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France was today attacked by religious leaders for organising a ‘poisonous’ national debate about the growing number of Muslims living in the country. They accused President Nicolas Sarkozy of trying to attract racist voters by holding the all-party political discussion next Tuesday. It will see people complaining about numerous aspects of Islamic life, from its links with terrorist groups to the wearing of burkas. But French Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Christians, Jews, and Buddhists today joined Muslim leaders in published a joint statement saying the debate would cause ‘confusion in the troubled period we are going through.

Excerpted website: A German state yesterday became the first region in the country to ban Muslim women from wearing burkas. The country has been gripped for several months by an angry debate on multiculturalism with many Germans voicing their concerns over immigration. Hesse, a state run by Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, has now became the first German region to ban Muslim face veils for public sector workers. Hesse Interior Minister Boris Rheinsaid it was 'not acceptable' for a teacher in Frankfurt to wear a face veil because 'public sector workers are obligated to have neutral religious and political views'.

Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear co-stars have sparked religious outrage after dressing up in burkas on the Boxing Day special. Clarkson and Richard Hammond decided to dress in niqabs, a form of the burka where everything but the eyes are covered, in order to disguise themselves on the road. They also got James May in on the act when they greeted him from hospital after he fell and hit his head on rocks in the Syrian desert.

THE daughter-in-law of hate cleric Abu Hamza was arrested at his jail for allegedly trying to smuggle in a sim card under her burka. Guards rumbled Chayme, 26, in a routine search as she went to visit the hate preacher. Hamza's eldest son Mohamed Kamel Mostafa was also nicked over the contraband the next day. The find raised fears that hook-handed Hamza has access to a mobile in prison where he is awaiting a US bid to ext-radite him for allegedly running terrorist training camps. The tiny microchip was found in a pocket in clothing under her flowing black robes...

After September 11th, airline passengers were more closely screened for what they had on their person – sharp objects were of particular concern. After the shoe-bomber, Richard Reid, failed to blow another airplane out of the sky, passengers had to take their shoes off during the screening process. Then came the underwear bomber last Christmas. A consequence of his failed attempt now includes intrusive 'pat downs' and revealing body scans for air travelers. Now it is learned that Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano is considering an exemption for Muslim women! This is what the Forum For Middle East Understanding (FFMU)...

She’s just left Australia. But not before creating a stir. From Dan Oakes of The Age, Melbourne: THE belief that burqas should be banned in order to stop suicide bombers disguising themselves is a legitimate one, according to United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Mrs Clinton also described the status of women as ''one of the biggest pieces of unfinished business in this century'', and said their persecution was a common factor in repressed and impoverished nations.

Italy is set to become the next European country to ban the burka after a government report ruled in favour of the proposed legislation. MPs from the anti-immigration Northern League party, a member of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s ruling right wing coalition, have presented the proposal in a bill.

<p>The French Senate has voted overwhelmingly for a bill banning the burqa-style Islamic veil everywhere from post offices to streets, in a final step toward a making it law.</p> <p>The Senate voted 246 to 1 Tuesday in favor of the bill, which has already passed in the lower chamber, the National Assembly.</p>

"Focus" -- poll shows that there are 61 percent of Germans for Burka-Ban Munich [kath.net/KAP] The Archbishop of Bamberg, Ludwig Schick, sees good grounds for a burka ban in Germany. The reason for this interview on "Focus" was related to the news magazine's recent published polls, which shows that 61 percent of Germans are for a burka ban. If it were legally punishable to wear a burka, this must be put in the balance "between the basic rights of religious freedom and other basic rights, like for example the equality of man and woman, the right for education or the...

TOP Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson’s burka outburst could see “rivers of blood” on Britain’s streets. The TV loudmouth caused outrage by claiming Muslim women wear G-strings under their burkas on last Sunday’s show. And hate preacher Anjem Choudary warned Islamic fanatics will “go to war” to protect the honour of their women.

An Islamist preacher barred from Britain for his radical views has warned France against passing a Muslim veil ban, or risk increasing support for al-Qaeda. "Look what happened in Belgium and in France," Omar Bakri said...The Syrian-born preacher, who settled in Britain in 1985, was banned from re-entering the country in 2005 ... Bakri had headed the radical al-Muhajiroun group, and praised the hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States as the "magnificent 19".

A German man wearing a burka and carrying a pistol was arrested in northwest Pakistan Monday after travelling from an area known as a hub for Al-Qaeda-linked militants, police said. "A German man, wearing a burka, was intercepted at a checkpoint in Bannu while coming from Miranshah with a six-year-old girl," local police station chief Farid Khan told AFP. Two tribesmen travelling with him in the vehicle were also detained, he said. Miranshah is the main town of lawless North Waziristan tribal district, a known hotbed of Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants. Most women in the area wear a burka,...

MEP Koch-Mehrin calls for Europe-wide burka ban Published: 1 May 10 10:49 CETOnline: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20100501-26911.html After Belgium's parliament voted to ban Islamic full-face veils, the German vice-president of the European Parliament has called for a ban of the burka throughout Europe. 'Die Fremde' takes top honours at Tribeca Film Festival - Society (30 Apr 10)Teen expelled from Catholic school for leaving Church - National (30 Apr 10)A Muslim Christian Democrat's crucifixion - Analysis & Opinion (27 Apr 10) Silvana Koch-Mehrin called the full-body veil an attack on the rights of women in a guest editorial in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper....

The lawyer for a French Muslim woman fined for driving while wearing a full-face veil has accused police of abusing her human rights, as the government pushes to ban the garment. Police stopped the 31-one-year-old in the western city of Nantes and fined her 22 euros ($31.80) on the grounds that her niqab - an Islamic veil with a slit for the eyes - restricted her view so she could not drive safely. "This fine is not justified on road safety grounds and constitutes a breach of human and women's rights," said the woman's lawyer, Jean-Michel Pollono. He insists his...

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France told his cabinet on Wednesday that he would put forward a bill in May to ban the wearing of the full veil in public places in France, despite a warning from senior legal authorities that the bill may be unconstitutional. Mr. Sarkozy wants a bill that goes farther than initial proposals, including a ban on wearing the full veil — the niqab, which leaves only the eyes uncovered, and the burqa, which is almost unknown in France — from streets, markets and shops, according to his spokesman, Luc Chatel. The full veil “hurts the dignity...

Picture me on the Eurostar, in Brussels, Belgium. The year is 2004. There’s a veil-wearing lady sitting behind me with her friend. Like most women of a certain age, they’re chattering their heads off. Later, however, the loud conversation takes a sharp turn, when the Muslim lady pontificates about the superiority of Islam and the evils of paganism. But, if I had been sharing my Protestant beliefs? From a theological perspective, there’s nothing wrong with Muslims or Christians peacefully evangelizing. I am a friend of free speech. But the subject of clothing politics (for want of a better term) is...

March 31, 2010 Belgium moves to ban the burqa If the ban is passed Belgium will become the first country in Europe to make the wearing of Muslim clothing illegal David Charter, Brussels The face-covering veil is set to be banned within weeks in Belgium, making it the first country in Europe to make the wearing of Muslim clothing illegal. Women who flout the ban will face from one to seven days in jail or a fine of 15 to 25 euros. While President Sarkozy is encountering obstacles to his plans to outlaw the face-covering niqab in France, Belgium's main...

A Belgian parliamentary committee has voted to ban face-covering Islamic veils from being worn in public. The home affairs committee voted unanimously to endorse the move, which must be approved by parliament for it to become law. Such a vote could be held within weeks, correspondents say, meaning that Belgium could become the first European country to implement a ban. France is also considering restricting face-covering veils. There are several types of headscarves and veils for Muslim women - those that cover the face being the niqab and the burka. 'Dangerous precedent' The BBC's Dominic Hughes reports from Brussels that...

MONTREAL -- In recent years, the few fully veiled Muslim women who had dealings with Quebec's health-insurance board could choose to be served by a woman to avoid exposing their faces to a man outside their family. But in the latest example of the province's growing resistance to the accommodation of minority religious practices, the insurance board on Tuesday announced the end of the policy after the provincial human rights commission said it has no duty to acquiesce. "From now on, for a woman who is veiled with a niqab or a burka and comes to our office asking to...

More than half of voters in four other major European states back a push by France's Nicolas Sarkozy to ban women from wearing the burka, according to an opinion poll for the Financial Times. As Mr Sarkozy presses ahead with plans to ban the wearing of the burka in public places, the FT latest Harris poll shows the move is not just strongly supported in France, but wins enthusiastic backing in the UK, Italy, Spain and Germany. The poll shows 70 per cent of respondents in France said they supported plans to forbid the wearing of the garment which covers...