A group of foreigners were targeted early Sunday in a vicious arson attack by neo-Nazis in the sleepy South German town of Winterbach, according to news reports.
Neo-Nazi thugs tried to burn down a gazebo after five foreigners sought refuge in after fleeing from their assailants.
The foreigners did manage to escape from the burning gazebo, however one of them was severely beaten and injured by three neo-Nazis.
Police did arrest 14 suspects but released them later for lack of sufficient evidence.
The area around Winterbach had in the past been the focus of other racially-motivated crimes following two firebombings of an asylum-seeker home in the town of Waiblingen in 2001 and a Turkish club house in the town of Murrhardt in 2003.
In one of the worst-ever lethal assaults on foreigners in Germany since World War II, a 51-year-old Turkish woman and two Turkish girls, ages 10 and 14, died in an arson attack in the city of Moelln in November 1992.
Two Circles.net
Monday, 11 April 2011
Neo-Nazi group banned in Brandenburg (Germany)
The state of Brandenburg on Monday banned a right-wing extremist organization following raids on locations associated with the group.
Interior Minister Dietmar Woidke announced in Potsdam that the Freie Kräfte Teltow-Fläming, or the "Free Forces of Teltow-Fläming," would be the sixth such organization to be banned in the state since 1995.
The last right-wing extremist group to be banned was the Schutzbund Deutschland in 2006.
A large police contingent of some 175 stormed group locations in Blankenfelde-Mahlow and Zossen early on Monday, confiscating evidence.
"To enforce the ban, raids have been ongoing since the early morning hours today as part of a major search and confiscation operation by the police," the ministry said in a statement.
According to domestic intelligence service reports from 2010, the neo-Nazi Freie Kräfte Teltow-Fläming has been active since 2006. Last year it had about 50 members, mainly in the northern cities of the Teltow-Fläming county.
Its influence has been responsible for a rise in right-wing extremist activity in the region, the report said.
On its website the group calls for a "revolutionary national socialism," in a reference to the Nazis' declared ideology, and its members regularly seek out confrontations with political opponents, authorities said.
Members have been held responsible for the January 2010 arson of a Zossen anti-racist group’s “House of Democracy,” which was completely destroyed.
The Local Germany
Interior Minister Dietmar Woidke announced in Potsdam that the Freie Kräfte Teltow-Fläming, or the "Free Forces of Teltow-Fläming," would be the sixth such organization to be banned in the state since 1995.
The last right-wing extremist group to be banned was the Schutzbund Deutschland in 2006.
A large police contingent of some 175 stormed group locations in Blankenfelde-Mahlow and Zossen early on Monday, confiscating evidence.
"To enforce the ban, raids have been ongoing since the early morning hours today as part of a major search and confiscation operation by the police," the ministry said in a statement.
According to domestic intelligence service reports from 2010, the neo-Nazi Freie Kräfte Teltow-Fläming has been active since 2006. Last year it had about 50 members, mainly in the northern cities of the Teltow-Fläming county.
Its influence has been responsible for a rise in right-wing extremist activity in the region, the report said.
On its website the group calls for a "revolutionary national socialism," in a reference to the Nazis' declared ideology, and its members regularly seek out confrontations with political opponents, authorities said.
Members have been held responsible for the January 2010 arson of a Zossen anti-racist group’s “House of Democracy,” which was completely destroyed.
The Local Germany
Jail terms for German neo-Nazi radio station
A court in Germany on Monday jailed nine men for operating and presenting a neo-Nazi Internet radio station and gave nine others suspended sentences.
The 18 defendants aged between 20 and 37 from around Germany were found guilty of disseminating far-right ideology, glorifying the Nazis and spreading racist and anti-Semitic propaganda.
Nine of them were given sentences ranging from one year and nine months to three years and three months, a spokesman for the court in Koblenz, western Germany, told AFP.
The radio station, Widerstandradio (Radio Resistance), operated from July 2009 until authorities closed it down in November 2010.
"The entire radio station, as well as contributions to (online) forums, were recognisably far-right and were aimed at spreading National Socialist ideology," prosecutors said in their January indictment.
Expatica
The 18 defendants aged between 20 and 37 from around Germany were found guilty of disseminating far-right ideology, glorifying the Nazis and spreading racist and anti-Semitic propaganda.
Nine of them were given sentences ranging from one year and nine months to three years and three months, a spokesman for the court in Koblenz, western Germany, told AFP.
The radio station, Widerstandradio (Radio Resistance), operated from July 2009 until authorities closed it down in November 2010.
"The entire radio station, as well as contributions to (online) forums, were recognisably far-right and were aimed at spreading National Socialist ideology," prosecutors said in their January indictment.
Expatica
BNP 'Koran burning' charge dropped (UK)
A British National Party election candidate accused of publicly burning a copy of the Koran has been freed after the charge against him was unexpectedly dropped.
Sion Owens, 41, of Bonymaen, Swansea, South Wales, was arrested and charged at the weekend under Section 29 of the Public Order Act.
The BNP candidate in next month's Welsh Assembly elections spent the weekend in custody before appearing at Swansea Magistrates' Court.
He has been warned that police are continuing to investigate the alleged incident and to expect further action.
It is understood that his release was due to a technicality regarding the Act under which he was arrested and charged.
An unconfirmed source in court claimed that the permission of the Attorney General must be sought before such a charge can be made. In the case of Mr Owens, it was not.
His arrest and charge came after The Observer newspaper reported it had handed police a video which appeared to show Mr Owens dousing a copy of the Koran with paraffin before setting it alight.
Bryn Hurford, prosecuting, said Mr Owens was accused of having in his possession "a record of visual images or sounds showing you burning a copy of the Koran whilst saying 'I am burning the Holy Koran and I hope that you Muslims are watching'."
Mr Hurford said police inquiries into the alleged incident would continue and a new file of evidence would be collected and passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for review and advice.
He added: "I want the defendant and his legal representatives to be in no doubt that the withdrawal of the charge does not mean that no proceedings will be taken. Almost certainly other proceedings will ensue."
Google Hosted news
Sion Owens, 41, of Bonymaen, Swansea, South Wales, was arrested and charged at the weekend under Section 29 of the Public Order Act.
The BNP candidate in next month's Welsh Assembly elections spent the weekend in custody before appearing at Swansea Magistrates' Court.
He has been warned that police are continuing to investigate the alleged incident and to expect further action.
It is understood that his release was due to a technicality regarding the Act under which he was arrested and charged.
An unconfirmed source in court claimed that the permission of the Attorney General must be sought before such a charge can be made. In the case of Mr Owens, it was not.
His arrest and charge came after The Observer newspaper reported it had handed police a video which appeared to show Mr Owens dousing a copy of the Koran with paraffin before setting it alight.
Bryn Hurford, prosecuting, said Mr Owens was accused of having in his possession "a record of visual images or sounds showing you burning a copy of the Koran whilst saying 'I am burning the Holy Koran and I hope that you Muslims are watching'."
Mr Hurford said police inquiries into the alleged incident would continue and a new file of evidence would be collected and passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for review and advice.
He added: "I want the defendant and his legal representatives to be in no doubt that the withdrawal of the charge does not mean that no proceedings will be taken. Almost certainly other proceedings will ensue."
Google Hosted news
French burka ban: police arrest two veiled women
The women were arrested along with several other people protesting in front of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris against the new law.
Jourrnalists at the scene said the arrests came after police moved in to break up the protest which had not been authorised.
On Saturday police arrested 59 people, including 19 veiled women, who turned up for a banned protest in Paris against the draconian new law, the first of its kind to be enforced in Europe.
Earlier, French police said they will be enforcing the country’s new burka ban "extremely cautiously" because of fears of provoking violence.
They fear Muslims extremists will use the law to provoke fights with officers, while rich visitors from countries like Saudi Arabia will also cause trouble .
All garments which cover the face were officially banned from first thing this morning, with offenders facing fines of 150 euros (£133).
But police admitted that they feared being accused of discrimination against Muslims, whether approaching women in tinderbox housing projects or on the Champs Elysee.
"The law will be very difficult to apply on certain estates," said Patrice Ribeiro, of the Synergie police union.
Referring to two Paris suburbs where riots regularly break out because of alleged discrimination against Muslims, Mr Ribeiro said: "I can’t see police going to book dozens of veiled women doing their shopping in Venissieux or in Trappes.
"It will be the same when a police officer is about to arrest a veiled Saudi who is about to go into Louis Vuitton on the Champs Elysees. In all cases, the forces of order will have to be measured and cautious in their behaviour."
Synergie has already instructed its members to view the ban as a "low priority", and Mr Ribeiro said there would "inevitably be incidents".
Mohamed Douhane, another Paris police officer and Synergie member, said he and his colleagues also "expected provocation by a minority."
Mr Douhane added: "Fundamentalist movements are eager to raise the stakes. The police know they will be held responsible for any public order disturbances."
Police have already been warned not to arrest women "in or around" mosques, and "citizen’s de-veilings" are also banned.
The strict instructions, from Interior Minister Claude Guent, are contained in a nine page circular issued to officers.
With tensions running high within the country’s six million strong Muslim community, officers have been told to look out for members of the public taking the law into their own hands.
Instead they will have to call the police, who will in turn have four hours to consider whether an offender should be fined.
This will apply to all garments which cover the eyes, although scarfs, hats, and sunglasses are excluded.
As well as a mosque, Muslims will also be able to put on a veil in the privacy of their own homes, a hotel room, or even a car, as long as they are not driving.
Police have already complained that they will have to waste time on "burka-chasing", with Denis Jacob, of the Alliance police union, adding: "We have more important matters to be dealing with."
The ban means France is officially the second country in Europe, after Belgium, to introduce a full ban on a garment which immigration minister Eric Besson has called a "walking coffin".
While French women face the fines and ‘civic duty’ guidance if they break the law, men who force their wives or daughters to wear burkas will face up to a year in prison, and fines of up to 25,000 pounds.
Posters have already gone up in town halls across France reading: "The Republic lives with its face uncovered."
Belgium introduced a full ban last year, although it has not been enforced with any vigour. A ban also looks likely in Holland, Spain and Switzerland.
There are no plans to introduce a similar ban in Britain, although politicians from the UK Independence Party and some Tory backbenchers have suggested one.
The Telegraph
Ex-KKK leader featured on Muslim group's website (Canada)
In the 12-minute video on the Canadian Shia Muslims Organization website, Mr. Duke espouses conspiracy theories about what he calls “Zionist running dogs.”
Nowhere does the website say that Mr. Duke is the founder of the Louisiana Knights of the KKK and one-time Grand Wizard of the white supremacist group.
Asked about the video, the Markham, Ont.-based Muslim group responded with an email saying it would not discuss the matter unless the press reported on “the Islamaphobic [sic] hate propaganda going on here in Canada.”
The video was still posted on the site on Sunday.
The Canadian Jewish Congress said it believed there were grounds to lodge a complaint to police over the website, which it said may be in violation of Canada’s hate laws.
“It’s hard to believe that in 2011, there would be any credible or faith-based group that would embrace the most despicable neo-Nazi in North America, David Duke,” said Bernie Farber, CEO of the Jewish congress.
“What really is startling is that if anyone within this Islamic organization would just sit down for a moment and listen to what David Duke says ... maybe they would take a second sober thought as to whether this is the kind of guy that they want to embrace.”
In the 1970s, Mr. Duke attempted to spread the Klan into Canada. He was an associate of Canadian far-right leaders Wolfgang Droege and James McQuirter, who established a KKK chapter in Toronto that fought non-white immigration.
Mr. Duke later served briefly in the Louisiana House of Representatives but now runs websites with a racial tone such as whitecivilrights.com, which calls Ernst Zundel, the German neo-Nazi leader deported from Canada in 2005, a “political prisoner.”
The Canadian Shia Muslim Organization was incorporated in 2008 to “support multiculturalism” and “interfaith dialogue.” Federal records list the directors as Munir Hussain Syed, Riaz Husain and Syed Fayyaz Mehdi Rizvi.
The group’s address is a postal box in Markham. It has no phone listing. In its literature, it calls itself “a grassroots organization of Canadian Shia Muslims that operates above racial, gender and ethnicity considerations.” Its stated aim is to “represent all Canadian Shia Muslims to promote and ensure their participation in religious and political arenas of the Canadian society.”
National Post
Israel, US, Germany mark 50 years since Nazi trial
Israel said Sunday the 50th anniversary of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann's trial will be marked in Germany and America, as well as in the Jerusalem building where the case was heard.
Tuesday marks a half-century since the start of the historic trial of Eichmann, the Nazi bureaucrat responsible for masterminding the logistics of Hitler's "Final Solution" -- the extermination of six million Jews.
The trial lasted eight months and, in December 1961, Eichmann was sentenced to death. He was hanged in Israel on May 31, 1962.
Israel's cabinet said in a statement that the anniversary would be commemorated by official events in Jerusalem, Berlin and New York City.
"There will be three main ceremonies around the world," it said.
"In Jerusalem, where the trial was held, at the Wansee Villa in Germany, where the Final Solution for the annihilation of the Jews was decided upon and in New York, where the largest single Jewish community in the world is concentrated."
The statement did not specify the dates of the ceremonies or give other details.
Speaking to ministers and media at the start of Sunday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the significance of the 1961 trial was immense.
"It marked a turning point in which the State of Israel and the Jewish people began to mete out justice to their persecutors and said: Enough! No more," he said.
"Regrettably, our enemies and those who seek Jewish lives have not gone from the world, but the State of Israel exists and it knows how to defend itself."
Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust museum on Friday said it had uploaded footage of the entire Eichmann trial to YouTube ahead of the anniversary, about 400 hours in all.
The footage can be viewed on separate YouTube channels -- one in the original Hebrew, German and Yiddish, and a second dubbed into English.
The initiative is part of a larger project launched earlier this year by Yad Vashem and Google to post all of the museum's Holocaust documents on the Internet.
The English-language version can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/EichmannTrialEN while the original language version can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/EichmannTrial
Google Hosted news
Tuesday marks a half-century since the start of the historic trial of Eichmann, the Nazi bureaucrat responsible for masterminding the logistics of Hitler's "Final Solution" -- the extermination of six million Jews.
The trial lasted eight months and, in December 1961, Eichmann was sentenced to death. He was hanged in Israel on May 31, 1962.
Israel's cabinet said in a statement that the anniversary would be commemorated by official events in Jerusalem, Berlin and New York City.
"There will be three main ceremonies around the world," it said.
"In Jerusalem, where the trial was held, at the Wansee Villa in Germany, where the Final Solution for the annihilation of the Jews was decided upon and in New York, where the largest single Jewish community in the world is concentrated."
The statement did not specify the dates of the ceremonies or give other details.
Speaking to ministers and media at the start of Sunday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the significance of the 1961 trial was immense.
"It marked a turning point in which the State of Israel and the Jewish people began to mete out justice to their persecutors and said: Enough! No more," he said.
"Regrettably, our enemies and those who seek Jewish lives have not gone from the world, but the State of Israel exists and it knows how to defend itself."
Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust museum on Friday said it had uploaded footage of the entire Eichmann trial to YouTube ahead of the anniversary, about 400 hours in all.
The footage can be viewed on separate YouTube channels -- one in the original Hebrew, German and Yiddish, and a second dubbed into English.
The initiative is part of a larger project launched earlier this year by Yad Vashem and Google to post all of the museum's Holocaust documents on the Internet.
The English-language version can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/EichmannTrialEN while the original language version can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/EichmannTrial
Google Hosted news
PROTESTERS RALLY AGAINST SWEDEN DEMOCRAT MARCH (Sweden)
Eggs flew through the air and several hundred counter-demonstrators chanted "No racists in our streets" to protest against a march by the Sweden Democratic Youth (SDU) in Gothenburg on Sunday.
The group of counter-demonstrators began to gather at 1pm outside the city library in central Gothenburg at Götaplatsen. A short while later a white bus rolled up to Götaplatsen and out stepped several people from SDU dressed in yellow shirts and carrying Swedish flags. Counter-demonstrators stood up immediately and started chanting "No racists in our streets!" All of Götaplatsen was blocked just before the 2pm start of SDU’s scheduled demonstration. The Sweden Democrats' youth league organised Sunday's demonstration to protest against what the group perceives as "anti-Swedish" currents in society. "We are demonstrating against anti-Swedishness in general, something which is characteristic of society," SDU leader William Hahne told The Local ahead of the rally. There was about 30 metres between counter-demonstrators and SDU representatives with police officers and barricades standing between the two groups, reported the TT news agency. Shortly after 2pm, SDU began their march from Götaplatsen along Avenyn toward Kungsportsplatsen. Police created a path with the help of buses and police horses so that the march could move forward.
Counter-demonstrators sat down in front of the buses in an attempt to stop them. The atmosphere was described as rancorous but without violence by TT’s on-site reporter. Approximately 100 to 150 people from SDU were expected to participate in the Sunday rally. Counter-demonstrators will be between 500 and 1,000 persons, guessed Nord. Several sites in central Gothenburg will be cordoned off during the afternoon. In addition, about 40 policemen from Skåne arrived by bus this morning to Gothenburg. "We wanted an extra tactical reserve department," said the commanding police chief. Nord would not confirm the total number of police officers involved in today’s demonstrations, but did say that the efforts correspond to that of a major high-risk football game. The expected counter-demonstration does not have official permission - but two areas near Götaplatsen and Kungsportsplatsen had been cordoned off with the expectation that it would occur. “Counter-demonstrators have an equal right to be protected," said Nord. One person was detained during the demonstration, but no one was arrested.
The Local Sweden
The group of counter-demonstrators began to gather at 1pm outside the city library in central Gothenburg at Götaplatsen. A short while later a white bus rolled up to Götaplatsen and out stepped several people from SDU dressed in yellow shirts and carrying Swedish flags. Counter-demonstrators stood up immediately and started chanting "No racists in our streets!" All of Götaplatsen was blocked just before the 2pm start of SDU’s scheduled demonstration. The Sweden Democrats' youth league organised Sunday's demonstration to protest against what the group perceives as "anti-Swedish" currents in society. "We are demonstrating against anti-Swedishness in general, something which is characteristic of society," SDU leader William Hahne told The Local ahead of the rally. There was about 30 metres between counter-demonstrators and SDU representatives with police officers and barricades standing between the two groups, reported the TT news agency. Shortly after 2pm, SDU began their march from Götaplatsen along Avenyn toward Kungsportsplatsen. Police created a path with the help of buses and police horses so that the march could move forward.
Counter-demonstrators sat down in front of the buses in an attempt to stop them. The atmosphere was described as rancorous but without violence by TT’s on-site reporter. Approximately 100 to 150 people from SDU were expected to participate in the Sunday rally. Counter-demonstrators will be between 500 and 1,000 persons, guessed Nord. Several sites in central Gothenburg will be cordoned off during the afternoon. In addition, about 40 policemen from Skåne arrived by bus this morning to Gothenburg. "We wanted an extra tactical reserve department," said the commanding police chief. Nord would not confirm the total number of police officers involved in today’s demonstrations, but did say that the efforts correspond to that of a major high-risk football game. The expected counter-demonstration does not have official permission - but two areas near Götaplatsen and Kungsportsplatsen had been cordoned off with the expectation that it would occur. “Counter-demonstrators have an equal right to be protected," said Nord. One person was detained during the demonstration, but no one was arrested.
The Local Sweden
BNP 'Koran burn' candidate Sion Owens due in court (UK)
A BNP candidate for the Welsh assembly is due in court on Monday after police were passed a video appearing to show him burning a copy of the Koran.
Sion Owens, aged 41, has been charged with a public order offence.
Joanne Shannon, another BNP candidate also arrested in connection with the incident, has now been released on police bail.
Mr Owens, a BNP candidate for the South Wales West regional list, is due before magistrates in Swansea.
A BNP spokesperson said both would still be candidates in the assembly election on 5 May.
South Wales Police said Mr Owens was arrested on Friday when the force was passed a video recording showing a man, who appeared to be Mr Owens, burning the Koran.
He was taken into custody at 20.45 BST and charged on Saturday evening under the Public Order Act.
Joanne Shannon, a BNP candidate in in Swansea East, was arrested at the same time.
She has been released on police bail, pending further inquiries.
Last week in Afghanistan seven United Nations workers were killed in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
It was reported that it happened partly in relation to the burning of a copy of the Koran in America.
That happened in a small church in Florida after controversial pastor Terry Jones judged the holy book to be "guilty" of crimes.
But Terry Jones denied it led to events in Afghanistan.
BBC News
Sion Owens, aged 41, has been charged with a public order offence.
Joanne Shannon, another BNP candidate also arrested in connection with the incident, has now been released on police bail.
Mr Owens, a BNP candidate for the South Wales West regional list, is due before magistrates in Swansea.
A BNP spokesperson said both would still be candidates in the assembly election on 5 May.
South Wales Police said Mr Owens was arrested on Friday when the force was passed a video recording showing a man, who appeared to be Mr Owens, burning the Koran.
He was taken into custody at 20.45 BST and charged on Saturday evening under the Public Order Act.
Joanne Shannon, a BNP candidate in in Swansea East, was arrested at the same time.
She has been released on police bail, pending further inquiries.
Last week in Afghanistan seven United Nations workers were killed in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
It was reported that it happened partly in relation to the burning of a copy of the Koran in America.
That happened in a small church in Florida after controversial pastor Terry Jones judged the holy book to be "guilty" of crimes.
But Terry Jones denied it led to events in Afghanistan.
BBC News
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