EU: Human Rights Commissioner against burka ban 0
EU: Human Rights Commissioner against burka ban Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights for the Council of Europe writes that he’s against a burka or niqab ban.
Belgium: Police suspect PKK ran training camps 0
Belgium: Police suspect PKK ran training camps Twenty two people were detained in the Belgian raids. 14 have seen been freed, and the eight remaining put under arrest
Paris: ‘Baghdad ring’ on trial 0
Paris: 'Baghdad ring' on trial A group of 28 suspected members of one of Europe's biggest people-smuggling rings went on trial today in Paris where they risk jail sentences of up to ten years. The “Baghdad ring” of smugglers charged between 10,000 euros and 15,000 euros (14,000 and 20,000 dollars) to migrants seeking passage to Britain, Ireland, Sweden and Norway, according to French prosecutors. The migrants were mostly Kurds from northern Iraq but some also came from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and China, reaching France after a long dangerous journey through Turkey, Greece and Italy
Europe: 50-70% support burka ban 1
Europe: 50-70% support burka ban In a couple of related stories: 1. The Swiss government confirmed it does not intend to impose a ban on burkas, as few women actually wear the burka, and it would be difficult to enforce ( EN ) 2. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders said a ban on headscarves for all public institutions in Almere and the Hague would be central to having the PVV join the municipal coalition. Wilders stressed this ban will not affect crosses or Jewish skull caps because those are 'symbols of religions which belong to our own culture, are not, like the headscarves, a symbol of an oppressive totalitarian ideology”.
EU: Most beautiful minaret contest 0
EU: Most beautiful minaret contest COJEP International and IMCOSE (Muslim Initiative for European Social Cohesion) with the support of Council of Europe, ISESCO and Organisation of Islamic Conference have launching a contest to select the most beautiful existing Minaret in Europe through a photographic competition. Mosques, with or without their minarets have been a permanent addition in the aesthetics of our urban landscapes
Scotland: Muslims tackle Islamic far-right 0
Scotland: Muslims tackle Islamic far-right The British National Party and the Scottish Defence League often portray Islam as a separatist Trojan horse inside Britain – a religion of shadowy conspirators plotting to bring the county to its knees.
Opinion: Why don’t the Jews join us? 0
Opinion: Why don't the Jews join us? An orthodox Jewish reader once asked me why Islam-critics criticize EVERYTHING about Islam.
Finland: Killings just tip of honour violence iceberg 0
Finland: Killings just tip of honour violence iceberg “It is a coincidence and good luck that nobody in Finland has been murdered for the honour of the family”, says Rewbar Karimi, an expert in honour conflicts working at the Finnish League for Human Rights.
Europe: Khat smuggling finances al-Shabaab 1
Europe: Khat smuggling finances al-Shabaab Update: Small fixes. Muhammed was just a small fish, going across the Øresund (the Sound)
CNN: Naser Khader, Tariq Ramadan and Ayaan Hirsi Ali 0
CNN: Naser Khader, Tariq Ramadan and Ayaan Hirsi Ali This seems to be a segment of a much larger discussion. I’ll update the post when the entire episode is up. Meanwhile, to sum up: Hirsi Ali: This is not a debate about religion, but about social and political values and there is There is a clash between Muslim values and European values.