Order to demolish Dambulla Mosque Why raise this explosive issue now?

By Latheef Farook

(The monks and their racists supporters trying to invade the mosque amid the presence of police)Prime Minister D.M. Dayaratne’s order to demolish a 65 year old mosque in Dambulla and instead build a mosque in another place  strikes at the very root of religious freedom .It also shocked and hurt the island’s Muslim community. Responding to the order and expressing the community’s mood Muslim Congress Secretary and parliamentarian Hassen Ali said the “community will not accept a mosque in another place even if it was built of gold”.

Hassen Ali had stated that if the places of religious worship of the minorities are being attacked while the police and army are idly watching, it implies that they are supporting the marauders and providing security to them, instead of the law abiding people.

The claim by the Prime Minister Dayaratne that an order was given to demolish the mosque with the consent of Muslim politicians insults the prime minister’s office. This was described as “blatant manufactured lie” and vehemently rejected by Senior Minister A.H.M.Fawzie, Deputy Minister M.L.A.M Hizbulla, Western Province Governor Alavi Moulana and Parliamentarian Abdul Cader all of whom pointed out that they never attended such a meeting in Gampola.

(A massive protest by the Muslims when the U.S led resolution was brought against Sri Lanka in the Geneva UNHRC convention)Refuting the Prime Minister’s charges former deputy mayor of Colombo Azath Salley stated that “it is misleading to say that the mosque was in existence for two years as it has been there for more than 65 years. We have all the documents to prove that it is a legally constructed mosque under Waqf Act. Therefore the statement by the Prime Minister claiming that the unauthorized construction of the mosque has been stopped is totally false. The land on which the mosque was located was bought by a lady in Jaffna from Englishmen. From that time, this mosque has been in existence. Later the adjacent land too had been bought by the mosque authorities in 1995. The mosque has been in existence and there are no construction works underway now. This statement by the Prime Minister is misleading the Buddhists in the country. Prime Minister should not make such irresponsible statements as the Waqf Board comes under the Prime Minister and he is contradicting his own statement. Besides the statement by Ven Inamaluwa Sumangla Thera that he will ensure that Muslims will not have a place to urinate is not only irresponsible but very dangerous too”.

Though the UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe is yet to comment, UNP’s Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa described prime minister’s order as” law of the jungle and nothing to do with the Buddhism”. Sajith asked “   how could we develop the country when the prime minister’s office issues such false statements”?

In any civilized society one would expect unruly elements who vandalize a mosque while worshipers were getting ready for Friday Juma prayer to be arrested and brought before justice. Instead they were rewarded in violation of all canons of human decency.

(Monks threatening the police)Muslims in the area suspect that Sinhalese in Dambulla were not involved in the hooliganism .Instead hired people were brought from outside to vandalize the mosque What they   failed to understand is that we are not living in the medieval era today as the world is watching us especially when the country is accused of war crimes against one minority community.  

The irony is that this happened less than a month after most Muslim countries voted against the United States sponsored and Indian supported United Nations Human Rights Commissions resolution against Sri Lanka in Geneva and rescued the island’s dignity.

In fact the day the mosque was vandalized the government started bilateral discussions with Israel, known  international pariah, sworn enemy of Muslims and the architect of the  US sponsored  global campaign against   Muslims under the guise of fighting a war on terror.

Demolition of the mosque means the end of Muslim support to the government. Western Province governor Alavi Moulana has already gone to the extent of hinting that“he would strongly consider vacating his position if the government goes ahead with the plan to demolish the mosque”.

The manner in which   the politicians and so called muftis who started hob knobbing in politics were insulted and intimated at the meeting held in Colombo to discuss the Dambulla Mosque is a clear indication of the mood among the people.  

To Muslims all over the world Mosque is Allah’s House. It is everything to them. They turn to mosque for their prayers.  Moreover Muslims posed no problem or threat to anyone in Dambulla or anywhere else. They never interfered with the religious affairs of other communities. Under such circumstance what is the need to raise this issue.   The question is do we need to precipitate such an unwanted crisis now?

As pointed out by former Chief Justice Sarath N .Silva Muslims in the island have been the most peaceful community”.

Muslims never failed to rise up to the occasion to support and protect the country.

For example when two-third majority was needed to obtain independence in 1948 the Muslim community wholeheartedly supported the bill which was detrimental to their own interest. It is time all involved in mosque demolition read late Prime Minister S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike’s passionate and emotional response and assurance to Muslims which were conveniently forgotten later.

Ultra nationalists who claim and behave as if King Vijaya and Kuveni had given them the title deed of sole ownership to the island and now hand in glove with the Israelis have forgotten the historic role played by Muslims in preserving the territorial integrity of the country. For example from the very beginning Muslims opposed tooth and nail the LTTE claim for a separate state. Had they joined hands with the LTTE then the country would have been divided decades ago as the island’s armed forces were not equipped then, as it is today, to meet the challenges posed by the LTTE backed then openly by India.

Muslims paid a heavy price for this. They were slaughtered in village after village and even while praying in mosques. Their paddy lands acquired, businesses closed and their very means of survival deprived. The entire Jaffna Muslims population was kicked out within two hours and their belongings and property were looted.

In return Muslims expected some relief after the military defeat of LTTE. Instead they have been simply dismissed   and sidelined. Though they remain deeply frustrated, yet they only expected some peaceful solutions to their problems .It was in this atmosphere comes the move to destroy Dambulla mosque.

The country has ended up in Geneva due to its failure to deal with one community- Tamils. Is this the time to provoke Muslims without any rhyme or reason  especially, when Zionist Jews, Evangelical Christians together  with RSS Hindu extremists have unleashed a global campaign killing Muslims and destroying Muslim countries? Under such circumstance who can predict the consequences of short sighted move to demolish the Dambulla mosque?

In the aftermath of the LTTE defeat all in the country-Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and others- looked forward to a period of peace and harmony. However move to demolish Dambulla mosque shows that reconciliation, peace, harmony and progress are nothing but distant dreams.

Sri Lanka Buddhists disrupt mosque's prayers

Protesters, including monks, demand demolition of mosque which they say has been built in a sacred Buddhist area.

Buddhist monks vowed to destroy the mosque which was built in the 1960's [Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa]

A mosque in Sri Lanka has been forced to abandon its Friday prayers amid community tensions in the central town of Dambulla. About 2,000 Buddhists, including monks, marched to the mosque and held a demonstration demanding its demolition, along with a Hindu temple being built in an area designated as a Buddhist sacred zone. Monk Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala Thera told the AP news agency that the construction area was inside the zone and that erecting houses of worship for other religions there was illegal. He demanded the authorities stop the construction immediately. Shortly after the protest, the mosque was evacuated under police protection and its Friday prayers cancelled. Many Buddhists regard Dambulla as a sacred town and in recent months there had been other sectarian tensions in the area. Last September a monk led a crowd to demolish a Muslim shrine in Anuradhapura, not far from Dambulla. M Rahmathullah, a trustee of the mosque, disputed the Buddhist claim. "We do not agree to their claim. The mosque was in the area for more than 50 years," said Rahmathullah. Overnight the mosque had been targeted by a fire bombing, but nobody was hurt. Buddhism is the religion of the majority of Sri Lanka's 20 million people. About 74 per cent are Sinhalese, who are mostly Buddhists, while about 18 per cent are Tamils, who are predominantly Hindus or Christians. About seven per cent of the total population are Muslims.

Here’s an Job advertisement for the position of Imam of the Grand Mosque in Istanbul at the time of Sultan Suleyman (Khaleefah) who ruled the Ottomon Empire from 1520-1566:

-To have mastered the languages of Arabic, Latin and Turkish and Persian.
-To have mastered the Qur’an, the Bible and the Torah.
-To be a scholar in Shari’ah and Fiqh.
-To have mastered physics and mathematics up to teaching standard.
-To be a master of chivalry, archery, dueling and the arts of Jihad.
- To be of handsome countenance.
- To have a strong melodious voice.

(Source: Al Ahram newspaper 22nd September 1986, Egypt)

Do any of our senior ulema or imams come close to filling the conditions of this job description?

'What Must Be Said' about illegal criminal Jewish entity in Palestine

Publication time: 7 April 2012, 14:15 

On Wednesday, Nobel-winning prominent German writer Günter Grass published a poem denouncing "Israel'"s nuclear program and aggression toward Iran. In his poem Mr. Grass says he has kept silent on the issue for fear of being labeled "anti-Semitic", although the Semites are Arabs.

His poem, "What Must Be Said," is overtly and boldly political. It is a pretty beautiful piece of arts in its original German, partly lost in English translation.

What Must Be Said

Why do I stay silent, conceal for too long
What clearly is and has been
Practiced in war games, at the end of which we as survivors
Are at best footnotes.

It is the alleged right to first strike
That could annihilate the Iranian people--
Enslaved by a loud-mouth
And guided to organized jubilation--
Because in their territory,
It is suspected, a bomb is being built.

Yet why do I forbid myself
To name that other country
In which, for years, even if secretly,
There has been a growing nuclear potential at hand
But beyond control, because no testing is available?

The universal concealment of these facts,
To which my silence subordinated itself,
I sense as incriminating lies
And force--the punishment is promised
As soon as it is ignored;
The verdict of "anti-Semitism" is familiar.

Now, though, because in my country
Which from time to time has sought and confronted
The very crime
That is without compare
In turn on a purely commercial basis, if also
With nimble lips calling it a reparation, declares
A further U-boat should be delivered to Israel,
Whose specialty consists of guiding all-destroying warheads to where the existence
Of a single atomic bomb is unproven,
But through fear of what may be conclusive,
I say what must be said.

Why though have I stayed silent until now?
Because I think my origin,
Which has never been affected by this obliterating flaw,
Forbids this fact to be expected as pronounced truth
Of the country of "Israel", to which I am bound
And wish to stay bound.

Why do I say only now,
Aged and with my last ink,
That the nuclear power of "Israel" endangers
The already fragile world peace?
Because it must be said
What even tomorrow may be too late to say;

Also because we--as Germans burdened enough--
Could be the suppliers to a crime
That is foreseeable, wherefore our complicity
Could not be redeemed through any of the usual excuses.

And granted: I am silent no longer
Because I am tired of the hypocrisy
Of the West; in addition to which it is to be hoped
That this will free many from silence,
Prompt the perpetrator of the recognized danger
To renounce violence and
Likewise insist
That an unhindered and permanent control
Of the "Israeli" nuclear potential
And the Iranian nuclear sites
Be authorized through an international agency
Of the governments of both countries.

Only this way are all, the "Israelis" and Palestinians,
Even more, all people, that in this
Region occupied by mania
Live cheek by jowl among enemies,
In the end also to help us.

The German original: "Was gesagt werden muss"

Warum schweige ich, verschweige zu lange,
was offensichtlich ist und in Planspielen
geübt wurde, an deren Ende als Überlebende
wir allenfalls Fußnoten sind.

Es ist das behauptete Recht auf den Erstschlag,
der das von einem Maulhelden unterjochte
und zum organisierten Jubel gelenkte
iranische Volk auslöschen könnte,
weil in dessen Machtbereich der Bau
einer Atombombe vermutet wird.

Doch warum untersage ich mir,
jenes andere Land beim Namen zu nennen,
in dem seit Jahren - wenn auch geheimgehalten -
ein wachsend nukleares Potential verfügbar
aber außer Kontrolle, weil keiner Prüfung
zugänglich ist?

Das allgemeine Verschweigen dieses Tatbestandes,
dem sich mein Schweigen untergeordnet hat,
empfinde ich als belastende Lüge
und Zwang, der Strafe in Aussicht stellt,
sobald er mißachtet wird;
das Verdikt «Antisemitismus» ist geläufig.

Jetzt aber, weil aus meinem Land,
das von ureigenen Verbrechen,
die ohne Vergleich sind,
Mal um Mal eingeholt und zur Rede gestellt wird,
wiederum und rein geschäftsmäßig, wenn auch
mit flinker Lippe als Wiedergutmachung deklariert,
ein weiteres U-Boot nach "Israel"
geliefert werden soll, dessen Spezialität
darin besteht, allesvernichtende Sprengköpfe
dorthin lenken zu können, wo die Existenz
einer einzigen Atombombe unbewiesen ist,
doch als Befürchtung von Beweiskraft sein will,
sage ich, was gesagt werden muß.

Warum aber schwieg ich bislang?
Weil ich meinte, meine Herkunft,
die von nie zu tilgendem Makel behaftet ist,
verbiete, diese Tatsache als ausgesprochene Wahrheit
dem Land "Israel", dem ich verbunden bin
und bleiben will, zuzumuten.

Warum sage ich jetzt erst,
gealtert und mit letzter Tinte:
Die Atommacht "Israel" gefährdet
den ohnehin brüchigen Weltfrieden?

Weil gesagt werden muß,
was schon morgen zu spät sein könnte;
auch weil wir - als Deutsche belastet genug -
Zulieferer eines Verbrechens werden könnten,
das voraussehbar ist, weshalb unsere Mitschuld
durch keine der üblichen Ausreden
zu tilgen wäre.

Und zugegeben: ich schweige nicht mehr,
weil ich der Heuchelei des Westens
überdrüssig bin; zudem ist zu hoffen,
es mögen sich viele vom Schweigen befreien,
den Verursacher der erkennbaren Gefahr
zum Verzicht auf Gewalt auffordern und
gleichfalls darauf bestehen,
daß eine unbehinderte und permanente Kontrolle
des "israelischen" atomaren Potentials
und der iranischen Atomanlagen
durch eine internationale Instanz
von den Regierungen beider Länder zugelassen wird.

Nur so ist allen, den "Israelis" und Palästinensern,
mehr noch, allen Menschen, die in dieser
vom Wahn okkupierten Region
dicht bei dicht verfeindet leben
und letztlich auch uns zu helfen.

Source: The New York Times and Süddeutssche Zeitung

Pakistani troops buried in Kashmir avalanche - Al Jazeera

Rescue mission under way near Siachen glacier where at least 117 soldiers and personnel are reported to be trapped.

The Siachen glacier, with over 150 military outposts, is the highest battleground in the world [Al Jazeera]

Rescue operations are under way after an avalanche hit a Pakistani army base in the disputed Kashmir region, burying more than 100 soldiers under the Himalayan snow. The soldiers were operating near the Siachen glacier in the northern tip of Kashmir when the avalanche hit in the early morning hours of Saturday. "At six o'clock this morning this avalanche hit a [military] headquarters," Major-General Athar Abbas, the Pakistan military spokesman, said. "Over 100 soldiers and personnel are trapped." Speaking to Al Jazeera, Abbas said a rescue operation using helicopters, search dogs and soldiers is under way but warned "it will take days to complete the rescue operations" due to the climate and the difficulty of  terrain. Despite describing the slide as "a massive scale avalanche", Abbas said Pakistani forces remain hopeful. A team of doctors and paramedics has also been rushed to the high-altitude region, which suffers extreme weather conditions, with temperatures on the Siachen glacier plummeting to as low as minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94F) during the winter. More than 12 hours after the disaster, no survivors have been found so far. The Associated Press news agency quoted a security official as identifying the trapped battalion as being headquartered in Gayari sector. Military sources have told Al Jazeera that helicopters had been flown to what has been described as the "very remote location" on the glacier. "This is an extremely remote region, and it would be difficult to continue the rescue effort at night," reported Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder from Islamabad. "And so far, there is no good news coming out, despite the fact that military is still saying that this is a rescue operation," he said. Hyder said that with more than 150 military outposts surrounding the glacier, the Pakistan and Indian sides face not only each other but "also face nature ... [on] the highest battleground in the world". Difficult terrain Shaukat Qadir, a former Brigadier in the Pakistani army, who has been to Siachen on numerous occasions, told Al Jazeera: "This is the biggest casualty that has ever happened." "We have fantastic accommodation for the soldiers. When you walk on this terrain you never know when it would come down, and certainly you cannot predict an avalanche," he said. The Siachen glacier, on the tip of the Kashmir region that both Pakistan and India claim, is home to an estimated 15,000 soldiers from both nations. Siachen, rising to 6,000 metres above sea level, has seen more soldiers die near the Karakoram base from weather-related incidents than gunfire since 1984. Qadir said: "Well, the fact of matter is that 70 per cent of the people have died because of natural causes, and I think this is the time we ended this damn conflict, which has absolutely no explanation." "I can just hope [President Asif Ali] Zardari talks about this with [Indian Prime Minister] Manmohan Singh [on his visit to India on April 8] and settles this issue for both, us and Indians."

SRI LANKA RECORDS BEST-EVER ECONOMIC GROWTH - REPORT

Sri Lanka’s economy grew by 8.3 percent last year, the fastest expansion since independence from Britain in 1948, the census and statistics department said.

The rate compared with an expansion of 8.0 percent in 2010, the first full year after government forces defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 and declared an end to nearly 40 years of fighting.

“The 8.3 percent growth (in 2011) is the highest GDP growth ever achieved since independence,” the department said, adding that it was also the first time that 8.0 percent growth was recorded in two consecutive years.

But the Central Bank of Sri Lanka on late Thursday announced a 75 basis point increase in its benchmark lending rate to 9.75 percent -- its second hike in two months -- in a bid “to anchor inflationary expectations”.

The bank said in a statement that the move comes amid “signs that credit growth is continuing at an undesired pace”.

It said year-on-year inflation rose to 5.5 percent last month compared to 2.7 percent in February.

The impressive overall growth figures for 2011 come at a time when worries are mounting about the economy because of a widening trade deficit, rapidly expanding credit and high inflation.

Fears of a balance-of-payments crisis have prompted the government to revive an International Monetary Fund rescue package, suspended since last year.

The IMF announced it would release a $427-million installment this week as part of a package negotiated in 2009.

The $2.6-billion package is intended to build Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves.

Sri Lanka has sought to overcome its balance-of-payments troubles by hiking interest rates in February, allowing its currency to fall and imposing new taxes to curb imports.

The central bank has revised its growth projection for 2012 to 7.2 percent, down from an earlier estimate of 8.0 percent after the new monetary and fiscal measures were announced.

Last year, per capita income increased to $2,836, up from $2,400 the previous year. Tourism has been a big growth area after the end of the Tamil separatist war, with earnings in the sector jumping 41.4 percent last year, AFP reports.

U.S. press supports Mitt Romney: Russia is number one enemy

The recent statement by the favorite Republican primaries and the most likely opponent of Barack Obama in the upcoming elections, Mitt Romney, that Russia for the United States remains a "geopolitical enemy number one", is justified. This opinion was expressed by The Chicago Tribune, noting that Russia at every opportunity puts a spoke in the wheel of American foreign policy.

"Russia, once an old foe, is again proving to be a major obstacle for America's foreign interests, and will continue to be a thorn in the country's side as long as oil prices remain high", writes columnist John Bennett.

That's a good geographical position, which provided Russia the opportunity to dispose of the huge reserves of hydrocarbons, the paper explains the possibility of Moscow to be of this "thorn". The paper refers to recent values of oil prices: $ 105 - at that price a barrel of oil (apparently, it is about the US light crude oil on the stock exchange NYMEH) was trading in mid-afternoon on Tuesday.

"Putin still aspires for Russia to be a superpower. There are only two ways for Russia to achieve that: nuclear weapons, and oil and natural gas sales", said Steven Pifer, a former US ambassador to Ukraine. He also notes that "if oil prices come down Putin will have some very tough decisions to make at home ... between guns versus butter". And most likely, say other experts, the Russian president will choose the "butter" that is, financial investments in the social sphere.

But even if oil and gas prices come down and there would not be options for increasing combat effectiveness, Moscow will still find a way to annoy Washington, the newspaper is sure. As it is happening now: Moscow is obstructing US efforts to force Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Or, for example, on Syria, Russia has acted unanimously with China vetoing western resolution in the United Nations Security Council.

Surely we can expect something similar with regard to North Korea preparing the launch of a ballistic missile, is sure the author of an article in The Chicago Tribune. It is to be noted that the Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed "deep concern" over North Korea's plans, but urged the international community to "accurately and correctly calibrated response" to the forthcoming launch.

Russia, in any case will follow the same line against the US, and it's not just the fact that Moscow is in these countries has strategic interests. It is just such a psychology of Russia, the newspaper writes.

"They have a very sovereigntist, non-interventionalist view of world affairs", the author writes. That means Moscow fundamentally opposes Western efforts to boss around the world's strongmen, with which Russian leaders have much in common, the newspaper concludes.

And soon, this pattern of behavior will be manifested in bilateral relations with the United States, says The International Herald Tribune. Newspaper's sources say that Putin's suspicion and mistrust of the United States is genuine, rather than mere electoral rhetoric.

"He allowed the reset to happen, though he never used the word. He is less of a natural diplomat than Medvedev, and has a less benign view of the United States", the article's author Charles Grant writes, and notes that the "reset" has brought practical benefits to both countries. In any case, Putin, and the next president of the United States are aware that there are reasons to prevent the deterioration of relations. But it will not a "reset": there will not that cordiality that prevailed between Obama and Medvedev.

Lanka has 18m mobile users

Sri Lanka had 18,417 million mobile subscribers at the end of September 2011, with a net addition of 241,000, down from 438,000 in June 2011.

Sri Lankan operators are searching for additional growth drivers to offset the declining subscriber growth opportunities.

Mobile service providers in Sri Lanka are taking steps to increase the number of postpaid users. Companies are also looking at the broadband sector.Mobile broadband adoption is growing rapidly. According to a Sri Lankan telecom regulator, there were 260,000 internet and email subscribers and 120,000 broadband subscribers in the country in September 2010.

The push continued into Q1 2011 and Q2 2011. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) the combined internet and mobile broadband subscriber figures increased to 673,000 and 692,000 respectively.

At the end of September 2011, the CBSL said there were 722,000 subscribers.

The momentum coincided with telecom companies' efforts to improve their mobile data networks.

After attracting interest from companies such as Sri Lanka Telecom, Tata Communications and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam, as well as UAE-based Emirates Telecommunications Corporation in the last few years, Suntel was finally acquired by Dialog Broadband Networks, a subsidiary of Dialog Axiata in December 2011.

-Telecom Lead Asia

ETA targets Rs. 2,000m in visa fees

The Immigration and Emigration Department has set a targeted income of Rs. 2,000 million from visa fees under the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) scheme.

The Controller General of the Department Chulananda Perera said that the Government has earned a record income of Rs. 600 million from January 1, the day the ETA was launched until the third week of March.

“There was much resistance to the scheme at the outset but this trend has now changed,” he said.

Over 335,050 tourists and other visitors had arrived in Sri Lanka, under the ETA.

Of them, the majority 19 percent were from India, 12 percent from UK and 8 percent from Germany, followed by France and the Russian Federation.

He said, “This is one of the innovative changes effected by the Immigration and Emigration Department and we are proud of its progress, ”he said. MF

Afghanistan and US 'close to night raid deal - Al Jazeera

Agreement would give lead role to Afghan forces, as raid footage shows innocent family looking shocked and frightened.

Al Jazeera understands that US and Afghan officials are close to signing a deal on the future of controversial night raids, which have become a major hurdle in discussions over the long-term relations between the two countries. The agreement will give Afghan security forces the lead role in the operations and provide Afghan judicial oversight, officials said. NATO footage of one such raid, which was filmed in the Sarobi district east of Kabul, shows family members looking shocked and frightened as their home is searched by soldiers and a man is questioned. No charges were brought as a result of the raid and the family were entirely innocent. The deal is expected to help clear the way for a broader strategic partnership agreement that will govern the US presence in Afghanistan once Afghan forces take full responsibility for security by the end of 2014. Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith, reporting from Kabul, said :"the operations will be primarily Afghan-led, although foreign forces will be playing a role in planning and executing. "Essentially, it will be Afghan military going to Afghan houses, which addresses a major culture sensitivity about the night raids.” A US defence official, who spoke to Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity, said there was general acceptance on both sides that Afghans should take the lead role in any night raids and that there should be some form of warrant system to give Afghans judicial oversight of the process, the official said. But some differences remain over issues related to the detention of people for interrogation, the official said. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has been pressing for an end to the night raids, said some raids had violated Afghan sovereignty. The president’s team has been increasingly divided over long term relations with the US, with some of their disagreements resulting in clashes, as previously reported by Al Jazeera. The United States has been pressing to wrap up the long-delayed strategic partnership agreement with Afghanistan ahead of a NATO summit in Chicago in May. The two countries last month signed an agreement transferring a major US-run prison to Afghan authority, leaving military raids of Afghan homes in the middle of the night as the primary sticking point to achieving a broader strategic partnership deal.

Saeed demands proof after US bounty

Hafiz Saeed, the leader of a Pakistan-based group blamed for the 2008 attacks on Mumbai, has demanded proof after the US announced a $10m bounty on his head.

In an exclusive interview to Al Jazeera, Saeed said the US move was prompted by the fact that he had beenorganising rallies against the reopening of supply lines through Pakistan to NATO forces in Afghanistan.

"We are not hiding in caves for bounties to be set on finding us. I think the US is frustrated because we are taking out countrywide protests against the resumption of NATO supplies and drone strikes," Saeed said. 

"I believe either the US has very little knowledge and is basing its decisions on wrong information being provided by India or they are just frustrated".

Wendy Sherman, the US undersecretary of state, on a visit to India, said a $3m bounty had also been announced for Abul Rehman Makki, the brother-in-law of Saeed.

Rewards for Justice, a programme sponsored by the US State Department, announced the cash reward for the 62-year old Saeed on its website.

"Saeed is suspected of masterminding numerous terrorist attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six American citizens,” the page said.

Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving gunman involved in the three-day rampage in November 2008, has been sentenced to death by an Indian court.

Kasab accused Saeed of organising the attack, which involved 10 gunmen, 9 of whom were killed during the shootout.

Lashkar-e-Taiba, designated as a terrorist organisation by the US in December 2001, is accused by India of carrying out several attacks, including the one on Mumbai.

"Popular man"

India welcomed the move as a reflection of India and US's commitment "to bring perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks" to justice.

Mumbai Attacks

Timeline: Mumbai assault   ISI link to Mumbai attack claimed   FBI was 'alerted' to Mumbai plot   Mumbai attacker sentenced to death   Hafiz Saeed rejects Indian charges

"[The bounty] sends a strong signal to Lashkar-e-Taiba as also its members and patrons that the international community remains united in combating terrorism," Syed Akbaruddin, spokesman for India's ministry of external affairs said on Twitter.

Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Lahore, where Saeed is believed to be based, said Pakistan was pressured to ban Saeed's outfits after the US invasion of Afghanistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba was the military wing of his larger organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawah.

"He started a foundation, and his men played a key role in aid efforts after earthquake in Kashmir, and the floods in Pakistan. They still are the main frontline in any calamity. He has denied that he has any links to militancy," our correspondent said.

“A man who is popular across the country- it's not going to go down very well. It is also symbolic - that the annoucment came in India, by a high ranking US diplomat. That will be an irritant.”

The announcement comes as Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president, is due to visit India for the first time since the attacks in Mumbai.

The bounty on Saeed, same as the Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar, is only second to Ayman al Zawahiri, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as the al-Qaeda chief. Zawahiri has $25m bounty on his head. Saeed is the fifth Pakistani national on the list.

bounty for Saeed

Saeed was placed under house arrest in December 2008, but a court set him free by August 2009 [EPA]

The US has announced $10m bounty on Hafiz Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. Wendy Sherman, the US undersecretary of state, on a visit to India, said a $3m bounty had also been announced for Abul Rehman Makki, the brother-in-law of Saeed, leader of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (Army of the Righteous) group. Speaking to Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder shortly afterwards, Saeed said the US move was prompted by the fact that he had been organising rallies against the opening of supply lines to NATO forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan closed down the crucial supply route in November after a US cross-border attack left 28 Pakistani soldiers dead. Rewards for Justice, a programme sponsored by the US State Department, announced the cash reward for the 62-year old Saeed on its website. "Saeed is suspected of masterminding numerous terrorist attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six American citizens,” the page said. Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving gunman involved in the three-day rampage in November 2008, has been sentenced to death by an Indian court. Kasab accused Saeed of organising the attack, which involved 10 gunmen, 9 of whom were killed during the shootout. Lashkar-e-Taiba, designated as a terrorist organisation by the US in December 2001, is accused by India of carrying out several attacks, including the one on Mumbai. "Popular man" India welcomed the move as a reflection of India and US's commitment "to bring perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks" to justice. Mumbai Attacks Timeline: Mumbai assault ISI link to Mumbai attack claimed FBI was 'alerted' to Mumbai plot Mumbai attacker sentenced to death Hafiz Saeed rejects Indian charges "[The bounty] sends a strong signal to Lashkar-e-Taiba as also its members and patrons that the international community remains united in combating terrorism," Syed Akbaruddin, spokesman for India's ministry of external affairs said on Twitter. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Lahore, where Saeed is believed to be based, said Pakistan was pressured to ban Saeed's outfits after the US invasion of Afghanistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba was the military wing of his larger organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawah. "He started a foundation, and his men played a key role in aid efforts after earthquake in Kashmir, and the floods in Pakistan. They still are the main frontline in any calamity. He has denied that he has any links to militancy," our correspondent said. “A man who is popular across the country- it's not going to go down very well. It is also symbolic - that the annoucment came in India, by a high ranking US diplomat. That will be an irritant.” The announcement comes as Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president, is due to visit India for the first time since the attacks in Mumbai. The bounty on Saeed, same as the Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar, is only second to Ayman al Zawahiri, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as the al-Qaeda chief. Zawahiri has $25m bounty on his head.

Pakistan court sentences bin Laden wives

A Pakistani court has sentenced Osama bin Laden's three widows and two of his daughters to a month and a half in prison for illegal residency.

The court on Monday also ordered the government to arrange the repatriation of the wives.

"The judge has announced a one-and-a-half month imprisonment to all the five accused. The punishment was announced today. He has also imposed a fine of 10,000 rupees," Zakarya Ahmad Abd al-Fattah, the Yemeni brother of one of the wives, told reporters.

"The court has also given direction to the government to arrange the necessary documents for their earliest repatriation, so that they can go to their own country as soon as possible," Fattah told reporters.

Muhammad Aamir, their lawyer, said the period of detention began on March 3, when they were formally arrested on charges of illegal entry and residency in Pakistan and that they would continue to be held at their villa in Islamabad.

"The interior secretary has been directed to arrange their deportation," Aamir told reporters outside the villa, which officials have declared a "sub jail".

"I think it will be completed probably in two weeks," he said.

Bin Laden's two Saudi and one Yemeni widows, together with their children, have been living under the protection of the authorities in Pakistan since he was killed last year.

Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, was in hiding since the September 11 attacks on the United States.

He was killed on May 2 in a secret raid by US special forces when he was found to be hiding out in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad.

Bin Laden's wives, and an undisclosed number of children, were among the 16 people detained by Pakistani authorities after the raid.

A Pakistani commission has interviewed the family members for clues about how the former al-Qaeda chief managed to stay in the country undetected.

The country has always said it would look after bin Laden's family until they could be repatriated to their homelands.

Jazeera

Deaths in US college shooting

A suspect is detained after seven people are killed by a gunman at a Christian institution in Oakland, California.

A suspect has been detained in a shooting attack at a private Christian college in Oakland, California, in which seven people have been killed, police said. Three others were wounded in the shooting at Oikos University on Monday morning. The institution offers studies in theology, music, nursing and Asian medicine. The suspect was taken into custody at a shopping mall several miles away from the scene of the shooting, police said. Authorities did not immediately offer a motive for the rampage, but said they believed the gunman had acted alone. He was not immediately identified. The Oakland police department had tweeted that the suspect was "male, Asian, heavy build, khaki clothing, near or in area." The school's founder, Pastor Jong Kim, told the Oakland Tribune newspaper that the gunman had been a nursing student there, but was no longer enrolled. A spokeswoman for Highland Memorial Hospital in Oakland said four people were being treated there for injuries sustained in the attack. Nearby business centres were evacuated and shut down for the day as officers searched the school and surrounding area. Police and SWAT teams took position around the building and rushing inside as officers helped students evacuate the campus. Five ambulances were dispatched to a "multi-patient medical scene," the  Oakland fire fepartment said on its Twitter feed, citing reports of "multiple  stabbing/gunshot victims." Local television footage showed wounded victims being carried from a building. Institution not accredited The institution does not show up on the US Department of Education's list of accredited schools, and appears to cater largely to the area's Korean community. Its website says it trains men and women "for Christian leadership, both lay and clerical." It's not clear how many students attend the school, or the size of its faculty. The shooting came just over a month after a student gunman in Ohio opened fire in a high  school cafeteria, killing three students. It was the deadliest outburst of gun violence at a US school since a Virginia Tech student shot and killed 32 people and himself in a 2007 massacre on that campus

Russian passenger plane crashes in Siberia

A Russian passenger plane has crashed in Siberia, killing at least 29 of the 43 people on board, according to state media. The ATR 72, a twin-engine, turbo-propeller airplane, crashed on Monday about 30-35km from the Western Siberian city of Tyumen. "Twenty nine people are reported now to have died, and 14 others evacuated or rescued," Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford reporting from Moscow said, citing state media. "We're also hearing that two black boxes, the flight recorders, have been recovered from the flight, and emergency services have put out the fires." The plane took off from the Siberian town of Tyumen and was heading towards Surgut when it crashed. Children among victims According to Russian news agencies, the plane disappeared from radar screens shortly after take-off and crashed about 40km from the airport at around 7:50am (01:50 GMT). Rescue teams found the plane's cabin ablaze along with other debris. The aircraft burst into flames and broke into pieces upon impact, Russia Today television said. It also said that children were among the victims of the crash. Survivors are said to have sustained serious injuries and burns and were transported to a nearby hospital by helicopter, and five survivors were in the hospital in critical condition, the television station said. "This particular airline does have a history of air accidents... but at this point there are no details on exactly what happened," our correspondent said. "It seems as if a criminal investigation has opened on the case... We don't know what caused the crash at this stage." Thanks : AlJazeera

For Our French Brothers And Sisters - Observateur et très vigilant sont des qualificatifs appliqués aux deux anges qui notent les actes des fidèles serviteurs (d'Allah)

Est-ce que l'Observateur et le Vigilant sont des anges? Quelles sont leurs fonctions? Suivent ils l'homme même dans les toilettes?

Louanges à Allah

Premièrement, les deux qualificatifs sont appliqués aux anges chargés d'écrire tous ce que les humains font bon ou mauvais. Ils s'appliquent à chacun d'eux réellement. Celui qui se trouve à droite de l'individu est un observateur vigilant comme celui qui se trouve à sa gauche. A ce propos Allah le Puissant et Majestueux dit: «Nous avons effectivement créé l'homme et Nous savons ce que son âme lui suggère et Nous sommes plus près de lui que sa veine jugulaire, quand les deux recueillant, assis à droite et à gauche, recueillent. Il ne prononce pas une parole sans avoir auprès de lui un observateur prêt à l'inscrire» (Coran,50:16-18).

Al-Hafizh ibn Kathir (puisse Allah lui accorder Sa miséricorde)dit : «quand les deux recueillant recueillent…» renvoient aux deux anges qui enregistrent les actes de l'humain «assis à droite et à gauche» signifie en position d'observateur «il ne prononce pas» c'est-à-dire: l'humain. «une parole» c'est-à-dire un mot «sans le contrôle d'un observateur très vigilant» c'est-à-dire sans que ses propos et actes ne soient notés. C'est dans ce sens que le Très haut dit: «alors que veillent sur vous des gardiens de nobles scribes, qui savent ce que vous faites» (Coran, 82: 10-12).Tafsir al-Qour'an al-azhim,7/398.

Quant à dire que l'un des deux anges s'appelle Observateur et l'autre Vigilant, c'est s'opposer au sens apparent du noble verset. Le docteur Souleyman al-Ashquar (puisse Allah le protéger) dit: «certains ulémas mentionnent qu'il y a un ange qui s'appelle Observateur vigilant en s'appuyant sur la parole du Très haut: «  Il ne prononce pas une parole sans avoir auprès de lui un observateur prêt à l'inscrire» (Coran,50:16-18).. Ce qu'ils ont mentionné n'est pas exact. L'observateur et le très vigilant sont des qualificatifs appliqués aux deux anges qui enregistrent les actes des fidèles. Les qualificatifs signifient: anges témoins toujours présents puisqu'ils ne s'absentent jamais. Il ne s'agit pas de deux noms pour les deux anges.» Extrait de aalam al-malaika al-abaar,p. 12. Voir dans notre site la réponse donnée à la question n° 6523.

Deuxièmement, quant à savoir si les anges en question suivent l'individu dans les toilette, on a déjà abordé la question exhaustivement dans le cadre de la réponse donnée à la question n° 147161. On y a indiqué clairement que selon le Livre et la Sunna, tout fidèle serviteur d'Allah est confié à deux anges qui observent ses mouvements et repos, enregistrent ses actes et recensent tout ce qui provient de lui, qu'il s'agisse d'un bon acte ou d'un acte de rébellion, qu'il soit dans un endroit honorable ou dans un lieu méprisable.

Cependant, il n'est pas mentionné dans le Livre et la Sunna l'explication de la modalité du recensement et s'il impliquent que les anges suivent l'individu dans chaque endroit et restent avec lui pendant qu'il accomplit les différents composantes de chacune de ses actions ou si Allah les a dotés de la capacité de connaître les actes et de les enregistrer sans avoir à accompagner le fidèle dans chaque endroit qu'il pénètre. C'est un devoir que de s'en tenir à ce qui est reçu, quitte à s'en remettre à Allah de ce qui n'est pas reçu. C'est dans ce sens que Said ibn Djoubayr (Puisse Allah lui accorder Sa miséricorde) «A bien fait celui qui s'en tient à ce qu'il a entendu.»

Allah le sait mieux.

Media battle heats up in Sri Lanka, again

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On March 22, the UN Human Rights Commission voted to investigate alleged war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan civil war. The war itself ended back in 2009, but the battle against independent journalists is far from over. In the past two months, state-run media have been targetting journalists critical of the government, labelling them as 'traitors'. Mervyn Silva, the public relations minister to Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Sri Lankan president, took to the airwaves announcing that he would 'break the limbs' of any journalist who attempted to challenge the government's narrative on the war. Thanks -Al Jazeera Opposition voices on this island have been continuously threatened, silenced and forced into exile, so journalists and press freedom groups alike are not taking the threat lightly. In this week's News Divide, we look at the media battle that is intensifying in an already fragile media environment.

ALMONDS

 

The health benefits of almonds include getting relief from constipation, respiratory disorders, cough, hearth disorders, anemia, impotency, and diabetes. It also helps in hair care, skin care (psoriasis), and dental care.

Found in places like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Israel, almond is a very nutritious nut. It is a rich source of vitamin E, calcium, phosphorous, iron and magnesium. It also contains zinc, selenium, copper and niacin. Almonds contain the most nutrients in comparison to all other nuts.

Both sweet and bitter almonds are available. Usually, sweet almonds are edible and bitter almonds are used to make almond oil, which is used to add flavor to food. Almonds are usually eaten raw, but people also add them as ingredients in salads. Almond milk is a delicious drink.

You can eat almonds directly, preferably eat it empty stomach to ensure absorption of their nutrients. You can soak them in water overnight and eat in the morning. You can also garnish various dishes with crushed almonds.

Almonds are also known to have great medicinal value. Few of the benefits of almonds are given below.

Good for brain: Almond is a source of many nutrients which help in development of the brain. Almond induces high intellectual level and has been considered as an essential food item for growing children. Many mothers give almonds soaked in water to their children daily in the morning (2-3 pieces of soaked almonds are good enough, you can also remove the outer shell if it causes allergy to you.

Regulates cholesterol: Regular consumption of almonds helps to increase the level of high density lipoproteins (HDL) and reduce the level of low density lipoproteins (LDL), thereby effectively controlling cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol is called bad cholesterol.

Good for heart: Mono-saturated fat, protein and potassium contained in almonds are good for the heart. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and reduces the risk of heart diseases. The presence of magnesium in almonds helps to avoid heart attacks. Almonds help reduce C-reactive protein which causes artery-damaging inflammation. Almond is also a source of folic acid. They therefore help to reduce the level of homocystein, which causes fatty plaque buildup in arteries.

Skin care: The benefits of almond for skin care are well known, and hence a massage with almond oil is often recommended for new born babies. Almond milk is also added in some soaps as almonds help in improving the complexion of the skin.

Regulates blood pressure: Potassium present in almond helps to regulates blood pressure. Almonds are very low in sodium which also helps in containing blood pressure.

Prevention of cancer: Almond improves the movement of food through the colon, thereby preventing colon cancer.
Protection against diabetes: Almonds also help in reducing the rise in sugar and insulin levels after meals. This offers protection from diabetes.

Good in pregnancy: Almond contains folic acid. Folic acid helps to reduce the incidence of birth defects in newborn babies.
Weight loss: Unsweetened almond milk helps one to reduce weight. The mono-saturated fat contained in almonds satisfies appetite and prevents over-eating. Studies have revealed that almond rich low
calorie diet is good for obese people to assist in shedding their weight
.
Prevention of constipation: Almonds are rich in fibre. Like most other fibre rich food, almonds also help in preventing constipation. Make sure you drink good amount of water after eating almonds.
Boosts energy: The presence of manganese, copper and Riboflavin helps in energy production.
One avoids the risk of Alzheimer's disease by consuming almonds. But just like any other food, even almonds have their cons. They contain oxalates and excessive oxalates can cause crystallization. So people having kidney or gallbladder problems should avoid eating almonds.