C L O S E R

Mohammed Omer: journalist, price-winner receives 'peppered' welcome

Posted on June 28th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

Mohammed Omer, a journalist who writes about the Palestinian area’s and has his own website (Rafah’s Web) received the Martha Gellhorn Prize in London last week. It proved to be problematic for Omer to receive his prize in person, but with the assistance of Dutch diplomats he could come to the ceremony in London. On his return however he seems to be mistreated by Israëli borderpatrol who forced him to undress and sprayed a sort of pepperspray in his face. There are also reports of even more serious maltreatment.

Several of the ‘heroic’ Dutch defenders of free speech (among others: LWH, GS, DZ, AE) remain quiet about this case, showing their rather hypocritical stance towards issues of free speech (and are therefore probably bigger threats to the freedom of speech than the people they usually accuse of endangering free speech). An exception to the rule is Dutch MP Van Baalen (VVD; a conservative liberal party) who has demanded an investigation into these events and the Dutch minister of foreign affairs, Verhagen, has complained about this to the Israeli ambassador in Den Haag (DUTCH) and also requested an investigation. The ambassador stated he shared the concerns of Verhagen and that he will investigate the matter.

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Mohammed Omer: journalist, price-winner receives ‘peppered’ welcome

Posted on June 28th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

Mohammed Omer, a journalist who writes about the Palestinian area’s and has his own website (Rafah’s Web) received the Martha Gellhorn Prize in London last week. It proved to be problematic for Omer to receive his prize in person, but with the assistance of Dutch diplomats he could come to the ceremony in London. On his return however he seems to be mistreated by Israëli borderpatrol who forced him to undress and sprayed a sort of pepperspray in his face. There are also reports of even more serious maltreatment.

Several of the ‘heroic’ Dutch defenders of free speech (among others: LWH, GS, DZ, AE) remain quiet about this case, showing their rather hypocritical stance towards issues of free speech (and are therefore probably bigger threats to the freedom of speech than the people they usually accuse of endangering free speech). An exception to the rule is Dutch MP Van Baalen (VVD; a conservative liberal party) who has demanded an investigation into these events and the Dutch minister of foreign affairs, Verhagen, has complained about this to the Israeli ambassador in Den Haag (DUTCH) and also requested an investigation. The ambassador stated he shared the concerns of Verhagen and that he will investigate the matter.

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Protected: Trouw, hetNieuws| – financiering moskee / Gratis geld bestaat niet

Posted on June 25th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Islam in the Netherlands.

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Protected: Trouw, hetNieuws| – financiering moskee / Gratis geld bestaat niet

Posted on June 25th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Islam in the Netherlands.

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Leefomgeving belangrijker bij jeugddelinquentie dan etniciteit – Verwey-Jonker Instituut

Posted on June 24th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Important Publications.

Verwey-Jonker – Leefomgeving belangrijker bij jeugddelinquentie dan etniciteit – Verwey-Jonker Instituut
Buurt belangrijkste boosdoener voor boefjesgedrag

Crimineel jongerengedrag hangt vooral samen met de kwaliteit van de buurt, het gezin, schooluitval en de vriendengroep van de jongere en minder met etniciteit zoals vaak wordt gedacht. Jongeren uit probleemwijken nemen vaker deel aan jeugdbendes. Dat blijkt uit het onderzoek van het Verwey-Jonker Instituut en het Willem Pompe Instituut van de universiteit Utrecht Achtergronden van jeugddelinquentie en middelengebruik.

Voor het onderzoek is delinquent gedrag, middelengebruik en slachtofferschap van jongeren via zelfrapportage in kaart gebracht. 2300 leerlingen uit de eerste drie klassen van het voortgezet onderwijs gaven antwoord op de vraag of zij bepaalde delicten gepleegd hebben, hoe vaak zij dat deden en onder welke omstandigheden. Deze methode is voor het eerst in Nederland toegepast en levert nieuwe en verrassende gegevens op over de grootte van de groep jongeren die structureel strafbare feiten pleegt.
Buurten

De onderzoeksresultaten tonen in de eerste plaats aan dat problemen in de buurt direct verband houden met delinquent gedrag van jongeren die daar wonen. Een buurt met veel criminaliteit en drugsgebruik geeft opgroeiende jongeren de boodschap af dat het om normale verschijnselen gaat. Een dergelijke omgeving vergemakkelijkt de inwijding in een criminele levensstijl. Het verband tussen delinquentie en etniciteit blijkt zwak: eerder speelt de sociaaleconomische situatie een rol.
Gezin en school

Ouderlijke controle is een andere sterke voorspeller van delinquentie. Verder is school, of het gebrek daaraan, een belangrijke factor in het leven van jongeren. Het begint met mislukking op school en eindigt met spijbelen en voortijdige schooluitval. Mislukking op school voorspelt weinig goeds: het betekent lage status, marginalisering en weinig perspectief op een redelijke baan.
De vriendengroep

Jongeren die slecht functioneren in school en gezin, zullen aansluiting zoeken bij andere gemarginaliseerde jongeren, waar gebruik van alcohol en drugs wordt aangemoedigd en delinquent gedrag normaal wordt gevonden. Er is een duidelijke samenhang tussen delinquent gedrag van vrienden en de eigen delinquentie. Jongeren plegen zelden een delict in hun eentje: dat gebeurt vrijwel altijd in groepsverband.
Etnische minderheden

Delinquent gedrag onder allochtone jongeren is hoger dan onder Nederlandse jongeren. Etniciteit heeft echter weinig verklarende waarde waar het gaat om delinquentie. Etnische groepen in onze samenleving wonen vaak in de slechtste buurten met de slechtste woningen en kennen een hoge werkloosheid. Deze lage positie op de sociaaleconomische ladder werkt weer negatief uit op de schoolcarrière van jongeren, de vriendengroep en ook de vrijetijdsbesteding. Al die factoren kunnen voorspellers zijn van delinquent gedrag: hoe kleiner de kansen op een maatschappelijk en economisch succesvolle toekomst, hoe minder ze te verliezen hebben en hoe groter de kans op een criminele carrière.
Aandachtspunten voor beleid

In lijn met de uitkomsten van het onderzoek bevat het rapport tal van aanbevelingen aan de lokale en landelijke overheid. De belangrijkste zijn:

• Ervoor zorgen dat er in probleemwijken een gemengde populatie ontstaat. Dat wil zeggen: meer welvarende bewoners, minder werkloosheid, minder uitkeringsafhankelijkheid en een levendig midden- en kleinbedrijf. In zon wijk is te verwachten dat er een grotere overeenstemming komt over de gewenste normen en waarden in de buurt.
• Hulpverlening bieden aan gezinnen in armoede en sociaal isolement om zowel hun levensomstandigheden als hun opvoedingsvaardigheden te verbeteren.
• Extra investeren in openbare orde en veiligheid en als gemeente zorg dragen voor voldoende en kwalitatief goede sociale dienstverlening in de wijk.
• Streng toezicht op leerplicht, goede voorbereiding op een succesvolle schoolcarrière door voor- en vroegschoolse educatie en investeringen in het onderwijs zelf. Het vmbo-onderwijs moet praktischer worden met meer nadruk op vakgerichtheid en handvaardigheid.
• Tot slot moet het alcoholgebruik van jongeren drastisch worden teruggedrongen door het in aanvulling op al getroffen maatregelen – beperkter beschikbaar stellen van alcohol en het bieden van andere vrijetijdsalternatieven. Het duurder maken van alcohol blijkt een goede preventieve strategie volgens internationaal onderzoek.

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MDI – Weblogger Ertan opnieuw veroordeeld

Posted on June 24th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

Weblogger Ertan opnieuw veroordeeld

De Nederlandse weblogger Ertan is vrijdag 20 juni door het Gerechtshof Amsterdam opnieuw veroordeeld tot een taakstraf van 100 uur wegens het aanzetten tot haat en geweld tegen homo’s.

Ook het beledigen en bedreigen van toenmalig minister Verdonk, acht het Hof bewezen. In 2004 en 2005 deed het MDI aangifte tegen Ertan, nadat meer dan 130 meldingen over zijn sites waren ontvangen. In juni 2006 veroordeelde de rechtbank Amsterdam Ertan al tot 100 uur taakstraf. Ertan en zijn advocaat waren het met de veroordeling oneens, maar het Hof komt in hoger beroep tot exact dezelfde straf.

Ertan schreef op zijn weblog onder meer: “Zodra de islamitische wet van kracht is in Nederland zal ik de eerste zijn die elke protesterende homo, met het hoofd naar beneden, van de Westertoren af zal duwen.” Ook schreef Ertan hethomomonument te willen opblazen en riep hij zijn lezers op een “explosief feestje” te maken van de Canal Parade. Verder riep hij in een open brief op zijn website op om toenmalig minister Verdonk te stenigen. Verdonk deed hiervan aangifte.

Het verweer van de advocaat dat de tekst inzake de Canal Parade niet van Ertan zelf was, maar een citaat dat hij van een andere website had overgenomen, mocht niet baten. De rechter is van mening dat Ertan de tekst “tot de zijne” heeft gemaakt. Ook het verweer dat de uitingen niet openbaar waren, naar aanleiding van de recente uitspraak van de rechtbank Amsterdam inzake “joshadam” (zie hier), veegde het Hof van tafel.

Volgens het Hof heeft Ertan met zijn teksten bevolkingsgroepen tegen elkaar opgezet en druisen dergelijke uitingen in tegen de normen en waarden van de Nederlandse samenleving.

Het MDI is tevreden met de uitspraak en hoopt dat hiermee weer eens duidelijk is gemaakt dat het internet geen vrijplaats is voor discriminatie en dat de Nederlandse wet ook online geldt.

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Marokkaanse Nederlanders in Oranje

Posted on June 19th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

De Telegraaf heeft een paar leuke artikelen over Afellay and Boulahrouz in Oranje

“In Oranje telt je afkomst niet”

NADOR – De basisplaatsen van Khalid Boulahrouz en het frisse spel van Ibrahim Afellay blijven niet onopgemerkt in hun moederland Marokko. “Ik kijk liever naar Nederland dan naar Marokko”, zegt Mohammed Boulahrouz, neef van Khalid, in zijn woonplaats Nador. Waar in Rabat en Casablanca vooral het Franse elftal wordt gevolgd, loopt het Rifgebergte uit voor Nederland. Oranjevlaggen en andere gekte zul je er niet aantreffen, maar veel Berbers hebben een persoonlijke band met Nederland, getuige de vele Nederlandse nummerborden op derdehands Mercedessen.

“Door Ibrahim ben ik fan van Oranje”

AMSTERDAM – In Al-Hoceima, de geboortestad van de ouders van Afellay, is het EK in elk koffiehuis te zien. Vooral tijdens de wedstrijden van Nederland en Turkije zwaaien armen de lucht in en sneuvelt er een enkel glas muntthee. Ismael Erahmoni, de neef van Afellays moeder, laat het immens populaire dominospel twee uur lang voor wat het is. “Door Ibrahim ben ik groot fan van het Nederlands elftal.”

Primeur: twee Marokkaanse Nederlanders in Oranjeshirt
In voetspoor van Gullit & Rijkaard

BERN – Khalid Boulahrouz en Ibrahim Afellay schreven in de wedstrijd tegen Roemenië (2-0) geschiedenis in Bern. Nog nooit eerder kwamen twee spelers van Marokkaanse afkomst uit in het shirt van Oranje. Boulahrouz en Afellay startten tegen de Roemenen in de basis en laatstgenoemde maakte een uitstekende indruk. “Nederland gaat in de toekomst nog heel veel plezier aan ‘Ibi’ beleven”, wist ‘Boula’ dan ook zeker. “Het is een speler met bijzondere kwaliteiten. Ik ben blij dat hij het zo ver heeft geschopt.”

Overigens waren er gisteren allerlei suggesties naar aanleiding van het plotseling vertrek van Boulahrouz van het Oranje kamp bijvoorbeeld in de reacties op de Telegraafsite. (UPDATE: inmiddels zijn de reacties verwijderd). Eén journalist vroeg mij wat een mogelijke dopingaffaire of mishandelingszaak zou betekenen voor Boulahrouz als positief symbool in de integratie. Nu was dat gisteren al bijzonder twijfelachtig, vandaag blijkt dat Boulahrouz was vertrokken vanwege complicaties bij de bevalling van zijn dochtertje en dat zij helaas overleden is. Mijn vraag aan deze journalist: Wat betekent uw optreden voor de integratie en het fatsoen in de maatschappij? Ow…en bel mij niet meer ok!

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Protected: Fadila Blue Girl Molenbeek – Ophef over weervrouw in België

Posted on June 18th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Gender, Kinship & Marriage Issues.

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International Crisis Group – Egypt’s Muslim Brothers: Confrontation or Integ

Posted on June 18th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Religious Movements.

International Crisis Group – 76 Egypt’s Muslim Brothers: Confrontation or Integ
Egypt’s Muslim Brothers: Confrontation or Integration?

Middle East/North Africa Report N°76
18 June 2008

Cairo/Brussels, 18 June 2008: The three-year clash between the government and the Muslim Brothers is damaging Egypt’s political life. Ending this confrontation and moving towards the long-term goal of integrating the Brothers into the political mainstream is a far better option.

Egypt’s Muslim Brothers: Confrontation or Integration?,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines the ruling National Democratic Party’s (NDP) hard-line stance and the Muslim Brothers’ ambiguous approach to political participation. At a time of political uncertainty surrounding the presidential succession and serious socio-economic unrest, it offers an alternative to the current short-term thinking that carries very uncertain longer-term returns.

Since their surprisingly strong electoral performance in 2005, when they won nearly a fifth of parliamentary seats while running as independents, the Muslim Brothers have redoubled efforts to contest elections. The resulting backlash and mass arrests have further discredited Egyptian electoral democracy and increased political tensions. Although the regime has used the Brothers to frighten domestic and foreign audiences into accepting the status quo, this has mainly served to reinforce the Brothers at the expense of other political currents. By restricting the political field, the regime has assisted a hybrid organisation that is uniquely positioned to evade restrictions on recognised political parties and work outside a strict legal framework.

The Muslim Brothers also carry their share of responsibility. While they more explicitly embrace political reform as a main goal and have built alliances with opposition groups, their program’s distinctly non-democratic and illiberal tone, as well as its ambiguous pronouncements on the role of women and the place of religious minorities, is cause for genuine concern.

To break this standstill, the regime should recognise the Muslim Brothers’ ambition to create a legal political party, take the opportunity to set clear standards for integration and end its campaign of mass arrests, made possible by the draconian Emergency Law. For their part, the Muslim Brothers should finalise and clarify their political program in order to reassure their critics.

“Ultimately, the Muslim Brothers are too powerful and too representative for there to be either stability or genuine democratisation without finding a way to incorporate them”, says Issandr El Amrani, Crisis Group’s North Africa Analyst.

The Muslim Brothers’ regularisation and participation in political life should be framed as part of a wider process of reform designed to restore confidence in electoral politics.

“Although this likely will be a gradual process, the regime should take preliminary steps to normalise the Muslim Brothers’ participation in political life”, says Robert Malley, Crisis Group’s Middle East and North Africa Program Director. “Their integration should be pursued not just for its own sake, but as an essential step to a genuine opening of the political sphere that would also benefit secular opposition forces.”

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BBC NEWS | UK | Abu Qatada released from prison

Posted on June 18th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: International Terrorism, Religious and Political Radicalization.

BBC NEWS | UK | Abu Qatada released from prison
Abu Qatada released from prison

Qatada must wear an electronic tag and must not attend a mosque

The radical Islamist preacher Abu Qatada has been released from jail.

Abu Qatada, 47, was freed from Long Lartin Prison, in Worcestershire, at about 2020 BST after winning his fight against deportation from Britain.

A senior judge earlier signed papers authorising the release of Abu Qatada, previously described as Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe.

The Palestinian-Jordanian preacher will be subjected to a 22-hour home curfew and tight restrictions on his liberty.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said she is “disappointed” with the decision to release him, and says the government will appeal.

Abu Qatada was once described by a judge as a “truly dangerous individual at the centre of al Qaeda’s activities in the UK”.

Last month the Court of Appeal blocked his deportation to Jordan, where Abu Qatada has been convicted in his absence of involvement in terror attacks.

Appeal Court judges feared evidence gained from torture could be used against Abu Qatada in a future trial.

Restrictions

Mr Justice Mitting of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) granted Abu Qatada bail on Tuesday with strict conditions.

He must wear an electronic tag and must not attend a mosque or lead prayers or religious instruction.

The government’s priority is to protect public safety and national security and we will take all steps necessary to do so
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith

Abu Qatada must also stay in his west London home for at least 22 hours a day, and cannot attend any kind of meeting. He is also forbidden from using mobile phones, computers or the internet.

Police have special permission to enter and search his home while Abu Qatada is banned from having guests other than family and solicitors.

Among the people he is banned from meeting in London is al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Others include bin Laden’s deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri and Rachid Ramda, who has been convicted in France of masterminding a series of bombings in 1995.

Also named is hate preacher Abu Hamza.

Public safety

Ms Smith said she was disappointed that Abu Qatada had been granted bail, even though the conditions were strict.

She added: “I am appealing to the House of Lords to reverse the decision that it is not safe to deport Qatada and the other Jordanian cases.

“The government’s priority is to protect public safety and national security and we will take all steps necessary to do so.”

Abu Qatada became one of the UK’s most wanted men in December 2001 when he went on the run, on the eve of government moves to introduce anti-terror laws allowing suspects to be detained without charge or trial.

In October 2002 the authorities tracked him down to a council house in south London and took him to Belmarsh Prison.

He was eventually freed on bail in March 2005, but was made the subject of a control order to limit his movements.

In August that year he was taken back into custody pending the extradition to Jordan.

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BBC NEWS | UK | Abu Qatada released from prison

Posted on June 18th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: International Terrorism, Religious and Political Radicalization.

BBC NEWS | UK | Abu Qatada released from prison
Abu Qatada released from prison

Qatada must wear an electronic tag and must not attend a mosque

The radical Islamist preacher Abu Qatada has been released from jail.

Abu Qatada, 47, was freed from Long Lartin Prison, in Worcestershire, at about 2020 BST after winning his fight against deportation from Britain.

A senior judge earlier signed papers authorising the release of Abu Qatada, previously described as Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe.

The Palestinian-Jordanian preacher will be subjected to a 22-hour home curfew and tight restrictions on his liberty.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said she is “disappointed” with the decision to release him, and says the government will appeal.

Abu Qatada was once described by a judge as a “truly dangerous individual at the centre of al Qaeda’s activities in the UK”.

Last month the Court of Appeal blocked his deportation to Jordan, where Abu Qatada has been convicted in his absence of involvement in terror attacks.

Appeal Court judges feared evidence gained from torture could be used against Abu Qatada in a future trial.

Restrictions

Mr Justice Mitting of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) granted Abu Qatada bail on Tuesday with strict conditions.

He must wear an electronic tag and must not attend a mosque or lead prayers or religious instruction.

The government’s priority is to protect public safety and national security and we will take all steps necessary to do so
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith

Abu Qatada must also stay in his west London home for at least 22 hours a day, and cannot attend any kind of meeting. He is also forbidden from using mobile phones, computers or the internet.

Police have special permission to enter and search his home while Abu Qatada is banned from having guests other than family and solicitors.

Among the people he is banned from meeting in London is al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Others include bin Laden’s deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri and Rachid Ramda, who has been convicted in France of masterminding a series of bombings in 1995.

Also named is hate preacher Abu Hamza.

Public safety

Ms Smith said she was disappointed that Abu Qatada had been granted bail, even though the conditions were strict.

She added: “I am appealing to the House of Lords to reverse the decision that it is not safe to deport Qatada and the other Jordanian cases.

“The government’s priority is to protect public safety and national security and we will take all steps necessary to do so.”

Abu Qatada became one of the UK’s most wanted men in December 2001 when he went on the run, on the eve of government moves to introduce anti-terror laws allowing suspects to be detained without charge or trial.

In October 2002 the authorities tracked him down to a council house in south London and took him to Belmarsh Prison.

He was eventually freed on bail in March 2005, but was made the subject of a control order to limit his movements.

In August that year he was taken back into custody pending the extradition to Jordan.

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'Lyrical Terrorist' Samina Malik cleared on appeal – Telegraph

Posted on June 18th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

‘Lyrical Terrorist’ Samina Malik cleared on appeal – Telegraph
Lyrical Terrorist’ Samina Malik cleared on appeal
By Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent

A Heathrow shop assistant who dubbed herself the “Lyrical Terrorist” has won her appeal against conviction.

HEATHCLIFF O’MALLEY

Samina Malik, the ‘lyrical terrorist’, has been cleared on appeal

Samina Malik, who worked air-side for WH Smith and was the first Muslim woman in Britain found guilty of terrorism offences, posted a series of poems on websites across the internet about killing non-believers, pursuing martyrdom and raising children to be holy fighters.

She was described as a “committed Islamic extremist who supports terrorism and terrorists” and had a library of material for that purpose.

It was alleged she used her job to assess the security at Heathrow on behalf of Sohail Qureshi, a dental assistant from Forest Gate, East London, who was jailed for four and a half years for planning to travel to Afghanistan on a mission of “revenge” against British troops.
Article continues
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Miss Malik, 24, was given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months at the Old Bailey last December, for possessing information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

But today judges at the Court of Appeal said they believed the jury had become “confused”.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, sitting with Mr Justice Goldring and Mr Justice Plender, quashed the conviction after the prosecution conceded that it was unsafe.

The judges said: “We consider that there is a very real danger that the jury became confused and that the prosecution have rightly conceded that this conviction is unsafe.”

In February Lord Phillips was among the Appeal Court judges who quashed the sentences of three students and another man from Bradford accused of possessing radical material.

They were accused of recruiting 17-year-old Mohammed Irfan Raja from Ilford, Essex, who left a note to his parents which said: ‘If not in this (world) we will meet in the Garden of Paradise, Inshallah [god willing].

In the judgment the Appeal Court said: “We do not consider that it was made plain to the jury, whether by the prosecution or by the Recorder, that the case that the appellants had to face was that they possessed the extremist material for use in the future to incite the commission of terrorist acts.

“We doubt whether the evidence supported such a case.”

Afterwards, the Crown Prosecution Service said it has decided not to seek a retrial in the Malik case.

Sue Hemming, head of the CPS’s counter terrorism division, said: “Since Ms Malik’s conviction, the law has been clarified by the Court of Appeal.

“The result is that some of the 21 documents we relied on in Ms Malik’s trial would no longer be held capable of giving practical assistance to terrorists.

“However, other documents in her possession, including the al-Qa’eda Manual, the Terrorist’s Handbook, the Mujahideen Poisons Handbook and several military manuals, clearly retain that potential. We therefore have no doubt that it was right to bring this prosecution.

“Nevertheless, taking into account the time Ms Malik spent on remand before her first trial, and the likely non-custodial sentence she would receive upon conviction in a retrial, we have decided not to seek a retrial on those manuals.

“Ms Malik was not prosecuted for her poetry. She was prosecuted for possessing documents that could provide practical assistance to terrorists.”

Qureshi, 29, was stopped at Heathrow airport with military equipment, thousands of pounds in cash and an autobiographical book called “My father the bomb maker.”

In internet conversations, Qureshi claimed to have been trained by al-Qa’eda and said he was going to Pakistan, Afghanistan or Waziristan, an area which straddles the borders, for two weeks, adding: “Pray that I kill many, brother. Revenge, revenge, revenge.”

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‘Lyrical Terrorist’ Samina Malik cleared on appeal – Telegraph

Posted on June 18th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

‘Lyrical Terrorist’ Samina Malik cleared on appeal – Telegraph
Lyrical Terrorist’ Samina Malik cleared on appeal
By Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent

A Heathrow shop assistant who dubbed herself the “Lyrical Terrorist” has won her appeal against conviction.

HEATHCLIFF O’MALLEY

Samina Malik, the ‘lyrical terrorist’, has been cleared on appeal

Samina Malik, who worked air-side for WH Smith and was the first Muslim woman in Britain found guilty of terrorism offences, posted a series of poems on websites across the internet about killing non-believers, pursuing martyrdom and raising children to be holy fighters.

She was described as a “committed Islamic extremist who supports terrorism and terrorists” and had a library of material for that purpose.

It was alleged she used her job to assess the security at Heathrow on behalf of Sohail Qureshi, a dental assistant from Forest Gate, East London, who was jailed for four and a half years for planning to travel to Afghanistan on a mission of “revenge” against British troops.
Article continues
advertisement

Miss Malik, 24, was given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months at the Old Bailey last December, for possessing information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

But today judges at the Court of Appeal said they believed the jury had become “confused”.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, sitting with Mr Justice Goldring and Mr Justice Plender, quashed the conviction after the prosecution conceded that it was unsafe.

The judges said: “We consider that there is a very real danger that the jury became confused and that the prosecution have rightly conceded that this conviction is unsafe.”

In February Lord Phillips was among the Appeal Court judges who quashed the sentences of three students and another man from Bradford accused of possessing radical material.

They were accused of recruiting 17-year-old Mohammed Irfan Raja from Ilford, Essex, who left a note to his parents which said: ‘If not in this (world) we will meet in the Garden of Paradise, Inshallah [god willing].

In the judgment the Appeal Court said: “We do not consider that it was made plain to the jury, whether by the prosecution or by the Recorder, that the case that the appellants had to face was that they possessed the extremist material for use in the future to incite the commission of terrorist acts.

“We doubt whether the evidence supported such a case.”

Afterwards, the Crown Prosecution Service said it has decided not to seek a retrial in the Malik case.

Sue Hemming, head of the CPS’s counter terrorism division, said: “Since Ms Malik’s conviction, the law has been clarified by the Court of Appeal.

“The result is that some of the 21 documents we relied on in Ms Malik’s trial would no longer be held capable of giving practical assistance to terrorists.

“However, other documents in her possession, including the al-Qa’eda Manual, the Terrorist’s Handbook, the Mujahideen Poisons Handbook and several military manuals, clearly retain that potential. We therefore have no doubt that it was right to bring this prosecution.

“Nevertheless, taking into account the time Ms Malik spent on remand before her first trial, and the likely non-custodial sentence she would receive upon conviction in a retrial, we have decided not to seek a retrial on those manuals.

“Ms Malik was not prosecuted for her poetry. She was prosecuted for possessing documents that could provide practical assistance to terrorists.”

Qureshi, 29, was stopped at Heathrow airport with military equipment, thousands of pounds in cash and an autobiographical book called “My father the bomb maker.”

In internet conversations, Qureshi claimed to have been trained by al-Qa’eda and said he was going to Pakistan, Afghanistan or Waziristan, an area which straddles the borders, for two weeks, adding: “Pray that I kill many, brother. Revenge, revenge, revenge.”

0 comments.

The 99: Islam inspires a comic-book series | Philadelphia Inquirer |

Posted on June 17th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Youth culture (as a practice).

Islam inspires a comic-book series | Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/16/2008

By Faiza Saleh Ambah

Washington Post
KUWAIT CITY – Naif al-Mutawa was in a London taxi with his sister when she asked when he’d go back to writing children’s books. Mutawa, a Kuwaiti psychologist with two doctorates and an MBA from Columbia, said the question sparked a chain of thoughts:

To go back to writing after all that education, it would have to be something big, something with the potential of Pokemon, the Japanese cartoon that was briefly banned by Saudi religious authorities. God would have been disappointed by that, he thought; God has 99 attributes, or names, including tolerance.

“And then the idea formed in my mind,” Mutawa said. “Heroes with the 99 attributes.”

He mixed his deep religious faith, business acumen and firsthand experience with other cultures – his childhood summers were spent at a predominantly Jewish camp in New Hampshire – to create The 99, a comic-book series about superheroes imbued with the 99 attributes of God. Those traits represent one of Islam’s most recognizable concepts. (more…)

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The 99: Islam inspires a comic-book series | Philadelphia Inquirer |

Posted on June 17th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Youth culture (as a practice).

Islam inspires a comic-book series | Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/16/2008

By Faiza Saleh Ambah

Washington Post
KUWAIT CITY – Naif al-Mutawa was in a London taxi with his sister when she asked when he’d go back to writing children’s books. Mutawa, a Kuwaiti psychologist with two doctorates and an MBA from Columbia, said the question sparked a chain of thoughts:

To go back to writing after all that education, it would have to be something big, something with the potential of Pokemon, the Japanese cartoon that was briefly banned by Saudi religious authorities. God would have been disappointed by that, he thought; God has 99 attributes, or names, including tolerance.

“And then the idea formed in my mind,” Mutawa said. “Heroes with the 99 attributes.”

He mixed his deep religious faith, business acumen and firsthand experience with other cultures – his childhood summers were spent at a predominantly Jewish camp in New Hampshire – to create The 99, a comic-book series about superheroes imbued with the 99 attributes of God. Those traits represent one of Islam’s most recognizable concepts. (more…)

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Bibliotheek Breda // Debat met als thema feministische moslima's

Posted on June 14th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Gender, Kinship & Marriage Issues.

Bibliotheek Breda // Home » Actueel » Nieuws » Debat met als thema feministische moslima’s
Debat met als thema feministische moslima’s

Welke rol dicht de Islam de vrouw nu écht toe? Hoe staat het met het moslim feminisme? Kom en praat mee!

Woensdag 18 juni organiseert Bibliotheek Breda in samenwerking met statenlid Nora Kasrioui en de commissie PaVEM een debat met als thema feministische moslima’s.

De avond start om 19.30 uur (inloop v.a. 19.00 uur) en vindt plaats in de Centrale Bibliotheek.

Programma:

* Openingswoord:
Monique van der Velden-van de Voorde, echtgenote van de Bredase burgemeester
* Introductie:
statenlid Nora Kasrioui en commissie PaVEM
* Lezing:
de bekeerde Nederlandse moslima en schrijfster Ceylan Pektas Weber. Cisca Dresselhuys (onder voorbehoud) reageert op deze lezing.

Hierna volgt een debat over feminisme onder moslima’s. Er wordt een vergelijking gemaakt tussen de dominante feministische stroming in Nederland (in de volksmond ‘Opzij-feminisme’ genoemd) en feministische moslima’s in Nederland.

Gespreksleider: advocate Famile Arslan

Tussendoor verbeelden leden van de commissie PaVEM in korte toneelfragmenten het leven van een moslimvrouw.

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Bibliotheek Breda // Debat met als thema feministische moslima’s

Posted on June 14th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Gender, Kinship & Marriage Issues.

Bibliotheek Breda // Home » Actueel » Nieuws » Debat met als thema feministische moslima’s
Debat met als thema feministische moslima’s

Welke rol dicht de Islam de vrouw nu écht toe? Hoe staat het met het moslim feminisme? Kom en praat mee!

Woensdag 18 juni organiseert Bibliotheek Breda in samenwerking met statenlid Nora Kasrioui en de commissie PaVEM een debat met als thema feministische moslima’s.

De avond start om 19.30 uur (inloop v.a. 19.00 uur) en vindt plaats in de Centrale Bibliotheek.

Programma:

* Openingswoord:
Monique van der Velden-van de Voorde, echtgenote van de Bredase burgemeester
* Introductie:
statenlid Nora Kasrioui en commissie PaVEM
* Lezing:
de bekeerde Nederlandse moslima en schrijfster Ceylan Pektas Weber. Cisca Dresselhuys (onder voorbehoud) reageert op deze lezing.

Hierna volgt een debat over feminisme onder moslima’s. Er wordt een vergelijking gemaakt tussen de dominante feministische stroming in Nederland (in de volksmond ‘Opzij-feminisme’ genoemd) en feministische moslima’s in Nederland.

Gespreksleider: advocate Famile Arslan

Tussendoor verbeelden leden van de commissie PaVEM in korte toneelfragmenten het leven van een moslimvrouw.

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CBS Webmagazine – Weinig Nederlanders gaan regelmatig naar kerk of moskee

Posted on June 12th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Religion Other.

CBS Webmagazine – Weinig Nederlanders gaan regelmatig naar kerk of moskee

Bijna 6 op de 10 Nederlanders zeggen gelovig te zijn. Slechts weinigen daarvan gaan nog elke week naar kerk, moskee of andere godsdienstige bijeenkomsten.

In 2005/2006 rekende 58 procent van de Nederlanders zich tot een kerkelijke gezindte of levensbeschouwelijke groepering. Dat zijn ruim 9 miljoen mensen. Rooms-katholieken vormen met 29 procent de grootste groep. Bijna 20 procent is protestant, 5 procent is islamiet. Onder de overige 5 procent gelovigen vallen onder meer Joden en Hindoes. Ongeveer 42 procent van de Nederlandse bevolking hangt geen geloof aan.

Van de ruim 9 miljoen gelovigen in Nederland gaat slechts 20 procent elke week naar kerk, moskee of andere godsdienstige bijeenkomsten. Dat zijn ongeveer 1,8 miljoen mensen. Van de drie grootste groepen gelovigen in Nederland zijn de protestanten de trouwste kerkgangers. Bijna een derde van hen bezoekt elke week of vaker de kerk. Van de islamieten bezoekt 27 procent wekelijks of vaker de moskee. Slechts 7 procent van de rooms-katholieken ten slotte gaat elk weekend naar de mis, 57 procent gaat zelden of nooit.

De moskee bezoeken is een mannenzaak: Van de islamitische mannen bezoekt 36 procent wekelijks of vaker de moskee, bij de islamitische vrouwen is dat slechts 16 procent. Onder de rooms-katholieken en protestanten zijn er nauwelijks verschillen in kerkgang tussen mannen en vrouwen.

Marieke van Herten

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18-year-old Iraqi-born, Huda Falah Miss Headscarf

Posted on June 11th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

This undated photo made available by Danish public broadcaster DR1 shows 18-year-old Iraqi-born, Huda Falah who DR1 says it has chosen as the winner | Photo – Yahoo Actualités
Huda Falah is chosen as the winner of its first Miss Head scarf competition. The judges say a photograph of 18-year-old Huda Falah was picked from 46 contestants in an Internet-based pageant organized by a teenage show on the TV channel. Co-judge Uffe Burchardt says Falahs picture was chosen because of her light blue head scarfs “fantastic and shocking color.” Falah moved to Denmark in 1997.

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Protected: De allochtone patiënt; lastpak of uitdaging? – Opinie – de Volkskrant

Posted on June 11th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Multiculti Issues.

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Imam Budak

Posted on June 11th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

In De Pers: Geen aangifte bij verkrachting

Door: Peter Wierenga

Een vrouw die is verkracht, hoeft niet per se aangifte te doen, vinden de vrouwen van de Turkse moslimkoepel Milli Görüs.

De Hogeschool Inholland ontsloeg vorige week de Turks-Nederlandse imam Bahaeddin Budak, die daar islamdocent was. Budak had in zijn rubriek op de website van de Nederlandse Islamitische Omroep een vraag behandeld van een 17-jarig meisje van Turkse afkomst. Zij was verkracht door haar neef. Budak begon zijn antwoord met de opmerking dat een vrouw niet alleen in een kamer mag verblijven met een man omdat dit risico’s geeft. Hij gaf haar drie opties: óf aangifte doen, óf iemand buiten de familie inlichten, óf haar neef vergeven en zwijgen.

Dat is niet volgens de Nederlandse rechtsorde en past niet in ‘de Nederlandse cultuur’, oordeelde directeur Geert Dales van de Hogeschool. Verkrachting is een zwaar misdrijf en daarom had Budak erop moeten aandringen sowieso aangifte te doen.

Onbegrijpelijk, aldus voorzitter Canan Uyar van de vrouwenfederatie van Milli Görüs. ‘Het is een gepast advies’, schrijft ze op het internet, onder de kop: Imam Budak heeft correct gehandeld. ‘Wat zou Inhollands reactie zijn als dit meisje vervolgens zou zijn verstoten, met dwang was uitgehuwelijkt aan haar neef of vermoord zou worden? Als moslimvrouw sta ik volledig achter zijn advies. … Maar dat het schoolbestuur een docent gaat ontslaan omdat hij een vraag beantwoordt met de argumenten uit de Koran en overleveringen is onbegrijpbaar.’

Uyar staat niet alleen in deze visie. De achterban van de Turkse moslimkoepel telt zo’n dertigduizend personen. En Uyar is nog wel van de relatief gematigde tak.

Ook in de tientallen reacties op de website klinkt verbittering door. De vrijheid van meningsuiting geldt kennelijk niet voor een imam, zo constateren moslims.

‘Heel ouderwets om de vrouw de schuld te geven van verkrachting,’ zegt Clementine van Eck. Zij is eerwraakdeskundige, vooral bekend met de Turkse gemeenschap. ‘Dit is typerend voor het oosten van Turkije. Daar wordt in dit soort zaken altijd de vrouw vermoord. De man krijgt nooit de schuld.’

Van Eck erkent wel het risico van een aangifte. ‘In de rechtszaal is het vaak het ene woord tegen het andere, met als gevolg hooguit een taakstraf. Intussen is de eer van het meisje door alle publiciteit besmeurd en kan ze een huwelijk wel vergeten. Of loopt ze zelfs het risico om vermoord te worden.’

De deskundige, die vaak samenwerkt met politie en justitie, pleit daarom voor zwaardere straffen voor verkrachting. Tot die tijd wijst zij slachtoffers op een tussenoplossing. ‘Het slachtoffer kan een melding doen bij de politie.’ Het verschil met aangifte is dat er geen strafzaak volgt en de dader niet wordt ingelicht. ‘Maar hij staat dan wél in de politiesystemen. Zo’n dossier kan in latere zaken een rol spelen.’

Milli Görüs was niet bereikbaar voor commentaar.

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Protected: AD.nl – Den Haag – College moet sluiting moskee overwegen

Posted on June 9th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: ISIM/RU Research.

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NWO – Invitation Conference: Gestures – Religion qua Performance

Posted on June 9th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: (Upcoming) Events.

NWO – Invitation Conference: Gestures – Religion qua Performance
Gestures – Religion qua Performance

On Monday June 9 and Tuesday June 10, 2008, an international conference on religion as present-day phenomenon will be held in Utrecht, The Netherlands. This will be the fourth profiling conference of the NWO research programme ‘The Future of the Religious Past’ (2002-2009). It is organized by the programme committee in co-operation with national and local partners, a.o. the International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM), the Reseacrh School INTEGON (Utrecht University) and the Netherlands School for Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion (NOSTER). The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Gestures – Religion Qua Performance.’ (Previous conferences focused on ‘Conceptualizing Religion,’ ‘Powers – Sovereignty, Media and Beyond’ and ‘Things – Material Religion and the Topography of Divine Spaces.’)

The focus in this multidisciplinary conference is on the performative aspects of religious phenomena, from ritual and liturgical acts to dramatic expressions and various forms of embodiment. Pilgrimage, sacrifice and martyrdom are among the gestures that will be critically discussed, as are theatrical and musical performances, blasphemy, religious fashion, and spirit possession. Theoretical and conceptual papers will be juxtaposed with rich empirical descriptions based on recent or ongoing research in many different cultural contexts, with an emphasis on newly emerging forms of religious expression. The first day of the conference in particular focuses on the study of religion qua performance, while the second day concentrates on embodiment as generative theme in religious studies and theological reflection.

Key note lectures will be given by John Bowen, Kim Knott, Brent Plate and Regina Schwartz. Speakers and discussants further include Peter Clarke, Michael Lambek, Yvonne Sherwood, Ward Blanton, Meerten ter Borg, Annelies Moors, Christoph Baumgartner, Thomas Quartier and Stephan van Erp, besides scholars involved in the research projects of the ‘Future of the Religious Past’ programme.

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Protected: Nederlandse Islamitische Omroep » Bouw van kerken in Qatar toegestaan

Posted on June 7th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

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AANVALLAH – Euro 2008

Posted on June 5th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Multiculti Issues.

AANVALLAH

Aanvallah.nl sells orange (the national Dutch color linked to the monarcy) football shirts with the text ‘Aanvallah’. In Dutch this sounds like ‘aanvallen’ which means ‘attack’ but in a sportive, friendly way (such as ‘forward’) and is combined with the name of ‘Allah’.

It is meant as a sign the football unites all Dutch people wherever they live and from what ethnic or religious background they are. I think the initiative is older then now because it already appeared in 2006 on a social advertisement blog Houtlust.

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