LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
April 13/17
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/newselias/english.april13.17.htm
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Bible Quotations For Today
Jesus Shares His
Desciples The Passover Meal
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 22/01-23./:"The festival of
Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. The chief priests and
the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid
of the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the
twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the
temple police about how he might betray him to them. They were greatly pleased
and agreed to give him money. So he consented and began to look for an
opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present. Then came the day
of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus
sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we
may eat it.’They asked him, ‘Where do you want us to make preparations for it?’
‘Listen,’ he said to them, ‘when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar
of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner
of the house, "The teacher asks you, ‘Where is the guest room, where I may eat
the Passover with my disciples?’ " He will show you a large room upstairs,
already furnished. Make preparations for us there.’So they went and found
everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. When the
hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to
them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for
I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’Then
he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, ‘Take this and divide it among
yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the
vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he
had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body,
which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And he did the same with
the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new
covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand
is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe
to that one by whom he is betrayed!’Then they began to ask one another which one
of them it could be who would do this.
Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an
unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord
First Letter to the Corinthians 11/23-32/:"I received from the Lord what I also
handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a
loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my
body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the
cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do
this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’For as often as you eat
this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy
manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine
yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat
and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgement against
themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
But if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by
the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the
world."
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published on April 12-13/17
Thursday of the Holy Mysteries: Sacraments, Humility and Temptation/Elias
Bejjani/April 13/17
A Strike in Syria Restores Our Credibility in the World/Tom Cotton/The New York
Times/April 12/17
In Syria’s Next Big Battle, the US has a Crucial Role to Play/Josh Rogin/The
Washington Post/April 12/17
Syria … Post the US Strike!/Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/April 12/17/
Church explosions and Brotherhood’s hesitant condemnation/Turki Aldakhil/Al
Arabiya/April 12/17
Universities are for learning, they’re not for politics and guns/Adnan
Hussein/Al Arabiya/April 12/1
Terrorism in Egypt: the cultural myth/Mohammed Nosseir/Al ARabiya/April 12/17
Muslims in Europe, identity questions and failure of discourse/Fahad Suleiman
Shoqiran/Al Arabiya/April 12/17
Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published
on April 12-13/17
Thursday of the Holy Mysteries: Sacraments, Humility and Temptation
Aoun Suspends Parliament for One Month under Article 59 of Constitution
Protests cancelled after Parliament session halted
FPM Delegation from Bkirki: We'll Confront Extension on Behalf of All Lebanese
Berri Says All Electoral Laws to be Based on Full Proportional Representation
after Extension
Berri Says Extension a 'Necessary Evil' to Avoid 'Lethal and Destructive Vacuum'
FPM SUSPENDS TOMORROW'S PROTEST
Berri adjourns parliamentary session to May 15
UNIFIL head calls on Speaker Berri, Prime Minister Hariri
Tensions Flare between Baabda, Ain el-Tineh over Electoral Law, Extension
Mashnouq: Security Forces to Protect Freedom of Expression, Prevent Blocking of
Int'l Highways
Lebanon Calls on International Community to Launch Investments in Infrastructure
Ex-PM Mikati says Parliament extension part of political deal
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April
12-13/17
Russia Vetoes U.N. Draft Resolution on Syria Gas Attack Probe
Canada deplores Russia UN veto on Syria
Ottawa Cooperates with Saudi Arabia in Advanced Technologies, Mining, Energy
‘No doubt’ Syria responsible for deadly chemical attack: Mattis
Tillerson: ‘Low level of trust’ between US and Russia
Sweden to fast-track tighter law on joining militant groups
Stockholm attack suspect tried to join ISIS in Syria
Egypt church curtails Easter celebrations after bombings
Egypt reveals identity of Alexandria church suicide bomber
Trio who tried to blow up US plane gets 15-year jail in Jordan
Killing of key militant a success and worry for Philippines
Pakistani gangster in military custody for leaking sensitive information to Iran
Ex-president Ahmadinejad submits name for Iranian presidential election
China Leader Urges Peaceful Resolution of N. Korea Tensions in Trump Call
Links From
Jihad Watch Site for
April 12-13/17
US embassy in Cairo warns its citizens to avoid “identifiable places of worship”
Graphic: Images and video of Palm Sunday’s Coptic church bombings
Italy: Muslim truck driver who posted jihad material to be “deradicalized”
Stockholm truck jihad murderer: “I’m pleased with what I’ve done…I drove towards
the infidels”
Swedish PM vows: Sweden will never go back to the days of mass immigration
UK: Muslim who claimed killing British soldiers was justified becomes leader of
Muslim group with influence in government
Germany: Muslim arrested for soccer team bus bombing, letters found saying
attack carried out in name of Islam
Hugh Fitzgerald: A Few Scenes, Drawn from Life, of the Latest in Muslim Outreach
(Part I)
Erdogan: “Europe is collapsing…Europe will pay for what they have done” in
humiliating and oppressing Turks
Truman State University in uproar as Thought Criminal Robert Spencer set to
speak on campus
Robert
Spencer, Here’s to You”
Links From
Christian Today Site
on April 12-13/17
Coptic churches in Egypt cancel Easter celebrations, mourning Palm Sunday
bombings
The children being raped, drugged and used as suicide bombers by Boko Haram
Fourteen per cent of US Christians left their churches after Trump's election,
new research finds
Christians in Hungary call on Church leaders to speak up for refugees
Franklin Graham hits back at Saeed Abedini over claims he failed to help the
pastor after his release from Iranian prison
Egyptians honour the Muslim woman police officer who died saving Christians
Christ with a barbed wire crown: St Paul's Cathedral installs Wallinger statue
to highlight plight of prisoners
Despite bombings, Pope Francis to go ahead with Egypt trip and show solidarity
with besieged Coptic Christians
Latest Lebanese Related News published
on April 12-13/17
Thursday of
the Holy Mysteries: Sacraments, Humility and Temptation
Elias Bejjani/April 13/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=38445
On the Thursday that comes before the "Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified,
Catholics all over the world, including our Maronite Eastern Church celebrates
with prayers and intercessions the "Thursday of the Holy Mysteries", which is
also known as the "Washing Thursday ", the "Covenant Thursday", and the "Great &
Holy Thursday". It is the holy day feast that falls on the Thursday before
Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with His 12 Apostles as
described in the gospel. It is the fifth day of the last Lenten Holy Week, that
is followed by the, "Good Friday", "Saturday Of The Light and "Easter Sunday".
Christianity in its essence and core is Love, Sacrifice, honesty, transparency,
devotion, hard work and Humility. Jesus during the last supper with His 12
Apostles reiterated and stressed all these Godly values and principles. In this
holy and message proclaiming context He executed the following acts : He,
ordained His Apostles as priests, and asked them to proclaim God's message. “You
have stayed with me all through my trials; 29 and just as my Father has given me
the right to rule, so I will give you the same right. 30 You will eat and drink
at my table in my Kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to rule over the twelve
tribes of Israel. (Luke 22/28 and 29)
He, taught His Apostles and every body else, that evil temptation and betrayal
can hit all those who detach and dissociate themselves from God, do not fear
Him, lack faith, lose hope and worship earthly treasures. He showed them by
example that even a disciple that He personally had picked and choose (Judas,
the Iscariot) has fell a prey to Satan's temptation. “But, look! The one who
betrays me is here at the table with me! The Son of Man will die as God has
decided, but how terrible for that man who betrays him!" Luke 22/21)
He, washed His Apostles' feet to teach them by example modesty, devotion and
humility. “So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and
reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for
you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I,
therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one
another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for
you, you should also do. Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his
master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him” (John 13/12-16).
Modesty was stressed and explained by Jesus after His Apostles were arguing
among themselves who is the greatest: "An argument broke out among the disciples
as to which one of them should be thought of as the greatest. Jesus said to
them, “The kings of the pagans have power over their people, and the rulers
claim the title ‘Friends of the People.’ But this is not the way it is with you;
rather, the greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader
must be like the servant. Who is greater, the one who sits down to eat or the
one who serves? The one who sits down, of course. But I am among you as one who
serves." (Luke 22/24 till 27)
Thursday of the "Holy Mysteries", is called so because in His Last Supper with
the 12 disciples, Jesus Christ established the Eucharist and Priesthood
Sacraments when "He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take
this, and share it among yourselves, for I tell you, I will not drink at all
again from the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God comes.” "He took
bread, broke it and gave it to the disciples saying: This is my body which is
given for you. Do this in memory of me. And when He Likewise, took the cup after
supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out
for you".
Thursday of the Holy Mysteries (Secrets-Sacraments) is the heart of the last
Lenten holy week, in which the Maronite Catholic Church lives with reverence and
devotion the Lord's Last Supper spirit and contemplation through prayers and
deeply rooted religious rituals and traditions:
The Patriarch prays over and blesses the chrism (Al-Myroun), as well as the oil
of baptism and anointing that are to are distributed on all parishes and
churches.
During the mass that is held on this Holy Day, the priest washes the feet of
twelve worshipers, mainly children (symbolizing the apostles numbers). Jesus
washed His disciples feet and commanded them to love each other and follow his
example in serving each other.
Worshipers visit and pray in seven Churches. This ritual denotes to the
completion of the Church's Seven sacraments (Secrets) : Priesthood, Eucharist,
Holy Oil, Baptism, Confirmations, anointing and Service.
This tradition also denotes to the seven locations that Virgin Mary's went to
look for Her Son, Jesus, after she learned about His arrest. The detention
place, The Council of the Priests, twice the Pilate's headquarters, twice the
Herod Headquarters, till She got to the Calvary.
Some Christian scholars believe that this tradition was originated in Rome where
early pilgrims visited the seven pilgrim churches as an act of penance. They are
Saint John Lateran, Saint Peter, Saint Mary Major, Saint Paul-outside-the-Walls,
Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls, Holy Cross-in-Jerusalem, and traditionally
Saint Sebastian Outside the Walls. Pope John Paul II replaced St. Sebastian with
the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Divine Love for the jubilee year of 2000.
The Mass of the Lord's Supper is accompanied by the ringing of bells, which are
then silent until the Easter Vigil. Worshipers used to kneel and pray the rosary
in front of the Eucharist (Blessed Sacrament) all Thursday night. The Blessed
Sacrament remains exposed all night, while worshipers are encouraged to stay in
the church as much as they can praying, meditating upon the Mystery of
Salvation, and participating in the “agony of Gethsemane” (Garden at the foot of
the Mount of Olives) in Jerusalem where Jesus spent his night in prayer before
His crucifixion on Good Friday.
After the homily washing of feet the service concludes with a procession taking
the Blessed Eucharist (Sacrament) to the place of reposition. The altar is later
stripped bare, as are all other altars in the church except the Altar of Repose.
Thursday of the "Holy Mysteries", is called so because in His Last Supper with
the 12 disciples, Jesus Christ established the Eucharist and Priesthood
Sacraments when "He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take
this, and share it among yourselves, for I tell you, I will not drink at all
again from the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God comes.” "He took
bread, broke it and gave it to the disciples saying: This is my body which is
given for you. Do this in memory of me. And when He Likewise, took the cup after
supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out
for you".
Jesus ordained His disciples as priests of the New Testament when he said to
them during the Last Supper: "But you are those who have continued with me in my
trials. I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me, that you
may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Before Celebrating the Resurrection Day (Easter) worshipers live the "Paschal
Mystery" through the Thursday Of the Sacraments, Good Friday and Saturday Of The
Light.
Because He loves us and wants us to dwell in His Eternal Heaven, Jesus Christ
for our sake willingly suffered all kinds of torture, pain, humiliation and died
on the Cross to pave our way for repentance and salvation.
Let us pray on this Holy Day that we always remember Jesus' love and sacrifices
and live our life in this context of genuine, faith, love, meekness and
forgiveness.
Aoun Suspends Parliament for One
Month under Article 59 of Constitution
Naharnet /April 12/17/President
Michel Aoun used his presidential powers on Wednesday to suspend parliament's
activities for one month, which consequently led to Speaker Nabih Berri's
postponement of a controversial legislative session aimed at extending
parliament's term. “I have decided to suspend parliament's activities for one
month in line with Article 59 of the Lebanese constitution,” Aoun said in a
televised address to the nation. It is the first time ever in Lebanon's history
that a Lebanese president resorts to this article, according to media
reports.“Upon my election as president, I performed the oath of office, vowing
loyalty to the constitution of the Lebanese nation and its laws and to preserve
Lebanon's independence, unity and territorial integrity,” Aoun said. “The
Document of National Accord, which has become an inseparable part of the
Lebanese constitution, stipulates that the parliamentary elections should take
place according to a new electoral law,” he added. The president also reminded
that in his oath of office, he had vowed to “work on correcting the political
representation of the Lebanese people according to the aforementioned
constitutional principles.”
Aoun's move follows marathon political talks led by Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Media reports said the president's move was coordinated in advance with Berri
and Hizbullah. “After the president used Article 59 of the constitution which
gives him the right to suspend parliament's convention for a period not
exceeding one month, I once again consider that this step by the president is
aimed at securing more time that can be utilized to reach an agreement on a new
law,” Berri said in a statement, reminding Aoun that he had always called for an
electoral law based on proportional representation. “In turn, and in line with
his stance, I'm postponing tomorrow's session to May 15,” Berri added. He also
hoped that the parties will agree on a new electoral law during the coming
period “to allow for a technical extension that would steer us clear from lethal
vacuum that would lead Lebanon into certain suicide.”Maronite Patriarch Beshara
al-Rahi called Berri after the statement to “congratulate him on his stance,”
the National News Agency said. The Parliament Bureau had called for a Thursday
legislative session that had a one-year extension of parliament's term on its
agenda, which angered the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces who
called for street protests and vowed to boycott the session. The Kataeb Party
was also expected to boycott the session and to take part in street protests
together with several civil society groups. Hizbullah and its allies have
repeatedly called for an electoral law fully based on proportional
representation amid reservations by al-Mustaqbal Movement and the Progressive
Socialist Party, and most recently the LF. But Mustaqbal's leader, PM Saad
Hariri, has recently announced that he is willing to accept full proportional
representation. FPM chief Jebran Bassil and LF leader Samir Geagea have
meanwhile called for a hybrid electoral system that mixes proportional
representation with the winner-takes-all system, arguing that it grants
Christians better representation.
Protests cancelled after Parliament session halted
The Daily Star/April 12/17/BEIRUT:
Protests against a planned Parliamentary extension scheduled for Thursday were
canceled after President Michel Aoun postponed the controversial Parliament
session for one month on Wednesday. In a brief televised speech from Baabda
Palace, Aoun exercised Article 59 of the Constitution, which allows the
president to adjourn one Parliament meeting per session for a period not
exceeding one month. Aoun's decision prompted the Lebanese Forces to cancel
their call for a public strike and a mass rally in Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square
against the extension attempt by lawmakers.
The Free Patriotic Movement and Kataeb Party also followed suit. Protest
movements, including You Stink and We Want Accountability also canceled their
protests. Several political parties and activists in Lebanon earlier on
Wednesday mobilized for rallies ahead of the Parliament session that was
expected to see the extension of lawmaker's mandate for a third term. You Stink
movement called in a news conference in Beirut's Riad al-Solh on Lebanese to
take part in Thursday's protest en masse to prevent lawmakers from extending
their terms. "They have invented excuses to renew their terms. We will return to
the streets to tell the illegitimate Parliament that they will not [hijack] our
voices again," one of the movement's members had said reading a statement. The
movement called on the Constitutional Council to assume its responsibility and
Aoun to exercise his powers under Article 59 of the Lebanese Constitution to
adjourn Thursday's session.
Parliament's tenure ends on June 21.
A new political rift emerged on Tuesday over attempts by Speaker Nabih Berri to
proceed with plans to extend Parliament’s term for one more year, following two
extensions in 2013 and 2014.Berri and parties that support the extensions say
they aim to prevent the country from falling into parliamentary vacuum.
The Lebanese Forces and their Christian allies FPM, both opposed to the
extension, called on their supporters to take to the street on Thursday. "The
real solution to this problem is by creating a new electoral law that guarantees
the greatest degree of equality, and not a third parliamentary extension," the
LF said in a statement. “The LF urges citizens, at this historic and crucial
moment in which the correction of the misalignment in the Taif Accord is
possible, to be ready for popular movements, whose time and place will be
determined eventually and whenever necessary,” the statement added. Change and
Reform MP Ibrahim Kanaan Wednesday vowed to challenge a third extension for the
Parliament, which he said would pose a new threat to Lebanon. "As Christians, we
are today taking a stance to defend all Lebanese whose wills have been
oppressed, defending the Constitution and coexistence," Kanaan said during a
news conference after talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai in Bkirki, north
of Beirut. Tripoli and Beirut's Bar Associations also decided to go on strike on
Thursday to protest the planned extension. Activists from the mushrooming civil
society campaigns, including We Want Accountability and For the Republic, have
also called on the Lebanese to rally in the area. Security forces deployed
Wednesday evening in preparation for the next day’s rally, as protesters from
different movements gathered at Martyrs' Square.
Security forces will be prepared and present "at the highest level" during
Thursday’s protests, said Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk after a security
meeting. "We support the right to freedom of speech and expression," he said.
"But we oppose blocking traffic and damaging public and private property."
"Prime Minister Hariri cares about freedom of expression on one hand, and also
cares about security on the other," Machnouk added.
FPM Delegation from Bkirki: We'll Confront Extension on Behalf of All Lebanese
Naharnet /April 12/17/MP Ibrahim Kanaan of
the Free Patriotic Movement announced Wednesday that the FPM and the Lebanese
Forces will confront the attempt to extend parliament's term through all
possible means “in defense of the constitution.”“Why is it permissible to vote
on extension and not on an electoral law?” Kanaan said after meeting Maronite
Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki along with an FPM delegation. He was
referring to Thursday's key parliamentary session that has a one-year extension
of parliament's term on its agenda. “As Christians, today we are taking a stance
to defend every Lebanese citizen whose will is being usurped, and this is in
defense of the constitution and coexistence,” Kanaan added. “What does a third
extension mean? Isn't it a usurpation of power? Should impotent MPs be rewarded
with extension? (Syrian) hegemony was the excuse in the past but today what is
the excuse?” the MP went on to say. “They are saying that they will vote on
extension without us. Is this how we build the State and abide by our promises
and vows?” Kanaan asked. He said that the Christian alliance “will confront
extension on behalf of Christians and Muslims.” “All discussions are accepted
and we still have time to agree on a new law,” Kanaan noted. He stressed that
“no one has the right to bypass the constitution and the pact of national
partnership that gathers the Lebanese,” calling on “all those who believe in
Lebanon” to be ready to act on Thursday. “We are before an existential and
rightful legal and constitutional situation and all Lebanese must unite when
Lebanon is in danger,” Kanaan added.
Berri Says All Electoral Laws to be Based on Full Proportional Representation
after Extension
Naharnet /April 12/17/Nabih Berri has emphasized that all electoral laws in
Lebanon will be based on full proportional representation in the future should
parliament extend its own term for a third time during Thursday's legislative
session. “The country faces a test on Thursday and it will either be honored or
insulted... This extension is necessary and it is in the country's interest.
This session is aimed at motivating them and it represents the last attempt to
reach an electoral law,” local newspapers quoted Berri as saying in remarks
published Wednesday. “Should this law be reached in the next 48 hours, the
matter will become very easy: I would merge the (extension) draft law submitted
by MP (Nicolas) Fattoush with the draft law that the government reaches and it
would be deemed a proposal for a technical extension,” Berri added. “After this
extension, all electoral laws in Lebanon will be based on full proportional
representation,” the speaker underlined. “There is a proverb that says that a
bad ruler is better than no ruler at all. Should parliament cease to exist, the
country will have no more governance or authorities and vacuum would destroy the
country,” Berri warned.
Berri Says Extension a 'Necessary Evil' to Avoid 'Lethal
and Destructive Vacuum'
Naharnet /April 12/17/Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday described the
controversial proposed extension of parliament's term as “a necessary evil”
aimed at avoiding “lethal and destructive vacuum in the country.”“We have always
been open to discussions to produce a new electoral law and hold the polls
according to it, but in the absence of an agreement on the law, we are obliged
to accept extension as a necessary evil aimed at avoiding lethal and destructive
vacuum in the country,” MPs quoted Berri as saying during his weekly meeting
with lawmakers in Ain el-Tineh. “After agreeing on an electoral law and passing
it, we would become able to revise the extension period,” Berri noted. The MPs
also said that Berri is “keen on the new presidential tenure and state
institutions.” “But this keenness requires us all to prevent a parliamentary
vacuum,” Berri was quoted as saying. Ain el-Tineh sources meanwhile told MTV
that “the issue is not about who wants extension and who does not want it, but
rather about who wants vacuum and who does not want it.” The Free Patriotic
Movement and the Lebanese Forces have lashed out at the proposed extension of
parliament's term, vowing to boycott Thursday's session and stage massive street
protests.
FPM SUSPENDS TOMORROW'S
PROTEST
Wed 12 Apr 2017/NNA - The Free Patriotic Movement announced on Wednesday the
suspension of tomorrow's protest following the decision of President of the
Republic Michel Aoun to suspend parliament's sessions for one month. FPM head,
Gebran Bassil, congratulated in an audio message FPM members and cadres for the
great success in preventing the extension based on the jurisdiction of the
President. Minister Bassil said: "You have contributed to this success through
your efforts during the last 24 hours whereby you proved the Lebanese and the
Movement's pulse rejecting loopholes in the state." "We will rest today for a
short period at a time we shall remain ready to end this process and reach a new
vote law," Bassil said, vowing once again all the Lebanese to have a new vote
law which would secure proper representation and guarantee our rights.
Berri adjourns parliamentary session to May 15
Wed 12 Apr 2017/ NNA - House Speaker, Nabih Berri, announced on Wednesday the
adjournment of the legislative session till May 15, 2017./"After President Aoun
used Article 59 of the Constitution, this plan aims at availing more time to
reach a new vote law, and henceforth the parliament session is adjourned till
May 15, hoping to reach a unified format that allows us to have a technical
extension dissociating us from undesired vacuum," Speaker Berri said. Berri
deemed the step, used by President Aoun for the first time in the history of
Lebanon, as a mean to give further time to reach an agreement over a new
election law under the ceiling of proportionality as has always been proclaimed
by the President. On the other hand, he received a phone call from Maronite
Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rahi, congratulating him on his position.
UNIFIL head calls on Speaker Berri, Prime Minister Hariri
Wed 12 Apr 2017/NNA - In a press release by UNIFIL, it said: "UNIFIL Head of
Mission and Force Commander Major General Michael Beary today met separately
with the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Saad Hariri in
Beirut."
Release added: "In both meetings, the UNIFIL head thanked the Lebanese leaders
for their continued support to UNIFIL in the fulfillment of its mandate in
accordance with the UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), while noting
that Lebanon's continued commitment to the UN resolution is critical."
Major General Beary briefed the leaders on the situation in the UNIFIL area of
operations (AO) and along the Blue Line, further stating that the situation
remains calm and stable. He said that UNIFIL has, over the past months,
increased its outreach to the local population as well as intensified engagement
with local leaders and communities in the Mission's ongoing efforts to preserve
the calm environment and stability. While briefing on UNIFIL's liaison and
coordination mechanism, Major General Beary emphasized that the UNIFIL-led
Tripartite forum is critical to de-escalating tensions and preserving stability
along the Blue Line. "It would be in the interest of everyone for both the
parties to continue working with UNIFIL to address developing issues and prevent
any escalation along the Blue Line," said Major General Beary during his meeting
with Speaker Berri.
He commended the Lebanese leaders for their important role in preserving the
peace and stability in south Lebanon. Release added: "Speaking on the Strategic
Dialogue process in both meetings, the UNIFIL Head of Mission reiterated
UNIFIL's intention to work with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in advancing the
process." Release sadi: "During both meetings, Major General Beary also briefed
the Lebanese leaders on the recent Strategic Review of UNFIL, which was
conducted - at the request of the UN Security Council - to ensure that the UN
Mission is adequately structured and resourced to carry out its mandate."
Release concluded: "Earlier today, the UNIFIL Force Commander also met with the
Director General of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), Major General Imad Osman,
in Beirut. It was their first meeting since Major General Osman's promotion to
the post last month. During the meeting, Major General Beary praised the
important work of ISF and ensured continuous cooperation in UNIFIL's area of
operation."
Tensions Flare between Baabda, Ain el-Tineh over Electoral
Law, Extension
Naharnet /April 12/17/Baabda Palace sources have accused Speaker Nabih Berri of
“rushing” to schedule a legislative session aimed at extending parliament's term
without giving a grace period to a ministerial panel tasked with mulling a new
electoral law that held its meeting on Tuesday. Sources close to Berri meanwhile
told al-Joumhouria newspaper that Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil
has rejected to discuss the proportional representation electoral system. “For
more than four years, we've been hearing the president calling for proportional
representation and nothing else and he lectured about it, but Minister Bassil
surprised us when he rejected even the mention of (full) proportional
representation,” the sources said. “Some want to tailor the laws to fit their
interests and to limit representation to them by excluding the other Christians.
Aren't the MPs Suleiman Franjieh and Butros Harb and others Christian?” the
sources added. The Parliament Bureau has called for a Thursday legislative
session that has a one-year extension of parliament's term on its agenda, which
has angered the FPM and the Lebanese Forces who have called for street protests
and vowed to boycott the session. Hizbullah and its allies have repeatedly
called for an electoral law fully based on proportional representation amid
reservations by al-Mustaqbal Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party, and
most recently the Lebanese Forces. But Mustaqbal leader and Prime Minister Saad
Hariri has recently announced that he is willing to accept full proportional
representation. Bassil and LF leader Samir Geagea have meanwhile called for a
hybrid electoral system that mixes proportional representation with the
winner-takes-all system, arguing that it grants Christians better
representation.
Mashnouq: Security Forces to Protect Freedom of Expression, Prevent Blocking of
Int'l Highways
Naharnet /April 12/17/Security forces will “protect the freedom of expression”
of all citizens who might stage street protests on Thursday to reject a proposed
extension of parliament's term but will prevent any “blocking of international
highways” and any “attacks on public and private properties,” Interior Minister
Nouhad al-Mashnouq said on Wednesday. “No one will intercept the protesters, who
will be able to practice their freedom of expression in any place they might
gather at,” Mashnouq announced after a security meeting at the Grand Serail.
Asked about reports that some protesters might try to prevent some MPs from
reaching the parliament building, Mashnouq said such a move would be “an attack
on the freedom of expression of others.”“If we're protecting protesters' freedom
of expression, we will also protect MPs' freedom of expression and freedom of
movement,” the minister added. Hariri for his part called on security chiefs
during the meeting to “avoid any friction and focus on protecting protesters'
security and preventing the blocking of roads.”The Free Patriotic Movement and
the Lebanese Forces have called on their supporters to “maintain preparedness to
take to the streets” on Thursday to reject the proposed extension of
parliament's term. The Kataeb Party and several civil society groups have also
called for protests on Thursday.
Lebanon Calls on International Community to Launch Investments in Infrastructure
Asharq Al-Awsat/April 12/17/Beirut –
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri called on the international community on
Tuesday to invest in Lebanon’s infrastructure and assist the country in bearing
the burdens of the Syrian refugee crisis.
“The displacement of our brothers in Lebanon, fleeing the criminality of the
Syrian regime, is pressuring the ability of the state to ensure these basic
services and doubles the pressure on the infrastructure which is already
exhausted,” Hariri said in a speech at the opening of the “Business and
Financial Forum: Regaining the Trust”, held in Beirut. “Invest in the
infrastructure and public services and everyone will benefit: the Lebanese first
and then the displaced,” he stated, addressing local and foreign businessmen and
officials. On the political level, the Lebanese premier said the government
should regain people’s confidence by bolstering the work of state institutions
and end corruption. “Our duty is to regain confidence after years of
constitutional vacuum, deadlock in institutions, vertical political divide,
tension in Arab and international relations and bleakness in economy and
investments,” Hariri said, according to a statement released by his media
office. He went on to say that the election of the president and the formation
of the government represented the first step towards the achievement of the
country’s goals. He noted that since its formation, “the government has taken
rapid steps towards regaining confidence by adopting vital decrees and
decisions, last but not least of which was the adoption of the budget after 12
years of absence, that is 12 years of absence of accountability and
transparency.”
Ex-PM Mikati says Parliament extension part of political deal
The Daily Star/April 12/17/BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Najib Mikati Wednesday
said the Parliament extension endeavor was part of the deal that saw the
election of President Michel Aoun. "What happened came as no surprise. Some
[parties] struck a political deal that led to the election of Aoun, which
included the postponement of the Parliamentary elections," the north Lebanon
lawmaker said in a tweet. Aoun was elected in October last year after almost
three years of vacuum. He blasted the Cabinet for ignoring the proposed
electoral laws and surpassing the deadlines. "Most of the Lebanese don't want
the extension, but at the end, we have two options ... either extension or
vacuum," Mikati said. "Stop bragging and announce your deal to the people," the
MP added, lashing out at the parties that are threatening to take to the street
on Thursday. "Implement the Constitutions and endorse a new electoral law ...
away from sectarian rhetoric."A new political rift emerged on Tuesday over
attempts by Speaker Nabih Berri to go ahead with plans to extend Parliament’s
term for one more year, following two extensions in 2013 and 2014. Berri and
parties that support the extensions say they aim to prevent the country from
falling into parliamentary vacuum. The Free Patriotic Movement and its Christian
ally the Lebanese Forces said they would boycott Thursday’s Parliament session
devoted to extending the legislative body’s mandate for one year in opposition
to a new extension, warning that they would take to the streets. President
Michel Aoun has also warned against extending Parliament’s term without first
coming to an agreement on the broad lines of a new electoral law. He has said
such a move would not be in the interests of Lebanon and its democratic system.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
April 12-13/17
Russia
Vetoes U.N. Draft Resolution on Syria Gas Attack Probe
Agence France Presse/Naharnet /April
12/17/Russia on Wednesday vetoed a U.N. draft resolution demanding the Syrian
government cooperate with an investigation of a suspected chemical attack that
the West blames on President Bashar al-Assad's forces. It was the eighth time
that Russia has used its veto power at the U.N. Security Council to block action
directed at its ally in Damascus.
Canada deplores Russia UN veto on
Syria
April 12, 2017 – Ottawa, Ontario -
Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the
following statement:
“Canada deplores the Russian veto during today’s UN Security Council vote. This
is Russia’s eighth veto on Syria. This systematic obstruction at the UN
callously ignores the suffering of Syrians and prevents the perpetrators of
these horrifying atrocities from being held accountable.
“Of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, only Bolivia joined with Russia,
who vetoed the resolution. Canada would like to thank Egypt, Italy, Japan,
Senegal, Sweden, Ukraine, and Uruguay, who all voted in favour, especially
France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the resolution’s co-sponsors.
Canada would also like to acknowledge China, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan, who
abstained from this vote.
“Canada urges Russia and Iran, as supporters of the Assad regime, to join with
the international community in condemning this heinous and illegal use of
chemical weapons.”
Associated links
Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on U.S. strikes in Syria
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Ottawa Cooperates with Saudi Arabia in Advanced Technologies, Mining, Energy
Asharq Al-Awsat/April 12/17/Riyadh –
Canada revealed Ottawa’s plan to expand cooperation with Riyadh in education,
healthcare, advanced emerging technologies, mining and sustainable energy at a
time when Saudi Arabia ranks 6th among countries that send foreign students to
Canada. Canadian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dennis Horak told Asharq Al-Awsat
that his country is committed to increase flow of commodities, services and
investments between the two countries, confirming that it is time to promote
this economic relation to a higher level. Horak noted that the volume of
bilateral trade exchange reached around $3.2 billion in 2016, which is less than
that in 2014 that reached $4 billion. He said that this decrease was the result
of lower oil prices. The Canadian Ambassador explained that 17 Canadian
educational institutes will participate in the International Exhibition and
Conference of Higher Education, which will be held from 12 to 15 April 2017 in
Riyadh, and will include 13 universities, two colleges and two language schools.
“Trade relations between Canada and Saudi Arabia are strong as the Kingdom has
always been a major trade partner for Canada in the region,” Horak told Asharq
Al-Awsat. “However, we can increase cooperation since there are tremendous
potentials to achieve comprehensive growth, and we in Canada are particularly
interested in programs and opportunities provided by Saudi Vision 2030 and the
National Transformation Program,” Horak said. Horak added: “There is an economic
complementarity between our economies; given the significant role the resources
in Canada and Saudi Arabia play. But, this extends to include great ties the two
countries have established in education, healthcare, emerging advanced
technologies, mining and sustainable energy sectors.”Canada will expand its
economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia in various sectors in general and in
education sector in precise, Horak noted. He stressed that his country
represents a great chance for Saudi students to achieve their academic
aspirations and improve their career opportunities, noting that Canada received
more than 11,600 Saudi students in 2015, placing Saudi Arabia in the 6th rank
among countries sending their students to Canada.
‘No doubt’ Syria responsible for deadly chemical attack: Mattis
AFP, Washington Wednesday, 12 April 2017/The United States has “no doubt” that
the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was responsible for last week’s
chemical attack on a rebel-held town that left dozens dead, Pentagon chief Jim
Mattis said Tuesday. Mattis told reporters that Washington’s military strategy
in Syria had not changed even after its retaliatory missile strikes on a Syrian
air base, noting “our priority remains the defeat” of ISIS. “There is no doubt
the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack
itself,” Mattis said. “In response to the attack,” US national security
officials came up with “diplomatic and military options” presented to President
Donald Trump, said Mattis, who added that he also spoke with Washington’s
allies. “The National Security Council considered the international prohibition
against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regime’s repeated violations of
that international law and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had
committed,” he said.
“We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime
from doing this again.”The Pentagon chief also emphasized Washington’s focus on
defeating ISIS extremists. “ISIS represents a clear and present danger and
immediate threat to Europe and ultimately a threat to the United States
homeland,” he said. Mattis’ comments came just after US Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson arrived in Russia on Tuesday to confront the Kremlin over its support
for Assad. A US official speaking on condition of anonymity said Washington was
investigating whether Russia was complicit in the alleged chemical weapons
attack.
Tillerson: ‘Low level of trust’ between US and Russia
Agencies Wednesday, 12 April 2017/US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said
Wednesday there was a “low level of trust” between Moscow and Washington after
talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. “There is a low level of trust
between our two countries,” Tillerson said at a news conference following the
talks. “The world’s two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of
relationship.”Russia vetoes UN resolution on Syria attack, China abstains.
Russia again cast a veto at the United Nations Security Council to shield Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad, blocking a Western bid on Wednesday to condemn a
deadly gas attack in Syria and push the Syrian government to cooperate with
investigators.
China, which has vetoed six resolutions on Syria since the civil war began six
years ago, abstained from Wednesday’s vote, along with Ethiopia and Kazakhstan.
Ten countries voted in favor of the text, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting
no.
US, Russia must agree on Syria: UN envoy
The United Nations peace envoy for Syria on Wednesday urged the United States
and Russia to agree on a way forward to end the war in Syria and pave the way
for a “real negotiation.”Special envoy Staffan de Mistura told the UN Security Council that he was ready
to convene a new round of talks in May but that US-Russian cooperation was
needed.
His appeal came as Tillerson was in talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart
Lavrov following US missile strikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected
chemical attack.
The two countries have “serious differences” but also a “common interest” in
ending the six-year war that has killed 320,000 people, De Mistura said.
“They must find a way to work together to stabilize the situation in a
deliberate, realistic and concerted way in support of the political process,” he
said.
The United Nations is ready to lead a “real negotiation” on a “package for an
orderly, mapped-out, credible and irreversible, agreed political transition” to
end the war, he added. The council was meeting ahead of a vote later in the day
on a draft resolution demanding that the Syrian government cooperate with an
investigation of the suspected chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Khan
Sheikhun. Russia is expected to veto the measure -- which would mark the eighth
time that Moscow has used its veto power to block Security Council action
directed at its ally, Syria. “Let us view this moment of crisis -- and it is a
moment of crisis -- as a watershed and an opportunity for a new level of
seriousness in the search for a political solution,” said De Mistura.
Sweden to fast-track tighter law on joining militant groups
Reuters, Stockholm Wednesday, 12 April 2017/Sweden’s center-left government
wants to fast-track plans to make it a criminal offence to be a member of what
it deems a terrorist organization, Justice Minister Morgan Johansson said,
bringing Sweden into line with neighbor Norway. The deadly truck attack in
central Stockholm that left four dead and injured another 15 has led to
widespread calls for
tighter laws, more resources for police and a speedier framework for deporting
people who have been denied asylum.
“Freedom of association was never intended to mean that you could be active in
terrorist organisations,” Johansson told a news conference.
"In the circumstance, this will be fast-tracked."Similar measures have been discussed previously in Sweden, but were abandonded
because they could clash with civil liberties enshrined in Sweden's
constitution.
The government has appointed a high court judge to investigate legal framework
for a new law, which could be introduced by autumn next year. Police have said
that Rakhmat Akilov, who is suspected mowing down shoppers on a busy Stockholm
street in a hijacked truck, had expressed sympathies with extremist
organizations. Security services had not viewed him as a militant threat. Sweden
already has a law making it illegal to travel abroad for terrorist purposes.
Norway introduced a law making it illegal to be a member of a terrorist
organization in 2013.
Stockholm attack suspect tried to join ISIS in Syria
AFP, Moscow Wednesday, 12 April 2017/The Uzbek national suspected of mowing down
pedestrians in Stockholm last week had tried to join the ranks of the ISIS
militant group in Syria, an Uzbek source told Russian agencies. The 39-year-old
suspect, Rakhmat Akilov, “fell under the influence of emissaries of the Tajik
cell of the ISIS, making attempts to take part in combat in Syria on the side of
the fighters,” an unnamed law enforcement source in the Central Asian state
said. According to the source, Akilov attempted to cross Turkey’s border with
Syria in 2015 but was detained. “Given his refugee status he was deported back
to Sweden,” the source said. The source added that Uzbek authorities had added
Akilov to an international wanted list in late February after a criminal case on
“religious extremism” was opened against him. Akilov on Tuesday confessed to a
“terrorist crime” for the truck attack that killed four people and injured 15
others on Friday, his lawyer said. He had reportedly said he had received an
“order” directly from IS to carry out the attack, according to Swedish media
reports. Akilov, a construction worker who had been refused permanent residency
in Sweden, was arrested several hours after the attack. He had gone underground
after his application for Swedish residency was rejected last year, police said.
Egypt church curtails Easter celebrations after bombings
AFP, Cairo Wednesday, 12 April 2017/Egypt’s Coptic Church announced on Wednesday
that it would cut back Easter celebrations to a simple mass after twin bombings
killed 45 worshippers last weekend. “Given the current circumstances and our
solidarity with the families of the dead, we are going to limit our celebrations
to Easter mass,” a statement said. The traditional handing out of sweets to
children by Coptic Pope Tawadros II before the start of Easter mass on Sunday
will also be cancelled. “There will be no decorations in churches and the rooms
normally reserved for the reception of worshippers wishing to exchange season’s
greetings will remain closed,” an official at the Coptic patriarchate told AFP.
Also read: Brother of Alexandria bombing suspect reveals new surprises. The
militant group said it was behind the bombings at churches in the cities of
Tanta and Alexandria, and threatened further attacks against Egypt’s Christian
minority. The government ordered a three-month state of emergency which was
unanimously approved by parliament on Tuesday. Sunday’s first bombing at the Mar
Girgis church in Tanta, north of Cairo, killed 28 people. The second struck
outside Saint Mark’s church in Alexandria, killing 17 people after a suicide
bomber was prevented from entering the building. Pope Tawadros II had led a Palm
Sunday service in the church shortly before. The violence comes ahead of
Catholic Pope Francis’s first visit to Egypt, which a Vatican official said will
go ahead as planned on April 28 and 29 despite the attacks.
Egypt reveals identity of Alexandria church suicide bomber
Reuters, Cairo Wednesday, 12 April 2017/Egypt’s interior ministry identified
suicide bomber in Alexandria church attack as 31-year-old Mohamed Hassan Mubarak
Abdullah, a resident of Suez province, a statement said on Wednesday. Abdullah
detonated his explosives at the entrance to Saint Mark’s Cathedral, the historic
seat of the Coptic Pope, killing 17 people as mass was being conducted. Hours
earlier, another bomb tore through a church in Tanta, a city in the Nile Delta.
Egypt’s government imposed a three-month state of emergency in the wake of the
attacks. The interior ministry said in a statement that Abdullah had been a
resident of Suez province and used to work for a petroleum company.
It posted a photograph on its Facebook page of a man it said was Abdullah,
placing the image alongside a picture taken by a surveillance camera outside the
church.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the Palm Sunday attacks, which killed 44 people
in total and wounded scores more a week before the Coptic Easter. The interior
ministry said Abdullah had links with the extremist militant cell behind the
December suicide bombing on Cairo’s main Coptic cathedral, an attack also
claimed by ISIS. Authorities are still trying to identify the Tanta attacker,
the ministry said. It added that security forces killed seven suspected
militants in a shootout on Monday as they met to plan attacks on minority
Christians. The statement named 19 other suspected militants believed to belong
to the same cells and offered a 100 thousand Egyptian pound ($5,515.72) reward
for any information on them. Sunday’s attacks were the latest against a
religious minority increasingly targeted by extremist militants, and a challenge
to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has pledged to protect them as part of
his campaign against extremism.
ISIS has waged a low-level war against soldiers and police in Egypt’s Sinai
Peninsula for years but it is increasingly targeting Christians and broadening
its reach into Egypt’s mainland.
Trio who tried to blow up US plane gets 15-year jail in Jordan
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Wednesday, 12 April 2017/The State Security
Court in Jordan on Wednesday handed over a 15-year imprisonment sentence along
with hard labor to three terrorists who were convicted of plotting to carry out
attacks and provide the funding for terror operations. The public hearing took
place amid tight security measures. According to the indictment, the General
Intelligence Department managed to foil their plot to carry out a terror attack
last July. The three planned to target a US plane in Marka Airport, a military
bus, foreign tourists as well as a security checkpoint in the capital.
The Jordanian news agency Petra quoted the court as saying that the main suspect
was in Yemen in 2012 and joined al-Qaeda. He was arrested in Yemen by the
security services there and sent to a rehab center for two years. During his
stay at the center, he was introduced to two Yemeni al-Qaeda members. Upon
returning to Jordan, he kept in touch with the two al-Qaeda men and was
introduced to a third one in Yemen.
In 2015, when the main convict was communicating with one of al-Qaeda members
over the Telegram app, he informed the latter that he had seen a US plane at
Marka airport. Consequently, he went along with the members of al-Qaeda in Yemen
to target the plane with an RPG that would be sent to him from Syria. He was
asked to wait, but the contact between him and al-Qaeda members was cut.
At the beginning of 2016, the main convict was seeking to go to Syria to join
al-Qaeda there, but he could not find a way to do it. He then decided to carry
out military operations on the Jordanian territories by targeting a military bus
and killing foreign tourists who were passing near the Roman amphitheater, which
was also near the Raghadan tourist complex. He kept in touch with the members of
the organization in Yemen and offered to execute these operations. The latter
suggested that their organization was ready to provide material support or
consultation. They then linked him to the two other suspects to execute the
operations.
When the two other suspects agreed to carry out these operations under the
command of the main suspect, the latter got in touch with members of al-Qaeda in
Yemen to plot for these operations. The main suspect monitored the schedule of
the bus carrying soldiers and provided the organization with detailed reports.
They told him that they would send him explosives and $6,000 with someone coming
from Yemen in order to buy weapons and pay for the car used in the operation.
Killing of key militant a success and worry for Philippines
The Associated Press, Manila, Philippines Wednesday, 12 April 2017/The killing
of a Muslim extremist leader on a resort island in the central Philippines this
week was a clear victory for the military, but it also drove home an unsettling
reality: that the militants are venturing farther from their jungle hideouts to
spread terror. Military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano said that troops
recovered and identified the remains of Abu Sayyaf group commander Moammar
Askali at the scene of the battle in the coastal hinterlands of Bohol island.
Five other Abu Sayyaf gunmen, three soldiers and a policeman also were killed in
Tuesday’s clashes. “This is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf,” Ano told The
Associated Press on Wednesday. “If they have further plans to kidnap innocent
people somewhere, they will now have to think twice.”“We are gaining important
headway in our fight to degrade the ASG in regard to our timeline,” Ano later
told a news conference, referring to a military objective to considerably
cripple the extremist group of more than 300 armed fighters within six months.
Former Abu Sayyaf militants identified Askali from a photo troops took of the
young militant leader after his death, confirming that the gunmen who quietly
cruised into Bohol on three motorboats under cover of darkness late Monday
before clashing with troops belonged to the Islamic extremist group. Askali, who
used the nom de guerre Abu Rami, had partly served as an Abu Sayyaf spokesman in
recent years.
Askali was an emerging hard-line leader of Abu Sayyaf and had pledged allegiance
to the ISIS group. Abu Sayyaf was founded in 1989 as an offshoot of a
decades-long rebellion by minority Muslims in the south of the predominantly
Roman Catholic Philippines. He had received bomb-making training from Malaysian
Zulkifli bin Hir, or Marwan, a top Southeast Asian militant leader who was
killed in 2015, according to a police profile.
It was Abu Sayyaf’s first known attempt to carry out ransom kidnappings deep in
the central Philippine heartland, far from the group’s jungle lairs in the
southern provinces of Sulu and Basilan. Ano said the troops were still hunting
for at least five Abu Sayyaf gunmen, though fighting had eased Wednesday.
While the bold kidnapping attempt appears to have been foiled, the militants’
success in penetrating the bustling region of beach resorts and other popular
attractions could raise concerns among tourists and businessmen.
The US Embassy in Manila had earlier advised Americans to take precautions amid
“unsubstantiated yet credible information” of possible kidnappings by terrorists
in Bohol and other central areas.
The United States and the Philippines both list Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist
organization for bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.
Bohol island lies about 640 kilometers (397 miles) southeast of Manila and is
about an hour by boat from Cebu province, a trade and tourism center that has
hosted some of the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the
regional bloc the Philippines is leading this year. Ano said military
intelligence operatives had been trying to track the movements of Askali’s group
for several days after learning of their planned abductions.
The gunmen traveled on motorboats along a river into a village in Bohol’s
Inabanga town where government forces assaulted them, military officials said,
adding that troops recovered four rifles, a homemade bomb and a sack load of
bomb-making materials from the slain gunmen. In past years, Abu Sayyaf militants
have crossed the sea border with Malaysia on powerful speedboats and kidnapped
scores of foreign tourists, reflecting their growing capability and desperation
for money. In 2001, they sailed as far as western Palawan province, where they
seized 20 people from a resort, including three Americans, one of whom was
beheaded and another shot and killed during an army rescue. Although they rely
mainly on ransom kidnappings, Abu Sayyaf has displayed incredible resiliency and
has survived through US-backed military offensives under six presidents.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in June, has ordered
troops to destroy the extremists and has threatened to declare martial law in
the country’s south if the threat posed by Abu Sayyaf and other extremist groups
aligned with the ISIS group gets out of control. Although weakened by years of
battle setbacks, the militants again hogged headlines last year when they
separately beheaded two Canadians then decapitated a German hostage earlier this
year after ransom deadlines lapsed. Askali was involved in those kidnappings and
the captives’ gruesome murders, Ano said. The militants are still holding at
least 29 captives in Sulu’s jungles.
A confidential government threat assessment report obtained by the AP last year
said that the militants have started to target slow-moving tugboats
crisscrossing the Sulu Sea and the busy sea border between the southern
Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia in their effort to avoid constant military
offensives in the southern provinces where they operate and raise desperately
needed funds. In the first half of last year, the militants raised 353 million
pesos ($7 million) in payments from ransom kidnappings, according to the report.
Pakistani gangster in military custody for
leaking sensitive information to Iran
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Wednesday, 12 April 2017/A notorious gangster
who was arrested in Pakistan last year was taken into military custody Wednesday
early morning apparently for leaking sensitive information to Iran, the Pakistan
Army has announced. According to a news report, Uzair Baloch has been arrested
in accordance with the Pakistan Army Act. Uzair was arrested outside Karachi in
January last year in what the paramilitary force said was a raid. The court had
then handed him over to the police on remand. Also read: Is Iran beginning to
feel the Middle East heat?
A JIT formed to probe the case in May 2016 said Uzair had allegedly worked for
an Iranian intelligence agency, and had recommended that the head of the
outlawed Peoples Amn Committee be tried by a military court for “espionage”.According
to the JIT report, Uzair was involved in “espionage activities by providing
secret information regarding army installations and officials to foreign agents
(Iranian intelligence officers) which is a violation of the Official Secret Act
1923”.
Ex-president Ahmadinejad submits name for Iranian presidential election
Reuters, London Wednesday, 12 April 2017/Iran’s hardline ex-president Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad submitted his name on Wednesday for registration as a candidate for
May’s presidential election, defying the wishes of the country’s religious
leadership. Although the move, reported by state media, was seen as an attempt
by Ahmadinejad to bolster the candidacy of an ally, it was also a challenge to
the authority of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had warned
him not to run. Registration for the May 19 election started on Monday and will
last five days, after which entrants will be screened for their political and
Islamic qualifications by a vetting body, the Guardian Council. President Hassan
Rouhani, a moderate who engineered Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers
that secured a removal of international financial and trade sanctions against
Tehran, is expected to seek re-election but faces a stiff challenge from
conservatives who oppose the Ahmadinejad, who frequently enraged the West with
his rhetoric during his eight years in office, wanted to challenge Rouhani’s bid
for a second term, but Khamenei warned him last year not to nominate himself.
Khamenei, who has the final say in Iran’s clerical establishment, said in
September that Ahmadinejad’s candidacy could create division in the country and
harm the nation. Ahmadinejad, who had a rift with Khamenei in his final years of
office, announced in a public statement in October that he would abide by the
order and would not run.
However, he named one of his main allies and former deputy Hamid Baghaei as a
candidate. Ahmadinejad accompanied Baghaei to the interior ministry on Wednesday
for registration. By putting his name forward, analysts say Ahmadinejad is
trying to make any disqualification of Baghaei costly for the Guardian Council.
The powerful election vetting body is close to Khamenei as he appoints half of
its members. Mehr news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying that he registered as
a candidate “only to support Baghaei.”Ahmadinejad was also quoted as saying by
ILNA news agency that “the Supreme Leader advised me not to run. As a candidate
I accepted his guidance, although it was not an order... I am still committed to
my moral promise.”While conservatives are worried that Ahmadinejad or Baghaei’s
presence might split their votes, allies of Rouhani are also concerned about the
attractiveness of populist candidates with nationalist anti-establishment
slogans. Baghaei, 48, was held under arrest in 2015 for almost seven months on
charges that were not made public but many suspected were related to corruption.
Iran’s judiciary spokesman said in March that his case was still open.
China Leader Urges Peaceful
Resolution of N. Korea Tensions in Trump Call
Agence France Presse/Naharnet /April 12/17/Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged
Donald Trump to peacefully resolve tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program,
as the U.S. president touted the power of a naval "armada" steaming towards the
Korean peninsula. Chinese state media said Wednesday the two leaders had spoken
by phone, in an apparent effort to avoid further escalation after Trump deployed
the aircraft carrier-led strike group in a show of force. It headed for the
region with a renewed warning that Washington was ready to take on North Korea
alone if Beijing declined to help rein in its maverick neighbor’s nuclear
ambitions. Pyongyang has so far responded in typically defiant fashion, saying
it was ready to fight "any mode of war" chosen by the United States and even
threatening a nuclear strike against U.S. targets. The sabre-rattling has
unnerved China, which has made clear its frustration with Pyongyang’s
stubbornness but whose priority remains preventing any military flare-up that
could bring chaos and instability to its doorstep. In his phone call with Trump,
Xi stressed that China "advocates resolving the issue through peaceful means,"
the foreign ministry said.
On Tuesday, the U.S. president tweeted that "North Korea is looking for trouble.
If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem
without them! U.S.A."A barrage of recent North Korean missile tests has stoked
U.S. fears that Pyongyang may soon develop an intercontinental ballistic missile
capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the U.S. mainland. There is
speculation that Pyongyang could be preparing a missile launch, or even another
nuclear test, to mark the 105th birthday anniversary of its founder Kim Il-Sung
on Saturday. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Trump warned: "We are
sending an armada. Very powerful." "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more
powerful than the aircraft carrier."The flotilla includes the Nimitz-class
aircraft supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, a carrier air wing, two guided-missile
destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser. "This goes to prove that the U.S.
reckless moves for invading the DPRK have reached a serious phase," a spokesman
for the North's foreign ministry said in response.
China's Global Times newspaper, which is often nationalistic in tone, said a new
nuclear test would be a "slap in the face of the U.S. government" and that
Beijing would not "remain indifferent" to further provocations. Pyongyang has so
far staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and analysis of satellite
imagery suggests it could be preparing for a sixth. "Presumably Beijing will
react strongly to Pyongyang's new nuclear actions," the newspaper said, adding
there was increasing popular support for "severe restrictive measures that have
never been seen before".The language suggested China -- the North's sole major
ally and economic lifeline -- could restrict oil imports to the North, after
already announcing a suspension of all coal imports until the end of the year.
'Outstanding' relationship
The phone call between the leaders of the world's largest economies followed
their first face-to-face meeting late last week. During their call, Xi told
Trump that China remains "willing to maintain communication and coordination
with the American side on the issue of the peninsula," according to the foreign
ministry. Trump, it added, said it was vital for the two heads of state to
maintain close ties, and that he agreed the U.S. and China should work together
to "expand pragmatic cooperation in a wide range of areas."
The high-profile summit was overshadowed by a missile strike on Syria that Trump
launched as he hosted Xi. The move, which came in retaliation for the Damascus
regime's suspected sarin attack against civilians in a rebel-held town in Syria,
was widely also interpreted as a warning to North Korea. Xi told Trump on the
call that the Syria issue "must continue to move towards a political solution",
and that "any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable." He said their summit
produced "significant results", and that both sides would work together to
ensure Trump visited China later this year. Trump's election campaign was marked
with acerbic denouncements of the Asian giant's "rape" of the US economy and his
vow to punish Beijing with punitive tariffs. But he dropped his anti-China
bombast in Florida, afterwards hailing an "outstanding" relationship with his
Chinese counterpart.
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on April 12-13/17
A Strike in Syria Restores Our Credibility in the World
Tom Cotton/The New York Times/April 12/17
After President Bashar al-Assad of Syria once again attacked his own citizens
with poison gas, the civilized world recoiled in horror at images of children
writhing in pain and suffocating to death. President Trump voiced this justified
outrage at a news conference on Wednesday, and the next day he took swift,
decisive action against the outlaw Assad regime. But these strikes did more than
simply punish Assad and deter future attacks; they have gone a long way to
restoring our badly damaged credibility in the world. It’s hard to overstate
just how low the standing of the United States had fallen because of President
Barack Obama’s failure to enforce his own “red line” against Mr. Assad’s use of
chemical weapons in 2013. I was one of the few Republican members of Congress
who supported strikes against Syria then. Because of that, I’ve heard from
dozens of world leaders expressing their doubts about the security commitments
of the United States. It wasn’t only Mr. Obama’s refusal to act in the moment
that undermined our credibility. The fig leaf to justify inaction was an
agreement with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to remove Syria’s chemical
weapons, which Russia and Syria plainly violated from the outset. Yet Obama
administration officials continued to celebrate it as a triumph. It’s also worth
remembering that Mr. Obama backed down partly because he so badly wanted a
nuclear deal with Assad’s patron, Iran. But his weakness in Syria only
emboldened Iran.
In one night, President Trump turned the tables. He showed the world that when
the United States issues a warning, it will back up its words with action. There
was no hand-wringing, no straw-man choice between doing nothing and launching a
massive ground invasion, no dithering for consultations with others who do not
have the power to act.
The American president voiced his disapproval, conducted an orderly and secret
process at the National Security Council, and then delivered a retaliatory
strike many years overdue. The world now sees that President Trump does not
share his predecessor’s reluctance to use force. And that’s why nations across
the world have rallied to our side, while Russia and Iran are among the few to
have condemned the attack. Mr. Obama’s lack of credibility is one reason the
United States watched in isolation as Russia and Iran took the lead at recent
Syrian peace conferences. It’s also why Iran got the better of us in the nuclear
negotiations and North Korea has defied us for years. With our credibility
restored, the United States can get back on offense around the world. In Syria,
Assad knows that we have many more Tomahawk missiles than he has airfields. So
do his supporters in Moscow and Tehran.
Further, leaders in Iran must now question the risks of being put “on notice”
earlier this year by President Trump. After all, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis
and C.I.A. Director Mike Pompeo are noted Iran hawks. If they recommended
decisive action in Syria, the ayatollahs have to wonder if they may be next.
Finally, Russia’s geopolitical standing has taken a severe blow. Mr. Putin was
powerless to protect his client in Damascus. Moscow now faces a Hobson’s choice
of empty words of condemnation or escalation on behalf of a global pariah, which
risks further American action. After years of Russian aggression being met by
empty American words, Putin finds his credibility at stake.In every theater,
President Trump now has the opportunity to press our advantage and protect our
interests with strong diplomacy backed by America’s restored credibility. It’s
been a long time coming, but friend and foe alike have been reminded that the
United States not only possesses unmatched power, but also once again will
employ our power to protect our interests, aspirations and allies.
In Syria’s Next Big Battle, the US has a Crucial Role to
Play
Josh Rogin/The Washington Post/April 12/17
Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons attack on a town in the northern Syrian
province of Idlib, prompting President Trump to retaliate with missile strikes,
was the opening salvo in what could be a final, epic battle to determine the
future of Syria. As that struggle unfolds in Idlib, the United States has a
crucial role to play. In its first months, the Trump administration has
concentrated primarily on the fight against ISIS in and around the city of Raqqa,
where U.S.- and Turkish-supported Arab and Kurdish fighters have been slowly but
surely advancing on the capital of the terrorists’ self-declared caliphate.
Meanwhile, Washington has largely ignored Idlib, where the bulk of the Syrian
rebels are massed and preparing for an existential fight for the survival of the
revolution. Former Syrian prime minister Riyad Hijab, the head of the
opposition’s High Negotiations Committee, told me that there are tens of
thousands of opposition fighters and hundreds of thousands of internally
displaced civilians crowded into Idlib. This is the result of the Assad regime’s
years-long strategy to assemble all his enemies — including U.S.-backed rebels
and jihadists — in one place. “Assad’s plan was to gather all the fighters, to
push them away from their towns and make them gather in Idlib and that was on
purpose,” he said. “Assad’s plan is to urge the international community and the
United States to kill these people.”
The United States has been conducting limited strikes against al-Qaeda’s
affiliate in Idlib, now called Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, which has a significant
presence on the ground. Meanwhile, however, the administration has also cut off
all aid to moderate groups fighting in Idlib, according to Hijab, placing them
at a disadvantage as they struggle to maintain credibility among the civilian
population. Aid groups warn that up to 1.5 million civilians could face a
humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib if the Assad regime begins bombarding the
province on a large scale, causing a huge flow of refugees into Turkey and
Europe and resulting in devastation and suffering on a scale many times greater
than what was seen during last year’s siege of Aleppo.
“An Assad regime campaign in Idlib is inevitable,” said Charles Lister, senior
fellow at the Middle East Institute. “When exactly it will happen we don’t know,
but the U.S. needs to be prepared for that.”Stretched thin after six years of
war, the Syrian forces cannot take Idlib through conventional means. That’s why
Assad is using weapons of terror, such as nerve gas, to break the will of the
civilians before the battle there begins in earnest. When the ground war erupts,
a thick stew of Shi’ite militias, “Hezbollah” fighters, Afghan mercenaries and
Iranian Revolutionary Guard soldiers, all covered by Russian air power, will be
ready to take on the regime’s adversaries. Despite the risks and challenges, the
best option for the United States is to reengage with those rebel groups on the
ground that are most closely aligned with U.S. objectives and give them the
money, arms and training necessary to defend Syrian civilians from the onslaught
to come, said former State Department Syria official Frederic Hof, now at the
Atlantic Council.
“There are units on the ground with which we have had relationships for years,”
he said. “These units are fighting a three-way battle right now, against the
regime, al-Qaeda and ISIS. They need our support.” Doing so would not only save
Syrian civilian lives, but would also raise the cost for Assad, Russia and Iran
of laying waste to Idlib. If the United States provided some rebels with
anti-aircraft capabilities, such as man-portable air-defense systems, it could
make Moscow think twice before bombing the hospitals and schools that the people
of Idlib depend on for a semblance of normal life.
Crucially, the United States has an interest in preventing Assad from achieving
his primary goal, which is to force the international community into a binary
choice between supporting his regime or the extremists. The Obama administration
recognized that imperative, but mismanaged its Syrian opposition support
programs to such a degree that they were counterproductive. The Trump
administration may have deterred Syria from using chemical weapons in Idlib, but
that is only one of the cruel and indiscriminate tools Assad is using to
terrorize the population, and his determination to take back Idlib persists. If
Trump truly believes in preventing slaughter in Syria, he must instruct the US
government to turn its attention to Idlib before it’s too late.
Syria … Post the US Strike!
Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/April 12/17/
All over the six years of the Syrian crisis, all parties involved never took
former US President Barack Obama seriously. Moderates didn’t believe him and
extremists realized he couldn’t go into battle. Damascus criminal Bashar
al-Assad understood that Obama wanted to pass time until the arrival of the next
president for the Syrian crisis to become the latter’s issue. Like Assad, Iran
and Russia decided to use their power in the crisis after it became certain that
Tehran had failed in protecting Assad who was about to be ousted back then.
Moscow was aware that the best time to intervene in Syria would be during
Obama’s presidency to impose the status. The right moment for Russia to enter
Syria was in 2013 after Assad used chemical weapons. It was then that he had
crossed all the “red lines” set by Obama. When Obama did nothing about the
chemical attack, Russia understood they are facing a weak and hesitant
president.Today, we are under Trump’s presidency, and for Trump’s administration
to have a value and significance in the Syrian crisis, the president must
establish a strategy different from that of his predecessor. Trump also had to
send a message to all parties supporting Assad that he won’t resort to Syrian
talks only, but he will be part of the joint strikes in Syria. Such a message
that can make it clear to every party that they are not faced by an incompetent
hesitant president, but rather with one who can launch strikes against the Assad
regime. Iran and Russia target Syrians in Syria. Even Moscow targeted the
opposition which accepted the political solution.
We all remember how Russia manipulated Obama for a long time to determine the
definition of opposition and extremists. In Syria, too, Israel targets Assad
regime and the terrorist Hezbollah. Even when Turkey downed a Russian plane,
there was no war, and then the Turkish-Russian relations were even revived.
Therefore, everyone is fighting in Syria and striking points, except the US. The
Russian-Iranian contempt with the US powers reached an extent to call for Astana
talks during which Assad allies mocked that neither Washington nor Saudi Arabia
are worthy; not even the western powers.
Now, President Trump proved to everyone that he is ready to act and target the
Assad regime and the White House spokesperson, addressing Assad, said: “If you
gas a baby, if you put a barrel bomb into innocent people, I think you will see
a response from this president.”Clearly Trump decided to intervene in the Syrian
crisis through a strong and influential strike not through an envoy. We will be
able to see that in the Syrian talks no matter what Russia or Iran might say.
Church explosions and Brotherhood’s hesitant condemnation
Turki Aldakhil/Al ARabiya/April 12/17
What a horrific scene it was. The smiling child at Alexandria’s church could not
survive as a terrorist sneaked among the crowds, evaded all security checkpoints
and blew himself up. Dozens of innocent people fell victims to the attack.
Such terrorist attacks certainly happen elsewhere too, no matter how fortified
countries are or how tight the security is. Terrorist attacks are these days
expected anywhere in the world because it is indeed targeted at every one. It
has struck the most secure capitals as well as the least prepared ones.
However, the issue is not just related to security, which security experts
understand well. The point is related to condemnation following the painful
attack.
Implied statements
Some extremists have not differentiated between their rivalry with the Egyptian
regime and innocent Egyptians – that is if they truly view themselves as
“peaceful” opposition. Their statements implied the attack satisfied their
thirst for revenge as they thought it punished the regime and people.
Biggest proof to this was the statement of Muslim Brotherhood spiritual guide
Yusuf al-Qaradawi who said in cold-blood: “Explosions in Egypt only happen
during the eras of tyranny. Throughout, its entire history, Egypt only witnessed
explosions that target a group of citizens during the eras of tyranny which do
not provide security or freedom or a dignified life.”
The Muslim Brotherhood’s statement was not any different from Qaradawi’s tweets.
It was an extension of Qaradawi’s political statements.
The way Brotherhood condemned the terror attack did not come as a surprise to
those who are familiar with the group. It did the same following September 11
attacks and following Casablanca, Riyadh and Khobar explosions
Abu Assem signed the statement, which said: “The explosions today at the Mar
Girgis Church in Tanta and at the Saint Mark’s Church in Alexandria, which
killed and injured dozens, confirm that fascist regimes have one approach to
force their survival. They create a fake enemy called terrorism to cover their
failure and incapability and gain the sympathy of naïve people. The explosion at
Saints’ Church during the era of Hosni Mubarak was not a long time ago”.
“The military coup militias are manipulating the lives of innocent people and
not taking their lives seriously and are employing them to serve their malicious
plans which aim to tear the national fabric. The rushed statements which the
coup authorities issue to calm down the public opinion, and in which they make
random accusations that are not based on evidence and later turn out to be all
lies, and the random criminal campaigns against the opposition will never
contribute to revealing facts or stopping crimes or achieving security.”
Ideological debate
The condemnation was less than one sentence and the rest of the statement goes
on to discuss politics and engage in ideological debates. They exploited the
moment and saw it as a chance to be present. This is their wish. The problem
here is in fact humanitarian. The victims of this tragedy are Egyptians.
If those who are hesitant to condemn the attack or who make incomplete
condemnation statements consider themselves part of the society, then what’s
with this horrible lack of care toward ISIS crimes?
Political statements must not be issued when crises strike nations, unless it is
the Brotherhood, which is blacklisted as a terrorist organization in several
countries. It wants to improve its political and social presence in Egypt by way
of violence. This exposes the group’s moral flaw.
Religious, national and moral duties make it imperative for the Muslim
Brotherhood to just settle with condemning the terror attack and not exploit
these moments of grief to make political statements. Otherwise the condemnation
which they only mentioned in one sentence throughout an entire statement is more
like a justification. It is a group that goes like: “We condemn the explosion,
but.”
The way Brotherhood condemned the terror attack did not come as a surprise to
those who are familiar with the group. It did the same following September 11
attacks and following Casablanca, Riyadh and Khobar explosions. It even
sweet-talked the Houthi aggressors who launch missiles against civilians in
Kaaba on the House of Allah. Exploiting aftermath of violence as opportunity for
political point scoring is immoral because the victim here is not the regime,
which you oppose, but your bother in the country who has been devoured by
terrorism. He is the same brother you used to threaten others with in Rabaa few
years ago. Are we surprised? Actually, no. This is the group that says “we
condemn, but …”
Universities are for learning, they’re not for politics and
guns
Adnan Hussein/Al ARabiya/April 12/17
A disturbing event happened in an Iraqi university on Sunday. It could have been
avoided - or rather it shouldn’t have happened to begin with.
Members of the armed forces entered the campus of the University of Al-Qadisiyah
in Al-Diwaniyah and opened fire injuring two students - causing panic. According
to news reports, the military were providing protection for a political leader
who was invited to speak during an event in support of the Popular Mobilization.
Regardless of who was wrong and who provoked who, gunfire could have been
avoided if the bodyguards respected the campus’ sanctity and left their guns
outside. The entire incident could have been avoided if it was taken into
consideration that universities are for learning and that political activity
inside them is not appropriate. Social arenas outside universities are wide and
they can accommodate all political and non-political activities. Out of all
playgrounds, they are politicians’ most feasible playground
The former regime through its totalitarian outlook was what laid the basis for
turning universities into arenas for political work and intelligence activity.
One of the worst consequences of such an approach is the dangerous deterioration
of the standard of education in Iraq’s universities. Degrees from Iraqi
universities are not well received at international academic and educational
forums. The educational system, at both basic and higher education, has almost
collapsed.
The call to keep politics out of universities does not mean completely isolating
universities and students from political life. University students are an
essential part of society and there’s nothing wrong with their involvement in
politics. However, they must do so outside university. If there’s a need to hold
a political event inside campus, such as a conference or seminar, then they must
make sure that the event does not incite divisions or stir conflict among
students. It’s understood that such activities happen through student unions and
relevant associations. If politicians, especially leaders, want to participate
in these events - and this is a guaranteed right - then they must abide by the
campus rules, which include the restriction of weapons inside campus and not
instigating violence.
Social arenas outside universities are wide and they can accommodate all
political and non-political activities. Out of all playgrounds, they are
politicians’ most feasible playground.
Terrorism in Egypt: the cultural myth
Mohammed Nosseir/Al ARabiya/April 12/17
Many of our problems in Egypt are simply a reflection of cultural traits that
stimulate our thinking process. Terrorism, the most complicated challenge in
modern history, is heavily shaped by our culture. The Egyptian state always
wants to isolate this crisis from other challenges, yet terrorism is entwined
with our sociopolitical problems. The recent twin terrorist attacks highlighted
many Egyptian cultural deficiencies:
Same Destruction, Different Day: After St. Mark’s Cathedral was blown up last
December, I had imagined that terrorists would never again be able to enter a
single Egyptian Church. Obviously, I was wrong. Sadly, we don’t learn from our
mistakes and didn’t take the measures to counter our security breaches
permanently. Moreover, in Egypt we work in fits and starts. In the months
following an attack, everyone is on guard against terrorism; when nothing
happens for a while, we tend to relax – until another outbreak of terrorism
takes us by surprise.
Working better when the boss is present: While one terrorist was easily able to
enter St. George’s Church in Tanta, substantially better security measures made
it difficult for another to enter the Alexandria church where Pope Tawadros II
was present. The fact that the explosion happened outside the church is a
partial defeat of terrorism (and obviously resulted in fewer casualties).
Thinking of today should not be at the expense of tomorrow: Imposing a state of
emergency will not scare away a single brainwashed terrorist willing to commit
suicide for a false cause. However, it will certainly affect tourists and
investors who will be discouraged from either visiting or investing in Egypt.
Additionally, by neglecting ordinary crime and violence, we are sending a
message to terrorists that there is a room for them to get away with their acts
successfully.
For Egypt to better address the challenge of terrorism, we need to develop a
strategy in which government entities, independent institutions and citizens
provide true inputs and have genuine ownership. Single-handed action that
imposes the government’s philosophy on the community won’t help
Overburdening Police: We can’t realistically expect a segment of society to be
continuously on guard against possible terrorist attacks while the great
majority of the Egyptian workforce behaves recklessly. We need to work on
upgrading the entire society to act professionally, even if this is a long-term
task. The Egyptian state wants to rely on a few police officers and intelligence
personnel to handle this chronic challenge and refuses the help of others –
which is desperately needed. Meanwhile, regime affiliates who speak to the media
24-hours a day are certainly stimulating terrorists.
Disparity is common, but we don’t notice it: We Egyptians tend to be biased in
our daily life! We largely favor male gender to female, we prefer to employ
people we know to unknown calibers (even when they have better qualifications),
companies that are Muslim-dominated rarely employ any Christians, and companies
owned by Copts have substantially more Christian employees. No wonder terrorists
attack Churches.
Friends with one-way benefits: The Egyptian state is always calling upon other
nations to support us in our fight against terrorism – a legitimate demand that
should not be overlooked. Yet our government does not want to listen to a single
suggestion offered by other countries on this subject, labeling it as
interference in our national affairs.
Heroes, martyrs and government compensation: After each terrorist incident, the
government works on identifying heroes, labeling victims as martyrs and
financially compensating their families. Neglecting the real cause of the
crisis, the state tries to convey this narrative to society: the hero is the
“role model” we should emulate during the next terrorist attack, the victims, as
martyrs, are in a better place today, and their families will be financially
taken care of.
For Egypt to better address the challenge of terrorism, we need to develop a
strategy in which government entities, independent institutions and citizens
provide true inputs and have genuine ownership. Singlehanded action that imposes
the government’s philosophy on the community won’t help. The entire population
must be extremely alert to confront this challenge, which necessitates
thoroughly addressing our cultural problems, such as inequalities and a laidback
attitude.
We must provide our police force with state-of-the-art technology that can help
them to tackle terrorism better. If we need the support of other nations, we
must be willing to listen to their advice carefully.
Finally, we need to ensure that the law is applied fairly to all citizens; this
will prevent terrorist leaders from brainwashing and recruiting marginalized
citizens, based on the claim that they will be fighting against an irreligious
and unjust society.
Muslims in Europe, identity questions and failure of
discourse
Fahad Suleiman Shoqiran/Al ARabiya/April 12/17
The European media, in all its versions, advertise some gatherings of Muslims
residing in Europe, who want to evaluate the European experience, and perhaps
aspire to change its regime to establish the desired model of governance, like
the rule of the Brotherhood, an al-Qaeda state or an ISIS “caliphate”.
The speech of the Muslim Brotherhood sympathizer Dr. Tarek Ramadan considers
Islam and Muslims as a part of the European fabric. He has long debated
identity, and has engaged in lengthy dialogues with Edgar Moran, which I have
written on more than once in the past.
However, the problem of identity is not the recognition of the existence of the
other, but respecting the other’s civilization and not interfering in the fabric
of society, as is the case of some refugees in Germany. Some want to modify the
nation’s own system and this stems from central pressure and a false belief that
the others are in desperate need for our experience and our minds, and our
“spiritual experience”, which is nonexistent in the Islamic religious
deliberation. As a matter of fact, the stands are full with non-polite methods,
sermons inciting death; atonement and destruction. What a truly spiritual
experience indeed!
The failure of all attempts to renew the Islamic discourse and push it towards
urbanization instigated the right wing to wage a comprehensive war against that
discourse, its constituents and branches, and to destruct all its platforms
That inferior view of the others they seek reinforces the presence of the
extreme right and its entitlement to victory in France and Germany. The failure
of all attempts to renew the Islamic discourse and push it towards urbanization
instigated the right wing to wage a comprehensive war against that discourse,
its constituents and branches, and to destruct all its platforms.
It made Muslims socially problematic, with the many opportunities that they have
been given over the past two decades to improve the presence of discourse in
European society. In the middle of the right-wing wave, a moderate voice may be
a key link for a healthier relationship between Muslims and Europeans,
especially new refugee groups from conflict areas in Libya, Syria and elsewhere.
“Freedom of belief”
Volker Kauder, the prominent politician in the German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s
party said in an interview with DW that: “Muslims are a part of Germany but
Islam, isn’t” adding that “Freedom of belief is an existential matter of freedom
in itself, and there is no freedom of belief when there is no freedom. Freedom
of belief is existential for freedom itself, which is true in principle for
every religion - and, of course, within the limits of German law and fundamental
law. Islam is a religion that gets freedom in our country, so Muslims are
allowed to build their mosques, but of course we cannot allow mosques to do
anything against our democracy and our social system.”
The European thesis focuses on the need to respect the values and laws and learn
the language, because one of the obstacles to the development of a Muslim
society with the other is the lack of integration and fusion within other
societies. In retrospect, the hosting society respects their rituals, allows the
establishment of mosques, and provides Halal food and freedom of expression.
Throughout the past year, governmental religious institutions have placed
religious pamphlets around the world for the purpose of spreading Islam, raising
awareness and carrying out acts of preaching to God. However, the rapid events
and the growth of extremism have made the nature of their work questionable.
They did not identify the basic problem and did not recognize the imbalance in
the discourse. They have rather perpetuated stereotypes, alienating the contrary
opinion.
They did not separate the religious discourse within the Muslim community from
the propagation of the Western societies in general. Thus reinforcing the
formation of an offensive image of the religion as being Osama bin Laden, Ayman
al-Zawahiri, Suleiman Abu Ghaith, Abu Hafs al-Mauritani and Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi. All of the Muslim preachers did not succeed in dispelling these
names from the minds of the Western recipient.
This is the dilemma of renewing the religious discourse, which made some people
consider it impossible to modernize it with the linguistics of religion but
rather with a scientific method of deconstruction and anthropology. This left
behind the ‘closed dogmatic fences’ as expressed by Professor Mohammed Arkoun,
who has been plagued by the subject of refugees, identity and Muslims since the
days of terrorism in Algeria, which caused his displacement to France, as he
tells in his books, notably in his two books “from Manhattan to Baghdad” And
“Islam, Europe, the West”.
The stage shows the level of conflict between the two visions: the first which
claims that Muslims are a part of Europe but Islam isn’t, and the second that
believes Islam and Muslims are part of Europe. The results of the battle will
appear in the upcoming elections in Europe but one thing is certain, that the
current situation for Muslims will not be as it has been since the first
migrations until the second half of the twentieth century.