Tag: UK

UK Muslim leaders’ fatwa on IS jihadists

September 1, 2014 Iraq, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Syria, UK

According to the Sunday Times, “some of Britain’s most influential imams have condemned British Muslims fighting alongside ISIS extremists in Iraq and Syria,” and ‘they have issued a fatwa, or religious decree, describing them as ‘heretics’.” This is the first fatwa of its kind to be issued by British Muslim . . . Read More

The rise of political Islam in Europe

July 9, 2014 Egypt, Europe, Hizb ut-Tahrir, Iraq, Islamic extremism, Syria, UK

Analysis: Why jihad is not as big a threat as creeping ‘participation’ There are increasing fears that European-born young men who go to Syria will get caught up in the fight of radical Islamic extremists to establish an Islamic Sharia-based state across Syria and Iraq, and then return to their . . . Read More

Tony Blair calls for focus on radical Islam

April 23, 2014 Global News -- No Particular Country China, Islamic extremism, London, Middle East, Russia, Tony Blair, UK, Ukraine

Former UK Prime Minister and now Middle East envoy Tony Blair has encouraged Western leaders to focus on the threat of Islamic extremism and to put aside their differences with Russia over Ukraine. In his speech at Bloomberg’s London office Mr Blair called on Western leaders to “elevate the issue . . . Read More

Christians most persecuted religion globally

April 11, 2014 David Cameron, UK

The UK Prime Minister, David Cameron has committed his government to fighting persecution of Christians abroad. In his annual Easter reception for Christian leaders at 10, Downing St, Cameron acknowledged that “Christians are the most persecuted religion around the world.” He encouraged his audience to be unashamed to “stand up against persecution . . . Read More

Vatican to hold peace talks

January 9, 2014 Bashar al-Assad, Islamic extremism, Syria, Tony Blair, UK

The Vatican has scheduled a meeting for Jan. 13 to discuss the potential for a ceasefire in Syria, ahead of UN-backed peace talks in Geneva, planned to start on Jan. 24. Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Vatican Radio that a cessation of hostilities was vital “in order to allow humanitarian . . . Read More

Christians face extinction in Middle East, warns UK Minister

November 15, 2013 Baroness Warsi, David Cameron, Human rights, Middle East, Pakistan, UK

Baroness Warsi on a visit to Pakistan in 2010.DFID / Flickr / Creative Commons A UK Foreign Office Minister has warned that Christians in some parts of the world face extinction because of violence against them. Ahead of a speech on Friday, Nov. 15 at Georgetown University in Washington, . . . Read More

Church wants political Syria solution

September 20, 2013 Global News -- No Particular Country Damascus, France, Germany, Russia, Syria, Turkey, UK, UN, USA

Church leaders from Syria, Russia, the US, UK, France, Germany and Turkey have called for a political solution as the only way to peace in Syria. They met the UN Secretary General and his Special Envoy to Syria on the same day that Syria’s Deputy Prime Minister said that the . . . Read More

Archbishop of Canterbury and UK Foreign Office Minister alerted to need of Syrian Christians

July 10, 2013 Aleppo, Armenians, Bashar al-Assad, Damascus, Homs, Islamic extremism, Justin Welby, London, Middle East, Minorities, North Africa, Refugees, Religious freedom, Shia, Sunni, Syria, Syriacs, UK

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the UK Foreign Office Minister responsible for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), have both acknowledged the findings of a report which says that Christians in Syria are increasingly targeted and vulnerable to persecution, amidst the on-going conflict there. Syria: Church on . . . Read More

Catching Our Eye