a jury at Exeter Crown Court returned a guilty verdict against Abdullah Al-Jaber on six counts of rape against two girls aged 16 and 18.
During the trial the court heard that on the 6th August last year Abdullah Al-Jaber had threatened the two girls with a pair of scissors before subjecting them to a horrifying ordeal and raping each of them three times.
After the jury delivered their unanimous verdict, the court was told that Abdullah Al-Jaber had been allowed legal entry into this country from the US, despite a conviction of statutory rape in the US in 1999 – and despite also being wanted by police in the State of Georgia for allegedly raping a woman with learning difficulties in 2006.
It is noted that immediately after the attack the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary had provided descriptions of the attacker – descriptions that progressively (and confusingly) changed during the subsequent manhunt.
The attacker was originally described as “black or dark-skinned” (WMN, 7th August); then “tanned or dark-skinned - but not black” (WMN, 8th August); then “dark-skinned, of European appearance” (WMN, 10th August); and finally “of European appearance and very tanned” (WMN, 11th August).
This emphasis on the attacker’s ‘European’ appearance is quite bizarre. Unless, of course, we assume that Devon and Cornwall Police are so desperate to ensure that the victim’s first description of a “black or dark-skinned” man is not taken to mean ‘African’ or ‘Afro-Caribbean’ that they make sure the word ‘European’ is included in the description - but not ‘Middle Eastern’ or ‘Asian’ (of course).
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
SNIFFER DOGS OFFEND MUSLIMS
POLICE sniffer dogs trained to spot terrorists at railway stations may no longer come into contact with Muslim passengers – after complaints that it is against the suspects’ religion.A report for the Transport Department has raised the prospect that the animals should only touch passengers’ luggage because it is considered “more acceptable”.In the Muslim faith, dogs are deemed to be spiritually “unclean”. But banning them from touching passengers would severely restrict their ability to do their job. The report follows trials of station security measures in the wake of the 2005 London suicide bomb attacks. In one trial, some female Muslims said the use of a body scanner was also unacceptable because it was tantamount to being forced to strip.British Transport Police last night insisted it would still use sniffer dogs – which are trained to detect explosives – with any passengers regardless of faith, but handlers would remain aware of “cultural sensitivities”
Critics said the complaints were just the latest example of minority religions trying to force their rules and morals on British society.Tory MP Philip Davies said: “As far as I am concerned, everyone should be treated equally in the face of the law and we cannot have people of different religious groups laying the law down. I hope the police will go about their business as they would do normally.”News of the security setback came as the Government yesterday admitted that installing 100 per cent airport-style screening at rail and Tube stations was “not feasible”.
Instead extra sniffer dogs and X-ray machines will be used to search passengers.During the trials, passengers stopped in London had the exterior of their bags checked by dogs. But in Brighton, dogs patrolled the station concourse and were walked past passengers by their handlers.The report concluded: “The use of sniffer dogs was generally problematic for Muslim respondents on religious grounds if there was the potential for the dog to make direct contact with them.”When Muslims have washed for certain forms of worship, they would have to repeat the ritual if they came into contact with a dog.One young Asian man told researchers: “We are not supposed to have dogs.
It is against our religion.”Another Asian man said: “I don’t mind dogs in the park or walking near me, but sniffer dogs? I don’t think that’s right, on the station, the way they use them.”Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said even dogs touching baggage would be an issue for a Muslim preparing to pray. But he stressed that it should be easy to allow dogs to check passengers without physical contact.“There is a way of dealing with this and we just need to be sensitive,” he said.In another trial on the Heathrow Express platform at Paddington station in London, there were instances when the body scan – which creates an image on a monitor – was considered unacceptable by female Muslims, the report said.One Muslim woman complained: “Sometimes I wear clothing which is not so tight. It will be shown on (the monitor) and somebody is looking at it. It defeats the whole purpose of me covering up.”The report, on five rail security trials in 2006, also showed that some Asians and black people felt they could be selected for tests because of their ethnicity.
A Transport Department spokesman said the use of sniffer dogs was a matter for the police. But he stressed that the report was only a conclusion of passengers’ views.A British Transport Police spokesman said sniffer dogs would continue to be used with any passenger but officers would be considerate where appropriate.He added: “We are obviously aware of, and sensitive to, cultural sensitivities. BTP officers do have the power to stop and search anyone under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act.“This also covers the use of dog handlers and dogs, which are used to ‘indicate’ any substance they have been trained to detect.“As a force we obviously look at any or all feedback about how people from all faiths and backgrounds view the use of dogs, and how we can incorporate that into how the dogs and their handlers interact with people.”Announcing new security measures to screen Tube and mainline rail passengers, the Government said yesterday that surveys had shown the public would be unlikely to accept major delays to journeys.People also wanted to ensure their personal privacy was protected.
British Transport Police said it was enhancing its existing stop and search capabilities with the use of X-ray equipment for screening bags, along with the deployment of more sniffer dogs. It said a proportion of passengers and their bags would be searched with minimal delay and inconvenience to the public.Transport Minister Tom Harris said: “We will continue to work with British Transport Police and rail operators to assess the effectiveness and impact of these new measures.“We will use this evidence, and that from elsewhere in the UK and abroad, to develop further ways of keeping the travelling public secure using proportionate measures.”
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Honor Violence - Burned For Dating Muslim Girl
A man remains in a critical condition in hospital after suffering burns in an apparent punishment attack in east London.
The victim, aged 20, was ambushed by at least two men who covered him with petrol and set him alight in his car.Officers called to St George's Road, Upton, found the man in the street. He was taken to an east London hospital and has since been transferred to a specialist burns unit where his condition remains critical.Detectives are investigating whether the Asian man was attacked as revenge for a domestic matter. The victim is thought to have known his assailants.
They believe the attack took place moments after the man parked his green Honda Prelude in the street.Police, firefighters and paramedics raced to the scene after a resident reported a man on fire at about 6.10am last Thursday.An Asian male, described as in his early 20s and wearing a grey tracksuit top and bottoms, was seen running away.Det Insp Sam Faulkner, of the Forest Gate violent crime unit, said:
"This was a very nasty attack and the victim remains in a critical condition."We are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward and would particularly like to hear from anyone who saw the suspect making off."Two men, aged 20 and 21, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and released on bail.
The victim, aged 20, was ambushed by at least two men who covered him with petrol and set him alight in his car.Officers called to St George's Road, Upton, found the man in the street. He was taken to an east London hospital and has since been transferred to a specialist burns unit where his condition remains critical.Detectives are investigating whether the Asian man was attacked as revenge for a domestic matter. The victim is thought to have known his assailants.
They believe the attack took place moments after the man parked his green Honda Prelude in the street.Police, firefighters and paramedics raced to the scene after a resident reported a man on fire at about 6.10am last Thursday.An Asian male, described as in his early 20s and wearing a grey tracksuit top and bottoms, was seen running away.Det Insp Sam Faulkner, of the Forest Gate violent crime unit, said:
"This was a very nasty attack and the victim remains in a critical condition."We are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward and would particularly like to hear from anyone who saw the suspect making off."Two men, aged 20 and 21, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and released on bail.
New Police Station Includes Prayer Mats, Mecca Compass and Copies of the Koran.
HERTFORD'S new state-of-the-art police station was unveiled on Monday, in a move to put policing "back in the centre of town".
The hi-tech, £46 million project boasts up to date IT support, a confidential witness room and a 'reflection room' which will house a prayer mat, religious texts and a compass to allow Muslim staff members to pinpoint Mecca. (this is a jail, right?-ed.)
After the formal opening of the Hale Road station by Yasmin Batliwala, Chair of the Hertfordshire Police Authority, the Herald was taken on a tour of the site, by safer neighbourhoods Inspector Diane Watson.
The opening ceremony was attended by Hertfordshire's Chief Constable Frank Whitely and East Herts' top cop Chief Inspector Jon Speed, who described the new building as: "A great move forward in terms of policing in Hertford."
Rest here>>>
The hi-tech, £46 million project boasts up to date IT support, a confidential witness room and a 'reflection room' which will house a prayer mat, religious texts and a compass to allow Muslim staff members to pinpoint Mecca. (this is a jail, right?-ed.)
After the formal opening of the Hale Road station by Yasmin Batliwala, Chair of the Hertfordshire Police Authority, the Herald was taken on a tour of the site, by safer neighbourhoods Inspector Diane Watson.
The opening ceremony was attended by Hertfordshire's Chief Constable Frank Whitely and East Herts' top cop Chief Inspector Jon Speed, who described the new building as: "A great move forward in terms of policing in Hertford."
Rest here>>>
Monday, June 23, 2008
Muslim extremist Abu Qatada to receive £8,000 incapacity benefits a year - for his bad back
Abu Qatada is to receive almost £8,000 a year in benefits because he has a bad back. The fanatical cleric, said to be Osama Bin Laden’s ambassador in Europe, will get £150 a week of taxpayer’s cash after being released from jail last week.
He was granted the incapacity benefit because his condition makes him unfit to work – even though a curfew allows him out of his home for only two hours a day, meaning it would be almost impossible for him to get a job.
Qatada left Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire after the Appeal Court blocked his deportation to Jordan.
He is now living in an £800,000 four-bedroom Edwardian semi in a tree-lined street in West London.
His incapacity allowance will push the family’s total annual handouts to more than £50,000.
His wife has been claiming £45,000 a year in child benefit, income support, housing benefit and council tax credit for the past four years.
Steve Pound, Labour MP for Ealing North, which borders Qatada’s West London home, said: ‘This is adding insult to injury. He abuses us and bleeds us dry at the same time.
‘The sooner he gets back to Jordan the better. I for one would put him in the boot of my car and drive him there myself.’
Taxpayers are also footing an estimated £500,000 a year bill to provide round-the-clock surveillance on Qatada, who has been described by a judges as a ‘truly dangerous individual’.
He arrived in Britain 14 years ago on a forged passport and was granted asylum the following year.
He was convicted in his absence in Jordan of involvement with terror attacks in 1998, and of plotting to plant bombs during the Millennium-celebrations. Last week a judge freed the cleric on bail after ruling he would face an unfair trial if deported to Jordan.
But the Special Immigration Appeals Commission imposed un-precedented conditions on his release, including a 22-hour curfew and wearing an electronic tag.
* Nearly a third of those claiming ‘sicknote’ benefits - some 800,000 people - have been doing so for more than a decade, figures revealed.
But the Special Immigration Appeals Commission imposed un-precedented conditions on his release, including a 22-hour curfew and wearing an electronic tag.
* Nearly a third of those claiming ‘sicknote’ benefits - some 800,000 people - have been doing so for more than a decade, figures revealed.
In total 2.64million Britons live on incapacity benefit or related handouts.
Details of how hundreds of thousands appear to have backed away from returning to work throws light on the way incapacity benefit has replaced unemployment benefit as the real measure of worklessness.
Those who say they are unemployed and claim the Jobseekers’ Allowance get less money than those on sickness benefits - and come under pressure to find work.
The cost of incapacity benefit to the taxpayer is now calculated to run at £16billion a year.
The figure includes the cost of housing benefit and council tax benefit that can be claimed by anyone receiving the incapacity payments.
Checks on the handout to be introduced this autumn will only affect new claimants.
Britain's Top Muslim Cop Claims Ignorance in Credit Card Spree...
The Iranian-born president of the National Black Police Association is being investigated over claims that he spent nearly £5,000 on perfume, designer clothes, expensive shoes and visits to bars and clubs.
read more here
read more here
'Extremists' Winning Young Hearts and Minds...
Extremists are winning the battle for the hearts and minds of Britain's young Muslims, a disturbing police report warns.
Increasing numbers have become so alienated from mainstream society that they could even lend their support to jihadi terrorism, the study claims.
While most reject violence, many distrust police and are reluctant to inform on extremists.
The report was commissioned by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) after last year's failed bomb attacks in London's West End and at Glasgow Airport. It is to be discussed at Acpo's annual conference this week.
In the most comprehensive research of its kind to date, Prof Martin Innes, of the Universities' Police Science Institute in Cardiff, led a team of researchers which carried out face-to-face and telephone interviews with more than 600 Muslims in London, Birmingham and Oldham.
They found that the radicalisation of young British Muslims was more widespread than previously feared, with "a disturbing proportion" expressing support for extremist elements.
The report, which is being distributed among senior officers, Whitehall officials and ministers, finds that:
• Anger and disaffection are "widespread in sections of Muslim youth".
• There is tacit support for extremist violence within sections of the Muslim community.
• Police need to do more to win the trust of Muslim communities if they are to tackle radicalisation.
• Many Muslims distrust police and are reluctant to inform on extremists, preferring to deal with problems inside their communities.
The study, entitled Hearts and Minds and Eyes and Ears: Reducing Radicalisation Risks Through Reassurance Orientated Policing, warns that "the threat to the UK from jihadist terrorism may increase in the future".
It concludes: "Increasing numbers of young Muslim people are becoming sufficiently disaffected with their lives in liberal-democratic-capitalist societies that they might be willing to support violent terrorism to articulate their disillusionment and disengagement."
Across Britain, the security services have said they are tracking 2,000 individuals suspected of having links to terrorism, investigating 200 networks and monitoring 30 plots.
Professor Innes's report warns that Islamist terror groups are increasingly operating away from traditional Muslim areas, and are seeking new ways to radicalise vulnerable young people. It comes as police investigate alleged terror plots in Exeter and Bristol.
Anti-terrorism detectives have remarked on the speed with which young people have been converted to extremism and become involved in operations.
The report says: "Bringing people through faster might be a way of trying to limit the risks of detection prior to going operational. So whereas previously the al-Qa'eda network challenged state security services through using a small select cadre of skilled operatives, they might equally stretch capacity by mounting a larger number of less sophisticated attacks."
A poll last year by Populus found that 13 per cent of Muslims aged 16 to 24 "admire organisations like al-Qa'eda that are prepared to fight the West".
Ministers have announced a £12.5 million "deradicalisation" programme aimed at tackling Islamist extremism at local level.
But Prof Innes says that in order for this strategy to succeed, police will first have to overcome widespread Muslim distrust.
He told The Telegraph: "Within Muslim communities there are those people completely against the means and aims of terrorism, and there are those in favour.
"Then there is a disturbing proportion of people in the middle whose ideas, beliefs and support for extremism will shift depending on what's happening around them, what al-Qa'eda and their like are doing, and what the police are doing."
The Cardiff team found that a growing generation gap in Muslim communities was making it harder for elders to maintain control over disenchanted youngsters.
Prof Innes said that extremists seeking to radicalise young Muslims could exploit local issues such as poor housing, as well as international events such as the invasion of Iraq.
The report says that "neighbourhood policing" – the increased use of foot patrols introduced by the Home Office as a way to tackle crime – could help in the fight against terrorism.
An Acpo spokesman said: "Among certain groups, low trust of the police inhibits people from coming forward to give information that may stop someone from heading towards radicalisation. Neighbourhood policing is crucial."
Increasing numbers have become so alienated from mainstream society that they could even lend their support to jihadi terrorism, the study claims.
While most reject violence, many distrust police and are reluctant to inform on extremists.
The report was commissioned by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) after last year's failed bomb attacks in London's West End and at Glasgow Airport. It is to be discussed at Acpo's annual conference this week.
In the most comprehensive research of its kind to date, Prof Martin Innes, of the Universities' Police Science Institute in Cardiff, led a team of researchers which carried out face-to-face and telephone interviews with more than 600 Muslims in London, Birmingham and Oldham.
They found that the radicalisation of young British Muslims was more widespread than previously feared, with "a disturbing proportion" expressing support for extremist elements.
The report, which is being distributed among senior officers, Whitehall officials and ministers, finds that:
• Anger and disaffection are "widespread in sections of Muslim youth".
• There is tacit support for extremist violence within sections of the Muslim community.
• Police need to do more to win the trust of Muslim communities if they are to tackle radicalisation.
• Many Muslims distrust police and are reluctant to inform on extremists, preferring to deal with problems inside their communities.
The study, entitled Hearts and Minds and Eyes and Ears: Reducing Radicalisation Risks Through Reassurance Orientated Policing, warns that "the threat to the UK from jihadist terrorism may increase in the future".
It concludes: "Increasing numbers of young Muslim people are becoming sufficiently disaffected with their lives in liberal-democratic-capitalist societies that they might be willing to support violent terrorism to articulate their disillusionment and disengagement."
Across Britain, the security services have said they are tracking 2,000 individuals suspected of having links to terrorism, investigating 200 networks and monitoring 30 plots.
Professor Innes's report warns that Islamist terror groups are increasingly operating away from traditional Muslim areas, and are seeking new ways to radicalise vulnerable young people. It comes as police investigate alleged terror plots in Exeter and Bristol.
Anti-terrorism detectives have remarked on the speed with which young people have been converted to extremism and become involved in operations.
The report says: "Bringing people through faster might be a way of trying to limit the risks of detection prior to going operational. So whereas previously the al-Qa'eda network challenged state security services through using a small select cadre of skilled operatives, they might equally stretch capacity by mounting a larger number of less sophisticated attacks."
A poll last year by Populus found that 13 per cent of Muslims aged 16 to 24 "admire organisations like al-Qa'eda that are prepared to fight the West".
Ministers have announced a £12.5 million "deradicalisation" programme aimed at tackling Islamist extremism at local level.
But Prof Innes says that in order for this strategy to succeed, police will first have to overcome widespread Muslim distrust.
He told The Telegraph: "Within Muslim communities there are those people completely against the means and aims of terrorism, and there are those in favour.
"Then there is a disturbing proportion of people in the middle whose ideas, beliefs and support for extremism will shift depending on what's happening around them, what al-Qa'eda and their like are doing, and what the police are doing."
The Cardiff team found that a growing generation gap in Muslim communities was making it harder for elders to maintain control over disenchanted youngsters.
Prof Innes said that extremists seeking to radicalise young Muslims could exploit local issues such as poor housing, as well as international events such as the invasion of Iraq.
The report says that "neighbourhood policing" – the increased use of foot patrols introduced by the Home Office as a way to tackle crime – could help in the fight against terrorism.
An Acpo spokesman said: "Among certain groups, low trust of the police inhibits people from coming forward to give information that may stop someone from heading towards radicalisation. Neighbourhood policing is crucial."
Big Brother bully Alexandra De-Gale targetted by Muslim fanatics
Big Brother bosses planned to whisk evicted bully Alexandra De-Gale out of Britain after she was targeted by Muslim fanatics.
Channel 4 chiefs drew up plans to get her away amid tight security after the hated 24-year-old was threatened by Islamic groups over her row with housemate Mohamed Mohamed about his religion.
The threats were made on BB internet forums after Alex, who claims to be a Muslim, rowed with Somalianborn Mohamed about how he dressed as a woman to celebrate his birthday.
Bosses were made aware of the comments - and after taking security advice - took them seriously.
But they were desperate to avoid trouble when Alex was kicked out on Wednesday for making gangster threats against Rex Newmark, 24, and his family.
Bb bosses arranged for an all-female security crew, plus a female chaperone and producer to accompany her from house at studios in Elstree, North West London, in case she flew into a rage.
They went in as security was beefed up at the show's Elstree compound, and guards were brought in to halt any trouble.
They believed the best way to keep her calm was if she was taken out by women.
Plans were made to take her abroad, - although bosses then looked at locations around the UK. In the end they decided to keep her in the capital at a secret location.
A bb source said: "The threats made by Muslim fanatics were taken seriously and they wanted to get Alex away to make sure there was no trouble."
A bb spokesman said: "The care team did think about moving Alex out of London but in the end she stayed in the capital.
"No specific threats from Muslim groups was made to BB but there were threats on public internet forums. Rex did talk in the diary room about how he felt threatened."
Channel 4 chiefs drew up plans to get her away amid tight security after the hated 24-year-old was threatened by Islamic groups over her row with housemate Mohamed Mohamed about his religion.
The threats were made on BB internet forums after Alex, who claims to be a Muslim, rowed with Somalianborn Mohamed about how he dressed as a woman to celebrate his birthday.
Bosses were made aware of the comments - and after taking security advice - took them seriously.
But they were desperate to avoid trouble when Alex was kicked out on Wednesday for making gangster threats against Rex Newmark, 24, and his family.
Bb bosses arranged for an all-female security crew, plus a female chaperone and producer to accompany her from house at studios in Elstree, North West London, in case she flew into a rage.
They went in as security was beefed up at the show's Elstree compound, and guards were brought in to halt any trouble.
They believed the best way to keep her calm was if she was taken out by women.
Plans were made to take her abroad, - although bosses then looked at locations around the UK. In the end they decided to keep her in the capital at a secret location.
A bb source said: "The threats made by Muslim fanatics were taken seriously and they wanted to get Alex away to make sure there was no trouble."
A bb spokesman said: "The care team did think about moving Alex out of London but in the end she stayed in the capital.
"No specific threats from Muslim groups was made to BB but there were threats on public internet forums. Rex did talk in the diary room about how he felt threatened."
(Scotland) Muslim Immigrant Can't Stop Raping...
A man who drugged and raped two women after being granted bail, and intended to rape two more, has been jailed for nine years.
Abdalla Ali Hemed attacked and raped one of his victims less than 24 hours after being granted bail in Aberdeen.
Hemed, 44, a Somalian refugee, was found guilty of the attacks, which happened between 2004 and 2006.
Judge Lord Bracadale told him, at the High Court in Glasgow, that he posed a danger to women.
He had been allowed to stay in Scotland on indefinite leave after fleeing from the military regime in Somalia.
However, after arriving in Aberdeen, he carried out the sexual attacks over three years before he was caught.
In his first attack, Hemed struck along with an unknown gang of men, and attacked a woman at a flat in Great Northern Road on 23 and 24 July, 2004.
Hemed removed her clothing, lay on top of her while she was unconscious, then raped her when she regained consciousness. He had been granted bail at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 5 August, 2003.
On 2 August, 2006, Hemed attacked and raped another woman in a flat in Canal Place after giving her drugs.
He held a knife against her throat and held her down during the attack.
He had been granted bail the day before.
On 4 December, 2006, Hemed carried out another sex attack on a woman in his flat in Canal Street.
He seized hold of her, pinned her against a wall and held her captive in his flat. He then chased her with the knife with intent to rape her.
Hemed was still on the 1 August bail order at the time.
Praised bravery
Less than a week later - on 12 December - he carried out another sex attack at knifepoint in his flat.
He pulled a knife on a fourth victim and demanded that she strip off her clothing, then he pushed her repeatedly and grabbed her.
As the woman broke free and tried to run away, Hemed chased her with the knife with the intention of raping her.
Hemed was also found guilty of breaching the peace at Northsea Court in Aberdeen on 27 September, 2007.
He tried to leave a flat with a knife and told police officers that he was on his way to a nearby flat to kill the person who lived there.
Hemed was caught after one of his victims went to the police and reported what he had done.
Det Insp Andy Imray, of Grampian Police, said: "It was very brave indeed for the victim to come forward. It was obviously a very difficult thing to have to relive in front of strangers."
Abdalla Ali Hemed attacked and raped one of his victims less than 24 hours after being granted bail in Aberdeen.
Hemed, 44, a Somalian refugee, was found guilty of the attacks, which happened between 2004 and 2006.
Judge Lord Bracadale told him, at the High Court in Glasgow, that he posed a danger to women.
He had been allowed to stay in Scotland on indefinite leave after fleeing from the military regime in Somalia.
However, after arriving in Aberdeen, he carried out the sexual attacks over three years before he was caught.
In his first attack, Hemed struck along with an unknown gang of men, and attacked a woman at a flat in Great Northern Road on 23 and 24 July, 2004.
Hemed removed her clothing, lay on top of her while she was unconscious, then raped her when she regained consciousness. He had been granted bail at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 5 August, 2003.
On 2 August, 2006, Hemed attacked and raped another woman in a flat in Canal Place after giving her drugs.
He held a knife against her throat and held her down during the attack.
He had been granted bail the day before.
On 4 December, 2006, Hemed carried out another sex attack on a woman in his flat in Canal Street.
He seized hold of her, pinned her against a wall and held her captive in his flat. He then chased her with the knife with intent to rape her.
Hemed was still on the 1 August bail order at the time.
Praised bravery
Less than a week later - on 12 December - he carried out another sex attack at knifepoint in his flat.
He pulled a knife on a fourth victim and demanded that she strip off her clothing, then he pushed her repeatedly and grabbed her.
As the woman broke free and tried to run away, Hemed chased her with the knife with the intention of raping her.
Hemed was also found guilty of breaching the peace at Northsea Court in Aberdeen on 27 September, 2007.
He tried to leave a flat with a knife and told police officers that he was on his way to a nearby flat to kill the person who lived there.
Hemed was caught after one of his victims went to the police and reported what he had done.
Det Insp Andy Imray, of Grampian Police, said: "It was very brave indeed for the victim to come forward. It was obviously a very difficult thing to have to relive in front of strangers."
Friday, June 20, 2008
Ian Huntley 'to convert to Islam'
Ian Huntley, the killer of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, is considering converting to Islam, it has been claimed.Huntley, 34, serving life at the maximum security Frankland Prison in County Durham, has started reading the Koran on a daily basis after befriending two Muslim inmates, according to The People.
The Soham killer is thought to have turned to the small group of Muslim inmates in Frankland after being threatened by other prisoners.
He has even asked them to take him to a prayer meeting after finding the passages of the Islamic holy book the Koran are helping his state of mind following three failed suicide attempts.
Only 20 of the 734 inmates in Frankland prison are Muslim. Hussain Osman, jailed for life for his part in the failed July 21 bombings, is one of Huntley’s more high-profile inmates.
A prison source said the former school caretaker lives in constant fear and feels he has something in common with the small Muslim population at Frankland, who also feel they face persistent harrassment.
Only 20 of the 734 inmates in Frankland prison are Muslim. Hussain Osman, jailed for life for his part in the failed July 21 bombings, is one of Huntley’s more high-profile inmates.
A prison source said the former school caretaker lives in constant fear and feels he has something in common with the small Muslim population at Frankland, who also feel they face persistent harrassment.
Huntley’s flirtation with Islam comes just a month after a leaked Home Office report raised concerns that young male prisoners are being brainwashed by Muslim gangs and that the prison system is becoming a recruiting ground for Islamic extremists.
A number of high-profile al-Qaeda sympathisers have been moved as a result of increased tensions within the prison.
Dhiren Barot, an Islamic extremist jailed for planning a dirty bomb attack on British soil, was granted a move from the prison after being attacked with boiling oil, leaving him scarred for life.
Other high-profile inmates at Frankland include Colin Norris, the gay nurse convicted of murdering four elderly patients.
Huntley was transferred from Wakefield to the notorious Frankland prison in January. Last month it was revealed that he had been receiving special treatment to stop him attempting suicide.
Officers guarding Huntley were told to play games such as Scrabble and chess with him to “keep his spirits up.”
It was also claimed that guards were told to address him as Mr Huntley, or even simply 'Ian'.
Huntley was jailed for life in December 2003 for killing the two 10-year-old girls in Soham, Cambridgeshire.
His girlfriend, Maxine Carr, 31, served two years for providing him with a false alibi and now lives under a secret identity.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Muslim stylist wins £4,000 payout
The owner of a hair salon has been ordered to pay £4,000 compensation to a Muslim stylist who was turned down for a job because she wears a headscarf.Bushra Noah accused Sarah Desrosiers of religious discrimination when she failed to offer her a job at her Wedge salon in King's Cross, central London.
An employment tribunal panel dismissed the 19-year-old's claim but upheld her complaint of indirect discrimination.
Ms Desrosiers said she needed stylists to showcase alternative hairstyles.
During the hearing Ms Noah, who lives in Acton, west London, told the tribunal that she was "devastated" that she was not offered the job of assistant stylist "due to my headscarf".
Ms Desrosiers, 32, told the panel that Ms Noah lived too far away, but was persuaded to give her an interview in May last year.
When the applicant arrived for the interview she claimed the Canadian salon owner was clearly shocked by the fact she wore a headscarf.
I never in a million years dreamt that somebody would be completely against the display of hair and be in this industry Sarah Desrosiers
Ms Desrosiers told the tribunal she was surprised it had not been mentioned earlier and expected her staff to reflect the "funky, urban" image of her salon.
The panel found that Ms Noah had been badly upset by the 15-minute interview .
She was awarded £4,000 damages for "injury to feelings"
In its judgment, the panel stated: "We were satisfied by the respondent's evidence that the claimant was not treated less favourably than the respondent would have treated a woman who, whether Muslim or not, for a reason other than religious belief wears a hair covering at all times when at work."
It added: "There was no specific evidence before us as to what would (for sure) have been the actual impact of the claimant working in her salon with her head covered at all times."
Speaking after the ruling the salon owner said: "I never in a million years dreamt that somebody would be completely against the display of hair and be in this industry. I don't feel I deserve it."
Ms Noah refused to comment on the matter.
Terror cleric Abu Qatada is bailed
PREACHER of hate Abu Qatada was freed from jail last night – on condition he does not contact Osama Bin Laden.
A “ludicrous” bail ruling also means Qatada cannot receive visits from the world’s most wanted man.
A “ludicrous” bail ruling also means Qatada cannot receive visits from the world’s most wanted man.
Described as the al-Qaeda warlord’s No 2 in Europe, Qatada has additionally been barred from contacting preacher Abu Hamza.
Qatada, 48, was granted bail last month by a judge at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission but his release was delayed while conditions were agreed.
Last night he was driven-from Long Lartin Prison, Worcs, under a blanket in a Peugeot people carrier.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: “I am extremely disappointed the courts have granted Abu Qatada bail.”
He won an Appeal Court battle against deportation to Jordan, where he was sentenced in his absence for terror offences – and then successfully applied for bail.
But Ms Smith will appeal to the Lords to reverse the deportation decision.
Yesterday Mr Justice Mitting also ordered Qatada must not contact Bin Laden deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri.
The pair are said to be hiding near the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Qatada’s conditions ban him from talking to other terror suspects.
He must wear a tag and stay indoors for 22 hours each day.
His wife and children can visit him – but he cannot have a mobile phone, computer or internet connection.
And he cannot preach or attend a mosque.
Ann Widdecombe, 61, former Tory Home Office minister, described as “ludicrous” the bail condition preventing him having Bin Laden round to visit.
Taxpayers face a £1million bill to keep Qatada under “house arrest”.
Qatada, 48, was granted bail last month by a judge at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission but his release was delayed while conditions were agreed.
Last night he was driven-from Long Lartin Prison, Worcs, under a blanket in a Peugeot people carrier.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: “I am extremely disappointed the courts have granted Abu Qatada bail.”
He won an Appeal Court battle against deportation to Jordan, where he was sentenced in his absence for terror offences – and then successfully applied for bail.
But Ms Smith will appeal to the Lords to reverse the deportation decision.
Yesterday Mr Justice Mitting also ordered Qatada must not contact Bin Laden deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri.
The pair are said to be hiding near the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Qatada’s conditions ban him from talking to other terror suspects.
He must wear a tag and stay indoors for 22 hours each day.
His wife and children can visit him – but he cannot have a mobile phone, computer or internet connection.
And he cannot preach or attend a mosque.
Ann Widdecombe, 61, former Tory Home Office minister, described as “ludicrous” the bail condition preventing him having Bin Laden round to visit.
Taxpayers face a £1million bill to keep Qatada under “house arrest”.
help needed
HERE'S your chance to help kick hate preacher Abu Qatada - dubbed Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe – out of Britain.
The Jordanian was freed from jail and placed under strict bail conditions on Monday.
But the cleric is allowed to stay in the UK after he won an Appeal Court battle against deportation to Jordan - where he was sentenced in his absence for terror offences.
As part of his bail conditions he has even been told he must not be in contact with terrorist mastermind Bin Laden.
Now we want you to back our call to have Qatada deported from these shores in our online petition.
Just click on petition above to register your outrage.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1309163.ece
The Jordanian was freed from jail and placed under strict bail conditions on Monday.But the cleric is allowed to stay in the UK after he won an Appeal Court battle against deportation to Jordan - where he was sentenced in his absence for terror offences.
As part of his bail conditions he has even been told he must not be in contact with terrorist mastermind Bin Laden.
Now we want you to back our call to have Qatada deported from these shores in our online petition.
Just click on petition above to register your outrage.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1309163.ece
Boy's killers must serve 30 years
Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey for murdering a 15-year-old boy as he slept at his south-east London home.
Mohammed Sannoh, 19, from Peckham, and Abdi Omar Noor, 22, from Camberwell, burst into Michael Dosunmu's room in Peckham and shot him in February 2007.
Michael, who was mistaken for his older brother Hakeem, was shot four times with a MAC-10 machine pistol.
Sannoh and Noor were each sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison.
'Shock and sympathy'
Judge Stephen Kramer told them: "This was a planned and premeditated killing. It was an execution.
Michael Dosunmu's mother on the verdict
"You both, quite probably acting with another person or others, carried out this killing in an act of revenge.
"It was a death that could only invoke in all right-minded people feelings of outrage, shock and sympathy for Michael's family."
The trial had heard the men had wanted to kill Hakeem in revenge for a murder.
It was his links to a robbery gang and the murder of one of their members that led the gunmen to the family home.
Former soldier Hakeem, who fell into a life of crime after serving in Iraq, was at a club dealing drugs when his church-going brother was killed.
Michael's devout Christian family said they were standing by Hakeem, while his mother, Shakira, said she bore no grudges against the gunmen.
She said: "I have forgiven them from the bottom of my heart. They must reform their lives and then good luck to them."
The family said Michael's murder had been like "stabbing us in the heart".
Sannoh and Noor had denied murder.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Man arrested under Terrorism Act
A 19-year-old man has been arrested in Bristol under the Terrorism Act,
The man, from the Easton area, is being held as part of investigations into Andrew Ibrahim, 19, who was charged under the Terrorism Act in April.
Officers from Avon and Somerset Police are conducting a forensic search of the man's address. A second nearby property is also being searched.
Police have been scrutinising CCTV footage since Mr Ibrahim's arrest.
They have been "painstakingly" working their way through thousands of days worth of images and looking at more than 2,000 exhibits and more than 2,500 documents, Avon and Somerset Police said.
No armed officers were involved in the latest arrest and there was "no suggestion" of any danger to members of the public, the force added.
Letters have been posted through the doors of neighbouring homes in the Easton area of Bristol on Monday to reassure residents there is no cause to fear for their safety.
Mr Ibrahim, of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, has appeared in court accused of plotting to commit acts of terrorism.
The man, from the Easton area, is being held as part of investigations into Andrew Ibrahim, 19, who was charged under the Terrorism Act in April.
Officers from Avon and Somerset Police are conducting a forensic search of the man's address. A second nearby property is also being searched.
Police have been scrutinising CCTV footage since Mr Ibrahim's arrest.
They have been "painstakingly" working their way through thousands of days worth of images and looking at more than 2,000 exhibits and more than 2,500 documents, Avon and Somerset Police said.
No armed officers were involved in the latest arrest and there was "no suggestion" of any danger to members of the public, the force added.
Letters have been posted through the doors of neighbouring homes in the Easton area of Bristol on Monday to reassure residents there is no cause to fear for their safety.
Mr Ibrahim, of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, has appeared in court accused of plotting to commit acts of terrorism.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Muslim parents to blame for children turning to extremism
British Muslim parents are to blame for leaving their children open to the lure of Islamic extremism, according to an influential academic
Dr Farhan Nizami CBE, a key adviser on Islam to the Prince of Wales, accused British Muslims of failing to make sure their children learn to speak English or supporting them in their education.
He said this leaves them alienated from mainstream society and exposed to being groomed by radical Islamic groups.
It is the first time Dr Nizami, the director of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, which has links with Oxford University, has spoken out about the failure of Muslims to integrate with British society.
The academic institution, whose patron is the Prince of Wales, carries considerable influence and aims to build bridges between Islam and the West.
His comments come just weeks after the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, warned that radical Islam is filling the "moral vacuum" created by the decline of Christian values in Britain.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Dr Nizami said Muslims would never play a full role in British society until they improved their education, language and aspirations.
He warned that those who feel marginalised are most easily influenced by the rhetoric of extremism, and called on Muslim parents to do more to avert the danger of their children becoming fanatics.
"Muslim families have to realise the importance of education for their children and make an effort to push them into achieving more," Dr Nizami said.
"They need to make them aspire to things higher rather than just being self-employed and looking for small-jobs."
Despite the fears over the threat posed by foreign imams such as Abu Hamza and Omar Bakri, Dr Nizami claimed homegrown Muslims can be even more dangerous.
The four suicide bombers who murdered 52 people in London on July 7, 2005, were all born in Britain while the four Islamic terrorists jailed for plotting to blow up Bluewater and the Ministry of Sound with half a ton of fertiliser were all raised and schooled here.
Dr Nizami said: "The assumption that foreign imams equal something undesirable is not always true. In fact some of the more radical elements of British society are British-born. This is not an issue that needs to be seen in terms of religion, but in issues of alienation and deprivation."
He said education was key to preventing a new generation of Muslim extremists growing up in Britain.
"Immigrant communities have to do more to get integrated, particularly on issues of language and education," he said.
Dr Nizami, who is a British delegate at a conference on bridging the gap between Islam and the West, expressed concern at the poor academic achievements of Muslims in Britain, particularly those from Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"This is partly because of issues about their access to good state schools, but this is also because they receive poor family support," he said.
But on Tuesday some Muslim groups said it was unfair to point the finger of blame at parents, and that the Government should commit more funding to language lessons for immigrants while mosque leaders must ensure sermons are delivered in English.
Inayat Bunglawala, spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "There is really no question regarding the central importance of parents taking an active interest in the better education of their children. But we need to be cautious of putting too much blame on parents for the actions of their children.
"As we have seen in the cases of the 7/7 bombers and terrorists who have been convicted since then, many of them were extremely adept at deceiving their closest family relatives about their intentions."
A spokesman for the Ramadhan Foundation, British's leading Muslim youth organisation, said: "There are systematic mistakes, with the Government cutting funding for people who want to learn English. The imams have also got to look at sermons being delivered in English."
The conference at which Dr Nizami spoke, held in Kuala Lumpur this week, heard that the divide between the Muslim world and the West continues to undermine constructive political, economic, social and religious engagement.
One of the world's leading Muslims told delegates that the former British prime minister, Tony Blair, is viewed with suspicion by the Arab world in his new role as a Middle East envoy.
Imam Feisal, leader of New York's Masjid al-Farah mosque said: "The perception exists that his being at the forefront of taking Britain into war has reduced his credibility in being able to be seen as an honest broker."
Meanwhile the Vatican warned on Tuesday that the West is in danger of becoming "obsessed" with Muslims.
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the Roman Catholic Church's leading expert on inter-faith dialogue, said discussions between different religious groups must not be "held hostage" by Islam.
His comments came just a day after a report commissioned by the Church of England found that the Government was "focusing intently" on Islam at the expense of Christianity, to which it only paid "lip service".
Dr Farhan Nizami CBE, a key adviser on Islam to the Prince of Wales, accused British Muslims of failing to make sure their children learn to speak English or supporting them in their education.
He said this leaves them alienated from mainstream society and exposed to being groomed by radical Islamic groups.
It is the first time Dr Nizami, the director of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, which has links with Oxford University, has spoken out about the failure of Muslims to integrate with British society.
The academic institution, whose patron is the Prince of Wales, carries considerable influence and aims to build bridges between Islam and the West.
His comments come just weeks after the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, warned that radical Islam is filling the "moral vacuum" created by the decline of Christian values in Britain.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Dr Nizami said Muslims would never play a full role in British society until they improved their education, language and aspirations.
He warned that those who feel marginalised are most easily influenced by the rhetoric of extremism, and called on Muslim parents to do more to avert the danger of their children becoming fanatics.
"Muslim families have to realise the importance of education for their children and make an effort to push them into achieving more," Dr Nizami said.
"They need to make them aspire to things higher rather than just being self-employed and looking for small-jobs."
Despite the fears over the threat posed by foreign imams such as Abu Hamza and Omar Bakri, Dr Nizami claimed homegrown Muslims can be even more dangerous.
The four suicide bombers who murdered 52 people in London on July 7, 2005, were all born in Britain while the four Islamic terrorists jailed for plotting to blow up Bluewater and the Ministry of Sound with half a ton of fertiliser were all raised and schooled here.
Dr Nizami said: "The assumption that foreign imams equal something undesirable is not always true. In fact some of the more radical elements of British society are British-born. This is not an issue that needs to be seen in terms of religion, but in issues of alienation and deprivation."
He said education was key to preventing a new generation of Muslim extremists growing up in Britain.
"Immigrant communities have to do more to get integrated, particularly on issues of language and education," he said.
Dr Nizami, who is a British delegate at a conference on bridging the gap between Islam and the West, expressed concern at the poor academic achievements of Muslims in Britain, particularly those from Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"This is partly because of issues about their access to good state schools, but this is also because they receive poor family support," he said.
But on Tuesday some Muslim groups said it was unfair to point the finger of blame at parents, and that the Government should commit more funding to language lessons for immigrants while mosque leaders must ensure sermons are delivered in English.
Inayat Bunglawala, spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "There is really no question regarding the central importance of parents taking an active interest in the better education of their children. But we need to be cautious of putting too much blame on parents for the actions of their children.
"As we have seen in the cases of the 7/7 bombers and terrorists who have been convicted since then, many of them were extremely adept at deceiving their closest family relatives about their intentions."
A spokesman for the Ramadhan Foundation, British's leading Muslim youth organisation, said: "There are systematic mistakes, with the Government cutting funding for people who want to learn English. The imams have also got to look at sermons being delivered in English."
The conference at which Dr Nizami spoke, held in Kuala Lumpur this week, heard that the divide between the Muslim world and the West continues to undermine constructive political, economic, social and religious engagement.
One of the world's leading Muslims told delegates that the former British prime minister, Tony Blair, is viewed with suspicion by the Arab world in his new role as a Middle East envoy.
Imam Feisal, leader of New York's Masjid al-Farah mosque said: "The perception exists that his being at the forefront of taking Britain into war has reduced his credibility in being able to be seen as an honest broker."
Meanwhile the Vatican warned on Tuesday that the West is in danger of becoming "obsessed" with Muslims.
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the Roman Catholic Church's leading expert on inter-faith dialogue, said discussions between different religious groups must not be "held hostage" by Islam.
His comments came just a day after a report commissioned by the Church of England found that the Government was "focusing intently" on Islam at the expense of Christianity, to which it only paid "lip service".
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Outrage as maths exam is dropped
ANGRY parents and tutors are fuming after changes to the 11 plus exam could disadvantage Asian youngsters from getting a place at grammar schools.
Slough’s Consortium of Grammar School, which includes Herschel, Langley and St Bernard’s, has decided to drop the maths tests from the exam in November.
Instead children will be tested on their non verbal reasoning, which identifies science and maths skills, and verbal reasoning which includes English.
The decision was announced on Friday and has caused outrage amongst parents.
A tutor, who does not want to be named, added: “It will disadvantage Asian youngsters or any second language speakers.
Slough mum Shada Khan, whose 10-year-old daughter is about to sit the exam this year, said: “I was shocked when I heard the news.
“I am worried my daughter may not get through because her strong subject is maths, which is what we’ve always pushed her in.
"Most Asian children are in the same position and it makes me wonder why the schools are doing this – are they trying to stop Asians from getting in the grammar schools?”
“Many children from this background often have problems with their literacy as many parents have English as their second language.
“This can hamper a child’s chances in the English test as they cannot always seek the help they might need at home.
“That is why having the maths test was so important and a good indication of a child’s overall ability. As these grammar schools do not have a catchment area, this may also mean more children from outside Slough will get in at the expense of our youngsters and that is not fair.”
However, Slough Grammar School is not in the consortium and will continue to test youngsters’ maths skills during the 11 plus exam. This means children who want to get into Slough Grammar will have to sit the 11 plus exam twice to meet the school’s entry standards and many parents fear this will put a lot of unnecessary stress on their youngsters.
Margaret Lenton, headteacher at Slough Grammar School, added: “We sought widespread advice and felt maths was an important element of the tests that was needed to test the students in our area.”
A statement from the consortium added: “The non verbal reasoning test specifically identifies ability towards science, engineering and mathematics, The test also helps to identify high ability in pupils where English is not their first language.
“As a result the mathematics test has been dropped and the non verbal reasoning test will be made slightly longer.”
Slough’s Consortium of Grammar School, which includes Herschel, Langley and St Bernard’s, has decided to drop the maths tests from the exam in November.
Instead children will be tested on their non verbal reasoning, which identifies science and maths skills, and verbal reasoning which includes English.
The decision was announced on Friday and has caused outrage amongst parents.
A tutor, who does not want to be named, added: “It will disadvantage Asian youngsters or any second language speakers.
Slough mum Shada Khan, whose 10-year-old daughter is about to sit the exam this year, said: “I was shocked when I heard the news.
“I am worried my daughter may not get through because her strong subject is maths, which is what we’ve always pushed her in.
"Most Asian children are in the same position and it makes me wonder why the schools are doing this – are they trying to stop Asians from getting in the grammar schools?”
“Many children from this background often have problems with their literacy as many parents have English as their second language.
“This can hamper a child’s chances in the English test as they cannot always seek the help they might need at home.
“That is why having the maths test was so important and a good indication of a child’s overall ability. As these grammar schools do not have a catchment area, this may also mean more children from outside Slough will get in at the expense of our youngsters and that is not fair.”
However, Slough Grammar School is not in the consortium and will continue to test youngsters’ maths skills during the 11 plus exam. This means children who want to get into Slough Grammar will have to sit the 11 plus exam twice to meet the school’s entry standards and many parents fear this will put a lot of unnecessary stress on their youngsters.
Margaret Lenton, headteacher at Slough Grammar School, added: “We sought widespread advice and felt maths was an important element of the tests that was needed to test the students in our area.”
A statement from the consortium added: “The non verbal reasoning test specifically identifies ability towards science, engineering and mathematics, The test also helps to identify high ability in pupils where English is not their first language.
“As a result the mathematics test has been dropped and the non verbal reasoning test will be made slightly longer.”
Muslim anger at irish Opposition calls for school ban on hijab
MUSLIM girls should not be allowed to wear a headscarf in public schools, the two main irish opposition parties said last night.
Labour's Ruairi Quinn said immigrants who come to Ireland need to conform to the culture of this country.
"If people want to come into a western society that is Christian and secular, they need to conform to the rules and regulations of that country," the Labour spokesman on education and science told the Irish Independent.
His comments come amid mounting controversy over guidelines on the wearing of the hijab, commonly worn by Muslim girl in state schools.
His stance on the issue was backed by his Fine Gael counterpart Brian Hayes, who says it makes "absolute sense" that there is one uniform for everyone.
The Fine Gael education spokesman said the wearing of the hijab was not a fundamental requirement to be a Muslim, but more an example of modesty and cultural mores.
Recently, Nicholas Sweetman, principal of Gorey Community School, Co Wexford, called for official direction to bring an end to the practice of schools imposing divergent policies.
The Wexford controversy followed the Department of Education's refusal to offer advice to the school when a Muslim couple asked last September that their daughter be allowed to wear the headscarf in class.
Mr Quinn said immigrants should live by Irish laws and conform to Irish norms.
"Nobody is formally asking them to come here. In the interests of integration and assimilation, they should embrace our culture," he said.
He added: "Irish girls don't wear headscarves. A manifestation of religious beliefs in such a way is unacceptable and draws attention to those involved. I believe in a public school situation they should not wear a headscarf."
Mr Hayes said Ireland should not be going down the route of multiculturalism.
"It makes absolute sense that there would be one uniform for everyone. The wearing of the hijab is not about religiosity, it is more an example of modesty. It is not a fundamental requirement to be a Muslim," he said.
But Fine Gael and Labour's position on the controversy sparked an angry reaction.
Islamic Society of Ireland spokesperson Summayah Kenna branded the comments by Mr Hayes and Mr Quinn as "baffling", adding the hijab was a religious obligation.
She said she was "shocked" by Mr Hayes' assertion that it was otherwise, and urged him to check up on his information.
And director of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism Philip Watt said the "ill-thought" comments from both political figures were "disappointing".
Last night, a spokesperson for Integration Minister Conor Lenihan said he had no problem with students wearing the hijab.
"For those that wear the hijab, it's an issue of modesty. It's not so long since Irish women wore headscarves to church, so we have to respect that," the spokesperson said.
At present, individual school authorities are responsible for the drawing up of school rules, including school-uniform requirements.
But the Education Act requires school boards to have respect for the diversity of values, beliefs and traditions.
The Department of Education said last night it had asked Mr Lenihan to consider the matter in the context of the development of an Intercultural Education Strategy.
It said nothing would be ruled in or out until after talks take place.
Labour's Ruairi Quinn said immigrants who come to Ireland need to conform to the culture of this country.
"If people want to come into a western society that is Christian and secular, they need to conform to the rules and regulations of that country," the Labour spokesman on education and science told the Irish Independent.
His comments come amid mounting controversy over guidelines on the wearing of the hijab, commonly worn by Muslim girl in state schools.
His stance on the issue was backed by his Fine Gael counterpart Brian Hayes, who says it makes "absolute sense" that there is one uniform for everyone.
The Fine Gael education spokesman said the wearing of the hijab was not a fundamental requirement to be a Muslim, but more an example of modesty and cultural mores.
Recently, Nicholas Sweetman, principal of Gorey Community School, Co Wexford, called for official direction to bring an end to the practice of schools imposing divergent policies.
The Wexford controversy followed the Department of Education's refusal to offer advice to the school when a Muslim couple asked last September that their daughter be allowed to wear the headscarf in class.
Mr Quinn said immigrants should live by Irish laws and conform to Irish norms.
"Nobody is formally asking them to come here. In the interests of integration and assimilation, they should embrace our culture," he said.
He added: "Irish girls don't wear headscarves. A manifestation of religious beliefs in such a way is unacceptable and draws attention to those involved. I believe in a public school situation they should not wear a headscarf."
Mr Hayes said Ireland should not be going down the route of multiculturalism.
"It makes absolute sense that there would be one uniform for everyone. The wearing of the hijab is not about religiosity, it is more an example of modesty. It is not a fundamental requirement to be a Muslim," he said.
But Fine Gael and Labour's position on the controversy sparked an angry reaction.
Islamic Society of Ireland spokesperson Summayah Kenna branded the comments by Mr Hayes and Mr Quinn as "baffling", adding the hijab was a religious obligation.
She said she was "shocked" by Mr Hayes' assertion that it was otherwise, and urged him to check up on his information.
And director of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism Philip Watt said the "ill-thought" comments from both political figures were "disappointing".
Last night, a spokesperson for Integration Minister Conor Lenihan said he had no problem with students wearing the hijab.
"For those that wear the hijab, it's an issue of modesty. It's not so long since Irish women wore headscarves to church, so we have to respect that," the spokesperson said.
At present, individual school authorities are responsible for the drawing up of school rules, including school-uniform requirements.
But the Education Act requires school boards to have respect for the diversity of values, beliefs and traditions.
The Department of Education said last night it had asked Mr Lenihan to consider the matter in the context of the development of an Intercultural Education Strategy.
It said nothing would be ruled in or out until after talks take place.
Iran 'gives £1.2bn to terrorist groups that target British troops'
Iran has a secret $2.5 billion (£1.2 billion) budget for supporting terrorist groups that target British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, it has been claimed.
The funds were allocated by the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni to the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force, the opposition group National Council for Resistance of Iran said.
"The Iran government is spending $2.5 billion in this financial year through the Qods Force in Iraq," said Hossein Abedini, a NCRI representative in London. "It could even be more because the commanders do not really face budgetary constraints in this regard."
Iran provides training and weaponry to wide range of Shia militias in Iran and munitions made in its factories have been seized in Afghanistan. Highly engineered roadside bombs that have killed hundreds of troops are exclusively made by Iranian engineers.
"Experiments in more powerful explosive devices that are capable of piercing impenetrable armour is taking up the main effort in the regime's weaponry programme," said Hossein Abedini, a representative of the group that obtained the intelligence.
"It is not just Iraq that Iran is using as a springboard for its attacks against the West, now the weapons are going to Afghanistan too, as part of Iran's threat to the West."
The most sophisticated versions, an armour piercing device, is described as a significant upgrade of the most lethal weapon Iran exports.
To ensure its production is not vulnerable to attack it has spread manufacture across three secret facilities. The NCRI identified 16 training centres for insurgents and 51 secret smuggling routes across Iran's borders.
General David Petraeus, the senior coalition commander in Iraq, has accused Iran of direct involvement in many of the worst attacks on the coalition. He said: "There should be no question about the malign, lethal involvement and activities of the Quds Force in this country."
A spokesman for British forces in Basra said that a huge arsenal of weaponry was uncovered after operations by the Iraqi Army last month. Captain Crispin Fordham said finds included 380 roadside bombs and 1,451 rocket-propelled grenades, as well as a handful of anti-aircraft missiles.
Mr Abedini's NCRI, which was last month cleared of terrorism by the Court of Appeal, has documented the names of 31 Iranians and Iraqis who were instrumental players in the network.
A handful of Iraqi officials named as key figures in smuggling weapons across the border are likely to have close contacts with British commanders as a result of their position in government-backed Badr militia. Individuals named included the head of the militia in Basra. The Badr militia is an off-shoot of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, the largest party in Iraq's government.
Iran's role in Iraq's civil war is complicated by the Islamic regime's close ties to Shia muslim leaders of the post-liberation Baghdad government
The funds were allocated by the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni to the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force, the opposition group National Council for Resistance of Iran said.
"The Iran government is spending $2.5 billion in this financial year through the Qods Force in Iraq," said Hossein Abedini, a NCRI representative in London. "It could even be more because the commanders do not really face budgetary constraints in this regard."
Iran provides training and weaponry to wide range of Shia militias in Iran and munitions made in its factories have been seized in Afghanistan. Highly engineered roadside bombs that have killed hundreds of troops are exclusively made by Iranian engineers.
"Experiments in more powerful explosive devices that are capable of piercing impenetrable armour is taking up the main effort in the regime's weaponry programme," said Hossein Abedini, a representative of the group that obtained the intelligence.
"It is not just Iraq that Iran is using as a springboard for its attacks against the West, now the weapons are going to Afghanistan too, as part of Iran's threat to the West."
The most sophisticated versions, an armour piercing device, is described as a significant upgrade of the most lethal weapon Iran exports.
To ensure its production is not vulnerable to attack it has spread manufacture across three secret facilities. The NCRI identified 16 training centres for insurgents and 51 secret smuggling routes across Iran's borders.
General David Petraeus, the senior coalition commander in Iraq, has accused Iran of direct involvement in many of the worst attacks on the coalition. He said: "There should be no question about the malign, lethal involvement and activities of the Quds Force in this country."
A spokesman for British forces in Basra said that a huge arsenal of weaponry was uncovered after operations by the Iraqi Army last month. Captain Crispin Fordham said finds included 380 roadside bombs and 1,451 rocket-propelled grenades, as well as a handful of anti-aircraft missiles.
Mr Abedini's NCRI, which was last month cleared of terrorism by the Court of Appeal, has documented the names of 31 Iranians and Iraqis who were instrumental players in the network.
A handful of Iraqi officials named as key figures in smuggling weapons across the border are likely to have close contacts with British commanders as a result of their position in government-backed Badr militia. Individuals named included the head of the militia in Basra. The Badr militia is an off-shoot of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, the largest party in Iraq's government.
Iran's role in Iraq's civil war is complicated by the Islamic regime's close ties to Shia muslim leaders of the post-liberation Baghdad government
Christian teenager died after having abortion to avoid upsetting Muslim boyfriend's family
A teenage Christian who had an abortion to avoid conflict with her Muslim boyfriend's family died a fortnight after the procedure.
A-level student Manon Jones, 18, aborted the pregnancy at six weeks but became increasingly ill in the days following the termination She told family members she felt light-headed and was bleeding heavily, an inquest heard today.
Miss Jones, who studied and lived in Bristol, returned home alone from a holiday abroad as her condition deteriorated. The teenager, from south Caernarvon, in Wales, booked a taxi and admitted herself to Southmead Hospital, in Bristol, on June 23, 2005. She died four days later.
Speaking at Flax Bourton Village Hall today, Miss Jones's tearful mother Llywela, from Bangor, in North Wales, told the inquest her 'bubbly' daughter was a keen member of the local church's youth club and regularly attended chapel.
Mrs Jones said: 'Manon found it very hard to make a decision to terminate the pregnancy. She wanted to keep the child but there were difficult circumstances which she had to consider with her boyfriend's family and their Muslim religion.'...
In some cases the honor vice pays to virtue comes at a very high price.
A-level student Manon Jones, 18, aborted the pregnancy at six weeks but became increasingly ill in the days following the termination She told family members she felt light-headed and was bleeding heavily, an inquest heard today.
Miss Jones, who studied and lived in Bristol, returned home alone from a holiday abroad as her condition deteriorated. The teenager, from south Caernarvon, in Wales, booked a taxi and admitted herself to Southmead Hospital, in Bristol, on June 23, 2005. She died four days later.
Speaking at Flax Bourton Village Hall today, Miss Jones's tearful mother Llywela, from Bangor, in North Wales, told the inquest her 'bubbly' daughter was a keen member of the local church's youth club and regularly attended chapel.
Mrs Jones said: 'Manon found it very hard to make a decision to terminate the pregnancy. She wanted to keep the child but there were difficult circumstances which she had to consider with her boyfriend's family and their Muslim religion.'...
In some cases the honor vice pays to virtue comes at a very high price.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Muslim Children in Britain Raised to Hate their Homeland...
Radical British Muslims have formed chatrooms to discuss adopting orphans and bringing up children to be Islamic fighters, a study has found.Discussions on a number of radical websites have asked how children should be brought up to be "mujahideen" and whether they should be pulled out of mainstream schools.
Other participants boast of how their children threaten to kill "kuffar" [non-believers] and complain that the Shakespeare being taught in schools is "full of homosexuality, fornication and adultery."
The Centre for Social Cohesion says radical Muslims are using the internet to create a "virtual Islamic caliphate" and calls on the government to launch a crack down.
According to the Centre for Social Cohesion, a think tank which has been monitoring radical websites, users of a site called http://www.islambase.co.uk/ discussed the possibility of adopting children and bringing them up on May 3 this year.
The site, which is based at a post office box in Glasgow and protected by a password, is used by the followers of the radical preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed, who lived in North London until he fled to the Lebanon in 2005.
"Hamza", one visitor to the site on 23 March this year, wrote about a friend's account of what his nine-year-old son, Rashid, had told him he would say if his father was killed by the kuffar [non-believers].
He said the boy told him: "I don't care if you kill me cause I'm not afraid of you or to die for Allah, and I'll have a lot of wives in jennah [heaven] insha allah and I'll be with my dad in jennah too and we will have fun doing what we want there if Allah lets us.
"Don't kill my dad or you will be in trouble with me, I swear by Allah."
One reader, 'Mujahidinbeeston', the area of Leeds where the July 7 bombers came from, responded to the post by writing: "Mashallah [thanks be to god]...We could all learn something from the behaviour of children sometimes!! They sometimes say things so basic and plain, that when contemplated, makes so much sense!"
A British woman who runs a blog called http://www.unitedummah.wordpress.com/ often writes of how she aims to pass on her views to her two and a half year old daughter, according to the Centre for Social Cohesion.
In one entry from December 2007, she wrote: "Al-Hamdulillah [thanks be to god] though, she knows the difference between a kaafir and a Muslim. Some days she'll stand at the window telling me she's looking at the kaafir go by. Other days when I speak to her about Sheikh Usaamah, she'll think about it and reply with 'Go away kaafir', and raise her hand as if to hit someone."
Writing of her daughter's schooling, she said: "How can we say 'Laa ilaaha illallaah' [there is no god but Allah] and allow our children to be educated (and dictated) by the kuffaar in school everyday?
"With the introduction in the last few years of citizenship into the curriculum, we are allowing our children to be taught that they must give allegiance to the Queen, and have hatred towards our great scholars and mujaahideen.
"In English, as part of GCSE, they must study Shakespeare, whose books are full of homosexuality, fornication and adultery, each of which are great sins in Islam."
The words of Omar Bakri Mohammed are popular on the sites and in one speech at http://www.sawtulislam.com/ in April 2008, he said children should be brought up to become capable of spreading Islam through dawa [prozelytising] or through jihad: "Develop them and build them properly to become capable to carry the dawa and capable to carry the task whether in the dawa field or in the jihad battlefield."
James Brandon, author of the report, Virtual Caliphate, said the internet was offering an alternative forum for Muslims who have been forced out of mosques.
Mr Brandon has found evidence that the sites include sermons by Abu Hamza, who is currently in jail for incitement to murder, and fellow preacher Abu Izzadeen, jailed for a similar offence earlier this year, as well as Abdullah al-Faisal, jailed and then deported.
Malaysian President Calls for Sharia - in Britain...
Muslim extremism in Britain will grow unless the Government and society learn to understand Islam, Malaysia's prime minister has warned.
Abdullah Badawi claimed that the legacy of Britain's imperial past has hampered its ability to appreciate its Islamic population.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the prime minister urged Gordon Brown to allow the country's Muslims to live under sharia law, but also said that they must prove their worth to society.
His comments are set to fuel the debate over the role of Islam in Britain following the Church of England's attack on the Government for already giving more attention to Muslims than Christians.
A report, commissioned by the Church and published today, accuses ministers of paying only "lip service" to Christianity and marginalising the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, while focusing "intently" on Islam.
However, Mr Abdullah argues that the Government must do more to ensure Muslims don't feel discriminated against if it is to tackle the rise of radicalism.
"The failure to understand Muslims is driving a divide between the communities," he said.
"Gordon Brown must encourage a better understanding because Britain must appreciate its Muslims."
Mr Abdullah argued that Britain needs to come to terms with being home to immigrants from countries that it used to rule over.
"The British Empire expanded in Asia, everywhere, throughout the Muslim land, through the land of Hindus and the land of Buddhists.
"When they were ruling it was different because they wanted it to be peaceful and to keep it peaceful they had to use diplomacy.
"Now maybe the Government thinks they can forget it. It doesn't matter."
He said that Muslims in Britain were more likely to be radicalised because they feel ignored rather than due to religious reasons.
"Is it because of poverty, social unrest, deprivation, feeling discriminated against, thinking people don't care much because of the
colour of their skin. The could make them to decide to be extremist, not necessarily because of his religion."
Mr Abdullah, who was talking on the eve of a landmark summit of world leaders, echoed the calls of the Archbishop of Canterbury earlier this year for Muslims to be able to live under sharia law.
"They should abide by the law of the land, but they should also be able to follow their religious observances and beliefs, to express their duty to God.."
The conference on the Muslim world and the West, "Bridging the Gap",
begins today with political and religious leaders encouraging a greater
commitment to solving the roots of the divisions.
The Malaysian Prime Minister acknowledged that Muslims must also play their part in proving their value as immigrants.
"If they want to be respected then they must do something for the community," he said.
"They must not be a liability. They have to be an asset."
Abdullah Badawi claimed that the legacy of Britain's imperial past has hampered its ability to appreciate its Islamic population.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the prime minister urged Gordon Brown to allow the country's Muslims to live under sharia law, but also said that they must prove their worth to society.
His comments are set to fuel the debate over the role of Islam in Britain following the Church of England's attack on the Government for already giving more attention to Muslims than Christians.
A report, commissioned by the Church and published today, accuses ministers of paying only "lip service" to Christianity and marginalising the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, while focusing "intently" on Islam.
However, Mr Abdullah argues that the Government must do more to ensure Muslims don't feel discriminated against if it is to tackle the rise of radicalism.
"The failure to understand Muslims is driving a divide between the communities," he said.
"Gordon Brown must encourage a better understanding because Britain must appreciate its Muslims."
Mr Abdullah argued that Britain needs to come to terms with being home to immigrants from countries that it used to rule over.
"The British Empire expanded in Asia, everywhere, throughout the Muslim land, through the land of Hindus and the land of Buddhists.
"When they were ruling it was different because they wanted it to be peaceful and to keep it peaceful they had to use diplomacy.
"Now maybe the Government thinks they can forget it. It doesn't matter."
He said that Muslims in Britain were more likely to be radicalised because they feel ignored rather than due to religious reasons.
"Is it because of poverty, social unrest, deprivation, feeling discriminated against, thinking people don't care much because of the
colour of their skin. The could make them to decide to be extremist, not necessarily because of his religion."
Mr Abdullah, who was talking on the eve of a landmark summit of world leaders, echoed the calls of the Archbishop of Canterbury earlier this year for Muslims to be able to live under sharia law.
"They should abide by the law of the land, but they should also be able to follow their religious observances and beliefs, to express their duty to God.."
The conference on the Muslim world and the West, "Bridging the Gap",
begins today with political and religious leaders encouraging a greater
commitment to solving the roots of the divisions.
The Malaysian Prime Minister acknowledged that Muslims must also play their part in proving their value as immigrants.
"If they want to be respected then they must do something for the community," he said.
"They must not be a liability. They have to be an asset."
Britain’s first interfaith game show launched by Islam Channel
An interfaith game show which sees different religious groups competing against each other for cash prizes is to be launched in Britain,
Faith Off has been commissioned by the digital TV station the Islam Channel in a bid to foster good relations and better understanding between different faiths.
The show is expected to feature all of the flashing lights, buzzers, puns and cheesy smiles common to ordinary game shows.
But instead of questions about celebrities and soaps, contestants will be expected to demonstrate their religious knowledge.
Two teams of four people will compete in each episode of the eight-part series, which will be hosted by Muslim comedian Jeff Mirza.
As well as being challenged to identify key figures such as the Dalai Lama and the Pope from grainy images, there will be multiple choice questions where contestants answer questions about their own, or another contestant’s religion.
Those taking part will be picked in part from respondents to online advertisements on Muslim websites, and in part via the Islam Channel’s networks.
The show’s producer, Abrar Hussain, has also produced a competition to find Britain’s best mosque.
"We’re living in a multifaith, multicultural society," he told the Guardian newspaper.
"You learn about religions at school and then you forget, so it's about transferring the basic blocks of knowledge.. it’s also about learning the similarities between religions, instead of focusing on the differences."
Faith Off has been commissioned by the digital TV station the Islam Channel in a bid to foster good relations and better understanding between different faiths.
The show is expected to feature all of the flashing lights, buzzers, puns and cheesy smiles common to ordinary game shows.
But instead of questions about celebrities and soaps, contestants will be expected to demonstrate their religious knowledge.
Two teams of four people will compete in each episode of the eight-part series, which will be hosted by Muslim comedian Jeff Mirza.
As well as being challenged to identify key figures such as the Dalai Lama and the Pope from grainy images, there will be multiple choice questions where contestants answer questions about their own, or another contestant’s religion.
Those taking part will be picked in part from respondents to online advertisements on Muslim websites, and in part via the Islam Channel’s networks.
The show’s producer, Abrar Hussain, has also produced a competition to find Britain’s best mosque.
"We’re living in a multifaith, multicultural society," he told the Guardian newspaper.
"You learn about religions at school and then you forget, so it's about transferring the basic blocks of knowledge.. it’s also about learning the similarities between religions, instead of focusing on the differences."
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Pedophile Given OK to Stay in Britain...
A JUDGE sparked outrage yesterday by ruling that an illegal immigrant who sexually abused a young girl for three years was “not dangerous” – and free to stay in Britain.
Pervert Nurul Islam will cost taxpayers more than £200,000 after being jailed for 5½ years.
Indian-born Islam, 35, of Oxford, began preying on the victim when she was 12.
He admitted ten counts of sex acts on a child.
But Judge Julian Hall told him at Oxford Crown Court: “I do not make a recommendation for deportation and I do not find you are dangerous.
“This is not a man who is going to go out on to the street looking to cause harm.”
The Home Office says criminals from outside Europe should be deported if jailed for more than 12 months.
The judge’s decision was slammed as “outrageous” by UKIP MP Bob Spink last night.
He said: “This man has broken the law to get into the country, then broken the law while he is here.”
Mark Wallace, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, added: “This sends out an awful message.”
Judge Hall previously jailed a rapist for only two years, saying his ten-year-old victim was dressed provocatively.
The sentence was doubled by Appeal Court judges last year.
Pervert Nurul Islam will cost taxpayers more than £200,000 after being jailed for 5½ years.
Indian-born Islam, 35, of Oxford, began preying on the victim when she was 12.
He admitted ten counts of sex acts on a child.
But Judge Julian Hall told him at Oxford Crown Court: “I do not make a recommendation for deportation and I do not find you are dangerous.
“This is not a man who is going to go out on to the street looking to cause harm.”
The Home Office says criminals from outside Europe should be deported if jailed for more than 12 months.
The judge’s decision was slammed as “outrageous” by UKIP MP Bob Spink last night.
He said: “This man has broken the law to get into the country, then broken the law while he is here.”
Mark Wallace, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, added: “This sends out an awful message.”
Judge Hall previously jailed a rapist for only two years, saying his ten-year-old victim was dressed provocatively.
The sentence was doubled by Appeal Court judges last year.
Hacker Changes Police Website to Muslim Prayer...
A police website has been taken down after it was hacked by a programmer who published a cartoon and Muslim prayer on its site.
All the pages on Bedfordshire Police's site were replaced by an animated man carrying a Tunisian flag.
Underneath was a green symbol and a Muslim prayer written in Arabic.
Arfaoui Firas, whose website suggests he might be a 17-year-old computer programmer living in the US, claimed on the pages to have hacked the site.
Bedfordshire Police said they were aware of the incident and IT staff had taken the site down temporarily.
A spokeswoman said: "I am not technical but I am sure they will be able to restore the site and return it to normal operation soon."
Operations were not affected by the hacker, the spokeswoman added.
The hacker gave a website address on the hacked pages, which directed viewers to a games and films sales organisation.
The spokeswoman said: "The website is hosted externally, away from all other police systems so no personal or confidential data could have been obtained.
"Bedfordshire Police take security extremely seriously, which is why the website is hosted independently and outside all other IT systems."
A full investigation into how the hacking attack happened has been started.
All the pages on Bedfordshire Police's site were replaced by an animated man carrying a Tunisian flag.
Underneath was a green symbol and a Muslim prayer written in Arabic.
Arfaoui Firas, whose website suggests he might be a 17-year-old computer programmer living in the US, claimed on the pages to have hacked the site.
Bedfordshire Police said they were aware of the incident and IT staff had taken the site down temporarily.
A spokeswoman said: "I am not technical but I am sure they will be able to restore the site and return it to normal operation soon."
Operations were not affected by the hacker, the spokeswoman added.
The hacker gave a website address on the hacked pages, which directed viewers to a games and films sales organisation.
The spokeswoman said: "The website is hosted externally, away from all other police systems so no personal or confidential data could have been obtained.
"Bedfordshire Police take security extremely seriously, which is why the website is hosted independently and outside all other IT systems."
A full investigation into how the hacking attack happened has been started.
British Taxpayers Fund Islamist Hate Site...
AN Islamic website which backs suicide bombers got a £35,000 Government grant – a month before the anniversary of the 7/7 attacks.
Muslimyouth.net carries dozens of rants by fanatics on its “support group” site.
One member wrote of suicide missions: “If you can blow dozens of people up at the same time, great, absolutely great.”
And in another vile message a member PRAISED a beheading video of British hostage Ken Bigley.
It said: “I like the beheading videos of the prisoners of war – especially the Daniel Pearl and Ken Bigley one.”
But the Department for Communities and Local Government agreed to fund the group’s film on problems faced by UK Muslims.
A spokesman said: “We can’t prevent violent extremism if we aren’t prepared to talk about the issues.”
VIPs will see the film in London tomorrow, including Cabinet minister Hazel Blears.
Rizwan Hussain, of Muslimyouth. net, said: “We’re conscious of a few people venting anger on our site. If there was a direct threat made we would alert authorities.”
Muslimyouth.net carries dozens of rants by fanatics on its “support group” site.
One member wrote of suicide missions: “If you can blow dozens of people up at the same time, great, absolutely great.”
And in another vile message a member PRAISED a beheading video of British hostage Ken Bigley.
It said: “I like the beheading videos of the prisoners of war – especially the Daniel Pearl and Ken Bigley one.”
But the Department for Communities and Local Government agreed to fund the group’s film on problems faced by UK Muslims.
A spokesman said: “We can’t prevent violent extremism if we aren’t prepared to talk about the issues.”
VIPs will see the film in London tomorrow, including Cabinet minister Hazel Blears.
Rizwan Hussain, of Muslimyouth. net, said: “We’re conscious of a few people venting anger on our site. If there was a direct threat made we would alert authorities.”
'Muslim base' discussed, court told
Two Muslims supporters of "violent jihad" discussed setting up a secret Islamic state in a remote part of Scotland, a court has heard.
Away from the prying eyes of the authorities, it would provide a safe haven for those who felt "oppressed", jurors were told.
It would also be run according to Sharia law and eventually be used as a base to "discreetly train" for attacks against non-believers.
Away from the prying eyes of the authorities, it would provide a safe haven for those who felt "oppressed", jurors were told.
It would also be run according to Sharia law and eventually be used as a base to "discreetly train" for attacks against non-believers.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
'Plot was a publicity stunt'
A BRITISH Muslim accused of plotting a transatlantic airline bomb atrocity admitted today purchasing and hiding materials to manufacture an explosive device designed to have the "hallmark of an al Qaeda attack".
Assad Sarwar, 28, insisted the plan, devised with co-defendant Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, was intended as a publicity stunt against current foreign policy and did not seek to cause carnage.
Giving evidence in his defence today at Woolwich Crown Court, Sarwar maintained the use of the volatile chemical hydrogen peroxide within the bottle device was to give their protest authenticity.
He told the court how he travelled to Wales in April 2006 and used a false name to purchase hydrogen peroxide from the supplier Health Leads UK.
Airports
Sarwar described how he conducted research on the internet into possible targets for the device, including the Houses of Parliament and Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Birmingham airports.
During a trip to Pakistan between mid June and early July 2006 Sarwar met a contact who informed him how to manufacture a highly-explosive chemical compound called HMTD and he made a note of it.
He said he hid the hydrogen peroxide left in its packaging in King’s Wood, High Wycombe, but later could not locate it.
Sarwar told the court that by July 15, 2006, both he and Ali were keen to progress their plan and continued to purchase materials.
He made a second trip to Wales buying ten litres of hydrogen peroxide at 35 per cent concentration.
However, he discussed with Ali the difficulty of buying specialist equipment which usually supplied laboratories directly.
Sarwar told the court he purchased three voice disguisers.
He said they intended to phone police stating al Qaeda were responsible and planned "to say other devices were planted to cause more panic and alarm to get the most mass media attention."
Eight men are on trial accused on conspiring to murder and to endanger aircraft.
Prosecutors claim the men planned to smuggle improvised liquid bombs disguised as soft drinks on board and detonate them.
They deny the offences.
The defendants are: Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, of Walthamstow, east London, Assad Sarwar, 28, of High Wycombe, Bucks; Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, east London; Mohammed Gulzar, 26, of Barking, east London; Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington, north London; Arafat Waheed Khan, 27, of Walthamstow; Waheed Zaman, 24, of Walthamstow; and Umar Islam, aka Brian Young, 30, of Plaistow, east London.
Assad Sarwar, 28, insisted the plan, devised with co-defendant Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, was intended as a publicity stunt against current foreign policy and did not seek to cause carnage.
Giving evidence in his defence today at Woolwich Crown Court, Sarwar maintained the use of the volatile chemical hydrogen peroxide within the bottle device was to give their protest authenticity.
He told the court how he travelled to Wales in April 2006 and used a false name to purchase hydrogen peroxide from the supplier Health Leads UK.
Airports
Sarwar described how he conducted research on the internet into possible targets for the device, including the Houses of Parliament and Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Birmingham airports.
During a trip to Pakistan between mid June and early July 2006 Sarwar met a contact who informed him how to manufacture a highly-explosive chemical compound called HMTD and he made a note of it.
He said he hid the hydrogen peroxide left in its packaging in King’s Wood, High Wycombe, but later could not locate it.
Sarwar told the court that by July 15, 2006, both he and Ali were keen to progress their plan and continued to purchase materials.
He made a second trip to Wales buying ten litres of hydrogen peroxide at 35 per cent concentration.
However, he discussed with Ali the difficulty of buying specialist equipment which usually supplied laboratories directly.
Sarwar told the court he purchased three voice disguisers.
He said they intended to phone police stating al Qaeda were responsible and planned "to say other devices were planted to cause more panic and alarm to get the most mass media attention."
Eight men are on trial accused on conspiring to murder and to endanger aircraft.
Prosecutors claim the men planned to smuggle improvised liquid bombs disguised as soft drinks on board and detonate them.
They deny the offences.
The defendants are: Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, of Walthamstow, east London, Assad Sarwar, 28, of High Wycombe, Bucks; Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, east London; Mohammed Gulzar, 26, of Barking, east London; Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington, north London; Arafat Waheed Khan, 27, of Walthamstow; Waheed Zaman, 24, of Walthamstow; and Umar Islam, aka Brian Young, 30, of Plaistow, east London.
'Suspect had royal's details'
A MUSLIM terror suspect collated information about members of the royal family alongside instructions on how to kill "non-believers", a court has been told.
Aabid Khan, 23, arrested after his latest trip to Pakistan two years ago, had details about their lives and "also where they lived", it was claimed.
"Is he a royalist, is he fascinated by the royal family?" asked, Simon Denison, prosecuting. "Or is there some other reason why he has collated that information?"
The barrister told London’s Blackfriars Crown Court the material was among a "mass" of files, videos and other documents found on the 23-year-old when he was detained at Manchester airport.
He said they were contained on two computer hard drives in his suitcase which were analysed by police experts.
During the second day of his opening address at the beginning of a two-month trial of the former "fast food" worker and three co-defendants detained later, he explained Khan’s "terrorist encyclopaedia" contained instructions on how to carry out surveillance, prepare explosives, use poisons and advised on preparing for "martyrdom".
He said one document spoke of "assassinating named personnel as well as foreign tourists and freeing captured brothers from the enemy".
It also backed the "spreading of rumours" and "blasting and destroying places of amusement, immorality and sin", as well as embassies, "vital economic centres" and bridges.
Mr Denison told jurors there was information about London’s Tower Bridge, similar structures in America, and maps of New York’s and Washington’s subway systems.
Among the videos recovered were some that featured the Washington Memorial in Virginia and the World Bank in the US capital.
The barrister said another file spoke of the maturity, obedience and "willingness" a jihadist required to martyr himself for his goal of establishing the global rule of Islam.
Forged identity documents, training, weapons purchasing, undercover operations, planning assassinations, and coaching "brothers" to answer questions when travelling to and from Pakistan were also dealt with.
Recipe for ricin
So, too, were "guidelines to beating and killing hostages", something Islamic scholars had ruled was allowed if they "insisted on withholding information from Muslims".
Also permissible were suicide bombings.
Counsel told the court other "examples from the mass of information" recovered by police were a Terrorists’ Handbook, the Mujahideen Explosives Handbook, and the Mujahideen Poisons Handbook.
Jurors were told that apart from a recipe for ricin, the latter contained a section which warned the reader doses had been based on experiments with rabbits.
But it then went on to say it was "hoped brothers will carry out their own experiments on kuffir (non-believers)".
In the dock are 23-year-olds Aabid Hussein Khan, of Undercliffe, Bradford, West Yorkshire, and Sultan Muhammad, of nearby Hanover Square, Manningham; Ahmed Sulieman, 30, from Woolwich, south-east London, and Hammaad Munshi, 18, from Saville Town, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
They variously deny 13 counts alleging possessing articles for a purpose connected with terrorism and making a record of information likely to be useful in terrorism between November 23, 2005, and June 20, the following year.
Mr Denison said: "The prosecution say these defendants were motivated by their common cause, that of violent jihad against non-believers and the computers and CDs and books that had that contained the sort of information I have referred to were the necessary tools of their trade, possessed to be used in furtherance of that violent cause."
The trial continues.
Aabid Khan, 23, arrested after his latest trip to Pakistan two years ago, had details about their lives and "also where they lived", it was claimed.
"Is he a royalist, is he fascinated by the royal family?" asked, Simon Denison, prosecuting. "Or is there some other reason why he has collated that information?"
The barrister told London’s Blackfriars Crown Court the material was among a "mass" of files, videos and other documents found on the 23-year-old when he was detained at Manchester airport.
He said they were contained on two computer hard drives in his suitcase which were analysed by police experts.
During the second day of his opening address at the beginning of a two-month trial of the former "fast food" worker and three co-defendants detained later, he explained Khan’s "terrorist encyclopaedia" contained instructions on how to carry out surveillance, prepare explosives, use poisons and advised on preparing for "martyrdom".
He said one document spoke of "assassinating named personnel as well as foreign tourists and freeing captured brothers from the enemy".
It also backed the "spreading of rumours" and "blasting and destroying places of amusement, immorality and sin", as well as embassies, "vital economic centres" and bridges.
Mr Denison told jurors there was information about London’s Tower Bridge, similar structures in America, and maps of New York’s and Washington’s subway systems.
Among the videos recovered were some that featured the Washington Memorial in Virginia and the World Bank in the US capital.
The barrister said another file spoke of the maturity, obedience and "willingness" a jihadist required to martyr himself for his goal of establishing the global rule of Islam.
Forged identity documents, training, weapons purchasing, undercover operations, planning assassinations, and coaching "brothers" to answer questions when travelling to and from Pakistan were also dealt with.
Recipe for ricin
So, too, were "guidelines to beating and killing hostages", something Islamic scholars had ruled was allowed if they "insisted on withholding information from Muslims".
Also permissible were suicide bombings.
Counsel told the court other "examples from the mass of information" recovered by police were a Terrorists’ Handbook, the Mujahideen Explosives Handbook, and the Mujahideen Poisons Handbook.
Jurors were told that apart from a recipe for ricin, the latter contained a section which warned the reader doses had been based on experiments with rabbits.
But it then went on to say it was "hoped brothers will carry out their own experiments on kuffir (non-believers)".
In the dock are 23-year-olds Aabid Hussein Khan, of Undercliffe, Bradford, West Yorkshire, and Sultan Muhammad, of nearby Hanover Square, Manningham; Ahmed Sulieman, 30, from Woolwich, south-east London, and Hammaad Munshi, 18, from Saville Town, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
They variously deny 13 counts alleging possessing articles for a purpose connected with terrorism and making a record of information likely to be useful in terrorism between November 23, 2005, and June 20, the following year.
Mr Denison said: "The prosecution say these defendants were motivated by their common cause, that of violent jihad against non-believers and the computers and CDs and books that had that contained the sort of information I have referred to were the necessary tools of their trade, possessed to be used in furtherance of that violent cause."
The trial continues.
Pakistan to Europe: Do Away with Free Speech, or Else
Pakistan has sent a delegation to the European Union to demand that Europe crack down on free speech and enforce Islamic law—or else.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will ask the European Union countries to amend laws regarding freedom of expression in order to prevent offensive incidents such as the printing of blasphemous caricatures of Muhammad and the production of an anti-Islam film by a Dutch legislator, sources in the Interior Ministry told Daily Times on Saturday.
They said that a six-member high-level delegation comprising officials from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Law would leave Islamabad on Sunday for the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium and explain to the EU leadership the backlash against the blasphemous campaign in the name of freedom of expression.
The delegation, headed by an additional secretary of the Interior Ministry, will meet the leaders of the EU countries in a bid to convince them that the recent attack on the Danish Embassy in Pakistan could be a reaction against the blasphemous campaign, sources said.
They said that the delegation would also tell the EU that if such acts against Islam are not controlled, more attacks on the EU diplomatic missions abroad could not be ruled out.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will ask the European Union countries to amend laws regarding freedom of expression in order to prevent offensive incidents such as the printing of blasphemous caricatures of Muhammad and the production of an anti-Islam film by a Dutch legislator, sources in the Interior Ministry told Daily Times on Saturday.
They said that a six-member high-level delegation comprising officials from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Law would leave Islamabad on Sunday for the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium and explain to the EU leadership the backlash against the blasphemous campaign in the name of freedom of expression.
The delegation, headed by an additional secretary of the Interior Ministry, will meet the leaders of the EU countries in a bid to convince them that the recent attack on the Danish Embassy in Pakistan could be a reaction against the blasphemous campaign, sources said.
They said that the delegation would also tell the EU that if such acts against Islam are not controlled, more attacks on the EU diplomatic missions abroad could not be ruled out.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Mugging and rape on the same night
A LOCAL woman was mugged in Leighton Buzzard on the same night of a rape in the same area.
The woman, aged 18, who does not want to be named, was walking alone after a night out with friends, on the footpath along Lake Street that runs close to the vicinity of the Morrisons supermarket between 2 and 2.15am on Sunday, May 25.
The victim was grabbed from behind by one of the two attackers causing her to fall to the ground. Her handbag, which was described as black leather with a gold buckle, was then pulled from her with such force that the strap broke.The bag contained the victim's purse, bank cards and a number of other personal effects. Police are now appealing for witnesses who may have seen either of the two men in the vicinity or seen them escaping on foot in the direction of Leighton Buzzard town centre.One of the men was described as around 19 years of age, slim, around six foot one tall of Asian appearance, wearing a purple jumper with light purple stripes.
The other man was also around 19, five foot 11 tall, white, and wearing a light t-shirt.A Bedfordshire Police spokesman, speaking on the possibility of a link between this incident and the rape, which occurred less than two hours later, said: "At the moment we are keeping an open mind. The Robbery Unit work in the same office as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) so they will be liasing together to try and solve these cases."
Anyone who may have witnessed the attack or may have any vital information for the police can contact the officer in charge of the investigation PC Adam Balcomb, in confidence, on 01234 841212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The woman, aged 18, who does not want to be named, was walking alone after a night out with friends, on the footpath along Lake Street that runs close to the vicinity of the Morrisons supermarket between 2 and 2.15am on Sunday, May 25.
The victim was grabbed from behind by one of the two attackers causing her to fall to the ground. Her handbag, which was described as black leather with a gold buckle, was then pulled from her with such force that the strap broke.The bag contained the victim's purse, bank cards and a number of other personal effects. Police are now appealing for witnesses who may have seen either of the two men in the vicinity or seen them escaping on foot in the direction of Leighton Buzzard town centre.One of the men was described as around 19 years of age, slim, around six foot one tall of Asian appearance, wearing a purple jumper with light purple stripes.
The other man was also around 19, five foot 11 tall, white, and wearing a light t-shirt.A Bedfordshire Police spokesman, speaking on the possibility of a link between this incident and the rape, which occurred less than two hours later, said: "At the moment we are keeping an open mind. The Robbery Unit work in the same office as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) so they will be liasing together to try and solve these cases."
Anyone who may have witnessed the attack or may have any vital information for the police can contact the officer in charge of the investigation PC Adam Balcomb, in confidence, on 01234 841212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
WHITE TEEN BATTERED IN RACIAL ATTACK
An 18-year-old Derby man was punched and stamped on in a racially-aggravated attack
The incident happened at around 3pm in Arboretum Park.The man, who is white, was walking through the park when he was approached by an Asian youth who punched him to the ground before stamping on his head.Police say that he also used racist language against the man, who was treated in hospital for swelling and bruising to his head.
Anyone who may have witnessed the attack can contact the police on 0845 123 3333 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
The incident happened at around 3pm in Arboretum Park.The man, who is white, was walking through the park when he was approached by an Asian youth who punched him to the ground before stamping on his head.Police say that he also used racist language against the man, who was treated in hospital for swelling and bruising to his head.
Anyone who may have witnessed the attack can contact the police on 0845 123 3333 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Man Victim of Honor Killing...
THREE Sheffield men were hired by an Asian man to "sort out" his sister's husband, a court heard.
Mian Shahid Mehmood was shot dead in February last year in a so-called ‘honour killing’ in Halifax.The alleged hitmen - John Reeves, 54, and Sam Lee, 30, both of Parson Cross; and Naveed Mahmood, 23, of Granville Road, Norfolk Park - all deny murder.
They are charged alongside Arza Khan, 27, of Halifax and his brother Tahir Mahmood, 22, whose sister Yasmin Bibi Shahid had married Mr Mehmood in secret. The two brothers also deny murder.Khan told Leeds Crown Court it was a different brother - teenager Allah Yaar, who has since fled Britain - who paid the gang to threaten Mr Mehmood.
Khan claims the plan went wrong and Mr Mehmood was shot dead.Tom Bayliss QC, prosecuting, said Yasmin had been scared of her brothers Khan and Mahmood, that they had long threatened to have she and her husband killed, and would follow her to work.“You have spent your life bullying that woman - bullying your sister,” he said.
The trial
Mian Shahid Mehmood was shot dead in February last year in a so-called ‘honour killing’ in Halifax.The alleged hitmen - John Reeves, 54, and Sam Lee, 30, both of Parson Cross; and Naveed Mahmood, 23, of Granville Road, Norfolk Park - all deny murder.
They are charged alongside Arza Khan, 27, of Halifax and his brother Tahir Mahmood, 22, whose sister Yasmin Bibi Shahid had married Mr Mehmood in secret. The two brothers also deny murder.Khan told Leeds Crown Court it was a different brother - teenager Allah Yaar, who has since fled Britain - who paid the gang to threaten Mr Mehmood.
Khan claims the plan went wrong and Mr Mehmood was shot dead.Tom Bayliss QC, prosecuting, said Yasmin had been scared of her brothers Khan and Mahmood, that they had long threatened to have she and her husband killed, and would follow her to work.“You have spent your life bullying that woman - bullying your sister,” he said.
The trial
Ministers 'ignoring Church role'
A report commissioned by the Church of England will accuse the government of marginalising the Church.
The report - by the Von Hugel Institute in Cambridge - will say ministers are failing to understand the Church's role in providing social services.
It will also accuse them of favouring Islam and other religions, and paying only "lip service" to Christianity.
It will conclude that the government is "religiously illiterate" and knows very little about the Church's work.
The Bishop of Hulme Stephen Lowe, spokesman on urban affairs, told BBC Radio Four's Sunday Programme that the Church was far and away the biggest voluntary organisation in the country, and had been for centuries.
Referring to the number of churches and clergy in parishes, Bishop Lowe said: "The Church of England is in every community up and down the country.
"There are 16,500 'outlets', so to speak. We have 10,000 people on the ground - in every community.
"There are millions of people volunteering, going through our buildings."
Chaplains
The bishop said the Church was providing help and support to groups as diverse as elderly, homeless and unemployed people, drug addicts and asylum seekers.
It also provides hundreds of chaplains to hospitals, prisons and the armed services, and thousands of schools, he said.
However, the report, published on Monday and entitled "Moral, but no Compass", said the government showed a "significant lack of understanding of, or interest in, the Church of England's current or potential contribution in the public sphere".
The researchers - who got responses from 70 bishops and interviewed government officials - were told that ministers had decided to focus their attention "almost exclusively" on Muslim organisations and those of other minority religions.
When asked what they knew about the Church of England… nothing, absolutely nothing Bishop of Hulme Stephen Lowe
Bishop Lowe said: "Researchers went in to [government] departments to interview staff there and said, 'What information do you have about the Muslim community?' and there was a massive amount of mapping and information available about Islam in this country.
"Quite rightly in many ways, because there are major issues about radical elements in Islam which the government needs to know about.
"When asked what they knew about the Church of England… nothing, absolutely nothing."
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears denied there was a bias towards Muslim organisations.
She said: "It's just common sense. I would put it as simply as that.
"If you have a situation where you need to build the resilience of young Muslim men and women to be able to withstand an extremist message then of course you do that kind of work, but it doesn't mean you do it exclusively."
Minister for Religion
The report also suggests the Church is discriminated against in competition with private companies who provide welfare, which Bishop Lowe suggested was partly the result of a continuing process of secularisation under the Labour government.
It also calls for a level playing field for faith-based organisations including churches, and for a "Minister for Religion" to be appointed.
Bishop Lowe said the Church was not seeking political influence. The minister's role would be simply to improve the links between the government and faith-based organisations.
He said if the government wanted to benefit from the huge amount of work being done by the Church, it would have to change the way it dealt with it.
Politicians were criticised for their ignorance about the Church, but Bishop Lowe said the rhetoric from Conservatives suggested that they better understood the role Anglican parishes already played and how that could be expanded.
He said a senior figure in the party had suggested that the Church had the public trust that private companies sometimes lacked to take on extra roles, such as caring for people with dementia.
He said he had been told that "people would be more confident to think that the Church was looking after Granny".
But Ms Blears said in a secular democracy the government should retain overall responsibility for looking after disadvantaged people.
She said the poorest people could not simply be "handed over… to the Third Sector charities… and left to sink or swim".
The report - by the Von Hugel Institute in Cambridge - will say ministers are failing to understand the Church's role in providing social services.
It will also accuse them of favouring Islam and other religions, and paying only "lip service" to Christianity.
It will conclude that the government is "religiously illiterate" and knows very little about the Church's work.
The Bishop of Hulme Stephen Lowe, spokesman on urban affairs, told BBC Radio Four's Sunday Programme that the Church was far and away the biggest voluntary organisation in the country, and had been for centuries.
Referring to the number of churches and clergy in parishes, Bishop Lowe said: "The Church of England is in every community up and down the country.
"There are 16,500 'outlets', so to speak. We have 10,000 people on the ground - in every community.
"There are millions of people volunteering, going through our buildings."
Chaplains
The bishop said the Church was providing help and support to groups as diverse as elderly, homeless and unemployed people, drug addicts and asylum seekers.
It also provides hundreds of chaplains to hospitals, prisons and the armed services, and thousands of schools, he said.
However, the report, published on Monday and entitled "Moral, but no Compass", said the government showed a "significant lack of understanding of, or interest in, the Church of England's current or potential contribution in the public sphere".
The researchers - who got responses from 70 bishops and interviewed government officials - were told that ministers had decided to focus their attention "almost exclusively" on Muslim organisations and those of other minority religions.
When asked what they knew about the Church of England… nothing, absolutely nothing Bishop of Hulme Stephen Lowe
Bishop Lowe said: "Researchers went in to [government] departments to interview staff there and said, 'What information do you have about the Muslim community?' and there was a massive amount of mapping and information available about Islam in this country.
"Quite rightly in many ways, because there are major issues about radical elements in Islam which the government needs to know about.
"When asked what they knew about the Church of England… nothing, absolutely nothing."
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears denied there was a bias towards Muslim organisations.
She said: "It's just common sense. I would put it as simply as that.
"If you have a situation where you need to build the resilience of young Muslim men and women to be able to withstand an extremist message then of course you do that kind of work, but it doesn't mean you do it exclusively."
Minister for Religion
The report also suggests the Church is discriminated against in competition with private companies who provide welfare, which Bishop Lowe suggested was partly the result of a continuing process of secularisation under the Labour government.
It also calls for a level playing field for faith-based organisations including churches, and for a "Minister for Religion" to be appointed.
Bishop Lowe said the Church was not seeking political influence. The minister's role would be simply to improve the links between the government and faith-based organisations.
He said if the government wanted to benefit from the huge amount of work being done by the Church, it would have to change the way it dealt with it.
Politicians were criticised for their ignorance about the Church, but Bishop Lowe said the rhetoric from Conservatives suggested that they better understood the role Anglican parishes already played and how that could be expanded.
He said a senior figure in the party had suggested that the Church had the public trust that private companies sometimes lacked to take on extra roles, such as caring for people with dementia.
He said he had been told that "people would be more confident to think that the Church was looking after Granny".
But Ms Blears said in a secular democracy the government should retain overall responsibility for looking after disadvantaged people.
She said the poorest people could not simply be "handed over… to the Third Sector charities… and left to sink or swim".
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Boy, 14, attacked with iron bars and table legs
A GANG of thugs repeatedly battered a 14-year-old boy with metal bars and table legs.
The teenager was walking home with two friends along Higher Swan Lane, Great Lever, when he was targeted by a group of around 10 youths.
His friends, also aged 14, managed to run away but the gang grabbed him before he could escape.
He struggled with two of his attackers before falling to the floor and curling up in a ball as the group pounded him with their weapons.
Other members of the gang, who were not armed, kicked and punched him about the head and body, as he shouted for help.
The boy, from Morris Green, has been left with a broken shoulder and gashes to his head, following the attack, which happened at around 8.30pm on Sunday.
The gang fled when the alarm was raised by local residents.
Police have now released CCTV images of the thugs in a bid to track them down.
The mother of the boy, who asked not to be named, said: "It's terrible. They just pounced on him, hitting him with metal bars and table legs. I am frightened to death of him going out at all now. They didn't rob him. They seemed to have had their weapons ready, just looking for trouble.
"He is bearing up now. It could have been worse; that's what frightens me. He will be worried about going out now, although he is trying to put a brave face on it."
She said her son turned 15 the day after the horrific attack and that he had never seen the lads before.
The gang were all Asian, aged 15 to 17, and were wearing hooded tops.
Detective Inspector Paul Hitchen said: "This was a vicious attack on a lone teenager for no apparent reason. We have a dedicated team of detectives working on this. I would like to add that there is no suggestion of any racial element whatsoever to this assault.
"I would appeal to all members of Bolton society who may have information about this attack to come forward and help us bring these people to justice."
The teenager was walking home with two friends along Higher Swan Lane, Great Lever, when he was targeted by a group of around 10 youths.
His friends, also aged 14, managed to run away but the gang grabbed him before he could escape.
He struggled with two of his attackers before falling to the floor and curling up in a ball as the group pounded him with their weapons.
Other members of the gang, who were not armed, kicked and punched him about the head and body, as he shouted for help.
The boy, from Morris Green, has been left with a broken shoulder and gashes to his head, following the attack, which happened at around 8.30pm on Sunday.
The gang fled when the alarm was raised by local residents.
Police have now released CCTV images of the thugs in a bid to track them down.
The mother of the boy, who asked not to be named, said: "It's terrible. They just pounced on him, hitting him with metal bars and table legs. I am frightened to death of him going out at all now. They didn't rob him. They seemed to have had their weapons ready, just looking for trouble.
"He is bearing up now. It could have been worse; that's what frightens me. He will be worried about going out now, although he is trying to put a brave face on it."
She said her son turned 15 the day after the horrific attack and that he had never seen the lads before.
The gang were all Asian, aged 15 to 17, and were wearing hooded tops.
Detective Inspector Paul Hitchen said: "This was a vicious attack on a lone teenager for no apparent reason. We have a dedicated team of detectives working on this. I would like to add that there is no suggestion of any racial element whatsoever to this assault.
"I would appeal to all members of Bolton society who may have information about this attack to come forward and help us bring these people to justice."
Islamic extremists should get therapy, Home Office tells local councils
The Home Office is to announce an extra £12.5 million to support new initiatives to try to stop extremism spreading.
The central element of the Home Office plan is a new national "deradicalisation" programme that would persuade converts to violent and extremist causes to change their views.
Controversially, the new plan makes clear that people who fall under the influence of violent organisations will not automatically face prosecution.
Instead, the presumption should be that some such individuals would face therapy and counselling from community groups instead of criminal charges.
Documents being distributed to local councils explain that many people who get drawn into extremism have often suffered some sort of personal trauma or crisis that makes them vulnerable to exploitation.
"We do not want to put through the criminal justice system those who are vulnerable to, or are being drawn into, violent extremism unless they have clearly committed an offence," a Home Office report says.
"It is vital that individuals and communities understand this and have the confidence to use the support structures that we shall be developing."
Most of the new funding will be set aside for grants to community groups that challenge the messages of violent extremists should be supported.
The plan includes a suggestion that local councils should map their areas religion, surveying and recording the faiths and denominations of local residents.
New guidelines for councils say: "A deeper understanding of local communities should be developed to help inform and focus the programme of action - this may include mapping denominational backgrounds and demographic and socio-economic factors."
The Home Office has told councils they must be prepared to ask police to vet anyone involved in projects that receive government anti-radicalisation funding.
If a group is found to be promoting violent extremism, local agencies and the police should consider disrupting or removing funding, and deny access to public facilities, the document added.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "A key element of our strategy aims to stop people getting involved in extremist violence.
"We are investing at local level to build resilient communities, which are equipped to confront violent extremism and support the most vulnerable individuals."
Shadow home secretary David Davis said of today's publication: "This is pointless when the Government is fuelling the problem it is seeking to solve with its draconian approach to 42 days."
The central element of the Home Office plan is a new national "deradicalisation" programme that would persuade converts to violent and extremist causes to change their views.
Controversially, the new plan makes clear that people who fall under the influence of violent organisations will not automatically face prosecution.
Instead, the presumption should be that some such individuals would face therapy and counselling from community groups instead of criminal charges.
Documents being distributed to local councils explain that many people who get drawn into extremism have often suffered some sort of personal trauma or crisis that makes them vulnerable to exploitation.
"We do not want to put through the criminal justice system those who are vulnerable to, or are being drawn into, violent extremism unless they have clearly committed an offence," a Home Office report says.
"It is vital that individuals and communities understand this and have the confidence to use the support structures that we shall be developing."
Most of the new funding will be set aside for grants to community groups that challenge the messages of violent extremists should be supported.
The plan includes a suggestion that local councils should map their areas religion, surveying and recording the faiths and denominations of local residents.
New guidelines for councils say: "A deeper understanding of local communities should be developed to help inform and focus the programme of action - this may include mapping denominational backgrounds and demographic and socio-economic factors."
The Home Office has told councils they must be prepared to ask police to vet anyone involved in projects that receive government anti-radicalisation funding.
If a group is found to be promoting violent extremism, local agencies and the police should consider disrupting or removing funding, and deny access to public facilities, the document added.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "A key element of our strategy aims to stop people getting involved in extremist violence.
"We are investing at local level to build resilient communities, which are equipped to confront violent extremism and support the most vulnerable individuals."
Shadow home secretary David Davis said of today's publication: "This is pointless when the Government is fuelling the problem it is seeking to solve with its draconian approach to 42 days."
Defendant in U.K. jetliner plot claims he only planned small bomb at Houses of Parliament as publicity stunt for movie he was making
A 27-year-old man accused of planning to bomb North America-bound airliners, including flights that prosecutors say were headed for Montreal and Toronto, said on Monday he was planning a publicity stunt, not mass murder.
Abdulla Ahmed Ali, one of eight British men charged with plotting to simultaneously detonate liquid explosives aboard passenger jets in 2006, told a court in London he had never considered bombing a plane.
He testified he instead planned to set off an explosion at the Houses of Parliament in London, using a device large enough to generate "mass media attention." He denied he planned to kill anyone.
"We never intended to murder anyone or to injure anyone," he said. "We never even thought about going on an airplane."
Prosecutors accuse Ali of being one of three ringleaders in a plot to kill hundreds of airline passengers by detonating bombs concealed in soft drink bottles as the flights crossed the Atlantic Ocean or over North American cities.
Earlier in the trial, the jury was played a video in which Ali said he wanted to become a martyr.
He threatened to "punish and humiliate" non-Muslims and "teach them a lesson they will never forget."
The computer systems engineering graduate told the court on Monday the video was just propaganda. He said he intended to use the footage for a documentary to be distributed on YouTube. The bomb blast, he said, would help publicize the movie.
Ali said he hoped the documentary would help sway the British public's attitude toward the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he called "totally illegal and criminal."
Prosecutors say Ali had a computer memory stick that stored vast amounts of detail on daily air services from London to North America, adding that he and his co-conspirators did not seem interested in return flights.
Abdulla Ahmed Ali, one of eight British men charged with plotting to simultaneously detonate liquid explosives aboard passenger jets in 2006, told a court in London he had never considered bombing a plane.
He testified he instead planned to set off an explosion at the Houses of Parliament in London, using a device large enough to generate "mass media attention." He denied he planned to kill anyone.
"We never intended to murder anyone or to injure anyone," he said. "We never even thought about going on an airplane."
Prosecutors accuse Ali of being one of three ringleaders in a plot to kill hundreds of airline passengers by detonating bombs concealed in soft drink bottles as the flights crossed the Atlantic Ocean or over North American cities.
Earlier in the trial, the jury was played a video in which Ali said he wanted to become a martyr.
He threatened to "punish and humiliate" non-Muslims and "teach them a lesson they will never forget."
The computer systems engineering graduate told the court on Monday the video was just propaganda. He said he intended to use the footage for a documentary to be distributed on YouTube. The bomb blast, he said, would help publicize the movie.
Ali said he hoped the documentary would help sway the British public's attitude toward the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he called "totally illegal and criminal."
Prosecutors say Ali had a computer memory stick that stored vast amounts of detail on daily air services from London to North America, adding that he and his co-conspirators did not seem interested in return flights.
British Police: Bible Preaching Off-Limits in Muslim Areas...
Two Christian preachers were stopped from handing out Bible extracts by police because they were in a Muslim area, it was claimed .
They say they were told by a Muslim police community support officer that they could not preach there and that attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity was a hate crime.
The community officer is also said to have told the two men: 'You have been warned. If you come back here and get beat up, well, you have been warned.'
A police constable who was present during the incident in the Alum Rock area of Birmingham is also alleged to have told the preachers not to return to the district.
It comes amid growing concern over the development of Islamic 'no-go areas'.
The preachers, Americans Arthur Cunningham and Joseph Abraham, are demanding an apology and compensation from West Midlands Police.
They say their treatment breaks the Human Rights Act, which guarantees freedom of religious expression.
The preachers, who have the backing of the Christian Institute pressure group, say they will take the force to court for breaching their human rights if they don't receive an apology.
They have accused the officer, PCSO Naeem Naguthney, of behaving in an 'aggressive and threatening' manner. A complaint by their lawyers said he interrupted as they spoke to Muslim youths about their beliefs.
Mr Abraham, 65, who was born a Muslim in Egypt and is a convert to Christianity, said: 'He told us we were trying to convert Muslims to Christianity and that that was a hate crime.
'He was very intimidating and it concerns me that somebody holding his views can become a police officer, albeit at PCSO level.'
Mr Cunningham, 48, a fellow American Baptist missionary, said: 'He realised we were Americans and then started ranting at us about George Bush and American foreign policy.
'He said we were in a Muslim area and were not allowed to spread our Christian message. He said he was going to take us to the police station.'
Mr Cunningham added: 'I am dumfounded that the police seem so nonchalant. They seem content not to make it clear that what we were doing was perfectly legal. This is a free country and to suggest we were guilty of a hate crime for spreading God's word is outrageous.'
According to a complaint by the men's lawyers, Mr Naguthney summoned two other officers in support, one of whom, a full constable, is said to have told the men not to return to the area.
Mr Naguthney, 30, was recruited as a community support officer last year after being unemployed for eight months.
Earlier this year, he had a prominent role at a conference to launch the West Midlands branch of the National Association of Muslim Police. He gave a reading from the Koran before the audience heard a recorded contribution from Gordon Brown, a speech from Home Office Minister Tony McNulty, and contributions from several chief constables.
Mr Naguthney declined to discuss the row.
His brother, Nadeem, said: 'Naeem is a community man, that is why he joined the police.'
The Alum Rock area was at the heart of a terrorism inquiry last year, which ended with the conviction of local resident Parviz Khan for plotting to kidnap and behead a British soldier.
A senior Church of England bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali, warned recently that it is hard for non-Muslims to live and work in some areas where radicals and clerics are trying to impose an Islamic character.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said an investigation into the complaint had concluded that the PCSO had acted 'with the best of intentions' when he 'intervened to diffuse a heated argument between two groups of men'.
A statement added: 'Following this investigation, the PCSO has been offered guidance about what constitutes a hate crime and advice on communication style.'
They say they were told by a Muslim police community support officer that they could not preach there and that attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity was a hate crime.
The community officer is also said to have told the two men: 'You have been warned. If you come back here and get beat up, well, you have been warned.'
A police constable who was present during the incident in the Alum Rock area of Birmingham is also alleged to have told the preachers not to return to the district.
It comes amid growing concern over the development of Islamic 'no-go areas'.
The preachers, Americans Arthur Cunningham and Joseph Abraham, are demanding an apology and compensation from West Midlands Police.
They say their treatment breaks the Human Rights Act, which guarantees freedom of religious expression.
The preachers, who have the backing of the Christian Institute pressure group, say they will take the force to court for breaching their human rights if they don't receive an apology.
They have accused the officer, PCSO Naeem Naguthney, of behaving in an 'aggressive and threatening' manner. A complaint by their lawyers said he interrupted as they spoke to Muslim youths about their beliefs.
Mr Abraham, 65, who was born a Muslim in Egypt and is a convert to Christianity, said: 'He told us we were trying to convert Muslims to Christianity and that that was a hate crime.
'He was very intimidating and it concerns me that somebody holding his views can become a police officer, albeit at PCSO level.'
Mr Cunningham, 48, a fellow American Baptist missionary, said: 'He realised we were Americans and then started ranting at us about George Bush and American foreign policy.
'He said we were in a Muslim area and were not allowed to spread our Christian message. He said he was going to take us to the police station.'
Mr Cunningham added: 'I am dumfounded that the police seem so nonchalant. They seem content not to make it clear that what we were doing was perfectly legal. This is a free country and to suggest we were guilty of a hate crime for spreading God's word is outrageous.'
According to a complaint by the men's lawyers, Mr Naguthney summoned two other officers in support, one of whom, a full constable, is said to have told the men not to return to the area.
Mr Naguthney, 30, was recruited as a community support officer last year after being unemployed for eight months.
Earlier this year, he had a prominent role at a conference to launch the West Midlands branch of the National Association of Muslim Police. He gave a reading from the Koran before the audience heard a recorded contribution from Gordon Brown, a speech from Home Office Minister Tony McNulty, and contributions from several chief constables.
Mr Naguthney declined to discuss the row.
His brother, Nadeem, said: 'Naeem is a community man, that is why he joined the police.'
The Alum Rock area was at the heart of a terrorism inquiry last year, which ended with the conviction of local resident Parviz Khan for plotting to kidnap and behead a British soldier.
A senior Church of England bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali, warned recently that it is hard for non-Muslims to live and work in some areas where radicals and clerics are trying to impose an Islamic character.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said an investigation into the complaint had concluded that the PCSO had acted 'with the best of intentions' when he 'intervened to diffuse a heated argument between two groups of men'.
A statement added: 'Following this investigation, the PCSO has been offered guidance about what constitutes a hate crime and advice on communication style.'
New flats for elderly people have opened in Bristol - with toilets that do not face Mecca.
The Muslim-friendly Very Sheltered Housing (VSH) scheme in Lincoln Street, Lawrence Hill, also includes beds that allow a tenant's feet to point in the right direction.
Lincoln Gardens cost more than £6 million, has 55 bedrooms and was put up by the city council and the Guinness Trust on the site of the former Wainbrook elderly persons' home.It includes 19 flats suitable for "tenants from the Muslim community" following local consultation.A council spokesman said: "The toilets in these flats are orientated so that the user doesn't face Mecca."Beds are placed so that feet are facing south east and not north west.
"There is a door between the kitchen and living room plus extra ventilation in the kitchen to stop smells escaping."And plumbing has been carried out to allow for the addition of a bidet or a shower head to allow the washing of the toilet bowl."Councillor Derek Pickup, cabinet member for care, tackling crime and deprivation, said: "Older people consistently tell us they want to live as independently as possible for as long as possible."This very sheltered housing programme helps do just that and is already one of our city's major success stories."The development is the seventh VSH scheme to open in the city.Work is under way on an eighth, in Bishopsworth, which is being developed in partnership with Brunelcare and contractors Leadbitter.
The scheme is not the first to be designed with religious sensibilities in mind.Two and a half years ago a block of housing association flats opened in Wilson Street, St Paul's, with bathrooms especially designed not to offend Muslims.The toilets were built so they did not face south east. They had powerful extractor fans in the kitchen because, it was said, Asian families preferred steam-cooking, which leads to condensation problems.They had larger kitchen cupboards because Asian families apparently tended to use more pots and pans.There was also a designated area of worship for Sikhs.Aashyana Housing Association chief executive, Saeed Anwar, said at the time: "We didn't need to consult with the Muslim community about the toilets. We knew this would be pleasing to them if the toilets were not facing Mecca.
It didn't mean any extra cost to us - it was just a question of making sure they were not facing south east."If we can build homes which are pleasing to all members of the community, then this is a good thing."If an English tenant moved in, they would use the cupboards or the toilets and not think about them - but it can make an extra difference to others."At the time Farooq Siddique, from the Bristol Muslim Cultural Society, welcomed developments which considered the cultural diversity of tenants.
Lincoln Gardens cost more than £6 million, has 55 bedrooms and was put up by the city council and the Guinness Trust on the site of the former Wainbrook elderly persons' home.It includes 19 flats suitable for "tenants from the Muslim community" following local consultation.A council spokesman said: "The toilets in these flats are orientated so that the user doesn't face Mecca."Beds are placed so that feet are facing south east and not north west.
"There is a door between the kitchen and living room plus extra ventilation in the kitchen to stop smells escaping."And plumbing has been carried out to allow for the addition of a bidet or a shower head to allow the washing of the toilet bowl."Councillor Derek Pickup, cabinet member for care, tackling crime and deprivation, said: "Older people consistently tell us they want to live as independently as possible for as long as possible."This very sheltered housing programme helps do just that and is already one of our city's major success stories."The development is the seventh VSH scheme to open in the city.Work is under way on an eighth, in Bishopsworth, which is being developed in partnership with Brunelcare and contractors Leadbitter.
The scheme is not the first to be designed with religious sensibilities in mind.Two and a half years ago a block of housing association flats opened in Wilson Street, St Paul's, with bathrooms especially designed not to offend Muslims.The toilets were built so they did not face south east. They had powerful extractor fans in the kitchen because, it was said, Asian families preferred steam-cooking, which leads to condensation problems.They had larger kitchen cupboards because Asian families apparently tended to use more pots and pans.There was also a designated area of worship for Sikhs.Aashyana Housing Association chief executive, Saeed Anwar, said at the time: "We didn't need to consult with the Muslim community about the toilets. We knew this would be pleasing to them if the toilets were not facing Mecca.
It didn't mean any extra cost to us - it was just a question of making sure they were not facing south east."If we can build homes which are pleasing to all members of the community, then this is a good thing."If an English tenant moved in, they would use the cupboards or the toilets and not think about them - but it can make an extra difference to others."At the time Farooq Siddique, from the Bristol Muslim Cultural Society, welcomed developments which considered the cultural diversity of tenants.
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