Teenager killed after twin blasts strike near bus stops in Jerusalem

November 23, 2022 Article

A teenager has died and at least 18 others have been hurt after two explosions near bus stops in Jerusalem, in what police said were suspected attacks by Palestinians.

The first blast occurred near a bus stop on the edge of the city, where many commuters gather during rush hour. The second detonation took place in Ramot, a neighbourhood in the city’s north.

The victim was identified as 15-year-old Aryeh Shechopek, who was heading to a Jewish seminary when the blast went off, according to a notice announcing his death.

The apparent attacks came as Israeli-Palestinian tensions are high, following months of Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank prompted by a spate of deadly attacks against Israelis that killed 19 people. There has been a surge in Palestinian attacks in recent weeks.

The violence also comes as former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds coalition talks after national elections and is likely to form what is expected to be Israel’s most right-wing government.

Police said their initial findings showed that explosive devices were placed at the two sites. The twin blasts occurred amid the buzz of rush hour traffic and police closed part of a main highway leading out of the city, where the first explosion went off.

Video from shortly after the first blast showed debris strewn along the pavement as the wail of ambulances blared.

Yosef Haim Gabay, a medic who was at the scene when the first blast occurred, told Israeli Army Radio:

“It was a crazy explosion. There is damage everywhere here.

“I saw people with wounds bleeding all over the place.”

While Palestinians have carried out stabbings, car rammings and shootings in recent years, bombings have become very rare since the end of a Palestinian uprising nearly two decades ago.

The Islamic militant Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and once carried out suicide bombings against Israelis, praised the perpetrators of the attacks, calling it a heroic operation, but stopped short of claiming responsibility.

Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua said: “The occupation is reaping the price of its crimes and aggression against our people.”

Itamar Ben-Gvir, an extremist legislator who has called for the death penalty for Palestinian attackers and who is set to become the minister in charge of police under Mr Netanyahu, said the attack gave him the impetus to take a tougher stance on Palestinian attackers.

“It’s time to take a hard line against terrorists, it’s time to make order,” he tweeted.

More than 130 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli-Palestinian fighting in the West Bank and east Jerusalem this year, making 2022 the deadliest year since 2006. The Israeli army said most of the Palestinians killed have been militants.

However, stone-throwing youths protesting against the incursions and others not involved in confrontations have also been killed.

At least five more Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks in recent weeks.

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Categories: Attack, Blast, Israeli, Jerusalem, Jewish teenager, Palestinian, Palestinian militants, tension

Rachel Riley Awarded £50,000 in Libel Damages

November 16, 2022 Article

Rachel Riley has been awarded £50,000 in damages after winning a libel claim against a political blogger over an article claiming she was a “serial abuser”.

Ms Riley, who appears on the Channel 4 show Countdown, sued Mike Sivier after he published an article on his website Vox Political in January 2019 with the headline “Serial abuser Rachel Riley to receive ‘extra protection’ – on grounds that she is receiving abuse”.

The article discussed tweets posted as part of an online debate on antisemitism in the Labour Party, some of which were exchanged between Ms Riley and a user who identified herself then as a 16-year-old called Rose in December 2018 and January 2019.

A judge previously found that Mr Sivier’s article would be read as claiming Ms Riley “engaged upon, supported and encouraged a campaign of online abuse and harassment of a 16-year-old girl”, allegations denied by Ms Riley.

Mr Sivier defended the libel claim by arguing he had a “reasonable belief” it was in the public interest to publish the claims in the article.

However, in a judgment on Wednesday, Mrs Justice Steyn ruled in favour of Ms Riley, granting her the five-figure sum in damages as well as an injunction requiring Mr Sivier to remove the article and not repeat it.

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Categories: libel, Libel Claim, Mike Sivier, Rachel Riley, Vox Political

UN: Taliban has plunged Afghanistan into ‘dire’ conditions

November 11, 2022 Article

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution accusing the Taliban of violating the human rights of Afghan women and girls, failing to establish a representative government and plunging the country into “dire economic, humanitarian and social conditions”.

The resolution also pointed to persistent violence in the country since the Taliban takeover 15 months ago and the presence of terrorist groups such as al-Qaida and the so-called Islamic State and their affiliates as well as the presence of “foreign terrorist fighters”.

Germany’s UN ambassador, Antje Leendertse, had hoped the 193-member General Assembly would approve the German-facilitated resolution by consensus.

But a vote was requested and it was adopted 116-0, with 10 countries abstaining — Russia, China, Belarus, Burundi, North Korea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Nicaragua, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Some 67 countries did not vote.

General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, unlike Security Council resolutions, but they do reflect world opinion.

The adoption came the same day the Taliban, which already banned girls from secondary school, stopped women from using gyms and parks.

Before the vote, Ms Leendertse told the assembly that since the Taliban came to power in August 2021 Afghanistan has seen “a massive economic contraction and humanitarian crisis” which has left half the population facing “critical levels of food insecurity”.

“We expect a harsh winter and levels of needs that we have not seen in the last decades with little prospect for economic recovery and reduction of poverty,” she said.

Introducing the resolution, Ms Leendertse told the assembly the Taliban control the country but are not living up to their responsibility toward meeting the needs of the Afghan people.

“The resolution is a clear call to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, develop inclusive governance and fight terrorism,” she said.

“It contains a clear message that without that, there cannot be business as usual and no pathway toward recognition.”

The resolution pledges continued UN support for the Afghan people “in order to rebuild a stable, secure and economically self-sufficient state, free of terrorism, narcotics, transnational organised crime, including trafficking in persons, and corruption, and to strengthen the foundations of a constitutional democracy as a responsible member of the international community”.

It calls for improved access for aid workers and recognises the need to help address Afghanistan’s economic challenges, including efforts to restore the banking and financial systems and enabling Central Bank assets – held mainly in the US – to be used to help the Afghan people.

The resolution expresses deep concern at human rights abuses against women and girls, including sexual violence, and calls on the Taliban to promote “full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women in all aspects of Afghan society”.

It condemns all attacks, reprisals and violence against journalists and media workers and calls for their perpetrators to be brought to justice.

The resolution reaffirms the assembly’s expectation that the Taliban will live up to its commitments to allow the safe departure of all Afghans and foreign nationals that want to leave the country.

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Categories: Afghan, girls, human rights, Taliban

UN: Taliban has plunged Afghanistan into ‘dire’ conditions

November 11, 2022 Article

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution accusing the Taliban of violating the human rights of Afghan women and girls, failing to establish a representative government and plunging the country into “dire economic, humanitarian and social conditions”.

The resolution also pointed to persistent violence in the country since the Taliban takeover 15 months ago and the presence of terrorist groups such as al-Qaida and the so-called Islamic State and their affiliates as well as the presence of “foreign terrorist fighters”.

Germany’s UN ambassador, Antje Leendertse, had hoped the 193-member General Assembly would approve the German-facilitated resolution by consensus.

But a vote was requested and it was adopted 116-0, with 10 countries abstaining — Russia, China, Belarus, Burundi, North Korea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Nicaragua, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Some 67 countries did not vote.

General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, unlike Security Council resolutions, but they do reflect world opinion.

The adoption came the same day the Taliban, which already banned girls from secondary school, stopped women from using gyms and parks.

Before the vote, Ms Leendertse told the assembly that since the Taliban came to power in August 2021 Afghanistan has seen “a massive economic contraction and humanitarian crisis” which has left half the population facing “critical levels of food insecurity”.

“We expect a harsh winter and levels of needs that we have not seen in the last decades with little prospect for economic recovery and reduction of poverty,” she said.

Introducing the resolution, Ms Leendertse told the assembly the Taliban control the country but are not living up to their responsibility toward meeting the needs of the Afghan people.

“The resolution is a clear call to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, develop inclusive governance and fight terrorism,” she said.

“It contains a clear message that without that, there cannot be business as usual and no pathway toward recognition.”

The resolution pledges continued UN support for the Afghan people “in order to rebuild a stable, secure and economically self-sufficient state, free of terrorism, narcotics, transnational organised crime, including trafficking in persons, and corruption, and to strengthen the foundations of a constitutional democracy as a responsible member of the international community”.

It calls for improved access for aid workers and recognises the need to help address Afghanistan’s economic challenges, including efforts to restore the banking and financial systems and enabling Central Bank assets – held mainly in the US – to be used to help the Afghan people.

The resolution expresses deep concern at human rights abuses against women and girls, including sexual violence, and calls on the Taliban to promote “full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women in all aspects of Afghan society”.

It condemns all attacks, reprisals and violence against journalists and media workers and calls for their perpetrators to be brought to justice.

The resolution reaffirms the assembly’s expectation that the Taliban will live up to its commitments to allow the safe departure of all Afghans and foreign nationals that want to leave the country.

The post UN: Taliban has plunged Afghanistan into ‘dire’ conditions appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: Afghan, girls, human rights, Taliban

Police officer killed in suspected terror attack in Brussels

November 10, 2022 Article

A police officer has died and another was injured following a stabbing attack in Brussels, which a Belgian judicial official said was suspected to be terrorism-linked.

The suspected attacker was shot and “neutralised” after the stabbing and taken to hospital, Belgian police said.

“One of our patrols was attacked by a man armed with a knife,” police said.

“The two police officers then called for reinforcements. An officer from another patrol used his firearm to neutralise the attacker.”

Police added: “The two injured detectives and the assailant were taken to hospital.”

A judicial official who could not be quoted by name because the investigation is ongoing told The Associated Press there is “a suspicion of a terror attack”.

The official did not elaborate.

According to Belgian media, the attacker shouted “Allahu akbar”, the Arabic phrase for “God is great”.

Le Soir newspaper said the dead police officer was stabbed in the neck and died in hospital.

Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo posted a message of condolence to the family and friends of the dead officer.

“Our police officers risk their lives every day to ensure the safety of our citizens,” he said.

“Today’s tragedy demonstrates this once again.”

Interior minister Annelies Verlinden said she was in contact with the Brussels mayor, police chief and security services to co-ordinate the response to the attack.

“Such violence against our people is unacceptable,” she said.

The attack took place at about 7.15pm local time.

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Categories: Allahu Akbar, Belgian, Islamist attack, Police Officer, Terror Attack

Man who attacked Jews, including boy, 14, had prayer to protect against ‘enemy’

November 10, 2022 Article

A man has been found guilty of carrying out antisemitic attacks on three Jews after travelling to north London from West Yorkshire.

Abdullah Qureshi’s targets included a 14-year-old boy on his way to school and a 64-year-old man, who was knocked out as he made his way to the synagogue.

The 30-year-old also hit a teacher in the head with a plastic bottle as he carried out the attacks over a two-hour period last August 18 in the Stamford Hill area, which is known for its orthodox Jewish population.

Qureshi claimed “it was just a coincidence” his three victims were all wearing traditional orthodox Jewish clothing and said he lashed out after becoming “angrier and angrier” following a row in a shop.

But prosecutor Varinder Hayre suggested to Qureshi he travelled from his home in Dewsbury to target Jews because “you hate them”.

Following a trial at Stratford Magistrates’ Court in east London, District Judge John Law on Thursday found Qureshi guilty of inflicting religiously aggravated grievous bodily harm and two counts of religiously aggravated assault by beating.

“The three complainants not only were orthodox Jews but were clearly identifiable as such,” said the judge.

“I am drawn to the inescapable conclusion that their selection by this defendant was not a coincidence.”

Mr Law committed the case to Snaresbrook Crown Court for sentencing on December 8, granting Qureshi bail on the condition he does not enter the London borough of Hackney.

Qureshi had previously pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Jacob Lipschitz and assaulting Chaine Greenfeld, without the religiously aggravated element, in pleas initially accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

But prosecutors were allowed to reinstate the charges, including the religiously aggravated element, along with a further charge against then then 14-year-old boy, following complaints from campaigners.

Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Yasmin Lalani said: “We will not tolerate hate crime of any form in London.

“The Met has a zero-tolerance policy for hate crime.

“We want to build safe and strong communities where people say no to hate crime.”

Qureshi, playing Arabic music on his mobile phone, hit Mr Greenfeld in the head with a bottle as he stood in the street at around 6.40pm, the court was told.

“I felt shocked,” Mr Greenfield said while giving evidence from behind a screen.

“When I came home, I was quite traumatised and it traumatised my kids that their father was slapped like that in the road.”

Asked why he thought he was attacked, Mr Greenfeld said: “He wanted to attack me about I’m another religion – that I’m Jewish.

“It shouldn’t be happening another time to our community, to our religion, and it should be everything peaceful as I thought as a young child that London is a peaceful and safe place and as I said, it’s not really.”

Qureshi slapped the 14-year-old, who cannot be identified because of his age, as he walked to an orthodox Jewish school at about 7.45pm.

“The man said nothing to me and just slapped me and walked away,” the teenager said in a statement read in court.

“That’s not good for me or anyone who is Jewish or anyone else. That must not happen to anyone.”

The prosecutor said Mr Lipschitz, then 64, was walking to the synagogue at about 8.30pm when he was punched on the ear with “tremendous power”, causing him to hit his head on the wall of a building with “such force” it left him unconscious.

He was left with broken glasses, facial bruising, a sprained ankle and four breaks in his foot, which twisted as he collapsed.

Mr Lipschitz said he was “traumatised” by the attack and left with post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I used to be walking the street tall and strong and confident and now I’m just a cowardly wreck. Any noise, I jump,” he said.

Asked why he believes he was targeted, Mr Lipschitz told the judge: “I imagine he didn’t like me, I will be honest with you, sir, because I’m Jewish.”

Qureshi was arrested after his father recognised him in a police appeal.

Officers found a message on his mobile called: “Dua for protection from your enemy.”

A dua is a type of Islamic prayer.

“Oh Allah, we ask You to restrain them by their necks and we seek refuge in You from their evil,” it read.

Ms Hayre suggested Qureshi considers Jewish people to be “evil” and his “enemy”.

“You don’t like Jewish people,” she said.

“When you attacked those people they were in vulnerable positions, by themselves. They were standing, facing you in Jewish clothing while they were on their own.”

But Qureshi said he has “nothing against Jewish people” and insisted: “It was just a coincidence.

“It was nothing to do with what clothing people were wearing. I was just angry.”

He claimed he grew “angrier and angrier” after an argument in a shop, adding: “I just lashed out because I was angry, wound up.”

Qureshi told the court he was in London to visit relatives and was staying overnight in the area because he found a cheap room at a hostel there.

He said he was “shopping for food” and sightseeing, “visiting the cemetery” and monuments on the day of the attacks.

“I didn’t mean any harm,” he said.

“I would like to apologise for any harm caused and the distress caused to Mr Greenfeld and Mr Lipschitz.”

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Categories: Abdullah Qureshi, Antisemitism, Dewsbury, Jews, Orthodox Jewish population, Stamford Hill

MPs hear Iranian security forces ‘threaten’ the lives of UK-based journalists

November 8, 2022 Article

British-Iranian journalists based in the UK have been warned by police that Iran’s revolutionary guard “threatens their lives”, MPs have heard.

Conservative MP Bob Blackman raised the “credible threats” in the House of Commons during Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) questions.

The MP for Harrow East urged the UK Government to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.

It comes after Iran International, a UK-based Persian-language news channel, said two of its team had been notified of an increase in threats to them.

Anti-government protests have raged in Iran for several weeks.

The protesters are calling for the overthrow of clerical rule following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police.

Mr Blackman, who last month said he had been sanctioned by Iran, told the Commons: “Thousands of Iranians have been arrested for just demonstrating their support for people who have been murdered.

“Now I’ve been supplied with long list of people who have been sentenced to death for just protesting.

“And even worse now, British-Iranian reporters who are now sited in the UK have been issued with credible threats by the police that the IRGC threatens their lives.

“What more does the IRGC have to do before we proscribe them in their entirety?”

Foreign Office minister David Rutley replied: “I know (Mr Blackman) feels very strongly about these issues and has raised them at the highest level with FCDO ministers.

“We’ve been clear about our concerns with the IRGC’s continued destabilising activity throughout the region and the UK maintains a range of sanctions that work to constrain that destabilising activity.

“The list of proscribed organisations is kept under constant review but we do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not under consideration for proscription.”

Iran International, in a statement, said it was “shocked and deeply concerned by the credible threats to life its Iranian-British journalists have received from the IRGC”.

It said: “Two of our British-Iranian journalists have, in recent days, been notified of an increase in the threats to them.

“The UK Met Police have now formally notified both journalists that these threats represent an imminent & significant risk to their lives and those of their families.”

It added other staff members have “also been informed directly” by the Metropolitan Police of “separate threats”.

Several other MPs from across the political spectrum also echoed Mr Blackman’s comments and called for the IRGC to be proscribed.

Tory MP Gary Sambrook (Birmingham, Northfield) said: “Not content with being the world’s largest state sponsor of international terrorism, Iran is using its same terror enforcer, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to brutally repress its own people.

“And it’s also now arming and training the Russian army in their barbaric invasion of Ukraine, and so in the same vein as my honourable friend for Harrow East, does the minister think it’s now time to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?”

Meanwhile, Labour MP John Cryer (Leyton and Wanstead) asked: “The IRGC has led and organised the brutal crackdown on protesters in Iran. What do these fascist thugs have to do to get themselves designated as a terrorist organisation?”

Mr Rutley said he was not able to add anything further to the point he had already made to Mr Blackman.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: “We do not comment on matters of protective security in relation to any specific individuals.

“We would advise anyone with concerns over their safety to contact police so that officers can assess the situation and offer any safety and security advice as and where necessary.”

The post MPs hear Iranian security forces ‘threaten’ the lives of UK-based journalists appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: Bob Blackman, British Iranian journalists, IRGC, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp, Mahsa Amini, MPS, Threats to life

MPs hear Iranian security forces ‘threaten’ the lives of UK-based journalists

November 8, 2022 Article

British-Iranian journalists based in the UK have been warned by police that Iran’s revolutionary guard “threatens their lives”, MPs have heard.

Conservative MP Bob Blackman raised the “credible threats” in the House of Commons during Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) questions.

The MP for Harrow East urged the UK Government to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.

It comes after Iran International, a UK-based Persian-language news channel, said two of its team had been notified of an increase in threats to them.

Anti-government protests have raged in Iran for several weeks.

The protesters are calling for the overthrow of clerical rule following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police.

Mr Blackman, who last month said he had been sanctioned by Iran, told the Commons: “Thousands of Iranians have been arrested for just demonstrating their support for people who have been murdered.

“Now I’ve been supplied with long list of people who have been sentenced to death for just protesting.

“And even worse now, British-Iranian reporters who are now sited in the UK have been issued with credible threats by the police that the IRGC threatens their lives.

“What more does the IRGC have to do before we proscribe them in their entirety?”

Foreign Office minister David Rutley replied: “I know (Mr Blackman) feels very strongly about these issues and has raised them at the highest level with FCDO ministers.

“We’ve been clear about our concerns with the IRGC’s continued destabilising activity throughout the region and the UK maintains a range of sanctions that work to constrain that destabilising activity.

“The list of proscribed organisations is kept under constant review but we do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not under consideration for proscription.”

Iran International, in a statement, said it was “shocked and deeply concerned by the credible threats to life its Iranian-British journalists have received from the IRGC”.

It said: “Two of our British-Iranian journalists have, in recent days, been notified of an increase in the threats to them.

“The UK Met Police have now formally notified both journalists that these threats represent an imminent & significant risk to their lives and those of their families.”

It added other staff members have “also been informed directly” by the Metropolitan Police of “separate threats”.

Several other MPs from across the political spectrum also echoed Mr Blackman’s comments and called for the IRGC to be proscribed.

Tory MP Gary Sambrook (Birmingham, Northfield) said: “Not content with being the world’s largest state sponsor of international terrorism, Iran is using its same terror enforcer, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to brutally repress its own people.

“And it’s also now arming and training the Russian army in their barbaric invasion of Ukraine, and so in the same vein as my honourable friend for Harrow East, does the minister think it’s now time to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?”

Meanwhile, Labour MP John Cryer (Leyton and Wanstead) asked: “The IRGC has led and organised the brutal crackdown on protesters in Iran. What do these fascist thugs have to do to get themselves designated as a terrorist organisation?”

Mr Rutley said he was not able to add anything further to the point he had already made to Mr Blackman.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: “We do not comment on matters of protective security in relation to any specific individuals.

“We would advise anyone with concerns over their safety to contact police so that officers can assess the situation and offer any safety and security advice as and where necessary.”

The post MPs hear Iranian security forces ‘threaten’ the lives of UK-based journalists appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: Bob Blackman, British Iranian journalists, IRGC, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp, Mahsa Amini, MPS, Threats to life

BBC made ‘significant editorial failings’ in report into antisemitic bus attack

November 7, 2022 Article

Media watchdog Ofcom has concluded the BBC committed “significant editorial failings” in its reporting of an antisemitic attack on Jewish students travelling on a bus in London.

The body said its investigation found the broadcaster failed to observe its editorial guidelines to report news with “due accuracy and due impartiality”.

The incident on November 29 2021 saw a group of about 40 young Jewish people aboard a Hanukkah party bus in London’s Oxford Street attacked by a group of men who swore, made obscene gestures and threw a shopping basket at them.

In its coverage, the BBC reported that an anti-Muslim slur had been heard from inside the bus.

Following BBC coverage on December 2, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Chief Rabbi were among a significant number of groups and individuals who complained to the broadcaster about the accuracy and impartiality of the coverage.

Ofcom said in a statement: “Our investigation uncovered significant editorial failings in the BBC’s reporting of an antisemitic attack on Jewish students travelling on board a bus in London.

“The BBC’s reports claimed that an audio recording made during the incident included anti-Muslim slurs – which it later changed to the singular ‘slur’ – which came from inside the bus. Shortly afterwards, it received evidence which disputed this interpretation of the audio.

“The BBC failed to promptly acknowledge that the audio was disputed and did not update its online news article to reflect this for almost eight weeks. During this time the BBC was aware that the article’s content was causing significant distress and anxiety to the victims of the attack and the wider Jewish community.

“This, in our opinion, was a significant failure to observe its editorial guidelines to report news with due accuracy and due impartiality.”

Ofcom said it had also investigated a connected report broadcast on BBC London News, concluding that “at the time it was broadcast and for the 24-hour period it was available on the BBC iPlayer, the programme did not breach our rules”.

It added: “That said, the BBC made a serious editorial misjudgment by not reporting on air, at any point, that the claim it had made about anti-Muslim slurs was disputed, once new evidence emerged.”

The watchdog said the BBC’s “failure to respond promptly and transparently created an impression of defensiveness by the BBC among the Jewish community”.

Ofcom said the BBC has “further to go” in learning how to responding to critiques of its reporting.

It will also review how the broadcaster addressed the complaint, handling and transparency issues raised by the incident.

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Almost a year after the BBC’s abominable coverage of an antisemitic incident on Oxford Street, Ofcom has seen what every viewer and reader of the BBC’s coverage could but which the BBC itself refused to accept: its reportage added insult to the injury already inflicted on the victims and the Jewish community, and abysmally failed to meet the most basic editorial standards.

“Ofcom’s decision today begins to undo that insult.

“Sadly, the BBC’s stonewalling is exactly what British Jews have come to expect from our public broadcaster.

“Now that Ofcom has warned the BBC after the BBC disgracefully failed to uphold our complaints against it, it has become clear as day that a Parliamentary inquiry into the BBC focusing on its coverage of issues relating to Jews is warranted, and we have joined the Jewish Chronicle and others calling for one.”

The Ofcom investigation followed one by the BBC’s own executive complaints unit (ECU), which concluded both the online and TV story “did not meet the BBC’s standards of due accuracy”.

In the January following the coverage, the BBC issued an apology and confirmed it had amended the story on its website, also issuing a clarification of the TV report aired on the same day.

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Categories: Anti-Muslim slur, Antisemitism, BBC, Chabad, OFCOM, Oxford Street, Oxford Street Attack

Saudi security arrests Yemeni after ‘pilgrimage for Queen Elizabeth’

September 14, 2022 Article

Saudi Arabian officials arrested a Yemeni resident after he appeared in a video at the Grand Mosque in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, carrying a banner that said he was performing a minor pilgrimage for Queen Elizabeth II.

Security forces at the Grand Mosque arrested him for “violating regulations and instructions for umrah,” according to a statement late on Monday referring to rules regarding pilgrimages.

He was referred to prosecution, it added.

State TV channel al-Ekhbariya aired the video on Tuesday, but blurred the man’s face and the banner.

In the video, which was shared on social media, the man wrote in English: “Umrah to the soul of Queen Elizabeth II. May Allah grants her a place in the heaven and accepts her among the righteous people.”

Umrah is a minor pilgrimage performed by Muslims and can be undertaken at any time during the year. A pilgrim can perform umrah on behalf of a deceased Muslim.

Saudi Arabia bans pilgrims in Mecca from carrying banners, or any other protest manifestations.

The queen, who died on Thursday at the age of 96, was a staunch Christian. She was the head of the Church of England.

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Categories: arrest, Grand Mosque, Queen Elizabeth, Saudi security, umrah, Yemeni