Free Republic

A Government decision to allow Islamic courts in Britain the right to rule on family disputes and divorces has been condemned as discriminatory to women. Civil rights campaigners are angry that ministers have approved plans to allow Sharia councils in Britain the right to settle disputes regarding money, property and access to children. They say such tribunals are institutions for male domination which treat women like second-class citizens. Couples who choose to use the Sharia system must get the ruling rubber-stamped by a judge sitting in an ordinary family court. But neither party has to attend this hearing and approval...

Excerpt - TEHRAN, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who accuses the West of monopolising power in world bodies, proposed on Tuesday setting up an international Islamic court to try war criminals and other human rights violators. The president gave few details about his proposal, made at a meeting of judiciary chiefs from Islamic countries. But he repeated his assertions that bodies like the U.N. Security Council were being manipulated by the West. "Today it is necessary to create an international Islamic court for pursuing and following international criminals, those who violates the rights of nations, war criminals...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Somali Islamists, who are in charge of the capital and other key areas, are becoming more radical and under growing control from an al Qaeda cell in East Africa, the top U.S. diplomat for Africa said on Thursday. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer told reporters that U.S. hopes a more moderate group might emerge to lead the group had not materialized. "The Council of Islamic Courts is now controlled by al Qaeda cell individuals, East Africa al Qaeda cell individuals. The top layer of the court are extremists. They are terrorists," Frazer said. Reuters Pictures...

An unknown assailant shot an Islamic court judge in the head as he drove his car in the northern part of the kingdom, police and a newspaper said Saturday. The sources provided no reason for Friday's attack on Sheikh Abderrahman al-Sahibani at Skaka in the province of Jouf. He was heading to a mosque to lead Friday prayers when he came under fire and lost control of his car. A bullet was removed successfully from his head in Skaka before the judge was transferred to a hospital in Riyadh, the capital, Al-Riyadh daily said.