Politicians encouraging the integration of self-segregated Muslim communities must take note: they also need to step up to protect those for whom doing their part to participate in society could get them killed. “Twisted concept of honour shames any civilised society,” by Ruth Dudley Edwards for the Irish Independent, February 5 (thanks to The Religion […]
Egypt: Member of parliament disrupts proceedings with Islamic call to prayer
This guy again: Mamdouh Ismail, who, while taking his oath of office, added words to abide by Allah’s law. Large and small attempts to impose Sharia by any means available promise to continue in Egyptian society. “Egyptian Salafi MP calls to prayer in parliament session, met with anger,” by Eman El-Shenawi for Al-Arabiya, February 7: […]
Egypt: As many as 100,000 Christians have left in recent months
They’re fleeing all that “tolerance” that’s just breaking out all over. “Egypt’s Christians, post-Mubarak,” by Aline Sara for NOW Lebanon, January 31: “We don’t feel as safe as before,” said Georges Nader, an Egyptian Copt who lives in Cairo. A year after the revolution that led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, Nader said […]
Saudi writer flees threats for “offending Islam”
His crime? Comparing his poetry to something in the Qur’an. The Qur’an is adamant that it cannot be rivaled (2:23). One report even says King Abdullah ordered his arrest. That’s the same King Abdullah of the “King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue,” not in Mecca or Medina or even Riyadh, […]
U.K.: Al-Qaeda seeking female recruits for suicide bombings
Al-Qaeda did not invent the jihadist ideology that drives it, but it is an effective transmitter of tactics to distant theaters of jihad, most notably in the case of suicide bombings. Here, a tactic associated with the Palestinian jihad and the Chechen “black widow” jihadists threatens to make inroads in Britain. “Al-Qaeda bid for Brit […]
U.K.: Muslim cleric deemed “risk to national security” is out on bail
An update on the absurd and surreal saga of Abu Qatada. “Abu Qatada to be released within days,” by Tom Whitehead for the Telegraph, February 7: Abu Qatada, a radical Muslim cleric accused of posing a grave threat to Britain’s national security, will be back on the streets within days after judges granted him bail. […]
Report: Al-Qaeda operatives helping Nigeria’s Boko Haram
The aim of jihad in all of its forms is to impose Sharia law. That is why jihadist movements find common cause with one another, sometimes over vast geographical distances, and it is why purportedly “regional” jihadist conflicts become globally interconnected. Think jihad globally, wage jihad locally. “Al-Qaeda’s hand in Boko Haram’s deadly Nigerian attacks,” […]
Hamas and Fatah agree on “unity government”
Hamas, of course, remains openly committed to the destruction of Israel, and the propaganda from the Palestinian Authority’s media outlets tells us plenty about their intentions. Obviously, this government cannot negotiate for “peace” in good faith, but the pressure will remain on Israel to compromise with an even more hostile Palestinian entity than before. An […]
Indonesia: Bomb-maker in 2002 Bali bombings to go on trial
Indonesia is generally tougher on jihadists with international connections, like Umar Patek, than it is with homegrown Islamic supremacist thugs, to whom the government generally seems content to turn a blind eye as long as they restrict themselves to targeting non-Muslims. More on this story. “Alleged Bali bomber to face six charges,” from the Australian […]
Just in from the Iranian toy police: Superman, Spiderman good; Simpsons bad
Priorities: this is actually the substance of discussions in the halls of government within Iran. The reasoning is that Superman and Spiderman help free people from “oppression.” The Simpsons join Barbie on the list in the latest crackdown. Duff-Man is heartbroken. “Report: Simpson Dolls Join Barbie on Iran Ban List,” by Nasser Karimi for the […]