Germany: Politician Blasted for Support of Islamic Law

Via Spiegel:

Most politicians in Germany have gotten the message: The quickest way to spark a career-damaging controversy is to make a facile comment about Nazis or the Holocaust. Media critics and political opponents are quick to pounce.

But that isn’t the only way to attract unwanted attention, as Jochen Hartloff, the interior minister of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, found out this week. In an interview with the Berlin tabloid BZ, Hartloff said that Sharia law, in a “modern form,” would be acceptable in Germany. In comments published on Friday in the center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, he added that Islamic moral code “is certainly conceivable when it comes to questions pertaining to civil law.”

Hartloff, a politician from the center-left Social Democrats, made clear that he was referring specifically to family law issues such as divorce settlements and alimony, but also certain instances of contract law in which devout Muslims seek to avoid paying interest. Applying Sharia rules, he said, could help avoid hostility in such cases.

(source)

Hague: Muslim party denies dog ban proposal

Via AD (Dutch):

Hasan Küçük, fraction head of the Islam Democrats in the Hague, denies the party wants to ban dog ownership in the city. He says his words were taken out of context.

During a debate last week about the municipal policy regarding animals, Küçük said that he thinks it’s pitiful that dogs are sometimes shut in an apartment for 23 hours a day.

Küçük says that the party is not proposing to ban ownership of dogs. Küçük was not available for comment over the weekend.

Belgium: Sharia bank accounts to be offered by Chaabi Bank

Via HLN (Dutch):

Moroccan bank Chaabi is considering launching Sharia bank accounts in Belgium, reports La Libre Belgique.

Chaabi’s Belgian branch says they’re currently studying the idea and will soon consult the FSMA (Banking, Finance and Insurance Commission).

Former Finance Minister Didier Reynders supported Islamic banking, but the current minister, Steven Vanackere, hasn’t yet stated his opinion.

UK: Growing use of Sharia

Via the BBC (h/t Islam in Britain):

An estimated 85 Sharia councils could be operating in Britain, according to a 2009 report by the think tank Civitas.

Several bodies like the Islamic Sharia Council have seen a large increase in their cases in the past five years.

”Our cases have easily more than tripled over the past three to five years,” says Sheikh al-Haddad.

”On average, every month we can deal with anything from 200 to 300 cases. A few years ago it was just a small fraction of that.

”Muslims are becoming more aligned with their faith and more aware of what we are offering them,” he explained.

(source)

Belgium: Youth theaters complain about ‘Muslim prudishness’

Via De Telegraaf (Dutch, h/t NRP):

Jo Roets, artistic head of the Laika threater group, told newspaper De Morgen that prudishness among immigrant youth will be a hot item in the coming years. Immigrant teenagers shut their eyes or avert their heads when it comes to naked scenes.

Theater maker Jan Decorte says that a woman leading a group of children asked before a show whether there would be any nudity “because our Muslim youth may not see naked people.” Decorte says it’s a form of censorship.

Brussels youth theater Bronks says they’ve also seen a turn towards prudishness. The theater wants youth to realize that naked scenes are part of storytelling and there’s no need to turn one’s head away.

“We want immigrant youth to understand that they should look beyond their own convictions, and that such scenes are part of the artistic framework,” says Marij De Nys of Bronks. De Nys says that they get more appalled and disapproving reactions compared with a decade ago.

Flemish media recently reported a ‘new prudishness’ in sports clubs. Boys increasingly prefer to shower after gym class with swimming trucks on, or just skip the shower.

Finland: Swimming pool purchases curtains for immigrant swimmers

Via Tundra Tabloids (via HS):

Martinlaakso swimming pool will begin swimming periods for immigrants early next year. In practice, after normal business hours are held, the hall’s large windows will be covered with curtains. The arrangements are related to an immigrant directed campaign of Sports For Everyone – in Vantaa’s integration exercise project.

- The Hall was fitted with curtains this autumn. The project is within the framework of our central task to remove all kinds of obstacles. There have been obstacles to immigrants, because the swimming pools are open places, immigrants have not been able possible to participate in swimming activities, says Project Manager Marja Auroma.

(source)

Belgium: Sharia4Belgium calls on Muslims to turn Belgium into Sharia state

Full clip here, via MEMRI.

UK: “They’re Somalian Muslims and alcohol or drugs isn’t something they’re used to”

The quote is from the girls’ lawyer. According to the article, the judge didn’t actually say that was a mitigating circumstance.

Via the Daily Mail:

A gang of Muslim girls who repeatedly kicked a young woman in the head walked free from court after a judge heard they were ‘not used to being drunk’ because of their religion.

The group screamed ‘kill the white slag’ while kicks raining in on 22-year-old Rhea Page as she lay motionless on the ground, the court heard.

The attackers – three sisters and their cousin – were told by a judge that normally they would have been sent to jail.

However, he handed the girls – all Somalian Muslims – suspended sentences after hearing that they were not used to alcohol because their religion does not allow it.

(source)

London: Muslim women complain about lack of women-only facilities

Via Hounslow Chronicle (h/t The LibertyPhile)

A GROUP of Muslim women claim that Hounslow Council is not doing enough for their exercise needs.

They say that due to religious constraints they can not exercise when there is a man about, even if he is the instructor.

They want more women-only facilities in leisure facilities and have complained, in some centres, even the changing rooms are communal.

Councillor Pritam Grewal said: “We current run a significant number of women’s sessions across our Leisure Centres. These include swim sessions, gym sessions and classes.”

“However, none of the centres guarantee that there will be female only staff working.”

(source)

Italy: Moroccan murders wife, suspects her of trying to convert

Via bladna (Dutch):

Mohamed El Ayani (39), a Moroccan living in Brescello, killed his wife, Rachida Radi (35), since he suspected she was converting to Christianity.

The victim was killed with a hammer by her ex-husband, from whom she was divorcing. Once the investigation into her death is finished, her body will be flown for burial in Morocco.

Mohamed El Ayani turned himself in to the police shortly after the murder, holding his 4-year old daughter. He told the investigators his wife often went to chruch since she wanted to convert to Catholicism.

The city’s mayor told Il Corriere della Sera that Rachida Radi most wanted to adapt to the customs of Italy. She performed small jobs for the parish to supplement her income.

Mohamed El Ayani came to Italy in 1995 and was revolted by his wife’s and oldest daughter’s wishes for autonomy He worked as a cleaner in Parma.