Category Archives: International Affairs

Propaganda TV

By Shikwa | Published: July 2, 2009

The terrible repression of ordinary Iranians and reporters continues unabated in Tehran. The latest news to emerge is that the Canadian-Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari who was covering events for Newsweek has apparently ‘confessed’ to participating:

in a Western media effort to promote irresponsible reporting in Iran.

The whole thing started after Maziar gave Channel 4 News footage of Basiji members opening fire on a crowd of protestors. The Basiji responded by arresting Maziar who has been detaind since June 21. Then, as if right on cue, we have this from Iran’s state sponsored broadcaster Press TV:

…Bahari explained the nature of some of his activities in Iran over the past years and the role that Western media had played in the events, which unfolded in the country.

[...]

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Also posted in Anti Fascism, Ethics, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights, Islamism, Politics | 8 Comments

HT’s Big American Flop

By Yossarian | Published: June 29, 2009

I recently blogged about the news that Hizb ut-Tahrir America had come out of the closet, it was organising events in its own name and even planning a grand Khilafah conference at the Aqsa School in Illinois. I was not entirely sure what to make of this news; possibly it was a sign that HT America was growing in numbers, possibly it was a desperate last throw of the dice by an organisation rapidly fading to nothing.

Anyway, if you now go to the conference’s rather snazzy website (Khilafah Conference 2009) then you are immediately confronted by an ‘Alert’.

We are sad to inform you that the Aqsa school venue has canceled on us. This venue is no longer willing to hold our conference. We will update you when we have a new venue available.

Not exactly a triumphant launch for HT America. Indeed, it’s rather reminiscent of al-Macaroon’s recent damp squib of a relaunch.

Also posted in Islamism | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Ahmadinejad’s Trap

By Yossarian | Published: June 28, 2009

Over at Liberal Conspiracy Sunny makes a good point about the current diplomatic crisis with Iran.

If your authority was being undermined by street protests and an election widely seen as rigged – what’s the best way of uniting people behind you? Why, starting a diplomatic row of course, with the hope it will escalate into a bigger show of force.

And this is Ahmedinijad’s obvious gambit as Iran arrested nine staff working at the UK embassy on suspicion they took part in the recent street protests. The EU has now threatened a “strong response” to Iranian harassment of EU staff. Which is obviously what Ahmedinijad wants.

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Posted in International Affairs | 2 Comments

Clearing up a few things

By Yossarian | Published: June 23, 2009

From the Latin American Herald Tribune:

MADRID – The “Dictionary of Islam and Islamism” prepared by doctor of Arab philology Luz Gomez Garcia is the first compilation in Spanish of more than 500 terms that ease the understanding of Islamic traditions, history and culture.

Through a bibliography grouped by subject and a chronology of the history of Islam since its beginnings in the year 610 A.D., Gomez reviews the terms used by the media “that don’t always have an easy translation.” …

The confusions begin with the distinction between Islam and Islamism, terms that the Royal Spanish Academy defines as synonyms.

“In Islamic tradition Islam is related to strictly religious aspects such as doctrine, theology, philosophy and even sociology, while Islamism is the ideological adaptation of Islamic precepts for political ends,” the author told Efe.

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Also posted in Islamism | Tagged | 13 Comments

al-Qaeda would use Pakistani nuclear weapons – surprised?

By Houriya | Published: June 23, 2009

The leader of al-Qaeda (AQ) in Afghanistan, Abu al-Yazid (aka Abu Saeed al-Misri – the Egyptian), has said they would use Pakistan’s nuclear weapons to fight against the ‘Serpent’ United States of America.

God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans

Oh no…

Interviewed by Al-Jazeera, Abu al-Yazid also commented on AQ’s future strategy:

The strategy of the … organisation in the coming period is the same as in the previous period: to hit the head of the snake, the head of tyranny — the United States.

That can be achieved through continued work on the open fronts and also by opening new fronts in a manner that achieves the interests of Islam and Muslims and by increasing military operations that drain the enemy financially.

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Also posted in Terrorism | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Hizb ut-Tahrir America Goes Public

By Yossarian | Published: June 21, 2009

Hizb ut-Tahrir, the global Islamist revolutionary group founded by an Islamo-Stalinist and famed for its incessant calls for Khilafah (Caliphate), appears to have gone public in the United States. Whereas HT had previously operated in America only from behind aliases and front groups, now it is operating openly and in its own name. As Shikwa has explained here before, this is a development which should concern all Americans.

Here is the promotional video for their inaugural event: Khilafah Conference 2009 – Fall of Capitalism & Rise of Islam

It will be held on Sunday, 19th July at Aqsa School, a private co-educational Islamic school in Bridgeview, Illinois which has only 301 students; HT America is clearly not expecting the kind of attendance HT Indonesia managed to gather in 2007. Indeed, it looks like they’re expecting an exraordinarily pitiful number of attendees. That said, the fact that HT America feels confident enough to move into the open, rather than cowering in the shadows, is a depressing development.

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Also posted in Islamism | Tagged | 20 Comments

Behind the Veil – Minarets of Menace/The Daily Show do Iran

By Retired | Published: June 18, 2009
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Jason Jones: Behind the Veil – Minarets of Menace
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes		 Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran
Posted in International Affairs | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Support Our Comrades in Iran

By Guest | Published: June 17, 2009

Support the Iranian people’s struggle for democracy and freedom

There are demonstrations in front of the Iranian Embassy every day.

Protest this Thursday 18 June, 6-8pm – or any day – outside the Iranian Embassy in London,

16 Princes Gate, SW7 1PT

Spread the word via twitter, facebook, myspace and your email address book.

Show the Iranian people that they are not alone.

Show the Tehran regime that the humane world is against its vote-rigging and tyranny.

We don’t want to  post pictures of the murder and brutality that is being meted out to ordinary Iranians right now.  The photos and footage coming out of Iran are extremely bloody and very disturbing.

If you would like to see what is happening in Iran, here is one picture and one piece of footage.  The picture is from the protest clashes in Shiraz, the film footage is an Isfahan university student.

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Also posted in Democracy, Feature, Human Rights | Tagged | 1 Comment

Montazeri’s Letter

By Faisal | Published: June 16, 2009

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri was one of architects of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. He was due to succeed Ayatollah Khomeini but this never transpired because of a falling out with the Majlis and Khomeini over policies that infringed or denied the basic human rights of the people of Iran. He has since earned the accolade of ‘Iran’s dissident ayatollah’.

For the last 30 years, Hossein Montazeri has been a vocal critic of the Iran’s domestic and foreign policy and an advocate of civil and women’s rights in the Islamic Republic.

Montazeri has published an open letter which has been translated into English and posted here.

In the name of God

People of Iran

These last days, we have witnessed the lively efforts of you brothers and sisters, old and young alike, from any social category, for the 10th presidential elections.

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Also posted in Democracy | Tagged | Leave a comment

The twitter interview in Tehran

By Shikwa | Published: June 15, 2009

News reports from Iran get worse. They are shooting protesters now.

Wilfried Schobeiri, an Iranian-American, has interviewed his uncle in Tehran about the situation there.

Here’s a snippet:

“Tell me whats going on with the election.”

Basically, the Iranian people want the following:

1. Take steps towards democracy

2. Have good and free relations with entire world (incl US)

3. Seek peace, as we are people who want peace with neighboring countries

4. seek progress, for a better situation and position in the world

5. These are all aims which Mousavi, Rezaee, and Karroubi desire.

We are told by Mousavi, Rezaee, and Karroubi that they are going to govern peacefully, strive for good relationships with other countries, and bring peace to the country. They support progress, and want good relations with other nations, even Israel and the US. They’d also like to stop giving economic support to palestinian terrorists [my emphasis].

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Also posted in Democracy, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights, Politics | Leave a comment

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