p10 2_Layout 1 3/4/15 8:57 PM Page 1

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 INTERNATIONAL Cage under scrutiny over links to ‘Jihadi John’ News in brief LONDON: The financial backers of a cam- Foundation, set up to “support those who Support main funder, according to Qureshi, is the paign group that had contact with the man change the world”, gave Cage 35,000 The relationship between Emwazi and Network for Social Change, which Idaho Senate opens later known as ‘Jihadi John’ are under pres- pounds a year in the financial years ending Cage began in 2009, when he visited its describes itself as “a group of individuals with a Hindu prayer sure from British politicians and a regula- in March 2012 and 2013, and 25,000 drab office block in a back street behind providing funding for progressive social BOISE: Three lawmakers refused to attend the Idaho tor’s investigation to explain why they gave pounds a year in the financial years ending the East London Mosque. Cage held a news change”. But the administrator for the Senate’s daily invocation after objecting to the offering of a it several hundred thousand pounds. The in March 2010 and 2011, according to conference last week to publish emails sent Network for Social Change Charitable Trust, Hindu prayer. Rajan Zed, guest chaplain, gave a lengthy Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a Quaker accounts made public by the Charity to it from Emwazi over several years during Tish McCrory, said its vehicle for donating prayer in both English and Sanskrit on Tuesday that foundation, and The Roddick Foundation, Commission. which time he complained of being regu- to non charitable projects, Funding for focused on selflessness and peace. Senators from both set up by the late founder of beauty retailer Social Change Limited, had not funded sides of the aisle shook his hand and thanked him for com- Body Shop, are among those now being cage “for some time”. ing. “Fulfill all your duties, action is better than inaction,” asked how they came to fund Cage, a small A British lawmaker told Reuters all of the Zed said. “Even to maintain your body, you are obligated to activist group that called Mohammed charities that had funded Cage should dis- act. Selfish action imprisons the world. Act selflessly, with- Emwazi, killer of American, British and sociate from it after the group’s comments out any throughout of personal profit.” However three law- Syrian hostages, a once “beautiful young at last week’s news conference. “It was both makers, all Republican, only came back onto the floor once man”. extraordinary and disgraceful, they were the prayer was over: Sens Steve Vick of Dalton Garden, “I condemn anybody who attempts to very clearly coming out as apologists for Sheryl Nuxoll of Cottonwood and Lori Den Hartog of excuse that barbarism away in the way that terrorism... Those that have provided them Meridian. Prayer is a common event in Idaho’s Republican- has been done by Cage,” British interior with support must very seriously question controlled Statehouse. The Idaho Senate and House con- minister Theresa May told parliament in not only their support for Cage but how vene each day with a prayer by the chamber’s chaplains response to the comment by Cage’s they got to make such a decision to sup- from Christian denominations followed by the Pledge of research boss Asim Qureshi to media last port an organization like this,” said John Allegiance. And most lawmakers cite their religion in the week. Cage was set up by a group of Spellar, a spokesman on foreign affairs for heir bios for the state’s legislative directory. London Muslims with the aim of support- the opposition Labor Party. ing British suspects being held by the “I think there needs to be some very United States in Guantanamo Bay. Its serious rethinking done by a number of Turkish court blocks activists blame US and British foreign poli- these charities and NGOs about how they atheist group’s site cy for radicalizing Muslims and accuse the got into a position.” Cage’s Qureshi said the ANKARA: A Turkish court has blocked access to a web- security services of harassing those who group would continue its work regardless site for the country’s first atheist association, ruling it refuse to be informants. of the criticism leveled at it. “Certain media was an “insult to religious values” in the overwhelming- Britain’s Charity Commission, a govern- organizations, right-wing think tanks, don’t ly Muslim nation, the group said yesterday. The court ment-backed regulator, has launched an like our narrative as it goes against the pre- in an Ankara suburb said the website for Ateizm investigation into whether Cage’s funders LONDON: An officer from the Metropolitan police stands on duty as media gather vailing national security paradigm,” he said. Dernegi (Atheist Society), founded last year in Istanbul, had ensured that their money was only outside a residential address in London, where Kuwaiti-born London computer pro- “Even though we aren’t a proselytizing was engaged in “activities likely to disturb public used for purposes in line with their objec- grammer Mohammed Emwazi, identified by experts and the media as masked organization, we are a Muslim response to order.” The association denounced the ruling in a state- tives. The Commission said in a statement Islamic State militant ‘Jihadi John’, is once believed to have lived. —AFP a problem that largely affects Muslims.” ment, calling it “undemocratic and illegal” and saying it on Monday that it had compliance cases would harm Turkey’s reputation abroad. In an inter- open into the Joseph Rowntree Charitable The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust larly harassed by security services. On its Investigations view with Turkish media in 2014, the association’s Foundation and the Roddick Foundation. said it stood by its funding. “We believe Website, the group says: “Cage has been British Prime Minister David Cameron’s founders said they had created the group to “legally “In both cases the commission’s regulatory (Cage) has played an important role in campaigning against the War on Terror for spokesman told reporters: “The prime min- support those threatened due to their atheism” after concerns revolve around how the trustees highlighting the ongoing abuses at more than a decade”. Public information ister thinks that it’s absolutely right that the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested a link have ensured that charitable grants made Guantanamo Bay and at many other sites about Cage’s finances is scant: It is listed in Charity Commission is undertaking the between atheists and terrorists. Critics accuse Erdogan, to non-charitable bodies are only used for around the world, including many the UK companies register, but has filed work that it is with regard to the funding of prime minister from 2003 until he became president in exclusively charitable purposes in line with instances of torture,” it said in a statement. accounts only for 2008 and as a small com- the organization.” If the cases are escalated August, of increasing authoritarianism, particularly fol- their objects,” it said. The Roddick Foundation could not be pany it is not obliged to report each year. to inquiry level, and it is found that wrong- lowing anti-government protests that rocked the The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust reached for comment as its listed phone According to Qureshi and its website, doing has occurred, the trustees of each country in 2013. Turkish pianist Fazil Say, known for his said in a statement that it had made three number was disconnected and emails to its Cage is a non-profit making company limit- charity can be suspended, an interim man- atheism, was given a 10-month suspended sentence in grants to Cage in 2007, 2008 and 2011, public email address bounced back. ed by guarantee, a structure without share ager could be appointed to run the organi- 2013 for harming religious values after a series of making a combined total of 305,000 Attempts to reach trustee Gordon Roddick capital that is usually used to protect the zation or bank accounts could be frozen, tweets judged as insulting to Islam. pounds. It said its last grant payment to via other organizations to which he is con- people running the company from person- said Sarah Hitchings, press officer at the them was in January 2014. The Roddick nected yielded no response. al liability for its debts. The group’s other Charity Commission.—Reuters Wildfires rage through top South Africa tourist haven 10 dead as migrant CAPE TOWN: Wildfires raged for a fourth day yesterday France violates ‘treaty through one of South Africa’s most popular international boat sinks off Sicily tourist destinations, destroying homes, a hotel and scorch- ROME: A boat transporting migrants has capsized off ing thousands of hectares of spectacular scenery. Sicily, killing at least 10 people, while scores were res- on smacking children’ Firefighting teams and water-bombing aircraft were again cued, the Italian coastguard said yesterday. Hundreds in action as the flames swept down Cape Town’s southern peninsula, a mountainous spine of land running from the of people have died in recent months as waves of city to Cape Point, Africa’s most southwestern tip. migrants from North Africa and Middle East conflict Polls show widespread support in UK and France Hundreds of residents of upmarket villages dotted zones attempt to reach Europe, prompting criticism along both the Atlantic and False Bay coasts grabbed pets of rescue efforts. A tugboat for Libyan oil platforms STRASBOURG: A top rights body to a law on the family but it was even- who said he sometimes smacked his and valuables as they were evacuated overnight ahead of alerted authorities to the capsized boat and an Italian ruled yesterday that France was in tually withdrawn. children “but never in the face so as violation of a European treaty to not humiliate them”. A former edu- flames fanned by strong winds and record high tempera- coast guard vessel-already transporting 318 migrants tures. A total of 13 homes have been destroyed or dam- who had been rescued earlier-headed to the scene. because it did not fully ban the ‘Collective debate’ cation minister for the opposition smacking of children. The Strasbourg- Even before the judgment, the UMP party dismissed the debate. “Is aged by the fires, along with the five-star Tintswalo Atlantic Some 121 people were rescued after the boat sank Lodge perched on the edge of the ocean near the fishing on Tuesday but at least 10 died. Italy’s coastguard based Council of Europe said France’s controversy has been revived in this really the debate of the century? laws on corporal punishment for chil- France, with the minister for the fami- Stop it, there are more important port and commuter village of Hout Bay. said it has carried out seven rescue operations in less dren were not “sufficiently clear, bind- ly, Laurence Rossignol calling for a subjects,” said Luc Chatel. Those in than 24 hours, saving 941 migrants in the Strait of ing and precise”. France bans vio- “collective debate” about “the useful- favor of a complete ban point to the Sicily, which separates the Italian island from the Royal prank radio lence against children but does allow ness of corporal punishment in the mental and physical harm suffered North African coast. Those rescued included more to lose its license parents the “right to discipline” them. education of children”. However, this by the child. Gilles Lazimi, from the SYDNEY: An Australian High Court ruling yesterday than 30 children and at least one pregnant woman, However, French law does forbid will “not be enshrined in the law”, campaign group “Foundation for the opened the door for a radio station at the centre of a who was taken to hospital. In January and February, corporal punishment in schools or Rossignol said. “For abusive parents, Child”, said that smacking a child is royal hoax call controversy to face penalties including around 7,900 migrants arrived on the Italian coast, an disciplinary establishments for chil- we have a penal code. For those that “not only ineffective but also harmful losing its license. Sydney station 2Day FM endured a increase of more than 43 percent over the same peri- dren. More than half of the 47 mem- occasionally resort to corporal pun- for the health of some children”. global backlash after Indian-born nurse Jacintha od last year, according to figures from Italy’s interior bers of the Council of Europe, includ- ishment, we need to help them do Being hit can “interfere with brain Saldanha killed herself in 2012 after transferring a ministry. ing Germany, the Netherlands and things differently and not discredit development, emotional develop- prank call by two DJs to staff caring for Prince William’s The UN refugee agency UNHCR has urged the Spain, have completely banned them by saying ‘the judge is coming ment, the relationship with parents wife Kate who was suffering from severe morning sick- European Union to do more to save migrant lives smacking. Other big European coun- to deal with that’,” the minister and... as the child ages, can result in a ness. Mel Greig and co-host Michael Christian had after a string of tragedies in the Mediterranean. The tries, such as Britain, either have simi- added. loss of self-confidence and self- posed as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles on the deaths have highlighted the limited means and lar laws to France or have not adopt- Polls show widespread support in esteem,” said Lazimi. However, anoth- phone to the London hospital and were able to get scope of Triton, an EU-run mission which took over in ed concrete regulations on the issue. Britain and France for the right to er opposition politician, Jean- details of Kate’s condition on air. Saldanha left a note November from the Italian navy’s Mare Nostrum Worldwide, 17 other countries smack children. The subject came to Christophe Lagarde, said it was blaming Greig and Christian for her death. Both DJs search and rescue operation. Italy decided to scale have a complete ban on corporal the fore in France in 2013 when a “ridiculous” to introduce laws that apologized for their actions and the station’s owner back the mission after its EU partners refused to share punishment for children, notably in father was fined 500 euros ($600) for governed family life to that extent. Southern Cross Austereo later donated Aus$500,000 running costs of around nine million euros a month. South America, Central America and smacking his nine-year-old son. “Are we going to be told how to stack (US$450,000) to the nurse’s family to “help them in the Triton, which comes under the authority of the EU Africa. The Council of Europe was rul- Some people lauded the ruling, oth- our plates, whether children should future”. Media watchdog the Australian borders agency Frontex, has a monthly budget of 2.9 ing on a complaint lodged by the ers found it disproportionately harsh. be made to dry up and whether they Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) previ- Britain-based child protection charity Pope Francis raised hackles earlier can help their parent with the million euros and its patrols are generally restricted ously ruled that the station had breached surveillance Approach, which says that French law this year when he said good fathers chores?” he asked. Unlike the to the territorial waters of EU member states. laws by broadcasting the call without the consent of violates part of the European Social knew how to forgive but also to “cor- European Court of Human Rights, the UNHCR said at least 3,500 people lost their lives the other party. It prompted Southern Cross Austereo Charter, a treaty first adopted in 1961 rect with firmness”. Council of Europe does not have the last year out of more than 218,000 migrants who to take action against the ACMA in the Federal Court and revised in 1996. In May, the Green He described as “beautiful” and power to punish its members, only to crossed the Mediterranean, making it the most dead- which found the authority did not have the power to party in France tabled an amendment dignified the response of one father slap them on the wrist.—AFP ly migrant route in the world.—AFP determine matters of law. Armenia-Azerbaijan bloodletting threatening Karabakh ceasefire

MOVSES: Locals sigh with relief as their Azeri snipers. But just across the frontline, ly became a frozen one over two decades ting annually claims dozens of lives. Armenian village of Movses, close to the on the Azeri side, the fear is no less ago. In reality the war has never stopped Sparking fears of a new all-out war border with Azerbaijan, disappears in the intense. “The streets are deserted during for Azeri and Armenian villagers living between the countries, last year saw an lilac mist rolling down from the Kardash the daytime,” said Ismail Nabiyev, who lives along their countries’ border. The villages unprecedented spiral of violence with mountain, where Azeri snipers have forti- in Alibeyli, an Azeri village. “We can’t hold of Movses and Alibeyli lie around 200 kilo- more than 70 people from both sides fied positions. “The mist is our salvation. wedding parties or funerals. The meters from Nagorny Karabakh itself. But killed. At least for those living in these rural When visibility is zero, we know the Azeris Armenians shoot at us when they see peo- violence has spread far beyond the epicen- border areas, war has already returned. won’t be shooting,” said Khanum, an elder- ple gathering.” ter of the conflict, with Azeri and Armenian “Our houses are under constant fire from ly Armenian woman who, like other The bloody Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict sharpshooters along their border threaten- Armenia,” said Khatira Aliyeva, a young Movses residents, lives in constant fear of over the Nagorny Karabakh region formal- ing the shaky peace as tit-for-tat bloodlet- mother of two who was wounded in the PARIS: A drone flying over Saint-Cloud in Paris. One of arm in February when her house in Alibeyli three Al-Jazeera journalists arrested for flying a drone came under sniper gunfire from across the in Paris’ Bois de Boulogne park on the western edge of border. the French capital, for the purposes of a television “I’m afraid of letting my children go to report, will appear in court next week after pleading school. In the mornings, we run to the guilty. Flying drones over the capital is illegal under school fearing the Armenians might notice French law. — AFP us and start shooting,” she said. “After class- French police report ‘dozen es, children are forced to stay at home. It’s drone’ sightings over Paris too dangerous for them to play in the PARIS: Paris police yesterday said the public had reported courtyard.” That nightmare is echoed from around a dozen drone sightings over sensitive areas of the the other side by Sudarik Aperian, an 82- French capital-the latest in a baffling series of overflights. year-old resident of Movses, who says: Authorities are now scrambling to work out “if all the “Azeri snipers shoot day and night-at our reports were really drone flights,” said a police source who houses, at peaceful civilians, at people declined to be named. No arrests were made over the working in their orchards.” “At night, I am flights, which reportedly took place overnight Tuesday afraid of switching the lights on. When near the River Seine, the Place de la Concorde, the Azeris see lights in our windows, they Invalides military museum and around the Paris ring road. immediately start shooting,” she said French authorities are still scratching their heads to find a standing by her bullet-riddled gates. motive for the drone flights, as Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced late Tuesday there had been ‘Unprecedented escalation’ around 60 incidents over nuclear plants or over Paris since The decades-long dispute over Nagorny October. On Tuesday, a court fined a British journalist 1,000 Karabakh has its immediate roots in a euros ($1,100) for flying a drone over central Paris and con- 1990s war that left some 30,000 people fiscated his machine. Tristan Redman, 34, from the Qatar- dead after ethnic-Armenian separatists based network Al-Jazeera, was arrested last month in the backed by Yerevan seized the territory Bois de Boulogne park on the western edge of the French MOVSES: An elderly woman reacts next to a wall damaged by a shell in the Armenian village of Movses, close to the border with from Azerbaijan.—AFP Azerbaijan. —AFP capital along with two other journalists.