Kajian MPN: Pancung karier politik Mukhriz?

KTS: Hudud bukan penyelesaian masalah sosial

Syrian Christians in Damascus and Aleppo are terrified of being targeted and driven away

ACN News, Tuesday, 24th July 2012 – SYRIA 
Christians fear being attacked 
By John Pontifex 

CHRISTIANS in Damascus and Aleppo are terrified of being targeted and driven away, according to a senior bishop.

Chaldean Bishop Antoine Audo SJ of Aleppo said the Church was frightened of a repeat of the catastrophe in Homs in the spring when the Christian quarter came under fire, forcing a mass exodus of almost all of the faithful – more than 120,000.
The bishop reported that as conflict deepened in Aleppo and Damascus, people were turning to him, desperate for help after leaving their homes and all their belongings and fleeing for safer towns and villages.
Speaking from Aleppo on Monday, 23rd July in an interview with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Audo said: “What we are afraid of is that in this situation of anarchy, armed people will come into Christian areas as they did in Homs.
“If they come in around our churches and round our bishopric, just as they did in Homs, it will be disastrous for us.”
He reported that at his Sunday Mass in Aleppo yesterday, the church was half empty because people were too afraid to come.


(Bishop Antoine Audo SJ of Aleppo © ACN)

The bishop described the reasons for the threat against Christians as “very complicated”, adding: “I am not able to give clear reasons why the fighters would attack Christians.
“But what we can say is that if they went into the Christian areas, it would be very bad.
“The fear of Christians is particularly strong. We are a minority. Always we are threatened.”
Stressing safety fears, the bishop said: “What can we do to protect the people? We do not have any possibility to do that.
“Not only are Christians in this very dangerous situation but there are some Muslims too – those who are seen as sympathisers with the government.”

The bishop thanked people – including ACN supporters – for providing food, medical aid and shelter to more than 1,000 families who had fled Homs for smaller towns and villages outside the city.
“It is very difficult, especially for people from Homs, who have left everything behind. The poor people have nothing.
“They lost everything so they very much appreciate ACN’s help.”
But he went on to call for more help: “We have to be able to help more and more people – especially in two areas: food and medical care.
“I have people coming to me asking for help with nothing more than the clothes they are standing up in.”
The bishop spoke of being put under pressure to declare support for the regime or the rebels.
“When I am asked which side do I support, I always answer, I am on the side of my country. I am doing whatever I can to save Syria, this lovely country of ours.”
The bishop added: “What we need is your prayers for all of us. This is a very dangerous time. People are very fearful.”


Editor’s Notes

Directly under the Holy See, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity – helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, Aid to the Church in Need’s Child’s Bible – God Speaks to his Children has been translated into 162 languages and 48 million copies have been distributed all over the world.
While ACN gives full permission for the media to freely make use of the charity’s press releases, please acknowledge ACN as the source of stories when using the material.

For more information or to make a donation to help the work of Aid to the Church in Need, please contact the Australian office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 7246 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153.

On Line donations can be made at www.aidtochurch.org

EO6 remain scarred, with unanswered questions

One year after the six PSM leaders were released from their Emergency Ordinance detention, they are still clueless as to why they were arrested and detained in the first place.
COMMENT

By S Arutchelvan

Today, July 29, marks the first year anniversary of the release of the PSM EO6 who were robbed of their freedom on June 25, 2011, when they were detained with 26 others.

On July 2, 2011, they were technically released but rearrested under the Emergency Ordinance.

The six, M Saraswathy, Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, Choo Chon Kai, Sarat Babu, M Sukumaran, and A Letchumanan were detained for another 28 days in solitary confinement without the right to trial.

Their release came about only after a massive local and international campaign which saw people from all walks of life standing together against injustice and tyranny.

As we commemorate their release one year ago, we at PSM would like to thank all those who stood in the part of justice, fairplay and democracy. Without the intervention of the many, the EO6′s release would not have been possible.

One year has passed. Under pressure, the ruling party has dismantled some draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act, lifted the three emergencies as well as enacted the Freedom of Assembly Act and other bills.

These old laws were replaced with new bills and laws with new names. Yet we remain sceptical that real change has taken place.

One year later, we still seek justice on the many allegations and fabrications levelled at us.

Among them, we were accused of waging a war against the Agong, planning to bomb police stations, our buses carried weapons, we have a conspiracy with international terrorist groups, we possessed subversive documents, we plan to revive the Malayan Communist Party, we posed a threat to public order and that we were the key organiser of Bersih 2.0 rally.

Meanwhile detained PSM members, apart from being deprived of the freedom, have also been subjected to insults, assaults, humiliations and trauma. The scar remains forever.

One year later, the questions remain unanswered. Till today, we continue to seek answers and justice.

While we await our court date, the perpetrators have yet to apologise or answer our questions raised in letters, memorandums, Parliamentary questions and police reports.

One year later our quest to seek a better Malaysia and a better world continues. Udahlah tu, Bersaralah…. It is time for change.

S Arutchelvan is PSM secretary general.

Read more: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/07/29/eo6-remain-scarred-with-unanswered-questions/#ixzz22142uXsO

Protest against funeral parlour next to temple

he funeral parlour is planned to be built by Persatuan Perayaan Yee Lan Seberang Jaya less than 20 metres from the Iskcon’s Radha – Krishna Kovil complex.

SEBERANG JAYA: Several Hindu groups have joined forces here to protest against the setting up of a Chinese funeral parlour on a land next to an ongoing Iskcon temple project

The groups led by A Loganathan, secretary of Persatuan Gegaran Azam Pulau Pinang, held an hour long protest this morning to vent their frustration and anger against the Pakatan Rakyat state government’s failure to resolve the issue amicably.

The protesters chanted anti-Pakatan slogans and displayed anti-state government banners, calling on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to cancel the project.

The funeral parlour is planned to be built by Persatuan Perayaan Yee Lan Seberang Jaya on a 1.3-acre land, which is located less than 20 metres from the Iskcon’s Radha – Krishna Kovil complex.

Gegaran Azam is a coalition representing several Hindu-based civil society groups.

Loganathan said the state government and the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) have insulted the Hindus and Hindu religion by supporting the Yee Lan Association to construct the funeral parlour next to a Hindu worshipping place.

Loganathan later handed over a memorandum to MPSP councillor Amir Ghazali of PKR, who will table the memorandum for deliberation at MPSP meeting to resolve the issue amicably.

In the memorandum, Loganathan blasted Indian leaders in Pakatan for not voicing out against the project.

Project not approved yet

Amir said that MPSP had not approved the project plan submitted by the Yee Lan Association.

“We will consider all public objections and support to the project plan before making a final decision on it.

“Surely MPSP will not want a project that disrupt public harmony and unity,” he assured newsmen.

The Iskcon Hare Rama Hare Krishna group has allotted RM12 million to build its temple complex since 2010. The temple is scheduled to be ready by 2013.

Temple president Kalesha Lim, 52, said when the temple land was allotted in 2001, there was no funeral parlour project plan under the state master plan to develop the area into a religious – recreational park called Linear Park.

The Linear Park has two other Hindu temples, a church, a Thai Buddhist Wat and Chinese temple. A plot has also been allotted for a Sikh Gurdwara.

Lim said despite numerous requests, Chief Minister Lim had until today refused to meet his temple committee to resolve the issue.

Although the land for funeral parlour was allotted by the previous Barisan Nasional state government 2006, he said the MPSP still has the power to stop the project.

Build it elsewhere

He will submit his temple’s official protest petition against the funeral parlour project to MPSP tomorrow.

He said the temple was not against the Chinese community having a funeral parlour in Seberang Jaya. “But we don’t want it next to our temple.”

Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) national president Mohan Shan has also submitted a memorandum calling on the MPSP to cancel the funeral parlour project.

Seberang Jaya’s MHS local council deputy chairman S Suthagar and Kelab Belia 1Malaysia chairman M Suresh said the state government should know that a funeral parlour dealing with corpse should never be next to religious worshipping halls.

“Pakatan government seems not bothered about Hindu sensitivity,” the duo said.

Read more: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/07/29/protest-against-funeral-parlour-next-to-temple/#ixzz2213LA1gz

Passport for Waytha: IGP’s clearance needed

The Malaysian High Commission in London can only issue a passport to the Hindraf chairman upon getting the green light from the IGP.

GEORGE TOWN: Attempts by Malaysian High Commission in London on Friday to issue a valid passport to Hindraf Makkal Sakti chairman P Waythamoorthy has hit a snag.

While processing the passport, the high commission immigration officers discovered an international alert to prevent Waythamoorthy from travelling to any part of the world with a Malaysian passport.

Upon checking with their Malaysian counterparts in Putrajaya, the officers informed Waythamoorthy that his was a special case needing personal clearance from Malaysian police force chief, the Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar himself.

By definition, the IGP has discreetly banned Waythamoorthy and violated his legitimate citizenry rights to obtain a valid Malaysian passport.

The immigration officers have said their hands were tied despite Putrajaya directives to issue the Hindraf supremo a valid Malaysian passport to facilitate his safe return home on Wednesday Aug 1.

Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingam revealed this in a press statement today.

“It is clear the IGP has intention to initiate criminal charges against Waythamoorthy.

“Hindraf is fully prepared to face the situation,” said Sambulingam.

Waythamoorthy has said he does not fear arrest when he returns home next week from Singapore via the Johor causeway.

Sambulingam said the high commission officers were willing to issue an emergency passport to Waythamoorthy to allow him to travel one way into Malaysia.

But, Waythamoorthy refused to accept the passport, insisting that he ought to return his country with dignity of a rightful citizen.

Waythamoorthy, said Sambulingam, had told the high commission that his dignity had been ‘robbed’ in March 2008 when the federal government revoked his Malaysian passport.

“Thus, Waythamoorthy has insisted that his dignity ought to be reinstated for him to return to Malaysia as a rightful citizen with rights and dignity, and not at the government mercy,” Sambulingam said.

As a gesture of goodwill, Sambulingam said the high commission had returned the revoke and expired passport to Waythamoorthy.

Involvement of British MP

Sambulingam said the government’s change of heart started on July 17 when British MP Mr Jeremy Corbyn made written representations for Waythamoorthy to Malaysian High Commissioner to UK Aziz Mohamad.

In his letter, Corbyn, a member of Malaysian caucus in the UK Parliament, urged Aziz to issue a Malaysian passport to the Hindraf chairman to facilitate his safe return home.

On July 24, deputy high commissioner Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah replied to Corbyn that the Malaysian government does not have any objection to Waythamoorthy’s return to his country.

Acting on Corbyn’s advice, Waythamoorthy’s lawyer, solicitor Ram of Dotcom Solicitors contacted the high commission and was informed that an emergency meeting was required to immediately process the passport.

Waythamoorthy attended the said meeting with Ram about 4.30 pm on Friday (British time) to process his passport during which the ‘IGP alert’ was discovered.

“Hindraf calls on the IGP to lift the ban and allow Waythamoorthy to return and face any criminal charges deemed fit,” said Sambulingam.

He noted that Putrajaya appeared to have softened its earlier hardline stance on Waythamoorthy’s passport in the wake of intense campaign by Hindraf and other supportive civil society groups.

But, he said Hindraf was troubled on why the government waited until Friday to contact Waythamoorthy, who was scheduled to leave London on Saturday evening (British time) and arrive at Singapore on Sunday evening (local time).

Waythamoorthy is expected to make one last attempt to obtain a valid passport from Malaysian High Commission in Singapore on Monday.

Read more: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/07/29/passport-for-waytha-igps-clearance-needed/#ixzz2212rx8q8

Have we become a ‘sick’ nation?

he Pakatan government when elected must immediately draw up a plan to curb further deficits and control future national expenditures or go for surplus budgets.
COMMENT

We are now living in politically stressful environment. Since 1981 the scourge of abuses of political power notably corruption has thrived well under the authoritarian governments of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and now Najib Tun Razak.

Not only are these gross malpractices thriving well to this day, they have also established themselves as “the norm” in the Malaysian system of governance.

We now have had over 30 years of bad governance and Malaysia has reached a critical stage so much so that it is now considered to be a ‘sick’ nation in South East Asia.

Najib continues to announce unreasonable psychological moves to camouflage his hollow economic models.

He tops this up with elements of violence to scare those perceived as his enemies.

It is also not surprising to note that on the many occasions when he floated all kinds of rebranded laws there were little changes to the legal provisions.

Let’s not forget his signature ‘flip-flops’. His indecisiveness has led to conflicting directions.

Hence, I believe the Najib, as Prime Minister of Malaysia is incapable of continuing to hold such office.

National debt at critical levels

He must be removed and that also includes displacing him as president of Umno.

The best route now for the people of Malaysia however is to change the Umno-led Barisan Nasional government to a Pakatan Rakyat administration.

Only then can Malaysians reform the current political system.

The change of government will enable an elected Pakatan government to investigate the gross malpractices committed by the Umno-BN federal government since 1981 until now.

I personally am looking forward to a Pakatan government that will investigate the billions in financial losses suffered by Bank Negara in speculation activities in the London forex market in 1992-1993.

This was done upon the directive of Mahathir, who was the premier at that time.

Mahathir had gambled away billions of Bank Negara foreign exchange to buy the British pound with the belief that the currency would rise. Instead the British pound fell when the British government devalued its currency.

The actual losses were never revealed by Bank Negara.

I am also wanting to see a Pakatan government that will curb the escalating national debt. Malaysia’s national debt is now reaching a critical level.

‘Pakatan can do a full audit’

The Pakatan government when elected must immediately draw up a plan to curb further deficits and control future national expenditures or go for surplus budgets.

Voting in a Pakatan government in the coming 13th general election would also be a nod to a full audit investigation into the inflow and outflow of funds of the Employees Provident Funds (EPF) from 1981 until today.

The EPF Board is a government public body that manages the workers’ compulsory life savings fund in the country.

Under the EPF Act, the workers as well as their respective employers are required to make monthly contributions into the savings accounts of the former. Over the years millions of employees have contributed billions of ringgit to EPF.

As at June 2010, the total savings deposits was reported at RM407 billion.

However the EPF has now become the main source of domestic borrowings by the federal government.

And over time the role of the EPF as the traditional primary lender to the government has been abused to serve the personal interests of the Umno political masters.

Awang Abdillah is a political analyst, writer and FMT columnist

Read more: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/07/29/have-we-become-a-sick-nation/#ixzz2212LqpKh

Malaysia and the Perfect Storm

Let’s say that you’re a pessimist about global growth prospects. If so, you’re not alone: Q2 GDP growth in the U.S. is weak, the U.K. is in a double-dip recession, and there’s no end to the Eurozone crisis in sight. Growth in China is softening too, and the rest of the BRICs aren’t registering the growth that we have come to expect over the past five years. If you also think that global financial markets remain fragile, then you’d be right to worry about a perfect storm in the global economy.
This is bad news all around for the big economies. But we should also pay attention to how global economic conditions will affect small open economies. By definition, these are economies that are dependent on trade and investment, and which therefore have harnessed themselves to the global economy as a basic engine for growth and development. This gives them access to markets for their exports and to investment, but by the same token, it makes them vulnerable to whatever ups and downs the global economy experiences.
Malaysia is a classic example of a small open economy. And a new report (unfortunately behind a paywall) from Roubini Global Economics argues that Malaysia is not only the Asian country whose economy is most vulnerable to a perfect storm, but also the country which is perhaps least able to do anything about it. Take note of the following:

• Malaysia’s bank claims to the U.S. or the Eurozone are almost 30% of GDP (highest in Asia)
• Malaysia’s exports to China, the Eurozone, and the U.S. are over 20% of  GDP (2nd highest in Asia)
• Malaysia has room for monetary easing, but deficits are already pretty high—and there’s an election coming too, meaning that we can expect that the government is already primed to spend

Take all of this together, and we have cause to worry about Malaysia’s economy over the next year. This may have political consequences too. I have recently argued that in 2008-10, emerging economies like Malaysia were able to escape the worst of the political turmoil that frequently accompanies global economic crises because they were able to explain to their citizens that their own economic troubles were not their own fault. Lula put it best: “this is a crisis that was caused by white people with blue eyes.” I don’t think that this will continue to work, in Malaysia or anywhere else.

Appeals court stays Banting murder trial

The New Straits Times

SHAH ALAM: The High Court yesterday stayed the proceedings in the Banting murder trial to a date to be fixed following an order from the Court of Appeal.

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal had granted the stay pending an appeal by the defence team against judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir's decision on Monday dismissing their application to call three deputy public prosecutors to the witness stand.

The defence had applied to call deputy public prosecutors Ishak Mohd Yusoff, Saiful Edris Zainudin and Idham Abd Ghani as witnesses in their bid to challenge two documents which the DPPs had tendered in court.

The documents were the notes of proceedings of two others who were found guilty of disposing evidence in the Banting murders.

A.K. Sarawanan and U. Suresh were charged with disposing of evidence at the Telok Datok magistrate's court in October 2010.

They are currently serving a 20-year jail sentence each.

Police Detain 6 People, Issue 225 Summonses In Traffic Operation

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) - Six people, including a woman were detained and 225 summonses were issued for various offenses in 'Ops Bersepadu Trafik' in the city early Sunday.

Kuala Lumpur traffic police chief DSP A. Asmadi Abdul Aziz said three men were detained for possessing a vehicle with false registration number, a man for driving under the influence of alcohol while a man and a woman for riding stolen motorcycles.

Police issued 201 summonses while 24 others were issued by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) in the operation mounted with the cooperation of JPJ and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

"We inspected 701 vehicles in the operation from 12 midnight to 3am at Dataran Merdeka, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman," he told Bernama Sunday.

The operation involved 95 Kuala Lumpur traffic officers, two Bukit Aman officers, 16 JPJ officers and one DBKL officer.

Old Perak: Taiping’s environmental history

A former Taiping resident has contributed these nuggets about the environmental history of the historical town.
Did you know that over a hundred years ago:

• abandoned mining pools were turned into Malaysia’s most famous botanic gardens with iconic rain trees.
• there was a law protecting the mangrove forests allowing for only sustainable harvesting of bakau wood for building and charcoal.
• the hill range was proudly protected with the forest reserves extending to the fringes of the town.

That was Taiping, the town that means ‘everlasting peace’ … the Matang coastal area and Maxwell, now Larut, hills). In fact, the Malayan Nature Society(MNS) was born in Taiping.
The former resident said he grew up there and spent a 16 wonderful years growing up in an multicultural environment. There was also a big commonwealth military base with Fijians and “Rhodesian” and even the only Parsi cemetery in the country.
Share your recollections of Taiping history especially its natural environment and charming town, in the comments section below.  Send old photos using the ‘submit photos’ link at the top of the page. - Anil Netto

Hindu devotees up in arms over funeral parlour plans

By Susan Loone - Malaysiakini,


Hindu devotees in Seberang Jaya are up in arms over a plan to construct a funeral parlour beside their Hare Krishnan temple, which is a religious taboo.

A group of about 100 representing 10 NGOs, led by Pertubuhan Gegaran Azam Pulau Pinang, staged a rally at the site today, condemning the Pakatan Rakyat government for being insensitive to religious sentiments.

The parlour, a private entity to be managed by a Chinese association, is planned only several metres away from the temple, which is still under construction on a one-acre site
.
The 1.3 acre land proposed for the six-compartment (20 x 20 ft) parlour - which can hold 12 caskets at any one time - would be built on a plot which is part of a linear park.

The area, smack within the Seberang Jaya township and close to the area's industrial park, is considered a religious enclave with several places of worship and religious organisations.

Problems arose when the committee for the management of non-Muslim places of worship in the area received a notice from the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) on Jul 11, requesting them to submit their objections within 21 days to an application to build a funeral parlour there.
The objection period ends next week.
Parlour proposed since 2004

During a press conference at the site, Radha Krishnan temple president Kalesha Lim said he was "shocked" to receive a notice from the council saying that a funeral parlour would be built in the vicinity.

Lim (left) said the issue had come up in 2004 during the BN administration, and in 2008, when Pakatan took over the state.

Lim added that in 2009 the council had written to them to say it would be considering an alternative site for the parlour, but it seems the authorities have reverted to the original plan.

He added that the temple had written letters and sent emails to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his deputy, P Ramasamy, but have not received an official reply yet from either one.

"We have also suggested an alternative site. We understand that the Chinese community needs a funeral parlour and we have nothing against the association that wants it," said Lim.

"However, for Hindu devotees, it is a taboo to have a funeral parlour near their place of worship. It would disrupt our celebrations and would create some tension among our devotees," he added.

"Moreover, if it is taboo, it would be difficult to collect funds for our RM12 million temple, which is still under construction," he said.

Lim said he was not out to condemn the BN or Pakatan governments, as both are involved in the matter, adding "we will not politicise this temple issue, as it involves religious sensitivities".

MPSP to consider objections

MPSP councillor Amir Ghazali, who received a letter of protest from Malaysian Hindu Sangam chief RS Mohan addressed to the council's planning department on Jul 19, said he will raise the group's objections with the relevant authorities.

"What is important is that no development should disrupt racial harmony or create religious tensions," said Amir (right in photo), who is also state PKR youth chief, when met at the site.

Meanwhile, Gegaran Azam secretary A Loganathan condemned the Penang government for not looking into the interests of all ethic groups and religions.

He criticised PKR advisor Anwar Ibrahim and Guan Eng for preaching about caring for the interests of all races and religions, when at the same time the state's administrative policies in practise "insult the Hindu religion".

"The Indian members in Pakatan have no shame. Their religion is being insulted but they remain cowards. They have no belief in God and they are afraid of Guan Eng," he told reporters after the rally.

"They are afraid of losing their seats in the election, and so do not dare speak out. If they do, there is no need for us NGOs to get involved in the matter," said Loganathan, who claims to represent the collective voice of the 10 NGOs.

"Since Pakatan has been insulting our religious beliefs, we have decided we will not support their leaders in the coming 13th general polls," he added.
Ramasamy willing to talk

In an immediate response, Prai MP Ramasamy said that the MPSP has yet to approve the land for the parlour, and reminded that the objection period for the plan is yet to be over.

He added that the state government would be meeting the temple committee soon to resolve the issue and to discussed proper solutions to the problem.

"Let's meet to resolve the matter, as even I do not have any real solution yet. The association bought up the said land about two years ago from the council," said Ramasamy, who is also Hindu Endowment Board chairperson.

"We have tried to find alternative sites for the parlour, but everywhere they go, there is a protest," he added.

Ramasamy however dismissed the NGOs’ allegations that the state did not care about the community, saying he regretted the "racist" comments by Loganathan, who accused him and Guan Eng of being anti-Hindu and against the Indian community.

He insisted that the Pakatan government has done much for the Hindu and Indian community, questioning the NGOs on their misplaced anger.

He added that Loganathan "does not know head or tail about the issue, and has only jumped into the bandwagon" to join the protest.

Worldwide Counter-Jihad Alliance to Launch with Stockholm Demonstration on August 4

Worldwide Counter-Jihad Alliance to Launch with Stockholm Demonstration on August 4 Reuters
 NEW YORK, June 11, 2012: The first worldwide counter-jihad initiative will begin August 4 with the First Annual Global Counter Jihad rally in Stockholm, Sweden. Representatives from Stop Islamization of Nations (SION), Stop Islamization of America (SIOA), Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE), the English Defence League (EDL), and allied groups will speak.
 The Global Counter Jihad rally will feature the president of SION and executive director of SIOA, Pamela Geller, as well as SION Vice President and SIOA associate director Robert Spencer. Also speaking will be the EDL’s Tommy Robinson, SIOE’s Anders Gravers, and other worldwide leaders from official Stop Islamization and Defence League groups
“The conference,” said Geller in a statement, “heralds the launch of a worldwide counter jihad alliance. Freedom fighters from Europe and America, as well as India, Israel, and other areas threatened by jihad, will at last be working together and forming a common defense of freedom and human rights.”

Stockholm was chosen for the Global Counter Jihad rally because of the actions of an Iraqi-born Swedish citizen, Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, who travelled to central Stockholm on December 11, 2010 in order to commit mass murder in revenge for Sweden’s “silence” over cartoons of Islam’s founder and the presence of Swedish troops in Afghanistan. Al-Abdaly succeeded only in killing himself, but his jihad plot is particularly noteworthy because he turned to jihad violence and hatred in England, at the Luton Islamic Centre.

EDL leader Tommy Robinson explained in a statement: “We are ashamed that the people of Stockholm had to suffer the horror of a terrorist attack in their city because we as a country have been unable to even truly acknowledge the extent of the threat posed by Islamic extremism, let alone combat it. We have a responsibility to ensure that our country can never again be the birthplace for terrorism. We owe that much to the people of Stockholm, to our friends in Europe and across the world, and to our children. This is why the English Defence League will be attending the First Annual Global Counter Jihad rally in Stockholm on August 4, along with Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, and Anders Gravers.”
 Robinson added: “We must also look at the other forms of extremism commonly associated with Islam, including but not limited to the oppression of Muslim women, the predominance of Muslim men in child grooming cases, and the seditious ideology of Sharia Law. Of course, we must always be careful to distinguish fair-minded criticism from simple prejudice. But that does not mean that we should equate disdain for Islam as an ideology (both political and theological) with hatred of individual Muslims. It is certainly true that there many decent Muslims – no one is questioning that. But that does not mean that the problems that give root to Islamic extremists can be understood in isolation from mainstream Islamic thought or practice.”
Security will be high, so as to prevent what has happened at previous free speech demonstrations in Europe: at one, the display of an innocuous cartoon of Muhammad resulted in devout Muslims rioting, attacking and stabbing police. “It is time to stand against this encroaching tyranny and defend free speech and free people,” stated Geller.
 The First Annual Global Counter Jihad rally stands for:

• The freedom of speech – as opposed to Islamic prohibitions of "blasphemy" and "slander," which are used effectively to quash honest discussion of jihad and Islamic supremacism;
• The freedom of conscience – as opposed to the Islamic death penalty for apostasy;
• The equality of rights of all people before the law – as opposed to Sharia's institutionalized discrimination against women and non-Muslims.

 Join the SION Facebook group here.