Islamic fundamentalism

The government blames the Islamic State group for yesterday’s attack that left dozens of Christian dead, but amid the uncertainty no one has yet claimed responsibility. A source spoke to AsiaNews complaining that the authorities are busy implementing the Sharia and signing deals with Qatar and Turkey rather than “building a real nation”. Father Jihad (Mar Musa) warns against falling into the trap of attacking the country’s reconstruction work. The Ordinaries of the Holy Land slammed the “barbaric act” that caused “profound shock and deep revulsion”.

Police forces are forcing worshippers to sign (illegal) statements pledging not to perform rituals, even in private homes. Local sources report people being detained or abused. Recently, a respected doctor, Sheikh Mahmood, was killed in Sargodha because he was Ahmadi. Activist groups and NGOs appeal to the government to protect religious rights and freedoms.

Pastor Victor George is being targeted and threatened by a neighbour named Muhammad Naseer. His crime is praying at home with his family. He confessed to AsiaNews that he is ‘deeply saddened for my family.’ Activists are speaking out against ‘hate crimes’ perpetrated against minorities by exploiting ‘blasphemy laws.’

The monastery, which is still inhabited by monks, and its surrounding properties are the target. Egyptian President Al-Sisi said that the structure would be “preserved”, but Christians are angry and dismayed. Plans to seize the monastery were first laid down when the Muslim Brotherhood was in power. The goal is to turn it into a museum. For Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, it is a matter of “profound concern and deep sorrow”.

Gholamreza Ghasemian was imprisoned for accusing the Wahhabi kingdom of "moral corruption" during the Hajj. His criticisms targeted bin Salman’s reforms opening the country to tourism and Western businesses. Iran’s judiciary voices criticism, while the government plays down the incident and praises Saudi Arabia’s organisation of the pilgrimage. Iranian executed for allegedly spying for Israel.

The interim government commission led by Yunus is drafting laws to promote “equal opportunities” in inheritance, labor, and family matters. For fundamentalists, these proposals “hurt religious sentiments.” The fight for rights continues among political parties and civil society, against the backdrop of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s return to the country.

The goal of the program is to help inmates return to a "dignified life" in society. The state is prepared to allocate nearly $3.6 million for a five-year plan. The real threat of radicalization arises within prison walls. The exponential increase in convictions is linked to the political class's crackdown on dissent.

A hundred people have died in clashes between Druze and Sunni militias near Damascus and Suwayda. The spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze calls for international intervention. In Lebanon, groups hostile to Syria’s Islamist regime hold protest rallies. Jumblatt announces agreement in principle with Damascus. At dawn Israel struck near the Syrian presidential palace as a warning.

The upcoming vote will be the sixth since the fall of Saddam Hussein. This will occur against a background of intra-Shia divisions while incumbent Prime Minister al-Sudani is looking for a strong coalition to win a second term. The election appears competitive in Kurdistan, with opposition parties trying to break the KDP-PUK stranglehold. The Christian vote remains an unknown factor while doubts linger over representativeness.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Jordanian scholar Al Sabaileh says that reports that several Shia groups in Iraq plan to disarm are likely accurate. US pressure and the fear that Iraq might become another battleground like Syria, Lebanon and Yemen have been decisive. But with the end of the armed struggle, the militias’ political weight will not be the same in upcoming October elections.

Brother Fadi Azar, a Franciscan from Jordan, has been a parish priest for five years in the coastal city, once an Assad stronghold. He talked to the Terrasanta online magazine about his fear that the civil war might start up again. In his testimony, he talks about the most tragic phases of the revolt repressed in blood, with thousands of deaths. Talks between Turkey and Israel are underway to avert an armed clash in Syria.

More than 50 people have been arrested in the wake of communal violence that included several vehicles and houses vandalised. The authorities imposed a curfew imposed in some areas of the city in Maharashtra. Hindu nationalists want to remove the tomb of a Mughal ruler. Rumours that a copy of the Qur'an was burnt sparked a violent a reaction by Muslims. Archbishop Gonsalves urges respect for everyone, and warns against spreading “rumours and false news.”