Author archives: Faith Matters

Myanmar repression of Muslim Rohingya is genocide, says US
March 21, 2022 By Faith Matters

Myanmar repression of Muslim Rohingya is genocide, says US

Violent repression of the largely Muslim Rohingya population in Myanmar amounts to genocide, US secretary of state Antony Blinken has said. The declaration is intended to both generate international pressure and lay the groundwork for potential legal action. Authorities made the determination based on confirmed accounts of mass atrocities on civilians by Myanmar’s military in […]

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Man accused of blasphemy stoned to death by mob in Pakistan
February 14, 2022 By Faith Matters

Man accused of blasphemy stoned to death by mob in Pakistan

A 41-year-old man has been stoned to death by a mob for allegedly desecrating the Koran inside a mosque in a village in eastern Pakistan, police have said. Three police officers also were injured, and more than 80 men have been detained after the incident on Saturday evening in the Khanewal district of Punjab province. […]

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Pakistan gunmen kill Christian priest on way home from Mass
January 30, 2022 By Faith Matters

Pakistan gunmen kill Christian priest on way home from Mass

Gunmen have killed one Christian priest and wounded another as they were driving home from Sunday Mass in Pakistan’s north-western city of Peshawar, police said. Father William Siraj, 75, was shot multiple times and died instantly in the ambush in the Gulbahar neighbourhood, while Father Naeem Patrick was treated briefly in hospital for a gunshot […]

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Ex-soldier Lisa Smith married a member of al Qaida while in Syria, court hears
January 27, 2022 By Faith Matters

Ex-soldier Lisa Smith married a member of al Qaida while in Syria, court hears

Former Defence Forces soldier Lisa Smith married a member of al Qaida and stayed in a “bombed-out” house where militia and rebels held meetings when she was in Syria, her trial has heard. The Co Louth woman, 39, has pleaded not guilty to charges of membership of the illegal organisation, the so-called Islamic State, and […]

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Lisa Smith ‘enveloped herself in the black flag of Islamic State’, court hears
January 25, 2022 By Faith Matters

Lisa Smith ‘enveloped herself in the black flag of Islamic State’, court hears

Former Defence Forces soldier Lisa Smith “enveloped herself in the black flag” of the so-called Islamic State, the Special Criminal Court has heard. The Co Louth woman, 39, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of membership of the illegal organisation and of providing funds to benefit the group. Sean Gillane SC, for the prosecution, […]

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Man guilty of promoting ‘jihad by sword’ in mosque speech
January 19, 2022 By Faith Matters

Man guilty of promoting ‘jihad by sword’ in mosque speech

A father whose two sons died fighting in Syria has been found guilty of encouraging violent jihad in a speech at his local mosque. Abubaker Deghayes, 53, promoted “jihad by sword” when he addressed worshippers at the Brighton Mosque and Muslim Community Centre. The defendant, who originally comes from Libya, had denied intending to encourage […]

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Ex-Defence Forces soldier in bid to have Islamic State terror charges dropped
January 11, 2022 By Faith Matters

Ex-Defence Forces soldier in bid to have Islamic State terror charges dropped

A former member of the Defence Forces is seeking to have charges of being a member of so-called Islamic State (IS) and financing terrorism dropped at the Special Criminal Court. Lawyers for Louth woman Lisa Smith, 39, have made an application for the case against her to be dismissed. It is expected that they will […]

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Primary school teacher banned after sending thousands of pounds to terror groups
January 9, 2022 By Faith Matters

Primary school teacher banned after sending thousands of pounds to terror groups

A primary school teacher has been banned from teaching after sending thousands of pounds to individuals and groups linked to terrorism. Miriam Sebbagh, 52, who worked at Hunwick primary school in Crook, County Durham, has been prohibited “indefinitely” from any classroom by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA). It came after she was found to have […]

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The Base and Hezbollah to be designated as terror organisations in Australia
November 28, 2021 By Faith Matters

The Base and Hezbollah to be designated as terror organisations in Australia

Australia intends to add far-right extremist group The Base and the entirety of the Lebanese group Hezbollah to its list of outlawed terrorist organisations. Hezbollah’s External Security Organisation has been listed since 2003, but including all Hezbollah entities as terrorist organisations would make being a member of, or supporting, those entities a criminal offense. “The […]

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Warrant issued for elder brother of Manchester Arena bomber to attend inquiry
November 28, 2021 By Faith Matters

Warrant issued for elder brother of Manchester Arena bomber to attend inquiry

The elder brother of Salman Abedi will be arrested and brought to the Manchester Arena Inquiry to give evidence if he comes back to the UK, a judge has ruled. Ismail Abedi, 28, had been ordered to attend the public inquiry into the May 2017 terror attack but boarded a flight to Istanbul from Manchester […]

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