The disembodied hand trademark has been taken. The Arabic word Ansar translates as “helpers,” and also refers to those who aided Muhammad in Medina. The choice of the new name underscores the fact that the fundamental aim of all jihad is the imposition of Sharia, the various excuses du jour notwithstanding. Besides, all the cool […]
U.K.: Cambridge University issues directives against shaking hands with Muslims to avoid causing offense
Some might be offended by the idea of shaking hands. But others might be offended by a pre-emptive, patronizing refusal to shake their hands by people who attempted to guess what they want and slavishly obeyed the conclusions of a guess. As with the case of the “Islamic” anti-littering campaign, an attempt to pander to […]
Off again, on again: Libya to allow British police to investigate Lockerbie bombing
In September, the National Transitional Council firmly declared the case to be closed. As this report notes, however, there is no timetable just yet for British police to travel to Libya. When or if there is, will Megrahi take another impeccably timed sudden turn for the worse? “Libya to allow UK police to probe Lockerbie: […]
Afghan authorities suggest Saudi Arabia or Turkey for Taliban “liaison office”
Similar proposals have been floating around for some time, and have included not only Turkey, but Qatar, as discussed below. Such measures carry a major risk of granting the Taliban a veneer of false legitimacy, an undeserved upgrade in international standing, and a tool to buy time by going through the motions of overtures toward […]
Afghanistan: Pardoned rape victim finally out of jail, hundreds remain behind
After more international embarrassment at the delay of her release, Gulnaz is out of jail. But there remain about 350 women and up to 112 girls known to be locked up for “moral crimes.” “Afghan woman, imprisoned over rape, is free,” from MSNBC, December 14: An Afghan woman who said she would marry her rapist […]
Iran: Senior adviser to supreme leader says Turkish secularism is not for Arabs
Turkey’s ruling establishment seems to have decided Turkish secularism isn’t for Turks, either. But here, we have the odd case of Shi’ite Iran telling Turkey what’s best for Arabs. Surely the budding Sunni, Muslim Brotherhood-backed regimes of the “Arab Spring” are diligently taking note. “Senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader says Turkey”s secularism not suitable […]
Aceh: Punk rockers’ mohawks shaved as “threat to Islamic values”
“Morality” policing is a cheap and lazy way for a government to look busy and effective. It is a tool of intimidation and political pandering where Sharia has tied the right to rule to Islamic piety. As even Imam Rauf knows, Sharia is a package deal, and its reach into every area of life sets […]
Indonesia: Interior ministry tries appeasement to end standoff with Muslim mayor ignoring court order on church opening
From this story: “The Supreme Court ruled in December 2010 that the closure was unlawful and ordered its reopening, but the city administration continues to ignore the ruling. Mayor Diani Budiarto has used several excuses to keep the church closed, most recently saying there should not be a Christian church on a street with an […]
“The Muslim Brotherhood is not credible. We want facts, not words”
An Egyptian Catholic priest and spokesman highlights how freely the Muslim Brotherhood has issued contradictory statements to suit the group’s needs at a given moment. The message depends on the audience, but the Ikhwan’s agenda remains the same. “The thousand faces of the Muslim Brotherhood,” from AsiaNews, December 13: Cairo (AsiaNews) — “The Muslim Brotherhood […]
Afghan rape victim still in jail, more than 10 days after pardon
Gulnaz is not out of jail, even after the absurd exercise of having to be pardoned for being raped. Apparently the jail has not received the official pardon order, and to make matters worse, the rapist’s father is attempting to intimidate her with repeated visits while she waits. An update on this story. “Afghan rape […]