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Europe
Police say firefighters worked overnight to extinguish the fire that started Tuesday at 2 .a.m. local time in Orebro, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) west of Stockholm. No one was injured in the blaze. Mosque spokesman Jamal Lamhamdi tells local newspaper Nerikes Allehanda that it was “a sad day for Muslims in Orebro and in Sweden.” Investigator Lars Bergman says the suspect, who is not identified, was arrested on suspicion of arson early Tuesday. He declines to comment on possible motives behind the fire. Sweden has seen growing anti-migrant sentiment and an increase in xenophobic attacks as asylum-seekers flooded into the country in recent years. In January, a fire caused major damage at a mosque near Stockholm. Danish minister republishes controversial Prophet cartoon on Facebook [Ynet] Satirical cartoon, which has in the past angered Muslims around the world, posted following decision museum not to include drawing in a new exhibition about blasphemy since the Reformation. “It is the museum’s own choice and they have their full right to do it, but I think it’s a shame,” said Inger Stojberg, minister for immigration and integration, in her Facebook post. The Facebook post is accompanied by a screen shot of the minister’s iPad background screen, which shows a cartoon of a bearded man with a bomb in his turban. Stojberg said in the post she uses the cartoon as her background screen because it reminds her that Denmark is a country with freedom of speech, which includes the right to criticize religions. “Honestly, I think we should be proud of the Mohammad cartoons,” Stojberg said. Three Danish embassies were attacked and at least 50 people were killed in rioting in 2006 in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, after drawings of the Prophet Mohammed, images many Muslims consider blasphemous, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Spain says Belgian police arrest Spanish IS suspect [Ynet] Spanish police say Belgian agents have arrested a Spaniard suspected of leading a cell that worked to recruit and indoctrinate members for the Islamic State group. A National Police statement said the 26-year-old of Moroccan origin was arrested Wednesday in the city of Zaventem. It said he was the last part of a five-member Belgian-based cell and its chief provider of propaganda material, using his house and cafes for meetings. Police said the group started in 2014. Three members, including the detainee's brother, were arrested by Spanish police over the past two years and one was arrested in Morocco. It said the Spaniard maintained contact with IS combatants and tried twice to travel to conflict zones. He then concentrated the group's efforts in locating targets for attacks in Belgium. EU unveils plans to take 50,000 refugees from Africa, Mideast [AlAhram] The EU unveiled plans Wednesday to take at least 50,000 refugees directly from Africa, the Middle East and Turkey to discourage migrant boats from making the risky Mediterranean crossing. The European Commission said in a statement that it was "recommending a new EU resettlement scheme to bring at least 50,000 of the most vulnerable persons in need of international protection to Europe over the next two years." EU Plans to Allow Schengen Border Controls for 3 Years for 'Security' [AnNahar] The EU released plans Wednesday to allow countries in the passport-free Schengen area to reintroduce border controls for security reasons for up to three years. Norway's Immigration Minister says wave of terror helped Europe understand Israel
"We are now experiencing the fear that you have been experiencing in Israel for decades, and many people now understand the situation in which you live," she said in an interview with Ynet held in the Foreign Ministry in Oslo, Norway. "European countries and their residents should now understand the situation in Israel better because of the terror attacks in Israel." Mom of French jihadi gets 2-year sentence for money transfer [Ynet] The mother of a French jihadi who joined the Islamic State group in Syria has been sentenced to two years in prison for sending money to her son. The mother, Nathalie Haddadi, vowed to appeal Thursday's sentence, saying "This is the trial of a mother for helping her son." She was charged with financing terrorism, according to interviews she gave before the sentencing. The sentence is longer than the prosecutor requested, but Haddadi was not taken into custody immediately. She is accused of sending about 2,000 euros ($2,357) to her son, Belabbas Bounaga. Haddadi says he was vacationing in Malaysia and she was trying to help him. He ended up in Syria, joined the Islamic State group and is believed to have died. In first, Denmark deploys troops to guard synagogue, Israeli embassy ahead of Yom Kippur [IsraelTimes] Unprecedented use of soldiers in capital since World War II follows deadly attacks in 2015 and with national terror threat level at 'serious'. The synagogue and the Israeli embassy have been under police protection since two deadly attacks in 2015. The latest deployment is not a response to any new threat, but rather aims to assist Copenhagen police strained by operations in other parts of the city. Police will continue to guard the Jewish museum and the school. Majority of Danes want to ban burqa: survey [TheLocal.dk] Less than a quarter of Danes oppose a ban on the burqa and niqab, according to a new survey. A majority of the population support banning the two types of Islamic veil in public, according to an opinion poll carried out by Epinion on behalf of broadcaster DR. According to the poll, 62 percent said they support a full ban on wearing the burqa and niqab in public, while 23 percent said the veils should continue to be allowed. Posted by: trailing wife 2017-10-03 |
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