[Transcript]  Mosaic News - 7/13/09: World News From The Middle East

[Summary]

A blast in central Pakistan’s Punjab province has killed at least sixteen people, including several children. At least seventy were wounded, some being in critical condition. The house, which was used to give Koranic lessons to children, exploded on Monday. Local news stations have reported that at least 150 homes in the neighborhood were also partially or completely destroyed.

A bomb blast has injured seven U.S. troops. The explosion took place in the northern Iraqi town of Al-Sharqat.

Members of the Non-Aligned Movement, NAM, voiced their opposition to all illegal Israeli settlements. NAM firmly supports the Palestinians, and their inalienable rights.

Israel has announced that it will display only Hebrew text on road signs, thus removing the Arabic and English names for cities and towns that are currently displayed. The Israeli transport Ministry made this decision as a response to the Palestinians’ refusal to use Hebrew names for some towns.

An American Humanitarian Aid convoy is set to go to the Gaza Strip in defiance of the continued Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip. The convoy is titled “Viva Palestina U.S.” and is expected to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing on Tuesday.

Israeli settlers have burned more Palestinian farmland in the West Bank. The settlers, who are illegally residing in the West Bank, have set fire to over 150,000 square meters of Palestinian farmland. It has been reported that Israeli forces prevented the Palestinian firemen from reaching the site in time.

Presenter, Man #1
The Yemeni Preliminary Criminal Court, which specializes in terrorism cases, sentenced six Al Qaeda members to death and ten others to prison for eight to fifteen years. Among the sentenced are four Syrians and a Saudi Arabian, whom the court convicted of participating in an armed gang which carried out criminal acts, such as attacking foreign embassies and tourists, as well as vital facilities and oil bases. Hamed Munasar has the details.

Reporter, Man #1
Tight security measures were taken when these alleged suspects were transferred from their prison cells to the court, after the Ministry of Interior received threats pertaining to their case. Before hearing the sentences, the alleged group praised God repeatedly, shouting Al Qaeda’s slogan calling for Jihad, as if the sentencing had nothing to do with them.

Guest, Man #1
The court’s hereby sentenced the following: the first alleged Rawi Hamed Sahl bin Sa’aduna Si’ari, sentenced to death as charged (crowd yelling “God is the greatest”); the second, Aed Saed Mubarak bin Sa’at, sentenced to death as charged; the third, Khalid Musalim Talibatais, sentenced to death as charged.

Reporter, Man #1
This group has carried out a number of terrorist operations, the most prominent of which was the killing of Belgian tourists and attacking oil and military facilities in Hadramaut and Marib, as well as Western installations and foreign nationals in Sana. The most prominent leader of this group was Hamza Alquaitiya, a former military leader in Yemen, who was killed in a clash with the police in Tarim City of Hadramaut area in 2008.

Guest, Man #1
They obtained necessary equipments such as bombs, mortal launcher and rocket shells, in addition to other weapons and ammunitions. They also used transportation vehicles with forged license plates and numbers, and booby tractors to carry out bombings.

Guest, Man #2
This sentence is extremely unfair, and the procedures that this court carried out were very weak. There is no connection between the allegations and the evidence.

Reporter, Man #1
The rowdy session and sentences were described as too harsh, as six Yemenis are facing the death penalty and ten others will be jailed, including four Syrians and a Saudi Arabian that the court decided to put in prison for fifteen years. However, these sentences are subject to appeal in front of the court.

Guest, Man #3
Unfair sentence! Unfair sentence!

Guest, Man #4
Some of those convicted did not take part in the alleged attacks, among them is my son, who was already in jail, and they fabricated the charges against him in this case.

Reporter, Man #1
The convicted did not care much about these sentences and tried to downplay them, though they are considered one of the harshest penalties against Al Qaeda members in Yemen. Hamed Munasar, Al Arabiya, Sana.

Presenter, Man #1
Female journalist from Sudan Lubna Ahmed al-Housein, who was accused of wearing revealing clothes and received a penalty of forty lashes, said she has printed leaflets that look like wedding invitations and distributed them to the media to attend her lashing, if it will be executed, to know the truth. She also pointed out that the charges she’s facing stemmed from her wearing pants.

Guest, Woman #1
The purpose of printing these cards is to invite the media to witness the lashing, if it is carried out. If no one comes to witness it, even if I swear by the holy book, no one would believe me that I was charged with whipping penalty because of wearing pants. So I printed 400 cards, just like wedding invitations, to the media sector, the ministries, the Internet, etc, etc, in order for them to see with their eyes and hear with their ears, what is this accusation is truly about. Because this is not just a case about one person, it’s a case concerning the whole society and all women, who during the last twenty have been lashed under the laws of public order. They do not dare to speak out or complain. A woman gets lashed and she cannot file a complaint, because if she does, the society will not believe that she was lashed due to wearing pants.

Presenter, Female #1
Clashes between government forces and armed opposition fighters continue in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. Our correspondent, Jami Nour, reports on the course of the confrontations.

Reporter, Male #1
Confrontations between opposition fighters and government forces have turned into an “attack and retreat” war. Here is one of the opposition fighters who is attempting to target elements of the transitional government forces. The scene, however, has turned into this… In a dramatic shift, Islamic party fighters and the Shabab al- Mujahideen regained control over the bases they lost to the government forces backed by the African forces who participated in the fighting for the first time.

Guest, Male #2
It was Gods will that we were able to counter attacks by the apostate government forces and the infidel African forces. The war entered a new stage and I believe that their schemes will fail, God willing.

Reporter, Male #1
Therefore, the opposition views this as an open war which may be prolonged or cut short. However, they don’t seem to be achieving their goals which are the expulsion of foreign forces and the creation of an Islamic state. The government’s main objective is to prevent the opposition fighters from approaching the presidential palace and to expand to all regions of the capital in order to impose the state’s authority

Guest, Male #3
The operations will continue and they will not be limited to Mogadishu. We are determined to expand government control to all Somali land. The African Peace-Keeping forces are stuck in the middle of limited participation and intense artillery bombardment on strongholds of the opposition; a danger facing anyone who sets foot on Somali soil. Until further notice: The bullets will be the judge, and the strong will have the upper hand in a country where there is no one left to govern. Yesterday I was here and the so was the Somali government. Today I’m in the same place, after its takeover by the Islamic opposition. Therefore, the natural state of Somali battlefield is “attack and retreat”. Jami Nour. Al Jazeera. Mogadishu.

Presenter, Female #1
With more information on the current situation on the ground, we have the chief of the Al Jazeera Bureau Fahd Yasin.

Reporter, Male #4
What took place this evening is the opposition regained control of the bases that it lost yesterday after the African Forces, who support the transitional government forces participated in clashes. It is worth mentioning that this evening there were intermittent clashes in some areas of neighborhoods south of Mogadishu. In particular, in some neighborhoods located in southern Mogadishu, and some locations close to the presidential palaces, there was heavy artillery mortar shelling on some of the southern neighborhoods that are located in regions controlled by the Somali opposition. Shabab al-Mujahideen and the Islamic party regained control in the north and gained access to the most important areas that they lost yesterday. The Ugandan tanks that participated in yesterday’s clashes have returned to their original areas. The African Union said that they are always prepared to fight with government forces. If these forces feel imminent danger or if the Somali opposition has infiltrated the red line, it will consider that the ground situation has fundamentally changed in Somalia. There are also remarks on the side of the opposition saying that they have begun preparing new military tactics that require, what they called, entering new stage. This stage means the use of the African tanks. They are also saying that they will intensify their efforts of targeting African forces from now on. Until now there has been no talk of negotiations between the two sides. There are some that call for a reconciliation of the two sides. There is also currently a tragic humanitarian situation taking place. There is unnatural displacement from neighborhoods that used to be very calm, especially in the north. There is displacement and there is also an increase in the number of fatalities. We don’t know who caused the intense artillery that was fired on the northern neighborhoods. Thank you Fahd Yasin from the capital.

Presenter, Female #1
Welcome to African affairs. Sudan has returned to the news spotlight. During the past week, Khartoum has witnessed a series of political developments, which include a call by the Sudanese opposition to oust the government and withdraw from the parliament. The opposition also threatened to take to the streets. Meanwhile, the region of Darfur is witnessing political maneuvers, which include meetings and consultations presided over by Qatar and Egypt. Meanwhile, Sudan is anxiously waiting for the results of the international tribunal on the disputed area of Abi between the north and the south.

Reporter, Male #1
Many questions and much speculation are being raised over the showdown between the government of Khartoum and the opposition blocs. These questions have come under the spotlight after the opposition alliance announced that it intends to submit a memorandum to the constitutional court that undermines the legitimacy of the Sudanese government after July 9th, 2009. This declaration is in accordance with the 2005 Nafasha agreement which was signed by the government and the popular movement. The Nafasha agreement specifies July 9th, 2009 as the date for general elections. However the government has delayed the process until next year because it has not completed its census report. The opposition has called for the withdrawal from parliament and not recognizing the census as a basis for holding the elections. The opposition also threatened to take to the streets in order to mount pressure on Khartoum to form a transitional government that will govern over the country until elections are held. It also stressed the importance of achieving peace in the region of Darfur in order for them take part in the upcoming elections. The response to the opposition calls came swiftly and strongly from government officials who described the opposition demands as merely media and political rhetoric. In addition some Sudanese officials said that the opposition demands constitute a rejection of the Nafasha Agreement and are a desperate attempt to undermine peace and security in Sudan. These developments came days after the National People’s Party, led by Sadiq Al-Mahdi, signed the memorandum of understanding with the Equality and Justice Movement, led by Khalil Ibrahim. The agreement came as a surprise to most government and opposition institutions in the country. The National Conference Party has strongly criticized the agreement, describing it as a blatant violation of the National Reconciliation
Agreement that was signed between the two parties. The party also said that any political bloc that deals with armed groups will be subject to political inquiries. It seemed that the reason that the NCP criticized the agreement was because it contains two critical articles. First, it undermines the consensus process which in turn excludes the consensus from constituting the basis of the distribution of election departments. Second, it urges the government to cooperate with the International Criminal Court which contradicts the position of Sadiq Al-Mahdi. Some observers believe that the agreement between the Equality and Justice movement and the National People’s Party will strengthen the opposition, especially during the current period when election alliances are being formed. However, it will be a nail in the coffin of relations between the Peoples Party and the NCP. These developments come as diplomatic efforts are being exerted in Sudan by regional and international mediators. These efforts aim at bridging the gap between the opposition blocs and the government, especially since Sudan is approaching a bumpy political road where it won’t be enough to merely fasten your seatbelt.

Presenter, Woman #1
The latest survey showed that the attempts to distort Islam’s image in the West have failed, and the number of people converting to Islam is increasing. An American survey showed that 93% of the Muslims are moderate.

Reporter, Man #1
Predictions and statistics showing that the number of Europeans converting to Islam has increased, makes Islam more appealing for some, while raising concerns among others who view Islam as a danger getting closer to their home. According to statistics, one third of Brussels’ residents are Muslims, and Islam will be the number one religion there in 20 years time. In France, 3,600 people convert to Islam every year, which means Muslims will comprise a quarter of the whole population by 2025. The repeated calls for implementing some Islamic laws have become a daily concern in Britain. The number of statistics having increased, but the real number of Westerners converting to Islam as a way to escape spiritual emptiness may be much bigger than what the recent statistics indicate.

Guest, Man #1
Generally speaking, among many Europeans, Particularly in Holland for example, during the last three months, around 30 people converted to Islam.

Reporter, Man #1
Here in this building with Islamic external designs, this Italian philosopher tells his journey to the knowledge that guided him to Islam. He is the grandson of one of the founders of the Future Movement in 1909, and his noble family received this clock from Napoleon Ponabart in 1805.

Guest, Man #2
The Shea ideology relies on a major principle pertaining to the belief in time, which is the master of universe that we know of. But there are other dimensions that we are not aware of, they represent the divinity of almighty God.

Reporter, Man #1
So far, he wrote 4 books, which are the product of his philosophic research of returning to the origins of human thinking, which is rooted in the wisdom of the prophet, as well as Eboncina and Eborusht, who influenced the European philosophy.

Guest, Man #3
When the work of the big search of theories of Aflatun, Aristo and Eboncina began, it was natural that the Islamic world, the messenger, and the Quran, became a source of energy for human mind, in order to rid us from the catastrophe of World War II.

Reporter, Man #1
This person has been waiting for years for an Islamic country to sponsor his academic museum, and he said he’s been waiting for Iran. Karim Baksa, Alalam, Brussels.

Presenter, Man # 1
The Iraqi water authorities are warning that the Mosul Dam, which is one of the largest Iraqi dams, located on the Tigris River in the province of Naynawa in the northern Iraq, may collapse.

Reporter, Woman # 2
The Iraqi water authorities warned that the Mosul Dam, which is one of the largest Iraqi dams, may collapse. These concerns that the dam may collapse started a few years ago when officials discovered deterioration in many walls of Iraqi dams, most importantly in the Mosul Dam as well as the Haditha Dam on the Euphrates River. Also, Samara Dam on the Tigris River has similar problems. Water experts reiterated that the Mosul Dam may collapse if it is left in its current condition. If the damn collapses, more than a half a million people will die in the city of Mosul which will be completely destroyed. If the dam collapses, one trillion cubic meters of water will be released which is enough to submerge the city under 65 feet of water. The catastrophe would not be excluded to the city of Mosul. The dam water will also reach the flatlands extending from the Mosul Dam to Baghdad. Water experts believe that Baghdad’s suburbs will be submerged under 15ft of water. Tens of dozens of villages and towns are located in agricultural areas such as B-jee, Tikrit, Samara, Balid, Duluiya, Tarmi and Rajdia. In addition, thousands of hectors of agricultural lands that have citrus groves and palm trees are located in these agricultural areas. The Ministry of Water announced that it will conduct wide-scale renovation projects for the dam to prevent a real catastrophe from taking place due to possibilities that the Mosul Dam will collapse. The Minister of Water Resources, Abdul Latif Jamal, announced that iron walls are being built at the bottom of the dam’s foundation. The ministry reiterated that Iraqi technical teams continue to strengthen the dam. An iron wall, that is more than 200 meters, is being built at the bottom of the dam. This wall is supposed to prevent water leakage and stop the deterioration of the dam’s foundation. The Ministry of Water Resources also said that it has contacted international water experts in hopes of receiving special proposals and ideas for renovating Iraqi dams as well as practical solutions to prevent deterioration. It is worth mentioning that Mosul Dam was built in the early 1980’s.