#is noor mohammad terrorist

[thedailyexcelsior]

Kupwara: Terror Module Busted, 5 Terror Associates Arrested, Arms Recovered

Kupwara police along with Army has busted a terror module involved in smuggling of various arms and ammunition sent by two POK based LeT terrorist handlers namely Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh alias Shakoor S/o Wali Mohammad Seikh R/o Gabra Karnah and Qazi Mohammad Khushal S/o Qazi Syed Yaseen R/o Dhanni Karnah . DIG said the police first arrested  Zahoor Ahmad Bhat S/o Noor Hussain Bhat R/o Rear Sudhpora…

[historybannedonfacebook]

BOMBAY BOMBINGS 1993

1993                       BOMBAY BOMBINGS 1993 -  The Bombay Bombings 1993 was a terrorist attack in Bombay, Maharashtra, India on 12 March 1993 which resulted in 257 people’s deaths and 713 injured. The bombings were a series of 12 bomb explosions, the coordinated attacks were the most destructive bomb explosions in Indian history. These were the first serial bomb blasts of their kind in the world. There had been 13 blasts. The attacks were coordinated by Dawood Ibrahim, leader of the Bombay-based international D-Company, with the help of his subordinates Tiger Memon and Yakub Memon. The government executed Yakub Memon in 2015.

Three days before the bombings on 9 March, a small-time criminal, Gul Noor Mohammad Sheikh “Gullu” was detained at the police station. He was one of the participants in the riots that happened the previous year, Gullu was one of the 19 men picked by chief mastermind, Tiger Memon who sent Gullu to Pakistan in 1993 to be trained of using guns and bomb making. After he completed his training, Gullu returned to Mumbai that same year, to find out that the police picked up his brothers in an attempt to get him to surrender and Gullu surrendered to the police. He confessed in his role in the riots, his training in Pakistan and the conspiracy to bomb locaitons around the city. However his claim was dismissed by police as “mere bluff”. The arrest of Gul Mohammed spurred Tiger Memon to advance the date of these blasts which were meant to be taken place with the Shiv Jayanti celebrations in April 1993 and instead planned to carry them out on 12 March 1993 instead.

At 1:30pm on 12 March 1993, a car bomb exploded in the basement of the Bombay Stock Exchange building, the 28-story office building was damaged and nearby office buildings also was damaged. 50 people were killed by this explosion. 30 minutes later, another car bomb exploded in front of the Mandvi Branch Coporation Bank near Masjid. From 1:30pm to 3:40pm a total of 12 bombs exploded throughout Mumbai. Most of the bombs were inside cars but some were in scooters. Three hotels: the Hotel Sea Rock, Hotel Juhu Centaur and Hotel Airport Centaur were targeted by suitcase bombs left in rooms booked by the perpetrators. Banks, the passport office, the Air India Building, and a major shopping centre was also hit. Bombs exploded at Zaveri Bazaar, in an area opposite of Century Bazaar, Katha Bazaar, Sena Bhavan, and Plaza Theatre. A jeep bomb at the Century Bazaar also exploded. Grenades were thrown at Sahar International Airport and at Fishermen’s Colony, targeting certain people. A double decker bus very badly damaged in one explosion, which caused the greatest loss of line in a single incident – up to 90 people were killed.

On 25 August 2003, 2 large bombs left inside taxis exploded in South Mumbai in a busy area which killed 52 people and wounded more than 100 others.

In 2006, Sharad Pawar, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, admitted that he deliberately misled the public after the 1993 Mumbai blast by saying there was 12 and not 11 explosions and had added the name of Muslim-dominated locality to show that people from both communities had been affected. He attempted to justify his lies and deception by claiming that it was to prevent riots from Hindu and Muslim communities. He also admitted to lying about evidence recovered and mislead the public into believing that the Tamil Tigers were possible suspects.

The bombings caused a major rift within the D-Company, the most powerful criminal organisaiton in the Mumbai underworld, headed by Dawood Ibrahim. His right-hand man, Chotta Rajan left the organisation, taking most of the leadership level Hindu aides with him. This split divided the Mumbai underworld  which put Chotta Rajan’s Hindu gang against Dawood Ibrahim’s Muslim D-Company. The gang war took the lives of more than a 100 gangsters and is still continuing. Seven of the accussed was assassinated by Chotta Rajan’s hitmen.

Many hundreds of people were arrested and detained in Indian courts, many suspects are still missing including main conspirators and masterminds of these attacks. Family members of Tiger Memon escaped to go to Dubai and Pakistan. Yakub Memon was executed by hanging in 2015. Dawood Ibrahim, believed to have been the mastermind of the terrorist attacks, is the Don of the crime syndicate D-Company, he is believed to have connections to terrorist elements such as al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, as well as Lashkar-e-Toiba and was declared a terrorist in 2003. He is believed to be hiding in Pakistan, which Pakistan denies. Yakub Memon was held in prison in 1994 and was sentenced to death in 2007 and was executed in 2015 in jail.

The film MUMBAI MARCH 12 is based on the bomb blasts.

The film BLACK FRIDAY (2004) is based on the book Black Friday by Hussain Zaidi

The book BLACK FRIDAY THE TRUE STORY OF BOMBAY BOMB BLASTS by Hussain Zaidi

[rudrjobdesk]

कटिहार में NIA की छापेमारी: नूर मोहम्‍मद के घर की 5 घंटे तक तलाशी, 'सीक्रेट' डायरी साथ ले गए अफसर

कटिहार में NIA की छापेमारी: नूर मोहम्‍मद के घर की 5 घंटे तक तलाशी, ‘सीक्रेट’ डायरी साथ ले गए अफसर

कटिहार. बिहार के कटिहार जिले में NIA की टीम के अचानक पहुंचने से स्‍थानीय प्रशासन भी सकते में आ गया. NIA टीम बारसोई थाना क्षेत्र में स्थित नूर मोहम्‍मद के घर पहुंची और तकरीबन 5 घंटे तक तलाशी अभियान चलाया. जांच अधिकारी नूर मोहम्‍मद के घर से आधार कार्ड, वोटर कार्ड और एक डायरी जब्‍त की है. एनआईए की टीम ने इस बारे में कोई जानकारी नहीं दी. वहीं, स्‍थानीय पुलिस ने एक मामले में लोकेशन जांच के सिलसिले में…

[trimbleglenn]

Pakistan imposes more restrictions on terrorists

LAHORE: The federal government has proscribed 88 leaders and members of terrorist groups, in compliance with the new list, issued by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) recently.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government issued two notifications on August 18, announcing sanctions on key figures of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Taliban, Daesh, Haqqani Group, al-Qaeda, and others.

The notifications order seizure of all movable and immoveable properties of these outfits and individuals, and freezing of their bank accounts. These terrorists have been barred from transferring money through financial institutions, purchasing arms and travelling abroad, etc.

The notifications ratified a complete ban on all leaders and members of defunct Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hiding in the Pak-Afghan border areas. Hafiz Saeed Ahmad of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Mohammad Masood Azhar of Jaish-e-Mohammed, Mullah Fazlullah (alias Mullah Radio), Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Muhammad Yahya Mujahid, Abdul Hakeem Murad, wanted by Interpol, Noor Wali Mehsud, Fazal Raheem Shah of Uzbekistan Liberation Movement, Taliban leaders Jalaluddin Haqqani, Khalil Ahmad Haqqani, Yahya Haqqani and Dawood Ibrahim of Indian state of Maharashtra and his associates were on the list.

The notifications said that leadership of the defunct TTP, and other organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Tariq Geedar group of TTP, Harkatul Mujahedin, Al Rasheed Trust, Al Akhtar Trust, Tanzim Jaish-al Mohajireen Ansar, Jamaat-ul Ahrar, Tanzim Khutba Imam Bukhari, Rabita Trust Lahore, Revival of Islamic Heritage Society of Pakistan, Al-Harmain Foundation Islamabad, Harkat Jihad Al Islami, Islami Jihad Group, Uzbekistan Islami Tehrik, Daesh of Iraq, Emirates of Tanzim Qafqaz working against Russia, and Abdul HaqUyghurs of Islamic Freedom Movement of China have been banned. The Pakistan government has also ratified the ban on these terror outfits and individuals.

Meanwhile, the FO said that it is the UNSC Taliban Sanctions Committee that deals with sanctions on Taliban and entities and individuals, associated with them. Upon any change by the Committee, all states including Pakistan, implement these sanctions which include assets freeze, arms embargo and travel ban.

The Taliban Sanctions Committee has not announced any changes in its sanctions list recently. The SRO, issued by Pakistan on Aug 18, 2020 only consolidates and documents the previously announced SROs as a procedural measure and does not reflect any change in the sanctions list or sanction measures.

[creepingsharia]

A Month of Islam in America: May 2019

After more than 11 years of aggregating the painful details of the onset of sharia law in America, May 2019 was the month American tech companies Wordpress.com and Automattic enforced sharia law and banned the Creeping Sharia blog. With no explanation.

WordPress.com Blacklists Blogs Critical of Islam

Originally we suspected it was several years-old images (seen here) that Pakistan claimed violated Islamic sharia law but that would be too easy. It was more likely that terror-linked, foreign-funded CAIR was involved in the systematic shutting down of sites in America that are critical of sharia law and jihad.

As such, this month’s report is a little shorter than prior months. Click any link for details and please share on your social media sites while you still can.

May 2019

Jihad & Terror

Minnesota: Somali Muslim cop found guilty of shooting woman who called police

Mohamed Noor became the first former Minnesota police officer found guilty of an on-duty murder Tuesday as a Hennepin County jury convicted him for the fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond in 2017.

Missouri: Bosnian Muslim female refugee pleads guilty to providing support to Islamic State

Sedina Unkic Hodzic, a 39-year-old St. Louis County woman, pleaded guilty to one count of providing material support to terrorists in federal court.

North Carolina: Pakistani Muslim immigrant arrested after lying about contacts with terror organizations

Waqar Ul-Hassan, a Pakistan native, was arrested when he arrived from the Middle East at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Hassan admitted to authorities that he lied and was in contact with two terrorist organizations, ISIS and Jaish-e-Mohammad, according to the complaint.

Muslim who plotted to bomb Chicago bar gets 16 years, could be out in less than��3

A federal judge on Monday handed an Illinois man Adel Daoud a 16-year prison sentence for trying to kill hundreds of people by detonating what he thought was a car bomb outside a crowded Chicago bar, saying she factored in Adel Daoud’s mental health in imposing a sentence much lower than prosecutors requested.

The sentence — which, with time served, could mean the 25-year-old goes free in less than 10 years — includes prison time for attempting to have an FBI agent killed and for slashing an inmate with a shiv for taunting him with a drawing of the Prophet Muhammad.

Texas: Muslim Found Guilty of Conspiring to Support ISIS

Said Azzam Mohamad Rahim, a 42-year-old United States citizen, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO), one count of attempting to provide material support to an FTO, and six counts of making false statements involving international terrorism to federal authorities.

Texas: Jihadi Recruiter Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support Pakistani Terrorist Org (LeT)

Michael Kyle Sewell, 18, who was arrested in February, formally pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani-based foreign terrorist organization also known as LeT.

Alabama: FBI uncovers another Siraj Wahhaj Islamic training camp a few miles from Tuskegee

...plot of land in Macon County, Alabama is described in an FBI search warrant as a “makeshift military-style obstacle course” belonging to a small group of terrorists led by Siraj Wahhaj who owned the property up a long dirt road but just a few miles from downtown Tuskegee.

New Jersey: Man who funded Hamas, spoke of bombing Trump Tower, attacking Israeli Consulate is arrested 

New York: Muslim Immigrant Convicted For Covert Terrorist Activities On Behalf of Hizballah’s Islamic Jihad

A jury returned a guilty verdict against Ali Kourani, a/k/a “Ali Mohamad Kourani,” a/k/a “Jacob Lewis,” a/k/a “Daniel,” on all eight counts in the Indictment, which charged him with terrorism, sanctions, and immigration offenses for his illicit work as an undercover terrorist operative for Hizballah’s external attack-planning component.

“Ali Kourani was recruited, trained, and deployed by Hizballah’s Islamic Jihad Organization to plan and execute acts of terrorism in the United States.” 

South Carolina: Greenville man who offered to be suicide bomber for ISIS sentenced to 10 years

Michael Bruce Messer, Jr., posted a message in an online forum stating he was interested in joining ISIS and volunteering as a suicide bomber.

While at his residence, agents found a .38 caliber pistol, according to the statement. They found another .38 caliber pistol during a warrant search on May 9, 2018 as well as assorted items related to ISIS, according to the statement.

Virginia: Somali Muslim FBI translator charged after his own voice was intercepted on terror surveillance calls

Abdirizak Jaji Raghe Wehelie, a former FBI translator, was arrested and has been charged with doctoring transcripts in which his own name appeared on intercepts of phone calls placed by a terrorism suspect.

Immigration Jihad in America

Kentucky: Imam at the Islamic Center of Lexington charged in murder-for-hire plot

Oregon: U.S. revokes citizenship of imam at Portland’s largest mosque over jihad ties

Texas: Afghan pilot training program terminated after almost half went AWOL in America

Information slowly emerging about pipe-wielding mob of Somali 'youths' who attacked people waiting for light rail train in Minneapolis last Friday

Virginia: Muslim immigrant who drove for Uber and Lyft is Somali war criminal, jury finds

Texas: Jordanian (Muslim) pleads guilty to smuggling Yemeni (Muslims) into the U.S.

Islamic Rape & Violence Against Americans

Minneapolis: 54-year-old Somali Muslim charged with stalking 11-year-old girl

New Jersey: Muslim Woman Convicted of Keeping Sri Lankan National as ‘Slave’ for 9 Years

Judicial Jihad and Dhimmitude in America

Muslim immigrant who plotted 9/11 Times Square, Grand Central subway bombing to be released on time served

'American Taliban' John Walker Lindh released from prison

Sharia in Your Community

Philadelphia: Muslim American Society Mosque Kids Sing “We Will Chop Their Heads Off” (VIDEO)

Muslim Group Tells Writers Guild of America to Further Islamize Hollywood

Florida: Tampa Bay mosque security guard shoots and kills Muslim at Ramadan feast

Philadelphia Int’l Airport submits, allows Muslim cabbies to keep makeshift (illegal?) mosque on property

Sharia in American Education

Washington: School District Asks Teachers to Bless Muslim Students in Arabic During Ramadan

Sharia Adherents in Elected Office

POTUS held a Muslim celebration at the White House and whoever wrote the speech for him slipped in 100% pure Islamic taqiyya (lies).

Watch the video at this tumblr post.

Fraud for Jihad in America

Whoever wrote this speech for @POTUS slipped in a doozy - pure taqiyyah. At least Trump didn't invite terror-linked Muslim groups like CAIR, MAS, ISNA, ICNA, MSA, Emgage & others but why is the Month of Jihad even recognized at the White House? https://t.co/8nvEPoWv0k pic.twitter.com/0Qb0jLAVz2

At Least $41 Million U.S. Taxpayer Dollars to Questionable Islamic Groups

Terror-linked Muslim Org ICNA Solicits Donations for Islamic Prison Program

Victories Against Sharia in America

California: Law Center Thwarts Muslim Attempt To Silence Disturbing Truth About Islam

South Carolina becomes 32nd state to outlaw female genital mutilation (FGM)

Washington: Northshore School District Quashes Special Ramadan Policy for Muslims after Threat of Legal Action

Oklahoma: CAIR dismisses lawsuit against “Muslim-Free” gun range

             =========================================

As we have been warning for 11 years, if the threat of sharia is not stopped in its tracks, you will lose your right to speak freely, and even commenting or criticizing Islam and Muslims will become a crime.

Sharia law is now in effect in America whether those of us subjected to it admit it or not.

As we tweeted then, Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?

[citrinebender]

Say their names

Here are some of the victims of the Christchurch Mosque terror attack. Remember them.

Sources: x, x 

“Whoever kills a human being, unless as a punishment for murder, it is as if he has killed the entire mankind.” Quran 5:32 ~

Mucad Ibrahim, age 3

Mucad's brother, Abdi Ibrahim, has said no-one had seen him since the shooting. He was at the Al Noor mosque with his family.

Abdullahi Dirie, 4

Abdulrahman Hashi, 60, a preacher at Dar Al Hijrah Mosque in Minneapolis, told The Washington Post his 4-year-old nephew was among those killed.

He received a phone call Friday morning from his brother-in-law Adan Ibrahin Dirie, who was also in the hospital with gunshot wounds. Four of his children escaped unharmed, but the youngest, Abdullahi, was killed.

Sayyad Milne, 14

Sayyad's father has spoken through tears of his "brave little soldier", who died at the Al Noor Mosque.

The Year 10 Cashmere High School was at the mosque with his mother and friends. He attends every Friday.

His father John Milne told NZME through tears: "I've lost my little boy, he's just turned 14. I'll get it together again.

"I haven't heard officially yet that he's actually passed but I know he has because he was seen.

Khaled Mustafa and son Hamza, 16

He fled from ISIS and war-torn Syria, with his family, to pursue a new life in New Zealand. The Syrian refugees reportedly only arrived in New Zealand only a few months ago. Khaled died at the Al Noor Mosque while his son Hamza is missing. Another son, Zaid, 13 is in Christchurch Hospital where he underwent a six-hour operation last night

Naeem Rashid and son Talha, 21.

After he witnessed his son Taha shot and killed, and men and women were slain around him, he lunged at the terrorist with his bare hands.

Atta Elayyan, 33

A national futsal player is among the dead. Born in Kuwait, Elayyan, a goalkeeper, recently became a father and was a popular member of the Christchurch tech industry. He was a director and shareholder of a company called LWA Solutions. 

Husne Ara Parvin, 42

Parvin was shot when she tried to save her wheelchair-bound husband Farid Uddin, according to a relative. She went to the women’s section after leaving her paralyzed husband in the men’s section on the wheelchair, She went out when she heard gunshots, and died trying to save her husband.

Lilik Abdul Hamid

A Facebook appeal was issued for Hamid.

"A friend of one struggle... has passed away in New Zealand... the victim of NZ animal terrorist,' a relative wrote on Facebook.

Haji-Daoud Nabi, 71

Nabi ran the Afghan Association and was inside the Al Noor Mosque at the time of the shooting.

The 71-year-old was a refugee from Afghanistan and is thought to have died inside.

Haroon Mahmood, 40

Haroon left Pakistan to pursue an education at Lincoln University in Christchurch. Dr Haroon Mahmood leaves a wife and two children aged 13 and 11.

Amjad Hamid, 57

The heart doctor moved to New Zealand from Palestine 23 years ago because he wanted a better future. He is believed to be dead.

Mohammad Atta Alayan

He built the Christchurch Mosque. A Palestinian refugee, he raised the funds to create a community space for New Zealand’s Muslims Here he is, smiling with his son. 

Farhaj Ahsan, 30

Ashan, 30, left the Christchurch home he shares with wife Insha Aziz, his 3-year-old daughter and 7-month-old son on Friday morning for prayer.

"I do not know where my son is," his father Mohammad Sayeeduddin told the Herald from his home in Hyderabad, India.

"I have been in contact with his wife Insha in New Zealand since it happened and we don't know anything.”

Syed Jahandad Ali, 34

Ali's wife Amna Ali, currently in Pakistan, last spoke to her husband on Friday morning while having breakfast.

One of his colleagues told her they left work at 1pm on Friday to head to the Al Noor Mosque

Osama Adnan, 37

Adnan is of Egyptian origin and among the missing.

His colleague tweeted an appeal and said he hoped Osama would "show up soon" and make a "full recovery".

Hussain Al-Umari, 36

Al-Umari's parents Janna Ezat and Hazim Al-Umari have said they last spoke to their son on Thursday night. They fear he is among the dead at the Al Noor mosque where he regularly attends Friday prayers.

The family immigrated to New Zealand from the United Arab Emirates in 1997.

Hazim Al-Umari told Newshub he did not attend the mosque and he advised his son not to go "because it's not safe".

Mojammel Hoq, 30

Hoq, from Bangladesh, is among the missing, a friend told the Herald.

He has been in Christchurch for over two years studying dentistry.

Mohammad Imran Kahn, 47

Kahn is thought to have died at the Linwood Mosque.

A friend said he owned two restaurants in Christchurch, including the Indian Grill.

Ali Elmadani, 66

Elmadani was born in Palestine.

His wife, Nuha Assad, has not heard from him since he went to the Al Noor mosque to pray.

Vora Ramiz, 28

Ramiz is among the missing.

Ansi Karippakulam Alibava, 25

Alibava, a 25-year-old woman originally from India, is among the missing.

Linda Armstrong, 65

A friend told the Herald that Armstrong died in the arms of a lady who was shot in the arm and survived at Linwood Mosque.

The friend said Armstrong always took people into her home and was kind.

"She was like a child about everything. She was so happy. She was always excited to do a good deed. She was happy to do it."

She sponsored a boy from Bangladesh.

[antoine-roquentin]

A motion filed on Sunday may help explain the FBI’s lack of transparency. In it, lawyers for Mateen’s widow, Noor Salman, who is charged with material support and obstruction of justice in connection with the Pulse attack, say Mateen’s father, Seddique Mateen, worked as an FBI informant for 11 years, up to June 2016, when Mateen attacked the nightclub. The prosecution knew this but sought to hide it, Salman’s lawyers say.

The disclosure is significant because it sheds light on why the FBI may have chosen to close the assessments of Omar Mateen. FBI files provided to Salman’s defense lawyers suggest that agents consulted Mateen’s father, in his capacity as an informant, during the first assessment, raising questions about whether Seddique Mateen helped persuade FBI agents to close out an inquiry that could have prevented the deadly terrorist attack. It’s unclear whether the FBI consulted the elder Mateen during the second assessment as well.

Assessments, intended to provide quick responses to possible security threats, allow FBI agents to investigate people based on nothing more than internal suspicions or vague tips from the public. Though the law does not establish a time limit, the bureau restricts assessments to 60 or 90 days unless agents find information to justify a full investigation.

The FBI launched its first assessment of Omar Mateen in 2013 after he had allegedly boasted to co-workers at G4S, a security company, that he had terrorist connections. The FBI reported that it had closed the investigation after Mateen told agents he made the comment to scare his co-workers, who were reportedly mocking his religion. One year after closing that first assessment, the FBI opened a second, spurred by Mateen’s relationship with Moner Mohammad Abusalha, a Florida man who became the first American suicide bomber in Syria. Mateen and Abusalha attended the same mosque on Florida’s Atlantic coast. The FBI, finding that Mateen’s contact with Abusalha was minimal, closed that assessment as well.

An FBI intelligence report indicates that agents told an unidentified undercover informant that they were investigating Mateen. The informant then “became very upset” that Mateen was under scrutiny, according to the report. Although neither federal prosecutors nor the FBI has confirmed that the unidentified informant in the report was Mateen’s father, defense lawyers for Salman assert that they “can now infer” that Seddique Mateen “played a significant role” in the FBI’s decision to close the assessment and not to pursue a larger investigation or criminal charges against Mateen.

While Mateen’s widow is standing trial for allegedly aiding the Pulse attack and misleading investigators, Seddique Mateen has not faced criminal charges despite a tip to the FBI that he raised money for terrorism in Pakistan, and an ongoing investigation into money transfers he allegedly made to Turkey and Afghanistan.

According to an email from Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Sweeney to Salman’s lawyers, an anonymous tip indicated that Seddique Mateen, an immigrant from Afghanistan, was trying to raise $50,000 to $100,000 to support an attack against the government of Pakistan. The tip came on November 1, 2012, while Seddique Mateen was working as an FBI informant. After the Pulse shooting, an FBI search of Seddique Mateen’s home uncovered receipts for money transfers to Turkey and Afghanistan between March and June 2016, right before the Pulse shooting. Omar Mateen was researching flights to Turkey at the same time that his father was sending payments there, according to defense lawyers’ summary of FBI evidence.

“Now, the fact that Seddique was sending money to Turkey and Afghanistan indicates the possibility that Omar Mateen was planning to travel to either of those countries to join forces with a terroristic organization,” Fritz Scheller and Charles Swift, Salman’s lawyers, allege in their filing. These facts, they argue, undercut the government’s claim that Salman was aware of plans for and aided her late husband’s terrorist attack.

[xtruss]

“Boak Bollocks Mitch McConnell” Calls for Airstrikes Against Taliban to Stop 'Overrunning' of Kabul

— By Daniel Villarreal | 8/13/21 | Newsweek

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has called on the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden to conduct airstrikes against Taliban forces in Afghanistan. The airstrikes are necessary, McConnell said, to prevent the Islamic militant group from "overrunning" Kabul, the nation's capital.

McConnell issued his comments on Friday after speaking with Adela Raz, the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. As U.S. troops have begun withdrawing under Biden's command, the Taliban has quickly retaken most of the country.

"This debacle was not only foreseeable, it was foreseen," McConnell said. "The President and his team actively decided against a far more responsible approach to preserving our national security interests and protecting our Afghan partners."

"With that said, it is not too late to prevent the Taliban from overrunning Kabul," McConnell continued. "The Administration should move quickly to hammer Taliban advances with airstrikes, provide critical support to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces defending the capital, and prevent the seemingly imminent fall of the city."

"If they fail to do so," McConnell's statement concluded, "the security threat to the United States will assuredly grow and the humanitarian cost to innocent Afghans will be catastrophic."

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has called on the Biden Administration to conduct airstrikes against Taliban forces to prevent the terrorist group from "overrunning" Kabul, Afghanistan's capital. In this photo, taken on August 13, 2021, a Taliban fighter holds a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) along the roadside in Herat, Afghanistan's third biggest city, after government forces pulled out the day before following weeks of being under siege. AFP/Getty

The U.S. used airstrikes around July 22 to aid anti-Taliban Afghan forces. A variety of combat aircraft—including bombers and warplanes on an aircraft carrier—carried out the strike. However, by that time, Taliban forces had already overrun roughly half of the country's 421 districts, the Pentagon said.

Biden initially set a September 11 deadline for withdrawing troops from the region. The date marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks which ushered U.S. troops into the country.

"The Afghan government, leadership has to come together," Biden said. "They have the capacity. They have the forces. They have the equipment. The question is will they do it?" However, the White House also said there would be no "declaration of victory" upon the U.S. departure.

"We're not going to have a 'mission accomplished' moment," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on July 8. "We feel it's in our national security interest to bring our men and women serving home, and ... for Afghan forces to be in the lead."

Even before U.S. troops began their withdraw, Taliban forces began recapturing ground they had lost during the 20-year U.S. occupation. Between May and June, 50 of Afghanistan's 421 districts had fallen to Taliban militants, Deborah Lyons, the United Nations' special envoy on Afghanistan, said. By early July, Taliban insurgents laid claim to over a third of the country's districts.

Numerous people have since criticized Biden for the troop removal.

“Question is What Loser United States and Its Puppet World’s Deadliest War Machines Have Had Achieved By Bombing Afghanistan Days & Nights?”

Ata Mohammad Noor, an influential Afghan warlord and key U.S. ally during the occupation, called the U.S. withdrawal "irresponsible." He said the country's military is badly weakened due to the United States' speedy exit. The remaining Afghani military is logistically unprepared to fight off the rush of insurgents, he added, lacking morale, down-time, food, pay and reinforcements for their efforts.

"We needed factories to produce our own ammunition and workshops to repair the aircraft and other vehicles that were given to the Afghan forces," said Noor. "But the international forces did not work to build a foundation, a self-sufficiency in Afghanistan."

He has since warned of a possible civil war. He has been promoting local militias as one possible way to fight off the Taliban threat.

On July 9, the Pentagon said a Taliban takeover of the country was "not inevitable", and pledged financial support to help Afghan troops fight back. Together, the U.S. and NATO committed to spending $4 billion annually on Afghan forces until 2024.

Despite the pledge, Illinois Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger lamented the withdrawal. He said the U.S. needed to stay longer.

"The Taliban have outlasted the will of the United States... and we may have to go back now," he added.

Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn called the withdrawal "arbitrary" on Twitter. She also said the decision "abandons the 20 years of sacrifice and dedication our brave men and women have expended to defeat the Taliban."

By July 19, the U.S. and 13 other allied nations released a statement calling on the Taliban to immediately end all violence and show commitment to the peace process. However, the very next day, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said the Taliban had "no intention or willingness" for peace as a rocket attack hit near the presidential palace.

On August 8, British General Sir Richard Barrons said that the U.S. departure could create "a very poor strategic outcome" in the region. "We will run the risk of terrorist entities re-establishing in Afghanistan, to bring harm in Europe and elsewhere," Barrons told the BBC.

By August 11, the Pentagon said that the situation in the country was "deteriorating" as the Taliban had taken control of major roads and border crossings in the nation. The next day, the non-government organization Crisis Group estimated that Taliban forces had claimed 65 percent of the country.

While the president initially intended on leaving around 650 service members to help protect the U.S. embassy there, he has since decided to evacuate the embassy entirely.

Experts in Crisis Group said that if the Taliban overthrows Kabul and the presidential government, then it will immediately seize all power. After that, the fundamentalist Islamic group will begin rolling back any civil rights advancements made by women and girls. Any people seen as having helped U.S. forces will be executed, the group added.

To this end, Biden pledged to provide Special Immigration Visas for relocating thousands of Afghan interpreters and translators who assisted U.S. forces. They have since been relocated out of the country in an undisclosed location. Any translators left in the country will likely be "hunted down and executed like dogs" by Taliban forces, one former Army captain said.

By August 12, the U.S. military said it believed that Afghanistan could be under the Taliban's complete control within two months. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the Department of Defense was "deeply concerned" by the speed with which the Taliban has retaken most of the country.

The Washington Post reported this week that the Biden administration is preparing for Kabul to fall within 90 days of the U.S. withdrawal on August 31.

[newstfionline]

Afghans, fearing more insurgent violence, feel abandoned by struggling government

By Pamela Constable, Washington Post, February 11, 2018

KABUL--The streets are clogged with yellow taxis again. Peddlers are back pushing carts of shampoo and socks, sidewalk juice sellers are crushing pomegranates, and pigeons are pecking at corn outside a riverside shrine. The evidence of the Afghan capital’s bloodiest week in eight months has been scrubbed away.

But the city still has not fully recovered.

It is not only the shock of triple terrorist attacks that took 150 lives within 10 days last month--an ambulance-borne suicide bomb, a hilltop raid on a luxury hotel and a commando attack on a military academy. It is not only the visible heightening of security that followed--armed men on corners, roads blocked for official convoys and turreted military vehicles parked outside foreign and government compounds.

It is something else in the frigid winter air--a deeper sense of anxiety that things are out of control, that the government is failing to serve the public and consumed by political power struggles. People fear the destructive menace of the Taliban and the Islamic State, but their anger is directed at leaders, especially President Ashraf Ghani, who many feel have abandoned them.

“People did not suddenly become afraid, but this time the violence has added to their frustrations with the government. It showed a total failure of institutions and leadership,” said Haroun Mir, an independent analyst and former government security adviser.

Like several observers, Mir said Afghans feel increasingly frustrated with the National Unity Government, which they see as preoccupied with combating domestic political opponents and courting international favor, while many ordinary citizens can’t find jobs or feel safe walking the streets.

“Security has become the privilege of the elite,” he said. “The rest of us are in the hands of God.”

The insurgents have continued to gain far-flung territory and launch devastating urban attacks, even as the U.S. government embarks on a new initiative to strengthen and expand the Afghan defense forces, bringing in thousands of new U.S. military trainers in close cooperation with Ghani and his security advisers.

In west Kabul, where so many mosques have been attacked in the past year that some are now guarded by local militiamen and others have closed, people are especially nervous and disillusioned.

“This government is destroying itself and the country,” said Khudadad Allahyar, 65, a resident of Dasht-e-Barchi, a district of west Kabul dominated by Shiite ethnic Hazaras. “When we leave home to go and pray, we are not sure we will come back safely.”

“The brutality and lives lost in the Kabul attacks created a psychosis of fear, and people are full of anxiety, but this has not distracted the president and his team from the broader agenda,” said a senior aide to Ghani, speaking on the condition of anonymity to talk freely. “If we can pass through this crisis, the government will be back on track, and the electoral season will be healthier.”

The other issue challenging Ghani’s authority is public fights between the president and current and former officials that have dominated headlines for weeks. Such power struggles, instead of being handled through negotiations, have threatened to politicize intelligence agencies, pit regional strongmen against the central government and potentially divide the national defense forces.

“These political distractions are becoming more dangerous than the Taliban,” said Javid Faisal, a senior aide to the government’s chief executive officer, Abdullah Abdullah, who ran against Ghani in 2014 but later agreed to share power with him after a fraud-plagued and inconclusive election. “You expect the Taliban to act like terrorists, but you don’t expect friends to behave like enemies.”

The most potentially destabilizing quarrel is with Atta Mohammad Noor, a wealthy former militia leader and longtime governor of Balkh province in the north. After months of negotiations in which Atta demanded more official perks and power, Ghani abruptly fired him in December. Atta refused to resign, and the president threatened to dislodge him by force until he was dissuaded by the White House.

Now, a tense stalemate reigns. Atta remains at his post, and his political party--which dominates the security forces and backed Abdullah for president--is vacillating between the two camps.

Critics blame Ghani for needlessly humiliating a powerful and vengeful rival whom he could have appeased with blandishments, while his supporters blame Atta--who threatened to lead violent protests when Ghani claimed victory in 2014--for behaving like a warlord while reaping the benefits of a modern democratic order.

The second, newer brouhaha is between Ghani and another high-profile opponent, Rahmatullah Nabil, who quit as head of the national intelligence agency two years ago in a policy dispute with Ghani and since then has co-founded an opposition party. Nabil, who recently accused Ghani of fraudulently manipulating the 2014 election, suddenly was barred from returning to Afghanistan while visiting the United States last month. Since then, officials have denied imposing such a bar, but Nabil has extended his trip abroad, and aides said his plans are not decided.

These fights, while providing endless talk show fodder, also have added to concern that Afghan leaders are more worried about undermining each other as potential electoral rivals than about restoring public confidence and strengthening a democratic system that still is floundering badly after 17 years. Many Afghans fear presidential elections will not be held at all by next year, defying the constitution and public demand.

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/al-qaeda-active-in-12-afghan-provinces-un/

Al Qaeda active in 12 Afghan provinces: UN

Image Source : AP (FILE)

Al Qaeda active in 12 Afghan provinces: UN (Representative image)

The Al Qaeda terror group is still active in 12 Afghan provinces and its leader Ayman al-Zawahiri is still based in the country, a UN report said.

The report submitted to the UN Security Council on Saturday said that according to member states of the world body, “Al Qaeda is covertly active in 12 Afghan provinces and Ayman al-Zawahiri remains based in the country”, reports TOLO News.

The report said that the UN Monitoring Team has estimated that the total number of Al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan were “between 400 and 600 and that the leadership maintains close contact with the Haqqani Network”.

In February, “al-Zawahiri met with Yahya Haqqani, the primary Haqqani Network contact with Al Qaeda since mid-2009, to discuss ongoing cooperation”, it added.

The report also claimed that 6,000 to 6,500 terrorists of Pakistani origin are still operating in Afghanistan and most of them are affilated with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

It said the TTP fighters in Afghanistan are led by Amir Noor Wali Mehsud, supported by his deputy Qari Amjad and TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khorasani.

Another outlawed group, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), is reported to be active in the provinces of Badakhshan, Kunduz and Takhar, according to the report.

Regarding the Islamic State (IS) terror group, the report said that it has suffered further severe reverses in its former Afghan strongholds of Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, but it was too soon to discount it as a threat, reports TOLO News.

Although in territorial retreat, IS remains capable of carrying out high-profile attacks in various parts of the country, including Kabul, it added.

Meanwhile, Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces, the report said, adding that the group reportedly has between 150 and 200 members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan.

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[margiehasson]

The Islamic Perspective On Grief - Coping with Individual and Community Loss/Hardship

Grief is an inevitable fact of life, one that each person must, unfortunately, go through. Allah (S) says in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 155, "And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits..." As long as you are on this earth, you will likely experience a loss of someone close to you.

Sometimes we face loss or are tested as a community on an immense scale. From the recent rampaging fires in the Amazon rain forests to the ongoing crisis with family separation and migrant children on our borders to the ongoing communications blackout and violence in Kashmir to constant trauma faced by marginalized communities around the world to lingering fears in our houses of worship stemming from the terrible shootings at Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Masjid in Christchurch, New Zealand - this has all impacted Muslims (and those who are not Muslims) around the world. We seem to face with one horrific thing after another, and it can become too easy to tamp down our grief and move on to the next thing in life. However, while it is incredibly painful, how you cope with grief impacts the healing process and life moving forward tremendously.



To grieve is to love, and the deeper one's love is for someone or for the community at large, the deeper the grief for his or her loss. When we mourn the death of a loved one, we feel raw, angry, anguished, vulnerable ... you name it. The pain can manifest in a variety of ways, and the coping mechanisms vary from person to person. There is no timeline for grief or the healing process, but the sharp pangs tend to blunt with time, though triggers can hit at any moment, seemingly out of nowhere. When I lost my baby son two years ago, the pain was unbearable. I still struggle with coming to terms with it sometimes, but I took great comfort in Allah (S)'s wisdom and justice when such tragedies hit, as stated in verses 155-157 from Surah Al Baqarah:

“…but give glad tidings to As‑Saabiroon (the patient ones). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’ They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones."

We also often underestimate the grief we may feel when our community goes through a terrible experience, like ongoing crisis in Muslim regions around the world, or the terrorist attack of 51 Muslims at Jummah (Friday) prayers in New Zealand, or like in December of 2014 when six gunmen attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan killing 149 people, including 132 schoolchildren. Allowing ourselves time to mourn and process our feelings while reflecting upon the example of the Prophets who came before us is so crucial. That time can help us move past the paralysis of our grief into action or whatever means of moving forward. Consider this tweet from Shaykh Omar Suleiman:

  Do not be so paralyzed by all the horrible stuff that you read online that you miss out on all the good that you could be doing in life.

— Omar Suleiman (@omarsuleiman504) August 22, 2019

  But when something as devastating as the loss of a loved one hits, it can be blindsiding and the span of emotional upheaval oscillates between extremes. Who do you turn to, how do you deal with this new reality? You may wonder, "Why me?" It's comforting to remember that our own Prophet Mohammad (saw) dealt with a series of losses throughout his life – his father before he was born, his mother at the age of six, then his grandfather, then uncle, then beloved wife Khadija (R), and six of this seven children, with only Fatima (R) outliving him. Imagine that the man most beloved to Allah (S) lost so many people close to him! When his son Ibrahim died, the Prophet (S) expressed his sorrow openly:

"The eyes send their tears and the heart is saddened, but we do not say anything except that which pleases our Lord. Indeed, O Ibrahim, we are bereaved by your departure from us." Then he turned his face towards the mountain before him and said, "O mountain! If you were as sorrowful as I am, you would certainly crumble into pieces! But we say what Allah has ordered us: (We are the servants of Allah and we will return to Him; We thank Allah, the Creator of the Universe)."

This example shows us that it is OK to cry and feel saddened by a loss, even necessary I'd argue – but it is equally important to remain patient and accept that the death is a will of Allah (S) and that His plan is perfect. The sooner we are able to internalize this concept, the easier the "pill" of loss is to swallow. To be promised glad tidings of Jannah because of remaining patient is that best gift one can get. That's a reminder in and of itself that this is the nature of this life; we are but travelers passing through. In the end, we will all meet in the afterlife, where "real" life begins. Of course, there are days that are harder than others, but holding steadfast to this promise in the general sense makes it a little easier. 

One of the interesting things about losing a loved one is that in its immediate aftermath, you start to see life and its transience in sharp focus. You no longer focus on the little things and realize what really matters – your own health, your family, your friends, community, etc. For me, a lightbulb went off in my head and my body screamed for me to press pause. I had been running on autopilot, commuting long hours to a job I hated, not taking time for myself or my health. The silver lining one can take during their grief is that he or she gets a deeper appreciation for Allah (S)'s immeasurable power. One day, someone that you've gone your whole life seeing is suddenly gone in an instant. It really humbles you and you suddenly feel very small in an expansive universe.

Because you also see how short life is and feel like your time is very near, too, pleasing Allah (S) and continually performing and perfecting your worship takes on greater importance, as well. May Allah (S) make us among the Sabiroon in the face of calamities and the example of our beloved Prophet (S) – a clear guide in both times of tribulations and triumph. Ameen.

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Have you found your strength in time of grief? Share your story in the comments below! You'll never know who you'll end up helping! 

The Islamic Perspective On Grief - Coping with Individual and Community Loss/Hardship published first on https://lenacharms.tumblr.com/

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/world/masood-azhar-jaish-e-mohammed-leader-listed-as-terrorist-by-un/

Masood Azhar: Jaish-e-Mohammed leader listed as terrorist by UN

Image copyright AFP/Getty

Image caption Maulana Masood Azhar founded JeM in 1999

The UN has designated the leader of a militant group behind a deadly bomb attack that brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war as a terrorist.

Masood Azhar is the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which carried out a suicide bombing in February killing 40 troops in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The UN move comes after China dropped its objection to the listing. India hailed it as a diplomatic victory.

Masood Azhar will be subject to an assets freeze and a travel ban.

“Big, small, all join together. Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in @UN Sanctions list. Grateful to all for their support,” Syed Akbaruddin, India’s ambassador to the United Nations, tweeted.

The Pakistani said it would immediately enforce the sanctions, but also took aim at India.

“Pakistan maintains that terrorism is a menace to the world, including the Indian state-sponsored terrorism against innocent Kashmiris,” foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said.

He added that it would be false to present the development as a “victory for India and validation of its stance”.

The proposal had been brought forward by the US, Britain and France after the Kashmir attacks – the deadliest in the disputed region during a 30-year-long insurgency.

The attack worsened tensions between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India, with war temporarily appearing a real possibility.

China – a long-time ally of Pakistan – had previously blocked the sanctions committee from imposing sanctions on Masood Azhar in 2016 and 2017 but agreed to the proposal on Wednesday.

What is JeM?

Jaish-e-Mohammad literally means the Army of Mohammad.

Masood Azhar founded the group after he was released by India in 1999, one of three men set free in exchange for the crew and passengers of an Indian Airlines plane hijacked and flown to then Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

Image copyright Reuters

Image caption The suicide attack in Kashmir escalated tensions between India and Pakistan

Masood Azhar reportedly met the former Taliban leader Mullah Omar and al-Qaeda head Osama Bin Laden when he was in the country.

India blame JeM for an attack on its parliament in Delhi in December 2001 – a claim JeM denies.

JeM was officially banned in Pakistan soon after that attack, but the group still operates, sometimes using the names Afzal Guru Squad, Al-Murabitoon and Tehreek-al-Furqan.

India has also blamed JeM for an attack on an airbase near the Pakistani border in January 2016, which left three security forces dead.

Is India losing Kashmir?

Kashmir territories – full profile

JeM commander Noor Mohammad Tantray was killed by Indian forces in 2017, which was seen as a massive blow to the organisation.

But the violence did not abate, and many analysts believe the group still enjoys support from members of the Pakistani intelligence services.

JeM has however attacked Pakistani military targets and even made an attempt on then-leader Pervez Musharraf’s life in 2003.

Read more: What is militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad?

[u4u-voice]

Youth shot dead by terrorists in Shopian village

SRINAGAR: A man was shot dead by terrorists at Kachdoora village in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Wednesday afternoon. As per reports, a man identified as Tanveer Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Abdullah Dar of Bemnipora Shopian was fired upon by terrorists near Masjid Noor at Kachdoora village this afternoon. A police officer said that Dar was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead on arrival. Soon after the incident, a joint team of army and SOG launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area to nab the terrorists. Read the full article

[xtruss]

Unarmed worshipper takes down gunman at Norway mosque, hailed as a hero!Norway gets saved from a terrorist attack like that of NZ. The hero is a retired PAF officer ❤

Mohammad Rafiq, 65, was at the al-Noor Islamic Centre, in Baerum, when a man wearing a uniform and body armor, and carrying two shotgun-like weapons, rushed inside the mosque and opened fire before being taken down. Rafiq restrained the gunman while another worshipper, Mohamed Iqbal, hit him on the head. The suspect has been named as Philip Manshaus, a 21-year-old local man; he is already accused of killing his 17-year-old stepsister, whose body was found at her home. Police are investigating the shooting as a potential terrorist attack.

[whittlebaggett8]

Inspiring photos show New Zealanders coming together for a national moment of silence one week after the Christchurch mass shooting, Defence Online

caption

Individuals show up at the Friday prayers at Hagley Park outside Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand March 22, 2019.

source

REUTERS/Jorge Silva TPX Images OF THE Day

New Zealanders from throughout the state observed a national minute of silence just one particular week right after a taking pictures in Christchurch claimed the lives of 50 people.

The two minutes of silence commenced at 1:32 p.m. local time on Friday, subsequent the Muslim get in touch with to prayer, which was broadcast on tv and radio stations close to the place.

Countless numbers of individuals collected in Hagley Park for the prayers. The park is located directly across from the Al Noor mosque in which 43 persons were being killed. 7 people today were being killed at the close by Linwood mosque.

See going pics from the minute of silence.

New Zealanders from across the region noticed a nationwide second of silence specifically just one 7 days immediately after a capturing in Christchurch claimed the lives of 50 individuals.

The two minutes of silence commenced at 1:32 p.m. nearby time on Friday, pursuing the Muslim get in touch with to prayer, which was broadcast on tv and radio stations around the region. Friday prayer expert services commenced soon soon after.

1000’s of folks collected in Hagley Park for the prayers. The park is positioned immediately across from the Al Noor mosque exactly where 43 people had been killed. Seven persons were killed at the nearby Linwood mosque. Mourners formed human chains all around Muslim worshippers, and some ladies wore headscarves in solidarity.

Yesterday, New Zealand announced new sweeping gun laws and a ban on assault weapons.

Hundreds of men and women from across New Zealand came to Christchurch to demonstrate their guidance.

Countless numbers of worshippers in Christchurch’s Hagley Park for Friday prayers pic.twitter.com/n3RP1L1XAw

— Martin Fricker (@martinfricker) March 22, 2019

Fahim Imam from Auckland, New Zealand advised the Involved Push that he flew in for the company that morning.

“It’s just wonderful to see how the region and the local community have occur with each other – blows my thoughts, really,” he said.

“The minute I landed in Christchurch, I could truly feel the enjoy listed here. I have in no way felt much more very pleased to be a Muslim, or a Kiwi for that make any difference. It helps make me actually pleased to be capable to say that I’m a New Zealander,” he added.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited Christchurch for the third time since the capturing, and she and was present for the services.

caption

New Zealand Primary Minister Jacinda Ardern greets users of the general public following attending islamic prayers in Hagley Park.

resource

(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Pictures)

“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are just like one particular human body. When any component of the human body suffers, the entire body feels agony,” Ardern instructed the group, quoting the Muslim Prophet Mohammed.

“New Zealand mourns with you, we are one,” she included.

Crowds stood in silence as the get in touch with to prayer began.

supply

Screenshot/NowThis

The simply call to prayer echoes in excess of Christchurch a 7 days right after the twin mosque massacre by a white supremacist. A outstanding sight and a potent rebuke to the hatred unleashed that working day pic.twitter.com/SsqNvQsfa6

— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) March 22, 2019

Victims and mourners collected in unity.

source

Screenshot/TVNZ

This is Taj Mohammad Kamran. He was shot in the leg at the Al Noor mosque and shoes media the picture of a cousin who was killed. @MsKateLyons pic.twitter.com/mK2tgLCDUP

— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) March 22, 2019

Armed guards stood observe close to the Al Noor mosque, which stays closed.

supply

Screenshot/TVNZ

Linwood Avenue, where by the second mosque is situated, was shut off as huge crowds of men and women collected to notice the second of silence.

Dozens of persons stood to observe the instant of silence at nearby memorials for the victims.

supply

Screenshot/TVNZ

Lots of women of all ages wore headscarves in solidarity with the worshippers, including Key Minister Ardern.

The second of silence lasted two minutes, and it was observed nationally and in some other elements of the entire world together with Australia.

supply

Screenshot/NowThis

The entire nation stood nonetheless.

resource

Screenshot/NowThis

Some of actually hundreds at the clinic these days all through the gathering for two minutes silence in memory of the victims. pic.twitter.com/9i9e3iCTFZ

— Inspector Dirkly ‘Danger’ Mintingdon (@FineFarraFellow) March 22, 2019

Prayers commenced following the second of silence was noticed.

source

Screenshot/TVNZ

Imam Gamal Fouda, who was major the Friday prayers at Hagley Park, advised the crowd the pursuing:

“Last Friday, I stood in this mosque and observed hatred and rage in the eyes of a terrorist who killed and martyred 50 innocent individuals, wounded 42, and broke the hearts of millions close to the planet.

“Today, from the same location I glance out and I see the adore and compassion in the eyes of 1000’s of fellow New Zealanders and human beings from across the globe that fill the hearts of millions extra who are not with us bodily, but in spirit.

“This terrorist sought to tear our nation aside with an evil ideology that has torn the earth aside – but instead we have proven that New Zealand is unbreakable and that the world can see in us an example of appreciate and unity.

“We are brokenhearted, but we are not damaged.”

The post Inspiring photos show New Zealanders coming together for a national moment of silence one week after the Christchurch mass shooting, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

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[krishnaprasad-blog]

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

***

The hollowing out of Indian news media—from being serious, agenda-setting, conscience-keepers, to frothy, gutless, market-driven beasts without a soul—is all too obvious, but it was never more apparent than during the recent India-Pakistan kerfuffle.

As the two nuclear powers peered into the abyss, there was a barely a commentary in any part of the world which did not find a problem with the bellicose, hate-spewing, war-mongering discourse on television, mostly Indian news channels but some Pakistani too.

But what about print journalism?

What role did good, “quality” newspapers on either side of the line of control play in lending their wisdom, in lessening the tension, in counselling peace, in urging for dialogue, in not giving their readers more of the poison of last night’s TV?

How did they use their most sacred space, the sanctum sanctorum of a newspaper, the editorial and op-ed pages?

***

Pothan Joseph in the evening of his life, in Bangalore. (courtesy: T.J.S. George)

A good case study is the Dawn of Lahore and Deccan Herald of Bangalore.

Dawn is Pakistan’s most-respected English newspaper. Set up in Delhi in 1941 as a weekly by Mohammed Ali Jinnah, it became a daily the following year, with a South Indian Christian Pothan Joseph as its first Editor. (Dawn moved to Lahore after its Delhi office was set on fire by the Jan Sangh in September 1947.)

Deccan Herald is Karnataka’s oldest English newspaper. It was established in 1948 by K.N. Guruswamy, an excise contractor  who was persuaded by the then Diwan of Mysore to abandon plans of starting a theatre on M.G. Road in favour of a modern newspaper. By a cute coincidence, Pothan Joseph was its first Editor, too.

Pothan Joseph is long gone. His two babies have grown, matured, and are in their 70s.

Over time, both papers have had their troubles, but both have retained their ethos. Both are nearly similar in girth and gravitas; both are known for not taking the low road; both have an editorial page and an opposite-editorial page; and both are, generally speaking, sober purveyors of news and views with an evolved weltanschaaung.

So, what did Dawn and Deccan Herald bring to the table during the recent skirmish?

***

A purely quantitative analysis of the edit and op-ed pages of the two newspapers from February 15, the day after the CRPF convoy was attacked in Pulwama, to March 10, after the war cries had somewhat died down, reveals how Indian print media has abdicated its role as thought-leader.

The broad numbers:

# Over the 24-day period, both Dawn and Deccan Herald had some “content” or the other on its edit and op-ed pages relating to the India-Pakistan situation.

But…

# Dawn carried 15 unsigned editorials, 25 opinion/comment pieces, 2 news analyses, 34 letters to the editor, and one editorial cartoon.

# In contrast, Deccan Herald carried a mere 7 editorials, 7 opinion pieces, 3 news analyses, 2 interviews and 30 letters.

In other words, Dawn beat Deccan Herald hands down, the scoreline reading 77-49.

If letters to the editor are taken out of the equation, it is a more dismal 43-19.

Dawn consistently, repeatedly and creditably used its stature as a voice of reason and batted for sanity. More importantly, instead of mortgaging its edit and op-ed space to academics, security experts, think-tankers, diplomats, military men and other vested interests, it often deployed its own editorial team, reflecting the paper’s stand.

A former editor of Dawn, its resident editors and staff writers, all chipped in. Its Delhi correspondent Jawed Naqvi did two front-page analyses, and three opinion pieces. An Indian journalist Latha Jishnu was among two women who lent voice to the debates.

Dawn also used its front page to send a signal to the powers-that-be in Pakistan effectively, by publishing an appeal by three former foreign secretaries.

***

Probably because of Bangalore’s distance from Delhi; probably it had other things to do deal with; probably because it is improperly staffed; probably because it operates in India’s most crowded newspaper market, Deccan Herald fell back on the usual rent-a-quote policy wonks and retired bureaucrats.

Most of its letters to the editor were from the usual names that populate its edit page on most other days, many of them dressing up propaganda messages received on WhatsApp.

Deccan Herald once had a correspondent in Pakistan. In its absence now due to visa restrictions, there was nothing like a view from the Pakistani side. The only “independent” view came from a New York Times syndicated piece.

And because Deccan Herald works on pre-cast design templates, it was constrained from using its front page to denote anything of significance. Business as usual.

In fact, on 12 of the 24 days, the front page was an advertisement in Deccan Herald.

***

By carrying 100% more editorials than Deccan Herald, and 200% more opinion pieces, Dawn underlines the value it places on the edit and oped pages in articulating the newspaper’s voice, in shaping minds and moulding policy—attributes Indian newspapers have abandoned in the post-liberalisation age in the name of “giving the readers what they want”.

Dawn also demonstrates, generally speaking, that their in-house writers, past and present, have the intellectual bandwidth to churn out cogent prose of a 1,000 words or more. There is no evidence of that in Deccan Herald in the 24-day period.

With general elections round the corner, Deccan Herald also comes up woefully short in explaining the motivation and implications. And like most Indian newspapers flooded with advertisements of Narendra Modi, is happy to be seen beating a triumphalist drum that is music to the ruling BJP.

Editorial cartoon on the edit page of ‘Dawn’, by Zahoor

***

The edit and op-ed pieces in Dawn: February 15 to March 8 

February 15: Pulwama attack, editorial

February 19: Shun the TV, stop a war: opinion by Jawed Naqvi

February 20: PM’s bold offer for dialogue with India: editorial

Geopolitical challenges, Zahid Hussain, opinion

Blaming Pak for Pulwama: two letters to the editor

February 22: One speech and more: Asha’ar Rehman, opinion

February 23: Ban on Jamaatud Dawa, editorial

Shoddy Pulwama investigation, three letters to the editor

February 24: Time for restraint, by Iamul Haq, Riaz H. Khokhar and Riaz Mohammad Khan, page one comment by ex-foreign secretaries

Militant-free Pakistan, Muhammad Amir Rana, comment

A terrifying fallout, Latha Jishnu, comment

Pulwama attack, two letters to the editor

February 25: The divide over Kashmir, editorial

February 26: War rhetoric and reality, editorial

The real threat to India, Jawed Naqvi, comment

India’s response post-Pulwama, two letters to the editor

February 27: When truth is the first casualty, Jawed Naqvi, news analysis

On the brink, editorial

Dangerous escalation, Zahid Hussain, comment

Balakot attack, two letters to the editor

Pulwama affair, two letters to the editor

Aiming for peace, editorial

De-escalate now, Khurram Husain, opinion

Pulwama attack, one letter to the editor

PAF’s victory for Pakistan, two letters to the editor 

March 1: Time for diplomacy, editorial

This side of war, Asha’ar Rehman, opinion

Bravo PAF, bravo the nation, three letters to the editor

March 2: Towards normality, editorial

Balakot and beyond, Abbas Nasir, opinion

Wag the dog, Irfan Husain, opinion

Releasing Indian air force pilot, two letters to the editor

Downside of war, two letters to the editor

March 3: LoC attacks, editorial

Now the diplomatic battle, Munir Akram, opinion

Irony of history in Pakistan-India conflict, letter to the editor

The ‘real terrorist’, two letters to the editor

March 4: Effective diplomacy needed, editorial

Surgical Reich, Asad Rahim Khan, opinion

Indian jingoism, one letters

The issue is Kashmir, one letter

March 5: Fighting militancy, editorial

How to talk peace, Arifa Noor, opinion

Death wish as nationalism, Jawed Naqvi, opinion

Not isolated, Moeed Yusuf, opinion

Pakistan’s stand, two letters to the editor

March 6: Bigoted minister, editorial

Pulling back from the brink, Zahid Hussain, opinion

Information warfare: danger to Pakistan, one letter to the editor

Jingoistic Indian media, one letter

March 7: De-escalation time, editorial

Pulwama: verify the facts, Najmuddin A. Shaikh, opinion 

Ballots and blood, F.S. Aijazuddin, opinion

UN role in Kashmir conflict, one letter to the editor

March 8: India’s bid to isolate Pakistan, one letter to the editor

March 9: Nobel Prize anyone, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, opinion

Silver lining for Kashmiris, Abbas Nasir, opinion

Dissent in crisis, A.G. Noorani, opinion

March 10: Crackdown in earnest, editorial

Renewed campaign to ban groups, Muhammad Amir Rana, opinion

Between two fires, Sikander Ahmed Shah, opinion

Imran-Modi contrast, one letter to the editor

***

The edit and op-ed pieces in Deccan Herald: February 15 to March 8 

February 16: Build on support to isolate Pakistan, editorial

Pulwama attack, intelligent failure: three letters to the editor

February 18: Beyond Pulwama attack, Maj Gen S.G. Vombatkere, opinion

Pulwama: India must strengthen diplomatic channels, letter to the editor

Heartening support, letter to the editor

China’s obduracy, letter to the editor

February 19: Stop vilification of Kashmiris, editorial

Terror financing, letter to the editor

February 20: Pak economy in doldrums but it has rich friends, Ajit Ranade, opinion

Abolish Article 370 to change situation in Kashmir, letter to the editor

February 21: A laughable claim and an untenable offer, letter to the editor

February 23: Pak ties rank higher for Saudis, editorial

February 24: J&K: have we lost the plot, Zulfiqar Majid, analysis

To war with wisdom, not blustering into it, Syed Ata Hasnain, opinion

Radicalisation of valley youth is frightening, Amitabh Mattoo, interview

February 25: Cutting India’s nose to spite Pak’s face, editorial

J&K: not military adventurism, peace the only way, letter to the editor

Making our own way, letter to the editor

Play to win, letter to the editor

February 26: Karachi bakery attackers are hooligans, no patriots, letter to the editor

February 27: Air strike: strong message to Pak, editorial

Caught on wrong foot, what will Pakistan do now? Saurav Jha, opinion

February 28: Balakot strike shows India is no longer “soft state’, letter to the editor

March 1: Return to diplomacy, editorial

India must accept advice from superpowers carefully, letter to the editor

Why publicise, letter to the editor

Voice of reason, letter to the editor

BJP first, the nation next, letter to the editor

March 2: Abhinandan’s return, a major diplomatic victory, letter to the editor

March 3: To the war and back, Gurmeet Kanwal, analysis

A threshold has been breached, Srinath Raghavan, interview

Indian diplomacy did well, now to step it up, Vivek Katju, opinion

March 4: De-escalation is a temporary truce, letter to the editor

Gallant soldier, two letters to the editor

Arming to the teeth, letter to the editor

March 5: India’s military, ailing, and poor nears its brink, Maria Abi-Habib, New York Times-syndicated analysis

Resolve Indo-Pak standoff through diplomacy, letter to the editor

Under no obligation, letter to the editor

March 6: Politics over everything, editorial

Pak takes aim at Ajit Doval, opinion

Tackle pressing issue, letter to the editor

Another political game, letter to the editor

March 7: Political games played at the cost of national security, letter to the editor

March 8: Democratise J&K, Ramanujan Nadadur, opinion

Glaring contrast, letter to the editor

Stop ill-treatment, letter to the editor

***

War is serious business, especially when unstable, individualistic leaders prone to quixotic decision-making sans any accountability, are at the helm. So, humour is understandably at a premium in the 24-day period despite Pakistan’s superb satirists.

So, nostalgia.

For nearly four decades, Pothan Joseph wrote an unsigned, freewheeling daily column titled “Over a cup of tea”. It appeared in the Dawn and in Deccan Herald and in most of his other ports of call.

In his 2007 biography ‘Lessons in Journalism: the story of Pothan Joseph‘, T.J.S. George reproduces a snippet.

“The New York Times raises the scare that the one front in the world where there might be war is between India and Pakistan, but if the Anglo-American companies and the Dutch refineries stop supplies of petrol and aviation-spirits, the movements of mechanised columns must fizzle out in two days. There will thus be no war, thought there may be periodical rioting for the relief of emotional stress; that’s the long and short of the situation, Bob.”

How would “Bob” view Wag the Dog?

  100% more editorials, 225% more opinion pieces: How Pothan Joseph’s ‘Dawn’ beat Pothan Joseph’s ‘Deccan Herald’ 77-49 and demonstrated the true role of a newspaper as a conscience-keeper *** The hollowing out of Indian news media---from being serious, agenda-setting, conscience-keepers, to frothy, gutless, market-driven beasts without a soul---is all too obvious, but it was never more apparent than during the recent India-Pakistan kerfuffle. 2,061 more words