Tens of thousands of supporters of an Islamist group rallied in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on May 3rd to condemn proposed recommendations to ensure equal rights between men and women in the Muslim-majority nation, including ones related to property. > As many as 20,000 followers of the Hefazat-e-Islam turned out to express their support for the Islamist group and laid out their demands for the country’s interim government under Muhammad Yunus. Some supporters carried banners and placards reading "_Say no to Western laws on our women, rise up Bangladesh_ " near Dhaka University. They opposed proposals by the Bangladeshi government, which include equal inheritance rights for women, a ban on polygamy, and recognition of sex workers as laborers, arguing that the proposed legal reforms contradict Sharia law. Mamunul Haque, one of the group’s leaders, demanded that the interim government abolish its reforms commission and that its members be punished for the proposed changes, arguing that some of the recommendations proposed hurt "_the sentiments of the majority of the people of this country_ " by suggesting that the laws of inheritance are the main cause of inequality between men and women in Bangladesh. > The Islamist group’s leaders also demanded that the interim government ban the Awami League Party, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She was ousted in August last year after weeks of student-led protests. She has been in exile in India since she was overthrown. However, concerns are raised as Islamist groups have increased their visibility and influence since Hasina was ousted, with minority groups complaining that they felt intimidated. Human Rights Watch called on the Bangladeshi government to comply with its obligations under international human rights law to ensure gender equality, adding that women and girls have played huge roles in Bangladesh’s history, from the fight for its independence from Pakistan in 1971 to the more recent 2024 July Revolution, which saw the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. > “ _Today’s period of political transition is another inflection point and a unique opportunity for Bangladesh’s government to strengthen its commitment to women’s rights. The government should not miss the chance to do so._ “ Human Rights Watch said.

Iranian women continue to experience setbacks in their rights after the Iranian government not only withdrew a critical law on violence against women, but also intensified their digital surveillance on them through text messages warning them about hijab violations. > Dozens of women in cities such as Shiraz and Iran’s capital, Tehran, reportedly received personalized text messages recently from the regime’s Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, warning them about their hijab violations. Many are concerned that these text messages, which initially began as an experimental project in the conservative city of Isfahan, are a sign that Iran’s more hardline factions and rulers are starting to lay the groundwork for a high-tech surveillance system that will enforce the Islamic Republic’s mandatory hijab laws all over Iran. “ _I was visiting my father’s grave in the early hours of the morning when I received the warning,_ “ one Iranian woman posting under the handle @jesuisminaaa on X (formerly known as Twitter) wrote. “ _I sat there, crying and crushed. Someone there had reported me. How can a person think only about my headscarf in a place filled with grief?_ “ The message she and other women received threatened them that they would face legal action if they removed their hijab in public or refused to wear the headscarf in public. > Activists, legal experts, and netizens criticized the text messages, while Iran’s Minister of Telecommunications, Sattar Hashemi, and Fatemeh Mohajerani, a spokesperson for the Iranian government, denied that the Iranian government under President Masoud Pezeshkian authorized or implemented the policy. Meanwhile, what was supposed to be a landmark legislation that would address the issue of violence against women in Iran was withdrawn after hardliners in Iran’s parliament introduced modifications that “ _watered down_ “ the bill and altered its core principles, forcing the government to abandon the effort. For instance, hardline lawmakers replaced the term “ _violence_ “ with “ _ill-behavior_ “ throughout the draft bill. Even the title of the bill was changed from “ _Safeguarding Women’s Dignity and Protecting Them Against Violence_ “ to “ _Safeguarding Women’s Dignity and Supporting Women and Families._ “ > In addition, the revised version of the bill no longer proposes increased penalties for a broad range of injuries inflicted on women, such as cuts, bruises, and other forms of bodily harm. Instead, it only limits harsher punishments to cases involving dismemberment. “We requested the draft bill to be withdrawn when we realized that (parliamentary committees) had changed the character and substance of the draft bill," Zahra Behrouz-Azar, President Pezeshkian’s deputy for women’s affairs, said regarding the bill. The bill was first proposed during the administration of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and was finally submitted to the Iranian Parliament under former President Hassan Rouhani in 2021. It was initially intended to strengthen protections for women by increasing penalties for physical abuse and providing support for victims.

A pro-Gaza independent candidate who campaigned in favor of segregating men and women won a local election in the United Kingdom, marking another victory for pro-Gaza independents who rose to prominence and beat other parties, such as Reform UK and the ruling Labour Party, in elections. > Last May 4th, residents of Burnley in Lancashire took to the polls to elect new members of their local council. Among the election winners were two pro-Gaza candidates, Usman Arif and Maheen Kamran. Asif won the Burnley North East, while 18-year-old Kamran was elected as a councillor in Burnley Central East. Asif and Kamran both defeated Reform UK and the Labour Party in elections. Asif got 2,430 votes compared to James Halstead of Reform UK, who won only 903 votes, and Cheryl Louise Semple of the ruling Labour Party, who only gained 372 votes. A former member of the Labour Party, Asif left the party due to disagreements over its leadership’s stance on the conflict in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza. Kamran, a young medical student, won 1,357 votes or 38% of the votes, beating Gavin Theaker of the Reform UK, who came second with 1,089 votes, and Hannah Till of the Labour Party, who only won 485 votes. Kamran told Politics Home that the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which left almost 55,000 Gazans dead as of May 7th, motivated her to enter the race, arguing that a “ _genocide_ “ is taking place as a result of Israel’s war with Hamas. > She also said she wants to encourage public spaces to prevent “ _free mixing_ “ between Muslim men and Muslim women. “ _There’s a big aspect of free mixing,_ “ Kamran said ahead of the election. “ _Muslim women aren’t really comfortable with being involved with Muslim men. I’m sure we can have segregated areas, segregated gyms, where Muslim women don’t have to sacrifice their health._ “ While two pro-Gaza candidates will sit in Burnley’s local council, Reform UK won the most seats overall, with four of the six council seats going to Reform UK candidates. However, their victory against Labour Party candidates reflects a growing gap between the ruling party and British Muslim voters, who felt disillusioned by the party’s stance on the Gaza issue. > Lord Hayward, a Conservative peer and a prominent pollster, also echoed similar sentiments. “ _I don’t see Labour being able to resolve this issue with the Muslim community in places where there are large Muslim populations,_ “ Hayward said. Dr Rakib Ehsan wrote in UnHerd that a combination of left-leaning economic policies, social conservative values, and support for Palestine is what makes pro-Gaza independent candidates shatter Labour’s electoral dominance in relatively deprived Muslim-majority areas, adding that many British Muslim voters have become disillusioned not just with its stance on the Israel-Hamas war, but also its failure to address local concerns, such as a lack of employment opportunities and poor public services. During the 2024 general elections in the UK, while the Labour Party won a landslide victory, four pro-Gaza independent candidates defeated Labour candidates, fueled by growing anger among British Muslim voters over the war in Gaza.

The BBC was accused of spreading “ _Islamist propaganda_ “ after it described those who converted to Islam as “ _reverts_ “ in one of its articles. > The term “ _revert_ “, which is controversial even among Muslims, was used throughout an article titled “ _Eid celebration 'can be lonely' for Muslim converts,_ “ which detailed the stories of Muslim converts as they celebrated Eid al-Fitr, a holiday that marks the end of the month of Ramadan. The article was published last April but was amended after it sparked criticism over its use of the term. At the end of the article, the BBC said the article “ _originally included several references to 'reverts' when referring to individuals who have converted to Islam, reflecting the language used by the people we spoke to,_ “ adding that they amended the article to instead refer to those they featured in their story as "converts,” which they said is “ _is a more generally understood description._ “ Some Muslims refer to those who converted to Islam as “ _reverts,_ “ based on the belief that everyone is born a Muslim and those who embrace Islam are returning to their “ _natural state._ “ This belief is often derived from the theological principle of fitra, the idea that all humans are innately predisposed to recognize the oneness of Allah. > By this principle, one does not simply become Muslim, but they “ _revert_ “ to their natural state, hence the term. However, the term is not universally used in the Muslim world, and it has even been associated with Islamic fundamentalism. Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative MP who previously served as the UK’s Minister of State for Security, said the BBC’s use of the term “ _revert_ “ was “ _sectarianism_ “ that had “ _no place on the BBC._ “ “ _Calling converts ‘reverts’ is ideology, not fact,_ “ Tugendhat said. “ _It’s claiming we’re all ‘originally’ Muslim and those who convert are rediscovering their faith. That’s Islamist propaganda and has no place on the BBC._ “ > “ _Mainstream Islam is clear on conversion as a route to salvation in keeping with other faiths. This is not the same._ “ Tugendhat, who also has a master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Cambridge, added, "I don’t object to theological language, I object to the BBC claiming it is the appropriate term.” An update was provided on the article on April 16th, where the BBC said that they made revisions on April 5th to instead use the term “ _converts_ “ to refer to those who converted to Islam. The piece reported that some converts to Islam may feel lonely during Ramadan and Eid, where Muslim families usually gather to celebrate. It also highlighted the work of the New Muslim Circle charity, based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, which taught converts how to pray and organize get-togethers. > Dr Taj Hargey of the Oxford Institute for British Islam warned that the term should never be used. “ _It is used by Islamic fundamentalists in their propaganda that everyone is born Muslim,_ “ Hargey said. “ _It is utter tosh and the correct term to use is ‘convert.’_ “ “ _It is concerning that the BBC has chosen to use this divisive term that most Muslims would not use, only extremists and supremacists,_ “ he added. This is not the first time the BBC has been caught in a controversy for allegedly promoting Islamist propaganda. A documentary about the war in Gaza, titled Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, was pulled after the narrator was revealed to be the son of a Hamas official.

Authorities in the United Kingdom thwarted an alleged imminent terrorist plot after British police arrested eight suspects, including seven Iranians, on two separate occasions, amidst speculations that they were planning to attack a Jewish community site. > The Metropolitan Police announced that British counter-terrorism police conducted two separate raids that led to the arrest of eight men, including seven Iranians. The first operation saw the arrest of five men, including four Iranian nationals between the ages of 29 and 40, on May 3rd in West London and the English cities and towns of Swindon, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester. The fifth man's nationality was not known. In a second operation that is not related to the first, counter-terrorism police arrested three Iranian nationals, aged between 39 and 55, on the same day in London. "_We are exploring various lines of enquiry to ... identify whether there may be any further risk to the public linked to this matter,_ " Commander Dominic Murphy, who heads London’s Counter-Terrorism Command, said. He also urged the public to “ _remain vigilant_ “ and alert the authorities if they noticed anything suspicious. > The Telegraph reported that one of the Iranian nationals arrested in the first operation has close ties to the Islamic Republic, with the suspect’s family reportedly running major businesses in Iran, citing Iranian sources in the UK. The eight suspects were arrested for being involved in foreign power threat activities under the country’s National Security Act of 2023, which was passed to counter the actions of countries deemed hostile to the UK within the country. The five suspects detained after the first operation were also accused of attempting to carry out a terrorist plot to target specific premises, allegedly a synagogue or another Jewish site. Police also said that searches were ongoing at their addresses. The UK’s Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said on May 4th that the two raids were among the most extensive counterterrorism operations that Britain has seen in recent years. She did not respond directly when asked about possible links between the suspects and the Iranian regime, but hinted at a potential connection. > “ _The significant operations carried out and the ongoing investigation are of immense importance, and of course, Iranian citizens are involved in both investigations,_ “ she said. “ _We support the police and security services in their investigations and security assessments._ “ The arrests also came at a time of intense scrutiny of suspected Iran-backed activities in the UK and louder calls to blacklist the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The head of the domestic intelligence agency MI5, Ken McCallum, said in October last year that Tehran is behind “ _plot after plot_ “ in the UK and that it uncovered five new planned attacks last year, taking the total to 20 since January 2022. The Islamic Republic has been accused of carrying out terrorist plots against Jewish and Israeli sites and persons, as well as Iranian dissidents living abroad. In one case, an exiled Iranian dissident and journalist, Pouria Zeraati, was stabbed outside his home in London in March 2024. He was a presenter for the London-based opposition news outlet Iran International.

1. **_Is the State Department STILL Funding Terror? Hamas Tied to USAID_** Location: United States A startling report has exposed that the U.S. government, through its foreign aid agency, USAID, is still funneling billions of taxpayer dollars to organizations allegedly tied to Hamas and other extremist groups, raising alarm over oversight and national security. USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, is tasked with distributing foreign aid and promoting humanitarian assistance abroad. However, a recent list released by the State Department shows that over 2. **_Hamas Demands UK Remove Terrorist Label — Calls It 'Free Speech'_** Location: United Kingdom In an audacious legal move, Hamas has petitioned the UK government to lift its designation as a terrorist organization—claiming it’s merely exercising "freedom of speech" on behalf of Palestinian “resistance.” The Islamist group, responsible for the October 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of hundreds more, filed a 106-page request through the controversial London law firm Riverway Law, arguing the ban violates their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk insisted, “Hamas does not and never has posed a threat to Britain,” and accused the UK of supporting “Zionism, apartheid, occupation, and ethnic cleansing.” The UK banned Hamas’s military wing in 2001 and its political wing in 2021, declaring it “a complex but single terrorist organization.” Critics slammed the move—former Home Secretary Priti Patel called Hamas an “evil Iranian-backed terrorist organization” that “kidnaps, tortures and murders people, including British nationals.” As the UK’s Home Secretary weighs the decision, Hamas’s attempt to rebrand its genocidal ideology as political activism highlights the growing challenge of Islamist lawfare in Western democracies. 3. **_Massacre of Christians in Nigeria: 200 Killed in ONE WEEK, Media Silent_** Location: Nigeria In just one week, 200 Christians were slaughtered in Nigeria’s Middle Belt by suspected Fulani militants in what local officials are calling a genocide, yet major international media outlets remain virtually silent. On Palm Sunday, 56 villagers, including 15 children, were butchered in Zike, Plateau State, their bodies left to burn in their homes. “The corpses of deceased women, children, and senior citizens [were left] in their homes, which they torched as they left the village,” reported Truth Nigeria. Just days later, 56 more were massacred in Benue State. Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang didn’t mince words: “What happened in the last two weeks in Bokkos is genocide, I say it unreservedly.” The attackers, reportedly Muslim Fulani jihadists, are part of a years-long campaign against Christian farming communities, which groups like Christian Solidarity International warned about as early as 2020. Despite repeated atrocities and growing calls for action, Western leaders and media continue to downplay or ignore what many now describe as a religiously driven extermination campaign. 4. **_Jordan BANS Muslim Brotherhood After Terror Plot Exposed_** Location: Jordan In a dramatic escalation, Jordan has officially banned the Muslim Brotherhood and seized its assets following revelations of a terror plot allegedly orchestrated by members of the group. Interior Minister Mazen Fraya announced on April 23 that all activities promoting the Brotherhood or its ideology would be criminalized, citing the group’s role in a “years-long plot to destabilize the Hashemite Kingdom.” Authorities say 16 members—trained and financed in Lebanon—were arrested for manufacturing rockets and drones intended for attacks inside Jordan, with weapons and covert missile labs reportedly discovered in residential areas. “Members of the dissolved Muslim Brotherhood have tampered with security and national unity,” the Interior Ministry said. The crackdown included raids on offices and confiscation of Brotherhood-linked documents. While the group denies the accusations, its political wing, the Islamic Action Front—Jordan’s largest opposition party—claimed it has “no relationship with any other organizational body.” The ban threatens to upend Jordan’s already fragile political balance, as the Brotherhood’s grassroots support remains strong in urban centers.

More than a dozen people were killed in a predominantly Druze city near the Syrian capital of Damascus on April 29th after violence broke out due to a purported recording of a Druze man cursing the Prophet Muhammad, which angered Sunni gunmen. > Between April 28 and 29, a deadly conflict erupted between Syrian security forces and local armed Sunni gunmen, which also injured 15 people, in the city of Jaramana because of an audio recording allegedly from a member of the Druze minority in Syria. The clashes, which occurred with small and medium arms fire that killed 13 people according to local rescue workers, began overnight when gunmen from the nearby town of Maliha and other predominantly Sunni areas converged on Jaramana. According to Mustafa al-Abdo, the spokesperson of Syria’s Interior Ministry, two members of Syria’s General Security Service, a newly established security force composed mainly of former rebels, were also among those killed during the fighting. > Abdo denied that the gunmen attacked the town and argued instead that a group of civilians angered by the voice recording staged a protest that came under fire from Druze groups. The anonymous clip went viral on April 26th, igniting outrage among Syrian activists and religious leaders, and also sparked anger aimed at the residents of Jaramana, a city located 3 kilometers southeast of Damascus and predominantly populated by Druze and Christian minorities. Many in Syria, who are predominantly Sunni Muslim, saw the recording as an insult to Islam, while others called for restraint and to wait for results from official investigations before blaming anyone. > The incident also marked another episode of deadly sectarian violence in Syria, where fears among religious minorities have been growing since Islamist rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ousted former President Bashar Al-Assad and installed a provisional government under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa. These fears spiked when hundreds of Alawites, a Muslim ethno-religious minority often associated with the former regime, were massacred in March in an apparent revenge for an attack by Assad loyalists. Syria’s Interior Ministry responded swiftly to the incident and tried to ease tensions by reassuring the public that they had initiated a “ _comprehensive investigation_ “ into the voice recording. It also emphasized that preliminary inquiries had not yet confirmed the speaker's identity, despite speculations online. However, public anger remains high. > “ _Preliminary evidence does not link the voice in the recording to the individual being accused on social media,_ “ an anonymous source from Syria’s interior ministry told the online news site The Media Line. “ _Efforts are ongoing to determine the identity of the speaker so they may face justice under applicable laws,_ “ he added. Druze elders also met Syrian security forces to ease tensions and prevent further escalations. > "_What was said by a few individuals against our Prophet represents only them and is rejected by us and all of society,_ " Druze religious leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou said, calling on both communities to reject efforts to fuel sectarian division. Representatives of the Syrian government and leaders of the Druze community later agreed to hold those involved in the attack responsible, and they also agreed to work on reducing sectarian and communal mobilization. However, some Druze leaders and activists blamed the Syrian government for failing to prevent the attack in Jaramana and warned that it would bear responsibility for any future repercussions.

The Jordanian government announced on April 23rd that they enacted a sweeping ban on the Muslim Brotherhood and confiscated its assets after authorities linked members to a years-long plot to sabotage the Hashemite Kingdom. This move can threaten the country’s largest opposition party. > Jordan’s Interior Minister, Mazen Fraya, said that all activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in the country would be banned, and anyone promoting the group and its ideology would be held accountable by law. The ban also includes publishing anything by the Muslim Brotherhood as well as confiscating and closure of all the group’s assets and offices. The Hashemite Kingdom said it arrested 16 members of the Muslim Brotherhood last week who were allegedly trained and financed in Lebanon and accused of manufacturing rockets and drones to prepare for an attack inside the country. Amman also attributed a foiled plot last year to a Muslim Brotherhood cell. The government said the arrested members belonged to what it described as “ _unlicensed groups,_ “ referring to the Muslim Brotherhood. The group denied the allegations and claimed it was committed to Jordan’s national security. In addition, Jordan’s Interior Ministry revealed that the son of one of the group’s leaders joined others in manufacturing and testing explosives to be used against security forces, without providing further details or names. ‘’It has been proven that members of the group operate in the dark and engage in activities that could destabilize the country,” the Interior Ministry said. “ _Members of the dissolved Muslim Brotherhood have tampered with security and national unity, and disrupted security and public order._ “ Fraya also told reporters that Jordanian authorities found “ _explosives and weapons transported between Jordanian cities and stored in residential areas_ “, covert missile manufacturing facilities, and “ _training and recruitment operations_ “ linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. > Acting on an order from a public prosecutor, Jordanian security forces raided Muslim Brotherhood offices and began searching for documents, according to officials, adding that some of them might have been removed already or destroyed in an attempt to conceal any evidence. There was no immediate comment from the Muslim Brotherhood, whose affiliated party, Islamic Action Front, won the highest number of seats in Jordan’s parliamentary elections last year. However, government supporters still held most of the seats. Following the announcement on April 23rd, Jordanian police surrounded and searched the party’s headquarters in Amman. The Islamic Action Front’s Secretary-General Wael Al-Saqqa distanced the party from the Muslim Brotherhood, saying it had “ _no relationship with any other organizational body, whatever it may be_ “ and insisted that the Front is abiding by Jordan’s laws. > “ _We always declare that we are committed to order, the law, and the provisions of the Constitution,_ “ Al-Saqqa said, adding that he was surprised when Jordanian security services searched the party’s headquarters. While the monarchy banned the Muslim Brotherhood a decade ago, it officially licensed a splinter group and continued to tolerate the Islamic Action Front while restricting some of its activities. The movement has widespread grassroots support in major urban centers across the country, and it was not immediately clear how far the latest ban would go.

200 Christians have been murdered in Nigeria after suspected Fulani militants launched a wave of terrorist attacks against Christian communities in the country’s Middle Belt in just one week. > At around midnight on Palm Sunday, April 13, gunmen, presumably from Fulani militias, attacked the villages of Christian farmers in Zike community, located in the Bassa local government area (LGA). The gunmen took the lives of 56 people, including 15 children, and injured nine others, while over 2,000 people were displaced. According to Truth Nigeria, the attacks from the predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen left behind “ _the corpses of deceased women, children, and senior citizens in their homes, which they torched as they left the village._ “ Relatives were severely traumatized as they had to bear the stench of the burning bodies of their loved ones from the smoking compounds. > The massacre on Palm Sunday occurred just a week after a similar attack, also attributed to Fulani jihadists, in five villages to the south of Jos, the capital of the Plateau State, that left 50 people dead. In the neighboring Benue State, located south of Plateau State, gunmen killed 56 people on the night of April 17th into the next day in the Ukum and Logo local government areas, sparking the deployment of Nigerian security forces in the area. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu denounced the Palm Sunday massacre and said in the wake of the massacre that he directed the country’s security services to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. > Other Nigerian leaders, such as Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, described the string of murders against Christians as a “ _genocide._ “ “ _I would say it unapologetically, what happened in the last two weeks in Bokkos is genocide – I say it unreservedly,_ “ Mutfwang said. Meanwhile, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia blamed the attacks on "suspected herdsmen,” while the governor’s media advisor said the number of people killed could rise as search-and-rescue operations continue. > The repeated killings of Christians in the country’s Middle Belt also earned condemnation from several Christian leaders and organizations, including the Christian Solidarity International (CSI), which learned about the incident directly from one of their teams, who was on the ground in Nigeria when the killings unfolded. The group had already issued a genocide warning for Christians in Nigeria in 2020. The continued violence between militant Fulani herdsmen and Christian farming communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt has been a cause for concern for many Christian organizations and leaders. The longstanding conflict is often attributed to land and land-grabbing disputes, though several incidents have often taken a religious and ethnic dimension. Nina Shea, former commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa last March to discuss the ongoing persecution of Christians in the region.

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, known for launching the deadly attacks against Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds of Israelis and foreigners hostage, sparking a brutal war that left more than 52,000 Gazans dead, filed a legal petition in the United Kingdom to be removed from its list of designated terrorist organizations. > Hamas, which had been designated as a terrorist group by then-Home Secretary Priti Patel in 2021, claimed that they are not a terrorist group but mainly “ _a Palestinian Islamic liberation and resistance movement whose goal is to liberate Palestine and confront the Zionist project._ “ The assertion is contained in a witness statement by the group’s head of international relations, Mousa Abu Marzouk. He is also the indicated applicant for the claim to the British government’s current Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper. While the UK’s Home Office did not comment on matters related to proscribing Hamas as a terrorist group, Cooper has 90 days to decide on the group’s status. Marzouk continued his statement by saying that “ _the British government’s decision to proscribe Hamas is an unjust one that is symptomatic of its unwavering support for Zionism, apartheid, occupation, and ethnic cleansing in Palestine for over a century. Hamas does not and never has posed a threat to Britain, despite the latter’s ongoing complicity in the genocide of our people._ “ > The British government only proscribed the group’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, in 2001. Twenty years later, Patel decided to expand the ban to cover the entire organization, arguing that there was no longer any distinction between Hamas's political and military wings. The British government also described Hamas as “ _a complex but single terrorist organisation._ “ According to the UK’s Terrorism Act of 2000, it is punishable by law to be a member of a proscribed terrorist organization, show or express support for it, and wear clothing or carry or display articles in public that would arouse reasonable suspicion that the individual is a member or supporter of the proscribed group. Riverway Law, a controversial London-based firm notorious for handling cases involving suspected Islamists, represented Hamas. > “ _Rather than allow freedom of speech, police have embarked on a campaign of political intimidation and persecution of journalists, academics, peace activists, and students over their perceived support for Hamas. People in Britain must be free to speak about Hamas and its struggle to restore to the Palestinian people the right to self-determination,_ “ the firm’s lawyer argued. The law firm’s 106-page application called for the ban to be lifted by the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), arguing that Hamas poses no threat to the UK, which Marzouk called in his witness statement the “ _architect of our suffering through its collaboration with the Zionist project for over a century._ “ The statement also attempted to reject accusations of antisemitism and targeting of Jews thrown against Hamas, arguing that its founding charter, which cites a hadith as a proof text for killing Jews and declaring that Islam will “ _obliterate_ “ Israel, was “ _drafted without consultation with the senior leadership_ “, who were in prison or exiled at the time. > Patel, who now serves as the Shadow Foreign Secretary, condemned Hamas’s application to be removed from the government’s list of designated terrorist groups, calling it an “ _evil Iranian-backed terrorist organisation, which kidnaps, tortures and murders people, including British nationals._ “ “ _They pose an ongoing threat to our security and to the peace and stability of the Middle East, and they have weapons and training facilities that put lives at risk and threaten our interests. They show no respect for human rights, life, and dignity, and have oppressed people living in Gaza for too long._ “ Patel added.

After research from a conservative American think tank spanning many years revealed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided millions of dollars of aid to charities tied to extremist and terrorist organizations, it was discovered that charities and other groups tied to Hamas received billions of dollars of funding from the same agency. > The United States State Department released a list of 898 approved government contracts and grants authorized by USAID, which includes over $2.5 billion of authorized funding to organizations that previously supported the charitable infrastructure of designated terrorist entities, such as Hamas. The State Department also provided a document to Congress, listing 5,341 awards that were terminated as part of US President Donald Trump’s efforts to shut down the agency and cut off its funding, alongside the surviving 898 grants. The surviving beneficiaries, who were discovered to have supported terrorist charitable infrastructure, are set to receive a total of $2.5 billion across 103 awards for projects that USAID estimates will cost the American taxpayer $3.4 billion. > In addition, hundreds of millions of dollars of these grants were set aside for projects in Gaza, run by organizations with histories of either being involved with Hamas proxies or Hamas itself. For example, a whopping $270 million will be awarded to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The Norwegian Refugee Council was once accused of being a leading partner of Hamas, running dozens of joint events with the organization’s Ministry of Social Development. The group even praised the NRC for “ _supporting the projects_ “ of its ministry. The charity organization was also accused of training its staff, with one social media post talking about a program funded by the NRC, which “ _includes the implementation of 10 awareness workshops targeting 220 staff members from the Ministry’s directorates and representatives of local and community councils across the governorates._ “ > Another charity organization that allegedly had ties to the terrorist organization was the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED), a French charity. The organization received $403 million in funds from USAID. ACTED is said to be a partner of the Unlimited Friends Association (UFA), which is involved with senior Hamas leaders and promotes violent, antisemitic rhetoric on social media. Aside from ACTED, the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), which received $22 million in USAID funding, is allegedly a longstanding partner of the Bayader Association for Environment and Development, a charity also accused of having close ties with senior Hamas officials. With an estimated total cost of $50 million, the grant provided by USAID to ANERA is set to fund a project called “ _Gaza Health Recovery Activity._ “ > Other charities involved with Islamist groups that received USAID funding include Save the Children, International Medical Corps, World Vision, and Catholic Relief Services. The agency appropriated an additional $73 million to these charities for aid work in the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and HTS-ruled Syria. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on April 22nd that a “ _sprawling bureaucracy_ “ exists at the US State Department, which “ _created a system more beholden to radical political ideology than advancing America’s core national interests._ “

1. **_UK MPs Want Photos of Hijab-Free Muslim Women Treated Like Child P*rn_** Location: United Kingdom In a stunning move, UK lawmakers are pushing to treat photos of Muslim women without hijabs the same as child sexual abuse material, arguing that such images should be criminalized as “non-consensual intimate images” (NCII). A new report from the House of Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee demands the government expand the legal definition of intimate images to include “culturally intimate” material, claiming that sharing hijab-free photos could be “disastrous for the victim.” Committee chair Sarah Owens defended the idea, saying, “Non-consensual intimate image abuse is a deeply personal crime which can have life-changing and life-threatening consequences.” Critics, however, blasted the proposal as absurd, with David Spencer of Policy Exchange warning that it would force police to “wade into so-called 'cultural' issues” at a time when violent crime is already overwhelming law enforcement. If passed, the law could equate exposing a Muslim woman's hair with some of the most serious crimes on the books—raising alarming questions about free speech, cultural accommodation, and the future of British law. 2. **_Islamic Clerics Call for Global Jihad Against Israel_** Location: Qatar, Pakistan, Kuwait In a sweeping and dangerous escalation, Islamic clerics across the Muslim world are openly calling for a global jihad against Israel, framing the war in Gaza as a religious obligation for all Muslims. On Al-Jazeera, Muslim Brotherhood leader Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan declared that Muslims are forbidden from making “permanent peace with the enemies of Allah,” insisting that jihad “must continue until Judgment Day.” Meanwhile, the Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars issued a fatwa demanding “every capable Muslim” take up arms, urging Arab and Muslim nations to blockade Israel “by land, sea, and air.” In Pakistan, clerics at a national conference led by Grand Mufti Taqi Usmani called jihad against Israel “an obligatory duty” and blasted Muslim governments for failing to act. “What are the armed forces of Muslim countries if they cannot wage jihad?” Usmani asked. The movement ties the conflict not just to politics but to an enduring religious war—one that clerics now demand to spill far beyond the Middle East. 3. **_Death for Blasphemy? Nigerian State Defies Human Rights Court_** Location: Nigeria In a major rebuke to religious repression, the ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled that blasphemy laws in Nigeria violate international human rights commitments, only to be openly defied by Kano State officials. ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, is a regional bloc of 15 countries aimed at promoting economic integration and human rights, and its court decisions carry significant weight across West Africa. Yet Kano State, a Muslim-majority region known for enforcing harsh Sharia-inspired laws, dismissed the ruling, vowing to keep criminalizing blasphemy. “We will not be deterred by external pressures,” said Kano’s Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Waiya, insisting that the laws “reflect the will” of Kano’s citizens. The case, brought by the Expression Now Human Rights Initiative, challenged the imprisonment of individuals like Mubarak Bala, a Nigerian atheist sentenced to 24 years for social media posts before being freed earlier this year. Despite the ECOWAS court ordering Nigeria to repeal or amend such laws, Kano's defiance underscores a deepening clash between universal human rights and religious authoritarianism within Africa’s largest democracy. 4. **_Jewish Hasidic Schools Defunded in New York Crackdown_** Location: United States New York State has launched a major crackdown on Hasidic yeshivas that fail to meet minimum secular education standards, stripping public funding from several schools in Brooklyn and threatening to revoke the legal status of more. The move follows a 2022 New York Times investigation that exposed widespread deficiencies in basic literacy, math, and science instruction at dozens of yeshivas, where the curriculum often focuses almost exclusively on intensive Talmudic study. “Children must learn to speak, read, and write in English and gain at least basic knowledge of math, science, and social studies,” a State Education Department spokesperson emphasized, citing the state’s long-standing legal requirement that private schools provide an education "substantially equivalent" to that of public schools. Many yeshivas, however, view the mandate as an attack on religious freedom, with advocacy groups like PEARLS accusing state officials of “targeting” Orthodox Jewish communities and preparing lawsuits to block enforcement. Critics argue that the lack of secular education traps children in insular communities, leaving them economically and socially dependent for life, while defenders insist that religious study fosters critical thinking and spiritual resilience. The clash highlights a growing national debate over the limits of religious schooling in a modern, pluralistic society—and whether deeply traditional communities can, or should, be compelled to meet outside standards. 5. **_UK Bans Islamic School Leader Over Extremism_** Location: United Kingdom After years of controversy, the UK government has banned Zafar Iqbal Khan, head of the notorious Rabia Girls' and Boys' School, from managing any school after repeated failures to meet basic education and equality standards. Khan’s private Islamic school in Luton, which segregated male and female staff and barred girls from studying key subjects like design and technology, failed Ofsted inspections a staggering seven times before it was finally shut down in 2021. “Gender segregation of school staff is totally unacceptable in modern Britain,” said Rebecca Hilsenrath of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Inspectors also found Rabia had hosted radical clerics linked to terrorist groups, further cementing its reputation for “actively undermining British values,” as former Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw put it. Despite accusations that Ofsted had an “agenda against faith schools,” the decision to permanently bar Khan signals a hardening stance against extremism masked as education in the UK.

Various Islamic clerics and religious organizations from different parts of the world issued calls for a global jihad against the State of Israel, emphasizing the increasingly contentious relationship between Israel and the Muslim world. > On March 23rd, a Turkey-based Kuwaiti Islamic scholar, Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan, appeared on Al-Jazeera to discuss the role of Muslims in the West regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He argued that it is prohibited for Muslims to make permanent peace with what he called "_enemies of Allah,_ " adding that doing so nullifies jihad, which must continue until the Day of Judgement. "_Check any book talking about Jihad, and you will see that it is prohibited to make permanent peace with the enemies of Allah,” Al-Suwaidan said._ "All Islamic scholars are in agreement that such a thing nullifies the [validity] of Jihad, which must continue until Judgment Day.” Al-Suwaidan, who is also a Muslim Brotherhood leader, emphasized as well that while he does not expect Muslims in Europe to change their governments or implement Sharia law, he was still impressed with the pro-Palestinian movement in Western countries, calling them "_exceptional_ " and "a wonderful thing.” > The cleric added that he expects them to “ _continue to demonstrate, to exert pressure on their regimes, to make people aware [of the situation], and to provide direct support to your brothers and sisters in Palestine,_ “ urging them to “ _continue to deliver aid to Palestine, because most of our routes have been blocked._ “ Meanwhile, the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), an international body of Islamic theologians based in (and allegedly funded by) Qatar, released a brief, ten-point fatwa about “ _the continuation of aggression on Gaza and violation of the ceasefire_ “ by Israel on March 28th, urging all Muslims and Muslim countries to wage jihad against the Jewish state. The fatwa states that "_it is obligatory for every capable Muslim in the Islamic world to wage armed jihad against the occupation in Palestine,_ " that Arab and Muslim states must intervene militarily, and that "_the Zionist enemy_ " must be "_besieged at land, on sea, and in the air,_ " by closing waterways and airspace in Arab and Muslim states. > It even urged members of the American Muslim community to pressure US President Donald Trump to "_fulfill his campaign promises of stopping the aggression and bringing peace._ " Lastly, Islamic clerics in Pakistan organized a National Conference on Palestine last April 10th. In addition, they issued a declaration calling for jihad against Israel, claiming that the "Gaza war is not merely a war but an open genocide of Palestinians. Jihad has become an obligatory duty for Muslims. All Muslim rulers should formally announce it [jihad against Israel].” The Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Mufti Taqi Usmani, addressed the conference, whose members predominantly included the followers of Islamist parties, declaring that “the leaders or the mujahideen of Hamas are not ready to retreat even an inch. We have told all Islamic governments openly through a fatwa [Islamic religious decree] that jihad has become obligatory upon you. Muslim rulers cannot hide from their obligation by mere talk. What are the armed forces of Muslim countries if they cannot wage jihad?" > "_Pakistan neither has nor will have any relations with Israel,_ " the mufti said, adding that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s founding father, described Israel as an illegitimate child. "_The state of Pakistan is even today firm on its stand for not recognizing Israel._ " The declaration adopted by the conference also condemned the statements made by US President Donald Trump regarding the future of Gaza, adding that “ _the entire region, including Israel, is the ancestral homeland of Palestinians_ “ and even suggested that America “ _can settle the Israelis anywhere else_ “ if it wanted to.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice ruled that blasphemy laws in Nigeria violate freedom of expression protections guaranteed under international and regional human rights treaties. > In a landmark judgement delivered on April 9th, the Court of Justice ruled that the existence of blasphemy laws violates Nigeria’s commitments to international human rights treaties and agreements. The court ruled on a case filed by a civil society group, Expression Now Human Rights Initiative, which specifically challenged Kano State’s blasphemy law. It declared that Section 210 of the state’s Penal Code and Section 382(d) of its Sharia Penal Code Law of 2000, criminalizing blasphemy, contradict Nigeria’s obligations to freedom of expression. The court’s three-member bench struck down the two legal provisions in Kano State’s laws and ordered the Federal Republic of Nigeria to either repeal or amend the identified legal provisions and similar laws in the country to align with Article 9(2) of the African Charter. > The Nigerian government, being the sole defendant in the suit, does not have a role in the lawmaking process in states under its federal system, but can only push for legal reform at that level through political solutions. The judgment highlights concerns over the violation of human rights in blasphemy cases in Nigeria. Blasphemy laws are deeply entrenched religious issues with social and political contexts in many states in northern Nigeria, which are deeply conservative. The Kano State attracted considerable media attention after Mubarak Bala, a Nigerian atheist and President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, was arrested and imprisoned in 2020 for blasphemy and breach of public peace. He was initially sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to 18 charges related to his Facebook post, but he was later freed in January this year. > In response to the judgment, the Kano state government defended its blasphemy laws against the verdict, asserting its right to uphold religious sanctity in its jurisdiction under the Nigerian Constitution. Ibrahim Waiya, the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, said the northern, Muslim-majority state will not yield, citing its legal authority to protect the values and beliefs of its people. “ _We will not be deterred by external pressures. Our responsibility is to uphold the values of our society, which are grounded in religious and moral beliefs. While we respect international opinions, our laws are a reflection of our people’s will,_ “ he said. > “ _The Kano government’s defense is rooted in Nigeria’s federal system, where states retain the right to enact laws reflecting local social, moral, and religious contexts,_ “ Waiya added. “ _The people of Kano have entrusted us with the responsibility to maintain peace and protect their religious values. These laws are central to that mission, and they will remain firmly in place._ “ Waiya added that while they acknowledge the ECOWAS Court of Justice’s verdict, he said the Kano state government will reaffirm its commitment to protect religious sanctity and public order within its borders. The state also argued that its blasphemy laws are not an aberration, but a recognition of legal pluralism in Nigeria, where state legislatures are empowered to pass laws on matters within the state’s Concurrent Legislative List, including criminal law.

Non-consensual possession of images considered intimate, possibly including photos of Muslim women without their hijabs, should be made a criminal offense and put on the same level as child sex abuse material. > This suggestion was made in a report by the House of Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee, which said that such photos should be considered “ _non-consensual intimate images (NCII)._ “ Members of the cross-party parliamentary committee, comprised of seven Labour MPs, one ex-Labour MP who now sits as an independent, two Liberal Democrats, and one Conservative MP, argued that strengthening the law around NCIIs was the best way to ensure Internet infrastructure providers took the issue seriously and block websites hosting such materials. They also said that, under current legal definitions, such images include people being partially or fully nude, engaging in sexual activity, or using the bathroom. However, the report said that “ _abuse can also include material that is considered ‘culturally intimate’ for the victim, such as a Muslim woman being pictured without her hijab._ “ > "_The Government should expand the legal definition to include such images,_ " the report added. “ _Non-consensual intimate image abuse is not always limited to sexually explicit content. For example, in some cultures, countries, or religions, sharing a photograph of someone without their religious clothing — or with their arm around another person — can be disastrous for the victim._ “ Creating intimate images without consent, particularly “ _in circumstances in which an ordinary reasonable person would reasonably expect to be afforded privacy,_ “ is set to be made a criminal offense in the UK later this year, but possession of such images will remain legal. The report concluded by suggesting that the British government “ _should bring forward amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to make possession of non-consensual intimate images an offence._ “ > Sarah Owens, the chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, said that while it was “ _welcome_ “ that the government is planning to make creating NCII an offense, a “ _legal gap_ “ remains. “ _Non-consensual intimate image abuse is a deeply personal crime which can have life-changing and life-threatening consequences,_ “ Owens said. “ _NCII can circulate online years after the image was first posted. While many sites will eventually remove the content when prompted, around 10% do not,_ “ she added. > “ _This ensures NCII receives the same legal treatment as child sexual abuse material and — we hope — will provide the necessary encouragement to IIPs to block or disrupt access to such content, including that which is hosted overseas,_ “ she further added. David Spencer of the think tank Policy Exchange, reacted to the proposal and said, “ _Tackling the problem of 'revenge porn' is clearly important - but expanding this to so-called 'culturally intimate' images risks extending the criminal law too far._ “ “ _The police cannot be expected to wade into so-called 'cultural' issues when officers are already struggling to deal with the volume of stabbings, sexual assaults, and thefts that occur every day,_ “ he added. “ _The Government should be cautious about creating yet more criminal offences._ “

Yeshivas across New York City are losing funding from the New York state government as it begins to crack down on educational institutions failing to meet its basic education requirements. > The state government revoked funding for at least five yeshivas last February, most of them located in Brooklyn, while three additional schools, also based in Brooklyn, were notified last March that they would lose their legal status. The State Education Department told parents of students attending these yeshivas to enroll their children in alternative schools on July 1st. According to a spokesperson for the New York State Education Department, because the schools will lose their legal status, they will no longer receive public funding for meals, transportation, textbooks, or other programs and services after June 30, which is the deadline for all schools in New York State to comply with the government’s secular education mandate. The crackdown came after years of legislative battles, court disputes, and public debate over the quality and character of education received by tens of thousands of yeshiva students across New York state. In 2022, the New York Times published a damning investigation, revealing that at least 22 publicly funded yeshivas failed to meet the state’s education standards, leaving students unprepared for life outside of their religious communities. > Yeshivas are traditional Jewish educational institutions mainly focused on studying Jewish religious literature, such as the Talmud and halacha. The State Education Department decided that all children need to learn to speak, read, and write in English and gain at least a basic knowledge of math, science, and social studies. While many yeshivas teach these topics alongside religious instruction, some do not and focus entirely on studying Jewish philosophy and religious texts. Some of the schools deemed to have violated the state’s education requirements have moved to improve their instruction of secular subjects. However, the education department spokesperson also noted that other schools failed to make changes to their curriculum, despite repeated warnings. Many yeshivas openly defied the orders of the State Education Department, and see the secular education mandates as an attack on their religious way of life. Some schools are working with lawyers to offer help to parents who will face fines or arrests for refusing to withdraw their children from the yeshivas flagged by the department. > Parents for Educational and Religious Liberty in Schools (PEARLS), a group advocating for yeshiva autonomy, is preparing for a legal battle against the State Education Department and has challenged its authority in court. The group also filed a discrimination complaint against state and city education agencies, alleging that the mandates unfairly target religious schools and threaten the yeshivas’ Jewish identity. While yeshiva education advocates claimed that learning Jewish religious texts, such as the Talmud, requires intensive analysis and critical thinking, critics say that a lack of secular education would force children to remain dependent on Haredi adults and that they are at risk of entering adulthood without basic skills or knowledge.

The leader of a private Islamic faith school in England that segregated staff and students by sex and prevented girls from studying specific subjects was banned from managing other schools after his institution failed Ofsted inspections for seven years. > Zafar Iqbal Khan, the former head of the Rabia Girls' and Boys' School in Luton in Bedfordshire, has been prohibited from managing independent schools, academies, and free schools, according to a notice published by the UK’s Department for Education on April 14th. Khan is also barred from serving as governor at maintained schools. According to the notice, Khan “ _failed in his role to ensure that an independent school was managed in compliance with the Independent School Standards,_ “ which makes him “ _unsuitable to take part in the management of an independent school._ “ Rabia Girls' and Boys' School was an Islamic independent school in Portland Road, Bury Park, that opened in 2011 but was forced to shut down in 2021 after the institution consistently failed Ofsted inspections for seven years. It was also rated inadequate multiple times before it was shut down, first in 2014, then twice in 2015, twice more in 2016, and twice again in 2017, more than any other private school in the UK at the time. > The school was referred to the British government’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in 2016 for segregation of staff by sex. Male and female staff were separated during the whole-school staff training, with men in one room and female staff forced to sit in a separate room during staff training, with sessions broadcast to them online. “ _Gender segregation of school staff is totally unacceptable in modern Britain._ “ Rebecca Hilsenrath, chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said at the time. “ _All schools have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to prevent discrimination against their staff and students._ “ During inspections, Ofsted also failed the school on several grounds, such as giving inadequate careers advice, lesson planning, and provision for students with special needs. Ex-Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw accused Rabia of “ _actively undermining_ “ British values in 2016. Wilshaw also wrote to then-Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, raising concerns about the segregation of male and female staff at Rabia and other independent faith schools. > In 2017, it was also found that Rabia only allowed girls to knit and sew in design and technology lessons. The Department for Education eventually banned the school from taking in more students, but it was later prosecuted after inspectors found it was still allowing new children to join. The school also allegedly hosted radical clerics and terrorist sympathizers, including a scholar who had previously addressed fighters of the proscribed terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan. Rabia rejected Ofsted’s claims and even accused the agency of having an “ _agenda against faith schools._ “ While information from Ofsted said the school was closed in 2021, its website remains active, offering tuition services and support for parents to home educate. A statement from its website said children in the local community have the right to gain “ _key skills to succeed whilst embracing our Islamic faith and culture._ “ > The National Secular Society, which campaigns for the separation of religion and state in the UK, welcomed the decision. "We welcome the DfE's decision to bar Zafar Iqbal Khan from managing schools.” Megan Manson, the organization’s head of campaigns, said, “ _It is unacceptable for a school leader to prioritise religious dogma over the education and welfare of children._ “

1. **_Kidnapped by Jihadis in the UK — for Being Jewish_** Location: United Kingdom In a harrowing case that lays bare the dangers faced by Jews even in the heart of the UK, three men were sentenced to over eight years in prison for kidnapping Israeli music producer Itay Kashti in a violent, antisemitic plot. The attackers—Faiz Shah, Mohammad Comrie, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime—posed as music executives, lured Kashti to a remote cottage in rural Wales under the guise of a “recording camp,” and assaulted him the moment he arrived. Wearing Guy Fawkes-style masks, they beat him, chained him to a radiator, and threatened his life. “They said they were going to kill me, and they chained me, handcuffed me to a pipe... I was bleeding, shocked,” Kashti recalled. His taxi driver, also attacked, managed to escape, prompting the kidnappers to panic and flee. Alone and injured, Kashti freed himself and called the police. Judge Catherine Richards ruled he was “targeted due to his Jewish heritage,” and said the plot was motivated by both money and the rising global tide of anti-Israel hatred. Though Kashti has since healed physically, the trauma lingers: “If they do turn into better people, then it was worth locking them up.” 2. **_How the Iranian Regime Grooms Swedish Teens to Kill Israelis_** Location: Sweden In a shocking exposé, CNN revealed that the Iranian regime is orchestrating a shadow war in Europe by recruiting Swedish teens—some just 14 years old—to carry out violent attacks against Israeli targets. Using local gangs like Foxtrot and Rumba as middlemen, Iran offers up to $150,000 for hits, with messages like “Shooter needed for Denmark, shoot to the head” and “Take the gun quickly” uncovered in intercepted chats. One 14-year-old, too young to be prosecuted, opened fire on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm at 2 AM with a 9mm pistol. Another, aged 15, was caught mid-plot and sent to a juvenile care home. Swedish security service SÄPO warns this strategy exploits legal loopholes: “Organized crime in Sweden right now is a huge vulnerability that is being used by state actors,” said Fredrik Hallström, who confirmed the Iranian regime is behind the plots. Tehran, meanwhile, denies all involvement, calling the accusations “inhumane” and blaming “Zionist and anti-Iranian circles.” But Swedish officials are sounding the alarm: minors are being turned into disposable weapons in Iran’s global campaign of terror. 3. **_Why Did a U.S. Official Tattoo ‘Infidel’? Defiance or Islamophobia?_** Location: United States U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under fire again—this time for a tattoo that reads “kafir,” an Arabic term for non-believer, which some critics say sends an unmistakable message of “Islamophobic” provocation. The tattoo, revealed during a March visit to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, sparked a wave of outrage from Muslim American advocates and civil rights groups. “This isn’t just a personal choice; it’s a clear symbol of Islamophobia from the man overseeing U.S. wars,” said activist Nerdeen Kiswani. Hegseth, already controversial for past tattoos like the Crusader’s cross and the phrase Deus Vult, is now facing accusations of promoting far-right “crusader aesthetics” and importing those views into U.S. defense policy. CAIR’s Executive Director Nihad Awad added, “Tattooing the Arabic word kafir… is a display of both anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity.” While Hegseth has not responded to the backlash, the controversy once again raises questions about ideology and power at the highest levels of the U.S. military. 4. **_Niqab BANNED: Outrage in Muslim-Majority Kyrgyzstan_** Location: Kyrgyzstan In a move sparking national and international outrage, Kyrgyzstan has banned the niqab, becoming the latest Central Asian country to crack down on Islamic dress amid fears of rising religious conservatism. Women caught wearing the full-face veil in public face fines of 20,000 Kyrgyz som (about $230), under a new law, officials say is about security, not religion. “There will be no restrictions on the head scarf,” insisted parliamentary speaker Nurlanbek Shakiev, clarifying that the hijab remains legal. Still, critics argue the niqab ban targets personal freedom and stigmatizes devout Muslim women. Lawmaker Sharapatkan Mazhitova, a vocal proponent of the measure, warned that “every fourth woman in Osh wears the niqab,” calling it a growing threat. Supporters of the ban argue it will help prevent attacks by individuals in disguise, while detractors say it will only deepen marginalization in a country where the role of religion remains deeply contested. 5. **_Taliban Arrests Men for Haircuts and Missing Mosque_** Location: Afghanistan In a chilling display of authoritarian control, the Taliban are arresting men across Afghanistan for daring to trim their beards or miss a mosque prayer, according to a new UN report. Barbers have been jailed for giving “non-compliant haircuts,” while others were detained simply for skipping Ramadan prayers. These morality laws, enforced by more than 3,300 inspectors, have devastated small businesses and deepened Afghanistan’s economic crisis. Despite global outrage, Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada doubled down, declaring it necessary “to establish a society free from corruption… and prevent future generations from becoming victims of misguided beliefs.”

The Taliban in Afghanistan have detained men and their barbers over hairstyles as well as others for missing prayers at mosques during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a report published by the United Nations said on April 10th, six months after a law regulating people’s conduct came into effect. > Afghanistan’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue passed a new law in August last year covering several aspects of everyday life in the country, including public transport, celebrations, shaving, and music. Most notably, the ministry also banned women’s voices and bare faces in public. In that same month, a top UN official warned that the law provided a “ _distressing vision_ “ for Afghanistan’s future by adding existing restrictions on women and girls to employment, education, and even dress code. Taliban officials, however, have rejected UN concerns about their strict morality laws. The report from the UN mission in Afghanistan said that in the first six months of the law’s implementation, over half of the detentions made under it were “ _either men not having the compliant beard length or hairstyle, or barbers providing non-compliant beard trimming or haircuts._ “ > It also said the Taliban’s morality police regularly detained people arbitrarily “ _without due process and legal protections._ “ During the holy month of Ramadan, the Taliban closely monitored men’s attendance at mandated congregational prayers, leading at times to arbitrary detention of those who did not show up. The UN mission said both sexes were negatively affected, especially people running small businesses such as private education centers, barbers and hairdressers, tailors, wedding caterers, and restaurants. This led to a huge reduction or total loss of income and employment opportunities for Afghans. > The direct and indirect socioeconomic effects of the Taliban’s new draconian laws were also likely to compound Afghanistan’s already dire economic situation. A study from the World Bank assessed that their ban on women’s education and employment could cost the country $1.4 billion every year. But the Taliban’s elusive Supreme Leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, emphasized the primacy of Islamic law in Afghanistan and the Ministry of Vice and Virtue’s role in reforming Afghan society. In a message issued ahead of the Eid Al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of Ramadan, Akhundzada said it was necessary “ _to establish a society free from corruption and trials and to prevent future generations from becoming victims of misguided beliefs, harmful practices, and bad morals._ “ > More than 3,300 inspectors, mostly male, are tasked with informing the people about the new laws and enforcing them. The ministry’s spokesman, Saif ur Rahman Khyber, claimed that it resolved thousands of complaints and defended the rights of Afghan women. This was in addition to what they described as “ _implementing divine decrees in the fields of promoting virtue, preventing vice, establishing affirmations, preventing bad deeds, and eliminating bad customs._ “ Saif ur Rahman Khyber said the ministry is committed to all Islamic and human rights and has proven this in practice, rejecting attempts to “ _sabotage or spread rumors_ “ about its activities.

A CNN investigation revealed that Iran is using criminal networks in Sweden to recruit teenagers as young as 14 to carry out attacks against Israeli interests, from acts of vandalism and bombings to contract murder. > Some of the discussions uncovered by the investigation include messages saying things like "_we need loads of shooters, jobs in all of Sweden_ ", "_shooter needed for Denmark shoot to the head_ ", and offers of "$150,000.” Along with Sweden’s security service agency SÄPO, CNN revealed plots such as murder and attempts to stage a terrorist attack against the Israeli embassy in Sweden’s capital, Stockholm. The investigation also reported that a shooting at the Israeli embassy in 2024 was carried out by a 14-year-old boy, who fired several shots at the building at 2 AM using a 9mm semi-automatic pistol before Swedish authorities caught him. A 15-year-old boy who attempted to attack the embassy before the 14-year-old boy but was arrested on the final leg of his journey was convicted of a serious weapons offense. He was ordered to spend 11 months at a juvenile care home. The 14-year-old suspect was never prosecuted because he was underage. CNN also revealed text messages between the 15-year-old and an unknown person who provided him with instructions on how to carry out the hit against the Israeli embassy. Some of the messages uncovered include “ _Tell me when you in taxi,_ “ “ _Take the gun quickly,_ “ and “ _Load it and conceal it._ “ > Security experts told CNN that criminal networks in Sweden recruit teenagers because they are not only easier to manipulate, but they are also given lighter sentences once they’re caught. Children under 15 in Sweden cannot be legally held responsible for crimes they committed, while those between 15 and 18 are typically referred to social welfare authorities rather than sent to prison. Senior gang members are also incentivized to use minors to evade law enforcement agencies. “ _They lack connection to both target and gang leader who wants the assignment done. It makes it harder to trace,_ “ Swedish prosecutor Lisa dos Santos said. Swedish police said the attack is just one of several attempted attacks targeting the Israeli embassy, with sources from SÄPO arguing they were carried out by criminal gangs acting on behalf of the Iranian regime. > The security service agency warned last year that Iran is using Sweden’s criminal networks, often dominated by gangs such as Foxtrot and Rumba, to do its bidding and expand its conflict with Israel, but did not provide further details. A source from SÄPO told CNN that rival gangs Foxtrot and Rumba plotted several attacks against the Israeli embassy at the behest of the Iranian regime last year. Most of these plots reviewed by the CNN involved suspects below the age of 18, complicating the problem of gang violence in the country. “ _It becomes a problem for us when it's another state like Iran that uses these kids as a proxy,_ “ Fredrik Hallström, head of operations at SÄPO, told CNN. “ _Organized crime in Sweden right now is a huge vulnerability that is being used by state actors._ “ “ _After the 7th of October, we saw this type of modus operandi,_ “ Hallström added, referring to the Hamas-led attacks against Israel that claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis and sparked a deadly war in the Gaza Strip. > After the report was published, Iran’s embassy in Sweden vehemently denied the allegations, saying Tehran “ _firmly rejects any involvement in such actions. " It added that it was ready to investigate the claims, but “no substantial proof has ever been provided._ “ They added that the “ _inhumane_ “ accusations were aimed at “ _tarnishing the reputation of the Islamic Republic of Iran_ “ and its relations with other countries, especially in Europe. “ _Behind these accusations lie the Zionist regime and anti-Iranian circles,_ “ they claimed.

After being embroiled in a major scandal over plans to attack the Houthis in Yemen that were leaked in a Signal group chat, where the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic was erroneously added to the conversation, the United States Secretary of Defense once again ignited outrage, this time over a tattoo that was revealed only recently after photos of him during a visit to a military base went viral on social media. > US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on March 25th, when the tattoo was revealed for the first time through photos posted on his official X (formerly known as Twitter) account. In one photo, the former Fox News host and Army National Guard officer turned defense secretary had a tattoo that says “ _kafir,_ “ an Arabic word used in Islam to describe a non-believer. He appears to have had the tattoo, which was located on his bicep below his other contentious tattoo, which says "_Deus Vult_ " (a Latin phrase that translates to "_God wills it_ "), in another Instagram photo posted in July 2024. Hegseth was previously under fire for his other tattoos, such as the Jerusalem cross on his chest. This symbol became popularly known as the Crusader’s cross because of its wide use during the Crusades. He has also shown other tattoos that indicate his fascination with “ _crusader aesthetics,_ “ which is a growing trend among the American far right. > Some people on social media criticized him for getting a tattoo that is widely considered to be offensive among Muslims. Muslim American organizations and other rights advocacy groups also argued that a high-ranking government official such as Hegseth displaying the word "_kafir_ " as a tattoo signals a hostile stance towards Islam. The tattoo particularly attracted criticism from prominent pro-Palestinian American Muslim activists, such as Nerdeen Kiswani and Nihad Awad, the national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest American Muslim rights organization in the United States. > “ _This isn’t just a personal choice; it’s a clear symbol of Islamophobia from the man overseeing U.S. wars,_ “ Kiswani posted on social media. “ _‘Kafir’ has been weaponized by far-right Islamophobes to mock and vilify Muslims. It’s not about his personal beliefs. It’s about how these beliefs translate into policy – how they shape military decisions, surveillance programs, and foreign interventions targeting Muslim countries,_ “ she added. “ _Tattooing the Arabic word kafir – which refers to someone who knowingly denies or conceals fundamental divine truths – on his body is a display of both anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity,_ “ Awad told Newsweek. > Awad and Kiswani have been known for spreading anti-Israel messages. During the American Muslims For Palestine (AMP) convention last November 2023, more than a month following the October 7 attacks by Hamas that killed 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds of Israelis and foreigners hostage, Awad said he was happy to see Gazans "_break the siege_ " on October 7th, adding that Israel, whom he described as an “ _occupying power_ “ has no right to self-defense. Meanwhile, during an International Al-Quds Day rally held in New York City in April 2023, months before the attack, Kiswani, who is also a member of the pro-Palestinian organization Within Our Lifetime, said that a Jewish state, which she said was built on “ _dispossession of Palestinian people and is maintained by Jewish and white supremacy,_ “ has no right to exist and that one must commit to abolishing Israel if they are committed to “ _Palestinian liberation._ “

Three men who lured an Israeli musician and record producer into an isolated Welsh cottage were sentenced to eight years in prison after a botched kidnapping attempt in August last year in the United Kingdom. > The Swansea Crown Court in Wales heard the bizarre and disturbing details surrounding the plan to kidnap Israeli musician and record producer Itay Kashti last August 2024. The court heard that the three kidnappers, 22-year-old Faiz Shah, 22-year-old Mohammad Comrie, and 20-year-old Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, abducted Kashti for political and religious reasons. The court also heard during the sentencing hearing in March that they were also motivated by money, believing they could make a million-pound ransom once they kidnapped Kashti. The three suspects pleaded guilty to the kidnapping charges pressed against them, and they received a custodial sentence of eight years and one month. Comrie and Shah will both be imprisoned, while Ogunnubi-Sime was sent to a young offender’s institution. On August 14 last year, the 45-year-old Israeli musician and record producer, who immigrated to the UK from Israel in 2007, was emailed by someone claiming to be Lucas Winslow of Polydor Records, inviting Kashti to a "_music recording camp_ " in rural Wales. This was the beginning of the three men’s scheme to kidnap Kashti to extort money from him. > The three also rented a gatehouse for a week using a stolen identity, and a taxi was booked on August 26th to collect Kashti from his home in London to bring him to the property. Both the taxi operator and the driver, Mohammad Amowar, were "innocent parties and as much duped as the complainant.” Kashti and Amowar realized they had walked into a "_well-laid trap” when they arrived at the property, and the two were immediately attacked. Kashti was assaulted by the three, who wore_ "anonymous-style" masks, while Amowar was hit in the face but was able to escape through the front door. The three punched and kicked Kashti, who suffered severe injuries to his face and head, and handcuffed him to a radiator pipe inside the property, where he was threatened that he "_would be killed_ " if he tried to escape. “ _They said they were going to kill me, and they chained me, handcuffed me to a pipe that came out of the radiator. I was bleeding, shocked,_ “ Kashti recalled during an interview with The Guardian. > But Kashti heard silence after he was handcuffed. He later found out the three kidnappers panicked and fled. He managed to free himself by lifting his hands "_up and off the pipe_ " and ran out of the property. He took his guitar and called his wife and the police to report what happened. Kashti suffered from swollen and bruised eyelids, a swollen nose, and bruising to his back, knees, and leg, as well as a cut to the scalp. “ _The left eye was completely swollen. It was closed,_ “ he recalled. During the trial, Judge Catherine Richards, who sentenced the three men, said Kashti “was targeted due to his Jewish heritage,"_adding the kidnappers were “motivated by events taking place elsewhere in the world,_ " possibly referring to the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. > "_He was an entirely innocent, hard-working music producer that you had identified as a victim based on your understanding of his wealth and his Jewish heritage,_ " the judge also said. Kashti said that while doctors helped him tremendously during his physical rehabilitation, his emotional recovery has taken much longer. However, he also noted that he was not angry with those who attacked him, hoping that their imprisonment “ _will turn them into better people,_ “ adding, “ _If they do turn into better people, then it was worth locking them up._ “

Women in a Muslim-majority country in Central Asia would have to pay fines if caught wearing the niqab as their government passes a new law banning the religious garment, calling it “ _alien to our society_ “ that could hide “ _attackers in disguise._ “ > Kyrgyzstan has become the latest country in the region to ban the Islamic long garment that covers the body, hair, and face except the eyes. The ban, effective February 1st, imposes a hefty fine of 20,000 Kyrgyz som (equivalent to $230) on women who are caught wearing the niqab in public places. The ban on the niqab is part of the broader amendments to the country’s Religious Sphere Act, which was signed into law by Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov. While the amendments to the law do not explicitly mention the niqab, locally known as "_parandzha,” they ban_ "clothing that makes it impossible to identify a person in government offices and public places.” This is a euphemism commonly used to refer to the Islamic niqab. However, face coverings required as part of work or worn for medical purposes are exempt from the ban. Kyrgyz lawmakers and state-backed religious authorities insist the ban does not extend to the Islamic hijab, a religious headscarf that covers the head and neck but leaves the head visible. > Kyrgyzstan remains the only country in Central Asia that allows hijabs to be worn in schools and workplaces. "_There will be no restrictions on the head scarf. Our mothers and sisters have always worn head scarves as part of our traditions and religion._ " Kyrgyz parliament speaker Nurlanbek Shakiev told fellow lawmakers when he presented the bill last year. The niqab is common in many Arab Gulf states and other Muslim-majority countries. Although there is no tradition of wearing the niqab in Kyrgyzstan, the Islamic garment has become increasingly popular among conservative Kyrgyz women in recent years. There has also been an intense debate over the niqab in the ex-Soviet, Central Asian country for years. Its growing popularity prompted a state-backed campaign called “ _Where Are We Headed?_ “ nearly a decade ago. > In 2023, Kyrgyz lawmaker Sharapatkan Mazhitova spearheaded another campaign against the hijab after she visited the southern region of Osh. She said she was shocked to see several women in the region wearing the niqab. "_Every fourth woman in Osh wears the niqab, and their number is growing by the day,_ " Mazhitova claimed during a session in parliament. Her campaign also targeted men’s long beards, which are widely seen as a sign of religious conservatism. She called on the Kyrgyz government to ban the niqab and long beards, where Mazhitova described them as "_security_ " threats. Kyrgyz lawmakers argued the ban is necessary for security purposes, so people’s faces can be seen and individuals can be identified. The state-backed Kyrgyz Muslim Spiritual Directorate also stated that "_the hijab is obligatory [for Muslim women], but the niqab is not._ " > But opponents of the ban say it will deprive women of their freedom to choose what they want to wear, and it will also alienate those who wear the niqab. Female Islamic clothing, as well as long beards, have long been the focus of government campaigns and public debates in Central Asia, where staunchly secular governments fear the rise of Islamism. Many of Kyrgyzstan’s neighbors have banned Islamic garments in public places and have even conducted raids in the streets and bazaars to round up men sporting long beards and forced them to shave them off.

1. **_Sharia Law in Texas? The Debate Surrounding Planned 'Islamic City'_** Location: United States A proposed Muslim-centered neighborhood in Texas—dubbed “EPIC City”—is sparking a firestorm of controversy, with critics warning it may introduce elements of Sharia law into U.S. governance. The 400-acre project, backed by the East Plano Islamic Center and Community Capital Partners, aims to build 1,000 homes, a mosque, Islamic schools, a college, and shops catering to the Muslim community in Josephine, Texas. State officials aren’t having it. Governor Greg Abbott vowed, “The proposed community will never see the light of day,” and ordered five investigations, while Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a consumer protection probe citing EPIC’s profit structure and transparency issues. Rep. Jeff Leach warned the plan could “circumvent state law under the guise of cultural or religious accommodation.” EPIC’s lead imam, Dr. Yasir Qadhi, pushed back from the pulpit, defending the project as an exercise of American freedoms: “We are taking advantage of our constitutional rights—not doing anything more than what the constitution allows us.” He also claimed the backlash is part of a broader agenda to “demonize our faith” in the shadow of the war in Gaza. 2. **_Exposed: Islamist Power Network Operating in Canada_** Location: Canada A bombshell Canadian audit has exposed what appears to be a potential covert Islamist power network embedded within a mainstream charity. The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC)—which runs dozens of schools and mosques across the country—was found by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to be advancing the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist movement founded in Egypt and banned in several countries for its ties to extremism. According to a report from George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, MAC’s leaders weren’t just ideologically aligned—they were active players: several held senior roles in Egypt’s Brotherhood-backed Morsi government. The CRA also uncovered seamless membership transfers between MAC and Brotherhood groups abroad, writing: “It is not entirely clear how the Organization, which purports to be entirely Canadian-based… is able to transfer membership to and from foreign organizations.” Even more alarming, MAC gave over $295,000 to IRFAN-Canada—a group later designated as a terrorist entity for sending millions to Hamas—and continued promoting its activities even after the designation. The CRA concluded that MAC wasn’t merely inspired by Islamist ideology; it was acting as part of a global Brotherhood infrastructure, right from Canadian soil. 3. **_Radical Imam Praised Hezbollah — Then Met with U.S. Congress Members_** Location: United States Despite his track record of glorifying Hezbollah and antisemitism, radical Shia Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, who has a long history of ties to the Iranian regime, met with democratic Congresswomen Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib at his religious institution, the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn. Elahi previously served as the head of the Iranian Navy’s political-ideological office and has met directly with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. He is widely viewed as a key mouthpiece for Tehran in the U.S., using his platform to amplify the regime’s anti-Israel propaganda and promote its terror proxies. In a post following the meeting, Elahi claimed “community members voiced their deep frustration over Israel’s violations” and demanded the Congresswomen condemn Israeli actions in Lebanon. Elahi praised the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as “a day of victory for morality, truth, justice, and humanity,” and has openly celebrated those who “sacrificed in Lebanon and Yemen” for the Iranian-backed cause. Despite these extremist positions, Elahi has repeatedly met with senior U.S. officials—including Bill Clinton, Kamala Harris, and John Kerry—exposing a troubling disconnect between America’s stated opposition to terrorism and the political normalization of one of Islamic Republic’s most vocal supporters in the U.S. 4. **_Why Did the UK’s Faith Minister Kiss an Islamist’s Hand?_** Location: United Kingdom The UK’s new Faith Minister, Lord Wajid Khan, is facing fierce backlash after being filmed kissing the hand of Maulana Tariq Jamil—a hardline Pakistani cleric with deep ties to Islamist extremism—during the imam’s visit to Burnley. Jamil, a leading figure in the Deobandi movement that has inspired radical ideologies across South Asia, has praised the Taliban, called for women to remain at home rather than join the workforce, and notoriously claimed COVID-19 was divine punishment caused by “scantily dressed” women. The video, broadcast to millions via Jamil’s YouTube channel, shows Lord Khan warmly welcoming the cleric before hosting a formal, flag-draped meeting with him. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick demanded answers: “Why is a Government Minister responsible for community relations meeting with a cleric who has made extreme outbursts?” Though Lord Khan insists the encounter was uninvited and unrelated to official duties, critics say the optics dangerously blur the line between diplomacy and endorsement, warning that cozying up to fundamentalists undermines Britain’s commitment to pluralism and women’s rights. 5. **_Iranian Regime Paid $200K to Kill Rabbi – Plot Foiled_** Location: Azerbaijan In a chilling escalation of Iran’s global terror campaign, Azerbaijani and Western security officials have revealed that the Iranian regime offered a Georgian drug trafficker $200,000 to assassinate Rabbi Shneor Segal, a prominent Jewish leader in Baku. The plot—part of a broader trend of Tehran outsourcing political assassinations to criminal networks—was masterminded by the IRGC’s notorious Quds Force and included plans to attack a Jewish educational center. “The [Iranian] officer handed Aslanov a photo of a prominent Jewish figure in Azerbaijan and detailed instructions on how to kill him,” said a security source. Authorities intercepted the plot before it could unfold, arresting both the hitman and his local accomplice. The operation is just one in a growing string of Iranian attempts to murder Jews and dissidents abroad, including previous foiled plots targeting the Israeli embassy in Azerbaijan, journalist Masih Alinejad in the U.S., and even a defector in Canada using members of the Hells Angels. As Israel’s war with Hamas intensifies, Iran appears to be stepping up its shadow war beyond the Middle East—using proxies, criminals, and terrorist cells to strike Jewish targets worldwide.

A prominent, non-profit Muslim organization in Canada was investigated and then later suspended after it was accused of having ties to the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood, a claim the group vehemently denied. > The Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA), Canada’s tax authority, opened an audit of the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), the country’s largest grassroots charity for Muslims, in 2015. The group has about 500 members and 1,500 volunteers operating 30 schools and 22 mosques. According to the report "_The Muslim Brotherhood in the West?: Evidence from a Canadian Tax Authority Investigation,_ " published by George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, the CRA reviewed one million financial transactions and 400 thousand emails over three years as part of the audit. The tax watchdog also accused MAC of suspected non-compliance, namely advancing non-charitable, collateral purposes such as gathering real estate and furthering the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood. In its investigation, the CRA found three main pieces of evidence that prove MAC’s connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. The first piece of evidence the CRA found was that several MAC leaders were involved in the political activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, with some even holding positions in the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned Freedom and Justice Party (JFP) and in the government of former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi. > One example is Wael Haddara, MAC’s former president, who worked on Morsi’s presidential campaign in 2012. He tried to hide his campaign work, but he was outed after a photo of him behind Morsi was posted on the Facebook page of the Freedom and Justice Party. While Haddara and other MAC leaders tried to limit the damage caused by this incident, Haddara was forced to step down as president. Aside from the direct connections between MAC leaders and the political activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the charity also supported other organizations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups. A very famous and controversial example was when MAC donated over $295 thousand to IRFAN-Canada from 2005 to 2009. IRFAN-Canada’s charity status was revoked by the CRA in 2011 after investigations found it funneled over $14.6 million to groups that have ties to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. > While MAC stated that it no longer provided any kind of support to IRFAN-Canada since 2009 and that it opposes terrorist activities, it was found that the charity continued to support IRFAN-Canada, which was designated as a terrorist group by Canadian authorities in 2014, by allowing the unpaid use of MAC’s premises, as well as promoting its programs and even letting the group have collection boxes at events organized by MAC. Lastly, the CRA also found several cases of membership transfers between MAC and the Muslim Brotherhood and other Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated groups, including MAC’s American counterpart, the Muslim American Society (MAS). “ _It is not entirely clear how the Organization, which purports to be entirely Canadian-based with no foreign activities, is able to transfer membership to and from foreign organizations,_ “ the CRA said. > In one example, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood from Egypt acquired a MAC membership when he relocated to Canada. Another example provided by the CRA was the case of a woman who was sitting as a member of a “ _regular usra [the core unit of the Muslim Brotherhood] in Egypt_ “ and then became a regular member of the Canadian Muslim charity after relocating to Windsor, Ontario. The CRA concluded its report by saying that “ _the audit found that the Organization appears to conduct and support activities that further the advancement of the Muslim Brotherhood organization,_ “ adding that MAC has not operated exclusively for charitable purposes and even assessed that “ _there may be grounds for revocation of the charitable status of the Organization._ “