Contributor’s links for May 28, 2019

Daily Links Post graphic

Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.

This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.

So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.

This is the new Samizdat. We must use it while we can.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

149 Replies to “Contributor’s links for May 28, 2019”

  1. Obama Judge Halts Wall Construction
    A San Francisco leftist who gave big bucks to Democrats endangers national security.
    May 28, 2019
    Matthew Vadum

    An Obama judge in San Francisco issued a nonsensical, lawless order May 24 temporarily stopping President Trump from accessing reallocated military funding to pay for the construction of a desperately needed wall on the nation’s leaky southern border.

    The case will almost certainly end up before the Supreme Court in the future.

    U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr., appointed by then-President Barack Hussein Obama in 2014, enjoined the Trump administration “from taking any action to construct a border barrier” with reassigned U.S. Department of Defense funds in parts of Arizona and Texas known as Yuma Sector Project 1 and El Paso Sector Project 1.

    During the confirmation process before the U.S. Senate, Gilliam insisted that judges should be impartial.

    “I believe that the most important attribute of a judge is the commitment to faithfully and impartially apply the law in every case, without regard to the type of matter or the identity of the parties,” he said.

    The leftist judge reportedly made large donations to Democrats from 2007 to the end of 2014 when he was sworn in as a judge.

    Gilliam gave $6,900 to the presidential campaign of the man who appointed him, divided between $4,600 to Obama for America and $2,300 to the Obama Victory Fund. The judge also donated a separate $13,500 to Obama for America and Obama Victory Fund 2012, along with $4,500 to the Democratic National Committee.

    https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/273871/obama-judge-halts-wall-construction-matthew-vadum

    • Gilliam gave $6,900 to the presidential campaign of the man who appointed him, divided between $4,600 to Obama for America and $2,300 to the Obama Victory Fund.

      Would it be too patronizing to call this “patronage”.

      Of course, intolerable Grammar Nazi that I am, I’d still dismiss all such rubbish in favor of more concise and explicit terminology. Such as:

      Felony Criminal Conflict of Interest

      To further clarify these complex linguistic issues, had it not been Haywood Jr. and, instead, Terry Gilliam, I might have been persuaded to give everyone a pass. As things stand? Intolerable pay for play, just like 0’Hillary!

      Then again, we all would do well to recall the words of that immortal humorist and beloved native son, Will Rogers Jr.:

      America has the finest politicians that money can buy.

      • You know that under or current selective enforcement of the laws no action will be taken against a Judge appointed by Obama or Clinton. Unles they suddenly decide to work on the sice of the Constitution instead of work to advance the Marxist agenda.

          • They are trying to restore the rule of law peacefully, the closer we get to doing that the closer we get to the civil war. Let the left start the violence that way history will call us the good guys.

          • We’re wasting away the years on this already

            The time (even years) spent on prosecuting past 0bama administration criminals is like having to wait for the next commute-hour Acela train after being stranded at Heathrow for eight years.

            Given that the foregoing is an understatement (at best) … exactly what’s your point?

  2. Texas Senate approves bill allowing Texans to carry guns for week after natural disasters: report

    The Texas Senate on Sunday approved a bill that would allow any Texan who can legally own a firearm to be able to carry it either open or concealed for seven days after the state declares a natural disaster, The Dallas Morning News reported.

    The bill, which was narrowly passed 16-15, has been hotly contested. Three Republicans voted against the measure, including Sen. Joan Huffman, R- Houston. The paper reported that she questioned House Bill 1177’s effect on policing after a powerful storm.

    “It’s really, really poor public policy that is not well thought out,” she said, according to the paper.

    The bill has to be accepted by the House and will then be sent to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, The Texas Tribune reported. The bill would take effect in September 2019.

    GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-senate-approves-bill-allowing-texans-to-carry-guns-for-week-after-natural-disasters-report

    • “It’s really, really poor public policy that is not well thought out,” she said, according to the paper.

      Said Senator Huffman—as she leaned out the window of her armored limousine to give a curbside interview—just before entering her walled and gated estate.

      • Outside of open warfare can you think of a time when the civilians have a greater need for firearms?

    • Well-connected Globalist. Since 2018 at least…

      International organizations

      Asian Development Bank (ADB), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)
      Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)[3]
      European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)[4]
      Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)[5]
      Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World Bank Group, Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)[6]
      World Bank, Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)[7]

  3. MSNBC – Elizabeth Warren: We Need To Impeach President Donald Trump Now

  4. Joe diGenova: John Huber Investigation of Clinton Foundation is a Farce – Never Even Started

    Former US Attorney Joe diGenova says that the Huber investigation into the Clinton Foundation is a farce. Huber hasn’t even interviewed the top witness in the case whom diGenova represents!

    John Huber is the special prosecutor tapped by former AG Jeff Sessions to investigate FISA abuses by Obama’s DOJ/FBI. Sessions nominated Huber to perform this investigation after numerous calls for a special investigation into the Clinton Foundation and the Deep State.

    But months ago we reported that nothing was getting done. Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee say John Huber still has not interviewed key witnesses and they want answers.

    Mark Meadows (R-NC), Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Doug Collins (R-GA) sent a letter to special prosecutor John Huber on January 8th demanding answers by a January 21st deadline.

    “Your investigation has been ongoing for over nine months. During the course of our extensive investigation we have interviewed more than a dozen current and former DOJ and FBI personnel, and were surprised to hear none of these potentially informative witnesses testified to speaking with you,” the GOP lawmakers wrote.

    The Republican Congressmen then blasted Huber for being a no-show at the December hearing where Clinton Foundation whistleblowers Lawrence Doyle of DM Income Advisors and John Moynihan of JFM Associates testified.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/05/joe-di-genova-john-huber-investigation-of-clinton-foundation-is-a-farce-never-even-started/?utm_source=TGPemail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=subscriber_id:553016019&utm_campaign=Auto%20Send%20from%20The%20Gateway%20Pundit%20on%20May%2028,%202019%20at%2011:06:40%20AM

  5. Photo Unearthed of John McCain with “Source D-Source E” of Steele Dossier — Sergei Millian

    Photo Unearthed of John McCain with “Source D-Source E” of Steele Dossier — Sergei Millian
    Jim Hoft by Jim Hoft May 27, 2019 347 Comments

    1.1KShare 356Tweet Email

    John McCain with “Source D – Source E” of the Steele dossier – via Paul Sperry

    In January 2017 ABC News identified Sergei Millian as the key source of the Fusian GPS anti-Trump Dossier.

    Sergei Millian has since been identified as as the mysterious “Source D” and “Source E” in the junk Steele dossier.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/05/photo-unearthed-of-john-mccain-with-source-d-source-e-of-steele-dossier-sergei-millian/?utm_source=TGPemail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=subscriber_id:553016019&utm_campaign=Auto%20Send%20from%20The%20Gateway%20Pundit%20on%20May%2028,%202019%20at%2011:06:40%20AM

  6. Report: Declassified docs will show Samantha Power’s 2016 unmasking efforts related to Israel
    Debra Heine, PJ Media

    [Ed. – No wonder Dems are so opposed to having these documents declassified.]

    https://libertyunyielding.com/2019/05/28/report-declassified-docs-will-show-samantha-powers-2016-unmasking-efforts-related-to-israel/

    Report: Declassified Docs Will Show That Samantha Power’s 2016 Unmasking Efforts Were Related to Israel

    Government documents that will soon be made public will reveal stunning information about former U.N. ambassador Samantha Power’s voluminous unmasking efforts in 2016, according to multiple sources.

    On Thursday, President Trump gave Attorney General William Barr the authority to declassify documents from multiple agencies related to surveillance of the Trump campaign in 2016.

    According to investigative journalist Sara Carter on Fox News’ Hannity, last night, some of the documents will reveal that FBI “informant” (spy) Stefan Halper recorded both George Papadopoulos and Carter Page, and there is exculpatory evidence on those tapes. In addition to that, according to Carter, one of the biggest revelations will pertain to Power’s unmasking efforts.

    As PJ Media reported in September of 2017, Power was unmasking people at a “freakishly rapid rate.”

    https://pjmedia.com/trending/report-declassified-docs-will-show-that-samantha-powers-2016-unmasking-efforts-were-related-to-israel/

  7. Iran Must Understand Returning to the Negotiating Table is the Only Way Forward

    by Con Coughlin
    May 28, 2019 at 5:00 am

    https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14297/iran-deal-negotiations

    There is one simple way for Iran to defuse the mounting tensions with the US and its allies in the Gulf: return to the negotiating table and agree to a new deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

    Amid mounting concern that Washington’s recent military build-up in the Gulf region will lead to renewed conflict, many commentators appear to have lost sight of the Trump administration’s key objective when it withdrew from the 2015 deal negotiated, in large part, by former US President Barack Obama.

    The aim of US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the agreement was not, as his Democrat critics have alleged, to provoke a military confrontation with Tehran. On the contrary, as Mr Trump has made clear at his press conference in Japan, where he is currently on a state visit, his main objective is to agree a new deal with Tehran, one that, unlike Mr Obama’s flawed arrangement, addresses all aspects of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, as well as its malign activities in the Middle East.

    And, despite all the talk of increased military tensions, with the US recently deploying an aircraft carrier battle group, a fleet of B-52 bombers and an extra 1,500 troops to the Gulf region, Mr Trump’s over-arching ambition remains to persuade the ayatollahs to return to the negotiating table.

    • You can’t negotiate with these snakes.
      Force them back into their hole, maybe frisky little snakes will devour their sly elders. We might be able to coax the young ones into a facade of civility.

  8. 0:02 / 47:37
    #34 China’s Hidden Tactics Exposed! | Clive Hamilton | China Unscripted

    • The man they are talking to is a slightly reformed leftist, this explains the ignorant statements about President Trump.This makes his warnings about China more interesting, very few leftists are aware that China is a threat.

    • He is not that reformed, he is equating the Aussies putting the illegal migrants trying to enter Australia on a separate Island with China’s re-education camps.

  9. Annexing Parts of the West Bank Area C: An Israeli National Interest

    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The former commanders who are demanding a referendum on the possible annexation of parts of the West Bank’s Area C misunderstand the threats confronting Israel. One need only consider the latest round of fighting in Gaza to understand what the threat to the cities of the coastal plain would look like if Israel were to give up control of the mountainous terrain dominating the country’s economic-social-industrial heartland.

    The Commanders for Israel’s Security movement has appealed to PM Netanyahu with a much-publicized warning based on a new false assertion: that annexation of parts of the West Bank would endanger the residents of Israel.

    Only a few weeks ago, in the midst of the election campaign, this group inundated the country with billboards and posters mounted on buses, at a cost of millions of shekels, telling voters that the elections would spell the difference between separation and annexation. No one had any doubt which side they were trying to help.

    A considerable majority of the Israeli people chose to ignore the recommendations of the former bit’honistim (security experts). Nor did the three former chiefs of staff at the helm of the Blue and White Party, who enjoyed the open support of three other retired chiefs of staff, manage to get public opinion on their side and achieve the parliamentary majority needed to implement the recommendations of the former senior defense officials who favor additional withdrawals.

    https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/annexing-west-bank-area-c/

    • Top military is center-left. And not too bright.

      Servile to the brigade of lawyers that gets Israelis killed. The courts remain a fiefdom of the old guard, the socialist nobility that ruled Israel for decades. Adored by global Bernie Sanders types, ditched by most citizens two decades ago.

      Military brass start angling for post-retirement political careers while they’re still on active duty. They play to the media – like the courts, almost solidly leftist, or simply blind-Bibi-haters.

      They like to give interviews to The Atlantic, sit on panels at think-tanks funded by Qatar and blessed by Soros. Diaspora professional Jew-ish organizations that look like the ADL and vote for people who hate them.

      The so-called security experts who ran against Bibi were attractive, poised performers with nothing to say. Or nothing that made sense to anybody except blind-Bibi-haters at home and abroad.

  10. Venezuela: Supported by Russia, Cuba, Iran, and China | America Uncovered

  11. Rejecting the Marxist version of the Constitution
    GOPUSA StaffRobert Knight, Washington Times Posted On 11:52 am May 28, 2019
    3

    The first rule of any Marxist revolution is that rules are fine if they advance the cause or cripple opponents. The rules can be discarded the minute they get in the way.

    That’s the way America’s Marxists, socialists and many liberals operate when it comes to the U.S. Constitution, especially the First Amendment.

    Here’s the relevant portion: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.”

    When they are legalizing obscenity and destroying community standards, the left’s attorneys, spearheaded by the ACLU, take a “no-exceptions” view. What America’s Founders intended as protections for ideas becomes for the ACLU a get-out-of-jail-free card for pornographers, terrorists and even for men who possess child pornography. How dare anyone, anywhere, restrict speech? Why, that would be unconstitutional.

    Which brings us to today, where the left is actively suppressing constitutionally protected speech they don’t like. What began on campuses has spread to society at large. Ask the folks at Chick-fil-A if you don’t believe me. The ACLU is not beating a path to their door to help.

    The left has also redefined civil rights, warping the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended Jim Crow laws. Moving beyond immutable characteristics such as race, color, national origin and sex, the left has expanded it to include something entirely different — volitional behavior with enormous moral implications. Civil rights laws containing “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” now pose a dangerous threat to civil liberties, and much of the media are more than fine with that.

    America’s newsrooms are full of people who honestly believe that America needs to be taken down and replaced with a socialist, pansexual, atheist regime that brooks no dissent. Studies abound about the media’s leftist bias, but all you have to do is turn on CNN or pick up a major newspaper to see the daily drumbeat against the left’s main enemies: the family and the church.

    When the workers of the world failed to unite and trigger economic upheaval in the 20th century, the left adopted a different strategy. Communist theorists Antonio Gramsci, Herbert Marcuse and the Frankfurt School saw that a cultural revolution, including educational indoctrination and media propaganda, could weaken society and lead to political revolution.

    That’s why the left embraces pornography, abortion, homosexuality, same-sex marriage and now transgenderism. It all works against a family-based culture whose members are far less likely to fall for the left’s promises of “free stuff.”

    Strong families produce strong, independent people. As families weaken, so does the church, where people learn a different Gospel from that of Karl Marx. By wrecking families, you can wreck churches, a twofer for the left.

    One of the left’s most effective tactics is to coin new meanings and then use them to stigmatize opposition. That’s why abortion became “choice.” Homosexuality became “gay.” Smut became “porn” and then “erotica.” Normalcy became “hate.” Voter ID laws became “voter suppression.” Border security became “racism.”

    The Equality Act, which the Democrats passed in the House on May 17, is a motherlode of politically correct usage for persecuting Christians and others who will not go along with the left’s ever-shifting sexual regime. It is patently unconstitutional, not that they care.

    The courts are black-robed enablers in this lurch to the left. Culturally corrosive Supreme Court justices discovered a constitutional “right” to abortion in 1973 and then a “right” to brideless or groomless marriages in 2015.

    This creation of “marriage equality” turned proponents of natural marriage into — what else? — bigots who despise equality. Should “haters” have the same constitutional rights as everyone else? Ask anyone on the street. Of course not.

    The propaganda can be astoundingly overt. The president emeritus of a 220-year-old Catholic prep school wrote a letter in the alumnae magazine urging inclusion of same-sex union announcements — a direct rebuke of church teaching. So, The Washington Post’s headline on the runover page reads: “Nun Chooses Love Over Church Doctrine.” Thus, 2,000 years of church teaching about love and marriage is simply hate.

    If this litany of leftist schemes brings you down, remember that Jesus Christ told us that the world would bring tribulation, but to “be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.” The most loving, compassionate thing a Christian can do is not to encourage sinful behavior but to share the good news about a Savior who forgives any repentant soul’s sins and can regenerate heart and soul.

    How did so much of the media become dominated by a Marxist mindset? Easy. They weed out anyone who thinks otherwise. And they have a steady supply of young journalists fresh from campuses where Marxist professors ply their trade.

    It’s time to tune out the fake news, the fake law and the fake academics, and, as Bob Dylan penned, “to strengthen the things that remain.”

    That means bypassing the Marxists’ rewrite of the Constitution and applying the real document’s timeless framework of liberty to our current situation.

    http://www.gopusa.com/?p=70174?omhide=true

  12. Another Catholic Church Vandalized, Ignored By Mainstream Media

    The St. Francois Xavier Roman Catholic Church just outside Winnipeg was vandalized over the weekend — with very little media coverage, despite the fact that the vandals remain on the loose.

    “Suspects gained entry to church, smashed statues & used fire extinguisher inside the church. A vehicle was seen in the church parking lot at 1:00am,” the RCMP reports.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/05/another-catholic-church-vandalized-ignored-by-mainstream-media/?utm_source=TGPemail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=subscriber_id:553016019&utm_campaign=Auto%20Send%20from%20The%20Gateway%20Pundit%20on%20May%2028,%202019%20at%2003:06:06%20PM

  13. British Scholar’s Lawsuit Against Deep State Spy Stefan Halper Reveals Spying on Trump Campaign Started in January 2016

    Russian historian Svetlana Lokhova broke her silence in April, stepped forward and claimed she was manipulated into entrapping Gen. Michael Flynn through FBI operative Stefan Halper.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/05/british-scholars-lawsuit-against-deep-state-spy-stefan-halper-reveals-spying-on-trump-campaign-started-in-january-2016/?utm_source=TGPemail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=subscriber_id:553016019&utm_campaign=Auto%20Send%20from%20The%20Gateway%20Pundit%20on%20May%2028,%202019%20at%2003:06:06%20PM

  14. Complément d’enquête. Tariq Ramadan : le diable au corps – 23 mai 2019 (France 2)

    ( 19 min 46 )

    Complément d’enquête” revient sur le parcours de l’islamologue poursuivi par plusieurs femmes pour agressions sexuelles et viols. Tariq Ramadan se présente toujours comme un homme de foi.

    Son charisme et son sens de la répartie en avaient fait un bon client des plateaux de télévision. On aurait pu le croire au-dessus de tout soupçon… Poursuivi par plusieurs femmes françaises, suisses et américaines pour agressions sexuelles et viols, le célèbre islamologue Tariq Ramadan est actuellement mis en examen et dans l’attente de son procès. “Complément d’enquête” revient sur le parcours fulgurant d’un personnage sulfureux qui se présente toujours comme un homme de foi.

    Un double visage

    Le magazine retrace l’histoire d’un homme qui toute sa vie s’est érigé en modèle pour sa communauté, mais cacherait, selon ses accusatrices, un double visage. En recueillant les témoignages de plusieurs d’entre elles, mais aussi de l’un de ses anciens amis intimes, les journalistes du magazine ont tenté d’y voir plus clair dans un dossier complexe.

  15. Austria: Greta and Schwarzenegger call for action against climate change at R20 Summit

    Young Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg urged the world to act against the climate change, speaking at the R20 Austrian World Summit in Vienna on Tuesday.

    “For too long, the people in power have gotten away with basically not doing anything to stop the climate and ecological breakdown. They have gotten away with stealing our future and selling it for profit. But we, young people, are waking up, and we promise we will not let you get away with it anymore,” Thunberg stated.

    The 16-year-old was one of the main highlights of the conference that united politicians from all over the world, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as actor and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger.

    Schwarzenegger, in turn, added, “The fact is, if we fail to act, it is their future at stake not ours, their dreams should give us hope, their vision should lead us to action”,

    The R20 Austrian World Summit is an initiative which helps countries and cities to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals and protect climate in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

  16. Dutch diplomat, maaried to a Gazan Palestinian, is currently on an extended leave to support the One State Foundation. This is an organisation dedicated to the transformation (destruction?) of the state of Israel. They support BDS too, all of this goes against the Netherlands’ foreign policy:
    https://onestatefoundation.org/angelique-eijpe/

    • destruction?
      _Destruction_

      Emphatically, from the river to the sea.
      Into which they’d push all the Jews. (The Christians, Bahais, etc. would hang on as dhimmis. Briefly.)

    • destruction?
      _Destruction_

      Emphatically, from the river to the sea.
      Into which they’d push all the Jews. (The Christians, Bahais, etc. would hang on as dhimmis. Briefly.)

  17. They support BDS too, all of this goes against the Netherlands’ foreign policy:

    Clearly, the Netherlands’ foreign policy is Islamophobic! (But not for long.)

  18. Syria: Satellite Images Show Crops on Fire in Idlib (aawsat, May 28, 2019)
    https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1743271/syria-satellite-images-show-crops-fire-idlib

    “New satellite photos show significant damage to Syrian villages and surrounding farmland as a result of a government offensive on the last rebel stronghold in the country.

    The images, provided to The Associated Press by the Colorado-based Maxar Satellites on Tuesday, show fires in olive groves and orchards during harvest season around Kfar Nabudah and Habeet, two villages on the edge of Idlib province where fighting has focused. The fires were apparently sparked by intense bombing in the area.

    Kfar Nabudah fell to government control on Sunday. Activists, experts, and Maxar say the crop burning is part of a “scorched earth” campaign that adds to the hardship of 3 million people in the rebel stronghold.

    The UN said fires, triggered by bombings, destroyed staple crops such as wheat and barley.

    Syrian regime forces pounded positions in the northwest of the country as troops on the ground seized the small town of Kafr Nabuda and Habeet.

    A spokesman for one of the rebel formations in the area, the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front, confirmed regime forces had recaptured Kafr Nabuda after eight-hours of heavy bombardment.”

  19. Fake social media accounts spread pro-Iran messages during US midterms: FireEye (saudigazette, May 28, 2019)
    http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/567557/World/America/Fake-social-media-accounts-spread-pro-Iran-messages-during-US-midterms-FireEye

    “A network of fake social media accounts impersonated political candidates and journalists to spread messages in support of Iran and against US President Donald Trump around the 2018 congressional elections, cybersecurity firm FireEye said on Tuesday.

    The findings show how unidentified, possibly government-backed, groups could manipulate social media platforms to promote stories and other content that can influence the opinions of American voters, the researchers said.

    This particular operation was largely focused on promoting “anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian themes,” according to the report by FireEye.

    The campaign was organized through a series of fake personas that created various social media accounts, including on Twitter and Facebook. Most of these accounts were created last year and have since been taken down, the report said.

    Spokespersons for Twitter and Facebook confirmed FireEye’s finding that the fake accounts were created on their platforms.

    Lee Foster, a researcher with FireEye, said he found some of the fake personas — often masquerading as American journalists — had successfully convinced several U.S. news outlets to publish letters to the editor, guest columns and blog posts.

    These writings displayed both progressive and conservative views, the report said, covering topics including the Trump administration’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

    “We’re assessing with low confidence that this network was organized to support Iranian political interests,” said Foster. “However, we’re not at the point where we can say who was doing it or where it’s coming from. The investigation is ongoing.”

    Before the 2018 midterms election, the nameless group created Twitter accounts that also impersonated both Republican and Democratic congressional candidates. It is unclear if the fake accounts had any effect on their campaigns.

    The imposter Twitter accounts often plagiarized messages from the politicians’ legitimate accounts, but also mixed in posts voicing support for policies believed to be favorable to Tehran. Affected politicians included Jineea Butler, a Republican candidate for New York’s 13th District, and Marla Livengood, a Republican candidate for California’s 9th District. Both Livengood and Butler lost in the election.

    Livengood’s campaign called the situation “clearly an attempt by bad actors” to hurt her campaign, and noted that Livengood was “a strident opponent of nuclear weapons in Iran.”

    Butler could not be immediately reached for comment.

    Twitter said in a statement that it had “removed this network of 2,800 inauthentic accounts originating in Iran at the beginning of May,” adding that its investigation was ongoing.

    Facebook said it had removed 51 Facebook accounts, 36 Pages, seven Groups and three Instagram accounts connected to the influence operation. Instagram is owned by Facebook.

    The activity on Facebook was less expansive than that on Twitter and it appeared to be more narrowly focused, said Facebook head of cybersecurity policy Nathaniel Gleicher. The inauthentic Facebook accounts instead often privately messaged high profile figures, including journalists, policy-makers and Iranian dissidents, to promote certain issues.

    Facebook also concluded the activity had originated in Iran. — Reuters”

  20. Rights group tries to block new Saudi ship from leaving France with arms (memo, May 28, 2019)
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190528-rights-group-tries-to-block-new-saudi-ship-from-leaving-france-with-arms/

    “A French rights group sought on Tuesday to block the loading of what it said were munitions onto a Saudi Arabian ship docked in southern France, as pressure mounts on Paris to stop military sales to the kingdom, reports Reuters.

    ACAT said in a statement it had filed a legal challenge to prevent the vessel from taking delivery of its cargo.

    “The Bahri Tabuk is due to load French weapons for Saudi Arabia, one of the main belligerents in the Yemeni conflict. ACAT is …. mobilising and calling on civil society and local networks to prevent these munitions from going to Saudi Arabia,” it said.

    Another Saudi ship left France’s northern coast two weeks ago without a cargo of weapons after dockers threatened to block its arrival in the port of Le Havre.

    ACAT had also filed a legal challenge to stop that consignment being loaded, arguing that it contravened a UN treaty because the arms might be used against civilians in the Yemeni conflict…”

  21. Iran has sapped US capacity for war -Revolutionary Guards chief (memo, May 28, 2019)
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190528-iran-has-sapped-us-capacity-for-war-revolutionary-guards-chief/

    “Iran’s “absolute power” in its region has sapped the capacity of arch-enemy the United States to wage war against it, the commander of its elite Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday, according to semi-official Mehr news agency, reports Reuters.

    He was speaking a day after US President Donald Trump said he was not seeking regime change in Iran following moves to beef up US forces in the Middle East, and that a new deal on Iran’s nuclear programme was possible.

    “We have been able to…empty the enemy’s capacity for war. You see the decline and crash of the enemies’ speech,” Major General Hossein Salami said, apparently alluding to Trump’s remarks during a visit to Japan.

    Today, Iran is an absolute power of the region and because of this, it is not afraid of the enemy’s threats. Today, America has been defeated in its political philosophy.

    Trump appeared to soften his tone toward Iran, saying he believed it wanted to make a deal, crediting heavy US economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

    “We aren’t looking for regime change – I just want to make that clear. We are looking for no nuclear weapons.”

    Tensions have risen between Iran and the United States after an attack earlier this month on oil tankers in the Gulf. Washington, a close ally of Iran’s regional rival Saudi Arabia, blamed the attacks on Tehran, which denied the accusations.”

    • He is good at running his mouth but he doesn’t dare directly attack us or our allies, he knows that when he does that his military will be destroyed and the current regime will be open for the Iranian dissents to retake their nation.

  22. Saudi-led coalition air strikes hit arms depots in Yemeni capital -TV report (reuters, May 28, 2019)
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security/saudi-led-coalition-air-strikes-hit-arms-depots-in-yemeni-capital-tv-report-idUSKCN1SY2HU

    “The Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen raided an air base adjoining Sanaa’s airport, Al-Hadath TV said late on Tuesday.

    The coalition air strikes targeted arms depots in the al-Dulaimi Air Base in Sanaa, it added.”

  23. Bombardier named preferred bidder for $3.4 billion Cairo monorail project (ahram, May 28, 2019)
    http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/335365/Egypt/Politics-/Bombardier-named-preferred-bidder-for–billion-Cai.aspx

    “Train and plane manufacturer Bombardier said it has been selected to carry out a 3 billion-euro ($3.36 billion) monorail project in Egypt that will run from the capital Cairo to the eastern and western outskirts.

    “Bombardier Transportation has been named preferred bidder to build and supply a new monorail system in Cairo,” the company said on Monday in a statement on its official website. It added that the bid win is subject to final confirmation and a contract has yet to be signed with the Egyptian government.

    The potential value of the bid includes $1.3 billion to design and build the two monorails, as well as another $1.2 billion 30-year operations and maintenance deal, the company said.

    The project will be carried out by a Bombardier-led consortium that also comprises Egyptian construction firms Arab Contractors and Orascom Construction.

    It involves building a 54-kilometere monorail system connecting east Cairo with the New Administrative Capital and another 42-kilometere line connecting 6 October City with Giza.

    The Canada-based company said the rolling stock part of the order will be developed and built in Derby, UK.

    The New Administrative Capital is currently under construction east of Cairo at a price tag of $58 billion. The project is one of a number of national development projects being carried out by the Egyptian government with a view of improving infrastructure and creating job opportunities.”

  24. Islamic University in Uzbekistan Expels Student for Hijab (moroccoworldnews, May 28, 2019)
    https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/05/274356/university-uzbekistan-student-hijab/

    “The International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan, according to its own description, “is specialized to educate religious and secular knowledge as an educational and scientific structural subdivision under the supervision of the Committee on Religious Affairs on the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Board of Muslims of Uzbekistan.”

    Muminjonova explained the reality of the law making all schools a religiously neutral zone, even one offering a masters in Studies of the Quran, saying; “There is a sign at the entrance, it says that women may only wear dark skirts and white jackets. Skirts have to be worn below the knee. I was told to wear this uniform and take off the hijab.

    But I could not go along with that because those rules contradict my religious beliefs,” Muminjonova added that, before the university expelled her and nine other students last September, it had presented an ultimatum: “[They said] ‘either you take off a headscarf, or you will be expelled.’ ”She said that being asked to take off the hijab was “like being forced to give up on my faith.”

    When Muminjonova refused to abide by the hijab ban, she was not allowed to attend classes or stay in the dorms.

    “Muminjanova was officially expelled for her extended absence from classes, and others were compelled to write their own requests to the Islamic Academy to leave, allegedly for lacking finances and other reasons,” Yelena Urlayeva, a local independent human rights defender who chairs the Human Rights Alliance, said.

    Muminjonova’s family attempted to sue the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan. After no success in either district and city courts, Muminjonova’s family took the case to the Supreme Court. A defiant Muminjonova said that if the court ruled against her, she would take her case to international courts.

    The court finally ruled in favor of the academy, arguing that no laws were violated in imposing the dress code.

    The US Commission on International Religious Freedom said that “severe violations of religious freedom persisted” and advised that the State Department put Uzbekistan back on the watchlist along with North Korea and Saudi Arabia.

    Both Saudi Arabia and North Korea are accused of “infring[ing] upon individuals’ ability to adapt, change, or renounce their religion or belief, worship in accordance with their religion or beliefs, or be free from coercion to practice a particular religion or belief.”

    The University was founded as a state-run institution by the president at the time, Islam Karimov, in April 1999. President Karimov saw radical Islam as a reason to keep tight control over religion in Uzbekistan, fearing it would be influenced by the extremists in neighboring Afghanistan.

    Since President Karimov’s death, anti-religious policies are still being created and enforced. For example, Under Uzbek law, the appearance of citizens in public places in religious attire may trigger a fine or administrative arrest for up to 15 days. Only [the clergy] can wear religious clothes. As well, selling a hijab in the market is punished by a fine of five to 10 times the monthly minimum wage to 15 days in jail.

    Political Rights publication Forum 18 News says, “Only state-recognized religious communities with centralized religious bodies (such as the Spiritual Administration of Muslims, Russian Orthodox diocese or Baptist Union) are allowed to run their own educational establishments. Those who conduct religious education outside these officially-approved organizations face fines or jail sentences.””

  25. Section 144 imposed in South Waziristan (tribune, May 28, 2019)
    https://tribune.com.pk/story/1981909/1-section-144-imposed-south-waziristan/

    “The district administration of South Waziristan on Tuesday banned public gatherings, rallies, and processions for a month-long period to maintain law and order in the tribal district, Express News reported.

    Deputy Commissioner South Waziristan Nauman Afzal Afridi issued a notification imposing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

    The move also prohibits delivering “provocative and objectionable speeches”, carrying and displaying of all kinds of arms and ammunition and other lethal weapons, aerial firing, and use of tinted glasses on vehicles.

    “Any person(s) contravening this order shall render himself/ themselves whatever the case may punishable under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC),” added the notification.

    The move comes following tensions in North Waziristan after a clash occurred between security officials and protesters led by lawmakers Mohsin Javed Dawar and Ali Wazir at the Khar Kamar check post in Boya…”

  26. Arrest warrants out for 100 in FETÖ probe (hdn, May 28, 2019)
    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/arrest-warrants-out-for-100-in-feto-probe-143769

    “Turkish prosecutors issued arrest warrants for over 100 people across the nation for their suspected links to the FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, judicial sources said on May 28.

    Istanbul prosecutors sought the arrest of 74 suspects- 32 out of them are on active duty soldiers- with warrants as part of a FETÖ probe into the infiltration of the terror group into the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), according to sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

    Colonels, lieutenant colonels, and commanders are among the soldiers sought by security sources, the sources said.

    Separately, prosecutors in southern Adana province issued arrest warrants for 27 soldiers – including 20 personnel on active-duty, sources said.

    Police have conducted raids in 18 provinces to hunt suspects.

    FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured, according to authorities.”

  27. Truce only when US declares exit timetable, Taliban (aa, May 28, 2019)
    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/truce-only-when-us-declares-exit-timetable-taliban-/1491307

    “A Taliban official on Tuesday categorically ruled out any immediate ceasefire in Afghanistan, but said it was possible after the withdrawal of foreign troops.

    “The political office in Doha is capable to establish a ceasefire all over the country. But our policy is that all foreign forces should leave Afghanistan and for that we are holding talks with Americans,” Taliban spokesman Mohammad Suhail Shaheen told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview.

    He said after the announcement of a timetable for withdrawal by foreign forces, the Afghans would sit together to chalk out a mutually agreed agenda.

    “When there is bombardment, when there are night raids, when the country is occupied, how a ceasefire can be possible?” Shaheen asked.

    Shaheen, said his delegation was in to Moscow to attend a meeting, marking the centenary of relation between Afghanistan and Russia. He added that there was no plan to hold talks with representatives of Afghan government on the sidelines of the meeting.

    “This meeting is not about intra-Afghan dialogue, it is about celebration of 100 years of relations between the two countries. This was the context. This meeting was only about relations between the two countries — Russia and Afghanistan — to discuss their ups and downs, and about our expectation of good relations in future with Russia,” he said.

    Asked about the talks between his group and Afghan government, Shaheen said Afghans would sit together, only after the withdrawal of foreign forces. He said it was up to Afghan people to decide who should be included in that gathering.

    “We are talking to Afghans but not to the Afghan government and that is based on our policy because the country is still occupied. And the timetable of withdrawal of the foreign forces has not been announced, yet. When it is announced, then we will talk and sit together with Afghans and decide about the future,” he said.

    Mohammad Suhail Shaheen also added that the Taliban hoped progress in achieving peace in Afghanistan.

    “We see some progress in achieving peace. We can say we hope and expect to reach to a sustainable peace in Afghanistan. That is why we are talking to Americans.”

    The Taliban’s spokesman described last meetings with the interlocutors “fruitful”.

    He said Tuesday meeting in Moscow was a chance for Afghans to sit together and exchange views about future of Afghanistan in order to resolve the crisis and address to the problems of Afghanistan.

    On May 28 Russia and Afghanistan celebrate the centenary of relations between the two countries. Moscow used the occasion to organize an informal meeting between different Afghan parties aiming at to push the peace process.”

  28. UK Muslim body urges for probe into Tory Islamophobia (aa, May 28, 2019)
    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/uk-muslim-body-urges-for-probe-into-tory-islamophobia/1491273

    “Britain’s largest umbrella body of Muslim organizations has urged the country’s equality watchdog to formally investigate alleged Islamophobia within the leading Conservative Party.

    “We have today written to the EHRC to formally request an investigation into whether the Conservative Party has breached its Equality Act obligations Islamophobia,” the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said on Twitter.

    The MCB’s call for a probe came following the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it has launched an investigation into whether the opposition Labour Party “unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish”.

    “It is a sad day for us to have brought this complaint to the doors of the EHRC, but the concerns of Muslims at large about Islamophobia within the Conservative Party have fallen on deaf ears,” said Harun Khan, the secretary-general of the MCB.

    “We have taken this step after an unprecedented number of cases have been brought to our attention, suggesting a culture within the Conservative party where Islamophobia is not only widespread, but institutional,” Khan said.

    “We now request the EHRC to look at all the evidence and investigate this matter with great urgency,” he added.

    The MCB previously wrote two letters to the Conservative leader and Prime Minister Theresa May to probe the Islamophobia allegations within her party.

    Islamophobic incidents have risen significantly due to a number of factors, such as Brexit and the proliferation of far-right groups spreading misconceptions about immigration and faith.

    The MCB has repeatedly urged the Conservative Party leadership to tackle the issue of Islamophobia within the party and investigate Tories accused of Islamophobia.

    Islamophobic comments by Tory party members and councillors have been found online, with some calling for the bombing of mosques, and others making racist comments about London mayor Sadiq Khan and Tory Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

    Last year, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson compared women who wear Islamic garb to “bank robbers and letter boxes”. His comments triggered a national outcry, but an internal Conservative investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.

    The Labour and Liberal Democrats parties have adopted a working definition of Islamophobia by an all party parliamentary group (APPG) on British Muslims but failing to do the same, the Conservative party is facing growing calls to adopt it as well after failing to tackle rising Islamophobia within its ranks.

    Labour MP Naz Shah earlier this month invited all parties to adopt the working definition of Islamophobia. She said the Conservative Party is “willing to orchestrate” to reject the definition of Islamophobia and it fails even to “acknowledge” it.

    The APPG said in a report last year that British Muslims face higher levels of hate crime and gave a new definition for Islamophobia.

    “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness,” the APPG definition said.

    Official figures from the report found that the risk of being a victim of race hate crime was highest for Muslim adults at 1.7% compared to non-Muslim adults at 0.2%.

    Islamophobia in the U.K. has spiked following the 2017 terror attacks in London and Manchester, according to Tell MAMA, a group recording anti-Muslim hate crime.”

    • The “religion of peace”has only killed 500+ in their “holy month”so far,and the wogs are grizzling that people object and say things that “hurt”thier feelings?

  29. Over 400 IS-linked French nationals detained in Syria, Paris says (france24, May 28, 2019)
    https://www.france24.com/en/20190528-syria-isis-france-nationals-detained-hundreds-kurds-le-drian-idlib-terrorism-death-row

    “Around 450 French nationals linked to the Islamic State (IS) are being held by Kurds or detained in refugee camps in northeastern Syria, the French foreign minister said Tuesday.

    “In the northeastern zone of Syria, we think that there are between 400 and 450 French people, some in camps, others held as prisoners, including children,” Jean-Yves Le Drian told parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

    He said only the children could be repatriated if they were orphans or if their mothers gave permission.

    France has long insisted that its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, refusing to repatriate them despite the risk they could receive death sentences.

    “Our position is still the same and we will not shift: fighters must be judged where they have committed crimes,” Le Drain said.

    A Baghdad court sentenced two more Frenchmen to death Tuesday for joining the Islamic State jihadist group, raising the number of French IS members on death row in Iraq to six.

    Since March, Paris has repatriated just five orphans and a three-year-old girl whose mother was sentenced to life in prison in Iraq.

    Le Drian said that more than 100 French fighters were still present in Idlib, the last jihadist stronghold in Syria’s northwest which is being relentlessly bombed by President Bashar al-Assad’s troops.

    He said the area was a “real time bomb” with about “30,000” rebel and jihadist fighters holed up there and evoked the threat of an influx of refugees from this region to Europe.”

  30. CNN – Merkel speaks out about viral Trump photo

    ( 10 min 15 )

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel discusses the German political climate and her interactions with President Trump in a CNN exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour.

    • I’m tempted by the title, but CNN is at the top of The Boycott List.
      To mind-altering drugs: I. Just. Say. No.

  31. Mueller’s office denies inflammatory allegation in Wolff’s new book

    Michael Wolff’s new book, ‘siege: Trump Under Fire,’ claims Robert Mueller drew up Trump indictment paperwork; Fox News media analyst Howard Kurtz reports.

    • the hill – Amash gets standing ovation at first town hall after calling for Trump’s impeachment

      Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) received a standing ovation Tuesday evening at his first public event since becoming the first Republican to call for President Trump’s impeachment.

      At a town hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Amash criticized House Republican leadership, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), whom he called the “so-called leader.”

      “I read the Mueller report. I’m sure he didn’t read it,” Amash said of McCarthy. “He resorted to ad hominem attacks; that’s the kind of ‘leadership’ we now have in Congress.”

      McCarthy has accused Amash of seeking attention with his remarks and told reporters Amash was “out of step with this conference” and “out of step with America.”

      Amash reaffirmed his position that special counsel Robert Mueller’s report outlines impeachable conduct by Trump.

      “I’m confident that if you read volume two, you will be appalled at much of the conduct. And I was appalled by it. And that’s why I stated what I stated. That’s why I came to that conclusion,” he said. “We can’t let conduct like that go unchecked.”

      Amash, who has drawn a Trump-supporting primary challenger, said he was not concerned his remarks about Trump could cost him his seat. Two GOP Trump critics, former Sens. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.), retired in 2018, and another, former Rep. Mark Sanford (S.C.), was defeated in his 2018 primary. While Amash declined to rule out a Libertarian Party presidential bid, he denied he had that in mind when he made the original comments.

      Amash also faced criticism from the event’s audience, with one attendee in a “Make America Great Again” hat telling Amash, “I can’t tell you how disappointed I am,” but the majority of questioners expressed support for Amash.

      Since his original comments, Amash has faced pushback and criticism from fellow Republicans, including Trump, who called him a “lightweight,” and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a fellow libertarian-leaning member of Congress, who said the Mueller investigation was “the antithesis of libertarianism.”

      https://thehill.com/homenews/house/445862-amash-gets-standing-ovation-at-first-town-hall-after-calling-for-trumps

      • All we ever hear is impeachement,why don’t they get on with something constructive,like what you pay them for,and if president trump is really the devil incarnate,then vote him out next year,if democracy still exists.

        • They don’t believe in democracy, too many of the voters see through their BS and vote against them. After a typical Dem President it takes a minimum of 8 years for the public to forget how bad they are. Trump will win in 2020 and if Pence runs promising to keep the Trump agenda and policies he will have 4 to 8 years.

  32. itv news – British hostage-keeper reveals his role in so-called Islamic State

    A UK-born “hostage-keeper” has for the first time admitted the role he played in the so-called Islamic State.

    Alexanda Kotey, who is being held by Kurdish forces, has also spoken of his part in a plot to kill soldiers and police in drive-by shootings.

  33. Belgium: Thousands join anti-fascism rally in Brussels

    Thousands of people marched through the streets of Brussels on Tuesday to protest against the rise of the far-right across Europe.

    Footage shows protestersmarching and chanting, holding flags and anti-fascist signs.

    According to reports, around 6,000 people joined the rally.

    Organised by the anti-fascist group ‘Stand Up’ the rally takes place in response to the record support from Belgians towards the far-right group Vlaams Belang in the recent European Parliament elections.

    Countries such as France, Italy, and the United Kingdom also saw a far-right wave in the elections.

    “We are outdoing the unauthorised protest, we denounce that too, and it is very important to be here and wake people up because a lot of the people who vote fascist don’t know what they are doing,” said Vincent Van Den Brande, a yellow vest protesters participating in the march.

  34. europravda – ‘Bolsonaro is rubbish’ says Brazilian indigenous chief on visit to Lyon

  35. Well-known former imam wins Liberal nomination in Montreal riding, becoming its first non-Italian nominee

    Hassan Guillet said he delivered his speech before the vote in six languages, and fought throughout the campaign to prove he was ‘not the enemy’

    OTTAWA — A former imam who gained international attention for speaking at a funeral for victims of the Quebec City mosque shooting has won the Liberal nomination in the Montreal riding of Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, the first time the party has nominated a non-Italian in the Liberal stronghold.

    Hassan Guillet said the Liberals were reluctant to have him run in Saint-Léonard, afraid of antagonizing the large Italian community. But he pushed ahead, and insists that he represents the community “better than everybody else,” pointing out that the riding is increasingly diverse and is now home to sizeable North African and Haitian populations as well.

    “The Muslim community is as big as the Italian community,” Guillet told the Post in an interview. “The demographic changed enormously.”

    Guillet claims to speak six languages, including Italian, and said he was the only potential candidate who could speak to the majority of the riding’s constituents in their mother tongue, whether it be French, English, Italian or Arabic.

    His nomination ahead of the fall federal election marks a dramatic shift in the Montreal riding, which has been represented by members of the Italian community since its creation in 1988. The seat was held until 2002 by Alfonso Gagliano, a central figure in the Quebec sponsorship scandal, followed by Massimo Pacetti, who was expelled from the Liberal caucus in 2015 over accusations of sexual misconduct. The riding went to Nicola Di Iorio in the last federal election, who announced his resignation in April 2018 but didn’t officially resign until the end of January 2019.

    Last fall, CBC News reported that Di Iorio had expected to hand-pick his successor, and changed his mind about resigning when he was told there would be an open nomination process. Ultimately, he vacated his seat late enough to prevent a byelection from being held before October’s election.

    Guillet said he approached the Liberals when Di Iorio first announced he planned to resign, thinking he would run in a byelection. He doesn’t live in the community, but said much of his family does, and the idea of running in a Liberal stronghold was appealing. “The Liberal party is the party that is closest to my ideals, to my principles, to my way of life,” he said.

    Guillet said the Liberals were interested in him, but suggested he run elsewhere. “They had a dilemma. On the one hand, they wanted me to be there,” he said. “But they didn’t want to alienate the Italian community, because historically it was always run by an Italian. … They cannot imagine losing Saint-Léonard.”

    But Guillet’s mind was made up. He competed for the nomination against city councillor Patricia Lattanzio and Francesco Cavaleri, a notary and friend of Di Iorio’s. On Monday night, he won the nomination, with more than 1,200 members casting ballots. “Everyone was telling me it was unprecedented,” he said.

    In a statement, Liberal Party spokesperson Braeden Caley said Guillet is “well-known for his long record of community leadership” and that “Liberals are looking forward to running a positive campaign focused on Justin Trudeau’s progress to strengthen the middle class, grow the economy, protect a clean environment, and make life better for Québec families.”

    Guillet said he’d heard that his competition didn’t take him seriously, and that he remained “nameless” for much of the campaign. “I wasn’t even a person,” he said. “I was ‘the imam.’ ” He said he delivered his speech before the vote on Monday night in six languages, and fought throughout the campaign to prove he was “not the enemy.”

    He also said the working assumption in the riding was that Arabic-speaking newcomers don’t vote, in part because many of them have immigrated from countries “where democracy was either non-existent or very badly practised.”

    “My job was to open their eyes, to educate them and to make them participate,” he said.

    Guillet received worldwide attention after speaking at the funeral of three of the victims of the 2017 shooting at a mosque in Quebec City. Part of his sermon, in which he referred to shooter Alexandre Bissonnette as a victim in his own right, was retweeted by author J. K. Rowling, who said his words were “extraordinary and humane.”

    Guillet, who moved to Canada from Lebanon in 1974 and is a retired engineer and lawyer, stopped serving as an imam when he decided to run for federal office. Still, his background may prove a hurdle in a province where secularism is a live political issue. However, Guillet insists he had no religious authority as an imam, and that it shouldn’t stop him from “exercising (my) constitutional right.”

    “I think the different facets of my experience will enrich debate in the House of Commons,” he said.

    https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/well-known-former-imam-wins-liberal-nomination-in-montreal-riding-becoming-its-first-non-italian-nominee

    ==============================================
    Alexandre Bissonette’s ice bucket challenge

  36. DAILY MAIL – ‘I was more afraid of him than the captors’: Wife of ‘Taliban sympathizer’ describes how he ‘raped’ her while being held hostage in Afghanistan for five years and forced her to have children with him

    Caitlan Coleman says husband Joshua Boyle forced her to have children in captivity in Afghanistan
    They had three children while being held hostage between 2012 and 2017
    Joshua is now on trial in Canada on sexual assault charges which he denies
    They were taken hostage after traveling to the region because he wanted to
    She said at first he said he wanted to get ‘the inside story’ of the Taliban
    Once in captivity, she says he suddenly ‘dropped’ any pretense once ‘there were no westerners’ around to judge him

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7083229/Wife-Taliban-sympathizer-describes-raped-captivity-Afghanistan.html

    ==================================================

    abc news – American hostage mom says abusive husband’s Taliban sympathies led to 5-year ordeal

    https://abcnews.go.com/US/american-hostage-mom-abusive-husbands-taliban-sympathies-led/story?id=63228171