SYRIA

Syrian boy, 11, shot dead as protest breaks out on first day of term
Activists say Ibrahim Mohammed al-Farouj was killed by a bullet to the head
during a protest by Syrian schoolchildren
Nour Ali
guardian.co.uk,  Sunday 18 September 2011 17.55 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/18/syrian-boy-shot-dead-protest

At least one child has been shot dead and another arrested as Syrian pupils
protested against the government on the first day of the new school year.

Eleven-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed al-Farouj from Sanamein was killed by a bullet
to the head, activists said, exactly six months after a group of schoolchildren
in the southern city of Deraa sparked the first protests of the uprising against
president Bashar al-Assad.

Some schools remained closed because they had been used as holding centres for
detained protesters or because teachers had been arrested, according to sources
across the country. In other areas, troops used live ammunition to disperse
students who had boycotted classes, chanting "No studying, no teaching until the
president is toppled."
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Footage of torture shocks Syrian teacher’s colleagues in Riyadh
By ARAB NEWS
Published: Sep 17, 2011 23:16 Updated: Sep 17, 2011 23:16

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article503036.ece

RIYADH: The teachers and students of a private school in the east of Riyadh have
mourned the death of a Syrian teacher they watched being tortured on YouTube, a
local daily reported Saturday.

Luai Abdul Hakim Al-Amir, a 40-year-old Arabic language teacher, traveled to
Syria to spend summer holidays at home with his family, but he was arrested by
the Syrian security agents on Aug. 7 in a village 20 km away from Homs. The
teachers and students saw footage of him being tortured by the Syrian security
forces on YouTube.

Al-Amir's father said his son was killed six days after his arrest. "His only
crime was that he came from Saudi Arabia and that he was bearded," the father
said.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syrian opposition holds talks in Damascus
At least 200 members gather outside capital a day after activists report 44
killed in protests.
Last Modified: 17 Sep 2011 18:15

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/2011917163834449255.html

At least 200 Syrian opposition members have met outside the capital, Damascus,
in a significant gathering of dissidents on Syrian soil, a day after at least 44
people were killed in anti-government protests.

The meeting held on Saturday was organised by the executive office of the
National Co-ordinating Body (NCB), a group established to unite key opposition
figures inside and outside Syria.

A news conference was planned for Sunday.

"Participants from all Syria's opposition groups and figures are participating
in the two-day meeting," one participant told Al Jazeera.

"There are participants from Kurdish parties and young activists from the Local
Co-ordination Committee (LCC) also taking part.

"We will try to elect an executive council, about 60 members, and this council
will elect an executive bureau. Tomorrow, there will be a press conference in
Damascus by the commission's co-ordinator Hassan Abdul Azim. This meeting will
draw the future of the opposition movement."

Funerals follow clashes

The meeting came amid funerals for some of the 44 people activists said were
killed in the country following Friday prayers.

Friday marked the start of the seventh month of protests in Syria, Al Jazeera's
Omar al-Saleh reported from neighbouring Jordan.

Clashes between security forces and protesters erupted mainly in the Idlib
province, the outskirts of Homs, and in the Damascus suburb of Doumma on Friday,
pro-democracy activists said.
[VIDEO]
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Syria's minorities, Assad is security
In order for minority groups, including Alawis, to join Syria's uprising, they
need assurance of post-Assad protection.
Majid Rafizadeh Last Modified: 16 Sep 2011 16:10

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/09/2011912135213927196.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

World backs Syrian opposition
By AGENCIES
Published: Sep 15, 2011 23:03 Updated: Sep 15, 2011 23:03

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article502225.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gulf states condemn Syria 'killing machine'
Gulf Co-operation Council calls for "serious reforms" and end to bloodshed as
fresh violence and arrests are reported.
Last Modified: 11 Sep 2011 22:42

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/2011911192321627917.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Expats join Syrian revolution from afar
Subjected to brutal crackdowns, Syrian activists are getting help from an
increasingly mobilised community in Canada.
D. Parvaz Last Modified: 08 Sep 2011 11:23

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/09/201195123037726408.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syrian protesters call for foreign help
Activists appeal to the international community to send human rights monitors to
deter attacks against civilians.
Last Modified: 09 Sep 2011 08:07

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/2011992053232148.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deaths reported in 'fresh Syrian assault'
At least 28 killed in tank-backed raid on Homs, a day after 2,000 people held
anti-regime protests, activists say.
Last Modified: 08 Sep 2011 04:59

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119785531287269.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fresh deaths reported across Syria
Activists say at least 13 more people killed ahead of Red Cross chief's meeting
with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Last Modified: 04 Sep 2011 18:59

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119483720229354.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Escaping Syria's crackdown
Thousands of Syrians have crossed the border into Lebanon's impoverished Wadi
Khaled region.
Cajsa Wikstrom Last Modified: 03 Sep 2011 16:50

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/08/201183193459811971.html

security forces in their home towns made them fear for their lives.

Most of the refugees have crossed the border from Talkalakh, a town just a few
kilometres away from the frontier.

Officials in the border region of Wadi Khaled say about 2,500 refugees are
currently registered there, but since most of the displaced enter the country
illegally, it is difficult to determine the exact number. As violence peaked
across the border in May, an estimated 5,500 refugees were in the area.

While the majority have found shelter with relatives, local families or in
deserted buildings, hundreds have taken refuge in two schools run by Islamic
charities.

"This is our home now, we do everything in here" a woman says about the
classroom where she is staying with her grandchildren. "We sleep, we eat, we
even have to wash in here."

In August, at least 190 displaced people returned to Syria, according to the UN
refugee agency.

Mohammed, a taxi driver from Talkalakh, Syria, who did not want his full name
used for fear of reprisal, spent two and a half months in the al-Iman school in
Wadi Khaled, but chose to go back home just before the Muslim Eid al-Fitr
holidays.

"I couldn't stand it any more," he says about life as a refugee. "There's
nothing better than home, even if it's
not safe."

Cemetery 'surrounded'

Many Muslims visit the graves of their loved ones on Eid, but anticipating that
such visits could turn into anti-government protests this year, security forces
were reportedly surrounding cemeteries in several towns across Syria.

"There were almost two security personnel per grave," Mohammed says about the
situation in Talkalakh. "It was impossible to go".

The predominately Sunni town of about 30,000 people is located on the hills just
about 4km from the Lebanese border and visible from Wadi Khaled. It is
surrounded by Alawite villages, populated by the minority Shia offshoot which
President Bashar al-Assad and much of the ruling elite belong to.

The army and security forces entered Talkalakh on May 14 and besieged the city
for a week. Activists say the operation was a response to big protests calling
for the downfall of the regime. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
claims 12 people have been confirmed killed and "tens" more are missing.
Hundreds were arrested, the group says.

The military operations were reportedly followed by campaigns of looting and
destruction of private homes carried out by security forces and regime thugs
known as shabiha.

Al Jazeera has been barred from entering the country and cannot independently
verify these accounts.

'Became enemies'

The refugees in Wadi Khaled, who all are Sunni Muslims, say that in addition to
security personnel, the Alawites also turned against them.

"When we asked for freedom, we became their enemies," says an old woman with
traditional facial tattoos.

The refugees seem to agree that before protests began in March, there were no
tensions between the two communities.

"We used to drink coffee with them," says one woman, while a man adds "we used
to get drunk together".

As unrest spread across the country, some Syrians have accused the government of
arming the Alawite minority.

"Now all of them have guns, even 10-year-old boys", a woman who fled from
Talkalakh says. "They get paid 5,000 Syrian pounds [$100] per day to join the
shabiha. That means they earn a month's salary in three days."

It seems that many of the refugees are using the terms Alawites and shabiha
interchangeably. Yet the shabiha are not exclusively Alawite - they also have
Sunnis and people belonging to other sects in their ranks, according to the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other sources.

Lebanese blamed

Abu Ali, an Alawite resident in Talkalakh, vehemently denies claims that weapons
have been distributed to his sect.

He says the Lebanese Future Movement, headed by anti-Syrian former Prime
Minister Saad Hariri, had paid some people to stir unrest in Talkalakh to prompt
a crackdown which would put the Syrian government in a bad light.

"People were burning a police station, a courthouse and a customs station," he
says. "They blocked roads and killed a policeman. Then the state intervened."

He says outsiders have tried to raise tensions between Alawites and the Sunni
but that attempts to create a split have failed. Many of those who fled across
the border are wanted by authorities for smuggling of drugs and other goods,
according to Abu Ali.

Al Jazeera contacted Syrian authorities to get an official version of events but
failed to get a response.

However, as army operations were under way, SANA, the state-run news agency,
quoted Talkalakh residents as saying that armed gangs from the Future Movement
had "stormed several houses in the town to force us to leave to their region on
the other side of the border as if we were displaced people who need help".

The UN fact-finding mission which was deployed to Syria in August visited the
public hospital on the outskirts of Talkalakh.

The hospital management could not confirm any deaths, but said a "manageable"
amount of injured, "not in the hundreds", had been admitted, according to Rashid
Khalikov, who led the team from the UN Office for the Co-ordination of
Humanitarian Affairs.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syrian official resigns over crackdown
Syrian forces raid Hama after the city's top prosecutor quits over what he calls
executions and torture of protesters.
Last Modified: 01 Sep 2011 20:52

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/08/2011831212956927978.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fatal torture 'widespread' in Syrian jails
Rights group Amnesty International says it has documented the cases of 88 people
who have died in custody since March.
Last Modified: 31 Aug 2011 12:08

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/08/201183184455223979.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syrian protesters 'killed' after Eid prayers
Seven people reportedly shot dead by security forces at the start of the Muslim
Eid al-Fitr holiday.
Last Modified: 30 Aug 2011 09:27

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/08/20118306512172831.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syria forces surround town after 'defections'
Troops backed by tanks deployed around Rastan after "tens of soldiers" from the
area reportedly defected.
Last Modified: 29 Aug 2011 12:11

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/08/20118296562914805.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even Iran, Syria's best friend, urges Assad to ease crackdown
Iran implored Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to listen to the 'legitimate
demands' of protesters, warning that a failure to do so could lead to the
regime's collapse and broader regional turmoil.
By Ariel Zirulnick, Staff writer / August 29, 2011

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2011/0829/Even-Iran-Syria-s-be\
st-friend-urges-Assad-to-ease-crackdown

Syria's regime has lost crucial support from close allies Iran and Turkey at a
time when its Army is beginning to fall apart, signaling cracks within and
without that could spell the end of more than 40 years of rule by the Assad
family.

Syrian residents and activists say that dozens of soldiers defected after the
Army told them to fire on protesters in a Damascus suburb, according to Reuters.

The Damascus soldiers fled to nearby farmland after security forces fired on
demonstrators in Harasta to prevent them from gathering in the center of the
city, Reuters reports. Their defections are the first reported in the capital,
whose support for Assad has been crucial so far in shoring up the government
against uprisings elsewhere in the country.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fresh deaths in Syria crackdown
Activists say government forces kill five protesters as Syria rejects Arab
League statement demanding end to bloodshed.
Last Modified: 28 Aug 2011 14:47

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/08/2011828132644450754.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


IRAQ

Dozens killed in Iraq mosque attack
MP among at least 29 killed as suicide bomber detonates explosives inside Sunni
mosque in Baghdad.
Last Modified: 29 Aug 2011 05:11

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/08/201182820224889593.html

A suicide bomber in Iraq has blown himself up inside a Baghdad mosque, killing
at least 29 people.

Officials said elderly men and children were among the casualties in the attack,
which happened during prayers inside Umm al-Qura mosque in the western
neighbourhood of al-Jamiaah.

Police said Khalid al-Fahdawi, a member of parliament, was also among the dead
in the Sunday night attack that left 39 others wounded.

Ahmed Abdulghafur al-Samarrai, head of the mosque, said the suicide bomber
walked up to a crowd, covered in bandages, detonating his explosives as the
mosque chief was giving a speech.

Samarrai is known for his sermons against violent extremism and has received
several threats against his life.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Samarrai blamed
the attack on al-Qaeda.

"I am sure al-Qaeda was behind this attack," he told Al-Sharqiyah television.
"We will continue our fight against those criminals and unbelievers. They tried
to drag the country into sectarian war before."

Blast condemned

Major General Qassim al-Moussawi, a spokesman for the Iraqi capital's military
operations command, raised the possibility that the bomber had inside help.

"For sure there must have been someone inside the mosque who helped the bomber.
It must have been someone who is protecting the mosque," the AP news agency
quoted him as saying.

The blast was quickly condemned by parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, and
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called on Iraqis to stand strong against
terrorists and "pursue them wherever they are".

"Solidarity and unity, and standing as one line behind the army and the police,
are the only way to eliminate this danger, which does not differentiate between
the Iraqis and targets all of us,'' al-Maliki said in a statement.

The blue-domed building is the largest Sunni mosque in Baghdad, and security
there is provided by a government-supported group.

That the bomber detonated his explosives vest inside the mosque is particularly
alarming as it is reminiscent of a 2006 attack on a shrine in the city of
Samarra that fuelled widespread sectarian violence and brought Iraq to the brink
of civil war.
[VIDEO]
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ALGERIA

Robert Fisk: Algeria sends the West a message by taking in Gaddafi's brood
Neighbour thinks the Libyan revolution gathered Western support because the land
is so rich in oil
Wednesday, 31 August 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-algeria-sends\
-the-west-a-message-by-taking-in-gaddafis-brood-2346599.html

When the Emir of Qatar flew to see President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria
early this summer, he had one message to convey: don't help the Gaddafi regime.
In other words, don't replace the dictator's Nato-destroyed armour with
identical tanks and personnel carriers from the Algerian army. Word has it –
meaning very good Arab military sources say – that Mr Bouteflika, almost as
much a façade for the military authorities in Algeria as Mr Assad is for the
Baath party in Damascus, gave all the necessary promises and then broke them. An
awful lot of Gaddafi's Russian-made desert armour appears to be new; it didn't
get its spotless shine after rotting in the desert for the past five years.

Qatar's role in the Libyan conflict remains one of the untold stories of the war
– there were Qatari flags waved in Martyrs' Square in Tripoli last week –
but so does Algeria's. Arabs were not surprised that so many of Gaddafi's family
turned up in Algeria this week. For years, the Algerians have supported
Gaddafi's independent – albeit crazed – policies because their own history
has taught them to never accept orders from abroad. The moment the French –
occupiers, colonisers and persecutors of Algeria for 132 years – bombed Libya,
the Gaddafi regime's struggle to survive became a re-enactment of the Algerian
FLN's 1954-62 battle for freedom against French rule. If the Libyans have been
deprived of serious school history books for more than four decades, they know
their country's travails all too well. For the Fezzan, the stony deserts and
mountains south of the coastal cities, was occupied by French troops long after
the Second World War to
  protect the frontier of Algeria – then still part of the French empire. The
arid frontier between Libya and Algeria has been a smugglers' trail for
centuries. Carrying the Gaddafi family into exile was not a major military
operation.

Indeed, it was typical of the Algerian foreign ministry to announce the presence
of the Gaddafi family on Algerian soil. Algerians like to show the West –
especially the French – their freedom, the sacred trust of Algerian
nationhood, damaged in the Islamist 1990-98 uprising, is not going to be traded
for Western favours.

There would be no "Gaddafi-family-in-secret-Algerian-exile" headlines; Algeria
had every right to show humanitarian sympathy for fellow Arabs; Nato's rebel
allies can claim the Algerian offer of sanctuary as "an act of aggression" if
they wish. Besides, Gaddafi's battle against his own Islamist enemies –
minuscule compared to the Algerian government's ferocious war against its own
al-Qa'ida style antagonists – made the Gaddafi dictatorship and successive
Algerian military "democrat" regimes into allies. Why should proud Algeria now
abandon its old brother Muammar just because the Arabs of the Gulf and the
European powers (some of them, at least) have turned against him? French
President Nicolas Sarkozy may embrace Gaddafi in 2007 and bomb him less than
four years later. Algeria does not turn on its own friends.

That, at least, is how the pouvoir in Algiers can explain all this. But there
are darker, bloodier contacts between the two countries' security services,
which have used torture, political killing and massacre to assert their will
over their people; the Algerians many times passed on the fruit of their
"anti-terrorist" experience to Gaddafi's mukhabarat. The Algerian tale contained
more bloodbaths – 150,000 deaths, mostly civilians, scarcely measures up to
the fewer tortures and murders in Gaddafi's Libya – but both governments knew
that to retain power meant wielding terrible power.

Besides, Algeria does not intend to be a second Libya. The country is freer and
marginally more democratic than it was in the dreadful 1990s. But it believes
– not without reason – that the Libyan revolution gathered Western support
because Gaddafi's land is so rich in oil.

Algeria itself possesses the eighth-largest natural gas reserves in the world
and is the fourth-largest gas exporter. Beneath its deserts lie 12.5 billion
barrels of oil reserves and 27 per cent of current oil exports are bought by the
United States. Algerians are well aware that if Libya's national export was
potatoes, the West would no more have intervened than it would have invaded Iraq
if Saddam Hussein's principal resource was asparagus.

So if anyone else challenges the rule of the pouvoir, it is not going to
collapse in a "democratic" spring. Taking in Gaddafi's wife and brood was a
gesture aimed more at the West than at the remains of the tyrant's élite in
Libya.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


YEMEN

Many protesters shot dead in Yemen
At least 22 anti-government demonstrators killed as forces loyal to Ali Abudllah
Saleh open fire in the capital Sanaa
Last Modified: 18 Sep 2011 14:44

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/2011918141553217505.html

[VIDEO]

Troops loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, have opened fire on
protesters in Sanaa, killing at least 22 people and injuring hundreds.

Tens of thousands of protestors calling for an end to president Saleh's 33-year
rule took to the streets of the capital a day after protesters stormed Yemen's
main university.

Mohammad al Qadhi, a Yemeni journalist, said government snipers had fired on
demonstrators from rooftops

"I talked to one of the protestors. He told me shots were fired on chests, legs,
and other parts of the body," he said.

Witnesses said security forces and armed civilians opened fire on protesters who
left Change Square, where they have camped since February demanding regime
change, and marched towards the city centre.

They also used water cannons and fired tear gas, they added.

Freelance journalist Tom Finn said he counted at least 16 bodies piled up in a
mosque and most of them were shot in the head.

"Most of them are under 22. I saw one that was 16 years old," he said.

"There are three hospitals in Sanaa filled to the brim with the injured. One
doctor said he expects the death toll to rise over 50 by tomorrow morning."

Earlier on Sunday, government trooops fired mortars into Al-Hasaba district in
Sanaa, home to an opposition tribal chief.

Sheik Sadeq al-Ahmar said his fighters did not return fire after they were
shelled by the Republican Guard.

Ahmar said he did not want to give Saleh any excuse not to sign a deal to
transfer power.

Power transfer

The crackdown on protesters come as Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, Yemen's
vice-president, will sign a Gulf Arab initiative to arrange for a transfer of
power in Yemen "within a week", a high-level Saudi official told reporters.

"Within a week, the vice president will sign the Gulf Initiative in the name of
the president," said the official, who requested anonymity.

Last week, Saleh authorised Hadi to negotiate a power transfer with the
opposition.

The initiative was proposed by the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council and sets
the path for a peaceful transition of power from Saleh, who has ruled Yemen
since 1978.

According to the Saudi official, "among the guarantees demanded by Salah are
that his son be kept in the next government".

Saleh left the country three months ago for Saudi Arabia where he has been
recovering from a June 3 attack on his presidential compound.

The president has since January faced protests over nepotism and corruption from
reform activists inspired by the Arab Spring.

Schools closed

On Saturday, thousands of protesters stormed the main university in Sanaa,
preventing the first day of school and calling for an end Saleh's rule.

At least six student were injured when thousands of anti-government protesters
stormed Yemen's main university.

"No studying, no teaching until the president goes," the students chanted as
they marched into the Sanaa university campus, which is has been the centre of
Yemen's opposition movement.

The protesters shut the doors of administrative buildings and tore down pictures
of Saleh in the dean's offices.

Around the capital, at least 20 other schools were kept closed to students on
Saturday because many of the buildings are being used as outposts by
government-linked gunmen and soldiers who defected to the opposition, said Fatma
Mutahar, principal of Ayesha School in Sanaa and an official with the Education
Ministry.

"Schools are for learning, not to serve as barracks," said Mutahar, who tried to
negotiate with the gunmen to leave her school but failed.

More than 60 schools in the southern city of Aden are being used as shelters for
people displaced by fighting between government troops and Islamic groups which
have taken over several towns during Yemen's turmoil.

Somalia: Why do only Muslims starve?
By ABDULATEEF AL-MULHIM

http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article495505.ece

When we studied geography during my school days, Somalia was one of the
countries that fascinated us with its agricultural products. There were Saudis
in the sixties who would travel to Somalia and talk about how fertile the land
was. And would bring with them some of these products to families in Saudi
Arabia. At that time, not every Saudi or Gulf family was able to secure
nutritious three meals a day. But, Somalis were very active in producing the
best bananas in the world. Somalia was the main source of red meat for Saudi
Arabia and some Gulf states. The population of Somalia is now ten million. It
was much less during the sixties.

In 1960, Somalia was officially united and became independent. It was the most
important strategic country in Africa. Somalia has the longest shoreline in
Africa and fishing is a very important source of income apart from tourism. At
the peak of the Cold War, Somalia took advantage of its strategic location and
was spoiled by the East and West. This is why at some time during the seventies,
it had the largest army in Africa. When Somalia won independence in 1960, their
first President Aden Abdullah Daar was a well-respected figure internationally.
The Somalis had a change of government in a coup on Oct. 21, 1969 and Maj. Gen. 
Mohamed Siad Barre became the new president. At that time Somalia enjoyed a
clout among African nations in a lot of fields. They had a strong military and
economy. And they were so powerful they could challenge superpowers and decided
in July 1977 to incorporate the predominantly Somali-inhabited Ogaden region
into greater Somalia.
  During these times, in 1974 the Somali president was the chairman of the
Organization of the African Unity (OAU). Somalia in the past had a powerful
position on the world stage.

Things changed in the year 1991. The president was ousted and civil war started
and with it came the calamity that is still bedeviling Somalia.

Somalia now is the poorest, most dangerous and most unstable country in the
world. There is no law. These days, we see starving children and sick mothers in
Somalia, but we also see pirates and warlords. Why there is starvation in a
country that has thousands of miles of shorelines suitable for fishing? The land
of Somalia can be the breadbasket of the Middle East. Yet, every Somali is
starving. Now, every country in the world wants to help Somalia feed its people.
Saudi Arabia started a telethon to raise money for Somalia, but hours after the
start of the telethon, the news about a failed piracy attempt against a Saudi
ship and a successful takeover of another Gulf ship by Somali pirates hit the
world headlines.

So, the question is how food aid would be delivered. Also, are the Somalis going
to help get the aid to the right place and the right people or is it going to be
used by the warlords? Will Somalia help aid organizations to monitor the
distribution of food and medicine? Why can't the Somalis put down their weapons
and stop wasting money on chewing Qhatt and buying weapons and help each others?
If the Somalis don't settle their own differences, no one will be able to do it
for them. Now, every country is beset with economic recession and some Arab and
Muslim brothers are in deep crisis. The Somalis have one chance to help their
country to stand on its feet again and be part of the international community.

Somalia did not have any government since 1991. And Somalia didn't have to lose
its ability to cultivate one of the most fertile lands and the richest
deep-water fishing in Africa.

Now, the question that a lot of people ask is: Why starvation occurs in Muslim
countries that have rivers, rich soil, raw materials and abundance of labor? We
saw famine and starvation in Sudan, shortage of food in Egypt, empty super
markets in Libya even during the peak of oil prices, riots in some Arab
countries because of shortages of bread and its high prices. Syria had the best
cotton crops and sweetest potatoes in the Middle East, but they exchanged it for
rusty tanks from Russia.

International aid to Somalis is vital and a good gesture, but what is next? Are
the Somali warlords going to put down their weapons, cultivate their land and
educate their children? Because feeding the children should come from the inside
not the outside.

— Abdulateef Al-Mulhim can be contacted at: almulhimnavy@...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'The worst crisis I have ever seen'
The head of a South African aid group discusses famine in East Africa, working
in Mogadishu and engaging al-Shabab.
Azad Essa Last Modified: 07 Sep 2011 19:18

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/09/201197175923784244.html

As the UN and international aid agencies battle to operate out of Mogadishu, the
civil war-torn Somali capital, smaller aid agencies have been quietly bringing
medical teams, delivering aid and negotiating a move into al-Shabab territory as
the famine in the Horn of Africa threatens to devastate Somalia.

But as concerns grow over the mishandling of food aid and corruption by
third-party contractors inside the country, there remains little understanding
of the conditions inside the capital. Despite this, a small number of aid groups
have refused to delegate their work there to third-party organisations.

One such group, Gift of the Givers, a humanitarian organisation from South
Africa, has over the past month
chartered six cargo airplanes to Mogadishu and currently has 1,700 tonnes worth
of aid on four ships en route to the Somali capital.

This month, the organisation will set up a medical facility in Mogadishu's
largest hospital, in an attempt to concentrate efforts to treat and rehabilitate
thousands of patients.

Azad Essa speaks to Imtiaaz Sooliman, the head of Gift of the Givers, about
Africa's response to the crisis, working in Mogadishu, engaging al-Shabab and
solving the crisis.

Q: Gift of the Givers has operated for around two decades now intervening in
countries from Bosnia to Haiti. How would you compare this crisis to other
humanitarian crises you have encountered?

A: In my 19-years-experience, I would say that that this was the worst crisis I
have ever seen. It is not like Bosnia where there was war, or an earthquake like
Haiti where there was structural damage to buildings. Here there is slow death
in front of your eyes… we are talking about four million people affected,
mostly children. Every parent with five or six children are forced to watch
their children waste away, day by day. And we are not talking about one
household, we are talking about tens of thousands of households across the
country, from the south to Mogadishu.

Q: How devastating is the scale of the crisis?

A: To put it into perspective: A two-year-old child begins to look like a
three-month-old baby within some weeks. And again, we are talking about
thousands. And parents are emotionally and psychologically affected, because
there is nothing they can do to save the child. Imagine watching your child die
in front you. It is a slow, painful process and for 12 to 16 weeks you go
through this agony knowing that there is nothing you can do.

Consider that we have just completed the month of Ramadan - where children in
many countries fast from dawn to dusk. Normally when children fast and towards
the late afternoon, they might complain that they want to break the fast because
of their hunger and as a parent you say, "it will end soon" so hold on … they
might cry but they know that there are only a few hours remaining, and then they
can choose whatever they want to eat. But these kids here in Somalia, the tears
have long since dried up and there is no expectation of food. There is just
nothing to eat. The figures are startling: Every day 1,300 children die.

Q: Let's talk about numbers. Three to four million Somalis affected, 12 million
in the region in danger, tens of thousands of children malnourished … how are
ordinary people meant to make sense of all these startling figures?

A: It is not possible to make sense if you are not in it. Television pictures do
not tell the full story. Being in it captures more than just the essence and a
picture cannot tell you the scale of the damage, the emotional suffering, the
individual stories – but given the nature of people - consider South Africa
– an entire nation has still mobilised for Somalia. We have received
unprecedented support. Seeing the pictures of children so emaciated has touched
the hearts of people. There has never been such a campaign in the history of
this country.

Q: But the South African government's support has been disappointing, has it
not?

A: They were very slow to respond initially. To be fair to them, they invited me
to speak to portfolio committee in parliament on Somalia and at that point they
had pledged R1 million ($150,000) and after I addressed them on August 9, their
stance did change and within 24 hours they got the South African Broadcasting
Corporation (SABC) to set up a nationwide campaign to raise funds. They put up
an airplane and they increased the amount to R8 million ($1.2m).

Q: But this is a small amount. The UN says almost $1bn needs to be raised for
the relief effort?

A: I cannot answer for government. They need to explain that. As I said, they
increased aid to $1.2m and they asked to set up a fundraising campaign. They
also offered a military plane to transport aid and they also pledged to
transport any items from the SADC [Southern African Development Community]
region – from all 15 countries – to Somalia for relief efforts. They also
instructed members of parliament, provincial governments and other departments
to locate surplus funds from their budgets and push the fundraising effort.
Collectively, the government machinery has been raising funds and this has been
good enough. We needed government to set an example. One has to remember that we
have millions needing help in South Africa itself, just like other African
countries.

Q: How would you rate the African Union's response considering that only $46m
was raised at the recent AU 'pledging summit' held in Addis Ababa?

A: For me, this was Africa's first fundraising campaign and that is a start. We
have never had this before and the fact that we have never had an appeal as
Africans, this is quite some progress and a huge step forward. Consider a
country like Lesotho which is a 100 per cent donor recipient country, pledges
$50,000 – that is quite a statement: "We don't have but from what we don't
have, we are willing to share." Also, Southern Sudan, which just became a
country itself, put up $1m - which is huge for a country which has no
infrastructure at all. As long as Africa puts out a message that they are acting
and taking some initiative, it is a positive step, because there is no way that
we are able to take care of this on our own. The world can see we are trying.

Q: Yours is one of the few international organisations operating in Mogadishu.
Most international organisations and agencies rely on local contractors to
perform their duties in Mogadishu. Is this correct?

A: This is the problem. Most of these agencies operate from Nairobi, Kenya, and
operate through third-party persons in Mogadishu. You see products from agencies
sold on the streets and because you rely on these third parties to do your work
for you, it is never done as efficiently or effectively as you would complete
it. There are so many competing interests in Mogadishu, so many trying to make
an income … like you have war lords, here you have food lords, who control the
food and if you pass on food to them, they take 90 per cent of the supplies and
just 10 per cent goes to whom it is meant to go to. We make sure that we do not
operate like that. The TFG [Transitional Federal Government] told us that we
were the first agency in recent times to ensure that we did our own work, from
collection to distribution.

Q: What is the scale of your operations in Mogadishu?

A: We went from feeding 300 families to 500 families to presently a number of
around 20,000 people. We also initially dealt with 5,000 patients. We have
partnered with an organisation called SHADOW. We have put up four feeding
centres, and we have fed the same 20,000 every day since August 9. And in the
interest of continuity, we do not want to move to another area and allow people
in this area to go backwards.

We cook the food and feed directly. We cannot save four million people
ourselves, so we are focusing on what we can do. The children we treated in the
camps have visibly improved, they are even running around, something they
couldn't do before. At the same time, we have an outreach programme, so 300
families in another area are given dry rations, rice, beans, maize, every day.
These are given to help them survive.

Q: Do you work with UN agencies like the World Food Programme, who are dealing
with around 800,000 people in Mogadishu?

A: They have not approached us; we are independent, and we do our work in our
own way. People know we exist, and if they want to use us, they are welcome to
use us, but on our terms. We decide which camps we will go to, and we are not
burdened by administrative structures and so our focus is finding the people who
need help and then working [out] a way to help them. We also do not favour any
political party or government - and the TFG knows that we will not pass on our
aid to them or anyone else. Our policy is simple: we will deliver and implement
our own relief work.

Q: Surely there is a need for consistency and coordination, crucial elements in
any humanitarian effort?

A: In my experience, a lot of the administration forms a stumbling block. When I
went to Bosnia in 1992, the UN said there was no need for any hospitals and we
built the world's first and only containerised and mobile hospital. I showed
them how many sites there were - where hospitals were needed; they spent so much
time on paperwork, that we eventually bypassed them. In some areas, people were
waiting more than 20 weeks for a hospital and when they told me that hospital
facilities were not required, I lost all faith in them. They were an obstacle
for progress, rather than supporting progress.

Secondly, whenever you looked for them, they were in expensive hotels, sitting
in expensive cars and they said they were busy. And yes, the UN has some really
good employees; some would give their heart and their soul to do something that
they believe, but too much goes into administration, into vehicles and into
hotels and salaries and less gets to the people.

And there are always too many restrictions. In Haiti, they would dictate which
areas one could go, and which society to hang around with, and live in such and
such a compound and then work out which areas to go. We set up our own
structures and while others could move around for three to four hours, we could
move around for eight to ten hours. And we don't follow their system. As I said,
our policy is to get to the people and remove the obstructions.

Q: How do you guarantee that the right people are receiving attention and that
you are receiving the right intelligence?

A: We work with people on the ground and implement the relief ourselves which
means the entire system is rather hands-on. In every country I have been, I have
always found a local partner, who speaks the language and knows the area. In
Haiti, for instance, we worked with Caritas, a church organisation, which helped
create access. After working for 19 years, with a such a hands-on approach, it
does not take long to recognise a scam when you see one. Also, when people on
the ground realise that we are around to help and work with them as opposed to
push relief down their throats and interfering with the internal structures of
the country, then you rarely face a problem.

Q: Speaking about trust: The UN is a meant to be a secular, non-aligned
organisation, but you are an Islamic organisation. Do you face difficulties
being taken seriously?

A: It came up as an issue in the early years. But people realised that we are
first and foremost a humanitarian organisation. Yes, we are Muslim, and proud of
it, but in keeping with Islamic principals, we help all people, no matter [what]
race or religion. Islam is very clear - help humanity - and we stand by that.
Our medical teams are multicultural in nature, and we do not only intervene in
humanitarian disasters affecting Muslims. The earthquake in 2002 in Gujarat –
with mostly Hindus affected, the first African organisation to respond was us, a
Muslim organisation. In Haiti, a predominantly Christian country, we also
intervened and Church groups rushed to work with us. In South Africa itself, 99
per cent of our aid goes to non-Muslims. Yet, the majority of donors are Muslim,
though this is also changing as people understand that we a humanitarian
organisation.

Q: But then why is it that you have access to Mogadishu? Is it really that bad
or is just a perception?

A: The media has created the perception that Mogadishu is a no-go area. I also
thought this to be the case. And this is the perception. But when I saw pictures
of those children in Dadaab in Kenya – to be honest – I saw those images on
Al Jazeera – I realised that if these people had made it to Kenya in such a
state, obviously, inside Somalia had to be far worse. This is logical. As a
humanitarian organisation, we cannot say 'it can't be done'. It has to be done,
there is no option but to get to Mogadishu. And so I went to Mogadishu.

Yes, there were security concerns, but there was enough security to land a plane
and get supplies. In this relatively safer area of the city, there are around
one million people who need help and one cannot say they are inaccessible. At
least helping one million would be better than doing nothing. In seven days, we
put four planes into Mogadishu. We have sent two more planes since and we are
now sending another two planes soon. We also have 1,700 tonnes of aid on four
different ships going to Mogadishu.

Q: Who benefits from the perception of Mogadishu being totally inaccessible?

A: We would like to know what is the story behind this – is it an
international agenda? Is it a local agenda? My question to the Somali people is
that for 21 years you have fought and what have you achieved? You country is in
chaos, your people are starving – and was it worth it? Let's try to talk to
each other instead now. Unless of course, there is an agenda from the outside.
And, where resources are involved, there is always an agenda. Somalis have
uranium deposits, they have diamond deposits, the largest coastline in Africa
– it has a lot of strategic importance, and for only 12 million people living
in such a large country, each one could be wealthy. Why has there been no
progress? There has to be another reason.

Q: Do you work with al-Shabab? And why is there a media blackout on their
demands, especially the contention that foreign aid organisations are creating
dependency?

Firstly, I don't believe everything that they say, because I have had dealings
with them already. Yes, they have a point, there is dependency, but can they
solve the hunger problem at this point in time? The dependency is life saving.
They are saying 'don't be dependent,' but do they expect help to fall from
heaven? Are they going to cultivate crops and feed the people in 24 hours? They
need to be realistic. This is just a short term dependency and they need to ask
themselves if they have found any alternative to this dependency. Have they made
any developments since taking control of certain areas in 2006?

Secondly, they contacted us and told us that having seen us work in Mogadishu
they wanted to start a dialogue towards giving us access into the areas they
still control south of Mogadishu. But they won't allow the foreign members of
the delegation to come, they will only allow Somalis to enter their zones. But I
didn't agree with this. They even said we could use Kismaayo as a port. Also,
they only gave us a verbal invitation to come, and I wanted it in writing. But
they could not offer the invite in writing [it seems] because they are split
into so many factions … and if they are not stable, how would my teams feel
secure? Furthermore, they wanted us to pass on the aid to them for distribution
and that is unacceptable to me, because we do not work like that. We were told
that if we did not follow their instructions fully, they could make life
extremely hard for us. And though the south needs help, we have so much still to
do in Mogadishu.

Q: Al-Shabab has a very poor reputation in the media. Everyone uses "we cannot
go in because of al-Shabab" as a stock phrase. Based on your dealings with them,
is this fair or is this a convenient excuse?

Well, if they are not going to plug their story to the world, how are people
supposed to know? We are saying to them, if you need help, and say you have
nothing to hide, then why create all these obstacles? We are not interested in
their politics, we just want to help their people. And we have media that travel
with us, and so if they want to tell their story, they have access to do so as
well. It is clear that al-Shabab needs an opportunity to tell their story, and
until then, we can only speculate and have perceptions about them, but
ultimately they need to tell their story. But sometimes, it seems as if they are
not allowing the media to tell their story.

Q: For how much longer will you be operating in Somalia. When does this
situation 'end'?

A: We can only go on as long as we have support. Secondly, we are hoping that
African countries will get involved towards creating a political solution. South
Africa's parliament has been raising questions about getting involved
politically towards getting a solution. The AU is also talking about a solution.
Getting all the factions to the table is the only reasonable chance for a
solution. And their people won't suffer. This relief work is not the solution,
this is just dressing on the top that can potentially save the lives of
thousands … we need to do this now, but this won't solve the problem -  there
has to be a political solution so they can develop and use their resources
effectively. Even if there is another disaster and we need to intervene, this
project won't stop. We have 25 projects running concurrently and we can handle
three or four countries at the same time. We must remember that even the UN is
dictated to by the amount of funding they
  receive from member states, so it is not as if they have a limitless fund as
well.

But this cannot go on forever. When the rains come, they need to get back to
their farms, and the government and the world need to work together in putting
this country back together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Youssou N'dour lends voice to drought crisis
Senegalese superstar visits Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya and urges world leaders
to do the same.
Last Modified: 18 Sep 2011 08:53

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/09/20119188514902288.html

One of Africa's most celebrated musicians has urged action for the humanitarian
crisis in East Africa.

Senegalese star Youssou N'dour's plea followed a recent visit to Dadaab refugee
camp in Kenya. He described the area as "the real Africa" and called on world
leaders to come see for themselves.

There an estimated 12 million people affected by famine and drought in the
region, according to the United Nations.

Al Jazeera correspondent Bhanu Bhatnagar reports.
[VIDEO]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somali children missing out on education
Amid devastating violence and famine, nearly two million children are going
without basic schooling.
Last Modified: 18 Sep 2011 18:30

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/09/2011918145014632352.html

[VIDEO]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Famine spreads to sixth region of Somalia
UN unit says tens of thousands, half of them children, have already died as
famine conditions continue to spread.
Last Modified: 05 Sep 2011 11:37

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/09/201195104317598222.html

Famine has spread to a sixth area of Somalia and tens of thousands of people
have died as a result of severe food shortages, the UN has said.

A statement from the UN Somalia Food Security Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) in
Nairobi, Kenya, said on Monday that data gathered in August suggested the Bay
Region had been hit by famine in addition to several areas already declared
famine zones by the UN.

"August survey results indicate that the prevalence of acute malnutrition and
the rate of crude mortality have surpassed famine thresholds in Bay Region of
southern Somalia," the statement said.

"Tens of thousands of people have already died, over half of whom are children."

Famine was first declared in the southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions of
southern Somalia in July.

It later spread to three further areas, including into the Somali capital,
Mogadishu, and the Afgoye corridor, the world's largest camp for displaced
people.

The FSNAU conducted nutrition and mortality surveys across southern Somalia
during July and August and found the most extreme levels of acute malnutition in
Bay, it said.

Several other areas are at severe risk of tipping over into famine conditions,
it added.

"The response to date has not been sufficient," Tony Burns, of SAACID, told Al
Jazeera.

"The international monetary crisis weighs heavily in the western and
international community, and we're just not getting the funds to make a systemic
difference they need to dig deeper unless they want to see three, 400,000 people
dead in the next quarter."

Efforts to tackle the country's drought crisis have been hampered by the
country's ongoing civil war.

Al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabab fighters pulled out of positions in Mogadishu last
month but they still control much of southern Somalia, the worst-hit region by
famine and the extreme drought.

Famine implies that at least 20 per cent of households face extreme food
shortages, acute malnutrition in over 30 percent of people, and two deaths per
10,000 people every day, according to UN definition.

Some 12.4 million people in the Horn of Africa, including parts of Ethiopia,
Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda, are affected by the worst drought in decades in the
region and are in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN.

Meanwhile in Mogadishu, Somali leaders are holding a rare three-day conference
that began on Sunday in an effort to set up plans for a new government.

The current government, founded in Kenya in 2004 with a five-year mandate, is
one of the more than a dozen attempts to form a central authority in Somalia
since it plunged into war with the 1991 overthrow of President Mohamed Siad
Barre.

But constant political bickering and the continuing conflict have thwarted
efforts to draft a new constitution and hold elections.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Famine in Somalia
As Muslims around the world mark Eid Al-Fitr, many Somali Muslims will not be
able to participate due to the ongoing famine.

http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/famine-somalia

The holy month of Ramadan is a time of fasting and reflection with a strong
focus on charity. Muslims around the world are sending money and resources to
Somalia. The Saudi Air Force has already flown in 20 tons of food donations, and
plans are underway to send an additional 180 tons in the coming weeks. The Arab
Medical Union in Gaza and Egypt are accepting donations to send food and medical
aid. Gazans are also raising money for famine victims through their “From Gaza
hand in hand to save the children of Somalia” campaign.

As a result of the worst drought in six decades and mass famine over 1.5 million
people have been displaced inside the country, and 860,000 have left seeking
refuge in neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia. Every day, more than 1,200 people
flow into Dadaab, a camp in Kenya that houses an estimated 440,000 refugees.
Recently, the United Nations declared a famine in seven regions of southern
Somalia with more than 12 million people affected in the Horn of Africa.

Somalia has experienced several droughts over the last few decades, but there
are many factors that have led to this famine. Abdi Smatar, who will join us to
discuss the situation, believes the famine was caused more by the political
situation. According to Samatar, local governments are unable to provide
resources for their people due to a lack of regional control and an ongoing
conflict with al-Shabaab rebels. He argues that the Transitional Federal Council
is fraught with corruption, internal strife and sectarian divides that prevent
it from providing for its people.

Wadah Khanfar, Director General of Al Jazeera, will join The Stream live on
Tuesday, the first day of Eid Al-Fitr, to discuss the crisis. His appearance
will follow a visit to Somali refugee camps where he saw conditions first hand
and worked to raise international awareness about the famine and the growing
need for assistance.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to Dadaab: is there no new story?
By Azad Essa in
Africa
on Wed, 2011-08-31 12:39.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/africa/2011/08/31/back-dadaab-there-no-new-story

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somali refugees abandon babies at Dadaab camp
Save the Children says it has placed record numbers of Somali children with
foster families in recent months

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/14/somalia-refugees-abandon-babies-dada\
ab
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somalia wants new force to guard aid convoys
Proposed force will guard vital food supplies after state troops looted supplies
meant for famine victims.
Last Modified: 14 Aug 2011 00:00

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/08/2011813224737586231.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somalia famine refugees tell their stories – interactive
The Dadaab camps in Kenya, where the people interviewed for this project reside,
is home to more than 400,000 refugees, making it, in effect, Kenya's third
biggest "city"
Xan Rice in Dadaab and Christine Oliver with portraits by Sven Torfinn
guardian.co.uk,  Thursday 11 August 2011 18.21 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/aug/11/somali-refugee-dadaab-ke\
nya

Click on images for more info...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abbas tells the world: it is time for Palestinian people to gain their freedom
Defiant challenge to Washington as US diplomats battle to block recognition
By Stephen Foley in New York
Saturday, 24 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/abbas-tells-the-world-it-is-\
time-for-palestinian--people-to-gain-their-freedom-2360105.html

The Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, staked his people's claim to full
statehood at the United Nations yesterday, in a historic move designed to
mobilise international pressure on Israel and outflank the United States, whose
sponsorship of the peace process has been unable to deliver the longed-for
two-state solution in the Middle East.

The standing ovation that greeted Mr Abbas's declaration to the General Assembly
was a raucous riposte to the US, whose diplomats had worked for weeks to try to
head off a Palestinian application for full recognition. But while the
application was greeted warmly in the halls of the UN and with pride among Mr
Abbas's supporters on the streets of the Palestinian territories, it is only the
first step in a process, the outcome of which is still far from clear. The US
has vowed a potentially explosive veto at the Security Council and there was
last night still no clear timetable for when the council will consider the plan.
The US, the UK and other countries hope to delay consideration for long enough
to allow the resumption of peace talks.

Mr Abbas came to the UN, he said, to declare "after 63 years of suffering of an
ongoing tragedy: enough, enough, enough. It is time for the Palestinian people
to gain their freedom and their independence... We have one goal: to be. And we
shall be." He warned that the lack of progress in peace talks, plus the
continued presence of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, could
scupper the Palestinian Authority, robbing the Israelis of a viable peace
partner.

"Our people will continue their popular, peaceful resistance," Mr Abbas said.
"This (Israeli settlement) policy will destroy the chances of... a two-state
solution and... threatens to undermine the structure of the Palestinian National
Authority and even end its existence." The warning appeared to be part of a
deliberate plan to loosen the logjam on peace talks. One Palestinian negotiator,
talking on local radio before the speech, threatened to hand back control of the
West Bank to Israel.

Thousands of jubilant Palestinians thronged around outdoor television screens in
town squares across the West Bank to watch their president submit his historic
request for recognition to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. In Ramallah, a
flag-waving crowd packed into the downtown area to show support.

Diplomats in New York have been watching scenes from the region with concern,
worried that Mr Abbas has raised Palestinian hopes for a breakthrough and
worried also about the possibility of violence. Underscoring tensions in the
region, a 35-year-old Palestinian man was shot dead yesterday in a clash with
Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank. The incident began when about
200 settlers destroyed trees near the village of Qusra. Villagers threw stones
at the settlers. Israeli troops arrived, firing tear gas, then live rounds. The
settlers fired back.

Qusra is emerging as a potential flashpoint. Its mosque was attacked this month
by settlers angered by the demolition of three buildings in a settlement outpost
declared illegal by the Israeli Supreme Court.

Mr Abbas referred to the shooting in his UN speech and accused the Israelis of
"ethnic cleansing". But he also urged them to return to negotiations, as long as
they meet preconditions such as a halt to settlements.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli PM, also addressed the General Assembly,
reiterating an offer to meet Mr Abbas: "Israel will not be the last state to
welcome a Palestinian state into the UN. We will be the first."

In an attempt to delay a confrontation in the Security Council, the US, Russia,
the EU and the UN asked Israel and the Palestinians to return to peace talks
within four weeks, to submit proposals on territory and security within three
months and to strike a full peace accord within a year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: Prayers, taunts and weary resignation in Jerusalem
Saturday, 24 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-prayers-taunt\
s-and-weary-resignation-in-jerusalem-2360131.html

So there I was, on the Via Dolorosa of course, chatting to a middle-aged guy in
a red T-shirt and just a wisp of a beard with a prayer rug under his left arm.

And I asked him, of course, what he thought about Barack Obama's speech. He
grinned at me like he knew I had already guessed what he was going to say. "What
did you expect?" he asked. Correct guess. After all, Haaretz had already
referred this week to "President Barack Netanyahu" while the racist Israeli
foreign minister said he would sign the speech with both hands. Maybe, I
reflected in Jerusalem yesterday, Obama really is seeking election – to the
Israeli Knesset.

But what was so striking about the streets of Jerusalem yesterday was the sense
of resignation, of weary acceptance. The Israeli papers had warned of mass
violence, but the crowds who turned up for morning prayers at Al-Aqsa simply
laid out their prayer rugs on the highway outside the Damascus Gate or in the
laneways behind the mosque and showed scarcely any interest in talking about
Obama. Maybe America's UN veto will rouse them to passion, but I have my doubts.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obama: America's 'first Jewish president'?
After the president's speech to the UN, our senior analyst wonders why US
leaders continue to pander to a foreign power.
Marwan Bishara Last Modified: 22 Sep 2011 18:23

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/09/201192216365733499.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Palestinians submit statehood request to UN
President Mahmoud Abbas says time has come to end the suffering and the plight
of millions of Palestinians.
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2011 18:38

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201192312433584593.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cracks appear between Britain and France as Palestine vote looms
Cameron may abstain despite Sarkozy's appeal to back his plan
By Stephen Foley and Donald Macintyre
Friday, 23 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/cracks-appear-between-britain-a\
nd-france-as-palestine-vote-looms-2359432.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: A President who is helpless in the face of Middle East reality
Obama's UN speech insists Israelis and Palestinians are equal parties to
conflict
Friday, 23 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-a-president-w\
ho-is-helpless-in-the-face-of-middle-east-reality-2359433.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Palestinian statehood: plan emerges to avoid UN showdown
Compromise would see Mahmoud Abbas submit letter to security council, which
would then defer vote until further talks
Chris McGreal in New York
guardian.co.uk,  Wednesday 21 September 2011 00.04 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/21/palestinian-statehood-plan-un-showdo\
wn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Palestine & UN: History of a double standard
The struggle for Palestinian nationhood is entering yet another new phase in its
decades long history.
Marwan Bishara Last Modified: 21 Sep 2011 12:16

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/09/2011921105321715717.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Palestinians rally in support of statehood
Thousands gather in Ramallah and Nablus in a show of support for Mahmoud Abbas'
bid for full membership at the UN.
Last Modified: 21 Sep 2011 09:27

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201192172123936378.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special report: Palestinian bid for statehood divides a people
And in taking his case to the UN, Abbas defies both the US and Israel
By Donald Macintyre in Nablus
Sunday, 18 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/special-report-palestinian-b\
id-for-statehood-divides-a-people-2356505.html

Both men had watched the live TV broadcast in which Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas explained on Friday evening why he is defying the wishes of Israel
and the US by taking his case for statehood recognition to the UN this week. But
it was rapidly apparent from the vigorous argument yesterday between Subha
Mahmoud Abu Hashi, 65, and Mahmoud Abu Rizel, 29, in the narrow main shopping
street of the Balata refugee camp, how different their takes on it had been.

The older man was convinced that Mr Abbas had shown statesmanship worthy of the
late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, who negotiated the 1979 peace treaty with
Israel. For the younger, "this was not at the level of a president. It was not
Gamal Abdel Nasser and it was not Yasser Arafat, who when they talked the people
listened. It was a very ordinary speech."

Mr Abu Hashi liked the fact that the Palestinian President had stressed the
importance of negotiations, and felt that in the current absence of substantive
talks the UN move was another important step forward.

"In 1988, when the Palestinians declared a state nobody recognised us," he said.
"Now we have international recognition. Sadat got Israel out of Sinai by
negotiations. King Hussein made a treaty with negotiations. The only way is
negotiations; violence didn't bring anything."

Mr Abu Rizel interrupted in tones dripping with sarcasm. "Of course you're
absolutely correct. So the aggression of of Israel's [Jewish West Bank]
settlements will continue." He added: "I do believe that what has been taken
from you by force can only be restored by force." To which Mr Abu Hashi
retorted: "Listen, I respect your view, but let me ask you a question. I have a
knife, you have a plane. Can I defeat you?

But if the debate over the best means of advancing the Palestinians' struggle
for nationhood mirrored more general differences of opinion – even confusion
– about the UN initiative here yesterday, the Palestinian leadership are
adamant about their determination to seek full membership through the UN
Security Council, despite the clear intention of the US to use its veto if they
do. Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, accuses the Palestinians of
acting "unilaterally" and has repeatedly urged them to opt for direct
negotiations instead. But Nabil Shaath, a senior member of the Palestinians' UN
delegation, was dismissive yesterday of the last-ditch efforts by the US and
international Middle East envoy Tony Blair to persuade Mr Abbas to accept a
formula for resumed negotiations that might avert the looming critical stand-off
in New York.

In Ramallah yesterday, he said the formula failed to meet the minimum
requirements – including the settlement freeze demanded by the Palestinians
– for the "real, credible" negotiations he hoped the UN move would help to
advance. And he accused the US of acting like a "strategic ally of Israel" and
Mr Blair of sounding more like an "Israeli diplomat" than a "neutral
interlocutor".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Palestine: 'After 63 years' suffering – enough, enough,' says Abbas
Jonathan Freedland on the impassioned plea for the UN to give its blessing to
the creation of a Palestinian state
Jonathan Freedland
The Guardian,  Saturday 24 September 2011

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/23/palestine-63-years-abbas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erdogan: Recognition of Palestinian state ‘not an option but an obligation’

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article501377.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PLO to seek full UN recognition
Palestinians will ask Security Council for recognition, despite expected US
veto, Fatah official Mohammed Shtayyeh says.
Last Modified: 14 Sep 2011 02:31

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119121463224416.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Palestine on a historic course
By AGENCIES
Published: Sep 8, 2011 22:42 Updated: Sep 8, 2011 22:42

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article499300.ece

RAMALLAH: The Palestinians on Thursday launched a campaign in support of their
UN membership bid despite US opposition, as their leaders met to reaffirm plans
to become the world body's 194th member state.

Washington, however, confirmed it would veto any such bid and an EU source said
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton was to travel to the Middle
East next week for talks on the Palestinian push.

The so-called "National Campaign for Palestine: State 194" is part of the
build-up to Sept. 20, when President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to submit a
formal request to the United Nations that it accept the state of Palestine as a
member.

Abbas on Thursday met senior Palestinian representatives including the central
committee of his Fatah party, the PLO's executive committee and leaders of
various Palestinian political parties.

The PLO committee "affirms the need to continue at the next session of the UN,
the process to obtain recognition of membership for a state of Palestine on the
borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital," PLO
Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo said in a statement after the session.

"The Palestinian leadership believes that attaining this goal will encourage the
relaunch of a serious peace process and new negotiations with the clear
objective of a two-state solution on the 1967 borders," he said, referring to
the lines that existed before the 1967 Six-Day War.

The leadership meetings came just 10 days before Abbas is expected to fly to New
York where he will present a formal membership request to UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon on Sept. 20.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Washington's
opposition to such a move by the Palestinians rather than direct negotiations
with Israel "should not come as a shock."

"So yes, if something comes to a vote in the UN Security Council, the US will
veto," she said.

George Mitchell, the former US special envoy for Middle East peace, said there
was little chance US officials would be able to persuade Palestinian leaders not
to seek greater recognition at the United Nations.

Mitchell, who stepped down in May after more than two years of fruitless efforts
to make peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, was downbeat about the
odds of making progress in the coming months but more optimistic over the longer
term.

Meanwhile, the EU source in Brussels said that Ashton will leave early next week
for Cairo to meet Arab League officials and Abbas for talks on the bid, also
opposed by Israel.

She will also travel to Israel as part of her efforts to ensure the Palestinian
resolution "can get broader support," the source added, declining to be named.

If the bid is vetoed in the Security Council, the Palestinians plan to turn to
the General Assembly where they are expected to easily win the votes needed to
upgrade their representation from observer body to non-member state.

As the leaders met in Ramallah, the official Palestinian campaign of support for
the bid got under way with around 100 people marching to UN headquarters in the
West Bank town to hand in a letter to the UN representative asking that Ban
support the membership application.

The letter said the campaign would continue "until the state of Palestine is
finally admitted as member state number 194."

Chanting "We want a state," the marchers waved Palestinian flags and held up
signs demanding that Palestine be admitted to the UN and also calling on Arab
states to support the bid.

Sweden's Foreign Ministry expressed support for efforts toward Palestinian
statehood as the Scandinavian country held its first official welcoming ceremony
for a Palestinian representative.

Palestinian Ambassador Hala Husni Fariz met Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt
on Thursday.

Like many European countries, Sweden this year upgraded the status of the
Palestinian representation from general delegation to mission.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaza pays the price ... again
Palestinians in Gaza share their reactions to the recent Israeli attacks with Al
Jazeera.
Mohammed Omer Last Modified: 23 Aug 2011 14:47

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/08/2011822124125551829.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaza-Israel violence continues despite truce
Exchange of attacks continues despite Palestinian factions agreeing to informal
truce on launching rockets into Israel.
Last Modified: 21 Aug 2011 22:42

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/08/201182123329239334.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Israel launches strikes on Gaza after attacks
Air strikes on Gaza kill at least six, after attacks in southern Israel left
eight Israelis dead.
Last Modified: 19 Aug 2011 12:07

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/08/201181893519247218.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fayyad: Bring on statehood, we are ready
By Teymoor Nabili in
Middle East
on Thu, 2011-08-04 07:51.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/08/04/fayyad-bring-statehood-we-are-\
ready

Two years ago, the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority set himself a
deadline. Salam Fayyad said that by August 2011 he would have in place the
institutions and offices that would support an independent state of Palestine.
Even if the practical operation of such a state continued to be made impossible
by Israel, he felt, establishing his own "facts on the ground" would be a major
step towards concluding the conflict in former mandate Palestine.

Well those two years are now up, so I travelled to Ramallah last week to ask the
PM what progress he had made towards his aim. Surprisingly he told me, “job
done”.

In Brussels recently, he said, the World Bank and the IMF both gave their
blessings to his work, issuing what he called a "birth certificate" to the new
state.

He also told me that, contrary to much recent speculation, he considers his
achievement as a core element of the foundation of an upcoming appeal to the UN,
a move that he not only supports but considers to be the next logical step
towards making an independent state of Palestine a reality.

The full interview with Salam Fayyad is airing on Al Jazeera English on Thursday
August 4 at 08:30 GMT and 14:30 GMT.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When is Palestine's Arab Revolution?
Although Palestine seems absent from the Arab Spring, the unjust occupation was
the straw that broke the camel's back.
Larbi Sadiki Last Modified: 25 Jul 2011 13:25

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/07/201172175243269488.html

'Parity of esteem' is the name of the game - and finding a way to overcome
inter-communal conflict matters. It matters because the Arab state has failed
three basic tests: provision of security, provision of welfare, and distribution
of power.

However, as the literati carry on unpacking the still-unfolding Arab revolution,
one dimension is missing from this ongoing investigation which must be
highlighted: The Palestinian corollary.

The Arab revolution, the phenomenon, the puzzle

Observers have been hasty in dismissing Palestine from the Arab revolution. I
argue here that it was one of many dynamics, definitely one of the final straws
that broke the back of an already heavily weighed down camel.

Two betes noires of international politics loomed large, by negation and denial,
in much of the early diagnosis of the Arab revolution.

Islamists and the Palestinian cause were written off as inconsequential in the
Arab revolution. The first is of issue to secularists, Westernisers and many
Westerners. The second is of concern for those concerned about the Arab
revolution's implications for Israel.

Yet many have wanted a place for Google and Facebook in the Arab revolution.
Even Obama had to boast about (the modest and unassuming) Wael Ghonim's Google
lineage - by definition kudos for the US.

No matter how dismissive, the return of the Islamists to Egypt, especially, is
unstoppable. Plus, the Muslim Brotherhood have put their weight behind the
protest movement that ousted Mubarak, and the 'Mubarak' factor will never return
as far as Egyptian-Israeli relations are concerned.

It was a one-time 'golden opportunity' (a trade-off: Palestine for Gamal) during
which Gaza lived in Dante's Inferno, hell and purgatory - siege, war,
threatening SMS messaging from Israeli intelligence, and the devastating trauma
for civilians from drones and fighter jets.

The Palestine corollary

The Palestinian cause dinted the credibility of Arab diplomacy, Arab war
machines, Arab politicians, and above all else the whole post-colonial nation
state system. They all met their Waterloo when Jerusalem fell in 1967, when
Baghdad was sacked in March 2003, Beirut was pounded for 33 days in the summer
of 2006, and when in December 2008 to January 2009 Gaza was indiscriminately
bombed.

All of these events happened either with Arab states' complicity, passivity,
indifference, incompetence - or all of the above.

Passivity sank in when Palestine was turned into a type of soap opera - a series
of dramas. Stone throwing, suicide bombing, Palestinian in-fighting, IDF
incursions, targeted assassinations, kidnappings, etc. In one episode it is
Dalal abu Aisha, in another, tragedy afflicts Ezzeddine Abu al Aish.

Whatever pride and esteem Arabs, especially the youth, had left was dissolved
when a 350 million strong nation failed their fellow Arabs and (human beings)
during Gaza's hour of need.

Even worse, some Arab businessmen were allegedly making sandwiches for the IDF.
Not even civil disobedience was being organised as a symbolic way to say 'no' to
the extreme injustice on behalf of fellow Arabs who were being showered with
bombs and white phosphorous.

'The Palestinian war is not taking place'

Literally, Jean Baudrillard's famous 1991 essays 'the Gulf War is not really
taking place' or 'the Gulf War did not take place' hints at endless similarities
with Palestine:

The one-sidedness of the Palestinian tragedy is illustrated by the fact that the
Palestinian faces high-tech war from a formidable force neither with indigenous
parity nor an Arab counter-balance. Like the Lebanese in 2006, Gazans were left
on their own - helpless - and bombed mercilessly amidst Arab inertia and
international silence and indecision.

To follow Baudrillard's logic, the Israelis were more or less conducting a Star
Trek-type war, and Hamas a traditional war. On top of the 'virtual' nature of
the war was a visual feast for the passive viewers who were glued to their TV
screens.

That was the last war Arab pride could take.

It is quite possible that the Arab world's youth, whose elders seem to have
endless appetite for passivity and suffering, have craved esteem parity with the
rest of the world's youth: to live under a state that can protect, provide and
represent. Just as the Israelis, Americans, French or British do.

Perhaps, deep in the psyche of Arab youth a craving for parity with the rest of
the world has been growing.

The erasure of Palestine

Those intent on erasure of Palestine must rethink. They may find it easier to
erase it from topography or geography. Not so easy to delete it from the map of
the brain or the atlas of emotions of most Arabs.

It is not only the keys from their homes in Haifa or Jerusalem many Palestinian
families still hold onto that have outlived the systematic remapping of
Palestine, the violence, and the attendant erasure of all things Palestinian.

So it is that thought and memory have been deeply etched in the Arab psyche.
They have transformed into the real keys for unlocking the safe where Palestine
has been deposited until liberation is achieved.

It has been a long wait. New nations came into the international political
atlas; others left. Most recently Sudan made an exit, ceding two new republics -
northern and southern. Palestine is still in the nation-statehood queue.

The wait is arduous, and there is no better metaphor for it than the painful
journey returning Palestinians endure in transit between Cairo's International
Airport and Gaza. They are treated like animals, herded into police vehicles for
the several-hour trip to the border, as persona non grata, not international
passengers in transit.

Indeed, it was a long wait. It was punctuated by the many incursions, the
massacres from Sabra (September 1982) to Jenin (April 2002), the drones, the
bombings, and the spiral of hatred and counter-hatred, violence and
counter-violence consuming Arab and Jew.

Much Arab esteem was lost over Palestine.

Palestine until statehood, until peace

The explosion of the Arab revolution has raised not only Arab esteem, but also
given some hope back to Gazans and to the Palestinian cause.

I was in Tunis the night news of Mubarak's ousting was received. Thousands
danced and chanted for Palestine, pan-Arabism, and Arab revolution. The banners,
the flags, the jubilation, the passion, the energy of youth said it all: A
better Arab world - Palestine included.

But today, it is Palestinians who must deliver the 'revolution' which they have
woven into their narratives.

They can do this first by uniting their own people. They do this by sweeping
their own dictators into the proverbial bin of history. Only then is there hope
for them to turn the tide against another 'dictatorship': colonial occupation -
just as South Africans defeated apartheid in the not so distant past.

Esteem parity is warming Arab hearts, and warming Palestinians who have craved
the solidarity of their fellow Arabs.

Israel's biggest success in the past decade has not been neutralising most of
the world vis-á-vis Palestine. Rather, it is its success in the Arab corridors
of power, turning dictators into enemies of a just cause, starving it of the
oxygen of legitimate representation and solidarity in the Arab world.

A chapter is being turned by popular revolution in Arab history. Those unpacking
the Arab Spring should not wish for the banners of Islamism or of Palestine
absence. Rather, they should wish for Islamists to be engaging through
democratic channels, and they should wish that Israel concedes Palestinians the
right to be in an independent Palestine.

Larbi Sadiki is a Senior Lecturer in Middle East Politics at the University of
Exeter.

From the blog:

Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
http://theislamawareness.blogspot.com/2011/09/mecca-for-rich-islams-holiest-site\
.html

Schoolboy was beaten 'for being a Muslim'
http://theislamawareness.blogspot.com/2011/09/schoolboy-was-beaten-for-being-mus\
lim.html

Blue-Eyed Muslim Convert Challenges Stereotypes
http://theislamawareness.blogspot.com/2011/09/blue-eyed-muslim-convert-challenge\
s.html

Sabra & Shatila massacre of Palestinians-Eyewitness (Robert Fisk & Odd Karsten
Tveit)
http://theislamawareness.blogspot.com/2011/09/sabra-shatila-massacre-of-palestin\
ians.html

So You Think You're Smart?
http://theislamawareness.blogspot.com/2011/09/so-you-think-youre-smart.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are the victims of collective punishment, say Palestinians
By Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem
Saturday, 1 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/we-are-the-victims-of-collec\
tive-punishment-say-palestinians-2363998.html

The Palestinian leadership yesterday accused the US Congress of inflicting
"collective punishment" upon its people by holding up almost $200m in aid
earmarked for the West Bank and Gaza by the Obama administration.

The freeze on funds earlier allocated for the financial year which ends today is
the first concrete Congressional reprisal against Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas to come to light since he angered US legislators by pursuing his
application for full UN membership last week.

The unpublicised block has been in force since August and was imposed in
response to the then planned UN recognition bid and to earlier – so far
fruitless – efforts to effect reconciliation between Mr Abbas's own Fatah
faction and Hamas.

USAID has been unable to allocate the funds, designated for a wide range of
humanitarian, educational and state capacity building projects, pending
negotiations between the US government and Congressional leaders aimed at
lifting the freeze. Ghassan Khatib, chief spokesman for the Palestinian
Authority, said yesterday: "This is not constructive at all. Such moves are
unjustified. These are mainly humanitarian and development projects-it is
another kind of collective punishment which is going to harm the needs of the
public without making any positive contribution."

He added that the Palestinian Authority had not done anything wrong or illegal
and that, "it is ironic to be punished for going to the United Nations".

The present block is threatening to delay the start of four new USAID funded
projects, covering teacher-training, large-scale road and water infrastructure
developments and an Enterprise Development programme designed to improve the
competitiveness and capacity of the Palestinian private sector.

A series of existing projects are also at immediate risk unless the funding is
unlocked in continuing negotiations between Congressional leaders and the Obama
administration.

They include the purchase of supplies by the UN's World Food Programme for food
distribution to impoverished Palestinian families in early 2012, health service
reform, training and equipment for the Holy Family hospital in Bethlehem, a
pre-school "Sesame Street" workshop, and a Palestinian Authority political
programme for developing the functions of ministers.

In the months ahead, if the funding is not restored, a wide range of other
projects are at risk. They include the Youth Entrepreneurship Development
programme aimed at enhancing the skills of young unemployed people, an
Independent Media programme for fostering independent electronic media outlets,
a trade facilitation programme designed to improve cargo movement in the West
Bank and Gaza, a water supply and sanitation programme, and a Community
Assistance programme which is the main USAID funded aid project in Gaza.

The block by three Congressional committees has been in force since 18 August
when it was formally notified that USAID wanted to transfer the remaining $192m
funding for the current fiscal year. The Administration is currently unable to
commit the new funds unless and until it persuades Congressional leaders to lift
the freeze. The new projects will still be able to go ahead as planned if the
funds are released.

The Congressional move is likely to intensify debate over threats from leading
US legislators to impose an even wider block on funding for 2012 if Mr Abbas
persists with his UN recognition bid, as the Palestinian Liberation Organisation
agreed he should on Thursday. This could include a halt to direct funding of the
PA, including up to $100m for its security forces.

While the Administration has so far been cautious about confronting Congress on
its threats on 2012 funding, a US official said: "Our assistance to the
Palestinian people is an essential part of the US commitment to a secure future
and two-state solution for Palestinians and Israelis."

Some senior figures in the Israeli government, reportedly including Defence
Minister Ehud Barak, have been arguing against such a move on the grounds that
it could jeopardise Israel's security, given the co-operation hitherto between
those security forces and the Israeli military.

Avi Dichter, a former head of the intelligence agency Shin Bet and a Knesset
member in the opposition Kadima Party, said this month that even if UN
recognition went ahead "the state of Israel cannot think in terms of punishing
the Palestinians. A Palestinian state is a national Israeli interest."

Mr Khatib also pointed out yesterday that Fatah's terms for reconciliation with
Hamas – which had anyway not happened – provided for a non-affiliated
technocratic unity government which would abide by all previous Palestinian
agreements with Israel.

The PA this week argued that, without the Israeli occupation, the Palestinian
economy would almost double in size, returning a fiscal surplus and removing the
need for foreign aid.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UN veto system: Saudi Arabia calls for reforms

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article508001.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dozens protest killing of Chechens in Turkey

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article506207.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The second Chechen war: a Grozny teenager's diary
Author Polina Zherebtsova – who was 14 when conflict began – publishes
journal on taboo subject despite death threats
Miriam Elder in Moscow
guardian.co.uk,  Friday 30 September 2011 20.05 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/30/second-chechen-war-teenagers-diary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Suicide bomber' strikes Indonesia church
Local radio station says attack in town in central Java has left assailant dead
and 20 others injured.
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2011 07:39

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2011/09/201192552520100872.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pope tells German Muslims all must be bound by law
By TOM HENEGHAN | REUTERS
Published: Sep 23, 2011 14:57 Updated: Sep 23, 2011 18:17

http://arabnews.com/world/article505648.ece

BERLIN: Pope Benedict told German Muslims in Berlin on Friday they can expect
cooperation and support from Roman Catholics as long as they respect Germany’s
constitution and the limits it sets on pluralism.

Meeting representatives of the country’s four million Muslims, he said the
constitution drawn up in post-war West Germany was solid enough to adapt to a
pluralistic society in a globalized world and make room for new religions as
well.

Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Muslims last year that Islamic law, sharia, had
no place in Germany. She and other conservative politicians have recently been
stressing Germany’s Christian roots.

Benedict told Muslim leaders that societies needed to agree on fundamental
principles: “This common frame of reference is articulated by the
constitution, whose juridical content is binding on every citizen, whether he
belongs to a faith community or not.”

After the meeting, the pope left for the eastern German city of Erfurt, where he
was due to meet Protestant leaders in the monastery where the 16th century
reformer Martin Luther once lived.

He has said the meeting, which he asked to be longer than originally planned,
would be a high point of his four-day visit. Protestant leaders are hoping he
will signal some flexibility on their requests for more ecumenical cooperation.



Muslims praise pope

Muslim leaders praised the pope for confirming through the meeting that Islam
was now a part of German society. But they said their loyalty to the
constitution was never in question.

“As Muslims in Germany, we have always said that we see the German
constitution as a good basis for peaceful life together,” Bekir Alboga, head
of interreligious dialogue for the Turkish mosque association DITIB, told
Reuters after meeting the pope.

Aiman Mazyek, chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, told
reporters: “My impression was that the pope wants to launch a new era of
dialogue with Muslims.”

Alboga said the pope’s short address also represented a change from his
controversial 2006 speech in Regensburg, where his use of a medieval emperor’s
quote about Islam being violent and irrational sparked heated protests across
the Muslim world.

“The pope has now chosen a new approach in his meeting with Muslims,” he
said. “I think one must look to the future and see where the possibilities for
good cooperation are.”

The Bavarian-born pontiff began his third and most challenging visit to his
homeland on Thursday with an address to parliament and an open-air Mass at
Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

About 8,000 people protested in central Berlin against his conservative moral
teachings and the clerical sexual abuse scandals shaking the Church. Almost 100
left-wing deputies boycotted his speech to the Bundestag lower house of
parliament.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pakistan says US risks 'losing an ally'
Officials hit back at Admiral Mike Mullen's comments linking country's spy
agency to the Haqqani group.
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2011 10:14

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/09/20119239126513803.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Russia's Dagestan rocked by triple blasts
Six dead and scores wounded in bombings near interior ministry office in capital
of mainly Muslim North Caucasus region.
Last Modified: 22 Sep 2011 13:14

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/09/201192275328386821.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why Catholics could learn a lot from Islam
Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, sings the praises of Ramadan –
and reflection – to Jerome Taylor
Tuesday, 20 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/why-catholics-could-learn-a-lo\
t-from-islam-2357498.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paris bans Muslim street prayers after far-right protests
By Archie Bland
Saturday, 17 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/paris-bans-muslim-street-prayers-\
after-farright-protests-2356115.html

Muslims in Paris have been banned from saying their prayers in the street after
far-right protests at the practice.

Because the city's mosques are overcrowded, Muslims had taken to spreading their
prayer mats on the footpaths, leading the city authorities, mindful of France's
aversion to public displays of faith, to impose the ban.

A compromise agreement was struck on Wednesday between city authorities and
local mosques to rent out disused barracks to be used for prayers. But one imam
said the preparations were behind schedule. Mohammed Salah Hamza said he feared
"anarchy". "We are not cattle," he added.

About 1,000 people have been praying on two streets in the multi-ethnic Goutte
d'Or district. In the long run, a new Islamic centre is supposed solve the
problem. That is scheduled to be finished by 2013, although the timeline is far
from certain.

Tensions in Goutte d'Or were raised last year when far-right provocateurs tried
to organise a "Sausage and Wine" party, in a mockery of Islam's strict dietary
rules, but were thwarted by police.

Then this summer Marine Le Pen, the leader of the extremist National Front
party, referred to street prayers as a form of "occupation".

About 1,800 more mosques are needed for France's estimated 6 million Muslims.
The shortages have led to similar problems in Marseille and Nice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Indonesia hosts first deradicalisation event
Dutch survivor of Jakarta bomb attacks joins programme to prevent youths from
taking part in violent acts.
Last Modified: 15 Sep 2011 22:09

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia-pacific/2011/09/2011915171014567208.html

Authorities in Indonesia are hosting what they say is the country's first-ever
deradicalisation conference.

The event, which will bring together counter-terrorism officials and the heads
of Indonesia's Islamic boarding schools, will discuss ways of preventing young
Indonesians from taking part in violent attacks.

Max Boon was badly hurt in the 2009 bombing of the Marriott hotel in Jakarta,
despite his injuries, he is involved in the deradicalisation programme.

Al Jazeera's Step Vaesen spoke to him about his experiences.
[VIDEO]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sectarian killings plague Nigerian region
New pattern of religiously motivated violence is tearing apart communities that
have lived together in peace.
Last Modified: 13 Sep 2011 15:01

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/09/201191341112784619.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erdogan slams Israel on start of Arab tour
Turkish leader condemns Israeli policies in his opening address to a meeting of
the Arab League in Cairo.
Last Modified: 14 Sep 2011 02:43

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/2011912221636537643.html

[VIDEO]
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, has told Arab foreign ministers
that Israel has isolated itself and must "pay the price" after refusing to
apologise for its raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last year.

In his opening address to a meeting of Arab League in Cairo on Tuesday, Erdogan
also condemned Israeli policies and said that the recognition of a Palestinian
state was "not an option but an obligation".

Erdogan spoke as part of a three-day visit to Egypt aimed at boosting his
government's standing in the Arab world after the uprisings of the "Arab
Spring".

Many in the Arab world have cheered Erdogan's tough stance on Israel. Turkey
suspended military ties with Israel, expelled top Israeli diplomats, pledged to
support the Palestinians' statehood bid and vowed to send the Turkish navy to
escort Gaza-bound aid ships in the future.

Erdogan told the ministers, Israel "must pay the price for the crimes it
committed".
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Millions affected by deadly Pakistan floods
Bad weather hampers rescue efforts in Sindh province, leaving those displaced
facing shortages of drinking water.
Last Modified: 09 Sep 2011 08:37

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/09/2011996630812976.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unpaid salaries add to Gaza woes
Business owners say conditions are "miserable" because both Hamas and Fatah are
months behind on payroll.
Gregg Carlstrom Last Modified: 07 Sep 2011 21:27

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201197202759546348.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twin suicide blasts rock Pakistan's Quetta
At least 25 dead as Pakistan Taliban claims responsibility for attacks in
revenge for arrest of al-Qaeda operatives.
Last Modified: 07 Sep 2011 10:44

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/09/20119743430517455.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Indonesian film stirs religious controversy
TV network pulls movie about religion tolerance after Islamist group warns it
could trigger nationwide violence.
Last Modified: 07 Sep 2011 07:30

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia-pacific/2011/09/20119745651590503.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saudi star-gazers accused of bungling dates of Ramadan
By Jerome Taylor, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Tuesday, 6 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-stargazers-accused-of-\
bungling-dates-of-ramadan-2349805.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LIBYA

The mystery of Gaddafi’s gold
Sep 15, 2011 21:02

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/09/15/56232528.html

Libya’s National Transitional Council is preoccupied with two missing points:
Gaddafi and his gold. The rebels are not the only party concerned. Popular rumor
has it that Gaddafi’s regime was attacked due to its vast gold reserves and
Colonel’s plans to introduce a new currency in Africa–gold dinar - to
shatter USD and euro.

Libya under Gaddafi was among top 25 gold reserve owners. The Financial Times
estimated the country to have almost 144 tons of gold worth 4,5 bn euro in March
2011. While other leaders put their money into banks of London, NY and
Switzerland, Gaddafi preferred to keep it home inaccessible for international
embargo imposed on all his foreign assets.

In March 2011, the IMF estimated Libya’s reserves even higher but the official
amount remained 144 tons that were registered by Gaddafi-controlled Libya’s
Central Bank. When the country saw first unrest the treasure was moved
southwards of the Sabha town to the border with Chad and Niger to make it easily
movable to a different country in case of invasion.

The head of the Bank Qasem Azoz claims that Gaddafi sold 20 percent of the
reserves in the first months of the uprising, namely 29 tons of gold worth 1 bn
4 mln euro in May. Spain’s El Pais newspaper wrote that the dictator did it to
pay his supporters. Other versions say that the money went to private mercenary
army which was to fight with the opposition.

Qasem Azoz   claims that the gold vanished in April-May, his colleagues believe
that it was moved to Tunisia or Niger. The NTC is now looking for both Colonel
and his gold.

Some believe the truth hides in one of the vehicles suspected to have carried
Gaddafi out of the country.  However, this week Colonel published an address
denying that he had fled. Niger’s FM Mohamed Bazoum also said that Gaddafi is
not in the country during his Algeria visit. The diplomat stated that Gaddafi
was not in the vehicles that had crossed the border. But maybe the gold
was….Or a leader of tuareg rebels from Niger Rhissa Ag Boula.

Information about Gaddafi’s links with tuareg tribes and mercenaries
circulated since the first days of the war. La Vanguardia paper gave proof of
collaboration between Gaddafi’s security services headed by Abdullah Mansour
Dao and mercenary recruiter from Niger Aghali Alambo. Maybe the gold went to
private mercenary army and Gaddafi’s safety.  Ex-head of Libya’s Bank Farhat
Bengdara told Italy’s Corriere dela Sera that Libya has more gold  than
estimated which is worth 7 bn euro. Gaddafi needs it to bribe tribes and
mercenaries, pay his guards and provoke panic and chaos in the country.

To find Gaddaffi’s gold one has to find Gaddafi first. Farhat Bengdara
believes that  Colonel can play endless hide-and seek  being safe behind his
multi-billion dollar shield. Even if he is captured it may not make the
situation clearer. Gaddafi as many dictators knows how to keep secrets. The same
as deep sands of Sahara  do which can be safer than any banks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi may be hiding on border with Algeria, say rebels
The man most Libyans now call 'the tyrant' or 'the fugitive' may be sheltered by
Tuareg tribesmen near the town of Ghadamis
Ian Black in Tripoli
guardian.co.uk,  Wednesday 28 September 2011 20.28 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/28/gaddafi-hiding-border-algeria-ghadam\
is
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libya fighters gain ground in Sirte battle
New offensive by interim government forces take them even closer to the centre
of Gaddafi's coastal stronghold.
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2011 07:23

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/09/201192501116332447.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libya's main university prepares new term for a new dawn
Tripoli University was used to bolster Gaddafi regime but now it is preparing
for a chance to be normal
Ian Black in Tripoli
guardian.co.uk,  Wednesday 21 September 2011 22.00 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/21/libyas-main-university-prepares-new-\
term

No one seems to mind that term is starting late at Tripoli University this year.
It's not every summer vacation, after all, that records the triumph of a
revolution, and there are problems to sort out – not least the huge number of
young men toting machine guns on campus – before the students start streaming
in past the "down with Gaddafi" and "Free Libya" slogans.

Staff and new intake alike are preparing for a freshers' week with a difference.
"In the circumstances I think we can be forgiven if this term is a bit delayed,"
says administrator Khalifa Shakreen. "Things are changing so fast."

For the first time in 42 years the university has the chance to be a normal
academic institution. "Until now we had the form of a university but not the
function," says Sami Khaskusha, a political scientist. "We fed young people
garbage. [Muammar] Gaddafi just used this place to boost his cult of personality
and bolster the regime. It did nothing for Libyan society."

Omar Tajouri, doing a master's degree in international law, wants better
teaching, cleaner administration and, above all, freedom. His ambition –
unthinkable just months ago – is to specialise in human rights. "Gaddafi's
regime was founded on ignorance," he says. "They were the enemies of education
and of students."

Signs of change are everywhere. Last term the university was still named
al-Fateh ("The Conqueror") after Gaddafi's 1969 revolution. Now billboards
advertising the rules of the sinister revolutionary committees have been
defaced. Maps of Libya have been altered to remove the word "Jamahiriya" – the
unlamented "state of the masses" presided over by the now fugitive "brother
leader". The ubiquitous green flags have gone.

Faisal Krekshi, a Belfast-trained gynaecologist who helped co-ordinate
clandestine preparations for the Tripoli uprising, has been appointed acting
president instead of the old regime placeman awaiting investigation. "There is a
new spirit in the university and in Libyan society," he says, "but I fear
expectations are too high."

Anxious to quickly demonstrate some tangible benefits, he plans to provide free
transport to and from the campus. And the new independent student union has been
given computers and other equipment confiscated from the revolutionary
committees, whose members are lying low or are in detention.

If the sense of freedom is intoxicating, painful memories have not faded. In the
1970s and 1980s students were forced to watch public hangings next to the
medical faculty to punish dissent and inspire fear. Purges and book bannings
were common. Executions stopped years ago but other abuses continued: two weeks
ago a secret underground chamber was discovered under a lecture hall. It
contained a bedroom, a Jacuzzi, and a fully-equipped gynaecological operating
theatre that was used for officially sanctioned but illegal abortions.

Repression was routine under Gaddafi. But many say the corruption and cronyism
were as bad. The highly qualified Krekshi only got his teaching job because he
had treated the wife of a revolutionary committee member.

Huda Shadi, preparing a thesis on linguistics, was told she could not study
English because she had good marks in sciences and was only able to switch
through the intervention of a friend in the university administration. "The
whole system was corrupt," she muses. "You had to do what the people with the
files told you to do. It wasn't about what the student wanted. It was
dictatorial – like everything else in Libya."

Khaskusha describes being questioned by the revolutionary committee after
telling an international relations class on the global north-south divide about
the issue of corruption in southern (developing) countries. He was ordered to
clarify to his students that he had not been referring to Libya. "It was
terrible," he says. "You had to act like a robot and simply repeat what they
said. If you spoke your mind you would be classified as a
counter-revolutionary."

The sprawling campus is pleasant enough but badly dilapidated. It is also
strikingly relaxed: couples – many women wearing headscarves – walk
hand-in-hand through leafy passageways that offer shelter from the baking heat.

But facilities and academic standards, staff say, urgently need improving.
Curriculum reform is a big issue though the interim government – the National
Transitional Council – has scrapped previously compulsory nonsense such as
Gaddafi's "universal theory" and "Green Book studies" – a speciality of the
University of Tarhouna, south of Tripoli.

Improving language teaching is expected to be an early focus: many young and
middle-aged Libyans speak nothing but Arabic because of abysmal standards and a
formal ban on "imperialist" tongues in one of Gaddafi's zanier periods in the
1980s.

Financial resources were never the problem – true generally of a country
blessed with vast oil wealth and a relatively small population. "The priorities
were always providing funds for the student union so they could jump up and down
and declare their allegiance to the Gaddafi regime," says Hussein al-Ageli, who
runs the university language centre. "Proposals for spending on the library or
other improvements were just brushed aside."

Now, in a world without Gaddafi, exciting possibilities beckon. "If Libya is
going to move forward and people can understand the new liberties and build a
civil society, the universities are where it has to happen," Ageli says. "We
must raise standards and play a role in scientific research. We are supposed to
be the backbone of the intelligentsia."

Law student Tajouri expects things will improve. "But it will take time," he
admits. "This is a country which has to be built from scratch."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi's birthplace 'captured by rebels' in battle for last Libya coast
stronghold
Rebels claim control of centre of Sirte after three-pronged attack with
Gaddafi's son Khamis said to be barricaded in at sea front
Chris Stephen in Misrata
guardian.co.uk,  Thursday 15 September 2011 21.58 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/15/gaddafi-birthplace-captured-by-rebel\
s
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turkey PM hails 'sacrifice' of Libyan people
Erdogan attends Friday prayers at Tripoli's Martyr Square, meets interim leader
and expresses support for last battles.
Last Modified: 16 Sep 2011 11:10

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/09/201191684141977425.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libya's new leader calls for civil state
Mustafa Abdul-Jalil's first public speech in Tripoli defines Libya as a
democratic state based on Islamic law.
Last Modified: 13 Sep 2011 10:59

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/09/2011912214219388500.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi's son 'flees to Niger'
Battles continue for holdout towns as Nigerien officials say Saadi Gaddafi has
crossed into the country from Libya.
Last Modified: 11 Sep 2011 22:11

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/09/2011911215032843976.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here Gaddafi's men trapped their prey – then threw in the grenades
Kim Sengupta discovers evidence of a recent atrocity by the feared Khamis
Brigade
Saturday, 10 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/here-gaddafis-men-trapped-their-p\
rey-ndash-then-threw-in-the-grenades-2352195.html

Amr Dau Algala was picking through the ashes with a stick when he came across
the charred and broken bones. A little later he found the buckle. "Only my
brother was wearing a belt in our group. This looks like my brother's," he
whispered, looking down at the twisted piece of metal.

Around 60 men, prisoners of Muammar Gaddafi's regime, died when guards first
opened fire and then tossed grenades into the warehouse where they were being
held. Among them was Amr and three of his brothers. They ran for their lives
amid the flames, noise and confusion and escaped. A fourth, 25-year-old
Abdullah, is missing.

"The last time I saw Abdullah was there, sitting in that corner," said Mr
Algala, pointing at a blackened corner of the metal box, around 25 feet long and
20 feet wide, into which more than a hundred captives had been crammed. "He is
young and looked very scared that morning. When the guards opened fire I started
running. I looked back, but there was too much smoke, I could not see my
brother. Some people got away after us, we are really hoping Abdullah was one of
them, but we don't know."

Six mounds of reddish brown earth, in a stretch of ground next to the
headquarters in Yarmuk of the 32nd Brigade, commanded by Khamis, Colonel
Gaddafi's son, marked where the remains of the prisoners had been buried.
Decomposed by the heat in the shallow graves most of them have been impossible
to identify.

The revolutionaries in Libya claim that up to 50,000 people have died or
disappeared in the hands of the regime's forces since the uprising began in
February. Caution is needed about such numbers and the figure may well be too
high. But it is also the case that what happened to the Algala brothers is just
one of many examples of Gaddafi's forces taking vicious retribution in the dying
days of the regime.

Abdul Birbash was sitting outside the brigade compound, at Gasar ben Ghasir, a
suburb of Tripoli, in an old Toyota car clutching photocopied images of his
brother, Abdullah, 31, cousin Hasaib, 24, and 26-year-old Salah Nouer, a
neighbour. They had disappeared returning from the town of Zintan on the night
of 23 August.

"They were bringing back some people who had been arrested by Gaddafi, but there
were still government soldiers around and they must have run into them. They
were with another man whose body has been found, he was shot and burned," said
Mr Birbash, 21, a student.

"We have driven hundreds of miles trying to find out what has happened, I don't
think they are here, the dates do not match. My mother, my aunt, are very
worried. We do not know what to tell them."

Amr Dau Algala, 34, knew that he would receive particularly harsh treatment from
the regime because he had joined the underground opposition in the Libyan
capital while still a serving policeman.

He had done his bit to sabotage the machinery of state, he said, by destroying
messages from embassies abroad he had been tasked to decode. But with Colonel
Gaddafi clinging on to Tripoli, Mr Algala decided to play a more active part and
started smuggling guns into the city.

"There were many, many police officers who were working in secret to bring down
Gaddafi. But someone must have said something and there was a raid at night.
They took me and my brothers away," Mr Algala recalled.

The Algalas were taken to Abu Salim prison, a place of fear where 1,200 inmates
were slaughtered following riots in 1996. "We were beaten repeatedly there with
sticks and pieces of hosepipe. They didn't even bother to question us much, they
just kept hitting us," said Mr Algala. "After two days we were driven out of Abu
Salim. I was put in the boot of the car and I wished that I would die there. I
did not want to be taken out and tortured again. My hands were tied with wire, I
could not move them, they swelled up."

Mr Algala and his brothers, among others, were locked up for two days and nights
in a prison van at the "Khamis Brigade" headquarters. "I don't know how we
survived that. But we were taken out and the beatings began immediately. Then we
were put on chairs and given electric shocks. My whole body shook. I have never
felt such pain. After that we were just thrown into the room and left there."

The maltreatment started again soon afterwards. One warehouse, with bloodstains
on the walls and ceiling, coils of orange and green rope on the floor, was where
prisoners had been strung up by their wrists. "They were begging to be cut down,
but the guards would not listen," said Mr Algala. "They really had no pity. One
man had been shot in the leg. He was so thirsty that he drank his own piss. But
still they would not give him any water. I believe he died before the guards
started shooting."

Mr Algala recalled that one day the guards announced that Khamis al-Gaddafi was
arriving himself and the prisoners would be free. "People got very excited and
the guards started laughing. They said that being 'free' of this place meant
that we will all be killed. We did not know whether to believe them or not."

The threat proved to be real the following morning when the murders began.
"Three guards came to the doorway and started firing, they took turns to fire,
then there were loud bangs. I realised they were throwing in grenades. We were
all shouting and we ran out," said Mr Algala. "We climbed over that wall and we
ran through the houses. They came after us, firing, and I saw some people fall.
But others got away.

"Maybe my brother was one of them. Maybe he was injured and someone is looking
after him. Maybe we shall hear from him soon."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi's 'Amazonian' bodyguards' barracks quashes myth of glamour
Tripoli living quarters belonging to Libya dictator's elite cadre reveals a
picture of ruthless control and shattered lives
Martin Chulov in Tripoli
guardian.co.uk,  Wednesday 7 September 2011 19.45 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/07/gaddafis-amazonian-bodyguards-barrac\
ks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Large Libyan armoured convoy arrives in Niger
About 250 vehicles enter country, as Libyan fighters hold talks with tribal
leaders to peacefully enter Bani Walid.
Last Modified: 06 Sep 2011 10:42

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/09/20119691025123868.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libyan papers show UK worked with Gaddafi in rendition operation
A secret CIA document shows that British and Libyans worked together to arrange
the removal of a terror suspect to Tripoli

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/04/libyan-papers-show-uk-rendition
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libyan papers 'show CIA and MI6 links'
Documents in abandoned Tripoli office suggest Gaddafi's intelligence chief had
ties with US and British spy agencies.
Last Modified: 04 Sep 2011 06:49

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/09/20119320053377843.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Secret files: Gaddafi had spies in rebel camp
Double agents worked the highest levels of the rebel movement, according to
intelligence documents found by Al Jazeera.
Jamal Elshayyal Last Modified: 01 Sep 2011 21:26

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/09/2011911884360946.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


EGYPT

Egyptian television chef hailed as the 'cook of the revolution'
Ghalia Mahmoud gains huge following with her mix of thrifty cuisine and
all-inclusive message for a new Egypt
Tracy McVeigh
The Observer,  Sunday 11 September 2011

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/11/egyptian-tv-chef-ghalia-mahmoud

Armed with a mismatched set of cheap aluminium pots, a propane gas stove and a
warm smile, a 33-year-old housemaid from Cairo has become the unlikely sensation
of post-revolutionary Egypt – an inspirational symbol of a new era.

Ghalia Mahmoud has become a celebrity chef in just a few weeks after the boss of
a new Egyptian TV channel hired her to do a cookery spot during the month of
Ramadan, which began in August.

TV viewing usually soars during Ramadan and Mahmoud shot to fame. In her
traditional dress, and in a studio mocked up to look like the kitchen of an
average working-class Egyptian, Mahmoud's brand of budget-conscious cuisine has
won her a growing following in a country gripped by economic uncertainty.

She announced at the end of one show that she was giving some Eid treats she had
made to her Christian neighbours – a small message of tolerance that chimed
with the national mood as people look forward to a "new Egypt".

"The old government only treated the crème de la crème with respect, and the
rest of us were invisible," said Mahmoud last week. "I hope that for my two
girls the country will be different.

"I'm really happy that people like me," she added. "I love them too. On the
streets they wave and ask, 'Are you really the Ghalia?'" Her daily trip to the
local vegetable market, in the poor neighbourhood of El-Warak to buy food for
her family of 15, now takes twice as long as she is besieged by well-wishers.

It was TV executive Muhammad Gohar who decided to put Mahmoud, his sister's
maid, on to his new network, Channel 25 – named in honour of 25 January, when
the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak began. First he gave her the
test of creating a meal that would feed a family of eight for £3. For Mahmoud,
one of nine siblings in a fatherless family, it was something she had been doing
all her life. The underclass in Egypt, who have been living on about £150 each
a month, has now taken her to their hearts, calling her the "cook of the 25
January revolution".

"This is the new Egypt, a new era, a new television, a new people-to-people
talk, instead of authoritarian-to-people," said Gohar. "A lot of poor people see
themselves in her."

The producer of the show, Habiba Hesham, said during the programme she could
hardly keep up with the incoming phone calls from viewers. "She has an energy
and a sense of humour that suits the people," said Hesham. People phone in to
ask questions or just to say hello. With her broad smile, Mahmoud tells her
audience: "You women are smart and you can cook anything if you try."

Along with her pots with missing handles, her measuring cups are made of plastic
and the only electrical device is a well-used blender. On her round tin table
are vegetables bought from Cairo's street vendors – courgettes, tomatoes,
cucumber, lettuce, onions – and she follows simple, authentic recipes, such as
mashed fava beans, stuffed vine leaves and cabbage, with cucumber and cheese on
the side. As for meat, the expense means it is only cooked for one meal a week,
on Fridays, the Muslim sabbath.

But Mahmoud also talks of recipes she will be producing for Egyptian Christians
during Lent: "In poor Egyptian neighbourhoods, there is no Muslim-Christian
divide. That divide was of Mubarak's making," she told her audience. She is
breaking the divides between rich and poor too – in one show she took a call
from a wealthy group of giggling girls out in their Mercedes who wanted to make
her "delicious lentil soup".

Mahmoud gets calls from children who tell her: "Auntie Ghalia, we love you."
Along with her new Facebook page there is another site declaring: "Ghalia
Mahmoud for president!!" In the new Egypt, anything could be possible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Egyptians rally against emergency laws
Hundreds in Tahrir Square condemn ruling military council's decision to expand
Mubarak-era legislation.
Last Modified: 16 Sep 2011 12:22

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119168455876912.html

Hundreds of people have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest against the
recent expansion of the Egypt's emergency law, amid palpable anger over the
military's handling of transition from autocratic rule.

Imam Gomaa Mohammed, delivering the Muslim noon prayer sermon on Friday, called
on the authorities "to repeal the law immediately and also to end the military
trial of civilians".

"The application of the emergency law totally contradicts the demands of the
revolution" that toppled Mubarak in February following 18 days of mass
nationwide rallies, Mohammed said.

Earlier this week, following a violent attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo
and attempts to storm security buildings, the ruling Supreme Council of the
Armed Forces (SCAF) said it would enforce the Emergency Law at least until the
end of this year, on articles relating to the spreading of misinformation, arms
possession and interfering with traffic.

At least 33 political groups and movements had announced they would take part in
the protest in Tahrir Square, which had been the focal point of demonstrations
over the past eight months.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya did
not take part in the rally.

Al Jazeera's Sherin Tadros reporting from Cairo said: "Although a lot of the
political forces agree that something should be done about [the] emergency law,
only some of them decided that the thing that should be done is to come out to
Tahrir and protest today."

"The Muslim Brotherhood and other important political groups and factions in the
country said that what is needed is a coordinated response and for a mass
protest to take place at the end of the month on September 30.

"There are various manifestations of the anger over here right now to do with
the emergency law, but we do not expect [today's protest] to get out of hand."

Protesters have rallied to press SCAF to rescind its recent decision to expand
the Mubarak-era emergency laws, to set a timetable to hand power to a civilian
administration and to prevent members of the National Democratic Party, the
disbanded former ruling party, from taking part in parliamentary elections
scheduled for November.

Lifting the emergency law, which gave security forces unlimited powers for 30
years in Egypt during Hosni Mubarak's rule, was one of the demands of protesters
who took to the streets across Egypt earlier this year calling for the toppling
of Mubarak.

Following Mubarak's resignation on February 11, SCAF pledged  that the country's
emergency law will be lifted, but only "as soon as current circumstances end".

Amnesty International, the UK-based rights group, condemned on Thursday the
recent expansion of the law as a "serious erosion of human rights."

"The military authorities have essentially taken Egypt's laws back to the bad
old days," Philip Luther, Amnesty's deputy director for the Middle East and
North Africa, said.

"These changes are a major threat to the rights to freedom of expression,
association and assembly, and the right to strike.

"We are  looking at the most serious erosion of human rights in Egypt since
Mubarak stepped down."

Luther said that not only must SCAF repeal these amendments, "they need to end
the state of emergency altogether, as they promised upon taking power in
February".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Israel evacuates ambassador to Egypt after embassy attack
Egypt declares state of alert after three die and more than a thousand are
injured as crowds storm the Israeli embassy in Cairo
David Batty and agencies
guardian.co.uk,  Saturday 10 September 2011 11.01 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/10/egypt-declares-state-alert-embassy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


YEMEN

Yemen protesters under 'heavy mortar fire'
Military rival accuses Saleh of "driving the country into civil war" as protest
camp in Sanaa draws sustained fire.
Last Modified: 24 Sep 2011 08:11

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119247153373567.html

Forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh have intensified their assault on
opposition protesters, attacking unarmed demonstrators in Sanaa's "Change
Square" and the headquarters of defected soldiers -  leaving scores dead and
injured just one day after the president returned from a three-month absence in
Saudi Arabia.

The main opposition protest camp in Sanaa came under heavy mortar fire and
sniper attack by Yemeni government forces on Friday. Reports indicate that at
least 16 people were killed and 54 injured in the assault.

Troops loyal to Saleh launched the attack a little after midnight on Friday,
opening fire with guns and shelling "Change Square", which protesters first
occupied back in January.

Muttahar al-Masri, Yemen's interior minister, however denied that a raid took
place, blaming the gunfire on "extremists".

Snipers also targeted the people in the square from buildings around it,
witnesses said.

Medics working at a field hospital set up in the square said that some of those
killed were mangled.

"We have ... one killed in a terrible way by the mortar fire - we only have half
a body," Dr Mohammed al-Qubati said.

Hundreds fled from the southern end of the camp, witnesses said, as the attack
continued through Saturday morning.

Elsewhere in Sanaa, pro-Saleh shelled the headquarters of the First Armoured
Division - the unit of defected soldiers supporting the Yemeni people's
revolution.

Reports said 11 soldiers were killed and 120 injured in the shelling.

The fatalities brought the number of those killed to at least 47 since Friday -
and to 142 since Sunday, when the ongoing wave of violence hit the Yemeni
capital.

"Vemgful soul"

The main military rival of Saleh said the returning leader was set on driving
the country into civil war and called on the international community to rein him
in.

Major General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar issued a strongly worded statement on
Saturday, calling Saleh a "sick, vengeful soul'' and comparing him to the Roman
emperor Nero, burning down his own city.

Many Yemenis thought they had seen the last of Saleh when he flew to Saudi
Arabia in June for medical treatment after a bomb explosion at his palace left
him with severe burns.

His reappearance raised big questions over the future of the fractious Arabian
Peninsula state.

In Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney said: "We urge President Saleh
to initiate a full transfer of power and arrange for presidential elections to
be held before the end of then year.

"The Yemeni people have suffered enough and deserve a path towards a better
future."

A senior Saudi official told AFP news agency that Saleh had returned from Riyadh
to put his house "in order" and "prepare for elections".

Saleh will "leave" after this, the official said without specifying whether he
would leave Yemen altogether or only leave power.

Yemen's wealthy Gulf neighbours have been trying for months to persuade Saleh to
accept a plan under which he would hand over power in return for a promise of
immunity from prosecution.

Saleh had been involved in the negotiations, repeatedly promising to step down
only to change his position at the last minute.

"I return to the nation carrying the dove of peace and the olive branch," Saleh
was quoted as saying by state television on Friday.

He also called for a ceasefire.

However, the violent crackdown on anti-Saleh protesters by pro-Saleh forces have
left many Yemenis skeptical of his intentions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemen's Saleh calls for ceasefire on return
Protesters killed in violence following surprise arrival of the president in
Sanaa after three-month absence.
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2011 11:53

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201192344820432439.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Baby among scores shot dead on bloodiest day of Yemen’s uprising
By Ahmed al-Haj in Sana'a and Richard Hall
Tuesday, 20 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/baby-among-scores-shot-dead-\
on-bloodiest-day-of-yemenrsquos-uprising-2357505.html

More than 50 protesters have been killed in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, over the
past two days in the deadliest crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations since
they began in January.

The resurgence in violence came as envoys from the United Nations and the Gulf
Co-operation Council were attempting to negotiate a handover of power from
President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Tens of thousands of protesters had taken to the
streets in the preceding days in frustration over Mr Saleh's refusal to step
down.

Government forces reportedly killed 30 people yesterday, raising the death toll
to 56 over two days. One witness reported that a baby girl was killed by a stray
bullet.

Following the attacks, thousands of protesters armed with sticks and backed by
armed military defectors overran a base of the elite Presidential Guards
yesterday. The protesters, joined by soldiers from the 1st Armoured Division,
stormed the base without firing a single shot and seized a large number of
firearms left by fleeing Guards. "It was unbelievable," said protester, Ameen
Ali Saleh, of the storming the base on the west of the major al-Zubairy road,
which runs through the heart of Sanaa.

"We acted like it was us who had the weapons, not the soldiers."

"Now the remainder of the regime will finally crumble," said another
demonstrator, Mohammed al-Wasaby. "Our will is more effective than weapons."

An opposition source told Reuters last night that anti-government fighters had
agreed a ceasefire after the battles, but this was not officially confirmed. The
fall of the base into protesters' hands is a significant development in the
uprising against President Saleh. Together with the country's Special Forces,
the Presidential Guards have long been thought to be the regime's last line of
defence.

The storming of the base capped two days of clashes in the capital that, as well
leaving many dead, has left nearly 1,000 people injured, mostly demonstrators.

Witnesses and security officials described scenes of mutilated bodies, some torn
apart. An infant girl, a 14-year-old boy and three rebel soldiers were among
those killed yesterday. Protest leader, Abdul-Hadi al-Azzai, said: "It is over.
The Ali Abdullah Saleh regime is finished. How can you negotiate while massacres
are ongoing? The world is silent."

The violence led authorities to close Sanaa airport and order four flights to go
instead to the southern port city of Aden, according to an airport official.

But even Aden did not escape bloodshed. Three protesters were wounded in clashes
with government forces, witnesses there said.

In the southern city of Taiz, at least four protesters were killed and 40 others
wounded, according to witnesses.

The United States, European Union nations and others on the UN Human Rights
Council used a meeting of the Geneva-based body to urge the government of Yemen
to stop exercising force against peaceful protesters and to seek a resolution to
the unrest.

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said: "The responsibility for preserving
law and order, respecting the right to peaceful protest and ensuring early
justice for the victims of yesterday's attacks, rests with the government of
Yemen."

Also speaking at the human rights council, the Yemeni Foreign Minister, Abu Bakr
al-Kurbi, condemned the killing, adding: "The government will investigate and
hold accountable all those who were in charge of these acts."

The latest violence was born partly out of frustration after Mr Saleh, who is
recovering in Saudi Arabia from a June assassination attempt, shattered hopes
raised by the US last week that he was about to relinquish power.

Diplomats and Yemeni politicians scrambled yesterday to speed up a long-stalled
transition plan under which Mr Saleh would hand over power. He has backed out of
signing a deal a number of times and many believe the move is a delaying tactic.

A source in Yemen's political opposition told Reuters they were meeting with
government officials and diplomats to try to push through a deal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemeni toll rises after fresh Sanaa shelling
More killed in rocket attack, pushing the toll past 60 as clashes between
ex-soldiers and pro-Saleh forces continue.
Last Modified: 20 Sep 2011 02:59

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119201429637417.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Street clashes resume in Yemeni capital
At least 21 killed in fresh violence in Sanaa, a day after dozens were shot dead
by forces loyal to President Saleh.
Last Modified: 19 Sep 2011 11:15

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201191965948381882.html

At least 21 people have been killed and over 100 injured in fresh clashes on the
streets of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, a day after 26 anti-government protesters
were shot dead and hundreds wounded by troops and gunmen loyal to President Ali
Abdullah Saleh.

According to reports, Monday's deaths occurred as snipers fired upon passers-by
and peaceful protesters demonstrating at Change Square.

"Help me, oh my God look at his slaughter!" said the father of a boy who died
from a gunshot wound to the head.

"We were just in the car on Hayel Street (near the fighting). I stepped out to
get some food and left my two boys in the car and I heard the older one scream.
The little one was shot straight through the head."

The clashes came as protesters tried to push further into territory held by
government forces after extending their camp overnight.

The opposition had earlier vowed to press ahead with demonstrations despite
Sunday's crackdown.

A freelance journalist stationed in Yemen, told Al Jazeera, "Everything points
to more protest".

Meanwhile, Abdu al-Janadi, Yemen's deputy information minister, rejected
accusations that the regime had planned attacks on the protesters and accused
what he described as "unknown assailants" of carrying out the acts.

"This attack was prepared so as to kill as many people as they could. ... This
is a plot against all the Yemeni people," al-Janadi told a British television
station.

Also on Monday, two people were killed and 10 injured when security forces loyal
to the president opened fire on protesters in the city of Taiz.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


TUNISIA

Tunisia jails Qaddafi-era premier for illegal entry
By AGENCIES
Published: Sep 22, 2011 22:42 Updated: Sep 22, 2011 22:42

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article505376.ece

TUNIS: Tunisia has arrested and jailed Baghdadi Al-Mahmudi, who was Muammar
Qaddafi's prime minister until the collapse of the Libyan regime last month,
officials said Thursday.

Al-Mahmudi, one of the most senior members of the former Libyan regime to have
been detained to date, was sentenced to six months in prison for illegal entry,
a Tunisian Justice Ministry spokesman said.

Al-Mahmudi, who was arrested Wednesday, "appeared before the state prosecutor in
Tozeur (430 km south of Tunis) and sentenced to six months in prison with
immediate effect," Kadhem Zine El Abidine said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Hichem Meddeb said Al-Mahmudi "was arrested by
security forces with two men Wednesday near Tamaghza at the border with
Algeria."

He said the three men did not have a visa in their passports but he was unable
to say exactly when and where they had crossed the border.

On Sept. 7, another member of Qaddafi's inner circle, Khouildi Hamidi, was
briefly detained at Tunis airport for illegal entry.

Since Qaddafi's 42-year-old regime collapsed last month, many senior officials
in his entourage have defected or fled, often transiting through neighboring
Tunisia.

Tunisia, also ruled by an interim administration since the shock January ouster
of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali that started the Arab spring uprisings, officially
recognized the National Transitional Congress (NTC) last month.

Al Arabiya television quoted the Algerian foreign minister on Thursday as saying
Algiers recognizes NTC as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

The report followed an Algerian Foreign Ministry statement which said it was
ready to work closely with the NTC. The move is aimed at ending the strained
relations between the two neighbors since Qaddafi's ouster.

Meanwhile, Qaddafi's spokesman told Reuters Thursday that NATO airstrikes and
shelling of Sirte by interim government forces on Wednesday and Thursday had
killed 151 people.

He also said the city's main hospital had run out of medical supplies and power.

His claims could not immediately be verified as Sirte, Qaddafi's hometown, is
largely cut off from communication and is besieged on three fronts by NTC
forces.

Comments from NATO were not immediately available.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


IRAQ

Deadly explosions hit Iraq's Karbala city
Four blasts outside government offices in the shrine city leave at least 10
people dead and dozens wounded.
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2011 10:04

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119257922950290.html

Four explosions have rocked the Iraqi city of Karbala, around 118km south of the
capital Baghdad, leaving at least 10 people dead and 36 more wounded, sources
say.

The back-to-back explosions occurred on Sunday outside a governmental building
and damaged many cars, police officials said.

The first blast tore though a crowd of guards and civilians gathered in front of
an office issuing identity cards and passports, while the three other explosions
went off a short time later as emergency services arrived.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, caused by explosive
packages, according to police.

"I was inside my house when I heard a big explosion. When I got out I saw many
people wounded and some bodies on the ground," Mohammed Naeim, a local resident,
told the Reuters news agency.

Bombings and attacks are once again becoming an almost daily occurrence, often
targeting security personnel, after a drop in violence levels.

"The bomb attacks in Karbala today have so far killed nine people and there are
99 people wounded," Alaa Hammudi, head of Karbala province's health department,
said.

He said the toll could rise further.

Lieutenant-General Othman al-Ghanimi, the army commander for forces across five
provinces in central Iraq, including Karbala, put the toll at 10 dead and 86
wounded.

He said the four explosions included two roadside bombs, a car bomb and a
suicide explosion, but did not say the order in which they happened.

Collapsed houses

An AFP journalist at the scene reported seeing several bodies covered in blood
being taken away by paramedics, and major damage to vehicles and buildings, with
some houses completely collapsed.

Security forces cordoned off the area in the aftermath of the attacks, the
journalist said.

An interior ministry official said entrances to Karbala had been closed. It is a
predominantly Shia city that is home to the mausoleums of Imam Hussein and his
half-brother Abbas.

It has frequently been the target of Sunni Muslim fighters in the past, such as
on January 20 when a spate of blasts against Shia pilgrims on the outskirts of
Karbala killed 45 people.

In the western city of Ramadi, meanwhile, two roadside bombs killed two people
and wounded six others, including two young girls, a police officer and an
anti-al-Qaeda fighters said.

An initial explosion at the home of Mohammed Awwad, a tribal chief, killed a
woman and wounded the girls, the security officials said.

The second, which occurred when police arrived, killed a man and wounded four
others, including three policemen.

Ramadi is the capital of Anbar province, a Sunni fighters' base in the years
after the US-led invasion of 2003, but since 2006 local tribes have sided with
the US military and day-to-day violence has dropped dramatically.

In the north Baghdad neighbourhood of Hurriya, meanwhile, the driver of a senior
official in Iraq's human rights ministry was killed by assailants using silenced
pistols, an interior ministry official said.

US drone strike kills six in Somalia
Wed Oct 5, 2011 1:16PM GMT

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/202894.html

At least six people have been killed after the US military used a
remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle in southern Somalia near the border
with Kenya, Press TV reported.

The US drone attack left six civilians dead and many more injured in the
Dhoobley town located near Kismayo, the capital of the lower Juba region and a
port city located some 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of the Somali capital of
Mogadishu on Wednesday.

Hassan Ali, a Somali military official, told Press TV that the strike sought to
target an al-Shabab base in the area. However, the casualties were all
civilians.

The drone attack comes as 20 civilians, among them eight women, were wounded in
a US aerial attack on the outskirts of Kismayo late on Tuesday.

Drone strikes in Somalia make the lawless state the sixth country where the US
military has used remote-controlled aircraft to conduct such lethal strikes.

The US has now employed drones in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Iraq and Yemen
to launch aerial bombings.

Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991, when warlords
overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

Strategically located in the Horn of Africa, Somalia remains one of the
countries generating the highest number of refugees and internally displaced
persons in the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

US drone strikes kills scores in Pakistan
At least 23 people dead after missiles strike alleged fighter training facility
and nearby vehicle in tribal region.
Last Modified: 08 Jun 2011 14:44

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/06/201168113730932931.html

At least 23 people have been killed after a pair of US missile strikes hit an
alleged fighter training facility and a vehicle in a tribal region in Pakistan,
local intelligence officials have said.

One drone strike killed 18 people on Wednesday when it hit a compound in the
Shawal area, which lies along the border that separates the South and North
Waziristan tribal regions. The other struck a vehicle carrying five men.

The compound is believed to have housed a training camp for "extremists",
Pakistani officials said.

Both regions are home to various fighter groups, including several involved in
attacks on Western forces across the border in Afghanistan.

The area hit on Wednesday was on the North Waziristan side, in territory under
the control of Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a warlord involved in the Afghan fight.

North Waziristan is the usual target for US missiles because it is home to more
groups fighting in Afghanistan and because the Pakistani military has resisted
US appeals to launch an offensive there. But this week's strikes had mostly hit
South Waziristan or along the border of the two regions.

Since 2008, the US has boosted its use of drone-fired missiles to take out
al-Qaeda and Taliban targets in Pakistan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

US 'extends drone strikes to Somalia'
First such attack reported in East African nation wounds two leaders of
anti-government group al-Shabab.
Last Modified: 01 Jul 2011 10:17

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/06/201163018229379353.html

A US drone aircraft is reported to have fired upon two senior members of
al-Shabab, the Islamist anti-government armed group, in Somalia last week,
marking the first time a US unmanned plane has been used for such an attack
inside the country.

The strike, said to have been carried out on June 23, is believed to have
targeted a convoy of fighters belonging to al-Shabab, which is fighting to
overthrow Somalia's weak Transitional Federal Government and impose Islamic law.

The attack was not immediately identified as a drone strike, but a senior US
military official familiar with the operation told the Washington Post newspaper
on Thursday that it had come from such an aircraft.

The strike would make Somalia the sixth country where the US has reportedly used
drones to conduct attacks. They have also been used in Libya, Yemen, Iraq and
far more extensively in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The strike hit the convoy of fighters as it drove along the cost in Kismayo, a
southern port town, the AP news agency reported. Two men were wounded, and the
US official identified them as senior Shabab members.

Abdirashid Mohamed Hidig, the deputy defence minister, declined to identify who
the fighters were or who carried out the attack, except to say it had been done
by a "partner country".

Reflects change in US strategy

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a counterterrorism expert at the Foundation for the
Defense of Democracies, told Al Jazeera that the attack in Somalia emphasised
America's new approach to counterterrorism, which favours "surgical strikes".

Given the location of the attack, in southern Somalia, it's likely the drone was
launched from Kenya, he wrote in an email. The US military uses an airfield in
Manda Bay, around 300km south of the area of the strike, he wrote.

Gartenstein-Ross said the United States may begin launching more drone attacks
in Somalia, but that while they may be a useful tactic, they should not be
mistaken for a strategy:

"It seems that the concern underlying the attack was the two leaders'
relationship to [Yemeni-American al-Qaeda cleric] Anwar al-Awlaki, which
suggests that the strike served a prophylactic purpose (trying to contain a
perceived threat to the homeland). But does America have a plan to stabilize
Somalia, of which the drones are a part? Or will drone attacks end up a means of
simply keeping a threat indefinitely at bay?"

The United States previously has launched attacks in Somalia. In 2009, a raid
involving US special operations troops succeeded in killing Saleh Ali Saleh
Nabhan, a Kenyan national wanted for a 2002 truck bombing at a tourist hotel in
Mombasa.

Al-Shabab, which is believed to maintain links with al-Qaeda franchises, is
growing stronger as it consolidates its hold on the majority of Somali
territory, including more than half of the capital, Mogadishu.

"They have become somewhat emboldened of late, and, as a result, we have become
more focused on inhibiting their activities," the US official told the Post.
"They were planning operations outside of Somalia."

The Somali Transitional Federal Government, led by President Sharif Ahmed,
relies on international funding and military support from America as well as the
African Union to maintain its tenuous hold on power.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

US drone strikes kill many in Pakistan
At least 19 people killed in tribal areas after two blasts a day earlier left 24
dead.
Last Modified: 06 Jun 2011 09:22

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/06/2011664394702821.html

Three US missile strikes have killed at least 19 people in Pakistan's tribal
areas along the Afghan border, local security officials have said.

The strikes on Monday came a day after at least 24 people were killed in an
explosion in the northwestern town of Nowshera and another bombing at a bus stop
near Peshawar.

The missile strikes took place near Wana, the main town in the South Waziristan
tribal region, early on Monday morning.

Local intelligence officials confirmed the strikes. Al Jazeera correspondent
Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said that one strike targeted a compound,
while another hit a madrassah (religious school).

Pakistani intelligence officials told the Associated Press that the third strike
hit a vehicle that was travelling between the North and South Waziristan
agencies. Five people are reported to have been killed in that attack.

The identities of those killed in the strikes were not immediately known.

Hyder said there were concerns that civilians could be among the dead.

The latest strikes come just three days after a suspected US drone strike killed
Ilyas Kashmiri, a senior al-Qaeda commander, according to local officials.

Bakery bombing

On Sunday, a suicide bomber attacked a bakery in northwest Pakistan, killing 18
people and wounding 40 others, local police said.

Liaquat Ali Khan, a police official, said the attack occurred late in the
evening in a neighbourhood inhabitated by military personnel in the town of
Nowshera.

At least two soldiers were among the dead.

It was the second bomb blast of the day. An earlier attack killed six people at
a bus stop in the Matani area near the northwestern city of Peshawar.

Rescue workers and police combed the site strewn with debris from the explosion
while the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment.

Local TV footage showed the twisted truck and other damaged vehicles scattered
at the scene, while rescue workers rushed away the wounded.

Witness account

Malik Asif, a witness, said: "I was about at a distance of 30 yards when this
blast occurred. I rushed here and I saw a woman lying here, and a man was lying
on the other side. I picked them up," he said.

"There was smoke everywhere. I saw many other wounded lying there. Two of them
died. They were confirmed dead. The other two, who were taken to hospital were
with blown up body parts, they would have also died."

The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, Al Jazeera's
Hyder reported. The group has carried out a string of attacks in Pakistan since
Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader, was killed in the Pakistani city of
Abbotabad on May 2.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Drone strike' kills several in Pakistan
At least five alleged fighters killed as missiles hit vehicle in the Datta Khel
area in North Waziristan.
Last Modified: 12 May 2011 09:45

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/05/2011512813747390.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wikileaks: Leak reveals new Guantanamo secrets
AP
Monday, 25 April 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/wikileaks-leak-reveals-new-guan\
tanamo-secrets-2274616.html

Secret documents about detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison reveal new
information about some of the men that the United States believes to be
terrorists.

The US government criticized the publication as "unfortunate."

The military detainee assessments were made public Sunday night by U.S. and
European newspapers after the WikiLeaks website obtained the files. The records
contain details of the more than 700 detainee interrogations and evidence the
U.S. had collected against these suspected terrorists, according to the media
outlets.

It's not clear if the media outlets published the documents with the consent of
WikiLeaks.

The files — know as Detainee Assessment Briefs or DABs — describe the
intelligence value of the detainees and whether they would be a threat to the
U.S. if released. To date, 604 detainees have been transferred out of Guantanomo
while 172 remain locked up.

The disclosures are likely to provide human right activists with additional
ammunition that some cases against inmates appear to be based on flawed
evidence. However, the DABs show certain inmates were more dangerous than
previously known to the public and could complicate efforts by the U.S. to
transfer detainees out of the controversial prison that President Barack Obama
has failed to close.

The dossiers provide new insights into some of the prison's most notorious
detainees such as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. According to The New York Times,
Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, commanded a Maryland
resident to kill Pakistan's former present Pervez Musharraf.

Another high-value detainee, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, bragged that he outranked
Mohammed who was then considered the terrorist group's No.3. Al-Nashiri faces
charges before a military commission for his suspected role in the 2000 bombing
of the USS Cole. According to The Times, Al-Nashiri was also consumed with jihad
and believed women were a distraction.

He was so "dedicated to jihad that he reportedly received injections to promote
impotence and recommended the injections to others so more time could be spent
on the jihad," according to al-Nashiri's file.

U.S. officials said the documents "may or may not represent the current view of
a given detainee" and criticized the decision by media organizations to publish
the "sensitive information."

"It is unfortunate that several news organizations have made the decision to
publish numerous documents obtained illegally by WikiLeaks concerning the
Guantanamo detention facility," said Ambassador Daniel Fried, the Obama
administration's special envoy on detainee issues, and Pentagon press secretary
Geoff Morrell.

The classified files contain rare pictures of many of the inmates. One shows Abu
Zubaydah, who has been described as al-Qaida's "travel agent," sporting a beard
and an eye patch. Zubaydah was captured in Pakistan in 2002 and taken to several
CIA black sites overseas until he was transferred to Guantanamo in 2006 for the
second and last time.

The files do not mention what happened to Zubaydah and others while they were in
CIA custody. Zubaydah and Mohammed were both waterboarded dozens of times by CIA
interrogators.

The Washington Post reported that the DABs offered new details about the
movement of Osama bin Laden and top deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri after the 9/11
attacks and the internal disputes that erupted within the terrorist
organization.

Many of the 704 assessments are riddled with ambiguous language. A Times
analysis shows the word "possibly" is used 387 times.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Guantánamo Bay files: Al-Jazeera cameraman held for six years
Americans snatched Sami al-Hajj from Pakistan, believing him to be an al-Qaida
courier and source of information on Bin Laden
Ian Cobain
The Guardian,  Monday 25 April 2011

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/25/guantanamo-files-sami-al-hajj

An al-Jazeera journalist was held at Guantánamo for six years partly in order
to be interrogated about the Arabic news network, the files disclose. Sami
al-Hajj, a Sudanese cameraman, was detained in Pakistan after working for the
network in Afghanistan after 9/11, and flown to the prison camp where he was
allegedly beaten and sexually assaulted.

His file makes clear that one of the reasons he was sent to Guantánamo was "to
provide information on ... the al-Jazeera news network's training programme,
telecommunications equipment, and newsgathering operations in Chechnya, Kosovo
and Afghanistan, including the network's acquisition of a video of UBL [Osama
bin Laden] and a subsequent interview with UBL".

The file shows that the camp authorities were convinced that al-Hajj was an
al-Qaida courier who had provided funds for a charity in Chechnya suspected of
having links with Bin Laden.

However, the contents of the file also appear to support complaints made by
al-Hajj to his lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, that during his first 100-plus
interrogations he was never once questioned about the allegations he faced, and
that he eventually demanded that he be questioned about what he was supposed to
have done wrong.

Stafford Smith believes the US military authorities were attempting to force
al-Hajj to become an informer against his employers.

Al-Hajj was finally released in May 2008.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Military whistleblower tells of 'indiscriminate' Israeli attacks
Troops fired tear gas during a curfew in a West Bank village to stop peaceful
demonstrations
By Donald Macintyre
Friday, 16 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/military-whistleblower-tells\
-of-indiscriminate-israeli-attacks-2355436.html

Israeli troops fired tear gas indiscriminately and sometimes dangerously to
enforce a daytime curfew inside a West Bank village to stop Palestinians holding
a peaceful demonstration on their own land, a military whistleblower has told
The Independent.

The soldier's insight into the methods of troops comes as the Israeli military
prepares for demonstrations predicted when the Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas submits an application for the recognition of statehood to the UN next
week.

The testimony also reinforces a report by the human rights agency B'Tselem which
argues that the way Israel deals with protests in the small village of Nabi
Saleh is denying the "basic right" to demonstrate in the West Bank. The right to
demonstrate is enshrined in international conventions ratified by Israel.

The soldier, a reservist NCO with extensive combat experience, was among more
than 20 soldiers sent into the village more than two hours before a planned
Friday demonstration in July, to try to quash protests before they began. The
protests started in December 2009 after Jewish settlers appropriated a spring on
privately-owned Nabi Saleh land.

The reservist, who originally testified to the veterans' organisation Breaking
the Silence, told The Independent that they went into a house in the village and
took a position on the roof. "The sun was very hot, but we had to keep our
helmets on," he said. "Then some soldiers start getting bored and start shooting
tear gas on people. Every guy who is not in his house or in the mosque is a
target."

He said that 150 rounds of tear gas or stun grenades were fired during the day
and one soldier boasted that he had fired a tear gas canister which passed
within one centimetre of a resident's head.

Army rules prohibit firing canisters directly at people because they have caused
serious injuries in the past. Another soldier travelling with the whistleblower
in a military vehicle out of the village was left with an unfired tear gas
canister.

"He should have fired it into an open field but we passed a grocery story with
some people outside it with children. After we passed it he just turned round
and fired it at them."

The reservist was given a week's preparation on the use of stun grenades, rubber
bullets and tear gas. He had been impressed by a four to five -hour visit to the
trainees by the Binyamin Brigade Commander Sa'ar Tzur who addressed "issues of
ethics and human life, not just on our side but on the other side".

Some soldiers complained about the strictness of prohibitions – not always
honoured, according to the leaders of the weekly Nabi Saleh protests – on the
use of live ammunition. But Colonel Tzur "was very strict on the fact that these
are the rules and that anyone who breaks them will pay for it".

But the battalion officer, a religious West Bank settler, was "exactly the
opposite," he added. "At the base there was a mission statement signed by the
Brigade Commander which said 'we need to maintain the fabric of life for the
civilian population, Israelis and Palestinians.' The battalion officer crossed
out the word 'Palestinians' and all the soldiers around started laughing."

The reservist's testimony supports B'Tselem's s main conclusions, including that
the military makes "excessive use of crowd control weapons, primarily the firing
of tear-gas canisters."

He said: "It was very difficult for me. I want to be in the army to defend my
country. On the other hand I saw that the job I was doing did not have any
connection with defending Israel."

He said that his unit was called to the village square when the battalion
officer showed around 40 Palestinians and foreign activists a written order
declaring the village a "closed military zone." The soldiers had earlier heard
shouting elsewhere by demonstrators before they were almost immediately
dispersed by border police firing tear gas. The reservist said the people in the
square "were just standing there. The officer said to the soldiers: 'Everybody
should get out of here. The Palestinians into their homes and the foreigners
should get out. Anyone left should be arrested.' One Palestinian was arrested
when a soldier decided that he had 'looked at him in a way he didn't like'."

As well as 35 Palestinian injuries in Nabi Saleh this year, there have been 80
detentions since the protests began, including of 18 minors, and protest leader
Bassem Tamimi, currently awaiting military trial based largely on the
interrogation of a 14-year-old boy arrested at home at gunpoint at 2am.

The military said it has "clear, detailed, and professional guidelines" for the
use of tear gas to disperse "riots", and that after two years of "dangerous and
violent riots" it declared the village a "closed military area" on Fridays to
"prevent these riots before they turn into violent ones".

The military's tactics have varied. A 13-year-old Palestinian boy was seriously
injured by a rubber-coated bullet fired at close range during protracted clashes
between armed troops and stone-throwing youths observed last year by The
Independent. Those clashes started when troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets
on the hitherto peaceful march towards the spring.

The reservist said he had seen no stones thrown on the day he was there. adding:
"If they want to stop people throwing stones at the spring, why don't [the
troops] wait at the spring? Why are they coming into the village?" He added:
"The headline of the whole Friday, as I see it, if the army won't be in the
village nothing would happen because the demonstration was not violent."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

US 'deeply disappointed' with Israeli occupier homes plan
By AGENCIES
Published: Sep 28, 2011 02:01 Updated: Sep 28, 2011 02:01

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article507988.ece

WASHINGTON: The United States said Tuesday it was disappointed by Israel's
announced plans to build new homes for Jewish occupiers in East Jerusalem.

"We are deeply disappointed," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland,
adding the US considered the move "counterproductive to our efforts to resume
direct negotiations between the parties." "We have long urged both parties to
avoid actions which could undermine trust, including in Jerusalem, and we'll
continue to work with the parties to try to resume direct negotiations," she
added.

The US reaction came hours after Israel approved a plan to build 1,100 new homes
in a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem, a move Palestinians slammed as a
rejection of a proposal by the so called Quartet - the United Nations, EU,
United States and Russia — for new peace talks.

The project's passage on Tuesday is just one stage of a lengthy, multi-year
approvals process for the planned expansion of the Gilo neighborhood, which lies
in Jerusalem's south.

Meanwhile, the UN's political chief said Tuesday that Israel and the
Palestinians remain far apart on reaching a peace agreement but insisted "now is
time for everyone to give diplomacy a chance."

B. Lynn Pascoe told the UN Security Council that the main obstacles to setting
up a Palestinian state — a bid which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
submitted last week despite a promised US veto and pressure to drop the
application — are political, not institutional.

He said that the main issue remains the "continuing Israeli occupation and the
ongoing Palestinian divide."

The remarks at the monthly briefing on the Middle East highlighted the tenuous
path confronting not only the Palestinians and Israelis, but also the Quartet of
Mideast mediators who have drafted a plan to bring the two sides together, with
an ultimate goal of achieving a deal by the end of next year.

"Resuming negotiations, and making progress, is easier said than done," Pascoe
told the council. With the Quartet's proposal and the push to restart
negotiations, "this would be a moment where the parties would be truly tested in
their readiness to make serious proposals that addressed the core concerns of
the other."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vandals attack mosque in northern Israeli village
Arson attack on mosque in Arab village of Tuba-Zangaria believed to have been
'price tag' strike by Israeli settlers
Associated Press
guardian.co.uk,  Monday 3 October 2011 11.04 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/03/vandals-attack-mosque-northern-israe\
l

Vandals have set fire to a mosque in an Arab village in northern Israel,
provoking protests and clashes with police. Graffiti spraypainted on the walls
of the building suggested Jewish radicals were involved.

About 200 residents of the village of Tuba-Zangaria, Arab citizens of Israel,
marched to a major junction nearby with the intention of blocking roads in
protest, Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, said.

Some of the demonstrators set tyres on fire and threw stones at police officers,
who dispersed the crowd using teargas, Rosenfeld said. No one was injured.

Police were mobilised to prevent further disturbances and were meeting village
leaders in an attempt to defuse tensions, he added.

Rosenfeld said a carpet in the mosque was set on fire, damaging interior walls.
Copies of the Qu'ran were burned, Israeli media reported.

Rosenfeld said the words "price tag" had been spraypainted on the building – a
reference to a settler practice of attacking Palestinians and their property in
retaliation for Palestinian attacks and government operations against
settlements.

Several weeks ago, the government destroyed structures in an unauthorised Jewish
settlement in the West Bank. The operation was immediately followed by an arson
attack on a mosque.

Army Radio reported that the family name of a settler and his infant son who
were killed in a car crash near the West Bank town of Hebron last week was also
scrawled on a wall.

Israeli police said rocks were thrown at the man by Palestinians, hitting him
around the head and causing him to lose control of the car.

Rosenfeld said security was heightened across northern Israel following the
attack. Large numbers of Israeli Arabs live in northern Israel.

The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, denounced the mosque attack and
ordered the Shin Bet internal security agency to act quickly to locate the
attackers. A message from his office said he was "fuming" when he saw the
pictures, and said the attack "ran counter to the values of the state of
Israel".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No letup in Israeli bellicosity
By MOHAMMED MAR’I
Published: Oct 6, 2011 23:12 Updated: Oct 6, 2011 23:26

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article512874.ece

RAMALLAH: Israeli authorities on Thursday demolished several structures in the
West Bank under the pretext they were built without permits.

Mohammed Ayyad Awad, spokesman of Popular Committee Against the Wall in Hebron,
said Israeli bulldozers backed by security forces and Israeli Civil
Administration arrived at the village of Beit Kahel, to the northwest of Hebron,
on Thursday and razed a 140-square-meter house.

Awad said the Israeli forces declared the area a closed military zone during the
demolition process.

Meanwhile, the Israeli forces demolished 12 shacks and tents belonging to
Palestinians farmers in the northern Jordan Valley area under the pretext that
they were built in Area C without permits.

Aref Daraghmeh, head of Wadi Al-Maleh village’s council, said dozens of
Palestinian farmers and their families are living in this area for decades whose
businesses contribute to the Palestinian economy.

In a related development, Jewish occupiers uprooted some 200 olive trees in the
village of Qosra.

Hani Abu Murad, mayor of Qosra village, said the occupiers arrived early on
Thursday and uprooted the trees. Qosra was last month a scene of several attacks
by occupiers.

Meanwhile, Some 10,000 Bedouin rallied in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba
against the Israeli plan to uproot them from their shantytowns. They were
carrying signs against the Israeli plan, the demolition of Bedouin homes and the
confiscation of their lands.

The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee said the demonstrators rallied to protest
the Israeli Prawer Committee’s recommendations.

The Israeli government approved last month a $334 million plan to develop the
Bedouin sector in accordance with the Prawer Committee’s recommendations. The
plan, the Bedouin leaders say, will lead to the eviction of 30,000 people.

Mohammad Zaidan, chairman of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, said the
Arabs and Bedouin inside Israel “strongly reject the plan.” Zaidan described
it as a “catastrophe.”

The Israeli Rabbis for Human Rights organization say the Prawer Committee’s
recommendations follow the Israeli official policy that ignores citizens and
communities in Israel, especially minorities.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Israel mosque fire blamed on Jewish extremists

By MAAYAN LUBELL | REUTERS
Published: Oct 3, 2011 11:51 Updated: Oct 3, 2011 11:55

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article510626.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Israel to pay family compensation over killing of Palestinian girl
Abir Aramin, 10, was killed by a rubber bullet fired by an Israeli border police
officer as she went to buy sweets in 2007
Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem
guardian.co.uk,  Monday 26 September 2011 09.39 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/26/israel-pay-family-compensation-pales\
tinian-girl
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Foreign fighters support Israel's settlements
The Jewish Defence League has dispatched French "militants" for a "show of
solidarity" in illegal West Bank settlements.
Nour Samaha Last Modified: 24 Sep 2011 15:53

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/09/201192343750232386.html

Two weeks ago, an announcement appeared on a French website, calling for
"militants with military experience" to participate in a solidarity trip to
Israel between September 19 and 25. "The aim of this expedition is to lend a
hand to our brothers facing aggression from the Palestinian occupiers, and to
enhance the security of Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria," it explained. The
dates of the trip coincide with the Palestinian statehood bid at the United
Nations.

As of yesterday, in response to this call, there were 55 French citizens, both
men and women, with military experience, stationed inside the illegal Israeli
settlements up and down the West Bank. Organised into five separate groups of
11, their mandate is to "defend the settlements against any attack from
Palestinians", and to "aid" in areas where they feel there is a lack of Israeli
army personnel or police forces.

The website belongs to the French chapter of the Jewish Defence League (JDL), a
far-right Jewish group founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane in the United States in
1968. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has refered to the JDL as a "violent
extremist organisation".

JDL in France

"In France, it is a movement made up of French citizens who defend the Jewish
community when faced with aggression, and also defends Israel in a more general
manner," said Amnon Cohen, a spokesperson for the group. “In terms of
ideology, we are Zionists, pro-Israeli, and we share similar ideologies to that
of the Ichud Leumi ["National Union"] party in Israel." The National Union
advocates the settlement of Jewish people in the entirety of the occupied West
Bank, which it calls by its biblical name of Judea and Samaria.

“People say we are extreme because we believe in Judea and Samaria, and that
this belongs to the Israelis, the Jews, but I don't consider this to be
extreme," he told Al Jazeera.

Cohen was quick to point out that the JDL, contrary to recent media reports, is
not banned in Israel or the US, but in fact, has active chapters across the
world, including the US, Canada, the UK and France.

“We are active, the authorities are aware of us, and we maintain good
relations with them," he said.

Numerous examples of targeted attacks on pro-Palestinian entities, movements,
and demonstrations across France by individuals associating with the JDL
validate Cohen's statements.

Nicolas Shahshahani, manager of La Librarie Resistances, a bookstore located in
a quiet neighbourhood of Paris, has been the victim of such aggression. The
first attack occurred in December 2006 soon after the store's opening, when
Shahshahani asked two Jewish authors, the late Tanya Reinhart and Aharon Shabtai
to speak, both critics of Israeli policy in the occupied territories. Midway
through the event, the bookstore was suddenly filled with tear gas, as a group
of six masked people wearing helmets, and armed with iron bars entered and
raided the store, shouting obscenities at the attendees. "They broke the
windows, and I had to go to the hospital to get treatment for the teargas,"
Shahshahani told Al Jazeera. "We launched a complaint against the police, but of
course there was no investigation."

In July 2009 the bookstore was targeted once again. Five people, who identified
themselves as members of the JDL, poured litres of cooking oil all over the
store and its books. "This is just as efficient as fire, if not more, if you
want to damage a bookshop," explained Shahshahani.

That time, however, the perpetrators were taken to court, where they admitted
guilt, and were given suspended prison terms plus made to pay civil damages.

Courts and convictions

In another case, about 20 JDL members assaulted four students from Nanterre
University. The attack, in which one student had his facial bones broken, took
place within the compounds of the Administrative Court of Paris. Only Anthony
Attal, reputed to be head of the group at the time, was charged.

The spokesperson for the Nanterre student association, AGEN, who wished to
remain anonymous for fear of reprisal attacks, was present when the beating took
place. Forced to do their own investigation into the matter, the students
presented the police with their evidence. "We had video footage that identified
Attal as the perpetrator," he said, adding that as an association, AGEN - a
Palestinian solidarity organisation - was regularly targeted by the JDL.

"When you spend many years attending these demonstrations, you start to
recognise the faces of those who turn up and commit acts of aggression and
intimidation, and then you see the same faces in court. It's not difficult to
point out who belongs to the JDL," he said.

The court process to convict Attal was unusual, according to Dominique Cochain,
the lawyer representing one of the victims. "The aggressor wasn't present in the
court, neither was his lawyer, and the judge therefore took it upon himself to
interrogate the victim for two hours, trying to make the victim say it was a
fight rather than an act of aggression," essentially playing the role of the
defence lawyer, she told Al Jazeera.

Since his conviction, Attal has been captured on video at several
pro-Palestinian demonstrations, as recently as this summer.

"It gives the signal to others that there is a possibility to continue with this
type of aggression, because it is not dealt with harshly," said Cochain. "In my
opinion, there is a certain level of tolerance between the French authorities
and this group."

Cochain, who has been defending victims of these aggressions since 2004, has
also been a victim of intimidation. "I've been verbally abused and menaced
because of the cases I do," she said. "They've called me the 'devil lawyer' and
taken my photo," adding that she can identify them by the JDL logos they flash
at her.

'Protecting the community'

Cohen, however, says any association between the attacks and the JDL are false.
"These people say whatever they want against us, but it doesn't mean it's us
doing it," he said.

Trying to connect members officially to the group is difficult to prove, due to
the way organisations are structured in France. Registration would force the
group to put out a manifesto and officially name members of its board. However,
as registration is not obligatory, the JDL can exist without being registered,
whereby membership is neither official nor public.

Cohen admitted the group was not registered under the name of the JDL, adding
that it was registered under different names, "which are not important to know".

Some people claim that the police purposefully ignore unlawful acts of
aggression purportedly carried out by the JDL. While Cohen denies this, he
admits to having good relations with the authorities.

"Our adversaries say we work hand in hand with them, but we don't," he said. "We
just divide the work. For example, if there is a protest we are involved in, the
police secure the streets, and we secure the entrances."

"The police know that we are there to protect the community," he added.

French authorities referred Al Jazeera to the Ministry of Interior, who did not
respond to an interview request.

'Violent youths'

The JDL encourages its members to undertake training in Krav Maga [Hebrew: "hand
to hand combat"], a form of martial art used by the Israeli forces for close
combat in urban warfare.

"We give this training to our members, so they are capable of defending
themselves," Cohen explained.

Military training is also encouraged for its members. "I tell the members that
they should do military service, and we encourage this," said Cohen, adding that
some JDL members have been enrolled in the French army.

But AGEN says each of its demonstrations have been targeted by the JDL. "They
hear about pro-Palestinian demonstrations, such as the Gaza flotilla solidarity
events we had this summer, and they show up and start abusing people. It's not
self-defence when they actively search for the demonstration," he said. "They
hide in the streets when demonstrations happen, and attack the tail-end of the
protests."

"We've asked for the dissolution of the JDL through a petition signed by 30
different associations, as they are an armed militia, which is forbidden in
France," he said, but the petition has yet to gain traction with French
authorities.

Ironically, prominent Jewish lobbies in France dissociate with the JDL, claiming
they are groups of violent youth who do not represent the Jewish community.

Richard Prasquier, president of the Conseil Representatif des Institutions
juives de France (CRIF), France's main Jewish lobby group, told Al Jazeera:
"There are no relations between CRIF and the JDL, and I don't want anything to
do with them."

Others remain unconvinced. "For years there have been calls for the government
to dissolve the JDL, but they have done nothing because of CRIF," said
Shahshahani. "On the street, when CRIF holds a public event, it's the JDL that
provides the security in coordination with the French police."

Cohen confirmed what Shahshahani had said, adding: "Officially CRIF says they
are separate from us, but there is the official position, and then there is
reality. When there is something going on, they call us."

Sammy Ghozlan, a former police officer and president of the Bureau Nationnal de
Vigilance Contre le Anti-semitisme (BNVCA), told Al Jazeera that they too "have
no particular relationship with the JDL", although he was more understanding to
the motives behind such actions.

"While the JDL are an extremist group, and not very well tolerated, their
actions are a result of the discontent that exists, and this is continuing to
grow," said Ghozlan. "Furthermore, the violence from the pro-Palestinian side is
increasing, and the Jewish people are in despair."

'Very serious show of solidarity'

Referring to the current "mission" to Israel and the West Bank, the call for
solidarity is being taken very seriously by the JDL. Cohen refused to give any
personal details of his comrades in the settlements, as "it is not a show, but a
serious gesture of solidarity. This is a serious trip; we've sent over people
who are slightly older, with more experience, between the ages of 24 and 35",
including three women.

"We know the IDF doesn't need us, but we"re going to show our solidarity. We're
going over to make sure all areas are covered, and to defend the settlements,"
he said.

Pro-Palestinian activists such as Shahshahani say the call should be taken
seriously. "They are publicly recruiting people with military experience, French
citizens with military experience, to serve a foreign country with guns, what is
this called?" he said. "We all know of people who were sent to Guantanamo,
including French citizens, because of actions like these. What about the ones
who aid the Israeli army?"

Follow Nour Samaha on Twitter: @Samahanour
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the settlers go marching in
Israeli settlers continuously provoke their Palestinian neighbours and the
Israeli army makes little effort to stop them
Gregg Carlstrom Last Modified: 22 Sep 2011 15:08

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/09/2011921123728704694.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Israel stealing Palestinian resources’

By MOHAMMED MAR’I
Published: Sep 16, 2011 21:52 Updated: Sep 16, 2011 21:52

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article502598.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Israel razes Bedouin village for 29th time
By MOHAMMED MAR’I
Published: Sep 8, 2011 22:53 Updated: Sep 8, 2011 22:53

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article499316.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Occupiers torch mosque near Nablus
By MOHAMMED MAR’I
Published: Sep 5, 2011 23:18 Updated: Sep 5, 2011 23:18

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article498060.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How Israel takes its revenge on boys who throw stones
Video seen by Catrina Stewart reveals the brutal interrogation of young
Palestinians
Friday, 26 August 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/how-israel-takes-its-revenge\
-on-boys-who-throw-stones-2344037.html

The boy, small and frail, is struggling to stay awake. His head lolls to the
side, at one point slumping on to his chest. "Lift up your head! Lift it up!"
shouts one of his interrogators, slapping him. But the boy by now is past
caring, for he has been awake for at least 12 hours since he was separated at
gunpoint from his parents at two that morning. "I wish you'd let me go," the boy
whimpers, "just so I can get some sleep."

During the nearly six-hour video, 14-year-old Palestinian Islam Tamimi,
exhausted and scared, is steadily broken to the point where he starts to
incriminate men from his village and weave fantastic tales that he believes his
tormentors want to hear.

This rarely seen footage seen by The Independent offers a glimpse into an
Israeli interrogation, almost a rite of passage that hundreds of Palestinian
children accused of throwing stones undergo every year.

Israel has robustly defended its record, arguing that the treatment of minors
has vastly improved with the creation of a military juvenile court two years
ago. But the children who have faced the rough justice of the occupation tell a
very different story.

"The problems start long before the child is brought to court, it starts with
their arrest," says Naomi Lalo, an activist with No Legal Frontiers, an Israeli
group that monitors the military courts. It is during their interrogation where
their "fate is doomed", she says.

Sameer Shilu, 12, was asleep when the soldiers smashed in the front door of his
house one night. He and his older brother emerged bleary-eyed from their bedroom
to find six masked soldiers in their living room.

Checking the boy's name on his father's identity card, the officer looked
"shocked" when he saw he had to arrest a boy, says Sameer's father, Saher. "I
said, 'He's too young; why do you want him?' 'I don't know,' he said".
Blindfolded, and his hands tied painfully behind his back with plastic cords,
Sameer was bundled into a Jeep, his father calling out to him not to be afraid.
"We cried, all of us," his father says. "I know my sons; they don't throw
stones."

In the hours before his interrogation, Sameer was kept blindfolded and
handcuffed, and prevented from sleeping. Eventually taken for interrogation
without a lawyer or parent present, a man accused him of being in a
demonstration, and showed him footage of a boy throwing stones, claiming it was
him.

"He said, 'This is you', and I said it wasn't me. Then he asked me, 'Who are
they?' And I said that I didn't know," Sameer says. "At one point, the man
started shouting at me, and grabbed me by the collar, and said, 'I'll throw you
out of the window and beat you with a stick if you don't confess'."

Sameer, who protested his innocence, was fortunate; he was released a few hours
later. But most children are frightened into signing a confession, cowed by
threats of physical violence, or threats against their families, such as the
withdrawal of work permits.

When a confession is signed, lawyers usually advise children to accept a plea
bargain and serve a fixed jail sentence even if not guilty. Pleading innocent is
to invite lengthy court proceedings, during which the child is almost always
remanded in prison. Acquittals are rare. "In a military court, you have to know
that you're not looking for justice," says Gabi Lasky, an Israeli lawyer who has
represented many children.

There are many Palestinian children in the West Bank villages in the shadow of
Israel's separation wall and Jewish settlements on Palestinian lands. Where
largely non-violent protests have sprung up as a form of resistance, there are
children who throw stones, and raids by Israel are common. But lawyers and human
rights groups have decried Israel's arrest policy of targeting children in
villages that resist the occupation.

In most cases, children as young as 12 are hauled from their beds at night,
handcuffed and blindfolded, deprived of sleep and food, subjected to lengthy
interrogations, then forced to sign a confession in Hebrew, a language few of
them read.

Israeli rights group B'Tselem concluded that, "the rights of minors are severely
violated, that the law almost completely fails to protect their rights, and that
the few rights granted by the law are not implemented".

Israel claims to treat Palestinian minors in the spirit of its own law for
juveniles but, in practice, it is rarely the case. For instance, children should
not be arrested at night, lawyers and parents should be present during
interrogations, and the children must be read their rights. But these are
treated as guidelines, rather than a legal requirement, and are frequently
flouted. And Israel regards Israeli youngsters as children until 18, while
Palestinians are viewed as adults from 16.

Lawyers and activists say more than 200 Palestinian children are in Israeli
jails. "You want to arrest these kids, you want to try them," Ms Lalo says.
"Fine, but do it according to Israeli law. Give them their rights."

In the case of Islam, the boy in the video, his lawyer, Ms Lasky, believes the
video provides the first hard proof of serious irregularities in interrogation.

In particular, the interrogator failed to inform Islam of his right to remain
silent, even as his lawyer begged to no avail to see him. Instead, the
interrogator urged Islam to tell him and his colleagues everything, hinting that
if he did so, he would be released. One interrogator suggestively smacked a
balled fist into the palm of his hand.

By the end of the interrogation Islam, breaking down in sobs, has succumbed to
his interrogators, appearing to give them what they want to hear. Shown a page
of photographs, his hand moves dully over it, identifying men from his village,
all of whom will be arrested for protesting.

Ms Lasky hopes this footage will change the way children are treated in the
occupied territories, in particular, getting them to incriminate others, which
lawyers claim is the primary aim of interrogations. The video helped gain
Islam's release from jail into house arrest, and may even lead to a full
acquittal of charges of throwing stones. But right now, a hunched and silent
Islam doesn't feel lucky. Yards from his house in Nabi Saleh is the home of his
cousin, whose husband is in jail awaiting trial along with a dozen others on the
strength of Islam's confession.

The cousin is magnanimous. "He is a victim, he is just a child," says Nariman
Tamimi, 35, whose husband, Bassem, 45, is in jail. "We shouldn't blame him for
what happened. He was under enormous pressure."

Israel's policy has been successful in one sense, sowing fear among children and
deterring them from future demonstrations. But the children are left
traumatised, prone to nightmares and bed-wetting. Most have to miss a year of
school, or even drop out.

Israel's critics say its policy is creating a generation of new activists with
hearts filled with hatred against Israel. Others say it is staining the
country's character. "Israel has no business arresting these children, trying
them, oppressing them," Ms Lalo says, her eyes glistening. "They're not our
children. My country is doing so many wrongs and justifying them. We should be
an example, but we have become an oppressive state."

Child detention figures

7,000 [Figure corrected, with apologies for earlier production error.] The
estimated number of Palestinian children detained and prosecuted in Israeli
military courts since 2000, shows a report by Defence for Children International
Palestine (DCIP).

87 The percentage of children subjected to some form of physical violence while
in custody. About 91 per cent are also believed to be blindfolded at some point
during their detention.

12 The minimum age of criminal responsibility, as stipulated in the Military
Order 1651.

62 The percentage of children arrested between 12am and 5am.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Israel uses new methods of torture on Palestinians

By MOHAMMED MAR’I
Published: Aug 25, 2011 23:04 Updated: Aug 25, 2011 23:04

RAMALLAH: A Palestinian human rights organization on Thursday said Israel has
begun using new methods of physical and psychological torture against
Palestinian and Arab prisoners.

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article493753.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

East Jerusalem: 'They broke into the block like a swarm of ants' - videoThaer
Qirresh is a 14-year-old Palestinian living in the Muslim quarter of the Old
City in East Jerusalem. His family are the last Palestinian family left in the
block after a settler organisation purchased the lease and moved in

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/jun/08/israel-palestinian-old-city-se\
ttlers-english

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having faith in music
Posted on 6 October 2011 - 01:53pm
Last updated on 6 October 2011 - 01:58pm
Bissme S.
lifestyle@...

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/168191

WHILE Muslim fanatics slam western music as negative and immoral, an American
filmmaker, who is a Muslim convert, is attempting to put things in the correct
perspective as far as Islam and music are concerned in his documentary, Deen
Tight.

In this cutting-edge documentary by Mustafa Davis who hails from San Francisco,
various Muslim hip-hop artistes in the United States and the United Kingdom talk
about how they successfull overcame challenges and reconciled their faith as
Muslims with their western culture.

In a recent interview, Mustafa, 38, who was in Kuala Lumpur recently to screen
his documentary, shares his views on his work and other issues:

► On Deen Tight

“When I embraced Islam in 1996, I learned that music was a taboo practice for
Muslims. So I gave up listening to music and concentrated on studying my
religion.

“But I felt a void as my past had been shaped by the culture I grew up in, and
music and dance were a major part of that experience. Many of my peers had
similar experiences.

“I decided to round up some Muslim artistes who I knew were involved in hip
hop in some way. I wanted to explore this topic and really delve deep into the
psyche of these artistes who attempt to maintain a balance between their culture
and a faith that seemingly disapproves of it.

“As someone who has experienced this, I knew I’d be able to tell this story
from an intimate place. This was how Deen Tight came about.”

► On what motivated him to be a filmmaker

“I’ve always been a visual person. I see the world in frames. I wanted to be
a writer and tell stories. My stepfather was a photographer and I learned
photography from him when I was 13. In high school, I studied arts and
photography while in college, I studied photojournalism.

“When I discovered the video camera, I found it a combination of all the arts
I like – storytelling, writing, pictures and music. So filmmaking became a
natural choice for me to express myself.

“I put a lot of myself into my films. When my characters cry, I cry too. It
can be emotionally exhausting. Every time I finish making a film, I tell myself
that I’ll never make another. But I never keep to my word.”

► On Islam being the main focus of his documentaries

“I make documentaries on any topic that I find interesting. I’ve made a
documentary called One Heart Africa which focuses on orphans in Africa who have
AIDS and HIV. Those I interviewed were all Christians. Being a Muslim is just a
part of who I am. I am also a son, husband, father, friend, musician and a
citizen of the world.”

► On Islam restricting artistic expressions

“Some of the greatest artworks in the world were produced by Muslims. But
people who misunderstand Islam claim that Islam frowns upon art as a waste of
time. Look at the Blue Mosque in Turkey which happens to be one of the most
beautiful architectural structures in the world. The Taj Mahal in India was
conceived by a Muslim. Art has always been a part of Islamic traditions. So
Islam does encourage creativity.”

► On his Islamic journey

“I was 24 when I became a Muslim. I was born into a Catholic family but I was
only a Christian in name. I got caught up in a lot of negative influences. I was
tired of my lifestyle and wanted to be religious again.

“A friend of mine introduced me to Islam and spoke to me about Prophet
Muhammad. But I told him I would never be a Muslim.

“That night, I went to a bookstore to buy a copy of the Bible. I also decided
to check out a book on Prophet Muhammad and a copy of the Quran. I cried when I
read the Quran. Two days later, I converted to Islam.”

► On misconceptions about converts

“I spent 11 years studying Islam and I didn’t find anything that said that I
had to be an Arab to be a Muslim. In fact, when Prophet Muhammad met certain
tribes, he would speak in their mother tongue. He didn’t force them to speak
in his dialect. He would even dress the way they dressed. It goes to show that
the Prophet respected other cultures.

“I’ve learned that Islam is like a river and your culture is like the
riverbed. Islam just washes away the impurities. But your core culture remains.
There’s always a misconception that Islam and western culture cannot mix. If
this is true, then I don’t exist. I’m a convert. I’m an American Muslim.

“I shed a lot of tears and went through hardships in order to balance my
western culture and my Muslim faith. I know of American converts who have given
up Islam but I find that they still believe in the religion. It’s just that
they couldn’t take the pressure for them to be other than what they are.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turkish doctors call the tune with traditional musical cures
Istanbul hospital revives complementary therapy for a range of illnesses by
playing ancient Arabesque scales and patterns
Constanze Letsch in Istanbul
guardian.co.uk,  Sunday 28 August 2011 17.29 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/28/turkish-doctors-traditional-music-th\
erapy

Standing by the bed of a Cypriot patient who has just undergone vascular
surgery, Dr Bingür Sönmez consults a screen monitoring pulse and blood
pressure.

Then a colleague pulls out a flute and starts playing a popular Turkish tune.

If that appears an unusual approach to modern medicine, then it is. But
according to doctors at the reassuringly modern Memorial hospital in Istanbul,
it is producing results.

Here, Sönmez and his colleague, Dr Erol Can, are reviving traditional Islamic
music therapy, a form of medical treatment that is almost 1,000 years old.

And they are convinced that, if used as a complementary therapy, ancient
Arabesque scales and modes can produce significant psychological and
physiological outcomes.

Can, chief anaesthetist in the intensive care unit of the department, says that
he discovered music therapy when he worked in a Sofia hospital in his native
Bulgaria.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iraqi youth find new outlet in rap
By combining folklore with western-style beats, Iraqi youth have created their
own form of hip-hop music.
Last Modified: 13 Aug 2011 14:59

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/08/2011813115014740671.html

A new generation of Iraqis has found its own way of expressing despair and hope.

Hip-hop is proving to be a powerful medium of expression at a time when millions
of Iraqis are still struggling to return to normal life after years of war.

They have grown up in a war-torn country, but their songs talk of hope.

Jane Arraf reports from Baghdad.
[VIDEO]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islamic songs face myriad challenges in Arab world
By DAREEN GALAL | ARAB NEWS
Published: Aug 12, 2011 23:39 Updated: Aug 12, 2011 23:39

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article487655.ece

JEDDAH: Islamic songs of late have been gaining popularity among various
sections of society in the Arab world.

This is more evident by the tremendous response to video clips of songs by some
prominent Arab singers aired by satellite channels.

These singers can also draw packed audiences at various art and music festivals
across the world. Despite all these positive factors, Islamic songs are still
moving through a rough path, confronting various challenges and difficulties
that stand in the way of their fast growing popularity.

Arab News talked to a number of eminent Islamic singers, including renowned
artist Mousa Mustafa, who came to Jeddah to attend various programs and
festivals.

They spoke at length about the various elements of Islamic songs and the major
challenges facing this art form.

They also covered topics such as the production of video music albums, public
response toward Islamic songs, and the influence of modern technology and voice
modulation techniques in the production of albums.

“As Islamic artists, we face several hurdles while pursuing our career,”
said renowned Islamic singer from Iraq Muhammad Al-Ghazzawi.

“The major challenge I face is the difficulty in traveling to various
countries because of my nationality. The complications for travel procedures as
an Iraqi citizen have deprived me of golden chances to attend several major
international festivals held in various countries.”

He added that he also missed the opportunity to get to know the various forms of
Islamic art in those countries as well as meet personally with the local Islamic
singers and artists.

Osama Al-Safi, a singer from the UAE, said Islamic devotional songs have
triggered a controversy that threatens the art form.

“As far as video clips are concerned, their success depends on whether the
ideas match the songs and the location in addition to the type of cameras
used,” he said.

Regarding the public response toward the Islamic moral and religious songs
(Nasheed), a spokesman for the Saudi Innovation team said: “There has been a
growing response from the public to this art form even though it was not well
known in the music world. All sections of society, including elders and
youngsters, embrace this art form. Most of these singers use lyrics composed by
prominent Islamic poets and writers who deal with a number of major social
issues. They include lyrics by Ahmad Balghasoun, Salim Abdul Qader, Badar
Al-Abnawi and Ojlan Thabit.”

On the major challenges facing these artists, the spokesman said: “Most
television channels are not giving sufficient air time to this form of music.
There is also a shortage in the production of Islamic songs. Moreover, there is
no collective working strategy and a clear vision for the Islamic singers.”

He added that most of these singers do not have an academic background mainly
because of the absence of any specialized institutes for them. The team’s
first album “Mokhtalef” was a tremendous success and was second only to the
album “Dikrayat” by Moshari Al-Afasi in sales.

Echoing the same view, Ayman Halaj, a Jordanian artist, said the most important
hurdle they face concerns production. He said that it is very difficult to find
producers who share the artist’s vision.

Referring to modern techniques and voice modulation, Al-Safi said: “There are
two schools of thought with regard to the production of religious songs. One
prefers not to use any musical instruments while the second uses all available
means, including instruments. There is no doubt that modern technology would
enable artists to perform in the best possible way.”

He added, however, that there is no advantage to using musical instruments if
the talent was not there and that a natural performance is more enjoyable than
the one with embellishments.

Regarding interaction with production companies, Mousa Mustafa, an artist from
Syria, said: “As artists, we face difficulties in our dealings with production
companies. We tried to conclude agreements with companies such as Rotana, but to
no avail. They treat us as Islamic artists who are not popular in the circles of
music. Therefore, most often these companies commercialize our art and then
market them, or at least produce video albums out of our work.” He suggested
companies also fail to pay any royalties to the artists.

On his part, Turkish artist Masud Kortes is of the view that most video clips of
music albums aired by channels are worthless. People want original music and
songs that can impart in them guiding thoughts and provide them a pleasant
atmosphere with its sweet words, he added.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

US Islamic hip-hop act on 'diplomatic mission' in Indonesia
12 August 2011 Last updated at 05:13 Help

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14501200

American Islamic hip-hop group Native Deen are touring Indonesia on a
"diplomatic mission", to help spread tolerance and faith through music.

As the US scales down its presence in Iraq, Washington is keen to start focusing
on "soft" power, so that it can increase its influence in Muslim-dominated
countries.

Indonesia is a key ally of the US, and is the world's most populous Muslim
nation.

Karishma Vaswani reports.
[VIDEO]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jazz album by Pakistan music veterans storms western charts
Philanthropist Izzat Majeed's Sachal Orchestra pulls off unlikely musical coup
Declan Walsh in Lahore
guardian.co.uk,  Friday 5 August 2011 14.15 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/05/pakistan-musicians-top-western-chart\
s-jazz

The rich strains of eastern music have for centuries wafted across the rooftops
of old Lahore. Now you might hear something new: jazzy riffs and a bossa nova
beat.

An ensemble of veteran Pakistani musicians has pulled off an unlikely coup –
storming western charts with an innovative jazz album and prompting comparisons
with Buena Vista Social Club's rediscovery of a lost generation of Cuban
musicians.

The Sachal Studios Orchestra has captured imaginations with a cover of Dave
Brubeck's Take Five blending sweeping classical violins with sitars, tablas and
other eastern instruments.

The piece has brought praise from jazz greats – Brubeck, 90, says it is "the
most interesting" version of Take Five he's ever heard – and propelled the
orchestra's album towards the top of the iTunes jazz charts in the US and UK.
The album, which includes versions of The Girl from Ipanema, Misty and
Desafinado, reached the top 10 in both countries.

"I'm so excited," said Riaz Hussain, the 55-year-old violinist who arranged the
music. "I don't have words to express how I feel."

Recording at premises on the edge of Lahore's walled city, the 60-strong
orchestra mixes local legends with musicians recently enticed out of retirement,
some from lives of poverty. Few knew much about jazz before.

The project is the brainchild of Izzat Majeed, a millionaire philanthropist
based in London. Eight years ago Majeed built a state-of-the-art studio for the
orchestra: engineers from Abbey Road Studios provided technical advice, while
western session musicians were hired to play instruments unavailable in
Pakistan.

Although it cost more than $2m (£1.2m), his motive is music, not money. "To be
honest, I never really enjoyed business," said the 60-year-old, who made his
money in oil, gas and finance (he was involved in the $500m-plus sale of a
Pakistani bank in 2006). "But I truly love this." His creation draws on multiple
influences, from Lahore to Rio to New Orleans. And the buzz is building. The
song's video has attracted a flood of internet hits, an Oscar-nominated
Hollywood producer wants to make a documentary, and concerts are planned for the
UK and US this winter.

Majeed's wider goal is to rub fresh magic from an old lantern. Pakistan's
classical music scene was decimated in the 1980s, he said, when the dictator
General Zia-ul-Haq crushed the local film industry, known as Lollywood. Several
hundred musicians, employed to record film scores, lost their jobs. As the son
of a hobbyist film producer, Majeed felt the loss personally. "Demand just
collapsed after Zia," he said. "That guy dug the grave of Pakistan."

The cull forced many musicians into less lyrical trades, where they remained in
obscurity for decades. Majeed found his cello player running a tea stall; others
were selling clothes or electrical parts. Mubarak Ali, a shy 48-year-old
violinist, was selling vegetables from his bicycle, earning barely £2 a day.

Now Ali's life has been transformed. At his home – a cramped two-room dwelling
he shares with his wife, daughter and ailing 103-year-old mother – he lovingly
lifted his cloth-wrapped violin from a case on the shelf. Then he pointed to a
new fridge, DVD player and wooden bed. "Sachal paid for this, this and that," he
said. "God bless Sachal. And God bless Majeed sahib."

Although named after a Sufi poet, it hasn't always been harmonious at Sachal
studios. In the beginning, rival musicians competed ferociously against one
another, Majeed recalled. "They wouldn't let each other play," he said. And it
remains little known, even inside Pakistan. Pursuing music rather than
promotion, Majeed had done little to push the jazz album until a BBC interview
propelled it into the charts 10 days ago. "We haven't been very good at
marketing," he admitted.

The confidence boost is urgently needed. Although Brubeck, Duke Ellington and
other jazz legends performed in Pakistan in the 1950s, the turbulence of the
past decade has isolated local musicians. Foreign travel is difficult and at
home extremist violence has made concerts rare. So is growing conservatism –
some Sachal musicians said they dared not practise at home, fearing they could
offend pious neighbours.

Now success has brought fresh hope. "This is the first drop of rain," said
flautist Baqar Abbas. "It shows that Pakistan is not just a place of bomb and
suicide attacks." Ijaz "Balu" Khan, the orchestra's tabla player, said his dream
was "to play solo with the orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall".

Such high hopes, and the Buena Vista comparisons, may be difficult to live up
to; Majeed worries his musicians will not even get visas to leave Pakistan. But
a second album is already in the works. "I speak music, I hear music. And now I
want to live music," said irrepressible flautist Abbas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SYRIA

Killings pile pressure on Syria leader
October 9, 2011

http://www.smh.com.au/world/killings-pile-pressure-on-syria-leader-20111008-1leu\
c.html

DAMASCUS: A top Kurdish activist and 16 other people have been killed as
thousands rallied in support of a new opposition front, activists said, with
Washington calling on the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, to ''step down
now''.
The latest violence on Friday came as the Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev,
said Mr Assad will have to leave power if he fails to implement reforms
acceptable to the opposition, and Damascus again blamed ''terrorists'' for the
unrest.
Kurdish activist and opposition spokesman Meshaal Tamo, 53, was killed when four
masked gunmen stormed his house in Qamishli in the north and opened fire, also
wounding his son and another activist in the Kurdish Future Party, activists
said.

Mr Assad's regime is escalating its tactics against the opposition with bold,
daylight attacks on its leaders, the US State Department said.
''This is a clear escalation of regime tactics,'' State Department spokeswoman
Victoria Nuland said, referring to reports of Mr Tamo's murder, as well as the
beating on Friday of former MP Riad Seif.
Ms Nuland said both opposition leaders were attacked in daylight.
In a statement, White House spokesman Jay Carney condemned the attacks, saying
they showed ''again that the Assad regime's promises for dialogue and reform are
hollow''.
AFP
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syrian security forces 'fire on mourners'
Activists say at least 14 people killed in latest protests, including six at
funeral of prominent Kurdish activist.
Last Modified: 09 Oct 2011 04:46

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/10/2011108102053580831.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syria's protesters turn to Facebook to expose 'citizen spies'
Activists use the internet to find and unmask those they suspect of reporting
their neighbours to security forces
Annasofie Flamand and Hugh Macleod
guardian.co.uk,  Saturday 8 October 2011 23.35 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/09/syria-informers-protests-internet-fa\
cebook

A pair of eyes watched from a shop as a group of young men were chased down a
Damascus side street by security forces. Just in time, a resident opened his
door to hide them.

It was another Friday in Duma, a north-eastern suburb of the capital, where
courageous protests against President Bashar al-Assad's regime show no sign of
abating. But on this occasion things were about to go badly wrong for the
protesters. Within minutes, their pursuers had been directed by an informer to
the house where they were hiding. As some escaped to the roof of the
three-storey house and jumped to the adjacent building, Jihad Shalhoub, 43,
fell, grabbing a balcony banister on his way down.

A video supplied by activists to the international campaign group Avaaz captured
his fate. "Jihad tried to jump, but slipped," one of the three protesters chased
onto the roof told the Observer. "The security men threw stones down at Jihad
until he fell." That night he died in hospital of his injuries.

With international media banned from reporting inside Syria, the account was
given to the Observer in lengthy telephone interviews with local activists. They
said the death of Shalhoub was one of an increasing number of cases in which
citizen spies are playing a direct role in assisting the Assad regime's security
forces to crack down on pro-democracy protesters.

During nearly half a century of one-party rule, Syria's Ba'ath regime has
maintained its iron grip on a nation of 22 million people through a network of
civilian informers known as the awainiyya – the watchers.

From the man at the next table listening in on café conversations to the local
shopkeeper, taxi driver or estate agent, Syrian society is rife with those who
will inform on their fellow citizens. They do it primarily for money, said
activists and analysts, but also out of fear, or sometimes because they are true
believers in the ideology of the regime that Assad inherited from his father.

With the Ba'ath Party estimated at two million members, and with at least 16
branches of the security services, the numbers of awainiyya at work in Syria
could be in the tens of thousands.

As the uprising against Assad's regime approaches its eighth month, security
services are relying ever more heavily on their network of citizen spies to
suppress protests, activists said.

"They tell security about the movement of activists and protesters during
demonstrations," said Sami, one of the activist leaders in Duma. "When there are
campaigns of arrests, the informers lead security to the suspects' houses
wearing masks."

As the attempted revolution in Syria transforms power relations in one of the
world's last police states, protesters are using social media to fight back.
Facebook now hosts dozens of sites run by Syrian activists on which the names,
addresses and photos of suspected informers are posted.

Residents can use the sites to report a suspected awainiyya in their
neighbourhood and site administrators say they then monitor the suspect's
behaviour before outing them. One entry accused a resident of the city of
Latakia of "co-operating with security and informing on the men of the
revolution".

"He currently resides in al-Martqla, the street connecting the Omar ibn
al-Khattab. mosque and Sheikh Dahir, in front of Maher's sandwich shop. He hides
at home or in his car and records the names of young people."

The site gives precise details of the suspect's address.

Mohammad Abu Khalaf, the Duma shopkeeper who informed on Jihad Shalhoub,
suffered swift retribution. A witness in touch with the activist network
witnessed the whole incident. Sami said that Abu Khalaf's shop was destroyed and
he was beaten up. "He said: 'Please forgive me. May God forgive me, Don't beat
me,' said Sami. "Informers need to be punished. It's self-defence: we've seen
people taken from their houses who then die under torture in prison after having
been informed on."

In a report last month based on research by human rights staff inside Syria,
Avaaz said it believed more than 5,300 people had been killed since the uprising
began, roughly double the UN estimate and three times the regime's tally. Some
15,000 people are reported to have been held in prisons where Human Rights Watch
says torture is rampant.

But the targeting of suspected informers has raised concerns about vigilante
killings. "I'm against outing informers because they could be killed," said
Jawad, an activist with the 17 April Youth Movement for Democratic Change. "We
need to build our state. We have to depend on law in the future. We shouldn't do
what our regime did for decades."

One administrator of an awainiyya site in Homs, a major protest centre, insisted
no mistakes were made in outing informers, which he said included doctors,
nurses, shopkeepers and even members of the local football team. "We gather
information and confirm it," he said. "Sometimes we depend on leaks from the
police and security forces. We put them under surveillance, watch their moves,
who they meet with and we ask about them."

But some names on awainiyya sites appear to have been posted for ulterior
motives. One recent post from Hama claimed a individual had been targeted
unfairly and added: "I hope you will delete this person's name because most of
the people are pretty sure that his name was put on the list for personal
reasons."
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Horrific aftermath' of Syria clashes
Videos appear to show havoc following fighting between army and defectors in
Rastan.
Last Modified: 05 Oct 2011 18:14

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/10/2011105175513795505.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rights group: Syrian expats bullied by Mukhabarat
By D. Parvaz in
Middle East
on Tue, 2011-10-04 09:58.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/10/04/rights-group-syrian-expats-bul\
lied-mukhabarat

Amnesty International has just released a report on how Syrian security forces
are targeting expat Syrians who have spoken out against the Syrian government,
in hopes of silencing them.

The report, titled "Mukhabaraat: Violence and harassment against Syrians abroad
and their relatives back home" details just how far reaching the tentacles of
the regime are.

Even the parents of expat activists aren't spared. The report details how the
parents of one activist [his father is 73 years old, his mother 66] were beaten,
left bloody and bruised in Homs because he attended a pro-reform demonstration
in front of the White House.

The rights group details the Mukhabarat's activities in North America, Europe
and Latin America, documenting over 30 cases of expats being targeted by Syrian
security forces, who employ surveillance and open threats in an effort to
maintain control over anti-government activists living overseas:

Many have been filmed and orally intimidated while taking part in protests
outside Syrian embassies, while some have been threatened, including with death
threats, or physically attacked by individuals believed to be connected with the
Syrian regime.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syrian regime detains 3,000 in 3 days: activists

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article510970.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syria Forces Kill 10 Protesters as Dissidents Form Council to Unseat Assad
By Massoud A. Derhally - Oct 3, 2011 8:30 AM GMT

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-03/syria-forces-kill-10-protesters-as-diss\
idents-form-council-to-unseat-assad.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Dozens killed' in Syria protests
Activists say at least 30 people were killed after security forces opened fire
on anti-government protesters.
Last Modified: 01 Oct 2011 05:36

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119301527522457.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seven Syrian troops die as armed resistance emerges
By REUTERS
Published: Sep 30, 2011 06:43 Updated: Sep 30, 2011 06:56

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article509067.ece

AMMAN: Syria said on Friday that seven of its soldiers and police were killed in
an operation against terrorists in the central town of Rastan, where armed
resistance has emerged after months of mostly peaceful protests against
President Bashar Al-Assad.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ghosts in the mosques
Opposition to the Syrian regime runs deep, as women, children, and the elderly
take part in the resistance.
Nir Rosen Last Modified: 30 Sep 2011 07:26

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/09/201193063322274258.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Western states give way on UN Syria sanctions
New draft resolution drops demand for immediate sanctions against Damascus in
bid to gain Security Council support.
Last Modified: 28 Sep 2011 05:47

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119285034218812.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syria forces storm refuge for army defectors
By Khaled Yacoub Oweis
AMMAN | Tue Sep 27, 2011 3:48pm EDT

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/27/us-syria-idUSTRE78Q0LT20110927

(Reuters) - Syrian forces backed by tanks and helicopters stormed into the
central town of Rastan on Tuesday to crush army deserters who are fighting back
after months of mostly peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad,
residents said.

Undeterred by the crackdown, more deserters declared the formation of another
rebel military unit, of uncertain size, in the same area. And in a sign of
increasingly heavily armed opposition to Assad, people in the nearby city of
Homs said rebel soldiers hit a government tank with a rocket.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Online activists hack official Syrian sites
Several government websites defaced by Anonymous, as crackdown on protests in
Homs and elsewhere continues.
Last Modified: 26 Sep 2011 09:01

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201192644557937157.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turkey imposes arms embargo on Syria
"A Syrian-flagged ship already stopped" as part of sanctions announced by former
ally in response to Assad's crackdown.
Last Modified: 24 Sep 2011 07:11

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/09/201192452340948146.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More deaths in Syria as sanctions tighten
At least 12 people killed by security forces in post-prayer protests as EU steps
up sanctions against government.
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2011 18:07

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201192315225682432.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Father mourns son 'tortured in Syria'
Rights group say more than 100 children have died during crackdown, Al Jazeera
spoke to one man about his son's death.
Last Modified: 18 Sep 2011 18:07

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/2011918134955938766.html

Human rights groups say more than 100 children have been killed in the six
months since the crackdown on Syria's pro-democracy movement began.

Activists say one of the children killed by security forces was Tamer Al Shrei,
15, who was arrested on April 29.

His father, who found his body in a morgue more than a month later, will have
his testimony heard at the UN-backed Human Rights Commission in Geneva on
Monday.

Mohammed Al Shrei spoke exclusively to Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford about his
son's death.

WARNING: The report contains strong images which some viewers may find
disturbing.
[VIDEO]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi police open fire on civilians as protests gain momentum
Insecure Saudis crack down on freedom protest
By Patrick Cockburn
Wednesday, 5 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-police-open-fire-on-ci\
vilians-as-protests-gain-momentum-2365614.html

Pro-democracy protests which swept the Arab world earlier in the year have
erupted in eastern Saudi Arabia over the past three days, with police opening
fire with live rounds and many people injured, opposition activists say.

Saudi Arabia last night confirmed there had been fighting in the region and that
11 security personnel and three civilians had been injured in al-Qatif, a large
Shia city on the coast of Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province. The
opposition say that 24 men and three women were wounded on Monday night and
taken to al-Qatif hospital.

The Independent has been given exclusive details of how the protests developed
by local activists. They say unrest began on Sunday in al-Awamiyah, a Shia town
of about 25,000 people, when Saudi security forces arrested a 60-year-old man to
force his son – an activist – to give himself up.

Ahmad Al-Rayah, a spokesman for the Society for Development and Change, which is
based in the area, said that most of the civilians hit were wounded in heavy
firing by the security forces after 8pm on Monday. "A crowd was throwing stones
at a police station and when a local human rights activist named Fadel al-Mansaf
went into the station to talk to them and was arrested," he said.

Mr Rayah added that "there have been protests for democracy and civil rights
since February, but in the past the police fired into the air. This is the first
time they have fired live rounds directly into a crowd." He could not confirm if
anybody had been killed.

The Shia of Saudi Arabia, mostly concentrated in the Eastern Province, have long
complained of discrimination against them by the fundamentalist Sunni Saudi
monarchy. The Wahhabi variant of Islam, the dominant faith in Saudi Arabia,
holds Shia to be heretics who are not real Muslims.

The US, as the main ally of Saudi Arabia, is likely to be alarmed by the spread
of pro-democracy protests to the Kingdom and particularly to that part of it
which contains the largest oil reserves in the world. The Saudi Shia have been
angered at the crushing of the pro-democracy movement in Bahrain since March,
with many protesters jailed, tortured or killed, according Western human rights
organisations.

Hamza al-Hassan, an opponent of the Saudi government from Eastern Province
living in Britain, predicted that protests would spread to more cities. "I am
frightened when I see video film of events because most people in this region
have guns brought in over the years from Iraq and Yemen and will use them
[against government security men]," he said. He gave a slightly different
account of the start of the riots in al-Awamiyah, saying that two elderly men
had been arrested by the security forces, one of whom had a heart attack.

"Since September there has been a huge presence of Saudi security forces in
al-Qatif and all other Shia centres," he said. Al-Qatif was the scene of similar
protests in March, which were swiftly quashed by security forces.

The Saudi statement alleges that the recent protests were stirred up by an
unnamed foreign power, by which it invariably means Iran. The interior ministry
was quoted on Saudi television as saying that "a foreign country is trying to
undermine national security by inciting strife in al-Qatif". Saudi Arabia and
the Sunni monarchies of the western Gulf have traditionally blamed Iran for any
unrest by local Shia, but have never produced any evidence other than to point
at sympathetic treatment of the demonstrations on Iranian television.

The 20 doctors in Bahrain sentenced to up to 15 years in prison last week say
their interrogators tortured them repeatedly to force them to make false
confessions that Iran was behind the protests. The counter-revolution in Bahrain
was heralded by the arrival of a 1,500-strong Saudi-led military force, which is
still there.

Mr Rayah, who flew from Saudi Arabia to Beirut to be free to talk about the
protests, said: "People want a change and a new way of living." He said that, in
particular, they were demanding a constitution and a free assembly for the
Eastern Province. He also wanted the Society for Development and Change legally
registered.

Mr Hassan blamed the protests on the fact "that there has been no political
breakthrough".

"I am from the city of al-Safwa, which is very close to al-Awamiyah, and there
is very high unemployment in both," he said. Some 70 per cent of the Saudi
population is believed to be under 30 and many do not have jobs. "We were hoping
for municipal reforms and regional elections for years but we got nothing."

He said reforms reported in the Western media were meaningless and that only a
few Saudis had bothered to vote in the most recent local elections because local
councils had no power.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saudi woman 'spared lashing' in driving case
King Abdullah reportedly overturns a court order to whip a woman 10 times for
defying a ban on female drivers.
Last Modified: 28 Sep 2011 21:11

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201192820341050915.html

A Saudi government official has said that King Abdullah has overturned a court
verdict that sentenced a Saudi woman to be lashed 10 times for defying the
kingdom's ban on women driving.

The official spoke to the Associated Press news agency on Wednesday, but
declined to elaborate and spoke on condition of anonymity.

A day earlier, a Saudi court found Shaima Jastaina guilty of violating the
driving ban, and sentenced her to 10 lashes.

The verdict took Saudi women by surprise, coming just a day after Abdullah
announced that women would have the right to vote and run in the country's 2015
local elections.

Abdullah also promised to appoint women to a currently all-male advisory body
known as the Shura Council.

It was the first time a legal punishment had been handed down for breaking the
longtime ban in the conservative Muslim kingdom

...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saudi women given voting rights
King Abdullah says women will be allowed to run as candidates in municipal polls
and will even have a right to vote.
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2011 13:03

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/2011925124652136164.html

Saudi women will have the right to join the advisory Shura Council (consultative
assembly) as full members and participate in future municipal elections, King
Abdullah has said.

The announcement came days before municipal elections where women will be
excluded.

"Because we refuse to marginalise women in society in all roles that comply with
sharia, we have decided, after deliberation with our senior ulama [clerics] and
others ... to involve women in the Shura Council as members, starting from the
next term," Abdullah said on Sunday in a speech delivered to the Shura Council.

"Women will be able to run as candidates in the municipal election and will even
have a right to vote," Abdullah said.

Restrictions

The decision means women will take part in the elections to be held in four
years. Nominations for municipal polls on Thursday are already in.

Women in the ultra-conservative Gulf kingdom are not allowed to drive.

Activists in the country have long called for greater rights for women, who are
barred from travelling, working or having medical operations without the
permission of a male relative.

More than 5,000 men will compete in Thursday's municipal elections, only the
second in Saudi Arabia's history, to fill half the seats in the kingdom's 285
municipal councils. The other half are appointed by the government.

The first elections were held in 2005, but the government extended the existing
councils' term for two more years.

More than 60 Saudi intellectuals and activists have called for a boycott of the
ballot for excluding women.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia to give women right to vote - videoKing Abdullah, 87, announces a
'cautious reform' which will allow women the right to vote and stand for
election. The move has been welcomed as a cultural shift in conservative Islamic
society, but will not take effect until 2015. Many commentators in Saudi Arabia
said broader change was needed
guardian.co.uk, Monday 26 September 2011

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/sep/26/saudi-arabia-women-vote-video?\
newsfeed=true

Muslim Hijab Sparks New Islam-Related Controversy in Spain
by Soeren Kern
October 13, 2011 at 4:00 am

http://www.hudson-ny.org/2502/muslim-hijab-sparks-new-islam-related-controversy

A Muslim schoolgirl in Spain has been suspended from a public school in Madrid
after refusing to remove her Islamic headscarf during an exam.

The girl's parents have filed a lawsuit against the school and the incident has
reignited a long-running debate in Spain over the use of head-covering hijabs,
face-covering niqabs and body-covering burqas in public spaces.

The latest dustup occurred in late September when a teacher at the Enrique
Tierno Galván public school in Madrid asked the 14-year-old student to remove
her hijab (headscarf) during an exam.

The school has a policy that prohibits the wearing of head coverings,
particularly those that cover the ears, due to the increase in cases of students
who use electronic devices to cheat on tests. After the girl refused to comply
with the teacher's request, she was suspended from the school.

The lawyer representing the girl says the school's prohibition on head coverings
is illegal. He cites a regulation issued by the Spanish Ministry of Interior
which says head coverings are permissible as long as the individual in question
can be clearly identified. Since the student is easily identifiable, as she is
the only girl in school who wears a veil, the "matter is very clear," according
to the lawyer.

This is not the first veil-related controversy in Spain, where there are no
clear guidelines on the enforcement of dress codes. Such issues are normally
left to individual school boards to decide, but in some cases bans on Islamic
clothing have been overturned by the state, based on the argument that the
constitutional right to an education overrides a school's right to determine its
own policies.

The debate over Islamic head coverings first burst onto the national stage in
Spain in November 2009, when a Muslim lawyer named Zoubida Barik Edidi was
ejected from Spain's high court in Madrid for refusing to remove her headscarf.
The lawyer, a Spanish citizen of Moroccan origin, was attempting to defend a
client at a trial that was being held at the court.

In April 2010, 16-year-old Najwa Malha was banned from the Camilo José Cela
public school in the Madrid suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón after she refused to
remove her hijab, in violation of the school dress code. She was eventually
joined by three other Muslim girls who began wearing the hijab as a "gesture of
solidarity" with Malha.

In December 2008, a Muslim imam in Tarragona was arrested for attempting to
force a 31-year-old Moroccan woman named Fatima Ghailan to wear a hijab. The
local prosecutor had asked the judge to jail the imam and three others for five
years for harassment. But the imam was eventually cleared of all charges after
the Socialist mayor of the town said she wanted to prevent "a social conflict."

In October 2007, an eight-year-old Moroccan girl named Shaima Saidani was
suspended from the Joan Puigbert-Annexa public school in Girona for refusing to
remove her hijab in class. In that case, the regional government of Catalonia in
north-eastern Spain intervened by ordering the school to allow the girl to wear
the hijab on grounds that it would be discrimination not to do so.

The first Islamic veil-related incident in recent memory in Spain occurred in
February 2002, when Fátima Elidrisi, a 13-year-old Moroccan girl, was expelled
from the Roman Catholic grade school La Inmaculada Concepción in the town of
San Lorenzo de El Escorial for refusing to remove her hijab in school.

In July 2010, the Spanish Parliament rejected a proposal to ban the burqa in
public spaces. The proposal was presented by the center-right opposition Popular
Party (PP) "in defense of the dignity and equality of all women" and to make
sure Muslim women are not being forced by their husbands to become fully veiled.

"It is very difficult to understand how it is that our troops are defending
liberty in Afghanistan and the government does not have the courage to do so
here, in Spain," said the PP spokeswoman, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaria.

The ruling Socialist Party opposed the ban, arguing that it could force fully
veiled women into "a dual jail" situation: Either they go out in public and
break the law or stay at home and become isolated.

But PP leader Mariano Rajoy, who is widely expected to win the upcoming general
elections on November 20 by a landslide, has promised that if he becomes Spain's
next prime minister, he will implement a burqa ban similar to the one in France,
which took effect in April 2011.

In any event, more than a dozen local and regional governments across Spain have
already banned wearing the face veil in municipal buildings.

In May 2010, the Catalan town of Lérida (where 29,000 Muslims make up more than
20% of the population) became the first municipality in Spain to ban the burqa
in all public spaces. Women found violating the ban will be fined up to €600
($750).

The debate over Islamic clothing in Spain comes as immigration from Muslim
countries continues apace. Spain currently has a Muslim population of slightly
over 1 million, or about 2% of Spain's total population.

Although this percentage is smaller than in other European countries such as
France (7%), Holland (6%), Belgium (4%), Germany (4%) and Britain (3%), Spain
has experienced a ten-fold increase in the number of Muslim immigrants in just
20 years.

As recently as 1990, there were only an estimated 100,000 Muslims in Spain. Up
until the late 1980s, Spain was a net exporter of labor and there was very
little immigration to the country.

Instead, Spain was a transit country for North African immigrants on their way
to France and other European countries with significant and well-established
Muslim communities. But during the mid-1990s, Spain's traditional role as a
transit country became that of a host country for Muslim immigrants, especially
from Morocco.

Immigration, however, is only one reason for the increase in Spain's Muslim
population. Muslim fertility rates are more than double those of an aging native
Spanish population. Spain currently has a birth rate of around 1.4, which is far
below the 2.1 required for a population to replace itself. At the current rates,
demographers say the number of native Spaniards will be cut in half in about two
generations, while the Muslim population in Spain will quadruple during that
same period.

Some analysts say the rate of growth of Spain's Muslim population far exceeds
the rate of assimilation. And polls seem to support that claim.

According to a Pew Global Attitudes Survey, religion is central to the identity
of Muslims in Spain: nearly 70% identify themselves primarily as Muslim rather
than as Spanish. This level of Muslim identification in Spain is similar to
rates in Pakistan, Nigeria and Jordan, and even higher than levels in Egypt,
Turkey and Indonesia.

The Pew survey also shows that Muslim immigrants are viewed with suspicion by
Spanish society and that most Spaniards doubt that Muslims coming to Spain want
to adopt their national customs and way of life. Almost 70% of Spaniards say
that Muslims in Spain want to remain distinct from the larger society.

Almost 80% of the Spanish public sees Muslims as having a strong Islamic
identity. Among those in the Spanish general public who see Islamic identity on
the rise, 82% say it is a bad thing. Around 65% of Spaniards are somewhat or
very concerned about rising Islamic extremism in their country.

Adding fuel to the fire, a recent survey sponsored by the Spanish government
shows that less than half of Muslim immigrants in Spain can understand, speak
and read in Spanish without problems.

No wonder that many Spaniards view the hijab, the niqab and the burqa as an
Islamic challenge to the prevailing dress codes of secular society.

Soeren Kern is Senior Fellow for Transatlantic Relations at the Madrid-based
Grupo de Estudios Estratégicos / Strategic Studies Group. Follow him on
Facebook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maplewood woman could be first American Muslim to wear hijab while competing at
Olympics
Published: Friday, October 07, 2011, 6:30 AM     Updated: Friday, October 07,
2011, 12:49 PM

http://blog.nj.com/njv_barry_carter/2011/10/carter_maplewood_woman_could_b.html

Ibtihaj Muhammad jogs lightly across the second floor gym at the Manhattan
Fencing Center in New York. She’s warming up, eager to get some work in.
Ready! Fence!
Fencers are already on the strip, a narrow fighting lane, and they’re going at
it, the air filled with little razor-like hisses and whispers. Many are Olympic
hopefuls, like her, preparing for the World Championships Saturday in Italy. The
competition is another chance for Muhammad to earn qualifying points in her
quest to make the 2012 London Olympics in July.
"I don’t think I ever wanted anything so much," said Muhammad, 25, of
Maplewood. "I just want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to make this
Olympics."
When it’s her turn to spar, she slips the fencing mask over her hijab, the
headscarf Muslim women wear. In a room full of fencers, it’s the one thing
that makes her stand out. If she makes the Olympics, she’ll stand out even
more. Fencing officials believe Muhammad is likely to be the first American
Muslim woman wearing a hijab to compete at the games. The United States Olympic
Committee doesn’t track athletes by religion, but the demographic is something
Muhammad thinks about, knowing what an accomplishment it would be since few
Muslim women compete in sports.

"I didn’t have female Muslim role models to look up to in the athletic world,"
she said. "It’s really important for people to know my story. I think it’s
something I have to do, because I want Muslim female youth to believe they can
do something like this."
Muhammad is ranked number two in the United States and 13th in the world in
women’s sabre, a fencing style in which strikes are made above the waist with
any part of the weapon. Locally, she represents the Peter Westbrook Foundation
in New York City, training at the Fencers Club on West 28th Street, where she is
coached by Akhnaten Spencer-El, a 2000 Olympic fencer. Under him, she’s a
tactical, cerebral fighter who caught the fencing world off guard in 2009.
She won the U.S. national title that year, cracking the top 16 world rankings.
Last year, she won a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships and a
coveted spot on the U.S. women’s national team.
"She’s still young in the game and she’s only going to get better,"
Spencer-El said.
Back to the strip. She goes against a member of the U.S. men's national team,
then her teammate, Dagmara Wozniak of Avenel. You can hear the constant ping of
saber blades colliding. Everyone has cat-like footwork that is lickety-split
quick, calculating and aggressive. They duel back and forth trying to outsmart
each other, snapping their weapons at the wrist to score. The long electrical
wires attached to the edge of their fencing jackets register hits. All of them
look like puppets dancing on a string, lunging toward each other and their their
shot at gold.

Getting to Italy isn’t easy. Each country is allowed two spots for women’s
sabre and Muhammad and her teammates are the top four fencers in the U.S. The
best of them is two-time Olympian Mariel Zagunis of Oregon, and she’s number
one in the world.
Muhammad is unfazed. She trains daily, except for Sunday, running in the morning
before conditioning at a women’s gym. In the evening, she’s in New York City
fencing for four hours.
"I just keep going," she said. "I don’t want to get to a competition and lose
a bout, because I didn’t work out that extra hour."
You can see she’s super-competitive, hating to lose, constantly critiquing
herself. She’s all business for this once in lifetime shot, but Muhammad does
pause for what’s important.
The third of five siblings in an athletic family, Muhammad finds strength in her
faith. In August, she stayed focused through Ramadan, the annual Islamic month
of fasting during the day. But Muhammad wants no sympathy, saying her sacrifices
are not unlike anybody else’s. She kept hyrdrated, waking up every 90 minutes
at night to eat and drink. If she makes the team, Muhammad will be used to the
regimen since Ramadan next year falls during the Olympic competition.
It doesn’t matter at this point. Muhammad has come a long way in a career that
started when she was a high school freshman. She stumbled on the sport driving
past Columbia High School with her mother, who could see the team practicing
through the large cafeteria windows. Inayah Muhammad didn’t know what they
were doing but thought her daughter should try it because the uniform would
cover her body and that was suitable to Islam’s tenet of modesty for women.
"I had know idea it (fencing) would take us this far,’’ said her mom, a
Newark schoolteacher. "She’s so in love with the sport. I don’t think she
really understands how good she is.’’
Muhummad was an epee fencer with Columbia until her former coach, Frank
Mustilli, saw she was a better fit for sabre’s combative vein. At practice one
day, Mustilli said his mild mannered athlete got upset after she got hit hard
and lashed out.
"She showed me a little bit of fire. She screamed and attacked,’’ said
Mustilli, head of the New Jersey Fencing Alliance.
At Columbia, Muhammad also played softball and volleyball but was captain of two
state championship fencing teams before going to Duke University. She became a
three-time NCAA All-American, earning dual degrees in International Relations
and African-American studies with a minor in Arabic.

After graduation in 2007, her father, Shamsiddin Muhammad, said his daughter’s
passion for fencing did not wane. The family supports her financially and she
chipped in what she could last year as a substitute teacher at Shabazz High
School in Newark and fencing coach at Columbia.
"I know this is her dream and inspiration,’’ said her dad, a retired Newark
cop. "We believe that what is written is going to happen.’’
That belief helps her deal with distractions on this journey. At times she’s
wondered if her race or religion played a role in a judge scoring unfairly. When
traveling, she has been treated as a foreigner who can’t speak English, and
worse, she feels the stares that say terrorist.
In Belgium this year, security officials told her to leave the airport unless
she removed her hijab. Muhammad would not. Her mother interceded and there was a
compromise to have her head patted down. Muhammad said it’s frustrating making
others comfortable, but she’s not going to let "closeted views" derail her
purpose.
"If God wants me to succeed, no one can take it from me,’’ she said.
"That’s the way I approach it and I think that’s what keeps me sane and
grounded in this sport.’’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

French women fined for breaching veil ban
Paris court issues its first ruling on controversial new law passed in April
after parliamentary approval.
Last Modified: 22 Sep 2011 10:11

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/09/20119228042691399.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Scarf or hijab’ debate stirs Uzbekistan (AFP)

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/Oct\
ober/international_October456.xml§ion=international&col=

12 October 2011 TASHKENT — Was it a “traditional white scarf” or a hijab?
That is what rights groups in Uzbekistan would like to know from the state after
the secular Muslim republic issued its first reported dress code fine since
implementing a tough new law three years ago banning religious attire.
The female subject of the $345 fine was convicted by a court in the central
Syrdaria province in the former Soviet republic of wearing the hijab in public.

The Ezgulik (Kindness) rights group contends that the woman was wrapped in a
simple scarf worn by many in the Central Asian republic since its officially
atheist Soviet era.

“There are quite a number of disputes about the difference between a
traditional Uzbek scarf and a Muslim hijab,” Ezgulik head Vasila Inoyatova
told AFP.

“So we are asking for a clear official and expert definition of ‘worship
clothing’, on which we assume Syrdaria province court based its verdict, to be
made publicly available,” Inoyatova said.

Many older Uzbek women in this nation of 28 million wear one short scarf tied on
the back of their heads and a longer loose white scarf over it.

A scarf wound tightly under the neck that leaves an oval opening for the face is
a hijab — a Muslim dress religious clerics who follow state rules have
repeatedly urged the public to refrain from wearing.

Uzbekistan has tightly restricted religious expression as part of its official
campaign to thwart the dangers coming from Islamist militants and other radical
groups based in neighbouring Afghanistan and the Middle East.

But this crackdown and other reported rights violations have made Uzbekistan
into the focus of strong criticism from global watchdogs and governments.

The US State Department in its annual rights report last month said the Uzbek
“government continued to commit serious abuses of religious freedom in its
campaign against extremists or those participating in underground Islamic
activity.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hijab: An Insult to Unveiled Women?

http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-about-islam/society-and-family/status-of-wome\
n/167513-hijab-an-insult-to-unveiled-women.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islamists attack Tunisian university following niqab ban
Source: XINHUA  |   2011-10-7

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.asp?id=21248

TUNIS, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Four Islamist activists carrying knives and swords
attacked the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of Sousse, some 170 km from
the capital Tunis on Thursday, after the administration refused to enroll a
female student wearing a niqab (Islamic face veil), the official press agency
TAP reported.

Moncef Ben Abdeljelil, the dean of the faculty, said the attack created a
movement of panic among the students and teaching staff, causing the
interruption of classes. Later, a petition denouncing all forms of extremism was
circulated, TAP said.

Last month, the administration posted a note banning the enrolment of students
wearing Islamic face veils. Abdeljelil told a local radio, Jawhara FM, that the
attackers threatened to cut his throat if he didn't allow the student to enroll.
No one was hurt and the attackers were eventually forced out of the campus,
Jawhara FM said.

The incident comes 18 days before the holding of the country's election for the
Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution and running the
country for at least one year, before the holding of presidential and
legislative elections.

Recent survey polls place Ennahdha, the country's moderate Islamic party on top
of the parties, coalitions and independents running for the elections.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holland Bans Niqab in Public

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/453945-holland-bans-niqab-in-public.h\
tml

THE HAGUE – Once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, the Dutch government
has agreed a ban on Muslim women face-veil amid a punch of new restrictions on
immigrants, saying it flouts the Dutch way of live.

"A general ban on wearing face-restrictive clothing in public is on the way,"
the Interior Ministry said in a statement after a cabinet meeting, Agence France
Presse (AFP) reported on Friday, September 16.

"The proposed legislation will ban the wearing of face-covering clothing in the
Netherlands in public places including public buildings, educational
institutions, hospitals and public transport," it said in The Hague.

The ban will not be enforced on planes or for passengers in transit through the
Netherlands.

The new move by the Dutch government to impose a ban on the face-veil was seen
as a step forward to court the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) of anti-Islam
politician Geert Wilders.

The PVV is the third largest in parliament and provides crucial support to the
minority ruling coalition made up from liberal WD party and the Christian
Democrat party (CDA).

Although the deal saw Wilders’ party remain outside the government, it takes
in exchange for a tougher line by the government on Islam and immigration from
non-Western countries.

"The government believes the wearing of clothing that completely or almost
entirely covers the face is fundamentally at odds with public life, where people
are recognized by their faces," the government’s statement added.

"Face-covering clothing prevents this and goes against the principles of
equality between men and women, especially women."

The proposal will first be presented to the council of state, the administrative
court, and then to parliament.

"The sanction for the non-compliance to this ban will be a fine," the statement
said, without disclosing the amount.

Yet some expectations estimated the fine amount to reach a maximum of 380 euros.

With no timeframe given for the ban, Wilders, whose party has been calling for
such a ban since 2007, said earlier he hoped the burqa ban would be effective
possibly as soon as early 2012.

Religious Freedom

The government said it did not consider the ban on face-covering veils a
restriction of religious freedom.

It was "necessary and justified in the interest of protecting the character and
way of life in the Netherlands," the government claimed in its statement.

Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol
displaying one’s affiliations.

As for the face veil, the majority of Muslim scholars believe that a woman is
not obliged to cover her face or hands.

Scholars, however, believe that it is up to women to decide whether to take on
the face veil.

Along with the proposed face-veil ban, Prime Minister Mark Rutte also announced
tougher rules for immigrants and asylum-seekers wanting Dutch nationality.

The new restrictions would require immigrants to show they have earned income
and have not received financial assistance or benefits for at least three years.

Muslims make up one million of the Netherlands’s 16 million population, mostly
from Turkish and Moroccan origin.

According to Radio Netherlands, it is estimated that about 150 women in the
Netherlands wear niqab when they go out in public.

Amsterdam police chief Bernard Welten won applaud from Dutch Muslim earlier this
year when he said he will not order his officers to arrest or fine women wearing
a burqa even if the government introduced the ban on the outfit.

The wearing of niqab has become a sensitive topic across the European Union.

The garment, used by Muslim women, is already banned in France, Belgium and a
city in Spain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

France's burqa ban: women are 'effectively under house arrest'
Since France introduced its burqa ban in April there have been violent attacks
on women wearing the niqab and, this week, the first fines could be handed down.
But a legal challenge to this hard line may yet expose the French state as a
laughing stock

Angelique Chrisafis
guardian.co.uk,  Monday 19 September 2011 21.00 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/19/battle-for-the-burqa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Athletic, Muslim, Fashionable - a Tale of the Sports Hijab
Tala Hadavi | Montreal
August 25, 2011

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/religion/Athletic-Muslim-Fashionable---a-Tal\
e-of-the-Sports-Hijab-128404463.html

Female Muslim athletes who observe a strict Islamic dress code sometimes face
the question of whether they will be allowed to participate in major
competitions -- with their heads and most of their bodies covered.  Now, one
Iranian-Canadian woman is marketing a product to change that.  It complies with
the requirements of many major sports, and it’s fashionable, safe and
comfortable -- while still meeting Islamic requirements.
An Olympic hopeful faces a small obstacle
Seventeen-year-old Zeinab Hammoud has a brown belt in Taekwondo, and dreams of
one day making it to the Olympics.  But unlike her sister, Rana, Zeinab chooses
to wear the Islamic headscarf, or hijab.

This became a problem four years ago. The team’s hard work, passion and hopes
were dashed when the Taekwondo Federation of Quebec expelled them from a
tournament in 2007. The reason: their hijabs were considered unsafe. “I was
really disappointed because I trained really hard for that tournament. When I
found out we were expelled I lost all my motivation to continue,” Hammoud
said.

Civil rights supporters and sports enthusiasts around the world were enraged.
Elham Seyed Javad was one of them. “In my opinion every individual, no matter
their religion, should have the same rights as anyone else in society," he
stated. "I mean, sports was made to re-unite people."

Athletic fashion

Javad was an industrial design student at the time, so she decided to take on
the problem as one of her school projects. "At the time, in 2008, when I decided
to take on this project, the international federation of Taekwondo didn’t
allow its athletes to wear anything under the helmet. So my professor didn’t
think there was a point of pursuing it.  But my point was, the rule is there
because nothing has been invented that is appropriate," she explained.

Javad spent countless hours with the Hammoud sisters’ taekwondo team and with
pattern maker Latifa Boukenda, to make the best product possible. “This was a
very exciting project for me. I’ve worked in fashion for many years but this
was special because it was beyond fashion," she said. "It had a more human and
social aspect to it. helping young women blossom and follow their athletic
dreams."

Ultimately, they hit upon a design that worked, and a fabric that was stretchy,
breathable, and dried quickly.  Called a “ResportOn,” the garment was an
immediate hit.

Even Zeinab’s sister Rana, who chooses not to wear the hijab, was impressed.
“I just tried the Resport hijab and the hair was inside so it doesn’t come
out and it’s very comfortable so you can play without trying to put your hair
inside all the time,” she noted.

Rules reconsidered, changed

Javad’s invention came at an opportune time.  A year later, in response to
pressure from the taekwondo community, the World Taekwondo Federation changed
its rules to allow for head-coverings.

The Montreal Muslim Taekwondo team was able to compete again.

“I was in the stands and got teary-eyed because since the very beginning my
goal was to be able to see the girls on the mats again. When it happened it was
like someone gave me the world," Javad stated.

Javad thought she was just helping Zeinab and her teammates.  But when an
investor approached her about marketing the product, things changed
dramatically.  In January, her sports hijab became available to athletes all
over the world.  She has been busy ever since. “My days start at 2am when my
phone goes off with an email from an athlete from the other side of the world. I
turn it on and read the email, get happy and go back to sleep," she said.

While there are other sports hijabs on the market, Javad believes hers has some
advantages.  Those include a built-in t-shirt that keeps it from pulling loose,
and an opening at the back that allows easy access for wearers to adjust their
hair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Muslim women, wearing a veil isn't oppression
Article by: M. IMRAN HAYEE Updated: August 17, 2011 - 10:07 PM

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/otherviews/127972598.html

'It's a scorching day, aren't you feeling warm in this?"

These polite words touched our ears when my wife and I entered the grocery store
on one of the few hot summer days in Duluth. My wife was wearing a head scarf
and a loose outer garment over her regular clothes.

By far, she was well overdressed for the weather.

A pleasant conversation followed between my wife and the polite enquirer,
leaving behind a fundamental question echoing in our minds. What makes us choose
our dress?

Weather protection and comfort have affected human clothing choice since the
very beginning of life. But as life progressed toward civilization, humans have
used a variety of other factors such as economic, cultural and religious
considerations to choose what to wear.

Because my wife is a practicing Muslim woman, her decision to "overdress"
herself on that hot summer day was governed by her religious inclination.

Although the Qur'an tells both believing men and women to "lower their gaze and
guard their modesty," it advises Muslim women in particular that "they disclose
not their beauty except that which is apparent thereof, and that they draw their
head-coverings over their bosoms."

The spirit of a Muslim woman's dress code, commonly known as the veil, is to
protect her modesty by wearing such a dress that does not enhance her beauty
while in public.

Many cultural and social biases have influenced the interpretation of the
Islamic veil, resulting in a variety of types, ranging from a simple head scarf
to a full-body cloak with a small opening for eyes.

As much as the veil is common among many Muslim women, it is not necessarily
exclusive to Islam.

Many ancient civilizations and religions have required women to observe the veil
for the reasons similar to that of Islam. Early Judaic references portray the
veil as Jewish woman's esteem. During the Tannaitic period, failure of a Jewish
woman to cover her head was considered offensive to her modesty.

Similarly, the New Testament commands women to cover their heads out of modesty.
In the spirit of this Biblical injunction, the Vatican implemented the Code of
Canon Law of 1917, mandating a head covering for women during church services,
but repealed it in 1983.

The most revered woman in Christianity, the Virgin Mary, is often depicted with
a head scarf and a loose outer cloak. In today's modern world, most Christian
women don't necessarily follow suit, but Christian nuns throughout the world
continue to dress like the Virgin Mary even today.

While most ancient religions have a common stance on the veil, it is only Islam
which has kept up with the tradition. The Qur'anic injunction about the veil is
a self-imposed mandate for Muslim women.

Still, allegations abound that Islam confines women to their homes and denies
them the right to education, work and economic freedom. These allegations are
further strengthened by prevailing traditions and laws in some of today's Muslim
countries.

In Saudi Arabia, for instance, women can neither drive nor go out alone without
the company of a male relative. In Afghanistan, women are often beaten and
maltreated both in public as well as in private, and are forcefully forbidden to
go to school.

Does Islam really warrant this discriminatory and cruel treatment of women?

Islam offers an egalitarian beginning of human life as the Qur'an declares, "He
has created you from a single soul," and pronounces husbands and wives to be
"garments for each other," providing protection and comfort to each other.

The prophet Mohammed once told his companions, "The best among you is the one
who treats his wife the best."

Islam has never been the motive behind the discriminatory and cruel
gender-related practices. The real driving force behind these practices must be
rooted in the traditional system of patriarchal societies in which men have held
sway over means of production and political power.

The Qur'an does hold men responsible for providing for their families but does
not restrict women from being productive in society.

In fact, it supports the idea that women can excel men in certain arenas of life
by stating, "And covet not that whereby Allah has made some of you excel others.
Men shall have a share of which they have earned and women a share of that which
they have earned."

A true Muslim man would never create a hindrance to a woman's way up nor be
jealous of her should she achieve a certain distinction and talent. I am very
proud of my wife's many contributions toward our family and community at large.

Hot weather or cold, the veil is a Muslim woman's distinction and does not
hinder her progress in any field of life. Next time, when you see a woman
"overdressed," you'll know why!


M. Imran Hayee is a professor of electrical engineering at the University of
Minnesota Duluth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Muslim women shop for modest clothing in steamy summer

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in-a-steamy-summer-muslim-women-sh\
op-for-ways-to-bare-little/2011/07/11/gIQAxghD5I_story.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Italy edges closer to 'burqa ban' law
Parliamentary commission approves law that would ban public wearing of any
material of "ethnic origins" if passed.
Last Modified: 03 Aug 2011 07:25

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/08/20118345935493136.html

An Italian parliamentary commission has approved a draft law that would ban
women from wearing veils that cover their faces in public, if passed by
parliament in September.

The draft approved by the constitutional affairs commission on Tuesday would
prohibit women from wearing a burqa, niqab or any other garb that covers the
face in such circumstances.

It would expand a decades-old law that for security reasons prohibits people
from wearing face-covering items such as masks in public places.

Women who violate the ban would face fines of $140 to $400, while third parties
who force women to cover their faces in public would be fined $42,000 and face
up to 12 months in jail.

Italy, an overwhelmingly Catholic country with a small Muslim minority, is the
latest European country to act against the burqa. France and Belgium have banned
the wearing of burqa-style Islamic dress in public, as has a city in Spain. The
Belgium law cited security concerns.

The Italian law was sponsored by Souad Sbai, a Moroccan-born member of Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservative Freedom People party, who said she
wanted to help Muslim women better integrate into Italian society.

Ban 'unjust'

"Five years ago, no one wore the burqa [in Italy]. Today, there is always more.
We have to help women get out of this segregation ... to get out of this
submission," Sbai said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press news
agency.

"I want to speak for those who don't have a voice, who don't have the strength
to yell and say, 'I am not doing well'."

According to some estimates, 3,000 women in Italy cover their faces with veils,
she said, adding that many of them are forced to do so.

However, the spokesman of an Islamic group said banning the Islamic veil "is
unjust and touches individual liberty".

"This topic continues to be a sort of criminalisation and media dramatisation.
In Italy, there aren't even 100 women who wear the niqab, and not even one who
wears the burqa,'' Roberto Hamza Piccard, spokesman for the Union of Islamic
Communities in Italy, was quoted by the news agency ANSA as saying.

He said such a ban would isolate devout Muslim women, who would not be able to
leave their homes.

ANSA said the main opposition party voted against the law. The draft will be
forwarded after the summer recess to parliament, where Berlusconi's governing
coalition has a narrow majority.

The preliminary approval was welcomed by lawmaker Barbara Saltamartini,
vice-president of the Freedom People party caucus in the lower house.

"Final approval will put an end to the suffering of many women who are often
forced to wear the burqa or niqab, which annihilates their dignity and gets in
the way of integration," Saltamartini said in a statement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Muslim women work out religiously
By MARY SANCHEZ
The Kansas City Star
Posted on Sun, Jul. 31, 2011 11:00 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/07/31/3048991/muslim-women-work-out-religiously.h\
tml


You have to get past what’s strikingly different about Mariam Nawas to grasp
how similar she is to other young women her age.

Drive through downtown in the early evening and you might see the 22-year-old
running. She’ll be the one gutting it up the Gillham Road hill near Crown
Center or striding down Grand Boulevard, Cake or Third Eye Blind blasting on her
iPod.

The approximately six-mile run would be grueling for many people. But with her
head covered in a hijab, her arms in a long-sleeve T-shirt and her legs in
warmup pants?

In this summer’s heat?

“It’s a release,” the fifth-year medical student said. “It’s a part of
my day that I look the most forward to.”

And her attire? She acknowledges it’s a bit of an added challenge in the
recent 100-degree weather, pavement steamed all day by the sun. But having grown
up Muslim, she can’t imagine what it would feel like to run less encumbered.

In some ways, it frees her. She’s certainly not overly concerned with how her
body appears to others.

Nawas is just one of a group of athletic Kansas City area young Muslim women who
wear the hijab and what they term “modest” dress — long sleeves and pants
or long skirts.

But now it’s Ramadan, a month of fasting from sunrise to sunset, so their
workouts will be curbed for a while. Too much fear of dehydration, as even water
is forbidden during the daily fast.

But otherwise they’re adamant about their health and highly aware of common
assumptions about the hijab and their religion.

“There is nothing that I have been stopped from doing because of my faith or
how I dress,” Nawas said.

She attended public schools in her hometown of St. Louis and was encouraged by
her parents to be active. Her goal is a marathon.

Several of the women are new to athleticism. They completed “Couch to 5K”
training last fall and had their first race on Thanksgiving. Now they run
together around the Plaza area and Loose Park.

But they’re not immune to the slippery way body image corrodes so many young
women’s self-esteem — who is viewed as pudgy, images of what’s beautiful.

Just because other people see little of their specific shape — no Lycra
stretch pants, skinny jeans or plunging necklines — it doesn’t mean they
always feel positive about their bodies.

Nadine Abu-Jubara remembers being out of shape in college, going to the gym in
bulky workout clothes and being sensitive to the more physically fit “cute
sorority girls” using equipment nearby.

“I already felt self-conscious, and it was hard to work out alone,” she
said.

After graduation, she dedicated herself to changing her eating habits and
exercise. She lost 65 pounds. And she found herself surrounded by Muslim women
at social gatherings, all eager to learn how she dropped the pounds and
brightened her self-outlook.

“We don’t have to be bikini-ready every summer,” the 23-year-old laughed.
“But you should be healthy.”

Islam, with words against being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol, helps
with the messaging. Abu-Jubara mixes in an upbeat “girl power” demeanor and
a penchant for hot pink.

It’s the color of logos, wristbands and clothing for a nonprofit she founded
called Nadoona. The group focuses on helping Muslim women get fit. The motto:
“Changing the world, one calorie at a time!”

She’s in Kansas City temporarily but has extended family here. A civil
engineer from Orlando, she is working on a road project.

Her cousin, Mariam Saifan of Overland Park, drew Nadoona’s cartoon logo, a
smiling, covered Muslim woman standing on a scale, her arms held upward in a
V-for-victory stance.

“But it’s not about impressing others,” Abu-Jubara stresses. “It’s how
you feel about yourself.”

Considering the backlash against Islam, a healthy self-esteem can be complicated
to maintain, far beyond just body image.

Most of the women are hyperaware of the unnecessary anti-Shariah laws proposed
in the U.S. and the anger generated by a proposal for a mosque near ground zero
in New York.

Yet for the most part, the young women said they don’t feel much outright
discrimination in Kansas City.

In nonpublic venues, they might not cover while exercising, such as during the
Zumba class Abu-Jubara leads at a south Kansas City martial arts studio.

Hijabs and long sleeves are shed for the hour of dancing to Shakira,
K’naan’s “Wavin’ Flag,” and other songs.

But the transformation back happens quickly. With a few deft movements, each
recovers herself.

They exchange hugs and air-smack kisses. Then everyone is out the door,
energized, if a bit sweaty.

To reach Mary Sanchez, call 816-234-4752 or send email to msanchez@....

BAHRAIN

Bahrain: Dying to live
Thousands mourn the killing of a teenager on Friday amid growing outrage over
continued government crackdown.
Reporter in Bahrain Last Modified: 09 Oct 2011 14:33

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/inpictures/2011/10/2011109114313571407.html

Thousands of Bahrainis came out to mourn the killing of 16-year-old Ahmed Jaber
al-Qattan on Friday, October 9. Bahraini police sealed off roads and prevented
people from attending the funeral in the Abu Saiba area where the funeral was
held, and where the boy had been killed the previous night.

Local rights advocates say that al-Qattan was hit with bird shot fired by riot
police from close range. On Friday, the Ministry of Information in Bahrain
confirmed his death by bird shot after earlier claiming cardiac arrest as the
cause of death.

Nightly anti-government protests in many of the country's predominantly Shia
villages have been increasing in recent weeks. Protesters told Al Jazeera they
are outraged at the recent sentencing of more than 200 people to lengthy jail
terms in military courts, and the government's refusal to offer any real
reforms.

"We're protesting today for the same reasons as we were on February 14 [the date
when the uprising movement first began]," one activist told Al Jazeera.

These photographs were taken by Al Jazeera's correspondent in Bahrain, who is
unnamed for his safety. You can read "48 hours in Sanabis", his report on the
protests, by clicking here, and the accompanying photo gallery here.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lengthy jail terms for Bahrain protesters
Thirty-six people given prison sentences of between 15 and 25 years for taking
part in anti-government rallies.
Last Modified: 03 Oct 2011 12:21

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/10/2011103104321505207.html

Thirty-six people in Bahrain have been given prison sentences of between 15 and
25 years in three separate cases for taking part in anti-government protests
earlier this year.

Matar Matar, a former opposition legislator with the Shia party al-Wefaq, told
Al Jazeera that 14 of the convicted had been sentenced to life, meaning they
face 25 years in prison.

Prosecutor Yusof Fleifel, quoted by BNA state news agency, said the 14 were
convicted of beating to death a Pakistani "with a terrorist aim", as well as
"assembling for riots".

Another 15 were sentenced to 15 years in jail after being found guilty of
attempting to murder military personnel, in addition to taking part in protests
and vandalism at Bahrain University in Manama, BNA said.

The third case involved seven university students, six of whom were jailed 15
years, while another was sentenced to 18 years, over charges including attempted
murder targeting several people at the university.

The three groups were sentenced by the National Safety Court, a special security
court set up following a mid-March clampdown on the Shia-led protests.

Medics sentenced

Last week, doctors and nurses accused of aiding demonstrators were also given
prison terms. They have vowed to appeal their sentences later this month.

"A session has been set for October 23 to look into the appeals," chief
prosecutor Abdulrahman al-Sayyed said in a statement carried by the official BNA
news agency.

The National Safety Court had sentenced 20 doctors, nurses and paramedics to
jail terms of between five to 15 years.

"The judgement in these cases is not final ... all the defendants can appeal the
court's judgement," Sayyed said.

Since the March crackdown, several groups of defendants - doctors, activists,
and opposition figures alike - have been tried in the quasi-military court.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bahrain: Breathing in the dark
The village of Sanabis, located on the outskirts of Manama, has become a
battleground against government forces.
Reporter in Bahrain Last Modified: 29 Sep 2011 12:35

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/inpictures/2011/09/2011928124022149701.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bahrain medical staff sentenced over protests
Thirteen doctors and nurses who treated anti-government protesters given 15-year
jail terms for crimes against state.
Last Modified: 29 Sep 2011 09:44

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119298364868205.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Power struggle deepens divisions among Bahraini royal family
Police suspended for torture reinstated as hardliners seek to marginalise their
'liberal' prince
By Patrick Cockburn
Tuesday, 27 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/power-struggle-deepens-divis\
ions-among-bahraini-royal-family-2361462.html

Senior Bahraini police officers suspended for torturing detainees are being
swiftly reinstated in a sign of a growing struggle for power within the
al-Khalifa royal family over the extent of the repression to be used against
pro-democracy protesters.

In addition, 90 Jordanian officers, serving in the Bahraini police force and
alleged to have mistreated prisoners, are having their contracts terminated and
are being sent back to Jordan, opposition sources have told The Independent.
They say it is not clear if this is to purge the security forces of the worst
offenders or to get rid of witnesses to the wholesale use of torture when the
government crushed the Arab Awakening movement in Bahrain in March.

Increasing divisions within the Sunni royal family are becoming more blatant as
statements by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa aimed at conciliating the majority
Shia community are not followed up by action. Though he told state and private
companies to reinstate the 2,500 employees sacked for taking part in
pro-democracy protests, many have been unable to get their old jobs back.

The government's actions are also contradictory. Earlier this month it suspended
several senior police officers, some of them members of the al-Khalifa ruling
family, after they were accused of being implicated in torturing prisoners. One
officer held an important position at Riffa police station, notorious for the
use of torture, and another was a section chief of the CID. Demonstrations by
Sunni in Riffa in favour of the suspended officers were followed by the
immediate reinstatement of at least one of the men.

The hardliners in the royal family are led by the army commander, Khalifa bin
Ahmed, and his brother, the Royal Court Minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed. They
were once at odds with the Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman, who has
held his job for 40 years since the British left in 1971, but they closed ranks
when the Arab Awakening started in February in Bahrain, sparked by pro-democracy
uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

The largely peaceful demonstrations centred on Pearl Square in the middle of the
Bahraini capital Manama, but the government reacted as if it was facing an armed
insurrection. A Saudi-led military force crossed the causeway from Saudi Arabia
to Bahrain in the middle of March and a brutal crackdown followed with mass
arrests and use of torture. Forensic experts brought in by an investigating
commission verified that 63 detainees had been so severely mistreated that marks
of torture were still visible three or four months later.

The hardliners in the royal family, supported by Saudi Arabia, have sought to
marginalise Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad, seen as the most liberal royal.
Before the March crackdown he sought to work out an agreement with al-Wifaq, the
main opposition party. Since then he, along with King Hamad, has lost much of
his authority.

The government crackdown was accompanied by the state media launching an
anti-Shia campaign, claiming, without any evidence, that Iran had fomented armed
rebellion against the al-Khalifa dynasty. Sectarian hatreds increased, leading
to Sunni-run private companies and state organisations refusing to re-employ
sacked Shia employees despite the King's order.

Mohammed Sadiq of Justice for Bahrain says that among those sacked who have not
been re-employed are 24 Shia journalists, working on Al-Ayam newspaper, who were
fired on 16 March. Some 402 workers at Aluminium Bahrain (almost all Shia) were
sacked and only 50 have been re-employed though they have had to sign new
employment contracts whereby they lose all annual leave and sickness benefits.

The continuing repression has not returned stability to Bahrain and is not
likely to do so. There are nightly protests in Shia districts with the police
using rubber bullets and stun grenades. Occasional deaths of protesters enrage
the Shia community. Particular fury was caused by the death of Ali Jawad
al-Sheikh, 14, apparently killed by a tear gas grenade fired at point-blank
range.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


IRAN

Obama insists U.S. claims over Iran plot to assassinate Saudi envoy valid
Agence France-Presse October 14, 2011

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Obama+insists+claims+over+Iran+plot+assassinate+\
Saudi+envoy+valid/5549194/story.html

U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday there was no dispute about the facts
of a U.S. claim to have thwarted a plot by elements of the Iranian government to
kill the Saudi envoy to Washington.

"Now those facts are there for all to see," Obama said at a joint press
conference with the South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

"We would not be bringing forward a case unless we knew exactly how to support
all the allegations that are contained in the indictment," Obama said, adding
there would be no dispute about what happened.

Obama said his government had contacted its allies and laid the facts before
them after the discovery of the alleged plot.

"We believe that after people have analyzed them, there will not be a dispute
that this is in fact what happened.

"This is not just a dangerous escalation, this is part of a pattern of dangerous
and reckless behaviour by the Iranian government."? -

© Copyright (c) The Province
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iran's alleged Mexican hitman was US drugs informant
Zeta cartel 'assassin' hired for $1.5m attack on Saudi ambassador to Washington
revealed plot to DEA
Jo Tuckman in Mexico City
guardian.co.uk,  Wednesday 12 October 2011 19.18 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/12/iran-mexico-drug-informant-hitman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iranian assassins tied to notorious Quds force
By REUTERS AND JPOST.COM STAFF
10/15/2011 11:50

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=241805

Wire transfers, phone conversations, face-to-face meetings link man who hired
under-cover agent and Quds Force commander, his cousin.

US Federal authorities accuse Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri, who
officials describe as a "case officer" for the Quds Force, with plotting to
assassinate the Saudi ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir.

Court papers indicate that some of Arbabsiar's conversations discussing the
alleged plot with the government informant were recorded. The documents also say
that after his arrest Arbabsiar confessed to the plot, and disclosed that one of
his cousins in Iran, whom US officials identified as Abdul Reza Shahlai, was a
high-ranking Quds Force official.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi jailed for 11 years
Deputy head of human rights organisation, who became ill after being detained by
security officials, convicted by court in Tehran
Saeed Kamali Dehghan
guardian.co.uk,  Wednesday 28 September 2011 11.31 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/28/iranian-activist-narges-mohammadi-ja\
iled

A prominent Iranian human rights activist who was taken seriously ill after
being detained by the authorities has been sentenced to 11 years in jail.

Narges Mohammadi, 39, the deputy head of Iran's Defenders of Human Rights Centre
(DHRC), a rights organisation presided over by the Nobel peace laureate Shirin
Ebadi, was picked up last year by security officials who raided her house in
middle of the night without a warrant for her arrest.

She was taken to Tehran's Evin prison where she was kept in solitary confinement
but was released after a month and taken to hospital.

Mohammadi, a mother of two and winner of the 2009 Alexander Langer award for her
human rights activities, has since developed an undiagnosed epilepsy-like
disease which causes her to lose control over her muscles temporarily during the
day.

It emerged on Tuesday that a court in Tehran has now convicted her on three
charges: acting against the national security, membership of the DHRC and
propaganda against the regime, for which she has received an 11-year sentence in
total.

"I'm not involved in politics, I'm only a human rights activist," Mohammadi said
by phone from Tehran. "I was informed of the 11-year sentence through my
lawyers, who were given an unprecedented 23-page judgment issued by the court in
which they repeatedly likened my human rights activities to attempts to topple
the regime."

Mohammadi, who is also a member of Iran's National Peace Council, said she would
appeal against the sentence.

In March, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, a US-based
non-governmental organisation, reported that security forces had stolen
Mohammadi's medical records from the hospital. Her husband, Taghi Rahmani, a
political activist, has spent a third of his life in jail.

Ebadi said Mohammadi's conviction showed Iran's judiciary was manipulated by
intelligence and security officials.

"Whilst in jail, Mohammadi was threatened by her interrogator that she would be
given at least 10 years if she did not cease her activities and now we see that
the interrogator's prediction has come true," she said.

The British Foreign Office called on the Iranian government to overturn her
"harsh" sentence . "[Her conviction] is another sad example of the Iranian
authorities' attempts to silence brave human rights defenders," the FCO said.
"She has done nothing but work for a human rights NGO under difficult
circumstances to fight for the legitimate rights of the Iranian people."

Amnesty International also reacted with outrage to Mohammadi's conviction. "The
verdict claims that Narges Mohammadi is a liar and has tarnished the image of
Iran," said Drewery Dyke, Amnesty's researcher on Iran. "However, this latest
verdict regrettably does exactly that by showing what Iran's judiciary thinks of
the government's so-called commitment to uphold human rights in the country and
indeed exactly how it deals with those advocating international human rights
standards."

According to Amnesty, Mohammadi has campaigned for an end to death penalty for
those convicted under the age of 18, for which she has long been targeted by the
authorities.

Other human rights activists in Iran have also been sentenced to lengthy prison
terms, including women's rights activist Shiva Nazar Ahari and lawyer Nasrin
Sotoudeh, whose 11-year sentence was reduced to six years in an appeals court
two weeks ago.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


JORDAN

Thousands protest in Jordan against corruption
By ABDUL JALIL MUSTAFA
Published: Oct 7, 2011 22:38 Updated: Oct 7, 2011 22:38

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article513447.ece

AMMAN: Thousands of Jordanians took to the streets in Amman and several other
cities on Friday to push their demand for the downfall of Prime Minister Marouf
Bakhit’s government, saying it had failed to deal with corruption and adopt
political reform.

More than 2,000 activists demonstrated outside the Grand Husseini Mosque in
central Amman under the slogan ”Political Reform Our Path for Eradication of
Corruption”.

The demonstration was led by former Prime Minister Ahmed Obeidat, chairman of
the National Front for Reform, and prominent members of the Muslim Brotherhood
movement and its political arm, the Islamic Action Front (IAF).

They chanted slogans calling for “reform of the regime,” the resignation of
the government and the dissolution of both houses of Parliament.

The protesters expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to adopt
meaningful political reforms and to deal satisfactorily with the corrupt.

Addressing the rally, Obeidat said that the constitutional amendments recently
adopted by the Parliament and approved by King Abdallah “did not live up to
the aspirations of the people.”

“We want reforms that ensure fairness of the election process and prevent all
forms of interventions,” he added, referring to charges that the security
authorities in the country sought to obstruct reform.

Obeidat pledged that his front “will stand firmly in face of corruption and
all conspiracies being forged against Jordan.”

Similar demonstrations were reported in the cities of Karka, Tafileh, Maan,
Jerash and Salt.

In the city of Irbid, 80 km north of Amman, police used teargas to end clashes
between pro-reform demonstrators and government loyalists, witnesses said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


UAE

Families plea for release of UAE activists
Joint appeal calls for Emirati authorities to halt activists' trial and release
them, rights group says.
Last Modified: 09 Oct 2011 07:32

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/10/201110941315993555.html

The families of five activists who are due back in court in the United Arab
Emirates on charges of insulting senior officials have made a joint plea for
their release, according to a leading human rights organisation.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Sunday that the families of the activists sent
a letter to the president and vice-president of the UAE, as well as to the crown
prince of Abu Dhabi, contending that the judiciary, prosecution, and prison
officials had violated 20 human rights standards in their treatment of the
accused.

These violations include the requirements for a speedy and fair trial, the
presumption of innocence, the right of appeal, and the right to carry out
adequate questioning of prosecution witnesses and to prepare and present a
proper defence.

Rights groups, including the New York-based group HRW, have said that the trial
has been marked by serious procedural flaws and has violated the most basic
defence rights of the accused.

'Miscarriage of justice'

"Every moment that these men spend behind bars simply for exercising their right
to free speech is a miscarriage of justice," Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East
director at HRW, said on Sunday.

"The real insult to the Emirati government is not anything these men said, but
the fact that the country's leaders have jailed them for it."

The five activists, Ahmed Mansoor, an engineer and blogger, Nasser bin Ghaith,
an economist, university lecturer at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi and advocate for
political reform, and online activists Fahad Salim Dalk, Ahmed Abdul-Khaleq, and
Hassan Ali al-Khamis, were arrested in April and charged under article 176 of
the penal code, which makes it a crime to publicly insult senior officials.

Some of the activists had signed a petition in March calling for political
reforms, including direct elections and broadening the powers of the ineffective
UAE legislature, the Federal National Council (FNC).

Mansoor faces additional charges of inciting others to break the law, calling
for an election boycott, and calling for demonstrations. In March, shortly
before his arrest, he publicly supported a petition signed by more than 130
people advocating universal, direct elections for the FNC, and legislative
powers for the council.

The UAE attorney general said at the time they were being held on suspicion of
"committing crimes of instigation, breaking laws and perpetrating acts that pose
a threat to state security, undermining the public order, opposing the
government system, and insulting the president, the vice-president, and the
crown prince of Abu Dhabi".

The families say that when the authorities arrested the men, they were held
incommunicado for days without access to a lawyer or their families. They say
that the authorities have done nothing to stop a campaign of intimidation,
including death threats, against the defendants and one of their lawyers.

According to HRW, the authorities closed the first four hearings of the trial to
the public, journalists, international observers, and the families of the
accused, without any explanation.

"On multiple occasions, the court has either denied or failed to rule on motions
to release the defendants on bail, even though none of the defendants are
charged with a violent offence, and the authorities have not suggested that the
defendants pose a flight risk," said the organisation in a statement on Sunday.

"The authorities have not investigated the threats against the families and the
defendants or prosecuted those responsible."

On October 1, a statement from bin Ghaith was leaked from al-Wathba prison,
declaring that he and the other defendants would boycott the October 2 hearing
because the court was a "farce and facade meant to legitimise and make credible
verdicts and penalties that may have already been decided".

"It is purely an attempt to punish me and those with me for our political
opinions and our stances on certain national issues. Thus, I refuse to play the
role written for me or to participate in this trial."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


LIBYA

Libya war reaches endgame with 100 loyalists left fighting
Sirte stronghold edges close to falling with pro-Gaddafi troops stranded as
rebels prepare to declare total victory
Peter Beaumont in Sirte
guardian.co.uk,  Thursday 13 October 2011 20.23 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/13/libya-war-endgame-loyalists-sirte

The two men are singing in the back of a pick-up truck, sitting on the rails,
their legs resting on a blanket that seems oddly lumpy. Sticking out from
beneath it are two pairs of feet, one bare, one wearing socks. They are the feet
of two pro-Gaddafi fighters killed in the fighting in the coastal city of Sirte.

Thursday was a day of deaths on both sides. Government forces trying to enter
the last pocket of Sirte held by pro-Gaddafi fighters were bogged down in a
narrow street flooded with sewage and water.

Sirte is an unremarkable town, its importance inflated by the fact that the
deposed Libyan leader was born nearby and counts its main tribe among his
staunchest supporters.

But its fate is now being keenly watched around the world. The rebel government
in Tripoli has declared – as UK foreign secretary William Hague told MPs in
London – that its fall will mean the liberation of the entire country and
trigger the start of a political process to build a new democracy.

A street corner where, on Wednesday, it had been possible to walk and stare into
a narrow canyon of shattered buildings, was at the centre of the battle. Instead
of walking, one had to crawl as the pockets of defenders fired RPGs into
buildings and at cars.

In response government fighters pulled back a little and brought in tanks,
placing them on a low, grassy rise crowned with a shattered white pavilion, from
where they could blast directly into the rooftop positions, setting fires,
nibbling away at the concrete, filling the air with noise and dust.

For the pro-Gaddafi fighters it is a hopeless situation. There is nowhere to go
except further into an area of the city 750 metres wide by 500 metres deep that
runs along the coast from the television station – with its pair of wrecked
and punctured dishes – to the edge of District Two, overlooked by the pavilion
and its sagging roof.

The choices faced by Gaddafi's loyalists are stark: to fight on and end up dead
under a blanket like the men in the pick-up truck, or to come out, as one
fighter in uniform did on Thursday morning.

"You see that captive?" asked Ismail Taweel, a middle-aged fighter from the
Harbus Katiba, a unit famous in Libya from the siege of Misrata, most of whose
colleagues are in the desert near Bani Walid. He indicated a burly, bearded man
with a face bruised from beating, crying with fear.

"I want to ask him how many of them are left. I've just come from speaking to
another captive. A Sudanese. He said there were few left and most were wearing
green uniforms. We're fighting the real soldiers now, not the mercenaries. He
said some were trying to escape."

"They have one and a half square kilometres at most," explained Dr Salah
al-Obeidi, a commander from Benghazi who was a dentist before the war. "There
are a hundred fighters, maybe a little more, holding us up. That is all."

Others put the number at 200. "They are finished. All they can do is surrender.
There has been no attempt to negotiate with them," Obeidi said. "We don't
negotiate with terrorists. We hear them talking on their radios. Talking about
'rats' and killing infidels." Obeidi had a sheep in the back of his truck, ready
to be slaughtered for the victory feast. When victory finally comes.

On the roof of an unfinished building with a yellow water tank on top and the
green flag of the Gaddafi troops, muzzle flashes were visible. Later the tanks
tried to land their shells on top of it.

Matthew VanDyke, the film-maker turned fighter who spent months in a Gaddafi
jail, was at the front again on Thursday. "I was at the opening of the street
yesterday fighting in my vehicle. Then we forced them back to the last buildings
in the street, but now they have moved forward to the middle of the street
again. The water comes up to the running boards. It is thigh deep when you go in
and you can see the bullets hitting it.

"A lot of the Gaddafi fighters have slipped out with the families escaping –
guys you see of military age."

The Gaddafi forces left in Sirte cannot break out: there is no one to join. They
cannot retake a town vast areas of which are now under government control.

Why they fight on seems baffling to many of those facing them in these last days
and hours of the battle for Sirte and indeed the war for Libya.

As evening approached the dynamic of the stalled fighting seemed to change. An
advance by government forces through an area of houses on the coast pushed from
east to west beyond a tall aerial. Out of sight beyond a flooded series of
streets it was possible to measure the progress only by smoke and by the sounds
of the truck-mounted anti-aircraft guns and the explosions of tank fire and the
recoilless rifles moving – it appeared – inexorably into the pocket.

This is a battle that the government fighters now cannot lose. The only question
is how many more must die before their victory is complete.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi 'being tracked by satellite'
Senior official says NTC knows fugitive former Libyan leader's whereabouts in
southern desert, as Sirte fighting rages.
Last Modified: 14 Oct 2011 12:08

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/10/201110140613310311.html

Libya's National Transitional Council says that Muammar Gaddafi, the country's
toppled leader, is in the southern desert region of the country, and that it is
only a matter of time before he is captured.

Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, the vice-chairman of the NTC, told Al Jazeera on Thursday
that satellites have been tracking the former Libyan leader south of Sabha.

"We have confirmed reports that Gaddafi is in the southern Libyan desert. He's
not staying in one place. He is moving around with a small convoy which consists
of his closest aides and bodyguards," he said.

Ghoga added that the fighters' priority is currently to take full control of
Sirte, Gaddafi's hometown and one of the last places still contested between the
NTC and Gaddafi loyalists.

"Once the liberation of Sirte has been achieved – our fighters will track down
Gaddafi himself."

Battle for Sirte rages

NTC commanders have moved up tanks into the ousted leader's hometown to fire at
buildings from close range to try to dislodge the remaining snipers loyal to
Gaddafi who are now surrounded on all sides in one small part of the city.

Die-hard loyalists to the deposed leader have not given up the fight, answering
NTC attacks in the city with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. An
NTC commander said Gaddafi's besieged forces were no longer using heavier
weapons.

Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, reporting from the frontline in Sirte said that he
felt it was just a matter of time before Sirte falls into the hands of the
revolutionary forces.

He said that while positions had not moved in the past 24 hours, anti-Gaddafi
forces had been pinned down by heavy return of fire from the pro-Gaddafi forces.

"As some people have said, they are not fighting for Gaddafi any more, they are
fighting for their own lives."

Birtley said however that there is nowhere left for the pro-Gaddafi forces to
run. He said that anti-Gaddafi forces were also getting frustrated.

"This is the day, Friday, that they expected it all to be over. It's not...The
fall of Sirte will mean to these people, people all over Libya that this war is
over."

Earlier, on Thursday, Khaled Alteir, a field commander in Sirte, had said, "We
have control of the whole of the city except neighbourhood 'Number Two' where
the Gaddafi forces are surrounded," .

"This operation is on its dying breath," said another commander, Colonel
Mohammad Aghfeer.

The siege of Sirte, which began after the capital Tripoli fell to the NTC two
months ago, has held up Libya's transition to normality as the country's new
leaders say they will only start building a democratic system after the city is
captured.

Green flags, the banner of Gaddafi's 42-year rule, still fly above many
buildings in Sirte, but, another NTC commander said, the defending forces appear
to have lost their cohesion.

"We've noticed now they are fighting every man for himself," said Baloun Al
Sharie, a field commander. "We tried to tell them it's enough and to give
themselves up, but they would not."

NTC officers say Gaddafi loyalists fear reprisals if they give themselves up.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libya: Sirte battle flushes out pro-Gaddafi fighters
Once-feared fighters are revealed as frightened ordinary men, who now want only
to survive by surrendering, or hiding

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/11/libya-sirte-battle-gaddafi-fighters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi loyalists fight on in Sirte
NTC fighters say they are still facing heavy resistance in battle for control of
toppled Libyan leader's home city.
Last Modified: 08 Oct 2011 15:08

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/20111088476847633.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libya's 'revolutionary Jew' returns to restore Tripoli synagogue
David Gerbi has secured permission from new rulers to begin the project and
wants to promote tolerance in a new Libya
Associated Press in Tripoli
guardian.co.uk,  Monday 3 October 2011 11.00 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/03/libyas-revolutionary-jew-restore-syn\
agogue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Residents flee Sirte during lull in fighting
NTC announces 48-hour suspension in fighting, allowing many to escape shortages
and insecurity in Gaddafi's hometown.
Last Modified: 03 Oct 2011 05:40

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/2011102153940712965.html

Hundreds of residents of Sirte are fleeing the coastal town after the National
Transitional Council (NTC) announced a 48-hour suspension in fighting to capture
toppled leader Muammar Gaddafi's hometown.

A long queue of cars jammed the roads leading out of Sirte on Sunday as
civilians sought to escape a worsening humanitarian situation in the town.

Residents fleeing the town of around 100,000 say that those still trapped inside
are running low on food and supplies, enduring NTC and NATO shelling as well as
intimidation from forces loyal to Gaddafi who are trying to prevent some people
from leaving.

NTC fighters in Sirte told the Reuters news agency that NATO planes had dropped
flyers urging civilians to flee the fighting.

Fighting has continued in Sirte, despite NTC commanders claiming for more than
two weeks that they are on the verge of wresting control of one of Gaddafi's
last remaining strongholds.

Last week, the NTC's defence ministry said that Sirte's port, airport and
military base were all under the control of its forces.

On Saturday, aid workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) who entered the town to deliver supplies could not visit the main Ibn
Sina Hospital because of shooting.

One family of four was killed by a rocket strike on Saturday while trying to
leave, Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reported on Sunday.

"One nurse escaping with her family this morning said that medical staff
couldn't reach [Ibn Sina] hospital and couldn't perform operations," she said.
"Residents say conditions are dire and people are dying simply because they
don't have any basic medical supplies."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libyans run gauntlet of bullets to escape Sirte
By Rania El Gamal
SIRTE, Libya | Mon Oct 3, 2011 3:20am EDT

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/03/us-libya-sirte-families-repeat-idUSTRE\
7920PN20111003

(Reuters) - Ali Ramadan's family were on the move for 10 days, dodging artillery
fire and sleeping in the open, before they were finally able to get out of the
besieged Libyan city of Sirte.

The city on the Mediterranean coast is the birth place of Muammar Gaddafi and is
at the center of a battle for control between diehard fighters loyal to Libya's
deposed leader and forces with the National Transitional Council (NTC), the
country's new rulers.

Ramadan and his family, and thousands of civilians like them, are caught in the
middle and having to use all their determination and ingenuity to escape.

"It was my sick mother and father who made me get out of Sirte," Ramadan said at
a checkpoint on the eastern edge of the city.

"Look at my father, he is a sick man, how can I take care of him like that," Ali
said, pointing at his father's amputated leg and showing the scars on his side
from a kidney operation.

It was early in the morning when Ali decided to leave Sirte with his two elderly
parents, his sister, his daughters and their families.

Right after dawn is the best time for families to flee because then, residents
who escaped say, the chance of being shot by snipers or hit by a rocket is not
so great.

Ramadan and his extended family took whatever they could grab from their houses
and drove off in a convoy of cars.

The only food they took with them was bread, dates, and water because, with
supply routes into the city cut off, that was all that was available.

The distance to the edge of Sirte and safety is only a few kilometers, but the
next part of the journey would take them 10 days.

Ramadan and his relatives described how, once they set out from their homes to
reach safety, they would drive a short distance, then have to stop and seek
shelter because the fighting was drawing closer to them.

"When the bombardment started, we went to a ranch. We moved from one place to
another. When the bombardment comes we go to another place. We kept moving from
one place to another. We even slept on the beach," said Ramadan's sister, Umm
Baki.

MALNUTRITION

They knew the journey out of Sirte would be risky, but she said they had no
choice but to leave.

Power has been cut off in Sirte and shops have been shuttered for weeks. Many
residents said they survived on whatever they stored before the siege as prices
of foodstuffs soared. Clean water, medicine and petrol were scarce.

"There was a lot of bombardment, it scared the kids and we could not leave the
house. We had little food, sometimes we ate dates, sometimes we made bread,
that's all," said Umm Baki.

"Look at the kids' faces, they had diarrhea and were sick because of the water
and lack of food," she said, while three of her children poked their tired faces
from the car's window.

"We could not find milk for my daughter, we gave her water and sugar. We got
back from the hospital after they gave her medicine for malnutrition," she said,
as her 13-month-old daughter slept on her lap.

Adel Mahdi Khalil made the journey out of Sirte six days ago with his wife and
four children.

"Every time we try to leave ... they (Gaddafi fighters) stop us and tell us
there is fighting outside and we cannot go out now," he said near Sirte.

"We lived in eight different places and left all our clothes and stuff in the
car, so we are ready to jump in the car and leave immediately when the rebels
arrive," he said.

He escaped, but his parents are still in the city, trapped in an area controlled
by Gaddafi loyalists.

"Every day I come here and ask if anyone saw them, but no one knows them. They
are still inside and cannot leave," he said.

(Editing by Christian Lowe and Sophie Hares)

China turns to its Muslims to tap the West Asian halal food market
YINCHUAN (NINGXIA), September 24, 2011

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2482006.ece

When Chinese officials discovered a business opportunity in the fast-growing
West Asian halal food market, they turned to Wang Meng, who prefers to introduce
himself as “Sayyid” when he meets foreigners.

Twelve years ago, Mr. Wang, who is from China's Hui Muslim minority group,
founded a halal food company in Beijing to cater to the city's Muslim community.

In a country where pork is the dominant meat — consumed in every restaurant
and found on most dinner tables — Mr. Wang felt there was a crying need for a
brand of food that ensured the strictest quality control. A brand, he said, that
Chinese Muslims could trust.

“As a Muslim, I wanted to do something for my community,” Mr. Wang said.
“So I started this business, from the heart.”

Today, Mr. Wang's Xiangjuzhai Foods Group is one of Beijing's biggest halal food
suppliers, and has been approached by the government to play a role in its
ambitious plan to build a dominant halal foods export industry to cater to West
Asian markets.

With the support of the government, Mr. Wang's company will, next year, begin
exporting its halal products to West Asian countries, Malaysia and Indonesia, at
competitive prices that traders say will challenge dominant halal exporters
around the world, including those from Brazil and India.

China's growing halal trade is only one part of a wider push to expand ties with
the Arab world beyond oil, which makes up a bulk of the trade now. China is
dependent on the region for its growing energy needs, importing 55 per cent of
its oil.

This week, China launched its biggest effort yet to tap West Asian markets in
Yinchuan, the fast-growing capital city of Ningxia, a dry desert land home to
the Hui. Ningxia, where two million Hui Muslims live, making up a third of the
population, is being developed into a “strategic centre” for China's West
Asian trade push. The government is looking to leverage the region's religious
and historical connections to the Arab world — Huis descended from Muslim
traders who travelled to China on the Silk Road — to boost trade ties.

At a China-Arab States trade fair in Yinchuan this week, the government sought
Arab investment in the construction of a $300-million industrial park, four
five-star hotels and a number of infrastructure projects listed in its Five-Year
Plan, announced earlier this year.

China's plans, in the food processing sector for example, will have an impact
beyond the region. Mr. Wang said Ningxia was in the process of setting up a
halal certification system — with Malaysian help, to boost its credibility —
and had received the support of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. According to
the local government, nearly 10,000 companies are now involved in Ningxia's
$3.7-billion halal food and Muslim products industry.

Mr. Wang, of the Xiangjuzhai food company, said Ningxia's preferential policies
for “Muslim products” had led him to invest in a factory near Yinchuan. With
government support, low investment costs and huge infrastructure investments in
Ningxia's processing centres, companies like his, according to many traders at
the fair, will pose a serious challenge to the Brazilian, Australian and Indian
players who dominte the halal foods market.

At this week's fair, he said, a number of Malaysian and Indonesian investors had
expressed interest in his halal products, from traditional Chinese mooncakes to
bread. Mr. Wang will also visit India later this year, to meet with potential
trading partners.

“The halal market in China is growing every year,” he said, pointing to
rising consumption and a fast-growing middle class. “But our focus from
now,” he added, “will be overseas.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

China shows off its migration schemes
By Sebastien Blanc (AFP) – 3 days ago

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5in-31fVSYy49977Qs16FtGZ8jBMg?\
docId=CNG.c3cb7941fae6115905c295b2d52f78af.951
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reporting from the Far West
By Melissa Chan in
Asia
on Fri, 2011-09-16 15:35.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/asia/2011/09/16/reporting-far-west

With our Al Jazeera crew, I visited a part of China that borders Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Pakistan, and is populated by a Muslim Turkic ethnic minority
known as the Uighurs.

Several decades ago, Uighurs constituted 90 per cent of the population in this
area.

But China's economic development has changed Xinjiang's demographics, with
Beijing's encouragement that more of the country's majority, the Han Chinese,
settle in the region.

Today, about 40 to 45 per cent of the people of Xinjiang are Uighurs. The
majority has become the minority.

While human migration has been as old as the existence of humans themselves, and
almost inevitable, China's policies to settle the Far West have been criticised.

Violence directed at the Han Chinese newcomers flared in the 1990s, and once
again in recent years.

The Chinese government has claimed that Xinjiang's latest attacks have been
masterminded by terrorists trained from jihadist camps in Pakistan, but even
looking past recent events, 2009 saw ethnic violence spill onto the streets of
Urumqi as ordinary residents, Han versus Uighur, pitted themselves against each
other in a battle that left almost 200 dead.

It has been under these circumstances that our team traveled across Xinjiang.

Viewers may notice an insufficient representation of Uighur voices in our
stories.

On the one hand, there are about an equal number of Han Chinese now living in
Xinjiang as Uighurs, and their voices should be included.

On the other hand, we were followed by plainclothes officers for the entire
duration of our trip as we hopped from Urumqi, to Kashgar, to Hotan.

As many as seven or eight men in two vehicles would follow the team from a
distance of 300 metres behind.

At almost no point were we ever prevented from carrying out our work, but it did
not seem wise to approach Uighurs and ask them questions, either.

In one instance, we were approached by a curious local. A Uighur blacksmith
peddling knives wrought with intricate designs came up to speak to us.

After about a one-minute conversation, I excused myself. Some 30 seconds later,
he was pulled aside by plainclothes police officers and questioned about the
contents of our conversation.

We were not entirely unwelcome. The foreign affairs offices in both Urumqi and
Kashgar assisted us as much as they could and said we were welcome to report
freely in Xinjiang as far as they were concerned.

The Kashgar office helped with the proper introductions to visit the dairy farm
which you can see in my report here.

The openness of certain departments within the government against the
restrictiveness of others should be instructional for Chinese officials if they
care about how international media organisations cover the country.

Our access to the dairy farm was informative, and I was able to report the
encouraging fact that the majority of workers there were ethnic Uighurs: proof
that at least in some instances, the investments the country has made in
Xinjiang have directly benefited the ethnic minority.

For the rest of our trip, we were disadvantaged by the fact that we had no
Uighur-language translator.

One had been hired, only to be dragged to the police station the night before
our team's arrival. Interrogated and threatened, he opted out of working for us.

Therefore we could not ask any questions examining the migration issue, the
possible sense of identity lost on the part of Uighurs, the feelings locals may
have about their loss of their homogeneity in the region, or perhaps their
ambivalence about the money pouring into the area.

We could not report by asking questions, so we reported as best we could by
observation.

In our stories, you will see old alleyways compared to new, gleaming structures.
You will see paved highways where there were once dirt roads. Yet, you will also
see an entire population of people, voiceless in our pieces.

In Hotan, we finally had the chance to speak to some Uighurs. There, Uighurs are
still the majority, at above 95 per cent of the population.

  The cars that had been following us for 300 metres every step of the way
stopped short of driving down the banks to the river, and out of shot of the
highway and behind boulders, we spent some time with Uighur jade diggers.

Without a translator, nothing was communicated, except through smiles and nods.

One of the men sang us a song in their unfamiliar language. I managed to copy
down one of their mobile phone numbers, and later asked the receptionist at our
hotel to ring the number up in the evening.

No trouble had come to the group for spending time with us, and I rest assured
that even our pursuers saw no harm in speaking to humble jade diggers.

[video]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

China court sentences four Uighur men to death
Men convicted over violence in Kashgar and Hotan during the summer which
resulted in 32 deaths, says Chinese government
Reuters
guardian.co.uk,  Thursday 15 September 2011 08.19 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/15/china-court-uighurs-death-penalty

Four people have been sentenced to death by courts in China's western region of
Xinjiang, over violence in two cities during the summer which left 32 people
dead, a government website said.

The Chinese government blamed the incidents in Kashgar and Hotan – both in the
majority Uighur southern part of Xinjiang – on religious extremists and
separatists who want to establish an independent state called East Turkestan.

Many Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim people native to Xinjiang, resent Chinese
rule and controls on their religion, culture and language.

The courts in the two cities found the four, who all had Uighur names, to be
guilty of crimes including involvement in terrorism, arson and murder, the
Xinjiang government website said.

"Both cases were heard in open courts in accordance with the law, with
representatives from all walks of life attending," the report said. "During the
trial, the accused … confessed everything."

But the Germany-based exile group the World Uyghur Congress said the four had
been tortured while in detention and were given only very limited access to
lawyers.

"The so-called open trial is a special type of Chinese political swindle," a
spokesman, Dilxat Raxit, said in an emailed statement.

The incidents were the worst violence Xinjiang has experienced since 2009 riots
in regional capital, Urumqi, when clashes between Han Chinese and Uighurs killed
nearly 200 people, many of them Han.

Xinjiang is strategically vital to China and Beijing has shown no sign of
loosening its grip on the territory, which accounts for one-sixth of China's
land mass and holds rich deposits of oil and gas and borders Afghanistan,
Pakistan, India and Central Asia.

Beijing, wary of instability and the threat to the Communist Party's grip on
power, often blames what it calls violent separatist groups in Xinjiang for
attacks on police or other government targets.

It says they work with al-Qaida or central Asian militants, though experts doubt
the extent of those contacts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disparity fuels ethnic tensions in China
Minorities, such as the Uighurs in Xinjiang, feel they are not seeing the
benefits of country's economic growth.
Last Modified: 14 Sep 2011 10:30

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2011/09/201191493016501901.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chinese Uighurs' economic fears
Amid ethnic tensions, minority regards modernisation plans in Xinjiang as
favouring Han Chinese migrants.
Last Modified: 15 Sep 2011 09:18

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia/2011/09/20119158016969449.html

[VIDEO]
China's minority Uighur community, the majority of whom live in the northeastern
autonomous region of Xinjiang, fear they could be left isolated by Chinese
government plans to modernise and develop the region economically.

This region is the country's largest natural gas-producing areas but as Al
Jazeera's Melissa Chang reports from Kashgar, it is also one of the poorest.

The Uighurs, a Muslim Turkic ethnic group who have long complained they are
victims of government discrimination and repression, say China's declaration of
Kashgar, a city in Xinjiang, as a Special Economic Zone, will probably benefit
the country's predominant Han Chinese at their expense.

They say their jobs and land are under threat as a consequence of a massive
influx of Han Chinese migrants.

Meanwhile, courts in Xinjiang have sentenced four Uighurs to death on Tuesday
for their role in violence that left 32 dead in July, the regional government
said in a statement on its official website.

The government blamed so-called religious separatists for "terrorism, arson and
murder" in the region's cities of Kashgar and Hotan. It also said they aim to
establish an independent state called East Turkestan.

But the World Uighur Congress, a Germany-based exile group, said the convicted
had been tortured while in detention and were given only very limited access to
lawyers.

"The so-called open trial is a special type of Chinese political swindle,"
Dilxat Raxit, spokesman of the group, said in an statement.

Geoff Crothall, a researcher at the China Labour Bulletin, a rights group, said
social problems and ethnic tensions in the region would probably escalate as the
government implements new economic projects there.

"If you just look at the population figures of Xinjiang, only two million people
there actually have a residency card, while about 12 million others are just
migrant workers," he told Al Jazeera.

"The Uighurs, the indigenous group in Kashgar, are going to be subject to a
flood of Han Chinese as well.

"Because it's always the Han Chinese migrant workers who build the new office
buildings, new factories, and that is clearly going to create further tension in
the future."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Militant Muslim group says it carried out western China attacks
Video purportedly made by Turkistan Islamic party claims responsibility for
violent spree, which left dozens dead
Associated Press in Beijing
guardian.co.uk,  Thursday 8 September 2011 10.43 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/08/militant-muslim-western-china-attack\
s

A militant Muslim group has released a video claiming responsibility for recent
attacks in western China that killed at least three dozen people, a US group
that monitors such organisations said.

The video was purportedly made by the Turkistan Islamic party, which seeks
independence for China's western Xinjiang region, the Site Intelligence Group
said. The militants are believed to be based in Pakistan, where security experts
say core members have received training from al-Qaida.

Xinjiang is home to largely Muslim ethnic Uighurs who say an influx of China's
majority Han to the region has led to their marginalisation. The region erupted
in violence two years ago with ethnic riots in which at least 197 people were
killed.

Since then security in the region has been stepped up, but that was not enough
to prevent violence in the cities of Hotan and Kashgar in July that left dozens
dead in a spree of slashings, arson and hit-and-run attacks.

The more than 10-minute long video, released in late August, features Turkistan
Islamic party leader Abdul Shakoor Damla, whose face is blotted out, saying the
attacks were revenge against the Chinese government.

Ben Venzke, of the Washington-based IntelCenter, another agency that monitors
militant groups, said the group had threatened to attack the Beijing Olympics in
2008 and should be taken seriously.

"Their profile has been heightened since threats made during the Olympics and
videos have shown us that they have even received recognition from senior
al-Qaida leaders recognising their presence in China," Venzke said.

In 2008, the party released videos claiming responsibility for several bus
bombings in China and warned Muslims to stay away from any place Han Chinese
were, including buses, planes, buildings and trains.

"TIP is a very real jihadist group and their threats should be taken seriously.
In addition to being active in China, we also have seen videos of them
conducting operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan," Venzke said.

The latest video shows a brief biography and footage of what it says is Memtieli
Tiliwaldi wrestling with other fighters in a TIP training camp. Police in the
region had identified Tiliwaldi as a suspect in the July attacks, and said they
fatally shot him in a corn field a couple of days later.

In the video, group leader Damla speaks in the Turkic language of the Uighurs,
who have a long history of tense relations with the central government.

Militant Uighurs have for decades been fighting a low-level insurgency to gain
independence for lightly populated but resource-rich Xinjiang, which borders
Pakistan, Afghanistan and several unstable central Asian states.

Beijing blames the violence on militants based overseas, specifically ones from
the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, who it says trained in militant camps in
Pakistan. While some terrorism experts say ETIM is affiliated with the TIP,
others say they are part of the same group operating under different names.

Liu Weimin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, said he had no information on
the video and claims.

He repeated China's assertion that Xinjiang separatists are carrying out
"rampant, violent terrorist activities within China's border, which seriously
undermine China's national unity and regional peace and stability".

Liu said China was willing to join and strengthen international efforts to
combat terrorism.

Uighur activists and security analysts blame the violence on economic
marginalisation and restrictions on Uighur culture and the Muslim religion that
are breeding frustration and anger among young Uighurs.

China's leaders say all ethnic groups are treated equally and point to the
billions of dollars in investment that has modernised Xinjiang.

Chinese officials said last week they recently thwarted several plots by
separatists, religious extremists and terrorists to sabotage an international
trade fair in the region.

Xinjiang is under a two-month crackdown against violence, terrorism and radical
Islam following renewed unrest among Uighurs in July.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

China cracks down in Xinjiang following ethnic violence
Security forces step up attempts to tackle rise in violence, terrorism and
radical Islam in troubled western region
Associated Press
guardian.co.uk,  Wednesday 17 August 2011 10.04 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/17/china-crackdown-xinjiang

Chinese security forces have launched a two-month "strike hard" crackdown
against violence, terrorism and radical Islam following renewed ethnic violence
in the restive western region of Xinjiang, the regional government has
announced.

The campaign, which began on 11 August and will last until 15 October, includes
around-the-clock patrols of troublespots, identity checks and street searches of
people and vehicles, according to a notice posted on the regional government's
website.

Authorities would step up investigations of suspicious activity and deal with
defendants even more harshly through accelerated trials, the notice said.

"Public security units at all levels across the region must strengthen the work
of security, take strict precautions, and create fear and awe," it said.

The region's police department conceded that the number of violent incidents was
on the rise and pledged to "uncover the masterminds and organisers behind such
activities".

"The frequency with which terrorist activities are carried out in the region is
rising and it must be curbed," the department said in a statement.

China rolls out campaigns on a regular basis despite criticism from rights
groups and imposes tougher penalties for crimes from theft to endangering state
security.

Signalling the authorities' determination to crush all opposition, Beijing this
month dispatched to Xinjiang its elite Snow Leopard anti-terrorism unit, which
was charged with securing the 2008 Beijing Olympics and specialises in
anti-terrorism, riot control, bomb disposal and responding to hijackings.

The unit will bolster security for the annual China-Eurasia Expo, being held in
the regional capital, Urumqi, in the first week in September, along with
National Day celebrations on 1 October.

The crackdown follows fresh outbreaks of violence blamed on militants among
Xinjiang's native Uighur population, ethnic Turks who are culturally,
linguistically and religiously distinct from China's majority Han. Militants
have for decades been fighting a low-level insurgency to gain independence for
lightly populated but resource-rich Xinjiang, which borders Pakistan,
Afghanistan and several unstable central Asian states.

China generally keeps a tight lid on information about outbreaks of violence in
Xinjiang. Uighur activists say even peaceful protests are often labelled acts of
terrorism.

However, official reports said at least three dozen people, including the
attackers, were killed in three incidents in the cities of Hotan and Kashgar
despite a massive security presence that was tightened following an anti-Chinese
riot in Urumqi two years ago in which at least 197 people were killed.

Beijing blames the violence on overseas-based militants, specifically those from
the East Turkistan Islamic Movement who it says have trained in militant camps
in Pakistan.

Yet Beijing has provided no direct evidence, and analysts say they suspect its
claims are driven more by ideology than proof. Uighur activists say harsh
crackdowns only lead to greater anger among young Uighurs who already feel
culturally and economically sidelined by waves of Han migration to the region.

Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the German-based World Uyghur Congress, said
high-pressure tactics and "systematic persecution" of attempts to assert a
Uighur identity would only encourage radicalism.

"China is ducking responsibility for the turmoil its own policies have created,"
Raxit said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LIBYA

Pulled from drain pipe, Qaddafi was shown no mercy
By CHRISTOPHER GILLETTE | AP
Published: Oct 21, 2011 09:21 Updated: Oct 22, 2011 11:27

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article521406.ece

SIRTE, Libya: Dragged from hiding in a drainage pipe, a wounded Muammar Qaddafi
raised his hands and begged revolutionary fighters: “Don’t kill me, my
sons.” Within an hour, he was dead, but not before jubilant Libyans had vented
decades of hatred by pulling the eccentric dictator’s hair and parading his
bloodied body on the hood of a truck.

The death Thursday of Qaddafi, two months after he was driven from power and
into hiding, decisively buries the nearly 42-year regime that had turned the
oil-rich country into an international pariah and his own personal fiefdom.

It also thrusts Libya into a new age in which its transitional leaders must
overcome deep divisions and rebuild nearly all its institutions from scratch to
achieve dreams of democracy.

“We have been waiting for this historic moment for a long time. Muammar
Qaddafi has been killed,” Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril said in the capital of
Tripoli. “I would like to call on Libyans to put aside the grudges and only
say one word, which is Libya, Libya, Libya.”

President Barack Obama told the Libyan people: “You have won your
revolution.”

Although the US briefly led the relentless NATO bombing campaign that sealed
Qaddafi’s fate, Washington later took a secondary role to its allies. Britain
and France said they hoped that his death would lead to a more democratic Libya.

Other leaders have fallen in the Arab Spring uprisings, but the 69-year-old
Qaddafi is the first to be killed. He was shot to death in his hometown of
Sirte, where revolutionary fighters overwhelmed the last of his loyalist
supporters Thursday after weeks of heavy battles.

Also killed in the city was one of his feared sons, Muatassim, while another son
— one-time heir apparent Seif Al-Islam — was wounded and captured. An AP
reporter saw cigarette burns on Muatassim’s body.

Bloody images of Qaddafi’s last moments raised questions over how exactly he
died after he was captured wounded, but alive. Video on Arab television stations
showed a crowd of fighters shoving and pulling the goateed, balding Qaddafi,
with blood splattered on his face and soaking his shirt.

Qaddafi struggled against them, stumbling and shouting as the fighters pushed
him onto the hood of a pickup truck. One fighter held him down, pressing on his
thigh with a pair of shoes in a show of contempt.

Fighters propped him on the hood as they drove for several moments, apparently
to parade him around in victory.

“We want him alive. We want him alive,” one man shouted before Qaddafi was
dragged off the hood, some fighters pulling his hair, toward an ambulance.

Later footage showed fighters rolling Qaddafi’s lifeless body over on the
pavement, stripped to the waist and a pool of blood under his head. His body was
then paraded on a car through Misrata, a nearby city that suffered a brutal
siege by regime forces during the eight-month civil war that eventually ousted
Qaddafi. Crowds in the streets cheered, “The blood of martyrs will not go in
vain.”

Thunderous celebratory gunfire and cries of “God is great” rang out across
Tripoli well past midnight, leaving the smell of sulfur in the air. People
wrapped revolutionary flags around toddlers and flashed V for victory signs as
they leaned out car windows. Martyrs’ Square, the former Green Square from
which Qaddafi made many defiant speeches, was packed with revelers.

In Sirte, the ecstatic former rebels celebrated the city’s fall after weeks of
fighting by firing endless rounds into the sky, pumping their guns, knives and
even a meat cleaver in the air and singing the national anthem.

The outpouring of joy reflected the deep hatred of a leader who had brutally
warped Libya with his idiosyncratic rule. After seizing power in a 1969 coup
that toppled the monarchy, Qaddafi created a “revolutionary” system of
“rule by the masses,” which supposedly meant every citizen participated in
government but really meant all power was in his hands. He wielded it
erratically, imposing random rules while crushing opponents, often hanging
anyone who plotted against him in public squares.

Abroad, Qaddafi posed as a Third World leader, while funding militants, terror
groups and guerrilla armies. His regime was blamed in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am
Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and the downing of a French passenger jet in
Africa the following year, as well as the 1986 bombing of a German discotheque
frequented by US servicemen that killed three people.

The day began with revolutionary forces bearing down on the last of Qaddafi’s
heavily armed loyalists who in recent days had been squeezed into a block of
buildings of about 700 square yards.

A large convoy of vehicles moved out of the buildings, and revolutionary forces
moved to intercept it, said Fathi Bashagha, spokesman for the Misrata Military
Council, which commanded the fighters who captured him. At 8:30 a.m., NATO
warplanes struck the convoy, a hit that stopped it from escaping, according to
French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet.

Fighters then clashed with loyalists in the convoy for three hours, with
rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft weapons and machine guns. Members of
the convoy got out of the vehicles, Bashagha said.

Qaddafi and other supporters fled on foot, with fighters in pursuit, he said. A
Qaddafi bodyguard captured as they ran away gave a similar account to Arab TV
stations.

Qaddafi and several bodyguards took refuge in a drainage pipe under a highway
nearby. After clashes ensued, Qaddafi emerged, telling the fighters outside,
“What do you want? Don’t kill me, my sons,” according to Bashagha and
Hassan Doua, a fighter who was among those who captured him.

Bashagha said Qaddafi died in the ambulance from wounds suffered during the
clashes. Abdel-Jalil Abdel-Aziz, a doctor who accompanied the body in the
ambulance during the 120-mile drive to Misrata, said Qaddafi died from two
bullet wounds — to the head and chest.

A government account of Qaddafi’s death said he was captured unharmed and
later was mortally wounded in the crossfire from both sides.

Amnesty International urged the revolutionary fighters to give a complete
report, saying it was essential to conduct “a full, independent and impartial
inquiry to establish the circumstances of Col. Qaddafi’s death.”

The TV images of Qaddafi’s bloodied body sent ripples across the Arab world
and on social networks such as Twitter.

Many wondered whether a similar fate awaits Syria’s Bashar Assad and Yemen’s
Ali Abdullah Saleh, two leaders clinging to power in the face of long-running
Arab Spring uprisings. For the millions of Arabs yearning for freedom, democracy
and new leadership, the death of one of the region’s most brutal dictators
will likely inspire and invigorate the movement for change.

As word spread of Qaddafi’s death, jubilant Libyans poured into Tripoli’s
central Martyr’s Square, chanting “Syria! Syria!” — urging the Syrian
opposition on to victory.

“This will signal the death of the idea that Arab leaders are invincible,”
said Egyptian activist and blogger Hossam Hamalawi. “Mubarak is in a cage, Ben
Ali ran away, and now Qaddafi killed. ... All this will bring down the red line
that we can’t get these guys.”

Thursday’s final blows to the Qaddafi regime allow Libya’s interim
leadership, the National Transitional Council, to declare the entire country
liberated.

It rules out a scenario some had feared — that Qaddafi might flee into
Libya’s southern deserts and lead a resistance campaign. Following the fall of
Tripoli on Aug. 21, Qaddafi loyalists mounted fierce resistance in several
areas, including Sirte, preventing the new leadership from declaring full
victory. Earlier this week, revolutionary fighters gained control of one
stronghold, Bani Walid.

Information Minister Mahmoud Shammam told AP that Muatassim Qaddafi was killed
in Sirte. Abdel-Aziz, the doctor who accompanied Qaddafi’s body in the
ambulance, said Muatassim was shot in the chest. Also killed was Qaddafi’s
Defense Minister Abu Bakr Younes.

Justice Minister Mohammed Al-Alagi said Seif Al-Islam Qaddafi had been wounded
in the leg and was being held in a hospital in the city of Zlitan, northwest of
Sirte. Shammam said Seif was captured in Sirte, but the senior NTC leadership
did not immediately confirm.

The National Council will declare liberation on Saturday, Mohamed Sayeh, a
senior council member, said. That begins a key timetable toward creating a new
system: The NTC has always said it will form a new interim government within a
month of liberation and will hold elections within eight months.

But the revolutionary forces are an unruly mix of militias from Libya’s major
cities, and already differences have emerged between them. Revolutionaries from
Tripoli, Misrata and Benghazi — Libya’s second-largest city that has served
as the rebel capital during the civil war — have exchanged accusations that
each is trying to dominate the new rule.

Also, Islamic fundamentalists have taken an increasingly prominent role, pushing
for some form of Islamic state in Libya, causing friction with more secular
leaders.

“Libyans aim for multiparty politics, justice, democracy and freedom,” said
Libyan Defense Minister Jalal Al-Degheili. “The end of Qaddafi is not the aim,
we say the minor struggle is over. The bigger struggle is now coming. This will
not happen unless all the Libyan people are ... united.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi burial delayed
Slain leader's body kept in cold storage before secret burial as UN calls video
of his last moments "disturbing".
Last Modified: 22 Oct 2011 00:59

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/2011102184243875476.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Footage shows Gaddafi's body
Footage obtained by Al Jazeera shows the body of the former Libyan leader
Muammar Gaddafi following his death in Sirte.
Last Modified: 20 Oct 2011 18:53

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/10/2011102014201566639.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libyans in Tunisia react to reports of Muammar Gaddafi's death - video
Libyan refugees in Tunisia celebrate outside their embassy in Tunis after
hearing news that former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has been killed in Sirte.
Gaddafi was killed on Thursday as Libya's new leaders declared they had overrun
the last bastion of his long rule, sparking wild celebrations that eight months
of war may finally be over

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/oct/20/libyans-tunisia-muammar-gaddaf\
i-death-video

[Video]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Muammar Gaddafi killed as Sirte falls
Former Libyan leader killed in apparent attempt to flee last bastion, but
circumstances of his death remain unclear.
Last Modified: 21 Oct 2011 08:54

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/20111020111520869621.html

[Video]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi loyalists' 'torture chamber and mass grave' in Khoms - videoAmateur
footage obtained by Reuters purports to show anti-Gaddafi fighters being
tortured in what appears to be a shipping container, while residents of the
Libyan town of Khoms, 60 miles east of Tripoli, have unearthed the bodies of 17
men in a mass grave

Warning: Contains disturbing images

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/sep/06/gaddafi-torture-mass-grave-vid\
eo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: Lessons in humanity from a Libyan family, a tale of Dickens from
Cairo – and the wrong shark
Middle East Notebook

Saturday, 22 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-lessons-in-hu\
manity-from-a-libyan-family-a-tale-of-dickens-from-cairo-ndash-and-the-wrong-sha\
rk-2374304.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: You can't blame Gaddafi for thinking he was one of the good guys
The West may be celebrating his death, but that's just an accident of timing
Friday, 21 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-you-cant-blam\
e-gaddafi-for-thinking-he-was-one-of-the-good-guys-2373796.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Video: Footage shows bloody Gadhafi pleading with mob
AP Video
Published Friday, Oct. 21, 2011 10:50AM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/video/video-footage-shows-bloody-gadhafi-ple\
ading-with-mob/article2209069/?from=2209826
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Accounts emerge of Gaddafi's final moments
Witness accounts and grainy footage offer partial glimpses into the former
Libyan leader's last stand.
Last Modified: 21 Oct 2011 15:46

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/20111020171225339666.html

[Video]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libyan fighters claim capture of Bani Walid
NTC military commanders say 95 per cent of Gaddafi stronghold has fallen,
despite some pockets of resistance.
Last Modified: 18 Oct 2011 10:21

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/2011101713437351911.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Displaced black Libyans tell of beatings, expulsion at gunpoint

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article519594.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


EGYPT

Jailed Egyptian blogger on hunger strike says 'he is ready to die'
Maikel Nabil Sanad declares he would prefer suicide to being tried by military
junta for criticising the army in his blog
Jack Shenker
guardian.co.uk,  Tuesday 18 October 2011 19.28 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/18/jailed-egypt-blogger-hungerstrike

An Egyptian blogger jailed for criticising the country's military junta has
declared himself ready to die, as his hunger strike enters its 57th day.

"If the militarists thought that I would be tired of my hunger strike and accept
imprisonment and enslavement, then they are dreamers," said Maikel Nabil Sanad,
in a statement announcing that he would boycott the latest court case against
him, which began on Tuesday. "It's more honourable [for] me to die committing
suicide than [it is] allowing a bunch of Nazi criminals to feel that they
succeeded in restricting my freedom. I am bigger than that farce."

Sanad, whom Amnesty International has declared to be a prisoner of conscience,
was sentenced by a military tribunal in March to three years in jail after
publishing a blog post entitled "The people and the army were never one hand".
The online statement, which deliberately inverted a popular pro-military chant,
infuriated Egypt's ruling generals who took power after the ousting of former
president Hosni Mubarak, and have since been accused of multiple human rights
violations in an effort to shut down legitimate protest and stifle revolutionary
change.

The 26-year-old was found guilty of "insulting the Egyptian army". The case
helped spark a nationwide opposition movement to military trials for civilians,
and cast further doubt on the intentions of the Supreme Council of the Armed
Forces (Scaf), whose promises regarding Egypt's post-Mubarak transition to
democracy appear increasingly hollow.

Earlier this month, a military appeals court bowed to public pressure and
ordered a retrial of Sanad. But they insisted it would once again take the form
of a military tribunal, which international human rights organisations have
condemned as falling short of the basic standards of legal justice. Up to 12,000
civilians are believed to have been tried in such courts since the fall of
Mubarak, and the practice has continued despite a commitment this month from
Egypt's de facto leader, Field Marshal Tantawi, to bring such trials to an end.

The military retrial opened in the absence of Sanad, his family and his lawyers.
Sanad's younger brother Mark said they were refusing to participate in a "soap
opera".

"Military tribunals are one of the most important tools used by Scaf to put an
end to the ongoing wave of protests against them," claimed Mona Seif, a cancer
researcher who has helped lead a campaign against the practice. "Sanad's case
was one of the earliest, and it was a warning message to anyone thinking of
exposing Scaf's crimes."

Sanad's health is believed to be in critical condition, and Amnesty has warned
that his life "hangs in the balance".

Amnesty said: "Maikel Nabil Sanad's trial has been rife with flaws and
unnecessary delays, and the decision of the appeals court for a retrial brings
him back to square one, cruelly toying with his life. The charges against him
must be dropped and he should be released immediately and unconditionally. He
should never have been tried in the first place, let alone before a military
court."

Mobilising support for Sanad has been hampered by the fact that he previously
expressed pro-Israeli sentiments on his blog. "Scaf targeted him in particular
because they knew it would be difficult to get a groundswell of sympathy for
him, but the tide has turned now," argued Seif. "Most people are opposed to
Scaf's military tribunals, and Sanad himself would rather walk slowly to death
than acknowledge their legitimacy."

In his latest blog post, Sanad reiterated his refusal to engage with the
military's legal "theatrics", saying: "I don't beg for my freedom from a group
of killers and homeland-stealers." He went on to denounce an apology his father
made on his behalf to Scaf in an unsuccessful effort to secure his release.

"The military council is the one that has to apologise for my imprisonment, my
torture, silencing my mouth, spying on my life, my relatives and my friends," he
wrote. "The military council is the one that has to apologise [for] its crimes
of killing, torturing and unlawful prosecutions."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Egyptians blame military of protesters death
Activists say the military intentionally opened fire on Christian protesters
during Sunday's bloody demonstrations.
Last Modified: 13 Oct 2011 23:09

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/10/20111013185519376389.html

[Video]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Egyptian military accused of fomenting sectarian strife
The Associated Press
Date: Tue. Oct. 11 2011 7:20 PM ET

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20111011/cairo-egypt-coptic-christian-protesters\
-funeral-111011/

CAIRO, Egypt — Videos of military armoured vehicles plowing through Christian
protesters and images of their flattened bodies are fueling rage against the
ruling army generals, even beyond Egypt's Christian community. Activists accused
the military of fomenting sectarian hatred as a way to end protests and halt
criticism.

Anger was also turning on state television, blamed for inciting attacks on
Coptic Christians as the military crushed a Christian protest late Sunday,
leaving 26 dead in the worst violence since the February fall of Hosni Mubarak.

The bloodshed was seen by many activists as a turning point in Egypt's already
chaotic transition: the deadliest use of force against protesters by the
military, which has touted itself as the "protector of the revolution."
Criticism has been mounting that the military, which took power after Mubarak's
ouster, has adopted the same tactics as the former regime and has been slow to
bring real change.

The repercussions began to hit the interim civilian government. Finance Minister
Hazem El-Beblawi handed in his resignation over the government's handling of
Sunday's protest. El-Beblawi, who is also deputy prime minister, effectively
told Prime Minister Essam Sharaf that "he can't work like this," said an aide to
the minister who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of
the issue.

Christians vented their fury at the overnight funeral at the Coptic Christian
Cathedral for 17 of the at least 21 Christians killed in the army attack.

Prayers were interrupted by chants of "Down with military rule" and "The people
want to topple the field marshal," -- a reference to Field Marshal Hussein
Tantawi, who heads the ruling military council. No state official or military
official were present at the funeral.

Egypt's Christians, who represent about 10 per cent of the 85 million people in
this Muslim-majority nation, have long complained that they are second-class
citizens. In recent years, increasingly influential ultraconservative Muslims,
known as Salafis, have spread rhetoric that Christians are trying to take over,
protesting against the building of churches and accusing Christians of hoarding
stocks of weapons. Violence against Christians, the majority of whom belong to
the orthodox Coptic Church, has mounted since the fall of Mubarak as state
control has loosened.

Bahy Eldeen Hassan, head of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, said
the military may have counted on sectarian sentiment against Christians to allow
it to crush the protest and send a signal that it will no longer tolerate civil
unrest and criticism.

"The message is to the whole society, not to Christians in particular. I believe
this is all in preparation with wider confrontation," Hassan said. "I am afraid
they used the Coptic Christians exploiting sectarianism and knowing that
Christians will receive less sharper response from the public," he added.

Sunday night's confrontation began when thousands of Coptic Christians marched
to the state television building, located on a main boulevard along the Nile, to
stage a sit-in protesting a recent attack on a church in southern Egypt.

Witnesses said the gathering was peaceful until it was attacked. Video footage
showed the crowd chanting slogans until riot police and soldiers descended on
them.

In the ensuing mayhem, footage shows armoured military vehicles barrelling
through the crowd back and forth at high speeds. From the back of one vehicle, a
soldier opens fire wildly on protesters. The footage -- both amateur video
posted on YouTube and media video -- showed bodies with crushed heads or
bleeding limbs.

Young Christian Vivian Magdi, whose fiance was killed when an armoured vehicle
ran him over, gave an account to Egyptian private network ON TV.

"His body was in the middle of the wheels. His legs were torn. His head hit the
pavement, breaking his skull," she said. "Soldiers gathered around us and
started to beat him up," a tearful Magdi said. "I begged them to leave him. He
is not breathing," she said. "Then a soldier with a red cap came, shouting,
cursing and hitting me with a stick then tried to beat him up. I threw my body
on him (her fiance) ... and the soldier said to me: 'You infidel, why are you
here?"'

During the bloodshed, a state TV presenter urged "honest Egyptians" to go
protect the army, saying troops were under attack from the Christian protesters.
A scroll on their report read, "Coptic protesters are pelting soldiers with
stones and Molotov cocktails," as presenter Rasha Magdi reported three soldiers
killed. "By whose hands? Not the Israelis, not the enemy, but by the hands of
the sons of the nation," she said. Its continual coverage over the hours made
little or no mention of protesters killed.

Soon, bands of young Muslim men also descended on the scene, armed with sticks,
swords, firebombs and firearms, and clashed with the stone-throwing Christians.

Forensic reports for 17 slain protesters released Monday showed they died from
being crushed by armoured vehicles or from gunshots. Another died from a sword
blow to the head. Another body was headless. The military has suggested soldiers
were killed, but has not officially confirmed deaths or said how many.

"The TV was used as the tool for instigating sectarianism and hatred to
religion," Hassan said. "This is the first time in the history of the state
media to play this role," he added. "The calls on TV fueled violence and
increased the number of victims."

Even after the riot, assailants roamed the streets looking for Christians to
beat up. In some cases, they pulled men and women suspected of being Christian
out of taxis and private cars and cordoned off a Coptic Hospital where the
killed and wounded were taken. Several cars were set on fire and shops were
smashed.

In the days that followed, state TV ran only interviews with purportedly injured
army soldiers, who claimed the protesters opened fire, though witnesses denied
the protesters had guns.

A number of producers and staffers on state TV denounced the coverage. "I am
embarrassed that I work in the TV. The Egyptian television is calling for a
civil war between Christians and Muslims. The Egyptian television proved that it
is a slave to whoever is the master," one presenter, Dina Rassmi, said on her
Facebook page.

The military has said nothing about the circumstances of the violence, though
the state news agency said it would hold a press conference Wednesday. In a
statement Monday, it vowed only to take the "necessary precautions to stabilize
security" and use the full weight of the law to prosecute individuals involved
in violence, whether by participation or incitement.

In an apparent response to concerns it will use the violence as an excuse to
prolong its rule, the council pledged to make good on its promise to hand over
power.

Amid the turmoil, officials are to start on Wednesday accepting candidates to
run in Egypt's first post-Mubarak parliamentary elections, due to begin on Nov.
26.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cairo hit by more street violence
By Alastair Beach in Cairo
Monday, 10 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/cairo-hit-by-more-street-violence\
-2368290.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sectarianism will only get worse in Egypt
In Egypt's overpopulated slums and impoverished villages, even those who
rejoiced in the overthrow of its dictator of 30 years, Hosni Mubarak, feared
what might come next.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/8817829/Sec\
tarianism-will-only-get-worse-in-Egypt.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christians fear Islamist pressure in Egypt
By MAGGIE MICHAEL | AP
Published: Oct 8, 2011 22:00 Updated: Oct 9, 2011 17:57

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article514072.ece

CAIRO: On her first day to school, 15-year-old Christian student Ferial Habib
was stopped at the doorstep of her new high school with clear instructions:
either put on a headscarf or no school this year.

Habib refused. While most Muslim women in Egypt wear the headscarf, Christians
do not, and the move by administrators to force a Christian student to don it
was unprecedented. For the next two weeks, Habib reported to school in the
southern Egyptian village of Sheik Fadl every day in her uniform, without the
head covering, only to be turned back by teachers.

One day, Habib heard the school loudspeakers echoing her name and teachers with
megaphones leading a number of students in chants of “We don’t want Ferial
here,” the teenager told The Associated Press.

Habib’s was allowed last week to attend without the scarf, and civil rights
advocates say her case is a rare one. But it stokes the fears of Egypt’s
significant Christian minority that they will become the victims as Islamists
grow more assertive after the Feb. 11 toppling of President Hosni Mubarak. It
also illustrates how amid the country’s political turmoil, with little sense
of who is in charge and government control weakened, Islamic conservatives in
low-level posts can step in and try to unilaterally enforce their own decisions.

Wagdi Halfa, one of Habib’s lawyers, said the root problem is a lack of the
rule of law.

“We don’t want more laws but we want to activate the laws already in
place,” he said. “We are in a dark tunnel in terms of sectarian tension.
Even if you have the majority who are moderate Muslims, a minority of extremists
can make big impact on them and poison their minds.”

In the past weeks, riots have broken out at two churches in southern Egypt,
prompted by Muslim crowds angered by church construction. One riot broke out,
near the city of Aswan, even after church officials agreed to a demand by local
ultraconservative Muslims, called Salafis, that a cross and bells be removed
from the building.

The violence is particularly frustrating for Christians because soon after
Mubarak’s fall the new government promised to review and lift heavy
Mubarak-era restrictions on building or renovating churches. The promise raised
hopes among Christians that the government would establish a clear legal right
to build, resolving an issue that in recent years has increasingly sparked
riots. But the review never came, and Salafi clerics have increased their
rhetoric against Christians, including accusing them of seeking to spread their
faith with new churches.

Habib’s experience was startling because in general, Egypt’s Christians, who
make up at least 10 percent of the population of 80 million, have enjoyed
relative freedom in terms of dress and worship. The vast majority of Muslim
women in Egypt put on the headscarf or hijab, either for religious or social
reasons, but there’s little expectation that Christians wear it.

The demand that all students wear the hijab was a decision by administrators and
teachers at the high school in Sheik Fadl, 110 miles (180 kilometers) south of
Cairo in Minya province. They said the headscarf was part of the school uniform,
necessary to protect girls from sexual harassment.

A top provincial Education Ministry official, Abdel-Gawad Abdullah, said in an
interview with CTV, a private Egyptian Christian television network, that the
ministry gives schools the right to decide on school uniforms, and that parents
during screening and application can either accept or refuse.

“And if the father wants to move his daughter to another school, it is OK,”
he said. “All the girls, including the Christians, put on the head cover and
they have no problem,” he added.

Habib’s father Sorial complained to officials, demanding his daughter be
allowed to attend without a scarf.

“After the revolution, there are no administration and no officials to go to.
The system is lax and there is no supervision from the ministry,” he told AP.
“If things were under control, extremists would not have a free hand to act as
they wish.”

Habib was finally allowed to attend last Tuesday.

“I am happy I did what I want and that no one can force something on me. But I
am afraid of the students and the teachers,” she told AP. “The teachers are
not normal with me and I am sure they will give me low grades at the end of the
year.”

Hossam Bahgat, head of the Cairo-based Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights,
which tracks religious discrimination and other civil rights issues, said he had
not seen a case like Habib’s before. “We know that there is pressure on
Muslim girls to put on the hijab, especially in secondary school, not from the
administration but from the girls.”

He said some Muslim girls in general put on the veil to distinguish themselves
from Christians.

Recent attacks on churches in southern Egypt also illustrate the heat Christians
are under. Under Mubarak-era rules, the building of a church or repairs for an
existing one required permission from local authorities and the state security
agency — a rule not applied to mosques. The rules sought to avoid outbursts of
violence from Muslim hard-liners. Since permission was rarely given, Christians
at times resorted to building churches in secret, often in parish guesthouses.

On Sept. 30, a Muslim mob attacked a church in southern village of Marynab in
Aswan province because they believed the Christians were illegally constructing
a new church. Church officials had documents showing they had permission to
build a new church to replace a previous, run-down one at the same site.

Even before the attack, Muslim protests prompted priests to turn to security
officials, who arranged a meeting with local elders and Salafis. In the face of
their demands, the priests agreed to take down a cross and bells on the church,
according to church officials. Still, after the Christians erected a dome, the
mob attacked, setting the church and nearby homes and shops on fire.

Aswan’s governor, Gen. Mustafa Kamel Al-Sayyed, further hiked tensions by
telling the media that the church was being built on the site of a guesthouse,
suggesting it was illegal.

In response, hundreds of Christians marched in front of the governor’s office
last week, demanding those behind the attack be prosecuted and families who lost
homes be compensated. Christians also protested in Cairo, cutting off a main
avenue in the heart of the capital, demanding the governor’s ouster, until
soldiers dispersed them by force.

Days after the Aswan attack, Muslim villagers in the southern province of Sohag
tried to storm Saint Girgis church, shouting “No to church construction,” as
Christians on rooftops rained stones down on them. The assault was prompted by
construction of a church in a guesthouse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


TUNISIA

Tunisian newcomer spends big on campaign
The Free Patriotic Union compensated for a lack of history with lavish campaign,
testing limits of electoral authority.
Yasmine Ryan Last Modified: 21 Oct 2011 14:48

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/10/201110217015351417.html

SOUASSI, Tunisia - The music thumps across the dilapidated football stadium in
the small Tunisian village. The atmosphere is part-rodeo, part-rock concert.

Like most of those who live in rural Tunisia, the people of Souassi have long
been excluded from political and social life, and young people here have little
chance of finding work.

Today, they are being introduced to democracy by loudspeakers blasting "I like
to move it move it, move it" and "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard".

The Free Patriotic Union (UPL by its French acronym) was created by a group of
Tunisian businessmen who have lived abroad for years without much previous
involvement in politics.

What it lacks in history, the UPL compensates for in exposure. The party has
resources that few of Tunisia's longstanding opposition groups can match. It has
outspent every other party in advertising. Its extensive resources have been
used to run a campaign reaching out to the country's most marginalised areas,
promising investment and job opportunities.

Mohamed Mechti, a 60-year-old from the nearby town of Mahdia, says he is here
today because a bus showed up outside his home offering rides to people in his
neighbourhood.

"I'd never heard about them [the UPL]," he says. "There was a bus that came to
Mahdia to take us here."

Mechti, a father of six young children who had to give up his job as a builder a
decade ago following an operation, has come along to learn about the UPL's
programme, but seems bemused by all the noise.

There are some 81 parties running for Tunisia's constituent assembly, yet only
two have the resources needed for nationwide penetration on the campaign trail:
the UPL and the moderate Islamist party, al-Nahda.

Mechti would like to know more about the other parties, but as the election day
of Sunday October 23 draws ever closer, time is running out. Aside from the UPL,
the only other party Mechti has heard of is al-Nahda, a party he says he will
not vote for.

"I want to hear what all the parties are offering and then
make my decision," he says.

Most Tunisian political parties rely mainly on volunteers to win over potential
voters. The UPL has an army of youths wearing red t-shirts bearing its slogan.
Several of them in Souassi told Al Jazeera they had been on staff at the local
office.

Paid activists

Boutas Abdallah, 28, is one of several dozen young men working to control the
crowd at the rally.

Though he has a degree in information technology, Abdallah was unemployed until
he joined the UPL in early June. He now earns a salary of $211 a month,
respectable by local standards.

Under Tunisia's election regulations, the UPL has the right to pay activists
such as Abdallah and his friends, so long as the total amount spent is within
the limit for the electoral district.

"I need work, I've been unemployed for three years," he says. "I like the
party's values, I trust the UPL."

After the crowd is warmed up, the UPL's leaders arrive in a fleet of black
luxury cars.

My interview with Slim Riahi takes place several hours later outside a gas
station on the outskirts of town, in the front seat of his Porsche Cayenne.

An entourage of Riahi's associates stand outside as dusk falls, their black
Mercedes creating a protective barrier. Amongst those travelling with Riahi on
the campaign trail is Balti, one of Tunisia’s most famous rappers (on a
similar note, Riahi has several football stars running as candidates for major
electorates, including Chokri el-Ouaer, a former national team goalkeeper, at
the top of the UPL's list for Tunis).

Few details of 39-year-old Riahi's biography are known. He sticks to the basics.

Originally from coastal town of Enfidha, his family moved to Libya when he was a
child. His father was an Arab nationalist, opposed to both the Bourguiba and Ben
Ali regimes.

He studied management at Al Fateh University in Tripoli, and went on to make his
fortune in Libya's oil, aviation and real estate industries, working closely
with British and US corporations.

Later he moved to the UK, and his family all now live in London. His wife is
Tunisian. Riahi himself has dual Tunisian-British nationality.

The UPL's apparent success is due to its ability to connect with people, not the
amount of money that has been spent, he says.

"We speak the same language as the people," he says. "The money just helped us
to put the word of the party on people's minds."

The party is running on a platform advocating a regional development model based
on a market economy and large projects involving mainly private investment.

They pledge to "preserve the country's Arab-Muslim identity", whilst respecting
"universal values".

Asked about his political ideology, Riahi says: "I'm pragmatic and modern. There
is no ideology in my party."

Imed Belkacem, one of the party's cofounder who has known Riahi since childhood,
says they had been talking about founding a political party for years, and that
they aim for it to become one of the country’s most important parties.

"The idea of the party started with me and him," he says.

Belkacem is clear about where the party fits in Tunisia's political terrain,
saying it fills the centre-right void left by the dissolution of the former
ruling party, the Rally for Constitutional Democracy.

The party is trying to position itself as the main opposition to al-Nahda.
Indeed, the UPL is about to open an office in Montplaisir, opposite al-Nahda's
headquarters.

Sources within the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity for their own
protection, told Al Jazeera that when the party was created in June, its leaders
initially focused on recruiting young people at the forefront of the continuing
protests against the interim government (known as the Kasbah protests).

Imed Belkacim told them that Riahi, still abroad at the time, had little
political ambition of his own and was willing to offer them a platform to create
a new party, better able to change Tunisia than the older opposition parties and
their aging leadership.

Representatives of the party have tried to build contacts with grassroots
activists in the marginalised towns that have come to symbolise the uprising,
including Sidi Bouzid, Kasserine, Gafsa and Siliana.

The reception has been mixed.

Abdennaceur Laouini, who had led the lawyers' protests in December and January,
was one of several revolutionary figures who told Al Jazeera that he felt the
UPL tried to "buy" him as a candidate for their lists. Like many others, he
turned them down.

"The UPL is a company, not a political party. They try to buy people," Laouini
says.

Riahi denies any knowledge of the attempt to get Laouini onboard, saying it
might have been local members of the UPL.

Another lawyer in Sidi Bouzid says he was assaulted in August by "random thugs",
shortly after he refused to join the party.

When Riahi arrived in Tunis on July 4, the pro-revolutionary slant changed and
the party allied itself with certain members of the old regime.

"Everything changed. We realised that Imed Belkacim wasn't the real leader, Slim
Riahi was," one man inside the party says. "The dream of a revolutionary party
disappeared."
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Families condemn 'false hope'
Families struggling to cover their children's medical bills say Tunisian
politician tried to use them to win votes.
Yasmine Ryan Last Modified: 21 Oct 2011 08:13

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/10/20111020231946574813.html

The Free Patriotic Union (UPL by its French acronym) was created by a group of
Tunisian businessmen who have lived abroad for years without any involvement in
politics.

What it lacks in history, the UPL compensates for in exposure. The UPL has
resources that few of Tunisia's longstanding opposition parties can match. It
has outspent every other party in advertising. Its extensive resources have been
used to run a campaign reaching out to the country's most marginalised areas,
promising investment and job opportunities.

It is now being accused of exploiting the stories and photographs of sick and
wounded Tunisians for its own political benefit.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tunisia's vocal Salafist minority
Although Hizb ut-Tahrir was not approved for the upcoming elections, the
Salafist party is making its voice heard.
Yasmine Ryan Last Modified: 11 Oct 2011 21:45

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/10/20111011131734544894.html

ARIANA, Tunisia – Tunisia's Salafists are a small but vocal minority. They may
not have any palatable choices at the ballot box, but they are making sure their
voices are heard during the election campaign.

Two weeks from the day that Tunisians will go to the polls for the vote that
many are hoping will usher in an era of democratic pluralism, one of the parties
making headlines is not amongst those running for office.

Some 112 political parties have been granted authorisation to run in Tunisia's
election this month. Hizb ut-Tahrir is not one of them.

The Salafist, pan-Islamist party whose members suffered intense repression under
ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's government, is one of 162 parties
that were refused official status.

But the lack of official recognition is not holding Hizb ut-Tahrir back.

"We don't need authorisation from the government, we have authorisation from the
people," Ridha Belhadj, the party's president, told Al Jazeera in an interview
on Sunday, as around 500 supporters gathered in a hall in the coastal town of
Ariana.

Salafism is a school of theology based on a strict and literal interpretation of
Islam.

Tunisian authorities argue that only parties that respect democracy can be
legalised. Belhadj said that his party is not opposed to the electoral process
and that, it if had been allowed, it would have taken part in the election.

"We didn't refuse to participate in the election for ideological reasons, there
are elections in Islam," he said.

A spate of violent incidents attributed to Salafist activists in the months
leading up to the election have nothing to do with his party, Belhadj said.

"Violence is not legitimate in politics. We were the first to reject violence in
politics. The confusion is always created by foreign powers," he said.

In his view, Tunisia's uprising has paved the way for a Salafist state. And he
believes his party has popular support.

Ideologies such as Capitalism and Communism have been discredited, he said.

"There is an awareness amongst the people that it's possible to do things
differently."

Even as the meeting in Ariana was taking place that morning, clashes were
breaking out across town outside the offices of Nessma TV.

As many as 200 protesters gathered outside Nessma TV to rally against the airing
of Persepolis, an animated film about a young girl growing up during the Iranian
Revolution. They said the film's depiction of God in human form was an affront
to Islam.

Local and foreign media quickly reported that Salafists were behind the protest,
despite the fact that many of those present had no apparent links to any
Salafist movement.

According to news reports, the group was moving to attack the satellite
channel's headquarters, but were prevented by police, who arrested around 100
people.

Tunisia Live, a news website, reportedthat it had been a peaceful protest
against the decision to broadcast the film until police moved in.

Haythem El Mekki, who blogs under the name of ByLasKo and has a social media
show on Nessma TV, said the alleged attacks and threats against his colleagues
were nothing new.

"Nessma has been subjected to this several times," he said. "I'm kind of used to
it. For me, all this is ridiculous."

El Mekki, who frequently pokes fun at Islamists on his show, said that he was
not afraid of threats and that it was only a tiny minority of Tunisians
involved. He said there was an online campaign by Salafists against the channel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tunisia Islamists storm university over veil ban
By REUTERS
Published: Oct 8, 2011 21:52 Updated: Oct 9, 2011 17:11

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article514068.ece

TUNIS: Islamists stormed a university in Tunisia on Saturday after it refused to
enrol a woman wearing a full-face veil, a staff member said, highlighting
tensions over religion that are likely to dominate an election later this month.

Tunisia votes on Oct. 23 in the first election since a revolution that inspired
the “Arab Spring” uprisings. The vote has pitted Islamists against secular
Tunisians who say their liberal values are under threat.

“The General Secretary of the university was attacked this morning with
extreme violence by a group of religious extremists,” said Moncef Abdul Jalil,
a faculty head at the university of Sousse, about 150 km (93 miles) south of the
Tunisian capital.

About 200 people protested outside the faculty, and then stormed the building
carrying banners demanding students’ right to wear a veil, Abdul Jalil was
quoted as saying by Tunisia’s official TAP news agency.

“This serious incident caused a state of terror and panic in the ranks of
college students and professors,” he said.

Witnesses told Reuters that, after the incident, a large security force
contingent surrounded the faculty building to prevent any further attacks.

A former French colony, Tunisia has a long history of secularism and liberal
attitudes.

That has been challenged since autocratic president Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali was
swept from power in January, and conservative Muslims were free to express their
views and adopt the outward trappings of their beliefs.

Under Ben Ali rule, thousands of people who were suspected of membership of an
Islamist political group or who followed strict interpretations of Islam were
arrested.

The full-face veil — known as the niqab — is rarely seen on Tunisia’s
streets but it has been one of the subjects of debate between Islamists and
secularists.

The Education Ministry decided to ban students from wearing the niqab at the
start of the academic year.

The Islamist Ennahda party is expected to win the biggest share of the vote on
Oct. 23, when Tunisians are to choose an assembly which will draft a new
constitution.

Ennahda leader Rachid Ghannouchi told Reuters in an interview his party would
uphold women’s rights and not try to impose strict Muslim values on society.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajj is no picnic
Written by Abubakar Sadeeq
Friday, 21 October 2011

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/muslim-sermon/30011-hajj-is-no-picnic

Abu Hurairah narrated that The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
said, “Travelling is a kind of torture as it prevents one from eating,
drinking and sleeping properly. So, when one’s needs are fulfilled, one should
return quickly to one’s family.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, Hadeeth 031)

The above Hadeeth was mentioned on this page last week when I wrote on those who
can afford the journey. Yes, any journey, including that of hajj, is a kind of
torture. There are two groups of people both missing the import contained in
this Hadeeth: on the one hand are those who think that any form of comfort in
hajj is haraam; that the more hardship you encounter during the performance of
pilgrimage the more reward you get; and on the other, those who would be averse
to the slightest of discomfort in hajj because they cannot compromise comfort.
Both groups are wrong!

Allah has not placed for us in religion any difficulty (Al-Hajj 22:78); He
desires ease and not hardship for us in everything of service that we perform
for His sake (Al-Baqarah 2:185). They have misunderstood religion those who
think that one will get more reward by undergoing avoidable hardship and
exertion in the performance of hajj. Such people see no point in pilgrims
staying in decent accommodation in Minaa, Arafaat or Muzdalifah – what!
Mattresses and pillows in Minaa…? Subhaanallah! To these people, this must be
a blameworthy innovation (bid’ah). What an astounding thing…; they frown at
hajjis that move in air-conditioned buses. I wonder why such people do not
travel to hajj by road; and you would find some of them travelling on business
class tickets; I’m going for Ibaadah, he will say, so I can stay anywhere; I
don’t want good accommodation or anything near Haram. But why not travel on
economy, or better still by road if
  inconvenience is your understanding of ibaadah? The ideal for more reward in
their confused psyche is for one to stay in tents within the Holy Territories
devoid of carpeting and proper hygiene, and for one to trek from Minaa to
Arafaat, from Arafaat to Muzdalifah, and from Muzdalifah to Makkah. This
misguided opinion has led to the slumping in the Holy Mosque or even death of
many who after finishing this medal less marathon on the 10th day of zulhijjah
would attempt to perform tawaaf al-Ifaadah with a million other hajjis.

We can perform hajj in comfort and ease if we can afford it bearing in mind that
hajj is no picnic. You can have all the money to pay for the most expensive
packages but do not assume that will be like cruising your way to holiday in a
private yacht. Alhamdulillah, some hajj tour companies in Nigeria can compete
with any in the world in providing quality services to pilgrims but you find
hajjis saying when stuck in holdup for hours around Makkah for instance, ‘What
is all this wait in traffic? People recommended your company to us, that you are
the best, that if we don’t want to suffer, we should join your group.’  No,
undertaking the journey to hajj denotes preparing to take part in religious
ceremonies with more than 3 million other hajjis, moving towards the same
destination at almost the same time. There is no such event in the world. Hajj
is indeed unique!

Madinatul Hujjaaj (City of the Pilgrims) is the Hajj Terminal and your first
arrival point during your journey to hajj, except where you are lucky to have a
direct flight to Madinah. Madinatul Hujjaaj is like a grave, a prison of some
sorts or an apt micro-depiction of the Day of Judgement. The mere mention of
this place sends shudders into the veins of those who have been there. Of the
four or so terminals of the Jeddah airports, this is farthest from Makkah. It is
too vast and at the same time too rowdy during the peak periods of hajj arrivals
and departures.

Hardly will anybody notice or care about your problems; everybody is preoccupied
with how to sort themselves out of this desolate, harsh and unfriendly
environment. Many are trapped here for days when they arrive and or when they
are brought a second time after observing their hajj rites waiting for their
flights back home. Prices of everything here are quadrupled if you are lucky to
get what you are looking for.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajj scam: class action call
October 15 2011 at 01:31pm
By Warda Meyer

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/hajj-scam-class-action-call-1.1157825

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has slammed agents and individuals who have
purchased and sold Hajj visas outside of the established accreditation
framework.

This follows claims of corruption in the Hajj industry from a newly-formed group
calling themselves Friends of the Hujjaj, who say they plan to bring a class
action lawsuit aimed at disbanding the SA Hajj and Umrah Council (Sahuc).
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

China Muslims Embark on Hajj
OnIslam & News Agencies
Tuesday, 18 October 2011 11:56

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/asia-pacific/454337-china-muslims-embark-on-\
hajj.html

YINCHUAN – Fulfilling one of Islam's main pillars, hundreds of Chinese Muslims
from northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region embarked on the life-time
spiritual journey of hajj on Monday, October 17.

"The Makkah pilgrimage is my biggest hope in my life," 66-year-old Ma Zhuangyu
told Xinhua news agency.

“But I could not afford the trip in the past due to financial reasons.”

Zhuangyu was one of the first group of pilgrims in Ningxia who will go to Makkah
on a government-organized trip this year.

A total of 2,656 Muslims in Ningxia are scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia via
eight Air China charter flights between Oct. 17 and Oct. 22.
Pilgrims will return to Ningxia between Nov. 27 and Dec. 2, said Li Yushan, of
the Ningxia Regional Administration of Religious Affairs.

  The number traveling this year is about 200 more than that of last year, he
said.

Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one
of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj consists of several rituals, which are meant to symbolize the essential
concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham
and his family.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform
hajj at least once in a lifetime.

Hajj is expected to climax this year on November 5 when the faithful descend the
Mount `Arafat.

Easier Hajj

Receiving new services during their spiritual journey, the joy of the pilgrims
maximized with the easier steps they were taking to fulfill their dream journey
to Makkah.

"We used to pool our years of savings to afford the Makkah trip for only the
eldest member in the family,” Zhuangyu said.

“But nowadays, we are living a better and better life, and women in a family
can also go to Makkah," he added.

Zhuangyu is flying to Makkah with his 66-year-old wife and 72-year-old sister,
all of whom have never been to the holy lands to perform hajj.

Li, from Ningxia Regional Administration of Religious Affairs, said a 76-member
team will accompany pilgrims to offer different services, including translation,
accommodation, medical treatment, transportation and security.

According to official data, China has 20 million Muslims, most of them are
concentrated in Xinjiang, Ningxia, Gansu, and Qinghai regions and provinces.

More than 2.25 million Hui live in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, accounting
for more than one-third of the total population of the region.

Nationwide, about 13,800 Chinese Muslim pilgrims are scheduled to take 41
chartered flights to Makkah for the annual Hajj this year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Common Mistakes Women Make During Hajj or Umrah

http://muslimmatters.org/2011/10/20/common-mistakes-women-make-during-hajj-or-um\
rah/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tajikistan's Hajj Dress Code
October 03, 2011

http://www.rferl.org/content/tajikistans_hajj_dress_code/24347911.html

It seems Tajik pilgrims will stand out from the crowd when the annual hajj
pilgrimage begins in Mecca next month.

A new hajj uniform has been designed by Tajikistan's Committee for Religious
Affairs and will soon be distributed to the country's 5,500 prospective
pilgrims.

Men will don two-piece suits, while women wear long-sleeved dresses complete
with head scarves, committee officials told local media.

The Tajik hajj uniform is embroidered with the country's symbols, possibly the
nation's flag or coat of arms, religious officials said.

The inscription of the country's name, in Latin letters, will be prominently
seen on women's head scarves and men's shirt pockets.

The garments come with matching suitcases. Taking Saudi Arabia's hot weather
into account, the uniforms are made from a lightweight fabric.

The committee says having a special uniform will make it easier for trip
organizers and the pilgrims not to lose each other among huge crowds during the
hajj.

Tajik pilgrims might, indeed, look drastically different to others: the
religious committee has hinted that in choosing the color, the designers have
not opted for the traditional white.

The color and other details of the uniforms are being kept under wraps until
they are handed over -- at $50 a set -- to prospective pilgrims shortly before
their trip to Mecca.

According to the Islamic lunar calendar, the hajj is scheduled to fall between
November 4 and November 9, 2011.

Every year, some 2 million Muslim men and women perform the hajj pilgrimage, the
fifth pillar of Islam.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ten Principles for Those Seeking the Path of Allah
9/13/2011 - Religious - Article Ref: SW1109-4841
By: Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali
SuhaibWeb.com* -

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=SW1109-4841
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajj: Reaching Toward Allah
9/20/2011 - Religious - Article Ref: IC0612-3177
By: Dr. Ali Shariati
IslamiCity* -

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC0612-3177

The season of Hajj is upon us. The honorable month of Zul-Hijjah is approaching.
The land of Makkah is tranquil and peaceful. Instead of fear, hatred, and war,
the desert is blessed with security and peace. There is a feeling in the air, a
desire to be the guest of Almighty God, a yearning to worship Him in His own
house.

Do you not hear Allah's command to His Prophet to declare:

And call upon the people for Hajj. They will come to you on their bare feet or
riding any weak camel and they come to you from every far desert. (Quran 22:27)

You! who has been created from mud, search for the spirit of Allah! Accept his
invitation; leave your home in order to "see" Him. He is waiting for You!

Human existence is frivolous unless one's aim is to approach the spirit of
Allah. Separate yourself from all those needs and greed which distract you from
Allah. Join the eternal human migration of Hajj. "See" Almighty Allah!

Before departing to perform Hajj, all of your debts should be paid. Your hates
and angers toward relatives or friends must disappear. A will must be drawn. All
of these gestures are an exercise in the preparation for death (which will
overtake everyone some day). These acts guarantee your personal and financial
clearance. The last moments of farewell and the future of man are symbolized.

Now you are free to join eternity. On the day of resurrection, you will be able
to do nothing in Allah's court. Your eyes, ears, and heart will be a witness of
what you have done.

You and every organ of your body are responsible for your deeds. While you are
in this "house of correction" get ready for the "house of justice". Exercise
death before you die-go to Hajj!

.. for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be
enquired into on the Day of Reckoning. (Quran 17:36)

Hajj represents your return to Allah, the absolute, who has no limitations and
none is like Him. To return to Him signifies a definite movement toward
perfection, goodness, beauty, power knowledge, value, and facts. On your way
toward the eternal, you will never approach Allah by yourself but if you
sincerely desire His pleasure, He will guide you in the right direction!

It is not enough to live "in the name of Allah", and die "for the sake of
Allah", you must strive to approach Almighty God.

To Allah we belong and to Him is our return. All affairs tend toward Allah. Our
goal is not to "perish", but to "bloom". This is done not "for Allah" but rather
to bring us "toward Him". Allah is not so far away from you; therefore, try to
reach Him! Allah is closer to you than yourself!

.. "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return". (Quran 2:156) The Way of
Allah, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth.
Behold (how) all affairs tend towards Allah. (Quran 42:53) .. We are nearer to
him than his jugular vein. (Quran 5:16)

On the other hand, everyone beside Allah is too far to be reached! Oh man, all
the angels prostrated to you; yet, through the passage of time and societal
influence you have changed greatly. You have not abided by your promise to
worship none but Almighty Allah. Instead, you have become a slave to idols, some
of which are man-made.

Remember that only the sincere and righteous will be in the assembly of truthful
and in the presence of the sovereign omnipotent.

As to the Righteous, they will be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers . (Quran
54:54)

Your nature is characterized by loyalty to other individuals, self devotion,
cruelty, ignorance, a lack of direction, fearfulness, and greediness! This life
has caused you to acquire animalistic traits. You have reduced yourself to the
likeness of an animal like a "wolf", "fox", "rodent", or a "sheep".

Oh man! return to your origin. Go to Hajj and reignite your friendship with your
creator who created you as the best of creation. He is waiting to see you! Leave
the palaces of power, the treasures of wealth and the misleading temples. Detach
yourself from the flock of those animals whose shepherd is the wolf. Join the
flock of those who are going to see the house of Allah built for His guests.


Adapted from a section of the book "Hajj" by Dr. Ali Shariati. Translated by Dr.
Ali A. Behzadnia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
Historic and culturally important landmarks are being destroyed to make way for
luxury hotels and malls, reports Jerome Taylor
Saturday, 24 September 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/mecca-for-the-rich-islams-ho\
liest-site-turning-into-vegas-2360114.html

Behind closed doors – in places where the religious police cannot listen in
– residents of Mecca are beginning to refer to their city as Las Vegas, and
the moniker is not a compliment.

Over the past 10 years the holiest site in Islam has undergone a huge
transformation, one that has divided opinion among Muslims all over the world.

Once a dusty desert town struggling to cope with the ever-increasing number of
pilgrims arriving for the annual Hajj, the city now soars above its surroundings
with a glittering array of skyscrapers, shopping malls and luxury hotels.

To the al-Saud monarchy, Mecca is their vision of the future – a steel and
concrete metropolis built on the proceeds of enormous oil wealth that showcases
their national pride.

Yet growing numbers of citizens, particularly those living in the two holy
cities of Mecca and Medina, have looked on aghast as the nation's archaeological
heritage is trampled under a construction mania backed by hardline clerics who
preach against the preservation of their own heritage. Mecca, once a place where
the Prophet Mohamed insisted all Muslims would be equal, has become a playground
for the rich, critics say, where naked capitalism has usurped spirituality as
the city's raison d'être.

Few are willing to discuss their fears openly because of the risks associated
with criticising official policy in the authoritarian kingdom. And, with the
exceptions of Turkey and Iran, fellow Muslim nations have largely held their
tongues for fear of of a diplomatic fallout and restrictions on their citizens'
pilgrimage visas. Western archaeologists are silent out of fear that the few
sites they are allowed access to will be closed to them.

But a number of prominent Saudi archaeologists and historians are speaking up in
the belief that the opportunity to save Saudi Arabia's remaining historical
sites is closing fast.

"No one has the balls to stand up and condemn this cultural vandalism," says Dr
Irfan al-Alawi who, as executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research
Foundation, has fought in vain to protect his country's historical sites. "We
have already lost 400-500 sites. I just hope it's not too late to turn things
around."

Sami Angawi, a renowned Saudi expert on the region's Islamic architecture, is
equally concerned. "This is an absolute contradiction to the nature of Mecca and
the sacredness of the house of God," he told the Reuters news agency earlier
this year. "Both [Mecca and Medina] are historically almost finished. You do not
find anything except skyscrapers."

Dr Alawi's most pressing concern is the planned £690m expansion of the Grand
Mosque, the most sacred site in Islam which contains the Kaaba – the black
stone cube built by Ibrahim (Abraham) that Muslims face when they pray.

Construction officially began earlier this month with the country's Justice
Minister, Mohammed al-Eissa, exclaiming that the project would respect "the
sacredness and glory of the location, which calls for the highest care and
attention of the servants or Islam and Muslims".

The 400,000 square metre development is being built to accommodate an extra 1.2
million pilgrims each year and will turn the Grand Mosque into the largest
religious structure in the world. But the Islamic Heritage Foundation has
compiled a list of key historical sites that they believe are now at risk from
the ongoing development of Mecca, including the old Ottoman and Abbasi sections
of the Grand Mosque, the house where the Prophet Mohamed was born and the house
where his paternal uncle Hamza grew up.

There is little argument that Mecca and Medina desperately need infrastructure
development. Twelve million pilgrims visit the cities every year with the
numbers expected to increase to 17 million by 2025.

But critics fear that the desire to expand the pilgrimage sites has allowed the
authorities to ride roughshod over the area's cultural heritage. The
Washington-based Gulf Institute estimates that 95 per cent of Mecca's
millennium-old buildings have been demolished in the past two decades alone.

The destruction has been aided by Wahabism, the austere interpretation of Islam
that has served as the kingdom's official religion ever since the al-Sauds rose
to power across the Arabian Peninsula in the 19th century.

In the eyes of Wahabis, historical sites and shrines encourage "shirq" – the
sin of idolatry or polytheism – and should be destroyed. When the al-Saud
tribes swept through Mecca in the 1920s, the first thing they did was lay waste
to cemeteries holding many of Islam's important figures. They have been
destroying the country's heritage ever since. Of the three sites the Saudis have
allowed the UN to designate World Heritage Sites, none are related to Islam.

Those circling the Kaaba only need to look skywards to see the latest example of
the Saudi monarchy's insatiable appetite for architectural bling. At 1,972ft,
the Royal Mecca Clock Tower, opened earlier this year, soars over the
surrounding Grand Mosque, part of an enormous development of skyscrapers that
will house five-star hotels for the minority of pilgrims rich enough to afford
them.

To build the skyscraper city, the authorities dynamited an entire mountain and
the Ottoman era Ajyad Fortress that lay on top of it. At the other end of the
Grand Mosque complex, the house of the Prophet's first wife Khadijah has been
turned into a toilet block. The fate of the house he was born in is uncertain.
Also planned for demolition are the Grand Mosque's Ottoman columns which dare to
contain the names of the Prophet's companions, something hardline Wahabis
detest.

For ordinary Meccans living in the mainly Ottoman-era town houses that make up
much of what remains of the old city, development often means the loss of their
family home.

Non-Muslims cannot visit Mecca and Medina, but The Independent was able to
interview a number of citizens who expressed discontent over the way their town
was changing. One young woman whose father recently had his house bulldozed
described how her family was still waiting for compensation. "There was very
little warning; they just came and told him that the house had to be bulldozed,"
she said.

Another Meccan added: "If a prince of a member of the royal family wants to
extend his palace he just does it. No one talks about it in public though.
There's such a climate of fear."

Dr Alawi hopes the international community will finally begin to wake up to what
is happening in the cradle of Islam. "We would never allow someone to destroy
the Pyramids, so why are we letting Islam's history disappear?"
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chinese Muslims to begin annual pilgrimage to Mecca
(philstar.com) Updated October 06, 2011 03:50 PM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=734620&publicationSubCategoryId=2\
00

YINCHUAN (Xinhua) -- More than 2,600 Chinese Muslims from northwest China's
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region will begin their annual pilgrimage to Mecca in
Saudi Arabia later this month, local religious officials said Thursday.

The number traveling this year is about 200 more than that of last year, said
Hei Fuli, vice chairman and secretary-general of the Islamic Association of
Ningxia.

The Muslims will fly to Saudi Arabia via eight Air China charter flights between
Oct. 17 and 22, and will return to Ningxia between Nov. 27 and Dec. 2, Hei said.

"Because many of them are elderly people who do not understand Arabic and have
never been abroad, we are giving them some etiquette training on  everyday life
in another country, as well as some religious training," said Ma Shaozhong, imam
of the Liming Mosque in Ningxia's city of Wuzhong.

The Mecca pilgrimage, also known as the hajj, is a Muslim religious tradition
that specifies that all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to travel to Saudi
Arabia must visit Mecca at least once in their lives.

China has more than 20 million Muslims, about half of which are from the Hui
ethnic group. Chinese Muslims mainly live in the western provinces of Qinghai,
Gansu and Yunnan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regions and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous
Region.

More than 2.25 million Hui live in Ningxia, accounting for more than one-third
of the total population of the region.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luxurious Hajj Infuriates Emiratis
OnIslam & Newspapers
Monday, 17 October 2011 11:27

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/middle-east/454325-emiratis-criticize-luxuri\
ous-hajj.html

CAIRO – Embarking on the spiritual life-time journey, Emirati pilgrims are
criticizing the rocketing prices of luxurious hajj packages.

"I know the hajj operators are really offering excellent services but this is a
religious activity," Ibrahim Abdullah, a businessman in Ajman who will perform
hajj this year, told the Emirati daily The National.

"They should make it accessible to even the low-income earners."

Competing to provide the luxurious services, hajj tour operators have been
offering packages costing more than Dh100,000.

Even their "ordinary" hajj packages cost between Dh39,000 and Dh45,000,
including airfare and accommodation.

Though affording to pay for other packages, Ahmed Al Bayat, who will also do the
pilgrimage this year, choose to pay for the ordinary hajj package to be with
ordinary people.

"The problem with these categories is that they are dividing between the rich
and poor in a religious duty where we are supposed to be equal," Al Bayat said.

"I have earlier tried some other categories but realized the best memories of a
hajj would be derived from being with the ordinary people, talking to them about
their lives and challenges."

Ali Hamid, an Umm Al Qaiwain resident who performed hajj last year, said he paid
Dh18,000, which involved sharing a hotel room with three other people and using
bus transport. He said he found the journey a tremendous experience.

"I knew of some of my other colleagues that stayed more than four in a room
after paying the same fee as myself," Hamid said.

"The problem is all tour operators are just concerned with making profits. We
paid the least money but still they spent on us less than half of what we paid."

Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one
of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj consists of several rituals, which are meant to symbolize the essential
concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham
and his family.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform
hajj at least once in a lifetime.

Delayed Dream

Defending themselves, the tour operators say they only provide what customers
want, which sometimes is luxury.

"A number of pilgrims want to stay near the holy places like the Kaaba, and
hotels in the neighborhood are more expensive," said Shaban Abdul Maqsood, who
works at a tour company he declined to name.

"We offer a 'five-star' hajj and have our pilgrims residing in a five-star hotel
near Kaaba.

“In Mina, they would stay at another good hotel overlooking the stoning area,
and in Medina they would stay in another five-star hotel near the holy mosque
… all packaged at Dh80,000," he added.

Those rocketing prices were not regulated by the Government, said Obeid Al
Zaabi, the director general of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs &
Endowments in Ajman.

"As regards the categorization of services, this is for only outside services
like hotel or flights," Al Zaabi said.

"All people are equal in places of worship and at the Kaaba and no such
categorization is there."

Yet, those prices do keep some people away from their dream of fulfilling the
life-time journey.

Abdullah Khalwaj, another UAQ resident, said he had been saving for five years
to go to hajj, but he could not because of the price hikes.

"I don't know what should be my target in saving, as every year brings new
figures," Khalwaj said.

"Gone are the days when our grandparents saved for years to make hajj and lived
to see their dreams coming true.

"Our world is different and very hostile when it comes to making profits …
even religious duties are not spared of this greed."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How Would Hajj Unify Mankind?

http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-about-islam/faith-and-worship/aspects-of-wors\
hip/168531-how-would-hajj-unify-mankind.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

YEMEN

Yemeni women burn veils to protest regime
From Mohammed Jamjoom and Hakim Almasmari, CNN
October 26, 2011 -- Updated 1633 GMT (0033 HKT)

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/26/world/meast/yemen-protests/?hpt=wo_bn11

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- Yemeni women defiantly burned their traditional veils
Wednesday in protest of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's brutal crackdown on
anti-government demonstrations.
Thousands of women gathered in the capital, Sanaa, said witnesses. They carried
banners that read: "Saleh the butcher is killing women and is proud of it" and
"Women have no value in the eyes in Ali Saleh."
They collected their veils and scarves in a huge pile and set it ablaze -- an
act that is highly symbolic in the conservative Islamic nation, where women use
their veils to cover their faces and bodies. It's the first time in the nine
months of Yemen's uprising that such an event has occurred.
Inspired by Yemeni activist Tawakkol Karman's Nobel Peace Prize this month, more
and more Yemeni women have taken to the streets and escalated their campaign for
help from the international community.
More than 60 women were attacked in October alone by the government, said
protester Ruqaiah Nasser. Government forces are raiding homes and also killing
children, she said.

She said silence from tribal leaders on the matter is a "disgrace."
"We will not stay quiet and will defend ourselves if our men can't defend us,"
Nasser said. "Tribes must understand they will not be respected by Yemeni women
if they stay quiet while their women are being attacked by the Saleh regime.
Tribes who ignore our calls are cowards and have no dignity."
"Saleh is killing women and children and this is against tribal culture," she
said. "Where are their voices when we need them? It's a disgrace if they stay
quiet."
The women's protests came after the Yemeni government announced a cease-fire
Tuesday. But that did not appear to be holding.
At least 10 people died and dozens were injured earlier Tuesday in clashes
between Yemeni government security forces in the country's capital and the
province of Taiz, medical officials reported.
Yemen's government has said that opposition-supported militants are responsible
for the violence.
Saleh summoned the U.S. ambassador and reiterated a promise to sign an agreement
brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council in which he would step aside in
exchange for immunity from prosecution, U.S. State Department spokeswoman
Victoria Nuland said.
However, Saleh has repeatedly promised to sign the council-backed deal and not
done so. The embattled leader has clung to power through the protracted
protests.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemeni president promises to step down within days
Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for 33 years, says he will step down
after months of protests across the country
Staff and agencies
guardian.co.uk,  Saturday 8 October 2011 16.18 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/08/yemeni-president-step-down-days
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemen uprising: Sana'a rocked by night of fierce fighting
Protesters are writing their names across their chests for identification in
case they are killed in anti-Saleh marches
Tom Finn in Sana'a
guardian.co.uk,  Monday 17 October 2011 11.57 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/17/sanaa-rocked-night-fierce-fighting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemen clashes leave 22 dead
By AGENCIES
Published: Oct 16, 2011 00:01 Updated: Oct 16, 2011 00:01

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article518708.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deadly protests erupt in Yemen capital Sanaa
15 October 2011 Last updated at 19:56

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15319980

Security forces in Yemen have shot dead at least 12 people and wounded 80 others
during protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the capital, Sanaa.

Tens of thousands marching to the city centre were met with live rounds, tear
gas and water cannon.

President Saleh has been battling eight months of street protests.

Separately, the media chief of militant group al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
was reportedly killed in an air strike.

Witnesses in Sanaa said protesters calling for the resignation of Mr Saleh were
marching from their stronghold in Change Square to an area controlled by the
elite Republican Guard force, which is loyal to the president.

Many of the wounded were taken by ambulances to a field hospital in Sixty
Street.

Anti-government protesters have been camping there for months.

And in a northern district of Sanaa, at least six people were killed in fighting
between supporters of President Saleh and Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, a leading
tribal chief who has sided with the protesters

Mr Saleh has so far resisted calls from many Western countries to stand down, in
spite of saying on several occasions he was prepared to do so.

On 8 October he said in a speech broadcast on state television: "I reject power
and I will continue to reject it, and I will be leaving power in the coming
days."
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


SYRIA

Syrian army operations continue in Homs
Activists say several people killed a day after fierce fighting breaks out
between troops and army defectors.
Last Modified: 29 Oct 2011 13:54

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/10/2011102910583554132.html

Fresh violence has been reported in the central Syrian city of Homs, where
activists say several people have been killed after the army attacked a
residential area.

Residents said heavy weaponry was used after tanks entered the Bab Amr
neighbourhood on Saturday. Activists said explosions and gunfire could be heard
in other neighbourhoods of the city as well.

Residents said six people were killed in Bab Amr and other parts of the city.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one of the civilians
killed on Saturday was shot by a sniper, and two by machine gun fire between
pro- and anti-Assad soldiers.

The group said that fierce fighting broke out on Friday night between dozens of
army deserters and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Seventeen soldiers
were killed when the defectors attacked two security posts in the city.

Anti-government rallies were held in many Syrian cities and towns on Friday, and
activists said 44 people were killed by security forces.

Much of the violence happened after protests had ended and security forces armed
with machine guns chased protesters and activists, according to opposition
groups monitoring the demonstrations.

Arab League critical

Following the reports, Arab foreign ministers urged Assad to stop the bloodshed
in his country.

"The Arab ministerial committee expressed its rejection of the continued
killings of civilians in Syria and expressed its hope that the Syrian government
will take the necessary measures to protect them," the ministers said.

The committee is due to meet Syrian officials on Sunday in Doha, the Qatari
capital, to try to reach "serious results and an exit to the Syrian crisis," the
Arab League said.

In reaction, the Syrian foreign ministry said the committee had "based its
decision on the lies spread by television channels."

The committee of ministers should have "helped to calm [the situation] and reach
a solution to ensure the security and stability of Syria instead of reviving
dissent," it said in a statement.

It said Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem would "inform the committee
tomorrow of the true situation in Syria."

Arab ministers met Assad in Damascus on Wednesday in a bid to spur a dialogue
between his leadership and
the opposition.

Syria has barred most foreign media, making it difficult to verify reports from
activists and from authorities, who blame
foreign-backed armed groups for the violence.

The UN estimates that more than 3,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed
since the uprising began in March.

The authorities say gunmen have killed 1,100 soldiers and police.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Assad's Alawites: The guardians of the throne
Syria's Alawite community have a history of persecution, but dominate the ruling
family's security forces.
Nir Rosen Last Modified: 10 Oct 2011 17:49

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/10/20111010122434671982.html

As we left the central Syrian city of Homs, Abu Laith pulled a 9mm Llama pistol
from under his shirt, loaded it and placed it in the gap between our seats. He
was a sergeant in Syria's State Security and drove a small Chinese-made taxi to
avoid the attention of armed men looking for members of the security forces.
Heading north to his village of Rabia, in Hama, we passed shops covered in
gashes from gunfire.

"There was a sniper here," he said at one point on the road. "He shot six
military buses." We drove by a Military Security building that had been attacked
by armed opposition fighters.

"Here was a statue of the late President Hafez," he pointed at a now empty
pedestal. Visibly offended, he added: "They took it down and put a live donkey
there instead."

Abu Laith belongs to the Alawite sect who make up about ten per cent of Syria's
population. Sunni Arabs comprise 65 per cent, while Sunni Kurds and Christians
constitute ten per cent each. Druze, Shia, Ismailis and others make up the
remainder. Since the Baathists seized power in Syria, sectarianism has been
taboo, ever-present but unspoken of, with perpetrators of incitement harshly
punished.

Prejudice in all its forms - racism, sexism, sectarianism - exist in all
societies, but, in times of crisis, collective identity often comes to dominate
social relations. Identity is complex and membership of ethno-religious sects is
only one part of Syrian identity.

Social class, profession, nationalism, regional identities and other factors are
all very important. But one is born into a sect and few but the wealthy elite
transcend these classifications, typically revealed by one's name and place of
birth. As in the Balkans, religious identities are often cultural identities and
lead to ethnic-like divisions, even within same-language groups.

A history of persecution

In the Arab world, the Sunnis exercise a hegemony which has often made minority
sects feel insecure. Shia and heterodox sects - such as the Alawites - have been
persecuted.

Little is known about the history of the Alawite faith - even among the Alawite
community - as its beliefs and practices are available only to the initiated
few. It bears little resemblance to mainstream doctrines of Islam and involves
belief in transmigration of the soul, reincarnation, the divinity of Ali ibn Abi
Talib - the fourth Caliph and a cousin of Prophet Muhamad - and a holy trinity
comprising Ali, Muhamad and one of the prophet's companions, Salman al Farisi.

A common theme to Alawite identity is a fear of Sunni hegemony, based on a
history of persecution that only ended with the demise of the Ottoman empire.
Sunni cultural hegemony, however, remains.

Beginning in the 1960s, the Syrian regime encouraged mainly Alawite peasants to
migrate from the mountain regions to the plains, giving them ownership of lands
that had belonged to a mainly Sunni elite.

But since the beginning of this year's uprising, some have sent their families
back to rural areas for safety. Yahya al Ahmad, an Alawite doctor in Homs told
me that his community were resented for migrating and finding work in the
government and industry. "Sunnis say we took their jobs and should go back to
the countryside," he said.

An Alawite friend told me he was outraged after seeing Sunni demonstrators in
Latakia on television, chanting that they would send President Bashar "back to
the farm". To him it meant that Sunnis wanted Alawites to go back to their
villages.

"The lot of the 'Alawis was never enviable," wrote historian Hanna Batatu.
"Under the Ottomans they were abused, reviled and ground down by exactions and,
on occasions, their women and children led into captivity and disposed of by
sale."

Empowerment and identity loss

The French mandate that replaced the Ottoman empire empowered minorities and
weakened the older Sunni elite, while Alawites begged the French to grant them a
separate state.

Minorities, especially Alawites, later saw the ruling Baath party and its
pan-Arab ideology as a way to transcend narrow sectarian identities, while state
employment and the military offered opportunities for social advancement and an
escape from poverty.

In 1955, the majority of the military's non commissioned officers were Alawites,
and early on, the party's Military Committee was also controlled by Alawites.
They determined who went to the military academies, choosing people from social
backgrounds they trusted - most often Alawites or rural Sunnis, encouraging
loyal allies into the more powerful praetorian units.

In 1970, Hafez al-Assad, the Alawite minister of defence and a former military
officer, seized power. He empowered close friends and relatives, including many
Alawites from his home region of Latakia - though he also promoted some Sunni
War College colleagues.

With Alawites gravitating towards government employment, combined with Assad's
nepotism, the sect became over-represented within state institutions.

The state - even "Assadism" - supplanted the Alawite religion as the focus of
their identity.

While Alawites identify as Muslims they have historically been rejected by
mainstream Islam. To be accepted as leader, Assad had to persuade Sunnis and
Alawites alike that Alawites were, in fact, mainstream Muslims. While Alawites
have a powerful communal identity and still visit mazars, or shrines, and will
have an Alawite sheikh at funerals and weddings, they do not necessarily know
what it all means.

Wiped from the text books

Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma's Center for Middle East
Studies, revealed that Alawites do not receive education about their own
religion. Syrian school books on religion contain no mention of the word
"Alawite".

"Islamic education in Syrian schools is traditional, rigid, and Sunni," he
wrote. "The Ministry of Education makes no attempt to inculcate notions of
tolerance or respect for religious traditions other than Sunni Islam."
Christianity, noted Landis, was an exception to this.

The regime denied any public space for Alawites to practice their religion. They
did not recognise any Alawite council that could provide religious rulings. This
could have been a tool to clarify the Alawite religion to other sects and
religions and to reduce suspicions over what many Syrians perceive as a
mysterious faith.

Alawites struck a bargain; they lost their independence and had to accept the
myth that they were "good Muslims" so as to win Sunni acceptance. Assadism then
filled the gap left by the negation of traditional Alawite identity. The loss of
the traditional role of community leaders fragmented Alawites, preventing them
from establishing unified positions and from engaging as a community with other
Syrian sects - reinforcing sectarian fears and distrust.

Without a central authority to represent them, Alawites were unable to engage
and develop their teachings. Of Syria's sects, Alawites boast the largest number
of cross-denominational marriages, and are the most integrated with other sects,
in both personal and business relationships.

It's hard to say what makes someone an Alawite, except for being born an
Alawite. Alawites only socialise as Alawites in mazars, in the security services
and within state institutions.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Opposition group: 31 die in clashes across Syria
By the CNN Wire Staff
October 10, 2011 -- Updated 1603 GMT (0003 HKT)

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/10/world/meast/syria-unrest/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: 'The army was told not to fire at protesters'
Our writer presses Assad's key adviser on the violent battle for Syria's future

Robert Fisk
Friday, 28 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-the-army-was-\
told-not-to-fire-at-protesters-2376892.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A tale of two villages
A journey through Syria reveals deep-seated fears and prejudices held between
Alawite and Sunni communities.
Nir Rosen Last Modified: 24 Oct 2011 13:22

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/10/2011102365913224161.html

A flowerpot made from a tank shell decorated the living room in General Aref
Bayumi's home in the Syrian hilltop village of Bareen, while a picture of a
young Hassan Nasrallah adorned the wall, alongside portraits of President Bashar
al-Assad and his brothers, Basil and Maher.

"The law is what the mighty makes with his sword and it is his sword that
forbids and permits," the general told me, quoting 20th century Syrian poet
Badawi al-Jabal.

The poem was named: "The Unification of Three Regions" - referring to the areas
surrounding the Tigris river of Iraq, Syria's Barada river and the Nile. Its
creator, Badawi, held an angry belief that Arabs betrayed the region's
unification by raising the white flag to Israel. Badawi stressed that only by
the sword - and not through the law - could the Arabs regain their rights. He
warned Arab leaders who abused their power that "the sword" would one day
restore the rights of the weak.

General Bayumi fought Israel in 1973 and again in the 1982 in Lebanon’s Beqaa
Valley. He was very proud of his role in putting down the Syrian Muslim
Brotherhood insurgency in Hama in 1982, a violent crackdown that ended with the
deaths of at least 10,000 men, women and children. He resented that Rifaat,
brother of then President Hafez al-Assad, took the credit for the operation.
"Rifaat didn’t do anything in Hama," he said. "The west just blamed him [so
as] to attack the president; it was the army."
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A tale of two Syrian villages: Part two
Communities are divided, with Alawite and Sunni villages each blaming the other
for rising sectarianism.
Nir Rosen Last Modified: 26 Oct 2011 12:35

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/10/20111023102856446977.html

Locals in Masyaf claimed hundreds of Alawite families had been expelled from
Sunni villages. In Bareen, I visited Miyada Idris in the house she was renting
with her husband Juma Jbeili, five children and sister-in-law. The family had
fled their home in Akrab’s Alawite enclave of Jbeili, a community of about 200
families. Their new home, an unpainted concrete block, had no furniture - save
for some thin mattresses on the floor. There was no glass in the windows and no
running water. The family left Akrab after feeling intimidated by what Miyada
dubbed "sectarian slogans".

"At first it was every Friday, then every day," she said. "They burned state
buildings and attacked some shops and they called for jihad. My husband’s name
was written as a collaborator with the state because he called security to
protect us. There were papers on the streets and walls with his name and
others’ names written and it said they were collaborators - and [that] after
the fall of the regime 'their blood will be spilled'."

They said they could not return to their life and farm home in Akrab. "We’re
afraid they’ll kill us," said Miyada. "We will transfer our children to school
here." Locals had cursed and threatened them, while the local bakery set aside
bread rations for the revolutionaries, she said.

I also visited the family of Naji Jbeili. They too were Alawites from Akrab, who
had fled after being threatened at gunpoint by Sunni men. They too had owned
their home in Akrab. Now they rented a small unfurnished house for about $100 a
month.

"Their hatred appeared," said one of the men in the family. "It's finished, we
can never go back," said another. They worried that armed men would prevent them
from returning to reclaim their belongings. "We are waiting for the army to
remove the armed men," one told me. Mosques and town leaders were against the
regime, said the family, blaming the people of Hula for coming to their village
and stirring up problems.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: Assad's army remains defiant as it buries its dead
Syrian officers told me 1,150 soldiers have been killed in Syria in the past
seven months - an extraordinary death toll
Robert Fisk
Wednesday, 26 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-assads-army-r\
emains-defiant-as-it-buries-its-dead-2375963.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syrian state hospitals are torturing demonstrators, says rights group
Amnesty International report says wounded protesters are being assaulted by
medical staff and security personnel

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/25/syrian-government-hospitals-torturin\
g-demonstrators
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, what do you think of your husband's brutal crackdown, Mrs Assad?
What did Syria's First Lady, supposedly a force for compassion, say when aid
workers confronted her about the bloody crackdown? Alastair Beach reports
Tuesday, 18 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/so-what-do-you-think-of-your\
-husbands-brutal-crackdown-mrs-assad-2372008.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Assad, his raids on Lebanon, and Syria's slow slip into civil war
In Damascus, the regime presents a picture of vast rallies of support. But as
tensions rise on the nation's borders, cracks are showing. In Beirut, Robert
Fisk peers behind the propaganda

Monday, 17 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/assad-his-raids-on-lebano\
n-and-syrias-slow-slip-into-civil-war-2371624.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syria is heading for full-blown civil war, top UN official warns
Ten people have died in the latest clashes as protesters urge more people to
defect from the Syrian security forces
Martin Chulov in Beirut
guardian.co.uk,  Friday 14 October 2011 17.40 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/14/syria-protesters-defections-security\
-forces
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UN plea as Syria deaths pass 3,000
Friday, 14 October 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/un-plea-as-syria-deaths-pass\
-3000-2370586.html

The UN's top human rights official has urged the international community to take
"immediate measures" to protect civilians in Syria as the death toll from the
anti-government unrest rose above 3,000.

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that the
crackdown by the government of President Bashar Assad could worsen unless
further action is taken.

"The onus is on all members of the international community to tale protective
action in a collective and decisive manner, before the continual ruthless
repression and killings drive the country into a full-blown civil war," Ms
Pillay said in a statement.

She did not say what measures the international community could take beyond the
sanctions already imposed on Mr Assad's regime.

Her spokesman, Rupert Colville, told reporters in Geneva that it was up to the
UN Security Council to decide what action was appropriate.

But he added: "What has been done so far is not producing results and people
continue to be killed every single day.

"Just hoping things will get better isn't good enough, clearly," he said.

The UN human rights office estimates that more than 3,000 people have now been
killed since mid-March - about 10 to 15 people every day. The figure includes at
least 187 children. More than 100 people had been killed in the last 10 days
alone, the global body said.

Mr Colville said hundreds more protesters have been arrested, detained, tortured
and disappeared. Families of anti-government protesters inside and outside the
country have also been targeted for harassment.

Since mid-March, Mr Assad's regime has cracked down on protesters leading
movements similar to those that have ousted other Arab dictators this year.

AP
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At home with the Assads: Syria's ruthless ruling family
The dynasty founded on Hafez al-Assad's rise from poverty and obscurity is
maintained by some uncompromising characters
Nour Ali and Esther Addley
guardian.co.uk,  Tuesday 11 October 2011 15.53 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/11/assads-syria-ruling-family

It is evening, and in a large house in a leafy, upmarket district of Damascus, a
trio of siblings have gathered in the home of their mother, Anisa Makhlouf
al-Assad, the reclusive former first lady of Syria. Along with her son Bashar,
the country's current president, his younger brother Maher, commander of the
brutal Fourth Division, and their formidable older sister, Bushra, she pores
over the latest reports from officials across the country, as Bushra's husband,
Asef Shawkat, the president's chief of staff and former military intelligence
chief, looks on.

How many people came out on the protests? What did they chant? How many were
killed? The family debate, perhaps, over what more can be done to put down the
protests, and argue over what reforms to offer, or where next to direct the
extensive security forces at their disposal. The subtext to the gathering is
clear: under no circumstances will they release their grasp on the country they
have ruled for more than four decades.

Only whispered reports have emerged of how the country's ruling family are
co-ordinating their response to the wave of popular uprisings in Syria that have
reportedly left nearly 3,000 people dead. Most journalists, of course, have been
banned from Syria since the protests began – but the many rumours of these
family meetings chime with the image, long-established, of a tightknit and
power-hungry cabal that rules in secret, presided over by the steely matriarch.

"It's a mafia; the family rules as a family," says someone who was formerly
allowed glimpses into the Assad regime's inner sanctum. "No one knows the exact
workings, but they are closing ranks more and more."

Despite the family's obsessive secrecy, tantalising clues to their relationships
and often dysfunctional workings can be gleaned from talking to former
associates, embassy officials, biographers and diplomatic correspondence,
including cables released by WikiLeaks. They paint a picture of a once-humble
family that rose, ruthlessly, to rule Syria with a combination of megalomania
and arrogance, corrupted by power and paranoia.

It was not always this way. Hafez al-Assad, the former president and father of
the current incumbent Bashar, was born in 1930 to a poor family, and into the
minority Alawite sect, in the remote coastal village of Qardaha in western
Syria. No one in the family had been educated even to secondary school level,
and the village, at that time, did not have a road connecting it to the city.

But the smart, ambitious young man joined the Ba'ath party at 16 and the Syrian
air force at 22, where he rose, eventually, to the post of commander-in-chief.
In 1970 he seized the presidency in a coup, a position that the family have
shown no inclination to relinquish, even after Hafez's death in 2000.

"Hafez was tough and shrewd, and attained power by working for it, while Bashar
inherited it," said one Damascus-based analyst who, like most observers
commenting these days on the Assad regime, asked for anonymity. "We can tell a
lot about the family from that – today they have forgotten where they came
from." The family and their entourage are now very much an urban elite, their
spiritual home the wealthy Damascus suburbs of swish coffee shops and fast cars
rather than the rural poverty from which they rose, and in which many Syrians
now languish.

Hafez al-Assad's intentions to turn his presidency into the family business
became clear, but the family's dynastic ambitions did not go according to plan.
It was always Basel, the oldest, flamboyant son, who was being groomed, via a
military career, to inherit the presidential mantle. A handsome, competitive
jockey with a love of fast cars, he was killed in 1994, aged 31, after crashing
his Mercedes on a Damascus motorway.

It is rumoured that for a time there was a debate over which brother should take
Basel's place in the succession, with some, including, it was rumoured, the
first lady, Anisa, favouring Maher, a military hardman in the mould of his
father.

Instead it was Bashar, Maher's older brother by three years, who was recalled
from London where he was training as an opthalmologist and pushed into the
military. He was 34 when he became president.

The early years of Bashar's rule were marked by a brief opening of civil society
that many hoped might herald a more liberal presidency. Any sense of Bashar, now
46, as a reformer has long since disappeared, however.

"[Bashar] changed over time from a well-intentioned man into someone who
believed the propaganda and praise of the sycophants surrounding him," said
David Lesch, an American academic and Assad's official biographer. Associates
portray him as pleasant and gregarious, taking pains to act modestly – the
family live in a house in Damascus's Malki neighbourhood, where Bashar has been
known to surprise visitors by answering the door himself.

But critics are scathing of the president's leadership qualities. A guest who
attended several dinners with him described him thus: "He has no charisma. You
don't feel the urge to lean across the table to hear what he has to say."

A 2009 cable from the US embassy in Damascus, released as part of the WikiLeaks
hoard, is even less flattering, describing the president as vain and not as
shrewd as his father, and yet to grow into his role after the loss of the head
of the family.

In December 2000, five months after inheriting the presidency from his father,
Bashar married Asma Akhras, a 25-year-old British-Syrian banker who had been
born and educated in London, where her father, a consultant cardiologist, was a
prominent member of the expat Syrian community.

Though the sophisticated and always beautifully dressed first lady attended a
private London girls' school and speaks with the accent of the expensively
educated, the family home is a modest, pebbledashed terrace in an anonymous
street in Acton, west London.

Asma is smart and cosmopolitan and, in Damascus, her views are avidly discussed
and speculated upon. How can she, an outsider to the family from a liberal
western home, tolerate their brutality? "Some say she is upset and is isolating
herself, others that she knew she married a dictator and is as bad as the rest
of them," says the regime insider.

She is certainly an enigma, attending a Church of England school in west London
(her family are secular Sunni Muslims) before sixth form at the private Queen's
College, where her Syrian identity was almost hidden, and she called herself
Emma.

"I don't remember her being referred to as Asma; she was definitely just Emma,"
recalls one schoolfriend. "She didn't stand out as a Muslim at all, not like
some girls who wore more traditional dress. You wouldn't have thought she was
anything but English, I guess. And I'm not sure I would have singled her out for
great things."

She remembers her friend as funny, kind and "very friendly" – as one who did
not take school that seriously, but did not cause a lot of trouble. There was,
however, "a sharp side to her, and she didn't like being told off by the
teachers", says the friend, recalling her walking out of more than one lesson,
and on one occasion getting involved in a "huge catfight" with another girl –
"proper scratching and knocking over lockers".

Whatever her private views, to many Syrians, Asma will always be an outsider.
"She is his wife and has power over him, but ultimately she's seen as a
foreigner and excluded from the core decisions," says Ayman Abdel Nour, a
schoolfriend of and former adviser to the president, who now lives in exile. The
same is not true of the couple's three children, a girl and two boys, who appear
on posters and fridge magnets of the Assad family sold widely in Damascus
markets. The oldest, called Hafez and aged just nine, is already being spoken of
by some hardened regime loyalists as his father's successor.

Having been passed over for the presidency, Maher has pursued his military
career with vigour. As a commander of the elite Republican Guard and the Fourth
Division, he has been central to the violence. Despised by the protesters, he
is, accordingly, lionised by some sections of the military who see his brother
the president as weak, and posters of him adorn some neighbourhoods in Homs.
Abdel Nour calls him "a military guy, the tough sort".

Maher reportedly shot and wounded his brother-in-law, Asef Shawkat, in 1999,
though the two men were named together in a report into the death of the former
Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri as possibly having been responsible.

Shawkat's relationship with the family is complex. Basel reportedly blocked his
marriage to Bushra because he had been married before, was older and had
children,. The wedding was delayed until Bashar, to whom he is close, took
power. But in another 2005 WikiLeaks cable, Shawkat was portrayed as isolated,
with the president willing to sacrifice him if necessary to protect his brother
Maher.

Bushra, a pharmacist, is described as smart and steely, a reclusive figure who
nonetheless wields great influence behind the scenes. Her children are named
Bushra, Maher, Basel and Anisa after other members of the family. "It shows her
power hunger," the insider said. "People who know her say Bushra is a nightmare,
stroppy and ruthless."

Despite their strong, uncompromising characters, the family are seen as close,
presided over by Anisa as "head of the family council", according to Abdel Nour.
"They all dine together on a Friday night – at least until the uprising," says
Lesch. "I got the impression that relations were good."

Assailed in Syria, however, and increasingly isolated internationally, the
family have become more insular, paranoid and out of touch with reality, say
observers. "1982 is informing the regime," says Lesch, referring to the year the
former president brutally quashed an armed Islamist uprising, killing thousands
of civilians. Assad's speeches in which he said he has "felt the love" of his
people suggests either delusion or vociferous self-denial, given the scale of
dissent. It is this hubris, and this focus on its more secure past, that may be
the family's downfall.

"The protests will not go away and the regime is finished," says one Damascus
resident who has taken to the streets in protest. "But the family's gradual
detachment from the people and its arrogance means they will be the last to
realise it."

• Nour Ali is the pseudonym of a journalist based in Damascus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


SUDAN

Sudan’s Blue Nile conflict forces painful return to Ethiopia

By REUTERS
Published: Oct 14, 2011 21:26 Updated: Oct 14, 2011 21:26

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article518159.ece

KURMUK, Ethiopia: Sudan’s aerial bombardment of its Blue Nile state has driven
thousands of people across the border into Ethiopia, a painful return for many
to a refugee existence they thought was over when the Sudanese civil war ended
six years ago.

When Khartoum signed the 2005 peace deal that closed one of Africa’s deadliest
conflicts and paved the way for South Sudan’s independence in July this year,
Maza Soya led her nine children out of a squalid camp in Ethiopia dreaming of a
new life back home in Sudan.

Last month, however, fighting erupted in Blue Nile state between the northern
Sudanese army and fighters allied to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement
(SPLM), the dominant force in the newly independent South Sudan.

“Our homes were burnt down to the ground. There were daily air raids on our
town,” Soya told Reuters two weeks after fleeing back to Ethiopia’s frontier
town of Kurmuk.

Rebel fighters and residents in Sudan’s Kurmuk, a town of the same name just
across the forested border, accuse the Sudanese government of waging a
sustained, indiscriminate bombing campaign against civilians.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir’s government denies bombarding Blue
Nile, which lies just north of the new north-south border.

But Soya said her husband remained in Kurmuk in Sudan, recovering from shrapnel
wounds that burst his stomach open when an Antonov aircraft at high altitude
dumped its payload of bombs on their town.

“It is heartbreaking to be back,” said Soya, who spent 21 years in one of
several camps in Ethiopia that were home to tens of thousands of displaced
Sudanese at the height of Sudan’s war.

The United Nations says about 27,500 Sudanese refugees have streamed into
Ethiopia since the fighting broke out in early September.

Although Khartoum accepted the independence of South Sudan, analysts say it
wants to crush rebels in the joint border area before they become a strong
military and political force.

The Washington-based Satellite Sentinel Project has released satellite imagery
captured last month it says show an armored brigade of 3,000 troops deployed
along a road leading to rebel-controlled Kurmuk in Sudan.

One government bomb flattened a United Nations office and storage facility in
Sudanese Kurmuk in mid-September, said aid workers who declined to be named.
Sudan’s Antonovs could routinely be seen circling in the skies across the
frontier, they said.

Dozens of refugees are crossing the border each day, down from hundreds a month
ago. Aid workers expect that number to swell as high as 35,000 before the end of
the year.

“Some of the residents have been trapped in the bushes. We expect that when
ground troops advance, more will come to Ethiopia,” said Aziku Santus, head of
the World Food Program’s (WFP) sub-office in western Ethiopia.

“We have opened a new camp and have prepared food for the newcomers,” he
said.

Many of the refugees, however, have opted to seek shelter in schools or in the
homes of locals who share ethnic ties.

Others are camped out in the lush forests of Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz
province where huge rocks sprout like giant termite mounds.

Some refugees in the Sherkole camp clung to hopes the violence back home would
be short-lived and that they might head back soon to salvage their crops.

But for 38-year-old Salah Jeilan, even a brief return to the camps was too
painful a reminder of a past life and scorched dreams, and one he would not
contemplate.

Jeilan, his wife and seven children trekked for three weeks, their eyes scouring
the skies for the white vapor trails of Khartoum’s bombers, before reaching
Ethiopia.

“God willing, they’ll lay down their arms soon. But I would rather stay here
and pray than move into a refugee camp after just leaving one,” Jeilan said,
playing cards under a tree
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islamic banks outstrip high street rates
October 7, 2011 5:44 pm
By Elaine Moore

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/bf1ead2c-ee63-11e0-a2ed-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss#a\
xzz1cHy7wArx

Islamic banks now provide the best returns on cash deposited for two, three,
four and five years – and these market leading rates are encouraging more UK
customers to put money into sharia-compliant accounts.

Since advertising savings rates of up to 4.8 per cent on comparison sites such
as Moneysupermarket.com, the Bank of London and the Middle East (BLME) has seen
a fourfold increase in customer deposits.

“The demographic of our investors is in fact mostly non-Muslims,” said Nigel
Denison, executive director of BLME, one of the main providers of Islamic
finance in the UK. “People are trying to diversify their holdings and we offer
any term between three months and five years, so that flexibility is
attractive.”

HSBC, one of the largest UK banks, said it had seen the customer base for its
Islamic Amanah Finance, which offers current accounts and loans, double in the
past two years. “There has been an increase in understanding of what Islamic
finance is,” said Riaz Hassan, HSBC Amanah UK national manager. “Non-Muslim
customers like the ethical stance that the accounts take, and the popularity is
such that we’re now looking at the prospect of offering savings accounts.”

Rather than paying interest on customer money, Islamic savings accounts offer an
“anticipated profit rate”, based on returns from commercial transactions.
These commercial ventures must not include activity counter to the ethical
stance of Islamic finance – which means deposits cannot be used to back
businesses associated with tobacco, alcohol or pornography.
“If we think that we won’t get the return advertised, we write to the
clients and allow them to either dissolve the investment, taking their money and
the rate advertised up to that date, or continue with the investment at a lower
rate,” explained Samir Alamad, senior manager at Islamic Bank of Britain.

Islamic finance is still a developing market in the UK, and relative newcomers
such as BLME and IBB hope that market-leading rates will attract high street
banking customers unhappy with the low interest rates offered by UK
institutions, and their conduct during the financial crisis.
Although a small number of banks from the Middle East came to London to offer
bespoke services in the 1970s and 80s, it is only in the past decade that the
industry has launched retail products, such as sharia-compliant credit cards,
car loans and insurance.

IBB, set up in 2004, was bought out by Qatar International Islamic Bank in 2010,
following substantial losses. But, like BLME, it is regulated by the Financial
Services Authority, which means that balances up to £85,000 are protected by
the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Although returns are “profit”,
they are treated in the same way as interest on cash savings accounts for tax
purposes.

However, Islamic bank accounts will not be suitable for all savers. IBB requires
customers to deposit at least £1,000 while BLME sets a more prohibitive
£50,000 minimum – bringing it closer in line with investment banks than high
street banks. Average deposits at BLME are currently £93,000.

Islamic banking services even extend beyond sharia-compliant products. United
National Bank – formed in 2001 from the merger of the UK branches of two
Pakistani banks, United Bank Limited and National Bank of Pakistan – now
offers non-Islamic savings accounts. Its three-year bond, paying 4.25 per cent,
is the best non-Sharia rate now available to savers.
Parents interested in setting money aside for their children when Junior Isas
are launched in November can also opt for the sharia junior individual savings
account (Isa), investing in the Global Islamic Equity Fund, from Scottish Widows
Investment Partnership.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Europe can learn from Islamic finance, says Luxembourg's Finance Minister
Published: Wednesday October 19, 2011 MYT 1:45:00 PM

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/10/19/business/2011101913562\
7&sec=business

KUALA LUMPUR: Europe can learn and gain from Islamic finance, given that
financial institutions under it, have remained stable against the backdrop of
the eurozone debt crisis.

This observation was made by Luxembourg's Minister of Finance, Luc Frieden, in a
keynote address at the IFN 2011 Issuers & Investors Asia Forum here today.
Frieden said despite the credit crunch that has impacted Europe's banks, Islamic
financial institutions had weathered the global crisis and emerged to be the
most well managed.

"Therefore, we can learn a lot from Islamic finance and from Asia, as we have
much in common.

"The key elements in Islamic finance that we need in the world today,
particularly in Europe, are stability, financial partnership, provision of
excessive risk and speculation as well as ethical principles," he added.

He said in Islamic finance, the financial relationship between the lender and
borrower, had assured the "partnership mentality", which was found to lead to
certain stability.

Explaining the need to avoid excessive risk taking place, Frieden said this is
among the key goals of Europe and is an important feature found in Islamic
finance.

"The provision against speculation and gambling which is prohibited in Islamic
finance, is what we can concentrate on," he added.

He also said the element of ethical principles should not be limited to the
Islamic finance industry alone. Frieden gave an assurance that Europe would find
a solution to the debt-crisis that had led to volatility in the global economy.

"There's no one easy solution and one meeting can't solve the crisis. We have
embarked on a step-by-step process to solve the problems.

"We will find a solution to the Greek issue. The Euro will be a currency you can
count on in the future and see growth," he said.

He said Asia and Europe must join forces for the development and prosperity of
the global economy.

"Therefore, Asian investors should look at Europe for trade and investment
purposes, going forward," he added. - BERNAMA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islamic finance forum focuses on Shariah in banking
By BARBARA FERGUSON
Published: Oct 2, 2011 20:44 Updated: Oct 2, 2011 20:44

http://arabnews.com/economy/islamicfinance/article510173.ece

WASHINGTON: The US-Qatar Business Council and the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of
Commerce hosted the 2nd Annual Islamic Finance Forum last week, offering
much-needed insights into the growing use of Islamic financing and
Shariah-compliant business contacts in the United States. The forum, held at the
George Washington University Law School in Washington DC, featured academic,
legal, banking and business experts analyzing how Islamic financing works in the
US and how domestic economic development could use Islamic financing.

Panelists discussed the growing trend among state legislatures to try to ban the
recognition or practice of Islamic financing and Shariah law, actions that
threaten to derail the growth of Islamic financing opportunities in the US and
block US access to billions in Shariah-compliant investments from Middle Eastern
countries.

"This year's forum demonstrated that Islamic finance is not antithetical to the
American way of conducting life or business, but is instead an inventive
approach to financing business transactions that will open up the US market to
greater foreign investment," said Ambassador Patrick Theros, USQBC president and
executive director.

"Islamic financing, once properly understood and leveraged, will not only
strengthen economic ties between the US and the Middle East, but will prove
beneficial to US companies willing to explore alternative financial
arrangements."

Zamir Iqbal, a leading investment officer with the quantitative strategies, risk
and analytics department in the treasury of the World Bank in Washington who has
written extensively and co-authored several books on Islamic Finance, used the
opportunity to say the "economic principle of Islam is to promote social
justice." The problem is that there are many Muslim countries that are engulfed
in poverty, injustice and corruption, he said.

There should be more emphasis on risk sharing, not only financial but also at
society level, Iqbal said. "Those who are less privileged of society should be
able to participate in Islamic economic activities," he said and cited Garmeen
Bank as the famous example of successful micro financing which has helped micro
financing to become a profitable adventure. Islamic finance promotes risk
sharing and entrepreneurship, he said, adding that this created the instruments
of re-distribution between the haves and have-nots. "Zakat, if collected and
distributed properly, can help bring peoples out of poverty," he concluded.

Ghiath Shabsigh, assistant director of the monetary and capital market
department at the International Monetary Fund, who has previously managed the
IMF's financial sector work in the Middle East and Central Asia region, said the
veil of mystery shrouding Islamic banking has lifted. "There is a better grip on
clarity" in Islamic banking and because of the extra scrutiny, the risk
management is actually better," he said.

But still there are many hindrances many of which have resulted from
inexperience, he added. In some countries with large Muslim populations they
tend to put their money in non-interest bearing accounts. "The majority are
unsophisticated borrowers, especially in low-income countries. Still the concept
of micro-loan financing is catching on," Shabsigh said. "It is a new concept and
is picking up quickly, especially in Africa."

Umar F. Moghul, a lawyer who works in banking and finance, private equity and
real estate with his legal practice encompassing counseling financial
institutions with respect to their obligations under the USA Patriot Act, warned
of the young population in Egypt, Tunisia and the MENA region, where the "youth
bulge" is drastic as is the cost of living. "This, along with high demand for
education, infrastructure, health and wealth makes the transition from youth to
adulthood all the more difficult. There, the GDP is not a sufficient indicator
for wellbeing, and cannot mitigate these social stresses," he said. "This is not
unique to Egypt and Tunisia, but could also be true for the US. "Islam is
perhaps the only world religion with a moral economy and a strong rule of law,"
said Moghul. "This rule of law, Shariah, is seen as a source of justice. And a
stable regime is critical to create stability."

Along the lines of social justice, most of Islamic law's implementation and
enforcement is a matter of private consciousness, he said, but added that
"honesty, fairness, transparency, justice, and wealth distribution — as a law,
Shariah is concerned about everyone. Counterparts, employees, the poor, orphans
- everything is included, including animals and plants." He concluded by asking
if the contemporary Muslim institutions are providing this.

Rafi-uddin Shikoh, CEO and managing director at DinarStandard, agreed with
Moghul, saying the "underlying fundamental presence of Islam is its founding on
economic social justice." "What Grameen has done is something that financial
institutions should have done a long time ago," he said.

Islamic finance is all-in-all doing quite well, but added that the challenge is
that the "the industry must not miss the tremendous opportunity to establish a
leadership role in the global financial landscape or to even realize its full
potential within its primary Muslim markets." At issue is the fact that many who
have taken leadership roles within Islamic finance institutions come from
conventional banking systems, said Shikoh. "Leaders need to embrace the
unconventional, spirituality drive purpose of Islamic institutions and let those
be the key driving forces that produce financial results, while maximizing
returns to a higher calling."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islamic Banking, a Market with U.S. Potential, Hampered by Politics
By Robert Barba
JUN 9, 2011 7:10pm EDT

http://www.americanbanker.com/issues/176_111/sharia-banking-ban-islamic-finance-\
1038686-1.html

Islamic finance is growing, but politics, and perhaps prejudice, might be
hamstringing this business in the United States.

In the past few years bills have been introduced in at least 20 states to forbid
courts from invoking foreign laws in rulings. Proponents have touted the bills
as a way to prevent Sharia, a code derived from Islamic law, from becoming the
law of the land — a risk that many attorneys say is nonexistent. Arizona,
Louisiana and Tennessee have passed "Sharia ban" laws, which critics call a way
of scoring political points by exploiting anti-Muslim sentiment.

It is unclear whether those laws would directly affect the growth of Islamic
finance, which follows the tenets of Sharia law, such as a ban on paying
interest. But at the very least, the political climate for Muslims is certainly
not fostering a welcoming environment for what experts call an emerging market.

"The U.S. is behind. There is a strong and rapidly growing Muslim population,"
said Steven Watts, a partner with KPMG's financial services consulting practice
in Toronto. "The holdup seems to be largely political, but it is to the
detriment of the U.S."

Karen Hunt-Ahmed, an assistant professor of finance and management at DePaul
University, said that even if the state laws have no direct effect on Islamic
finance, they could still discourage Muslims from seeking such products.

"They could make it psychologically more difficult for Muslims to participate in
our banking system," she said. "There are social implications here."

The United States began to lag in Islamic finance after the 9/11 terrorist
attacks, she said.

"Europe and other parts of the world decided to increase funding to study
Islamic finance. Generally, the governments wanted to actively watch it and said
they were going to be more involved and interested," Hunt-Ahmed said. "In the
U.S., funding got cut and the sector became marginalized."

A few small banks in markets with large Muslim populations view Islamic banking
as a worthwhile.

The $115 million-asset University Bancorp in Ann Arbor, Mich., has offered
Sharia-compliant products since 2003 and is expanding to offer mortgages in
places like New York City and Washington, D.C. This year it opened a branch in
Chicago.

The Pew Research Center estimates that there are 2.6 million Muslims in the
United States, but not all adhere to Sharia.

"There's not enough of a business to attract a major bank," said Stephen Lange
Ranzini, University's president and chief executive officer. "It is a big enough
niche for us to make a small profit."

Watts said there are more opportunities, namely "ethical" investments that avoid
putting money in gambling or alcohol and could appeal to Muslims and non-Muslims
alike.

However, Sharia-compliant mortgages (which are permissible under Islamic law
because they are structured as lease-back or co-ownership arrangements) are a
great entrance to the Islamic finance world, he said.

Ranzini said that while anti-Sharia legislation has largely been passed in
states that have small Muslim populations, he sees it as harmful.

"Passing laws to ban Sharia when we have American soldiers in two Muslim
countries and bases all across Europe where there are large minority Muslim
populations is an ill-considered idea," Ranzini said. "The people that are hyped
up about this issue are just very uninformed."

A central player is the Center for Security Policy, a Washington think tank that
published a book titled "Shariah: The Threat to America."

Chris Holton, the center's vice president, said the state measures ensure that
foreign laws do not impinge on Americans' constitutional rights. "It has no
impact at all on Sharia-compliant finance," he said.

Targeting Islamic finance is on the center's agenda, though.

In 2009 the center's general counsel filed a lawsuit against Treasury Department
Secretary Timothy Geithner and the Federal Reserve in the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Michigan.

The complaint accused American International Group Inc. of using the money it
received as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program to fund its small Islamic
finance business. The court ruled for the defendants, saying that the Tarp
investment was secular and that there was no evidence AIG used Tarp money to
support the Islamic finance business.

"What we specifically call for is a standard of full and fair disclosure,"
Holton said. "They are already falling short."

Holton claimed regulators have not adequately monitored Islamic finance. "You
could take what the FDIC knows about Sharia and put it in a thimble and have
room left over," he said.

Holton has also criticized the Fed for holding informational sessions about
Islamic banking.

A spokesman for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said that the industry is
expecting to see more Islamic finance products in coming years and that some
examiners specialize in Sharia compliance.

Regulators have gone to great lengths to vet and understand Islamic finance.

For instance, University Bank is two years into a process with the FDIC to get
cleared to offer Islamic financing for residential homes.

Ranzini said there are further hurdles, such as getting approval for
Sharia-compliant loans backed by the Small Business Administration and Federal
Housing Administration.

Ranzini said there are 300,000 Muslims in the United States who are renters,
despite having the attributes of creditworthy borrowers.

"Bringing these Muslims onboard as homeowners is good public policy and would
assist with solving the housing crisis," Ranzini said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Experts to debate impact of Islamic finance on economy
VIJAYALAKSHMI NARAYANAN
Mon Oct 24 2011 09:00:55 GMT+0400 (Arabian Standard Time) Oman Time

http://www.timesofoman.com/innercat.asp?cat=&detail=51127&sec=news

MUSCAT: Leading experts in Islamic finance will converge on Muscat in December
to attend a major conference on Islamic finance.

Organised by Amjaad Development, a major engineering group and chief organiser,
Oman Islamic Economic Forum 2011 will be held at Al Bustan Palace Hotel from
December 17 to 18. Leading practitioners in the fields of economics and finance
will come under one roof to address the ways in which Islamic finance dealings
can have a huge impact on global economy in general and the local economy in
particular.

The focus will also be on key issues in Islamic finances.
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi, former prime minister of Malaysia, will be a
keynote speaker at the two-day conference.
The event aims at helping global stakeholders foster relationship with their
counterparts in Oman.

Addressing the media here yesterday, Khalid Hilal Alyahmadi, chairman of Amjaad
Development said: “After the recent global financial crisis, more and more
emerging global markets are looking to explore Islamic finance, making way for
commercial opportunities for local corporations as well as international
banks.”

He pointed out that the sukuk market is worth $50 billion across the world. Oman
now looks forward to bringing the takaful owing to the growing demand of Islamic
banking in the country, he added.

Amjaad Development hopes to become a pioneer in creating awareness on Islamic
finance in Oman and has appointed a London-based Islamic advisory firm, Edbiz
Consulting as a senior advisor.

Professor Humayon Dar, a world renowned Islamic economist and Sharia technician,
chairs it.

Giving reasons for choosing Oman as the venue for the forum, Alyahmadi said:
“Oman has the potential to become a regional centre of excellence for Islamic
finance. We will start from the level where others have reached instead from
scratch.”

The Oman Islamic Economic Forum will also hold annual Global Islamic Finance
Awards (GIFA) in recognition of outstanding contributions in economics. The
awards will be based on an objective.

proprietary methodology developed by Edbiz Consulting.
According to the Global Islamic Finance report, the Islamic finance industry
across the world is valued at $1.14 trillion. It is expected to grow from 10 per
cent to 15 per cent per annum over the decade.

The conference hopes to provide Oman the opportunity to optimise the potential
of the industry.

The sponsors of the event include Bank Nizwa, the first Islamic bank in Oman,
BankMuscat and Al Madina Financial and Investment Services Company.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OMAN: KPMG hosts seminar on Islamic Finance
Sun, 23 October 2011

http://main.omanobserver.om/node/69480
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pakistan: SBP launches Islamic financing for farmers
Published: October 19, 2011

http://tribune.com.pk/story/276918/sbp-launches-islamic-financing-for-farmers/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday, October 27, 2011, 12:37  , by Joanna Ripard
Experts eye impact of Sharia law on Maltese business with Libya

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111027/local/Firms-must-be-culture-c\
onscious-if-Libya-adopts-Islamic-banking.390997

It is too early to determine the implications of Libya’s plans for an Islamic
banking structure for Maltese firms operating there, but they will certainly
have to heighten their cultural awareness, Islamic finance expert Reuben
Buttigieg told The Times Business.
Declaring Libya liberated on Sunday, three days after the death of Colonel
Muammar Gaddafi, transitional leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil said that Islamic
Shariah law would be the “basic source” of legislation and all existing laws
contradicting Islam would be nullified.
He said new banks would be established on banking principles which comply with
Islam’s ban on interest and speculation. Interest would be cancelled from any
personal loans already taken out for less than 10,000 Libyan dinars.
Islamic finance is a $1 trillion global industry and incorporates one of the
fastest growing forms of banking.
“It is too early to determine the implications,” Mr Buttigieg said. “It
all depends whether a dual system of banking will be allowed in Libya. If it is,
then much will depend on Maltese firms’ partners and whether those
organisations want to be Shariah-compliant.
“If a unique, Shariah-compliant system is adopted, then one needs to take this
into account particularly when it comes to joint ventures and co-mingling of
funds. Certainly, the introduction of Shariah-compliant financing in Libya and
the way that Jalil communicated it makes one think that Maltese firms need to
change their modus operandi with Libyan entities. Maltese entrepreneurs need to
be more culture-conscious and aware of what can and cannot be proposed.”
Maltese authorities will have no choice but monitor the effects this will have
on the Maltese economy and perhaps adopt a more proactive approach than Malta
has so far, he added.
Mr Buttigieg, chairman of the Malta Institute of Management and who for the past
few years has lobbied for the introduction of a legislative framework that would
allow Malta to become a centre of excellence for Islamic finance, stressed
Jalil’s statement was a major development for Islamic finance practitioners.
Maltese regulation allows some specific Islamic finance activity.
“This is an even greater opportunity for Malta,” Mr Buttigieg explained.
“New governments and new regulators may not immediately have the structures
and legislative instruments in place. There will be strong interest from
investors, Islamic microfinance institutions, and Islamic banks to head to
Libya, but they will need the necessary peace of mind that their transactions
are within an appropriately regulated framework. Finance Malta and the Malta
Financial Services Authority should ensure that Malta takes the proactive role
necessary to tap into this unique economic opportunity that will also assist in
Malta continuing its humanitarian role.”
He explained that many Libyan entrepreneurs will need financing and Malta could
act as a conduit of financing into the North African country to support people
realise their business ideas.
Malta, however, needed to step up its communications to make it clear that
Islamic finance is welcome and to offer a helping hand to Islamic finance
institutions expressing interest in Malta. Authorities and ambassadors needed to
be more active in promoting Malta and in encouraging Maltese firms to tap this
opportunity. The island’s role would be key if a clear strategy on Islamic
finance is in place, he said.
Developments in Libya would have to continue to be watched closely for
indications on when and if Libyan nationals move their deposits back home. Mr
Buttigieg said Libya did not yet have its house in order and it will have to be
seen when it would start building the necessary confidence and structures for
people to move monies.
Even here, he pointed out, Malta could have a role to play in terms of training,
consultancy and assistance on structure building, but it had to be pro-active
and act fast.

The prayer (talbiyah) offered by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during
Hajj was: "I respond to Your call, O God, I respond to Your call and I am
obedient to Your orders, You have no partner. I respond to Your call. All praise
and blessings are for You. All the sovereignty is for You and You have no
partners."

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Hadith 621
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajj live on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/hajjlive
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Arafah with prayers on their lips
Hajj has begun, and 2.5 million Muslims have travelled to the plains of Arafah
at the start of the annual pilgrimage.
Fatima Asmal Last Modified: 05 Nov 2011 12:54

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/11/201111511122238142.html

The five days of Hajj - the annual Muslim pilgrimage - begun on Friday, November
5, with some 2.5 million pilgrims making their way to the valley of Mina near
Mecca, where they spent the night in prayer.

But it is Saturday, Yawmul Arafah [the Day of Arafah], which will likely have
featured most strongly in their minds.

While most of the Muslim world will spend this day preparing for Eid al Adha,
pilgrims from around the world will take to the plains of Arafah, some 14km away
from Mina, to supplicate fervently, prayerfully petitioning in a rite of Hajj
named the wuqoof [literally: "standing"], without which the pilgrimage is
considered invalid.

The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said that the "best supplication is the
supplication on the Day of Arafah", and most pilgrims eagerly anticipate the
occasion.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Nasser al-Shafawi, a news presenter from
Yemen, told Al Jazeera. "We'll see three million people from all over the world,
standing there, regardless of colour and tongue, they'll be supplicating - it's
the biggest gathering in the world."

"Usually you ask God for forgiveness for yourself and your family," he adds.
"I'll also be praying for there to be a good relationship between myself and my
family at all times."

But there will also be another dimension to al-Shafawi's prayers, one which he
says will feature strongly in the supplications of all Yemeni pilgrims.
"Whenever any pilgrim travels to Saudi Arabia for Hajj, people ask him: 'Please
pray for our country, for safety and security, pray for Allah to spare our
country any further escalation of violence and more bloodshed.' So many people
told me this. I think the hardship the country is passing through obligates you
to pray for the country. I'm going to pray to Allah to protect our country."

Al-Shafawi also pledged to pray on behalf of friends and family members who
specifically asked him to mention them by name on the plains of Arafah.

Prayers for protesters

Tasleem Shaik, a 39-year-old from Durban, South Africa, said she had also been
inundated with requests for prayers - from women who had experienced
miscarriages, students who preparing for examinations and people looking for
marriage partners. "I will make dua [the invocation of the petitioning prayer]
for them all," she says.

"I really have goose bumps," she adds. "But I'm looking forward to being on the
plains of Arafah with the rest of the Hujjaj [pilgrims]."

"I will be crying out for forgiveness. I am so grateful for being one of the
chosen ones, so I'll be thanking Allah a lot. I will make dua for all Muslims -
that the Almighty gives them all the opportunity to come for Hajj one day. And I
will definitely be making dua for my kids who are writing examinations and for
my son to memorise the Quran and that my family and I live long lives filled
with happiness."

For Abass Abdul Karim, an imam at the National Police Mosque in Accra, Ghana,
health will feature prominently in prayers on the plains of Arafah.

"I have a heart ailment and thus far, medication hasn't helped me. It is my wish
that through drinking water from the Zam Zam well and supplicating on Arafah,
Allah heals me of this."

Karim says he will also pray for his family and country. "I'll pray that Allah
should soften the hearts of leaders to utilise the resources of the country very
well for equitable distribution so that it also reaches the poor and needy."

"It's a great day, a day of forgiveness in which God accepts supplications,"
said Fatima Abusafwa, a 57-year-old grandmother from Gaza.

And what will she be asking for on this "great day"?

"I want Allah to grant us victory over the Israelis and I will be asking for
freedom for Palestine and for the nations under the yolk of tyranny."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajj: The Largest Annual Convention of Faith
11/3/2011 - Religious - Article Ref: IC1110-4914
By: Sadullah Khan
IslamiCity* -

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC1110-4914

Allah states in the Qur'an, "And announce to humanity, (O Abraham), the
pilgrimage, and people will come from every part of the world by every means of
transport." [Qur'an 22:27]. Indeed, centuries after Prophet Abraham's call, this
call to journey to Hajj is still being responded to, in numbers larger than ever
before; as intended.

Hajj in Perspective

As an act , Hajj is fard / obligatory (on those who are able): Human beings who
are able to perform the pilgrimage are obligated by Allah to make the pilgrimage
to the Ka'bah. [Qur'an 3:97]
In significance, Hajj is a rukn / pillar of faith: Islam is built on five
(pillars): bearing witness that none s worthy of worship but Allah and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the establishing of prayer, the giving of
charity, fasting during Ramadan, the performance of pilgrimage to the Ka'bah for
those who are able. [Bukhari]
As a tradition, Hajj is a perpetuation of sunnate-Ibrahim (the practice of
Prophet Abraham). It was Prophet Ibrahim who was commanded by Allah to announce:
"Proclaim the Hajj, people will come from every part of the earth by every means
of transport, to witness its benefits." [Qur'an 22:27]
As a virtue, the one who completes a duly-performed Hajj is rewarded with
Paradise. Prophet Muhammad   said: Whosoever performs the pilgrimage
appropriately without any vulgarity or impropriety returns from the pilgrimage
as pure as the day of birth. [Bukhari]
Demonstration of Muslim Fraternity

The Hajj is that largest annual convention of faith where millions of Muslims
gather in the holy land, merging as streams of devotees from every corner of the
earth to become part of the sea of Believers spiritually swirling in human waves
around the Ka'bah in tawaaf. Each individual pilgrim is like a drop in that
ocean; a drop that always yearns to be part of that ocean. An ocean that knows
no barrier of race, nor language, nor color, nor gender, nor age, nor time.

The Hajj ...

demonstrates universal Islamic fraternity
acquaints pilgrims with historical and spiritual environment of Prophet Ibrahim,
Haajar, Prophets Isma'il and Muhammad (peace be upon all of them).
re-enacts fundamental aspects of our history
reminds of the ÔGrand Assembly' on the Day of Judgment
The performance of prescribed rites (manaasik), at specified times, at
particular places in a recommended manner is aimed at reflecting a wholesome
demonstration of Muslim brotherhood and sisterhood. It familiarizes the pilgrim
with the historic, spiritual and physical environment of Adam and Eve, Ibrahim,
Isma'il, Haajar and of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon all of them).

Dimensions of Hajj

Each aspect of the pilgrimage serves as a religious and symbolic act, historical
and social lesson that has both practical and spiritual dimensions:

Ihraam - symbol of humility and equality
Haram ash-Sharif at Makkah - a blessed place in the City of Ibrahim, Isma'il,
Haajar and Muhammad (peace be upon them); the City of Revelation and City of the
Ka'bah.
Ka'bah - sanctified symbol of unity, established for the upliftment of humanity
'Arafah - a reflection of the Day of Judgment, a Day of Fraternity and
Forgiveness
Muzdalifah - preparation for struggle against internal and external enemies
Jamaraat at Mina - symbolic battle against evil
Udhiyah - sacrifice indicating selfless submission to Allah's command
Tawaaf - waves in the ocean of humanity glorifying Allah
Sa'yi - re-enactment of Haajar's selfless search for water to nourish her
precious baby, Prophet Isma'il, the forefather of Prophet Muhammad  .
Reflecting on the Lessons of Hajj

The essence of Hajj is the pilgrim's evolution toward a higher degree of
submission to Allah. The performance of Hajj is an illustration of the potential
strength of the community. It is a symbolic demonstration of unity and harmony;
of equality and humility.

Performance of religious acts at prescribed times at particular places in a
specific manner, where each act at each place has a purpose, and serves as a:

* reminder to the mindful
* lesson to the heedful
* exhortation to the faithful
* instruction to the dutiful
* source of reflection for the wise

- Shaykh Sadullah Khan is the Director of Impower Development International
www.impowerinternational.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reaching beyond the Kaaba during Hajj
11/5/2011 - Religious - Article Ref: IC1111-4919
By: Ali Shariati
IslamiCity* -

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC1111-4919

In the center of Masjid al-Haram you see the Kaaba. A simple cube like structure
made of dark rough stones with white chalk filling the fissures. At the first
sight a shiver runs through you and you wonder in amazement ... This plain and
empty structure is the center of our faith, prayers, love, life and death?

You question in admiration; Where have I come? What is this place?

What you see is the antithesis of your visual imaginations of the Kaaba. Some
might perceive a sacred place to be an architectural splendor whose ceilings are
covered in silent beauty or it could be a sacred tomb housing the grave of an
important person - a hero, a leader or prophet! But No! - instead it is an empty
room. It reflects no architectural skill, beauty, art, inscription or quality;
and no graves are found here. There is nothing specific that captures your
attention or feelings except a yearning pulling you towards the Kaaba.

You will realize that there is nothing here to disturb your thoughts and
feelings about God. The Kaaba, which you want to embrace, is a gateway for your
feelings to ascend to the heavens and connect with your creator. This is
something you were unable to achieve in your world filled with distractions and
fragmentation. Before you could only theorize, but now you can see the
"absolute", the one who has no direction - Allah! He is every where.

How fortunate it is to that the Kaaba is empty! It reminds you that you are at
the Kaaba to start a pilgrimage. It is not your destination. Moreover, it is a
guide to show you the destination.

Having decided to move toward eternity, you begin the Hajj by moving around the
Kaaba. It is an eternal movement towards Allah not towards the Kaaba. The Kaaba
is the beginning and not the end. It is the place where Allah , Ibrahim ,
Mohammed and other great people will meet you. You will be present there only if
your mind is not preoccupied with self-centered thoughts. You must be one of the
people! Everyone is dressed in the same special garments and is being honored as
guests of Allah. He has more enthusiasm toward humanity than any one else.
However, the Kaaba the house of Allah is called the "house of people".

"Behold! The first sanctuary appointed for humankind was that at Bekka (Mecca),
a blessed place, a guidance to all people."  (Quran 3:96)

If you enter this house while still being attached to your material self you
will miss the sacredness of this house.

Mecca is called "Baite-Atiq". Atiq represents being free! Mecca belongs to
nobody. It is free from the reign of rulers and oppressors; therefore, no one
controls it. Allah is the owner of Mecca while the people are its residents.

Under the provisions of travels, a Muslim is allowed to shorten his prayers if
traveling at least forty miles away from his home. But at Mecca, regardless of
where you are from or how far you have traveled, you devote yourself to the
complete prayer. It is your land, your community and you are safe. You are not a
visitor, but you are at home.

Before coming to Mecca, you were a stranger, exiled in your own land. But now,
you have joined the family of humanity. Humankind, the dearest family of the
world, is invited to this house. If you as an individual are "self centered",
you will feel like a homeless stranger lost with no shelter and no relatives.
Therefore, shed the self distinctive tendencies. You are now prepared to enter
the house and join this family. You will be welcomed as an honored guest of 
Allah.

As you enter this house visualize Prophet Ibrahim  who was considered a radical
for his times. Rejecting all the idols of his forefathers, he oriented his loved
and obedience to the One True God. With his own hands and along with his son,
Ismail , he built the Kaaba. A structure that symbolizes the singular nature of
Allah in the world.

The building is uncomplicated. Black rocks of "Ajoon" are laid on top of each
other. There is no design or decoration involved. Its name, Kaabah, means a
"cube" - but why a "cube"?

Why is it so simple and lacking in color and ornamentation? It is because
Almighty Allah has no "shape", no color and none is similar to Him. No pattern
or visualization of Allah that man imagines can represent Him. Being omnipotent
and omnipresent, Allah is "absolute".

Although Kaaba has no direction (because of its cubic shape), by facing the
Kaaba when performing prayers, you choose Allah's direction and face Him.
Kaaba's absence of direction may seem difficult to comprehend. However,
universality and absoluteness prevails. The six sides of the cube encompasses
all directions and simultaneously their sum symbolizes no direction!

"Unto Allah belongs the east and west, and wherever you turn you will be facing
Allah." (Quran 2:115)

When praying outside of Kaaba you must face it. Any structure except the Kaaba
directs north, south, east, west, up or down. Kaaba is an exception; it is
facing all directions while it is facing none. Truly a symbol of Allah, it has
many directions yet it has no particular direction.

Toward the west of Kaaba there is a semi-circular short wall which is arching
towards the Kaaba. It is called Ismail's Hagar. Hagar signifies lap or skirt.
The semi lunar wall resembles a skirt.

Sarah, the wife of Ibrahim had an Ethiopian maid called Hagar. She was a poor
and humble servant of Sarah, who was given to Ibrahim  in order to bear him a
child. Here was a woman who was not equal to Sarah's noble stature yet Allah
connected the symbol of Hagar's skirt to His symbol, Kaaba.

The skirt of Hagar was the area in which Ismail was raised. The house of Hagar
is there. Her grave is near the third column of the Kaaba.

What a surprise since no one, not even prophets, are supposed to be buried in
mosques but in this case, the house of a maid is located next to Allah's house!
Hagar, the mother of Ismail is buried there. The Kaaba extends toward her grave.

There is a narrow passage between the wall (Hagar's skirt) and the Kaaba. When
circumambulating around Kaaba, Allah commanded that you must go around the wall
and not through the passage.

Those who have submitted them selves to the oneness of Allah and those who have
accepted His invitation for Hajj touch this skirt when circumambulating the
Kaaba. The grave of a maid and a righteous mother is now a part of the Kaaba; it
will be circumambulated by man forever!

Allah, the Almighty, in His great and glorious Divinity is all self-sufficient.
He needs no one and nothing. Nevertheless, among all His countless and eternal
creatures, He has chosen one, humankind, as the noblest of all of them.  From
among all humanity He has chosen: a woman, from among all women: a slave, and
from among all slaves: a black maid!

The weakest and most humiliated one of His creatures was given a place of
dignity next to His own house.

The Unknown Soldier has been so chosen in the community of Islam!

The rituals of Hajj are a memory of Hagar. The word Higrah (migration) has its
root in her name as does the word Mahajir (immigrant). "The ideal immigrant is
the one who behaves like Hagar." (Saying of Mohammad )

Higrah is what Hagar did. It is also a transition from wildness to civility and
from denying the truth to accepting the Ultimate Truth.

In Hagar's mother- tong her name means "the city". Even the name of this
Ethiopian slave is symbolic of civilization. Furthermore, any migration like
hers is a move toward civilization!

Hagar's grave is in the midst of man's circumambulation of Kaaba. You, the
mohajir (immigrant), who has detached himself from everything and accepted
Allah's invitation to go to Hajj, you will  devote your circumambulation of the
Kaaba to Allah and at the same time you will be paying homage to the grave of a
African maid.

It is difficult to realize. But for those who think they live in freedom and
defend humanism, the significance of these incidents transgresses the scope of
their understanding!

Adapted from a section of the book "Hajj" by Dr. Ali Shariati. Translated by Dr.
Ali A. Behzadnia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CAIR: U.S. Muslims to Mark End of Hajj With Prayers
by CAIR on Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 16:47

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&¬e_id=10150370950734442

WHAT: On Sunday, November 6, American Muslims will mark the end of the yearly
pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, with communal prayers and celebrations at
locations around the country.

The prayers and the holiday that follows are called Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha),
or “festival of the sacrifice.” Eid ul-Adha also commemorates the Prophet
Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God’s command. The
holiday is celebrated with the prayers, small gifts for children, distribution
of meat to the needy, and social gatherings. During this holiday, Muslims
exchange the greeting “Eid Mubarak” or “blessed Eid.” Each year, some
two million Muslims, including thousands of American Muslims, go on Hajj.

[NOTE: For actual pilgrims, the rites of Hajj continue for some time after the
“Eid” prayers.]

WHEN: Sunday, November 6 - The prayers are held in the morning. Many communities
also hold day-long Eid festivals for families.

WHERE: The Eid prayers and festivals are held either in local mosques or in
public facilities designed to accommodate large gatherings. Call local CAIR
chapters or other Muslim organizations for details about Eid celebrations.

CAIR chapters may be located at: http://www.cair.com/Chapters.aspx
Local Islamic institutions may also be found at: http://www.islamicfinder.org/

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Each year, Muslims from America and many different countries
come to the prayers in colorful dress. The prayers themselves are quite visual,
with worshipers arranged in neat rows and bowing in prayer in unison.
Participants exchange embraces at the conclusion of the prayers.

NOTE: Because this is a religious service, reporters and photographers of both
sexes should dress modestly. Photographers should arrive early to get into
position for the best shots. Photographers are also advised not to step directly
in front of worshipers and to seek permission for close-up shots.

HAJJ BACKGROUNDER:

In the Quran, Islam's revealed text, God says: "Thus We settled Abraham at the
site of the House (the Ka'aba) (saying): 'Do not associate anything with Me, and
purify My house for those who walk around it, and those who stand there
(praying), and those who bow down on their knees in worship. Proclaim the
pilgrimage among mankind: they will come to you on foot and on every lean (beast
of burden); Let them come from every deep ravine, to bear witness to the
advantages they have, and to mention God's name on appointed days." Chapter 22,
Verses 26-28

Hajj is one of the “five pillars” of the Islamic faith. (The other pillars
include a declaration of faith, daily prayers, offering regular charity, and
fasting during the month of Ramadan.) Pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime
obligation for those who have the physical and financial ability to undertake
the journey.

When the main portion of the pilgrimage is completed, Muslims worldwide gather
for communal prayers on the first day (November 6) of Eid ul-Adha
(EED-al-ODD-ha), the second of the two major Muslim holidays.

The obligatory and optional activities of Hajj include:

* Entrance into a state of self-control called “ihram,” during which
pilgrims are forbidden to harm living creatures, even insects or plants, or
raise the voice in anger. The state of ihram is signified (for men) by the
wearing of two pieces of unsown white cloth. This clothing signifies the
equality of all before God. No specific clothing is prescribed for female
pilgrims.

* Circling (“Tawaf”) of the “Ka’aba,” the stone building Muslims
believe was originally built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. The Ka’aba is
viewed as the first sanctuary on earth dedicated to the worship of the One God.
It is a symbol of unity for Muslims because all prayers, wherever they are
performed, are oriented in the direction of the Ka’aba.

* The "Sa’i," or “hastening” between two small hills near the Ka’aba, to
commemorate Hagar’s search for water to offer her son Ishmael.

* The “Day of Arafah” on November 5. Arafah is a mountain and its
surrounding empty plain near Mecca. On this day, the climax of the Hajj season,
pilgrims assemble for supplication to God.

* The stoning of three pillars representing Satan’s temptation of Abraham. The
stoning indicates the pilgrim’s rejection of evil deeds.

* Cutting the hair to symbolize the completion of Hajj.

* Sacrifice of an animal to help the poor, and in remembrance of Abraham’s
willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God’s command. The meat is
distributed to relatives and to the needy.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its
mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect
civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote
justice and mutual understanding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sacred souvenirs
By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR, RIMA.ALMUKHTAR@...
Published: Nov 2, 2011 12:11 Updated: Nov 2, 2011 12:30

http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/art_culture/article527917.ece

Pilgrims heading back home from Makkah not only carry memories of an
unforgettable spiritual and historical journey, but they also take gifts and
souvenirs for their loved ones who were not lucky enough to travel with them to
Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia offers a variety of gift selection that is perfect for pilgrims to
take back home and share with family and friends. Gifts vary from books,
clothing, mats, food and much more.

The Arab News team came up with a list of gift ideas, especially for pilgrims,
to take back home. All gifts can be found in Saudi stores and departments.

1. Souvenirs such as pictures of the Two Holy Mosques are one of the most
popular gifts bought by pilgrims. Those products remind pilgrims of their
beautiful journey they experienced during their spiritual visit to the Kingdom.
Price range is from SR10 to SR500.

2. Dates, honey and other sweets are also popular among pilgrims. Aside from
being popular food in Saudi Arabia, these sweets reminds pilgrims of the sweet
taste of Makkah. Price range is from SR50 to SR500.

3. Oud oil and chips are what make the famous Arabian scents that Saudis are
known for. Pilgrims can buy these items at Arabian Oud, Ajmal and Abdul Samad
Alqurashi who are famous for their high quality Oud. Price range is from SR100
to SR50,000.

4. Zamzam water is the first thing that comes to a pilgrim’s mind when
visiting Makkah. This holy water is known to be an excellent drink that helps
strengthen the body and mind. Many Muslims believe this water originated from
heaven, so it is reputed to have healing powers. In the old days, pilgrims used
to bring their empty bottles and fill it with the Zamzam tankers in the holy
mosque. Now, however, water companies made it a lot easier by bottling the
water. Price range is from SR 15 to SR25 per bottle.

5. Prayer mats with pictures of Makkah and Madinah and calligraphy and Islamic
motifs on them are also very popular gifts. These mats with Islamic inscriptions
are particular favorites among pilgrims for it gives them the opportunity to
decorate their homes with those spiritual items. Their prices range from SR10 to
SR100 depending on the materials and designs.

6. Prayer beads are known to be a charming choice for pilgrims. Those beads are
used to count the prayers. Other people, however, look at it as a mark of
prestige. Choosing the beads depends on the pilgrim’s wealth. Some choose
Chinese-made prayer beads or beads with expensive gemstones. Price range is from
SR25 to SR500 a dozen.

7. Miswak, which is Arabic for tooth stick, is a healthy yet traditional choice
for Muslims following the example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Miswak can be found all over Makkah especially made and sold by street peddlers,
who carve, cut it and sell it in dozens. Price rate is SR10 per dozen.

8. The gold market is one of the most visited places in Saudi Arabia during Haj
period for many pilgrims to buy precious gold items to either gift or sell back
home. Price rate tops SR6,000 an ounce.

9. Saudi women are famous for their hijab clothing and abayas. Many pilgrims
like to take back home some of the praying veils or black abayas for their
female family members. There are many shops in Makkah and Jeddah that sell
abayas with different colors, designs and sizes that match all styles. Prices
start from SR200.

10. Last but not least, the Book of Islam is the perfect gift to give loved
ones. The Qur’an comes in different colors, shapes and even sizes, which makes
it the perfect gift. Prices start from SR35.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haj 1432 | 2011: Photo gallery
By ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 3, 2011 23:09 Updated: Nov 5, 2011 16:45

http://www.arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article528576.ece

(All AN photos by Muhammad Ali, Ahmad Yousri, Khader Al-Zahrani, Abdullah
Al-Muhsin, Adnan Mahdali, Ghazi Mahdi and Ahmed Hashad. Agency photos are by
Reuters and AP)

Send us your Haj pictures and stories by email: saudiarabia@...

A JOURNEY OF FAITH
Haj —  the fifth pillar of Islam — is a religious journey to the House of
Allah in Makkah. This is in response to the call of Prophet Abraham when Allah
commanded him to call mankind to perform Haj. Haj is the largest gathering of
Muslims as about three million Muslims from all over the world meet to worship
their Lord. All barriers including language, color, class and race are broken.

Haj is compulsory upon every Muslim under the following condition:

1. Islam
2. Maturity
3. Healthy
4. Mentally sound.
5. Security.
6. Enough money to cover the journey and take care of his dependents.

Preparation for Haj:
If one intends to perform Haj, he must consider the following:

1. Intention. Intention is very important in any act of worship, the intention
must be for the sake of Allah.

2. It is important for anyone who intends to perform Haj to learn much about it.

3. One must clear his debts, as Haj is not obligatory upon anyone who is in
debt. One should not borrow money or use a credit card to buy a ticket to Haj.

4. It is recommended that one settle all disputes between him and anyone he is
at loggerheads with.

5. It is also recommended that one write his will and advises his family to fear
Allah before he departs.

Women are required to perform Haj in the company of a Mahram, (someone who
cannot marry her). Married women should seek the permission of their husbands to
perform Haj.


IHRAM:

Ihram is referred to as the two pieces of cloth male pilgrims wear to cover the
body, one for the upper part and  the other for the lower part. Pilgrims are
required to take their Ihram at the Miqaat and start reciting the Talbiya.


TALBIYA:

Talbiya are words of praises pilgrims pronounce in response to Allah's call from
the time they take their Ihram till the tenth of Dhul Hijjah. Talbiya, labbaik
allahumma labbaik labbaika la shareek lak labbaik innal hamda wanniamata laka
wal mulk la shareeka lak is recited aloud.


TAWAF:

Upon reaching Makkah, pilgrims head toward Haram (the House of Allah at Makkah)
to make tawaf (circumambulation) round the Kaaba seven times. The top gown of
Ihram covers the left shoulder while the right arm is left uncovered.


SA'YIE:

Sa'yie is the seven round of walking and jogging which begins at Safa and ends
at Marwa.


EIGHTH OF DUL HIJJAH:

On this day, pilgrims move to Mina reciting Talbiya, at Mina all four rak'ats of
compulsory prayers are shortened to two.


NINTH OF DUL HIJJAH:

Pilgrims proceed to Arafat before dhuhr prayer  and stay at Arafat until after
sunset engaged in supplications. Standing at Arafat is the most important part
of the Haj.

Pilgrims proceed to Muzdalifah after sunset repeating the Talbiya and should not
perform maghrib prayer at Arafat.


MUZDALIFAH:

Upon reaching Muzdalifah, pilgrims are required to perform maghrib and isha
prayers together with one adhan and two iqaamah, Isha prayer is shortened to
two.


TENTH OF DUL HIJJAH:

On the tenth of Dul Hijjah, pilgrims perform the subhi prayer and wait until
sunrise when they will proceed to Mina. They pick seven pebbles to be thrown at
Jamrat Aqaba.


RAMYI AT MINA (TENTH OF DUL HIJJAH):

On the tenth of Dul Hijjah, pilgrims are required to throw seven pebbles at
Jamrat Aqaba. The jamrat is only symbol of devil. Pilgrims throw seven pebbles
at the Jamrat Aqaba saying Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) each time a
pebble is thrown. After throwing the pebbles, slaughter the sacrificial animal
(if needed,) and trim or shave their heads (women however trim their hair) and
remove the Ihram but should spend the two or three following nights at Mina
until they finish throwing the pebbles.

On the tenth of Dul Hijjah, one must proceed to Makkah and perform Tawaf Al
Ifadhah, and return to Mina to spend the night.


ELEVENTH OF DUL HIJJAH:

On the eleventh of Dul Hijjah, pilgrims go to throw pebbles at the three jamrats
beginning with the one near Mina, then the second one and the last one which is
near Muzdalifah.


TWELFTH OF DUL HIJJAH:

On this day, pilgrims throw seven pebbles as done on the previous day and are
free to return to Makkah before sunset.

NOTE: If one however delays until after sunset, he must remain in Mina and throw
the pebbles again on the thirteenth and then proceed to Makkah.


TAWAFUL WIDAA:

This is known as farewell tawaf, and it should be done at the last hour before
leaving Makkah. If after the tawaf the pilgrim spends another night in Makkah,
he or she is required to do the tawaf again.


VISIT TO MADINAH:

A visit to the Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Madinah is recommended after or
before the Haj.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajj timeline: 2.5 million pilgrims and a journey of a lifetime
AFFAN CHOWDHRY
Published Thursday, Nov. 03, 2011 9:36AM EDT
Last updated Friday, Nov. 04, 2011 7:47AM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/hajj-timeline-25-million-pilgrims-and-\
a-journey-of-a-lifetime/article2222434/

By Thursday November 3rd, the vast majority of the 1.8 million pilgrims from
around the world will have arrived in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to participate in the
hajj, or pilgrimage. The Saudi authorities estimate another 800,000 pilgrims
from within the kingdom will be taking part.

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. The pilgrimage to the birthplace of Islam is
undertaken by many Muslims at least once in their lifetime so long as they can
afford it and they are physically able.

The hajj is a demanding journey that follows a circuit of about 40 kilometres
over several days. And before setting out on that journey on Friday, pilgrims
will perform the umrah, or the 'lesser pilgrimage', at the main mosque, or
Masjid Al Haram, in Mecca.

What is involved in the 'lesser pilgrimage'? Pilgrims perform seven circles
around the Kaaba, the black cube structure at the centre of the mosque. It is
the most sacred structure in Islam and said to have been built by the Prophet
Abraham and his son Ishmael. Inside the mosque, pilgrims will also run between
the hills of Safa and Marwaa, recreating the steps of Hagar as she ran in search
of water for her infant child Ishmael; they will drink from zam zam, the well
that sprang from where the infant Ishmael hit his heels in to the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Birmingham travel agent guilty over 'slum' trip to Mecca
A Birmingham travel agent who sold a family a £10,000 trip to Mecca but left
them sleeping in "slum" conditions has been convicted of fraud.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15600465
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajj the pilgrimage for centuries

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/civil-religion/ghazala-hayat\
/hajj-the-pilgrimage-for-centuries/article_baf42af6-06d7-11e1-a3d8-001a4bcf6878.\
html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Hajj: Understanding Sacrifice as Premise
But for many, Hajj is just the physical journey, a soulless movement of the body
among bodies. Of the ego among egos.
By Biju Abdul Qadir, The Milli Gazette
Published Online: Nov 04, 2011

http://www.milligazette.com/news/2647-india-the-hajj-understanding-sacrifice-as-\
premise-islam-muslims

The Hajj – the annual pilgrimage made by Muslims to the Ka’bah, the symbolic
House of God at Makkah – is, apart from other considerations, a commemoration.
It is a commemoration of a life among lives, a family among families, an event
among events, and a sacrifice among sacrifices. It is a commemoration of the
trials of Abraham among men, of his family among families, of the building of
the Ka’bah among buildings, of a human offering substituted by an animal at a
trial among trials.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A day of feasting without the fasting
TNN | Nov 5, 2011, 03.16AM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/A-day-of-feasting-without-the-\
fasting/articleshow/10613207.cms

BANGALORE : Id-ul-Zuha, popularly referred to as Bakra Eid, is one of the
biggest Islamic festivals across the world and in India. Usually celebrated
approximately 70 days after the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan,
Id-ul-Zuha marks the end of the month during which devout Muslims make the Hajj
pilgrimage to Mecca.

The festival traces its roots to the story of Abraham, an important figure in
religious texts of Semitic religions. Abraham was instructed by God to sacrifice
his only son Ishmael as an act of obedience; as Abraham prepared to do so, God
intervened at the last moment to replace the boy with a ram. During Id-ul-zuha,
most Muslim families conduct a ritual sacrifice known as qurbani, distributing
the offerings among relatives and friends and giving one-third to the poor.

"Charity is a big part of Bakra Eid," says Zehra Abbas, a teacher originally
from Lucknow who lives with her husband in an apartment complex near Hennur.
"Being away from our families, it's not possible for us to celebrate the
festival in a very traditional way, but we make sure we donate money to an
orphanage," adds Zehra. The day is also marked by feasting, and in Zehra's home,
friends - both Muslim and non-Muslim - break bread together with traditional
Muslim dishes such as biriyani, mutton stew, nehari and haleem. For dessert,
there's usually kheer and shahi tukra.

For homemaker Naseem Syed from Frazer Town, the qurbani (ritual sacrifice) is an
important part of the festival. However, while her husband and two sons take
care of that, Naseem busies herself with distributing the meat to neighbours and
to the needy, and instructing her cook to prepare lunch, the main meal of the
day. "In our family, the tradition is to have khichra and baingan ka saalan with
chapatis on Bakra Eid," says Naseem. Khichra is a form of biriyani made with
rice, daliya, daal and meat, she explains, while baingan ka saalan, a staple of
Hyderabadi cuisine, is a tangy brinjal curry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holy Kaaba Covered with A New Kiswa Share |
12 : 56 PM - 05/11/2011

http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/479544

Makkah,Nov. 5 (BNA) -- As part of the annual rituals being held during the hajj
season, the officials concerned at the general presidency of the two holy
mosques covered the holy Kaaba with a new black silk, gold and silver curtain
known as kiswa (cover) on Saturday, the 10th Dhul Hijjah on . Every year the old
Kiswa is removed, cut into small pieces and gifted to certain individuals,
visiting foreign Muslim dignitaries and organisations.
This tradition takes place annually during the Hajj season.

This splendid cover is made at a special factory in Makkah Al Mukarrama.
The total cost of the kiswa amounts to SR 20 million. The cover is 658 sq.
meters long and is made of 670 kgs of pure silk. For embroidery 15 kilos of gold
threads are used.

It consists of 47 pieces of cloth and each piece is 14 Meters. long and 101 cms
broad. The kiswa is wrapped around the Kaaba and fixed to the ground with copper
rings.

It is worth to mention that Viceroy of Egypt Mohammed Ali Pasha after splitting
from the Turkey Empire, made making of the Kiswa the state responsibility.

The Kiswa was brought by annual caravan from Cairo. Earlier the Kiswas were
plain. Only in 1340 the embroidery border tradition was introduced by the
Egyptian ruler Hassan.
EM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unfulfilled Hajj Dream for Uighur Muslims
OnIslam & Newspapers
Sunday, 30 October 2011 12:49

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/asia-pacific/454508-uighurs-unfulfilled-hajj\
-dream.html

CAIRO – While millions of Muslims worldwide prepare for the spiritual hajj to
Makkah early next week, China’s Uighur Muslims are giving up their dream of
the life-time journey under the security oppression of the home country.

“We cannot get a passport,” the father of Mehmet Ali, not his real name,
told The Hindu newspaper.

“If we want to go on a government trip, we will have to pay 70,000 yuan (Rs.5.
46 lakh).

“Even we can afford it, it's difficult to get the approval.”

Ali, his father and two brothers have been dreaming for years of joining
millions of Muslims for the spiritual life-time journey to Makkah.

But having the permit to travel to hajj has become even harder following
recently imposed curbs on passport issuance for Uighurs.

Ali said police stations across Xinjiang had, in recent months, completely
stopped issuing passports.

The new restrictions were applied since 2008, ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

However, the ban did not include Xinjiang's Han residents who are still issued
passports.

Without “connections”, Uighurs said, it was impossible to obtain a passport
and travel to Makkah.

It was “impossible to travel if you don't work for the government, or know
someone who does,” Ali’s father said.

According to official data, China has 20 million Muslims, most of them are
concentrated in Xinjiang, Ningxia, Gansu, and Qinghai regions and provinces.

Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one
of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj consists of several rituals, which are meant to symbolize the essential
concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham
and his family.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform
hajj at least once in a lifetime.

Nationwide, about 13,800 Chinese Muslim pilgrims are scheduled to take 41
chartered flights to Makkah for the annual Hajj this year.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Mosques Cropping Up In Chicago, Study Shows
November 3, 2011

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/03/141945254/new-mosques-cropping-up-in-chicago-study\
-shows

Protests against new mosque construction have made headlines from New York City
and Chicago to Los Angeles and Nashville.

But despite the push-back in some communities, one new academic study shows the
number of mosques in the U.S. continues to grow — especially in the Chicago
area.

New Mosques Cropping Up

It's not easy to build a mosque in America these days. Media executive Malik Ali
saw this firsthand back in 2004, when he sought approval to build a mosque in
his hometown near Chicago. At a raucous three-hour public hearing in Orland
Park's Village Hall, Ali heard incendiary comments.

"And now the war has been brought to Orland Park," Michelle Pasciak said. "And
Orland Park is facing a big injustice if this mosque goes through. You are
bringing terrorism to our back doors where our children play."

In the end, Ali won the vote — all the votes, actually — and the Orland Park
Prayer Center now overlooks a soybean field and a Catholic cemetery. It is one
of 15 mosques built in the Chicago area in the past decade, and religion scholar
Paul Numrich says just that fact may be bigger news than the zoning fights that
make the headlines.

"I think this is the lesser-told story," he says. "The story we hear is the
controversy."

On a sabbatical last year from his job teaching world religions at an Ohio
seminary, Numrich got in his 2005 silver Chevy Malibu and racked up 2,500 miles
driving around the Chicago area. He counted 91 mosques. A quarter of them were
built as mosques — many of them proudly so — a rate that far exceeds the
national average.

"What was really fascinating is, at times I was going down a street looking for
an address, and out of the corner of my eye would see a mosque that was not on
any list; it had opened up recently or had moved or something," Numrich says.

'You Have To Know The Right People'

It's demographics that drive this story. An estimated 400,000 Muslims live in
the Chicago area, many in wealthier suburbs. But some observers see something
else going on here: a lesson in good old Chicago politics.

Abdulgany Hamadeh is a pulmonologist who moved here from Syria 30 years ago.
First a county board turned down his proposal for a mosque in suburban
Willowbrook. But after a high-profile interfaith press conference, a meeting
with the Chicago Tribune editorial board and some face-to-face schmoozing with
county politicians, his revised plan got the votes.

"You have to know the right people," Hamadeh says. "You have to know the right
channels of communication. And eventually, I think you need to be on the right
path. And then you will get what you want."

It's a lesson the younger generation is quick to pick up on. In Chicago, the
Muslim federation is recruiting young lawyers for a new "zoning task force."
Back in Orland Park, 34-year-old attorney Mohammed Nofal is a member of his
mosque's board of trustees. He also serves as a commissioner in neighboring
Tinley Park and as the Muslim co-chairman of a local interfaith group. He says
the mosques are assets to the community. He also argues that it was the specter
of contentious mosque hearings that inspired many of his peers to get more
involved.

"[It's] no different than how the young generation is taking the lead in the
Muslim world and putting a new face on the Arab Muslim community," Nofal says.
"And this is the start of that."

At least three mosques are currently seeking approval to build in suburban
Chicago. As for Numrich, the next time he hits the road in his Chevy Malibu, he
expects to find even more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Muslim “Homegrown” Terrorism in the United States: How Serious Is the
Threat?

Risa A. Brooks
Risa A. Brooks is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Marquette
University.

http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/ISEC_a_00055

Since the September 11 attacks, analysts and public officials have expressed
growing concern about the potential of Muslim citizens and residents of the
United States to plot attacks within the country's borders—a phenomenon
sometimes referred to as “homegrown” terrorism. To assess this apparent
threat, it is necessary to examine what is known about the willingness and
capacity of Muslim Americans to execute deadly attacks in the United States.
Three conditions, either alone or together, could contribute to an increasing
threat of homegrown terrorism. The first concerns what is known about the
radicalization of Muslim Americans and whether a surge in arrests in 2009
indicates a growing trend in Muslim American terrorism. The second relates to
the capacity of aspiring militants to avoid detection as they prepare attacks.
The third depends on the skills of aspiring terrorists and therefore their
capacities to execute increasingly sophisticated
  attacks. The analysis should be generally reassuring to those concerned about
Muslim homegrown terrorism. On both analytical and empirical grounds, there is
not a significant basis for anticipating that Muslim Americans are increasingly
motivated or capable of successfully engaging in lethal terrorist attacks in the
United States.

Complete article:
http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ISEC_a_00055
or
http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1162/ISEC_a_00055
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

East Carolina's Adhem Elsawi atypical football journey led him to Bible Belt
despite his Muslim faith
Published: 06:48 AM, Mon Oct 24, 2011
By Sammy Batten
Staff writer

http://fayobserver.com/articles/2011/10/23/1131508

GREENVILLE - Adhem Elsawi is passionate about two things imbedded in Southern
culture - college football and religion.

But neither Elsawi's path to major college football nor his religious beliefs
are typically Southern.

Elsawi started his college career at Campbell University, a non-scholarship
program that competes in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision. But
believing he was capable of playing at a higher level, Elsawi transferred to
East Carolina University, becoming an unlikely starter at left guard.

Elsawi, 20, is also a Muslim playing football in the Bible belt.

"Obviously, it was in God's plan for me to end up here,'' said Elsawi, whose
journey in faith and football began in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The first steps
The upstate New York city known for horse racing and natural mineral springs is
where Elsawi's father, Montasser, settled after moving to the United States from
Egypt at age 19. The former bodybuilder met and married a native New Yorker,
Elsawi's mother, Valerie.

Together, they raised a family of seven children - four boys and three girls.
The eldest, Adhem, inherited his parent's height. Montasser stands 6-foot-2 and
Valerie 5-11. Adhem is 6-5, 319 pounds.

That size made Adhem a natural for football.

"Adhem was always a big kid, much bigger than others,'' Saratoga Springs High
School football coach Terry Jones said. "He can block out the sun compared to
kids who usually come from this area. What happens, though, sometimes when guys
are big and young is their coordination isn't there yet.

"But Adhem worked tremendously hard to become a good football player. He'd work
on his own in the gym to improve his footwork and he was always in the weight
room.''

Elsawi started three seasons on the offensive line for the Saratoga Springs
varsity, earning first-team Large School All-Area honors as a senior in 2008.

It was soon after joining the Saratoga Springs varsity that Elsawi dealt with
the first of the conflicts he'd face between the sport he loves and the religion
to which he is devoted.

The Islamic observance of Ramadan often falls just before or during football
season. During this month, Muslims are supposed to refrain from eating and
drinking between sunrise and sunset.

"Starting in the sixth grade, I had been able to fast for the entire 30 days,''
Elsawi said. "But in the 10th grade, when I started getting into high school
football, I realized I couldn't fast and play football.

"One of the things in the Islamic faith is that God understands your
circumstances. For me, I treat football as my job right now. I love this game
and I'm blessed to have this chance to play it. I'm giving it my all and I'm
trying to take it as far as I can go. That means I've got to have 100 percent
focus.

"So there are some things where it (faith and football) conflicts. But for the
time being, I'm doing my best to balance both.''
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Historic painting of African American sold as Philly history museum raises funds
October 21, 2011|By Stephan Salisbury, Inquirer Culture Writer

http://articles.philly.com/2011-10-21/news/30305683_1_museum-parlance-oil-painti\
ng-historic-painting

One of the earliest formal portraits of an African American - a well-known oil
painting of a kufi-wearing free black man painted by Charles Willson Peale in
1819 - has been sold by the Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent to
the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The striking portrait of Yarrow Mamout, an elderly Muslim and former slave
living in Washington, is the most recent in a string of art and artifact sales
made by the history museum, largely to finance its $5.9 million building
renovation project.

Timothy Rub, Art Museum director, declined to discuss the painting's price, but
other sources speculated that it would be at least $1.5 million.

Art Museum officials said eight paintings (including two Peale portraits) and a
colonial side chair would be sold to fund the acquisition.

Yarrow Mamout is such "a rare and important painting" - the earliest known
portrait of a practicing American Muslim - that the decision was made "to give
up some works from our collection" to acquire it, Rub said. It is now on view at
the museum.

Such sales of artworks from a collection fall within the ethical guidelines of
the Association of Art Museum Directors, which approve of sales only when
proceeds are used to acquire other art to enhance or focus museum holdings.

Mayor Nutter hailed the painting as a depiction of "a man who triumphed over
enormous challenges and commanded the respect and admiration of all who knew
him." He also said that "it is a great thing that such an extraordinary painting
will remain here."

The Atwater Kent, mandated by the city charter to be Philadelphia's official
history museum, has been criticized for using proceeds of sales from its
collection to fund renovations. Viki Sand, former chief executive, instituted
the program of sales with the approval of the board of directors several years
ago.

In February 2010, after the auction sale of a distinctive still life by
Raphaelle Peale (son of Charles Willson Peale) to a collector for $700,000, Sand
told The Inquirer that her institution was "not an art museum."

That painting, along with all of the others in the recent series of sales, was
acquired from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, which provisionally
transferred its holdings of 10,000 artifacts and artworks to the Atwater Kent in
2001. The museum obtained clear title to the society's collection in 2009, with
the agreement that proceeds of sales be split evenly between the two
institutions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘I Speak For Myself’: American women on being Muslim
By BARBARA FERGUSON, LIFE.STYLE@...
Published: Oct 5, 2011 15:36 Updated: Oct 5, 2011 15:50

http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article511924.ece

We need to say more than Islam is a religion of peace. We need to say, as
Muslims, that we disassociate ourselves from violence.”

This is an example of the attitudes reflected in the book, “I Speak for
Myself,” recently published in the US. It tells the short stories of 40
American Muslim women, all under the age of 40, who were born and raised in the
US.

Their stories examine their faith, families, values, traditions and
relationships with both non-Muslims and fellow Muslims, while they examine their
searches for their own identities, as Muslim women in America.

Compiled and co-edited by Maria Ebrahimji and Zahra Suratwala, the book contains
first-person narratives of women that, as the editors’ point out, have been
“negotiating a dichotomy of Islamic and Western values since birth.”

Four of these women gathered last week at Georgetown University to speak about
their experiences. Organized by the Alwaleed bin-Talal Center for
Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, Yusra Tekbali, Saliqa
Khan, Asma Uddim and Hadia Mubarak all come from different backgrounds but
agreed the US offers the comfort of a culture that is the hybrid of many
cultures.

They agreed that their definition of being a Muslim had changed since the Arab
Spring, as the worldview of Arab youth has changed after the Arab Spring
revolutions. “It easier to be an American Muslim,” said Tekbali.

“The way we are described by the media has had a direct effect on our lives,
which fortunately, is beginning to change,” said Tekbali.



Need for Muslim women to ‘find their voices’

She said the Arab Spring has allowed Arab women to “break so many
stereotypes.” Yet, she stressed the importance of Muslim women to “find
their voices. The more we, as Muslim women, speak out, the easier it will become
for all of us.”

The women agreed it was essential to know their religion and to understand the
difference between culture and religion.

“When I was growing up, I always asked my parents: ‘Is this because of
culture or because of Islam?’” said Hadia Mubarak.

“I learned at a very young age that as an American Muslim, especially as an
American Muslim woman, we have to be well-read and know things for ourselves. We
have to know the difference of true Islam and that which has nothing to do with
it, but rather has to do with culture.”

Tekbali agreed: “My religion was always polluted with politics, and by this I
mean radical Islam. It’s up for Muslims to find a solution for this. They need
to speak out against it. I understand that it is a byproduct of unfair politics
and other things, but they still need to speak out.”

Tekbali said that tolerance is key: “The best way is through dialogue and by
not being afraid to say I’m a Muslim to those who say they are more pious. I
think in 10 years time, we will see a growing and developing Islam.”



‘We need to disassociate ourselves from violence’

Tekbali said it was important that Muslims learn to speak out on the tenants of
Islam: “We need to say more than Islam is a religion of peace. We need to say
that we’re Muslim and we disassociate ourselves from violence.”

Confusion between culture and religion has maligned Islam, they agreed. “There
is a distortion between religion and culture. A lot of misogyny and maltreatment
of women has no religious basis whatsoever,” said Mubarak who is finishing her
doctorate in Islamic studies at Georgetown University.

To fight this ignorance, they said women have to be educated about the true
sources of Islam. “They must know what the Qur’an and Hadith say,” said
Mubarak.

“What I found in the Muslim community is that there are people who are
religious in their practice, but their understanding of Islam is based more on
culture than on the Qur’an. There are often several different interpretations
of an issue, and we have to accept that,” said Mubarak.

Such an education also extends beyond their religion. “We’re educating
ourselves as Muslims, but let’s not forget to also teach those around us who
are not Muslim,” said Khan. “Many people here (the US) are beginning to
understand that we are part of the Abrahamic faith, and that we have more things
in common with Judaism and Christianity than not.”

Khan said it was important to “get away from the branding of what a Muslim is
— or isn’t. There is no one cookie cutter example of what a Muslim is.”

Tekbali agreed, saying Muslims often put a lot of peer pressure upon each other.
“The Muslim community expects so much from each other. We’re expected to do
so much, to explain ourselves, our religion and ourselves to other Muslims, but
I think we’ll eventually lighten up.”

The women agreed this is where the book has proved to be pivotal in their lives.
Tekbali said she struggled with whether to accept to write because “they are
personal commentaries.” However, after she did, she felt good about it.



‘These women who are like me’

Her chapter deals with her experiences working in Washington, entitled the
“Capitol Hill Diaries.” She writes about the blowback of 9/11 she
experienced. “It’s been really good to belong to this network of women in
the book, especially when someone says we’re not Muslim enough. I have the
support of these women who are like me.”



‘Muslim women need to empower themselves’

Asked if they had a message, Tekbali said women need to empower themselves.
“Know your rights and keep fighting for them. Don’t get stuck in the
superficial bubble of: ‘I’m a woman and I shouldn’t do this,’ or ‘I
should spend my time shopping rather than fighting for my rights.’

“What I mean is that you can be a feminist and a good mother, daughter and
sister and be sexy and feminine. At the same time, however, demand your
rights.”

Tekbali who has been in Qatar working as a journalist since August, while also
advising human rights groups on Libya, said the book offered her a way to speak
out. “Even though I was born in the US, I belong to this very conservative
culture of Libya.”

Tekbali said it was difficult to put herself “out there” because of
Libya’s conservative culture. “Once, I did and saw other women doing the
same. I saw women struggling silently because they were afraid of a community
backlash.”

“So, that’s the message of this book: Embrace yourself and empower yourself
through your cultural identity and religion.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Muslims in America
Shariah law and other issues were discussed during campus event.
Posted: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 7:00 am | Updated: 6:02 pm, Tue Sep 27,
2011.
Chris Rashidian, Staff Writer

http://www.coastreportonline.com/campus_news/campus/article_8bdf5ba6-e962-11e0-8\
682-001cc4c03286.html

Orange Coast College’s Muslim Students Association discussed the role of
Muslims in America to a group of about 30 people in the Robert B. Moore Theatre
Thursday.
Guest speakers included Imam Suhail Mulla, a legal scholar studying Shariah law
at Al-Azhar University in Egypt, Maryam Amir-Ebrahimi, a women’s right
activist, and Adel Syed, a government relations coordinator for CAIR-LA,
America’s largest Islamic civil liberties group.
“It is very important how the United States sees how Muslims really are in the
Western world compared to how the media misrepresents us,” Mulla said.
Trying to clear common misconceptions that Western society has about Islamic
culture and Shariah law, Mulla said that all people of the Islamic faith should
participate in constructive activities that would be for the good for all
humanity.
“We believe that both men and women are equal under God, and each individual
is held responsible for their actions,” Amir-Ebrahimi said.
Amir-Ebrahimi added, when Islam was founded it put forward the new concept that
women are equal to men. She said that fact goes against the misconception of
Shariah law stating women are oppressed.
“The reason why there are so many misconceptions of woman in Islam is because
of the Islamic country’s culture does not reflect the religion. No country is
100 percent following Shariah law,” Amir-Ebrahimi said.
One perspective about conceptions of Americans from Muslims came from veteran
and Christian student Christopher Barrett.
He said while many Americans think of Muslims as terrorist, many in the Middle
East see it differently.
“We are the people going into their people’s villages and ruining their way
of life,” he said.  “We are the terrorists in their eyes.”
Amir-Ebrahimi said that as a Muslim-American woman, she has a responsibility to
work for what is socially right, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or
other factors that defines humanity.
“Muslims come to America from around the world, contrary to the media’s
portrayal. When Americans meet and befriend people of the Muslim faith, we see
statistically that their misconceptions of Islamic people disappears as they
learn more about their culture,” Syed said.
Syed added, most Muslims are a peaceful group of people practicing their
religion freely in the United States.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arabs and Muslims carve a place in the US
Islamophobia may have grown, but progress is being made as activists question
'media stereotypes'.
Matthew Cassel Last Modified: 15 Sep 2011 14:42

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/09/201191312205263299.html

"USA! USA!" chanted the mob of hundreds as it tried to march towards
Bridgeview's Mosque Foundation just southwest of Chicago. It was September 12,
2001, one day after the attacks that brought down the World Trade Center towers
800 miles to the east in New York City. Had it not been for the police, Muslims
in Bridgeview feared the attempted protest against their place of worship would
have led to violence, and their mosque that was founded in 1954 and serves more
than 50,000 Muslims would've been either damaged or destroyed.

Hate crimes against Muslims, Arabs and others happened across the US in the
immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks. In Arizona, a Sikh man was
gunned down and killed at the gas station that he owned. Businesses belonging to
American Muslims were attacked, and religious institutions were vandalised. In
cities like Chicago, home to one of the nation's largest Arab and Muslim
populations, the attacks and harassment were widespread.

Hatem Abudayyeh, then youth program director of the Arab American Action Network
(AAAN) drove as fast as he could to the organisation's offices on the southwest
side. "I wanted to be prepared for attacks on the community," he told Al
Jazeera.

Abudayyeh said that Arab mothers were too scared to send their children to
school for days after the attacks. Muslim women asked their imams if they could
remove their headscarves out of fear for attack, many were too afraid to leave
their homes with their families.

"[The Arab and Muslim communities] had experience with Oklahoma City when
immediately the pundits claimed it must've been an Arab or a Muslim
responsible," Abudayyeh said to Al Jazera referring to the 1995 bombing carried
out by a white man that killed 168 people. "Immediately the radio talk shows
were talking about going after the Arab community and countries in the Arab
world."

Negative feelings

For Amina Sharif, communication director of the Chicago branch of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the mainstream interest in Islam and Muslims
began after September 11, but the negative feelings were always there.

As a child growing up in southern Illinois state, Sharif recalled hearing about
attacks on a neighbour’s car during the first Gulf War because he was an Arab.
Sharif said that fellow students also encouraged her to convert to Christianity
because Islam was a "satanic religion".

On September 11, 2001, Sharif was preparing to deliver a speech to her class on
the subject of Islamophobia. After news of the attacks reached Illinois, classes
were cancelled and instead she huddled around the TV alongside classmates
watching the horrific events of that day unfold.

For Sharif much of the blame lies with the media and popular culture in the US,
which she says is often "orientalist and slanted" in its depiction of Muslims
and Islam.

"When [my classmates] did think about it during a debate or classroom
discussion, there were these negative assumptions made that Islam is oppressive
towards women, that Islam is a violent religion. These aren't new ideas, they
have existed for decades if not centuries in the US and in the West. I think
they're rooted in our academia and our pop culture."

Sharif said immediately following the attacks the information market became
flooded with everything about Islam.

"The knowledge vacuum started to be filled with some positive information, and
[the emergence of] Muslim spokespersons. But many profiteers and opportunists
[also emerged]. People claimed to be experts on Islam so they could sell books
and make money going on speaking tours and appearing on TV news programs,"
Sharif said.

"A lot of those 'experts' on Islam had an agenda, besides making money they also
[wanted] to marginalise Muslims, particularly American Muslims for political
reasons or religious gain".

At the same time many went off to learn about Arabs and Muslims, the government
began rounding them up.

On a cold autumn's day, one year after the attacks, Abudayyeh and other
activists stood outside on a street corner in downtown Chicago offering free
legal support to non-permanent resident male nationals of 25 foreign countries
who were required to get fingerprinted, photographed and interviewed by US
Immigration. All but one country on the list, North Korea, was either Arab or
Muslim.

Biased regulations

The Department of Homeland Security initiated the programmme, National Security
Entry/Exit Registration System (NEERS), in September 2002.

In the programme's first six months, the US government deported or began the
deportation process for more than 13,000 out of 83,000 men who complied with the
registration. The Washington Post newspaper said the deportation was the
"largest number of visitors from Middle Eastern and other Muslim countries in US
history".

While NEERS was suspended in April of this year, groups that campaigned against
it fear it could easily be restarted in the future. Colorlines, a publication
that focuses on issues concerning race and identity in the US, called the NEERS
programme, "one of the most explicitly racist, underreported initiatives in
post-9/11 America".

Seven years after NEERS began, on September 24, 2010, Abudayyeh had just left
his ill mother at the hospital and was resting at his parents' home when he
received a phone call from his wife at 7am. The FBI had come bearing a search
warrant for Abudayyeh's home in northwest Chicago. Abudayyeh was subpoenaed to
testify before a federal grand jury, and provide information regarding the
provision of "material support" for "terrorist organisations". Twenty-two other
activists, many Arab or Muslim, were also subpoenaed.

In the past decade Abudayyeh's case is hardly unique. Humanitarian activists
Sami al-Arian, Mohamed Salah, Abdelhaleem Ashqar, and five founders of the Holy
Land Foundation, have all either served jail sentences or are still in jail
after for supporting groups in occupied Palestine deemed "terrorist
organisations" by the US government.

Abudayyeh, now executive director of AAAN, told Al Jazeera that he believes he
and other activists are being scapegoated by the US government for their
anti-war and Palestine activism in an attempt to silence them.

"They're shutting down [activism and community organising] directly by targeting
the people who are doing it. And then they're shutting it down indirectly by
creating a chilling effect on freedom of speech, and intimidating other people
from standing up and mobilising and speaking out."

Abudayyeh, born in the US to Palestinian immigrants, calls himself secular and
doesn't identify as Muslim. However, he says, some Chicago media have tried to
associate him with Islamic fundamentalism.

"South Asians, Arab Muslims, Arab Christians, I don't think the right-wing knows
the difference. There is this huge net being cast, and essentially anyone who is
Arab or Muslim could be caught under that net."

Last month, the Associated Press reported that the CIA is collaborating with the
New York Police Department to spy on Muslim communities in New York. Abudayyeh
says this is proof of the government's "continuing to criminalise our
communities without probable cause or due process."

Abudayyeh says this criminalisation extends beyond the Arabs and Muslims and
into other predominantly immigrant communities. He points to a wall built by the
US government over recent years that runs along the border with Mexico.

"The militarisation of the border has everything to do with September 11 and the
fact that the right-wing legislators are trying to intimidate and terrify the
country into securing our borders because the big bad terrorists are coming. And
that has greatly affected the movement for civil rights and human rights and for
dignity for immigrants who are working hard trying to make a living in this
country."

Meanwhile, many Muslims fear that while the severity and number of attacks may
have decreased since the period right after September 11, Islamophobia is still
on the rise.

Negative opinions

In 2005, the Pew Research Center conducted a poll and found that 41 per cent of
Americans had a favourable view of Islam. Five years later, in 2010, Pew found
that number had dropped to 30 per cent. A Gallup poll echoed these numbers and
found that 43 per cent of Americans in 2010 admitted to having at least "a
little" prejudice towards Muslim, at least two times higher than the number for
Christians, Jews and other religious groups.

That prejudice manifested itself in November, 2009 by a woman in Tinley Park, a
village southwest of Chicago that was chosen by Businessweek magazine that same
month as the best place in the US to raise children.

Two days after an American army psychiatrist gunned down 13 of his comrades on a
US military base in Fort Hood, Texas, Amal Abusumayah, then 28 and a mother of
four, was at a grocery store in Tinley Park when she was startled by another
shopper.

"I could hear her saying [the Fort Hood attacker] was a Muslim and American
while talking to her husband loudly so that I could hear," Abusumayah told Al
Jazeera. "I didn't pay her any attention. But then later I was checking out I
had my back turned and she tried to rip off my scarf."

The attacker was later arrested and given two years probation.

"I was lucky to only have my headscarf pulled off. It could've been a knife or a
gun. There are a lot of crazy people out there," Abusumayah said. "I look over
my shoulder now, more than before. I used to go out and feel safe. I don't go
out at times when I used to before like at night."

Activists point the finger at the media for wrongfully implicating all Muslims
for the acts of individuals.

Popular TV journalist Christiane Amanpour hosted a show in late 2010 on ABC, a
national TV channel in the US, bringing a number of guests to discuss the topic,
"Should Americans Fear Islam?" Not only could advocates for Muslim rights not
imagine a similar question being posed about other minority groups in the US,
but one of the guests, Anjem Choudary, is a radical imam in London known for
advocating sharia law in the UK, and who has practically no support from Muslims
in the US.

As the largest non-governmental organisation in the US advocating for rights for
the country's more than two million Muslims, CAIR is trying to challenge these
misleading programs. And it's because of their effective work that Sharif says,
CAIR's Chicago office regularly receives hate mail, mostly from anonymous
senders.

"I am not offended by it," Sharif said. "I actually take it as a compliment that
they see our success as a threat to them."

Muslims are starting to have a voice in the US, Sharif said pointing out the two
Muslims congresspersons, the nation's first, both elected after September 11,
2001.

"We are definitely making gains and that makes some people nervous. And I don't
mind. I look at our nation's history and see how every single minority group has
had to struggle and that makes me optimistic for the future."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

High, wide and handsome
By ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 5, 2011 01:06 Updated: Nov 5, 2011 01:15
World’s largest crescent stands aloft on top of a huge clock

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article529044.ece

MAKKAH: The largest golden crescent in the world stands aloft in the sky over
the Grand Mosque on the top of a huge clock.

Its height is more than half a kilometer above the ground, raising its arms into
space to embrace the sky. The crescent sits on the second tallest tower in the
world, weighing about 35 tons, and its construction took three months.

The crescent is 22 meters long and 24 meters wide, and has a diameter of 23
meters.

The tower supporting the crescent is divided into 10 parts and contains the
highest residence quarters in the world in its middle. It is the main component
of the complex that includes seven towers and is being developed as part of the
King Abdul Aziz endowment project for the Two Holy Mosques.

The crescent is so huge that it includes room for housing, employment, service
and maintenance, as well as six lifts to transport visitors to the surrounding
balcony below the four clocks.

The crescent emanates rays of white light up into the sky from 21,000 light
bulbs that can be seen from a distance of up to 30 km.

The base of the crescent is decorated with the word “Allah-hu Akbar” (God is
the greatest) that can be seen from a great distance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Indian court convicts 31 over Gujarat riots
Hindu defendants handed life sentences over killings of 33 Muslims during 2002
sectarian riots.
Last Modified: 11 Nov 2011 03:44

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2011/11/201111985048877302.html

A court in India has sentenced 31 people to life in prison over the killings of
33 Muslims in a single house during severe sectarian riots in the state of
Gujarat in 2002.

The 31 defendants, all Hindus, were found guilty of murder, attempted murder,
arson, rioting and criminal conspiracy after the victims were burned alive in
the building.

"Out of the 73 accused, 31 are guilty and 42 are acquitted of all charges,"
judge SC Srivastava told the special court near Sardarpura village, where the 33
Muslims sought shelter in a small house on the night of February 28, 2002.

The victims had crowded into the house to escape the rioters, who set the
building alight. Authorities uncovered 28 bodies at the scene, with five others
dying later of their injuries.

During the violence in the western state of Gujarat, witnesses said baying Hindu
mobs surrounded and raped Muslim women, then poured kerosene down their throats
and on their children and threw lit matches at them.

Wednesday's verdicts followed earlier convictions over riot-related violence.

In some of India's worst inter-faith clashes since independence in 1947, about
2,000 people died in a wave of anti-Muslim unrest triggered by a train fire in
which 60 Hindu pilgrims were burnt alive.

The case is one of nine trials being held in India in connection with the
violence following the train fire, and is one of the first in which convictions
have been secured.

The Hindu pilgrims on the train were returning from the town of Ayodhya, another
flashpoint for religious unrest after a mosque was destroyed in 1992 by Hindus,
leading to separate riots that killed thousands of people, mostly Muslims.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Muslim sect kills more than 100 in attacks on north-east Nigeria
Death toll expected to rise after police inspector also killed by Boko Haram
group, who want strict sharia law across country
Associated Press
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 6 November 2011 23.05 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/06/nigeria-muslim-sect-attacks-deathtol\
l

More than 100 people have been killed in a series of attacks in north-east
Nigeria by a radical Muslim sect, a Nigerian Red Cross official said on Sunday.

Ibrahim Bulama said he expected the figure to rise as local clinics and
hospitals assess the casualties from the attacks on Friday in Damaturu, the
capital of rural Yobe state.

While the hard-hit city's Muslims celebrated the Eid al-Adha holiday, army and
police units manned roadblocks leading into the town and streets were largely
quiet, Bulama said.

The sect, called Boko Haram, also killed a police inspector on Sunday in the
city of Maiduguri, the sect's spiritual home about 80 miles (130 kilometers)
east of Damaturu. Sect gunmen stopped the officer's car at gunpoint as he neared
a mosque to pray with his family, local police commissioner Simeon Midenda said.

Gunmen ordered the family away, then shot the inspector, Midenda said. The sect
members later allowed his family to drive the car away, he said.

The killing prompted a frank acknowledgment from the police commander, whose men
remain under siege from constant assassinations by the radical sect. "Our men
who live in the midst of the Boko Haram are not safe," Midenda said.

In a statements the UN security council called the attacks "criminal and
unjustifiable" and asked members to help the Nigerian authorities bring those
responsible to justice.

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday appealed for an end to all violence, saying it only
increases problems, sowing hatred and division even among the faithful. He told
tourists in St Peter's Square that he is following with apprehension the news
from Nigeria.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attacks on Friday, which included
suicide bombings and shootings.

Boko Haram wants to implement strict sharia law across Nigeria, an oil-rich
nation of more than 160 million which has a predominantly Christian south and a
Muslim north. Its name means "western education is sacrilege" in the Hausa
language, but instead of schooling, it rejects western ideals such as Nigeria's
US-styled democracy, which followers believe have created corrupt politicians
who have destroyed the country.

Boko Haram's attacks occurred ahead of the Eid al-Adha celebration, the feast of
sacrifice. Police elsewhere in the country had warned of violence ahead of the
celebration in Nigeria.

An Associated Press count shows the group has killed at least 361 people this
year alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Prophet issue' French paper's offices burnt
Satirical paper's office damaged in apparent arson attack as it was due to
publish controversial Islam-themed edition.
Last Modified: 02 Nov 2011 09:18

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2011/11/201111274735576240.html

Police say a fire has caused serious damage at the headquarters of a satirical
French newspaper that "invited" the Prophet Muhammad to be a guest editor and
planned to print a cartoon image of him on the cover.

A police official said the fire broke out overnight on Tuesday at the offices of
Charlie Hebdo, and the cause remained unclear. The official spoke on condition
of anonymity because an investigation into the fire is under way.

The weekly had said it would publish a special edition on Wednesday to
"celebrate" the Ennahda party's election victory in Tunisia and the transitional
Libyan executive's statement that sharia law would be the country's main source
of law.

The director of the newspaper, who uses the name Charb, said on French
television that "the material damages are large" and said many computer files
were destroyed, as he stood in front of piles of scorched papers and equipment.

"A window was broken and a Molotov cocktail was thrown inside," Charb said.
"There's nothing left inside."

Charb rejected accusations that he was trying to provoke Muslims.

"We feel we're just doing our job as usual. The only difference is that this
week, Muhammad is on the cover and that's quite rare," he told AFP.

The magazine's website on Wednesday appeared to be offline amid earlier reports
that it had been hacked. Reuters reported the site had earlier showed images of
a mosque with the message "No God but Allah".

Newspaper employees said they had received many threats as a result of the
issue, subtitled "Sharia Hebdo", in reference to Islamic law.

A Paris court in 2007 threw out a suit brought by two Muslim organisations
against Charlie Hebdo for reprinting cartoons of Prophet Muhammad that had
appeared in a Danish newspaper, sparking angry protests by Muslims worldwide.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iran demands apology from US over Saudi ambassador 'assassination plot'
Tehran issues formal complaint over allegations that Iranian regime was involved
in plot to kill Saudi's ambassador to US
Saeed Kamali Dehghan
guardian.co.uk, Monday 31 October 2011 17.45 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/31/iran-demands-apology-assassination-p\
lot

Iran has raised the stakes in its row with the US over the alleged plot to kill
the Saudi ambassador to Washington by demanding an official apology from the
Obama administration over the claim that Tehran was responsible.

The Swiss embassy in Tehran, which hosts the US interests section in the Islamic
republic, passed a letter from the Iranian government to US officials on Friday
outlining Iran's formal complaint over accusations that military factions inside
the regime were directly linked to the alleged plot.

"In a recent letter to the US government, Iran has insisted that American
authorities must publicly apologise to the Iranian government and its citizens
for the false accusations they publicised against Tehran in violation of
international norms and regulations," Iran's state-run Press TV reported.

US officials claimed to have uncovered an Iranian plot to assassinate Adel
al-Jubeir in a sting operation involving the FBI and the Drug Enforcement
Administration.

The US said Iran was attempting to hire a member of a Mexican drug cartel to
carry out the killing but failed because the gang member was actually a US
informant.

The main suspects involved in the alleged plot were identified as an
American-Iranian, Manssor Arabsiar, 56, who was arrested at New York's JFK
airport in late September, and Gholam Shakuri, an Iranian who remains at large
in Iran, according to the US.

The US version of events has been met with scepticism both from sympathisers of
the Iranian regime and its opponents.

Despite this, the US continues to back its claims and has lobbied Europe for
tougher sanctions against Iran in response to the alleged plot.

David Cohen, the US Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial
intelligence, was in London last week seeking support from his British
counterparts. "Iran needs to be held accountable for this plot," he said.

Iran has tried to distance itself from the affair by pointing the finger at an
Iranian dissident group, the People's Mujahideen of Iran (MEK) and accusing the
US of fabricating the allegation in an attempt to damage Iran's international
reputation.

An Iranian diplomat who spoke to the Guardian on condition of anonymity said the
US has resorted to its "entrapment technique" in order to smear Iran in the eyes
of the international community.

"Americans have not presented any compelling evidence whatsoever to Iran to
prove the plot was hatched by the Islamic Republic. Neither have they provided
consular access to Mr Arbabsiar," said the diplomat.

Arbabsiar pleaded not guilty last week to charges that he was involved in an
assassination plot.

The Iranian diplomat claimed entrapment techniques have been used previously by
the US in cases against individuals accused of attempting to smuggle or export
military components to Iran.

In one recent case, in October 2006, the former Iranian ambassador to Jordan,
Nosratollah Tajik, was arrested in Britain for allegedly procuring night-vision
goggles for Iran. He is currently under house arrest in Britain awaiting
extradition to the US.

"This plot, which was discovered this time again by an 'undercover American
agent', is yet another [entrapment] scenario painted by the US government to
impede growing Iranian progress and make trouble for the country," added the
diplomat.

In an attempt to reduce tensions with Saudi Arabia, Iran's foreign minister Ali
Akbar Salehi travelled to Riyadh last week to attend the funeral of Crown Prince
Sultan bin Andul-Aziz.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two faces of Tony Blair
The former PM's Faith Foundation champions religious freedom. So why is he doing
deals with a despot who persecutes believers?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-two-faces-of-tony-blair-62\
55021.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hajj: Going Beyond the Rituals
10/17/2011 - Religious Social - Article Ref: AJ1011-4354
By: Al-Jumuah Staff
Al Jumuah* - Vol 22-12

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=AJ1011-4354

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Place of Spiritual and Visual Retreat
11/1/2011 - Religious - Article Ref: AJ1110-4909
By: Sumreen Wasiq
Al Jumuah*

http://www.islamicity.com/Articles/articles.asp?ref=AJ1110-4909
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islamist group threatens Kazakhstan over religion law
By DMITRY SOLOVYOV | REUTERS
Published: Oct 26, 2011 17:21 Updated: Oct 26, 2011 17:21

http://arabnews.com/world/article524672.ece

ALMATY: A previously unknown Islamist group has threatened ex-Soviet Kazakhstan
with violence unless it abolishes a new law that bans prayer rooms in state
buildings in the mainly Muslim Central Asian nation, a US-based online
monitoring service said.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has run oil-rich Kazakhstan for 20 years,
this month signed a new religion law which bans prayer rooms in state buildings
and requires all missionaries to register with authorities every year.

The veteran leader and other senior Kazakh officials say the new law is aimed at
stamping out Islamist militancy but it has been criticized by Kazakhstan’s top
Muslim cleric and the West.

US-based intelligence monitoring group SITE said a group calling itself Jund
Al-Khilafah (Soldiers of the Caliphate) had issued an Arabic-subtitled video,
dated Oct. 21. There was no independent confirmation of the authenticity of the
video.

In the video, four masked fighters with submachine guns and a grenade launcher
are seen standing behind a fighter reading a speech in which he demands the
Kazakh government abolish the law. He said the law bans prayers in state
institutions and the wearing of headscarves.

The new Kazakh law on religious activity actually makes no mention of wearing
headscarves.

“In the event you insist on your position then we will be forced to make a
move against you,” said the fighter, whose face is also masked by a scarf.

“Know that the policy that you are following is the same that was applied in
Tunisia, Libya and Egypt; however, as you have seen, it only caused loss to
those who exercised it,” he said in a reference to a string of “Arab
Spring” revolutions that toppled long-serving dictators.

The threat from the hitherto unheard-of radical group appeared to be the first
direct threat to Kazakh authorities after the adoption of the much-discussed
law.

Nazarbayev, 71, has ruled Kazakhstan as a secular state since independence in
1991. Until this year, the country, whose 16.5 million population is 70 percent
Muslim, had avoided the Islamist violence seen in other Central Asian states.

But a suicide bombing in May and the arrest in August of a group accused of a
terrorist plot have raised concerns about growing militancy.

Nazarbayev said he believed the new law, signed on Oct. 13, would strengthen
society’s religious tolerance.

“Peace and harmony in our multi-ethnic home are Kazakhstan’s most valuable
patrimony,” he said at the time.

But the law has caused heated debate. Kazakhstan’s Supreme Mufti, Absattar
Derbisali, has said the ban on prayer rooms in state buildings could anger pious
Muslims and spur extremism.

Rights groups in the West and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) have also raised concerns that the law could restrict religious
freedom.

Among other measures to fight Islamist militancy, Kazakhstan has blocked access
to scores of foreign Internet sites that it says propagate violence and incite
religious hatred.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steve Jobs an American Visionary with Arab Roots
10/7/2011 - Social - Article Ref: NA1110-4890
By: Shirin Sadeghi
New America Media* -

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=NA1110-4890
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take Time for Internal Reflection
10/17/2011 - - Article Ref: MO1110-4894
By: Imam Abdullah El-Amin
Muslim Observer* -

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=MO1110-4894

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Filipino soldiers clash with rebels; 15 killed

http://arabnews.com/world/article520194.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: Great War secrets of the Ottoman Arabs

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-great-war-sec\
rets-of-the-ottoman-arabs-2370951.html?google_editors_picks=true
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kazakhstan passes restrictive religion law
New law, which authorities say is needed to curb extremism, bans prayer in state
institutions.
Last Modified: 14 Oct 2011 05:23

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/asia/2011/10/20111014351432694.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: Democratic governments don't deal with terrorists - until they do
In three decades, the Israelis have freed 7,000 prisoners in return for 19
Israeli prisoners
THURSDAY 13 OCTOBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-democratic-go\
vernments-dont-deal-with-terrorists--until-they-do-2369660.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stop the War Coalition demo in London marks 10th anniversary of Afghan war
The names of 120 servicemen and women who have died in Afghanistan are read out
at the protest in Trafalgar Square

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/08/stop-the-war-coalition-demo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Bridenapping' – a growing hidden crime
In at least 17 countries around the world, girls are being abducted, raped and
forced into marriage. Emily Dugan investigates
SUNDAY 09 OCTOBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/bridenapping-ndash-a-growing-hi\
dden-crime-2367811.html

Last year, Asana, a 14-year-old from Somalia, popped out to get some meat and
milk for her mother. As she walked in a Mogadishu market, a car with blacked-out
windows pulled up, a door was flung open and she was dragged inside. A man she
had never seen before said to the driver: "This is my wife; we just got
engaged." The man was Mohamed Dahir, a leader of the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
Her money was taken, she was locked away and forced to become Dahir's wife.

Asana's story is echoed across the globe in a phenomenon that is still little
reported or understood. Bride kidnapping, or "bridenapping", happens in at least
17 countries around the world, from China to Mexico to Russia to southern
Africa. In each of these lands, there are communities where it is routine for
young women and girls to be plucked from their families, raped and forced into
marriage. Few continents are not blighted by the practice, yet there is little
awareness of these crimes, and few police investigations. The lack of reporting
means there are no global statistics, but inquiries over many weeks by The
Independent on Sunday have found anecdotal evidence that bridenapping is
increasing. Something that belongs more to the Middle Ages is growing in the
21st century.

The lack of awareness, and therefore of any worldwide campaign on the issue,
leaves little hope for women such as Asana (her name has been changed to protect
her from Al-Shabaab, who still send her death threats). Now 15, and bringing up
Dahir's baby son, she considers herself one of the luckier ones. She managed to
escape to Kenya after Dahir was killed in a shoot-out. Her story, however, would
not be considered "lucky" by many.

Sitting in a plastic chair that dwarfs her childlike frame, she describes her
experience: "He beat me and locked me up for one and a half months in a house.
He said, 'If you talk I'll kill you'. I was so afraid that I accepted. Even when
I wanted to go to the toilet, he escorted me. He wouldn't let me do anything on
my own. He also used force to get me to have sex with him; he tied each of my
legs with rope so they were apart. It was every night at midnight."

Men such as Dahir are able to get away with the crime in Somalia thanks to a
toxic combination of lawlessness, extreme Islamist values that give women no
rights, and the shame of lost virginity. Elsewhere, the practice has emerged
from a twisting of a traditional culture that has made communities turn a blind
eye, allowing it to thrive. In Kyrgyzstan – one of the few places to collect
data – the practice has been on the increase since the fall of communism. Some
believe this violent subversion of a tradition (which was historically for show
and done with the consent of the wife) has become popular to avoid the
embarrassment of being unable to afford a dowry.

Up to a third of all ethnic Kyrgyz women in Kyrgyzstan are kidnapped brides, and
some studies suggest that, in certain regions, the rates of bride kidnapping
account for up to 80 per cent of marriages. In six villages scrutinised for a
recent survey, almost half of the 1,322 marriages registered were from bride
kidnapping, and up to two-thirds were non-consensual. Earlier this year, two
20-year-old students committed suicide after falling victim to bridenapping. The
deaths of Venera Kasymalieva and Nurzat Kalykova prompted demonstrations in
their home province of Issyk-Kul, but little has changed.

Despite bridenapping being a criminal offence carrying a maximum three-year jail
term, very few cases are brought, and most of those who are prosecuted get away
with a negligible fine. "Once bride kidnapping was characteristic mostly in
rural areas, but it has become widespread everywhere, including the capital,
Bishkek," says Gazbubu Babayarova, founder of the Kyz Korgon Institute, an
organisation that campaigns to eliminate bridenapping in Kyrgyzstan.

Most people in Kyrgyzstan view the practice as a tradition rather than a crime.
There is such a thing as "consensual" bridenapping, where the bride agrees to be
taken as part of a custom, but a more violent version of this "tradition" has
grown in the 21st century. Russell Kleinbach, a professor at Philadelphia
University who is an expert on the issue, believes it is only since the 1950s
that this tradition has morphed into something that is widespread, brutal and
non-consensual.

Ms Babayarova is herself an example of how this custom has spread to urban,
educated Kyrgyz communities. Seven years ago, she was kidnapped by one of her
closest friends, who was a medical student. He did not accept her protestations
that she did not want anything more than friendship and entered into an
arrangement with both their parents to kidnap her.

Early one morning he stopped by her house in Bishkek with a friend and offered
to give her a lift to work in his car. Instead of driving to her office, the car
veered off in another direction. When she asked what was going on, they just
laughed. "I felt that I was like a fish caught in a net. I was horrified,
worried and very angry," Ms Babayarova recalls. Soon she arrived at his home in
a small village, where around seven of his female family members were waiting
for her, including both grandmothers.

She was only able to escape after promising to marry him the following autumn.
When she got home – with no intention of marrying him – her own family
started to telephone her, saying she had brought shame on them for abandoning
the deal.

Nearby in Muslim Chechnya, the region's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, gave a powerful
speech last year urging his followers to "eradicate" the age-old practice. "I
declare ... that we will root out once and for all from our society the
kidnapping of young women," he said. Sadly, that promise has not been kept.
Though bridenapping is outlawed under the Russian legal system, it is still
widely practiced in the region.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

War-torn Chechnya undergoes transformation
Two decades since conflicts, Grozny, the republic's capital, is now home to
skyscrapers.
Last Modified: 06 Oct 2011 20:38

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/europe/2011/10/201110619501460891.html

Two wars in Chechnya between separatist fighters and the Russian government in
the 1990s left tens of thousands dead and destroyed neighbourhoods, roads and
factories.

But nearly two decades after the conflicts, Grozny, the Chechen capital, is now
home to a collection of skyscrapers.

In the last decade, Russia poured nearly $6bn in aid into Chechnya, in hopes
that the money would not only go to building skyscrapers but also to creating
jobs and ensuring that unemployed youth were not driven to join the separatist
fighters.

Al Jazeera’s Neave Barker reports from Grozny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Post Ramadan Gratitude and Generosity
9/25/2011 - Religious - Article Ref: AJ1109-4874
By: Suhail Moffat
Al Jumuah* - 23-10

http://www.islamicity.com/Articles/articles.asp?ref=AJ1109-4874
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preparing for The Realities of Marriage
10/7/2011 - Family Interfaith Social - Article Ref: AZ0803-3550
By: Munira Lekovic Ezzeldine
Azizah Magazine* -

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=AZ0803-3550

How ludicrous would it be for a person to hold a grand opening for a new
business then leave for vacation the next day or go to a job interview without
having read the job description? Equally absurd is the way many people get
married each year without any knowledge of or preparation for the realities of
marriage. Couples make elaborate wedding and honeymoon plans but none for a life
together. Additionally, many are looking for spouses to marry without looking at
their responsibilities in a marriage.

Based on fairy tales spun by the media and pop culture, young women dream of
finding their Prince Charming and living happily ever after. We think that once
we are married, everything will just sort itself out. Some of us think that
marriage is a solution or an escape or that our spouses will "complete us."
Compounding this are values of mainstream society and their effect on the psyche
of adolescents. Years of struggling with issues of dating and pre-marital sex in
school as well as constant bombardment through films and television of
unrealistic images of what love, sex and marriage are have affected our outlook
on marriage and the opposite sex. So, when the time comes to get married, we
often carry unrealistic expectations of what being married will be like and how
our spouses will be.

Many young Muslims are not prepared for marriage and have not cultivated the
skills to create a lasting relationship. While the general American population
has the world's highest divorce rate, 48.6 percent, Muslims in the United States
come in not too far behind at 33 percent. One in three Muslims marriage here
will end in divorce- not surprising considering we are living in a "divorce
culture" where independence and individual happiness often come first. When the
marriage does not fulfill the individual's needs, the marriage is questioned.
Terms such as "starter marriage" are becoming more common in the Muslim
community as divorces among newlywed couples, after only months of being
married, increase. Furthermore, couples in multicultural marriages are
experiencing complex issues because of their background differences and often
find little support from their families and communities because of certain
cultural ideas about marriage. These couples often
  become resigned to ending the marriage. Newlyweds sometimes don't readily
acknowledge that they must work on the marriage for it to survive. Many divorce
when marriage is not what they expected or harder than they imagined. Divorce is
now considered a plausible option among young Muslims, unlike the generation
before them. Now, more than ever, we should prepare ourselves and our children
for the realities of marriage. Preparing for marriage is as important as having
an accurate road map before driving cross country.

Preparing for marriage is more than searching for a spouse; it begins with
discovering who you are as a person.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IRAQ

Obama: All US troops to leave Iraq in 2011
US president says "America's war in Iraq will be over" as he confirms final
withdrawal will take place by end of year.
Last Modified: 21 Oct 2011 18:53

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2011/10/20111021165649222733.html

US President Barack Obama has confirmed that all 39,000 US troops still
stationed in Iraq will be withdrawn by the end of the year, bringing to an end
an almost nine-year presence in the country since the 2003 invasion that toppled
Saddam Hussein.

Obama's statement on Friday ended months of speculation over whether Washington
would continue to base forces in the country beyond the end-of-year departure
date set in place by Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush.

"After nearly nine years, America's war in Iraq will be over," Obama said in a
statement at the White House, shortly after a private video conference with
Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister.

Obama's statement represents the fulfillment of a central promise of his 2008
election campaign to end US involvement in Iraq, and comes with Washington also
seeking to reduce its troop presence in Afghanistan.

Despite continuing controversy over the legality of the 2003 invasion and the
years of violence that followed the end of Saddam's decades-long dictatorship,
Obama said US troops would leave Iraq "with their heads held high, proud of
their success."

When the 2008 agreement requiring all US forces to leave Iraq by 2012 was
passed, many US officials assumed it would inevitably be renegotiated so that US
forces could stay longer.

The US said repeatedly this year it would entertain an offer from the Iraqis to
have a small force stay behind, and the Iraqis said they would like US military
help.

But US-Iraqi talks broke down because the two sides were unable to agree on
granting legal immunity for a small contingent of American troops who would have
stayed in place to help train Iraqi forces.

Throughout the discussions, Iraqi leaders had adamantly refused to give US
troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, while US military officials
had refused to stay without it.

Moreover, Iraq's leaders have been split over whether they wanted US forces to
stay.

"It had become increasing apparent that it was going to be difficult for the two
to reach a deal to allow some US forces to remain on Iraqi soil, come January 1,
2012, because of the details of the agreement they has signed," said Al
Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan.

Obama said that he had invited Maliki to visit the White House in December, as
the two sides revert to a normal sovereign relationship between two nations.

The US's military role in Iraq has been mostly reduced to advising the security
forces in a country where levels of violence had declined sharply from a peak of
sectarian strife in 2006-2007, but attacks remain a daily occurrence.

More than 4,400 American military personnel have been killed since the US-led
invasion in March 2003.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iraqi Kurds want Kurdish flag used in govt buildings
By YAHYA BARZANJI | AP
Published: Oct 16, 2011 22:20 Updated: Oct 16, 2011 22:20

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article519199.ece

KHANAQIN, Iraq: Thousands of Iraqi Kurds demonstrated in this northern city
Sunday to demand the right to raise the Kurdish region’s flag over government
buildings.

The protest in Khanaqin illustrates the nagging problem over the future of the
“disputed” territories — areas claimed by both the Kurds in the north and
the central government in Baghdad.

Khanaqin is in Diyala province and falls under Baghdad’s authority, but a
large number of the residents are Kurds and would prefer to ally themselves with
the Kurdish regional government, which controls three other provinces in
northern Iraq.

The right to fly the Kurdish flag is a deeply emotional issue for many who see
it as a sign of independence against both the deposed Saddam Hussein regime and
the current Arab-dominated government in Baghdad. In contrast, many Arabs see
such attempts to fly the Kurdish flag in Khanaqin and other places as creeping
expansion of Kurdish power and influence.

Thousands of people marched through the streets of Khanaqin, 140 km northeast of
Baghdad, waving Kurdish flags and shouting anti-government slogans.

Sunday’s demonstration was against what the protesters and the regional
government said was a recent order from the central government to take down
flags.

Maj. Ghalib Al-Karkhi, spokesman for Diyala province police, said Prime Minster
Nuri Al-Maliki’s office ordered the removal of Kurdish flags from the
government buildings in Khanaqin because the city does not belong to the Kurdish
autonomous region. They said the order arrived abut two weeks ago.

Al-Karkhi said the order was not implemented because of the protests.

An Iraqi government spokesman, Ali Al-Moussawi, would not confirm or deny the
order’s existence but said raising the Kurdish flag in Khanaqin is against the
constitution and could increase tensions.

Schools, shops, markets and government institutions were closed. Kurdish flags
could be seen on walls and flying from rooftops of houses, shops and government
institutions. Police and army vehicles, taxis, buses and other vehicles were
covered with Kurdish flags.

“Thousands of Kurds were martyred for the sake of this flag, so we are ready
to defend this flag with our blood,” said Mahmoud Sangawi, a member of the
Kurdish PUK party.

A man tried to burn himself during the protest, but the crowd managed to put out
the fire.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


TURKEY

Turkey ends search for survivors at hotel that collapsed in second earthquake
By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, November 13, 12:30 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/turkey-ends-search-for-survivors\
-at-earthquake-collapsed-hotel/2011/11/13/gIQAFHaNHN_story.html

ANKARA, Turkey — Searchers on Sunday ended efforts to find anyone else alive
in the rubble of an earthquake-shattered hotel in eastern Turkey, the state-run
agency reported.

The 5.7-magnitude quake struck the city of Van on Wednesday, toppling two
hotels, some two weeks after another more powerful earthquake killed some 600
people in the region. The two buildings had apparently been weakened by the
force of first quake.

The country’s disaster management agency said least 39 people were killed in
the second quake.

The victims include two journalists and a Japanese relief worker who had rushed
to the region in the aftermath of the 7.2-magnitude quake that struck on Oct.
23. Eight workers who were in Van to assemble temporary housing units for
survivors also perished.

With no hope of finding any more survivors, search and rescue operations at the
Bayram Hotel were declared finished on Sunday and earth-moving machines began to
clear the debris, the Anatolia news agency reported. Rescuers have pulled out 15
survivors and recovered 25 bodies from that hotel’s wreckage since Wednesday.

Search efforts at the other hotel, the low-budget Aslan Hotel, ended two days
ago.

Authorities meanwhile, shifted attention once again to the difficult task of
sheltering thousands of homeless survivors through the winter. The first quake
destroyed at least 2,000 buildings, and with aftershocks continuing to rock the
region, many people are refusing to return to their homes.

Turkey said it was erecting thousands more tents and was opening up state-run
hotels throughout the country to house some of the survivors until the spring.
Turkey has also notified countries offering help that it will accept tents and
prefabricated homes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turkey earthquake death toll nears 300
Rescue workers scramble to reach survivors trapped under rubble amid fears death
toll in eastern Turkey could climb.
Last Modified: 25 Oct 2011 12:01

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2011/10/20111024103643494261.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turkey earthquake: Desperate search for survivors
24 October 2011

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15425268
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turkey Pursues Kurdish Rebels After 24 Soldiers Are Killed Near Iraq
By SEBNEM ARSU
Published: October 19, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/world/europe/dozens-dead-in-attacks-on-turkish\
-forces.html

ISTANBUL — Kurdish militants killed at least 24 Turkish soldiers in an attack
near the Iraq border on Wednesday, one of the deadliest strikes in years, and
Turkey’s military responded by sending hundreds of troops into northern Iraq
in a counterattack on Kurdish insurgent hide-outs.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkish forces were pursuing the
attackers, making it clear that his military was crossing the Iraq border, which
the Turks have done numerous times in their protracted effort to crush a
resilient Kurdish insurgency movement.

“As of now, wide-reaching operations, including hot-pursuit operations, are
continuing in the region within the framework of international law,” Mr.
Erdogan said at a news conference in Ankara. “We will combat terror on one
front and, on another front, we will continue our path to destroy the grounds
that terror manipulates.”

He spoke after having conferred with senior government officials at an emergency
meeting about the deadly Kurdish militant attack, which the prime minister’s
office said had also left at least 18 Turkish soldiers wounded.

NTV, a private television network, said 600 Turkish ground troops chasing the
attackers pushed 2.5 miles into northern Iraq, where the Kurdistan Workers’
Party, a militant separatist group known as the P.K.K., is based. The group has
long battled the Turkish government for autonomy in the predominantly Kurdish
southeast.

Local media also reported Turkish air deployments and artillery fire in the
mountainous border area.

The militant strike, which started in the early hours of Wednesday, mainly in
Hakkari Province, lasted for about four hours. It came a day after a blast in
Bitlis, another southeastern province, that killed five policemen and three
civilians.

Using unusually harsh language, President Abdullah Gul vowed in an earlier
speech that the country would strike back against the Kurdish militants. He had
visited military bases in the region only days before.

“They will see that the revenge for these attacks will be massive and much
stronger,” he said.

“Embracing our own people, being affectionate to our people, protecting rights
and law of our people is one thing while struggling against terror without
compromise is a joint decision of both our state and the nation,” he said.

President Obama also condemned the Kurdish attack in a statement issued by the
White House. “The United States will continue our strong cooperation with the
Turkish government as it works to defeat the terrorist threat from the P.K.K.
and to bring peace, stability and prosperity to all the people of southeast
Turkey,” Mr. Obama said.

The top commander in the Turkish Army flew to the region to coordinate the
operation on Wednesday, local media reported.

The attacks came at a time when the country is drafting a new constitution with
greater rights for ethnic minorities. The effort is widely perceived as designed
to end Kurdish separatist violence that has claimed more than 40,000 lives since
the 1980s.

“In today’s Turkey when there is a better democracy to respond the Kurdish
needs, the P.K.K. terror is no different than Osama bin Laden’s terror
manipulating Islam in the way it manipulates Kurdish ethnicity,” said Ihsan
Bal, a security expert at the Ankara-based International Strategic Research
Organization.

The P.K.K. has escalated attacks in recent months in rural and urban areas. The
Turkish military has responded with airstrikes and artillery attacks against the
group’s bases in northern Iraq, killing as many as 160 militants, according to
the Turkish military.

Iraq’s foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, signaled during an official visit in
Ankara last week that the Iraqi Army could join military efforts to eliminate
P.K.K. bases in northern Iraq.

At the same time, however, the Iraqi government, as well as Kurdish officials in
the northern Iraq, have expressed concern about unilateral Turkish military
interventions in Iraq’s territory.

Laid Abawi, Iraq’s deputy foreign minister, said in response to the Turkey
military operations on Wednesday that it was still trying to learn details.

Mr. Abawi said, “We are against Turkey violating our borders and we are
against the shelling.” But he also said, “We condemn the armed operations of
the P.K.K. in Turkey.”

The United States, along with the European Union and Turkey, list the P.K.K. as
a terrorist organization and have shared intelligence with Turkey on the
group’s movements in northern Iraq since 2007.

“As a friend and ally, the United States will continue to stand with the
people and government of Turkey in their fight against the P.K.K., which the
United States has officially designated as a terrorist organization,” the
American ambassador to Ankara, Francis J. Ricciardone Jr., said in a written
statement.

Michael S. Schmidt and Yasir Ghazi contributed reporting from Baghdad, and Rick
Gladstone from New York.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


JORDAN

Jordanians celebrate Bakhit’s ouster
By ABDUL JALIL MUSTAFA
Published: Oct 21, 2011 22:22 Updated: Oct 21, 2011 22:22

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article521697.ece

AMMAN: Thousands of Jordanians took to the streets across the country on Friday
expressing jubilation over the sacking of Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit’s
government, which they accused of blocking political reform.

About 2,000 activists, mainly belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood movement and
tribes, demonstrated outside the Grand Husseini Mosque in central Amman after
Friday prayers, saying “Good Bye to Bakhit, Welcome to the Reformer.”

The slogan referred to King Abdallah’s dismissal of Bakhit’s Cabinet on
Monday and his appointment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judge,
Awn Khasawneh, as new prime minister.

Khasawneh offered to include in his Cabinet hard-liners and other opposition
political parties, and pledged to carry out the needed reforms, including the
enactment of an up-to-date election law that produces a lower house of
Parliament truly representative of the people.

The premier designate said he expected to announce the formation of his Cabinet
on Monday.

The demonstrators appealed to Khasawneh to preserve the right of the people to
peaceful demonstration and to behave differently from Bakhit, whom they accused
of derailing the political reforms and plotting mob attacks on pro-reform
rallies.

They also chanted traditional slogans calling for dealing firmly with corruption
and fair elections that lead to “parliamentary governments.”

Similar protests were also reported in the cities of Karak and Tafileh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jordan cold shoulders fleeing Syrians
Amman refusing to recognise those fleeing crackdown as refugees despite their
family ties.
Last Modified: 20 Oct 2011 08:46

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/middleeast/2011/10/2011102071014196665.html

Syrians fleeing the military crackdown are finding it hard to re-settle in
neighbouring Jordan.

Many have family ties there, but the government is refusing to recognise them as
refugees.

Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf reports from the capital Amman.
[VIDEO]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


TUNISIA

Tunisian election springs surprises
By MICHEL COUSINS | ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 27, 2011 01:08 Updated: Oct 27, 2011 01:09

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article524902.ece

TUNIS: Proof came Wednesday that Tunisia’s moderate Islamic party Ennahda had
won Sunday's landmark elections, the first since the overthrow of Zine El
Abidine Ben Ali in January.

Initial results show that it had won 84 seats. Second came its ally, the center
left Congress for the Republic (CPR) led by Moncef Marzouki. During the day
Marzouki defended his party’s negotiations with Ennahda saying that there was
nothing remotely sinister about it. It has been accused by some of the secular
parties of having a secret agenda to Islamize the largely secular Tunisian
state.

"One must not take them for the Taleban of Tunisia. It’s a moderate party of
Islam,” he said.

Ennahda’s chief spokesman Noureddine Bhiri said that the party planned to put
forward its No. 2 Hamadi Jebali as the next prime minister. Jebali himself said
that the party was looking at a number of names for president including Mostapha
Ben Jaafar, the leader of the social democrat Ettakatol party, and Moncef
Marzouki of the CPR. There was also a possibility, he said, that Ennhada might
propose the present interim Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi take over the
presidency.

Nominating the 62-year-old co-founder of Ennahda and former journalist for the
premiership is something of a U-turn. Prior to the election, the party had said
that it would not enter the government and favored a technocratic administration
to run Tunisia for the next year when a new constitution has to be in place and
fresh elections to the legislature will be due. However, it if it is to build a
grand coalition of political parties, it will have to be present.

All attention is on who will join that coalition and the negotiations are
expected to be complicated. One of the main secular parties, the centrist
Progressive Democrat Party (its failure to live up to earlier expectations has
been one of the big shocks of the election) has flatly ruled out joining any
coalition. According to Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi, a government would be
put together as soon as possible, "within no more than a month."

The biggest surprise on Wednesday was the performance of Aridha Chaabia, the
People’s Petition for Freedom, Justice and Development, created by wealthy
London-based Tunisian businessman, Mohamed Hechmi Hamdi, a former ally turned
opponent of Ben Ali. He is rapidly becoming known as the Berlusconi of Tunisian
politics because of his ownership of the popular London-based Al-Mustakillah
satellite TV station.

Previously virtually unknown, the Petition came an unexpected third in the
number of seats won, at least 27. It did particularly well in Sidi Bouzid, where
back in December fruit and vegetable salesman Mohamed Bouazizi triggered the
Tunisian revolution by setting himself on fire following police harassment. It
beat Ennahda into second place, but then Hamdi also comes from Sidi Bouzid.

Hamdi’s platform includes free medical care for everyone and unemployment
benefit payment of 200 Tunisian dinars in return for community service.

The party’s showing has shocked many observers. “It shows what money can
do,” said one Tunisian journalist. Speaking to journalists late Wednesday
afternoon, Samir Dilou from Ennahda's executive bureau said he could not
understand how it won so many votes without being in Tunisia. He also attacked
the Petition for not respecting election rules, raising the possibility of a
court challenge.

On Tuesday, an independent candidate called for the party to be disqualified
because they have violated the ban on electoral advertising by using
Al-Mustakillah to promote its views. Political advertising was banned by the
independent electoral commission, ISIE. The previous day, ISIE representatives
in France said they planned to file a complaint against the party because an
ex-member of the former ruling RCD party was one of its candidates. RCD
officials wee banned from standing in the elections.

It is not just the Petition that is facing claims of malpractice. On Tuesday,
opponents of Ennahda said the party had effectively bought votes by giving poor
people sacrificial sheep for the upcoming Eid Al-Adha.

Speaking to the press Wednesday, Dilou dismissed the allegations but said that
people had the right to protest and that the party supported the right of free
speech. However, that could not cover attacks on religion, he insisted.

Ennahda, he said, had no intention of tampering with Tunisia's cultural freedom,
for example the cinema and films. But he claimed that even in the West there are
laws preventing attacks on religion. This is seen as a reference to the Iranian
film Persepolis which has been accused of insulting Islam. Its screening by an
independent Tunisian TV station Nessma during the election campaign incensed
many Tunisians and is said

to have helped rally support for the Ennahda. It also prompted violent attacks
on the station by young extremists which Ennahda condemned.

Dilou’s comments are seen as a clear indication that an Ennahda-led government
intends to bring in a law on the subject. He said that the there had been enough
talk and that it was time for action.

On the rights of women, Dilou said that far from curtailing them the new
government would extend them. Not only would polygamy remain a criminal offense
and men would not be allowed to divorce by declaration, but that a new law would
be introduced making it an offense to pester women.

He also said that there would be other initiatives to get more women into work.
Women, he said, are strong and often better workers than men.

Tunisia has long had the strongest laws of any Arab country enshrining women’s
rights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tunisia polls winner wants national unity government
By MICHEL COUSINS
Published: Oct 25, 2011 23:47 Updated: Oct 25, 2011 23:48

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article524317.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tunisia's Islamist party claims election victory
By PAUL SCHEMM, Associated Press – Oct 24, 2011

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jJBimD0et_49tKL4ScaOF6zJzfOA?d\
ocId=9b4b96542d844520b661adbc177bfb0f

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — A moderate Islamist party claimed victory Monday in
Tunisia's landmark elections as preliminary results indicated it had won the
biggest share of votes, assuring it will have a strong say in the future
constitution of the country whose popular revolution led to the Arab Spring.
The Ennahda party's success could boost other Islamist parties in the North
Africa and the Middle East, although Ennahda insists its approach to sharia, or
Islamic law, is consistent with Tunisia's progressive traditions, especially in
regards to women's rights.
Party officials estimated Ennahda had taken at least 30 percent of the 217-seat
assembly charged with writing a new constitution for the country. Other
estimates put the party's share from Sunday's vote closer to 50 percent.
Official results are expected Tuesday.
International observers lauded the election as free and fair while emphasizing
that the parties in the new government must work together and safeguard the
rights of women.
There were no official announcements of domestic results Monday, but Tunisian
media outlets posted tallies from individual polling stations, making it clear
that Ennahda or Renaissance Party was now the dominant political force in the
country, coming in first in nearly every constituency.
Ennahda did take half of the 18 seats reserved for Tunisians living abroad in
official preliminary results released Monday. Two center-left parties took seven
other seats between them — a distributon of seats expected to replicated
domestically.
"Ennahda has taken first place on the national level and at the level of the
constituencies," said Abdel Hamid Jelassi, the party's campaign manager at a
triumphant press conference outside its headquarters amid cheering supporters.
In the half century since its 1956 independence from France, Tunisia has been
practically a one-party state until Tunisians kicked out President Zine El
Abidine Ben Ali in January after a monthlong popular uprising. Nine months of
unrest, further demonstrations and political wrangling in the country of 10
million preceded Sunday's vote, which saw a huge turnout.
The constituent assembly elected will have an incredibly important role in
building Tunisia's new democracy. It will not only appoint a new interim
government but write the constitution that will determine how the country will
function.
Tunisia's elections coincided with declarations in neighboring Libya by its new
leaders that the country has been liberated from the yoke of longtime dictator
Moammar Gadhafi. Libya's new leaders also announced plans with a sharply
Islamist tone that could rattle their Western backers.
Ennahda says it wants Islamic law, to be the source of the country's
legislation, but also insists that the country's progressive personal status
code is compatible with its ideals and that it respects all religions and
creeds. The party's ability to gain votes by moderating its message in a country
with a progressive social history could be a model for Islamist parties
elsewhere.
"Islamist groups are learning to play politics in the sense of moderating their
message and moving to the center," said Philip Howard, a professor at the
University of Washington and the director of the Project on Information
Technology and Political Islam. "They start out fundamentalist but then become
content to participate in party politics and move to the center, giving up some
of their radical politics."
Habib Bourguiba, who led Tunisia to independence, was a staunch secularist, and
helped shape what was outwardly one of the more Westernized societies in the
region, with a progressive personal status code for women — and harsh
repression for Islamists.
When asked why they voted for Ennahda, Tunisians cited everything from
protection of Islam to the hope that the party could deliver jobs, to the fact
that it once severely repressed by the government.
"Ennahda was never with Ben Ali," said Mohammed Husseini, a taxi driver in
Tunis. "All the other politicians benefited from him in one way or another."
The election was widely praised by the different teams of international
observers who came to watch the contests, who described as fair with only a few
minor violations that had no effect on the outcome.
"This election to me was hands down the best, most promising election I have
ever witnessed, including those I have seen in the United States," said Jane
Harman, a former nine-term congresswomen from California with the National
Democratic Institute's delegation of observers.
She congratulated the Tunisians, then cautioned the apparent winners not to roll
back the country's famous achievements for women.
"The world is watching to make certain that the government that emerges respects
the rights of women, continues to uphold the family status law in Tunisia — as
all the parties pledge to do — and that women play a very meaningful role in
the future of the country," she said.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also encouraged the election's winners
to work together and protect human rights.
"We encourage the Constituent Assembly to operate in a transparent and inclusive
manner as they undertake this new democratic responsibility and fulfill the
Tunisian people's aspirations for accountability, wider economic opportunity and
respect for universal human rights," she said in a statement.
The one party that was most vociferous in its commitment to protect the status
of women from Ennahda did suprisingly poorly in the polls.
The Progressive Democratic Party was one of the only legal opposition parties
under Ben Ali. It appears to have faded during the campaign and in a downcast
press conference, party officials said they appeared to have come in fourth
place.
Party leader Maya Jribi said the PDP still had faith in its center-left ideology
and would work in the opposition.
"We are in a democracy, and the minority plays the role of the opposition, and
we will do this role in the right way and we will ask the assembly to meet the
needs of Tunisians," she said. "We will play a role in the new constitution and
assure it has a separation between religion and state."
Next to her, Nejib Chebbi, the party's historic founder, congratulated Ennahda,
while stressing that it had a lot to do if it was going to address the country's
myriad problems.
"We congratulate the party who won and we wish it good luck in fulfilling its
promises to meet the needs and demands of the poor and the unemployed in just
the next nine months or a year," he said.
Sayed Ferjani, a member of Ennahda's political bureau, said the party already
had been contacted about future coalitions. "We are contact with everybody, even
Chebbi (of the PDP) started contacting us on the eve of the election," he said.
After 23 years in power, Ben Ali was overthrown Jan. 14 by a monthlong uprising,
sparked by a fruit vendor who set himself on fire to protest police harassment.
The uprising was fueled by anger over unemployment, corruption and repression
and quickly inspired similar rebellions across the Arab world.
The autocratic rulers of Egypt and Libya have fallen since, but Tunisia is the
first country to hold free elections as a result of the upheaval. Egypt's
parliamentary election is set for next month.
Tunisia's economy and employment, however, have only gotten worse since Ben Ali
fled to Saudi Arabia because tourists and foreign investors have stayed away.
Associated Press writer Bouazza ben Bouazza contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Huge turnout in Tunisia's Arab Spring election
By Tarek Amara and Christian Lowe
TUNIS | Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:18pm EDT

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/23/us-tunisia-election-idUSTRE79L28820111\
023
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


LIBYA

Islamist commander sees Libyan fighters keeping weapons
By BRIAN ROHAN | REUTERS
Published: Nov 7, 2011 19:42 Updated: Nov 7, 2011 19:42

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article530707.ece

BENGHAZI, Libya: Fighters who toppled dictator Muammar Qaddafi in Libya’s
uprising will keep their weapons for now to aid in security, an Islamist
commander said.

Many are expected to leave their units, given the end of major combat
operations, while those who stay could accept command from the nascent defense
ministry, brigade leader Abduljawad Bedeen said in an interview.

“A large percentage want to return to civilian life, and I wouldn’t be
surprised if individuals chose to be part of the army,” he told Reuters. “As
units we are not opposed to coming under the umbrella of the army — our main
goal is to serve our country.”

“What we don’t want to see is a public relations event where fighters turn
in their arms for the cameras,” said Bedeen, who is also spokesman for the
Union of Revolutionary Forces that encompasses some 25,000 fighters from
Libya’s east.

The Union aims to incorporate brigades in the rest of the country under its
command, and its leader, deputy defense minister Fawzi Bukatif, has said those
who remain outside should be considered illegitimate.

Trouble may be brewing in parts of Libya where disgruntled and armed civilians
are growing increasingly suspicious of their interim rulers’ attempts to bring
law and order to a country awash with weapons.

Bedeen, once a member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), a now-defunct
organization that waged a failed insurgency against Qaddafi in the 1990s and was
classified as terrorists by the United States, said militias must hold on to
arms to prevent pro-Qaddafi forces from attempting to regroup.

“Let us say that we gave up our weapons today — if the pro-Qaddafi forces
took over not only Sabha, but also went to other cities — I don’t think the
national army could contain such a threat alone,” he said.

For now, Qaddafi loyalists have little hope of reinstalling the dictator’s
regime, with his armed forces crushed and most of his family in exile or dead.

But the faction-plagued National Transitional Council (NTC) is struggling to
deal with some of the country’s more remote areas such as the restive town of
Sabha, in a southern region where Qaddafi spent part of his youth.

Bedeen said that his brigade had been asked by Sabha notables to establish
security there, but that the NTC was dragging its feet to give approval for the
action. He pointed to his men’s reputation as Islamists as a reason for the
delay.

“We will not go without an official request from the NTC. Because in our
experience we are often accused of doing something wrong.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we went there and the next day on the news heard
we were accused of sending weapons to Al-Qaeda in Algeria.”
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libyans try to get back property seized by Gaddafi
Spray paint messages highlight minefield for new rulers, as original owners
demand restitution for buildings worth billions

Ian Black in Tripoli
guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 November 2011 18.43 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/04/libya-gaddafi-property-restitution-d\
emands

Dhahra Street in central Tripoli isn't much to look at. On one side is the
state-owned Mellitah oil company – a Gaddafi-era concrete eyesore in green and
white stripes. Opposite is an unprepossessing three-storey block of faded stucco
where Wissam al-Aqari's little grocer's shop occupies the corner unit.

Legend has it that Mussolini once drove down Dhahra during colonial times. But
what catches the eye these days is an Arabic sentence scrawled in red paint
across a wall next to the shop: "This building is the rightful property and
inheritance of Muhammed al-Jafairya,"

Such claims of ownership can be seen all over Tripoli and across the country,
alongside triumphant slogans hailing the fall of the man they simply call "the
tyrant". And just how the original owners will get back – or be compensated
for – the billions worth of lost properties is one of the biggest and toughest
questions facing Libya's new rulers.

The issue of restitution goes back to the late 1970s when tens of thousands of
homes, offices, workshops and other premises were confiscated under law No 4 –
and were given, sold or rented cheaply to new occupants whose rights were
legitimised by the homespun revolutionary truths of Muammar Gaddafi's Green
Book.

Aqari is no squatter: he pays rent. But that's only because Jafairya has already
managed to reclaim two of the shops in the Dhahra Street building, though its
apartments – posing even more thorny legal issues – remain beyond his reach.

"I pay the owner's son 350 dinars [£180] a month," Aqari says as he rang up
customers' purchases. "He has got this shop and the one next door. But now I am
worried that eventually he will get the whole building back and put the rent up
or sell it for redevelopment for a hotel or something and I will have to leave."

Sami Zaptia, a consultant whose family owned an apartment block in nearby Hay
Dimashq, calls the restitution issue a Pandora's Box because of its complexity
and potential knock-on effects. "The Gaddafi lot cottoned on and sold on a lot
of what they had sequestered – and then the people they sold it to sold it on
too," he says. "How do you disentangle that?"

The question has resurfaced, occasionally violently, since the regime fell in
August. In several cases in Tripoli and nearby Tajoura and Souq al-Jumaa armed
fighters have simply seized property and returned it to its original owners.

"Possession is nine-tenths of the law and people are using the rebels to claim
their property back," Zaptia says. "Our building was demolished and replaced by
a revolutionary committee office, but the land is worth millions. I am waiting
for the rule of law to be established."

Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, chairman of the ruling National Transitional Council, has
announced that the courts are open to adjudicate claims. But nothing has
happened yet – in part because the judiciary is compromised by its old
loyalties.

Compensation for confiscated property or lost rent did become available during
the brief reformist period of Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam. But few were
satisfied with payments that averaged about a quarter of market value.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libya after Gaddafi: new freedoms and songs of revolution bring same old fears
In his second dispatch from Tripoli, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad follows the victors of
the country's civil war and finds that the new militias are motivated by
vengeance and rivalry in equal measure
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad
guardian.co.uk, Monday 31 October 2011 18.48 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/31/libya-gaddafi-revolution-tripoli
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Libya after Gaddafi: freed journalist tracks down his jailer
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad was seized by Gaddafi forces in the town of Zawiya during the
first weeks of the Libyan uprising and held for two weeks. In his first dispatch
from post Gaddafi Libya, he describes his return to his former cell and his
encounters with his erstwhile jailers
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 30 October 2011 18.02 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/30/libya-former-captive-meets-jailer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirte 'paying price of revolution'
Residents of the birthplace of slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi say NTC
fighters took revenge on their town.
Last Modified: 28 Oct 2011 06:52

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/africa/2011/10/2011102851013449869.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaddafi's driver on the endgame: 'He didn't seem to know what to do'
Huneish Nasr, who served Gaddafi for 30 years, tells how denial and confusion
marked the final days of a crumbling regime

Martin Chulov in Misrata
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 26 October 2011 17.16 BST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/26/gaddafi-driver-interview

Huneish Nasr last saw the boss he served for 30 years standing in the ruins of
Sirte looking confused as all hell broke loose around them.

"Everything was exploding," said Nasr, Muammar Gaddafi's personal driver,
recalling the moments before the deposed dictator was caught last week. "The
revolutionaries were coming for us. He wasn't scared, but he didn't seem to know
what to do. It was the only time I ever saw him like that."

Minutes later, euphoric rebels had ended Gaddafi's last stand, over-running the
ruined quarter of his birthplace that had served as his final, ignominious
refuge.

Nasr said he threw his hands up in surrender as gun-toting rebels approached. He
was knocked to the ground with a rifle butt, which blackened his left eye.
Gaddafi was being pulled from a drainpipe just before Nasr fell. He caught a
final glimpse of his master being swarmed over by rebels. Then blows rained down
on them both.

Now, a week later, Nasr and Mansour Dhao, the slain dictator's security chief,
seem to be the only surviving members of Gaddafi's old guard who can bear
testament to the frantic final days. "If any of the other close staff are still
alive, I don't know where they are or what happened to them," said Nasr from his
makeshift cell in a Misrata military barracks. The battle for Sirte had left him
deaf in his right ear and he leaned forward anxiously to listen to questions.
"The rest of them may be somewhere with the revolutionaries or they may be
dead," he said.

As some semblance of order begins to emerge from a tumultuous week for the
rebels of Misrata and Gaddafi's vanquished loyalists, a picture is taking shape
of a dictator who was either defiant or in profound denial – no one seems sure
which – until his gruesome death in Sirte.

Nasr said he spent the last five days of the siege with Gaddafi, moving from
house to house to evade fighters who were peppering the neighbourhood, known as
District 2, with explosives and gunfire.

Still wearing the blood-spattered purple checked shirt he wore last Thursday
when Gaddafi was killed, Nasr, a man in his mid-60s, said his former boss could
not seem to grasp what was unfolding around him.

"He was strange," said Nasr. "He was always standing still and looking to the
west. I didn't see fear in him.

"I was with him for 30 years and I swear by God that I never saw any bad
behaviour in him. He was always just the boss. He treated me well," he added,
explaining he received a salary of 800 dinar a month (just over £300), as well
as a house in Sirte.

Like many of the members of the tyrant's inner court, Nasr came from the Gaddafi
tribe. Without the tribal name – and decades of service – he would have been
unlikely to have won a place at his master's side during the final days. Gaddafi
had been abandoned by almost everyone he had empowered, and many of those who
remained simply had too much to lose by accepting the inevitable demise of the
regime.

Nasr saw the last few desperate months through a simpler prism. "I believed them
when they said we are fighting bad people," he said. He even stayed loyal when
told to retire from service in March.

"They told me to finish work on the 17th of March and I came back to Sirte," he
said. He said he only saw Gaddafi again in September after he had left Tripoli
with four other men – Mansour Dhao, Mohammed Fahima (the driver who replaced
him), Izzedin al-Shira (a security chief) and Abdullah Khamis.

Nasr was evasive about when he found out his former boss was in Sirte. He said
it was around 10 October, but most of what remained of the inner sanctum was
forming a protective guard weeks earlier than that.

"I was taken away by one of the patrols and then I was brought here," he said,
his hollow black eyes set deep in their sockets. "I never had anything against
the revolutionaries," he added, drawing a wide, sceptical smile from the young
guard in the room.

In the early hours of Tuesday, Gaddafi's loyal driver was thrown in the back of
a van and driven deep into the desert with a handful of others. He saw his
former boss lowered into an unmarked grave and covered with sand. It was a fate
he never expected for a man he had seen as infallible. Nasr's own fate is far
less certain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here come the Muslim ‘fanatics’

http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article524785.ece

Mustafa Abdul Jalil, chairman of Libya's National Transitional Council and the
country's de facto leader, promised on Tuesday that Shariah law would be the
basis of all new legislation, and that this would involve getting rid of certain
existing laws — like the ban on polygamy.

On the same day Tunisia announced that Ennahda, an Islamic party, had won the
most votes in that country's first free election. Here come the Muslim fanatics.

Or so the Western media think, at least. Even since the “Arab Spring” began,
they have been worrying aloud about the risk that in overthrowing the dictators,
most of whom were secular rulers, the revolutionaries were simply opening the
door to rule by religious fanatics. And the fanatics would, of course, hate the
West and launch terrorist attacks against it.

This is part of the narrative, mainly of American origin but also widely popular
on the European right, in which terrorists attacked the West not because of 50
years of Western meddling in the Middle East, mainly in support of dictators,
but just because they “hate our values.” Or “our freedoms”; take your
pick. That gets the West off the hook: It was just an innocent passer-by who got
mugged by crazies.

That's Step One in the process. Then the correct description of the fanatics,
which is “Islamist”, mutates imperceptibly into “Islamic”, which just
means a person, organization or doctrine that prioritizes the values of the
Muslim religion. But if you don't understand the difference (and lots of people
in the West don't), then you are likely to think that any political success by
an Islamic party means that the terrorists win.

So an electoral success by an inoffensive Islamic party in Tunisia and some
remarks by an Islamic enthusiast in Libya (who has already promised not to seek
permanent political office in the country, like all the members of the NTC) add
up to a victory for the terrorists.  At least in the view of many commentators
and analysts in the West. So let us dissect this notion.

Ennahda, at least in its rhetoric, is a moderate Islamic party. “Tunisians
have voted in fact for those parties that have been consistently part of the
struggle for democracy and opposed to Ben Ali's dictatorship,” said party
spokesperson Yusra Ghannouchi, and that is the simple truth. Moreover, Ennahda's
leaders have explicitly pledged to create a multiparty, secular democracy, not
an Islamic state.

And although Ennahda came first in the election, it only got 35 percent of the
votes (The voting results described in this article are based on partial
returns.) The other five major parties, all centrist or center-left, have
informally agreed not to enter a coalition with Ennahda but to form one
themselves. Since they will together hold 65 percent of the seats in the new
Constituent Assembly, that will keep the Islamic party well away from power.

The struggle will then be over the new constitution, which must be written by
the assembly over the next twelve months. The Islamic party wants a purely
parliamentary system, in which a prime minister is drawn from the largest party
would control the government, provided that his coalition commands a majority in
Parliament.

The other, secular parties prefer a presidential system, with a directly elected
president holding executive power including the right to appoint the prime
minister (although the latter would still need a majority in Parliament). The
attraction of the presidential system is that it normally involves a run-off
election between the two leading candidates — in which the 65-35 advantage of
the secular candidate wins every time. And the secular parties will get their
way.

So no Islamist victory there, and not much of an Islamic one. What about Libya?

Victory in Libya came not through nonviolent action, but through six months of
brutal war against the forces of Muammar Qaddafi. The people who rise to
positions of influence in an armed uprising waged by volunteers are very
different from those who come to power in normal, peaceful politics. They tend
to be flamboyant, good at violence, and extreme in their views. Mustafa Abdul
Jalil is all of those things, but he is not the next dictator of Libya.

He can promise whatever he wants, but he won't be in power to deliver it. There
will be an election: The foreign air support that gave the rebels victory also
gave the foreigners the leverage to guarantee that. And few of the people
elected are likely to agree with Jalil's views on polygamy in particular, or
even the political role of Islam in general.

For all Qaddafi's posturing as a son of the desert, Libyans are no longer a
tribal people, let alone a nation of semi-nomadic, socially conservative
herdsmen. Nor are they a desperate rabble ready to follow the first radical to
open his mouth.

Four-fifths of Libyans live in cities. They are pretty comprehensively
detribalized, and they have modest but regular incomes and small families. Women
have more freedom and equality than they do in most Arab countries, and the vast
majority of Libyans own their own homes. These are not people who are going to
vote for a return to some imaginary past of devout simplicity.

Repeat three times after me: “Islamic” is not the same as “Islamist”.
And Arabs are not fools; they are grown-ups.

— Gwynne Dyer is a London-based independent journalist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More on Converts / Reverts at:
http://www.islamawareness.net/Converts/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Women & Islam: The rise and rise of the convert
Three-quarters of Britons who become Muslims are female. Now a major new study
has shed light on the difficulties they face in adjusting to their new life.
RICHARD PEPPIATT   SUNDAY 06 NOVEMBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/women--islam-the-rise-and-rise-of\
-the-convert-6258015.html

Record numbers of young, white British women are converting to Islam, yet many
are reporting a lack of help as they get used to their new religion, according
to several surveys.

As Muslims celebrate the start of the religious holiday of Eid today and
hundreds of thousands from around the world converge on Mecca for the haj, it
emerged that of the 5,200 Britons who converted to Islam last year, more than
half are white and 75 per cent of them women.

In the past 10 years some 100,000 British people have converted to Islam, of
whom some three-quarters are women, according to the latest statistics. This is
a significant increase on the 60,000 Britons in the previous decade, according
to researchers based at Swansea University.

While the number of UK converts accelerates, many of the British women who adopt
Islam say they have a daily struggle to assimilate their new beliefs within a
wider culture that both implicitly and explicitly positions them as outsiders,
regardless of their Western upbringing.

More than three-quarters told researchers they had experienced high levels of
confusion after conversion, due to the conflicting ways Islam was presented to
them. While other major religions have established programmes for guiding new
believers through the rigours of their faith, Islam still lacks any such
network, especially outside the Muslim hubs of major cities.

Many mosques still bar women from worship or provide scant resources for their
needs, forcing them to rely on competing cultural and ideological
interpretations within books or the internet for religious support.

A recent study of converts in Leicester, for example, found that 93 per cent of
mosques in the region recognised they lacked services for new Muslims, yet only
7 per cent said they were making efforts to address the shortfall.

Many of the young women – the average age of conversion is 27 – are also
coming to terms with experiences of discrimination for the first time, despite
the only visible difference being a headscarf. Yet few find easy sanctuary
within the established Muslim population, with the majority forming their
closest bonds with fellow converts rather than born Muslims.

Kevin Brice, author of the Swansea study A Minority Within a Minority, said to
be the most comprehensive study of British Muslim converts, added: "White Muslim
converts are caught between two increasingly distant camps. Their best
relationships remain with other converts, because of their shared experiences,
while there is very little difference between the quality of their relationship
with other Muslims or non-Muslims.

"My research also found converts came in two types: some are converts of
convenience, who adopt the religion because of a life situation such as meeting
a Muslim man, although the religion has little discernible impact on their
day-to-day lives. For others it is a conversion of conviction where they feel a
calling and embrace the religion robustly.

"That's not to say the two are mutually exclusive – sometimes converts start
out on their religious path through convenience and become converts of
conviction later on."

Another finding revealed by the Leicester study was that despite Western
portraits of Islam casting it as oppressive to women, a quarter of female
converts were attracted to the religion precisely because of thestatus it
affords them.

Some analysts have argued that dizzying social and cultural upheavals in Britain
over the past decades have meant that far from adopting an alien way of life,
some female Muslim converts are re-embracing certain aspects of mid-20th-century
Britain, such as rigid gender demarcation, rather than feeling expected to
juggle career and family.

The first established Muslim communities started in Britain in the 1860s, when
Yemani sailors and Somali labourers settled around the ports of London, Cardiff,
Liverpool and Hull. Many married local women who converted to Islam, often
suffering widespread discrimination as a result.

They also acted as a bridge between the two cultures, encouraging understanding
among indigenous dwellers and helping to integrate the Muslim community they had
joined. Today, there is growing recognition among community leaders that the
latest generation of female converts has an equally vital role to play in
fostering dialogue between an increasingly secular British majority and a
minority religion, as misunderstood as it is vilified.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Sun: Mentone woman says Islam ‘has given me a new life’
The Sun l November 3, 2011
By Josh Dulaney

http://www.sbsun.com/rss/ci_19259050
http://www.cairchicago.org/2011/11/03/the-sun-mentone-woman-says-islam-has-given\
-me-a-new-life/

On a warm Thursday morning outside the John M. Pfau Library at Cal State San
Bernardino, 24-year-old psychology student Gina Cuellar waited for her study
partner.
Other young women passed by her, many wearing blue jeans and boots.
Cuellar wasn’t hard to spot.
A recent convert to Islam, she sported a hot pink head scarf known as a hijab,
with her sunglasses propped on top.
“I think God watches over me whenever I wear it,” she said. “You get
blessings.”
Her blessing for the day was an up-front parking spot in the university’s
otherwise crowded parking lot.
Cuellar’s birth mother was a Mexican American who died when Cuellar was 11
years old. Her father is Caucasian.
The Mentone resident is among what many Muslim leaders say is a growing number
of American women converting to Islam.
“The qualitative anecdotes are women particularly are converting at a much
faster rate, particularly Latinas,” said Ahmed Rehab, media relations director
for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington
Because the U.S. Census Bureau does not ask citizens about their religion, those
trying to track the number of American conversions to Islam say the task is
difficult.
Dany Doueiri, director of the Arabic language program at Cal State San
Bernardino and co-founder of IslamiCity.org, said about 60percent of the
website’s traffic comes from the U.S. and Canada, and in the last three years,
more than 1,000 visitors have contacted the website to learn how to convert.
Because so many have shown an interest in converting to Islam, he said he has
been able to build a general profile of those who have recently become Muslims
through his website.
Doueiri said he wasn’t surprised by Cuellar’s embracing of the religion.
“In the U.S., people who become Muslim generally are women of Latino or white
heritage, who are between 17 and 33 years old,” Doueiri said. “Then you may
have men who are African-American who are somehow, somewhere incarcerated and
also embrace Islam. Then, white men over 40 years old who are white collars.”
Cuellar said she grew up in a Christian home but never felt comfortable in
church.
“I had a lot of questions that weren’t answered,” she said. “They just
told me to believe. That wasn’t a good enough answer for me.”
Eventually she met and married Domingo Cuellar, now a 26-year-old math tutor at
Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa who had turned to Islam.
The couple are members of the Islamic Community Center of Redlands, which is on
Redlands Boulevard in Loma Linda.
“It made sense to me,” Cuellar said of Islam, “and I feel like a
completely different person.”
Cuellar said she partied a lot before her conversion and life seemed to be
without purpose.
After a raucous night of drinking last summer, she said she had enough.
“The next day I woke up and was like, `This has got to stop. Something is
missing,”‘ she said. “It had such a profound impact….This religion has
given me a new life. It’s given me a second chance.”
A Sunni Muslim – the biggest sect of Islam, representing 85 percent of all
Muslims – Cuellar said she has read the entire Quran, fasted from sunrise to
sunset and prays five times a day.
Cuellar said she has become a more patient and peaceful person through Islam.
But aside from her Islamic brothers and sisters at the mosque, Cuellar said she
hasn’t received a lot of support.
She said her father feared her marriage would lead her to Islam. Cuellar said it
didn’t, that she chose the religion for herself and her husband was actually
shocked.
Cuellar has lost friends over her faith. One called her a terrorist, she said.
“I have stuff like that happen to me every day,” she said.
On a recent outing at a fast-food restaurant, she ordered an English muffin
breakfast sandwich with egg white and turkey.
Cuellar said the clerk told her she had to get ham or bacon with the sandwich,
but Cuellar said Islam forbids her from eating pork.
According to Cuellar, the clerk told her next time she ordered the sandwich, she
would have to get ham or bacon.
“I felt discriminated against because of how I was dressed,” Cuellar said.
Still, in describing herself as a regular American who enjoys reading and reggae
music, Cuellar said she wouldn’t trade her faith for anything.
“I’m happy that I can be an example for other Muslim Americans,” she said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Faith: Rep. Keith Ellison, from Catholic to Muslim
9/4/2011 - Religious Social - Article Ref: CN1109-4838
CNN* -

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=CN1109-4838

Prior to 2006, few people even knew that then-Minnesota state legislator Keith
Ellison was a Muslim. Because of his English name, he said, no one thought to
ask.

But five years ago, when he ran for a seat in the United States House of
Representatives - a race he would go on to win - word of his religious
affiliation began to spread.

"When I started running for Congress it actually took me by surprise that so
many people were fascinated with me being the first Muslim in Congress," said
Ellison, a Democrat now serving his third term in the House.

"But someone said to me, 'Look Keith, think of a person of Japanese origin
running for Congress six years after Pearl Harbor-this might be a news story.'"

Though Ellison's status as the first Muslim elected to Congress is widely known,
fewer are aware that he was born into a Catholic family in Detroit and was
brought up attending Catholic schools.

But he said he was never comfortable with that faith.

"I just felt it was ritual and dogma," Ellison said. "Of course, that's not the
reality of Catholicism, but it's the reality I lived. So I just kind of lost
interest and stopped going to Mass unless I was required to."

It wasn't until he was a student at Wayne State University in Detroit when
Ellison began, "looking for other things."

He doesn't have an elaborate explanation of what led him to convert to Islam in
college, though he said he was "drawn to the multi-national congregation."

"I would really like to hear somebody who is really articulate about the
elements of their faith conversion. I'm not," he said. "I investigated it, it
worked for me, and it made me have a sense of inspiration and wonder, and I
became a Muslim. It's been working for me ever since."

Ellison's political opponents have made his faith an issue in his congressional
campaigns.

"I would caution [opponents] that it doesn't work. People are not hateful like
that," he said. "If you come up saying, 'Vote for me because Ellison is a Muslim
and I'm not,' nine out of ten voters are going to see that as the silliness that
it is."

"It doesn't hurt my feelings at all," he said. "In fact I actually feel sorry
for these people."

And he said he has never had a second thought about converting.

"My faith and my identity as a Muslim - I never saw it as something that made my
job harder," he said. "It's just an aspect of who I am. It's the time that we
live in. We have to respond to the realities of the world we're in."

But Ellison acknowledges that his faith has given him something of a national
profile, not always in ways that are welcome.

In March, he testified in nationally televised congressional hearings, called by
Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican, to explore what King said was
radicalization in American Muslim communities.

At the hearing, Ellison choked up as he described the sacrifices of Muslim
Americans who tried to save others in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"Without any of my choosing or desire I became somewhat of a symbolic figure,"
Ellison said. "And I urge anyone to avoid becoming a symbolic figure if you can.
But I ended up in that position, so I just figured why not talk about it? Why
not help try to bring people together with it?"

"Faith really should be a bridge, not a wall," Ellison said. "Because at the end
of the day we should be focusing on what you believe, not what your religion
is."

Source: CNN Belief
(http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/01/my-faith-rep-keith-ellison-from-cathol\
ic-to-muslim/)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hispanic woman who converted to Islam experiences prejudice from fellow East
Harlem residents
Thursday, September 1, 2011, 23:14

http://www.islamico.org/en/u-s/hispanic-woman-who-converted-to-islam-experiences\
-prejudice-from-fellow-east-harlem-residents/

Julissa Fikri grew up in East Harlem – and never thought she’d hear hateful
words in her own neighborhood about converting to Islam.

“As soon as I started wearing [the hijab] I got a lot of stares,” said
Fikri, 27, who was raised as a Christian in East Harlem’s Thomas Jefferson
Houses and became a Muslim seven years ago.

“Even my own Latino people feel like I betrayed them,” she siad. “They see
me veiled and they think ‘she’s under \[her husband's\] grasp’ and
that’s not the case. “This is not a bad thing. I’m not oppressed. I’m
very comfortable. I just want people to know that I’m the same person.”

Now, Fikri, who is Puerto Rican and Dominican, is on a mission to educate those
around her – including her own mother – becoming one of many Muslim women
who have started to share her story on YouTube to educate the public.

“It’s something very foreign to the Hispanic community,” Fikri says of the
hijab in one video. “They immediately associate the religion with the culture
of being Arab, and that’s something now that I want to educate people,
especially in this community. It is two different things – culture and
religion.”

Fikri said she started exploring Islam in 2004 after a personal crisis made her
start looking into religion for guidance and she read a Spanish language Quran.

She later met her Egyptian husband, who she married in 2010 and who is also a
Muslim.

But it wasn’t until earlier this year, in February, when Fikri started wearing
the hijab – the traditional head scarf worn by Muslim women – that she
noticed the resistance from some in her community.

At one point, Fikri said she was walking near E. 117th St. and Pleasant Ave. to
pick up her daughter from school when a Latino man said in Spanish: “Oh, so
she changed her race. Now, she’s Arab.”

In another incident, a woman at a bodega looked at her and called her a
terrorist, she recalled.

“It hurt a lot,” she said, noting she was being snickered at by people
who’ve known her since she was a child. “I live here. I grew up here.”

Even Fikri’s own mother, who is Dominican, had some reservations about her
chosen religion.

“Take that thing off, you’re Spanish. We don’t wear that,” Fikri
recalled her mother telling her in Spanish.

Fikri’s situation is not uncommon, said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman with the
Council on American-Islamic Relations.

“That’s not an unusual story by any means,” he said, noting it’s not
just the Latino community where people view joining the Muslim religion as
“race betrayal.”

“The Muslim women’s headscarf is still a red flag for those who harbor
hostile views [toward the Muslim religion]” he said.

As Fikri watched her two kids play in El Barrio’s Thomas Jefferson Park
earlier this week, she told the Daily News, “I am not any different than
anybody else. This is part of my belief.

When asked what she would say to people who have given her a tough time, she
said:

“Before you judge me, remember just because I wear a scarf that does not
separate me from society,” she said. “Underneath the scarf, I’m just the
same person. I’m an American. I’m a human being.”

Michael J. Feeney

Source:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/uptown/2011/08/31/2011-08-31_hispanic_woman_\
who_converted_to_islam_experiences_prejudice_from_fellow_harlem_r.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Marine Discovers Islam in Iraq
Posted: 8/19/11 12:20 PM ET

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eliana-lopez/a-marine-discovers-islam-_b_929468.ht\
ml

Before Ibrahim Abdel-Wahed Mohamed left Sea Cliff for a tour of duty with the
Marines in Iraq, he was Anthony Grant Vance, the son of American and Panamanian
parents who had raised him as a Catholic.

Despite his Christian upbringing, though, he had been curious about Islam since
his childhood in Kansas, where he had two Afghani friends. He thought about
pursuing anthropology studies to further learn about religion and different
cultures, but instead ended up joining the military.

Mohamed felt the pull toward the faith strengthen in Iraq -- "the heart of the
Islamic world," as he says -- and he reached out to the Muslim contractors on
his base and started learning about the precepts of the Quran.

Convinced that he was being called to Islam, he officially became a Muslim while
still serving in Iraq. There he underwent Shahada, a profession of faith where a
person testifies in front of others that "there is no god but God and Mohammad
is the messenger of God," as the Sunni declaration reads.

His transformation may seem dramatic, but it's not entirely unique. The number
of Latinos in the U.S. converting to Islam is growing, and Long Island is no
exception.

In 1997, the American Muslim Council counted approximately 40,000 Hispanic
Muslims nationwide, but that number could nowadays be closer to 75,000,
according to Latino American Dawah Association (LADO), an organization committed
to promoting Islam among the Latino community within the United States.

Juan Galvan, a member of LADO, affirms that Latino converts to Islam are
increasing. "Many Muslim organizations have stated that the Latino Muslim
community tripled or quadrupled after 9/11," he says.

He explains that after the attacks, people wanted to know more about the
religion. "Many people came to learn about Islam for the first time. Some people
came to hate Islam, and some people came to love Islam."

Mohamed firmly stands with the latter, as one of a small percentage of soldiers
who fought in Iraq and returned with a new faith.

In some ways, his roots may have predisposed him to theological experimentation.

Born in Panama to an American Marine father and Panamanian mother, he was
baptized and raised as a Catholic. His parents divorced when he was an
adolescent, and his father became a Jehovah's Witness. The conversion led his
father to retire from the military after 13 years of service, telling Mohamed
that once you decide to follow God, "you don't pledge allegiance to a country,
but you pledge allegiance to God."

Still, Mohamed followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Marine Corps
after he finished high school. As a Marine, traveled around the country, living
in California, Virginia, North Carolina and New York, where he finally settled
down.

It was working at the military base in Garden City when Mohamed first saw the
Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury, a place that always intrigued him.
"We passed by the mosque a couple times and I had the curiosity" he recalls.
After several years on Long Island, he was sent to Iraq in 2008.

Two years have passed since Mohamed converted to Islam. Now he lives in
Westbury, attends the Islamic Center of Long Island and is pursuing a major in
education at CW Post.

He still maintains an open mind when it comes to other religions.

"I'm not here to put anyone else down for their beliefs," he says. "I still
believe that there are many lessons to be learned from other faiths."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More on Converts / Reverts at:
http://www.islamawareness.net/Converts/

Muslims proud to be British? There's something to learn from the surprise
Bemusement at the findings of Muslim pride in Britain stems from stereotyping
about religious groups
Mark Greer
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 23 November 2011 15.03 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2011/nov/23/muslims-proud-britain

The finding in Demos's report A Place for Pride that 83% of Muslims said they
were proud to be a British citizen, compared with the national average of 79%,
has been met with surprise in some parts of the press. Clearly many British
citizens have both a strong religious identity and a strong national identity.
Yet it also seems clear that many people see these identities as mutually
exclusive. Why is this the case?

That 83% of Muslims are proud to be British does in fact make sense. Many
British Muslims come from families that have sought the opportunity and refuge
offered in this country. The Demos report suggests that "People who are
religious are more likely to be patriotic than are those who self-define as
atheists or nonbelievers"; 88% of Anglicans and Jews agreed that they were
"proud to be a British citizen". Many British Jews have a family history of
refugee status and it follows that this leads to a sense of pride in their
British identity. People with a strong religious identity are also often part of
a strong community, and benefit from the co-operation and collective goodwill
that can come with this. Patriotism, the report suggests, isn't only concerned
with Queen and flag, but also with community values.

There is a lot of misinformation about the British Muslim community. In 2009 the
Gallup Coexist Index found that only 36% of the British public thought that
British Muslims were "loyal to this country" as opposed to 82% of the British
Muslim community. The surprise at the findings of Muslim pride in Britain is
rooted in a prejudice that leads people to believe that it is paradoxical for
someone to hold both their religious and national identities as important. Lazy
caricatures of Islam as contradicting many of the rights and values that are
seen as quintessentially British – particularly freedom and democracy – only
exacerbate this problem.

So, how do we tackle the prejudice that leads to this view? We must start by
challenging perceptions of faith groups that rely on broad stereotypes, and
instead provide people with opportunities for meaningful engagement, where they
can meet and learn about each other as individuals. The report quotes a student
who participated in Three Faiths Forum's Undergraduate ParliaMentors programme,
which gives young people the opportunity to work with students of different
faiths and non-religious beliefs on social action projects, and to be mentored
by MPs and peers.

The "people I worked with, neither of them had even met a Jewish person before.
I found it quite daunting but it was good and it helped me in a way to
understand who I am as well as to know more about Islam and Christianity. In the
end, the things we sometimes fell out about were what we were doing on the
project – not God."

Finding out that the difficulties that come with working with others are often
simply the usual interpersonal challenges is an important part of seeing others
as individuals, not just a Muslim, Jew, atheist etc.

What we need are more opportunities for this humanising process. If we can find
these while people work together on a social cause then this is all to the good.
One of the clear implications of the Demos research is that public pride is
linked closely with "social engagement, interpersonal trust and volunteerism".
If we embrace opportunities to work with people of all faiths and beliefs then
we can start to overcome the prejudice that leads to surprise that other people
are also proud of Britain. We will, in turn, also give ourselves more reasons
for civic pride.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuition fee system is discriminatory, say Muslims
BY POPPY MCPHERSON   MONDAY 22 AUGUST 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/tuition-fee-system-is\
-discriminatory-say-muslims-2341659.html

Muslim students could be forced to abandon hopes of a university place under the
new fees and loans regime which will come into place next year.

The Government's plan to increase tuition fees and implement higher rates of
interest on loans means many young Muslims will be deterred from applying to
university until a scheme is put in place that allows them to finance their
degrees in a way that complies with Islamic law.

Under some interpretations of Islamic law, the acquisition of loans –
particularly those which accrue interest – is forbidden. The new system
requires graduates who earn above £21,000 to pay interest levels of up to 3 per
cent above inflation. The National Union of Students (NUS) has warned it could
be two years before a suitable system is arranged.

A spokesman for the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) called the
rate increase a "pressing issue".

"Under Islamic law interest is seen as something that is prohibited," he said.
"Previously, the interest was at the market rate of inflation. The problem now
is that the interest is above the market rate. Because the rate of interest is
above the rate of inflation, it is quite blatant usury."

Mohammed Ahmed-Sheikh, 17, a student at Southfields Community College said
increased tuition fees will deter him from applying to university next year:
"The fees are the reason I'm having doubts. I'm Muslim and loans are against my
religion."

Some have claimed to have been forced to abandon certain principles required by
their faith in order to attend university.

Ahmad Mitoubsi, 21, who graduated from Durham in July, said: "We've just had to
adapt to the British system, or else I couldn't have gone to uni."

The FOSIS said it was working with the NUS to formulate a solution. One idea
being considered is a new kind of loan scheme which could see education "rented"
in a similar manner to Islamic mortgages, where banks buy properties and then
lease them to the customer in a rental agreement.

Change is not likely to be quick, however, and in the meantime university will
be unattainable for some Muslim young people who are unable to turn to family or
friends for funding. Usman Ali, the NUS Vice-President for Higher Education,
said: "It is important that we ensure complete equity for Islamic students but
disappointingly the final framework looks unlikely to be in place until the
2013/14 academic year."

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills confirmed that the student
groups were in negotiation with their officials but emphasised: "There's still a
little way to go."

More than a third of English universities are due to charge students fees of
£9,000 as a standard from 2012, while almost three fifths of them will charge
the maximum for at least one of their undergraduate courses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cameron hugs his inner authoritarian
By NEIL BERRY
Aug 19, 2011 22:33

http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article490901.ece

How Tariq Jahan impressively embodied the spirit of social solidarity in the
wake of London riots

Earlier this year, Britain's Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron issued a
dire warning about the threat to Britain's social cohesion posed by
multiculturalism and Islamic separatism.

So it is ironic that the civil disorder that has convulsed Britain this August
had nothing to do with Islam. It is ironic too that it has been an ordinary
British Muslim, Tariq Jahan, who has most impressively embodied the spirit of
social solidarity. As he pleaded for his mixed Birmingham community to stay
calm, Jahan spoke with a dignity and eloquence that seemed barely credible
considering that a rioter had just deliberately driven a car into his son and
two of his son's Muslim friends, who happened to be brothers, killing all three.
But for Jahan's intervention, violence would almost certainly have spiraled out
of control in an area where tension between blacks and Asians is acute.

Even people whose view of Britain's Muslims had previously been wholly negative
confessed themselves humbled by Jahan's words. Some now feel ashamed of ever
having nursed anti-Muslim prejudices.

In the aftermath rioting and looting, which have cost 200 million pounds and
traumatized the nation, Britain is crying out for leadership, someone to speak
up on behalf of moral decency, as Tariq Jahan did. Few seem to feel that David
Cameron, who was on holiday with his family in Italy when the riots broke out,
is capable of such leadership. Indeed, far from bringing Britons together, this
conspicuously privileged patrician is perhaps more likely to deepen the anger
and ill feeling that fueled the riots. The fact is that the rioters identify him
with a ruling class of politicians and bankers who, with some few exceptions,
have for years exemplified not decency but unbridled personal acquisitiveness.

Cameron's response to the unrest has been to proclaim his commitment to “zero
tolerance”, and already stiff jail sentences are being meted out even to those
guilty of petty crimes, such as stealing a bottle of water. It is true that
Cameron has long voiced concern about “broken Britain”; it is also true that
he is promising to rescue the country's dysfunctional families. But his stern
new image has called into question his original stance as a compassionate
conservative, if it has not compromised his whole credibility. Many are bound to
feel that Cameron was indulging in imposture when, before he came to power, he
urged people to “hug a hoodie”, to show understanding for the disaffected
young men of the inner cities who go about in hooded jackets with their faces
hidden.

In the aftermath of the riots, Cameron talked as if he favors locking hoodies up
and throwing away the key. Far from being their well-meaning friend, he is in
danger of being seen as the enemy of young people. It is a disastrous impression
for the prime minister to be creating at a time when 1 in 5 of them is
unemployed (the figure for young blacks is 1 in 2), when youth services are
being axed and when astronomical student tuition fees are discouraging great
numbers of school leavers from even applying for higher education. The new
punitive Cameron appears less interested in diagnosing Britain's ills than in
appealing to the nastiest, most illiberal elements in British society. This is,
to be sure, a perilous moment in Britain, a time when deepening economic crisis
could combine with mass insecurity and bitterness to lend impetus to the
far-right extremism represented by the anti-Islamic English Defense League and
precipitate a lurch toward
  authoritarianism.

There are few indications that Cameron, who during the riots came close to
putting troops on the streets, can be expected to stand firm on behalf of
liberal values. On the contrary, his conduct more than ever suggests a naked
political opportunist who lives by sound bites and carefully choreographed
performances.  Though his set-piece speech on the riots was delivered against
the backdrop of street graffiti depicting hooded youths, its actual setting was
Cameron's own constituency in rural Oxfordshire. Cameron has since visited the
northeast London district of Tottenham where the riots first broke out following
the controversial fatal shooting by the police of a suspected black drug-dealer.
But it was telling that he chose as a venue for his formal reaction to the
disturbances a leafy part of England from the perspective of which places like
Tottenham are of extraterrestrial remoteness.

What is puzzling is that Cameron has not only alienated British youth but also
antagonized Britain's police. Even before the riots, which in London threatened
to overwhelm them, the police were facing much-resented cuts in their numbers as
part of the Cameron government's austerity measures. Since the riots, Cameron
has further outraged senior policemen by turning for guidance to the former US
police chief, Bill Bratton, who has been acclaimed for his success in tackling
gangs in New York and Los Angeles.

Who is to say that Britain could not use Bratton's advice? Certainly, the
country's law-enforcement agencies, busy preparing to cope with London's
stewardship of the 2012 Olympic Games, need all the help they can get. But
Cameron is just the latest in a long line of desperate, US-fixated British
politicians to look to the other side of the Atlantic for answers to British
social problems which arguably were imported from America in the first place.
For it was Britain's formerly booming US-style free market economy that did much
to spawn the combustible British society of the present time, with its extreme
inequalities, volatile underclass and swollen prison population. It is worth
remembering that long before Cameron took office, there was much unease about
the upsurge of anti-social behavior that seemed to be the concomitant of
Britain's gung-ho espousal of raw American capitalism, but the tacit official
consensus was that this was the price to be paid
  for having a dynamic economy.

Now Britain's vaunted dynamism belongs to a vanished era. The same cannot, alas,
be said of the terrible behavior.

(en.bee@...)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Muslims tackle looters and bigots
British Muslims' reaction to the riots should dispel any continued demonisation
in the media.
Robert Lambert Last Modified: 12 Aug 2011 12:02

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/08/201181210928899563.html

here is a lively debate taking place in the UK media between left and right wing
commentators as to the causes of the English riots, in which hundreds of shops
and businesses have been looted. However, both sides agree that the looting has
been inexcusable. I hope both sides will also agree with me that Muslims have
played an important role in helping to tackle the looting and preserve public
safety. This would be an especially important acknowledgment if it came from
those Islamophobic commentators who consistently denigrate Muslims.

"When accused of terrorism we are Muslims, when killed by looters, we become
Asian", a Muslim student explained to me. He was commenting on the media
reportingof the death of three young Muslims in Birmingham on Tuesday night.
Like many other Muslims, they were bravely defending shops and communities as
rioters went on a violent rampage of looting.

In recent days Muslim Londoners, Muslims from Birmingham, and Muslims in towns
and cities around England have been at the forefront of protecting small
businesses and vulnerable communities from looting. Having worked closely with
Muslim Londoners, first as a police officer and more recently as a researcher,
for the last ten years this commendable bravery comes as no surprise to me. But
their example of outstanding civic duty in support of neighbours is worth
highlighting - especially when sections of the UK media are so quick to print
negative headlines about Muslims on the flimsiest of pretexts.

Pro-active response

On Monday evening when London suffered its worst looting in living memory I
watched as a well marshaled team of volunteers wearing green fluorescent
security vests marked 'East London Mosque' took to the streets of Tower Hamlets
to help protect shops and communities from gangs of looters. This was the most
visible manifestation of their pro-active response to fast moving and well
co-ordinated teams of looters. Less visible was the superb work of Muslim youth
workers from Islamic Forum Europewho used the same communication tools as the
looters to outwit and pre-empt them on the streets.

While senior Westminster politicians started to pack and rush back to London
from foreign holidays I watched Lutfur Rahman, the Muslim mayor of Tower
Hamlets, offering calm leadership and support in the street as gangs of looters
were intercepted and prevented from stealing goods in his presence.

Most important to emphasise is the extent to which everyone in Tower Hamlets was
a beneficiary of streetwise, smart Muslims acting swiftly to protect shops,
businesses and communities against looters. It is often wrongly alleged that
Muslims lack any sense of civic duty towards non-Muslims and especially towards
the LGBTcommunity. I wish peddlers of that negative anti-Muslim message had been
present to see how all citizens in Tower Hamlets were beneficiaries of Muslim
civic spirit and bravery on Monday night.

I am not sure if the Telegraph's Andrew Gilligan was robbed of his bike by
looters in Tower Hamlets or in another part of London as he cycled home from
Hackney to Greenwich on Monday night, but even his incessant negative reporting
of Muslims associated with the East London Mosque would not have excluded him
from their neighbourly support had they been in the immediate vicinity to help
him.

Gilligan reports that police were unable to offer him any advice other than to
go home when he finally received an answer to his 999 call as a victim of a
violent street robbery. London policing on Monday night was stretched as never
before and Gilligan was one amongst hundreds of victims who had to fend for
themselves as looters ran amok around the capital city. In these unique
circumstances the street skills of Muslim youth workers, who are routinely
helping police to tackle violent gang crime and anti-social behaviour in Tower
Hamlets, Walthamstow, Brixton and in other deprived neighbourhoods, were a key
ingredient in filling the vacuum created by insufficient police numbers.

I first saw East London Mosque and Islamic Forum Europe street skills in action
in 2005 when they robustly dispatched extremists from Al Muhajiroun who were in
Whitechapel attempting to recruit youngsters into their hate filled group. I saw
the same skills in action in the same year when volunteers from the Muslim
Association of Britain and Muslim Welfare House ousted violent supporters of Abu
Hamza from the Finsbury Park Mosque. More recently, Muslim bravery has been seen
in Brixton when extremists spouting the latest manifestation of Al Muhajroun
hatred were sent packing out of town. In all these instances, and so many more,
the brave Muslims involved have received no praise for their outstanding bravery
and good citizenship, and instead faced a never ending barrage of denigration
from journalists such as Gilligan, Melanie Phillips, Martin Bright.... sorry I
won't go on, it's a long list!

Sadly, many of the brave Muslims helping to keep their cities safe have not only
grown used to denigration from media pundits but also faced cuts in government
funding for their youth outreach work with violent gangs. This is not as a
result of widespread economic cuts caused by the recession, but because the
government adopts the media view that they are 'extremist'. Street in Brixton is
a case in point. Yesterday Dr Abdul Haqq Baker director of Street was forced to
close a Street youth centre in Brixton as his reduced team of youth of workers
struggled to keep pace with the task of tackling gang violence and its role in
rioting and looting.

Confronting extremism

Significantly, the same potent mixture of Muslim street skills and bravery was
evident last summer when the Islamophobic English Defence League (EDL) began to
prepare for a violent demonstration in Whitechapel. On that occasion police
commended the skills of Muslim youth workers who helped reduce tension and
manage anger towards the EDL.

Two weeks ago, under the banner United East End neighbours of all faiths and
none gathered at the London Muslim Centre in Whitechapel to express solidarity
with their Muslim neighbours who are the target of another provocative English
Defence League demonstration planned for 3 September. It is no co-incidence that
Anders Breivik found common cause with the EDL.

The EDL regards the East London Mosque as the hub of the Muslim extremism it
purports to oppose. Regrettably, EDL's hate-filled analysis of Muslims is based
on the work of mainstream media commentators who should now reflect on the
unintended if not unforeseeable consequences of their Islamophobic discourse.

It is also worthy of comment that Muslim bravery during this outbreak of looting
has taken place during Ramadan when Muslims are fasting – without food or
water – from sunrise to sunset. This is a hard enough regime when relaxing,
but when taking part in dangerous operations against looters, it is worthy of
special reward – no doubt something their religion caters for.

Today, as Muslims in Tower Hamlets and around the country continue to work with
their neighbours to repair damaged shops and to restore public safety, it is
important I conclude this article by paying special tribute to Haroon Jahan,
Shahzad Ali and Abdul Musavir, the three typically brave Birmingham Muslims who
were killed while defending their neighbourhood on Tuesday night. I pray their
legacy will be a wider appreciation of good Muslim citizenship, a reduction of
media anti-Muslim denigration, and the elimination of EDL anti-Muslim
intimidation and violence.


Robert Lambert is the co-director of the European Muslim Research Centre and is
a member of the EC Expert Panel on Radicalisation. Prior to retiring from the
Metropolitan Police in 2007, Robert was co-founder and head of the Muslim
Contact Unit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cold war on British Muslims
Conservative think-tanks help fuel a culture of fear, allowing far-right groups
to prosper.
David Miller et al Last Modified: 05 Aug 2011 18:08

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/08/20118516304675911.html

In justification of his attacks in Norway, killing more than seventy civilians,
mostly teenagers, Anders Breivik issued a manifesto: 2083 A European Declaration
of Independence. It has been widely reported that he cited a long list of
Islamophobic and "counterjihad" writers such as the Americans Robert Spencer,
Daniel Pipes, Pamela Geller and Frank Gaffney of the Center for Security Policy
- and the Egyptian-born, Swiss-based Bat Ye'or who has popularised the concept
of "Eurabia" - the supposedly secret conspiracy for the Islamic takeover of
Europe. Less prominent, but also cited, was a UK think-tank that is close to the
UK government and credited with influencing UK anti-terrorist policy. Policy
Exchange is one of two conservative think-tanks we examine in our new Spinwatch
report [PDF], that attempts to understand the current climate of fear being
whipped up against Muslims in Britain - and indeed across Europe and the US.

The citation of Policy Exchange seems innocent enough, as Breivik simply cites
public opinion data published by the think-tank. However, as it happens, this
precise data is highlighted in our report as an indication of the potential for
bias and ideology in the way think-tanks such as Policy Exchange operate. Our
report also examines another key conservative think-tank that has been prominent
in arguing for a counter-subversion approach to Islam, the Centre for Social
Cohesion.

The Centre for Social Cohesion (CSC) was founded in 2007 as a project of the
conservative think-tank Civitas. Its emphasis was in line with Civitas' previous
work on the subject. A key example was The "West", Islam and Islamism: Is
ideological Islam compatible with liberal democracy? - a 2003 pamphlet [PDF]
whose authors Caroline Cox and John Marks would later become directors of the
CSC. They argued that "Islamist terrorism" was only part of a broader
ideological challenge comparable to communist propaganda efforts during the Cold
War. This vision was reflected in the appointment of Douglas Murray as the
centre's director; the author of Neoconservatism: Why We Need It. By the time he
joined the CSC, Murray had already established a reputation as a critic of
Islam, most notably in a 2006 speech in which he argued that "conditions for
Muslims in Europe must be made harder across the board".

The CSC's first full length report was Hate on the State: How British Libraries
Encourage Extremism [PDF].  It criticised the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
for stocking "several hundred books and audio tapes by radical Islamists" in its
libraries  and criticised the failure to include Stephen Schwartz and Ibn
Warraq, two writers associated with the counterjihad perspective.

Downplaying the rise of the right

The CSC has not focused solely on Islam and has produced two reports on the
British far-right: The BNP and the Online Fascist Network (2009) and Blood &
Honour: Britain’s Far-Right Militants (2010). The British National Party (BNP)
report underplays the extent to which the BNP has been influenced by other
Islamophobic currents. The BNP's alliance with the counterjihad movement and the
subsequent emergence of the English Defence League were among the most
significant developments on the British far right in recent years. Yet neither
of the CSC’s reports on the far right addressed them. This is perhaps not
surprising in the light of the CSC's own contacts with the counterjihad
movement.

In August 2009, CSC's director Douglas Murray met with leading counterjihad
activist Robert Spencer, and Martin Mawyer of the US Christian Action Network.
The event would later spark controversy because of the attendance of three
members of the far-right English Defence League. In marked contrast to the CSC's
analysis of other forms of political extremism, Douglas Murray has characterised
the EDL as a predictable response to political failure and recently commended
the EDL as "a grassroots response from non-Muslims to Islamism". This must raise
fundamental doubts about the CSC's ability to fulfil its self-proclaimed
mandate. Can it really offer a serious analysis of threats to social cohesion in
Britain, when one of the biggest emerging threats has its roots in a
counterjihad ideology that the CSC shares to a significant extent?

Policy Exchange has a much broader remit than CSC and publishes research on a
range of political issues. It was established in 2002 by a group of Conservative
MPs who called for the Tories to position themselves to the right of New Labour
not by focusing on divisive issues like immigration or the EU but by developing
a critique of the state.

Policy Exchange's first chairman was Michael Gove - now Britain's secretary of
state for education. In July 2006, the same month Policy Exchange published its
first report on Islamism, it hosted a book launch for Gove's neoconservative
polemic Celsius 7/7.  In the book, Gove argued that what he called
"fundamentalist terror" had been facilitated by the "sapping of confidence in
Western values, encouraged by the radical Left since 1968". He thanked a number
of people for helping to shape his thinking, amongst whom were Douglas Murray of
the Centre for Social Cohesion and Dean Godson, who that year was appointed head
of Policy Exchange's Foreign Policy & Security Unit. Godson comes from a family
with a history of involvement in propaganda and covert action. Under his
leadership, Policy Exchange's major preoccupation has been with a perceived need
to reassert "western values" against "extremism" and the liberal political
climate in which it is thought to
  thrive.

Godson's unit published a number of reports calling on the government to sever
its links with particular individuals or groups and to expand its surveillance
of Muslim communities. The most notorious of these reports was published in
October 2007 and entitled The Hijacking of British Islam. The report was written
by Denis MacEoin - an author of crime thrillers and ghost stories. It claimed to
"demonstrate unequivocally that separatist and hate literature, written and
disseminated in the name of Islam, is widely available in the UK", and called
for mosques to be made to "clean up their act". It was subsequently removed from
Policy Exchange's website after the BBC discovered evidence suggesting that its
findings had been fabricated.

Leftists and immigrants to blame

An earlier report entitled Living Apart Together, blamed multiculturalism for a
rise in "anti-Western ideas" among Muslims and non-Muslims. It sought to
downplay experiences of Islamophobia and discrimination faced by Muslims in
Britain, which are described as "myths" and attributed to a "victim mentality".
The idea that Islam presents a political or cultural threat has been most
explicitly developed in Policy Exchange's 2009 pamphlet Choosing Our Friends
Wisely. The authors criticised the Labour government for "stress[ing] law
enforcement and strict security concerns over and above everything else", and
argued that government policy should expand its focus from "preventing violent
extremism" to countering what it calls "non-violent radicals", who it is claimed
are "indoctrinating young people with an ideology of hostility to western
values". The report explicitly calls for the British state to engage in
large-scale political counter-subversion.

We wrote to Policy Exchange and the CSC requesting, in the interests of
transparency, that they disclose its sources of funding. The CSC stated in its
response only that it was funded by private donations and has "neither sought
nor received public funds". Policy Exchange failed to respond. Nevertheless, our
report reveals for the first time the network of individuals and foundations
that are bankrolling both think-tanks. Donors identified in the report include
the neoconservative Rosenkranz Foundation in the United States, and hardline
Zionists such as Stanley Kalms and the late Cyril Stein in the UK. It reveals
that both think-tanks share major donors with a number of controversial
organisations - including the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's
Soldiers, the Israel-Diaspora Trust (an organisation founded by the late Rabbi
Sidney Brichto, a passionate supporter of Israel and scourge of its critics
inside and outside the UK Jewish community) and
  the Anglo-Israel Association, founded in 1949 by the Christian Zionist Sir
Wyndham Deedes. His nephew William Deedes became an editor of the Daily
Telegraph and, in 2006, wrote an opinion piece entitled: "Muslims can never
conform to our ways".

The policies advocated by the Centre for Social Cohesion and Policy Exchange,
and apparently endorsed by Britain's coalition government, will have grave
consequences for British politics if they are not challenged. Such an approach
will inevitably mean the curtailment of civil liberties and the narrowing of
political debate. For British Muslims, the consequences may be even more
serious. Furthermore, the Islamophobic undercurrent of such policies
simultaneously risks further fuelling the racist violence against Muslims
perpetrated by groups such as the British National Party and the English Defence
League - ironically the very extremism that organisations like the Centre for
Social Cohesion and Policy Exchange claim to oppose.


David Miller is Professor of Sociology at the University of Strathclyde. He is a
director of Spinwatch.org and editor of Powerbase.info. Recent books include A
Century of Spin: How Public Relations Became the Cutting Edge of Corporate Power
(Pluto Press, 2008).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Muslim Student a Victim of Repeated Hate Crimes
By SARA DINATALE
Asst. News Editor
Published: Saturday, November 19, 2011

http://www.ubspectrum.com/news/muslim-student-a-victim-of-repeated-hate-crimes-1\
.2708377#.TtPQ2rIr2yZ

On Sunday, Nov. 13, a Muslim student named Thawab walked from the Center for the
Arts to the parking lot and found two swastikas and a penis keyed into the sides
of her car. She reported the incident to University Police and requested that
the department alert the entire campus about the crime, but UPD chose not to.
             This is the third hate crime that Thawab, a senior English and
political science major who didn't want her full name revealed, has experienced
while at UB. Two years ago, while she was passing out flyers in protest of
speaker Effi Eitam, a student from the Hillel Office asked her, "Why don't you
go blow yourself up?"
             Thawab's car was also the target of hate crimes last semester. She
repeatedly found the words "I will kill you" in the dust on her car.
             Thawab reported each incident to UPD. None of them have been
resolved, and they have all gone unreported to the UB community, according to
Thawab.
             "I think UB is more concerned about having this good image of its
population, so it just hides these things that happen, these hate crimes."
Thawab said.
             Thawab is a Syrian-American citizen who moved to the United States
at a very young age. She attended Amherst Middle School and Williamsville North
High School.            The Spectrum's news reporters tried multiple times over
the past week to obtain police reports from UPD regarding these incidents, but
the reports were never received.
             Thawab feels UB students should be made aware that there is racist
activity on campus. She views the swastika as "a symbol of hate." She would have
liked the UPD to send out a campus-wide alert.
             Some students responded to the situation by asking, "You're not
Jewish, why are you even upset?" according to Thawab. She thinks the swastika
has come to encompass and represent any sort of discrimination.
             "It's not like a Jewish/Muslim thing," Thawab said. "It's just a
racist thing at its core."
             She added that many from the Jewish community have supported her.
             Thawab said that when she went to UPD to report the crime, the first
thing the officer asked her was, "Were you parked correctly?" – implying
someone may have keyed her car out of anger resulting from a poor parking job.
But for Thawab, hate and racism are the only explanations for the keyed
obscenities.
             She thinks the perpetrator either saw her leave her vehicle wearing
her Muslim headscarf, or was aware that her "itISapartheid.org" bumper sticker
is an organization in support of the Palestinian cause.
             Thawab doesn't believe the case is going to go much further, because
UPD told her there was no security camera on her car. She doesn't think the
police can do much to find the perpetrator, but what she really wants is for the
UB community to be made aware.
             Thawab was told by UPD that her car had about $250 worth of damage.
She has spent the last week driving her father's car, because she was too
embarrassed by her own.            "I told the police they should report this as
a hate crime," Thawab said. "Nothing was reported to the UB community; it was as
if it never happened."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dennis Miller says he was ready to hit Muslim man on plane
Published: 10:48 PM 11/16/2011  | Updated: 1:40 AM 11/17/2011

http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/16/dennis-miller-admits-he-fantasized-about-attac\
king-an-islamic-kid-on-flight/

...
While discussing the Republican presidential field, Miller abruptly said,
“Billy, I just flew five hours from L.A. to New York next to Islamic kid who
was in his 30s. I couldn’t even watch the movie. I just fantasized [about]
hitting him in the head with an elbow if he went up.”
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FBI Reports Dramatic Spike in Anti-Muslim Hate Violence
Posted: 11/14/11 02:05 PM ET

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-potok/fbi-reports-dramatic-spik_b_1092996.htm\
l

Anti-Muslim hate crimes soared by an astounding 50% last year, skyrocketing over
2009 levels in a year marked by the vicious rhetoric of Islam-bashing
politicians and activists, especially over the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" in
New York City.

Although the national statistics compiled by the FBI each year are known to
dramatically understate the real level of reported and unreported hate crimes,
they do offer telling indications of some trends. The latest statistics, showing
a jump from 107 anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2009 to 160 in 2010, seem to reflect
a clear rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric from groups like Stop Islamization of
America. Much of that rhetoric was aimed at stopping an Islamic center in lower
Manhattan.
At the same time, the new FBI statistics showed a rise of almost 11% in
anti-Latino hate crimes. The increase may be related to anti-immigrant rhetoric
deployed as Arizona passed a harsh law targeting immigrants in 2010. Since then,
even more anti-immigrant rhetoric has been heard around the country, suggesting
that when the FBI's 2011 statistics come out, they will show a further rise in
anti-Latino hate crime.

Earlier, anti-Latino hate crimes rose some 40% between 2003 and 2007, then
diminished in 2008 and 2009. The newly reported apparent rise in these crimes
last year also reflected, albeit in a diminished way, a 2010 rise in anti-Latino
hate crimes of almost 50% reported earlier in California.

But it was the anti-Muslim numbers that were dramatic, and they occurred in a
year when many watchdog organizations, including the Southern Poverty Law
Center, reported an increase in Islam-bashing rhetoric. The year 2010 saw
multiple verbal attacks on planned mosques, along with several violent attacks
and arsons.

It's not provable precisely how hateful rhetoric from public figures drives
criminal violence. But anecdotal evidence suggests the link is a tight one.
Immediately after the 9/11 attacks, anti-Muslim hate violence skyrocketed some
1,600%. But then-President Bush gave several speeches that fall emphasizing that
Muslims and Arabs were not our enemies -- only Al Qaeda was. Almost certainly
thanks to that, anti-Muslim violence declined the following year by almost two
thirds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Owner of car dealership labeled "Taliban Toyota" wins millions
By Kelli Dugan
MOBILE, Ala | Tue Nov 1, 2011 8:43pm EDT

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/02/us-alabama-taliban-toyota-idUSTRE7A104\
620111102

(Reuters) - The owner of a large southwest Alabama car dealership derided as
"Taliban Toyota" by a competitor has been awarded $7.5 million in damages after
a jury trial for his slander claim.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Man Gets 14 Months for Mosque Vandalism
Published : Monday, 24 Oct 2011, 6:52 PM CDT
Associated Press

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/102411-man-gets-14-months-for-mosque-vandalism

FORT WORTH, Texas - A 34-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 months in federal
prison after confessing to vandalizing a suburban Dallas-Fort Worth mosque last
year.

Henry Clay Glaspell of Arlington pleaded guilty in February to a hate-crime
count of destroying religious property. U.S. District Judge Terry Means of Fort
Worth sentenced him Monday for setting fire to playground equipment at the Dar
El-Eman Islamic Center in south Arlington in July 2010.
Tarrant County Muslim community spokesman Jamal Qaddura has said a surveillance
video showed Glaspell spray-painting obscene graffiti and setting fire to the
wooden playground equipment last July.
He could have been sentenced to up to 20 years in federal prison. Means ordered
Glaspell to report to begin serving his sentence Nov. 21.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

St. Cloud school district reaches agreement on complaint that Somali American
students were harassed
by Matt Sepic, Minnesota Public Radio
October 24, 2011

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/24/settlement-st-cloud/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AP IMPACT: NYPD shadows Muslims who change names
By ADAM GOLDMAN and MATT APUZZO - Associated Press | AP – Wed, Oct 26, 2011

http://news.yahoo.com/ap-impact-nypd-shadows-muslims-change-names-070530735.html

NEW YORK (AP) — Muslims who change their names to sound more traditionally
American, as immigrants have done for generations, or who adopt Arabic names as
a sign of their faith are often investigated and catalogued in secret New York
Police Department intelligence files, according to documents obtained by The
Associated Press.
The NYPD monitors everyone in the city who changes his or her name, according to
internal police documents and interviews. For those whose names sound Arabic or
might be from Muslim countries, police run comprehensive background checks that
include reviewing travel records, criminal histories, business licenses and
immigration documents. All this is recorded in police databases for supervisors,
who review the names and select a handful of people for police to visit.
The program was conceived as a tripwire for police in the difficult hunt for
homegrown terrorists, where there are no widely agreed upon warning signs. Like
other NYPD intelligence programs created in the past decade, this one involved
monitoring behavior protected by the First Amendment.
Since August, an Associated Press investigation has revealed a vast NYPD
intelligence-collecting effort targeting Muslims following the terror attacks of
September 2001. Police have conducted surveillance of entire Muslim
neighborhoods, chronicling every aspect of daily life, including where people
eat, pray and get their hair cut. Police infiltrated dozens of mosques and
Muslim student groups and investigated hundreds more.
Monitoring name changes illustrates how the threat of terrorism now casts
suspicion over what historically has been part of America's story. For
centuries, immigrants have Americanized their names in New York. The Roosevelts
were once the van Rosenvelts. Fashion designer Ralph Lauren was born Ralph
Lifshitz. Donald Trump's grandfather changed the family name from Drumpf.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear Inc. exposes the recession-proof Islamophobia industry
FARHA KHALED
Oct 9, 2011 21:58

http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article514690.ece

The global economy may be suffering but the Islamophobia industry proves to be
resilient in weathering the recession.

Fear Inc. lays bare the funding, and the spider web that connects the prime
players.

A six-month research project by the prominent think tank, Center for American
Progress has resulted in a 130-page report appropriately named Fear Inc.: The
Roots Of the Islamophobia Network In America. This is the first in-depth
investigation into Islamophobia, and it sheds lights on how a small group of
bigots linked to conservative and Zionist causes each play a role in the
seemingly lucrative industry of Muslim hatred and bashing Islam.

Seven foundations donated £42 million over 10 years, which was filtered down to
self styled “experts” on Islam whose job it is to churn out Goebbles-style
propaganda against Muslims. Of these, eight of the most prominent are Robert
Spencer and Daniel Pipes who claim to be scholars, Frank Gaffney who runs Center
for Security Policy and Steve Emerson founder of Investigative Project on
Terrorism. A Maronite Christian Brigette Gabriel heads Act for America and as an
Israel Hasbara speaker has a large following of Christian Zionists who
faithfully disseminate her bigotry through various chapters dotted around the
nation. Millions are influenced by their TV appearances, the favored mouthpieces
being the conservative and religious right radio and news stations including Fox
News and the Christian Broadcasting Network. More ominously, lucrative speaking
engagements at civil and military institutions provide the credibility they
crave, all duly reported in
  the print media including the National Review magazine and The Washington
Times. Most of these media outlets have websites which increases the exposure.

Lending his legal expertise is David Yerushalmi, an Israeli American lawyer and
religious settler whom the New York Times recently exposed as a being the
favorite legal counsel to the Islamophobia industry and the brains behind the
“Ban Shariah Law” campaign. One of his clients include Pamela Geller of
Atlas Shrugs and the hate group Stop the Islamization For America (SIOA).
Fanning the flames of all this hate are politicians, including Republican
Congressman Allen West, who when asked to comment on Keith Ellison's religion
stated that it is the “antithesis of the principles upon which this country
was established.” West is a recipient of the Saudi Arabia Kuwait Liberation
Medal W/Palm Tree award.

Further down the hierarchy, an assortment of paid charlatans posing as
ex-Muslims like Walid Shoebat (Christian Palestinian) and Wafa Sultan (Alawite
Syrian) to Nonie Darwish (Egyptian convert to Evangelism) breath the “we have
lived through it” life to the otherwise dead lies these “experts” produce.
Last but not least are the bloggers and their readers whose importance should
not be underestimated in a world where Anders Breivik took his prime
inspirations from the Internet. Right-wing blogs are littered with comments that
dehumanize Palestinians, call for the genocide of Muslims and to end Islam.
Cherry picked and distorted “news” is regularly parroted by tea party
activists and on the Zionist blogosphere assisted by the likes of Brigette
Gabriel and her minions of Christian Right followers. Whilst promoting
anti-Muslim hate, radical Zionism and Israel being a victim of Islam are
presented as fact.

Seven charitable foundations run by conservative heavyweights fund this phony
Islamophobia campaign. A breakdown by the researchers of Fear Inc. shows that
the major recipients include Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT), Middle
East Forum (MEF), Clarion Fund (Clarion), David Horowitz Freedom Center
(Horowitz). What stands out in this report though is the fact that the largest
sums came from Donors Capital Fund which tops the list of givers at a whopping
$20 million. This is more than twice the amount Richard Scaife Foundations, the
second on the list gave.

There is probably much more that remains unknown about the funding behind this
campaign but from the available facts it is safe to conclude these pro-Israel
Zionists who form the core of the Republican Party, need to convince Americans
and the West to believe they are facing the seemingly same threat that Israel
does. To this end, they are willing to spend millions creating and fabricating a
threat from Islam, which they hope will brainwash people to support endless wars
against Muslim countries. Bearing in mind that only a handful of Muslim
countries recognize Israel it does not take a genius to figure out why hard-line
Zionists see Muslims and Islam as a threat. What is reprehensible, however, is
that they use deceptions and false propaganda to achieve their goals.

The Republican Party appears to be the political home of the Islam-bashers.
American Muslims who preferred the conservative values as being in line with
their own beliefs used to be overwhelmingly Republican voters. That changed
after 9/11, and in 2008 the Democrats got nearly 90% of the votes of American
Muslims and around 80% of the vote of American liberal Jews who number around
seven million. The Centre for American Progress which produced the Fear Inc.
report on Islamophobia acts as an advisory think tank to President Obama. The
major players behind the Islamophobia campaign are Republican supporters and
conservatives.

The prominent figures mentioned in Fear Inc. are nearly all Jewish, with some
Christian Zionists. In all fairness, it should be mentioned that those who are
active in countering this anti-Muslim propaganda include a disproportionate
number of Jews too, usually liberals.  A poll by the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center
showed that 80% of American Jews hold less prejudices against American Muslims
than other religious groups do. Therefore this is certainly not a “Jewish”
problem and should not be treated as such. Nor do liberal Jews follow the
hard-line Zionist policies that right-wing Zionists believe in. Neither liked
nor trusted by liberal Jews, right-wing Christian Zionists tend to find their
allies amongst Messianic, Kahanist and secular right-wing Likud type Jews both
in Israel and their counterparts in the US. These two groups have formed an
uneasy alliance where they use each other for their own agendas. The settler
movement and the secular right-wing
  Israelis need Christian Zionists to fund the settlements and for political
support. The Christian Zionists hailing mainly from the least educated,
impoverished echelons of American society, want to hasten the Armeggedon gladly
reciprocate seeing it as an opportunity for covert Evangelical missionizing in
Israel, often a source of tension since proselytizing is forbidden in Israel.

This then is the picture of today's Republican Party in the US, with its large
base of tea party activists and religious-right Bible belt, the latter having
extremists numbering millions who believe in the Armeggedon and a war with Iran
which is their reason for supporting radical Zionism, where bigotry is rife, in
a nation where unemployment is growing, and the debt increasing. Palestinians
are standing in the way of their end time story in Israel and by extension their
Arab and Muslim supporters are an enemy. Add to this unholy alliance, the rich
resources of oil in the Caspian Sea, Iraq and Iran for which a threat is needed
to justify military intervention if and when needed, and you have an assortment
of agendas concurring on the necessity of an “Islam threat” for a variety of
different reasons.

— http://farhakhaled.blogspot.com   Twitter http://twitter.com/farhakhaled
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NYPD spied on city’s Muslim partners
By EILEEN SULLIVAN | AP
Published: Oct 6, 2011 01:28 Updated: Oct 6, 2011 01:32

http://arabnews.com/world/article512365.ece

NEW YORK: The New York Police Department’s intelligence squad secretly
assigned an undercover officer to monitor a prominent Muslim leader even as he
decried terrorism, cooperated with the police, dined with Mayor Michael
Bloomberg and was the subject of a Pulitzer Prize-winning series by The New York
Times about Muslims in America.

Sheikh Reda Shata was among those singled out for surveillance because of his
“threat potential” and what the NYPD considered links to organizations
associated with terrorism, despite having never been charged with any crime,
according to secret police documents obtained by The Associated Press.

This was life in America for Shata: a government partner in the fight against
terrorism and a suspect at the same time.

During his time at the Islamic Center of Bay Ridge since 2002, he welcomed FBI
agents to his mosque to speak to Muslims, invited NYPD officers for breakfast
and threw parties for officers who were leaving the precinct. As police secretly
watched Shata in 2006, he had breakfast and dinner with Bloomberg at Gracie
Mansion and was invited to meet with Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, Shata
recalls.

“This is very sad,” Shata said after seeing his name in the NYPD file.
“What is your feeling if you see this about people you trusted?“

The dichotomy between simultaneously being partner and suspect is common among
some of New York’s Muslims. Some of the same mosques that city leaders visited
to hail their strong alliances with the Muslim community have also been placed
under NYPD surveillance — in some cases infiltrated by undercover police
officers and confidential informants.

In April, more than 100 area imams publicly supported a rally to “oppose wars,
condemn terrorism and fight Islamophobia.” Of those, more than 30 were either
identified by name or work in mosques included in the NYPD’s listing of
suspicious people and places in 2006.

“The way things are playing out in New York does not paint a picture of
partnership and of a conversation among equals,” said Ramzi Kassem, a
professor at the City University of New York School of Law. “It seems that
city officials prefer hosting Ramadan banquets to engaging with citizens who
wish to hold them to account. Spying on almost every aspect of community life
certainly does not signal a desire to engage constructively.”

The New York Times story about Shata, which won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for
feature writing, described his efforts to reconcile Muslim traditions with
American life. Police documents from the same year the story was published paint
a different picture. Shata, who emigrated from Egypt to the US in 2002, is
described by police as a “Tier One” person of interest. According to the
police files, a person of interest is “an individual with threat potential
based on their position at a particular location, links to an organization,
overseas links and/or criminal history.”

Police assigned an undercover officer and an informant to watch Shata
personally, and two others were assigned to watch his mosque, according to the
NYPD files. Mark Mershon, the FBI’s senior agent in New York in 2006, said he
has no recollection of Shata ever being under FBI investigation. A search of
commonly used court and public record files show no evidence of any criminal
record for Shata.

“What did they find?” Shata asked through an interpreter at his current
mosque in Monmouth County, New Jersey. “It’s a waste of time and a waste of
money.”

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne did not return messages over two days. Bloomberg’s
office, which has repeatedly referred questions to NYPD, also did not respond.

In May, Bloomberg and Kelly organized a news conference to discuss two suspected
terrorists. Appearing with the officials was Mohammad Shamsi Ali, an imam
regularly at the mayor’s side for public appearances that touch on Muslim
issues.

Shamsi Ali said he and the mayor have maintained good communication over the
years. In July, he was invited to a pre-Ramadan conference hosted by the NYPD,
and for the past three years he said he has been invited to speak at the police
academy about Islam and Muslims.

Yet in 2006 the NYPD infiltrated two mosques where Shamsi Ali holds leadership
roles — the Islamic Cultural Center of New York and the Jamaica Muslim Center.
The NYPD cited radical rhetoric and possible money laundering in the Islamic
Cultural Center of New York and said the Jamaica Muslim Center was a hub of
radicalization that offered martial arts training. Shamsi Ali said he was
unaware of the police assessments and denied the underlying accusations.

“How do you define rhetoric?” Shamsi Ali asked. He said some imams sound
harsh when they’re preaching. He said if the NYPD suspected money laundering,
it should ask the Internal Revenue Service to audit the mosque.

“It’s wrong to view Muslims as radicals simply because of the outfit,”
Shamsi Ali said.

Last year, after a Pakistani-American man was accused of attempting to detonate
a car bomb in Times Square, Kelly, the police commissioner, visited the Al-Iman
mosque in Astoria, Queens, where he praised a Muslim street vendor for reporting
the suspicious vehicle to local police.

Kelly assured members of the mosque that racial profiling is prohibited by the
police, though he acknowledged in response to a question that officers will
conduct random checks of people who fit a particular description.

Yet in 2006, the NYPD recorded in its files that members of the same mosque also
belonged to extremist organizations that harbored anti-American sentiments and
terrorist sympathies. That mosque was placed under surveillance by an undercover
NYPD officer and a confidential informant, according to the police files.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justice Department Official: Muslim ‘Juries’ Threaten ‘Our Values’
By Spencer Ackerman     October 5, 2011  |  6:30 am

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/islamophobia-beyond-fbi/all/1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Video: FBI Trainer Says Forget ‘Irrelevant’ al-Qaida, Target Islam
By Spencer Ackerman and Noah Shachtman     September 20, 2011  |  6:30 am  | 
Categories: Crime and Homeland Security

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/09/fbi-islam-qaida-irrelevant/all/1

The FBI has publicly declared that its counterterrorism training seminars
linking “mainstream” Muslims to terrorists was a “one time only” affair
that began and ended in April 2011. But two months later, the Bureau employee
who delivered those controversial briefings gave a similar lecture to a
gathering of dozens of law enforcement officials at an FBI-sponsored
public-private partnership in New York City.

And during that June presentation, the FBI’s William Gawthrop told his
audience that the fight against al-Qaida is a “waste,” compared to the
threat presented by the ideology of Islam itself.

“At the operational level, you have groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Qaida.
Like teeth in a shark, it is irrelevant if you take one group out,” Gawthrop
said during his lecture to the New York Metro Infragard at the World Financial
Center in downtown Manhattan.

Since Danger Room published the contents of Gawthrop’s April lecture, top
Senators and representatives from Arab- and Muslim-American groups have blasted
the FBI for the training documents, which compare Mohammed to a “cult
leader.”

This June 8 lecture is controversial in a different way. In Gawthrop’s
worldview, the struggle against al-Qaida is really just an afterthought in a
broader war. The group that knocked down the World Trade Center and rammed a jet
into the Pentagon is a mere distraction. These are the professional assessments
of a representative from the nation’s top domestic counterterrorism agency —
a man considered so expert in understanding militant strategy that the FBI had
him training agents on the subject.

“We waste a lot of analytic effort talking about the type of weapon, the
timing, the tactics. All of that is irrelevant … if you have an Islamic
motivation for actions,” Gawthrop said. Even taking down hostile states like
Iran is futile, since “there are still internal forces that will seek to exert
Islamic rule again.”

The best strategy for undermining militants, Gawthrop suggested, is to go after
Islam itself. To undermine the validity of key Islamic scriptures and key Muslim
leaders.

“If you remember Star Wars, that ventilation shaft that goes down to into the
depths of the Death Star, they shot a torpedo down there. That’s a critical
vulnerability,” Gawthrop told his audience. Then he waved a laser pointer at
his projected PowerPoint slide, calling attention to the words “Holy Texts”
and “Clerics.”

“We should be looking at, should be aiming at, these,” Gawthrop said.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Video: Nonie Darwish Says Islam Should be 'Annihilated' (CAIR)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv6TBnmc_vI

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/30/11) --- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and
advocacy organization is calling on Virginia's George Mason University School of
Law to disinvite Nonie Darwish, a notorious Islamophobe who has stated that
Islam is a "poison to a society" that is "based on lies" and must be
"annihilated."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today released a video of
Darwish speaking at a protest in Florida earlier this year in which she states:
"Islam is a poison to a society. It's divisive. It's hateful. Look what Islam is
doing on our college campuses. It's full of anti-Semitism. It's going to turn us
against one another. It's going to produce chaos in society. Because Islam
should be feared, and should be fought, and should be conquered, and defeated,
and annihilated, and it's going to happen. Ladies and gentlemen, Islam is going
to be brought down. . .Because Islam is based on lies and it's not based on the
truth. I have no doubt whatsoever that Islam is going to be destroyed."

[The rally at which Darwish spoke was sponsored by the hate group Stop
Islamization of America (SIOA). SIOA, which has been deginated as a hate group
by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is headed by two of the nation's leading
Islamophobes, Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer.]

Video: Nonie Darwish Says Islam Should be 'Annihilated'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv6TBnmc_vI
SPLC: Active Anti-Muslim Groups
http://www.splcenter.org/node/3502/activegroups
Pamela Geller Associate John Jay Openly Calls for Mass Murder
http://tinyurl.com/5sgnvxw
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pamela Geller Associate John Jay Openly Calls for Mass Murder
AFDI founding member advocates murdering politicians, journalists, Muslims, and
liberals
Charles Johnson
WINGNUTS • Thu Sep 29, 2011 at 12:35 pm PDT

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/39223_Pamela_Geller_Associate_John_Jay_O\
penly_Calls_for_Mass_Murder
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frank Miller’s Holy Terror Is Fodder for Anti-Islam Set
By Spencer Ackerman   September 28, 2011

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/09/holy-terror-frank-miller/

Frank Miller doesn’t do things halfway. One of the true comic-book greats,
he’s created several of the most extraordinary stories ever to grace the art
form. So perhaps it’s fitting that now he’s produced one of the most
appalling, offensive and vindictive comics of all time.

Holy Terror, Miller’s long, long, long-awaited statement on 9/11 and
counterterrorism, hit comic book stores Wednesday. Longtime Miller watchers have
viewed it with apprehension, hoping that his dark views about the source of that
national trauma wouldn’t turn the comic into a vulgar, one-dimensional revenge
fantasy. They were wrong. It’s even worse than that.

Miller’s Holy Terror is a screed against Islam, completely uninterested in any
nuance or empathy toward 1.2 billion people he conflates with a few murderous
conspiracy theorists. It’s no accident that it’s being released ten years
after 9/11. This comic would be unthinkable during the unity that the U.S. felt
after the attack.

Instead, it’s a perfect cultural artifact of this dark period in American
life, when the FBI teaches its agents that “mainstream” Islam is
indistinguishable from terrorism and a community center near Ground Zero gets
labeled a “victory mosque.” Call it the artwork of 9/11 decadence, when all
that remains of a horror is a carefully nurtured grievance.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Diverse Crowd Attends Forum on Islamophobia
A "rainbow" of people showed up last Saturday morning to hear several panelists
discuss Islamophobia in Montgomery County.
By Laura L Thornton Email the author September 28, 2011

http://chevychase.patch.com/articles/diverse-crowd-attends-forum-on-islamophobia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Debate over GPS devices on suspects' cars spurs 'Big Brother' concerns
By Thomas Peele
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 09/25/2011 02:00:00 PM PDT

http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_18973065
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CAIR: Coalition Questions San Diego FBI on Anti-Muslim Training
by CAIR on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 at 21:18

http://www.facebook.com/notes/cair/cair-coalition-questions-san-diego-fbi-on-ant\
i-muslim-training/10150326825169442

(SAN DIEGO, CA, 9/27/11) -- The San Diego chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-San Diego) -- along with a coalition of local
civil rights groups, Islamic centers, and mosques -- today submitted a letter to
the San Diego office of the FBI seeking clarification on media reports of
anti-Muslim training and materials offered to agents.

Signatories to the letter include the NAACP San Diego Branch, ACLU of San Diego
and Imperial Counties, Islamic Center of San Diego, Masjidul Taqwa, Islamic
Society of North County, Muslim American Society -- San Diego, Muslim Community
Center of Greater San Diego, Afghan Community Islamic Center, and many others.

The coalition expressed concerns about persistent reports that FBI agents are
trained to view mainstream American Muslims with suspicion and to view the faith
of Islam itself as the source of terrorism and extremism.

Video: FBI Trainer Says Forget ‘Irrelevant’ al-Qaida, Target Islam
http://tinyurl.com/3l4um38
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congressman’s Remarks Stir the Blogosphere
By JAMES WARREN
Published: September 24, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/us/congressmans-remarks-stir-the-blogosphere.h\
tml?_r=2&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1322505672-Z+mg3z0/U0OPFcdBaBHOVg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why did the CIA pull ads from a Muslim paper in Detroit?
By Sr. National Security Producer Suzanne Kelly
September 23rd, 2011

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/23/pulled-cia-ads-undermine-muslim-outreac\
h/

It's likely not the kind of public relations within the Muslim community that
the CIA was aiming for, but when the Arab American News published a recent wire
story that was critical of the agency and some of its believed operations in the
community, something strange happened.

"We received an email from the advertising agency which handles the CIA's
account," publisher Osama Siblani said.  "The agency sent an email saying that
the CIA wanted to remove their ads immediately for undisclosed reasons.  I said
'OK, capture the front page in a picture and let's make the request to the
webmaster to remove it.' They would not even wait. They want the ads to be
removed immediately without a delay."

The ads seeking linguists interested in working for the agency were undoubtedly
strategically placed in the Dearborn, Michigan, newspaper, which serves greater
Detroit's Muslim community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Irvine 11: Islamophobia is alive and well
Muslim students' arrest for interrupting the Israeli ambassador's speech in
California shows discrimination at work.
Kristen Ess Schurr Last Modified: 24 Sep 2011 11:04

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/09/201192493240548858.html

The Irvine 11 verdict has just come in, Friday September 23. All guilty, all
charges. Students and organisers say this selective prosecution will not thwart
their efforts in future protest. I had the opportunity to address a press
conference alongside the Shura Council, Council on American Islamic Relations
and Jewish Voice for Peace among others, after closing arguments on Monday.

Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren was in the United States in February of this
year attempting to hoodwink college students into believing that Israel was a
democracy. These students of Palestinian and Arab descent not only know better
as people of conscience and as people who read between the lines of news
reports, they also know, based on the first hand experience of themselves or of
their families.

They know that the there is no democracy under Israeli rule for Palestinians:
Those who live within the 1948 borders are subject to an apartheid system, while
Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem are under the most
brutal military and economic occupation of our time.

The students referred to as the Irvine 11 stood up to Israeli Ambassador Oren's
lies, his misstatements, his bending of the truth - they stood up to the
propaganda that allows Israel, after 60-plus years, to still sell itself as
"victim" instead of "victimiser".

Oren was sent here as part of the Israeli "re-branding" campaign to polish its
image - an image only slightly tarnished in the US by the murder and injury of
thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip at the turn of the 2008-9 new year.

How do you rebrand the image of a country that is condemned by more UN Human
Rights Council resolutions than any other country in the world? You do so by
silencing the truth tellers, by denying the truth and calling those who tell it
liars and criminals - and that is what we see happening right now. Prosecution
attempts to depoliticise Oren's speech and this trial ring hollow.

The occupied are under no obligation to provide for the comfort or protection of
the occupier - just as people of conscience in the United States are under no
obligation to provide cover for the lies of Israeli officials.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear sells: Islamophobia in America
By BARBARA FERGUSON
Published: Sep 18, 2011 22:34 Updated: Sep 18, 2011 22:34

http://arabnews.com/world/article503439.ece

WASHINGTON: Fear sells, and making people fearful of Islam is a lucrative
business for some in the US where institutions, movements, and careers have been
built by amplifying such fear.

This is the view of a new report, entitled:  Fear, Inc. — The Roots of the
Islamophobia Network in America, published by the Washington-based Center for
American Progress.

CAP investigates how a small, well-funded group has effectively misinformed
millions of Americans about Islam. The report documents how a handful of
individuals have worked to fuel American fears on Islam, and tracks who has
provided the funding, and how the anti-Islam message has proliferated.

One cannot read the report without being alarmed.  It cites, for example, the
manifesto of Anders Brevik, the Norwegian responsible for the killing of 76
people, which cites more than 200 references to the anti-Muslim rhetoric by
American bloggers and misinformation experts.

This prompted news agencies to question the source of this distorted world view.
But the effectiveness of their anti-Islamic rhetoric has had an effect here:
Twenty-three states have some kind of legislation or law to ban the nonexistent
threat of Shariah law being used in their courtrooms. A 2010 Washington Post-ABC
news poll showed nearly half of Americans held an unfavorable view of Islam and
a 2010 Time magazine poll found 28 percent of voters do not think Muslims should
sit on the US Supreme Court, while almost one-third of the country thinks that
followers of Islam should be barred from running for president.

According to former CIA officer and terrorism consultant Marc Sageman, just as
religious extremism “is the infrastructure from which Al-Qaeda emerged,” the
writings of these anti-Muslim misinformation experts are “the infrastructure
from which Breivik emerged.”

Sageman adds that their rhetoric “is not cost-free.”

CAP cites the pundits and bloggers and certain think tanks, such as the Center
for Security Policy, the Middle East Forum and the Investigative Project on
Terrorism, which it says:  “Together, this core group of deeply intertwined
individuals and organizations manufacture and exaggerate threats of ‘creeping
Shariah,’ Islamic domination of the West, and purported obligatory calls to
violence against all non-Muslims by the Qur’an.

“This network of hate is not a new presence in the United States. Indeed, its
ability to organize, coordinate, and disseminate its ideology through grassroots
organizations increased dramatically over the past 10 years. Furthermore, its
ability to influence politicians’ talking points and wedge issues for the
upcoming 2012 elections has mainstreamed what was once considered fringe,
extremist rhetoric,” write the authors of CAP’s report.

CAP lists the top contributors to those promoting Islamophobia in the US, saying
that seven charitable groups provided $42.6 million to Islamophobia think tanks
between 2001 and 2009 — funding that supports the scholars and experts that
espouse fear of Islam.

“Shariah, or Muslim religious code, includes practices such as charitable
giving, prayer, and honoring one’s parents—precepts virtually identical to
those of Christianity and Judaism,” note the authors of the CAP report.  But
certain “conservatives promote alarmist notions about a nearly 1,500-year-old
religion for a variety of sinister political, financial, and ideological
motives.”

CAP fingers the Center for Security Policy, as the central hub of the
anti-Muslim network and an active promoter of anti-Shariah messaging and
anti-Muslim rhetoric.

“Operating under the leadership of Frank Gaffney, the organization is funded
by a small number of foundations and donors with a deep understanding of how to
influence US politics by promoting highly alarming threats to our national
security,” writes the CAP report, adding many of the “leaders of these
organizations (cited by CAP) are well-schooled in the art of getting attention
in the press, particularly Fox News, The Wall Street Journal editorial pages,
The Washington Times, and a variety of right-wing websites and radio outlets.”

Yet such deliberate distortions of peoples are not unique to Islam.  The current
efforts recall some of the darkest episodes in American history, notes the CAP
report “in which religious, ethnic, and racial minorities were discriminated
against and persecuted. From Catholics, Mormons, Japanese Americans, European
immigrants, Jews, and African Americans, the story of America is one of struggle
to achieve in practice our founding ideals. Unfortunately, American Muslims and
Islam are the latest chapter in a long American struggle against scapegoating
based on religion, race, or creed.”

Efforts by our leaders to make clear that Islam and Muslims are not the enemy
have proved ineffective to date.  The report quote former President George W.
Bush telling a roundtable of Arab and Muslim American leaders at the Afghanistan
embassy in 2002: “All Americans must recognize that the face of terror is not
the true face of Islam. Islam is a faith that brings comfort to a billion people
around the world. It’s a faith that has made brothers and sisters of every
race. It’s a faith based upon love, not hate.”

Unfortunately, notes the CAP report: “President Bush’s words were soon
eclipsed by an organized escalation of hateful statements about Muslims and
Islam from the members of the Islamophobia network profiled in this report.”

The crux of the report focuses on the dangers of Islamophobia.  “It is
enormously important to understand that alienating the Muslim American community
not only threatens our fundamental promise of religious freedom, it also hurts
our efforts to combat terrorism. Since 9/11, the Muslim American community has
helped security and law enforcement officials prevent more than 40 percent of
Al-Qaeda terrorist plots threatening America. The largest single source of
initial information to authorities about the few Muslim American plots has come
from the Muslim American community.”

But an effort to correct these distortions on Islam does not look imminent.

The CAP report calls the Center for Security Policy “a key source for
right-wing politicians, pundits, and grassroots organizations, providing them
with a steady stream of reports mischaracterizing Islam and warnings about the
dangers of Islam and American Muslims.”

Directed by Frank Gaffney, the report says CSP has proved successful in
influencing US politics by promoting highly alarming threats to our national
security.

Gaffney, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and
Arms Control Policy, is also an unofficial advisor to presidential candidate
Michele Bachmann, who developed a marriage vow pledge which contained a
provision to oppose Shariah law.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Migliore, the FBI, and Shadowy Interrogations Abroad
A recent detention case in England points to wider US involvement in foreign
governments interrogating American citizens.
—By Nick Baumann | Thu Sep. 22, 2011 2:00 AM PDT

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/09/michael-migliore-fbi-interrogations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Video: Muslim, Civil Rights Groups Speak Out Against Islamophobic FBI Training
(CAIR)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAXai_szeAU
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cleveland-area Muslims criticize FBI, say agency's trainers have anti-Islam bias
Published: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 6:01 PM     Updated: Wednesday,
September 21, 2011, 6:13 PM

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/09/muslims_claim_anti-terrorist_t.html

A group of Greater Cleveland Muslims condemned the FBI Wednesday, claiming the
agency is hiring anti-terrorism trainers who view mainstream Muslims with
suspicion and their faith as a source of terrorism.
American Muslims recently learned that a trainer at the FBI Academy in Quantico,
Va., told 37 agents in a session six months ago that the prophet Muhammad was a
"cult leader" and that American Muslims are likely to be terrorist sympathizers.
The FBI issued a public apology and said the agency would no longer employ that
trainer.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bias in manuals embarrasses FBI
US counterterrorism agents say they stopped teaching that Islam promotes
violence after leaks exposed it.
Last Modified: 16 Sep 2011 05:36

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2011/09/20119165437617446.html

[VIDEO]
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has said it has discontinued a lecture
that taught counterterrorism agents that mainstream Muslims were violent.

The move comes after leaked documents revealed the controversial elements in the
FBI's training manuals.

According to the FBI documents: Most American Muslims are likely to be
sympathisers to "terrorist" groups like al-Qaeda.

Spencer Ackerman, the journalist who broke this story for the website Wired dot
com, told Al Jazeera why the FBI teachings are "constitutionally dicey".

"There is still a real ignorance and to some degree a real fear of Islam that
has found a surprising home in the FBI," he said.

"If they spend their time and resources going after indicators of violent
behaviour based on the amount of religiosity a person displays, then first of
all they are not going to get actual terrorists, but innocent people."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Woman shocked by being taken from plane in US
By JEFF KAROUB | AP
Published: Sep 14, 2011 19:44 Updated: Sep 14, 2011 19:44

http://arabnews.com/world/article501710.ece

DETROIT: An US woman who was one of three people taken off an airplane at
Detroit’s airport and questioned on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks says she was shocked when armed officers stopped at her row
and ordered her off.

Shoshana Hebshi, 35, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday
that she believes she was targeted because of her Middle Eastern appearance.
Hebshi, who describes herself as half-Arab, half-Jewish with a dark complexion,
said she endured nearly four hours in police custody that included being forced
off an airplane in handcuffs, strip-searched and interrogated.

Authorities say fighter jets escorted the Denver-to-Detroit Frontier Airlines
flight after its crew reported that two people were spending a long time in a
bathroom — the two men sitting next to Hebshi in the 12th row.

The FBI has said the three didn’t know each other. One man felt ill and got up
to use the restroom and another man in the same row also left his seat to go to
the bathroom. The FBI said they never were inside together.

Hebshi told the AP she didn’t notice how many times the men went to the
bathroom. “I wasn’t keeping track,” she said.

“I really wasn’t paying attention,” said Hebshi, a freelance writer,
editor and stay-at-home mother of twin six-year-old boys. “I was minding my
own business — sleeping, reading, playing on my phone.”

Hebshi has written extensively on her blog about the incident, saying she felt
“violated, humiliated and sure that I was being taken from the plane simply
because of my appearance.”

She said by e-mail Wednesday morning that she planned to speak with
representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan later in the
day. She has made no firm decisions about taking legal action, but said “it
seems there are some civil rights violations to consider here.”

After the plane landed, she wrote several posts on Twitter about what was going
on as those aboard waited while police descended. “A little concerned about
this situation. Plane moved away from terminal surrounded by cops. Crew is mum.
Passengers can’t get up,” she wrote at one point.

Later she wrote, “I see stairs coming our way ... yay!” Her last post said,
“Majorly armed cops coming aboard.”

It was then that she says the officers ordered her and the men, whom she
described as Indian, to get up.

She said she was patted down and taken by car to a holding cell. A uniformed
female officer eventually came in and told Hebshi to take off her clothes.

After the strip search, another officer who identified herself as a Homeland
Security agent led Hebshi to another room, Hebshi said. There, a man who
identified himself as an FBI agent asked her a series of questions while a
female agent took notes, Hebshi said.

Hebshi said that when she asked what was going on, the male agent told her
someone on the plane reported that she and the men on her row were “conducting
suspicious activity.”

FBI spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold said the three passengers were questioned but
not arrested before federal authorities determined there was no reason to
suspect or hold them. She also said FBI agents who questioned the passengers
were not involved in any strip searches.

“We received a report of suspicious activity on that particular plane,”
Berchtold said. “We did not arrest ... these passengers. ... We didn’t
direct anybody to arrest them.”

Airport police are under the supervision of the Wayne County Airport Authority,
which operates Detroit Metropolitan Airport. In an e-mail to the AP, agency
spokesman Scott Wintner said airport police “responded appropriately by
following protocol and treating everyone involved with respect and dignity. “

Wintner said the decision on how to respond was a call made by the Airport
Authority’s CEO, who he said is Arab-American.

Hebshi said that finally, after being fingerprinted and allowed to call her
husband, she was told she and the men were being released and that nothing
suspicious was found on the plane. She said an official apologized and thanked
her for understanding and cooperating.

Hebshi said she received another call of apology from an FBI agent Monday,
before she wrote her blog post.

“I can understand they were just doing their job,” she told the AP. “My
beef is with these laws and regulations that are so hypersensitive. ... Even if
you’re an innocent bystander, you have no rights.”

AP left e-mail and phone messages seeking comment Tuesday night with Frontier
Airlines.

The flight was one of two for which fighter jets were scrambled Sunday after
crews reported suspicious activity on Sunday, officials said. In both cases, it
involved bathroom use. In neither case did authorities find anything to
substantiate the suspicions.

On Tuesday, a US Airways flight from New York to Phoenix was diverted to St.
Louis after crew became concerned about the activities of three male passengers,
all three of whom were Israeli citizens. Investigators determined there was no
terrorism involved.

YEMEN

Yemen's Saleh decrees 'general amnesty'
Contentious pardon comes as fighting between Shia Houthis and Sunni Salafis
reportedly grips northern Saada province.
Last Modified: 27 Nov 2011 22:08

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/20111127155457701441.html

[VIDEO]
Ali Abdullah Saleh has pardoned Yemenis who "committed errors during the crisis"
that has rocked the country since January and killed hundreds of people,
according to state television.

The announcement on Sunday immediately angered groups who say Saleh can no
longer take such decisions, having transferred his presidential powers to his
deputy under a Gulf Co-operation Council deal to step down in return for
immunity from prosecution.

The deal signed, on Wednesday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, stipulates that
Saleh - who has been in power for more than three decades but faced 10 months of
massive anti-government protests - must leave power within 90 days.

"The president of the republic has decreed a general amnesty for all those who
have committed errors during the crisis," a statement flashed on state
television said.

The reported pardon came as tensions remain high in Yemen, where Saleh returned
overnight from Riyadh. Saleh was wounded in the June 3 bomb attack and had to
seek treatment in Saudi Arabia.

"This is in violation of the Gulf initiative by which the president delegated
his powers to the vice-president," Hurriya Mashhud, a spokesperson for the
opposition, told the AFP news agency.

"He no longer has the right, nor the prerogative or the capacity to take such
decisions," she said.

The state broadcaster said that the amnesty decided by Saleh "does not include
those involved in crime and in the attack against the mosque at the presidential
palace compound".

Suspects who are "members of [political] parties, groups or individuals will be
brought to trial," the report said.

If the agreement goes according to plan, Saleh will become the fourth Arab ruler
brought down by mass demonstrations that have reshaped the political landscape
of the Middle East.

This followed a decision on Friday by opposition parties to nominate Mohammed
Salem Basindwa, the head of an alliance that led months of protests against
Saleh, to form a new government.

"A presidential decree issued today ... mandated ... Basindwa to form a
government of national unity," Saba said.

Basindwa, a foreign minister from 1993 to 1994, is to form the new government
under the deal signed in Riyadh.

Sectarian fighting

Against this backdrop of political unrest, reports say at least 25 people have
been killed and dozens wounded in sectarian violence in northern Yemen.

Shia Muslim opposition forces attacked Sunni Islamist Salafi fighters with
bursts of shelling, a Salafi spokesperson said on Sunday, a claim which could
not be independently verfied by Al Jazeera.

The shelling, which killed 10 people on Saturday, continued on Sunday afternoon,
the Salafi spokesperson said, bringing the death toll to 25 with a further 48
wounded in the latest flare-up in Damaj, about 150km north of the capital,
Sanaa.

The conflict in the north, where government troops also tried to crush Shia
Houthi fighters before a ceasefire last year, is one of several plaguing Yemen
which plans elections next year to replace Saleh.

Dayfallah al-Shami, a member of the Houthis' political office, disputed the
Salafi account of the fighting.

He told the Reuters news agency that Abdelmalek al-Houthi, the Houthis' leader,
had issued orders for a ceasefire but the Salafis rejected it and fought on.

"We have martyrs and wounded," he said. "We have informed the mediators that the
Salafis can have their slogans as long as they refrain from incitement and
takfir [denouncing a Muslim as an infidel]."

Initiative opposed

The clashes followed a protest in the northwestern city of Saada on Friday, in
which Shia Muslim protesters voiced their opposition to the GCC initiative, and
called for Saleh to be put on trial.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have clashed with Salafi fighters, leading local
tribal leaders to declare a truce between them.

It seemed to collapse on Saturday when, according to Abu Ismail Salafi, the
Salafi spokesperson, Houthi fighters shelled the town of Damaj.

Members of the Zaidi sect of Shia Islam, the Houthi fighters led an uprising
based in the Saada province that Saleh's forces struggled to crush, with Saudi
Arabia intervening militarily in 2009 before a ceasefire took hold the next
year.

The Houthis, who effectively control Saada, are deeply wary of Saudi Arabia's
promotion of puritanical Sunni Salafi creeds that class Shias as heretics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemeni opposition leader asked to form national unity gov't
English.news.cn   2011-11-28 13:45:08

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/28/c_131274344.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemen names interim prime minister; 25 die in sectarian fighting
By MOHAMMED GHOBARI | REUTERS
Published: Nov 27, 2011 23:38 Updated: Nov 28, 2011 00:28

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article539604.ece

SANAA: Yemen named an opposition leader as interim prime minister on Sunday
under a deal aimed at ending months of protests which have brought the country
to the verge of civil war.

However, unrest continued to plague Yemen with violence between Shiite rebels
and Sunni Islamists killing at least 25 people in the north — including six
foreign citizens, according to the Sunni side.

Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi named as premier Mohammed Basindwa, a
foreign minister from 1993 to 1994 who later joined the opposition, the state
news agency Saba said.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemen's ruler finally agrees to go – but will the regime go with him?
Saleh is fourth dictator to fall as mounting world pressure and 10 months of
protests end his 33-year regime
THURSDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemens-ruler-finally-agrees-\
to-go--but-will-the-regime-go-with-him-6267072.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Protesters killed in Yemeni capital
Five people killed as demonstrators rally in Sanaa against power transfer deal
promising President Saleh immunity.
Last Modified: 24 Nov 2011 11:51

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/2011112492051560129.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saleh orders Yemen deaths probe after exit deal
By Hammoud Mounassar (AFP) – 6 days ago

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gDzW2ZkvdC5dbdhjKtxb3UgsRPrw?\
docId=CNG.cad707641ecd916ac9059307b8e93856.1c1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yemeni youth say factions 'hijacked' uprising
Student activists worry that rival military factions have taken over their
once-peaceful reform movement.
Last Modified: 23 Nov 2011 11:45

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/middleeast/2011/11/201111211751266112.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deaths reported in renewed Yemen violence
At least 12 dead and dozens wounded in continuing clashes between pro-government
forces and protesters.
Last Modified: 03 Nov 2011 11:08

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/20111129401628745.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


LIBYA

Qaddafi’s daughter calls for Libya overthrow
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: Nov 30, 2011 00:04 Updated: Nov 30, 2011 00:04

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article540679.ece

ALGIERS, Algeria: Muammar Qaddafi’s daughter urged Libyans on Tuesday to
overthrow their new rulers, possibly violating the terms of her exile in
Algeria.

In an audio message broadcast on Syria’s Al-Rai television station, Aisha
Qaddafi called for a revolt against the men who overthrew her father, the
government she said “arrived with the planes of NATO.”

“My father has not left, he is always among us,” she said, following the
traditional 40-day mourning period after his death. “Don’t forget the orders
of your father urging you to continue fighting, even if you no longer hear his
voice.”

Qaddafi, Libya’s dictator for 42 years, was captured with his son Muatassim on
Oct. 20 and killed by rebels.

As the Libyan capital of Tripoli fell to rebel forces, Aisha, her mother and two
of her brothers took refuge in neighboring Algeria.

Aisha’s appeal puts her in direct conflict with a promise she and her family
members made not to make public statements at the risk of losing their status as
humanitarian refugees.

After similar statements in September, Algerian officials warned that she could
be expelled.

The Algerian regime had close ties with Qaddafi but has since worked to repair
strained relations with Libya’s new leaders.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saif Gaddafi's fear of his fate exposed in recording‎
In the final act of the Libyan drama, the country's former intelligence chief
was arrested on Sunday, as a recording of Saif Gaddafi revealed the favoured
son's fear of meeting the same end as his father.
4:39PM GMT 20 Nov 2011

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8902574/Sai\
f-Gaddafis-fear-of-his-fate-exposed-in-recording.html

Libya's former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi was captured on Sunday in
the same southern region as the slain Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's heir was found a
day earlier, an official in the National Transitional Council confirmed.

Saif spent Sunday secreted in the militia stronghold of Zintan, as Libya's
interim rulers ignored world pressure and insisted that he be tried inside the
country rather than at the International Criminal Court.

Reports have surfaced that he was discovered in the deep south of the country
heading to Niger, wearing Tuareg robes and turban and pretending to be a camel
herder named "Abdul Salem".

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi flitted between fear of being lynched and bravado at the
prospect of being executed like his father when his Libyan captors flew him to
their mountain stronghold.

And as a mob outside bayed for his blood, he even found time to worry about the
dangers of passive smoking.

The man who for years was seen as the leading pro-Western reformer within the
Gaddafi camp said little to journalists who travelled in the Libyan air force
transport plane that took him from the desert where he was captured to the town
of Zintan, south of Tripoli, on Saturday.
However, an audio recording made by Reuters caught some of the conversations on
the tarmac in Zintan between Saif, his captors and the aides he was travelling
with when he was caught.
Having spent most of the flight staring out of the window with his back to the
other passengers, Saif al-Islam, dressed in flowing Tuareg robes and traditional
desert turban, spoke more freely when a crowd surrounded the plane after
landing.
"I'm staying here. They'll empty their guns into me the second I go out there,"
he said as hundreds of men thronged round the aircraft, fired in the air in
celebration and climbed on the fuselage, even trying to prise the prise a door
open.
His reluctance to disembark was hardly surprising a month after his father was
captured by revolutionary fighters, beaten abused and killed.
But it was in stark contrast to his aggressive posture during Libya's civil war,
when he called the fighters who eventually toppled his father "rats" and
promised to crush their rebellion.
"I knew it. I knew that there would be a big crowd," he said, peeking out
through curtains at the jubilant Zintanis before recoiling in apparent terror.
At another moment, his guards tried to assure him word of his capture had not
leaked.
"If I knew this was what would happen, I should have rammed my head through the
window," the 39-year-old added in the darkness of the bare metal fuselage, where
the portholes were covered for his protection. He appeared to be referring back
to the moment when he was caught in the early hours, in a car.
Between such bouts of fear, while the crowd outside chanted "God is greatest",
the younger Gaddafi seemed to regain his mettle. Shortly after saying he
expected to be shot on sight, he said he was not afraid of being killed.
"I have no problem with that," he said.
Saif al-Islam, indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against
humanity but now the object of Libyans' desire for a trial on home soil, later
seemed to express concern for the safety of his four companions, saying he would
rather wait on the tarmac for things to calm down before leaving.
"I'd rather we stayed an hour or two and left safely so that none of the people
with me get hurt," he said. His plane eventually waited on the runway for three
hours before he was taken to a safe house in Zintan, exposed briefly to a crowd
of people trying to slap him as he left the aircraft.
Although he clearly seemed to fear for his life and those of his men, Saif
al-Islam also seemed worried about the dangers of passive smoking, and at one
point seemed torn between the need to keep the mob out and to get fresh air into
the plane.
When men in the plane lit up cigarettes, Saif al-Islam told them they were
putting his life at risk: "The plane's sealed and we'll suffocate," he said.
"We're going to choke to death."
When one of the others suggested opening the door for ventilation, however, he
appeared to think the armed crowd banging on the walls posed a more immediate
threat to his health: "I don't need fresh air, man."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saif Gaddafi arrested in desert after month-long hunt by Libya's new government
Saif al-Islam, the son of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been
arrested, according to Libyan justice minister Mohammed al-Alagi.
By Nick Meo, and agencies in Tripoli11:46AM GMT 19 Nov 2011

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8901065/Sai\
f-Gaddafi-arrested-in-desert-after-month-long-hunt-by-Libyas-new-government.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rival Libyan militias clash near military base
By RAMI AL-SHAHEIBI | AP
Published: Nov 14, 2011 12:06 Updated: Nov 14, 2011 12:06

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article533491.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


TURKEY

Erdogan apologises to Kurds for mass killing
Turkish PM issues first official apology over military campaign in Tunceli that
killed nearly 14,000 Kurds in the 1930s.
Last Modified: 24 Nov 2011 06:59

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2011/11/201111245211148456.html

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, has issued the first official
apology for a bloody military campaign that killed thousands of Kurds in
southeast Turkey at the end of the 1930s.

"If it is necessary to apologise on behalf of the state ... I will apologise, I
am apologising," Erdogan told his Justice and Development Party (AKP) members on
Wednesday in televised remarks

Erdogan said that the air strikes and ground operations in the city of Dersim -
now named Tunceli - killed 13,800 people between 1936 and 1939, according to an
official document of the time, that he cited in his speech.

"Dersim is one of the most tragic events of our near history. It is a disaster
waiting to be enlightened and boldly questioned," Erdogan said.

The offensive took place under the rule of the current main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP), which was established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,
the founder of the modern Turkish state.

About 11,600 people were exiled to other regions across Turkey, Erdogan said,
citing another official document signed by Ismet Inonu, then leader of the CHP
and Turkey's second president after Ataturk died in 1938.

Turkey was under the one-party rule of the CHP until 1946.

Erdogan said the archives of his office were open for any research of official
documents about the events.

Opposition blamed

Erdogan slammed the CHP for the killings and urged the party to "face" that
bloody campaign. The current leader of the CHP, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, is from
Dersim.

"Dersim is the most painful and bloody [event] among tens, hundreds of disasters
the CHP had caused," Erdogan said.

"It is not the AK Party and the AK Party government that should face this event
and apologise, but it is the CHP."

Recently, Mehmet Metiner, an AKP deputy, proposed changing the name of Sabiha
Gokcen Airport in Istanbul, which was named after the adopted daughter of
Ataturk.

Gokcen was Turkey's first woman pilot and actively took part in the air campaign
against Dersim.

While Turkey is breaking a taboo on its official rhetoric about the Dersim
killings, the country rejects Armenian claims of genocide at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire during the World War I period.

Armenians say that up to 1.5 million of their kin fell victim to genocide in
1915, when the Armenian community across the country was driven from their
homes.

Turkey refuses to categorise the 1915 killings as genocide, and counters that
300,000 to 500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks, died in civil strife
when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading
Russian forces.

Ankara is still battling Kurdish fighters, whose Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)
took up arms in southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking a conflict that has
claimed some 45,000 lives.

The PKK is fighting for an autonomous Kurdistan and greater cultural and
political rights for Kurds in Turkey.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turkish bus ambushed by Syrian gunmen
Pilgrims returning from hajj attacked by men in Syrian army uniforms, wounding
two and raising tensions with Turkey.
Last Modified: 21 Nov 2011 17:34

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/2011112110155730765.html

A bus carrying Turkish pilgrims came under fire in neighbouring Syria as they
were travelling back from the hajj, leaving two injured and prompting harsh
words from Turkey's prime minister.

The incident has increased the already mounting Turkish and international
pressure on the government of Bashar al-Assad for its deadly crackdown on
pro-democracy protesters, as fresh violence on Monday left 16 dead, according to
activists.

Turkish NTV news channel reported on Monday that a bus driver and pilgrim were
wounded in the attack at a checkpoint just across the Syrian border. The bus was
part of a three-bus convoy returning from Saudi Arabia.

A video posted online showed the apparent aftermath of the attack, including
several shattered windows and one person being carried on a stretcher by
ambulance staff.

Passengers on the bus said they had been told to disembark at a checkpoint by up
to eight uniformed Syrian soldiers.

"They were hidden in their hideouts ... these were soldiers, these were not
civilians, their flags were there," a male passenger in his thirties said.

"One of the soldiers said 'Come, come', he wanted to get me inside, I didn't go
inside," the passenger said.

"I had nothing in my hands, there were seven or eight of them. He cocked his gun
at me and said 'Put your hands up'...I shouted for everyone to run, we ran and
they started firing at our backs. God saved us," he said.

The wounded were being treated in a hospital in Antakya, just across the border
in Turkey's Hatay province.

Raised tensions

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, warned in a statement on Monday
that Syrian President Assad's time in power is limited.

"You can maintain your grip on power in Syria with tanks and cannons, but one
day you will be gone," he said.

Tensions have been running high between Syria and Turkey as Ankara has become
increasingly vocal in its criticism of Damascus' crackdown on protests against
his regime.

According to a UN report, 3,500 people have been killed in state violence since
protests began in mid-March.

In the latest wave of violence, the Syrian Revolution General Commission said 16
civilians were killed by security forces and armed Assad loyalists on Monday.

The western city of Homs, a hub of protests, was the worst hit, with 13
casualties. Two people were killed in Hama and one in Idlib, the Commission
said.

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Istanbul, said: "This is something
which is definitely going to add to the already strained ties between Ankara and
Damascus.

"Turkey is a pivotal country in the attempts by the international community to
enforce regime change in Syria. They look at what's happened now as a
retaliation by the Syrian government, but they are very cautious at this
particular moment."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


MOROCCO

Islamist party claims victory in Morocco vote
Justice and Development Party says it is on course to win about a quarter of
seats in Morocco's new parliament.
Last Modified: 26 Nov 2011 19:19

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/11/20111126101446239693.html

Morocco's Islamist opposition party has claimed victory in the country's first
parliamentary election since the king introduced constitutional reforms intended
to dampen the threat of Arab Spring-style protests.

Official results are due to be released on later on Saturday, but Lahcen Daodi,
the head of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), said that it believed it
had won, based on reports filed by its own representatives at polling stations.

Daoudi said PJD had won more than 100 of 395 seats in parliament, describing the
polls as a "historic turning point".

"The figures which we have allow us to say that we will have over 100 seats," he
said.

Early projections by Morocco's state news agency said PJD had won 40 per cent of
the vote.

The party's main rival is the Coalition for Democracy, a loose eight-party
pro-monarchy bloc.

Abbas Al Fassi, Morocco's prime minister, said on Saturday he was ready to enter
into a coalition with the PJD.

"Yes, yes. The PJD's victory is a victory for democracy," Al Fassi said in
answer to a reporter's question on whether his Istiqlal party was willing to
form a coalition with the PJD.

If PJD's claimed victory is confirmed, it would be the second Islamist party
elected to govern a North African country since the start of the region's Arab
Spring uprisings, following Tunisia.

Democratic reforms

Around 45 per cent of registered voters turned out to cast their ballots on
Friday. International observers described the turnout as "satisfying" in
comparison with 2007, when only 37 per cent of eligible voters went to polls.

Thirty-one parties are vying for the 395 seats in the lower house of parliament,
70 more than during the last election in 2007.

Sixty of the overall parliamentary seats are reserved exclusively for women, and
30 seats for young people.

The amended constitution, approved in a July 1 referendum, gives more powers to
parliament, government and the prime minister, who now must be appointed by the
king from the party that wins the most assembly seats.

The monarch, however, retains full authority over the military and religious
affairs; and still appoints ambassadors and diplomats.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why has Morocco’s king survived the Arab Spring?
By Aidan Lewis
BBC News, Rabat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15856989?google_editors_picks=true

Morocco's ruling elite thinks it has skilfully sidestepped the revolutionary
fervour sweeping the Arab world by offering a milder, more peaceful vision of
change.

Following Friday's elections, King Mohammed VI is for the first time obliged to
choose the prime minister from the largest party, rather than naming whoever he
pleases.

However, many of the protesters who took to the streets in February feel the
reforms still fall far short of their demands for a democratic, constitutional
monarchy, and have called for a boycott.

A low turnout in the parliamentary poll would detract from the legitimacy of
King Mohammed VI's reforms and could hint at future problems.

Ahead of the poll, the sleepy calm of the capital, Rabat, was occasionally
punctuated by the marches of unemployed graduates. But the country's powerful
monarchy and the system that supports it appear to have averted any direct,
mortal challenge for now.

Symbols of power
Central to the monarchical regime's strength is its longevity - the Alaoui
dynasty gained control of most of Morocco in 1664 - and its claim of descent
from the Prophet Muhammad.

"The king has tremendous religious and political capital - it's not just the
king but the whole political establishment," says Mohamed Daadaoui, author of a
recent book on the monarchy and the "makhzen" - the patronage network that
embodies Morocco's ruling elite.

King Mohammed is aided by a powerful propaganda machine - his image adorns
streets and shops across the country.

Symbolic rituals also boost his status. In an annual ceremony of allegiance, the
"bay'a", which is broadcast on national TV, Moroccan officials bow before the
king as he parades on a horse.

Moroccan citizens, many of them poor and illiterate and living in rural areas,
"believe that the monarch has a special gift or blessing and they feel that they
have some psychological relationship with the king", Mr Daadaoui told the BBC.

Despite these traditional trappings, the monarchy under the 48-year-old king has
taken on a more modern, reformist image.

His father, Hassan II, ran a notoriously brutal regime between 1961 and 1999.
Opponents were tortured and protests repressed.

In 1965, the interior minister at the time, Gen Mohammed Oufkir, supervised a
crackdown on demonstrations in Casablanca from a helicopter while - according to
one story - personally spraying rioters with a machine gun.

But a process of gradual reform began in the final years of Hassan's rule, and
continued with his son.

It included a family law that advanced women's rights and a truth commission
that explored abuses under King Hassan - though none of those responsible were
prosecuted.

Taboo breached
The toppling of long-standing leaders in Tunisia and Egypt at the beginning of
the year is widely seen as having caught the Moroccan regime off-guard, at a
time when the reform process had stagnated.

As Morocco's own protest movement took shape, a long-held taboo was breached.

"It's the first time in Morocco that the king was openly criticised and they
didn't shoot people," says Maati Monjib, a political historian at the university
of Rabat.

Instead, the monarchy's response was to promise changes including rights
guarantees and more powers for the parliament. These were enshrined in a new
constitution that was approved by referendum in July.

The moderately Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), which has been
buoyed by the recent reforms, and by the gains Islamists have made elsewhere in
the region, could win the election and so supply the next prime minister.

But the party is hardly about to rock the boat.

Along with Ennahda in Tunisia and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in
Turkey, it places itself within a contemporary movement to reconcile Islam and
democracy.

Coalitions of more secular, royalist parties have tried to smother it and the
Islamists have found it hard to directly challenge the king because of his
religious status as "commander of the faithful", says Mr Daadaoui. It too is
seen by many as being in the pocket of the palace.

"The PJD here in Morocco is presenting the 'third way' between revolution and
the uncertainty of the current system," says Mustapha Khalfi, the head of the
party's policy unit.

"We are presenting the way of reform without losing the stability, the unity of
the country - but at the same time furthering the democratic agenda of Morocco."

'Gentle revolution'
The message of a democratic agenda and gradual change is one that has gone down
well with Morocco's allies in the US and Europe.

"The Arab World is in the process of changing," says Wahid Khouja, a senior
member of the Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM), created in 2008 by a
former interior minister and friend of the king.

"We still don't know the results and what will happen in Egypt, Tunisia, Syria
or Yemen. But we'll show the Western world that Morocco can bring about a gentle
revolution - that it can travel towards a real democracy."

In fact, according to analysts, the reforms passed this year are largely
cosmetic, and there is no guarantee they will be put into practice on the
ground.

The king retains ultimate control and though parliament has more power, parties
are weak.

"In Morocco elections are never decisive," says Mr Monjib.

"Why? Because the electoral system is prepared on purpose not to let anyone
succeed, so it's impossible to get more than 20% of the seats in parliament and
this is to allow the monarchy to dominate."

He says the manipulation of the party system is just one of the old-fashioned
tactics still being deployed to bolster the status quo.

At the recent Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, sheep were being handed out to
voters, and over the last few months, the protest movement has been subject to a
smear campaign, arrests, and intimidation at the hands of shadowy groups of
pro-monarchy thugs known as "baltaja".

Just 37% voted in the 2007 elections, and a low turnout is seen as the biggest
immediate threat to the regime's credibility.

Those calling for a boycott have been harassed by the authorities, with almost
100 people called in for questioning over the past month, according to Joe
Stork, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human
Rights Watch.

This has made some protesters more determined in their demands for real change.
But it may also have helped divide and deter them as the king, elevated above
the rough and tumble of everyday politics, continues to preside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The spice of life in Morocco
By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR | RIMA.ALMUKHTAR@...
Published: Nov 30, 2011 00:49 Updated: Nov 30, 2011 03:47

http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/article540705.ece

Tradition, culture, and how to prepare your own cup of tea

Moroccan tea is one of the important traditions and cultures of Morocco, and
making it is an art form in itself. Made up of green tea and mint leaves, this
tradition, which started in Morocco, spread throughout North Africa, southern
Spain and to the many Moroccan restaurants all over the world.

“The first glass is as bitter as life, the second glass is as strong as love,
the third glass is as gentle as death,” says the proverb. Moroccan mint tea is
a favorite among many people outside of Morocco because of its strong and sweet
taste.

In fact, Morocco is the only country in the Arab world that was not part of the
Ottoman Empire. The Turks successfully spread coffee culture throughout the Arab
world and gave the tea a very minor role. Without the Ottoman influence, Morocco
held on to its tea culture, setting it apart from the rest of the Arab world.
Even though coffee can be offered in Morocco, it has a French style and taste,
unlike Turkish coffee.

In the Arab world, mint tea is only served after a meal; however, Moroccan tea
is served throughout the day due to its popularity. Moroccans take special pride
in their green mint tea culture. While being served everywhere, from small
gatherings to big ones like weddings, restaurants and even at home, Moroccan tea
is ceremoniously prepared in front of guests at formal occasions. In Morocco,
green tea is a sign of hospitality friendship, and tradition and is always
served when there are guests over, so it is impolite to refuse it.

Moroccans use a special kind of green tea known as "gunpowder" tea. “When the
green tea leaves are harvested, the leaves are rolled into tiny balls and
dried,” explained Fatima Al-Zahraa, a tea specialist and owner of a teashop in
Marrakech. “Green tea has strong antioxidant elements, and it is also very
high in caffeine, so it definitely gives you a healthy energetic boost and
refreshing taste.”
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


KUWAIT

Kuwait’s opposition hails govt resignation
By ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 28, 2011 23:45 Updated: Nov 28, 2011 23:45

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article540032.ece

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Monday accepted the
resignation of the government, the seventh Cabinet to step down in five years,
over a bitter dispute with Parliament, official media said.

The emir asked Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and his
Cabinet to remain in a caretaker role.

Opposition MPs, who have been at loggerheads with Sheikh Nasser over charges he
failed to manage the wealthy state, welcomed the resignation. They called for
the formation of a transitional government with a new premier before Parliament
is dissolved.

The resignation came one day ahead of a scheduled questioning in Parliament of
the prime minister over an alleged corruption scandal involving a number of MPs
and on charges of misusing public funds.

It also came hours before a planned mass rally later on Monday by the
opposition.

'Halal Whisky', Non-alcoholic Beverage by Scottish Distillers Appalls World
by Nancy Needhima on  November 06, 2011 at 7:02 PM

http://www.medindia.net/news/Halal-Whisky-Non-alcoholic-Beverage-by-Scottish-Dis\
tillers-Appalls-World-92998-1.htm

First of its kind alcohol-free ’halal whisky’, is out on sale heralding the
party season.

ArKay, the world’s first alcohol-free whisky, will be sold worldwide from Dec
1, and is said to look and taste just like traditional whisky.

It has been declared as Halal certified, which opens up the markets in Muslim
countries and the Middle East.

Whisky distillers in Scotland are said to be in a state of revolt over the
’alcohol free’ creation.

"It is not possible to make alcohol-free whisky," the Daily Mail quoted a
spokesman for the Scotch Whisky Association as saying.

"This company is trying to exploit whisky’s reputation with highly
irresponsible marketing," the spokesman added.

A Florida-based company called Scottish Spirits Ltd manufactures the
non-alcoholic whisky in its Panama factories, and will be priced at 10 pounds a
bottle and 4 pounds for a can.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

China eyes bigger share in halal food market
20 November 2011, Sunday / ABDULLAH BOZKURT, YINCHUAN

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-263401-china-eyes-bigger-share-in-halal-food-mar\
ket.html

In north-central China's autonomous region of Ningxia, where 2.2 million Chinese
Hui Muslims live, the halal food industry is rapidly developing to cater to the
needs of Muslims in China with a keen interest to increase China's share in the
world's $150 billion halal food market.

The region was selected by the central government in Beijing as the production
base for Muslim food due to local resources and regional advantages because of
the large Muslim community. Ningxia generated 16 billion yuan ($2.5 billion)
worth of halal food in 2010, up from 14 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) in 2009 with
an increase of 14 percent. Both the central government in Beijing as well as the
region's provincial government support Muslim businesses with the hope that the
export market share of the Chinese halal industry would increase in the future.
The Ningxia region exported only $10 million worth of halal-certified foods and
beverage products last year, which officials say is too low.

Since the market is underdeveloped, there are huge benefits for new startup
companies in the region. Take for example the Yishun Yuan Agriculture and Trade
Company in Ningxia. The company, owned by the Yishun Group, started its
operations in the region in October 2010 with a 200 million yuan investment.
“We have generated a turnover of 200 million yuan since, and we are not even
at full capacity yet,” Di Yanqi, the company's owner and chairman, told
Today's Zaman. “We are planning to increase turnover to 700 million yuan
within two years' time,” he added.

The Yishun Yuan Agriculture and Trade Company is already a market leader in the
halal meat industry in the region with over 50 percent of the share. It employs
240 people in an integrated-meat processing plant on 14.6 hectares of land in
the Desheng Industrial Park, located between the Yellow River and the Helan
Mountain. It maintains a total of 38.1 hectares of separate breeding grounds for
livestock, raising both cattle and sheep. The success of the Yishun Yuan
Agriculture and Trade Company comes from the parent company Yishun Group, which
already owns three subsidiaries in the Inner Mongolia region. It has meat
processing, fur and textile companies.

The certification was checked rigorously by the Islamic Association of China,
which keeps a full-time imam at the production facility and on the company's
payroll. “I need to recite prayers every time a cow or sheep is about to get
slaughtered to comply with halal standards,” imam Yaqube Ma told Today's
Zaman. The company also needs to abide by the rules set by the Ningxia
International Trade Center to maintain International Halal Food Certification.
“We already meet the HAACP [Food Safety Management System Certification] and
ISO9001 [Quality Management System Certification] standards,” Yanqi
underlined.

However, 47-year-old Yanqi notes the rising food costs, saying he has to pass
expenses on to his customers eventually. “Corn prices have gone up 20 percent
since last year, while hay prices jumped 25 percent,” he said, adding that
input prices began to increase by the end of 2010.

Nevertheless, the prices are still very competitive compared to other countries.
While the price of 15 kilograms of lamb costs 500 yuan ($78) in Ningxia, a
similar amount of lamb costs TL 360 ($197) in İstanbul, the largest city in
Turkey. The added value for the processed lamb goes as high as 2,500 to 3,000
yuan. Yanqi's company exports 60 percent of its processed halal foods to
countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. “I'm looking for market opportunities
in Turkey as well,” he said.

The Ningxia region has developed its own regulations and legislation to support
the halal food industry and officials are doing everything they can to increase
the region's potential. In the last five years, there have been halal food
festivals in Ningxia to promote the industry. More than 2,000 small and big
companies are involved in the halal food and Islamic products market, while 300
patents were approved for companies involved in halal businesses. Ningxia's
autonomous government has set up a logistics center in Dubai to help the
region's companies connect with international partners. Officials say Ningxia
companies exported 354.2 tons of halal beef and lamb products in 2010.

Yanqi said they also work with embassy officials from Muslim countries and can
easily cater to their special requirements if necessary. “Muslim countries'
embassy staff in Beijing is welcome to examine our production facilities and our
processes,” he noted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Thanksgiving, why hate halal?
Published: Friday, November 25, 2011, 12:05 PM
By Dr. Aref Assaf/NJ Voices

http://blog.nj.com/dr_aref_assaf/2011/11/on_thanksgiving_why_hate_halal.html

Muslim hater, Pam Geller is a hate-stuffed turkey.

On this year's Thanksgiving Day, I thanked God for a lot of the good and bad
things with which I've been blessed. I especially thanked God for the
realizations that there is only one Pamela Geller; I cannot imagine life with
two or three of her ilk.
An Internet blogger and Islam-hater, Ms. Geller has spewed her venomous poison
by warning Americans not to eat turkey meat by the brand name, Butterball,
simply because it is certified halal. Halal in some fashion is like Kosher: it
is the acceptable form of slaughtering animals within the system of dietary
constraints that observant Muslims must follow. In a column on The American
Thinker, Ms. Geller is outraged that not only those halal meats are already
prevalent throughout most of the meat industry, but also now, they have even
infiltrated the popular frozen turkey producer Butterball. She went as far as
calling for the boycott of the company's turkey.
Ms. Geller is joined by other Islamophobes. Robert Spencer called this
revelation "shocking" on his Jihad Watch blog - and she even set up the "Boycott
Butterball Turkey" Facebook page, which so far has about 900 "likes." Geller
prods supporters to "keep calling and writing. All Halal should be labeled." And
anti-Islam, anti-bear activist Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association
tweeted this warning on Tuesday: "Be advised: every single Butterball turkey
sold in America this Thanksgiving has been sacrificed to Allah first." In
addition, there is the site Bare Naked Islam which provided this "WARNING" for
its subscribers: "ALL 'BUTTERBALL' TURKEYS ARE HALAL-SLAUGHTER CERTIFIED. JUST
IN TIME FOR THANKSGIVING. I have just learned that the turkeys so many Americans
enjoy for the holidays are certified Islamic-blessed, halal-slaughtered birds."
Ms. Geller is getting away with her bestial attacks on Islam and Muslims. This
latest manifestation would not have gone unpunished had she replaced the word
halal with kosher, the term that describes a regime of laws governing the
dietary requirements of observant Jews. She would be promptly labeled an
anti-Semite (and possibly, a self-hating Jew) and would be forced to recant. But
American Muslims have not achieved the political and financial maturity of
American Jews to extract such a punishment. The fact that so few have 'Liked"
her Facebook appeal, demonstrates how her extremist views are removed from
mainstream America.
The requirements for halal slaughtering are remarkably close to those found in a
kosher regime. First, the animal must be in the halal category, i.e. an
herbivore or the birds identified in the Koran. Second, the individual
performing the slaughter must be an adult Muslim. Third, the name of God must be
pronounced at the moment of slaughter. Finally, the throat must be cut in a
manner that brings about complete and fast bleeding which would result in the
most rapid death. The agreed-upon method for fulfilling this last condition is
to cut three of the four main passages, i.e. jugulars, esophagus, trachea, and
carotids.
Worldwide, halal meat production is dominated by non-Muslim countries such as
Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, India, New Zealand, UK, and USA.
The non-Muslim world is effectively supplying the Muslim world with Halal meat,
making this market a truly global concern.
One noticeable trend is that many meat producers are deciding to do away with a
dual slaughtering process. Producing non-halal meat is becoming increasing
perceived as irrelevant. The Muslims insist on halal, and the rest of the world
seems happy enough (save a few) to eat it as well, so why bother with non-halal
slaughter?
Halal foods while similar to kosher foods are not identical. For one, kosher
permits alcohol and forbids shelled fish. Islam forbids alcohol and permits all
sea creatures. Until recently, American Muslims have considered kosher foods to
be a permitted food in the absence of Halal-certified foods. I, I like many
Muslims, do consume kosher-labeled foods every day. Whether it is my cola drink,
gum stick,  "Hebrew National" hot dog or occasional pastrami, I see no sinister
conspiracy to force Judaism down my throat.
Halal is fast becoming a new market identifier, a new market structure. As this
trend increases and strengthens, we are likely to see the call for some form of
standardization of procedures and certification methodologies. Where Geller may
be correct is the issue of labeling products. But she is not the Ralph Nader
type consumer advocate. And that's where I part with her Islamophobic fear
mongering.
I as a concerned consumer demand and expect accurate labeling of foods I
consume. In a sense, Butterball cannot claim it is selling halal foods because
the turkeys are not labeled as such. If they were labeled halal-certified, the
turkeys would have undergone a very strict set of requirement not only dealing
with the slaughtering method. Islam requires that for any food to be permitted
(halal), it must be freshly killed, not injured or sick and its feed contains no
impure ingredients. The halal certified meats and foods thus extract a higher
premium because of these requirements.
Halal food is a growing industry not only in the US but also all over the world.
Recent statistic put the halal market volume at well over $14 billion in the US
alone. (The worldwide halal meat market is estimated at around $630 billion.)
With a population of close to 8 million, American Muslims are increasingly
demanding clear mandates to protect their rights as consumers. Because as an
observant Muslim, I am used to paying more for halal-certified foods. This fact
has enticed many greedy merchants to mislabel their products as halal. When this
practice is uncovered, the relevant consumer agencies are notified, fines would
be levied, and even licenses suspended. But enforcement is not uniform and in
some states it does not exist. New Jersey has led the nation in 2000 by enacting
laws that govern the marketing of halal foods. No the State is not becoming an
agent of Islam and the Establishment Clause is not  being compromised. Like
kosher laws, the state
  was responding to consumer demands to that, like selling prescriptions drugs or
beef, the seller clearly indicates all the relevant and law mandated details.
The silly outrage about halal turkeys is misplaced and in many ways dilutes the
true spirit of Thanksgiving. If you have eaten a truly halal-certified turkey,
be thankful: you have eaten a well-fed and humanely killed bird. The rampage is
meritless and truly exposes the hate with which the heart of Pam Geller is
stuffed.
Update: (Watch this video)
Dr. Aref Assaf, president of American Arab Forum, a think tank specializing in
Arab and Muslim American affairs. www.aafusa.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Stealth Halal Jihadist Turkey: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying & Love the
Muslim Trojan Horse
Wajahat Ali
Posted Nov 24, 2011

http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/the-stealth-halal-jihadis\
t-turkey-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-love-th/0018879
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halal and kosher hit by Dutch ban
6 November 2011 Last updated at 04:05

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15610142

[VIDEO]
Next month the Dutch parliament is expected to approve a ban on halal and kosher
methods of slaughtering animals for food.

Those who proposed the ban say it is simply an issue of animal welfare, but it
received strong support from the right-wing Freedom Party.

Many see it as a violation of their religious freedom, and among the Jewish
community it is a worrying echo of a similar ban brought in by Hitler.

Anna Holligan reports from The Hague.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE QUEEN HOSTS A HALAL STATE BANQUET
Wednesday November 23,2011
By Richard Palmer Royal Correspondent

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/285456/The-Queen-hosts-a-halal-state-banquet

THE Queen held a halal state banquet at Buckingham Palace for Turkish President
Abdullah Gul tonight and promised British backing for his country's bid to join
the European Union.
She celebrated ever-closer political and economic ties between the two nations,
despite concerns over allowing the predominantly Asian and Muslim country into
the EU.

"We have come through a great deal together to develop what is, today, a very
modern partnership," she said. "In Europe, the British Government remains
committed to working with you to secure your place in the European Union.".

The 85-year-old monarch and 170 British and Turkish guests sat down to a
completely halal state banquet of lamb from the royal estate at Windsor in the
palace ballroom.

"It's a matter of politeness that it's halal. The President and his wife are
guests of the Queen. We wouldn't do a separate menu for them so everyone eats
the same," a palace spokeswoman said.

Meat used at similar banquets for the King of Saudi Arabia in 2007 and the Emir
of Qatar last year were also slaughtered in a traditional Islamic way to ensure
they too were halal.

Guests tonight were still offered a selection of fine wines, however.

Earlier in the day, Turkey's First Lady, Hayrunnisa Gul, caught the eye,
towering over the Queen and Prince Philip in
stylish ankle boots with 6in platform heels.

They matched her dove-grey outfit and trademark Islamic headscarf.

She sought to portray herself as the elegant face of modern, moderate Islam as
she and her husband began a three-day state visit to Britain.

Mrs Gul, 46, is a figure of controversy in Turkey because her decision to wear
the headscarf is seen by critics as a symbol of political Islam and an attack on
the country’s secularist tradition.

But she and her husband seemed relaxed as they enjoyed the hospitality at
Buckingham Palace after receiving a ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade.

The Queen and Prince Philip toured Turkey in March 2008, only four months after
a visit by Prince Charles and Camilla, reflecting the importance attached by
cross-party leaders to the relationship between the two nations.

Britain, which believes Turkey is set to become an economic powerhouse in the
next few decades, supports the country’s efforts to join the European Union,
despite opposition led by France, and has strengthened political and economic
ties in the last four years.

Trade with Turkey increased by 26.3 per cent in the first nine months of
2011.The two countries are united in concern over human rights abuses by Syrian
President Bashar Al Assad against his own people The Duchess of Cornwall pulled
out of helping to host the state visit, blaming a heavy cold. "She's losing her
voice," an aide said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Muslims outraged by claim of fake halal meat
Anaheim Super King Market paid $527,000, but money doesn’t go to people who
bought the meat.
Published: Nov. 28, 2011 Updated: 4:15 p.m.
By ERIC CARPENTER / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

http://www.ocregister.com/news/meat-329041-market-halal.html

ANAHEIM – Local Muslims who read a Register story about a District Attorney's
Office investigation that determined an Anaheim market was falsely selling meat
as halal said they are outraged and considering legal action.
Last week, the Orange County D.A.'s office announced that it had obtained a
$527,000 settlement against Anaheim Super King Market, at 10500 Magnolia Ave.,
after investigators determined that the market was incorrectly advertising and
selling generic meat and mixed meats as halal.

Calling meat halal indicates that it was slaughtered in a specific way, in
accordance with Islamic Law.
"I'm shocked by it. My whole family is very disappointed," said Sam Chouche, 23,
of Anaheim who shopped at the store. "It specifies in the Quran that you must
eat meat in a certain way, that you shouldn't eat meat killed inhumanely. It's
our faith."
At least a dozen people called or emailed the Register to express outrage.
"We just cannot believe this," said Shakeel Ahmed of Anaheim. "It's very
disgusting, and all (of my) family is very upset – so upset that we throw up
and cry."
Several people said they had meat from Anaheim Super King stored in their
freezers that must be destroyed. The investigation began in early 2010.
Anaheim Super King Market didn't admit fault. Market officials did not return
phone calls on Monday seeking comment.
The market now must only purchase meat that is clearly labeled halal on the
invoice and packaging and must ensure that halal meat is properly segregated.
The settlement money doesn't go to individual victims, because it would be too
difficult to determine who exactly was victimized, a D.A.'s spokeswoman has
said. Instead, the money goes into a fund to help prosecute fraud cases.
Several Muslims said they should be entitled to compensation and are considering
filing claims.
Contact the writer: 714-704-3769 or ecarpenter@...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halal not just for Muslims anymore
Published: July 17, 2011 at 4:20 AM
By MARCELLA S. KREITER

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Consumer-Corner/2011/07/17/Consumer-Corner-Hala\
l-not-just-for-Muslims-anymore/UPI-82501310890800/

CHICAGO, July 17 (UPI) -- With the annual Ramadan celebration just two weeks
away, practicing Muslims this year have more alternatives for breaking the
monthlong daily fast -- a line of prepared foods from Saffron Road that meet
halal strictures.

The Stamford, Conn., company produces 15 items -- 12 of them frozen and three
broths that can be consumed alone or used as a base for more elaborate fare. All
but the vegetable broth are meat-related.

The company currently has revenues of less than $6 million annually but
Executive Vice President Jack Acree said it is growing exponentially. Currently,
Saffron Road employs eight and contracts out production and packaging.

"Halal is the foundation of what we are as a brand," said Acree, who describes
the operation as "an American company that produces halal products rather than a
halal company."

"Our line is the first natural halal-certified products available nationwide."

Acree, who is not Muslim but has experience in launching premium products like
Terra chips, said the halal industry is where kosher was in the early 1950s
before there was any kind of national certification process and when much of
what was available was produced only on a local or regional basis.

"We're pioneering halal in the United States," he said, adding the company hopes
to make its products appealing to a wider audience as companies like Hebrew
National ("We answer to a higher power") have made kosher a commonplace thing in
many non-Jewish kitchens.

"Halal is more forgiving than kosher in a lot of respects," Acree said, adding
the company has received numerous comments on Facebook and through direct
contact expressing gratitude for prepared halal meat products. "They were
primarily eating vegetarian dishes. … It might be easier for them to find a
halal restaurant but when they're looking for a prepared meal, it's been very
limited. The crossover to kosher, to vegetarian is there."

Like Jewish dietary laws, Muslim dietary laws exclude the consumption of pork
products and animal blood, except in emergencies. Halal products also must not
contain any alcohol and like kosher meat, animals must be slaughtered in
accordance with strict ritual.

Acree said the animals used for halal slaughter must be humanely raised, given
no antibiotics and fed strictly a vegetarian diet.

"Halal is not only about religious slaughter but really about the entire life
cycle of the animal. It is given respect from the minute it's born," he said.

Saffron Road's biggest retail partner currently is Whole Foods and the company
has plans to expand to other chains.

"It didn't happen strictly because we were halal (the association with Whole
Foods). It was because our chickens are humanely raised, no antibiotics and that
sort of thing. Many of the items are gluten-free. It resonates across the
spectrum of natural foods consumers. They look at kosher as a safer option when
it comes to meat. We look to educate them to parallels with halal. … What we
are selling is good-tasting food," Acree said.

Acree speculated there's been no real push for halal because the Muslim
community is so diverse, not nearly as cohesive as the U.S. Jewish community,
which came largely from Eastern Europe, most around World War II.

"What we're looking to do is move halal out of halal shops and into the
supermarkets where the vast majority of Muslims want to shop," Acree said.

"Second and third generation Muslims in the U.S. identify themselves as
Americans first and Muslims second. We're making an American product that is
halal certified."

Acree said he sees the current line as a stepping stone and hopes to expand the
line next year into ingredients halal cooks can use to prepare more elaborate
meals.

"We really believe in the concept of people sitting down at the dinner table,"
he said. "We don't expect people to cook the way they did 20 to 30 years ago.
What we hope to provide are timesavers."

Saffron Road products currently are available at 2,000 locations, including
Whole Foods. Acree said the company hopes to expand to 4,000 by the end of the
year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mexico's Tzotzil Indians convert to Islam
By Sofia Miselem (AFP) – Nov 3, 2011

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gxSW-iziKthNvGV1A_db-cIIIwvw?\
docId=CNG.e423a3fd012d67b0e15204cd3cffed5a.391

SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico — Raised a Christian, Manuel Gomez now goes
by Mohamed Chechev, and counts himself among a handful of Tzotzil Indians
converted to Islam by Spaniards in southern Mexico.
"I am Muslim. I know the truth. I pray five times a day, celebrate Ramadan and
have traveled to Mecca," Chechev said in rudimentary Spanish.
He lives in a mainly Protestant community in Chiapas called Nueva Esperanza on
the outskirts of San Cristobal de las Casas, where he shares a modest house with
19 relatives and sells vegetables he grows on a plot of land.
Biblical references abound in Nueva Esperanza, with streets named Bethlehem and
Damascus and a quarter called Palestine. But it is also home to some 300
Tzotzils, indigenous peoples of Mayan origin, who have converted to Islam and
live in harmony with the rest of the population.
According to anthropologist Gaspar Morquecho, the 330,000 Tzotzil people of the
Chiapas region have a history of changing religions, after the forced imposition
of Catholicism at the height of the Spanish colonization in the 16th century
although very few have become Muslims.
In the interior courtyard of the home, Chechev's wife Noora (born Juana) and his
daughter-in-law Sharifa (Pascuala) swept and cleaned laundry. They wore long
dresses and a veil covered their hair.
Noora is the daughter of a Protestant indigenous leader who was driven out of
San Juan Chamula, a nearby town where the Institutional Revolutionary Party and
Catholicism reigned supreme, with dozens of other families in 1961.
"In Chamula, not being Catholic or a PRI party member was a crime. They were
also angry because Protestants stopped drinking alcohol, one of the main local
businesses," said Susana Hernandez, who lives in the neighborhood.
Some indigenous people have been sharply critical of Catholics for identifying
too closely with the Institutional Revolutionary Party which ruled Mexico for 70
years.
And Chechev followed in the footsteps of another indigenous leader, Domingo
Lopes, who was an official at an Adventist church before converting to Islam,
introduced to the region by the Marabutin movement which moved to Mexico from
Spain in 1993 in a bid to create a self-sufficient community.
The Marabutin sect is a hangover from the days when Spain was part of the Muslim
empire for some seven centuries.
A few steps from Chechev's home is a three-story building housing a madrassa,
with a school, workshops and a prayer center run the Murabitun World Movement, a
Sufi community founded in 1968 by a Scottish convert to Islam that now has
offshoots in many parts of the world.
Mexico is 83 percent Catholic, but Chiapas state, with a population of some 4.5
million inhabitants, has the least numbers of practicing Catholics, according to
the 2010 census.
Aurelanio Perez, a Spanish convert known as the Emir Mustafa, founded the
Marabutin community in Chiapas and found converts among the Tzotzils.
Chechev speaks the Tzotzil dialect, but can neither read nor write Spanish. And
yet, learning prayers in Arabic only took him a couple of months.
"Our prophet Mohammed could neither read nor write. I may not be able to read,
but I can recite the holy Koran. It's a miracle to be able to enter Islam. Allah
is merciful. He teaches us everything and gives us everything that comes from
him," Chechev added.
He knows the prophet's hadith, or collection of accounts of what Mohammed said
and did, and says he follows the five pillars of Islam: creed (shahada), daily
prayers (salat), fasting during Ramadan (Sawm), charity (zakat) and the
pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).
Chechev traveled to the heart of Islam, in Saudi Arabia, in 1998 with the help
of Emir Mustapha. Some of Chechev's relatives, including his wife, also made the
trip.
"Aureliano told me that if we accept Allah, we need to visit the house of Allah.
It was like a dream, we were all dressed in white. There were white, black,
brown people, but it didn't matter. We were all equal," he said.
Noora's face lit up as soon as she heard about Mecca.
"When I went there, I felt proud of Islam, of being a Muslim. We ask Allah for a
mosque. Inshallah, if God wishes, it will come," she said.
Noora was hopeful that her son, Ibrahim (Anastacio), will become an imam.
Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Latino Muslims Define Their Identity 10 Years After 9/11
First Posted: 09/ 9/11 08:43 AM ET

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/07/latino-muslims-identity-911_n_952601.ht\
ml

It has been 10 years since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, but many Latino Muslims
say there is still a lack of understanding about their religion and its
practices.

A 2007 study conducted by the Pew Research Center showed that Latino Muslims
accounted for an estimated 4 percent out of a total of about 2.5 million Muslims
living in the U.S. But a look at the individuals behind those numbers reveals a
group of people who say they have become ambassadors for Islam despite the
common stereotypes they say are still leveled by many in the U.S.

According to the Pew findings recounted in a 2011 report, while 40 percent of
the U.S. population believed Muslims in the U.S. support extremism, only 21
percent of U.S. Muslims said there is support for extremism among them in the
U.S.

“The first misconception is to associate violence with Islam,” said Wilfredo
Amr Ruiz, a Muslim chaplain and attorney born in Puerto Rico. “Another
misconception is that somehow Islam aspires to some sort of world domination,
and that his followers want to impose Islamic Law in the countries in which they
live, which couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Ken Godoy, a 32-year-old Muslim of Mexican descent who was born in East Los
Angeles and is a volunteer at the Masjid Omar AlFarouk of Anaheim mosque in
Orange County, said new immigrants often convert because they feel protected
among Islamic communities and are dissatisfied with the dogma and hierarchy of
other religions.

“In California, much like the rest of the country, Muslim Latinos have become
ambassadors of our religion,” Godoy added. “Our goal is not to convert
people, but to share the message of Islam -- the Dawah.”

Others say they are attracted to the religion because of the core principles of
Islam. Martha Kadiha, who was born in Mexico, said she first became interested
in the Muslim world after studying in England. She now worships at the Omar Ibn
al-Khattab mosque on Exposition Boulevard in Los Angeles.

“What attracted me to Islam was how the women are treated,” said Kadiha, a
member of the Association of Latino Muslims in Los Angeles. “It’s a very
clean treatment, where the emphasis of Islam focuses on family, piety and the
clearly defined roles and values women have.”

“Before embracing Islam, I lived in a very Catholic home,” she added. “I
have a sister who is a Discalced Carmelite nun.”

Munira Syeda, a spokeswoman for the Council of American Islamic Relations in Los
Angeles, agreed that many Latinos convert to Islam because of the religion's
values.

“Latino Muslims emphasize family values, respect for elders and community
life,” Seyda said. “Furthermore, religion plays a dominant role for us."

“Among Latinos, that characteristic has contributed to a better understanding
of the faith and the Islamic followers,” she added. “That has resulted in
greater cooperation and bridge-building on issues such as homelessness and
petitioning for immigration reform.”

The spread of Islam to Latinos has continued steadily since 9/11, according to
Ali Khan, director of the American Muslim Council of Chicago. Khan stimated that
there are 200,000 Hispanics who practice the religion in the U.S.

“I was raised in a Catholic school, but I converted to Islam 43 years ago,”
said Yusef Maisonet, 60, of Puerto Rico and a member of the Islamic Alliance
“El Barrio” in New York. “Islam opened my eyes to not only understanding
my culture and studying my ancestry, but also to discover my spirituality and
understand that there is no other deity with the right to be worshipped except
God -- and that Muhammad is the messenger of God.”

According to a January 2011 study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life,
population growth among Muslims throughout the world is 1.5 percent a year --
twice that of non-Muslims at 0.7 percent. Muslims accounted for 23.4 percent of
the world's population in 2010, and the Pew Forum estimates that in 20 years
that number will climb to 26.4 percent. According to a separate analysis by Pew,
there will be 6.2 million Muslims in America by 2030 -- up from 2.6 million in
2010.

However, for many practitioners of the Islamic faith in the U.S., the rise in
their population has clashed with a backlash against Muslims following 9/11.

“The September 11 terror attacks 10 years ago tainted the image of Islam,”
said Ruiz, the Muslim chaplain and attorney from Puerto Rico. “Muslims are
used as political footballs.”

He predicted that there will be more emphasis on Islamophobic rhetoric as the
2012 elections approach, “because it’s part of extreme political
xenophobes’ dedicated agenda to focus all their artillery against the Muslim
community.”

“The Koran condemns any terrorist act, and we Latino Muslims know that,” he
added. “And whoever says to kill in the name of Allah is a liar.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islam takes root in land of mini-bikinis and Carnival
By Claire de Oliveira (AFP) – Aug 20, 2011

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hKCIDHnvNBclf6BDY8UHzTbwIDtg?\
docId=CNG.5dc84d595eeec29cf9eeafbc0d90f3a7.311

RIO DE JANEIRO — "As-salam aleikum!" Omar greeted worshippers as he entered
Mesquita da Luz, Rio's first mosque where he had just broken his Ramadan fast at
dusk.
Those are some of the only words Omar knows in Arabic, and he quickly continued
his conversation in Portuguese with fellow Muslims who mostly, like him,
converted recently to Islam in the world's biggest Catholic country.
In a land known more for its mini-bikinis and extravagant Carnival featuring
scantily clad women, a small but growing number of Brazilians of various
backgrounds call themselves Muslim.
For decades, it was primarily families of Libyan, Palestinian and Syrian descent
who practiced Islam in Brazil.
Omar, who until just four years ago officiated as Catholic priest at a local
church, explained why he embraced Islam.
"I found in Islam everything I had always looked for. I met God as he is, with
no adaptation," the 34-year-old graphic designer told AFP.
Wearing a traditional long djellaba robe, he refused to give his official name,
instead only revealing his Muslim one: Omar Israfil Dawud bin Ibrahim.
"At the seminary, you learn that Islam is one of the monotheistic religions.
There is no prejudice against this religion," said Omar as he stood by his wife
Alessandra Faria, who goes by the name "Fatima" after converting and deciding to
wear the veil.
"In the beginning, my mother was mortified at the thought of going outside with
me. I wear the veil to show I am Muslim and aware that I am part of a minority,"
she said.
Fatima's hijab may raise eyebrows in Rio, where it is more common to see women
walking the streets in bikinis in seaside neighborhoods, but she says her
beliefs can find a place here.
"Brazil is a mix, made up of several different cultures. This mix makes
Brazilians very adaptable and tolerant."
Like most practicing Muslims here, Omar and Fatima are only recent converts to
Islam. They plan to travel to Saudi Arabia next year on a Saudi government grant
to learn Arabic.
Renovations on the mosque they attend in the suburb of Tijuca north of Rio got
under way four years ago with donations from worshippers. It will soon hold up
to 400 people during prayers, a major upgrade.
"The number of Muslims continues to grow, and most are Brazilians who are
converting. We recruit members mostly online," said Sami Isbelle, a spokesman
for the Beneficent Muslim Society (SBMRJ).
"In Rio, there are about 500 Muslim families, 85 percent of them Brazilian
converts who have no Arab links," Isbelle said.
Things are different in Sao Paulo state and southern regions of Brazil, where
most Muslims were born as such and are often of Arab descent.
Brazil's census does not count the number of Muslims, and only provides data on
Catholics, evangelicals, Jews, spiritualists and followers of Afro-Brazilian
religions.
"Muslims are listed in the 'other' category, along with Buddhists, for example,
said Islam expert Paulo Pinto of Fuminense Federal University, who estimated
Brazil is home to about a million Muslims.
The best indicator of the growth of Islam in the country is the rapid increase
in the number of places of worship, according to Pinto. There are now 127
mosques, four times as many as there were back in 2000.
After the September 11 attacks in the United States, "there was a growth of
interest in Islam, and many people decided to convert," Pinto added. "Islam was
seen as a new form of resistance."
But it was a "telenovela" or soap opera launched just three weeks after the 2001
attacks, "The Clone," that sparked some Brazilians' infatuation with Islam.
Set in Morocco, the popular show showed a "positive imagine of that part of the
world, with a benevolent Muslim hero," said Pinto.
"There is a tendency to think that Brazilian culture, as liberal and sensual as
it is, is against the rules of Islam. But in fact, there are many conservative
rules that are part of moral and sexual control. Look at how many evangelicals
are successful in Brazil!"
Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islam in Bible Belt
By: GINA LOGUE, glogue@...
Posted: Sunday, August 21, 2011 6:33 am

http://www.murfreesboropost.com/islam-in-bible-belt-cms-28223

Islam in Middle Tennessee is being cussed and discussed, but do we really
understand what we’re saying?

To make things clearer for the news media, and, ultimately, for the public, the
MTSU School of Journalism will sponsor “Covering Islam in the Bible Belt,” a
conference for journalists, Aug. 21-23 at the Freedom Forum First Amendment
Center, 1201 Eighth Ave. S. in Nashville.

Its purpose is to help journalists who report on issues involving Muslims with
access to experts and resources they can use to give their work new breadth and
depth.

“Training in the background of what Islam is and some of these issues could be
very helpful to a lot of journalists, especially those working in smaller
newsrooms in media outlets in what’s typically called the Bible Belt or the
South,” says Phil Loubere, assistant professor of visual communication.

Loubere wrote the proposal that helped MTSU obtain a grant from the Robert R.
McCormick Foundation to fund the gathering.

To bring the public into the discussion, a forum is slated for 7:30 p.m. Monday,
Aug. 22, at the First Amendment Center. The topic will be the potential
application of Shariah law in the United States.

At the journalists’ conference, Dr. Lawrence Pintak, founding dean of the
Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University, will
provide his assessment of the overall quality of coverage.

One roundtable will feature Montgomery Advertiser executive editor Wanda Lloyd,
Commercial Appeal editor Chris Peck and Tennessean Publisher Emeritus John
Seigenthaler attempting to dissect the history of diversity and civil rights in
the South and assess how the Muslim community fits into that chronicle.

Adding their expertise will be Dr. Jason Reineke, associate director of the MTSU
Poll, and Dr. Ron Messier, professor emeritus of history and a frequent traveler
to the Middle East.

Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News, and Asma Uddin, founder and
editor-in-chief of allmuslmah.com will explain what Islam is and isn’t.

“There isn’t any central Islam authority that determines what Shariah law
is,” says Loubere. “It’s different in every country, and it’s more a
reflection of that country’s culture than anything that’s written in the
Koran.”

What concerns Loubere is that, in attempting to be fair, some reporters are
establishing a false equivalency by printing opposing viewpoints that have no
basis in fact.

“What responsible journalism should be doing is investigating these claims
before reporting them as a valid side of an argument,” Loubere asserts.

Journalists confront a variety of obstacles – the mad dash to provide accurate
information under deadline pressure, the budget cuts and personnel reductions
that have stretched news agencies almost to the breaking point, the reluctance
to go back to the same one or two people for quotes every time something
happens.

“What you’re supposed to be doing is presenting facts and letting the
readers decide on their own,” says Loubere.

For more information, send Loubere an e-mail at coveringislam@....

If you go to coveringislam.com, you’ll find links to a variety of news
stories, editorials and think-tank reports on the subject that will prove quite
enlightening.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More at:
http://www.islamawareness.net/Fastest/

Republicans and Israel: Too much love can kill you
Republicans are saying they'll attack Iran for Israel's sake - this might not
only prove to be 'bad for the Jews' in the long run, but could also come back to
haunt the Republicans themselves.
By Chemi Shalev
Published 11:56 28.11.11

http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/west-of-eden/republicans-and-israel-too-much-love-c\
an-kill-you-1.398258

In the first Gulf War in 1991 and once again in the war against Iraq in 2003,
Israel was asked by the U.S. administration to maintain a “low profile," in
order to avoid the perception that America was fighting with Israel, or on its
behalf. Both George Bushes, senior and junior, considered it prudent to relegate
Israel to the sidelines – even when it was under direct attack, as was the
case in 1991 - in order to help establish international coalitions and to
maintain public support for the war, especially in the Muslim world. In both
cases, Israel complied.

Of course, such precautions won’t be relevant if a Republican-led U.S.
administration should ever contemplate attacking Iran in order to prevent it
from obtaining nuclear weapons. After all, the contenders for the Republican
presidential nomination - with the glaring exception of the neo-isolationist Ron
Paul - are on record as saying that if America attacks Iran, it will be, first
and foremost, in order to “save Israel," as Texas Governor Rick Perry framed
it. Professors Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer can already add a brief
appendix to their highly-controversial 2007 book “The Israel Lobby and U.S.
Foreign Policy” that will contain a transcript of last week’s CNN Republican
foreign policy debate, followed by the letters QED – “which was to be
demonstrated.”

Herman Cain said the U.S. would “join Israel” in attacking Iran, as long as
the Israelis came up with a credible plan; Newt Gingrich said the U.S. would
bomb Tehran only as a “last recourse” but would be happy to team up with
Israel in a “conventional” attack; Michele Bachmann has already indicated
that the Pentagon should present “war plans” in order to rescue “millions
of Israelis who are on the precipice of losing their lives”; Rick Perry said
“if we're going to be serious about saving Israel, we better get serious about
Syria and Iran”; Rick Santorum made up for lost time in the debate by
declaring later, “I’d be working with Israel and be very clear with Iran
that we are preparing a military strike"; Mitt Romney thinks that the answer to
Iran is to go to Israel “to show the world we care about that country and that
region”; and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman, usually the most cautious
Republican debater on matters
  of foreign policy, said “our interest is to ensure that Israel - that Iran
does not go nuclear. Our interest in the Middle East is Israel.”

Not Saudi Arabia. Not the Gulf emirates. Not the Maghreb. Not the Horn of
Africa. Not a stable Iraq. Not a moderate Egypt. Not the free flow of oil. Not
containment of China and Russia. Not Islamic moderation, not even the fight
against jihadist terrorism. Just Israel.

Of course, one can well understand why many Jews and Israelis might kvell -
Yiddish for beam with joy - at such blanket, unequivocal expressions of love and
support for Israel, especially at a time when the saying “the whole world is
against us” has become a widely-accepted axiom and President Obama is
perceived by many as being indifferent to Israeli interests, at best, if not
actually hostile, at worst. But “too much love will kill you”, as Queen’s
Brian May once wrote, and these protestations of absolute devotion may come back
one day to haunt not only Jews and Israel, but also the Republicans themselves.

As the flurry of anti-Israeli tweets following last week’s CNN debate showed,
many Americans were taken aback at what could easily be portrayed as the
subornation of American foreign policy to Israeli interests, and the
predominance of the Israel-Iran issue over such “minor” foreign policy
issues as China, the Arab Spring or the Eurozone debt crisis, which weren’t
even mentioned. And even though polls show that a solid majority of Americans
support Israel – especially when compared to the Palestinians – it is highly
doubtful whether such support stretches to include a conflict that might plunge
America and the rest of the world into a political and economic crisis of
unprecedented proportions.

Of course, the main reason for the current Republican lovefest with Israel
isn’t so much the Jewish lobby, the Jewish vote or even Jewish campaign
contributions, but rather the intense courtship of the Israel-adoring Christian
Evangelical vote, which is likely to play a pivotal role in the upcoming
Republican primaries. These voters view oaths of loyalty to Israel as a
qualifying benchmark for all aspiring candidates and they are hardly likely to
be deterred by the possibility of conflagration in the Middle East which is,
after all, but a necessary dispensationalist end-of-days landmark “on the Road
to Armageddon” as Timothy Weber’s 2004 book explains.

But for many, less “Israelocentric” Americans, as well as for the hundreds
of millions of people throughout the world who are closely monitoring the
Republican race, the unabashed and unqualified Republican embrace of Israel at
the expense of other, no-less-critical issues for America’s well-being might
very well be seen as confirming the delusional conspiratorial descriptions of
rabid Jew-baiters. This might not only prove to be “bad for the Jews” in the
long run, but could also come back to haunt the Republicans themselves should
the issue of Iran still be on the table if and when one of them is sworn into
office on January 20, 2013 (or January 21, as the 20th is a Sunday).

A Republican president, no less than President Obama, would have to contend with
widespread opposition among America’s top military brass and its economic and
business leaders to a war that could ignite a region-wide conflagration,
precipitate a dramatic rise in the price of oil, bring about a sharp increase in
the U.S. budget deficit and, potentially, push the economies of both the U.S.
and Europe over the edge and into the abyss. Which of the two potential
presidents would be more inclined and more capable of weathering such a
confrontation is certainly a matter of opinion and debate.

But a Republican president - unlike Obama – would be handicapped from the
outset by the inverted “Nixon to China” principle, which makes it harder for
right-wing presidents to mobilize public opinion to go to war , and then doubly
encumbered by the Bush legacy, internally and in the international arena, where
memories of what was widely perceived as the former president’s go-it-alone,
devil-may-care cowboyish foreign policy that left America virtually isolated on
the world stage haven’t been as thoroughly erased as they appear to have been
among America’s conservatives.

And even though there is a compelling argument to be made for U.S. military
intervention against Iran in order to safeguard a wide range of vital American
interests - including Israel - a Republican president would automatically be
judged by his own Israeli-inspired declarations of love and war. The Iranian
propaganda ministry, one can rest assured, has already archived the videotape of
the Republican debates as a public relations weapon to be drawn just when the
time is right.

And while Saudi Arabia and the Gulf oil countries would be sure to lend
Washington discreet tactical as well as financial support under any and all
circumstances, the volatile Arab “street”, once maligned as insignificant
but now the critical element in determining the future of many Arab regimes,
would easily fall prey to anti-Isra eli incitement, as would left-leaning public
opinion throughout Muslim World and Western Europe. This would be true in any
case, of course, but doubly so if a Republican president was at the helm.

One can argue what true intentions lay behind Obama’s statement in his Nobel
Peace Prize acceptance speech that “those who seek peace cannot stand idly by
as nations arm themselves for nuclear war” – but there should be no doubt
that it is Obama who would stand a far better chance than any Republican of
mustering international support, of enlisting coalition partners and of
minimizing Arab rage in case America goes to war against Iran. In fact, in a
twist of irony that is surely bitter for Obama-bashers, it is the president’s
perceived distance from Israel and his portrayal as being “even-handed” that
places him in a superior position to advance what is indeed, when all is said
and done, a critical Israel interest that is still best served by maintaining a
judicious low profile rather than by engaging in short-sighted,
politically-motivated saber-rattling.

Perhaps that is another reason for Israel to strike now, while Obama is still in
power, rather than later, when a Republican president might find that he has
tied his own hands in primary-time electioneering.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why AIPAC is Becoming Israel’s Own Worst Enemy
David DietzinGlobal,Middle East Issues

http://www.policymic.com/articles/2349/why-aipac-is-becoming-israel-s-own-worst-\
enemy

The drumbeat for a war with Iran is growing louder, with the most fervent
drummer being the pro-Israel lobby, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee
(AIPAC).

While the charter of America’s leading pro-Israel lobby is to “strengthen
the ties between America and its ally Israel,” and makes no mention of
influencing foreign policy decisions, AIPAC has a surprising amount of clout not
only with the Israeli government, but with Congress as well.

So it should come as no surprise that AIPAC lobbyists have lobbied hard for a
radical new bill, entitled Iran Threat Reduction Act (H. 1905), with
“crippling sanctions” against Iran.

Most notably, section 601 of the bill seeks to prohibit any diplomatic
communication between America and Iran by restricting contact between any U.S.
government employee and Iranian government employees or those who prevent a
threat to the U.S., except under special circumstances when the president seeks
a waiver.

Should such legislation pass, it would be an unprecedented obstruction of
diplomacy and a monumental calamity for hopes of peace.

Never before in the history of our country have diplomats – let alone the
president – been barred from speaking with and negotiating with foreign envoys
of a sovereign state.

Had they so chosen (and some did), General George Washington could have spoken
with General Cornwallis, President Abraham Lincoln with General Robert E. Lee,
President Franklin D. Roosevelt with Adolf Hilter, both President Bush’s with
Sadaam Hussein and even President Barack Obama with Osama bin Laden.

Should this deal pass, even the lowest level diplomats can have no contact –
official or unofficial – with their Iranian counterparts.

For America, such legislation would endanger the lives of any Americans choosing
to visit Iran. If the bill had been a law in 1980, President Jimmy Carter would
have been unable to secure the release of the American hostages. Similarly, the
two Americans released this past September would likely still be in Iranian
jails.

More significantly however, AIPAC’s Iran Sanctions Bill, should it pass, will
not cripple Iran as much as it will cripple our own government. The measures
lobbied for by AIPAC pose immense threats to our national security capabilities
by greatly jeopardizing our ability to thwart an attack and our response in
dealing with any Iranian offensive.

Democracy has always been a staple of our ability to avoid conflict. It was
secret, last-minute diplomatic talks between officials in President John F.
Kennedy and Premier Nikita Krushchev’s administrations that prevented nuclear
war and ended the Cuban missile crisis. It was clandestine backchannel
negotiations that lead to President Richard Nixon normalizing relations with a
brutal Chinese regime in 1972, and it was the very same diplomatic
communications that AIPAC is lobbying to cut off that freed 52 American hostages
after 444 days in captivity in Iran.

As much damage as AIPAC’s bill may do to the U.S. ability to negotiate and
prevent war with Iran, the lobbying super power’s maniacal quest for war with
Iran will hurt Israel even more. A war with Iran, which AIPAC has long
supported, and which seems increasingly likely, could threaten Israel’s future
peace. Already Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah has threatened to “destroy Tel
Aviv” should Israel bomb Iran. While such a threat is overblown, it is not
hard to imagine a scenario where Iran officially responds with long range
missiles; Hezbollah in Iran, Syria, and Lebanon launch coordinated attacks; the
Bashar al-Assad regime, desperate for a unifying distraction from the uprising
at home, declares war on Israel; and Hamas, seeing an opportunity, jumps in as
well.

Suddenly, Israel would find itself ensnared in yet another regional war. Even if
an Israeli raid on Iran didn’t illicit such a doomsday scenario, it is hard to
imagine that its negative world public opinion wouldn’t take another
devastating hit, thus boosting Palestinian sympathies and their chance for
statehood.

Jews interested in Israel and America’s security must realize that AIPAC is no
longer the institution that protects and shares those values. Instead AIPAC and
the Israeli government have sold out to ultra-hawkish views that jeopordize
Israel’s peace.

If the Senate, with the help of AIPAC’s immense lobbying powers, ratifies the
bill (H.B. 1905), and should Netanyahu follow through on his desires to strike
Iran, Israel will find itself in a much more perilous and insecure state.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ISRAEL LOBBY CAUGHT UNDERMINING FREE SPEECH RIGHTS OF AMERICANS
NOVEMBER 11, 2011
By Dave Gahary

http://americanfreepress.net/?p=1390

Rachel Corrie’s brutal murder by the operator of an Israeli Defense Force
bulldozer in 2003 shone the light on her hometown, Olympia, Wash., that has a
long history of social activism. Perhaps infused with her fighting spirit, a
local business has picked up Olympia’s tradition by banning products made in
Israel. Olympia Food Co-op’s (OFC) 10-member board voted in favor of the
boycott in July 2010 as a way to “compel Israel to follow international law
and respect Palestinian human rights.” Israeli products removed include
crackers, ice cream cones and moisturizing cream.

OFC isn’t picking solely on Israel. Whaling and human rights violations led to
its boycott of products from Norway and China.

Spearheaded by officials of the Israeli government, five people, including
several Jewish attorneys, filed civil lawsuit in September alleging that the
boycott was unfair and violated the co-op’s rules and bylaws. Interestingly,
three of the five complainants actually tried to run for election to OFC’s
board of directors but each lost by substantial margins.

Last week, a motion to strike the lawsuit filed by OFC’s attorneys, including
lawyers from the Center for Constitutional Rights, asserts that the complaint is
what is known as a “SLAPP,” or Strategic Lawsuit Against Public
Participation, which is illegal in Washington.

According to the group Olympia Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, SLAPP lawsuits
are “a form of legal and financial intimidation used to undermine social and
environmental justice movements by penalizing political participation and free
speech.” A hearing is set for Jan. 13.

Electronic Intifada (EI), the pro-Palestinian group responsible for fingering
Israeli government involvement in the U.S. lawsuit, is in the vanguard of these
types of battles. According to its website, EI “focuses on Palestine, its
people, politics, culture and place in the world.”

The EI report, which revealed the Israeli Consul General for the Pacific
Northwest’s involvement with the lawsuit, also revealed the involvement of the
Los Angeles based pro-Israel group StandWithUs, which has been behind other
efforts to strangle Americans’ right to free speech.

The report “uncovered plans by StandWithUs to file a federal civil rights
complaint against Evergreen State College, the alma mater of Rachel Corrie, in
an attempt to suppress campus Palestine solidarity activism.” Additionally,
“Similar complaints have been filed against the University of California-
Santa Cruz and Columbia University, as part of a strategy masterminded by
pro-Israel activist and former U.S. government official Kenneth Marcus.”

In a press release, one of OFC’s attorneys explained the importance of
defending the lawsuit: “Our nation was born in the middle of a boycott of
British goods, and boycotts have played an important role over the centuries in
our system of freedom of expression.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AIPAC-style lobbying group launched in South Africa
November 30, 2011

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/11/30/3090513/aipac-style-lobbying-group-la\
unched-in-south-africa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fighting 'hate speech' smears on Sheikh Salah
Palestinian activist Sheikh Raed Salah was barred from the UK due to unfair
allegations from neo-conservatives.
Robert Lambert Last Modified: 01 Jul 2011 08:04

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/06/201163018281599335.html

Writing in the Guardian newspaper Hanan Zoabi, a member of the Knesset, where
she represents the Balad Party, asks how Sheikh Raed Salah's "struggle for
equality" has become a "form of racism?"

She is no doubt perplexed to find a fellow defender of the Palestinian
liberation struggle defined as a 'hate-preacher' by the British Government.
"Since when" she pleads, "have states that boast of their democratic credentials
acquired the right to arrest people for their political views?"

To answer Zoabi's questions and to explain the extraordinary decisions to ban,
arrest and deport the Palestinian leader Sheikh Raed Salah from Britain it is
necessary to understand the long standing role of influential pro-Israel,
neo-conservative lobby groups in Westminster and Washington.

The best place to start is 9/11. As we approach the tenth anniversary of
al-Qaeda's terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon it has
become fashionable to suggest that the worst excesses of the war on terror are
behind us.

In truth, the pro-Israel, neo-conservative architects of the war on terror in
Washington will be celebrating their ongoing success in falsely conflating a war
against Palestinian resistance with what might otherwise have been a legitimate
counter-terrorism strategy against al-Qaeda terrorists.

A key ingredient in this success has been to adopt the powerful and pejorative
term 'hate-preacher' to describe leaders of Palestinian resistance against
Israeli oppression and to put them in the same category as al-Qaeda terrorists.

Although taking their cue from sister think-tanks like Middle East Forum in
Washington, Westminster based lobby groups and their media acolytes including
Policy Exchange, Henry Jackson Society and the Centre for Social Cohesion, have
been at the forefront of a decade long campaign to reduce Palestinian resistance
leaders to the same status as al-Qaeda terrorists.

When the Washington based cheerleader for the war on terror Daniel Pipes came to
Westminster in 2006 to chastise Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London at the
time, for inviting Sheikh Yusef al Qaradawi to London, he insisted that
politicians in Westminster should adopt a tougher response to 'hate preachers'
like Qaradawi. Policy Exchange led the Westminster based campaign to endorse and
cement Pipes' recommendation as policy.

Regrettably Westminster politicians like Ken Livingstone and Jeremy Corbyn, who
was due to share a platform with Sheikh Raed Salah in London this week, are few
and far between. Whether Labour, Conservative or Liberal Democrat, those
politicians with their hands on the levers of power in Westminster have
consistently adopted pro-Israeli recommendations to denigrate Palestinian
support as anti-Semitic 'hate speech'.

'Hate speech' and 'hate preacher' has also been used to conflate Palestinian
resistance leaders with leaders of far right organisations like Nick Griffin of
the British National Party. This invidious denigration has been aimed at Muslim
leaders in Britain as well as those abroad. Dean Godson, the architect of Policy
Exchange's strategy in this arena, was the first to argue that mainstream Muslim
leaders in Britain who failed to condemn Palestinian resistance in the same
terms as al-Qaeda terrorism were on par with racist leaders like Griffin.

Established visitors to Britain like popular Muslim speaker Zakir Naik have also
fallen foul of this same policy to ban 'hate preachers'. Naik's case in
particular highlights the double standard that is being applied to the detriment
of Muslim leaders in and outside Britain. It is inconceivable to think that a
charismatic religious speaker of any other faith would have been banned from
Britain for saying exactly the same as Naik.

Since British Home Secretary Theresa May unveiled a tough new 'Prevent' strategy
last month that aims to crackdown on 'extremists' it has become inevitable that
the pro-Israel, neo-con think-tanks in Westminster would become pro-active in
their efforts to highlight candidates for exclusion like Sheikh Raed Salah. They
will be delighted with the outcome, notwithstanding an apparent administrative
slip up that initially allowed Sheikh Salah to enter Britain without question.

It is the great success of the pro-Israel, neo conservative lobby in Washington
and Westminster that they have achieved an exceptional status for Palestinian
and Muslim leaders. The war on terror has provided them with perfect cover.

However, Sheikh Salah and his supporters may have the last laugh. The British
judiciary remains a thorn in the side of Westminster politicians who attempt to
side step legal process in the name of the war on terror – or now, as part of
a strategy to prevent extremism and hate speech as this counter-subversion
strategy has been re-branded. If he is allowed to appeal the deportation
decision, a British judge may well take the view that Sheikh Salah has far more
in common with Nelson Mandela than the late Osama bin Laden or Nick Griffin.

Anger and frustration with Israeli oppression is hardly the same as unwarranted
hatred of a minority or majority community of any kind.

Moreover, it is widely understood in Britain that Mandela's resort to terrorism
against the apartheid regime in South Africa is inherently distinguishable from
al-Qaeda's development of the same terrorist tactic. Former British Foreign
Secretary David Miliband went further and suggested that the terrorist tactics
of Mandela's group, the African National Congress, could be morally justified.

However, unlike Palestinian and Muslim leaders since 9/11, Mandela has never
been asked to renounce the political grievances that prompted his resort to
terrorism – merely the tactic of terrorism. The same is true of former Sin
Fein and IRA leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness who remain staunch Irish
republicans to this day.

It is difficult to find anything in Sheikh Salah's so-called hate speech that
would not have occasioned an entirely opposite response from the British Home
Secretary had the words been uttered by a non-Muslim visiting Britain.

It is to be hoped that common sense will prevail in this case. If Sheikh Salah
is able to share future platforms with the London MP Jeremy Corbyn they will
form a strong alliance against political injustice which is the only sound basis
for public safety in the age of al-Qaeda inspired terrorism. Corbyn has
demonstrated how effective Palestinians such as Mohammed Sawlaha have been
against al-Qaeda propagandists in London. Together Corbyn and Salah offer
justice and hope against the real purveyors of hate speech in Westminster and
Washington.

Dr Robert Lambert is Co-Director of the European Muslim Research Centre and the
University of Exeter and author of Countering al-Qaeda in London which will be
published by Hurst in September 2011.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paris 'flytilla' activists grounded
Pro-Palestinian activists barred from flights after Israel releases names of
blacklisted passengers to carriers.
Last Modified: 08 Jul 2011 09:45

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/07/20117865052423270.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Canada clamps down on criticism of Israel
In an affront to free speech, Canadian committee declares that criticism of
Israel should be considered anti-Semitic.
Jillian Kestler-DAmours Last Modified: 22 Jul 2011 10:28

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/07/20117206368409551.html

Nearly two years after the first hearings were held in Ottawa, the Canadian
Parliamentary Coalition fto Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA) released a detailed
report on July 7 that found that anti-Semitism is on the rise in Canada,
especially on university campuses.

While the CPCCA's final report does contain some cases of real anti-Semitism,
the committee has provided little evidence that anti-Semitism has actually
increased in Canada in recent years. Instead, it has focused a disproportionate
amount of effort and resources on what it calls a so-called "new anti-Semitism":
criticism of Israel.

Indeed, the real purpose of the CPCCA coalition seems to be to stifle critiques
of Israeli policy and disrupt pro-Palestinian solidarity organizing in Canada,
including, most notably, Israeli Apartheid Week events. Many of the CPCCA's
findings, therefore, must be rejected as both an attack on freedom of speech and
freedom of protest, and as recklessly undermining the fight against real
instances of anti-Semitism.

The CPCCA and its findings

The Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA) was born
out of a conference held in London in February 2009 by the Inter-Parliamentary
Committee for Combating Anti-Semitism. Formed in March 2009 and not directly
linked to the Canadian government, or to any NGO or advocacy group, the CPCCA
included 22 Canadian Parliament members from across party lines. Former Liberal
MP Mario Silva chaired the Inquiry Panel and Conservative MP Scott Reid led the
Steering Committee.

Between November 2009 and January 2010, the CPCCA held ten separate hearings
during which time representatives of various non-governmental organizations,
religious institutions, police departments and Canadian and Israeli universities
presented papers meant to assess the level of anti-Semitism in Canada. While
groups critical of Israel were denied the chance to address the committee, major
Zionist organizations like B'nai Brith Canada, Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal
Center for Holocaust Studies, and the Canadian Jewish Congress were welcomed.

"Much of today's anti-Semitism manifests in anti-Israel agitation around
boycotts, divestment and sanctions," said Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of the
Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, during a hearing
in November 2009. "It deploys an unfair double standard against the Jewish
state, singling out of Israel alone for one-sided, harsh criticism and calls for
punitive actions."

Throughout the consultation process, the CPCCA regularly focused on Canadian
university campuses, which were routinely described as hotbeds of anti-Semitism,
where Jewish students or students with pro-Israel leanings are often intimidated
and threatened. This accusation was made repeatedly, and included in the CPCCA's
final report, despite the fact that Dr. Fred Lowy, President Emeritus of
Concordia University in Montreal, stated in his address to the CPCCA that, "by
and large, Canadian campuses are safe and are not hotbeds of anti-Semitism of
any kind".

In its final report, the CPCCA made about two dozen recommendations on how best
to fight anti-Semitism in Canada. While the report states that "criticism of
Israel is not anti-Semitic, and saying so is wrong", it also found that
"singling Israel out for selective condemnation and opprobrium … is
discriminatory and hateful" and many of its recommendations deal with combating
this "new anti-Semitism".

A major recommendation issued by the CPCCA was that the Canadian government
should promote the working definition of anti-Semitism used by The European
Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). This definition
categorizes "applying double standards by requiring of [Israel] a behavior not
expected or demanded of any other democratic nation" as anti-Semitic.

In other words, the CPCCA is supporting a definition whereby individuals who
focus their attention on Israeli human rights violations, yet don't level an
equal amount of condemnation on other states for their human rights violations,
can be labeled as anti-Semitic. This is obviously problematic since Palestine
solidarity activists - like any other people - have commitments that make it
impossible to engage with every issue they are otherwise interested in. They
shouldn't be labeled as anti-Semitic due to their inability to participate in
every single human rights struggle happening around the world.

Another dangerous recommendation made by the CPCCA was that Canadian university
administrators should condemn "discourse, events and speakers which are untrue,
harmful, or not in the interest of academic discourse, including Israeli
Apartheid Week". Even the use of the word "apartheid" in relation to Israel is
anti-Semitic, the CPCCA found, since it amounts to the "denial of the Jewish
people their right to self- determination ... by claiming that the existence of
a State of Israel is a racist endeavor".

This clearly violates freedom of speech and an open exchange of ideas at
Canadian universities, and also unfairly and inaccurate labels Israeli Apartheid
Week (IAW) as anti-Semitic. In reality, IAW has since 2005 brought together
respected activists, academics, journalists and cultural figures from around the
world, including Judith Butler, Ronnie Kasrils, Noam Chomsky and Ali Abunimah,
among others, to openly discuss ideas related to Israel/Palestine.

IAW provides an educational space for understanding Israel's apartheid policies
- as evidenced, for example, through the separate legal systems used by Israelis
and Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank or the discriminatory land
ownership laws operating inside Israel - and supports the growing campaign for
boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS), which aims to non-violently pressure
Israel to respect international law. It is far from the "uniformly
well-organized, aggressive [campaign] designed to make the Jewish state and its
supporters pariahs" the CPCCA report makes it out to be.

The CPCCA also recommended that the Canadian Committee of Foreign Affairs
undertake a study on the United Nations Human Rights Council, "particularly
regarding its over-emphasis of alleged human rights abuses by Israel, while
ignoring flagrant human rights abuses of other member states".

This clearly demonstrates how the committee has confounded anti-Semitism with
criticism of Israel, and is prepared to levy dubious suspicions against UN
bodies and tarnish Canada's international standing in the process.

In a statement released on July 8, Thomas Woodley, President of Canadians for
Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), said that the CPCCA's
recommendations, "if implemented, will inhibit public discussion of Israel's
conduct".

"CJPME believes that conclusions and recommendations generated by a process in
which the same body - the CPCCA - is prosecutor, jury, and judge, are not
credible. Although a few of the witnesses recounted incidents that were indeed
indicative of genuine anti-Semitism, many were complaining about merely being
exposed to criticism of the Israel's conduct," the CJPME press release stated.

Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Canada also criticized the committee, stating
that "the CPCCA's goal is to criminalize criticism of Israel and Zionism, not to
hold impartial hearings. Therefore, we oppose the CPCCA as an ideologically
biased organization with an agenda that will harm free speech and human rights
activity in Canada. We oppose the CPCCA's Orwellian distortion of anti-Semitism.
It is a danger to both Canadian liberties and to the genuine and necessary fight
against anti-Semitism."
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beautiful pictures from Kashmir
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/10/scenes_from_kashmir.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How India alienated Kashmiri people
By AIJAZ ZAKA SYED
Nov 3, 2011 21:26

http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article528526.ece

Anyone visiting the state will see the power of security forces in full display

AN unjust law is no law, warned Martin Luther King, the celebrated US human
rights icon. The Kashmiris have been living with such laws for decades. At least
one in every five Kashmiris has at some point or another in his/her life
suffered violence, humiliation, torture and old-fashioned abuse at the hands of
security forces without any recourse to justice or a distant promise of
retribution.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been a license to abuse, torture and
kill the Kashmiris in their own land. A law that confers “special powers” on
men in uniform to do as they please and get away with it; a law that the UN says
violates “contemporary international human rights standards” and a law that
cannot be challenged in any court of law no matter how grave the crime.

Following the division of the subcontinent in 1947 when India and Pakistan
actively courted the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, it was promised a
“special status” and special treatment by New Delhi. The Article 370 of
Indian Constitution was supposed to protect that “special status” of
Kashmir.  We made a lot of other promises as well that are too familiar to
revisit here.

And we have ensured and protected that “special status” of Kashmir by
gifting them the AFSPA that offers sweeping powers to the security forces while
ensuring their total immunity. This special law has turned the Vale of Kashmir
that the Moguls believed was paradise on earth into a beautiful hell.

Is it any wonder then the Kashmiris today find themselves hopelessly alienated
and persecuted even as our politicians never tire of pronouncing the state an
“integral and inseparable” part of India?

How did we end up here? Who lost the paradise? The answer is out there and
everyone knows it. In our desperation and determination to keep Kashmir with us
and away from our neighbor, we have ended up losing the Kashmiri people.

Of course, the role played by Pakistani agencies, not to mention groups such as
the one led by Hafiz Saeed, who have made a business enterprise of jihad, in
adding to the woes of Kashmiris isn't in anyway insignificant.

But if an entire generation of Kashmiris has grown up loathing all things Indian
it is because of the excessive presence of the security forces in the Valley and
their heavy-handed approach to the local population. And if there is one thing
that epitomizes all that has gone wrong with India's Kashmir affair, it is the
AFSPA. This black law has created a dangerous, ever deepening disconnect and
gulf between the Kashmiris and the rest of India. A draconian law that belongs
in a police state, not in the world's largest democracy.

Thanks to these “special powers”, just about anybody could be picked up from
anywhere any time, kicked, abused, raped, killed in broad daylight or simply
disappeared and no one including the state government can do anything about it.

Security forces are a law unto themselves. And you see their power in full
display all across the state including in capital Srinagar. There are more
soldiers than tourists or even locals constantly reminding the Kashmiris of the
original sin of being born in this land of incredible beauty. Peaceful protests
last year saw scores of young people, some of them as young as nine, felled by
the bullets of the forces that are supposed to protect them. In the course of
fighting terrorists and cross-border infiltrators, we have turned this beautiful
land into a permanent war zone and its proud people a hostage in this
never-ending conflict with the neighbor. This war has claimed more than a
hundred thousand Kashmiris over the past two decades, not to mention the tens of
thousands who have gone “missing.”

If the 2,730 unmarked mass graves recently discovered across the state had been
found elsewhere they could have shaken the world, as they did in Srebrenica, in
Iraq and Rwanda. But they were met with stony silence in the ever-shrill Indian
media and its self-righteous Western counterparts.

Human rights groups including the State Human Rights Commission that finally
acted on the complaints of thousands of families of “disappeared persons”
unearthing graves with hundreds of bullet riddled bodies fear this may be a tip
of the iceberg. The dead in Kashmir have finally begun to speak up, as Arundhati
Roy so evocatively puts it.  But justice may still elude the victims as long as
the AFSPA reigns in Jammu and Kashmir.  And India's powerful security and
defense establishment, including the army, are determined to retain it. And why
wouldn't they? It's this law that allows the security forces to rule and treat
Kashmir as their fiefdom without anyone, including the elected government,
questioning their authority and excesses. Despite being a fine and vibrant
democracy with robust democratic institutions and judiciary that we can
justifiably be proud of, we are yet to realize that no people can be governed at
gunpoint. Not in this age and time.
  Not with black laws like the AFSPA and not by constantly waving half a million
guns that have contributed to the alienation of Kashmiri society and
radicalization of its youth.  If India is to win Kashmiri hearts and minds, it
could do so only with love, compassion, respect and justice.

— Aijaz Zaka Syed is a Middle East-based commentator and can be reached at
aijaz.syed@...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kashmir's children 'mistreated in adult jails'
28 October 2011

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15452633

Hundreds of youths detained in state prisons during protests in
Indian-administered Kashmir last year say they have been abused and mistreated
by the authorities, reports the BBC's Riyaz Masroor in Srinagar.

Umar, 16, responds with a blank look when asked to recall his 35-day stay in
prison last year.

Jailed at 15 for throwing stones at policemen near his hometown of Pattan, 35km
(22 miles) north of Srinagar city, Umar now fears any man in uniform.

Umar and dozens of his fellow protesters say they were first detained in an
abandoned matchstick factory.

The place, they allege, served as a forced interrogation chamber of the
paramilitary Special Task Force (STF) which has consistently denied all
allegations that it has mistreated detainees.

Those who were held say that they were later shifted by the authorities to a
district jail in Baramulla, 30km (19 miles) from their homes.

Umar is now out on bail, but he still faces several charges, including arson and
attempt to murder, which he and his family deny.

He is among hundreds of boys who were detained during the 2010 protests.

Local rights groups have long criticised the state government's policy of
lodging boys in adult jails.

In the rest of India, offenders under 18 years are treated as juveniles and sent
to separate detention facilities.

'A joke'
But in Kashmir, boys above 16 are treated as adults.

Rights groups have been demanding that the state government amend the detention
law to make it similar to the rest of India.

Kashmir-based child rights lawyer Abdul Rashid Hanjura says that the current
system of dealing with juvenile offenders is "little short of a joke".

"They jail boys aged between 16 and 18 and then claim they have no juveniles
[underage boys] in detention," he said.

"We want the state law to be on a par with the Indian law."

Rights activists say holding an underage person in an adult prison amounts to a
violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to which
India is a signatory.

Umar and hundreds like him say that they were detained in adult prisons even
when they were under 16.

Umar says that while he was not tortured, he was initially beaten with a bamboo
stick at the local police station.

But he shivers when recalling his five-week ordeal in prison alongside convicted
thieves and hardened criminals.

Umar's parents and siblings say that they have noticed a change in his behaviour
which sometimes is marked by violent outbursts.

Mr Hanjura says detaining teenagers in the absence of a juvenile justice system
is only going to create more trouble in future.

"When the boys spend time with convicts and adult criminals, they undergo
psychological trauma which creates a sense of revenge," he says.

'Rebellion'
Umar aspired to become a doctor before he was arrested, but now he has lost
interest in studies.

He is required to appear before a trial court every month.

"Every time, the judge asks me my name and marks the date for the next hearing.
I wish he would listen to me."

He says life has changed for him after his jail term.

"Earlier I used to play unmindfully. Now I need to remember the date of the next
trial. If I miss it, the policemen will knock on the door. I am scared."

Leading psychiatrist Dr Arshad Hussain says young detainees tend to pick up
adult behaviour faster when in jail.

"When they are out, parents complain of rebellion but they don't realise the
scale of the psychological impact," he said.

The state's Internal Security Minister Nasir Aslam refused to comment on the
allegations.

But officials say the government has tried to remedy the problem, recently
setting up a "juvenile home" on the outskirts of Srinagar.

This secluded and quiet three-storey building is situated in the scenic
surroundings of the famed Harvan Mughal garden.

But its picturesque qualities are lost on the teenagers who are lodged here.
They argue that they would be better off in mainstream prisons because they feel
so lonely.

'No rehabilitation'
"No sports, no education. We only sleep," says a boy facing murder charges.

The home now houses fewer than 10 juveniles - most of them booked for throwing
stones at the security forces or for shouting anti-India slogans.

"We'll soon offer sports and other fun activities besides moral education," says
its administrator Bashir Ahmad.

Campaigners say that besides setting up the home, the authorities have done
little to rehabilitate juvenile offenders rounded up during last year's
anti-India street protests.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently announced an amnesty for those not facing
serious accusations, but many of the boys charged with stone-throwing or
attending a procession either remain in jail or are on bail facing trial.

Offenders are generally charged under the draconian Public Safety Act which
allows police to detain a person for longer periods without trial and recommend
a minimum two-year prison term.

The government says it wants to soften the law to reduce this punishment to six
months.

But that has not impressed separatist groups who blame the government for
inflicting "mass punishment" on the people of Indian-administered Kashmir for
"rising against injustice and repression".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Video: Police Arrest More Minors in Kashmir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4P36pzOfsg&sns=fb

More protesters are being arrested in Indian-administered Kashmir amid
allegations accusing New Delhi's forces of torturing minors while in custody,
Press TV reports.


Hundreds of youngsters remain in detention after being rounded up in almost
daily street protests against the Indian rule over the disputed valley of
Kashmir.

The police have recently launched a campaign in the Muslim-majority region to
crack down on the minors participating in the rallies.

Pro-Indian chief minister of the state denied detention of any minors, but eight
youths were later brought to court, five of whom bore signs of torture.

The defendants complaining that they were tortured in the jail both physically
and mentally.

Despite a ban prohibiting videographers from attending court premises,
photographers managed to take some photos of the detained when appeared before
the judge.

The inspector general of Kashmir police, SM Sahai, defended the arrests of
youngsters, recalling how the police had managed to control the situation in the
region at "tough times" over the past years."We will not allow any kind of
violence in the region again," he said.

Hundreds of young boys are said to be under Public Safety Act, a preventive law
under which an inmate's detention continues up to 2 years without trial.

However, the Indian authorities are planning to amend this law by reducing the
detention period to six months.

The planned reforms come one year after a report by Amnesty International
criticized detentions under the act in Jammu and Kashmir. Amnesty called for the
repealing of what it called a "lawless law."

Earlier the chief minister of Kashmir had promised to drop charges against some
1,200 youngsters arrested for pelting stones at the government forces. But
observers say no cases have yet been canceled.

Over the past three years, Kashmir has witnessed a transition from a violent
struggle to peaceful demonstrations and strikes, but the police use the same
tactics to deal with the protestors.

In 2010, the Kashmir Valley was rocked by a series of protests in which at least
110 people were killed. The protests were sparked when Indian forces shot a
student dead in June 2010.

Analysts have meanwhile expressed concern over the continued detention of minors
in Kashmir where there are no juvenile jails and the young inmates are treated
like adult criminals.

New Delhi has been repeatedly criticized for resorting to force rather than
finding a diplomatic solution to the dispute.

Thousands of people have been killed in Kashmir over the past 20 years.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Police stop religious gatherings in Indian Kashmir
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: Dec 4, 2011 16:06 Updated: Dec 4, 2011 23:38

http://arabnews.com/world/article542973.ece

SRINAGAR, India: Baton-wielding police in Indian-controlled Kashmir have broken
up Muslim religious processions being held in defiance of a strict curfew in the
disputed Himalayan region.

At least 30 people were detained Sunday after police imposed the curfew in the
territory’s main city, Srinagar, to prevent gatherings marking the Muslim holy
month of Muharram from developing into anti-India protests.

Srinagar police chief Ashiq Bukhari says a group resisted police efforts to
disperse their gatherings and scuffles broke out, but no one was reported
injured.

Large public gatherings have been banned in Indian-administered Kashmir since
the outbreak of an armed insurgency in 1989 demanding the Himalayan region’s
independence from India or its merger with neighboring Pakistan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rethinking Kashmir
By FARHANA QAZI
Published: Oct 24, 2011 22:38 Updated: Oct 24, 2011 23:16

http://arabnews.com/world/article523786.ece

WASHINGTON: Defined by tourist clichés and brilliantly crafted one-liners, the
disputed territory of Kashmir is a backpacker’s haven and “paradise on
earth.” And while charmingly seductive, the idyllic landscape is beset by a
sense-of-siege and is home to millions eager for change and consistency. Nearly
two-decades of conflict and on-and-off talks between nuclear arch-rivals India
and Pakistan have had few meaningful results.

Deeply disappointed by Indian and Pakistani political ploys, people on both
sides of the mountain passionately push for peace, either through active
participation in much-talked-about-protests or political party meetings that are
all-inclusive. Outside of government, residents of the conflict, many of whom
are bewitched by deaths and disappearances of friends and foes, undertake risks
to release information and record present grievances. Without the people of
Kashmir, high-level talks will fail to alter the status-quo of aggressive
policies, artificial politics, and animated street protests.

The latest issue to haunt the valley is the discovery of mass graves and
cyclical human rights abuses-neither issue is new to the residents of Kashmir,
but a common narrative they have become achingly accustomed to. In Buried
Evidence, a multiauthored publication by The International People’s Tribunal
on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-administered Kashmir, the death toll
between 1989 and 2009 is listed as well over 8,000-these include enforced or
involuntary disappearances and an additional 70,000 or more were found dead. The
authors contend that a history of “violence and violation” of human rights
abuses result in anguish and anxiety among the population. In the summer of
2008, the international community offered a limited response to the mass graves
discovery.  For example, the European Parliament passed a resolution to denounce
disappearances, detentions and deaths since the outbreak of conflict, calling
for an impartial and independent
  investigation-similar to requests being made by international human rights
organizations this year.

Three years later, the same story repeats itself. This summer, Amnesty
International and India’s Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission
released reports with terrifying statistics of the dead and disappeared-a report
that Indian authorities have repelled, despite outside pressure for
transparency. The imbroglio over unmarked and unknown mass graves in Kashmir
raises doubt and deepens distrust with the ruling elite. Amnesty’s report
highlights a fundamental question of whether the Indian state is legitimate or
lawful in its “occupation” of Kashmir-an instrumental issue that is debated.

Discussion of the ongoing dispute has had a chilling effect and on the local
population. The impact of unsettled policies has taken its toll on the youth. In
a recent interview, a Srinagar-based doctor, who wished to be unnamed, expressed
his concern that the youth of Kashmir are unable to cope in an unending and
unresolved conflict. As a physician, he points to the youth’s increasing use
of over-the-counter or inexpensive drugs. The doctor noted, “The trauma of war
contributes to an ailing society. Most people suffer from post-traumatic stress
disorder or PTSD. To live, Kashmiris are on drugs. We are all sick. Even
children take cheap medicine to fall asleep. What will happen to our youth? They
have no coping mechanism.”

A temporary respite from rage, drugs masquerade the desperation and depression
that local residents share. Countless stories of women as told by journalists,
including my own collection of mourning, discredit India and Pakistan’s
attempt at negotiation. Without taking into account the narrative of violence
and a vicious cycle of neglect, the South Asian leaders’ initiative to engage
one another is just that-a media blunder that masks the agony and affliction
local Kashmiris have harbored for nearly six decades.

The Kashmiri people are determined to seek a political solution. Aware of India
and Pakistan’s recent overtures to resume dialogue, local communities on both
sides of the border watch for signs of prosperity. High-level meetings between
the two arch-rivals may be a significant step, though historical record of
previous attempts at dialogue proves that neither India nor Pakistan is willing
to make critical concessions. Interviews of local residents sport a
business-as-usual attitude. A young lawyer in Srinagar admitted, “All the
leaders are playing with the blood of martyrs. That is injustice.” A similar
distrust expressed by other Kashmiris with their party leaders highlights the
failure and fiasco of local officials to take seriously a collapsing society. A
Kashmiri law student in exile indicated, “Every political party is vested in
itself, with no regard for the people. Until they learn to serve the people,
there is nothing India and Pakistan
  can do to settle the dispute.”

A divided Kashmir may present opportunities for India and Pakistan in the
short-term, but long-term inadequate policies will encourage strategic
encirclement. To move forward on Kashmir, India and Pakistan may need an Arab
ally to help South Asian rivals redesign their ambitions for Kashmir to ensure a
longer time-table for progress. An outside negotiator has the potential to allow
New Delhi and Islamabad to stitch together a political model that involves the
people of the valley. Absent an outside collaborator, India and Pakistan risk
reducing Kashmir to symbolic gestures, sensationalized by the international
press as disingenuous and dishonest.


— Farhana Qazi is a senior lecturer on Pakistan and Islam for the US
government. She can be reached at farhana331@... or her website,
www.farhanaqazi.com .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DNA testing to identify Kashmir's 'disappeared'
Hope for relatives of the 70,000 victims of the disputed region's troubled past
ANDREW BUNCOMBE    FRIDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/dna-testing-to-identify-kashmirs-di\
sappeared-2359361.html

Unidentified remains discovered in unmarked graves scattered across Kashmir
could undergo DNA testing in an effort to provide crucial information about an
unknown number of "disappeared" people who went missing during the valley's
years of violence.

The state's most senior politician has said he is prepared to carry out tests
where family members are willing to provide a DNA sample of their own and help
identify where they believed their relative might be buried.

"We would be prepared to consider DNA testing provided the people come forward
with a sample," Kashmir's Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told The Independent. He
said he also wanted to push forward with the establishment of a truth and
reconciliation commission for the region.

In an unsettling reminder of the untold numbers of "disappeared" who were killed
or went missing during the region's dark recent history, officials announced
last month that a total of 2,156 remains had been located in 38 different grave
sites. Other sites have also been identified and more corpses could yet be
identified.

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) called for "all modern" techniques and
methods to be used to identify the bodies, including the use of DNA. Its
chairman, Justice Syed Bashiruddin said: "It is not just DNA tests, there are
other tests [that can be used]. We have to try to identify all these nameless
graves." There is no agreed figure for the number of people who lost their lives
as a result of separatist militancy that took hold in the valley in the late
1980s and the subsequent crackdown by the Indian security forces. Anywhere up to
70,000 people may have died, while many thousands of Kashmiri Hindus, or
Pandits, were forced from homes they had occupied for centuries.

Activists say large numbers of people, suspected of either being militants or
having linked to such groups, were summarily detained and killed. Across the
valley, untold numbers live in a state of enduring uncertainty, hoping that
missing relatives may one day come home alive.

Among those actively watching progress on identifying the remains is 23-year-old
Bilqis Manzoor. Ten years ago her father, Manzoor Ahmed, was picked up by
counter-insurgency troops from the 35th Battalion the Rashtriya Rifles from his
home near Srinagar's old airport. Mr Manzoor, who ran a chemist's shop and also
worked as a distributor for fruit juices and snacks, was 32 and had four
children. Apparently the soldiers gave no explanation as to why they were taking
him. His family never saw him again. "DNA testing is a moral victory for us. For
all these years, the state was in denial about the missing persons," she said,
speaking from Srinagar. "Now, it shows that the government is willing to accept
that people are missing... and DNA tests of the bodies in unmarked graves would
prove the untold brutalities unleashed by Indian security forces and gross human
rights violation in Kashmir."

Two years ago, the International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice
in Kashmir issued a report that identified at least 2,943 bodies, located in
unmarked graves in 55 towns and villages. It is this information that has been
used by the SHRC for its own inquiry. Khurram Parvez, a human rights activist
with the group, said up to 8,000 relatives are waiting for news.

Mr Abdullah's call for a commission has been derided as a "farce" by some
activists who say that there can be no justice for the people of Kashmir if
those responsible for crimes are not charged and tried. Campaigners have long
demanded the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from
Kashmir, saying the law prevents troops and paramilitaries being held
accountable, even if there is evidence they have committed offences.

Chief Minister Abdullah said that, while the formula for a commission had not
been fixed, the process had to be transparent. "We say that no one would be able
to claim immunity from the process," he added. "The truth and reconciliation
commission would have to recognise you don't give people immunity and that
justice is seen to be done."

SYRIA

Syrian protests trigger new deadly clashes
9 December 2011 Last updated at 18:19

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16116011

At least 24 people have been killed in renewed anti-government protests across
Syria, activists say.

Eleven of the deaths were in and around the city of Homs, while five were in the
suburbs of Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Another activist group, the Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC), put Friday's
death toll at 35.

The UN estimates more than 4,000 people have died in the uprising against
President Bashar al-Assad since March.

A number of pro-government demonstrations have also been reported across the
country, including in the capital Damascus.

Demonstrators regularly take to the streets following Friday prayers.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said two of those killed in the
central city of Homs were boys, aged 10 and 12. Homs has emerged as the
epicentre of the uprising.

"The earth was shaking," one Homs resident told the Associated Press, saying
explosions and gunfire erupted in the early morning. "Armoured personnel
carriers drove through the streets and opened fire randomly with heavy
machine-guns."

The Observatory also said that four people had died in the nearby city of Hama,
two in Deraa, where the uprising began eight months ago, and two in the
north-western province of Idlib.

The LCC said 18 people had been killed in Homs, five in Idlib, four in Hama, two
in Deraa and six in the suburbs of Damascus, including three in Kafarbatnah.

Activists in Deraa said telephone and internet lines had been cut.

Syria severely restricts access to foreign media so reports of unrest cannot be
verified.

Turkey warning
The violence comes a day after a major oil pipeline serving the Homs region was
blown up.

Activists accused Mr Assad's government of deliberately destroying the pipeline,
while state-run media blamed "an armed terrorist group".

Opposition groups accuse the government of stoking up fears of religious
extremism and terrorism to rally support behind Mr Assad.

In a rare interview on Wednesday, Mr Assad told ABC News he had never ordered
the military to kill or be brutal in its crackdown on protests, saying only a
"crazy person" would kill his own people.

Mr Assad also challenged the "false allegations" on which much of the media -
and the UN Human Rights Commission - had based their conclusions about what was
happening in Syria.

On Friday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon defended the reliability of its
information on the death toll and alleged human rights abuses.

"All the credible information is that more than 4,000 people have been killed by
the government forces. The High Commissioner for Human Rights has made it
already clear through all the various sources, very credible sources," he told
reporters in Kenya.

Meanwhile, Turkey's foreign minister warned that it would act to protect itself
if the Syrian government crackdown threatened regional security and unleashed a
tide of refugees on its southern border.

"Turkey has no desire to interfere in anyone's internal affairs. But if a risk
to regional security arises, then we do not have the luxury of standing by and
looking on," Ahmet Davutoglu said.

"If a government that is fighting its own people and creating refugees, is
putting not only their own security at risk but also that of Turkey, then we
have a responsibility and the authority to say to them: 'Enough!'"

The Turkish government also moved to suspend a 2008 free-trade agreement with
Syria, which will lead to the imposition of taxes of up to 30% on some Syrian
goods.

Turkey and the Arab League have joined the US and EU in imposing economic
sanctions on Syria to press Mr Assad to halt the crackdown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syria: Homs massacre warning - Friday 9 December 2011
• Opposition claims Syrian army preparing to attack Homs
• At least 35 killed as protests continue
• Turkey warns it will intervene if Syria crisis escalates

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2011/dec/09/syria-homs-massacre\
-warning-live-updates
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Assads: An iron-fisted dynasty
One powerful, tight-knit family has controlled Syria for four decades.
Al Jazeera staff Last Modified: 09 Dec 2011 09:56

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/10/201110279954762656.html

For four decades, the Assad family has ruled Syria, and while the popularity of
the family among some sections in the country is undeniable, its run in power
has not been without turmoil.

Hafez al-Assad, a military man, rose through the ranks and became Syria's
president in 1971 after a bloodless coup which saw a military takeover of the
dominant Baath party. By all accounts, Assad tightened the state's dictatorial
grip on the population, focusing on strengthening the country's military and
intelligence forces.

A staunch nationalist, he is lauded by loyalists for modernising and
industrialising Syria, strengthening not only its military but also its economy.

However, Hafez al-Assad's legacy cannot be discussed without mention of the 1982
Hama massacre, in which the Muslim Brotherhood party was targeted for a spate of
assassinations of high-profile Baathists.

The massacre, carried out allegedly under the supervision of Hafez's younger
brother, Rifaat, involved a bombing campaign as well as door-to-door operations,
which, by some accounts, resulted in nearly 40,000 deaths.

According to a Syrian Human Rights Committee report, while the Hama raid was the
most deadly assault, it was not the first of its kind:

Of these massacres was the massacre on Jisr Alshaghoor, which took place on the
10th of March 1980. Some sources said that mortars bombed the city and 97 people
were shot dead, after being taken from their homes, and 30 houses were
demolished there. The massacres of Sarmadah which saw 40 citizens killed, and
the massacre of the village Kinsafrah, which took place at the same time as the
massacre of Jisr Alshaghoor.... Few months later, the massacre of Palmyra prison
was committed on the 26th of June 1980, when around 1,000 detainees were killed
in their cells.... And the massacre at the Sunday market where 42 citizens were
killed and 150 were injured. Also the massacre of Al-Raqah, that killed tens of
citizens who were held captive in a secondary school and burnt to death.

In the year following the massacre, Hafez al-Assad fell ill with cardiac
problems. He appointed a temporary ruling committee to run the country while he
recovered, but excluded Rifaat from this group.

This caused a rift between the brothers, which resulted in Rifaat ultimately
being exiled from the country twice, even though at times he was given temporary
posts, once as vice-president of security affairs in 1984 and then as
vice-president in 1998.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Every Syrian has lost someone. Now we are ready to fight back'
In the hills near Ain al-Baida, the rebels tell Justin Vela why they are
prepared to die to liberate their country
JUSTIN VELA   THURSDAY 08 DECEMBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/every-syrian-has-lost-someon\
e-now-we-are-ready-to-fight-back-6273728.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syria's Assad: I didn't order forces to kill
President denies culpability for crackdown, telling US network his government
would be "crazy" to kill its own people.
Last Modified: 08 Dec 2011 12:00

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/12/201112713174946858.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sectarian bloodshed worsens in Syria
English.news.cn   2011-12-08 14:49:31

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/video/2011-12/08/c_131295520.htm

BEIJING,Dec. 8 (Xinhuanet) – In Syria, dozens of bodies have been dumped onto
the streets of Homs, the city at the heart of the country’s nearly
9-month-long uprising. It’s a grim sign that sectarian bloodshed is escalating
as the country descends further toward civil war.

The long-simmering grievances in Syria are now exploding into violence.

Government forces have been clashing with demonstrators, protesting Assad’s
regime for almost 9 months now. The government also has been facing strong
resistance from army defectors.

But the conflict has taken a sectarian turn.

Assad now appears to be relying heavily on his Alawite minority power base,
beginning with highly placed relatives, to fight their opponents.

Nowhere is Syria’s violence more pronounced than in Homs. Up to 50 people were
killed in the city on Monday. But details came to light on Tuesday with reports
of attacks pitting members of the Alawite sect against Sunnis.

Areas where resistance to the regime is strongest are devastated.

Children have been out of school since October in some neighbourhoods and people
must line up to buy bread and fuel.

In other areas closer to the city centre, the threat of violence is ever
present.

Many residents say Alawite gunmen are forcing people to go to work despite the
presence of snipers and gunmen on the streets, all to give the appearance of
life going on as normal.

For many Syrians, in a country with a fragile jigsaw puzzle of Middle Eastern
backgrounds, the uncertainty over the future is cause for alarm.

(Source: CNTV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syria ignores Arab League deadline
Deaths reported as new Arab League deadline for Syria to let observers in or
face further sanctions expires.
Last Modified: 05 Dec 2011 05:50

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/12/2011123201853379572.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ranks of Free Syrian Army 'gaining strength'
Army defectors tell Al Jazeera they left the government side because they were
forced to shoot at unarmed protesters.
Last Modified: 02 Dec 2011 08:28

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/12/20111226171260898.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UN: Syrian officials ordering mass atrocities
New report finds government officials and army guilty of murder, rape and
torture of civilians, including children.
Last Modified: 29 Nov 2011 12:10

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/2011112934741423746.html

[VIDEO]
UN investigators have released a new report accusing senior Syrian government
officials and leaders of the country's military and security forces of ordering
mass atrocities in efforts to crush anti-government protests since March.

The Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria said on Monday that Syrian
government forces committed crimes against humanity, including the killing and
torturing of children, and held state officials responsible for murder, rape and
torture.

"The commission believes that orders to shoot and otherwise mistreat civilians
originated from policies and directives issued at the highest levels of the
armed forces and the government," the panel said in its report.

Speaking in Geneva, Switzerland, Paulo Pinheiro, the chairman of the UN panel,
said: "Members of the Syrian army and security forces have committed crimes
against humanity in their repression of a largely civilian population in the
context of a peaceful protest movement."

The panel interviewed 223 victims and witnesses, including defectors from
President Bashar al-Assad's security forces who told of shoot-to-kill orders
against  demonstrators and cases of children being tortured to death.

At least 256 children had been killed by government forces as of early November,
with some boys sexually tortured, the panel said in its report to the UN Human
Rights Council.

It also quoted one former soldier who said he decided to defect after witnessing
an officer shoot a two-year-old girl in the city of Latakia, then claim he
killed her so she would not grow up to be a demonstrator.

Arab League sanctions

The report came a day after the Arab League approved economic sanctions against
Syria, in an attempt to further isolate  the Assad government over its response
to the eight-month uprising which the UN says has killed at least 3,500 people
and resulted in tens of thousands of others being imprisoned.

Walid al-Muallem, the Syrian foreign minister, condemned the regional bloc's
move, calling the sanctions "a declaration of economic war on Syria".

The Syrian government continues to blame "armed terrorists" for the violence.

Muallem also insisted that Syria could weather the sanctions.

"I reassure you that we have withdrawn 95 or 96 percent of Syrian assets [from
Arab countries]," he said. "We must protect the interests of our people."

Some 60 per cent of Syria's exports go to Arab countries, and analysts concede
the sanctions' effectiveness will hinge largely on whether Arab countries
enforce them.

Assad's government has already been subjected to several Western sanctions, led
by the US and European Union.

Diplomats in Brussels say the EU is set to tighten its measures even further,
targeting Syria's oil and financial sectors to deprive the government of more
sources of funding.

EU foreign ministers, during a meeting on Thursday, would ban exports of energy
industry equipment, trading in Syrian bonds and selling of software that could
be used to monitor dissidents, among other financial measures.

Call for 'decisive action'

Following the latest UN report and the Arab sanctions, the US and Germany led
Western calls on Monday for the UN Security Council to finally take "decisive
action" against Syria's atrocities.

"It is past time for the Security Council to take much more decisive action with
respect to Syria," Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, said.

"Now with the Arab League having acted and it becoming increasingly clear even
for those that would rather deny it, that the Assad regime has participated in
outrageous and now documented atrocities. The patience of its neighbors and now
the international community has evaporated."

The council cannot "stand idly by", Peter Wittig, Germany's UN envoy, said.

The 15-member council was split last month by a European-drafted resolution
condemning Assad's crackdown. Russia and China vetoed the resolution, while
Brazil, India, South Africa and Lebanon abstained.

Because of the internal divisions, the Security Council has so far only agreed
to a statement, with less moral weight, against the violence in Syria. The 193
member UN General Assembly passed a resolution last week deploring the violence.

'Military option'

In the latest development on Tuesday, Turkey, a former ally of Syria, also
stepped up its criticism of the government's crackdown on protesters.

Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, told Kanal 24, the Turkish TV news
channel, that his country does not want to consider a military option for
intervention in neighbouring Syria, but that it is ready for any scenario.

"We hope that a military intervention will never be necessary. However, the
Syrian regime has to find a way of making peace with its own people to eliminate
this option."

Davutoglu also said the international community may decide a buffer zone is
needed in Syria if tens of thousands of people try to flee the violence there.

"If the current pressure will open the way for a large-scale refugee movement,
if tens, hundreds of thousands of people start advancing towards Iraq, Lebanon,
the Turkey borders, not only Turkey, then the international community may be
required to take some steps. But it will not be up to Turkey's appeal only," he
said.

Amnesty International, the London-based rights group, has called on the Security
Council to refer the case to the International Criminal Court, order an arms
embargo and freeze the assets of Assad and his associates.

Human Rights Watch, the New York-based rights monitor, said the UN Human Rights
Council must refer the Syria case to the Security Council and call for it "to
impose targeted sanctions and refer the situation in Syria to the International
Criminal Court".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syrian forces tortured, killed 256 children: UN
AP Nov 29, 2011, 10.47AM IST

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-29/middle-east/30454288_1_ar\
ab-sanctions-syrian-forces-outright-civil-war

BEIRUT: A UN investigation has concluded that Syrian forces committed crimes
against humanity by killing and torturing hundreds of children, including a
2-year-old girl reportedly shot to death so she wouldn't grow up to be a
demonstrator.

The results of the inquiry, released on Monday, added to mounting international
pressure on President Bashar Assad, a day after the Arab League approved
sweeping sanctions to push his embattled regime to end the violence. Syria's
foreign minister called the Arab move "a declaration of economic war" and warned
of retaliation.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arab League approves Syria sanctions

http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article539275.ece
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arab League agrees to Syria sanctions
Arab finance ministers approve a draft plan for sanctions against Syria in an
attempt to end the country's violence.
Last Modified: 27 Nov 2011 05:55

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/20111126182516483551.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Fisk: Exile dreams of a bloodless return after a life spent opposing
Assad regime
Opposition leader Khaled Khoja tells our writer in Istanbul why revenge is not
on the table
ROBERT FISK    FRIDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-exile-dreams-\
of-a-bloodless-return-after-a-life-spent-opposing-assad-regime-6267702.html

"If Bashar al-Assad is caught in Damascus, he will not be treated like Gaddafi.
But what if he was caught in Homs? We don't want Mr Bashar al-Assad to face this
end. But, as Mr Erdogan says, he has to think what happened to Gaddafi and to
Saddam Hussein. The youth now are crazy. All revolutions are created by crazy
men, not by wise men."

Khaled Khoja sits back – we are in one of Istanbul's ancient hotels, the
15th-century Malatya Tower looming over us in the city that has been Khoja's
home-in-exile these past 29 years – and he watches me, I think, to see if I
admire his grasp of English.

Khaled Khoja, a family doctor in his forties, is one of the most senior
representatives of the exiled Syrian National Council, recognised only by Libya
as the representative of Syria, constantly urged by Turkey's Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan – and most recently by William Hague – to end its feuds
with other Syrian opposition groups, an institution that is a danger and a pest
to President Assad's regime. Like all exiles, Khoja basks in a strange mixture
of fantasy and reality.

"We don't have another chance," Khoja says. "Otherwise it will be a sectarian
conflict. If the civilians arm themselves, it will be a disaster. Al-Assad? I
give him six months to a year."

The chaos in the central city of Homs is already a sectarian conflict, a
miniature civil war. Civilians have clearly already armed themselves. Yet
Khoja's prediction of the President's political life – six months to a year
– is infinitely more realistic than the nonsense peddled by the Gulf Arabs and
the The Wall Street Journal, who suggest Assad will be gone in weeks, if not
days.

Khaled Khoja has the kind of CV every Syrian opposition leader craves. For his
refusal to countenance Bashar's father, Hafez, Khoja's father was imprisoned for
14 years, his mother sentenced to five years, the 15-year-old Khaled for two
years – one in the cells of the intelligence headquarters in Damascus. Of his
three uncles, one was hanged; two, according to Khoja, were shot in the street.

Khoja admits he met the armed insurgents of Syria in the Turkish city of
Antakya. "They said they were organising themselves and that the rebellion
started in Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib. They trained the youth there. They are
getting guns from Lebanon – and somehow guns from Iraq. [A] 'buffer zone'...
will be the next step if Bashar al-Assad continues killing people. Most refugees
will try to evacuate to a buffer zone. A no-fly zone would help the Free Syrian
Army to organise themselves in the buffer zone without any military
intervention."

So there you have it. A Turkish army buffer zone – three miles into Syria, if
the Turks are to be believed – would give the armed rebels territory inside
Syria (just as the Libyan rebels possessed in Tobruk and Benghazi). Khoja, a
member of the SNC's "foreign affairs committee", was urged by fellow exiles from
the US, Canada and the Gulf to visit Tripoli; he arrived the day after Gaddafi
was murdered. But the SNC's ambitions do not end with mere political support.

"Co-ordinating with King Abdullah of Jordan, there could be another buffer zone
in Deraa [in southern Syria] so that the Syrian regime will be stuck like Saddam
Hussein in 1990 – with buffer zones in north and south. But there could be a
solution without any military intervention. The Syrian army can reorganise
itself.

"In the early days of the Syrian uprising, the Foreign Minister of the United
Arab Emirates visited Syria – just as he visited Saddam Hussein before the
2003 invasion and visited Hosni Mubarak before he was overthrown. And when the
UAE is involved, it means there is an offer to the Assad family ... and I think
that if allowed to flee Syria with a guarantee, the Assad family could go to
Saudi Arabia, the Emirates or to Malta – the safest area – and it would be a
good solution. We don't want to take revenge on the Assad family, especially if
this will help avoid a civil war."

Khoja has no illusions about Russia's support for Syria. "The Russians talk to
us," he says. "They are trying to convince us to have a compromise with Bashar
al-Assad and give him a chance. This will not change – they will support
Bashar to the end. The Russian regime is no different from the Syrian regime.
The Russian military have interests in [the Syrian naval port] Tartous. But the
most benefit the Russians get from the Syrian crisis is that the Russian economy
is enjoying an extra cash flow by selling energy during Middle East crises. This
works for the benefit of Russia."

I suggest that exile, especially after almost three decades, can lead Khoja into
mythology rather than history. No, he says. "I can think very clearly, even in
exile – but I'm not facing the tanks. I'm not facing the bullets of the
regime."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Q&A: Syria's daring actress
Fadwa Soliman, an Alawite who became an icon in the uprising against Bashar
al-Assad, speaks to Al Jazeera from hiding.
Basma Atassi Last Modified: 24 Nov 2011 18:42

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/11/20111123142157924333.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


IRAN

Robert Fisk: Sanctions are only a small part of the history that makes Iranians
hate the UK
ROBERT FISK    WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-sanctions-are\
-only-a-small-part-of-the-history-that-makes-iranians-hate-the-uk-6269812.html

It's a weird irony that Iranians know the history of Anglo-Persian relations
better than the Brits. When the newly installed Ministry of Islamic Guidance
asked Harvey Morris, Reuters' man in post-revolutionary Iran, for a history of
his news agency, he asked his London office to send him a biography of Baron von
Reuter – and was appalled to discover the founder of the world's greatest news
agency had built Persia's railways at an immense profit. "How can I show this to
the ministry?" he shouted. "It turns out that the Baron was worse than the
fucking Shah!" Of which, of course, the ministry was well aware.

Britain staged a joint invasion of Iran with Soviet forces when the Shah's
predecessor got a bit too close to the Nazis in World War Two and then helped
the Americans overthrow the democratically elected Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953
after he nationalised Britain's oil possessions in the country.

This was not a myth but a real, down-to-earth conspiracy. The CIA called it
Operation Ajax; the Brits wisely kept their ambitions in check by calling it
Operation Boot. MI6's agent in Tehran was Colonel Monty Woodhouse, previously
our Special Operations Executive man inside German-occupied Greece. I knew
"Monty" well – we co-operated together when I investigated the grim wartime
career of ex-UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim – and he was a ruthless man.
Woodhouse brought weapons into Iran for a still non-existent "resistance"
movement and he eagerly supported the CIA's project to fund the "bazaaris" of
Tehran to stage demonstrations (in which, of course, hundreds, perhaps
thousands, died) to overthrow Mossadegh.

They were successful. Mossadegh was arrested – by an officer assiduously done
to death in the 1979 revolution – and the young Shah returned in triumph to
impose his rule, reinforced by his faithful SAVAK secret police whose torture of
women regime opponents was duly filmed and – according to the great Egyptian
journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal – circulated by CIA officers to America's
allies around the world as a "teaching" manual. How dare the Iranians remember
all this?

The mass of US secret documents found after the American embassy was sacked
following the Iranian revolution proved to the Iranians not only Washington's
attempts to subvert the new order of Ayatollah Khomeini but the continued
partnership of the American and British intelligence services.

The British ambassador, almost to the end, remained convinced that the Shah,
though deeply flawed, would survive. And British governments have continued to
rage about the supposedly terrorist nature of the Iranian government. Tony Blair
– even at the official inquiry into the Iraq war – started raving about the
necessity of standing up to Iranian aggression.

Anyway, the Iranians trashed us yesterday and made off, we are told, with a
clutch of UK embassy documents. I cannot wait to read their contents. For be
sure, they will soon be revealed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


TUNISIA

Islamists and secularists clash in Tunisia
As the country awaits the formation of its new government, tensions grow between
groups.
Last Modified: 02 Dec 2011 19:52

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/12/2011122181127485895.html

[VIDEO]
Tunisians are yet to get a new government after political infighting delayed the
appointment of new ministers.

In the country's capital, Tunis, outside the national assembly, crowds gathered
on Thursday to protest what they say is the growing influence of Islamists.

It follows the occupation of a university campus by a religious group, which
wants male and female students segregated.

Khadija Magardie reports.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


IRAQ

Iraqis mark Ashoura in Karbala
Nearly a million Shias defy security concerns to mark one of most significant
days in Islamic calendar.
Last Modified: 07 Dec 2011 10:10

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/12/20111278341019611.html

[VIDEO]

Muslims around the world on Tuesday marked Ashoura, one of the most significant
religious days in the Islamic calendar.

Ashoura, the 10th day of the first Islamic month of Muharram, marks the occasion
when the Prophet Muhammad used to fast in Mecca, where it became a common
tradition for the early Muslims.

Sunni Muslims commemorate the day through voluntary fasting but for Shia Muslims
it is also a major religious occasion commemorating the martyrdom of Imam
Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet.

Every year since then, thousands of Shia have performed pilgrimages to the
Imam's mausoleum in southern Iraq.

Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf reports from Karabala.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


LIBYA

Mexico foils 'plot' to smuggle in Gaddafi son
Mexican officials say they discovered and halted international plan to smuggle
Saadi Gaddafi from Niger.
Last Modified: 08 Dec 2011 02:30

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2011/12/201112718532403732.html

[VIDEO]
Mexico has uncovered and stopped an international plot to smuggle late Libyan
leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Saadi into the country using fake names and false
papers, authorities said.

A Canadian woman, a Danish man and two Mexicans were arrested on November 10 and
11 over an elaborate plan to bring Saadi Gaddafi, who is now in Niger, and his
family to Mexico using forged documents, safe houses and private flights, they
said on Wednesday.

Mexican officials acted on a tip in September about the network, which planned
to settle the family near the popular
tourist spot of Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast, Interior Minister
Alejandro Poire said.

In preparation for the family's arrival, the alleged criminal ring bought
properties around Mexico and opened bank accounts.

Al Jazeera's Franc Contreras, reporting from Mexico City, said Saadi Gaddafi had
reportedly planned to travel to Mexico on a private airliner.

The alleged criminal ring had arranged for private flights to smuggle in the
family and set up identities under assumed names, including Moah Bejar Sayed and
Amira Sayed Nader, authorities said.

The suspected plotters themselves used a network of flights between Mexico, the
United States, Canada, Kosovo and the Middle East to plan the route and organise
the logistics for Saadi's arrival, Poire said.

"Mexican officials ... succeeded in avoiding this risk, they dismantled the
international criminal network which was
attempting this and they arrested those presumed responsible," he told a news
conference.

The plan was to bring Saadi, a businessman and former professional soccer
player, and his family to a multi million-dollar estate in Punta Mita, the
Canadian newspaper National Post reported.

Punta Mita is a swanky area with luxury hotels about 40 km from Puerto Vallarta.

Hide out in Mexico

Mexican authorities said the Canadian woman, Cynthia Ann Vanier, was the
ringleader of the plot and directly in touch with the Gaddafi family,

They said the Danish man, Pierre Christian Flensborg, was in charge of
logistics. The Mexican suspects were identified as Jose Luis Kennedy Prieto and
Gabriela Davila Huerta, also known as de Cueto.

Mexico, fighting to contain raging drug-related violence, has broken some major
cartels into smaller criminal gangs that
may be willing to help international criminals and militants, said one academic
who specialises in regional security issues.

"Mexico ... has a reputation deservedly or not for lawlessness and so it was
probably a calculation that if you go to Mexico ... you can get away and hide
out," said David Shirk, director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University
of San Diego.

Saadi Gaddafi's lawyer Nick Kaufman said his client was still in Niger, where he
fled as his father's 42-year rule crumbled in August.

"He is fully respecting the restraints placed on him presently by the
international community," Kaufman told Reuters.

Like many senior members of the Gaddafi regime, Saadi was banned from travelling
and had his assets frozen by a UN
Security Council resolution when violence erupted in Libya earlier this year.

Saadi's movements

In late August, Saadi Gaddafi was believed to have fled to the Libyan town of
Bani Walid with his father and brother, Italian news agency ANSA reported at the
time.  When his father fled south, there were some indications that Saadi was
willing to surrender.

In early September, while his brother Saif al-Islam vowed to continue fighting
the NTC, Saadi urged negotiations to end the bloodshed.

Wednesday's news of an unrealised plan to hightail to Mexico involves a scheme
dating from September.

Saadi soon sought shelter in Niger, however, as intense fighting continued.
Interpol released a Red Notice for Saadi in late September, accusing him of
corruption and armed intimidation.

Nigerien authorities have pledged that they will not extradite Saadi to Libya
because of the risk he will not receive a fair trial and may face the death
penalty. In mid-November, he was granted asylum in Niger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Al Jazeera technology gives voice to Somalian strife
Rebecca Hawkes ©RapidTVNews | 08-12-2011

http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/2011120817814/al-jazeera-technology-to-give\
-voice-to-somalian-strife.html

News broadcaster Al Jazeera English has conducted a survey via SMS of Somali
people to ascertain how lives have been affected by the ongoing conflict, and is
mapping the results on its website from today (8 December).

The Qatar-based satellite TV channel sent 5000 SMS messages across Somalia in
partnership with Souktel, asking for replies to ascertain how the civil war,
which began in 1991, has impacted on people living in the troubled African
state.

Responses, which are still coming in to the broadcaster, are being translated
into English courtesy of the African Diaspora Institute (ADI) and volunteers
from around the world.

"This is the first large-scale survey of Somali sentiment. Everyone knows of the
ongoing conflict in the country, but there are many individual stories that
remain to be told. We've been committed to Somalia throughout all of this, and
this is one more powerful method to bring to light the situation on the ground
there," said Moeed Ahmad, head of new media, Al Jazeera.

The texts are being presented on a map of Somalia on the Al Jazeera English
website using technology from the crisis-mapping organization Ushahidi and
crowdsourcing platform Crowdflower. They can be browsed under social, political,
and economic categories.

"It's a major challenge to gather this much information and present it in a
digestible way for the public. We're extremely grateful to our partners at
Ushahidi, the ADI, Souktel and Crowdflower for helping make this happen," added
Ahmad.

The site http://Aljazeera.com/SomaliaSpeaks will be live for a month following
its launch on 8 December to encompass future responses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Least corrupt place? New Zealand. Worst? Somalia, North Korea
By Arthur Brice, CNN
December 5, 2011 -- Updated 1425 GMT (2225 HKT)

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/03/world/corruption-perceptions-index/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somali group fights tribalism in diaspora
By William Maclean
LONDON | Thu Dec 8, 2011 1:21pm GMT

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/12/08/uk-somalia-clans-idUKTRE7B70K020111208

(Reuters) - Menaced by a gang of fellow Somalis on a London bus, Adam Mataan
took a stand against the tribalism he fled in his homeland, and emerged stronger
for confronting what he and like-minded Somalis see as deadly clan divisions.

The former refugee now wants millions of compatriots to do the same.

Clans form the bedrock of Somali society and identity, but political
exploitation of their rivalries has blocked every attempt at peace since Somalia
collapsed into war in 1991.

Mataan is one of a growing community of young Somalis that refuses to believe
the country is condemned to clan-based political factionalism and has launched a
hearts-and-minds campaign to do something about it.

Their Anti-Tribalism Movement (ATM), which claims 53,000 followers, aims to
eliminate the "spitefulness, discrimination and negativity" he says sectarianism
breeds in Somali behaviour.

The trans-national advocacy group is based in the diaspora but says most members
are inside Somalia. It is not the only organisation calling for an inclusive,
nationalist vision -- other examples are political parties Hiil Qaran and the
Somali National Party -- but its explicitly anti-tribal stance, twinned with its
emphasis on youth, is rare.

"The older generation doesn't agree with what we are doing. They say tribalism
is our heritage, our DNA, our blueprint. But they're wrong. We need whoever is
most capable," said Mataan.

Saying it is not against clans but their manipulation for politics, the
non-profit group uses conferences, seminars and online forums to try to persuade
millions to elevate loyalty to Somalia above clan.

Poems on its website http//theatm.org decry tribal hatred. One, by Ayan Ali,
reads: "This thing we call qabyaalad (tribalism) is nothing but a disease, a
disease that has made us cripples, this cripple that has left us with no land,
no nation and no real people."

A more concrete programme of action may come later.

"READY FOR VIOLENCE"

Mataan says his convictions about the menace of clannism were hardened by the
confrontation on the almost empty double-decker bus as it rumbled from the
western districts of Hounslow to Ealing in Britain's capital in 2008.

Cornered by youths at the back of the top deck, Mataan, now 24, refused a demand
to know his clan affiliation.

He braced for an ugly reaction.

"I was ready for violence, for stupidity," he said, recalling how he gave them a
mini-lecture on how clan rivalries were ruining their ancestral land.

"Shame on you," he recalls telling the youths, who had noticed his Somali
appearance and, as he was a stranger, demanded to know whether he was of the
"right" tribe -- theirs.

In the event, there was no bloodshed. But as they trudged away, the youths said
the next time he came to their area he would have to pay a "tax" or "bring your
tribal boys" to fight it out.

For Mataan, who fled his home region of Las Anod when he was 13 in part because
animosity to his clan made it hard to travel and find work, the incident made
him aware that clannism knows no geographical boundaries; a winner-takes-all
view of clan competition was alive and well among diaspora Somali youths.

ATM is not overtly political but implicitly seeks to transform the clan-based
landscape of Somali affairs. Its work is a challenge to al Shabaab, an al
Qaeda-aligned militant group whose name means "youth" in Arabic. Al Shabaab
publicly condemns tribalism but critics accuse it of playing clan power
politics.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Mayor of Mogadishu
It is one of the world's toughest jobs, but one man is determined to make a
difference in the war-torn Somali capital.
Witness Last Modified: 16 Nov 2011 14:41

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2011/11/20111114103920169430.html

[VIDEO]
Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, is considered one of the most dangerous
places on earth. Its two million inhabitants have endured more than two decades
of conflict and today a battle rages between the armed al-Shabab group and
Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

Amidst the chaos of this war-torn city, Mahamoud Nur, the mayor of Mogadishu, is
trying to make a difference, in part by "altering the mindset of the people".

He left his wife and six children behind in London, where he had lived for more
than 12 years, to return home to Mogadishu at the request of Sharif Ahmed, the
country's president.

This film explores Mahamoud's extraordinary story and follows him in the days
leading up to one of his most ambitious initiatives to date: a street festival
celebrating Somali culture - the first event of its kind in many years and an
obvious target for an attack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somalis revel on Mogadishu's safe beaches for first time in three years
Roads are being repaired and air and sea traffic has increased after the retreat
of the militant group al-Shabaab
David Smith
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 6 November 2011 19.48 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/06/somalians-revel-mogadishu-safe-beach\
es

Hundreds of residents of the Somalian capital Mogadishu have taken respite from
bombs and bullets by flocking to the beaches for the first time in three years.
The revellers, who included former president Ali Mahdi Mohamed, converged on the
Lido beach where they played football and swam. The African Union Mission in
Somalia said the return to Mogadishu beaches on Friday showed a new sense of
security since the militant group al-Shabaab, aligned with al-Qaida, retreated
from Mogadishu in August. "Roads are being repaired, homes rebuilt and markets
reopened," it said.

"Real estate prices along Via Moscow have doubled and there are people out in
the streets late into the night, despite the ongoing threat of terrorist
attack."

Thousands of people who had been prevented from returning to their homes in the
city are now streaming back, it added.

"Traffic at the Aden Abdulleh International Airport has also tripled and the
line of ships waiting to dock at the seaport grows ever longer. The city has
played host to several high profile visitors, including Turkish prime minister,
Recep Erdogan, and a number of countries have reopened their embassies."

But normality after 20 years of bloody anarchy that put Somalia bottom of the
Ibrahim Index of African Governance apparently comes at a price. Growing traffic
jams and rising crime rates are among everyday problems taking hold.

Al-Shabaab is still locked in a battle with the weak UN-back interim government
for control of parts of the country. Kenya deployed troops inside Somalia three
weeks ago to crush the militants it blames for a wave of kidnappings in Kenya
and frequent cross-border attacks. Last week the Guardian revealed that men
claiming to be al-Qaida operatives are distributing aid and cash to drought
victims in southern Somalia in an attempt to win hearts and minds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somali civilians killed in Kenyan air raids
Kenya acknowledges casualties, but says they were not a "direct result" of air
strikes - blaming al-Shabab instead.
Last Modified: 31 Oct 2011 21:20

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/10/201110311954819445.html

[VIDEO]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mental illness 'rampant' in Somalia
The near daily fighting in Somalia has taken its toll on the mental health of
its people, doctors say.
Last Modified: 08 Oct 2011 12:36

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/10/201110812641139301.html

[VIDEO]
The Word Health Organisation says as many as 450 million people suffer from
mental disorders globally.

The continuing conflict in Somalia is having a huge impact on the mental health
of many Somalis.

Dr Abdirahman Ali Habeeb, is a psychiatric nurse by training, but prefers the
title doctor, says: "The bombardments, shootings and mortar shellings is what is
causing the increasing number of mentally ill in Mogadishu."

Mohammed Adow reports from Mogadishu.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somali bomber who killed 100 slammed education
By ABDI GULED | AP
Published: Oct 6, 2011 15:56 Updated: Oct 6, 2011 16:14

http://arabnews.com/world/article512644.ece

MOGADISHU, Somalia: The Somali suicide bomber who killed more than 100 people,
including students seeking scholarships, in an attack near the education
ministry was a school dropout who had declared that young people should forget
about secular education and instead wage jihad.

Bashar Abdullahi Nur, who detonated a massive blast Tuesday that covered the
capital in dust more than a half-mile (800 meters) away and left blackened
corpses sprawled amid burning vehicles, gave an interview before the attack.

“Now those who live abroad are taken to a college and never think about the
hereafter. They never think about the harassed Muslims,” he said in the
interview later aired Wednesday on a militant-run radio station. “He wakes up
in the morning, goes to college and studies and accepts what the infidels tell
him, while infidels are massacring Muslims.”

The UN said Thursday that more than 100 people had died in the explosion in
Mogadishu. Tuesday’s attack killed some of Somalia’s brightest young minds,
including students gathered around a notice board to learn about the results of
scholarships from the Turkish government.

The attack took place near a building housing several government ministries, and
it was not immediately clear what was the precise target. However, it is not the
first time the Al-Qaeda-linked militants have targeted students. In 2009, the
Al-Shabab group attacked a graduation ceremony, killing medical students and
doctors.

“These attacks, which targeted some of the country’s very few
university-level students, as well as the dedicated civil servants working to
enhance Somali public institutions and social services under extremely difficult
circumstances, are a direct blow to the fabric — and future — of the
nation,” said Shamsul Bari, the UN’s independent human rights expert in
Somalia.

Al-Shabab’s spokesman has vowed to increase attacks “day by day” as part
of an effort to defeat the weak UN-backed Somali government and the 9,000
African Union peacekeepers stationed in the country.

Al-Shabab, an ultraconservative Islamist group, is known for the hard
punishments it metes out against people, such as chopping off the hands of
thieves and stoning adulterers to death. The group considers the secular
education as a form of Western invasion into the minds of the Muslims.

Suicide bombings, unheard of in Somalia before 2007, have become increasingly
frequent. Islamic militants in Somalia have shown a rising ability to carry out
sophisticated large-scale bombings against high-profile targets, such as
Tuesday’s attack that occurred in a government-controlled area of the city.

Somalia has been mired in violence since 1991, plunging the country into a chaos
that sprouted militants and piracy off the coast of Horn of Africa nation.
Somalia also has been suffering from its worst famine in 60 years: The US says
29,000 children have died since the famine began, and the UN says 750,000 more
are at risk of starving to death in the next few months.

Al-Shabab fighters have compounded the suffering by preventing aid agencies from
helping famine victims in areas under militant control in southern Somalia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somalia bomb attack condemned
TUESDAY 04 OCTOBER 2011

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/somalia-bomb-attack-condemned-236\
5417.html

Ministers have condemned extremist Islamist group al Shabab for the "shocking
brutality" of its bomb attack in Somalia today that left 70 people dead.

The militant organisation, which has links to al Qaida, claimed responsibility
for the blast that devastated an area of the capital city of Mogadishu.

A truck packed with explosives blew up as it pulled up to a checkpoint at the
government's Ministry of Education buildings, killing and maiming civilians,
including many students and their families.

Africa Minister Henry Bellingham said: "I strongly condemn today's callous
attack by al Shabab in Mogadishu, which has cost so many lives.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somalia's al-Shabab vows more attacks
Armed anti-government group warns of "more serious blasts" after bombing in
Somali capital leaves at least 70 dead.
Last Modified: 05 Oct 2011 08:59

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/10/201110492730534222.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somalia: Video Public upraising in Somaliland
Published On: Friday, December, 09 2011

http://sunatimes.com/view.php?id=1556

Borama (Sunatimes) The police has shot dead one civilian in Borama town of
Somaliland in Somalia’s northern breakaway republicon Thursday after unrest
protest against the Somaliland government , witnesses said.

Hundreds of Borama’s people from Somalia’s Gadabirsi clan took to the
streets of the town chanting anti Somaliland government slogans and opposing the
domination of one clan power (Isaaq) in the administration and region’s
segregation from the rest of the country.

The latest upraising came after the Somaliland government failed to arrest some
of their soldiers who killed three people from Gadabirsi clan in Seemaal village
near Borama town three days ago.

“We don’t want a government of Isaaq, we want greater Somalia, we feel
injustice and humiliation inside Somaliland,” the protestors said in loudly
voice waving the Somali flag (blue with white star in the center).

The government was accused of hunting down the people from this clan who are in
favor of the creation of Awdal State in which Gadabirsi Diaspora community
established as independent administration from Somaliland.

The protestors also showed their total support of the Awdal State as the Borama
people now seem to be intolerant to what they called ‘one clan government’
and this might lead into possible civil war.

Meanwhile ,There is no freedom of Speech in Somaliland as the government
continues oppression on the independent Journalists such as arresting and
torture . on Tuesday the Somaliland administration arrested the Chairman of the
Somaliland’s Journalists Association ( SOLJA) Mr Hassan Mohamed Yusuf who is
now in the jail with out trial.

By Dahir Alasow