Crime

Six men jailed for people-smuggling after joint operation by British and French police The French authorities were alerted about an illicit shipment which saw the launch of surveillance leading to 'one of many significant operational results over the last two to three years' and disruption to a number of organised gangs.

(Sky News) Six men have been convicted of people-smuggling and sent to prison following a joint operation between British and French police. The men were given sentences ranging from two to five years after a trial in the French city of Douai. […]

Government & Politics

Prevent review: Treat Hamas and Islamic State supporters the same, says Shawcross Counter-extremism reviewer says supporters of proscribed Palestinian movement should face full force of counter-terrorism powers

(Middle East Eye) Supporters of Hamas should be treated the same as supporters of the Islamic State group and subjected to the full force of the law, a contentious review of the UK government’s Prevent counter-extremism strategy has recommended. William Shawcross’s review, […]

Government & Politics

Government’s anti-terror programme failing to ‘understand and tackle antisemitism’ William Shawcross's long-[awaited] report into the Prevent programme includes references to cases that the author says show 'the prevalence of extreme antisemitism'

(Jewish News) The government’s anti-terror programme is not doing enough to “understand and tackle antisemitism,” a new report has concluded. The findings of former Charity Commission chairman William Shawcross’s long-awaited report into the Prevent programme included claims by the author he was […]

Government & Politics

UK’s Prevent terror strategy review to address classifying extremists as victims Shawcross report expected to warn that treating potentially dangerous people as vulnerable presents serious security issues

(National-UAE) The classification of extremists as vulnerable people is a “mischaracterisation,” the author of a review of the UK’s Prevent strategy is expected to say. William Shawcross, author of the review, is understood to have taken issue with how the government’s counter-terrorism […]

Government & Politics

UK to ban Channel migrants from appealing deportation: report 'Unacceptable number of people' crossing the Channel puts 'unprecedented strain' on country's asylum system, Home Office spokesperson says

(Anadolu) The British government is aiming to stop “deportation appeals” for those who reach the UK via crossing the Channel in small boats, according to the Times newspaper. In a report on Friday, the British daily said the UK Home Office is […]

Demonstrations

Norway bans protest over ‘security concerns’ amid fears of Quran burning Norwegian media report that a group of anti-Islam protesters planned to destroy a copy of the Quran at the demonstration

(National-UAE) A planned demonstration outside the Turkish embassy in Oslo has been banned amid fears it would become a Quran-burning protest, Norwegian police have said. Turkey summoned Norway’s ambassador on Thursday over the planned protest that was expected to take place on […]

Interfaith

Islamic group sorry for branding synagogue a ‘place of non-believers’ Exclusive: Dawat-e-Islami, the movement buying Wembley United Synagogue, has 'apologised profusely' after distributing offensive fundraising flyers.

(Jewish News) The Islamic movement buying Wembley United Synagogue has “apologised profusely” after its fundraising flyers sought help to purchase “a place of worship of non-believers.” Dawat-e-Islami, a global Sunni Muslim group founded in Pakistan, caused a wave of upset across social […]

Crime

Germany debates tougher deportation rules A deadly knife attack on a German regional train has triggered a debate on deportation laws and their application. The suspect, a Palestinian, was living in Germany despite his criminal record.

(Deutsche Welle) Two weeks ago, a knife attack shook Germany when a man traveling on a regional train headed for Hamburg randomly stabbed passengers, killing two of them. The alleged perpetrator, 33-year-old Ibrahim A.*, was known to the police, as he had multiple prior convictions […]

Clothing

Does the EU have hijab bans? As women around the world mark World Hijab Day, people are calling on the European Union to create safer spaces for conversations about the Muslim headscarf.

(Deutsche Welle) Across the European Union, the headscarves worn by some Muslim women have been hotly contested for years. Some nations claim hijab bans would tackle religious oppression and terrorism, while others argue bans would discriminate against women’s rights and hamper integration. Some EU countries have already imposed […]

Demonstrations

Police: Nato protesters planned, then decided against, Koran burning at Helsinki demo After learning about the plans on social media, police told organisers before the demonstration that burning such a book would be illegal.

(Yle) Some protesters planned to burn a Koran at an anti-Nato demonstration held in Helsink[i] last week, but then reconsidered after learning it would be against the law, according to city police. The Helsinki Police Department’s chief inspector, Heikki Porola, told Yle […]