Showing posts with label Terrorist attack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terrorist attack. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Father of London Bridge terrorist attack victim condems Boris Johnson’s comments as ‘beyond disgusting’

“Don’t use my son’s death, and his and his colleague’s photos – to promote your vile propaganda. Jack stood against everything you stand for – hatred, division, ignorance.”

TMV TEAM

This Friday’s London Bridge attack, saw convicted terrorist Usman Khan kill two and injure five innocent bystanders after attending an event at Fishmonger’s Hall on the rehabilitation of prisoners and the formerly incarcerated. Khan, who had previously been arrested in 2012 for planning to blow up the London Stock Exchange, was sentenced to 16 years in prison. He was shot to death on Friday when police attempted to restrain him.
The two people killed during this attack have been named as 23 year old Saskia Jones and 25 year old Jack Merritt. Since the horrifying attack, however, UK political parties have been quick to use this sensitive time for election-biased political backbiting. On the Conservative party’s official Twitter page, they posted:
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who leads the Conservative Party, has long been criticized for his open Islamophobia, racism, xenophobia, and this most recent attempt by him and his party to use the deaths of two victims for political backbiting has caused the father of Jack Merritt, one of those tragically killed, to speak out against it. David Merritt, the father of Jack, took to Twitter to express his shock and anger:
Don’t use my son’s death, and his and his colleague’s photos – to promote your vile propaganda. Jack stood against everything you stand for – hatred, division, ignorance.”
Many have rushed to defend David Merritt, supporting him and calling out both the Conservative party as well as media outlets who have used these tragic deaths for political gain, especially with the upcoming December 12th general election.
The London Bridge attack on Friday has left London reeling, but also committed to stay together despite those who attempt to foster divisive rhetoric. A memorial service and vigil took place today on Monday in both London and Cambridge, where Merritt and Jones were both graduates in criminology from the University of Cambridge. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan stated during the memorial service:
The best way to defeat this hatred is not by turning on one another, but it’s by focussing on the values that bind us, to take hope from the heroism of ordinary Londoners and our emergency services who ran towards danger, risking their lives to help people they didn’t even know.”
Our prayers and thoughts go out to the families and loved ones of both Jack and Saskia, and let us hope that the tireless work that they gave their lives for will be remembered and protected.
TMV Team
The Muslim Vibe's shared team account! TMV is a grassroots media platform with an aim to inspire, inform and empower Western Muslims; through powerful and engaging Islamic content.
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Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Terrorist Attacks Leave Hundreds Dead in Sri Lanka

Crescent International
The Easter Sunday carnage in Sri Lanka has revived painful memories of the long-drawn out Tamil campaign of suicide bombings that was crushed a decade ago.
According to reports from Colombo, several Catholic Churches as well as hotels popular with foreign tourists were targeted leaving about 300 dead and more than 500 injured so far.
Given the scale of carnage resulting from the devastating bomb attacks, a government spokesman said the attackers had links to foreign networks.
Both the Israeli Mossad as well ISIS terrorists have been mentioned as possible suspects in various unofficial reports.
There were at least seven suicide bombers involved according to investigators, as well as truck bombs.
The government imposed a state of emergency that gives vast powers to the police to arrest suspects without a court order. A night curfew was also imposed going into effect at 8pm (local time).
The police had received a tip-off on April 11 from a foreign intelligence service of a possible attack on churches.
It was not immediately clear what action, if any, was taken on the tip-off.
Police said 24 people had been arrested, all of whom were Sri Lankan, but they gave no further details.
Cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said an international network was involved.
“We do not believe these attacks were carried out by a group of people who were confined to this country,” Senaratne said.
“There was an international network without which these attacks could not have succeeded.”
Why the bombings were carried out was also not immediately clear.
President Maithripala Sirisena said his government would seek foreign assistance to track the overseas links.
The hotels targeted included the Cinnamon Grand, Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Tropical Inn ─ all in Colombo.
The bombings occurred when guests were having breakfast. Eyewitnesses reported people lying on the hotel floor bleeding. Some lay motionless, perhaps dead.
Among churches, there was one in Colombo (St Anthony’s Shrine), one in Negombo (St Sebastian’s Church) and another one in Batticaloa (Zeon Church) that were targeted.
The death toll was so high because worshippers were at church for Sunday mass. Easter Sunday is one of the holiest days in Christianity.
Christians believe that the Prophet Jesus (as) rose from the death and went to heaven on this day.
Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country with Christians making up 7 percent of the total population that is predominantly Buddhist (70%).
The predominant population is Sinhala (Buddhist) while Tamils who are mainly Hindus but also some Christians among them make up 10% of the population.
For three decades the Tamils that reside mostly in the north of the island state, led a bombing campaign to secure a separate homeland.
The Tamil campaign was finally crushed in 2009 and Sri Lanka finally witnessed some peace. The latest bombings have revived fears of the bad old days.
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Sunday, April 21, 2019

Zarif slams Sri Lankan blasts; calls for global response to terrorism

Zarif slams Sri Lankan blasts; calls for global response to terrorism

TEHRAN, Apr. 21 (MNA) – The Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has condemned today's deadly terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, calling for a global condemnation and fight against terrorism.
"Terribly saddened by terrorist attacks on Sri Lankan worshippers during Easter," Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote in a tweet a few hours after eight explosions targeted various places, including churches and five-star hotels in Sri Lanka today, killing 160 people so far and wounding more than 400 others. The Sri Lankan government is reported to have declared a curfew and and shut access to the internet.
"Condolences to friendly govt & people of Sri Lanka. Our thoughts & prayers with the victims & their families," the top Iranian diplomat added in his post. while calling for a global response to terrorists by saying that  "terrorism is a global menace with no religion: it must be condemned & confronted globally."
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Thursday, April 18, 2019

Imran khan's visit to Iran; Requirements & Opportunities

Tehran, April 17 - IRNA - Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan is scheduled to meet Iran Supreme Leader and the President on April 21st and 22nd, during his 2 day official visit to Iran.

Pakistan recently confirmed that Prime Minister Imran Khan will pay an official visit to Iran in near future but experts believe that his visit was conducted to balance Iran and Saudi Arabia relations and some Pakistani media have also said that the visit will focus on border security of the two countries, expantion of trade relations and talks about completion of Iran-Pakistan Gas pipeline (IP).

*** Iran-Pakistan Trade expansion; an essential step

Iran's exports to Pakistan have increased by around 38 percent during 11 months of past Iranian year 1397 which ended on March 20, 2019.
According to the figures of Iranian embassy in Islamabad, trade between Iran and Pakistan has witnessed a considerable growth. 

During the year 1397, Iran exported products worth $1.128 to Pakistan registering 28 percent growth in terms of weight which stood at 2489 tons. 

According to the latest facts and figures Pakistan is the eighth most favorite destination for Iranian exports, while China is on top of the list with Iraq the second and the United Arab Emirates being at third place. 

Despite the banking and customs issues the trade between Iran and Pakistan has been increasing but still it is below its potential targets.

*** Iran-Pakistan cooperation
Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was the first top foreign diplomat to visit Pakistan after the new government took office.

Pakistan has dispatched a load of over 32 tons humanitarian supplies to flood-hit Iran depicting close ties between the two states.

Earlier Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani had discussed bilateral and security relations in a telephone call. 

Imran Khan expressed his heartfelt condolences on the terrorist attack in Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran on neighborhood with Pakistan which 27 Iranian guards were killed. The two leaders agreed on the need for closer cooperation among the two intelligence agencies to combat terrorism.

In past, Pakistan tried to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia but all those diplomatic efforts failed to achieve the desired results.
Officials familiar with the agenda of the prime minister’s upcoming visit said Imran Khan would reiterate Pakistan’s proposal and call for unity among all the Muslim countries to deal with common challenges.

Prime Minister Imran Khan in an important statement last year said Pakistan will no longer act as a hired gun in someone else's war showing his resolve to pursue an independent foreign policy.

Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost while interacting with local media had stated that external factors and third party cannot harm all-weather friendship between Iran and Pakistan. 
He noted that Iran and Pakistan have lots of achievements in regional issues against their enemies.

Analysts say that Iran, having the world’s third largest oil reserves and rich natural gas resources, is also capable of feeding the industry of Pakistan.

Despite the problems and lack of banking channel trade between Iran and Pakistan is increasing, Iran's exports to Pakistan increased by around 38 percent during 11 months of past Iranian year 1397 which ended on March 20, 2019.

During last Iranian year 1397, Iran exported products worth $1.128 to Pakistan. There is also 28 percent increase in the weight of the exported items which stood at 2489 tons.

Leaders of Iran and Pakistan have already agreed to enhance the bilateral trade volume to $5 billion in the next five years.

Iran has expressed its desire to join China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. It is said that Iran with its vast energy sources can play a major role in making the CPEC a success. 

The two countries in order to enhance their trade ties have already declared Chabahar and Gwadar ports as sister ports which will complement each other. 

Iran and Pakistan are not just close neighbors but two important countries of the Muslim world and their cooperation is useful for the whole Muslim Ummah.

*** Iran - Pakistan border management

Pakistan has promised to boost security cooperation with Iran, saying that the two neighboring countries are considering fencing the common border to keep terrorists in check.

“We both are considering fencing the border so that no third party could sabotage the brotherly and friendly relations through any nefarious act,” Army spokesperson and director-general of Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR) Major General Asif Gafoor said.

Islamabad plans to fence 950 kilometers of the border linking Pakistan’s Balochistan Province with Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Pakistani media quoted him as saying. 

Gafoor’s comments came days after a terrorist attack originating from inside the borders of Pakistan killed 27 members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Iran.

On 2018 February, a bomber identified by the IRGC as Pakistani national Hafiz Mohammad Ali slammed his explosives-laden vehicle into a bus carrying off-duty IRGC members in Sistan Va Baluchestan.

The Pakistan-based Jaish ul-Adl Takfiri terrorist group, which has ties to al-Qaeda and the Al Saud regime, claimed responsibility.

Several attacks by Pakistan-based terrorist groups have in the past targeted Iranian security forces. Iran has always complained that Pakistan is not serious in confronting the terrorists. 
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