Iraq: Church and convent bombed in Mosul
— ACN News reports: “CHRISTIANS in Iraq were lucky to escape with their lives after bomb attacks on a Catholic church and a convent of Sisters.
St Ephrem’s Chaldean Church, in the northern city of Mosul, was reduced to a blackened shell when attackers walked in and detonated high explosives.
The building, and the nearby presbytery which was also attacked, were both empty at the time of the attacks and nobody was hurt.
Shortly after the explosions on Thursday morning, 26th November morning, a further bomb attack took place at St Theresa’s Convent, a few minutes’ drive away, also in the Al Jadeda district of New Mosul, in the west of the city.
At least five Sisters were in the building when the attack took place but they got out unharmed.
They were not in the part of the convent damaged by the bomb which was thrown at the complex.
Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, the Catholic charity for persecuted and other suffering Christians, one of the Sisters described the attack.”
Month: November 2009
Soviet/Russian nuclear warheads with yield over 4.5 megatons
Soviet/Russian nuclear warheads with yield over 4.5 megatons
Data source: http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/nuclear/multimeg.html#S4
System/warhead: R-16 (SS-7 Mod 1/2/3)
type: ICBM
IOC: Nov 1961
weight (kg) 195
megaton yield: ~6
number built: 0-320
System/warhead: R-9A (SS-8)
type: ICBM
IOC: Dec 1964
weight (kg) 1800
megaton yield: ~5
number built: 23-46
System/warhead: R-36 8K67 Tsiklon (SS-9 Mod 1)
type: ICBM
IOC: Nov 1966
weight (kg) 7000
megaton yield: 18
number built: 140-290
System/warhead: R-36 8K67 Tsiklon (SS-9 Mod 2) [8F675]
type: ICBM
IOC: 1966
weight (kg) 7000
megaton yield: 25
number built: 140-290
System/warhead: R-36O 8K69 Tsiklon (SS-9 Mod 3)
type: FOBS
IOC: Aug 1969
weight (kg) 5000
megaton yield: ~20
number built: 0-20
System/warhead: MR UR-100N (SS-17 Mod 2)
type: ICBM
IOC: 1977
weight (kg) 3500
megaton yield: ~5
number built: 10-30
System/warhead: R-36M (SS-18 Mod 1) [15B86]
type: ICBM
IOC: Dec 1974
weight (kg) 7500
megaton yield: 24
number built: 20-60
System/warhead: R-36MUTTKh (SS-18 Mod 3)
type: ICBM
IOC: 1976
weight (kg) 7300
megaton yield: 20
number built: 20-60
System/warhead: R-36M2 Voevoda (SS-18 Mod 6)
type: ICBM
IOC: Aug 1990
weight (kg) 9000
megaton yield: 20
number built: 20
System/warhead: UR-100NU (SS-19 Mod 2))
type: ICBM
IOC: 1977
weight (kg) 3500
megaton yield: ~5
number built: 60
System/warhead: RDS-220 (“Tsar Bomba”)
type: NGB
IOC: 27000
weight (kg) 3500
megaton yield: ~150
number built: 0-5
The largest Soviet nuclear weapon
- The U.S. estimate of 57-58 mt was based on bhangmeter (high-speed photometer) observations and other data from a USAF KC-135 flown near the blast–apparently to within 45 km–as analyzed by the Foreign Weapons Evaluation Panel (or Bethe Panel) to determine the yield.[63, 96, 97]
- A yield of 58 mt has been affirmed in scientific publications by Russian experts on the Soviet testing program.[99]
- Nikita Khrushchev in his memoirs claims that the device yield was estimated before the test as 50 mt, and that the actual yield proved greater at 57 mt.[91]
- Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, official Russian sources (e.g. the Russian atomic energy ministry) have released information on Soviet nuclear tests, reporting a yield of 50 mt.[66, 92] In many cases, discrepancies between the new Russian data and older Western estimates represent the large uncertainties involved in Western intelligence efforts to estimate yields from remote observation. In this case the U.S. data was acquired from close at hand (sufficiently close that the U.S. KC-135 suffered scorching on the fuselage from the flash[96]). Discrepancies with Russian data may represent continued Russian secrecy (e.g. exact yields for several high yield Soviet tests are still unannounced by Russia [92]), combined with the desire to minimize the issue of fallout associated with the test. The current Russian figures for the Tsar Bomba test, 50 mt yield at 4000 m altitude, place it safely 9% above the Russian agency’s threshold defining “air explosions,” where “the expanding fireball does not touch the ground surface” [98], whereas the Western data of 57-58 mt yield at 3500 m altitude place it 9% below this threshold.
Thus the issue regarding the test yield is plausibly explained by the test exceeding its predicted yield by 15% (still close to design yield, given U.S. test experience) at an actual yield of 57-58 mt, with the current Russian government finding various reasons to prefer the 50 mt yield figure.
Another device tested the following year had a nominal yield of 50 mt. Tested at a reduced yield of 24.2 mt on 24 December 1962 at Novaya Zemlya, it was designed at Chelyabinsk-70 (as opposed to Arzamas-16 for the RDS-220)[66].
Whether either of these weapons was operational is unknown. The RDS-220 was probably never operational: only the single specially modified Tu-95V could carry it, and when doing so it would have been particularly vulnerable to anti-aircraft action. The 50-mt Chelyabinsk-70 device might have weighed 10-15 metric tons, based on comparison to other Soviet warheads of the time. Thus it was probably deliverable by unmodified Tu-95M Bear bombers, which could carry 15 metric tons of payload (albeit to a reduced range).[68] Any operational deployment was probably only for a short time since bomber forces were converting to cruise missiles, but the weapons could have remained in the stockpile as late as the 1980s, given the apparent slow pace of Soviet warhead disassembly.
The Soviets briefly considered developing an ICBM capable of carrying the 150-mt RDS-220 warhead or a similarly large warhead. Of several proposed missiles, only the UR-500 reached the flight stage, by which time any nuclear-armed version was abandoned in favor of using the UR-500 exclusively as a space launch vehicle.[69]
Pakistan Christian in Hiding from Extremist Death Threats for “Blasphemy”
CDN reports: “Pakistani Christian on Run from Taliban Death Threat”
— “extremist sermonizing leads to altercation at barbershop in South Waziristan”
— “A young Christian man is in hiding in Pakistan from Taliban militants who seek to kill him for ‘blasphemy’ because he defended his faith.”
— “In February Jehanzaib Asher, 22, was working in a barbershop his family jointly owns with his cousin in Wana, South Waziristan – a Taliban stronghold in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan’s northwest – when the Islamic militants showed up to try to convert him to Islam.”
— “It was not the first time the Taliban’s Noor Hassan had delivered strident sermons to him and his relatives, and this time Asher decided not to listen silently. He defended Christianity by citing verses from the Bible, and Hassan and another Islamic militant viciously beat him – breaking his left leg and some ribs and leaving his left hand non-functional.”
— “He told Compass that he only defended Christianity and did not comment on Islam.”
— “Nearby Muslims helped him and two cousins ward off the attack. Soon the Taliban militants began spreading the word to local residents that Asher and his cousin Christopher Masih had blasphemed Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.”
— “Before the Pakistani military’s recent offensive against the Taliban stronghold in South Waziristan, Asher said, his picture was posted at check-points in an attempt to help the Taliban and other Islamists identify and kill him.”
— “Asher’s cousin, Zaib Masih, managed to get Asher and Christopher Masih (Zaib Masih’s brother) into a vehicle, and they fled the market area where their two barbershops are located. As barbers they were targeted for the Islamic sermonizing and attack due to the Taliban’s opposition to shaving of beards, he said.”
Canada: “Don’t dismiss honor killing claim: judge” — Roohi Tabassum case
Canada: “Don’t dismiss honour killing claim: judge” — Roohi Tabassum case
National Post reports:
— “A Federal Court judge has ordered the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration to consider the credibility of a woman’s claim that she will be the victim of an “honour killing” if deported to her home country of Pakistan.”
— “Justice Michael Kelen found that an immigration officer reviewing evidence in the case of Roohi Tabassum, a 44-year-old Mississauga hair stylist who has been fighting to stay in Canada since 2001, made a mistake by characterizing as “not threatening” letters purportedly from Ms. Tabassum’s husband in which he promised to “finish” Ms. Tabassum if she returned to Pakistan.”
— Canada immigration, discrimination of honour
— April 7, 2009: Refugee fears death in Pakistan
R.E.A.L. reports:
Canada: ‘Landmark case’ of Pakistani woman facing honor killing — Roohi Tabassum
Pakistan: Man booked for throwing acid on ex-wife
Save Children Now: Nations Continue to Deny Children’s Universal Human Rights Based on Extremism
Twenty Years Ago – November 20, 1989 – the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
But nations that reject religious freedom and defend extremism, by viewing that human rights exist only as granted by extremist forms of Sharia, also continue to defy universal human rights for children, including many nations that are signatories to 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child.
While giving the appearance of being “signatories” to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in fact, many of these OIC and Islamic-majority nations are allowing extremists to reject such universal human rights for children, including religious freedom – while UNICEF is promoting “events” by such nations allegedly demonstrating their support for “children’s rights” in the Middle East and North Africa and in South Asia — support that in fact does not exist.
UNICEF and other United Nations organizations are meeting with such extremist OIC member nations on November 23 and 24, 2009 in Cairo, Egypt to address “CRC and Islamic Jurisprudence” to address “reservations to the effect that the CRC would only be implemented if it is not in conflict with the Islamic Shari’a.” We are concerned that this Cairo meeting, like so many other efforts to sacrifice human rights to Sharia, may result in further international justification to weaken children’s rights.
The OIC remains an organization that has been repeatedly condemned for seeking to undermine universal human rights. Leading members of its organization (Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt) are repeatedly shown as in the bottom of the world’s “gender gap” nations, and are among the worst nations in the world in human trafficking (slavery) of women, men, and children.
In many of these nations and growing around the world through immigration, we see an endless pattern of “honor killings” and abuse of young girls and women by those who rationalize such violence by an ideology of extremism.
Islamic Caveats on Children’s Rights Convention:
This is how “Islamic nations” have “supported” the November 20, 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child:
Afghanistan:
— “The Government of the Republic of Afghanistan reserves the right to express, upon ratifying the Convention, reservations on all provisions of the Convention that are incompatible with the laws of Islamic Shari’a and the local legislation in effect.”
Algeria:
— interprets children’s rights based on “Islam is the State religion” and “Islamic morality”
Bangladesh:
— “subject to the existing laws and practices in Bangladesh”
Djibouti:
— “[The Government of Djibouti] shall not consider itself bound by any provisions or articles that are incompatible with its religion and its traditional values.”
Pakistan:
— “Provisions of the Convention shall be interpreted in the light of the principles of Islamic laws and values.”
Indonesia:
— “The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia guarantees the fundamental rights of the child irrespective of their sex, ethnicity or race. The Constitution prescribes those rights to be implemented by national laws and regulations. The ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the Republic of Indonesia does not imply the acceptance of obligations going beyond the Constitutional limits nor the acceptance of any obligation to introduce any right beyond those prescribed under the Constitution.” (Freedom of religion conspicously absent.)
Iran:
— “The Islamic Republic of Iran is making reservation to the articles and provisions which may be contrary to the Islamic Shariah, and preserves the right to make such particular declaration, upon its ratification”.
— “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right not to apply any provisions or articles of the Convention that are incompatible with Islamic Laws and the international legislation in effect.”
Iraq:
— “The Government of Iraq has seen fit to accept [the Convention] … subject to a reservation in respect to article 14, paragraph 1, concerning the child’s freedom of religion, as allowing a child to change his or her religion runs counter to the provisions of the Islamic Shariah .”
Jordan:
— ” The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan expresses its reservation and does not consider itself bound by articles 14, 20 and 21 of the Convention, which grant the child the right to freedom of choice of religion and concern the question of adoption, since they are at variance with the precepts of the tolerant Islamic Shariah.”
Kuwait:
— “[Kuwait expresses] reservations on all provisions of the Convention that are incompatible with the laws of Islamic Shari’a and the local statutes in effect.”
Malaysia:
— “The Government of Malaysia accepts the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child but expresses reservations with respect to articles 1, 2, 7, 13, 14, 15, […], 28, [paragraph 1 (a)] 37, […] of the Convention and declares that the said provisions shall be applicable only if they are in conformity with the Constitution, national laws and national policies of the Government of Malaysia.”
Maldives:
— “1) Since the Islamic Shariah is one of the fundamental sources of Maldivian Law and since Islamic Shariah does not include the system of adoption among the ways and means for the protection and care of children contained in Shariah, the Government of the Republic of Maldives expresses its reservation with respect to all the clauses and provisions relating to adoption in the said Convention on the Rights of the Child.
— “2) The Government of the Republic of Maldives expresses its reservation to paragraph 1 of article 14 of the said Convention on the Rights of the Child, since the Constitution and the Laws of the Republic of Maldives stipulate that all Maldivians should be Muslims.”
Mauritania:
— “In signing this important Convention, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania is making reservations to articles or provisions which may be contrary to the beliefs and values of Islam, the religion of the Mauritania People and State.”
Morocco:
— “Article 6 of the Constitution, which provides that Islam, the State religion, shall guarantee freedom of worship for all.”
Oman:
— “A reservation is entered to all the provisions of the Convention that do not accord with Islamic law or the legislation in force in the Sultanate and, in particular, to the provisions relating to adoption set forth in its article 21.”
— “The Sultanate does not consider itself to be bound by those provisions of article 14 of the Convention that accord a child the right to choose his or her religion or those of its article 30 that allow a child belonging to a religious minority to profess his or her own religion.”
Qatar:
— “Whereas the Government of the State of Qatar ratified the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child on 3 April 1995, and entered a general reservation concerning any of its provisions that are inconsistent with the Islamic sharia;”
Saudi Arabia:
— ” [The Government of Saudi Arabia enters] reservations with respect to all such articles as are in conflict with the provisions of Islamic law.”
Syria:
— “The Syrian Arab Republic has reservations on the Convention’s provisions which are not in conformity with the Syrian Arab legislations and with the Islamic Shariah’s principles, in particular the content of article (14) related to the Right of the Child to the freedom of religion, and articles 20 and 21 concerning the adoption.”
— “reservations of the Syrian Arab Republic to article 14 of the Convention are restricted only to its provisions relating to religion”
United Arab Emirates:
— “The United Arab Emirates shall be bound by the tenor of this article to the extent that it does not conflict with the principles and provisions of Islamic law.”
Djibouti, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Syrian Arab Republic
[Same text, mutatis mutandis, as the objection made with regard to Iran (Islamic Republic of) under “Objections”.]
Excerpts from the Convention on the Rights of the Child:
“Considering that, in accordance with the principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
“Bearing in mind that the peoples of the United Nations have, in the Charter, reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person, and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom”
“Recognizing that the United Nations has, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenants on Human Rights, proclaimed and agreed that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status”
“Recalling that, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations has proclaimed that childhood is entitled to special care and assistance”
“1. States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child’s or his or her parent’s or legal guardian’s race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.”
“2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child’s parents, legal guardians, or family members.”
Resources:
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Signatories to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
— alternate web page
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
UNICEF Web Site on the Convention on the Rights of the Child
UNICEF Photo Essay on Children’s Rights
AP: “20 years after UN pact, many children still suffer”
— AP reports: “The United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child 20 years ago Friday, yet hundreds of millions of children still suffer from violence, hunger and disease. Associated Press correspondents around the globe interviewed children who illustrate the remaining challenges, along with some victories.”
Additional Reports:
Nations Continue to Deny Children’s Universal Human Rights Based on Extremism
Egypt Hosts OIC Conference on “Children’s Rights”
Egypt: 15 Year Old Egyptian Convert to Christianity Sends Plea to Obama — Dina el-Gowhary
Why Extremist Honor Killings Represent Ideological Violence Against Women
Kansas City: Arranged “Marriage Contract” of 14-year old Girl Reportedly Based on “Islamic” Views
Bangladesh — CDN Report: “Court Impedes Effort to Rescue Kidnapped Girl in Bangladesh”
Indonesia: 1500 Sharia Police Harrass Men, Women in Aceh
Indonesia: Muslim cleric cleared of sex abuse over 12 year old child bride
Netherlands: Married at thirteen
Italy: 15 Year Old Muslim Girl Threatened in Italy for Loving Italian Boy
UK: 15 Year Old Girl Tulay Goren Murdered in “Honor Killing,” Mother Testifies in Court
Pakistan — ICC report on rape of Christian minority girl
Saudi Child Bride Turned Back Over to 80-Year-Old Husband
Pakistan: Suspected “Honor Killing” of Pregnant Wife, Two Teenage Daughters
Pakistan: Jirga orders marrying off three minor girls
Saudi religious police blamed in ‘honour’ killing of sisters
Pakistan “Honor killings”: Couple, including teenage bride, mother, sister murdered
Pakistan: 16 year old girl sold to 62 year old man
Afghanistan: “Honor-Killing” in Afghanistan: Father Kills His Daughter and Her Lover
Saudi Arabia: Camera phones seized from female teachers, schoolgirls
Pakistan – Muslim Forces 12-year-old Girl to Convert, Marry Him
Pakistan: “Brother kills girl for honour”
Afghanistan: New ‘poisoning’ hits 98 Afghan schoolgirls
Pakistan: Extremists Cleared of Rape of Christian Girl
Pakistan: Eloping Niece Murdered by Uncle Over “Honor”
Pakistan: Daughters Murdered by Father
Pakistan: Taliban whip 17 year old girl
Pakistan: Taliban destroy over 100 girls’ schools in Swat
India: Villagers burn 16-year old Muslim girl alive in “honour killing”
Somalia — Gang rapists laugh about Sharia “justice”
Somalia: 13 Year Old Girl Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow Stoned to Death for Being Rape Victim — Sharia Court Finds Her Guilty
Afghanistan: U.S. Special Envoy Holbrooke on Taliban: U.S. Does Not Seek “A Perfect Democracy” – Room for Taliban to Rejoin “Political Fabric”
U.S. Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke gave an interview to Der Spiegel telegraphing the intentions of the U.S. administration to abandon a human rights cause for equality and liberty in Afghanistan, stating that “We’re not in Afghanistan to build a perfect democracy,” and stating the U.S. sought to work those who support extremism.
Holbrooke told Der Spiegel that “very clearly that the majority of the Taliban do not support Mullah Omar’s extreme views and that there is room for them to rejoin the social and political fabric of Afghanistan if they renounce al-Qaida and reintegrate peacefully into Afghanistan,” further adding that “We’re not seeking to destroy every person who supports the Taliban, that’s not a credible goal.”
This pattern of official surrender on human rights and refusal to defy the extremist ideology represented by the Taliban must remain an essential focus of our human rights campaigns for human equality and liberty.
Accountability to human rights means saying “No” to all extremist ideologies.
See also:
— September 24, 2009: Afghan women hiding for their lives
— August 31, 2009: Afghanistan: Taliban disfigure Muslims who dare to vote
— Afghan women victims of ‘widespread’ rape: UN
— New ‘poisoning’ hits 98 Afghan schoolgirls
— Afghanistan: Women Flee as Taliban Laws Return
— Afghanistan: extremist law “legalizing rape”
Communist China: Church Defies Police to Worship
— ChinaAid reports: “500 Wanbang Church Members Meet Despite Leaders’ Detentions”
— “SHANGHAI–On Sunday, November 22, Wanbang church pastors Cui Quan, Cui Longguo, Liu Quanqin, and Huang Yun were detained for over 8 hours and interrogated for allegedly “engaging in illegal organization and activities.” Two church deacons, Piao Longyi and Shi Weidong, were detained over Saturday night to prevent them from leading worship. Despite the detention of their leaders, over 500 dedicated church members assembled outdoors to hold the two scheduled morning worship services. Police tried to intimidate members and prevent them from worshipping, but they stood their ground and refused to stop singing. Shanghai PSB officers have interrogated and detained many of the 2,000 members of Wanbang Missionary Church, but the church continues to meet.”
— “Senior Pastor Cui Quan and the three other pastors were detained for over 8 hours to prevent their attendance. They were released at 2:30 PM on Sunday, Nov. 22. Pastor Liu Quanqin is still in discussion with the PSB station about the injury to his fingers and damage to his personal property, inflicted by the officers.”
— “Despite the detention of their leaders, over 500 dedicated church members assembled outdoors to hold the two scheduled morning worship services. Local authorities reportedly tried to intimidate members and prevent them from attending with threats, but were unsuccessful. Church members refused to stop singing and worshipping. This Sunday’s thwarted attempt to prevent worship was preceded by last weeks video-taped surveillance of the church’s meeting in the park.”
Egypt: “Muslim Mob” of 3,000 – Mob Attacks Christian Businesses, Individuals — Rioting Spreads in Upper Egypt
— reports on mob violence against Coptic Christians in Farshoot and Abou Shousha
— AINA reports “Muslim Anti-Christian Riots Spread in Upper Egypt, Video Shows Looting and Burning”
— “On Monday November 23, 2009 Muslim rioters looted and burned Coptic Christian businesses in the village of Abou Shousha, which lies 25 KM from Farshoot. The terrorized Coptic inhabitants of Abou Shusha have stayed indoors, their shops are closed and their children are being kept away from school. They fear a repeat in their village of the Muslim violence which engulfed the town of Farshoot less than 36 hours earlier (AINA 11-22-2009).”
— “The Middle East Christian Association (MECA) reported that at least three large Coptic stores and a pharmacy were looted and burnt in Abou Shusha and that the fire brigade arrived one hour late, although their headquarters is only 8 KM away from the village. “They gave the pretext of being busy in Farshoot, which is untrue, as Farshoot had a quiet night,” said Wagih Yacoub of MECA. ‘Coptic and Muslim neighbors tried to put the fire out.’ A video posted by Free Copts shows the Abou Shusha fires.”
— “Bishop Kirrillos of Nag Hamady Diocese said that a mob from the neighboring village of Abu Tesht torched the businesses in Abou Shusha. MECA reported that three girls were assaulted in the street by having bricks hurled at them. No serious injuries were reported.”
— “It is estimated that over 80% of Coptic businesses have been destroyed in the 48 hours of violence in Farshoot. A video prepared by Free Copts advocacy shows Muslim mobs chanting Allah Akbar (God is Great) while looting and burning Coptic businesses and shops.”
— AINA reports on mob attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt:
— “Since early morning on Saturday, November 21, the Upper Egyptian town of Farshoot, as well as the neighboring villages of Kom Ahmar, Shakiki and Ezbet Waziri, has been the scene of ongoing Muslim mob violence against Coptic Christian inhabitants. The mob looted, vandalized and burnt Coptic property, while Copts hid indoors fearing to venture out. Reuters Cairo reported that a witness said ‘chaos is overwhelming (in the city).’ ”
— “The Violence is still going on. There are reports that seven Coptic women have been abducted.”
— “Witnesses said that nearly 3000 angry Muslims have congregated since the early morning in front of the Police Headquarters in Farshoot, in an effort to kidnap Girgis Baroumi while being transported to court to renew his detainment, in order to kill him. Bishop Kirollos said it was agreed with the family of the Muslim girl Yousra to await the Court decision ‘but they did not wait for that.’ ”
— “Coptic priest Rev. Benjamin Noshi was driving his car when the mob stopped and assaulted him, fracturing his skull. He is currently in hospital.”
— “By the evening most Coptic businesses were looted and burnt. ‘They are destroying the Coptic economy in these areas,’ says Wagih Yacoub of Middle Eadt Christian Association”.
— “A witness said that some Coptic families were thrown out of their homes, which were occupied by Muslims.”
— “Although security forces were deployed, they are not taking any action to stop the violence, they are stationed to protect the Farshoot police headquarters after the angry mob pelted it with stones before going in and attacking the officers. Chief Investigating Officer Essam Hany was injured along with others.”
— “Witnesses said that the Police watched the mob but made no arrests and were just dispersing the mob from one street, only for them to appear in the next.”
— “The violence was prompted by reports of sexual abuse of a girl by 21 year-old Copt Guirgis Baroumi, from Kom Ahmar, on Wednesday November 18, 2009. The 12-year-old Muslim girl has been identified as ‘Yousra.’ Girgis is detained by the police pending investigations and awaiting results of forensics. Many Copts believe that the rape incident is by Muslims to use it as a pretext to start violence against them.”
— “In an interview with Free Copts, Bishop Kirollos said that the attacks were definitely preplanned and made use of the students from Al-Azhar Institute in Farshoot. He also pointed out to the failing role of the security forces, which disappeared without giving proper justifications, despite several demands by the church to put an end to these grave violations against Christians and their property.”
— “He also added that even if the story of the indecent assault on the Muslim teenager was true, this was purely an individual incident and does not call for an attack on masses of peaceful Christians, who denounced this individual act which does not comply with Christian teachings. ‘So why the barbaric attacks by the mobs? and why have the security forces not stopped them?’ ”
— Additional R.E.A.L. reports on Coptic oppression in Egypt
UK: London University Islamic Society Hosts Hate Advocate Abu Usamah – who has praised Osama Bin Laden
— Blog: “Kill gays” preacher feted at City University — Abu Usamah
— “‘ The Vice Chancellor of City University London, Julius Weinberg, should resign. He is refusing to take any action after the Islamic Society hosted a fundamentalist preacher, Abu Usamah, who advocates the murder of gay people and of Muslims who give up their faith,’ said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.”
— “Abu Usamah was recorded on Channel Four’s television documentary, Undercover Mosque, as saying: ‘Do you practice homosexuality with men? Take that homosexual man and throw him off the mountain.’ On Muslims who leave the faith he said: ‘If the Imam wants to crucify him, he should crucify him. The person is put up on the wood and he’s left there to bleed to death for three days.’ ”
— “Abu Usamah was also filmed deriding women as ‘deficient,’ inferior to men and intellectually ‘incomplete.’ ”
— “Another speaker given a platform at the same City University event on 4 November, Murthadah Khan, was also caught on the Undercover Mosque documentary calling Jews and Christians ‘enemies’ and “filthy.’ ”
— The Blight of Moral Cowardice
— Radical cleric praises bin Laden – Abu Usamah
— UK Undercover Mosques – Channel 4 Documentary
— January 18, 2007: American-Born Imam Spews Message of Hate in England
