SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2017 Iraq recaptures Tal Afar centre, citadel from IS Death toll from mosque attack in Kabul reaches 28

Page 10 Page 8

PANCHKULA: An Indian soldier looks at burning vehicles set alight by rioting followers of a religious leader convicted of rape in . — AFP photos city under siege after clashes over rape guru kill 36

Court pronounces guru guilty of raping two followers

PANCHKULA, India: Hundreds of troops yester- the curfew was lifted in Panchkula yesterday, brought against him after an anonymous letter shopkeeper from who was undergoing day patrolled a northern Indian city hit by deadly restrictions on public assembly remained in place. was sent to then prime minister Atal Bihari treatment at the hospital. “He can’t do any clashes that killed at least 36 people after thou- Haryana police chief B S Sandhu said Vajpayee in 2002 accusing him of repeatedly rap- wrong... He works to rid the world of all its trou- sands protested a court’s decision to convict a Saturday at least 36 people had died with the toll ing the sender and several other women in the bles,” he said, his head heavily bandaged. controversial spiritual leader of rape. The army likely to rise as some of the wounded were being sect. A judge asked the Central Bureau of Ajay Garg, a doctor in Panchkula, blamed the MUMBAI: This file photo shows Indian chief was deployed in Haryana state’s Panchkula city treated for serious head injuries. “The toll within Investigations to look into the accusations, but it police for allowing the situation to spiral out of of the religious sect Sacha Sauda after tens of thousands of followers of guru Ram the state is at least 36 dead and around 200 took years to trace the alleged victims and it was control. “Our family was very scared. We went to (DSS) at a news Rahim Singh went on an angry rampage, attack- injured including about 50 police and security not until 2007 that two women came forward the third floor of our house. They (mobs) were conference to launch the score for his film ing television vans and setting fire to dozens of personnel,” said Sandhu. “Some of the injured and filed charges. out of control and even damaged my car which ‘MSG-2 The Messenger’ in Mumbai. private vehicles. didn’t come to the hospitals fearing that they was parked outside,” he said. Singh’s Dera Sacha Security forces were put on high alert to ensure could face police action or arrests for involve- Unjust verdict Sauda sect, whose headquarters are located in started a film franchise portraying him as MSG or there was no repeat of the violence that erupted ment in the violence,” he said. Official sources Some 200,000 members of Singh’s sect had nearby town, said it would appeal the ver- the ‘Messenger of God’, performing miracles, Friday afternoon, minutes after a special court pro- said earlier that at least 32 people had died, with gathered in Panchkula in a show of support a dict. “This is unjust. We will appeal against the preaching to thousands and beating up gang- nounced the self-styled guru guilty of raping two most of the fatalities caused by gun shots. day before the verdict, which enraged his follow- judgment,” it said in a statement. sters while singing and dancing. His last flick of his followers. Mobile phone services were dis- The 50-year-old Singh is known as the “guru ers, with many saying they were in a state of The sprawling Sirsa premises, spread across ‘MSG - The Warrior Lion Heart’ was released last rupted in some parts of Haryana and neighboring in bling” for his penchant for bejeweled cos- shock. “I have been with dear Ram Rahim Singh nearly 1,000 acres, include schools, sports facili- year, with the guru playing a secret agent fight- Punjab state, where authorities had earlier tumes and claims to have more than 50 million for around 14 years. I can bet that all the allega- ties, a hospital and a cinema hall-thanks to ing aliens and UFOs. Singh’s sentencing will be imposed a curfew following the clashes. Although loyal followers worldwide. The rape case was tions against our guru are false,” said Rajkumar, a Singh’s love for the silver screen. In 2015 Singh announced tomorrow. —AFP Man with knife shot dead after stabbing soldier in Brussels BRUSSELS: A man wielding a knife was shot dead Somali-Belgian attacker Balmoral residence in Scotland at the time. With Friday after wounding a soldier in Brussels in an During the attack near the Grand Place in central much of Europe on edge over the attacks, many of “attempted terrorist murder” while in London Brussels at 8:00 pm, the man rushed at several sol- them ‘low-tech’ assaults using knives or vehicles as counter-terror experts were investigating a similar diers from behind and struck them with a knife, weapons, thousands of people were expected to attack on police near Buckingham Palace. prompting one of them to open fire. “The man was take to the streets of Barcelona yesterday evening in The two incidents come as much of Europe is on hit and died shortly afterwards in hospital from his a defiant march under the slogan “No tinc por”- high alert following a string of major attacks over wounds,” the prosecutors’ statement said. As well as Catalan for “not afraid”. the past two years-most of which have been the knife, police found a replica gun and two copies claimed by, or blamed on, jihadists. Last week, Spain of the Koran on him. The assailant was a Belgian Lone attacker was hit by twin vehicle attacks which left 15 dead, national of Somali origin who was born in 1987, The Brussels attack happened on a boulevard and another two people were killed in a stabbing authorities confirmed. He arrived in the country in near the Grand Place central square, one of the “sen- spree in Finland, with the violence carried out by 2004 and was granted Belgian nationality in 2015. sitive” areas of the capital where armed soldiers are radicalized youngsters. Although not known for any terror-related activ- on patrol because of the terror threat. “I heard Belgian prosecutors said the attacker yelled ities, he had an assault and battery charge on his yelling and straight away two shots,” a witness “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest) during the assault record from February, the statement said. Less than called Yohan said, who did not wish to give his sur- BRUSSELS: Policemen stand guard the Boulevard Emile Jacqmain in the city centre of before being shot by a soldier in the centre of city two hours later, two British police officers were name. As he approached, he said he saw “a soldier Brussels where a man is alleged to have attacked soldiers with a knife and was shot. — AFP which has been on high alert since last year’s car- slightly injured while arresting a man with a large bleeding from his hand and a man on the ground,” nage at the airport and on the metro. knife outside Buckingham Palace in London. The who had a beard and was wearing a hood. dreds more. The carnage in Paris, which left 130 peo- packed nails and gas canisters, had detonated. In One of the soldiers was “slightly” wounded in 26-year-old attacker, who was initially detained on Soldiers have been deployed at railway stations ple dead and hundreds more wounded, was claimed Britain, 35 people have been killed in three attacks the attack which Mayor Philippe Close said was suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and and landmark buildings in the Belgian capital since by the Islamic State group, which also said it was in London and Manchester since March. Two of perpetrated by a “lone individual”. Overnight, assaulting police, was later arrested under the the November 2015 attacks on Paris when investiga- behind the bombings in Brussels. those involved a vehicle ploughing into pedestri- police raided the suspect’s home in Bruges, north- Terrorism Act 2000. tors found the assailants had a clear link Brussels. Their In June, a man who tried to bomb a Brussels ans. The other attack was a bombing in May at the west Belgium, with federal prosecutors opening an “Detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s presence has been reinforced since suicide bombers Central train station was shot dead by a soldier. No end of a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in investigation into “attempted terrorist murder”, a Counter Terrorism Command are now investigating struck Zavantem Airport and Maalbeek metro station one was injured but officials said the consequences Manchester which killed 22 people, a third of them statement said. the incident,” police said. The queen was at her in March 2016, killing 32 people and wounding hun- could have been severe if the bomb, which was children.—AFP SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2017 Iraq recaptures Tal Afar centre, citadel from IS Death toll from mosque attack in Kabul reaches 28

Page 10 Page 8

PANCHKULA: An Indian soldier looks at burning vehicles set alight by rioting followers of a religious leader convicted of rape in Panchkula. — AFP photos India city under siege after clashes over rape guru kill 36

Court pronounces guru guilty of raping two followers

PANCHKULA, India: Hundreds of troops yester- the curfew was lifted in Panchkula yesterday, brought against him after an anonymous letter shopkeeper from Haryana who was undergoing day patrolled a northern Indian city hit by deadly restrictions on public assembly remained in place. was sent to then prime minister Atal Bihari treatment at the hospital. “He can’t do any clashes that killed at least 36 people after thou- Haryana police chief B S Sandhu said Vajpayee in 2002 accusing him of repeatedly rap- wrong... He works to rid the world of all its trou- sands protested a court’s decision to convict a Saturday at least 36 people had died with the toll ing the sender and several other women in the bles,” he said, his head heavily bandaged. controversial spiritual leader of rape. The army likely to rise as some of the wounded were being sect. A judge asked the Central Bureau of Ajay Garg, a doctor in Panchkula, blamed the MUMBAI: This file photo shows Indian chief was deployed in Haryana state’s Panchkula city treated for serious head injuries. “The toll within Investigations to look into the accusations, but it police for allowing the situation to spiral out of of the religious sect Dera Sacha Sauda after tens of thousands of followers of guru Ram the state is at least 36 dead and around 200 took years to trace the alleged victims and it was control. “Our family was very scared. We went to (DSS) Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh at a news Rahim Singh went on an angry rampage, attack- injured including about 50 police and security not until 2007 that two women came forward the third floor of our house. They (mobs) were conference to launch the score for his film ing television vans and setting fire to dozens of personnel,” said Sandhu. “Some of the injured and filed charges. out of control and even damaged my car which ‘MSG-2 The Messenger’ in Mumbai. private vehicles. didn’t come to the hospitals fearing that they was parked outside,” he said. Singh’s Dera Sacha Security forces were put on high alert to ensure could face police action or arrests for involve- Unjust verdict Sauda sect, whose headquarters are located in started a film franchise portraying him as MSG or there was no repeat of the violence that erupted ment in the violence,” he said. Official sources Some 200,000 members of Singh’s sect had nearby Sirsa town, said it would appeal the ver- the ‘Messenger of God’, performing miracles, Friday afternoon, minutes after a special court pro- said earlier that at least 32 people had died, with gathered in Panchkula in a show of support a dict. “This is unjust. We will appeal against the preaching to thousands and beating up gang- nounced the self-styled guru guilty of raping two most of the fatalities caused by gun shots. day before the verdict, which enraged his follow- judgment,” it said in a statement. sters while singing and dancing. His last flick of his followers. Mobile phone services were dis- The 50-year-old Singh is known as the “guru ers, with many saying they were in a state of The sprawling Sirsa premises, spread across ‘MSG - The Warrior Lion Heart’ was released last rupted in some parts of Haryana and neighboring in bling” for his penchant for bejeweled cos- shock. “I have been with dear Ram Rahim Singh nearly 1,000 acres, include schools, sports facili- year, with the guru playing a secret agent fight- Punjab state, where authorities had earlier tumes and claims to have more than 50 million for around 14 years. I can bet that all the allega- ties, a hospital and a cinema hall-thanks to ing aliens and UFOs. Singh’s sentencing will be imposed a curfew following the clashes. Although loyal followers worldwide. The rape case was tions against our guru are false,” said Rajkumar, a Singh’s love for the silver screen. In 2015 Singh announced tomorrow. —AFP Man with knife shot dead after stabbing soldier in Brussels BRUSSELS: A man wielding a knife was shot dead Somali-Belgian attacker Balmoral residence in Scotland at the time. With Friday after wounding a soldier in Brussels in an During the attack near the Grand Place in central much of Europe on edge over the attacks, many of “attempted terrorist murder” while in London Brussels at 8:00 pm, the man rushed at several sol- them ‘low-tech’ assaults using knives or vehicles as counter-terror experts were investigating a similar diers from behind and struck them with a knife, weapons, thousands of people were expected to attack on police near Buckingham Palace. prompting one of them to open fire. “The man was take to the streets of Barcelona yesterday evening in The two incidents come as much of Europe is on hit and died shortly afterwards in hospital from his a defiant march under the slogan “No tinc por”- high alert following a string of major attacks over wounds,” the prosecutors’ statement said. As well as Catalan for “not afraid”. the past two years-most of which have been the knife, police found a replica gun and two copies claimed by, or blamed on, jihadists. Last week, Spain of the Koran on him. The assailant was a Belgian Lone attacker was hit by twin vehicle attacks which left 15 dead, national of Somali origin who was born in 1987, The Brussels attack happened on a boulevard and another two people were killed in a stabbing authorities confirmed. He arrived in the country in near the Grand Place central square, one of the “sen- spree in Finland, with the violence carried out by 2004 and was granted Belgian nationality in 2015. sitive” areas of the capital where armed soldiers are radicalized youngsters. Although not known for any terror-related activ- on patrol because of the terror threat. “I heard Belgian prosecutors said the attacker yelled ities, he had an assault and battery charge on his yelling and straight away two shots,” a witness “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest) during the assault record from February, the statement said. Less than called Yohan said, who did not wish to give his sur- BRUSSELS: Policemen stand guard the Boulevard Emile Jacqmain in the city centre of before being shot by a soldier in the centre of city two hours later, two British police officers were name. As he approached, he said he saw “a soldier Brussels where a man is alleged to have attacked soldiers with a knife and was shot. — AFP which has been on high alert since last year’s car- slightly injured while arresting a man with a large bleeding from his hand and a man on the ground,” nage at the airport and on the metro. knife outside Buckingham Palace in London. The who had a beard and was wearing a hood. dreds more. The carnage in Paris, which left 130 peo- packed nails and gas canisters, had detonated. In One of the soldiers was “slightly” wounded in 26-year-old attacker, who was initially detained on Soldiers have been deployed at railway stations ple dead and hundreds more wounded, was claimed Britain, 35 people have been killed in three attacks the attack which Mayor Philippe Close said was suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and and landmark buildings in the Belgian capital since by the Islamic State group, which also said it was in London and Manchester since March. Two of perpetrated by a “lone individual”. Overnight, assaulting police, was later arrested under the the November 2015 attacks on Paris when investiga- behind the bombings in Brussels. those involved a vehicle ploughing into pedestri- police raided the suspect’s home in Bruges, north- Terrorism Act 2000. tors found the assailants had a clear link Brussels. Their In June, a man who tried to bomb a Brussels ans. The other attack was a bombing in May at the west Belgium, with federal prosecutors opening an “Detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s presence has been reinforced since suicide bombers Central train station was shot dead by a soldier. No end of a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in investigation into “attempted terrorist murder”, a Counter Terrorism Command are now investigating struck Zavantem Airport and Maalbeek metro station one was injured but officials said the consequences Manchester which killed 22 people, a third of them statement said. the incident,” police said. The queen was at her in March 2016, killing 32 people and wounding hun- could have been severe if the bomb, which was children.—AFP