Jihadists or dupes? Fort Dix terror trial opens

Their clients, they said, were young men who had been manipulated by paid government informants into a conspiracy they had no intention of carrying out. “He talked the talk, but was never going to walk the walk,” Rocco Cipparone Jr. said of his client, lead defendant Mohamad Ibrahim Shnewer.

Cipparone and the other defense attorneys challenged both the credibility and motivation of the two key government witnesses, Mahmoud Omar and Besnik Bakalli. Both, he said, were “lifelong criminals” who had reasons to create a conspiracy where none existed.  >>>>>

Dialogue between Muslim and Christian worlds must: Kazakhstan president

“First, we should give up centuries-old stereotypes. Second, we should consciously resist temptation to invade spheres sacred to other people. Something that is sacred for one cannot be a butt of jokes for another. Third, we should realise that there are threats that are common for all cultures and civilisations. Not only terrorism but also proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, transnational crime and environmental degradation.”

He said a “fateful denial of spirituality, a tradition that has existed for thousand years – thanks to many religions mainly Islam and Christianity, was even more dangerous”.  >>>>>

Malaysians warned not to question Islam

Racial and religious tensions have increased in the past year as minorities have become more vocal in their complaints about an affirmative action program that they say unfairly favors Malays. They also complain that their religious rights are being ignored.

In an unprecedented comment on current affairs, the sultans of nine states did not directly accuse the Chinese and Indian minorities of stoking anti-Malay feelings, but said recent statements and forums “held by certain quarters” had “caused provocation and uneasiness among the people.”  >>>>>

Group places ads for Islam on buses

The move is part of a monthlong campaign to dispel popular misconceptions about the religion, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.  Though most people interviewed by the Tribune said they hadn’t noticed the ads, Gain Peace is calling the campaign a success.  >>>>>

Sharia law inevitable in Uganda’s legal system

In Britain, the common law system is available to everybody but to Muslims it is impotent when it comes to civil issues regarding marriage, divorce and other disputes whose dispensation in heaven is perceived as more crucial than any ruling that might be handed down by an English judge in a horsehair wig.

Ugandan Muslims have advocated Sharia law to deal with these importance issues because secular laws cannot address them to the satisfaction of our conscience. Therefore, Sharia law is inevitable in any community where Muslims are a part.  >>>>>

‘Muslim’ shouldn’t be a slur

In a “don’t worry, be happy” tone, I breezily noted that although the stoking of racial fear and xenophobia was a cherished tradition of American politics, I really didn’t think that this time around the candidates would permit the wholesale slander of Islam or Muslims.

Apparently, I was wrong. The undertones have become screaming overtones. And it is past time to object.  >>>>>

This is by design, in order to help keep the excuse(s) to continue the war on terror alive.  It helps that even the opposing party’s candidate also reject any future potential of exonerating Muslims in the public eye while at the same time, forcing the hand of democrats to continue to maintain their position on the Islamophobic bandwagon.

Under Bush, US Influence in Latin America is Receding Before High Tide

The United States has also long served as chief educator to Latin America’s elite. Correa is among its presidents with a U.S. graduate degree – though that didn’t stop him from accusing the CIA of infiltrating his military, or refusing to renew a lease for U.S. counterdrug missions to fly out of Ecuador.

With the U.S. facing its own financial crisis, it’s unlikely to be able to leverage economic influence in Latin America anytime soon. Sen. Barack Obama’s senior adviser on Latin America, Dan Restrepo, acknowledges that his candidate is essentially proposing a symbolic shift in style – albeit adding a special White House envoy for the Americas. (In response to “US Influence in Latin America Wanes”):

Which is why false-flag operations would not be a surprise in the region aside from what has been conspired with regards to regional parties; for only the U.S. and Israel have a track record for containing the rise of the supposed “Islamo-Fascists.”  There are many Muslim and/or Arab enclaves in South and Central America.  The overwhelming majority have absolutely no Islamist-agenda within the respective countries they live.  Yet it would not take too much to get public opinion against this, while at the same time showing Latinos that the U.S. is still needed to champion ‘democracy and freedom’– just as the U.S. was needed to infiltrate and control select countries by way of the Drug Trade, and let’s not forget our own colonial history in the region.

Cong gives facelift to its campaign, hires PR agency

The Congress seems to hope that the minorities will come back to its fold.

CNN-IBN has learnt that the party’s poll campaign will highlight the fact that associating Islam with terror attacks is not right as in the case of Jamia encounter.

The Congress has raised questions and that attacks on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka show that under the NDA, minorities are unsafe.  >>>>>

When you have to hire a public-relations firm to handle your image, there is a serious question about your behavior.

Imran Khan says Islam is not the enemy

“Everyone must understand terrorism is never caused by religion. The roots of all terrorism lie in politics and so do the solutions.

“When (US President) George Bush and (former British prime minister) Tony Blair talk about radical Islam . . . the man in the street in the West is suspicious of all Muslims.”

He said the US was “manufacturing terrorists” through its continuing military action in Pakistan’s border regions with Afghanistan, where they believe al-Qaida forces are in hiding.  >>>>>

What has Islam to do with terrorism?

The logic of most Western countries runs thus: all Muslims are not terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims. The first part of the statement is nothing but a craven concession to realpolitik, in that the West needs to keep Muslim countries round the world in good humour; the second part betrays profound ignorance of the history of terrorism.  >>>>>

First helpline in UAE to fight extreme interpretations of Islam

A group of 48 Islamic scholars and Imams man the call centre telephones from morning till evening and deliver rulings in an attempt to root out extreme interpretations of Islam.

Muslims from all over the world are reaching out to the helpline, with organisers putting the number at about 3,700 calls a day. >>>>>

The Jihad Seminar

This legislation makes it unlawful for someone, on the ground of the religious belief or activity of another person or class of persons, to engage in conduct that “incites hatred against, serious contempt for, or revulsion or serious ridicule”. There is a similar provision about racial vilification. However, there is a defence for conduct that was engaged in “reasonably and in good faith” in the performance of an artistic work or in the course of a discussion or debate for any genuine academic, artistic, religious or scientific purpose. >>>>>

Mattel says talking doll doesn’t promote Islam

A cooing baby doll or a toy with a religious message?

The toy company Mattel has fielded calls from consumers who wonder whether their Little Mommy Cuddle ‘n Coo doll, which giggles, gurgles and coos, is also mumbling, “Islam is the light.”  >>>>>

Let’s hope Western parents don’t seek a refund for their own kids if after hearing them mumble something innocent, yet irks the parents’ bigoted leanings.  Maybe the parents were offended by the hijab.  It seems like even dolls lost their ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘religious freedom’ after the Patriot Act –  In the meantime, I could probably use a few cases of these dolls, (for families of children who don’t fear baby talk) – at wholesale rates of course.

Islam, Arab-Muslim world in American electoral speech

The marginalisation of Islam and Muslims has been spreading industry in the United States since the September 11, 2001 attacks. It lives on the relative ignorance of the American people in international issues and their sometimes strange relationship to the otherness, this ambivalent and complex relation with the other.

Among Republicans, this policy of fear is one of the major components of the winning electoral strategy since the departure of Bill Clinton. Charlie Black, one of McCain’s gurus, said in the June issue of Forbes magazine that “what we would need, is a good attack”.

In substance, it would be enough to have real or made-up terrorist attacks against American interests for the popularity of the republican candidate to pick up again.  >>>>>

Morocco’s king launches offensive against radical Islam – Feature

Morocco is trying to stem radicalism with a two-track approach, combining attempts to promote a tolerant brand of Islam with the detentions of thousands of extremist suspects.

 

The arrests have elicited criticism from human rights groups, which say that the secret service has abducted dozens of suspects illegally, taking them to detention centres such as the ill-famed Temara near the capital Rabat.

 

Police have also cracked down on non-violent Islamist movements, such as the non-parliamentary (), which many analysts regard as Morocco’s biggest de-facto political party.  >>>>>

Therefore, this is stating that Morocco is cutting out their competition which would otherwise win in a democratic election.  It seems like the burying of this data within stories that talk about matters that are highly disturbing to most people is an effective propaganda tool to rid any Islamic reference to an otherwise uncorrupted democracy.

Sultan’s permanent leadership of Muslims indisputable – Arisekola

Recently, there was a publication in a national newspaper (not Tribune) about some Nigerians decrying the permanent seat of the Sultan of Sokoto as the leader of all Muslims in Nigeria. In this interview with Qudirat Hakeem-Apanpa, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola- Alao, speaks on the controversial issue and others. Excerpts:  >>>>>

İhsanoğlu: Islam not just a guest in Europe

Stressing that European civilization was built with many contributions from Muslim culture in terms of science, philosophy and humanistic values, İhasanoğlu said, “If we can share the idea that Islam is an essential element of Europe, Europe’s perception of Turkey’s EU membership would change.” İhsanoğlu said there is confusion about the place of Islam in Europe. “Islam has been in Europe for 14 centuries; it is not a foreigner in Europe,” he added. >>>>>

Islamist movement banned in Bulgaria

A Bulgarian court has banned an Islamic association from operating in the country, accusing it of fanning religious hatred, it was announced yesterday.  The association Charitable Projects, which has been active in Bulgaria since the mid-1990s, was banned for “propagating religious hatred against the majority Christian Orthodox Bulgarians and the traditionally Hanif Muslims in the country”, the State Agency for National Security (DANS) said in a statement. >>>>>

India and Israel don’t add up to a Christian response against Islam

Hindutva groups are meeting Zionist organizations to learn about strategies to advance religious nationalist agendas and suppress any criticism of their political movements.

These U.S.-based groups have helped strengthen India-Israel ties and propagate the notion that Hindu and Jewish Americans are victims of a common enemy defined as “Islamic terrorism,” for example, through organizations such as Democracies against Terror which is an alliance of Zionist and Hindutva activists based in Fremont, Calif.

In response to the linked article:  India Loses Her Palestinian Heart and Gains a Calculating Israeli Mind

The problem with this type of thinking is that eventually, the practicing Jewish and Hindus will be met with a logical argument about their respective fundamental beliefs.  The Jews believe in monotheism, as do Muslims and Christians.  Hindus believe in polytheism, a clear antithesis to all three of the Abrahamic faiths.

Since there is a posturing by the Zionists and Evangelical Christians to set up the stage for the ‘end of time,’ then this political move will speak volumes as to which side each group is expected to be on.  If the belief is that during Armageddon, there will be a war against the non-believers; the polytheistic Hindus, would clearly be amongst those on the side against the God of the Christians, Jews and Muslims-at least in theory. Correct?

This alliance may be what causes the true-believing Christians and Jews will gain faith and shift their loyalties in greater mass away from the pro-Zionist, pro-nationalist cause.  Then those racing up to this expected phase in God’s plan will start to realize the earthly plan may not be in accordance to what each respective religious group believes its respective God wants.  And if these groups are desiring to move collectively with their religious-nationalist agendas; then why is it bad for Muslims to discuss the same in political discourse without being labeled as Islamo-Fascist?  Why would the U.S. support this non-secular position unless it is somehow blackmailed into doing so?

This agenda does not bode well for the world in general.  Israel has a present stockpile of nuclear weapons without complying to the same standards countries that don’t have nuclear weapons do comply with.  But now the U.S. and Israel are supporting India’s right to seek out such weapons.  That fact alone should bring alarm to all countries around the world – especially Pakistan, Iran and countries with significant Muslim populations – that there is a far greater sense of geopolitical hypocrisy that may just blow up in the very faces of those creating this mess.

Unfortunately, most countries in the game tend to believe that their agenda is well in-line with God’s plan, even if it is contrary to what God Himself has directed them, according to their own respective scriptures.

CAIR: Fox ‘24′ Producer Pulls Endorsement of Anti-Muslim Film

Another “Obsession” interviewee, Brigitte Gabriel, told the Australian Jewish News: “Every practising Muslim is a radical Muslim.” She also claimed that “Islamo-fascism is a politically-correct word…it’s the vehicle for Islam…Islam is the problem.” When asked whether Americans should “resist Muslims who want to seek political office in this nation,” Gabriel said:

“Absolutely. If a Muslim who has — who is — a practicing Muslim who believes the word of the Koran to be the word of Allah, who abides by Islam, who goes to mosque and prays every Friday, who prays five times a day — this practicing Muslim, who believes in the teachings of the Koran, cannot be a loyal citizen to the United States of America.” >>>>>