Syria: How Extremists Jabhat al-Nusra Are Taking Over Aleppo
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Aleppo has been plunged into despair. Riven with war, life in Syria's most populous city has become a dog-eat-dog existence: a battle for survival in a place where the strong devour the weak.

Its luxuriant history is lost beneath uncollected litter on its pavements and streets. Feral children play beside buildings shattered by shelling and air strikes. There is no electricity, no heating; gunmen prowl the streets as night falls. Some are rebels searching for government loyalists; others are criminals looking to kidnap for ransom. Looting is rife.

It is here, behind the front lines of the war against Bashar al-Assad that a new struggle is emerging. It is a clash of ideologies: a competition where rebel brigades vie to determine the shape of post-Assad Syria.

And in recent weeks it is Jabhat al-Nusra, a radical jihadist group blacklisted by the US as terrorists and a group that wants Syria to be an uncompromising Islamic state governed by sharia, that is holding sway.

The group is well funded – probably through established global jihadist networks – in comparison to moderates. Meanwhile pro-democracy rebel group commanders say money from foreign governments has all but dried up because of fears over radical Islamists.

The effect is changing the face of the Syrian revolution. » | Ruth Sherlock, Aleppo | Friday, February 08, 2013

Channel 4: Make Bradford British
To define what it means to be British, the series begins with the Government's UK Citizenship Test - the Life in the UK Test.
Watch the programme here

Arabie Saoudite : tollé mondial autour de Lama, petite fille martyre

lePARISIEN.fr: Décédée après 10 mois de soins intensifs, le 22 octobre à l'âge de 5 ans, Lama a été violée, torturée et brûlée par son père, un célèbre prédicateur musulman de la télévision saoudienne. Libéré après seulement quatre mois de prison, Fayhan al Ghamdi a été absout d'une simple amende de 200 000 rials (environ 40 000 euros). Mais il aurait payé le double si son enfant avait été un garçon. La libération du «monstre» a provoqué la colère des activistes du Women to Drive, un groupe de militantes saoudiennes qui dénoncent la condition misérable des femmes, dans ce pays où règne la charria. Par ailleurs, une vague de protestation mondiale s'est emparée des réseaux sociaux. Une pétition demandant de rompre toutes relations avec l’Arabie saoudite est même apparue sur le site de la Maison Blanche.

En amont le scandale a explosé sur Twitter, par l'intermédiaire d'une militante Manal al-Sharif, déjà porte-drapeau du combat pour le droit des Saoudiennes à conduire en 2011. Elle a lancé la mobilisation #AnaLama (Je suis Lama) sur les réseaux sociaux arabophones et alerté tous les médias occidentaux par communiqué de presse, avec deux autres bloggeuses. » | Delphine Perez | mercredi 06 février 2013

'Be a Good Muslim and Leave It to Allah', Nurse Tells Father of Sick Baby
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A father claims he was told by a hospital nurse to "be a good Muslim" and leave control to Allah when his baby girl turned blue and started frothing at the mouth.

Murad Ali, 39, accused the nurse, who was also Muslim, of being unprofessional after the incident at the £261m Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex.

Mr Ali said his two-year-old daughter began frothing at the mouth the day after being taken by ambulance to hospital with breathing problems.

But he said that he and his frantic wife Tamseel Fatimah, 38, were ignored by busy staff at the 939-bed hospital's A&E department and ward.

Both parents have trained to be doctors although they do not practice. » | Teleegraph reporters | Friday, February 08, 2013

German Job Centre's Brothel Offer Shocks Teenager
BBC: A German job centre has apologised after offering work as a hostess in a brothel to a teenage girl, according to a local newspaper in Augsburg, Bavaria.

The 19-year-old's mother screamed when she saw the letter offering her daughter the work placement, the Augsburger Allgemeine reports.

The head of the job centre was quoted as saying it should have asked the young woman before sending the letter.

Roland Fuerst stressed that the work being offered was not prostitution. » | Thursday, February 07, 2013

Can You Guess Who I Am?

The Third Jihad - Radical Islam's Vision for America
The Third Jihad is an in-depth documentary film that exposes the war the media is not telling you about. It reveals the enemy our government is too afraid to name.

One person who is not afraid to speak out is Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, a Muslim American and former physician to the US Congress.

After the FBI released a radical Islamist manifesto describing how to destroy America from within, Dr. Jasser decides to investigate.

The Third Jihad is about what he discovered.


DVD's can be purchased here

Former Muslim Rashid Reveals the Truth about Islam
Former Muslim Rashid reveals the truth about Islam and its followers.

Islam in Europe Becoming ‘More Radical’ Says European Churches Conference
THENEWS.pl: Rev. Guy Liagre, Secretary-General of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, said in Warsaw on Wednesday that Islam in Europe is becoming more fundamentalist and radical.

“So far, Islam has been tolerant [in Europe]. But now it is changing into being much more conservative. [...] You can see the fundamentalist tendencies,” Rev. Dr Guy Liagre said at the end of the three-day Conference of European Churches.

A press release issued at the end of the meeting, chaired by Poland's Archbishop Jozef Michalik, said that there was particular concern at the conference about “the situation of those migrants coming to Europe who do not feel at home in the mainline European Churches and take refuge in new religious movements of one kind or another. » | Source: IAR | Thursday, February 07, 2013

Rise For The Islamic Revolution by Anjem Choudary

Großbritannien: Tories revoltieren wegen Homo-Ehe

DIE PRESSE: Bei den Konservativen wächst der Unmut über ihren Chef Cameron. Im Unterhaus stimmten viele nun gegen Vorschlag des Premiers.

London. Was sich Dienstagabend im britischen Unterhaus abspielte, war einer mächtige Blamage für Premier David Cameron: Ein großer Teil der Abgeordneten seiner eigenen Partei, der konservativen Tories, stimmte gegen Camerons Gesetzesvorlage zur Einführung der Homosexuellenehe. Die Novelle wurde nur deshalb abgenommen, weil Camerons liberaler Koalitionspartner und die oppositionelle Labour Party dafür stimmten.

Der Premier sieht sich mit einer veritablen Revolte konfrontiert. Dabei hatten Kabinettsmitglieder bis zuletzt für Zustimmung zum Gesetz zur Gleichstellung hetero- und homosexueller Lebenspartnerschaften geworben: „Wir stimmen für die Homosexuellenehe nicht obwohl, sondern, weil wir konservativ sind", schrieben Schatzkanzler George Osborne, Außenminister William Hague und Innenministerin Theresa May in einem offenen Brief.

Mit der Freigabe der Abstimmung verhinderte die Klubführung unmittelbare politische Konsequenzen für die Regierung. Cameron wird aber kaum zur Tagesordnung übergehen können. Wie ein Katalysator brachte die Debatte über die Homosexuellenehe das tiefe Unbehagen in der Partei über den Premier und seine engste Umgebung zum Ausdruck: „Wir fühlen uns betrogen", schrieben 25 regionale Parteivertreter am Wochenende an die Tory-Spitze. » | Gabriel Rath, Korrespondent der Presse | Dienstag, 05. Februar 2013

L'opposant ElBaradei craint pour sa vie après une fatwa

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: L'opposant libéral égyptien Mohamed ElBaradei, prix Nobel de la paix, a été menacé de mort par un prédicateur salafiste pour avoir appelé à manifester contre le président Mohamed Morsi.

Face au silence des autorités, il dénonce la faiblesse de l'Etat.

L'ancien directeur général de l'Agence internationale de l'énergie atomique (AIEA) a fait part de son inquiétude au lendemain de l'assassinat du dirigeant de l'opposition laïque tunisienne Chokri Belaïd.

Dans un extrait de la chaîne religieuse Al-Hafez diffusé sur Internet, le prédicateur salafiste radical Mahmoud Chaabane estime que les chefs du Front de salut national (FSN), la principale coalition d'opposition, seraient condamnés à mort si la «charia» était appliquée. » | ats/Newsnet | jeudi 07 février 2013

Insight: Fear of Islam

Tory Councillor Suspended for Posting a Facebook Picture Which 'Compared Muslim Children in Burkas to Bin Bags' Defends It as 'Blokeish Banter'

MAIL ONLINE: Enfield councillor Chris Joannides suspended by Conservative Party / Asked friends to send him football scores during meetings and complained about missing his favourite TV shows

A local councillor has been suspended for posting a comment on Facebook comparing Muslim children wearing burkas to bin bags.

Chris Joannides also messaged friends during meetings with his constituents asking for updates on football scores and complaining about missing his favourite television programmes.

The Conservative councillor for Enfield, in north London, has denied being Islamophobic and defended his comments as 'blokeish banter'.

Mr Joannides posted a photo showing a woman and child dressed in burkas standing next to two bin bags.

He wrote underneath: 'I saw her standing there and I told her she had three beautiful children. She didn't have to get all p***ed off and threaten me. It was an honest mistake!' » | Hugo Gye | Thursday, February 07, 2013

UK Islamist Leader: Islam Will Dominate America

Read the article here

Face à l'islam bashing médiatique, les musulmans en quête de solutions
SAPHIR NEWS: L’Union des organisations islamiques de France (UOIF) veut faire parler d'elle. Pari réussi. Près de 300 personnes se sont rendues à son colloque, organisé au Palais des congrès à Paris samedi 2 février, autour du thème sur la perception de l’islam en France. Un colloque avec pour maître de cérémonie Ahmed Jaballah, qui a pu réunir en une journée, autour d’une série d’ateliers, des personnalités du monde intellectuel et associatif ainsi que des responsables de fédérations musulmanes.

Un leitmotiv sur lequel tous sont tombés d’accord : les musulmans sont aussi responsables de leur état. Il est temps pour eux de passer à l’offensive pour avoir voix au chapitre en France. Encore faut-il sortir du discours victimaire pour passer à une autre étape, celle qui promeut les participations intellectuelle et politique des musulmans dans l’espace public. » | Rédigé par Hanan Ben Rhouma | mercredi 6 février 2013

Falklands Will Be Under Our Control Within 20 Years, Says Argentina

THE GUARDIAN: Argentinian foreign minister rules out military solution but says 'not one single country' supports UK right to govern islands

The Falklands Islands will be under Argentinian control within 20 years, the South American country's foreign minister, Héctor Timerman, has said in an interview with the Guardian.

Visiting London for the first time, he ruled out a military solution to the 130-year-old sovereignty dispute but claimed the world increasingly recognised that the islands were a product of colonialism. He accused the British government of being motivated by a fanatical desire to hold on to the islands and claimed "the United Kingdom has never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity to find a solution for the Malvinas".

He said: "I don't think it will take another 20 years. I think that the world is going through a process of understanding more and more that this is a colonial issue, an issue of colonialism, and that the people living there were transferred to the islands."

He vowed that the interests of the existing islanders would be protected under Argentinian rule, including "their way of life, their language and right to remain British citizens". But he drew a distinction between the islanders' interests, which could be met, and their wishes, which could not. » | Patrick Wintour, political editor | Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Anti-Islamist Tunisia Politician Shot Dead

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Chokri Belaid, a campaigning politician who warned of the dangers of Islamist groups, has been shot and killed in Tunisia.

Thousands of people flocked to protest outside the interior ministry in Tunis, in the aftermath of the execution-style assassination. The offices of Ennahda, the government, have also been attacked, according to attacks.

The demonstrators accused the governing Ennah[a]da party of failing to prevent the proliferation of violent fundamentalist factions inspired by al-Qaeda.

Shokri Belaid was shot in the head and chest as he left his home in Tunis.

Belaid was part of the secular opposition Popular Front movement that opposes the Islamist-led government that emerged in the wake of the Arab Spring revoluton.

“My brother was assassinated. I am desperate and depressed,” Abdelmajid Belaid, brother of the dead leader said. “I accuse [Ennahda leader] Rached Ghannouchi of assassinating my brother,” he said. » | Damien McElroy | Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Genitalverstümmelung: "Die Klinge war stumpf, die Hebamme blind"
DIE WELT: Das barbarische Ritual der Genitalverstümmelung bei Frauen wird in der muslimischen Welt viel öfter praktiziert als bekannt. Im Nordirak gehen Aktivisten von Dorf zu Dorf, um die Praxis zu bekämpfen.

Zwölf Frauen haben sich in der Lehmhütte des Dorfvorstehers in dem kleinen kurdischen Ort Jalamord in Irakisch-Kurdistan versammelt. Die Sozialarbeiterin Rozan Kader ist aus der Stadt Sulaimaniya angereist, um in der Hütte einen Film über weibliche Genitalverstümmelung zu zeigen. Einige Frauen murren, dass man sie von der Arbeit weggeholt habe.

Der Dorfvorsteher schaut kurz herein und fragt, ob alles in Ordnung sei. Dann sieht man auf der Leinwand eine Ärztin über medizinische Folgen dieses Eingriffs reden; anhand einer Zeichnung wird die weibliche Anatomie erläutert. Einige kichern, andere drehen sich beschämt weg.

Als ein islamischer Geistlicher auftritt, muss Kader den Film unterbrechen, weil wütendes Gemurmel seine Erläuterungen übertönt. "Warum wurde uns nicht gesagt, dass es nicht Sunna ist?", will eine ältere Frau wissen. Sunna bedeutet dem islamischen Recht folgend.

Kader erläutert: "Erst jetzt wissen die Theologen, dass weibliche Beschneidung schädlich ist. Deshalb haben sie im Koran und den Erzählungen über den Propheten gesucht und dabei nichts gefunden, was sie fordert." » | Von Hannah Wettig | Mittwoch, 06. Februar 2013

Knights of Malta to Open Soup Kitchens in Britain

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: They were once warrior monks who tended to fallen crusaders and sick Christian pilgrims amid the burning desert scrub of the Holy Land.

But nearly 1,000 years later, the Knights of Malta, once known as the Hospitallers, are opening soup kitchens and shelters across Britain and the rest of Europe in response to rising poverty and homelessness caused by the economic crisis.

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta – as the chivalric order is officially known – is this week celebrating 900 years since it was given official recognition by the Vatican, with a 'bull' or decree issued by Pope Paschal II in 1113, in the midst of the crusades.

The order's 98,000 members and volunteers, who long ago swapped their chain mail and tunics for doctor's coats and emergency worker overalls.

They have traditionally provided humanitarian help in war zones, earthquakes and floods around the world, from Congo and Rwanda to Haiti and Afghanistan.

But they are now concentrating more and more on Europe, as austerity cuts and a deep recession swell the ranks of the jobless, the homeless and the drug-dependant. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Tuesday, February 05, 2013