All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[heretic]

And then there are these @$$holes....

A high-ranking traditional leader has been killed in northern Nigeria after his convoy came under attack by suspected Boko Haram militants.

Gunmen shot dead the Emir of Gwoza, Shehu Mustapha Idris Timta, in his car.

Boko Haram has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency since 2009 to create an Islamic state in Nigeria.

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan vowed to wage "total war" against the group, which has been held more than 200 girls captive since last month.

"They shot the emir of Gwoza. He died on the spot," Wali Ibrahim, an aide to the emir, told the BBC Hausa service.

"After he died we reversed back from that area and we went to the army checkpoint," he added.

Something I noticed here though. Not once was the religion of the victims mentioned.

It would take a degree of paranoia to assume the BBC is consciously hiding the fact that Boko Haram is the enemy of Muslim and Christian alike, but it would be useful to point it out if only to cut down on demands to kill or expel Muslims en masse as retaliation.

[heretic]

I call troll

An MP has complained after seeing a sign posted near a popular park warning dog-walkers to stay out of 'Islamic areas'.

Labour Member of Parliament Jim Fitzpatrick alerted police and the local mayor about the sign after it was flagged up by one of the residents in his east London constituency.

The sign, which was spotted on the railings of Bartlett Park, reads: 'Do not walk your dog here! Muslims do not like dogs. This is an Islamic area now.'

I figure it is at least a tossup on if a non-muslim put this up to start something....

[Spike-X]

That would be my guess.

[heretic]

What some call Islam-fueled violence.

Police say the man attempted to throw a Molotov cocktail through a window of the Assahaba Islamic Community Centre at the corner of Bélanger Street and 23rd Avenue before threatening officers with a sword. Police used a stun gun to subdue the man before arresting him and then transporting him to hospital.

Const. Simon Delorme described the man as a white Quebecer who may be a member of an extremist organization.

He said police were staking out the community centre this morning, following another incident over the weekend. That's when police saw the suspect try to attack the centre.

“Then they start to follow this man and ask for backup. When they try to arrest the man [he took] out a sword and was threatening the police officers,” said Delorme.

[Spike-X]

Sounds more like racist asshole-fueled violence to me.

[Vibranium]

a sword, really?

a sword

[heretic]

Why has this not made the international press like the recent lunacy in Pakistan?

AMMAN — The Criminal Court prosecutor on Sunday charged a man and his brother with complicity in premeditated murder in connection with the killing of a woman, who allegedly converted from Christianity to Islam, in Ajloun, 70km northwest of Amman, official sources said.

The 26-year-old victim died after receiving several blows to the head with a wooden stick and a rock in a forest in Khirbet Wahadneh on April 30.

The victim’s father headed to a police station on Wednesday evening and turned himself in, declaring that “he killed his daughter because she converted to Islam,” a senior official source said.

However, police had suspicions that more than one person took part in the murder based on an autopsy report prepared by pathologist Ali Shotar from Irbid’s National Institute of Forensic Medicine, the official told The Jordan Times.

Shotar, who established that the woman died of a crushed skull that caused heavy bleeding, also discovered bruises on her wrists, a medical source told The Jordan Times.

“Shotar concluded that more than one person was involved because the bruises indicated that she was held while she was beaten by the wooden stick and the 50cm by 30cm rock,” the medical source added.

In his initial confession to police, the 51-year-old father said that he learnt about his daughter’s conversion to Islam from another daughter.

“The victim’s decision to convert was a secret but she decided to tell one of her sisters who eventually told their father,” the official source said, citing the suspect’s initial confession.

The father then informed his 49-year-old brother and they allegedly plotted to murder her, the source added.

Both men were ordered detained at a correctional and rehabilitation centre pending further investigation into the incident, the source added.

[Arundel Armor Hunter]

maybe not right here and now, but I think it would resonate and spur change down the line

Ive always believed in never take up a cause you aren't ready to bleed for

And if they can avoid bleeding/death/prison, why not do it?

It's not like ever martyr in history had other options.

[Vibranium]

And if they can avoid bleeding/death/prison, why not do it?

It's not like ever martyr in history had other options.

because the message has a better chance of getting lost.....look at MLK, arrested about 30 times for "civil disobedience"...people saw a man that was merely trying to bring people together being presecuted

it sends a strong message when those in power are made to look bad like that and people start questioning policy

[Puppetmaker Grae]

Okay, now this is getting silly

Gun control makes sense to people who grew up fearing drive-bys and stray rounds but... Overkill Much?

Have you noticed that that link is from 2005? Not exactly a current campaign, and still plenty of pointy knives available.

[Arundel Armor Hunter]

because the message has a better chance of getting lost.....look at MLK, arrested about 30 times for "civil disobedience"...people saw a man that was merely trying to bring people together being presecuted

it sends a strong message when those in power are made to look bad like that and people start questioning policy

People are questioning policy without Snowden in prison. O doubt they would question it more with him in prison.

[Vibranium]

People are questioning policy without Snowden in prison. O doubt they would question it more with him in prison.

the noise isn't where it should be...I bet if Snowden was in the US and being put on trial youd have mass protests and movements

[wjowski]

the noise isn't where it should be...I bet if Snowden was in the US and being put on trial youd have mass protests and movements

Bradley Manning says 'hi'.

[Vibranium]

Bradley Manning says 'hi'.

actually Chelsea Manning doesn't say a damn thing

and Snowden is a better story than some low level member of the military with gender identity issues

[Arundel Armor Hunter]

the noise isn't where it should be...I bet if Snowden was in the US and being put on trial youd have mass protests and movements

Or they would wait until something else dominates the newscycle and they would put him away quietly.