New York: veiled Muslim woman sues over exclusion from buses

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Muslim woman claims she’s being booted off city buses because of the way she dresses.

Maria Louis, of Hollis, Queens, says she has twice been kicked off buses by MTA and NYPD personnel – the agencies she’s suing in Brookyn federal court – after people berated her for her religious garb. Her clothing, which she calls a “bolka,” is a “long, flowing black garment that covers her completely – including a mesh section over her eyes that allows her to see,” the suit says.

The first incident happened April 3 in Jamaica, when a passenger yelled at her and the driver refused to move until she got off, the suit says. The next month, she claims, a passenger hit her in the face after another lectured her, and police forced her to get off the bus.

New York Post, 27 December 2012

Wilders to step up international anti-Islam campaign

Posted on by Bob Pitt

PVV leader Geert Wilders is to step up his campaign against Islam in 2013, the parliamentarian told Nos television in an interview.

The fight against Islam is a mission for life, Wilders told the broadcaster. Wilders said he would step up his fight against “the biggest sickness” the Netherlands has had at home and internationally, “from Australia to America, from Switzerland to wherever”.

Wilders also again renewed his statement that the Netherlands has a “Moroccan problem”. It is Moroccan racism that they rarely rob each other, Wilders said.

Dutch News, 27 December 2012

See also Xinhua, 27 December 2012

Islamification of USA still some way off: Gallup poll finds 77% of Americans are Christian, 0.6% Muslim

Posted on by Bob Pitt

America is largely a Christian nation with 77 percent of adults identifying themselves as Christian, according to a Gallup survey, while only 0.6 percent identified as Muslim.

“The United States remains a largely Christian nation; more than 9 in 10 Americans who have a religious identity are affiliated with a Christian religion,” reported Gallup on Dec. 24. “There has been little change in this portrait of religious identity in the U.S. from last year.”

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Thurnby Lodge: Pig’s head left outside community centre

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Thurnby Lodge pig's head

After facing months of harassment the Muslims of Thurnby Lodge faced a new horror in the campaign of hatred against the proposed prayer centre at the abandoned scout hut in Thurnby Lodge when a pig’s head was left for them on Wednesday morning.

Muslims have faced nightly protests at the community centre they use for prayers at the moment, sometimes attended by the BNP and EDL. These are racist, anti-Muslim organizations known for their extreme views and violence at which 9 people so far have been arrested.

Though local Muslims have every sympathy for the feelings of non-Muslims in our community who feel neglected by the authorities and powerless to stop things getting worse on our streets, we do feel they are being manipulated by far right groups active in Thurnby Lodge recently.

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Colorado faith leaders combat anti-Muslim ads with ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ campaign

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Love thy neighbor launchStanding in Denver’s main mosque on Christmas Eve, Christian, Muslim and Jewish community leaders launched an ad campaign promoting understanding and tolerance between the religious groups. “Love Thy Neighbor” ads on Denver buses are intended to combat anti-Muslim ads produced by the American Freedom Defense Initiative. The controversial group attracted attention with hateful posters in New York subways and DC metro stations.

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Netanyahu’s Christmas message: More anti-Muslim public diplomacy

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Netanyahu Christmas messageEvery year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publishes a Christmas message for Christians in Israel and abroad. One of the message’s objectives is hasbara, or public diplomacy, to the Christians of the world. But this year’s greeting was especially political. Netanyahu chose to radicalize his traditional greeting into an attack on Muslims in Arab countries.

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Bury market boss tells halal curry maker: Sorry, you can’t have a stall

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Bury's Artisan Markets

A curry maker was left stunned after being refused a market stall – because his products were halal.

Jeff Thomson, founder of Curried Away, asked for a plot on Bury’s Artisan Markets. But he was shocked when Paul Barrah, who operates the markets on behalf of the town’s council, replied to his email simply saying: “Hi, I’m sorry but my markets don’t use halal products. Regards, Paul.”

Bury council has now launched an investigation into the matter and say they will meet Mr Barrah who organises the market days in Ramsbottom, Prestwich, Radcliffe and Whitefield, to discuss the issue.

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Posted in UK

Mahdi Hashi reappears in New York court

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Mahdi HashiMahdi Hashi, the British-Somali man who disappeared from east Africa shortly after being stripped of his British citizenship, appeared yesterday in a New York federal court alongside two Swedish men. All three appear to have been rendered by the United States from Djibouti, and have now been charged with terrorism offences.

Hashi, 23, is accused of “providing material support” to Somali militant group al Shabaab. A statement released by the FBI revealed that Hashi has been in the US penal system since November 12. Neither his family nor his UK legal team were informed.

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