Forget secular education: Somali militant’s message before suicide attack
October 6, 2011 No Comment
Man responsible for huge blast in Mogadishu that left 100 dead said young people should focus on jihad The suicide bomber who killed more than 100 people, including students seeking scholarships, in an attack near Somalia’s education ministry was a school dropout who had declared that young people should wage jihad and forget about secular education. Bashar Abdullahi Nur, who was to blame for the huge explosion on Tuesday that covered the capital, Mogadishu, in dust up to half a mile away, gave an interview before the attack. “Now those who live abroad are taken to a college and never think about the hereafter. They never think about the harassed Muslims,” he said in the interview broadcast on Wednesday by a militant-run radio station. “They wake up in the morning, go to college and studies and accept what the infidels tell them, while infidels are massacring Muslims.” The UN said on Thursday that more than 100 people had died in the explosion in Mogadishu, in an attack that killed some of Somalia’s brightest young minds, including students gathered around a noticeboard to find out who had been awarded scholarships from the Turkish government. The blast happened near a building housing several government ministries, but the precise target was not immediately clear. However, it would not be the first time that al-Qaida linked militants have targeted students. In 2009, al-Shabaab attacked a graduation ceremony, killing medical students and doctors. Shamsul Bari, the UN’s independent human rights expert in Somalia, said: “These attacks, which targeted some of the country’s very few university-level students, as well as the dedicated civil servants working to enhance Somali public institutions and social services under extremely difficult circumstances, are a direct blow to the fabric and future of the nation.” Al-Shabaab’s spokesman has vowed to increase attacks “day by day” as part of an effort to defeat the weak UN-backed Somali government and the 9,000 African Union peacekeepers stationed in the country. An ultra-conservative Islamist group, al-Shabaab is known for its harsh punishments, such as chopping off the hands of thieves and stoning adulterers to death. The organisation considers secular education as a form of western invasion into the minds of Muslims. Suicide bombings, unheard of in Somalia before 2007, have become increasingly frequent. Islamists have shown an increasing ability to carry out sophisticated large-scale bombings against high-profile targets, such as Tuesday’s attack, which occurred in a government-controlled area of the city. Somalia has been mired in violence since 1991 when civil war broke out. The country has also been suffering from its worst famine in 60 years: the US says 29,000 children have died since it began, and the UN estimates that a further 750,000 more are at risk of starving to death in the next few months. Al-Shabaab fighters have compounded the suffering by preventing aid agencies from helping famine victims in areas under militant control in southern Somalia. Somalia Global terrorism Africa guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Forget secular education: Somali militant’s message before suicide attack
October 6, 2011 No CommentMan responsible for huge blast in Mogadishu that left 100 dead said young people should focus on jihad The suicide bomber who killed more than 100 people, including students seeking scholarships, in an attack near Somalia’s education ministry was a school dropout who had declared that young people should wage jihad and forget about secular education. Bashar Abdullahi Nur, who was to blame for the huge explosion on Tuesday that covered the capital, Mogadishu, in dust up to half a mile away, gave an interview before the attack. “Now those who live abroad are taken to a college and never think about the hereafter. They never think about the harassed Muslims,” he said in the interview broadcast on Wednesday by a militant-run radio station. “They wake up in the morning, go to college and studies and accept what the infidels tell them, while infidels are massacring Muslims.” The UN said on Thursday that more than 100 people had died in the explosion in Mogadishu, in an attack that killed some of Somalia’s brightest young minds, including students gathered around a noticeboard to find out who had been awarded scholarships from the Turkish government. The blast happened near a building housing several government ministries, but the precise target was not immediately clear. However, it would not be the first time that al-Qaida linked militants have targeted students. In 2009, al-Shabaab attacked a graduation ceremony, killing medical students and doctors. Shamsul Bari, the UN’s independent human rights expert in Somalia, said: “These attacks, which targeted some of the country’s very few university-level students, as well as the dedicated civil servants working to enhance Somali public institutions and social services under extremely difficult circumstances, are a direct blow to the fabric and future of the nation.” Al-Shabaab’s spokesman has vowed to increase attacks “day by day” as part of an effort to defeat the weak UN-backed Somali government and the 9,000 African Union peacekeepers stationed in the country. An ultra-conservative Islamist group, al-Shabaab is known for its harsh punishments, such as chopping off the hands of thieves and stoning adulterers to death. The organisation considers secular education as a form of western invasion into the minds of Muslims. Suicide bombings, unheard of in Somalia before 2007, have become increasingly frequent. Islamists have shown an increasing ability to carry out sophisticated large-scale bombings against high-profile targets, such as Tuesday’s attack, which occurred in a government-controlled area of the city. Somalia has been mired in violence since 1991 when civil war broke out. The country has also been suffering from its worst famine in 60 years: the US says 29,000 children have died since it began, and the UN estimates that a further 750,000 more are at risk of starving to death in the next few months. Al-Shabaab fighters have compounded the suffering by preventing aid agencies from helping famine victims in areas under militant control in southern Somalia. Somalia Global terrorism Africa guardian.co.uk
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Apple CEO Steve Jobs may have passed away, but his impact on consumer technology and mobility will be felt for years to come says David Carroll, Associate Professor of media design at Parsons School in New York. (Oct. 5)
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Apple CEO Steve Jobs may have passed away, but his impact on consumer technology and mobility will be felt for years to come says David Carroll, Associate Professor of media design at Parsons School in New York. (Oct. 5)
Continue reading …Bahrain—apparently giving way to international pressure—has ordered retrials for 20 medical personnel who treated victims of the crackdown on anti-government protests earlier this year. The doctors and nurses, accused backing anti-government protests and attempting to overthrow the country’s rulers, were sentenced to between 5 and 15 years in…
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Here’s an unaired version of Apple’s 1997 “Think Different” commercial that was narrated by Steve Jobs. via 9to5Mac Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Laughing Squid Discovery Date : 13/11/2010 20:38 Number of articles : 6
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Military denies plan to shoehorn one of its own into presidency after unveiling 18-month timetable for transition to civilian rule Egypt’s ruling military generals have unveiled plans that could see them retain power for another 18 months, increasing fears that the country’s democratic transition process is under threat. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) took control of Egypt after the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak in February, and initially promised to return to their barracks within six months. But since then the “roadmap” to an elected, civilian government has been beset by delays and controversies, fuelling speculation that the army could be buying time in an attempt to shoehorn one of their own senior commanders into the presidency. This week Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi denied that any candidates would emerge from the country’s powerful military establishment. “These are only rumours and we shouldn’t waste time talking about rumours,” said Egypt’s current de facto ruler, who provoked a frenzy of media coverage when he made an unprecedented appearance in civilian clothing on a Cairo street recently – a move many analysts described as a carefully orchestrated political stunt. “The armed forces have no interest in staying in power for a long time,” he claimed on Thursday. However, he added, “we will not leave Egypt until we have fulfilled all we promised and do our duty towards the people.” Amid growing unease at SCAF policies, which have included a reintroduction of Mubarak-era emergency laws, the persistent use of military tribunals against civilians, and stringent crackdowns on public protest and freedom of speech, the generals have now finally unveiled an explicit timetable for transition. Elections to the upper and lower houses of Egypt’s parliament are set to begin in November and will be staggered across several months, with the new chambers coming together to form a provisional constitutional assembly in March or April next year. According to the military’s schedule the subsequent writing of a new constitution, followed by a national referendum, means that presidential elections will probably not be held until well in 2013 – with SCAF likely to continue ruling the country until then. The decision has split political parties, many of which had been mulling a boycott of the upcoming parliamentary elections due to disagreements over electoral procedure. Some critics accused SCAF of designing the poll in such a way as to allow remnants of the Mubarak regime to gain a strong showing in the final ballot; the military council has now amended the law to assuage some of the parties’ concerns, but bitter divisions remain over exactly how to proceed. The Muslim Brotherhood and several presidential hopefuls, including the former Arab League chief Amr Moussa and the Islamist intellectual Mohammad Salim al-Awa, have called for a much quicker handover to civilian rule. A number of youth-led coalitions, comprised of revolutionaries who helped lead the anti-Mubarak uprising earlier this year, have also complained of being shut out of the political process and have condemned the traditional parties for striking back-room deals with SCAF. Egypt Middle East Africa Arab and Middle East unrest Hosni Mubarak Jack Shenker guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Reliance on government benefits even higher than during depth of recession
October 6, 2011 No CommentMore evidence that for many, the “recovery” hasn’t been much better than the recession. Nearly half of all Americans lived in a household that received some kind of government benefit during the first three months of last year, the Wall Street Journal reports, based on new Census data. That’s even higher than the figure recorded
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Former NBA MVP Shaquille O’Neal was in New York Wednesday to promote the NBA Jam video game, and offered his thoughts on the NBA lockout, and players going to overseas teams. (Oct. 5)
Continue reading …To the surprise of no one : After months of leaving her fans guessing, Palin said in a statement that she and her husband Todd “devote ourselves to God, family and country.” She said her decision maintains that order. Palin sent the statement to supporters. She told conservative radio host Mark Levin that she would not consider a third party candidacy because it would assure President Barack Obama’s reelection. In a video posted on YouTube, Palin said, “you don’t need an office or a title to make a difference.” I think it’s particularly telling that Palin thinks of the presidency of the United States as little more than a “title” and “office”…as if she’s opting not to run in another of her pageants. And I’m sure we’re all happy to know that Palin really soul-searched to come to the decision to forgo that title : “ If I say no to the opportunity that’s in front of me, politically speaking, will I die?,” she said, discussing her decision making process. “But no, after making the decision today and making the announcement, I know beyond a shadow of the doubt … I know that it’s the right decision.” Whew, that’s a relief. But truly, who thought this would turn out any other way? Elections and campaigning are hard work…white papers…interviews with non-friendly media asking those “gotcha” questions like what magazines you read…having to be on the alert to not incite violence against members of Congress…having to report your donations and comply with FEC restrictions…that’s no fun. It far more lucrative to give speeches and be Roger Ailes’ man magnet EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s minute 16. Bye-bye Sarah. It’s been fun.
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