Italy: Tunisian migrants clash with police on tiny southern island

Italy: Tunisian migrants clash with police on tiny southern island

Via AKI:

A group of around 20 Tunisian migrants on Monday hurled stones at Italian police who intervened when a brawl broke out between them and other migrants at the southern island of Lampedusa's overcrowded detention centre.

Police removed about 10 migrants from the detention centre after the scuffles between the Tunisians, who claimed migrants who arrived on Lampedusa overnight had tried to "queue-jump" and appropriate from migrants held at the centre for several weeks tickets allocated for transfers to detention centres on the Italian mainland.

A policeman was reportedly injured in one eye after a migrant allegedly attacked him with pepper spray.

(source)

Malta: Libyans 'ransack' office at Islamic Call Society

Malta: Libyans 'ransack' office at Islamic Call Society

Via Times of Malta:

A number of men thought to be Libyans opposed to the Gaddafi regime this morning ransacked the manager's office used by the Islamic Call Society in Paola. They also removed photos of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The men said they went to the centre before going for the second protest in Attard

(source)

London: Teacher attacked for teaching other religions to Muslim girls

London: Teacher attacked for teaching other religions to Muslim girls

The police knew of the plot, but didn't stop the attack. Via the Daily Mail:

Four men launched a horrific attack on a teacher in which they slashed his face and left him with a fractured skull because they did not approve of him teaching religion to Muslim girls.

Akmol Hussein, 26, Sheikh Rashid, 27, Azad Hussain, 25, and Simon Alam, 19, attacked Gary Smith with a Stanley knife, an iron rod and a block of cement.

Mr Smith, who is head of religious education at Central Foundation Girls' School in Bow, east London, also suffered a fractured skull.

The four now face a jail sentence.

Detectives made secret recordings of the gang's plot to attack Mr Smith prior to the brutal assault.

The covert audio probe captured the gang condemning Mr Smith for 'teaching other religions to our sisters', the court heard.

(source)

Malta: Libyan air force pilots seek asylum

Malta: Libyan air force pilots seek asylum

Via AP:

Two Libyan air force jets landed in Malta on Monday and their pilots asked for political asylum amid a bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters in Libya, a military source said.

The two Mirage jets landed at Malta International Airport shortly after two civilian helicopters landed carrying seven people who said they were French. A military source familiar with the situation said the passengers had left in such a hurry that only one had a passport.

(source)

Netherlands: Christian Union wants constitutional Sharia ban

Netherlands: Christian Union wants constitutional Sharia ban

Via RNW:

Christian Union Senator Roel Kuiper wants to amend the constitution to include a ban on Sharia, Islamic law. Senator Kuiper made his statement in an interview with newspaper Trouw.

The Christian Union politician wants to ban Islamic law because it is "not rooted in principles which form part of Dutch culture. Our rights, the way we treat eachoter, our norms of good and evil have all been molded by Christianity."

Mr Kuiper argues that Islamic law is still grounded in retaliation, while the laws of a democratic constitutional state are geared toward forgiveness, correction and reconciliation.

(source)

UK: Muslim 'refused job because of his name' accuses airline bosses of racism

UK: Muslim 'refused job because of his name' accuses airline bosses of racism

Via the Daily Mail:

A Muslim airport worker has accused airline Cathay Pacific of racism after he was refused a job interview – only to be offered one when he applied two days later using a fake white British-sounding name.

Algerian-born Salim Zakhrouf applied to Cathay Pacific for a job as a passenger services officer at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Zakhrouf, 38, who has lived in Britain since 1991 and is a UK citizen, was told by email he had not been selected for interview.

But applying 48 hours later as 'Ian Woodhouse' with an identical CV and home address, he was invited for an interview by the same personnel officer who had first refused him.

(source)

Brussels: Asylum seekers stage dramatic protest

Brussels: Asylum seekers stage dramatic protest

Via AFP:

Asylum seekers staged a dramatic protest in Brussels on Sunday, setting fire to a detention centre and threatening to hang themselves, Belgian media reported.

A number of demonstrators scaled the roof and attempted to escape over barricades at a secure facility at Steenokkerzeel, near the main Brussels airport, Belga news agency said.

Others threatened to hang themselves with bedding from their cell windows, with fire officers required to intervene when a blaze was started.

(source)

Milan: Tunisian smashes car into airport terminal, shot after trying to stab police officer (UPDATE: Terrorism ruled out)

Milan: Tunisian smashes car into airport terminal, shot after trying to stab police officer

Via AFP:

A terminal at Milan's Malpensa airport was evacuated Monday when a man smashed his car into the terminal building and was shot by a police officer after trying to stab him, a security source said.

"A Tunisian man... who was in a car with his wife and three children tried to smash into the terminal," the source told AFP.

"He then got out of the car with a knife in his hand and threatened a police officer. The officer tried to calm him and escort him out of the terminal.

(source)

Update: Police rule out terrorism.

Chechnya: 'Shariah Fridays'

Chechnya: 'Shariah Fridays'

Via Reuters:

Chechnya has asked state workers to dress conservatively, including headscarves for women and an Islamic dress code on Fridays, in its leaders' latest assertion of Muslim customs.

"We recommend that male state workers come to work in a suit and tie, and that women dress in a skirt below the knee and the appropriate headgear," Chechen government deputy head Magomed Selimkhanov told reporters.

(source)

UK: Muslim soldiers ‘fighting extremists not Muslims'

UK: Muslim soldiers ‘fighting extremists not Muslims'