Demographics

UK: Growing Muslim population hailed as ‘strategic national asset’ New census data suggests Christians now a minority in England and Wales while number of those with 'no religion' increases

(Middle East Eye) The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has said that the growth of the UK’s Muslim population is a “strategic national asset” for the country but raised concerns about the levels of poverty the community continues to live in. Results […]

Government & Politics

Tories call for changes to modern slavery rules to send ‘bogus asylum seekers’ home A group of Tory MPs wants to make it easier to return 'bogus asylum seekers' to the homes 'in the villages from which they came from.'

(Sky News) A group of more than 50 MPs has written to PM Rishi Sunak, urging him to introduce emergency legislation which will cut small boat crossings of the Channel. The group, which includes former cabinet ministers, called for the rapid implementation […]

Government & Politics

ASIO makes major change to Australia’s terrorism threat level The nation’s top spy has made a major adjustment to the nation’s terror level for the first time in close to a decade.

(NCA NewsWire) Australia’s terrorism threat level has been lowered for the first time in close to a decade, but one of the nation’s top spies has warned an attack could still occur in the next 12 months. Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation […]

Clerics & Preachers

Preacher accused of being ISIS marriage broker faces trial in New York Prosecutors say that Abdullah el-Faisal, who served time in Britain for inciting racial hatred, tried to find recruits for the Middle East extremist group.

(NY Times) In late 2016, Abdullah el-Faisal, a Jamaican preacher who was an outspoken supporter of the Islamic State, began communicating on WhatsApp with a woman in New York who claimed to be an aspiring jihadist with medical training. He offered to […]

Legal

Holy Land Five: Rights groups, families demand release over ‘miscarriage of justice’ Advocacy groups launch awareness campaign marking 14 years since the conviction of the Holy Land Five

(Middle East Eye) A coalition of advocacy groups have called for the release of the Holy Land Five, a group of Palestinian-American men who were convicted of funding terrorism in a case civil liberties groups say highlights the disproportionate targeting of Muslim charities […]

Children & Teens

Independent agency probing CSIS after claim that operative smuggled teenage girls into Syria Minister of public safety requested independent review in September

(CBC) An independent government agency is reviewing how Canada’s spy agency handles human sources after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised in August to follow up on claims that an ISIS member who was also working as a CSIS operative smuggled three British teenagers into Syria in 2015. The three […]

Academics & Education

Shamima Begum: Police and school ‘missed opportunities’ to stop her leaving UK, lawyers claim Questions have been raised over whether 'key indicators' that Ms Begum and her two school friends were at risk of being trafficked were missed.

(Sky News) The police and her school missed opportunities to stop Shamima Begum travelling to Syria and joining ISIS and should have stopped her, according to her lawyers. There were questions about whether “key indicators” that Ms Begum and her two school […]

Government & Politics

Terror laws: Australian Human Rights Commission, AFP weigh in on review Controversial legislation that aims to keep terrorists behind bars — even after they’ve completed their jail terms — has been subjected to intense scrutiny.

(NCA NewsWire) A controversial law that aims to keep terrorists behind bars after the completion of their prison sentences is under review. On Monday the independent national security legislation monitor (INSLM), Grant Donaldson SC, continued his assessment of Division 105A of the […]

Children & Teens

Shamima Begum was sexually exploited by ISIS, appeal hearing told Ms Begum, now 23, left Britain with two friends from the Bethnal Green Academy in east London, who are thought to have been killed in the conflict.

(Sky News) Shamima Begum, the jihadi bride, was trafficked by ISIS for sexual exploitation, her lawyers have told a hearing to appeal against her deprivation of citizenship. She launched her main appeal against the decision, with her lawyers telling a tribunal: “Shamima […]

Clerics & Preachers

US Muslim delegation to visit Abraham Accord countries Israel and Bahrain Talib Shareef, a prominent imam from Washington, D.C., will speak about the role of religious leaders in promoting peace.

(JNS) A delegation of American Muslim community leaders plans to visit two of the Abraham Accords countries, Bahrain and Israel. Sharaka — a Middle East-based NGO that promotes people-to-people peace and engagement — and the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council […]