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Showing posts with label Terrorism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terrorism. Show all posts
September 20, 2016
Terrorism: a perfect storm
Financing terrorism: 'The refugee crisis is the perfect storm'
In her book "Merchants of Men", Italian terrorist financing expert Loretta Napoleoni investigates the multi-billion dollar human trafficking industry. She tells FRANCE 24 how this criminal underworld is connected to jihadist groups.
http://f24.my/2cESTtV
August 17, 2016
Britain Terrorism: Anjem Choudary: Islamic Hate preacher finally jailed for Isis-related terror offences
Britain's most notorious hate preacher Anjem Choudary is finally
behind bars after being convicted of inviting his followers to support
Islamic State terrorists.
The 49-year-old lawyer turned radical cleric has for two decades been the spiritual guide for UK extremists including Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebolajo, Isis executioner Siddhartha Dhar, and hate preacher Abu Hamza.
Through his organisations, Muslim4UK and Al-Muhajiroun (ALM), Choudary has been a constant thorn in the side of British authorities, defending terrorist atrocities while promoting an ideology of hate.
Choudary has played a "significant" role in recruiting Muslims to the extremist cause, police say, inspiring many of the 850 Brits who have headed to Syria since the establishment of the so-called Islamic State.
Read more: Anjem Choudary: Hate preacher jailed for Isis-related terror offences | Crime | News | London Evening Standard
The 49-year-old lawyer turned radical cleric has for two decades been the spiritual guide for UK extremists including Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebolajo, Isis executioner Siddhartha Dhar, and hate preacher Abu Hamza.
Through his organisations, Muslim4UK and Al-Muhajiroun (ALM), Choudary has been a constant thorn in the side of British authorities, defending terrorist atrocities while promoting an ideology of hate.
Choudary has played a "significant" role in recruiting Muslims to the extremist cause, police say, inspiring many of the 850 Brits who have headed to Syria since the establishment of the so-called Islamic State.
Read more: Anjem Choudary: Hate preacher jailed for Isis-related terror offences | Crime | News | London Evening Standard
Labels:
Anjem Choudary,
Arrests,
Britain,
Derelicts,
EU,
Hate Preacher,
Islamic,
Murderers,
Terrorism
August 2, 2016
France: Muslims go to Catholic Masses in Europe to show solidarity - by Milos Krivokapic and Raphael Satter
In a gesture of solidarity after the gruesome killing of a French
priest, hundreds of Muslims on Sunday attended Catholic Masses in
churches and cathedrals across France and Italy.
More than 100 Muslims gathered at the towering Gothic cathedral in Rouen, near Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, where the 85-year-old Rev. Jacques Hamel had his throat slit by two teenage Muslim fanatics Tuesday.
‘‘We are very moved by the presence of our Muslim friends and I believe it is a courageous act that they did by coming to us,’’ Dominique Lebrun, the archbishop of Rouen, said after the service.
Some of the Muslims sat in the front row, across from the altar. Among the parishioners was one of the nuns who was briefly taken hostage at Hamel’s church when he was killed. She joined her fellow Catholics in turning to shake hands or embrace the Muslim churchgoers after the service.
Outside the church, a group of Muslims were applauded when they unfurled a banner: ‘‘Love for all. Hate for none.’’
Churchgoer Jacqueline Prevot said the attendance of Muslims was ‘‘a magnificent gesture.’’
‘‘Look at this whole Muslim community that attended Mass,’’ she said. ‘‘I find this very heartwarming. I am confident. I say to myself that this assassination won’t be lost, that it will maybe relaunch us better than politics can do. Maybe we will react in a better way.’’
Read more: Muslims go to Catholic Masses in Europe to show solidarity - The Boston Globe
More than 100 Muslims gathered at the towering Gothic cathedral in Rouen, near Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, where the 85-year-old Rev. Jacques Hamel had his throat slit by two teenage Muslim fanatics Tuesday.
‘‘We are very moved by the presence of our Muslim friends and I believe it is a courageous act that they did by coming to us,’’ Dominique Lebrun, the archbishop of Rouen, said after the service.
Some of the Muslims sat in the front row, across from the altar. Among the parishioners was one of the nuns who was briefly taken hostage at Hamel’s church when he was killed. She joined her fellow Catholics in turning to shake hands or embrace the Muslim churchgoers after the service.
Outside the church, a group of Muslims were applauded when they unfurled a banner: ‘‘Love for all. Hate for none.’’
Churchgoer Jacqueline Prevot said the attendance of Muslims was ‘‘a magnificent gesture.’’
‘‘Look at this whole Muslim community that attended Mass,’’ she said. ‘‘I find this very heartwarming. I am confident. I say to myself that this assassination won’t be lost, that it will maybe relaunch us better than politics can do. Maybe we will react in a better way.’’
Read more: Muslims go to Catholic Masses in Europe to show solidarity - The Boston Globe
July 23, 2016
Netherlands Regularly Reviews Security Measures Amid Fears of New Attacks
Dutch Security Tightened - code Yellow |
The statement came amid warning issued earlier on Friday by the German Federal Criminal Police Office of a threat of new attacks on railway passengers following the Monday attack in southern Germany by an Afghan refugee, who was later shot dead by the police.
"Measures related to security screening have
indeed been strengthened in the Netherlands and are under constant
review to determine whether further reinforcement is needed," the
spokeswoman said.
"None [of the measures] are designed for or
applied specifically to persons from Muslim countries or of Muslim
origin," she said, referring to the fact that most recent attacks —
like the one in Germany and Nice — were perpetrated by Muslims claiming
ties with the Islamic State terrorist group (outlawed in Russia).
"Also mobile phones may be screened as well as activity on the Internet and social media of the person in question," the spokeswoman added.
Following numerous deadly attacks in Europe many experts on terrorism suggested that new attacks could be avoided if social accounts of migrants and radicalized citizens were better scrutinized.
On Wednesday, the Bavarian local parliament called on the government to provide police with more powers to follow Facebook, Twitter accounts and mobile phones of the asylum seekers. Currently, the German police are not authorized to do that.
Read more: Netherlands Regularly Reviews Security Measures Amid Fears of New Attacks
Labels:
anti-terrorism measures,
Daesh,
Dutch Security forces,
EU,
Police,
Terrorism,
The Netherlands
July 16, 2016
Terrorism: Terrorist groups need to be infiltrated and destroyed - cheaper than bombing and more effective
It is time to infiltrate terrorist organizations and destroy them |
First of all we should not label terrorists as good and bad ones - Daesh - Boko Haram, -PKK - Haqqani Network - Kataib Hezbolla - AL-Qaeda. They are all terrorist groups and should be labelled and treated as such.
Also for starters. Since just about every government in the world is facing similar terrorist problems, cooperation and exchange of information between governments, in this respect, is not only important, but essential.
A "hot-line" for local citizens to call in every country, where they can confidentially report suspicious activities in their neighborhood certainly could be another effective tool to get a grip on these terrorist cells
In this context there should also be a financial reward system for people who can provide valuable information to the local authorities which leads to the arrest or elimination of terrorists.
Local government and the military should also develop training programs for individuals who can be used to infiltrate terrorist organizations via their recruitment programs and other means, to create internal chaos within terrorist organizations or destroy their chains of command.
Stopping terrorism can only happen when we are able to outsmart them.
© EU-Digest Editorial
Labels:
China,
Counter terrorism,
EU,
EU Commission,
EU Parliament,
France,
Infiltration,
Russia,
Terrorism,
USA
June 29, 2016
The Netherlands: Istanbul Daesh attack: Flags at half mast as Dutch show solidarity with Turkey
City halls in Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Rotterdam are flying the Turkish flag at half mast to show solidarity with the victims of Tuesday evening’s bloody airport attack in Istanbul.
At least 41 people were killed in the blasts and the shootings, including several foreigners. King Willem-Alexander and queen Maxima have sent their condolences to everyone affected by the airport attacks. In a joint statement, the couple expressed their deepest sympathy with all the families who have been affected, both inside and outside Turkey.
The Hague mayor Jozias van Aartsen has written to the Turkish ambassador to express his condolences. ‘I hope that the Turkish people can find the strength to recover from this extremely tragic situation,’ he said.
Read more:Turkish flags at half mast as the Dutch show solidarity with Istanbul victims - DutchNews.nl
At least 41 people were killed in the blasts and the shootings, including several foreigners. King Willem-Alexander and queen Maxima have sent their condolences to everyone affected by the airport attacks. In a joint statement, the couple expressed their deepest sympathy with all the families who have been affected, both inside and outside Turkey.
The Hague mayor Jozias van Aartsen has written to the Turkish ambassador to express his condolences. ‘I hope that the Turkish people can find the strength to recover from this extremely tragic situation,’ he said.
Read more:Turkish flags at half mast as the Dutch show solidarity with Istanbul victims - DutchNews.nl
Labels:
Daesh,
Istanbul Airport,
Murderers,
Ruthless Killers,
Terrorism,
Turkey
Turkey: At least 28 innocent people killed, 60 injured by "derelicts" as blasts rock Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport
Istanbul: Daesh Deranged Murderers Killing Innocent People |
The blasts occurred in the airport’s International Arrivals Terminal.
A Turkish official confirmed to Reuters that two explosions have hit the airport. According to some Turkish media, the blasts were terrorist attacks targeting two separate locations in the airport.
Twenty-eight people have lost their lives in the blasts that hit the airport, Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said, Turkey’s NTV channel reported.
More than 60 people have been injured, six of them seriously, in explosions at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, according to the Turkish state Anadolu news agency.
Many people caught in the blasts and near the airport posted photos and videos from the scene, showing the destruction caused by the explosions as well as people hiding in various places in search of safety.
Gunfire was heard from the car park near the airport, CNN Turk reports, citing the witnesses. Four armed men were reportedly seen running away from the terminal building after the explosions, according to Turkey’s NTV channel.
Note EU-Digest: Whoever eventually gets blamed for this cruel act can only be regarded as totally deranged murderers.
Read more: Over 20 killed, 60 injured as blasts rock Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport — RT News
June 14, 2016
Terrorism: Press and.Governments should stop identifying this band of deranged murderers as IS
Press and Government better start calling a spade a spade |
The press and.Governments should stop identifying this band of deranged murderers and killers as IS.
There is no country or so called "Caliphate" called IS. It is all dreamworld fiction.
We must start to call a spade a spade, so why not identify these Deranged Psychotic Murderers Trash as DPMT- Deranged Psychotic, Murderous, Trash.
Press and.Governments should stop "glorifying" the exploits of these murderers and Social Media must be far more vigilant in localizing and eliminating Jihadist propaganda from the Internet.
Read more: Flash - Syrian teen's amputated hand a cruel reminder of IS rule - France 24
Labels:
DPMT,
IS,
Islamic caliphate,
Jihadists,
Propaganda,
Social Media,
Terrorism
June 12, 2016
USA - Massacre: Orlando Gay Nightclub Shooting: 50+ Casualties After Gunman Opens Fire - by M.Grimson, D Wyllie and E.Fieldstadt
At least 50 people are dead and more than 50 others wounded after a
gunman opened fire and took hostages at a gay club in Orlando, Florida,
early Sunday morning.
The massacre is the worst mass shooting in the history of the United States.
Officials said a hostage situation developed after the gunman stormed the Pulse Nightclub about 2 a.m.
The shooter was identified by several law enforcement sources as Omar Mateen, 29.
He was shot dead about three hours later when a SWAT team entered the club, police said. A handgun and AR-15-type rifle were recovered at the scene, according to police.
The law enforcement sources told NBC News that Mateen was born in New York in 1986 and was listed as living at a residence in Port St. Lucie, about 125 miles south of Orlando.
Mateen had active security officer and firearm licenses, according to Florida records, and his family said he worked in security. Marriage records show he was married in Port St. Lucie in 2009, and a relative said he had a 3-year-old son.
The incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism, officials said.
Mir Seddique, Mateen's father told NBC News, "this has nothing to do with religion." Seddique said his son got angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami a couple of months ago and thinks that may be related to the shooting.
"We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident. We weren't aware of any action he is taking. We are in shock like the whole country," Seddique said.
Meanwhile, a man who answered the phone at Mateen's address, Mustafa Abasin, told NBC News: "We are in shock and we are sad." He would not say how he knew Mateen, but said he was helping investigators.
Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., whose district includes the area of the massacre, said the attack was "more likely than not ideologically motivated."
"It's no coincidence that the attack took place where it did and where it did," he said. "It might be that we've seen the commission of an awful hate crime."
Grayson said investigators were searching Mateen's home and combing the nightclub. Processing the gruesome scene would "take hours," Grayson said. "There is blood everywhere."
Police said Mateen was a U.S. citizen, but some of his family members are not. They would not say where those family members were from, and while they have not confirmed that Mateen was Muslim, several Muslim groups rebuked the attack.
Note EU-Digest: If it happens to turn out to be an ideologically motivated terrorist attack it shows once again the cowardliness of these deranged killers. This massacre also highlights the urgent need for gun control in America and better screening of security personnel before putting lethal weapons into their hands. Either way - we can only hope that the investigation into this hideous crime comes up with answers very soon.
Read more: Orlando Nightclub Shooting: Mass Casualties After Gunman Opens Fire in Gay Club - NBC News
The massacre is the worst mass shooting in the history of the United States.
Officials said a hostage situation developed after the gunman stormed the Pulse Nightclub about 2 a.m.
The shooter was identified by several law enforcement sources as Omar Mateen, 29.
He was shot dead about three hours later when a SWAT team entered the club, police said. A handgun and AR-15-type rifle were recovered at the scene, according to police.
The law enforcement sources told NBC News that Mateen was born in New York in 1986 and was listed as living at a residence in Port St. Lucie, about 125 miles south of Orlando.
Mateen had active security officer and firearm licenses, according to Florida records, and his family said he worked in security. Marriage records show he was married in Port St. Lucie in 2009, and a relative said he had a 3-year-old son.
The incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism, officials said.
Mir Seddique, Mateen's father told NBC News, "this has nothing to do with religion." Seddique said his son got angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami a couple of months ago and thinks that may be related to the shooting.
"We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident. We weren't aware of any action he is taking. We are in shock like the whole country," Seddique said.
Meanwhile, a man who answered the phone at Mateen's address, Mustafa Abasin, told NBC News: "We are in shock and we are sad." He would not say how he knew Mateen, but said he was helping investigators.
Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., whose district includes the area of the massacre, said the attack was "more likely than not ideologically motivated."
"It's no coincidence that the attack took place where it did and where it did," he said. "It might be that we've seen the commission of an awful hate crime."
Grayson said investigators were searching Mateen's home and combing the nightclub. Processing the gruesome scene would "take hours," Grayson said. "There is blood everywhere."
Police said Mateen was a U.S. citizen, but some of his family members are not. They would not say where those family members were from, and while they have not confirmed that Mateen was Muslim, several Muslim groups rebuked the attack.
Note EU-Digest: If it happens to turn out to be an ideologically motivated terrorist attack it shows once again the cowardliness of these deranged killers. This massacre also highlights the urgent need for gun control in America and better screening of security personnel before putting lethal weapons into their hands. Either way - we can only hope that the investigation into this hideous crime comes up with answers very soon.
Read more: Orlando Nightclub Shooting: Mass Casualties After Gunman Opens Fire in Gay Club - NBC News
Labels:
Gay Community,
Gun Control,
Hate Crime,
Orlando,
Terrorism,
USA
June 1, 2016
Isis, Isil, IS or Daesh? - has journalistic quest for sensationalism glorified these "Crapules" ?
Daesh executions - a daily ritual |
In this process of extremely poor journalism, a large number of press outlets have indirectly glorified this bunch of brutal murderers, their followers and ideology, by giving them a variety of names, including, but not limited to - Isis to Isil, IS and Daesh.
Maybe the worst thing the Press did was naming the land occupied by this band of killers, the "Islamic State".
You don't need to be Einstein to understand that these swatches of land are not a state, will never be a state, and have very little to do with Islam.
"Daesh" (or Da'ish) is probably a far better name to call this group of murderers.
Both in the Middle East and further afield, it has been used as a way of challenging the legitimacy of the group, due to the negative connotations of the word.
Daesh is essentially an Arabic acronym formed from the initial letters of the group's previous name in Arabic - "al-Dawla al-Islamiya fil Iraq wa al-Sham".
Although it does not mean anything as a word in Arabic, it sounds unpleasant, and the group's supporters object to its use.
Daesh also sounds similar to an Arabic verb that means to tread underfoot, trample down, or crush something.
So if one feels the need to identify this group of terrorists, please use the name "Daesh", or you can also simply call them "les Crapules", as the French like to call them.
EU-Digest.
Labels:
Daesh,
derelict,
executions,
Journalism,
Les Crapules,
Rapists Middle East,
Sensationalism,
Terrorism
April 6, 2016
EU Tourism: Despite Terrorism Scares, Summer Tourists Still Plan European Trips - by Scott McCartney
When it comes to summer travel, a strong dollar and cheaper airline tickets are overpowering terrorism fears.
Travel agencies say they expect a very strong summer travel season, with bookings already filling up at top spots in popular destinations. Many of the best luxury rooms are already booked on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, according to Virtuoso, a network of travel agencies.
As of Wednesday, the only options left at the high-end Santa Caterina hotel for July 9 to 16 on Expedia, for example, were suites starting at a steep $2,165 per night. Five other luxury hotels there are completely sold out for those dates, according to Expedia.
Paris tourism, hit hard by the November attacks, has rebounded significantly, agents say, though bookings for trips into France this year have been down about 7%, according to Travelport, which runs reservation systems for hotels and airlines. The Brussels bombings have also had limited impact, mostly because Brussels is a destination for business, not leisure.
“We’re kind of learning to live with this now. The traveler is much more resilient these days” in the face of attacks and diseases such as the Zika virus, says David Scowsill, chief executive of the World Travel & Tourism Council, a London-based group of travel company leaders.
Read more: Despite Terrorism Scares, Summer Tourists Still Plan European Trips - WSJ
Travel agencies say they expect a very strong summer travel season, with bookings already filling up at top spots in popular destinations. Many of the best luxury rooms are already booked on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, according to Virtuoso, a network of travel agencies.
As of Wednesday, the only options left at the high-end Santa Caterina hotel for July 9 to 16 on Expedia, for example, were suites starting at a steep $2,165 per night. Five other luxury hotels there are completely sold out for those dates, according to Expedia.
Paris tourism, hit hard by the November attacks, has rebounded significantly, agents say, though bookings for trips into France this year have been down about 7%, according to Travelport, which runs reservation systems for hotels and airlines. The Brussels bombings have also had limited impact, mostly because Brussels is a destination for business, not leisure.
“We’re kind of learning to live with this now. The traveler is much more resilient these days” in the face of attacks and diseases such as the Zika virus, says David Scowsill, chief executive of the World Travel & Tourism Council, a London-based group of travel company leaders.
Read more: Despite Terrorism Scares, Summer Tourists Still Plan European Trips - WSJ
April 1, 2016
The Netherlands: Turkey and Europol sign Liaison Agreement
The Deputy Director of the Turkish National Police, Mr Basturk, and Europol's Deputy Director Mr Martinu today signed the Liaison Agreement between Turkey and Europol. Deputy Director Martinu expressed his
satisfaction with the possibilities this will offer to enhance cooperation with Turkish law enforcement.
'This is an important step in our relations. The Liaison Officer from Turkey will benefit from being part of a wide network of liaison officers from more than 40 states and have access to Europol expertise.
The agreement and the secondment of an officer from Turkey at our premises in the near future will benefit all parties in their fight against organized crime and terrorism
Read more: Turkey and Europol sign Liaison Agreement | Europol
satisfaction with the possibilities this will offer to enhance cooperation with Turkish law enforcement.
'This is an important step in our relations. The Liaison Officer from Turkey will benefit from being part of a wide network of liaison officers from more than 40 states and have access to Europol expertise.
The agreement and the secondment of an officer from Turkey at our premises in the near future will benefit all parties in their fight against organized crime and terrorism
Read more: Turkey and Europol sign Liaison Agreement | Europol
Labels:
Crime,
Drugs,
EU,
Europol,
Prevention,
Terrorism,
The Netherlands,
Turkeym Liaison Agreement
March 24, 2016
The Bruxelles Tragedy: US failed Middle East policy indrectly responsible for Brussels terror attacks - by Claire Bernish
Brussels Landmark Statue "Manneke Pis" says it all |
This blame, meted out to a religion whose tenets expressly forbid killing innocents — “it is as if he had slain mankind entirely” — lacks fundamental logic. Worse, it lacks precision.
Without precision and studied consideration of the conditions which culminated in these acts of terrorism, one Bruxelles Landmark Statueguarantee can be cemented: future attacks.
Why? Because humans have an unironic penchant for neglecting lessons from past mistakes — and an unfaltering blindfold as if their present actions exist in a vacuum. Indeed, blaming an entire religion for the actions of a few falsely claiming they follow its teachings might be precisely what the ignominious war machine of U.S. imperialism needs. In fact, modern-day terrorism exists because of the actions of a specific religion — and it isn’t Islam.
Imperialism, and its roots planted firmly in statism, inarguably create, foster, and perpetuate terrorism at an alarming rate. An active military campaign and overarching surveillance program ostensibly embarked upon to demolish terrorism — anywhere on the planet — instead manufacture terrorism at an increasingly rapid rate.
This cyclical structure isn’t difficult to comprehend, yet it somehow escapes those eager to scapegoat blame on the undeserving — because xenophobia.
For years, the United States military and its over-inflated budget have bombed the hell out of predominantly Muslim countries — doing a bang-up job of mostly missing intended targets, instead killing civilian non-combatants more than of the time by some estimates. U.S. foreign policy’s relentless hammer created the staggering refugee crisis as civilians — either having their homes destroyed by bombing or from justifiable fear it could happen — by the millions feel they have no choice but to escape.
Worse still, the U.S.’ vying for natural resources — oil, opium, rare earth metals, and more — have caused a complex juggernaut of proxy wars with sometimes contradictory aims. This wrangling to exploit countrysides in otherwise peaceful countries stands as classic imperialist dogma: they have it, the U.S. government wants it, and the military is promptly deployed to make it happen.
Largely downplayed in this cycle are countless corporations pulling the strings — directly driving hegemonic foreign policy.
Would we need to invade Afghanistan for its insanely profitable opium crops without Big Pharma? Doubtful. Would we need to partner with Saudi Arabia — not only a notorious human rights abuser, but one of the most despised countries in the Middle East — were it not for its enormous stores of oil? No way.
Would Syria be the quagmire it has become if it weren’t geostrategically integral for a proposed oil pipeline? Nope.
War has been called ‘endless’ for justifiable reasons — but it wouldn’t be so without imperialism driving its existence. Violence is its tool. But endless violence isn’t without consequences.
Terrorism holds undeniable responsibility for the attacks in Brussels, but it didn’t manifest because of Islam.
Blaming Islam is the lazy way out of holding those ultimately responsible for its rise — and secures its perpetuation. But it doesn’t mean Islam is to blame.
Note EU-Digest: as has been mentioned many times before - the EU, in addition to numerous other urgent changes it needs to make to avoid self-destruction, must establish it's own Middle East foreign policy based on economic development and trade, and completely "divorce" itself from the many years of failed US Middle East policies.
Read also: America Should Take Responsibility for the Brussels Terror Attacks
Labels:
Belgium,
Bruxelles,
EU,
EU Commission,
EU Parliament,
Jean Claude Juncker,
Mark Rutte,
Middle East,
Responsibility,
Terrorism,
US Foreign Policy,
US Middle East Policy,
USA
March 17, 2016
Terrorism: Germany Closes Embassy, Consulate, School In Turkey Over Fresh Terror Threat - by Sneha Shankar
Germany’s Foreign
Ministry announced Thursday that the country’s embassy in Ankara has
been closed for the day after it received fresh threats of a possible
attack, reports said. The announcement followed the closure of the
German general consulate and the German School in Istanbul earlier in
the day.
German embassy officials in Ankara told Hurriyet Daily News, a local newspaper in Turkey, that the move was a “one-day precaution taken due to [an] unconfirmed indication of an attack.”
The move comes days after a car bomb attack in Ankara killed 37 people, for which the Kurdish terror group TAK claimed responsibility Thursday. The German embassy warned its citizens in Turkey to be careful, Deutche Welle, a German news agency, reported.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is scheduled to meet leaders from the European Union in Brussels, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Friday. The meeting will review a draft deal between Turkey and the EU over the exchange of refugees and to lift visa travel restrictions for Turkish citizens entering Europe, the Wall Street Journal reported.
"The only way to end these threats is to kill and eventually eradicate all these ruthless and mentally deranged murderers", said a Turkish politician, when he heard the news of the closures.
Read more: Germany Closes Embassy, Consulate, School In Turkey Over Fresh Terror Threat
German embassy officials in Ankara told Hurriyet Daily News, a local newspaper in Turkey, that the move was a “one-day precaution taken due to [an] unconfirmed indication of an attack.”
The move comes days after a car bomb attack in Ankara killed 37 people, for which the Kurdish terror group TAK claimed responsibility Thursday. The German embassy warned its citizens in Turkey to be careful, Deutche Welle, a German news agency, reported.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is scheduled to meet leaders from the European Union in Brussels, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Friday. The meeting will review a draft deal between Turkey and the EU over the exchange of refugees and to lift visa travel restrictions for Turkish citizens entering Europe, the Wall Street Journal reported.
"The only way to end these threats is to kill and eventually eradicate all these ruthless and mentally deranged murderers", said a Turkish politician, when he heard the news of the closures.
Read more: Germany Closes Embassy, Consulate, School In Turkey Over Fresh Terror Threat
Labels:
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EU,
Germany,
Mentally deranged,
Murderers,
Terror Threat,
Terrorism,
Turkey
March 15, 2016
Russia: It's High Time For The EU To Bring Russia Back Into The European Equation As A Partner
Russia and the EU : Partners For Progress and Peace |
Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t crowing about it. He doesn’t have to.
The Russian intervention so far has proven to be a stunning success, that is indisputable. Vladimir Putin and the Russian military ought to be particularly praised for having set goals fully
commensurate with their real capabilities.
Putin’s vindication was made clear by the enthusiastic reception afforded to him at the recent summit of G20 leaders in Turkey.. The Financial Times headlined: “Putin transformed from outcast to problem solver at the G20”.
In the meantime the so-called allies of the West in the Middle East, including, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf Arab states, have been exposed, not only by foes but also by friends for having been the major funding and facilitators of the jihadist terrorist brigades.
Putin also highlighted these "bad links" of our own Western alliance at the G20 summit, when he announced that the financing of the terror networks in Syria has come from “40 states, including members of the G20”.
During the G20 summit and on other occasions French President Hollande called for the U.S. and Russia to set aside their policy divisions over Syria and "fight this terrorist army in a broad, single coalition.". It seems to have worked..
Putin followed up by offering Russian naval coordination with the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the eastern Mediterranean for future airstrikes against ISIL.
All this goes far beyond the usual rhetoric and shows that Vladimir Putin has true leadership qualities on tackling terrorism in Syria and beyond., obviously, also, as any political leader would subscribe to, with motives of self interest.
But, when the whole Middle East was on the verge of an implosion and Europe overwhelmed by refugees, Putin stepped up to the plate.
As the old English proverb goes: "cometh the hour, cometh the man".
Maybe it's time, therefore, that the EU gets more serious and involved into what the Germans describe as "Realpolitiek" and bring Russia back into the European fold as a partner.?
EU-Digest
Labels:
Brexit,
EU,
EU Commission,
EU Parliament.Partner,
Imposed Sanctions,
Middle East,
Partnership,
Russia,
Terrorism,
USA
January 12, 2016
Turkey’s meddling in Syria brings terror to Istanbul - by Stephen Kinzer
Today’s bombing in a historic Istanbul square frequented by tourists
was the indirect result of Turkey’s wildly adventurist policy toward the
Syrian conflict. It is a lesson to other countries, including the
United States: Do not believe you can control insurgent groups inside
Syria. Meddle too deeply in their conflict, and the war will come home
to you.
All of the dead killed in Istanbul were foreign citizens; eight were German and one was Peruvian.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the suicide bomber was a young Syrian. Efforts by the government to limit reporting of the incident add to the presumption that the ISIS terror group was responsible. That would make sense.
Erdogan was once a bosom buddy of the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad. When the first antigovernment protests erupted in Syria in 2011, Erdogan advised his friend how to respond. Assad replied that he needed no advice and would do what he believed best. That set off Erdogan’s volcanic emotions. He vowed to do everything in his power to depose Assad — including supporting terror groups like ISIS.
Turkey has allowed foreign fighters to pass through its territory to join those groups. It has allowed ISIS to maintain clinics inside Turkey where wounded fighters are treated and then sent back to the battlefield. Its intelligence service has illegally shipped weapons to insurgents in Syria. When journalists discovered one caravan of weaponry, and military officers protested, Erdogan had them arrested.
Under intense pressure from the United States and its other NATO allies, Turkey has begun to reassess its support for anti-Assad groups. That led ISIS to carry out suicide bombings inside Turkey.
The first two served Erdogan’s purposes because they targeted Kurds: one outside a Kurdish cultural center in the border town of Suruc in July, which killed 33 people, and then a horrific follow-up in Ankara in October in which more than 100 were killed as they marched to protest attacks on Kurdish groups. Kurdish political leaders complained bitterly that the government was not protecting them.
Erdogan sees two great enemies in Syria: the Assad government and Kurds. He was happy to collaborate with any group, including ISIS, that shared his wish to destroy those two forces. Terror groups, however, are never satisfied with anything less than total commitment. It was folly for Turkish leaders to believe they could manipulate Syrian rebel groups for their own ends. They did not heed President John F. Kennedy’s famous observation that “those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.”
Today’s bombing in Istanbul may be the incident that finally brings Turkey to shift focus and concentrate its efforts on the true enemy: violent jihadist groups like ISIS and the Nusra Front, which is Syria’s Al Qaeda affiliate. It is late in the game for such a switch. By allowing ISIS and other anti-Assad groups to move freely in Turkish towns along the border, Turkey set the stage for conflict. It was inevitable that ISIS would continually demand more from Turkey. When Turkey reached a limit, it became an enemy.
Until now, terror attacks inside Turkey have been carried out either in the border area, the Kurdish region, or places where critics of Erdogan’s government gather. This one is different. It happened in a historic square near magnificent mosques and Byzantine ruins that attract millions of tourists each year. The dead include foreigners, mainly Germans. This will naturally affect tourism, but more important is the symbolism of such violence striking at the nation’s historic heart.
In a rant that reflected his emotion-driven approach to politics, Erdogan said foreign academics and writers shared responsibility for the attack. He even named MIT professor Noam Chomsky, a longtime defender of the Kurds, as one of them. That reflected his evidently deep-seated view that Turkey’s estimated 15 million Kurds pose more of a threat to the nation than terror groups like ISIS. Today’s bombing may finally force him to reconsider.
This liberal order of openness, of vibrant democracies, and of market economies was anchored on the transatlantic relationship. But today, it shows few signs of being defended by most EU governments. With the United States closing shop for the 2016 presidential election campaign and with U.S. interest in Europe so weak, EU leaders will continue to pursue their own national agendas.
Two European leaders could change the dynamics of these trends: David Cameron, the British prime minister, and Merkel.
Read more: Turkey’s meddling in Syria brings terror to Istanbul - The Boston Globe
All of the dead killed in Istanbul were foreign citizens; eight were German and one was Peruvian.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the suicide bomber was a young Syrian. Efforts by the government to limit reporting of the incident add to the presumption that the ISIS terror group was responsible. That would make sense.
Erdogan was once a bosom buddy of the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad. When the first antigovernment protests erupted in Syria in 2011, Erdogan advised his friend how to respond. Assad replied that he needed no advice and would do what he believed best. That set off Erdogan’s volcanic emotions. He vowed to do everything in his power to depose Assad — including supporting terror groups like ISIS.
Turkey has allowed foreign fighters to pass through its territory to join those groups. It has allowed ISIS to maintain clinics inside Turkey where wounded fighters are treated and then sent back to the battlefield. Its intelligence service has illegally shipped weapons to insurgents in Syria. When journalists discovered one caravan of weaponry, and military officers protested, Erdogan had them arrested.
Under intense pressure from the United States and its other NATO allies, Turkey has begun to reassess its support for anti-Assad groups. That led ISIS to carry out suicide bombings inside Turkey.
The first two served Erdogan’s purposes because they targeted Kurds: one outside a Kurdish cultural center in the border town of Suruc in July, which killed 33 people, and then a horrific follow-up in Ankara in October in which more than 100 were killed as they marched to protest attacks on Kurdish groups. Kurdish political leaders complained bitterly that the government was not protecting them.
Erdogan sees two great enemies in Syria: the Assad government and Kurds. He was happy to collaborate with any group, including ISIS, that shared his wish to destroy those two forces. Terror groups, however, are never satisfied with anything less than total commitment. It was folly for Turkish leaders to believe they could manipulate Syrian rebel groups for their own ends. They did not heed President John F. Kennedy’s famous observation that “those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.”
Today’s bombing in Istanbul may be the incident that finally brings Turkey to shift focus and concentrate its efforts on the true enemy: violent jihadist groups like ISIS and the Nusra Front, which is Syria’s Al Qaeda affiliate. It is late in the game for such a switch. By allowing ISIS and other anti-Assad groups to move freely in Turkish towns along the border, Turkey set the stage for conflict. It was inevitable that ISIS would continually demand more from Turkey. When Turkey reached a limit, it became an enemy.
Until now, terror attacks inside Turkey have been carried out either in the border area, the Kurdish region, or places where critics of Erdogan’s government gather. This one is different. It happened in a historic square near magnificent mosques and Byzantine ruins that attract millions of tourists each year. The dead include foreigners, mainly Germans. This will naturally affect tourism, but more important is the symbolism of such violence striking at the nation’s historic heart.
In a rant that reflected his emotion-driven approach to politics, Erdogan said foreign academics and writers shared responsibility for the attack. He even named MIT professor Noam Chomsky, a longtime defender of the Kurds, as one of them. That reflected his evidently deep-seated view that Turkey’s estimated 15 million Kurds pose more of a threat to the nation than terror groups like ISIS. Today’s bombing may finally force him to reconsider.
This liberal order of openness, of vibrant democracies, and of market economies was anchored on the transatlantic relationship. But today, it shows few signs of being defended by most EU governments. With the United States closing shop for the 2016 presidential election campaign and with U.S. interest in Europe so weak, EU leaders will continue to pursue their own national agendas.
Two European leaders could change the dynamics of these trends: David Cameron, the British prime minister, and Merkel.
Read more: Turkey’s meddling in Syria brings terror to Istanbul - The Boston Globe
November 16, 2015
Paris Massacre: It's not only a "war on terrorism" but also a war on "political hypocrisy" - by RM
The
tragic events in Paris are deplorable, but when you listen to the
comments of the politicians, or most of the corporate controlled press,
very few are focusing on the real reasons behind this ongoing
tragedy..Is it maybe that the root of the problem lies in the failure of
the political establishment to accept failure and change course.?
In a way, it is quite simple. Anyone who has a bit of a brain and has been watching the developments in the Middle East over the past 20 years will be able to recognize that the result of this disaster really is the totally failed Western foreign policy in that region. .
Unfortunately even though the real culprits of this failed policy - based on lies and greed - are known - for some reason the facts are usually covered up. Why are Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Tony Blair., still enjoying a comfortable life, instead of being locked up for war crimes and misleading the public about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and for leading the so called "coalition of the willing" - which really should have been called "a coalition of the dimwits", - into a war, which basically destroyed the social and cultural structure of Iraq. A war, which also probably lies at the origin of the creation of ISIS.
The political hypocrisy, however, continues unabated.
Just look at the reasons politicians give us today when it comes to our ongoing friendship with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel. United Arab Emirates, and Egypt.. Terrorism, in this case, is the keyword used for their smoke screen, and the cover-up of the real problems. Right wing politicians even go one step further and blame it all on either the influx of refugees or the Islamization of Europe.
Don't get misled by your politicians or Government. Keep asking the critical questions and vote them out of office when they avoid telling the truth.
Therefore as is stated in 1 Thessalonians 5. - "Test everything - hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil".
EU-Digest
In a way, it is quite simple. Anyone who has a bit of a brain and has been watching the developments in the Middle East over the past 20 years will be able to recognize that the result of this disaster really is the totally failed Western foreign policy in that region. .
Unfortunately even though the real culprits of this failed policy - based on lies and greed - are known - for some reason the facts are usually covered up. Why are Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Tony Blair., still enjoying a comfortable life, instead of being locked up for war crimes and misleading the public about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and for leading the so called "coalition of the willing" - which really should have been called "a coalition of the dimwits", - into a war, which basically destroyed the social and cultural structure of Iraq. A war, which also probably lies at the origin of the creation of ISIS.
The political hypocrisy, however, continues unabated.
Just look at the reasons politicians give us today when it comes to our ongoing friendship with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel. United Arab Emirates, and Egypt.. Terrorism, in this case, is the keyword used for their smoke screen, and the cover-up of the real problems. Right wing politicians even go one step further and blame it all on either the influx of refugees or the Islamization of Europe.
Don't get misled by your politicians or Government. Keep asking the critical questions and vote them out of office when they avoid telling the truth.
Therefore as is stated in 1 Thessalonians 5. - "Test everything - hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil".
EU-Digest
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October 19, 2015
Terrorism: U.K. Extends Passport Powers To Block Teenagers Joining Terrorist Groups - by Jack Moore
British parents will be able to request the cancellation of
the passports of their older teenage children if they have fears that
they are being radicalized and might travel abroad to join a terrorist
group, Prime Minister David Cameron will announce on Monday.
Parents already have had the ability to request the cancellation of the passports of their children aged under 16—a measure that Cameron's office said has been used a number of times, according to the BBC—and new proposals extend the measure to children aged 17 and under.
The aim of the extension of the power is to prevent teenagers traveling to join terrorist groups, particularly in Iraq and Syria, such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda-linked groups such as the Nusra Front.
Note EU-Digest: Excellent move: should be adopted throughout the EU
Read more: U.K. Extends Passport Powers To Block Teenagers Joining Terrorist Groups
Parents already have had the ability to request the cancellation of the passports of their children aged under 16—a measure that Cameron's office said has been used a number of times, according to the BBC—and new proposals extend the measure to children aged 17 and under.
The aim of the extension of the power is to prevent teenagers traveling to join terrorist groups, particularly in Iraq and Syria, such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda-linked groups such as the Nusra Front.
Note EU-Digest: Excellent move: should be adopted throughout the EU
Read more: U.K. Extends Passport Powers To Block Teenagers Joining Terrorist Groups
October 13, 2015
Morality begins at home: There Is no justification for killing, terrorism, collateral damage, torture or murder in any way or form
The Bible, Koran, and the Torah all explicitly mention : THOU SHALL NOT KILL
RE:. ISLAM: "Terrorism or hirabah is forbidden in Islamic law, which groups it with brigandage, highway robbery and extortion rackets– any illicit use of fear and coercion in public spaces for money or power. The principle of forbidding the spreading of terror in the land is based on the Qur’an (Surah al-Ma’ida 5:33–34).
‘Anyone who disturbs free passage in the streets and renders them unsafe to travel, striving to spread corruption in the land by taking money, killing people or violating what God has made it unlawful to violate is guilty of hirabah .
RE: JUDAISM : ” murder is "not the way of the Torah," declared Rabbi Lau in sharp condemnation of the murder, which is thought to have been an act of "revenge" for the murder of three Israeli teens Eyal Yifrah, Naftali Frenkel and Gilad Sha'ar by Hamas terrorists on June 12 this year.
RE CHRISTIANITY: "Even before the codification of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai the murder of other human beings was wrong (Genesis 4:8-12; 4:23-24; 9:4-6; Exodus 1:16-17). While on earth, Jesus spoke out against murder (Matthew 5:21-26; Mark 10:17-19).
We also see in the writings of Paul (Romans 1:18, 29-32; 13:8-10; Galatians 5:19-21), James (James 2:8-11; 4:1-3), Peter (1 Peter 4:15-16) and John (Revelation 9:20-21; 21:7-8; 22:14-15) that murder is wrong."
BOTTOM LINE: there is no moral justification for murder, killing, terrorism, capital punishment, military "collateral damage", or even for that matter euthanasia.
The pictures below are only a tip of the iceberg.
Unfortunately man is his own worst enemy and it only seems to be getting worse.
EU-Digest
RE:. ISLAM: "Terrorism or hirabah is forbidden in Islamic law, which groups it with brigandage, highway robbery and extortion rackets– any illicit use of fear and coercion in public spaces for money or power. The principle of forbidding the spreading of terror in the land is based on the Qur’an (Surah al-Ma’ida 5:33–34).
‘Anyone who disturbs free passage in the streets and renders them unsafe to travel, striving to spread corruption in the land by taking money, killing people or violating what God has made it unlawful to violate is guilty of hirabah .
RE: JUDAISM : ” murder is "not the way of the Torah," declared Rabbi Lau in sharp condemnation of the murder, which is thought to have been an act of "revenge" for the murder of three Israeli teens Eyal Yifrah, Naftali Frenkel and Gilad Sha'ar by Hamas terrorists on June 12 this year.
RE CHRISTIANITY: "Even before the codification of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai the murder of other human beings was wrong (Genesis 4:8-12; 4:23-24; 9:4-6; Exodus 1:16-17). While on earth, Jesus spoke out against murder (Matthew 5:21-26; Mark 10:17-19).
We also see in the writings of Paul (Romans 1:18, 29-32; 13:8-10; Galatians 5:19-21), James (James 2:8-11; 4:1-3), Peter (1 Peter 4:15-16) and John (Revelation 9:20-21; 21:7-8; 22:14-15) that murder is wrong."
BOTTOM LINE: there is no moral justification for murder, killing, terrorism, capital punishment, military "collateral damage", or even for that matter euthanasia.
The pictures below are only a tip of the iceberg.
Unfortunately man is his own worst enemy and it only seems to be getting worse.
Ryan Lanza who shot and killed 20 elementary school children and his mother at Sandy Hook CT, USA |
Palestine victims after deadly Israeli Gaza bombing: |
ISIS mass executionsions |
US Airforce "collateral damage: "Drs without borders" hospital Afghanistan |
Turkey, Ankara more than 130 casualties bomb explosions |
EU-Digest
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September 25, 2015
Saudi Arabia: 10 Reasons the EU should Oppose the Saudi Monarchy - by Medea Benjamin
During the discussion on the Iran nuclear deal, it has been strange
to hear US politicians fiercely condemn Iranian human rights abuses
while remaining silent about worse abuses by US ally Saudi Arabia. Not
only is the Saudi regime repressive at home and abroad, but US weapons
and US support for the regime make Americans complicit. So let's look at
the regime the US government counts as its close friend.
1. Saudi Arabia is governed as an absolutist monarchy by a huge clan, the Saud family, and the throne passes from one king to another.The Cabinet is appointed by the king, and its policies have to be ratified by royal decree. Political parties are forbidden and there are no national elections.
2. Criticizing the monarchy, or defending human rights, can bring down severe and cruel punishments in addition to imprisonment. Ali al-Nimr was targeted and arrested at the age of 17 for protesting government corruption, and his since been sentenced to beheading and public crucifixion. Raif Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for writing a blog the government considered critical of its rule. Waleed Abulkhair is serving a 15-year sentence for his work as a human right attorney. New legislation effectively equates criticism of the government and other peaceful activities with terrorism.
The government tightly controls the domestic press, banning journalists and editors who publish articles deemed offensive to the religious establishment or the ruling authorities. Over 400,000 websites that are considered immoral or politically sensitive are blocked. A January 2011 law requires all blogs and websites, or anyone posting news or commentary online, to have a license from the Ministry of Information or face fines and/or the closure of the website..
3. Saudi Arabia has one of the highest execution rates in the world, killing scores of people each year for a range of offenses including adultery, apostasy, drug use and sorcery. The government has conducted over 100 beheadings this year alone, often in public squares.
4. Saudi women are second-class citizens. The religious police enforce a policy of gender segregation and often harass women, using physical punishment to enforce a strict dress code. Women need the approval of a male guardian to marry, travel, enroll in a university, or obtain a passport and they're prohibited from driving. According to interpretations of Sharia law, daughters generally receive half the inheritance awarded to their brothers, and the testimony of one man is equal to that of two women.
5. There is no freedom of religious. Islam is the official religion, and all Saudis are required by law to be Muslims. The government prohibits the public practice of any religion other than Islam and restricts the religious practices of the Shiite and Sufi Muslim minority sects. Although the government recognizes the right of non-Muslims to worship in private, it does not always respect this right in practice. The building of Shiite mosques is banned.
6. The Saudis export an extremist interpretation of Islam, Wahhabism, around the globe. Over the past three decades, Saudi Arabia spent $4 billion per year on mosques, madrassas, preachers, students, and textbooks to spread Wahhabism and anti-Western sentiment. Let's not forget that 15 of the 19 fanatical hijackers who carried out the 9/11 attacks were Saudis, as well as Osama bin Laden himself.
7. The country is built and runs thanks to foreigner laborers, but the more than six million foreign workers have virtually no legal protections. Coming from poor countries, many are lured to the kingdom under false pretenses and forced to endure dangerous working and living conditions. Female migrants employed in Saudi homes as domestic workers report regular physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
8. The Saudis are funding terrorism worldwide. A Wikileaks-revealed 2009 cable quotes then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying "Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide....More needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Lashkar e-Tayyiba and other terrorist groups." In Syria the Saudis are supporting the most extreme sectarian forces and the thousands of volunteers who rally to their call. And while the Saudi government condemns ISIS, many experts, including 9/11 Commission Report lead author Bob Graham, believe that ISIL is a product of Saudi ideals, Saudi money and Saudi organizational support.
9. The Saudis have used their massive military apparatus to invade neighboring countries and quash democratic uprisings. In 2011, the Saudi military (using US tanks) rolled into neighboring Bahrain and brutally crushed that nation's budding pro-democracy movement. In 2015, the Saudis intervened in an internal conflict in Yemen, with a horrific bombing campaign (using American-made cluster munitions and F-15 fighter jets) that has killed and injured thousands of civilias. The conflict has created a severe humanitarian crisis affecting 80 percent of the Yemeni people.
10. The Saudis backed a coup in Egypt that killed over 1,000 people and saw over 40,000 political dissidents thrown into squalid prisons. While human rights activists the world over where condemning the brutal regime of Al Sisi, the Saudi government offered $5 billion to prop up the Egyptian coup leader.
The cozy US relationship with the Saudis has to do with oil, weapons sales and joint opposition to Iran. But with extremism spreading through the globe, a reduced US need for Saudi oil, and a thawing of US relations with Iran, now is the time to start calling for the US government to sever its ties with the Saudi monarchs.
Read more: 10 Reasonsthe EU should Oppose the Saudi Monarchy | Medea Benjami
1. Saudi Arabia is governed as an absolutist monarchy by a huge clan, the Saud family, and the throne passes from one king to another.The Cabinet is appointed by the king, and its policies have to be ratified by royal decree. Political parties are forbidden and there are no national elections.
2. Criticizing the monarchy, or defending human rights, can bring down severe and cruel punishments in addition to imprisonment. Ali al-Nimr was targeted and arrested at the age of 17 for protesting government corruption, and his since been sentenced to beheading and public crucifixion. Raif Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for writing a blog the government considered critical of its rule. Waleed Abulkhair is serving a 15-year sentence for his work as a human right attorney. New legislation effectively equates criticism of the government and other peaceful activities with terrorism.
The government tightly controls the domestic press, banning journalists and editors who publish articles deemed offensive to the religious establishment or the ruling authorities. Over 400,000 websites that are considered immoral or politically sensitive are blocked. A January 2011 law requires all blogs and websites, or anyone posting news or commentary online, to have a license from the Ministry of Information or face fines and/or the closure of the website..
3. Saudi Arabia has one of the highest execution rates in the world, killing scores of people each year for a range of offenses including adultery, apostasy, drug use and sorcery. The government has conducted over 100 beheadings this year alone, often in public squares.
4. Saudi women are second-class citizens. The religious police enforce a policy of gender segregation and often harass women, using physical punishment to enforce a strict dress code. Women need the approval of a male guardian to marry, travel, enroll in a university, or obtain a passport and they're prohibited from driving. According to interpretations of Sharia law, daughters generally receive half the inheritance awarded to their brothers, and the testimony of one man is equal to that of two women.
5. There is no freedom of religious. Islam is the official religion, and all Saudis are required by law to be Muslims. The government prohibits the public practice of any religion other than Islam and restricts the religious practices of the Shiite and Sufi Muslim minority sects. Although the government recognizes the right of non-Muslims to worship in private, it does not always respect this right in practice. The building of Shiite mosques is banned.
6. The Saudis export an extremist interpretation of Islam, Wahhabism, around the globe. Over the past three decades, Saudi Arabia spent $4 billion per year on mosques, madrassas, preachers, students, and textbooks to spread Wahhabism and anti-Western sentiment. Let's not forget that 15 of the 19 fanatical hijackers who carried out the 9/11 attacks were Saudis, as well as Osama bin Laden himself.
7. The country is built and runs thanks to foreigner laborers, but the more than six million foreign workers have virtually no legal protections. Coming from poor countries, many are lured to the kingdom under false pretenses and forced to endure dangerous working and living conditions. Female migrants employed in Saudi homes as domestic workers report regular physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
8. The Saudis are funding terrorism worldwide. A Wikileaks-revealed 2009 cable quotes then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying "Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide....More needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Lashkar e-Tayyiba and other terrorist groups." In Syria the Saudis are supporting the most extreme sectarian forces and the thousands of volunteers who rally to their call. And while the Saudi government condemns ISIS, many experts, including 9/11 Commission Report lead author Bob Graham, believe that ISIL is a product of Saudi ideals, Saudi money and Saudi organizational support.
9. The Saudis have used their massive military apparatus to invade neighboring countries and quash democratic uprisings. In 2011, the Saudi military (using US tanks) rolled into neighboring Bahrain and brutally crushed that nation's budding pro-democracy movement. In 2015, the Saudis intervened in an internal conflict in Yemen, with a horrific bombing campaign (using American-made cluster munitions and F-15 fighter jets) that has killed and injured thousands of civilias. The conflict has created a severe humanitarian crisis affecting 80 percent of the Yemeni people.
10. The Saudis backed a coup in Egypt that killed over 1,000 people and saw over 40,000 political dissidents thrown into squalid prisons. While human rights activists the world over where condemning the brutal regime of Al Sisi, the Saudi government offered $5 billion to prop up the Egyptian coup leader.
The cozy US relationship with the Saudis has to do with oil, weapons sales and joint opposition to Iran. But with extremism spreading through the globe, a reduced US need for Saudi oil, and a thawing of US relations with Iran, now is the time to start calling for the US government to sever its ties with the Saudi monarchs.
Read more: 10 Reasonsthe EU should Oppose the Saudi Monarchy | Medea Benjami
Labels:
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