Calling Islam “Islam”
FRONTPAGE MAG: I wrote this a few years ago, and I think it’s worth posting again, particularly after the latest jihadist attack in Boston. I noticed, after the attack this week, that a number of people are using more proper terminology to identify this enemy, which is very important in taking on the enemy. I recall watching panel discussions after 9/11, with each panelist using a different term to describe the enemy we face. That annoyed the hell out of me as I think it’s incredibly important to identify the proper terms when speaking about our enemy, and to NEVER create terms, for whatever reason. To me, the only difference between “Islamism” and Islam is three letters. Below I try my best to make the case why we should always call Islam “Islam.” Western intellectuals and commentators refer to the enemy’s ideology as:

“Islamic Fundamentalism,” “Islamic Extremism,” “Totalitarian Islam,” “Islamofascism,” “Political Islam,” “Militant Islam,” “Bin Ladenism,” “Islamonazism,” “Radical Islam,” “Islamism,” etc….

The enemy calls it “Islam.”

Imagine, if during past wars, we used terms such as “Radical Nazism,” “Extremist Shinto” and “Militant Communism.” The implication would be that there are good versions of those ideologies, which would then lead some to seek out “moderate” Nazis. Those who use terms other than “Islam” create the impression that it’s some variant of Islam that’s behind the enemy that we’re facing. A term such as “Militant Islam” is redundant, but our politicians continue praising Islam as if it were their own religion. Bush told us “Islam is peace” — after 2,996 Americans were murdered in its name. He maintained that illusion throughout his two terms, and never allowed our soldiers to defeat the enemy. And now we have Obama, who tells us, from Egypt:

“I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.”

If only he felt that way about America. Washington’s defense of Islam has trumped the defense of America and this dereliction of duty could well be called Islamgate. » | Bosch Fawstin | Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Charged with Using Weapon of Mass Destruction
Nineteen-year-old suspect could face death penalty after prosecutors charge him over Boston marathon bombing that left three people dead

Read the article here | Karen McVeigh in New York and Dan Roberts in Washington | Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Canada Arrests Two in Al-Qaeda[-]linked Plot to Derail Train
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Two people have been arrested in connection with a plot to derail a passenger train in Canada that was supported by al-Qaeda elements in Iran, police said.


Read the short comment here | Agence France-Presse in Ottawa | Monday, April 22, 2013

Ex-Islamophobe to Produce Film on Prophet

SAUDI GAZETTE: MADINAH – Former Dutch Islamophobe Arnoud Van Doorn unveiled plans to produce an international film on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Islam.

In an exclusive interview with Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Doorn, who reverted to Islam last month, said that he will devote his life fully to spread the true message of Islam and the Prophet of Mercy through promoting the film across the world.

“I will spare no efforts to protect the rights of Muslims in all European countries as well as to serve Islam and its followers throughout the world. I will try my best to repair the damage that I caused to Islam and its Prophet (peace be upon him) through the film ‘Fitna’,” he said.

Doorn, a former leading member of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders’ party, visited Saturday the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to pray and say sorry for becoming part of the blasphemous film. Doorn was among the Freedom Party leaders who produced the film, Fitna.

After visiting the Prophet’s Mosque, he arrived in Makkah Sunday and performed Umrah. Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, and other presidency officials received him.

In the interview, Doorn said that he regrets being a part of such an offensive film. “However, now it is a closed chapter and absolutely I don’t want to recall about it. The film that sparked widespread reactions was a totally wrong step on our part as it contains a lot of misleading and incorrect information that are nothing to with this noble divine religion and its Prophet (pbuh),” he said, adding that he wants to do some remedial work so as to minimize the damage caused by ‘Fitna.’

Doorn said he decided, in cooperation with the Toronto-based CDA, to produce an international film aimed at removing misgivings about Islam and its Prophet (pbuh).

“I will use all my experience in producing an alternative film, which will speak about the true image of Islam and all aspects of the personality of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as his great qualities.” » | Majed Al-Sugairi | Okaz/Saudi Gazette | Monday, April 22, 2013

Liebe im Islam - Doku

Soaring Numbers of Students Are Smoking Shisha - But It's Not a Safe Alternative to Cigarettes, Warn Experts
MAIL ONLINE: Number of people using the Middle Eastern smoking pipe has more than doubled over past five years / But new research has discovered that the pastime poses as many health risks as cigarettes / Levels of deadly carbon monoxide and carcinogenic benzene found to be double in those who used pipe

Soaring numbers of students are smoking shishas - but experts are warning that the Middle Eastern water pipe is not a safe alternative to cigarettes.

A study carried out by University of California San Francisco has found that whilst smoking a shisha exposes you to different chemicals, they are still harmful.

Research chemist Peyton Jacob said: ‘People want to know if it is a lesser health risk if they switch from cigarettes to smoking a water-pipe on a daily basis.

'We found that water-pipe smoking is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking, nor is it likely to be an effective harm-reduction strategy.’

By measuring the levels of toxins in the blood, breath and urine after smoking, scientists found that those who smoked shisha exposed themselves to high levels of carbon monoxide - especially dangerous to those who suffer with heart or lung problems - and benzene, which has strong links to leukaemia.

The amount of bars and cafes offering the exotic pipe have rocketed in in recent years, with the number of people enjoying a smoking session increasing by 210 per cent in just half a decade.

Smoking shisha is common in many Middle Eastern countries and is growing in popularity in the UK and U.S. in particular. » | Rachel Reilly | Monday, April 22, 2013

Inside Story: Crossing the Gulf's Red Lines?
As dissenting voices are silenced in the region, we ask if this is suppression of speech or the legitimate use of law.

Listening Post: Margaret Thatcher’s Final Call
Media coverage of the death of the former British leader has mirrored the divisions which marked her political life.

Anschlag in Boston: Für immer im Ausnahmezustand
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der Anschlag von Boston beschleunigt die Erosion des Rechts in den USA. Der Ausnahmezustand wird dadurch permanent. Die Amerikaner wollen die totale Sicherheit - aber sie bekommen stattdessen den totalen Sicherheitsstaat.

Drei Tote, mehr als 180 Verletzte: Der Anschlag von Boston hat schlimme Opfer gefordert. Eines ist unsichtbar: der Rechtsstaat. Auf Dauer wird er aber das schwerste aller Opfer sein. Denn mit ihm wird das Leben von noch viel mehr Menschen in Mitleidenschaft gezogen.

Die Welt hat die besonnenen Worte gelobt, die Barack Obama nach dem Anschlag gefunden hat. Aber die Taten der amerikanischen Behörden waren nicht besonnen. Amerika hat im Kampf gegen den Terror schon lange das Augenmaß verloren. Boston zeigt nun endgültig: Auf der Suche nach der totalen Sicherheit landen die Amerikaner im totalen Sicherheitsstaat. » | Jakob Augstein | Montag, 22. April 2013

Bill Maher: Comparing Violence of Islam to Christianity ‘Liberal Bullsh*t’

Read the article here | Saturday, April 20, 2013

Warning to UK On Its 'Open Door to Fanatics': Russian Government Says MI5 Should Watch 'Extremist Islamic' Exiles from the Country in Wake of Boston Bombing
MAIL ONLINE: MI5 should play far closer attention to immigrants, said security specialist / Igor Korotchenkosaid has claimed Britain has created a ‘ticking timebomb’ / Said some admitted as asylum-seekers, and are enemies of Vladimir Putin

Britain is at risk from 'extremist Islamic' exiles from the North Caucasus who have been allowed to live in the UK, claimed an advisor to the Russian government last night.

The lessons from the Boston marathon bombing is that MI5 should play far closer attention to these immigrants, some who have been admitted as asylum-seekers, and are seen as enemies of Vladimir Putin, said security specialist Igor Korotchenko.

He has claimed Britain has created a ‘ticking timebomb’ for allowing radicalised Muslims into this country.

He claimed an FBI 'failure' to heed Russian secret services warnings about Tamerlan Tsarnaev could be repeated in Britain where intelligence co-operation with Moscow has been curtailed due to the diplomatic dispute over the 2006 'murder' of Alexander Litvinenko in London. » | Will Stewart | Monday, April 22, 2013

Islam Is the Ultimate Sleeper Cell
FRONTPAGE MAG: We don’t know whether Dzhokar Tsarneav and Tamerlan Tsarneav were aligned with any Muslim terrorist organization, but there is no reason that they had to be.

Most recent Muslim terrorist plots were carried out by “lone wolves”, individuals or small groups, who received their Islamist indoctrination and explosives training through the Islamic internet of Jihadist social media.

It may turn out that the Tsarneavs attended a terrorist training camp at some point in the past. But it may be just as likely that they never did. Terrorist training camps still exist, but they are becoming relics when it comes to the new type of pop up terrorism favored by Jihadists abroad. » | Daniel Greenfield | Friday, April 19, 2013

Arnoud van Doorn: Once an Islamophobe, Now a Pilgrim
Arnoud van Doorn has visited the mosque of Prophet Muhammad in Madinah in order to express regret for participating in the making of the ‘blasphemous’ film Fitna and to pray. Tearful van Doorn says that “finding Islam is a dream come true.”

It was inspiring, he says, to meet with the Imam of The Prophet’s Mosque, His Excellency Ali Al-Hudayfee, and was grateful to be there. He is also grateful for all the support and resources he has received from Saudi Arabia to spread Islam in The Netherlands, and for all the support he received from ‘his Muslim brothers’ in the Kingdom. Arnoud van Doorn went to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser pilgrimage, Umrah.

He is keen on presenting a true image of Islam to his countrymen; so by the sound of things, he will soon be performing Dawah back home in The Netherlands. He was invited to Saudi Arabia by the Canadian Dawah Association. Read more »

‘I Am Sorry, O Prophet…’

SAUDI GAZETTE: MADINAH – Former Dutch Islamophobe and a former leading member of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders’ party Arnoud Van Doorn visited the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to pray and say sorry for becoming part of a blasphemous film.

Doorn was among the Freedom Party leaders who produced the blasphemous film, Fitna. Last month he reverted to Islam after an extensive study about the religion and the Prophet (peace be upon him).

He said that the worldwide outrage against the film made him study about the Prophet (pbuh) and that eventually led to his conversion.

He headed for Makkah to perform Umrah after meeting the two imams of the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh Ali Al-Hudaifi and Sheikh Salah Al-Badar, who enlightened him on how to lead the life of a good Muslim and confront challenges facing Islam in the West. » | Majed Al-Sugairi | Okaz/Saudi Gazette | Monday, April 22, 2013

The Truth About Islam: An Interview With Brigitte Gabriel
There are few people who know more about the religion of Islam, its aims, its direction and its intended goals than Brigitte Gabriel. Seeing the religion of Islam firsthand, in the crunch, and I speak of the Lebanese War, Brigitte learned the hard way as to what this religion actually is.

This lady addresses possibly more governmental leaders and heads of state regarding this problem of Islam than anyone else. This two-hour interview with Brigitte, which every American needs to hear and see, is a must for every Believer. You need to know and understand the threat to the nation - possibly the greatest the nation has ever faced.


Act! for America »

La mobilisation contre le mariage homosexuel marque le pas
REUTERS FRANCE: PARIS (Reuters) - Plusieurs dizaine de milliers d'opposants au mariage homosexuel ont manifesté dimanche à Paris pour demander à François Hollande de renoncer à son projet de loi sur le "mariage pour tous", qui devrait être définitivement adopté mardi au Parlement.

Mais la mobilisation contre ce texte a marqué le pas par rapport à la manifestation du 24 mars, qui avait réuni 300.000 personnes selon la police, 1,4 million selon les organisateurs.

Selon la préfecture de police de Paris, 45.000 personnes ont défilé dimanche de la place Denfert-Rochereau, dans le XIVe arrondissement, à l'esplanade des Invalides.

Le collectif "La Manif pour tous", organisatrice de cette marche, a pour sa part revendiqué 270.000 participants.

"Il s'agissait d'une manifestation de nature régionale et non pas nationale, donc je ne tirerais pas de conclusion trop hâtive du chiffre des manifestants", a cependant dit la porte-parole du gouvernement, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, à France-Inter.

Les manifestants, surtout des familles mêlant enfants, parents, adolescents et personnes âgées, ont défilé sous le soleil avec un mot d'ordre, "Hollande, ta loi on n'en veut pas". » | Emmanuel Jarry et Yves Clarisse, avec Pauline Mevel, édité par Yves Clarisse | dimanche 21 avril 2013

Video Glorifying Jihad in Syria Linked to on Social Media Account of Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev | The Internet - June 29, 2012

Bilad Al-Sham [Al-Shaam] »

Egyptian Cleric Abu Islam: Egypt's Authority Should Be Divided among Islamist Groups; Flag of Islam Will Soon Fly over White House | Al-Kahera Wal-Nas TV (Egypt) - March 18, 2013

'US Govt. Deluded That It Can Control Muslim Brotherhood'
Egypt has given the visiting U.S. Secretary of State a fiery reception - with a show of public anger against American support for the Muslim Brotherhood. F. William Engdahl, geopolitical analyst and author of "Myths, Lies and Oil Wars" told RT that Washington is starting to realize it may be supporting the wrong side in Egypt.

Homegrown Terror: Can Norway’s Tolerance Withstand Radical Islam?
Norway's long held out a warm, welcoming hand to immigrants - trying to help them feel at home, and assimilate into society. That policy's been clouded not only by Breivik massacres - but even from within ethnic groups - with radical slogans and even death threats from the growing Islamic community. RT'S Maria Finoshina looks at why it's splitting the nation.

Homemade Terror: Radical Islam Gains in Crisis-cracked EU
As if a dire economic predicament, foul public mood and gloomy outlook weren't enough - France now has homegrown extremists to worry about. Short of cash and opportunities, disenchanted French youth are increasingly turning to radical Islam. And, as RT's Aleksey Yaroshevsky reports, stopping the trend is not proving easy.

Formula One Race Rage: Bahrain Police Use Teargas in Clashes with Protesters
Tensions are high in Bahrain ahead of Sunday's Formula One Grand Prix but not in anticipation of a dramatic race. Tens of thousands of pro-reform protesters across the country are furious at the government hosting a major sports event despite the kingdom's poor human rights record.

Rioters Fire Rockets at Police in Bid to Derail Bahrain Grand Prix
Amateur video shows anti-government protesters clash with police in Manama as thousands riot ahead of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday.

Read the short article here | Sunday, April 21, 2013

Brigitte Gabriel: Radical Islam: The Plan to Destroy America from Within: Infiltration (2011)

Act! for America »

Brigitte Gabriel Tells Neil Cavuto: Terror Chatter Indicates "They Are Part of a Cell!

Bomben von Boston sind Munition für die Republikaner
TAGES ANZEIGER – AUSZUG: «Bedrohung aus der muslimischen Gemeinschaft» Gemeint ist damit vor allem die Zuwanderung aus muslimischen Ländern: Schon fürchtet die islamische Gemeinschaft in den USA eine weitere Verschärfung der Observierung sowie neue Diskriminierung bei der Einwanderung. So sagte der republikanische Kongressabgeordnete Peter King aus New York, die Polizei müsse «realisieren, dass die Bedrohung aus der muslimischen Gemeinschaft kommt», weshalb deren Überwachung verstärkt werden solle. Tatsächlich haben in den vergangenen Jahren eine Reihe von in den USA geborenen oder eingebürgerten Muslimen Terroranschläge verübt oder zu verüben versucht, darunter der im Staat Virginia geborene Major Nidal Hasan, der 2009 dreizehn Menschen erschoss.

Der Anschlag von Boston wird zudem neue Fragen über die Gefahr der Radikalisierung amerikanischer Muslime aufwerfen: Mindestens drei junge Amerikaner somalischer Herkunft reisten beispielsweise zurück in ihre Heimat und verübten dort Selbstmordattentate. Wenn die Vorgänge in Boston tatsächlich «eine neue Normalität» anzeigen, wie der Abgeordnete King befürchtet, wird die Forderung nach einer noch schärferen Überwachung amerikanischer Muslimgemeinschaften unweigerlich lauter werden – was andererseits erst recht die Radikalisierung islamischer Individuen und Gruppen fördern könnte. Den ganzen Artikel lesen » | Von Martin Kilian | Washington | Sonntag, 11. April 2013

Sudden Religiosity And Mysterious Trips: Clues That Build Up Boston Attacks Case
THE OBSERVER: Tsarnaev brothers fit the key indicators of potential threat: young, male, first-generation migrants with 'identity issues'

Security services have learned much about Islamic extremist violence in recent years. "Profiling" has been rejected as too blunt to be of much use, but it's clear that it almost exclusively involves men, aged 18 to 30, and often first generation immigrants with what are broadly and inadequately dubbed "identity issues". A key indicator of potential threat is also a close family member already involved in extremism. Those apparently responsible for the Boston bombings fit all these parameters: two brothers, aged 19 and 26, who spent much of their lives in the US but were clearly deeply attracted to the culture of their Chechen parents.

Beyond the "who?" is the "how?", and the counter-terrorist community have also learned to watch for signs such as a sudden increase in religious practice and unexplained trips overseas to south or central Asia. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the older of the two, travelled last year to Russia and, it is thought, Dagestan, where he and his family once lived. He had also become more obviously devout, a family friend told the Boston Globe. A neighbour said he had abandoned sharp western clothes.

Terrorists are not loners either. Tamerlan was married and had a small child. Mohammad Sidique Khan, the leader of the 7/7 bombers, left a young daughter. Militancy is, after all, a social activity. Terrorists are not unhinged, studies have shown, nor necessarily badly integrated, though in this case Tamerlan appears to have had trouble making friends in the US. Most believe, however misguidedly, that their deeds will be hailed after their deaths. » | Jason Burke | Saturday, April 20, 2013

Boston Bomb Suspect Cannot Speak as Doctors Treat Throat Wounds
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston bombing suspect, remains unable to speak as he undergoes treatment for a gunshot wound to the throat in hospital, officials have said as inquiries focus on what turned two young men into Islamic terrorists.

The 19-year-old is "serious but stable. I think not able to communicate yet," Deval Patrick, the Massachusetts governor said after attending a tribute to the victims of Monday's bomb attacks that left three dead and about 180 injured.

CBS television quoted investigators as saying that Tsarnaev suffered two serious wounds and had lost a lot of blood. It said investigators had speculated that one wound in the back of his neck could have been a suicide attempt.

"They say it appears from the wound that he might have stuck a gun in his mouth and fired," said the report, which added that Tsarnaev could understand what those around him were saying.

Tsarnaev was detained on Friday. His elder brother Tamerlan was killed in a shootout with police earlier in the day during a massive manhunt.

Gov Patrick said he hopes the teenaged suspect survives. "We have a million questions and those questions need to be answered," he added. » | Damien McElroy, and Philip Sherwell and Nick Allen | Sunday, April 21, 2013

Islam - The Religion of Peace; But for America, More like the Harbinger of Death
CANADA FREE PRESS: Ever since the followers of Islam began their migratory moves to America our country has been subjected to the very dark side of that freedom-to-kill cult that unabashedly announced to we Americans that they, the Islamists, considered us, the Americans, to be infidels or ‘unbelievers’ unless we submit to Islam and discard other beliefs. In other words, spit on Christianity and swallow whole Islam and all of its ravages.

Islamists can’t be trusted or believed. We have everyday proof of that sitting in our White House. When looking for the truth consider just the opposite of what Barack Obama says. He is a totally disingenuous man with accomplices of the same cut of dishonest. And the two Muslim brothers of Boston Marathon fame are of the same cult having lived here for about 10 years before their murderous true selves surfaced.

Be extremely aware of these people to whom murder is just another daily chore.

How much longer must we tolerate these savages that parade under a false banner of make-believe peace with their sneaky weapons of destruction and death at the fore? One of the first things that will have to happen is the removal of their chief adherent and promoter Barack Obama. In his eyes they can do no wrong. That should not be an insurmountable chore with all the facts available for a positive vote for impeachment. » | Jerry McConnell | Saturday, April 20, 2013

Boston Bomb Suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Clings to Life

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Read the ABC News article here | Anthony Castellano | Saturday, April 20, 2013

'Like 1930s Germany': Greek Far Right Gains Ground

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL – EXTRACT: Right-wing thugs have been spreading fear and terror in Greece for months. The worse the financial crisis gets and the harsher the budget cuts imposed by European creditors are, the worse the terror gets on the streets. Foreigners have been attacked, homosexuals chased and leftists assaulted. Some were beaten to death. There are parts of Athens in which refugees and minorities no longer dare to go out alone at night, and streets that are echoingly empty. Foreign merchants have had to close their doors, while journalists and politicians who criticize these developments receive threats or beatings.

Ta Nea, a leading Greek daily, has described conditions here as similar to those of Weimar Germany. Vassiliki Georgiadou, a political science professor in Athens, likewise calls it "an atmosphere like in the 1930s in Germany against the Jews and their businesses."

As recently as Greece's October 2009 parliamentary election, Golden Dawn garnered just 0.29 percent of votes. But in the early election held last May, as well as in the subsequent new election in June, the right-wing extremist party suddenly received almost 7 percent of votes, securing 18 seats in the country's parliament. Read it all » | Manfred Ertel in Athens | Translated from the German by Ella Ornstein | Thursday, April 18, 2013

The Saudi Connection Linking the Boston Marathon to September 11
HAARETZ: Albeit the dimensions are somewhat smaller, but the pain, fear, and anger are the same. America has again been caught off guard by foreign terrorists seeking to sow destruction and death.

Almost 12 years have passed since that “great tragedy,” the attacks of September 11, and the United States has yet again experienced a national tragedy. Albeit the dimensions are somewhat smaller, but the pain, fear, and anger are the same. America has again been caught off guard by foreign terrorists seeking to sow destruction and death.

In September 2001 the terrorists were Saudis (15 out of 19) and Egyptian. This time, the culprits where to Chechen brothers, Tamerlan and Dzokhar Tsarnaev. If it turns out that their motivations were religious, the context of their country of origin will not be coincidental. Until now there has not been any testament from the two, neither written nor filmed – which is generally common practice in the case of such attacks – nor has there been any claim of responsibility from Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri. Al-Qaida also tends to take responsibility for attacks to which it was unconnected at the operational level, if it shares an ideological bond with those responsible. Despite this, it is very likely that there is a strong, ideological and operational connection between the attacks of 2001 and 2013.

Back in the early nineties, Chechnya and neighboring Dagestan became a stronghold in the Caucasus region for the radical stream of Sunni Islam, Wahhabism. Mosques and madrasas were opened; training camps for young combatants were established to prepare them for the “jihad against the infidels.” Until this day, the teachings of Said Buryatsky, a charismatic, Wahhabist radical, are among the most downloaded files in Chechnya.

This radical Islamist movement was founded in the Arabian Peninsula and adopted by tribes that founded a kingdom in the 18 century, which later became Saudi Arabia. This puritan, aggressive movement is considered by orthodox Muslims as heretic. Many approached it with suspicion and rejected it, but the situation changed once the “black gold” began to flow from Saudi Arabia’s soil. Thus the Wahhabists gained their much-wanted recognition, and began to send money to religious institutions around the world, including in Chechnya and Dagestan. » | Ksenia Svetlova * | Saturday, April 20, 2013

* Ksenia Svetlova is a writer and analyst on Arab affairs for Channel 9, and has a doctorate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Middle Eastern Studies.

Angela Merkel Has Made Germany Master of Europe in a Way Hitler and Kaiser Wilhelm Only Dreamt Of. The Implications Are Frightening

MAIL ONLINE: Angela Merkel does not look like a conqueror. She is no great speaker, has little physical presence and hardly exudes charisma. Indeed, to the casual observer, this short, unprepossessing woman might be a suburban German housewife.

Yet according to one of Germany's most distinguished intellectuals, Mrs Merkel is 'the uncrowned Queen of Europe'. In the European power stakes, no one comes close to competing with the German Chancellor.

Most recently, faraway Cyprus has fallen under her sway, with Mrs Merkel ordering a stunning raid on savers' bank accounts in return for an £8.5 billion bailout of the island's ailing economy.

In countries such as Cyprus and Greece, which have felt the lash of German-imposed austerity, the German Chancellor has become a public hate figure, with protesters regularly likening her to the war criminals of the Third Reich.

But in a sense, the hatred is a tribute to her success. For in just a few years, using the European Union as her vehicle, she has succeeded where Bismarck, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Hitler failed - turning an entire continent into a greater German empire. Melodramatic? Perhaps.

But this is the implication of a devastating new book by the eminent sociologist Ulrich Beck, who teaches at the University of Munich and the London School of Economics.

According to Professor Beck, one of the most respected scholars of his generation, Germany is now the undisputed master of Europe. And at its head is Angela Merkel, a former chemist from East Germany and a political mastermind of extraordinary cunning, subtlety and ambition.

No politician of her generation, Beck argues, better incarnates the cynical values described by the Italian thinker Niccolo Machiavelli, whose treatise The Prince was a primer in how to win and wield power.

Hence Beck's nickname for Germany's Iron Chancellor: 'Merkiavelli'. » | Dominic Sandbrook | Friday, April 19, 2013

'We Got Him!': Boston Bombing Suspect Captured Alive

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Local Coverage of Manhunt for Marathon Suspect

Suspect 'Down' as Gunfire Heard in Boston, Sources Tell Fox News

Read the Fox News article here | FoxNews.com | Friday, April19, 2013

We've Got Enough Criminals So Keep Kosovo Out of Europe, Says Ukip MEP
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A senior Ukip politician has said Kosovo should not be allowed to join the European Union because Britain "already has enough" criminals.

Gerard Batten, a Ukip MEP, said people from the "lawless" country should not get an open door to come to Britain.

"We already have plenty of criminals from Kosovo in London, despite the fact it's not yet a member of the EU," he said.

"EU entry would enable yet more to come. We already have enough, thank you very much."

Mr Batten later told The Daily Telegraph: "UKIP opposes the entry of all new states to the EU because it gives their citizens automatic entry to Britiain.

"Kosovo is a particularly bad example because it is a poor, lawless state with rampant criminality. We don't want to give an open door invite to more criminals from Kosovo, we have enough already. Just look at the crime statistics for Romanians in London for example." » | Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent | Friday, April 19, 2013

Uncle of Boston Bombing Suspects Emotional Yells They Are Losers

Obama's 'Snubbing' of Margaret Thatcher's Funeral Criticized
THE CHRISTIAN POST: President Barack Obama's decision not to attend or dispatch high-ranking members of his administration to the funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Wednesday was criticized in the United States as well as the United Kingdom.

Given that the White House sent an official delegation to the funeral of Venezuela's Hugo Chávez, a "tyrannical socialist dictator," Obama's treatment of the funeral of the "Iron Lady" was an "amazing snub," said the website of the Tea Party News Network. » | Anugrah Kumar , Christian Post Contributor | Thursday, April 18, 2013

Boston Suspect's Web Page Venerates Islam, Chechen Independence

REUTERS.COM: Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev posted links to Islamic websites and others calling for Chechen independence on what appears to be his page on a Russian language social networking site.

Abusive comments in Russian and English were flooding onto Tsarnaev's page on VK, a Russian-language social media site, on Friday after he was identified as a suspect in the bombing of the Boston marathon.

Police launched a massive manhunt for Tsarnaev, 19, after killing his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev in a shootout overnight.

On the site, the younger Tsarnaev identifies himself as a 2011 graduate of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, a public school in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

It says he went to primary school in Makhachkala, capital of Dagestan, a province in Russia that borders Chechnya, and lists his languages as English, Russian and Chechen.

His "World view" is listed as "Islam" and his "Personal priority" is "career and money".

He has posted links to videos of fighters in the Syrian civil war and to Islamic web pages with titles like "Salamworld, my religion is Islam" and "There is no God but Allah, let that ring out in our hearts". » | Reporting by Peter Graff; editing by Philippa Fletcher | Friday, April 19, 2013

Arnoud Van Doorn, ancien membre du parti islamophobe néerlandais est parti faire sa Omra
AJIB.fr: Sur son compte Twitter, Arnoud Van Doorn, nous apprend qu’il est actuellement en Arabie Saoudite pour effectuer son petit pèlerinage (Omra). L’homme politique néerlandais, ancien membre du PVV, parti d’extrême-droite des Pays-Bas, avait récemment annoncé sa conversion à l’islam. En effet, le 27 février dernier, il avait effectué publiquement sa profession de foi, sur Twitter. [...]

Sur son compte Twitter, Arnoud Van Doorn, nous apprend qu’il est actuellement en Arabie Saoudite pour effectuer son petit pèlerinage (Omra).

L’homme politique néerlandais, ancien membre du PVV, parti d’extrême-droite des Pays-Bas, avait récemment annoncé sa conversion à l’islam. En effet, le 27 février dernier, il avait effectué publiquement sa profession de foi, sur Twitter. Dans une interview par un journaliste d’Al Jazeera sur sa conversion, il nous fait part de sa joie après avoir reçu autant de messages de soutien. Il faut dire que cette conversion a surpris plus d’un, en raison de son ancienne appartenance politique, à un parti nationaliste et islamophobe. » | Par Oum Michket | AJIB.FR | vendredi 19 avril 2013

Russia’s Caucasus: Breeding Ground for Terror
TIME: (MOSCOW) — Militants from Chechnya and other restive regions in Russia’s volatile North Caucasus have targeted Moscow and other areas with bombings and hostage-takings, but the allegations of involvement in the Boston Marathon explosions would mark the first time they had conducted a terror attack in the West.

The conflict in Chechnya began in 1994 as a separatist war, but quickly morphed into an Islamic insurgency whose adepts vow to carve out an independent Islamic state in the Caucasus.

Russian troops withdrew from Chechnya in 1996 after the first Chechen war, leaving it de-facto independent and largely lawless, but then rolled back three years later following apartment building explosions in Moscow and other cities blamed on the rebels. » | Associated Press | Friday, April 19, 2013

Belgium vs. Islamic Jihadists
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: Some 1,000 Muslims from across Europe are currently active as Islamic jihadists in Syria, which has replaced Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia as the main destination for militant Islamists to obtain immediate combat training with little or no official scrutiny.

Belgian police have carried out dozens of raids and arrested six Islamists -- including the pugnacious ringleader of a Belgian Salafist group called Sharia4Belgium -- suspected of recruiting foreign fighters for the war in Syria.

The crackdown reflects growing concerns in Belgium and elsewhere about the threat posed by Islamic jihadists, or holy warriors, when they return to Europe after obtaining combat experience in Syria.

Some 1,000 Muslims from across Europe are currently active as Islamic jihadists in Syria, which has replaced Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia as the main destination for militant Islamists seeking to obtain immediate combat training with little or no official scrutiny. » | Soeren Kern | Friday, April 19, 2013

Gespräch mit Thomas Kielinger: Großer Abschied für Margaret Thatcher
Mit großem Zeremoniell und militärischen Ehren hat Großbritannien am 17. April 2013 seiner früheren Premierministerin Margaret Thatcher die letzte Ehre erwiesen. Wir haben mit Thomas Kielinger, dem London-Korrespondent der "Welt", gesprochen.
Das Video hier abspielen | Mittwoch, 17. April 2013
WIKI: Thomas Kielinger [D] | [ E ]

Amanda Thatcher passionne les Britanniques
LE POINT: Les obsèques de la "Dame de Fer" ont fait connaître au monde entier sa petite fille. La presse et Twitter la comparent déjà à Pippa Middleton.


Les circonstances sont bien différentes mais leur destinée pourrait être la même : alors que les Britanniques avaient découvert Pippa Middleton lors du mariage de sa soeur Kate avec le Prince William, les sujets de la reine ont assisté à l'avènement médiatique d'Amanda Thatcher lors des obsèques de sa grand-mère, mercredi 17 avril.

En la cathédrale Saint-Paul à Londres, Amanda Margaret Thatcher a lu un entier un extrait des épitres aux Ephésiens en hommage à son aïeule, au cours d'une cérémonie retransmise par les télévisions du monde entier. Vêtue d'un tailleur noir et d'un collier de perles, coiffée d'un chapeau noir asymétrique, elle est apparue très élégante. Ce que n'ont pas manqué de commenter les journaux britanniques. The Guardian, The Telegraph ou encore The Daily Mail lui on déjà consacré des portraits et des diaporamas. » | Source Sipa Media | mercredi 17 avril 2013

Margaret Thatcher's Funeral Passes Peacefully

Amanda Thatcher’s Reading at Margaret Thatcher's Funeral Ceremony Causes Twitter Storm

US Intercepts 'Ricin' Letter to Obama
BBC: A letter addressed to US President Barack Obama containing a "suspicious substance" has been intercepted.

Initial tests on the letter, identified at a remote facility, showed the presence of the lethal toxin ricin.

The letter, which arrived at the facility on 16 April, is related to another laced with ricin intended for a US senator, the FBI said.

Meanwhile, US Capitol Police are questioning a suspect in connection with the tainted letters, reports say.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the letters addressed to the president and Republican Senator Roger Wicker were both were postmarked Memphis, Tennessee and dated 8 April.

The contents of the letter intended for President Obama are being sent to an accredited laboratory for further analysis, the FBI said, with results expected in 24 to 48 hours. » | Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Queen Sofia Wins Apology from Online Adultery Agency
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Queen Sofia of Spain has won an apology from an online dating agency for adulterers after it used her image in an advertising campaign mocking the King's rumoured indiscretions.


The 74-year old Greek-born spouse of King Juan Carlos took legal action against US-based agency Ashley Madison for "damage to her honour and dignity" after it used a photograph of her in a series of adverts last year.

The company, which specialises in connecting people looking for extra-marital affairs, has issued a personal apology to Queen Sofia and promised never to use her image in its marketing campaigns.

The offending advertisements contained a doctored image of the smiling Queen draped around the bare shoulders of a much younger man, beneath the slogan in Spanish: "You no longer have to spend the night alone".

Published first in February 2012 and then again last October, it apparently refered to widespread allegations that King Juan Carlos had conducted numerous affairs during their 50-year marriage.

An explosive biography of Queen Sofia, written by Pilar Eyre, called "The Solitude of the Queen" was published in January 2012. It detailed her long-standing suffering as the wife of serial womanizer. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Saudi Arabia Reportedly Deports Men for Being ‘Too Handsome’
TIME: It’s a good problem to have, but it’s still a problem for three men who have reportedly been deported from Saudi Arabia for being “too handsome.”

The men were visiting Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates to attend the annual Jenadrivah Heritage & Cultural Festival in Riyadh. They were apparently minding their own business when members of Saudi Arabia’s religion police entered the pavilion and forcibly removed them from the festival. Their offense? They were considered “too handsome” to stay for fear that women would find them irresistible, according to the Arabic-language newspaper Elaph. » | Melissa Locker | Wednesday, April 17, 2013

New Zealand Legalises Gay Marriage in First for Region
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: New Zealand has become the first country in the Asia-Pacific region - and 13th in the world - to legalise gay marriage.


Parliament voted 77 to 44 in support of the bill on its third and last reading. Uruguay legalised gay marriage last week and the move will put more pressure on Australia, which rejected the proposal last year, leading to speculation that couples will make the three hour flight to get married in New Zealand.

Spectators in the public gallery and some law makers couldn’t hide their jubilation at the decision, singing the nation’s love song, Pokarekare Ana, in the native Maori language.

In a heartfelt speech, bill sponsor Louisa Wall said: “In our society, the meaning of marriage is universal — it's a declaration of love and commitment to a special person.

“Nothing could make me more proud to be a New Zealander than passing this bill,” she went on to add. » | Romil Patel | Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Baroness Thatcher’s Funeral in Full
Dignitaries attended an official ceremonial funeral service with full military honors for the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Watch the BBC coverage of the funeral via C-SPAN here | Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Funeral of Baroness Thatcher
David Dimbleby introduces live coverage of the funeral service of Baroness Thatcher at St Paul's Cathedral. Sophie Raworth and Mishal Husain report from the route.
Watch the funeral on BBC iPlayer here | Wednesday, April 17, 2013

England [Großbritannien] nimmt Abschied von Margaret Thatcher
Mit einem Trauerzug durch die Innenstadt haben die Trauerfeierlichkeiten für Margaret Thatcher begonnen. Die verstorbene ehemalige britische Premierministerin Margaret Thatcher hat präzise Anweisungen für den heutigen Ablauf ihrer Trauerfeier hinterlassen. Geladen sind rund 2500 Gäste.

Margaret Thatcher Funeral: Live Coverage
Follow our live coverage as Baroness Thatcher is laid to rest today following a procession through central London and funeral service at St. Paul's Cathedral.

Latest | Joel Gunter and Matthew Holehouse | Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Fit to Rule: How Royal Illness Changed History
Bad Blood: Stuarts to Hanoverians
Lucy Worsley explores how the health of monarchs has shaped the nation. She looks at the medical histories of the later Stuarts and Hanoverians.
Watch the programme here

Margaret Thatcher Funeral: US Opts for Low-key Official Representation
THE GUARDIAN: Barack Obama sends presidential delegation with no serving politicians to London ceremony

The US is to send distinctly low-key official representation to Lady Thatcher's funeral on Wednesday, with a delegation led by George Shultz and James Baker, who both served as US secretary of state while Thatcher was in power.

While Barack Obama was invited, he has opted to send a presidential delegation comprising no serving politicians. Shultz was secretary of state to Ronald Reagan while Baker served the elder George Bush. Also representing Obama will be Barbara Stephenson, chargé d'affaires at the US embassy in London, and Louis Susman, the recently departed ambassador to Britain.

Separately, the Republican party is sending three members of the House of Representatives: Marsha Blackburn, who will lead the delegation, along with Michele Bachmann and George Holding. Blackburn is a leading fiscal conservative, while Bachmann, a member of the hard[-]line conservative Tea Party faction, became internationally known during her spectacular if brief bid for the 2012 presidential nomination. » | Peter Walker | Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Margaret Thatcher: Parliament's Chapel Service for a 'Beloved Mother'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Michael Deacon reports on the chapel service held for the late Baroness Thatcher in the Palace of Westminster, the day before her funeral.


Footsteps on flagstones echoed through the vast hall, breaking the cold, draughty silence. Faint sunlight crept in from the outside world through the stained glass; otherwise, the hall was dim. Darkness spread from the high rafters down the dingy stone walls. Into this echoing gloom, the mourners slowly filed.

The day before her funeral, a chapel service was being held for Baroness Thatcher in the Palace of Westminster. Tucked away in a poky corner of Westminster Hall, up a short flight of steps, and guarded by wrought-iron gates, was a small door headed, “Chapel of St Mary Undercroft”. It was here that, this afternoon at three o’clock, Lady Thatcher’s coffin was brought.

As a television news helicopter thundered overhead, crowds gathered outside Parliament to watch the hearse draw up at Old Palace Yard. Solemnly the bearers hoisted the coffin on to their shoulders. The union flag in which it was draped fluttered in the breeze. Nestled in the wreath was a small white card. It read, simply, “Beloved Mother – always in our hearts.” » | Michael Deacon, Parliamentary Sketchwriter | Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Thatcher Funeral: Attendees and No-Shows
ABC NEWS: More than 2,000 invitations were sent out for the Wednesday funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Among the former U.S. presidents, surviving U.K. prime ministers, world leaders and celebrities who made the cut are some high profile would-be guests who sent regrets: Former First Lady Nancy Reagan — whose husband had a close relationship with the late premier — will not be able to attend; nor will former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who shared key moments in history with the Iron Lady. Germany's Angela Merkel is sending her foreign minister, while U.S. power families the Clintons and the Bushes won't be making appearances.

Here's a look at who is — and isn't — attending the funeral Wednesday at St. Paul's Cathedral. » | Associated Press | Tuesday, April 16, 2013

CrossTalk on Mali: Target Islam?
Is the crisis in Mali turning into a war on Islam or is it merely a continuation of the West's 'War on Terror'? Does NATO have the right to decide the quality of democracy in any country, particularly Africa? What are the justifications for French military involvement in Mali? And what good will it bring? CrossTalking with Ayo Johnson, Daniel Pipes and Kelley Vlahos.

Leap of Faith: Church of England en route to Extinction
Hand-in-hand with the British Monarchy, the Church of England has been a symbol of the UK for centuries. And while the Church still enjoys many unique political and financial privileges - it's current state is less than secure, as RT's Polly Boyko found out.

Homemade Terror: Radical Islam Gains in Crisis-cracked EU
As if a dire economic predicament, foul public mood and gloomy outlook weren't enough - France now has homegrown extremists to worry about. Short of cash and opportunities, disenchanted French youth are increasingly turning to radical Islam. And, as RT's Aleksey Yaroshevsky reports, stopping the trend is not proving easy.

Amsterdam of Immigrants: Sharing the Motherland (RT Documentary, July 2012)
Amsterdam could compete with New York for the title of modern Babylon. More than 200 ethnic groups live here. The whole of post-war Holland has been working hard to build the image of Europe's most tolerant country -- but what has been the result? Regions of the country are populated completely by people not of Dutch origin. Some of them want to accept the Dutch culture, language, and way of life; others are keeping their own traditions and languages. But despite their differences, all these people want to live in Holland. Find out what the Dutch think about it on RT.

Inter-ethnic Tension Rises in France as Natives Fear Becoming 'White Minority'
With the French economy mired in depression - unemployment figures are at their highest in a decade. ¶ And as RT's Aleksey Yaroshevsky reports the financial hardship is putting pressure on usually harmonious relationships between the immigrant community and locals.

'Euro Dead, Stop the Surgery' – ‘Alternative for Germany’ Party
Anti-euro sentiment is going mainstream in Germany - with the launch of a new party dedicated to pulling the plug on the struggling single currency. The group - called 'Alternative for Germany' - says it has already received thousands of membership requests. RT's correspondent Peter Oliver was at the party's first official convention.

Back In Time: Secular Turkey Under Attack as Islam Gains Momentum
A 10-month suspended prison sentence has been handed down in Turkey to a renowned composer and pianist, over a series of tweets mocking Islam. Fazil Say was first charged with denigrating religion in June last year, facing up to 18 months behind bars at the time. The musician, once a cultural ambassador to the EU, is a high profile critic of the Islamic-led government of prime minister Tayyip Erdogan and says his punishment is purely political. Amnesty International's researcher on Turkey, Andrew Gardner joins RT studio from Istanbul.

Bombenanschläge in Boston
Zwei Bombenanschläge im US-Bundesstaat Massachusetts haben 3 Tote und über 100 Verletzte gefordert. Die erste Explosion ereignete sich während des Boston Marathons wenige Meter vor der Ziellinie. 10 Sekunden später explodierte ein Sprengkörper nur einen Häuserblock entfernt. Es sind die ersten tödlichen Bombenanschläge in den USA seit dem 11. September 2001.

7.8 Earthquake Hits Iran-Pakistan Border

Former North Korea Spy: War Will Break Out

France's Jewish Exodus

Nigerian Christian Group Threatens Retaliation Over Islamist Attacks
THE GUARDIAN: Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta says it will launch terror campaign 'in defence of Christianity'

Nigeria could face a battle between rival terrorist groups after Christian militants threatened to attack Muslim targets in response to bombings carried out by the Islamist group Boko Haram.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), the umbrella body of armed groups in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, said it would launch a new terror campaign "in defence of Christianity".

"The bombings of mosques, hajj camps, Islamic institutions, large congregations in Islamic events and assassinations of clerics that propagate doctrines of hate will form the core mission of this crusade," the Mend spokesman Jomo Gbomo said in an emailed statement. » | Afua Hirsch, west Africa correspondent | Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Germany Cracks Down on Critics of Mega-Mosque
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: "Our work of information is not oriented against Muslims, but against the political ideology of Islam. Muslims are its first victims, most of all women." — Politically Incorrect

The Bavarian branch of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), has placed under state surveillance German activists accused of fomenting hate against Muslims due to their opposition to the construction of a mega-mosque in Munich.

The move to silence critics of the mosque for being "unconstitutional" was announced by Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann in a press conference on April 12, and represents an unprecedented threat to the exercise of free speech in post-reunification Germany.

Herrmann made the announcement while presenting an annual report about threats to democratic order in Germany. A seven-minute video of the press conference with subtitles in English can be viewed here.

Herrmann singled out a citizen's movement called Die Freiheit Bayern (Freedom Bavaria), as well as the Munich branch of a highly popular free speech blog called Politically Incorrect (PI), which focuses on topics related to immigration, multiculturalism and Islam in Germany. » | Soeren Kern | Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Panorama: North Korea Undercover
Panorama reporter John Sweeney spends eight days undercover inside North Korea, the most rigidly-controlled nation on Earth.
Watch the documentary here | Monday, April 15, 2013

Boston's Proudest Day Turns into Nightmare
NBC News' Dennis Murphy reports on how the day of the 2013 Boston Marathon unfolded as its traditionally proudest day into an unimaginable 'act of terrorism' that has ramped up investigations in Boston and security measures in major cities around the world.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Moment of Boston Marathon Explosion
BBC: Two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon have left at least two people dead and a number of people injured.

The moment of the first explosion was captured by television crews covering the event. Watch BBC video » | Monday, April 15, 2013

Ruinous Euro Rescues
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: In an attempt to save the euro at all costs, Europe's technocrats are advocating policies of startling brutality

When the Dutch finance minister suggested that the Cypriot bail-out could become a “model”, the outcry was immediate. It was all very well to treat a minnow such as Cyprus in such a brutal manner, said Jeroen Dijsselbloem’s critics, but no country of real stature would put up with a raid on its savers’ funds. What a difference a few weeks makes. Germany’s council of economic experts has now scrutinised the Cypriot rescue package, and concluded that the critics had a point. Not about the arbitrary confiscation of wealth, but that a levy on bank accounts was an inefficient manner of going about it. They suggest, in future, a tax on property or other assets, paid predominantly by the wealthy, since it is far more difficult to move your home out of reach. » | Telegraph View | Monday, April 15, 2013

New Dark Age Alert! Jihadists Hope Boston Bombings Are Acts of Jihadi Terrorism
SITE MONITORING SERVICE – JIHAD THREAT: Amidst ongoing media reports of two explosions in the American city of Boston, Massachusetts, near the finish line of the marathon race on April 15, 2013, jihadists expressed their joy and hoped the blasts are acts of jihadi terrorism.

One forum member noted that over a week ago, a jihadist announced his desire to plan bombings in the United States, but was chastised by others for revealing such a plot publicly. He is referring to a posting on the Ansar al-Mujahideen forum on April 1 in which a jihadist tried to recruit members for an attack similar in impact to al-Qaeda's 9/11 strikes, but seemed focused on the attack being a suicide bombing. In other posts responding to the explosions, on the Ansar al-Mujahideen, al-Fida' and Shumukh al-Islam forums, jihadists gave pictures circulated in the media of the aftermath, showing injured people and a bloody sidewalk, and some hoped more bombings will follow. » | Monday, April 15, 2013