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Suspects in plot to bomb Iranian opposition rally in France to be sent to Belgium

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Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), holds flower during their gathering in Villepinte, near Paris on June 30, 2018. (REUTERS/Regis Duvignau)
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Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City, delivers his speech as he attends the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), meeting in Villepinte, near Paris on June 30, 2018. French, Belgian and German authories have arrested an Iranian diplomat and three others for allegedly plotting to bomb the Villepinte meeting. (REUTERS/Regis Duvignau)
Updated 05 July 2018
Arab News
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Suspects in plot to bomb Iranian opposition rally in France to be sent to Belgium

  • Two Belgians of Iranian origin were arrested on Saturday with 500 grams of the homemade explosive TATP and a detonation device.
  • Iran blames the opposition group NCRI of orchestrating the alleged plot and said the couple arrested in Belgium were actually members of the group.
Updated 05 July 2018
Arab News

PARIS/JEDDAH: France and Germany will send two men, including an Iranian diplomat, to Belgium to face accusations they were involved in a plot to bomb an Iranian opposition rally on the outskirts of Paris, judicial sources said on Wednesday.
Belgium is investigating two Belgians of Iranian origin arrested on Saturday, the day of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) meeting. Five hundred grams of the homemade explosive TATP and a detonation device were found in their car.
Iran has said it had nothing to do with the plot, which it called a “false flag” operation staged by figures within the opposition group itself.
The exiled Iranian opposition group’s meeting was attended by Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who gave a speech calling for the removal of Iran’s rulers.
In addition to the two people arrested in Belgium, an Austria-based Iranian diplomat was held in Germany, and a man of Iranian origin was held in France. Judicial authorities in France and Germany told Reuters Belgium had requested they be extradited.
“It’s extremely sensitive and the Belgians are taking the lead,” said one European intelligence source.
The plot and the envoy’s arrest cast a shadow over Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Vienna on Wednesday to try to bolster support for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which is close to collapse after the US pulled out. The NCRI held a small protest against Rouhani’s visit on the edge of central Vienna.
During a visit by Rouhani to Vienna on Wednesday, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a statement to reporters that Rouhani had assured him that he would work to clarify the case.
Foreign ministers from the remaining signatories to the deal — Iran, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China — meet in the city on Friday to discuss its future. Proof of Iranian involvement in a terrorist bomb plot on European soil would make it difficult for Rouhani to win their support.
“The Iranian regime has been involved in terrorist activities since its establishment in 1979, but this is the first time an Iranian official has been arrested for such a blatant act related to orchestrating a terrorist attack,” the Harvard scholar and Iranian affairs expert Dr. Majid Rafizadeh told Arab News.
“It is time for the international community, particularly the European Union, to join many Iranian people and hold the regime accountable for its terrorist activities and human rights violations. Appeasement policies with the Islamic Republic ought to be stopped.”
French officials have declined to comment on the matter saying the nature of the incident is unclear.
Highlighting the political sensitivities, Iran summoned France’s ambassador to protest against the staging of the opposition meeting. Tehran “strongly protested against the French support of activities of the terrorist organization,” referring to an exiled opposition group.
France’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Since the United States withdrew in May from a deal to lift sanctions on Iran in return for curbs to Tehran’s nuclear program, the deal’s European signatories Britain, France and Germany have said they want to save the accord. Iran has called on the European countries to offer economic benefits to make up for the damage caused by new US sanctions.
Any suggestion that Iranian authorities were behind the plot in France could make it politically difficult for leaders, especially French President Emmanuel Macron, to continue to back the nuclear deal.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it was stripping the diplomatic status of the diplomat arrested in Germany. Iran’s foreign ministry has rejected as baseless the allegations against the diplomat.

Iran blames Mujahedeen
Tehran has dismissed accusations it was behind the plot. It blamed the NCRI of orchestrating the alleged plot and said a couple arrested in Belgium were actually members of the group.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said it was the People’s Mujahedeen itself that was behind the “scenario.”
“Based on the information available, the individuals arrested in Belgium are among the ... notorious and operational elements” of the MEK, the ministry said on its website.
“Relevant Iranian authorities are prepared to offer the necessary cooperation by presenting the required documents and evidence to shed light on the real dimensions of this pre-planned scenario orchestrated by the terrorist group,” it said.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is with Rouhani in Europe, said on Monday the foiled Villepinte attack was a “false flag ploy” to harm Iran and offered his country’s help in investigating the matter.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency said the foreign ministry had summoned France’s ambassador to Tehran, Francois Senemaud, to hear officials “strongly protesting against the activities of the terrorist and hypocritical MEK group in France.”
“Extremist terrorist groups should not be allowed to take refuge (in a country) under the pretext of freedom of expression and thus promote their ideology,” it said, citing the ministry.
On Tuesday the ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper criticized the ministry’s handling of the case and called for the expulsion of the French ambassador, who is due to step down days after being appointed as President Emmanuel Macron’s personal representative for Syria.

(With Reuters & AFP)

Topics: Iran Belgium National Council of Resistance of Iran Iranian President Hassan Rouhani MEK Iran terror plot

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Bangladeshi botanist builds online plant community, one viral video at a time

Updated 7 sec ago
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Bangladeshi botanist builds online plant community, one viral video at a time

  • Azharul Islam Khan’s clips about plants earned him a million followers on social media
  • He introduces them to indigenous Bangladeshi flora species and basics of plant medicine
Updated 7 sec ago
SHEHAB SUMON

DHAKA: When Azharul Islam Khan’s father gave him bougainvillea stems to grow, it marked his first experience tending to plants — a lesson that 40 years later would shape his social media fame in Bangladesh.

Khan was just 14 when his adventure with botany began. Unfamiliar with how to properly water the colorful ornamental vines, he lost two of the stems he tried to grow, but another two survived and blossomed.

“One was red, and the other was white. It was very inspiring when the two branches stayed alive, and I felt amazed,” Khan told Arab News at Zinda Park in Dhaka, surrounded by various tree and flower species, many of which have been featured in his online classes.

The classes are unlike traditional botany courses. Khan keeps his videos short and simple, focusing on the knowledge that he believes everyone should possess to understand plant life, know the basics of botanical medicine, and appreciate biodiversity.

His classroom is open to all, regardless of their academic background, and more than 1 million people have followed him on Facebook since he started regularly sharing his clips in 2023.

The videos often go viral and many have gained millions of views.

A pharmacist by training and profession, Khan also holds a degree in botany from the University of Dhaka.

“I like nature and plants and trees from my childhood. It’s my passion ... and I learned it from my father,” he said.

“When I see a plant, a flower, how it blooms, how it survives, it is amazing. When I walk and observe the flowers and plants growing, I feel pleased. And it is very important not only for me. It is very important for all the people ... Plants always support our wildlife. If wildlife remains alive, then us, humans, we will remain alive.”

In 2023, Bangladeshi researchers published a red list of plants, which showed that over the past few decades the country has lost seven flora species. Some 127 are currently endangered and 262 are considered vulnerable.

Khan believes that 30 of them are nearly extinct.

“If we don’t take special care of these species, within a very short time they will disappear in our country. So, we need to take care of these plants,” he said.

“We need indigenous plants ... local plants are very important for local nature.”

His videos spread awareness on the importance of various species for the entire ecosystem and for the individual lives of his students.

“I want to make them learn how to grow plants, how important it is for human life,” he said.

“I am trying to do this for the nation, for the future generations, for Bangladesh.”

The videos find appeal among his followers as they offer practical knowledge too.

“I watch brother Azhar’s videos regularly. The best part is that his videos are short — one and a half minutes, two minutes, or three minutes long. I like this style very much,” Mohammad Zakir Hossain, a shopkeeper from Narayanganj, told Arab News.

“Many plants grow all around us. But we have no idea about the benefits of these plants. I came to know about their medicinal values and their names. It’s a great gain for me.”

Topics: botany Bangladesh

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US arrests, deports hundreds of ‘illegal immigrants’ — Trump press chief

Updated 46 min 57 sec ago
AFP
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US arrests, deports hundreds of ‘illegal immigrants’ — Trump press chief

  • 538 illegal immigrant criminals arrested, “hundreds” deported by military aircraft
  • Trump had promised crackdown on illegal immigration during election campaign
Updated 46 min 57 sec ago
AFP

WASHINGTON: US authorities arrested 538 migrants and deported hundreds in a mass operation just days into President Donald Trump’s second administration, his press secretary said late Thursday.
“The Trump Administration arrested 538 illegal immigrant criminals,” Karoline Leavitt said in a post on social platform X, adding “hundreds” were deported by military aircraft.
“The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway. Promises made. Promises kept,” she said.
Trump promised a crackdown on illegal immigration during the election campaign and began his second term with a flurry of executive actions aimed at overhauling entry to the United States.
On Thursday Newark city mayor Ras J. Baraka said in a statement that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents “raided a local establishment... detaining undocumented residents as well as citizens, without producing a warrant.”
The mayor said one of those detained during the raid was a US military veteran, “this egregious act is in plain violation” of the US Constitution.
An ICE post on X said: “Enforcement update ... 538 arrests, 373 detainers lodged.”
New Jersey Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim said they were “deeply concerned” about the Newark raid by immigration agents.
“Actions like this one sow fear in all of our communities — and our broken immigration system requires solutions, not fear tactics,” they said in a joint statement.
Trump has vowed to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history,” impacting an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States.
On his first day in office he signed orders declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border and announced the deployment of more troops to the area while vowing to deport “criminal aliens.”
His administration said it would also reinstate a “Remain in Mexico” policy that prevailed during Trump’s first presidency, under which people who apply to enter the United States from Mexico must remain there until their application has been decided.
The White House has also halted an asylum program for people fleeing authoritarian regimes in Central and South America, leaving thousands of people stranded on the Mexican side of the border.
Earlier in the week the Republican-led US Congress green-lit a bill to expand pretrial incarceration for foreign criminal suspects.
Trump frequently invoked dark imagery about how illegal migration was “poisoning the blood” of the nation, words that were seized upon by opponents as reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

With severe interpretation of Islamic law, Taliban restrict women’s lives in Afghanistan

Updated 24 January 2025
AFP
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With severe interpretation of Islamic law, Taliban restrict women’s lives in Afghanistan

  • Many Taliban edicts are not followed in rest of Islamic world and have been condemned by Muslim leaders
  • Taliban first banned girls from public secondary classes in 2022 followed by universities the next year 
Updated 24 January 2025
AFP

HONG KONG: The Taliban authorities that rule Afghanistan have imposed a severe interpretation of Islamic law on the population, heavily restricting all aspects of women’s lives.
This week, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor said he was seeking arrest warrants against senior Taliban leaders over the persecution of women, a crime against humanity.
The government claims it secures Afghan women’s rights under Sharia law, but many of the edicts are not followed in the rest of the Islamic world and have been condemned by Muslim leaders.
The United Nations has called it a “gender apartheid,” and no country has formally recognized the government since they swept to power in a lightning but largely bloodless military offensive in 2021.
Taliban authorities banned girls from public secondary classes at the start of the new school year in 2022.
A year later, universities were also closed to women.
The last options for education — midwifery and nursing — were banned from teaching women late last year.
Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls and women are barred from education and the move has been widely criticized by Muslim leaders — including the Saudi-based Muslim World League.
Taliban authorities have made it increasingly difficult for women to work in a bid to keep them segregated from men.
While they held positions throughout the civil service of the foreign-backed government ousted by Taliban insurgents, women have been mostly been fired, forced to stay home, and have had their pay slashed.
Officially, women can no longer work for NGOs and the United Nations apart from in education and health, although the ban has not been strictly enforced.
Women are allowed to work from home or in women-majority businesses, such as textiles.
Private businesses can employ women, but in offices that are supposed to be segregated.
In cities, where women once generally already wore modest clothing and headscarves, huge billboards and posters on shop windows order them to cover their hair, faces and their bodies with a long cloak and face mask.
Women rarely appear on television, and many journalists have been pushed off screen.
They are banned from public spaces such as parks and gyms, while baths and salons have been closed down.
Women traveling long distances must be accompanied by a male chaperone.
In one of the latest orders, women cannot sing or recite poetry in public, and their voices and bodies must be “concealed” outside the home.
The Ministry of Women’s Affairs was shut down and their offices taken over by the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Taliban authority’s morality police.

Topics: Afghan women afghan women's rights Afghan Taliban

WHO chief to cut costs, reset priorities after US exit, document shows

Updated 24 January 2025
Reuters
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WHO chief to cut costs, reset priorities after US exit, document shows

  • The United Nations confirmed on Thursday that the United States was due to withdraw from the WHO on Jan. 22, 2026.
Updated 24 January 2025
Reuters

GENEVA/LONDON: The World Health Organization will cut costs and review which health programs to prioritize after President Donald Trump announced he was withdrawing the US from the agency, the WHO’s chief told staff in an internal memo seen by Reuters.
Trump made the move on the first day of his second term in office on Monday, accusing the UN health agency of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.
“This announcement has made our financial situation more acute...,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in the memo dated Jan. 23. It said the WHO planned to significantly reduce travel expenditure and halt recruitment, except for critical areas, as part of cost-saving measures.
A WHO spokesperson confirmed the memo — first reported by Reuters — was authentic but declined to comment further.
The United Nations confirmed on Thursday that the United States was due to withdraw from the WHO on Jan. 22, 2026.
The United States is by far the WHO’s biggest financial backer, contributing around 18 percent of its overall funding. WHO’s most recent two-year budget, for 2024-2025, was $6.8 billion.
The memo said the WHO had already worked to reform the organization and change how it is funded, with member states increasing their mandatory fees and contributing to its investment round launched last year.
But it said more funding would be needed and costs would have to be cut simultaneously. This would include making all meetings virtual by default without exceptional approval, limiting the replacement of IT equipment, and suspending office refurbishments unless linked to safety or already approved cost-cutting.
“This set of measures is not comprehensive, and more will be announced in due course,” the memo reads, adding that the Geneva-based WHO would do everything it could to support and protect staff.
“As always, you make me proud to be WHO,” the memo ends.

Topics: World Health Organization (WHO) US

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Afghan women’s group hails court’s move to arrest Taliban leaders for persecution of women

Updated 24 January 2025
AP
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Afghan women’s group hails court’s move to arrest Taliban leaders for persecution of women

  • ICC chief prosecutor has requested arrest warrants for two top Taliban officials, including leader Hibatullah Akhundzada
  • Taliban have barred women from jobs, most public spaces and education beyond the sixth grade
Updated 24 January 2025
AP

An Afghan women’s group on Friday hailed a decision by the International Criminal Court to arrest Taliban leaders for their persecution of women.
The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan announced Thursday he had requested arrest warrants for two top Taliban officials, including the leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Since they took back control of the country in 2021, the Taliban have barred women from jobs, most public spaces and education beyond sixth grade.
In a statement, the Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice and Awareness celebrated the ICC decision and called it a “great historical achievement.”
“We consider this achievement a symbol of the strength and will of Afghan women and believe this step will start a new chapter of accountability and justice in the country,” the group said.
The Taliban government has yet to comment on the court’s move.
Also Friday, the UN mission in Afghanistan said it was a “tragedy and travesty” that girls remain deprived of education.
“It has been 1,225 days — soon to be four years — since authorities imposed a ban that prevents girls above the age of 12 from attending school,” said the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva. “It is a travesty and tragedy that millions of Afghan girls have been stripped of their right to education.”
Afghanistan is the only country in the world that explicitly bars women and girls from all levels of education, said Otunbayeva.

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