abshar Abdalla waded into the
“Allah” controversy, saying Muslims who believed the word was exclusive to
Islam were “confused”.
Ulil,
who was denied entry into Malaysia this month for allegedly opposing its
Islamic stand, said Muslims did not have a monopoly of the word “Allah” as it
was a general term to refer to God.
“The
term ‘Allah’ comes from two words which are ‘Al’ ‘and ‘Ilah’ which means God.
“If we
mention the word ‘Allah’, it is translated as God. The people of Mecca also
used the word ‘Allah’ before Islam came,” he had said.
Tareq
and Ulil's view of the “Allah” controversy echoes that of Muslim scholars and
clerics, both locally and worldwide, who have criticised the ban of the use of
the word among non-Muslims here.
Even the
United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief, Heiner
Bielefeldt, had said that many Muslims were of the view that the court ruling
undermined the credibility of Islam, in a reference to the Federal Court decision
that the word “Allah” could not be used in the Catholic publication, Herald, on
grounds it was not an integral part of Christianity.
Earlier
this month, evangelical denomination Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) obtained leave
from the Court of Appeal to seek a declaration that the word “Allah” could be
used in Christian publications.
A
three-man Court of Appeal bench, chaired by Datuk Rohana Yusof, said the
Federal Court held that the September 14 finding that “Allah was not an
integral part of Christianity” was a mere passing remark.
Among
the groups which have defended “Allah” as exclusive to Muslims are Malay rights
group Perkasa and Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma).
The
“Allah” row started in 2008 when the Home Ministry threatened to revoke the
Herald’s newspaper permit, prompting the Catholic Church to sue the government
for violating its constitutional rights.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ridiculous-to-stop-non-muslims-from-using-allah-says-muslim-brotherhood-lea#sthash.Hx3h1XJd.dpuf
-----------
Barisan
and Umno reject all forms of extremism, says Najib
Oct 19, 2014
Barisan
Nasional, including Umno, rejects any form of extremism, Datuk Seri Najib Razak
said, calling on political leaders to show the way by demonstrating moderation.
"Political
leaders must set an example for the rakyat and reject any form of
extremism," the prime minister said before opening Gerakan's 43rd National
Delegates Conference at the Setia City Convention Centre in Setia Alam,
Selangor, today.
In his
opening address, Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong had expressed
uneasiness at the comments posted by Malaysians on social media and blogs.
"It
saddens me that young Malaysians, the future of the country, can post racially
charged messages and comments," Mah had said.
Najib
said as the Internet was not subject to censorship, it was easy for people to
get carried away and get out of control when giving feedback on an issue.
"The
solution is for political leaders to show the way by rejecting extremism. Barisan
Nasional, and this includes Umno, rejects any form of extremism," Najib
said.
"We
must educate Malaysians to not only be knowledgeable, but to be rational and
think things through thoroughly.
"Malaysia
wants to be a fully matured democracy, and in order to achieve that, we must
have a thinking public.
"It
is easy to be an extremist, but in order to be a true leader, to be accepted by
all races, we must strike a balance," he said.
Najib
said Malaysia's appointment as a non-permanent member of the United Nations
security council was due to the fact that the country is the epitome of a
multi-racial nation.
"Why
was Malaysia elected by other countries? Because we are the epitome of a nation
which has succeeded in being multi-racial and multi-ethnic," he said.
"We
have shown this in a humble manner, through our practices of moderation and
political compromise between the different races in Malaysia.
"That
is how Malaysia secured a position on the United Nations security council, by
striking the right balance and being moderate rather than extreme."
Najib
paid tribute to Mah, whom he considered to be a risk-taker and had put himself
and Gerakan in the firing line by contesting the Teluk Intan by-election in
May.
"It
was tantamount to political suicide by Mah, pulling off what appeared to be
mission impossible," Najib said, referring to DAP’s 7,313 majority when it
won the seat last year.
After
six years, Barisan Nasional regained Teluk Intan when Mah defeated DAP's Dyana
Sofya Mohd Daud by a majority of 238 votes.
"I
admire such an individual who dares to take risks and put himself in the firing
line despite the odds stacked against Gerakan."
Najib
told Gerakan not to be afraid of the opposition, especially DAP, in their
efforts to reclaim Penang.
"If
DAP is wrong, tell them that they are wrong. Do not be like the opposition and
resort to lies and falsehoods," he said.
"Use
facts and the truth, Gerakan must come up with a plan, a better plan than what
DAP is currently doing for Penang.
"How
many affordable homes have been built in Penang under DAP? How much investment
have they attracted to the island?
"Compare
this to the era of the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu and Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon. Do
not be afraid, use facts to back up your arguments."
Najib
said although Pakatan Rakyat was fond of attacking BN with arguments which were
based on lies, BN will not stoop that low.
"We
will attack them based on facts and figures, I feel Gerakan is capable of doing
this," he said, to a loud roar of approval from the delegates.
Najib said
Chinese voters had shied away from Barisan Nasional because of the lies spread
by Pakatan Rakyat.
"Chinese
votes had fallen during the 13th general election last year due to the lies
about phantom Bangladeshi voters," Najib said.
"Think
about it, why did Chinese votes drop during last year's general polls?"
Najib asked Gerakan delegates.
"Pakatan
Rakyat spun a tale about the 40,000 Bangladeshis who had been imported to
Malaysia to vote for Barisan Nasional."
As the
delegates broke into laughter, Najib said it may seem funny now but many people
believed it at that time.
"An
outright lie was spun and preached as the absolute truth."
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/barisan-and-umno-reject-all-forms-of-extremism-says-najib#sthash.A260xQgt.dpuf
-----------
‘I Want
To Touch A Dog’ Event A Big Hit With Muslims
Oct 19,
2014
Siti
Sakinah Meor Omar Baki has been afraid of dogs all her life. Not only that, she
was told that touching dogs is not allowed in Islam. That was the mentality and
teaching instilled in her by her conventional family.
But
today, Siti Sakinah, along with her four children, turned up at Central Park in
Bandar Utama, Selangor, to participate in the "I want to touch a dog"
event to overcome her fear.
"It
is also to show that touching a dog is not haram. People are worried about
touching the dogs more as it’s a sin instead of worrying about the biggest
sins," said Siti Sakinah, a former religious teacher who currently works
with an NGO.
She said
her husband, an ustaz, gave her the permission to attend today's event.
"I
wanted to jump for joy when he said 'yes' and I told my children they had to
go. And all of them came today with me to overcome their fear and to learn that
dogs are also creatures created by Allah that need love and care," said
Siti Sakinah, who touched and petted a few dogs at the event.
"I
am still scared of big dogs so I am touching the small ones first," she
said gleefully.
Siti
Sakinah and her children were among the many families who turned up at the
event which was attended by more than 1,000 people.
The
organiser of the event, Syed Azmi Alhabshi, said he was satisfied with the
turnout.
"We
only expected 60 but this is way more than 60. This is overwhelming and I hope
I provided enough water for the dogs and apologise for any shortcomings,"
he said.
Syed
Azmi, who was busy making sure everything, was in order, also managed to touch
not one but a few dogs for the first time in his life.
"I
wanted to touch a husky but I was so busy," he said.
Animal
lovers who had arrived at Central Park since morning walked around with their
dogs of various breeds like husky, German Shepherd, Doberman, Golden Retriever
and poodle.
Chidren
were elated touching the animals. There were also some Muslims yelping when the
dogs sniffed them.
"I
am curious, that is why I am here. I touched a few. I never had a chance like
this before. I grew up in Kota Baru and I study at the International Islamic
University Malaysia. My parents don’t know that I am here but my friends are
very supportive," said Nik Farhana Nik Othman, 22.
Nik
Farhana was accompanied by a friend.
Another
woman who wished to be known only as Munirah Mohamad, 35, said her relationship
with dogs began three years ago when she rescued a dog abused by her neighbour.
"I
didn't know what to do. I was scared so I let the dog into my porch. I called
the vet to come and pick him up for treatment. And I scolded my neighbour for
abusing the animal," said Munirah.
Since
then, she said she had rescued more than 50 dogs. Most of them are strays which
she fed and treated. Some would return to the streets after being treated while
others were adopted.
At
present, Munirah has two dogs as pets. Both are strays but she only took one to
the event today.
"I
found my dog, Sasa, on the street with a broken leg. I took her home and nursed
her to health. My family doesn't appreciate wA participant petting a dog while
cradling another at the event in Bandar Utama. – Pic used with permission,
October 19, 2014.A participant petting a dog while cradling another at the
event in Bandar Utama. – Pic used with permission, October 19, 2014.hat I am
doing. They feel that I am wasting my energy and money but, to me, dogs are
also like other animals that need care and love," said Munirah.
She said
all the negativity that she had encountered had made her think of migrating.
"Sometimes
I think I want to leave but if I stay, I get to save more dogs. So I haven't
decided what to do."
She said
the event today was a good way to educate Muslims to love and show compassion
towards animals.
"Sometimes
people like to experience things themselves rather than be told what to do.
Now, I rather show than talk. They are not listening anyway," said
Munirah.
The
"I want to touch a dog" event was put together to make Malaysians more
aware of the furry four-legged creatures and also to educate others on how to
practise "sertu" (cleansing).
This is
to help many overcome their fear of dogs and bring together Malaysians to
promote tolerance and understanding that goes beyond culture, race or religion.
Also
present at the event was Ustaz Mohd Iqbal Parjin who gave talks on the touching
of dogs in Islam.
"Dogs
are also god's creatures. We need to overcome the mentality of seeing the
animal as an offensive creature. Teach the young to love others but at the same
time know the limit of touching one," said Iqbal.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/i-want-to-touch-a-dog-event-a-big-hit-with-muslims#sthash.acSkTPAJ.dpuf
-----------
Pakistan
Pakistan's
clerics condemn Islamic State for violating Islamic teachings
Oct 19,
2014
A group
of clerics in Pakistan have condemned the Islamic State (IS), saying that the
extremist group's actions were in violation of Islamic teachings.
According
to News 24, the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) said Islam and Muslims cannot
support the killing of innocent people and destruction of their properties at
the hands of IS.
The PUC
further appealed to people and the youth in Islamic countries to not co-operate
with any violent group whose teachings or actions were against the teachings of
Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
Harrowing
tales of atrocities committed by the Islamic State against minority communities
in Iraq and Syria have come to light.
Earlier,
members of IS distributed pamphlets in Pakistan announcing their presence in
the country.
The
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had vowed to send fighters to support IS
jihadists but stopped short of pledging allegiance to the organisation's
leader, the report said.
http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-pakistan-s-clerics-condemn-islamic-state-for-violating-islamic-teachings-2027195
-----------
Al-Qaeda
Regional Chief an Indian, Met Him Twice: Pakistani Journalist
Oct 19,
2014
Pakistani
journalist Hamid Mir has claimed that the head of al-Qaeda’s new wing in the
subcontinent had once offered to stage an attack on American forces in
Afghanistan for him, and allow him to film the “story” for his television
channel.
Mir, who
spoke at the Idea Exchange programme of The Indian Express on Friday, said he
had met Asim Umar, chief of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, in
Afghanistan’s Ghazni province in 2005, and again, for a second time, two years
later. He had refused Asim Umar’s offer, Mir said.
Al-Qaeda’s
leader Ayman al-Zawahiri issued a video early last month, announcing the terror
organisation’s new subcontinent wing under Asim Umar. Mir said Asim Umar was an
Indian — a possibility that The Indian Express has reported investigators in
India was studying. “Asim Umar is an Indian Muslim, that’s his only qualification
for which he was appointed head of al-Qaeda’s south Asia chapter,” he said.
“Yes, I have met Asim Umar… I met him for the first time in 2005, I was
visiting Afghanistan. In those days, the Afghan Taliban were in control of
Andar district of Ghazni province. I was visiting the tomb of Mahmud Ghaznavi.
Somebody there contacted me, it was a taxi driver. He asked me, ‘Oh, you come
on Geo TV’. I said yes. Full report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/al-qaeda-regional-chief-an-indian-met-him-twice-pakistani-journalist-hamid-mir/#sthash.nphv5chr.dpuf
-----------
Khyber
residents given three-day deadline to surrender arms
Oct 19,
2014
PESHAWAR:
The political administration of Khyber tribal region has given a three-day
deadline to militants in the Jamrud and Bara areas to lay down their arms and
surrender or face a full-fledged operation.
Pamphlets
containing the message and deadline were dropped from helicopters into the
Jamrud and Bara areas of Khyber tribal region.
The
announcement effectively ended hopes of talks, which a tribal jirga had
recommended to the government, a day earlier.
Most
jirga members had wanted an immediate halt to the ongoing ‘Operation Khyber 1’
in the area and asked for a channel of negotiations should be opened with
outlawed militant groups of Bara.
Khyber
agency's political agent Shahab Ali Shah, however, had rejected the jirga
recommendations about holding talks with militant groups and said the jirga was
not convened to authorise elders to hold talks with anti-state elements.
“You are
authorised only to talk to those who surrender to security forces and accept
the writ of the government,” he said.
Full
report at:http://www.dawn.com/news/1138991/khyber-residents-given-three-day-deadline-to-surrender-arms
-----------
Gunmen
kill eight non-locals in Balochistan
Oct 19,
2014
QUETTA:
Bodies of eight people were found in Lasbela on Sunday, official sources said,
Geo News reported.
The
sources said that all the slain were laborers who went missing along with three
others on Saturday.
They
said that all the eight men were shot dead while one was found injured with
bullet injuries.
The
sources said that two laborers were released by the unknown gunmen. Identities
of the deceased were yet to be known but authorities say the laborers were
non-locals.
Baloch
militants have killed several settlers from other provinces as part of their
campaign against the state in the past.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-162977-Gunmen-kill-eight-non-locals-in-Balochistan-
-----------
Pakistan
court upholds death penalty in Christian woman's blasphemy case
Oct 19,
2014
A
Pakistani high court has upheld the death sentence given to Asia Bibi, a jailed
Christian woman convicted of blasphemy in 2010, whose case at the time played
into an atmosphere of recrimination and spawned several murders of prominent
human rights and political figures.
Ms.
Bibi’s lawyers had asked the Lahore High Court to overturn the death sentence
which was handed down after she had a row with Muslim women neighbors at a
village well in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Bibi’s
name and case have since become nearly synonymous with a sensitive national
debate over blasphemy laws, which are not clearly defined and were further
criminalized under the military dictatorship of Gen. Zia ul Haq in the 1980s.
The laws can carry the death penalty, though in Pakistan since 2008 there has
been an unofficial moratorium on the death sentence and only one person has
been executed.
The
Lahore death sentence came during a period of extreme attacks on Christians and
minorities. In 2010 the governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, visited Bibi in
jail and was shortly after shot dead in Islamabad by his guard, who assumed
that Mr. Taseer opposed the blasphemy law and supported Bibi.
Full
report at:http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-court-upholds-death-penalty-christian-womans-blasphemy-180730835.html
-----------
Pakistan
calls for equal security for all in nuclear disarmament efforts
October
19, 2014
Geneva-
Pakistan has stressed the need for upholding the principle of equal and
undiminished security for all states in global nuclear disarmament efforts.
Pakistan's
permanent representative to the United Nations' European offices in Geneva,
Zamir Akram, speaking in the General Assembly's First Committee that deals with
disarmament and international security matters urged the major nuclear weapon
states to progress towards achievement of the goal of global nuclear
disarmament.
He said
there should be no discrimination, selectivity or exceptions in the context of
arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament.
He said
that the major nuclear states consistently oppose the start of any negotiations
on the issue.
Pakistan’s
representative also urged for a Fissile Material Treaty banning future
production, demanding reduction and putting under international safeguards the
existing stockpiles of fissile materials.
http://nation.com.pk/national/19-Oct-2014/pakistan-calls-for-equal-security-for-all-in-nuclear-disarmament-efforts
-----------
‘Ro
Imran Ro’ slogan rocks PPP public rally
Oct 19,
2014
KARACHI:
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) rally was rocked with ‘Ro Imran Ro’ slogans,
as a reaction to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s criticism
on PPP leader Asif Zardari. According to details, PPP workers and supporters
voiced ‘Ro Imran Ro’ as a majority of PPP leaders during their address seemed
to be offended with Imran Khan’s criticism on PPP. Owais Muzaffar flayed
Kaptaan for calling PPP workers as bodies. He said that an old man pretending
to be a youngster was being affected with PPP phobia, which kept him restless
at nights. Akhunzada Chataan while referring to the participants of the PPP
rally said that they were political workers fuelled with a passion for their
leadership, unlike those ‘mirasis’ who come up for dancing and listening to
music at the rallies of another party. Meanwhile, PPP leader Zamrud Khan was
also called upon the stage to address the people. Zamurd said that tigers were
not those who run away when they were pelted with a few stones. The speeches
resulted in fuelling up the PPP Jiyalas with anti-PTI sentiments and they
started shouted ‘Ro Imran Ro’.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/sindh/19-Oct-2014/ro-imran-ro-slogan-rocks-ppp-public-rally
-----------
Resolution
of Kashmir issue vital for peace: Pakistan Army Chief
Oct 19,
2014
Pakistan’s
powerful Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif on Saturday said that the resolution of
Kashmir issue was imperative for establishment of sustainable peace in the
region.
Addressing
a passing-out parade at Military Academy in Kakul, Gen Sharif said that the
people of Kashmir should be allowed to decide their fate in the light of UN
resolutions.
He said
Pakistan desires regional stability and relationship based on equality and
mutual respect.
“We
persistently seek peace in the region and beyond. This quest for peace is our
nation’s greatest strength. We desire regional stability and relationship based
on equality and mutual respect,” he said. The army chief said Pakistan’s armed
forces were fully capable of meeting any external threat. He said that any
aggression against Pakistan will get a “befitting response.” Gen Sharif said
the military operation in North Waziristan was successfully going on and it
would continue till militancy is completely smashed. He said the objective of
the armed forces is to establish peace in the country and they have already
destroyed the organised network of terrorists which was based in North
Waziristan.
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/neighbours/resolution-of-kashmir-issue-vital-for-peace-pakistan-army-chief/#sthash.3pbUDS6P.dpuf
-----------
South Asia
50
Taliban Militants Killed, 32 Wounded In Clearing Operations In Afghanistan
Oct 19, 2014
At least
50 Taliban militants were killed and 32 others were wounded following military
operations by Afghan national security forces in the past 24 hours, the
Ministry of Interior (MoI) said.
“In past
24 hours, Afghan National Police conducted several anti-terrorism joint
operations with Afghan National Army and NDS to clean some of the areas from
terrorists and enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan,” MoI said
following a statement.
The
statement furhter added that the operations were conducted in Uruzgan,
Nangarhar, Zabul, Khost, Kandahar, Ghazni, Jowzjan, Laghman, Paktika and Helmand
provinces, as a result 50 armed Taliban members were killed, 32 wounded and 16
others were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.
Afghan
National Police discovered and confiscated 18 AK-47 rifles, three rocket
launchers, once machine gun, 62 different types of IEDs and some amount of
light and heavy rounds ammunition, the statement added.
Taliban
militants group has not commented regarding the report so far.
http://www.khaama.com/moi-50-taliban-militants-killed-32-wounded-in-clearing-operations-8837
-----------
Trial of
Jamaat: International Crimes Tribunal Act amendment soon
Oct 19, 2014
In a bid
to try Jamaat-e-Islami, the draft for amending the International Crimes
Tribunal Act, keeping a provision to bring organisations involved with crimes
against humanity, would be tabled at the cabinet on November 3, said Law
Minister Anisul Haq.
He said:
“The ministry had already prepared the draft of the amendment, keeping the
provision of trying Jamaat-e-Islami and it will be placed before the cabinet
during its regular meeting on November 3.”
The
minister further said there was no option but to amend the ICT Act to try
Jamaat-e-Islami as an organisation involved in war crimes.
In the
draft, the ministry proposed inserting the word “organisation” in section 20(2)
of the ICT act so that organisations could also be tried along with individuals
for war crime charges.
It would
also keep the provision for the tribunal to take the offence in cognisance if
an organisation was found guilty. The provision for allowing bail for the
accused would be included in the law.
Full
report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2014/oct/19/draft-amending-ict-act-be-placed-cabinet-nov-3#sthash.oUHoczZk.dpuf
-----------
APJ
Abdul Kalam stresses need for poverty-free Saarc region
Oct 19, 2014
Former
Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam yesterday stressed improving physical,
electronic and knowledge connectivity in rural areas for a poverty-free Saarc
region.
Physical,
electronic and knowledge connectivity can prove to be effective to prevent the
flow of rural people into cities as these will facilitate earning capacity
leading to economic connectivity, he noted, expounding his development concept
of Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA).
Abdul
Kalam came up with the recommendations while delivering his lecture at the
110th founding anniversary of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(MCCI) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
Kalam,
the 11th Indian president, said when urban amenities to rural areas are
provided, the investors of small scale industries can be attracted and
effective financing systems like microfinance can also be introduced there.
Full
report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2014/oct/19/apj-abdul-kalam-stresses-need-poverty-free-saarc-region#sthash.yFIbyXxN.dpuf
-----------
Top al
Qaeda leader operative killed in Nangarhar province
Oct 19, 2014
A senior
al Qaeda operative was killed following an operation in eastern Nangarhar
province of Afghanistan.
The
Afghan intelligence – national directorate of security (NDS) said Sunday that
Abul Bara Al Kuwaiti, senior member of al Qaeda was killed in Nangarhar.
NDS
further added that Al Kuwaiti had close ties with the al Qaeda chief Ayman
al-Zawahiri.
No
further details were given by NDS regarding the operation which led to the
death of Al Kuwaiti.
Nangarhar
is among the relatively volatile provinces in eastern Afghanistan where
anti-government armed militant groups are actively operating in its various
districts.
http://www.khaama.com/top-al-qaeda-leader-operative-killed-in-nangarhar-province-8842
-----------
Arab World
45 ISIL
Terrorists Killed in Tikrit, Mosul by Iraqi Bombers
Oct 19,
2014
Iraqi warplanes hit the hideouts and convoys
of the ISIL terrorists in Tikrit and Mosul, and managed to kill 45 members of
the Takfiri group.
Iraq's
bombers, in cooperation with the army's Military Intelligence Service, launched
massive strikes against the positions of the terrorists in Shirqat, Tikrit,
leaving 30 ISIL Takfiri terrorists dead and injured on Saturday.
Also,
the airstrikes claimed the lives of 15 ISIL terrorists in Aziz al-Balad
district, in Mosul. Three vehicles of the terrorists equipped with heavy
machine-guns were targeted during the Mosul operation by the army as well.
The ISIL
Takfiri terrorists currently control parts of Syria and Iraq. They have
threatened all communities, including Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians, Ezadi
Kurds and others, as they continue their atrocities in Iraq.
Senior
Iraqi officials have blamed Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and some Persian Gulf Arab
states for the growing terrorism in their country.
The ISIL
has links with Saudi intelligence and is believed to be indirectly supported by
the Israeli regime.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930727000250
-----------
Egyptian
ex-police officer conducted 'ISIS suicide attack in Iraq'
Oct 19,
2014
A former
Egyptian police officer and parliamentary candidate has reportedly conducted a
suicide attack for ISIS in Iraq.
An
article published on pro-ISIS news website Haq, which spread rapidly among
Egyptian Twitter users over the weekend, said Ahmed El-Darawi conducted the
attack in May.
El-Darawi's
brother Haitham confirmed the news on Twitter.
According
to Haitham (@SadButTrue33), El-Darawi's family did not know about their son's
supposed involvement with ISIS.
He said
El-Darawi traveled to Turkey over a year ago, telling them it was for medical
treatment. The family then received news, according Haitham, that El-Darawi had
died during surgery on 29 May 2014.
The
family held a funeral in Egypt without their deceased son's corpse. Haitham
said he later traveled to Turkey "to learn the details" and receive
the corpse, whereupon "people revealed the news [about ISIS]."
Haitham
emphasised in his tweets that the news was old and had resurfaced on Saturday.
A
discrepancy remains about where El-Darawi died. While news articles claim he
carried out a suicide operation in Iraq, social media users say he probably
died in Syria as ISIS had still not deepened its involvement in Iraq at that
time.
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/113417/Egypt/Politics-/Egyptian-expolice-officer-conducted-ISIS-suicide-a.aspx
-----------
Jihadists
take heavy losses in battle for Syria's Kobane
Oct 19,
2014
The
Islamic State group was taking heavy losses in the Syrian battleground of
Kobane Sunday as Iraqi forces fought the jihadists buoyed by US backing for top
government security appointments.
US
Secretary of State John Kerry said the appointment of defence and interior
ministers after weeks of delay was a "very positive step forward" in
the fightback against IS in Iraq, which Washington has made its priority.
But
US-led warplanes kept up their strikes on the jihadists around Kobane on
Syria's northern border with Turkey, helping the town's Kurdish defenders to
repulse a new attempt to cut their supply lines.
The
Kurdish fighters, who have been under IS assault for more than a month,
weathered fierce street fighting and at least two jihadist suicide bombings but
the front line remained unchanged on Sunday, a Kurdish official said.
"(IS)
brought in reinforcements... and attacked hard," Idris Nassen told AFP by
telephone.
"But
thanks to air strikes and (the Kurdish fighters') response, they did not make
any progress."
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/113440/World/Region/Jihadists-take-heavy-losses-in-battle-for-Syrias-K.aspx
-----------
Kurds
thwart new IS bid to cut off Syrian town
Oct 19,
2014
MURSITPINAR:
Kurdish forces in the Syrian town of Kobani repulsed a new attempt by Islamic
State (IS) fighters to cut off the border with Turkey Saturday as troops
battled the militants in neighboring Iraq.
It came
as the US military said it had unleashed 25 more air strikes in Syria and Iraq
since Friday, hitting IS militants and oil infrastructure they control. But
while Washington said it saw “encouraging” signs, it warned the raids might not
prevent the fall of Kobani, and its priority remained the campaign against IS
in Iraq.
Despite
a wave of coalition air strikes in recent weeks, Iraqi forces are struggling to
regain and hold ground from the militants.
Heavy IS
mortar fire hit the Syrian side of the border crossing with Turkey which is the
Kurdish fighters’ sole avenue for resupply and the only escape route for
remaining civilians, Kurdish official Idris Nassen told AFP.
At least
three rounds crashed onto Turkey’s side of the border, one of them near a hill
where the Turkish army is deployed, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.
http://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/news/646551
-----------
ISIS
commits ‘fatal’ blunders in Kobane battle
19
October 2014
Forces
loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group have
committed grave strategic mistakes in their fight to take control of the
Syria-Kurdish town of Kobane, an analyst wrote in an opinion article for CNN.
In its
fourth week, the battle for Kobane witnessed the fiercest fighting in days
overnight when ISIS fighters attacked Kurdish forces with mortars and car bombs,
sources in the town and a monitoring group said on Sunday, according to Reuters
news agency.
ISIS
fired 44 mortars at Kurdish parts of the town on Saturday, some of which fell
inside nearby Turkey, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights. It said four more were fired on Sunday.
Justin
Bronk, a research analyst in the military sciences program at the Royal United
Services Institute in London, said ISIS’s strategies are now outdated in the
face of different conditions posed in Kobane where Syrian-Kurdish fighters have
lured the extremist militants to street battles, making them easy targets for
U.S. and Arab warplanes.
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/10/19/ISIS-commits-fatal-strategic-blunders-in-Kobane.html
-----------
Roadside
bomb kills seven in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula
19
October 2014
Egyptian
officials say a roadside bomb in the restive Sinai Peninsula has killed 7
troops and seriously wounded four.
The
officials said the explosion Sunday ripped through a military armored vehicle
traveling south of el-Arish, the provincial capital of northern Sinai. The
troops were heading to an area to comb it for suspected militant activities.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized
to brief reporters.
Northern
Sinai has been a haven for Islamic militants, who have waged regular attacks
against troops and security forces.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/10/19/Roadside-bomb-kills-seven-in-Egypt-s-Sinai-Peninsula.html
-----------
400
Volunteers Join Iraqi Forces to Fight ISIL
Oct 19,
2014
About
400 volunteers of Iraqi tribes joined the security forces to combat the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists.
"400
volunteers from the tribes of Shurqat and Alam districts under the lead of
Sheikh Emad al-Jebouri joined the Iraqi security forces to combat ISIL and
liberate all Salahuddin province from the control of the terrorists," an
informed source said Saturday.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930727000644
-----------
Focus on
education to guide Arab youth: Prince Khaled
Oct 19,
2014
Education
Minister Prince Khaled Al-Faisal stressed the role of the Arab Education Office
in achieving educational awakening to protect youth from destructive ideologies
in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
“It is
the responsibility of the Arab Education Office to take steps for educational
awakening in the GCC countries in addition to protecting the young generation
from the extraneous destructive ideologies that the enemies of the Arab and
Islamic ummah are striving to inject in the youth in the region,” the prince,
who will lead the Saudi delegation to the 23rd conference of the GCC education
ministers said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.
The
prince said the two-day conference to be opened in Kuwait on Tuesday is a fresh
opportunity to move toward formulating strategies to tackle the issues facing
educational developments in the region. The conference will also highlight the
importance of strengthening the ties of belonging, loyalty and patriotism of
the Gulf youth in addition to integrating plans and programs that serve the
interests of teachers, students and their families.
Full
report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/646616
-----------
Europe
In
Iceland’s Freedom of Expression ISIS Propaganda Crushed
Oct 19,
2014
In an
unprecedented move, Iceland blocked this week a website that was reportedly
linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group, reviving
debate on freedom of expression when it comes to fighting violent extremism.
“Khilafah
IS” was taken down by Internet in Iceland Inc (ISNIC), the authority regulating
the country’s domain .is, which said was run by a group calling itself the
Islamic State – the name adopted by ISIS.
The site
was then tracked to a web hosting company in Iceland and was believed to have
gone online in mid-September.
The
website was taken down for the sake of “the reputation of the main domain .is,”
ISNIC head Jens Petur Jensen told Agence France-Presse.
Iceland
is known for its laws prohibiting censorship and has been at the forefront of
the international debate on Internet freedom.
“Calling
for hate, violence and discrimination is not really covered by freedom of
expression. It is a crime in Iceland, as is the case in all other European
countries,” Jan Keulen, a commentator on media and freedom of expression, told
Al Arabiya News in an email.
“ISIS
propaganda is not something ‘disgusting’ we have to accept on behalf of
defending the principles of media and Internet freedom,” he added.
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/digital/2014/10/18/In-Iceland-s-freedom-of-expression-ISIS-propaganda-crushed.html
----------
Syrian
civil war film wins London festival prize
19
October 2014
The
London Film Festival on Saturday granted the documentary award to the creators
of a Syrian documentary film that depicts the country’s bloody civil conflict.
The
documentary prize went to "Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait," a
searing look at war's brutality by Paris-based director Ossama Mohammed and
Wiam Simav Bedirxan, a schoolteacher who filmed life in the besieged city of
Homs.
The
festival has also awarded Andrey Zvyagintsev's "Leviathan," a tragic
satire of small-town Russian corruption, was named best picture. The film,
which took the screenplay prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, was
praised for its "grandeur and themes" by a jury that included
producer Jeremy Thomas and actor James McAvoy.
Ukrainian
director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy won the first-feature award for "The
Tribe," a teen-gang drama set at a school for the deaf and performed
entirely in sign language, without subtitles.
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/entertainment/2014/10/19/Documentary-on-Syrian-civil-war-wins-prize-at-London-Film-Festival-.html
-----------
HRW
calls on Kuwait to stop stripping citizenship
Oct 19,
2014
International
advocacy group Human Rights Watch called on Kuwait on Sunday to stop targeting
opponents through revoking their citizenship and to reinstate withdrawn
nationalities.
Kuwait
-- where citizens have elected a parliament for decades and which is
traditionally seen as one of the more tolerant Gulf monarchies -- was damaging
its reputation with the practice, HRW said.
"Kuwaiti
authorities should immediately stop stripping nationals of their citizenship
because they exercise free speech or other legitimate human rights," New
York-based HRW said in a statement.
They
should "reinstate the citizenship of people whose citizenship has been
withdrawn on those grounds," it added.
In the
past few months, Kuwait revoked the citizenship of 33 people and most of their
family members.
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/113437/World/Region/HRW-calls-on-Kuwait-to-stop-stripping-citizenship.aspx
-----------
British
govt to request information from web giants on extremists
19
October 2014
The
British government summoned Google, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft to a
meeting where officials will ask the tech giants to surrender details of those
who post inflammatory web content, the Daily Mail reported.
Downing
Street policy chiefs are scheduled to meet with the firms as they request more
information to aid in the track down of extremists responsible for radicalizing
young British Muslims.
However,
sources said the companies are reluctant out of fear of being labeled as policy
informants.
The
internet has been a key-recruitment policy used by Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria militants who have convinced a growing number of British Muslims to
travel to Syria to join their ranks, the Mail reported.
British
ISIS militants are active on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook
where they work to attract more youths.
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/digital/2014/10/19/British-government-to-request-access-to-details-of-extremist-users.html
-----------
Britain
targets Qatari national suspected of funding Islamic State militants
Oct 19,
2014
A second
Qatari national has been added to the UK terror list, singled out by the
British government for his alleged role in funding terrorism.
Abd
Al-Rahman Bin Umayr Al-Nuaymi has been banned from doing business in Britain,
the British government has announced.
Al-Nuaymi,
who has been an adviser to the Qatari government, is accused of sending $2.1 million a month to the militant
jihadists of the Islamic State in Iraq.
He has
been added to a British list of suspects targeted with financial sanctions as
an alleged terrorist financier.
About 10
months ago, the US government imposed sanctions on Al-Nuaymi, claiming he was a
"terrorist financier and facilitator who has provided money and material
support and conveyed communications to Al-Qaeda and its affiliates in Syria,
Iraq, Somalia and Yemen for more than a decade."
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/113410/World/Region/Britain-targets-Qatari-national-suspected-of-fundi.aspx
-----------
Mideast
Yemen's
Shia rebels take town south of Sanaa
Oct 19,
2014
Security
officials say Yemen's Shia rebels have captured a town south of the capital
Sanaa, where they have also blown up the house of a rival Islamist politician.
They say
the rebels, known as the Houthis, have also stormed the headquarters of Sanaa's
local government on Sunday_chasing out the capital's governor, who they accuse
of corruption.
The
Yemeni officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not
authorized to speak to the media.
Sunday's
developments reflected the growing strength of the Houthis, who overran Sanaa
last month and captured a Red Sea port last week along with a province south of
the capital.
Early on
Sunday, the Houthis captured the town of Yarim about 170 kilometers (106 miles)
south of Sanaa.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/113424/World/Region/Yemens-Shia-rebels-take-town-south-of-Sanaa.aspx
-----------
Iran
says militants infiltrating from Pakistan
Oct 19,
2014
Iran has
proof that militants are entering the country from neighboring Pakistan to
carry out attacks and will be pursuing the matter through “diplomatic
channels,” an Iranian military official said today.
Abdollah
Araghi, a senior Revolutionary Guard commander, was quoted by state TV as
saying that his forces have provided documents to Iranian officials proving
that militants cross the border to carry out attacks.
“We have
provided information and complete documents about the infiltration of terrorist
elements (from Pakistan into Iran) to political and security officials to be
pursued through diplomatic channels,” he said.
Yesterday
the spokesman for Pakistan’s Frontier Corps said Iranian border guards opened
fire at a patrol van, killing a member of the paramilitary border guard and
wounding three other troops. The shooting came a day after Iranian Brig Gen
Hussein Salami issued a stark warning to Pakistan, saying that Iranian forces
may enter Pakistani territory to “prevent terrorists” from entering Iran. Last
week, four Iranian guards were killed by unknown attackers in the eastern
Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan’s
southwestern Baluchistan province.
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/asia/iran-says-militants-infiltrating-from-pakistan/#sthash.Zx5ule9y.dpuf
---------
Palestinian
leader calls Jews settlers "herd of cattle"
Oct 19,
2014
The
Palestinian president says his people should guard a Jerusalem holy site
against visiting Jews, who he referred to as a "herd of cattle."
Mahmoud
Abbas' fiery rhetoric Saturday follows comments he made the previous day that
Jews settlers should be banned from visiting the site, known to Jews as the Temple
Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.
Palestinian
demonstrators have recently clashed with Israeli occupation forces over what
Palestinians see as Jewish encroachment on the site. The site is the third
holiest in Islam.
Israel
maintains that it allows free prayer to all but Palestinians claim Israel is
unilaterally widening access to accommodate larger numbers of Jewish
worshippers.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/113420/World/Region/Palestinian-leader-calls-Jews-settlers-herd-of-cat.aspx
-----------
Iran
summons Pakistani ambassador over border killings
Oct 19,
2014
TEHRAN:
Iran has summoned the Pakistani ambassador and demanded immediate steps to stop
attacks by “terrorists and rebels” that sparked deadly clashes on the
countries' border, state media reported Sunday.
Noor
Muhammad Jadmani was called to the foreign ministry on Saturday evening
following the deaths in the restive border province of Sistan-Balochistan, the
official IRNA news agency said.
Iranian
Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Raza Haghighian was summoned to the Foreign Office
in Islamabad the same day and Pakistan lodged a strong protest with him over
the recent shooting which had killed two Iranian border guards and a Pakistani
paramilitary officer on Friday evening.
Iran claimed
rebels had tried to infiltrate the country.
“It is
unacceptable that terrorists and rebels attack our country from Pakistani
territory and kill our border guards,” the foreign ministry's western Asia
director, Rasul Salami, told IRNA.
He asked
the Pakistani government to “take serious steps to prevent any recurrence of
such incidents,” the news agency said.
Full
report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1138989/iran-summons-pakistani-ambassador-over-border-killings
-----------
Senior
AKP deputy slams Erdoğan, his party over Kurdish policies: BBC
Oct 19,
2014
A senior
member of Parliament from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
has slammed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his party over Kurdish policies,
BBC Turkish reported Oct. 18.
The AKP
deputy, who spoke to BBC correspondent Paul Moss in Istanbul on condition of
anonymity, directed "harsh criticism" at Erdoğan and the AKP,
according to the report.
"It
is very hard to understand why the government decided to attack the PKK.
President Erdoğan is focused on increasing his votes, not to solve the Kurdish
problem. I believe that the peace process may soon collapse and this would
drive the country into chaos," the AKP MP reportedly
Full
report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/senior-akp-deputy-slams-erdogan-his-party-over-kurdish-policies-bbc.aspx?pageID=238&nID=73158&NewsCatID=338
-----------
Israel's
defense minister in US after spat over Kerry remarks
Oct 19,
2014
Israeli
Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon sought to calm fresh tensions with Washington on
Oct. 19 as he began a five-day trip to the United States.
In a
statement released ahead of his departure, Yaalon warned that no dispute should
be allowed to "cast a shadow" over Israel's crucial relationship with
its closest ally.
"The
relationship between the United States and Israel is based on shared interests
and values, and disputes of one sort or another must not cast a shadow over
it," he said.
On
Friday, two senior Israeli cabinet ministers took aim at US Secretary of State
John Kerry over remarks linking the growth of Islamic extremism to Israel's
decades-long conflict with the Palestinians.
At issue
was a statement by Kerry in which he said regional leaders approached him over
the need to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians "because it
was a cause of recruitment and of street anger and agitation".
Full
report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/israels-defense-minister-in-us-after-spat-over-kerry-remarks.aspx?pageID=238&nID=73164&NewsCatID=359
-----------
India
As ‘love
jihad’ charge falls flat, families of ten accused wait for end of ordeal
Oct 19,
2014
Three-year-old
Ayan has not seen his father Nawab in two months. His mother Farida tells him
Nawab is in hospital, taking care of his ailing father. The toddler plays in
the courtyard of a large house in Sarawa village, Meerut, but is careful not to
disturb a group of women sitting on a mat in a corner. They are reciting the
Quran and “praying for the end of our ordeal”, says Farida, who has held many
such prayer sessions since August 3.
Baqaullah
is 75. He never thought at his age he would be running around for bail for his
son Sanaullah and daughter-in-law. They called his son a cleric and arrested
him. “He is a farmer like me, he is no cleric. Party-baazi ke chakkar mein
kuchch bhi bol dete hain yeh log (for the sake of politics, these people cook
up anything).” Baqaullah has five other children, including three sons. “I tell
my grandsons to stay away from girls.”
Vasila
can’t hold back her tears as she talks of daughter Nishat. The family had been
planning for the 20-year-old’s wedding. “She was due to get engaged in August
and married in October. After her arrest, the boys’ family called off the
engagement. We had spent Rs 1 lakh in gifts.”
Full
report at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttar-pradesh/as-love-jihad-charge-falls-flat-families-of-ten-accused-wait-for-end-of-ordeal/99/#sthash.UnP3vpLH.dpuf
-----------
Modi
talks to Karzai, former Afghan prez lauds India’s assistance
TNN |
Oct 19, 2014
NEW
DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to former Afghan President Hamid
Karzai describing him as a special friend of India whose contribution in
strengthening bilateral relations and in successfully steering his country on the
path of peace, prosperity and stability would "never be forgotten".
In his
response, Karzai told Modi that there is no country which had contributed as
much to Afghanistan as India despite resource constraints.
Modi
told Karzai that he would always remain a "special friend" for India
which was like a second home to him and invited him to undertake an early
visit. Karzai said he looked forward to visiting India soon.
During
the telephone call more than a month after Karzai demitted office which he held
for nearly 13 years, Modi congratulated him for his leadership in ensuring a
historic and peaceful political transition and formation of a National Unity
Government in Afghanistan, a PMO statement said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Modi-talks-to-Karzai-former-Afghan-prez-lauds-Indias-assistance/articleshow/44872785.cms
-----------
North America
‘Only 84
of 2,379 killed by drones were Qaeda terrorists’
Oct 19,
2014
LONDON:
The CIA drones strikes in Pakistan have killed as many as 2,379 people since
2004, but only 84 of the victims have been named al Qaeda terrorists, a report
has revealed.
On
October 11, the US carried out its 400th drone strike in northwest Pakistan
since its strikes started there in 2004. In almost a decade, 2,379 people have
been killed.
“Only
704 of the 2,379 dead have been identified, and only 295 of these were reported
to be members of some kind of armed group,” the UK-based Bureau of
Investigative Journalism found out. As a part of its Naming the Dead project,
the bureau collected the names and, where it was possible, the details of
people killed by the CIA using a multitude of sources. “These include both
Pakistani government records leaked to the bureau, and hundreds of open source
reports in English, Pashtun and Urdu,” they noted. It appears that less than 4
percent or 84 of the total number of killed have been identified as al Qaeda
members.
These
figures contradict what the US secretary of state said in May 2013, defending
the CIA drone programme as one of the “most accountable”.
Full
report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/19-Oct-2014/only-84-of-2-379-killed-by-drones-were-qaeda-terrorists
--------
Slain
journalist James Foley ‘tried to see the good’
Oct 19,
2014
Family
and friends say slain journalist James Foley was a compassionate and capable
journalist who tried to see the good in others.
Foley
was abducted in Syria in November 2012 and hadn’t been heard from since until a
video showing his killing at the hands of Islamic State extremists was posted
on the Internet in August.
Hundreds
of people filled Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church on Saturday in Foley’s
hometown of Rochester, New Hampshire, during a memorial Mass on what would have
been his 41st birthday. Afterward, friends paid tribute to Foley in a poignant
ceremony.
One
friend, Jeremy Osgood, said there were two absolutes in Foley’s life: His faith
and his family. Osgood said those gave him a “wealth of strength and courage.”
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/americas/slain-journalist-james-foley-tried-to-see-the-good/#sthash.4CGnk4M6.dpuf
-----------
U.S. and
Europe call for a halt of Libya violence
19
October 2014
The
United States and four European countries jointly called on Saturday for an end
to violence in Libya.
The
governments of France, Italy, Germany, Britain and the United States said in a
statement that they “agree that there is no military solution to the Libyan
crisis” and expressed dismay that calls for a ceasefire had not been respected.
Dozens
of people have been killed in Benghazi in days of fighting between Islamic
militant groups, including Ansar al-Sharia, and pro-government forces led by
former General Khalifa Haftar, who began an offensive on Wednesday.
The
joint statement voiced concern over Haftar’s offensive and said Libya’s “fight
against terrorist organizations can only be sustainably addressed by regular
armed forces under the control of a central authority.”
Full
report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/10/19/U-S-and-Europe-call-for-a-halt-of-Libya-violence.html
-----------
Africa
Libya PM
says united forces aim to 'liberate' Tripoli, Benghazi
Oct 19,
2014
Libya's
internationally-recognised prime minister said Saturday that military forces in
the strife-torn country had united to try to recapture Tripoli and the second
city Benghazi from Islamist militias.
"All
military forces have been placed under army command to liberate Tripoli and
Benghazi soon, inshallah (God willing)," Abdullah al-Thani said in an
interview with AFP by telephone from the eastern town of Al-Baida.
Since a
2011 revolution which toppled Libya's longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi, interim authorities
have failed to establish a regular army and had to rely on state-backed
militias.
Former
rebels who fought against Kadhafi have formed powerful militias and seized
control of large parts of turmoil-gripped Libya over the past three years.
An operation
launched Wednesday against Islamist militias in Benghazi, launched by former
general Khalifa Haftar, is "under the command of the regular army and the
control of government and parliament," Thani said.
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/113397/World/Region/Libya-PM-says-united-forces-aim-to-liberate-Tripol.aspx
----------
'Ceasefire'
doubts after attacks reported in Nigeria
Oct 19,
2014
Nigerian
military and intelligence officials raised doubts on Sunday about the
implementation of a ceasefire with Boko Haram, as reports of fresh attacks
filtered out of the country's northeast.
The
chief of defence staff and a senior presidential aide announced on Friday that
agreement had been reached to end hostilities and the possible release of more
than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls.
Air
Marshal Alex Badeh said he had instructed all armed forces' chiefs to ensure
the "immediate compliance" with the development.
But a
senior army officer in the violence-wracked northeast, who asked to remain anonymous,
said: "Honestly, we are yet to receive any operational order on the
ceasefire.
"As
such, we are battle-ready and would confront the terrorists if we see
them."
A senior
intelligence official in the region also indicated to AFP that he had not received
word about the purported ceasefire.
Full
report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/113438/World/International/Ceasefire-doubts-after-attacks-reported-in-Nigeria.aspx
-----------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/scrubbed-islamic-state-graffiti-belies/d/99603