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Politics : The Truth About Islam -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (8830)	7/11/2007 10:52:32 AM
From: DeplorableIrredeemableRedneck	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 20106

Troops beheaded in Philippines english.aljazeera.net The marines were ambushed while searching for Bossi who was kidnapped on June 10 [Reuters] Philippine troops say they have recovered the bodies of 14 marines, some of them beheaded, after clashing with Muslim fighters on the southern island of Basilan. Officials said the soldiers were ambushed as they were on the trail of a kidnapped Italian priest who went missing in the area a month ago. Nine other soldiers were wounded in some of the bloodiest fighting this year near the town of Tipo-Tipo late on Tuesday. Military officials said at least 20 fighters from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were killed in the fighting, although MILF leaders said they lost only four men. Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Caculitan said the attack began as troops moved into an MILF camp. The bodies of at least 10 soldiers had been beheaded, Caculitan said, including those of six marines earlier reported missing. Missing priest The troops were attacked while checking on reports that Giancarlo Bossi, 57, the missionary from Milan, had been spotted with his kidnappers in the region. Bossi, of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, was seized by heavily-armed men near his parish church in the southern Zamboanga peninsula on June 10. The government had earlier suggested that either the Abu Sayyaf rebels or renegades from the MILF had abducted Bossi, but the MILF has denied any involvement and initially helped in the hunt for Bossi's captors. Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the 12,000-strong MILF, confirmed the gunfight but ruled out any involvement of the Abu Sayyaf, a group with alleged connections to al-Qaeda. Instead, he accused government troops of violating a ceasefire by knowingly entering MILF territory. 'Alarmed' "The firefight was touched off because they entered our area without first coordinating with the MILF leadership as agreed upon in the peace talks," Kabalu told AFP by telephone from southern Philippines. "This is their fault because they intruded into our territory and our forces were alarmed and had to defend their positions." Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF's chief negotiator engaged in peace talks with the government, denied his men were involved in the beheadings, and promised to investigate the incident. "It cannot be a mistaken encounter because it was a deliberate act on the part of the marines that entered the area, knowing that the area is a bailiwick of the MILF, in complete violation of the ceasefire," he said. The ceasefire committee comprising government and MILF representatives is scheduled to travel to Basilan on Thursday. Source: Agencies

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (8830)	7/11/2007 3:35:26 PM
From: FJB	Respond to of 20106

Red Mosque 'cleared of militants' The Pakistani army says it has cleared a mosque compound in Islamabad of militants, a day after commandos stormed the complex. Troops have found 73 bodies at the scene, officials said. Previous estimates suggested 50 people inside the Red Mosque were killed, and that 10 soldiers also died. One of the mosque's militant clerics, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, and some of his supporters, were among those who died. The compound was besieged by troops for a week amid rising tension between radical students and the government. Students at the mosque and its attached religious schools had waged a campaign for months pressing for the adoption of strict Islamic Sharia law. 'No more militants' Troops battled the last handful of rebels holed-up in a corner of the mosque compound until early afternoon. Then, after nearly 36 hours of fighting, the army announced the end of its combat operation. "The first phase of the operation is over. There are no more militants left inside," army spokesman Maj Gen Washeed Arshad told the Associated Press news agency. As well as collecting bodies, troops have been combing the area for booby traps and unexploded ordnance. In addition to those killed, about 70 militants had been captured or surrendered, the army said earlier. It is not clear how many people were inside the complex when it was stormed. RED MOSQUE STAND-OFF 3 July: Clashes erupt at mosque, 16 killed, after long student campaign for Islamic Sharia law 4 July: About 700 students leave mosque, now besieged by security forces; mosque leader caught trying to flee wearing woman's burka 5 July: More than 1,000 students surrender to security forces 6 July: Women are allowed to leave the mosque; students' deputy leader says he would rather die than surrender 8 July: Ministers say wanted militants are holding women and children inside the mosque 9 July: Negotiators talk to mosque leader via loudspeaker without progress; three Chinese workers are killed in Peshawar over siege 10 July: Pakistani troops storm mosque after failure of talks; army says Ghazi killed 11 July: Pakistani army says all militants cleared from mosque The troops attacked the mosque on Tuesday morning and took control of the complex during heavy fighting. Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said Mr Ghazi was killed as troops were flushing out militants still inside a madrassa (religious school) for women and girls inside the compound. Mr Ghazi's body was being sent to his home village in Baluchistan for burial. Security forces began a full-scale siege of the Red Mosque, or Lal Masjid, last week, not long after mosque students abducted seven Chinese workers they accused of running a brothel. The government had said it wanted to detain a number of people on a wanted list, and also a number of foreigners whom it said were inside. At least 21 people, including an army commander, were killed during the stand-off, while some 1,300 people managed to leave the compound. Backlash fear There is now a danger of a violent reaction from members of other radical mosques, the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says. HAVE YOUR SAY The outcome of this episode will determine the future of war against terror Muhammad Saeed, Islamabad They will almost certainly see Mr Ghazi as a martyr and his death may become a rallying point for Islamic extremists opposed to President Pervez Musharraf's rule, she says. Hundreds of angry demonstrators protested against the storming of the mosque in Karachi and Peshawar, near the Afghan border. An opposition Islamic alliance, the Mutahida Majlis Amal, has declared three days of mourning in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, AP reported. Islamabad remains on high alert and thousands of extra troops have been sent to the border area with Afghanistan amid fears of an Islamist backlash. Pro-Taleban militants in the border tribal region of North Waziristan have told the government to withdraw troops from checkpoints or face renewed attacks. THE RED MOSQUE SIEGE 1 Special forces attack compound from three sides and breach mosque walls 2 Fierce fighting between military and militants on mosque roof 3 Military take control of mosque and clear building 4 Militants fire from mosque minarets as action switches to madrassa 5 Remaining militants holed up in its basement, with women and children Story from BBC NEWS: news.bbc.co.uk

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (8830)	7/11/2007 3:43:17 PM
From: FJB	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 20106

Concern grows in Britain over female genital mutilation Story Highlights Female genital mutilation is becoming a growing problem in Britain Police campaign beginning Wednesday will highlight that practice is a crime 20,000-pound reward offered for information leading to UK's first prosecution Problem mostly involves first-generation immigrants from Africa, Middle East LONDON, England (AP) -- Female genital mutilation, commonly associated with parts of Africa and the Middle East, is becoming a growing problem in Britain despite authorities' efforts to stamp it out. The Metropolitan Police, Britain's largest police force, hopes a campaign beginning Wednesday will highlight that the practice is a crime here. To make their point, police are offering a 20,000-pound (euro29,500; US$40,000) reward for information leading to Britain's first prosecution for female genital mutilation, Detective Chief Superintendent Alastair Jeffrey said. In Britain, the problem mostly involves first-generation immigrants from Africa and the Middle East. Police say they do not have comprehensive statistics about the number of victims. But midwife Comfort Momoh, who specializes in treating them at London hospitals and clinics and who works with police, told the news conference she treats 400-500 victims every year. Arranging or carrying out the procedure -- in Britain or abroad -- is a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison, but no one has been prosecuted since it was banned under British law in 2003, Jeffrey said. Police estimate up to 66,000 girls in Britain face the risk of genital mutilation. Watch why the practice is difficult to fight (VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED) » "The timing of this campaign is for one good reason: so we can get in before the summer holidays, a time when young girls are taken abroad and subjected to genital mutilation," he told a news conference on Tuesday. Mutilated infants, girls and women face irreversible lifelong health risks -- both physically and mentally, according to UNICEF and other charity groups. Authorities believe the number of genital mutilation cases peaks in the summer, because the extended holiday gives girls more time to recover -- thereby making it easier for those responsible to cover up their actions. Female genital mutilation usually involves the removal of the clitoris and other parts of female genitalia. Those who practice it say it tames a girl's sexual desire and maintains her honor. It is practiced by Muslims and Christians alike, deeply rooted in the Nile Valley region and parts of sub-Saharan African, and is also done in Yemen and Oman. Through migration, the practice has spread to Western countries like Britain. Between 100 million and 140 million women are believed to have been subjected to the practice in Africa and an additional 3 million girls face the threat of female genital mutilation every year, according to UNICEF. Detective Inspector Carol Hamilton, who has been investigating the practice since 2004, said some immigrants in Britain may bring practitioners from their home country to mutilate several children because it is cheaper. She said children not only suffer terrible physical injuries, but can also be left emotionally scarred. Salimata Badji-Knight was mutilated when she was 4 in her native Senegal. Her parents had promised her a picnic, but instead she said she was attacked by women who had no medical training. Now married and living in London, she fears she may not be able to have children because of the procedure. She hopes that by sharing her experiences she can prevent parents from subjecting their daughters to similar abuse. "Why do they need to go and mutilate a young innocent person without her knowing what is going to happen, just for culture?" Badji-Knight said. "It does not add up for me." Somali-born supermodel Waris Dirie survived a traditional form of the practice that kills hundreds of girls each year. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to present the "Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur" to her on Thursday for her work as a leading critic of female genital mutilation, which has seen her tour parts of Africa to speak out against the practice. Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All AboutSenegal • UNICEF Find this article at: cnn.com