Minaret of Freedom Weblog

“While ecstatic crowds celebrated the pope’s visit and message of reconciliation, thousands of Muslims remained essentially blockaded in their neighborhood of PK5, unable to leave because of the armed Christian militia fighters”:

• Pope Preaches Peace in Central African Republic Visit (Christian Science Monitor)

“Westerners have speculated that the drug is being used by Islamic State fighters, the biggest consumer has for years been Saudi Arabia … and is popular among those Syrian fighters who don’t follow strict interpretations of Islamic law”:

• The Tiny Pill Fueling Syria’s War and Turning Fighters into Superhuman Soldiers (Washington Post)

UN Head calls for de-escalation, Erdogan expresses regret of plane downing, and Turkey warns citizens to avoid Russia as Russia drafts sanctions and curtails visas:

• Ban Asks Turkey, Russia to De-Escalate Tension (AP / abc News)
• Turkish President Says Wishes Plane Downing Had Not Happened (AP / abc News)
• Turkey Advises Citizens Against Travel to Russia (Guardian)
• Russia Ends Visa-free Travel with Turkey in Escalation over Plane Downing  (AP / Christian Science Monitor)
• Tensions Escalate Between Russia and Turkey over Downed Russian Plane (Christian Science Monitor)

• Turkey to Help EU Curb Migration in Exchange for Cash, EU Membership talks: draft (Reuters)

CAIR lost it battle when “U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ruled the policy did not represent an imminent and concrete threat to Muslims therefore she did not have the authority to make a decision in the case” and has 30 days to appeal:

• ‘Muslim-free Zone’ at Florida Gun Shop Upheld in Court (AL.com)

“The hospital’s location was known to the U.S. military, and officials from MSF (also known as Doctors Without Borders) repeatedly phoned U.S. and Afghan military officials during the attack, trying desperately to stop the heavy fire”:

• Attack on MSF Hospital a ‘Tragic but Avoidable Accident,’ Pentagon Finds (NPR)

“Such a use of the missile, made by Marconi and sold to Saudi Arabia during the mid-1990s, was “depressingly predictable”, said Amnesty International, which conducted the investigation alongside Human Rights Watch”:

• UK-made Missile Hit Civilian Target in Yemen, Say Human Rights Groups (Guardian)

The “Palestinian artist sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for apostasy has told a local news website in an interview from inside prison that he isn’t an atheist and that his case centers around a personal dispute he had with someone”:

• In Saudi Prison, Artist Facing Death Says He’s No Atheist (AP /abc News)

The OIC’s secretary general “expressed his solidarity with Tunisia and said such acts of terrorism were seeking to alter the country’s ‘moderation and tolerance-driven model of society'”:

• Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Fatal Tunis Bus Attack (Guardian)

“Despite a half-day off the Egyptian government granted its employees … [p]olitical apathy has been on the rise since President … el-Sissi, who was then military chief, led the 2013 army overthrow of Egypt’s first freely elected leader”:

• Low Turnout Continues to Mar Egypt Parliamentary Elections (AP / abc News)

The regime tries to have it both ways, charging the journalists with both printing lies and revealing state secrets:

• Cumhuriyet Daily’s Dündar, Gül Referred to Court; Could Face Life Sentence (Today’s Zaman)

The exchange of threats of economic sanctions, spoken and implied, between Russia and Turkey is growing :

• Russia and Turkey Refuse to Back Down in Row over Jet Downing (Reuters)
• Turkey’s Erdogan Says Russian Response to Downed Jet ‘Emotional’ and ‘Unfitting’ (Reuters)

“Tehran had accused Saudi Arabia of kidnapping Ghazanfar Roknabadi because he previously held sensitive positions for the Iranian government, such as the post of ambassador to Lebanon”:

• Iran Diplomat Missing Since Saudi Hajj Stampede Found Dead (AP / abc News)

A 50 million member group proclaims extremists “justify their harsh and often savage behavior by claiming to act in accord with God’s commands, … [but] every aspect and expression of religion should be imbued with love and compassion”:

• From Indonesia, a Muslim Challenge to the Ideology of the Islamic State (NY Times)

Justification of “Labott’s suspension with reference to a supposed CNN standard that reporters are not supposed to be ‘predictably partisan’ … is an utter crock…. Glenn Greenwald has drawn up an extensive list of partisan opinions that caused no suspensions”:

• CNN’s Deplorable Mainstreaming of Anti-Muslim Bigotry (This Week)

“Al-Watan reported that he was charged with blasphemy, spreading atheism and having long hair, along with other charges. New York-based Human Rights Watch said Monday that Fayadh has denied the charges”:

• Palestinian to Appeal Saudi Death Sentence for Poetry (AP / abc News)

Setting “an important international legal precedent,” South Africa will enforce Turkey’s warrants  “seeking the arrest of the Israeli commanders for their involvement in the 2010 Israeli attacks on the Mavi Marmara aid ship, which led to the deaths of nine humanitarian activists”:

• Israeli Military Chiefs Face Arrest in South Africa (Cape Times / IOL Beta)”

“Wearing a [Mercedes] logo does not make you” a Mercedes:

• This Meme Sums Up What ISIS Is to Islam (Metro)

Many ISIS “supporters rejected the group’s extreme violence and radicalism, they saw the group as a formidable opponent of Iran—’the real enemy,'” and “in fact, most didn’t even pray daily. They were Sunnis who cared about their group: us versus them”:

• More Ethnic than Religious: How the Islamic State Uses Religion to Attract Allies (Salon)

“The length of Rezaian’s imprisonment is unspecified and has not yet been finalized, according to Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, the spokesman for Iran’s judiciary”:

• Iran Sentences Journalist Jason Rezaian to Unspecified Prison Term (Christian Science Monitor)

“I got borderline angry that he would make such a comment and try to drive a wedge between Muslims serving in the U.S. armed forces and people who aren’t Muslim. I felt the need to call him out — particularly because Trump himself has never served”:

• Who is Tayyib Rashid? Muslim Marine Whose #MuslimID Tweet To Donald Trump Went Viral Says He Bleeds Red, White And Blue (International Business Times)

“The Brotherhood, which swept every vote held after Mubarak’s ouster until Morsi was overthrown, are boycotting the election, along with most secular, liberal and left-wing activists”:

• Egyptians Vote in 2nd Stage of Parliamentary Elections (AP/ abc News)

“The terrorists want us to hate one another. They want to drive a wedge between Muslim communities and the wider society. So I think we really need to double up on our efforts to not let these divisions occur”:

• Paris Attacks Spark Anti-Muslim Backlash, but Canadians Are Fighting Back (CBC News)

There are “concerns that the legal proceedings against them were flawed and threats of violence by their supporters. A reporter was shot and wounded after covering the funeral of one of the men, though it was not clear who was responsible”:

• Bangladesh Executes 2 Opposition Leaders for War Crimes (AP /abc news)

Until joining ISIS, Hasna Ait Boulahcen was “deep into alcohol, drugs and sex” and “her purported pre-radicalization behavior fits with other female extremists” …

• Fingerprints Confirm ID of Paris Female Suicide Bomber (AP / abc News)

… exemplified in the fact that “the terrorists — they are not part of the institutions of the Muslim [community], they don’t go to mosques. They don’t recognize the French Muslims as true Muslims. We are also seen as the enemy” …

• French Muslim Activist: Recent Days Have Been ‘Hell’ (Forward)

…yet “[e]ven as some confront a backlash, Muslims are noting a sense of belonging – feeling part of a society that is mourning collectively and standing behind the French government in bringing attackers to justice”:

• After Paris Attacks, Many Muslims Say They Feel More French than Ever (Christian Science Monitor)

It’s not just Republicans; “the Democratic mayor of Roanoke, Va., cited the internment of Japanese Americans in camps during World War II, under suspicion because of their race, as a positive lesson for dealing with Syrian refugees”:

• ‘Rabid’ Dogs and Closing Mosques: Anti-Islam Rhetoric Grows in GOP (Washington Post)

• Iraq Air Strike Likely Killed Four Civilians, Including Child: U.S. Military (Reuters)

• Mali Hotel Attack: ‘No More Hostages’ After Special Forces Raid (BBC)

• In Islamic State’s Global Reach, New Risks for Jihadists – and the West (Christian Science Monitor)

“Our greatest chance of severely curtailing the pipeline of the scores of young men and women flocking to Isis and other jihadi groups is to have them in communities that provide them with a sense of belonging and acceptance in their adopted countries”:

• As an FBI Agent, I Know Communities Hold the Key to Fighting Terrorism (Guardian)

“[A] large group of strangers surrounded the man and then proceeded to hug him one after the other. Bystanders watching the moment wiped away tears”:

• Blindfolded Muslim Man in Paris Asks Strangers for Hugs, Trust After Attacks: Watch Their Heartwarming Response (US Magazine)

Juan Cole takes exception to persistent comments about IS that are “exaggerated or just incorrect” about its place in Islamic history, the piety of its membership, its numbers, its influence, and how to fight it:

• Today’s Top 7 Myths About Daesh/ ISIL (juancole.com)

“[T]he West’s veneer of civilization has been peeled away, leaving in its place, a renewed commitment to barbarity and retribution against the monsters known as ISIS … [yet] incidents of terrorism have increased by 6,500% since the “War on Terror” began in 2001″:

• Beyond the Hysteria of Vengeance: to Defeat ISIS, End the ‘War on Terror’ (Counterpunch)

“Many of the benefits from keeping Terrorism fear levels high are obvious. Private corporations suck up massive amounts of Homeland Security cash …, while government officials … can claim unlimited powers, and operate with unlimited secrecy and no accountability“:

• The Sham “Terrorism Expert” Industry (Salon)

Zaman publishes results of a research study proving that “the sarin used in the 21 August attack and analysis demonstrated that the gas used didn’t match the batches known to exist in the Syrian army’s chemical weapons arsenal”:

• Seymour Hersh’s News Report Banned in U.S., is Finally Confirmed in Turkey (Strategic Culture Foundation)

“Muslim victims of the indiscriminate multiple attacks were all in the prime of their lives. They included a violinist, an architect, a receptionist and a shop assistant”:

• Paris Attacks: the Muslim Victims of Terrorist Bullets (Guardian)

“We have to reinforce our borders while remaining true to our values”:

• French President Francois Hollande Welcomes Refugees Despite Paris Attack (AP / abc News)

“ISIS isn’t just at war with much of the world, or, especially, the Muslim world. The Islamic State is at war with how Muslims understand Islam” …

• ISIS Perversion of Islam Is a Mortal Danger to Muslims (CNN)

… “Islam’s position is very clear … [against] the killing of innocent people, … these acts do not respect war as it is decreed in the Muslim tradition and … these suicide bombers are convinced they’re going to heaven when they actually risk finding themselves in hell” …

• Muslim and Jewish Leaders Gather at Paris Concert Hall Memorial (Guardian)

ISIS subscribes to the view that music is prohibited in Islam, so imagine how angry they will be when they see these imams singing “To arms citizens! Form you battalions! March, march, let impure blood waters our furrows”:

• Imams Sing French National Anthem near Bataclan Theatre (Guardian)

Remember Freedom Fries? “The U.S. should treat France as France treated the U.S. 14 years ago—by helping the other wage prudent fights and warning its leaders against the rash decisions that trauma can lead to”:

• Paris and the Lessons of 9/11 (Atlantic)

Amir and Nehal Elmasri said when they returned home to their gated community from feeding the homeless Sunday morning, they noticed a bullet hole in their garage door. The family said that the bullet went through their garage and into their master bedroom”:

• Orlando Muslim Family Claims It Was Targeted by Gunfire (WKMG)

“There is still no sign of agreement, however, on the key question of the future of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad”:

• Paris Attacks Galvanise International Efforts to End Syria War (Guardian)

Egypt’s civil aviation minister says … that a copy of the recording needs to be analyzed with technology ‘unavailable in most countries….’  He didn’t identify the country”:

• Egypt Says Plane’s Final Seconds to Be Analyzed Abroad (AP / abc News)

“This huge effort to go after this deranged man filled with hate when they can’t make half that effort to save the hostages while … [they] were still alive. It’s unfortunate that the government doesn’t get it. They think it gives us solace, but it doesn’t” – mother of IS victim James Foley:

• ‘Jihadi John’ Believed Killed in ‘Flawless’ US Airstrike, Official Says (The Conversation)

“Robert F. Dees … has indulged in anti-Muslim bigotry and … described the military as a vehicle to eventually ‘indoctrinate’ the American public at large to evangelical Christianity” and then “to transform the nations of the world through the militaries of the world”:

• Who Is the Man Behind Ben Carson’s Foreign Policy? (Foreign Policy)

Fired “from his tenured position over his personal tweets criticizing the Israeli government’s assault on Gaza in 2014. Professor Salaita” says the $875,000 “settlement is a vindication for me, but more importantly, it is a victory for academic freedom and the First Amendment”:

• Settlement Reached in Case of Professor Fired for “Uncivil” Tweets (Center for Constitutional Rights)

“While skeptics may dismiss this turnaround as a mere deflection from Sisi’s human rights violations against the Muslim Brotherhood and secular youth activists, a better explanation lies in the seismic political changes under way in the region”:

• Egypt’s Sisi Signals Shift Toward Muslim Brotherhood (The Conversation)

Freedom of speech doesn’t include “reposting names and addresses of 100 U.S. service members, all with the intent to have them killed”:

• Muslim Arrested by FBI for Sharing an ISIS GIF (Daily Beast)

“[H]ow US colonel James Steele, a veteran of American proxy wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua, played a key role in training and overseeing US-funded special police commandos who ran a network of torture centres in Iraq” that launched the Iraqi civil war and rise of ISIS:

• US Special Forces Veteran Links General Petraeus to Torture in Iraq (Guardian)

Daniel Polisar’s virtual denial of the context of the occupation and any data contrary to his preconceive conclusions as well as the “mirror of support for violence” and threat perceptions on the Israeli side disappoints and somewhat frightens public opinion researcher Dahlia Scheindlin:

• Misusing Hard Data To Paint Palestinians As Irrational Animals (Forward)

Criminally invading a hospital “Israeli forces disguised in Palestinian clothes – including one impersonating a pregnant woman in a wheelchair – have raided a hospital in the flashpoint city of Hebron, shooting dead a relative of a man suspected of carrying out a stabbing attack”:

• Palestinian Shot Dead in Israeli Undercover Raid on West Bank Hospital (Guardian)

“Apparently, it’s hard to find someone who is not only compatible, but also shares a mix of Muslim and American values” says the woman who “jokingly said, ‘Why don’t I make a website to connect all of you, because you all seem really cool.’ Then the emails started pouring in”:

• Ishqr Helps Muslim Millennials Find Love, Parents Not Included (NPR)

“We have realized this now, that under an Islamic system all rights of human beings — both men and women — need to be implemented 100 percent” — Abdul Manan Niazi, the deputy head of the breakaway group:

• A New Taliban Breakaway Group Claims Support for Peace and Women’s Rights (Washington Post)

“So how does a former FBI agent who has left the bureau dishonorably make a living? Easy, bash Muslims…. People like Shoebat and Guandolo have the right—which I defend—to spew hate, just as the Klan does.  But these lessons in bigotry shouldn’t be paid for with our tax dollars”:

• Cops Working with Anti-Muslim Activists (Daily Beast)

“Like other Afghans seeking refugee status whom I’ve interviewed across Germany, Rahimi is quick to affirm his Muslim faith. After some prodding, he nervously admits he might convert to Christianity to avoid deportation… Those who are baptized here … get to stay in Germany”:

• For Some Muslim Asylum-Seekers In Germany, Christianity Beckons (NPR)

• #NoAllMalePanels: American Muslim Women Want Change (Al-Arabiya)

• Jordanian Officer Fatally Shoots Two Americans, South African at Security Training Site
  (Reuters)

“At one point, he was taken to an empty field, told to take off his shirt and trousers, and was then inspected superficially by a doctor, he said. He was also held temporarily in ‘a narrow, dark cell void of anything but two blankets on the floor'”:

• Egypt Army Releases Journalist After ‘False News’ Accusation (AP / abc News)

“Since the 1960s, the way of avoiding conflict was power-sharing among a set of prince. Salman has upset the tradition by consolidating a lot of power in those two princes and now we are seeing this playing out” – Gregory Gause, professor of international affairs at Texas A&M:

• Saudi Succession: Rival Princes Jockey as Global Oil Slump Hits Home (Christian Science Monitor)