Headlines

• UK Radicalisation: Third of Muslims Blame Police

• Egypt Islamic Authority Issues Fatwa Against Philadelphia Anti-Islam Bus Posters

• US Not to Stand By as Iran Backs Rebels in Yemen, Says Kerry

• US Defends Arms Sell to Pakistan

Details

UK Radicalisation: Third of Muslims Blame Police

More than a third of British Muslims blame the actions of the police and MI5 for radicalising the younger generation, suggests an exclusive Sky News poll. Some 39% said the authorities were contributing to radicalising young people, with 29% saying they were not. The research found the issue of young people travelling to fight with extremist groups, including Islamic State, or becoming so-called 'jihadi brides', remains highly controversial. However, the opinion poll - carried out for Sky News by Survation, suggests both Muslims and non-Muslims were most likely to see families as being responsible for preventing young people heading to Syria: 44% of Muslims and 65% of non-Muslims agreed. Just 3% of Muslims thought the police were responsible, 15% said the Government, 9% religious leaders and 2% schools. Sympathy with those leaving the UK to fight for or marry terrorist groups in Syria was highest among women. Some 11% of female Muslims agreed they had a lot of sympathy, compared to 5% of males. The figures for non-Muslims were at 4% for both sexes. The Sky News survey is the first of its kind and looked at what Muslims and non-Muslims think about issues including radicalisation, security concerns, political uncertainty, a rise in hate crimes and growing prejudice. [Source: Sky News]

Anyone with a modicum of common sense knows that the causes of radicalization in the UK is Britain's foreign policy abroad and the heavy handed tactics adopted by the security forces at home. Lord Prescott recently spoke of Tony Blair starting a new crusade in the Muslim world. Yet despite this overwhelming body of evidence, mainstream British media refuses to ignore such polls and statements, and continues advocate that Islam is the problem.

Egypt Islamic Authority Issues Fatwa against Philadelphia Anti-Islam Bus Posters

Egypt's most prominent religious authority has issued a religious proclamation, or fatwa, blasting a controversial anti-Islam poster campaign that has been running on public transport in Philadelphia over the past week. The fatwa from Dar al-Ifta on Wednesday proclaiming the posters racist is the most notable international criticism to be added to the wave of condemnation against the campaign, which features slogans that link Islam to Nazism. The posters include an image of Adolf Hitler having a sit-down meeting with Haj Amin al-Husseini, a Muslim Palestinian nationalist leader during the 1920s and 1930s, whom the ad characterized as "the leader of the Muslim world." The ad urges an end to "aid to all Islamic countries" under the slogan "Islamic Jew-Hatred: It's in the Quran." At least 84 buses in Philadelphia, the fifth-largest U.S. city, are scheduled to display the posters through the end of April. The fatwa by the Egyptian religious authority condemned the campaign on the grounds that such a message not only portrayed Islam incorrectly but also spread prejudice, hatred and conflict in the U.S., a statement posted on the institution's website said. "This hazardous campaign will leave the gate of confrontation and clashes wide open instead of exerting efforts toward peaceful coexistence and harmony," it said. The proclamation also argued that failing to respect Muslims in the U.S. would marginalize the religious minority from integrating into American society. Fatwas, which are nonbinding legal opinions issued by scholars, can be given on any subject, however these proclamations can often carry more weight when issued by top religious bodies such as Dar al-Ifta. [Source: International Business Times]

Once again Dar al-Ifta has got its priorities wrong. Instead of issuing a fatwa to condemn Sisi's support for Saudi's massacring innocent Yemenis, Egypt's prominent Islamic authority is diverting attention towards trivial issues happening abroad. Do they not know or understand that by remaining silent over the criminal acts perpetrated by Sisi they are only undermining their credibility both at home and abroad?

US Not to Stand By as Iran Backs Rebels in Yemen, Says Kerry

Washington warned on Thursday it would not stand by while Tehran supported rebels in Yemen, as Iran's supreme leader denounced Saudi-led air strikes in the country as "criminal acts". In the most direct American criticism yet of Tehran's backing for the Houthi rebels, Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington would not accept foreign interference in Yemen. "There have been - there are, obviously - flights coming from Iran. Every single week there are flights from Iran and we've traced it and know this," Mr Kerry told PBS television. "Iran needs to recognise that the United States is not going to stand by while the region is destabilised or while people engage in overt warfare across lines, international boundaries in other countries." Iran's leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that the air campaign against the Houthis must end. "This move is not acceptable in the region and I would warn that they must stop these criminal acts in Yemen," he said on his website. Mr Kerry said that after world powers agreed on a framework deal with Iran on its nuclear programme Washington was not looking for confrontation. "But we're not going to step away from our alliances and our friendships and the need to stand with those who feel threatened as a consequence of the choices that Iran might be making."

These are not the first comments objecting to what Iran is doing in the region, and can be dismissed with all the other comments made over the past decade or so, as America continues to support to Tehran's expansion efforts in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen. Could it be that America is planning a Shia Crescent to emerge as it looks to reshape the Middle East?

US Defends Arms Sell to Pakistan

Acting US State Department spokesperson Marie Harf, on Wednesday press conference said that the proposed sale of helicopters and weapons to Pakistan will support their military capacity within its borders and will be helpful in anti-terrorism operation. It should be clear that Pakistan demanded to buy 15 1ZAH Wiper helicopters, one thousand Hellfire missiles, and other American weapons which cost around one billion dollars. Last week the US Department of State has informed Congress about the acceptance of Pakistani application. Harf added, "We have very close ties with Pakistan on counter-terrorism and this has several special reasons'. According to US spokesperson Pakistan still has serious threats of terrorism and, therefore, they are helping them. "US arms sales is in our national security interest as well," says Marie Harf. On the other hand, the caretaker department of American military import, Defense Security Cooperation Agency also clarifies that selling helicopters and other weaponry to Pakistan is the part of anti-terrorism movement. These weapons will improve the capabilities of Pakistan Army to fight that war. That much clarification from American side is so because According to the Wall Street Journal regarding selling weapons to Pakistan, American Defense companies are facing pressure from three sides. At one side, there is China and Russia and on the other side facing Indian concerns.

Has not the Pakistani leadership learned that American military aid comes with explicit instructions that Pakistan must take the lead in killing Pakistani citizens and safeguarding American interests in the region? The Muslims of Pakistan must take a firm stance against their leaders for buying and receiving American military and economic aid. Through these means, America for decades has enslaved the Pakistani people and promoted its own interests.