Spies, Defence Force top brass - Do your job - Gower on politics - Politics - 3 News

Spies, Defence Force top brass - Do your job - Gower on politics - Politics - 3 News: "And I shudder to think about the resources and money spent on monitoring New Zealand's Muslim community in the years since 9/11.

But when it comes to vetting the CV of Stephen Wilce - they drop the ball completely.

There are rumours the SIS is underfunded, and slow to do its vetting. It sounds as if it may even contract it out to an outside private agency - if so, that ain't working too well.

I'm actually all for a spy agency, and one that errs on the side of caution - but it needs to do its job properly."

NewsRoomAmerica.com - Michael Moore Weighs Into Ground Zero 'Mosque' Debate

NewsRoomAmerica.com - Michael Moore Weighs Into Ground Zero 'Mosque' Debate: "'I believe in an America that says you have the right to worship whatever God you have, wherever you want to worship. And I believe in an America that says to the world that we are a loving and generous people and if a bunch of murderers steal your religion from you and use it as their excuse to kill 3,000 souls, then I want to help you get your religion back. And I want to put it at the spot where it was stolen from you,' he said. Moore said he hates bigotry and liars, and 'so in case you missed any of the truth that's been lost in this, let me point out a few facts.'"

I salute you Mr. Moore!

Brisbane Lawyer Expects To Be Fired For Burning Koran And Bible

Brisbane Lawyer Expects To Be Fired For Burning Koran And Bible: "The Islamic Association of Australia president urged 'hurt' Muslims not to retaliate.

'Of course we're hurt ... but I would urge my Muslim fellow men to respond with caution and with responsibility,' Sheik Muhammad Wahid said.

'They should be careful when they respond upon these issues. We are a community of tolerance [and] understanding.

'Of course people will be angry but I urge they should not take the law into their own hands and they should show their response in a positive way to explain [to] the whole Australian public that we must live in a way that we respect each other's faith and practices.'

Sheik Wahid questioned Mr Stewart's motive for publishing such a video"

Little chefs do us all proud, says Colin Vickery | Herald Sun

Little chefs do us all proud, says Colin Vickery | Herald Sun: "Even more impressive is the ethnic diversity of the Junior MasterChef contestants. The top 50 contestants included children with varied backgrounds that included Italian, Greek, Iranian, French, Chinese, British, Burmese, Maori, Indonesian and Ukrainian heritage."

“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”

Iranian clerics call for slaying of Koran burners | Herald Sun

Iranian clerics call for slaying of Koran burners | Herald Sun: "TWO top Iranian clerics said anyone desecrating the Koran must be killed as hundreds of people protested on yesterady outside the Swiss embassy in Tehran.

'From the point of view of Islamic jurisprudence, strong objection to such thoughts is mandatory and necessary and killing the people who have committed this act is compulsory,' Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.

His view was echoed by Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi who added that such a response must be taken after consulting a 'religious judge.'

'The blood of the person who burns the Koran can undoubtedly be shed. But in this issue, no action should be taken without the permission of a religious judge,' Makarem Shirazi said."

With all due respect to these scholars, is this really an Islamic fatwa/edict? or an emotional one?

Judge blocks 14-year-old girl's arranged marriage | Herald Sun

Judge blocks 14-year-old girl's arranged marriage | Herald Sun: "A 14-YEAR-old girl has been banned from leaving Australia and has had to surrender her passport to save her from an arranged marriage.

Just days before the girl's father planned to whisk her overseas to marry a man she has never met, the Family Court ordered she must stay.

The Melbourne teenager is one of a number of Australian girls forced into arranged marriages overseas each year.

Her plight came to light when child protection officers received a report in June that the then-13-year-old had been taken out of school ahead of her intended marriage."

Shouldn't Imams focus more on such issues than on paradise & rewards & worships?

French Senate passes ban on veil

French Senate passes ban on veil: "The French Senate has overwhelmingly passed a bill banning the burqa-style Islamic veil in public, with the leaders of both parliamentary houses saying they have already asked a special council to ensure the measure passes constitutional muster amid concerns its tramples on religious freedoms.

The Senate voted 246 to 1 on Tuesday in favour of the bill, which has already passed in the lower chamber, the National Assembly. It will need President Nicolas Sarkozy's signature."

And oppression of women prevails! Fight oppression with education not with another oppression!

Controversial yet must watch movies: The infidel & Taqwacores & 12 Angry lebanese

Terror suspect walked around base: court

Terror suspect walked around base: court: "The men believed Islam was under attack from the West, including Australia, the court has heard.

Transcripts of secretly recorded conversations involving the men were read to the court on Tuesday during prosecutor Nick Robinson SC's opening address to the jury.

In one conversation, Fattal and Sayed describe Australians as the enemy.

'They are spiteful,' Fattal said.

'I swear to Allah the great, they are enemies.

'All of them. All of them. They are targeting us.'

Sayed agreed: 'I swear to Allah, poison'."

This is indisputably terrorism but isn't that what Mr. Keelty was talking about?
FORMER Australian Federal Police chief Mick Keelty's judgment that the Iraq war had increased the terrorist threat has been vindicated.

On Religion - Muslim Prayer Room Was Part of Life at Twin Towers - NYTimes.com

On Religion - Muslim Prayer Room Was Part of Life at Twin Towers - NYTimes.com: "Over the next few days, noticing some fellow Muslims on the job, Mr. Abdus-Salaam voiced an equally essential question: “So where do you pray at?” And so he learned about the Muslim prayer room on the 17th floor of the south tower.

He went there regularly in the months to come, first doing the ablution known as wudu in a washroom fitted for cleansing hands, face and feet, and then facing toward Mecca to intone the salat prayer.

On any given day, Mr. Abdus-Salaam’s companions in the prayer room might include financial analysts, carpenters, receptionists, secretaries and ironworkers. There were American natives, immigrants who had earned citizenship, visitors conducting international business — the whole Muslim spectrum of nationality and race."

Threats over Muslim school before blaze | Herald Sun

Threats over Muslim school before blaze | Herald Sun: "LIVERPOOL councillors received a series of threatening emails and text messages from opponents of a Muslim school before the council chambers were burnt down in an arson attack.

Police are investigating links between the council's controversial approval of the development and last weekend's huge blaze, which has resulted in chaos in one of Sydney's biggest local government administrations."

Radically opposing the school because it's founded by radicals? Radicals opposing radicals?

'Allahu Akbar' rings out at the Pentagon

'Allahu Akbar' rings out at the Pentagon: "WASHINGTON: Inside the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Chapel, a female air force sergeant unlaced her combat boots, set them under the pews and slipped her black veil around her hair and over her camouflaged uniform.

The men pushed back the altar for Christian services to make room for their large, green prayer rugs; then moved the podium from one side of the room to the other so that the congregation would be facing Mecca.

''Allahu Akbar,'' called out Ali Mohammed, a contractor who works at the Pentagon, raising his hands to his face as he chanted the call to prayer. ''Allahu Akbar.''"

Feature - Christians and Muslims in joint retreat - CathNews

Feature - Christians and Muslims in joint retreat - CathNews: "Nine young people came together earlier this month at the Campion Centre in Melbourne for an experience in inter-religious dialogue.

Facilitated by Fr Herman Roborgh SJ, the dialogue, on August 6-7, consisted of lectio divina, or meditation on selected passages from the Bible and the Qur'an. They also involved sharing about each one's experience of praying with the text of the other religion.

Questions regarding each others' faith were also encouraged in an honest and respectful dialogue. The retreat finished with the MAGiS circle which is a modified and extended Examen, done in prayerful conversation.

The retreat was organized by Madeleine Marson of MAGiS Victoria and Kieran Gill, SJ of Jesuit Theological College. The attendees included two Muslim women from the Al Ghazzali Centre, a student from Newman College, a young lawyer and three Jesuit scholastics."

Muslim sister fends off a thief

Muslim sister fends off a thief: "Muslim sister fends off a thief"

First timers make poll waves: News: SBS Federal Election coverage

First timers make poll waves: News: SBS Federal Election coverage: "Ed Husic - First Muslim MP

Ed Husic, the winning Labor candidate for Chifley in Western Sydney, describes himself as
'Blacktown, through and through' on his website.

A union man - he's the National President of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union, Ed is the first 'Muslim' ever elected to the lower house.

Husic is the son of Bosnian parents, and describes himself as a 'non-practising' Muslim, but it's perhaps something of a milestone for this multi-cultural country where, in 2010, politics still looks decidedly different to the community as a whole.

Husic spoke of what he said was the vilification he experienced when standing as a candidate in 2004."

Widow remembers the past but looks to the future

Widow remembers the past but looks to the future: "''That's not fair,'' she said. ''It's not because of Allah that these buildings fell.''

Mrs Traore is the widow of one of roughly 60 Muslims - cooks, businessmen, emergency responders and airline passengers - believed to have died on 9/11. It is a group that has been little examined, and no precisely reliable count of their ranks exists. But their stories, when told, have frequently been offered as counterweights in the latest public argument over terrorism and Islam."

Saudi diplomat seeks US asylum: report

Saudi diplomat seeks US asylum: report: "A Saudi Arabian diplomat is seeking political asylum in the United States because he is gay and befriended a Jewish woman, and fears for his life if he returns, NBC News reported on Saturday.

The diplomat, which NBC identified as Ali Ahmad Asseri, the first secretary of the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles, reportedly told US federal officials that Saudi officials refused to renew his diplomatic passport and terminated his job after they discovered that he was gay and was close friends with a Jewish woman.

'My life is in a great danger here and if I go back to Saudi Arabia, they will kill me openly in broad daylight,' Asseri told NBC in an email message."

Obama: we are at war with terrorist, not Islam

Obama: we are at war with terrorist, not Islam: "“We are at war against terrorist organizations that have distorted Islam or falsely used the banner of Islam to engage in their destructive acts,” Obama said during a press conference Friday morning."

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

BRUNEI Sultan wants improved PS

The Sultan of Brunei has called for improvements in the Public Service during a national address on his 64th birthday.
   The Sultan said productivity and work ethics needed to be improved in the PS, particularly in the Departments of Health and Education.
   He called for Key Performance Indicators to be used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Public Service.
   “Through this methodology, we are able to measure to what extent can the public service carry out its responsibilities in meeting the demands of this country and the public,” The Sultan said.
   He said the Department of Health in particular needed to introduce assessments, especially for its medical professionals.
   “We do not want our hospitals to become frightening places just because the doctors always fail to provide their services.”
   He said in the Department of Education, new and effective techniques were needed but not at the expense of national priorities such as religious proficiency.
   The Sultan said that Muslim children in Brunei needed to be proficient in religion, and that to do so, the education system must prioritise religious education.
   He said that weak religious beliefs would thrust the nation into disaster and suggested that without strong religious restrictions, young people would become susceptible to crime and drugs.
   “This cannot be taken lightly,” he said.
   “As conscious people, we must remedy it and that remedy is religion.”

This is a great initiative but I hope they will focus on the core values of... Islam rather than sectarian Islam ..

Influential Saudi cleric says Muslim women can respect veil bans

A LEADING Saudi cleric has condemned France for moving to ban Muslim face veils, but approved of Muslim women foregoing veils when visiting a country which outlaws them.

"It is illogical and unreasonable that the French government undertakes such a thing, which is condemned by neutral people, not just Muslims, because the secular state assures freedom of religion," Sheikh Aed al-Qarni told Saudi paper Al-Hayat.

"The state has to respect religious rituals and beliefs, including those of Muslims," he said in an interview.

However, he added, if Muslim women are in a country that has banned the niqab, or full-face veil, or if they face harassment in such a place, "it is better that the Muslim woman uncovers her face."

Numerous scholars of various Islamic schools of thought agree on this point, Qarni said.


"We must not confront people in their own country or other countries, or bring hardship on ourselves."

His comments followed France's parliament voting on July 13 to ban the niqab. The French senate will vote on the measure in September, after which it could still be challenged on constitutional grounds.

I agree if they are just visitors but if they are citizens then they have all right to oppose it by all legitimate means .. 

DARYL McLURE: no need to ban the burqa

I HAVE been intrigued in recent times by the calls by some Australians for the burqa - the head-to-toe, face-covering clothing worn by a small minority of Muslim women - to be banned.

I think such calls are a threat to religious freedom and provoked by ignorance and fear rather than by logic and real concern for the rights of Muslim women.

This is certainly the case in Europe. More than 50 million Muslims now live in Europe, including Russia and Eastern Europe, with some 15 million in the countries of the European Union.

Tensions have arisen partly because of this, partly because of the religious/cultural differences and partly because in some countries, including traditionally tolerant Britain and the Netherlands, locally-born Muslims have been attracted to the Jihadi cause and become involved in murder and terrorism.


Hence an increase in fear.

Recently, France became the first nation in Europe to ban the burqa, but Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and some parts of Italy are also debating the issue. And, back home in Australia, we have seen the Rev Fred Nile and other Australians take up the cause.

Should the burqa be banned?

About the only reason I can see for doing so is security. But how often have we seen, even in Europe, the burqa being used as a cover for terrorist operations? I may be wrong, but I can't recollect any.

Locally, most of those opposing the wearing of the burqa, including the Rev Nile, follow the European mantra and claim they are taking their stand in the interests of human rights, the freedom of women to wear what they want to wear. But are they?

Only a small minority of Muslim women in Australia - even in many Muslim countries - wear the burqa. Is it not plausible that most of them do so, not because it is imposed on them by males, but because they take references in the Koran, which encourage modesty among both men and women, literally?

The Rev Nile and his unlikely bedfellows among the women's libbers are really patronising these women.

There are Christians, Pentecostalists, Revivalists and so forth who take the Bible literally, who believe in creationism. Should we stop them from holding their belief?

Of course not. Roman Catholic and Anglican nuns used to wear head-to-toe habits and have just their faces exposed for similar reasons of modesty. That is what the burqa is about.

There is still debate among Muslim scholars relating to interpretation of the Koran and the extent of covering of female bodies. Modesty is demanded of both sexes, not just women.

It is difficult. We live in a secular society but that society has evolved from traditional Christian values, that in many respects were - and, among a minority still are - not all that different to those of Muslims. But as secularism has become more widespread in Western society, norms have changed and secular (civil) law has evolved from the religious laws which once prevailed.

Will this happen with Islamic law? It may but certainly not in the short-term. However, as long as Muslims living in Australia and other Western countries accept that they owe an allegiance to their new countries as well as to their religion, there should be no conflict of loyalty.

As Muslim women mix more widely and new generations of Muslim Australians are born, there may be evolution and change in attitude. But a minority may always feel the burqa is both a religious statement and helps protect their virtue.

Is that a bad thing? Why should we force that minority to compromise their religious beliefs?

Some say the burqa is intimidating but then so is a Mohawk haircut to some and tattoos to others.

Should we ban them too? I repeat, I agree with those who have said that the only real reason to ban the burqa is security. And, in the absence of any security threat linked to the burqa or the nijab, I see no reason to do so. If we offer respect, perhaps it will be returned.

I salute such sensible & realistic thinking .. 

Sacked Liberal candidate goes loudly into exile, defending views on Muslims

SACKED Liberal hopeful David Barker has spent his first full day as a disendorsed candidate vigorously defending his views on Muslims.

In an interview with the Ten Network, Mr Barker declared the Muslim faith had no place in Australia and declaring his love for Mr Abbott, whom he earlier described as "God's mouthpiece" in politics. "I would stand up against the Muslim beliefs and ethics . . . well, I don't believe the Muslim faith actually has a place in Australia," Mr Barker told the Ten Network.

Coast Imam rejects Hanson option

The head of the Islamic Society of the Gold Coast said if the controversial former One Nation MP ran for the position and won, it would spell disaster for the city.
Earlier this year Ms Hanson came under fire for stipulating she would not sell her Coleyville home to a Muslim, but Imam Husain said no Muslim would want to buy her property anyway.....More than 20,000 Middle-Eastern people visited the Gold Coast in the year ending March 2010, but Imam Husain said they could be put off if Ms Hanson became mayor. "They enjoy our beautiful facilities here, and of course our mayor has been very accommodating to these tourists," he said. "These people are good spenders, but if they know of someone who is not so kind to them and has this biased attitude towards Muslims, then obviously they are going to look for some other destination. "Emotionally, some people may say 'that's good, we don't need these Muslims', but practically it's not good for the Gold Coast."

UK politician warned of legal action if he will not meet with women in burqas

A BRITISH lawmaker has been warned he faces possible legal action if he carries out a threat to refuse to meet constituents wearing burqas.

Conservative politician Philip Hollobone has been warned that the Equality Act obliges him to avoid discrimination, , Sky News reported.

Civil rights campaign group Liberty has told him it "will be happy to represent any of your constituents that you refuse to meet because they are veiled."

Iraq war turned British Muslims against their country: former spy chief

She said British involvement in Iraq "radicalised" some British citizens, "not a whole generation, a few among a generation -- who saw our involvement in Iraq on top of our involvement in Afghanistan as an attack on Islam".


Asked what specific proof there was of a direct correlation between the Iraq invasion and the growth in Muslim terror plots in Britain she said: "I think we can produce evidence because of the numerical evidence of the number of plots, the number of leads, the number of people identified and the correlation of that to Iraq and the statements of people as to why they were involved.


"What Iraq did was to produce a fresh impetus of people prepared to engage in terrorism."

You harvest what you sow!

Six years after public rap, Keelty judgment on terror upheld

FORMER Australian Federal Police chief Mick Keelty's judgment that the Iraq war had increased the terrorist threat has been vindicated.


He was promptly jumped on by the Howard government for contradicting its line on the war.
Yesterday, he was belatedly backed in spectacular fashion by former director-general of MI5 Lady Eliza Manningham-Buller, who told Britain's Chilcot inquiry into the war that the Iraq invasion had substantially increased the threat of terrorist attacks and was a significant factor behind the radicalisation of young Muslims.

Last night, he told The Australian he did feel vindicated by Lady Manningham-Buller's testimony.
"It's probably the strongest indication yet that the position I took not only at the time, but subsequent to that, to ensure that the Islamic community was properly engaged and not marginalised in Australia, was an important decision," Mr Keelty said.
He started by introducing Islamic awareness training in the AFP and put Islamic liaison teams in each state and territory.

I salute you Mr. Keelty!

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!

Child bride law challenged in Nigeria

A Nigerian Islamic group has challenged a lawsuit against a senator who married a 13-year-old Egyptian girl.

While the government has issued the suit against Ahmed Sani Yerima for his marriage to the girl,
the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria is seeking an order of the Federal High Court to restrain the government from taking action over the marriage.

The Supreme Council for Sharia enforces Islamic laws and stands outside the regular court system.

The government-backed National Human Rights Commission and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficing in Persons had brought the lawsuit, which will be challenged on constitutional grounds.

According to the Supreme Council for Sharia, Muslim men in Nigeria are allowed to marry four wives without restriction on age, even a child in the womb of her mother.

The group has said the constitution guarantees the senator the right to practice his religion in the way and manner it is described.

Yerima, 49, the ex-governor of Muslim-dominated northwest Zamfara State, has slammed the Nigerian Child Rights Act of 2003 which forbids marriage to anyone under the age of 18, saying it contravenes the country's constitution which guarantees a citizen's rights to practice his religion. The case has been adjourned until October 21.

So that's how the Islamists will run their Islamic states according to Sharia?! I would be the first to flee such a state!

UK citizens more a threat than Saddam: spy chief

"Our involvement in Iraq radicalised, for want of a better word, a whole generation of young people - not a whole generation, a few among a generation - who saw our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan as being an attack on Islam," she said.
"During 2003-04, we realised that the focus was not foreigners. The rising and increasing threat was a threat from British citizens and that was a very different scenario to, as it were, stopping people coming in." Eliza Manningham-Buller, former head of British domestic intelligence agency MI5