US embassy closure linked to terror fear

US intelligence has picked up signs of al Qaeda plot against US posts
DHAKA : The US embassy’s announcement earlier today that it will remain closed on Sunday, August 4, is linked to a perceived terror threat from Al Qaeda, it’s been learned, reports UNB.
The State Department is in fact keeping several consulates and embassies around the world closed on the date, due to the security threat.
Leading American cable network CBS reported earlier this morning that U.S. intelligence has picked up signs of an al Qaeda plot against American diplomatic posts in the Middle East and other Muslim countries.
The intelligence does not mention a specific location, which is why all embassies that would normally be open on Sunday have been ordered to close. That includes embassies and consulates in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, where Sunday is the start of the work week. In line with this, Embassy Dhaka’s announcement to that effect was communicated in the early hours of Friday. Missing key pieces of intelligence means the security net has to be cast very wide – in this case, almost all Muslim-majority countries with a Sunday start to their week. As of 5:35am on Friday, CBS reported some 14 embassies and consulates had announced closures on August 4.
CBS further reported that officials say this appears to be “a real plot in the making” and not just the “normal chatter among terrorists” talking about attacks they’d like to carry out.
Marie Harf, the deputy spokeswoman for the State Department, told reporters the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution.” She also said that it is “possible” some facilities would remain closed for more than a day, depending on the results of a security analysis.

The Open Letter To Ms. Hannah Beech- TIME Magazine - From Ven. Wirathu

Ms. Hannah Beech- TIME

Dear Sister Ms. Hannah Beech, I nationalist Buddhist Monk U Wira Thu is writing this letter to you. When you came to us, we had treated you and your photographer with hospitability. You know we had done our best to help you and your photographer to get what you want. We had helped you only with the good volition that we want the media and correspondents get the true facts. We helped you because we respect western liberal media like Times and we expected you wouldn’t make lies to the people of the world. And we did not think you wouldn’t break ethic and responsibility of media. Now I know that you are the worst visitors we have ever had. I could not see the hatred behind your smiles. I could not see your ruthlessness under your tender actions. I could not see your deceit under your sweet words it is like blade covered by honey. I did not think that a gentle and beautiful girl like you have the ruthless heart of performing savages attack on us to be heard all over the world. I could not think that because of my background may be as you said I was a vagabond. I had told you that those names such as Shaved Head Nazi, Neo Nazi, Burmese Bin Laden were given by Muslims on Facebook. And then liberal media like you dare use the word like “The Buddhist Monk, The Title "Burmese Binladen" I believe (think) you admit your dirty mind by deliberately using the word “The Buddhist Monk” then followed by the word “With the man in burgundy robes.” You are not a lady with high moral ground and you are same as dirty minded as extremists all over the world. Muslims are also like you want me to strip of the robe. They do not revere me as a Monk and call me “the man in the robe.” My preaching is not burning with hatred as you say. Only your writing is full of hate speech. We can forgive the misunderstanding. We can forgive wrong conclusion. But will you deny that your hatred words targeted me to tarnish my reputation. Please recheck your words and the words that I preached. “Now is not the time for calm.” “Now is the time to rise up to make your blood boil.” These are your words. Now I show my words. 969 is for peace, We should preserve these noble reputations of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. For our National cause, our Culture and our Faith, We will avoid terror act. Upholding three gems (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) We will perform with honesty, diligence and determined attempts. For our national cause, We will carry out it warmly without ignorance.” These are my words. It is clear that you made savage attack against me by comparing my words and your words.

I preach people not to react with lawlessness, but you accused me of terrorist. You tried to draw a picture of me as a person who aggravate the situation by hate speech and fuelling to make offensive attack, where I am preaching people to perform with honesty, diligence and determined attempts to preserve our value. I preach people to carry out national cause warmly without ignorance, than you gave the world bad impression of me who is trying to boil the blood of people.

You dare do that. With sustained loving-kindness, Ven. Wira Thu

UK minister pays visit to Arakan 's refugee camps

( Sittwe, 20 June 2013) : British minister Alan Duncan arrived in Arakan on Tuesday to observe the latest situation of refugees, taking shelter in various camps of the western State of Burma.

The UK minister of state for international development visited several refugee camps in Sittwe and Mray Bon during his two day visit,  informed a lawmaker, U Aung Mra Kyaw.
“As far as I know, during his visit from 18 to 19 June, the UK minister visited many refugee camps in Sittwe located at Thet Kay Byin, Thae Chaung, Dapai, Aung Mingalar and Set Rokya. Alan Duncan also flew to Mray Bon by a government chopper to understand the situation of Muslim refugees there,” added the Arakanese lawmaker.
The UK minister also held a meeting with Arakan State government representatives on Wednesday in Sittwe town hall where the envoys of local UN body and a British NGO, Department for International Development were present.
The meeting lasted for around 20 minutes.
U Aung Than Tin, the Arakanese mining minister, who attended the meeting expressed his dismay that the meeting with the UK minister ‘was very short and lasted for only 20 minutes’.
Alan Duncan raised few questions relating to the rehabilitation plan for the refugees. But he was very brief, added the State mining minister.
Narinjara tracked the development but could not get the details about the said meeting with the UK minister due to technical difficulties. In fact, the Arakan State minister U Aung Than Tin disconnected the phone line citing some problems.
Soon after the meeting, the UK minister left Sittwe for Yangon.

Tallest Man Of The World Is In Myanmar

( Yangon, 22 June 2013) : Probably the tallest man of the world is living in Burma. The exciting news is generated by   Myanmar News Now that a Burmese citizen with the height of 8 feet 4 inches is found in a remote village of central Burma.
Ko Win Zaw Oo, now aged 36, hails from Hton Pauk Chai village of Netmauk township in Magwe division is reported to be the tallest man of the country. The son of U Aung Hla and Daw Mauk Tin may even get the status of tallest man in the  Guinness Book of World Records as the present record is with Sultan Kösen (date of birth: 10 December 1982) of Turkey whose height was recorded 8 feet 2 inches in 2011.
Till the media found Ko Win Zaw Oo as a tallest young man of Burma, he was not known outside his remote village.
Ko Win Zaw Oo had however the normal height till he attained the age of 15. Later he started growing in a faster way to reach the present height.
A drop out from school, Ko Win Zaw Oo left his village to Yangon in 1988 for some works. For few years he was there and worked in a milk-curd shop.
The media report says that he likes milk and curd very much.  And working in a milk-curd shop, Ko Win Zaw Oo got the opportunity to have the milk products frequently. He returned back home at the age of 18 and since then his height started growing fast.
Now Ko Win Zaw Oo wants to get his name included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest man of the globe.
 

Birth of Arakan National Party: RNDP and ALD emerge as a single entity

( Yangon, 17 June 201): Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP) and Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) have finally combined into a single party named Arakan National Party (ANP) in the unification meeting held in Yangon.

The delegates representing both the Arakan based political parties agreed to unify and emerge the new political party for the benefit of Arakanese, said party officials.
The combination meeting between RNDP and ALD delegates was organized in the office of Rakhine Thahaya Association of Yangon that is going on since June 15.
The final accord is going to be signed today by the delegates. The meeting is attended by six delegates from each party and also been graced by some prominent monks and citizens.
Mentionable is that both RNDP and ALD are the biggest political parties of Arakan. The RNDP won 35 Parliamentary seats in 2010 general election and the ALD won 11 Parliamentary seats in 1990 election. The ALD did not participate in the last general election of Burma.
The delegates from both the parties also discussed about their future strategy and activities in the unification meeting.

Islamic extremists arrested

Dhaka, 14 June, Abnews : Police in a drive last night arrested 21 alleged Islamic extremists from a hotel at city’s Kaptan Bazar area. Acting on a tip off, a team of Wari police along with Detective Branch (DB) of Police raided Hotel Star at Kaptan Bazar under Wari police station and detained 72 youths mostly students of various educational institutions at about 11.30pm, police said. Talking to Abnews Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Lalbagh zone) Ilias Sharif said some 72 students mostly belonging to BUET, Salimullah Medical College, BRAC University and Stamford University were holding a secret meeting inside the hotel last night.
The arrestees are yet to confess their involvement with any specific Islamic organisation, but it is certain they are active members of any Islamic militant organisation, as they were holding meeting with a large number of students in the hotel at late night, The DC said. He said, members of law enforcement agencies later arrested 21 students including 10 of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) from there and released others.
Sharif said police and DB team released 51 youths who are first year students of BUET and handed them over to varsity authorities at about 4.30am today. The arrested persons are now under DB and Wari police custody for interrogation, the DC said.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Wari Police Station Tapan Chandra Saha said 11 arrestees are now under interrogation, as they were discussing various topics during the meeting at the hotel. But the students claimed they were discussing on Islamic cleric Zakir Naik and his thoughts, the OC said.

Mission possible: RNDP and ALD agree to unify

( Yangon, 15 June 2013) : Two major political parties of Arakan region in western Burma have today agreed to unify for a single party.

It was decided in a meeting held in Rangoon, the former capital of Burma, to merge the Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP) and the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) into one party with an aim to fight for the cause of Arakanese people.
“The delegates representing both the parties have agreed to emerge both RNDP and ALD into a single political party in today’s meeting,” informed Dr Aye Maung, the president of RNDP.
The unification meeting on Saturday have arrived in three important agreements including 1) to combine two parties as a solo party to lead Arakanese people effectively,  2) to emerge accordance with Burma election commission rules and principals  and 3) to form an unification committee by the delegates representing both parties.
“We will continue our meeting tomorrow to discuss about the unification process between the two parties. We will also discuss and resolve the policy, strategy and tactic in the meeting. Need not to be mentioned that we are interested  to carry out the unification process effectively and without any delay,” added Dr Maung.
The unification meeting started at 9 in the morning in the office Rakhine Thahaya Association, where six delegates from each party attended. The meeting was also graced by over 20 prominent Arakanese senior citizens representing various social groups as observers.
U Aye Tha Aung, the president of ALD, while speaking to Narinjara over phone expressed happiness at the outcome. He personally welcomes the decision related to the unification of RNDP and ALD.
“Our final aim is to unify all Arakanese political parties into a single entity. We are struggling hard for long time to achieve the goal of  unification among all Arakanese groups. I must say all the Arakanese people living inside Burma and abroad would welcome the outcome of today’s meeting,” revealed Tha Aung

Solider`s murder in London Prompts UK to set up task froce to target radicial preachers

AP | May 26, 2013, 06.11 PM

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READ MORE Theresa May|Radical Islamic Preachers in Britain|Omar Bakri Muhammad|Michael Adebowale|Michael Adebolajo

Michael Adebolajo (front) shouts slogans as Muslims march in London in a protest against the arrest of 6 people in anti-terror raids, in this April 27, 2007 file photo. Adebolajo has been identified as one of the two men who attacked and killed a British soldier on a street in south London on May 22 2013. (AP photo)

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LONDON: Britain's government is setting up a new terrorism task force to tackle radical preachers and extremism, officials said on Sunday, days after suspects apparently linked to extremist Islamist activists brutally killed a British soldier in a London street.

Home secretary Theresa May said the group will look at whether new powers and laws are needed to clamp down on religious leaders and organizations who promote extremist messages and who target potential recruits in jails, schools and mosques.

Thousands of people are potentially at risk of being radicalized in Britain, May told the BBC.

"We need to look across institutions like universities, whether there is more work we can be doing in prisons," she said in the television interview.

The force will include senior ministers, London's police chief and the head of the MI5 domestic security service, and is expected to meet within the next few weeks.

The move came after 25-year-old British soldier Lee Rigby was run over and stabbed with knives in the Woolwich area in southeast London on Wednesday afternoon as he was walking near his barracks.

The two men suspected of killing the soldier, Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, remained under armed guard in separate London hospitals after police shot them at the scene.

The gruesome scene was captured by witnesses' cellphones, and a video picked up by British media showed one of the suspects, with bloodied hands, making political statements and warning of more violence as the soldier lay on the ground behind him.

Hardline Muslim leaders have identified the man in the video as Adebolajo, an Islam convert who allegedly used to take part in London demonstrations organized by British radical group al-Muhajiroun. The group catapulted to notoriety after the September 11 attacks by organizing an event to celebrate the airplane hijackers, and was banned in Britain in 2010.

Omar Bakri Muhammad, a former al-Muhajiroun leader and radical Muslim preacher, has told Associated Press that Adebolajo is a Nigerian who was born and raised in Britain. He said Adebolajo attended his London lectures in the early 2000s, but added he had not stayed in touch with the suspect since then. Bakri fled London and resettled in Lebanon in 2005.

Suspect was arrested in Kenya

British media reported Sunday that Adebolajo was arrested in 2010 in Kenya, where he was accused of leading a group of youths trying to join al-Shabab, a terrorist group in neighboring Somalia linked to al-Qaida.

UK's Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph both reported that Adebolajo appeared in a court in Kenya in late 2010 alongside other young alleged radical Islamists. He was remanded at a local police station and eventually deported to Britain, the reports said.

' Mahasen ' hits Patuakhali, Bhola

16 May 2013   11:57:37 AM   Thursday BdST

Ctg, Cox’s Bazar signal 7, Mongla 5

---

Staff Correspondent
banglanews24.com

DHAKA: The cyclonic storm ‘Mahasen’ hits Khepupara of Patuakhali district around 8:00am Thursday with wind speed 80-100 kph, says Bangladesh met office.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department director Shah Alam, in the morning, said Mahasen is approaching towards coastline with 400 kilometers width.

Mentioning heavy rainfall were recorded in the areas, he added that 232 mm rain lashed Khepupara, 122mm Patuakhali, 95mm Barisal, 78mm Bhola, 75mm Feni, 54mm Hatia, 37mm Chittagong and 17mm Cox’s Bazar.

Meanwhile, an elderly person was killed as a tree fall upon him when cyclonic storm ‘Mahasen’ hit Lalmohan upazila of the district on Thursday morning.

The deceased was identified as Kashem, 65 of Dhaligour area of the upazila.

Besides, the storm is progressing towards Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar gradually. It is likely to hit the coasts of the two districts by 2:30pm to 3:00pm, Shah Alam added.

Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar sea ports have been advised to keep hoisted danger signal number seven while danger signal number five for Mongla port.

Besides, Bangladesh weather office bulletin at 11am Thursday said it was centered about 150 kms southwest of Chittagong port, 140 kms west of Cox’s bazar port and 140 kms southeast of Mongla port (near lat 21.50 n and long 90.60 e).
It is likely to move northeasterly direction further and may take 3-5 hours to complete crossing Chittagong-Noakhali coast near Meghna estuary.

The cyclone started crossing the coast near Patuakhali (Khapupara). The coast grazing cyclone is likely to move northeasterly direction further and may cross Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar coast by noon.

Maximum sustained wind speed within 54 kms of the storm centre is about 62 kph rising to 90 kph in gusts/ squalls.

Accuweather.com, however, said it is likely to reach its maximum wind speed between 85kph and 95kph in gusts/squalls at 3:00pm.

Mahasen may weaken somewhat prior to making landfall Thursday afternoon or evening. Heavy rainfall associated with stormy wind Mahasen fell across parts of Bangladesh.

As per accuweather.com, the wind speed of the cyclone will be 51 kilometer per hour (kph) around 10:00am, 58kph at 11:00am,  66kph at 12:00pm,  74-77kph at 1:00pm,  80-87kph at 2:00pm, 85-95kph at 3:00pm, 89-93kph at 4:00pm, 72-82kph at 5:00pm, 61-72kph at 6:00pm 50-61kph at 7:00pm, 30-50kph at 8:00pm, 27-39kph at 9:00pm and 24-37kph at 10:00pm.

Sea will remain very rough near the storm centre.

The coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Bhola, Borguna, Patuakhali, Barisal and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal number seven.

The coastal districts of Pirozpur, Jhalokathi, Bagherhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal number five.

Under the influence of the storm the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur,  Feni, Chandpur, Borguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barisal,  Pirozpur, Jhalokathi, Bagherhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by storm surge of 8-10 feet height above normal astronomical tide.

The coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Borguna, Patuakhali, Barisal, Bhola, Pirozpur, and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speed up to 90-100 kph in gusts/ squalls with heavy to very falls during the passage of the storm.

The coastal districts of Jhalokathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speed up to 80-90 kph in gusts/ squalls with heavy to very falls during the passage of the storm.

Due to very heavy rainfall, landslide may occur at places over the hilly regions of Chittagong division.

All fishing boats, trawlers and marine vessels over North Bay have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.

BDST: 1150 HRS, MAY 16, 2013
Edited by: Rubaiat Saky, Newsroom Editor/M. Mahbub Alam, Asst Output Editor/ SM Salahuddin, Output Editor- eic@banglanews24.com

Is Aung San Suu Kyi the real enemy?

By Mark Farmaner   |   Monday, 06 May 2013

There is an old saying that love can easily turn into hate but it has been surprising to see how quickly this has happened regarding Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
It was always going to be impossible for her to meet expectations. First, because of the sheer scale of the problems Myanmar faces, and second because after spending so many years under house arrest, she became all things to all people. In the absence of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi being able to comment and act herself, expectations were based on hope, not reality.
Successive dictatorships in Myanmar ruthlessly pursued divide and rule policies. Unity was essential to counter this. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, though, has now chosen the path of party politics rather than leading a whole movement. In the 2012 by-elections, the National League for Democracy stood alone, not as part of a coalition of pro-democracy parties and organisations. As such, the situation has changed. Criticism of political parties and their policies is an essential part of any democracy. It would be dangerous and unhealthy if people were not criticising Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
However, the level of vitriol and hatred being directed at her by some people in Myanmar, and some external observers, is worrying. Her picture has been burned during protests, and she has even been compared to Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. These attacks are all the more worrying because the level of criticism exceeds that directed at President U Thein Sein.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has made compromises that many people are unhappy with. She has been silent on key human rights issues where her intervention could have made a real difference. Her role in the Letpadaung commission has been controversial. There are many decisions she has made that are worthy of comment and debate. In doing so, however, it is important to keep things in perspective.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi does not keep hundreds of political prisoners in jail. She does not have an army which is committing war crimes by targeting civilians in Kachin State, with soldiers who rape ethnic Kachin women, and even children. But President U Thein Sein does.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi doesn’t control a government budget which allocates around five times as much to the military as health, or have security forces committing horrendous abuses against the Rohingya. President U Thein Sein does.
There has not been a single repressive law completely repealed that is not already covered by another law, or has not been replaced by another law that does not meet international standards. Myanmar is violating multiple international humanitarian and human rights laws. As head of state it is U Thein Sein who is responsible for this, not Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Aung San Suu Kyi used to be the one winning peace awards but now faces criticism that crosses the line into personal attacks. Now it is President U Thein Sein who is winning the peace awards – and avoiding criticism.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would be among the first to admit she isn’t perfect. Her actions and decisions should be scrutinised and questioned. But let’s not forget it is the head of state who has ultimate responsibility for human rights abuses. U Thein Sein rules a country that two years into the reform process still has one of the worst human rights records in the world – and he is getting a free ride.
(Mark Farmaner is Director of Burma Campaign UK.)