Government & Politics

German government aims to expand Islam Conference with critical voices Germany's Interior Ministry wants to curb the influence of organized and often conservative Muslim associations at the country's annual Islam Conference. Critics say the move risks limiting religious dialogue.

(Deutsche Welle) By the time the summer comes to a close, things will be different at the German Islam Conference, an annual event aimed at fostering dialogue between the government and Muslims living in the country. At least that is the aim […]

Academics & Education

Turkey’s Gulen movement on the rise in Germany After Turkey's foiled coup attempt in 2016, many supporters of exiled Muslim cleric Fetullah Gulen were driven out of the country. But in Germany, the movement is increasingly gaining influence, writes Gunnar Köhne.

(Deutsche Welle) When the Turkish government crushed an attempted coup on July 15, 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric in self-imposed exile in the United States. There were plenty of rumors about Gulen’s involvement in […]

Government & Politics

UK commission to probe output of ‘intellectual’ extremists Head of counter-extremism body tells the National she will make decisions after major research project

(National-UAE) A UK government-appointed body is to consider new laws to tackle increasingly professional extremist groups that harness the power of social media to disguise divisive messages as mainstream political campaigns. Sara Khan, the group’s head, cited the work of the international […]

Crime

Germany outlaws Turkish boxing gang

(Gatestone) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has banned a Turkish boxing gang called “Osmanen Germania BC” (“Germania Ottomans”) on the grounds that it poses a serious threat to public order. The gang, most of whose members are Turkish Germans, is said to […]

Government & Politics

Those who stand up to extremism ‘vilified’ in UK, says commissioner Sara Khan Counter-extremism commissioner Sara Khan admits she has received death threats in the course of her work.

(Sky News) People are being “vilified” for standing up to extremism in some UK communities, the counter-extremism commissioner has told Sky News. Sara Khan said some stories have left her “heartbroken,” while the problem is increasing in scale and becoming more professionalised. […]

Government & Politics

Congress renews push to designate Muslim Brotherhood as terror group Rep. DeSantis: 'The Muslim Brotherhood is a malevolent force, and American policy needs to reflect this truth'

(Free Beacon) Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are renewing a years-long push to designate the international Muslim Brotherhood organization as a terrorist organization due to its support for terror organizations that threaten U.S. security interests across the globe, according to conversations with U.S. […]

Academics & Education

USC launches Hollywood boot camp for Middle Eastern TV creators The Los Angeles training program for Arab TV writers and producers comes as Netflix and other U.S. digital players target 300 million potential viewers in the region.

(Hollywood Reporter) Keen to bring high-end TV to the Middle East, the USC School of Cinematic Arts has launched a Hollywood training program for Arabic TV writers and producers. USC, working with the U.S. State Department, is hosting an initial Hollywood boot […]

Crime

German Interior Ministry bans biker gang Osmanen Germania BC Germany has banned Turkish-nationalist biker gang Osmanen Germania BC, accusing the group of carrying out violent crimes. Officials believe the gang has ties to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government.

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer outlawed biker group Osmanen Germania BC (Germania Ottomans) on Tuesday, banning them from all activity. “The club presents a serious danger for individual legally protected rights and for the general public,” the ministry said in […]

Government & Politics

German interior minister presents his migration master plan German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has presented his long-awaited asylum 'master plan.' But he did not include the last-minute compromises made with coalition partners last week, which averted a government crisis.

(Deutsche Welle) Interior Minister Horst Seehofer finally got to present his migration “master plan” to the press on Tuesday, a month after it was blocked at the last minute by Chancellor Angela Merkel, precipitating a crisis in the German government that almost […]

Crime

German Jewish groups: German NGOs must fight anti-Semitism if they want public funds After several high-profile incidents of anti-Semitic violence, Germany's Jewish community has had enough. They have appealed to the government to institute a kind of anti-Semitism oath for groups seeking public funding.

(Deutsche Welle) Just last week, a man wearing the Star of David was beaten down and kicked right in the center of Berlin. Some weeks earlier, a similar incident in Germany’s capital caused public outrage and sparked a nationwide debate on anti-Semitism […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Woman running for Congress in Minnesota rejects anti-Semitism accusations Ilhan Omar, who has blamed Israel for 'evil doings' in Gaza and accused it of apartheid, says her critics are rooted in 'bigotry'

(Times of Israel) A Somali-American Muslim woman running to succeed Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison in Minnesota has pushed back against accusations of anti-Semitism over comments she made against Israel. In a 2012 tweet, Minnesota State Representative Ilhan Omar accused Israel of “evil […]

Government & Politics

Frontex chief: Increase in migrants reaching EU via Spain Fabrice Leggeri said his agency registered 6,000 irregular border crossings from Africa in the region last month.

(Politico)  Migrants are increasingly taking the Western route across the Mediterranean to reach Europe via Spain, the head of the EU’s border monitoring agency warned. “If you ask me about my greatest concern, I say it’s Spain,” Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri told German newspaper […]

Arts & Entertainment

The vicious circle of Islamist terrorism and far-right extremism While Islamist terrorists get close scrutiny, their far-right counterparts often do not. But that is changing, especially as studies show jihadists and the far-right not only reflect each other, but feed off each other.

(Christian Science Monitor) When most people think of the Bataclan these days, it’s not the venerated theater where rock bands have been playing since the 1970s which comes to mind. Rather, it’s Islamist terrorism, after 89 people were killed there during a […]

Academics & Education

Denmark confronts Islamism and integration For much of this decade, Jewish residents in the country have endured anti-Semitic attacks and abuse wildly out of proportion to their numbers. Most of that hostility comes from the Muslim community.

(JNS) Imam Mundhir Abdallah is a good example of the dilemmas that have confronted politicians in Denmark in their response to Islamist extremism among the country’s 300,000 Muslims, the large majority of whom are first- or second-generation immigrants. In May 2017, the […]