[HCDX] Pakistan blocks radical mosque's Web site, radio

["Zacharias Liangas " <greekdx@xxxxxxxxx>]

Pakistan blocks radical mosque's Web site, radio
AFP

April 10, 2007

ISLAMABAD --  The Pakistani government said Tuesday that it had 
blocked the Web site and radio station of a radical mosque that has 
launched a Taliban-style morality campaign in the heart of the capital.

The move comes after the Lal Masjid or Red Mosque in Islamabad 
issued a "fatwa" against a female minister pictured hugging a foreigner 
following a charity paragliding trip, and also threatened to carry out 
suicide attacks.

"We have blocked the Web site of Lal Masjid and also blocked the 
radio station," deputy information minister Tariq Azeem said. "We will 
block anything that promotes religious hatred, calls for suicide attacks - 
this cannot be tolerated," he added.

Azeem said that the government blocked the Web site and the illegal 
FM radio station under laws brought in five years ago by President 
Pervez Musharraf, a key US ally and proponent of moderate Islam.

"The law says that no such activity can be allowed. This Web site was 
projecting what was prohibited by law," he said.

The mosque's clerics were not immediately available for comment.

Top cleric Abdul Aziz said Friday that the mosque was setting up a self-
styled Islamic court and warned that his students would carry out 
suicide attacks if the government tried to clamp down on him or his 
followers.

Two days later the court issued the "fatwa" against tourism minister 
Nilofar Bakhtiar for posing in "obscene" pictures with a French 
instructor after going paragliding to raise money for earthquake victims.

Female students from a religious school attached to the Red Mosque in 
March kidnapped an alleged brothel owner and made her publicly 
repent. Their male counterparts briefly abducted two policemen at the 
same time.

The mosque's baton-wielding devotees have also set up so-called 
morality patrols telling shops at popular local markets not to sell "un-
Islamic" music and movies.

They have occupied a nearby children's library since January in protest 
against plans to demolish several illegally-built mosques in Islamabad.

The government has said that it wants to negotiate with the mosque's 
staff before trying to crack down on it, despite concerns that its 
behavior represents a creeping "Talibanization" of Pakistani society. 

http://zlgr.multiply.com (raidio monitoring site plus audio clips )
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/302315/ (Litohoro) 321199/Tinos 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zachgr    pictures upload 
.
on my main : www.geocities.com/zliangas 
-tty-px.html : test of various TTY programs
-ethics.htm    : greek ethics , days and institutions 
-frape.htm: the greek way of cofee !!! 
Zacharias Liangas , Thessaloniki Greece 
greekdx @ otenet dot gr  ---  
Pesawat penerima: ICOM R75 , Lowe HF150 , Degen 1102,1103,108,
Tecsun PL200/550, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000 
Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m australian loop 


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