Cultural & social affairs Department

OIC islamophobia Observatory

Monthly Bulletin – February 2014

I. Manifestations of Islamophobia:

1. France: Mosques in Vandoeuvre and Pontarlier are attacked, while Islamophobic incidents continue to rise – The Collectif contre l’Islamophobie en France reported that two mosques were attacked in the last week of January 2014. On the night of 28-29 January the Al Ihsan mosque and cultural centre in Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy suffered extensive damage – its doors were smashed and the administrative office completely ransacked. (The same mosque was targeted in September 2012, when the building was defaced with Kahanist graffiti.) The following night a mosque in Pontarlier was the victim of a far-right graffiti attack, with a swastika and an “SS” symbol sprayed in white paint on the doors.

Earlier in the week Abdallah Zekri of the Observatoire contre l’Islamophobie stated that anti-Muslim incidents in France had increased by 11.3% in 2013, compared with the previous year. According to police records, 226 such incidents were reported, of which 164 were threats and 62 actions. Attacks on women wearing hijab were a feature of Islamophobia in 2013, Zekri noted, along with a sharp increase in anti- Muslim hate online. As Zekri pointed out, the figures underestimated the number of actual incidents, as most of them went unreported. Le Monde also noted that the figures produced by the Observatoire contre l’Islamophobie are much lower than those of the Collectif contre l’Islamophobie en France. In 2012 the CCIF had recorded 469 Islamophobic incidents, while the Observatoire had identified only 201. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/france-mosques-in-vandoeuvre-and-pontarlier-are-attacked-while-islamophobic-incidents-continue-to-rise/#more- 28504, retrieved on 03.02.2014

2. Switzerland: Local Islamophobes use ‘mass immigration’ referendum to push anti-Muslim line – On 9 February the Swiss electorate were to vote in a referendum on a proposal to reintroduce immigration quotas. The initiative, “against mass immigration”, by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party had been gaining ground, with an opinion poll in January 2014 finding 43% support for the proposal, up 6% since December 2013. Le Temps reported that other right-wing forces backing the initiative had seized the opportunity to promote their own rabidly Islamophobic agenda.

The Egerkingen Committee, which co-ordinated the successful campaign for a “yes” vote in the 2009 referendum over a proposed ban on minarets, was using the current anti-immigration campaign to denounce the threat of “creeping Islamisation”, warning against a “massive increase in the Muslim population” that would alter the “essence of Switzerland”. It had produced a poster that recycled the image of a woman wearing a full veil previously

1 used in the anti-minaret campaign and predicted that there would soon be a million Muslims in Switzerland.

Daniel Zingg of the right-wing Protestant party the Federal Democratic Union recently declared at a press conference that Islam was not just a religion but “primarily a political system that is in opposition to our legal system”. He also advanced a theory according to which the number of Muslims determined the Islamisation of society. Zingg asserted that when Muslims made up 2-3% of the population, they begin to propagate their religion. From 4-5%, they begin to exert a “disproportionate influence” by demanding, for example, halal food. And when the number becomes greater, they attempt to gain the right to govern themselves according to Sharia.

However, such Islamophobic progaganda had not proved universally popular among those campaigning for a “yes” vote in the immigration referendum. The Geneva Citizens’ Movement (Mouvement citoyens genevois – MCG) was unhappy with those developments, as one of its leading politicians, Mauro Poggia, was a convert to Islam. MCG president Roger Golay claimed that the party had never agreed that its logo should appear on the Egerkingen Committee’s anti-Muslim poster, and was campaigning for controls on immigration, not against Muslims as such. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/swiss-islamophobes-use-mass-immigration-referendum-to-push-anti-muslim-line/#more-28517, retrieved on 03.02.2014

3. Australia: Anti-Islamic group moves to stop mosque in Ballarat, Victoria – An anti-Islamic group was mobilizing against Ballarat’s first mosque. Restore Australia, which described Islam on its website as an “aggressive totalitarian political ideology”, planned to letterbox people in Ballarat to “mobilize people to write to the council” to oppose the building of a mosque at 116 Elsworth Street East in Ballarat.

The Islamic Society of Ballarat had purchased the property and been granted a planning permit by the City of Ballarat. The planning permit required amendments to the original plan submitted by the Islamic Society, including changes to car parking to improve disability access and lighting.

Restore Australia chief executive officer Mike Holt said supporters of the group in Ballarat were being organized to protest the building of the mosque. He said Islam was incompatible with the Australian way of life, as “Islam wants to bring in sharia law. It doesn’t matter (which branch of Islam) because they all believe in the same Islam, the same prophet Muhammad and the same God Allah…A mosque is the thin end of the wedge to Islamise our society. They build a mosque and then more Muslims move in. We’re opposing the mosque on the grounds of a lack of parking, traffic congestion, pollution, and that property prices in the area will come down because of its presence.”

The Islamic Society of Ballarat estimated 65 Muslim families lived in Ballarat, while an additional 150 Muslims were students at Federation University. With no existing mosque in Ballarat, prayers were held at the university’s prayer room. The planned mosque would be large enough for 150 people to conduct their prayers. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/anti-islamic-group-moves-to-stop-mosque-in-ballarat-victoria/#more-28555, retrieved on 03.02.2014

4. Germany: Cologne Central Mosque attacked a third time – The Central Mosque in Cologne was attacked for the third consecutive time since 02 of February. In a written statement, the Religious Affairs Turkish Islamic Association said the assailant slammed a car into the door of the central mosque and tried to torch it throwing combustible material at the door of the conference hall of the mosque. The statement said that mosques in Hurth and Wesseling were also attacked on the same day.

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The association severely condemned the attacks and commented that damage was inflicted to the building but their sole consolation was that there was no resulting loss of life. The association thanked vigilant eyewitnesses and Cologne-Ehrenfeld police who have apprehended a suspect within a short period of time. Greens Party MP and party’s Interior Policy Spokesman Volker Beck described it as a “shocking attack on democracy and freedom and said the one who torches worship places would not hesitate to kill people…solidarity must be observed within the Religious Affairs Turkish Islamic Association regardless of political and religious differences" and said that "all democrats should stand against this provocative attack on Islam. Muslims in Germany should know that we are with them to defend religious freedom.” In: http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/128186/cologne-central-mosque-attacked-a-third-time, retrieved on 05.02.2014

5. US: Manteca Mosque Vandalized with Graffiti, Raw Bacon – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) asked the FBI to investigate a recent vandalism at a Manteca mosque as a hate crime. The Islamic Center of Manteca (California) was reportedly hit with spray-painted hateful messages. Vandals also apparently left behind strips of raw bacon.

A statement from CAIR read: “Muslims are prohibited from consuming pork products and bigots often use pigs or pork to offend Muslim sensibilities.” Basim Elkarra, executive director of the Sacramento Valley chapter of CAIR, added that the Manteca mosque had been hit by vandals before, and “Because of the nature of the vandalism and the fact that the mosque has been targeted in the past, we urged state law enforcement authorities and the FBI to investigate this disturbing incident as a possible hate crime.” In: http://fox40.com/2014/02/04/manteca-mosque-vandalized-with-graffiti-raw-bacon/, retrieved on 05.02.2014

6. UK: Ukip MEP says British Muslims should sign charter rejecting violence – A Ukip MEP believed that British Muslims should sign a special code of conduct and warned that it was a big mistake for Europe to allow “an explosion of mosques across their land”. Gerard Batten, representing London and member of the party’s executive, told the Guardian on 04 February that he stood by a “charter of Muslim understanding”, which he commissioned in 2006. The document asked Muslims to sign a declaration rejecting violence and said parts of the Qur’an that promoted “violent physical Jihad” should be regarded as “inapplicable, invalid and non-Islamic”.

Critics said his comments represent the “ugliest side of Ukip” and “overlap with the far-right”, in spite of the efforts of party leader Nigel Farage to create a disciplined election machine ahead of the European elections. Asked on the same day about the charter, Batten told the Guardian he had written it with a friend, who was an Islamic scholar, and could not see why “any reasonable, normal person” would object to signing it. Batten also repeated his view that some Muslim texts needed updating, claiming some said “kill Jews wherever you find them and various things like that”, adding: “If that represents the thinking of modern people, there’s something wrong, in which case maybe they need to revise their thinking. If they say they can’t revise their thinking on those issues, then who’s got the problem – us or them?”

Asked why Muslims had been singled out, rather than followers of other faiths, Batten said: “Christians aren’t blowing people up at the moment, are they? Are there any bombs going off round the world claimed by Christian organisations? I don’t think so.”

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In a separate video interview from 2010, Batten also proposed a ban on new mosques across Europe, suggested Muslim countries should not be “appeased” and warned of the threats of having “two incompatible systems living in the same place at the same time”. Asked about his views on the building of mosques, Batten told the Guardian: “Why do we allow the wholesale building of mosques by a religion that refuses in its heartland to acknowledge other people’s right to worship a different religion?” And pressed on whether he was confusing individual Muslims with the actions of some Muslim states, he said: “They should be protesting about people being arrested in Saudi Arabia for carrying a Bible. Maybe that’s what they should be getting upset about and protesting about. Showing they are in the same mindset as the rest of us.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/ukip-mep-says-british-muslims-should-sign-charter-rejecting-violence/#more-28654, retrieved on 05.02.2014

7. Canada: Highly qualified Muslim immigrants face employment discrimination – in the last week of January 2014, Quebec business interests sounded an alarm about the negative economic ramifications on the province of the proposed values charter. First the Conseil du patronat and then the head of a cable and media company warned that Bill 60 would discourage immigrants needed for economic growth. This issue arose the first day of the charter hearings in January 2014, when the leader of a Muslim organization talked about a crisis among families of highly qualified North Africans who were being shut out of jobs in their fields.

Samira Laouni, of Communication pour l’ouverture et le rapprochement interculturel, estimated that unemployment at the time of this news item in the North African community was around 30% – even though overall unemployment in Montreal was roughly 8%. Laouni contended that employment discrimination against Muslims started after 9/11 and deteriorated after the Herouxville incident in 2007, when the town council there passed a code of conduct for minorities targeting Muslims. She commented that since the proposal of the Quebec values charter, the employment situation for Muslims had worsened. Laouni, a graduate of the Sorbonne in Paris, did not support “unreasonable accommodation” demands, and she would accept prohibition of religious head coverings for judges, crown prosecutors and prison guards. However, she was against the ban on head scarves for public service employees. “A head scarf is part of my identity,” she told the hearings.

In the wake of the proposed charter, more and more alarming stories were surfacing about employment discrimination against Muslims, mostly from North Africa but also from Iran. An Arabic teacher from Tunisia was making a living teaching Arabic and working for a grocery store even though he had a master’s in business administration. Provincial-immigration figures for 2012 indicated that the single biggest block of immigrants, accounting for more than 15%, came from the North African countries of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/highly-qualified-muslim-immigrants-face-employment-discrimination/#more-28648, retrieved on 05.02.2014

8. Italy: Venice Islamic Museum Faces Opposition – A plan by Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta to establish a museum of Islamic art on the banks of the Grand Canal in Venice had sparked angry reactions from separatist Northern League and anti-immigrants politicians in the European country. Massimo Bitonci, a senator in the separatist Northern League, which counted the Veneto, the region around Venice, as one of its strongholds, was quoted by the Telegraph: “We don’t want any Islamic museum in Venice…Letta would do better to focus on the economic crisis instead of thinking (of ways) to spread Islam.”

The plans for the new museum were announced on 3rd February during Letta’s visit to Qatar. He used the trip to lobby oil-rich states to invest in Italy, including in loss-making airline Alitalia. “We made a

4 commitment to look into the possibility of setting up an Islam Museum in Venice, on the Grand Canal,” Letta said, indicating that Gulf states were interested in funding it.

Luca Zaia, the governor of the region and a senior member of the anti-immigrants party, has also attacked the museum plan as “a waste of resources”, as he “…amazed that with all the problems that Italy has, from sky-high unemployment to businesses closing down because of excessive taxes and the worst economic crisis since the Second World War, that they could even think of putting money into a new, useless museum.”

Lorenzo Fontana, an European Parliament member from the League, vowed to put obstacles in the face of the new plan because “The League will never allow such a mess, the Veneto (region) wants independence, not Islamic museums…We will stay day and night in front of the (construction area) and obstruct work.” Despite vocal opposition, the plan for the new museum was supported by Venice mayor. In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/468887-venice-islamic-museum-faces-opposition.html, retrieved on 06.02.2014

9. US: Right-wing blogger ‘exposes’ sinister Muslim immigration plot in Coke’s Super Bowl ad – Coca Cola’s one-minute, multilingual Super Bowl ad was apparently a lot of things to many people. To some, it was an insult to the United States and the English language, while to others it was a tribute to American diversity or a highly effective marketing tool. But to former Hollywood agent Pat Dollard, the ad “exposed” a “stealth” appeal for immigration amnesty by its shadowy Muslim chief executive officer. Dollard wrote on his self-titled blog: “Coca Cola has been on a major amnesty push for at least a year in the hopes that it can obtain cheap labor…And because its CEO Muhtar Kent is a Muslim who was raised in places like Iran and Indonesia, perhaps for even more sinister reasons.”

The stage thus set, the documentary filmmaker and Breitbart correspondent argued that the ad was “designed to influence public opinion.” Perhaps recognizing that every paid and unpaid advertisement – whether they air on the most-watched TV program in history or overnight on some obscure local channel – is intended to influence the public, Dollard attempted to tie Coke’s ad into a broader conspiracy. He warned: “Muhtar is engaging in the amnesty war just like Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is…And I’d be curious to know just how much of his salary and Coke’s profits go to Muslim ‘charities’ that are really fronts for terrorist organizations, as most Muslim ‘charities’ are.”

As evidence of this nefarious plot, Dollard cites a Feb. 28, 2013, op-ed by the American-born Muhtar published in the nationally circulated USA Today describing his upbringing at diplomatic posts around the world. Muhtar wrote: “That’s one reason I support immigration reform…As a first-generation American, I know firsthand the blessings of living in this country. As a business leader, I also know we need to make it easier for committed, highly skilled people to make their lives and livelihoods here. Immigration is an essential part of the growth calculus for this great country.”

Dollard cited the column at length, including Muhtar’s argument that nearly half of all Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children: “As Washington grapples with much-needed immigration reform, my hope is that our leaders focus on creating a modern system with rational laws and regulations, strong border controls, greater opportunities for skilled foreign-born professionals and a clear way forward for undocumented workers — a potential route to U.S. citizenship that bears all the rights, responsibilities and obligations of that coveted status.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/right-wing-blogger-exposes-sinister-muslim-immigration-plot-in-cokes-super-bowl-ad/#more- 28690, retrieved on 09.02.2014

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10. US: CAIR: ‘Religious Freedom’ Rep Funded by Same Group that Backs Islamophobes – On 11 February, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) repeated its request to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to investigate one of its own members, this time for being funded by the same group that backed a number of notorious Islamophobes. Earlier in 2014, CAIR asked for an investigation of USCIRF Vice Chair Zuhdi Jasser for apparently seeking to deny religious rights to Muslim military personnel.

In a letter sent on 11 February to USCIRF Chairman Dr. Robert P. George, Corey Saylor, director of CAIR’s Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia, wrote in part:

We are writing today to expand upon the concerns regarding Dr. Zuhdi Jasser that were expressed on our letter to you dated January 24, 2014. Additional information has come to light regarding the financial dependence of Dr. Jasser’s American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) on groups known for promoting Islamophobia in the United States.

Tax filings for the New York-based Abstraction Fund reveal that between 2010 and 2012, Jasser’s organization accepted $45,000 in grants and contributions. In 2012, 82 percent of the Fund’s total $1,982,930 contributions and grants went to groups known for their active role in spreading anti-Islam prejudice.

Saylor’s letter cited funding of anti-Islam groups such as the Center for Security Policy, the head of which was a key witness for the plaintiffs in a controversial lawsuit against a mosque being built in Tennessee, where he promoted the notion that mosques wanted to “destroy western civilization from within.”

Another group funded by the Abstraction Fund and cited in the letter was Steven Emerson’s Investigative Project on Terrorism, which recently published an Islamophobic article stating: “Europe is still...captivated by the specious charms of the Arabs and Islam” and “...pitiful Arab, whose inherent culture left him no shred of sincerity, creativity or courage.”

Other Abstraction Fund-backed groups included Jihad Watch, an anti-Muslim blog published by Robert Spencer. The Boston Globe had described Spencer as a man who “depicts Islam as an inherently violent religion.” Spencer had referred to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad as a “con man. Someone who is knowing [sic] that what he is saying is false, but is fooling his followers.” In June 2013, the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento requested that the Kolbe Academy, a Catholic school, rescind a speaking invitation they extended to Spencer. The diocese referred to Spencer as a “key leader in the anti-Islam hate movement in the United States.” Spencer co-founded the Stop Islamization of America (SIOA), which had been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Spencer’s Jihad Watch blog was also designated as a hate group by the SPLC, which named Spencer as part of the nation’s “Anti-Muslim Inner Circle.” The Middle East Forum (MEF), headed by Islamophobe Daniel Pipes, also received funds from the Abstraction Fund. Pipes was infamous for quotes such as: “Western European societies are unprepared for the massive immigration of brown-skinned peoples cooking strange foods and maintaining different standards of hygiene. All immigrants bring exotic customs and attitudes, but Muslim customs are more troublesome than most.” [NOTE: Jasser accepted donations from Middle East Forum.]

In concluding his letter to USCIRF, Saylor wrote:

CAIR values, advocates for and has pursued legal action to protect free speech and freedom of expression. Dr. Jasser has every right to advocate for the causes and organizations with which he chooses to align AIFD. At issue here is the reasonable concern that arises regarding Dr. Jasser accepting financial support from anti-Muslim groups while he is serving on a commission advocating for religious freedom. Given the expanding evidence of AFID’s financial dependency 6

on groups funding anti-Muslim prejudice in the United States, we do not believe Dr. Jasser can act as an honest voice regarding religious freedom domestically or internationally.

In 2012, a broad American national coalition of 64 organizations and individuals sent a letter to Senators Inouye, McConnell and Durbin expressing “deep concern” at the appointment of Zuhdi Jasser to USCIRF. In that letter, the coalition asked that Jasser’s appointment be rescinded and noted that Jasser believed “operationally, Islam is not peaceful,” supported measures that threatened and diminished religious freedoms within the United States, “applauded” the anti-Islam amendment to Oklahoma’s constitution, opposed the constitutionally-protected construction of a Muslim community center in lower Manhattan, supported the New York Police Department’s blanket surveillance of Muslims based on religion rather than evidence or suspicion of wrongdoing, and that he had extensive ties to virulently anti- Muslim groups and individual Islamophobes. In: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1732043, retrieved on 13.02.2014

11. Austria: Red Cross doctor in Austria rejects blood donations from Muslims – A doctor working for the Red Cross in the Austrian city of Linz caused outrage by criticizing a blood donation campaign by an Islamic charity, claiming that Muslims who come from Muslim countries have bad blood. The IRG foundation had been campaigning for Muslims to donate blood, but the Red Cross doctor’s claim that Muslims all at very least had Hepititus B left charity worker Aysun Ozdemir shocked.

Ozdemir personally spoke with the doctor over the phone on 5 February, criticizing the comments and informing the doctor that illnesses had got nothing to do with one’s ethnic or religious background. Ozdemir also told the doctor that the IRG foundation was an Austria-based foundation for Austrian Muslims, and that she herself had been in Austria for 23 years since she was two years old, but the doctor reportedly ignored this.

The director of the Red Cross in Linz, Christian Gabriel, said that there was no religious criteria for blood, with the only requirement being that the donor is healthy. However, Gabriel did add that while all were welcome to donate blood on an individual basis, the Red Cross had recently been distancing itself from accepting blood from charities, as in many cases bad blood das been turned away. Gabriel also said that the matter would be investigated. In: http://www.islamophobiatoday.com/2014/02/12/red-cross-doctor-in-austria-rejects-blood-donations-from-muslims/, retrieved on 13.02.2014

12. France: Another mosque desecrated – The mosque of the Moroccan cultural association in Sounna de Blois, a town situated between Orléans and Tours, was desecrated during the night of 11-12 February. On Wednesday (12 February) morning worshipers arrived at the mosque to find a pig’s head and several pieces of pork at the site, along with the slogan “MLE France” sprayed on the door of the mosque. The meaning of these initials is unknown, although it may be that ML stands for “mouvement de libération”. Boujama Hannou, the president of the association, appealed for calm.

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The mayor of Blois and the prefect’s chief of staff visited the site to express their support for the Muslim community, and interior minister Mauel Valls issued a statement condemning the desecration: “These vile and heinous acts, deliberately targeting a Muslim place of worship, have only one objective, to attack the foundations of our Republic.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/another-french-mosque-desecrated/, retrieved on 16.02.2014

13. Canada: Quebec halal butchers vandalized and shot at – A halal shop owner in Quebec’s Eastern Townships was blaming the provincial government’s secularism charter for acts of vandalism and violence, including air-rifle shots fired at his window. Vandals also showered Souibgui Abdelbari’s store with “No to Islam” placards and hundreds of paper crosses.

Attacks against Abdelbari’s shop had intensified in recent weeks. A storefront window was shattered twice and he also found bullet holes in a window. More recently, the front of his shop was littered with about 500 small crosses. Several anti-Islam signs were also found near a local mosque. Sherbrooke Mayor Bernard Sevigny wanted to send a clear message to the perpetrators. “These actions are unacceptable,” said the mayor, who had visited Abdelbari’s shop to offer support. Several incidents targeting Muslims had made headlines since the PQ announced their secularism charter in fall 2013. Recent incidents included a Montreal subway commuter who tried to rip off a Muslim woman’s hijab, and a mosque in Saguenay, Que., that was splattered in pig’s blood. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/quebec-halal-butchers-vandalised-and-shot-at/#more-29010, retrieved on 16.02.2014

14. Bulgaria: Attackers of Plovdiv mosque fined for hooliganism – The first four people involved in a February 14 2014 mob attack on the historic Dzhumaya mosque in Plovdiv were penalized under a fast- track procedure. Two were each fined 400 leva (about 200 euro), one was fined 300 leva and another was sentenced to two days’ detention. A further four of the 120 arrested during the melee in Bulgaria’s second city on February 14 were to be penalised on February 17. By February 15, just 10 of the 120 initially arrested were still in custody, prosecutors said. Of those penalized, none was from Plovdiv. They were from Sofia, Varna, Vratsa and the town of Kozloduy. Police worked overtime at the weekend on preparing cases against those accused, according to the Interior Ministry.

The conduct of the police in Plovdiv during the incident, which saw not only the mosque targeted with paving stones, fireworks and bottles, but also the crowd of about 3000 march on the Turkish consulate and the city headquarters of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, has come in for criticism. Centre- right GERB opposition leader Boiko Borissov alleged on February 16 that police deliberately had been pulled back to allow the attack on the Dzhumaya mosque. Borissov earlier hit back at criticism of Plovdiv mayor Ivan Totev, a senior GERB member, by Interior Ministry chief secretary Svetozar Lazarov, who said that Totev had been too tardy in responding to ministry requests to ban the march. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/attackers-of-plovdiv-mosque-fined-for-hooliganism/#more-29084, retrieved on 18.02.2014

15. UK: Littlejohn’s anti-Muslim bigotry exposed – Richard Littlejohn in his Daily Mail page on 18 February wrote an atrocious piece of pure Islamophobic bigotry whilst maligning Sheikh Haitham al-Haddad and the Muslim Research and Development Foundation.

In mid-February 2014, it was reported of the suspension by Legoland Windsor of its Facebook account after bombardment by messages from the far right English Defence League protesting against the private hire of the theme park by MRDF for a Muslim family day out.

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Littlejohn in his column gave an ‘itinerary’ of the day making no distinction between those convicted or pursued for terrorist offences and the Muslims who would simply be looking to take their families to enjoy a day out. Littlejohn’s piece was littered with pejorative references to Sheikh Haitham al-Haddad, using claims published in articles elsewhere as sufficient justification as to their veracity. It would appear half-truths and outright lies repeated oftenelsewhere in the media was cause enough to treat them as truths, such was the standard of accuracy maintained by certain titles.

For example, Littlejohn asserted Sheikh Haitham to be “among the top 25 hate preachers in Britain”, offering no evidence to substantiate the claim. He went on to claim Sheikh Haitham was an “enthusiastic supporter of Taliban policies, believes that Jews are ‘descended from apes and pigs’, homosexuals are criminals and those who leave Islam should be killed.” Littlejohn also claimed that Sheikh Haitham had been “banned from a number of universities” but offered no examples of university statements attesting as to the ban.

Hearsay and malevolence was fused to egregiously misrepresent Sheikh Haitham in much the same way as the demonisation of Abu Qatada in the British media. Victoria Brittain in an article exploring the steps from steady demonisation to severe restrictions on civil liberties wrote of Abu Qatada “The British security services and the media have successfully demonised these men, and in particular mythologised Othman [Abu Qatada] as posing a super-danger to our society. No proof of any of the damning things repeatedly said and written about him has ever been produced. The fact that he condemned both 9/11 and the London 7/7 bombings has been conveniently forgotten.”

To add insult to injury, Littlejohn’s ‘itinerary’ of the family fun day repeated every conceivable Islamophobic trope. He said:

Anyone found with a bacon sandwich will have their hands chopped off. Rear coach packed with explosives stops in Parliament Square.

As Big Ben strikes ten, driver will blow himself up, en route to Paradise, where 72 virgins await. In the event of heavy traffic, he will detonate in the Blackfriars underpass.

Mobile phones are also prohibited, because they may inadvertently set off the hi-viz suicide vests being worn by our own security personnel.

Lunch in the Legoland family halal restaurant. Unfortunately, all meals have been cancelled because this is a fast day. Anyone caught attempting to smuggle in a Mars Bar or kofti kebab under their burka will be executed.

All girls to report to the Kingdom of the Pharaohs for full FGM inspection. All boys to report to the Al- Aqsa recruiting tent outside the Land of the Vikings for onward transportation to Syria.

The inclusion of female genital mutilation (FGM) in an article largely about Muslims showed just how determined Littlejohn was to peddle bigotry over boring fact. As FGM campaigner Leyla Hussein put it “80% of Muslims around the world do not practice FGM”. In: http://iengage.uk.net/news/littlejohns-anti-muslim-bigotry-exposed/, retrieved on 20.02.2014

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16. US: CAIR Asks Va. Sheriff to Drop Trainer Who Says Mosques 'Have No Right to Exist,' CIA Director is Secret Muslim – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on 20 February called on Virginia Muslims and all those concerned about the proliferation of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry in American society to contact the Culpeper County Sheriff's Office and ask that it drop a three- day training program on "Jihadi Networks in America" that would be offered in the last week of February 2014 by John Guandolo, a notorious anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist.

It may be noted that CAIR and representatives of the local Muslim community had asked to meet with the sheriff to discuss Guandolo's anti-Muslim bigotry, but had received no response.

In an article published on 19 February by Virginia's Free Lance–Star, an official with the Southern Poverty Law Center – an organization that monitors hate groups – said: "Guandolo, who resigned from the FBI ahead of a misconduct investigation, has made a career out of spreading anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. Most recently, he claimed that CIA director John Brennan is a secret Muslim agent for the Saudis. It's hard to believe that Culpeper County Sheriff's Office would knowingly get involved with such a disreputable figure." In: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/20/6175362/cair-asks-va-sheriff-to-drop-trainer.html, retrieved on 21.02.2014

17. US: Meet Fox’s New Anti-Muslim "National Security Analyst" – Fox News had repeatedly hosted members of the fringe group Clarion Project, an anti-Muslim organization known for spreading Islamophobic fears, to discuss serious national security matters.

On February 20, Fox News hosted Ryan Mauro, a national security analyst from the Clarion Project, also known as the Clarion Fund, to discuss possible security threats on airlines. Mauro had before appeared on Fox several times where he had argued that 'Muslim patrols' were a growing security concern for the United States, discussed the possibility of an anti-American alliance in the Middle East with Syrian Jihadists, and hyped fears that Somali refugees in the United States were becoming 'homegrown' terrorists.

But Mauro and other Clarion Project members should not be seen credible sources to discuss issues such as these given their virulent history of Islamophobia. Clarion Project had been widely criticized for producing and spreading Islamophobic material including the movie, Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West, a film that depicted Muslims as terrorists seeking world conquest. Think Progress reported that this was only the first installment of "Clarion's ongoing production of Islamophobic films."

Mauro himself had penned numerous pieces for the anti-Islam blog Islamist Watch where he had tracked his progress in identifying "Muslim enclaves" in the United States that he said would become "'no-go zones' where governments admitted to having little authority over Muslims living there":

The construction of the building blocks for similar Muslim enclaves and "no-go zones" in the U.S. is one of the most disturbing programs of Islamist groups. If successful, these territories will be the first to establish Shari'a law in the country, thus offering a profound challenge to America's constitutional order.

Other board members from the Clarion Project who had also made their way onto Fox included Frank Gaffney, one of America's most notorious Islamophobes and Fox's go-to anti-Muslim activist, Zuhdi Jasser. Gaffney had used funding for his Center for Security Policy to produce reports promoting the baseless myth that Muslims were conspiring to implement Sharia law in the United States. In: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/02/20/meet-foxs-new-anti-muslim-national-security-ana/198148, retrieved on 21.02.2014 11

18. UK: Half of Britain’s mosques have been attacked since 9/ 11 – Around half of mosques and Muslim centres in Britain have been subjected to Islamophobic attacks since 9/11, academics have warned as the far-right English Defence League prepares to march to the south-London scene of Drummer Lee Rigby’s murder. The figures were highlighted in a report which also found that the number of anti-Islamic attacks increased by as much as tenfold in the days following the Woolwich attack.

Meanwhile, research by The Independent showed Islamophobic attacks spreading across Britain, with mosques being set alight and Muslims targeted at home in January 2014. Despite the warning signs, a senior Government adviser told The Independent that there remained a “lack of political will” to take on the rise of Islamophobic attacks in Britain. The adviser, who did not want to be named, said that attempts to “tackle this issue – even before Woolwich – struggled to attract buy-in,” with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, identified as the primary source of frustration.

The Muslim community was warned of the dangers it faced from hate groups in a sermon delivered at 500 mosques. The piece said that high-profile cases of sexual grooming of children by small groups of Muslim men “hitting the headlines in a short space of time and the fallout from the Woolwich case will create a major challenge for the Muslim community”.

Professor Nigel Copsey, of Teesside University, the author of the new report which showed that between 40 and 60 per cent of mosques and other Islamic centres (around 700) had been targeted since 9/11 – said: “There has undoubtedly been a spike in anti-Muslim incidents since the Woolwich murder. An obvious concern now is whether the number of hate crime incidents return to ‘normal’ levels or whether Woolwich has been a game-changer in terms of increasing the underlying incidence of anti-Muslim hate over the longer term.”

His report was based largely on figures from the Islamophobia watchdog Tell Mama. It showed an increase of attacks to nearly nine per day in the immediate aftermath of the Woolwich killing, but settling back to around two per day over in the following weeks. Professor Copsey added: “What is significant about our analysis is the extent to which the far right is implicated in anti-Muslim hate crime.”

In the mid-February 2104, swastikas and the letters “EDL”, “KKK” and “NF” were sprayed on the walls of a mosque in Redditch. There were also reports of pigs’ heads being left at Muslim families’ homes and other attacks against individuals. There was also an attack on an Islamic centre in north London. But Dr Matthew Goodwin, associate fellow at Chatham House and an expert on extremist groups, said that “the broader picture is more positive than we think. Young people are more at ease accepting Muslims in society.” A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: “There is no place for anti-Muslim hatred or any kind of hatred in Britain, and we are committed to tackling this unacceptable scourge.” In: http://www.dailynews.lk/features/half-britain-s-mosques-have-been-attacked-9-11, retrieved on 22.02.2014

19. US: Anti-Muslim messages found in books left at Bothell mosque – Worshipers at the Islamic Center of Bothell were fearful of what may happen next after discovering 10 books with hate-motivated language in the mosque’s parking lot on 22 February. Bothell police were investigating the incident and other incidents that happened at the mosque in months before. On the following day, the Washington chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) sent a letter to the FBI, asking it to launch a deeper investigation. In: http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014/02/anti-muslim-messages-found-in-books-left-at-bothell- mosque/, retrieved on 24.02.2014

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20. US: Police arrest man for threatening to stab two Muslim teens – Albuquerque police arrested a man accused of threatening to stab a couple of teenagers playing basketball, simply because he hated Muslims. Nilsson Wood was accused of threatening a 15-year-old and his friend with a knife. The incident happened at the basketball court that is part of the Islamic Center of New Mexico. In: http://www.islamophobiatoday.com/2014/02/24/police-arrest-man-for-threatening-to-stab-two-muslim-teens/, retrieved on 25.02.2014

21. Muslims Want Blasphemous Video Removed – Muslims around the world posted an online petition on 25 February, urging YouTube to remove a video by a US pop singer which included a controversial scene in which ‘God’ pendant was seen being burned. A petition started by Shazad Iqbalm, from Bradford, UK, on Change.org website read: “This petition is lodged In regards to Katy Perry’s music video ‘Dark Horse’; hosted by KatyPerryVEVO, on YouTube. The video is considered as highly controversial to its viewers as a result of its portrayal of blasphemy. At 01:15 into the video Dark Horse; a man is shown being burned, whilst wearing a pendant (also burned) forming the word ‘Allah’, which is the Arabic word for God.”

The video, which had a cartoonish Ancient Egypt theme, featured other nonsensical aspects such as cat- human hybrid as body guards with whom Perry pole danced with, a dog which walked on its hind legs, and Perry eating spicy junk food. Petitioners argued that the pop star was meant to symbolize the opposition of God, making the video blasphemous. The petition said that its support would show, “that people from different walks of life, different religions and from different parts of the world, agree that the video promotes blasphemy, using the name of God in an irrelevant and distasteful manner would be considered inappropriate by any religion. We hope that the video itself depicting such images is removed. Such acts are not condoned nor tolerated, we hope YouTube will remove the video.”

Garnering more than 35,000 signatures, the petition was supported by Muslims from different countries around the globe. In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/469623-muslims-want-blasphemous-video-removed.html, retrieved on 26.02.2014

Related: After Muslim-Backed Petition, Katy Perry Erases ‘Blasphemous’ Allah Symbol from ‘Dark Horse’ Video – After a Change.org petition demanding that Katy Perry‘s opulent video for the single “Dark Horse” be removed from YouTube due to scene depicting an Allah symbol being burned garnered more than 65,000 signatures, the offending image was quietly erased. Petition organizer, Shazad Iqbal, posted on Change.org on 27 February: “Guys I’m thrilled to let you all know the name of Allah has been removed from the ‘Dark Horse’ video…We couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support so I thank each and every one of you deeply, our voices have been heard!” In: http://news.radio.com/2014/02/27/after-muslim-backed-petition-katy-perry-erases-blasphemous-allah-symbol-from-dark-horse-video/, retrieved on 28.02.2014

I.I. On Islamophobic Behavior by US Military & Police:

1. NJ judge throws out lawsuit challenging NYPD surveillance of Muslims – The New York Police Department's intelligence unit didn't discriminate against Muslims with far-reaching surveillance aimed at identifying "budding terrorist conspiracies" at Newark mosques and other locations in New Jersey, a federal judge ruled on 20 February.

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In a written decision filed in federal court in Newark, U.S. District Judge William Martini dismissed a civil rights lawsuit brought in 2012 by eight Muslims who alleged the NYPD's surveillance programs were unconstitutional because they focused on religion, national origin and race. The suit had accused the department of spying on ordinary people at several mosques, restaurants and grade schools in New Jersey since 2002.

The plaintiffs, including the former principal of a grade school for Muslim girls, "have not alleged facts from which it can be plausibly inferred that they were targeted solely because of their religion," Martini wrote. "The more likely explanation for the surveillance was to locate budding terrorist conspiracies."

The judge added: "The police could not have monitored New Jersey for Muslim terrorist activities without monitoring the Muslim community itself. ... The motive for the program was not solely to discriminate against Muslims, but to find Muslim terrorists hiding among the ordinary law-abiding Muslims."

The ruling also singled out The Associated Press, which sparked the suit with a series of stories based on confidential NYPD document showing how the department sought to infiltrate dozens of mosques and Muslim student groups and investigated hundreds in New York and elsewhere.

Martini wrote: "Nowhere in the complaint do the plaintiffs allege that they suffered harm prior to the unauthorized release of documents by The Associated Press…This confirms that plaintiffs' alleged injuries flow from the Associated Press's unauthorized disclosure of the documents. ... The Associated Press covertly obtained the materials and published them without authorization. Thus the injury, if any existed, is not fairly traceable to the city."

Farhaj Hassan, a plaintiff in the case and U.S. soldier who served in Iraq, said he was disappointed by the ruling.

The Center for Constitutional Rights in New York and the California-based civil rights organization Muslim Advocates, which represented the plaintiffs, also called the decision troubling. CCR Legal Director Baher Azmy said: "In addition to willfully ignoring the harm that our innocent clients suffered from the NYPD's illegal spying program, by upholding the NYPD's blunderbuss Muslim surveillance practices, the court's decision gives legal sanction to the targeted discrimination of Muslims anywhere and everywhere in this country, without limitation, for no other reason than their religion." In: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/246405501.html, retrieved on 21.02.2014

I.II. On Offences to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

1. US court orders Google to take down anti-Islam film – A federal appeals court in the United States ordered Google to remove from the Internet all copies of a US-made film that disrespected Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). On 26 February, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said a trial judge made a mistake when he refused to order the removal of the “Innocence of Muslims” from YouTube, owned by Google. The court order came in the case of Cindy Lee Garcia, whose voice was dubbed over to make anti-Islam remarks in the film.

Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski said: “The film differs so radically from anything Garcia could have imagined when she was cast that it can’t possibly be authorized by any implied license she granted. The situation in which a filmmaker uses a performance in a way that exceeds the bounds of the broad implied license granted by an actor will be extraordinarily rare. But this is such a case.” In: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/02/27/352434/us-court-to-google-remove-antiislam-film/, retrieved on 28.02.2014

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II. Positive Developments:

1. UK: Drunken recluse threatened to bomb a mosque and wanted to see Muslims ‘hanging in the street’ - A drunken recluse who threatened to bomb a mosque and who wanted Muslims to “hang in the street”, was jailed for 12 months on 5 February. Former warehouseman Nigel Flanaghan, 52, of Wharley Hook, Harlow, had drunk three litres of vodka before he rang 999 from Bush Fair at 4.30pm on 8 January 2014. Chelmsford Crown Court heard Flanaghan told the operator in the Essex Police control room he had bullets and “he was going to put a bomb in a mosque”. Richard Stevens, prosecuting, told the court that during the call he referred to the killing of Private Lee Rigby in Woolwich and told the operator: “I want to see Muslims hanging in the street and kick the **** out of them”.

Flanaghan, who claimed he used to be an Army chef, pleaded guilty to communicating false information with intent to cause a false belief that a bomb was present at a location in Harlow. He denied a second offence of religiously aggravated fear of violence and the judge formally entered a not guilty verdict. The prosecution said uniformed officers arrived at Bush Fair while Flanaghan was still on his mobile talking to the control room. He was taken into custody and repeated his anti-Muslim comments. He said: “I hate all them Muslims. I just want to bomb the *****”. He also stated: “I am gonna bomb all their cars” and “I wanna kill a Muslim”.

Flanaghan’s previous convictions include one in July 1993 at Redbridge Magistrates Court for communicating false information causing a bomb hoax. It was targeted at an ex-employer and a pub had to be evacuated. He was jailed for two months.

Jailing Flanaghan for 12 months, Judge Anthony Goldstaub told him his actions had been “deplorable”, adding: “You were drunk and you are a person of some eccentricity which was understood by police who didn’t clear the area or search for bombs. They realised that you were behaving like a nutter…England is admired throughout the world rightly for the success of its diverse communities, for the tolerance with which diverse cultures and religions are entertained and for the lawful and peaceful way in which disputes and expressions of opinion are dealt with. It’s necessary that these desirable qualities of our society should be preserved and that people who threaten them shall be sentenced in such a way as deters others from following in their footsteps.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/drunken-recluse-threatened-to-bomb-a-mosque-and-wanted-to-see-muslims-hanging-in-the- street/#more-28727, retrieved on 09.02.2014

2. US: New York Mayor announces academic holidays on Muslim festivals – The New York’s Mayor, Bill de Blasio, announced plans to implement a policy allowing public schools to be closed for holidays on biggest Muslim festivals including Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr.

By the time of this news item, estimates of the number of Muslims in New York City varied between 200,000 and 1,000,000. A website called A Journey Through NYC Religions counted 600,000—roughly seven percent of the population.

Muslim groups like the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations applauded the plans. CAIR-NY Executive Board Member Zead Ramadan in a press release: “The NYC Muslim community looks forward to finally having the Eid holidays recognized in our public schools. It will be gratifying to know that Muslim children will soon no longer have to choose between honoring and celebrating their faith or missing class.” In: http://www.islamophobiatoday.com/2014/02/09/new-york-mayor-announces-academic-holidays-on-muslim-festivals/, retrieved on 12.02.2014

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3. UK: EDL member gets community order and curfew for anti-Muslim hate crime – A member of a far-right group nailed a copy of the Koran to a proposed Muslim education centre. Graham French, 28, also sprayed EDL, which stands for English Defence League, on the former Melrose Arms in Shotton Colliery, in December 2013. It was after planning permission for a change of use, which had caused controversy, was granted. French, of Dene Crescent, Shotton Colliery, admitted racial or religious aggravated criminal damage to the wall of a multi-faith centre. He was given a community order with six months supervision at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court plus a one-month tagged curfew between 10.30pm and 7am. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/edl-member-gets-community-order-and-curfew-for-anti-muslim-hate-crime/, retrieved on 13.02.2014

4. UK: Neath mosque attack: Steven Davies jailed for 22 months – A man was jailed for 22 months for vandalizing a south Wales mosque and attacking a couple who challenged him. Steven Davies, 22 and from Neath, smashed four windows at the St Anne’s Islamic centre, Tonna, and then head butted, kicked and stamped on the woman and punched her husband. Davies admitted religiously aggravated criminal damage and assault. The Swansea Crown Court judge said Davies “acted quite disgracefully” and racial aggravation was “very serious”. The court heard Davies carried out the late night attack on the mosque on Friday 13 September 2013. In: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-26358464, retrieved on 28.02.2014

5. UK: Fan fined for ripping up Koran pages at football match – A football fan who ripped up pages of the Koran during a match had been fined for “religiously aggravated” disorder. Middlesbrough supporter Mark Stephenson, 25, admitted a charge of threatening behaviour.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard Stephenson, a purchasing manager from Shrewsbury, had been drinking ahead of his team’s match at Birmingham City. He was fined £235 but spared a football banning order. Magistrates also ordered Stephenson to pay £105 costs and a £23 victim surcharge. The court heard he was part of a group of 20 visiting supporters at the 7 December 2013 game at St Andrew’s, Birmingham City’s ground. Prosecutor Jonathan Purser said he was seen pretending to set fire to pages of the Koran with a lighter after a female supporter handed them to him. In: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-26389242, retrieved on 01.03.2014

III. On Muslims in US and Americas:

1. Controversial ad campaign misinterprets Muslims – A company that was no stranger to controversy recently put up an eyebrow raising ad on a billboard in New York City in the first week of February 2014. While the ad had already been erected in locations such as Los Angeles and Chicago, the ad should not have even been created to begin with. The ad depictd a U.S. soldier embracing a woman dressed in Muslim attire, who were also in a real-life relationship, with the hashtag #betogether. It also displayed the name of the product, SnoreStop, which almost appeared to be an afterthought. It would appear that their product was the last thing the ad was interested in talking about. SnoreStop is an over-the-counter oral spray, but by just glancing at the ad, one

15 would never be able to guess exactly what the ad was trying to sell—all the viewer would see would be a happily married interracial couple.

Unsurprisingly, the ad had generated a plethora of debate from a wide spectrum of people. Debates that ranged from issues of race, terrorism and other issues regarding whether or not the ad was offensive. But this was what made the hypocrisy of the ad apparent and where to bigger issue lied: the ad was still offensive. It was created with the intention of promoting equality and understanding between people and yet it ultimately ended up failing to do that, since it did not seem to understand the culture that it was attempting to portray.

According to an article by Aseel Machi, a freelance writer for the Guardian, the woman in the ad was wearing a niqab, which is garb Muslim women would in fact never wear. Machi wrote: “The niqab something that the majority of Muslim women in the world, let alone in America, do not even wear…It was as if SnoreStop couldn’t think of any other way to identify this woman as Muslim is if she wore a full niqab.”

Ellison Barber, a writer for Washington Free Beacon, also commented on the uninformed and ignorant nature of the ad. She pointed out that the woman depicted in the ad was wearing an outfit that had been historically represented as oppressive against women. In regards to the outfit, Barber said, “that is not something that many people wear because they want to. A lot of people don’t.”

The ad was ultimately perpetuating a stereotype to make a profit, which really was not any better than some of the negative opinions some people might have about the idea of an American soldier and Muslim woman being together. According to Time, before the ad was erected in New York City, the company that made SnoreStop, Green Pharmaceuticals, made an effort to push for having the ad the city, but was rejected by several companies. Knowing the ad was controversial, the company pushed to have the ad get made. This resulted in the tripling of product sales over the web for the company. Similarly to a Super Bowl ad, the company was trying to stir up controversy and get people talking. This seemed to be working for the company. And while the company might like to think it was stirring up a healthy debate, the blatant necessity to perpetuate a stereotype to make a profit was just shameless. In: http://www.dailytitan.com/2014/02/controversial-ad-campaign-misinterprets-muslims/, retrieved on 05.02.2014

2. ADL intercedes in behalf of mosque – The Interfaith Coalition on Mosques (ICOM) on 28 February filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit supporting a Muslim congregation in Bridgewater, New Jersey whose mosque construction was unlawfully blocked by a town ordinance. ICOM was formed by the Anti-Defamation League in 2010 to assist Muslim communities confronting opposition to the legal building, expansion or relocation of their mosques. The brief in Al Falah Center v. Township of Bridgewater contended that the township’s conduct violated a federal statute which safeguarded the religious freedom of houses of worship and other religious institutions in the land- use context by requiring courts to apply a strict standard for reviewing laws that substantially burdened religious exercise.

Deborah M. Lauter, ADL Civil Rights Director and an ICOM spokeswoman, said: “The town’s discriminatory actions in this case represent an unjustifiable denial of the congregation’s right to worship freely…The court should affirm America’s well-settled and robust history of religious liberty and acceptance as its guiding principle by upholding the lower court decision in favor of the congregation.” The Interfaith Coalition on Mosques was comprised of individuals and organizations from different faith traditions – Christian, Jewish and Muslim – and provided support and stands with Muslims when their rights were being violated. In: http://www.sdjewishworld.com/2014/02/28/adl-intercedes-behalf-mosque/, retrieved on 01.03.2014 16

IV. On Muslims in Europe:

1. France: Muslims Protest Gender Education – Hundreds of France’s Muslims joined mass protests against the legalization of gay marriage and gender equality teaching in schools considering it a “violation” of traditional family values. The controversy erupted after gender theory, promoting same-sex relationship, was included in school education stirring fierce criticism by France’s conservative and right- wing groups. Parents too criticized the new subject, banning their children from attending class for one day each month to protest against what they called an attempt to teach pupils that “they aren’t born boys or girls, but neutral.”

2nd February’s protests in Paris and Lyon were attended by tens of thousands of supporters of “Manif pour Tous” MPT or “Protest for Everyone” movement along with hundreds of Muslims. The latest controversy had drawn more Muslim member to the conservative MPT movement, due to its traditional definition of the family, according to Samir Driss, of the Muslims for Childhood group. In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/468817-french-muslims-protest-gender-education.html, retrieved on 05.02.2014

2. Italy: Islam second largest religion but unrepresented – According to a conference on Muslims in Italy held on 11 February in Rome, Islam was the second largest religion in Italy but had no nationally recognized representation. Dialogue with the Italian State was flagging as well.

The conference was held at the Niccolò Cusano University. Figures from the national statistics agency “Istat tell us that there are currently about 1,700,000 Muslims in Italy,”' said Izzedin Elzir, Florence imam and head of the Muslim umbrella group Unione delle Comunità e Organizzazioni Islamiche in Italia (UCOII). He added: “There are over 700 mosques. Muslims account for 4-5% of national GDP. In other words, Islam constitutes added value for Italy. And yet, despite the fact that freedom of religion is enshrined in the Constitution, the absence of a resulting law had led to the Muslim community’s de facto not being recognized by the Italian State, with which there is no agreement”, in the likes of those regulating relations between Italian institutions and religions other than Catholicism (with which relations were set down in the Concordat). With other minority religions - such as Judaism and Buddhism - an agreement was established long ago. Agostino Cilardo, expert in Islamic law at the Naples Orientale University, noted: “The problem of a lack of representation is a concrete one, not only an official one…When you draw up an agreement, the counterpart is a unified organization. But who can speak on behalf of Muslims in Italy.” In: http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2014/02/11/Islam-second-largest-religion-Italy- unrepresented_10056594.html, retrieved on 13.02.2014, emphasis added

3. France: Muslims sue satirical paper for blasphemy, MP for hate speech – French Muslims were taking satirical paper Charlie Hebdo to court for blasphemy over a front page insulting the Koran. In a separate case, a right-wing MP is being sued for accusing young Muslims of anti-Semitism.

A court in Strasbourg on 17 February set the hearing into Charlie Hebdo's alleged blasphemy for 7 April 2014. A Muslim legal defence group brought the case over a front page headlined "The Koran is s***".

Blasphemy is not an offence in France, apart from in Alsace-Moselle, three French departments which were annexed by Germany in 1871 and 1940-45 and kept part of the old German legal code when they returned to France. The trial would be a test case because, although it banned public insulting religious communities "established on the territory", the agreement on the law only recognized Catholicism, three forms of Protestantism and Judaism.

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A hearing was also set for the 7 April, this time in the southern town of Nîmes, for a case against former decentralization minister Claude Goasguen that accused him of "offending the honour and dignity of the Muslim community", in the words of lawyer Khadija Aoudia, acting for one of France's two major Muslim associations, the CFCM. Speaking to a gala organized by a pro-Israel group, KKL, Goasguen claimed that the history of the Holocaust could no longer be taught in French schools "because people are so scared of the reaction of young Muslims who have been drugged in the mosques". Although the event took place in Paris, they were broadcast on television and the internet, thus allowing the CFCM's Abdallah Zekri to bring the case in Nîmes where he lived. Claiming that the "Muslim community" was "always ready to denounce anti-Semitic acts", Aoudia said that media coverage of Goasguen's remarks "feed Islamophobia and create a strong feeling of rejection". In: http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20140217-muslims-sue-satirical-paper-blasphemy-mp-hate-speech, retrieved on 18.02.2014

4. Netherlands: Laleli Mosque opened to worship in Rotterdam – A new mosque which, was built thanks to donations by Holland and Dutch and Turkish people, was opened to worship along with a culture center with a grand ceremony in Rotterdam. Netherlands Religious Affairs Foundation President Mustafa Ünver during the opening ceremony said: “We thank Allah for granting us this mosque and culture center.” Ed Gowerde, mayor of Charlois where the mosque is located, told the Cihan news agency that culture center would be a meeting point for two different cultures. The mosque was built on a 400- squaremeters-area. It has a large conference hall, a canteen and some separate classed for man and women. In: http://en.cihan.com.tr/news/Laleli-Mosque-opened-to-worship-in-Rotterdam_1422-CHMTM1MTQyMi80, retrieved on 18.02.2014

5. Denmark: Muslims and Jews slam halal slaughter ban – Denmark passed a new law forbidding animal slaughter of live or non-anesthetized animals, frustrating Muslims and Jews in Denmark because of their contrary religious practices. Muslims and Jews saw the new law as the "ban on halal food," and therefore, interference into the freedom of religion. 'Danish Halal' a body representing 53 Muslim organizations including the Islamic Community in Denmark started a petition against the law, and expected to garner some 20,000 signatures against the introduction of the law. The Jewish Society in Denmark also reacted to the new regulation, which they said was politically motivated and a decision based on anti-minority sentiments.

Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Dan Jorgensen defended the new law saying "animal rights precedes religious beliefs." Jorgensen explained that slaughter was not normally conducted without anesthetizing in Denmark and the new law only legalized the ongoing practice, stressing that such a law was also in force in Sweden and Norway and had no interference in religion.

In late 2013, a draft law was first proposed in Denmark after a 2012 mandate that legalizes slaughter according to religious practices. The then-Danish food minister, Karen Haekkerup, became Justice Minister in 2013 and introduced the draft law which Jorgensen continued to work on. In: http://www.worldbulletin.net/muslim-world/129090/the-muslims-who-fought-and-died-for-america, retrieved on 18.02.2014

6. Spain: Catholic church trying to privatize Cordoba Mosque – A leading Spanish professor at the University of Cordoba accused the Catholic church of seeking to privatize the Grand Mosque of Cordoba. Originally built as a mosque in the year 784 by Spain’s Muslim rulers, it was later converted into a cathredral after tje city fell in 1236 during the Spanish Inquisition, which saw millions of native Muslims slaughtered, banished and forced to convert to Catholicism. Since then, Muslims have been banned from offering prayers in the mosque. Nonetheless it remains as public property today, welcoming visitors of all creeds from all over the world.

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Civil law professor Antonio Manuel Rodríguez, however, accused the Córdoba archbishop Demetrio Fernandez of attempting to privatize the building by claiming ownership of it in order to completely rid it of its Islamic identity. Claiming that the archbishop was exploiting a loop-hole in land ownership laws, the professor said that the Catholic authorities were “administrating the monument in an abusive way” and putting its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in danger. Speaking to the Irish Times, Islamic Junta director Isabel Romero said that the mosque was a historical heritage that belonged to all Spaniards, adding “It’s very strange that it should pass into private hands.”

Spain recently angered its 1.3 million Muslims, of whom only a third are nationals, by granting citizenship rights to the descendents of Sephardic Jews who were exiled during the Spanish Inquisition but not granting the same rights to the descendents of the native Andalusian Muslims, who ruled much of Spain for centuries starting from 711 to 1492. In: http://www.worldbulletin.net/muslim-world/129409/childhood-home-of-prophet-muhammad-could-be-demolished, retrieved on 23.02.2013

IV.I. On Muslims in the United Kingdom, Including Australia & New Zealand:

1. MYH study of young British Muslims and dissent – On 06 February, the Muslim Youth Helpline (MYH) published a new report, British by Dissent, which explored the meaning of dissent to young British Muslims keeping in mind the underlying question of their integration within the larger British society. Authored by Sughra Ahmed and Naved Siddiqi, it takes a look at how young British Muslims respond to social, economic, religious and public policy debates through various manifestations of dissent.

The report covers various themes, including:

. Understanding of dissent . Forms, methods and actions of dissent . Motivations for engaging in dissent . Personal boundaries where dissent became unjustified . Impact of the discussion on an individuals’ view of dissent

A discussion on the history of dissent in Britain as well as the development of Muslim organizations and Muslim faith based activism in the UK placed that research in its context.

Some key findings of the report are:

. 97% of survey respondents saw themselves as having contributed to dissent or social activism in some way. . 84% agreed that dissent is important for a society to remain fair and just, and 76% held it is a healthy thing for society. . The research shows a mainstream focus over and above a focus on more minority or individualist issues. 77.3% felt that British Muslims should focus on more general issues of social justice and equality, and a lower score of 50.7% said they should focus on issues that have a more direct link to British Muslims. . The research shows that issues with a high national media coverage attracted the highest levels of engagement overall, followed by issues dealing with discrimination of any kind (women’s rights, economic unfairness and social inequity, anti-Muslim hatred), and environmental concerns.

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. Large sections of survey respondents did not identify with political parties or did not know what they did. 84.4% said this about the Conservative Party, 76.3% about the Liberal Democrats and 56% about the Labour Party. . 64% said they did not identify with the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) or did not know what they did. . 73.4% said their faith encouraged and inspired their dissent, and 77.3% agreed dissenting made them feel good knowing their own involvement was making a positive difference. . 86.7% were active on social media and over 30% were very active in this way. However, 13.3% were not active in this way. . Only 10.7% agreed that dissenting is mainly about troublemaking and disruptive behaviour and only 20% agreed it is mainly a youth activity.

The report also found young Muslims increasingly active in participating in dissent and activism, but pointed out this should not be seen as ‘un-British’ or harmful to integration, but rather its opposite. Young British Muslims were channeling passion and energy towards more mainstream issues, seeing their engagement as a healthy and responsible thing in society. However many young Muslims felt that while they were constructively engaged thus, that was not appreciated or even acknowledged in a positive sense by the government, Muslim institutions and the media.

The report was to be delivered to policy-makers and included several recommendations – including the recommendation that Educational institutions should help create safe spaces for the exploration of dissent by young Muslims and that the Government and civil society (including Muslim institutions) should work in partnership to provide better training resources that can enhance the ability of young Muslims to contribute to mainstream causes and the wider social good. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/myh-study-of-young-british-muslims-and-dissent/#more-28748, retrieved on 09.02.2014

2. London Jews Host Islam Awareness Week – Joining hands to help poor and needy, a London Jewish group announced plans to host Islam awareness week to showcase some of the social action projects taking place across the country. Julie Siddiqui, executive director of Islamic Society of Britain, told Jewish News on 19 February: “It seemed appropriate to use JW3 as a venue to launch Islam Awareness Week this year…The Jewish community have done a brilliant job at putting faith into real action with projects that really help others who need it.” Culminating on years of positive cooperation between the two faiths, 2014’s Islam Awareness week would revisit the most important achievements in offering help to the community.

Siddiqui – who has worked closely with Mitzvah Day in recent years, added: “This year’s Islam Awareness Week will be showcasing some brilliant examples of Muslim-led social action working with people of all backgrounds…Whether that be foodbanks and feeding the homeless or working with women suffering violence and abuse and lots more. I think there is a lot more positive collaboration waiting to happen between Muslims and Jews in the UK, our faiths and interests are so very similar in so many ways. I hope that by using JW3 and working with organizations like Mitzvah Day we can develop the relationships necessary to make that a reality.” In: http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/469423-london-jews-host-islam-awareness-week.html, retrieved on 21.02.2014

IV.I. On Woolwich Murder Attack:

1. Thugs jailed for racist attack on Muslim they blamed for Lee Rigby killing – Three Ashford thugs launched a nasty racist attack on an innocent man talking on a mobile phone to his mother in Pakistan. The drunken yobs – who were carrying beer cans – spat at their victim Sarfaraz Khan before screaming the vile accusation: “You kill our soldiers”… followed by the taunt “Lee Rigby” – the soldier

21 who died in an unprovoked attack in London. Now James Carpenter, 26, from Mallards, Ashford, Benjamin Gordon, 24, of no fixed address and Daniel White, 23 of Wellesley Road, Ashford have all been jailed for the racially-aggravated attack.

Prosecutor Andrew Forsythe told Canterbury Crown Court how the three were walking in Folkestone in July 2013. As a woman holding a child’s hand passed pushing a buggy, they shouted: “F*** off, P*** b***, go back to your own country.” She heard more racist comments as the group then saw Mr Khan, who had lived in the UK for nearly six years, sitting on a bench talking to his mother on a mobile phone. Ringleader Carpenter then began hurling abuse at his victim, asking why he was wearing a dress – before all three then started spitting. Mr Forsythe said Gordon dragged Mr Khan into the middle of the road where there was oncoming traffic, before throwing a beer can at him. Members of the public then came to the aid of the frightened victim and the three attackers walked away.

Judge Heather Norton jailed Carpenter and Gordon for 10 months each and White, who has mental health issues, for eight months. They had all admitted the racially aggravated assault. She told them: “For your victim this was a frightening experience. He feels he was abused because of the clothes he was wearing – and he has every right to wear what he was wearing. He also has the right to go about his business without being subjected to racial abuse. These offences aggravate the difficulties and feelings of people in this country and only a custodial sentence is appropriate.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/thugs-jailed-for-racist-attack-on-muslim-they-blamed-for-lee-rigby-killing/#more-29073, retrieved on 18.02.2014

2. Derek Phin jailed for mosque threat after Lee Rigby murder – An Aberdeen man who posted a Facebook comment about burning down a mosque in the wake of Lee Rigby’s murder had been jailed. Derek Phin, 46, admitted posting the threatening and abusive remark about Edinburgh Central Mosque on the social networking site in June 2013. At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Sheriff Annella Cowan jailed Phin for 12 months. Police had confronted Phin at his home after receiving a tip-off about the comment. He later stated to officers that he was a member of the Scottish Defence League. Phin admitted during a previous court appearance posting a threatening and abusive remark with religious prejudice.

Sheriff Cowan said: “Justice in this country is measured and considered. Everyone in this country is entitled to the same freedoms and protections. You have abused what you think is your right to free speech to threaten the safety of innocent people in their place of worship because of your mistaken understanding of what they or their co-religionists stand for. Nothing other than a prison sentence is appropriate.”

Earlier in that week, Michael Adebolajo was given a whole-life term and Michael Adebowale was jailed for a minimum of 45 years for Lee Rigby’s murder outside Woolwich barracks in south-east London. In: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-26382115, retrieved on 01.03.2014

V. On Burqah and Veil Related Issues:

1. US: Florida girl attacked after wearing hijab to school – A Florida girl said she had been verbally and physically assaulted because she wore a hijab, or head scarf, to school. Zahrah Habibulla, 14, said she did not have problems at school with other children until she started wearing her hijab on 14 December 2013. The Polk County teen said she wore the hijab for religious reasons.

Each time the teen was attacked, she told her mother, who then called the principal of Ridge Community High School. Zahrah’s parents told WESH 2 News in an exclusive interview that they wanted something done before their

21 daughter was hurt. The Polk County School District released the following statement on 03 February: “Since learning of these concerns, school officials have taken a proactive role in addressing any issues to ensure the safety and welfare of the student. The School Board remains committed to providing an educational environment that is safe, secure and free from harassment or bullying.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/florida-girl-attacked-after-wearing-hijab-to-school/#more-28661, retrieved on 05.02.2014

2. UK: Staffing agency says no job for teenager ‘if she wears a headscarf’ – An 18-year-old girl who applied for a job at Roosendaal staffing agency All-In was shocked to be told she could not work there if she wore a headscarf. The girl, named by free newspaper Spits as Leila, had not worn a headscarf to the interview but had done so during a previous internship. All-In asked her about this and added “we are a Dutch company and are allowed to make demands.” Leila, who told Spits she had no intention of wearing a headscarf to work, later phoned back the company asking for clarification and recorded the phone call. In that conversation it was again made clear to the girl that “the company is Dutch and I can require this of my staff”. All-In spokeswoman Judith van Aalst told Spits she had only wanted to warn Leila about possible client reactions, as “Some 95% of our clients are Polish and she might have been bullied. That is why I raised the headscarf issue.” Lelia, studying legal services at college, then made a formal complaint to the police. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/staffing-agency-says-no-job-for-teenager-if-she-wears-a-headscarf/#more-28776, retrieved on 09.02.2014

3. US: Muslim woman says people friendlier when hat, scarf cover hijab – A Muslim woman’s effort to deal with Chicago’s brutal cold by covering her head with warm winter gear — inadvertently concealing her hijab — produced unanticipated and thought-provoking results. Leena Suleiman’s online posting about her experience — which included suddenly getting more friendly treatment from non-Muslims and getting the cold shoulder by members of her faith — was among the top stories Monday morning (10 February) on website Reddit.com’s TrueReddit and Chicago Reddit.

Suleiman, 25, working as an architectural designer downtown, said in a post titled “I Took Off My Hijab,” on her blog, Facetruth: “I didn’t understand what was happening at first.” Non-Muslim “people started talking to me more. Women would speak to me like I knew them since forever. Men looked at me like I was actually approachable. And I was made to feel like I was actually from this planet,” she wrote. Meanwhile, Muslim taxi drivers, who previously typically greeted her warmly and on occasion wouldn’t even let her pay, were far less friendly. In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, she said: “I’m used to going in [taxis] with my hijab showing, and immediately they’re smiling and asking me where I’m from . . . if I’m single…If it’s an older man, he’s very fatherly, very nice . . . we have like a full conversation.” Suddenly, she was greeted with cold, dead silence.

As she passed other Muslim women wearing hijabs, they no longer acknowledged her. Typically when one woman wearing a hijab passes another wearing one, one of the women will stare at the other until she notices, and they exchange a traditional Islamic greeting, she said. Now there was none of that. Suleiman, who was born in Oak Lawn and resides in Chicago Ridge, realized the change in treatment was because her hijab — a head scarf — was concealed by her knit hat and scarf. Before this winter, she had never previously covered her hijab and hadn’t intentionally meant to do so.

At first, she embraced the warmer treatment she got from non-Muslims. “It was as if I accidentally walked into the wrong door,” she said. “I felt like I was actually a part of the society here. I belong here. I have a place, and I can be loved and respected and accepted.” But upon reflection, she said she began to despise the inequality. In her blog post she asked, “Did that mean that with the hijab I am not as respectable . . . as lovable . . . I cannot be accepted? . . . Apparently, the type of cloth you place or wrap around your head defines how you will be treated . . . I pray one day . . . that people will be familiar enough with all other cultures and beliefs that the thing that stands out to them is no wrap around my head, but the smile on my face.” Suleiman told the Sun-Times she was saddened by the realization that when the weather gets nicer and she takes off her winter garb, the old patterns would return. In: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/25533740-418/muslim-woman-says-people-friendlier-when-hat-scarf-cover-hijab.html, retrieved on 13.02.2014

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4. France: Local firm bans Muslim headscarves at work – A privately-owned French company claimed to have become the first in the country to ban the wearing of Muslim headscarves and other prominent religious symbols at work. But critics said the move, which had the backing of employees, was against the law. From 11 February onward the 4,000 workers at recycling company Paprec, based in the Parisian suburbs would no longer be allowed to demonstrate their religious faith by wearing items like the Yarmulke/Kippah (the Jewish skullcap), Christian crosses and Muslim head or face covers.

Paprec’s CEO Jean-Luc Petithuguenin said he set the new rules, which he claimed were the first of their kind, after four months of negotiations with representatives of the company’s employees. The result was an eight-article agreement that followed closely the principles already laid in French secular laws. The new restrictions were modeled on France’s landmark 2004 law that banned the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols in French state schools and other government buildings. Although the law made no reference to specific symbols many considered it was to specifically target Muslim headscarves.

Paprec’s new rules come on the heels of a French appeals court ruling at the end of November which backed the owner of a nursery who had fired a Muslim assistant who refused to take off her headscarf at work. The scandal, named the “Baby Loup” affair after the name of the creche in the Parisian suburbs, provides some legal backing for Paprec’s ban. However, Professor Raphaël Liogier, Director of the French research organisation Observatory of Religions said what Paprec was doing was plainly illegal, as “The 2004 law was based on protecting children, because it was presumed they were too young to make up their own minds about religion…However, this would not apply here. It would be illegal, even if the employees have voted on it. There’s no legal justification for it. They simply can’t do it. The only way it would be possible is if the job requirements put restrictions on certain items of clothing, for example if the were using machinery etc.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/french-firm-bans-muslim-headscarves-at-work/#more-28903, retrieved on 13.02.2014

Compiled by: Abdula Manafi Mutualo, Secretary of the Observatory Culture & Social Affairs Department Email: [email protected]

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