Deacon Spencer (left) and friendsIt was generally known that Robert Spencer, the rabid Islamophobe who runs the Jihad Watch website, has a background in the Melkite Catholic tradition.

However, all credit to the excellent Loonwatch for pulling the material together and exposing Spencer's role as an ordained deacon at Our Lady of the Cedars Catholic Church in Manchester, New Hampshire (see also Bartholomew's Notes on Religion).

In response to the Loonwatch exposé an online petition has now been posted, evidently by a fellow member of the Melkite Catholic Church, stating that it is unacceptable for a hatemonger like Spencer to hold the post of deacon and calling on the US Church leadership to remove him from that position.

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That's the headline to a report in the Daily Mail. Ever eager to alert its readers to the encroaching Muslim menace, the paper claims that "a gang claiming to be Islamic vigilantes have been confronting members of the public and demanding they give up alcohol and women cover their flesh in their 'Muslim area'". This is accompanied by a video, originally posted by its creators on YouTube, in which a self-styled "Muslim patrol" harasses passers-by over their un-Islamic behaviour. According to the Mail, the events took place in Waltham Forest.

The report is taken from a piece on The Commentator website, titled "'Muslim Patrol' vigilantes attempt to control London streets", which states that the video is "likely to have come from East London, where 'Shariah zones' were set up last year". It provides a link to a 2011 report in the Mail headlined "'No porn or prostitution': Islamic extremists set up Sharia law controlled zones in British cities", which was illustrated with photographs of one of Anjem Choudary's idiot supporters putting up stickers in Waltham Forest announcing that the borough was a "Shariah controlled zone". The Commentator adds that the individuals featured in the "Muslim patrol" video "are thought to be a part of an extremist network in East London", the implication being that they are members of Choudary's group.

In reality, it is clear that the video was shot in Tower Hamlets, near to the East London Mosque (which has issued a statement condemning the actions of the "Muslim patrol" and calling on anyone with information on the individuals involved to contact the police). There have in any case never been any sharia zones "set up" in Waltham Forest or anywhere else in East London. One dickhead putting stickers on lampposts doesn't bring a "Shariah controlled zone" into existence.

Nor is there a "gang" harassing the citizens of Tower Hamlets over their alcohol drinking or way of dressing. As Richard Bartholomew has pointed out, the "patrol" appears to consist of just two individuals, one of whom is holding the mobile phone with which the video is taken. There is moreover no evidence that they are connected to Choudary's minuscule band of nutters or indeed that they are part of any "extremist network" at all. Their behaviour was no doubt upsetting for the people they targeted, and hopefully they will be identified and charged with harassment, but if a couple of prats pulling a single Candid Camera type stunt constitutes a serious attempt by Islamist extremists to "control London streets" then words have lost all meaning.

This irresponsible reporting has of course had the predictable result of inflaming the far right, as it plays directly to their paranoid racist fantasies about the Islamification of Britain and the imposition of sharia law on non-Muslims. The English Defence posted a link to the Mail report on their Facebook page, provoking the usual outpouring of anti-Muslim hatred, threats of violence and calls for civil war. Not to be outdone, the EDL breakaway group Combined Ex Forces has announced that "members of CxF and other Patriots/Nationalists will be descending on London in the very near future to reclaim our streets".

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A nine-year-old Gatineau girl who refused to remove her headscarf was forced to stand on the sidelines Sunday as her team played – and won – the final match of a soccer tournament.

The order came just days after the International Football Association Board voted to lift its ban based on the fact that "there is no medical literature concerning injuries as a result of wearing a headscarf," the organization stated on its website.

Rayane Benatti was told to take off her headscarf for safety reasons, but she refused. "It made me feel very sad," she told the Citizen in French on Monday. "I love soccer. I get to run around and do teamwork – I really like that."

Gatineau's regional soccer association maintains that it made the right decision. Until the international organization approves a design, colour and material for headscarves during matches, "scarves of all sorts" will remain banned, said Gatineau's director of tournaments Marc St-Amour.

"It's not because she was wearing a hijab – it's because she was wearing a piece of equipment that is not recognized," St-Amour said.

On July 5, the International Football Association Board "agreed to unanimously approve – temporarily during a trial period – the wearing of headscarves." The organization will define the design, colour and material at a meeting in October. "The piece of equipment needs to go through a process," St-Amour said.

On Monday afternoon in Gatineau's Jolicoeur park, Rayane was running around the soccer pitch with her two older brothers, wearing her beige headscarf and her yellow No. 7 Atomique Jaune team jersey. She paused for a moment each time she kicked the ball toward the net, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth – a personal trademark of concentration.

Rayane said the headscarf, which fits neatly over her head and is tucked under the collar of her jersey, is comfortable. Her mother pulled gently at the fabric to show the scarf is secure yet stretchy. "It doesn't make sense," said Fatima-Zohra Elmarhoum. "It's a piece of fabric."

What was supposed to be a three-day tournament under the sun turned into weekend of confusion, said Elmarhoum. Due to protests, Rayane was allowed to play a game on Friday and another on Saturday morning but was refused participation in the following three games.

"As a mother, I was really sad for my daughter and frustrated about the rule. She's a child who simply wanted to play and she was not allowed," Elmarhoum said. "It's not fair."

Despite her love of soccer, Rayane said she was glad she refused to remove her scarf – an item she has been wearing daily since October 2011. "I decided to wear the headscarf out of love for Allah," Rayane said. "Some people decide not to do it because they don't have enough courage. I had the courage to do it."

Ottawa Citizen, 9 July 2012

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Some French airports have begun to ask headscarf-wearing women to take off their scarves for security reasons, which has spurred criticism from Muslims in the country, who find the practice a discriminatory one.

The Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) has announced that Nantes Atlantique Airport has made it obligatory for headscarf-wearing women to take off their scarves and place them in the X-ray machine along with their other belongings.

The practice was put into effect two weeks ago by the SGA, the company responsible for Nantes Atlantique Airport's security. Women affected by the new rules requested that they be allowed to take off their headscarves in a special room staffed only by women, but the request was denied. The women were told that they must place their headscarves on the conveyor going through the X-ray machine if they wanted to avoid missing their plane.

The SGA defended their actions, claiming that dangerous materials could be hidden under the headscarves, which has triggered outrage in France's Muslim community.

According to EU airport security regulations, security staff do not have the authority to ask women to take their headscarves off.

Narin Yüksel, one of the women who were asked to remove their headscarves at Nantes Atlantique Airport, said it was the first time she faced such discrimination in the 30 years she's lived in the country. "I am 65. What could there be under the headscarf of a 65-year-old woman? They told me that I would not be able to board my plane if I don't take off my headscarf," she told Today's Zaman.

Yüksel's daughter Hatice said security officials at the airport did not even allow her mother to drop her headscarf to her shoulder, saying that the headscarf should be placed in the X-ray machine. "When we asked them to do the security check in a special room, they threatened to call the police if my mom didn't take off her headscarf," she said.

The CCIF said the new rule has been implemented not only at Nantes Atlantique Airport but also at Merignac Airport in Bordeaux after they received complaints from people using that airport.

The French Muslim Council (CFCM), which is tied to the French Interior Ministry, condemned the new security procedure and called on Interior Minister Manuel Valls to initiate an investigation into the case.

Union Des Associations Turques du Grand Ouest (UNATGO) President İsa Sevencan told Today's Zaman that they contacted Nantes Governor Christian de Lavernée and that he promised to put an end to the discriminatory practice. "We will not allow such actions, which threatens our ability to coexist, to happen again," Sevencan said.

Last week, a Turkish citizen, Kübra Kağıtçı, was not allowed into a bank in Belfort due to her headscarf. The number of Islamophobic attacks on headscarf-wearing women has been increasing in France in recent years. In 2011, 94 percent of Islamaphobic attacks in the country targeted women wearing headscarves.

The wearing of headscarves was banned at all French primary and high schools in 2004, but headscarves are still allowed at universities.

Today's Zaman, 28 June 2012

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The vicious campaign against Tory Party co-chairman Sayeeda Warsi, led by the Sunday Telegraph and backed by the Labour Party (see here, here and here), has suffered a setback.

The BBC reports that Warsi has been cleared of any serious breach of the ministerial code over an official trip to Pakistan. The prime minister's adviser Sir Alex Allan found she had committed only a "minor" breach for failing to declare she had been accompanied on the trip by her business partner Abid Hussain, with whom she had set up a restaurant supply company called Rupert's Recipes.

In his report, Sir Alex said: "Baroness Warsi has accepted that she should have made officials aware of her business relationship with Mr Hussain, and has apologised for the oversight. But, as she says, this was not a trade-related visit; Rupert's Recipes does not do any business in Pakistan and there was no financial benefit to either Baroness Warsi or Mr Hussain; Mr Hussain was not a member of the official delegation, no part of his travel or other costs were met by the British government, and no arrangements were made by her office or the British High Commission for Mr Hussain to meet leading politicians."

He added: "I am satisfied that, had she declared her business relationship, that would not have been seen as a barrier to Mr Hussain helping to organise the visit. Nonetheless, she should have been more aware of the perception of a conflict of interest, and the potential criticism which could arise."

Sir Alex advised the prime minister: "Any action you decide to take in the light of the facts of this case is of course a matter for you, but I record my view that the breach of the code was a minor one, and that Baroness Warsi did not use her office for personal financial gain."

In a statement Warsi said: "I have always maintained that I have never misused my ministerial office for personal or financial gain. The allegations on this matter were untrue and unsubstantiated, and I am pleased that Sir Alex Allan's report has confirmed that."

Nobody acquainted with the facts of the case could have believed that Allan's investigation would reach any other conclusion. Warsi's opponents must have known that. Their aim, however, has been to create enough controversy around her that it will be impossible for David Cameron to keep her on as Tory Party co-chairman.

They may still succeed. Despite the fact that Warsi has been cleared of any wrongdoing over the Pakistan trip, the Daily Mail reports that Cameron has "hinted he may move her to a different post".

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Wakeelah Salaam had been shopping by herself for less than ten minutes at the Bridegwater Commons Mall when a security guard approached her and told her to remove her traditional Muslim face covering.

"He said, 'ma'am, I'm telling you, you cannot wear that mask in here. He came as close to me as though he was going to kiss me, and then he made the hand gesture like he was going to lift it up for me," Salaam said.

Salaam was born in the United States, and was raised Muslim. She has always worn a long dress, or hijab, and a headscarf. But when she was in her mid-20s, she decided to start wearing the niqab, or face covering, that shows only her eyes when she's in public.

She's worn the niqab in court, and even to visit a relative in prison, so Salaam says she was shocked when she was approached twice by the same mall security guard Saturday. She eventually felt so uncomfortable that she called police.

"I felt threatened, like I couldn't walk and shop in the mall without this man asking me to take off my niqab," Salaam added.

After speaking with police, Salaam decided to leave Bridgewater Commons, which she had visited before with no problems. After Eyewitness News got involved, an executive with the company that runs Bridgewater Commons' security called Salaam to say he's sorry.

"We sincerely apologize", said Donald Lantz, "Our security guard has received additional training in cultural diversity. We respect her right to dress according to her religious beliefs and she is welcome in our mall anytime."

Salaam says she appreciates the apology, but next time she needs to go shopping, she will probably choose another mall.

WABC-TV, 21 May 2012

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