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US Muslim outfit cautions India over retaliation By Khalid Hasan WASHINGTON: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) – the largest Muslim rights group in the US and Canada – while condemning the Mumbai terrorist attacks asked the Indian government to protect its citizens from the type of retaliatory attacks that have followed similar incidents in the past. CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement, “We condemn these cowardly attacks, and demand that all hostages taken by the attackers be released immediately and unconditionally. We offer sincere condolences to the loved ones of those killed or injured in these...

After the Iraqi cabinet voted in approval, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker met in Baghdad to sign the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Both diplomats hailed the event as a “historic” one — not an overstatement as their meeting was the fruit of many months of deliberations and negotiations. Reportedly, SOFA has a sister document whose details are yet to be made public. Radio Sawa reported that Zebari and Crocker signed “another long-term strategic agreement, which the U.S. ambassador said would shape relations between the two countries in all areas for years to come.” It’s...

US spies killed in terrorist raid NEW DELHI: Even though the Indian government has refrained from dragging Islamabad directly into the Mumbai terror attacks, insinuations suggest that diplomatic relations between the two countries may suffer in the aftermath of the attacks. It is believed that the terrorists identified and then killed two senior US intelligence officers staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his address to the nation, pricked Pakistan thrice without naming it. The security agencies in New Delhi told reporters they suspected the role of Al Qaeda in the attacks. The agencies believed...

The Islamic terrorists in Mumbai targeted Westerners and wealthy Indians. They chose huge, 4000 room hotels and other large, highly symbolic targets such as cafes and the old Victoria railway station. But they also carefully chose a very tiny building, Nariman House, also a highly symbolic location. Chabad is a worldwide movement of Hasidic Jews who do not proselytize, who are not violent, who live to help others and who have “shluchim,” or messengers-in-service on every continent. Have the Princes of Saudi Arabia, the mullahs of Iran, the imams of Cairo, Baghdad, and London, the various Palestinian factions condemned the...

Zardari for joint efforts against terrorism ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari telephoned Indian Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Thursday and said countries of the world should join hands to tackle terrorism. He condemned the Mumbai terrorist attacks and asked Sonia Gandhi to convey the sympathies of the people of Pakistan to the families of the victims. “The killing of innocent people is most detestable and I condemn the attacks in the strongest possible terms,” he told the Indian leader. “Militancy and extremism in have to be eliminated.” In a separate message, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani also “strongly condemned the...

They murdered the Jews for being Jews. Period. It is not complicated. It's war. It's not "terrorism" or "extremism", it is Islam. How many tens of thousands have to be senselessly murdered before we fight back? Muslims are allowed to murder Jews in cold blood because we are Jews, but it is a crime to insult Islam. “Ethos” of the Mumbai Jihad on Chabad? “Whenever a Jew is killed it is for the benefit of Islam.” This is not about India- Britain investigating links to India attacks The British government is investigating whether some of the attackers in the deadly...