Germany: Syrian Stabs 2 in Berlin

New Year's Eve is supposed to be a time for joy and partying, but in many Western European countries, it is a time for vandalism, burning cars, and violence, mostly at the hands of restive immigrant youth. In Berlin, things got off to an early start on  Tuesday morning as a Syrian refugee, supposedly a resident of Sweden, went on a stabbing rampage in the district of Charlottenburg. Two men were injured, one requiring hospitalization. 

As is the usual custom, police state that the man shows signs of mental illness. One newspaper is reporting that there is no indication of terrorism in the incident.

This, of course, can only add fuel to the fire when it comes to the question being asked of whether Syrian refugees should now be sent home after the fall of the Assad regime.

The below article from Berliner Morgenpost is translated by Fousesquawk.

Homicide squad investigates

Knife attack in Charlottenburg- Suspect mentally ill?

12-31-2024 19:12

-By Andreas Gandzior

Caption: The police had cordoned off a large area around the Rewe Supermarket in Charlottenburg.

Berlin- Police operation on Soemmeringstrasse (street) at the corner of Quedlinburgerstrasse. A Syrian resident of Sweden stabbed two men there.

On Tuesday around 11:50 am, police had to deploy on Soemmeringstrasse at the corner of Quedlinburgerstrasse. A person with a knife attacked several people there. Two people were taken to the hospital with injuries, one was since able to be released. That was confirmed by police in response to inquiries. As this editorial staff learned, the knife attack wasn't preceded by any argument. 

According to police, the Sweden-based Syrian suspect attacked both men in the Rewe Supermarket on Soemmeringstrasse and on the sidewalk in front of a hotel in the immediate vicinity. The suspect reportedly stabbed the two men, injuring both, with a stolen knife from the supermarket 

The Homicide Squad takes over the investigation

One man was released after outpatient treatment. The second is being treated at this time in a hospital. The investigation into an attempted murder has been taken over by the Homicide Squad of the Berlin State Police.

Initial findings indicate that the suspect may be showing signs of mental illness. The investigation is ongoing.

Caption: Police stand in front of the Rewe Supermarket and secure the area.

Charlottenburg: How the police operation was conducted

In the afternoon, police officers questioned witnesses to the knife attack. Forensic technicians were at the scene securing evidence. The entrance of the supermarket was largely cordoned off. Customers said they could enter the store only through the underground parking garage. Quedlinburgstrasse was completely closed between Soemmeringstrasse and Treseburgerstrasse.

According to Berliner Zeitung (newspaper), the perpetrator was stabbing wildly around himself. Accordingly, he was reported overpowered by several bystanders. The newspaper also claimed that there is no indication of a terrorist attack.

The exact background of the crime is still not clear. At the intersection,  young refugees live in a hotel, (and) on the opposite side of the street there is a refugee shelter for families. Whether there was a dispute between refugees is the subject of the investigation.

SJP: The Year in Review

I am cross-posting a current article running in Campus Reform highlighting some of the worst excesses of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) during 2024. Five example cases were chosen for the article. There actually have been many more on campuses across the country.

Missing from the article is the recent news that two sisters in Northern Virginia who have been active in the George Mason University (Fairfax, Virginia) chapter of SJP were the subjects of a police search of the home they share with their parents. Pursuant to a search warrant, the home of Jena and Noor Chanaa was searched on November 7. Found in the home were guns, ammunition, Hamas and Hezbollah flags, as well as signs reading, "Death to America" and "Death to Jews". Both sisters are suspected of involvement in campus vandalism at GMU as part of their pro-Palestinian "activism".

The Muslim Brotherhood in Europe (4): The View From France

 

This is the latest on our series of translations from original European articles on the Muslim Brotherhood in various countries in Europe, and it is the 4th on Europe in general, in this case, the European Commission. The below video appeared in the conservative French news outlet, Le Point, on January 24, 2022, and concerns the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood within the European Commission and the amount of funds it has received through various local organizations in Europe linked to the Brotherhood itself. It was linked this week on Le Point in conjunction with another Muslim Brotherhood-related article, which we also translated.

 The French captions in the video are translated into English subtitles with the assistance of Vlad Tepes, Gates of Vienna, and RAIR Foundation USA. The translation is by Fousesquawk.  Please note that some French captions do not appear in the video due to technical problems we are trying to remedy. The English captions do appear, however. The French captions are visible in the video in the original link here.

The Muslim Brotherhood in France (10)

This is the latest in our series of translations of original European articles on the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe and the 10th such article on France. This article comes from the conservative French news outlet, Le Point. It concerns the Institut européen de sciences humaines (European Institute of Human Sciences-IESH), which trains imams and Muslim theologians in France. According to the article, it is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The article is translated by Fousesquawk.

A Muslim institute for training raided in the Nièvre

The investigators are interested in the undeclared foreign financing reportedly received by the IESH, an establishment that trains imams and Muslim theologians near Château-Chinon.

-By Erwan Seznec

Published 12-4-2024 at 18:00

Caption: Muslim faithful in full prayer at the Grand Mosque in Paris

The public authorities are not relaxing the pressure on the European Institute of Human Sciences (IESH) in Saint-Léger-de-Fougeret. The Nevers Public Prosecutor's Office announced on Wednesday that a raid was conducted in this center, which trains imams and Muslim theologians.

The investigation reportedly related to alleged acts of money laundering and breach of public trust, as well as possible infractions of the provisions of the August 2021 law "reinforcing the principles of the Republic" as to declaring foreign financing. IESH reportedly secretly received subsidies from Persian Gulf countries. "The raid operation was fruitful," stated the Nevers prosecutor, Anne Lehaître.

Already this summer, IESH had problems. Following inspections by the youth and sports services, the prefect of the Nièvre had issued an order imposing the closure of the vacation camp beginning July 9. The institute filed an appeal without success.

Foreign funding proven

The fact that IESH is financed by foreign interests is no secret. During a hearing before a Senate fact-finding mission in 2016, Larabi Becheri, its director, had mentioned donations from "actual persons who could be foreigners, notably from the Gulf countries". Qatar was evoked in several intelligence notes. The question was, therefore, not knowing whether these foreign fundings existed, but if the regulation governing them was respected.

Created in 1990 with the blessing of the then-French government, IESH no longer has the smell of sanctity. The initial idea, validated by François  Mitterrand (from whence came the choice of a location in the Nièvre), was to Frenchify the training of imams and chaplains.

The authorities had chosen to turn to personalities gravitating within the Mulsim Brotherhood movement, whose image at that time was not as bad as it is today. The Union of Islamic Organizations in France (UOIF, later Muslims of France), was a leading interlocutor, an incarnation of modern Islam. The State quickly became disillusioned.

Another IESH in Saint-Denis

In 1994, Fayçal Mawlawi, a Muslim Brotherhood figure in Lebanon, founding member, and dean of IESH, was banned from France due to his connections with terrorist organizations! In 1997, the fundamentalist theologian, Youssef el-Qaradawi, an ultra-radical Brotherhood thinker, was invited to the first graduation ceremony.

Subsequently, the establishment assured on multiple occasions that it had distanced itself from the Brotherhood, posing as a model Republican institution, without being very convincing. One of its teachers in religious sciences was prohibited from traveling during the Olympic games in Paris in the name of preventing terrorist risks.

IESH in Paris (in reality based in Saint-Denis), twin brother of that in the Nièvre, was the object of a temporary administrative closure in 2019. Among its former students, appears Inès Madani, condemned to 30 years imprisonment for having attempted to blow up a car near the Notre Dame (Cathedral) in September 2016.

Netherlands: After Assad, Do Syrian Refugees Return?

This week, I posted an article stating that now that Bashar Assad is gone from Syria, it is time for the Syrian refugees to go home. If the celebrations carried out in December in German Christmas markets are any indication, it seems the vast majority of Syrians are happy with the fact that Assad is gone and an Islamist government has taken power.

Apparently, the left-wing Dutch newspaper, Volkskrant, has a different take. The below article is translated by Fousesquawk.

 Assad's fall will influence the stay -or departure-of the Syrians in the Netherlands

-By Caroline Vos, 27 December 2024

The new (dis)order

The geopolitical cards have been reshuffled in 2024 in many ways. Both nationally and internationally, it seems a new order-or-disorder has emerged. The Volkskrant Commentary discusses the most important shifts at the end of the year. Today Part 4: Syrian refugees.

The year 2024 seemed to end with few bright points; with wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, which dragged on without hope, and the rise of populist and radical-right anti-migration parties that seemed primarily bent on disruption. But in December, the Syrian dictator, Bashar al-Assad, fell completely unexpectedly after a rapid and orderly push by the rebel army of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

The joy among Syrians, including the 14 million displaced persons and refugees worldwide, was immense. After 13 years of civil war, there was finally hope for peace, for a return, for reunification with families, but also for finding the truth and justice after the crimes of the brutal Assad regime.

Behind the initial euphoria, there is also fear. Minorities worry over the promise by HTS-leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa to form an inclusive interim government. Will he respect the rights of Christians and women, for example? 

Moreover, it is feared worldwide that neighboring countries will take advantage of the power vacuum, and that radical Islamist armies such as the Islamic State will reemerge once again.

Caption: Syrians protest on 27 October in the Hague against cabinet plans to declare parts of Syria safe so that Syrians must return. Image-Marcel van den  Bergh/de Volkskrant

Millions of Syrian refugees would consider returning if, in fact, there was a lasting peace in Syria, especially in the neighboring countries of Turkey and Lebanon, where many refugees are living in poor conditions. But also in Europe, where many refugees have admittedly been received warmly and are well established, but many are also increasingly confronted with Islamophobia and xenophobia, or for too long, have seen their lives ticking away in idleness awaiting their procedures-working and study have been long since banned.  

The bleak anti-migration mood now stands in shrill contrast with ten years previous, when, in one year's time, one million Syrians made the dangerous crossing over sea from Turkey to Greece. The images of the dead three-year-old boy, Aylan, who washed ashore on a Turkish beach in a red t-shirt brought about a wave of compassion echoed in the legendary words, " We can do this".

Since then, refugees and migrants have divided Europe to the core. For ten years, the member states have failed to develop a humane migration policy or share the burden equally. The result is everyone for himself. Reinstitution of border controls and shoving the problem to neighboring countries, in which deals with autocratic leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, or Libya are not shied away from.

Also in the Netherlands, migrants and refugees have been declared as "enemies", by which xenophobia can further continue and can further divide society. The lowest point was the idea of PVV-leader, Geert Wilders, this summer of sending Syrians back to parts that were supposedly safe in the Syria of Assad, a cruel dictator who locked up opponents and tortured them to death in mass prisons. Due to the unexpected fall of Assad, the process of sending Syrians back-ironically enough- would be expedited, but hopefully would be done voluntarily. 

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

Fousesquawk comment: As I previously pointed out, some  Syrian refugees are valid and some were fleeing ISIS as opposed to Assad's henchmen. Law-abiding people in that category are entitled to a fair hearing. Unfortunately, far too many young males have questionable allegiances. Does the Netherlands really want any who were allied with either Assad or ISIS? And what about those who were committing crimes in the Netherlands or other European countries? As I previously pointed out, it is not just Syrians who are wreaking havoc in Europe. There are North Africans (most notably, Moroccans), Afghans, Chechens, and many others. The Dutch and their neighbors can be humane to true refugees while getting rid of the troublemakers. The objection I have to the above article is that it doesn't even mention the Syrians who have caused problems in the Netherlands, which is the real reason why so many Dutch want to send them back. The Dutch are not xenophobic. The problem is that their hospitality has been abused by too many refugees-if they are truly refugees.

It's Time for the Syrian "Refugees" to Go Home

This article first appeared in New English Review. 

Stuttgart Christmas Market

-Bild

With the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, many countries in Western Europe, particularly Germany, should use the opportunity to send the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees back home. Recent events in Germany during the Christmas season have driven this fact home.

As in every year for the past decade or so, European Christmas markets have required beefed-up security so as to head off Islamic terrorist attacks, such as occurred in Berlin in 2013 and Strasbourg (France) in 2018. Indeed, on December 20, the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany was attacked by a Saudi national in a car.  Five people lost their lives and over 100 were injured. Curiously, the suspect claims to be an apostate from Islam who was reportedly angry at Germany for not doing more to help other Saudi apostates. This claim has been challenged, and as I write, German police and intelligence are trying to sort this question out.

That aside, several other German Christmas markets, while not suffering deadly attacks, have seen their celebrations disrupted by thousands of young men and women celebrating the fall of Assad with Syrian flags, Arabic music, and Arabic chants including, of course, "Allahu Akhbar". These disruptions have taken place in Essen, Stuttgart, Aachen, Duesseldorf, Hamm, Bonn, Solingen, and other cities. The disrupters are described as "Syrians", but no doubt include other Arab nationalities as well.

Hardly the way to win friends and influence people.

So now the question being raised by Germans and other Western Europeans is simply: If they were fleeing the Syrian regime, and if Assad is now gone, much to their delight, shouldn't they now go back home? The answer is obvious, but the question is how many will. After all, life is good in Europe. 

I assume nobody (in their right mind) is asking former Chancellor, Angela Merkel for her opinion. It was her decision to open the floodgates to Syrian refugees in 2015. The result was millions of mostly young Syrian males (and other nationalities) flooding into Germany and other Western European countries (with Merkel's encouragement). Unfortunately, all too many have shown their gratitude by spreading jihadist ideology and contributing to violent street crime. Far too many people have died, and far too many women have been raped or molested.

Nobody laments the fact that the Assad regime has fallen, both Bashar and his father, Hafez Assad, were brutal dictators, responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of Syrians in the most brutal manner. Sadly for the world, what comes after them are jihadists who will impose Sharia law and export terrorism to their neighbors and Europe, not to mention Israel, their next-door neighbor.  

This month's events in Christmas markets in Germany (and Austria) can only reinforce the anger people feel towards "refugees" who spit on their customs and values, not to mention their Judeo-Christian heritage. Churches, and synagogues across Western Europe have been vandalized and desecrated. Priests have been murdered in France and Spain, and the plight of European Jewry is well-known, thanks to the recent migrants and the lax policies of the respective governments.

The Magdeburg incident may be the final straw for Germany. The Olaf Sholtz government has fallen, and new elections are scheduled for early next year. The powers that be in Germany are deathly afraid that the conservative Alternatif fuer Deutschland (AfD) party will prevail and its leader, Alice Weidel, may be the next chancellor. If that comes to pass, and I hope it will, expect action.

To be fair, it's not just the Syrians. The Moroccan Mafia (Mocro Maffia) controls the drug trade in the Netherlands and Belgium. They are particularly vicious and murderous. Afghans are a huge problem when it comes to violent crime and jihadist attacks. Italy has a very bloodthirsty Nigerian mafia. The Chechens are a huge problem in Austria. I could go on and on.

In addition, the US has accepted Syrian refugees, but as I see it, the biggest problem and danger they pose here is the ever-present danger of radicalization as opposed to street crime. For Europe, the problem is acute in every way, and many state openly that it is too late, and that Europe is lost. I pray that there is still hope, but action must come fast. I recognize that some Syrian cases for asylum are valid, and some may have fled the jihadists. However, this is a golden opportunity for Germany and other Western European countries to rid themselves of the Syrian bad apples and the thugs who would disrupt Christmas markets. 

I hope they take it.

Netherlands: First 5 "Jew-Hunt" Pogrom Defendants Sentenced

-ANP

This week, the first 5 defendants to be tried in the infamous soccer pogrom last month in Amsterdam were sentenced to various items of imprisonment for their roles in attacking Jews in Amsterdam after a soccer match between Ajax of Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The below article from Nieuwrechts (nl) is translated by Fousesquawk.

First "Jew-hunters" receive sentences handed down by judge

News 24 December 2024 Editorial Staff

After the "Jew hunt" that took place after the football (soccer) match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, there were several men involved (as) reported by the Public Prosecutor's Office. The first five "Jew-hunters" have been sentenced by the judge to up to six months in jail, De Telegraaf reports.

What sentences were handed down?

On the night of 7-8 November,  fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv, in particular, were attacked by the so-called "Jew-hunters". The five men who received their sentences today from the court received various sentences handed down after the trial of December 11-12.

Only Lucas D. showed up to hear the judge's ruling. The others said the media attention was "uncomfortable" and stayed home.

Lucas D. was prosecuted according to juvenile criminal law and received one hundred hours of community service. The prosecutor had asked for six months in jail, half of which would be conditional. Lucas was convicted of public violence. The judge sees his violence above all as hooligan violence.  Moreover, Lucas had a cobra, strictly illegal fireworks, in his pocket, and according to a witness, threw a pole at a riot police bus.

Ultimately, Sefa Ö got the heaviest sentence after the court concluded that he had committed open violence against several people. The court regarded several incidents to be proven, for which Sefa got six months in jail, with credit for time served. The Public Prosecutor's Office (OM) had requested two years in jail, with six months conditional.

After the hairdresser was recognized in camera images, Sefa could no longer deny that he was guilty of the physical abuse of several people. Sefa's lawyer tried to put the neutrality of the court into question after Geert Wilders spoke out that he saw a terrorist motive in Sefa's actions. According to the court, Sefa was treated in a neutral manner.

Umutkan A. committed acts of violence against one person. The Public Prosecutor had (requested) eight months in jail with three months conditional. Umutkan allegedly kicked someone in the face and spoke in texts about "hunting Jews". He got a jail sentence of one month with credit for time served (pre-trial detention).

Rachid O. received ten weeks in jail with credit for time served. The prosecutor had asked for six months, of which two were conditional. Rachid was especially active in the notorious Buurthuis 2, ("Community Center 2") neighborhood app, where there were calls for violence against Jews. Rachid wrote texts such as, "I may never get this chance to hit Jews again", "Aren't there any Jews killed or stabbed? In critical condition or in intensive care?" and  "Pop 'em". Rachid also asked people in the group to share locations of Jews.

Karava S. was also active in Buurthuis 2. He received a jail sentence of one month, with credit for time served. His sentence was served in pre-trial detention. Karavan worked in a hotel and shared information with the group as to where the Israeli football players were staying and which flights they would take. According to the judge, this makes him partially responsible for the violence.

The Public Prosecutor's Office stated that it was not satisfied with the sentences handed down, which are significantly lower than those requested. The Public Prosecutor's office will study the rulings and determine whether it will appeal.

P-Diddy's Christmas Album

Germany: Stuttgart and Essen Christmas Markets Disrupted by Muslims Chanting "Allahu Akhbar"

-Bild

-Bild

This story is about 10 days old, but the Stuttgart Christmas Market was disrupted last week by reportedly 4-5,000 thousand "Syrians" chanting "Allahu Akhbar", playing Arabic music, and celebrating the fall of Bashar Assad. This link from Signal Online.de, dated December 14,  has a video showing what happened in Stuttgart. Reportedly, other similar events across Germany and Austria were also disrupted, notably in Essen. This link from Apollo News has a video of what took place in Essen on December 8 at the city Christmas Market.

Translations are pending.

*Update: The above Signal article is translated by Fousesquawk.

"Allahu Akhbar" at the Stuttgart Christmas Market

Last updated 14 December 2024

"Allahu Akhbar" and Oriental music at the Stuttgart Christmas Market. "Bild" Newspaper quotes the Islam expert, Ahmad Mansour: "Consciously using Christmas markets for demonstrations is disrespectful and tasteless. There are other ways to celebrate the end of a tyrant without stirring up cultural tensions."

*Update: Here is our translation from the above Apollo News article on the events in Essen.

North Rhine Westphalia

December 10, 2024

After the fall of Assad: Thousands of Syrians parade through Essen Christmas Market

-Jonas Aston

After the fall of the Syrian ruler, Assad, around 11,000 Syrians gathered. In the center of the city, traffic came to a temporary standstill. In addition, the demonstrators marched through the Christmas Market. 

Caption: After the fall of Assad, around 11,000 demonstrators gathered.

On Sunday, around 11,000 persons gathered in Essen to celebrate the fall of the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Actually, only 300 people were (expected) for the demonstration. The demonstration took place in the Essen inner city around Jakob-Funke Square. There were also numerous demonstrators out on the Kettwiger Strasse (street) and at the Central Train Station. Among others, hundreds of Syrians marched through the Essen Christmas Market.

In Essen, meanwhile, chaos reigned. The Essen police speak of "serious traffic disruptions and numerous traffic jams". The protest itself is described as "emotional and boisterous". Police helicopters have been deployed to monitor the disturbances in the city area. There are also violations of public order and laws reported, including the use of fireworks and the firing of blank pistols.

In addition to the gathering, there were also auto processions. Honking cars drove through the inner city and temporarily brought traffic to a complete standstill. In Essen alone, about 16,000 Syrians are residing. The demonstrators, according to police, however, came from all over Germany, some even from the Netherlands.

The demonstrations were not only in Essen, but in numerous cities in North Rhine Westphalia alone. One thousand people gathered in Wuppertal. In Bonn, Muenster, Duesseldorf, Aachen, Hamm, Siegen, and Solingen, several hundred people came together. An anticipated event in Cologne did not take place. The day before, 1,000 people of Syrian origin came together in Dortmund.

Fousesquawk 2024 Jerk of the Year is Alvin Bragg

New York City DA Alvin Bragg is the winner of this year's Golden Penguin as the Fousesquawk Jerk of the Year. As usual, there was a lot of competition, including the president himself, Joe Biden. I have never chosen a president as Jerk of the Year simply out of respect for the office, but I almost broke precedent this year.

Nevertheless, Bragg deserves this award. A Soros-supported DA, Bragg has never believed in putting people in jail, preferring to allow them on the streets terrorizing the public. However, he made an exception for former President Trump prosecuting him on trumped-up charges of paying off a woman he reportedly had sex with (Stormy Daniels) in order to influence the 2016 (federal) presidential election. He even gained a conviction, which is no compliment to the NYC jury pool. Now that Trump has been re-elected, the case is disappearing, but not to be deterred, Bragg has requested that sentencing be postponed until after Trump leaves office in 2029.

Then he prosecuted Daniel Penny for the death of a man who was threatening subway passengers and was restrained by Penny until police arrived. It was a clear message that good Samaritans had better not get involved. Better to allow the city's subways be controlled by violent and crazy criminals. Fortunately, Penny was acquitted.

Hopefully, Bragg won't be in his current position come next year. If he is, he has a good chance of repeating and holding his crown as Fousesquawk's Jerk of the Year.

Alice Weidel (AfD) Speaks in Magdeburg After the Terrorist Attack.

Today, Alice Weidel, the leader of the Alternatif fuer Deutschland (AfD) party, spoke in Magdeburg at a rally to commemorate the victims of the December 20 car attack that killed five people, including a 9-year-old boy. I am cross-posting a video of the speech as posted by RAIR Foundation USA, Vlad Tepes, and Gates of Vienna. Weidel, who is now a candidate to become chancellor in upcoming elections, spoke with emotion and anger. She was apparently not well, and during her speech, there was a medical emergency for someone in the crowd. This event was organized by AfD. The video has English subtitles and is worth watching.

The Magdeburg Attacker: What Is the Truth?

This article first appeared in New English Review. 

Taleb al Abdulmohsen

For several years now, the Christmas season has brought special angst to Europeans trying to celebrate the holidays. What should be a time of joy has become a time for police to take special precautions against Islamist terror. In particular, the traditional Christmas markets have become targets for jihadists. That is particularly true in Germany, where the Christmas markets in cities are the most traditional. Most significantly, the Germans recall with horror the car attack at Berlin's Christmas market in 2013 where 13 died. 

Now comes the December 20 car attack at Magdeburg's Christmas Market, which has claimed the lives of 5 people, including a nine-year-old child. The accused perpetrator is Taleb al Abdulmohsen, a Saudi national who came to Germany in 2016 and is a doctor of psychiatry no less. To add more confusion, he claims to be a Muslim apostate who has supported many other Muslim apostates, especially Saudi women, in escaping from their country and coming to Europe. Abdulmohsen has been very vocal in recent years about what he claims is Germany's mistreatment of Muslim apostates. It has now been reported in many news outlets that Saudi Arabia had been sending alerts to German police about this man and his violent nature for several years. What is that all about? Was it an attempt to silence an opponent, an apostate, or a genuine concern that he was a terror risk?  One thing is known: The man was known to the German police for previous threats of violence.

And to add more fuel to the fire, just days before that attack, Abdulmohsen was interviewed by the conservative blog sites, RAIR Foundation USA and Vlad Tepes, in which he aired his claims about Germany not doing more to help apostates in their country. He actually was much harsher than that. He accused German authorities of deliberately destroying the lives of apostates in their country, particularly Saudi women. It appears that on other social media he has threatened Germany and its people based on the above claims. (He did not make any violent threats during the above interview with Vlad Tepes and RAIR.)

What are we to make of all this?

At the moment, there are many conflicting theories about Abdulmohsen. Many are claiming that he is a fake apostate, a mole spying on Saudis in Germany for the Saudi regime. Others point to social media postings he has reportedly made. There are screenshots attributing statements to him and statements by some who knew him that cast doubt on his apostate claims.

In addition, many point out the obvious question: Why would a Saudi national attack a Christmas market if he was truly an apostate, an Islamophobe as the German media calls him, quoting the words of  Interior Minister Nancy Faeser? Why didn't he target a mosque?

In short, the Internet and social media have exploded worldwide with conflicting claims and people expressing their opinions on this horrific crime and its motivation. That is the big question that remains in this case-the motivation. It is obvious that Abdulmohsen, clearly a seriously ill man, hated Germany and Germans. What we are wondering is why did he actually hate them? Was it as he said, that Germany has not assisted apostates from Islam, or was he actually a fake apostate who attacked the Christmas market for same reason that the Berlin attacker committed his crime in 2016, or the Strasbourg (France) Market attacker in 2018 that killed 5, that is, a jihadist attack against the infidels?

The German media appears to have completely bought into the Islamophobia theory. Of course, that would fit in with their usual narrative. The media and the left in Germany have used this attack to target the conservative political party, Alternatif fuer Deutschland (AfD), which is strongly against continued mass migration of people from Islamic countries. There are elections coming up after the recent collapse of the government, and the left in Germany is worried about the possibility that AfD leader Alice Weidel may become the next chancellor. AfD, in contrast, is calling this attack just another example of how Islamic immigration has damaged the country, thanks to former chancellor Angela Merkel's open border policy that began in 2015. Abdulmohsen reportedly has made social media posts that praise AfD. The party, in turn, states that he was not a member. And on it goes.

I consider myself a counter-jihadist, much like my friends at RAIR and Vlad Tepes, with whom I have collaborated for years in translating news reports about this issue coming out of Europe. They are shocked at what this man did just days after the above interview, in which Abdulmohsen gave no hint that he was about to commit this act of terror against innocent Germans. Whatever his motive, he must be condemned for this act, and I see nobody defending this-except for three unidentified persons in Magdeburg who were seen celebrating the event a few blocks away just after the fact. They have been arrested, but, as is the custom in Germany, not publicly identified.

As one who spent nearly 30  years in law enforcement, including 3 in Germany (US Army Military Police)  and 5 in Italy (DEA), let me take off my counter-jihad hat and put my law enforcement hat back on. During my career, I had many occasions to work with the German police, both as an MP in Germany and as a DEA agent stationed in Italy. Whatever shortcomings the German police and intelligence may have, they are very efficient investigators. From what I see, the Western European police and intelligence are quite good at solving crimes and putting the pieces together after the fact. One of the major problems I see is that the German police -like their colleagues all over Western Europe- are handcuffed to some extent by their political leaders. Make no mistake, Western Europe is suffering from poor political leadership, and political correctness rules the day. All too often, we have seen these mass murderers and terrorists dismissed as mentally ill. Often the public is never informed that perpetrators are jihadists. In recent years, attackers in Germany have been described as "southerners" as if they might be beer-swilling guys from Bavaria with pot bellies and wearing lederhosen and funny green hats.

 My point is this: I believe that the German police will eventually determine what this man's motive was, if they don't already know. They will clear up all these questions and doubts that are flying all over the Internet and social media. It may be that the facts will all be divulged at the time of trial. The question that many have is whether the powers that be in Germany will allow the truth to come out if, in fact, it goes against their preferred narrative, that he was simply a mixed-up Islamophobe. I also share the concern of many that Germany is trying to clamp down and control public opinion as to the whole issue of mass Islamic migration and the resultant crime and terror that have come with it. Not wanting to stoke the fires of resentment against innocent foreigners in general is reasonable. However, not informing or misinforming the public as to the dangers that exist is inexcusable. The decision to let in hundreds of thousands or millions of young Muslim men has been a disaster for Germany and all of Western Europe. Every time an innocent person is murdered or raped by these migrants or "asylum-seekers", the government has blood on its hands. It may very well be that the German government was negligent over the past years with Abdulmohsen and the warning signs that were out there about this man. 

But this is the situation we are left with. We are all, including myself, speculating. At this point, as a former investigator, I still have an open mind as to his motive. Is the truth out there somewhere on the Internet and social media? Is it in the German media?  Whatever the truth is, German authorities have a moral duty to be transparent and tell their public what that truth is. And whatever the truth is about the attacker and his motives, there is no justification for this heinous act. I say prosecute the man to the full extent of the law, let the truth about his motives come out, and hopefully, the Germans will go about the task of making their Christmas markets and the country as a whole safe again.

  

Germany: What Really Was the Motive for the Magdeburg Attack?

Magdeburg

Yesterday's car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany now has a revised official death toll: Five people, including a 9-year-old child, were killed and over 200 injured. The driver of the car has been identified as 50-year-old Talib al Abdul Mohsen, a doctor from Saudi Arabia who had been living and working in the town of Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt since he immigrated to Germany in 2006.

But it is his motive that is and will be the topic of discussion for some time. It is not so clear as it seemed yesterday.

As I have previously posted on this blog, I collaborate with three other like-minded blogs to report on and translate news coming out of Europe pertaining to terrorism, radical Islam, criminal migrants, and anti-Semitic acts. The three other sites are Vlad Tepes, Gates of Vienna, and RAIR Foundation USA. In that vein, I translated the news report (from Welt) coming out of Magdeburg as well as a video from Berliner Morgenpost. At that time, the suspect was only identified as a Saudi doctor (50) partially identified as Taleb A. The initial assumption was that this was an act of jihad.

Now it is not so clear. On December 12, this very same man, then-identified as Dr. Talib al Abdul Mohsan, was interviewed via Skype by Vlad Tepes and RAIR. In a 44-minute interview, he described himself as an apostate from Islam who was an activist helping Saudi apostates and apostates from other Muslim countries escape their countries and come to Germany. In the interview, he sharply criticized Germany for its alleged mistreatment of apostate refugees, particularly Saudi women. 

While he made no specific threats against Germany during the interview, given yesterday's attack, we are all left scratching our heads. German media sources and from other countries are starting to report that the suspect was believed to be a fan of Alternatif fuer Deutschland (AfD) the far-right party that wants to halt mass Muslim migration into Germany. This is apparently based on his social media activity. (AfD denies that he was a member of the party.) Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, is calling him an "Islamophobe". Others believe he is lying about his status of being an apostate pointing to the method of attack and questioning why an apostate from Islam would attack non-Muslims in this manner. 

The point is that we will have to await the results of the German police investigation to determine the truth. Vlad Tepes notes that, at the time of the interview, the man appeared credible. I applaud Vlad Tepes and RAIR for coming out and posting this interview subsequent to the tragedy. Above all, it is the truth that matters most of all. The victims and their families deserve nothing less than the full truth. Whatever his motive, this heinous act cannot be excused.

-Deutsche Welle

Germany Terrorist Car Attack in Magdeburg at Christmas Market

 There has been a car attack on the Christmas Market in Magdeburg. Reports of dead are varying, but the Berliner Morgenpost is reporting at least 11 dead and over 60 injured. The driver is reportedly in custody. Welt reports the driver is from Saudi Arabia. We are working on translating German news reports.

Rescue workers at Magdeburg Christmas Market

-MSN

-Volkstimme.de

From Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, here is a shot from a surveillance camera that has been posted on X purportedly showing the black BMW plowing into the crowd,

Here is a partial translation from Welt. It will be updated as the translation progresses. Translation by Fousesquawk. Also note that this article is still being updated by Welt, so there will be some discrepancies. The latest update states that the suspect is a doctor living in Saxony-Anhalt.

Sachsen-Anhalt

Attack in Magdeburg-Suspect from Saudi Arabia arrested

Posted 21:21

Caption

An auto has driven into a crowd of people at the Magdeburg Christmas Market. Numerous rescue services are deployed. The driver is reportedly under arrest.

Sixty to eighty people have been injured in an attack at the Christmas Market in Magdeburg, (and) at least one is dead. A suspect has been arrested. According to Welt's information, he is a man from Saudi Arabia.

A driver has driven a car into a crowd of people at the Christmas Market in Magdeburg. Government spokesperson Matthias Schuppe confirmed to Welt that is was an attack. Also according to city spokesperson Michael Reif, the initial status is "an attack on the Christmas Market". The alleged perpetrator is in police custody. From security circles, Welt learned that he is reportedly a man from Saudi Arabia who was born in 1974.

According to the above (report), before the crime, he rented a car, which he drove to the Christmas Market. According to Welt's information, a piece of luggage was found on the passenger seat. It is not clear if explosive materials were possible inside. This scenario is not yet ruled out by the authorities. The police are also (investigating) whether the driver acted alone.

The car, with which the perpetrator drove "at least 400 meters into the Christmas Market" into the crowd of people, is reportedly still at the location, explained a police spokesperson. It is reportedly a BMW. The (French) news agency AFP reports, citing the command center of the rescue services, there are "60-80 injured". The MDR cites the police that there is at least one dead. Bild and Magdeburger Volkstimme both report at least 11 dead.

According to MDR, the head of the Christmas Market called for (people) to leave the center city. In the meantime, the police blocked off the city center. Drivers should avoid the Magdeburg city center, Volkstimme reports. Pedestrians were ordered by megaphone to leave the city center. According to Bild, the police are searching the closed-off area of the Christmas market for explosives.  

Sirens, blue lights, firefighters: The Christmas Market is swarming with ambulances and paramedics, the German Press Agency reports. At a large Christmas pyramid, the injured are being treated. According to MDR, at Halle an der  Saale, about 80 kilometers away, all the hospitals are preparing to receive the injured. All the rescue helicopters in the greater Halle area are flying to Magdeburg. 

The Christmas Market is located on the Old Market next to the Magdeburg Town Hall near the Elbe. On X platform, videos were seen in the evening in which numerous emergency vehicles were seen. A witness reported to Volkstimme, the perpetrator headed to the Fairy Tale area of the Christmas Market where many families were walking around. She herself and her child were just able to jump to the side.

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), reacted with consternation. "My thoughts are with the victims and their families. Stand at your side and at the side of the people of Magdeburg," Scholz wrote on X. "My thanks to the responding rescue workers in these frightful hours."

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had recently repeated her call for Christmas Market visitors to be vigilant. There were currently no concrete indications of danger, the SPD politician said at the end of November. "But given the heightened abstract threat situation, we have further reason for greater vigilance and for taking consistent actions for our safety."

The act is reminiscent of the terror attack on the Christmas Market on Breidscheidplatz in Berlin, which was just commemorated for the 8th time on Thursday. On 19 December 2016, an Islamist terrorist hijacked a truck and drove it into the Christmas market. In this crime, a total of 13 people died, one, years later as a consequence. More than 70 people were injured, many of them seriously. The attacker fled to Italy where he was shot by police.

This article will be continuously updated.

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This concludes the translation of this article. As noted, it is subject to updates.

*Update: This video from Berliner Morgenpost is translated by Fousesquawk. Hat tip Vlad Tepes and Gates of Vienna for the subtitling. The headline in the upper left-hand corner reads: "Suspect is a doctor:"

Gates of Vienna has video of the incident as it happened.

Volkstimme (Magdeburg) is reporting that according to the latest updates, two are confirmed dead, one adult and one small child. The driver is partially identified as Taleb A., a Saudi doctor residing in Germany. There are also reports based on his social media that he "follows" Alternatif fuer Deutschland, the right-wing party that opposes mass Muslim immigration into Germany. I suppose this will all be sorted out in the coming days.

Netherlands:Possible Motive in Explosion in the Hague

Today’s edition of De Telegraaf partially identifies one of the suspects being held in the December 7 explosion in The Hague that killed six people. Moshtag B. (33), who resides in Rotterdam, reportedly had a relationship with the female owner of Aliyah’s Styling, a bridal shop that police believe was the target of the explosion.

Moshtag B. is described as an “ex friend” of the owner. He reportedly had recently tried to sell the woman’s Range Rover. This vehicle was also set on fire during the incident on December 7.

On December 1, two of the other three suspects were stopped by police in Oosterhout while sitting in a vehicle with Jerry cans, torches, and heavy fireworks. They were only detained a short time and released.

*Update (12-19-2024). RTL Nieuws is now giving partial names (first names) for the other three suspects.

Ilyas (23) from Rosendaal

Mourad (29) from Rosendaal

Adil (33) from Oosterhout

Netherlands: The Explosion in the Hague-Update

Algemeen Dagblad

The below article from De Telegraaf is dated December 13, and I believe is still the latest update. Four suspects are in custody after the explosion in the Hague that took 6 lives on December 7. No names have been released just ages and places of residence. They reside in the Rotterdam and Brabant areas of the Netherlands. It appears though not publicly confirmed that this is gang-related.

The translation is by Fousesquawk.

Three Brabanders and a Rotterdammer held after mega-explosion in the Hague

-By Gerda Frankenhuis and Marcel Vink

13 Dec 2024 in Domestic

(Attorney) Spong representing suspect

The Hague- The 4 suspects who were arrested late Monday for involvement in the enormous explosion on Tarwekamp (street) in the Hague, in which 6 innocent people were killed, come from Rotterdam, Roosendaal, and Oosterhout. One of the suspects is being represented by Attorney Gerard Spong.

Caption: Flowers hang on the fences on the Tarwekamp.

The 4 who were placed in handcuffs come from Rotterdam (33 years), Roosendaal (29 and 23), and Oosterhout (33), as reported by the Public Prosecutor's Ministry (OM) on Friday. They were arrested at their residences.

The four were taken before an examining magistrate on Friday afternoon in the Hague, who ruled that they would remain in custody for another 14 days. All 4 are suspected of arson and causing an explosion in which 6 people died and 4 persons were injured. In addition, they are suspected of setting a car on fire and they reportedly met earlier to prepare to commit arson.

Total restrictions

The public prosecutor, due to the importance of the investigation, will not make any further statement over the current status of the investigation, the possible motive, or possible cause of the explosion.

"In addition, all the suspects are in full restrictive custody, which means that they can only have contact with their attorney. That also makes the Public Prosecutor's Ministry reluctant to share information," according to the authorities. The 4 will appear before the Council Chamber on December 24, who will then rule if they must remain in custody longer.

Gerard Spong

One of the lawyers for the suspects, Gerard Spong, cannot comment on the case due to the restrictions. Spong earlier did not want to say how old his client is or where he resides.

The investigation into the disaster that destroyed a residential block of 5 apartments and 3 shops is in full progress. According to investigators, the Aliyah's Styling bridal dress shop was very likely the target of the attacks.

The Case for Biden Mass Pardons

 President Biden appears to be setting off on a orgy of pardons before he leaves office. Aside from taking some attention away from the Hunter Biden pardon, Biden reportedly is seriously considering pardoning anyone and everyone he suspects the new Trump Justice Department may be intending to prosecute. If he does, there may be a silver lining.

While I believe in accountability for those who broke the law and/or abused their power in trying to put Trump behind bars, what I really want to see is reform as opposed to retaliation. Clearly, the Department of Justice and FBI are in need of serious reform.  Will that be accomplished by the Trump administration trying to do what the Biden administration did to him, or to parents speaking out at school board meetings, or non-violent January 6 offenders? (In my view, those who committed vandalism and mayhem, not to mention assaulting police on January 6 at the Capitol, deserved to be prosecuted as opposed to those who merely strolled past guards and took selfies while standing around.) 

Do we risk falling into a pattern every 4 years of an incoming administration trying to put the past administration in jail? That's what third world countries do. Trump has stated that the best revenge is success on the part of his second administration. I hope he sticks to that. 

But the point I am driving at is that if Biden wants to pardon people like Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Liz Cheney, James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Andrew Weissman, Peter Strzok, and the whole gang who tried so hard to submarine Trump, I say let him. All that will do is cement his legacy as the worst, the most corrupt president in US history. It would also cement the dark cloud that will follow these characters the rest of their lives. I have thought long and hard about this because I really believe that some of these people committed crimes and betrayed the public trust. Having said that, I really fear that this could become a recurring pattern in US politics.

I say let Trump take the high road and task his new AG, who I believe will be Pam Bondi (a good choice), and whoever the FBI director turns out to be, with bringing true reform and public trust back to DOJ and the FBI. Let Biden take the low road and further embarrass himself by giving out blanket pardons to his team of miscreants. Hopefully, it will leave such a bad taste in the public's mouth that we will do away with presidential pardons once and for all. It's one part of our Constitution I think needs to be changed.

Of course, Trump could leave egg on my face if he comes into office and issues a mass of questionable pardons himself on Day One.

Trump's Pick for DOJ/OCR Is a Home Run

 

Harmeet Dhillon

Harmeet  Dhillon is President-elect Donald Trump's choice to head the Office of Civil Rights within the Department of Justice. I am very happy with this nomination.

Dhillon has been very outspoken in her condemnation of the anti-Semitic wave that has been plaguing our universities for far too long. She has condemned the pro-Palestinian mobs and the universities that have failed to bring them under control.

This is a problem that has been festering for over two decades now, and it has only gotten worse since October 7, 2023. Those who are wreaking havoc on our campuses and supporting the terror tactics of Hamas, which is actually designated by our government as a terrorist organization. Their apologists in academia, who whine about free speech, are condoning the bullying of Jewish students and the disruption brought to campuses by these asinine protests and encampments. Real students, particularly those of the Jewish faith, are having their right to an education taken away by this toxic campus atmosphere.

If the universities won't take action, I believe that people like Dhillon will. This is a civil rights matter, and the DOJ will be considering religious discrimination as part of Title 6 of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Next month, with the inauguration of Trump, we will have a government that will bring true pressure to bear-including financial pressure- on universities that cannot or will not protect their Jewish students. But beyond financial pressure, violation of civil rights is a criminal offense. There is clearly coordination-and conspiracy- to commit these acts across state lines. This is a federal matter.

 Enough is enough.

Italy: The Ghost of Bin Laden Haunts Perugia

Perugia

Last June a 37-year-old man, identified only as a "foreign citizen", but calling himself Bin Laden, attacked a bar* owner with a chair causing serious injuries. Yesterday, a court found him not guilty by reason of insanity and sentenced him to two years in a special loony bin for those in his legal category. The only problem is there are apparently no special facilities of that type in the region of Umbria. So everything is up in the air. For all we know, the guy is probably back at the bar having coffee. I have no idea. I am incapable of understanding it all.

*In Italy, "bars" are usually coffee bars as opposed to (alcohol) bars as we usually know them in the US.

The below article from Il Giornale is translated by Fousesquawk.

"Incapable of understanding"- The foreigner who, thinking he was Bin Laden,  attacked a bar owner 

A 37-year-old foreigner wound up in handcuffs after having attacked an 80-year-old owner of a bar in Perugia with a chair while calling himself Bin Laden. The man was still acquitted as a result of expert (opinion) that he was incapable of understanding and (forming criminal intent).

By Giovanni Fiorentino   10 December 2024-21:10

He wound up in handcuffs in the past months after having beaten a bar owner, aged 80, hitting him several times with a chair and shouting that he was Bin Laden. In the past few hours, following an expert opinion report from a previous proceeding against him, which stated that he was incapable of understanding and criminal intent, he was nevertheless acquitted. The protagonist of this story who arrived in Perugia is a foreign citizen, aged 37, and who at the end of last spring (according to what is reported by the online Perugia Today) attacked the owner/bartender of a bar in the Umbrian capital necessitating him going to the hospital. The attack occurred on the morning of June 5, (and) according to what has been reconstructed, the owner had asked the impatient foreigner to enter and wait until the opening of the commercial enterprise, but the (attacker) apparently did not take it well.

He threw a fit, saying he was Bin Laden. The old man, frightened, at that point, reportedly barricaded himself together with his wife inside the (bar) as a precaution that turned out to be in vain. The 37-year-old, in fact, reportedly broke the glass door of the bar using one of the chairs from the tables outside. And he reportedly used the same chair to hit the 80-year-old dealing him more blows and causing him to fall to the ground. The worst was avoided thanks to the intervention of the owner's wife, who while waiting for the arrival of the police, reportedly placed herself between the two. The attacked man was transported to the hospital, where he was found to (have sustained) "a proximal meta epiphyseal fracture of the right humerus", as well as "cortical infractions of the intermediate phalanx of the second finger of the left hand, cranial-facial trauma with fracture of the nasal bones, and a torn and bruised frontal fracture."  

The man wound up in handcuffs and remained in jail until yesterday when a judge revoked the precautionary measure. The reason? His condition was confirmed by a psychiatric report from a previous proceeding for sexual violence (that ended in his acquittal), according to which, the accused is "strongly paranoid" and becomes aggressive when he feels himself in danger.  Though being, "socially dangerous, his inability to understand, to (form intent) and to participate in the trial" was recognized. 

 And it was on this basis that the acquittal came about. The judge also ordered treatment in a Rems (physiatric hospital for those found not guilty by reason of insanity or socially dangerous) for two years even though there seems to be no such facility in Umbria. And at the moment, there seems to be no certainty as to the place where the foreign citizen will be treated nor when.

Netherlands: Amsterdam Soccer Rioters on Trial

De Telegraaf

On November 7, riots took place in Amsterdam following a soccer match between a Dutch team and an Israeli team. Once the match ended, Israeli fans and other Jews were hunted down in the streets and beaten by young Muslim men. Five victims were hospitalized and dozens of men were arrested.

Now court proceedings against the defendants are in progress. In the below article from Algemeen Dagblad, it is reported that two of the defendants, not only attacked Jews physically but participated in chat groups dedicated to inciting attacks against "cancer Jews". Yet, incredulously, the public prosecutor sees no indications that anti-Semitism played a role. But we are talking about Dutch law here. 

The article is translated by Fousesquawk.

Public Prosecutor: Rachid O. shared locations of "cancer Jews" to beat, 2 years demanded for Sefa Ö

Amsterdam riots- The Public Prosecutor's Ministry has demanded jail time up to 2 years against three rioters from the Ajax-Maccabi soccer match. Two men allegedly actually beat people, while a third actively shared information in a group chat on "cancer Jews to beat".

-By Raymond Boere, December 11, 2024 at 07:00./ Latest update December 11, 2024 at 17:27

The most severe sentence demanded was for Sefa Ö. from Amsterdam. According to the Public Prosecutor, he was involved in a total of four violent incidents in the city center after the soccer match. Images were shown in the courtroom in which it was seen how  Ö. kicked a victim against a moving tram on the Dam (Square). He also threw punches at someone who was lying on the ground.  Ö., a hairstylist with a wife expecting a child in four months, said that he was sorry that he was present, but would not say anything further.

 More talkative was Rachid O. from Utrecht, who actively participated in the Buurthuis 2 group chat, in which, according to the Public Prosecutor, there was a hunt for Jews deep into the night. There were about 900 people in the group. Subsequently,  O. called it stupid that he joined this chat out of curiosity. "But I was frustrated and angry how Maccabi fans were shouting, "Death to Arabs," earlier in the city."

O. met up with friends in Amsterdam and then shared locations "where to beat cancer Jews". He sent reports like, "smack them down" and bragged how he had stolen a cell phone. "Slapped and took a cell phone", he said in the chat. He also allegedly shared a link that was to be sent to Jews in particular. When they reportedly opened it, it would automatically take a picture and their exact location would be sent to O.

It is clear to the police that O. explicitly hunted for Jews in this manner, and therefore, is complicit in the violence. But O. dismisses it as BS. He did not take the stolen phone after beating someone. He found the device on the street and quickly returned it to the rightful owner when the person himself called.

According to O., the link to actively track down Jews is nothing more than a joke. "I also sent it to my mother," he explained, which caused amazement with one of the judges. "You still say that it is BS and a joke, but it doesn't come across that way. This went on in the chat for hours." 

For the prosecutor as well, the conversations were not as innocent as O. wanted the judges to believe. He demanded six months in jail, of which two months were provisional. Earlier in the day, the public prosecutor demanded a jail sentence of six months for Lucas D. (19) from Monnickendam, of which three (months) were provisional. According to the public prosecutor, he threw rocks at police near the stadium, had illegal, heavy fireworks, and participated in a chat group on Snapchat, in which there were calls to commit violence.

The images of the riots went all over the world. Politicians here and abroad talked about anti-Semitic attacks, but the Public Prosecutor's Ministry has no indication of this. According to the prosecutors, the riots were mainly inspired by the anger over the situation in Gaza and the identification of the Maccabi supporters with the Israeli army.

The case against one of the suspects has been postponed. This 22-year-old refugee from Gaza reportedly kicked someone in the head four times and is accused of attempted manslaughter. According to his attorney, his client grew up in a refugee camp in Gaza, and he is possibly seriously traumatized. The judges agreed that he should first be examined by a psychologist.

The court will issue its ruling on December 24.

Which Universities Have the Most Anti-Zionist Faculty?

The Amcha Initiative, an organization established to expose and combat anti-Semitism on US university campuses, has come out with a groundbreaking study grading over 700 universities in terms of which have the most anti-Zionist faculty. This comes in the wake of the establishment of a new organization on campuses called Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP), set up to support Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).

I note with regret (but not surprise) that the campus where I taught part-time for 18 years, the University of California at Irvine, ranks near the top. Of course, I am well aware of the activism against Israel that has gone on there for many years, which has led directly to the rise in anti-Semitism on campus. In the wake of October 7, 2023, that activism doubled down in such a shameful manner. There were 'teach-ins" and an encampment that had to be broken up by police when they refused orders to disperse. Another black eye for the uinversity.

The Amcha press release can be accessed here. It has direct links to the recent study.

Netherlands: Update on Explosion in the Hague

-RTL (NL)

Dutch police have taken three men into custody in connection with the explosion in the Hague Saturday morning that took 6 lives. It is not clear what their roles were. Police also report that the apparent target of the explosion, believed to be a bomb, was a bridal dress shop.

The below article from De Telegraaf is translated by Fousesquawk.

Police call: The Hague explosion  targeted bridal fashion store, search for two autos

-By Gerda Frankenhuis and Lieke Jongbloed

Yesterday 20:33 in Domestic, updated 36 minutes ago.

The Hague- The Aliyah Styling bridal fashion shop was the target of the explosion that caused enormous chaos and the deaths of 6 persons on the Tarwekamp (Street) in the Hague. That was reported by police Tuesday evening on the TV program, Opsporing Gezocht.

Earlier Tuesday, police announced that they arrested three men Monday evening just before midnight. The bridal shop was located on the bottom floor. "We are, of course, in contact with the managers of the shop." On the ground floor next to the bridal shop, there are also the Bar Rosa and a shop for Indian furniture.

Why the bridal shop was the target is still a puzzle. The police are urgently calling for people who know more about the case or have more information about the reason for the explosion.

The investigative team is also looking for people who have more information about a dark blue 2009 Toyota Yaris that may have driven away at a high rate of speech shortly before the explosion. Information is also being sought on a champaign-colored Kia Ceed Stationwagen, also 2009. That could concern local residents or people who can link the cars to the explosion or conflicts.

Police hope to hear from local residents if they saw something suspicious around the building in the days leading up to the mega explosion on Saturday morning around 6:15.  "If anything was noticed at the bridal shop, we would like to hear about it," said a police spokesperson.

Nineteen households without home

In the attack, 6 people, namely residents in the above apartments, were killed and 4 people were injured. A young boy of 8 years was saved from the rubble and now must live the rest of his life without his parents and sister. Nineteen households were left homeless.

The three men who are now in custody are in full restriction and can only have contact with their attorneys. later this week, they will be brought before the examining magistrate. What their role is in the attack is unclear.