New Moroccan code changes imam hiring standards

Imams looking to fill mosque vacancies must satisfy new education requirements and be younger than 45 years of age.

By Naoufel Cherkaoui for Magharebia in Rabat – 18/02/10

The appointment and removal of imams and khatibs in Moroccan mosques will now follow a specific employment code as part of efforts to curb extremism, the Ministry for Islamic Affairs announced this week.

The new code, as reported in the February 11th edition of newspaper Attajdid, stipulates that a committee headed by a ministry representative will now appoint new imams. The committee will also include two members from the Ulema Council and two members of the ministry's directorate, who will convene to sift through applications for the posts in a transparent manner.

Justice and Development Party (PJD) MP Lahcen Daoudi criticised this measure, saying that imams will now "be like an employee of the ministry".

"I don't think that the management of mosques can be made through bureaucrats," he told Magharebia on Monday, adding newly hired imams may be subjected to "pressure".

In order to be selected as an imam, preachers must possess a recommendation from the Ulema Council, a certificate of Qur'an memorization, a certificate from an imam or khatib and a spotless police record. Candidates older than 45 are not eligible for consideration.

The new code also outlines the application process for mosque openings. After an opening is announced, candidates have 15 days to submit their applications, which will then be reviewed by the hiring committee.

The ministry has also formally designated formal grounds for dismissal for imams and khatibs. Imams who swear in the mosque, are convicted in court or use drugs will be sacked under the new code.

The new regulations have been set in place to ensure that mosque leaders possess a higher level of education and adopt a more moderate approach to preaching.

Several Moroccans expressed concern over the government's attempts to regulate the hiring and firing of imams.

Moroccan terrorism analyst Mohammed Darif told Magharebia on Monday that Morocco is looking to "ensure certain qualities in imams related to the principles of the nation and keenness on [religious unity]".

Darif said the new code is an attempt by the state to monitor the mosques and combat some sects that authorities consider dangerous. For the analyst, this became clear before the 2003 Casablanca attacks, when the ministry "established certain measures for the appointment of clerics".

Other Moroccans are concerned that the new qualifications for imams will make it harder to fill vacant posts in mosques.

"By imposing these conditions, the ministry will face difficulties in finding people who are under the age of 45 and memorize the Qur'an, given that they are few in number," Abdelbarii Zemzami, a founder of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, told Magharebia on Monday.

MP Daoudi rejected the imposition of an age limit as "wrong".

"What's the guilt of a person whose age exceeds that limit and can be the best to handle the position of imam or khatib in the mosque?" he asked.

The imam employment code is the latest step taken by Morocco to curb extremism in mosques. In June 2009, the government initiated a training program for 45,000 imams throughout the country to modernize religious instruction.

Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/02/18/feature-02.

Algeria to satisfy teachers' salary demands

2010-02-18

Algeria has agreed to all the salary demands of autonomous teachers' unions CNAPEST, CLA and SNAPEST, Education Minister Boubekeur Benbouzid said in Algiers on Wednesday (February 17th). Retroactive salary increases and benefits packages for teachers will be implemented "as soon as possible", APS quoted Benbouzid as saying. Algerian primary, middle and secondary schools were seriously disrupted last November when teachers mounted a nearly month-long strike. The educators ended their action when government officials agreed to address their concerns over wages and benefits.

Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/02/18/newsbrief-01.

Omar announces culture center in south Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 18 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today announced setting up of Suchekral Memorial Cultural Society for promotion of art and culture for which he released Rs 50 lakhs through Department of Tourism and Culture.

The Chief Minister was chairing the District Development Board (DDB) meeting of Pulwama here today.

Minister for Social Welfare, ARI and Public Grievances, Sakina Itoo, who also heads the DDB, Member, Rajya Sabha, G N Ratanpuri, legislators, Syed Bashir, Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, Mohammad Khalil Bandh, Mir Zahoor, Bashir Ahmad Magray, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, Commissioner Secretary, Planning, B B Vyas, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Nassema Lankar and Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Muhammad Afzal, were present in the meeting.

Mr Abdullah also released additionalities in various sectors of development on the occasion. These include Rs One crore for repairs of roads to be taken up in consultation with local legislators, Rs 50 lakhs for upgradation of Bus Stand Pulwama, Rs 30 lakhs for upgradation of sports stadia, Pulwama and Pampore, Rs 69 lakhs for completing the circular road, Pulwama, Rs 50 lakhs for completing Inpatient department Pulwama Hospital, Rs 42 lakhs for completion of three receiving stations, Rs 21 lakhs for infrastructure development at Degree College, Rs 60 lakhs for Kakapora-Pakherpora road, Rs 10 lakhs for laying pipes for water supply scheme at Begum Bagh and Rs 5 lakh for electrification of Sheikh Har Park.

Reviewing the District Plan, he appreciated the District Administration for registering 77 per cent expenditure of the Plan outlay.

He asked the District officers to extend co-operation to NABCOM for evaluation and monitoring of development projects.

Mr Abdullah, on the occasion, directed for exploring the financial requirements of Kakapora-Yousmarg and Tahab-Chakora-Naina roads and submission of proposals for evaluation by the Government.

He also directed putting up a proposal for construction of Pampore-Shopian road for approval in the next financial year.

Source: New Kerala.
Link: http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-54555.html.

"Together" Operations of the Common Enemy Under Crushing blows of Mujahideen

Thursday, 18 February 2010

According to authenticated reports from the Jihad and honor-loving land of Helmand, with a special help of Allah, the Almighty, the enemy is under crushing blows of Mujahideen. This is despite the accumulation of all kinds of warfare hardware and aerial and ground forces by the invading enemy.

Mujahideen incessantly attack and ambush them, which have stunned the colonialist enemy. On the basis of the data received here, the enemy have lost dozens of their soldiers-- both foreign and domestic. Similarly, 15 tanks and military vehicles of the enemy have been destroyed.

If we ponder over the capability of the two sides from the angle of sophisticated military hardware and numerical advantage, we see, on the one side, roughly 1000 straightforward Mujahideen armed with PK machine guns and rocket-propelled launchers, neither they have surveillance and reconnaissance planes, nor bomber helicopters, B52 planes, phosphorus bombs and other lethal chemical weapons at their disposal, the Western media and the local media which have sold out themselves for American dollars are against them; nor the Mujahideen have the United Nations and the human rights organizations on their sides which blindly give legal clout to every legitimate and illegitimate demands and act of the invaders.

But, despite all that, these ill-equipped and undermanned small group of men who have ardent attachment with the cause of Allah, the Almighty, have the upper hand over the enemy that have the sophisticated military hardware and are armed to the teeth and that, only for the battle of Marjah, gathered 15,000 soldiers. In addition to this, they have the support of 40 countries of the world. Still the Mujahideen put them backed into the corner.

The world is witnessing that the spinal cord of America has been broken up because of the current Jihad of the Afghan people.

The Western media admit that thousands of well-nourished American and NATO soldiers who violently cry at the time of their injury and dying, have been killed as a result of the war. Their economy has faced meltdown and disgrace is hastily becoming their fate. They have not been able to suppress or eliminate the Jihadic movement in Afghanistan despite the passage of eight years during which they resorted to every kind of brutal bombardment, destruction, tortures and all devilish tactics. Even they could not block the way of advancement of the Mujahideen.

It is a reality that the so-called Super Power has devilish ambitions, strength and capability but the Mujahideen have the help of Allah (SwT). The enemy have launched 15 operations in the heroic land of Helmand in the past 9 years, let alone other small and sporadic operations conducted by the invaders.

Every time when they launch operations, they make such a tremendous preparations as if they were going to war with a country. Moreover, they always launch propaganda stunt prior to such operations. But praise be to Allah, the almighty, no one can show us any vast area or a district in Helmand province as a proof which substantiates that the enemy writ has been established there permanently.

Helmand holds a message to the common enemy who have launched the operations “together” that you have not been able to subjugate the people of Helmand during the past nine years, despite your vast operations and bestialities.

Now it is not possible for you to have any gain or advancement in Helmand or any other part of the country—still more in a time that the American, British and their allies’ tactics have faced a complete fiasco in the country and the strongholds of Jihad have already expanded and strengthened in every corner of Afghanistan.

However, the enemy can resort to some brutalities, which they are doing right now: like blind bombardment and missile attacks, detainment of innocent people and driving them from their homes and hearths. More than that, they will not have any achievement. Nor Mc Crystal will be able to make for his shameful and historical defeat in Afghanistan by just focusing on one town of a district out of 385 districts of Afghanistan.

Source: Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Link: http://www.alemarah.info/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1314:--together-operations-of-the-common-enemy-under-crushing-blows-of-mujahideen.

Medvedev fires top police officials

Moscow - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday sacked several top police officials and ordered the Interior Ministry to present him with a plan to overhaul law enforcement. Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev must provide a plan to address corruption and crime in the ranks within a month, Medvedev said in Moscow.

He fired, effective immediately, two of Nurgaliyev's deputies and 16 other high ranking officials, the Kremlin said. The president also requested that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin quickly develop a bill to deal with police corruption.

Civil liberties advocates called the steps insufficient. "Society expects more," said human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov.

Eduard Limonov of the banned opposition National Bolshevik Party said he believed there would not be any true change.

Medvedev has called for radical reforms to modernize the Interior Ministry, including cutting half of its 20,000 employees. He points to figures that show only every second crime reported to authorities is solved.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/310065,medvedev-fires-top-police-officials.html.

Former White House adviser Anthony Lake picked as UNICEF chief

New York - The United States has nominated Anthony Lake, former White House national security adviser, to become head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Foundation said Thursday. The foundation's President Timothy E Wirth said Lake has all the credentials and understanding of international issues that will help resolve some of the problems affecting children around the world.

"The nomination of Tony Lake as UNICEF chief underscores the importance that the (US) administration places on the urgent need to address children's health issues around the world," Wirth said.

"His foreign policy expertise and experience working with the US Fund for UNICEF will also make an invaluable contribution to UNICEF's work moving forward," Wirth said.

Lake, 70, served under US President Bill Clinton, who is now heading international efforts to rebuild Haiti after the destruction of the magnitude-7 earthquake on January. Clinton is the UN special envoy for Haiti in addition to running his foundation devoted to assisting poor countries.

An American has always served as UNICEF executive director and the selection involved Washington naming a candidate, who has to be appointed by the UN secretary general in consultation with UNICEF's executive board.

If Lake is appointed, he will replace retiring Ann Veneman, a former US secretary of the agriculture under President George W Bush. Veneman's five-year term will expire April 30.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/310069,former-white-house-adviser-anthony-lake-picked-as-unicef-chief.html.

Interpol puts Dubai killing suspects on wanted list

The 11 people suspected of killing a Hamas commander in Dubai have been placed on international police organization Interpol's wanted list.

Interpol has posted the photographs and names it suspects were used fraudulently by the individuals.

Dubai's police chief says he is 99% sure Israeli secret service agents were involved in Mahmoud al-Mabhouh's death, but Israel says there is no proof.

The UK has expressed "outrage" that six British passports were used.

Miliband vow

Interpol has issued Red Notices for the suspects. Although not an international arrest warrant, a Red Notice requests that the suspects be arrested pending extradition.

Interpol said it believed the suspects had stolen the identities of real people and the names were used as aliases.

It said it was posting the photos and names "in order to limit the ability of accused murderers from traveling freely using the same false passports".

Interpol secretary general Ronald K Noble said: "[We do] not believe that we know the true identities of these wanted persons."

Mr Noble said he hoped the investigation process would "help to establish the innocence of the ordinary citizens and even of countries whose identities were stolen and fraudulently used".

In response to the Interpol move, Dubai police chief Dahi Khalfan Tamim called for it to issue "a Red Notice against the head of Mossad", the Israeli secret service.

A number of Western nations, including the UK and France, have increased the pressure on Israel to provide any details it may have on the killing in a Dubai hotel on 20 January.

The six passports suspected to have been used fraudulently comprised six British, three Irish, and one each from France and Germany.

Germany is the latest country to become involved, summoning the Israeli charge d'affaires for an explanation.

The UK and Irish Republic governments summoned their Israeli ambassadors to meetings on Thursday.

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband vowed to "get to the bottom" of the case.

Israel's ambassador to the UK, Ron Prosor, said he was "unable to add additional information".

Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said there had been "frank" talks with Israel's envoy.

Mr Martin said: "Regardless of who was responsible, [Ireland] takes grave exception to the forgery and misuse of Irish passports.

"The ambassador said he had no information on the matter."

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Wednesday there was no evidence of Israeli involvement.

He added: "Israel never responds, never confirms and never denies."

Reports have suggested Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was in Dubai to buy weapons for Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement.

Two Palestinian suspects are being questioned about the murder. Police said the pair fled to Jordan after the killing, but were extradited back to Dubai on Sunday.

The BBC's Jeremy Bowen in Dubai says in terms of Israeli involvement there is only circumstantial evidence and the fact that Mossad has a history of assassinations.

He says that although none of the Dubai 11 are in custody, there are the two Palestinians and more evidence might be coming out of them.

The BBC's Katya Adler in Jerusalem says more details of the two have emerged.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Suhri told the BBC the men were members of the Palestinian Authority's security apparatus.

They were originally from Gaza, he said, but fled the Strip three years ago when Hamas took over the territory.

Source: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8522595.stm.