Al Qaeda in America

Terrorists (including professional bomb-makers) have been coming to America as refugees. Feeling safe yet?

More World News from ABC

ABC News—Several dozen suspected terrorist bombmakers, including some believed to have targeted American troops, may have mistakenly been allowed to move to the United States as war refugees, according to FBI agents investigating the remnants of roadside bombs recovered from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The discovery in 2009 of two al Qaeda-Iraq terrorists living as refugees in Bowling Green, Kentucky -- who later admitted in court that they'd attacked U.S. soldiers in Iraq -- prompted the bureau to assign hundreds of specialists to an around-the-clock effort aimed at checking its archive of 100,000 improvised explosive devices collected in the war zones, known as IEDs, for other suspected terrorists' fingerprints.

"We are currently supporting dozens of current counter-terrorism investigations like that," FBI Agent Gregory Carl, director of the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC), said in an ABC News interview to be broadcast tonight on ABC News' "World News with Diane Sawyer" and "Nightline".

"I wouldn't be surprised if there were many more than that," said House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul. "And these are trained terrorists in the art of bombmaking that are inside the United States; and quite frankly, from a homeland security perspective, that really concerns me." (Continue Reading.)

The Gospel of John (Visual Bible)

The Gospel of John is the fourth of the canonical Gospels. This 2003 film version is a word-for-word adaptation from the Good News Bible.

At Least 23 Killed by Sunni Suicide Bombers in Beirut

Maybe the U.S. Government will arm and train the Sunni terrorists in Lebanon, after it finishes arming and training the Sunni terrorists in Syria.

Beirut, Lebanon (CNN) — A radical Sunni group has claimed responsibility for bombings that killed nearly two dozen people outside the Iranian Embassy in southern Beirut.

The Abdullah Azzam Brigades said the dual suicide blasts were "carried out by two heroes from the Sunni people of Lebanon." The al Qaeda-linked group is based in southern Lebanon.

"We warn Hezbollah that these attacks will continue until two objectives are met: first, the pullout of all fighters of Iran's party (Hezbollah) from Syria, and secondly, the release of all of our prisoners from the dungeons of tyranny in Lebanon," the group said.

At least 23 people were killed and 146 injured Tuesday in the twin bombings in front of the embassy, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. (Continue Reading.)

I am having this debate in a few days. It is on Paltalk which I have never used before. Please pray for my preparation and use Paltalk.

In Christ
Samuel Green

Kuwait: Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Tweet Deemed Insulting to Muhammad

Here in the civilized West, we don't throw people in jail for saying something offensive about Muhammad. We just call them "racists," "bigots," and "Islamophobes." Not quite as effective as jail, but it gets the job done. Just ask politicians and the media.

KUWAIT CITY (AP) — Twitter users in two Gulf Arab countries received prison terms Monday, rights activist said, in the latest sign of widening crackdowns in the region on social media for posts considered offensive or against state security.

The court decisions in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates are likely to bring renewed protests from international rights groups accusing Gulf authorities of using codes against dissent to try to muzzle open expression on the Internet.

In Kuwait, a court sentenced a Twitter user, Musaab Shamsah, to five years in prison after he was convicted of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, said activist Nawaf al-Hendal.

Sahmsah was arrested following a Twitter post he allegedly made in May that made references to the descendants of Islam's prophet. The post, since taken down, could be taken as endorsing Shiite beliefs in the Sunni-ruled country. (Continue Reading.)

What Is the Gospel?

According to the Qur'an, the Gospel (Injeel) is a book:

Qur'an 7:157—Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they find written with them in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) . . . it is they who will be successful.

The Qur'an also suggests that the Gospel was given to Jesus:

Qur'an 5:46—And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear God.

Since we have no record of any book given to Jesus, Muslims have a problem, for the Qur'an affirms that Christians have access to the Gospel and that we must judge by what it says:

Qur'an 5:47—Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel.

Qur'an 5:68—Say: "O People of the Book! ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord."

How can we obey a book given to Jesus when we have no record of any book given to Jesus? The only way to reconcile (1) the fact that we have no book from Jesus, and (2) the fact that the Qur'an affirms some book in our possession, is to adopt the Christian perspective of the Gospel. The Gospel was a message (the "Good News") delivered by Jesus to his followers and then proclaimed by these followers. This message was recorded in books called "Gospels" (because they contain the Good News). These books were eventually collected into a larger book called "The Gospel."

From the second century on, the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) were known as "The Gospel" or "The Four-Fold Gospel." But the core message of the four Gospels is that Jesus is the divine Son of God (Matthew 3:17), who died on the cross for our sins (Mark 10:45) and rose from the dead (Matthew 28:5-7). Islam, by contrast, teaches that Jesus was only a prophet (Qur'an 4:171), who never died (Qur'an 4:157) and didn't rise from the dead (Qur'an 4:158). Because the Qur'an commands us to judge by the Gospel, and the only Gospel we have access to is the book containing the four Gospels, we have no choice but to reject Islam, which contradicts the message of the Gospel.

To put the matter more succinctly, if the Gospel is the inspired, preserved, authoritative Word of God, then Islam is false, because Islam contradicts the Gospel. If, on the other hand, the Gospel is not the inspired, preserved, authoritative Word of God, then Islam is false, because Islam affirms the inspiration, preservation, and authority of the Gospel.

Either way, Islam is false. Muslims have no rational choice but to reject Islam and search for the truth.

Here's N. T. Wright on the Gospel message:

Sunni Jihadists Mistakenly Behead Fellow Sunni Jihadist

And these are the guys who may soon be leading the country, if the U.S. government is successful in its attempt to overthrow the Assad regime.

(CNN)—Radical anti-government fighters in Syria mistakenly beheaded a wounded fellow rebel soldier after assuming he was a supporter of President Bashar al-Assad, according to an online statement from the radical fighters' group.

A separate online video showed a gruesome display of radical fighters holding what appeared to be the victim's head.

After the beheading earlier this week, the victim was determined to be Mohammed Fares, an anti-government fighter wounded in clashes against the Syrian Army earlier, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On Thursday, an online statement from a spokesman for the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), whose fighters apparently carried out the beheading of Fares, called for forgiveness for the killers and asked for "restraint and piety" from anti-government supporters.

"We call on God to accept Mohammed Fares into his Kingdom and to forgive his brothers that sought to rid us of the enemies of God and our enemies," Omar Al-Qahatani said in Arabic in the ISIS statement. (Continue Reading.)

Ravi Zacharias Visits Guantanamo Bay

Ravi Zacharias speaks about his recent trip to Guantanamo Bay and the audiences and challenges he faced.

Muhammad's Vulgar Language Exposed

Here is an article Sam Shamoun sent me that goes along nicely with the video in the previous post.
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Muslims accuse the Holy Bible of containing vulgar language and pornographic content which disqualifies it from being the pure Word of God. These charges have been answered over and over again:

9. PORNOGRAPHY IN THE BIBLE?

Does the Bible use language not fitting for God?

Songof Songs: What does God want to teach us through this often overlooked book inthe Bible? 

In the spirit of fairness and of insuring that Muslims use their criteria consistently by applying their own standards to the Quran and Islamic traditions, we will begin looking at certain verses and narratives to see whether the prophet of Islam and the Muslim scripture contain any unbefitting and vulgar language.   

We start with a specific Islamic report which is found in al-Bukhari. Imam Bukhari collected a hadith where a man came to Muhammad confessing that he had committed adultery. Muhammad asked him what did he exactly do with the woman. Muhammad finally asked the man whether he انكتها (aniktuha), which literally translated means, “did you f-k her?”

Interestingly, the report that mentions this episode even admits that Muhammad asked him this quite frankly, without using a euphemism to refer to the sexual act. Here is the hadith in question:

XIII. Can a ruler say to someone who confesses, "Perhaps you have only touched or winked?"

6438. 'Ikrima related that Ibn 'Abbas said, "When Ma'iz ibn Malik came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he said to him, "Perhaps you kissed or winked or looked?" "No, Messenger of Allah," he answered. He said, "Did you have intercourse with her?" USING NO EUPHEMISM. He said, "Then he ordered that he be stoned." (Aisha Bewley, The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, 90. Book of those of the People of Unbelief and Apostasy who wage war: source; capital and underline emphasis ours)

Another version reads:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

When Ma'iz bin Malik came to the Prophet (in order to confess), the Prophet said to him, "Probably you have only kissed (the lady), or winked, or looked at her?" He said, "No, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said, using no euphemism, "Did you have sexual intercourse with her?" The narrator added: At that, (i.e. after his confession) the Prophet ordered that he be stoned (to death). (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 82, Number 813)

Notice that even though the hadith expressly admits that Muhammad didn’t use any euphemism to ask the man whether he had sex with the woman the translators still decided to render the Arabic word as sexual intercourse as opposed to giving a more accurate and literal meaning. They were obviously too embarrassed to provide a literal translation since they were aware that such language is too vulgar for the ears of any sensible and decent person. Only the uncivilized and street thugs would dare to use such language.

The term comes from the verb nikah and appears throughout the Quran in its various forms:

nakaha vb. (1)
perf. act. 4:22, 33:49
impf. act. 2:221, 2:230, 2:232, 4:22, 4:25, 4:127, 24:3, 24:3, 33:53, 60:10
impv. 4:3, 4:25
n.vb. 2:235, 2:237, 4:6, 24:33, 24:60

ankaha vb. (4)
impf. act. 2:221, 28:27
impv. 24:32

istankaha vb. (10) impf. act. 33:50

And lest a Muslim tries to deny that the word nikah has this precise meaning here is what one Arabic speaking Christian says in reference to the habit of certain translators to deliberately hide the real meaning of specific Arabic words, specifically in regards to this rather vulgar term:

Another word in the list of serious intentional mistranslation is the Arabic word “Nikah.” The word has been translated as “marriage.” But those who understand Arabic know that this is not the exact meaning of the word. There is another word that is normally translated as marriage, and correctly so. It is the Arabic word “Zawag.” … 

The meaning of “Nikah”

What exactly does “Nikah” mean? The word Nikah doesn’t exactly mean “Marriage.” Let’s explore what the word means from the classical Islamic reference books according to the opinion of recognized Islamic scholars.

From: Dictionary of the Quranic phrases and its meaning; Sheik Mousa Ben Mohammed Al Kaleeby, Cairo, Maktabat Al Adab, 2002

The definition of “Nikah” is the penetration of one thing by another. Examples would be as in saying the seed (N) the soil or sleep (N) the eye. It also can mean the entwining of two objects one with the other. An example would be saying the trees (N) each other, meaning they entwined with one another.

From: Kitab (Book of) Al Nikah. Commentary of Imam Ahmed Ben Ali Ben Hagar Al Askalani, Beirut, Dar Al Balagha, 1986

Linguistically, “Nikah” means embracing or penetrating. When it is pronounced “Nokh” it refers to a woman’s vagina. It is mainly used in the context of “sexual intercourse.” When it was used in reference to marriage it is because sex is a necessity in marriage. Al Fassi said, “If someone says a certain man (N) a certain woman, it means he married her, and if he says a man (N) his wife, it means he has sexual intercourse with her.” The word can also be used metaphorically as with expressions: the rain (N) the ground, or, the sleep (N) the eyes, or, the seed (N) the soil, or, the pebble (N) the camel’s hoof. When it was used in the context of marriage it is because sexual intercourse is the purpose of marriage. It is necessary in marriage to “taste the honey” (an Islamic expression meaning literal intercourse). This is the how the word has generally been used in the Quran except in the verse that says, “Make trial of orphans until they reach the age of (N)” Sura 4: 6. In that instance it pertains to the age of puberty. The Shafia and Hanafi schools of jurisprudence assert that the word nikah when used as a fact conveys that sexual intercourse has occurred. And when used as a figure of speech it denotes marriage. The reason for this variance is because it is offensive to mention the word “intercourse,” so a metonymic word is used to substitute it.

In conclusion

There is a word in Arabic that correctly translates “marriage.” It is “zawag.” However, “Nikah, the (N) word,” which is more commonly used in translations of the Quran to mean marriage, carries entirely different implications. “Nikah” implies that the emphasis in the relationship between a man and his wife solely sexual. This degrades marriage. It is another proof about how Islam looks down on marriage and the role women play in it. It enforces the Islamic concept that a wife's primary role in Islam is that of a sex object, created to satisfy the husband’s sexual appetites. On the other hand, marriage in the Christian tradition is a union between a husband and his wife based on mutual love, respect and equality. It is two people of the opposite sex becoming one, not just for sex, but to be the nucleus for a family that shares ALL of life’s challenges. While sex is an important part of marriage, it is tragic to consider it primary. Marriage is a life-long relationship that supposed to lovingly endure beyond the perimeters of sex. (Abdullah Al Araby, “Nikah” - The Islamic “N” Word; What Does It Exactly Mean?: source)

One lexical source adds:

من لسان العرب:

النَّيْكُ: معروف، والفاعل: نائِكٌ، والمفعول به مَنِيكٌ ومَنْيُوكٌ، والأَنثى مَنْيُوكة، وقد ناكَها يَنيكها نَيْكاً. والنَّيّاك: الكثير النَّيْك؛ شدد للكثرة؛ وفي المثل قال: من يَنِكِ العَيْرَ يَنِكْ نَيّاكا

Literal translation from Lisan Al-Arab:

F-king: is known [act], and the subject: F-ker, and the object F-ked, “maneek - and – manyook”; the female f-ked “manyooka”, [as in] f-ked her, f-king her, f-king.  And “an-nayyak”: [exaggeration form] the one who f-ks a lot; adding the “shaddah” to denote abundance, as in the following proverb: He who f-ks a jackass would be f-king a real f-ker (or abundant f-ker).

Lest these references be accused of bias against Islam note what the following Islamic authorities say regarding the precise meaning of the word:

a. Nikah linguistically means (to unite and to bring together). The REAL LITERAL meaning of Nikah is ‘to have sexual intercourse’; and the METAPHORICAL meaning of Nikah is ‘the bond of marriage’. (English Translation of Sunan Ibn Majah - Compiled by Imam Muhammad Bin Yazeed Ibn Majah Al-Qazwini, From Hadith No. 1783 to 2718, Ahadith edited and referenced by Hafiz Abu Tahir Zubair 'Ali Za'i, translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Canada), final review by Abu Khaliyl (USA) [Darussalam Publications and Distributors, First Edition: June 2007], Volume 3, Chapter 9. Chapters On Marriage, p. 57; capital emphasis ours)

One renowned Muslim commentator noted that:

“Yas-tan-kih” comes from the word “Yan’kah.” For it is said in different forms “Nakaha” and “Istan-kaha” just as it is said “Ajab” and “Ista-jab”… It is permissible to use the word, “Istan-kaha,” to mean one whom requests marriage or one who requests sexual intercourse. (Al-Qurtubi on Q. 33:50, translated from the Arabic by Dimitrius: source; bold and italic emphasis ours)

Interestingly, the verb “naka” does not exist in modern Arabic dictionaries.

If Muhammad used this word then Muslims shouldn't be ashamed of using it now altogether with the word “nakaha” (a word which is not accepted amongst mannered and polite Middle Easterners). 

Here is a question for the Muslims: Would you allow your son or daughter to use this word in front of you or in the presence of other people? If you don't, doesn't mean that you are ashamed of using a word that the prophet himself has used?

Now a Muslim may further contend that nikah didn’t have this negative or vulgar connotation during Muhammad’s time. It is only in modern times, more recently, that this word took on a vulgar twist.

There are two main problems with this view. First, this flies in the face of the evidence presented by Muslim authorities, one modern and another ancient, both of which admit that this term literally means to have sexual intercourse (i.e. to f-k). It also goes against the candid admission of al-Bukhari who stated that Muhammad was being very direct, and wasn’t using a euphemism, when he asked the man point black whether he had sexual relations with the woman in question.

Secondly, how is it possible that an established Quranic word such as nikah could take on a vulgar tone among the Arabs when the majority of them have always been Muslims who believe that the Muslim scripture is the very speech of Allah? If anything, wouldn’t we expect the reverse to be true, e.g. a very vulgar and offensive term all of a sudden becomes an acceptable word due to its use and appearance in the Quran?    

For those interested in reading this hadith in Arabic they can check the following sources:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith Number 6913

Sunan Abu Dawûd, Hadith Number 4430

Musnad Ahmad, Hadith Number 2477

Musnad Al-Daraqutni, Hadith Number 3491

And for some additional examples of vulgarities and obscenities within the Islamic corpus we recommend the following articles: 

The Birth Narratives ofJesus in the Quran – A Christian Analysis 

Mary the Mother of Jesus: AHouri in Paradise?

Islam and The Nursing of Adults

Allah and Nudity:Addressing a Typical Muslim Polemic

On the Deity of the Holy Spirit [Part 2]

To see some of the Muslim responses defending Muhammad’s use of nikah we recommend the following articles:

Refuting Christian Prince's Perverted Mind

The Meaning Of The Word"Nikah" In The Quran

Muhammad's Bad Mouth and Manners

In the following short video the man Muslims take to be the best example for mankind is shown to have had quite a foul mouth on him. In fact, as you will see, at least one prominent Muslim has the "testicular fortitude" (one of his favorite phrases) to virtually admit this to have been the case.

****Viewer discretion is advised.****

 

For more evidence that Muhammad did not have control over his own tongue and was thus far from "the best of men," see the following articles:

Muhammad - The Cruel and Abusive Prophet

Watching Snow Fall in Summer

Conan O'Brien Called "Racist" After Tweet About Muslim Superhero

Last night, comedian and late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien made a huge mistake. He assumed that he's free to poke fun at Islam the way he's free to poke fun at Christianity, Mormonism, etc. And now he's being called a "racist," because, as everyone knows, Islam is a race.

After hearing about the new Muslim superhero "Ms. Marvel," Conan tweeted:

His tweet, of course, makes joking reference to Surah 4:3 of the Qur'an, which allows Muslim men to marry up to four women. (Muhammad is the exception; he was allowed to marry far more than four women.) Not surprisingly, fans were not amused:

Some fans obviously don't know much about Islam, since they think that Islam forbids sex with minors (Islam actually allows sex with prepubescent girls):

As usual, there were endless cries of "racist":

Conan has since removed the Tweet, and I doubt he'll ever joke about Islam again. Islam and its defenders have sent yet another message to the West: Islam is not here to be treated equally, so learn to respect it. If you're at all offended that the Qur'an promotes polygamy (4:3), and the rape of female captives (4:24), and spousal abuse (4:34), and sex with prepubescent girls (65:4), and the violent subjugation of unbelievers (9:29), then you will be called a "racist," a "bigot," a "hate-monger," and an "Islamophobe."

UK Official Says Thousands of British Muslims Support Al Qaeda

But the solution, it seems, is to pretend that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance, in spite of what the Qur'an says.

United Kingdom—Britain's secret services have foiled 34 terrorist plots since the July 7 London bombings in 2005, the head of MI5 revealed today.

Speaking in an unprecedented joint appearance before Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, the heads of MI5, MI6 and the GCHQ answered questions in public.

The committee heard that Syria has become a haven for jihadists since the outbreak of the civil war, and hundreds of British citizens have travelled to the country as a result.

MI5 chief Andrew Parker said there are thousands of people living in Britain today who support al Qaida, and the head of MI6 Sir John Sawers warned the threat of terrorist attacks against Britain is increasing. (Continue Reading.)

Pakistani Taliban Choose Jihadist Who Planned Attack on Malala Yousafzai as New Leader

Now why on earth would the Pakistani Taliban choose as their new leader a man who plans terrorist attacks against teenage girls? Wouldn't an organization composed of devout Muslims know that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance, and that it promotes diversity, liberal values, and equal rights for all? If this trend continues, I might start to think that the Taliban knows something about Islam that Western leaders and the media don't.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, PAKISTAN – The Pakistani Taliban chose the man who planned the attack on teenage activist Malala Yousafzai as the group's new leader Thursday, less than a week after the U.S. killed its former chief in a drone strike, a militant commander and intelligence official said.

The Taliban's leadership council, or shura, made the decision at an undisclosed location in the North Waziristan tribal area after days of deliberation, said the commander, Hazratullah Torashipa, and the intelligence official.

Militants fired AK-47 assault rifles and anti-aircraft guns into the air to celebrate after the decision, Torashipa told The Associated Press by telephone from North Waziristan.

The former head of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud, was killed by a U.S. drone strike on Friday just as he was entering his compound in a village in North Waziristan. Even though Mehsud was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Pakistani civilians and security forces, his death outraged Pakistani officials, who accused the U.S. of sabotaging the government's attempt to strike a peace deal with the militants.

The new leader, Fazlullah, has served as the Pakistani Taliban's leader in the northwest Swat Valley but is believed to be hiding in neighboring Afghanistan. He rose to prominence through radio broadcasts demanding the imposition of a harsh brand of Islam, earning him the nickname "Mullah Radio."

Fazlullah's group began to infiltrate the valley in 2007 and spread fear among residents by forcing men to grow beards, preventing women from going to the market and blowing up schools. A military offensive in 2009 pushed the group out of the valley.

Fazlullah and his group carried out the attack on teenage activist Malala Yousufzai, who was shot in October 2012 on the way home. She was attacked after speaking out against the Taliban over its interpretation of Islam, which limits girls' access to education. (Continue Reading.)

Syria: Six Bodies of Murdered Christians Found Dumped in Well

If six Muslims had been killed by Christians and dumped in a well, the atrocity would be on every major news network for weeks. But since it's Christians being slaughtered in the name of Allah, politicians and the media just don't care. After all, it would be "Islamophobic" to criticize atrocities carried out by Muslims.

It seems we are required to show how tolerant we are by turning a blind eye to the annihilation of Middle Eastern, Asian, and African Christians. Is it just me, or do we live in the most cowardly generation in history?

AINA—Inhabitants of Sadad, near Homs, who fled the largely Syrian Orthodox town when rebels attacked last month, are now returning home to discover the scale of atrocities in what is being seen as the worst act of anti-Christian persecution since the war in Syria began.

The reports, sent by Church leaders to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, describe how, in this ancient Christian town mentioned in the Bible (Ezekiel), vulnerable people unable to escape -- including the elderly, disabled, women and children -- were subjected to torture, such as strangulation. Church sources say 30 bodies were found in two separate mass graves.

Discovered dead in a well in Sadad were the remains of six members of one family including Matanios El Sheikh, 85, his wife, Habsah, 75, their daughter, Njala, 45, and grandsons Ranim, aged 18, a first-year university student, and his 16-year-old brother Fadi, in class XI at school.

Reports state they were thrown down a well on 26th October along with the boys' paternal grandmother, 90-year-old Mariam. Their funerals, which took place yesterday (Monday Nov. 4), came as a community, whose town dates back to 2000BC, begins to grieve the loss of those being described as "martyrs" by Church leaders.

The atrocities took place during a week-long occupation of Sadad by the Al-Nusra Front and Daash, rebel forces who, according to Church leaders, held 1,500 families as "human shields" in a bid to stop Government troops retaking the village. (Continue Reading.)

Mass Graves of Slaughtered Christians Found in Syria

Not that anyone in the West seems to care. The rebels being trained and armed by our government are the ones murdering Christians in the name of Allah. But we have to show our tolerance by funding Jihad.

ICN—The bodies of 30 Christian civilians, including women and children, killed by Islamist militias, have been found in two separate mass graves, in the city of Sadad. The number of Christian civilians confirmed dead in this small town halfway between Homs and Damascus has reached 45. Many are injured and several are missing.

The city of Sadad, a Christian settlement, was invaded and occupied by Islamist militias on 21 October. It was recaptured in recent days by the Syrian regular army. When the representatives of the Patriarchate and families of the victims returned to their town they found to their horror two mass graves, where they found the bodies of their relatives and friends. In an atmosphere of grief, outrage and emotion, the funerals of the 30 Christians were celebrated by Archbishop Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh, Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan of Homs and Hama.

According to eyewitnesses, many of the civilians were killed by militia gangs of 'Al- Nusra Front' and 'Daash'. The city has been completely destroyed and looted. Some of the militants who invaded the city were holed up in the Syriac Orthodox Church of St Theodore, which was profaned. Sadad is an ancient Syriac village which dates back to 2000 BC located in the region of Qalamoon, north of Damascus. It had 14 churches, a monastery, temples, historic landmarks and archaeological sites.

Archbishop Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh said: "What happened in Sadad is the most serious and biggest massacre of Christians in Syria in the past two and a half years... 45 innocent civilians were martyred for no reason, and among them several women and children, many thrown into mass graves. Other civilians were threatened and terrorized. 30 were wounded and 10 are still missing.

"For one week, 1,500 families were held as hostages and human shields. Among them children, the elderly, the young, men and women. Some of them fled on foot travelling eight kilometres from Sadad to Al-Hafer to find refuge. About 2,500 families fled from Sadad, taking only their clothes, due to the irruption of armed groups and today they are refugees scattered between Damascus, Homs, Fayrouza, Zaydal, Maskane, and Al-Fhayle".

The Archbishop said: "There is no electricity, water and telephone in the city. All the houses of Sadad were robbed and property looted. The churches are damaged and desecrated, deprived of old books and precious furniture. Schools, government buildings, municipal buildings have been destroyed, along with the post office, the hospital and the clinic".

"What happened in Sadad" he said "is the largest massacre of Christians in Syria and the second in the Middle East, after the one in the Church of Our Lady of Salvation in Iraq, in 2010".

Archbishop Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh concluded: "We have shouted aid to the world but no one has listened to us. Where is the Christian conscience? Where is human consciousness? Where are my brothers? I think of all those who are suffering today in mourning and discomfort: We ask everyone to pray for us". (Source)

Andrew Neil Exposes Farooq Murad on BBC's Sunday Politics Show

I never thought I'd be able to say this about a BBC program that has anything to do with Islam, but this was an excellent interview. Andrew Neil of "Sunday Politics" questions Farooq Murad (Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Great Britain) about various issues related to Islamic extremism. Watch how Murad tries to avoid directly answering questions, and how uncomfortable he becomes when Neil presses him for a clear response.

Egypt Hates Obama

Just a few years ago, Obama praised Islam in Cairo, to the cheers and thunderous applause of Egyptians. Now, Egyptians hate him. What went wrong?

In any dispute in a Muslim-majority country, the Obama Administration always seems to back the most oppressive Islamists. The Islamists already hate America and Obama, but they will use America and Obama if doing so furthers their interests. However, by backing the Islamists, Obama earns the hatred of people who oppose the Islamists. Hence, when the Islamists ultimately lose, everyone hates Obama. (Note: This pattern is being repeated in Syria. If the rebels win the war, everyone will hate Obama and the U.S. If Assad wins the war, everyone will hate Obama and the U.S.)

FoxNews—With U.S. aid to Egypt being cut in the wake of the military crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, word on the street in Egypt, along with tweets and Facebook posts, seems to indicate anti-U.S. sentiments are at an all-time high.

Washington has lost friends on both sides of the Egyptian political battle, including both supporters and critics of ousted Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi.

The anger against the U.S. is based on Egypt’s June 30 uprising that led to the July 3 ouster of Morsi. Supporters of Morsi said Obama turned his back on him while secular Egyptians say Obama sided with ‘terrorists’ instead of aligning with freedom fighters in eradicating extremism from their country.

“We see Obama as a man supporting terrorism here in Egypt by funding and helping Muslim Brotherhood terrorists,” Gina Adel said in an interview with Fox News from Cairo.

“Egyptian people here hate Obama and say let him cut the aid so we can be free from American domination on us.” (Continue Reading.)

French Journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon Kidnapped and Murdered in Mali

But we should always remember that, no matter how many non-Muslims are slaughtered in the name of Allah, Islamophobia is still the real problem.

Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon

(CNN)—French radio journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon have been found dead in northern Mali, the French Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

The two Radio France International reporters were kidnapped Saturday morning after conducting interviews with a Tuareg rebel near the northern town of Kidal, a local governor said, according to RFI sister network France Info.

Verlon and Dupont "were abducted by four men aboard a Toyota," Kidal Gov. Adama Kamissoko said while in Bamako, according to France Info.

Kidal was one of the strongholds of the Islamic militant Tuareg uprising last year that plunged Mali into chaos after a military-led coup. Following the coup, the al Qaeda-linked Tuareg rebels occupied the northern half of the country.

Earlier this year, as part of France's intervention to flush out Islamist militants in Mali, the French military secured the area around Kidal, the last major town that was under rebel control in northern Mali.

The two reporters were abducted in front of the home a member of the Tuareg rebels' National Movement of a Liberation of Azawad, RFI reported. (Continue Reading.)

Hakimullah Mehsud, Leader of Pakistani Taliban, Killed in Drone Strike

FoxNews—A senior Taliban source has confirmed that a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan killed the head of the Pakistan Taliban Friday.

Several intelligence, army and militant sources said Friday that Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is dead, and a senior Taliban source confirmed his death to Reuters. The Taliban source also said Mehsud's funeral would be held Saturday.

The strike—one of a series of recent attacks aimed at insurgents--occurred in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan.

"We can confirm Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in the drone strike," one senior security official told Reuters.

Mehsud, who is also believed to be behind a failed car bombing in New York's Times Square in 2010 as well as brazen attacks inside Pakistan, was widely reported to have been killed in 2010, but later resurfaced. The tribal areas where the drone attacks occur are dangerous, making it difficult for journalists to independently confirm information.

The strike—which hit the village of Dande Derpa Khel in North Waziristan--also killed four other suspected militants, according to two Pakistani intelligence officials. (Continue Reading.)