Russian Authorities Kill 5 Suspected Rebels in Dagestan

Russian authorities killed five suspected rebels in the volatile North Caucasus region of Dagestan who opened fire on police as they attempted to stop their car, officials said on Wednesday.
The latest skirmish between authorities and militants took place during an attempted identity check late Tuesday in the town of Khasavyurt near Chechnya, the site of two bloody wars with separatists in the 1990s.
"Five members of an illegal armed group have been eliminated by return fire," the regional interior ministry said in a statement. Three automatic rifles and ammunition were found in the car during a search, it said.
Dagestan is part of Russia's volatile North Caucasus region where shootings and bomb attacks are nearly a daily occurrence.
Source: Al Manar

Daily Update

San Diego Muslims to Hold Youth Conference

the San Diego Muslim community will hold a day-long conference for American Muslim youth at the Islamic Center of San Diego (ICSD). The theme of the conference is “Muslim Youth in America: Seeking the Straight Path.”

WHAT: “Muslim Youth in America: Seeking the Straight Path” Conference
WHEN: Saturday, July 24th, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.; A Press Conference for the event will be held at 1 p.m. in the 2nd Floor Library, Islamic Center of San Diego.
WHERE: Multipurpose Room (1st Floor) Islamic Center of San Diego, 7050 Eckstrom Avenue, San Diego, CA 92111
CONTACT: CAIR San Diego Public Relations Director Edgar Hopida, 619-913-0719 or 858-278-4547, E-mail: ehopida@cair.com

The conference will feature dialogue-oriented sessions on the development of a good Muslim spiritual character and the importance of obtaining both religious and secular education. Other discussions will focus on “Radicalization of American Muslim Youth: Myth or Reality” and on social problems that are experienced by Muslim youth.

“The purpose of this conference is to provide Muslim youth a constructive environment in which to discuss issues of spirituality, education, activism, and social problems in order to help them pursue a path that will positively impact the broader society,” said CAIR-San Diego Public Relations Director Edgar Hopida.

The conference is sponsored by the Islamic Center of San Diego (ICSD), Masjidul Taqwa, the Council on American Islamic Relations - San Diego Chapter (CAIR-San Diego), Logan Islamic Community Center (LICC), and Muslim American Society (MAS) Youth San Diego.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties group. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Daily Update

MCB Congratulates British Muslims Named in Queen's Honours List

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, today congratulated those who were named in the Queen's Birthday Honour's List. He said: "These honours recognise those who have made valuable contributions to our country. I congratulate all those who have been named, including those British Muslims whose contribution to our country and to our community has been recognised by the Queen. They are role models for our community."

Those honoured include Judge Khurshid Drabu, election commissioner and advisor to the Muslim Council of Britain. He was conferred a CBE. While Jehangir Malik, of MCB affiliate Islamic Relief, was honoured with an OBE.

Full list of British Muslims honoured:

Mrs Naila ZAFFAR CBE
Headteacher, Copthorne Primary School, Bradford. For services to local and national Education. (Bradford, West Yorkshire)

Judge Khurshid Drabu CBE
For services to Community Relations. (Winchester, Hampshire)

Dr Husna AHMAD OBE
Chief Executive Officer, Faith Regeneration Foundation. For services to Disadvantaged People.

Maqsood AHMAD OBE
Lately Head of Police Equality and Diversity
Policy, Home Office.

Mockbul ALI OBE
Islamic Issues Adviser, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Dalwardin BABU OBE
Chief Superintendent, Metropolitan Police Service. For services to the Police. (London, N10)

Dr Maha Taysir BARAKAT
Co-Founder, Imperial College Diabetes Centre, Abu Dhabi. For services to medical research, training and public health in the United Arab Emirates

Mashuq HUSSAIN OBE
For services to Young People and to Community Relations in Burnley and Pendle, Lancashire.
(Nelson, Lancashire)

Taha Mohammad IDRIS OBE
Chief Executive, Swansea Bay Race Equality Council. For services to Community Relations.

Jehangir MALIK OBE
For services to Islamic Relief.

Mohammad NAZIR OBE
Chairman, West Midlands Ethnic Minority Business Forum. For services to Business.

Ms Saima AFZAL MBE
For services to the Police and to Community Relations in Lancashire.

Zaheer AHMAD MBE
Constable, British Transport Police. For services to the Police. (London, E17)

Basheer AHMED MBE
Honorary Life Vice-President, Race Equality Council of Lincolnshire. For services to Community Relations. (Lincoln, Lincolnshire)

Ms Shanaz AHMED MBE
For services to the Asian community in the East End of London. (London, E1)

Miss Ronika AMIN MBE
Grade D, Ministry of Defence. (Middlesex)

Dr Mahvash HUSSAIN-GAMBLES MBE
Founder and Chief Executive, Saaf International Ltd. For services to the Beauty Industry and to International Trade. (Leeds, West Yorkshire)

Bakhtiar Ahmad GILANI MBE
For services to the community in Greater Manchester. Greater Manchester)

Ms Hanan Ally IBRAHIM MBE
Founder, Somali Family Support Group. For services to Black and Minority Ethnic People. (Middlesex)

Mrs Abida IQBAL MBE
For services to the community in London Borough of Redbridge. (Ilford, Essex)

Mrs Marzia SAYANI MBE
Executive Officer, Jobcentre Plus, Department for Work and Pensions. (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire)

Dr Salah EL-SHARKAWI MBE
Consultant Clinical Oncologist, South West Wales Cancer Centre, Swansea. For services to Medicine.(Swansea, West Glamorgan)

Mrs Souad TALSI MBE
For services to the British Moroccan community in London. (Surrey)
Source: The Muslim Council of Britain

Daily Update

Zakir Naik Exclusion Order a Serious Error of Judgement

The Muslim Council of Britain deplores Home Secretary Theresa May’s uncharacteristically intemperate move to ban the renowned Indian mainstream Islamic scholar Dr. Zakir Abdul-Karim Naik, from a speakers’ tour in the UK, reported in the media (Daily Telegraph, 18th June 2010), apparently because of his “unacceptable behaviour” and that his visit “would not be conducive to the public good”.

The Home Secretary’s action serves to demonise the very voices within the world ready for debate and discussion. The tour would have been a golden opportunity for young Muslims who are eager to hear the true messages of Islam which promote understanding between communities.

It appears that Government has responded to a recent campaign of vilification against the scholar, ignoring what Dr Naik stated on 11th June 2010: “the purpose of this statement is in response to the recent press reports about my intended tour to the UK in June 2010, including the things I am supposed to have previously said including their context and my views about terrorism and violent extremism in the light of the beautiful faith of Islam...as a student of comparative religion my work has involved engaging in constructive discussion with people of other major faiths, promoting similarities and converging values for a common platform of Peace using the commonalities that bind us all together....”

Expressing his grave concern at the decision, the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari said today "this exclusion order demonstrates the double standards practised by the government concerning freedom of speech. While preachers of hate such as Geert Wilders are free to promote their bigotry in this country, respected Muslim scholars such as Dr Naik are refused entry to the UK under false pretences. It is deeply regrettable this is likely to cause serious damage to community cohesion in our country."
Source: The Muslim Council of Britain

Daily Update