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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the United Kingdom, a teenager who planned a mass murder by setting fire to a mosque has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in Greenock, meanwhile in the United States, the largest Muslim civil rights group called for a censure vote over Rep. Randy Fine’s latest Islamophobic attacks on progressive Muslim lawmakers, and in Australia, the federal government’s special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, has distanced herself from a $50,000 donation from a trust linked to her husband made to political lobby group, which posts right-wing, anti-Muslim content. Our recommended read of the day is by Associated Press on the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, when Bosnian Serb fighters separated over 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and brutally executed them in just several days. This and more below:
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Thousands gather in Srebrenica on 30th anniversary of Europe’s only acknowledged genocide since WWII | Recommended Read
Thousands of people from Bosnia and around the world gathered in Srebrenica to mark the 30th anniversary of a 1995 massacre there of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim boys and men, which has been acknowledged as Europe’s only genocide after the Holocaust. Seven newly identified victims of the massacre, including two 19-year-old men, will be laid to rest in a collective funeral at a vast cemetery near Srebrenica Friday, next to more than 6,000 victims already buried there. Such funerals are held annually for the victims who are still being unearthed from dozens of mass graves around the town. Relatives of the victims, however, often can bury only partial remains of their loved ones as they are typically found in several different mass graves, sometimes kilometers (miles) apart. Such was the case of Mirzeta Karic, who was waiting to bury her father. After taking control of the town that was a protected U.N. safe zone during the war, Bosnian Serb fighters separated Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and brutally executed them in just several days. The bodies were then dumped in mass graves around Srebrenica which they later dug up with bulldozers, scattering the remains among other burial sites to hide the evidence of their war crimes. read the complete article
United States
Rights Group Demands Democrats Push to Censure Randy Fine Over Islamophobic Attacks
The largest Muslim civil rights group in the United States on Thursday called for a censure vote over Rep. Randy Fine's latest Islamophobic attacks on progressive Muslim lawmakers—and noting that the Democratic Party's tepid response to Islamophobia has fostered an environment where politicians from both sides of the aisle seem comfortable expressing anti-Muslim bigotry. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued an action alert, urging voters to pressure their Democratic representatives in the House to support a censure vote against Fine (R-Fla.), who responded Tuesday night to Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-Minn.) criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Islamophobic remarks that have become commonplace for the first-term congressman. Fine also called Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and New York City mayoral candidate and state Rep. Zohran Mamdani (D-36) "Muslim terrorists" last week. read the complete article
Rights Group Demands Democrats Push to Censure Randy Fine Over Islamophobic Attacks
The largest Muslim civil rights group in the United States on Thursday called for a censure vote over Rep. Randy Fine's latest Islamophobic attacks on progressive Muslim lawmakers—and noting that the Democratic Party's tepid response to Islamophobia has fostered an environment where politicians from both sides of the aisle seem comfortable expressing anti-Muslim bigotry. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued an action alert, urging voters to pressure their Democratic representatives in the House to support a censure vote against Fine (R-Fla.), who responded Tuesday night to Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-Minn.) criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Islamophobic remarks that have become commonplace for the first-term congressman. Fine also called Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and New York City mayoral candidate and state Rep. Zohran Mamdani (D-36) "Muslim terrorists" last week. read the complete article
Appeals Court throws out 9/11 Guantánamo plea deals, clears path for death penalty cases
The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit on Friday threw out plea agreements for three Guantánamo detainees accused of conspiring in the September 11 attacks, clearing the way for the government to pursue the death penalty more than two decades after the tragedy that claimed nearly 3,000 lives. The 2–1 ruling holds that then Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III lawfully exercised his authority when, in August 2024, he rescinded plea deals that had been accepted days earlier by the military commission’s convening authority. The plea deals were affirmed by a military judge in November 2024, but the Defense Department appealed. Writing for the majority, Judge Patricia Millett, joined by Judge Neomi Rao, concluded that the Secretary’s action was within the scope of his delegated powers and justified, given the “unique and important national security interests” at stake. Judge Robert Wilkins dissented. read the complete article
International
Palestinian man beaten to death by Israeli settlers was US citizen, Arab-American group confirms
The 23-year-old Palestinian who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Friday has been confirmed to be a US citizen, according to the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). "Under the protection of government officials, Israeli settlers lynched a Palestinian American man from Tampa, Florida," a statement issued by the group said. "Saif al-Din Musalat (also reported as Sayfollah Musallet), born in Port Charlotte, Florida, was visiting family for the summer when he was beaten to death while protesting the construction of a new illegal Israeli outpost on village land in al‑Mazra’a ash‑Sharqiya. An ambulance was blocked from reaching him for nearly two hours," the ADC said. "This horrific murder is yet another example of Israel killing American citizens. As of the issuance of this statement, no one has been arrested, no one has been indicted, and—if the past is any guide—no one will be held accountable for the death of Saif," the statement continued. "This is not an aberration; it is part of a well‑documented pattern of impunity enjoyed by Israeli settlers and security forces who routinely attack Palestinians and Palestinian‑Americans under the protection of occupation authorities and indifference of US officials". read the complete article
Fascism and impunity behind Israel and India's latest economic agreement, experts say
Israel and India's decision to finalise an investment protection deal is aimed at reinforcing both countries' fascist policies and providing impunity for each other, experts have said. Earlier this week, the Israeli government said it was finalising an Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) with India that aims to offset the perceived risk of investing in each other's countries in light of rising insecurity. Several experts and human rights activists told Middle East Eye that the agreement was an attempt to assuage low investor confidence and also provide material cover for Israel's war on Gaza. "Under the cover of an investment relationship - one which will surely bear lethal consequences for the marginalised in both places - India and Israel will grant impunity to each other for their illegal and discriminatory activities," an Indian-American organiser based in Boston, told MEE. "This move ensures that both countries will immensely profit off of the growth of their own fascist ideologies. This is terrifying," the activist, who asked to remain anonymous over fear of reprisals, said. Abdulla Moaswes, a Palestinian writer and academic based in the UK, told MEE that the Indian government deliberately used burgeoning economic ties with Israel to project "diplomatic victories to its voter base, amongst whom support for Israel is a popular sentiment". Moaswes said the support for Israel was driven by the Indian ruling party, the BJP's, fascination with Zionism, adding that New Delhi had correctly presumed that continued support for Israel would serve it far more with its constituency than condemning the ongoing war in Gaza, which scholars and international rights bodies have labelled a genocide. Under Narendra Modi, India has been inching ever closer to a Hindu Rashtra, or a Hindu State, in which Hindus enjoy supremacy over other groups. Muslims and Christians are the focus of attacks and are made to feel as if they are second-class citizens. Meanwhile, large portions of civil society have been dismantled, with dissenting voices in the media repeatedly targeted. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Teenager planned mass murder by setting fire to mosque
A teenager who planned a mass murder by setting fire to a mosque has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges. The 17-year-old was arrested in January after police caught him with an airgun and aerosol cans outside Inverclyde Muslim Centre in Greenock. The High Court in Glasgow heard that the boy, who is autistic, believed white people were in a race war and had "developed sympathies" with the Nazi party. The boy, who cannot be named, had told the mosque's Imam that he wanted to become a Muslim in order to gain access to the building and plan his attack. The court heard that he had initially wanted to plant bombs at his school in December last year, before deciding to target the mosque. read the complete article
Netherlands
Muslims: Dutch ‘Others’ - Episode 2: Ethnic Profiling
Muslims: Dutch “Others” is TRT World’s video series exploring what it means to be Muslim in the Netherlands today. Against the backdrop of rising Islamophobia, this series gives voice to Dutch people from diverse backgrounds as they reflect on personal stories and the everyday struggles faced by Muslims. From institutional discrimination by banks and municipal surveillance of mosques to ethnic profiling in the Dutch parliament, Muslims have been working to build resilience within their communities. read the complete article
Germany
Murder of Algerian woman in Germany prompts protests, calls for justice
The murder of Rahma Ayad, a 26-year-old Algerian nursing trainee, has sparked a wave of anger and protest among Algerians in Germany and beyond this week. Community members and her family are calling for her killing to be recognised as a racially motivated hate crime, following reports that she had been repeatedly harassed for wearing the hijab and for her Arab background. Rahma was stabbed to death on the morning of 4 July in the stairwell of her apartment building in Arnum, south of Hanover. According to police and eyewitnesses, neighbours heard her cries for help and alerted authorities. She was found with multiple stab wounds to her chest and shoulder, and died shortly after emergency services arrived. A 31-year-old German man who lived in the same building was arrested later that day and remains in custody. No formal charges have been filed, and the motive remains officially unconfirmed. However, her family said Rahma had warned them two months earlier that she was being harassed by her neighbour. According to a report by Al-Araby TV channel, Rahma's mother confirmed that she felt unsafe due to his behaviour, which included verbal abuse linked to her wearing the hijab and being of Arab origin. read the complete article
Australia
Antisemitism envoy denies involvement in husband's trust donation to anti-immigrant group
The federal government's special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, has distanced herself from a $50,000 donation a trust linked to her husband made to political lobby group Advance Australia, which posts right-wing, anti-Muslim content. Data from the Australian Electoral Commission show the donation was made by Henroth Investments Pty Ltd to Advance Australia in the 2023-24 reporting period. Australian Security and Investments Commission (ASIC) records list Segal's husband John Roth, and his brother Stanley Roth, as directors of Henroth Investments Pty Ltd. Advance Australia posts anti-immigration content on its social media accounts, regularly calling for an end to "mass immigration" in Australia. The group recently claimed Palestinians in Australia were a "risk to security", was a significant player in the No campaign against an Indigenous Voice to parliament and has called for an end to Welcome to Country ceremonies. It recently posted an AI-generated picture of a group of people including women wearing hijab head coverings outside a house on a post critical of immigration. read the complete article
Canada
Toronto woman charged after allegedly making Islamophobic comments, assaulting victim wearing a hijab in North York
A Toronto woman who allegedly made Islamophobic comments and assaulted a victim wearing a hijab in North York is facing charges. The incident, which police are calling a suspected hate-motivated assault, occurred on July 10 near Finch Avenue West and Weston Road. Toronto police said they were called to that area at about 2:10 p.m. Investigators say the accused approached a victim, who was wearing a hijab, and made Islamophobic comments and assaulted them. Roxanne Ingram, 52, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with assault and breach of probation. She was scheduled to appear in bail court on July 11. This investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence. read the complete article