islamic extremism

One of our Observers in Bahrain, blogger Mahmood Al-Youssef, comments on the recent homophobic exclamations coming from a local fundamentalist politician. The least we can say is that he doesn't mash his words... See the video.

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Al Qaeda's number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has completed an open online question and answer session with the public, responding to worldwide enquirers with confirmation that the terrorist organisation does not kill innocent people; Osama bin Laden is alive and kicking; America is on the verge of collapse and that he himself is not "a big star that loves to show off and be famous". Read more...

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Osama bin Laden released a new video Wednesday in which he threatened the European Union with a "reckoning" and reignited the Danish cartoon affair. One of our Observers, an al Qaeda specialist, explains why this message could see a new wave of terrorist action in Europe. Watch Bin Laden's message and read the comment from our Observer.

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After Micky Mouse and Nahoul the adorable bee, comes Assoud, the cute rabbit, to explain the importance of the holy war to Palestinian children. Read more…

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Hitler's notorious diary ‘Mein Kampf' was translated into Indonesian in 2007. An immediate bestseller for publishers Narasi, it became one of their top five favourites. An employee from the publishing house explains why. Should we be worried about this seemingly unhealthy interest coming from the most populated Muslim country in the world? Read more...

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The American military in Iraq released five videos this week which they say show Iraqi children being trained by al Qaeda to capture civilians and to use weapons. The American army, which seized the material during an operation against al-Qaeda in Khan Bani Saad, north Baghdad, says that the videos are being used for propaganda and to recruit young people. Our Observer for Iraq, ‘Treasure of Baghdad’, was shocked by the videos. Here is his reaction. Read more and watch the video...

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The ex-prime-minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated this afternoon after an electoral meeting in Rawalpindi, a suburb of Islamabad. Our Observers give their initial reactions to the event. One of them, Rana Afzaal, was at the scene when the bomb exploded. Read more...

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In the port of Basra, Iraq's second largest city, the walls are covered with graffiti. The message, written in red, is clear: women who wear too much make-up or do not cover your hair: you are risking your life. Too late, sadly, for some. Around forty women have already been killed for this offence in the past year. Their bodies are often found in rubbish bins, decapitated or mutilated, and accompanied by messages like ‘killed for adultery' or ‘killed for violating Islamic law'.

These crimes have shocked Iraqi bloggers. Most of them condemn the events, but they're divided over the reasons behind the atrocities. Opposed to the occupation, the blog of the Iraqi women's association asserts that the U.S. and their allies are manipulating this affair so that they can depict Iraqis as an uncivilised and violent people. ‘Treasure of Baghdad', an exiled Iraqi blogger, despairs to see Basra fall into the hands of a ‘new Taliban'. And American editor and journalist Robert Stein questions the responsibility of George Bush's government in this chaos. Read more...

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Al Qaida's second most important figure Ayman al Zawahiri has just transmitted a recorded message in which he calls the Annapolis conference ‘treacherous'. The video has so far only been shown on CNN. Here is the unedited version, with excerpts. Read more...

 

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