Islamic State Tempt Educated Teens to Syria in Tuition Fee Dodge
A Saudi soldier fires a mortar towards Houthi movement position, at the Saudi border with Yemen April 21, 2015. REUTERS/STRINGER
Arab World
Islamic State Tempt Educated Teens to Syria in Tuition Fee Dodge
25 Islamic State Fighters Killed In Blast of Their Own Explosives in Syria
Saudi Arabia Trains Yemeni Tribal Fighters in War against Houthis: Sources
Brotherhood Can Defend Their Ideas, but Not Impose Them on Egyptians: Sisi
Violence Is Not Unique To Muslims Only, Says Islamic Scholar
69 jailed for life for torching church in Egypt
Syrian opposition reports chemical attack in Idlib
Iraq’s Sadr, Obama oppose sending funds directly to Kurds, Sunnis
Iraq offers amnesty to security personnel who fled IS
Europe
Charlie Hebdo Cartoonist Says Will No Longer Draw Prophet (PBUH)
France to Set Up Centre for Returning Young Jihadists by Year-End
German police foil planned Salafist attack near Frankfurt: report
Parents stop children from taking school trip to local mosque in England
Teenage Islamic terrorist who pestered girls for sex while plotting Lee Rigby-style attack on British soldier
South Asia
Six Soldiers Martyred, 130 Militants Killed In Separate Military Operation
Suicide bomber killed by own explosives before reaching target in Kandahar
Pakistan must open Wagah for trade: Ghani
Govt ready to face US inquiries in partnership dialogue
Africa
Boko Haram's Top Commanders Killed, More Women, Children Rescued
ISIS kills two Tunisian reporters kidnapped last year in Libya
French Soldiers Accused of Raping CAR Children: UN report
India
US Panel Questions RSS, VHP Over Attacks against Minorities; Slams "Ghar Wapsi"
Former PM Assured Shahi Imam That Delhi's Jama Masjid Won’t Be a Protected Monument
Pakistan
Swat ATC sentences 10 to life imprisonment in Malala attack case
ATC wants US author, ISI operative’s statements in Benazir murder case
Four terrorists arrested with suicide jackets
Pakistan to seek extradition of top Baloch insurgents
Nawaz Sharif calls PM Narendra Modi, appreciates India's rescue efforts in Nepal
Treatment of Pakistani seamen by India a violation of international law: FO
North America
Baltimore Uprising: Is ISIS Using The Riots To Recruit Black American Muslims?
40 US soldiers arrive in Turkey to train Syrian rebels
New York's MTA to ban all political adverts on subways, buses
CAIR: Anti-Muslim College Speakers “Create A Hostile Learning Environment for Muslim and Arab-American Students”
Iran cultural centres to promote Shiite Islam blossom in Latin America
U.S. pressing France to postpone UN resolution on Palestine
U.S. asks Iran’s help on Yemen talks
Mideast
Saudi-Led Warplanes Pound Houthis in Yemen
Erdoğan signals new measures against Gülenists
Iran FM: nuke deadline not ‘sacrosanct’
Iran ‘Godfather’ Of ISIS Militants: Exiled Iranian Opposition Leader
Iraq offers amnesty to security personnel who fled ISIS
Southeast Asia
Indonesia Prepares For Next Round of Executions
Malaysia Needs a Prime Minister, Not An Emperor, Zaid Says
Philippine president thanks Indonesia for death row reprieve
No faith in Putrajaya, working Malaysians struggle with living costs, says DAP
Executed Indonesian May Have Been Denied Justice by Clerical Blunder: Supreme Court
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Arab World
Islamic State tempt educated teens to Syria in tuition fee dodge
Apr 30, 2015
A BRIT jihadist is tempting teens into joining Islamic State by promising they can dodge tuition fees and study for free.
He urged would-be medical students – who can rack up debts of £80,000 studying in the UK – to join the brutal regime.
The fighter – who uses the name Abu Abdullah Britani – claimed on Twitter there was free education and jobs for all in Isis-controlled territory in Syria and Iraq.
He said: “I always hear west say, ‘she was so bright, A* student, very clever’. “She wanted to study medicine, to be a doctor, now she has joined #IS. Excellent stuff.
Now she can be a doc for IS, free courses available. Many jobs available for women in IS such as doctors/nurses, teachers in pre-school, primary and secondary.”
He told women even if they were not clever enough to become doctors or teachers they could marry a fighter and help breed the next generation of terrorists.
“Even if women came to be brides of mujahideen, so what?,” he wrote.
“Better than being forced married to a non-practising ‘Mozlem’ living in Dar al-Kufr (Land of Disbelief).
“There is more honour in marrying a mujahid, helping & supporting her husband who fights for sake of Allah & even giving birth to young lions.”
The terror network has killed at least 2,154 people away from the battlefield in Syria since last June.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/439388/Abu-Abdullah-Britani-Islamic-State-Syria-Iraq-tuition-fee-dodge
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25 Islamic State fighters killed in blast of their own explosives in Syria
Apr 30 2015
25 fighters from the militant group of Islamic State were killed after a strong blast occurred in their explosive manufacturing plant in Syria on Wednesday.
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) which provides information about the ongoing war in Syria is reporting that the IS explosives factory was destroyed in the explosion.
“A strong explosion took place this evening in an IS explosives factory in the town of Al-Mayadeen in the province of Deir Ezzor,”, SOHR report states.
The report adds that “Several other explosions followed, shaking the whole town. Twenty-five ISIS fighters were killed, around 20 others were injured.”
Most parts of Deir Ezzor province in Syria are in the hands of self proclaimed Islamic State.
http://www.khaama.com/25-islamic-state-fighters-killed-in-blast-of-their-own-explosives-3250
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Saudi Arabia trains Yemeni tribal fighters in war against Houthis: Sources
Apr 30, 2015
Saudi Arabia is providing military training for hundreds of Yemeni tribesmen to fight the Iranian-allied Houthi militia, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
A Saudi-led alliance has been bombing the group from the air for over a month, but it remains Yemen's dominant force.
The kingdom announced last week it would rein in its strikes to give aid and reconciliation efforts more space, but the warring sides have made no visible progress toward talks.
"You cannot win a war against the Houthis from the air - you need to send ground forces in, but now there's a programme to train tribal fighters on the border," said a Doha-based military source familiar with the matter.
This week 300 tribal fighters trained in Saudi Arabia were deployed back to their home area in the Sirwah district of central Marib province to fight the Houthis and managed to push the militia back, a Yemeni official source told Reuters.
A Saudi defence source said there was a plan to bolster Yemeni forces in the battles raging across the country because locals knew the terrain better than Saudis.
"The problem is the number of tribal fighters being trained is very small and not enough," said the Yemeni source who declined to be named, adding that the training includes giving the fighters light weapons and tactical advice.
Adversary
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and Sunni Muslim regional adversary of Shia Iran, feels threatened by the Shia Houthi advance across Yemen since last September, when the rebels captured the capital.
The Saudi royal in charge of the military campaign in Yemen, Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman, 30, was named deputy crown prince by his father, King Salman, on Wednesday.
The Saudi-led intervention, closely associated with Prince Mohammed and Interior Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, is seen by analysts as reflecting a more assertive approach to foreign policy under Salman and his ruling team.
The Houthi gains have forced President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee into exile in Riyadh. The Saudi campaign aims to restore Hadi and prevent Yemen collapsing as a state.
Al Qaeda militants have thrived in the chaos, and the writ of the military and central government has evaporated in the country, which sits astride one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes.
Asked about the training, Saudi Arabia's coalition spokesman, Brigadier Ahmed Asseri, told Reuters he could not comment on operations that were still underway, but did not deny that such training was taking place.
"We always comment on what is achieved. We never comment on something in the future. We don't want to put the security and safety of any one of the soldiers in danger."
"We always confirm that we are helping the resistance and the popular groups, the loyal army ... but we cannot go into details on where, how, how much," he said.
Uniting forces
In an attempt to cobble together a united tribal front against the Houthis, Saudi Arabia has invited heads of tribes for a meeting in Riyadh, Yemeni sources told Reuters.
Much of the armed opposition to the Houthi advance has been from local southern fighters, many of whom resent the north and seek secession.
"Saudi Arabia wants to unite tribal leaders in this meeting but the feeling is that there's not much hope for that," said a Yemeni source currently in Riyadh.
Yemen's prime minister and newly appointed vice president Khaled Bahah travelled from Riyadh to Doha on Monday to discuss ways of re-establishing the authority of Yemen's government in exile, sources familiar with the matter said.
One of the options currently under discussion with Gulf states is how to remove al Qaeda elements from the city of Seyoun in the Hadramawt region, which could be a possible base for the government's administration.
"There's a growing sense among everyone that if the government officials stay outside of Yemen this in itself will be a gain for the Houthis," said a Yemeni source.
So far the fighting and air strikes have killed more than 1,000 people, including an estimated 551 civilians since the bombings started on March 26, the United Nations said on Friday. Its children's agency UNICEF said at least 115 children were among the dead.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/128980/World/Region/Saudi-Arabia-trains-Yemeni-tribal-fighters-in-war-.aspx
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Brotherhood can defend their ideas, but not impose them on Egyptians: Sisi
Apr 30, 2015
In an exclusive extended interview with Spanish daily El-Mundo del Siglo Veintiuno published on Wedne, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has said former rulers and now-outlawed Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood have the right to defend their ideas, but are not allowed to impose them on Egyptians.
The president, in office for almost one year, also spoke about key issues related to the battle between Egyptian security forces and Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt's military involvement in Yemen, and upcoming parliamentary elections.
El-Sisi said he has been working on "a difficult equation" after choosing between the safety of 90 million Egyptians and chaos, talking about Egypt following the ouster of Islamist former president Mohamed Morsi.
"If I had not intervened, there would have been civil war," El-Sisi stated.
Possible coexistence
El-Sisi told El-Mundo that coexistence is possible for supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, adding that the state will not fight people for their ideas.
However, he said that Muslim Brotherhood supporters should know that the state would not communicate with them.
The Brotherhood can ask Egyptians to vote on whether or not they accept their ideas, as a way of defending their discourse, but they cannot impose their views on Egyptians, he said.
"They haven’t been doing this yet, but they started to understand," he added.
Speaking about the use of violence against the Muslim Brotherhood, El-Sisi said, "You can only use violence with those who resort to it first." He also stressed that he prefers the institutions of justice and the state while dealing with the Muslim Brotherhood.
The government has banned the 86-year-old Brotherhood movement, designating it a terrorist organisation. The group insists it is committed to peaceful activism.
When asked why he is treating the Muslim Brotherhood differently than former president Hosni Mubarak and Gamal Abdel Nasser, El-Sisi said, "because the scenario is different."
"Nasser gave no choice to the Brotherhood. As for Mubarak, he made a reconciliation and allowed them to play a political role. Now it is the Egyptian people who reject the participation of the Brotherhood," said El-Sisi.
When asked about the crackdown carried out by the government on the Brotherhood since Morsi's ouster, El-Sisi said: "I wish there was no violence," asking the interviewee to compare facts and figures to Iraq and Syria.
Since the summer of 2013, thousands of members and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood have been rounded up and faced trials.
Sinai out of control?
The Egyptian president explicitly refused the claim that there are militants of the Islamic State (IS) in Sinai, highlighting that he is working to protect civilians living in the Peninsula.
"The image that you have about Sinai is wrong. Terrorism there is concentrated in an area near the Gaza Strip in Northern Sinai whose length ranges between 50-60 kilometres. The Peninsula is 60,000 square kilometres," El-Sisi explained.
Speaking about Egyptian soldiers deployed in Sinai, El-Sisi said that they are sufficient to deal with terrorists within the borders of the country.
"We must not allow them to make propaganda that they are forming a state in the country, and draw a virtual situation that does not correspond to reality," said El-Sisi.
Egypt's army has been fighting a decade-long militant Islamist insurgency that has spiked since the ouster of Egypt's first elected president, Muslim Brotherhood leader Morsi, in summer 2013 following nationwide mass protests against his rule.
Hundreds of police and soldiers, as well as civilians, have been killed in militant attacks in following months.
Sinai-based militant group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis has claimed most attacks against army and police personnel in the Peninsula.
In recent months, the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group, which controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq.
Egyptian troops in Yemen?
Earlier this year Houthi fighters took over several cities in Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, a development that prompted Saudi Arabia and regional allies in late March to carry out airstrikes against them, to halt their advance.
In the interview, El-Sisi said that Saudi Arabia has not asked Egypt to send ground troops.
"We are moving towards a political solution because we don’t want to complicate the situation more than it already is," said El-Sisi.
Egypt's support for the military campaign came in order to secure the Bab Al-Mandab strait off the Yemen coast, which is "a top priority for Egypt's national security," said El-Sisi.
Around 1,200 Egyptian expats have been evacuated from Yemen so far, Egypt's foreign ministry has said.
Final step in the political roadmap
Speaking about Egypt's long-awaited parliamentary elections, El-Sisi said that he was planning that the elections would take place in March. However, the process was halted due to judicial rulings.
"As I promised Egyptians, parliamentary elections will be held before the end of 2015," said El-Sisi.
Egypt's High Constitutional Court on 2 March ruled parts of the electoral laws governing parliamentary elections unconstitutional, thus postponing the planned polls. A cabinet committee formed to amend the electoral laws then started working to make the necessary amendments.
Egypt has been without a parliament since the House of Representatives elected in late 2011 was dissolved in June 2012, following a court ruling that judged the law regulating its election unconstitutional.
President El-Sisi holds legislative powers until an elected parliament convenes.
Once a parliament is elected, they will vote on all laws issued by El-Sisi and his predecessor, Interim President Adly Mansour.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/128983/Egypt/Politics-/Brotherhood-can-defend-their-ideas,-but-not-impose.aspx
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Violence Is Not Unique To Muslims Only, Says Islamic Scholar
Apr 30, 2015
Abu Dhabi: Violence carried out by Muslim extremists, and conflicts involving Muslims in general, are neither unique, nor have they have left a higher toll than conflicts involving other groups, said Islamic scholar Hamza Yousuf on the second day of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies in Abu Dhabi.
Yousuf, an American who embraced Islam, displayed statistics compiled from historical and current sources, comparing the death toll as a result of Muslim-related conflict with other groups. The aim was to dispel the commonly held view that Muslims are more prone to violence than other groups.
“Are Muslims distinctive in their violence? Are they violent by nature? Does Islam make them this way? Studies have shown that the proportion of violence in stable Islamic communities is actually less than in Western countries,” Yousuf said.
Recounting his own experiences, Yousuf said that when he lived in Muslim countries like Morocco and the UAE, he felt safer than when he was in his own country, the United States. “I have lived in Morocco among the Bedouin, and in Al Ain, UAE, and I have never felt afraid. In America, there some places near my home that I am afraid to go because of the violence and crime.”
Full report at:
http://gulfnews.com/culture/education/violence-is-not-unique-to-muslims-only-says-scholar-1.1501576
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69 jailed for life for torching church in Egypt
Apr 30, 2015
AIRO Egypt jailed 69 Islamists for life on Wednesday for torching a church near Cairo in August 2013 during a crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, a judicial official said.
The Coptic church was set on fire and a police station was attacked when violence erupted in the town of Kerdasa on Aug 14 that year, after hundreds of Morsi supporters died in a crackdown on two protest camps in the capital the same day.
The court also sentenced two minors to 10 years in jail in the same case.
Hundreds of Morsi supporters have been given death sentences or life in jail after often speedy mass trials which the United Nations has called “unprecedented in recent history”.
Morsi himself was given a 20-year prison term by a court last week for ordering the arrest and torture of demonstrators involved in clashes in 2012 when he was president.
Morsi was ousted by then army chief and now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on July 3, 2013 after mass street protests against his year-long divisive rule.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1178954/69-jailed-for-life-for-torching-church-in-egypt
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Syrian opposition reports chemical attack in Idlib
30 April 2015
Syrian activist groups on Wednesday reported another suspected chemical attack in the northwestern province of Idlib, with one group tweeting that a dozen people were “suffocating.”
Several Idlib-based groups said government helicopters dropped at least two barrel bombs containing chlorine on the town of Saraqeb, triggering cases of suffocation.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights, which is based outside the country, tweeted that 12 people were “suffocating.”
The reports could not be independently verified. A call to Syria's mission to the U.N. rang unanswered Wednesday evening.
The head of Syria’s main opposition group in exile said he received the reports during his informal meeting with the U.N. Security Council behind closed doors.
Khaled Khoja with the Syrian National Coalition said he urged the council to act on its resolutions, including one adopted last month that threatens action against the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/30/Syrian-opposition-report-chemical-attack-in-Idlib.html
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Iraq’s Sadr, Obama oppose sending funds directly to Kurds, Sunnis
30 April 2015
An influential Shiite cleric threatened Wednesday to attack U.S. interests in Iraq and abroad over a congressional provision to send arms directly to Sunni and Kurdish fighters.
The proposed measure in the House Republicans’ defense authorization bill for next year would distribute a quarter of the $715 million authorized to train and equip the Iraqi army outside the government’s control. It’s unclear if the provision will survive the months-long legislative process.
“In the event of approving this bill by the U.S. Congress, we will find ourselves obliged to unfreeze the military wing and start targeting the American interests in Iraq - even abroad, which is doable,” said the statement on Muqtada al-Sadr’s website.
In a rare turn of events, both al-Sadr and President Barack Obama signaled their opposition to the provision by House Republicans. Proposing to give 25 percent of the funds directly to the Kurdish peshmerga and Sunni forces is one of several provisions in the military policy measure that the White House said on Tuesday that the president opposes.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/30/Iraq-s-Sadr-Obama-oppose-budget-provision-.html
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Iraq offers amnesty to security personnel who fled IS
Apr 30, 2015
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Thursday offered an amnesty covering security forces members who fled the Islamic State jihadist group, provided they return to their units within 30 days.
Multiple Iraqi divisions collapsed when an IS-led offensive swept through Iraq last June, overrunning large areas north and west of Baghdad.
In their haste to escape, some security personnel shed their uniforms and abandoned vehicles, weapons and other equipment, which the jihadists have since employed against government forces.
The statement from Abadi's office did not specifically mention IS, but the amnesty covers those who fled, were absent or harmed themselves to avoid service.
The amnesty specifically excludes those who committed offences including crimes against state security, corruption and abuse of influence.
It was unclear if tens of thousands of so-called "ghost soldiers," who are on the payroll but do not show up for work, sometimes splitting salaries with their commanders, would be covered.
While Iraqi security forces performed dismally in the early days of the IS-led drive, they have since regained significant territory with backing from pro-government paramilitaries, a US-led coalition and Iran.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/129026/World/Region/Iraq-offers-amnesty-to-security-personnel-who-fled.aspx
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Europe
Charlie Hebdo Cartoonist Says Will No Longer Draw Prophet (PBUH)
Apr 30, 2015
PARIS: French cartoonist Luz, who drew Charlie Hebdo's cover picture of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) following the massacre of the satirical weekly's editorial team, has said he will no longer draw the Prophet (PBUH).
Armed men claiming to be avenging the Prophet (PBUH) killed 12 people when they attacked the Paris offices of the weekly magazine, known for lampooning Islam along with other religions.
For Muslims, any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is blasphemous.
“The terrorists did not win,” Luz told Les Inrockuptibles magazine in an interview published on its website on Wednesday.
“They will have won if the whole of France continues to be scared.”
http://www.dawn.com/news/1179106/charlie-hebdo-cartoonist-says-will-no-longer-draw-prophet-pbuh
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France to set up centre for returning young jihadists by year-end
30 April 2015
PARIS (Reuters) - France will open a centre late this year to help reintegrate young French citizens who return from conflict zones such as Syria but are not subject to prosecution, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Wednesday.
France is a top Western source country for jihadi volunteers and more than 100 have returned home after fighting in Syria and Iraq, which can land them in prison. Their lawyers say heavy sentences risk making them in to hardened criminals.
But there are also those who return disappointed and repentant, including young women, for whom France has so far had no plan to receive and reintegrate.
In April last year, the French government adopted a plan aimed at preventing potential jihadist sympathisers before they leave by setting up an online service for families who suspect relatives are about to go and join these radical groups.
Reception centres were created at prefectures for parents of potential jihadists. A year later, nearly 1,900 cases have been registered, of which a quarter are for minors and more than 40 percent for young girls, Valls said.
Full report at:
http://www.firstpost.com/world/france-to-set-up-centre-for-returning-young-jihadists-by-year-end-reuters-2219712.html
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German police foil planned Salafist attack near Frankfurt: report
30 April 2015
Police in southern Germany have prevented a planned attack by Salafist Islamist extremists, a German newspaper reported on Thursday, adding that two suspects had been arrested overnight after weapons and explosives were found in their home.
Police said they could not confirm the report on the website of Die Welt newspaper of the operation in the town of Oberursel near Frankfurt, Germany’s financial capital, but they said a news conference was scheduled for 4.30 p.m. (1430 GMT).
Die Welt identified the two people arrested as a married couple, Halil and Senay D. The paper said they had been under police observation after raising suspicion by buying large quantities of chemicals and using false names.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2015/04/30/German-police-foil-planned-Salafist-attack-near-Frankfurt-report.html
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Parents stop children from taking school trip to local mosque in England
Apr 30, 2015
Some parents in England banned their children from a religious education school trip to a local mosque following ‘safety’ concerns.
Lostwithiel School in Cornwall had planned to take nearly 100 students to visit a mosque in Exeter, Devon as part of learning about different faiths.
However, fearing the safety of their children, Cornwall Council said ‘a small number of parents’ raised concerns regarding the security of their children.
Chairman of governors for the school, Kat Smith said a group of parents had expressed concerns about the trip due to recent terror attacks by groups such as Islamic State.
“Because of recent news reports about extremist groups, such as IS, that identify themselves with Islam, a small number of parents have expressed concerns about the trip and the teaching of Islam in school.”
One mother claimed she ‘doesn’t want to put her son at risk of being shot’ while some parents said their children would be exposed to ‘violence and guns’ and expressed ‘grave concerns’ about the teaching of Islam. Schoolchildren, from grades three to six, were due to visit the city’s cathedral before taking a tour of the mosque and observing a congregational prayer.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/878510/parents-stop-children-from-taking-school-trip-to-local-mosque-in-england/
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Teenage Islamic terrorist who pestered girls for sex while plotting Lee Rigby-style attack on British soldier
Apr 30, 2015
A Muslim extremist has been found guilty of trying to mastermind a Lee Rigby-style terror plot by grooming a 'vulnerable' former schoolmate while at the same time sending sexually explicit text messages to young women.
Kazi Islam, from Manor Park, east London sent messages to Harry Thomas, 19, praising Lee Rigby's killers and encouraging him to buy a knife to attack soldiers as well as the ingredients to make an explosive device.
The court heard that Islam, 18, tried to coerce his friend to buy parts for a pipe bomb including fireworks, hydrogen peroxide, pipes, metal end caps and glue.
At the same time as trying to groom Mr Thomas, Islam was sending highly explicit messages over Blackberry messenger to girls he barely knew, it can be disclosed.
Islam, now 18, is said to have 'ruthlessly exploited' his former classmate Mr Thomas, 19, who had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and suffered from Asperger’s syndrome.
When referring to the bomb components, Islam described them as 'cake', although Mr Thomas misunderstood and asked whether he was talking about the 'b o m b'.
Mr Thomas was not charged with any offence.
Full report at:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3061105/Teenager-GUILTY-bungled-terror-plot-groom-man-learning-difficulties-Lee-Rigby-style-copycat-killing.html#ixzz3YmE37eqO
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South Asia
Six soldiers martyred, 130 militants killed in separate military operation
Apr 30 2015
Six soldiers have embraced martyrdom and 130 militants killed during separate military operations in past 24 hours, a statement issued Thursday morning by General Zahir Azimi the spokesman for the Ministry of Defense states.
Azimi writes in his statement that the six soldiers embraced martyrdom due to bomb blast and enemy fire. The statement does not specify the location of the enemy actions.
Azimi’s statement adds that 130 militants were also killed and 87 others wounded during separate military operations in past 24 hours.
Six suspects were also arrested during these operations, the statement further states.
Afghan National Security Forces are engaged in 21 large-scale military operations across the country at the time.
http://www.khaama.com/six-soldiers-martyred-130-militants-killed-in-separate-military-operation-3255
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Suicide bomber killed by own explosives before reaching target in Kandahar
Apr 30 2015
A suicide bomber was killed in the explosion of his own materials after police fired at his vehicle in southern Kandahar province on Thursday.
Samim Khpalwak, spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province says that incident took place in Arghistan area of Daman District around 11:00 AM today.
He said police suspected a vehicle and signaled to the driver for checking but the driver did not stop.
Khpalwak added that police fired at the vehicle which exploded leaving the suicide bomber who was driving the vehicle killed.
Khpalwak further added that there is no death to policemen or civilians in the explosion but one policeman sustained injuries which are not life threatening.
http://www.khaama.com/suicide-bomber-killed-by-own-explosives-in-kandahar-3257
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Pakistan must open Wagah for trade: Ghani
Apr 30, 2015
Signalling that Afghanistan is upset with Pakistan over its refusal to allow direct trade with India via the Wagah border, President Ashraf Ghani says that if the deadlock continues, “We will not provide equal transit access to Central Asia [for Pakistani trucks].”
Mr. Ghani, who was in India on his first state visit, told The Hindu in an exclusive interview that it was a question of “sovereign equality”, and Pakistan must accept the “national treatment” clause agreed to in the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit and Trade Agreement (APTTA), signed in 2011, which gives each country equal access up to the national boundaries of both.
Full report at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pakistan-must-open-wagah-for-trade-ghani/article7155457.ece
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Govt ready to face US inquiries in partnership dialogue
Apr 30, 2015
The government is ready to face any questions related to the city corporation election in the Bangladesh-US Partnership Dialogue.
“We will not raise the city corporation election issue but if the US side does it, we are prepared,” said a senior official of the foreign ministry.
Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque will lead the Bangladesh side in the two-day fourth partnership dialogue while US State Department Under-Secretary Wendy Sherman her country.
“Our probable response will be that the election is over and the result was announced and if there is any irregularity or complaint, it would be looked into by the Election Commission,” he said.
The US Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday after the election issued a statement saying it was disappointed by widespread, first-hand, and credible reports of vote-rigging, intimidation and violence that occurred at polling stations, and the BNP’s decision to boycott the city corporation polls.
Full report at:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/apr/30/govt-ready-face-us-inquiries-partnership-dialogue#sthash.vYtrUCZ2.dpuf
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Africa
Boko Haram's Top Commanders Killed, More Women, Children Rescued
Apr 30, 2015
One soldier died, four others were injured as Boko Haram terrorists battled in vain to retain nine major camps in the dreaded Sambisa forest where more women and children were found and rescued.
Troop commanders said hundreds of Boko Haram insurgents were killed in hours of gun battle.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, who made this known to newsmen in a statement, said two major combat tanks and high calibre ammunitions used by the Boko Haram terrorists were recovered while many others were destroyed.
The statement reads in full; "I wish to inform you that today (Wednesday) evening, troops of 7 Division Nigerian Army also cleared several terrorists strong points and training camps within Sambisa forest, Borno State, Nigeria.
"The troops have also rescued additional women and children. They have been evacuated to a safety zone for further processing.
Full report at:
provide updates on the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign in North-Eastern Nigeria.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300405.html
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ISIS kills two Tunisian reporters kidnapped last year in Libya
30 April 2015
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants in Libya have killed two Tunisian journalists kidnapped last year, Libyan officials said on Wednesday, following the murder of five television reporters discovered this week.
The Tunisian government will immediately send a delegation to Libya to discuss the case, said a Tunis official, declining to confirm the deaths of Sofian Chourabi and Nadhir Ktari who were kidnapped about eight months ago.
A spokesman for Libya’s official government based in eastern Libya said an arrested militant had admitted that his group had killed the two reporters.
The spokesman said that was the same group of ISIS militants that had killed five journalists - an Egyptian and four Libyans - working for Libya Barqa TV channel. Their bodies with slit throats were found in eastern Libya on Monday.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2015/04/30/ISIS-kills-two-Tunisian-reporters-kidnapped-last-year-in-Libya.html
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French Soldiers Accused of Raping CAR Children: UN report
Apr 30, 2015
France is investigating allegations that its peacekeepers sexually abused children in the Central African Republic after a leaked UN report said victims as young as eight were raped in exchange for food and money.
The French government "was made aware at the end of July 2014 by the UN's high commission for human rights of accusations by children that they had been sexually abused by French soldiers," the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
An investigation was opened shortly after by Paris prosecutors, it said.
The defence ministry vowed to take measures to ensure that "the truth be found" and said "the strongest penalties" would be imposed on those found responsible.
The abuse was alleged by around 10 children, the ministry said, and reportedly took place at a centre for displaced people near the airport of the capital Bangui between December 2013 and June 2014.
Full report at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300266.html
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India
US panel questions RSS, VHP over attacks against minorities; slams "ghar wapsi"
Bharti Jain,TNN | Apr 30, 2015
NEW DELHI: A US panel tracking international religious freedom has, in its latest report on India, noted that religious minorities in the country were exposed to "derogatory" comments by leaders of the ruling BJP as well as "violent attacks and forced conversions by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)" since the Narendra Modi government took over last year.
It has also slammed the "ghar wapsi" campaign and accused the "Hindu nationalist groups" of offering monetary inducements not only to Muslims and Christians to convert to Hinduism but also to Hindus who carry out such "forced" conversions.
The findings of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), largely based on the accounts of religious leaders of the minorities and non-government organisations in India, have led it to place India on its Tier 2 list of countries for the seventh year in a row.
However, even as it reported on the alleged violation of rights of Christians and Muslims in India in 2014, the panel squeezed in a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's February 17 statement (made after the period covered by the report) condemning attacks on churches and assuring protection to the minorities, describing it as a "positive development".
Yet, what is certain to rile India, the panel juxtaposed Modi's February 17 assurance to Christians with the 2002 Gujarat riots, stating that the statement was notable given the "long-standing allegations that, as chief minister of Gujarat in 2002, Modi was complicit in anti-Muslim riots in that state" .
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/US-panel-questions-RSS-VHP-over-attacks-against-minorities-slams-ghar-wapsi/articleshow/47108267.cms
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Former PM Assured Shahi Imam That Delhi's Jama Masjid Won’t Be a Protected Monument
ET Bureau | Apr 30, 2015
NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "assured" the Shahi imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid that the Mughal-era mosque would not be declared a protected monument, a letter submitted by the Archaeological Survey of India to the Delhi High Court has revealed.
The assurance was made in a letter from Singh to Syed Ahmed Bukhari in 2004, soon after he had taken over as PM, according to the ASI affidavit.
This adds a new dimension to the case in which the high court has been trying to find out for more than a decade why the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government refused to declare the 17th century Jama Masjid a protected monument. Doing so would have meant that control over it would pass to the central government.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Former-PM-Manmohan-Singh-assured-Shahi-Imam-Syed-Ahmed-Bukhari-that-Delhis-Jama-Masjid-wont-be-a-protected-monument/articleshow/47106332.cms
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Pakistan
Swat ATC sentences 10 to life imprisonment in Malala attack case
Apr 30, 2015
SWAT: An anti-terrorism court of Swat on Thursday sentenced ten men to 25 years imprisonment in the case related to the 2012 attack on child activist Malala Yousufzai.
The ten convicts were identified as Bilal, Shaukat, Salman, Zafar Iqbal, Israrullah, Zafar Ali, Irfan, Izhar, Adnan and Ikram.
The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed the attack on Malala in October 2012 as the then 14-year-old was returning from her school in the Mingora town of Swat valley. Two schoolmates of the educationist, Kainat and Shazia, were also wounded in the attack.
Malala survived after being airlifted to Britain for treatment and recovered from her life-threatening wounds.
Her courage was recognised and praised worldwide and she was nominated for several international peace awards. She became the youngest Nobel peace prize winner in October 2014.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1179116/swat-atc-sentences-10-to-life-imprisonment-in-malala-attack-case
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ATC wants US author, ISI operative’s statements in Benazir murder case
Apr 30, 2015
RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday asked the head of the Joint Investigation Team probing former premier Benazir Bhutto’s murder to contact US author and prosecution witness Mark Seigel to ascertain how he can record a statement or appear before the court.
The court also sent a reminder to the head of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to allow Ismail, an agency operative, to appear before the court for recording a statement.
ATC-I Special Judge Rai Muhammad Ayub Marth, while taking up the case at Adaila Jail, summoned eight witnesses again.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar Ali and other accused appeared before court.
FIA prosecutor informed the court that summons to five witnesses including Seigel and the ISI operative could not be served so far. He urged the court for issuance of fresh summons to them.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/878227/atc-wants-us-author-isi-operatives-statements-in-benazir-murder-case/
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Four terrorists arrested with suicide jackets
Apr 30, 2015
LAHORE: The sensitive agencies personnel arrested four terrorists and recovered suicide jackets, explosives and weapons from their possession during an action on Wednesday.
Intelligence sources said that the sensitive agencies personnel responding to an intelligence report launched a crackdown in Youhanaabad locality of the provincial capital. During operation four terrorists identified as Mir Khan, Abdul Rehman, Zarab Khan and Ameer Khan were detained. Suicide jackets, huge cache of modern weaponry and explosive material were recovered from the possession of the detainees stated to be belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mohmand Agency. The nabbed terrorists were also told to be having links with attack on Catholic Church in Youhanaabad. The arrested terrorists were shifted to an undisclosed location for further investigation and more arrests were expected in the light of information gleaned from the detainees.
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/punjab/30-Apr-2015/four-terrorists-arrested-with-suicide-jackets
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Pakistan to seek extradition of top Baloch insurgents
Apr 30, 2015
ISLAMABAD: The government is all set to approach five countries and the United Nations to seek extradition of top Baloch insurgents accused of fomenting unrest in Balochistan which has been in the throes of a low-profile separatist insurgency since 2006.
The security agencies have identified 161 training camps of Baloch insurgents, nearly two dozen of them are believed to be located in Afghanistan and two in Iran.
“We are taking up the issue of Baloch insurgents with five countries [India, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Iran and Afghanistan],” said a top security official, who did not want to be named in this report. Dr Allah Nazar, Hyrbyair Marri, Brahumdagh Bugti, Javed Mengal
and some other wanted insurgents are commanding their fighters in the province, he added.
Hyrbyair Marri, the head of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), has been living in self-exile in the United Kingdom where he has been granted political asylum. The BLA has been responsible for most violence in Balochistan.
Full report at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/878332/pakistan-to-seek-extradition-of-top-baloch-insurgents/
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Nawaz Sharif calls PM Narendra Modi, appreciates India's rescue efforts in Nepal
TNN | Apr 30, 2015
NEW DELHI: Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif on Thursday called up PM Narendra Modi and expressed his condolences on loss of lives in India due to earthquake.
"Got a call from PM Nawaz Sharif. He expressed condolences on the loss of lives in various parts of India due to the earthquake," PM Modi said in a tweet on Thursday.
The PM added that Sharif appreciated India's efforts in the rescue operations in Nepal.
"I thank him for his kind words," Modi said.
Modi said that he suggested to Sharif that "SAARC nations should conduct regular joint exercises on disaster relief and rescue".
"SAARC nations can come together and hold annual exercises of rescue teams, doctors etc on how we can minimise damage during natural disasters," he added.
Sharif appreciated the idea and "told me that we should take up such an initiative".
The two leaders also discussed unseasonal rain and its adverse impact on crops.
Nepal was hit by a massive earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale on April 25, killing over 5,000 people. The toll due to the earthquake in India has gone up to 78, while the number of injured people stands at 560, the government said on Wednesday.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nawaz-Sharif-calls-PM-Narendra-Modi-appreciates-Indias-rescue-efforts-in-Nepal/articleshow/47105811.cms
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Treatment of Pakistani seamen by India a violation of international law: FO
Apr 30, 2015
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday expressed serious concern over the plight of Pakistani seamen in India and said treatment meted out to them was in violation of international law and norms.
"A Pakistani ship was on way to India for ship-breaking when it sank. However, seamen were rescued and taken to the Indian state of Gujarat where they were kept in a police station. This was when the ship's Yemeni crew was accommodated in a hotel," FO spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam told a press briefing in Islamabad.
She said the High Commission in New Delhi was in contact with Indian authorities for the well being of the Pakistani citizens.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1179119/treatment-of-pakistani-seamen-by-india-a-violation-of-international-law-fo
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North America
Baltimore Uprising: Is ISIS Using The Riots To Recruit Black American Muslims?
Apr 30, 2015
Of the U.S. communities where Islamic extremists might recruit people to join the Islamic State militant group, the majority African-American city of Baltimore might seem an unlikely target. After all, news reports have mostly focused on Minneapolis -- and its large Somali immigrant population -- as the main U.S. recruitment hotbed for the group that is also known as ISIS or ISIL.
But as civil unrest and violence over the death of a young black man continued in Baltimore this week, ISIS reportedly has its eyes set on dissatisfied Muslims among the American black population, including in Baltimore.
Abu Saqer, leader of Jihadiya Salafiya, an Islamist militant group in the Gaza Strip that has made pro-ISIS statements, told WorldNetDaily that ISIS was taking advantage of a “growing movement within the black community toward Islam and the racist policies of the U.S. government.” Saqer also said he did not know if ISIS had successfully recruited black American Muslims or if any jihadist cells had been established.
Since Monday, hundreds in Baltimore have been arrested, buildings have been looted and Full report at:
http://www.ibtimes.com/baltimore-uprising-isis-using-riots-recruit-black-american-muslims-1901484
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40 US soldiers arrive in Turkey to train Syrian rebels
Apr 30, 2015
Around 40 U.S. Special Forces members have arrived in Turkey to join their Turkish colleagues in training Syrian rebel groups to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), sources have told Hürriyet.
The U.S. soldiers have moved to the Hirfanlı gendarmerie base in the Central Anatolian province of Kırşehir, where they will start the training in 10 days, the sources said.
Turkmens are said to be the most prominent group among those to be trained and Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) is currently selecting the rebels to join the program. The process of picking the rebels will be completed soon, according to sources.
The rebels will be trained in Turkey in groups of 400.
The start of the program was initially scheduled for the end of last year, before it was postponed to February, but the talks between the Turkish and U.S. officials continued until recently.
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/40-us-soldiers-arrive-in-turkey-to-train-syrian-rebels.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81745&NewsCatID=352
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New York's MTA to ban all political adverts on subways, buses
Apr 30, 2015
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York is preparing to ban all political adverts on its buses and subways, it announced on 29 April. The policy change comes after a judge ruled in favour of a pro-Israel group that displayed adverts with the phrase "Hamas Killing Jews" on city buses, USA Today reported.
According to NBC New York, the resolution passed by a vote of 9 to 2, after the MTA's finance committee approved it on 27 April. The agency, which is struggling financially, said that type of advertising only accounts for less than $1m (£647,800) of its annual advertising revenue of $138m, per 2014 numbers.
"Advertisements expressing viewpoints messages, regardless of the viewpoint being expressed would no longer be accepted," the MTA's general counsel, Jerome Page, said.
Page said the policy change was established due to safety concerns. "We drew the line when we thought our customers, our employees and the public were in danger," he said. "The judge gave short shrift to those concerns."
Full report at:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/new-yorks-metropolitan-transportation-authority-ban-all-political-adverts-subways-buses-1499049
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CAIR: Anti-Muslim College Speakers “Create A Hostile Learning Environment For Muslim And Arab-American Students”
Apr 30, 2015
Huffington Post (Alexandra Svokos) reports that conservative firebrand David Horowitz spoke at the University of North Carolina, and said (among other things) that “the Muslim Students Association and Students for Justice in Palestine are associated with terrorist organizations” and “intend to ‘kill the Jews, to push them into the sea.'” Muslim students spoke out against those statements, and “began an online campaign called #NotSafeUNC to show how they have felt discriminated against on and around campus.” The Huffington Post article also notes that UNC is near where three Muslim family members were recently killed.
What I found noteworthy, though, was the statement from Ibrahim Hooper, the spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations:
[Anti-Muslim speakers] create a hostile learning environment for Muslim and Arab-American students, and that’s what they’re designed to do. … They’re designed to demonize Muslim and Arab students.
Full report at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/04/28/council-on-american-islamic-relations-says-anti-muslim-college-speakers-create-a-hostile-learning-environment-for-muslim-and-arab-american-students/
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Iran cultural centers to promote Shiite Islam blossom in Latin America
Apr 30, 2015
Iranian “cultural centers,” established across Latin America to enhance the Shiite country’s influence in the region, have proliferated in the last three years, while the Obama administration has been trying to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran.
“As the foremost state sponsor of terrorism, Iran’s involvement in the region and these cultural centers is a matter for concern, and its diplomatic, economic, and political engagement is closely monitored,” Gen. John Kelly, the commander of U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), told lawmakers last month, as the P5+1 powers approached a self-imposed deadline to draw up a framework for a nuclear deal with Iran.
Breitbart News found that the number of Iranian “cultural centers” in Latin America have more than doubled, from 36 in 2012 to more than 80 today.
That information was gleaned from Southcom’s posture statements—annual assessments of its challenges and programs. The various U.S. military commands submit posture statements to Congress on an annual basis.
Full report at:
http://yalibnan.com/2015/04/30/iran-cultural-centers-to-promote-shiite-islam-blossom-in-latin-america/
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U.S. pressing France to postpone UN resolution on Palestine
Apr 30, 2015
The United States and several other countries – including Arab states – have asked the French government over the past two weeks to postpone its initiative for a United Nations Security Council draft resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian issue – at least until after the June 30 deadline for reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran.
Senior U.S. officials and European diplomats told Haaretz that the message was also relayed to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, as well as to French diplomats at the UN headquarters in New York and to officials in Washington and in other capitals. Foreign Policy was the first to report on Wednesday on the American messages to France.
According to the American and European diplomats, the messages relayed to the French stressed that the Obama administration – as well as other powers – are currently focused on reaching a comprehensive agreements with Iran. Taking action on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, they said, would only distract from and disrupt this goal.
Full report at:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.654215
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U.S. asks Iran’s help on Yemen talks
30 April 2015
The United States sought Iran’s help to bring Yemen’s warring parties into talks on a political settlement when U.S. and Iranian foreign minister’s met on Monday, Reuters reported a U.S. official as saying Wednesday.
Asked whether U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had asked Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in talks in New York on Monday to use its influence to get all sides into talks, a U.S. State Department official told reporters, “Yes.”
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said this meant seeking Iranian help to get the Houthis to negotiate.
Iran on ‘neutral venue’
Meanwhile, Iran on Wednesday proposed to hold U.N. talks on ending the conflict in Yemen at a neutral venue, pointing to the success of the talks on Afghanistan held in Germany in 2001.
“Everybody in Yemen should engage in a dialogue without preconditions and I do not believe that is taking place in the UAE,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said at New York University.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/30/U-S-asks-Iran-s-help-on-Yemen-talks.html
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Mideast
Saudi-led warplanes pound Houthis in Yemen
30 April 2015
A Saudi-led coalition pressed on with air strikes Thursday against a militia group in south Yemen where fierce clashes raged between the insurgents and southern pro-government fighters, sources said.
Warplanes hit Houthi militia positions in the main southern city of Aden, in the districts of Khor Maksar and Dar Saad, helping pro-government forces to retake positions, sources among the southern fighters said.
Eight people were killed in overnight clashes in Aden, including five pro-government fighters and three civilians, according to the city’s health chief Al-Khader Laswar.
He said 44 others were wounded. Details of losses on the rebel side were not available.
Shiite Houthi fighters backed by troops loyal to former strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh had made advances in Aden, which is now defended by local militia dubbed “popular resistance” units that have sided with forces loyal to embattled President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi.
Saudi Arabia assembled a multi-country coalition last month that launched attacks on the rebels following a request by Hadi, who has since fled Aden to Riyadh.
Although the coalition said it had halted its air campaign on April 21, strikes have continued to pound rebel positions throughout Yemen.
Overnight raids targeted Houthis in the southern provinces of Lahj and Abyan, southern fighters said.
The United Nations says more than 1,000 people have been killed in fighting in Yemen since late March.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/30/Saudi-led-warplanes-pound-rebels-in-south-Yemen-.html
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Erdoğan signals new measures against Gülenists
Apr 30, 2015
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has hinted at new measures against followers of Pennsylvania-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, as he repeatedly described Gülenists in the country as “a gang of treachery.”
“Today, Turkey is at the threshold of a critical period. We are facing a lot of threats, from separatist terror to the parallel gang of treachery,” Erdoğan said April 29, referring to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey lists as a terror organization, along with the “parallel state.”
“Those who are annoyed by Turkey’s embrace with its siblings in the region have surrounded our sphere merely with a ring of fire. We very well know what is being done and for what reason. We also well know who is behind and what it is after,” Erdoğan said at a meeting staged to promote projects by the Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry.
“But we also know very well,” he said, adding in Arabic that “There is no winner other than God.”
Full report at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-signals-new-measures-against-gulenists.aspx?pageID=238&nID=81731&NewsCatID=338
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Iran FM: nuke deadline not ‘sacrosanct’
30 April 2015
Iran’s foreign minister says his country and world powers will meet Thursday to start bringing together the elements of a draft on a comprehensive nuclear deal, with meetings starting Monday in Europe to finalize all its elements.
Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said at an event Wednesday in New York that while Iran certainly wants to meet the June 30 deadline for an agreement, “no time deadline is sacrosanct.”
He met with Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday.
Zarif says Iran expects U.N. sanctions to be lifted within a few days of a deal. And he expects President Barack Obama will have to stop implementing the U.S. sanctions on his country. “How he does is his problem,” Zarif said.
He also took aim at Israel’s prime minister, who has been a fierce critic of the attempt to reach a deal with Iran over its nuclear program and who went as far as addressing Congress over the issue, to Obama’s displeasure. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/30/Iran-FM-nuke-deadline-not-sacrosanct-.html
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Iran ‘Godfather’ Of ISIS Militants: Exiled Iranian Opposition Leader
30 April 2015
The leader of an exiled Iranian opposition group addressed US lawmakers for the first time Wednesday and warned of the links between Shiite Iran and the Sunni Muslim Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants.
“It was the mullahs’ regime who helped the creation of ISIS... and the killing of Sunnis in Iraq helped the emergence of ISIS,” Maryam Rajavi told House lawmakers.
Rajavi is the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a political umbrella coalition of five Iranian opposition groups that includes the once blacklisted People’s Mojahedin of Iran (MEK).
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/30/Iran-godfather-of-ISIS-militants-opposition-leader-.html
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Iraq offers amnesty to security personnel who fled ISIS
30 April 2015
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Thursday offered an amnesty covering security forces members who fled the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) jihadist group, provided they return to their units within 30 days.
Multiple Iraqi divisions collapsed when an ISIS-led offensive swept through Iraq last June, overrunning large areas north and west of Baghdad.
In their haste to escape, some security personnel shed their uniforms and abandoned vehicles, weapons and other equipment, which the jihadists have since employed against government forces.
Full report at:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/30/Iraq-offers-amnesty-to-security-personnel-who-fled-ISIS-.html
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia Prepares for Next Round of Executions
Apr 30, 2015
Jakarta. The bodies of the eight men killed by the firing squad on Wednesday have not all been buried yet, but already the Attorney General’s Office is preparing for another round of executions.
Tony Spontana, a spokesman for the AGO, said in Jakarta on Wednesday night that his office was “waiting for the evaluation” of the most recent round of executions before it could set a date for the next one.
The administration of President Joko Widodo has executed 14 people so far this year, 12 of them foreign nationals, and all convicted of drug offenses. The administration insists that the country faces some kind of “drug emergency,” although experts have repeatedly debunked the figures it cites for drug-related deaths.
The third round of executions, though, will not feature drug convicts, Tony said. Instead, the AGO has identified five convicted murderers who will be in the next batch to face the firing squad.
Full report at:
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/indonesia-prepares-next-round-executions/
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Malaysia needs a prime minister, not an emperor, Zaid says
Apr 30, 2015
KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Malaysians did not elect an emperor as their prime minister in the last federal polls, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim told Datuk Seri Najib Razak today as he joined calls for the latter’s resignation.
He pointed out that unlike a prime minister, who is duty bound by the democratic system to be answerable to those who elected him, an emperor spends money as he pleases and answers to no one but himself.
In a blog post today, Zaid used the example of France’s King Louis XIV, a ruler who declared himself to be the state of France, which meant that his decrees were taken as law and no other authority mattered.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-needs-a-prime-minister-not-an-emperor-zaid-says#sthash.nO8xHqyK.dpuf
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Philippine president thanks Indonesia for death row reprieve
Apr 30, 2015
MANILA, April 30 — Philippine President Benigno Aquino today thanked Indonesia for granting a reprieve to a Filipina on death row, crediting his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo for his quick action.
Aquino told reporters that he had sent a letter just after midnight that had resulted in the last-minute decision by the Indonesian President not to execute single mother Mary Jane Veloso.
Just hours before Veloso was to be put to death along with other convicted foreign drug traffickers in Indonesia, he had asked that she be spared so she could serve as a witness against the drug syndicate that allegedly duped her into acting as a mule.
“We’d like to thank the Indonesian government for the rapidity of the response on this proposal,” he said.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/world/article/philippines-aquino-thanks-indonesia-for-death-row-reprieve#sthash.FpcajeRs.dpuf
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No faith in Putrajaya, working Malaysians struggle with living costs, says DAP
Apr 30, 2015
Faced with escalating cost of living, low wages and public financial losses due to inefficiency, wastage and corruption, Malaysia's 14.2 million workers have lost faith in Putrajaya, said DAP today.
Its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said in his Labour Day message that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's hype on his economic transformation plan successes, including the 6% growth recorded in 2014 meant little to Malaysians still mired in household debt and a widening income gap.
Lim, who is also Penang's chief minister, said that the Malaysian ringgit and the country's capital markets were the worst performers in Asia in 2014 despite the touted 6% economic growth.
He also questioned the move to transform Malaysia into a high income nation by 2020, when data from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) showed 62% of Malaysian workers earned a monthly wage of below RM2,000.
Full report at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/no-faith-in-putrajaya-working-malaysians-struggle-with-living-costs-says-da#sthash.y64yiqOO.dpuf
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Executed Indonesian May Have Been Denied Justice by Clerical Blunder: Supreme Court
Apr 30, 2015
Jakarta. Zainal Abidin, the sole Indonesian among a batch of eight drug offenders executed on Wednesday, may have been denied justice because of a bureaucratic blunder, the Supreme Court has revealed.
On its website, the final court of appeals said on Thursday that the case review that it received from Zainal — and subsequently rejected two days before he was put to death — had been submitted 10 years late.
The Palembang District Court in South Sumatra initially convicted Zainal in August 2001 to 18 years in prison for possession of 58.7 kilograms of marijuana. Prosecutors, who had sought the death penalty on trafficking charges, mounted an appeal with the Palembang High Court, which duly handed down the death sentence less than a month later.
In May 2005, Zainal’s lawyers filed a case review, or PK, a final form of appeal that is heard by the Supreme Court. In keeping with procedure, the case review was filed with the original court hearing the case, which was expected to forward the case to the Supreme Court.
However, the Palembang District Court did nothing with the case for nearly 10 years, until April 8 this year, when it grew increasingly apparent that Zainal would be among the next batch of inmates to be put to death.
Full report at:
http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/executed-indonesian-may-denied-justice-clerical-blunder-supreme-court/
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