Somalia: New al-Shabab recruiting video features Swede, Brit; issues death threat to Lars Vilks

Somalia: New al-Shabab recruiting video features Swede, Brit; issues death threat to Lars Vilks

(image via Gudmundson, who also links to the film)

Via Jihadist Forum Monitor:

On 23 November 2010, a video produced by the Mujahidin Youth Movement’s (MYM) [aka al-Shabab], media division, al-Kita’b, was released onto jihadist forums entitled: ‘An Invitation to the Lands of Jihad and Ribat’. It urges Muslims around the world to travel to Somalia and undertake combat training with the MYM and graduate as mujahidin.

The production, dated November 2010, lasts for over 35 minutes and uses a number of video-clips of non-Somali MYM fighters urging their countrymen – in their native tongues – to join the group. Many of the men featured wish their fellow Muslims around the world a happy Eid [holiday], which suggests it might have been produced fairly recently. The video also has narration in Arabic with English and Somali subtitles.

(...)

‘Abu Dujana’ – identified as a UK national, whose appearance would suggest that he is of African origin, addresses Muslims in Britain in British-accented English. He urges them to travel to Somalia and train for jihad, and live in a society governed by Sharia.

‘Abu Zaid’ – identified as a Swedish national, appeals to Muslims in Sweden to do the same, and tells them that it is ‘an obligation upon you’. Like, Abu Dujana, his appearance would suggest he is also of African origin, but he addresses his audience in Swedish. He adds: ‘Brothers and sisters, I encourage you to come here to Somalia to take part in the jihad in Somalia. He continues: ‘I want to send this warning to Lars Viks, who was behind the caricatures defaming our Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him. And I say to Lars Viks that wherever you are, if not today or tomorrow, know that we haven’t yet forgotten about you. We will get hold of you and with God’s permission we will catch you wherever you are and whatever hole you are hiding in, God willing. Know what awaits you, as it will be nothing but this: [he then makes a cutting gesture with his finger on his throat] slaughter! For that is what you deserve’.

(source)

UK: Family of Jihadist wants tougher action

UK: Family of Jihadist wants tougher action

Via the Telegraph:

Awais Arshad, whose brother Umar, absconded from a control order, said police should have acted more quickly to stop him leaving the country.

He accused the police of “gross negligence" in failing to stop his brother and added: "How could he still be allowed to leave the country I do not know.”

Mr Arshad’s comments will add to the controversy currently surrounding control orders, which is threatening to split the coalition after pledges made by the Liberal Democrats to scrap them.

The Muslim community is often thought to be against the orders but Umar Arshad’s family actually contacted the police themselves asking them to stop him leaving.

He is one of seven people who have absconded after being placed under the orders, a loose form of house arrest. Most are thought to have left the country and join al-Qaeda.

(source)

More here.

UK: Mosque attacked by protesters against Muslim extremism

UK: Mosque attacked by protesters against Muslim extremism

Via Surrey Comet:

Masked men threw bottles of beer and urinated on a mosque following a march against Muslim extremism.

Bacon was also left on cars near Kingston Mosque during the attack by a group of 10-15 youths on Sunday.

Kingston Mosque claimed baseball bats were also used in the incident on East Road, but this was not confirmed by police.

However officers did recover two pieces of wood near the scene.

Police were called to the mosque at 1.15pm and arrested three white males, who have since been released on bail without charge.

Rizwan Khaliq, spokesman for the Kingston Muslim Association, said: "Under the pretence of protesting against extreme elements within the Islamic faith, a group of masked men congregated outside the mosque shouting obscenities at the mainly elderly congregation inside.

"They urinated against the mosque walls, threw beer-bottles, and used baseball bats to smash windows.

"It is a miracle that nobody was injured and only superficial damaged was caused.

(source)

UK: Saudi schools teach Sharia law

UK: Saudi schools teach Sharia law



What's more shocking: Saudi law, the fact that Saudis teach Saudi law, or the fact that everybody's shocked that Saudis teach Saudi law?

Via BBC:

BBC Panorama found that more than 40 Saudi Students' Schools and Clubs are teaching the official Saudi national curriculum to about 5,000 pupils.

One text book shows how the hands and feet of thieves are chopped off.

The Saudi government said it had no official ties to the part-time schools and clubs and did not endorse them.

However, a building in west London where Panorama obtained one of the text books is owned by the Saudi government.

The director of education for the Saudi Students' Schools and Clubs said the Saudi Cultural Bureau, which is part of the embassy, had authority over the network.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said there was no place for the Saudi teachings with regard to Jews or homosexuals in Britain: "To my mind it doesn't seem to me that this is the sort of material that should be used in English schools."

He said in light of the BBC's findings, the school inspectorate Ofsted was looking into the possible regulation and inspection of out-of-hours schools and clubs. At present, part-time schools do not fall within Ofsted's mandate.


(...)


One of the text books asks children to list the "reprehensible" qualities of Jewish people. A text for younger children asks what happens to someone who dies who is not a believer in Islam - the answer given in the text book is "hellfire".

Another text describes the punishment for gay sex as death and states a difference of opinion about whether it should be carried out by stoning, burning with fire or throwing the person over a cliff.

In a book for 14-year-olds, Sharia law and its punishment for theft are explained, including detailed diagrams about how hands and feet of thieves are amputated.

In a written response, the Saudi embassy said such materials were often taken out of context and often referred to historical descriptions.

(more)

Manchester: Christmas lights bring controversy

Manchester: Christmas lights bring controversy


Via Rochdale Online:

Rochdale’s Christmas lights have caught the eye of tabloid journalists for the second year in a row.

A year ago, Rochdale Council infamously put them up in late August, explaining that they were doing so as Eid would fall the next month and they wanted to have everything ready.

This year, the lights have gone up alongside Stars of David, crescent moons wishing by passers a ‘happy Eid’ and lanterns reminding you to have a ‘happy Diwali’. Diwali was on November 5 and the last celebratory day of Eid was today.

The Daily Star headlined its story ‘Christmas is hijacked by Muslims and Hindus’ and described local councillors as ‘barmy PC do-gooders’.

A spokesperson for Rochdale Borough Council explained the lights represent the diverse communities in Rochdale, saying: “Our Christmas lights remain very popular and help bring people into our town centres to enjoy Christmas events at a critical time for local traders. We have a varied and diverse display, representing our community in Rochdale.”

Imam Irfan Chisti, Chairman of the Multifaith Partnership of Rochdale, said: “I’m very much in favour of this and anything else that brings faiths together. The lights are right outside our mosque and it lightens up the whole area.

(source)

UK: Police warn far right marches radicalize Muslims

UK: Police warn far right marches radicalize Muslims



Via Reuters:

Demonstrations by far right groups like the English Defence League (EDL) act like recruiting sergeants for Islamic militants across Britain, the head of a regional counter terrorism unit said on Friday.

Detective Superintendent John Larkin from West Midlands police said EDL marches and counter-demonstrations often ended in violence, with evidence they end up pushing some members of the community towards radicalisation.

"In some areas, we have evidence that once they have gone ... there's fertile ground for those groups (to say) 'this is the way white Western society sees us,'" he told BBC Radio.

"And that's a potential recruiting carrot for people and that's what some of these radicalisers look for -- they look for the vulnerability, for the hook to pull people through and when the EDL have been and done what they've done, they perversely leave that behind."

He said it was especially true if high-profile demos ended in the destruction of Muslim property or violence against community members.

(source)