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	<title>United Kingdom &#8211; Salam  Plan</title>
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		<title>Amnesty International claims the US led coalition killed 1,600 civilians in Raqqa during the battle against ISIS</title>
		<link>https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/amnesty-international-claims-the-us-led-coalition-killed-1600-civilians-in-raqqa-during-the-battle-against-isis/20190425</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Maria Torrens]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 2019 12:15:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Terrorism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Airwars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amnesty International]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chris Woods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daesh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donatella Rovera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ISIS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Raqqa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United Kingdom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://salamplan.com/?p=3861</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>It happened during the operation to free the last great enclave that was in the hands of the terrorists, according to a major investigation on-the-ground and with satellite images that lasted almost two years. Amnesty International calls on the US, UK and France to evaluate their mistakes in the Syrian city of Raqqa so that they do not commit them again. &#62;&#62;&#62; Follow Salam Plan- &#8216;journalism against hate&#8217; on Twitter and Facebook&#60;&#60;&#60; &#8220;Thousands of civilians were killed or injured in the US-led Coalition’s offensive to rid Raqqa of ISIS, whose snipers and mines had turned the city into a death trap,&#8221; said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International (AI) adviser said in a statement. &#8220;Many of the air bombardments were inaccurate and...</p>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/amnesty-international-claims-the-us-led-coalition-killed-1600-civilians-in-raqqa-during-the-battle-against-isis/20190425">Amnesty International claims the US led coalition killed 1,600 civilians in Raqqa during the battle against ISIS</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It happened during the operation to free the last great enclave that was in the hands of the terrorists, according to a major investigation on-the-ground and with satellite images that lasted almost two years. Amnesty International calls on the US, UK and France to evaluate their mistakes in the Syrian city of Raqqa so that they do not commit them again.<span id="more-3861"></span></p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&gt;&gt;&gt; Follow Salam Plan- &#8216;journalism against hate&#8217; on <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://twitter.com/SalamPlan">Twitter</a></span> and <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.facebook.com/SalamPlanCommunity">Facebook</a></span>&lt;&lt;&lt;</em></span></h4>
<p>&#8220;Thousands of civilians were killed or injured in the US-led Coalition’s offensive to rid Raqqa of ISIS, whose snipers and mines had turned the city into a death trap,&#8221; said <strong>Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International (AI)</strong> adviser said in a statement. &#8220;Many of the air bombardments were inaccurate and tens of thousands of artillery strikes were indiscriminate, so it is no surprise they killed and injured many hundreds of civilians.&#8221; Rovera assures as well that, on the ground, she discovered that the coalition was providing <strong>&#8220;little or no protection to civilians trapped in the city.&#8221;</strong></p>
<p>The United States, France and the United Kingdom supported the advance of Kurdish forces on the ground with an air offensive. The &#8220;unguided artillery&#8221; have a margin of error of more than 100 meters, which makes their use &#8220;indiscriminate&#8221; in an urban context with civilians present, according to Amnesty.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4><em><span style="color: #008000;">&#8220;Many of the aerial bombings were inaccurate, and tens of thousands of artillery attacks were indiscriminate&#8221;</span></em></h4>
<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span style="color: #008000;">&#8211; Donatella Rovera, AI</span></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Syrian city of <strong>Raqqa was governed for almost four years by the terrorists</strong> until in 2017 they were defeated by the military coalition led by the United States. &#8220;<strong>ISIS had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity</strong> and tortured and killed whoever dared to oppose them,&#8221; Amnesty International recalls. The NGO has previously documented how terrorists used &#8220;civilians as <strong>human shields</strong>, mined exit routes, set up checkpoints to restrict movement and fired at those who tried to flee.&#8221;</p>
<p>In their attempt to free the citizens of Raqqa from Daesh and undermine their territorial power in what was considered their &#8220;capital&#8221;, &#8220;thousands&#8221; of American, British and French air strikes and dozens of US artillery attacks were carried out between June and October 2017. Amnesty International says its data show that <strong>hundreds of civilians died as a &#8220;direct result&#8221;of that military operation</strong>.</p>
<p>The human rights organization research teams spent about two months in Raqqa when the battle was still ongoing. It <strong>visited more than 200 strike locations </strong><strong>and interviewed more than 400 witnesses and survivors</strong>.</p>
<p>In addition, more than 3,000 activists from 124 different countries analyzed more than <strong>two million frames of satellite images</strong>. Amnesty notes that the organization&#8217;s digital verification body, based in six universities around the world, <strong>analyzed and authenticated the video images</strong> taken during the battle.</p>
<p>In collaboration with <strong>Airwars</strong> organization, they analyzed open source data in real time and after the battle &#8211; including &#8220;thousands&#8221; of social media and other materials &#8211; to create a database of more than 1,600 civilians who, according to the investigation, died due to the coalition attacks. Both organizations have compiled the <strong>names of more than a thousand victims</strong>; <strong>Amnesty International has verified 641 of these directly on the ground</strong>, in Raqqa, and claims to have &#8220;convincing information from multiple sources about the rest&#8221;.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8220;The coalition has to investigate what went wrong in Raqqa and learn the lesson so as to not inflict such tremendous suffering on civilians trapped in future military operations&#8221;</em></span></h4>
<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8211; Chris Woods, Airwars</em></span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The NGO regrets that the international coalition has only admitted to the deaths of 159 civilians for their attacks and claims that they do not investigate on the ground or talk to the victims.</p>
<p>“The Coalition needs to fully investigate what went wrong at Raqqa and learn from those lessons, to prevent inflicting such tremendous suffering on civilians caught in future military operations,” said <strong>Chris Woods</strong>, director of Airwars.</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&gt;&gt;&gt; Follow Salam Plan- &#8216;journalism against hate&#8217; on <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://twitter.com/SalamPlan">Twitter</a></span> and <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.facebook.com/SalamPlanCommunity">Facebook</a></span>&lt;&lt;&lt;</em></span></h4>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/amnesty-international-claims-the-us-led-coalition-killed-1600-civilians-in-raqqa-during-the-battle-against-isis/20190425">Amnesty International claims the US led coalition killed 1,600 civilians in Raqqa during the battle against ISIS</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
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		<title>Sannah Hussain, the Scottish boxer who fights Albinism and discrimination</title>
		<link>https://salamplan.com/en/like-u/sannah-hussain-the-scottish-boxer-who-fights-albinism-and-discrimination/20181112</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Maria Torrens]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Nov 2018 13:09:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Like U]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Glasgow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hijab]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Islam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Muslims]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sannah Hussain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scotland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United Kingdom]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://salamplan.com/?p=2398</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>&#8220;Without my illness, I don’t think I would have the same drive.&#8221; Sannah Hussain would love to be a professional boxer, but she suffers from Albinism and an auto-immune condition which do not let her see well or have the physical strength she might need. Nevertheless, she does not give up and already took part in an exhibition fight last Septembre, after just about half a year of training. Another one is planned for next March. Her dreams go beyond boxing and she is accomplishing them already as well. She studied a degree in Finance, Investment and Risk and currently works as a fundraiser at the Human Appeal NGO for Scotland. “I cannot imagine working in any other sector” than...</p>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/like-u/sannah-hussain-the-scottish-boxer-who-fights-albinism-and-discrimination/20181112">Sannah Hussain, the Scottish boxer who fights Albinism and discrimination</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&#8220;Without my illness, I don’t think I would have the same drive.&#8221; <strong>Sannah Hussain</strong> would love to be a professional boxer, but she suffers from Albinism and an auto-immune condition which do not let her see well or have the physical strength she might need. Nevertheless, she does not give up and already took part in an exhibition fight last Septembre, after just about half a year of training. Another one is planned for next March.<span id="more-2398"></span></p>
<p>Her dreams go beyond boxing and she is accomplishing them already as well. She studied a degree in Finance, Investment and Risk and currently works as a fundraiser at the <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://humanappeal.org.uk/"><strong>Human Appeal</strong></a></span> NGO for Scotland. “I cannot imagine working in any other sector” than charity, she tells <a href="salamplan.com">Salam Plan</a>. In fact, she felt in love with boxing after organizing ladies- only classes as part of her job. She also enjoys being a DJ and host of her own radio show on Scotland’s only Community Asian Radio Station, <strong>Awaz FM</strong>.</p>
<p>Born and raised in <strong>Glasgow</strong>, Sannah (25) defines herself as a “curious young mind” and explains she likes “to meet people from different backgrounds and communities with their love for humanity as their common ground”. She has become an activist for different causes, especially for Muslim women like herself, and recently held a conference at the <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://mindfuldrinkingfestival.com/"><strong>Mindful Drinking Festival</strong></a></span> in her city, when she answered Salam Plan’s questions.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4><span style="color: #008000;"><em> &#8220;I get shocked looks when I begin to speak and people realise that I am extremely Scottish and a Muslim that wears a hijab&#8221;</em></span></h4>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>The Mindful Drinking Festival vindicates the normalization of not drinking or moderating the drinking for all sorts of people. How is it not to drink alcohol in Scotland? Do you feel a social pressure to drink?</strong></p>
<p>I have been born in a part of the world where drinking alcohol is a normal part of the majority’s life. I have been in scenarios where alcohol has been offered to me more than once. For example, during parties or at office evening outs at restaurants and bars.</p>
<p>I don’t think my faith has changed the pressure or offers I have been given. But there has definitely been a difference in reaction when some people realise you are Muslim and cannot hide their disgust in your decision.</p>
<p><strong>Did you often get the question &#8220;how can you have fun without drinking&#8221;? What do you answer?</strong></p>
<p>I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked this. But my simple response is that I don’t need to drink to have fun. I often ask a similar question&#8230;how can you have fun drunk? Which isn’t always taken well but sometimes gives people something to think about.</p>
<p><strong>Do you miss more non-alcoholic drinks offer when you go out and about?</strong></p>
<p>It can be frustrating sometimes that the options are so limited and (that there are) two or three options of soft drinks. It also sometimes baffles me that a lot of bars do not even offer mocktails, as though it is so much more effort to make when I’m not sure if it is! However, unlike those that drink alcohol, I don’t get much out of a soft drink other than my thirst quenched which is generally all I am looking for, so I’m never too upset for too long [she smiles].</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&gt;&gt;&gt; Follow Salam Plan- ‘journalism against hate’ on <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://twitter.com/SalamPlan">Twitter</a></span> and <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.facebook.com/SalamPlanCommunity">Facebook</a></span> &lt;&lt;&lt;</em></span></h4>
<p><strong>Do you have other difficulties or discrimination due to your faith?</strong></p>
<p>I have never suffered from any real discrimination or discomfort due to my faith other than a shocked look when I begin to speak and people realise that I am extremely Scottish and a Muslim that wears a hijab. Before I started wearing a hijab my blond hair really confused non-Muslims and Asian people that did not venture far as they were both surprised that a white-Muslim could exist.</p>
<p>As a confident and enthusiastic young woman, I take it upon myself to interact with others to show how much more in common we have than what separates us.</p>
<p><strong>Did you need to break many taboos to start boxing?</strong></p>
<p>While a lot of people in the community were surprised about Human Appeal&#8217;s Ladies- only boxing class, the response was positive. Everyone I have spoken to, male and female, agreed it was a great idea. But I am not naive enough to think that there are not people that are not impressed. However, we have taken every measure possible to ensure the classes do not compromise faith and believe of our Muslim and Asian Community.</p>
<p>My biggest issue was in convincing others of the seriousness of my [exhibition] fight while having a disability and illness. Many thought my fight may be staged or that the gym was simply allowing me to live my dream. Whilst I do believe I am living the dream, the fight was very much serious and filled with risk. But I let my fists do the talking and remained focused. I may be visually impaired but when you are in the boxing ring and so close to your opponent, you use more senses than just sight.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4><em><span style="color: #008000;">&#8220;Whilst I do believe I am living the dream, the fight was very much serious and filled with risk. But I let my fists do the talking and remained focused&#8221; </span></em></h4>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>How did you fall in love with boxing? </strong></p>
<p>After I started up the Ladies- Only Boxing Classes with the help of a colleague and volunteers from Human Appeal, I took part to promote and encourage its success. But after the first class, I found that training once a week was not enough and I began to attend more classes more regularly. My love of boxing grew from there.</p>
<p>Something about working alone, knowing that your success and failure is down to you and no one else, pushed me to try and prove to myself that I was capable. The ultimate way of doing this inevitably was by having my first fight, so when the opportunity arose I jumped at it. I never took no for an answer and pushed myself to be ready.</p>
<p><strong>What makes the special sessions for women at the gym offer which is different from the other sessions?<br />
</strong></p>
<p>The classes we provide are delivered by many experienced female coaches and the whole gym is shut to the rest of its members and staff at this time. Ladies and young girls can feel comfortable with wearing whatever they like as long as it is safe to work out in and can remove their hijabs if they wear one.</p>
<p>Those that attend have full access to the gyms facilities at this time; however, the coaches provide an excellent session which covers fitness and boxing technique. The best part is that the money made is donated to Human Appeal&#8217;s many charitable projects after paying the gym. We are currently reaching out to businesses and organisations and asking them to sponsor the classes on a month to month basis so that more money can be donated to charity.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8220;Knowing that your success and failure is down to you and no one else, pushed me to try and prove to myself that I was capable&#8221;</em></span></h4>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>How did the idea of the women- only classes come along?</strong></p>
<p>The classes simply started after a female volunteer disclosed to Human Appeal that she really wants to get back into boxing but because of her age her family do not feel comfortable with her working out alongside the men in the boxing gyms. After doing some research we realised this was how a lot of people felt and my colleague approached a gym to see if there was a middle ground. The gym was more than happy and since the classes started in February this year we have seen a lot more members from ethnic minority communities, both male and female, join the gym and taking part in other sessions that are provided.</p>
<p>Feedback has been very positive and we don’t feel as though we are treated any different from any other users of the gym. Our only issue has been finding a time that can suit everyone as many women have different responsibilities and cannot attend the weekly session we provide. Asking the gym to shut its doors to others is a huge ask and we are still working on expanding.</p>
<div id="attachment_2408" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2408" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-2408 size-large" src="https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FB_IMG_1538429420114-1024x819.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="819" srcset="https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FB_IMG_1538429420114-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FB_IMG_1538429420114-300x240.jpg 300w, https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FB_IMG_1538429420114-768x614.jpg 768w, https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FB_IMG_1538429420114.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2408" class="wp-caption-text">Sannah Hussain&#8217;s exhibition fight in Septembre 2018. © SK Boxing Promotions</p></div>
<p><strong>Do you feel the hijab poses difficulties to Muslim women to do sports? Why?</strong></p>
<p>Yes! Have you ever tried to work out while wearing a hijab? If you have not, I can tell you it is not easy or comfortable. It is hot, itchy and doesn’t stay put; it gets in the way and stops you from focusing on the work out. So if you cannot even train how can you compete?</p>
<p>Many companies now sell sports hijabs and while they may make things a lot easier they are not easy to get a hold of in the UK. They come from overseas, cost a lot and take ages to arrive and once you have it you may not like it because you never had the chance to try it on beforehand.</p>
<p>Although I am very welcomed in the gym, I have struggled to wear my sports hijab as I feel that I stand out and cannot fly in under the radar unlike those that don’t wear a sports hijab.</p>
<p>The difficulty extends to what one wears as well. As hijab is not just about covering your hair but about dressing modestly too (and) not many sports accommodate this either. Luckily as my fight was an exhibition, the gym were very flexible and allowed me to wear a long sleeved top, leggings and my sports hijab under my kit. But moving forward, what I wear could pose issues depending on the level I fight at.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8220;I feel that I stand out and cannot fly in under the radar unlike those that don’t wear a sports hijab&#8221;</em></span></h4>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>How does Albinism and your auto-immune condition affect your boxing career?</strong></p>
<p>Albinism and <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-myasthenia-gravis">Myasthenia Gravis</a></span> (MG) means that I will never have a professional boxing career. I am simply not fit or healthy enough to expect that of my body which, while sad, is a fact of life and not due to a lack of determination or motivation. It would be foolish for me to put myself in a position that could lead to a serious injury or force me to not want to box in any capacity.</p>
<p>However, I have really enjoyed my journey with boxing so far. My exhibition fight will be the highlight of the year and I will continue to train in the gym to stay in shape and on top of my technique. But I would never say never and if I am offered another exhibition fight, I will be likely to accept. [Sannah Hussain got the opportunity for a new exhibition fight on March 2019 after this interview had taken place.]</p>
<p><strong>What would you say to other people suffering from Albinism or MG who want to make a sports career?</strong></p>
<p>Not everything is about competing with others and simply allowing yourself to be part of something is important too. I have spent years in my childhood playing football and cricket and I was awful: I can never see well enough to keep up, but I remember enjoying myself. Maybe not every game was fun but being with friends and family was enjoyable and at least I can always say I tried my best.</p>
<p>But if you are serious about sports, get in touch with local clubs and organisations and ask to get involved. Try as many things as you can ‘till you find what is right for you! Understand it won’t be easy and be prepared for rejection. Sometimes you need to keep knocking on doors and revisit the same ones ‘till you find the right people to listen.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8220;To all the women fighting against discrimination and trying to overcome hurdles: you are not alone! Keep pushing forward, anything is possible&#8221;<br />
</em></span></h4>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>You would like to make a boxing career.</strong></p>
<p>In an ideal world I would love to have a boxing career but the factors that stop me are the factors that motivate me, so without my illness I don’t think I would have the same drive.</p>
<p><strong>Do you have any wish for Muslim women in sports and in Scotland?</strong></p>
<p>I wish that more Muslim women would be less fearful of being judged in any capacity or environment. In many cases people have opinions of Muslims that are easily changed through a friendly conversation and while some people’s opinions cannot be changed, we will never know until we try.</p>
<p>To all the women fighting a specific battle against discrimination and trying to overcome hurdles: you are not alone! Keep pushing forward, anything is possible.</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&gt;&gt;&gt; Follow Salam Plan- ‘journalism against hate’ on <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://twitter.com/SalamPlan">Twitter</a></span> and <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://www.facebook.com/SalamPlanCommunity">Facebook</a></span> &lt;&lt;&lt;</em></span></h4>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/like-u/sannah-hussain-the-scottish-boxer-who-fights-albinism-and-discrimination/20181112">Sannah Hussain, the Scottish boxer who fights Albinism and discrimination</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
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		<title>This is how Ramadan goes for Muslims from Europe: much more than fasting</title>
		<link>https://salamplan.com/en/islam-qa/this-is-how-ramadan-goes-for-muslims-from-europe-much-more-than-fasting/20180608</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Maria Torrens]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jun 2018 13:04:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Islam Q&A]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arco Forum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Asif Arif]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eid al-Fitr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Europe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fatima Hamed Hossain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Germany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iaad Ben Diah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Le Pen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Muhammad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Muslim Students of France (EMF)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Muslims]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Native Sun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quran]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ramadán]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sajid Javid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tez Ilyas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Big Iftar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United Kingdom]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://salamplan.com/?p=1221</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>From UK to Spain, European citizens tell how they celebrate their holy month. Elisa prefers not to get her last name published in this story. Seven years ago she converted to Islam and considers that being a Muslim of Spanish parents is &#8220;an extra challenge, because it is not usual&#8221;. &#8220;The stereotype pulls a lot, both on the Muslim side and on the non-Muslim side,&#8221; says the 39-year-old teacher. Festive decoration fills the streets of Muslim-majority countries these days, because Ramadan is &#8211; above all &#8211; a celebration, one in memory of when they believe that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad. In fact, at the end of this lunar month next week, gifts are given at the Eid al-Fitr...</p>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/islam-qa/this-is-how-ramadan-goes-for-muslims-from-europe-much-more-than-fasting/20180608">This is how Ramadan goes for Muslims from Europe: much more than fasting</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>From UK to Spain, European citizens tell how they celebrate their holy month.</p>
<p><span id="more-1221"></span></p>
<p><strong>Elisa</strong> prefers not to get her last name published in this story. Seven years ago she converted to Islam and considers that being a Muslim of Spanish parents is &#8220;an extra challenge, because it is not usual&#8221;. &#8220;The stereotype pulls a lot, both on the Muslim side and on the non-Muslim side,&#8221; says the 39-year-old teacher.</p>
<p>Festive decoration fills the streets of Muslim-majority countries these days, because Ramadan is &#8211; above all &#8211; a celebration, one in memory of when they believe that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad. In fact, at the end of this lunar month next week, gifts are given at the Eid al-Fitr celebration.</p>
<p>In Europe it is difficult to find a place where public spaces show any sign of this special month for <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/29/5-facts-about-the-muslim-population-in-europe/">5% of its population</a>. One of those corners is in <strong>Ceuta</strong> (Spain). <a href="https://elfarodeceuta.es/encendido-luces-ramadan-ceuta-noche-miercoles/">Special street lighting</a> is installed in their streets to wish happy Ramadan to the Muslim population.</p>
<p>The lawyer and town councillor from Ceuta, <strong>Fatima Hamed ​​Hossain</strong> (40), says the atmosphere in her city is what she likes best at this time of the year. &#8220;Fortunately, the fact that almost half of the Spanish people here keep the fasting in the month of Ramadan encourages interaction, coexistence and mutual knowledge”.</p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8220;The community spirit is what I like the most about Ramadan. It&#8217;s like a month-long festival&#8221;</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #008000;">&#8212; Tez Ilyas, stand-up comedian</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The &#8220;community spirit&#8221; is also what the British <a href="http://tezilyas.com/">stand-up comedian Tez Ilyas</a> (35) likes most about Ramadan. “It&#8217;s like a month-long festival,” he smiles. Although Ramadan is usually known to non- Muslims as the fasting month, for the Muslims <a href="http://salamplan.com/en">Salam Plan</a> has spoken to that aspect is almost the least important.</p>
<p>Muslim communities organize activities such as the soccer championships or long walks in the Spanish town of <strong>Melilla</strong>. They often also meet in group dinners for the celebration of <em>Iftar</em>, when they break fasting at sunset. Sometimes these meetings are even interreligious to encourage dialogue, like the ones that <strong>Arco Forum</strong> and Casa Turca (‘Turkish Home’) have been organizing in Madrid for the past six years. Or like <strong>“The Big Iftar&#8221;</strong> that took place this week for the first time in the British Parliament.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="es">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">“As Home Secretary I will do everything I can to stop hate crimes in this country.” <a href="https://twitter.com/sajidjavid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sajidjavid</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheBigIftar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheBigIftar</a> <a href="https://t.co/n0pO1PIsjR">pic.twitter.com/n0pO1PIsjR</a></p>
<p>— British Muslims (@APPGBritMuslims) <a href="https://twitter.com/APPGBritMuslims/status/1004092093827084294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">5 de junio de 2018</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
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<p>That is so, because Ramadan is also to share &#8220;moments of exchange and fraternity,&#8221; <strong>Iaad Ben Diah</strong> (26) explains. He is from <strong>Toulouse</strong> (France), although he has been living in <strong>Paris</strong> for three years now. He is studying a PhD in mathes and chairs the association of <strong>Muslim Students of France (EMF)</strong>. He assures that neither in his city nor in the French capital has he ever had any problem to celebrate Ramadan, despite the growing Islamophobia and the many supporters <strong>Marine Le Pen</strong> reaps in the country.</p>
<p>&#8220;There is the France of media and the France on the ground. I live very well as a French citizen of Muslim creed (&#8230;). France is a country of freedom and tolerance where everyone can live their faith and religious festivities with all serenity,&#8221; he argues. &#8220;Mrs. Le Pen has no impact on my daily personal life really.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Asif Arif</strong> (30), a Parisian lawyer and regular contributor to various French media, agrees: &#8220;Not everyone in the<em> outside world</em> understands the spirit of Ramadan. The most difficult part is also the media controversy surrounding Islam. But we live in France, a free country, where people respect each other and understand that we must live together.&#8221;</p>
<h2><span style="color: #008000;">A flexible at work schedule is appreciated, nothing more is needed</span></h2>
<p>Tez is a comedian who usually jokes about his own circumstances as a British Muslim and the prejudices against those who profess Islam. &#8220;For those of you who don’t know that much about us, you might recognize us from such hate TV shows as the news,&#8221; he said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tezilyas/videos/1562748963753713/">one of his shows</a> on BBC.</p>
<div align="center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8y219-BmWnc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
<p>But he does not mention any bad experience when answering <a href="salamplan.com/en">Salam Plan</a>&#8216;s questions about Ramadan in the United Kingdom, at work neither. “In my experience, employers are usually very accommodating,” he says. In his opinion, it would basically be to allow a flexible schedule during this month.</p>
<p>“Starting later and having a shorter lunch break to make-up for the last time and maybe being a little conscientious about food and water near desks,” he suggests.</p>
<p>Ceuta lawyer, Fatima, has trouble these days paying attention to the alarm clock and that&#8217;s why she takes advantage of lunch time to take a &#8220;little nap&#8221;. She also &#8220;hardly&#8221; perceives difficulties in her working environment for Muslims to celebrate their month of shared spirituality. Fatima is self-employed and can organize herself, but she has not detected problems for employed persons either.</p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8220;What people usually do in several companies is changing shifts, holiday periods etc. to make things easier for other colleagues. The same is done at Christmas&#8221;</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #008000;">&#8212; Fatima H. Hossain, lawyer and town councillor</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>&#8220;What people usually do in several companies is changing shifts, holiday periods etc. to make things easier for other colleagues. The same is done for example at Christmas, where those who do not celebrate try to cover our peers who do,&#8221; she explains.</p>
<p>Elisa agrees that her usual schedule is the main difference during Ramadan. &#8220;We get up early, so I try to leave a while free to rest in the afternoon, since there are also many hours of light.&#8221; As a teacher, her work does not allow her to vary anything on her time scheme, but she can in another practical aspect: &#8220;I have to talk a lot and I cannot refresh my throat, as I usually do, so I have to avoid wearing down&#8221;.</p>
<p>In <strong>Germany</strong>, <strong>Naima Niazy</strong> (28) cannot help but getting irritated by a co-worker who asks each year again if fasting also includes not being able to drink. &#8220;This question and lack of comprehension occur so often, that sometimes I want to print out a T-shirt that reads: &#8216;Yes, cannot drink either,'&#8221; she admits.</p>
<p>At the same time, this postdoctoral researcher in molecular biology admits that what she likes best about Ramadan in Germany is the interest shown by non-Muslims: &#8220;They inform themselves and take it into account, simply because they like me (&#8230;). Conversations arising from curiosity and without prejudice enrich me and help me to learn new perspectives, regardless of whether in the end I have the same opinion or not.&#8221;</p>
<p>Iaad, the representative of the Muslim students of France, assures that &#8220;those who fast have a totally normal life during Ramadan. My fast should not be imposed on anything about my coworkers or the university world.&#8221;</p>
<p>Asif, the Parisian lawyer, says he always tries to be &#8220;more calm” and “temper the nerves&#8221; at work, as part of that &#8220;attempt to evolve towards more spirituality&#8221; during Ramadan.</p>
<h2><span style="color: #008000;">Do not get angry and other top goals in Ramadan</span></h2>
<p>&#8220;I actually enjoy the hunger and the thirst. It reminds me how lucky I am that I live in a part of the world where I can generally eat what I like whenever I want,” Tez says. “It’s a really special time where everyone is pulling in the same direction to be a better person.&#8221;</p>
<p>Elisa emphasizes that &#8220;fasting involves an entire attitude, which goes beyond stopping eating and drinking.&#8221; This includes, for example, &#8220;to avoid getting angry or talking badly; it is always that way, but during this period, with more reason&#8221;.</p>
<p>That positive attitude is what prevents Naima from carrying out her desire to print out that T-shirt. She believes that this other aspect of Ramadan often does not get the necessary importance: neither to get angry, nor to bother others nor to carry out &#8220;meaningless discussions&#8221;. &#8220;We all say things that are not especially kind or we exchange the latest gossip with our colleagues. It is something that becomes part of the daily life and does not kill anyone, so it is good to be aware of it and work on it,&#8221; she says.</p>
<div id="attachment_1225" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1225" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-1225 size-large" src="https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Iftar-interreligioso-e-intercultural-en-Madrid-1-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Iftar-interreligioso-e-intercultural-en-Madrid-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Iftar-interreligioso-e-intercultural-en-Madrid-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://salamplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Iftar-interreligioso-e-intercultural-en-Madrid-1-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-1225" class="wp-caption-text">Interreligious Iftar organized by Arco Forum and &#8216;Turkish Home&#8217; in Madrid. © Salam Plan</p></div>
<p>Another maxim in Ramadan is to help the needy. The British comedian says that &#8220;it&#8217;s also a month where we really think about charity, Muslims dig really deep in our pockets in this month to help those less fortunate than us around the world.&#8221; Naima points out that charity can also consist in helping acquaintances or neighbours or &#8220;simply smile to another person&#8221;.</p>
<p>Asif believes that the altruistic aspect is the least known of Ramadan among non-Muslims. He also explains that it is not only about sharing material aspects with others, but also about &#8220;debating and getting better together&#8221;. For him, this month has an important &#8220;dimension of freedom, choice and altruism&#8221;.</p>
<h2><span style="color: #008000;">It is not torture, but this is what costs the most</span></h2>
<p>&#8220;Ramadan is not an insurmountable test that is summarized in refraining from eating and drinking,&#8221; Iaad emphasizes. It serves to &#8220;reconnect with the essential (&#8230;), the piety&#8221; towards God. That&#8217;s why he goes to the mosque every night and the day usually ends around 1 in the morning, he says with a smile.</p>
<p>The few hours of sleep are an aspect that is repeated among Muslims who participate in this story, as much or more than the lack of food and drink during the day. And when Ramadan falls in summer, the <strong>short European nights sometimes demand fasting during 19 hours</strong>, highlights Tez, the British comedian.</p>
<p>&#8220;The night time prays (<em>Tarawee</em>) at the mosque” are the hardest for him. &#8221; Over the month the Imam prays the entire Qur&#8217;an in congregation. It&#8217;s tiring and takes about an hour every night,&#8221; he explains. The next day, Muslim believers will have to get up before the first sun rays appear to eat and do the first of the five prayers of the day. Some people go back to bed, others feel too sated to sleep.</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #008000;">&gt;&gt;&gt; You may also want to read: <a href="https://salamplan.com/en/islamophobia/international-womens-day-muslim-and-feminist-these-women-show-it-is-possible/20180308">Muslim and feminist? These women show it&#8217;s possible</a>&lt;&lt;&lt;</span></em></h4>
<p>Loneliness during dinner is what is most difficult for Naima these days, as it is normally a time to celebrate and to share with a group, either with the family or other people. She does not live with anyone and, although she recognizes that she could meet for <em>Iftar</em> with other believers in a mosque, she does not want to. It is the family the ones she misses.</p>
<p>For Elisa, the Spanish teacher, the most difficult thing to celebrate Ramadan in Europe is that &#8220;the usual working and social calendar is ongoing and sometimes it is not easy to combine with.&#8221; But at the same time she emphasizes that she &#8220;enjoys it with a lot of freedom&#8221;. She adds: Ramadan is &#8220;a practice that produces immense joy; It is not torture.&#8221;</p>
<p>For all these European citizens Ramadan is an opportunity to devote more time to their faith and their relationship with God, as well as to work to become a better person and spend more time in community. The essence does not seem so different from the meaning of Christian festivities such as Easter and Christmas. By the way, Muslims also believe in Jesus as an “envoy” of God.</p>
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>** Since you are here</strong> … we want to ask you a small favor. Share the work of <span style="color: #008000;"><a style="color: #008000;" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam Plan</a></span> so that more and more people get to know this <a style="color: #000080;" href="https://salamplan.com/en/about-us">journalism against hate</a>, without propaganda, without sensationalism. Also, you can follow us on <span style="color: #008000;"><a style="color: #008000;" href="https://twitter.com/salamplan">Twitter</a></span> or <span style="color: #008000;"><a style="color: #008000;" href="https://www.facebook.com/SalamPlanCommunity/">Facebook</a></span>. Pass it on. THANK YOU!</em></span></p>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/islam-qa/this-is-how-ramadan-goes-for-muslims-from-europe-much-more-than-fasting/20180608">This is how Ramadan goes for Muslims from Europe: much more than fasting</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
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		<title>Takedown of Daesh propaganda machine compromises its main mouthpiece</title>
		<link>https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/takedown-of-daesh-propaganda-machine-compromises-its-main-mouthpiece/20180427</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Maria Torrens]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Apr 2018 13:30:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Terrorism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Al Bayan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amaq]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Belgium]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bulgaria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Canada]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daesh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Europol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guardia Civil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Halumu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ISIS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nashir]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Netherlands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Panamá]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[propaganda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Romania]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United Kingdom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://salamplan.com/?p=914</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Its &#8216;news&#8217; agency Amaq, considered the main mouthpiece of the terrorist organization, is among those knocked down offline by an international counter-terrorism operation. Eight countries coordinated by Europol have simultaneously disabled the main propaganda media of Daesh. The servers that the terrorists had in the Netherlands, Canada and the United States have been seized. In Bulgaria, Romania and France, police have also seized digital evidence. The United Kingdom was acted against top-level webdomains used by the self-described &#8216;Islamic State&#8217; or ISIS. &#8220;Targeting major IS-branded media outlets like Amaq, but also al-Bayan radio, Halumu and Nashir news, IS&#8217;s capability to broadcast and publicise terrorist material has been compromised&#8221;, Europol assures in a press release. &#8220;With this ground-breaking operation we have punched a...</p>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/takedown-of-daesh-propaganda-machine-compromises-its-main-mouthpiece/20180427">Takedown of Daesh propaganda machine compromises its main mouthpiece</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Its &#8216;news&#8217; agency Amaq, considered the main mouthpiece of the terrorist organization, is among those knocked down offline by an international counter-terrorism operation.</p>
<p><span id="more-914"></span></p>
<p>Eight countries coordinated by Europol have simultaneously disabled the main propaganda media of <strong>Daesh</strong>. The servers that the terrorists had in the Netherlands, Canada and the United States have been seized. In Bulgaria, Romania and France, police have also seized digital evidence. The United Kingdom was acted against top-level webdomains used by the self-described &#8216;Islamic State&#8217; or ISIS.</p>
<p>&#8220;Targeting major IS-branded media outlets like Amaq, but also <strong>al-Bayan</strong> radio, <strong>Halumu</strong> and <strong>Nashir</strong> news, IS&#8217;s capability to broadcast and publicise terrorist material has been compromised&#8221;, Europol assures in a press release.</p>
<p>&#8220;With this ground-breaking operation we have punched a big hole in the capability of IS to spread propaganda online and radicalise young people in Europe,&#8221; <strong>Rob Wainwright</strong>, executive director of Europol, said. &#8220;Daesh is no longer just losing territory on the ground – but also online,&#8221; said <strong>Dimitris Avramopoulos</strong>, European Commissioner for Migration, Internal Affairs and Citizenship.</p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8220;With this ground-breaking operation we have punched a big hole in the capability of IS to spread propaganda online and radicalise young people in Europe&#8221;</em></span></p></blockquote>
<p><strong>Amaq</strong> is the way the terrorist group usually claims attacks, although until July 2017 it did not recognize the &#8216;news&#8217; agency as its own. Europol explains that Amaq had its own software since 2015 and &#8220;developed highly resilient online infrastructure hosting&#8221;. Since December 2017, all of Daesh&#8217;s propaganda is available in at least nine languages, as well as a wide range of digital services, such as mailed propaganda.</p>
<h2><span style="color: #008000;">A Spanish track was key</span></h2>
<p>Spain has not been directly involved in this international operation, which took place between April 25 and 26 and has been announced this Friday. But it was the <strong>Guardia Civil</strong>, the military-police force in Spain, which came up with the clue that has finally led to the present blow to the propaganda machinery of Daesh, according to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.</p>
<p>It happened mid-2016, when the Guardia Civil noticed that many people investigated in different operations consumed propaganda from several media platforms of Daesh, such as Amaq or Al Bayan. Later, in 2017, a <strong>man arrested in Madrid&#8217;s region on charges of radicalizing and spreading propaganda</strong> of the terrorist group, &#8220;provided the necessary information to identify the core of the (propaganda) infrastructure on the Internet&#8221;, explained the Ministry in a press release.</p>
<p>That was the origin of the so-called &#8216;Tahmil Operation&#8217; of the Guardia Civil, which found its peak in the intervention in Panama of the servers that supported the propaganda online infrastructure of Daesh.</p>
<p>&#8220;The analysis of the enormous information contained in the servers intervened in <strong>Panama</strong> has allowed to help numerous foreign police services to tighten the net around the administrators, who belong to the central structure of Daesh&#8221;, says the press release.</p>
<p>On the other hand, although the Spanish Ministry assures that it has also made able to &#8220;identify thousands of <strong>users located in 133 countries</strong>, who consumed this type of propaganda&#8221;, Europol does not take it for granted. The European agency explains that &#8220;law enforcement agencies involved expect that the data retrieved as a result of the takedown will help to identify the administrators behind IS media outlets and potentially radicalised individuals on European soil and beyond.&#8221;</p>
<p>The operation has been led by the Belgian Prosecutor&#8217;s Office with the support of <strong>Eurojust</strong>.</p>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/takedown-of-daesh-propaganda-machine-compromises-its-main-mouthpiece/20180427">Takedown of Daesh propaganda machine compromises its main mouthpiece</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
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		<title>Terrorist children in the UK, that&#8217;s what this man wanted</title>
		<link>https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/terrorist-children-in-the-uk-thats-what-this-man-wanted/20180327</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Maria Torrens]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Mar 2018 21:43:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Terrorism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dean Haydon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[London]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MI5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scotland Yard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United Kingdom]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://salamplan.com/?p=757</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Umar Ahmed Haque is 25 years old and tried to radicalize 55 children aged between 11 and 14 years. He has been jailed for life and must serve at least 25 years for two counts of preparation of terrorist acts, among others. British police reported on Tuesday that a group of three men led by Haque had planned to attack in the long term in London against a variety of targets with the help of children. Umar Ahmed Haque, from East London and born in 1992, involved children in role-playing games in which he encouraged them to stab officers to death. He also showed them violent videos. &#8220;When specially trained officers interviewed the children, they described being shown by Haque...</p>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/terrorist-children-in-the-uk-thats-what-this-man-wanted/20180327">Terrorist children in the UK, &lt;br&gt;that&#8217;s what this man wanted</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Umar Ahmed Haque is 25 years old and tried to radicalize <strong>55 children aged between 11 and 14 years</strong>. He has been jailed for life and must serve at least 25 years for two counts of preparation of terrorist acts, among others.<span id="more-757"></span></p>
<p>British police reported on Tuesday that a group of three men led by Haque had planned to attack in the long term in London against a variety of targets with the help of children. <strong>Umar Ahmed Haque</strong>, from East London and born in 1992, involved children in <strong>role-playing games in which he encouraged them to stab officers to death</strong>. He also showed them violent videos.</p>
<p>&#8220;When specially trained officers interviewed the children, they described being shown by Haque horrific videos of extreme terrorist violence including executions,&#8221; deputy assistant commissioner Dean Haydon described in a press release of the Met Police.</p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #008000;"><em>&#8220;The children were paralysed by fear of Haque, who essentially told them that a violent fate would befall them if they told anyone what he was doing&#8221;</em></span></p></blockquote>
<p>&#8220;The children were paralysed by fear of Haque, who they understood to have connections to terrorists and who essentially told them that a violent fate would befall them if they told anyone what he was doing. They were too afraid to confide in anyone,&#8221; he explained</p>
<p>Haque was an administrator at a <em>madrasa</em> in Ripple Road Mosque at <strong>Baskin</strong>, on the outskirts of London, and had taken advantage of his position to get in touch with the minors.</p>
<p>Police had been tracking Haque since April 2016 when he was stopped at Heathrow airport as he was about to fly to Istanbul (Turkey). Almost a year later, in March 2017, they intercepted an important five-hour phone conversation with one of his accomplices, <strong>Muhammad Abid</strong>, also from East London and born in 1990. Haque assured him that he had managed to radicalize 16 children.</p>
<p>Police had no evidence that this was true, but after arresting the group that organized the plot, they continued their enquiries and were able to check with social workers that Haque had tried to radicalize 55 children between 11 and 14 years old.</p>
<p>Abid, who was confidant of Haque while he elaborated his plan, has been sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison for having information about terrorist acts. The eldest of the band was <strong>Abuthaher Mamun</strong>, aged 29, also from East London. He helped Haque to plan the attacks and tried to raise money online to carry them out. He has been imprisoned for 13 years.</p>
<blockquote><p><em><span style="color: #008000;">Haque was trying to form an army of soldiers, including children</span></em></p></blockquote>
<p>In telephone conversations with his accomplices Haque talked about matters such as how to intensify the effect of a bomb or what type of vehicle to use and what the police response would be. Haydon has described the leader of the group as <strong>&#8220;dangerous man who was inspired by attacks in Europe and Westminster.&#8221;</strong> He intended to carry out &#8220;numerous attacks at once, using guns, knives, bombs and large cars to kill innocent people&#8221;. He was trying to form &#8220;an army of soldiers, including children&#8221; to fulfil his plan years later.</p>
<p>Before that key telephone conversation to uncover the terrorist plot, investigators had already detected searches of terrorist attacks and executions on his mobile phone and had revoked his passport, although still without evidence. Evidence gathered afterwards by counter terrorism officers demonstrated Haque had begun planning an attack in the UK.</p>
<p><strong>The 55 children affected are getting assistance</strong> and 35 of them will still need long-term support, according to the police.</p>
<p>Among the 30 approximate targets identified by the Counter Terrorism Command and MI5 were groups -which the Police have not specified in their PR-, businesses and establishments in London.</p>
<p>Haque has been sentenced to life imprisonment for two counts of preparation of terrorist acts, four counts of collection of information useful to terrorism and one count of dissemination of terrorist publications.</p>
<p>La entrada <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en/terrorism/terrorist-children-in-the-uk-thats-what-this-man-wanted/20180327">Terrorist children in the UK, &lt;br&gt;that&#8217;s what this man wanted</a> se publicó primero en <a rel="nofollow" href="https://salamplan.com/en">Salam  Plan</a>.</p>
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