Friday, March 20, 2015

The Most Dangerous Isis Propaganda Yet? Jihadi Brides with M5s, Fighters Relaxing and Children Playing Used to Present Caliphate as a Utopia


THE INDEPENDENT: The reality of life under Isis is brutal for both fighters and civilians

Much attention is paid to the extreme, distressing and sadistic propaganda disseminated by Isis, who go to great lengths to circulate violent images and videos of the atrocities it commits.

Yet little attention is paid to what could arguably be considered to be the most dangerous propaganda emerging from the group – the pictures and videos that attempt to normalise and even glamorise life within Isis. It is these pictures that are used as a recruiting tool for the extremist group. » | Heather Saul | Friday, March 20, 2015

In Vienna, a Bid to Foster 'Islam of the Austrian Kind'


THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: European countries are watching closely Austria's governance of Islam, a faith under the spotlight after recent terror attacks in Paris and Copenhagen. Austria's ban on foreign funding of preachers has raised concerns.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA — A controversial legal reform on Islam in Austria could become a beacon of hope in Europe as it rushes to assimilate its growing Muslim population in an age of insecurity and Islamophobia.

Austrian lawmakers say their aim is to create a democratic, self-sufficient Islam free of radical influence from abroad, thus defusing populist fears about the faith and its minority of extremist followers. To that end, the reform fortifies the legal rights of Muslims, while also banning foreign funding for mosques in an attempt to create what Austria’s foreign minister Sebastian Kurz has dubbed “Islam of the Austrian kind.”

These are the same goals shared broadly across Europe, among Muslims and non-Muslims alike. But Austria’s fast-track approach – coming after Islamist extremist attacks in France and Denmark and amid continued fear of returning European jihadists – is also troubling. While it gives Muslims new protections, such as mandating a right to Islamic pastoral care in hospitals and the military, it places limits on the faith in a way that Muslim leaders says is counterproductive at best, and deeply discriminatory at worst.

At least two faith-based groups have vowed to challenge it in court. For its part, Austria’s far-right Freedom Party criticizes the law as not going far enough. And, in a recent Austrian newspaper poll, more than half of respondents said they feared the radicalization of Muslims here. » | Sara Miller Llana, Staff writer | Friday, March 20, 2015

White House: Obama’s Nowruz Message to Iran, Iranians


۱۳۹۴ پیام نوروزی پرزیدنت اوباما به مناسبت نوروز

Ben Carson Forgets Balts Are in NATO, Dates Islam to Before Christ in Flubbed FP Interview


White House Plots New Snub to Bibi with UN Resolution to Force Peace Talks on Palestine


DAILY MAIL: Obama may end US opposition to a UN Security Council resolution designed to force Israel into a two-state solution with Palestinians / White House is upset that Benjamin Netanyahu was re-elected, especially on the U-turn promise that he wouldn't agree to a Palestinian state / Palestinian Authority threatened to file war crimes charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court, related to rocket attacks last summer / US Congress would cut $400 million in annual aid to the PA is it followed through / Obama's spokesman refused to characterize the president's reaction to Netanyahu's reelection on Thursday / He would only say that the Israeli PM's comments on Palestine had lead the president and his advisers to 'evaluate what our path is forward'

The White House is reportedly considering a new power play in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that would paint Benjamin Netanyahu into a corner just days after his stunning come-from-behind victory in his country's hotly contested elections.

In the final days of campaigning, Netanyahu vowed in an historic U-turn that his government would never agree to the creation of a Palestinian state. But now President Barack Obama is contemplating using the United Nations as a trump card to force the issue.

Under a plan outlined by Foreign Policy magazine, the U.S. State Department would ease away from decades of opposition to a Security Council resolution demanding peace talks and a final rapprochement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The White House cautiously avoided commenting on its future plans on Thursday when it was bombarded with questions by reporters on the topic, saying only that it would 'evaluate what our path is forward' is in light of Netanyahu's comments. » | David Martosko, U.S Political Editor and Francesca Chambers for DailyMail.com | Thursday, March 19, 2015

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Islamist Struggle Behind Tunisia's Suicide Bombings


The Battle for Bizerte: The ongoing struggle between Tunisia's ultra-conservative Islamists and democratic Government

Wie Saudi-Arabien deutschen Salafismus finanziert

Hat Einreiseverbot im Schengen-Raum: Der "Tom Cruise des
Salfismus", Muhammad al-Arifi
DIE WELT: Saudi-Arabien schickt radikale Imame in deutsche Salafistenmoscheen – die Scheichs werden hier wie Popstars verehrt. Manchmal haben die Vorbeter mehr als warme Worte im Gepäck.

Muhammad al-Arifi ist ein Star. Seine Fans liegen dem saudi-arabischen Scheich zu Füßen. An Freitagen sogar im Wortsinne: Dann steht der sunnitische Imam vor mehreren Hundert Gläubigen, die sich gen Mekka neigen, in einer prächtigen Moschee in Riad und leitet die Gemeinde zum Mittagsgebet. Er trägt eine weiße Robe mit Kapuze, aus der sein langer Fusselbart herausschaut.

Seine Botschaften an die Gläubigen: Polygamie sei kein Problem, der Prophet habe schließlich auch mehrere Ehefrauen gehabt. Regelmäßig bete er für Osama Bin Ladens Seele, denn der sei Opfer einer weltweiten Rufmordkampagne. Der Dschihad in Syrien müsse unterstützt werden – weshalb al-Arifi gern zu Geldspenden aufruft für die Kämpfer gegen die von ihm so gehassten Schiiten. » | Von Eva Marie Kogel | Dienstag, 17. März 2015

Une Afghane lynchée pour avoir brûlé le coran


TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Châtiment – Accusée d'avoir brûlé un exemplaire du coran, une femme afghane a été battue à mort et brûlée par une foule en colère à Kaboul.

Une femme afghane accusée d'avoir brûlé un exemplaire du coran a été battue à mort et brûlée par la foule à Kaboul ce jeudi 19 mars , a annoncé le chef de la police criminelle de Kaboul, le général Farid Afzali. Le corps de la victime a été jetée dans une rivière. » | jeudi 19 mars 2015

Small Town Divided after High School Broadcasts Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic to the Outrage of Some Parents and Students


DAILY MAIL: Pine Bush High School in Upstate New York celebrated National Foreign Languages Week by reading the pledge in different tongues / Administrators were forced to apologize after the reading in Arabic stirred outrage in some parents and students / The pledge will henceforth only be read in English, officials said

A small town in Upstate New York stands divided after their high school's decision on Wednesday to broadcast the Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic.

It was meant as a way to celebrate National Foreign Languages Week--each day, the announcements and pledge at Pine Bush High School would be recited in a different tongue.

However, the outrage it caused in some students and parents quickly forced administrators to issue an apology and a promise to henceforth only recite the Pledge of Allegiance in English.

Now, lines have been drawn in Pine Bush (pop. 1,600) as some students and teachers are outraged that an apology was issued at all while others applaud the decision and say the pledge should never have been recited in a language other than English. » | Josh Gardner for DailyMail.com | Thursday, March 19, 2015

IS bekennt sich zu Anschlag in Tunis


TAGES ANZEIGER: Die blutige Attacke in der tunesischen Hauptstadt hätten «Ritter des Islamischen Staates» ausgeführt, heisst es in einer Botschaft. Darin wurde zudem das betroffene Bardo-Museum verunglimpft.

Die Terrormiliz Islamischer Staat (IS) hat sich zum Anschlag auf ausländische Touristen in Tunis bekannt. In einer heute im Internet verbreiteten Audiobotschaft wurden die Angreifer als «Ritter des Islamischen Staates» gewürdigt.

In einer Erklärung der sunnitischen Fanatiker vom so genannten Islamischen Staat war die Rede von einer «geheiligten Invasion in einen Unterschlupf der Ungläubigen und des Lasters im muslimischen Tunesien». » | rub/sda | Donnerstag, 19. März 2015

Saudiarabien lässt keine Schweden mehr ins Land

Kritisiert die saudische Gesellschaftsstruktur: Die schwedische
Aussenministerin, Margot Wallstroem, spricht vor der
UNO über sexuelle Gewalt. (10 Juni 2011)
TAGES ANZEIGER: Da die Aussenministerin Schwedens unter anderem die Stellung der Frau in Saudiarabien kritisiert hatte, stellen die Behörden keine Visa mehr für Schweden aus.

Saudiarabien will schwedischen Staatsbürgern keine Visa mehr ausstellen oder verlängern, weil Aussenministerin Margot Wallström die Menschenrechtslage in dem Golfstaat kritisiert hatte. » | pst/sda | Donnerstag, 19. März 2015

Tunisian Authorities Arrest Nine People Following Wednesday's Deadly Museum Attack


Tunisian authorities said Thursday that they arrested nine people directly connected with Wednesday's deadly museum attack. Authorities raised the death toll to 23 in the shooting at Tunisia's National Bardo Museum, with 50 people estimated to be wounded. Although no group has claimed responsibility, security experts said it is likely to be Islamic State sympathizers who…


Benjamin Netanyahu Win Forces Obama to Re-evaluate Middle East Peace Strategy


Prime Minister's Benjamin Netanyahu's decisive election win triggered a sharp reaction Wednesday from the Obama White House, which skipped the customary congratulations to warn that the Israeli leader's eleventh-hour campaign promise to block the creation of a Palestinian state has forced the administration to re-evaluate its overall strategy toward the Middle East peace process. "This administration…

No Mention of Islam, Mr. Cameron? David Cameron Speaks after Briton Killed in Tunisia Museum Attack


David Cameron says his heart goes out to the family of Sally Adey, the Briton killed in an attack on the Bardo national museum in Tunis which he calls an 'appalling, brutal outrage'. The prime minister says terrorism must be fought 'with everything we have' and says he is confident that values such as freedom of speech, democracy and rule of law will prevail in the fight against extremism

Wednesday, March 18, 2015


Global War Will Result in 'Banner of Islam' over White House: Khamenei Aide


A top special operations aide to Iran's leader says his troops are in a global war that will one day bring "the banner of Islam over the White House." Ali Shirazi is the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's representative on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, the overseas operations branch that trained Iraqi Shiites to kill…

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Danish Nationalists to Help Muslims Leave Islam


SPUTNIK NEWS: The anti-immigration Danish People’s Party calls for a national program to help Muslims leave Islam.

Danish People's Party spokesman Martin Henriksen wants to see the state step in and offer help to Muslims who want to give up on their religion but feel bullied into staying, The Local reported. » | Tuesday, March 17, 2015

L'Arabie Saoudite défend sa «justice pour tous»


TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Droits humains – En réponse aux critiques d'une ministre suédoise liées à la flagellation du blogueur Raef Badaoui, Ryad a répliqué que «la liberté d'expression est garantie pour tous à l'intérieur du cadre de la charia».

L'Arabie saoudite a assuré lundi 16 mars garantir une «justice pour tous», en réponse aux critiques proférées par la ministre suédoise des Affaires étrangères à la suite de la flagellation du blogueur Raef Badaoui.

Margot Wallström avait dénoncé début mars les «méthodes moyenâgeuses» de la justice saoudienne contre Raef Badaoui, flagellé pour «insulte envers l'islam».

Ryad avait alors qualifié d'«ingérence flagrante» ces déclarations et rappelé son ambassadeur à Stockholm.

Égalité entre les sexes

Le gouvernement saoudien a «renouvelé (lundi) sa condamnation de ces déclarations insultantes». Le système judiciaire du royaume est «basé sur l'islam et assure la justice pour tous», a affirmé le ministre de la Culture et de l'Information Adel ben Zaid al-Toraifi à l'agence de presse officielle SPA.

«La liberté d'expression est garantie pour tous à l'intérieur du cadre de la charia», la loi islamique, a-t-il encore dit. » | lundi 16 mars 2015

Now ISIS Tears Down the Cross: Chilling Photographs Reveal How Islamic State Thugs Have Ravaged Christian Churches

MAIL ONLINE: ISIS militants pictured toppling crosses and smashing relics in Nineveh / Latest evidence of ISIS trying to cleanse caliphate of Christian heritage / Also attacked ancient city of Nimrud and 2000-year-old fortress city Hatra

Shocking new images released today have shown ISIS terrorists toppling crosses, smashing Christian relics with hammers and erecting the black flag of ISIS on churches in Iraq.

The latest photos show the militants vandalising churches in Nineveh, the ancient capital of the Assyrian empire.

Pictured in civilian clothing, the ISIS thugs are seen overturning statues, destroying religious icons and replacing Christian crosses with the chilling ISIS banner.

The disturbing images - provided by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) - are the latest evidence of ISIS trying to cleanse its caliphate of its Christian heritage. » | Thomas Burrows for MailOnline | Monday, March 16, 2015

Leptis Magna: War-torn Libya's Forgotten Ancient Roman City


THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As Libya's war keeps foreign visitors away, the Roman Empire's magnificent capital in Africa lies forgotten, with weeds growing among the cracks of the cobbled stones

For over 900 years Leptis Magna – once the pride of the Roman Empire in Africa – lay hidden, forgotten by man, beneath Libya’s sand dunes.

Now, excavated and magnificent on a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Leptis Magna stands, once again, alone and almost entirely abandoned.

As political instability besets Libya, the theatre, parliament and wide, straight, cobbled roads of the “best preserved” Roman city in the world are devoid of tourists.

“We haven’t had any tourists since the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011,” said Osama Krema, a Libyan tour guide working at the site. “Occasionally aid workers staying in the country come to visit. They factor in only half an hour initially. » | Ruth Sherlock, Leptis Magna, video by Sam Tarling | Monday, March 16, 2015

Monday, March 16, 2015

Netanjahu schließt eigenen Palästinenserstaat aus

Spricht sich im Wahlkampf gegen die Schaffung eines
Palästinenserstaats: Israels Regierungschef Benjamin Netanjahu
DIE WELT: Unmittelbar vor der Parlamentswahl in Israel rückt Ministerpräsident Netanjahu von der Zweistaatenlösung ab. Sollte er Ministerpräsident bleiben, werde es keinen palästinensischen Staat geben.

Offenbar im Bemühen um Stimmen im rechten Lager hat Israels Regierungschef Benjamin Netanjahu einen Palästinenserstaat im Falle einer Verlängerung seines Mandats ausgeschlossen.

"Alle, die die Schaffung eines Palästinenserstaates und die Rückgabe von Gebieten wollen, machen diese Gebiete anfällig für Angriffe des extremistischen Islam gegen den Staat Israel", sagte Netanjahu am Montag, einen Tag vor der Knesset-Wahl, dem Nachrichtenportal NRG. Dies sei "die Wahrheit, die sich in den vergangenen Jahren ergeben hat". Wer dies ignoriere, "steckt den Kopf in den Sand".

Auf die Nachfrage, ob dies bedeute, dass es keinen Palästinenserstaat geben werde, wenn er Regierungschef bleibe, antwortete Netanjahu: "Das ist richtig." » | AFP/mak | Montag, 16. März 2015

Iranian Professor Loses Job due to 'Feminine' Voice

Iranian professor Qasem Exirifard has not had his contract
renewed due to his high-pitched voice.
THE GUARDIAN: Khajeh Nasir Toosi university dismisses Dr Qasem Exirifard on the grounds that his voice would lead to ridicule in classroom, he tells reformist newspaper

A top physics professor in Iran has lost his job because he was told he has a feminine voice that prevents him from effectively communicating with his university students.

Qasem Exirifard has been dismissed from Tehran’s Khajeh Nasir Toosi university after its academic committee, in charge of examining staff’s qualifications, deemed his voice was effeminate and said it could lead to students ridiculing him in the classroom.

According to the reformist Shargh newspaper, the 40-year-old Exirifard is a former national physics olympiad medallist who has a doctorate degree from Italy’s International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA). Shargh described him as a genius in physics with great academic achievements.

He began teaching at the institution in February 2014 but his contract, which was up for renewal last month, was not extended due to the university committee’s ruling.

“I was disqualified, why? Because I have a high-pitched voice, what they [the university] call a feminine voice,” Exirifard was quoted as saying. “They said I would not be qualified to communicate scientific contents to students because they said my voice was effeminate.” » | Saeed Kamali Dehghan | Monday, March 16, 2015

Tony Blair 'Had No Credibility' in Middle East Process, Says US Official

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: All sides in Middle East peace process would roll their eyes at mention of Tony Blair's name, US government official involved in talks tells Telegraph

Tony Blair had “no credibility” left with the parties in the Middle East peace process, a former US government official who was closely involved with trying to revive the talks last year has told The Telegraph.

“Frankly all sides just rolled their eyes at the mention of his name,” the official said as it was reported that Mr Blair was being “eased out” of his role as head of so-called Quartet.

Rumours that Mr Blair was being asked to step down have been circulating for some days, but were apparently confirmed on Sunday night by The Financial Times. Mr Blair’s office has declined to comment.

In his role, which he took up in 2007, Mr Blair represented the United States of America, the United Nations, Russia and the European Union as a Middle East peace envoy working with the Palestinians.

But in the last round of failed negotiations which began after John Kerry took over as US secretary of state 2013 and broke down last year, Mr Blair had become “a standing joke”, the official said, speaking last week. » | Peter Foster, Washington | Monday, March 16, 2015

Iran Deal Could Start Nuclear Fuel Race - Saudi Arabia


BBC AMERICA: A senior member of the Saudi royal family has warned that a deal on Iran's nuclear programme could prompt other regional states to develop atomic fuel.

Prince Turki al-Faisal told the BBC that Saudi Arabia would then seek the same right, as would other nations.

Six world powers are negotiating an agreement aimed at limiting Iran's nuclear activity but not ending it.

Critics have argued this would trigger a nuclear arms race in the region spurred on by Saudi-Iran rivalry.

"I've always said whatever comes out of these talks, we will want the same," said the prince, Saudi Arabia's former intelligence chief.

"So if Iran has the ability to enrich uranium to whatever level, it's not just Saudi Arabia that's going to ask for that.

"The whole world will be an open door to go that route without any inhibition, and that's my main objection to this P5+1 [the six world powers] process." With a late March deadline for an Iran deal approaching, Saudi Arabia last week signed a nuclear co-operation agreement with South Korea that included a plan to study the feasibility of building two nuclear reactors in the kingdom.

Riyadh has also signed nuclear co-operation agreements with China, France and Argentina, and intends to construct 16 nuclear power reactors over the next 20 years. (+ BBC video) » | Barbara Plett Usher | BBC News, Riyadh | Monday, March 16, 2015

Iraq Conflict: Saddam's Tomb Destroyed in Tikrit Fighting


BBC AMERICA: The tomb of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has been almost completely levelled in fighting near Tikrit.

Footage filmed by the Associated Press shows that all that remains standing of the once-lavish mausoleum in the village of al-Awja are some pillars.

Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed Shia militia are battling to drive Islamic State (IS) militants from Tikrit.

Last year, the local Sunni population said they had removed Saddam's body and taken it to an unknown location. » | Monday, March 16, 2015

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Baghdad Hosts First Fashion Show Since 1988

An Iraqi model presents a dress during the 2015 Baghdad
Fashion Show at the Iraqi capital's Royal Tulip Hotel
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Iraqi capital harks back to liberal days of the 1980s with fashion show at luxurious Royal Tulip hotel as war with Isil goes on to the north

Models in designer clothes strutted down a catwalk in front of Baghdad's high society on Friday for a fashion show that tickled one generation's nostalgia and filled the next one with hope.

Umm Mustafa and her husband cancelled all their family duties, bought new clothes and spent a whole week preparing for the first edition of the Baghdad Fashion Show.

"The last show we saw was in 1988 at the Palestine hotel," she said, wearing a burgundy suit with flowery prints and candy floss pink nail varnish assorted to her smartphone cover.

"We love fashion and design... It's the security situation that has affected everything. There's development here but no opportunity to show the world," said her husband, also in his late forties.

Despite Iraq's eight-year war with Iran, Baghdad in the eighties had a vibrant cultural life and its society was less religiously conservative.

Around 500 people turned out in their best attire to watch 16 young Iraqi women model collections by six home-grown designers Friday as an oriental beat shook the walls of the luxurious Royal Tulip hotel's gala hall. » | AFP | Saturday, March 14, 2015

Robert Spencer On Why ISIS Is Islamic


ISIL: Force May Be Necessary Says Vatican Ambassador to Geneva


THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Silvano Tomasi says armed response could [be] needed to protect minorities from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

The Vatican's ambassador in Geneva has said the use of force will be necessary to protect minority groups from Islamic State aggression if a political solution cannot be achieved.

In an interview with U.S. Catholic website Crux, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi said the jihadists, who have declared a cross-border caliphate after seizing land in eastern Syria and northern Iraq, were committing "genocide" and must be stopped.

"What's needed is a coordinated and well-thought-out coalition to do everything possible to achieve a political settlement without violence," Crux quoted Tomasi as saying on Friday, "but if that's not possible, then the use of force will be necessary." » | Reuters | Sunday, March 15, 2015

Queen Rania: Let’s Drop The First ‘I’ In ISIS


In conversation with Arianna Huffington, Queen Rania of Jordan says there is nothing Islamic about the self-proclaimed “Islamic State,” or ISIS.


My comment:

With all due respect to Queen Rania, the following has to be said: ISIS beheads those who go against Islam: They kill apostates, they stone people to death, they crucify people too. Further, they amputate limbs for theft. But aren't these practices also carried out in Saudi Arabia, in the home of Islam? Please correct me if I am wrong, but if I understand you correctly, if these barbarous acts are carried out officially in Wahhabi Saudi Arabia, they are Islamic; however, if they are carried out in the name of ISIS, they are unIslamic. I don't get it. Could someone please explain? – © Mark

Jordan’s King Abdullah: What It Means to Be a Muslim : الملك : هذه القيم التي أربّي أولادي عليها


L'EI utiliserait des bombes au chlore


TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Irak et Syrie – Les autorités du Kurdistan irakien ont indiqué samedi disposer de preuves que le groupe Etat islamique (EI) a eu recours à des bombes au chlore.

Dans un communiqué publié samedi, la Commission de sécurité de la région du Kurdistan a indiqué que «les forces peshmergas ont fait des prélèvements de sol et des lambeaux de vêtements après un attentat suicide à la voiture piégée le 23 janvier 2015». » | afp/Newsnet | samedi 14 mars 2015

Schlacht um Tikrit: IS steht vor erster großer Niederlage


KRONEN ZEITUNG: Der Islamische Staat steht neun Monate nach seinem Vormarsch im Irak vor seiner ersten großen Niederlage: Die Provinzhauptstadt Tikrit ist offenbar so gut wie gefallen. Iraks Anti- IS- Koalition hat die "vollständige Rückeroberung" der wichtigen Stadt "bis spätestens Dienstag" angekündigt.

Etwa 30.000 Mann hatte die irakische Regierung in die Schlacht um Tikrit - die Geburtsstadt des gehenkten Diktators Saddam Hussein - geworfen. Der Großangriff begann vor rund zwei Wochen. Unterstützt von Luftangriffen der US- geführten Anti- IS- Koalition sowie Militärexperten, Beratern und wohl auch Kampftruppen aus dem Iran (bis vor Kurzem noch der Erzfeind der Amerikaner), konnten die irakischen Einheiten nun bereits bis ins Zentrum der Stadt vordringen. Dort sollen sich nur noch einige Dutzend IS- Terroristen verschanzt haben, umzingelt von den irakischen Truppen, hieß es am Samstag. » | Kronen Zeitung/AG/red | Samstag, 14. März 2015

Junger Türke muss wegen Erdogan-Beleidung ins Gefängnis


DIE PRESSE: Der Student hatte den türkischen Präsidenten wärend der Gezi-Unruhen einen Diktator genannt.

In der Türkei muss ein Student ins Gefängnis, weil er Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan einen "Diktator" genannt hat. Wie die Online-Ausgabe der Zeitung "Hürriyet" am Freitag meldete, beläuft sich die Strafe gegen den angehenden Ingenieur Aykutalp Avsar auf 14 Monate Haft. Demnach wurde Avsar am Donnerstagabend im zentralanatolischen Kayseri verhaftet. » | APA/AFP | Freitag, 13. März 2015

Nick Clegg Blocks Terror Laws Banning Extremists from Universities

Mr Clegg said he could not support the new legislation
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Laws to ban extremist speakers have been blocked by the Liberal Democrats for fears of "eroding" free speech after one of the worst Cabinet rows of the Coalition

Nick Clegg has blocked tough new laws intended to stop extremist speakers brainwashing university students for terrorism, raising fears that Britain will be left more vulnerable to attack.

The Deputy Prime Minister personally vetoed the plan during private talks with David Cameron, after one of the worst Cabinet rows in the Coalition’s five-year rule.

Mr Clegg said he could not support moves to require university bosses to vet visiting speakers and prevent impressionable students from falling under the spell of extremists – because Liberal Democrats feared the move would erode “free speech”.

Draft legal guidelines detailing how the ban would work, which were published by the Home Office in December, have now been scrapped. Senior government sources warned that students would remain at risk of radicalisation by preachers visiting campus Islamic societies. » | Tim Ross and Robert Mendick | Saturday, March 14, 2015

Saturday, March 14, 2015

For the Ayatollahs: Pharrell Williams – Happy (from Tehran)


ISIS Vows to Bomb 'White House, Big Ben, and the Eiffel Tower'


NEWSMAX: ISIS has declared its intention to "blow up your White House, Big Ben, and the Eiffel Tower," its official spokesman said in a new audio message.

An ISIS spokesman said Thursday that the organization had accepted a pledge of allegiance from the Nigerian terror group Boko Haram, Canada's National Post newspaper reported.

In a 28-minute Arabic-language audio, translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani declared that Boko Haram's move was "a new door opened by Allah" and said jihadists should go to West Africa.

Adnani said ISIS wanted control of numerous cities across the globe, including Jerusalem, Kabul, Rome, and Paris.

The ISIS spokesman warned Jews and Christians that they could either "convert to Islam or pay the ultimate price when your armies are expelled from Muhammad's peninsula, from Jerusalem, and all Muslim lands," Ynet News reported. » | Joel Himelfarb | Friday, March 13, 2015

Copenhagen Attack Cartoonist Lars Vilks Wins Award

Lars Vilks has been living under police protection in Sweden
BBC AMERICA: A Swedish cartoonist who depicted the Prophet Muhammad as a dog has made his first public appearance since attending a debate that was targeted in a gun attack in Copenhagen last month.

Lars Vilks received a prize for courage from a free press group, at a heavily secured event in the Danish parliament.

His cartoon offended many Muslims and he now lives under guard in Sweden. » | Saturday, March 14, 2015

Vanuatu: les premières images après le cyclone


Quelques heures après le passage du cyclone Pam sur l'archipel des Vanuatu, les rues de la capitale Port Vila étaient dévastées. Plusieurs dizaines de personnes pourraient être décédées.

Irak: Kurden werfen IS Einsatz von Chemiewaffen vor


SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die Autonomieregierung der Kurden im Nordirak wirft der Terrormiliz "Islamischer Staat" den Einsatz von Chlorgas vor. Den Beweis hätten Proben geliefert, die ein unabhängiges Labor untersucht haben soll.

Die Kurdenregierung im Irak hat der Extremistenmiliz "Islamischer Staat" vorgeworfen, chemische Waffen eingesetzt zu haben. Der regionale Sicherheitsrat in Erbil erklärte am Samstag, ihm lägen Beweise vor, dass die sunnitischen Extremisten im Januar bei einem Selbstmordanschlag mit einem Auto gegen kurdische Peschmerga-Einheiten Chlorgas verwendet hätten. » | mik/Reuters | Samstag, 14. März 2015

Wuppertal: Polizei löst Hooligan-Demonstration auf


SPIEGEL ONLINE: Pegida, Hooligans, Salafisten sind in Wuppertal am Samstag auf der Straße, rund 1000 Sicherheitskräfte im Einsatz. Nach ersten Böllerwürfen löst die Polizei die Demonstration der Rechtsextremisten auf.

Schnelles Ende des Aufmarschs von Rechtsextremisten: In Wuppertal hat die Polizei Hooligans bei einer Kundgebung von Pegida NRW auseinandergetrieben. Die Beamten schritten ein, nachdem Vermummte erste Böller geworfen hatten. Die Einsatzkräfte versuchten, die Angreifer zurückzudrängen. » | mik/AFP | Samstag, 14. März 2015

Iran's Advances Create Alarm in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf


THE GUARDIAN: Arabs believe Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut and Sana’a are in effect under Iranian control – and power may shift further if US sanctions are eased

The commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been working overtime recently, flaunting their achievements across the Middle East and flexing muscles as international negotiations over the country’s nuclear programme enter their critical and perhaps final phase.

On Wednesday it was the turn of Major-General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the IRGC’s most senior officer. “The Islamic revolution is advancing with good speed, its example being the ever-increasing export of the revolution,” he declared. “Not only Palestine and Lebanon acknowledge the influential role of the Islamic Republic but so do the people of Iraq and Syria. They appreciate the nation of Iran.”

Last month a similarly boastful message was delivered by General Qassem Suleimani, who leads the IRGC’s elite Quds force — and who is regularly photographed leading the fightback of Iraqi Shia miltias against the Sunni jihadis of the Islamic State (Isis) as well as against western and Arab-backed rebels fighting Bashar al-Assad in southern Syria. “Imperialists and Zionists have admitted defeat at the hands of the Islamic Republic and the resistance movement,” Suleimani said.

Iran’s advances are fuelling alarm in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, where Tehran has been a strategic rival since the days of the Shah, and which now, it is said with dismay, in effect controls four Arab capitals – Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut and in the last month Sana’a in Yemen – which is uncomfortably close to home. » | Ian Black Middle East editor | Additional reporting by Saeed Kamali Dheghan | Friday, March 13, 2015

John Brennan, CIA Director, on the Beauty of Islam



John Brennan, CIA Director, Backs Obama: Islamic State Is Not Islamic


The Obama administration is doubling down on its refusal to call the Islamic State group "Islamic," with the director of the CIA saying the word would give the group "legitimacy." "It is totally inconsistent with what the overwhelming majority of Muslims throughout the world" view as Islam, said CIA director John Brennan, at a discussion Friday…


U.S. Embassy Warns Saudi Arabia Oil Workers Of Kidnap Plot


RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia has issued a warning about a potential militant plot to kidnap Western oil workers. The warning, issued late Friday, said officials received information about a threat to kidnap the workers, including Americans, from oil fields in the kingdom's Eastern province. The embassy said it had "no…

Special Report from Libya: How Nato's Toppling of Gaddafi Has Turned to Disaster


THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The country that fought for freedom is falling back into factionalism and bloodshed

Tears rolled down Khadija’s cheeks as the 17-seater plane – the whirr of its propellers deafening in the cabin – began its descent into the capital of a country crippled by war. The hope she’d felt of a better future for Libya after the ousting of dictator Col Muammar Gaddafi had long soured into resentment and fear. Now she was flying back into her homeland from exile. An uncle had been killed and she needed to attend his funeral.

“It wasn’t meant to be like this,” she said. “We have lost our dignity. We fought Gaddafi so that we could speak freely. Now it’s the same as before, but with less security.”

Many of her countrymen agree with her. Since the end of the 2011 Nato-backed war that toppled Gaddafi, Libya has fragmented – with two rival governments and their allied armed gangs vying for power. Nascent democracy has been supplanted by a system of repression and fear. Militias have become the most powerful players in a country devoid of the rule of law, of a national army or a police force. Anyone opposing them, be they politician or civilian, is silenced – often at gunpoint.

In the new Libya, just as in the old, speaking out against those wielding power is enough see you threatened, or killed. There was, many admit, a “golden age” in the months immediately after the end of Gaddafi’s 40-year-rule. But it was not long before factionalism began to spin out of control. Now that brief, optimistic interregnum is spoken of nostalgically, as thought [sic] it were a distant era. (+ video) » | Ruth Sherlock, video by Sam Tarling | Saturday, March 14, 2015

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: I don't regret helping overthrow Gaddafi, says David Cameron after Coptic Christian beheadings: Prime Minister defends Britain's involvement in Libya after 'monstrous' killings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians by Isil » | Ben Riley-Smith, Political Correspondent | Tuesday, February 17, 2015

THE GUARDIAN: We won't abandon Libya after killings, says David Cameron: Prime minister says Britain right to help oust Gaddafi and pledges support to Libya in the wake of ‘brutal, senseless murders’ of Coptic Christians » | Rowena Mason, political correspondent | Tuesday, February 17, 2015

4bitNEWS: Cameron took the glory for toppling Gaddafi – where is he now as Libya implodes? » | Editor | Wednesday, August 06, 2014

CROSSING THE LINE 2


The Rise Of Anti-Israel Activity And Anti-Semitism On Campus

Israel is under assault on North American college campuses today like never before. Anti-Israel activities to alienate, demonize, and delegitimize Israel are increasingly crossing the line into anti-Semitism, in the form of hate speech, harassment and intimidation.

Crossing the Line 2 is a new documentary that reveals the rise of anti-Israel activity and anti-Semitic rhetoric on North American university campuses, and demonstrates when reasonable criticism of Israel ‘Crosses the Line’ into anti-Semitism.

To host a screening of ‘Crossing the Line 2’ at your home, school, synagogue or community center, click here.



Be prepared for anti-Israel activity on campus. Get educated about Israel »

Friday, March 13, 2015

Pope Francis Hints at 'Brief' Papacy

Pope Francis praised Pope Benedict's decision to resign in 2013
BBC AMERICA: Pope Francis has suggested he may resign his papacy like his predecessor, rather than remain at the Vatican for life.

The pontiff made the comments during a interview with Mexican television, marking the second anniversary of his election.

"I have the feeling that my pontificate will be brief. Four or five years; I do not know, even two or three," he said.

He praised Pope Benedict's decision to step aside in 2013 as "courageous".

"Benedict should not be considered an exception, but an institution. Maybe he will be the only one for a long time, maybe he will not be the only one.

"But an institutional door has been opened," he told the Televisa channel. » | Friday, March 13, 2015

Gerüchte um russischen Präsidenten: Schweizer Medien berichten über angebliches Putin-Baby

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Erst kursierten Gerüchte über den Gesundheitszustand von Wladimir Putin. Jetzt soll der russische Präsident auch noch Vater geworden sein, behaupten Schweizer Medien. Die angebliche Mutter: eine junge Olympiasiegerin.

Tessin/Moskau - Das Rätselraten über Wladimir Putin hält an: Seit Tagen kursieren Gerüchte, der russische Staatschef sei schwer erkrankt - und nun soll er sogar Vater geworden sein: Die russische Spitzensportlerin Alina Kabajewa, Olympiasiegerin im Kunstturnen 2004, soll in einer Schweizer Privatklinik bei Lugano ein Kind geboren haben, meldet das Boulevard-Portal "Blick Online". Der angebliche Vater: Putin.

Putins Privatleben wird streng abgeschirmt, Gerüchte über eine Beziehung zu der 32-jährigen Kabajewa gibt es aber schon seit Jahren. Der italienischsprachige Radiosender RSI aus dem Tessin meldet, Kabajewa habe zwei Zimmer in der Klinik reservieren lassen. Die "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" erhielt auf eine Anfrage an die Direktorin der Klinik jedoch eine ernüchternde Antwort: "Es entspricht nicht unserer Praxis, auf solche Anfragen zu antworten." Dafür äußerte sich ein Sprecher des Kreml, der die Gerüchte als haltlos bezeichnete. » | mxw/heb/Reuters | Freitag, 13. März 2015

Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau Face Off Over Niqab Debate


Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau face off over a growing debate about whether wearing a niqab is a choice and when it should be allowed.

Niqabs ‘Rooted in a Culture That Is Anti-women,’ Harper Says

Prime Minister Stephen Harper answers a question
during Question Period in the House of Commons
in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 10, 2015.
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Stephen Harper says the practice of covering one’s face with a niqab is “rooted in a culture that is anti-women” – his bluntest effort to date to explain why the Conservative government is fighting the use of these veils during Canadian citizenship ceremonies.

The Prime Minister was responding in the House of Commons to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who has sharply criticized the Tories for seeking to ban the covering of women’s faces when they are swearing a citizenship oath and has accused Mr. Harper of Islamophobia.

Mr. Trudeau responded outside the Commons Tuesday by declaring that “this government is doubling down on the politics of fear.”

A debate over reasonable accommodation in Canada is playing out again, this time over the niqab. Mr. Harper is arguing, as a Conservative fundraising e-mail recently put it, that is “not the way we do things here,” while Mr. Trudeau is championing religious freedom as protected by the Charter of Rights.

Some Muslim women wear face-covering niqabs in public, and the Liberals defend their right to wear the veil during citizenship ceremonies. Mr. Harper, whose government is appealing a Federal Court ruling that would allow people to cover their face while reciting the oath of citizenship, strongly disagrees. » | Steven Chase | Ottawa | Pub. Tuesday, March 10, 2015 | Updated: Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Young Canadian’s Conversion to Radical Islam Leaves Family Devastated


THE STAR: A father has given up hope of changing his son, who has become a cheerleader for the Islamic State terrorists and has landed himself on the radar of CSIS.

His father thinks he’s lost. His brother holds out hope. But no one in Harun Abdurahman’s family knows how to turn around the young Canadian man who has become an unapologetic supporter of the Islamic State terrorist group.

Born in Ontario to a Christian family steeped in military tradition, the Manitoba resident told the Star in an earlier interview that he believed last fall’s terror attacks on Parliament Hill and in Quebec were “justified” retribution for Canadian military aggression against ISIS.

“I think a lot of Canadians need to wake up and understand that we’re doing this and worse to other people in other countries,” said Abdurahman, who agreed to be identified only by an online pseudonym that he has adopted.

He spoke about his convictions, his belief that all Muslims should emigrate to Syria and Iraq, where the Islamic State has declared a caliphate governed by Sharia law and of learning that he was under investigation by Canadian spies who saw him as a potential threat to national security.

But this turn of events has also had a devastating impact on Abdurahman’s family. Beginning last December, Canadian Security Intelligence Service agents interviewed his ex-girlfriend and older brother in Ontario as well as his father, who is a serving member of the Royal Canadian Air Force in Alberta. The agents carried with them a thick file on the young man.

This week, however, the spy agency told family members they had intensified their investigation. » | Allan Woods | Quebec Bureau | Sunday, March 08, 2015

Leading Politician Says Canada Could End Up Treating Muslims As It Did Jews in the ’30s and ’40s



THE WASHINGTON POST: In a dramatic speech Tuesday evening, the leader of Canada's Liberal Party, Justin Trudeau, criticized the Canadian government for its rhetoric over the threat of Islamist-related terrorism – and compared the country's treatment of its Muslim minorities with restrictive policies against Jews prior to and during World War II.

Speaking in Toronto to alumni of McGill University, Trudeau, who will compete with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in an election later this year, discussed Canada's idea of liberty. At one point, he listed a number of historical moments when his country had failed in that ideal, including the Chinese head tax (a fixed fee charged to every Chinese immigrant) and the internment of Ukrainian, Japanese and Italian Canadians during the world wars. » | Adam Taylor | Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Harper Says Majority of ‘Moderate Muslims’ Support View on Niqab Ban


THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Stephen Harper’s Conservatives find themselves on the defensive regarding their relationship with Muslim Canadians, a rare position for the governing party that has made courting ethnic communities a staple of its election strategy.

The Prime Minister, who upset some Muslim Canadians this week by saying the face-covering niqab is “rooted in a culture that is anti-woman,” stood up in the Commons Wednesday to enumerate support for his government’s campaign to ban the use of the veil when taking the oath of Canadian citizenship. A small minority of Muslim women wear the niqab in Canada.

He listed groups such as the Coalition of Progressive Canadian Muslim Organizations, which, Mr. Harper told the Commons, have declared: “Most Canadians believe that it is offensive that someone would hide their identity at the very moment where they are committing to join the Canadian family.” » | Steven Chase | Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Heresy! Muslim Prayers in Church of England Parish


THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Clergy accuse vicar of holding ‘illegal’ Islamic prayer service in landmark London church


A Church of England vicar is facing a storm of protest from traditionalist Christians after allowing a Muslim prayer service to be held in his church.

Dozens of Muslims took part in the “Inclusive Mosque” event at St John’s church, Waterloo in central London, in what is thought to have been the first time a full Islamic prayer service has been held within the Church of England.

The vicar, the Rev Canon Giles Goddard, a prominent liberal cleric, joined in the event, reading a passage from the Bible and inviting the congregation to give thanks to “the God that we love, Allah”.

Canon Goddard, described the service, on Saturday, as “very moving” and said it was simply an expression of the church’s desire to offer people a “place to pray”.

But evangelical clerics were angered by the service which they said marked a breach with canon law which forbids any variation from the official liturgy if it contains “any departure from, the doctrine of the Church of England in any essential matter”.

It was also “offensive” to Christians being persecuted for their faith around the world, they said. » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor, video source YouTube | Friday, March 13, 2015

Judge: Philly Public Buses Must Run Ads Linking Muslims to Hitler

CBS NEWS: PHILADELPHIA -- Anti-Islamic ads could soon be coming to Philadelphia public buses.

CBS Philadelphia reports that a federal court judge on Wednesday sided with a New Hampshire based non-profit on its claim that it has a first amendment right to run bus ads linking Muslims to Hitler.

The ads include images of Adolf Hitler and read "Islamic Jew Hatred: It's in the Quran." While they may be incendiary to some, a federal court judge wrote they're perfectly acceptable under the first amendment.

"He agreed with us on all the issues," said attorney Robert Muise.

Muise represents plaintiff American Freedom Defense Initiative. The group has filed more than a half dozen lawsuits against transit authorities across the country over anti-Islamic ads. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority refused to run their ad saying it disparaged Muslims, but the court held the buses are public forums -- so SEPTA cannot censor AFDI's political speech. » | Thursday, March 12, 2015

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Americans Are 'Back-stabbers' and 'Tricksters' Says Iran's Leader after Senate Letter

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Republic-ans are unrepentant over the letter warning that a future president might revoke a nuclear deal with Iran. But Ayatollah Khamenei did not condemn the talks and experts say agreement remains possible

Iran’s Supreme Leader accused “back-stabbing” America of “tricks and deceptions” on Thursday as the clock ticked towards a deadline for a final agreement on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a caustic response to an open letter from 47 Republican senators, warning that a future US president might revoke any nuclear deal with Iran.

This message – furiously denounced by President Barack Obama – raised the possibility of Iran walking away from an agreement while deflecting the blame on to America.

"Of course I am worried, because the other side is known for opacity, deceit and back-stabbing,” said Ayatollah Khamenei in a speech to the Assembly of Experts, Iran’s most senior body.

"Every time we reach a stage where the end of the negotiations is in sight, the tone of the other side, specifically the Americans, becomes harsher, coarser and tougher. This is the nature of their tricks and deceptions.” » | David Blair, and Peter Foster in Washington | Thursday, March 12, 2015

IS lässt eigenen Scharia-Richter köpfen


WELT ONLINE: Richter Abu Jaafar al-Hattab vertrat die strengste Ausrichtung der Scharia. Etliche Muslime ließ er zu Ungläubigen erklären. Nun wurde es offenbar selbst der IS-Führung zu viel: Er wurde geköpft.

Die Nachricht verbreitete sich in den sozialen Medien rasant. Unterstützer des IS twitterten, dass die Organisation ihren Scharia-Richter hingerichtet habe. Grund: die exzessive Auslegung des Takfir-Konzepts. Das berichtet der "Middle East Monitor".

Richter Abu Jaafar al-Hattab war als Mitglied der Scharia-Kommission dafür zuständig, die Rechtsgrundlage für ein Kalifat zu erarbeiten. Dafür wandte er das Konzept von Takfir an – es gilt auch im Islam als umstritten. Takfir erlaubt einem islamischen Gelehrten, andere Muslime zu Ungläubigen oder Abtrünnigen zu erklären. Ein Vergehen, auf das die Todesstrafe steht. Al-Hattab sei für seine Härte bekannt gewesen, so der "Middle East Monitor". » | dol | Donnerstag, 12. März 2015

Kuwaiti Preacher, ISIS Call for Demolition of Egypt’s Sphinx, Pyramids

RT: An Islamist preacher from Kuwait has called to destroy Egypt's Sphinx and pyramids, stating it is time for Muslims to erase the pharaohs' heritage. The alleged call comes as Islamic State jihadists ramp up their attacks against historic sites.

Although the ancient monuments are not religious – but rather cultural and historic sites – they should still be "destroyed" by Muslims, putting an end to the worship of images, preacher Ibrahim Al Kandari said, according to Al-Watan daily.

"The fact that early Muslims who were among prophet Mohammed’s followers did not destroy the pharaohs' monuments upon entering the Egyptian soil, does not mean that we shouldn't do it now," Al Kandari said.

Another call for the destruction of Egypt's main symbols comes from Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who suggested the demolition of the historic monuments is a "religious duty," Al Alam news reported on Sunday. In the extreme interpretations of Islam, no material objects should be idolized or worshiped.

It comes amid growing concerns over the safety of many other historic and architectural monuments in the region, where militants continue to destroy ancient cities and artifacts. » |Pub. Monday, March 09, 2015 | Ed. Wednesday, March 11, 2015

HT: Robert Spencer @ Jihad Watch »

Swiss Citizen Arrested for Fighting Islamic State

Johan Cosar was arrested by Swiss authorities
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Switzerland prosecutes man for forming Christian militia in Syria under law that citizens must have permission to fight in foreign armies

A Swiss man is facing up to three years in prison after he travelled to Syria to fight the Islamic State group.

Johan Cosar, born in Switzerland to parents of Syrian Christian origin, was arrested in Basel in February after his return from the Middle East. Details of his arrest emerged this week.

He had joined a Christian militia fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

Those who travel to Syria to join Isil or other jihadist groups face arrest if they return amid fears they may launch terror attacks in Europe.

But so far most European countries have taken no action against the increasing numbers who are travelling to the region to join local militia fighting against the jihadists.

Mr Cosar helped train the Syriac Military Council, a 500-strong militia which defending the ancient Assyrian Christian minority from Isil, after travelling to Syria as a journalist. » | Justin Huggler in Berlin | Thursday, March 12, 2015

LE TEMPS: «Je ne suis pas djihadiste: je combats les terroristes» » | Valérie de Graffenried | mercredi 11 mars 2015

Hillary Clinton Could Face Jail Time As Email Scandal Sparks Legal Challenges


The Obama administration will soon find itself in court having to explain to federal judges why it never told anyone former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton used a secret email address, potentially spoiling dozens of open records requests, experts said Wednesday. And Mrs. Clinton could face up to three years in prison per message if…

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Margaret Thatcher Speech to Congress






MARGARET THATCHER FOUNDATION: Speech to Joint Houses of Congress »

L'Iran durcit sa législation pour freiner la baisse de la natalité


L’EXPRESS.fr: Amnesty international dénonce la loi "sur la population et l'exaltation de la famille" destinée à restreindre les moyens de contraception, afin de faire obstacle à la chute de la natalité.

La République islamique ne sait plus comment redonner aux Iraniens l'envie de faire des enfants. Pour tenter de stopper la chute de la fécondité, deux projets de loi sont en cours d'examen au Parlement. Des mesures qui risquent de réduire les femmes à des "machines à faire des enfants", dénonce, ce mercredi, Amnesty International. » | Par LEXPRESS.fr avec AFP | mercredi 11 mars 2015

The Whole World Is Trying to 'Topple' Me, Says Netanyahu


THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Israeli prime minister claims to be the target of a "worldwide effort" to ensure his defeat in next Tuesday's election

Benjamin Netanyahu claimed to detect a “worldwide effort” to remove him from power on Tuesday as polls suggested that he faces defeat in Israel’s election.

After three terms totalling nine years in office, Mr Netanyahu has become the longest-serving Israeli prime minister since David Ben Gurion. But a poll for Channel 2 News suggested that his Likud party would win 21 seats in the Knesset, or parliament, in next Tuesday's election, compared with 25 for the Zionist Union, an opposition alliance. » | David Blair | Wednesday, March 11, 2015

British Muslims Condemn Terror Laws for Creating 'Witch-hunt' against Islam

Moazzam Begg of Cage is one of the signatories to the public statement.
THE GUARDIAN: Strongly worded public statement, which includes signatories from Cage and Hizb ut-Tahrir, condemns ‘crude and divisive’ government election tactics

Anti-Muslim rhetoric and “endless ‘anti-terror’ laws” are in danger of creating a McCarthyite witch-hunt against Muslims, according to the signatories of a strongly worded public statement, who include several controversial figures.

The statement accuses the government of “criminalising” Islam and trying to silence “legitimate critique and dissent”, and decries what it describes as “the ongoing demonisation of Muslims in Britain [and] their values, as well as prominent scholars, speakers and organisations.”

Signatories of the statement include Moazzam Begg, director of outreach for Cage, the organisation that came under fire last week after it sought to explain the radicalisation of Isis killer Mohammed Emwazi. Members of Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is banned in several countries including Germany, have also signed the statement.

It comes after it was revealed earlier this week that the Home Office is planning a “more assertive” stance against extremism, with a series of measures including imposing penalties on benefit claimants who do not learn English and making visa applicants commit themselves to “British values”.

The statement, seen by the Guardian, reads: “We reject the portrayal of Muslims and the Muslim community as a security threat. The latest act of parliament, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, threatens to create a ‘McCarthyite’ witch-hunt against Muslims, with nursery workers, schoolteachers and universities expected to look out for signs of increased Islamic practice as signs of ‘radicalisation’.”

The signatories state that the “Muslim issue” is being exploited for political capital in the run[-]up to the general election. » | Alexandra Topping, Nishaat Ismail, Shiv Malik | Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Saudi Playboy Caught Drug Driving McLaren Supercar through Hyde Park

Mohammad Al-Sharif, 22, confessed to smoking the drug
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Court hears Mohammad Al-Sharif, 22, was unsteady on his feet and had slurred speech when questioned by officers after taking cannabis

A rich Saudi playboy was caught by police driving his father's £168,500 McLaren supercar while high on cannabis through Hyde Park.

Mohammad Al-Sharif, 22, confessed to smoking the drug at 7.30am that morning and was unsteady on his feet with slurred speech when questioned by officers.

He pleaded guilty to driving a McLaren MP4-12c 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 Velocita Wind Edition in West Carriage Drive on December 11 last year while unfit to drive through drugs.

Student Al-Sharif, who lives off a family allowance, was fined £400, with £85 costs and was ordered to pay an £85 victim surcharge. He was disqualified for twelve months.

The supercar, which goes from 0mph to 60mph in 2.8 seconds, has a makeover by German specialists DMC, which increases its brake horsepower to 650bhp and makes the car more powerful and luxurious. » | Agency | Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Spain: "The Mediterranean Corridor of Jihadism"

Samira Yerou was arrested March 7 at Barcelona's airport, on
suspicion of running a jihadist recruiting network.
GATESTONE INSTITUTE: The arrests have, once again, cast a spotlight on the problem of radical Islam in Catalonia, which has the largest Muslim population in Spain. The region is home to an estimated 465,000 Muslims, who account for more than 6% of the total Catalan population of 7.5 million.

Catalonia is home to approximately 465,000 Muslims. At least 10% of them are estimated to be "radicals" who are hardcore believers in the "doctrine of jihadism." — Jofre Montoto, Catalan terrorism analyst.

In February, the lower house of the Spanish Congress approved far-reaching changes to the country's penal code, as a way to combat Islamic extremism and support for the Islamic State.

Under the new law, anyone convicted of carrying out a terrorist attack will be subject to a life sentence (35 years) without the possibility of parole. The law also calls for 20-year sentences for anyone convicted of supplying weapons to terrorists, or ten-year sentences for funding terror networks.


Spanish police have arrested a Moroccan woman on suspicion of running a jihadist recruiting network for the Islamic State.

Samira Yerou, 32, was arrested at Barcelona's El Prat airport on March 7 upon her arrival on a flight from Turkey, where authorities had detained her for trying illegally to enter Syria with her three-year-old son, a Spanish citizen.

Police say Yerou, who lives in Rubí, a Catalan town situated 15 kilometers north of Barcelona, disappeared in December 2014, while her son's father, a Moroccan-Spaniard, was away on a trip to Morocco. Spanish authorities issued an international warrant for Yerou's arrest.

In a statement, the Spanish Interior Ministry said Yerou had specialized in recruiting women from Europe and North Africa to join the Islamic State. She allegedly became interested in militant Islam after visiting Morocco during the summer of 2013, and later became radicalized through the Internet by "spending many hours consulting" jihadist websites. The boy, who was unharmed, has been returned to his father.

Yerou is one of at least 50 jihadists who have been arrested in Spain during the past twelve months alone. Most of the arrests have taken place in Catalonia and in Spain's North African exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. » | Soeren Kern | Wednesday, March 11, 2015

THOMAS STEWART: ISIS May Herald Return of the Barbary Pirates


Americans contemplating a Mediterranean cruise in the near future should perhaps think again. Islamic State militants are now close to securing control of part of the Libyan coast. If they succeed, cruise ships and merchant vessels could be their next targets. The threat is real. Seth Cropsey, a former naval officer and current director of the…


China Says Uighurs Bring Islamic State Terror Back From Jihad, Plot Attacks


A key Chinese official claimed Tuesday that ethnic Uighurs who once fought with the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq have returned with plots to attack China, an assertion that quickly drew scrutiny in Washington but underscored the increasingly global reach of the extremist outfit that has drawn more foreign fighters than any other jihadi movement…