Legal

Children & Teens

Philly criminal lawyer reveals teen terror suspect is his son 'I didn’t see it coming at all. At all,' the lawyer, whose 17-year-old son was arrested in an FBI raid on charges of plotting a national terrorist attack, told the Daily Beast.

August 15, 2023   

(Daily Beast) A prominent Philadelphia criminal defense attorney has confirmed that the terror suspect arrested by the FBI in an armed raid on his suburban home [Friday] is his 17-year-old son. Qawi Abdul-Rahman, 50, told the Daily Beast that he was “shocked […]

Children & Teens

Teen terror suspect lived in home of Philly lawyer who just ran for judge 'You wanna find out what I'm really about?' attorney Qawi Abdul-Rahman said when we asked him about the arrest. 'Text or call me one more time, and you'll find out what I'm really about.'

August 14, 2023   

(Philadelphia Magazine) On Monday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and the FBI announced that police arrested a 17-year-old from West Philadelphia on Friday, charging him with crimes stemming from a terrorism investigation. I had been aware of the arrest since right after […]

Halal

Federal judge sends Muslim inmate’s lawsuit to trial over denial of religious diet Although self-represented, a jury could find Ray Anthony Smith established a violation of his constitutional rights, a judge ruled

August 10, 2023   

(Colorado Politics) A jury will decide whether Colorado Department of Corrections officials violated an incarcerated man’s rights by terminating his religious diet when he purchased multiple items that allegedly were in conflict with his meal plan. On Aug. 3, U.S. District Court […]

Academics & Education

Maryland families say LGBTQ school readings violate religious beliefs In a lawsuit, several Montgomery County families are asking a judge for an opt-out from such materials

August 9, 2023   

(Washington Post) Montgomery County’s mandate that students read books with LGBTQ characters forces religious families either to forfeit their beliefs or depart the public school system, lawyers for Muslim and Christian families suing the district said during oral arguments Wednesday at the […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Largest US body of lawyers adopts resolution combating Islamophobia The American Bar Association's resolution calls on Congress and UN to pass measures condemning anti-Muslim hate

August 9, 2023   

(Middle East Eye) The largest body of lawyers in the United States has passed a resolution condemning Islamophobia and calling on Congress and the United Nations to implement similar resolutions combating anti-Muslim sentiment. The American Bar Association (ABA)’s House of Delegates passed […]

Deradicalization

Ahmed Mohamed: Terrorist’s bid for reduced sentence rejected despite ‘deradicalisation’ A convicted terrorist, currently serving a 32-year stint for two plots, has had his bid for freedom rejected.

August 3, 2023   

(NCA NewsWire) A twice-convicted terrorist, who once plotted a Christmas Day attack in Melbourne’s CBD, has had his bid to walk free from prison early rejected. Ahmed Mohamed, 30, faced the Victorian Court of Appeal on Thursday where a panel of three […]

Interfaith

In searing rebuke of FBI, judge orders release of three ‘Newburgh Four’ terrorism defendants ‘The real lead conspirator was the United States,’ judge writes, calling 25-year sentences ‘unjust’; Schoharie limo crash figure was undercover asset

July 27, 2023   

(Times Union) A federal judge has ordered the “compassionate release” from federal prison of three people whom she described as “hapless” and “easily manipulated” petty criminals who were convicted 14 years ago in a controversial terrorist plot in which the FBI relied […]

Legal

Penn State Abington student indicted for lying about ties to ISIS terrorists Prosecutors say Kamal Fataliev, 19, uploaded hundreds of bomb- and firearms-making guides to terror-related chat groups. They discovered his involvement after disrupting a planned attack in Chicago.

July 26, 2023   

(Philadelphia Inquirer) Federal authorities have charged a sophomore at Pennsylvania State University’s Abington campus with lying about his contacts with ISIS sympathizers and assistance he gave to the plotters of an averted terrorist attack in Chicago last year. Kamal Fataliev, 19, of […]

Clerics & Preachers

Belgian imams can now receive salaries from abroad, says Belgian Constitutional Court Court rules that Flemish region decree prohibiting direct or indirect support or financing to places of worship from abroad violated Constitution

July 21, 2023   

(Anadolu) Belgium’s top court has issued a decision opening the way for Muslim imams in the country’s Flemish region to get salaries from abroad and similar arrangements. In October 2021, a decree was issued in the Flemish region prohibiting direct or indirect […]

Burkini

Council of State suspends burkini ban in south-eastern France The Council of State ruled that the ban violated 'three fundamental freedoms: freedom of movement, freedom of conscience, and personal freedom.'

July 19, 2023   

(Morocco World News) The Council of State, France’s highest court, has suspended the burkini ban imposed by the municipality of Mandelieu-la-Napoule on its beaches, arguing that there was no evidence that the burkini posed risks to public order. This ruling by the […]

Children & Teens

Germany: Woman sentenced for ‘IS’ membership, breach of care The 33-year-old had been accused of going to Syria in 2016 along with her children and joining the terrorist group.

July 17, 2023   

(Deutsche Welle) A Frankfurt court on Monday handed a German woman a two-year suspended prison sentence due to her past involvement with the so-called “Islamic State” (IS). “She promoted the organization from within,” the presiding judge said of the 33-year-old woman from the [central […]

Legal

The ‘Shoe Bomber’ testified for him. He was acquitted of terror charges Nizar Trabelsi, a former professional soccer player in Germany, was arrested just after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack and accused of plotting to kill Americans in Europe

July 14, 2023   

(Washington Post) The British man who tried to blow up a flight from Paris to Miami over 20 years ago spoke publicly last month for the first time, testifying under oath in federal court. His arms and legs were shackled as he […]

Legal

Ex-soccer star accused of plotting terror with Osama bin Laden found not guilty Nizar Trabelsi was previously convicted in Belgium for planning to attack the Kleine-Brogel Air Base, where U.S. military staff are stationed. He was later extradited to the U.S. for trial.

July 14, 2023 and   

(NBC) In a rare and shocking development, an accused foreign Islamic terrorist was found not guilty Friday by a jury in federal court after a trial on charges he conspired with Osama bin Laden to conduct a suicide bombing on Americans in […]

Legal

Ex-New York resident sentenced to life in prison for helping ISIS Mirsad Kandic, a Kosovo native who had lived in New York before traveling to ISIS territory, was found guilty last year of conspiracy and of providing material support to the group.

July 14, 2023   

(NY Times) In 2013, Mirsad Kandic began working with the Islamic State, helping to advance its campaign of global jihad. Over the next four years, he fought in at least one battle and operated from safe houses in Syria, Turkey and Bosnia, […]

Health & Medicine

Tampa man gets 18 years in prison in terrorism case that involved spy planes Muhammed AlAzhari pleaded guilty in February to attempting to provide material support to an Islamist terrorist organization.

July 13, 2023   

(Tampa Bay Times) A Tampa man who pledged his allegiance to Islamic militants and planned attacks in the Tampa Bay area was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in federal prison. Muhammed Momtaz AlAzhari, 26, pleaded guilty in February to attempting to provide […]