Obituary: Margaret Thatcher
BBC: Margaret Thatcher, who has died following a stroke, was one of the most influential political figures of the 20th Century.

Her legacy had a profound effect upon the policies of her successors, both Conservative and Labour, while her radical and sometimes confrontational approach defined her 11-year period at No 10.

Her term in office saw thousands of ordinary voters gaining a stake in society, buying their council houses and eagerly snapping up shares in the newly privatised industries such as British Gas and BT.

But her rejection of consensus politics made her a divisive figure and opposition to her policies and her style of government led eventually to rebellion inside her party and unrest on the streets.

Father's influence

Margaret Hilda Thatcher was born on 13 October 1925 in Grantham, Lincolnshire, the daughter of Alfred Roberts, a grocer, and his wife, Beatrice.

Her father, a Methodist lay preacher and local councillor, had an immense influence on her life and the policies she would adopt.

"Well, of course, I just owe almost everything to my own father. I really do," she said later. "He brought me up to believe all the things that I do believe."

She studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, and became only the third female president of the Oxford University Conservative Association.

After graduating she moved to Colchester where she worked for a plastics company and became involved with the local Conservative Party organisation.

In 1949, she was adopted as the prospective Conservative candidate for the seat of Dartford in Kent which she fought, unsuccessfully, in the 1950 and 1951 general elections. (+ video) » | Monday, April 08, 2013

BBC: Baroness Thatcher: Life at No 10: Margaret Thatcher was the UK's first female prime minister. She served three consecutive terms in office, and her ideology continues to have a huge influence in British politics today. ¶ Following the announcement of her death, take a look back at the life of the Conservative leader whose policies and personality divided opinion. (+ video) » | Monday, April 08, 2013

Margaret Thatcher Dies: Reaction in Quotes
BBC: Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet Leader: Our first meeting in 1984 marked the beginning of a relationship that was difficult sometimes, not always smooth, but serious and responsible from both sides. Gradually, human relations developed as well, they became more and more friendly. Eventually we were able to reach mutual understanding, and this contributed to changes in atmosphere between our country and the West, and to the end of the Cold War. Margaret Thatcher was a great politician. She will remain in our memory and in history. Read all the reactions » | Monday, April 08, 2013

Punjab, Convert to Islam or Die: The 20 Year Long Nightmare of a Christian Family
ASIANEWS.it: Since the late 1980s Sadiq Masih Zafar and his family have been living under the constant threat of Islamist groups. In 1998, his daughter was kidnapped and seriously injured. Today her sister is being threatened with a similar fate. Despite reporting these threats, the police has never intervened. Lahore Priest: extremists enjoy impunity.

Islamabad (AsiaNews) - For more than 20 years, a Pakistani Christian family has been living in a constant state of fear, the victim of threats from extremist groups and under constant pressure from the radical fringe to convert to Islam. A tragic story in a country increasingly hostage to the Islamists, in which young people prefer Sharia law and the military to the democratic model proposed by the West and branded as "corrupt." In recent times, threats and pressures against the Zafar family have increased. And the father has been forced to lock one of his daughters indoors for fear she will become a victim of kidnapping, as was the case in 1998 when her older sister was abducted and subjected to torture.

Sadiq Masih Zafar, born in Muridke, a town in the district of Shaikhupur, in the province of Punjab, was appointed to oversee the construction of a church between 1988 and 1989, by the Lahore Church Council that had previously purchased the land. Since then Islamic extremist groups have showered him with threats and injunctions, ordered him to stop building places of worship and convert - with his family members - to Islam.

In 1990, a raid of fanatics led to the demolition of the structure and the confiscation of the land. In the context of the assault, the Islamists also violently attacked Zafar and some relatives[.] His reporting of the incident to police proved futile, who closed the case without proceeding to any investigation. A similar result, a few months later, when the man filed a complaint against the daily threats of fundamentalists who want him to convert to Islam. » | Jibran Khan | AsiaNews | Monday, April 08, 2013

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Anti-Islam Pastor Plans to Burn 2,998 Korans to Mark 12th Anniversary of 9/11 – And He Explains It

THE BLAZE: Anti-Islam advocate and faith leader Terry Jones is upping the ante on his attacks on the Muslim faith. Rather than burning a Koran to mark the 12th anniversary of 9/11, Jones has another plan: He’s going to torch 2,998 copies of the book.

Yes, you read that correctly.

According to a press release put out by the pastor’s organization, Stand Up America!, on Sept. 11, 2013, Jones and his followers will “send Islam a very clear warning,” as he plans to hold an “International Burning of 2,998 Korans.” And in a conversation with TheBlaze, he said he’s planning on gathering the books from around the world.

This number wasn’t chosen without reason, as it is the figure Jones gives for the Americans who were killed during the nation’s most horrific terror attack.

“The radical hand of Islam shows itself with violence against anyone who dares to stand up and speak the truth. We at Stand Up America will not back down. We will not be silent,” the release reads. » | Billy Hallowell | Monday, April 08, 2013

Nachruf: Eine englische Revolutionärin

DIE PRESSE: Margaret Thatcher veränderte ihr Land radikal – und die Welt dazu.

London. In der Öffentlichkeit war sie nach einer Serie kleiner Schlaganfälle schon lange kaum mehr zu sehen gewesen, doch im gesellschaftlichen Bewusstsein ist sie bis heute omnipräsent: Kein Politiker der Nachkriegsgeneration hat Großbritannien so geprägt wie die nun im 88. Lebensjahr verstorbene Margaret Thatcher. Als erste weibliche Premierministerin des Vereinigten Königreichs schrieb sie Geschichte.

Das Land, das Thatcher 1979 übernahm, kennt man heute (fast) nur mehr aus sozialkritischen Filmen. Drei Jahre zuvor musste der Internationale Währungsfonds die einstige Weltmacht vor dem Staatsbankrott retten. Im „winter of discontent“ 1978/79 brachten Streiks der allmächtigen Gewerkschaften das Land an den Rand des Zusammenbruchs. Die Welle des Missbehagens trug die weitgehend unterschätzte Thatcher ins Amt des Premierminsters, das sie elf Jahre innehaben sollte.

Es waren ausgerechnet die Sowjets, die früh den wahren Charakter der konservativen Politikerin erkannten. Als Thatcher 1976 eindringlich vor dem Streben des kommunistischen Moskaus nach der Weltherrschaft warnte, verlieh ihr die Armeezeitung Krasnaja Swesda den Beinamen „Eiserne Lady“. Thatcher hat die Bezeichnung zeit ihres Lebens als Ehrennamen getragen. In Ronald Reagan, der 1980 US-Präsident wurde, fand sie einen kongenialen Partner. Beiden wird ein beachtlicher Anteil am Fall des Eisernen Vorhangs zugeschrieben. Die deutsche Wiedervereinigung aber bereitete ihr, wie Helmut Kohl bis heute klagt, tiefes Unbehagen. » | Gabriel Rath | Korrespondent der Presse | Montag, 08. April 2013

Margaret Thatcher Dead At 87 - "The Iron Lady" - Stuart Varney

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Dies After Suffering Stroke

Read the FOX NEWS article here

Ed Klein on 'The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House' (May 2012)
Ed Klein talks to Bill Whittle about his book "The Amateur" which chronicles the incompetence of Barack Obama. According to Klein, Bill Clinton encouraged Hillary to run against Obama in the 2012 primaries. Clinton called Obama an "amateur" and scoffed at the notion of loyalty in politics. Did the Obama campaign try to bribe Reverend Wright? Hear what Ed Klein thinks.

Edward Klein: The Amateur »

Edward Klein »

Zum Tod von Margaret Thatcher: Die Eiserne

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Margaret Thatcher war eine der Großen des 20. Jahrhunderts: Sie wurde als Totengräberin des Sozialstaats gehasst - und als Mutter des modernen Großbritannien gefeiert. Im Alter von 87 Jahren ist die Eiserne Lady gestorben.

Zu ihrem 85. Geburtstag war Margaret Thatcher im Oktober 2010 noch einmal in ihre alte Wirkungsstätte in der Downing Street Nummer Zehn eingeladen. Der neue konservative Premierminister David Cameronschmiss eine Party für die alte Dame. Versammelt war alles, was je bei den Tories Rang und Namen hatte - sie wollten die Übermutter der Nation feiern. Doch die Jubilarin musste absagen: Sie hatte Grippe. Ihre letzten Jahre verbrachte sie zurückgezogen, immer wieder musste sie ins Krankenhaus. Am Montag starb sie nun im Alter von 87 Jahren an den Folgen eines Schlaganfalls.

Wie sehr Margaret Thatcher ihre Umwelt beeindruckt hat, zeigen die vielen Spitznamen, die ihr im Laufe der Zeit verliehen wurden. "Englands bester Mann", wurde sie von US-Präsident Ronald Reagan, ihrem transatlantischen Bruder im Geiste, getauft. Und Frankreichs Präsident François Mitterrand schwärmte, sie habe "die Augen von Caligula und den Mund von Marilyn Monroe".

Ihren markantesten Titel aber, "Eiserne Lady", bekam sie 1976 vom Feind verpasst - von der sowjetischen Armeezeitung "Roter Stern", nachdem die Oppositionsführerin Thatcher in einer Rede gedonnert hatte: "Die Russen streben nach der Weltherrschaft." » | Von Carsten Volkery, London | Montag, 08. April 2013

Margaret Thatcher Dies: How Britain Will Remember Its First Female Prime Minister
Biographer Penny Junor says Margaret Thatcher "came to politics for all the right reasons" and "had real conviction about what she wanted to do".

Lady Thatcher: 'The Prime Minister That Changed the World' - Video Obituary
Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin and the late Labour pollster Philip Gould look back at the life and legacy of Margaret Thatcher. On becoming Britain's first female prime minister in 1979, she promised harmony – but became one of the most divisive figures in postwar politics

THE GUARDIAN: Obituary: A Political Phenomenon »

Margaret Thatcher Dies of Stroke Aged 87
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Baroness Thatcher, Britain's greatest post-war prime minister, has died at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke, her family has announced.


Her son, Sir Mark, and daughter Carol confirmed that she died this morning.

Lord Bell, her spokesman, said: "It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning.A further statement will be made later."

Known as the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher governed Britain from 1979 to 1990. She will go down in history not only as Britain's first female prime minister, but as the woman who transformed Britain's economy in addition to being a formidable rival on the international stage.

Lady Thatcher was the only British prime minister to leave behind a set of ideas about the role of the state which other leaders and nations strove to copy and apply.

Many features of the modern globalised economy - monetarism, privatisation, deregulation, small government, lower taxes and free trade - were all promoted as a result of policies she employed to reverse Britain’s economic decline. » | Gordon Rayner and Steven Swinford | Monday, April 08, 2013

Lindsay Sandiford: British Grandmother Set to Face Firing Squad after Bali Appeal Fails
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Lindsay Sandiford, the 56-year-old British grandmother facing the death sentence in Indonesia for drug trafficking, has had her appeal rejected by a court in Bali.

A spokesman announced that the high court has upheld the sentence and that Sandiford will remain scheduled to face a firing squad.

She now has 14 days to appeal to the national Supreme Court.

Sandiford, from Redcar in Teesside, was accused of being at the centre of a drug ring involving three other Britons. She insisted she was set up and was forced by a gang to smuggle drugs to protect her children.

Britain expressed "disappointment" at the failure of Sandiford's appeal and criticised the decision to apply the death penalty. However, Sandiford failed in a legal bid earlier this year to force the British government to provide legal assistance for her appeal.

"We are disappointed to hear Lindsay Sandiford's appeal has been refused by the High Court in Bali," said a spokesman for the British embassy in Jakarta.

"The UK strongly opposes the death penalty and has repeatedly made representations to the Indonesian government on this matter. We will continue to provide consular assistance to her at this difficult time." » | Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney | Monday, April 08, 2013

Gaza Police 'Are Shaving Long Hair'

THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH: Police in Hamas-ruled Gaza have started grabbing young men with long or gel-styled spiky hair off the streets, bundling them into jeeps and shaving their heads, two of those targeted have said. It is the latest sign that the Islamic militants are imposing their strict practices on the population.

Hamas has been slowly forcing its fundamentalist interpretation of the religion on already conservative Gaza since it overran the territory in 2007. But the new crackdown on long hair and tight or low-waist trousers - in several cases accompanied by beatings - appears to be one of the most aggressive phases of the campaign so far.

The crackdown began last week, and two of those targeted said they were rounded up in separate sweeps in Gaza City that included more than two dozen young men.

House painter Ayman al-Sayed, 19, had shoulder-length hair before police grabbed him and shaved his head on Thursday. "The only thing I want to do is leave this country," said the teenager, who despite his ordeal defiantly wore stylish but outlawed narrow-leg tan khakis on Sunday.

"I am scared. They just take you from the street without reason. I don't know what they are going to do next." » | Monday, April 08, 2013

King of Spain Is Now 'Less Popular Than Tax Inspectors'

THE INDEPENDENT: King Juan Carlos is now less popular among his subjects than Spain’s tax inspectors, according to a poll in El Pais.

The King’s standing has plummeted as his family has been drawn into a corruption and money-laundering scandal linked to his son-in-law, the Duke of Palma, yet the survey was conducted before his youngest daughter, Cristina, received a court summons last week in connection with the case. » | Alasdair Fotheringham | Madrid | Sunday, April 07, 2013

Aufruf an Rebellen: Qaida-Chef fordert islamisches Syrien
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der Chef von al-Qaida ruft die Aufständischen dazu auf, in Syrien einen islamischen Staat zu schaffen. Die Scharia solle nach dem Sturz Baschar al-Assads das herrschende System werden, heißt es in einer Botschaft.

Hamburg - Der Chef des Terrornetzwerks al-Qaida, Aiman al-Sawahiri, hat die Aufständischen in Syrien dazu aufgefordert, einen islamischen Staat zu schaffen. "Führt euren Kampf im Namen Allahs und mit dem Ziel der Schaffung von Allahs Scharia als herrschendes System", heißt es in der am Sonntag auf islamistischen Websites verbreiteten Botschaft. Der "Feind" sei kurz vor dem Fall, sagte Sawahiri in Bezug auf Syriens Präsidenten Baschar al-Assad, dessen Truppen seit fast zwei Jahren gegen Aufständische kämpfen.

Es handelt sich um die erste Audiobotschafts al-Sawahiris im Internet seit November. Darin warnt er auch Frankreich wegen dessen Vorgehen gegen Islamisten im westafrikanischen Mali. Sollten die Franzosen ihren im Januar begonnenen Einsatz dort fortsetzen, würden sie das gleiche Schicksal wie die USA im Irak und in Afghanistan erleiden, drohte Sawahiri. Nach der Tötung von Osama Bin Laden durch ein US-Spezialkommando im Mai 2011 gilt Sawahiri als neuer Chef des Terrornetzwerks. » | dba/AFP/dpa | Sonntag, 07. April 2013

Violence Breaks Out in Cairo after Coptic Funerals
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Violent clashes have erupted outside a Cairo cathedral after a Coptic funeral march came under attack, leaving one dead and at least 66 people injured.


Earlier in the day, hundreds of mourners had gathered to mark the death of four Coptic Christians killed in sectarian clashes on Friday night.

The emotional memorial service turned into a protest against President Mohamned Morsi's Islamist-led government, whom mourners accused of failing to protect Egypt's Coptic community.

Crowds chanted "Egypt is our country and we will not leave it" and "the blood of Christians is not cheap. Morsi, you villain".

After the mourners left St Mark's Cathedral in Cairo's Abbiseya district, local residents are reported to have pelted attendees with stones. Members of the predominantly Coptic crowd responded in kind, and gunfire was exchanged outside the cathedral grounds.

As night fell, crowds traded rock fire and molotov cocktails with Copts gathered inside the grounds of the building. The gates to the compound remained shut, opening only to ambulances and those who could prove their Coptic identity by flashing crucifix tattoos at the gatesmen. » | Louise Loveluck | Sunday, April 07, 2013

Eurozone Faces New Challenge as Portugal Blocks Cuts
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The eurozone crisis threatens to flare up again this week after Portugal's constitutional court blocked the country's planned austerity programme.

The single currency bloc has already been destabilised by Cyprus and now faces fresh uncertainty if Lisbon cannot find new savings to meet the conditions of its €78bn (£66bn) bail-out.

Pedro Passos Coelho, Portugal’s prime minister, said last night that the rejection posed “serious obstacles and risks” to Portugal’s progress in meeting its bail-out commitments, but that it would “do everything to avoid a second rescue”.

“The government is committed to all the objectives of the programme,” he said. Luis Marques Guedes, secretary of state for cabinet matters, said at the weekend: "The constitutional court's decision places serious difficulties on the country to comply with the goals and budget targets it has to meet. The government doesn't agree with the interpretation of the constitution."

The court ruled that planned cuts in salaries to state workers and payments to pensioners were in breach of the constitution. The measures were expected to save as much as €1.3bn annually, a large slice of the €5bn of fiscal consolidation planned for this year. Mr Passos Coelho said that he had asked ministries to slash spending in order to avoid further tax rises. » | Philip Aldrick, Economics editor | Sunday, April 07, 2013

Young Muslim Became a Christian Pastor...Testimony

Afshin Ziafat »

Pat Condell: I'm Offended by Islam

Pat Condell: Pigs Will Fly

Robert Spencer and David Wood on the International Push for Blasphemy Laws

HT: Robert @ Jihad Watch »

Muslims Trying Hard to Spread Islam in the West: Let's Talk Live with Malik: Defending Islam Featuring Dr. Haitham Al-Haddad and Pierre Vogel

Saudis Crack Down on Foreign Workers in Bid to Boost Job Prospects for Locals
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Shops and schools are being ‘raided’ in Saudi Arabia in a country-wide crackdown on illegal immigrants.

Expatriate workers have been left ‘hiding in fear’ as the Saudi government targets companies with foreigners, seeking to deport those with invalid working visas.

The crackdown has forced the indefinite closing of more than 250 schools and ‘thousands’ of convenience stores across the country, as these are staffed mostly by immigrants.

More than 8 million people make up Saudi Arabia’s foreign workforce, a quarter of whom are suspected of working under invalid sponsorship, and could be removed in such inspections.

The country has long been dependent on a large foreign workforce, but the Ministry of Labour has been attempting to implement a ‘Saudisation’ program since 2011 to boost employment of locals.

Recent figures suggest that more than 12% of Saudi citizens are without a job, and with an estimated £4.8bn being sent out of Saudi Arabia each year in remittances, the government is now moving to keep as much of this as possible within the confines of the country. » | Matthew Murphy | Saturday, April 06, 2013

Inside Britain's Sharia Courts
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: A new documentary that goes undercover in Britain's Islamic courts reveals the shocking discrimination some women are suffering

In a terraced house in East London, just a stone’s throw from the glittering stadiums of the Olympic Park, a handful of people wait in a small reception room. A young Asian woman and her mother hitch their scarves over their heads while a Somali couple stare at the floor.

This is Leyton Islamic Sharia Council, the oldest and most active such council in the country where scholars hear about 50 cases a month, most of them marital disputes. Nine out of 10 cases are brought by women because, in an Islamic marriage, it is far easier for a man to divorce; the only way for a woman is through one of these Sharia councils. No one knows how many there are in Britain today, in mosques and in houses – one report estimates at least 85. Although they cannot enforce their judgments, these councils control the lives of many Muslim women who may only have had a religious marriage. Even if they had a civil marriage too, some feel the need for a Sharia divorce as a way of moving on with their lives and finding a sense of resolution.

A sign outside one of the rooms says “Arbitration”. Inside it looks like a court, a wall lined with religious books and a raised dais for the judge. The tension in here crackles as a couple, who do not want to be identified, argue in front of Leyton’s most senior Islamic scholar, Dr Suhaib Hasan, an elderly man with a white beard wearing long robes.

They have been coming here for a year now. The woman accuses her husband of refusing to work, ignoring the children and verbally abusing her, all of which he vehemently denies. When he is ordered to leave for a moment, she breaks down in tears. “I hate him, he has ruined my life,” she cries. “I cannot bear to even look at him.”

Dr Hasan’s face is impassive as he tells her to give her husband one more month to try and reconcile, with the help of Allah. The woman sobs as she begs him to grant the divorce as she only had a religious marriage and her fate is in the council’s hands. » | Jane Corbin | Sunday, April 07, 2013

Pastor Rick Warren's Son Matthew Commits Suicide
Best-selling author, faith leader releases public letter about his family's tragedy.

Watch More News Videos at ABC | Technology News | Celebrity News

«Das Feuer wird auf die Türkei übergreifen»
TAGES ANZEIGER: Sollte seine Regierung stürzen, käme es in Nahost zu einem Flächenbrand, sagte der syrische Präsident Assad in einem TV-Interview. Gleichzeitig greift er den türkischen Regierungschef und die Arabische Liga an.

Der syrische Präsident Bashar al-Assad hat in einem Interview mit türkischen Medien vor einem Flächenbrand in Nahost gewarnt, sollte seine Regierung stürzen. Die Folge einer solchen Machtübernahme durch «Terroristen» wäre ein «Domino-Effekt», der die gesamte Region «für viele Jahre, sogar Jahrzehnte» destabilisieren würde, sagte Assad in dem am Freitag von der syrischen Präsidentschaft auf ihrer Seite beim Online-Netzwerk Facebook veröffentlichten Gespräch mit dem TV-Sender Ulusal und der Zeitung Aydinlik.

Den türkischen Regierungschef Recep Tayyip Erdogan kritisierte Assad scharf. Erdogan habe seit dem «Beginn der Krise in Syrien» vor rund zwei Jahren «nicht ein einziges Wort der Wahrheit gesprochen». «Das Feuer wird auf die Türkei übergreifen, leider sieht er (Erdogan) nicht die Realität hier.» » | chk/AFP | Samstag, 06. April 2013

Things You Dont Know About: Adolf Hitler | History Channel Documentary

Australia Gets First Muslim Woman MP
ON ISLAM: SYDNEY – Making history in the multicultural country, a Pakistani-origin Muslim has been appointed as the first Muslim woman in the Australian parliament, breaking new grounds for politics in Australia.

"We do need a spectrum of diverse politicians in Australian parliaments who can represent our communities,” Mehreen Faruqi told 9MSN News on Sunday, April 7.

"It shows the world that we really value multiculturalism.” » | OnIslam & News Agencies | Sunday, April 07, 2013

BBC: The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler

Documentary: Hitler’s Escape
According the official public record, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his underground bunker as allied troops stormed Berlin at the end of World War II. But no one actually saw him die. No body was ever produced. No photographs were ever taken. Some believe Hitler managed to escape, and for years there were sightings of the former dictator in many parts of the world. Then, in the 1990s the Russians revealed secret evidence taken from Hitler's bunker decades earlier that they said proved he had died there. Among the evidence is a piece of skull, but the testing results were startling.

Revealed: Hitler in Argentina
Highlight Films presents: Revealed, a new documentary film in production following the theory of Hitler's escape to Argentina.

In 1945, the world was convinced that Adolf Hitler and his mistress Eva Braun had committed suicide in a Berlin bunker, though this theory lacked proper documentation and evidence. It wasn't long until flaws in the theory surfaced. As further historical research was conducted, rumors began to circulate that challenged the suicide theory with claims of Hitler's escape to Argentina - particularly with news of sightings of German U-boats off the Argentinean coast.

Yet, it wasn't until the recent declassification of certain documents by the Argentinean government and the FBI concerning the post-WWII era that researchers began to take the rumors seriously. Revealed will examine the declassified reports and eyewitness accounts of Hitler's life in Argentina in order to recreate the dictator's final years. In spite of the intense secrecy under which he lived, many saw and even worked for Hitler. Revealed will present the disturbing possibility that one of the world's most evil men was allowed to live out his final years in utter tranquility.


Highlight Films: Revealed: Hitler in Argentina »

Saudi Arabia Backs Push to Carve Out Liberated Southern Syria
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Saudi Arabia is backing a push by Syrian opposition rebels to carve out a "liberated" area in southern Syria, opening a key route of attack on Damascus.

The Kingdom is working with American intelligence officials in Jordan to help build a strong rebel force in southern Syria that can fight to seize control of Damascus, and offer a 'west friendly' counterweight to the proliferating hardline Islamist rebel groups, high level Syrian opposition sources and eyewitnesses have told the Daily Telegraph.

"Saudi Arabia is supporting groups here that are not religious extremists.

Americans are supervising the flow of arms and the Saudis pay for them," said a rebel who called himself Ahmed Masri speaking to the Daily Telegraph from the southern city of Deraa.

Saudi Arabia is also said to be supporting a US-led programme to train Syrian rebel fighters in Jordan. A well-placed opposition lobbyist based in Jordan told the Daily Telegraph that "the Americans are doing the training, but Saudi is paying the money for it".

Those receiving training are mainly moderate Sunni Muslim tribesmen from central and southern Syria, many of whom have served in the Syrian army.

Many are chosen by local opposition military councils established in southern Syria.

"They are asking us to take part in a 15-day training programme," said one Syrian fighter in Jordan speaking on the condition of anonymity. » | Ruth Sherlock, Magdy Samaan and Suha Maayeh in Amman | Friday, April 05, 2013

Lecture on Muhammad Kicks Off Islamic Awareness Month
THE HARVARD CRIMSON: In celebration of its annual Islamic Awareness Month, the Harvard Islamic Society kicked off a series of events this week in order to bring attention to Islamic issues and the Muslim community at Harvard.

“We want to present this sense that Islamic values are very much a part of American life,” said Hassaan Shahawy ’16, who is HIS’s Director of Islamic Learning. “We have events that show that it’s not as dual as we think. It’s not Islam versus the West, Islam versus science. The misperception is that the two are at odds with each other.”

The festivities began Monday night with a talk entitled “What Muhammad Stood for,” presented by Lesley Hazleton, author of The First Muslim: The Story of Muhammad and veteran TED speaker. Hazleton spoke about Muhammad’s radical advocacy of social justice and the factors that led to Muhammad’s role as a prophet. » | Bharath Venkatesh, Contributing Writer | Friday, April 05, 2013

Syria Says Jordan 'Playing with Fire' over Assistance to Rebels
THE GUARDIAN: Jordan tightens security along Syrian border as tensions soar amid reports of arms shipments to anti-Assad forces

Jordan is facing mounting tension with neighbouring Syria amid signs that it has moved to a more active role in support of the rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's government.

The border between the countries was reinforced on the Jordanian side on Thursday after Syrian state media warned the western-backed kingdom it was "playing with fire" and poised "on the edge of a volcano" by backing the opposition.

Recent weeks have seen a spate of reports about arms shipments from Jordan to anti-Assad rebels who have been making gains around Deraa, the Syrian city closest to the border. Opposition sources say the military situation reflects enhanced supplies and training.

Barack Obama discussed the crisis with King Abdullah II in Amman on his Middle East tour last month. Jordan was the only Arab state the US president visited – an indication of the pressure the king is under to be more supportive of the Gulf-driven effort to drive Assad from power. » | Ian Black, Middle East editor | Friday, April 05, 2013

Middle East Will Be Unstable for Decades If Rebels Win in Syria, Says Assad
THE GUARDIAN: Syrian leader warns of domino effect and accuses Arab neighbours of sheltering rebels who seek to overthrow him


The Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has warned that the Middle East faces being destabilised for decades if rebel forces battling to overthrow him succeed.

Assad, locked in a two-year conflict he says has been fuelled by his regional enemies, also criticised Turkey's "foolish and immature" leaders and accused Arab neighbours of arming and sheltering rebel fighters.

"If the unrest in Syria leads to the partitioning of the country, or if the terrorist forces take control … the situation will inevitably spill over into neighbouring countries and create a domino effect throughout the Middle East and beyond," he said in an interview with Turkish television.

Turmoil would spread "east, west, north and south. This will lead to a state of instability for years and maybe decades to come," Assad said in the interview, posted by the Syrian presidency on the internet. » | Staff and agencies | Saturday, April 06, 2013

Muslim Converts to Christianity and Exposes the Evils of the Cult of Islam

Converts to Islam: I Love the Prophet

Ex-Christian Abdullah Drury Convert to Islam in New Zealand

Ex-Christian Baptist Minister Convert to Islam & Worship True God –‘TheDeenShow’

Zionist Jew Converts to Islam

Antisemitisches Interview sorgt für Skandal
DIE PRESSE: Polen: Politologe sagt, „Juden seien blind vor Hass“.

Warschau/Ag. Antisemitische Aussagen eines hochrangigen Politologie-Professors sorgen derzeit in Polen für Empörung: Krzysztof Jasiewicz von der Staatlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften PAN erklärte in der neuesten Ausgabe der Zeitschrift „Focus Historia Ekstra“ unter anderem, Juden seien gegenüber anderen Ethnien in Europa „blind vor Hass und dem Drang nach Rache“. Das Interview trägt – mit Bezug auf den Holocaust – die Überschrift: „Sind die Juden selbst schuld?“ » | Die Presse | Freitag, 05. April 2013

A Global Look at Gay Rights: 'The Fight Against Discrimination Must Go On'
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: In a SPIEGEL ONLINE interview, Boris Dittrich, head of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy at Human Rights Watch, discusses the current debates on same-sex marriage in Europe and the United States and virulent homophobia in Russia and Uganda.

Boris Dittrich, the 57-year-old advocacy director for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights program at Human Rights Watch in New York, has been involved in policies boosting the standing of same-sex relationships since early on in his political career. As a member of parliament in the Netherlands for more than 12 years, he was not only one of the first openly gay men to serve in office, but also the person responsible for legislation that made Holland the first country in the world to introduce full-fledged same-sex marriage.

Dittrich's work on human rights has taken him to many corners of the world, including Russia, which has been plagued by institutionalized homophobia and violence against gay men and lesbian women over the past decade, and countries in Eastern Europe that have failed to develop the progressive policies seen in many Western European countries. Dittrich recently announced he would relocate from New York to Berlin, the city from which he will base his advocacy work on behalf of LGBT issues beginning in May.

SPIEGEL ONLINE recently caught up with Dittrich and discussed anti-gay legislation heading toward approval in Russian parliament, protests over the French government's efforts to elevate same-sex marriage to the same status as heterosexual pairings and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's own opposition to calls for similar action in her country. » | Friday, April 05, 2013

North Korea: We Can't Keep You Safe, Pyongyang Tells Foreign Embassies
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: North Korea has taken a further step to prepare for possible conflict, telling foreign embassies that their safety could not be guaranteed in the event of war.

The foreign ministry on Friday gave ambassadors in Pyongyang until Wednesday to say if they needed help with closing their missions and evacuating staff.

Britain responded by saying there was "no immediate" plan to shut its embassy in North Korea.

The significance of next Wednesday is unclear, although it has also been mentioned as a date for the possible closure of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a facility inside the North where South Korean companies employ 53,000 people.

Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, has sparked a regional crisis by testing a nuclear weapon and then revoking the armistice with South Korea and threatening immediate attack. » | Malcolm Moore, Beijing, Julian Ryall in Tokyo and David Blair | Friday, April 05, 2013

Islam in Germany: SPD Candidate Backs Muslim-Friendly Gym Class
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: When it comes to the integration of Germany's Muslim minority, the center-left Social Democrats tend to be much less hard-line than Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives. But on Wednesday evening, SPD chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrück may have gone a step too far when he waded into what in the past has been a hornet's nest of controversy in Germany. He expressed support for physical education classes in German schools to be divided by gender.

"If schools are able to do it, then they should," Steinbrück said in response to a question from the audience during a campaign appearance in Berlin. A Reuters reporter noted that the comment was greeted with silence. Steinbrück then added that the step should be taken "out of consideration for religious convictions."

Not surprisingly, critique from Merkel's Christian Democrats was immediate. Barbara John, formerly in charge of integration issues for the city-state of Berlin, told the newspaper Bild that the debate was antiquated and that "children and parents have to get used to the fact that genders here grow up together and live with the same rights."

She was seconded by Serkan Tören, a member of the federal parliament with the Free Democrats, Merkel's junior coalition partner. Tören, himself from Turkey, told the tabloid that "dividing boys and girls is akin to dividing society. Splitting classes by gender is also the wrong signal to send when it comes to integrating Muslims in Germany." » | Charles Hawley | Friday, April 05, 2013

Social-Media-Revolte in Saudi-Arabien: "Twitter ist jetzt unser Parlament"

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Das Smartphone ist immer dabei: Saudi-Arabien gilt als das Twitter-verrückteste Land der Welt. Selbst bisherige Tabuthemen wie Frauenrechte und die Rolle der Sittenpolizei werden heftig diskutiert. Die Herrscher in Riad reagieren immer nervöser.

Berlin - Saudi-Arabiens Großmufti hat eine neue Bedrohung für das islamische Königreich ausgemacht. "Twitter ist zu einem Sammelplatz für jeden Clown und Verführer geworden, der die Menschen korrumpieren will mit unmoralischen, falschen Tweets!", wetterte Abdul-Asis al-Scheich nach einem Bericht der regierungsnahen saudischen Zeitung "Al-Watan".

Prompt schlug der höchsten religiösen Autorität Saudi-Arabiens Widerspruch entgegen - natürlich per Tweet. "Auf diesem Sammelplatz tummeln sich auch einige der hochrangigsten islamischen Gelehrten", stellte etwa ein User klar.

Tatsächlich scheint inzwischen halb Saudi-Arabien auf Twitter unterwegs - inklusive Mitglieder der Königsfamilie und einige der bekanntesten konservativen Prediger. Kein Land der Welt sei so Twitter-verrückt wie der Golfstaat, heißt es in einer Analyse der Londoner Beratungsfirma Trendstream. Auf das Gadget-affine Saudi-Arabien kommen bei 28 Millionen Einwohnern über 33 Millionen Smartphones.

"Twitter ist jetzt unser Parlament", sagte der 30-jährige saudische Aktivist Mohammad al-Ojaimi der Autorin einer kürzlich veröffentlichten Studieüber Saudi-Arabiens 20- bis 30-Jährige. Im realen Leben werden in der absoluten Monarchie Menschenversammlungen sofort aufgelöst. Doch nun diskutieren Millionen Saudis miteinander auf Twitter, meist mit ihren Klarnamen, und schrecken dabei auch vor heiklen Themen nicht zurück: » | Von Raniah Salloum | Freitag, 05. April 2013

South Korea 'Deploys Warships to Track North Missiles'
BBC: South Korea has deployed two warships with missile-defence systems in response to North Korea moving missiles to its east coast.

The dispute over its nuclear weapons programme has seen Pyongyang ramp up its rhetoric and make specific threats to target US territory.

Lucy Williamson reports from Seoul. Watch BBC video » | Friday, April 05, 2013

Europe: Mosque Building Shifts into High Gear
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: "In Spain there are signs that Islam will dominate once again." — Hizrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Spiritual Leader, Ahmadiyya Community, Spain

From Belgium to Greece and Spain to Germany, 2013 is shaping up to be another banner year for the construction of mosques in Europe.

In Belgium, work is about to begin on the construction of a mega-mosque in Liège, the third-largest city in the country. The largest mosque in Wallonia (the French-speaking region of Belgium) will be built on an 11,000 m² (118,000 ft²) plot and will consist of a main building with a capacity for 1,000 worshippers, a library, a cafeteria and several shops.

Plans to build two 30 m (98 ft) minarets were scrapped after opposition from local residents. The new plan involves one 18 m (60 ft) minaret which will be automatically illuminated during calls to prayer.

The mayor of Liège, Willy Demeyer (PS), banned a protest march against the mosque that was to have been held on March 30. "My role is to avoid excesses and problems of public order," he said.

In Germany, Muslims in the northern city of Hamburg are converting the former Kapernaumkirche (Capernaum Church), a cultural heritage site, into a mosque.

In the southern German city of Munich, local politicians are debating where to build a massive mosque complex known as the Center for Islam in Europe-Munich (ZIE-M). The 6,000 m² (65,000 ft²) mega-project, which will cost an estimated €40 million ($51 million), is designed to be a key strategic platform for spreading Islam throughout Europe.

Speculation is rife that the Persian Gulf Emirate of Qatar will pay for the project, although the Qatari Ambassador to Germany recently told the newspaper Münchner Merkur that no final decision has been made. » | Soeren Kern | Friday, April 05, 2013

Neue Uno-Zahlen: Ein Viertel aller Syrer sind auf der Flucht

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die Uno meldet erschreckende Zahlen: Wegen des Bürgerkriegs in Syrien mussten schon vier Millionen Menschen ihr Zuhause verlassen. Hinzu kommen etwa 1,2 Millionen, die ins Ausland geflohen sind.

Damaskus - Nach zwei Jahren Bürgerkrieg in Syrien ist nach neuen Schätzungen der Vereinten Nationen rund ein Viertel der Bevölkerung auf der Flucht. Allein innerhalb des Landes gebe es derzeit rund vier Millionen Betroffene, erklärte eine Sprecherin des Uno-Flüchtlingshilfswerks (UNHCR). Hinzu kommen etwa 1,2 Millionen Syrer, die angesichts der anhaltenden Gewalt ins benachbarte Ausland geflohen sind. » | heb/AFP/Reuters | Donnerstag, 04. April 2013

What Threat Does North Korea Pose to South and United States?
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Chief foreign correspondent David Blair analyses the "real threat" posed by North Korea to the South and the United States.


Read the short article here | Thursday, April 04, 2013

Aisha Gaddafi Interview (English Subtitles)

Atheist Converts to Islam: London Olympics - July 2012

Gewalt im Namen Allahs und des Islam: ZDF Reportage

Friedrich will Salafisten ausweisen. Razzien, Festnahmen, Verbote. Etwa 4.500 Salafisten in Deutschland

Canadians in Algeria Attack Went Overseas with 3rd Man
CBC NEWS CANADA: Aaron Yoon was classmate of Katsiroubas, Medlej at London, Ont., high school


A special CBC News investigation has uncovered the identity of a third member of a group of former London, Ont., high school friends now at the centre of a horrifying tale of young Canadians getting mixed up with al-Qaeda and international militants.

CBC News has learned that Aaron Yoon, now about 24, is likely the only survivor among this perverse band of brothers, two of whom died while staging a bloody attack on an Algerian oil refinery three months ago.

International intelligence sources say Yoon, a Canadian of Korean descent, flew to North Africa with three others, but wound up in jail before the al-Qaeda attack in January that killed 37 refinery workers in Algeria.

Two of Yoon’s former London schoolmates, Xris Katsiroubas and Ali Medlej, were among several dozen al-Qaeda-linked militants involved in the attack.

Sources say the two probably blew themselves up at the end of the four-day siege, but only one could be identified through DNA tests. » | Greg Weston, National Affairs Specialist | CBC News | Tuesday, April 02, 2013

Related »

Topless Jihad Day: Femen Declare War On Islam In Wake Of Amina Tyler Storm, Warning 'Our Tits Are Deadlier Than Your Stones'

THE HUFFINGTON POST: Femen activists have declared 4 April “topless jihad day” as a gesture of support for a Tunisian woman who was threatened with death by stoning for baring her breasts online.

Amina Tyler ignited a storm when she posted images of herself with the words “Fuck your morals” written across her chest to the Femen-Tunisia Facebook page.

Another image showing her smoking a cigarette with: "My body belongs to me, and is not the source of anyone's honour", written in Arabic script across her bare chest, was also posted.

As a preacher called for her death over fears “her act could bring about an epidemic”, Femen has responded with fury, calling for a “topless jihad day”.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the group calls for solidarity against the “lethal hatred of Islamists – inhuman beasts for whom killing a woman is more natural than recognising her right to do as she pleases with her own body.”

Promising the event will mark the beginning of a new Arab Spring, the message urges: “Come to the embassy of the Republic of Tunisia and protest topless, with ‘My Body Against Islamism!’ written on your body.”

It adds: “Long live the topless jihad against infidels! Our tits are deadlier than your stones!” » | Sara C Nelson | Huffington Post UK | Thursday, April 04, 2013


AL BAWABA: Picture Gallery: The Topless Jihad »

Tits to Islam! »

After Being Attacked, Dutch Woman in Dubai Charged with Insulting Islam
BIKYA NEWS: DUBAI: A Dutch woman living in Dubai pleaded not guilty in a court on Monday after being charged with insulting Islam and insulting the police after she had called them to report a personal attack. She said that while she had been drinking, she did not insult religion or the police officers.

“I’m not guilty for insulting the policemen and religion, but yes I consumed alcohol,” the 28-year-old Dutch woman told the court.

It is the latest in a string of “crimes” against woman after they had initially called the police.

She could face up to one-year in prison or deportation. » | Sharifa Ghanem | BN | Thursday, April 04, 2013

Tits to Islam! Femen Targets Islam in Bare-breast Brussels Protest

Islam Tightens Its Grip on the West: Pigs Can't Fly - Qantas Bans Pork on In-flight Menu to Respect Islam
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (AU): QANTAS has removed pork from its in-flight menu on flights to and from Europe as a result of its partnership with Middle Eastern airline Emirates.

No food containing pork or pork products will be served on those flights - which now has a stopover in Dubai - because it is strictly forbidden in Islam and is considered "unholy".

All meals offered on the route in first, business and economy classes will also be prepared without alcohol in keeping with the Islamic religion. A note on the Qantas menus on flights in and out of Dubai states that the meals do not contain pork products or alcohol. The airline has also introduced a mezze plate offering traditional Middle Eastern fare in its upper classes and has Arabic translations after in-flight announcements. » | Angela Saurine and Peter Holmes | The Daily Telegraph | April 05, 2013

My comment:

The West is caving in to Islam, Muslims at every turn. Jews do not eat pork, but we never had to ban pork on flights for them. What makes Muslims so different? Oh, yes, I know: Intolerance.

It is sickening in the extreme that we are kow-towing to these barbarians. It is also sickening in the extreme that we are allowing all our finest properties and businesses to fall into rich Middle Easterners' hands. Would they do the same for us? I think you know the answer to that question.

Is there no Western leader out there who will put a stop to this insanity? These people are tightening their grip on the West in a pincer-style action. Soon it will be too late. We will be employed by Muslims, paid by Muslims, owned by Muslims. And as the old saying goes: 'He who pays the piper calls the tune.' Welcome to the new world order! One brought on by wimps, appeasers, and politicians without cojones. – © Mark

Dutch PM Responds to Wiesenthal Center on Anti-Semitic TV Video

ARUTZ SHEVA: In shock, Wiesenthal Center wrote Holland's PM after Dutch teens expressed regret on TV that Hitler left some Jews alive. PM response below.

Young Dutch immigrant teenagers expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler and his efforts to murder Jews in a video aired last month on Netherland 2 TV. At the time, Arutz Shevareported the shocking event, ignored by most of the Dutch and world media, and that resulted - even more shockingly – in the interviewer who criticized them having to go into hiding and receive police protection.

The Wiesenthal Center sent a strong letter of objection to Holland's prime minister saying "The statements...are deeply dismaying, especially considering that they were made in the country that was the home of Anne Frank..." and adding that "it was even more shocking to hear that during the video the students who spoke claimed that their feelings were shared by native Dutch teenagers, saying 'Nobody in our school likes Jews'." Arutz Sheva has received a copy of Mr. Rutte's hitherto unpublished response: » | Arutz Sheva staff | Thursday, April 04, 2013

Canada: Homegrown Terrorism

Read the Sun News article here | Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Anti-Islam Preacher Plans Tampa Move
THE TAMPA TRIBUNE: TAMPA - Terry Jones, the Gainesville preacher who has enraged Muslims around the world with his Quran burnings and mock trials of the prophet Muhammad, is about to sell his 20-acre Dove World Outreach Center and says he will be moving his 15-member congregation to Tampa.

The deal to sell the Alachua County land is scheduled to close on July 15. Jones said he is eyeing Tampa because he is familiar with the area — he and his wife already own a condominium on Treasure Island — and the small university town of Gainesville has never really embraced his message.

“Tampa is a much larger area,” he said. “Gainesville has a small mentality. The whole world here revolves around whether the Gators will win a football game. We’re more concerned about national and global events.

“We are going full steam ahead for the Tampa Bay area,” he said. “We definitely have support in the Tampa Bay area.”

Jones has evolved in the past few years from the pastor of a tiny rural church into a lightning rod for Muslim extremists. He has written a book titled “Islam is of the Devil” and sells T-shirts espousing the same message.

The reaction among local, moderate Muslims: a shrug of the shoulders. » | Keith Morelli | Tribune Staff | Wednesday, April 03, 2013

US Moves Missile Defences to Pacific after North Korea Nuclear Threat
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The US was last night preparing to send advanced missile defences to its Pacific territory, as North Korea further ratcheted up its bellicose rhetoric by approving "merciless" nuclear strikes on America.


Pledging a "measured" response to Pyongyang's aggression, Chuck Hagel, the US defence secretary, deployed anti-missile systems to Guam, the tiny western Pacific island and American military outpost.

"Some of the actions they've taken over the last few weeks present a real and clear danger," Mr Hagel said of North Korea, in remarks delivered at the National Defense University in Washington.

The $800m Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, which was slated to be installed in 2015, will now be sent within weeks, following warnings that Guam, Hawaii or the US west coast could be hit.

The land-based system, which comprises interceptor missiles, a truck-based launcher and radar tracking equipment, is capable of shooting down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

It will join two US guided-missile destroyers that have already taken position in the region to assist with defence against potential strikes ordered by Pyongyang. » | Jon Swaine in Washington and Malcolm Moore in Beijing | Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Saudi Arabian Court 'Orders Man to Be Paralysed'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Saudi Arabia is facing appeals to over-rule a court that ordered a man paralysed as retribution for a stabbing that left a man unable to walk a decade ago.

Ali al-Khawahir, 24, was reportedly sentenced to Qisas, or retribution, in the Eastern Province town of Al-Ahsa and could be paralysed from waist down if he fails to pay compensation of one million riyals ($270,000), the rights watchdog said, citing Saudi media reports.

It said Khawahir had stabbed his friend in the back in 2003, rendering him paralysed from the waist down. He was 14 at the time.

Amnesty International, the rights group, said the sentence "should on no account be carried out".

"Paralysing someone as punishment for a crime would be torture," said Ann Harrison, Middle East and North Africa deputy director at Amnesty. "That such a punishment might be implemented is utterly shocking, even in a context where flogging is frequently imposed as a punishment for some offenses, as happens in Saudi Arabia."

"It is time the authorities in Saudi Arabia start respecting their international legal obligations and remove these terrible punishments from the law," she said in a statement. » | Agence France-Presse in Dubai | Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Related »

North Korea: US Sends Missile Defence System to Guam
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Pentagon is sending an advanced ballistic missile defense system to Guam, as Chuck Hagel, the defence secretary, warned of a "real and clear" danger from North Korea.

The Pentagon announcement came hours after China intervened in the deepening crisis by summoning the ambassadors of North and South Korea, as well as the United States, to warn tensions must be defused on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea has singled out US military bases in Guam, an American. territory in the Pacific, and Hawaii among its potential targets in threats in recent weeks that have put the Korean peninsula on edge.

“Some of the actions they’ve taken over the last few weeks, present a real and clear danger,” Mr Hagel told an audience at the National Defense University in Washington.

He said those actions had threatened the interests of South Korea and Japan, but he also cited their direct threats against Guam, Hawaii and West Coast of the United States. » | Malcolm Moore, Beijing, and Reuters in Washington | Wednesday, April 03, 2013

I Was a BNP Activist ... and Converted to Islam
THE GUARDIAN: I hated all foreigners but feared Muslims the most. I grew up in the 1960s in Gateshead, in a predominantly white area; I can't remember seeing an Asian face there. As a family we were not religious. We only went to weddings, funerals and christenings. I was not interested in school, either. You didn't need to stay on because you were more or less guaranteed a job in the mines, steelworks or shipyards. When I was 16, all my friends were British National Party activists. It was a cool thing to do, and I joined in, too. I wanted to shock, to rebel. We would get together, drink, listen to music, chase girls and go out Paki-bashing. That wasn't a phrase we considered bad or wrong.

I remember my first time; it was a Saturday night and we had been drinking. We went into an Asian area and came across a lad of about 17. We started chanting - the usual thing, "Go back to your own country" - and then went after him. There were about 10 of us, and we kicked and punched him. When we ran away, I remember, we were laughing. I don't know what happened to him, and at the time I wouldn't have cared: I was in a group and we had camaraderie.

By the time I was 19 I was growing out of the BNP. I moved to London for work and stopped going to meetings. But I still hated all foreigners, especially Muslims. Over the next few years I became involved with people who went to Muslim meetings in Hyde Park, mainly to cause trouble.

Then, one day in 1989, I was walking past a second[-]hand book stall by the Royal Festival Hall when a cover caught my eye: it was the most beautiful picture, in the most gorgeous colours, of a building. I didn't know what the book was, but it was only 20p so I bought it. I thought I'd buy a cheap frame and have a nice picture for my wall. I had no idea until I got home that I had bought the Qur'an. » | Muhammad Islam | Saturday, September 24, 2005

Pakistans Jugend will lieber Scharia als Demokratie
KRONE: Die jungen Menschen in Pakistan hätten in ihrem Land lieber eine Militärherrschaft oder die islamische Rechtsprechung Scharia als eine demokratische Regierung. Das ist das Ergebnis einer repräsentativen Studie des britischen Kultur- und Bildungsinstituts British Council, die am Mittwoch veröffentlicht wurde.

38 Prozent der Befragten im Alter zwischen 18 und 29 Jahren hielten die Scharia für das beste politische System in Pakistan, heißt es in der Untersuchung mit mehr als 5.000 Teilnehmern.

Der Begriff Scharia bezeichnet das islamische Recht, das auf dem Koran, der Heiligen Schrift des Islams, basiert. Es enthält die Gesamtheit der Gesetze, die in einer islamischen Gesellschaft zu beachten und erfüllen sind. Die Scharia sieht für Raub die Todesstrafe vor, Dieben wird eine Hand abgehackt, Ehebruch kann mit 100 Peitschenhieben oder dem Tod durch Steinigung bestraft werden. Kein Vertrauen in die Demokratie » | AG/red | Mittwoch, 03. April 2013

Obama ist für 13% der US-Amerikaner der Antichrist

KRONE: Das renommierte US-Meinungsforschungsinstitut Public Policy Polling hat in einer aktuellen Studie die beliebtesten Verschwörungstheorien der amerikanischen Gesellschaft geprüft - mit durchaus bemerkenswerten Resultaten: So glauben 13 Prozent der US-Amerikaner, ihr Präsident Barack Obama sei der Antichrist. 29 Prozent glauben an die Existenz von Außerirdischen, 14 Prozent an den sagenhaften "Bigfoot".

Bei der umfangreichen Untersuchung wurden insgesamt 20 gängige Verschwörungstheorien auf ihre Beliebtheit getestet. Von jenen 47 Prozent, die im vergangenen Jahr dem republikanischen Kandidaten Mitt Romney ihre Stimme bei der Präsidentschaftswahl gegeben haben, glaubt sogar jeder Fünfte, dass der Demokrat Obama den Antichristen verkörpere. Weitere beachtliche Ergebnisse: » | bar | Mittwoch, 03. April 2013

North Carolina May Declare Official State Religion Under New Bill

HUFFINGTON POST: Republican North Carolina state legislators have proposed allowing an official state religion in a measure that would declare the state exempt from the Constitution and court rulings.

The bill, filed Monday by two GOP lawmakers from Rowan County and backed by nine other Republicans, says each state "is sovereign" and courts cannot block a state "from making laws respecting an establishment of religion." The legislation was filed in response to a lawsuit to stop county commissioners in Rowan County from opening meetings with a Christian prayer, wral.com reported. » | John Celock | The Huffingron Post | Wednesday, April 03, 2013