Islamic World News 04 Aug 2011, NewAgeIslam.

Com Italy approves draft law banning veil Karachi violence toll rises to 47 Syrian tanks thrust into Hama, 45 killed activist 3 NATO service members killed in Afghanistan Women-oppressing Islamic Shariah law thriving in Australia Tajikistan bans Muslim youths from praying in mosques New US strategy: To treat Muslims as ally to combat radical Islam Albania Muslims protest over nude exhibition near mosque Beards insulted: Lahore Maulvis to move blasphemy case Sacred thread that stitches together Hindus, Muslims Muslim veil no excuse for discrimination: New Zealand PM Pakistani religious party chief asks Muslims to return back to roots Car bomb kills Afghan provincial intelligence chief 6 more killed as Rangers conduct search operation Three militants killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir Right-wing terror enemy like IM and SIMI: Indian Home Minister Clashes in front of Mubarak court, 53 injured, 3 arrested Chopper crash kills 10 in Indonesia: officials Afghan in uniform kills NATO soldier: military 20 yr old Ethiopian Maid sentenced to death for RAK double murder Syrian army shells Hama, seizes Central Square Al Ghurair: "The issue of Palestine as the great battle of the Muslim world" Sydney teenager freed safely after 10-hour bomb scare Gaddafi son claims pact with rebel Libya Islamists Libyan generals murder sparks rebel schism Most American Muslims loyal to US, against Qaida : Gallup poll

Woman from Jenin Now Longest Serving Female Prisoner in Israeli Detention Religious, Quranic Weeks Planned in 40 Countries

South Yemen tribes to rejoin army offensive against militants Under rising pressure from West, Syria seeks India s support Pak bans LeT, JeM from taking donations Homosexuality: The position of Supreme Council of Tijaniyya Islamic Affairs Amnesty International: Bahraini Imprisoned activists on hunger strike UN condemns Syrian attacks on civilians UNSC condemns Syrian govt. for human rights violation Iranian president urges reverent ties with Europe Afghan TVs broadcasting Iranian religious films in Ramadan Message of Islam Quarterly Published in Thailand Vast Sit-in of Bahraini Revolutionaries on Thursday, Aug 4 Leading Islamophobe publishes new anti-Islam Book Bangladesh plans deportation of Ulfa leader Pak navys lie nailed Syria tanks occupy Hama main square US breached Pak airspace twice during May 2 raid: report After pointing fingers, China lauds Pak coop against terror Mubarak faces trial from hospital bed For ailing Pakistan prisoner in Ajmer, freedom remains elusive Bid to placate Pakistan on Afghanistan Gods will is beyond all creatures: Saudi scholar Israeli official denies Mubarak offered asylum Muslim minorities remain on margins of Telangana debate Malawi leader once heralded abroad now condemned Police deny responsibility for wrongful detention in rape case Hezbollah hands over material for Lebanon tribunal Londons historic connections to Islam Sixteen Pakistanis working as slaves in Afghanistan set free Hashmi wants Punjab divided into four provinces Ramazan offers opportunity to quit smoking, other addictions

PNS Mehran attack: Three Navy officers face court martial Ramazan in Sri Lanka: A Sri Lankan teenage-boy s recollection Kashgar incident: Beijing downplays risk of rift with Islamabad Swedish man arrested after trying to split atoms in his kitchen US contractor to sue Donald Rumsfeld over Iraq torture Video shows Briton, Italian hostages Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=518 0 held by al-Qaeda

---------Italy approves draft law banning veil August 4, 2011 Those who breached the law would be fined, with heavy penalties 30,000 euros ($4 2,000) and up to 12 months in jail. PHOTO: REUTERS An Italian parliamentary commission approved a draft law on Tuesday which would ban women from wearing the veils that cover their faces in public, if passed by parliament in September. The draft law would forbid women from wearing a burqa, but also prohibit anyone from covering their faces with a motorcycle helmet or any material of ethnic orig ins. Sponsored by Souad Sbai, a Moroccan-born member of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusc onis ruling People of Freedom Party (PDL), the draft was adopted on the back of s upport from the governments coalition party, the Northern League. The other parliamentary groups for the most part abstained from the vote, while the main opposition Democratic Party (PD) voted against the draft. Those who breached the law would be fined, with heavy penalties 30,000 euros ($4 2,000) and up to 12 months in jail for third parties who force women to cover th eir faces in public. Sbai said she hoped the draft would defend women without rights who are forced in to segregation. In France, Belgium and even Muslim Azerbaijan, this law has become reality withou t any Arabic or Muslim women protesting, which just goes to show how much it is expected, she claimed. It is rare to see women wearing burqas in the streets of Italy. The draft will be ruled on by parliament in the autumn. http://tribune.com.pk/story/223323/italy-approves-draft-law-banning-veil/

---------Karachi violence toll rises to 47 Omer Farooq Khan August 4, 2011 ISLAMABAD: With twelve more people being killed on Wednesday, the death toll fro m the latest wave of ethnically fuelled violence over the past three days in Pak istan s southern city of Karachi rose to 47. Officials said that 11 persons were shot dead on Tuesday while 24 people had been reportedly killed on Monday. Arou nd 240 people were killed in shootings and other attacks in July, making it the worst month on record. Struggling to halt gunfights raging across the city, the government has deployed hundreds of extra paramilitary troops in Karachi. "House-to-house searches are going on and some suspects have been detained," local government official Sharfu ddin Memon said. The government also offered rewards for people willing to provide photographs an d videos that show those involved in the killings. With ethnically divided popul ation of 18 million to 20 million, Karachi suffered deadly violence throughout t he 1980s, 1990s and during the previous few years. Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Karachi-violence-toll-rises-to -47/articleshow/9470644.cms ---------Syrian tanks thrust into Hama, 45 killed - activist By Khaled Oweis August 4, 2011 AMMAN, Aug 4 Reuters) - At least 45 civilians were killed in a tank assault by S yrian President Bashar al-Assad s forces to occupy the centre of Hama, an activi st said on Thursday, in a sharp escalation of a military campaign aimed at endin g an uprising against his rule. Reacting to intensifying assaults on Syrian cities and towns, the U.N. Security Council overcame deep divisions and condemned Assad s bloody crackdown on civili an protesters. It was the first substantive action by the United Nations on Syri a s five-month-old uprising for political freedoms. An activist who managed to leave the besieged city told Reuters that 40 people w ere killed by heavy machinegun fire and shelling by tanks in al-Hader district n orth of the Orontes river on Wednesday and early on Thursday. The activist, who gave his name as Thaer, said five more people from the Fakhri and Assa ad families, including two children, were killed as they were trying to leave Hama by car on the al-Dhahirya highway. Syrian authorities have expelled most independent media, making it difficult to verify witness accounts and official statements. Residents earlier said tanks had advanced into central Hama on Wednesday after h

eavily shelling the city and occupied the main Orontes Square, the site of some of the largest protests against Assad, who succeeded his father, the late Presid ent Hafez al-Assad, in 2000. Snipers spread onto rooftops and into the nearby citadel. They said shelling con centrated on al-Hader district, large parts of which were razed in 1982 when for ces loyal to Hafez al-Assad overran Hama to crush Islamist insurgents, killing m any thousands of people. Human rights campaigners say more than 90 people, not counting the latest toll, have been killed in Hama since Assad, from Syria s minority Alawite sect, launch ed a military assault on Sunday to crush dissent against his autocratic rule. The assaults triggered international condemnation and calls from U.S. senators f or sanctions on Syria s energy sector, concentrated in eastern Syria. Last week tanks moved into the eastern provincial capital of Deir al-Zor and the town of Albu Kamal on the border with Iraq s Sunni heartland. Both town have al so witnessed large pro-democracy protests. TANKS USED WITH "TARGETED FEROCITY" "The security apparatus thinks it can wrap this uprising up by relying on the se curity option and killing as many Syrians as it thinks it will take," a diplomat in the Syrian capital said. "Tanks are firing their guns at residential buildings in Hama and Deir al-Zor af ter the two cities were left for weeks to protest peacefully. This is the first time the regime is using tanks with such targeted ferocity," the diplomat said. The official Syrian news agency said "armed terrorist groups" had abducted three oil-well guards in Deir al-Zor on Wednesday, and killed one policeman. Authorities say the army had entered Hama to confront "terrorists" who were inti midating inhabitants. State television broadcast footage of armed men who it sai d had attacked security forces and government buildings in Hama. U.S., TURKEY, HARDEN STANCE A Syrian pharmacist who managed to talk with her family in Hama told Reuters tha t they had tried to flee but that the shabbiha were randomly shooting resident s. Several buildings in Hama had caught fire from tank shelling and snipers were in position on rooftops in Orontes Square, she said. The Local Coordination Committees grassroots activists group said in a statemen t that the authorities were trying prevent any news emerging on the ferocity of the assault. The group said it could no longer contact its members in Hama. "Communications have been totally cut off in Hama, together with water and elect ricity. There is a big movement of refugees trying to flee the city," the statem ent said. In New York, Indian Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, president this month of the S ecurity Council, read out a statement condemning "widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities." But it urged all sides to act with restraint, reflecting divisions among the Wes t on one hand and China and Russia, which has a naval base in Syria, on how to d eal with Assad.

The only dissenter in the council was Lebanon, where Syrian influence remains st rong after a 29-year military presence that ended in 2005. In a rare move, Beiru t dissociated itself from a formal statement agreed by the other 14 members. Syria backs the militant Lebanese Shi ite group Hezbollah, against the wishes of Syria s Sunni majority population. The U.N. document agreed after three days of hard bargaining, instead of a full council resolution the West would have preferred, urged Damascus to fully respec t human rights and comply with its obligations under international law. The White House slightly hardened its stance against Assad on Wednesday, saying the United States viewed him as the cause of instability in the country. "Syria would be a better place without President Assad," White House spokesman J ay Carney said at a news conference. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Arinc Bulent, whose country had grown close to Ass ad in recent years, issued the strongest condemnation yet of the Syrian presiden t by a Turkish leader. "I m saying this on my behalf, what s going on in Hama today is an atrocity ... Whoever carries this out can t be our friend. They are making a big mistake," he said. The plight of Hama has prompted many Syrians to stage solidarity marches since t he start of the holy month of Ramadan earlier this week. The Syrian Revolution Coordination Union said seven demonstrators were shot dead in attacks by security forces on protests after nightly Ramadan prayers across Syria on Wednesday. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Syrian_forces_occupy_central_Hama _square_-_residents.html?cid=30806380 ---------3 NATO service members killed in Afghanistan August 4, 2011 KABUL: Three members of the US-led military coalition were killed Wednesday in A fghanistan, NATO said. The coalition said two died in a roadside bombing in sout hern Afghanistan where foreign forces are trying to hold the ground they seized from Taliban insurgents in major offensives over the past year. Another died in a non combat-related incident in eastern Afghanistan, the volatile second front of the nearly decade-long war. No other details were disclosed, pending notifica tion of their relatives. So far this year, 328 foreign troops have been killed i n Afghanistan. Last year, 404 died in the first seven months of the year. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\08\04\story_4-8-2011_pg7_7 ---------Women-oppressing Islamic sharia law thriving in Australia August 4, 2011 Here is what so many Islam apologists are enabling to happen in Australia and mu ch of the rest of the world. As a woman, I strenuously object to this sexist and

misogynistic ideology festering in enlightened societies, which formerly have b een the haven for people escaping just such oppression. Islamic or sharia law as concerns women, described in this video, stems from Kor anic verses and non-Koranic hadiths, including the following: They ask you about menstruation. Say: "It is an indisposition. Keep aloof from w omen during their menstrual periods and do not approach them until they are clea n again; when they are clean, have intercourse with them whence God enjoined you ...." (Quran 2:222) Women are your fields: go, then, into your fields whence you please. (Quran 2:22 3) Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other , and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because God has guarded them. As for those from w hom you fear disobedience, admonish them and forsake them in beds apart, and bea t them. (Quran 4:34) A male shall inherit twice as much as a female. (Quran 4:11) Call in two male witnesses from among you, but if two men cannot be found, then one man and two women whom you judge fit to act as witnesses... (Quran 2:282) [Forbidden to you are] married women, except those whom you own as slaves. (Qura n 4:24) Summary of Koranic quotes regarding women Menstruating women are unclean, and men must stay away from them. Women are men s "fields," and men can have sex with them whenever they want. Men are superior to women and have authority over them, while women must obey men or risk being b eaten. A woman is worth one-half of a man. Muslim men can own sex slaves. The Hadiths The hadiths have provided for several aspects of sharia law, including a man s a bility to have multiple wives, to marry an infant and to have sex with underage girls as well as sex slaves. The Prophet used to go round (have sexual relations with) all his wives in one n ight, and he had nine wives. Sahih Bukhari 7.62.6 The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with Aisha while she was six years ol d and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she rem ained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death). Sahih Bukhari 7.62.88, 7.62.64 According to the hadiths, most of the people in hell are women, who are "deficie nt in intelligence": Once Allah s Apostle went out to [offer the prayer]... Then he passed by the wom en and said, "O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwelle rs of Hell-fire were you (women)." They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah s Apostle? " He replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious

sensible man could be led astray by some of you." The women asked, "O Allah s A postle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not th e evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the af firmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence." http://freethoughtnation.com/contributing-writers/63-acharya-s/567-women-oppress ing-islamic-sharia-law-thriving-in-australia.html ---------Tajikistan bans Muslim youths from praying in mosques Aug 04 2011 Dushanbe : Tajik President Imomali Rakhmon has banned youths from praying in mos ques and churches, prompting a local Muslim leader to call the move a gruesome g ift for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Rakhmon, in power since 1992, signed the bill on parental responsibility on Wedn esday. He has said tough measures are needed to stop the spread of religious fun damentalism in his country of 7.5 million people, 98 per cent of whom are Muslim . All people under 18, except those studying at religious schools, are banned from worshipping in the Central Asian nation s mosques, churches or other religious sites, said the law which came into force on Thursday. It also bans girls from wearing jewellery except earrings and prohibits people u nder 20 from getting tattoos, going to night clubs and watching films or reading material which disseminates pornography, violence, extremism and terrorism. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tajikistan-bans-muslim-youths-from-praying-inmosques/827138/ ---------New US strategy: To treat Muslims as ally to combat radical Islam Aug 04 2011 Washington : As a new strategy to combat domestic militancy, the US has vowed to avoid actions and sentiments that cast suspicion towards Muslim Americans as it might turn out to be counterproductive and alienate a religious minority. White House officials warned that accusing the entire Muslim community of involv ement in terrorism might fuel extremism in the nation, the New York Times report s. Denis R. McDonough, President Barack Obamas deputy national security adviser said that Al Qaeda had a bankrupt ideology, but that accusing the entire Muslim commun ity of complicity in terrorism could feed the sense of disenchantment and disenfr anchisement that may spur violent extremist radicalization. He stressed that Muslim Americans should be treated as a crucial ally of the gove rnment in combating extremism, the paper said. Full report at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/new-us-strategy-to-treat-muslims-as-ally-to-co mbat-radical-islam/827131/ ---------Albania Muslims protest over nude exhibition near mosque August 4, 2011 (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Muslims in an Albanian coastal town have protested ag ainst the opening of an exhibition of nude photographs and sculptures in a galle ry a few metres from the local mosque, media reported Wednesday. "This exhibition is unacceptable. It should not be opened next to the mosque of the town" of Durres, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) northeast of the capital Tir ana, local mufti Redi Quku was quoted by media as saying. Quku said the opening of the exhibition of works by Albanian artist was offensiv e to Muslims, in particular as the show takes place during the holy month of Ram adan. The local Muslim community has said it will file a complaint against local autho rities who have "severely provoked believers" with the exhibition. http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257598 ---------Beards insulted: Maulvis to move blasphemy case August 4, 2011 LAHORE: Thirty Barelvi clerics on Tuesday issued an edict (fatwa) condemning a n ewspaper advertisement of the Population Welfare Department which they said insu lted the beard. The clerics said they would submit an application with the Lower Mall police on Wednesday (today) for registration of an FIR under the Blasphemy Laws against the officials responsible for publishing the ad. The edict stated that the ad offended hundreds of thousands of Muslims. It said the provincial government would be responsible for any unrest in the cou ntry in case an FIR was not registered in the case. Some of the clerics endorsin g the edict were: Allama Razae Mustafa Naqshbandi, Allama Mufti Muhammad Khan Qa dri, Mufti Abdul Aleem Sialvi, Allama Dr Muhammad Raghib Naeemi, Allama Dr Muham mad Ashraf Asif Jalali, Mufti Muhammad haseeb Qadri, Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Allama Sheikhul Hadees Mufti Abdul Sattar Saeedi. http://tribune.com.pk/story/208402/beards-insulted-maulvis-to-move-blasphemy-cas e/ ---------Sacred thread that stitches together Hindus, Muslims August 4, 2011 Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh): Worn by Hindus, made by Muslims. Dipped in vibrant re ds and yellows, kalawas made in this corner of the country are more than just the sacred Hindu thread tied around the wrist; they are the strands that interwe ave religions, stringing together generations in a syncretic bond.

About 500 Muslims in the twin villages of Aalhadganj and Khanjenpur on the outsk irts of Allahabad, about 200 km from the state capital Lucknow, earn their livel ihood making the kalawas, worn during auspicious occasions, rituals and religiou s ceremonies. "It s true that a kalawa represents a religion, but more than a thread it s also a means of binding Hindus and Muslims and spreading the message of communal har mony," Israr Ahmad, whose family has been making kalawas for 50 years, told IANS . "Our work may not promise high returns or instant gains, but the best part of ou r job is that with the help of our Hindu brothers it gets blessed with the almig hty every time kalawas made by us are offered to a deity," added Ahmad, 45, who lives Khanjenpur. According to locals, Muslim families in Aalhadganj and Khanjenpur have been maki ng kalawas for 100 years. "Our profession has given us a distinct identity. And it s great that this ident ity is not confined to any religion... Our religion does not come in the way of our profession, which despite having the business aspect gives us a chance to se rve our Hindu brothers," said Anaru, 47, who belongs to Aalhadganj. Full report at: http://twocircles.net/2011aug03/sacred_thread_stitches_together_hindus_muslims.h tml? ---------Muslim veil no excuse for discrimination: New Zealand PM August 4, 2011 WELLINGTON: New Zealand Prime Minister John Key on Tuesday said Muslim women wea ring veils should not face discrimination, after two Saudi women were reportedly ordered off buses due to their attire. Saudi diplomats in New Zealand had raised concerns with the government after two separate incidents in Auckland where women were told to get off buses because t hey were wearing full-face veils, the Dominion Post reported. In one case, a Saudi Arabian student was left crying on the street after the bus driver shouted Out! then shut the doors on her and drove off, the newspaper said. Key said he was comfortable with women wearing veils, adding: It doesnt offend me. Its part of peoples beliefs. He decribed New Zealand as a tolerant and inclusive society, saying he saw no ne ed to ban Islamic veils in public, as France has done. I think where practical, and on both sides, people should respect others culture a nd cultural beliefs, Key told reporters. Full report at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/202820/muslim-veil-no-excuse-for-discrimination-newzealand-pm/ ----------

Pakistani religious party chief asks Muslims to return back to roots August 4, 2011 Pakistani religious party chief on Wednesday stressed upon the Muslims to return back to their roots to counter anti-Islam conspiracies. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Pakistani religious party chief on Wednesday stressed upon the Muslims to return back to their roots to counter anti-Islam conspiraci es. Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Syed Munawar Hassan said that I am agree with the statement of Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei t hat holy Quran is the only solution to Muslims problems. In the meeting, the Supreme Leader said holy Quran can fulfil all human needs an d is a guideline for mankind and stressed that all weaknesses and problems of Mu slim nations can be rectified through practicing the holy Qur an. Syed Munawar Hassan expressing his views said that Muslims are blessed with the light of wisdom. we have left the right path. We need to find out the right path th at could lead us to our destiny, he suggested. Full report at: http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257586 ---------Car bomb kills Afghan provincial intelligence chief August 4, 2011 KUNDUZ: A car bomb killed the head of Afghanistans intelligence service in the n orthern Kunduz province on Thursday morning, the latest in a string of high prof ile assassinations, a spokesman for the Kunduz police chief said. Three civilians were also wounded by the blast from the bomb planted in the car of Payenda Khan, head of the National Directorate of Security in Kunduz, police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Husaini said. http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/04/car-bomb-kills-afghan-provincial-intelligence-chi ef.html ---------6 more killed as Rangers conduct search operation August 4, 2011 KARACHI: At least six more persons were killed, including activists of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), in separate incidents of violence and target killings in different parts of the provincial capital on Wednesday, while the Rangers detain ed nearly 50 suspects during an overnight search operation in Orangi Town. Meanw hile, aerial surveillance of the troubled areas was also carried out by Rangers, while more similar operations in the violent hit areas are expected. A dead bod y of Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker, Abid Baig, 22, was found from Ghazinagar, Usmanabad in Garden police precincts.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\08\04\story_4-8-2011_pg1_2 ---------Three militants killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir Aug 4, 2011 SRINAGAR: Three militants were killed in two encounters in Kupwara district of K ashmir, officials said on Thursday. Troops of 15 Rashtriya Rifles noted some suspicious movement in Esmali forests i n Keran area, near the Line of Control, in Kupwara district on Wednesday evening and asked the militants to surrender. However, they opened fire on the troops, who retaliated, triggering off a gunbat tle, they said. Two militants were killed in the encounter, the officials said, adding search op erations were going on in the area. In another encounter, a militant was killed in Wudderbala forests in Zachaldara area of Kupwara on Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, an encounter broke out between militants and security forces at Putch al in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Thursday morning. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Three-militants-killed-in-encounter-inJammu-and-Kashmir/articleshow/9477795.cms ---------Right-wing terror enemy like IM and SIMI: Chidambaram Aug 04 2011 New Delhi : Asserting that there had been only two terror attacks in the country s ince the Mumbai attacks of November 26, 2008 the Punes German Bakery bomb blast i n February 2010 and last months series of bomb blasts in Mumbai Union Home Minist er P Chidambaram on Wednesday said security forces must deal with right-wing ter ror groups sternly and fearlessly as they were as much enemies of the country as t he Indian Mujahideen and SIMI. There is another group which is radicalising... the right-wing extremist terroris t groups. That also deserves to be researched and studied. They are radicalising right wing youths in the same manner that SIMI and IM have been radicalised, Chi dambaram said. He was speaking after releasing the book Indian Mujahideen: The E nemy Within, written by Shishir Gupta, Editor, Express News Service, The Indian Express. Rebutting the assertion of senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who, in his speech at the launch, said the US had not witnessed a single terrorist attack since 9/11, Chidambaram said it was factually wrong to say so. It is a documented fact... Th e Fort Hood shooting was a terror attack in which a radicalised person killed 13 people, he said. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rightwing-terror-enemy-like-im-and-simi-chidam baram/826985/

---------Clashes in front of Mubarak court, 53 injured, 3 arrested August 4, 2011 Anti-Mubarak protesters face off violently outside of trial of former dictator Since the early morning hours, clashes have been sporadically erupting between p ro-Mubarak supporters and protesters in front of the Police Academy in New Cairo , where the historic trial of the ousted president is underway. Ahram reporter told that small number of pro-Mubarak supporters and about 500 a nti-Mubarak protesters, many of them families of martyrs and revolutionaries, ha ve been involved in skirmishes and fights since 7am. Every time a big projector stationed in front of the gate screens images of tri al proceedings inside of the court, fights erupt between the two camps. The host ility has featured throwing stones, glass bottles and the exchange of verbal ins ults, our reporter confirmed. Anti-Mubarak camp has been screaming the people demand the execution of the seri al killer." Full report at: http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257604 ---------Chopper crash kills 10 in Indonesia: officials August 4, 2011 JAKARTA: A helicopter crash in central Indonesia killed 10 people including at l east two Australians employed by Melbourne-based Newcrest Mining, officials said Thursday. The company said two South Africans were also killed but Indonesian officials in sisted all four foreigners who perished in the accident were Australians, citing the passenger list. Six Indonesians also died when the chopper went down in heavy rain Wednesday aft ernoon shortly after taking off from Manado on Sulawesi island, local officials said. The helicopter crashed in a mountainous area and it was raining when the accident happened, transport ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan told AFP. An Indonesian man who was found alive at the crash scene on Thursday morning lat er died of his injuries, raising the toll to 10, officials said. Search and rescue workers discovered the badly damaged wreckage in dense forest about 10 kilometres from Manado, North Sulawesi province. The Bell 412 aircraft was flying to Newcrests Gosowong mine on the island of Halm ahera, some 2,400 kilometres northeast of the capital Jakarta, Australias largest gold producer said.

Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/04/chopper-crash-kills-10-in-indonesia-officials.htm l ---------Afghan in uniform kills Nato soldier: military August 4, 2011 KABUL: An Afghan wearing police uniform shot dead a Nato soldier in eastern Afgh anistan on Thursday, the military said. Natos US-led International Security Assistance Force gave no further details and did not release the nationality of the dead soldier. An International Security Assistance Force service member was killed today when a n individual wearing an Afghan National Police uniform turned his weapon against the service member in eastern Afghanistan, it said. There have been an increasing number of incidents in which Afghan security force s have turn their weapons on their foreign military counterparts. In the deadliest such attack, eight US troops and an American contractor were ki lled when an Afghan ex-pilot opened fire after a row at a Kabul training centre on April 27. In many such incidents, the attackers were Taliban infiltrators. The 140,000 strong US-dominated international military in Afghanistan is engaged in a massive drive to train Afghan police and army to take over before all fore ign combat troops leave the country in 2014. ISAF said another soldier had been killed in an insurgent attack in eastern Afgh anistan on Tuesday, again without giving further details. http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/04/afghan-in-uniform-kills-nato-soldier-military.htm l ---------20 yr old Ethiopian Maid sentenced to death for RAK double murder Ismail Sebugwaawo August 4, 2011 RAS AL KHAIMAH The Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced an Ethio pian maid to death by firing squad for killing her Moroccan employer and her two -year-old daughter. Judge Bilal Abdul Baki, who also chaired all the hearings in this double murder case, pronounced the verdict after the court found the 20-year-old maid guilty o n all counts. According to the court records, the incident took place in August last year, whe n the 20-year-old maid stabbed the 35-year-old Moroccan wife of her Emirati empl oyer 70 times using a knife and set their house afire, which caused the two-year -old girl die of suffocation.

Lt. Col. Salem Sultan Al Darmaki, Chief of the Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Investiga tion Department, said that the maid also stole cash and jewellery, and escaped t o Sharjah where she was arrested by the Ras Al Khaimah Police in coordination wi th the Sharjah Police. During the last session, which took place last week and prior to the verdict, th e court heard the defence plea presented by advocate Ramzi Al Ajooz, who said th at the accused didnt mean to kill the child. The defence counsellor said that the maid tried to burn her clothes to destroy the blood stains as evidence. She too k the bag not with the motive of theft, but to use for keeping her cloth, he sai d, adding that his client stabbed her employer in revenge of abuse and ill treat ment that she faced during her service in the house. The prosecution had explained that the confession made by the defendant before t he Public Prosecutor and the court confirmed that it was a premeditated murder a nd that they could not justify the 70 stabs on various parts of the body of the woman by ill treatment. Death penalty is subject to appeal within 15 days. ismai l@khaleejtimes.com http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2011/August/the uae_August88.xml&section=theuae&col= ---------Syrian army shells Hama, seizes central square 4 August 2011 BEIRUT Syrian tanks stormed Hama under heavy shelling Wednesday, taking over a main square at the heart of the restive city and cutting off electricity, water and phone lines on the fourth day of an offensive. Opposition figures and activists accused the regime of striking hard at a moment when world and media attention were distracted by the trial in Egypt of former President Hosni Mubarak. Hama is being collectively punished for its peaceful protests calling for the dow nfall of Bashar Assad, said Suheir Atassi, a prominent pro-democracy activist. Li ke many others Syria-based activists, Atassi has gone largely into hiding and sp oke to The Associated Press via email. The Syrian regime is committing crimes aga inst humanity. Where are the free people of the world? she said. At least three tanks took up positions in Hamas central Assi square, which in rec ent weeks had been the site of carnival-like demonstrations by hundreds of thous ands of protesters calling for the downfall of President Assads regime. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/August /middleeast_August101.xml&section=middleeast&col= ---------Al Ghurair: "The issue of Palestine as the great battle of the Muslim world" August 4, 2011 The speaker of the United Arab Emirates Federal National Council describes the i ssue of Palestine as the great battle of the Muslim world which should not be le

ft in oblivion. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The speaker of the United Arab Emirates Federal Natio nal Council describes the issue of Palestine as the great battle of the Muslim w orld which should not be left in oblivion. "Our great battle is the battle of Palestine," Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al Ghurair st ated during a telephone conversation with Iranian Majlis (parliament) Speaker Al i Larijan late on Wednesday, IRNA reported. "The issue of Palestine is the major issue of the Islamic Ummah and it should no t be allowed to be forgotten under the influence of the recent developments in t he region," the UAE official urged. Larijani, for his part, referred to the stepped up violation of human rights aga inst Palestinians, and invited his UAE counterpart to attend an international co nference on Palestine in Tehran. The Fifth Conference in Support of Palestinian Intifada scheduled to be held in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in October is to voice support for the intifada of the Palestinian people against Israel s violations of human rights. The event sponsored by Majlis will also seek to find solutions for achieving the rights and ideals of Palestinians. Al Ghurair hailed the Islamic Republic s initiative in holding the conference as a remarkable step in backing the Palestinian cause. http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257592 ---------Sydney teenager freed safely after 10-hour bomb scare Aug 4, 2011 SYDNEY: A suspicious device that had been attached to a Sydney teenage girl s ne ck contained no explosives and appeared to be part of an elaborate hoax, Austral ian police said on Thursday. In a scene that could have been straight from a Hollywood thriller, bomb squad s pecialists worked for 10 horrifying hours to free 18-year-old Madeleine Pulver f rom a bomb-like device she said was chained to her neck by a man in disguise who entered her suburban Sydney home in the afternoon. She was not hurt, and offici als managed to free her around midnight. New South Wales state police assistant commissioner Mark Murdoch said on Thursda y that specialists had determined the device contained no explosives. Murdoch sa id the man apparently had also left a threatening note in the house with specifi c demands that police would not describe. "A very, very elaborate hoax as it turned out," Murdoch told reporters. "But it was made and certainly gave the appearance of a legitimate improvised explosive device. We had to treat it seriously until we could prove otherwise and that s e xactly what we did and that s why it took so long." Murdoch said the device had been attached to the girl "by a chain or something s imilar," which took officers a long time to remove. He declined to describe the disguise the attacker wore.

Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Sydney-teenager-freed-saf ely-after-10-hour-bomb-scare/articleshow/9476923.cms ---------Gaddafi son claims pact with rebel Libya Islamists Aug 04 2011 New York : A high-profile son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said his family h ad forged an alliance with Islamist rebels to drive out the secular opposition t o his father s 40-year rule. Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, who along with his father had long branded the entire opp osition as radical extremists, told The New York Times: "The liberals will escap e or be killed... We will do it together." "Libya will look like Saudi Arabia, like Iran. So what?" he added, in what the T imes described as an hour-long interview that stretched past midnight in a nearl y deserted Tripoli hotel. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/gaddafi-son-claims-pact-with-rebel-libya-islam ists/827035/ ---------Libyan generals murder sparks rebel schism 4 August 2011 BENGHAZI, Libya The unity of Libyas revolutionaries on Wednesday became the lates t casualty of the shock assassination of a top general, as a key rebel group dem anded senior ministers and military brass be fired. The head of the February 17 Coalition whose members kick-started the revolt agai nst Moamer Kadhafi told AFP the ministers of defence and international affairs m ust be sacked in the wake of last weeks murder of General Abdel Fatah Yunis. Abdulsalam el-Musmari, a judge who heads the coalition, criticised the events le ading up to the Yunis murder and the governing National Transitional Councils han dling of its aftermath. The facts surrounding the Yunis shooting last Thursday remain opaque, with senio r members of the NTC giving uncomplete and sometimes contradictory accounts of h ow he died, who killed him and the motive for the murder. We have two main demands, Musmari said. The resignations of the defence minister (J allal al-Digheily) and his deputy and for all the armed groups to fall under the national army or lay down their weapons. In a separate written statement the February 17 Coalition also demanded the sack ing of Ali Alasawi the NTCs minister for international affairs and a probe into h is approval of a warrant for Youniss arrest. The blistering criticism marks the most public sign yet of tensions between Liby as revolutionaries and the NTC that has come to be their de-facto government

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/Aug ust/international_August153.xml&section=international&col= ---------Most American Muslims loyal to US, against Qaida : Gallup poll

Laurie Goodstein Aug 4, 2011 A decade after the September 11 terrorist attacks, a Gallup poll released on Tue sday found that the vast majority of Muslim Americans say they are loyal to US a nd optimistic about the future, even though they are more likely than other reli gious groups to say they had recently experienced discrimination. Nine out of 10 Muslim Americans said that their coreligionists in US were not sy mpathetic to al-Qaida, the group held responsible for the 2001 attacks. Majoriti es in other religious groups agreed that Muslim Americans did not sympathize wit h al-Qaida , but the percentages were much lower. The poll contradicts the stereotype of Muslim Americans as an alienated and disc ontented minority. It was conducted by telephone from by the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center, a Gallup-affi liated research group based in UAE. The poll, which included interviews with 2,482 adults of whom 475 said they were Muslim, has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus seven percentage points for Muslims. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Most-American-Muslims-loyal-to-US-ag ainst-Qaida/articleshow/9476323.cms ---------Woman from Jenin Now Longest Serving Female Prisoner in Israeli Detention August 4, 2011 The Palestinian Center for Detainees stated Tuesday that Hana Al-Shalabi has now been in Israeli administrative detention for longer than any other female priso ner (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Al-Shalabi was kidnapped and put in administrative de tention in 2009. She has now been held in Hasharon Prison for two years. She has not been permitted to have contact with her family at any time during he r detention. Israeli authorities have repeatedly postponed her trial, providing no legal just ification each time. Also, the Israeli Shabak refuses to tell her why she is being detained. Administrative detention allows the Israeli government to detain individuals who pose a threat to national security without trial or sentencing. The detention i s subject to a judicial review and renewal on a regular basis.

There are currently over 800 Palestinians being held in administrative detention according to prisoner rights group Addameer. The practice is condemned by prisoner and human rights groups all over the world . http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257559 ---------Religious, Quranic Weeks Planned in 40 Countries August 4, 2011 Head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO) said various Quran ic, religious and cultural programs would be held in more than 40 countries duri ng the holy month of Ramadan. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Ramadan is the spring of the Quran and we, in the ICR O, have tried to plan our various programs across the world about the Holy Book. Dr Mohammad Bagher Khorramshad noted that the Supreme Leader recently regarded the Quran as the most important factor in the unity, dignity and power of the Is lamic Ummah. Thus, in our planning we have paid attention to the Qurans role in st rengthening Islamic unity. He referred to Quranic weeks as one of the programs for the holy month. 29 Quran ic weeks will be held in 20 Asian, African, and European countries. They include Sweden, the UK, Canada, Russia, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, Tunisia, France, an d Kenya. Head of the ICRO noted that the Quranic week feature art exhibits with Quranic themes as well as sending Tawasheeh groups, and Quran reciters and memorizers to these countries. Some of these Quranic weeks are organized with the cooperation of other institut ions. The program in Turkey, for instance, will be held with the cooperation of Isfahan governor generals office sending artists from Isfahan to showcase the art and cultural richness of the city. Full report at: http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257570 ---------South Yemen tribes to rejoin army offensive against militants August 4, 2011 ADEN: Yemeni tribesmen who had withdrawn from a joint army offensive against mil itants in the south said on Wednesday they had rejoined the fight, despite losin g at least 15 people in friendly fire by warplanes last week. The leader of local tribesmen allied to the army, Mohammed al-Gaadani, warned th e military another botched strike could scare off the tribes, who were seen as a critical element to the success of its campaign. We caution the governments force s to be careful of another strike on our fighters. Repeating that mistake will l essen the tribes desire to help clear out the militants, he said.

Three weeks ago, Yemens army launched a massive offensive on militants suspected of ties to al Qaeda, who have seized several towns in southern Abyan province in recent months. Army units, backed by tribal fighters who had grown frustrated b y the states inability to drive out militants, have been struggling to retake the provincial coastal capital Zinjibar, which lies east of a major shipping lane w here some 3 million barrels of oil pass daily. Reports from tribesmen said that somewhere between 15 and 40 of their fighters w ere killed in an air strike, just hours after the tribal fighters had wrested a strategic point outside the city from the hands of militants. The tribal fighters then withdrew from the battle area for two days but theyve returned now after we discussed the importance of fighting these extremist elements and clearing Zinj ibar of their presence, Gaadani told Reuters by telephone. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\08\04\story_4-8-2011_pg4_5 ---------Under rising pressure from West, Syria seeks India s support August 4, 2011 New Delhi: As the UN Security Council mulls a resolution on Syrian violence and more of the country s officials face European Union sanctions, Syria has urged I ndia, chair of the UN Security Council, not to be misled by "Western propaganda" about Damascus s crackdown on protests and sought New Delhi s support for the r eform process. In a lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) Tuesday, Syria s Depu ty Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, who is here on a three-day visit, spoke about the progress in the reforms ushered in by President Bashar al-Assad and assured that the government was trying for dialogue and reconciliation with opposition groups. Mekdad had met External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed Monday and explained to them the evolving situation i n the country that has become more violent in recent weeks. At least 120 people were allegedly killed Sunday by Syrian troops in a brutal cr ackdown on protesters in the city of Hama. Mekdad briefed Krishna about "causes for violence in his country, reforms propos ed by Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, details of national dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition groups, as well as, other issues related t o public protests in Syria," the external affairs ministry said here. Full report at: http://www.ummid.com/news/2011/August/03.08.2011/syria_turns_to_india.htm ---------Pak bans LeT,JeM from taking donations August 4, 2011 Lahore: Authorities in Pakistans Punjab province have barred 23 banned organizat ions, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed,from collecting donatio

ns for their activities. The Punjab government on Tuesday warned that those found providing donations or aid to the banned organizations will be charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act. However, the government did not include the Falah-e-Insanyat,a front for the Jam aat-ud-Dawah, in the list of groups barred from collecting donations. The organizations included in the list are LeT, JeM, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-eMuhammad Pakistan, Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, Tehrik-e-Jaffaria Pakistan, Millat-e -Islamia Pakistan, Khuddam-ul-Isla, Islami Tehrik-e-Pakistan, Hizbut Tahrir and Jamiat-ul-Ansar. The move coincided with the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramzan,when extre mist and militant groups launch special drives to collect funds.PTI Times of India ---------Homosexuality: The position of Supreme Council of Tijaniyya Islamic Affairs August 4, 2011 Homosexuality has, in recent times, become an issue of national concern and disc ourse. It has become a matter of disagreement between religious bodies and secul ar thinkers. Even in the secular community, it continues to be a source of seemi ng friction between criminal justice and democratic constitutionalism. For insta nce, while Ghanas Criminal Code outlaws homosexuality as a misdemeanor, human rig hts activists and democratic advocates argue that the Act that criminalizes it i s unconstitutional. In their opinion, criminalization of the practice violates A rticle 17 of the 1992 Constitution which frowns on discrimination against person s on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed, social or e conomic status. Besides, there is a tendency among the proponents of homosexuality to make it ac ceptable in the name of fairness and tolerance. On the contrary, some of the opp onents, given the opportunity, would suggest summary execution of those engaging in homosexual behaviour. This confusing trend, if not well managed, can threate n national security and erode our cultural and societal values. We therefore add our voice to the efforts by other concerned institutions and individuals to fin d an amicable solution to the issue. Background Information/Historical Perspective Full report at: http://news.myjoyonline.com/features/201108/70415.asp ---------Amnesty International: Bahraini Imprisoned activists on hunger strike August 4, 2011 Two Bahraini women activists detained for their involvement in pro-reform protes ts have begun a hunger strike to demand their freedom. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Two Bahraini women activists detained for their invol vement in pro-reform protests have begun a hunger strike to demand their freedom

. Roula al-Saffar, head of the Bahrain Nursing Society, and Jalila al-Salman, vice -president of the Bahrain Teachers Association (BTA), have been held for several months near the capital Manama. Both women allege they were tortured in detentio n. "Jalila al-Salman and Roula al-Saffars decision to go on hunger strike is a despe rate attempt to protest against their imprisonment and the way they have been tr eated," said Philip Luther, Deputy Director of Amnesty Internationals Middle East and North Africa Programme. Full report at: http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257607 ---------UN condemns Syrian attacks on civilians Aug 4, 2011 UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council stepped up pressure on Syria s rulers on Wednesday as tens of thousands again took to the streets despite a tank assault on the flashpoint protest city of Hama. Pro-democracy protesters have vowed to protest every night of Ramadan following evening prayers despite the massive assault on Hama and the killing of some 120 people across the country on the eve of the Muslim holy month. Syrian Human Rights League head Abdel Karim Rihawi said 50,000 people demonstrat ed in Deir Ezzor, an eastern city encircled by troops, and 20,000 turned out in Duma, 15 kilometres (nine miles) north of Damascus. Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said ano ther 40,000 people had demonstrated in the central town of Homs. At least four people were killed and dozens wounded when security forces opened fire on demonstrators in Damascus, near Daraa in the south and in Palmyra in cen tral Syria, Abdel Rahman said, adding that the toll could rise. It was not immediately possible to confirm the activists accounts as the Syrian government has heavily restricted media access. Abdel Rahman said 500 families had streamed out of Hama following the massive ta nk-backed assault that killed at least 95 people there on Sunday. On Wednesday tanks had taken up positions across the town and shelling could sti ll be heard in several neighborhoods, another activist told AFP, saying it sound ed like "open warfare." Full report at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/UN-condemns-Syrian-attackson-civilians/articleshow/9476942.cms ---------UNSC condemns Syrian govt for human rights violation

Aug 04 2011 United Nations : The UN Security Council today condemned the Syrian government s deadly crackdown on civilians demanding democratic reforms, saying those responsible for the atrocities should be held accountable. In a presidential statement read by Indian Ambassador to the UN, Hardeep Singh P uri, the Council called for an immediate end to violence and asked all sides to act with utmost restraint, and to refrain from reprisals, including attacks again st state institutions. India holds the Council s rotating presidency this month. The Security Council expresses its grave concern at the deteriorating situation i n Syria, and expresses profound regret at the death of many hundreds of people. The Council condemns the widespread violations of human rights and the use of fo rce against civilians by the Syrian authorities, the statement read. At least 120 individuals have reportedly been killed in the city of Hama since F riday as security forces used tanks, mortar shells and heavy machine guns agains t civilian demonstrators. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/unsc-condemns-syrian-govt-for-human-rights-vio lation/827094/ ---------Iranian president urges reverent ties with Europe August 4, 2011 Iran s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad welcomes the expansion of amicable and respe ctful ties with Europe, warning European countries that their relations with Iran should not be affected by the US. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Iran s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad welcomes the exp ansion of amicable and respectful ties with Europe, warning European countries tha t their relations with Iran should not be affected by the US. The era of hegemony, slavery and World War II has ended and all governments and nations must currently cooperate to help establish a better world, said President Ahmadinejad in an interview with Euronews TV channel on Wednesday. He added that the Islamic Republic is interested in cordial and constructive tie s with European countries and stated that the world s economic and political aff airs can be managed in a better way. Full report at: http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257591 ---------Afghan TVs broadcasting Iranian religious films in Ramadan

August 4, 2011 Most of the Afghan television networks have been broadcasting Iranian religious films since the start of the fasting month of Ramadan on August 1 in the country . (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Most of the Afghan television networks have been broa dcasting Iranian religious films since the start of the fasting month of Ramadan on August 1 in the country. Afghanistan has more than 30 private TV networks as well as a state-run TV netwo rk which air religious films during Ramadan.

The Iranian films Saint Mary, Prophet Joseph, Lost Innocence and He Was an Angel ar rently on show on the Afghan TVS. Since the two countries are co-lingual and share numerous cultural commonalities , there is no need for dubbing the Iranian films. During the fasting month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain form food and fluid from da wn to dusk. http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257587 ---------Message of Islam Quarterly Published in Thailand August 4, 2011 Iran Cultural Center in Thailand published the first edition of "Message of Isla m" quarterly in Bangkok. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The 120 page magazine has been published in 1000 copi es to make the Muslims of the country particularly the elites, intellectuals and Thai Shias more familiar with lofty teachings of Islam. The materials have been presented in two parts of Thai and English language. Th e message of the Supreme Leader on the 22nd anniversary of the demise of Imam Kh omeini (RA), preaches pronounced by him on the importance of prayer, Manzel-ol-Zae rin by Hojat-ol-Islam Ansari, Surah Baqara (part 1) by Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shir azi, Shia Answers by Allameh Tabatabayi, characteristics of a faithful Muslim by Sey yed Hashem Rasuli Mahallati, political thoughts in Alawi Dialogue, the life of I mam Hassan Askari (AS) by Ayatollah Pishwayi and holy status of Hazrat Fatemeh ( SA) by Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani are some of the issues included in Thai languag e part. Among the articles included in this part, mention can also be made of Islamic re volution in the 20th century by Anas Amatayakul, lecturer of Mahidol University, philosophical lessons of the Quran by Jaran Malulim, lecturer of Thammasat Univ ersity, movement of Muslim revolutionists in the Middle East and political philo sophy of Islam in view of Dr. Ali Shariati by Sarawat Ari, lecturer of Chulalongk orn University, political philosophy of Imam Khomeini by Elias Taray, lecturer o f Silpakorn University and political philosophy of Islam in Farabi and Imam Khom einis thoughts by Sheikh Sharif Hadi, lecturer of Ayutaya University of Technolog y. The English part of the quarterly covers topics such as the birth anniversary of Hazrat Zahra (SA), 22nd anniversary of the demise of Imam Khomeini (RA), exhibi tion on "Iranian womens rights at the Islamic Consultative Assembly", and book fa

ir in Bangkok. http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257584 ---------Vast Sit-in of Bahraini Revolutionaries on Thursday, Aug 4 August 4, 2011 The coalition of "Friends of February 14 Revolution" in a statement called on th e people to participate in a sit-in on Thursday, Aug 4. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - According to Al-alam, the coalition of "Friends of Fe bruary 14 Revolution" in a statement called on the people to participate in a si t-in on Thursday, Aug 4, entitled "The Right of Fate Determination" in Bani-Jama rah village. The statement reads the gathering will be held in Bani-Jamarah village, the birt hplace of Allamah Sheikh Mohammad Ali Al-Mahfouz who is in custody in the prison s of Al-kHalifa regime. The coalition of "Friends of February 14 Revolution" in the statement expressed hope that the people would get rid of the tyrannical Bahraini regime thanks to t he holy month of Ramadhan and special occasions in this month including the birt hday of Imam Hassan (PBUH) and the martyrdom of Imam Ali (PBUH). The statement stressed that the people of Bahrain despite the hot weather and fa sting continue to struggle and resist against the security forces of Al-Khalifa regime, the Saudi occupiers and Jordanian forces. http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=257576 ---------Leading Islamophobe publishes new anti-Islam Book Marjan Asi August 4, 2011 In her new book titled Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance, self-proclaimed human rights activist Pamela Geller discusses what s he says are ways in which the United States is under attack by Islamic supremacis ts and Shari ah. Geller is Executive Director of Stop Islamization of America which is considered by many civil and rights organizations as Islamophobic and listed as a hate gro up, including by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The book, which is scheduled to be released September 6, discusses ways in which the U.S. is being Islamized without Americans knowledge such as the Justice De partment s so-called fight in favor of Sharia law and the possibility of buying halal meat in grocery stores without knowing it. One organization that comes under direct attack by Geller in her new book is the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which she states, like many other Americ an Muslim groups, is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. But CAIR spokesperson Ibrahim Hooper states Geller s rhetoric is intolerant and

hateful, much like the Norway bomber who mentioned Geller in his manifesto as a d ecent human being. Hooper also discussed the possible impact literature like Geller s book may have on the general public. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/192246.html ---------Bangladesh plans deportation of Ulfa leader Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury August 4, 2011 BANGLADESH has set into motion the process for the handover of Ulfa general secr etary Anup Chetia to India. He could be deported to India before Prime Minister M anmohan Singhs scheduled trip to Bangladesh on September 6 and 7. Within three days of home minister P. Chidambarams visit to Dhaka, where the issu e was brought up, his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sahara Khatun, claimed the Sheikh Hasina government has initiated the legal process for Chetias handover. Though India and Bangladesh do not have an extradition treaty between them, ther e are legal processes by which a fugitive could be handed over. Chetia, whose request for asylum was earlier turned down by the Hasina governmen t, is now in protective custody, having finished his seven- year jail term for il legally carrying foreign banknotes and a satellite phone. There are indications that Chetia could be deported to India before Singhs trip i n what would signal a strong commitment by Hasina to meet New Delhis demand on ac tion against insurgent groups operating from Bangladesh soil. In case the deportation could not be concluded before the PMs trip, it would be c arried out subsequently. Mail Today ---------Pak navys lie nailed By Gautam Datt August 4, 2011 AN ENTHUSIASTIC Pakistani has shot the countrys navy in the foot. A video uploade d by this person on Youtube clearly shows the mischief the PNS Babur was up to i n the high seas when it brushed past the INS Godavari , during the rescue of MV Suez in June. Islamabad had kicked up a diplomatic row then, accusing the Indian warship of pe rforming dangerous manoeuvres during its brief interaction with the Pakistani fr igate. The video, ostensibly uploaded to show how the Babur forced the Godavari to make a run for it during the incident, proves Indias contention that the frigate was the rogue ship. The video has proved beyond doubt that Babur was the aggressor c

ontrary to the claims made by the Pakistani government about the Godavari s aggre ssive stance. India had claimed that Babur had broken the rules of the road. The Babur was escorting the Suez freed by Somali pirates when the Godavari, on a n antipiracy patrol in the area, reached to provide assistance. Full report at: Mail Today ---------Syria tanks occupy Hama main square New York Times Aug 04 2011 Beirut : Ignoring global condemnation, Syria ordered its military to storm throu gh the rebellious city of Hama on Wednesday after three days of shelling. Activi sts and residents there said that tanks, armoured vehicles and snipers had seize d the central square, in what appeared to be a decisive step by the embattled pr esident, Bashar al-Assad, to crush opposition to his rule. The activists and residents of Hama, a historically important centre of antigove rnment resistance in Syria, said the city was under nearly continuous gunfire in the early hours of the day, and they reported many casualties, adding to the to ll of over 100 people reported killed there in the past few days. The army is now stationed in Assi Square, read a post on the Syrian Revolution Facebook page. The heroic youths of Hama are confronting them and banning them from entering neigh bourhoods. The Hama assault appeared to be a catalyst for the United Nations Security Counc il, where members neared agreement on a statement condemning the violence in Syr ia. The rough draft of the councils presidential statement, while still needing f inal approval from capitals of the councils 15 members, clearly places blame on t he Assad regime. The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said Assad h ad lost all sense of humanity. There were rumours that the invasion was timed to coincide with the trial of for mer Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.NADA BAKRI & RICK GLADSTONE http://www.indianexpress.com/news/syria-tanks-occupy-hama-main-square/826944/ ---------US breached Pak airspace twice during May 2 raid: report August 4, 2011 New York : It seems Pakistani military was caught off guard not once but twice b y the Americans who not only breached its airspace during the May 2 raid to kill Osama bin Laden but also flew in back from Afghanistan hours later with the bod y of the al-Qaeda leader on way to his sea burial. At dawn on May 2, bin Laden s body was loaded into the belly of a flip-wing V-22 Osprey chopper in Afghanistan, accompanied by a Joint Special Operations Comman d (JSOC) liaison officer and a security detail of military police, the New Yorke r magazine reported in its latest issue detailing finer aspects of the entire op eration. The Osprey flew south, destined for the deck of the USS Carl Vinson, a 1,000-foo

t-long nuclear-powered aircraft carrier sailing in the Arabian Sea, off the Paki stani coast for the sea burial of the slain al-Qaeda chief. "The Americans, yet again, were about to traverse Pakistani airspace without per mission. Some officials worried that the Pakistanis, stung by the humiliation of the unilateral raid in Abbottabad, might restrict the Osprey s access. The airp lane ultimately landed on the Vinson without incident," the report said. Interestingly, the report said the Abbottabad raid was not DEVGRU s (Naval Speci al Warfare Development Group that killed bin Laden) maiden venture into Pakistan . "The team had surreptitiously entered the country on ten to twelve previous occa sions," a special-operations officer, who is deeply familiar with the bin Laden raid, was quoted as saying. Most of those missions were forays into North and South Waziristan, where many m ilitary and intelligence analysts had thought that bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders were hiding. The report said only one such operation the September, 2008 raid of Angoor Ada, a village in South Waziristan has been widely reported. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-breached-pak-airspace-twice-during-may-2-ra id-report/826625/ ---------After pointing fingers, China lauds Pak coop against terror August 4, 2011 Beijing : After directly blaming terrorist camps in Pakistan for training Uyghur militants, China today sought to mollify its all-weather ally, lauding its "out standing contribution" in fighting terrorism. China, for the first time this week, pointed fingers at training camps in Pakist an run by the separatist East Turkemenistan Islamic Movement, after the troubled Xinjiang province witnessed two attacks reportedly targetting Han Chinese settl ers in the Uyghur-dominated region. Following the statement, Pakistan promised to lend full support to China to pin down the culprits. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ma Zhaoxu, said today that Beijing will step up its anti-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan in an effort to maintain region al peace and stability. In a statement, he also praised Pakistan s achievements in the fight against ter rorism "thus far", saying the country is an important frontline state in the int ernational fight against terrorism and has made "outstanding contributions" in t he area. "China and Pakistan have forged excellent cooperation in anti-terrorism," he sai d, vowing that China will continue to boost cooperation with Pakistan and jointl y crack down against the "three evil forces of terrorism, separatism and extremi sm," state-run Xinhua quoted him as saying. There was no direct reference to the recent allegation by the Kashghar city gove rnment which stated that the leaders of the militant ETIM, who took part in the

last weekend attacks in the city, were trained terrorist camps in Pakistan. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/after-pointing-fingers-china-lauds-pak-coop-ag ainst-terror/826730/ ---------Mubarak faces trial from hospital bed Aug 04 201 Cairo : An ailing Hosni Mubarak, who served longer than any ruler of modern Egyp t until he was overthrown in a revolution in February, was rolled into a courtro om in a hospital bed Wednesday to face formal charges of corruption and complici ty in the killing of protesters. The televised trial was a seminal moment for Eg ypt and an Arab world roiled by revolt. Even the most ardent in calling for his prosecution doubted until hours before t he trial began that Mubarak, 83, would appear in a cage fashioned of bars and wi re mesh. As a helicopter ferried him to the courtroom, housed in a police academ y that once bore his name, cheers went up from a crowd gathered outside. The criminal is coming! shouted Maged Wahba, a 40-year-old lawyer. The sheer symbo lism of the day, covered live by television and watched by millions, made it one of the most visceral episodes in the Arab world, where uprisings have shaken th e rule of authoritarian leaders. Full report at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mubarak-faces-trial-from-hospital-bed/826946/ ---------For ailing Pakistan prisoner in Ajmer, freedom remains elusive August 4, 2011 Raj Bhavan, Rajasthan government pass the buck in Chishty case More than two months after the Rajasthan government cleared a clemency petition from Khaleel Chishty, the ailing Pakistani doctor who is undergoing life impriso nment in the Ajmer Central Jail, the issue remains unsettled with the quarters c oncerned passing the buck among one another. The recent improvements in the India-Pakistan relations, the much hyped visit of Pakistan s Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and successful Foreig n Secretary-level meetings in Islamabad and Delhi in the past two months, seem t o have had zero impact on the fortunes of the Ajmer-born virologist. An earlier plea from Dr. Chishty for suspension of the execution of the sentence was reject ed by a local court with the argument that he is a Pakistani. The mercy petition, cleared by the authorities concerned, the Rajasthan Home Min istry and finally Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in June, first got stuck in the co rridors of Raj Bhawan, with Acting Governor Shivraj Patil sending it back to the Home Ministry with a set of queries. Mr. Patil, who is the Governor of Punjab, has visited the Rajasthan capital at l east two times thereafter, but the fate of the file is not yet officially known. The petition seeks clemency for Dr. Chishty from the Governor under Article 161

of the Constitution. Full report at: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2319886.ece ---------Bid to placate Pakistan on Afghanistan ANITA JOSHUA August 4, 2011 Amid fears in Pakistan about being left out in the cold in the reconciliation pr ocess in Afghanistan, Kabul on Tuesday sought Islamabad s help in bringing the T aliban leadership on board. This was backed up on Wednesday with an assurance fr om the United States that Washington does not contemplate any reconciliation pro cess in Afghanistan without Pakistan. Jointly briefing the media late on Tuesday night with his Pakistani and American interlocutors after the fourth meeting of the Af-Pak-U.S. trilateral on his cou ntry, Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Javed Ludin said while Afghanistan was iden tifying lower and mid-level Taliban leaders who can contribute to peace and reco nciliation, we want Pakistan to assist in bringing the top leadership of the Tali ban into the process . Full report at: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2319761.ece ---------Gods will is beyond all creatures: Saudi scholar Ahmed Shaaban 4 August 2011 DUBAI The more we glorify Allah, obey His instructions, beware of His anger and seek His blessings, the more we become eligible for His mercy and reward in lif e and the Hereafter, said Saudi scholar Sheikh Saleh Al Maghamsi on Tuesday. He was delivering a lecture as part of the cultural programme of the 15th sessio n of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award on Tuesday night. In his lecture, the Imam of Qibaa Masjid in Al Madina, Saudi Arabia, said Prophe t Yusuf was unique in behaviour and beauty since his early childhood. As people a re stringently tested in lieu of the faith strength, Prophet Yusuf went through many predicaments, including his brothers plot to leave him in a well, as well as slavery, torture and imprisonment. Giving other details, Sheikh Maghamsi said parents should give their children a chance to play. As playing is essential for childrens development, we should watch carefully all stages of life and enjoy them. Further, Sheikh Maghamsi said no matter how cautiously an error or a crime is co mmitted out of sight, Gods will is stronger and far beyond all creatures. Though P rophet Yusufs brothers threw him in a remote well, Allah made a caravan lost its way, pass by the well and save his life.

Indicating the importance of patience, Sheikh Maghamsi said as people are alive, they shall never escape the impact of a predicament, be it little or big. We sho uld learn how Prophet Jacob, Prophet Yusufs father, willingly surrender to Gods wi ll, accept his fate, whether good or bad, and patiently react to obstacles and c alamities as Allahs choice is always better than ours, he said, noting that Prophe t Jacob told us never to trust a liar. ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2011/August/the uae_August81.xml&section=theuae&col= ---------Israeli official denies Mubarak offered asylum August 4, 2011 JERUSALEM An aide to Israels prime minister on Wednesday denied a claim that Isra el offered asylum to Egypts deposed President Hosni Mubarak several months ago. The claim came from lawmaker Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, a former Israeli defense mini ster, army general and longtime friend of the ousted Egyptian leader. He told Ar my Radio he proposed that Mubarak seek asylum in Israels Red Sea port city of Eil at, on Israels border with Egypts Sinai desert. He said the offer was made while Mubarak was still president, during a meeting i n Sharm el-Sheikh, an Egyptian resort also on the Red Sea. I met him in Sharm el-Sheikh and told him that the distance was very short, and p erhaps this would be a good time for him to heal himself, Ben-Eliezer said. I am s ure the Israeli government would have accepted him, but he refused because he is a patriot. Ben-Eliezer said the offer came from him and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Net anyahu. Roni Sofer, an aide to Netanyahu, flatly denied that. It never happened, S ofer told The Associated Press. The prime minister never offered Mubarak asylum. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2011/August /middleeast_August97.xml&section=middleeast&col= ---------Muslim minorities remain on margins of Telangana debate P.S. Jayaram 4 August 2011 Even as the movement for separate statehood for Telangana is set to enter the de cisive stage of the agitation, there is a section of people in the region which believes that the perspective of minorities including Muslims has not found poli tical space on the issue. And this, they believe, does not augur well for the future. So, why is it that the voice of the Muslims muted, if not completely ignored? Po

litical analysts believe that it is largely due to the political marginalization of the lot. In the words of Syed Amin Jafri, former journalist and Member of th e Legislative Council, Muslims have been reduced to some sort of political orpha ns in the state. None of the political parties give due representation to Muslims in their organizational set up or elected posts. It is because of this gross ne glect that they find themselves marginalized in the Telangana debate as well. The argument finds logic in that barring Hyderabad, where Majlis-e- Ittehadul Mu slimeen (MIM) is a formidable force, the rest of Telangana region does not have even a single Muslim legislator. The region, which accounts for 119 seats in the 294-member Assembly, has seven Muslim MLAs, all of them from the city belonging to MIM. MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi, who represents Hyderabad Lok Sabha cons tituenecy, is the only sole Muslim representative from the region which accounts for 17 seats. Even in the case of district administrations, there is not a single Muslim Zilla Parishad Chairmperson or Municipal Chairperson in the state while there are onl y a handful of Muslim Sarpanches, who are village heads. No wonder then that peo ple like Jafri feel that the the interests of Muslims do not seem to figure in t he ongoing political discourse, whether it is in support of separate Telangana s tate or an integrated state. This has resulted in the common Muslim largely rema ining indifferent to the ongoing competitive agitations for and against Telangan a. Full report at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2011/Aug ust/international_August140.xml&section=international&col= ---------Malawi leader once heralded abroad now condemned Aug 4, 2011 JOHANNESBURG: Malawians overwhelmingly re-elected their president two years ago. Now Bingu wa Mutharikas security forces are blamed for killing at least 19 antigovernment demonstrators, and the increasingly combative leader is facing intern ational condemnation. The 77-year-old former World Bank official once heralded by economic analysts ha s declared Malawi a black country for black people. And a British diplomat whom Mu tharika expelled from the country describes the president as becoming ever more a utocratic and intolerant of criticism. Its an unlikely turn for a man who won close to 65 percent of the vote in an elec tion in May 2009. As the countrys economy has soured, though, so too has public o pinion. Things are tough and Bingu doesnt seem to care. He keeps driving with over 30 vehi cles in his motorcade while our fathers cant have five liters of petrol. What an unfeeling man! said Alice Banda, a 24-year-old street vendor who says she now reg rets voting for him in the last two elections. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/world/article482809.ece ----------

JEDDAH: Police deny responsibility for wrongful detention in rape case August 4, 2011 JEDDAH: Police in Jeddah have blamed the General Prosecution and Investigation B oard for detaining Abdul Rahman bin Hassan Abdullah for six months on suspicion of raping at least 13 little girls. A Jeddah court has set a new hearing date in November to review the lawsuit agai nst his detention after the representative from the board did not attend the cou rt session on Tuesday. Abdullah, who has two wives and four children, said that he was arrested in the village of Al-Hijrah in Baha province on Dec. 22, 2010, and initially put in sol itary confinement for five days in Jeddahs Briman prison, where he had been detai ned since. Abdullah said he was proven innocent after the rapist carried out two attacks wh ile he was still behind bars. A source from Jeddah police, who was representing the force in court, said offic ers role was limited to arresting the man after they linked him to the attacks. Police detained the man and held him for five days, the court was told. After th e fifth day, he was allegedly transferred to the General Prosecution and Investi gation Board. At the investigation board, they kept on extending his detention until he had be en held for six months, when another suspect, who has since been charged with th e attacks, was arrested, the court heard. The police representative claimed the lawsuit has no basis as officers did not c ommit any violation. Abdullah claimed that during his time in prison, he suffered huge losses to his investments. He has demanded compensation for his pain and suffering. http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article482688.ece ---------Hezbollah hands over material for Lebanon tribunal August 4, 2011 AMSTERDAM: The UN-backed Lebanon tribunals prosecutor said he is studying documen ts and a video provided by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, some of whose me mbers are accused of killing former prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) issued indictments and arrest warrants fo r four men, who Lebanese officials identified as Hezbollah members. Last week th e tribunal released their names, photographs and details in the hope of speeding up the arrests. Hezbollah, both a political movement and guerrilla army, denies any role in the huge explosion in Beirut which killed Hariri, a Sunni Muslim who served several terms as prime minister, and 21 others in February 2005. It accuses the tribunal of being political and an Israeli tool.

Last month the groups leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, gave a televised speech in which he dismissed the indictments as a failed attempt to sow strife and bring down Lebanons new Hezbollah-backed government. He also showed documents and videos aimed at portraying the investigation into H ariris killing as both corrupt and biased against Hezbollah. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article482578.ece ---------Londons historic connections to Islam August 4, 2011 Last month as part of the Shubbak Festival Professor Jack Lohman, director of th e Museum of London, gave a talk on Londons historical connections to the Arab wor ld. A good bulk of the talk, however, went into the history of the Muslim presen ce in this city. Today, at the beginning of Ramadan, it is great to see the vibr ancy that that history has led to. Lohmans talk started with the concern that Arabs history in London is actually rat her elusive, and ended with the request that anyone with any information or arti facts about the Arab history of London share them with the museum. Although shor t, the talk brought up findings spanning from archaeological studies to more mod ern urban histories, originating along the lines of migration and trade between London and the Arab world. Professor Lohman cited various pieces of literature from over 200 years ago shar ing snippets of British sentiment toward Arabs, as well as the Arabs feeling bein g so far west of Europe. Among them was the 1802 play by Eyles Irwin entitled The Bedouins, or Arabs of t he Desert. The play, a comedy in three acts, was among many written by Irwin, ab out his travels and adventures in the Arab world, namely Egypt and Syria. Having himself been born in Calcutta, he notes great hospitality and generosity as bei ng among the traits of Arab people. Full report at: http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/art_culture/article482358.ece ---------Sixteen Pakistanis working as slaves in Afghanistan set free August 4, 2011 QUETTA: The Afghan government handed over 16 Pakistanis to Pakistani officials a fter getting them released from private jails in Afghanistan. The Pakistanis had been smuggled to Afghanistan by human traffickers who sold th em as slave labourers. A human rights activist and chairman of Ansar Burney Welfare Trust, Ansar Burney , told a press conference here on Wednesday that the 16 Pakistanis were smuggled from Qambar area of Sindh and later they were sold to a private party which kep t them in its private jails where the victims worked as slaves.

The Inspector General of Frontier Corps, Maj-Gen Obaidullah Khan Khuttak, also a ttended the press conference. Mr Burney said that he had established contacts with the Afghan authorities with the help of FC officials and after negotiations the Afghan government agreed to get all 16 Pakistanis released. Mr Burney said that hundreds of Pakistanis who went to Afghanistan as labourers had been made slaves and were living in miserable conditions in private jails. H e said the Frontier Corps had established contracts with Afghan officials and ta lks were under way for their release as well. He said that media should take up the issue and expose the people involved in hu man trafficking. http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/04/sixteen-pakistanis-working-as-slaves-in-afghanist an-set-free.html ---------Hashmi wants Punjab divided into four provinces By Amir Wasim August 4, 2011 ISLAMABAD: Senior PML-N leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi has asked the leadership of his own party to announce division of Punjab into four provinces. Taking part in a debate on the Karachi situation in the National Assembly on Wed nesday, the veteran leader from the southern Punjab city of Multan rebutted a st atement of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif that the demand for creation of new provinces was a gimmick by the government to hide its alleged corruption. I have great respect for Shahbaz Sharif, but I do not agree with his statement in which he linked the demand for new provinces to the governments corruption, said Mr Hashmi, who in the past had openly criticised some policies of the party and decisions of its leadership. Answering a question about new provinces at a gathering of supporters in London, Mr Shabaz reportedly said it was the governments habit to come up with new gimmi cks whenever it was criticised for its corruption and lack of accountability. Mr Hashmi, who reluctantly accepted the office of senior vice-president of the P ML-N last month and is also part of the 15-member special committee constituted by Nawaz Sharif to formulate suggestions on the demand for new provinces, said h e wanted his party to take the lead and announce creation of three to four new pr ovinces in Punjab. Full report at: http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/04/hashmi-wants-punjab-divided-into-four-provinces.h tml ---------Ramazan offers opportunity to quit smoking, other addictions August 4, 2011

KARACHI: Ramazan is a great opportunity for the Muslims to quit cigarette, a pow erful addictive substance, said senior religious scholar and representative of Q uran Academy, Engineer Naveed Ahmed. Talking to media in a session organised by Pakistan Chest Society to commemorate national quit tobacco day, he said, fasting compels an addict, including smoker s, to change his or her mindset, environment and the habit. He said Islam strong ly disapproves habits and practices that are hazardous either to health of the p erson concerned or those around them. Although there exists no mention of tobacco during the era of the Holy Prophet (P eace be upon Him) yet all addictive substances were prohibited, he said. He said in Islam cleanliness and hygiene are emphasised to the extent that it has been c onsidered a part of Iman (faith). It is very well known that a smokers mouth is un clean and foul smelling like a cigarette ash-tray, said the scholar. He also referred to implications of passive smoking and quoted Holy Prophet Muha mmad (Peace Be Upon Him),Nor be hurt or injure others. It is scientifically proven that the exhaled smoke of the smoker is hazardous to non-smokers around him, he said. Full report at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\08\04\story_4-8-2011_pg7_22 ---------PNS Mehran attack: Three Navy officers face court martial By Salman Siddiqui August 4, 2011 KARACHI: In a rare move, three officers of the Pakistan Navy are being brought b efore a military court for their alleged negligence during the attack on a naval airbase in Karachi, navy sources say. Former PNS Mehran base commander Commodore Raja Tahir and two of his subordinate s one captain and one commander are to face trial before a court martial. The ca ptain was the squadron leader of the P3C Orion aircraft, two of which were destr oyed in the May 22 attack and the commander was in charge of one of the units on the base. Neither man has been identified by name. (Read: PNS Mehran attack: Vulnerable, embarrassed and targeted) Sources inside the navy say that the news of the court martial proceedings has i nculcated a sense of fear amongst the officer corps, with many officers fearing that they may be brought before the military court as well. Sources add that oth er names are likely to crop up during the hearings. Full report at: http://tribune.com.pk/story/223818/court-martial-of-three-high-ranking-officials -underway-in-mehran-base-attack-case/ ---------Ramazan in Sri Lanka: A Sri Lankan teenage-boy s recollection

August 4, 2011 The Sri Lankan Muslims form a small minority community of around 1.5 to 2 millio n people or around 9% of Sri Lankas population. As such Ramazan fasting, the four th pillar of Islam, is a time eagerly awaited by all Muslims, young and old alik e as a time for spiritual enhancement with a relaxed atmosphere in contrast to t he routine life of the rest of the year. In a typical Sri Lankan Muslim house, we get up before dawn at about 3 or 4 a.m. to have a meal, usually of rice and curry before beginning the fast. Afterwards we make our Neeyath -the resolution where we declare that wed observe the mandatory fast of that day. By this time itll be time up for the Dawn prayers (Fagr/Subahu) , which marks the beginning of the fasting period of the day. Full report at: http://www.ummid.com/news/2011/July/31.07.2011/ramadan_in_sri_lanka.htm ---------Kashgar incident: Beijing downplays risk of rift with Islamabad August 4, 2011 BEIJING: Chinas Foreign Ministry on Wednesday praised Pakistan as a firm partner against terror and religious extremism, playing down the risk that ties could be strained by an attack that Chinese officials blamed on militants trained in Pak istan. The ministrys statement was its first response to the attack in Kashgar city in C hinas far western Xinjiang region on Sunday, when a group of Uighur men killed a restaurant owner and waiter, and then hacked to death four people. Read: Terrorism in China The Kashgar government said the attack was organised by members of the separatis t East Turkestan Islamic Movement who received arms and explosives training in Pak istan. But the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said his government stood b y Pakistan, in comments apparently intended to quash any notion of a rift over t he attack in Xinjiang, where members of the Uighur minority have protested again st Beijings control and the Han Chinese presence. Pakistan has made an outstanding contribution to battling terrorism, Ma said in a statement on the ministrys website. Ma did not mention the Xinjiang attack in his comments. On Monday, the Pakistani foreign ministry issued a statement offering full suppor t to China after the attack. Pakistan shares a border with China, and Uighurs, in cluding opponents of Chinese rule, have fled there in the past. Analysts have said that the role of any militant members of the East Turkestan Is lamic Movement in the attack is unclear, especially because the group appears so weak. http://tribune.com.pk/story/223375/china-praises-pakistan-downplaying-risk-of-ri ft/ ----------

Swedish man arrested after trying to split atoms in his kitchen August 4, 2011 A Swedish man has been arrested after attempting to split atoms in his kitchen, claiming that he was only doing it as a hobby. Richard Handl said that he had the radioactive elements radium, americium and ur anium in his apartment in southern Sweden when police showed up and arrested him on charges of unauthorised possession of nuclear material. Handl, 31, said he had tried for months to set up a nuclear reactor at home and kept a blog about his experiments, describing how he created a small meltdown on his stove. Only later did he realise it might not be legal and sent a question to Swedens Ra diation Authority, which answered by sending the police. I have always been interested in physics and chemistry, Handl said, adding he just wanted to see if its possible to split atoms at home. The police raid took place in late July, but police have refused to comment. If convicted, Handl could face fines or up to two years in prison. Although he says police didnt detect dangerous levels of radiation in his apartme nt, he now acknowledges the project wasnt such a good idea. From now on, I will stick to the theory, he said. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8679630/Swedish-man-arre sted-after-trying-to-split-atoms-in-his-kitchen.html ---------US contractor to sue Donald Rumsfeld over Iraq torture August 4, 2011 A federal judge has made a ruling that paves the way for former Defense Secretar y Donald H. Rumsfeld to be sued personally for damages by a former US military c ontractor who says he was tortured during a nine-month imprisonment in Iraq. Lawyers for the man, who worked as a translator for Marines collecting intellige nce in Iraq, claim he was preparing to come home to the United States on annual leave when he was abducted by the US military and held without justification whi le his family knew nothing about his whereabouts or even whether he was still al ive. The government says he was suspected of helping pass classified information to t he enemy and helping anti-coalition forces get into Iraq. But he was never charg ed with a crime, and he says he never broke the law and was risking his life to help his country. Court papers filed on his behalf say he was repeatedly abused while being held a t Camp Cropper, a US military facility near the Baghdad airport dedicated to hol ding "high-value" detainees, then suddenly released without explanation in Augus t 2006. Two years later, he filed suit in US District Court in Washington arguing that M

r Rumsfeld personally approved torturous interrogation techniques on a case-by-c ase basis and controlled his detention without access to courts in violation of his constitutional rights. Full report at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8680643/US-contractor -to-sue-Donald-Rumsfeld-over-Iraq-torture.html ---------Video shows Briton, Italian hostages August 4, 2011 A British man and an Italian kidnapped in May in northern Nigeria appear for the first time since their capture in a video released on Wednesday in which they s ay their abductors are from al-Qaeda. The roughly minute-long video is the first proof of life of the engineers since they were kidnapped from their apartment in Nigeria s northwestern Kebbi state o n the border with Niger. It was not clear when the film was made and this was impossible to verify indepe ndently. The video shows the hostages blindfolded and on their knees. Three men holding w eapons stand behind them, their faces hidden by turbans. The hostages give their names, which AFP has chosen not to make public, and each deliver a statement urging their governments to meet the demands of the kidnapp ers, whom they say are from al-Qaeda. The Italian hostage refers to "these al-Qaeda people", while his British colleag ue asks his government "to meet the demands of al-Qaeda." Full report at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/8680306/V ideo-shows-Briton-Italian-hostages-held-by-al-Qaeda.html URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamIslamicWorldNews_1.aspx?ArticleID=518 0 held by al-Qaeda