Government & Politics

Turkey deports 229 foreign terrorist fighters Migration chief says 75 EU-origin foreign terrorists sent back since beginning of anti-terror operation last year

(Anadolu) Turkey has deported 229 foreign terrorists, 75 of whom are EU citizens, since its anti-terror operation in Syria, an official from the country’s Interior Ministry said on Tuesday. Abdullah Ayaz, head of Turkey’s migration department, told Anadolu Agency that the struggle […]

Government & Politics

Greece cannot deny Muslim Turkish minority: Turkey Turkish leaders blast Greek president for referring to Muslim Turkish minority in Western Thrace as 'Greek Muslim minority'

(Anadolu) Top Turkish officials on Tuesday slammed Greece’s president for mislabeling the Muslim Turkish minority in a region of Greece bordering Turkey as a “Greek Muslim minority.” “The president of a country said to be the cradle of democracy again called the […]

Government & Politics

UK: Prevent review ‘will go ahead’ following concerns by rights groups Conservative party pledges to review counter-terrorism strategy facing renewed criticism from Muslim community

(Middle East Eye) The British government said it will continue its review of the controversial Prevent strategy amid concerns by rights groups that the Conservative Party was planning to scrap its report into the counter-terrorism scheme. Prevent is a strand of the […]

Government & Politics

‘End Prevent’: UK government faces new calls to drop counter-terrorism strategy Academics and activists call for 'alternative approach' as government's own promised review of contentious programme remains stalled

(Middle East Eye) The British government is facing fresh calls to abolish its Prevent strategy amid uncertainty over the future of its own suspended review of the contentious counter-terrorism programme. More than 100 academics, activists and public figures opposed to the strategy […]

Mosques

Kurds file criminal complaint against Iran mosque in Germany for terrorism The popular German news and commentary website Tichys Einblick first published the complaint, which was filed with the local prosecutor’s office.

(Jerusalem Post) Ali Ertan Toprak, the chairman of the Kurdish community in Germany, on Tuesday lodged a formal criminal complaint against the Iranian regime-controlled Islamic Center of Hamburg, the owner of the Imam Ali Mosque, for its support of terrorism. According to […]

Immigration

Germany’s police chief says country struggles to deport foreigners Germany's federal police chief said a lack of pre-deportation facilities is hampering the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and illegal foreigners to third countries.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany is struggling to deport rejected asylum seekers, the country’s top police chief said on Wednesday. Federal police chief Dieter Romann blamed a lack of pre-deportation facilities for deportations not being carried out. Speaking to Germany’s Funke media group, he […]

Government & Politics

Report: Hezbollah uses Germany as hub for terror The Lebanese Shi’ite terrorist organization’s operations in Europe include drug-trafficking, money-laundering, recruitment and fundraising, according to German security sources.

(JNS) As many as 1,050 Hezbollah members and supporters reside in Germany, and the organization uses the country as a major hub for its activities, German daily Tagesspiegel reported last week, citing security sources. The Lebanese Shi’ite terrorist group’s operations in Europe […]

Government & Politics

Finland to reconsider 500 asylum decisions after European court ruling Authorities will re-evaluate some cases in light of harsh criticism from the Court of Human Rights.

(Yle) The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) says it will revisit about 500 asylum decisions following a European court ruling critical of a previous deportation. Last week the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found Finnish authorities guilty of violating the European Convention […]

Government & Politics

Germany, Netherlands to take back Daesh/ISIS terrorists Turkey’s interior minister praises constructive attitude of 2 European countries agreeing to return of Daesh/ISIS terrorists

(Anadolu) Germany and the Netherlands have agreed to take Daesh/ISIS terrorists back into their home countries, Turkey’s interior minister said on Wednesday. “I would like to thank two countries, Germany and the Netherlands,” said Suleyman Soylu during a village guard training meeting […]

Clerics & Preachers

Germany: Imams will have to prove they speak the language Religious leaders from other countries could soon be forced to prove they can speak German in order to stay in the country. Critics say such a law would worsen the country's shortage of Muslim clerics.

(Deutsche Welle) The German Cabinet has introduced a draft of a bill that would require clergy from countries outside the EU to prove their knowledge of German in order to reside in the country. Although the law would apply to clerics from […]