Free Republic

The Vatican’s semiofficial newspaper blasted a series of cartoons of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad as “blasphemous” but also condemned the “mad and bloodthirsty” extremists who opened fire at a Texas exhibit of the cartoons. The front-page article in L’Osservatore Romano likened the exhibit in Garland, Texas, to pouring “gasoline on the fire” of religious sensitivities and was critical of its sponsors, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, and professional provocateur Pamela Geller. Police on Sunday (May 3) shot and killed two gunmen who opened fire outside the exhibit that was designed to provoke Muslim sensitivities; the so-called Islamic State has since claimed...

Fahad Qureshi, who founded Islam Net and is considered an Islamic leader in Norway, told a large group of Sunni Muslims that, contrary to media claims that it is only “radicals” and “extremists” who support barbaric punishments for those who violate sharia, regular Muslims support such things, including the “death penalty for homosexuals” and “stoning for adultery.” Fahad Qureshi, who founded Islam Net and is considered an Islamic leader in Norway, told a large group of Sunni Muslims that, contrary to media claims that it is only “radicals” and “extremists” who support barbaric punishments for those who violate sharia, regular...

Ad caption reads: ‘Islamic Jew-hatred: It’s in the Quran. Two-thirds of all US aid goes to Islamic countries. Stop Racism. End all aid to Islamic countries.’ ... Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) is sponsoring a new campaign ad that will appear on the side of 20 Washington, D.C. buses. The group is calling for the end of U.S. foreign aid to Islamic countries. The ad shows a WWII photo of Adolf Hitler and anti-Jewish Islamic leader Haj Amin al -Husseini

An Islamic leader has warned Britain is facing a new security threat from radical Muslims who are prepared to act as suicide bombers in the UK. Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, spiritual leader of the controversial Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, says people should stay away from locations such as financial institutions and Government buildings in the light of the threat. He told the BBC: "I would be careful, there are people who are in the UK, these are people who are supporters of al-Qaida and these people are Islamically speaking, they are people who feel they have a right to retaliate. "So...

The leader of The Supporters of Islam group, who was being held in the Netherlands, has been unexpectedly expelled and sent to Norway. Mullah Krekar, an Iraqi Kurd, was detained at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport last September while he was travelling to Norway where he had political refugee status. The decision by Dutch Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner to expell Mr Krekar is conspicuous because Jordan had asked for his extradition. A court was to handle the extradition request next week. Mr Krekar was detained at Schiphol because the United States claims his organisation had close links with the al-Qaeda network.

A MILITANT Islamic leader in Pakistan has warned of more terrorist attacks if the military Government blocks guerillas from crossing into Kashmir to fight Indian forces. Abdullah Mazhar, of Jaish-i-Muhammad, the most violent of the Islamic radical groups, said thousands of well-trained militants could join the splinter factions involved in the recent terrorist campaign aimed at Western interests and Christians. "It is getting increasingly difficult for us to restrain our supporters," Mr Mazhar said. He has been in hiding for six months since President Pervez Musharraf outlawed his group and arrested scores of its activists. Mr Mazhar said his organisation...