Italy: The Final Chapter of the Saman Abbas "Honor Killing"

Saman Abbas

For the past few years, we have been following the story of Saman Abbas, an 18-year-old Pakistani girl living in Italy, who was murdered by members of her family in 2021 in a so-called honor crime because she was refusing to marry an older man in Pakistan in a marriage arranged by her family, and because she wanted to live a Western lifestyle in Italy. Eventually, her parents, her two cousins, and her uncle were charged with her death, extradited from Pakistan, Spain, and France, and brought to trial in Italy.

Subsequent to verdicts by the court of first instance, the appellate court, and now by the Court of Cassation (which rules based on legal trial issues), the sentences are final. Life imprisonment for the parents and the two cousins, and 22 years for the uncle.

The article below from yesterday's Il Giornale is translated by Fousesquawk.

Homicide of Saman Abbas: Sentences finalized: Life in prison for the parents and cousins, 22 years for the uncle

The Court of Cassation rejects the appeals of the accused and confirms the sentences handed down on appeal. According to the indictment, the young girl was murdered for having opposed an arranged marriage and for having adopted a lifestyle deemed incompatible with family traditions.

-By Rosa Scognamiglio    July 15, 2026 - 10:43

The Court of Cassation has confirmed all the sentences handed down on appeal for 5 defendants for the homicide of Saman Abbas, the 18-year-old Pakistani girl killed in Novellara (Reggio Emilia) on the night of April 30 and May 1, 2021. Therefore, the sentence of life imprisonment is finalized for the parents, Shabbar Abbas and Nazia Shaheen, and for the cousins, Ijaz Ikram and Noman Ul Haq, as well as the 22-year sentence in prison for the uncle, Danish Hasnain. The Supreme Court justices have rejected the appeals lodged by the defendants' lawyers, thus putting the final word on a long judicial chapter.

The prosecutor's indictment

Over the course of the indictment, the General Prosecutor, Marco Dall'Olio, had traced the steps of the tragic story, defining it as "chilling". Saman "had to be killed," the prosecutor explained. "The intention was to teach her a lesson: She could not decide her life for herself; she could not have her own life". The crime, "was organized down to the smallest detail, a concerted and premeditated act". And more: "The murder, despite having its own cultural roots, betrays the recourse to extreme violence, disproportionate, chosen as the only instrument to 'express an alleged guilt', the girl's desire for liberty, that caused the vile and ignoble motive." On appeal, the aggravating circumstances of premeditation and frivolous motives on the part of the accused were recognized.  

The reactions

The verdict of the Court of Cassation as to the murder of Saman Abbas "represents a turning point on the social level even more than judicial". That was stated by Attorney Maria Teresa Manente, head of the legal department of Differenza Donna and civil attorney for the association. "Her death, " she adds, "was not an excess, an impulse, nor an accident within a distant cultural context: It was, as revealed by the same trial documents, a punishment. The process of killing her was born at the exact moment in which Saman dared to assert the right to choose who to love, to study, how to dress, how to live. Her freedom was her 'crime' in the eyes of her family, her life was the punishment". Attorney Rossella Benedetti, lawyer for the association, commented on the sentences: "The confirmation by the Court of Cassation finally brings justice to Saman and concerns all the 'invisible' women like her in our country who, every day, turn to our anti-violence centers asking for protection". Finaly, she concludes, "The sentence concern the ability of our institutions to promptly recognize the risk indicators present in stories such as that of Saman and to fulfill their obligation to guarantee, in a prompt manner, maximum protection."  

The history

Saman Abbas was killed in Novellara, Reggio Emilia, on the night of April 30-May 1, 2021. The body was buried in a plot of land adjacent to an abandoned farmhouse not far from the residence where the girl lived with her parents and a brother. Dismissing the original theory of a voluntary departure, the investigations focused on the theory of a family crime, thanks also to the testimony of the young girl's then-fiancé. Images captured by surveillance cameras at the farm where the Abbas family worked showed some people walking towards the fields with digging tools in the hours prior to the alleged disappearance of the girl. Also reinforcing the suspicions of the investigators were the family's movements in the following days: the parents returned to Pakistan, while the uncle and the cousins tried to disappear, moving between France and Spain. All of the accused, at different times, were arrested and extradited to Italy. In November 2022, after information was provided by the uncle, the girl's remains were found. The autopsy confirmed that she died from strangulation. In February 2023, the trial opened in the Criminal Court of Reggio Emilia: The parents were sentenced to life imprisonment (the mother in absentia because she was still wanted), the uncle to 14 years, and the cousins acquitted. The public prosecutor appealed the sentence, maintaining that all the family members had played a role in the murder. In April 2025, the Appellate Criminal Court of Bologna partially overturned the verdict in the initial trial, sentencing the cousins to life imprisonment and the uncle to 22 years in prison. In the reasoning of the sentence by the appeals court, the judges explained that Saman was killed because her family did not accept her desire for independence and her wish to evade the rules imposed by her parents. 

In fact, the young woman had reported her mother and father for maltreatment, and she was opposed to a forced marriage with an older man in Pakistan. In addition, she had shown a desire to adapt a lifestyle closer to Western customs and had asserted her right to be a free woman.

The Beast of Bayreuth: German Film Company Seeking Interviews

Lt. Gerald Werner

The "Beast of Bayreuth"

In recent years, I have posted a couple of articles about the infamous case of "the Beast of Bayreuth". In 1964, US Army Lt. Gerald Werner of St Paul, Minnesota, who was stationed in Bayreuth, Germany, with the 1st Recon Squadron, 2nd Army Cavalry Regiment, murdered his German girlfriend in his bachelor officer's apartment, cut her body into pieces, and scattered them along the Autobahn. He was quickly identified and confessed. Tried by a German court, he was eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to a mental hospital for the criminally insane.  A few years later, he was transferred to Army custody and transferred to a similar facility in the US. He was eventually released and later died in Minnesota.

In 1966, I was assigned to the 404th Military Police Company detachment in Erlangen, which is not far from Bayreuth. I recall some of my fellow MPs talking about the case.

I have been contacted by a German film crew in Bayreuth, which is putting together a documentary to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the trial. It is due to be released sometime in the fall. They are seeking interviews with former US soldiers who were stationed in Bayreuth in 1964, especially anyone who knew Werner or had contact with him. They also would like information as to what it was like for US soldiers stationed in that area in the 1960s.

In the past, a few former soldiers have commented on this site regarding the case. I would appreciate it if anyone who fits that description could reach out to me, and I can put them in touch with the people in Bayreuth.  Just leave your contact information in the comments section. I will not post it.

The victim was Ursula Schamel. She was from Bayreuth but was working in Fuerth, near Nuremberg, and had returned for a visit to her family in Bayreuth when the murder occurred. Obviously, the case brought great embarrassment to the US military presence in Germany. It would be a great gesture if our community could contribute in some way to honor the memory of Ursula Schamel.

Netherlands: Moroccan Fans Shame Themselves

In Europe, fans of the Moroccan team celebrated wildly when they won their World Cup matches, especially after the Moroccan team defeated the Netherlands. Moroccan fans took to the streets, rioted, and fought pitched battles with Dutch police. 

Then, after their team lost to France on Thursday evening, Moroccan fans took to the streets with Moroccan and Palestinian flags and once again rioted, not just in the Netherlands, but in France and England as well. Following the defeat, things got really ugly in the Hague when Moroccan fans gathered in front of a location where they believed Israeli tourists were staying and began chanting "All Jews are homos" and "Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas."

The below article from the conservative Dutch site, Nieuw Rechts, is translated by Fousesquawk. It has several videos and social commentary by private persons describing events in the Netherlands, France, and England. In addition, JFeed has video of the aforementioned fans chanting, "All Jews are homos", as does the Nieuw Rechts article. The JFeed video above is subtitled by Gates of Vienna, Vlad Tepes, and RAIR Foundation USA. Translation by Fousesquawk.

It goes without saying that this is disgusting behavior and gives the sport of soccer a black eye. I don't care who wins this World Cup, but I am thrilled that it won't be Morocco.

Moroccan fans terrorize European cities after World Cup loss: "Jews to the gas!"

10 July 2026

After the World Cup defeat of Morocco against France, disturbances broke out in several European cities. In the Netherlands, riot police had to intervene in the Hague, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam among others. Officers were chased and pelted with glass, bricks, eggs, and fireworks. Also in London, things got out of hand. In Paris, massive chaos was avoided through the deployment of more than 20,000 officers. 

On Thursday evening, Morocco lost 2-0 to France in the World Cup quarter-finals. With that came the end of the tournament for the Atlas Lions (Morocco). Shortly after the last whistle, large groups of Moroccan fans went to the streets in various cities. The atmosphere escalated into violence against the police in several places.

Riot police intervene in the Hague

In the Hague, the unrest was concentrated mostly in the Schilderswijk (area). Cars and scooters rode up and down on the Hoefkade and Vaillantlaan. Loud fireworks were also heard.

The atmosphere became grimmer when officers were pelted with glass bottles from balconies. During arrests, officers were called, "cancerous Jews". According to those present, there were also chants of "All Jews are homos" and "Hamas, Hamas, all Jews to the gas".

Inset: (In English):  

Antisemitic chanting in The Hague, Netherlands after Morocco lost to France in the World Cup.

Holding up Palestinian flags, they chanted:

"All Jews are gay"
"Hamas Hamas, Jews to the gas" pic.twitter.com/hzHbkyKQaE

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 10, 2026

Although a NOS camera crew was harassed on the street, the NOS wrote nothing about it in their reporting. Member of Parliament, Annabel Nanninga (JA-21), wonders aloud: "Had the NOS been harassed like that at an asylum center protest, would their reportage have been the same?"

Inset:

Everyone to NOS. Neighborhood volunteers and police have to keep crowd away from camera crew and reporter in the Schilderswijk after Morocco's loss.

-Owen, July 9, 2026

Around 1 am, police warned that force would be used if people did not leave the intersection of Vaillantlaan and Hoefkade. Subsequently, police intervened to disperse the groups. According to a press photographer, several people were arrested.

Inset:

Whether Morocco wins or loses, the difference seems to be hardly visible. In the end, it seems there will be riots, again and again.

-Symphony, July 10, 2026

8 arrested in Amsterdam

Police in Amsterdam- Nieuw-West also had to deploy. Mostly around 40-45 Square, Tussen Meer, Osdorp Square, and Waterland Square, there was unrest. According to police, officers were pelted with fireworks, stones, furniture, and burning flares. 

Inset:

In Amsterdam-Osdorp, they are setting scooters and bicycles on fire. The police stand by and watch, to "de-escalate".

-Free Mind@ Lone Wolf, July 9, 2026

The "triangle" (representatives of police, public prosecutor, and local officials) gave an emergency order around 1 am for Tussen Meer in Osdorp. When some of those present failed to comply, the riot police moved in. 

Police arrested 8 people. They are suspected of, among other things, disturbing the public order, dangerous driving, and throwing bricks at the police.  

In addition, in the area around Cornelis Lelylaan, about 220 fines were issued. They were for, among other things, driving through red lights, driving over the tram tracks, and speeding.

Inset:

It is striking how Moroccans celebrate the victories of Morocco, full of pride, while they or their parents have emigrated to the Netherlands for a better life and because they think that Morocco is a shit country in which to live.

The contrast is hard to ignore and is striking.

-Symphony @Symphony.res, July 5, 2026

Eggs thrown at police in Rotterdam

In Rotterdam, a few hundred people gathered after the match in the 1st Middellandstraat (street). Community leaders called on those present to leave, but some remained.

Around 1:30 am, police deployed about 15 vans and a line of riot police to disperse the group. According to the police, officers were pelted with eggs when they walked among the people.

Earlier in the evening, many watched the match outside in Rotterdam. Large screens were set up at tea houses, and fireworks were set off in the street. After the defeat, the atmosphere shifted.

In Utrecht, according to police, things remained "relatively calm". However, groups of people were seen on the street in Kanaleneiland, Lombok, and Overvecht. In Overvecht, items were set on fire. On the Vleutenseweg, there was a brief fire in an abandoned residence, apparently caused by a firework. Two people were arrested for disturbing the public order. 

Injured officer in London

Things also went wrong in London. On Edgware Road, a busy street in the western part of the British capital, large groups of Morocco supporters gathered after the defeat against France.

Inset (in English):

Moroccan fans have started already, Edgware Road, London

-Jo@jomickane

July 9, 2026

Images on social media can be seen how police with helmets and shields advance through the streets full of smoke, trash, and stopped traffic. According to British media, bottles, fireworks, and other objects were thrown at police.

Inset (in English):

Police officers got chased by Moroccan fans Morocco after losing to France in round of 8 riot in London Edgware Road one police officer down got rushed to hospital I hope he survived

-Jobnjy, July 9, 2026

One officer was injured and required treatment. The Metropolitan Police reported that several rioters were arrested. In the images can be seen how police vehicles and lines of officers try to clear the street.

Some fans waved the Moroccan flag, climbed onto vehicles, and blocked traffic. British media describe the situation as chaotic and tense.

Paris deploys thousands of officers

In France, major unrest was anticipated beforehand. The authorities had deployed more than 20,000 officers nationwide, of whom, about 8,000 were in Paris. The fear was that the match would lead to riots once again, as happened earlier after football victories in the French capital city.

In Paris, most of the celebrations were relatively manageable. Fans of France and Morocco took to the streets in various locations. On the Champs-Élysées, cars drove with French and Moroccan flags , and there was loud honking.

However, there were also reports of incidents. In Les Halles, small groups of fans reportedly sought confrontations with police. In the images can be seen how officers attempt to control large groups. A police car was also reportedly harassed.

Recurring pattern

It is not the first time in this World Cup that Moroccan fans have caused unrest after a match. Earlier, there were also riots in the Hague after the Moroccan victory over the Netherlands. At that time, officers were pelted with fireworks and rocks, and the police deployed a water cannon, among other things.

The latest disturbances show that emotions surrounding the Moroccan World Cup matches once again spill over far beyond the football field. In several countries, officers had to be deployed to clear the streets, disperse groups, and get traffic moving again.

After its 2-0 victory, France is in the semi-finals. For Morocco, the World Cup is over. But the aftermath of the defeat was visible for hours on the streets in European cities.

Italy: "What the F--- Are You Looking at? I am a Muslim!"

The suspect and the scene

-Il Tempo

*Update (July 11, 2026)

Il Tempo has also reported in two separate articles that the victim was punched in the face and cut in the lip and cheek with a pocket knife, suffering "permanent disfigurement to her face. Those articles (in Italian) can be accessed respectively here and here.

We'll just call this the latest report from the Milan daily blotter. It is an all-too-familiar story in Italy's 2nd-largest city, which is also number 1 in crime. The only difference this time is that while the perp is a migrant from Algeria, his victim is also an Arab, a young woman from Morocco who was just minding her own business socializing with friends while awaiting a train back home from Milan's Pizza  Duomo. According to the complaint, she was sitting on a bench at the Duomo metro stop talking to a friend, also from Morocco, when she was accosted by 27-year-old Mohamed Saidi, from Algeria. The man reportedly approached the victim and asked her what the F she was looking at, also reportedly stating, "I am a Muslim!" before attacking her and leaving her bleeding and scarred.

Reportedly, the man had just been released from custody hours before, after being given an expedited trial for breaking into a car during the early morning hours of July 9,

The article below from Il Tempo is translated by Fousesquawk. According to other news reports from Il Tempo, Saidi punched the woman in the face.

 

"What are you looking at? I am a Muslim!" Investigation into radicalization of the attacker

July 10, 2026

"I thought I was going to die. I couldn't see anything, and the blood kept me from breathing." The victim, a 22-year-old, originally from Morocco, recounted her story in filing a complaint against Mohamed Saidi, a 27-year-old Algerian, arrested for having attacked and scarred her at the Duomo metro stop in Milan. The young woman recounts her afternoon in the city center: a casual meeting with a co-national in Duomo Square, one hour before the attack. Then a shopping walk in a group, and finally, entering the Duomo station, still in a group. And here, while she was seated with a friend on a bench awaiting the train direct to Comasina, "suddenly, a man I had never seen before addressed me in Arabic and in an intimidating tone exclaimed: 'What the f--- are you looking at?"' The 22-year-old answered him in Arabic, explaining that, " My look was actually directed at my friend." Saidi, however, did not believe her and shouted a series of scathing insults. The young woman, frightened, asks him to leave and tells him that if he didn't leave, she would call the police.

The Ros (Carabinieri Special Operative Group) Anti-Terrorism Unit in Milan is conducting checks throughout Europe through Interpol as to "a possible involvement in radicalized circles" on the part of Mohamed Saidi, the 27-year-old Algerian arrested for having attacked and scarred a 22-year-old young woman at the Duomo metro stop. That is how the arrest report by local police reads. A few hours before the attack, Saida had been released from custody with a ban on residing in Milan following an expedited trial held at the Palace of Justice less than one kilometer from Duomo Square. The arrest, which took place a few hours earlier, around 4 am between 8 and 9 July, was for theft from the interior of a car parked in Argentina Square. It was the first time the 27-year-old Algerian, who was listed as having no fixed abode and no criminal record, was documented in our country.

 

RAIR Foundation USA Interview of Robert Spencer: A Rebuttal of JD Hall

Hat tip RAIR Foundation USA and Vlad Tepes

I am cross-posting  an article from RAIR Foundation USA in which Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch effectively refutes claims made on a Tucker Carlson interview with JD Hall, a controversial American theologian, in which Hall claimed that under the Ottoman Empire's control over the Holy Land, Christians were well treated.

There is very little I wish to add to Spencer's rebuttal. After all, he is the true expert when it comes to Islam's persecution of other religions. In truth, there is no real Muslim-majority country in which non-Muslims are treated with equal rights and equal respect. To do so would contradict Islam's very teachings, as Spencer points out.

The RAIR article begins with a clip of the Carlson-Hall discussion and ends with a 20-minute interview of Spencer by RAIR.

I was once an admirer of Carlson, but he seems to have come to the conclusion, in my opinion, that it is more practical to take the side of Muslims against Jews and Israel since there are more of the former than there are of the latter. I take the opposite view based on what I think is the moral position and that Christians and Jews are both considered by Islam-not every Muslim on the planet- but by Islamic teaching to be its enemy.

Full disclosure: Until today, I had never heard of JD Hall, so I cannot speak with any authority on the accusations against him, so I will not offer any comment in that regard. The reader is free to do his/her own research.

Italy: Another Random Stabbing in Milan

Hat tip Gates of Vienna

San Siro Stadium, Milan

Last Saturday in the San Siro section of Milan, a group of men were sitting outside a bar chatting on the sidewalk when a 22-year-old man identified as Lamin Saidilly, while walking past them, without warning, attacked one of the men with a knife, stabbing him over 20 times before being subdued by the other men. The suspect attacked with no apparent motive and reportedly told police that "he had fun and would do it again as soon as he was out of jail."

The attack occurred near the famed San Siro soccer stadium in Milan. I lived in that area for a couple of years in the 1980s while working with DEA in Milan. The bystanders who subdued the attacker and held him until police arrived are reportedly middle-aged men from Egypt.

The below article from RAI News is translated by Fousesquawk. The article also contains a surveillance camera video of the actual attack (viewer warning). We are also working on adding English subtitles to a second video in the article of a witness interview. The article also describes another attack in the Milan area during the same time frame. Three young Egyptian men are charged with that stabbing attack.

Passante accoltellato a Milano, il 22enne fermato: "Mi sono divertito, appena esco lo rifaccio"

Bystander stabbed in Milan, 22-year-old arrested: "I had fun, as soon as I get out, I will do it again"

Before the judge of instruction, he exercised his right to silence. Prosecutor: "He wanted to kill an easy target". The 55-year-old is out of danger. Salvini: "He should never get out of prison."

Lamin Saidilly, 22, born in Italy to parents from Gambia, who on Saturday morning, without motive, stabbed a man in front of a bar on the edge of Milan, wounding him seriously, exercised his right to silence.  His lawyer, Simona Brambilla, made the statement as she was leaving San Vittorio (prison) after the initial hearing. "It was his choice," the defender stated, who described her client as "very shaken". "He remembers nothing until he found himself in the police car," she said, adding that the 22-year-old did not request the judge of instruction to reduce the precautionary measure.

On Saturday morning, Gerardo P., 55, was having breakfast with his elderly father at the La Giada bar on via Capecelatro, in the San Siro zone of Milan, when he was attacked by a young man with his face covered. The attacker, identified as 22-year-old Lamin Saidilly, struck him from behind with great force, inflicting about 20 stab wounds, hitting the victim in the head, neck, torso, and abdomen.

The public prosecutor of Milan, Elio Ramondini, has charged attempted murder with premeditation and with a "frivolous" motive. That is evident from the request to validate the arrest. As a basis of reconstruction, it is believed that the man planned to go out on the street to "cause the death" of the first person who could be an easy target. In addition, he was disguised and had a "double-edged blade of 21 centimeters".

The "frivolous" motive hangs on what he said to law enforcement. "I had fun, and as soon as I get out, I will do it again."

The intervention by bystanders and the silence of the attacker

Avoiding the worst was the immediate intervention of three Egyptian customers at the bar who managed to disarm and keep the young man on the ground until the arrival of police. According to the witnesses, the assault happened in absolute silence: There was absolutely no exchange of words or glances between the victim and the attacker.

In addition, once immobilized and taken into custody by law enforcement, the 22-year-old maintained a behavior of complete detachment, saying a sentence shocking to the officers: "I had fun, and as soon as I get out, I will do it again."

The investigations into the profile of Lamin Saidilly

The investigators are digging into the past of the young man to understand the reasons for the act and to verify any possible presence of psychiatric problems.

The parents of the young man, residing in Conegliano Veneto (Treviso), have stated that the son had not been in any structured medical care and that he had been away from home for about a week.

From initial searches, no connections have emerged with radical Islamic extremism, and in the wallet of the 24-year-old (sic?) were found notes containing almost rambling sentences. Investigators are also sifting through the 10 years the young man reportedly spent in England prior to arriving in Milan a few days ago.

The victim is not in a life-threatening condition.

Gerardo P., the 55-year-old (who was stabbed), is no longer in danger and is currently recovering in Niguarda Hospital. He has undergone several operations and is in intensive post-operative care, but his condition is improving. The knife wounds he received, in particular in the abdomen and torso, are not particularly deep. His prognosis remains guarded, but he should not have any particular consequences, and his stay in the hospital will not be long. 

Father of the arrested 22-year-old incredulous

For the father of the stabber, a Gambian man who has for years. has been employed with the Electrolux Union, the act of his son, Lamin Saidilly, is inexplicable. 20 stab wounds with a 21-centimeter blade against a stranger.

Salvini: "If he would do it again, he should never, never get out of jail."

Rome: "Thrilling words. If he had fun and would do it again? Then he should never get out of jail again!" That is what the vice premier and leader of the Lega (party), Matteo Salvini, wrote on social media.

Sesto San Giovanni: A second stabbing tied to drugs

During the same hours, the outskirts of Milan were the scene of a second serious bloody incident. A young man of 19 was stabbed in the chest and the thigh in a small park in Sesto San Giovanni. The young man is in grave condition. The Carabinieri have arrested three young Egyptian men, ages 20, 22, and 24, without fixed abode and with previous arrests in an episode the investigators have traced back to the dealing of drugs.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Fousequawk Update (7-7-26): Various Italian media are reporting that Saidilly served time in an English prison for a similar attack. According to Il Tempo, he was sentenced to 8 years in prison for a knife attack in Leeds in November 2023. According to Il Giornale, he reportedly attacked someone in prison with a makeshift knife. At any rate, he was reportedly deported to Italy in December 2025 before serving his full sentence. Italian police have reportedly discovered an image of a jihadist terrorist praying on a beach in Siadilly's WhatsApp account. His parents, who are Muslim, deny that he was radicalized.

Belgium Is Pissed at Trump-What Else Is New?

"Let the games begin."

 

Full disclosure: I am not a soccer fan. As a typical American who was born in the 1940s, I never played soccer as a kid. We never followed it, and I still never follow it. During the 1980s, I was living in Milan, Italy, and our apartment was literally across the street from the famed San Siro Stadium. Try as I did, I just couldn't get excited over the game. I went to one game and left before it was over.

In 1990, I had occasion to actually attend the World Cup in Italy in an official capacity (DEA) as we werer attempting to capture the leaders of the Cali cartel, who we thought would be attending the games since Colombia had qualified for the Cup. While the games didn't particularly interest me, I was impressed by the sheer spectacle that the international fans brought.

However, I have no interest in paying exorbitant prices to attend any of the games, and except for three games (Portugal-Croatia, Argentina-Cape Verde, and Mexico-England), all great games, I have not watched any of the games on TV. We did pull for Mexico since the Missus is from Mexico.

While there have been a couple of unfortunate incidents, as is to be expected with this sport, it seems the games have gone off very well, in the US, Mexico, and Canada, which are hosting the games. All in all, it seems that the foreigners attending the games are enjoying themselves and are impressed with the US. and the other host countries.

But now, the integrity of FIFA, the international body that oversees the games and which is notoriously corrupt, has once again been called into question. And, of course, President Trump has once again managed to suck all of the oxygen out of the room. I am referring, of course, to the controversial red card penalty against the American team's top player, Folarin Balogun, in its last match against. Bosnia-Herzegovina. Of course, I am the last person to analyze what should be a yellow card, red card, suspension, or anything else in soccer. Looking at the replay, it sure looked like incidental contact to me, nothing that would merit sending a player off with a one-game suspension. To many Americans, this is just another case of the refs screwing the US team. 

So, as a result of the automatic suspension, the US was scheduled to play its next game (tonight) against Belgium without its top scorer.

Enter President Trump. Yesterday, he made a phone call to the head of FIFA, Giovanni Infantino, and asked that their committee reconsider the call. They did exactly that, and as of now, Balogun will play against Belgium.

Understandably, Belgium is outraged and is appealing the decision. Due to Trump's intervention, international politics is now in full play. As of this writing, the Democrats have yet to call for impeachment, but that too could change within hours.

I personally don't care either way. I hope the US wins, but if they don't, I won't be crying in my beer. I guess what it comes down to is whether FIFA follows its procedures to the letter in its rulings. The red card seemed unfair to begin with, but I am no expert. The reversal, coupled with Trump's phone call to Infantino, has created a mess that threatens to overshadow the games overall. If Balogun plays and the US wins, Belgium will be furious. If Balogun doesn't play and Belgium wins, US fans will complain but will get over it in a couple of days.

After all, it's only a game, right?

University of California Hit with Lawsuit Over its "Misgendering" Rules

This article first appeared in New English Review.

The University of California system is once again in the middle of a lawsuit. This latest one involves a civil complaint filed in federal court (Central District of California in Los Angeles) alleging that the university is actually disciplining students for the "heinous" offense of "misgendering," that is, referring to others using pronouns describing their gender at birth as opposed to how the affected person wishes to be identified. The lawsuit was filed by a conservative watchdog group called Defending Education on behalf of students as complainants.

The College Fix has an article on the lawsuit here. The article also has a link to the complaint document.

Here is my take, speaking as one who spent 18 years teaching English as a Second Language part-time at the UC Irvine Extension. This lawsuit is a welcome development, and I hope it is successful. Just as in the case of campus anti-Semitism, it has reached the point where lawsuits and the drying up of university funds are the only things that will bring true reform to our universities, and the University of California system needs reform badly. 

People who identify themselves as the opposite gender are to be sympathized with, given counseling, and treated with compassion. They are suffering from gender dysphoria. They should not be humiliated, harassed, or bullied by others. 

However, putting them on some sort of pedestal and catering to ("affirming") their dysphoria is not the solution, especially when others are punished simply for not using the preferred pronoun. There are countless cases where well-meaning people, with no harmful intent, have been punished by universities or employers for not using a preferred pronoun.  To me, it is especially egregious when universities engage in this type of thought policing when they, according to their own definition, are supposed to be places where thoughtful and civil discourse on controversial or difficult topics is supposed to rule the day. Unfortunately, that went away a long time ago. Ask any conservative or pro-Israel person who has ever spoken on a university campus.

It is unfortunate that people have to resort to lawfare to force universities to act rationally, but that is exactly what it takes. For years, the other side, the left, the Islamists, the pro-Palestinian activists, the LGBTQ lobby, and so many others have perfected the art. University administrators literally shake in their boots in the face of pressure groups like the Congress on American Islamic Affairs (CAIR). The result has been a wave of campus anti-Semitism that has festered for decades. Similarly, the LGBTQ community has exerted similar pressure. The results have been speech codes, preferred pronouns, entire departments devoted to LGBTQ studies, men in women's sports, and men in women's locker rooms. This goes far beyond the laudable goal of protecting LGBTQ students and others from harassment. It is time to stop the madness.

As much as I hate to say it, it is time to bring in the lawyers.

Germany: Another Grooming Case

Cologne

Just recently, we reported on a case involving sexual grooming in Nuremberg, in which a group of foreign-born men lured underage German girls into forced prostitution. This phenomenon has been occurring repeatedly in the United Kingdom, mostly at the hands of Pakistani men.

Now another case has arisen in the Cologne area, where three men have been arrested and accused of forcing underage girls into prostitution while robbing their clients. In addition, two others have been arrested as accomplices. The suspects were reportedly living in Cologne, Wesseling, Leverkusen, and Solingen. (Here's a fun fact: The notorious Nazi war criminal, Adolf Eichmann, was born in Solingen).

While several German news outlets are reporting the arrests, thus far, I have only found this article from Exxpress in Austria, which mentions that the men are of German-Moroccan, Macedonian, and Portuguese nationality. The article is translated by Fousesquawk. 

Forced prostitution, robberies of clients: Cologne shaken by grooming gangs

A gang in the Cologne area is accused of forced prostitution of minors and robberies of clients. Several suspects are in custody, accused of organized human trafficking.

July 1, 2026 at 09:30

Are these grooming gangs? A possibly sensational case. In the Cologne area, a gang allegedly forced underage girls into prostitution and robbed their clients. Three suspects, aged between 23 and 27, have been arrested by police, accused of organized human trafficking.

Arrest warrants against men from various countries

The accused have German-Moroccan, Portuguese, and Macedonian citizenship. Five apartments were searched in Cologne, Wesseling, Leverkusen, and Solingen, and mobile phones were also seized. The police believe there are 6 main perpetrators and two accomplices, as reported by Welt.

Forced into prostitution

At least one 17-year-old was allegedly forced into prostitution by the accused gang between October-November 2025. Another attempt against a 16-year-old was unsuccessful. Investigators also mention a possible rape. The suspects also allegedly lured two clients to a supposed sex date and robbed them using extreme bodily violence.

Germany: Custodial Battle Turns Deadly in Shelter

Frankfurter Allgemeine

*Update (July 3, 2026): The suspected shooter is now being (partially) identified in the German media as Fatih Kahn G. (45). In addition, Remix News (Hungary) is reporting that the female driver of the getaway car is a 65-year-old German woman named Sylvia S., who is reportedly a migration consultant and the godmother of the 3-month-old daughter of the alleged shooter. In addition, she is reportedly the mother-in-law of Deniz Kurku, a member of the Lower Saxony State Parliament for the Social Democrat Party (SPD), for which he is the migration minister, as reported by NIUS. Previously, the baby was examined for possible physical abuse, according to the above report.

If that isn't enough, WELT and other news outlets are reporting that the suspected shooter had previously escaped from Turkish police custody in 2021.

Today in the German town of Stade, near Hamburg, a 45-year-old man allegedly went to a shelter for mothers and their children and opened fire, killing 6 workers at the facility. He is allegedly the father of a 3-month-old child who was staying at the shelter with her mother. The motive for the rampage appears to be a custody battle between the mother and father. A custody hearing was scheduled for the same day.

Police responded and fired several shots at a car that was fleeing the scene with the suspect and a female driver. The tires were shot out and both have been taken into custody.  

The article below from Bild is translated by Fousesquawk. We are also working on adding English subtitles to a video of the actual arrest.

6 dead in Stade

It was about custodial rights for a baby!

All dead were employees of the mother-child-home

June 29, 2026 at 20:11

Stade (Lower Saxony)- Bloodbath in a child care facility: Six people died in a shooting in Stade on Monday. Five victims died at the scene, (and) a sixth succumbed to their serious wounds in a hospital in the evening.  According to the police, the background of the act is believed to be a custodial fight over a 3-month-old child. In the evening, investigators gave further details.

Shooting in mother-child home

The scene of the crime is located in a child care facility on Dankerstrasse (street) in Stade (Lower Saxony), which includes mother-child residential groups. All 6 fatalities, according to police, were in the building. Four women and a man died there. Four victims were killed immediately; a fifth died from their injuries in spite of resuscitation efforts. The sixth died later in the hospital. All of the victims were employees of the child care facility.

Police arrested the main perpetrator (45) from the Hannover area. He was born in Germany and is a Turkish citizen. The 45-old is known to police but not as a violent offender. According to the latest information, he does not possess a permit to carry the weapon he used.

According to police, the background for the bloody act is a custody dispute over a 3-month-old child. The 45-year-old main suspect is the father of the infant. On Monday, there was to be a custody hearing. The mother and daughter were staying in the mother-child home, which is also operated by the Hannover Youth Welfare Office.

An eyewitness described to "Focus Online" how a woman, together with a young man, reportedly tried to flee the scene of the crime in a car. A police officer called out: "Halt, stay where you are." As the car continued to drive off, several officers opened fire. According to witnesses, at least 10-15 shots were fired.

Police question 2 women

Two other women are under police investigation at this time and are being questioned. According to police, one of them is the mother (34) of the child. The (female) driver of the car (65) is also being questioned by police.

City Councilor Carsten Brokelmann stated in the name of the city administration: "I am grateful to the policewomen and policemen for their action in this chaotic situation." At the same time, he expressed "deep sympathy for the victims of this terrible act as well as their families". As to the background, at this time, nothing else could be said. He expressed confidence, however, that this would be cleared up soon. 

Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (70, CDU) announced on Monday evening: "The news from Stade is deeply shocking. Many people who wanted to help and protect (others) have lost their lives or were injured." He expressed his condolences to the victims and their families. "I thank the police men and women for their quick action." 

Information on the deadly crime can be submitted to the following address:

Polizei Niedersachsen Hinweisportal | Polizei Niedersachsen Hinweisportal

Insert: Transparency note:

During the evening press conference, the police initially stated that the perpetrator was a German with Turkish roots, and the woman who drove the getaway car and was being questioned by police was 55 years old. Later, the police corrected the information.

*Update, 6-29-2026: This article from Bild has a video showing the actual arrest, to which we have added English subtitles.. Hat tip Vlad Tepes, RAIR Foundation USA, and Gates of Vienna for the subtitling. Translation by Fousesquawk. (Note: You will have to sit through the ad. The actual video starts at the 26-second mark.)

Spain: Brutal Hammer Attack in Torre Pacheco (Murcia)

Torre Pacheco is a southeastern Spanish coastal town in the Murcia region. It is heavily populated by migrants from North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and violent crime is a serious problem in the city.

On Thursday, a man identified as an Algerian national was arrested after he violently attacked two men with a hammer on Avenida Juan Carlos 1. One victim, identified as a Senegalese citizen, was gravely injured by several blows from a hammer to the head. A second man, identified only as a Sub-Saharan African, suffered lesser injuries. The attacker, whom police suspect was trying to rob his victims, was arrested at the scene covered in the blood of his victims.

The article below from El Periodico is translated by Fousesquawk. 

Remix News (Hungary) has posted an English-language article (viewer warning) on the incident with two videos. It appears that a witness is calling emergency services and directing them to the scene, which is next to the Virgin of Pasico Driving School on Avenida Juan Carlos 1. (Hat tip Gates of Vienna).  

Arrested in Torre Pacheco for attacking two neighbors in the head with a hammer in the middle of the city

Murcia, 26 June 2026 at 09:53

A man was arrested on Thursday as the alleged perpetrator of an attack on two other persons in broad daylight in Torre Pacheco

The incident occurred around 6 pm on Juan Carlos I Avenue

According to what the Civil Guard told EFE (news), the arrested man, of Algerian nationality, attacked two men, one of Senegalese nationality, and the other of Sub-Saharan origin. 

The Senegalese citizen suffered extremely serious injuries after receiving several blows with a hammer and was taken to the Intensive Care Unit (UCI) of the Virgin of Arrixa Hospital. The second injured man suffered minor lesions.

The principal line of investigation indicates that the alleged attacker intended to rob the two victims before committing the violent attack, although the proceedings continue to be open to completely clarify what occurred. 

The arrested man was detained shortly after the incident, and the Civil Guard has taken charge of the investigation to determine the exact sequence of the attack and to establish the corresponding criminal responsibility.

*Update, June 30, 2026:  This is a video taken by a witness and carried on Spanish media. Hat tip Gates of Vienna, RAIR Foundation USA, and Vlad Tepes for subtitling. Translation by Fousesquawk.Viewer warning.

An Israeli Settlement in Italy Under Threat

This article first appeared in Times of Israel Blogs.

Valsesia (Piemonte) Italy

 There is an area in the Piemonte region of Northwest Italy called Valsesia, a series of valleys. One of the small towns in this area is Varallo. The mayor of Varallo, Pietro Bondetti, received a letter at the town hall about a week ago, along with a bullet inside the envelope. The letter, printed in stencil and signed by the “Anti-Zionist Movement”, drew attention to a settlement of about 70 Israeli families living in the area. The letter went on to state that they would not tolerate any more Israeli families and threatened to “start shooting if the settlement continued to grow. Here is an article from the Italian newspaper, La Stampa, which I have translated and which gives further details.

Aside from what is contained in the article, I can state that Mayor Bondetti has received support and solidarity from the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella. In addition, it is reported that the Israeli families living in the area are people who have chosen to get out of the Middle East to escape the wars and tensions that go along with them. They are reportedly not very religious and would not be considered as being real Zionists. These are people who are living quietly, renovating abandoned buildings, saving dying villages, and keeping a low profile.

I have been checking the local news for updates, but it seems that, as of this writing, there have been no arrests. The obvious question, especially given the situation in Europe, including Italy, is whether the writer(s) of this letter are Italians or immigrants, particularly from some Muslim country. At the risk of jumping the gun, I will offer a few thoughts as an American who lived in Italy for 5 years.

Either possibility exists. I do not consider Italians, as a people, to be anti-Jewish. However, the radical left in Italy, as elsewhere, has linked arms with the pro-Palestinian movement, and that implies at least a tolerance of anti-Semitism, in my view. In addition to the leftists and anarchists, the country has had its problems with organized mafias in Sicily, Calabria, and Naples. There was also the infamous Red Brigades of a few decades ago. So it is entirely possible that the letter writer(s) are Italians.

It is also entirely possible that they are people who have brought a centuries-old hatred for Jews with them as they migrated to Italy, legally or otherwise. If that is the case, it is hoped that once identified and prosecuted, they will be deported. But it is premature to make that claim.

There is another point that must not be overlooked here. If the writer(s) are only “anti-Zionist”, why would they threaten people who are not really Zionists and not overly religious? My only conclusion is that the real issue here is that they are Jews. If my reasoning is correct, whoever they are, it is another example of how the claim of so many millions of people that they are not anti-Jewish, just anti-Zionist, rings hollow.
Having never been to Israel, I cannot claim to be an expert here. It may be that some readers in Israel, who consider themselves Zionists, may not feel empathy for this group of Israeli exiles, people who have chosen to leave. With all due respect, however, what matters more is how the Italian people and the Italian state react to this very troubling incident. I believe they will step up and stand with this community because the Italian people are generally good and compassionate people, and this community, the Israelis, the mayor, and any other figures associated with the Israelis, must be supported. I have a feeling the writer(s) will be identified and punished for this act. If it involves non-Italians, I hope that punishment will include deportation.