Government & Politics

US Muslim groups urge White House to apologize, make good after mayor rejection Groups say they have 'high expectations' Biden administration 'will promptly and publicly reject' anti-Muslim policies

(Anadolu) A coalition of dozens of advocacy groups called on the White House Friday to apologize to a Muslim American mayor who was disinvited from an Eid ceremony just moments before it was to begin. Mohamed Khairullah, the longtime Muslim mayor of […]

Citizenship

Convicted terrorist leader to challenge citizenship decision A convicted terrorist leader will fight to have his Australian citizenship returned, with authorities planning to deport him, a court has heard.

(NCA NewsWire) The convicted leader of a terrorist cell in Australia will fight to have his citizenship returned, a court has heard. Abdul Nacer Benbrika returned before the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday as a trial began on what, if any, conditions […]

Government & Politics

Appeal court overturns ruling directing Ottawa to repatriate 4 men detained in Syria Federal Court of Appeal says the 'right to enter Canada is not a right to be returned to Canada'

(CBC) The Federal Court of Appeal has overturned a high-profile ruling ordering Canada to bring home four Canadian men detained in northeastern Syrian prisons for suspected ISIS members. In January, Federal Court Justice Henry Brown ruled the four men were entitled to […]

Government & Politics

Jewish groups question CAIR’s inclusion in WH antisemitism fact sheet 'They were listed in a supplemental document as one of the many independent organizations making commitments,' said a source with direct knowledge of the drafting of the strategy

(Jewish Insider) Several Jewish organizations on Tuesday questioned the White House’s decision to reference the Council on American-Islamic Relations in a fact sheet released last week alongside the U.S. national strategy to counter antisemitism. “We don’t agree with every decision the White […]

Government & Politics

US Muslim community congratulates Turkish President Erdogan on election victory Ankara’s envoy to Washington awarded for outstanding community services during Islamic Circle of North America convention

(Anadolu) At a major Muslim American gathering, the Muslim community in the US congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his historic reelection to the nation’s presidency. Hasan Murat Mercan, Ankara’s ambassador to Washington, was invited to the stage on Sunday at […]

Government & Politics

Swedish MP’s participation in Hamas-tied conference sparks uproar The Social Democrats, who led Sweden as recently as 2021, advised its representatives not to attend the conference, but El-Haj went anyway

(Jerusalem Post) Swedish legislator Jamal El-Haj, a member of the Riksdag, the national legislature, may face consequences in his Swedish Social Democratic Party after attending a conference affiliated with Hamas. The opposition lawmaker participated in “The 20th European Palestinians Conference: 75 Years […]

Government & Politics

Belgium swaps convicted terrorist to free aid worker jailed in Iran ‘Olivier Vandecasteele is on his way to Belgium,’ PM Alexander De Croo says.

(Politico) Iran has released Olivier Vandecasteele, a Belgian humanitarian worker who had been detained in Iran for more than a year, in exchange for convicted terrorist Assadollah Assadi, who had been imprisoned in Belgium. “Olivier Vandecasteele is on his way to Belgium,” […]

Government & Politics

Islamic charity linked to Iran shuts weeks after watchdog tried to take control Islamic Centre of England tells worshippers it has suspended activities until further notice

(National-UAE) A British charity run by the UK representative of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, has closed only weeks after the aid watchdog removed its trustees. The Charity Commission this month announced it had removed the trustees from the board […]

Government & Politics

EU’s Johansson slams Greece over ‘deportation’ of migrants Footage showing Greek coast guard abandoning migrants in the open sea is ‘absolutely unacceptable,’ EU home affairs commissioner says.

(Politico) EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson criticized Greece for reportedly forcing migrants onto an emergency raft and abandoning them in the Aegean Sea. In an interview with POLITICO, Johansson said the episode was more than a pushback — when migrants are […]

Government & Politics

Comer says the rising number of terrorism suspects at the border is a ‘clear national security risk’ GOP launches probe of terrorism suspects crossing the border

(Washington Times) House Republicans have launched a probe into the soaring number of terrorism suspects who’ve been detected trying to sneak into the U.S. under President Biden, calling it a “clear national security risk” and demanding Homeland Security cough up its plan […]

Academics & Education

Muslim groups ask court to quash Quebec’s ‘discriminatory’ school prayer ban The ban violates 'the fundamental rights of minors and adults in terms of their freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, but also individuals' right of association,' the organizations argue.

(Montreal Gazette) Six Muslim groups are asking a Quebec court to declare unconstitutional a new provincial edict that bans religious activity in public schools. In a lawsuit filed this week, the groups asked Quebec Superior Court to “declare constitutionally invalid, inapplicable, inoperative […]

Government & Politics

Calls for UK to close ‘Iran-run’ Islamic Centre of England as watchdog removes trustees London-based office of charity was warned after speaker praised IRGC's Qassem Suleimani

(National-UAE) Calls are being made to close a British charity run by the UK representative of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after the aid watchdog removed its trustees. The Charity Commission announced on Wednesday it had removed the trustees from the […]