Germany: Minister wants Muslims to root out Islamists

Germany: Minister wants Muslims to root out Islamists

EU: Muslim students warn Obama world is not US playground

EU: Muslim students warn Obama world is not US playground

Via FNA:

The Union of Islamic Student Associations in Europe in a letter warned US President Barrack Obama to stop oppression against Muslim nations and support for long-time US allies and dictators in the region, saying that Islamic awakening, inspired by the Iranian Revolution, is spreading throughout the world and that the world is no more the US playground.

"Unlike the past, the world is no longer your playground where you make up rules and force them upon oppressed nations in order to determine their destiny. The nations of the world have vowed and are determined to shape their own destinies by overthrowing and driving out the western imposed puppets and dictators," the Union said in its letter.

(source)

EU: Slight drop in 2010 asylum applications

EU: Slight drop in 2010 asylum applications

Via Eurostat (PDF):

In 2010, there were 257 800 asylum applicants registered in the EU27, or 515 applicants per million inhabitants. It is estimated that around 90% of these were new applicants and around 10% were repeat applicants2. In 2009, there were 264 000 asylum applicants.

In 2010, the main countries of citizenship of these applicants were Afghanistan (20 600 or 8% of the total number of applicants), Russia (18 500 or 7%), Serbia (17 700 or 7%), Iraq (15 800 or 6%) and Somalia (14 400 or 6%).

(...)

In 2010, the highest number of applicants were registered in France (51 600 applicants) followed by Germany (48 500), Sweden (31 900), Belgium (26 100), the United Kingdom (23 700), the Netherlands (15 100), Austria (11 100), Greece (10 300), Italy (10 100) and Poland (6 500). These ten Member States accounted for more than 90% of applicants registered in the EU27 in 2010.

Sweden: Researchers explore Somali-autism link

Sweden: Researchers explore Somali-autism link

Via the Local:

Swedish researchers want to gain access to a databank of blood tests taken from all babies born in Sweden in order to shed light on an apparent heightened incidence of autism among the country's Somali population.

The researchers at the Autism centre for small children in Stockholm want to see if the samples contained in the so-called PKU register, which is used on newborns to detect a slew of illnesses, can explain the differences in levels of autism between children of Somali and children of Swedish origin.

"We want to look at the vitamin D levels at a very early stage in children who are later diagnosed with autism," Elisabeth Fernell at the Autism centre for small children told the Dagens Nyheter (DN) daily.

The tests will be conducted during the spring and include all of the autistic Somali children currently living in Stockholm, the newspaper reported.

(...)

Somalis living in Sweden have dubbed autism, "The Swedish disease," as it has become an increasingly common occurrence among Somali children that have moved to Sweden.

(source)

Wales: Muslims fearful of filling out census, says Islamic leader

Wales: Muslims fearful of filling out census, says Islamic leader

Via the Guardian:

The head of the Muslim Council for Wales says many Muslims in the city were fearful of filling out the census in 2001 and is urging the to fill out their census this weekend. Daniel Hewitt and Paul Heaney report

An Islamic organisation in Wales has said that some Muslims in Cardiff are fearful of filling in their census forms.

Sweden: Islamic Association invites antisemitic preacher

Sweden: Islamic Association invites antisemitic preacher

Swedish journalist Per Gudmundson adds on his blog that Sweden's Young Muslims are inviting Jamal Badawi to their upcoming youth conference. Per the Investigative Project on Terrorism (PDF), Badawi justifies suicide attacks as legitimate war tactics. Sweden suffered its first suicide attack this past December. Last year Sweden's Young Muslims were forced to cancel a visit by hate preacher Abdullah Hakim Quick.

Via the Local:

The Islamic Association in Sweden (Islamiska Förbundet) engaged lecturers with anti-Semitic opinions at a conference in Stockholm in December, with one known for spreading myths about Jewish conspiracies and ritual killings, reported the Dagens Nyheter (DN) daily.

Germany: New interior minister says Muslims belong

Germany: New interior minister says Muslims belong

For anyone keeping track, Friedrich was last criticized for saying that Islam is not historically part of Germany. Which doesn't really contradict any statement on whether German Muslims 'belong' in German society. Previously President Wulff said that 'Each of us needs to feel 'I belong', and last week Finance Minister Schäuble said that “We have every interest in saying that Islam is a part of our country".

Via Deutsche Welle:

In an interview with German public radio, Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich distanced himself from previous remarks that had upset some Muslims in Germany and said Muslims do indeed belong in German society.

(...) However, during Sunday's interview he seemed to soften this tone.

"The decisive thing for me is that these people belong to this society here," Friedrich said.

The comments come ahead of the annual conference of Islam leaders on Tuesday, which Friedrich will chair.

(source)

France: Green star to oppose Islam debate

France: Green star to oppose Islam debate

Abderahmane Dahmane, Sarkozy's former diversity adviser, called on Muslims today to wear a green star (FR) to protest the debate on secularism proposed by the UMP.

A statement issued by Dahmane and Hassan Ben M'Barek, spokesperson for Banlieues Respect, which presents itself as a union of associations but who influence seems limited, said that the green star on their clothing will show that Muslims in France have decided to demand the cancellation of the debate on Islam and the end of UMP Islamophobia.

President Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed Monday in a meeting with UMP leaders that the debate on secularism will take place.

Russia: Xenophobia bigger threat than terrorism, says Mufti

Russia: Xenophobia bigger threat than terrorism, says Mufti

Via RT:

Xenophobia is a bigger threat to Russia’s unity than problems in the North Caucasus, Ravil Gainutdin, Chairman of the Council of Muftis, has said.

The growth of xenophobia, Islamophobia and chauvinism in Russian society is the most serious threat for all citizens, including Muslims, Gainutdin said. He was speaking at the Muslim Conference “Russia is our common home” in Moscow on Thursday. The forum is being attended by some 500 clergymen, public figures and businessmen from 70 regions.

Wilders: We need an International Leave Islam Day

Wilders: We need an International Leave Islam Day

Geert Wilders' speech for the Magna Carta Foundation in Rome, via Geert Wilders' site:

(...)

While today - at last - our leaders seem to realize what a disastrous failure multiculturalism has been, multiculturalism is not dead yet. More is needed to defeat multiculturalism than the simple proclamations that it has been an "absolute failure." What is needed is that we turn the tide of Islamization.

There are a few things which we can do in this regard.