We All Belong To the Motherland, Bharat: ‘Islam Is Safe in India…Forget Foreign Connections’: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat
New
Age Islam News Bureau
02
June 2023
RSS chief
Mohan Bhagwat.
----
India
• Rahul Gandhi Calls Kerala Ally Muslim
League A ‘Secular Party’, Faces BJP Ire; Congress Fires Back
• 3 Muslim boys assaulted for hanging
out with female Hindu friends in Mangaluru
• West Bengal parties use Sagardighi
defection and NRC to reach out to Muslims
--------
Africa
• Muslim Africans' Harrowing Journey to
Israel
• Bode George makes u-turn, pledges to
work with Tinubu if invited
• Police kill two wanted terrorists,
rescue kidnapped victim
--------
Mideast
• Amid Rapprochement with Iran, Egypt
Invites Hamas, Jihad Leaders to Cairo
• Grandson of Imam Khomeini Apologizes
To Reporter over Bodyguards’ Misbehaviour
• Egyptian Islamic Banking Sector Grows
25% YoY in March: Islamic Finance Association
• Oman unveils monument dedicated to
Chinese Muslim admiral Zheng He
• Tripoli MP Forms New Parliamentary
Bloc amid Shifting Sunni Landscape
• Cooperation Centre: We urge the
international community not to remain silent in the face of the actions of the
Islamic Republic
• Maryland Legislature Funds Pro-Iran
Mosque Entangled in Terror Trials
--------
Europe
• Civil Society Leaders Label Regulator
‘Islamophobic’ Over Action against Controversial Mosque
• Police appoint controversial mosque
infiltrator to fight discrimination
• Muslim Council of Britain concerned
over chair of review into Leicester unrest
• Leicester riots: Muslim council
express 'deep concern' over review leader
• Crookes murder probe: Mosque make plea
to end 'senseless violence' after Mohammed Iqbal, 17, stabbed to death
• Southampton Muslim centre has 84
objections despite existing for years
--------
North America
• 19 US Republican Senators Prepare To
Introduce Bill Sanctioning Islamic Emirate
• Lack Of Accessibility To Mosque A
‘Challenge’ Say Some Kingston Residents
• CAIR Urges Biden Administration to Act
on Ethiopia Mosque Demolitions
• Residents Requesting School Holiday
for Islamic Celebration ofEid-al-Fitr
• Soldiers of End-Times: Assessing the
Military Effectiveness of the Islamic State
--------
Arab World
• Tropical Condition of Arabian Sea Not
To Affect Saudi Arabia: National Centre of Meteorology
• Saudi Arabia agrees to give Belize
$45m loan to support healthcare infrastructure
• Crown Prince congratulates Erdogan on
re-election
• Up to SR5 million fine for breaking
postal regulations
• Saudi FM meets with Russian and Indian
counterparts in Cape Town
• ‘I’m here to Stay,’ Ronaldo Speaks Out
About Continuing In Saudi League
--------
South Asia
• Kabul Stresses Need for Negotiation
with Tehran Over 1973 Water Treaty
• Foreign Forces Committed Serious
Crimes in Afghanistan: Sources
• Afghan Security Forces Kill ISIS
Commander in Eastern Afghanistan
• Bangladesh bans 1st-class travel for
govt employees
--------
Pakistan
• Govt Toughens Stance on Isolated
Imran, But Leaves Room For Dialogue
• Lahore court extends Imran’s bail in 3
cases linked to May 9 violence
• Imran levelling baseless allegations
to divert attention from May 9 events: PM
• Govt should consult SC on reforms
bill: CJP
--------
Southeast Asia
• Malaysia Announced Best Muslim-Friendly
Destination by Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
• DPM Fadillah: CPTPP A New Phase In
Malaysia-UK Bilateral Relations
• Muslim travel interest on the rise
again
• NGO shares new Muslim's struggle to
regain custody of daughter
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/rss-bhagwat-bharat-muslims/d/129909
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We All Belong To the Motherland, Bharat: ‘Islam Is Safe in India…Forget Foreign Connections’: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat
RSS chief
Mohan Bhagwat.
----
Jun 02, 2023
RSS chief said, “The methods of worship
are different and there are differences in faiths we believe in but we all
belong to the motherland, Bharat.”
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief
Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said the Islam community in India is safe and there
is a need to move away from “foreign connections”. Speaking at the valedictory
function of the 3rd year Officers' Training Course (OTC) of the Hindutva group
in Nagpur, he said, “Though we all look different and follow different faiths,
we all belong to the motherland, Bharat.”
Bhagwat was quoted by Live Hindustan as
saying, “The country is divided due to the perception that we look different,
and that is why we feel the need for different countries. This thought process
led to the partition of our country.”
“Their methods of worship may be
different, but they all have the same roots,” he added.
The RSS chief also mentioned that in the
past, Islam was spread from Spain to Mongolia by invaders, but eventually, the
natives realised it and defeated the invaders. He said that those who spread
new ways of worship and different religions are no longer present, while those
who stayed back now belong to this land saying, “Where else is Islam safer than
in India?”
Referring to colonialism and its impact,
Bhagwat highlighted that India was in a situation where caste divisions and
injustices existed, which created an advantage for foreign invaders. He said,
“We should take steps to rectify all those mistakes.”
Bhagwat emphasised that there is no
division in the country, but rather “unity in diversity”. He called for
dialogue instead of controversy and urged everyone to avoid unnecessary
conflicts.
Bhagwat's comments after Rahul's attack
on Modi in US
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is
currently on his visit to the US criticised the Modi government in a speech
delivered in California on Wednesday. He accused the RSS-BJP combine is
attacking the Indian way of life, the idea of India and the Indian
constitution. Gandhi also said that India is currently an unfair place for
Dalits, tribals, minorities, and the poor.
On Thursday, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat,
without mentioning any specific party or individual, said that actions aimed at
tarnishing India's image provide an opportunity for those seeking to do so. “We
should not give such an opportunity to anyone,” he said.
Lauding India
In Nagpur's event, Bhagwat praised
India's Presidency of the G20 Summit and emphasised the importance of
nationalism as a “non-negotiable value”. He called for “emotional integrity”
and also highlighted India's resilience during the global economic crisis and
the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bhagwat reiterated his belief that
people living in India have Hindu roots, stating that their forefathers were
Hindus. While acknowledging different methods of worship, he said that all
individuals in India share the same roots.
He further said that living in Hindustan
(India) makes everyone Hindu in a broader cultural sense, even if they follow
different faiths. According to Bhagwat, the acceptance of Hindu ethos has
enabled the diverse streams of society to develop their distinct identities.
(With inputs from Pradip Kumar Maitra)
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/islam-is-safe-in-india-forget-foreign-connections-rss-chief-mohan-bhagwat-101685676872813.html
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Right to Pray Inside Gyanvapi Mosque
Will Not Change Its Character to A Temple: Allahabad HC
The Court
upheld the September 12, 2022 order of the Varanasi Court which held the suit
to be maintainable. (PTI Photo/File)
------
02-06-23
The demand of Hindu plaintiffs merely
seeking the right to worship inside the Gyanvapi Mosque is not an act that will
change its character to a temple, the Allahabad High Court has held.
The court made the observation while
dismissing a revision plea challenging the maintainability of the petition
filed by Hindu plaintiffs seeking permission to worship inside the mosque. The
petition had been filed the Anjuman Intazamia Committee, which manages the
mosque. The plea was dismissed on Wednesday and the judgement was made public
the next day.
Five Hindu women had last year filed a
plea seeking rights to worship inside the mosque compound. They had claimed
that an image of Hindu deity Shringar Gauri exists at the mosque.
The mosque committee had challenged the
plea contending that violates the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act,
1991, which states that the religious character of a place of worship as it
existed on August 15, 1947 cannot be changed.
In his verdict, Justice JJ Munir of the
Allahabad High Court said that Hindus had worshipped their deities inside the
mosque complex since August 15, 1947, and till as late as 1993. Since, the
Places of Worship Act came to effect only in 1991, so their right to worship
cannot be denied under the law, the judge held.
“This court fails to see that if the
plaintiffs or devotees like them can do pooja and darshan of the deities on a
single day in the year with no threat to the mosque’s character, how the making
of it a daily or a weekly affair, would lead to a conversion or change of the
mosque’s character,” the order stated.
The court also dismissed the argument
put forward by the mosque committee that the Hindu plaintiffs were seeking to
establish rights of their entire community by demanding rights to worship. The
court held that the plaintiffs were instead only seeking to exercise their
individual rights to worship.
The mosque committee had first filed the
plea in a Varanasi district court, which had held in September that Hindu
plaintiffs seeking the right to pray inside the Gyanvapi mosque premises is
maintainable and can be heard further. The mosque committee then moved the
Allahabad High Court.
Source: scroll.in
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://scroll.in/latest/1050223/right-to-pray-inside-gyanvapi-mosque-will-not-change-its-character-to-a-temple-allahabad-hc
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Libya Moderate Islamic Interpretations under
Threat As More Radicals Penetrate Government Institutions
People
gather at The Martyrs' Square to celebrate the 9th anniversary of Libyans’ 17
February Revolution in Tripoli, Libya on February 17, 2020 [Hazem Turkia /
Anadolu Agency]
------
June 1, 2023
Hundreds of Libyans took to social media
recently to express their anger and disappointment at the latest decision by
the country's General Authority for Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (GAAIA) to create
what it calls "Guardians of Virtue", supposedly to guard Islamic
virtue in the Muslim society. GAAIA's chairman, Mohammed Al-Abani signed, 25
May, decree no 436/2023 launching what the Authority describes as an
"awareness program" to, generally, protect and guard Islamic virtues
and values in the already moderately-conservative Muslim country. Opponents
compare the "program" to secret police aiming at "policing minds
of people" said Khalil Al-Hassi, anti-corruption activist and journalist.
How the "program" will be run
and what legal and constitutional legitimacy the Authority has to police Islam
in the country is a source of controversy. Many critics fear the new power
GAAIA is gaining is illegal and unconstitutional because such issues are outside
its scope of work.
However, GAAIA and its many followers
defended the idea of creating "guardians of virtue" by pointing to
allegations of many Libyans converting to Christianity. They claim that many
"foreign" civil society organisations, disguised as aid agencies, are
operating in the country with little to no proper government control. They
accuse them of helping many young Libyans convert to Christianity.
They point to Libya's Internal Security
Agency's crackdown, earlier this year, on such organisations which led to the
detention of an unknown number of Libyans accused of abandoning Islam for
Christianity, or becoming atheists. Among the detainees were two American
citizens who claim to teach English in private schools, but the security agency
accused them of proselytising and helping many Libyan become Christians. Both
were deported, while the Libyans remained in detention awaiting trial.
Proselytising in Libya is a serious crime and could be punishable by the death
penalty. Last March, Amnesty International called on the Libyan government in
Tripoli to stop what it called "persecution of young Libyans by militiamen
and security agents under the guise of protecting "Libyan and Islamic
values".
However, more liberal Libyans accuse
GAAIA of being an extremist organisation controlled by religious radicals,
including its chairman Mr. Al-Abani. In its 2021 report, the National Audit
Bureau accused the Authority of serious financial misconduct and its head of
misuse of public funds. They also fear that such a wide range of powers given
to the Authority erodes freedoms and threatens civil society, driving the
country to become more "conservative and even radical", said Mohssen,
a law student in Tripoli, who does not want to publish his family name.
Beneath the surface, the story is about
conflict between different religious teachings flourishing in the country. For
example, Eid Al-Fitar, last April, was celebrated on two different days in the
country – something that never happened in Libya throughout its history. The
country's Fatwa House announced that Eid would be on Saturday, 22 April, while
GAAIA said it was on the day before. Different parts and cities in Libya
observed Eid on different days. Both institutions are, supposedly, part of the
Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister,
AbdulhamidDbeibah. This unprecedented event in Libya, many believe, is kind of
spreading more divisions in the already divided country with two governments,
one recognised by the United Nations in Tripoli, while another unrecognised one
in the East.
GAAIA believes the threat to Islam in
the country is very serious and should be tackled before it becomes a serious
"deviation in faith", difficult to treat, said Yahia Ben Halim, one
of the leaders of the "guardians of virtue" program. Speaking at a
recent TV talk show, Mr. Ben Halim rejected the idea that there is any
"fighting" among different religious groups in the country. He said
they were not policing people's beliefs but "we are the guardians of virtue,
as God has commanded us to speak kindly". At the same talk show,
WanisMabrouk, member of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Libya, accused
GAAIA of "violating" international law. He also questioned the legal
grounds of "the program", which he accused of "sowing" hate
in the country.
Political division is, certainly, part
of the story but the reality lies in the conflict raging beneath the surface
between different interpretations of Islam in a usually harmonious country,
with no different regional beliefs and very little ethnic diversity, that never
was an issue before.
While the legal and constitutional
debate goes on about what GAAIA can and cannot do, the ambiguity of "the
program" and how it will be implemented raises further problems for the
country and the entity behind it – GAAIA, in this case.
Undoubtedly, Libya is witnessing
fundamental changes that run deep into the society and its way of life ever
since 2011, when NATO supported rebels toppled the late leader, Muammer
Gaddafi. Milad Abdelsalam, a sociologist
in Benghazi, thinks what happened then was a "political and social
tsunami" and, after such violent "shake ups, nothing stays the
same", he added.
Before 2011, interpretation of Islamic
teachings was not an issue nor a reason for division but, since then, the
country has seen a growing number of fanatic groups preaching their own,
usually extreme, version of Islam,
completely foreign to Libya throughout its history. In 2015, for
example, Daesh took over Sirte in the middle of the country, imposing its
harsh, supposedly Islamic Sharia on the population before it was expelled in
2016, while Al-Qaeda is still suspected to have sleeper cells in the virtually
ungoverned southern region. A few days ago, a court in Misrata, western Libya,
sentenced 23 Daesh members to death, while many more are still awaiting trial.
Between 2012 and 2017, in Eastern Libya, particularly Benghazi, Ansar
Al-Shariah group almost completely controlled the region and took years to be
defeated by General Haftar's army.
The battle for Libya's soul is not over
yet and Islam is certainly part of it, when it should not be, actually. Greedy
politicians will always use Islam for their own political gains, at the expense
of the wider society. However, Islam in its moderate interpretation will always
be dominant among Libyans.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230601-libya-moderate-islamic-interpretations-under-threat-as-more-radicals-penetrate-government-institutions/
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Animal Rights: Shia Islamic Cleric
Defies Taboo around Dogs by Opening a Rescue Shelter in Iran
Iranian
cleric Sayed Mahdi Tabatabaei looks after stray dogs at his shelter in Qom
(Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP)
------
June 1, 2023
A cleric has become an unlikely
figurehead for animal rights after he opened a dog refuge in Iran.
Sayed Mahdi Tabatabaei, a Shia Muslim,
rescues stray dogs and posts about his activities to his 800,000 Instagram
followers.
Mr Tabatabaei opened Bamak Paradise, a
rescue shelter in Qom, a city that is home to several religious schools in
north-central Iran, where he nurses neglected strays.
His passion is somewhat controversial –
in Iran dogs are generally seen as unclean and sometimes shunned.
In 2019, animal rights activists turned
out onto the streets of the Iranian capital Tehran after videos emerged showing
dogs and puppies being killed via gruesome state-approved injections.
Islam is against animal cruelty, and
across Middle Eastern countries food and water is left aside for stray cats.
However, in Iran dogs are taboo, and there are no regulations in place to
protect them against animal cruelty.
The Iranian regime, which has ruled the
country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, states dogs are “unclean”.
Mr Tabatabaei, a self-proclaimed animal
lover who wears the Shiite black turban, said he acknowledges his passion is
unconventional.
“It’s pretty interesting and kind of
weird for them to witness a religious figure doing this stuff,” he told the
Associated Press.
“My videos seem to leave a good
impression on people too. They say they feel a wave of kindness, peace, and
friendship coming through those videos.”
His fame has landed him in hot water
with the Iranian authorities. When pictures appeared of him looking after dogs
while wearing his clerical robes, a religious court called for him to be
defrocked in 2021.
The ruling was later suspended, but Mr
Tabatabaei now wears civilian clothes while tending to the dogs and cleaning
their kennels at Bamak Paradise.
“We take in dogs with disabilities that
cannot survive in the wild and have a hard time finding adoptive homes,” he
said.
“Many of them are dogs I’ve personally
nursed back to health. They stay here until they fully recover and regain their
strength.”
To fund the rescue shelter he relies on
donations from animal lovers in Iran and abroad, an increasingly tenuous task
as the country’s banking system is cut off from other nations, making it
difficult to transfer funds.
The US has also ramped up its economic
sanctions in an ongoing debacle over Iran’s disputed nuclear programme.
“I appeal to Western governments,
particularly the US government and others capable of influencing the lifting of
sanctions, to consider making exceptions for organisations like ours that
engage in humanitarian and peaceful endeavors,” Mr Tabatabaei said.
“By allowing us to establish bank
accounts and verifying our identities, we would be able to receive assistance
from individuals and charities outside of Iran without them breaching the
sanctions and risking legal complications.”
Source: inews.co.uk
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://inews.co.uk/news/world/islamic-cleric-taboo-dogs-rescue-shelter-iran-2379568
--------
Europe Appeases the Iranian Islamists of
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Photo:
Middle East Forum
----
May 31, 2023
It's time for European politicians to
follow the U.S. in designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a
terrorist organization. That became manifestly clear and urgent on March 28,
2023 when Greek authorities exposed an Islamist terror plot to attack a Chabad
house in downtown Athens.
"Their aim was not only the loss of
innocent civilians," Greek police said, "but also undermining the
security feeling in our country." The infrastructure that operated in
Greece was part of an extensive Iranian network run by the Quds Force, the
external operations branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This
network, which spans many countries, includes Lebanese Hezbollah, a group
responsible for bombing tourist buses, hostage-taking, and abducting and
killing journalists, media directors, and dissidents in Europe.
It's not as if EU policy makers don't
know what's going on. It's well documented that the Quds force recruits members
of local drug mafias in Europe to do its dirty work. Hossein Salami, IRGC
commander-in-chief, accepts the responsibility for threating journalists in
London. The force has sleeping cells, operatives, and proxies in five
continents ready to act.
Despite all this, numerous European
countries balked when the European Parliament declared that it was time to list
the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Instead of listing the organization as a
whole, numerous countries have designated individual operatives as terrorists.
The best description of Europe's failure to confront the IRGC is appeasement.
For the third time in recent memory, Western elites have refused to confront
totalitarians in their midst. It happened in the mid-20th century with the
German Nazis, it happened in the 1950s and '60s with the Soviet Communists and
their supporters, and it's happening again in the first half of the 21st.
Europe's appeasers have provided three
reasons for not listing IRGC as a terrorist organization. First, they argue that
listing the IRGC as a terrorist organization will result in sanctions against
people who serve in Iran's military not as volunteers, but as draftees. That's
the tack taken by Canada's Attorney General and Justice Minister David Lametti,
who, in a news conference last October, argued that there is a need to target
the truly "bad actors without catching innocent people as well."
The problem with this line of reasoning
is that the IRGC's Quds Force is not part of Iran's defensive military system,
like its national army. It is rather a terrorist organization charged with
establishing, by force, a global Islamist regime. Consequently, forced
enlistment in Iran's regular army cannot and should not be a barrier to listing
the Guard as a terrorist organization. The IRGC has nothing to do with
defending Iran. It is about destabilizing Western democracies. The Qods Force
is an entirely volunteer organization, staffed by individuals personally
committed to the regime.
The second justification for giving the
IRGC a pass is a lack of legal justification. In February, German Foreign
Minister AnnalenaBaerbock said that German experts "found no legal grounds
to list the IRGC as a terrorist organization." It's an astonishing
statement. According to a data set of Iranian foreign operations (including
assassination, abduction, and surveillance plots), Iran has instigated at least
33 plots in Europe over just the past five years.
To further the "no legal
grounds" justification, EU foreign affairs chiefJosepBorrell declared that
adding the IRGC to the European list would require that it first be blacklisted
by an EU member state. So far, no EU member has taken that step.
In reality, EU policy specifically notes
that a proposed terrorist listing can be made on the basis of third-party
information, not just EU member state information: "Persons groups and
entities can be added to the list on the basis of proposals submitted by member
states based on a decision by a competent authority of a member state or a
third country." The U.S., as an ally and third party for Europe, did this
four years ago.
For over four decades, the IRGC has been
responsible for plotting and executing global terrorist attacks,
hostage-takings, maritime piracy, and political assassinations on foreign soil
– including in Europe and the U.S. It has provided key operational support for
terrorist attacks stretching as far afield as Bulgaria, Thailand and Argentina.
"In 2018, Germany uncovered 10 IRGC operatives involved in a terrorist
plot in Germany."
The third reason for the EU's hesitation
to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization is the fear it will provoke a
war with Iran. This fear is rooted in repeated threats made by IRGC's
high-ranking officials. Hossein Salami, Commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard,
warned European countries that the Islamic Republic can target them by
increasing the range of its weapons. He made this threat after the EU
parliament passed a resolution on putting IRGC on the terrorist list. The IRGC
commander said: "We have the ability to increase the range of weapons and
strike them [European countries] seriously. ... We warn them. The lives of
Europeans depend on oil and security, and they should be careful and not
endanger themselves." European officials usually take these threats seriously.
These threats give credence to the
"sanctions will cause war" narrative promoted by Iran's lobby in the
United States. There is no evidence for the correlation between listing an
organization in a terror or sanctions list and military escalation. There are
however multiple examples of adversaries of Western civilization becoming more
aggressive when European leaders fail to stand up to them.
The upshot is that while brave
dissidents in the Iranian diaspora stand up to Iranian Islamism, sometimes at
great risk to themselves, officials charged with protecting their countries use
every excuse to avoid standing up to Iranian proxies. For example, London's
Counter Terrorism Policing instructed Iran International to relocate its
studios from London to Washington DC in February 2023.
It is time European elites follow the
example of these dissidents, and get tough with Tehran.
Source: meforum.org
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.meforum.org/64479/europe-appeases-the-iranian-islamists-of-the-irgc
--------
India
Rahul Gandhi calls Kerala ally Muslim
League a ‘secular party’, faces BJP ire; Congress fires back
June 02, 2023
Devika Bhattacharya
By Devika Bhattacharya: A fresh war of
words erupted between the BJP and the Congress on Friday after Rahul Gandhi
referred to the Muslim League, the grand old party’s ally in Kerala, as a
"completely secular party".
The flashpoint was the Gandhi scion’s
remarks during an interaction with reporters at the National Press Club in
Washington DC. A reporter asked Rahul Gandhi about the Congress's alliance with
Muslim League in Kerala in the context of its championing secularism and
opposing the BJP’s Hindutva politics.
“Muslim League is a completely secular
party. There is nothing non-secular about Muslim League,” said Gandhi.
A clip of the Congress leader’s response
started doing the rounds on social media. The BJP latched on to the video and
hit out at Gandhi for his “disingenuous and sinister” statement. It claimed
that due to his compulsion to remain acceptable in Wayanad, his former Lok
Sabha constituency, that he called Muslim League a 'secular party'.
“Jinnah’s Muslim League, the party
responsible for India’s partition, on religious lines, according to Rahul
Gandhi is a ‘secular’ party. Rahul Gandhi, though poorly read, is simply being
disingenuous and sinister hereâ€æ It is also his compulsion to remain
acceptable in Wayanad,” tweeted BJP I-T Cell incharge Amit Malviya.
For the record, the Muslim League led by
Mohammad Ali Jinnah and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML ) based in Kerala
are two entirely distinct and unrelated parties. The IUML is a traditional ally
of the Congress-led UDF in Kerala.
Making the very same distinction,
Congress leader Pawan Khera reacted sharply to the BJP’s charges with a few of
his own. “Anpadhhobhai (Are you illiterate)?” he tweeted.
“Don't know the difference between
Kerala's Muslim League and Jinnah's Muslim League? Jinnah's Muslim League is
the one with which your forefathers allied. The second Muslim League is the one
with which the BJP had an alliance,” Khera elaborated.
The Congress leader was making a
reference to the BJP’s ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
According to some historical sources, the RSS sided with the Muslim League to
sit out of civil disobedience movements and were allies in propagating the
two-nation theory.
Khera’s second reference was regarding
the BJP roping in two IUML corporators to retain control of the the Nagpur
Municipal Corporation in 2012.
Congress National Spokesperson
SupriyaShrinate accused Amit Malviya of being a “fake news peddler”.
Rahul Gandhi, who is in the US for a
three-city US tour, fielded questions on a whole host of topics at National
Press Club interaction, including Opposition unity and religious freedoms in
India, the issues faced by the minorities and on the state of the economy.
He said the Opposition is pretty well
united and a lot of good work is happening on the ground, as he asserted that
there is a hidden undercurrent building and it will "surprise" the
people in the next general elections.
Pointing out the outcome of the
Karnataka assembly elections where Congress secured a comfortable majority and
ousted the BJP from power, Gandhi said, "Wait and watch the next three or
four state electionsâ€æ. which is a better indicator of what's going to
happen.”
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rahul-gandhi-calls-kerala-ally-muslim-league-a-secular-party-faces-bjp-ire-congress-fires-back-2387781-2023-06-02
--------
3 Muslim boys assaulted for hanging out
with female Hindu friends in Mangaluru
Jun 1, 2023
By Sagay Raj: Three Muslim boys were
hanging out with their Hindu friends at Someshwar beach in Mangaluru when they
were assaulted by a few miscreants on Thursday.
The group, comprising three boys and
three girls, was hanging out at the beach when a few people approached them.
They then started questioning the three boys, following which an argument broke
out. The miscreants then beat up the three Muslim youth and then fled the spot.
Kuldeep Kumar Jain, Mangalore Police
Commissioner, said, “Today at around 7.20 pm, a group of friends (totally 6)
were at Someshwara beach. Few people came and asked their details like name,
etc and then beat up the three boys.”
“Our 112 vehicle reached the spot and
shifted the victims to hospital. FIR is being registered based on the
complaint. The accused are at present absconding. We have formed 2 teams to
secure the accused persons,” the Mangalore Police Commissioner added.
The three boys and three girls are
students enrolled in a medical college and hail from Kerala.
This is the second incident of moral
policing that has been reported in Karnataka in one week. Earlier, a boy and a
girl belonging to different faiths were harassed by a group for sharing a meal
at a restaurant in Chikkaballapura.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/muslims-boys-assaulted-for-hanging-out-with-female-hindu-friends-in-mangaluru-2387688-2023-06-01
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West Bengal parties use Sagardighi
defection and NRC to reach out to Muslims
The defection of Sagardighi MLA is a
masterstroke by Trinamool Congress feels a section of political observers
June 01, 2023
Shiv Sahay Singh
“Muslims in West Bengal will not vote
for us,” Leader of Opposition SuvenduAdhikari said while speaking to
mediapersons on Wednesday. The BJP leader went on to accuse West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee of ‘poisoning the Muslims’ in the State against the
BJP on the issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC). The Nandigram MLA’s comment was in the
context of defection of the Congress MLA from SagardighiBayron Biswas to the
Trinamool Congress (TMC) on May 29 and how it was impossible for a BJP
candidate to win the constituency with 70 % Muslim electorate.
This was not the first time Mr. Adhikari
has raised the issue of the NRC. Over the past few months, the BJP leaders had
reached out to Muslims in the State pointing out that they had been fooled
during the 2021 Assembly poll by being threatened on the issue of NRC. Unlike
the other BJP leaders in the State, Mr. Adhikari has taken a different approach
while reaching out to Muslims and has pointed out that a large number of
Muslims in West Bengal were migrating out for jobs. Mr. Adhikari has been emphasising that the
BJP was not against “nationalist Muslims” and trying to get some support from
the community which officially comprises 27.01 % electorate in the State.
Mr. Adhikari’s remarks were in response
to the Sagardighi defection and the TMC leadership raking up the issue of the
NRC. Ms. Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee have been ‘warning’ Muslims
that the BJP government at the Centre was making fresh attempts at implementing
the NRC.
On April 18, while addressing a press
conference at the State Secretariat, the Chief Minister cited a letter from the
Centre on identifying illegal Aadhaar cardholders in North and South 24
Parganas districts flagging concerns that the BJP government was reviving the
citizenship overdrive ahead of the general election. Since then, the TMC
leadership which is busy at a party outreach led by Mr. Banerjee has repeatedly
raised the issue.
Mr. Biswas’s defection to the TMC has
also assumed significance as far as the support of Muslim electorate in the
State is concerned. The people of Sagardighi on February 28 had chosen to vote
for the Left-supported Congress candidate instead of the TMC and Mr. Biswas won
with a margin of nearly 23,000 votes.
Keeping the ideological and moral issues
relating to defection aside, a section of political observers feel that the
defection is going to help the Trinamool as far Muslim electorate is concerned. “The defection of Bayron Biswas is a
masterstroke from the Trinamool Congress. It will give a message to the Muslim
voters that they may choose to vote for anyone but the elected representative
will eventually join the ruling party,” political observer and
psephologistBiswanathChakraborty said.
Prof. Chakraborty said that Muslims had
a tendency to vote for a party that would defeat the BJP and unless the BJP was
able to get some support from the community the party may not taste electoral
success in the State.
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/west-bengal-parties-use-sagardighi-defection-and-nrc-to-reach-out-to-muslims/article66920384.ece
--------
Africa
Muslim Africans' Harrowing Journey to
Israel
01-06-23
"I was dancing with joy when I
arrived. It was one of the happiest days of my life." So spoke Ismail
Abdul-Rasul, a father of four from Darfur in Sudan, describing his 2007
reception in Israel after five miserable years in Egypt and a hellish journey
across the Sinai Peninsula.
Generally forgotten today, a large
influx of Africans—Eritreans and Sudanese especially—made their way without
authorization during the years 2006-12 to live in Israel. Their immigration
temporarily traumatized Israelis and left a substantial body of Africans living
in the country, mainly in Tel Aviv. The total number of illegal migrants to
Israel from Africa is estimated at 55,000, with about 35,000 living in the
country today. This episode is worth recalling for its drama, horror,
resolution, and implications.
The Passage
Muslim Africans nearly all reached the
Jewish state by land. The influx began in 2006, apparently due to some Egyptian
smugglers helping a few hundred Africans to enter Israel and the Israeli
government treating them leniently. As word got back to Egypt and more distant
parts of the continent, larger numbers followed. Journalist Uriel
Heilman in 2009 captured the motives of
Africans living in Egypt:
On one side lies peril and
poverty—crowded refugee camps, scarce jobs, and overzealous Egyptian soldiers
ready to open fire on anyone trying to flee to Israel. ... On the other side
lies relative prosperity and protection—a westernized country, a more
sympathetic government, and a broad array of refugee services including, in
some cases, jobs.
"It's good. I love Israel. There's
good people here," said Emanuel, a 16-year-old Sudanese boy who made it
safely across. ... Emanuel sleeps on a clean bed, gets three meals a day, and
occasionally gets taken to swimming pools, summer camps, and nature excursions.
A Sudanese woman explained why she
walked more than two hundred miles across Egypt and the Sinai desert to the
Israeli border: Egyptians "spit on us and called us monkeys and
animals" while she heard that she would be treated well in Israel. And,
indeed, she was: "They gave us chocolate and juice and handcuffed
us."
As this semi-good life in Israel, with
its chocolate, juice, and handcuffs, became known, human trafficking followed.
Ibrahim, an orphan from Labé, Guinea, in West Africa recounts how, when he was
fifteen years old in 2006, the owner of the electrical shop where he worked
regaled him with tales of wealth in Israel and offered to pay for his travel in
return for half of Ibrahim's earnings for life. Ibrahim accepted this offer of
indentured servitude and soon found himself taken as a captive on the 13-day
land journey from Guinea to Morocco to Egypt to Eilat to Tel Aviv. In Tel Aviv,
the traffickers took him to the central bus station, but his intended employer
did not show up, permitting Ibrahim to escape. After various adventures—washing
pots in a restaurant, living in a refuge for homeless youngsters, studying at a
school for at-risk children, spending time in a prison—an Israeli couple
offered to serve as his legal guardians, opening the door for him to finish his
education, become an Israeli citizen, change his name to AviBe'eri, join the
Israel Defense Forces in 2011 as an officer, and consider converting to
Judaism.
Until the Abraham accords of 2020, when
Khartoum recognized Israel, Sudan's government considered Israel an enemy
state, so its nationals found residence there particularly challenging.
"Israel was the absolute enemy. The Sudanese government would cut my
throat if they knew I went to Israel," explained Ahmed, who nonetheless
made the trip because his situation in Egypt was desperate: "We were dying
here anyway." He borrowed money to pay a smuggler to get himself and his
family to Israel.
Sanka, a Sudanese migrant in detention,
lodged at a kibbutz, recalled the judge in his case saying that hostile
relations between Sudan and Israel mean, "We cannot set you free, because
you may be a danger to our citizens," to which Sanka replied, "I do
not believe that. When I came to Israel, I came to seek help and to be a friend
of this country." The Israeli government in turn held that "the
security services have no possibility for distinguishing between someone who is
infiltrating Israel on orders from Al-Qaida and someone who is an innocent
infiltrator fleeing for his life."
Horror in Egypt
Making it through Egypt was the hardest
part, leaving many Muslim Africans brutalized or murdered at the hands of the
government, Hamas, or tribes of the Sinai Peninsula. The police killed at least
twenty-seven Sudanese demonstrating outside the U.N. High Commissioner for
Refugees' office in Cairo while Egyptian border guards repeatedly used lethal
force on unarmed migrants. In August 2007, for example, Israeli soldiers reported
watching the guards shoot and kill two Sudanese migrants at the border,
"then dragged two other refugees from the border and beat them to death
with rocks."
Hamas and its tribal allies in Sinai
treated the migrants mercilessly. According to a Ynet article based on a report
by the Everyone Group, a non-governmental organization, African migrants
encountered Hamas operatives along the
route, who promised to smuggle them into Israel for a payment of $2,000.
Instead, they were placed in a detention facility on the outskirts of Rafah, an
Egyptian town on the Gaza border, demanding their families in Eritrea pay a
$10,000 ransom for their release. ... eight of the immigrants were killed, and
four have gone missing—allegedly being the subject of human organ harvesting
and trafficking. About 100 of them were transferred to a "concentration
camp" at an unknown location, perhaps in the Palestinian territories. The
captives are beaten, the women and children raped. "The prisoners eat poor
food and are forced to drink their own urine," the statement reads.
"Most of the migrants are contemplating suicide."
The Egyptian human rights champion Hamdy
al-Azazy reported on the way Africans are brought to Egypt's border with
Israel: "They transport them worse than animals," with migrants
hidden inside pickup trucks and empty tankers. "They often make a false
shelf in pickup trucks where the refugees cram inside and then have fruit,
vegetables, [and] animals placed on top of them." It gets worse. Azazy
describes the prison camps in which African migrants were dumped:
The prisoners are subjected to every
kind of torture and humiliation—often while their relatives abroad are
listening to their cries of despair at the end of the telephone line—until the
ransom is paid that allows them to be released on the border with Israel. Those
who try to escape are killed in cold blood while the women prisoners are
repeatedly raped, often in front of their husbands and brothers.
If relatives are unable to pay the
ransom demanded (from $20,000 to $50,000 dollars according to which gang is
holding them) the young people are transferred to the organ market and are
killed during the removal of their kidneys. Many corpses without kidneys have
been found in the Sinai Desert, while most of the bodies are burned.
One report noted, "The badly
butchered bodies of nine Somalis were found washed up on a beach in Alexandria,
Egypt, early in April. The bodies were missing all vital organs." To make
sure the organs fetch the highest value, they are often extricated from live
persons by trained medical staff. "The organs are not useful if they're
dead," Azazy explains. The traffickers first drug the victims,
"remove their organs, then leave them to die and dump them in a deep dry
well along with hundreds of bodies." Azazy—the only source for this
gruesome procedure—has pictures which one reporter saw and described: "an
empty corpse is seen, cut open from just under the chin all the way to the
navel, the rib cage cleanly sawn through." According to the Italian analyst
Roberto Malini, "Most of the proceeds from trafficking in human beings and
organs, in fact, goes to finance fundamentalist armed groups, primarily
Hamas." The United Nations estimates that the worldwide organ trade
generated $600 million to $1.2 billion in profits in 2011 alone.
Such were the macabre challenges in
Egypt that some Africans accepted for a chance to reach Israel.
Israeli Responses
As mostly Muslim Sudanese and Christian
Eritreans began arriving illegally in Israel in 2006, the government detained
those it caught as enemy infiltrators but often released them onto the streets;
others avoided detention and went straight to the streets.
In August 2007, the government of Israel
accepted five hundred migrants from Darfur already in Israel as refugees but
indicated that, under an agreement with Cairo, all future illegal migrants
would be returned to Egypt. This agreement seems not to have been implemented
for the number of Darfur refugees reached six hundred by February 2009, all of
whom were granted asylum and work permits.
By 2009, the mayor of Eilat, Meir
Yitzhak Halevi, bewailed that parts of his city "have been conquered by
infiltrators." He went on:
With many of the migrants seeking jobs,
and some lacking a fixed address, large numbers of the immigrants congregate in
parks and sporting fields. The infiltration is uncontrolled. ... Without
wishing to generalize, we have undoubtedly seen an increase in violence among
this population. Alcohol-related incidents have grown.
Likewise, in 2011, Tel Aviv's Mayor Ron
Huldai called the Africans "infiltrators" and stated that "it is
now clear to all that they come here as migrant workers and are not in any
existential danger."
In 2010, ArnonSoffer, a geographer at
the University of Haifa, estimated that, at the then-current level of
migration, Israel would host approximately 500,000 illegal migrants by 2025 and
called this an "existential threat" to the country with a population
then of 7.6 million. That same year, Israel's public security minister, Yitzhak
Aharnovitch, stated that up to 2.5 million African migrants currently residing
in Cairo "are waiting" to cross into Israel. At the peak of the
immigration wave in late 2011, Israel hosted 117,848 illegal migrant workers
and 38,354 asylum seekers from all parts of the world.
Picking up on such predictions and
warning of a "flood" of illegal migrants that "threatens the
jobs of Israelis and threatens the Jewish and democratic character of the state
of Israel," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed building a fence
along Israel's 242-kilometer border with Egypt, from Rafah to Eilat, and even
into the Red Sea, as well as a detention center capable of holding ten thousand
migrants.
The Israeli government spent $450
million in 2010-14 on the 5-meter-high fence, dubbed the Hourglass Project, one
of the most expensive undertakings in the country's history. The fence
immediately reduced the infiltration rate by over 99 percent; 9,570 Africans
entered Israel illegally in the first half of 2012 while only 34 did in the
first half of 2013. When the smugglers figured out ways to go over the fence,
its height in 2016 went up from 5 to 8 meters along a 17-kilometer stretch. The
fence not only solved the demographic crisis challenging the very nature of the
Jewish state but also the moral crisis of Africans seeking refuge.
Heartwarming stories aside, illegal
Muslim Africans have generally had a rough time in Israel, especially as they
predominantly did not flee a war zone but sought better economic prospects.
Netanyahu articulated this distinction in 2017: "They aren't refugees. Or
at least most of them aren't. Most of them are looking for jobs." An
Israeli police source added, speaking of Sudanese, "Some of them have
launched a Web site which details smuggling routes, so that family members and
friends can join them in Israel."
The lack of an Israeli welcome caused
some Africans to want out; Jos Nof, a 27-year-old Sudanese, said in 2021,
"I want a good life. If my country is safe, I wouldn't spend a minute more
here because I see no future." Still, Israel retains its allure, and other
Africans try round-about routes to reach the Promised Land. In May and June
2020, for example, Israelis arrested and deported sixteen Sudanese men who
tried to enter the country from Lebanon under cover of night.
Some Israelis bemoaned, along with Or
Mor-Yosef of Tel Aviv's African Refugee Development Centre, the missed
opportunity to turn these young Muslim Africans into "Israel's finest
ambassadors" by welcoming them more warmly. Others agreed with scholar and
journalist Guy Bechor that the African illegals were neither transient workers
nor refugees but permanent settlers whose presence leftist Israelis welcomed as
a way "to change our country's demographic balance." Having failed in
their goal to let in masses of Palestinians into this country, he argued,
leftists instead encouraged Africans to emigrate by spreading the rumor
"that Israel is a paradise, and that it can be reached by foot."
Bechor warns that by giving citizenship to migrants, then letting their
families join them in Israel, the Muslim population could become a majority in
what had been the Jewish state.
Reporting on African migrants inevitably
quotes Israeli leftists about Israel's moral responsibility to accept illegal
migrants, given the Jewish experience and Israel's proud history as a refuge
for the persecuted. But this ignores the fact, as Bechor pointed out, that a
warm welcome would overwhelm the country and change its demography and
character.
This issue revived in 2023, long after
African immigration had ended, becoming a central topic in the huge furor over
the power of the Supreme Court; under what circumstances should the court be
able to reject legislation passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament? Those in
favor of restricting its power pointed to the three instances of voiding laws
allowing the government indefinitely and without trial to imprison illegal
African migrants. They argued that the court undemocratically privileged
migrants' rights over those of south Tel Aviv residents and presented these
decisions as the preeminent symbol of judicial overreach and interventionism.
"It is the Knesset that protects rights, not the High Court,"
declared Simcha Rothman, a leader of the overhaul effort.
Conclusion
The case of Muslim Africans
spontaneously moving to Israel offers a small example of likely future mass
migrations from Africa to rich countries in the decades ahead as the
continent's population may triple by 2100. Migrations tend to begin with news
of a successful settlement reaching the home country, many more migrants
pursuing the same route, followed by human trafficking, corruption, and
brutality, then fences and other obstacles going up, and the crisis finally
abating.
The 2006-12 episode also has a distinctly
Israeli aspect to it. Muslim migrants abandoning their countries of origin,
traveling long distances, enduring terrible experiences in Egypt, and taking a
chance in the Jewish state unambiguously reveals a wide but covert appreciation
of Israel. Far from the angry oratory of the United Nations or the insipid
bigotry of the Middle East studies professoriate, large numbers of Muslims long
to live among Zionists. As Malcolm Hedding of the International Christian
Embassy in Jerusalem has noted,
It is remarkable that while some highly
educated British academics consider Israel a racist and immoral country, these
simple Sudanese refugees seem to know better.
In this, Africans express an admiration
hitherto better known among Palestinians and Middle Eastern Muslims.[1] Thus,
do Muslim Africans desperate to reach the Jewish state point to an important
aspect of Israel's growing acceptance.
Finally, the influx of African Muslims
confirms a larger shift underway, one in which Arab states and Muslims more
generally accept and even esteem Israel while the Left, once Israel's main ally
(think Stalin and Truman) has turned into its most severe critic (think Jeremy
Corbyn and Bernie Sanders). Symbolically, Israel has better relations with
Saudi Arabia than with Scotland, Spain, or Sweden. Palestinian nationalists and
Islamists still initiate most violence against Jews and Israel, but Leftist
delegitimization represents, along with Iranian nuclear weapons, the country's
greatest danger.
Source: meforum.org
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.meforum.org/64465/muslim-africans-harrowing-journey-to-israel
--------
Bode George makes u-turn, pledges to
work with Tinubu if invited
By OluyemiOgunseyin
02 June 2023
A former deputy national chairman of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, has pledged to work for
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if invited.
George at seperate times said that he
can never work with Tinubu being a major critic of Tinubu since the latter was
Lagos State governor.
George has, however, made a surprise
u-turn and said he will work with the administration of President Tinubu if
invited to contribute his quota to nation-building.
The former PDP chieftain said this
during an interview with journalists in Lagos.
“My reaction, like I have said, there is
nothing personal. Look, I trained in the military. You know in the military,
whoever is in the trench next to you is your brother,” George said.
“When you go out to say what is our
mission in the military? It is to defend our country. If he comes and says
look, what do you feel about this, what do you feel about that, let’s work
together in the interest of this country, why would I refuse? This nation also
trained me.
“The military trained me. There is no part
of the world that I have not been, training and doing exercises. This country
trained us.
“So, we must be able to put something
back to the system that would also positively impact on the younger ones, to
put a smile on their faces.”
Source: guardian.ng
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://guardian.ng/news/bode-george-makes-u-turn-pledges-to-work-with-tinubu-if-invited/
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Police kill two wanted terrorists,
rescue kidnapped victim
By OluyemiOgunseyin
01 June 2023
The Katsina State police command has
confirmed the killing of two wanted terrorists.
The Katsina police assistant
spokesperson, Abubakar Aliyu, in a statement revealed that the terrorists were
killed on Monday when they attempted to kidnap one Yahaya Usman at his
residence.
According to Aliyu, both men were killed
in Tani village in the Bindawa Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina state.
He explained that the security
operatives attached to the Bindawa divisional headquarters led by the
Divisional Police Office (DPO), received a report of an attack and dashed to
the location where they engaged the terrorists in a gun battle.
Aliyu said that the terrorists inflicted
a deep knife cut on the head of the victim.
“On the 29th of May, 2023, at about
0300hrs, terrorist – bandits in their numbers, armed with AK 47 riffles,
shooting sporadically, attacked the residence of one Yahaya Usman, ‘m’, of Tani
village, Bindawa LGA, Katsina state, and inflicted a deep knife cut injury to
his head in an attempt to kidnap him,” Aliyu stated.
“Upon receipt of the report, operatives
attached to Bindawa divisional headquarters led by the DPO promptly responded,
where they engaged the suspected terrorist in a fierce gun duel and
successfully foiled the kidnap attempt and rescued the victim.”
Aliyu said in the course of scanning the
scene, two bodies of the neutralized suspected terrorist – bandits and one (1)
Ak 47 riffle with five (5) rounds of 7.62mm were recovered from the scene.
He also stated that during the course of
investigation, the bodies were later identified to be those of one (1)
SaniKokaya, ‘m’, and (2) Ummara, ‘m’, all of Kaita, LGA of the state, notorious
suspected terrorist-bandits and arm smugglers who have been on the command’s
wanted list.
Aliyu concluded by saying that
investigation is ongoing.
Source: guardian.ng
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://guardian.ng/news/police-kill-two-wanted-terrorists-rescue-kidnapped-victim/
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Mideast
Amid rapprochement with Iran, Egypt
invites Hamas, Jihad leaders to Cairo
JUNE 1, 2023
Leaders of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic
Jihad (PIJ) headed to Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian intelligence
officials on ways to preserve the current ceasefire agreement with Israel, Palestinian
sources said on Thursday.
The talks will also focus on ways of
ending the dispute between Hamas and the ruling Fatah faction headed by
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the sources said. Previous
attempts by Egypt and other Arab countries to end the rivalry between the two
parties have hit a snag.
PA, Egypt are eager to play a role in
reconstruction of Gaza-strip
Both Egypt and the PA are eager to play
a role in the reconstruction of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. However, Hamas has
imposed restrictions on the authority, banning its officials from carrying out
activities in the Strip.
The visit comes amid reports about a
possible rapprochement between Egypt and Iran, which has long been backing
Hamas and PIJ.
The Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat
revealed that Cairo has “welcomed recurring indications from Iran to strengthen
its relations with Egypt,” which “hopes to develop bilateral ties with Iran,”
the paper said.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei said in a meeting this week with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq
Al-Said that Tehran welcomes better diplomatic relations with Egypt.
The upcoming talks in Cairo are the
first of their kind since the end of the recent round of fighting between
Israel and PIJ that Jerusalem called Operation Shield and Arrow.
The Egyptians played a crucial role in
brokering the ceasefire on May 13 that ended five days of fighting, during
which a total of 1,469 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel.
Qatar and the United Nations are also said to have assisted in efforts to reach
the ceasefire.
The sources said Egypt’s General
Intelligence Service, Mukhabarat, invited the Hamas and PIJ leaders to Cairo
for talks on “security issues” related to Israel and the situation in the Gaza
Strip.
The Hamas delegation will consist of
officials from the coastal enclave and from Qatar, where several leaders of the
group are based, including Ismail Haniyeh.
PIJ said in a statement that a
delegation representing its political bureau headed to Egypt through the Rafah
border crossing. The group did not say whether its Secretary-General Ziyad
al-Nakhaleh, who is based in Lebanon, would join the discussions in Cairo.
Earlier, Issam al-Da’alis, who serves as
de facto prime minister of Hamas, also headed to Cairo for talks with Egyptian
officials on ways to boost Gaza’s economy.
Earlier this week, PA Prime Minister
Mohammad Shtayyeh also visited the Egyptian capital at the head of a large
delegation of cabinet ministers. The talks focused on cooperation between the
PA and Egypt in many fields, especially by increasing trade and cooperation in
health, agriculture, education, culture, electricity and other sectors.
During a joint press conference with
Egyptian Prime Minister MoustafaMadbouly, Shtayyeh said the Palestinians “need
Egypt today more than ever.”
“We see the deep-rooted historical
relationship between Palestine and Egypt in the Egyptian position supporting
Palestine in all international platforms and forums to end the Israeli
occupation, establish our independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders
with Jerusalem as its capital, and achieve the right of return for refugees,”
the PA premier said.
Source: jpost.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-744917
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Grandson of Imam Khomeini apologizes to
reporter over bodyguards’ misbehavior
June 1, 2023
Hassan Khomeini, a grandson of the late
founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, has apologized to a reporter
with the ILNA news agency, who was assaulted by his security team as he
approached the cleric to take a picture.
The cleric wrote a text addressed to the
reporter, Amin Mehravar, offering him an apology for the misbehavior of his
security guards.
“But this incident has a lesson for all
of us. And that is the irreplaceable role of the public opinion and media space
in controlling problems, faults and failures,” he wrote.
The incident happened on Wednesday at a
ceremony at the headquarters of Iran’s Ettela’at Daily to pay tribute to its
late director Mahmoud Do’aei.
Mehravar went near Khomeini and
ex-president Mohammad Khatami to take pictures, but he was forcibly removed by
the bodyguards.
ILNA said Mehravar’s phone and ID card
were confiscated and he was subjected to physical and verbal abuse.
The news agency condemned the
bodyguards’ “inappropriate action” and described it as a flagrant attack on
media freedom.
Source: ifpnews.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://ifpnews.com/grandson-imam-khomeini-apologizes-reporter-bodyguards-misbehavior/
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Egyptian Islamic Banking Sector Grows
25% YoYin March:Islamic Finance Association
Thu, Jun. 1, 2023
Egypt’s Islamic banking sector saw
significant growth over the year, reaching EGP 544 billion in March 2023, up
25% compared to March 2022, reported the Egyptian Islamic Finance Association
(EIFA).
According to the EIFA’s latest data,
Islamic banking accounts for approximately 5% of the overall Egyptian banking
sector.
EIFA revealed that the Faisal Islamic
Bank of Egypt holds the leading position in the Islamic banking market in
Egypt, with a turnover of EGP 169.2 billion, accounting for 31.1% of the total
volume of the Islamic banking industry in Egypt.
Followed by Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
(ADIB) Egypt with a volume of EGP 124.3 billion, representing a 23% market
share.
BanqueMisr for Islamic Transactions
ranked third with a turnover of EGP 110 billion and a market share of 21.1%,
experiencing a growth rate of 23%.
Al Baraka Bank Egypt took 4th place with
a turnover of EGP 93.3 billion and a market share of 17.4%, followed by the
United Bank with a turnover of EGP 14 billion, accounting for a 3% share.
Deposits compliant with Islamic law
amounted to EGP 413.3 billion, representing a 28.5% growth rate when compared
to March 2022. These deposits make up around 6% of the total deposit volume in
the Egyptian banking sector.
Financing compliant with Islamic law
reached EGP 430.6 billion, indicating a growth rate of 25.7%. This type of
financing represents 5% of the total volume of financing in the Egyptian
banking sector, the EIFA revealed.
Egypt's banking market includes 14 banks
authorized by the Central Bank of Egypt to offer Islamic products. Among them,
three are fully Islamic banks; Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt, Al Baraka Bank of
Egypt, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank - Egypt. Additionally, there are 11 banks
that have both Islamic and traditional branches.
The EIFA also noted that six sukuk,
worth up to EGP 12.8 billion, have been issued since the issuance of the
corporate sukuk law and its executive regulations in late 2018. Currently,
three new sukuk issuances are under consideration in the Egyptian market.
Furthermore, the sovereign sukuk law has
been issued, and its executive regulations have been approved. The first state
sukuk, worth $1.5 billion or EGP 46 billion, was issued on February 21 2023,
based on a beneficial lease contract.
Source: businesstodayegypt.com
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following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.businesstodayegypt.com/Article/1/2523/Egyptian-Islamic-banking-sector-grows-25-YoY-in-March-Islamic
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Oman unveils monument dedicated to
Chinese Muslim admiral Zheng He
June 1, 2023
A monument honouring the famed 15th century
Chinese Muslim admiral, Zheng He, was unveiled in Oman's Dhofar governorate
yesterday.
The ten-metre tall monument located in
the coastal city of Salalah depicts a Chinese treasure ship, the largest
vessels in He's fleet, which dwarfed European ships at the time. It was
constructed using 3D print technology. Symbolising the traditional friendship
between Muscat and Beijing, it is the result of a collaboration between the
Chinese embassy and Oman's Foreign Ministry.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador
to Oman, Li Lingping, said: "Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean
fostered friendly exchanges between ancient China and the countries along the
Indian Ocean coast. These voyages facilitated economic, trade, and cultural
ties between China and these nations."
Li noted that this year marks the 45th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two
countries, with the completion of the Zheng He Monument holding particular
significance.
Khalid Bin Salim Al-Saeedi, chairman of
the Oman-China Friendship Association, said in his speech that the Zheng He
Monument demonstrates the long-standing and uninterrupted exchanges between the
civilisations of Oman and China. Leaders of both countries have been committed
to the development and growth of bilateral relations in various fields, he
said.
According to the Muscat Daily, the
monument, designed by the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, is
inspired by the Maritime Silk Road, on which Zheng He travelled. The early Ming dynasty explorer and diplomat
led huge fleets westwards seven
times to Southeast Asia, South Asia,
West Asia and East Africa, including reaching Dhofar four times. It has also
been theorised
that He "discovered" America
more than 70 years before Christopher Colombus did in 1492.
China and Oman established a strategic
partnership in 2018 and signed cooperation agreements under the Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI), which includes the Maritime Silk Road.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
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https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230601-oman-unveils-monument-dedicated-to-chinese-muslim-admiral-zheng-he/
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Tripoli MP forms new parliamentary bloc
amid shifting Sunni landscape
01 June 2023
Faisal Karameh, MP for Tripoli,
announced Wednesday the formation of a new parliamentary bloc called the
“National Consensus.”
The new bloc includes four Sunni MPs
close to Hezbollah, namely pro-Syrian MPs Adnan Traboulsi (Beirut II/Ahbash)
and Taha Naji (Tripoli/Ahbash), as well as Hassan Mrad (West Bekaa/Indep.) and
Mohamed Yahya (Akkar/Indep.).
The formation of the new group occurs
during ongoing endeavors to elect a new president, with Hezbollah and the Amal
Movement actively advocating for SleimanFrangieh, the leader of the Marada
Movement.
With the Future Movement and Saad Hariri
on the sidelines of the Lebanese political scene, the emergence of the
newly-formed Sunni bloc is important.
A new ‘Consultative Gathering’ group?
“The bloc we have founded today bears no
resemblance to any past experience,” Karameh said in a speech after the
announcement of the new parliamentary bloc.
Karameh was referring to the former
“Consultative Gathering” group, which operated during the previous
parliamentary term and consisted of eight Sunni MPs, including Karameh.
The Consultative Gathering, which had
aimed to establish itself as a Sunni counterbalance to former Prime Minister
Saad Hariri, lacked significant influence. It was largely perceived as being
closely aligned with Hezbollah, serving as an extension of the party’s agenda.
Since his reinstatement as an MP in
November 2022, after the Constitutional Council controversially upheld his
appeal against the invalidation of Rami Fanj’s candidacy, Karameh has been
working diligently to establish a political bloc.
He seeks to play a significant role on
the Sunni scene, taking advantage of his status as heir to a prestigious
political family; his father and uncle — Omar Karameh and Rashid Karameh — both
previously served as prime ministers.
This younger Karameh is now the only
Sunni leader to have a parliamentary bloc, unlike caretaker Prime Minister
Najib Mikati, who also hails from Tripoli.
“Our bloc goes beyond denominations, and
we are in discussions with figures from all communities to get them to join
us,” MP Mohamed Yahya told L’Orient-Le Jour.
However, to assert Sunni leadership on
the Lebanese political scene, the support of Saudi Arabia is crucial. Karameh
is well aware of this.
In his Wednesday speech, he emphasized
Lebanon’s “Arab identity” and its “integration into its Arab environment” at a
time when the region is undergoing a period of détente.
The bloc’s MPs are keen to position
themselves as independent from Hezbollah.
“We are neither in the opposition camp
nor in the government camp,” Karameh said.
No 'provocative' candidacy
The timing of the bloc’s formation of
this bloc cannot be considered separately from the ongoing presidential
election efforts.
“The gateway to all solutions is the
election of a new president of the Republic,” Karameh stressed in his speech.
The country has been without a president
for seven months as the various political stakeholders are unable to reach an
agreement on a candidate.
While Amal and Hezbollah endorse
Frangieh, the opposition camp and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) have agreed
on the candidacy of Jihad Azour, a former finance minister.
Although Karameh is a close friend of
the Frangieh family, he seems to be leaving the door open to a compromise.
“We don’t consider any candidacy to be a
provocation, and we’re waiting until we have the list of all the candidates
before making a decision,” Karameh said.
Source: today.lorientlejour.com
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Cooperation Center: We urge the
international community not to remain silent in the face of the actions of the
Islamic Republic
JUNE 1, 2023
To the brave people of Iran and
Kurdistan who fight for freedom!
To human rights organizations and
international institutions,
The Islamic Republic regime, which has
crumbled under the weight of the popular and revolutionary protests of Jina,
resorts to execution and repression on one hand, and threats of missile and
drone attacks on the other, with the intention of killing Iranian Kurdish
women, children, and refugees who have been living in the Kurdistan region of
Iraq for many years.
We all know that the Women,Life, and
Freedom movement emerged in Kurdistan. As political parties from Iranian
Kurdistan, we have repeatedly emphasized our reliance on the civil and protest
movements of the people, and we have neither engaged in nor supported any
military operations from Iraqi Kurdistan. Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic
regime has targeted us and our camps with missile and drone attacks, showing no
regard for the lives and properties of the people of Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Cooperation Center of the Iranian
Kurdistan’s Political Parties appeals to all international authorities, human
rights organizations, regional and global powers to take a firm stance against
the crimes committed by the Islamic Republic against Iranian Kurdish parties
and refugees, and to implement concrete measures to prevent further atrocities.
We call upon all the people of Iran and Kurdistan, both inside and outside the
country, to respond to any attack by the IRGC with public protests.
Down with the dictatorial regime of the
Islamic Republic!
Long live the unified struggle of the
Iranian people against the regime!
Women, Life, Freedom
CooperationsCenter of Iranian
Kurdistan’s Political Parties
Source: pdki.org
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https://pdki.org/english/cooperation-center-we-urge-the-international-community-not-to-remain-silent-in-the-face-of-the-actions-of-the-islamic-republic/
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Maryland Legislature Funds Pro-Iran
Mosque Entangled in Terror Trials
May 26, 2023
While Iranians continue to take to the
streets, risking their lives in a women-led uprising to topple the Islamic
Republic of Iran, the Maryland General Assembly is set to fund a Potomac-area
mosque once seized by federal authorities for allegedly acting as a "front"
for Iran's tyrannical regime. The Islamic Education Center (IEC) and associated
Alim Academy will receive around $115,000 in grants earmarked for facility
renovations, despite the property belonging to a highly controversial charity
suspected of operating under the ownership and direction of Iranian
authorities.
Part of a 2023 legislative bond
initiative, the funding measure stands as a painful affront to Iranian
dissidents and victims of the regime's atrocities, many who experienced
arbitrary arrests, beatings, and torture, only to encounter the regime's
patronage network at work in the United States.
"As an Iranian-American Marylander,
I have to wonder why the Maryland General Assembly wants to grant funding to an
organization that is openly associated with a regime whose human rights abuse
track record is an abomination," said BanafshehPourzand, whose father, a
political prisoner, film critic, and renowned journalist, died under house
arrest in Iran in what the regime ruled was a suicide.
A "State of Maryland 2023 Bond
Initiative Factsheet," which includes a $75,670 request to IEC for
"kitchen improvement," lists the Alavi Foundation as the owner of the
grantee's property. A separate $40,000 bond initiative was allocated to
building a "playground" at the Alim Academy, IEC's secondary school.
Both projects are sponsored by State Senator Brian Feldman (D-15).
The Alavi Foundation came under scrutiny
from federal authorities in 2009, when U.S. Marshals placed forfeiture notices
on the charity's properties, including a Manhattan skyscraper valued at close
to $1 billion and several pro-regime mosques and Islamic schools around the
country. What followed was a sequence of vigorously litigated cases lasting
more than 13 years and involving hundreds of litigants, sweeping motions, and
years of discovery.
Also at stake was more than $5 billion
dollars in judgments awarded to the victims of Iran-sponsored terrorism, who
stood to collect on civil penalties owed by Iran's government through the
forfeiture of Alavi Foundation properties.
IEC leaders have long maintained that
the mosque's relationship to Alavi is merely that of tenant to landlord. Yet,
from the Islamic center's founding, its leaders and benefactors have been
die-hard Khomeinists, expressing complete loyalty and adoration for Iran's
supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini and promoting the regime's image with
revolutionary zeal.
As a member of the IEC community,
BahramAbolfaziNahidian was instrumental in securing Alavi Foundation funding
for the mosque in 1980. A Washington Post article from the same year claimed
Nahidian was "acknowledged by all as the most prominent supporter in this
country of Khomeini," and the "inspirational force behind the
supporters of the revolution" in the U.S. He offered religious guidance to
a small cadre of African American converts, including Daoud Salahuddin, who
assassinated an Iranian opposition leader living in Bethesda, Maryland, before
escaping to Tehran.
Mohammed Al-Asi reportedly led IEC's
congregation from the mosque's founding in 1981 until 1997. In a 1994 letter
published in the Washington Post, Al-Asi swore "allegiance" to
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the successor to Khomeini in Iran, calling him the
"leader of all Muslims."
That same year, investigative reporter
Steve Emerson released a documentary titled Jihad in America, in which Ali-Asi
is heard agitating for violence at a 1990 conference. "We should be
creating another war front for the Americans in the Muslim world," he
said. "Strike against American interests."
The list of pro-regime IEC leaders
extends to more recent years. A Washington Times article from 2009 documents
the mosque's links to Iranian interests, even after the congregation allegedly
sought to distance itself from foreign politics. The article points to IEC
manager Ali Mohammadi, who denied any connection to Tehran, despite hosting
several meetings between the Iranian-American community and then-Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Iran's Interest Section, which serves as
Tehran's diplomatic mission in the U.S. after the two countries formally cut
ties, organizes pro-regime events with IEC's Iranian Muslim community. From
celebrating the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution at IEC, to holding
an interfaith event with mosque leaders at the National Cathedral, Iranian
officials' involvement with the Potomac center belies a troubling degree of
coordination.
Imam Ahmad Bahraini, the senior cleric
at IEC in more recent years, attended a 2007 event honoring the "demise
anniversary" of the late Ayatollah Khomeini. Sharing the stage with the
head of Iran's Interest Section, Bahraini recited some of Khomeini's poetry and
praised the Islamist revolutionary for "enhancing the dignity of the
Islamic world."
Although Maryland's spending bill
allocated money to the "Islamic Education Center, Inc.," a nonprofit
representing the mosque community, the Alavi Foundation stands to be enriched
as property holders from the state-funded renovations. At the least, this
should have given lawmakers a pause who were familiar with the embattled
charity's legal history.
After a 5-week trial in 2017, a federal
jury found Alavi Foundation properties forfeitable in what was the largest
terrorism-related civil forfeiture in U.S. history. During the trial, federal
prosecutors presented evidence alleging that the Alavi Foundation was under the
direction and control of Tehran.
Originally founded by the Shah of Iran
under a different name, what came to be called the Alavi Foundation was
absorbed along with its properties by Iran's post-revolutionary government. In
1991, Khomeini transferred authority over the foundation to Iran's Ambassador
to the United Nations after ordering several board members to resign.
A letter from Alavi's president at the
time details how he was summoned to the ambassador's office and was told that
"the role of the Managing Director and the role of the Board of Directors
will be just a formality, and that the Ambassador "will be conducting all
of its [the Foundation's] affairs." Notes from one foundation board member
referred to fears that if Alavi's true nature as an Iranian proxy were to be
revealed, it would result in "sure death" to the charity.
"The efforts at concealing assets
did not stop when the lawsuits were filed—they continued with vigor,"
wrote District Judge Katherine Forrest, who presided over the case. In 2010,
Alavi Foundation President FarshidJahedi was sentenced to three months in
prison for destroying typed and handwritten notes of interest to prosecutors.
The jury ultimately determined that
Alavi Foundation properties were subject to forfeiture for violating federal
laws that ban trade with Iran, and for engaging in money laundering to
circumvent those laws. Seventeen percent of IEC in Maryland was awarded to the
federal government, while 83 percent of the property would go to "private
claimants," including families which held judgments against Iran for
terrorism-related offenses.
However, just two years later, the
Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stunning reversal on procedural
grounds. In a 3-0 decision, the court found that Judge Forrest made "a
troubling pattern of errors on relatively straightforward issues."
Ownership of the properties returned to the foundation, and the appeals court
blocked the victims of Iranian terrorist attacks from pursuing certain claims
in a retrial.
The decision was familiar territory for
Stephen Flatow, who lost his daughter Alisa in 1995 from a Palestinian
terrorist attack orchestrated by Iran. Ten years before the federal government
brought its case against the Alavi Foundation, Flatow unsuccessfully sued to
execute a judgment against IEC and other Alavi properties in hopes of
recovering $247 million dollars obtained in a default judgment against Iran.
"As I know from my personal
experience, courts in the United States were reluctant to rely on available
evidence in order to hold the Iranians accountable for the lives they
destroyed," Flatow wrote in an email. "While the appellate court has
dealt the victims a setback, I hope the Department of Justice and the U.S.
Attorney will continue to pursue the Alavi Foundation until the case is
resolved in favor of the victims."
Where does that leave the Maryland
mosque located at 7917 Montrose Road in Potomac? IEC leaders sued the Alavi
Foundation in 2017, claiming to be the rightful owners of the property after
the charity lost its case against the government. The mosque's attorneys
claimed that a $2 million donation, given in 1981 from a prominent Iranian
cleric to the Alavi Foundation and used to complete construction of the Fifth
Avenue building in Manhattan, was actually intended to pay off IEC's debt to
the charity for purchasing the property months earlier.
However, the mosque community was
apparently uninterested in ending its tenant-landlord relationship with the Alavi
Foundation after the appellate court's reversal in 2019. Safe from forfeiture
actions for the time being, IEC chose to place its lawsuit against the
foundation on hold pending further litigation.
For now, IEC remains an Alavi Foundation
property, and the state of Maryland's $115,000 grant to the mosque stands to
raise the property value significantly. Just four years earlier, a similar
disbursement to an accused "alter ego" of the Iranian government may
have been considered material support to a state sponsor of terrorism.
Although Maryland merely dispensed money
to IEC to construct a playground and to update its kitchen appliances, the
state's grant could still be used indirectly to support other causes.
"Money is fungible," the Supreme Court has ruled in cases involving
terror finance. Donating money to an alleged state-controlled charity — even
for the most benign humanitarian purposes – frees up capital for the world's
most prolific state sponsor of terrorism to allocate towards more sinister purposes.
Pourzand, the Maryland resident who
continues to speak out against the Iranian regime that imprisoned her father
for years, hopes the state will keep a watchful eye over its grantee. "As
a Maryland taxpayer, I certainly hope that, at the very least, the funding that
is being offered to this mosque is not only overseen but managed to make sure
that it is spent for exactly the purposes that the grant states it is
for," she said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lockard
did not respond to repeated inquiries about the Southern District of New York's
past or pending litigation against the Alavi Foundation.
Source: meforum.org
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Europe
Civil society leaders label regulator
‘Islamophobic’ over action against controversial mosque
01 June 2023
by Russell Hargrave
Dozens of civil society figures have
protested against the Charity Commission’s decision to impose interim managers
at the Islamic Centre of England.
The regulator appointed managers to take
over the charity last month as part of an ongoing statutory inquiry, saying the
trustees had failed to comply with their legal duties.
In their open letter to the Charity
Commission, the group claimed the regulator’s actions were “politically
motivated” and fitted a pattern of “deliberately harassing and hindering the
work of Muslim-run charities”.
The regulator hit back at its critics,
saying any claims it had acted beyond its power were “misleading”.
The letter is supported by charities
including the Al-Qaem Foundation and Shia Welfare Association, but also
scandal-hit figures such as Chris Williamson, a former Labour MP who was
suspended from the party after questioning its approach to anti-semitism, and
Stephen Sizer, a retired vicar found to have “engaged in anti-semitic
activity”.
It is also signed by Cage, an advocacy
group once heavily criticised by then-London mayor Boris Johnson.
The commission opened its inquiry into
ICE in 2022, saying it was acting after “extensive engagement with the charity
over several years”.
That included an official warning after
two events held at the charity’s premises in 2020 that honoured Major General
Qasem Soleimani, who was subject to UK sanctions.
The regulator said in October last year
that it was also assessing a speech made by SeyedMoosavi, one of the charity’s
trustees, in which he described protesters in Iran as “soldiers of Satan”.
In March, Tom Tugenhadt MP, the security
minister, described ICE as “a vile threat” to the country.
Today’s letter, published by the Islamic
Human Rights Commission, which was itself heavily criticised in a
government-commissioned review of anti-extremism legislation, said: “We believe
that this decision is politically motivated and serves the interests of
Islamophobes who have been targeting this diverse community centre and place of
worship.
“Rather than remaining a neutral
arbitrator and serving to address any genuine shortcomings that may exist, you
have shown a biased approach and used punitive measures that unfairly penalise
Muslim charities.”
The campaigners say the commission
“failed to protect the best interests of a Muslim religious centre and its
congregation” by imposing a manager “who is not from that faith community”.
The letter adds: “It is wholly unfair
that a Muslim charity is treated in this way due to the perception of it not
conforming to Western foreign policy interests.
“Naturally, this behaviour will add to
the chorus of voices accusing the Charity Commission of deliberately harassing
and hindering the work of Muslim-run charities and adds to the litany of
oppressive measures carried out in aid of furthering Islamophobic British state
policies and the agendas of politically motivated and divisive pressure
groups.”
A Charity Commission spokesperson told
Third Sector: “The circumstances in which we can appoint an interim manager to
any charity under inquiry are set out in the Charities Act 2011 and the
commission must determine when it is considered necessary and proportionate. It
is a temporary, protective measure.
“The Charity Commission is an
independent regulator. Any suggestion we have acted beyond our statutory
objectives, functions and obligations as a public body is misleading.”
Source: thirdsector.co.uk
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Police appoint controversial mosque
infiltrator to fight discrimination
THURSDAY, 1 JUNE 2023
The police appointed the man previously
used by municipalities to infiltrate mosques to help tackle racism,
discrimination, and exclusion in the police organization. Mosque administrators
are stunned. Controle Alt Delete, an organization that fights ethnic profiling
and police brutality, broke off its talks with the police over the appointment,
AD reports.
It concerns NajipTuzani, until recently
the director of the research agency NTA. Several municipalities hired his
agency to send undercover people into mosques and talk to attendees to find out
whether they have extremist ideas.
Abdelsadek Maas, chairman of the mosque
umbrella organization SIOHR in The Hague, is astounded that the police
appointed the former NTA director. The NTA conducted its investigations “in
violation of the integrity standards that apply in the sector,” Maas told AD.
“They have had a very disruptive effect on the social cohesion that the
National Police is trying to promote by appointing a program manager,” he wrote
in a letter to the police on behalf of 200 mosques across the country.
According to Maas, the NTA damaged the
relationships of trust within Dutch mosques with its infiltration operations.
“No believer could rule out that the person praying beside them was an
infiltrator. That sowed distrust within mosques, with dire consequences. In
this context, the fact that the NTA researchers used their membership fo the
Muslim community as a cover to enter the mosques is absolutely shocking,” he
said. “While mosque administrators worked constructively with the
municipalities through the front door, they were spied on through the back
door. In our view, this action raises serious questions about Mr. Tuzani’s
ability to contribute to making the police organization safer and more
inclusive.”
The police told AD that they chose
Tuzani because of his knowledge of the police organization and expertise in the
field of diversity and inclusion. Tuzani has “a lot of support from various
networks and communities both inside and outside the organization,” a
spokesperson said. And he achieved “impressive results” over the past two years
while working on a diversity and inclusion program within the Oost-Nederland
police. “For us, his integrity is not in question, nor is his suitability for
this role,” the police spokesperson said.
For Controle Alt Delete, Tuzani’s
appointment was the reason for suspending talks with the police. “The
appointment of the new program manager is a worrying development given his role
at NTA and the secret investigations,” the organization said. “It is
undesirable to appoint the director of a controversial organization against
which there is a lot of resistance from the Islamic communities as program
manager against racism and discrimination within the police. We suspend all
conversations with police officers who fall under his responsibility and
management as long as the director of NTA is working as the program manager.”
Adeel Mahmood of the DENK faction in The
Hague is also against the appointment. “With the appointment of this person as
the discrimination and racism program manager, the police have completely
missed the point. Precisely for such an important position, it is essential
that the person who holds this position does not have a massive cloud of
mistrust above them. We share the concerns of the Islamic community and
institutions in The Hague regarding the NTA investigations. This appointment
shows that the police do not take these concerns seriously.”
Source: nltimes.nl
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https://nltimes.nl/2023/06/01/police-appoint-controversial-mosque-infiltrator-fight-discrimination
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Muslim Council of Britain concerned over
chair of review into Leicester unrest
Callum Parke, PA
01 June, 2023
The Muslim Council of Britain has
expressed “deep concern” over the appointment of the Prime Minister’s Trade
Envoy to Israel as the chair of a review into civil unrest between Muslims and
Hindus in Leicester last year.
Lord Ian Austin has been appointed to
chair the independent review, announced on Friday, into the unrest between
British Pakistani Muslim and Indian Hindu communities that descended into
widespread violence and vandalism, including attacks on places of worship.
He caused controversy in 2021 when he
posted a tweet showing a fake new flavour for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream for
people in Gaza, named “Hamas Terror Misu” after the company announced it would
stop selling its products in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian
territories.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Muslim
Council – an umbrella organisation representing Muslim groups across the
country, said it “expresses deep concern” over Lord Austin’s appointment and
urged the Levelling Up Minister, Michael Gove, to reconsider.
In a statement, it said: “An independent
review is an important step to address and understand the causes of last year’s
unrest.
“However, it is crucial to have an
independent reviewer who is impartial, fair, and capable of gaining the trust
and confidence of all stakeholders.
“The appointment of Lord Austin, given
his divisive record and the serious allegations of Islamophobia against him,
has created deep apprehension among Muslims and other communities in Leicester.
“This casts doubts on his suitability to
oversee a review aimed at building trust and harmony within our communities.
Any such review led by Lord Austin will face questions about its credibility
and legitimacy.
“We call upon the Secretary of State for
Communities, Michael Gove, to reconsider the appointment of Lord Austin and
select an independent reviewer who can command the confidence and support of
the diverse communities in Leicester.
“We urge the government to act swiftly
to ensure that the review is conducted in a manner that reflects the principles
of fairness, justice, and unity that Leicester and its residents deserve.”
He had previously been Labour MP for
Dudley North from 2005 until 2019, sitting as an independent for his last nine
months as MP after resigning from the party due to what he claimed was a
“culture of extremism, antisemitism and intolerance”.
He was nominated for a life peerage in
2020 and still sits as an independent in the House of Lords.
Speaking on Friday, he said: “Acceptance
of each other’s background and beliefs is at the heart of our national
identity.
“Communities living and working together
have formed some of the most vibrant societies across the country and cities
such as Leicester have proud histories of tolerance and diversity.
“This makes the scenes we witnessed in
Leicester last year all the more worrying and it is therefore so important that
we listen to people in Leicester to get to the bottom of what happened and
why.”
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing
and Communities (DLUHC) said that the review will be led by a panel of experts
which once appointed will aim to understand the causes of the unrest and
provide recommendations on how to improve relations between Muslim and Hindu
communities.
The violence, which erupted last
September, was sparked by a cricket match between India and Pakistan.
Officers from across the East and West
Midlands, and horses from Thames Valley, were brought in to help deal with the
unrest, with officers diverted from the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
At least 47 people were arrested.
Responding to the Muslim Council’s
concerns, a DLUHC spokesperson said: “We are confident that this thorough,
independent review will strengthen community cohesion in Leicester – a city
with a proud history of tolerance and diversity.
“The independent panel of experts will
hear from a wide range of people and voices from across the city and beyond, to
get to the bottom of what happened and why.
“We will announce further details about
the review shortly, including the names of the panel members who will support
the chair in this important task.”
Source: irishnews.com
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https://www.irishnews.com/news/uknews/2023/06/01/news/muslim_council_of_britain_concerned_over_chair_of_review_into_leicester_unrest-3318470/
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Leicester riots: Muslim council express
'deep concern' over review leader
Thursday 1 June 2023
The Muslim Council of Britain has
expressed its 'deep concern' over the leader of a review into the Leicester
riots.
It follows the announcement of an
independent review into the unrest in east Leicester during August and
September last year.
Community tensions mainly involving
young men from some Muslim and Hindu communities led to spates of vandalism,
assaults and attacks on places of worship and properties in Leicester.
On Friday 26 May, the Secretary of State
for Communities - Michael Gove - commissioned an independent review.
Lord Ian Austin, a former Minister for
Housing and Planning and former Minister for the West Midlands, has been
appointed as chair of the independent review.
However, the Muslim Council of Britain
(MCB) has expressed 'deep concern' over this appointment.
The MCB said: "It is crucial to
have an independent reviewer who is impartial, fair, and capable of gaining the
trust and confidence of all stakeholders.
"The appointment of Lord Austin,
given his divisive record and the serious allegations of Islamophobia against
him, has created deep apprehension among Muslims and other communities in
Leicester.
"This casts doubts on his
suitability to oversee a review aimed at building trust and harmony within our
communities. Any such review led by Lord Austin will face questions about its
credibility and legitimacy.
"We call upon the Secretary of
State for Communities, Michael Gove, to reconsider the appointment of Lord
Austin and select an independent reviewer who can command the confidence and
support of the diverse communities in Leicester.
"We urge the government to act
swiftly to ensure that the review is conducted in a manner that reflects the
principles of fairness, justice, and unity that Leicester and its residents
deserve.
In response, a DLUHC spokesperson said:
“We are confident that this thorough,
independent review will strengthen community cohesion in Leicester - a city
with a proud history of tolerance and diversity.
“The independent panel of experts will
hear from a wide range of people and voices from across the city and beyond, to
get to the bottom of what happened and why.
“We will announce further details about
the review shortly, including the names of the panel members who will support
the chair in this important task.”
Following his appointment, Lord Ian
Austin said: "Acceptance of each other’s background and beliefs is at the
heart of our national identity.
"Communities living and working
together have formed some of the most vibrant societies across the country and
cities such as Leicester have proud histories of tolerance and diversity.
"This makes the scenes we witnessed
in Leicester last year all the more worrying and it is therefore so important
that we listen to people in Leicester to get to the bottom of what happened and
why."
Source: itv.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.itv.com/news/central/2023-06-01/muslim-council-deeply-concerned-over-leicester-riots-review-leader
--------
Crookes murder probe: Mosque make plea
to end 'senseless violence' after Mohammed Iqbal, 17, stabbed to death
1st Jun 2023
Mohammed Iqbal, who was just 17, was
found seriously injured on the main road through Crookes on Thursday, shortly
after 7pm. The 17-year-old was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead
that evening. Police revealed he died of a single stab wound.
His funeral prayers were held on Monday,
at the Madina Masjid mosque, on Wolseley Road, Sheffield, which has now called
on the community to ‘unite’ and ‘stand together against such acts of violence’.
In a post shared on its Facebook page,
the mosque said: “At the funeral prayer of Mohammed Nasar Iqbal, a young man
who tragically became a victim of knife crime. The atmosphere was filled with
grief as the community gathered to pay their respects.
“The Imams of the Madina Masjid
Sheffield, Imam Naseer ud Deen and ShaykhSadaqat Hussain, delivered deeply
moving addresses, offering heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
“In their impassioned plea to the
community, both the lead Imams Imam Naseer ud Deen and ShaykhSadaqat Hussain
emphasised that 'enough is enough' when it comes to knife and gun crime. He
urged everyone to come together and put an end to this senseless violence that
claims far too many lives.
“Let us unite in response to this call
and stand together against such acts of violence. If anyone wants to come and
talk to the Imam at masjid, please contact us and let’s all help end this
Violence.”
PeshawaGhaffour, of Birkendale Road,
Walkley, has been charged with Mohammed Iqbal’s murder. The 29-year-old, who
appeared before Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Monday, was also charged with
possession of a firearm on arrest, possession of a bladed article, being in
possession of an offensive weapon when in a private place, and assault by
beating.
Two other men have been arrested as part
of the investigation. An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of
possession of a controlled drug, assault and affray. He was later bailed. A
33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and also
bailed.
Police have appealed for anyone with
information, especially those who were in restaurants, takeaway shops and pubs
at the time, or in passing buses, and may have seen something, to get in touch.
You can call South Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote incident number 965 of May
25. Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, or by completing an online
form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
Source: thestar.co.uk
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/crime/crookes-murder-probe-mosque-make-plea-to-end-senseless-violence-after-mohammed-iqbal-17-stabbed-to-death-4165487
--------
Southampton Muslim centre has 84
objections despite existing for years
01-06-23
MORE than 80 people have objected to a
Muslim place of worship with religious leaders saying objectors are "using
any excuse" to divide the community.
Woolston Learning Centre in Victoria
Road has been in operation since 2017 and is used by many as a place to pray
instead of travelling to Medina Mosque.
But dozens of objections have been made
now as leaders have submitted a bid for retrospective planning permission for
the centre. It was formerly an off-licence and does not have planning
permission.
Some residents have said ‘a mosque will
have a negative impact all-round’ – while Muslim leaders say there is nothing
to fear and that it’s ‘a positive addition’ to the area.
Rashidul Islam, secretary of the Muslim
Council in Southampton is under the impression that some residents of Woolston
are ‘using any excuse’ to divide the community – and the truth is, ‘they don’t
want to see a Muslim place of worship’.
Mr Islam said: “It is disappointing to
note a lot of objections which the majority seems to have undertone of fear of
a mosque operating from this site.
“They have used the site for a number of
years and they have had no complaints, no issues with neighbours, parking or
noise.
“Suddenly they have put in an
application for a mosque and all these become factors.
“I have lived most of my life in
Woolston. I still have family who live there and on the whole, it’s a good
place to live – but there is still an element which I believe will use any
excuse to divide the community and make excuses for their actual motives, which
is they don’t want to see a Muslim place of worship.”
Hamza Oztas, a volunteer at the centre
said that the place has never caused any problems and has received ‘widespread
support’.
The applicant, YonusYorulmaz, has had to
apply to Southampton City Council for retrospective planning permission to keep
the centre.
In a consultation sent out to residents,
84 people objected to the site being kept open with 42 in favour.
Despite having been open for six years,
many residents are still concerned about its positioning on Victoria Road.
One said they are ‘aghast’, citing
parking problems and claiming that a ‘mosque will have a negative impact all
round’.
Another said: “A neighbour told me there
was an obstruction on the footpath with crowds of men outside it and it made
her feel very intimidated and scared.
“We should feel safe walking around
Woolston to shop.”
One resident said there is ‘not a demand
for this population’ in Woolston and there are other religious centres ‘already
available elsewhere’ in the city.
They added the centre would not benefit
the greater need of the local community.
However, one 55-year-old Woolston
resident who uses the centre said ‘this is the only religious centre’ to
observe prayers.
He said: “Since the centre has opened, I
don’t need to drive 15 minutes into the city centre, try to find a parking
space, offer prayers – and then drive back another 15 minutes.
“Now, I just walk to the centre to offer
my Friday prayer and quickly go back to my work.
“It is eco-friendly to have a local
prayer space.
“If it is closed that would be a massive
loss of time, energy – and it would not help the environment either.”
Woolston’s Muslim demographic is almost
three times lower than Southampton as a whole, with Muslim people making up
under two per cent of the ward’s population, compared to 5.6 per cent in the
city.
Council planning officers replied to
comments about there being ‘not a demand’ by saying: “The planning assessment
is focused on the land use issues associated with a place of worship/learning
centre.
“This does not include judgements on
faiths or assessment of the type of worship facilities within the community.
“This religious and learning centre
would form part of a wide range of facilities within the district centre to
meet the needs of the community.”
Mr Oztas said that it has received
‘widespread support’ from the local Muslim community and business owners alike.
He said: “The retrospective planning
application submitted by the Woolston Learning Centre, which has been operating
in Woolston for six years, has been met with enthusiasm from residents and
business owners who have expressed their belief that the learning centre should
certainly continue to serve the community as it is a positive addition to the
area and the local economy.”
Mr Oztas also spoke about how the centre
has never caused any problems whatsoever and how it offers a reading class for
children and women, a tea circle – and has raised £100,000 for victims of the
2022 earthquake in Turkey.
Specific objections to the centre include
parking concerns, noise – and the need for more shops.
Mr Islam went on to talk about what can
be done to combat Islamophobia in the city.
He said: “Educate people, allow places
like this to get planning so they can open the door to the public, Muslim and
non-Muslim so they can better educate people.
“The benefit will be immense for the
local business, the local services and the local community.
“I believe the council needs to consider
the application on merit and consider the well-being of the community that
wants this.”
Not everybody in Woolston wants the
centre to close.
Many residents have expressed their
support, citing the fact that the place has been open for six years and never
had any problems.
One resident echoed Mr Islam’s comments
by saying: “Religious centres should not be judged in terms of their faith.
“The centre would be a positive step for
the community, increase the resilience and strength of the community, and
promote inclusivity and diversity in the area.
“It is the only mosque on the eastern
side of the city. It offers opportunities for families, children’s education,
youth programmes, and activities for Muslim ladies.”
Another added: “The re-use of the vacant
building has benefited the local shopping area.
“The centre has operated for many years
without any problems.
“People visit local shops while they
wait for their children and this helps
the local economy and businesses.
“The users are respectful to their
neighbours, shops and residents surrounding it.”
The city council’s planning panel will
decide whether or not the Woolston Learning Centre can stay open on Tuesday.
Source: dailyecho.co.uk
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23562332.southampton-muslim-centre-84-objections-despite-existing-years/
--------
North America
19 US Republican Senators Prepare To
Introduce Bill Sanctioning Islamic Emirate
1 Jun 2023
19 US Republican senators on Wednesday
were preparing to introduce a bill titled the “Taliban Sanctions Act” to impose
sanctions on the Islamic Emirate for “human rights abuses” in Afghanistan.
The bill would block and prohibit all
transactions of property held by the Islamic Emirate, as well as invalidate all
visas or other documentation permitting entry to the US.
The Islamic Emirate “allowed Afghanistan
to once again become a safe-haven for terrorists,” said Sen. Jim Risch.
According to the US Foreign Relations
Committee, the Taliban Sanctions Act includes: “Sanctions relating to support
for terrorism, sanctions relating to human rights abuses, sanctions relating to
drug trafficking," and "support for multilateral sanctions with
respect to the Taliban.”
Political analysts gave various opinions
on the matter.
“The leaders of the interim government
needs to get along with the international community as soon as possible and
take practical steps to fulfill their wishes which is in fact the wishes of the
people of Afghanistan, and they also needs to take practical steps to alleviate
the human rights issues, particularly the rights of women,” said Najib Rahman
Shamal, a political analyst.
“History witnesses that no kind of
political and economic sanctions have impacted the rulers. The political and
economic sanctions impact the nation,” said WaisNaseri, political analyst.
However, the Islamic Emirate said that
the pressure will not bring any good results and that the US should focus on
engagement instead of applying pressure.
“The whole world, particularly the
Americans, should know that imposing pressure will not bring any result. It is
better that they share their proposals through diplomatic and legal channels,”
said Zabiullah Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate’s spokesman.
Earlier, in response to the ban on women
attending university and working for NGOs in Afghanistan, the US State
Department has imposed new visa restrictions on a number of current and former
officials of the Islamic Emirate.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183607
--------
Lack of accessibility to mosque a
‘challenge’ say some Kingston residents
June 1, 2023
The adhan is the universal sign to all
Muslims that it’s time to worship, telling followers of Islam across the world
to make the journey to the mosque to say their prayers. But for some in
Kingston, Ont., like Imaan Javeed, that journey is a little more complicated.
“Going to and from the mosque has been a
challenge.”
The location of Kingston’s only mosque
makes getting there by bus impractical, and forces travelers like Javeed to
look for other alternatives.
“I rely on Ubers or taxis and that can
(be) … I would say on average $24 one way.”
One of the closest bus stops is at
Princess and Sydenham, leaving travelers staring down an almost forty-minute
walk one way.
Countryside district councilor Gary
Oosterhoof says he’s confident a solution can be found.
“In the meantime, there’s a lot of
solutions that we’re looking at. We’re looking at maybe some private taxis,
almost, so that it’s actually more affordable than actually putting a bus.”
Javeed says he wouldn’t mind a private
taxi, an extension of the bus, or a shuttle. He even had another suggestion of
his own.
“Unless they wanna give everybody a
jetpack to get to the mosque – I’ll gladly accept that, by the way,” he joked.
According to a statement from Kingston
Transit, it has consulted with the public about rural transit including easier
access to places of worship. The statement adds that Transit is currently
developing a case to expand service with a final report coming later this year.
Source: globalnews.ca
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://globalnews.ca/news/9740142/kingston-mosque-location-transit-challenge/
--------
CAIR Urges Biden Administration to Act
on Ethiopia Mosque Demolitions
June 1, 2023
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/1/23) – The Council
on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights
and advocacy organization, today called on the Biden administration to take
concrete actions to prevent the government of Ethiopia from demolishing that
nation’s mosques.
The Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs
of the Oromia Regional State said 19 mosques were illegally demolished in
Shaggar City. Two people protesting the demolitions were reportedly killed,
with dozens more injured by police.
SEE: Two killed, dozens injured in
police crackdown against protest by Muslims in Addis Abeba; more than 100
people detained
“Ethiopia has a long tradition of
protecting Muslims and it would be a shame for that noble tradition to be
overshadowed by current events,” said CAIR National Deputy Director Edward
Ahmed Mitchell. “We urge the Biden administration to take appropriate action to
prevent the demolition of Ethiopian houses of worship.”
Mitchell noted that in the early history
of Islam, some of the first Muslims migrated from Arabia to what is now
Ethiopia due to religious persecution in Mecca. They were granted refuge by
that nation’s leader. When the ruler of Ethiopia died, the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) told his companions: “A brother of yours has died; get up and offer the
funeral prayer for him.” Sahih Muslim
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR
esprotegerlaslibertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensióndel Islam, promover la
justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los EstadosUnidos.
Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational
Subscribe to CAIR’s Email List
https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters
Subscribe to CAIR’s Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational
Subscribe to CAIR’s YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/cairtv
Follow CAIR on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cair_national/
Donate to CAIR
https://action.cair.com/a/donate
Do you like reading CAIR press releases
and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of
defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by
making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you
make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable
goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
If you would like to join CAIR’s media
list, please sign up here:
https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters —
For more information, email: info@cair.com, CC ihooper@cair.com
END
Source: cair.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-urges-biden-administration-to-act-on-ethiopia-mosque-demolitions/
--------
Residents Requesting School Holiday for
Islamic Celebration ofEid-al-Fitr
June 1, 2023
By Roman Uschak
BRIDGEWATER, NJ - Followers of the
Islamic faith in the Bridgewater-Raritan community want one of their main
religious holidays added to the annual school calendar.
Several speakers at the May 23 meeting
of the Bridgewater-Raritan board of education requested that the Muslim holiday
Eid, or more specifically Eid-al-Fitr, be officially recognized by the school
system in its future academic calendars. It is the earlier of the two official
holidays that are observed by Islamic followers, celebrated in April and
marking the end of the month of Ramadan.
The latter holiday, Eid al-Adha, takes
place entirely in June, or across June and July.
Annie Qureshi, president of the PTO at
Bradley Gardens School, has three children in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional
School District. She said she had sent an e-mail to administrators some 13
months ago, requesting that Eid-al-Fitr be recognized, but that it had still
not been listed on the board-approved 2023–2024 school calendar.
“It’s not right,” said Qureshi.
She said she was grateful for the April
10 snow day give back for next year, as Eid-al-Fitr will take place on April 10
through April 11 in 2024 – but she also asked what was the reason for denying
Eid as an annual school holiday, and charged that the administration is
"not taking Islam seriously.”
She said she has a petition with over
600 signatures on it that had been sent to the school board by e-mail, “asking
for recognition for our religion.”
Sara Ahmed-Imadi, who has two children in
the district, also said she wants Eid added to the calendar, and to “not (be)
contingent on snow days.” She added that holidays for the Christian, Hindi and
Jewish faiths are already recognized in the Bridgewater-Raritan district, and
she also said that Eid-al-Fitr has been celebrated for years in the South
Brunswick school district where she works, even before she was first employed
there.
“Bridgewater deserves the same
opportunities,” said Ahmed-Imadi.
A third speaker said he supported the
idea of including Eid-al-Fitr in the school calendar.
“Bridgewater is a diverse community,” he
said.
He added that the United States is said
to be “one nation under God,” and that there should be justice and a
celebration of Eid-al-Fitr “for all Muslims.”
The board is expected to look into the
requests for Eid-al-Fitr to be observed as a future school holiday.
Source: tapinto.net
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/bridgewater-slash-raritan/sections/religions-and-spirituality/articles/residents-requesting-school-holiday-for-islamic-celebration-of-eid
--------
Soldiers of End-Times: Assessing the
Military Effectiveness of the Islamic State
01-06-23
In 2014, a whirlwind that swept in from
the desert shocked the world. At the height of its self-proclaimed caliphate,
the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or IS) had captured one-third of
Syria and 40 percent of Iraq.
ISIS caused alarm not just because of
its members' fanaticism and viciousness but also because of their speed in
routing well-equipped conventional armies. In Soldiers of End-Times, Levy
tackles this problem at its sharp edge: whence the source of the Islamic
State's military effectiveness and how was it defeated?
Levy, of the Washington Institute for
Near East Policy, persuasively attributes ISIS's battlefield success to
flexibility and to mastery of regular and irregular warfare (also known as
"hybrid warfare"). "Throughout the war, IS proved adept at
innovation and adaptability, especially in low-tech areas," Levy notes.
For example, its capture of Ramadi in 2015 was preceded by hit-and-run attacks
and assassinations to demoralize Iraqi security forces and pro-government
tribes. Fast, hard-hitting attacks relied on highly motivated troops backed by
ISIS's signature weapon: low-tech but highly effective bomb-laden suicide
vehicles that served as the equivalent of tanks, artillery, and airstrikes.
As ISIS's enemies regrouped, supported
by U.S. airpower, the tide turned. Now on the defensive, ISIS lost most its
territory by the end of 2017. Yet even in defeat, the organization displayed
formidable combat skills. The 2017 battle of Mosul was less Lawrence of Arabia
and more Stalingrad or Iwo Jima, with ISIS forces making grim use of
fortifications and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as they fought to the
death.
The Islamic State's success fits into a
larger context. From the Maccabees to the Viet Cong, aggressive and motivated
irregulars have defeated conventional forces—as long they could shape the
battlefield. Once ISIS decided to hold cities like a regular army, its fate was
sealed—assuming the forces arrayed against it were willing to pay the price.
Yet, Levy points out the drawback of
engaging irregulars like ISIS in conventional combat: bombed-out cities and
massive civilian casualties. Instead, Levy believes that Washington would do
better to provide local forces with high-tech support such as armed drones and
cyberwarfare. Left unanswered is whether military means can really defeat an
insurgency without addressing root causes such as poverty and poor government.
As Soldiers of End-Times demonstrates, these groups may be formidable but not
unbeatable.
Source: meforum.org
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.meforum.org/64474/review-soldiers-of-end-times
--------
Arab World
Tropical Condition of Arabian Sea Not To
Affect Saudi Arabia: National Centre of Meteorology
June 01, 2023
JEDDAH — The National Centre of
Meteorology (NCM) stated that the tropical condition of Arabian Sea would not
affect the air space of Saudi Arabia. “The initial indicators showed that the
Kingdom’s airspace will not be directly affected by the tropical situation,”
the center said.
The NCM’s report is based on numerical
predictions for the possibility of a tropical state forming in the Arabian Sea
during the next week.
The center continues to monitor
developments in the situation, and special reports will be issued, if
necessary, on a timely basis, it said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press
Agency. Tropical climates are hot, humid, and rainy climates found mostly
between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/632980/SAUDI-ARABIA/NCM-Tropical-condition-of-Arabian-Sea-not-to-affect-Saudi-Arabia
--------
Saudi Arabia agrees to give Belize $45m
loan to support healthcare infrastructure
June 01, 2023
BELIZE — Ahmed Al Khateeb, minister of
tourism and chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Fund for
Development (SFD), signed a development loan agreement worth $45 million with
the Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceno, for the construction of a tertiary
hospital in the Belmopan Area Project.
The signing ceremony was attended by
Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations of Belize Anthony Mahler; Minister
of Health and Wellness of Belize Kevin Bernard; Minister of State in the
Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment of Belize Christopher
Coye; Ambassador of Investment in Belize HaisamDiab; Deputy Chief of Mission at
the Saudi Embassy in Mexico Sultan Al-Muzaini; CEO of the Office of the Prime
Minister of Belize Narda Garcia, and officials from both sides.
The agreement is part of the efforts
undertaken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the SFD, to support
sustainable development in developing countries and Small Island Developing
States (SIDS) around the world.
The new 200-bed hospital will be
supplied with state-of-the-art medical equipment, facilities, and integrated
health services, benefitting approximately 200,000 patients annually. Moreover,
the project aims to enhance the capacity of the local healthcare system by
training health cadres and students from the University of Belize.
In addition to helping improve access to
quality healthcare services, the hospital will play a crucial role in
addressing chronic disease management, potentially reducing mortality rates in
the region. The new hospital will also stimulate local economic growth by
helping to create direct and indirect job opportunities within the healthcare
sector, providing a platform for medical education and training and
strengthening Belize's long-term healthcare capacity and resilience. This
project is in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), notably SDG 3, Good Health and Well-being.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Prime
Minister John Briceno stated: “On behalf of the government and people of
Belize, we are most grateful to the government and people of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia for assisting in building a vital tertiary level/teaching
hospital. The concessionary financing, through a loan by the Saudi Development
Fund (SFD), makes the urgent investment in the health sector a reality.”
For his part, SFD Chairman Alkhateeb,
said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to promoting sustainable
socio-economic development in developing nations and Small Island Developing
States, while supporting the journey to achieving the United Nations'
Sustainable Development Goals. Today's agreement signifies an important step in
the development cooperation for both countries. The project to build a tertiary
hospital in Belize will not only empower local communities but also strengthen
the health sector's capacity to cater to the requirements of the capital's
residents and surrounding areas.”
This agreement emphasizes Saudi Arabia’s
commitment to supporting Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to overcome
sustainable development and climate change challenges. The agreement,
furthermore, reaffirms the importance of international cooperation and
solidarity to achieve sustainable development goals and foster economic and
social growth, particularly in SIDS. — SPA
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/632971/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-Arabia-agrees-to-give-Belize-$45m-loan-to-support-healthcare-infrastructure
--------
Crown Prince congratulates Erdogan on
re-election
June 01, 2023
JEDDAH — Crown Prince and Prime Minister
Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his
re-election to a new term during a phone call on Wednesday.
The Crown Prince wished President Erdogan
more success, and the people of Turkey further progress and prosperity.
For his part, President Erdogan thanked
the Crown Prince for his noble feelings. — SPA
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/632970/SAUDI-ARABIA/Crown-Prince-congratulates-Erdogan-on-re-election
--------
Up to SR5 million fine for breaking
postal regulations
June 01, 2023
RIYADH — The Board of Directors of the
Transport General Authority (TGA) has approved the formation of a committee to
examine violations of the Postal Law.
The committee will carry out studies
about 77 violations identified by the authority by classifying them and
determining penalties for violators of the executive regulations of the law.
The law aims to better organize the
service and strengthen the principle of fairness and independence in the postal
sector in the Kingdom. It is in line with activating the role of PTA in
exercising its competencies covered by its oversight and supervisory role to
ensure the quality and efficiency of land, sea and rail transport activities.
The committee will take measures against
violators of the Postal Law, its executive regulations, or licensing
procedures, and will impose penalties contained in the law. The penalties
include a financial fine og not exceeding SR5 million, as well as stopping the
service that is subject to the violation and suspend the license, or part of
it, or prevent its renewal for a period not exceeding three years.
The schedule of violations and penalties
for them were issued according to the decision of the Board of Directors of PTA
on March 22. It includes the classification of all violations, and the minimum
and maximum value of the fine for each violation, and the committee may,
according to its discretion, refer any violation involving an act or procedure
punishable by the law to the authority. The committee enjoys complete
independence in its work and decision-making.
The Postal Law stipulates the necessity
and importance of preserving the rights of beneficiaries and the service
provider and they have recourse to the Board of Grievances in case of
complaints about the committee’s decisions, the authority pointed out.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/632987/SAUDI-ARABIA/Penalties-include-up-to-SR5-million-fine-for-Postal-Law-violations
--------
Saudi FM meets with Russian and Indian
counterparts in Cape Town
June 01, 2023
CAPE TOWN — Saudi Minister of Foreign
Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan met on Thursday with the Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting of Friends
of BRICS Group in Cape Town, South Africa.
During the meeting, the two sides
reviewed aspects of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and
ways to enhance and develop them in all fields. They also discussed
consolidating bilateral and multilateral work regarding many fields of common
interest.
Prince Faisal reiterated the Kingdom's
position in support of all regional and international endeavors to find a
political solution to the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. The two sides also
discussed the key issues raised in the Ministerial Meeting, held under the
slogan "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth,
Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
also met with India's Minister for Foreign Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in
Cape Town on Thursday.
During the talks, the two ministers
reviewed historical and solid relations between the two friendly countries and
peoples and ways to boost and develop them in various areas. They also
discussed enhancing bilateral and multilateral coordination on many regional
and international issues of mutual interest.
The two ministers stressed the
importance of intensifying joint efforts in establishing international peace
and security and enhancing the contribution to achieving sustainable
development goals, as well as exchanging views on topics on the agenda of the
Brics meeting.
The meetings were attended by the
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Multiple International
Affairs, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, Saudi Ambassador to South Africa Sultan
Al-Luyhan Al-Anqari, and Director-General of Prince Faisal's office Abdulrahman
Al-Daoud. — SPA
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/632986/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-FM-meets-with-Russian-and-Indian-counterparts-in-Cape-Town
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‘I’m here to stay,’ Ronaldo speaks out
about continuing in Saudi league
June 01, 2023
RIYADH — Portuguese football legend
Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he will continue as part of Al-Nassr Club
in the Saudi Professional League for the next season despite the end of this
year’s season with no titles for Al-Nassr.
In an interview published on Thursday by
the Saudi Pro League (SPL), Ronaldo said: “I’m happy here and I want to continue
here and I will continue here.”
Since his move to the Saudi league in
January, Cristiano has made headlines with the biggest transfer in the history
of sport. Five months later, Ronaldo ended his first heated season with
Riyadh-based Al Nassr with no titles in a huge blow off to fans.
The club sacked head coach Rudi Garcia
in the middle of the season. The president of the club is facing angry fans who
are calling him to resign and other foreign professionals had a bouncy season
when it came to their performance.
After being silent for almost the whole
season, Ronaldo spoke out his thoughts about the current Saudi season and his
future. “My expectations was different when I came here. To be honest, I expect
to win something this year but things will not always go the way we want or
think.”
“My team improved a lot during the past
five months, and in the whole league all the teams have also improved.” Next
year I’m really positive and confident that things will change and go in a
better way. Let’s believe in that and work on it,” he said in a clear sign that
he will continue to remain with Al-Nassr in the upcoming season.
Speaking about the Saudi Pro league,
Ronaldo said the league is very good and has many competitive teams and many
good Arab players but it has to cash in on many opportunities to grow it more.
“I think they need to improve the infrastructure, and even the referees and the
VAR system can be quicker and I think other small things can be improved. In my
opinion if they — Saudi league officials — continue doing the work they’re
planning to do for the next five years this league can be among the top 5
leagues in the world.”
Ronaldo touched on how his teammates
felt his discipline and hard work. “It’s not by coincidence to play for 20
years in such a high level. It’s not like they say the genetics but the other
factors are important and what you do with your genetics. I think I helped many
players on how they see fitness and the way of life to be a professional
football player.”
On challenges he faced in the Saudi
league, Ronaldo said: “In Europe we train in the morning but here we train in
the afternoon or during night; that’s different. During Ramadan we trained at
10 in the night and it was a strange experience but I like to live these moments.
You learn a lot in a different culture.”
The international soccer star lauded the
Saudi fans, saying they really love football and love to take it as part of
their life. As many big names are expected to come to the Saudi league during
the next season, he welcomed them, saying it will improve the league no matter
who come, big names or young players or even old names.
Describing life in Saudi Arabia, he
spoke highly about the Kingdom and its people. “The Saudis live more in night,
and it is fun and interesting. Riyadh is a beautiful city in the night and
probably it’s one of the best places I’ve seen with high quality restaurants.”
Ronaldo continued: Most nice experience
I had here was when I visited Boulevard World with my family. “So far living
here is a very good experience. My family are happy. Schools for the kids are
really good and the country is building a lot for its future. I like to try
different things and that’s why I am here. The next trip I want to do is
visiting AlUla because I know it’s very beautiful.
He thanked all the fans for supporting
him every year in the pitch and outside. “I will be here as a part of your
culture and I hope I please people with my performance and winning things,”
Ronaldo added.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/632992/SAUDI-ARABIA/Im-here-to-stay-Ronaldo-speaks-out-about-continuing-in-Saudi-league
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South Asia
Kabul Stresses Need for Negotiation with
Tehran Over 1973 Water Treaty
1 Jun 2023
The acting Minister of Energy and Water,
Abdul Latif Mansour, emphasized the need for negotiations to address the issue
of the Helmand water treaty, saying that the issue should not become
politicized.
In an interview with TOLOnews, Mansour
said that any kind of provocative remarks should be avoided.
“As you have referred to, we have
cleared the stance of the ministry in this regard. We are committed to the
standing treaty. Whenever there is a drought or there is any challenge, there
should be a reference to the agreement in which all of the points have been
addressed… the condition of droughts and normal conditions are clearly
mentioned,” he said.
A dispute between Kabul and Tehran has
recently increased.
“We had said before that we are two
Islamic countries and we have relations with each other, religious and cultural
relations. Many of our refugees are there, so we respect all these issues and
do not want a technical issue to become politicized and for there the negative
propaganda between the two countries to rise,” Mansour said.
Analysts suggested that the two sides
should hold negotiations to solve the water issues.
“Iran has problems with regional
countries and Western countries as well as Arabic countries. It knows there will
be a wide conflict that will harm the two countries. It uses some tactics to
control water within where it can or to enforce some of its political and
economic agendas on the Taliban,” said Aziz Maarij, international analyst.
Addressing a ceremony on the 7th
anniversary of the death of former Islamic Emirate leader Mullah Akhtar
Mohammad Mansour, the acting Minister of Foreign Affair Amir Khan Muttaqi said
that the Islamic Emirate is committed to the Helmand water treaty signed in
1973.
Muttaqi said that the recent droughts
should not be ignored, and Kabul expects the Iranian officials to make their
demands based on the treaty.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183606
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Foreign Forces Committed Serious Crimes
in Afghanistan: Sources
June 2, 2023
A senior Taliban official on Thursday
said that international forces had committed serious crimes during their
20-year-long war in Afghanistan.
These remarks came, following a former
Australian soldier lost a defamation case over reports of allegedly killing
Afghan civilians during their prolonged mission in Afghanistan.
A Taliban spokesperson Bilal Karimi said
the incidents involved in the Australian court case were a small part of the
many alleged crimes that took place and that they did not trust any court
globally to follow them up.
In 2018, Ben Roberts-Smith, a former
member of the Australian Elite Special Air Service Regiment, sued three
newspapers for reports alleging him of being involved in the murders of
civilians in Afghanistan.
Mr. Smith did not only deny the
allegations but also launched a multi-million-dollar defamation case in
response.
After two years of proceeding, it was
decided by a court in Australia that the newspaper had proven the bulk of their
allegations to be “substantially true” and dismissed the case against them.
Following the announcement, the
defendants praised the decision and described it as a major victory for free
media in Australia, and justice for those Afghan civilians who have been the
victim of such crimes.
Roberts-Smith had won the Victoria
Cross, the highest military honor for bravely hunting a senior Taliban
commander during his mission in Afghanistan.
Several Australian newspapers reported
that Roberts-Smith had kicked an unarmed Afghan civilian off a cliff and
ordered subordinates to shoot him – which can be considered a clear crime
against humanity committed by the international troops in Afghanistan.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/foreign-forces-committed-serious-crimes-in-afghanistan-sources/
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Afghan Security Forces Kill ISIS
Commander in Eastern Afghanistan
June 2, 2023
Afghan security forces claim to have
killed a senior ISIS commander along with his accomplice in eastern Nangarhar
province on Thursday, state-run Bakhtar news agency reported.
The killed ISIS commander’s name is said
to be ‘Turab’ who was killed during a special operation conducted by the
Taliban security forces.
The operation was conducted on Wednesday
evening in WuchTangi village of Shiwa district in eastern Nangarhar province,
according to Taliban’s provincial officials reported by Bakhtar news agency.
In order to tackle the threats of ISIS
fighters, the Taliban security forces randomly conduct special operations in
areas where insurgents are believed to have hideouts.
Since the return of the Taliban to power
in August 2021, ISIS fighters have claimed responsibility for brutal attacks in
Kabul and other major cities of Afghanistan. Over the past 20 months, ISIS
militants have launched attacks on the Russian Embassy, the Pakistani
Diplomatic Mission and a Chinese-run Hotel which accommodated Chinese nationals
in the heart of Kabul, killing scores of innocent foreign and local civilians.
It is believed that ISIS remains a major
threat to Afghanistan’s de facto regime with no other active group to resist
the ruling regime.
Meanwhile, regional countries, the
Central Asian state, in particular, are concerned about the presence and
expansion of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, which may eventually pose threats
to their security.
Source: khaama.com
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following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/afghan-security-forces-kill-isis-commander-in-eastern-afghanistan/
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Bangladesh bans 1st-class travel for
govt employees
1st June 2023
Dhaka: The Bangladeshi government has
issued a directive banning first-class travel for all government employees till
further notice.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed the
directive in this regard, her Press Wing said in a statement.
To combat the Covid triggered impacts as
well as the global economic crisis, the government adopted the austerity
measures, reportsXinhua news agency.
As part of the multifaceted measures to
rationalise government expenditure, Bangladesh in November last year banned
foreign travels of all public employees until further notice.
However, in March this year some of the
restrictions on expenditure were relaxed.
Source: siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/bangladesh-bans-1st-class-travel-for-govt-employees-2603972/
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Pakistan
Govt toughens stance on isolated Imran,
but leaves room for dialogue
June 2, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday
went after PTI chief Imran Khan with all guns blazing, accusing him of
everything — from maligning law enforcement agencies to abandoning his workers
high and dry in the face of legal action following the incidents of May 9.
One government minister termed the PTI
chief a bigger threat than Indian PM Narendra Modi, while another advised him
to approach Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directly, if he was indeed serious
about talks with the government.
Taking to Twitter, PM Shehbaz said that
Mr Khan could go to any extent to divert attention from his culpability in the
tragic events of May 9.
“Make no mistake about the evil intent
behind Imran Niazi’s latest ploy to defame our law enforcement agencies and
police. Yet again, he is making misleading and baseless allegations of the
“rights abuses” just to distract attention for his culpability in the tragic
events of May 9,” the prime minister said in a tweet, adding: “I am not
surprised by his antics”.
He said that someone who could
persistently use foul language against the state institutions, incite people to
violence and attack the state symbols and military installations, and bring
down martyrs’ monuments, was capable of going to any extreme.
The prime minister said that Mr Khan
presided over a disinformation apparatus that deployed fake news methodically
to fool people. “Everything about him is hate, division and lie,” he remarked.
‘More dangerous than Modi’
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif
called Mr Khan “an internal enemy”, claiming that he was more dangerous than
the Indian prime minister.
“People have so far not identified the
internal enemy (Imran Khan) who is more dangerous than the enemy in front of
you,” he said during an appearance on the Geo News programme Capital Talk,
adding that people were not aware of the real face of Imran Khan.
Calling what happened on May 9 a
“mutiny”, he said that internal enemies were posing a threat to the country’s unity
and security.
Separately, Interior Minister Rana
Sanaullah advised the PTI chief to directly approach Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif if he was serious about dialogue.
Serious about talks
In an interview with Voice of America
(VOA), he extended the assurance that the prime minister will respond
positively if Mr Khan made such an overture.
He regretted that the PTI chief would
constitute a negotiation team for talks, but was averse to sitting with
political leaders himself.
Mr Sanaullah said the government
believed that the time was not right for talks with the PTI, as it may draw a
negative reaction from the families of martyrs, whose sentiments were hurt by
the events of May 9.
Despite this, he said, a positive
response would be given to any move towards dialogue.
On a question regarding trying Imran
Khan in a military court, he said that the acts of violence that transpired on
May 9 were committed under his directions.
The minister claimed that some
equipment, including laptops containing sensitive information, were either
stolen or set on fire during the storming of the Corps Commander residence in
Lahore, leading to the destruction of significant information. He said that it
was the Pakistan Army which would recover these items.
Mr Sanaullah said that those found to be
involved in theft have to be tried under the Army Act, asking why Mr Khan
should not be dealt with under the same law.
He also said that any ‘king’s party’ was
free to contest the election, as it would grab its own votes and would not disturb
the PML-N’s vote bank.
Blaming workers and leaders
Minister for Information and
Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb also broadsided Mr Khan on Thursday, saying
that his BBC interview was “a true reflection… of a duplicitous and false
character.”
Commenting on Imran’s contradictory
claims in the interview, she tweeted that in one sentence, he said there would
be a reaction if he was jailed. Then, in the next breath, he blamed the party’s
workers and leaders for the events of May 9.
“From ‘one page’ to ‘I was powerless’,
from ‘US brought down my government’ to ‘Mohsin Naqvi brought down my
government’, the liar has now finally put the debris of May 9 on his party
workers and leaders,” she said.
In a separate press conference, she said
that while PM Shehbaz had worked to stabilise the economy, the former ruler had
only sowed the seeds of hatred, chaos and anarchy to train armed groups, which
resulted in the May 9 tragedy.
“We have inherited a ruined economy from
the previous government of PTI, which left the country at verge of default due
to its inefficiency and incompetence,” she said.
The prime minister, she said, had
started consultations related to the budget with the departments concerned and
he had formed two sub-committees regarding agriculture.
“The economy cannot be switched on or
switched off,” she said, adding it took time to improve economic indicators.“
Source: dawn.com
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following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1757427/govt-toughens-stance-on-isolated-imran-but-leaves-room-for-dialogue
--------
Lahore court extends Imran’s bail in 3
cases linked to May 9 violence
June 2, 2023
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore
on Friday extended PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s bail in cases linked to May 9
violence, including the vandalism of Jinnah House and Askari Tower.
At least eight people were killed and as
many as 290 were injured on May 9 after the PTI chief was arrested by the
National Accountability Bureau in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The protesters had
also stormed the residence of the corps commander in Lahore — also called
Jinnah House — and tore down a gate of General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Subsequently, over 1,900 enraged
protesters were rounded up in running battles with law enforcers across the country.
Cases were also registered against Imran and his party workers.
On May 19, Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar had
granted bail to the former prime minister in the three cases till June 2,
subject to furnishing surety bonds of Rs100,000 each.
At the outset of the hearing today, the
judge directed Imran to come to the rostrum. “I was told the reasons why you
are not joining the probe … but now you have to become a part of the
investigation,” he stressed.
For his part, Imran told the judge that
there were threats to his life.
At that, PTI chief’s lawyer Salman
Safdar said that Imran was ready to join the probe but requested that all the
cases should be fixed for hearing on the same day. “I will complete the
arguments in all three cases,” he assured the court.
Safdar further requested that all the
cases be fixed for hearing on June 20, promising that Imran would join the
probe the day court issued the order.
Subsequently, Judge Buttar allowed Imran
to leave and extended his bail.
LHC extends Imran’s bail in Zille Shah
murder case
After the ATC, the PTI chief also
appeared before the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the hearing on his bail
petition in a case linked to concealing facts and evidence about the death of a
PTI worker, Zille Shah, in a road accident.
Imran arrived at the court amid tight
security. A video posted on PTI’s official Twitter account showed his vehicle
surrounded by a huge contingent of security personnel outside the LHC.
Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun heard the
case and extended his bail till June 6 as the former prime minister joined the
probe and recorded his statement with the police.
Earlier, the LHC had granted Imran bail
in the case till June 2.
During the brief hearing, the judge
asked the investigating officer (IO) if Imran had been made a part of the
investigations into the murder to which the latter replied that the PTI chief
had not yet joined the probe.
The court then ordered the IO to record
Imran’s statement after the hearing. “Ask him whatever questions you want to,”
Justice Pannun said.
Here, the government’s counsel said that
the statement could not be recorded in the presence of the petitioner’s
lawyers.
“Will you answer the questions they ask
you?” the judge asked Imran. The PTI chief responded by saying: “Yes, I am
absolutely ready.”
Subsequently, the court extended Imran’s
bail till June 6.
Following the proceedings, the
ex-premier joined the probe and recorded his statement with the police.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1757487/lahore-court-extends-imrans-bail-in-3-cases-linked-to-may-9-violence
--------
Imran levelling baseless allegations to
divert attention from May 9 events: PM
June 02, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
on Thursday said that Imran Khan Niazi could go to any extreme to defame the
law enforcement agencies and to distract attention from his culpability in the
tragic events of May 09.
“Make no mistake about the evil intent
behind Imran Niazi’s latest ploy to defame our law enforcement agencies and
police. Yet again, he is making misleading and baseless allegations of the
rights abuses just to distract attention for his culpability in the tragic
events of May 9,” the prime minister on Twitter said, adding that he was not
surprised by Imran’s antics.
Shehbaz said that someone who could
persistently use foul language against the state institutions, incite people to
violence and attack the state symbols and military installations, and bring
down martyrs’ monuments, was capable of going to any extreme. The prime
minister said that Imran Niazi presided over a disinformation apparatus that
deployed fake news methodically to fool the people. “Everything about him is
hate, division and lie,” he said.
Meanwhile, the prime minister Thursday directed
the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman to completely stop the illegal sale
of cigarettes and tobacco products.
While talking to a delegation of
Pakistan Tobacco Company here, the PM said steps should be taken on an
emergency basis against the illegal sale of cigarettes and tobacco products. He
also ordered the installation of a track and trace system in all the cigarette
factories in the country by July 15. He said the smuggling of cigarettes should
be stopped, adding nobody would be allowed to cause loss to the national
exchequer. He said strict action should be taken against those involved in
selling of smuggled cigarettes and tobacco or those products on which taxes
were evaded.
Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Adviser
to the PM Ahad Cheema, FBR chairman and high-ranking officials attended the
meeting. Also, the prime minister Thursday said Pakistan considered Japan as an
important partner for its progress and prosperity and Japanese companies should
avail the immense opportunities for investment in Pakistan.
The PM was speaking to President Toyota
Asia YoshikiKonishi and Chief Executive Officer of Indus Motors Ali Asghar
Jamali who called on him here.
Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Mitsuhiro
Wada, Vice Chairman Toyota Indus Motors Shinji Yanagi, Minister for Finance
Ishaq Dar, Minister for Industries and Production Makhdum Murtaza Mehmood,
Adviser to PM Ahad Cheema, Special Assistants to PM Jehanzeb Khan and Tariq
Bajwa and high-ranking officials attended the meeting. In a briefing, the prime
minister was told that Toyota Indus Motors for the first time established a
unit for the production of hybrid vehicles in Pakistan with an investment of
$100 million.
PM Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the project
of Toyota to produce hybrid vehicles in Pakistan. The Japanese ambassador said
leading Japanese companies were desirous of further investment in Pakistan.
During the briefing, the PM was told that in the current year from July, Toyota
Indus Motors would start export of spare parts of vehicles and these exports
would make Pakistan a part of the global supply chain.
The prime minister said exports of spare
parts should be enhanced by taking benefit of the capacity of engineering
sector in the country. He said it should be ensured that the spare parts for
the vehicles to be sold in Pakistan should be manufactured locally. The
participants of the meeting lauded the prime minister for his government’s
business-friendly policies.
On the other hand, the Foreign Office
said Thursday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the inauguration
ceremony of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on June 3. The
prime minister is paying the visit at the invitation of President Erdogan, who
was re-elected to his office on May 28. “The prime minister’s visit will be a
reaffirmation of the deep-rooted fraternal ties between Pakistan and Turkiye,”
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a weekly press
briefing.
The FO spokesperson said the prime
minister would convey warm felicitations on behalf of the government and people
of Pakistan to President Erdogan. The prime minister would also extend an
invitation to President Erdogan to attend the 7th Meeting of the High-Level
Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) in Islamabad, shesaid.Baloch said Minister
of State (MoS) for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar will undertake official
visits to Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium from June 5-13. “The MoS will
hold meetings at the ministerial level to discuss political engagement and
cooperation in development, trade and climate change,” she said.
Also, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on
Thursday here separately held meetings with members of National Assembly,
including Ali Musa Gilani, Riazul Haq and Khalid Javed Warraich.During the
meetings, the legislators discussed with the prime minister problems related to
their constituencies, development projects and the political situation in the
country.Special Assistant to the prime minister AttaullahTarar was present in
the meeting.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1076114-imran-levelling-baseless-allegations-to-divert-attention-from-may-9-events-pm
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Govt should consult SC on reforms bill:
CJP
June 02, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan
Umer Ata Bandial Thursday observed that the government should take the
judiciary on board while legislating on its administrative affairs.This
observation from the country’s top judge came during the hearing of petitions
challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 after the
attorney general informed the apex court that the government was reviewing the
overlapping of some sections of both the legislations.
The chief justice headed the
eight-member bench comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar,
Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha
Malik, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed.
Last month, the government had enacted
the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) ACT 2023 aimed at curtailing the
powers of the chief justice of exercising the original jurisdiction of suo motu
under Article 184(3) of the Constitution as well as constitution of the
benches. The bench suspended the bill on April 13 before it was enacted.
However, on April 21, the bill became a law despite that its implementation had
been halted by the court.
On Thursday, the bench resumed the
proceedings but adjourned the hearing to next week.Attorney General Mansoor
Awan told the court that the government had enacted two laws including the
Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 and the Supreme Court (Review
of judgments and orders) Act 2023. He submitted that both the laws had
similarities in the sections of review and hiring a lawyer.
Referring to the Supreme Court (Practice
and Procedure) Act 2023, he said the law was more extensive and included
provisions related to the internal affairs of the court. Therefore, he
submitted that it was necessary to decide which of the two legislations could
be relied upon. The AG submitted that the advice of the judiciary was not taken
in the legislation pertaining to its administrative affairs and now amendments
would be made to the law with the consultation of the apex court.
The chief justice appreciated the
government’s move for reviewing the overlapping of sections of both the
legislations saying as long as the government adopted the process of
consultation, there would be no distress. The chief justice said they wanted
that there should be harmony and matters should be resolve through mutual
consultations.
“If there is any matter pertaining to
the administrative affairs of the judiciary, then we want that our consent must
be taken for avoiding any distress,” the chief justice told attorney general.Referring
to the constitution of full court for hearing the matter, the attorney general
said Barrister Salahuddin was in the court who could argue as well. At this,
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar told him that arguments on the full court would be
unjustified and an unnecessary practice when matters were being sorted out
through consultation.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar further
asked the attorney general whether the government was also reviewing the clause
in Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 whereby a three-member
committee, comprising chief justice and two senior most judges of the Supreme
Court, would decide about the cases to be taken up through the suo motu
jurisdiction under Article 184(3) of the Constitution and constitution of bench
for it. The attorney general, however, replied in the negative but submitted
that if the court considered, it could be referred to the Parliament. At this,
the chief justice observed that they would not do so adding that if they did,
it would be considered their opinion.
“But there is another way that we should
continue our own work while you should correct the errors you have made and
let’s see who is fast,” the chief justice told attorney general in a lighter
vein.
At the outset of hearing, Imtiaz
Siddiqui, counsel for one of the petitioners, recalled that in the last
hearing, the court had sought the record of parliamentary proceedings and
debate on the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) bill from the attorney
general. At this, the chief justice said that they came through media reports
that the Parliament had refused to provide the record.The chief justice said
the court had got that record from the website of Parliament.
“They are so kind that they did not
delete the record from their website”, the CJP remarked with a smiling face.
Later, the court directed the attorney
general to seek further instructions from the government and adjourned the
matter to next week without mentioning the date but added that an appropriate
order would be passed on the matter on Thursday’s proceedings.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid
(PML-Q) Thursday requested the Supreme Court to dismiss the petitions,
challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023. In its concise
statement, the PML-Q submitted that the Act 2023 was constitutional and will
only serve to promote the independence of judiciary, rule of law, the right to
access to justice and fair trial as guaranteed in the Constitution.
The PML Q submitted that pursuant to
Article 191, the Parliament clearly had the right to legislate on matters
pertaining to the practice and procedure of the SC adding that the Parliament
also had the right to enact the subject legislation and had done so strictly in
accordance with the law and the Constitution.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1076123-govt-should-consult-sc-on-reforms-bill-cjp
--------
Southeast Asia
Malaysia Announced Best Muslim-Friendly
Destination by Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
02-06- 2023
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia was announced the
‘Best Muslim-Friendly Destination’ by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) and the ‘Best Muslim Women-Friendly Destination’ by CrescentRating and
Mastercard at the Halal in Travel Awards held in Singapore yesterday.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk
Seri Tiong King Sing said it was also confirmed at the event that Malaysia has
retained the top position in the ‘Best Muslim-Friendly Destination’ chart in
the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2023 report.
Tiong said the achievement further
strengthens Malaysia’s position and branding as a leader in the Muslim Tourism
and Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) segments at the regional and
international level.
“Muslims are now a fast-growing segment
of the tourism industry and the Muslim population is estimated to have reached
two billion worldwide.
“The recovery rate of Islamic tourism at
the global level has also been encouraging when 110 million Muslim tourist
arrivals were recorded last year,” he said in a statement yesterday.
“It was also a proud achievement for
Malaysia when it managed to attract 2.12 million Muslim tourists to the country
last year and their total expenditure was RM5.37 billion,“ he said.
Tiong said local entrepreneurs and
industry players are encouraged to offer Muslim-friendly hospitality services
as an added value in expanding the Islamic tourism industry in the country.
He urged them to attend courses and
programmes under the ITC, including the Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide (MFTG)
course which is opened to licenced local tour guides and the Muslim-Friendly
Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) programme which
provides business development opportunities through the fast growing Islamic
tourism sector. – Bernama
Source: thesundaily.my
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following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/malaysia-announced-best-muslim-friendly-destination-by-oic-NF11055392
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DPM Fadillah: CPTPP a new phase in
Malaysia-UK bilateral relations
02-06- 2023
LONDON: The United Kingdom’s (UK)
accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP) expected in a few months will set the stage for a new phase
in Malaysia and United Kingdom bilateral relations, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk
Seri FadillahYusof said.
The UK has joined the 11-member CPTPP
trade bloc after two years of negotiations.
“This is an opportunity to open the
doors for better growth and access to new markets.”
“We are looking at the UK having a trade
deal with Malaysia for the first time, reducing the red tape as businesses
enjoy operating on a par with local firms and cutting off tariffs on goods
exports, providing businesses with much greater access to new markets,” he said
at the UK-Malaysia High Level Dinner here yesterday.
It was reported that the trade pact
offers British consumers and businesses access to one of the largest free trade
areas by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at about US$13.5 trillion and a market of
500 million people.
Also present were British Minister of
State in the Department for Business and Trade Lord Dominic Johnson, Malaysian
High Commissioner DatukZakriJaafar, Members of the House of Lords and Members
of Parliament.
Fadillah, who is also the Minister of
Plantations and Commodities, said it is to the great credit of UK Ministers and
their negotiating team that they committed to CPTPP with an open and ambitious
spirit.
He said that among the key negotiating
points was an agreement to reduce import tariffs on exports of Malaysian palm
oil.
“The tariff reductions on palm oil are a
standard element for CPTPP countries – and I can assure you that the UK has
secured significant market access provisions in return.”
It is to be noted that the UK is the
first and only European nation to have the vision and commitment to join the
CPTPP -- the world’s largest-ever free trade agreement.
“That is a bold statement about your
commitment to the Indo-Pacific: the region that will define global security and
economic competition in the 21st century,” Fadillah stressed.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that
besides increasing trade, CPTPP drives forward a broader policy agenda, namely
addressing climate change in a practical, realistic manner and reducing poverty
and eliminating hunger and managing unprecedented technological advances and
addressing shared challenges on security.
“The UK adds significant weight to this
ambitious agenda, and we look forward to working with you to achieve these
objectives,” he added.
Bilateral trade between Malaysia and the
UK reached over US$7.3 billion in 2022, with the UK recording a trade surplus
of some US$786 million.
For 2023, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board
anticipates palm oil exports to increase by 3.7 per cent to 16.3 million
tonnes. – Bernama
Source: thesundaily.my
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https://www.thesundaily.my/local/dpm-fadillah-cptpp-a-new-phase-in-malaysia-uk-bilateral-relations-GF11054839
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Muslim travel interest on the rise again
1 June, 2023
Muslim travellers looking to visit
Muslim heritage sites and hidden gems as well as experience the culture and
lifestyle of local Muslims are seeing renewed interest post-lockdown.
This observation was shared by
panellists speaking in a forum titled, The Future of Muslim Travel: Are
Destinations Engaging Enough on the second day of the Halal in Travel Global
Summit.
RiyantoSofyan, chairman, Sofyan
Corporation in Indonesia, shared that community-based tourism products in
Indonesia, such as homestays, have become increasingly popular with longhaul
Muslim travellers, particularly those from the US and the UK, who wish to
experience the Islamic way of life in Indonesian villages.
He noted that social media and digital
marketing have helped to convey such experiences to longhaul markets.
Previously, these experiences were traditionally more popular among Muslim
travellers from Singapore and Malaysia.
Lee JianXuan, area director, Malaysia,
Thailand and Brunei at Singapore Tourism Board, said Muslim travellers from
Malaysia and Brunei are keen to learn about Malay history and heritage in
Singapore, which is easily accessible by visiting Kampong Glam and the Malay
Heritage Centre, as well as the Peranakan Museum on Armenian Street.
Abdul Maalik Tailor, CEO of Halal
Tourism Britain, which specialises in halal travel and Muslim heritage of
Britain, shared that Muslim visitors to the UK show interest in learning more
about Muslim culture and visiting Muslim heritage sites outside of London. He
added that some Muslim visitors would combine visiting the UK and France into
one trip, with the focus on trips to Muslim heritage sites.
Despite the renewed interest, the
panellists agree that the basics of Muslim travel, such as prayer facilities
and the ease of access to halal and Muslim-friendly food, are still paramount
in attracting the Muslim traveller.
Source: ttgasia.com
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https://www.ttgasia.com/2023/06/01/muslim-travel-interest-on-the-rise-again/
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NGO shares new Muslim's struggle to
regain custody of daughter
FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2023
Editor's note: The real names of the
former couple engaged in the custody battle cannot be revealed due to legal
reasons.
No distance is too far for NANH, an
Orang Asli woman who converted to Islam, to regain custody of her daughter from
her non-Muslim former husband.
The 35-year-old has to travel more than
300km from her home in Besut, Terengganu, to undergo the court proceedings in
Kuantan, Pahang.
NANH was initially unrepresented as she
had no resources to engage legal help until the YY Community Centre took note
of her plight and offered to step in.
Besides engaging three lawyers to help
NANH, the NGO also embarked on a fundraising campaign to fund her legal battle,
said its founder YuseriYusoff.
Recently, a video clip of the
nine-year-old girl in tears as she was reluctant to be separated from NANH went
viral on social media. The girl cannot be named as she is underage.
This came after the Kuantan High Court
issued a habeas corpus order for the girl to be handed to RM, the girl's
non-Muslim father, on May 25.
NANH and RM, both from the Orang Asli
community in Rompin, got divorced in 2018. Following their split, NANH lodged a
police report alleging that her ex-husband neglected their daughter. The case
is still under investigation.
NANH embraced Islam after the divorce
and married a Muslim man. Despite her "new life", NANH's battle for
her daughter is ongoing.
Funds for lawyers
According to Yuseri (above), just five
days after its launch, the funds to help NANH have totalled RM73,830, upon
which it was stopped.
"The collected monies have been
channelled to the lawyers representing NANH, and it is expected to be enough to
fund the case proceedings up until the higher court levels."
Yuseri expressed concern that the girl
may not be brought up according to the Islamic way of life and lamented that
the welfare of a mualaf (a person who has just converted to Islam) is not taken
care of.
"When the Orang Asli convert to
Islam, the religious authorities do not look after their welfare.
"NANH had even previously
approached many NGOs but she was turned away, saying that they had no
allocations," he said.
Help started flooding in after the video
of the distraught mother-daughter interaction went viral on social media, he
added. – Mkini
Source: malaysiakini.com
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following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/667205
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/rss-bhagwat-bharat-muslims/d/129909