— Dawn reports:
— “Hardly a week had passed after the shameful attacks on the lives and livelihood of the besieged Christian community of Gojra, that a well-known Islamic televangelist appeared on his show on a local TV channel and freely exhibited the audacity to explain this attack by vicious Islamic sectarian organisations as a conspiracy by the West to make Pakistanis question the contentious Blasphemy Laws.”
— “First of all, as usual, before spouting this claptrap, such TV hosts have absolutely no substantive proofs ever to back their demagogic finger-pointing rituals.”
— “But utmost is the fact that the tongue-wagging gentleman had himself been embroiled last year in a stunning controversy where he was directly accused by his former party, the MQM, and some bold journalists, for initiating and encouraging attacks against Punjab’s Ahmadiyya community through his show.”
— “Thus, what moral right does this highly animated fellow has to even address the issue of the attacks in Gojra, let alone offer bizarre and thoroughly unreasonable theories, pointing fingers at the usually elusive and unsubstantiated conglomerate of conspirators?”
— “His self-righteous and delusional take on the said issue must have come as a hurtful bolt of insensitivity to those who lost their loved ones in the insane fires of fanaticism that almost completely burned down the Christian community in Gojra.”
Category: Bin Ladenism
reports and articles on those with extremist views that mirror those of Osama Bin Laden
Pakistan – ICC Report: “Pregnant Christian Dragged Naked through Pakistani Police Station”
ICC Report: “Pregnant Christian Dragged Naked through Pakistani Police Station”
— “Miscarries after Police Arrest Her for Theft without Evidence, Hold Her Three Days”
— “Washington, D.C. (August 17, 2009) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a pregnant Christian woman miscarried on July 26 after police beat her and dragged her naked through their police station in the Gujrat District of Punjab, Pakistan. Police had arrested her and a Muslim woman after their employer accused them of theft, but police did not even touch the Muslim woman.”
— “The woman, Farzana Bibi, worked as a maid in the house of a wealthy Muslim. During a wedding held at the house, some jewelry was stolen from some of the landlord’s female relatives. The police were called, and when they arrived at the scene they arrested two maids: Farzana and a Muslim woman named Rehana. Nazir Masih, Farzana’s husband, said, ‘Police registered a fake theft case against my wife and Rehana without any proof.'”
— “Nazir went on to say that the police tortured his wife even though she told them she was pregnant. He told ICC, ‘Sub-Inspector Zulfiqar and Assistant Sub-Inspector Akhter subjected her to intense torture. They stripped off her clothes and dragged her naked around the compound of Cantonment Area Police Station in Kharian. They humiliated and tortured my wife, but did not do anything to Rehana.'”
— “Although Farzana complained of severe pain, the police ignored her pleas and detained her for another two days. When her condition became critical, the police finally transferred her to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Kharian, where she miscarried.”
— “Nazir filed a report with the District Police Officer in Gujrat, detailing the abuse his wife received and her miscarriage. The District Office initiated an investigation after receiving the report, withdrawing the false accusations and suspending officers Zulfiqar and Akhter.”
— “The authorities have pledged to punish all those responsible. Please pray that God would comfort Farzana and Nazir and that justice would be carried out. Please also call your Pakistani embassy and ask them to defend the rights of Christians.”
— “Jeremy Sewall, ICC’s Advocacy Director, said, ‘While we were not able to confirm whether Farzana was innocent of robbing her employers, it is absolutely unacceptable for police to humiliate her and abuse her so severely that she lost her child. The fact that the Muslim woman accused of the same thing was at least treated like a human being just proves again that if you are not a Muslim in Pakistan, you have no rights. The government should go beyond suspending the two officers guilty of this crime and try them for manslaughter.'”
Iraq: “Honor Killings” and Attacks on Gays Continue to Rise
— BBC: Anti-gay attacks on rise in Iraq
— “So-called honour killings also account for deaths where families punish their own kin in order to avoid public shame.”
— “Witnesses say vigilante groups break into homes and pick people up in the street, interrogating them to extract the names of other potential victims, before murdering them.”
— “Recently, posters appeared in Sadr City – a conservative, Shia area of Baghdad – calling on people to watch out for gay men and listing not only their names but also their addresses.”
— “One gay man in Baghdad described the killing campaign as a witch-hunt.”
— “Nearly 90 gay men have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of January and many more are missing, local gay rights campaigners say.”
— “The report, called They want us exterminated: Murder, Torture, Sexual Orientation and Gender in Iraq, says horrifically mutilated bodies of gay men have been left on rubbish tips.”
— “Sometimes their bodies are daubed with offensive terms such as ‘pervert,’ or ‘puppy’ which is a hate word for gay men in Iraq.”
— “The report contains detailed testimonies of a range of brutal treatment of gay Iraqi men.”
— “‘We’ve heard stories confirmed by doctors of men having their anuses glued and then being force-fed laxatives which leads to a very painful death,’ says Ms Moumneh told the BBC.”
— AFP: Torture and execution of Iraqi gays on rise
Additional reports:
Turkey: Young Iraqi gays find safe haven in Turkey
Iraq: LGBT group claims Iraq is waging a ‘campaign of violence and murder’ against gays
Iraq: “a program of ‘sexual cleansing’ is being perpetrated against homosexuals in Iraq”
Iraq: Radical Iraq cleric orders ‘depraved’ homosexuality to be eradicated
Iraq: Extremists Kill 25 Gay Men and Boys in Recent Weeks
Iraq: Gay Men Murdered by Extremists in So-Called “Honor Killing”
Pakistani Christians Forced into Refugee Camps
Pakistani Christians Forced into Refugee Camps
— Christian Post reports:
— “Far away from Gojra, where a Muslim mob recently killed eight Christians, in the heart of Islamabad, about 2,000 Pakistani Christians are ‘forced to live in a refugee camp.'”
— “Their only crime is that they are Christians. Among the displaced Christians, two have already died due to poor hygiene.”
— “The displaced Christians told CNN correspondents, who visited them recently, that the government had kicked them off their land without warning only because they are Christian. However, the government has told a different story, saying that they were given plenty of warning. Moreover, the government said they will take care of this problem, which they claim they are well aware of.”
Canada: Prosecution wants father jailed for “honor crime” threats against daughter
(Canada) Crown wants taxi union boss jailed for ‘honour crime’
— Ottawa Citizen reports that court alleges: “Yusef Al Mezel’s threat of an honour killing was designed to ‘control and dominate’ his then-23-year-old daughter, Eman Al Mezel”
DC: Egyptian Christian Human Rights Group Press Conference – Monday, August 17 – 9:30 AM
“Voice of the Copts, a human rights group for 15 million Egyptian Coptic Christians, will hold a News Conference on Monday August 17th at 9:30am in the Lisagor Room of the National Press Club to detail violent attacks against Coptic Christians in Egypt with the blessing of Mubarak’s regime and to demand action by Mubarak to stop such attacks. Due to 28 years of Mubarak’s refusal to take effective action, President Mubarak is responsible for these violent attacks.”
“Dottore Architetto Ashraf Ramelah, Voice of the Copts’ president, will present a bill of indictment against President Mubarak as a silent partner to murder, torture, rape & other human rights violations against Coptic Christians by violent Muslim extremists in Mubarak’s Egypt. Dr. Ramelah demands that Mubarak now begin take effective action.”
“Dr. Ashraf Ramelah said, ‘Our objective is to expose the unprovoked criminal acts and escalating human rights violations by President Mubarak and his Egyptian regime against law-abiding Coptic Christians and others in Mubarak’s Egypt. For 28 years, Mubarak has encouraged and enabled such violence by against Coptic Christians by Mubarak’s refusal to take action. At our News Conference and peaceful Rally in Washington, the Copts are finally confronting Mubarak. We urge President Obama to demand that Mubarak now take effective action to ensure human rights for Coptic Christians and others in Egypt.'”
“Dr. Ashraf Ramelah said, ‘A significant Mubarak supporter called me to ask that I cancel the Voice of the Copts News Conference in exchange for a meaningless promise. Until President Mubarak begins to take effective action to stop all Muslim extremist violence against Coptic Christians in Mubarak’s Egypt, we refuse to make any concessions. We will not negotiate with terrorists — or with terrorist enablers.'”
“Fifteen million Egyptian Coptic Christians, the Voice of the Copts, and Dr. Ashraf Ramelah demand the following from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak:”
“1. That Egyptian President Mubarak take effective action to stop the Muslim extremist torture, rape, and murder of Coptic Christian women, men & children;”
“2. That Mubarak take action to stop Muslim abductions of Coptic Christians and that Mubarak effect the return of all abducted Coptics to their families;
“3. That Mubarak take action to stop all Muslim extremist human rights violations & forced Muslim conversions against Coptic Christian women, men & children;”
“4. That President Mubarak and the Egyptian parliament immediately take action to remove all remnants of Muslim law, also known as Sharia Law, from the Egyptian constitution — or outlaw the applicability of Sharia Law against Coptic Christians and other non-Muslims in Egypt;”
“5. That President Mubarak and the Egyptian parliament take action to implement human and civil rights for Coptic Christians and other non-Muslims in Egypt equal to the rights of Muslims in Egypt — which rights are now guaranteed in Egypt’s constitution but are effectively denied by the Mubarak regime;”
“6. That President Mubarak immediately take action to guarantee life, liberty, and the pursuit of economic, religious & other happiness in Egypt by Coptic Christians and other non-Muslims – in a manner that is equal to Muslims in Egypt; and”
“7. That Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak (before he leaves Washington) pardon & release Coptic Christian priest Father Mattaos Wahba from a 5-year sentence of hard-labor imprisonment for performing a Christian marriage ceremony for a Christian man and a Christian woman (whom Mattaos did not know had converted to Christianity after being a Muslim — which may almost be a crime in Egypt).”
“Voice of the Copts president Ramelah said, ‘If Mubarak is unwilling or unable to release Father Mattaos, then Egypt’s 15 million Coptic Christians and I ask that President Obama or former President Bill Clinton fly to Egypt to persuade Mubarak — or others who are able — to release Father Mattaos from prison for the ‘crime’ of performing a Christian marriage ceremony. If Clinton can do this with North Korean President Kim Jong Il, then Clinton may be able to do this with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. After all, miracles do happen.'”
“Dr. Ramelah also said, ‘If Obama can discuss human rights for Arab Muslims in Israel and how to bring peace and prosperity for all Mid-East peoples, as Obama said when first meeting with Mubarak in Egypt, maybe Obama and Mubarak can now discuss human rights for Coptic Christians in Egypt and how to bring peace and prosperity for all peoples in Egypt. After all, miracles do happen.'”
“Voice of the Copts — along with the National American Coptic Assembly and the American Coptic Union — has scheduled a peaceful rally at the White House during President Hosni Mubarak’s visit to Washington DC to meet with President Barak H. Obama on Tuesday August 18th. The rally will begin on Tuesday at 9:00am at Pennsylvania Avenue & 17th Street NW and will then move to the White House. Mubarak and Obama may then listen and take effective action.”
Specifics on Events:
Monday August 17, 2009 Press Club Event
– 9:30 AM – National Press Club — Lisagor Room
529 14th Street, NW 13th Floor Washington, DC 20045
Telephone: 202-662-7500 Fax: 202-662-7512
– Contacts: John Edward Hurley (Hurley30@hotmail.com), Ashraf Ramelah (aramelah@voiceofthecopts.org)
– See Map and Directions – a few block away from “Metro Center” subway stop
By Washington DC Subway
* Take Metro to Metro Center.
* Take the 13th Street Exit, take escalator to 13th Street; you should be at the corner of 13th and G Streets.
* Walk one block south to F Street.
* Turn right (West) and walk one block to 14th Street
* Turn left and walk downhill to the National Press Building lobby.
* Enter and take the elevators to the 13th Floor
Parking
* The PMI garage is located on the north side of G St between 13th and 14th Streets.
* Carr Park is located at the corner of 15th and F Streets.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Protest at White House – 9 AM
Indonesia: Christian congregation threatened with sticks, protests – every Sunday – for praying
“Congregation finds it hard to worship and pray in peace”
— Jakarta Post reports:
— “In Pisangan Jaya, Tangerang, Banten, congregation leader Bedali Hulu has lived in anxiety for the past two months ago, as dozens of members of Islam organizations confront him each time his congregation holds a Sunday prayer.”
— “Even though the extremists have yet to turn violent, their actions have intimidated Bedali and the 40 members of his Jakarta Baptist Christian Church (GKBJ), leading them to pray under pressure.”
— “‘How can we pray properly if there are a bunch of people screaming threatening words outside our church while we hold Sunday prayers?’ Bedali told The Jakarta Post recently.”
— “He says it was in 2005 when the protests against his congregation’s activities began to erupt.
‘We were in another place then, still in the same village,’ he said.”
— “‘Several members of Muslim groups ordered us to move because they didn’t want us praying there.'”
— “‘So we moved to keep them happy, but then another group of activists came and ordered us to move once again, and here we are now.'”
— “Asun, who lives across the street from the church, told the Post on Thursday he feared the protesters than the churchgoers.”
— “‘They come every Sunday, brandishing sticks and yelling ‘Allahuakbar’,’ he said. ‘If a brawl breaks out and our homes are damaged, who’ll take responsibility?'”
Other reports:
July 17, 2009 – Wall Street Journal: “Indonesia Is a Model Muslim Democracy”
See also previous reports:
July 23, 2009 – Indonesia: West Java, Protestant church demolished by local government
July 24, 2009 – Indonesia: Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir – terrorism won’t end until authorities respect the supremacy of Islamic law
July 15, 2009 – Indonesia – Muslims Order Halt to Church Building
July 7, 2009 – Indonesia – Church, Bible Students Fight Discrimination
May 19, 2009 – Indonesia – Muslim Group Threatens Newly Elected Christian
“Sole Catholic to win seat in district legislature told to convert to Islam” – Dominikus Supriyanto
May 6, 2009 – Indonesia – Mayor Revokes Church Permit
April 27, 2009 – Christian priest, wife killed in eastern Indonesia
February 3, 2009: Indonesia – Sharia-Based Laws Creep into Half of Provinces
February 6, 2009: Indonesian cleric wants boycott of Islam film on Muslim women
January 23, 2009: “Under Indonesian law, men can marry at 19 and women at 16, although under some Islamic laws there is no age limit”
February 9, 2009: Radical Books Raise Fears in Indonesia of Spread of Militants’ Ideas
January 2, 2009: Indonesia fails to fight terrorists’ ideology
January 9, 2009: Indonesia: Protesters seal off synagogue amid pro-Palestinian protests
January 5, 2009: “More than 4,000 Indonesians have offered to support Hamas and fight against Israel”
January 5, 2009: Indonesia – Muslim Groups Plan to Send Violent Extemism Fighters
February 5, 2009: President attends inauguration of sharia economy festival
February 3, 2009: Radicals seek ban on Rotary, Lions clubs in Indonesia
January 18, 2009: Indonesian cleric calls for jihad in Gaza
January 8, 2009: Indonesian Muslims storm Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant
February 14, 2009: A “moderate” Indonesian examines the Valentine Day controversy among Muslims
July 9, 2008 – Indonesia: Church in West Java Bulldozed
June 25, 2008 – Indonesia: Islamists try to Destroy Church Buildings
April 2, 2008 – Indonesia – 110 churches closed in three years
November 28, 2007 – Indonesia Church Destroyed By Muslim Militants In West Java, Christians say
June 8, 2004 – About 100 men destroy church in Indonesia’s Bekasi
March 22, 2004 – Violent Extemism in Indonesia: Machete Wielding Muslim Motorcyclists Kill Christian Woman with Baby
Indonesian Islamists Try to Destroy Church Buildings
February 17, 2001 – Indonesia: Convert or Die!
Church burning in Indonesia
November 9, 2006 – The Australian: Indonesia – Beheaded girls were Ramadan ‘trophies’
“Three Christian high school girls were beheaded as a Ramadan ‘trophy’ by Indonesian militants who conceived the idea after a visit to Philippines jihadists, a court heard yesterday. The girls’ severed heads were dumped in plastic bags in their village in Indonesia’s strife-torn Central Sulawesi province, along with a handwritten note threatening more such attacks. The note read: ‘Wanted: 100 more Christian heads, teenaged or adult, male or female; blood shall be answered with blood, soul with soul, head with head.’ …. he decided that beheading Christians could qualify as an act of Muslim charity. Conscripting several accomplices at a local pesantren, or Islamic school, he directed one of them, Lilik Purnomo, to seek out “the head of a Christian’… They prepared six machetes and black plastic bags for carrying off the severed heads and spent several days surveying the area where the students regularly passed by. The attack was launched the following morning, but only four of the six targeted girls appeared. Lilik, directing the attack from a nearby hill, told his accomplices to act quickly so that the remaining two girls could still be killed should they appear behind their friends. The attackers cleanly beheaded three of the students but a fourth, Noviana Malewa, escaped after a struggle and ran away screaming. Her attackers gave chase but were unable to catch her. The bodies, dressed in school uniform, were left by the roadside near the execution site, but the heads were carried in a backpack to Hasanuddin.”
Pakistan Celebrates Independence, While Ignoring Religious Persecution and Intolerance
Pakistan: Terrorism, extremism biggest national worries: PM Gilani
— Country facing terrorism due to wrong decisions of dictator: PM Gilani
— April 16, 2008 – Pakistan National Assembly passes resolution calling for U.N. to impose death penalty internationally for blasphemy
— “Information Minister Sherry Rehman and Sahibzada Fazle Karim moved the two resolutions.”
— “Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani… arrived moments after the passage of the resolutions”
Pakistan: New Poll Shows 78 Percent of Pakistanis Support Death Penalty for Leaving Islam
Pakistan Army Chief Kayani : We are against terrorism, not religion
— Kayani: “Islam is the soul and spirit of Pakistan. It is our strength and we will always be an Islamic republic.”
Pakistan: August 14 — a day to thank God for blessing us with freedom: Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer
— Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer: “Pakistan had come into existence to establish a society based on justice, tolerance and equality”
— July 4, 2009 – Muslims attack Christian homes in Punjab
— “A mob of some 600 people attacked about a hundred Christian homes in Bahmani, a village in Kasur district in Punjab”
— “A cleric in a local mosque accused the Christians of blasphemy inciting his fellow Muslims to attack the Christians.”
— March 13, 2009: Punjab’s Rawalpindi: Christian Faces ‘Blasphemy’ Abetting Charge, Dangers
— March 7, 2009: Punjab: One killed in attack on church in Pakistan
—- related report
Pakistan Human Rights Commission after Gojra attacks
— Asma Jahangir, the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission: “For too long the Pakistani state has protected people with extremist views… It is not just political parties. There are radicalised individuals, and supporters of militant groups within the judiciary, the education system, the bureaucracy and police as well.”
Jordan: “Honor Killing” – Man Charged with Killing Married Sister
— Strait Times: “Man charged for killing sister”:
— “A criminal prosecutor has charged a man with shooting to death of his pregnant sister to cleanse the family’s honor because she got married without their approval”
— “Violent Extemism al-Diridi filed the charges of premeditated murder and illegal possession of weapons to the court Thursday.”
— “The prosecutor said the 23-year-old woman got married two years ago and had a baby boy.”
— “She later reconciled with her parents, who invited her to her brother’s wedding Wednesday.”
— “Al-Diridi said the man shot his sister in the head and abdomen after the wedding party.”
— “He said the woman’s husband was beaten by two other brothers, who were charged with assisting the crime.”
— “An average of 20 Jordanian women are murdered each year by male relatives in so-called ‘honor killings.'”
Pakistan: New Poll Shows 78 Percent of Pakistanis Support Death Penalty for Leaving Islam
— 83 percent support stoning adulterers
— Consistent with previous polls where 75 percent have called for implementation of strict Sharia law by Pakistan government
— Complete report
— Report page 3 — “The new poll finds broad support for harsh punishments: 78% favor death for those who leave Islam; 80% favor whippings and cutting off hands for crimes like theft and robbery; and 83% favor stoning adulterers.”
— Questions 62b, 62c, and 62d, page 17
— Page 18 – “only 16% of Pakistanis express a favorable view of the U.S.”