DAR ES SALAAM, May 27 (Reuters) - Hundreds of supporters of a separatist Islamist group set fire to two churches and clashed with police during protests in Zanzibar over the weekend against the arrest of senior members of the movement, police and witnesses said.

Police accused the Uamsho (Awakening) group of ordering its supporters on to the streets - but the movement's leadership denied having any part in the unrest.

Clashes broke out in the historic commercial and tourism centre of Stone Town on Saturday night and continued until Sunday afternoon, witnesses told Reuters.

The reports of attacks on churches will raise fears of an escalation in religious tensions in the predominantly Muslim island ruled by a semi-autonomous secular government. Several bars were attacked last year.

Shops remained closed and people stayed in their homes on Sunday as riot police patrolled the streets of Stone Town, witnesses said.

"There is a lot of tension, people are hiding in their houses. All the streets are empty, it's the only the police who are out there," resident Mai Zuberi told Reuters by phone.

"There were clashes all night on Saturday and the violence continued until noon today. All the roads were blocked in the Stone Town area," Zuberi added.

Police said they had arrested 30 members of Uamsho - a Swahili acronym of its full name the Association for Islamic Mobilisation and Propagation. Uamsho has called for a referendum on Zanzibar's exit from its union with mainland Tanzania.

"We will continue to search for more leaders of the Uamsho group, which was responsible for inciting these riots," Zanzibar Police Commissioner Mussa Ali Mussa said in a statement on Sunday.

"One church was extensively burnt by the protesters, and the second was partially burnt and the protesters were prevented from completely destroying it," he told Reuters by phone separately....

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Sunday indirectly confirmed recent remarks by the Ambassador to Israel that the U.S. is “ready from a military perspective’’ to stop Iran from making a nuclear weapon if international pressure fails.

The U.S. and members of the United Nations Security Council recently met in Baghdad for talks about Iran’s suspected nuclear weapon program. Iran denies it has military intentions but has called for the destruction of Israel.

“We have plans to be able to implement any contingency we have to in order to defend ourselves,’’ Panetta said on ABC’s This Week. Earlier, Panetta said, “The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.’’...

Panetta also condemned Pakistan for sentencing a doctor to prison for helping the U.S. hunt down terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

Shakil Afridi was convicted last week of high treason and sentenced to 33 years, sparking outrage in Washington. Some lawmakers suggested cutting U.S. aid to Pakistan.

“It is so difficult to understand and it’s so disturbing that they would sentence this doctor to 33 years for helping in the search for the most notorious terrorist in our times,” Panetta said. "This doctor was not working against Pakistan. He was working against al-Qaida.''

Actually, it isn't difficult to understand at all. But of course Panetta is among the PC authorities who just removed the truth about Islam from all military and intelligence training, so for him it probably is difficult to understand indeed.

AFP - Tuareg rebels and the Islamist rebel group Ansar Dine announced Saturday they are joining forces and creating a body to rule northern Mali as an independent Islamic state.

"The Ansar Dine movement and the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (Tuareg MNLA) proclaim their dissolution in Azawad (northern Mali)," the two groups said in an agreement sent to AFP.

"The two movements have created the transitional council of the Islamic state of Azawad," said the groups, which have been controlling the area for the past two months, in their "protocol agreement".

"We are all in favour of the independence of Azawad," they said, adding that "we all accept Islam as the religion."...

"Allah has triumphed," declared Sanda Ould Bouamama, an Ansar Dine spokesman in the northern Malian desert city of Timbuktu....

Should society be oriented toward freedom, or toward the good, as its highest value? In Iran, the regime has firmly opted for the latter, and beats women who get out of line. Sharia Alert from the Islamic Republic of Iran: "Flowers and beatings for women attending book fair + photo," from Mohabat News, May 23 (thanks to Lachlan):

According to the semi-official Fars news agency, women arriving at Tehran's 25th annual International Book Fair in the obligatory Islamic hejab were presented with flowers by the organisers. Meanwhile outside the entrance women deemed to be defying the regime's Islamic values by not dressing appropriately were beaten and dragged away by religious police.

Shahrzad -- After a photograph published on the internet showing officers dragging a woman towards a police van was quickly taken up by major international news agencies, the fair's organisers condemned such behaviour. Aftab News reported that director Bahman Dari had issued a statement dissociating his office from the beating and public humiliation of women. "We shall not tolerate the physical harassment of women on our territory, and will deal with those responsible."

And finally, Sharia states are oriented toward the good, not freedom, as their highest value. How would the ideal state of these authoritarian Western "conservatives" be different?

"Lady Gaga cancels Indonesian show after threats," by Niniek Karmini for the Associated Press, May 27 (thanks to all who sent this in):

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Lady Gaga has canceled her sold-out show in Indonesia over security concerns after Muslim hard-liners threatened violence if the pop diva went ahead with her "Born This Way Ball," promoters said Sunday.

The Islamic Defenders Front said Lady Gaga's sexy clothes and provocative dance moves would corrupt youth in the world's most populous Muslim country.

The group said supporters had bought tickets to the concert and planned to enter and force it to be stopped. It also threatened that thousands of protesters would confront the singer on her way from the airport.

Police had said they would only issue the required permits for the concert if Lady Gaga agreed to tone things down. Instead, she pulled the plug on the show, which had sold out with more than 50,000 tickets.

"With threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga's side is calling off the concert," Minola Sebayang, a lawyer for concert promoter Big Daddy, told reporters Sunday.

"This is not only about Lady Gaga's security, but extends to those who will be watching her."

Indonesia, a secular nation of 240 million people, is often held up by the U.S. and others in the West as example of how Islam and democracy can coexist....

"'Shalit Deal Encouraged Terrorists,'" by Elad Benari for Israel National News, May 25 (thanks to Voice of the Copts):

The Deputy head of the Binyamin Regional Council, Moti Yogev, said on Thursday that terrorists have been encouraged to try to carry out attacks against Israelis because of the deal to free Gilad Shalit.

Yogev spoke to Arutz Sheva one day after security officials revealed that the Shin Bet and the IDF broke up three terror cells operating in Hevron.

One of the cells, affiliated with Hamas’ military wing, was led by two 21-year-olds from Hevron, one of whom – Mahmoud Dwek – has been previously jailed for expressing a desire to serve as a suicide bomber in an attack against Israel.

The cell also planted a number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the security fence surrounding the community of Kiryat Arba and was planning to kidnap one of the Jewish residents of Hevron. If the kidnapping failed, they planned to murder the target.

Israel and Hamas signed a deal in October which saw Shalit being released after more than five years in captivity in exchange for 1,026 terrorists.

Several of the terrorists who were freed in the deal have since been re-arrested after Israeli security forces gathered evidence that they have resumed terror activity. At least one terrorist sent a memory card to relatives with detailed instructions on how to kidnap more soldiers.

“The security situation has worsened in part because of the terrorists from the Shalit deal who are here on the ground, celebrating the fact that they are senior experienced terrorists,” Yogev charged. “Some of the terrorists who were freed came to Judea and Samaria, though I do not have the exact numbers or locations. Some were not allowed to come to Judea and Samaria but it is not difficult to start and lead by example. They employ others, be it to carry out kidnappings, shooting attacks, rock throwing and general disorder.”...

KOTA BARU: PAS appears to make a small consensus following the controversy on designs of new buildings but insist there be no images of idols.

The Kelantan state government will allow buildings to be constructed without any Islamic features so long they do not have elements that are against the religion, said Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

'Mentri Besar' means senior minister of the Malaysian State government, or the equivalent of a U.S. state governor.

“Islam is a universal religion and is suitable for all races. The Buddhist association can build it (its new building) as long as it does not have elements that go against Islam.

“For instance, they can have any Chinese designs, architecture or colours but they are discouraged from putting images of idols on the buildings,” he told reporters after launching the state Muktamar Dewan Ulama PAS in Machang Saturday.

There you go. As long as it doesn't have 'idols' or other, um, 'unIslamic elements'. That sounds 'moderate', doesn't it? Of course, a typical Buddhist temple is probably chock-full of non-Islamic elements, but never mind.

He was asked to comment on a controversy involving the Kelantan Buddhist Association, which was required to abide by municipal by-laws requiring new buildings within its jurisdiction to have Islamic features.

It had been reported that the Kelantan Buddhist Association had submitted an appeal to the state government for its building to be constructed with Chinese features at Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin here.

"Ansar al-Sharia claims responsibility for massacre in Yemen," from AGI, May 21:

(AGI)Sanaa - Almost 100 people died in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa when a suicide bomber blew himself up. Militant group Ansar al-Sharia, which is affiliated to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, claimed resposibility [sic] for the massacre stating it was in retaliation against the "crimes" committed by Yemeni security forces. In the past few weeks the military launched an offensive against terrorists. . .

"Abet Hasman: A Crypto-Christian in Greek Politics," from Mystagogy, May 16 (thanks to Clark):

Abet Hasman, the deputy mayor of Patras and head of the municipal social services, left a secret revealed only in his obituary, read at his funeral by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras - that he was secretly baptized an Orthodox Christian. Abet, who was born a Muslim and came to Greece from Jordan to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Thessaloniki and finally settled in Patras in 1985, was baptized secretly by Metropolitan Chrysostomos when he was 57 years old. According to the Metropolitan: "He did not say it anywhere. But one day he approached me and asked me to baptize him. He chose the name Alexander, and we baptized a little while later his son. I baptized him in the Chapel of St. John the Theologian of the Diocese." He goes on to mention that he was married in the Church of Saint Andrew, and his son was also baptized with the name Alexander at the Church of Panagia of Paralias. He loved Greek history and especially Alexander the Great, which is why he chose the name for himself and for his son.

Despite the best efforts of Hamas-linked CAIR's Honest Ibe Hooper and Nihad Awad, it is still legal for Americans to defend themselves against Islamic jihad. At least so far.

"NYPD Muslim surveillance legal, New Jersey officials say," from the Associated Press, May 26:

TRENTON, N.J. – New York City police did not violate New Jersey laws when they conducted surveillance of Muslim businesses, mosques and student groups, Gov. Chris Christie's administration said Thursday following a three-month review, a finding that angered Muslim leaders who had sought a clampdown on the cross-border police operations.

The conclusion by Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa, a Christie appointee asked by the governor to look into the spying, means New Jersey Muslims have no state recourse to stop the New York Police Department from infiltrating student groups, videotaping mosque-goers or collecting their license plate numbers as they pray.

Such operations were part of a widespread NYPD program to collect intelligence on Muslim communities both inside New York and beyond. Undercover officers and informants eavesdropped in Muslim cafes and monitored sermons, even when there was no evidence of a crime. The result was that many innocent business owners, students and others were cataloged in police files.

The interstate surveillance efforts, revealed by The Associated Press earlier this year, angered many Muslims and New Jersey officials. Some, like Newark Mayor Cory Booker and the state's top FBI official, criticized the tactics. Others, like Christie, focused more on the fact that the NYPD didn't tell New Jersey exactly what it was up to.

In response, Chiesa launched what he described as a fact-finding review. That review concluded that the NYPD's operations violated no state laws, either civil or criminal....

Chiesa, the governor's former chief counsel and a longtime confidante, outlined the state's findings in closed-door meetings Thursday afternoon with Muslim leaders.

"We remain committed to striking the appropriate balance of ensuring the safety of our citizens through vigilance in fighting terrorism, while not undermining the public's confidence in how we approach that mission," Chiesa said in a written statement.

Muslim leaders said they were told that every instance of NYPD activity in New Jersey had been justified by a lead, but that the attorney general would not provide any details on the nature of any of those leads, saying the fact-finding was ongoing.

They said that they did not find the assertion credible and that their efforts to maintain communication between the community and law enforcement would be hurt by the findings that the NYPD had done nothing wrong — and could keep doing what they have been doing.

"It was basically an, 'FYI, good Thursday afternoon, let it die in the media before the Memorial Day weekend,'" said Mohamed El-Filali, executive director of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, across the Hudson River from New York. If the surveillance of every mosque, burger joint and barbershop targeted was justified, he asked, why were no arrests made?

Aref Assaf of the American Arab Forum said the attorney general made them feel like second-class citizens.

"I said to him it's not only insulting, it's offensive to our sense of justice, that you bring us to Trenton to tell us that you accept as legal and valid the actions of the NYPD, and I will not be surprised if you're issuing an order informing your law enforcement officials that they too can spy on American Muslisms [sic] because if it's legal for NYPD, than it must be legal for NJ to do the same."

The Muslim leaders said they would consider all legal options, including renewed appeals for action by the U.S. Justice Department. A federal civil rights lawsuit has also been considered....

The NYPD has long maintained that its operations were lawful and necessary to keep the city safe. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the NYPD can gather intelligence anywhere in the country it wants and is not required to tell local authorities. NYPD lawyers say they are not bound by jurisdictional lines because they are just collecting intelligence, not making arrests or otherwise acting as police.

Told of New Jersey's findings, Bloomberg's spokesman, Marc La Vorgna, said in a statement: "We've said it time and again, NYPD has kept the city safe and they conduct their work legally."

The attorney general said a directive he issued requires all New Jersey law enforcement agencies to notify the New Jersey State Police Counter-Terrorism Bureau and the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness if they hear of outside departments working in New Jersey. The state agencies will then coordinate with the Joint Terrorism Task Force, of which the NYPD is a member.

Chiesa said he is also establishing a Muslim outreach committee....

Oh, good. That will solve everything.

CAIRO (Reuters) - The Muslim Brotherhood may seek to modify, but will not destroy, Egypt's 33-year-old peace treaty with Israel, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said on Saturday.

Carter, 87, was speaking after initial vote tallies put the Brotherhood's candidate ahead in the first round of Egypt's presidential election, which his Carter Center helped monitor.

The U.S. statesman, who brought together Israeli leader Menachem Begin and Egypt's Anwar Sadat in 1978 to agree the Camp David accords which led to a 1979 treaty, said he had held long discussions with senior Brotherhood figures in Egypt this week.

"My opinion is that the treaty will not be modified in any unilateral way," Carter said at a news conference in Cairo to present the preliminary findings of his election monitors.

Official results in Egypt's first free leadership election are due on Tuesday, but informal tallies put the Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi and Mubarak's last Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq in the lead. If confirmed, they would fight a run-off in June.

Hamdeen Sabahy, a leftist who has championed Palestinian resistance against Israel, was running a close third.

The peace treaty remains a lynchpin of U.S./Middle East policy and, despite its unpopularity with many Egyptians, was staunchly upheld by President Hosni Mubarak until his overthrow last year in a popular uprising.

The Brotherhood, long suppressed under Mubarak, is vehemently critical of Israel, and its Palestinian offshoot Hamas rules the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials have watched political turmoil since Mubarak's overthrow with growing wariness.

TIES

Mubarak's fall opened up a freer form of Egyptian politics in which the popular mood looms far larger.

Mursi criticizes Israel but says he would respect the treaty. One of his aides said Mursi would not meet Israeli officials as president, though he might delegate that task.

Cairo needs good ties with Israel's closest ally the United States, which provides billions of dollars in military and civilian aid and is pressing other major foreign donors to support Egypt's struggling economy.

But some of the election contenders said the peace treaty should be reviewed, partly because of perceptions the deal Carter brokered was biased in Israel's favor.

Carter said the treaty had not been violated by either side since its inception and that any problems had been resolved peacefully, including a flare-up of tension last year over the killing of some Egyptian border guards.

"The Israelis apologized for that. They see great value in preserving the treaty," said Carter....

The Egyptians have made a mockery of it -- while not going to war with Israel, they've encouraged a level of Islamic antisemitism that has put the Muslim Brotherhood at the forefront of Egyptian politics and cast the future of the peace treaty with Israel into doubt.

And I am not proposing a mere correlation between extremist Islam and suicidal terrorism. I am claiming that the relationship is causal. There are many ways to see this, and not too many ways to credibly deny it (though Robert Pape keeps at it by skewing his data with the Tamil Tigers).

The first sign of a religious cause comes from what the terrorists say of themselves: al Qaeda and its sympathizers have not been shy about discussing their motives in public. The second indication is what they say when they think no one is listening. As you know, we now have a trove of private communications among jihadists. The fine points of theology are never far from their thoughts and regularly constrain their actions. The 19 hijackers were under surveillance by German police for months before September 11, 2001 (read Perfect Soldiers). Islam was all that these men appeared to care about.

And we should recall how other people behave when subjected to military occupation or political abuse. Where are the Tibetan Buddhist suicide bombers? They have the suicide part down, because they are now practicing a campaign of self-immolation—which, being the incendiary equivalent of a hunger strike, is about as far from suicide bombing as can be conceived. And where is that long list of Palestinian Christian suicide bombers you’ve been keeping in your desk? Now would be a good time to produce it. As you know, Palestinian Christians suffer the same Israeli occupation. How many have blown themselves up on a bus in Tel Aviv? One? Two? Where, for that matter, are the Pakistani, Iraqi, or Egyptian suicide bombers killing for the glory of Christ? These Christian communities are regularly attacked by suicidal jihadists—why don’t they respond with the same sort of violence? This is practically a science experiment: We’ve got the same people, speaking the same language, living in the same places, eating the same food—and one group forms a death cult of aspiring martyrs and the other does not.

As I’ve written elsewhere, it isn’t impossible to conceive of Tibetan Buddhists practicing suicide bombing or of Middle Eastern Christians practicing terrorism at the same rate as their Muslim neighbors, but Islam offers a doctrine of jihad and martyrdom that makes such behavior perfectly understandable. And, again, it is the reason that jihadists themselves give for their actions.

"Mashhad Friday Prayer: Islamophobia, west's only tool to fight Islam," from the Ahlul Bayt News Agency, May 26:

“Islamophobia is one of the arrogant powers’ policies against this religion (Islam) ,” Friday Prayer Leader of Mashhad, Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Alam Alhoda said.

“The enemies of Islam and the arrogant powers are weak against Islam and find themselves unable to blunt the wave of spreading Islamic Awakening in the world, “said Ayatollah Seyyed Alam Alhoda, stating that for this reason they try different policies and strategies against this divine religion to reach what they are after.

“Arrogant powers do their best to destroy the holiness of this religion or anything and anyone related to it,” the Muslim scholar mentioned.

The cleric pointed to the Iranian singer, Shahin Najafi who insulted Imam Hadi (PBUH) and said,” the enemies should know that through such heinous acts, they cannot make Muslims pessimistic and skeptic toward Islam.

“The arrogant power are intimidated by the spread of Islam around the world, in other word, they are afraid that may be in the future this divine religion get globalized,” said Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Alam Alhoda....

It isn't globalized already?