VIENNA: A regional Austrian parliament gave its go-ahead on Tuesday to a change in the law that would ban building mosques and possibly other non-Christian establishments in the region.
While no mention was actually made of mosques or minarets in the bill approved by lawmakers in Carinthia province, the change to the so-called law on the upkeep of towns’ appearances meant that special dispensations would now be required for the construction of “buildings of unusual dimensions.” Carinthia’s governor, far-rightist Joerg Haider, said it was high time “to send a signal,” accusing the centre-left Social Democrats of not doing anything to stop “the advance of Islam.”
The changes were condemned by the opposition Green and Social Democrat parties, as well as the Austrian Muslim community that said the changes constituted an infringement of religious freedom.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\02\13\story_13-2-2008_pg7_45
Islamophobia on rise in the Netherlands, Muslims stigmatised
2/12/08
BRUSSELS: Islamophobia has increased dramatically in the Netherlands following recent terrorist attacks in Europe, a human rights watchdog warned today, with Muslims the subject of stereotyping, stigmatisation and frequent racist violence.
In a harshly worded report, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance said even Dutch politicians have resorted to making derogatory remarks about Muslims in recent years, and that racist discourse has remained "as a rule" unchallenged by mainstream political parties.
The report comes as the Netherlands is embroiled in a debate on what some Dutch politicians call an "Islamisation" of the country, which has traditionally welcomed immigrants but put little pressure on them to embrace Western values.
Excerpted
A GROUP that was exclusively Muslim and male was set up in Melbourne to carry out a violent jihad, a Victorian court has been told. The opening day of the Supreme Court trial of 12 men accused of being members of a terrorist organisation has been told that the group was instructed that killing women and children was permissible.
Crown prosecutor Richard Maidment SC told the court that Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 47, of Dallas in Melbourne's north, was the group leader. "The organisation was exclusively male and exclusively Muslim," Mr Maidment told the court. "Benbrika was its director and the leader of that group."
Excerpted
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23207119-5005941,00.html
Lawmakers want to keep bombs from Saudis
Tue Feb 12, 2008
WASHINGTON - A handful of Republican lawmakers, saying Saudi Arabia is funding terrorism, on Tuesday sought to enlist more GOP opposition to the Bush administration's proposal to sell precision-guided bombs to the Arab kingdom.
The Bush administration announced Jan. 14 that it intended to sell $123 million worth of sophisticated precision-guided bomb technology to Saudi Arabia. The weapons were part of a larger arms package, estimated to total $20 billion, for Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries.
The 30-day period for lawmakers to object ends on Thursday. At least 13 Republicans and an estimated 80 Democrats had signed a resolution opposing the sale, Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., told reporters at a news conference. However, he acknowledged that the resolution was not scheduled for a vote. When the arms deal was announced last month, California Rep. Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he didn't intend to consider a disapproval resolution. Lantos died Monday.
The administration said the sales were central to the president's strategy to shore up defenses against Iran. Bush, who was visiting Saudi Arabia when the arms sale was announced, has called the Arab nation a partner in peace and security. Wamp said oil money from the Saudi royal family funded numerous nonprofit organizations that, in turn, supported terrorism.
"The problem with selling arms to Saudi Arabia is there is a clear pattern here of the royal family in Saudi Arabia basically aiding and abetting the enemy. I know those are harsh terms, but I'm not from the State Department," Wamp said. "I support the president, I support this administration, but not all the time." Republican Reps. Frank Wolf of Virginia and Sue Myrick of North Carolina joined Wamp in calling for more Republicans to oppose the sale.
"I don't see why Saudi Arabia has a need for this technology, very frankly," Myrick said. "It's an offensive technology. It just doesn't make sense to me. And so my attitude is, if they're our friends ... then they need to act like our friends and stop financing radical elements of terrorist organizations."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080213/ap_on_go_co/us_saudi_arms_sales