December 28, 2006

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2006/7
PEACE NOT WAR & THE SYNERGY CENTRE host
A GATHERING FOR PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE
www.peace.fm

THE SYNERGY CENTRE: 220 Farmers Rd, London SE5
from Oval Tube: down Camberwell New Rd, turn left on Wyndham Rd.
www.thesynergycentre.org

December 20, 2006

Not Really a Suprise...

U.K. Court Rejects Islamic Cleric Abu Hamza Al-Masri's Appeal

By Megan Murphy
Nov. 28 (Bloomberg)


A U.K. appeals court refused to overturn Abu Hamza al-Masri's convictions for inciting murder and racial hatred, ruling that the Islamic cleric received a fair trial.

Al-Masri, 48, is serving a seven-year prison sentence for encouraging his followers to kill Jews and other non-Muslims in a series of sermons between 1997 and 2000. His lawyers claim the jury was swayed by the media's demonization of their client and by unrelated acts of terrorism, such as the 2005 bombings on London's public transport system.

The Court of Appeal today rejected those arguments, in a decision handed down by Lord Nicholas Phillips, the most senior judge in England and Wales.

``There is no reason to believe that the jury were not able to consider and resolve the relevant issues objectively and impartially,'' Phillips wrote in the judgment. The cleric's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald QC, said he would seek permission to appeal to the House of Lords, Britain's highest court.

December 07, 2006

MALUNG TV NEWS

I've had a lot of interesting comments on my youtube movies. I've only had to delete a couple of stupid ones, I'm not really fussed what people say and I answer as best I can. I've only had two films flagged so far. I was going to complain about one of them (Jihad) but I decided I don't give a fuck. This was the only time I saw Omar Bakri in action so I'm not really authoritative on the subject of Bakri.

Believe it when I see it...

via AHHHH HELLP!!!!!

Peter Horrocks, the "news" director of the BBC, has just proclaimed that

'The days of middle-of-the-road, balancing Left and Right, impartiality are dead. I believe we need to consider adopting what I like to think of as a much wider "radical impartiality" — the need to hear the widest range of views — all sides of the story.

also:

The wearing of the niqab has been hotly debated A veiled Muslim woman will deliver this year's alternative Christmas speech on Channel 4, the broadcaster has said. Khadija, a Zimbabwean-born British citizen who has been wearing the full veil - or niqab - for 10 years, has been given the slot. The message will reflect a year in which the wearing of religious clothing and symbols have "dominated the news agenda", said a Channel 4 spokesman.

THANK FUCK

A way out of the Iraq mess
=========================

As I write, the Iraq Study Group is unveiling its report and recommendations for a way out of the mess that's gripped Iraq since the United States, the UK and other international partners invaded and occupied the country.

Not every option has been tried but, critically, there are two broad fronts: it calls on the United States to launch an immediate diplomatic offensive across the region. Specifically, that should involve talking to Syria and Iran.

We await with interest how the President responds to that, as it would seem pretty hard for him to stomach.

Further, it makes the point that America's objectives in the Middle East and Gulf cannot be achieved without a comprehensive Arab-Israeli settlement. But does the USA, Israel's sponsor-in-chief, actually have the capacity to deliver on that?

Back in Iraq - as the civil wars (both civil and resistance to foreign occupation) continue, co-author James Baker and his team are clearly pointing to what the Americans would call a draw-down of forces to a largely training and containing role before they get up and leave for good: combat troops out by early 2008 is their proposal.

The stakes couldn't be higher. The situation in Iraq is "grave and deteriorating" says the Report, painting a picture of terrifying prospects should the slide continue: a collapse of Government in Iraq and a humanitarian catastrophe, intervention by neighbouring countries sparking a wider regional conflagration between Sunni and Shia Muslims, and a resurgent al-Qaeda.

Much for the newly-led Pentagon and incumbent-led White House to chew on - but are they solutions they can swallow and stomach?

We'll hear from Jon in Baghdad, and Lindsey Hilsum in Washington.

SNOWMAILS

December 05, 2006

AHHHH MUMMY!

Remember Stupid Questions? (see GOOD FUCKING QUESTION) Here is another amusing blog: God Help Britain. The owner seems to think we are facing Islamo-fascist takeover at any moment. I thought blogs like this were only in America.