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Showing posts from November 10, 2019

Escalation of extremism

T he  extremis m  in Pakistan is day by day. The religious extremism is making the life of people miserable. The destruction of the Hindu temples and destroying their properties is a sign of worry for the state. The state needs to take some action against those extremist who are hiding behind the curtains of religion and politics. The murder of Nimrata is an alarming situation. Still we have not seen any progress in the murder case. The accused must be punished. The Ghotki violence is another example. The aggression against the minorities must be stopped. This can push the society to the next level if any action is not taken. There are some steps of genocide and we already have landed on the second step. The role of social media cannot be denied. A policy should be made by the government irrespective of religion and geographical region that equality must be made among the people. The constitution of Pakistan provides rights to the minorities and the state needs to ensure them Source

Hong Kong is descending into extremism

We have been watching a slow-motion train wreck and it’s not difficult to see where it is all going. In June, when the protest movement was gathering steam, we were well within Martin Luther King Jnr and Gandhi territory. Then came July 1 when rioters trashed the legislature. The violent occupation was unprecedented. But targeting government and public utilities such as the MTR still made some sense. After all, it was an anti-government resistance movement. From August, private property started to become fair game. First it was big mainland Chinese businesses such as banks. Then it was smaller businesses owned by people perceived to be critical of the protests. Small restaurants and fast food outlets were being labelled as “yellow” or “blue”; and those of the wrong colour were targeted for “renovation”. But the most disturbing turn came when an increasing number of innocent people were severely assaulted for expressing contrary opinions, taking photos or simply being in the wrong

The kids are not alt-right: how extremist content infiltrates teen lives

Frogs, funny memes, catchy tunes … Our teens may be tech-savvy but far-right extremists have become more so, dressing up racist, sexist and violent posts with the kind of dark humour kids find cool. By Zoe Beaty NOVEMBER 16, 2019 Perhaps it was innocuous enough to be ignored. During a familiar scene – Lucy, her husband and their two teenage sons, dissecting the day into bite-sized grievances while assembling dinner – something was amiss. “She should be locked up,” Lucas, 15, muttered. “She made her choice and now she should be punished.” He was speaking about Shamima Begum, the British girl who had been 15 herself when, along with two other teenagers, she left the UK in 2015 to join Islamic State in Syria. Earlier this year, as the caliphate was declared defeated and many “IS wives” were gathered in camps, Begum’s story again became front-page news in the UK as her fate was debated: was she a targeted child, groomed online and radicalised beyond her own recognition? Or was her

Why Indian Muslims Reject Extremist Doctrines

While India has the second-largest Muslim community in the world – numbering about 180 million – it has astonished observers that Indian Muslims have refused to join the cohorts of trans-national extremism that have attracted thousands of youth from different Muslim countries and communities across the world over the last few years. This phenomenon is particularly impressive given that, while extremist violence in Kashmir has been ongoing for three decades, Indian Muslims in the rest of the country have consistently refused to join the insurgency there. This article examines several possible reasons – doctrinal, cultural and political – to explain this aloofness from faith-based violence. It discusses the belief-systems and practises of ‘popular Islam’ in India, particularly the influence of Sufism, the veneration of saints, and the insistence that matters of faith remain part of personal conviction rather than agitated in the public domain. The article then examines the shaping

Tony Blair calls for global education charter to fight extremism

Tony Blair has called for a dramatic increase in resources for education that combats extremism in a new report that says learning is an underappreciated tool to deploy against violent ideologies. In a report titled Teaching tolerance: how to educate against extremism, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change said it hoped to a launch a charter for education reform that nations could sign up to as part of the UN Global Goals. The principles in the charter would seek to address the threat from radicalisation in the early years of life, an aspect that security polices had not so far confronted on a world widewide scale. By redressing the imbalance between military and financial responses to extremism, the initiative hopes for an antidote to the spread of hate. “Ultimately, we can take all the security action we like,” wrote the former British prime minister in a foreword. “But if young people are vulnerable to hateful ideologies, some of them will turn to violence. They do not n

Seven Naxals Surrender in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur District Citing 'Disappointment With Maoist Ideology'

Bijapur: Seven naxals carrying Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh rewards on their heads, including three women, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday, police said. The cadres turned themselves in before Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P, citing "disappointment with the hollow Maoist ideology and exploitation of lower-rung cadres by senior naxal leaders", an official said. Of the surrendered ultras, Ramji alias Bicchem Karam (24), deputy commander of Udanti LOS (local organisation squad) and Lakhmu Modiyam (32), deputy commander of platoon no.2 of Maoists, had reward of Rs 3 lakh each on their heads, Sundarraj said. Similarly, Lakkhu Telam (28) and Sangeeta Modiyami (25), members of platoon no. 2 under National Park area committee of Maoists, were carrying reward of Rs 2 lakh each, The three others namely Ranjeeta Oyam (23), Rajkumari Yadav and Hunga Podiyami (24), carrying reward of Rs 1 lakh each, worked for various Maoist wings, h

Yellow Vest protests in France mark 1st anniversary

The Yellow Vest protests in France are marking their first anniversary on Sunday with participation far below the demonstrations' height.  The protests started on Nov. 17, 2018 in reaction to rising fuel costs and economic injustice, but later spiraled into deadly anti-government riots. The protesters decided to use yellow vests , part of the standard safety kit in French cars, to make their members more easily visible. The first days of the movement drew large crowds throughout France, with official estimates running around 300,000. The movement also sparked Yellow Vest-type protests in other countries, but they were mainly centered in France.  Representatives of the movement also competed in the European Parliament elections this May but with little success, garnering only about 0.54% of the vote. Movement shortcomings Over months of protests, France's Yellow Vest movement gained momentum and scored some wins from the government -- most notably France’s cancell

4 killed in bomb attack in Iraq’s Tahrir square

At least four people were killed and 20 injured after a car bomb Friday targeted Tahrir Square in the city amid anti-government protests ongoing since October, according to security sources. READ MORE: Yellow Vest protests in France mark 1st anniversary Authorities fear the casualty figure could rise from the explosion that rocked a wide area, said the sources who asked not to be named due to security concerns. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Iraq is witnessing mass protests which started against poor living conditions and rampant corruption, but spiraled into demands for dissolving the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi. According to the Iraq's High Commission for Human Rights, at least 325 Iraqis have been killed and 15,000 injured since the protests began Oct. 1. Source:  https://nation.com.pk/16-Nov-2019/4-killed-in-bomb-attack-in-iraq-s-tahrir-square

US and European allies disagree over prosecution of ISIS fighters

The United States and its European allies in the global coalition against ISIS failed to agree on how to deal with fighters of the extremist group jailed in Syria, with the US dismissing France's proposal to try them in Iraq as "irresponsible". Representatives of more than 30 coalition members met in Washington on Thursday at the request of France following Turkey's incursion in to north-east Syria that has weakened US-backed Syrian forces holding thousands of foreign ISIS fighters. The US wants the militants to be returned to their home countries to face trial or be rehabilitated, while European states oppose the idea, saying the fighters should be tried close where they the committed their crimes. "Coalition members must take back the thousands of foreign terrorist fighters in custody and impose accountability for the atrocities they have perpetrated," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the meeting. But Nathan Sales, the State Department's

Maoists issue death threat against Kerala CM

Kozhikode Nov 15 (IANS) The Vadakara police station near here on Friday received a letter which said that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be dealt with in the way he should be dealt with as he was responsible for the death of seven Maoists. The letter has been signed by Bedar Moosa, Vice President of the Kabinidal Action Committee for the Urban Action team. The Maoists are up in arms against the Vijayan government for the shooting down of four Maoists in the deep forest ranges bordering the Palakkad and Malappuram districts last month. Since Vijayan assumed office in 2016, in all seven Maoists have been gunned down. The letter written in Malayalam stated that in lieu of gunning down seven of their colleagues, the appropriate punishment for the Kerala CM would be carried out by them. The Maoists have also threatened to eliminate Perambara Sub Inspector Harish for the way he is treating the people. Top police officials at Kozhikode have begun a probe into the l

US and European allies disagree over prosecution of ISIS fighters

The United States and its European allies in the global coalition against ISIS failed to agree on how to deal with fighters of the extremist group jailed in Syria, with the US dismissing France's proposal to try them in Iraq as "irresponsible". Representatives of more than 30 coalition members met in Washington on Thursday at the request of France following Turkey's incursion in to north-east Syria that has weakened US-backed Syrian forces holding thousands of foreign ISIS fighters. The US wants the militants to be returned to their home countries to face trial or be rehabilitated, while European states oppose the idea, saying the fighters should be tried close where they the committed their crimes. "Coalition members must take back the thousands of foreign terrorist fighters in custody and impose accountability for the atrocities they have perpetrated," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the meeting. But Nathan Sales, the State Department'

Maoists try to loot villagers' ration, DRG chase them to forest

RAIPUR: A major incident was averted in  Sukma district  due to swift action by District Reserve Guards when group of armed Maoists intercepted way of a goods vehicle carrying few local villagers on Injaram-Bhejji route to loot ration from them as they were returning from weekly market. On information, the DRG jawans rushed to the spot for road clearance but Maoists ambushed the security personnel and opened fire upon them despite presence of civilians close to the spot.  Taking safe positions, the jawans retaliated and Maoists retreated into forest. There was no casualty reported, senior police officer said. It was day for weekly market in Konta region on Thursday and villagers were heading towards Bhejji on different modes of transport. As Maoists often target vehicles carrying ration in large quantity, a group of armed rebels intercepted way of a goods vehicle carrying ration for distribution in shops. They intended to loot the ration and threatened the villagers to stand by for sa

Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi's brother travelled in and out of Istanbul as his courier for months

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A brother of ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi travelled several times to Istanbul, Europe’s largest city, from northern Syria in the months before the terrorist chief's death, Iraqi intelligence officials said. Juma, one Al Baghdadi's three brothers, was one of his most trusted messengers to deliver and retrieve information about the group’s operations in Syria, Iraq and Turkey, two officials said. The hunt for the elusive architect of ISIS, a man once known as the “invisible sheikh”, ended on October 26 in a dramatic, covert US special forces raid on his isolated villa in the north-western Syrian border village of Barisha, in Idlib province. He killed himself by  detonating his explosive vest  when backed into a tunnel with no escape, US President Donald Trump said. Now,  The National  can reveal details about the movements of a key member of Al Baghdadi’s inner circle and how he made several 2,300-kilometre round trips deep into the territory of a Nato member. Sec