Senior Iraqi Cleric Warns ISIL of Consequences of Attacks on Shiite Holy Shrines
New Age Islam News Bureau
21
May 2015
Somali government soldiers stand at the scene of a suicide bomb attack outside the United Nations compound in the capital Mogadishu. (Source : Reuters)
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Arab World
• Senior Iraqi Cleric Warns ISIL of Consequences of Attacks on Shiite Holy Shrines
• Saudi King: No Discrimination between Citizens and Expats
• Iraqi Forces Recapture 30% of Ramadi
• Syria: Army, Kurdish Fighters Seize ISIL's Main Stronghold in Hasaka
• ISIL Terrorist Group Executes Iraqi Reporter
• Sinai militants call for attacks on Egypt’s judges
• IS in full control of Syria's ancient city Palmyra: monitor
• Shoura Says No To Foreign Universities in Saudi Kingdom
• Driver alerts of Saher cameras ‘un-Islamic’
Mideast
• Yemeni Forcers Kill 18 Saudi Soldiers in Retaliation Attack
• Saudi Arabia Kills Dozens of Yemeni Civilians
• 5 Refugees Killed in Saudi Attack on Yemen Aid Office
• Ansarullah Gains Control over Saudi Al-Tuwal Heights
• Turkish Hospitals Overcrowded with Takfiri Militants Wounded in Syria's Idlib
• Israel Continues to Provide Medical Treatment for Terrorists Fighting in Syria
• Over 80,000 Iranian Missiles Ready to Hit Tel Aviv, Haifa in Israel
Pakistan
• Mosque Leaders Yet To Take To Uniform Prayer Timings
• The Role of Deobandi School of Thought in Iran Discussed
• Arrested Safoora attack mastermind behind Sabeen's murder: Sindh CM
• Displaced dreams: Uighur families have no place to call home in G-B
Africa
• 4 Killed in South Sudan as UN Compound Bombed
• Ten Killed As Clashes Erupt In Key Libyan Cities
• Algerian army kills more militants, total of 25 in 2 days
• Two key Islamist leaders killed in French army raid in Mali
• Burundi army calls for unity after coup bid
South Asia
• Two Militants Including Three Killed In Security Incidents in Kandahar
• Awami League Leaders: BNP, Jamaat Serve Pakistan’s Interests
• Maldives launches plan to combat human trafficking, content undisclosed
• Beaten and Starving, Some Rohingya Flee Boats, Return to Camps
• Bangladesh Govt rejects US request to resume Rohingya resettlement
Southeast Asia
• Teenager among Six Charged In Malaysia over Terror Plots
• High Court rejects stateless child’s attempt at citizenship
• Three dead in shootout with police in Aceh
North America
• Canada to Hold Conference over Jihadist Youth Fears
• Obama Urged to Seek End to Israel’s Occupation of Palestine
• Montreal Islamic leader urges closer co-operation between police, Muslim community
• Interfaith Push to Muslims Could Face Headwinds
• ‘Osama tried to end differences within jihadist movement’
• U.S. condemns worsening violence in South Sudan
India
• Cops File Case after Mumbai Firm Tells Job-Seeker 'We Hire Only Non-Muslims'
• India's Liberal Heart: Citizenship for Hindu Refugees Quadruples under Modi
• Bin Laden was told Mumbai 26/11 attack was 'blessed'; Pune German Bakery attack was 'beautiful'
• NIA charges Kalyan youth with ISIS links
Europe
• A Georgian Region Is Fertile Ground for Islamic State
• Destruction of Palmyra Would Be 'Enormous Loss to Humanity:' UNESCO Chief
• For one 'brainwashed' young Dutchman, life morphed from girls and discos to jihad
• Iraqi PM in Russia urges cooperation on fighting ISIS
• UN announces Yemen talks, but govt calls for rebel pullout from seized areas
• UN warns of implosion in Gaza Strip
• Manchester terror suspect 'living freely in Denmark'
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/senior-iraqi-cleric-warns-isil/d/103081
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Arab World
Senior Iraqi Cleric Warns ISIL of Consequences of Attacks on Shiite Holy Shrines
May 21 2015
Senior Iraqi Cleric and Head of the Sadrist Movement Moqtada al-Sadr warned the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists that Iraq would be its graveyard if it tried to attack the Shiite shrines in Karbala, Najaf, Baghdad and Samarra.
Moqtada al-Sadr said in a statement on Tuesday that "the land of Iraq is the land of the holy sites, any believer must be loyal to Iraq and defend it from such barbaric terrorist attacks".
He added that "some threatens to desecrate Karbala and other holy sites in the Iraqi capital and other", pointing out that "let the one who said it know that we will fill Iraq’s land with their rotting bodies if tried to desecrate any sacred place of this Holy Land".
Video tapes of ISIL commanders showed them celebrating the seizure of Ramadi city and vowed that the next battle of the organization will be in Baghdad, Karbala and Najaf, at a time Interior Minister Mohammed al-Ghabban said that news of a security threat to the cities of Karbala and Baghdad is exaggerated.
Sadr, who has brigades in the Popular Mobilization Units, said that "these statements must be taken seriously and work to protect the holy sites with everything precious and deploy loyal Mujahideen who will sacrifice their lives no matter what the circumstances were".
Al-Salam Brigades announced on Monday the arrival of many of its fighters to Samarra to control the land and protect the holy places.
The ISIL Takfiri terrorists currently control shrinking swathes 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=13940230001247
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Saudi King: No Discrimination between Citizens And Expats
21 May 2015
Saudi King Salman received senior Saudi human rights officials at Al-Yamamah Palace here on Wednesday. They included President of the Human Rights Commission Bandar Al-Aiban, President of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) Mufleh Al-Qahtani, and a number of senior officials.
Speaking on the occasion, King Salman reiterated the Kingdom’s keenness in protecting human rights in line with the Islamic Shariah.
He emphasized that there won’t be any discrimination between citizens and others as far as the law of the land is concerned.
“The foundation of the State is based on adherence to the Islamic Shariah, which calls for the protection of human rights. The rule of our country was established on the basis of justice, consultation and equality. The State’s systems are integrated into the protection of rights, achievement of justice, guaranteeing freedom of expression, impartiality and addressing the causes and reasons of division,” the King said. “All citizens are equal in rights and duties, and the Basic Governing Law states that the State shall protect human rights in line with the Islamic Shariah.”
King Salman said that judiciary is in the forefront of the government bodies concerned with the protection of human rights.
“The Kingdom’s regulations have emphasized the independence of the judiciary that guarantees justice for all citizens and residents. Out of the keenness to protect human rights within the framework of the Islamic Shariah, the State has established the Human Rights Commission.”
The King also welcomed the establishment of NSHR, and other private rights bodies.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/05/21/No-discrimination-between-citizens-and-expats-King.html
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Iraqi Forces Recapture 30% of Ramadi
May 21 2015
Iraqi security forces regained control of 30 percent of the city of Ramadi in Anbar province, said president of Anbar provincial council.
The areas under government control "include al-Sajariyah, al-Sufiyah and areas near al-Mallab, which represent 30 percent of the city of Ramadi", President of Anbar Provincial Council Sabah Karhoot said in a statement on Tuesday.
ISIL Takfiris have recently taken over parts of Ramadi.
Popular Mobilization forces have been deployed to the city to fight the Takfiris. The volunteer groups who have joined the Iraqi army, were dispatched to Anbar after Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called on them to join the fight to drive Takfiri militants out of Ramadi.
"The arrival of al-Hashed al-Sha’bi (Popular Mobilization) brigades in Anbar" has caused a deep-seated fear in the ranks of the Takfiri group," Karhoot said.
The Anbar Provincial Council released a statement late on Monday, saying that the Popular Mobilization forces, who have come from Babil Province, are stationed "in the al-Habaniyah military base, located 30 km East of Ramadi".
The ISIL Takfiri terrorists currently control shrinking swathes 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=13940230000715
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Syria: Army, Kurdish Fighters Seize ISIL's Main Stronghold in Hasaka
May 21 2015
The Syrian army and the Kurdish Popular Defense Committees gained control over ISIL's most important bastion in Hasaka province on Wednesday.
The ISIL lost control of the Abdel Aziz Mountain, located 38 kilometers to the Southwest of Hasaka today.
The Syrian army troops and the Kurdish fighters attacked ISIL's positions in Western Hasaka province and rapidly gained control over Um Kahif and the Eastern side of Abdel Aziz Mountain.
Mount Adel Aziz is of strategic importance because it is located at the center of a crossroad vital for ISIL's supply and troops transfer.
Now the Syrian army and Kurdish fighters have gained an overlook over ISIL's moves in the region, enabling them to plan more precise operations on a wider scale with the better information they gain through monitoring the terrorist group's moves in the region.
The army and the Kurdish troops have launched massive campaign against ISIL's bastions in Hasaka in the last few days.
On Tuesday, the Syrian army and Kurdish fighter seized control over ISIL’s second most important military stronghold in the province.
The Syrian troops took control of the town of Rezaza in Hasaka countryside to the Southwest of Hasaka city.
Rezaza which was ISIL’s second most important bastion in Hasaka is the third town after Alia and al-Sawameh towns along the Aleppo-Hasaka international highway that the Takfiri terrorists have lost to the Syrian army so far.
On Saturday, the army units blocked the supply route of ISIL Takfiri terrorists in Hasaka countryside.
The army units took control of Seddiq and al-Batrol crossings in Hasaka which was used for dispatch of weapons and aids to ISIL terrorists in the Northeastern province.
Seddiq crossing was used by the ISIL to connect to Tal Tamr and its loss was a big blow to the terrorist group.
By taking control of Al-Batrol crossing, the Syrian army can advance towards the city of Al-Shadadi in Southern Hasaka province and Tishrin oilfield in Eastern Hasaka.
On Thursday, the ISIL hideouts were targeted in military operations in Hasaka.
The army destroyed a number of the ISIL terrorists’ hideouts in the village of Um Al-Kebar on road to Abdel Aziz Mountain in Hasaka countryside.
The ISIL Takfiri terrorists currently control shrinking swathes 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=13940230001487
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ISIL Terrorist Group Executes Iraqi Reporter
May 21 2015
The ISIL killed an Iraqi TV reporter due to his refusal to join the terrorist group, Iraqi Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate Head Akram Suleiman disclosed.
"They asked Firas Bahri to pledge allegiance with the ISIL, but he refused to do so. Finally, they killed him today," Suleiman said on Tuesday.
Some media reported that the journalist had been held hostage for almost three weeks before the execution.
According to Suleiman, Bahri was the seventh journalist from Mosul that was executed by the ISIL.
He added that 10 more journalists, whose location is unknown, remained hostages.
The ISIL Takfiri terrorists currently control shrinking swathes 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=13940230001185
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IS in full control of Syria's ancient city Palmyra: monitor
May 21 2015
BEIRUT: The Islamic State group seized full control of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on Thursday, a monitor said, putting the world heritage site at risk of destruction.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP that regime troops had pulled back from positions in and around Palmyra, including from an army intelligence outpost, a military airport and a prison which the jihadists captured overnight.
Clashes since Wednesday had killed at least 100 pro-government fighters, he said. Pro-government forces have withdrawn, according to Syrian state media.
Abdulrahman, who bases his information on a network of sources on the ground, said there were so far no reports of destruction of the city’s historic artefacts.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/889965/islamic-state-enter-palmyras-ruins-monitor/
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Sinai militants call for attacks on Egypt’s judges
21 May 2015
The leader of Sinai Province, a militant group in Egypt with links to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), called on followers to attack judges in an audio statement posted on a prominent jihadist website on Wednesday.
The statement appeared days after six members of the group were executed for an attack on soldiers in Cairo last year, and follows a court’s decision on Saturday to seek the death penalty for ousted Islamist President Mohammed Mursi.
Reuters could not confirm the authenticity of the recording.
A spate of attacks on judges suggests they are the latest targets of an insurgency centered in North Sinai that has killed hundreds of Egyptian soldiers and police in the past two years.
"It is wrong for the tyrants to jail our brothers," cleric Abu Osama al-Masry said, referring to judges. "Poison their food... surveil them at home and in the street... destroy their homes with explosives if you can."
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/05/21/Sinai-Province-militants-call-for-attacks-on-Egypt-s-judges-.html
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Shoura Says No To Foreign Universities in Saudi Kingdom
May 21 2015
JEDDAH: The Shoura Council has rejected the proposal of council member Saeed Al-Sheikh to permit foreign universities to open branches in the Kingdom due to concerns over breaching Saudi cultural traditions and gender segregation.
The decision was also based on the failure of the branches of universities in surrounding countries to transfer the latest technologies and the best professors.
According to the council, there is no need to open branches of foreign universities in the Kingdom due to the success of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program.
Ibrahim Abu Abah challenged the proposal, arguing that there are 40 government and private universities able to absorb high school graduates.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/749846
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Driver alerts of Saher cameras ‘un-Islamic’
May 21 2015
RIYADH: It is un-Islamic for drivers to warn each other about Saher cameras if the purpose is simply to avoid a fine and then continue speeding.
This is according to Sheikh Ali bin Abbas Al-Hakami, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars.
He said that drivers are acting immorally if they warn each other by flashing their lights on the roads. He urged them to abide by the country’s traffic laws rather than indulge in such behaviour.
There have been reports of many people trying to avoid being caught by Saher cameras on the country’s roads. This includes taping over, or removing their license plates.
http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/749851
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Mideast
Yemeni Forcers Kill 18 Saudi Soldiers in Retaliation Attack
May 21 2015
Yemeni tribal forces fired rockets on border military bases in Southern Saudi Arabia, and killed at least 18 Saudi soldiers in retaliation for the ongoing Saudi airstrikes on residential areas across Yemen.
The Saudi military grid and equipment was also destroyed in the late Wednesday attack, according to the Yemeni TV channel, al-Masirah.
Several rockets targeted military positions in the border cities of Najran and Dhahran al-Janub, it said.
The latest rocket attack came hours after a Saudi soldier, identified as Hassan Someili, was killed during cross-border clashes with Yemeni tribal forces in the Saudi border region of Jazan.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940231000323
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Saudi Arabia Kills Dozens of Yemeni Civilians
May 21 2015
Saudi Fighter jets bombed the Yemeni province of Jawf, and killed more than 25 civilians.
Saudi warplanes also hit a governmental building in the district of Bayt al-Faqih in al-Hudaydah province in the early hours of Thursday.
Saudi air strikes also targeted a residential area in Sa'ada province, and multiple areas in Lahij province.
On Wednesday, Saudi warplanes targeted a barracks in Hudaydah province and various areas in the capital Sana’a and the province of Ibb.
Also on Wednesday, the Saudi military shelled a number of regions in the provinces of Hajjah and Sana’a.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940231000276
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5 Refugees Killed in Saudi Attack on Yemen Aid Office
May 21 2015
Five Ethiopian refugees were killed in a Saudi attack on an international humanitarian aid office in the Yemeni province of Hajja, reports said.
A local official said 5 Ethiopian refugees were killed and 10 others wounded in the attack.
Artillery fire and air strikes hit the town of Maydee along Yemen's border with the Persian Gulf kingdom in Hajja.
Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 57 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed at least 3,849 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children.
Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.
Despite Riyadh's claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940231000534
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Ansarullah Gains Control over Saudi Al-Tuwal Heights
May 21 2015
Yemen’s Ansarullah fighters gained control of al-Tuwal heights in the Saudi Arabia's border region of Jazan following weeks of Saudi army artillery pounding and airstrikes on Northern Yemeni towns and border areas.
Ansarullah fighters and Yemeni army troops opened their path into the mountainous area near the border with Yemen on Thursday and destroyed several Saudi military vehicles as well as ammunition, according to Yemen's al-Masirah TV channel.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940231000454
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Turkish Hospitals Overcrowded with Takfiri Militants Wounded in Syria's Idlib
May 21 2015
The Takfiri terrorist groups are transferring an increasing number of their war casualties in Northern Syria, specially those wounded in the province of Idlib, to Turkish hospitals, local sources said on Wednesday.
"The Turkish hospitals in the Southern parts of the country are full of militants who have been wounded in recent battles of Idlib province in Syria," local sources told FNA on Wednesday.
The sources also said the hospitals are so overcrowded with injured militants that they refrain from accommodating ordinary patients and Turkish nationals.
"Not only Turkish outpatients, but also those in critical conditions are not visited by doctors here," one of the sources said.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940230001657
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Israel Continues to Provide Medical Treatment for Terrorists Fighting in Syria
May 21 2015
Israeli hospitals continue admitting the terrorists who are wounded in Syria, sources said Wednesday.
The sources said that two ISIL terrorists, who were injured in the ongoing military operations in Syria, were admitted by the Israeli Poriya Hospital in Tiberias in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
One of the terrorists had shrapnel wounds in one of his eyes and in his left leg, while the other had severe wounds in his hands.
More than 173 wounded terrorists have been hospitalized at Poriya so far. Three wounded terrorists were moved to the hospital three days ago.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940230001345
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Over 80,000 Iranian Missiles Ready to Hit Tel Aviv, Haifa in Israel
May 21 2015
Top Military Aide to the Iranian Supreme Leader Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi described the recent statements of Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon about nuking Iran as an empty threat, warning that the Islamic Republic has tens of thousands of missiles ready to wreak havoc on Israel.
"The Zionists and the US are aware of the power of Iran and Hezbollah, and they know that over 80,000 (Iranian) missiles are ready to rain down on Tel Aviv and Haifa; Iran is a powerful country which will give a crushing response to them," Major General Rahim Safavi said in reaction to Ya'alon's threats against Iran.
Full report at:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940230001634
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Pakistan
Mosque leaders yet to take to uniform prayer timings
May 21 2015
ISLAMABAD: Government’s mission that mosques of all Muslim sects offer the five daily prayers at the same time across the country seems to have failed at the very start.
Although Imam of Kaaba Dr Khalid al Ghamdi had sanctified the move, imams of the mosques in Islamabad are found observing their own prayer timings 20 days after the uniform Nizam-e-Salat was introduced in the federal capital to begin with.
It is not even being followed by the mosques in government offices.
However, there is no vocal opposition or resistance to the Nizam-e-Salat from the clergy.
Religious affairs minister Sardar Mohammad Yousuf decided on Wednesday to call a convention of the management boards and imams of all mosques of Islamabad on May 26 “to highlight the importance of this system,” a ministry official told Dawn. Hopefully, it would not be overshadowed by the tension that a caustic remark by Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed about the quality of madrassa education has caused in certain religious groups.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1183300/mosque-leaders-yet-to-take-to-uniform-prayer-timings
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The Role of Deobandi School of Thought in Iran Discussed
May 21 2015
KARACHI: The Deobandi school of thought is playing an important role in the political landscape of Iran. This was the final point of a presentation titled ‘Interaction between Iranian and Indian worlds in religious fields, in modern times’ delivered by French scholar Stephane Dudoigon at the Alliance Francaise on Wednesday evening.
Mr Dudoigon, a senior research fellow at the National Centre for Scientific Research, France, started off by establishing the existence of Muslim scholarship in India and Iran. He mentioned the names of Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi and Allama Iqbal, who, he said, were known and respected in the Persian speaking world as they were in the subcontinent. There had been rich exchanges since the 16th century onwards in the region, with the presence of both the Sunni and Shia schools of thought. In that context he took the name of Mulla Sadra, a Shia philosopher whom Sunnis also revered.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1183212/the-role-of-deobandi-school-of-thought-in-iran-discussed
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Arrested Safoora attack mastermind behind Sabeen's murder: Sindh CM
May 21 2015
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Wednesday detailed that the four suspects in the Safoora bus attack, whose arrests he had announced on Tuesday, were also involved in a number of other high profile attacks in Karachi recently, including the murder of The Second Floor café director Sabeen Mahmud.
“These terrorists namely Saad Aziz, Hafiz Nasir, Mohammad Azhar and Tahir Minhas were arrested from different areas of Karachi, three days after the Safoora incident,” Shah disclosed while addressing a joint press conference at the Chief Minister House on Wednesday.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/889452/arrested-safoora-attack-mastermind-confesses-to-sabeen-mahmuds-murder/
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Displaced dreams: Uighur families have no place to call home in G-B
May 21 2015
GILGIT: For over six decades, Uighur families in Gilgit-Baltistan have grappled with an identity crisis for which there appears to be no closure in sight.
Running from possible persecution during the Cultural Revolution in 1949 in China, over a 100 families fled from Xinjiang and settled in various parts of Pakistan, including G-B. The exodus continued till 1980 and kept presenting fresh challenges for the migrants and their host communities.
Since they had left behind their homes and relatives, Uighur families tried to carve a space for themselves in their new surroundings. With time, they were able to call the region home.
The migrants with their colourful traditional dresses were known as Kashgaris, from Kashgar, the administrative centre of Xinjiang. Gradually they made their way into hearts of locals the best way they knew – through their stomachs. Manta (dumplings) and laghman (noodles with lamb stew) have now become a staple of the region’s diet.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/889640/displaced-dreams-uighur-families-have-no-place-to-call-home-in-g-b/
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Africa
4 Killed in South Sudan as UN Compound Bombed
May 21 2015
The UN mission in South Sudan said four civilians, including a woman and a child, were killed when two mortar bombs exploded inside its compound in the town of Melut in Upper Nile state.
The mission said in a statement Wednesday that eight more people were injured in the blast on Tuesday evening, and that it is "deeply concerned by the disregard for civilian lives, UN personnel and facilities", AP reported.
Fighting has recently intensified in South Sudan's Upper Nile and Unity states as government troops and rebel forces fight for control of territory. At stake in the latest fighting are the functional oil fields of Paloch, which the rebels said they were poised to seize on Wednesday.
Aid groups have pulled out of hotspots, leaving thousands of people in need.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13940231000237
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Ten killed as clashes erupt in key Libyan cities
21 May 2015
Ten people were killed and almost 40 wounded when Libya's two rival governments clashed with Islamist fighters in two large cities on Wednesday, officials said.
Supporters of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other Islamist militant groups have exploited the turmoil in Libya, where two governments and parliaments are fighting for control four years after the ousting of Muammar Qaddafi.
In the eastern city of Benghazi, nine soldiers were killed when fighting the Majlis al-Shura, an umbrella of mostly Islamist groups including Ansar al-Sharia blamed by Washington for the storming of a U.S. diplomatic compound in 2012 which killed the U.S. ambassador.
At least 30 soldiers were wounded, a military spokesman said.
Army forces allied to the internationally recognized government based in the east have been fighting since last year Islamist groups in the port city.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/05/21/Ten-killed-as-clashes-erupt-in-key-Libyan-cities.html
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Algerian army kills more militants, total of 25 in 2 days
21 May 2015
The Algerian Defense Ministry says its forces have killed three more militants just east of the capital Algiers, bringing the total slain over the past two days to 25.
Acting on intelligence tips, the Algerian army ambushed a meeting of militants in the Boukram forest in Boumerdes province, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Algerian capital on Tuesday.
Wednesday's statement said further sweeps in the area netted more militants. The meeting was allegedly about planning attacks on the capital.
The statement said more than a dozen Kalashnikov assault rifles were recovered, along with shotguns, a sniper rifle, ammunition and grenades. Two militants were captured alive.
The operation was one of the most deadly anti-terror raids ever reported by the Algerian military.
Algeria has been battling radical Islamists for years.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/130778/World/Region/Algerian-army-kills-more-militants,-total-of--in--.aspx
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Two key Islamist leaders killed in French army raid in Mali
21 May 2015
French special forces killed two key jihadist leaders in a raid in Mali, one of whom has been linked to the kidnapping and execution of foreigners, the defence ministry said Wednesday.
Amada Ag Hama, known as "Abdelkrim the Tuareg", who is believed to have masterminded the kidnapping of two French journalists who were murdered in Mali in 2013, was one of those killed in the raid in northern Mali.
He was a leader of an Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) battalion and a former lieutenant of Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, one of the AQIM leaders killed fighting the French army in northern Mali in February 2013.
Abdelkrim was among four jihadists killed in the raid, along with another key figure Ibrahim Ag Inawalen, known as "Bana".
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/130779/World/International/Two-key-Islamist-leaders-killed-in-French-army-rai.aspx
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Burundi army calls for unity after coup bid
21 May 2015
Burundi's defence minister called on the army Thursday to close ranks after a failed coup as the security forces battle to stem weeks of violent anti-government protests.
One protester was shot dead Thursday in clashes with police in the capital Bujumbura, a witness said, the latest victim of the unrest triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in power, in which more than 20 people have died.
The crisis, which began in late April after the ruling party nominated Nkurunziza to stand again in June presidential elections, deepened last week when a top general staged a failed coup attempt.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/130818/World/International/Burundi-army-calls-for-unity-after-coup-bid.aspx
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South Asia
Two militants including three killed in security incidents in Kandahar
May 21 2015
Two insurgents including three people have been killed in separate security incidents in southern Kandahar province.
Two militants were killed and two others seriously wounded in brief gun battles with security forces in Saidusan and Gholang areas of Mianashin District this morning.
Mahmood a local Taliban commander is among the ones killed during the clashes.
Security forces did not suffer casualties.
Also, a police officer killed his brother-in-law in phase 12 of Kandahar city this morning who was later detained.
The motive behind the killing is identified to be the domestic disputes.
The other incident occurred in Najogano area of phase 14 of Kandahar city where a son stabbed his mother and runaway.
Security officials are probing to arrest him.
http://www.khaama.com/two-militants-including-three-killed-in-security-incidents-in-kandahar-3340
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Awami League leaders: BNP, Jamaat serve Pakistan’s interests
May 21 2015
Senior leaders of the ruling Awami League allege that those who had opposed the birth of Bangladesh in 1971 have still been actively propagating against the spirit of the Liberation War in and outside the country.
Addressing different events in the capital yesterday, they asked the countrymen to come under a platform and resist the conspirators and the religious extremists patronised by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The ruling party organised the programmes marking the homecoming day of party President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said: “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been trying her level best for the development of the country by ensuring the voting rights of the countrymen. But BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the Jamaat-e-Islami are trying to foil the initiatives.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2015/may/21/al-leaders-bnp-jamaat-serve-pakistans-interests#sthash.HC03Ybc8.dpuf
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Maldives launches plan to combat human trafficking, content undisclosed
May 21 2015
The government has launched today a five year strategic action plan to prevent human trafficking in Maldives, but the ministry of economic development did not disclose details of the plan.
“There will be no room for human trafficking in the Maldives. The government of President Adbulla Yameen will close all the doors open to human trafficking,” foreign minister Dunya Maumoon said at a ceremony this morning.
The action plan will improve the legal framework set by the Anti-Human Trafficking Act of 2013 by “implementing the anti-human trafficking law and putting together policies to prevent people from human trafficking,” she said.
A government report in 2011 revealed human trafficking to be the Maldives second most lucrative industry after tourism – worth an estimated US$123 million a year. The US state department said foreign workers in the Maldives experience forced labor, including fraudulent recruitment, confiscation of identity and travel documents, withholding or nonpayment of wages, and debt bondage.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/maldives-launches-plan-to-combat-human-trafficking-content-undisclosed-98469#sthash.ZaU0J66Z.dpuf
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Beaten and Starving, Some Rohingya Flee Boats, Return to Camps
May 21 2015
Say Tha Mar Gyi, Myanmar. Scores of Myanmar’s minority Rohingya Muslims are paying off people smugglers and returning to the squalid camps they used to live in after being held for months on overcrowded ships that were to take them to Thailand but did not move far from shore.
Often beaten, and given little food and water, at least 50 Rohingya came back over the weekend after paying boat captains between $200 and $300 per person, people in one of the camps said.
A crackdown on the people-smuggling network in Thailand, usually the first stop en route to Malaysia, has meant that at least three ships loaded with hundreds of Rohingya and impoverished Bangladeshis were staying off the coast of Myanmar, they said.
Full report at:
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/beaten-starving-rohingya-flee-boats-return-camps/
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Bangladesh Govt rejects US request to resume Rohingya resettlement
May 21 2015
As a head count of the undocumented Rohingyas in Bangladesh is going on, the government has recently rejected an US request for resuming the process of resettling the Myanmar refugees in a third country.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) launched the head count in April and it is scheduled to continue until June next year.
The Tk21.75 Crore project is titled “Census of the Undocumented Myanmar Nationals Staying in Bangladesh 2015” and under this, the BBS will give a count of Rohingya population in five districts.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/may/21/govt-rejects-us-request-resume-rohingya-resettlement#sthash.i0DswE2C.dpuf
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Southeast Asia
Teenager among six charged in Malaysia over terror plots
21 May 2015
Five men and a teenager were charged in a Malaysian court on Wednesday with plotting terror attacks in the country, according to court documents.
The five men are mostly in their 20s or early 30s while the teenager is 16.
Police could not immediately be reached for further information.
It was not clear whether the six were among 12 suspected Islamic militants arrested in late April just before a Southeast Asian summit was held in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
At the time of the arrests in late April, police said they seized 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of ammonium nitrate, a similar amount of potassium nitrate, two litres of kerosene and remote-control devices.
National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said at the time the suspects were targeting "strategic" locations in and around Kuala Lumpur for attacks to be launched on April 25 and April 26.
Those charged Wednesday face a maximum 30 years' imprisonment and fines if found guilty, according to the court documents.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/asia/2015/05/20/Teenager-among-six-charged-in-Malaysia-over-terror-plots.html
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High Court rejects stateless child’s attempt at citizenship
May 21 2015
KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — The High Court rejected today a father and his adopted son’s attempt to apply for the child’s citizenship, alleging that they had not exhausted all attempts to prove the child is stateless.
Under Schedule 2 Part 2 of Article 14 (1) (b) section 1 (e) of the Federal Constitution, citizenship should be granted to “every person born within the Federation who is not born a citizen of any country...”
“There must be some effort made by applicants to prove that the child is a stateless child, not just in the affidavit... no attempts were made by applicants in form of affidavit to show the mother could not be traced, or not known for the court to exercise its discretion in granting the child’s citizenship, despite the information pertaining to the hospital made available,” Judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad said in her judgement.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/high-court-rejects-stateless-childs-attempt-at-citizenship#sthash.HL5mydQF.dpuf
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Three dead in shootout with police in Aceh
May 21 2015
Three gunmen were killed in violent clashes with Indonesian security forces in Aceh, police said Thursday, jolting the westernmost province as it prepares to mark a decade of peace.
The firefight occurred just before midnight Wednesday after police and military officers were tipped off about an armed group in Pidie, a district east of the Acehnese capital Banda Aceh.
Around a dozen gunmen opened fire on the troops, with the battle lasting an hour until the group fled on foot.
"The troops from the military and police gave chase to the remaining members of the armed group," Pidie police chief Muhajir told AFP, adding the motive for the attack remained unclear.
Officers seized an automatic machine gun and ammunition from the three victims, he said.
It's unclear who the gunmen were but violence between armed groups -- often former rebels – and security forces is not uncommon in the once-restive province.
Aceh was mired in civil war for 30 years, with rebels fighting against the central government for an independent state, until a massive tsunami devastated the poverty-stricken province in 2004.
When a peace treaty was signed in August 2005, the conflict had left at least 15,000 people dead – mostly civilians – and the province with barely any functioning infrastructure.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/three-dead-in-shootout-with-police-in-aceh#sthash.XZJ6Pfva.dpuf
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North America
Canada to hold conference over jihadist youth fears
21 May 2015
Canada is to hold a national conference to discuss ways of preventing young people from pursuing jihadism following the arrest of 10 youths attempting to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group, officials said Wednesday.
A spokesman for Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney said no date had been set for the meeting, which would bring together officials from all Canadian provinces to discuss prevention strategies.
On Tuesday Canadian police said they had arrested 10 young people as they allegedly tried to leave the country to join ISIS.
The federal police arrested the group, all residents of the Montreal area, last weekend at the city’s international airport and their passports have been withdrawn.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2015/05/21/Canada-to-hold-conference-over-jihadist-youth-fears.html
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Obama urged to seek end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine
May 21 2015
NEW YORK: Henry Siegman, a former head of the American Jewish Congress, has urged US President Barack Obama to push the United Nations Security Council to seek an end to the Israeli occupation and pave the way for Palestinian statehood.
In an op-ed article in the New York Times on Wednesday, he wrote: “The victory of Israel’s far right has provided an unexpected, if narrow, opening for Mr Obama, allowing him to call for a reassessment of America’s peace policy.”
“United States government has never made an unconditional commitment to Israel to block a Security Council role in bringing about a two-state peace accord.”
Mr Siegman argued that Washington had “committed to blocking a Security Council role only so long as there is a reasonable prospect that the parties might reach such an accord on their own. That prospect no longer exists”.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1183252/obama-urged-to-seek-end-to-israels-occupation-of-palestine
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Montreal Islamic leader urges closer co-operation between police, Muslim community
May 21 2015
MONTREAL—A top Islamic leader in Montreal says closer co-operation between police and the Muslim community is needed after the arrests of 10 young people allegedly planning to join the ranks of the Islamic State terror group.
The wave of arrests carried out by the RCMP last Friday brings to more than 20 the number of individuals who have either mysteriously left Canada, been arrested or been charged with terrorism offences in this city since the beginning of the year.
“We have concerns, yes, but no ideas about what is happening. When we see all these claims and no facts, it makes us very much concerned,” said Imam Salam Elmenyawi, president of the Muslim Council of Montreal. “If the claims are right it is a very serious concern. If they are wrong it is still a very big concern.”
Full report at:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/05/20/rcmp-arrest-10-young-people-suspected-of-wanting-to-join-overseas-terror-groups.html
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Interfaith Push To Muslims Could Face Headwinds
May 21 2015
With the Muslim population of America more than doubling in the last seven years, according to the recently released Pew Research Center survey, “America’s Changing Religious Landscape,” the Jewish community appears poised to ramp up its outreach to Muslims.
According to one prominent Jewish leader of interfaith activities, relations with Muslims Americans are now “the great challenge of the 21st century.”
Rabbi Noam Marans, director of interreligious and intergroup relations at the American Jewish Committee, said the AJC, recognizing this demographic fact, is just one of several Jewish organizations that have increased their outreach to the Muslim community in recent years and usually found members of the Muslim faith to be willing partners.
“The overwhelming majority of U.S. Muslims are people of goodwill who want to contribute to the positive American mosaic and see interreligious relations as the key to the American ethos,” Rabbi Marans said.
Full report at:
http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/international/interfaith-push-muslims-could-face-headwinds
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‘Osama tried to end differences within jihadist movement’
May 21 2015
WASHINGTON: In a letter to Hakimullah Mehsud, Osama bin Laden advised the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader not to take measures that would further divide an already unwieldy jihadist movement.
The letter the Al Qaeda founder wrote to Mehsud on Dec 4, 2010 is included in 103 documents the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence released on Wednesday.
In one of the documents, Bin Laden claims that the jihadi “work in Pakistan is almost self-sufficient”.
“There are many operating groups and local Taliban groups who have joined, and there is Tehreek-i-Taliban or those who did not join (us). Those who did not join are no less than those who have joined (us),” he writes.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1183242/osama-tried-to-end-differences-within-jihadist-movement
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U.S. condemns worsening violence in South Sudan
21 May 2015
The United States condemned intense fighting in war-wracked South Sudan, where government forces recaptured a key rebel enclave after a weeks-long assault marred by accusations of rights abuses.
The government assault that began in late April is one of the heaviest offensives in South Sudan’s 17-month-long civil war, which has cut off over 650,000 people from aid.
“The United States condemns the intensified fighting and violence in Unity, Upper Nile, and Jonglei states in South Sudan,” a statement from State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said late Wednesday.
The U.S. also warned against humanitarian violations, following reports by the United Nations and aid agencies of gunmen raping women and children, torching towns and looting relief supplies.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2015/05/21/U-S-condemns-worsening-violence-in-south-Sudan.html
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India
Cops file case after Mumbai firm tells job-seeker 'we hire only non-Muslims'
May 21, 2015
MUMBAI: A Mumbai-based diamond jewellery export firm faces action for religious discrimination after it declined to entertain the job application of a youth on the grounds that he was a Muslim.
The job-seeker, Zeshan Ali Khan, a business management graduate from Mumbai, had applied for a position in Hari Krishna Exports Pvt Ltd, a leading exporter of diamond jewellery, as marketing executive but was shocked when he received the response from the firm stating that it hires only "non-Muslim candidates."
Mumbai Police have lodged a case against the firm on the youth's complaint.
"As per the law, there is punishment of 3 years. After investigation it will be revealed who is actually related to offence," police inspector Suryakant Jagdale said.
After the rejection letter sparked a controversy, the firm said it was an error on the part of one of its staff and it never practised religious discrimination.
"I just completed my final semester exams of MBA last week and like other classmates have been looking for a job. I came across an update regarding a recruitment drive undertaken by leading diamond and jewellery exporter and thought it would be a great start for my career," Khan said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cops-file-case-after-Mumbai-firm-tells-job-seeker-we-hire-only-non-Muslims/articleshow/47370696.cms
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India's liberal heart: Citizenship for Hindu refugees quadruples under Modi
May 21, 2015
The Modi government is living up to its promise of speeding up visas and citizenship rights to Hindus and Sikhs fleeing Jihadi persecution in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This promise was part of the BJP election manifesto, which was much criticised for suggesting that Hindus and Sikhs refugees will be prioritised for entry and acceptance.
It was seen as a promise with communal overtones - and that is understandable, for the truth is historically India has given refuge to all people fleeing persecution anywhere. Unfortunately, violence is being ratcheted up in our neighbouring countries. Given the reality that the most likely victims of persecution in the neighbourhood are likely to be Hindus (and Sikhs or Buddhists to a lesser extent), the criticism of the BJP manifesto promise was a bit over the top.
Full report at:
http://www.firstpost.com/india/indias-liberal-heart-citizenship-hindu-refugees-quadruples-modi-2255798.html
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Bin Laden was told Mumbai 26/11 attack was 'blessed'; Pune German Bakery attack was 'beautiful'
TNN | May 21, 2015
WASHINGTON: He may or may not have initiated it, but Osama bin Laden showed a great deal of interest in the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack launched by Pakistani proxies. A collection of books and documents that were recovered from the Al Qaeda supremo's Abbottabad hideout that were released by U.S intelligence on Wednesday shows bin Laden kept track of U.S prosecution of David Headley and his associates who helped the ISI plan the attack.
Among the documents found in bin Laden's room when he was killed by U.S Navy Seals -- who subsequently brought the documents to U.S - were
U.S. Department of Justice Complaint against David Headley U.S. Department of Justice Complaint against Tahwwur Hussain Rana (Headley's U.S associate) U.S. Department of Justice Indictment of David Coleman Headley U.S. Department of Justice Motion to Detain Tahwwur Hussain Rana
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Bin-Laden-was-told-Mumbai-26/11-attack-was-blessed-Pune-German-Bakery-attack-was-beautiful/articleshow/47364606.cms?
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NIA charges Kalyan youth with ISIS links
Deeptiman Tiwary,TNN | May 21, 201
NEW DELHI: Radicalized by online propaganda of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL) and enticed by a female recruiter from the outfit on social media, Kalyan youth Areeb Majeed and three of his friends went to Iraq and fought alongside the forces of the self-appointed Caliphate, NIA has said. National Investigation Agency on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against Majeed in a Mumbai court and charged him with "waging war against an Asiatic power in alliance with India".
The chargesheet says: "The investigation has revealed that the four accused viz. Areeb Majeed, Saheem Tanki, Fahad Shaikh and Amaan Tandel, all residents of Kalyan, District Thane, Maharashtra, under the guise of performing pilgrimage travelled to Syria and joined ISIL, a banned terrorist organisation. After joining ISIL, they had undergone extensive training in arms and explosives. Thereafter, they participated in war against Syrian/ Iraqi forces."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NIA-charges-Kalyan-youth-with-ISIS-links/articleshow/47364107.cms
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Europe
A Georgian region is fertile ground for Islamic State
Associated Press
May 21 2015
In the summer of 2012, a former Georgian Army corporal who had served prison time for illegal possession of ammunition burned his photo albums and quit his native village.
Tarkhan Batirashvili had wanted to become a policeman, but couldn't get hired. Now, this offspring of a Christian father and a Muslim mother was about to start a new chapter in his military career — one in which he would be credited with some of Islamic State's most stunning battlefield victories and rise to senior rank.
Last September, the U.S. Treasury Department placed Batirashvili — who now calls himself Omar al Shishani and is believed by some to be Islamic State's chief of military operations — on its list of "specially designated global terrorists." But to some in the Pankisi, the mountainous region of northeastern Georgia where he was born in 1986, the ginger-bearded commander is a hero and a role model.
Full report at:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article21485499.html#storylink=cpy
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Destruction of Palmyra would be 'enormous loss to humanity:' UNESCO chief
21 May 2015
PARIS — The destruction of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Palmyra would be an "enormous loss to humanity", the head of the organization warned Thursday after Daesh (so-called IS) fighters seized the ancient Syrian city.
"Palmyra is an extraordinary World Heritage site in the desert and any destruction to Palmyra (would be) not just a war crime but ... an enormous loss to humanity," said Irina Bokova in a video published by the Paris-based group.
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20150521244603
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For one 'brainwashed' young Dutchman, life morphed from girls and discos to jihad
May 21 2015
LEIDEN, Netherlands - The father says he did not raise his son as a Muslim — and he regrets his decision now.
Maybe if Reda Nidalha, born and bred in the historic Dutch university city of Leiden, had learned about moderate Islam, it would have been harder for extremists to "brainwash" him and help him travel to Syria, his father says.
Mohamed Nidalha sent his son to Belgium to stay with his uncle after Reda fell in with a bad set of friends in Leiden.
But Reda soon came into online contact with a Belgian in Syria who linked him up with a notorious terror recruiting network, Sharia4Belgium.
The 20-year-old who grew up liking girls and going to discos suddenly changed, thanks to a toxic cocktail of online propaganda and covert contact with extremists in Belgium, one of Europe's hotspots for Islamic radicals.
Full report at:
http://www.timescolonist.com/for-one-brainwashed-young-dutchman-life-morphed-from-girls-and-discos-to-jihad-1.1941922#sthash.JdGntXhP.dpuf
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Iraqi PM in Russia urges cooperation on fighting ISIS
21 May 2015
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Thursday met his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev at the start of a Moscow visit aimed at boosting cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group.
“We understand that the threat of terrorism is enveloping not just Iraq but the neighboring countries,” Abadi told Medvedev in remarks translated into Russian.
“It evolves and takes new shapes, and we understand perfectly well that it requires heightened attention from Russia. We expect more active cooperation in this direction,” he said.
He was set to meet President Vladimir Putin later in the day, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/05/21/Iraqi-PM-in-Russia-urges-cooperation-on-fighting-ISIS-.html
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UN announces Yemen talks, but govt calls for rebel pullout from seized areas
May 21 2015
SANAA: The United Nations announced on Wednesday a date for its conference on Yemen, where Saudi-led warplanes have intensified raids against rebels in a conflict that has displaced half a million people.
But Yemen’s government-in-exile swiftly demanded a pullback of the Houthi rebels from seized territory as a precondition to joining the talks set for May 28 in Geneva.
A Saudi-led coalition has waged an air campaign against the Houthi rebels since March 26 in an effort to restore the authority of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has fled to Riyadh.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said next week’s conference was aimed at restoring “momentum towards a Yemeni-led political transition process”.
Mr Ban hoped the Geneva talks would “reduce the levels of violence and alleviate the intolerable humanitarian situation”.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1183222/un-announces-yemen-talks-but-govt-calls-for-rebel-pullout-from-seized-areas
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UN warns of implosion in Gaza Strip
May 21 2015
UNITED NATIIONS: A United Nations envoy for Middle East has warned that the region is threatened by “a vicious tide of terror and extremism” amid stalled peace negotiations and growing regional tensions.
“The inability to respond, for over 60 years, both on the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state and to Israel’s quest for security, has fuelled a situation that is becoming more dangerous by the day,” UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov told the Security Council .
He particularly emphasised that Gaza remained “desperate and angry” at its forced isolation, imposed by the ongoing blockade, the closure of the Rafah border crossing, at Hamas’ imposition of a so-called solidarity tax, and at donors for “not honouring their financial commitments for reconstruction”.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1183239/un-warns-of-implosion-in-gaza-strip
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Manchester terror suspect 'living freely in Denmark'
May 21 2015
A terror suspect from Manchester who is banned from returning to Britain is living freely in Denmark, Newsbeat can reveal.
Ahmed Halane, 22, a Danish citizen who grew up in Bolton and Chorlton, is suspected of fighting with militant groups abroad.
He is the elder brother of Zahra and Salma Halane, who ran away to Syria to become jihadi brides in June last year.
Sources say Ahmed Halane joined jihadists in Syria and Somalia.
He is now living in the Danish city of Aarhus and appears to be free to travel around the EU, even though the UK authorities have deemed him a security risk.
He is subject to an exclusion order which prohibits him from re-entering Britain.
"Exclusion orders are not a step that's taken lightly by the authorities," says Stephen Grosz QC and chair of the Law Society's human rights committee.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/32405092/manchester-terror-suspect-living-freely-in-denmark
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/senior-iraqi-cleric-warns-isil/d/103081