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SHA'BAN 1432 A.H.
(July 7, 2011)
INFO BRIEFS: Global Issues & Justice Matters
Contents:
1. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ya'qoubi: A Syrian cleric speaking truth to power
2. Remembering Srebrenica
3. The latest terrorism scare: "Bombs in humans"
4. Fort Hood Defendant Nidal Hassan will face the Death Penalty
5. The Casey Anthony case: What it says about "Justice" in America
6. The Closing of MAS Freedom?
7. AMA-Foundation Policy Forum on Libya
8. An important announcement from the publishers of The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs
Assalaamu Alaikum (Greetings of Peace):
Our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "one of the best jihads is to speak truth to a caliph (or other governing authority) who has deviated from the right way." In the video accessed by the link below, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ya'qoubi is doing precisely that; and he's doing it in a very courageous and powerful way - in the form of the khutbah (religious sermon) on the occasion of salatul jumuah (the Friday prayer service).
It is my understanding that Sh. Ya'qoubi was sacked by the Syrian government following this address (may ALLAH continue to bless, fortify and protect him.). As some of our wise African American liberation-oriented fore bearers often noted in the past, Truth crushed into the earth will rise again.
One of Sh. Ya'qoubi's most striking observations was, "If the ulema (religious scholars and leaders) and Friday speakers don't defend the peoples' rights, who is going to do so?" This is the same rhetorical question that can be put to religious scholars and organizational leaders right here in the West!
"Leadership" not only signifies, but demands, certain non-abrogational responsibilities, whether we feel comfortable in acknowledging and discharging these responsibilities or not! (I also appreciated the sheikh's emphasis on the importance of the jihad of the tongue.)
May ALLAH (SWT) bless the Syrian people, and all other oppressed peoples in the Muslim world, to see the eruption of many more voices (in high places) enjoining the good and forbidding the evil; in short, calling the temporal powers-that-be to ISLAM!
For as Sheikh ibn Taymeeyah (rahim'ullah) correctly noted:
"Civilization is based on justice, and the consequences of oppression are devastating. Therefore it is said ALLAH aids the just state, even if it is non-Muslim; and withholds His help from the oppressive state even if it is Muslim."
Please click on the link < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Ozu1xDlgM > and listen to the roughly 30 minute address in its entirety. If you are a lover of truth and justice, you will be glad that you did. I assure you.
El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan
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Remembering Srebrenica
July 2011 marks the 16th anniversary of the worst crime of genocide to take place in Europe since World War 2, when units of the Army of the Republika Srpska (VRS), under the command of General Ratko Mladic, and a paramilitary unit from Serbia known as the Scorpions, murdered over 8,000 Muslim men and boys in and around the town of Srebrenica, an enclave of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The massacres reportedly took place between July 11 - 22, 1995, in what was ironically the first "safe haven" ever established by the United Nations in a war zone. Regrettably, the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) proved to be of no consequence when it came to protecting Muslims in Europe.
It is important to note that while men and boys, especially those deemed to be of fighting age, were the primary targets of this deliberate act of genocide, several dozen Muslim women and girls were also killed in that murderous campaign. It is also important to note that the massacre at Srebrenica was facilitated by the international community in other ways.
The embargo that was imposed upon the area, and enforced by NATO (if my memory serves me correct), insured that the Muslim population would not be able to acquire the arms needed to defend themselves, making the massacre that would occur at Srebrenica a foregone conclusion. - MS
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The latest terrorism scare: "Bombs in humans"
One of the most striking things about this so-called warning is the callously obvious (political) nature of it all. We are told there are "NO IMMINENT THREATS," and there is the question of whether such a thing is even possible, and yet alarms are being sounded anyway! In my humble opinion, the motive behind the scare is simple: governments, and certain corporate interests, must continue to stoke the embers of communal fear for both economic and political reasons.
With that said, what follows is but one of a number of newly released opportunistic reports. - MS
Alert: Terrorists look to implant bombs in humans
![http://www.ap.org/]( "http://www.ap.org/")
By EILEEN SULLIVAN - Associated Press | AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — Airlines are being warned by the government that terrorists are considering surgically hiding bombs inside humans to evade airport security. As a result, travelers may find themselves subjected to more scrutiny when flying in the heart of summer vacation season, especially to the U.S. from abroad.
The FBI and Homeland Security Department sent a memo to security officials around the country on Wednesday about "body packing," describing it as a "criminal tactic with possible terrorist application."
The memo, obtained by The Associated Press, cited a 2005 incident in which Colombian men were accused of surgically implanting narcotics into human couriers. The memo offered possible indicators of surgically implanted contraband, including a distended stomach or other unusual bulging, and visible physical discomfort from a pat-down.
Bombs-in-the-body is not a new idea, but recent intelligence indicates a fresh interest in using this method. People-scanning machines in airports aren't able to detect explosives hidden inside humans. Still, there is no current information that points to a specific plot involving surgically implanted explosives, a U.S. security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss such sensitive matters. (Emphasis mine)
To read this report in its entirety:
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Fort Hood Defendant Nidal Hassan will face the Death Penalty
Former Army "Major" Nidal Hassan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder, and thus, it comes as no surprise that he will be facing the death penalty if convicted in a U.S. Military Court (a mere formality).
The trial, whenever it does take place, will not be televised. There is no way that the government will give any possible exposure to the horrid conditions that led this career officer (who had been attempting without success to secure a discharge from the military) to commit such a desperate act of war against his own fellow soldiers.
This case is but another tragic example of why Muslim parents, leaders, and other persons of influence should be advising our young brothers and sisters on why they should NOT consider "military service" as an option. There are other more humane and honorable ways to serve one's country. - MS
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The Casey Anthony case: What it says about "Justice" in America
They're calling it the "CSI effect," but in reality it's much, much deeper than that. I am absolutely convinced that Casey Anthony got the verdict that she did because she is a young white female who was facing the death penalty. Insha'Allah, before the weekend is out I will prove my thesis with a comparative study that cannot be denied by any reasonable person. - MS
Casey Anthony Juror: 'Sick To Our Stomachs' Over Verdict
First Posted: 7/6/11 Updated: 7/7/11
Crime , Florida , Video , Casey Anthony , Casey Anthony Trial , Casey Anthony Verdict , Caylee Anthony Trial , Crime News , Cybercrime-News , Slidepollajax , Crime News "Everyone wonders why we didn't speak to the media right away," Ford told ABC News. "It was because we were sick to our stomach to get that verdict. We were crying and not just the women. It was emotional and we weren't ready. We wanted to do it with integrity and not contribute to the sensationalism of the trial."
In addition to being found not guilty of murder Tuesday, Anthony, 25, was found not guilty of aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child. She was, however, convicted on charges of misleading law enforcement.
"I did not say she was innocent," Ford told ABC News. "I just said there was not enough evidence. If you cannot prove what the crime was, you cannot determine what the punishment should be."
Russell Huekler, one of five alternate jurors who were present for all of the testimony, also spoke with ABC News and said even though he did not get a chance to vote, he agreed with the verdict.
"The prosecution failed to prove their case and there was reasonable doubt. Again, they didn't show us how Caylee died. They didn't show us a motive. I'm sorry people feel that way. ... These were 17 total jurors. They really listened to this case and kept an open mind," Huekler said.
Casey Anthony will be back in court Thursday for sentencing on four misdemeanor counts of lying to police. Each count carries a maximum sentence of one year in county jail. The judge has the option of sentencing Anthony consecutively or concurrently. Anthony will receive credit for time served in jail since her 2008 arrest, meaning she could walk free.
The interview with Casey Anthony juror Jennifer Ford will air on 'ABC World News with Diane Sawyer' and ABC's 'Primetime Nightline' Wednesday night.
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The Closing of MAS Freedom?
When I saw this report in The Muslim Link, the first thought that came to mind was what a shame. At a time when existing Muslim advocacy organizations should be receiving more support (esp. those that have been involved in the critical pushback needed in this post 9/11 world), an organization connected to a "major Muslim organization" is closing down. Or is it? See the report below, followed by my concluding comments at the end.
The Muslim American Society's Freedom Foundation announced its closure on June 17, 2011, citing "not having the resources that would allow [continuing] advocacy and organizing work" in a final email to supporters.
MAS Freedom Foundation was founded and headed by Mahdi Bray, an outspoken activist who was often the target of right-wing Islamophobes. Bray suffered a massive stroke last December, but the MAS Freedom announcement signed by head of the Human and Civil Rights program Ibrahim Ramey did not cite Bray's condition as a reason for the closure of MAS Freedom.
Over the last 10 years, MAS Freedom's work included advocacy for such causes as worker's rights and fair wages, discriminated Muslim employees and those unjustly detained or barred from travel by federal immigration agencies, and anti-nuclear proliferation. Mahdi Bray also hosted a radio call-in show called the "Crescent Report". In addition, MAS Freedom Foundation took part in dozens of protests against the occupation of Palestine and other causes around the Muslim world.
"It has been a blessing and honor from Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala, over the last eight years, to work in defense of the human and civil rights of Muslims in America and throughout the world, and to advance social justice work for all human beings, everywhere. All of us owe our highest thanks to Imam Mahdi Bray for his visionary leadership in creating the MAS Freedom program and guiding us in our commitment to work, and struggle, for justice," wrote Ramey.
"Rest assured that all of us a MAS Freedom remain committed to the work and vision of the Muslim American Society. We thank all those brothers and sisters in Islam who have worked for MAS Freedom over the years. We thank our friends and colleagues in the peace and human rights community of the United States of America who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim community, especially in the perilous times over the past ten years. And we thank MAS and our Muslim community for all of the encouragement and support that we have received over the years," the letter stated.
Some closing thoughts...
There now appears to be an air of uncertainty concerning this published announcement. Mazen Mokhtar (MAS Board of Trustees) states in a blog response (on the TML website) that "reports of MAS Freedom's closing are greatly exaggerated," and further, that the organization is merely "undergoing restructuring." Whatever the case may be, MAS needs to clear this up - both for the Muslim public, and for the dedicated staff (like Br. Ibrahim) who have been toiling in the human rights arena under the MAS banner for years.
On a final note, if we (Muslim leaders, activists and organizations) can campaign to give hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of Muslim dollars to some of these self-serving politicians, in an attempt to buy influence, we should be able and willing to fund the organizations that are supposed to be on the front line defending Muslim rights! That's my view on the matter. - MS
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Important Program Announcements
AMA-Foundation Policy Forum: Libya - The Myth of Bloodless NATO Bombing
Monday, July 11 - 5:15 PM
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Speakers:
Cynthia McKinney, former congresswoman, human rights activist
Sara Flounders, Co-founder International Action Center
Brian Becker, Executive Director - National ANSWER
Admission is Free, advance registration is requested: (202) 280-7466
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