UK: Islam Channel TV Presenter Said Homosexuality Was An ‘Evil Action’
PINK NEWS: Evidence has emerged of a presenter on the Islam Channel previously describing homosexuality as an “evil action” – with Ofcom subsequently warning the TV station of the need to take “great care” when “discussing sensitive issues such as sexual orientation”.

Last week, the Islam Channel denied that any of its presenters had ever aired offensive views about gay people.

However, PinkNews.co.uk has learnt that in 2009 the channel was investigated by the broadcast regulator Ofcom following a complaint over the advice given by an Islamic scholar to a gay Muslim.

The complaint concerned the ‘IslamiQa’ phone-in programme hosted by Dr Khalid Khan, a scholar, who had been presenting on the channel for over three years. » | Scott Roberts | Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Bernardi Tests Abbott's Patience by Backing Dutch MP Geert Wilders

THE AUSTRALIAN: COALITION Senator Cory Bernardi tested the patience of his parliamentary leader Tony Abbott by affirming his support for Dutch MP Geert Wilders, who has been forced to cancel a speaking engagement in Perth because no venue was willing to provide him a stage.

Senator Bernardi, whom Wilders this week described as an old friend, had distanced himself from the anti-Islam campaigner since late last year, when he was given a visa to visit Australia. However, the cancellation of Wilders' tour date today prompted the Senator to lament the "double standard" of free speech in Australia.

"Dutch politician Geert Wilders' public speaking tour has run into constant problems as venues continue to pull out or refuse to host his events," Senator Bernardi wrote to subscribers of his weekly "common sense" newsletter. "In such a tolerant and open society like Australia, why is it so difficult to accommodate a speaking tour by a member of the Dutch parliament who has a different perspective?" » | Chip Le Grand | The Australian | Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Related »

Senator Backs Wilders Tour

THE SYDNEY MORING HERALD: THE Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has spoken out in support of the anti-immigration Dutch MP Geert Wilders, saying a double standard on free speech is emerging in Australia.

Mr Wilders, who is on a speaking tour of Australia, on Tuesday called the prophet Muhammad a ''warlord, terrorist and paedophile'' and called for a ban on migration from Muslim countries. His comments drew widespread condemnation, and a large group of protesters delayed the onset of his speech in Melbourne.

Senator Bernardi, who has spoken in support of Mr Wilders in the past, said Mr Wilders' views should have an airing ''in such a tolerant and open society like Australia''. » | Bianca Hall | Immigration Correspondent | Thursday, February 21, 2013

Tunisia: Salafist Street Patrols Worry Locals
ALL AFRICA: Tunis — The phenomenon of Salafist security details patrolling cities and neighbourhoods has many citizens wondering whether Ansar al-Sharia is trying to take over law and order in Tunisia.

Bands of baton-wielding salafists have mounted security patrols in Tunisian cities in recent weeks, leaving many citizens to question what is behind the phenomenon.

Salafists say they are patrolling neighbourhoods in the name of safeguarding citizens and their property, amid increased instability in Tunisia that followed the February 6th slaying of opposition leader Chokri Belaid.

Since his assassination, Salafist security patrols became more prevalent in Tunis and other cities. The patrols, which each number dozens of members, move about on foot or on motorcycles, or in cars flying black flags.

An online call by Ansar al-Sharia mobilised salafists to fan out and patrol the streets as unofficial security details. The radical salafist group posted the call on Facebook for its supporters to protect citizens and property in the aftermath of Belaid's killing. » | Monia Ghanmi | Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Proteste und Applaus für Wilders in Australien
EURONEWS: Kurz vor einem Auftritt des Rechtspopulisten Geert Wilders im australischen Melbourne ist es zu Protesten gekommen.

Rund hundert Menschen demonstrierten dabei gegen den Niederländer und bezeichneten diesen als Rassisten.

“Wir versuchen hier nur friedlich darauf aufmerksam zu machen, dass wir gegen Islamophobie sind und gegen all das, was Wilders und seine Anhänger predigen”, so eine junge Frau. » | Euronews | Mittwoch, 20. Februar 2013

Dutch MP Geert Wilders Substantially Wrong about Islam, Tony Abbott Says
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVE: “There are very few lessons that Holland has to teach Australia when it comes to the integration of newcomers,” federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said on Melbourne radio 3AW today.

Asked by 3AW presenter Neil Mitchell if visiting Dutch MP Geert Wilders was wrong about Islam, Mr Abbott said: » | AC | Wednesday, February 20, 2013

My comment:

Tony Abbott's IGNORANCE of Islam is truly astonishing. How has this man become a leader of a party with this level of ignorance? He would do well to inform himself of the nature of Islam. The future of his still free country depends on it.

I am not an Australian, but were I to be, with the level of ignorance he has shown about the greatest threat to world democracy, I should NEVER vote for him.

He would do well to listen to Geert Wilders. Wilders completely understands the problems we are facing. Abbott can take Geert’s words to the bank. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Geert Wilders's [sic] Right to Speak
THE AUSTRALIAN – OPINION: FOR a liberal democracy that thrives on liberty, plurality and vigorous political discourse, the visit by controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders to these shores presents an opportunity to reaffirm these fundamental principles. When Mr Wilders was granted a visa last year, then immigration minister Chris Bowen rightly argued that Australian multiculturalism, our political system and our commitment to freedom of speech were strong enough to survive a visit by the Dutch MP.

Mr Wilders's views on the impact of large-scale Islamic immigration in Europe and the challenge that it presents to established cultures and the obligations of citizenship in Western countries are part of an important debate that Australians should be aware of.

Mr Wilders is the founder and leader of The Netherlands Party for Freedom. His political mission is to halt what he says is the "Islamisation" of his country. He argues that Islamism [sic! Mr. Wilders actually argues that ISLAM (not ISLAMISM) is a totalitarian political ideology] is a totalitarian political ideology enforced by violence and rigid adherence to it, quite different from the faith of Islam. In his article in The Australian earlier this week, Mr Wilders outlined his views that many will find challenging, but they were respectfully put and hardly deserve the vilification he has received from extremists. Mr Wilders's [sic] visit provides Australians with a window into a sociopolitico [sic] challenge in the northern hemisphere. How Islam can be absorbed into Western democracies, given the cultural differences between the two, is being debated and discussed in journals such as the centre-left magazine Prospect, where a recent contributor argued: "Islam's accommodation with the liberal-democratic societies of Europe and North America is one of the most urgent questions of our times." » | The Australian | Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Anti-fascist Protesters Greet Speech by Marine Le Pen at Cambridge

THE GUARDIAN: French women [sic] who took over leadership of Front National party from her father, addresses university's debating society

Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far-right Front National party, was greeted by an anti-fascist protest as she addressed a Cambridge University debating group on Tuesday.

The daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, who took over the party leadership from her father in 2011, spoke to students at the Cambridge Union Society in the afternoon.

Her appearance led the group Unite Against Fascism to organise a demonstration of about 200 people outside the venue. Officers from Cambridgeshire police attended.

Le Pen, 44, who has been an MEP since 2004, spoke about the future of the EU and French politics. A spokesman for the Union Society defended the decision to invite her to speak. » | Press Association | Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Mohamad at Eton
We follow one boy's journey from a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon to the UK's most prestigious public school.

Read the article here | Witness | Monday, January 07, 2013

German Court Expands Scope of Gay Adoption
Judge says one member of a gay partnership should be ble to adopt the partner's stepchild or adopted child.

In 50 Years London Will look Like Islamabad with Major Future Problems, Labour Party to Blame
Liberal policies of the Labour Party's multiculturalism is going to backfire as immigrant births are already outnumbering the ethnic British. In the near future there will be major problems as young Muslims are becoming extremely radicalized and the British government looks the other direction.

In the UK the government does not want to integrate the growing immigrant population into society, but wants them to keep their own culture, but many times, like the Muslim population, that culture clashes with English and western culture. The same thing is happening in Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Italy, USA America, Canada, Russia, the Netherlands, France, Australia, Denmark and all over Europe and the free thinking western world.

Islam is not compatible with western Liberal ideals of freedom speech and freedom from religion. Instead of confronting this growing threat, liberal governments throughout the west have not tackled one of the biggest problems facing them in the near future.

The media, journalists, and others are to blame for this also, but are too arrogant and ignorant to see what is going on.

Australians Converting to Islam
Australians are converting to Islam in growing numbers. The ultimate goal for Muslim leaders in the country is the imposition of Sharia Law.

”You Should Open Your Eyes, Learn from Europe’s Mistakes”: Geert Wilders in Australia

Dutch MP Geert Wilders' Perth Gig Cancelled
NEWS.COM.AU: CONTROVERSIAL Dutch MP Geert Wilders has been forced to cancel the Perth date of his speaking tour after he was unable to find a venue to host him.

The right-wing MP, who wants a ban on Islamic immigration and says the religion is incompatible with freedom, is stirring controversy with his tour of Australia, which began in Melbourne today.

An unnamed four-star CBD hotel had been set to host Wilders but pulled out late this afternoon.

Host of the tour, the Q Society, said finding another venue at short notice was almost impossible because of security needed for the MP and the threat of possible protesters. » | AAP | Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Erstmals Frauen in saudischem Schura-Rat vereidigt
DIE PRESSE: Das beratende Gremium im ultrareligiösen Saudi-Arabien bekommt erstmals weibliche Mitglieder. Die Rechte von Frauen in dem Königreich bleiben aber massiv beschränkt.

Im islamischen Königreich Saudi-Arabien ist zum ersten Mal ein Schura-Rat vereidigt worden, dem auch weibliche Mitglieder angehören. König Abdullah II., der die Zeremonie am Dienstag in Riad wegen seines schlechten Gesundheitszustandes kurz hielt, sagte, er sei sehr froh, nun auch Frauen in dem Gremium zu sehen. Viele, jedoch nicht alle der weiblichen Mitglieder des Rates, erschienen zu der Vereidigung mit einem Gesichtsschleier. » | APA/dpa | Dienstag, 19. Februar 2013

Change Religion, Politician Tells Muslims
WEST AUSTRALIA TODAY: ALL Muslims should renounce their religion immediately in favour of Christianity or atheism - it would be better for them and for everyone else, controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders said in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Insisting politely that he did not want to incite or offend anyone, the anti-Islam campaigner described the prophet Muhammad as ''a warlord, terrorist and paedophile'' and urged Australia to ban the Koran and all migration from Muslim countries.

Told that Premier Ted Baillieu had advised Victorians to ignore him, Mr Wilders said the Premier could ignore the threat of Islam and ''sing Kumbaya'' all day long, but the voters would wake up eventually. (+ video) » | Barney Zwartz | Religion Editor | The Age | Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Protesters Call Dutch MP Geert Wilders a Racist as He Calls for End to Mass Migration from Islamic Countries

THE AUSTRALIAN: PROTESTERS clashed violently with police and guests tonight before a speech by controversial anti-Muslim Dutch MP Geert Wilders.

Activists pushed and shoved guests to stop them entering, and linked arms to try to form a blockade.

One middle-aged invitee was shoved to the ground in the skirmish.

A protester with a blood nose said a guest he'd called "one of the fascist cohort" assaulted him.

The 22-year-old, who would only give his name as James, said: "He threatened to punch me unless I let him through. And he then started clawing at my face."

There were reports of activists ripping up guests' tickets.

Police moved in to clear the gates to allow guests to enter to hear the speech. A line of officers, backed by mounted police, swarmed in to remove protesters from the entrance of the La Mirage Function Centre on the Hume Highway at Somerton, in Melbourne's north.

Up to 60 police then formed a ring of steel around the venue, as Mr Wilders spoke inside.

Senior Sergeant Michael Maloney said there had been no arrests.

Tony Iltis, from the Socialist Alliance, said the group were stopping fascists from entering.

"Police came in pushing us and grabbing shouting 'Move, move' and all that garbage," he said.

Protesters remained beside the venue to continue to voice their opposition, chanting "Racist scum!" About 100 protesters had gathered in the minutes before Mr Wilders spoke.

The venue for the speech had been kept secret, but protesters got wind of it earlier today.

Protesters linked arms to block access, forcing police to use mounted officers to clear the entrance.

Entering the reception centre was like passing through airport-security, with guests forced to be scanned by metal detectors. The serene environment inside contrasted with the violent clashes of the protesters outside, with the 500 guests sitting quietly to hear the speeches.

Mr Wilders, entered the ballroom to a standing ovation, opening his speech with a condemnation of Australian politicians, including Federal Minister Chris Bowen, who had labelled him an "extremist" and a "fringe-figure from the far right".

While he said Western Australia Premier Colin Barnett had even told the press he would not be welcome in the state.

"I am the leader of a party who have nearly one million voters in a country that is known for its tolerance. I am not a fringe figure and I am not a far-right figure either. » | James Dowling | With John Masanauskas and AAP | Herald Sun | Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Islam in Australia: Muslim Aboriginals

Ibrahim Siddiq-Conlon Interview on 60 Minutes

Ibrahim Saddiq Conlon: Islam in Australia and What It Wants