[Transcript]  Mosaic News - 7/14/09: World News From The Middle East

[Summary]

The family of Marwa El-Sherbini, who was fatally stabbed by a man in a German court, has sued the German policemen who shot her husband in the leg, after allegedly mistaking him for the attacker. German officials have withheld details of the case, which has sparked criticism from the German Muslim community, and other Muslim nations. Protesters see this incident not just an attack on the life of a person, but as an insult on Islam and basic human rights.

Presenter, Male #1
In his first official appearance since the Iranian presidential election, the reformist candidate, Mir Hossein Mosavi, will attend Friday prayers this week. In related news, sources close to religious authority Ayatollah Sayid Abdul Kareem Mousavi Arthabili in Qom have mentioned that in return for Hashemi Rafsanjani’s attendance at the upcoming Friday prayers there will be a release of many prisoners who were detained in the recent crisis. Police authorities are carrying out a broad campaign to gather satellites from the roofs of homes and this campaign comes after a new list published by the Chief Judge, Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, who believes that these satellites are sometimes used in crimes that target Iran. This new list was approved after the announcement of the election results and imposed restrictions on the media. It also allowed the courts to deal with the issue of the media on security grounds and imposed jail sentences on those accused of treason and undermining the Islamic Republic.

Reporter, Male #2
In the recent development of the Iranian crisis, the Security General of the Expediency Council, Mohsen Rezai warned of conspiracy and strife that will lead the Islamic system to its collapse. In an unprecedented statement, Rezai pointed to the accusations being exchanged between the quarreling sides, especially by the conservatives who described the reformists as “neo hypocrites.” He also warned that the continued arrests and violation of the principles of the republic means that the Islamic Republic has become meaningless and may collapse easily, even without foreign military attacks. Rezai urged the reformists to accept the status quo and uphold the centrality of the Waliyat Al Faqih, which considers the Supreme Religious Leader as the defender of the doctrine of freedom and the sovereignty of its people. He called for immediate cooperation between Mousavi, Ahmadinejad and Mahdi Karroubi. Meanwhile, the religious authority, Bayad Zanjani released a fatwa, or religious decree, promoting civil disobedience to bring down Ahmadinejads illegitimate government as a religious duty. He described Ahmadinejad as fraudulent and demanded the inauguration of a qualified president to replace him. This is the second fatwa, in this framework, after the fatwa that was praised by the religious authority Ayatollah Hussein Ali Muntathari. Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad instructed the appropriate authorities to implement a law regarding internet crimes passed by the Guardian Council after it was approved by the parliament. These laws include fines and harsh judgments of sentences of up to 15 year in jail after a decision of the Chief Judge, Hashemi Shahroudi, calling for penalties to be issued against anyone who publishes information about the hostile actions of the Islamic Republic. In an effort towards resolving the crisis situation, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani decided to lead worshippers in prayer this Friday but conservative hardliners said that Rafsanjani will have slogans chanted against him during the prayer sermon. This compelled reformist figures to call for the republics reformist leaders, Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi, to attend prayers and support Rafsanjani’s speech. Najah Muhamad Ali, Al Arabiya.

Presenter, Female #1
Sheikh Abdullah Bin Jibreel, a senior member of the Saudi Fatwa Council, has died in Saudi Arabia, after being reported sick for a long time. Bin Jibreel is considered to be one of the most radical Salafist, who issued infidel Ftawas against Muslim Shiites. He was accused of issuing Fatwas on behalf of radical groups that have committed crimes in several Islamic and Arab countries. Meanwhile, Iranian religious scholar, Garmap Dasheti, was released from prison by the Saudi authorities, after 50 days in detention. Dasheti said that the so called “Amar Bil Maarouf Agency” has arrested him during a visit to the gravesite of the noble Prophet Mohammad, peace and prayers be upon him, in the “Glowing” City of Medina. Dasheti was indicted on false charges by the Saudi authorities. He said that he took the oath before the presiding judge, swearing that he was innocent of any wrong doing. After the trial, Dasheti was taken to prison where he was tortured and intimidated. In another development, the Saudi authorities started to implement a new law allowing for the arrest of internet bloggers. In a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists, Saudi Arabia was listed as one of the worst places to be a blogger. The committee said that several journalists have been arrested and more than 400,000 blogging sites have been shut down.

Reporter, Male #1
Banning protests and the absence of civic society organizations in Saudi Arabia are no longer effective tools of censorship, especially in this era of internet blogging. Amidst this, blogging sites in countries other than Saudi Arabia, are serving as a platform for expressing opinions and making changes. However, Saudi Bloggers are facing many restrictions, as confirmed by the Committee to Protect Journalists, who listed the Saudi government as one of the worst internet oppressors in the world. In numbers, the Saudi authorities have shut down more than 400,000 internet blogging sites. Armed with computers and the internet, Saudi bloggers are trying to make their voices heard, which is the first step toward making changes. In a rare meeting for bloggers in the city of Jedah, blogger Fuad Al-Farhan confirmed that they are blogging to make changes in the Kingdom. He added that they already have the means to make it happen. Al-Farhan was arrested two years ago and imprisoned for 5 months due to organizing a campaign on behalf of 9 Saudi political prisoners who advocated for reform. Al-Farhan, who was never charged of any crime, was finally released from prison. Saudi sources have confirmed that there are more than ten thousand blogging sites coming from Saudi Arabia; though the majority have suspended operations and refrained from hosting political discussions since Al-Farhan’s imprisonment. Another blogger named Khaled Al-Nasser said that the arrest of Al-Farhan shows that there are red lines that cannot be crossed. Al-Nasser also said that bloggers are facing threats due to the new law that was enacted this year. According to the Saudi Ministry of Information, under the new law anyone who attempts to disrupt public order or violate religious values will be subject to prosecution. Bloggers are afraid that the government may use this new law as a means to intimidate those who wish to express themselves freely on the internet.

Presenter, Woman #1
Our Aljazeera correspondent in Somalia reports that two French people were kidnapped from their hotel in the capital Mogadishu. The manager of the hotel said that about 10 armed men broke into the hotel and stripped the guards of their weapons, then searched the rooms and found two French guests, and took them somewhere unknown. Mahmud Al Jazairi has the report.

Reporter, Man #1
The kidnap occurred in the Hotel of Journalism. The two kidnapped French citizens are not journalists, but are security consultants working for the Somali government. According to a government official, the two kidnapped consultants were pretending to be journalists in order to protect themselves. They arrived in Somalia to train the guards at the presidential palace.

Guest, Man #1
The two foreigners told the owner of the hotel that they were French journalists, but we heard later that they were actually military agents who came here to train the government’s forces.

Reporter, Man #1
Mogadishu appears to be one of the most dangerous cities in the world because of its collapsing security situation, so it’s rare for foreigners to come here, and if they do, they come with armed body guards. Lately, the dangers have increased due to the battles between the government forces, the armed “Shabab al-Mujahideen” Movement and the Islamic Party. These battles are considered the most violent of their kind, during which the armed groups managed to get close to vital government centers such as the presidential palace. The battles have turned into rounds of hit-and-run attacks, and they escalated after the peace-keeping forces, which are under the command of the African Union, got involved in the battles against the opposition, although they do not have the jurisdiction to participate in combat operations. Their mission may change, after Uganda, which is participating in these forces, required that the peace-keeping forces be authorized to fight the armed dissidents, especially after these dissidents have repeatedly attacked them. It was hoped that the election of Sharif Ahmed as president would reduce the violence in Somalia, which hasn’t had an effective government for 18 years. But his victory in the presidential elections caused division between those who used to support him in the Islamic courts militias, and those who have caused new conflicts that the Somali civilians paid a price for. Statistics show that in Mogadishu alone, thousands have been killed during recent months, and tens of thousands have had to escape the city, becoming refugees either in Somalia or in neighboring countries.

Presenter, Woman # 1
The UN office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Palestine, reported that the apartheid wall that is being built by Israel will reach 800 kilometers. The wall will surround more than 35,000 Palestinians from all sides.

Reporter, Man # 1
On the fifth anniversary of verdict that was made by the Intentional Court of Justice at the Hague, which declared that the apartheid wall is illegal and demanded Israel to remove it, the UN office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a report saying that the apartheid wall that is being built by Israel will soon reach 800 kilometers. It isolates Palestinian lands from the West Bank. The report says that 85% of the wall is built in the West Bank and that only 15% of the wall is built in Lands occupied in 1948. Twenty six thousand Palestinians will be surrounded by the wall from all sides in 8 residential complexes such as Bier Nebala, and Eiz Al Zawiya. Israel continues the construction of the apartheid wall to impose new facts on the ground which it does not plan to change in the final settlement with the Palestinians. The apartheid wall is now a serious threat against the two-state solution, and there will be no peace in the entire Middle East as long as this wall continues to exist.

Presenter, Woman # 1
The Palestinian Census Center released a report about the numbers of people living in Palestine on the eve of World Population Day. According to the report, the number of citizens living in Gaza and the West Bank is almost 4 million. More details in the following report.

Reporter, Man # 3
On the eve of World Population Day, the Palestinian census center released a report about the numbers of people living in Palestinian territories. According to the report, the number of Palestinian females in the Wet Bank and Gaza has reached 1.9 million and the number of males has reached 2 million. The report said that the number of people in the West Bank and Gaza has reached 3.9 million: 2.4 million live in the West Bank and 1.5 million in Gaza. The Hebron province has the largest number of people. It has 580,000 people followed by the Gaza province which 510,000 people. The rest of the population is distributed in other Palestinian cities and towns. The population in Gaza has younger people than that in the West Bank. According to the report, 78% of Palestinians own their homes. 33% of Palestinians have computers. The estimated number of population density for 2009 is expected to reach an average 654 people per one square kilometer.

Presenter, Male #1
With the increase of visitors to Cornish and the shores of Beirut, piles of trash and polluted water are ruining this beautiful ocean view and damaging the marine environment. The following report with Osama Ibrahim.

Reporter, Male #1
This image is not one of a dumping ground but of the shore of Ramleh Al-Bayda and the sea of Cornish in the city of Beirut. Despite the efforts made over the past years to clean up the ocean and environment, people are not upholding the laws on public sanitation. This has led to this uncivilized scene. Different types of filth and pollution mix with the beach sand and sometimes make its way to the water. Are there specific measures that can be taken?

Guest, Male #3
Such behavior is so out of hand that no amount of coast guards or police will solve the problem. We must depend on each other to preserve the environment.

Presenter, Male #2
Environmental groups believe that the only solution is to issue citations against violators.

Guest, Female #1
Some people are not getting the point. We have the most beautiful country and everything they dump in the ocean is going to return to them. They need to understand how damaging this is and how long it takes a water bottle to decompose. How long it takes everything to decompose. How it’s affecting fish resources and also the image of the ocean as I said. After 13 years I can tell you that there’s only one solution; which is to control the environment because cooperation among people is simple and superficial. We must control the environment. It’s the only solution.

Reporter, Male #2
According to advocates, this image comes after 2 weeks of cleaning Cornish and Manara and 3 weeks of cleaning the shores of the Ramlah Al-Bayda. Filth and trash are the current face of the sea of Beirut. So who’s responsible for the neglect? Doesn’t this require someone to take action against the violators? From the region of Ein Al-Imraysi, Osama Ibrahim, Future TV.

Presenter, Woman #1
Before we report our hourly news in detail we congratulate the Iraqi people for the victory of the Iraqi soccer team, which is known as the “Lion of the Two Rivers”.

Presenter, Man #1
Greetings. Our national soccer team triumphed over its opponent Palestinian team by 4 to nothing in its first friendly match held in the International People’s Stadium. The match was an effort made in pursuit of breaking the restriction that was imposed upon the Iraqi soccer team. Our national team player Hawar Mula Mohamed scored the first goal; Qara’a Jasim scored the second; the third was scored by backup player Lajih Abu Zahara; and the last was scored by Aemad Mohamed through a penalty kick. Thousands of soccer fans came to the International People’s Stadium to cheer for the Iraqi team and their brotherly opponent Palestine.

Presenter, Woman #1
Sports fans headed to the International People’s Stadium since this morning to reserve their seats to watch the national soccer team’s first friendly match with its Palestinian opponent on Iraqi soil.

Presenter, Man #1
The security agencies and their supporting divisions have implemented strict procedures to guarantee the citizens’ safety and facilitate their entry into the stadium.

Reporter, Man #1
Since the morning, the fans gathered at the International People’s Stadium in support of the Iraqi national soccer team in its first game after 7 years of absence. The fans came from various Iraqi provinces, showing happiness and joy on their faces.

Guest, Man #1
We came from Ninaowa, we heard about the game on Saturday, we spent the night here to get a head start on Sunday morning. The game is our game, and the stadium is our stadium. As the Iraqi national team plays against the Palestinian national team, we will cheer for our team, God willing, we’ve come here to support our Iraqi brothers.

Guest, Man #2
I came from Basra, this is my second day here. I’m very happy for Iraq, it’s like an Iraqi wedding here today.

Reporter, Man #1
This family and other families, who came early to watch the game, have rooted for the Iraqi national team¬¬ in its first international match against the Palestinian national team. One of the women described the game as a “carnival for Iraqi soccer”.

Guest, Woman #1
I hope that Iraqi women come to the stadium to watch the game and cheer for the Iraqi team.

Reporter, Man #1
Tens of thousands of fans are expected to attend the match, amidst heightened security measures.

Guest, Man #3
Strict security measures were taken during the game. This is the first game taking place in Iraq, which resembles breaking the siege that has been imposed on Iraqi sports. We have hosted several sporting events in the past, several brothers in the ministries of Interior and Defense helped make these events possible. This event has been made possible by the command center of Rusafa.

Reporter, Man #1
Members of the Health Ministry deployed medical teams to the stadium due to the large audience, in case of health emergencies.

Guest, Man #4
Four ambulances were dispatched to the area. We also provided medical equipment and first-aid kits for minor injuries. Cases of serious injuries will be transferred to the hospital.

Reporter, Man #1
The players set foot on the green playground of the International People’s Stadium for the first time in 7 years. Tens of thousand of Iraqis watched this international match on the steps of the stadium, which had not witnessed such a game in years. People’s Stadium, Al-Iraqiya, Baghdad.