Kuwait MPs Pass Arms Seizure Law

KUWAIT - Kuwait's parliament passed a law giving police wide powers to search for and seize illegal weapons to tackle a wave of al Qaeda-linked violence.

Kuwaiti security forces on Monday killed five al Qaeda militants and captured three, including a suspected leader, in the fourth clash with militants bent on destabilising the oil-rich U.S. ally.

"Parliament unanimously passed this law on weapons collection, which is valid for two years," lawmaker Abdullah al-Roumi told Reuters.

After militant violence in early January, a government draft was rushed through procedures that often take months. Parliament, which dedicated Tuesday's session to debating the security situation, said in a statement it backed the crackdown on extremists "until the complete eradication of this tyrannical faction and uprooting it from existence."

Kuwait passed a similar law in 1992 to deal with a jump in gun ownership after the 1990-1 Iraqi occupation. Lawmakers refused to extend that law in 1994, saying possession of weapons was a right.

The new law makes it easier for police to obtain a warrant to search a private house for illegal weapons - at present; they can get a warrant only after extensive investigations. The law also allows women inspectors to search women's quarters in private homes, off limits to men because of Islamic rules.

Under the new law, the prosecutor or a deputy "can allow police in writing to search persons, houses and public or private places and transport facilities in a specified area in a specified period of time," for illegal weapons or ammunitions. Kuwait, which has one- tenth of global oil reserves, has stepped up security around oil installations after militants tried to launch an attack near its largest oil refinery and a U.S. military camp in southern Kuwait last month.

Last week, the U.S. and British embassies warned there could be more attacks in Kuwait, which rounded up al Qaeda militants after two officers and two gunmen were killed in clashes. Kuwait was the launch pad for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. - Reuters

IN BRIEF

Director of Tokyo Islamic Centre Thanks Saudi Government

MAKKAH - The Director of Tokyo Islamic Centre Dr. Salih Mahdi Alsamarraee, who is also leader of Japan's Hajj mission, thanked the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the efforts it was exerting for the comfort of pilgrims in general and Japanese pilgrims in particular.

During a meeting here today with the Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulmohsin Alturki, Dr. Alsamarraee also lauded the call of Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, to hold an extraordinary Islamic summit in Makkah to tackle the reasons of the current weakness of the Islamic nation. He hoped that such a meeting would achieve the demands of Islamic peoples and minorities of the unity of Muslims all over the world.

OIC Praises Muslim Countries, Organisations

JEDDAH - The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has disclosed new information on the extent of aid from Muslim countries to the victims of the tsunami disaster in south and southeast Asia, following an appeal by the OIC chief, Prof. Akmaluddin Ihsan Oglu, the secretary-general to the member countries and to the organs affiliated to the OIC.

Some of the donor countries have even sent details and particulars of the extent of their aid to the victims.

In a statement, the OIC said it appreciates all the efforts on the part of Muslim countries and organizations, and hopes that the aid will continue to flow, in the spirit of Islamic solidarity and compassion. - IINA

Islamic Da'awa and Relief Council Holds Extraordinary Meeting

AMMAN - The Relief Committee of the World Islamic Council for Da'awa and Relief has held an emergency extraordinary meeting here, to discuss the situation in the areas of southeast Asia that have been affected by the earthquake and the resultant tsunami disaster.

The committee will also discuss ways and means of ensuring coordination of the relief aid. The secretary-general of the Jeddah-based International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO), Dr. Adnan Khalil Basha, who is chairman of the committee, said the meeting has been hastily convened in response to the appeals made by the victims in the affected areas, adding that the material damage is great. He said the aid, which has been extended to the victims at the start of the disaster was US$ 6.910 billion.

For his part, Sheikh Yusuf Jassim Hijji deputy chairman of the Council, said that the holding of the meeting was an expression of the feeling of responsibility and keenness to help "our brother Muslims and others," in this hour of their need.

Media Bias Against Muslims Deplored

ALIGARH (India) - 'The Western media is presenting Muslims in bad light while the Indian media, due to ignorance of Muslim issues and problems, has lost its balance in presenting Muslims', it was the view of the speakers at a one-day seminar on 'Muslims' image of media' at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). They urged the media to have contact with Muslim intellectuals and youths. While they also observed that it was also incumbent on Muslims to express their views in national press. It is the responsibility of educated people of the community to write for newspapers and journals about Muslim problems.

Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, editor of English fortnightly Milli Gazette, said that the national media paid total indifference towards the Muslim issues. He said Muslim's participation in media was very low and thus they should adopt media as a profession.

Kashmiris Assist Tsunami Victims

SRINAGAR (India) - The Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), organised a blood donation camp to help the victims of the tsunami. There was a long queue of donors outside its headquarters. Another separatist party leader Shabir Shah urged the people to assist the victims. The Jamaat-e-Islami (J&K) also appealed to the people to donate generously for the tsunami victims.

English Introduced in the Shariah College

CAIRO - The Council of the College of Shari'ah and Law at the Azhar University here has approved the setting up of a special unit at the college, for teaching Shari'ah syllabus in English. While Arabic will also be used, the English content would not be less than sixty percent.

The Dean of the Shari'a and Law College, Dr. Hamid Abu Talib said one of the conditions for acceptance at this unit of the college is that a student must have gained not less than 80 percent at the Azhar Secondary, and 85 percent marks in the English language. Fifty percent of the seats at this unit have been allocated to foreign students. -IINA

Supreme Islamic Council Meeting in April

CAIRO - The 17th Annual Meeting of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs will be held here from April 17 - 20, and the theme this time will be "The Humanitarian Aspect of Islamic Civilization". A number of Arab and Muslim countries are expected to participate, said, Dr. Mahmoud Zaqzouq, Egypt's Minister of Endowments.

Number of Reverts in Kuwait Increases

KUWAIT CITY - A report published by Kuwait's Ministry of Justice has revealed that 2002-2003 and the first half of 2004 witnessed an increasing number of reverts to Islam. The statistical report from the Central Bureau of Statistics at the ministry shows that in 2002 there were 1,711 people who embraced Islam in this emirate, while in 2003 there were 2,564, an increase of 49.9 percent. The report says most reverts to Islam are Asians, the majority being Filipinos, followed by Sri Lankans and Indians. The report concludes that the year 2004 will eventually indicate an increase also in the number of those who have embraced this faith.

WAMY Continues Relief in Banda Aceh

MAKKAH - In line with the Saudi relief campaign for helping the Tsunami victims in countries of South and Southern Asia, The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) has continued its humanitarian efforts. WAMY's distribution of foodstuff such as rice, oil and sugar as well as clothes has covered so far six villages around the Indonesian town of Banda Aceh. WAMY representative in the area said that three thousand families have benefited from the urgent relief programme, which will continue for one month.

WAMY has contributed from the first days of the disaster an amount of SR. 300,000 ($80,000) to support the Tsunami relief efforts.

Meanwhile, WAMY has distributed quantities of food supplies, made up of rice, dates, sugar, oil and flour to more than 300 families of the orphans in Somalia. This was announced by the organisation's Mogadishu outlet Manager Abdul Qadir Qutub. He also said that his office had distributed 2000 free meals for poor students.

Qutub said WAMY organised a Qur'an memorization contest, attended by 33 students aged between 12-18 years of whom 14 contestants were chosen as winners.

Iraq President Says Shiite Will Lead New Government

BAGHDAD - Interim President Ghazi al-Yawar said a Shiite Muslim would almost certainly head Iraq's next government but said he was opposed to any permanent division of top posts between rival ethnic groups.

The current interim administration has a Shiite Muslim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, a Sunni Muslim president, Yawar, and Shiite and Kurdish vice presidents, Ibrahim Jaafari and Rowsch Shaways, respectively. Yawar said he believed the ethnic shareout would "remain the same" for the post- election government that must oversee the drawing up of a new constitution, with the Kurds also being given the post of national assembly speaker.

"This is my hunch for the time being during the transitional parliament," Yawar told a press conference, while insisting it should not become a permanent arrangement.

"I hope this will not be the case in the permanent constitution because this would be really shameful in a country like Iraq to have division like this." Yawar said he believed a general consensus existed on the matter despite rumblings among the Kurds that they wanted the premier slot or the presidency.

He added that he did not think the new government line- up would be announced before the end of February or first week of March. Jaafari, a powerbroker in the main Shiite alliance, which contested the elections, has also suggested top posts could be shared along ethnic lines.

"It is most likely that the next prime minister would be a Shiite, while the president and the speaker of the parliament would be a Sunni and a Kurd," he told AFP in an interview.

But a leading Kurdish official said that the community would not be fobbed off with the speakership but expected the post of prime minister.

If not, "we will not be able to continue working together," warned Asso Ali, a senior official of one of the two main Kurdish factions, the Patrotic Union of Kurdistan. Ali added that he expected the leader of his own faction, Jalal Talabani, to be the Kurds' choice for the premiership. - AFP

WAMY Organises Camp for Students in South Korea

MAKKAH - In cooperation with Korea Muslim Federation, the Riyadh based WAMY has conducted a five-day educational youth camp in South Korea, which was attended by 80 students. Dr. Abdul Wahab Noorwali, Assistant Secretary General of WAMY said the camp, which took place at KoCham Training Centre had featured educational and cultural topics as well as recreation and sports including football and mountain climbing.

As many as eight lectures were delivered in this event including "Introduction to Islam", "Religion and My Life", "Brotherhood in Islam", "The way I see Islam" and "The Qur'an and Science". The participants also engaged in open discussions focused on themes such as "Religion and my Life" and "The way I see Islam" and watched a 50-minute video show on the "Miracle of Human Creation".

Dr. Noorwali pointed out that the organisation of the camp came within the framework of WAMY's programmes that aim at spreading awareness among Muslims and non-Muslims, developing their potentials and directing their efforts for the service of their communities.