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. […]

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 […]

Clerics & Preachers

French imam gets death threats after video with IDF spokesman Hassen Chalghoumi, known for his criticism of Islamic fundamentalism, receives multiple death threats and is accused of becoming 'advocate for the Zionists' following his meeting with IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis in Paris.

(Ynet) French Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, who is known for his criticism of Islamic fundamentalism, has recently received death threats following the release of a video in which he talks with IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis in Paris. Chalghoumi, who visited Israel […]

Books

Germany’s Thilo Sarrazin in court over controversial book on Islam His controversial views have stirred much debate in Germany. Now Thilo Sarrazin has written a new book about Islam — and is battling his erstwhile publisher in court over it.

(Deutsche Welle) His highly controversial books sell in the millions. It all began with “Deutschland schafft sich ab” (“Germany is doing away with itself”). Thilo Sarrazin’s 2010 book stimulated a fiery debate over German immigration policy and migrants from Islamic countries. While […]

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 […]

Interfaith

French Muslim leaders all refuse to sign anti-Semitism condemnation — activist Fiyaz Mughal, who led a similar, successful campaign in UK, says he floated draft for interfaith declaration against Jewish and Muslim hatred, was rebuffed even after revising text

(Times of Israel) French Muslim leaders all refused to sign on to a joint declaration with their Jewish counterparts condemning anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hatred, according to the British activist behind the interfaith campaign, which ran successfully in the United Kingdom. Fiyaz Mughal, […]

Academics & Education

Anti-Semitism in German schools to be tackled with anti-bullying commissioners German Family Minister Franziska Giffey wants to send bullying prevention experts to schools to curb a rise in anti-Jewish attacks. Berlin schools, in particular, have seen anti-Semitic bullying in recent months.

(Deutsche Welle) Family Minister Franziska Giffey plans to fund 170 bullying prevention experts, who are to be sent to selected German schools, she told Thursday’s edition of German daily Rheinische Post. Asked if anti-Semitism is a growing problem in schools now that Germany […]