Ed Husic shrugs off Facebook abuse after swearing in with Qur’an

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Ed Husic sworn inAustralia’s first Muslim frontbencher said vitriolic and bigoted abuse posted on his Facebook page had not diminished the joy of his historic swearing-in as a federal parliamentary secretary.

Ed Husic, federal Labor MP for Chifley, was appointed on Monday as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, Kevin Rudd, and parliamentary secretary for broadband.

Husic, the son of Bosnian migrants, was the first MP to be sworn in to federal parliament with his hand on a copy of the Qur’an. The religious text belonged to Husic’s father.

Husic told media on Tuesday afternoon that he had made a “straightforward decision as someone of the Muslim faith” to take the oath on the Qur’an. “I couldn’t take my oath on a Bible and I didn’t want to affirm. I am who I am and I just made a straightforward decision,” he said.

Continue reading →

Qaradawi addresses Egyptians, urges dialogue

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Qaradawi addresses Egyptians, urges dialogueAs the political crisis in Egypt escalates, dividing Egyptians into supporters to President Dr. Mohamed Morsi and protesters, Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradwi addressed the Egyptian people in a televised speech broadcasted by Al-Jazeera Channel on Sunday, June 30, 2013. Dr. Al-Qaradawi called Egyptians to adopt dialogue to reach a solution for the current deadlock and to steer clear of all causes of disagreement.

“It is saddening me that I cannot find you (the Egyptian people, united) in one camp so that I can address all of you. Unfortunately, Egyptians are divided. So I refused to respond to support one party at the expense of the other… because I would like to address the whole Egyptian people as I did before in the Victory speech that marked the triumph which Allah granted to the (January 25th) revolutionaries.”

OnIslam, 2 July 2013

EDL ‘linked to a third’ of online anti-Muslim incidents

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Anti-Muslim Hate Crime and the Far RightThe mere presence of English Defence League (EDL) flash mobs is enough to induce fear without raising a brick or a baton. But new research by the Centre for Fascist Studies at Teesside University shows the EDL online presence is even more vitriolic and disturbing.

It’s the first study of anti-Muslim sentiment in the UK and is based on data from the monitoring and helpline charity Tell Mama where victims can report details of abuse either on the streets or online.

The data amounts to 584 recorded incidents of anti-Muslim hate crime in the year between April 2012 to April 2013. Almost two in every three cases were not reported to police. The majority of cases – 434 incidents – were online abuse: 300 were linked to the far-right movement, and 147 of those were linked to the EDL – a third of all online anti-Muslim incidents.

Continue reading →

Hunt for man behind Liverpool mosque bomb scare

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Police at Al Rahma mosqueLeaders at a Liverpool mosque where a suspect package was found today said they feared the incident was aimed at stirring up hatred in the community. Two controlled explosions were carried out after the suspect package – feared to be a bomb – was left at a Liverpool mosque last night.

Police were called to Al Rahma mosque in Mulgrave Street, Toxteth at around 9pm. The force said this morning that no explosive materials were found at the scene but investigations were ongoing.

Continue reading →

Muslim graves in Newport cemetery desecrated by racist vandals

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Newport cemetery graffiti

Muslim graves at a Newport cemetery have been desecrated with racist graffiti.

The vandals used white paint to write “Lee Rigby murder”, “white power” and drew swastikas on four gravestones at Christchurch Cemetery. They also wrote the initials of the British National Party (BNP), the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and the National Front (NF).

People visiting nearby graves spoke of their disgust and shock at seeing the painted messages, which were still wet this morning.

South Wales Argus, 30 June 2013

Update:  See “Newport Muslim leader’s plea for calm after grave daubing”, South Wales Argus, 2 July 2013

Mad Mel not mad enough, Robert Spencer complains

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The very welcome ban on hate-mongers Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer visiting the UK to join a disgusting publicity stunt planned by the English Defence League predictably had its critics. Equally predictably, one of them was Melanie Phillips.

“What on earth have we come to, after all, when the British Home Secretary is banning people on the basis that they criticise Islam and warn against jihadi violence?”, Phillips demanded indignantly. “Is this not exactly the menacing argument mounted by Islamic extremists, that any condemnation of Islamic extremism is to be banned as ‘Islamophobic’?”

Continue reading →

Man in court over attack on Muslim women near Orléans

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Collectif contre l’Islamophobie en France reports that the motorist who allegedly launched a vicious racist assault on three Muslim women in Saint-Jean-de-Braye near Orléans on 14 June has appeared before Orléans Criminal Court. The CCIF is a civil party in the case.

The accused is charged with “violence resulting in inability to work against the three plaintiffs” and “insult because of origin, ethnicity, nation, race or religion”.

The case is due to be heard at the end of July. The accused has been placed under judicial supervision, is not to approach the victims or use his vehicle and must report to the police every 15 days.