Two bombs kill 20 near Iraqi Shi'ite city of Kerbala

KERBALA Iraq (Reuters) - Two car bombs exploded near the holy Shi'ite city of Kerbala in southern Iraq on Monday, killing 20 mainly Shi'ite pilgrims and wounding 54, an Iraqi official said.

The blasts took place on the road between Kerbala and the holy Shi'ite city of Najaf, Mohammed al-Moussawi, head of the Kerbala provincial council, told Reuters.

The bombs were targeting Shi'ite pilgrims visiting Kerbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, ahead of the anniversary of Imam Mohammed al-Mehdi's birthday for which several hundred thousand people are expected this week.

A police source said there were a total of 30 killed or wounded by one car bomb.

The birthday is one of several annual pilgrimages that have evolved into shows of strength for Iraq's majority Shi'ite community since the fall of Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein, who curbed such rites.

 I'm not a Muslim if this is Islam

Pakistani Christians accused of blasphemy murdered outside courthouse

Police were transporting Pastor Rashid Emmanuel and his brother, Sajid Emmanuel, from the court in Faisalabad to jail when masked gunmen opened fire, killing the two Christians and seriously wounding a policeman accompanying them before getting away, reported Washington-based International Christian Concern.

The brothers had been arrested on July 2 after being accused of writing a pamphlet with blasphemous remarks about the Muslim Prophet Muhammad – a crime punishable by death.

The two had just made a court appearance when Monday’s attack took place, prompting strong words from ICC. “It’s outrageous that the Islamists managed to kill the Christians while they were under police custody,” exclaimed Jonathan Racho, ICC’s regional manager for South Asia

I am not a Muslim if this is Islam!

Christiantoday: Somali Islamists execute Christian convert

I'm not a Muslim if this is Islam!

"ICC said that Sheik Adan Yare, the Al-Shabab governor of the Bakol region, spoke to the press on July 1 and said, "Our holy warriors have today, on July 1 at 11: 45 am, executed in front of angry Muslim witnesses a young man whose name was Muhammad Guul Hashim Idiris who insulted our beloved prophet."

The execution, which took place at a make-shift soccer stadium, was attended by hundreds of people, including school children who were forced to watch the grizzly scene."

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/somali.islamists.execute.christian.convert/26257.htm

AsiaNews:Kerala, hand severed of Christian Professor accused of blasphemy

I'm not a Muslim if this is Islam!

"The victim is a college professor who "insulted Muhammad" in an exam questionnaire. Islamic extremism is growing in Kerala: many schools face pressures on the use of the veil. The condemnation of national Muslim organizations. Sajan K. George: Sharia is not law in India."

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kerala,-hand-severed-of-Christian-Professor-accused-of-blasphemy-18843.html