Tag: Islamic extremism

What Islamic State really wants

February 18, 2015 Al-Qaeda, Genocide, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Osama bin Laden, UK

Few Western leaders understand what ISIS really is but, argues a detailed analysis in The Atlantic, they are wrong to think it applies the logic of Al-Qaeda. ISIS has eclipsed Bin Laden’s organisation and jihadism has evolved. The West needs to see ISIS as “more than a collection of psychopaths” . . . Read More

Egypt seeks international help against IS after 21 Christians beheaded

February 16, 2015 Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Al-Azhar, Bishop Angaelos, Churches, Copts, Egypt, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Libya, Minya, Samalut, Terrorism, Wahhabism

Egypt began seven days of national mourning after Islamist militants released a graphic video on 15 February, depicting the mass beheading of 20 Coptic Christians and a Ghanaian Christian in Libya. Originally it was believed that all 21 men were Coptic Egyptians, but on 25 February MidEast Christian News confirmed . . . Read More

Boko Haram’s attacks spread into Niger sparking mass exodus

February 13, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Diffa, Islamic extremism, Lake Chad, Niamey, Niger, Nigeria, UN, Zinder

Nigeria’s neighbour to its north, French-speaking Niger, is the latest country to pledge its army will fight the radical Islamic group, Boko Haram. Boko Haram’s military and strategic advance has already provoked the postponement of Nigeria’s Presidential election, due to have been held this Saturday, 14 February. The election is . . . Read More

Recent violence in Niger shows growing intolerance among religious groups

January 28, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Churches, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, Niamey, Protestants, Sahel, Salafism, Zinder

Mixed emotions were evident as members of the Christian community in Niger gathered for their services on Sunday, 25 January, 2015. Some were full of joy to get back to church; others could barely hide their sorrow. A week ago, the church bells remained silent. Ten people died during that . . . Read More

Pakistani murder trial may move to military court

January 20, 2015 Pakistan Al-Qaeda, Blasphemy, Islamic extremism, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Shahbaz Bhatti

On Jan. 15, Pakistan’s police requested the high-profile murder trial of Minority Minister Shahbaz Bhatti be moved to a newly formed military court. Bhatti, a Christian, was shot dead in front of his Islamabad home in March 2011 for demanding reformation of Pakistan’s blasphemy law, an extremely sensitive topic in . . . Read More

70+ churches destroyed as ‘anti-Charlie’ protests spread in Niger

January 20, 2015 Niger Agadez, Charlie Hebdo, Churches, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, Niamey, Niger, Zinder

The Christian community in Niger says it is in shock in the wake of weekend violence that has claimed the lives of ten people and led to the destruction of dozens of places of worship and Christian homes. The protest, which started in the country’s second city, Zinder, on Friday . . . Read More

Paris attacks parallel fears over growing jihadist threat in Africa

January 14, 2015 Africa, Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Chibok girls, Diffa, France, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Mali, Mauritania, Muammar Gaddafi, NATO, Niger, Nigeria, Paris, Sub-Saharan Africa

Several African leaders, concerned by the rise of Islamism in the continent, attended the Paris anti-terror march, on Sunday, January 11th. Among the 50 foreign leaders who marched there, African heads of state included those from Mali, Niger, Senegal, Benin, Togo, and Gabon. They all expressed their sympathy to France . . . Read More

10 more Christians flee Mosul

January 9, 2015 Iraq Chaldeans, Iraq, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Kirkuk, Mosul, Peshmerga

On Jan. 7, ten elderly Chaldean Christians and Syrian Catholics arrived in Kirkuk, Iraq after Islamic State militants expelled them from Mosul for their refusal to convert to Islam. The group spent two days travelling to Kirkuk, an area now under the control of Kurdish Peshmerga Forces, after being forced . . . Read More

Nigerian Islamic Sultan calls for peace and unity

January 8, 2015 Nigeria Islamic extremism, Nigeria, Sultan of Sokoto

According to Vanguard News, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar – the Sultan of Sokoto, a region in northern Nigeria that is a seat of Islamic learning – has “called on Muslims and Christians to come together to end insurgency in the country.” Abubakar is the 20th Sultan and titular ruler of Sokoto, . . . Read More

Death threats for educational church visit

January 8, 2015 Indonesia Aceh, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Sharia

UCAN, a Catholic news service in Asia, reports that an Indonesian university lecturer, Rosnida Sari, has received death threats after taking Muslim students on a trip to a Christian church. The threats began Jan. 5, after the Australia Plus website published an account by Sari, who teaches at the Islamic . . . Read More

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