UP Elections Barelwi group vows to crush candidates with Deobandi background
Background See who is preaching human rights, the US Tunisians fear Sharia-law state may be looming Malaysian Shiites face growing persecution Bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law reach record high of USD 85 billion Kashmir: Indian Christians in a panic over Islamist persecution International Conference "Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices In Contemporary Indonesia" Standoff over who will try Saif Al Islam Qaddafi Azerbaijan: Is Secularism in Danger in Baku? 'Syrian regime bound to collapse,' says former Revolutionary Guards Commander Turkey condemns terrorist bombing in NW Pakistan Muslim group reaching out to community with presentation Gilani to chair Cabinet Defence Committee meeting in Pakistan Pakistan officials to meet on rules for U.S., NATO US, Pakistan relationship at its lowest ebb, says Pervez Musharraf No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Gillard Sacked Pak ex-defence secy challenges Gilani Pakistan should contain budget deficit: IMF AG, Akram mull joint plea to adjourn memo case hearing PML-N, Q leaderships to discuss early polls next week 'USA should clear its stand on terrorism from across Pakistan border' - Tunisia's Islamist party slams anti-Semitic chants Oklahoma can't enforce Islamic Sharia law ban Iran: Death sentences and national Internet Catholic organizer explains work with Muslims at UN Muslim Extremists Strike at Christians in East African Isles Pakistan wants dialogue -on core issues in tandem with trade talks' Sacked Pakistani official says he was ignorant of rules Pakistan, UK deny call expressing coup fears Top Iran Military Advisor: Islam will dominate the World U.S. war on terror focuses on new battlefield: the Internet Zardari returns to Pakistan, faces government-military conflict No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Julia Gillard Pakistan probe draws a blank on journalist killing Officials: Pakistani PM called UK, fearing coup What does Pakistan want in Afghanistan? No political instability in Pakistan: High commissioner in India Cautious approach:Opposition to press Zardari for resignation Ambiguities with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Army will refuse to work with Pak Defence Secretary: NYT The principles of journalism: a dummy's guide for journalists in Pakistan. Pakistan Watches Iranian Nuclear Assassinations Iran is a threatening terrorist state Rise in Muslim population opens business avenues in Kenya Muslim body slams Salman Rushdie's visit, calls him apostate David Cameron's Saudi Arabia visit sits oddly with his support of democracy Why we need a new understanding of "Islamism": Muslim Brotherhood leader Iran clerics urge unity as nuclear scientist buried Iran Pastor Nadarkhani Rejects Release Offer Freedom of speech puts "Jesus and Mo" under scrutiny How to bridge islands in sea of our society? Saudi king dismisses religious police head Post revolution politics in Tunisia What comes after year of upheaval?
Complied by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: UP elections: Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates
UP elections: Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates with Deobandi background
14 January 2012
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: A group which was till now religious, is turning political before UP elections. The All India Ulema Mashaikh Board (AIUM, a body of Barelwi-Sunni Muslims, has taken its opposition of Deobandi ideology to politics and has decided to oppose, all the candidates with Deobandi background in the UP elections.
In fact, if you go by what Babar Ashraf, its national secretary has to say, it seems that the Barelwi group has invoked an all out electoral war against parties which have fielded candidates who owe their allegiance to Deoband school of thought. If this happens, which is yet to be seen, then it will be the first time in the electoral history of the country that Muslim votes will be divided on sectarian/ideological lines of Deobandi ideology as opposed to Barelwi sect.
"We are not only going to oppose all the Deobandi candidates but will also make sure that they get defeated and politically uprooted from the concerned constituency," Ashraf told TwoCircles.net on the sidelines of the press conference at the press club in New Delhi on Friday.
The some what angry posture comes after the AIUMB had offered its support in the coming UP elections, to the party which includes its demands in their own manifesto. But no political party came to woo the Barelwi group which claims to have the following of at least 70% of Muslims in the state. It was contrary to the continuous wooing of Muslim Ulema at Deoband by almost all the political parties barring the BJP.
Babar Ashraf has the electoral calculations oUP, ready to explain how and why AIUMB's opposition to Deobandi candidates, is going to have an impact on the over all election results of the state.
In UP where Muslims constitute 18% of the total population, there are more than 121 seats with 30% of Muslim votes. In 2007 assembly elections, there were around 51 seats where Muslim candidates were on 1st and 2nd position and more than 31 seats which saw Muslim candidates getting 3rd position.
Normally the AIUMB will support only the candidates with Sufi/Barelwi background in opposition of Deobandi candidates. For instance in Asmauli assembly constituency, the AIUMB will support and canvass votes for Asrar, who it calls as -Sufi" candidate as opposed to Aquelurahman Barque, who is Deobandi and is fighting on Congress ticket.
Babar Ashraf claims that Asmauli has around 1.11 Lakh Muslim votes out of which at least 1 Lakh is votes of Barelwi/Sunni Muslims; "We are working on the ground, day and night, among the Sunni Muslim vote base to make sure that they caste their vote against Wahabi candidates," Ashraf added.
In constituencies where no Sunni candidates have been given tickets, the AIUMB will either get an independent Sufi Muslim candidate or will support any secular Hindu. For instance, according to Ashraf, in Sambhal which has around 1.48 Muslim votes, all the existing three Muslim candidates including Iqbal Mohammad (SP) and Azan Quraishi (RLD), are Deobandi. So in that case the AIUMB will get any independent Sufi candidate to fight elections there.
The AIUMB will be campaigning against Congress in Rai Bareli belt, which has areas like Rai Bareli, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur, Amethi and Jagdeeshpur. The reason is that the national party didn't accept the set of demands proposed by the AIUMB and given tickets to Deobandi Muslims in the belt which is reportedly dominated by the Muslims following Barelwi sect.
Ashraf also challenged the Congress party to win in the Rai Bareli belt with the help of Deobandi ideology, " If Rahul Gandhi and his party have wooed Deoband so much, let them win elections in the Rai Bareli belt and show us how much strength Deoband has in the area," Ashraf added.
The idea is not to necessarily win but get the political party recognizes the importance of block Barelwi/Sunni votes. The AIUMB plans to mobilize Barelwi/Suni votes in a block and get them vote against the political parties which fielded Deobandi candidates, rejecting the AIUMB demands.
Ashraf said that only in Meerut, Saharanpur and Muzaffar Nagar, the Barelwi votes are not position to make any impact. Otherwise in rest of the Muslim pockets across the Hindi heartland, Barelwi votes dominate.
For quite obvious reasons, all the political players in the UP elections will not take the AIUMB's threats seriously because it is yet to prove that it will successfully mobilize the Barelwi votes into a block and will get them caste their votes against a particular party or candidate.
Importantly if the Barelwi group emerges, even partially successful in its aim to influence Muslim votes, it will be yet another important phenomenon in the recent electoral history of the country which hasn't yet seen the division of Muslim votes on sectarian lines.
To a question as to why the AIUMB was opposing Deobandi candidates, Ashraf replied that "in the long term, Deoband/Wahabi candidates are much more dangerous because the Islamic extremist ideology of Wahabism takes its strength and inspiration from the political power of these Deobandi politicians."
The AIUMB increased its political activities after organizing a conference against "Wahhabi terror" , in October 2011, which had its resonance across the country.
Iraq suicide bomb kills 50 in Basra pilgrims attack
14 January 2012
At least 50 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on Shia pilgrims in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, Iraqi police and security sources say.
The attack was aimed at pilgrims marking the festival of Arbain, one of the main holy days of the Shia calendar, reports say.
Security had been tight amid fears of insurgent attacks during the festival.
Scores of people have been killed in attacks on pilgrims in the last few weeks, reports say.
Medical sources in Basra say they have also treated 91 people injured in the attack.
The attacker targeted Muslim Shia pilgrims at a checkpoint they use on their way to a major Shia mosque in the Zubeir district, some 20km (12 miles) south-west of Basra.
The area is frequented at this time of the Muslim calendar by Shia Muslims in southern Iraq who are unable to reach the shrines of the main holy city of Karbala further north, says the BBC's Nahed Abouzeid in Baghdad.
"A terrorist wearing a police uniform and carrying fake police ID managed to reach a police checkpoint and blew himself up among police and pilgrims," a police official at the scene of the bombing is quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Victims are said to include several policemen.
Tensions
The violence comes only weeks after US troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq and amid a political crisis, which has seen tensions rise between the country's Shia majority and Sunni minority.
Last month, the Shia-dominated government called for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi's arrest on terrorism charges.
Last week, at least 72 people were killed in bomb attacks targeting Shia Muslims in southern Iraq and the capital, Baghdad. Forty-five of the victims were pilgrims in the city of Nasiriya.
US military identifies all four 'urinating' Marines
13 January 2012
All four US Marines seen in a video apparently urinating on dead Afghans have been identified by American military investigators, US media say.
Two of the men have already been interviewed by the US Navy's criminal investigation branch.
The Marine Corps has also appointed Lt Gen Thomas Waldhauser, a three-star general, to decide what, if any, disciplinary action is to be taken.
It is understood the troops served in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
US media reported that the unit belonged to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, but that two of the men and the battalion's commander had moved on to other assignments before the video became public.
The names of the men, who are thought to be Marine snipers, have not been released.
The battalion has had a range of deployments, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and fighting wildfires in the US state of Idaho.
Marine General John Allen, the top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, called for the facts of the case to be established quickly.
He said: "These actions are in direct opposition to everything the military stands for. Such acts in no way reflect the high moral standards and values we expect of our armed forces on a daily basis."
'Savage act'
Lt Gen Waldhauser will appoint another officer to lead the Marine Corps' internal investigation into the incident.
In addition, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is undertaking its own probe of the matter.
Lt Gen Waldhauser is responsible for deciding on the course of action after both investigations have been completed.
Correspondents say that, if authentic, the actions in the video could amount to a violation of the First Geneva Convention, which calls for the dead to be treated with dignity.
It could also constitute a breach of the US Uniform Code of Military Justice, for discrediting the armed forces.
The video, which was posted online, appears to show the troops standing over the bodies of several Afghans, at least one of whom is covered in blood.
A man's voice is heard saying: "Have a great day, buddy."
The clip has been called "disgusting" and "inhuman" by both US and Afghan officials.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her "dismay" at the images, while Afghan President Hamid Karzai requested the "most severe punishment" for those responsible.
In an address to military personnel at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Thursday, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said the video could even jeopardise the prospects for US-Afghan peace talks.
The Taliban have indicated that while they condemn the video, its release would not affect the political process.
Fears that widespread outrage in Afghanistan would boil over into protests immediately after Friday prayers proved unfounded.
But one Kabul resident, 20-year-old construction worker Waheedullah, who like many Afghans uses only one name, told AFP news agency: "This is an absolutely savage act and condemnable in any religion."
It is not clear who released the footage, which first appeared on YouTube and has not been verified.
The US has about 20,000 Marines in Afghanistan, based mostly in the provinces of Kandahar and Helmand. In total, about 90,000 US troops are on the ground in Afghanistan.
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Indonesian Islamists wreak havoc screaming for a Sharia state
Posted by Donell McGriff on Jan 14th, 2012 and filed under Politics & Foreign. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
JAKARTA - Hundreds of protestors attacked the offices of Indonesian Home Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday, pressing the government to ban alcohol countrywide and to turn the country into an Islamic state.
Indonesian Islamists stormed the Home Ministry complex in Jakarta and wreaked havoc inside
Indonesia is a secular state with no official religion. It is the most populous Muslim nation in terms of population, and most of its citizens are moderates. Radical Muslim groups however, have in recent years formed syndicates to raid bars, nightclubs and the office of Indonesia's Playboy magazine.
Around 500 angry protesters, including members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Islamic People's Forum (FUI), stormed government office complex in Jakarta to protest a proposal to revoke anti-alcohol rules, damaging a security post, car park and glass panels before threatening to conduct sweeps on bars and beat up customers, Indonesian news agency Kompas reported on Thursday.
Indonesia has bylaws that regulate the sale of alcohol in the country. Under the regulations, alcohol is classified into three categories: A (with an alcohol content of 5% or less), B (above 5% to 20%) and C (above 20% to 55%). The sale of alcohol classified as B and C is limited only to places such as hotels and restaurants, while alcohol classified as A, such as beer, is being sold anywhere.
The new proposal to cancel the bylaw will allow sales of Class B and C alcoholic drinks elsewhere.
Indonesian radical group FPI, Osama bin what.
Protesters outside the interior ministry in the city's main square wore white robes with the word "mujahideen" emblazoned on their shirts. "President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must issue a decree to ban alcohol and to cut alcohol distribution in Indonesia to zero percent," said FPI field coordinator Awit Mashuri.
"We will defend anti-alcohol bylaws and we will fight anything that is against the interests of Islam in Indonesia to make it a pure Islamic state," Zulfi Syukur told the cheering crowd, many of whom pumped their fists in the air and shouted "jihad", or holy war.
Indonesia Home Ministry complex - aftermath
FPI wants to transform Indonesia into an Islamic state with Sharia as its legislature. The group has launched a series of violent vigilante attacks since 2000, with targets including the US embassy and nightclubs.
The Indonesia Home Ministry responded angrily to the attack, Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said the ministry would "evaluate" both the the FPI and the FUI. "If necessary, we will freeze them," he said. The Constitution may respect the right of these groups to exist, he said, but they need to obey the law. "We have decided to take two courses of action," Gamawan said.
However, it is questionable whether any action will really be taken against the FPI. The Muslim organization is believed to have the backing of both the National Police and the military. The group's growing aggressiveness is worrisome to human rights groups, who say that the Islamist organization is nothing more than a collection of nearly uncontrollable thugs.
Critics say President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's attitude was reflected in the Oct. 7, 2010 appointment of Timur Pradopo, who has strong ties to FPI, as national police chief. Based on a Wikileaks report in the leaked US diplomatic cables, it was claimed the FPI receives funding from the police.
The FPI has often resorted to violence, ransacking bars, threatening pork sellers and attacking peaceful demonstrations. It has also tried to prevent Christian churches from being built in communities near Jakarta.
Indonesia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the country has struggled to deal with a radical fringe of extremists who have carried out numerous attacks including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.
Transforming Indonesia into an Islamic state however, may prove challenging. Since its inception in 1945, Indonesia has been guided by a nationalist philosophical construct known as the Pancasila rather than a state religion. Any establishment of Shariah-inspired state may risk the secession of almost the entire Eastern Indonesia, most of them Christian-majority, and the famed island of Bali, which is 92% Hindu. Ethnic and religious tensions had resulted in the separation of East Timor into an independent country in 1999, and Indonesia currently has active secessionist movements in both Christian Maluku and West Papua.
See who is preaching human rights, the US
Sat, 2012-01-14
Saudi Arabia
By S.H.Moulana - Riyadh
Riyadh, 14 January (Asiantribune.com):
If you find a slightest drop of urine in your body or on the garments you wear, your prayer is null and void, according to Islamic rule. The dead bodies are always washed with utmost respect and wrapped in clean white cloth before burial according to Islamic religious practice.
Prophet Muhammad (Sal) has strictly instructed all his followers to honor any dead body of any faith passing by. He requested to get up from the seat if a funeral procession is passing by. It is not restricted to Islam but this tradition is practiced by people of all faith and even by non-believers in any religion but as decency.
However, we were really shocked to see the video of US soldiers urinating on dead Afghans they killed in a country they are forcibly occupying. They stood before the camera exposing their 'ugly' genitals and casting vulgar remarks on the dead people. May be they were assured that 'dead men tell no tales'! We saw such disgusting torture and cruelty taking place in Abu Ghraib, in Iraq and also in Guantanmo. In every such case it is dismissed as the work of some 'bad apples' and the US administration conveniently disowns responsibility.
This is something they learnt from former president George Bush. However, a similar crime were to be committed by another force of a weaker country, the champion of human rights will hold the government in power responsible and urge the ruler or rulers to be taken to The Hague. Again if the offender were to be a close ally of the 'champion', there is every chance of being over looked or totally ignored, like in the case of Israel.
Full Report At:
Tunisians fear Sharia-law state may be looming
14 January, 2012
Students of the Faculty of Arts in Manuba, wearing niqabs, shout slogans in front of the Ministry of Higher Education, on January 11, 2012 in Tunis
TAGS: Religion, Africa, Politics, Human rights, Cary Johnston, Irina Galushko, Education
Tunisia is marking the first anniversary of the revolution that triggered the Arab Spring and changed the face of the entire region. And while the country can boast a peaceful transition of power, radical religious ideas are on the rise.
It may have looked like a successful revolution - getting rid of an authoritarian regime, while retaining its Westernized faade. But in the parliamentary elections that followed, Tunisians voted Ennahda, an Islamist Party, to power. It now firmly holds the majority of seats in the new parliament.
Full Report At:
Malaysian Shiites face growing persecution
January 14, 2012
Claiming to be victims of religious persecution, Shiite Muslims in Malaysia fear they are being attacked by a hardline and seemingly hypocritical Sunni-led government.
GOMBAK: There is a row of ordinary-looking shoplots in the middle of Sri Gombak. Lined with coffeeshops and grocery stores, one of them is a religious centre, dedicated to the local Shiite Muslim community, Ar-Ridha.
Posters of Islamic quotes adorn the staircase walls leading to the centre's fourth floor office, with a strong grill barring anyone's way to the top.
Full Report At:
Bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law reach record high of USD 85 billion
KUWAIT, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- Global sukuk issued in December, last year, reached USD 5 billion, a report by a Kuwaiti bank said on Friday, marking a record issuance of USD 85 billion in 2011 - a 90.2 pct increase from 2010.
Sukuk is the term used for bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law.
Sovereign issuance was the main catalyst for the sukuk market last year, where it reached USD 59 billion, while companies' issuance reached USD 19 billion, said Kuwait Finance House Research in its monthly report.
The global sukuk secondary market also reached an all-time high of USD 178.2 billion by the year-end, a 24 pct increase from the USD 143.3 billion outstanding at the end of 2010.
Full Report At:
Kashmir: Indian Christians in a panic over Islamist persecution
Two Christian missionaries to be sentenced by Islamic court in India. Tiny Christian community panicked by Islamists in Kashmir in officially secularist India.
Friday, January 13, 2012 by Martin Barillas
Full Report At:
International Conference "Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices in Contemporary Indonesia"
Pusat Studi Islam-Universitas Islam Indonesia (PSI-UII) is pleased to announce a call for papers for the international conference on Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices in Contemporary Indonesia and invites submission of papers exploring any of the following related topics of the conference:
Theological basis referring to the study of various Islamic thoughts with regard to the (in)compatibility between human rights and Islam. Reading classical texts and modern lights are highly welcome.
Full Report At:
Standoff over who will try Saif Al Islam Qaddafi
Ferry Biedermann
Jan 13, 2012
AMSTERDAM // Libyan authorities, the international community and tribesmen from Zintan are at odds over the custody and eventual trial of Saif Al Islam Qaddafi, son of the former Libyan dictator.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague this week extended until January 23 a deadline for Libyan officials to explain what they plan to do with him.
Mr Qaddafi was last seen in public in mid-November, shortly after he was captured in the Libyan desert. Dressed in Bedouin garb rather than the designer suits he was accustomed to, he looked bedraggled and slightly confused, with one of his hands bandaged.
Full Report At:
Azerbaijan: Is Secularism in Danger in Baku?
January 13, 2012 - 3:01pm, by Eldar Mamedov Azerbaijan EurasiaNet's Weekly Digest Azerbaijani Politics Islam
The recent murder of Rafiq Tagi, a staunchly secularist journalist in Azerbaijan who was killed by suspected pro-Iranian extremists, has exposed dangerous fault lines in Azerbaijani society.
Full Report At:
'Syrian regime bound to collapse,' says former Revolutionary Guards Commander
WRITTEN BY CYRUS GREEN 0 COMMENTS
'Iran must seek replacement for Bashar Assad'
The Syrian regime is nearing its demise and Iran needs to look for new alternatives to the Assad regime as its partner, says a former high-ranking commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Full Report At:
Turkey condemns terrorist bombing in NW Pakistan
ANKARA - Turkey has strongly condemned the recent bombing in Pakistan's northwest town of Jamrud, which killed over 30 people and wounded dozens others.
"Turkey learned with deep sorrow about the killing of individuals in the blast in Jamrud of the Khyber region on January 10," the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Full Report At:
Muslim group reaching out to community with presentation
By KATHRYN BURNHAM
CORNWALL - Rizwan Rabbani has seen his religion painted in a negative light through the actions of extremists, and is hoping the series of information events he organizes as the national executive director of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association of Canada will present a more positive view.
The group will be at the Cornwall Public Library Jan. 15 with an exhibition entitled "Tribute to Mother Mary (an Islamic Perspective)."
Islam has taken a beating to its reputation on a more local level with the trial of the Shafia family, which is being accused of killing their daughters as part of a honour killing.
Full Report At:
Gilani to chair Cabinet Defence Committee meeting in Pakistan
Islamabad, Sat, 14 Jan 2012ANI
Islamabad, Jan 14 (ANI): Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani would chair the meeting of Defence Committee of Cabinet (DCC) on Saturday in an effort to defuse the ongoing tension between the government and the army.
According to The News, federal minister who are its members, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the services chiefs would attend the meeting chaired by the prime minister.
Full Report At:
Pakistan officials to meet on rules for U.S., NATO
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's top military and civilian leaders were set to meet Saturday in a closed-door session to discuss new rules on coordinating with the United States and NATO, officials said. Islamabad's uneasy alliance with the U.S. was brought to the brink of collapse by November airstrikes which killed Pakistani soldiers.
Full Report At:
US, Pakistan relationship at its lowest ebb, says Pervez Musharraf
StoryComments
WASHINGTON: Pakistan's former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that the current bilateral relationship between Islamabad and Washington is at its lowest ebb, lower than those post 9/11 attacks on the US.
"We're at a very poor level. I don't think they were at this level even before 9/11, when I took over," Musharraf told the CNN in an interview when asked about the relationship between Pakistan and the US.
"I don't think -- I had a reasonable amount of respect around if the world even before 9/11. Full Report At:
No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Gillard
January 14, 2012
By Rekha Bhattacharjee
Sydney, (IANS) Prime Minister Julia Gillard has reiterated that Australia will not agree to export uranium to Pakistan, which is imploring Canberra to make a similar policy change as done recently for India.
This policy is an exception which recognises the compelling rationale and national interest for a change in relation to India only, Gillard told IANS in an interview.
"In the case of Pakistan, the issue does not arise as it does not have an exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group," she said. Iraq suicide bomb kills 50 in Basra pilgrims attack US military identifies all four 'urinating' Marines Indonesian Islamists wreak havoc screaming for a Sharia state Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates with Deobandi Background See who is preaching human rights, the US Tunisians fear Sharia-law state may be looming Malaysian Shiites face growing persecution Bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law reach record high of USD 85 billion Kashmir: Indian Christians in a panic over Islamist persecution International Conference "Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices In Contemporary Indonesia" Standoff over who will try Saif Al Islam Qaddafi Azerbaijan: Is Secularism in Danger in Baku? 'Syrian regime bound to collapse,' says former Revolutionary Guards Commander Turkey condemns terrorist bombing in NW Pakistan Muslim group reaching out to community with presentation Gilani to chair Cabinet Defence Committee meeting in Pakistan Pakistan officials to meet on rules for U.S., NATO US, Pakistan relationship at its lowest ebb, says Pervez Musharraf No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Gillard Sacked Pak ex-defence secy challenges Gilani Pakistan should contain budget deficit: IMF AG, Akram mull joint plea to adjourn memo case hearing PML-N, Q leaderships to discuss early polls next week 'USA should clear its stand on terrorism from across Pakistan border' - Tunisia's Islamist party slams anti-Semitic chants Oklahoma can't enforce Islamic Sharia law ban Iran: Death sentences and national Internet Catholic organizer explains work with Muslims at UN Muslim Extremists Strike at Christians in East African Isles Pakistan wants dialogue -on core issues in tandem with trade talks' Sacked Pakistani official says he was ignorant of rules Pakistan, UK deny call expressing coup fears Top Iran Military Advisor: Islam will dominate the World U.S. war on terror focuses on new battlefield: the Internet Zardari returns to Pakistan, faces government-military conflict No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Julia Gillard Pakistan probe draws a blank on journalist killing Officials: Pakistani PM called UK, fearing coup What does Pakistan want in Afghanistan? No political instability in Pakistan: High commissioner in India Cautious approach:Opposition to press Zardari for resignation Ambiguities with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Army will refuse to work with Pak Defence Secretary: NYT The principles of journalism: a dummy's guide for journalists in Pakistan. Pakistan Watches Iranian Nuclear Assassinations Iran is a threatening terrorist state Rise in Muslim population opens business avenues in Kenya Muslim body slams Salman Rushdie's visit, calls him apostate David Cameron's Saudi Arabia visit sits oddly with his support of democracy Why we need a new understanding of "Islamism": Muslim Brotherhood leader Iran clerics urge unity as nuclear scientist buried Iran Pastor Nadarkhani Rejects Release Offer Freedom of speech puts "Jesus and Mo" under scrutiny How to bridge islands in sea of our society? Saudi king dismisses religious police head Post revolution politics in Tunisia What comes after year of upheaval?
Complied by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: UP elections: Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates
UP elections: Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates with Deobandi background
14 January 2012
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: A group which was till now religious, is turning political before UP elections. The All India Ulema Mashaikh Board (AIUM, a body of Barelwi-Sunni Muslims, has taken its opposition of Deobandi ideology to politics and has decided to oppose, all the candidates with Deobandi background in the UP elections.
In fact, if you go by what Babar Ashraf, its national secretary has to say, it seems that the Barelwi group has invoked an all out electoral war against parties which have fielded candidates who owe their allegiance to Deoband school of thought. If this happens, which is yet to be seen, then it will be the first time in the electoral history of the country that Muslim votes will be divided on sectarian/ideological lines of Deobandi ideology as opposed to Barelwi sect.
"We are not only going to oppose all the Deobandi candidates but will also make sure that they get defeated and politically uprooted from the concerned constituency," Ashraf told TwoCircles.net on the sidelines of the press conference at the press club in New Delhi on Friday.
The some what angry posture comes after the AIUMB had offered its support in the coming UP elections, to the party which includes its demands in their own manifesto. But no political party came to woo the Barelwi group which claims to have the following of at least 70% of Muslims in the state. It was contrary to the continuous wooing of Muslim Ulema at Deoband by almost all the political parties barring the BJP.
Babar Ashraf has the electoral calculations of UP, ready to explain how and why AIUMB's opposition to Deobandi candidates, is going to have an impact on the over all election results of the state.
In UP where Muslims constitute 18% of the total population, there are more than 121 seats with 30% of Muslim votes. In 2007 assembly elections, there were around 51 seats where Muslim candidates were on 1st and 2nd position and more than 31 seats which saw Muslim candidates getting 3rd position.
Normally the AIUMB will support only the candidates with Sufi/Barelwi background in opposition of Deobandi candidates. For instance in Asmauli assembly constituency, the AIUMB will support and canvass votes for Asrar, who it calls as -Sufi" candidate as opposed to Aquelurahman Barque, who is Deobandi and is fighting on Congress ticket.
Babar Ashraf claims that Asmauli has around 1.11 Lakh Muslim votes out of which at least 1 Lakh is votes of Barelwi/Sunni Muslims; "We are working on the ground, day and night, among the Sunni Muslim vote base to make sure that they caste their vote against Wahabi candidates," Ashraf added.
In constituencies where no Sunni candidates have been given tickets, the AIUMB will either get an independent Sufi Muslim candidate or will support any secular Hindu. For instance, according to Ashraf, in Sambhal which has around 1.48 Muslim votes, all the existing three Muslim candidates including Iqbal Mohammad (SP) and Azan Quraishi (RLD), are Deobandi. So in that case the AIUMB will get any independent Sufi candidate to fight elections there.
The AIUMB will be campaigning against Congress in Rai Bareli belt, which has areas like Rai Bareli, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur, Amethi and Jagdeeshpur. The reason is that the national party didn't accept the set of demands proposed by the AIUMB and given tickets to Deobandi Muslims in the belt which is reportedly dominated by the Muslims following Barelwi sect.
Ashraf also challenged the Congress party to win in the Rai Bareli belt with the help of Deobandi ideology, " If Rahul Gandhi and his party have wooed Deoband so much, let them win elections in the Rai Bareli belt and show us how much strength Deoband has in the area," Ashraf added.
The idea is not to necessarily win but get the political party recognizes the importance of block Barelwi/Sunni votes. The AIUMB plans to mobilize Barelwi/Suni votes in a block and get them vote against the political parties which fielded Deobandi candidates, rejecting the AIUMB demands.
Ashraf said that only in Meerut, Saharanpur and Muzaffar Nagar, the Barelwi votes are not position to make any impact. Otherwise in rest of the Muslim pockets across the Hindi heartland, Barelwi votes dominate.
For quite obvious reasons, all the political players in the UP elections will not take the AIUMB's threats seriously because it is yet to prove that it will successfully mobilize the Barelwi votes into a block and will get them caste their votes against a particular party or candidate.
Importantly if the Barelwi group emerges, even partially successful in its aim to influence Muslim votes, it will be yet another important phenomenon in the recent electoral history of the country which hasn't yet seen the division of Muslim votes on sectarian lines.
To a question as to why the AIUMB was opposing Deobandi candidates, Ashraf replied that "in the long term, Deoband/Wahabi candidates are much more dangerous because the Islamic extremist ideology of Wahabism takes its strength and inspiration from the political power of these Deobandi politicians."
The AIUMB increased its political activities after organizing a conference against "Wahhabi terror" , in October 2011, which had its resonance across the country.
Iraq suicide bomb kills 50 in Basra pilgrims attack
14 January 2012
At least 50 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on Shia pilgrims in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, Iraqi police and security sources say.
The attack was aimed at pilgrims marking the festival of Arbain, one of the main holy days of the Shia calendar, reports say.
Security had been tight amid fears of insurgent attacks during the festival.
Scores of people have been killed in attacks on pilgrims in the last few weeks, reports say.
Medical sources in Basra say they have also treated 91 people injured in the attack.
The attacker targeted Muslim Shia pilgrims at a checkpoint they use on their way to a major Shia mosque in the Zubeir district, some 20km (12 miles) south-west of Basra.
The area is frequented at this time of the Muslim calendar by Shia Muslims in southern Iraq who are unable to reach the shrines of the main holy city of Karbala further north, says the BBC's Nahed Abouzeid in Baghdad.
"A terrorist wearing a police uniform and carrying fake police ID managed to reach a police checkpoint and blew himself up among police and pilgrims," a police official at the scene of the bombing is quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Victims are said to include several policemen.
Tensions
The violence comes only weeks after US troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq and amid a political crisis, which has seen tensions rise between the country's Shia majority and Sunni minority.
Last month, the Shia-dominated government called for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi's arrest on terrorism charges.
Last week, at least 72 people were killed in bomb attacks targeting Shia Muslims in southern Iraq and the capital, Baghdad. Forty-five of the victims were pilgrims in the city of Nasiriya.
US military identifies all four 'urinating' Marines
13 January 2012
All four US Marines seen in a video apparently urinating on dead Afghans have been identified by American military investigators, US media say.
Two of the men have already been interviewed by the US Navy's criminal investigation branch.
The Marine Corps has also appointed Lt Gen Thomas Waldhauser, a three-star general, to decide what, if any, disciplinary action is to be taken.
It is understood the troops served in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
US media reported that the unit belonged to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, but that two of the men and the battalion's commander had moved on to other assignments before the video became public.
The names of the men, who are thought to be Marine snipers, have not been released.
The battalion has had a range of deployments, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and fighting wildfires in the US state of Idaho.
Marine General John Allen, the top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, called for the facts of the case to be established quickly.
He said: "These actions are in direct opposition to everything the military stands for. Such acts in no way reflect the high moral standards and values we expect of our armed forces on a daily basis."
'Savage act'
Lt Gen Waldhauser will appoint another officer to lead the Marine Corps' internal investigation into the incident.
In addition, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is undertaking its own probe of the matter.
Lt Gen Waldhauser is responsible for deciding on the course of action after both investigations have been completed.
Correspondents say that, if authentic, the actions in the video could amount to a violation of the First Geneva Convention, which calls for the dead to be treated with dignity.
It could also constitute a breach of the US Uniform Code of Military Justice, for discrediting the armed forces.
The video, which was posted online, appears to show the troops standing over the bodies of several Afghans, at least one of whom is covered in blood.
A man's voice is heard saying: "Have a great day, buddy."
The clip has been called "disgusting" and "inhuman" by both US and Afghan officials.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her "dismay" at the images, while Afghan President Hamid Karzai requested the "most severe punishment" for those responsible.
In an address to military personnel at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Thursday, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said the video could even jeopardise the prospects for US-Afghan peace talks.
The Taliban have indicated that while they condemn the video, its release would not affect the political process.
Fears that widespread outrage in Afghanistan would boil over into protests immediately after Friday prayers proved unfounded.
But one Kabul resident, 20-year-old construction worker Waheedullah, who like many Afghans uses only one name, told AFP news agency: "This is an absolutely savage act and condemnable in any religion."
It is not clear who released the footage, which first appeared on YouTube and has not been verified.
The US has about 20,000 Marines in Afghanistan, based mostly in the provinces of Kandahar and Helmand. In total, about 90,000 US troops are on the ground in Afghanistan.
Indonesian Islamists wreak havoc screaming for a Sharia state
Posted by Donell McGriff on Jan 14th, 2012 and filed under Politics & Foreign. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
JAKARTA - Hundreds of protestors attacked the offices of Indonesian Home Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday, pressing the government to ban alcohol countrywide and to turn the country into an Islamic state.
Indonesian Islamists stormed the Home Ministry complex in Jakarta and wreaked havoc inside
Indonesia is a secular state with no official religion. It is the most populous Muslim nation in terms of population, and most of its citizens are moderates. Radical Muslim groups however, have in recent years formed syndicates to raid bars, nightclubs and the office of Indonesia's Playboy magazine.
Around 500 angry protesters, including members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Islamic People's Forum (FUI), stormed government office complex in Jakarta to protest a proposal to revoke anti-alcohol rules, damaging a security post, car park and glass panels before threatening to conduct sweeps on bars and beat up customers, Indonesian news agency Kompas reported on Thursday.
Indonesia has bylaws that regulate the sale of alcohol in the country. Under the regulations, alcohol is classified into three categories: A (with an alcohol content of 5% or less), B (above 5% to 20%) and C (above 20% to 55%). The sale of alcohol classified as B and C is limited only to places such as hotels and restaurants, while alcohol classified as A, such as beer, is being sold anywhere.
The new proposal to cancel the bylaw will allow sales of Class B and C alcoholic drinks elsewhere.
Indonesian radical group FPI, Osama bin what.
Protesters outside the interior ministry in the city's main square wore white robes with the word "mujahideen" emblazoned on their shirts. "President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must issue a decree to ban alcohol and to cut alcohol distribution in Indonesia to zero percent," said FPI field coordinator Awit Mashuri.
"We will defend anti-alcohol bylaws and we will fight anything that is against the interests of Islam in Indonesia to make it a pure Islamic state," Zulfi Syukur told the cheering crowd, many of whom pumped their fists in the air and shouted "jihad", or holy war.
Indonesia Home Ministry complex - aftermath
FPI wants to transform Indonesia into an Islamic state with Sharia as its legislature. The group has launched a series of violent vigilante attacks since 2000, with targets including the US embassy and nightclubs.
The Indonesia Home Ministry responded angrily to the attack, Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said the ministry would "evaluate" both the the FPI and the FUI. "If necessary, we will freeze them," he said. The Constitution may respect the right of these groups to exist, he said, but they need to obey the law. "We have decided to take two courses of action," Gamawan said.
However, it is questionable whether any action will really be taken against the FPI. The Muslim organization is believed to have the backing of both the National Police and the military. The group's growing aggressiveness is worrisome to human rights groups, who say that the Islamist organization is nothing more than a collection of nearly uncontrollable thugs.
Critics say President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's attitude was reflected in the Oct. 7, 2010 appointment of Timur Pradopo, who has strong ties to FPI, as national police chief. Based on a Wikileaks report in the leaked US diplomatic cables, it was claimed the FPI receives funding from the police.
The FPI has often resorted to violence, ransacking bars, threatening pork sellers and attacking peaceful demonstrations. It has also tried to prevent Christian churches from being built in communities near Jakarta.
Indonesia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the country has struggled to deal with a radical fringe of extremists who have carried out numerous attacks including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.
Transforming Indonesia into an Islamic state however, may prove challenging. Since its inception in 1945, Indonesia has been guided by a nationalist philosophical construct known as the Pancasila rather than a state religion. Any establishment of Shariah-inspired state may risk the secession of almost the entire Eastern Indonesia, most of them Christian-majority, and the famed island of Bali, which is 92% Hindu. Ethnic and religious tensions had resulted in the separation of East Timor into an independent country in 1999, and Indonesia currently has active secessionist movements in both Christian Maluku and West Papua.
See who is preaching human rights, the US
Sat, 2012-01-14
Saudi Arabia
By S.H.Moulana - Riyadh
Riyadh, 14 January (Asiantribune.com):
If you find a slightest drop of urine in your body or on the garments you wear, your prayer is null and void, according to Islamic rule. The dead bodies are always washed with utmost respect and wrapped in clean white cloth before burial according to Islamic religious practice.
Prophet Muhammad (Sal) has strictly instructed all his followers to honor any dead body of any faith passing by. He requested to get up from the seat if a funeral procession is passing by. It is not restricted to Islam but this tradition is practiced by people of all faith and even by non-believers in any religion but as decency.
However, we were really shocked to see the video of US soldiers urinating on dead Afghans they killed in a country they are forcibly occupying. They stood before the camera exposing their 'ugly' genitals and casting vulgar remarks on the dead people. May be they were assured that 'dead men tell no tales'! We saw such disgusting torture and cruelty taking place in Abu Ghraib, in Iraq and also in Guantanmo. In every such case it is dismissed as the work of some 'bad apples' and the US administration conveniently disowns responsibility.
This is something they learnt from former president George Bush. However, a similar crime were to be committed by another force of a weaker country, the champion of human rights will hold the government in power responsible and urge the ruler or rulers to be taken to The Hague. Again if the offender were to be a close ally of the 'champion', there is every chance of being over looked or totally ignored, like in the case of Israel.
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Tunisians fear Sharia-law state may be looming
14 January, 2012
Students of the Faculty of Arts in Manuba, wearing niqabs, shout slogans in front of the Ministry of Higher Education, on January 11, 2012 in Tunis
TAGS: Religion, Africa, Politics, Human rights, Cary Johnston, Irina Galushko, Education
Tunisia is marking the first anniversary of the revolution that triggered the Arab Spring and changed the face of the entire region. And while the country can boast a peaceful transition of power, radical religious ideas are on the rise.
It may have looked like a successful revolution - getting rid of an authoritarian regime, while retaining its Westernized faade. But in the parliamentary elections that followed, Tunisians voted Ennahda, an Islamist Party, to power. It now firmly holds the majority of seats in the new parliament.
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Malaysian Shiites face growing persecution
January 14, 2012
Claiming to be victims of religious persecution, Shiite Muslims in Malaysia fear they are being attacked by a hardline and seemingly hypocritical Sunni-led government.
GOMBAK: There is a row of ordinary-looking shoplots in the middle of Sri Gombak. Lined with coffeeshops and grocery stores, one of them is a religious centre, dedicated to the local Shiite Muslim community, Ar-Ridha.
Posters of Islamic quotes adorn the staircase walls leading to the centre's fourth floor office, with a strong grill barring anyone's way to the top.
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Bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law reach record high of USD 85 billion
KUWAIT, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- Global sukuk issued in December, last year, reached USD 5 billion, a report by a Kuwaiti bank said on Friday, marking a record issuance of USD 85 billion in 2011 - a 90.2 pct increase from 2010.
Sukuk is the term used for bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law.
Sovereign issuance was the main catalyst for the sukuk market last year, where it reached USD 59 billion, while companies' issuance reached USD 19 billion, said Kuwait Finance House Research in its monthly report.
The global sukuk secondary market also reached an all-time high of USD 178.2 billion by the year-end, a 24 pct increase from the USD 143.3 billion outstanding at the end of 2010.
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Kashmir: Indian Christians in a panic over Islamist persecution
Two Christian missionaries to be sentenced by Islamic court in India. Tiny Christian community panicked by Islamists in Kashmir in officially secularist India.
Friday, January 13, 2012 by Martin Barillas
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International Conference "Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices in Contemporary Indonesia"
Pusat Studi Islam-Universitas Islam Indonesia (PSI-UII) is pleased to announce a call for papers for the international conference on Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices in Contemporary Indonesia and invites submission of papers exploring any of the following related topics of the conference:
Theological basis referring to the study of various Islamic thoughts with regard to the (in)compatibility between human rights and Islam. Reading classical texts and modern lights are highly welcome.
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Standoff over who will try Saif Al Islam Qaddafi
Ferry Biedermann
Jan 13, 2012
AMSTERDAM // Libyan authorities, the international community and tribesmen from Zintan are at odds over the custody and eventual trial of Saif Al Islam Qaddafi, son of the former Libyan dictator.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague this week extended until January 23 a deadline for Libyan officials to explain what they plan to do with him.
Mr Qaddafi was last seen in public in mid-November, shortly after he was captured in the Libyan desert. Dressed in Bedouin garb rather than the designer suits he was accustomed to, he looked bedraggled and slightly confused, with one of his hands bandaged.
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Azerbaijan: Is Secularism in Danger in Baku?
January 13, 2012 - 3:01pm, by Eldar Mamedov Azerbaijan EurasiaNet's Weekly Digest Azerbaijani Politics Islam
The recent murder of Rafiq Tagi, a staunchly secularist journalist in Azerbaijan who was killed by suspected pro-Iranian extremists, has exposed dangerous fault lines in Azerbaijani society.
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'Syrian regime bound to collapse,' says former Revolutionary Guards Commander
WRITTEN BY CYRUS GREEN 0 COMMENTS
'Iran must seek replacement for Bashar Assad'
The Syrian regime is nearing its demise and Iran needs to look for new alternatives to the Assad regime as its partner, says a former high-ranking commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps.
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Turkey condemns terrorist bombing in NW Pakistan
ANKARA - Turkey has strongly condemned the recent bombing in Pakistan's northwest town of Jamrud, which killed over 30 people and wounded dozens others.
"Turkey learned with deep sorrow about the killing of individuals in the blast in Jamrud of the Khyber region on January 10," the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
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Muslim group reaching out to community with presentation
By KATHRYN BURNHAM
CORNWALL - Rizwan Rabbani has seen his religion painted in a negative light through the actions of extremists, and is hoping the series of information events he organizes as the national executive director of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association of Canada will present a more positive view.
The group will be at the Cornwall Public Library Jan. 15 with an exhibition entitled "Tribute to Mother Mary (an Islamic Perspective)."
Islam has taken a beating to its reputation on a more local level with the trial of the Shafia family, which is being accused of killing their daughters as part of a honour killing.
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Gilani to chair Cabinet Defence Committee meeting in Pakistan
Islamabad, Sat, 14 Jan 2012ANI
Islamabad, Jan 14 (ANI): Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani would chair the meeting of Defence Committee of Cabinet (DCC) on Saturday in an effort to defuse the ongoing tension between the government and the army.
According to The News, federal minister who are its members, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the services chiefs would attend the meeting chaired by the prime minister.
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Pakistan officials to meet on rules for U.S., NATO
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's top military and civilian leaders were set to meet Saturday in a closed-door session to discuss new rules on coordinating with the United States and NATO, officials said. Islamabad's uneasy alliance with the U.S. was brought to the brink of collapse by November airstrikes which killed Pakistani soldiers.
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US, Pakistan relationship at its lowest ebb, says Pervez Musharraf
StoryComments
WASHINGTON: Pakistan's former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that the current bilateral relationship between Islamabad and Washington is at its lowest ebb, lower than those post 9/11 attacks on the US.
"We're at a very poor level. I don't think they were at this level even before 9/11, when I took over," Musharraf told the CNN in an interview when asked about the relationship between Pakistan and the US.
"I don't think -- I had a reasonable amount of respect around if the world even before 9/11. Full Report At:
No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Gillard
January 14, 2012
By Rekha Bhattacharjee
Sydney, (IANS) Prime Minister Julia Gillard has reiterated that Australia will not agree to export uranium to Pakistan, which is imploring Canberra to make a similar policy change as done recently for India.
This policy is an exception which recognises the compelling rationale and national interest for a change in relation to India only, Gillard told IANS in an interview.
"In the case of Pakistan, the issue does not arise as it does not have an exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group," she said.
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Sacked Pak ex-defence secy challenges Gilani
Islamabad, January 13, 2012
Gilani rules out threat to Pak's democracy
Former Pakistan defence secretary on Friday claimed that he was dismissed after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani realised he had made a "big mistake" by describing the army chief's handling of the memo scandal as unconstitutional.
Gilani sacked Lt Gen (retired) Khalid Naeem Lodhi, who is
considered to be very close to army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, on Wednesday, accusing him of "gross misconduct and illegal action" in submitting an affidavit to the Supreme Court on the alleged memo that had sought US help to stave off a possible coup in Pakistan after the killing of Osama bin Laden last year.
The premier further said Lodhi's actions had created misunderstanding between the government and the army.
Lodhi told the media today that the allegations of misconduct and creating misunderstanding levelled against him were "not sustainable and cannot be proved".
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Pakistan should contain budget deficit: IMF
ISLAMABAD: The Inter-national Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that Pakistan needs to contain the budget deficit, implement a cautious monetary policy, and support a responsive exchange rate to get back on the path of growth and sustainability.
Gerry Rice, Director of the External Relations Department of IMF, said at a press briefing that 2011-12 outlook for the economy of Pakistan was challenging.
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AG, Akram mull joint plea to adjourn memo case hearing
ISLAMABAD - Senior lawyer Akram Sheikh and Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq on Friday discussed to file a joint application before the Judicial Commission to extend the memo scam hearing date, scheduled for January 16th.
Mansoor Ijaz's counsel Akram Sheikh met with Attorney General of Pakistan at courtroom No.8 in order to file a joint application before the head of the commission to adjourn the hearing. Talking to media persons at the apex court building, Attorney General said that the suggestion was good and he would ponder over it. Regarding six options given by a five-member bench in non-implementation of NRO judgement case, he said: -We would request the court not to pass order on any of it'. Full Report At:
PML-N, Q leaderships to discuss early polls next week
Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
January 14, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The major opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will have interaction with the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain next week after consolidating fresh contacts with the opposition minded parties and parliamentary groups.
The first meeting of the opposition minded parties has been termed as -useful' by the PML-N top leadership as these contacts will continue early next week. Former Prime Minister and President of the PML-N Nawaz Sharif who came here this week has decided to stay back in the federal capital. He has hectic schedule before him for next week. He went to Murree for an overnight stay and likely to return here on Saturday's morning.
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'USA should clear its stand on terrorism from across Pakistan border' - Gujarat CM Narendra Modi
January 14, 2012
Gandhinagar: A seven-member delegation of Republican Party of the United States of America, which met Chief Minister Narendra Modi here today, took interest in the Gujarat model of development and discussed issues like Gujarat-China and Indo-US relations.
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Tunisia's Islamist party slams anti-Semitic chants
By BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA
TUNIS, Tunisia - The head of Tunisia's moderate Islamic party on Monday condemned anti-Semitic slogans chanted by a handful of ultraconservative Muslims during the arrival of a top Hamas official.
Only on msnbc.com
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Oklahoma can't enforce Islamic Sharia law ban
1 of 2 Oklahoma can't enforce Islamic Sharia law ban
The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction against an Oklahoma referendum banning the use of Islamic Sharia law in courts and said there's no evidence of such influence on US courts.
Under the title of a U.S. federal court: the prohibition of Oklahoma to Islamic law an unconstitutional!
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Iran: Death sentences and national Internet
The Iranian government's constant repressive policies towards journalists and netizens are being steadily ratcheted up as part of a generalized increase in persecution of dissidents and a reinforcement of online censorship.
Reporters Without Borders sent a letter yesterday to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay to share its deep concern and ask for her intervention. The report below was also attached to this letter.
Two bloggers sentenced to death
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Catholic organizer explains work with Muslims at UN
January 13, 2012
Austin Ruse, the president of the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute, explains why, and how, he has worked effectively with representatives of Islamic nations during political battles at the UN.
Full Report At:
Muslim Extremists Strike at Christians in East African Isles
By Simba Tian
NAIROBI, Kenya - Far from the world media'
Background See who is preaching human rights, the US Tunisians fear Sharia-law state may be looming Malaysian Shiites face growing persecution Bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law reach record high of USD 85 billion Kashmir: Indian Christians in a panic over Islamist persecution International Conference "Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices In Contemporary Indonesia" Standoff over who will try Saif Al Islam Qaddafi Azerbaijan: Is Secularism in Danger in Baku? 'Syrian regime bound to collapse,' says former Revolutionary Guards Commander Turkey condemns terrorist bombing in NW Pakistan Muslim group reaching out to community with presentation Gilani to chair Cabinet Defence Committee meeting in Pakistan Pakistan officials to meet on rules for U.S., NATO US, Pakistan relationship at its lowest ebb, says Pervez Musharraf No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Gillard Sacked Pak ex-defence secy challenges Gilani Pakistan should contain budget deficit: IMF AG, Akram mull joint plea to adjourn memo case hearing PML-N, Q leaderships to discuss early polls next week 'USA should clear its stand on terrorism from across Pakistan border' - Tunisia's Islamist party slams anti-Semitic chants Oklahoma can't enforce Islamic Sharia law ban Iran: Death sentences and national Internet Catholic organizer explains work with Muslims at UN Muslim Extremists Strike at Christians in East African Isles Pakistan wants dialogue -on core issues in tandem with trade talks' Sacked Pakistani official says he was ignorant of rules Pakistan, UK deny call expressing coup fears Top Iran Military Advisor: Islam will dominate the World U.S. war on terror focuses on new battlefield: the Internet Zardari returns to Pakistan, faces government-military conflict No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Julia Gillard Pakistan probe draws a blank on journalist killing Officials: Pakistani PM called UK, fearing coup What does Pakistan want in Afghanistan? No political instability in Pakistan: High commissioner in India Cautious approach:Opposition to press Zardari for resignation Ambiguities with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Army will refuse to work with Pak Defence Secretary: NYT The principles of journalism: a dummy's guide for journalists in Pakistan. Pakistan Watches Iranian Nuclear Assassinations Iran is a threatening terrorist state Rise in Muslim population opens business avenues in Kenya Muslim body slams Salman Rushdie's visit, calls him apostate David Cameron's Saudi Arabia visit sits oddly with his support of democracy Why we need a new understanding of "Islamism": Muslim Brotherhood leader Iran clerics urge unity as nuclear scientist buried Iran Pastor Nadarkhani Rejects Release Offer Freedom of speech puts "Jesus and Mo" under scrutiny How to bridge islands in sea of our society? Saudi king dismisses religious police head Post revolution politics in Tunisia What comes after year of upheaval?
Complied by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: UP elections: Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates
UP elections: Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates with Deobandi background
14 January 2012
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: A group which was till now religious, is turning political before UP elections. The All India Ulema Mashaikh Board (AIUM, a body of Barelwi-Sunni Muslims, has taken its opposition of Deobandi ideology to politics and has decided to oppose, all the candidates with Deobandi background in the UP elections.
In fact, if you go by what Babar Ashraf, its national secretary has to say, it seems that the Barelwi group has invoked an all out electoral war against parties which have fielded candidates who owe their allegiance to Deoband school of thought. If this happens, which is yet to be seen, then it will be the first time in the electoral history of the country that Muslim votes will be divided on sectarian/ideological lines of Deobandi ideology as opposed to Barelwi sect.
"We are not only going to oppose all the Deobandi candidates but will also make sure that they get defeated and politically uprooted from the concerned constituency," Ashraf told TwoCircles.net on the sidelines of the press conference at the press club in New Delhi on Friday.
The some what angry posture comes after the AIUMB had offered its support in the coming UP elections, to the party which includes its demands in their own manifesto. But no political party came to woo the Barelwi group which claims to have the following of at least 70% of Muslims in the state. It was contrary to the continuous wooing of Muslim Ulema at Deoband by almost all the political parties barring the BJP.
Babar Ashraf has the electoral calculations oUP, ready to explain how and why AIUMB's opposition to Deobandi candidates, is going to have an impact on the over all election results of the state.
In UP where Muslims constitute 18% of the total population, there are more than 121 seats with 30% of Muslim votes. In 2007 assembly elections, there were around 51 seats where Muslim candidates were on 1st and 2nd position and more than 31 seats which saw Muslim candidates getting 3rd position.
Normally the AIUMB will support only the candidates with Sufi/Barelwi background in opposition of Deobandi candidates. For instance in Asmauli assembly constituency, the AIUMB will support and canvass votes for Asrar, who it calls as -Sufi" candidate as opposed to Aquelurahman Barque, who is Deobandi and is fighting on Congress ticket.
Babar Ashraf claims that Asmauli has around 1.11 Lakh Muslim votes out of which at least 1 Lakh is votes of Barelwi/Sunni Muslims; "We are working on the ground, day and night, among the Sunni Muslim vote base to make sure that they caste their vote against Wahabi candidates," Ashraf added.
In constituencies where no Sunni candidates have been given tickets, the AIUMB will either get an independent Sufi Muslim candidate or will support any secular Hindu. For instance, according to Ashraf, in Sambhal which has around 1.48 Muslim votes, all the existing three Muslim candidates including Iqbal Mohammad (SP) and Azan Quraishi (RLD), are Deobandi. So in that case the AIUMB will get any independent Sufi candidate to fight elections there.
The AIUMB will be campaigning against Congress in Rai Bareli belt, which has areas like Rai Bareli, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur, Amethi and Jagdeeshpur. The reason is that the national party didn't accept the set of demands proposed by the AIUMB and given tickets to Deobandi Muslims in the belt which is reportedly dominated by the Muslims following Barelwi sect.
Ashraf also challenged the Congress party to win in the Rai Bareli belt with the help of Deobandi ideology, " If Rahul Gandhi and his party have wooed Deoband so much, let them win elections in the Rai Bareli belt and show us how much strength Deoband has in the area," Ashraf added.
The idea is not to necessarily win but get the political party recognizes the importance of block Barelwi/Sunni votes. The AIUMB plans to mobilize Barelwi/Suni votes in a block and get them vote against the political parties which fielded Deobandi candidates, rejecting the AIUMB demands.
Ashraf said that only in Meerut, Saharanpur and Muzaffar Nagar, the Barelwi votes are not position to make any impact. Otherwise in rest of the Muslim pockets across the Hindi heartland, Barelwi votes dominate.
For quite obvious reasons, all the political players in the UP elections will not take the AIUMB's threats seriously because it is yet to prove that it will successfully mobilize the Barelwi votes into a block and will get them caste their votes against a particular party or candidate.
Importantly if the Barelwi group emerges, even partially successful in its aim to influence Muslim votes, it will be yet another important phenomenon in the recent electoral history of the country which hasn't yet seen the division of Muslim votes on sectarian lines.
To a question as to why the AIUMB was opposing Deobandi candidates, Ashraf replied that "in the long term, Deoband/Wahabi candidates are much more dangerous because the Islamic extremist ideology of Wahabism takes its strength and inspiration from the political power of these Deobandi politicians."
The AIUMB increased its political activities after organizing a conference against "Wahhabi terror" , in October 2011, which had its resonance across the country.
Iraq suicide bomb kills 50 in Basra pilgrims attack
14 January 2012
At least 50 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on Shia pilgrims in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, Iraqi police and security sources say.
The attack was aimed at pilgrims marking the festival of Arbain, one of the main holy days of the Shia calendar, reports say.
Security had been tight amid fears of insurgent attacks during the festival.
Scores of people have been killed in attacks on pilgrims in the last few weeks, reports say.
Medical sources in Basra say they have also treated 91 people injured in the attack.
The attacker targeted Muslim Shia pilgrims at a checkpoint they use on their way to a major Shia mosque in the Zubeir district, some 20km (12 miles) south-west of Basra.
The area is frequented at this time of the Muslim calendar by Shia Muslims in southern Iraq who are unable to reach the shrines of the main holy city of Karbala further north, says the BBC's Nahed Abouzeid in Baghdad.
"A terrorist wearing a police uniform and carrying fake police ID managed to reach a police checkpoint and blew himself up among police and pilgrims," a police official at the scene of the bombing is quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Victims are said to include several policemen.
Tensions
The violence comes only weeks after US troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq and amid a political crisis, which has seen tensions rise between the country's Shia majority and Sunni minority.
Last month, the Shia-dominated government called for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi's arrest on terrorism charges.
Last week, at least 72 people were killed in bomb attacks targeting Shia Muslims in southern Iraq and the capital, Baghdad. Forty-five of the victims were pilgrims in the city of Nasiriya.
US military identifies all four 'urinating' Marines
13 January 2012
All four US Marines seen in a video apparently urinating on dead Afghans have been identified by American military investigators, US media say.
Two of the men have already been interviewed by the US Navy's criminal investigation branch.
The Marine Corps has also appointed Lt Gen Thomas Waldhauser, a three-star general, to decide what, if any, disciplinary action is to be taken.
It is understood the troops served in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
US media reported that the unit belonged to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, but that two of the men and the battalion's commander had moved on to other assignments before the video became public.
The names of the men, who are thought to be Marine snipers, have not been released.
The battalion has had a range of deployments, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and fighting wildfires in the US state of Idaho.
Marine General John Allen, the top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, called for the facts of the case to be established quickly.
He said: "These actions are in direct opposition to everything the military stands for. Such acts in no way reflect the high moral standards and values we expect of our armed forces on a daily basis."
'Savage act'
Lt Gen Waldhauser will appoint another officer to lead the Marine Corps' internal investigation into the incident.
In addition, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is undertaking its own probe of the matter.
Lt Gen Waldhauser is responsible for deciding on the course of action after both investigations have been completed.
Correspondents say that, if authentic, the actions in the video could amount to a violation of the First Geneva Convention, which calls for the dead to be treated with dignity.
It could also constitute a breach of the US Uniform Code of Military Justice, for discrediting the armed forces.
The video, which was posted online, appears to show the troops standing over the bodies of several Afghans, at least one of whom is covered in blood.
A man's voice is heard saying: "Have a great day, buddy."
The clip has been called "disgusting" and "inhuman" by both US and Afghan officials.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her "dismay" at the images, while Afghan President Hamid Karzai requested the "most severe punishment" for those responsible.
In an address to military personnel at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Thursday, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said the video could even jeopardise the prospects for US-Afghan peace talks.
The Taliban have indicated that while they condemn the video, its release would not affect the political process.
Fears that widespread outrage in Afghanistan would boil over into protests immediately after Friday prayers proved unfounded.
But one Kabul resident, 20-year-old construction worker Waheedullah, who like many Afghans uses only one name, told AFP news agency: "This is an absolutely savage act and condemnable in any religion."
It is not clear who released the footage, which first appeared on YouTube and has not been verified.
The US has about 20,000 Marines in Afghanistan, based mostly in the provinces of Kandahar and Helmand. In total, about 90,000 US troops are on the ground in Afghanistan.
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Indonesian Islamists wreak havoc screaming for a Sharia state
Posted by Donell McGriff on Jan 14th, 2012 and filed under Politics & Foreign. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
JAKARTA - Hundreds of protestors attacked the offices of Indonesian Home Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday, pressing the government to ban alcohol countrywide and to turn the country into an Islamic state.
Indonesian Islamists stormed the Home Ministry complex in Jakarta and wreaked havoc inside
Indonesia is a secular state with no official religion. It is the most populous Muslim nation in terms of population, and most of its citizens are moderates. Radical Muslim groups however, have in recent years formed syndicates to raid bars, nightclubs and the office of Indonesia's Playboy magazine.
Around 500 angry protesters, including members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Islamic People's Forum (FUI), stormed government office complex in Jakarta to protest a proposal to revoke anti-alcohol rules, damaging a security post, car park and glass panels before threatening to conduct sweeps on bars and beat up customers, Indonesian news agency Kompas reported on Thursday.
Indonesia has bylaws that regulate the sale of alcohol in the country. Under the regulations, alcohol is classified into three categories: A (with an alcohol content of 5% or less), B (above 5% to 20%) and C (above 20% to 55%). The sale of alcohol classified as B and C is limited only to places such as hotels and restaurants, while alcohol classified as A, such as beer, is being sold anywhere.
The new proposal to cancel the bylaw will allow sales of Class B and C alcoholic drinks elsewhere.
Indonesian radical group FPI, Osama bin what.
Protesters outside the interior ministry in the city's main square wore white robes with the word "mujahideen" emblazoned on their shirts. "President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must issue a decree to ban alcohol and to cut alcohol distribution in Indonesia to zero percent," said FPI field coordinator Awit Mashuri.
"We will defend anti-alcohol bylaws and we will fight anything that is against the interests of Islam in Indonesia to make it a pure Islamic state," Zulfi Syukur told the cheering crowd, many of whom pumped their fists in the air and shouted "jihad", or holy war.
Indonesia Home Ministry complex - aftermath
FPI wants to transform Indonesia into an Islamic state with Sharia as its legislature. The group has launched a series of violent vigilante attacks since 2000, with targets including the US embassy and nightclubs.
The Indonesia Home Ministry responded angrily to the attack, Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said the ministry would "evaluate" both the the FPI and the FUI. "If necessary, we will freeze them," he said. The Constitution may respect the right of these groups to exist, he said, but they need to obey the law. "We have decided to take two courses of action," Gamawan said.
However, it is questionable whether any action will really be taken against the FPI. The Muslim organization is believed to have the backing of both the National Police and the military. The group's growing aggressiveness is worrisome to human rights groups, who say that the Islamist organization is nothing more than a collection of nearly uncontrollable thugs.
Critics say President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's attitude was reflected in the Oct. 7, 2010 appointment of Timur Pradopo, who has strong ties to FPI, as national police chief. Based on a Wikileaks report in the leaked US diplomatic cables, it was claimed the FPI receives funding from the police.
The FPI has often resorted to violence, ransacking bars, threatening pork sellers and attacking peaceful demonstrations. It has also tried to prevent Christian churches from being built in communities near Jakarta.
Indonesia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the country has struggled to deal with a radical fringe of extremists who have carried out numerous attacks including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.
Transforming Indonesia into an Islamic state however, may prove challenging. Since its inception in 1945, Indonesia has been guided by a nationalist philosophical construct known as the Pancasila rather than a state religion. Any establishment of Shariah-inspired state may risk the secession of almost the entire Eastern Indonesia, most of them Christian-majority, and the famed island of Bali, which is 92% Hindu. Ethnic and religious tensions had resulted in the separation of East Timor into an independent country in 1999, and Indonesia currently has active secessionist movements in both Christian Maluku and West Papua.
See who is preaching human rights, the US
Sat, 2012-01-14
Saudi Arabia
By S.H.Moulana - Riyadh
Riyadh, 14 January (Asiantribune.com):
If you find a slightest drop of urine in your body or on the garments you wear, your prayer is null and void, according to Islamic rule. The dead bodies are always washed with utmost respect and wrapped in clean white cloth before burial according to Islamic religious practice.
Prophet Muhammad (Sal) has strictly instructed all his followers to honor any dead body of any faith passing by. He requested to get up from the seat if a funeral procession is passing by. It is not restricted to Islam but this tradition is practiced by people of all faith and even by non-believers in any religion but as decency.
However, we were really shocked to see the video of US soldiers urinating on dead Afghans they killed in a country they are forcibly occupying. They stood before the camera exposing their 'ugly' genitals and casting vulgar remarks on the dead people. May be they were assured that 'dead men tell no tales'! We saw such disgusting torture and cruelty taking place in Abu Ghraib, in Iraq and also in Guantanmo. In every such case it is dismissed as the work of some 'bad apples' and the US administration conveniently disowns responsibility.
This is something they learnt from former president George Bush. However, a similar crime were to be committed by another force of a weaker country, the champion of human rights will hold the government in power responsible and urge the ruler or rulers to be taken to The Hague. Again if the offender were to be a close ally of the 'champion', there is every chance of being over looked or totally ignored, like in the case of Israel.
Full Report At:
Tunisians fear Sharia-law state may be looming
14 January, 2012
Students of the Faculty of Arts in Manuba, wearing niqabs, shout slogans in front of the Ministry of Higher Education, on January 11, 2012 in Tunis
TAGS: Religion, Africa, Politics, Human rights, Cary Johnston, Irina Galushko, Education
Tunisia is marking the first anniversary of the revolution that triggered the Arab Spring and changed the face of the entire region. And while the country can boast a peaceful transition of power, radical religious ideas are on the rise.
It may have looked like a successful revolution - getting rid of an authoritarian regime, while retaining its Westernized faade. But in the parliamentary elections that followed, Tunisians voted Ennahda, an Islamist Party, to power. It now firmly holds the majority of seats in the new parliament.
Full Report At:
Malaysian Shiites face growing persecution
January 14, 2012
Claiming to be victims of religious persecution, Shiite Muslims in Malaysia fear they are being attacked by a hardline and seemingly hypocritical Sunni-led government.
GOMBAK: There is a row of ordinary-looking shoplots in the middle of Sri Gombak. Lined with coffeeshops and grocery stores, one of them is a religious centre, dedicated to the local Shiite Muslim community, Ar-Ridha.
Posters of Islamic quotes adorn the staircase walls leading to the centre's fourth floor office, with a strong grill barring anyone's way to the top.
Full Report At:
Bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law reach record high of USD 85 billion
KUWAIT, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- Global sukuk issued in December, last year, reached USD 5 billion, a report by a Kuwaiti bank said on Friday, marking a record issuance of USD 85 billion in 2011 - a 90.2 pct increase from 2010.
Sukuk is the term used for bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law.
Sovereign issuance was the main catalyst for the sukuk market last year, where it reached USD 59 billion, while companies' issuance reached USD 19 billion, said Kuwait Finance House Research in its monthly report.
The global sukuk secondary market also reached an all-time high of USD 178.2 billion by the year-end, a 24 pct increase from the USD 143.3 billion outstanding at the end of 2010.
Full Report At:
Kashmir: Indian Christians in a panic over Islamist persecution
Two Christian missionaries to be sentenced by Islamic court in India. Tiny Christian community panicked by Islamists in Kashmir in officially secularist India.
Friday, January 13, 2012 by Martin Barillas
Full Report At:
International Conference "Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices in Contemporary Indonesia"
Pusat Studi Islam-Universitas Islam Indonesia (PSI-UII) is pleased to announce a call for papers for the international conference on Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices in Contemporary Indonesia and invites submission of papers exploring any of the following related topics of the conference:
Theological basis referring to the study of various Islamic thoughts with regard to the (in)compatibility between human rights and Islam. Reading classical texts and modern lights are highly welcome.
Full Report At:
Standoff over who will try Saif Al Islam Qaddafi
Ferry Biedermann
Jan 13, 2012
AMSTERDAM // Libyan authorities, the international community and tribesmen from Zintan are at odds over the custody and eventual trial of Saif Al Islam Qaddafi, son of the former Libyan dictator.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague this week extended until January 23 a deadline for Libyan officials to explain what they plan to do with him.
Mr Qaddafi was last seen in public in mid-November, shortly after he was captured in the Libyan desert. Dressed in Bedouin garb rather than the designer suits he was accustomed to, he looked bedraggled and slightly confused, with one of his hands bandaged.
Full Report At:
Azerbaijan: Is Secularism in Danger in Baku?
January 13, 2012 - 3:01pm, by Eldar Mamedov Azerbaijan EurasiaNet's Weekly Digest Azerbaijani Politics Islam
The recent murder of Rafiq Tagi, a staunchly secularist journalist in Azerbaijan who was killed by suspected pro-Iranian extremists, has exposed dangerous fault lines in Azerbaijani society.
Full Report At:
'Syrian regime bound to collapse,' says former Revolutionary Guards Commander
WRITTEN BY CYRUS GREEN 0 COMMENTS
'Iran must seek replacement for Bashar Assad'
The Syrian regime is nearing its demise and Iran needs to look for new alternatives to the Assad regime as its partner, says a former high-ranking commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Full Report At:
Turkey condemns terrorist bombing in NW Pakistan
ANKARA - Turkey has strongly condemned the recent bombing in Pakistan's northwest town of Jamrud, which killed over 30 people and wounded dozens others.
"Turkey learned with deep sorrow about the killing of individuals in the blast in Jamrud of the Khyber region on January 10," the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Full Report At:
Muslim group reaching out to community with presentation
By KATHRYN BURNHAM
CORNWALL - Rizwan Rabbani has seen his religion painted in a negative light through the actions of extremists, and is hoping the series of information events he organizes as the national executive director of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association of Canada will present a more positive view.
The group will be at the Cornwall Public Library Jan. 15 with an exhibition entitled "Tribute to Mother Mary (an Islamic Perspective)."
Islam has taken a beating to its reputation on a more local level with the trial of the Shafia family, which is being accused of killing their daughters as part of a honour killing.
Full Report At:
Gilani to chair Cabinet Defence Committee meeting in Pakistan
Islamabad, Sat, 14 Jan 2012ANI
Islamabad, Jan 14 (ANI): Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani would chair the meeting of Defence Committee of Cabinet (DCC) on Saturday in an effort to defuse the ongoing tension between the government and the army.
According to The News, federal minister who are its members, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the services chiefs would attend the meeting chaired by the prime minister.
Full Report At:
Pakistan officials to meet on rules for U.S., NATO
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's top military and civilian leaders were set to meet Saturday in a closed-door session to discuss new rules on coordinating with the United States and NATO, officials said. Islamabad's uneasy alliance with the U.S. was brought to the brink of collapse by November airstrikes which killed Pakistani soldiers.
Full Report At:
US, Pakistan relationship at its lowest ebb, says Pervez Musharraf
StoryComments
WASHINGTON: Pakistan's former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that the current bilateral relationship between Islamabad and Washington is at its lowest ebb, lower than those post 9/11 attacks on the US.
"We're at a very poor level. I don't think they were at this level even before 9/11, when I took over," Musharraf told the CNN in an interview when asked about the relationship between Pakistan and the US.
"I don't think -- I had a reasonable amount of respect around if the world even before 9/11. Full Report At:
No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Gillard
January 14, 2012
By Rekha Bhattacharjee
Sydney, (IANS) Prime Minister Julia Gillard has reiterated that Australia will not agree to export uranium to Pakistan, which is imploring Canberra to make a similar policy change as done recently for India.
This policy is an exception which recognises the compelling rationale and national interest for a change in relation to India only, Gillard told IANS in an interview.
"In the case of Pakistan, the issue does not arise as it does not have an exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group," she said. Iraq suicide bomb kills 50 in Basra pilgrims attack US military identifies all four 'urinating' Marines Indonesian Islamists wreak havoc screaming for a Sharia state Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates with Deobandi Background See who is preaching human rights, the US Tunisians fear Sharia-law state may be looming Malaysian Shiites face growing persecution Bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law reach record high of USD 85 billion Kashmir: Indian Christians in a panic over Islamist persecution International Conference "Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices In Contemporary Indonesia" Standoff over who will try Saif Al Islam Qaddafi Azerbaijan: Is Secularism in Danger in Baku? 'Syrian regime bound to collapse,' says former Revolutionary Guards Commander Turkey condemns terrorist bombing in NW Pakistan Muslim group reaching out to community with presentation Gilani to chair Cabinet Defence Committee meeting in Pakistan Pakistan officials to meet on rules for U.S., NATO US, Pakistan relationship at its lowest ebb, says Pervez Musharraf No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Gillard Sacked Pak ex-defence secy challenges Gilani Pakistan should contain budget deficit: IMF AG, Akram mull joint plea to adjourn memo case hearing PML-N, Q leaderships to discuss early polls next week 'USA should clear its stand on terrorism from across Pakistan border' - Tunisia's Islamist party slams anti-Semitic chants Oklahoma can't enforce Islamic Sharia law ban Iran: Death sentences and national Internet Catholic organizer explains work with Muslims at UN Muslim Extremists Strike at Christians in East African Isles Pakistan wants dialogue -on core issues in tandem with trade talks' Sacked Pakistani official says he was ignorant of rules Pakistan, UK deny call expressing coup fears Top Iran Military Advisor: Islam will dominate the World U.S. war on terror focuses on new battlefield: the Internet Zardari returns to Pakistan, faces government-military conflict No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Julia Gillard Pakistan probe draws a blank on journalist killing Officials: Pakistani PM called UK, fearing coup What does Pakistan want in Afghanistan? No political instability in Pakistan: High commissioner in India Cautious approach:Opposition to press Zardari for resignation Ambiguities with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Army will refuse to work with Pak Defence Secretary: NYT The principles of journalism: a dummy's guide for journalists in Pakistan. Pakistan Watches Iranian Nuclear Assassinations Iran is a threatening terrorist state Rise in Muslim population opens business avenues in Kenya Muslim body slams Salman Rushdie's visit, calls him apostate David Cameron's Saudi Arabia visit sits oddly with his support of democracy Why we need a new understanding of "Islamism": Muslim Brotherhood leader Iran clerics urge unity as nuclear scientist buried Iran Pastor Nadarkhani Rejects Release Offer Freedom of speech puts "Jesus and Mo" under scrutiny How to bridge islands in sea of our society? Saudi king dismisses religious police head Post revolution politics in Tunisia What comes after year of upheaval?
Complied by New Age Islam News Bureau
Photo: UP elections: Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates
UP elections: Barelwi group vows to "crush" candidates with Deobandi background
14 January 2012
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: A group which was till now religious, is turning political before UP elections. The All India Ulema Mashaikh Board (AIUM, a body of Barelwi-Sunni Muslims, has taken its opposition of Deobandi ideology to politics and has decided to oppose, all the candidates with Deobandi background in the UP elections.
In fact, if you go by what Babar Ashraf, its national secretary has to say, it seems that the Barelwi group has invoked an all out electoral war against parties which have fielded candidates who owe their allegiance to Deoband school of thought. If this happens, which is yet to be seen, then it will be the first time in the electoral history of the country that Muslim votes will be divided on sectarian/ideological lines of Deobandi ideology as opposed to Barelwi sect.
"We are not only going to oppose all the Deobandi candidates but will also make sure that they get defeated and politically uprooted from the concerned constituency," Ashraf told TwoCircles.net on the sidelines of the press conference at the press club in New Delhi on Friday.
The some what angry posture comes after the AIUMB had offered its support in the coming UP elections, to the party which includes its demands in their own manifesto. But no political party came to woo the Barelwi group which claims to have the following of at least 70% of Muslims in the state. It was contrary to the continuous wooing of Muslim Ulema at Deoband by almost all the political parties barring the BJP.
Babar Ashraf has the electoral calculations of UP, ready to explain how and why AIUMB's opposition to Deobandi candidates, is going to have an impact on the over all election results of the state.
In UP where Muslims constitute 18% of the total population, there are more than 121 seats with 30% of Muslim votes. In 2007 assembly elections, there were around 51 seats where Muslim candidates were on 1st and 2nd position and more than 31 seats which saw Muslim candidates getting 3rd position.
Normally the AIUMB will support only the candidates with Sufi/Barelwi background in opposition of Deobandi candidates. For instance in Asmauli assembly constituency, the AIUMB will support and canvass votes for Asrar, who it calls as -Sufi" candidate as opposed to Aquelurahman Barque, who is Deobandi and is fighting on Congress ticket.
Babar Ashraf claims that Asmauli has around 1.11 Lakh Muslim votes out of which at least 1 Lakh is votes of Barelwi/Sunni Muslims; "We are working on the ground, day and night, among the Sunni Muslim vote base to make sure that they caste their vote against Wahabi candidates," Ashraf added.
In constituencies where no Sunni candidates have been given tickets, the AIUMB will either get an independent Sufi Muslim candidate or will support any secular Hindu. For instance, according to Ashraf, in Sambhal which has around 1.48 Muslim votes, all the existing three Muslim candidates including Iqbal Mohammad (SP) and Azan Quraishi (RLD), are Deobandi. So in that case the AIUMB will get any independent Sufi candidate to fight elections there.
The AIUMB will be campaigning against Congress in Rai Bareli belt, which has areas like Rai Bareli, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur, Amethi and Jagdeeshpur. The reason is that the national party didn't accept the set of demands proposed by the AIUMB and given tickets to Deobandi Muslims in the belt which is reportedly dominated by the Muslims following Barelwi sect.
Ashraf also challenged the Congress party to win in the Rai Bareli belt with the help of Deobandi ideology, " If Rahul Gandhi and his party have wooed Deoband so much, let them win elections in the Rai Bareli belt and show us how much strength Deoband has in the area," Ashraf added.
The idea is not to necessarily win but get the political party recognizes the importance of block Barelwi/Sunni votes. The AIUMB plans to mobilize Barelwi/Suni votes in a block and get them vote against the political parties which fielded Deobandi candidates, rejecting the AIUMB demands.
Ashraf said that only in Meerut, Saharanpur and Muzaffar Nagar, the Barelwi votes are not position to make any impact. Otherwise in rest of the Muslim pockets across the Hindi heartland, Barelwi votes dominate.
For quite obvious reasons, all the political players in the UP elections will not take the AIUMB's threats seriously because it is yet to prove that it will successfully mobilize the Barelwi votes into a block and will get them caste their votes against a particular party or candidate.
Importantly if the Barelwi group emerges, even partially successful in its aim to influence Muslim votes, it will be yet another important phenomenon in the recent electoral history of the country which hasn't yet seen the division of Muslim votes on sectarian lines.
To a question as to why the AIUMB was opposing Deobandi candidates, Ashraf replied that "in the long term, Deoband/Wahabi candidates are much more dangerous because the Islamic extremist ideology of Wahabism takes its strength and inspiration from the political power of these Deobandi politicians."
The AIUMB increased its political activities after organizing a conference against "Wahhabi terror" , in October 2011, which had its resonance across the country.
Iraq suicide bomb kills 50 in Basra pilgrims attack
14 January 2012
At least 50 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on Shia pilgrims in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, Iraqi police and security sources say.
The attack was aimed at pilgrims marking the festival of Arbain, one of the main holy days of the Shia calendar, reports say.
Security had been tight amid fears of insurgent attacks during the festival.
Scores of people have been killed in attacks on pilgrims in the last few weeks, reports say.
Medical sources in Basra say they have also treated 91 people injured in the attack.
The attacker targeted Muslim Shia pilgrims at a checkpoint they use on their way to a major Shia mosque in the Zubeir district, some 20km (12 miles) south-west of Basra.
The area is frequented at this time of the Muslim calendar by Shia Muslims in southern Iraq who are unable to reach the shrines of the main holy city of Karbala further north, says the BBC's Nahed Abouzeid in Baghdad.
"A terrorist wearing a police uniform and carrying fake police ID managed to reach a police checkpoint and blew himself up among police and pilgrims," a police official at the scene of the bombing is quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Victims are said to include several policemen.
Tensions
The violence comes only weeks after US troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq and amid a political crisis, which has seen tensions rise between the country's Shia majority and Sunni minority.
Last month, the Shia-dominated government called for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi's arrest on terrorism charges.
Last week, at least 72 people were killed in bomb attacks targeting Shia Muslims in southern Iraq and the capital, Baghdad. Forty-five of the victims were pilgrims in the city of Nasiriya.
US military identifies all four 'urinating' Marines
13 January 2012
All four US Marines seen in a video apparently urinating on dead Afghans have been identified by American military investigators, US media say.
Two of the men have already been interviewed by the US Navy's criminal investigation branch.
The Marine Corps has also appointed Lt Gen Thomas Waldhauser, a three-star general, to decide what, if any, disciplinary action is to be taken.
It is understood the troops served in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
US media reported that the unit belonged to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, but that two of the men and the battalion's commander had moved on to other assignments before the video became public.
The names of the men, who are thought to be Marine snipers, have not been released.
The battalion has had a range of deployments, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and fighting wildfires in the US state of Idaho.
Marine General John Allen, the top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, called for the facts of the case to be established quickly.
He said: "These actions are in direct opposition to everything the military stands for. Such acts in no way reflect the high moral standards and values we expect of our armed forces on a daily basis."
'Savage act'
Lt Gen Waldhauser will appoint another officer to lead the Marine Corps' internal investigation into the incident.
In addition, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is undertaking its own probe of the matter.
Lt Gen Waldhauser is responsible for deciding on the course of action after both investigations have been completed.
Correspondents say that, if authentic, the actions in the video could amount to a violation of the First Geneva Convention, which calls for the dead to be treated with dignity.
It could also constitute a breach of the US Uniform Code of Military Justice, for discrediting the armed forces.
The video, which was posted online, appears to show the troops standing over the bodies of several Afghans, at least one of whom is covered in blood.
A man's voice is heard saying: "Have a great day, buddy."
The clip has been called "disgusting" and "inhuman" by both US and Afghan officials.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her "dismay" at the images, while Afghan President Hamid Karzai requested the "most severe punishment" for those responsible.
In an address to military personnel at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Thursday, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said the video could even jeopardise the prospects for US-Afghan peace talks.
The Taliban have indicated that while they condemn the video, its release would not affect the political process.
Fears that widespread outrage in Afghanistan would boil over into protests immediately after Friday prayers proved unfounded.
But one Kabul resident, 20-year-old construction worker Waheedullah, who like many Afghans uses only one name, told AFP news agency: "This is an absolutely savage act and condemnable in any religion."
It is not clear who released the footage, which first appeared on YouTube and has not been verified.
The US has about 20,000 Marines in Afghanistan, based mostly in the provinces of Kandahar and Helmand. In total, about 90,000 US troops are on the ground in Afghanistan.
Indonesian Islamists wreak havoc screaming for a Sharia state
Posted by Donell McGriff on Jan 14th, 2012 and filed under Politics & Foreign. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
JAKARTA - Hundreds of protestors attacked the offices of Indonesian Home Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday, pressing the government to ban alcohol countrywide and to turn the country into an Islamic state.
Indonesian Islamists stormed the Home Ministry complex in Jakarta and wreaked havoc inside
Indonesia is a secular state with no official religion. It is the most populous Muslim nation in terms of population, and most of its citizens are moderates. Radical Muslim groups however, have in recent years formed syndicates to raid bars, nightclubs and the office of Indonesia's Playboy magazine.
Around 500 angry protesters, including members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Islamic People's Forum (FUI), stormed government office complex in Jakarta to protest a proposal to revoke anti-alcohol rules, damaging a security post, car park and glass panels before threatening to conduct sweeps on bars and beat up customers, Indonesian news agency Kompas reported on Thursday.
Indonesia has bylaws that regulate the sale of alcohol in the country. Under the regulations, alcohol is classified into three categories: A (with an alcohol content of 5% or less), B (above 5% to 20%) and C (above 20% to 55%). The sale of alcohol classified as B and C is limited only to places such as hotels and restaurants, while alcohol classified as A, such as beer, is being sold anywhere.
The new proposal to cancel the bylaw will allow sales of Class B and C alcoholic drinks elsewhere.
Indonesian radical group FPI, Osama bin what.
Protesters outside the interior ministry in the city's main square wore white robes with the word "mujahideen" emblazoned on their shirts. "President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must issue a decree to ban alcohol and to cut alcohol distribution in Indonesia to zero percent," said FPI field coordinator Awit Mashuri.
"We will defend anti-alcohol bylaws and we will fight anything that is against the interests of Islam in Indonesia to make it a pure Islamic state," Zulfi Syukur told the cheering crowd, many of whom pumped their fists in the air and shouted "jihad", or holy war.
Indonesia Home Ministry complex - aftermath
FPI wants to transform Indonesia into an Islamic state with Sharia as its legislature. The group has launched a series of violent vigilante attacks since 2000, with targets including the US embassy and nightclubs.
The Indonesia Home Ministry responded angrily to the attack, Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said the ministry would "evaluate" both the the FPI and the FUI. "If necessary, we will freeze them," he said. The Constitution may respect the right of these groups to exist, he said, but they need to obey the law. "We have decided to take two courses of action," Gamawan said.
However, it is questionable whether any action will really be taken against the FPI. The Muslim organization is believed to have the backing of both the National Police and the military. The group's growing aggressiveness is worrisome to human rights groups, who say that the Islamist organization is nothing more than a collection of nearly uncontrollable thugs.
Critics say President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's attitude was reflected in the Oct. 7, 2010 appointment of Timur Pradopo, who has strong ties to FPI, as national police chief. Based on a Wikileaks report in the leaked US diplomatic cables, it was claimed the FPI receives funding from the police.
The FPI has often resorted to violence, ransacking bars, threatening pork sellers and attacking peaceful demonstrations. It has also tried to prevent Christian churches from being built in communities near Jakarta.
Indonesia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the country has struggled to deal with a radical fringe of extremists who have carried out numerous attacks including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.
Transforming Indonesia into an Islamic state however, may prove challenging. Since its inception in 1945, Indonesia has been guided by a nationalist philosophical construct known as the Pancasila rather than a state religion. Any establishment of Shariah-inspired state may risk the secession of almost the entire Eastern Indonesia, most of them Christian-majority, and the famed island of Bali, which is 92% Hindu. Ethnic and religious tensions had resulted in the separation of East Timor into an independent country in 1999, and Indonesia currently has active secessionist movements in both Christian Maluku and West Papua.
See who is preaching human rights, the US
Sat, 2012-01-14
Saudi Arabia
By S.H.Moulana - Riyadh
Riyadh, 14 January (Asiantribune.com):
If you find a slightest drop of urine in your body or on the garments you wear, your prayer is null and void, according to Islamic rule. The dead bodies are always washed with utmost respect and wrapped in clean white cloth before burial according to Islamic religious practice.
Prophet Muhammad (Sal) has strictly instructed all his followers to honor any dead body of any faith passing by. He requested to get up from the seat if a funeral procession is passing by. It is not restricted to Islam but this tradition is practiced by people of all faith and even by non-believers in any religion but as decency.
However, we were really shocked to see the video of US soldiers urinating on dead Afghans they killed in a country they are forcibly occupying. They stood before the camera exposing their 'ugly' genitals and casting vulgar remarks on the dead people. May be they were assured that 'dead men tell no tales'! We saw such disgusting torture and cruelty taking place in Abu Ghraib, in Iraq and also in Guantanmo. In every such case it is dismissed as the work of some 'bad apples' and the US administration conveniently disowns responsibility.
This is something they learnt from former president George Bush. However, a similar crime were to be committed by another force of a weaker country, the champion of human rights will hold the government in power responsible and urge the ruler or rulers to be taken to The Hague. Again if the offender were to be a close ally of the 'champion', there is every chance of being over looked or totally ignored, like in the case of Israel.
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Tunisians fear Sharia-law state may be looming
14 January, 2012
Students of the Faculty of Arts in Manuba, wearing niqabs, shout slogans in front of the Ministry of Higher Education, on January 11, 2012 in Tunis
TAGS: Religion, Africa, Politics, Human rights, Cary Johnston, Irina Galushko, Education
Tunisia is marking the first anniversary of the revolution that triggered the Arab Spring and changed the face of the entire region. And while the country can boast a peaceful transition of power, radical religious ideas are on the rise.
It may have looked like a successful revolution - getting rid of an authoritarian regime, while retaining its Westernized faade. But in the parliamentary elections that followed, Tunisians voted Ennahda, an Islamist Party, to power. It now firmly holds the majority of seats in the new parliament.
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Malaysian Shiites face growing persecution
January 14, 2012
Claiming to be victims of religious persecution, Shiite Muslims in Malaysia fear they are being attacked by a hardline and seemingly hypocritical Sunni-led government.
GOMBAK: There is a row of ordinary-looking shoplots in the middle of Sri Gombak. Lined with coffeeshops and grocery stores, one of them is a religious centre, dedicated to the local Shiite Muslim community, Ar-Ridha.
Posters of Islamic quotes adorn the staircase walls leading to the centre's fourth floor office, with a strong grill barring anyone's way to the top.
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Bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law reach record high of USD 85 billion
KUWAIT, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- Global sukuk issued in December, last year, reached USD 5 billion, a report by a Kuwaiti bank said on Friday, marking a record issuance of USD 85 billion in 2011 - a 90.2 pct increase from 2010.
Sukuk is the term used for bonds issued according to Islamic Sharia law.
Sovereign issuance was the main catalyst for the sukuk market last year, where it reached USD 59 billion, while companies' issuance reached USD 19 billion, said Kuwait Finance House Research in its monthly report.
The global sukuk secondary market also reached an all-time high of USD 178.2 billion by the year-end, a 24 pct increase from the USD 143.3 billion outstanding at the end of 2010.
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Kashmir: Indian Christians in a panic over Islamist persecution
Two Christian missionaries to be sentenced by Islamic court in India. Tiny Christian community panicked by Islamists in Kashmir in officially secularist India.
Friday, January 13, 2012 by Martin Barillas
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International Conference "Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices in Contemporary Indonesia"
Pusat Studi Islam-Universitas Islam Indonesia (PSI-UII) is pleased to announce a call for papers for the international conference on Islam and Human Rights: Theories and Practices in Contemporary Indonesia and invites submission of papers exploring any of the following related topics of the conference:
Theological basis referring to the study of various Islamic thoughts with regard to the (in)compatibility between human rights and Islam. Reading classical texts and modern lights are highly welcome.
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Standoff over who will try Saif Al Islam Qaddafi
Ferry Biedermann
Jan 13, 2012
AMSTERDAM // Libyan authorities, the international community and tribesmen from Zintan are at odds over the custody and eventual trial of Saif Al Islam Qaddafi, son of the former Libyan dictator.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague this week extended until January 23 a deadline for Libyan officials to explain what they plan to do with him.
Mr Qaddafi was last seen in public in mid-November, shortly after he was captured in the Libyan desert. Dressed in Bedouin garb rather than the designer suits he was accustomed to, he looked bedraggled and slightly confused, with one of his hands bandaged.
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Azerbaijan: Is Secularism in Danger in Baku?
January 13, 2012 - 3:01pm, by Eldar Mamedov Azerbaijan EurasiaNet's Weekly Digest Azerbaijani Politics Islam
The recent murder of Rafiq Tagi, a staunchly secularist journalist in Azerbaijan who was killed by suspected pro-Iranian extremists, has exposed dangerous fault lines in Azerbaijani society.
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'Syrian regime bound to collapse,' says former Revolutionary Guards Commander
WRITTEN BY CYRUS GREEN 0 COMMENTS
'Iran must seek replacement for Bashar Assad'
The Syrian regime is nearing its demise and Iran needs to look for new alternatives to the Assad regime as its partner, says a former high-ranking commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps.
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Turkey condemns terrorist bombing in NW Pakistan
ANKARA - Turkey has strongly condemned the recent bombing in Pakistan's northwest town of Jamrud, which killed over 30 people and wounded dozens others.
"Turkey learned with deep sorrow about the killing of individuals in the blast in Jamrud of the Khyber region on January 10," the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
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Muslim group reaching out to community with presentation
By KATHRYN BURNHAM
CORNWALL - Rizwan Rabbani has seen his religion painted in a negative light through the actions of extremists, and is hoping the series of information events he organizes as the national executive director of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association of Canada will present a more positive view.
The group will be at the Cornwall Public Library Jan. 15 with an exhibition entitled "Tribute to Mother Mary (an Islamic Perspective)."
Islam has taken a beating to its reputation on a more local level with the trial of the Shafia family, which is being accused of killing their daughters as part of a honour killing.
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Gilani to chair Cabinet Defence Committee meeting in Pakistan
Islamabad, Sat, 14 Jan 2012ANI
Islamabad, Jan 14 (ANI): Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani would chair the meeting of Defence Committee of Cabinet (DCC) on Saturday in an effort to defuse the ongoing tension between the government and the army.
According to The News, federal minister who are its members, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the services chiefs would attend the meeting chaired by the prime minister.
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Pakistan officials to meet on rules for U.S., NATO
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's top military and civilian leaders were set to meet Saturday in a closed-door session to discuss new rules on coordinating with the United States and NATO, officials said. Islamabad's uneasy alliance with the U.S. was brought to the brink of collapse by November airstrikes which killed Pakistani soldiers.
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US, Pakistan relationship at its lowest ebb, says Pervez Musharraf
StoryComments
WASHINGTON: Pakistan's former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that the current bilateral relationship between Islamabad and Washington is at its lowest ebb, lower than those post 9/11 attacks on the US.
"We're at a very poor level. I don't think they were at this level even before 9/11, when I took over," Musharraf told the CNN in an interview when asked about the relationship between Pakistan and the US.
"I don't think -- I had a reasonable amount of respect around if the world even before 9/11. Full Report At:
No Australian uranium for Pakistan: Gillard
January 14, 2012
By Rekha Bhattacharjee
Sydney, (IANS) Prime Minister Julia Gillard has reiterated that Australia will not agree to export uranium to Pakistan, which is imploring Canberra to make a similar policy change as done recently for India.
This policy is an exception which recognises the compelling rationale and national interest for a change in relation to India only, Gillard told IANS in an interview.
"In the case of Pakistan, the issue does not arise as it does not have an exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group," she said.
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Sacked Pak ex-defence secy challenges Gilani
Islamabad, January 13, 2012
Gilani rules out threat to Pak's democracy
Former Pakistan defence secretary on Friday claimed that he was dismissed after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani realised he had made a "big mistake" by describing the army chief's handling of the memo scandal as unconstitutional.
Gilani sacked Lt Gen (retired) Khalid Naeem Lodhi, who is
considered to be very close to army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, on Wednesday, accusing him of "gross misconduct and illegal action" in submitting an affidavit to the Supreme Court on the alleged memo that had sought US help to stave off a possible coup in Pakistan after the killing of Osama bin Laden last year.
The premier further said Lodhi's actions had created misunderstanding between the government and the army.
Lodhi told the media today that the allegations of misconduct and creating misunderstanding levelled against him were "not sustainable and cannot be proved".
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Pakistan should contain budget deficit: IMF
ISLAMABAD: The Inter-national Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that Pakistan needs to contain the budget deficit, implement a cautious monetary policy, and support a responsive exchange rate to get back on the path of growth and sustainability.
Gerry Rice, Director of the External Relations Department of IMF, said at a press briefing that 2011-12 outlook for the economy of Pakistan was challenging.
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AG, Akram mull joint plea to adjourn memo case hearing
ISLAMABAD - Senior lawyer Akram Sheikh and Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq on Friday discussed to file a joint application before the Judicial Commission to extend the memo scam hearing date, scheduled for January 16th.
Mansoor Ijaz's counsel Akram Sheikh met with Attorney General of Pakistan at courtroom No.8 in order to file a joint application before the head of the commission to adjourn the hearing. Talking to media persons at the apex court building, Attorney General said that the suggestion was good and he would ponder over it. Regarding six options given by a five-member bench in non-implementation of NRO judgement case, he said: -We would request the court not to pass order on any of it'. Full Report At:
PML-N, Q leaderships to discuss early polls next week
Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
January 14, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The major opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will have interaction with the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain next week after consolidating fresh contacts with the opposition minded parties and parliamentary groups.
The first meeting of the opposition minded parties has been termed as -useful' by the PML-N top leadership as these contacts will continue early next week. Former Prime Minister and President of the PML-N Nawaz Sharif who came here this week has decided to stay back in the federal capital. He has hectic schedule before him for next week. He went to Murree for an overnight stay and likely to return here on Saturday's morning.
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'USA should clear its stand on terrorism from across Pakistan border' - Gujarat CM Narendra Modi
January 14, 2012
Gandhinagar: A seven-member delegation of Republican Party of the United States of America, which met Chief Minister Narendra Modi here today, took interest in the Gujarat model of development and discussed issues like Gujarat-China and Indo-US relations.
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Tunisia's Islamist party slams anti-Semitic chants
By BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA
TUNIS, Tunisia - The head of Tunisia's moderate Islamic party on Monday condemned anti-Semitic slogans chanted by a handful of ultraconservative Muslims during the arrival of a top Hamas official.
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Oklahoma can't enforce Islamic Sharia law ban
1 of 2 Oklahoma can't enforce Islamic Sharia law ban
The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction against an Oklahoma referendum banning the use of Islamic Sharia law in courts and said there's no evidence of such influence on US courts.
Under the title of a U.S. federal court: the prohibition of Oklahoma to Islamic law an unconstitutional!
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Iran: Death sentences and national Internet
The Iranian government's constant repressive policies towards journalists and netizens are being steadily ratcheted up as part of a generalized increase in persecution of dissidents and a reinforcement of online censorship.
Reporters Without Borders sent a letter yesterday to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay to share its deep concern and ask for her intervention. The report below was also attached to this letter.
Two bloggers sentenced to death
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Catholic organizer explains work with Muslims at UN
January 13, 2012
Austin Ruse, the president of the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute, explains why, and how, he has worked effectively with representatives of Islamic nations during political battles at the UN.
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Muslim Extremists Strike at Christians in East African Isles
By Simba Tian
NAIROBI, Kenya - Far from the world media'
