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Showing posts with label Great Britian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Britian. Show all posts

Monday, March 15, 2010

Britain still doesn't get Lebanon

The UK ambassador's latest foray shows just how little Britain understands the Lebanese people's relationship with Hezbollah.

Matthew Cassel

One would think that the British government, considering its history in the Middle East of colonizing and partitioning the land and overthrowing governments and its support of undemocratic and dictatorial regimes, would be wary of sending its representatives to offer advice to Arab nations on how best to achieve their right to self-determination. But apparently the British ambassador to Lebanon didn't get the memo.

Last month Frances Guy told the Lebanese daily an-Nahar that "the [Lebanese] state cannot enjoy sovereignty if there was one group from within the state that has more weapons than the army". Of course, the group she was referring to was Hezbollah – the shia Islamic political and resistance movement in Lebanon.

While the UK ambassador's formula might work in some countries, it cannot be applied to Lebanon. The Lebanese army has never been considered capable of defending the country against an Israeli attack. Not only has it always had to struggle with a weak and divided leadership, but its aid packages and arms shipments from the US look like pennies and toy guns when compared to those received by Israel. Hence the popular support in Lebanon for a non-state resistance movement capable of facing off with Israel and protecting Lebanon's sovereignty.

When referring to Hezbollah in the context of Israel, many Lebanese – including the government – refer to it as "the resistance" (al-muqawama in Arabic), and not by name. Hezbollah is not the first organization formed in Lebanon to resist Israeli attacks on the country. It was born under Israeli occupation and filled the resistance void after its predecessors, the Palestine Liberation Organization and its Lebanese allies, were defeated in 1982 when Israel was able to invade Beirut after several years of civil war ravaged the country.

For whatever reason, Hezbollah has been the most effective resistance movement in Lebanon's history of conflict with Israel to date. In 2000, when Israel withdrew its troops from nearly all of the Lebanese territory it had occupied for 22 years, the resistance was celebrated as the victor.

In 2006, when Israel waged an all-out war on Lebanon, ostensibly in response to a Hezbollah cross-border raid during which two Israeli soldiers were captured, and retreated 34 days later, the resistance was again celebrated as the victor.

At the height of the 2006 war, a poll conducted by the Beirut Center for Research & Information found 87% of Lebanese supported "the confrontations carried out by the resistance against the Israeli aggression against Lebanon". Support for the resistance, especially during times of war and occupation, is one of the few issues that most can agree on in a politically divided country like Lebanon.

Days after the British ambassador's comments, on the eve of the Mawlid holiday when Muslims celebrate the prophet Mohammed's birthday, many in Beirut lay awake in bed, unable to sleep as Israeli warplanes flew back and forth across the skies above the Lebanese capital. These overflights – a clear violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and of UN security council resolution 1701 – are not rare occurrences.

In recent years Israeli aircraft can often be heard above southern Lebanon. Not to mention the landmines and cluster bombs that Israel generously left scattered all over the south after each of its withdrawals and which continue to threaten farmers and children playing in the fields. Yet oddly enough the UK, along with the US and other governments that have "special relationships" with Israel, have remained silent about these clear violations of Lebanese sovereignty.

The British ambassador's comments of course reflect a larger feeling of desperation among some western countries that consider Hezbollah a "terrorist" organization and have supported any and all attacks against it, whether by Israel or other Lebanese groups.

One week before Guy's comments, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said to Israel in a televised speech: "If you strike Rafiq al-Hariri International Airport in Beirut, we will strike Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv."

In 2006, after Israel bombed Beirut airport in the first hours of the war, Hezbollah did not have the ability to strike back at more significant Israeli targets. But now, all sides agree that Hezbollah is better trained and better equipped, making it an even more formidable military force than it was four years ago.

Therefore, the question that many have been asking – whether or not Israel will attack Lebanon again – is no longer relevant. How can Israel attack Lebanon again? is now the question. After being handed defeats by a weaker Hezbollah in 2000 and 2006, Israel seems to have few options left.

Another poll conducted recently shows that 84% of Lebanese "trust the resistance's capabilities facing any Israeli attack". This overwhelming confidence in Hezbollah – the resistance – indicates that the Lebanese have a good idea of how to be able to enjoy their sovereignty. But the UK, the US and Israel must also accept that the resistance is real, and abandon the language of bombs if they wish to communicate with the people of Lebanon.

Source: The Guardian.
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/15/britain-middle-east-policy-lebanon.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Icelandic voters say "no" to neoliberal debt payback deal

Partial results from a referendum in Iceland suggest voters have given a resounding "no" to a deal in which Iceland would have paid Britain and the Netherlands billions of euros.

This would have been to cover the compensation the two countries paid to their citizens who lost money due to the collapse of the Icesave bank.

However, with nearly a third of the votes counted, more than 90 percent of Icelandic voters have rejected the deal.

The British and Dutch governments want reimbursement of $5.2 billion they paid in compensation to customers after the failure of Icesave bank, which folded in 2008.

Talks between the three countries broke down on Friday before an agreement could be reached.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120231§ionid=351020606.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Brits protest anti-Islam Dutch lawmaker visit

Hundreds of people have gathered outside the British parliament to protest Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders' visit, aimed at spreading Islamophobia.

The protest erupted after Wilders, who is visiting Britain upon an invitation by far-right UK Independence Party leader Lord Pearson, screened his anti-Islamic film 'Fitna' in the House of Lords.

The far-right filmmaker sent shockwaves through both secular and faith-based communities when his defamatory film linking Islam to extremism was first posted on the internet in 2008.

In 2009, British officials refused the 46-year-old politician entry into the county denouncing him as a "genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat to one of the fundamental interests of society."

But the ban was overturned in October after he appealed the decision.

Fitna, which means ordeal, also drew strong criticism from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who called the 17-minute movie "offensively anti-Islamic."

Infamous for his anti-Islamic ideas, Wilders has also calls for a ban on the Holy Qur'an.

Last year, also a court appeal in Amsterdam ordered prosecution against Wilder for "the incitement to hatred and discrimination."

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120181§ionid=351020601.

Former Bosnian leader held in London to stay in jail - Summary

London/Belgrade - A prominent former Bosnian Muslim leader held in London on alleged war crimes charges following a Serbian extradition warrant failed in his efforts to be freed on bail Friday, as his lawyer claimed the arrest was "politically-motivated." The High Court in London adjourned a decision on a bail application for Ejup Ganic, saying it needed more evidence from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) expanding on the reasons why he was wanted by the Serbian authorities.

Meanwhile Clare Montgomery, a high-profile defence lawyer representing Ganic, said his arrest was politically-motivated and holding him in prison any longer would risk "making a mockery of justice."

In Sarajevo, around 1,000 people gathered at the British embassy Friday to protest at Ganic's arrest, before moving on to the Serbian embassy.

Muslims make up around half and Serbs one-third of Bosnia's four million inhabitants. Relations between ethnic groups in the former Yugoslav republic remain tense nearly 15 years after the war there ended.

Ganic, an academic with close ties to the University in of Buckingham in Britain, was arrested Monday on his arrival at London's Heathrow airport on a provisional arrest warrant issued by the Serbian government. He marked his 64th birthday in detention Wednesday.

But the judges, John Laws and Richard McCombe, said they needed to have more details of the nature of the Serbian extradition request before granting bail. Ganic's family has condemned his arrest and is reported to have provided 200,000 pounds (300,000 dollars) for his release.

The court heard that Terence Kealey, vice-chancellor of Buckingham University, had offered 25,000 pounds in bail security, while a "well-wisher" had provided 300,000 pounds.

He was told earlier by a London Magistrate's Court that he would have to remain in custody until March 29, the date set for a formal extradition hearing. His initial request for bail was dismissed by the same court Wednesday.

It is alleged that Ganic was involved in an attack in May 1992 on a Yugoslav army convoy in Sarajevo in which 42 soldiers were killed and 73 injured. He has denied the allegations.

Montgomery told the court that the Serbian government, which has yet to issue a formal extradition request, was abusing the extradition process.

His arrest was politically-motivated, she argued, coinciding with the trial of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic for war crimes in The Hague.

"There is an overwhelming case for granting bail," she said. Holding Ganic for up to 45 days at Wandsworth top security prison in London risked making a "mockery of justice."

Adjourning the case to next Thursday, judge Laws said he "did not like at all" the custodial "limbo" Ganic was currently in.

The arrest of the former leading politician, who formerly served under the rotating Bosnian presidency, has caused uproar in his home country and raised eyebrows in Britain, where former Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher is counted among his friends.

German politician and diplomat Christian Schwarz-Schilling, who served as the international administrator in Bosnia in 2006-07, called Ganic's arrest an "international scandal" and "outrage."...

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/312688,former-bosnian-leader-held-in-london-to-stay-in-jail.html.

German diplomat blasts Serbia, Great Britain over Ganic's arrest

Belgrade - The arrest of Bosnia's former president and Muslim leader on a war crimes warrant by Serbia is an "international scandal" and "outrage," German politician and diplomat Christian Schwarz-Schilling said Friday. Schwarz-Schilling blasted Serbia for "refusing to come to terms with its recent past," but also Great Britain, for taking "part in the kidnapping of a distinguished Bosnian academic and participated in Serbia's political ploy."

Ganic, 64, was arrested Monday by British authorities on a Serbian warrant. Serbian prosecutors allege that Ganic commanded an ambush on a Yugoslav army convoy in May 1992 and was responsible for the death of 42 soldiers.

The High Court in London on Friday adjourned a decision on a bail application for Ganic following a Serbian extradition warrant.

Schwarz-Schilling, who served as the international administrator in Bosnia in 2006-07, said charges against Ganic were "an attempt to manipulate history" and pointed out that the attack occurred a day after an all-out offensive of Serbs on Sarajevo.

"Ganic was defending his country from a Serb attack," Schwarz-Schilling told the German Press Agency dpa.

He warned that Serbia's persistence to pursue Ganic even though the United Nations' war crimes tribunal found no evidence against him, "reflects Serbia's refusal to fully come to terms with its own role in wars in former Yugoslavia."

"It also reflects Serbia's continuous attempt to avert the blame for atrocities committed during the war and allocate some of the responsibility to other former Yugoslav republics," he said.

By ordering Ganic's arrest, Serbia will prevent the free travel of people in the region and may provoke countermeasures by other Balkan countries, Schwarz-Schilling warned.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/312690,german-diplomat-blasts-serbia-great-britain-over-ganics-arrest.html.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

British police in Israel in Israeli-British passport inquiry

Jerusalem/London - British agents arrived in Israel Saturday to interview Israelis with double passport whose identities were allegedly used by the assassins of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh last month in Dubai, Israeli media reported. Members of the British Serious Organized Crime Agency arrived in Israel to question the six Israeli-British citizens whose passports were allegedly faked together with Irish, French, German and Australian in order to travel to United Arab Emirates.

Dubai police accused Israeli Intelligence Agency Mossad of using forged passports to travel to Dubai and kill Hamas leader Mahmoud al- Mabhouh, found dead in his hotel room January 20.

Dubai Police Chief Dahi Khalfan Tamim said Friday that there are DNA evidence of one of the criminals and called Saturday to Mossad to confess their involvement or issue a clear denial of the accusations against the Israeli agency.

In a message to Mossad Chief Meir Dagan, Khalfan Tamim urged him to "own up to his crime or unequivocally deny his organization's involvement," United Arab Emirates media reported.

Dubai police has called all Arab countries to carefully check any Jewish citizen with double passport in order to "prevent Mossad's infiltrations," newspaper Emarat Al Youm reported Saturday.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/311618,british-police-in-israel-in-israeli-british-passport-inquiry.html.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Return Falklands to Argentina, says Chavez to Queen

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called on Queen Elizabeth II of Britain to leave the disputed Malvinas (Falklands) Island to Argentina, saying that the time of empires have long expired.

"Look, England, how long are you going to be in Las Malvinas Queen of England, I'm talking to you... the time for empires are over, haven't you noticed? Return the Malvinas to the Argentine People," AFP quoted Chavez as saying in his weekly TV and Radio address "Alo Presidente" on Sunday.

The Latin American leader warned that in the event of a war over the island, Argentina would not be alone.

"The English are still threatening Argentina. Things have changed," Chavez continued, still addressing Queen Elizabeth II. "We are no longer in 1982. If conflict breaks out, be sure Argentina will not be alone like it was back then."

The British claim over the archipelago is "anti-historic and irrational," said Chavez, asking "why the English speak of democracy but still have a queen?"

The dispute over the Malvinas Island arose between Buenos Aires and London after Argentina found that Britain was planning drilling for oil near the islands that lie around 500 kilometers off the coast of Argentina and almost 13,000 kilometers away from the UK.

Britain deems the southern Atlantic archipelago as part of its sovereign territories, with Prime Minister Gordon Brown reportedly hinting at a possible confrontation in the event of a clash.

Earlier on Friday Chavez had also slammed the US and the UK for what he described as their 'oil hunger' that had sparked tensions over drilling plans near the Falklands or Las Malvinas.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=119229§ionid=351020704.

British firm starts oil drilling in Falkland Islands waters

London - A British rig Monday started drilling for oil in the territorial waters of the Falklands Islands in the South Atlantic - despite the prospect of an escalating diplomatic row with Argentina. Argentina, which fought a war with Britain over the islands' sovereignty in 1982, has warned that the move violated its sovereignty and started to impose shipping restrictions around its shores.

Desire Petroleum, the company charged with the exploration, confirmed Monday that operations had started on a platform towed to a point some 100 kilometres north of the Falkland Islands.

"Drilling operations are expected to take approximately 30 days and a further announcement will be made once drilling is completed," the company said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange.

"Desire is an oil company and it's exploring for oil and not getting involved in what Argentina is saying ... The rig is sitting firmly in UK waters," the company said.

Argentina has long claimed the islands, which it calls the Malvinas. According to estimates, the Falklands have a total of 60 billion barrels of oil.

In London, Bill Rammell, a junior defence minister, reiterated that the British government would take "whatever steps are necessary" to protect the Falkland Islands - a pledge already made earlier by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Rammell said the Falkland Islands had a "legitimate right" to develop an oil industry within its waters.

"We do, we have, and we will take whatever steps are necessary to protect the Falkland Islands and our counterparts in Argentina are aware of that," said Rammell.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/310660,british-firm-starts-oil-drilling-in-falkland-islands-waters.html.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

America and Britain at the London Conference Fight each other over their own interests to gain stronghold on the land of Yemen!

On the pretext of studying the situation in Yemen and to assist it in emerging out from its crisis, the British Prime Minister called on 1st January, 2010 for a conference in London…which was held today evening i.e. 27th January, 2010 attended by 21 countries and lasting two hours! Resolutions and communiqués were issued with regard to supporting Yemen in its war against al-Qaeda, including developmental assistance and the implementation of the Economic and political reforms program as well as talks with the International Monetary Fund and progress on the comprehensive interests…

An observer on the recent events and the current situation in Yemen fully appreciates that these resolutions are merely a superficial shine that camouflages the real resolutions and the actual effective resolutions, and he is aware of that these countries that exercise wide ranging and far reaching hegemony over Yemen and they have their interests and agenda for organizing the conference and expect certain results from it…

Ever since Britain consolidated its influence in Yemen and until today especially under the present regime, the United States has been making attempts to de-stabilise the situation and impose its old views in a new form since the US regards itself to be natural successor to the age-old ancient British Empire and thus considers itself as it as her right to exercise influence over the former colonies of the old and infirm British Empire. Thus it sees itself as the rightful master of Yemen instead of Britain. It is another matter that the present Yemeni regime is, or almost a political protégé and loyal to America: it kills whom America wants to be killed, detains whomever America wants arrested, exiles whomever the US wants it to exile and even make them disappear if the US so wishes…The United States has no such powerful politicians in Yemen whom it can support as its top leadership to hold grip of power in Yemen and clip the wings of British influence and consolidate its own stronghold over it. Due to this, the United States has focused on two tracts:

Threat-battalions meant to warn the Yemeni regime and secondly training the middle level political leadership or the “Minors” who are pro-US.

As far as the ‘Threat-battalions’ are concerned, Iran is assigned the task of supporting the Houthis, this has become like a timed bomb that can be exploded whenever required in the Northern Yemen in close proximity to the Saudi Arabia…We have referred to the Houthis as the ‘Threat-battalion’ because they are not mobilising to acquire power over Yemen, rather, the Houthis are working to secure a powerful position for themselves in their region.

As far as the ‘Training battalions’, or the middle level pro-US politicians are concerned, it is a continuous movement in the South of Yemen in order to separate it from the North as a first step of the US agenda and then spread its stronghold over the entire Yemen subsequently. We have referred to them as the ‘Training battalions’ because the middle level politicians who are agitating in the South are being developed and groomed for agitations…after their top level effective leadership was eliminated.

The United States succeeded on both of its tracts because it exploited on the regime’s oppression in the South and marginalised the regime politically, and then the Houthis were prevented from performing the Shara’ii commands in accordance with their understanding and adoption of the Islamic thoughts. It is for this reason that the ruling regime agreed and cooperated in not implementing the Shara’ii commands in a proper manner in Yemen. The Yemeni regime co-acted to create a soft and acceptable atmosphere that enabled the US to spread its ‘threat battalions’ to the northern Yemen and the ‘Training-battalions’ to the southern part and this so overwhelmed the regime that it was forced by Britain to take ‘emergency’ action on two fronts:

First: Instigating the United States through a security agreement with it in order to please them and earn their silent acceptance of the regime. Yemen reached a security and military agreement with the US after talks between their military and security leaderships, which were held in Sana’a on 10th and 11th of November 2009 C.E. This agreement calls for military and security cooperation and exchange of information and expertise in both the sectors. The announcement of this agreement was made after the discussions were held between the Chief of Staff of the Yemeni forces Brigadier General Ahmed Ali al-Ashowl and the Director, Planning in the US Joint Command Geoffrey Smith…

Secondly: Taking on al-Qaeda and fighting it! The al-Qaeda men were known to the regime for quit sometime, but it remained silent over their presence because it did not want to open another front to fight with and adding to its woes of fighting the Houthis and the Southerners. That was until Britain saw it otherwise, since it is aware that the US is sensitive with respect to al-Qaeda and if Yemen is seen to be fighting it, the US will be forced to support and assist Yemen and loosen the pressure in the North and the South. Thus the Yemeni regime started to attack the al Qaeda bases that it had known well. It was known that this attack on al-Qaeda was not by chance, but it was rather extra ordinary, the Yemeni state was engaged on two fronts: the North (Houthis) and the South, hence it was extra-ordinary that it opened a third front, which was a political move with military overtones and it was solely due to the British influence and agenda!

It was at this specific crucial point, the British Prime Minister called the London Conference in order to mobilise and provide global support to Yemen to attack and fight al-Qaeda and stand by it, and also thus force the US to support the Yemen regime and reduce pressure on it in the North and the South. America had no option but to support this conference. But at the same time, the US looking to establish its own consolidation and strengthen its political allies especially in the South, and also achieve such a solution for the Houthi movement that allows them to move away from thee Houthis without renouncing them so that it remains alive to be exploited and sparked when the need so demands.

Happenings at the Conference: The United States focused on the military and logistical support in order to fight al-Qaeda and pressurise the Yemeni regime to negotiate with the movements in the North and the South. While Britain was focused on the economic assistance and enlisting international support for Yemen in its struggle against the movements in the North and the South as well as monitoring the al-Qaeda issue in supporting Yemen against the Houthis and the Southerners! Therefore the conference was nothing more than its two hours of the representatives of various countries smiling broadly in front of the cameras and then both Britain and the US assembled with their own set of allies from among the participating countries in order to achieve their own agendas at the cost of blood of the Yemeni people!

Oh Muslims! Until when will the Muslims lands remain the fighting ground for the big warring nations and exploit & embroil the local sons of the soil in their own fight? Until when will the Muslim lands remain the playground for the West while they rob and pilfer their wealth and spill Muslim blood? Until when will the fires of West burn in the Muslim lands at their will and whim? Until when the rulers of Yemen and other Muslim lands be used as the pawns of the chessboard and stooges of the colonialist West without remorse, recourse and retaliation? Has the time not come for the people of Yemen to understand and realise that their regime and its oppressions enable the warring nations of the West to play their agenda in the Yemeni lands and kill its people and devastate its property and yet the rulers are not concerned with anything other than saving their own power and position even if such positions are highly compromised and weakened to such an extent that they have become vulnerable and fit to fall any time!

Tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands have been killed or maimed during the wars in Yemen over the last decades…, and the victims of all this devastations have been Muslims on both the sides who testified to the two oaths, Do you not realise that fighting Muslims is a very grave and major sin and the unjust killing of a Muslim is a very serious matter in the eyes of Allah (swt), it is even bigger than demolishing the Ka’bah?! Ibn Majah narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Omar (r.a):

«مَا أَطْيَبَكِ وَأَطْيَبَ رِيحَكِ مَا أَعْظَمَكِ وَأَعْظَمَ حُرْمَتَكِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَحُرْمَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَعْظَمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ حُرْمَةً مِنْكِ مَالِهِ وَدَمِهِ وَأَنْ نَظُنَّ بِهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا»

‘Abdullah ibn Omar (r.a) said: I saw the Prophet (saw) doing the Tawaf of the Ka’bah while saying:”How sweet/good you are, and how sweet is your scent (smell). How great you are and how great is your sanctity. By the One who has the soul of Muhammad (saw) in His hands, the sanctity of a believer is greater than your sanctity and his blood (life) and his wealth is greater than yours. And I perceive him not except good about him.

Indeed, Britain and the US are fighting each other and exploiting the local elements with full cooperation and logistical support of the Yemeni regime itself, while the separatists of the South and the Houthis are blindly towing the enemy line in the South and the North. Yet the perpetrators of such crimes think well of their actions!

O Muslims! Our problems are two-folds:

First: The rulers in the Muslim lands do not care not take care of their people, they have no fear of Allah (swt), neither for their acts of oppression against their people nor against their lands! If they were thinking, they would understand that a ruler who cheats on his people and does not look after them, will neither enter Jannah nor even smell it, Bukhari narrates that the Prophet (saw) said:

«مَا مِنْ وَالٍ يَلِي رَعِيَّةً مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَيَمُوتُ وَهُوَ غَاشٌّ لَهُمْ إِلَّا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ»

There is no governor/wali who takes charge of Muslims and dies cheating them, except that Allah prohibits him paradise.

And when such rulers happen to cheat and betray their own people, turn truth into falsehood and portray falsehood as the truth and betray the trust of the people?! He is like a shepherd who drives his own herd to the brink of death and destruction, Imam Ahmad narrates that the Prophet (saw) said:

«إِنَّهَا سَتَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ سِنُونَ خَدَّاعَةٌ يُصَدَّقُ فِيهَا الْكَاذِبُ وَيُكَذَّبُ فِيهَا الصَّادِقُ وَيُؤْتَمَنُ فِيهَا الْخَائِنُ وَيُخَوَّنُ فِيهَا الْأَمِينُ وَيَنْطِقُ فِيهَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قِيلَ وَمَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قَالَ السَّفِيهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ فِي أَمْرِ الْعَامَّةِ»

There will come upon people years of deceit in which the liar will be believed, the truthful disbelieved, the treacherous will be trusted and the trustworthy held to be treacherous, and the despicable (Ruwaibidah) will speak out. It was said: Who are the despicable ones? He (saw) said: “The lowy, ignoble man.”

Second: Our second problem is the silence of the Ummah over the oppressive rulers and does not stand up to confront them or stop them. This is despite the humiliation that the rulers have brought to bear upon the Ummah…we have lost Palestine, Kashmir, Cyprus, East Timor and so on… then Sudan is on the brink of separation, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and now Yemen has been turned into an arena for the conflict of the West where the rulers are the tools and allies of the warring West…It is no surprise that punishment may follow and bring with it hardships, not merely for the rulers, but the people who have accepted the oppression with their silence, Allah (swt) says:

{وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لَا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ}

“And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong (but it may afflict all the good and the bad people), and know that Allâh is Severe in punishment.”

[TMQ 08:25]

Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawood have narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

«إِنَّ النَّاسَ إِذَا رَأَوْا الْمُنْكَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَلَمْ يُنْكِرُوهُ يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَعُمَّهُمْ اللَّهُ بِعِقَابِهِ»

Indeed when people see evil taking place among them and yet do not confront it, then is the time Allah is most likely to send His punishment over all of them.

O Muslims! The dawn is nearing and can be seen by anyone with a good sight. The situation will only be rectified exactly on the same lines, as was the case with the first generation of Islam: The Khilafah on the model of the Prophet (saw) who would rule by what Allah (swt) has revealed, and would fight in His path, where the ruler is the Khaleefah behind whom the Muslims fight and protect themselves. It is the shield that protects its people and advises it soundly. Then America and Britain and others like them from among thekafir colonialists will not have the time and opportunity to fight us and our lands and establish their influence over it since they will be preoccupied with withdrawing and rushing back to their lands. But they will not be able to ‘escape’ from the light of Islam because Islam would spread and reach close to their lands!

{وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ .}

“And Allâh has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.”

[TMQ: 12:21]



Hizb ut-Tahrir

12th Safar, 1431 A.H

27th January 2010 C.E

Friday, February 19, 2010

Iraq to sue US, Britain over depleted uranium bombs

Mon, 01 Feb 2010

Iraq's Ministry for Human Rights will file a lawsuit against Britain and the US over their use of depleted uranium bombs in Iraq, an Iraqi minister says.

Iraq's Minister of Human Rights, Wijdan Mikhail Salim, told Assabah newspaper that the lawsuit will be launched based on reports from the Iraqi ministries of science and the environment.

According to the reports, during the first year of the US and British invasion of Iraq, both countries had repeatedly used bombs containing depleted uranium.

According to Iraqi military experts, the US and Britain bombed the country with nearly 2,000 tons of depleted uranium bombs during the early years of the Iraq war.

Atomic radiation has increased the number of babies born with defects in the southern provinces of Iraq.

Iraqi doctors say they' have been struggling to cope with the rise in the number of cancer cases —especially in cities subjected to heavy U-S and British bombardment.

The high rate of birth defects and cancer cases will move in the coming years to the central and northern provinces of Iraq since the radiation may penetrate the soil and water by air.

The ministry will seek compensation for the victims of these bombs.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=117557§ionid=351020201.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Iraq inquiry hears damning evidence from legal advisers

Tue, 26 Jan 2010

Evidence from a former legal adviser suggests that former British prime minister Tony Blair and his foreign secretary were set on going to war with Iraq regardless of legality qualms.

Appearing before Britain's inquiry into the country's role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the chief legal adviser to then foreign secretary Jack Straw said he had warned the official that the conflict would be illegal under international law.

Sir Michael Wood also stressed that it would "amount to the crime of aggression."

During the same session on Tuesday, another advisor, Elizabeth Wilmshurst, said ministers did not properly address the legal case for the invasion and the process was "lamentable."

Wilmshurst was the Foreign Office lawyer who controversially resigned in protest at the Iraq war.

Last week, declassified letters from April 2002 showed that Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, who gave a legal green light for the invasion, wrote a letter of warning to discourage former defense minister Geof Hoon from a military action he deemed illegal.

Ahead of his own testimony earlier this month, Straw leaked a secret letter he had written to Blair urging him against leading the country into war.

But the new evidence shows he was not very keen on avoiding the conflict.

He told Wood not to blow the whistle on the legality of the war, saying he was being "dogmatic" and that "international law was pretty vague," Sir Michael said.

On January 12, an independent commission's investigation into the Netherlands' support for the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq said the US and Britain rushed to war without sufficient legal backing under international law.

The commission's 551-page report said UN resolutions prior to the outbreak of the war did not provide a mandate for the attack.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=117130§ionid=351020601.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

British mining firm accused of polluting in eastern India

New Delhi - Indian authorities are ignoring pollution threats from an alumina refinery in eastern India set up by British company Vedanta Resources plc, Amnesty International said Tuesday. The report said the pollution control board of Orissa state had documented air and water contamination from the refinery, operated by a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources in Lanjigarh.

Amnesty International said the pollution was threatening the health of residents and their access to clean water.

The government is considering a proposal for a major expansion of the refinery, located near a river and villages, the report said.

Another Vedanta Resources subsidiary along with the Orissa Mining Corporation plans to mine bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills, which threatens the existence of the 8,000-strong Dongria Kondh tribe.

The Dongria Kondh have lived in the area for centuries and considered the Niyamgiri hills to be sacred, yet no effort had been made to consult them on the proposed mine, Amnesty said.

The organization called on the Indian government and Vedanta Resources to block expansion of the refinery, and halt mining in Niyamgiri before full consultation with local people.

The Church of England said on Friday that it had sold its 3.75-million-pound stake in Vedanta, because it was not satisfied that the company had shown the expected level of respect for human rights and local communities.

In face of similar criticism earlier, Vedanta said its projects had the required clearances of the Indian government and that it routinely carried out environment and social impact studies.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/308243,british-mining-firm-accused-of-polluting-in-eastern-india.html.

Top Scotland Yard officer jailed for false arrest in private feud

London - A high-ranking Scotland Yard commander was Monday sentenced to four years in jail for misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice. Ali Dizaei, an Iranian-born officer with a colorful 24-year career in British policing, was found guilty by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London of attacking and falsely arresting a man with whom he had a personal argument over money.

The court ruled that Dizaei should spend two years in jail and a further two years on license. The presiding judge said the sentence was to "send a clear message that police officers of whatever rank are not above the law."

"You knew how the system worked and you thought you would never be discovered," the judge told Dizaei.

Scotland Yard Commissioner Stephenson said: "It is extremely disappointing and concerning that this very senior officer has been found guilty of abusing his position and power."

The court heard that Dizaei, after a private family dinner in a London restaurant in July, 2008, was confronted by Waad Al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi man, over outstanding payment for work on his personal website.

In the course of the argument, Dizaei attacked al-Baghdadi, produced handcuffs to arrest him and called the police emergency line claiming that he had been the victim of an assault and required help with an arrest, the court heard.

A police doctor told the court that the injuries Dizaei said he had suffered were self-inflicted. Dizaei, who has in the past accused Scotland Yard of "racism and systematic discrimination," is expected to be sacked from the force for gross misconduct.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/308135,top-scotland-yard-officer-jailed-for-false-arrest-in-private-feud.html.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Former British government minister 'frozen out' of Iraq discussions

Tue, 02 Feb 2010

London- A former British government minister who resigned in protest at the 2003 invasion of Iraq alleged Tuesday that she was "frozen out of key discussions" because of her opposition to the war. Clare Short, who resigned on the eve of the invasion together with the late Robin Cook - foreign secretary at the time - told the Iraq inquiry that former prime minister Tony Blair had ordered critical cabinet members to be "quiet" during discussions.

She accused Blair of a "presidential style" of government contrary to the British tradition and of forcing parliament to "rubber stamp" the invasion in March 2003.

Short, a former minister for International Development, told the inquiry she was excluded from discussions from the summer of 2002 onwards. "It was clear that there was some kind of block on communication - normal communications were being closed down," she said.

"In the case of Iraq, there was secretiveness and deception," alleged Short, with Blair "and a few mates around him" taking the decisions.

In his testimony before the inquiry Friday, Blair said he had absolutely "no regrets" about joining the US in the invasion of Iraq and toppling former dictator Saddam Hussein.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/307147,former-british-government-minister-frozen-out-of-iraq-discussions.html.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Israel's voice on Britain's Iraq Inquiry accuses critics of "anti-Semitism"

By Nureddin Sabir
Redress Information & Analysis

Britain's inquiry into the Iraq war has been dealt a severe blow by a pro-Israel activist on the inquiry committee who has given an interview to a Jewish settlers’ radio accusing his critics of “anti-Semitism”.

The Iraq Inquiry, led by former civil servant John Chilcot, was set up by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in June 2009 in order to “identify lessons that can be learned from the Iraq conflict”. It began its deliberations in November.

On 22 November 2009, as the inquiry, was preparing to convene, a former British ambassador, Oliver Miles, wrote an article in the Independent on Sunday newspaper expressing concern at the fact that two out of the five members of the inquiry’s committee, Martin Gilbert and Lawrence Freedman, were “strong supporters of Tony Blair and/or the Iraq war”. He also pointed out that both Gilbert and Freedman were Jewish, and that “Gilbert at least has a record of active support for Zionism”.

Writing in the Independent newspaper a week later, Richard Ingrams wondered whether the Zionists' links to the Iraq invasion would be brushed aside. Referring to Oliver Miles’ article and to an extraordinary attack on Miles by The Times, in which the paper described his comments as “disgraceful”, Ingrams said:

The ambassador's comments and the attention paid to them by The Times may be helpful in the long run, if only by drawing attention to the Israeli dimension in the Anglo-US invasion of Iraq in 2003, a dimension that hitherto has scarcely been mentioned. Yet it is a fact that the campaign to overthrow Saddam Hussein was initiated, well before 9/11, by a group of influential American neo-cons, notably Perle, Feith and Wolfowitz (once described by Time magazine as "the godfather of the Iraq war") nearly all of whom were ardent Zionists, in many cases more concerned with preserving the security of Israel than that of the US.

Given that undeniable fact, the pro-Israeli bias of Sir Martin Gilbert and Sir Lawrence Freedman, both of them supporters of the 2003 invasion, is a perfectly respectable point to raise. It is equally legitimate to ask if at any point the panel will investigate or even refer to the US neo-cons and their links to Israel. Call me snide if you like, but I very much doubt they will.

On 28 January 2010, BBC Radio 4’s “Today” program reported that Martin Gilbert, whom it described as a “proud practicing Jew and Zionist”, had expressed “deep unease” at the previous November’s articles by Miles Oliver and Richard Ingrams.

The radio broadcast extracts from an interview given by Gilbert to an internet radio station run by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank in which he described Oliver’s and Ingrams’ articles as “really unpleasant”. He referred to people who questioned the wisdom of including pro-Israel activists in an inquiry whose purpose was to investigate an Israeli-instigated war as “these anti-Semites”. And he said that “more leading figures” should “speak out against” what he described as the “crude anti-Israel feelings” in Britain.

In the interview with the settlers’ radio station, Martin Gilbert appeared to be aware of the logic behind concerns regarding the role of Israel lobbyists and agents of influence in the Anglo-US invasion of Iraq in 2003. As an eminent scholar, he should therefore understand why the British public should be worried that an active supporter of Israel on the Iraq Inquiry might not be impartial or rigorous in scrutinizing the conduct of those who launched the aggression against Iraq at the behest of pro-Israel activists like himself. Instead, he chose to divert attention with the smokescreen of “anti-Semitism”.

This subterfuge casts serious doubt about the integrity of the Iraq Inquiry. It means that if Israel lobbyists played a part in pushing Britain to join the US aggression against Iraq, this would probably be overlooked by the Israeli activists on the inquiry, who make up 40 per cent of the panel.

It also means that the Iraq Inquiry has not only been severely compromised, but was in fact doomed before it even started.

Source: Redress Information & Analysis.
Link: http://www.redress.cc/stooges/redress20100129.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

British and Irish leaders take charge of Northern Ireland talks

London - The leaders of Britain and Ireland became personally involved in last-ditch efforts Monday to save the Northern Ireland peace process from collapse. Speaking after a crisis meeting in London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Irish counterpart, Brian Cowen, said they would travel to the troubled province of Northern Ireland later Monday to mediate between the political parties there.

The power-sharing devolved government of Northern Ireland has been hovering on the brink of collapse due to the failure of its joint leaders to agree on the crucial issue of transferring the power for policing and justice to the province from the government in London.

Brown said he hoped that the involvement of the two heads of government would "make a difference" to resolving the issue and free the path for the full implementation of the 1998 Northern Ireland Peace Agreement.

Earlier Monday, the leader (First Minister) of the Belfast government, Peter Robinson, of the Protestant Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein - the mainstream Catholic republican party - held emergency talks in Belfast.

They made no statement as they emerged, but a grim-faced McGuinness urged Robinson to be "positive and constructive" and to "get the business done."

Robinson, who recently got embroiled in a sex-and-fraud affair concerning his wife, Iris, agreed a six-week suspension from his post two weeks ago. But he has nonetheless remained at the center of the crisis talks with Sinn Fein.

Opinion polls have shown that the transfer of police and justice powers to a government in which Sinn Fein plays a key role remains greatly unpopular among Protestants in Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein is the erstwhile political ally of the notorious Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/305683,british-and-irish-leaders-take-charge-of-northern-ireland-talks.html.

British donations for Haiti reach 'generous' 46 million pounds

London - People in Britain have donated a total of 46 million pounds (74 million dollars) so far in response to an aid appeal for the victims of the Haiti earthquake, an umbrella organization for aid groups said Monday. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched its appeal on January 14.

"Thanks to the generosity of the British public, our member agency staff and partners are working round the clock to bring food, water, shelter and medical care to tens of thousands of Haitians, its chief executive, Brendan Gormley, said Monday.

However, the needs remained "huge."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/305703,british-donations-for-haiti-reach-generous-46-million-pounds.html.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Iranian parliament urges revision of diplomatic ties with Britain

Tehran - An Iranian parliamentary commission has urged the government to revise diplomatic ties with Britain, the Fars news agency reported Monday. A spokesman of the parliament's foreign policy commission told Fars that a meeting was held on Sunday with representatives of the Foreign Ministry, chamber of commerce and the new ambassador to London to discussing future relations with Britain.

Mohammad Karami-Rad said some commission members favored cutting diplomatic relations with London, while others called for downgrading ties.

The parliament started earlier this month discussing a draft bill to sever diplomatic ties with Britain, but decided that the bill would first be evaluated in the foreign policy commission.

Tehran accuses Britain of opposing its civil nuclear programs and interfering in internal affairs by being involved with recent protests against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Unlike the parliament, the Foreign Ministry prefers a downgrade of parts of commercial cooperation, officials said.

Karami-Rad said the decision should be made by the National Security Council or directly by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state affairs.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/305602,iranian-parliament-urges-revision-of-diplomatic-ties-with-britain.html.

Iran's lawmakers urge gov't to severe ties with Britain

Members of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee drafted a bill on Sunday, urging the Foreign Ministry to cut relations with Britain, semi-official Fars news agency reported.

If approved by the parliament, the bill would bind the Iranian government to sever ties with Britain due to London's long record of direct and indirect interference in Iran's internal affairs, the report said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Monday that Tehran is considering severance of relations with Britain, local satellite Press TV reported.

"There are 10 to 12 working fields between Iran and Britain. We are currently reviewing each area," said Mottaki, adding that the Islamic Republic would make a final decision about the issue.

Iranian authorities and lawmakers have constantly accused Britain of interfering in Iran's internal affairs and supporting the country's opposition groups, a charge rejected by London.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/6877507.html.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Brit scuba diver sets world record for longest underwater stay

London, January 23 : A British scuba diver has rewritten pages of Guinness World Records after spending more than two days underwater.

Will Goodman, originally of Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, London, survived being 20ft down for 48 hours, nine minutes and 17 seconds in the Indonesian island of Lombok.

The 32-year-old professional diver was fed rations through a tube and watched gangster films on an underwater iPod during the challenge in a metal cage.

"The first 24 hours were paradise, very serene and meditative, with rays and fish swimming past and lightning strikes illuminating the water above me," the Sun quoted him as saying.

But when Will, who now lives in Indonesia, surfaced, his hands were swollen, his puckered skin began to fall off and he had "nappy rash from hell".

He explained: "It felt as though my legs were being stabbed. I felt like I''d been bricked into a wall and my mind became distorted. All I thought about was having a nice cup of tea."

Source: New Kerala.
Link: http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-36646.html.