Netherlands:Theatre Brings in Islamic Gender Segregation Update

This is an actual picture from the theatre mentioned in this story.

Hat tip to Rob.

Netherlands:Theatre Brings in Islamic Gender Segregation

More and more we see businesses in the USA and Europe catering to Islam. Of course each time a business caters to the requests of Muslims, it only encourages Muslims to move on to their next request. Even though a lot of Islam advancing in the West is happening through the free market, it does not mean that it is what is best for our country and our families future generations. I am not against the free market, I am against Muslim immigration. As more Muslims come here we will see more of them using the free market to change the West to suit Islam.

Muslim Men, Women Segregated in Rotterdam Theatre

ROTTERDAM, 28/02/09 - On Friday night, a Muslim stand-up comedian was scheduled to give a show in a Rotterdam theatre with segregated seating for the men and women in his audience.

Moroccan-born writer and TV producer Salaheddine Benchikhi was to make his debut as a stand-up comedian at Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam. At his request, the theatre said it would offer female audience members the option of sitting apart from the men, as Algemeen Dagblad reported several hours before the show on Friday.

According to the newspaper, 50 of the 590 seats had been reserved for women who object to sitting beside a man due to their Islamic faith. As an extra 'service', the orthodox ladies may sit in the first rows of the balcony.

"Whether the option will actually be utilised remains to be seen", Joyce van Dongen of Theater Zuidplein stated. "Fifty is an estimate made by Salaheddine's management. Since the show is an opening night, we have no previous shows to serve as an example". If called for, a larger number of separate seats would be arranged, according to Van Dongen.

Link to Article

Ex-CAIR Leader Starts new Front Group

Ahemd Bedier who last year had "stepped down" as the Executive Director of the Tampa Bay office of The Council on American Islamic Relations, has now started up a new front group called The United Voices of America to help advance his Islamic agenda. Their first move is to organize Muslims in an effort to push our politicians to cater to their religion. This is one group that we all need to keep an eye on.

Hat tip to Miles.

The Dual Life of a Pro-Terror Activist
By Joe Kaufman
FrontPageMagazine

Ahmed Bedier leads a dual life. As President of the Tampa/Hillsborough County Human Rights Council (THHRC), he enjoys the fortune of being mistaken by government officials and media personalities for a civil rights leader. The rest of the time, Bedier portrays his real self, an Islamist whose existence is devoted to hatred of Israel. Now, he has started a new group to fool the masses, United Voices for America (UVA). How long will those in positions of influence continue to fail to recognize the other side of Ahmed Bedier?

On February 6, 2008, a song invaded the Tampa, Florida, airwaves about "Palestine." According to the vocalist, it was sung "in honor of our shahids" - shahid, meaning a holy martyr or an individual seeking death (suicide) in the cause of Allah, a term most widely used in association with terrorists. What followed the tune was an anti-Israel hate fest, the same hate fest that is heard week after week on WMNF-FM's True Talk, a Muslim talk show hosted by Bedier and his cohort, Samar Jarrah.

Bedier has been involved with radical Islam since at least 2002, when he was the Outreach Director for the Islamic Society of Pinellas County (ISPC), a mosque whose website features material calling for violence against Jews. After the stint with ISPC, much of Bedier's life has centered around organizations and individuals connected to and in support of anti-Israel terrorist groups overseas, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Hezbollah.

Bedier and Hamas

In February 2003, Bedier began working for the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida), soon to become the group's Communications Director. In December of 2003, CAIR opened a separate office in Tampa, and Bedier was named its Executive Director. All of this was subsequent to CAIR's involvement in the funding of Hamas, which took place prior to December of 2001, when Hamas's American financing wing, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), was shut down by the U.S. government. CAIR was named as a co-conspirator in the 2008 HLF trial, where all of the defendants were found guilty of all charges.

Bedier left CAIR in May 2008, but that hadn't stopped his association with those who support Hamas. On December 30, 2008, he joined hundreds of others in a pro-Hamas demonstration in Tampa, one of a number of similar protests which took place on the same date across the nation. The event, which was organized in large part by the extremist Muslim American Society (MAS), featured signs that read "End Zionism" and "Zionism is Cancer; Radiate It." Additionally, some participants at the protest donned keffiyehs, Palestinian symbols of violence worn as scarves.

Link to Article

U.S. Pulling out of ‘Durban II’ Conference

Surprisingly President Obama is doing the right thing and boycotting the Durban II Jewish hate fest. Although this does not make up for him putting money into the hands of our enemies and supporting Sharia law.

U.S. pulling out of ‘Durban II’ conference
By Ron Kampeas · February 27, 2009
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The Obama administration has decided to boycott the so-called Durban II conference out of concerns for anti-Semitism.

Multiple sources on a conference call with the White House on Friday told JTA that the Obama administration had opted not to attend any further preparatory meetings ahead of the planned U.N. conference against racism in Geneva in April.

The conference reprises the 2001 conference in Durban, South Africa that devolved into an anti-Jewish free-for-all. Canada and Israel have opted not to attend the conference, and some U.S. Jewish groups had been pressing the United States to do the same.

Preparations for a draft document so far have seen Iran leading a coterie of nations blocking inclusion of anything that might guarantee Jewish protections – including mention of the Holocaust – while inserting draconian language guarding Islam against "insult."

The State Department sent a delegation, including a senior staffer from the American Jewish Committee, to this month's preparatory talks. The delegation's conclusions were that the anti-Israel and anti-Western tendencies were too deeply entrenched to excise.

Now that the United States is withdrawing from the conference, European nations are expected to follow.

Speaking for the White House on Friday's call were Samantha Power and James Warlick, who handle international organizations for, respectively, the national security council and the State Department; and Jennifer Simon, an adviser to Susan Rice, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations.

Link to Article

Geert Wilders in Manhattan Interview

Tuesday night Dutch politician Geert Wilders was in NYC and gave a private screening of the movie Fitna. The event was hosted by ACT for America. Courageous NYC activist Pamela Hall was in attendance and after the movie Mr. Wilders gave an exclusive interview. Here is the video.

Hat tip to Pam of The Silent Majority.

OZ:Islamic Schools not Helping With Assimilation

This is the second report this week telling us how Islamic schools in the West are keeping Muslims from assimilating. Although those that do not want to assimilate never will. The first report was from the UK and this one is from Australia. Another disturbing similarity between the two countries are the higher than usual unemployment rates in the Muslim communities. The result of this is that Islamic ghettos are forming across the West.

Islamic Education Not Helping Muslim Australians Get Jobs


By Neville D'Cruz MELBOURNE, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- Islamic schools in Australia may be compounding the difficulties Muslim Australianface in getting jobs, the Sydney Daily Telegraph said, quoting Professor Riaz Hassan, from the Flinders University in Adelaide.

When families send their children to Islamic schools they may be excluding them from the usual job networks found between public school and other private school communities, the newspaper said.

Several Islamic schools in Australia have students from Malaysia.

As unemployment is twice the rate for 19 to 24-year-old Muslim Australians compared with non-Muslim Australians, this makes it less likely they will find a job, according to Professor Hassan.

And the more marginalised young Muslim Australians become, the professor argues, the more likely they are to be vulnerable to radical religious views or otherwise reject mainstream Australian aspirations.

Professor Hassan raised his concerns when the Daily Telegraph education writer Maralyn Parker recently interviewed him about a paper he presented at last year's National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies Australia conference on the 2006 census data.

When he crunched the numbers from the census he came up with some unexpected figures, Parker said.

Muslim Australians are more likely to be university educated than non-Muslim Australians. Twenty one per cent of Muslim Australians have degrees compared with 15 per cent of non-Muslim Australians -- a statistic that challenges the stereotypical view of Muslim Australians.

But the bad news is that higher achievement in education does not translate into jobs, Parker said.

In the 19 to 24-year-old bracket the unemployment rate of Muslim Australians is 18 per cent, compared with 9 per cent of non-Muslims.

And it just gets worse from there. The older Muslim Australians become the more likely they are to be unemployed than non-Muslims. By age 65 it is four times more likely.

In all other socio-economic comparisons, Muslim Australians fare badly. They are less likely to own their own homes and more likely to live in rented premises.

The most shocking statistic is that 40 per cent of Muslim Australian children live in poverty -- about twice the rate for non-Muslim Australian children, Parker said.

"This is a huge problem. When poverty and unemployment become endemic within a community it can lead to complete alienation from a society. We have seen the results of such alienation in riots in France and in Britain," the report says.

In the 2006 census there were 340,391 Muslims in Australia. About 38 per cent were born in Australia, followed by Lebanon (9 per cent), Turkey (7 per cent) and Afghanistan (5 per cent). Only 1.7 per cent of the overall Australian population is Muslim, but a staggering 40 per cent of Muslim Australians are under the age of 20, compared with about 27 per cent of the non-Muslim population.

Parker said the first two Islamic schools in Australia were established in 1983. Today there are 30 Islamic schools across the nation, 13 in NSW, with controversial plans to build more. Islamic schools had proliferated along with other faith-based schools under the Howard government's generous funding arrangements.

So far the Rudd Government has not tightened regulations about establishing new schools and has not indicated it has plans to do so.

However, Professor Hassan's concerns make it even more imperative for Muslim parents to consider carefully their choice of school, and for governments to examine future plans for new schools. -- BERNAMA

Link to Article

CAIR Looks to Muscle in on Fitna Screening

On Monday Arizona Senator Jon Kyl announced that he will be holding a screening of the anti-Islam movie Fitna.
Of course once this was announced the Council on American Islamic Relations couldn't leave it alone. CAIR wants one of their representatives present so that they can present the "other side" of the argument. They also said that the film's creator Geert Wilders spewed hatred, but of course CAIR did not mention a word about the hate being spewed by the Muslims in the film. Nor did CAIR mention a word about the hate being spewed against Jews at these Muslim rallies.

Arizona Senator Asked to Invite Muslim Reps to Balance Anti-Islam Film


CAIR-AZ urges Sen. Kyl to recognize that there are 'Muslims in his own state'

PHOENIX, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ) today called on one of that state's senators to invite Muslim representatives to offer a balancing perspective to a screening of an anti-Islam film he is hosting in Congress.

On Thursday, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) will host a closed-door screening of a 15-minute film by Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders. Wilders was recently denied entry to Britain because of his extreme anti-Muslim views, including urging that the Quran, Islam's revealed text, should be banned. One of the event's co-sponsors, the Center for Security Policy headed by Frank Gaffney, is linked to an anti-Islam group that has advocated prison terms in the U.S. for "adherence to Islam."

SEE: US Lawmaker Hosts Anti-Islamic Dutch Lawmaker (AP)

http://tinyurl.com/bc9dsj

"It seems that Senator Kyl is oblivious to the fact that there are Muslims in his own state who will take offense at this cheap anti-Islam publicity stunt designed to promote a person who is under indictment for inciting religious hatred," said CAIR-AZ Executive Director Ahmad Daniels. "Geert Wilders is just one of many self-promoting Islamophobes traveling the world in search of attention for their hate-filled views. We ask that Americans of all faiths ignore Mr. Wilders, thereby depriving him of the attention he so desperately seeks. Wilders has the right to spew his hate, but he does not have the right to a taxpayer-funded platform in the United States Congress."

Daniels urged Sen. Kyl to join the ongoing efforts to end partisan politics in Congress and to reach out to the Islamic world by inviting speakers with a differing viewpoint to that of Wilders.

He added that, following a request by CAIR's Los Angeles chapter, a California synagogue that screened a film claiming "confrontation between Islam and the Jews" agreed to invite a Muslim representative who could offer a balancing perspective of interfaith understanding.

Link to Article

Geert Wilders Calls for the end of Muslim Immigration

For those who missed the Geert Wilders interview on Bill O'Reilly last night, this brave politician has stated exactly what needs to be done.

Obama and Hillary Funding our Enemies

By Christopher Logan
Earlier this month I posted about how President Obama had pledged to send approximately $20 million to the Hamas controlled Gaza strip. This was just days after it was discovered that Hamas had been stealing blankets and food allocated for the people of Gaza.

Just yesterday it was reported that the rockets attacks on Israel coming out of Gaza have resumed to a daily event once again. So what does Hillary do? She turns around and ups Obama's pledge from $20 million all the way up to $900 million. Is this some kind of reward for breaking the ceasefire and resuming the rocket attacks on Israel?
U.S. officials have stated that the money will go to the Palestinian Authority to help repair Gaza. The only problem with that is that Hamas controls the Gaza strip.

Besides all of this going on, just last week the Taliban thugs in Swat Pakistan were allowed to live their life long dream and given permission to put the valley under sharia law. This was done with the approval of the US government. In return the Taliban have pledged a "ceasefire".

Today another part of the deal between the Pakistani government and the Taliban has come to light. Pakistani pro-sharia militant group Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Mohammadi is being paid almost $6 million as part of a compensation package for their losses during Pakistani military operations. Part of the money is coming from a US donation, that is besides all of the money that we have given them in the past. The problem here is that the leader of Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Mohammadi, Sufi Mohammad spoke with the Taliban and both groups had endorsed the sharia law and compensation package. So you tell me where that money is going to end up.

US:Fitna to be Viewed by Congress

Usually we see many of our politicians cowering behind a wall of political correctness. Today we see Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona standing up for what is right, standing up for the freedoms of the USA. He is doing this by holding a showing of the anti-Islam film Fitna made by Dutch politician Geert Wilders. This is the same film that the EU had banned and Wilders is the same person that the UK has banned from their country. Will Obama do the same?

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Jon Kyl is hosting a film screening at the Capitol building on Thursday for a far-right Dutch lawmaker who claims that Islam inspires terrorism.

Kyl is sponsoring the event for Geert Wilders, who was denied entry to London earlier this month because British authorities said he posed a threat to public order.

Wilders’ 15-minute film juxtaposes verses from the Quran with images of violence by Muslims. Wilders has called the Quran a "fascist book" and said it should be banned.

Kyl agreed to facilitate the event because "all too often, people who have the courage to point out the dangers of militant Islamists find themselves vilified and endangered," said spokesman Ryan Patmintra.

Thursday’s event was being sponsored by the International Free Press Society, headed by Danish activist Lars Hedegaard, and the Center for Security Policy, a think tank in Washington led by Republican Frank Gaffney.

The event is closed to the public and press, but the film is being shown to members of Congress and their staff in the ornate "LBJ room," a Senate office once used by Lyndon B. Johnson as majority leader and later vice president.

Wilders’ film has sparked protests around the world, as well as inspired a debate on the freedom of speech. The lawmaker had been invited to Britain by a member of Parliament’s upper house, the House of Lords, to show his film. But the British government refused Wilders entry into the country, saying he posed a threat to "community harmony."

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the British Broadcasting Corp. that Wilders was guilty of "extreme anti-Muslim hate." He said "there is no freedom to stir up racial and religious hatred."

Hedegaard, who helped sponsor Wilders’ visit to the U.S., said Europe’s hate speech and blasphemy laws do not make any sense.

"The way to deal with controversial, offensive or even hateful statements — unless they are directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action — is to expose them to public debate and criticism," Hedegaard said in a statement advertising Thursday’s event.

While it is unusual for U.S. lawmakers to grant Capitol access to such a controversial figure, it was unlikely Wilders’ appearance would produce the same outcry as it did in Britain.

Several leading senators, including Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, declined to comment.

Link to Article

Gitmo:Obama Frees one, UK Opens its Nest

Over the last month I have read on numerous message boards about how Obama will take us down the same leftist road as the Labour Party did with the UK. Unfortunately it appears that these worries are becoming a reality. Obama has freed his first Gitmo prisoner and the UK has agreed to take him in. I am sure that he will make such an upstanding citizen.

Guantanamo detainee freed after 7 years of prison
By PAISLEY DODDS

LONDON – A Guantanamo prisoner who claims he was tortured at a covert CIA site in Morocco returned to Britain a free man Monday after nearly seven years in U.S. captivity — the first inmate from the U.S. prison camp freed since President Barack Obama took office.

Binyam Mohamed flew into a British military base and was expected to be out of custody within hours.

Mohamed's claims of torture, abuse and extraordinary rendition are at the heart of several lawsuits. Lawyers on both sides of the Atlantic are suing for secret documents they say prove the United States sent Mohamed to Morocco and that Britain knew of the mistreatment — a violation under the 1994 U.N. Convention Against Torture.

"I have been through an experience that I never thought to encounter in my darkest nightmares," Mohamed said in a statement released by his attorneys.

"Before this ordeal, "torture" was an abstract word to me ... It is still difficult for me to believe that I was abducted, hauled from one country to the next, and tortured in medieval ways all orchestrated by the United States government."

He said he wasn't yet "physically nor mentally capable of facing the media."

British authorities said he would undergo interviews Monday with the police, border control agents and immigration officials, who would help him apply for temporary residency.

His lawyers said they would provide money for his accommodations and living expenses.

Mohamed's case could have far-reaching legal implications for the Obama administration and Britain, America's closest partner during its war on terror.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is expected at the Guantanamo detention center Monday as the Obama administration weighs what is needed to shut the facility down.

"The friendship and assistance of the international community is vitally important as we work to close Guantanamo, and we greatly appreciate the efforts of the British government to work with us on the transfer of Binyam Mohammed," Holder said in a statement.

Britain's Attorney General has opened an investigation into whether there was criminal wrongdoing on the part of Britain or a British security agent from MI5 who interrogated Mohamed in Pakistan, where he was arrested in 2002.

Two senior British judges, meanwhile, have reopened a case into whether 42 secret U.S. intelligence documents shared with Britain should be made public.

Several other lawsuits are under way in the United States against a Boeing subsidiary that allegedly supplied planes for rendition flights to Morocco and for the disclosure of Bush-era legal memos on renditions and interrogation tactics.

The United States has refused to account for the 18 months Mohamed says he was in Morocco.

"I am so glad and so happy, more than words can express," Mohamed's sister, Zuhra Mohamed, said Monday.

The 30-year-old Ethiopian refugee has few remaining links to Britain. His brother and sister live in the United States. His parents are said to be back in Ethiopia. And his British residency that he obtained when he was teenager has since expired.

Snip

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Britain has been asking for the return of former UK residents since 2007.

"We very much welcome President Obama's commitment to close Guantanamo Bay and I see today's return of Binyam Mohamed as the first step toward that shared goal," Miliband said.

Mohamed's family came to London from Ethiopia in 1994. They applied for asylum following the ouster of Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam's ouster but they were only given temporary residency.

Schooled in West London, Mohamed worked as a janitor and later became a student of electrical engineering before converting to Islam in 2001.

Snip

In May of 2008, Mohamed was charged with conspiring with al-Qaida members to murder and commit terrorism. He was also accused in a "dirty bomb" plot to fill U.S. apartments with natural gas and blow them up.

But then in October all charges were dropped — only months after his lawyers filed a lawsuit in Britain for the disclosure of the 42 secret documents.

Two other former British residents remain in Guantanamo: Saudi-born Shaker Aamer, 37, and Algerian Ahmed Belbacha, 39.

Link to Article

Muslim Congressman Gives Speech at Sharia College

In the past Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison has had no problem giving speeches for Islamist groups like the pro-sharia CAIR and the Muslim American Society. Now he has taken it one step further and given a speech at Qatar University's College of Sharia. The speech was given this past President's Day weekend.

Hat tip to the Denialator.

Rep. Ellison touts expanded dialogue with Islam during speech in Qatar
By Joe Kimball Feb 17 2009

Rep. Keith Ellison -- who by now must be tired of being constantly identified as the first Muslim elected to Congress -- was in the Middle East over the Presidents Day weekend.

He spoke at Qatar University's College of Sharia and Islamic Studies, says the Gulf Times.

“Following 9/11, there has been an emergence of Muslim civil rights organizations," Ellison said. “The political picture is bright, not perfect, but we are ready to expand the dialogue and work to resolving the miscomprehensions that exist in our society and between the U.S. and the Islamic world.”

And he praised President Obama's early overtures to Muslims.

“This is the first time a U.S. president has reached out in this way”, he said, noting the decision to close Guantanamo Bay, end the war in Iraq, and stop the use of torture. “President Obama’s granting his first international interview to Al-Arabiya was a significant move which showed his commitment to his pledge. He was talking straight to Muslims all over the world.”

The college dean told the paper: “Ellison wanted to meet with us so that we can share our views and discuss issues that connect us to each other. We are especially interested in expanding the dialogue on issues relating to the U.S. and the Islamic world.”

Link to Article

Israel:Gaza Terrorists Resume Daily Rocket Attacks

As usual making a "truce" with Islamic thugs amounts to nothing but a stall tactic to regroup on their behalf.

Daily Rocket, Mortar Attacks Resume Against Israel
by Hana Levi Julian


(IsraelNN.com) The now-daily rocket attacks by Gaza terrorists against southern Israel resumed Sunday with the launch of a Kassam rocket at the Sha'ar HaNegev region and a mortar attack fired at IDF troops near the Kissufim Crossing.

Israeli soldiers were shelled by Gaza terrorists as the troops were patrolling along the security barrier near the crossing during the afternoon hours, according to Voice of Israel government radio. There were no casualties or damage reported, and the soldiers did not return fire.

Earlier in the day, the Color Red air raid siren blared its warning in Sderot and other Gaza Belt communities shortly after 9:00 a.m., sending residents racing to the shelters. Seconds later, a loud explosion shook the ground as the rocket, launched from northern Gaza, landed in an open area near the security barrier.

There were no reports of physical injuries or damage.

Saturday: Katyushas in North, Kassams in South
Terrorists in Lebanon, meanwhile, launched a Katyusha attack on northern Israel Saturday morning, wounding three family members and sending two others into severe emtional trauma while filling their home with thick black smoke.

The rocket, which landed in the yard of the family's home in a village in the western Galilee, was retrieved by IDF personnel. The injured Israelis were evacuated to a hospital in Nahariya by Magen David Adom paramedics.

IDF soldiers responded with artillery fire aimed at the source of the attack. Lebanese Army personnel and soldiers from the United Nations International Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) subsequently identified the location of the launching pad.

Gaza terrorists struck the coastal city of Ashkelon on Saturday night at around 10:20 p.m. A medium-range rocket reached the industrial zone on the southern outskirts of the city. No one was injured and no damage was caused in the attack.

Friday: Mortar Barrage Near Kissufim
A barrage of 10 mortar shells was fired at Gaza Belt communities on Friday as well, in what military sources said might have been the first stage of an attempted two-part combined terrorist attack.

The attack, which was preceded by a Grad missile attack on the Negev town of Netivot, was repulsed by IDF forces operating near the Kissufim Crossing, who returned fire. Some of the mortar shells failed to clear the security barrier and landed within Gaza.

No injuries were reported by either side.

Link to Article

Cairo:Grenade Attack on Tourists

Sharia law, and terrorist attacks. Things are getting better all the time in regards to Islam. I am sure that Muslims would never look to bring sharia and bombs into the West....

Grenade attack in Cairo bazaar kills 1, injures 17
By OMAR SINAN

CAIRO – An attacker threw a grenade into a famed bazaar in medieval Cairo, killing a Frenchwoman and wounding at least 17 people — most of them foreign tourists, officials said.

The blast hit the bustling main plaza at the Khan el-Khalili, a 650-year-old bazaar packed with tourists buying souvenirs, jewelry and handicrafts. It was last attacked in April 2005, when a suicide bomber killed two French citizens and an American.

Sunday's blast outside a cafe sent a panicked rush of worshippers from the nearby Hussein mosque. Security officials said the attacker escaped, and within an hour, police found a second grenade and detonated it safely.

"I was praying and there was a big boom and people started panicking and rushing out of the mosque, then police came and sealed the main door, evacuating us out of the back," said Mohammed Abdel Azim, 56, who was inside the historic mosque. Outside, blood stained the marble paving stones.

A frantic woman screamed at police sealing off the area to let her look for her daughter.

A medic at the scene said the Frenchwoman died in the intensive care unit of the nearby Hussein hospital.

The wounded included three Saudis, 10 French, a German and three Egyptians, said Health Minister Hatem al-Gibali. He told the state news agency that the wounds were largely superficial, though one French victim needed surgery.

He said most would be released from the hospital by Monday.

The outdoor cafes and restaurants lining the square were packed with crowds, including a large group of Irish tourists at Mohammed Said's Al-Sinousi Cafe.

"There was a big loud boom. Everybody ducked," the cafe owner said. "I ran out to figure out what's happening."

The blast sent crowds scrambling in all directions, he said.

A police colonel said the small explosion outside the cafe kicked up stone and marble fragments, which wounded the passersby. All the officials describing the blasts spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

Egypt fought a long war with Islamist militants in the 1990s, which culminated in a massacre of more than 50 tourists in Luxor in 1997. The rebels were largely defeated and there have been few attacks since in the Nile valley.

There were, however, a number of attacks in recent years against resorts in the Sinai Peninsula, including one in Sharm el-Sheik in 2005 that killed more than 60 people.

Tourism is one Egypt's major sources of foreign income.

One of the highest religious officials in the country, Sheik of Al-Azhar Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi condemned the attack calling it "cowardly and criminal."

"Those who carried out this criminal act are traitors to their religion and country and are distorting the image of Islam which rejects terrorism by prohibts the killing of innocents," he said.

Montasser el-Zayat, a lawyer who has represented Islamic extremists in the past, told the Arabic news channel al-Jazeera that the attack maybe linked to popular anger of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip last month.

"The nature of the explosion looks like an act carried out by young, inexperienced and amateurs whose emotions were inflamed by the events of Gaza," said el-Zayat, who once had links with extremists groups himself.

Link to Article

UK:Islamic Schools Teaching Children to Hate

Each day we see more and more evidence of how this whole multiculturalism experiment is just a failure. Now we have Islamic schools in the UK teaching Muslim children to hate Western culture. One Islamic school has even stated that Western culture is the opposite of almost everything that Islam stands for. For once I agree with them, their culture and their "religion" should of never been allowed into the West in the first place. It is rotting us away from within.

Some Muslim schools 'make children despise the West': Ban on cricket and Harry Potter
By Matthew Hickley
Feb 20Th 2009

Some Islamic schools are promoting fundamentalist views and encouraging children to despise Western society, a report warns.

An investigation by the Civitas social policy think-tank found websites of some of the UK’s 166 Muslim schools are spreading extreme teachings, while a handful had links to sites promoting jihad, or holy war.

Examples include web forums forbidding Muslims from reading Harry Potter books, playing chess or cricket and listening to Western music.

The Civitas report, entitled Music, Chess and Other Sins, claims Ofsted inspectors are incapable of scrutinising Muslim faith schools properly, and demands an inquiry by MPs.

Many of the websites featured in the report were shut down or edited in the hours before it was published.
Islamic schools educate thousands of Muslim children. Most operate in the private sector although increasing numbers are seeking state funding.

The study, overseen by Dr Denis MacEoin, a university lecturer in Islamic studies, looked at material found on Islamic schools’ websites, either content or via links.

Examples include the website of the Madani Girls’ School in East London which stated: ‘Our children are exposed to a culture that is in opposition with almost everything Islam stands for.

‘If we oppose the lifestyle of the West then it does not seem sensible that the teachers and the system which represents that lifestyle should educate our children.’

The report claims this ‘bruising comment’ gives children a ‘negative picture of Western life’.

The website comments have since been edited and parts deleted.

Dr MacEoin stressed that the problems were not found in all Muslim schools, but said some were instilling a disturbing ‘ghetto mentality’.

The Association of Muslim Schools condemned the study as ‘misleading, intolerant and divisive’, claiming it was ‘based on prejudices rather than evidence’.

A spokesman said: ‘Muslim schools provide an outstanding standard of education. Ex-pupils have developed into exemplary citizens and participate in all aspects of civic society.’

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said it was investigating the claims and would treat seriously any failure by state-funded schools to ‘promote community cohesion’.

Link to Article

UK:Govt Reverses Course on Look Through Terrorist's Eyes Class

This is a follow up to yesterday's story where the UK wanted its school children to look at events like 7/7 through the eyes of the terrorists. Public outcry has backed off the "do-gooders".

Hat tip to April.

Ministers in U-turn over guidance that urges children to think like suicide bombers

Ministers were forced into an embarrassing climbdown over guidance telling children to think about the July 7 terror bombings as they apologised for offending the victims of the attacks.

By Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor
20 Feb 2009
The Government withdrew the controversial guidance for schools after a national outcry that it encouraged children to imagine they were suicide bombers.

Schools still have the final say on whether to use it but the Department for Children, Schools and Families has recommended headteachers not to do so.

But the council which drew up the document continued to defend it.

A DCSF spokesman said: "While the resource in no way looks to justify or excuse the terrible events of 7/7, and is designed to educate against violent extremism, we appreciate that it may not be appropriate for use in schools.

"It's important young people discuss these difficult and controversial issues in a controlled environment but, in this case, ministers apologise for any offence caused.
"Ministers have now withdrawn the link to the material from the Teachernet website as they believe it to be misguided and inappropriate. We apologise for any offence caused."

The pack, which is called 'Things do Change', is intended as a way of addressing issues such as terrorism and suicide bombing through the national curriculum.
Children are asked to summarise the reasons why they thought the 7/7 bombers wanted to carry out their attacks and even suggest some more.

It was immediately criticised by victims of the atrocity, including Jacqui Putnam, who survived the Edgware Road bomb, who said: "I can't see why anyone would think it is a valuable exercise to encourage children to put themselves in the position of men who treated people in such an inhuman way."

The document was produced by Calderdale council in Halifax, West Yorks, which borders the area where two of the July 7 bombers lived, and was adopted by schools and even police forces across the country.

The council yesterday stood by it and Mark Thompson, head of housing and community support, said: "The 'Things Do Change' resource pack is made up of 10 Modules, each one addressing an important element of our strategy to help, assist and encourage tolerance and promote community cohesion.

"'Issues of Community Cohesion' is just one of the 10 modules, this explores the impact of the 7/7 bombings, this is a factual module which is complimented by the DVD. The module has been carefully produced to encourage debate and discussions on what happened on 7/7. It provides young people with the opportunity to explore and share ideas with a view to breaking down stereotypes, barriers and prejudices."

Link to Article

Let the Good Times Roll!!

Since Swat Pakistan recently ushered in Sharia law why not have the same "freedoms" for Somali? The details of this article do not really make any sense. It says that the Islamists that are calling for Sharia law are "moderates" and that their main threat is from al Shabaab, a USA listed terrorist group, but Somalia's new President Ahmed once chaired the Islamic Courts there. These same Islamic Courts once banned a radio station from playing love or nationalistic songs. This leaves me with two questions. The first being, how is that "moderate"? The second being, does the US actually support this like we supported Sharia in Swat?

Somali clerics call for rule of Islamic law
Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:30am EST
By Abdi Guled

MOGADISHU, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Somali religious leaders have given the new government 120 days to declare that the Horn of Africa country will be ruled according to Islamic law, a cleric said on Thursday.

A meeting of more than 100 mainly moderate clerics in the battle scarred capital also said African Union (AU) troops in Mogadishu should be withdrawn by the same deadline and no other foreign troops brought in.

It was not clear what actions they would take if the deadlines were not met.

Somalia's new president, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, faces the herculean task of bringing peace to Somalia for the first time in 18 years after being elected by parliament last month.

The main threat to stability comes from al Shabaab, which is on Washington's list of foreign terrorists. The hardline Islamists and allied groups control much of southern and central Somalia and want to impose their strict version of Islamic law.

Diplomats in the region hope that Ahmed, Somalia's first Islamist president, will be able to bring moderate Islamists on board and marginalise al Shabaab, which is known to have foreign fighters within its ranks.

"Within 120 days the Somali parliament must convene and announce that the country will be ruled according to Islamic law," said Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Salad, head of Somali Uluma Council for Correction and Reconciliation.

But he said it should be the more moderate Islamic law -- not the strict version that al Shabaab fighters want to impose throughout the country. Nearly all Somalis are Sunni Muslims.

The council is made up of former clerics of the Islamic Courts -- once chaired by Ahmed. The Islamic Courts controlled the capital briefly in 2006 but were routed by government forces with help from Ethiopian military allies.

"The parliament must make amendments to the current constitution, especially the parts which go against Islamic law," Salad said.

Ahmed said in a speech the day before his election that he wanted religion to be the foundation for the country, but rejected al Shabaab's views as having nothing to do with Islam.

"Looking after religion is the job of the government and the government should look after the way it is implemented and the people would have to agree this," Ahmed said last month.

Al Shabaab did not attend the clerics' meeting. A witness, however, told Reuters that some pro-al Shabaab clerics were there, but sat quietly till the end.

Two years of Islamist insurgency in Somalia have created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises with 1 million internal refugees, and others fleeing across borders to Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti. (Additional reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by Wangui Kanina)

Link to Article

UK:Students Should Look at 7/7 Through Terrorist's Eyes

On an all most weekly basis we see the "do-gooders" of the UK catering to Islam. Now secondary students are going to have to take part of a new school course which asks them to look through the eyes of the terrorists. Translation:The Islamists who killed your fellow countryman are the victims.


Hat tip to April.

Pupils asked to see bombers' point of view
Teaching pack says students should understand terror attacks from bombers' perspective
Jessica Shepherd
Thursday 19 February 2009

Pupils are being asked to put themselves inside the minds of the 7/7 bombers to understand the motives of terrorists.

A government-endorsed teaching pack suggests secondary schools ask pupils to do a presentation on the 7 July London terror attacks from the bombers' perspective.

The attacks, in 2005, killed 52 of the capital's commuters and injured 700 others.

The pack, called Things Do Change, was developed in West Yorkshire, home to three of the 7/7 bombers: Siddique Khan, Shezad Tanweer and Hasib Hussain.

Its author, Sail Suleman, told the Times Educational Supplement that schools should not shy away from asking pupils to think about what turns people into extremists.

She said: "Radicals, extremists and fundamentalists come in all different forms. Is it right? Is it wrong? Is it justified? Was it pressure from individuals they were hanging out with? Hopefully, we'll encourage pupils to stay away from those individuals."

The department for children, schools and families (DCSF) recommends the pack to teachers as part of its online guidance on how schools can help tackle extremism.

The pack is designed for use by 11- to 19-year-olds in their classes on multicultural Britain and emphasises the similarities between communities, rather than their differences.

Among those who have used it are madrassas and mosques in West Yorkshire, schools in Birmingham, Sandwell and Lancashire and police forces in London Thames Valley and Greater Manchester.

But Don Rowe, head of curriculum development at the Citizenship Foundation, said some teachers might find it difficult to ask their pupils to put themselves into the minds of extremists.

He said: "It's quite a complicated, ambitious question to ask. I certainly wouldn't expect anyone who wasn't confident in this area to barge in with this sort of material.

"Many form tutors are asked to address some of these issues without proper training. But you need additional information about different forms of Islam, for example. Otherwise, there's a danger that all Muslims will be bunched together."

The pack also suggests teachers ask pupils to imagine what effect 7/7 might have had on British Muslims, non-Muslim Asians, and the rest of the population.

Link to Article

UK:Libraries to Move Korans to the top Shelf

Once again we have Muslims in the UK pushing to show us how their religion and the Koran are above everything else. In the past we had a store cashier who was a Muslim refuse to touch a book of Bible stories because the book was "unclean". In Birmingham last June, a Muslim police community support officer stopped two Christian preachers from handing out Bible extracts. They were told that any attempt to convert a Muslim to Christianity would be considered a hate crime. Now one city in the UK has ordered its libraries to make sure that the Koran is placed on the top shelf. The reason being? We all know the answer to that.

Hat tip to The Munz.

By Lucy Cockcroft
Muslims have complained that the Koran is often displayed on the lower shelves, which is deemed offensive as many believe the holy book should be placed above "commonplace things".

Now library officials in one city have been told to keep all holy books, including the Bible, on the top shelves in the interests of equality.

It has caused concern from Christian charities that this will put the Bible out of the reach and sight of many people.

The situation was brought to light in guidance published by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, a quango answering to Culture Secretary Andy Burnham, on how to handle controversial materials.

It said some Muslims in Leicester had moved copies of the Koran to the top shelves of libraries, because they believe it is an insult to display it in a low position.

The city's librarians consulted the Federation of Muslim Organisations and were advised that all religious texts should be kept on the top shelf to ensure equality.

A short case study on the situation has been written into the appendix of the guidance, available on the MLA website.

It states: “Some libraries in Leicester have received complaints about the Koran not being placed on the top shelves in libraries. Some customers go along the shelves and place the Koran so it is shelved higher than other books.

“This action arises from the practice in many Muslim homes of the Koran being placed on a high shelf above commonplace things, as it is the word of God.

“The authority consulted the Federation of Muslim Organisations in Leicester about this matter, and they advised that all religious texts should be kept on a top shelf together.

“This meant that no offence is caused, as the scriptures of all the major faiths are given respect in this way, but none is higher than any other.”

Some critics have expressed concern that the books will now just be treated as objects to revere rather than books to read.

Robert Whelan of the Civitas think-tank told The Daily Mail: "Libraries and museums are not places of worship. They should not be run in accordance with particular religious beliefs.

"This is violating the principles of librarianship and it is part of an insidious trend.

"One of the central planks of the Protestant Reformation was that everybody should have access to the Bible."

Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute said: "It is disappointing if the policy of libraries is dictated by the practices of one group.

"It is particularly disappointing if this is done to put the scriptures beyond reach.

"I hope there will be a rethink. I understand that Muslims revere their own text, but in public libraries there should not be a policy of putting religious texts out of reach."

Inayat Bunglawala, of the Engage think tank, which encourages Muslims to play a greater role in public life, said that there should not be a "one size fits all" rule.

He said: "If Muslims wish to see the Koran placed on a higher shelf, and library rules say it should be there, then that is a welcome and considerate gesture.

"But one size does not fit all. If Christians do not want to see the Bible treated in the same way, I do not see why it has to be dealt with the same."

An MLA spokesman said there were no rules to say other libraries must follow suit with Leicester.

He said: “Different libraries can legitimately treat religious texts in different ways – there is not a one size fits all solution and no group has asked for there to be one. The key is to show understanding, respect and equality to all local library users.”

Link to Article

Wednesday's Radio Guest:Robert Spencer

I would like to announce that Wednesday night's radio guest will be Islamic scholar Robert Spencer. The topics will be the following.
(Feb 18) - The United States Constitution vs. Islam with guest Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch,
America's #1 expert on the threat of Islam and author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam. We will be discussing his new book Stealth Jihad,
and more.
Show time starts at 7PM EST and the call in number is 1-914-636-0110.
The show can be listed to on the left hand side of my site.


ROBERT SPENCER is the director of Jihad Watch, a program of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, and the author of eight books on Islam and jihad, including the New York Times bestsellers The Truth About Muhammad and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades). Spencer is a weekly columnist for Human Events and FrontPage Magazine, and has led seminars on Islam and jihad for the United States Central Command, United States Army Command and General Staff College, the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the U.S. intelligence community.

Spencer has also written eleven monographs and well over three hundred articles about jihad and Islamic terrorism. Along with the bestsellers The Truth About Muhammad (Regnery) and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) (Regnery), he is the author of Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About the World's Fastest Growing Faith (Encounter); Onward Muslim Soldiers: How Jihad Still Threatens America and the West (Regnery); and Religion of Peace? Why Christianity Is and Islam Isn't (Regnery), a refutation of moral equivalence and call for all the beneficiaries and heirs of Judeo-Christian Western civilization, whatever their own religious or philosophical perspective may be, to defend it from the global jihad. He is coauthor, with Daniel Ali, of Inside Islam: A Guide for Catholics (Ascension), and editor of the essay collection The Myth of Islamic Tolerance: How Islamic Law Treats Non-Muslims (Prometheus). His latest book is Stealth Jihad: How Radical Islam is Subverting America without Guns or Bombs. His books have been translated into many languages, including Spanish, Italian, Finnish, and Bahasa Indonesia.

Along with his weekly columns, Spencer has completed a weekly Qur'an commentary at Jihad Watch, Blogging the Qur'an, which has been translated into Czech, Danish, German and Italian, and is a contributing writer to Steven Emerson's Investigative Project on Terrorism. His articles on Islam and other topics have appeared in the New York Post, the Washington Times, the Dallas Morning News, Canada's National Post, Middle East Quarterly, WorldNet Daily, First Things, Insight in the News, National Review Online, and many other journals.

In addition to the seminars on Islam and jihad that Spencer has led for the United States Central Command, United States Army Command and General Staff College, a Department of Homeland Security task force, the FBI, branches of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the U.S. intelligence community, he has discussed jihad, Islam, and terrorism at a workshop sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the German Foreign Ministry. He has also appeared on the BBC, CNN, FoxNews, PBS, MSNBC, CNBC, C-Span, France24 and Croatia National Televison (HTV), as well as on numerous radio programs including Bill O'Reilly's Radio Factor, The Laura Ingraham Show, Bill Bennett's Morning in America, Michael Savage's Savage Nation, The Sean Hannity Show, The Alan Colmes Show, The G. Gordon Liddy Show, The Neal Boortz Show, The Michael Medved Show, The Michael Reagan Show, The Rusty Humphries Show, The Larry Elder Show, The Barbara Simpson Show, Vatican Radio, and many others.

Spencer (MA, Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) has been studying Islamic theology, law, and history in depth since 1980. As an Adjunct Fellow with the Free Congress Foundation in 2002 and 2003, he wrote a series of monographs on Islam that are still available from the Foundation: An Introduction to the Qur'an; Women and Islam; An Islamic Primer; Islam and the West; The Islamic Disinformation Lobby; Islam vs. Christianity; and Jihad in Context. More recently he has also written monographs for the David Horowitz Freedom Center: What Americans Need to Know About Jihad; The Violent Oppression of Women In Islam (with Phyllis Chesler); Islamic Leaders' Plan for Genocide; and Muslim Persecution of Christians.

New Showdown After Dubai Blocks Israeli Player

This is a follow up to yesterday's story about a Jewish tennis not being allowed into Dubai to play in the Dubai Tennis Championship.

New Showdown After Dubai Blocks Israeli Player
AP
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Organizers of a women's tennis tournament said Tuesday that security fears were behind the decision to bar an Israeli player — a move that could force another showdown when the men's play begins next week.

The snub brought swift denunciations from the Women's Tennis Association and warnings that it could consider scratching Dubai from its calendar. The Tennis Channel canceled plans to televise the championships in protest.

Tuesday's statement by the Dubai Tennis Championships — citing fan anger at Israeli's recent incursions into the Gaza Strip — was the first detailed explanation of the last-minute visa denial for Shahar Peer, who qualified as the 48th-ranked player in the world. Monday's WTA rankings listed her 45th.

But Dubai, which is trying to become a showcase for world-class sports, is coming under increasing pressure with the men's field as Israeli doubles specialist Andy Ram hopes to be in the draw on Sunday.

Link to Article

Kosovo:Suicide Bomber Arrested

Back in late September I had posted about how Muslims in Kosovo were starting to speak up about people leaving Islam and against any new Churches being built there. I had also mentioned how writer Michael Totten continually tries to sell us his Kosovo is "moderate" Islam fantasy. Besides three of the Fort Dix plotters being from there, now we have an Islamic suicide bomber being arrested in Kosovo. Is this all part "moderate" Islam?

Kosovo Albanian with suicide vest arrested
February 16, 2009
A Kosovo Albanian from the city of Kacanik has been arrested in a cafe in the southern village of Strpce in Serbia’s province of Kosovo report police spokesman Arber Beka.

The arrested Albanian wore a suicide vest loaded with explosives.

He was arrested in the cafe called Kvatro around 8:00 pm today. Police and NATO troops have surrounded the perimeter and are investigating.

The arrest came after a cafe patron spotted that one of the three Albanians who just walked into the cafe had wires under his jacket.

The police was immediately called in and after a search, the police found explosive in a suicide vest on the body of Arben Husi, one of the 3 ethnic Albanians who came into the cafe.

In addition to the explosives, the police found a grenade and a Kalashnikov.

The witnesses say that one of the Albanians ran out of the cafe, while the second one was held on. After the search, the police tied Husi up to the chair and then took him to the police station.

It is not clear whether Husi planned to commit a suicide bombing or to just plant the explosive inside the cafe and activate it after.

Kosovo Albanians are overwhelmingly Muslim and radical Islam is on the increase ever since the Western states have been insisting that the Serbian province is independent.

Strpce is located just under the slopes of the Sar mountains and is populated by Serbs.

Few weeks ago, 2 Albanians stabbed a Serb from Strpce in a chest.

February 16, 2009
SERBIANNA

Link to Article

Christian Action Network:35 Islamic Terror Camps in the USA!!

For several months now I have been documenting the comparisons between the UK and the USA in regards to Islam and Muslim immigration. Now another disturbing comparison has come to light. That both of our countries have numerous Islamic training camps set up right under our noses. All while our governments are too politically correct to take action. The Islamic training camps here in America were exposed by The Christian Action Network. Here is what they have uncovered.

Hat tip to Ron.

They may be living right next door…

Scattered across the United States, unknown to all but a handful of citizens, are 35 Islamic terrorist training compounds known as “Muslims of America.” Under the leadership of a radical Pakistani cleric, Sheikh Mubarak Gilani, Muslims of America has thousands of devoted followers who are being groomed for HOMEGROWN JIHAD.

In never-before-seen video footage, the Christian Action Network exposes these dangerous terrorist compounds and reveals for the first time a secret training tape in which American Muslims are recruited to “join one of the most advanced training courses in Islamic military warfare”… right here in America! They are called “Soldiers of Allah” and they are trained in explosives, kidnapping, murder, firing weapons, and guerilla warfare. They are told, “Act like you are a friend, then kill him just like from the book.”

Here is the trailer of their new DVD Homegrown Jihad




To purchase this DVD please click here.

Swat Pakistan:Sharia is the law

This is a follow up to yesterday's story about how our "ally" Pakistan is caving into the demands of the Taliban in Swat Pakistan. The Pakistani government has allowed sharia law to overtake the state law in Swat. I am sure that the Taliban members will be satisfied and not push for more....

Pakistan Agrees to Islamic Law in Tribal Area
By Ayaz Gul
Islamabad
16 February 2009
Authorities in Pakistan have agreed to introduce Islamic law in a restive northwestern region in a bid to stop a spreading Taliban insurgency.

Pro-Taliban extremist groups have long fought for Islamic law, called Sharia, to replace Pakistan's secular laws in the northwestern Malakand region that includes the Swat District, a militant stronghold.

The mountainous Pakistani region has seen intense fighting between Taliban insurgents and security forces since 2007. The violence has forced thousands of residents to flee to safer areas and Taliban militants have destroyed nearly 200 mostly girls' schools in the scenic valley as part of efforts to enforce their strict version of Islam that prohibits female education.

But provincial authorities said they have signed a peace deal with a leading outlawed pro-Taliban group in the region [Tehrike Nifaze Sharia Mohammadi] headed by Sufi Mohammad. The agreement, they said, will lead to enforcement of the Islamic Sharia law in the area including Swat, once a tourist paradise.

Giving details of the deal at a news conference, Provincial Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti said the agreement has not been made under pressure from extremist forces and is not unconstitutional.

He defended the peace deal, saying that establishment of a separate judicial system in the area was long approved by the Pakistani parliament.

"Whatever we are giving them, there is not even a single section or provision which is against the basic fundamental rights and the liberties or against the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This was the peoples' demand. There was a problem there, there was a vacuum there and hopefully this would definitely work," he said.

Mr. Hoti said that the federal government and President Asif Ali Zardari have approved the deal under which, as he put it, all un-Islamic provisions in the existing legal system stand outlawed as a first step.

Militants have announced a 10-day unilateral cease-fire to pave the way for the peace agreement. But the provincial chief minister said Pakistani troops will remain stationed in Swat and will respond if they come under attack.

The peace deal in northwestern Pakistan was announced hours after missiles fired by a suspected unmanned U.S aircraft hit a militant hideout in a tribal region near the Afghan border.

This was the second such strike in the past three days. On Saturday, an alleged U.S drone attack killed at least 25 people in the South Waziristan tribal region. Witnesses and tribesmen described most of the victims as local and foreign militants.

Link to Article

Women's Tennis Association Caves to Islamic Hate

The Women's Tennis Association has caved to the Islamic hatred of Israelis (Jews) and will continue to play in the Dubai Tennis Championship. This despite the fact that the UAE will not allow Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer into Dubai to play. This is just another business decision that caves and caters to Islam.



Hat tip to TheReligionofPeace.

February 15, 2009
Statement from Larry Scott Re: Peer Visa Denial

Statement from Larry Scott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, regarding the United Arab Emirates' decision to deny a Visa to Israeli Tour Professional Shahar Peer to play in the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.

We are deeply disappointed by the decision of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) denying Shahar Peer a Visa that would permit her to enter the country to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships. Ms. Peer has earned the right to play in the tournament and it is regrettable that the UAE is denying her this right.

Following various consultations, the Tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week, pending further review by the Tour's Board of Directors. Ms. Peer and her family are obviously extremely upset and are disappointed by the decision of the UAE and its impact on her personally and professionally, and the Tour is reviewing appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer and also will review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament. The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour believes very strongly, and has a clear rule and policy, that no host country should deny a player the right to compete at a tournament for which she has qualified by ranking.

Link to Article

UK:Subway Store Converts to Halal Only

Just days ago I posted about a Domino's Pizzeria in the UK which had banned all pork products. The reason was to cater to its Islamic customers, while showing no concern for its non-Muslim customers. Now we have a UK Subway sandwich shop doing the same thing. Catering to a group of people who want to impose their religion on the non-Muslim world is OK though, because it is happening through the free market....(sarcasm alert).

Croydon Subway goes halal

Saturday 14th February 2009
Due to customer demand, a subway store in Thornton Heath will be completely halal from Monday.

The popular sandwich chain will serve a range of certified halal meats which are prepared in accordance with halal guidelines from Monday 16.

Rachel Shaw, who holds the franchise for the fast food outlet, said: “I am really pleased to have converted the Thornton Heath Subway outlet into halal.

“It now offers customers halal Subs that are fresh, made-to-order and just the way they like them.

"I decided to convert due to popular demand from our customers.

“Subway aims to be at the heart of the community, and we are happy to offer subs that everyone can enjoy.

"It was our objective to ensure the taste of the halal products matches the taste of the Subway stores gold standard meats.”

Link to Article

Swat Pakistan to Welcome in Sharia law

It appears that the Taliban is slowly wearing down the govt of Pakistan. As a deal to bring sharia law to the valley Swat, Pakistan is about to take place. I guess that the Pakistani government is OK with rewarding thugs that blow up schools.

Pakistan truce includes enforcement of Islamic law
Buzz UpSendSharePrint
By NAHAL TOOSI, Associated Press Writer

ISLAMABAD –Pakistani officials reached a peace deal with a Taliban-linked group Sunday that could lead to the enforcement of Islamic law in a part of the country that is supposed to be fully under government control.

Militants in the Swat Valley responded by declaring a 10-day cease-fire as a goodwill gesture.

The agreement is expected to be formally announced Monday.

Several past deals with militants have failed, but Pakistan says force alone cannot defeat al-Qaida and Taliban fighters wreaking havoc in its northwest and attacking U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

The United States has said the deals merely give insurgents time to regroup.
Regaining the Swat Valley from militants is a major test for Pakistan's shaky civilian leadership. Unlike the semiautonomous tribal regions where al-Qaida and Taliban have long thrived, the former tourist haven is supposed to be under full government control.

But militants have gained power since a peace deal last year collapsed within months, and violence has increased.

Provincial government leaders confirmed they were talking to a pro-Taliban group about ways to impose Islamic judicial practices in the Malakand division, which includes Swat.

The Swat Taliban's version of Islamic law is especially harsh. They have declared a ban on female education, forced women to stay mostly indoors and clamped down on many forms of entertainment.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said the militants would adhere to any deal reached with the group if Islamic law is implemented in the region.
He also announced the 10-day cease-fire.

"We reserve the right to retaliate if we are fired upon," he said. "Once Islamic law is imposed, there will be no problems in Swat. The Taliban will lay down their arms."
Khan also said the militants had freed a Chinese engineer held captive for nearly six months. Long Xiaowei was freed Saturday, days before a planned visit to China by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

Provincial law minister Arshad Abdullah said the deal would require the pro-Taliban group to convince the militants to first give up violence. Then existing laws governing the justice system can be amended or enforced, he said.

"They have to succumb to law," Abdullah said. "They have to put down their arms."
Past deals required militants to stop fighting but eventually unraveled amid militant complaints that the government was not meeting their demands.

The pro-Taliban group — known as the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammedi, or the Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law — is led by Sufi Muhammad, who Pakistan freed from custody last year after he renounced violence.

Muhammad is the father-in-law of Maulana Fazlullah, the leader of the Swat Taliban. Muhammad, who has long agitated for Islamic law in the region, said that after the formal announcement he will go to Swat and ask Fazlullah and his men to lay down their arms.

A broad peace deal reached last year with Fazlullah's militants effectively collapsed within a few months, and Pakistani security officials blame that agreement for the militants' gains in Swat since then. The deal was supposed to let religious scholars advise judges in the courts, but the agreement encountered obstacles, said Mian Iftikhar Hussain, information minister for North West Frontier Province.

An Islamic judicial system is a concession to the insurgents, but it is also a long-standing demand of many civilians in the conservative region who are dissatisfied with the inefficient secular justice system.

Hussain noted that the Swat Taliban had responded well to the talks, but he warned that if "someone does not agree and does not adopt the way of dialogue, the government would be compelled to use force to establish its authority."

Pakistan has tried to avoid negotiating directly with militants, often using tribal elders as intermediaries.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi deflected concerns about a negative U.S. reaction to the talks, insisting the country was reaching out to peaceful groups.

"We are not compromising with militants, instead trying to isolate the militants, and for that I do not think America will have any objection," he said.

Deteriorating security in the nuclear-armed country has included a string of attacks on foreigners.

U.N. officials said Sunday they were still trying to establish contact with the kidnappers of an American employee seized Feb. 2 in the southwest city of Quetta. On Friday, John Solecki's kidnappers threatened to kill him within 72 hours and issued a 20-second video of the blindfolded captive.

It was unclear exactly when the deadline would expire, and U.N. officials said Sunday they were still trying to establish contact with the kidnappers, who identify themselves as the previously unknown Baluchistan Liberation United Front. The name indicates the group is more likely linked to separatists than to Islamists.

Link to Article