Islam is tolerant, we’re told, and yet somehow, every country with an increasingly Islamic bent seems to suffer increasing problems with intolerance. “Are Turkish Jews being mistreated?” by Aviel Magnezi for YNetNews, March 1: Liberal Turkish newspaper Milliyet reported Sunday that religious leaders from various faiths convened in Istanbul about two-and-a-half weeks ago to discuss […]
Archives for March 2010
Bangladesh: Women detained for not wearing veil
Sharia on the move in a big way, according to this report: “Law enforcing agencies and a section of judicial system in Bangladesh were reported to be supportive towards imposing Sharia law in the country. Such systems are considering any activities such as highlighting Jewish culture and heritage even as blasphemous.” “Women detained for not […]
Morocco dismantles “active terror cell” of “suspected Islamists”
Once again, it wasn’t the militant wing of the Salvation Army (with apologies to Mike Meyers). “Morocco dismantles active terror cell,” from the Associated Press, March 2: RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Authorities have dismantled a six-member terror cell that was planning attacks in the North African kingdom, Morocco’s official news agency says. The six suspected […]
Learning to say non: Niqab-wearing woman removed from French class in Quebec
Somewhere along the line, after allowing her to give presentations with her back to the class, they decided enough was enough. “Que. government forced woman from classroom for refusing to remove face covering,” from the Canadian Press, March 2: MONTREAL – A Muslim student who was kicked out of a Quebec classroom for wearing a […]
U.K.: Islamic scholar issues fatwa against “terrorism” — is anyone safer?
“Terrorism,” of course, is a tactic, and as liberally as the term is applied in common usage, condemning it doesn’t tell us a whole lot. After all, nobody likes terrorism. It will, of course, be instructive to see how Qadri defines “terrorism,” and for that matter, “innocent people.” But here, as ever, the question remains: […]
“Some 1,500 years ago, it was decided for an individual’s personal reasons that women should [be secluded] and since then millions of Muslim women all over the world have had to suffer it”
This photo, via Asia News, is particularly poignant in light of the renewed controversy over Taslima Nasrin’s article on the burqa. Vitamin D, anyone?
Oh, good: $150 million to Yemen to “encourage” fight against jihadists
What could possibly go wrong? Poorly focused largesse only encourages unfocused spending. We may yet end up simply building a better jihadist “bus station.” A really, really expensive one. “Schanzer: $150 million for Yemeni ‘encouragement’,” by Jonathan Schanzer for the Washington Times, March 2: ”Yemen’s willingness… to confront the serious threat al Qaeda poses to […]
Neither rock nor roll: Sharia police cancel music festival in northern Nigeria
“Kanfest,” kanned due to inclement Sharia. “Sharia police ban French concert in Nigeria,” from Agence France-Presse, March 1: KANO, Nigeria — Sharia police ordered the closure of an annual music festival funded and organised by the French embassy in northern Nigeria at the weekend, local officials and diplomats said on Monday. “We have banned the […]
Thank you, Captain Obvious: IAEA “can’t confirm” Iranian nuclear program is peaceful
Great. Now that we’re all on the same page, now what? The prospects for the changing of the guard at the IAEA to improve the organization’s response to the Iranian nuclear threat are looking increasingly dismal. “IAEA says it can’t confirm Iran nuclear program is peaceful,” by Scott Peterson for the Christian Science Monitor, March […]
India: 2 killed in riots over translation of controversial article about the burqa
Taslima Nasrin’s “Let’s Think Again about the Burqa” is most likely the article in question, and can be found here. It is full of irreverent observations such as: “Some 1,500 years ago, it was decided for an individual’s personal reasons that women should have purdah and since then millions of Muslim women all over the […]