Islam Around Us

Monday, 2 September 2013

French Muslim Attacked for Interfaith Ties to Jews.

02 Sep 2013 :: A French imam known for promoting Jewish-Muslim relations said he was physically assaulted in Tunisia by a man who called him a “Zionist.”

The attacker of Hassen Chalghoumi, the imam of Drancy near Paris, punched him in the chest and shoved him to the ground on Sunday near Hotel Gammarth near Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.

“He insulted me, called me a ‘Zionist and collaborator’ and then he hit me,” Chalghoumi was quoted Monday as telling Le Parisien daily. Chalghoumi was assaulted in front of his wife and children, who also were hit by the unnamed attacker, the report said.

According to the report, the man, who addressed Chalghoumi in French, was detained by hotel staffers and arrested by police. Chalghoumi was taken to hospital after the incident, according to the French news agency AFP. Neither he nor his family members sustained serious injuries.

Chalghoumi, who is well-known in France for his involvement in interfaith forums and initiatives, has received many death threats in France for his friendly ties with CRIF, the umbrella group representing French Jewish communities, and for visiting Israel several times.(Courtesy:The Jewish Daily Forward)

Taliban claim attack on American base in eastern Afghanistan.

Taliban claim attack on American base

in eastern Afghanistan.

Al Arabiya | 02 Sep 2013 :: Afghan Taliban militants on Monday claimed responsibility for an attack on a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border, according to AFP news agency.

Officials confirmed the attack.

“A group of suicide bombers have attacked a U.S. base in Torkham near the border with Pakistan,” Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial governor, told AFP.

In a statement sent to the media, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack.

Abdulzai said fighting was ongoing between U.S. and Afghan forces against the militants.(copy from: Al Arabia)

11 Bhutan soldiers killed in arms depot explosion.

Bhutan | 02 Sep 2013 :: At least 11 Bhutanese soldiers were killed in an explosion on Monday while disposing of old ordnance, news reports said.

The incident occurred near a military base in Anakha in the western district of Haa, according to the Twitter account of the state-run Kuensel newspaper.

Eight soldiers died on the spot and three more succumbed to injuries in hospital, the report said.

About a dozen more soldiers were hospitalised with injuries. The rest of the ammunition would now be sorted by hand to prevent further explosions, the report said.(Courtesy:The Hindu)

Sunday, 1 September 2013

Netanyahu: Israel is ready for every possible scenario on Syria.

Netanyahu: Israel is ready for every

possible scenario on Syria.

Israeli army Merkava tanks are seen stationed in a deployment
training area in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights near the
border with Syria on August 28, 2013. (AFP)

Al Arabia | 01 Sep 2013 :: Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that his country was prepared for “every possible scenario” that could happen in adjacent Syria after U.S President Barack Obama delayed military action.

“Israel is calm and sure of itself, the citizens of Israel know that we are prepared for every possible scenario,” he told ministers at a cabinet meeting, in remarks broadcast on public radio, according to Reuters.

Although the White House is currently waiting for U.S. Congress to convene on Syria, Israel’s military is on high alert over a possible strike, Israel-based news site Ynet reported on Sunday.

U.S. President Barack Obama has chosen to seek congressional approval for military action on Syria.

The Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) Northern Command and Air Force is currently on high alert, with the Iron Dome and Patriot missile systems expected to be positioned in the country’s north and central areas.

Israeli political sources quoted by Ynet noted that waiting for Congress to convene on Syria will mean that the U.S. will not attack Syria until at least ten days. Congress does not return from recess until September 9.

“Obama is determined to take action, and as far as Israel is concerned when an attack is launched is meaningless,” said a source quoted by the website.

“What's important is the president's clear stance that he will not stand idly by.”

By seeking approval from Congress, Obama now risks the same fate as British Prime Minister David Cameron, who was defeated on Friday when he lost his motion in support of military action on Syria.

The Syrian government said on Saturday that it has its “finger on the trigger” as it braced for what it had considered an imminent Western military strike, following the departure of U.N. weapons inspectors.(Courtesy:Al Arabia)

Israelis divided over fallout from Syrian attack.

Slight plurality think Assad will hit Israel if US intervenes militarily, despite official assessment that odds of retaliation are low

Israelis wait to collect gas mask boxes at a distribution center
in Tel Aviv on August 28, 2013. (photo credit: Gili Yaari/Flash90)

01 Sep 2013 :: Israelis are mostly split on whether they think Syria will try to hit Israel in the aftermath of a possible US-led attack, a poll partially released Sunday found.

The survey, conducted for the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University as part of the monthly Peace Index, also found that most Israeli Jews think Washington’s position in the region will be strengthened by such a move.

According to the poll, 46 percent of Jewish Israelis think Assad will carry out his threat to hit Israel, while 42% think he will not.

Among Arab Israelis, 40% believe Assad will attack Israel, and 47% believe he will not.

Israeli officials have said there is only a small probability Israel will take on rocket attacks as a result of US action, as Syria and Iran have threatened. However, masses of Israelis swarmed gas mask distribution centers last week over fears of a possible attack, and the IDF slightly raised its alertness level.

On Saturday, US President Barack Obama announced that he would seek Congressional approval for military action against Syria, an apparent about-face after Washington seemed poised to hit Damascus in retaliation for a chemical attack that the US says killed over 1,400 people on August 21.(Courtesy:Times of Israel)

Boko Haram kills 44 people in Nigeria.

Nigeria | 01 Sep 2013 :: At least 44 people were killed by Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram in North-eastern Nigeria, local security officials said late on Saturday.

The insurgents ambushed and killed 24 members of the civilian Joint Task Force in Monguno, a town in Borno State, on Friday.

The JTF has been set up to assist Nigeria’s military in the fight against the terrorist group.

An additional 36 JTF members were missing after the attack, according to local residents.

The insurgents then moved to the nearby towns of Damboa and Nganza, where they reportedly killed another 20 civilians.

Borno is one of three northern states that the government placed under emergency regulations in May to curb attacks by Boko Haram.

Boko Haram, which means “Western education is sinful”, has been active in the Muslim North of the West African country, regularly carrying out attacks aimed primarily at Christians.

Since 2009, about 1,500 people have been killed in the violence.(Courtesy:The Hindu)

Syria crisis: Obama asks Congress to back military action.

US President Barack Obama has formally asked Congress to authorise military action against Syria over alleged chemical weapons attacks.

He said any operation would be limited, ruling out a ground invasion. Congress is to reconvene on 9 September.

This comes after Washington claimed it had evidence that 1,429 people were killed in chemical attacks by the Syrian army on 21 August.

The Syrian government gave no immediate reaction to Mr Obama's announcement.

Damascus had earlier condemned the US allegations and blamed the rebels for the attacks.(Courtesy:BBC News)