Vandals mark anti-Christian graffiti on Jerusalem church
New Age Islam News Bureau
3 Oct 2012
Mideast Asia
• Vandals mark anti-Christian graffiti on Jerusalem church
• Gazans face 'serious abuses' in criminal justice system
• Turkish forces kill 12 Kurd rebels: security sources
• Palestinians free ex-militant Zubeidi on bail
• Iran's Ahmadinejad says election, not war, solution for Syria
• Wary of Israel, Iran Is Said to Err in Strikes
• Iran’s Master of Iraq Chaos Still Vexes U.S.
• Abbas resignation demanded by West Bank demonstrators
• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Iran's currency crisis due to psychological war
• Will not retreat on nuclear issue despite woes: Iran
• Turkey President Turgut Ozal's remains exhumed
India
• India-Pak come together to commemorate Gandhi's birthday at UN
• Moderate Mirwaiz meets Fai in US prison
• Tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri in Uzbekistan
• Kashmir shrine blaze, a work of militants: Police
• Amid peace talk, war of words over J&K
• NDA withdrew security for Blue Star commander
• Mobile users in Kashmir can't access Facebook, Twitter
• Piracy, terrorism threat to regional stability: Antony
• Ek tha Mukhtar, the forgotten agent
• It was a Khalistani plot to kill me: Brar
• Our country richer, no need to migrate: Bangla border force
• India says will be patient in dealing with 26/11 case with Pak
Africa
• 46 students killed in Nigeria hostel
• Islamists execute man before 600 in north Mali
• Radical Islamists enforce Sharia law in Mali but who’s listening
• South Sudan security forces abusing civilians – Amnesty
• Nigeria troops hunt massacre suspects house-to-house
• Heavy blast in Somali port as African forces move in
Arab World
• Poster contest in Egypt to remember Mahatma Gandhi's teachings
• Jordan Islamists slam naming of new envoy to Israel
• 40 dead as bombs tear through heart of Syria's Aleppo
• Police, army abuses continue in Egypt: Amnesty
• Violence rages in Syrian cities as world powers grow war-weary
• Syria Berates Hamas Chief, an Old Ally, on State TV
• Journalist tortured in custody in Lebanon
• Jordan charges 4 with trying to enter Syria
• Clashes in Bahrain after death of imprisoned protester
• Kuwait govt calls for dissolution of parliament
• Syria detains prominent rights lawyer: NGO
Pakistan
• There is no political cell within ISI, Pak govt tells SC
• Army to support any ‘constitutional’ solution to Balochistan unrest: Kayani
• US film protests bring boom for Pakistan flag makers
• YouTube likely to remain blocked in Pakistan indefinitely
• Baloch, Pakhtun nationalists endorse Mengal’s charter
• NATO denies report of cross-border fires killing two Pakistanis
• Blasphemy accused remanded in judicial custody
• Judge reserves ruling on Khalid Jadoon’s bail plea
South Asia
• Afghanistan should be left 'to get on with things' – British ambassador
• Taliban will face a very strong Afghan force in 2014: NATO
• Bangladesh: Another tale of brutality in the name of arbitration
• Maldivian Islamic Scholar and MP buried as world condemns his murder
• Court asks police to present Nasheed at rescheduled trial
• Stable Afghanistan is in common interest of Pakistan, Russia: FO
• 235 refugee families from Balochistan return to Afghanistan this week
• Bangladesh HC seeks explanation of govt 'inaction'
Europe
• North Caucasus Muftis back ban on anti-Muslim film
• Russia warns NATO, other world powers not to intervene in Syria
• Ukraine Parliament votes to outlaw "promotion of homosexuality"
• French anti-terrorism bill targets training abroad
• Nothing to do with downed Turkish jet: Russia
• Greek militants jailed for 2009 bombings
• Iran 'clamp-down on critical voices' worrying: UN
North America
• Al Qaeda in N. Africa making millions kidnapping - U.S
• Libya killings: Obama faces new questions on Benghazi
• U.S. Had Early Indications Libya Attack Tied to Organized Militants
• Added Security in Libya Was Rejected, G.O.P. Says
• Muslim Americans lead in social entrepreneurship
Southeast Asia
• Philippines hope for Muslim peace plan within days
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: Radical Islamists enforce Sharia law in Mali but who’s listening
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Mideast Asia
Vandals mark anti-Christian graffiti on Jerusalem church
October 03, 2012
Jerusalem: Vandals scribbled anti-Christian graffiti on the outer walls of one of Jerusalem's best-known churches Wednesday morning, Israeli police said.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the perpetrators defaced a wall leading to the Church of the Dormition. The century-old structure is built on the site where tradition says the Virgin Mary died.
The graffiti had already been removed by midmorning, said Rosenfeld.
He says police are still searching for the assailants, though suspicion has fallen on a fringe group of pro-settler Jewish extremists who have carried out similar vandalism on churches, mosques and Israeli army property. They say the acts are in response to what they consider pro-Palestinian policies by the Israeli government, a form of retribution they call a "price tag."
Today's graffiti is the latest in a wave of vandalism on Christian holy sites in Israel. Israel has about 155,000 Christian citizens, less than 2 per cent of its 7.9 million people, but the repeated defacing of their sacred sites has shocked the country and drawn official condemnation.
"Price tag actions go against the morals and values of Judaism and do great harm to the State of Israel," said President Shimon Peres, speaking at a meeting with one of Israel's chief rabbis during a celebration of the Jewish festival of Sukkoth. "It is forbidden to harm the holy sites of religions and faiths," Peres said.
Church officials have said mere condemnation is not enough. In an interview with the Associated Press last month, one of the church's top officials in the Holy Land, the Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, called for action.
"It's important not just to condemn, but also to work, to take initiatives to stop this phenomenon," he said.
The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land posted a statement about the latest incident on the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, saying it was "distressed" with the vandalism.
http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/vandals-mark-anti-christian-graffiti-on-jerusalem-church_803377.html
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Gazans face 'serious abuses' in criminal justice system
03 Oct 2012
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face "serious abuses" in the justice system, according to a report from pressure group Human Rights Watch (HRW).
The violations included arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention, torture, and unfair trials, HRW said.
The Gaza Strip has been governed by the Islamist movement, Hamas, since it seized power there in 2007.
Hamas's deputy foreign minister said the allegations were being investigated but that the situation had improved.
"Maybe we have some violations from time to time, but it is not a widespread phenomenon," Ghazi Hamad told the BBC.
"I can confirm that there is no torture and we are trying to follow international law in all jails and prisons," he added.
Mr Hamad also stressed that in Gaza there was "no kind of political arrest... or any kind of punishment or torture of political activists", something which has been frequently alleged.
'Impunity'
HRW's report details cases of alleged torture and deaths in detention, other cases where due process was not followed and also criticises the practice of trying civilians in military courts.
One case cited is that of Abdel Karim Shrair, who was executed in May 2011 for allegedly collaborating with Israel.
HRW says the charges were partially based on confessions that appear to have been obtained using torture.
"After five years of Hamas rule in Gaza, its criminal justice system reeks of injustice, routinely violates detainees' rights," said Joe Stork, HRW's deputy Middle East director.
"Hamas should stop the kinds of abuses that Egyptians, Syrians, and others in the region have risked their lives to bring to an end."
Hamas officials claim that investigations are mounted into abuses by security services and says hundreds of members of the security services have been disciplined since 2007, the report says.
However, details of cases in which officials were censured have not been made public, according to HRW, adding that Hamas authorities have in practice granted "impunity to abusive security services".
Human rights groups have also criticised the Palestinian Authority, dominated by the rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas, for abuses in the Palestinian-run justice system in the West Bank.
HRW notes that "Palestinian political rivalry remains a significant factor behind many Hamas abuses against detainees in Gaza," and adds that Hamas members in the West Bank face the risk of arbitrary arrest.
However, the report adds that "human rights lawyers in Gaza said that they have continued to receive the same kinds of allegations of abuse" even after an attempted reconciliation between the two sides last year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19803902
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Turkish forces kill 12 Kurd rebels: security sources
2 Oct 2012
Turkish security forces kill 12 Kurdish rebels; clashes erupt as Turkish security forces launch large-scale operation in Iraqi south-eastern town of Semdinli
Turkish security forces killed 12 Kurdish rebels in fighting on Tuesday, including two women who attempted to infiltrate from neighbouring Iraq, local security sources said.
The cross-border clashes erupted overnight on the second day of a large-scale operation launched by Turkish security forces in the southeastern town of Semdinli, they said.
The militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) had targeted a military post on the Turkish-Iraqi border, they added.
Semdinli is often the scene of intense fighting between Turkish forces and members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month 144 members of the security forces and 239 rebels had been killed since the start of the year, marking one of the deadliest phases of the confrontation in more than a decade.
In all, about 45,000 people have been killed since the PKK, which is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by Ankara and much of the international community, took up arms for autonomy in Kurdish-majority southeastern Turkey in 1984.
Turkish jets also sometimes violate Iraqi airspace to strike rebel hideouts in northern Iraq.
The government asked parliament on Monday to renew the mandate for its armed forces to attack Kurdish rebel bases in Iraq for another year.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/54573/World/Region/Turkish-forces-kill--Kurd-rebels-security-sources.aspx
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Palestinians free Jenin ex-militant Zubeidi on bail
2 Oct 2012
Former chief of Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades is released on bail by Palestinian security forces, still faces charges of taking part in shooting attack on city's governor
Zakaria Zubeidi, the former head of the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades militant group, told AFP on Tuesday he had been released on bail by the Palestinian security forces.
But Zubeidi, who was arrested in the northern West Bank city of Jenin in May, said he still faces charges of taking part in a shooting attack on the residence of Jenin governor Qaddura Musa.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/54559/World/Region/Palestinians-free-Jenin-exmilitant-Zubeidi-on-bail.aspx
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Iran's Ahmadinejad says election, not war, solution for Syria
2 Oct 2012
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said a national dialogue leading to elections was the way towards a solution to Syria's crisis, in remarks broadcast on Tuesday. He told Al Jazeera television that war was not the way forward, adding: "There is another way to find a solution, it is national, mutual understanding in order for there to be elections in the future."
The interview was translated from Persian into Arabic by Al Jazeera.
Iran is a main ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been battling an uprising against his rule. Opposition activists say 30,000 people have been killed in the 18-month-old revolt, which has grown into a full-scale civil war.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/54586/World/Region/Irans-Ahmadinejad-says-election,-not-war,-solution.aspx
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Wary of Israel, Iran Is Said to Err in Strikes
By MICHAEL R. GORDON
October 3, 2012
The Iranian military was so apprehensive about the threat of an Israeli airstrike on its nuclear installations in 2007 and 2008 that it mistakenly fired on civilian airliners and, in one instance, on one of its own military aircraft, according to classified American intelligence reports.
The civilian planes were fired on by surface-to-air missiles and antiaircraft batteries and intercepted by Iranian fighter jets.
“Iranian air defense units have taken inappropriate actions dozens of times, including firing antiaircraft artillery and scrambling aircraft against unidentified or misidentified targets,” noted a heavily classified Pentagon intelligence report, which added that the Iranian military’s communications were so inadequate and its training deficiencies so significant that “misidentification of aircraft will continue.”
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/world/middleeast/wary-of-israel-iran-is-said-to-blunder-in-strikes.html?ref=world
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Iran’s Master of Iraq Chaos Still Vexes U.S.
By MICHAEL R. GORDON
October 3, 2012
WASHINGTON — When a senior Iraqi intelligence official traveled to Tehran in the summer of 2007 to meet with the Iranian leadership, he quickly figured out who was in charge of Iran’s policy toward its neighbor to the west.
It was not the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It was Qassim Suleimani, the shadowy commander of Iran’s paramilitary Quds Force, who calmly explained that he was the “sole authority for Iranian actions in Iraq,” according to an account the Iraqi official later provided to American officials in Baghdad.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/world/middleeast/qassim-suleimani-irans-master-of-
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Abbas resignation demanded by West Bank demonstrators
Scores of Palestinians demonstrate in West Bank demanding resignation of president Mahmoud Abbas; march towards presidential headquarters ends as police blocks demonstrators
2 Oct 2012
Around 200 people demonstrated in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday to demand the resignation of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/54607/World/Region/Abbas-resignation-demanded-by-West-Bank-demonstrat.aspx
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Iran's currency crisis due to psychological war
Saeed Kamali Dehghan
2 October 2012
President says plummeting value of rial is fault of enemies abroad and at home, not his government's economic policies
Iran's beleaguered president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has blamed the plummeting value of the national currency on a "psychological war" perpetrated by enemies abroad and opponents at home.
Speaking as the rial hit an all-time low against the dollar, Ahmadinejad told reporters that the slump was the result of the "temporary problem" of the international embargo on importing Iranian oil. He said sanctions would only pressure the "people of Iran and not its government" and would not force Tehran to change its nuclear policy.
Full report at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/02/ahmadinejad-iran-currency-psychological-war
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Will not retreat on nuclear issue despite woes: Iran
October 03, 2012
Iran will press on with its nuclear programme despite the problems caused by Western sanctions, including a dramatic slide in the value of its currency, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday.
"We are not a people to retreat on the nuclear issue," he told a news conference in Tehran.
"If somebody thinks they can pressure Iran, they are certainly wrong and they must correct their behaviour," he said.
Ahmadinejad's comments came amid an accelerated slide in Iran's currency, which has now lost more than 80% of its value compared with a year ago -- with 17 percent of its value shed on Monday alone.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/RestOfAsia/Will-not-retreat-on-nuclear-issue-despite-woes-Iran/Article1-939051.aspx
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Turkey President Turgut Ozal's remains exhumed
03 Oct 2012
The remains of Turkish President Turgut Ozal have been exhumed from an Istanbul grave amid suspicions from family and associates that he was poisoned.
Coroners will now investigate whether poisonous substances are present in the remains of Turkey's eighth president, who died while still in office in 1993.
Ozal reportedly died of heart failure at an Ankara hospital, aged 65.
He was seen as a moderniser who led Turkey out of military rule and backed the US-led coalition against Iraq.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19804813
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India
India-Pak come together to commemorate Gandhi's birthday at UN
Oct 03 2012
United Nations : India and Pakistan came together to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at the UN, celebrated as the 'International Day of Non-Violence', a day after they sparred over Kashmir.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri hosted the commemorative event yesterday at the UN headquarters here and was joined by his Pakistani counterpart Abdullah Hussain Haroon.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who had responded to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's reference to Kashmir in his address at the UN General Assembly, presided over the event.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indiapak-come-together-to-commemorate-gandhis-birthday-at-un/1011340/
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Moderate Mirwaiz meets Fai in US prison
By Naseer Ganai
October 3, 2012
MIRWAIZ Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, met Kashmiri activist Ghulam Nabi Fai jailed in the US for secretly receiving millions of dollars from Pakistan’s ISI to lobby for Kashmir.
Hurriyat spokesman Shahid- ul- Islam said the Mirwaiz travelled to the federal prison in Cumberland to meet the 62- year old Fai, who is serving a two- year prison term.
Full report at: Mail Today
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Tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri in Uzbekistan
October 3, 2012
Former Prime Minister Late Lal Bahadur Shastri was remembered on his birth anniversary on Tuesday in Tashkent where he breathed his last on January 11, 1966, after signing the Tashkent Accord with Pakistan.
The Chairman of the Mahalla Committee where the Shastri Memorial is situated, Indologists from Institute of Oriental Languages, children from the nearby Hindi school and staff of the Indian Embassy gathered at the Shastri Memorial in Tashkent and offered their tribute to the second Prime Minister of India in a simple but impressive ceremony, said a communication from the Indian mission in the Uzbek capital.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tribute-to-lal-bahadur-shastri-in-uzbekistan/article3958543.ece
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Kashmir shrine blaze, a work of militants: Police
Ashiq Hussain
October 02, 2012
Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday claimed to have solved the arson case of at-least two shrines of the total six incidents of blaze at religious places which took place this year in various parts of Kashmir valley.
Kashmir Inspector General of police SM Sahai told Hindustan Times that they have arrested six members of Lashkar-e-Toiba from the central district of Budgam.
“They have actually confessed in the involvement of Narbal mosque blaze and of Baba Haneefuddin Shrine in Budgam,” Sahai said.
The 300-year-old Sufi Shrine of Baba Haneefudin was gutted in a mysterious fire in mid July this year while in Narbal area of the district a mosque (adjacent to a shrine) suffered minor damage in an alleged attempt of arson in May.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Srinagar/Kashmir-shrine-blaze-a-work-of-militants-Police/Article1-938931.aspx
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Amid peace talk, war of words over J&K
Oct 03 2012
New Delhi : In contrast to the peace moves on bilateral front, India and Pakistan had a full-blown war of words on the Kashmir issue in the United Nations on Monday night with both sides stopping only after each had exhausted their quota of right of reply.
Each country can exercise the right of reply twice on a particular issue. And well into the late hours of Monday, the final day of the week-long UN General Assembly session, Indian and Pakistani officials were involved in an avoidable squabble over this.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/amid-peace-talk-war-of-words-over-j-k/1011133/
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NDA withdrew security for Blue Star commander
PRAVEEN SWAMI
October 3, 2012
Attempt on Brar raises fear over safety of officials involved in the 1984 military action
The National Democratic Alliance government lifted the security cover for a key commander involved in Operation Blue Star, the Army’s 1984 campaign to flush out terrorists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, highly placed government sources have told The Hindu.
Brigadier Israr Rahim Khan, among the most visible public faces of the operation, was asked to vacate a protected residence in 2004, after intelligence services concluded that there was no threat to his safety, the sources said. Then a Lieutenant-Colonel, he commanded the 10 Guards, sealed off the complex and secured the lines of attack to the sanctum sanctorum, the Akal Takht.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/nda-withdrew-security-for-blue-star-commander/article3958834.ece
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Mobile users in Kashmir can't access Facebook, Twitter
Oct 3, 2012
SRINAGAR: Though authorities have refused to "ban" some popular websites, thousands of mobile users here on Wednesday were unable to access social media websites like Facebook and Twitter as well as video-sharing website YouTube.
After Google India blocked an anti-Islam video on YouTube, mobile phone users here have been complaining that they are unable to access GPRS, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter on their devices.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mobile-users-in-Kashmir-cant-access-Facebook-Twitter/articleshow/16653277.cms
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Piracy, terrorism threat to regional stability: Antony
Oct 3, 2012
NEW DELHI: Observing that piracy and armed robberies in high seas were threatening the stability of the Asian region, defence minister A K Antony on Wednesday said India was taking steps to augment its capabilities to fight piracy and terrorism.
Addressing the 8th heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting, the defence minister said, "India strongly believes that mutual cooperation alone is the most effective way in ensuring the security and safety of oceans."
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Piracy-terrorism-threat-to-regional-stability-Antony/articleshow/16652950.cms
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Ek tha Mukhtar, the forgotten agent
Oct 3, 2012
SOPORE: At first glance, the small box item in the morning paper announcing the death of Riaz, shot "by unidentified gunmen while out for a stroll in his village" seemed innocuous. In Kashmir, nameless gunmen have done away with many people in 22 years. But what's not known is that this 22-year-old school dropout was engaged in a secret war in the Valley. Riaz was a special police officer, paid a token amount every month for assisting cops. He was a foot soldier in the secret war.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ek-tha-Mukhtar-the-forgotten-agent/articleshow/16648559.cms
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It was a Khalistani plot to kill me: Brar
Oct 3, 2012
LONDON/CHANDIGARH: Operation Bluestar spearhead Lt Gen (retd) Kuldeep Singh Brar, who narrowly escaped an attempt on his life on Monday, said the attack on him in London was a Khalistani plot, while also saying the policies of the Shiromani Akali Dal government in Punjab have helped militants regroup.
"Britain is a hotbed of Khalistanis and radical Sikhs. Anybody could have done it — Babbar Khalsa, one of their so-called commando groups." In an interview to Times Now, Brar did not mince words, saying that Akali policies were emboldening Khalistani militants.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/It-was-a-Khalistani-plot-to-kill-me-Brar/articleshow/16648107.cms
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Our country richer, no need to migrate: Bangla border force
Oct 03 2012
New Delhi: The Border Guard Bangladesh has dismissed the claims of the Border Security Force that there is any kind of illegal migration from their side. During the Director General level talks in Dhaka last week, the BGB gave a bizarre explanation to the BSF officials that since “Bangladesh is more prosperous than India, there’s no need for Bangladeshis to illegally migrate”.
The BGB officials said the most favoured destinations for migration for people from Bangladesh were the Gulf and European countries and India was not on their priority list. India shares more than 4,000 km of international border with Bangladesh.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/our-country-richer-no-need-to-migrate-bangla-border-force/1011017/
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India says will be patient in dealing with 26/11 case with Pak
October 02, 2012
India will show patience and perseverance in dealing with the 26/11 case with Pakistan with which it has a "difficult relationship", external affairs minister SM Krishna said on Tueaday. "In a difficult relationship like the one we have had with Pakistan, one should have lots of patience.
India is known for its patience and perseverance. Patiently we will move in the direction in which we want," Krishna told PTI in New York.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Americas/India-says-will-be-patient-in-dealing-with-26-11-case-with-Pak/Article1-938741.aspx
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Africa
46 students killed in Nigeria hostel
Oct 3, 2012
ABUJA (NIGERIA): At least 46 students were killed and several others injured when unidentified gunmen wearing military uniform attacked a hostel in northern Nigeria on Tuesday. The massacre has taken place on Nigeria's 52nd Independence celebration.
Gunmen invaded the hostel of Mubi Polytechnic in northern state of Adamawa, killing 46 students, police sources said. A lecturer said that the gunmen wore military attire and told the students to identify themselves by name.
According to him, some of them were spared after mentioning their names but no reason was given by the assailants for the identification process. The invaders used guns and knives in killing the students.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/46-students-killed-in-Nigeria-hostel/articleshow/16648933.cms
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Islamists execute man before 600 in north Mali
Oct 3, 2012
BAMAKO (MALI): Radical Islamists in northern Mali executed a man on Tuesday evening who had been accused of killing someone, a punishment that was witnessed by about 600 people in the town of Timbuktu.
The public execution was the latest move by the militants to impose their strict interpretation of Islamic Shariah law. Previously the Islamists have stoned to death a couple accused of adultery, and carried out at least eight amputations.
Oumar Maiga, a resident of Timbuktu, said the convicted man was shot in the back Tuesday evening but did not die until several hours later.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Islamists-execute-man-before-600-in-north-Mali/articleshow/16656039.cms
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Radical Islamists enforce Sharia law in Mali but who’s listening
October 2, 2012
Bob Taylor
CHARLOTTE, October 2, 2012 – Remember that “religion of peace” that wreaked havoc in multiple countries throughout the Middle East?
Paris-based France 24, an international news and current affairs broadcast channel, has reported that Islamist supremacists who took over Timbuktu in northern Mali in April are now targeting women as a means of imposing Sharia law in the region.
In light of recent violence in the Middle East, supposedly resulting from an offensive anti-Muslim YouTube video, it is necessary to pay attention to other areas of the world where Islam continues to inflict its medieval concepts. While much of the world ignores the dire warnings created by unreported global upheaval, lawless Islamic factions persist in exerting harsh penalties on those who stray from the fundamental tenets of the religion.
Full report at:
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/political-
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South Sudan security forces abusing civilians - Amnesty
03 Oct 2012
South Sudan's security forces have committed "shocking" acts of violence against civilians, including killings and rapes, Amnesty International says.
In a report, the UK-based human rights group says the abuse has been taking place during a disarmament campaign in the eastern Jonglei state.
Amnesty urges South Sudan to take "immediate action" to end the violence.
The government in Juba has played down the scale of the violations, saying they are isolated cases.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19810431
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Nigeria troops hunt massacre suspects house-to-house
Nigerian soldiers moved house to house on Wednesday in an urgent bid to hunt down attackers responsible for the massacre of 26 people who were shot or had their throats slit in a student housing area.
The attack in the early hours of Tuesday near a polytechnic university shook the town of Mubi, located in Nigeria's volatile northeast.
"The military is going house to house searching," said Abubakar Ahmed, head of the Red Cross in Adamawa state, where Mubi is located.
Motives for the gruesome attack remained unclear. In Mubi last week, the military carried out a high-profile raid against Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, which has been waging a deadly insurgency.
Full report at:
http://za.news.yahoo.com/nigeria-troops-hunt-massacre-suspects-house-house-
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Heavy blast in Somali port as African forces move in
2 Oct 2012
Blast hits Somali port city by suspected Shebab militants linked to Al-Qaeda, as African Union troops make advance into southern town
A heavy blast rocked the Somali port city of Kismayo on Tuesday as Kenyan troops from the African Union force and their allies entered the former Islamist bastion, residents and the Shebab militia said.
"It was a huge explosion, and it looked like a roadside bomb," said resident Ahmed Jama, adding that it was not clear if there were casualties.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/54562/World/International/Heavy-blast-in-Somali-port-as-African-forces-move-.aspx
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Arab World
Poster contest in Egypt to remember Mahatma Gandhi's teachings
Oct 03 2012
Cairo : Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary has been observed in Egypt where a poster contest was organised to capture the essence of his message in the iconic Tahrir Square which witnessed a peaceful pro-democracy revolution last year.
Indian Ambassador Navdeep Suri and renowned Egyptian artist Mohamed Abla jointly garlanded Gandhi's bust at a ceremony held at the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture here to mark his birthday which is also celebrated as the International Day of non-violence.
The competition -- "Did you sense the spirit of Gandhi in Tahrir Square?" -- was also attended by a number of prominent artists and journalists.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/poster-contest-in-egypt-to-remember-mahatma-gandhis-teachings/1011256/
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Jordan Islamists slam naming of new envoy to Israel
2 Oct 2012
Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood slams the Jordanian government decision to name a new ambassador to Israel, described it as "provocation act"
Jordan's main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, sharply criticised on Tuesday the naming of a new ambassador to Israel, saying it was not in the kingdom's interests.
"In an act of provocation towards Jordanians, the government has named an ambassador to the Zionist entity within the framework of the peace treaty which has been rejected by the Jordanian people," the Brotherhood said.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/54609/World/Region/Jordan-Islamists-slam-naming-of-new-envoy-to-Israe.aspx
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40 dead as bombs tear through heart of Syria's Aleppo
Oct 3, 2012
ALEPPO (SYRIA): Three car bombs tore into the heart of Aleppo today, killing at least 40 people and wounding 90, mostly soldiers, a watchdog said, as television broadcast scenes of devastation in Syria's commercial capital.
In parts of the capital, meanwhile, troops were deployed in large numbers and many more roadblocks were set up than usual, AFP correspondents said, even as Syria peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi readied a fresh bid to end the bloodshed.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/40-dead-as-bombs-tear-through-heart-of-Syrias-Aleppo/articleshow/16656073.cms
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Police, army abuses continue in Egypt: Amnesty
October 3, 2012
Amnesty International said Tuesday that violent crackdowns on protesters, torture of detainees and disregard for the rule of law by police forces continues in Egypt, nearly 20 months after mass rallies removed president Hosni Mubarak and his regime from power.
In a report titled ‘Agents of Repression: Egypt’s Police and the Case for Reform’, Amnesty said there was little sign that Egypt’s security forces have fundamentally changed.
The report says President Mohamed Morsy and the new government had so far taken no action against the widespread abuse of protesters and prisoners.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/police-army-abuses-continue-in-egypt-amnesty/article3958190.ece
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Violence rages in Syrian cities as world powers grow war-weary
October 03, 2012
By Daily Star Staff
DAMASCUS/BEIRUT: The Syrian army appeared to launch a fresh assault on rebel bastions in and around the capital Damascus Tuesday, and sent extra troops to the second city Aleppo, where rebels are engaged in a prolonged stalemate against government forces for control of the city.
The renewed heavy shelling in the capital came hours after U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon urged Damascus to show compassion to its people and the opposition group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll over 18-months of conflict had topped 31,000 people.
A bombardment by the army of the rebel-held Harasta district in the eastern suburbs of the capital killed at least 11 people, two of them women, the Observatory added.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2012/Oct-03/189987-violence-rages-in-syrian-cities-as-world-powers-grow-war-weary.ashx#ixzz28DeCkj6o
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Syria Berates Hamas Chief, an Old Ally, on State TV
By ANNE BARNARD and HANIA MOURTADA
October 3, 2012
BEIRUT, Lebanon — State television in Syria issued a withering attack late Monday on a longtime ally, the leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Khaled Meshal, addressing him as if he were an ungrateful child, saying he was having a “romantic emotional crisis” over the Syrian uprising and accusing him of selling out “resistance for power.”
The extraordinary reproof, a departure from the blander tone of most official Syrian statements, was the government’s first broadside against Hamas since the organization distanced itself from the embattled President Bashar al-Assad this year, when most Hamas leaders left their refuge in Damascus and shuttered their office there.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/world/middleeast/in-new-era-egyptian-police-mimic-the-old-critics-say.html?ref=world
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Journalist tortured in custody in Lebanon
2 October 2012
BEIRUT - A journalist working for several major international media publications was tortured for almost a month by Lebanese security forces, a media rights watchdog said on Tuesday.
Rami Aysha was arrested on August 30 and released on bail on September 27, after being held on unclear charges centred on alleged weapons-buying, Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said.
Aysha was carrying his camera and press card when he was kidnapped by armed men in south Beirut, where he was reporting on arms trafficking, the watchdog said.
“They took me to a nearby place where they put a pistol to my temple and asked me on which side I wanted the bullet,” Aysha said.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-
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Jordan charges 4 with trying to enter Syria
2 October 2012
A Jordanian military prosecutor says authorities have charged four men with illegally trying to cross into Syria.
He says three of men have been in police custody since their arrest last week in an isolated stretch near the Syrian frontier in northern Jordan. He says the fourth escaped arrest.
The men are all Jordanians and were armed with automatic rifles, ammunition, computers and mobile phones.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-
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Clashes in Bahrain after death of imprisoned protester
03 Oct 2012
Protesters clashed with riot police in Bahrain after the funeral on Tuesday of a man jailed for taking part in last year's pro-democracy demonstrations.
Witnesses said people threw stones and petrol bombs when officers fired water cannons to stop them reaching the site of Manama's former Pearl Roundabout.
Thousands had earlier attended the funeral of Ali Ahmed Mushaima, 23.
Officials said he died of complications from sickle cell anaemia, for which he had been in hospital since late August.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19811828
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Kuwait govt calls for dissolution of parliament
Oct 3, 2012
KUWAIT: Kuwait's cabinet has asked the country's ruler to consider dissolving parliament, state news agency KUNA said on Wednesday, a widely-expected move after months of political deadlock.
The major oil producer has been unable to hold a parliamentary session for several months after its top court effectively dissolved the opposition-dominated parliament, which was elected in February, basing its decision on a technicality.
The previous, more government-tilted assembly that the court reinstated has been unable to convene due to a boycott by lawmakers and another dissolution is expected soon.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Kuwait-govt-calls-for-dissolution-of-parliament/articleshow/16654351.cms
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Syria detains prominent rights lawyer: NGO
2 Oct 2012
Syrian prominent human rights activist Khalil al-Maatouq detained by the Syrian regime forces
The Syrian authorities detained prominent human rights activist Khalil al-Maatouq while he was on his way to work in the capital on Tuesday, his rights group said in a statement.
"Members of the security forces this morning arrested fellow lawyer Khalil al-Maatouq, executive director of the centre," said the Syrian Centre for Legal Studies and Research.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/54610/World/Region/Syria-detains-prominent-rights-lawyer-NGO.aspx
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Pakistan
There is no political cell within ISI, Pak govt tells SC
Oct 3, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's defence ministry on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that there is no political cell within the ISI, adding another twist to a case regarding the powerful spy agency's alleged efforts to influence national politics.
A military official representing the defence ministry told a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry that no political cell was operating in the ISI.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by former air force chief Asghar Khan about the distribution of money among politicians by the ISI in 1990.
The chief justice reacted to the official's remarks by saying that a letter submitted to the apex court on June 26, 1997 had stated that a political cell was functioning within the ISI.
The official told the court that the defence ministry had confirmed the information regarding the political cell with the ISI before submitting its response to the bench.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/There-is-no-political-cell-within-ISI-Pak-govt-tells-SC/articleshow/16652274.cms
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Army to support any ‘constitutional’ solution to Balochistan unrest: Kayani
October 03, 2012
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s military chief has said that the Army would support any political steps allowed under the Constitution to resolve the problems of insurgency-hit Balochistan province.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani said this Wednesday in a policy statement on Balochistan made before his departure to Moscow on a four-day official visit.
The Army chief said that support would be extended to a political solution to the Balochistan problem, provided that the solution is according to the Constitution of Pakistan. Kayani said that any step taken which goes against the Constitution will be unacceptable.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2012/10/03/army-to-support-any-constitutional-solution-to-balochistan-kayani/
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US film protests bring boom for Pakistan flag makers
Shahzad Abdul | October 03, 2012
As Pakistan's mullahs railed against a US-made anti-Islam film, Naveed Haider's print works went into overdrive, running off hundreds of US flags for angry protesters to burn at demonstrations.
Weeks of protests in Pakistan over the crudely made "Innocence of Muslims" have killed more than 20 people and caused serious damage to major cities, but for Haider business is booming.
When the mobilisation against the US film began, "I knew the tills would start ringing", said the manager at Panaflex printers, housed in a dilapidated building in Rawalpindi, the twin city of Islamabad and headquarters of the military.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/afp/us-film-protests-bring-boom-for-pakistan-flag-makers/547956
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YouTube likely to remain blocked in Pakistan indefinitely
By Farooq Tirmizi
October 3, 2012
KARACHI: Pakistani users of video-sharing website YouTube are caught between an unstoppable force and an immovable object: the government of Pakistan refuses to unblock access to YouTube in the country until Google, which owns the website, restricts access to the video “Innocence of Muslims” in Pakistan, and Google refuses to block access to the video in Pakistan.
Google’s decision not to restrict access to the video in Pakistan, while complying with requests to do so in Indonesia, Egypt, Libya, India, and even Brazil has left many of its users in Pakistan perplexed. The technology blog ProPakistani.pk reports that officials from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority approached Google about taking down the video or at least blocking it in Pakistan, but did not receive a response.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/446121/video-controversy-youtube-likely-to-remain-blocked-in-pakistan-indefinitely/
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Baloch, Pakhtun nationalists endorse Mengal’s charter
October 3, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The six-point formula for the solution of Balochistan crisis, by former chief minister of the province and president of his own faction of the Balochistan National Party, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, has garnered support not only from friends, but also political foes.
Pro-federation Baloch and Pakhtun nationalist parties in Balochistan are equally lending their support.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/446131/baloch-pakhtun-nationalists-endorse-mengals-charter/
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NATO denies report of cross-border fires killing two Pakistanis
October 3, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Tuesday denied a report published by various media houses about munitions fired from Afghanistan killing two Pakistanis and also about taking ten Pakistanis as hostages in Chaghi vicinity.
A press release has been issued in this regard, which says, “Citing unnamed sources, Pakistani news wire INP ran a story on October 1, 2012 alleging that the NATO forces fired munitions that killed two Pakistani citizens in vicinity of Chaghi and that the NATO took 10 Pakistani citizens prisoner.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2012/10/03/NATO-denies-report-of-cross-border-fires-killing-two-pakistanis/
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Blasphemy accused remanded in judicial custody
October 3, 2012
HYDERABAD, Oct 2: Judicial Magistrate-VI remanded Haji Nasrullah, an accused in a blasphemy case, to judicial custody for 11 days after he was produced by Hatri police on Tuesday. The case against him was lodged on Sept 17.
He was brought to the court in an armoured personnel carrier for security reasons.
He is said to be associated with the Pakistan People’s Party.
Nasrullah of Hala Naka area was booked after a group of people accused him of making blasphemous remarks when protests were being held in the area against the anti-Islam film produced in the US.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2012/10/03/blasphemy-accused-remanded-in-judicial-custody/
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Judge reserves ruling on Khalid Jadoon’s bail plea
October 3, 2012
ISLAMABAD: District and Sessions Judge Islamabad Raja Jawwad Abbas on Wednesday reserved his judgment on the post-arrest bail application of Khalid Jadoon, the prayer leader of Mehra Jaffer mosque who had been accused of altering the evidence against blasphemy accused Rimsha Masih, DawnNews reported.
The judge would issue a ruling on the bail application on Oct 11.
During today’s hearing, Jadoon’s counsel Syed Wajid Ali Gillani said that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had issued a restraining order against Rimsha’s trial (until Oct 17), but not against granting bail to his client.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2012/10/03/khalid-jadoons-bail-plea-court-to-issue-ruling-on-oct-11/
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South Asia
Afghanistan should be left 'to get on with things' – British ambassador
Nick Hopkins
2 October 2012
The international community has been hand-holding Afghanistan for long enough and Kabul should now be left to get on with running the country without the west's constant interference, the British ambassador in Kabul has said.
In an interview with the Guardian, Sir Richard Stagg said it was also clear that the Taliban had grown tired of camping across the border in Pakistan and had accepted they needed to be involved in peace and reconciliation talks over the next two years if they were to have any hope of sharing power.
The Foreign Office does not believe the complex obstacles to negotiations are insurmountable, which will give further encouragement to the voices in Whitehall pushing for an acceleration of the British military and civilian withdrawal.Stagg acknowledged that the debate about withdrawal was ongoing and hinted that he believed a faster drawdown was not only possible, but preferable:
Full report at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/02/afghanistan-british-ambassador-richard-stagg
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Taliban will face a very strong Afghan force in 2014: NATO
Oct 3, 2012
WASHINGTON: Undeterred by the recent spurt in insiders attacks in Afghanistan, NATO has said Taliban will miscalculate the situation if they think their situation will be better by the end of 2014, because they will be faced with a very strong and capable Afghan security force.
"They will not be in a stronger position. When we (will) stop our combat mission, a very capable Afghan security force will take over. We are building up the number of Afghan security forces and by 2014, we will have 352,000 Afghan forces. And more importantly, quality-wise they will be very capable," NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Taliban-will-face-a-very-strong-Afghan-force-in-2014-NATO/articleshow/16650740.cms
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Bangladesh: Another tale of brutality in the name of arbitration
October 3, 2012
A housewife and her husband became victim of brutalities by a few locals following a so-called village arbitration that brought allegation of adultery against the woman at Shalki-Santoshpara village in Sankerpur union under Dinajpur Sadar upazila.
The victim, Nurnahar Begum, wife of Moksedur Rahman of Shalki-Santoshpara village, filed a case with Dinajpur police station accusing several people including Abdul Latif, Rafiqul Islam, Aminul Islam, Rashed Mia, Shakhawat Islam, Shafiqul Islam and Md Solaiman on Friday evening.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=252189
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Maldivian Islamic Scholar and MP buried as world condemns his murder
By Daniel Bosley | October 2nd, 2012
Dr Afrasheem Ali, Islamic Scholar and MP for Ungoofaaru, was buried shortly before 5:00pm at Asahara cemetery in Male’.
Thousands gathered for the funeral prayers which took place at the Islamic Center. The prayers were led by former President and leader of Afrasheem’s party Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Long queues of those wishing to pay their last respects formed by Republican Square, where the national flag will fly at half mast for the next two days.
Local news source Sun Online covered the day’s events via a live feed.
Sun reported that arrival of the members of Afrasheem’s family in Male’ this morning, as well as the presence of several MPs at the Islamic Center – today’s session of the Majlis was cancelled.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/society/mp-afrasheem-buried-as-the-world-condemns-his-murder-44779
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Court asks police to present Nasheed at rescheduled trial
By Neil Merrett | October 2nd, 2012
Former President Mohamed Nasheed today began touring the country’s Southern Atolls less than 24 hours after boycotting a trial against him in protest at what he and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) allege is a lack of independence within the nation’s judiciary.
However the Department of Judicial Administration today confirmed that police were “to produce” Nasheed at a rescheduled hearing at 4:00pm on Sunday, October 7.
Department Director Ahmed Maajid told Minivan News that despite the order, the former president was “not to be detained”.
Full report at:
http://minivannews.com/politics/court-asks-police-to-present-nasheed-at-rescheduled-trial-44756
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Stable Afghanistan is in common interest of Pakistan, Russia: FO
October 3, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Moazzam Khan on Tuesday said that stable Afghanistan was in common interest of Pakistan and Russia.
Talking to Pakistan Television (PTV), he said that both the countries want peace and stability in the region.
Full report at:
http://dawn.com/2012/10/03/stable-afghanistan-is-in-common-interest-of-pakistan-russia-fo/
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235 refugee families from Balochistan return to Afghanistan this week
October 3, 2012
QUETTA: UNHCR’s Senior Protection Officer in Balochistan Tayyaba Sharif said around 235 Afghan refugee families returned to their native towns in Afghanistan during the current week.
“Some 2,874 families comprising 1,4087 individuals have been repatriated since January from Balochistan,” she said on Tuesday.
The UNHCR Pakistan official said trend of voluntarily repatriation has increased to 39 percent compared to previous year, as under the voluntary repatriation process the UNHCR had supported over 50,000 Afghan refugees so far during the current year while the number of repatriated refugees last year was 32,000. Giving collective data about the refugees’ return, she said so far UNHCR had facilitated the voluntary return of more than 3.7 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan since 2002, adding the return process was purely on voluntary basis and every person opting to return was advised to make a well-informed decision.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\10\03\story_3-10-2012_pg7_5
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Bangladesh HC seeks explanation of govt 'inaction'
October 3, 2012
The High Court on Wednesday issued a rule upon the government to explain why its 'inaction' in protecting the Buddhist temples and houses in Ramu, Ukhia and Teknaf of Cox's Bazar and Patiya of Chittagong should not be declared illegal.
The government will have to come with a reply of the rule in a week.
An HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar came up with the rule in a suo moto move following different newspaper reports.
Full report at:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=41349
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Europe
North Caucasus Muftis back ban on anti-Muslim film
October 3, 2012
The Coordinating Center of the North Caucasus Muslim Board has supported the ban imposed on the Innocence of Muslims film by a court in Moscow, as well as its declaration as extremist.
(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Coordinating Center of the North Caucasus Muslim Board has supported the ban imposed on the Innocence of Muslims film by a court in Moscow, as well as its declaration as extremist.
"I would like to thank the court for passing such a ruling. It is a positive step to protect believers' rights," the representative of the North Caucasus Muslim Board in Moscow and chairman of the Islamic Culture Foundation, Mufti Shafig Pshikhachev, told Interfax-Religion on Monday.
Full report at:
http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=352954
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Russia warns NATO, other world powers not to intervene in Syria
03 Oct 2012
Moscow, Oct. 3 (ANI): Russia has warned NATO and other international powers that they should not intervene in Syria's civil war, or set up buffer zones between the rebels and the government forces.
"In our contacts with partners in NATO and in the region, we are calling on them not to seek pretexts for carrying out a military scenario, or to introduce initiatives such as humanitarian corridors or buffer zones," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told the Interfax news agency.
Full report at:
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/10/03/54-Russia-warns-NATO-other-world-powers-not-to-intervene-in-Syria.html
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Ukraine Parliament votes to outlaw "promotion of homosexuality"
October 02, 2012
Ukraine's Parliament on Tuesday took a first step to making the promotion of homosexuality a criminal offence punishable by prison despite appeals from local and foreign human rights groups who said the move was discrimiNATOry.
The draft law, which passed the first of two readings, does not clearly define what it means by the "promotion of homosexuality" but says it is a threat to national security.
"Certain media outlets, going against the interests of society and the state, are promoting a tolerant attitude towards things like sexual relations between people of the same sex," the law's authors said in an accompanying note.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Europe/Ukraine-Parliament-votes-to-outlaw-promotion-of-homosexuality/Article1-938926.aspx
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French anti-terrorism bill targets training abroad
October 03 2012
The French government took up a proposal Wednesday to tighten anti-terrorism laws and deter people from traveling abroad to train as terrorists, hoping to prevent a repeat of a deadly attack in which a French Islamist killed seven people.
The measure comes in the aftermath of a shooting spree in southern France in March by young French radical Mohamed Merah, who killed three Jewish children, a rabbi and three paratroopers over eight days before he died in a standoff with police. He claimed links to al-Qaida and said he received training at an Islamist paramilitary camp in Pakistan.
Full report at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/10/03/french-anti-terrorism-bill-targets-training-abroad.html
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Nothing to do with downed Turkish jet: Russia
ATUL ANEJA
October 3, 2012
Russia has dismissed an Arab media report accusing it of supporting Syria in downing a Turkish warplane — mirroring the emergence of fresh tensions between the external supporters of the Syrian government and the armed opposition groups.
A Russian Foreign Ministry statement slammed as “utter nonsense” a report in the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya news channel, which cited possession of “highly classified documents” to fortify its claim that Russia was involved in engineering the July crash in Syrian waters of the Turkish fighter jet. The channel blamed Moscow of providing “guidance” in downing the plane, and “eliminating” two pilots after the crash.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/nothing-to-do-with-downed-turkish-jet-russia/article3958551.ece
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Greek militants jailed for 2009 bombings
2 Oct 2012
Greek court has convicted four members of an anarchist group of terrorism-related for 25 years prison, over their involvement of a series of bomb attacks in 2009
Greek court has convicted four members of an anarchist group of terrorism-related offenses for a series of bomb attacks in 2009, and sent them to prison.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/54600/World/International/Greek-militants-jailed-for--bombings-.aspx
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Iran 'clamp-down on critical voices' worrying: UN
2 Oct 2012
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expresses concern over arrest of several rights and political activists, pointing out that local authorities must allow them to 'carry out their work'
The UN human rights agency on Tuesday voiced deep concern over the arrest and imprisonment of a number of prominent human rights and political activists, lawyers and journalists in Iran over the past two weeks.
"This appears to reflect a further severe clamp-down on critical voices in the country," Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/54555/World/Region/Iran-clampdown-on-critical-voices-worrying-UN.aspx
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North America
Al Qaeda in N.Africa making millions kidnapping - U.S.
2 Oct 2012
US Department of Treasury reveals that militant organisations received $120 million in ransoms over the past decade, including to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
Islamist militants are increasingly funding themselves through kidnapping, with al Qaeda's north African wing likely to have brought in tens of millions of dollars in ransoms in the past few years, a senior U.S. Treasury official said.
The United States estimates militant organisations received $120 million in ransoms over the past decade, including to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in recent years, said David Cohen, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
Full report at:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/54585/World/Region/Al-Qaeda-in-NAfrica-making-millions-kidnapping--US.aspx
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Libya killings: Obama faces new questions on Benghazi
03 Oct 2012
US President Barack Obama's administration is facing new questions over the attack on its Libya consulate, amid reports of military preparations to target those behind it.
A Congressional committee asked whether repeated requests for more security at the Benghazi consulate were rejected.
The US ambassador was among four Americans killed on 11 September.
The US is gathering intelligence ahead of a possible military operation against those implicated, US media say.
Full report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19810671
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U.S. Had Early Indications Libya Attack Tied to Organized Militants
October 3, 2012
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Within hours of last month's attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya, President Barack Obama's administration received about a dozen intelligence reports suggesting militants connected to al Qaeda were involved, three government sources said.
Despite these reports, in public statements and private meetings, top U.S. officials spent nearly two weeks highlighting intelligence suggesting that the attacks were spontaneous protests against an anti-Muslim film, while playing down the involvement of organized militant groups.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/10/03/world/africa/03reuters-usa-libya-intelligence.html?ref=middleeast
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Added Security in Libya Was Rejected, G.O.P. Says
By JOHN H. CUSHMAN Jr.
October 3, 2012
WASHINGTON — Republicans on the House oversight committee on Tuesday accused officials in Washington of turning down repeated requests for increased security in Benghazi, Libya, before the fatal attack on the diplomatic compound there last month.
In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, committee leaders listed more than a dozen episodes, several of them violent, in the past six months that they said formed the basis for repeated requests by the diplomatic mission in Libya for more security resources.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/world/africa/requests-for-bolstered-security-in-libya-
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Muslim Americans lead in social entrepreneurship
October 03, 2012
By Mehrunisa Qayyum
“Social entrepreneurship” has become a buzzword in the international development community and in activist culture in the United States and beyond.
It is a matter of pride for me, a Muslim American blogger, to highlight two models of social entrepreneurship – solving a social problem through innovative solutions – that have received national attention in the U.S. and are the brainchildren of Muslim Americans. Their innovation has created new spaces for community engagement that can help expand ideas of what it means to be a community activist.
Full report at:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Commentary/2012/Oct-03/189970-muslim-americans-lead-in-social-entrepreneurship.ashx#ixzz28De9pLvs
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Southeast Asia
Philippines hope for Muslim peace plan within days
3 October 2012
KUALA LUMPUR: The Philippine government said yesterday a “historical” road map to end a decades-long insurgency that has left more than 150,000 people dead could be signed within days.
The government issued the upbeat forecast as the latest round of peace talks with the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) began in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
“We are on the brink of layering the written predicates that can frame the process of building trust as we usher in an era of peace, of hope and of recovery,” chief government negotiator Marvic Leonen said at the start of the talks, according to a Philippine government statement.
“We cannot postpone any longer. Now is the time,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.arabnews.com/philippines-hope-muslim-peace-plan-within-days
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