Three held over murder of key Rohingya leader as brother alleges death threats

The late Mohibullah, a Rohingya Muslim leader from the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, speaks on a phone at his residence in Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. (File/Reuters)
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Updated 02 October 2021
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Three held over murder of key Rohingya leader as brother alleges death threats

  • No group has claimed responsibility yet, but Habibullah accused members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army

DHAKA: Police said on Saturday they had arrested three suspects and intensified investigations into the murder of a prominent Rohingya leader who was shot dead at a refugee camp in southern Bangladesh three days ago.

Mohibullah, 48, and known by one name, was one of the staunchest advocates for the persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar, speaking on religious freedom at the White House in 2019 and heading his organization, the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, since 2017.

He was killed on Wednesday at the Kutupalong refugee camp at Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazaar district, home to nearly 750,000 Rohingya who fled persecution in Myanmar. Mohibullah was buried at the Ukhiya cemetery the next day, with thousands attending his funeral prayer.

On Friday, police said they had arrested one suspect after his brother, Habibullah, filed a case against “unnamed” people after allegedly receiving death threats.

“We arrested two more Rohingya early Saturday from the camp areas based on specific information about their involvement with the murder,” local Armed Police Battalion Supt. Naimul Haque told Arab News.

“We have come to know that these two persons were involved with the incident, and they went into hiding following the murder,” he said.

Haque added that they were probing the case from “all possible angles,” factoring in Mohibullah’s work with the UN and the Bangladesh government to repatriate the Rohingya to Myanmar.

“Mohibullah was working for the repatriation of the Rohingya, and there are some groups in the camps who are against that. It might be another reason for the killing,” Haque said.

BACKGROUND

Mohibullah, 48, and known by one name, was one of the staunchest advocates for the persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar, speaking on religious freedom at the White House in 2019 and heading his organization, the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, since 2017.

No group has claimed responsibility yet, but Habibullah accused members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, one of several armed groups operating in the Cox’s Bazaar refugee camps, of the crime.

“I’ve been receiving death threats from different corners after I accused the ARSA. ‘We will kill you also as you mentioned the name of ARSA,’ they said. I fear for my life,” Habibullah told Arab News.

In a Twitter post on Friday, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army demanded accountability for Mohibullah’s killing, saying it was “shocked and saddened” by his death. “It is time for bringing the criminals to account instead of finger-pointing with baseless and hearsay accusations,” the group said in its statement.

Authorities deny the presence of the group or any militant organization in Bangladesh or at Rohingya camps, with Haque saying it was “too early to determine” who was behind the murder.

“We are not yet sure whether ARSA or any other organization is involved. Mohibullah was a very popular leader among the Rohingya, which may have also triggered this tragic incident,” he said.

Rights groups have called for an urgent probe into Mohibullah’s death.

In a statement on Friday, Amnesty International said the “onus is now on the Bangladeshi authorities to expedite an investigation” into the murder and bring all suspects to justice.

“His killing sends a chilling effect across the entire community,” Saad Hammadi, Amnesty’s South Asia campaigner, said in the statement.

Bangladesh authorities, for their part, have vowed “stern action” in the case.

“The government will take stern action against those who were involved in the killing. Nobody will be spared,” Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen said in a statement on Saturday.

He alleged that a “vested quarter” had killed Mohibullah “as he wanted to return to Myanmar, his home country.”

Mohibullah came into the spotlight in 2019 when he was invited to the White House and to speak to the UN Human Rights Council when he voiced concerns over the persecution of Rohingya in Myanmar.

That same year, he organized a mass rally attended by nearly 200,000 Rohingya at Kutapalong, the main refugee camp, marking the second anniversary of the community’s arrival in Bangladesh and cementing his position as a Rohingya leader.


FBI thwarts Iranian murder-for-hire plan targeting Donald Trump

Updated 9 sec ago
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FBI thwarts Iranian murder-for-hire plan targeting Donald Trump

Shakeri told the FBI he didn’t plan to propose a plan to murder Trump
The plot reflects what federal officials have described as ongoing efforts by Iran to target US government officials

WASHINGTON: The Justice Department unsealed criminal charges Friday in a thwarted Iranian plot to kill President-elect Donald Trump before this week’s presidential election.
A criminal complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan alleges that an unnamed official in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard instructed a contact this past September to put together a plan to surveil and ultimately kill Trump.
If the man, identified as Farjad Shakeri, was unable to create a plan by then, the complaint said, the official told him Iran would pause its plan until after the presidential election because the official believed Trump would lose and it would be easier to assassinate him then, the complaint said.
Shakeri told the FBI he didn’t plan to propose a plan to murder Trump within the seven days the official had requested, according to the complaint.
The plot, with the charges unsealed just days after Trump’s defeat of Democrat Kamala Harris, reflects what federal officials have described as ongoing efforts by Iran to target US government officials, including Trump, on US soil.

Russia says summoned Canadian diplomat to reject Western sabotage accusations

Updated 25 min 13 sec ago
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Russia says summoned Canadian diplomat to reject Western sabotage accusations

  • Moscow said the Canadian diplomat “was told that these speculations” were being spread in a “coordinated manner, in the context of the hybrid war” being waged against Russia
  • Russia blasted the allegations as “false,” “unacceptable” and part of a “provocation” being led by the US

MOSCOW: Moscow summoned a Canadian diplomat on Friday to rebut Western allegations that Russia’s secret services had orchestrated a campaign to mail explosive packages to addresses in NATO countries, including Canada.
After a series of fires at DHL depots in Britain and Germany this summer, Russia was accused of being behind a brazen plot to ship explosive parcels via commercial airliners.
Ottawa expressed its concern earlier this week to Russian officials after Poland and Lithuania announced several arrests as a result of a probe into attempts to send parcels packaged with explosives on cargo flights to the United States and Canada.
“The deputy head of the Canadian diplomatic mission in Moscow was summoned and handed an official note in connection with the false accusations of alleged planned ‘Russian sabotage’ against NATO countries,” Russia’s foreign ministry said.
Moscow said the Canadian diplomat “was told that these speculations” were being spread in a “coordinated manner, in the context of the hybrid war” being waged against Russia by the West.
Russia blasted the allegations as “false,” “unacceptable” and part of a “provocation” being led by the United States.
Canada’s public safety ministry said Ottawa is “aware of and deeply concerned with Russia’s intensifying campaign, from cyber incidents and disinformation operations to sabotage activities.”
It confirmed the Canadian government had “expressed this concern directly to Russian officials and unequivocally stated that any threat to the safety and security of Canadians is unacceptable.”
The ministry added there was “no imminent threat” to the public but said Canada “will continue to monitor the situation very closely.”
Canada’s Transport Minister Anita Anand told reporters on Wednesday that she required “more information” on the alleged plot but said she would taking “additional steps” to ensure the safety of passengers and packages, without providing details.
The reported plot, involving civilian airlines, comes amid growing concern in the West at what it sees as Russia’s increasingly reckless espionage and sabotage operations inside NATO countries.
“Russian intelligence services have gone a bit feral, frankly,” Richard Moore, head of Britain’s MI6 secret intelligence service said in September in rare public remarks.


Governor Koike discusses areas of cooperation with Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouly

Updated 08 November 2024
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Governor Koike discusses areas of cooperation with Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouly

  • Dr. Mostafa Madbouly congratulated Koike on her re-election as Governor of Tokyo
  • The Prime Minister also lauded Japan’s contribution to implementing the Japanese Tokkatsu educational system

TOKYO: Governor of Tokyo, Koike Yuriko, who is visiting Cairo, met Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly on Friday at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital and discussed several cooperation initiatives, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) officials told Arab News Japan.
The officials said Dr. Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of Communications, and Information Technology; Ambassador Ahmed Shahin, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asian Affairs; Mr. Katsunobu Takada, Chargé d’Affaires at the Japanese Embassy in Cairo, and Governor Koike’s accompanying delegation attended the meeting.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Prime Minister warmly welcomed Governor Koike and her delegation. He underscored the strategic and historical relations between Egypt and Japan, a testament to the enduring bond that continues to flourish in various fields.
Dr. Mostafa Madbouly congratulated Koike on her re-election as Governor of Tokyo in July for the third consecutive term and expressed his hopes for continued close coordination on various areas of bilateral cooperation.
The Prime Minister also expressed his fervent hope that Japan’s Prime Minister, alongside Governor Koike, will grace the official opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum once the project is finalized. He also extended his gratitude for Japan’s substantial contributions to major development projects in Egypt, including the museum.
Dr. Madbouly highlighted the Grand Egyptian Museum project as one of the foremost examples of cooperation between Cairo and Tokyo, along with the Egyptian Japanese educational partnership, exemplified by the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology and Japanese Egyptian schools.
The Prime Minister also lauded Japan’s contribution to implementing the Japanese Tokkatsu educational system, affirming that Egypt is planning to expand this system. He attributed this decision to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directive, acknowledging the system’s remarkable success and high quality.
Dr. Madbouly also highlighted the ongoing cooperation between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and TMG through the “SUSHI Tech Tokyo” initiative, a platform for promoting technological innovation, and the “Tokyo Innovation Base” platform, a hub for fostering entrepreneurial activities and technological advancements.
In turn, Governor Koike praised the bilateral cooperation between Egypt and Japan, expressing her happiness to visit Egypt, where she has unforgettable memories, having studied at Cairo University.
Koike also commended the well-organized 12th World Urban Forum, a global platform for discussing urban issues and solutions, which attracted a wide global audience.
In the meeting, Tokyo Governor Koike invited the Prime Minister, the Minister of Communications, and other Egyptian entities to participate in the upcoming “SUSHI Tech Tokyo” forum, scheduled for the first half of 2025. She noted that Japan has worked over the years to establish itself as a hub for startups and a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs.
Dr. Amr Talaat discussed several collaborative programs with Koike in information and communication technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship. They explored the potential for experience exchange in business incubators for small projects across various sectors, including financial services, health care, and education.
Talaat highlighted that one of the main areas of cooperation with Tokyo’s government is in the startup and entrepreneurship sectors.
Governor Koike is in Egypt on the first leg of a tour of the region that includes Abu Dhabi of the UAE.


Germany brushes off Musk calling Scholz a ‘fool’

Updated 08 November 2024
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Germany brushes off Musk calling Scholz a ‘fool’

  • Government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann took a playful dig at the US tycoon, saying that “on X, you have Narrenfreiheit,” which translates to the freedom to act like a fool
  • A tight-lipped Scholz simply called it “not very friendly“

BERLIN: German officials on Friday brushed off tech billionaire Elon Musk labelling Olaf Scholz a “fool” on his social media platform X after the dramatic collapse of the chancellor’s coalition government.
In a comment Thursday above a post about the implosion of Scholz’s long-troubled coalition, the world’s richest man tweeted in German: “Olaf ist ein Narr” — “Olaf is a fool.”
Asked about Musk’s comment, government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann took a playful dig at the US tycoon, saying that “on X, you have Narrenfreiheit,” which translates to the freedom to act like a fool.
The word refers to revellers during Germany’s traditional carnival season, which starts next week, having the freedom to act without inhibitions.
Historically, the term echoes the notion of the “jester’s privilege” — the right of a court jester to mock those in power without being punished by the king.
Asked later about the comment, a tight-lipped Scholz simply called it “not very friendly,” adding that Internet companies are “not organs of state so I did not even pay it any attention.”
Musk strongly supported US election winner Donald Trump, and is now positioned to take up a role in his administration as a deputy tasked with restructuring government operations.
It is not the first time the Tesla boss has had run-ins with German officials online.
Last year he said Berlin-funded migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean could be seen as an “invasion” of Italy, sparking a terse response from the German foreign ministry.
He has also expressed sympathy for some of the positions of Germany’s far-right AfD party, which has notched up a string of recent electoral successes and is riding high in the opinion polls.


First flight with Israelis evacuated from Amsterdam lands in Tel Aviv

Updated 08 November 2024
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First flight with Israelis evacuated from Amsterdam lands in Tel Aviv

  • The plane that arrived in Tel Aviv had passengers evacuated from Amsterdam

TEL AVIV: The first flight carrying Israelis evacuated from Amsterdam after violent clashes following a football match there landed on Friday at Ben Gurion International Airport, the Israel Airports Authority said.
“The plane that arrived in Tel Aviv now has passengers evacuated from Amsterdam,” Liza Dvir, spokeswoman for the airport authority told AFP.