There have been rumors that the Taliban could be one of the sources that are behind the Boston marathon attacks, but the picture was cleared when Taliban stated that they have nothing to do with the Boston attacks. One of the Spokesmen added that they do have intentions to hit America but this time the attacks were not planned by them.

Taliban have always tried to kill Americans but they have also targeted the allies of the Americans as they think that their allies are equally responsible for what America does. They are of the opinion that America has always been anti-Islam, and that is the reason America started wars against them in Afghanistan and then in Iran.

The spokesman added quite firmly that it should not be assumed that if we are not responsible for such attacks in Boston, we will stop planning against the America. He also said that they will have the definite attack on America whenever they have the chance.

Due to the attacks in Boston, all of the major cities are on high alert, and heavy measurements are taken all over the cities so that any terrorist attack could be avoided. The people of America still can’t forget about what had happened on September 11, and that is why America is terrified with the bombs that exploded in the marathon. Whoever could be behind this attack but the major purpose was to target a large number of people. Fortunately, there was not a high amount of damage done and a few of the bombs were exploded, according to the police department. It is believed that these terrorists will try to have these types of attacks again, that is why most of the cities in America are on high alert and the people were told to be vigilant about the fact that these terrorists could be anywhere in America.

According to the statement given by Taliban, they have taken the responsibility of the time square attacks in 2010. Also, according to this statement, a Pakistani was involved in those attacks. Later, the police held that Pakistani into custody and was given a statement of a life time prison.

After some time, Taliban denied that they have hired Shehzad to do the bombings for them. The twist in the story came on later when during the trial, Shehzad confessed that he was given training by Taliban, and he showed some videos in which he met Hakim Ullah Mehsud who convinced him to attack the United States of America.

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JAMAICA, New York (April 15, 2013) – The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) expresses its outrage at the bomb attacks today on the Boston Marathon. The senseless attack left at least three people dead and many more injured including several who have lost their limbs.

ICNA joins Americans in prayer for the victims and their families during this horrific incident. ICNA also appeals all Americans to help the Law Enforcement to bring the perpetrators of this crime to speedy justice.

ICNA President Naeem Baig said “all Americans including American Muslims condemn this heinous attack on civilians and pray for the quick recovery of the injured.”

The Islamic Circle of North America is a leading American Muslim organization dedicated to the betterment of society through the application of Islamic values. Since 1968, ICNA has worked to build relations between communities by devoting itself to education, outreach, social services and relief efforts.

—END—

Islamic Circle of North America
E-mail:
Office: (718) 658-1199

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A Concise introduction and account of the Playbook can be presented as a function towards establishing certain rules and regulations, in relation to the mysterious and the stealthy Drone Attacks conducted by the CIA around the globe. It also functions to set rules that would legalize the actions of the drones mentioned herewith and to mitigate the rate at which these attacks are conducted.

This is something that the US Government needs to consider on a profound and intense note, in light of the heavy criticism and ridicule that it is facing and receiving from its many supporters and people, as well. This criticism is mainly directed towards the government’s uncontrolled and unhindered dependence on technological warfare. This outrage from different nations and people across the world towards drone attacks has culminated in the form of an immensely strong opposition by the world against drone attacks.

Perhaps this is an approach towards capturing the essence of what the nations of the world want in the future, in response to the unbiased and misdirected show of the US in terms of its might and military strength against defenseless and feeble third world nations.

These are countries where the war being fought is not even of conventional or traditionally recognizable tendencies. However, the most appalling and fascinatingly curious aspect of this Playbook by Brennan is that the Laws it entails are not applicable to Pakistan and Yemen in relation to Drone Strikes.

Why is it so, you asking?

You cannot inquire at all.

The leak of the Document by the Justice Department has led to much uproar and outrage from the public over the unjust killing of US citizens by the state itself. The case of “Al-Aulaqi” has been the recipient of much attention and coverage. As a side effect of the leak in question, the state has become the object of inquisition by the public regarding the definition that the former uses in relation to recognizing and branding terrorists.

All of this combined won’t put an end to Drone Strikes. In fact, the US is packing up its military operations in Afghanistan. But their absence is likely to be substituted with more of a technological offensive, meaning aerial strikes that are devoid of a mortal manning quality.

Ever since this year’s threshold has been crossed, there has been a sharp incline in the rate of these attacks. Bill Roggio from the Long War Journal reported the demise of 11 civilians in the four attacks committed in the first two weeks of January.

The incident involving the death of about 38 civilians in a single precision strike during March 2011 is also much appalling. It is impossible to ascertain the true toll of death and destruction as the areas decimated by the CIA are closed to journalists, government related functionaries and other such peers.

War of a conventional sort brings about much in the way of collateral damage, that is what the drone supports present forth as an argument.

But is this truly a War that is being fought?

Are we privy to the true identity of our enemy?

Is the demise of Osama actually hastening the march towards world tranquility and peace?

Will the decimation of further militants of the sort eradicate terrorism?

The truth is that terrorism is something that cannot be annihilated or destroyed through the means of military might alone.

Ever since the terrorist incident orchestrated by the Al-Qaeda, there has not been one single US Citizen death from terrorism. In contrast, about 150 children have perished in school shootings initiated since 2003.

Perhaps it is time for the US to quit is countering terrorism worldwide and pay a bit more mind and attention to its laws and regulations, regarding guns and weaponry.

 

About the author

I love to write creative articles. I have been writing on different social and religious topics for 2 years now. Give me a creative topic and I will write it for you.

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The fragmentation of the far right could spark a new wave of political violence and Anders Breivik-style lone-wolf acts of terrorism, according to the head of the UK's first research centre into contemporary fascism.

The warning comes as new figures reveal that there have been nearly 500 anti-Islamic attacks since March, with more than half linked to supporters of far-right groups. Professor Nigel Copsey told The Independent that the electoral decline of the British National Party (BNP) and the splintering of street-based protest organisations such as the English Defence League (EDL) had created a potentially dangerous political vacuum on the far right.

He said the relative success of right-wing groups in recent years had radicalised thousands of people online who could seek new and more violent ways to express their opposition to Islam, immigration and economic stagnation.

"We have disturbing levels of hate crime in this country which gets under-reported, and we need to know more about the level to which the far right is involved in this," he said. "This fragmentation and disintegration of the far right could increase the potential for political violence from small aggressive groups or lone-wolf or sole-actor terrorism."

Speaking to mark the launch of the new Centre for Fascist, Anti-fascist and Post-Fascist Studies at Teesside University, he said there was no room for complacency: "We ignore them at our peril because the demand for and the causes of the far right are still with us – they haven't gone away and in some cases are getting worse."

Independent, 28 December 2012

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A Muslim family say they have been forced to move from their home after offensive graffiti and a cross wrapped in ham were left outside their house. Murad Alam, 39, said his wife and two sons, aged eight and 10, had moved out of their home in Bingham, Nottinghamshire, to a "safe" place.

Mr Alam said he had found his son plotting escape routes on his computer after the "horrific" attacks last year. "My wife and children also had names called at them in the street," he said. "The first incident was when the big, wooden cross, wrapped in ham, fell into the house after a knock at the door," said Mr Alam.

He said they had names such as "Paki" and "tramp" shouted at them in the street. "The kids have been abused a number of times; the eldest had smoke blown in his face by an elderly local gentleman." Offensive graffiti was also painted on the path outside the family home.

"It really annoys me that they should use a cross and try and turn this into a religious argument," said Mr Alam. "My family were terrified from the very first incident; my wife had never experienced racism, neither had my kids.

"In fact I had to explain to my children what racism even was, because they're so young they didn't understand the concept that someone could dislike you because of your skin colour or religion."

The family has now moved to West Bridgford where they say they feel safe.

Mr Alam said Bingham was generally a nice area with a good reputation and it was a shame it had been tarred by their experiences.

"The week before we moved there, Bingham was named the eighth best place to live in the UK – but that's if you're white – there are not many Asian or black faces there. It is a nice, generally middle-class village and I'm sure most of the people there are great, it's just these choice few."

BBC News, 31 January 2013

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Most of the Taliban who claim to be the Muslims belong to Pashtunes Society. Islam always supports the education whether it be for boys or girls. According to a hadith of Muhammad (S.A.W.), it is essential for a Muslim, either a male or female, to get the proper education. Islam also says that a scholar is much better than a spiritual person. So it is clear that Islam promotes education. Then the question arises as to what the reason is to oppose female education by the Taliban. Perhaps it may be the Pashtunes tradition and customs. The Pashtunes mother produces the son to send to the wars and he practices war training in his childhood. A Pashtune daughter is to stay at home and help her mother with the household work.

All these stories seem to be rumors about the Pashtunes when we see the reality in the area. There are a lot of schools and colleges in the tribal areas, mostly the Swat. Swat could have been declared as the education capital of Pakistan due to the presence of the medical and law colleges including nursing and computer schools. Also, there are hundreds of informal beauty schools that offer on-the-job training for the poor girls who cannot afford other types of education. The presence of such types of schools does not support the theory that Pashtunes are against education.

The reality is that there are different groups of the Pashtunes, some are in favor of education, and some are against it. Both are part of the Taliban militants. The Talibans who are against education do not send their children to schools. They claim that education for girls is the tradition of the Western people to favor secularism. So they are more frightened from the female education than even the drone attacks. They think that the traditions are much more important than their lives. So they also have destroyed many schools and colleges present in the area. Actually, they are supported by the uncivilized and uneducated people using the name of Islam. So, they fear from the fact that due to education, people will become civilized and there will be no support for them in the local area.

Education is important for both men and women because it makes the people confident, civilized and  professional. It is a fact that only educated women can better handle problems. Therefore, we cannot deprive women from education because it is their basic right. The progress of any nation or country is not possible without women being educated. It is most important to stop the anti-education activities of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

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The leader of the English Defence League (EDL) in Bristol has been arrested in connection with graffiti sprayed on mosques and Sikh temples.

Mickey Bayliss, from Upton Cheyney near Bitton, was arrested on Wednesday, along with another man.

The two had their properties searched but were not charged and have been released on bail.

The arrests were made in connection with two incidents of criminal damage on mosques and a Sikh temple on Valley Road, Bedminster, and Church Road, Redfield, between September 21 and September 25. It is believed that the word "EDL" was dubbed in red graffiti on the properties on Church Road and grey graffiti on Valley Road.

Police spokeswoman Catherine Foster said: "A 47-year-old man has been arrested under suspicion of criminal damage. He has been bailed until January 22. There were three incidents of criminal damage, two on Valley Road and one on Church Road."

She added: "A 36-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the same investigation."

Bristol Post, 19 November 2012

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A celebrity chef has come under fire after making "hurtful" comments about the city's Muslim community. In her new book, Clarissa Dickson Wright describes a visit to Leicester "as one of the most frightening experiences of my life".

The 65-year-old dedicates a chapter of Clarissa's England: A Gamely Gallop Through the English Counties to each county in England, discussing their culinary, cultural and historical merits. On Leicestershire, she writes of the city's "ghetto".

She describes coming off the ring road to escape a traffic jam and becoming lost. "I found myself in an area where all the men were wearing Islamic clothing and all the women were wearing burkas and walking slightly behind them," she wrote. She said the men would not talk to her "because I was an English female and they don't talk to females they don't know".

She said: "Here I was, in the heart of a city in the middle of my own country, a complete outcast and pariah. If multiculturalism works, which I have always been rather dubious of, surely it must be multicultural and not monocultural. I can only hope that in generations to come there will be a merging of the cultures and not the exclusion zone that is the ghetto."

Ibrahim Mogra, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, and a city imam, said: "How is she judging an entire community on her one-off rare time of getting lost in Leicester? I find it very hurtful to read because everybody is working so hard to create a peaceful and happy Leicester.

"It showed a complete lack of appreciation of the fact we are almost two million in this country, doing our bit for our country. When she says that she was in the centre of a city in the centre of her own country, I take objection. This is also my country and this is also my city.

"I would like to call on Leicester people to be even more welcoming and hospitable than we've been so far."

Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "That is the sort of thing that makes me very angry – when someone breezes in from outside and paints a picture of Leicester that does not have any foundation in reality. It may help sell books but it is cheap."

Councillor Manjula Sood, chairman of Leicester Council of Faiths, urged readers to ignore her comments. "I don't believe a meeting with one person on one street should mean you can label a whole city," she said.

Both Coun Sood and Mr Mogra invited Ms Dickson Wright back to the city for an opportunity to change her opinions.

When contacted by the Mercury, the chef, who lives in Edinburgh, said: "I'm surprised any of the people who might object could read what I wrote as it is written in English. When you get to 65, you will think back on this conversation and I think you might find yourself in my frame of mind." She said she had a lot of Muslim friends but her experience of Leicester was "unpleasant".

"It scared me and I am not scared easy," she said. Asked why, she said: "Because it was part of my country that I was born in and there are a lot of radical Muslim preachers in this country.

"I was in London when the July 7 (2005 bomb attacks) happened and this to me was proof for those people who have been saying we're getting ghettoisation of Muslim areas. I have never believed that political correctness was a reason not to say what I have experienced."

She said she had "done a lot" for Leicestershire, campaigning for the protected geographical status of Melton pork pies and Stilton. In her book, Ms Dickson Wright praised Melton's food festival, saying "it was just everything that a good food festival should be". She also wrote about "charming" Market Harborough, and "pleasant" Oakham.

Leicester Mercury, 16 November 2012

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When last week's cover of normally stern French magazine Le Point appeared online, the consensus on social networks said it was a hoax. Le Point is no tabloid. It is a serious and well respected conservative magazine.

Running the headline: "Brazen Islam...in school cafeterias, hospitals, and swimming pools" the cover featured a niqab-clad woman arguing with a French policewoman. It had to be a joke, but sadly it wasn't.

Le Point's cover was widely condemned on social networks, and parodies of it quickly appeared. "Brazen Judaism and its garlic humus", "Brazen gays and their trimmed eyebrows," "The brazenly disabled and their parking spaces," illustrated how French Muslims probably felt when they passed the newsagent last week.

When Socialist Interior Minister Manuel Valls was asked during a popular TV talk-show whether he found the cover shocking, he brushed it off, saying "It expresses a reality." He went on to say: "What I find shocking, and what I will always find shocking, is a fully-veiled woman."

That was it. The second religion in France gets insulted on the front cover of one of the country's most popular magazines – something that could never have happened with any other religion or community, as pointed out by the numerous parodies – and the Interior Minister, supposedly in charge of security of all French citizens, claims on a widely-watched TV show that it’s fine, and no one contradicts him.

It doesn't matter that at the time of its public ban in 2011, the niqab was estimated to be worn by less than 2,000 out of 65 million French people. It doesn't matter that – as was later revealed – the infamous picture was taken during a protest in September involving no more than ten women. To Manuel Valls, to Le Point, the terror of ten women protesting is "a reality" that deserves to be on the front page of a national magazine.

This might be because stigmatising Islam has become extremely common in France.

Independent, 7 November 2012

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Najam Chishti of the Muslim Society of P.E.I. outside the Masjid Dar As-Salam mosqueZain Esseghaier has been a Charlottetown resident for the last 33 years, married an islander and raised a family here. Though his modest two-story mosque has been the target of three serious threats over the past year – last week a bottle of gasoline was left at the entrance and the structure plastered with "Defeat Jihad" posters – he remains steadfast, refusing to be intimidated.

"This was getting too close for comfort," said Esseghaier. "That's a threat. I spent a good part of my life here. This is home for me. No one is going to force me to leave. We are determined to continue. We are not going to let this threat stop us from what we're doing. There is no doubt about that in my mind."

Four years ago, the native of Tunisia and his fellow Muslim Society of P.E.I. members set about finally acquiring their own place of worship. A cross-country fundraising campaign raised about $500,000, enough to purchase a plot of land in an industrial park and build Masjid Dar As-Salam mosque.

Last October, two days after a community celebration to mark the official groundbreaking at the site, a pig's head was left nailed to a post on the property. Just over a month ago, a contractor's truck parked near the mosque overnight was set ablaze.

The incidents were reported but the society decided not to go public to avoid adding fuel to the fire. But the latest threat was too serious to keep under wraps, Esseghaier said. He now fears for the safety of worshippers. "Of course, you're rattled at first," he said. "You wonder what will be the next step? Will someone throw a Molotov cocktail through the window while someone is worshipping?"

Of the 120 people who frequent the mosque, 90 still showed up for Friday afternoon's jummah. Most believe a few ignorant, fearful people are to blame and are not representative of the community. "You look around and you say most people are good people and this is the exception to the rule," said Esseghaier. "We'll deal with it as an isolated case, even though it's the third time. It doesn't represent the values of the people in this province."

In all, P.E.I. boasts roughly 500 Muslim residents, most of whom live in Charlottetown and pray together. Before having their own mosque, they would worship wherever they could find the space, from a temporary basement mosque to gymnasiums to university classrooms. Building the mosque was a way of retaining the province's Muslim population, said the society's president Najam Chishti.

The retired chemist, a native of Pakistan, has lived in Charlottetown since 1979 and he and his wife have raised three children here. He's at a loss to understand why people would attack his religion. "We just want to ask, 'What have we done that would warrant this? What are they are afraid of?'"

The Star, 9 October 2012

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The year the first drone attack was made on Pakistan was 1024 A.D and was performed by the Jews against Mahmud Ghaznavi’s army. Innocent Pakistanis as well as their camels were killed in portions of North Waziristan. These drones were first invented by Albert Einstein, a very popular Jewish scientist. Due to drone attacks, more than 3 billion Muslims in Pakistan have been killed since 1024 A.D.

There are rumors that the Pakistani Military has allowed Americans to plan drone attacks toward Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan, but the country has never allowed them to make such attacks as they too suffer when attacks are made. The military is in fact fighting against these drone attacks. It doesn’t mean that they are supporting the Al-Qaeda or the Taliban, but they just need to stop these attacks for the safety of innocnet Muslims who want to live peacefully in Pakistan. It is only the civilian Government that has allowed American to complete drone attacks, and President Zardari is the one who is especially responsible. The president owns a large number of such factories that are making drones in Switzerland.

The American government has made a false statement that they are using drone attacks against the militants who are being protected by the Pakistani Military. Recently, many innocent people have been attacked and have suffered due to these attacks. There is now a need for us Pakistanis) to protest against these drone attacks before they become the reason of complete destruction in Pakistan. We are currently protesting for common issues like the cases of gang rape, blasphemy and suicides. Instead of spending so much time on these issues, we should now protest to stop these drone attacks and create peace in our living place. The drone attacks have killed billions of Pakistanis, and we need to protect ourselves before more are lost.

Americans are now bribing the Chinese to make the weapons and accessories needed to create the drones and export them to Pakistan. These toys can kill our children and innocent families. Drones are considered the major reasons for the devastating floods that occurred last year in Pakistan. The horrifying and destructing earthquakes in Islamic emirates are again caused by these drone attacks. Along with these destructive events, drone attacks are becoming the cause of much corruption, energy storage problems and health problems among the Pakistanis. We need to stop them, and we need to protest against these attacks so we can keep ourselves and our children safe.

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U.S. fumes with the attack that killed Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other American officials in Benghazi, and CIA also failed at gathering the information regarding the killings in Libya.

After the dreadful incident, around two dozen of the people were evacuated from the city in Benghazi, ““It’s a catastrophic intelligence loss,” said one American official who has served in Libya and who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the F.B.I. is still investigating the attack. “We got our eyes poked out.”

The C.I.A.’s surveillance targets in Benghazi and eastern Libya include Ansar al-Sharia, a militia that some have blamed for the attack, as well as suspected members of Al Qaeda’s affiliate in North Africa, known as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.”

Eastern Libya is also under threat, CIA is monitoring all the concurrent very closely. The killing of the American Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens mainly has ignited rest of the groups of people in Libya against the U.S. forces. People have come out on streets in greater numbers and broke down the things. “The makeup of militias varies widely; some are moderate, while others are ultraconservative Islamists known as Salafis and still others are loyalists from the government of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the deposed Libyan leader.

“The region’s deeply entrenched Salafi community is undergoing significant upheaval, with debate raging between a current that is amenable to political integration and a more militant strand that opposes democracy,” Frederic Wehrey, a senior policy analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who closely follows Libya and visited there recently, wrote in a paper this month, “The Struggle for Security in Eastern Libya.”

Officials said that the groups have several weapons as they were all trained during the Gadaffi time to nail down his forces and now they forces needs to be disarmed before they can hurt others. “Senior American officials acknowledged the intelligence setback, but insisted that information was still being collected using a variety of informants on the ground, systems that intercept electronic communications like cellphone conversations and satellite imagery. “The U.S. isn’t close to being blind in Benghazi and eastern Libya,” said an American official.

Spokesmen for the C.I.A., the State Department and the White House declined to comment on the matter on Sunday.

Within months of the start of Libyan revolution in February 2011, the C.I.A. began building a meaningful but covert presence in Benghazi, a locus of the rebel efforts to oust the government of Colonel Qaddafi.

Though the agency has been cooperating with the new post-Qaddafi Libyan intelligence service, the size of the C.I.A.’s presence in Benghazi apparently surprised some Libyan leaders. The deputy prime minister, Mustafa Abushagour, was quoted in The Wall Street Journal last week saying that he learned about some of the delicate American operations in Benghazi only after the attack on the mission, in large part because a surprisingly large number of Americans showed up at the Benghazi airport to be evacuated.

“We have no problem with intelligence sharing or gathering, but our sovereignty is also key,” said Mr. Abushagour.

About the author

Momo Khan

Life has given you wings to fly, why to crawl through your life !!
Freelance writer and an agony aunt to my friends.
Dreamer, Love my family and is a peaceful creature !!

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“Equality and freedom are not luxuries to lightly cast aside. Without them, order cannot long endure before approaching depths beyond imagining.”
― Alan Moore

The consequences of Muslims in United States after 9/11 attacks created havoc, global war and counter terrorism operations across all Muslim countries. Radical, dogmatic and arrogance gained its impact for Muslims in United States as aftermath consequences of 9/11 attacks and even after ten years of 9/11 attacks world has become totally arrogant towards Muslims. The war in Iraq, regime of President of Iraq, Saddam and dramatic changes in Pakistan were the most potential and significant events in American history. After ten years of 9/11 attacks American Muslims dynamics has created a chaos and negative impact of Muslims in United States. Two most common words “everyone knows” have depicted Muslims in United States as terrorists. “Everyone knows” Muslims are inherently violent and are compelled to be terrorists. Islam is a religion of peace has become a bridge of negativity in United States of America.

9/11 attack consequences gathered the world with so many surprising events. American Muslims who were free and comfortable in American environment are now the signal and target of terror and fear. Killing in Iraq war, then Afghanistan, regimentation of President Saddam were the significant factors after 9/11 attacks. Even after ten years of 9/11 attacks Muslims in United States are spotted for every criminal act. Such situations have misrepresented Muslims and Islam across the globe. This has become a viscous fact after September attacks that Muslims are accused of not speaking up and have become lunatic in their perspectives. After ten years of 9/11 attacks Muslims were suspected as terrorists. The misrepresentation of American Muslims slaughtered their civil rights from United States.

American Muslims are now abused by their civil rights to wrong perception of terror, morals, ethics and religion. American Muslims after September attacks have faced discrimination and racism on basis of their religion. Day to day low level harassment is now common against Muslims. In 2011, a Muslim boy was caught with a knife in his pocket. Only because he was Muslim, on basis of his religion he was suspected as terrorist. Hate, racism and anti religion starts on basis whether they are Muslims or not.  Mosques and other religious places are an easy approach of killing and torturing Muslim society. Mosque is a holy place where Muslims practice their religion and bow their head towards God. During the ten years after September attack mosques and religious places in certain areas of United States have been burnt and damaged.

Aftermaths of 9/11 attacks are though tragic for Muslim countries. Even ten years have been passed still Muslims are suspected as terrorists. In decade of 9/11 nobody has tried to get the real meaning of Muslim. This is indeed tragic and an alarming situation. Islam is a true religion of prosperity and peace. Muslims are not terrorists. They are peace lovers. People have suspected wrong about them.

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Osama

I am 20 years old from Karachi, Pakistan. I am doing graduation from Karachi University. Right now, doing freelance writing for Muslim Academy.

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BALLWIN — Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious leaders joined civil rights leaders here this morning in denouncing recent attacks against mosques around the country. They say that kind of violence represents intolerance and a hatred of Muslims, and they worry it escalates during election season.

"This is a result of an atmosphere of hate that is being created by a small group of radical Islamophobes within this country," said Faizan Syed, executive director of the St. Louis chapter of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations). Ghazala Hayat, with the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, added: "We also see, usually the year of election, this rhetoric goes up."

At a news conference, they were joined by Barbara Jennings, with the Coalition of Catholic Sisters; Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg, president of the Rabbinical Association; and civil rights leaders including Brenda Jones of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri and Karen Aroesty of the Anti-Defamation League.

A July 4 arson fire damaged a mosque in Joplin, Mo., and a second fire on Aug. 6 destroyed it. The second fire has been labeled suspicious. An investigation continues.

The national group CAIR is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for the attempted arson on July 4. Syed said the group had planned Wednesday to announce an increase in that reward to include the Aug. 6 fire, but he said they would wait until officials confirm that it was arson.

Syed said the St. Louis group has contacted Islamic centers in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma to warn them to beef up security measures, during Friday prayers and other times. He said what happened to the mosque outside Joplin underscored the anger sometimes directed toward such centers. He said that mosque had been targeted even before the arson attempt in July. Shotgun shells had been fired at the center's mailbox and people driving by had yelled profanities at children, he said.

Meanwhile, he said the mosque there will rebuild, thanks to a national fundraising campaign. He said about $400,000 had been raised in a short time, but that it will take close to $1.4 million to rebuild in or near Joplin. "We are really heartened by the response by non-Muslims to raise money so quickly," Hayat added.

St Louis Post-Dispatch, 15 August 2012

See also "Joplin, Mo., mosque fire called evidence of hatred", Associated Press, 15 August 2012

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When originally chosen as Labour's mayoral candidate, he was the logical choice as a two-term leader of the Council. However, he was the subject of a "dog-whistle" campaign by opponents.

Just as conservatives in the U.S. use coded language to raise the hackles of racist voters against Barack Obama, similar language is used against Rahman, hinting at "links" to the Islamic Forum of Europe. That led to his decision to run, successfully, as an independent, and his victory has done little to increase the love.

Going to a mosque with "links" to other Muslim groups alleged to be "Islamist" provokes reflexes in a surprising range of people, from left-liberals alert to insinuations of anti-semitism to conservatives for whom it is a convenient cover for racism.

Anton Wahlberg profiles Lutfur Rahman, mayor of Tower Hamlets.

IPS, 7 August 2012

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Trades unions and protesters have called on a Bristol City Council cabinet member to withdraw his claim that the Labour mayor candidate was "weak and naive" in his handling of the English Defence League (EDL) march earlier this month.

Gary Hopkins, the executive member for community safety, said Labour councillor Mike Woollacott was "totally irresponsible" for ignoring police advice and encouraging a counter-demonstration in the city centre. He added Marvin Rees, the party's nomination for elected mayor, was weak, easily led and naïve for supporting him if he did not think violence would follow. Cllr Hopkins also attacked Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy for calling for a ban on the EDL march.

But at the weekend, the We Are Bristol group – made of trades unions and community groups – hit back, asking whether the Liberal Democrats were "playing the race card".

"We Are Bristol are shocked at the attack by leading Liberal Democrats in the city on Marvin Rees and Councillor Mike Wollacott for giving their support to the rally against the racist EDL," the group spokesman Martin Upchuch said.

"Our march and rally was supported by over 1,000 people, including trade union branches and community organisation across the city. Yet the Liberal Democrats in their statement have chosen to denigrate the people of Bristol who have dared to stand up against the racism and bigotry of the EDL.

"We call upon the Liberal Democrats to withdraw their statement immediately, and to respect our political representatives' right to do their proper job of speaking up for the people of Bristol."

About 400 EDL members marched through Bristol on Saturday, July 14, with more than 1,000 police drafted in from around the country to marshal the crowd.

Despite police demands for a counter protest to be moved to Castle Park, a group of about 200 anti-EDL protesters gathered at the fountains in the city centre, before moving to the park and then on to the Pride event on College Green.

Although there were some skirmishes on the fringes of the EDL march, the day passed relatively peacefully – no thanks to the statements made by the Labour members, according to Cllr Hopkins.

"The Labour Party were well aware that there was likely to be street violence but still persisted in supporting direct counter-demonstration and, it is reported, speaking at the rally," he said.

"Labour councillor Mike Woolacott faces calls to step down from his position of responsibility on the council after he tried to put pressure on the council leader to speak on behalf of UAF and then ignored police attempts to bring order by encouraging a potentially dangerous assembly in a provocative place. Does Mr Rees support Councillor Woolacott or not?

"This was totally irresponsible. Marvin Rees has shown himself to be weak, easily led and – if he didn't realise violent disturbances might follow – naïve, as well.

"Let's be quite clear how serious this situation could have been. The violence could have been a great deal worse, had it not been for excellent policing and the calm, statesmanlike approach of the Muslim community.

"It beggars belief that a candidate for the highest office in Bristol should have let unelected Labour activists pull his strings and force him into the very embarrassing position he finds himself in now.

"We recognized – as the Muslim community did – that the march would be better controlled if it was allowed to go ahead and we worked closely with the police and the Muslim leaders to help ensure things went off peacefully.

"Ms McCarthy, however, allowed herself to be reported calling for a ban on the EDL march, which, again, was wholly irresponsible. She has some explaining to do. Was she deliberately stirring up passion and anger for political gain or was she genuinely so ignorant of the facts that she thought a ban was possible?"

Mr Rees, Mr Woollacott and Ms McCarthy have been backed by the TUC in the region, which also called on Bristol politicians to unite against the hatred of the English Defence League rather than turn against each other.

The South West TUC's regional secretary Nigel Costley said: "Well done to all those politicians who had the courage to speak at the anti-EDL demonstration. The attacks on them by Bristol's Lib Dems is a great shame as politicians should unite in blaming the hatred spread by the EDL for problems during the day.

"Congratulations to Cllr Mike Woolacott for helping to steward the anti-EDL demonstration that helped channel the understandable anger at the EDL's assault on Bristol's diverse community. As it turned out the right wing group mustered only a couple of hundred supporters for their racist stunt.

"It was good to have Labour politicians like Kerry McCarthy and Marvin Rees speaking alongside trade unionists and community activists to declare that the EDL are not welcome here."

Bristol 24-7, 23 July 2012

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Security measures have been taken at Llanelli's mosque following claims of attacks on the building.

Metal bars have been fitted over the Station Road mosque's front window after reports were made that the glass was smashed while someone was praying inside. The incident came just months after the door was kicked through and a group of elderly women were followed in.

And police are now conducting high visibility patrols in the area to calm the concerns of people using the mosque.

Press officer for Llanelli's Ethnic Minority Help Association Anne Stevens-Bevan said she was working hard to ensure people feel safe when they go to pray.

"I met with the police last week and I am negotiating with them and the Muslim Council for Great Britain to see what advice they can give," she said. "There have been problems with things thrown at the window and people being chased and abused physically and mentally. The trouble has been on-going for 14 years, but I have made a promise that it won't happen again because it's just not fair."

Mrs Stevens-Bevan said she was "sickened to the stomach" to hear that the window was smashed while someone was praying. "It should be a world of calmness," she said. "Having to put bars over the window takes away from that – it takes away from the sense of peace."

She added that while lighting would soon be installed near the mosque, efforts were still being made to have CCTV cameras installed.

"The mosque is well used – and by some very elderly people – and they should feel safe," she said. "They get mouthy people passing, and these words can build up and rob them of their self-esteem. People don't forget things like that, and for the women who were followed into the mosque it must be in their minds all the time. The mosque is a sacred place, like our churches and chapels, and we will not give up until people feel safe to go there."

PC Dylan Davies said: "When they reported the criminal damage to me I did advise them to think about taking some security measures, which they did by adding the grill to the window. Having said that, this is a one-off instance. I am aware of concerns the people using the mosque have, and I am keeping an eye on the building and making sure that there are regular high visibility patrols in and around the area."

This is South Wales, 17 April 2012

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