Israeli avoids UK arrest threat
LONDON — An Israeli minister has canceled a visit to the U.K. over concerns he could be arrested on war crimes charges. The foreign ministry said an "extreme leftist" organization was likely to file a legal complaint against Public Security Minister Avi Dichter. He was the domestic intelligence agency chief in 2002 when Israel bombed a...Israel’s Syrian air strike was aimed at Iran
Until late October, the accepted explanation for the Sept. 6 Israeli air strike in Syria, constructed in a series of press leaks from U.S. officials, was that it was prompted by dramatic satellite intelligence that Syria was building a nuclear facility with help from North Korea. But new satellite evidence has discredited that narrative,...IAEA report on Iran gets mixed reception
VIENNA (AFP) — Iran has made some progress in revealing the extent of its nuclear program but is still defying U.N. demands that it suspend uranium enrichment, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said in a key report Thursday. The United States said it would renew efforts to secure extra U.N. sanctions against Iran. Tehran, which denies seeking an...Cheney tried to stifle dissent in Iran intelligence report
WASHINGTON (IPS) — A National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran has been held up for more than a year in an effort to force the intelligence community to remove dissenting judgments on the Iranian nuclear program, and thus make the document more supportive of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's militarily aggressive policy toward...Israel escalates campaign against IAEA , ElBaradei
Israel escalated its campaign Thursday against the winner of the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize, Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), by describing him as a "danger to world peace" and calling for his dismissal for what it says are his policies towards Iran's nuclear program. The call by Israel's Deputy...Canadian Conservatives bow to Islamophobia
There are problems with Canada's electoral laws. As currently written, in order to vote a person has to have a street address. The authors of the law did not stop to think that, as written, the law would disenfranchise large numbers of rural voters who have only a post office box number. It would also take the right to...1980 bomber pursued
Back in 1980, an organization called the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — Special Operations, detonated a bomb near a Paris synagogue, killing four people and injuring 20 others. Just recently, German authorities uncovered a membership list for that organization, which appears to be distinct from the Popular Front...Canadians politicians speak up for minority rights
Socialist New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton spoke briefly at the recent Canadian Islamic Congress gala, reminding those present of his party's opposition to security certificates and to injustice and discrimination experienced by Muslims since 9/11. Also present was Marcel Lussier, Member of Parliament for the Bloc Québécois,...Bush risks falling off Turkish-Kurd tightrope
WASHINGTON (IPS) —- Spurred by the deployment of at least 100,000 troops along Turkey's border with Iraq, the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush is pressing its closest clients in Iraqi Kurdistan to crack down hard against the Kurdish Turkish Workers' Party (PKK), which Washington considers a terrorist organization. Given...Canadian Conservatives introduce anti-terror bill
Currently, there are five Muslim men in Canada subject to strict controls under anti-terrorism legislation which the Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional. One, Hassan Almrei, is still held in prison. All are resisting deportation, claiming serious mistreatment if returned to their countries. The court gave the government till...On the eve of destruction, Bush owes world an explanation
Don't worry, the White House is telling us. The world's most powerful leader was simply making a rhetorical point. At a White House press conference last week, just in case you haven't heard, President Bush informed the American people that he had told world leaders "if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought...Canadian Conservatives seek minority votes
The Conservatives are reaching out to increase their support among various ethnic and religious groups. An internal party document makes this effort clear. The document also suggests that there is no hope in making inroads with some. Where do Muslims stand in this strategy? Prime Minister Stephen Harper sent out Rosh Hashanah greeting...Veil: French Arabs more targeted than Jews
Simone Veil, speaking at a luncheon in Montreal sponsored by the Azrieli Foundation, said that "Anti-Arab sentiment is much stronger in France than anti-Semitism." Veil, a Holocaust survivor from Auschwitz, served in cabinet positions in various French governments and was president of the European Parliament. The Azrieli Foundation is a...Inquiry urged on Hunt Oil contract in Iraq
Democrats say Bush ties may have led to Iraq oil contract Washington — Democratic lawmakers moved Monday toward investigating Hunt Oil's oil exploration contract in Iraq, saying the company's ties to President Bush raised questions about whether it had insider information that helped it reach the deal. U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman,...Celebrating the Eid in outer space
Decisions by a conference of Muslim leaders and scientists will help a Malaysian doctor stay observant in outer space. Allah is watching — even in outer space. And that poses a problem for a devout Muslim astronaut who is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Russian rocket this week. Imagine trying to......
Ontario stands pat
In the Ontario elections held on October 10, the Liberals led by Dalton McGuinty returned to power. The results were not very different from those in the previous election, though the Liberals won this time with a smaller percentage of the vote. Funding for religious schools was the issue that had the attention of voters, apparently....
Nuclear flyover ‘mistake’ was really aborted attack on Iran
October 10th, 20070 Wayne Madsen Reports (WMR) has learned from U.S. and foreign intelligence sources that the B-52 transporting six stealth AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missiles, each armed with a W-80-1 nuclear warhead, on August 30, were destined for the Middle East via Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. However, elements of the Air Force, supported by......
Mideast meet has ambiguous agenda
WASHINGTON (IPS) — As the George W. Bush administration prepares to host its much-publicized Middle East conference, Israeli experts gathered on Capitol Hill this week to discuss whether Washington's latest diplomatic attempts would pave the way for a solution to the long-moribund Palestinian-Israeli peace process. But with less than...Bizarre allegations about Toronto 18
Unorthodox decisions are raising questions about Crown's case Ottawa's abrupt decision to cancel a preliminary inquiry into Canada's most spectacular post-9/11 terror allegations and instead move directly to trial raises new and troubling questions. Everything about the case of the so-called Toronto 18 is shrouded in mystery....Religion an issue in Ontario election
Ontario's Conservative Party leader John Tory has created a storm in the election campaign by raising the issue of provincial funding for private faith-based schools. The Conservatives have come out in favor of such funding, while the governing Liberals are strongly opposed. Ontario's third party, the socialist New Democrats, are also...Why we must stop the war against Iran
To bomb or not to bomb Iran, that's the question the Bush administration appears to be debating these days, once again revealing the extraordinary disconnect between the White House and the American people. With a catastrophic occupation of Iraq and polls showing the American public so skeptical about the use of military force that only......
Making Ahmadinejad public enemy No. 1
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly has become a media circus. But the controversy does not stem from the reasons usually cited. The media has focused on debating whether he should be allowed to speak at Columbia University on Monday, or whether his request to visit...Abizaid: World could abide nuclear Iran
Every effort should be made to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, but failing that, the world could live with a nuclear-armed regime in Tehran, a recently retired commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East said this week. John Abizaid, the retired Army general who headed Central Command for nearly four years, said he was......
Islamic banks in Canada?
The Canadian Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions is considering two proposals to open sharia-compliant banks. Such institutions would neither give nor charge interest and would not engage in speculative transactions. As well, they would not be involved in transactions having to do with pork products, alcohol,...Copts arrested in Egypt
The Toronto-based Middle East Christians Association (MECA), a Copt organization, reports that three of its members in Egypt have been arrested. Founder Nader Fawzy says that the charges against the three — Adel Fawzi, Peter Ezzat Mounir, and Adeeb Ramses—are not exactly known, but it appears that they may be accused of insulting Islam......