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NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union sued the US government Wednesday for preventing a Muslim scholar from entering the country, arguing that the government was using anti-terrorism laws as "instruments of censorship." The lawsuit asks the court to find a provision of the Patriot Act unconstitutional and seeks clearance for Tariq Ramadan, a Swiss intellectual and Muslim scholar, to accept invitations to speak in the United States. Ramadan was blocked from accepting a tenured teaching position at the University of Notre Dame when his visa was revoked in August 2004 because of a provision of the Patriot Act, said Jameel Jaffer, an ACLU staff attorney. Jaffer said it was part of an effort by the federal government to bar foreign scholars whose political views might be contrary to those of the US government. The provision blocks entry to the country for prominent aliens who used their status to endorse or espouse terrorism or to persuade others to terrorist activity, he said. "We don't think there's any evidence at all that he has endorsed terrorism," Jaffer said. "In fact, there is overwhelming evidence that he has condemned terrorism."
Some background on Tariq Ramadan: * He has praised the brutal Islamist policies of the Sudanese politician Hassan Al-Turabi. Mr Turabi in turn called Mr Ramadan the "future of Islam."
Europe's biggest exhibition of modern-day Islam will take place in London a year after the 7 July bombings in an effort to depict the religion in a positive light. The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is set to launch the event which hopes to "combat the myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings of Islam". IslamExpo will consist of a series of exhibitions on Islam's cultural heritage, lectures, debates, films, stand-up comedy and workshops at Alexandra Palace. Organisers plan to invite survivors of the Tube attacks to attend with a special commemoration on the day. It is hoped that the event will help to improve relations between Britain's 18 million Muslims and the wider community. The exhibitions will be divided into three zones: "Discover Islam", which will feature famous mosques and a demonstration on a prayer platform; and "Muslim World", which covers Palestinian history, religious chants and a gallery of famous converts. Seminars ranging from democracy and jihad to Muslim gardening and agriculture will also take place.
The booklet, titled "Global Agenda," bears the logo of the World Economic Forum and includes an introduction written by the conference organizers. It appears to be an official publication of the World Economic Forum and is included in every file handed out to conference participants. It is also distributed at the Zurich Airport and at Swiss hotels. The booklet includes an unusually harsh article written by Mazin Qumsiyeh, a lecturer at a number of American universities, titled "Boycott Israel." The article includes an unequivocal call to establish a global movement against Zionism and a global movement against the "Israeli apartheid", as well as anti-Israeli, anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic remarks and threats, the likes of which are usually published in marginal magazines in the West or by radical Islamists. The writer claims that Zionism's goal is to wipe out the Palestinian people, that it is one of the worst colonialist and racist movements ever, and that the Zionists of today are pulling the strings and setting the policy of the US government. The same booklet contains dozens of articles by state leaders, economists, philosophers and CEO's with an international reputation, including articles by Russia's president, Pakistan's president and dozens of Jewish public figures, who were apparently unaware of the fact that they appear on Qumsiyeh's list.
MANAMA, Bahrain - Michael Jackson visited a mall in Bahrain's capital Wednesday, covering himself in a black abaya robe traditionally worn by conservative Bahraini women and a veil hiding his face. The 47-year-old pop star was accompanied by three children, apparently his, whose faces were covered with dark scarves. They wore yellow shirts and sweat pants or khakis, without robes. Jackson, who seems to be settling in the Persian Gulf, was seen leaving Marina Mall holding a young child by the hand. On the way out through a back door, he shook hands with security guards.
has agreed to censor its results in China, adhering to the country's free-speech restrictions in return for better access in the Internet's fastest growing market. A Chinese-language version of Google's search engine has previously been available through the company's dot-com address in the United States. To obtain the Chinese license, Google agreed to omit Web content that the country's government finds objectionable. Google will base its censorship decisons on guidance provided by Chinese government officials. Although China has loosened some of its controls in recent years, some topics, such as Taiwan's independence and 1989's Tiananmen Square massacre, remain forbidden subjects. Google officials characterized the censorship concessions in China as an excruciating decision for a company that adopted "don't be evil" as a motto. "We firmly believe, with our culture of innovation, Google can make meaningful and positive contributions to the already impressive pace of development in China," said Andrew McLaughlin, Google's senior policy counsel.
GAZA CITY (AFP) - Hamas, the radical Islamist faction behind a majority of attacks on Israel, vowed not to disarm or negotiate with the Jewish state if it enters the Palestinian parliament after the election. Unbowed by international pressure to lay down arms if his party achieves the electoral success many predict, chief candidate Ismail Haniya said there was no contradiction between guns and democracy as he voted in a Gaza refugee camp. "The Americans and the Europeans say to Hamas: either you have weapons or you enter the legislative council. We say (we will have) weapons and the legislative council, there is no contradiction between the two," he said Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES, Jan 24 (Reuters) - A Los Angeles Times columnist who infuriated conservatives by writing that he does not support American troops fighting in Iraq -- and calling those who do "wusses" -- stood by the article on Tuesday. Joel Stein said he has been "bombarded" by hate mail over the incendiary article -- which was headlined "Warriors and Wusses" and held that US soldiers in Iraq were "ignoring their morality" -- but does not regret writing it and stands by the premise. "I don't support what they are doing, and I don't the see point of putting a big yellow magnet on your car if you don't," Stein told Reuters in an interview. But I don't agree with what they are doing so I don't see the logic of supporting it." The article, which ran on the Times opinion page on Tuesday, was quickly linked on conservative sites across the Internet, where readers poured scorn on Stein, on the newspaper and on liberals in general. com) Web site, one of nearly 500 people who had commented on the article by mid-afternoon. Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin quickly nominated Stein as "one of the most loathsome people in America." com) site slammed him as "slime" but gave credit for honesty, adding: "At least he is straightforward slime." A Times spokesman said he could not immedia...
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